Monday, May 28, 2012

Horseradish-crusted Salmon, Moroccan Chicken over CousCous, Garbanzo and Lentil Salad

Horseradish-Crusted Salmon

4-6 pieces salmon fillet
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place salmon fillet on a baking sheet. Season with Salt and Pepper. sprinkle with a mixture of breadcrumbs, horseradish, oil and parsley- pressing it all to the fish to stick. Roast at 400, 12-15 minutes. Serve over salad or steamed veggies.

Moroccan Chicken over CousCous

1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 strips lemon zest (each about 2 inches by 3/4 inch)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 1 to 2 lemons
5 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
4  chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion , halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
2 medium carrots , peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins (about 2 cups)
1 cup Greek cracked green olives , pitted and halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside. Mince 1 strip lemon zest; combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.

2. Season both sides of chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken until lightly golden, about 2 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 2 minutes more. Transfer chicken to large plate.

3. Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

4. Add carrots to pot and arrange chicken on top of carrots. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add olives to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

Garbanzo and Lentil Salad

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup lentils
2 large carrots, peeled, diced
1 bay leaf
1 15- to 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick-peas), rinsed, drained
1/2 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 green onions, chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Combine 2 1/2 cups water, lentils, diced carrots and bay leaf in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Cool.

Mix all remaining ingredients into lentils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Kale Pasta Salad Chicken Tikka Masala, Tex-mex pulled pork

Kale Salad 1 LARGE BUNCH OF KALE (ABOUT 12-15 STALKS), WASHED AND CUT INTO 1/4-INCH STRIPS JUICE FROM 3 LEMONS (ABOUT 5 TBSP) 1/4 CUP WHITE WINE VINEGAR 1/4 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 2 TBSP HONEY 2 TBSP NATURAL SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER (NO SUGAR ADDED) 1/4 CUP SESAME SEEDS Four servings of cooked short whole wheat pasta SALT FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER 1. Place the kale in a large glass or stainless steel bowl, pour the lemon juice and vinegar over it, and toss well. Let sit for 3 minutes to tenderize the greens. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, honey, and peanut butter to combine. Pour over the kale, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. 3. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with pasta. Chicken Tikka Masala Www.aroracreations.com