Tommaso’s Sinful Delights

This is a great dish to make when you’re strapped for time and considering picking up that phone to order Chinese take out.  If you have 30 minutes, and the right ingredients, you’ll save yourself alot of calories and enjoy a much more flavorful dinner.

Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 TBSP ginger, minced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package of frozen stir fry vegetables
1 c chicken stock + amount that rice calls for
1 c brown rice (cooked according to instructions)
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted*
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar ginger and garlic in a medium bowl.  Add cubed chicken and marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan.  Remove chicken from marinade, but reserve the liquid for later use.  Sauté chicken until browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add frozen vegetables to chicken and continue cooking until vegetables thaw, for about 3 minutes.  Add reserved liquid to sauté pan and 1c chicken stock.  Cook for 5 minutes longer, or until vegetables are cooked thoroughly and liquid is reduced. 

Serve over rice and top with toasted sesame seeds.

*To toast sesame seeds, place in a frying pan on a medium flame and cook until browned.  Be careful, they will burn easily.

Ratatouille

4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
28oz  can San Marzano tomatoes
1c chicken or vegetable stock
1 TBSP herbs de Provence
sea salt and pepper

Liberally salt the cubed eggplant and set aside*.  Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and saute the garlic, stirring for 3 minutes until the garlic starts to brown.  Add diced pepper and continue to cook for 4 minutes, until pepper starts to soften.  Add cubed eggplant and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, stock and herbs de Provence.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over brown rice. 

*Note:  Salting eggplant prior to cooking will remove the bitterness.

A friend was asking my suggestion what he should make for dinner.  I thought for a minute about a few things I had a craving for and are in season, combined his suggestion for whole wheat pasta, and put this recipe together.

Fresh Summer Salad

-1/2c olive oil
-1 medium red onion
- 3 ears of sweet corn
-1 pint of grape tomatoes
-1 lemon
-1 cup feta cheese
-2 cups sugar snap peas
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
-1 tsp herbs de Provence
-1 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped or 1 tsp dried oregano
-1lb whole wheat penne pasta
-salt and pepper

Juice one lemon and whisk with 1/4 c olive oil in a small bowl.  In a deep dish, place chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.  Pour lemon mixture over chicken breasts and marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

Preheat grill (or you can saute.)  Grill chicken breasts 8-10 min per side. 

While the chicken cooks, boil the corn for about 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.  Prepare the water for the pasta and bring to a rolling boil.  After salting the water, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.  While the pasta boils, preheat a saute pan with 2 TBSP olive oil and saute the red onion for 8 minutes.  When onions are soft and caramelized, place in a large mixing bowl.  Add 2 TBSP olive oil to the same saute pan and saute peas for 3-4 minutes.  Add the peas to the onions in the bowl.

Take each ear of corn and slice off the kernals with a sharp knife.  Add corn to the onions and peas.  When the chicken is done, cut it up into cubes.  Add it to the bowl and combine the grape tomatoes, feta, cooked pasta, oregano and herbs de provence. 

Stir and serve warm or chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

I love chipotle peppers.  So I thought, what a great thing to incorporate into my favorite cornbread recipe. The result is a very light, moist bread, with a slight spicy kick and smoky flavour.   I also use honey in this recipe, rather than refined sugar (which I try to stay away from.)

Chipotle Cornbread

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
6 TBSP honey
1 1/2 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Grease a 9″ cast iron skillet or a 9″ round baking pan with butter*.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  Stir with a whisk to combine.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil and honey.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.  Stir in chopped chipotles.  Pour into greased cast iron skillet and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve warm or room temperature.

*Baking cornbread in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet produces a more flavorful bread.

The purpose of constantly testing and updating recipes is ultimately bettering their outcome.  I had some pork chops at Costco.  If you’ve ever been to Costco, you’ll know nothing comes in petite sizes.  Not only are the packages big, but the individual portions are four times the thickness of what’s considered A portion.  I had to come up with a way to cook the chops on the stove without drying them out and burning the crust.  Butterflying meat works as a last resort if the internal temperature isn’t met, but that method always dries the meat it out.  So, I came up with a way to make perfectly cooked pork chops that are moist on the inside.

Sauteed Breaded Pork Chops

4, boneless pork chops (about 3″ thickness)
1/2c seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. 

While oven preheats, put 1/2c olive oil in a shallow dish and bread crumbs in another dish.  Season both sides of pork chops with thyme, salt and pepper.  Dip pork chops in olive oil and then dredge in bread crumbs.  Repeat for remaining. 

Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in an oven proof saute pan on medium heat.  Saute pork chops for about 8-10 minutes per side.  After the second side is sauteed for the allotted time, put the saute pan in the oven and finish cooking the chops until they reach an internal temperature of 170 (approx 20 mins depending on thickness.)

Serve with applesauce.

Tip:  While you saute the chops, you can roast potatoes or brussel sprouts tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Make sure the racks in your oven are in thirds to have room for the chops. 

If you don’t have super-thick chops, sauteing them 10-12 minutes per side on the stove top will cook them thoroughly.

