tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41999551311515491852024-03-08T03:54:42.535-05:00ty's kitchenTy's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-92099335606306635572014-04-30T07:00:00.000-04:002015-01-30T15:57:29.379-05:00The Scaled Sunday Meal - Cooking for the week with Eggplant and Turkey<br />
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The key to a good Sunday Scale Meal is something that's easy to make a lot of, something that's healthy, and something you don't mind eating a number of days in a row. For this recipe, I decided to use Middle Eastern flavors and eggplant at the core of the meal, and top it with a hearty ground turkey mix that is very customizable and a great source of protein. The result was a super flavorful meal that was a delight to eat for lunches throughout the week.</div>
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I started by coating the halved eggplants with olive oil and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za'atar" target="_blank">za'atar</a>, which is a middle eastern spice mix of herbs and sesame seeds. You can likely find za'atar at your local market or a specialty food store. I roasted the eggplants for about 45 minutes at 380 until the flesh was easily shredded with a fork. For the stuffing, I cooked quinoa, and sauteed ground turkey meat with onions, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, and green onion and added feta, salt and pepper once it was done cooking.<br />
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<b>Roasted Middle Eastern Eggplant with Turkey and Quinoa Stuffing</b><br />
Serves 2 for the week<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
4 large eggplants, halved<br />
2 lbs ground turkey (ideally dark meat as it's moister)<br />
1 large red pepper, chopped<br />
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
2 medium yellow onions, chopped<br />
4-5 green onions, chopped<br />
1 cup quinoa<br />
1 1/3 cups chicken broth<br />
1 cup crumbled feta<br />
2 tbsp za'atar<br />
Olive Oil<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
(Optional: Greek Yogurt and chopped parsley)<br />
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<u>To Cook:</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 380</li>
<li>Rub the eggplants with olive oil and za'atar</li>
<li>Roast the eggplant for 45 minutes, until the flesh is fork tender</li>
<li>Bring the quinoa and chicken broth to a boil and then cook, covered, on low for 20 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed</li>
<li>Sautee the turkey in 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot on medium high until cooked through and then remove in a large bowl</li>
<li>Sautee onion, pepper, and tomato in the pot for 6-8 minutes on medium high until onion begins to become translucent</li>
<li>Reduce heat to low and add turkey back in along with the quinoa, green onion, salt, pepper, and feta and toss so mixture is thoroughly mixed</li>
<li>If the mixture is a little dry, add a little chicken broth</li>
<li>Serve the mixture on the eggplant with a dollop of greek yogurt sprinkled with za'atar and chopped parsley</li>
</ol>
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For Storage, make individual containers with an eggplant half and turkey topping for easy reheating throughout the week.</div>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-1298098546708906542014-04-28T08:00:00.000-04:002014-04-28T08:00:04.681-04:00Cornish Hens with Duck Fat Potatoes and Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other night, we had some friends over for dinner and wanted to make a meal that was both visually appealing and full of rich flavors. When I went to the market and saw Cornish Game Hens, I thought they would be perfect for the meal: playful, good for a crowd, and super tasty.</div>
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For the hens, I coated them in salt and pepper, inside and out, and I stuffed the cavities with an orange slice, 2-3 garlic cloves and some fresh thyme. I roasted them for 50 minutes at 400 degrees and then let them rest for 10 minutes. I then cut each in half after emptying the cavities and put them under the broiler for another 7 minutes to brown the skin for a little color and crispiness. I then used the pan drippings to make a shallot and mustard gravy and seared some lemon quarters for a carmelized garnish and some citrus kick.<br />
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As luck would have it, the next day, I received my Cook's Illustrated the next day which featured a <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7858-roasted-cornish-game-hens/" target="_blank">recipe for cornish hens</a>. The executions is quicker and simpler than my method, so next time, I'll be sure to try it out.<br />
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If you're unfamiliar with <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/" target="_blank">Cook's Illustrated,</a> it's a bi-monthly food magazine that has some of the best and most interesting recipes and tests around. It's a subscription based periodical, but it's absolutely worth the cost for anyone who wants to get some great ideas and tips for recipes.<br />
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For the potatoes, I tossed them in some melted duck fat and roasted them with garlic and rosemary until crispy. For the brussel sprouts, I tossed them with thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil and roasted them cut side down until they were browned on top.<br />
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<b>Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Duck Fat Potatoes and Herb Brussel Sprouts</b><br />
Serves 4<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
2 Cornish Game Hens<br />
1 bundle of thyme<br />
1 orange<br />
1 head of garlic<br />
1 shallot<br />
1 tsp Dijon mustard<br />
1 tsp flour<br />
1 cup chicken broth<br />
1 lemon<br />
1-1.5 lbs small red potatoes<br />
4 sprigs rosemary<br />
.5 cup melted duck fat or canola oil (you can get duck fat at your local butcher or specialty market)<br />
1-1.5 lbs brussel sprouts<br />
Olive oil<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
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<u>To Cook:</u><br />
<b>Hens</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>Pre-heat oven to 400</li>
<li>Dry hens with paper towel and rub inside and out with salt and pepper and olive oil</li>
<li>Fill cavities with orange quarters, 2 thyme sprigs, 2-3 garlic cloves</li>
<li>Roast for 50 minutes</li>
<li>Let rest for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Cut hens in half and broil for 7-10 minutes until skin is browned</li>
<li>Pour pan drippings in a saucepan on medium and add sliced shallots, sauteeing until translucent</li>
<li>Add flour and stir until starting to brown</li>
<li>Add broth and mustard and cook on medium low until thickened, 5-8 minutes</li>
<li>In a small sautee pan, cook the lemon quarters on medium in a little olive oil until carmelized, 3-5 minutes per side</li>
<li>Served hens with gravy and a lemon quarter</li>
</ol>
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<b>Potatoes</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Melt 1/2 cup of duck fat on low in a saucepan</li>
<li>Halve potatoes and toss in duck fat with 4-6 garlic cloves, rosemary, salt and pepper</li>
<li>Spread on a baking sheet cut side down and bake for 35 minutes in 400 degree oven until browned and crisp</li>
</ol>
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<b>Brussel Sprouts</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Toss halved brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs</li>
<li>Spread face down on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until crisp</li>
</ol>
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Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-52756361650132903352013-06-05T22:09:00.000-04:002013-06-05T22:09:41.878-04:00Salmon Burger with Kale Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes you just want a burger when you know you shouldn't have one. The craving is something that happens to many people, and in most cases, you'll justify succumbing to the urge to indulge.<br />
"I deserve it!"<br />
"I've eaten healthy all day!"<br />
"If I put lettuce on it, it's like a salad, right?"<br />
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WRONG!<br />
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But, my friends, I have a solution that's delicious and much healthier than a beef burger: salmon burgers! These are pretty simple to make, and while they don't have the same juiciness as beef, they pack a lot of flavor, and go really well with a wide variety of sauces and toppings. For this meal, I made salmon burgers in pita pockets with avocado, lettuce, and tomato with sundried tomato pesto and kale chips.<br />
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The keys to this meal are moisture and dryness. For the burgers, you want to make sure you keep them moist. Salmon can dry out if it's cooked too long, so you want to make sure you mix the meat with an egg and some bread crumbs and then cook it to a nice medium rare. For the kale chips, you want to make sure they dry out fully. Kale has an awesome crispy texture when you cook it right, and the chips make for a great substitute for chips or fries. To go on the burgers, my fiancée bought this Italian sundried tomato pesto from Fairway market. If you want to make your own, you can use for favorite recipe or go <a href="http://www.tyskitchen.com/?q=Pesto" target="_blank">here</a> to see a few I've made.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1lb salmon filet, skin removed<br />
1 egg<br />
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs<br />
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves, chopped<br />
2 green onion stalks, the white part and some of the green chopped<br />
1/2 avocado sliced<br />
Lettuce<br />
1 tomato, sliced<br />
Pesto of your choice<br />
Pita<br />
1 head of kale<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon canola oil<br />
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To Cook:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Use a food processor to chop up to salmon. Make sure not to chop it up too much. You want it to be chunky.</li>
<li>Mix in the cilantro, green onion, garlic, egg, panko, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands</li>
<li>Form patties and put in the fridge for 10 minutes to set</li>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 350</li>
<li>Cut the kale leaves from the stems</li>
<li>Wash the kale and dry thoroughly</li>
<li>Massage the kale with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread out on a metal baking sheet</li>
<li>Bake the kale for about 8 minutes and then flip. Keep an eye on the kale in the oven, you want the leaves to be just starting to brown around the edges and be crisp to the touch. They burn quickly, so make sure not to overcook them.</li>
