Looking to introduce more seafood dishes into your evening repertoire of family meals? This lovely recipe is easy, is ready in just over a half hour, and contains heart-healthy ingredients.
We served ours over polenta and it was delicious! Our pancetta weighed in at closer to 4 ounces, and we used it all. Are there meatless substitutions for pancetta? Yes, you can try marinated tofu, mushrooms, smoked paprika, olives (already in the dish), and parmesan cheese to substitute for pancetta.
2 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes in juice
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup large pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, halved
Directions
Pat the cod dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until crisp and golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
Add the fish to the skillet and cook until slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and transfer to a plate, seared side up. Add the onion, thyme, and pepper flakes to the skillet; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the wine and cook until the pan is almost dry, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, artichokes, and olives. Simmer, stirring occasionally, to meld the flavors, about 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and nestle the fish into the sauce, keeping the seared side exposed. Cover and cook until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with the pancetta, divide among rimmed plates or wide, shallow bowls, and serve.
Here is the quintessential roast lamb recipe for a sit-down Sunday dinner party, or family supper. From Molly Stevens “All About Roasting” cookbook—a cherished favorite of ours—this compact bundle of tender, flavorful meat serves 6 on the smaller leg of lamb, or up 10 with a 4 1⁄2 pounder like ours, and all without breaking the bank. (BTW, Costco has real good prices on different cuts of lamb.)
This recipe goes beyond the pure and simple method of just seasoning with salt and pepper. The flavor is bumped up by smearing the butterflied piece of meat with an herb paste, tying it back into a bundle, and roasting for about 1 hour. Our leg of lamb weighed in at 4.8 pounds, so quite a bit larger than the recipe called for. But by cooking it in a convection oven, the roasting time didn’t take much longer.
It also made for more servings; which was a good thing because son David and his buddy Mike came over to help lug stuff out of our basement, and they stayed for dinner. The meat was paired with twice-baked potatoes and asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon. Let’s just say, they don’t have “shy” appetites, and they got a doggy bag to take home with them.
Rolled Boneless Leg of Lamb with Green Herb Stuffing
1⁄2 cup chicken or beef broth, preferably homemade
1⁄4 cup dry white wine, or dry white vermouth
Directions
Lay the lamb out flat on a cutting board. Arrange it so the cut side is down and the outside faces up. If there is more than a 1⁄8-inch scant layer of fat, pare it down with a sharp, thin-bladed knife till it just barely covers the meat. Flip the meat and trim away any large clumps of fat from the cut side.
Follow the directions below to make the herb stuffing. Make sure the lamb is skin side down and spread with herb paste.
Roll the lamb into a cylinder so that the grain of the meat runs the length of the roast. Using kichen string, secure the roll by tying loops of string at 1 1⁄2-inch intervalls along its length.
Finish by weaving a long loop of twine through the crosswise loops.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 350°F (235° convection).
Place the lamb on a shallow roasting pan or a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet just a bit larger than the meat. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the lamb reaches 120-125° for rare; 130° for medium.
Transfer the leg to a cutting board, preferably one with a trough, and let the meat rest for 20-30 minutes.
If the pan drippings look appealing, and you want to make a pan sauce, start by tilting the and pouring or spooning off the clear fat, stop before you discard any of the drippings, even if this means leaving some fat.
Add the broth or water and the white wine or vermouth. Heat over medium heat, scrapping up the drippings with a wooden spoon. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. If it seems a bit watery, simmer a bit longer.
Carve the meat into thick or thin slices as you like, removing the kitchen string as you go. Add any carving juices to the sauce and serve.
Green Herb Stuffing
This piquant, verdant stuffing enhances the rich flavor of the lamb and provides a visual contrast to the rosy meat.
Ingredients
3 garlic cloves
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
2 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Start the food processor, and with the motor running, drop in the garlic cloves. When finely minced, stop the motor, remove the top, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the parsley, mint, oregano, anchovies, cracked black pepper, 3⁄4 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes.
Arrange the butterflied leg of lamb skin side down, and spread the herb stuffing all the way to the edges, rubbing it in with your hands to get into any crevices or gaps. Roll and tie the roast with kitchen twine. Gather any herb paste that falls out during rolling and tying and rub it over the surface of the lamb.
