Pan Seared Trout With Browned Butter & Lime Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 Limes
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Trout:
4 Boneless Rainbow Trout Fillets (5 to 6 Ounces Each)
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Thinly Sliced Limes
Olive Oil
To make the sauce: Place butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over a medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring often, until nutty smelling and amber colored. Remove from heat. Using a vegetable peeler, remove lime zest. Add lime zest to browned butter. Juice limes and add lime juice, kosher salt and pepper to browned butter sauce. Cover sauce to keep warm while preparing trout. Just before serving, remove lime zest and throw away.
To make trout: Rinse trout fillets, and pat dry between paper towels, skin side up. Season trout with kosher salt and pepper. Place two slices of lime on top of each trout. Heat a large-size skillet over a medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with olive oil. Place 2 pieces of trout on skillet, flesh side up. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn over with lime slices coming in direct contact with skillet. Cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you prepare the remaining trout fillets. Drizzle each serving with browned butter and lime sauce. Serves 4
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Tuscan Pork Ribs
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a nice rack of spareribs except vegetarians or my friends who keep kosher. Give these ribs a try this weekend and make sure you have plenty of napkins available.
INGREDIENTS
For The Ribs
6 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Sage
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Rosemary
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 Racks Trimmed Pork Ribs (About 8 Pounds)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup White Wine
For The Sauce
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
2 Teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
6 1/2 Cups Crushed Canned Tomatoes With Juice
3 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a small-size bowl combine garlic, sage, rosemary, kosher salt, pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Rub spice mixture all over ribs and then drizzle with olive oil. Place in a large-size ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight. You can leave them in fridge for up to 48 hours. Remove from fridge when ready to roast. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ribs in roasting pan and place in oven for 50 minutes. Turn a couple times while roasting. Remove from oven and transfer ribs to plate for a few moments. Deglaze pan with white wine. Place ribs back into roasting pan and place back into oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and pour off fat. Cut ribs into individual bones. Return ribs to roasting pan and set aside.
To make sauce: In a large-size saucepan, add olive oil. Add garlic and turn heat to a medium-low. Cook until garlic is soft and just beginning to turn color. Stir in red pepper flakes and cook for 20 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes, water, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a simmer. Add kosher salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Pour sauce over ribs and return to oven. Continue roasting, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until sauce reduced to pint where it comes about halfway up sides of ribs. Cover with foil and cook for another 30 minutes. If sauce is still too thin, cook ribs uncovered to reduce sauce. Remove from oven and spoon off as much fat as possible. Transfer to serving platter with sauce. Serves 4
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Rib Eye Steak With Roasted Garlic & Fresh Thyme
Rib Eye Steaks are either bone-in or boneless that has had the fat removed by the butcher. Rib Eye Steaks come from the center rib of the beef and are extremely tender and are best cooked quickly by pan searing or grilling. Make sure to remove your steaks from the refrigerator and allow them to reach room temperature before cooking. Serve with potatoes and green vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
1 Bone-In Rib Eye Steak (2 to 2 1/2 Inches Thick)
25 Skin On & Crushed Garlic Cloves
2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a heavy (oven safe) pan heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat until it’s just smoking. Place the Rib Eye in the pan. Brown for 5 minutes on the first side. Turn steak over in the pan and sprinkle kosher salt over it. Continue to brown on the second side for 5 minutes. While the second side is browning, add all of the garlic to the pan (with the skin on), along with the fresh thyme. Toss the garlic so that it doesn’t burn. When the second side is browned, place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes for rare, 25 minutes for medium rare. Remove pan from the oven, and place the Rib Eye on a cutting board. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Warm your plates. Cut the bone off of the steak, and then cut the steak into 1/4 inch thick slices from the short side. Place the slices on the warm plates, along with the garlic cloves and the fresh thyme. Drizzle plates with the juices from the pan, and sprinkle with a little more kosher salt to season if you like. Serves 2
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Flank Steak Salad
It’s still hot outside and I am continuing to avoid turning on my oven if I can avoid it. Here is the perfect summer salad that will definitely leave you feeling satisfied.