<li>Take the kale out and try not to eat all of it before your burgers are done.</li>
<li>Heat the canola oil in a heavy bottom skillet or cast iron pan on medium high</li>
<li>Cook the burgers for about 5-6 minutes a side</li>
<li>Slice the avocado and tomato</li>
<li>Wrap the pitas in aluminum foil and put in the oven for 5 minutes</li>
<li>Stuff your pita with pesto, the veggies and the burgers, and enjoy with the chips!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-14843189024052666772013-05-27T23:26:00.002-04:002013-05-27T23:26:08.448-04:00Grilled Green Shark: Pesto Mako<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Grilling fish in the summer is the best way to bring out the rich natural flavors of any fish and celebrate warm weather. In Cape May for Memorial Day weekend, we saw Mako Shark at the <a href="http://thelobsterhouse.com/" target="_blank">Lobster House Fish Market</a> and picked some up. We bought 3 steaks to share and brought them home for a quick and easy meal. Mako is actually an overfished seafood, so buy with care, but we figured it was a vacation and a rare purchase. Mako tastes a lot like swordfish, but is a little more moist and has a milder flavor. </div>
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For the meal, I rubbed the mako steaks with some basil pesto that we had in the fridge, and made asparagus and cranberry couscous and a salad. The meal took all of 30 minutes to make, and was light and full of flavor. The pesto worked perfectly with the mako, and the couscous and salad provided bright, fruity flavors to go with the fish. If you're in a hurry, this recipe would work with any firm fish that you want to grill and is very quick and tasty.<br />
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
1.5-2 lbs mako steaks<br />
3 tablespoons of basil pesto plus some for the table (either store bought or homemade)<br />
1 box couscous<br />
6 asparagus slices on the diagonal into thin pieces<br />
1/3 cup dried cranberries<br />
Your choice of lettuce<br />
1 ripe plum tomato<br />
1/2 cucumber<br />
3/4 cup of blueberries<br />
1 teaspoon dijon mustard<br />
1/2 lemon, juiced<br />
2 tablespoons of vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons of olive oil<br />
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<u>To Cook:</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Rub the mako with the pesto and heat up the grill</li>
<li>Grill the mako for 4 minutes a side until firm to the touch</li>
<li>Sautee the asparagus in oil in a saucepan</li>
<li>Add 2 cups of salted water to the pan and bring to a boil</li>
<li>Add couscous, cover, and turn off the heat</li>
<li>Let sit for 5 minutes until water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and add cranberries</li>
<li>Cut and toss salad ingredients</li>
<li>In a mug or bowl, mix the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice with a little salt and pepper</li>
<li>Slowly pour in olive oil and mix with a fork to emulsify</li>
<li>Toss salad with dressing</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-60147988809158393832013-05-26T15:53:00.003-04:002013-05-27T15:14:52.418-04:00I'm Back! Soft Shell Crabs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why hello there! It's been almost 5 months since my last post... I promised to come back in January, and then I let the blog fall out of my routine. To my readers, I am very sorry for disappearing for so long. Life has seemed to pick up pace in 2013, and what was meant to be days between recipes quickly turned into months. If you'll find it in your food blog reading hearts to forgive me, I'll try to get back into the groove and post more regularly.<br />
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Few things seem to get my creative cooking juices flowing more than a weekend trip to Cape May, so with this succulent feast of crab, I jump back into Ty's Kitchen. Cape May has incredible seafood, and one seasonal specialty that actually comes from a bit further south in Maryland is soft shell crabs. Soft shell crabs are typically blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay which are molting their shells. The period when they're available usually runs from May to September, and there's really no better time to eat crab. I don't prefer crabs over other shellfish because of all of the messy work that goes into cracking the shells and extracting the small amount of meat in each crab, but with soft shells, you can eat the whole thing, so your hands are clean and your belly is full of juicy, delicious crab.<br />
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My fiancée's mother, Carol, is a master soft shell chef, so I had her show me her method of cooking them. First thing you want to do is have the crabs cleaned. If you're buying them live from a fish market then they will clean them for you, but if you want to do it yourself, the best place to learn is checking out a couple how to videos on Youtube. Basically cleaning them consists of removing the tail, eyes, and gills. Pretty quick and easy, but even easier when left to the pros. Once your crabs are clean, you should wash them and pat them dry. Then mix an egg and a little water and pour some fine bread crumbs or corn meal on a sheet of wax paper with salt, pepper, and Old Bay for seasoning. Dip each crab in the egg wash and then the bread crumbs and set aside until they're all coated and ready to cook. Heat up some butter and oil in a pan, and pan fry the crabs until they're golden brown and crispy. Toss a little more butter, some chopped garlic, and parsley in the pan and scrape up the pan drippings to make a nice butter sauce to top them off. They will be simply delicious and quite easy to make. Enjoy!<br />
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Soft Shell Crabs with Spinach and Corn<br />
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
(Serves 4)<br />
8 soft shell crabs, cleaned<br />
3/4 cup of fine bread crumbs or cornmeal<br />
salt, pepper, and Old Bay for seasoning<br />
1 egg<br />
2 tablespoon of unsalted butter<br />
3 tablespoons of olive oil<br />
4 garlic cloves, chopped<br />
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped<br />
1 lemon<br />
1/2 lb of spinach<br />
4 ears of corn<br />
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<u>To Cook:</u><br />
Soft Shell Crabs<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Wash and dry the crabs</li>
<li>Mix the egg and some water (1/4 cup) in a wide bowl</li>
<li>Spread the bread crumbs and seasoning on a sheet of wax paper</li>
<li>Dip each crab in the egg wash then the bread crumbs and coat thoroughly</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy bottom frying pan on medium high</li>
<li>Fry the crabs in batches until golden and crispy on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, adding the extra oil when needed between batches</li>
<li>Once all of the crabs are cooked, add the second tablespoon of butter, half the garlic, the parsley, and the juice from a quarter of the lemon and sautee until garlic is starting to brown</li>
<li>Spoon the butter sauce on the crabs and serve</li>
</ol>
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Spinach</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan</li>
<li>Add the other half of garlic and sautee until starting to brown</li>
<li>Add the spinach and squeeze a quarter of the lemon</li>
<li>Sautee until wilted, toss with some salt and pepper, and serve</li>
</ol>
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Corn</div>
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<ol>
<li>Put the whole ear of corn (husk on) in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes per ear</li>
<li>Take it out (with a towel, they'll be hot) and cut about a half inch from the stalk end</li>
<li>Squeeze from the silk end and the cob will come out the bottom while the husk and silk stay on the top</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-42073996757699876262013-01-20T22:33:00.002-05:002013-01-20T22:33:34.185-05:00Smooth Cauliflower Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love cauliflower. It's a vegetable that looks like the bland cousin of broccoli and is often a second thought when thinking of what vegetable to make. What people miss when overlooking this species of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica_oleracea" target="_blank">brassica oleracea</a> (same family as broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, and collard greens) is a rich and smooth vegetable that is great roasted, fried, steamed, or in this case, included as the main part of a soup. In this recipe, I found a way to turn this white, floral looking veggie into a smooth and creamy soup that is simple, basic, and delicious. The dish only has 3 main components and takes less than an hour to prepare. I recommend this for those looking for a healthy soup that is big on flavor and simple to prepare.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 head cauliflower - leaves discarded, core removed, florets and stems cut evenly into 1 inch pieces<br />
1 medium onion - chopped<br />
4 cups chicken broth<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Chives - diced for garnish<br />
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To Cook:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot</li>
<li>Sautee onions until translucent, about 5-6 minutes</li>
<li>Heat chicken broth to a low simmer</li>
<li>Add cauliflower, salt and pepper to season, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, cover on low for 16-18 minutes until cauliflower is tender</li>
<li>Add the rest of the broth and simmer for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Use a hand blender and puree until smooth (if you don't have a hand blender, get one, they're not too expensive and extremely useful for soups, sauces, and all sorts of other uses in the kitchen. Seriously, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-77-Blender-Chopper-Attachments/dp/B0006G3JRO" target="_blank">get one</a>.)</li>
<li>Serve with a sprinkle of the chives on top, a dash of black pepper, and some drops of olive oil (or truffle oil if you're feeling special)</li>
</ol>
Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-69967921751300187022013-01-19T18:00:00.000-05:002013-01-19T18:00:05.935-05:00Healthy Gameday: Cabbage Wedge Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The wedge salad is generally more of a steakhouse standard than a football snack, but I made one for a football game and it was delicious, so perhaps bars should rethink their menu strategy from a salad perspective. In addition to being a steakhouse standard, the wedge salad is also notoriously low on any nutritional value. The classic wedge is made up of a thick wedge of iceberg lettuce (which isn't unhealthy, but as far as lettuces go, it's not the most nutrient rich), blue cheese dressing, and bacon. For a healthier take, I made a roasted wedge of cabbage, with Greek yogurt and blue cheese dressing, with a bit of bacon for flavor. </div>