This is a great dish to make when you don’t have a lot of time on your hands or just don’t feel like cooking much.  All of these items should be in your pantry already.  The olives and capers give the sauce a nice tang and salty flavour.  Serve with your favorite pasta and a simple salad as a meal or as a side dish. 

Tip:  The trick to making your sauce stick to pasta is adding a little of the pasta water to your sauce.  Pasta water acts as a thickener and your sauce will bind to the noodles better. 

Puttanesca Sauce

2 TBSP Olive Oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped
2 TBSP capers
1 TBSP anchovy paste
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
28 oz tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on package. 

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.  Saute garlic for 1 minute.  Add olives, capers, anchovy paste and  herbs, and saute for a minute more.  Add tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes. 

When your pasta is al dente, drain reserving 1/2 of water from the pasta.  Toss pasta and the 1/2 c pasta water in the  sauce.  Stir until pasta is coated.

Serve with fresh parmesaean cheese.

A lot of people don’t like beets and I’ve come to the realization that its all in the preparation.  My grandmother used to make them and boil them until all the purple bled out of the bulb.  This is the wrong way and why so many dislike this sweet root vegetable.   Beets should be tender, not mushy and slimy.  Roasting beets concentrates their flavor and the end result is a crisp texture.  Combining them with goat cheese on a bed of sautéed beet greens is a nice side dish to have with your meal.  Beet greens are edible?  Yes!  Besides not wanting to waste anything I cook with, beet greens are indeed edible and highly nutritious. 

Here is an easy recipe that will prove that beets are sweet, savory and delicious when paired with the right ingredients.

Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese with sauteed Beet Greens

-4 TBSP olive oil
-1 bunch of beets with their greens
-4 oz goat cheese
-salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Chop the tops off the beets, leaving 1 inch of the stem and thoroughly wash with a vegetable brush (leave the root intact.)  Toss beets with 2 TBSP olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and roast beets for 1 hour.  When beets are tender, remove from oven.  Leave the skin intact. 

While the beets roast, remove the greens from the beet stalks and wash in cold water.  Dry in a salad spinner or paper towels.   Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a skillet and sauté beet greens until wilted. 

Plate the wilted greens.  Slice the beets and goat cheese and layer them on top of the greens.     

Note:  Beets will stain.  It’s best to cut them on a non porous cutting board such as plastic.  To wash your hands after handling, use orange cleaner or wear gloves while preparing to avoid stains in your nails.

As Winter drawn upon us, many of you have been requesting soup recipes.  This is a hearty recipe that is very filling, low in fat and a great source of fiber.  Besides being good for you, chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food!

Chicken Barley Soup

2 TBSP olive oil
1 whole chicken, cooked and shredded*
8 cups chicken stock
4 stalks celery, chopped 
4 carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup barley
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
sea salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot.  Sauté celery, carrots, onion for about 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.  Add chicken stock, shredded chicken, bay leaf, thyme and parsley.   Cover and simmer for at least one hour or until barley is cooked.  Season with salt and pepper.

*I usually cheat and buy a cooked rotisserie chicken from the store since I don’t have time to roast one at home.

Black beans are a terrific source of protein, vitamins, antioxidents and cholesterol-lowering fiber. This low-fat dish compliments most Latin foods, but is a great, healthy meal by itself.  If you wish to serve it with non-Latin dishes, or wish to substitute the cilantro, use  thyme or another favorite herb. 

Black Beans with Cilantro

2 TBSP olive oil
2-15oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 celery stalked, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups stock (chicken, beef or vegetable) *see notes below
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
*Optional: sour cream

Heat olive oil in saute pan on medium heat.  Add onions, celery and garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Add stock, beans, bay leaf and 1/4 cup cilantro.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for about 25 minutes and reduce liquid. 

Remove beans from heat.  With an immersion blender, partially puree the mixture leaving half whole beans.  You may also do this in a regular blender, just pour half of the mixture in the carafe and puree, then pour back into the pot. 

Stir to combine and serve garnished with a sprig of cilantro and dollop of sour cream.

*Use the flavor of stock based on what the meal you’re serving or taste you desire.  For vegetarian version, use vegetable stock.

A lot of people do not like curry.  It can be overpowering in a dish, taking away from any other flavors.  The sweetness of the melon in this chicken salad balances the curry out, so if you don’t like curry I think you’ll enjoy this.  It’s savory and sweet, and very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Curry Chicken Salad

4 poached skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cooled)
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup cantaloupe, balled or cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup honeydew melon, balled or cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4c + 2 TBSP low-fat mayonnaise
1 TBSP curry
1/4 cup toasted almonds

To poach chicken, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.  In a sauté pan, cover and simmer in water or chicken stock for 40 minutes.  Chop into bite-sized pieces and allow to cool in refrigerator.

In a large bowl, combine cold chicken, cucumber, melon, cantaloupe, yogurt, mayonnaise and curry.  Stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (better if overnight to allow flavors to marinate.)

Serve over a bed of lettuce and top with toasted almonds.