Halibut with Lemon, Dill and Pea Tendrils
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
2 6oz halibut fillets
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, or more to your liking
1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 bunch pea tendrils
Instructions
Set a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 425°F. Lightly brush a sheet pan with thin layer of olive oil.
Season the halibut fillets. Sprinkle the fish all over with salt and pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each), Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (if using). Arrange on the prepared sheet pan.
Drizzle the fish with extra virgin olive oil. Cut half of the lemon into thin slices and arrange them on top of the fish (keep the other half of the lemon aside for now). Bake on the middle rack of the heated oven until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily at the touch of a fork, for 10 to 15 minutes.
While the fish bakes add pea tendrils into a mixing bowl and toss w/ the remaining lemon juice, the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from the oven and top with pea tendrils. Sprinkle on the dill and serve immediately.
Adapted from themediterraneandish.com
Spring Lamb Osso Buco with Polenta, Wild Onions and Hazelnut Ailade
Lamb Osso Bucco
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5-2 pounds lamb shanks, cut into 2-inch osso buco
1¾ tsp kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat end of a chef’s knife
1 bunch wild onions, rinsed and roots
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
3 cups San Marzano tomatoes from the can, crushed.
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig of sage
1 dried bay leaf
Zest from 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Pat the lamb dry thoroughly using paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, dredge in all-purpose flour, and set aside on a plate in one layer.
Heat the olive oil in a high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb in the hot oil till well-browned on all sides, approximately 8 minutes.
Remove the lamb to a plate and set aside.
Lower the heat sauté onions over medium-high heat until they soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Use tongs to turn them, making sure all their surfaces get direct contact with the hot pan. (They should retain their bright greenness, but a little char adds depth and texture.)
Stir in garlic and 1 tsp salt and cook until fragrant, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any browned bits of flour or caramelized juices from the lamb. Continue cooking till the onions and garlic begin to color lightly and become fragrant, 5-6 minutes.
Clear the onions and garlic to one side in the pan and add the tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste in the oil at the bottom of the pan until it becomes fragrant, turns brick-red, and begins to caramelize around the edges.
Add the wine and stir everything together well, scraping up all the bits of caramelization from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the broth, thyme, sage, bay leaf, and crushed tomatoes.
Return the lamb to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook on lowest heat on the stovetop, or in a 325°F oven, for 2 hours, or until the lamb is tender and offers no resistance to the tip of a paring knife.
Remove the shanks to a plate and keep warm, covered in foil. Using a flat spoon, skim the excess fat off the top of the sauce. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf from the sauce, and check for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add the lemon zest and serve
Creamy Polenta
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups water
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt *see note on salt below
1 cup Sun Gold Farms Stone Ground Cornmeal
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
In a heavy-duty sauce pan, bring the water and milk to a boil. Stir in the salt.
Gradually sprinkle the polenta into the pan while whisking at the same time. Keep whisking until all the cornmeal is incorporated and any lumps are smoothed out.
Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25-35 minutes, and up to 45 minutes. Stir the polenta every 10 minutes or so. Be patient, and keep cooking until it's thick, fluffy and pulls away from the sides of the pan when you run a spoon around the edges.
When it’s done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, olive oil, cheese and additional salt to taste if needed.
Serve warm, sprinkled with rosemary and additional cheese, if desired.
Hazelnut Aillade
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup shelled hazelnuts, unsalted
3-4 medium cloves of garlic, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons water
6-8 tablespoons olive oil
1 orange or tangerine
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350ºF .
Spread the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and put in the oven for 3-5 minutes, just long enough to warm them through and slightly toast them. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes, then coarsely chop them.
In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the salt until the garlic has become a paste. Use 3 cloves of garlic if you want it mildly garlicky, 4 cloves if you want it stronger.
Add the hazelnuts and pound them in the mortar and pestle until they are smashed into little pieces. Because they have a lot of oil, you may need to scrape down the sides of the mortar with a rubber spatula and stir it a few times, then continue pounding.
Add the water, stir a few times to mix it with the nuts, then add the 6 tablespoons of oil, one tablespoon at a time. Add a few swipes of orange or tangerine zest, zested right into the aillade. If the aillade is too thick (it should be thick, but still runny), add an additional tablespoon or two of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt if necessary.
Kale Salad with Apples and Cheddar
Ingredients:
1 cup (about 2 ounces) Red Russian kale, after washing and stemming (several large leaves kale, as purchased)
1/2 Pink Lady apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 ounce (1/4 cup) medium cheddar cheese, cubed into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped smoked whole, salted almonds
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Thoroughly wash kale under running water. Rinse, drain and pat dry. Fold each kale leaf in half lengthwise. Use a large kitchen knife to slice and remove center stem. Then stack the two leave halves on top of each other. Roll up like a cigarette roll and slice across roll into rounds. Then cut rolls crosswise into strips. Place kale strips in medium-size bowl.
Prepare remainder of salad ingredients: Core and cut Gala apple into 1/2 inch dice — no need to remove peel. Cut cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch cubes. Coarsely chop whole almonds. .Add these ingredients to kale in bowl.
To make dressing, whisk together lemon juice, salt and olive in another small bowl.
Add dressing to salad and toss well to coat.
Refrigerate salad with dressing about 15 minutes to soften kale leaves prior to serving.
From beyondgumbo.com/
Roasted Baby Turnips
Ingredients
1 bunch baby turnips (with leaves attached), scrubbed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the baby turnips on a large baking tray.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 25 minutes or until the leaves are crisp.
Adapted from taste.co.za
Cajun Sausage and Shrimp Skillet
Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
12 oz mini peppers quartered
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 pound Kauai Shrimp
1/2 tablespoon cajun seasoning (plus more to taste)
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Using a knife, split the shrimp down the back of the shell to expose the mud vain. Remove and repeat for all the shrimp.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add in the oil.
Add the minced garlic and cook for minute until fragrant.
Add the sliced andouille sausage and cook for three to four minutes to brown on both sides. When the sausage has browned, add the sliced mini peppers and onions to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and the cajun seasoning. Cook the veggies for three to four minutes.
Next, add the shrimp to the skillet and toss to combine. Cook for two to three minutes until the shrimp is translucent and cooked through.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the lemon juice, sliced green onion, and more seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.
Adapted from allheathythings.com
Green Garlic Pesto
Ingredients
1/3 lb green garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Trim the leaves and roots off the green garlic, then rinse well under cold water.
Cut the leaves and roots into 1-2 inch pieces.
To a blender or food processor, add green garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, sea salt and black pepper.
Pulse 10-15 times, until ingredients are relatively well-blended, scraping down the sides as needed .
Slowly drizzle in olive oil and continue blending until you get a well-combined pesto texture.
Use with your favorite recipe!
Adapted from keeneorganics.com
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