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The cabbage is a much richer source of nutrients than iceberg lettuce, and the Greek yogurt dressing is a much healthier alternative to the typical mayo and sour cream or even buttermilk variety of blue cheese dressing. The bacon, while not especially healthy, is a minimal addition to the dish that adds color and flavor along with some protein and saltiness. The cabbage also adds a deeper layer of flavor while still maintaining the crunch you get from the more typical iceberg lettuce.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1/2 head of savoy cabbage</div>
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1 tablespoon olive oil</div>
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3 slices of bacon</div>
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1/2 cup Greek yogurt</div>
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1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese</div>
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2 green onions - thinly sliced</div>
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To Cook:</div>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 375</li>
<li>Cut the cabbage in thirds or quarters depending on how many people you have and how big you want your wedge</li>
<li>Rub the outsides of the slices with olive oil and place a half a piece of bacon on top of each wedge</li>
<li>Roast the cabbage for 40 minutes, one flat side down for 20 and then the other for 20</li>
<li>Mix the yogurt, blue cheese, and scallion</li>
<li>Remove the cabbage from the oven and tear or cut the bacon into small pieces</li>
<li>Serve the cabbage with a dollop of dressing on top, add some black pepper for spice, and sprinkle some of the bacon over the dish</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-85309150807105897042013-01-18T23:44:00.000-05:002013-01-18T23:44:00.102-05:00Healthy Gameday: Baked Wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wings are the classic "you know they're terrible for you but you love eating them" food. I personally can't turn down wings, especially when watching a football game. Last winter, when my beloved Pats were in the AFC Championship against the Ravens, I made a <a href="http://www.tyskitchen.com/2012/01/spicy-asian-wings.html" target="_blank">recipe very similar to this one</a>. This version is much simpler to make and was inspired when I saw this recipe on the <a href="http://www.justataste.com/2012/06/crispy-baked-asian-chicken-wings-with-hoisin-glaze/" target="_blank">"Just a Taste"</a> blog. I didn't mess with the recipe too much, but added a dipping sauce and adjusted the timing of the wings as well.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
Chicken wings, separated, tips discarded or reserved for a chicken stock for another recipe<br />
1 tablespoon Chinese five spice seasoning<br />
1 tablespoon canola oil<br />
1/4 cup hoisin Sauce<br />
2 tablespoons blackberry jam<br />
3 green onions - chopped green and white parts<br />
1/4 cup Greek yogurt<br />
1 tablespoon wasabi paste<br />
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<u>To Cook:</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400</li>
<li>Toss the wings with the oil and five spice and place on a baking sheet or baking rack</li>
<li>Bake for 40-45 minutes until wings are crisp</li>
<li>Heat hoisin and blackberry jam in a small saucepan at medium low and mix</li>
<li>Toss wings, hoisin/blackberry sauce, and green onion in a bowl</li>
<li>In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt and wasabi</li>
<li>Serve wings with wasabi dipping sauce on the side or drizzled on top</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-55789927881649319302013-01-17T23:08:00.000-05:002013-01-18T12:14:53.643-05:00Healthy Gameday: Sweet Potato Nachos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Football. Healthy? Not usually. The usual game day fare is made up of nachos, wings, fries, and all sorts of artery clogging deliciousness. To try and capture the flavors of gameday without incurring the post eating guilt, I decided come up with a series of healthy versions of football classics. The first in the series of healthy bar food alternatives replaces pulled pork nachos in the form of sweet potato nachos.</div>
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While normal pulled pork nachos are generally unhealthy in almost every way, the version I came up with makes some clever switches that make this classic a healthy treat. I replaced the tortilla chips, which are usually made with corn or white flour and loaded with salt, with roasted sweet potato chips. By slicing the sweet potatoes thin and roasting them in the oven, I got a nice crispy chip that was actually healthy. To go with the chips, I made salsa and guac, and to top it all off, I made pulled chicken. With a good BBQ sauce and chicken thighs, you can get the texture and flavor of pulled pork without the fat of a pork shoulder in a fraction of time. Also, because the sweet potatoes weren't cut too thin, their sweetness and softness meant that you didn't even need any melted cheese like you would on normal nachos. Topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt, this will be a dish that not only impresses your football viewing party, but it will leave your guests satisfied and feeling good about themselves.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
2 sweet potatoes (the thinner, rounder, and most symmetrical make the best chip)<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
2 medium tomatoes - diced<br />
1 medium red onion - diced<br />
1 jalapeno - diced (I keep half the seeds to keep some heat, but not turn off anyone who is averse to spicy food)<br />
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar<br />
2-3 avocados<br />
1 bunch cilantro - chopped<br />
1/2 lime<br />
3 cloves garlic - diced<br />
4 skinless chicken thighs<br />
1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce<br />
1 can of light beer<br />
Greek yogurt<br />
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To Cook:<br />
<u>The Pulled Chicken</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Put chicken, BBQ Sauce, and beer in a heavy bottomed pot, cover and cook on medium for 30-40 minutes until chicken in easily shredded with a fork</li>
<li>Remove chicken from pot to cool, and then shred with a fork</li>
<li>Discard bones and mix chicken back in with the sauce</li>
</ol>
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<u>The Chips</u><br />
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375</li>
<li>Slice potatoes thinly using a mandolin or knife</li>
<li>Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay on baking sheets in one layer</li>
<li>Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through until brown and crisp, but not burnt</li>
<li>Remove from pan and set aside to cool</li>
</ol>
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<u>The Salsa</u></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Mix tomatoes (reserving 1/2 of one tomato for the guac), half of red onion, half of jalapeno, half of garlic, and half of cilantro in a bowl with some salt and pepper and the sugar and set aside</li>
</ol>
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<u>The Guac</u></div>
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<div>
<ol>
<li>Halve and scoop out the avocados into a bowl, discarding pit and peel</li>
<li>Mash avocados with a little salt using a potato masher to desired smoothness</li>
<li>Add remaining tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro</li>
<li>Squeeze the half lime, add some pepper and mix thoroughly</li>
</ol>
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<u>The Nachos!</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Layer the potato chips on a platter</li>
<li>Add the pulled chicken, then salsa and guac</li>
<li>Add a dollop of Greek yogurt on top, hand out forks and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-39609607313303399162013-01-16T21:33:00.000-05:002013-01-16T21:33:49.265-05:00My Return to Ty's Kitchen! Shrimp, Scallop, and Leek Chowder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm back! After a far too long hiatus and a less than inspired year at Ty's Kitchen, I've returned to make the blog better than ever. New recipes, ideas and hopefully a lot more interaction with YOU, my readers! To kick off the year, I wanted to share a delicious and easy recipe for a seafood chowder that would be good any time of the year. I had frozen some scallops and shrimp from Cape May that I picked up a couple months back and was looking for a fun way to use them. I decided on making a scallop, shrimp and leek chowder that would remind me of summer in the cold months and also provide a rich and warming dish for a cold winter's night.</div>
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I'm always a fan of adding corn to any chowder to give some sweetness and thicken up the soup with the starch from the kernels, and when shopping for the dish, I found some decent looking ears, so the dish was off to a good start before I even hit the kitchen. To go along with the corn and the other chowder staples of potatoes, carrots, celery, and red pepper, I picked up some leeks to add a nice twist instead of just using onion.<br />
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Once I gathered all of the veggies needed for the soup, I picked up some seafood stock and headed home. I chopped the leek, carrot, pepper, celery and a little garlic and sauteed them in olive oil until translucent. I then added some flour and a little more oil to make a light roux for the base of the soup. I added the seafood stock, some bay leaves, the potatoes and the corn and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. I then added the chopped shrimp and scallops and about a half cup of half and half and simmered for another 10 minutes. I topped the soup with a little parsley and served. The result was a creamy, delicious seafood soup that was rich in flavor from the shrimp and scallops, while still having a brightness from the vegetables. A truly delicious soup that's good in any season.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1/2 lb shrimp - peeled, deveined, and chopped<br />
1/2 lb scallops - chopped<br />
4 cups seafood stock<br />
2 leeks - rinsed and chopped<br />
2 carrots - chopped<br />
2 celery stalks - chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves - chopped<br />
1 red pepper - chopped<br />
3 medium red potatoes - diced<br />
2 ears of corn - kernels cut from the cob (or frozen if no fresh corn is available)<br />
2 tablespoons all purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup half and half or cream<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
1/4 cup parsley - chopped<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
