Spice-Rubbed Butterflied Leg of Lamb

1/2 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 4 1/2- to 5-pound boneless leg of lamb, butterflied, fat and sinew trimmed

Combine all ingredients except lamb in a food processor. Process until a coarse paste forms. 

Place lamb in large resealable plastic bag. Pour spice mixture over lamb; seal bag. Turn bag several times and rub spice mixture into lamb. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove lamb from marinade; shake off excess. Grill lamb to desired doneness or until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb registers 125°F to 130°F, for medium-rare about 15 minutes per side. 

Transfer lamb to cutting board. Cover with foil and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Cut lamb into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange on platter and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ham and Cheese Bread

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tbsp milled flax seed
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 eggs
One 6-ounce piece ham, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, lightly packed (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup finely diced (about 1/4-inch) Havarti or Gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 scallions, chopped


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, dry mustard and salt until combined. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, oil and eggs until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Then fold in the ham, cheeses and scallions.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until well risen, golden brown and a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn the loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Summer Tuna Salad

3 5 oz. cans tuna fish

1 15 oz. can small white beans

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serve on a bed of fresh spinach with sliced tomatoes or on whole grain bread or crackers.

Serves 2 to 4.

Margarita

4 oz. silver tequila

2 oz. simple syrup

2 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice

2 oz. orange juice 

Shake with 3/4 cup ice and strain into a margarita glass. Garnish with lime. 

Serves 2.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Mozzerella

1 lb Italian sausage (about 3 links)

10 oz. bag of frozen potato gnocchi

24 oz. spaghetti sauce

3 oz. mozzarella, diced

Remove the casing from the Italian sausage then cut the sausage into bite-size pieces. In a large non-stick frying pan, saute the Italian sausage until cooked through. Add the spaghetti sauce and bring to a simmer. 

Fill a 2-quart saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the gnocchi and add to the pan of sausage and sauce. Toss together and let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella and let simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the cheese has melted.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve with garlic bread.

Serves 2.

Bo Ssam (Pork Lettuce Wraps)

10 pounds bone-in Boston pork butt

2 cups white sugar

2 cups Kosher salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Trim all of the fat off the pork butt. Mix together white sugar and Kosher salt. Put the pork butt in a large plastic bag and pour the sugar and salt mixture over it, making sure to coat all sides. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Add vegetable oil and pork to a large pot. Cook uncovered in the oven for about 6 1/2–7 1/2 hours. When the meat is fork-tender and pulls away from the bone, sprinkle the exterior with a mixture of 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees, and roast 15 minutes until the outside is well caramelized. Remove from oven.

Serve the pork on a large platter so people can assemble their own wraps. Serve with leaves of Boston lettuce, rice and ginger scallion condiment. Other traditional accompaniments include Korean soybean paste, salted shrimp and kimchee.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ginger Scallion Condiment

1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 1 large bunch), greens and whites

1/4 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon light soy sauce (usukuchi)

1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together. Let sit for an hour before serving.

Carne Adovada

3 pounds pork loin, cut into 2 to 3-inch cubes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and cut in half

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 yellow onions, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups tomato sauce

Put all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 3 to 4 hours. The pork should break apart easily when done. Remove pork from the braising liquid and reduce liquid until thick. 

Serve with over yellow rice or with flour tortillas.

Serves 4. 

Easy Spinach Quiche

1 frozen pie crust, 9" deep dish, thawed

1 cup half and half

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together half and half, milk and eggs. Add spinach, salt, pepper and oregano. Stir well then pour into crust. Bake until filling is slightly puffed and top is golden, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving warm.

Serves 3 to 4.

Thai Green Curry

2 medium shallots, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 inch-long piece of galangal, thinly sliced

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 14 oz can coconut milk 
3 teaspoons Thai green curry paste (or more depending on level of spiciness desired)

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 lb large shrimp

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

In a medium saucepan, saute shallots and garlic in vegetable oil for 2 minutes.  Add next 8 ingredients and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute zucchini and yellow squash in vegetable oil in a non-stick pan.  Add shrimp and strain sauce into pan.  Simmer until shrimp are cooked, about 3 minutes.

Serve over rice and topped with chopped cilantro.

Serves 2.

Noodles, Peas and Cheese

1 1/2 cups dried macaroni
1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 hot dogs, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup peas
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil macaroni following package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and spices and saute until flour is cooked. Add the milk and stir vigorously. Bring to a boil, still stirring. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese it melted. Add the macaroni, peas and hot dogs. Pour into a casserole dish. Mix melted butter and breadcrumbs and spread mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Broil the casserole a little at the end to brown the breadcrumb mixture.

Serves 4.