Follow the above instructions from Step 5 for roasting the stuffed leg.
These meatballs are straightforward to make and a welcome addition to many meals. The combination of mozzarella, scallions and jalapeño is cheerfully reminiscent of jalapeño poppers, and those ingredients—along with crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs — add fat and moisture for tenderness (which also makes them irresistible to nibble on while making dinner).
Our jalapeños were the size of small cucumbers, so our better judgement told us to use only one of them. In the end, the balls were only slightly spicy. But if you just can’t take any level of heat, omit the jalapeño(s) for a milder meatball.
You can eat these with Italian, Mexican or Middle Eastern flavors; their versatility is limitless. Dip them into green sauce, ketchup or tahini; swaddle them in tortillas, pitas or hero rolls; or plop them on top of rice, refried beans, mashed sweet potatoes or sturdy salad greens. In the end, we paired them with a curly pasta shape, and a favorite jarred marinara sauce.
TIP: We used individually-wrapped 1-ounce pieces of mozzarella and shredded them on a box grater, and it worked great.
Roasted Turkey Meatballs With Mozzarella and Scallions
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
6 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded if desired, coarsely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey
2 oz. chopped mozzarella, preferably fresh (about ½ cup)
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper until a paste forms. Stir in the scallions and jalapeños, if using (reserve a little of each for garnish, if you like).
Add the turkey and use your hands to mix until combined. Add the mozzarella and mix just until combined. The mixture will be loose and sticky.
Using wet hands, roll into 12 meatballs (3 tablespoons each) and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake until cooked through and bottoms are golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Garnish with optional reserved scallions and jalapeños, if you like.
Bringing back a classic. Want to impress your significant other with an impossibly fancy-sounding dish that really isn’t all that complicated? Then Steak Au Poivre (pronounced oh-pwav) is your guy, …er recipe. Even though we made it for our Valentine’s dinner, you can make it for any special occasion, or just because.
Steak au poivre sounds as if it would be difficult, but it is actually quite simple to prepare, and makes an easy and elegant (perhaps somewhat pricy) meal. Essentially it is a sautéed steak, with a quick pan sauce. This version made with black peppercorns tastes bright but not overpoweringly peppery or boozy.
Although the classic cut of beef for this dish is filet mignon, other cuts of boneless steak can be prepared au poivre, including boneless ribeye, strip steak (our choice), or sirloin. Just remember, a bad or tough steak will still be tough, so select a decent piece of beef with good marbling. It’s best if you season the raw steaks with salt and pepper then place them on a rack without covering in the fridge for 8 up to 24 hours. Take them out of refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
Because pepper is such an important part of the dish (at least one teaspoon of whole peppercorns per steak), it’s applaudable to splurge on high quality peppercorns. Crush the peppercorns with a light hand. They should be “just-cracked” into big pieces, so it’s best to use a mallet, or mortar and pestle, but not a pepper grinder. The au poivre sauce is made from pan drippings, liquor, and cream.
2 1½”-thick New York strip steaks (about 1½ lb. total)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 Garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 2 thinly sliced
3 Sprigs thyme
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 Large shallot, finely chopped
⅓ cup cognac, dry sherry, or brandy
½ cup heavy cream
Flaky sea salt
Directions
Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Season all over with kosher salt and a generous amount of ground pepper. Let sit 15–30 minutes.
Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or place in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a small saucepan (they should be a lot coarser than ground pepper).
Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook steaks, undisturbed, until a deep golden brown crust forms underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook on second side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. If the steaks have a fat cap, stand them on their sides with tongs and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and 1 Tbsp. butter to the pan. Cook, basting steak continuously, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each steak registers 120°, about 2 minutes. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine shallot, sliced garlic, crushed peppercorns, and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in skillet and cook, stirring often, until shallot and garlic are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add cognac to pan. Set over medium heat and cook until cognac is mostly evaporated and spoon leaves streaks in skillet while stirring, 1–2 minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce coats spoon, about 1 minute. Season with kosher salt.
Slice steaks against the grain and transfer to a platter. Pour any juices from cutting board back into skillet and stir into sauce. Spoon sauce generously over steak; sprinkle with sea salt.