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To Cook:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottom pot on medium and add leeks, carrot, celery, red pepper and garlic</li>
<li>Cook until starting to become translucent, about 5-6 minutes, and add the other tablespoon of olive oil and flour</li>
<li>Stir constantly, scraping flour from bottom of pan</li>
<li>Add seafood stock and bay leaves and bring to a simmer</li>
<li>Add potatoes and corn and cook for 20-30 minutes</li>
<li>Add shellfish, half and half, and parsley and simmer for another 8-10 minutes until seafood is cooked through</li>
<li>Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-80529002743500314512012-09-06T08:00:00.000-04:002012-09-06T08:00:11.630-04:00Quick Dish - Quick Post: Swordfish on Flavor Filled Corn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A very simple dish which I made this summer was grilled swordfish on a bed of corn peaches and sage. The brevity of the post reflects the speed of the dish (I made it so fast, we didn't get in any pictures!)<br />
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All I did was rub the fish with some salt and pepper, and grill it for about 7 minutes a side until the flesh bounced back to the touch. For the corn salad, I halved and peeled a peach and grilled it alongside the corn, which I had shucked and rubbed with olive oil. Once they were cooked, I cut the kernels off of the cob, chopped up the peach, and finely chopped some sage. I mixed the three with a little salt and pepper and served the fish on top. In total the meal took about 20 minutes to make, and the flavors were bold and unexpected! Highly recommended for a quick dinner that will impress.Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-82025279472067812282012-09-05T12:22:00.000-04:002012-09-05T12:24:26.614-04:00Grilled Peaches and Pork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No matter the season, a grill brings out the best flavors in ingredients. Whether meat or vegetable or even fruit, putting food on the grill creates a unique smoky and charred flavor that can't be truly replicated indoors. For this dish, I married sweet, caramelized peaches with rich smoky pork to create a sweet and savory blend of flavors the exemplified why grilling is such a good method of cooking. Along with some grilled corn and a fresh fennel, orange, and arugula salad this meal was a grilled summer classic.</div>
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I started by making the peach sauce. I halved, pitted, and peeled 3 ripe yellow peaches and grilled them for about 5-6 minutes a side on a hot grill. I then let them cool and blended them with some fresh basil, salt, and pepper. This turned into a thick sauce that had a lot of natural sweetness from the peaches, and a bright bite from the fresh basil.<br />
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I then grilled up some corn with a little olive oil rubbed on it. When grilling corn, I always shuck the corn, rub with some oil, and then put the cobs directly on the grill. When done right, you end up with some tasty burnt kernels and a smoky flavor throughout.<br />
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For the salad, I sliced fennel thinly and peeled and cut the orange flesh from the pith over a bowl, reserving the juice. I then mixed the juice with some balsamic and olive oil and tossed the cut up fennel and orange with fresh arugula and the dressing. The salad was a very bright, crisp accompaniment to the dish that didn't take the spotlight away from the other components but complimented them with added flavor.<br />
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For the pork, I first brined it for about 10 hours in a salt, sugar, soy, and water brine that gave the meat a very nice smoky flavor. I then grilled it for about 10 minutes a side until it was charred and the meat bounced back to the touch. I let the meat rest for about 10 minutes, sliced it crosswise at a slight angle, and served with some peach basil puree, grilled corn, and the fennel, orange, and arugula salad.<br />
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-11274202190201884002012-07-29T12:57:00.000-04:002012-07-29T12:57:21.924-04:00Lasagna: Revamped for Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One normally thinks of lasagna as a warm, hearty winter meal. Usually made with a tomato sauce, loaded with meat, cheese, a good lasagna can warm you even on the coldest nights. I decided to throw this common expectation of lasagna on its head, and make a fresh summer lasagna, featuring veggies and herbs associated with the warm summertime.<br />
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I picked up some squash, ripe tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, onions, and spinach and prepped a fresh lasagna with a bright basil pesto sauce that was rich and flavorful, but not too heavy.<br />
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I carmelized the onions and mushrooms, roasted the squash, steamed the peas, and sauteed the spinach so they would be ready to layer in the lasagna. For the pesto sauce, I used basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, and lemon to make a standard pesto, and added in some light cream to thin the sauce and give it a nice creaminess. I pureed all the ingredients of the sauce and set it aside for the lasagna building.<br />
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Once all of the veggies were prepared, I architected the dish, starting with a layer of pesto sauce on the bottom of the pan.<br />
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I then added a layer of lasagna sheets, followed by some fresh ricotta. Then came the veggies, with my roasted, sliced squash acting as another layer of pasta.<br />
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I then added onions, mushrooms, spinach and peas to the mix, followed by another coating of pesto sauce.<br />
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I repeated this once, covered the lasagna with a final layer of pasta sheets (3 layers of pasta, 2 of the veggies), a little more pesto sauce, and then the fresh tomato slices with some parmesan, salt and pepper. I then baked it until golden, about 30 minutes, served and enjoyed this summery take on lasagna.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<i>(Made for a 9"x13" baking dish)</i><br />
9 lasagna sheets<br />
1 zucchini sliced lengthwise<br />
1 summer squash sliced lengthwise<br />
6 mushrooms sliced<br />
2 medium yellow onions sliced<br />
1 bag spinach<br />
1 cup english peas, shelled<br />
2 ripe tomatoes sliced<br />
2/3 cup ricotta<br />
4 tablespoons shredded parmesan<br />
1-2 cups packed basil<br />
3-4 garlic cloves<br />
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts<br />
1 juiced lemon<br />
1/4 cup light cream<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Olive Oil<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
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<li>Bring salted water to a boil in a big pot and cook lasagna until al dente (8 minutes for dry, 2 minutes for fresh)</li>
<li>Let lasagna sheets cool - keep wet with a little water or olive oil so they don't stick together and set aside</li>
<li>Rub squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375 for 20 minutes</li>
<li>Sautee onions and mushrooms in a large heavy bottom pan until carmelized</li>
<li>Bring a quarter inch of water to a boil and add peas for 2-3 minutes</li>
<li>Sautee spinach in a large pan with olive oil until wilted</li>
<li>Mix basil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of parmesan in a blender until smooth, adding oil to thin the sauce</li>
<li>Add cream and blend until smooth and thoroughly mixed</li>
<li>Spread pesto sauce on bottom of the lasagna pan</li>
<li>Layer pasta, then spoon ricotta, followed by the squash, then onions, mushrooms, spinach and peas, then another layer of pesto sauce</li>
<li>Repeat once and top with the 3rd layer of pasta, top with a little more sauce, tomato slices, and remaining parmesan, and bake for 30 minutes at 375 until top is golden</li>
<li>Let cool for 5-10 minutes, slice and serve!</li>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-11445526961873266142012-07-21T12:36:00.001-04:002012-09-05T12:23:59.760-04:00Grilled Whole Trout with Orzo Salad and Spinach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I always say, the best method of cooking in the summertime is grilling. In the summer, the produce is plentiful, the fish is fresh, and grilling is the best way to feature simple, delicious flavors in a beautiful way. I was on Martha's Vineyard for this meal, and we picked up some fresh whole trout, tomatoes, fennel, and spinach. All healthy, fresh ingredients that have bold flavors which don't need much else to shine.</div>
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For the tomatoes and fennel, I tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped garlic, and chopped rosemary, and grilled them in a grill basket until carmelized. I then chopped up the tomato and fennel and mixed it with chopped basil, chopped mozzarella, and orzo to make a fresh grilled vegetable orzo salad. I then sauteed onion and spinach as a nice bright green to go with the dish. For the trout, I simply rubbed the fish with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and filled the fish with a sliced lemon and some rosemary and oregano sprigs before grilling them whole. The dinner was a very simple, fresh, and delicious meal that had bright flavors that tasted like the best parts of summer. </div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<i>Serves 4</i><br />
4 whole trout<br />
1 sliced lemon<br />
4 rosemary sprigs<br />
4 oregano sprigs<br />
4 medium tomatoes, halved and seeded<br />
1 fennel bulb halved<br />
3 chopped garlic cloves<br />
1/4 cup chopped rosemary<br />
1/2 cup chopped basil<br />
1/2 cup chopped mozzarella<br />
1 cup orzo<br />
1 bag spinach<br />
1/2 chopped medium onion<br />
olive oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
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<li>Preheat the grill (medium high for gas or charcoal)</li>
<li>Rub the trout with olive oil, salt and pepper and fill the cavities with sliced lemon, and rosemary and oregano sprigs and set aside</li>
<li>Toss the tomatoes and fennel with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary and grill until brown. When done, let cool and chop.</li>
<li>Cook the orzo as directed on the box (usually boil water and add orzo for 8-10 minutes)</li>
<li>Let the orzo cool and mix with tomato, fennel, basil, and mozzarella</li>
<li>Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and cook onions, add spinach and cover for 3-5 minutes, until spinach is wilted</li>
<li>Put the trout on the grill and cook for 7-9 minutes aside until meat is flaky and opaque and skin is brown and crispy</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-39948476962419995992012-06-17T11:51:00.000-04:002012-06-19T10:31:44.142-04:00Buffalo Steak Salad<br />
