Grilled Scallops and Tomatoes Provencale

I wanted to cook something light last weekend, especially with all of the heavy holiday food that we consumed. Sticking primarily to fish and veggies, I decided to try the following scallop recipe out of my latest Bon Appetit issue. Although I omitted using nectarines, I pretty much stayed true to the recipe.

For a side dish, I worked my magic with an old recipe for Tomatoes Provencale that I inherited from my ICE cooking class. See the easy directions below. The best part of this dish is its healthfulness and fragrant ingredients. It's inexpensive to make and makes for good leftovers. Enjoy!

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes Provencale (8 Servings)

Ingredients:

4 firm, ripe medium tomatoes

Salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of finely minced shallots (you can use onions if you can't get shallots)

3-5 tablespoons of minced fresh basil

1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon of dried (I prefer dried)

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil plus additional

1/2 cup of dry white bread crumbs (you can also use Italian bread crumbs)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil the baking dish.

Cut the tomatoes in half, crosswide. Using your index finger, poke the seeds from the tomato cavities. Sprinkle the halves lightly with salt and place the tomatoes upside down on a rack. Allow to drain for about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, shallots (or onions), basil, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/4 cup of the oil and the bread crumbs.

Season the insides of the tomato halves with pepper and fill each with 1-2 spoonfuls of the stuffing. Sprinkle with a few drops of oil. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish. At this point, the tomatoes can be held for several hours.

Place the baking dish in the upper third of the oven and bake until the tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape (10-15 minutes). The filling should be lightly browned. Cool slightly and serve.

Feast on this guilt-free dinner--Dan and I did and we'll make it again soon. The key is to use fresh sea scallops and fresh veggies. I got the scallops at the Best of the Sea fish market on 30th Avenue and the fruit from the 24-hour United Brothers Fruit also on 30th Avenue.

Malibu Salmon - A Great Summer Dish

I wanted to cook dinner last night but didn't want it to be too complicated because of the heat in our apartment--no central AC here. After scanning a couple of recipes in one of my favorite cookbooks, Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman I found what I was looking for--Chili Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Mango Salsa. As I usually do, I switched a couple of things around to make it more my own. See Dave's recipe below and then my variation too.

Dave's Version (Serves 4)

Ingredients (for the fish)

1 lb of fresh salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 4 equal pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbs of vegetable oil

2 tbs of chili powder

2 tsp of dried oregano

Ingredients (for the cucumber-mango salsa)

2 ripe but firm mangoes, flesh removed and finely diced

1/2 English (hothouse) cucumber, finely diced

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 orange

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp of salt

10 grinds of fresh black pepper

Directions:

Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Rub all over with vegetable oil. Mix the chili powder and oregano together in a small bowl until evenly combined. Rub all over the fish to coat the fish evenly. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Cook the salmon 4-5 minutes per side, until crispy on both sides and cooked medium.

Toss the salsa ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

My Variation:

For the salmon, I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil and instead of the chili powder I substituted with Malibu BBQ Rub. If you don't have this--who am I kidding, why would you have this?--the ingredients in it are onion flake, dry orange peel, coriander seeds, black pepper, coconut and Malibu rum. But if you don't have these ingredients--or don't care for them--you can always use a dry rub of your choice.

Dave's recipe above doesn't ask for more oil when sauteeing the salmon and I'm not sure why. The fish needs something to cook on, so I used a modest amount of cooking spray but you can use olive oil too.

For the cucumber-mango salsa, I substituted the juice of an orange with some water, which diluted the strong taste of lime juice. Because I don't particularly care for mint, I used fresh chopped parsley, which was lemony and crisp.

As a side dish, I cooked up an instant package of Basmati rice and flavored it with fresh lime juice and the chopped parsley.

Overall, it was the perfect summer dinner--filling yet juicy and refreshing from the fruit and veggies. Also, if you're looking to cook something healthy, this is your dish. Give it a try and let me know the variations you come up with!

Foodista's Turkey Gnocchi

I was in the mood for a home cooked meal on Sunday but not one entirely from scratch. So...I devised a gnocchi dish from the ingredients that I already had at home such as ground turkey, onions and simple paprika seasoning. Purposefully avoiding red sauce, I wanted this to have a hint of creaminess so I used a touch of milk at the end. Dan loved it and for a large portion, it went quickly. From start to finish, this dish took a short half-hour to prepare.

