Totally Baked

With summer just a few weeks away and a beachside vacation on the horizon, I've been looking for waist-friendly meals to add to my dinner repertoire. When seeking out new dishes I often start with the ingredients. Being a seasonally minded cook, I try to think about what's around, what's in season, and then find inspiration from there. These days, however, I've been taking a different approach, looking to new techniques as a way to create dishes with the seasonal ingredients I love. I was recently watching Everyday Food--a great cooking show that airs on PBS and other public television channels, and is created by the Martha Stewart test kitchens--for inspiration. Their recipes are significantly less fussy than what you'd normally associate with Martha, and are aimed at home cooks looking to put delicious, fresh meals on the table in a flash. They find a way to keep food sophisticated and seasonal while making it easy and approachable, especially for families. Their first cookbook got me through the early days of my home cooking obsession, and I highly recommend their magazine and subsequent cookbooks to home cooks of all levels. 

A recent episode of their show revolved around finding alternatives to a baked lasagna and other standard pasta dinners. I've never been one to make baked pasta dishes at home, and having grown up with mostly Spanish food at home, anything resembling a casserole was completely foreign to me. But their baked pasta dish really called out to me because it was both healthy and flavorful, and frankly, pretty neat looking. The dish was basically baked orzo with chicken, but also made use of the wonderful citrus that was in season and is still abundant, not to mention some great feta cheese and fresh dill. It didn't use much fat, only a tablespoon of butter dissolved into chicken stock, and boneless, skinless chicken breast. Despite the lack of fat and use of lean lean ingredients, the dish was super flavorful. I definitely made adjustments and felt that it needed a little flavor boosting. It needed more cheese, more salt and pepper, and more herbs, in my opinion, (which is reflected in the recipe below) but otherwise I'd say it's a really solid dish. There's minimal effort that goes into putting it together, and with the exception of bringing the chicken stock to a boil, it's pretty much a case of "everyone in the tub".

What I especially liked about the dish was the potential for adding more things to it. I can easily see sneaking in delicious veggies so that picky kids (or husbands) don't see them (zucchini, asparagus and broccoli come to mind), or playing around with the proteins and adding chopped shrimp or bay scallops, which I know would pair really well with the super lemony and dill scented broth. I can definitely see multiple iterations of this dish in my future, but in the meantime, this original version is healthy and super affordable. It feeds an army for under ten dollars, and would probably be an excellent pantry clean-out dish (toss in that jar of olives, roasted red peppers or artichokes). You could even play with the type of pasta, using Israeli couscous or even orecchiette or pinwheeled shaped pasta or something fun to keep little kids from noticing what else is in there. You could even add a little more crunch with a crumbly topping, say some toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs, perhaps mixed with some crushed nuts and a nice big pile of mint and dill. Regardless of how you may adjust it, it's certainly a dish worth making. Between prep and cooking and even 5 minutes of resting time, I found that the dish was on the table in under an hour. I had leftovers for lunch at work for two days, and with the addition of a few tablespoons of water and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, it reheated in the office microwave like a dream. Not that leftovers would be a concern if you're feeding a large family--it's so good, I'm sure you'll have a clean baking dish by the end of the night.

Chicken, Lemon and Dill with Orzo

adapted from Everyday Food

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup water

1 Tbsp butter

2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lb orzo

2 cups (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest, plus juice of 1 lemon

2 cups grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan, bring broth, water, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, mint, lemon zest and juice, plus 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. Pour broth mixture over orzo and stir once to incorporate. Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cup of Parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

-Laura    

Hello, Gorgeous

The weather here in New York has taken a turn for the gorgeous, prompting us to start eating a little lighter and healthier at my house. For me the secret to eating lighter doesn't lie in eating less, eating cardboard, or over-seasoning, but rather in mixing up proteins, eating lots of veggies, keeping carbs to a minimum, and throwing in legumes as often as possible for an extra helping of heart healthy protein. People often ask me how I come up with different meals every night and I find that the key to cooking healthier and more balanced meals (whether it's for one or a whole family) is variety. Starting with the protein, make sure you have a different one every night, and keep those that are higher in saturated fats (like red meats) to only once a week. Fish is not only less fatty than other proteins, but has more health benefits, so salmon and other omega-3 rich fish are a great option. When it comes to chicken, pork, veal and other proteins, look for healthier options to the greasy things you love, like crusting chicken in mustard and crushed nuts and baking it instead of dredging it in bread and frying. Try breakfast for dinner and bring eggs into the equation as a viable protein option--veggie frittatas and baked eggs are good for you and make a great vehicle for almost any vegetable. Trust me, there are alternatives to almost everything you love, so there's no need to eat salads every night.