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Sometimes a simple salad can be a beautiful, elegant, and delicious meal that's both hearty and satisfying. In the summer months, people rarely want to sweat away in the kitchen, and this dish has minimal cooking time with great results. Mixing bright summer vegetables with lean steak and nutty parmesan makes for a tasty mix of flavors that combine for the right balance that's healthy and satisfying.</div>
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The base of the salad was sauteed snow peas and fennel mixed with arugula. The sweetness of the snow peas and anise bite of the fennel balance the natural spiciness of the arugula. I sauteed the snow peas and fennel until slightly brown, so they were still crisp.<br />
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On top of the fennel, snow pea, arugula salad, I laid slices of fresh tomato and avocado for a colorful addition. I love using avocado because of its unique flavor and texture. A good ripe tomato and avocado go perfectly with any salad.</div>
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For the steak, I bought a buffalo sirloin, which is a bit leaner than beef. I rubbed it with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and oregano and seared it in a cast iron for about 5 minutes per side until it was medium rare. I sliced it and laid it over the salad with some thin sliced parmesan.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fbNqmZeXylY/T8DY50hqXeI/AAAAAAAACDw/ayvm64SXloI/s1600/tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fbNqmZeXylY/T8DY50hqXeI/AAAAAAAACDw/ayvm64SXloI/s640/tomato.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<i>(Serves 2)</i><br />
2 1/3 lb buffalo sirloin<br />
1 ripe tomato sliced<br />
1 avocado sliced<br />
Arugula<br />
Snow peas<br />
1/2 fennel bulb<br />
Shaved parmesan<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Crushed red pepper and oregano<br />
Olive Oil<br />
Lemon<br />
Red Wine Vinegar<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a pan and sautee fennel and snow peas until starting to brown</li>
<li>Toss fennel and snow peas with arugula with olive oil, lemon, and vinegar</li>
<li>Heat cast iron until hot, add a little oil and cook the steak for 5 minutes a side</li>
<li>Lay the sliced avocado and tomato on the arugula</li>
<li>Slice the steak and lay on the salad, top with parmesan and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-91848531779194811282012-05-22T23:12:00.000-04:002012-05-22T23:12:37.559-04:00Brussel Sprout Carbonara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brussel sprouts and bacon... Are you lovers from opposite families, a la Romeo and Juliet? Are you unlikely partners like Starsky and Hutch, one straight laced, one a little wild, but both focused on getting the job done? Are you soul mates, destined to be together no matter the obstacle? Whatever you are, you work beautifully together! A simple Italian dish that relies heavily on the inclusion of bacon is pasta carbonara. I decided to bring in bacon's old friend brussel sprouts into this classic dish to make for a fun twist on a classic dish. The result was a colorful and flavorful pasta dish that was as fun to make as it was to eat.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JugX016MNyw/T7xSuhpPURI/AAAAAAAACDA/K8wOYu3iuyY/s1600/brussels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JugX016MNyw/T7xSuhpPURI/AAAAAAAACDA/K8wOYu3iuyY/s640/brussels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pasta carbonara is usually made by mixing egg, bacon, parmesan, and ground pepper with pasta. The result is a gooey, rich, cheesy pasta. For this version, I cooked up the bacon and then simply sauteed brussel sprouts and onion in the remaining bacon fat. I boiled fettucine to al dente and then tossed it with the brussels and onion, shredded a small mountain of parm on top with a heavy portion of ground black pepper, and cracked 3 eggs over the whole thing. I mixed everything up quickly, along with the bacon, so the egg stayed moist and didn't cook too much, and served. The dish was delicious. The addition of brussel sprouts brightened the flavor and added an unexpected texture. The familiar mix of eggs and bacon worked perfectly in this new format, and the melted parm and egg mixed to make the perfect sauce.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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(Serves 4)</div>
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1 box fettucine</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/3 lb of brussel sprouts, bottoms cut off and halved</div>
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6-8 slices of thick cut bacon cut into small pieces</div>
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1 medium yellow onion diced</div>
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3 eggs</div>
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1 cup of freshly shaved parmesan</div>
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2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper</div>
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Chopped parlsey for garnish</div>
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<b>To Cook:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ol>
<li>Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil</li>
<li>Heat cast iron or heavy large skillet on medium and add bacon</li>
<li>When bacon is brown, remove to a paper towel lined plate and add onions and brussel sprouts</li>
<li>Put pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes until al dente and drain</li>
<li>Turn off skillet (make sure you turn off the heat so the egg doesn't scramble)</li>
<li>Add pasta, cheese, pepper, bacon and egg to the pan (along with a little bit of pasta water) and mix thoroughly until the cheese has melted and the egg has mixed through to create a sauce</li>
<li>Garnish with parsley and serve</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wb7T2E0a79M/T7xQaprVQnI/AAAAAAAACCg/i_D-zi1eKno/s1600/Plated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wb7T2E0a79M/T7xQaprVQnI/AAAAAAAACCg/i_D-zi1eKno/s640/Plated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-55099233724026731052012-05-20T21:10:00.000-04:002012-05-20T21:10:16.659-04:00Nori Wrapped Tuna<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rkOZRWGwDrw/T7AX7Dur_tI/AAAAAAAACBo/6yfyCThjXLY/s1600/Tuna+Plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rkOZRWGwDrw/T7AX7Dur_tI/AAAAAAAACBo/6yfyCThjXLY/s640/Tuna+Plate.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nori, the seaweed used to wrap sushi rolls, is generally thought to be a one trick pony, if it's even thought of at all. People generally come across it as an addition to a sushi and ramen, but beyond that, one rarely sees use for it. I had bought a package of nori sheets to make sushi awhile back, and after reading a post about a nori crusted steak on <a href="http://www.rooftopgourmet.com/beef/nori-dusted-ny-strip-maki-with-armadillo-potatoes/" target="_blank">Rooftop Gourmet</a> I decided to use it with some fresh tuna steaks. It's surprisingly tasty on it's own. It has a very subtle salty flavor and has a lot of vitamins and other dietary benefits, so it makes for an interesting and healthy addition to a meal. </div>
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While very brittle when dry, it becomes very malleable and breaks down
when wet, so wrapping it around a tuna steak is perfect because the nori
sticks to the wet flesh of the tuna. I used about 1 sheet of nori per tuna steak and wrapped it up like a little fishy present.<br />
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To go along with the fish, I wanted to make some fried shrimp, so I battered and breaded 2 shrimp each in panko crumbs and fried them in canola oil. In addition to the shrimp, I steamed some baby bok choy over mirin and sake and made some white rice and spicy mayonnaise. <br />
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For the tuna, I heated a grill pan, and once hot, grilled the nori wrapped tuna steaks until the seaweed showed grill marks and the outside of the fish was just seared. I like my tuna to be very rare, so I only cooked each side about 3 minutes to sear the nori and the outside of the fish. As I cooked it, the nori became a second skin to the fish, and the flavor mixed perfectly. Once the dish was complete, it was like a maki roll, deconstructed on the plate. A bite with all of the components of the plate really felt like I was eating an interesting roll at a sushi restaurant!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BEUMSSiCig/T7AXyZ-F7HI/AAAAAAAACBg/17FKwjNeGDI/s1600/Spicy+Mayo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BEUMSSiCig/T7AXyZ-F7HI/AAAAAAAACBg/17FKwjNeGDI/s640/Spicy+Mayo.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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<i>(Serves 2)</i></div>
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2 1/3-1/2 lb tuna steaks</div>
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2 sheets of nori</div>
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2 shrimp</div>
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1 tablespoon flour </div>
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1 egg</div>
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2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs</div>
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1/2 cup canola oil </div>
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2 baby bok choy</div>
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1/4 cup mirin</div>
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1 teaspoon soy sauce </div>
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1/2 cup white rice</div>
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2 tablespoons mayonnaise</div>
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1 teaspoon/tablespoon sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it)</div>
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1 teaspoon honey</div>
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<b>To Cook:</b></div>
<ol>
<li>Wrap the tuna with nori, and cut the extra seaweed with scissors</li>
<li>Dredge the shrimp in flour then egg then panko</li>
<li>Heat the canola oil on medium high and fry the shrimp in a small saucepan for about 2-3 minutes until golden - then let rest on paper towel to absorb the oil</li>
<li>Bring the mirin and soy to a boil and steam the bok choy until tender</li>
<li>Cook the rice (1 cup of water with a dash of white vinegar and sugar, boil, add rice, simmer for 20 minutes covered)</li>
