Category Archives: Recipes

Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Bok Choy and Oriental Noodles

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  • 1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 4 (5 ounce) skinless sea bass or orange roughy fish fillets, no more than 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 (14-1/2 ounce) cans Oriental broth or chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional)
  • 1 (5 ounce) package curly Chinese noodles
  • 1 small head bok choy
  • 1 (6 ounce) can or 8-ounce jar straw mushrooms, drained (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat sesame oil in a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the flour and ginger on a plate. Dip fish into flour mixture, turning to coat lightly. Cook in hot oil for 3 minutes per side or until fish is opaque. Transfer fish to four dinner plates with raised rims. Drizzle soy sauce over fish and place plates in the oven to keep warm while preparing noodles.   Add broth and, if desired, chili oil to the same skillet. Add noodles, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and stir the noodles to separate them. Reduce heat, cover, and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cut bok choy crosswise through stems and leaves into 1/4-inch slices. Stir into noodle mixture and increase heat to high. Stir in mushrooms, if desired. Cook, uncovered, for about 2 minutes or until noodles are tender (bok choy will be crisp-tender). Using a pot holder, remove plates from oven. Spoon noodle mixture alongside fish. Serve with additional soy sauce, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Adapted and reprinted from Twenty-Minute Chicken Dishes by Karen A. Levin.

Oriental Spaghetti Squash Salad

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  • Flesh of one cooked spaghetti squash
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs grated ginger
  • 4 Tbs soy sauce
  • 3 Tbs rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup veg. or sesame oil
  • hot pepper oil (optional)

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper to taste.  Stir in onions and sesame seeds.  Pour dressing over spaghetti squash, mix gently and serve.  This can be served as a warm salad, or refrigerated over night to allow greater melding of the flavors and served cold.

Oriental Noodle Salad

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  • 4 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs grated ginger
  • 4 Tbs soy sauce
  • 3 Tbs rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup veg. or sesame oil
  • hot pepper oil (optional)
  • 1/2 onion or 6 scallions, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups shrimp (optional)
  • 2-3 handfuls of chopped arugula
  • 6 oz soba noodles

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper to taste.  Stir in onions, sesame seeds and meat.  Chicken, turkey or marinated tofu can be substituted for shrimp.  Set aside and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes.  Boil soba noodles according to directions on package.  Rinse in cold water, drain and mix in.  Trim any fibrous stem ends from pea greens, steam til bright green.  Drain and add to salad.  Adjust seasonings, toss and serve.

Oriental Chicken Salad

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  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • ½ cup thinly sliced onion
  • 3 Tbs cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbs sesame seeds
  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1/3 cup cilantro
  • 2/3 cup fresh mint
  • 2 Tbs roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 3 Tbs sweet and sour fish sauce

In a 5-qt saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add chicken and when water returns to a boil, cover the pan and remove from heat.  Let stand until chicken is white in the thickest part (cut to check).  This should take 12-15 minutes.  Combine onion and vinegar and let stand 15 minutes.  In a heavy frying pan, stir sesame seeds until golden brown.  Remove from pan.  Shred chicken by hand. Shred enough cabbage to make 6 cups.  Drain the onions and combine in a large bowl with chicken, cabbage, onion, cilantro and mint.  Add peanuts, sesame seeds and fish sauce and mix well.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Nonna’s Sneaky Greens Soup

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This was how my Tuscan grandmother got me to eat the greens I detested. They said I was a bright child, but I didn’t catch up to what she was doing until I was well into my teens.

  • 8 cups chicken broth (homemade if possible)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup whole canned tomatoes, crushed with your hands (do not use canned crushed tomatoes)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium to large onion, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 large handfuls escarole or curly endive leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup tiny pasta (anice, orzo, stars or alphabets)
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup or more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Working Ahead: Soup can be done a day ahead up to point of adding the pasta.

1. In a 6 quart pot combine the broth, wine and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, chickpeas, greens and basil. Simmer partially covered 20 minutes.