Vegetables are of course always okay, but try to roast whatever you can, and remember that when it comes to eating healthy, the oven is your best friend. It requires significantly less oil than stove-top cooking, so you won't be tempted to fry up those brussels sprouts with bacon or douse that squash in butter. You'll get plenty of flavor from browning and heaps of wonderful crunch, to boot. But the oven isn't just good for veggies--it's great for proteins. Whether you're roasting a whole chicken, lean cut pork chops or a great piece of fish, it's a time saver that can help one easily multi-task. After all, if you're constantly eying a frying pan, you can't be dressing a salad or chopping vegetables. But, if you have 15 minutes of distraction-free time, you can make better decisions about what you're cooking and how you're cooking it.


For my first act of decidedly healthy but delicious cooking, I went for a twist on a French classic: salmon and lentils. Even though we're at the tail end of citrus season, lemons, limes and blood oranges still abound and they're a key player in making food (especially healthier food) flavorful and complex. Fish and citrus are the ultimate flavor friends and using every part of the fruit is a must--zest, juice and everything. I zested lemons, limes and oranges to create a citrus-scented salmon that was steamed in the oven in a parchment paper pouch (also known as "en cartouche" or "en papillote"). The juice of all three fruits went in as well, ultimately thickening into a wonderful bit of sauce. I topped the whole thing with a little cilantro and a few lemon slices and tossed the pouches in the oven for 10 minutes. In the meantime, I was able to start everything I needed for my warm lentil salad. I'd started them a-boiling while I zested the citrus and sliced the fish, so while it all cooked in the oven I chopped scallions and whisked together the dressing. The whole meal is really simple, flavorful and elegant. It was easy to make and used only a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil per piece of fish, and three teaspoons for the vinaigrette (I happen to prefer lentils on the tart side). So give this dish a try and then work on your own tasty, healthy treats. Of course, leave some room for indulgences, but remember that ultimately, it's all about moderation.

Citrus-Scented Salmon with Warm Lentil Salad

2 boneless salmon filets, about 6 oz each
1 lemon, zested, then halved
1 lime, zested, then halved
1 orange, zested, then halved
2 Tbsp cilantro, divided, finely chopped
1 cup French green lentils
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp Dijon mustard 
5 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add lentils. Cook until soft but still slightly firm in the center, about 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut two large pieces of parchment into a heart shape and place one piece of salmon on the right half of each heart.

3. Squeeze about a tablespoon each of lemon, lime, and orange juice over the salmon and season with salt, pepper and the lemon, lime and orange zest. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp cilantro over salmon (reserving the other tablespoon for the lentils) along with one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil per fillet.

4. Fold empty parchment half over the salmon. Starting at the top of the heart, crimp edges with small, overlapping folds to seal package tightly. If you can't secure the end closed tight enough, use a paperclip. Place packets on a baking sheet and then into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on how you like your salmon (I like a 10-12 minute salmon, which is about medium).

5. While the salmon cooks, drain the lentils and whisk together the mustard, olive oil, vinegar and the remaining cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the lentils, tossing to combine. Add green onions and toss to combine.

6. When the salmon is done, remove it from the oven and serve still in its paper container, or remove to a plate along with any accumulated juices. Serve with warm lentil salad and enjoy!