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 onion, chopped,
1 can kidney beans
1 28 oz can chunky crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Brown ground beef with chili powder and onion in a large Dutch oven. Drain excess fat. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Carrot Souffle

Original recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse.

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds carrots, chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Topping:
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch (117, 2/3rd=78 or 9 by 9) casserole with the oil and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the carrots, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Combine the carrots with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to so this in batches.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole.

Combine the brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter in a medium bowl. Stir to blend. Scatter the mixture over the top of the casserole and bake until the topping is lightly browned, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Chicken and Curried Dumplings

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 hot green chili, minced
2 chicken thighs
2 boneless split chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken stock
1 (13.5 ounce) can lite coconut milk
1 (11 ounce) can of whole corn with juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sprigs of fresh purple basil for garnish

Dumplings:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute garlic, onion and chili. Add chicken, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot along with the corn. Add salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, curry powder, baking powder and salt together. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the butter and milk to a simmer. Add the butter and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Drop batter by spoonfuls into stew. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls. Garnish with purple basil.

Serves 4.

Cucumber Salad

This is the way my mother and her mother always made cucumber salad. Very simple to make and keeps for days.

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cucumbers

Mix together water, vinegar sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved.

Peel and seed the cucumbers. Slice thinly on a mandolin and add to vinegar/sugar mixture. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Pasta with Sicilian Salsa Verde

Original recipe from Bon Appetit.

1/4 14.5-ounce package multi-grain spaghetti or whole wheat pasta
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 can anchovy fillets
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped, divided
3 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
1/4 12-ounce bag frozen haricots verts (slender green beans), thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, puree parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, capers, anchovies, crushed red pepper and 1/3 of chopped garlic in mini processor.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage; sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add haricots verts and remaining garlic; toss 1 minute. Add cheese, pasta, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, then parsley mixture from processor. Toss until sauce coats pasta, adding more pasta cooking liquid if dry, about 2 minutes. Serve.

Makes 2 servings

Roast Turkey Breast with Zesty Dry Rub

1 whole boneless turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds)

Dry Rub:
2 teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Gravy:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat large roasting pan with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray. Rub turkey breast on all sides with dry rub. Roll the turkey breast up and tie with butcher's twine. Place in roasting pan.

Roast turkey in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on instant-read thermometer. Remove turkey to a warm place; let stand 10 minutes.

Gravy: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from roasting pan. Sprinkle flour over bottom of roasting pan; cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain gravy through sieve into gravy boat; keep warm.

Cut off each 1/2 of the turkey breast from the bone. Wrap one 1/2 and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months, for later use. Slice other 1/2 of turkey breast and serve with the gravy, and mashed potatoes, if desired.

Smoked Whitefish Spread

1/3 lb. smoked whitefish, meat only, coarsely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. ranch dip mix

Mix all ingredients together until well-blended. Serve with crackers.

Meat Loaf with Balsamic Glaze

Inspired by a recipe by Bobby Flay and a surfeit of balsamic vinegar.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano
1 1/2 cups ketchup, divided
2 pounds ground beef chuck

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, boil 1 cup of the balsamic vinegar until reduced by half.

Meanwhile, whisk together garlic, eggs, herbs, breadcrumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. Add the meat and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Whisk together the remaining ketchup and the reduced balsamic vinegar then brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.

Shrimp Bisque

1 1/4 pound raw shrimp
2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt

Remove shells from the shrimp and place them in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover and boil rapidly until the next step is completed.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and cayenne and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook over medium heat until flour browns lightly. Add sherry, stirring quickly so that it doesn’t become lumpy. Add water, bay leaf and tomato paste and bring to a boil.

Strain the shrimp shells from the water and discard. Add the reserved liquid to the soup base. Simmer for 10 minutes to reduce a little more. Roughly chop the shrimp and add to soup base. Simmer gently for a minute to cook shrimp. Remove soup from heat and using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add heavy cream and salt. Serve immediately.

Chicken Picata and Orzo with Cinnamon Brown Butter and Parsley

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, rinsed and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the chicken on plastic wrap and cover with more plastic wrap. Pound with a rolling pin or meat pounder until about 1/4-inch thick. Place the chicken in the flour and turn to coat on all sides. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off the excess flour and add chicken to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and cover loosely with foil.

Add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up and browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and the capers. Season with salt and pepper and heat just until the butter has melted. Serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the skillet sauce.


1/2 pound orzo
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cook orzo in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender. While orzo cooks, melt butter in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then simmer until golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, then stir in oil, cinnamon, and pepper.

Drain orzo in a colander, then return to pot and add brown-butter mixture, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, and parsley. Toss until combined well and season with salt.

Original recipe from (Gourmet.)