Well, it was the biggest football game of the year—”Super Bowl 57″—and our hometown Eagles team were part of the action, so we wanted to make it an authentic culinary experience, even if it was just the two of us. When we think football, our minds conjure up certain food items that are iconic stalwarts of the game celebration. To us that might mean spicy wings, soft pretzels with mustard, loaded nachos, buffalo chicken dip, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, and of course chili with all the fixins’.
Over the decades we’ve made many a chili recipe with as many variations as there are football fans. This one by Pati Jinich is worth the effort. She is a Mexican chef, TV personality, cookbook author, educator, and food writer. Pati is best known for her James Beard Award-winning and Emmy-nominated public television series Pati’s Mexican Table. So she has some hefty credit backing up her authority on the chili issue.
Chili is a hearty and flavorful crowd-pleaser that’s perfect all winter long, not just on football Sundays. As is typical, we did make a few tweaks. Number one, we used an entire large jalapeño, not just a mere tablespoon’s worth. Secondly, the stew beef was not tender after one hour (no surprise there), so we simmered, uncovered, for another hour before adding the beans. It then takes another 45 minutes to an hour for the beans, covered on low with a gentle simmer, stirring every once in a while.
Alas, our team lost the Super Bowl, but the chili was a clear winner!
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 large white onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped jalapeño, seeding optional
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder, such as ancho or chipotle chili powder
1 Tbsp. chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
4 cups beef stock
2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
To Garnish
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro
Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips
Green onions, sliced thin
Directions
In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom casserole, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and begin to brown on all sides. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the ground meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let it brown along with the cubed meat for another 5 to 6 minutes. The juices of the ground meat should have come out and then dry out. Stir as the meat browns. Remove meat from pot, set aside.
Make room in the center of the pan, add the extra tablespoon of oil and add the onions and peppers, cook for 5 more minutes or until they begin to soften.
In the casserole again, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, chipotle sauce, cumin, oregano, stir well.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and vinegar, mix well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring a couple times. The tomato paste should have dissolved and the sauce thickened a bit.
Pour in the beef stock and once it comes to a strong simmer, reduce heat to medium. Add the browned meat back into the pot, cover and cook for another hour.
Next, add the beans and stir. Lower the heat to medium-low, it should have a low steady simmer, and cook uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every once in awhile.
Serve the chili in bowls and let your guests garnish with sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and green onions.
It’s a German thing. Although, after reading the ingredients, it seems to be a mash-up of Italian, Asian and German. Typically this traditional German stew includes bratwurst and sauerkraut, but most notably is how it’s cooked. Eintopf translates to “one pot”—a magic word to most home chefs.
This particular recipe, made with bone-in short ribs, is braised until the meat melts off the bone. Fennel — fresh bulb and dried seeds — stars in the braise, while the fronds are sliced for garnishing. Every bite of this stew bursts with flavor, and, as is the case with so many one-pot meals, this dish will only improve with time as all the ingredients sit and mingle.
Using Japanese white sweet potatoes was a new one on us, and we were surprised to see them at our local supermarket. However, they were on the small side so we bought, and used, two.
Now, we made one major alteration. And that is after you drain out the vegetable solids from the pot DO NOT discard the flavorful veggies, blasphemy! Use an immersion blender on the solids and add them to the liquid broth after you discard the surface oil. This not only enhances the flavor profile, but also gives the stew some heft instead of a brothy base.
And you just might about faint when you go to buy the short ribs, the cost had us shell-shocked, and may be prohibitive for some. So go ahead and use chuck roast in its place if necessary.
Eintopf: Braised Short Ribs with Fennel, Squash and Sweet Potato
4 lbs. meaty, bone-in short ribs, cut into single-bone portions
Salt
1 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola or vegetable oil
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped (about 2¼ cups), top with fronds separated from bulb and thinly sliced
6 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
½ tsp. ground turmeric
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 white sweet potato, such as Japanese sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, or use an orange sweet potato (2 loose cups)
½ small butternut squash (about 1 lb. 3 oz.), seeds removed, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 14½-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and grated
4 cups torn or cut fresh greens, such as kale, mature spinach, mustard greens or dandelion greens
Warm crusty bread, for serving
Directions
Season the short ribs with a sprinkle of salt on all sides. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, brown the tops and sides of short ribs, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and repeat the browning process with the remaining ribs.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the chopped fennel bulb, (reserve the top and fronds for garnish), shallots and garlic to the pot, season with salt, and toss to coat in the pan drippings. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until softened, 3 minutes.