-Laura  

Give Peas A Chance

A few weeks ago, as I angrily trudged home through snow and rain on my way back from the farmers market, finding that spring had clearly not sprung, I took a break from cursing mother nature to ask myself a question. What the heck do people do with all those pea shoots? At that time, the market was still a botanical wasteland filled with gray tubers and gnarly roots. As those of us looking forward to spring goodies loitered near any stand that showed the promise of selling us anything resembling green spring and summer vegetables, one small stand was bathed in shade, slightly removed from the rest, with a line of smiling customers that seemed never ending. I walked over thinking I'd hit the jackpot (perhaps there was early asparagus, or ramps?), only to see that they were selling various types of shoots. Most customers appeared to be walking away with bagfuls of pea shoots. Assuming they were hippie health nuts that would just throw them in their yogurt with some granola and and a handful of goji berries, I begrudgingly headed for home empty handed.

It wasn't until two weeks later, during another dismal visit to the farmers market that I took notice of the stand again--steady flow of traffic, and several satisfied customers walking away with bags. I asked a few people what they did with theirs, and generally the answers were predictable: sandwiches, salads and garnishes. But that very week I received an email from The Astor Center here in New York, and it suggested using pea shoots on crostini. I figured it was the best way to give them a shot, since I wouldn't have to buy too many of them in case I wasn't a fan, and I'd get to taste them raw. I did some research and learned that they are the young leaves of your everyday garden pea plant, and are harvested within the first month of growing. They're small and tender with a mild flavor and beautiful bright green color. Knowing that, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and picked a few up at the (much more exciting) farmers market this weekend.


I grabbed a crunchy baguette on my way home along with a small container of ricotta cheese and a few lemons. After toasting the bread until it was nice and crispy, I sliced it and buttered it with rich french butter. I topped that with a spoonful of ricotta, lemon zest, and the pea shoots. I finished the whole thing off with a very light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. In the end, not only was it a great appetizer, but I can really see why people liked them so much. Although there's nothing overwhelming about their flavor, pea shoots are sweet and subtle and great for adding just a hint of freshness and crunch. I can see why they're popular in sandwiches, and next time I'll definitely use them as an alternative to lettuce for a sandwich or or a white pizza. Here's the final crostini recipe, and let me warm you, it's absolutely addictive (I ate the entire batch for dinner--that's an entire baguette's worth). Enjoy!

Pea Shoot and Ricotta Crostini

2 cups loosely packed pea shoots
1/2 stick butter (French butter would be best, but any will do)
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
2 lemons
1 baguette
sea salt

Heat bread in the oven until crunchy and warmed through. Slice into 1-inch thick rounds and spread each slice with butter and about a heaping teaspoon of ricotta cheese. Top each with lemon zest, pea shoots, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve. Enjoy!

-Laura

De-greasing

There are some weeks so busy, so tiresome, so exhausting, that all you can do is eat as fast, filling and fatty a meal as possible. Then there are the days immediately following those days, when the traveling, late night, busy week haze has cleared and all that's left is you and your new paunch. I experienced this very thing towards the end of last week when, after a weekend of nothing but burgers and cheese fries while out of town, and a busy work week where I indulged in the delicious cafeteria comfort food one too many times, I finally felt all of the grease catch up with me. With a volleyball game looming on the horizon Thursday night, it was clear that I needed something on the lighter side, or there would be no getting me on the court.

I'm not a big fan of just having a salad for dinner, but I knew that if I crafted just the right one, I'd be satisfied, and maybe give myself a little energy boost before the game as well. I decided I'd turn to my favorite pantry staple of all time, the humble chickpea. I'm disappointed with chickpea salads about 95% of the time, so I figured I'd take a stab at making my own. Instead of adding too many nuts and veggies and all kinds of crazy chunkies, I decided to keep it super simple with just some minced pimento stuffed olives and a basic vinaigrette. I gave the dressing a little kick by adding some ground cumin and smoked paprika for a bit of spice. I thought about adding some jalapeños for heat, but in the end decided against it, reminding myself of just why I hate most chickpea salads--to many chunkies and too many flavors.

I made the dressing with a bit of lemon juice in the place of vinegar to brighten it up a bit, especially since we're about to get into summer. I even added a bit of zest and whisked it straight into the dressing. With a few pinches of salt and a bit of heat from several turns of cracked white pepper the salad was done and delicious. There was no cooking, just mixing and a little bit of chopping. Here's the recipe:

Chickpea and Olive Salad

1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives, finely chopped
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
extra virgin olive oil (about 3-4 tsp)

1. In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard, lemon juice, cumin and paprika. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until vinaigrette is formed.