<li>Mix the mayo, sriracha, and honey until smooth</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-34654852642098271552012-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-15T00:00:05.873-04:00Chicken and Spinach Burritos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've recently been very into chicken and spinach burritos from this tiny hole in the wall Mexican place in the East Village called <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CJ0BEBYwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.menupages.com%2Frestaurants%2Fdowntown-bakery%2F&ei=sw2wT4TMM4Ps0gG-6uiuDA&usg=AFQjCNE-eGmHa1YW6S22NVC0_GXf1tjMDw&sig2=TcUPEkNxzZN6TmRemaGCKw" target="_blank">Downtown Bakery</a> on 1st Ave. It's a very simple burrito, but for some reason it's the perfect balance of healthy and unhealthy that you want from a burrito. Because much of recipe inspiration comes from what I eat out, I decided to make my own take on the chicken and spinach burrito.<br />
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While the contents of a burrito are key, a major component is the accoutrement you serve alongside. I am a huge guacamole fan and feel that it's the glue that holds a good Mexican meal together. I usually go to the same recipe for the guac because it's simple, easy, and delicious. I chop up onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado and mix it with some lime juice until it's smooth but the avocado still has some chunkiness to it. The guac is great for a burrito or just to dip with tortilla chips.<br />
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For the burrito itself, I cooked chicken breasted rubbed with salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, and paprika in a cast iron, sauteed spinach, cooked up black beans and shredded some cheddar. Once the ingredients were ready, I piled them in a tortilla, carefully rolled it, and used a panini press to seal the burrito and melt the cheese. The whole meal took about 30 minutes to make and made for a Mexican delight along with a Negro Modelo and some tortilla chips.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 4)</i><br />
<u>Guacamole</u><br />
2 avocados<br />
1 medium chopped tomato<br />
1/2 medium chopped red onion<br />
2 chopped cloves of garlic<br />
1/2 cup of packed chopped cilantro<br />
1 chopped jalapeno (if you want a spicy guac, keep the seeds in. If you like a milder guac, scoop them out with a spoon)<br />
1 juiced lime<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
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<u>Burrito</u><br />
2 chicken breasts<br />
Chili rub (equal parts salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and a third as much cayenne)<br />
1 bag spinach<br />
1 can black beans<br />
2 chopped cloves of garlic<br />
1 cup shredded cheddar<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
4 large flour or whole wheat tortillas<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<u>Guacamole:</u><br />
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<ol>
<li>Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a potato masher until desired smoothness</li>
<li>Taste and adjust consistency, saltiness, and acidity as desired</li>
</ol>
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<u>Burrito</u></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Rub chicken with spice rub</li>
<li>Heat a cast iron pan, add some olive oil and cook the chicken for 8 minutes per side until meat is firm to the touch and browned. Slice for serving.</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep pan and add spinach, cook until wilted</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan and cook garlic</li>
<li>Drain most of liquid from beans and pour into saucepan with garlic, cook for 20 minutes until beans are soft and fragrant</li>
<li>Build your burrito (I like to go beans then spinach then chicken then cheese) carefully wrap and then press in panini press until outside of burrito has brown grill marks</li>
<li>Serve with guac, salsa, sour cream and hot sauce</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-75394029168504926912012-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-14T00:00:07.824-04:00Roasted Vegetable and Pesto Pasta with Seared Scallops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPaSvxTfExQ/T6_4yYJY3MI/AAAAAAAAB_w/QJd12SOLVyM/s1600/Basil+and+nuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPaSvxTfExQ/T6_4yYJY3MI/AAAAAAAAB_w/QJd12SOLVyM/s640/Basil+and+nuts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the more versatile and flavorful sauces that you can make is pesto. Pesto is an italian sauce used on pasta, sandwiches, meats, fish, hors d'oeuvres, and anything else you can think of. Classic pesto recipes use basil and pine nuts as the main components, but you can use any herbs or greens you like such as cilantro, parsley, arugula, or even kale along with any type of nut. I've made pistachio cilantro and arugula and almond pestos, and any variation you make will have a different personality depending on which components you use. For a healthy pasta dish, I decided to make a basil pine nut AND walnut pesto (I know, I'm a wild man...) with roasted vegetables and seared scallops.<br />
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For the pesto, I lightly toasted a half cup of pine nuts and chopped walnuts until fragrant and then blended them with a packed cup of basil, 3 garlic cloves, the juice of 1 lemon, a quarter cup of shredded parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and salt and pepper. The tricky part about making pesto is that the texture and flavors change dramatically as you blend. I tend to add all of the ingredients other than the lemon and olive oil first, and then gradually add in the oil and juice, adjusting and tasting as I go along to find the best texture and acid balance. If you find that your pesto is a little too tart, add a little bit of sugar to sweeten it up and balance the acidity.<br />
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For the rest of the dish, I cut up eggplant, zucchini, onion, and tossed them with cherry tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. I roasted the veggies in an uncovered pan for about 35 minutes on 400 until they were brown and softened. While the veggies were cooking, I boiled water and cooked up some farfalle, which is a small bowtie shaped pasta. I like using shaped pastas with pesto because the sauce gets caught in the little crevasses and makes for a delicious burst of flavor. I then seared the scallops by heating butter and olive oil in a pan and searing them until browned. For a more details on cooking scallops, <a href="http://tys-kitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Scallops" target="_blank">look here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LExiR07eiX8/T6_5J6OG30I/AAAAAAAACAQ/URQ53XorHpE/s1600/roasted+veggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LExiR07eiX8/T6_5J6OG30I/AAAAAAAACAQ/URQ53XorHpE/s640/roasted+veggies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 4)</i><br />
<u>Pesto</u><br />
1 cup packed basil<br />
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts and chopped walnuts<br />
1/4 cup shredded parmesan<br />
3 cloves garlic<br />
1 juiced lemon<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<u><br /></u><br />
<u>Pasta</u><br />
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes<br />
1 chopped medium yellow onion<br />
1 halved and sliced zucchini<br />
1 sliced and cut small eggplant<br />
1 package farfalle<br />
12 sea scallops<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon butter<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<u>Pesto</u><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Toast nuts in a toasted or dry pan until fragrant</li>
<li>Put all ingredients except lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor</li>
<li>Gradually add oil and juice until desired consistency and taste</li>
<li>If pesto is too thick, add a little water to thin it out</li>
</ol>
<div>
<u>Roasted Vegetable Farfalle with Scallops</u></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 400</li>
<li>Toss all cut vegetables and tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast in one layer on a baking sheet or oven proof dish for 35 minutes until brown and softened</li>
<li>Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook farfalle for 7-8 minutes until desired doneness</li>
<li>About an hour before cooking, lay the scallops on paper towel and press another paper towel on top and let sit in the fridge</li>
<li>20 minutes before cooking scallops, remove from fridge and sprinkle with salt and pepper</li>
<li>Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a cast iron or large frying pan, and when hot, add scallops (this can be done in batches if needed - you don't want to crowd them or they'll steam and you won't get good caramelization)</li>
<li>Cook for 4-5 minutes a side</li>
<li>When pasta and vegetables are done, toss them in a big bowl with the pesto and mix thoroughly to get veggies and pesto evenly distributed throughout the pasta (you don't want a pocket of sauceless pasta in the middle!)</li>
<li>Serve in bowls with 3 scallops per person on top and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
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<br /></div>Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-47348664958960306342012-02-20T17:58:00.001-05:002012-02-20T17:58:56.928-05:00Veal Chops and Purple Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If
you are ever looking for a rich, impressive meal that's a little off
the normal menu, you should pick up some veal chops and purple potatoes.
Veal is a very tender beef, that, while a controversial subject in the
animal rights circles, is always delicious. The most common cuts of veal
are thin cutlets used in scallopine or parmesan, but the cut I enjoy
most is a thick veal chop. A veal chop lies somewhere between a pork
chop and a steak on the flavor and tenderness scale. It's also a very
lean meat, so it's healthier than having a heavy steak. When cooked
well, the veal has a softer taste than a rich steak, and is much more
tender and juicy than most pork chops. For this dish, I paired 2 thick
cut veal chops with a red wine braised mushroom and celery sauce and
some mashed purple potatoes. Purple potatoes are a beautiful heirloom
variety of potato that is much healthier than normal white fleshed
potatoes because of their high level of antioxidants. They are also
visually striking and make for a very unexpected side to a dish.<br />
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While
this meal looks very impressive, the work to prepare it was not very
labor intensive. To start, I sliced up the celery, mushrooms, and onions
and sauteed them until starting to brown. I then added garlic and thyme
and poured some dry red wine over them. I let this braise for about 30
minutes, and about 10 minutes before serving, I added some cream to
thicken the sauce. For the potatoes, I sliced them up and boiled them
for 15 minutes. I then drained and added butter, yogurt, cream, and
mustard and mashed them up. For the veal, I rubbed the chops with salt
and pepper, seared them in a cast iron and finished them in the oven.