Add the fennel seeds and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and break apart the whole pieces with a wooden spoon or other cooking utensil. Cook until the tomato juices are thickened, about 6 minutes.
Return the browned short ribs, bone side up, to the pot along with any drippings from the plate. Pour in the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer. Cover and transfer pot to the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, but not falling off the bone, about 2 to 2½ hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Transfer the cooked short ribs to a plate. Using a colander or sieve set over a bowl, drain out the vegetable solids from the pot and discard (or not, see note above about using an immersion blender), reserving the liquid broth. Skim off and discard as much oil as you can from the surface of the liquid using a spoon or a ladle. (You should have about 3 to 4 cups of broth.)
Return the broth to the pot, add the potato and squash, and pour in the coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and the 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the ginger and return the short ribs to the pot, nestling the pieces between the vegetables so that the meat is mostly submerged in the liquid. Return the pot to the oven and braise uncovered until the potato and squash are tender, the meat is falling off the bone, and the liquid is slightly reduced, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
On the stovetop but off heat, stir in the greens: The heat from the stew should gently wilt the leaves. Top with the thinly sliced fennel top and fronds. Serve hot in bowls with warm crusty bread for dipping.
Did you know that Puttanesca sauce originated in Naples Italy? The name derives from the Italian word puttana which translates roughly to “lady of the night,” or “in the style of the whore.” Puttana in turn arises from the Latin word putida which means stinking. It’s a wonder how this tasty dish became associated with such sordid content, but I’ll leave you to research that aspect… There is a lot of disagreement about the origins, and the authorities on Italian food seem to be wary of making a definitive statement about it.
OK, so let’s get to the delicious recipe. Puttanesca is made from tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies, onions, garlic, and herbs, usually oregano and parsley but sometimes also basil; we used cilantro for a change of pace. This particular version leaves out the anchovies, but you could easily add some in if desired.
It is an easy sauce, briefly cooked, and is very fragrant and spicy. We paired it here with a Lemon-Garlic Rice, but fell free to use a simple steamed rice.
1/3 cup pitted olives, black or green, or a mix, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 tuna steaks, about 6 oz. each
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Lemon Garlic Rice (see recipe below)
Directions
Heat oil in large saute pan. Add onions and cook for about 4 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes; saute until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add capers, olives, pepper flakes and wine. Bring to simmer. Add tuna steaks. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove tuna and keep warm.
Reduce sauce to desired consistency. Stir in cilantro. Serve tuna with warm sauce and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until soft.
Add garlic and cook one minute.
Add rice and toss to coat with oil. Add water, a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat, fluff with fork, toss with lemon zest and chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Beef Stroganoff preparation varies significantly not only based on geography, but based on other factors as well, such as the cut of meat and seasonings selected. When looking for a “quick” version of Beef Stroganoff, we ended up creating a mash-up of several different ones put together.
Originally a Russian dish, it is made up of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce of mustard and sour cream. From its origins in mid-19th-century Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. Mushrooms are common in most variants.
Although are several starches you could serve with it, we opted for old fashioned wide egg noodles. Try to time it so that the noodles are done just as the meat and sauce are finishing.
TIP: If you substitute yogurt for the sour cream, use full fat yogurt, and make sure to take the pan off the heat before stirring it in or it may curdle.
1 1/2 lb. top sirloin or tenderloin, cut thinly into 1-inch wide by 2 1/2-inch strips long
1/3 cup chopped shallots or onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp. dry tarragon or 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1 cup sour cream (full fat), at room temperature
8 oz. large wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
Directions
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Increase the heat to high/med-high. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the strips of beef in a single layer with space between the strips. You want to cook the beef quickly, browning on each side, so the temp needs to be high enough to brown the beef, but not so high as to burn the butter. While cooking the beef, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. When both sides are browned, remove the beef to a dish and set it aside. Repeat with remaining beef slices.
In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings.
In the same pan with the shallots, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Increase heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. While cooking, sprinkle the nutmeg and the tarragon on the mushrooms.
Add 1/4 cup wine to deglaze the pan and loosen brown bits. Add 1/2 beef broth.
Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream to the mushrooms. Mix in the sour cream thoroughly. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil or the sour cream may curdle. Stir in the beef.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Note that you will likely need more salt than you expect. Taste, and if it needs salt, add 1/2 teaspoon or more. Serve immediately over cooked egg noodles.
Peruvian pollo a la brasa is a whole chicken that is marinated, then cooked slowly on a rotisserie until the meat is ultra-tender; fried potatoes are a common accompaniment. Here, chicken leg quarters are used and roasted directly on top of sliced Yukon Golds that have first been lightly browned in the skillet on the stovetop.
We have both fallen hard in love with this recipe, and even though I don’t show a photo with the aji verde sauce on my plate, (I dove right into the meal before adding the sauce), it’s a wonderful condiment that enhances the meal enormously!
Marinate the chicken for 24 hours, if you can; if that’s not an option, give it at least an hour to soak in the seasonings. Ají panca paste is made from a Peruvian variety of chili of the same name; the paste is red with fruity, lightly smoky undertones and little heat. Look for it, sold in jars, in well-stocked supermarkets or Latin American grocery stores. If you cannot find it, don’t hesitate to use the sweet paprika plus smoked paprika substitute.
Beer is a common marinade ingredient for pollo a la brasa; Cusqueña, a Peruvian lager, is a good choice, but any quaffable variety will do. We highly recommend serving the chicken and potatoes with ají verde (recipe below), a Peruvian goes-with-everything condiment that’s deliciously creamy, tangy, herbal and spicy.
TIP: Don’t forget to pat the chicken dry after removing it from the marinade, and before sprinkling it with salt and placing the pieces in the skillet. The drier the skin, the better the browning and crisping.
We could not bear to eliminate the flavorful marinade altogether, yet we wanted the skin to be very crispy. So we wiped off the marinade from the chicken into the baking dish and patted them dry. The leftover marinade was then spread over the hot potato slices, and then the chicken pieces placed on top before going into the hot oven.
Not a fan of poultry legs, we used 8 bone-in chicken thighs, which required a larger oven-safe skillet. They went into the baking dish skin-side down, but we ladled the marinate onto the undersides to make sure all parts of the chicken got some flavoring going on. After 30 minutes, we turned the thighs to skin side up and brushed with more marinade.
In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, stir together 2 tablespoons oil, the beer, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, ají panca, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning the chicken once about halfway through marinating.
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the lowest position. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt.
In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the potatoes in an even layer and cook, uncovered and without stirring, until lightly browned at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the chicken skin side up on top of the potatoes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is deeply browned and the thickest part of the leg quarters reach 175°F, about 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven (the handle will be hot). Let rest for about 10 minutes, then transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with ají verde (if using).
Aji Verde Sauce
Ají verde is a popular Peruvian condiment. Creamy and spicy, with fruity acidity from lime juice, it’s the perfect accompaniment to pollo a la brasa. Ají amarillo is a spicy yellow Peruvian chili. Look for ají amarillo paste in Latin American markets, but if not available, simply omit it. The sauce still will taste great.
Ingredients
½ cup mayonnaise
1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove. minced
2 Tbsp. grated cotija cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh minced cilantro
1 Tbsp. jarred huacatay paste
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender or small food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
For this lamb shanks recipe, Cook’s Illustrated preferred to braise them in the oven rather than on the stovetop, as the oven provided more even heat. Browning the shanks over high heat in a skillet first added a great deal of flavor to the dish. The shanks are braised in chicken stock (which complements, rather than overpowers, the lamb, as beef or veal stock might have), white wine, and herbs.
We made numerous changes to this recipe, starting with the lamb shanks. Instead of six small (which equates to more bone and less meat), we braised two meaty shanks that weighed close to two pounds each. When it is time to brown the shanks, you may have to do it in two batches if cooking more than two of them.
*As for the white beans, we did soak ours overnight as per the instructions below, but you could use 2 cans of cannellinis, drained and rinsed to save time. Instead of using several different skillets and pans, we did everything in one large braising pot. Finally, although we didn’t do it this time, we highly suggest that you reduce the liquids from 3 cups of broth to 2, and 2 cups of white wine down to 1 cup. These changes are note in the recipe below.
Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans, Swiss Chard and Marjoram
1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned, stemmed, and chopped coarsely
Ground black pepper
Directions
FOR BEANS: Bring dried beans, bay leaf, garlic, and water to simmer in large saucepan. Simmer, partially covered, until beans are just tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in salt, cover, and let beans stand until completely tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserve cooking liquid, and discard bay leaf and garlic. (Beans in liquid can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 5 days.)
FOR SHANKS: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle shanks with salt. Heat oil in a large, nonreactive sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shanks to pan in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Sauté until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer shanks to a plate as they brown.
Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the sauté pan; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, a light sprinkling of salt and 2 teaspoons of the fresh marjoram (less if using dried); sauté to soften vegetables slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add wine, then chicken stock to the skillet, stirring with a wooden spoons to loosen browned bits from skillet bottom. Bring liquid to simmer; transfer vegetables and liquid into a deep braising pan, large enough to hold the shanks in a single layer. Add shanks and season with salt and pepper.
Cover pan (with foil if pan has no lid) and transfer it to the oven; braise shanks for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue braising until shank tops are browned, about 30 minutes. Turn shanks and continue braising until remaining side has browned and shanks are fall-off-the-bone tender, about another 20 minutes.
Remove pan from oven; let shanks rest for at least 15 minutes. Carefully transfer shanks with tongs to each plate.
Arrange a portion of vegetables around each shank. Skim excess fat from braising liquid. Add beans and chard and remaining 1 teaspoon marjoram; cook over medium heat until greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Spoon a portion of braising liquid over each shank and serve.
The fabulous entrée tastes surprisingly complex for the short amount of time it takes to prepare. The scallops and leeks really do release flavor into the couscous, and the vinaigrette definitely completes the dish. It is a great “special occasion” meal that anyone who loves scallops is sure to remember.
Cooking the scallops on a bed of Israeli couscous, leeks, and white wine is easy and allows the pearls of pasta to absorb the scallops’ briny liquid. To ensure the scallops finish cooking at the same time as the rest of the dish, jump-start the leeks and couscous in the microwave, adding garlic and a pinch of saffron* to subtly perfume the dish.
Stir in wine and boiling water (with the blooming saffron, if using), which starts the dish off hot and shortens the cooking time. Using a very hot oven and sealing the pan with foil promises perfectly, and efficiently, cooked scallops that steam atop the couscous. A quick tarragon-orange vinaigrette to drizzle over the finished dish provides an appealing accent that complements the scallops and leeks without overpowering them.
It is recommend that you buy “dry” scallops, which don’t have chemical additives and taste better than “wet.” Dry scallops will look ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are bright white.
TIPS: For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. *If using saffron threads, pulverize them in a mortar with pestle and then put them in the hot water to bloom.
One-Pan Baked Scallops with Couscous, Braised Leeks and Tarragon-Orange Vinaigrette
1 lb. leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 cup Israeli couscous
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
Pinch saffron threads (optional, *see above tip)
¾ cup boiling water
¼ cup dry white wine
1½ lbs. large sea scallops, tendons removed
2 Tbsp. minced fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. grated orange zest plus 1 Tbsp. juice
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine leeks, couscous, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and saffron (if using), in a bowl. Cover, and microwave, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in boiling water and wine, then transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Nestle scallops into couscous mixture and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until couscous is tender, sides of scallops are firm, and centers are opaque, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons oil, tarragon, vinegar, mustard, orange zest and juice, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in bowl.
Remove dish from oven. Drizzle vinaigrette over scallops and serve, passing extra oil separately.
From grilling to roasting, cooking a whole chicken typically takes at least an hour. It takes time to get the meat to safe temperatures (165 for the light and 175 for the dark). Combined with preparing the sides, suddenly it’s taking a whole lot longer than an hour to get dinner on the table.
But with an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker), you can have a whole chicken and a built-in vegetable side dish on the table with just 30 minutes of cooking (plus prep). The controlled moisture and pressure means the chicken takes less time to cook and you don’t have to worry about dry meat or overcooking. The chicken cooks atop an assortment of root vegetables that can later be mashed to serve as a side.
From start to finish, this entire meal will be on your table in just over an hour—that includes completing any prep work, browning the chicken, making the sauce, and mashing the root vegetables. In other recipes, the chicken alone would take that long.