Ingredients (serves 2-3):
1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey

1 medium or 2 small onions, chopped

1 package of store bought Gnocchi

Olive oil (2 turns around the pan)

4-5 generous dashes of paprika

Splash of milk or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Fill a medium pot with water over medium-high heat and set to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, set a large skillet with olive oil on high heat. When hot enough, add chopped onions and sautee for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are golden. Next, add the ground turkey and break apart with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and lots of paprika (or however much paprika you like). Cook until turkey is done (8-10 minutes) and if you're not sure if it's ready, go ahead and taste it, you'll be able to tell immediately. When the meat is done, set aside from heat.

When the water is boiling, add gnocchi and wait for them to float up, indicating that they're ready. Do not drain the gnocchi, instead take them out in batches with a slotted spoon and place them into the sautee pan with the ground turkey. Gradually transfer all of the gnocchi and stir everything together. At the end, add milk or cream.

You can try several variations of this, which could include ground beef, chicken or even veal. Enjoy and experiment!

Creamy Chicken Orzo - Quick Comfort Dish

On my way from exploring Pastalicious , I got inspired to make a hearty pasta dish of my own. I wanted something filling but not so much that it would weigh me down. Searching through my favorite Food Network Star's--Giada De Laurentiis--recipes, I found one for Creamy Orzo. I've seen Giada make this on TV and it looked awesome.

My Variation:

To give this dish some protein, I added cubed chicken and sauteed it with diced tomatoes. I also put a lot less cream in my dish than Giada (1/2 cup vs. Giada's 1 1/4 cups). And while shredded parmigiano cheese seemed to disappear from my fridge, I added shredded smoked mozzarella (but I think that you can substitute whatever cheese you like). And finally, do not use 1 lb of Orzo as Giada suggests, unless you'd like to feed a small army. I used slightly less than 1/2 pound and Dan and I still have leftovers.

Dan uttered a lot of "Mmmms" after feasting on my/Giada's Creamy Chicken Orzo. Enjoy!

Effortless French Onion Soup

I was stumped as to what to make for dinner yesterday and was feeling bored with my usual repertoire of burritos, salad, pasta--you get the point. I decided to make a delicious--and very semi-homemade--French Onion soup in the following fashion. I think the secret lies in the presentation, which makes the soup feel celebratory and special. Try it and feel free to use variations that work for you.

Effortless French Onion Soup

Ingredients: Serves 2

(1) 19 oz. can of Progresso French Onion Soup

1-2 pieces of toasted seven grain bread (or whatever bread you like or have at home)

6 generous slices of smoked mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you like or have at home)

Italian seasoning or fresh parsley (whichever one you have on hand)

2 soup crocks (with or without handles)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees (or broil).

Heat the soup on low-medium until warm but not boiling hot. Ladle the soup into the individual soup crocks. Cut the toasted bread into small squares and put into the individual soup crocks. Mix into the soup to let the bread soak up nicely. Top with three slices of smoked mozzarella cheese or as many as it takes to cover the top of the soup crock. It's ok if the cheese does not go over the dish like in restaurants. Use as much cheese as you like and remember that adding cheese also means adding calories and fat so you might want to go light--it's up to you.

Bake in the oven (not yet the broiler) for ten minutes. Take out and place carefully in the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Be very careful to watch the soup once in the broiler because it has a tendency to burn the cheese very quickly. When ready, the cheese and the liquid below will bubble nicely. Top with Italian seasoning or fresh chopped parsley. Make sure to cool it for at least 5-7 minutes before you dig in.

Bon Appetit!

Gargantuan Turkey Burgers with Avocado Salad

Trying to use ingredients in our fridge and pantry, Dan and I cooked up a gargantuan turkey burger feast. We paired the meat with two zesty salads--avocado and potato-apple. It was easy, fun and made for an enjoyable group-cook. So...be prepared to do some chopping and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

Giant Turkey Burgers: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of ground turkey

1 large egg

1/4 cup of chopped onions

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 generous handful of breadcrumbs (with Italian seasoning, if possible)

4 large Kaiser rolls

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Defrost the turkey and place into a medium to large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine with your hands. Make sure to incorporate everything evenly but do not overmix--you'll know when the consistency is right. Take a generous handful of meat in your hands and form it in the shape of round-oval patty. Continue doing this until you've used up all the meat.

When the patties are ready, place them on a pre-heated and slightly oiled grill pan. Grill on high for 4-6 minutes per side or use your judgement depending on the thickness of your patties. The burgers should have a slightly charred exterior and a well-done interior.

When finished, place each patty between a lightly toasted kaiser roll.

Avocado Salad: Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe avocados, cubed (1 inch cubes or however you like it)

1/3 cup of chopped onions

1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

The juice of 1 good lime

Salt and pepper to taste (more salt than pepper)

Directions:

Place all prepped ingredients in a small to medium bowl and mix with a fork. It's OK if the avocado gets slightly crushed. Make sure to keep tasting the mixture periodically and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Don't be shy to use a lot of salt--it really enhances the taste of avocados.

