Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
2 navel oranges
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons grand marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
20 shelled natural pistachios, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
DIRECTIONS
With a vegetable peeler remove zest from oranges in strips (about 2 by 1/2 by 1/4 inches) and in a small heavy saucepan simmer strips in water to cover 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange to expose flesh and arrange, a cut side down, on a cutting board. Cutting from top to bottom, remove peel and pith. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on 2 dessert plates.
Drain zest in a sieve and return to pan. Simmer zest with sugar and 1/2 cup water over moderately low heat 10 minutes, or until zest is translucent and syrup is thickened. Add liqueur and simmer 1 minute.
Arrange candied zest decoratively on and around orange slices and top with syrup. Sprinkle oranges with pistachios.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh spinach, coarse stems discarded, washed well, drained, and chopped coarse (about 8 packed cups)
1/2 small onion, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste
a pinch freshly grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook spinach 2 minutes and drain in a sieve, using the back of a large spoon to press as much water as possible out of spinach.
In a skillet cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in spinach, cream, pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste and cook until most of cream is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 pound boiling potatoes (2 to 3 medium)
1 tablespoon mixed chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano or 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, crumbled
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and in a saucepan of boiling salted water cook 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Drain potatoes well in a sieve and transfer to a 6-cup gratin dish (1 1/2-quart) or other shallow baking dish, 11 by 8 by 1 1/2 inches. Toss potatoes immediately with remaining ingredients and pepper and salt to taste and bake in upper third of oven 20 minutes, or until potatoes are pale golden.
This recipe was created to accompany Red Snapper Papillotes with Lemon and Thyme.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2 as a side dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup couscous
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 large garlic clove, chopped fine
1 plum tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves (wash and dry before chopping)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan bring water, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil to a boil and stir in couscous. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes.
While couscous is standing, in a skillet sauté onion, garlic, tomato, and zucchini with salt to taste in remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in olives, parsley, and pepper and remove skillet from heat.
Fluff couscous with a fork and stir into vegetables.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
2 sheets 12-inch-wide heavy-duty foil (each about 15 inches long)
two 6-ounce red snapper fillets, pin bones removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
6 very thin lemon slices (about 1/16 inch thick)
accompaniment if desired: vegetable couscous with black olives
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 500°F. and heat a baking sheet in lower third of oven 5 minutes.
Fold each sheet of foil in half crosswise to crease, and then unfold.
On a plate coat red snapper fillets with oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste. On each sheet of foil put 1 fillet to one side of crease and sprinkle with 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and half of any oil remaining on plate. Top each fillet with 3 lemon slices.
Working with 1 foil package ( papillote) at a time, fold left half of foil over fillet. Starting at 1 corner of crease, fold edge of foil over in triangles, following a semicircular oath around fillet (each fold should overlap previous one), smoothing out folds as you go and tucking last ford under, until papillote is completely sealed. Put papillotes on hot baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 5 minutes.
Serve papillotes with couscous.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
4 sweet italian sausage links (about 10 ounces total), skins pricked all over with a fork
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium onions, halves and sliced thin lengthwise (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoon mixed chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and/or sage or 3/4 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped scallion greens or fresh parsley (wash and dry before chopping)
a 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes including juice
19-ounce can white beans such as cannellini, navy, or great northern, drained and rinsed
for topping
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts discarded, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small garlic clove, chopped fine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (wash and dry before chopping)
DIRECTIONS
In a medium skillet cook sausages in oil over moderate heat, turning them, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain.
In fat remaining in skillet cook onions and garlic, stirring, until golden, and stir in herbs (including bay leaf), scallions or parsley, tomatoes with juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil mixture, stirring, 5 minutes. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add sausage and beans to tomato mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through. Discard bay leaf and keep “cassoulet” warm, covered.
Make topping:
In s small skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté bread until pale golden. Stir in garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, 1 minute.
Transfer “cassoulet” to a 1-quart serving dish and cover evenly with topping.
Any leftover sauce from this recipe would be delicious served with boiled new potatoes or crudités. The sauce keeps 4 days, chilled and covered.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
for sauce
1 red bell pepper
1 garlic clove
4 flat anchovy fillets
a pinch cayenne
3 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
all-purpose flour for dredging veal
two 1/4-inch-thick veal cutlets (about 10 ounces total), flattened between sheets of plastic wrap
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
Make sauce:
Preheat broiler.
Quarter bell pepper lengthwise, discarding stem, seeds, and ribs. Put pepper, skin side up, on a rack of a broiler pan and broil about 2 inches from heat until skin is blistered and charred, 8 to 12 minutes.
Transfer bell pepper to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Peel pepper.
In a blender purée roasted pepper with remaining sauce ingredients until smooth and add salt to taste, Transfer sauce to a sauceboat.
Put flour in a shallow dish. Pat veal cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge cutlets in flour, shaking off excess. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet heat oil and butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté cutlets 1 minute on each side, or until golden and just cooked through.
Serve veal with sauce.
This is a dish you might be served in a café in the Middle East. It’s simple
and flavorful and makes a quick dinner; it’s also great for a picnic.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- zest of 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
-
1/2 cupfresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
-
1/3 cup lemon oil or olive oil
-
2 tablespoons finely shredded fresh mint leaves
-
2 garlic cloves, minced
-
1/2 teaspoon paprika, preferably hot
-
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
4 chicken wings, bony tips removed and discarded
-
4 boneless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise
-
lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS 1. Stir together the zest, lemon juice, lemon oil, 1 tablespoon of the mint,
half the garlic, the paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper with a fork, in a large
bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30
minutes, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat the broiler. Place the chicken on the broiler pan and broil 4 to 5
inches from the heat, turning once, for about 5 minutes on each side, or
until golden brown and just cooked through.
3. Transfer the chicken to a platter, garnish with the lemon wedges, sprinkle
with the remaining 1 tablespoon mint and garlic, and serve.
To make 1 cup lemon oil, put a cup of extra virgin olive oil, olive oil,
grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil in a jar with 3 tablespoons of finely grated
lemon zest. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 weeks, shaking
occasionally. Pour through a strainer and transfer to a jar. Discard the zest
and refrigerate the oil.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Makes 2 3/4 cups, serving 2.
INGREDIENTS
for soup
1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 large carrots, sliced thin (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups water
for pecans
2 tablespoons pecans, chopped coarse
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make soup:
In a saucepan cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add carrots, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water and simmer mixture, covered, 25 minutes, or until carrots are very tender.
Prepare pecans while carrot soup is simmering:
On a baking sheet toast pecans in middle of oven 8 minutes, or until fragrant and 1 shade darker. Toss pecans with butter a nd salt to taste.
In a blender purée soup until smooth.
Divide soup between 2 soup bowls and top with pecans.