With this complete meal, you can be eating that tender, fall-off-the bone chicken in half the time it would normally take you. What’s the catch you ask? Bye-bye crackly skin, but that rotisserie chicken you pick up from your local grocery store doesn’t have any either, right? However, it will be pull-apart tender and bursting with the fresh flavors of rosemary, lemon, and chives.
The poultry was incredibly juicy and the root vegetable mash was amazing! The leftover broth could be made into a gravy with a touch of butter and a cornstarch slurry if desired.
Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Root Vegetable Mash
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Lemon wedges
Directions
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wingtips behind back. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until just smoking. Place chicken breast side down in pot and cook until well browned on first side, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add rosemary to fat left in pot and cook, using residual heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, rutabaga, potatoes, onion, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Place chicken breast side up on top of vegetables and add any accumulated juices. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 24 minutes.
Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing vegetables.
Strain broth and vegetables through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Return vegetables to now-empty pot and mash with potato masher until nearly smooth. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let broth settle for 5 minutes, then transfer serving bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve chicken and discard skin, if desired. Serve chicken with vegetables, passing broth and lemon wedges separately.
If you are a duck fan, then you must put this fabulous recipe on your shortlist. Never tried duck? Then this recipe is a great jumping off point. Keep in mind, the duck anatomy has quite a different bone structure than that of chicken or turkey. If you are unsure how to break one down, watch on a video, ask the butcher, or simply buy 4 duck legs.
On another note, all of the meat on a duck is dark meat, even the breast. But with this method all of the meat comes out juicy and tender—not greasy at all! Duck and goose are poultry and considered “white” meat. Because they are birds of flight, however, the breast meat is darker than chicken and turkey breast.
On the plus side, duck meat’s rich flavor and color provides a red meat eating experience with the health benefits of poultry. Duck meat is rich in iron and protein like beef but is leaner and has fewer calories like its poultry counterparts. Plus, duck fat is healthier with less saturated fat and more omega-3 fat than beef.
Speaking of the fat on a duck, you want to make sure it gets rendered down. The Hubs decided to render the extra pieces of fat and skin in another skillet, and when crisp he removed them from the hot oil on a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkled with salt and ate as a snack once cooled. With the remaining leftover oil (we had 3 cups!), he will freeze the fat and save it to make duck confit sometime in the future.
Once bottom browns, turn the pieces. Eventually liquid will evaporate and duck will cook in its fat only. At this point lower heat and continue to cook duck, turning occasionally, until it becomes tender, about 1 hour. While the skin does look nice and brown, it will not be crispy once it steams with the beans in a covered dish.
Rice would make a fine accompaniment, but we paired ours this time with Roasted Parmesan Potatoes, which were wonderfully crispy on the outside, meltingly tender on the inside. Stock will be made from the unused pieces of the duck, such as the back and wings.
Remove excess fat from duck. Season with salt and pepper and put in a skillet or saute pan that will fit it comfortably. Turn heat to medium and cover. Check once you hear sizzling; duck should be simmering in its own fat and exuding liquid. Adjust heat to create a steady simmer.
Once bottom browns, turn. Eventually liquid will evaporate and duck will cook in its fat only. At this point lower heat and continue to cook duck, turning occasionally, until it becomes tender, about 1 hour.
Transfer duck when tender to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Turn heat to medium and add onion; cook until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add beans and sugar and turn heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons water and nam pla (fish sauce) or soy sauce. Put duck on top of bean mixture and bring to a simmer, Cover and cook until both beans and duck are very tender, 15 to 30 more minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to keep mixture moist. Uncover and stir in lime juice; taste and adjust seasoning, then sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Neither quick to make, nor just a few ingredients, but if you’re looking for something to knock the socks of your dinner guests, this Greek Lamb Kleftiko recipe delivers on both taste and presentation. To put it simply, kleftiko is a traditional Greek dish of slow-roasted lamb cooked in parchment with potatoes and vegetables. This meal is the ultimate in one-pot cooking.
This foolproof method will give you perfectly tender lamb every time. The secret to succulent lamb and tender vegetables is cooking everything wrapped in parchment paper. And to make it even easier, use boneless leg of lamb. You could also make this in a large braising pot with a sheet of parchment across the pot under the lid.