All in, the meal took under an hour to cook and was a very delicious and
mostly healthy meal. The veal was perfectly tender and moist, and the
flavor of the celery and mushroom puree was a perfect accompaniment to
the meat, not overpowering, but distinct enough to enhance the flavors
of the dish. The potatoes went perfectly as well, with the mustard and
yogurt providing a nice punch to go along with the smooth rich flavors
of the rest of the dish. If you're looking for an unexpected dish that will impress, this one is a must-try.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 2</i>)<br />
2 half pound veal chops<br />
1 celery stalk sliced on a bias<br />
1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced<br />
5 crimini mushrooms, sliced<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
2 sprigs thyme<br />
1/2 cup dry red wine<br />
1 tablespoon light cream<br />
3/4 lb purple potatoes, quartered<br />
2 tablespoons greek yogurt<br />
1 tablespoon light cream<br />
1 tablespoon unsalted butter <br />
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Olive oil <br />
<br /> <br />
<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<i>Mashed Purple Potatoes</i><b> </b><br /> <br />
<ol>
<li>Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add potatoes</li>
<li>Boil for 15 minutes, drain, and mash the potatoes</li>
<li>Add yogurt, cream, mustard, butter, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly</li>
</ol>
<i>Braised Celery</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sautee pan and add celery, onion, mushrooms and garlic</li>
<li>Sautee until starting to brown</li>
<li>Add wine, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes</li>
<li>Mix in cream, stir, and serve on top of veal</li>
</ol>
<i>Veal Chops</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375 </li>
<li>Rub the chops with salt and pepper</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron pan on medium high</li>
<li>Place the chops in the hot pan and sear until brown on one side for 4-5 minutes</li>
<li>Flip chops and place the pan in the oven, cooking for 15-18 minutes (depending on chop thickness)</li>
<li>Remove the chops from the oven and place on a plate to rest for 10 minutes before eating<br /> </li>
</ol>
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Most people think of a sandwich as an American staple. Whether a classic ham and cheese or tuna melt, or something more involved like a meatball sub or Italian hoagie (sub, hoagie, grinder, sandwich, whatever else you want to call it) the sandwich is considered standard American fare. Where this concept of patriotic sandwichism is thrown on it's head is on the menus of Vietnamese restaurants. One of my favorite dishes in Vietnamese cooking is the Bahn Mi (which comes at a close second to Pho soup, but I'll cover that at another time). A bahn mi sandwich is traditionally made with ground pork and pate and an assortment of vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, jalapenos, cilantro, and radish served on a warm, crispy french baguette. I've seen variations on the sandwich that have beef, chicken, fish, or tofu, but the flavors are usually in the same family with spicy chili sauce and peppers, crisp veggies, and salty meat. For dinner recently, I wanted to make my own simple, healthy take on the bahn mi, so I bought some fresh tilapia along with the standard bahn mi vegetables.<br />
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The preparation of the meal was extremely simple. I julienned the carrots and cucumbers, sliced the jalapenos, and chopped the cilantro. I put some salt and pepper on the fish and pan seared it until it was nice and brown on both sides. I toasted the baguette until it was nice and crispy on the outside, and made some sriracha mayonnaise by mixing sriracha chili sauce and mayonnaise. Once everything was ready, I assembled the sandwich and enjoyed! The spicy flavors of the chili sauce and jalapeno came out strongly against the simple flavor of the fish and the bright, crisp flavor of the vegetables and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime brought the sandwich together. The whole meal took about 15 minutes to make and the result was flavorful and fulfilling without being heavy or greasy. My girlfriend wanted an even healthier version, so for hers I omitted the bread entirely, and the result was still delicious.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b> <br />
(<i>Makes 2 sandwiches)</i> <br />
2 tilapia filets<br />
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled, and julienned (<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_13876_julienne-vegetables.html" target="_blank">here's a tip</a> on how to julienne if you're unfamiliar) <br />
1 carrot, peeled and julienned<br />
1 jalapeno sliced<br />
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped<br />
1 lime <br />
1 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce<br />
3 tablespoons mayonnaise<br />
1 small french baguette<br />
<br />
<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Rub the fish with salt and pepper, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium high, and add the fish</li>
<li>Cook the fish for 3-4 minutes a side</li>
<li>Slice the baguette and toast until crisp</li>
<li>Mix the sriracha and mayo</li>
<li>Spread the spicy mayo on the bread, lay down the veggies in layers, followed by the fish, and enjoy!<br /> </li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4199955131151549185.post-92194090227102594452012-02-12T22:14:00.000-05:002012-02-12T22:14:49.164-05:00Lend Me Your Ears... With Some Broccoli Rabe and Sausage<br />
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I always say that broccoli rabe is a very controversial vegetable. Many people don't like the bitterness of rabe and people are often scared away from cooking it because they don't know how to get the right flavor from it. The key to perfecting broccoli rabe, I learned from my girlfriend, is a little bit of sugar. For whatever reason, sugar creates the perfect sweet balance to the bitter green and makes it a lot friendlier and less intimidating. Other elements that will remove bitterness are sausage and ricotta. A classic Italian dish is orecchiette with sausage, broccoli, rabe, and ricotta. Orecchiette literally means small ear as it is a pasta that resembles the shape of an ear. What is nice about using this type of pasta in this dish is that the orecchiette act as little bowls that hold the ricotta and sausage, making each bite complete and full of all flavors of the dish. The result is a creamy, salty, rich dish that is surprisingly easy to make. The version I made was beautiful and satisfying with a nice balance of sweet and salt with a bit of spice and creaminess to top it off.<br />
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The first step in the dish is to cut and steam the broccoli rabe. The stems are the most bitter part of the vegetable, so you will want to remove the leaves from the stems with a knife or by hand. Then setup a steaming tray over boiling water and steam the rabe for 3-5 minutes, tossing every minute or two until it's wilted. You'll be cooking it more in the sauce, so it doesn't have to be totally soft after steaming. Once the rabe is at the desired doneness, run it under cold water to stop the cooking and set aside.<br />
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The next step is the sausage. Ideally you want to buy bulk sweet or hot Italian sausage, but if you can't find bulk, you can buy the sausage in the casing and just squeeze the meat out when you're prepping the meal (doing this may look or feel gross, but I'm sure you can make someone laugh while doing it.) Then you heat a large pan (ideally cast iron, because you should default to a cast iron for most meals) and add the sausage with a little bit of oil to keep the meat from burning. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon and cook until starting to brown. Add onions and garlic and sautee with the meat until translucent. Add the broccoli rabe, some salt, pepper, white sugar, and crushed red pepper and cook for another few minutes. As all of this is happening, you should bring a big pot of water to a boil and cook the orecchiette. The pasta is on the thicker side, so it will probably take 12-14 minutes to get to the desired doneness. Once the pasta is done drain it, add it to the pan with the sausage and rabe and stir through. For the final step, add 3 healthy spoonfuls of ricotta and mix throughout. The result will be a rich creamy sauce that is full of flavor and only took about 30 minutes to make!<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 4)</i><br />
1 box orecchiette<br />
1 bunch broccoli rabe leaves cut from the stems and roughly chopped<br />
2 sweet Italian sausages squeezed from the casing or bulk<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
3 cloves of garlic, chopped<br />
1 cup ricotta<br />
1 teaspoon granulated sugar<br />
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil <br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Bring a pot with about 1 inch<b> </b>of water to a boil and in a steaming tray, steam the broccoli rabe for 3-5 minutes tossing every minute or two until leaves are bright and soft</li>
<li>Run rabe under cold water to stop cooking</li>
<li>Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil </li>
<li>Heat olive oil in a large cast iron pan on medium and add sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon until starting to brown</li>
<li>Add onions and garlic and sautee for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally</li>
<li>While onions are cooking, cook the orecchiette for 12-14 minutes in boiling water, stirring often to keep the pasta from sticking together </li>
<li>To the sausage pan, add rabe, sugar, crusher red pepper, salt and pepper and lower heat to medium low</li>
<li>Drain pasta when done reserving a little bit of water, add to pan with the sausage (or if the pan with the sausage is too small, pour the sausage and rabe on top of the pasta in the big pot after draining)</li>
<li>Scoop the ricotta over the pasta and mix thoroughly</li>
<li>Let sit for a few minutes for ricotta to melt and thicken on the pasta and serve</li>
</ol>
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I am a huge fan of pickled goods. Whether green beans or beets, okra or cauliflower, I love the briny bite and sweet and salty mixture. The king of all pickles is of course the cucumber. The perfect sandwich accompaniment or topping. A nice briny flavor to cut into the saltiness of chips and the flavors in any type of sandwich (other than maybe a PB&J). I've made pickles a couple times before, but I was preparing some sides for a pulled pork sandwich, and I wanted to make a quick cucumber pickle with some spice as a side/topping for the pulled pork. The difference between a quick pickle and a fermented pickle is the canning and resting process. For a quick pickle, you make the brine, pour the hot brine over the cukes and then let them sit for a couple hours. Voila! Pickle! For a fermented pickle, you make the brine, let it cool, pour it over the cukes in a jar and seal it. The pickles then rest for 4 to 6 weeks until they've fermented. These take a lot more time and work. For more info on pickling, check out <a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/makingpickles.htm" target="_blank">this site</a>. The pickles I made were spicy and delicious. I did a classic pickle brine and added a habanero pepper for some heat. They had a great balance of vinegar sugar and salt, and the habanero made them stand out when eaten with the pulled pork. This recipe is very easy, and very successful, so if you want to dive into the pickle game, I would start here.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
