Pizza with Spring Onions and Fennel
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, chopped, about 1 cup
Salt, preferably kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 trimmed fennel bulbs, tough outer layers removed, cored and chopped plus 2 tablespoons minced fennel fronds
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound whole wheat pizza dough
Parmesan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with a baking stone in it. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the onion and about 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the fennel and garlic, and stir together. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften, about five minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook gently, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and sweet and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped fennel fronds, and remove from the heat.
Roll or press out the pizza dough and line a 12- to 14-inch pan. Brush the pizza crust with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Spread the fennel mixture over the crust in an even layer. Place on top of the pizza stone, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are brown and the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Adapted from NYT Cooking
Rockfish with Mustard Greens
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-inch-thick slice peeled fresh ginger root, minced
1 small bunches mustard greens, cleaned, stemmed and torn into pieces
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, more for drizzling
2 rockfish fillets, 6 ounces each
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat oils in a very large skillet. Add garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mustard greens, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water, and sauté until greens start to wilt, 2 minutes longer.
Spread greens out in pan. Season flounder with salt and pepper, and place on top of greens. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and let fish steam until just cooked through, about 6 minutes. If pan dries out before fish is cooked through, add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time.
Uncover pan and transfer fish to serving plates. If greens seem wet, turn heat to high to cook off excess moisture. Serve greens on top of fish, drizzled with a little more sesame oil and soy sauce, if desired.
Adapted from NYT Cooking
Gold Beet Salad with Hazelnuts
Ingredients
2 large gold beets or 4 small beets
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup hazelnuts
1½ tsp raw honey
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 cups spring mix
Instructions
Boil beets for 30-45 minutes depending on size. Insert a fork or knife into the thickest part of the beet. If it slides in easily with little resistance, the beets are cooked. If you feel significant pressure, continue cooking.
Drain the water and let them cool. Peel cooled beets and cut into small cube pieces.
Add crumbled goat cheese in a medium bowl with beets.
On a small skillet over medium heat, toast hazelnuts. Add toasted hazelnuts to beets.
Add balsamic vinegar and honey to a small pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Serve beets over spring mix and drizzle with the balsamic honey reduction.
Bistro Fillet (Teres Major Steak)
The teres major beef steak (also known as the bistro fillet) is an underused cut of beef sometimes used as a substitute for beef tenderloin. If you like hanger steak, flat irons, bavette, and other "butcher steaks" you're going to love the teres major.
What is Teres Major Steak?
The teres major muscle is a lean cut of beef from the chuck section of a cow. It's located right below the front leg and is mostly known only by skilled butchers. Roughly the size of a pork tenderloin, it's the second or third most tender cut, next to tenderloin and ribeye.
The teres major has much more flavor than a tenderloin as it comes from a heavily used, active muscle. This means it gets more blood flow, which helps develop complex, rich beefy flavor with hints of iron like a hanger steak. The increased blood flow also adds some complexity to cooking (specifically resting).
Do You Have to Trim a Teres Major Steak?
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that the teres major may need to be trimmed before cooking. If you order some from a local butcher shop like I do they may come mostly trimmed, but may still have some silver skin or sinew that should be trimmed off.
How to Cook Teres Major Steak
Like any good steak, the teres major doesn't need much. A little salt, pepper and herbs are all you need. You can grill the steaks or sear them in a pan, just like a tenderloin. One of the best way to cook teres major is to dry brine the meat, seasoning with salt, pepper and fresh herbs overnight and wrapping in cling film before cooking.
A cooked teres major must be allowed to rest for it to be the most tender. If not properly rested, the steaks will give off much more juice than most other steaks. After resting, it's sliced against the grain before serving.
Chef's Tips
With the increased blood flow the muscle receives, this cut takes much longer to rest after cooking than other cuts of beef-around twice as long. An 8 oz steak should be rested in a warm place for about 15 minutes before slicing for the best result.
The teres major is best medium rare or medium. The temperature you cook the meat to is important, and you need to keep in mind the steak will raise 10 degrees farenhieght after cooking as it rests.
One of the best things you can serve with a teres major is a simple compound butter, like maitre d'hotel. Ramp butter, black truffle butter, and mushroom butter are excellent choices too.