Why cook in parchment? Not only does parchment protect your pan and for easy clean-up, but when you envelop meat in parchment paper before roasting, it traps the heat and moisture, creating a steam pocket that helps the meat cook gently from the inside. The result is meltingly tender lamb that is never dry!
Extra virgin olive oil, I used Greek Private Reserve EVOO
4 to 5 large Russet potatoes, about 3 lbs., peeled and quartered
2 large sweet bell peppers, cored and cut into large chunks
2 large tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
1 large red onion, cut into large chunks
½ cup vegetable or beef broth
4 oz. feta cheese, cut into blocks, optional
Directions
Season and marinate the lamb. Place the boneless leg of lamb in a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, make a few slits in the boneless leg of lamb. Rub the lamb all over with 2 tablespoons dried oregano and ½ tablespoon each dried thyme and dried parsley. Season well with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides. Then rub with the mustard and the majority of the garlic (reserving 1 tablespoon of the garlic for the vegetables). It’s important to push some of the garlic and seasoning into the slits you’ve cut earlier for best flavor.
Transfer the lamb to a large bowl and add the lemon juice, white wine, red wine vinegar, and about ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, turning the lamb in the bowl to make sure it is well coated. Set the lamb aside for a few minutes while working on the vegetables. (But if you do have the time, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours).
Preheat the oven to 375°F. And position a rack in the middle.
Prepare the roasting pan and parchment paper. Line a large roasting pan with two very large pieces of parchment paper, making a cross shape so that you have long pieces of parchment overhang on all sides of the pan (about 12 inches of parchment overhang on all sides of the pan).
Assemble the vegetables and lamb in the pan. Spread the potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions in the bottom of the pan over the parchment. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and the remainder of the dried oregano, thyme, and parsley. Sprinkle the remainder of the garlic on top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add the lamb on top of the vegetables and pour the broth in from the side of the pan.
Fold the parchment to cover the lamb and vegetables. Pull parchment paper sides together and tightly crimp them up to fully encase the lamb and vegetables in the parchment parcel.
Roast. Place the roasting pan on the center rack of your heated oven and cook for about 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily at the touch of your fork (you can check partway through and add more broth or water, if needed).
Brown. Uncover the meat and veggies and fold excess parchment paper into the inside of the pan. If using, add the feta cheese at this point. Raise the heat to 425°F and return the pan to the oven (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes until the lamb and vegetables gain some color.
Let rest. Once ready, allow the lamb kleftiko to sit for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Serve. Pull the meat apart using two forks to shred. Serve the lamb in bowls over the vegetables.
Getting the consistency of the creamy mushroom sauce right is key for this pasta recipe. You want to reduce it just until it clings to the pappardelle to create a light coating; but be careful not to reduce it too much. To that end, don’t discard the pasta water after removing the pappardelle, you may need it to thin the dish when combining everything at the end (we did).
If you buy the prepackaged prosciutto, it is very thin and almost impossible to keep in one piece as you place in into the hot oil. It doesn’t really matter because in the end it gets crunched up anyway. Our mushroom mix consisted of oyster, cremini, and shiitakes. If unable to source pappardelle, fettuccine would be a comparable substitute.
We altered the amounts of a few ingredients. Instead of 12 ounces of pasta we decreased it to 8 ounces; and increased the prosciutto from 2 ounces to 4. These changes are noted in the list of ingredients below, however, you can decide what amounts work best for you.
1 lb. mixed mushrooms (such as chanterelles, maitake, oyster, cremini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp. thyme leaves, plus more for serving
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
8 oz. pappardelle or fettuccine
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Directions
Heat ¼ cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Arrange prosciutto in a single layer in pot and cook, turning once or twice, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over high. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until browned and tender, 5–8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add shallots and 1 tsp. thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes. Add stock and reduce heat to low. Bring to a simmer and cook until only a thin layer of stock coats bottom of pot, 5−7 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Crumble half of prosciutto into pot. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add cream, return to a simmer, and cook, tossing, until pasta is coated, about 1 minute.
If pasta sauce is thicker than prefered, add additional pasta water a 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition until desired consistency is achieved. Remove from heat, add butter, and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more thyme and crumble remaining prosciutto over; season with pepper.
Accounting for Taste 