When ready, top burger with avocado salad or you can serve it on the side.

Potato-Apple Salad: Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large Idaho potatoes

1 large Granny-Smith apple, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1/4 cup of onion, chopped

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the potatoes with the skins on until soft (about 20 minutes). Be careful not to overcook them--check their texture with a fork. Let potatoes cool for 10 minutes and then peel and cube them into 1 inch squares.

In a medium to large bowl, mix the potatoes, apples, celery and onions. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the soy sauce and then transfer it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Make sure to keep trying and adjusting the seasoning, as needed. This dish should be savory with an unexpected sweet crunch from the apples.

Happy Eating!

2 Dinners: Potato Gratin and Turkey Cutlets 2 Ways

One of these dinners was a fun collaboration between Dan and me and the other solely handled by Chez Dan. Try to guess which one!

Dinner 1: Turkey Cutlets and Potato Gratin with Olives

This meal was half healthy, half indulgent. The turkey cutlets were on the light side--sauteed in olive oil, garlic and onion. Some of the edges got a little well done but that's OK because they had extra flavor. The potato gratin on the other hand was the sinful indulgence. A sturdy dish, it resembled the great wall of potatoes--olives, chicken stock and silky cream served as the mortar for this structure. To say that we were full after this meal was putting it lightly. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm.

Turkey Cutlets

Ingredients: (serves 2)

4 medium-large turkey cutlets

Olive oil (2-3 turns around the pan)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 eggs, whisked

1 cup of flour

1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper. Then coat the cutlets--first in flour, then egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Shake off excess breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Heat olive oil in a sautee pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until golden brown. Make sure to watch the garlic carefully--it can burn rather quickly. Then sautee the prepared turkey cutlets in the oil for 3-4 minutes per side. Place cooked cutlets on a platter and blot excess oil with paper towels.

Potato Gratin

I got this recipe from the March issue of Bon Appetit and it served me well. I wasn't too crazy about the capers that it called for so I substituted with olives, which still gave it a salty bite. Other than that, I followed the recipe, which was easy to understand but required meticulous work and special attention--slicing those potatoes paper-thin took concentration! Check it out here.

Dinner 2: Turkey Cutlet and Salami Tortellini

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 package of fresh tortellini pasta--with filling of your choice

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Turkey cutlets, cubed (see above recipe)

4-5 slices of Genoa salami, cut into quarters or eighths

1/4 cup of shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

Olive oil (2 turns around the pan)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil pasta until it's al dente. Then heat oil in sautee pan and add garlic and onions. Like mentioned in the last recipe, make sure to watch that garlic so it doesn't burn. Then add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Set aside from heat when all ingredients get nice and brown and acquire crispy, golden edges (about 6-8 minutes). Sprinkle shredded smoked mozzarella on top and enjoy your hearty decadence, courtesy of Chez Dan (yes, you guessed it...pasta is his speciality).

Wintery Comfort Grub

What's more comforting than a nice hot soup and a hearty chicken dish?

As you all know, I love to cook up basically anything--but especially winter comfort grub. Here are two dishes that will surely warm your bones on a blistering winter day.

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Thyme Toasts:
I got this recipe from the December/January issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. Click here for complete recipe. Reason why I love it? It's super filling and after eating a big bowl of it,you won't need to eat a second course! And the ingredients that go into it are also wallet friendly.

Foodista Variation: I didn't use as much cream as the recipe called for and skipped the extra cream-garnishing at the end--thought that was a bit excessive. Also, instead of toasting the bread in more butter--also too indulgent--I grilled it on a grill pan with a modest amount of olive oil. I put the toasts directly into the soup so they could soak up its delicious flavor and sprinkled thyme on top.

Tuscan Chicken:
This recipe came from the January issue of Bon Appetit, p. 26. (Recipe coming to the web soon). I decided to make this dish because I had leftover chicken breasts in my fridge. The recipe was easy and also included simple ingredients that you're likely to already have. It was a big hit with Dan who usually doesn't eat leftovers but these were gone before I even got to them.

Foodista Variation: I skipped the lemon mayonnaise that was supposed to be a dipping sauce--who needs unnecessary mayo anyway? Also, instead of grated Parmesan, I used shredded. It gave the chicken an interesting texture and was still very crispy. I also didn't use spinach and capers, which were supposed to be the toppers; Dan is not a big fan of these and I could do without them as well.

Enjoy!