Each steak is usually about 8 oz. For a modest serving, one steak can serve two people. You can also cut each steak into small steaks or teres major medallions roughly 3-4 oz each.
Adapted from foragerchef.com
Cauliflower Leek Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 leeks white and light green parts thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 head cauliflower cut into florets
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock vegetable stock
2 sprigs thyme or dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
In a pot, heat oil and sauté the sliced leeks for a couple of minutes while stirring regularly.
Add minced garlic, and cook for a minute or until it's fragrant.
Add cauliflower florets, vegetable stock, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the cauliflower is cooked and tender.
Remove from heat, and using an immersion blender blend the soup until smooth. If it's too thick, add more vegetable stock and blend.
Collard Greens With Mushrooms
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed and sliced
2 quarts hearty vegetable stock
1 small yellow onion, sliced into 2-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bunch collard greens, woody stems trimmed and leaves cut into thick ribbons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Apple cider vinegar, to taste (optional)
Instructions
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add oyster mushrooms and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add onion and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until softened, about 3 minutes; lower heat if necessary to prevent scorching.
Stir in smoked paprika followed by stock. Bring to a simmer, then add collard greens, pushing down to submerge. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until greens are very tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add remaining tbsp olive oil.
Add vinegar to taste, if desired, then serve.
Pork Loin Roast
Ingredients
3 lbs pork loin
6 tbsp (divided) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes cut into 1"
1 lb carrots peeled & cut into 1"
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wrap the baking sheet in aluminum foil for easy cleaning later.
Clean and pat the pork dry with a paper towel. In a bowl: combine salt, pepper, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary and mix. Coat 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil all over the pork. Then rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork. Place pork in the middle of the baking sheet. Cook for 5 minutes for 425°F.
Meanwhile; place cleaned & cut potatoes in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Mix everything together.
Remove pork from the oven. Then turn down the oven to 325°F.
Add potatoes to one side to the baking sheet. Add carrots to the other side of the baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over the pork. Cook for 1 hour (20 minutes per-lb) at 325°F.
Remove pork from the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Kumquat Glazed King Salmon
Ingredients
4 oz kumquats, seeded and thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and half the juice reserved
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 cup water
2 6-oz salmon fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a small pot, combine the kumquats, sugar, lemon zest, rice vinegar and 1 cup of water and heat to boiling on medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 14 to 16 minutes, or until thickened and reduced in volume. Remove from heat and stir in the juice of half the lemon. Set aside.
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with a pinch of Kosher salt and pepper on each side. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.
Add salmon to heated pan, skin side down. Press with a spatula to keep skin from curling. Cook 8 minutes without moving fish or until skin is brown and crispy and fillet is opaque. Using a fish spatula, carefully turn fillets over; sear 1 minute or until internal temperature reads 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer to a plate, and top with the Kumquat compote.
Pepper Steak and Celery Stir-Fry With Lemon
Ingredients
1 pound top sirloin steak
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon light brown or granulated sugar
1 lemon
2 tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil
5 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
Slice the chilled beef against the grain into ¼-inch-thick strips about 2 inches long; set aside. Place the beef in a medium bowl and season with salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add cornstarch and sugar and toss until the beef is thoroughly coated.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemon in wide strips; set the peels aside then cut the lemon in half.
Set a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high. When the pan is very hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Using tongs, add half the beef to the pan in a single layer and cook, without stirring or tossing, until deeply brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. The pieces at the edges of the pan will brown faster than the ones in the center, so flip those first. Flip and cook on the other side until no longer pink, about 20 seconds. Transfer the beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.
After transferring the second batch of browned beef to the plate, pour the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the pan and add the celery, garlic, and reserved lemon peels. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring often, about 1 minute.
Return the beef and any juices to the pan and add the soy sauce and butter. Cook, tossing until you have a smooth sauce that coats the steak, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon half and toss once more.
Transfer stir-fry to a platter and serve with remaining lemon half.
From Cookingnytimes.com
Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients
⅓ cup blood orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Combine olive oil, blood orange juice, red wine vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender. Process until well combined and smooth.