2. Add chickpeas and olives to vinaigrette and toss to coat. Enjoy!

-Laura

When Life Gives You Lemons...Roast Them.

I have what you might call a citrus obsession. The one thing that I covet above all others during the winter food season is of course my darling clementine, but that doesn't mean I don't count on all the other lovely citrus fruits to brighten up my meals. This makes sense since I don't have much of a sweet tooth and have always preferred things on the tart side (I'm pretty sure few other children claimed lemon ice cream as their favorite). For years I used various vinegars to cut the fatty flavors of dishes and pull everything together, but have recently discovered the wonders of adding a few drops of lemon or lime juice to deglaze a pan or add a hint of sharpness to a sauce.

Citrus fruits are affordable year round but are especially wallet friendly when they're in season starting in the fall and ending in early spring. Unfortunately for those of us in the northeast, it's difficult to eat these types of fruit locally in bulk since they grow primarily in Florida and California (where the food comes from), but, we can still try to make the most of them when they're widely available to all of us. I've recently started playing with the idea of doing more than just squeezing lemon and lime into a sauce or dressing, but actually cooking the lemons themselves before adding them to a dish. It turns out that just like garlic, roasting a lemon develops it's flavor considerably. The whole thing swells with sweetened juice, causing the flesh to burst, pushing the tender pulp out of it's thin skin. In 10 mere minutes, the lemon is transformed into a slightly more complex condiment.

One of my favorite uses for roasted lemons is in adding flavor to an easy, healthy dish. Even boneless, skinless chicken breast can become tasty and flavorful with just a few ingredients and 20 minutes of effort. The dish I made a few nights ago took about 20 minutes and was packed with incredible flavor. The sauce had a bit of sharpness to it, but was mellowed out by the roasted lemon juice and sweet garlic. For a bit of spice and crunch, I served them alongside crispy homemade potato chips. Here's how to make it for yourself:

Chicken with Roasted Lemon and Olives

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 lemons, halved, with ends cut off
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp chopped pimiento stuffed olives
1 Tbsp honey
salt
pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle lemon tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until starting to brown on top.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet and add chicken. Cook on medium heat until browned on one side, then add garlic (do not brown garlic) and flip chicken until it's cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate and set aside.

3. Remove lemons from oven and, using tongs, squeeze the juice into the pan over a sieve (to catch seeds). Using a fork, scoop out the pulp and add to pan. Add olives and butter to pan over medium low heat. When the sauce comes together, stir in honey and water, cooking another minute. Return chicken to pan just so it heats through, then plate dish. Enjoy!

Rosemary Thyme Chips

For these all you need do is very thinly slice potatoes, spread them out on a baking sheet and top them with plenty of ground rosemary and thyme. Salt and pepper them and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake in the oven until crispy and browned, 15-20 minutes.

-Laura

My Tired Old Sole

Well folks, I'm back with a recipe and back in the kitchen. While my knees are still incredibly wonky, I just couldn't go another day without making a real home cooked meal for myself. In my continued effort to cook with new ingredients I brought home some nice grey sole fillets earlier in the week. Grey sole is in the same family as flounder, halibut, and turbot, all of which are flatfish. They're generally darker on their top side and lighter on the bottom, and known for having both eyes on one side of their body. Grey sole is the smallest of these fish and therefore has the most delicate flavor. It's also super lean and the fillets are fairly thin, so it's perfect for a quick and healthy meal. I couldn't wait to make them for the first time, especially since I love having fish on hand for quick meals (they also hold up really well in the freezer).

I had two recipe ideas floating around in my head that I was hoping to test this week. The first was a tart, citrus carpaccio, and the second was some kind of fish picatta in honor of last week's episode of Top Chef. As I tried to decide what I should make, it occurred to me that a picatta would be similar to the salmon dish I'd made recently, and I didn't have the right kind of fish for the carpaccio. So I decided to combine the two dishes into one new dish and see if it would fly. I started out by coating the fish in flour (not breadcrumbs, like our dear, confused friend on Top Chef), pan fried it, then created a butter, wine and caper sauce that incorporated some of the citrus elements of my carpaccio dish. I happen to really love tart and sour flavors so this was an excellent way to work them into yet another dish.