4 kirby cucumbers, whole or sliced depending on how you want your pickle<br />
1 cup white distilled vinegar<br />
3 teaspoons white granulated sugar<br />
2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoon mustard seed<br />
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1 habanero pepper<br />
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved<br />
1/4 cup chopped dill<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix the vinegar, salt, sugar, mustard seed, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 4 minutes<b> </b></li>
<li>Add the habanero, garlic, and dill and boil for another minute or two</li>
<li>Remove from the heat and pour over the cucumbers in a non-reactive bowl (glass will do)</li>
<li>Let sit for 1-3 hours before refridgerating</li>
<li>Store in a glass jar, will last for 1-2 weeks</li>
</ol>
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For the main course of my recent dinner party (for the appetizer <a href="http://www.tyskitchen.com/2012/02/creamy-tomato-soup.html" target="_blank">click here</a>) I made a dish that would confuse a nice Jewish boy. I took two of my favorite dishes, pork loin and potato latkes and brought them together on one glorious plate. The irony of the dish is that both pork and potato pancakes are perfect for each other. The standard accompaniment for both pork and latkes is apple sauce, so what I did was bring the potatoes and pork together with a layer of homemade apple sauce. To top the pork, I made some caramelized onions and for some flavor and color, I made some sauteed green beans. The meal was spectacular. The pork was extremely moist, and the flavors in the apple sauce blended perfectly between the pork and potatoes. The green beans provided a bright visual and gustatory break in the meal against the rich, warm flavors of the pork and potatoes. This would be a perfect meal for a romantic, home cooked Valentine's day dinner.<br />
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For the apple sauce, I peeled 4 apples, and cut them into small cubes. I then heated some butter in a bit pot and sauteed the onions until they started to brown. I added a little cider vinegar to the onions to scrape the brown bits off of the bottom, added some lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper, and let it simmer covered for 30-40 minutes. I then mashed it up so it was still a little chunky and set aside to cool.<br />
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For the pork, I started with a brine. I mixed water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, mustard seed, and bay leaf and let the pork loin sit in it for 6 hours in the fridge (but you can brine it for up to 24 hours). I then let the loin sit out to get to room temperature before cooking. Once I was ready to cook it, I rubbed a little salt and pepper on the pork and seared the outside of the meat until it started to brown. I then laid it over onions, garlic, and rosemary with some chicken broth in a pan and baked it for 25 minutes until done.<br />
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I let the meat rest for 10 minutes after cooking and then sliced it. The meat was incredibly tender and moist. The brine really infuses the meat with moisture, and cooking over the broth ensures that it doesn't dry out in the oven. The pork comes out slightly pink and is full of flavor.<br />
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For the potato pancakes, I peeled and finely shredded the potatoes and squeezed out as much of the water as possible. I then shredded an onion, mixed in an egg, and scraped the potato starch off of the bottom of the bowl where I squeezed the potatoes. Using the potato starch is a really cool way to bind the pancakes. When you squeeze the potatoes, what comes out is water and starch, when the liquid settles the water stays at the top, and the starch settles at the bottom of the bowl. You can then pour off the water and what's left is the hard potato starch. I mixed the potatoes and made small patties, frying them in batches in sunflower oil until brown on both sides.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 4)</i><br />
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<i>For the pork:</i><br />
1.5 lbs pork loin<br />
3 cups water<i> </i><b> </b><br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
2 tablespoons salt<br />
1 teaspoon peppercorns<br />
1 teaspoon mustard seed<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
2 medium onion, sliced<br />
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped<br />
4 sprigs rosemary<br />
1/4 cup chicken broth<br />
Olive oil<br />
1 lb green beans <br />
Salt and pepper<br />
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<i>For the apple sauce:</i><br />
4 apples, peeled<br />
1 tablespoon butter <br />
<i> </i>1 tablespoon cider vinegar<br />
1 lemon, juiced and zested<br />
1-2 tablespoons honey<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon cayenne<br />
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<i>For the potato pancakes:</i><br />
3 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and finely grated<br />
<i> </i>1 medium onion<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup sunflower oil<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<i>The Pork:</i><b> </b><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix the water through bay leaf and brine the pork for 6-24 hours in the fridge</li>
<li>Remove the pork from the brine and let sit until it reaches room temperature</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 375</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon of olive, canola, or sunflower oil in a large cast iron pan on medium high, rub the pork with salt and pepper and sear the pork on the outside until lightly browned</li>
<li>While pork is searing, lay onion, garlic, and rosemary in a roasting pan and pour the chicken broth over it</li>
<li>Put pork in roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes</li>
<li>Remove pork from oven and let rest for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and cook onions until brown</li>
<li>Remove onions and cook green beans in 1 tablespoon olive oil with salt and pepper until lightly browned</li>
</ol>
<i>The Apple Sauce</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Heat butter in a large pot on medium and add apples, cook until starting to brown</li>
<li>Add cider vinegar and scrape up brown bits</li>
<li>Add remaining ingredients and lower heat to low, simmer until very soft</li>
<li>Mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher to desired consistency</li>
<li>Add water if you want a smoother texture</li>
</ol>
<i>The Potato Latkes</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Peel the potatoes and let them sit submerged in water until ready to shred so they don't brown</li>
<li>Shred the potatoes finely and squeeze as much of the water out of them as possible over a bowl</li>
<li>Shred the onion and add to the potatoes with 1 egg and salt and pepper</li>
<li>After potato water has rested for 5 minutes, pour water off reserving the starch at the bottom of the bowl and add to the potato mixture</li>
<li>Mix the potatoes thoroughly, they should be a little wet but dry enough to hold their form when made into patties</li>
<li>Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium and shape the potato mixture into patties, cooking in batches (don't overcrowd) for about 5 minutes a side until brown and cooked through</li>
<li>Remove from pan and lay on a paper towel to absorb oil</li>
</ol>
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I remember when I was at sleep away camp, way back in the day, and when the lunch bugle sounded (yes, we had bugle calls for wake up, meals, activities, and taps for bedtime) we would all go running, hoping it was grilled cheese and tomato soup day. The soup we ate was probably Campbell's tomato soup or something like it, but it was delicious and we loved it every time it was on the menu. For a dinner party recently, I wanted to concoct a refined version of tomato soup for the starter course. I went with a roasted tomato and garlic soup with parmesan croutons. I wanted the soup to be creamy and rich, and the croutons to bring back the memories of the classic grilled cheese accompaniment, an elegant take on a lunchtime classic.<br />
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I started by slicing some ripe vine tomatoes, scooping the seeds out, reserving them in a bowl, and tossing the tomato halves with garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. I lay them out in one layer in a glass baking dish, and roasted them for 40 minutes at 375 until they were soft and fragrant. While the tomatoes were cooking, I took the seeds and ran them through a fine sieve to extract all of the tomato juices. I also added the juice from a can of whole peeled tomatoes, reserving the actual tomatoes for another use.<br />
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I sauteed some onions in a large dutch oven pot, added the tomato juice, the roasted tomatoes, and some chicken broth and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. I then added basil, and simmered for another 30 minutes until the soup was very fragrant. I blended it with an immersion blender until very smooth and added some light cream for thickness. To top the soup, I cut up a roll into cubes and tossed the pieces with olive oil and parmesan. I baked the parmesan croutons for 20 minutes until they were golden and crispy and put a handful on top of the soup with some chopped basil.<br />
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The soup was delicious. It was rich and creamy with a nice balance of acid from the tomatoes and creaminess from the light cream. The garlic and basil mixed very nicely with the warmth of the soup, and the parmesan croutons were reminiscent of the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup of those days at camp. <br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
(<i>Serves 4)</i><br />
6 ripe vine tomatoes, seeded (reserve seeds)<br />
3 cloves of garlic, chopped<br />
Juice from 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes<br />
1 cup chicken broth<br />
1 medium yellow onion, chopped<br />
1 bunch basil - 1/4 cup chopped for garnish, the rest pulled from the stems<br />
1/2 cup light cream<br />
Olive oil<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
1 roll, cubed<br />
1/4 cup parmesan, grated<br />
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<b>To Cook:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375 </li>
<li>Slice tomatoes in half and seed them with a spoon, reserving the seeds</li>
<li>Toss with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 40 minutes until soft and fragrant</li>
<li>Use a fine sieve to extract the juice from the seeds and pulp of the tomatoes</li>
<li>Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy bottom pot and sautee onions</li>
<li>Add the tomato juices, broth and roasted tomatoes (pouring off oil in the pan before adding)</li>
<li>Simmer for 30 minutes, add the basil and simmer for another 20-30 minutes</li>
<li>Blend the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth (if you don't have an immersion blender, use a blender or food processor in batches)</li>
<li>Add the cream and mix through</li>
<li>Toss the roll cubes with the parmesan and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until golden and crisp</li>
<li>Serve the soup with a handful of the parmesan croutons and some of the chopped basil</li>
</ol>
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<br />Ty's Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05043173506051778319noreply@blogger.com0