Time to Cook!

Inspiration for wholesome weeknight & weekend cooking.

Posts tagged ‘easy’

Black Cod with Miso

There are a handful of dishes that I’ve ordered at restaurants that I will never forget.  This was one of them.  I was dining at Nobu while traveling on business for my job after college and the waiter talked me into ordering their Black Cod with Miso.  It melted in my mouth and the flavors were delightful.  This was not the fish I grew up having!  When I came across this similar recipe on Goop, I had to give it a try.  The hardest part is tracking down true black cod.  Your best shot might be calling the seafood counter at Whole Foods a week ahead and asking if they can order it for you.  (Remember that you want to pick it up the day before you serve it since it needs to marinate overnight.)  Substitutes can be sablefish or butterfish, but they are not as thick.  Note: I used Tamari (or you can use regular soy sauce) instead of nama shoyu (raw soy sauce).  This is great served with Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Seaweed & Black Sesame.

Black Cod with Miso

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow’s blog Goop.

Clean Black Cod with Miso

Makes 2.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (2-3 fillets) black cod
• 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
• 3 tablespoons nama shoyu
• 1/2 cup white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:
Mix the brown rice syrup, nama shoyu and white miso paste in a container (with lid) and set aside.  Clean the fillets and pat them dry. Place the fish into the container, coat them with the marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Remove the fish from the fridge and scrape off the marinade.  Coat a grill pan with olive oil and set to high heat. Add the fish and cook until browned on each side, about 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until nice and
flaky.

1 Comment

Meat Stuffed Peppers

My mother-in-law “Cille” made this for our family when she was visiting and we loved it.  It’s healthy and tasty, it’s a meal in and of itself, it doesn’t make a huge mess in your kitchen, it can be made ahead (I love this!), and you can easily freeze extras for a future dinner.  She used to make this all the time for her four hungry boys growing up (they loved this in high school).  I thought I would take a crack at updating this classic.  For the bell peppers, I substitute yellow and orange peppers for the traditional green peppers (I still make a green one for my husband who is nostalgic!)  Instead of hamburger meat, I use ground bison (it’s healthier and I think tastes so much better).  Instead of white rice, I use farro (it has a nice chewy texture and is fiber rich and is full of minerals) and you can also use pearl barley (also a great source of fiber and can lower cholesterol) or just brown rice.

Meat Stuffed Bell Peppers

Adapted from my mother-in-law Cille’s recipe and one from Emeril Lagasse.

Meat Stuffed Peppers

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

6 bell peppers (try a mix of colors), tops cut away and seeds removed

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 pound ground Bison meat (can substitute turkey)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cups cooked farro or pearl barley (or brown rice)

8-ounce can tomato sauce (Muir Glen Organic)

shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the bison meat, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 5 minutes. Pour off any excess fat. Add the farro or barley and tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Top each pepper with plenty of shredded cheese. Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

1 Comment

Turkish Chicken

We eat chicken at least once a week and we got so tired of my boring baked chicken preparation.  Now that I’ve discovered this wonderful Turkish Seasoning from Penzys Spices, we have an easy and tasty way to make chicken that we all look forward to.  Follow the simple marinade and refrigerate in the morning or in the afternoon, and cook the chicken how you like (bake, saute or grill).  The marinade should work on lamb and beef just as well as it does on chicken.

Turkish Chicken

Recipe adapted from Penzeys catalog.

Turkish Chicken

Ingredients:

Turkish Seasoning by Penzeys Spices

1 pound chicken (we prefer boneless, skinless)

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon Turkish Seasoning and rub over chicken.  Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or all day.  Bake in oven at 375 or 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through (insert knife into thickest part of chicken and chicken will no longer look pink and the juices should run clear).  Alternately, sauté in skillet (or grill) over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes per side or until chicken is just cooked through (insert knife into thickest part of chicken and chicken will no longer look pink and the juices should run clear).  Let the meat rest for a few minutes (so it retains its juices) before serving or slicing.

Leave a comment

Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Seaweed & Black Sesame

This rice is so delicious — one taste and you won’t believe you made it!  Nothing hard about this — it just requires you to make the rice the day/night before.  Great served with fish, chicken or steak with an Asian flavor profile.  I have served this with Miso-Glazed Black Cod.

Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Seaweed & Black Sesame

Recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook “It’s All Good”

Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Nori + Black Sesame

“This simple dish isn’t just a great way to dress up leftover rice, it actually depends on leftover rice, since leftover rice is drier than freshly cooked rice and the kernels get browned and crispy when you stir-fry them with this lovely combination of flavors.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups day-old Perfectly Cooked Brown Rice

Coarse sea salt

2 sheets toasted nori seaweed

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce or Tamari

1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds

2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over high heat.  Add the rice, along with a big pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and just barely beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Using scissors, shred the nori finely and add it along with the remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Leave a comment

Herbed Israeli Couscous

I love this simple and versatile side dish.  The texture of Israeli couscous is fun and the fresh herbs make it beautiful and tasty.  I’m not a big fan of tarragon, so I substitute with sage (since I grow it).  If your couscous is at all sticky (mine was), just add another drizzle of olive oil and work through it w/ a spoon, breaking up any clumps.  This can be served warm or at room temperature.

Herbed Israeli Couscous

Recipe from The Culinary Institute of America’s Gourmet Meals in Minutes.

Herbed Israeli Couscous

Total Time: 25 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups israeli couscous
  • 4 cups chicken broth or 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the couscous and sauté, stirring constantly, until well coated and aromatic, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender, about 10-12 minutes.
  3. Add the herbs and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Leave a comment

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted fingerling potatoes are so easy and yummy and they go with so many things – hamburgers, lamb chops, grilled steak, pork tenderloin, chicken, fish, etc.  Enjoy!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound mesh bag of fingerling potatoes

2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

Sea salt flakes (Maldon) or kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

zest of 1 lemon (optional)

juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Rinse potatoes and pat them dry.  Cut potatoes into halves or thirds, so that they are all roughly the same size.  Place them onto a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, rosemary, and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Roast them in the oven (tossing halfway through) for about 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned.  The skins should appear a bit wrinkled and crispy.  Sprinkle with additional rosemary and salt if desired.  You can also toss potatoes in a bowl with lemon zest and lemon juice if desired.  Serve immediately.

Leave a comment