The dish turned out great, even better than I expected. I didn't want to go totally overboard with the lemon juice since the fish was quite delicate, so I added a bit of orange juice to the sauce, which added just the right amount of sweetness, while continuing the citrus theme. It balanced out the lemon and the capers and tied everything together perfectly, along with some fresh parsley and a few spring onions. I topped the whole thing off with lemon segments for that extra sour bite, and a few julienned spring onions for color. Hopefully I'll be fully able to stand and cook something a bit more complex in the coming days, but in the meantime, this dish is delicious and bright, and I think you'll really like it.

Citrus-Grey Sole with Capers

3-4 grey sole fillets
All purpose flour
2 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Juice of half a lemon
1 lemon, peeled and cut into segments
3 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp capers, drained (or rinsed if salt packed)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp parsley
salt
pepper

1. Salt and pepper sole fillets and lightly dust with flour. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat and cook fish until opaque, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove fish from pan and set aside.

2. Add wine, scrapping browned bits from bottom of the pan. Give it a minute to reduce, then add the lemon and orange juice, butter, capers and spring onions. Cook together about 5 minutes, add the parsley, then taste for seasoning.

3. Spoon sauce over fillets and top with lemon segments. Enjoy!

-Laura

New Neighborhood, New Food

I generally don't make New Year's resolutions. I find them a bit limiting since you only get to make one a year, and it's usually a cop-out involving chocolate or the gym. Instead, I try to make several small concerted efforts as the year goes on so I don't allow myself the inevitable, "But I already gave up ______!" excuse. My most recent and most successful "concerted effort" began in the fall of last year, and was to try and cook for myself as often as possible. After a particularly sad period of time involving four days of rice and beans, however, it became clear that I needed to more concretely define the meaning of "cook for myself." I decided that every meal I made had to be one that I was proud of, and that the best way to enforce this plan would be to share it with the world, and thus, a food blog was born.

After several days of gathering scraps and eating out of cans while preparing for my move across town last week, I was reminded of last year's non-resolution. Although I gave myself some leeway the last few weeks regarding the quality of my homemade meals, it occurred to me that my newfangled resolution hasn't evolved since I put it into practice. Although I'm proud of everything that I've made in the past few months (including several truly terrible recipes), I must admit that I have managed to fall into a variety of culinary ruts. To remedy the situation, I've decided to add a caveat to my original goal by venturing into cooking with proteins and veggies that I for some reason have avoided in the past.

The addendum went into effect two days ago as I wandered through the aisles of my new neighborhood supermarket. To my surprise, the fishmonger had fresh, affordable pieces of salmon, cod and tilapia, all of which made their way into my cart, much to the chagrin of the lady in line behind me. The produce was amazing, plump and juicy, and not at all the charming shade of brown I was used to seeing in the produce aisle of my old supermarket. So I set aside two nice thick slabs of wild salmon for dinner and tried to come up with an uncomplicated recipe that would compliment the fish without masking it's lovely flavor. After flipping through a few books for inspiration I decided on a really simple preparation of white wine with lemon and butter. I usually make this type of sauce for a white fish, but the super clean and bright flavors worked really nicely with the salmon. The tartness of the lemon and white wine were a great compliment to the sweet, pink flesh of the salmon, and as an added bonus, it's all cooked in about 10 minutes in one skillet. With meals this easy, I may actually keep my resolution (from 2004) to always do the dishes after cooking. Maybe :)

Salmon with Lemon Butter and White Wine

2 pieces salmon
3/4 cup white wine
4 lemon slices
1/4 tsp ground sage
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
salt
cracked black pepper
parsley (for garnish)

1. Add 1/2 cup of wine to a large skillet with a lid. Season salmon with salt, pepper and sage, top with lemon slices and arrange fish in the skillet.

2. Bring wine to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until salmon is cooked to desired doneness (about 5 minutes for medium). Remove salmon from skillet and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1/4 cup of wine to the skillet and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and remove from the heat. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the salmon. Garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

-Laura