2. Stir in the pasta and simmer, partially covered, 8 minutes or until pasta is tender. Taste soup for seasoning. Serve hot, passing the cheese to be sprinkled on the soup as its final seasoning.   Serves 6 to 8 as a first course; 4 to 6 as a light main dish.

Copyright 2004 Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

New Potato and Spring Onion Pizza

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  • 1 1-pound package refrigerated pizza dough
  • Cornmeal and/or flour for pan or pizza stone
  • 1 spring onion, chopped using white and light green parts
  • 3-4 medium new potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere, aged Gouda or other flavorful cheese

Heat oven to 450ｰ F.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal or flour and place the dough on top.

Combine the onions, potatoes, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and oil in a large bowl. Scatter the potato mixture over the dough and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and transfer to individual plates.

Mushroom and Celeriac Salad

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Serves 2

When celeriac is unobtainable, you can use finely sliced celery heart for this delicious salad. The mixture is flavoured with garlic, mild mustard and summer herbs, and is lovely served with warm granary bread.

  • Button mushrooms, 175 g (6 oz)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Celeriac, 100 g (4 oz)
  • Various lettuce leaves and watercress, washed
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • Thick Greek yogurt, 2 tbs
  • Dijon or mild mustard, 1 tbs
  • Summer herbs, 1 tbs finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Slice or quarter the mushrooms and sprinkle lemon juice over them. Peel the celeriac and cut into matchstick-sized pieces or shred in the food-processor. Drop immediately into water to which you have added a squeeze of lemon or spoonful of vinegar to stop it discolouring while you quickly prepare the rest of the salad. Arrange the salad leaves on two plates. Add the crushed garlic to  the yogurt. Stir in the mustard, salt and pepper. Drain the celeriac and stir into the dressing. Add the mushrooms and the chopped herbs and mix well. Pile the mixture on to the salad leaves and serve as soon as possible.

Morshan (North African Chickpeas and Swiss Chard)

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You can use just about any green in this dish, just adjust the cooking time.

  • ¾ lb. swiss chard leaves, stemmed, washed and torn
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
  • 1 small red chile
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. minced onion
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • ¾ c. vegetable broth
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Steam or blanch Swiss chard until tender, about 5 minutes.  Set leaves in colander to drain, squeeze out excess moisture, and coarsely shred.  Crush garlic in a mortar with salt, coriander seed and red chile until a thick crumbly paste forms.  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; saute until pale golden, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic paste and tomato paste; stir them in oil until sizzling.  Add Swiss chard, chickpeas and broth; cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand until ready to serve.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Mediterranean Cooking by Paula Wolfert.

Moroccan Turnip and Chicken Stew

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  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2 small (2 1/2 lb) chickens
  • 3 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb oil
  • 2 onions
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp powdered saffron
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 lb small  turnips
  • 2 cups chopped turnip leaves and stems
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse chickpeas in water and rub lightly to remove skins; drain and set aside. Cut chickens into quarters, removing wing tips and backbones; put them aside for stock. Melt butter and oil in a casserole and lightly brown chicken on all sides, cooking in two batches if necessary. Slice onions and stir into butter and oil to color. Then add the chickpeas, stock, pepper, ginger, saffron, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add turnips and greens and simmer 20 minutes more. Remove chicken and turnips to a covered warm dish. Boil sauce to reduce, mashing some of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce; it may take 10-15 minutes to produce a nice thick sauce. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the chicken and turnips in the sauce and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

From The Victory Garden Cookbook.

Mixed Greens Enchiladas

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  • 2 Tbs. veg. oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped greens
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • 1 Tbs. flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • ½ cup salsa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat oil, sauté onion & garlic until golden.  Add greens in small amounts until cooked down.  In another pan, melt butter, stir in flour, add milk slowly and then cheese.  Stir until thick then mix into cooked greens.  Fill the tortillas, roll and place in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Spread salsa over and bake for 25 minutes, until edges of tortillas are crisp.

Adapted from The Cook’s Garden catalog.