INGREDIENTS
3 Ears Fresh Corn (Cooked & Cut From The Cob)
1 Cup Cannellini Beans
1 Large Diced Roasted Red Pepper
2 Cups Green Beans (Blanched & Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces)
1 Cup Grape Tomatoes (Halved Lengthwise)
1/2 Cup Minced Red Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Olives
1 Diced Yellow Plum
1 Avocado (Cut Into Chunks)
1 Seeded & Minced Jalapeño
10 Basil Leaves
1 1/2 Pounds Marinated Flank Steak
1 Cup Hoisin Sauce (For Marinade)
1 Cup Sriracha Sauce (For Marinade)
Tzatziki Sauce For Dressing
In a medium size bowl combine the hoisin sauce and the sriracha sauce. Place the flank steak into a large size ziplock bag and pour the hoisin mixture in. Zip up the bag and give a few gentle shakes to cover all of the flank steak. Place into the fridge for 4 hours or more. I like to marinate overnight, but if you’re short on time then 4 hours will work just fine. When you are ready to make the salad remove the flank steak from the fridge and let it rest on the counter while you are assembling the salad. In a large size bowl toss together the corn, cannellini beans, green beans, tomatoes, onions, avocado, Jalapeño and basil. Remove the flank steak from the ziplock bag and throw away the bag and the marinade. On a grill pan grill the flank steak for 4 minutes per side (depending on how rare you like your steak). Remove the flank steak from the heat and transfer to a plate. Let rest for 10 minute. Slice the flank steak and place on top of the salad. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce as a dressing. Serves 4
Blueberry Cookies
If you’re tired of the same old chocolate chip cookie then give my scrumptious Blueberry Cookies a test run. I wouldn’t quite put them in the “healthy” category, but close enough.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Dried Blueberries
Preheat your oven to 375º F. In a small size bowl combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. In a large size bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after adding each egg. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the blueberries. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment paper line baking sheets. Place into the oven and bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Remember every oven heats differently and if you like your cookies soft then you may want to take them out just a bit early as they will continue to cook for a bit after leaving the oven. Remove from the oven and let cool for 4 minutes on the baking sheet. Remove from the baking sheet and transfer them to wire racks and let cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Honeydew Melon Gazpacho
This cold soup is extremely refreshing. The sweet honeydew mixes well with garden fresh cucumbers and onions for a sweetened spin on the traditional tomato gazpacho. Oh and by the way, it’s super easy to make too!
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Minced Red Onions
3 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1 Large Honeydew Melon (About 8 Cups)
1 Large Peeled & Seeded Cucumber
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Put the minced onions into a small size bowl and add the sherry vinegar. Let the onions soak for 20 minutes. Peel and seed the honeydew. Cut the honeydew into 1 inch cubes and place into a medium size bowl. Chop the cucumber and place into the honeydew bowl. Put the onions with the vinegar, honeydew, cucumber and kosher salt into a food processor or a blender. Pulse until pureed. Pour into a large size bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours until the gazpacho is completely chilled. Remove from the fridge when ready to serve and ladle into individual bowls. Serves 4
Oatmeal Cherry Cookies
Over the weekend I was in the mood for oatmeal cookies. I looked all over my pantry for the box of raisins that I could have sworn was in there, but couldn’t locate them. BUT I did see a container filled with dried cherries. The jury is in and I must admit that I like oatmeal cookies better with cherries. Just sayin’.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup Dried Cherries
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large size bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar on a medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well. In a separate medium size bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt. Mix well Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add the oats and dried cherries and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat until you have baked all of the cookies. Makes about 4 dozen.
Bastille Day Roast Pork
This spice mixture rubbed onto the pork is a classic French combination of warm spices called Quatre-Épices which literally means four spices. Once the pork begins roasting, the aroma of the Quatre-Épices will fill your kitchen and make you dream of being in France.
INGREDIENTS
1 Trimmed Boneless Pork Loin Roast
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/3 Cup Dry White Wine
2/3 Cup Chicken Broth
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Pat your pork dry with paper towels. In a small size bowl combine the kosher salt, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well and then rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Put the pork roast onto a rack that fits into a roasting pan. The smaller the roasting pan the better. Place into the oven and roast for about 1 hour. The center should read 155º F when you insert a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and transfer to a warm serving platter. Let stand for 15 minutes. This will set the juices and the meat will continue to cook a bit more and should reach 160º F. Letting it stand makes it easier to slice as well. While the pork roast is resting place the roasting pan over a burner and turn the heat up to a high heat. Add the white wine. Bring to a boil and stir until the browned bits are loosened from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth and let boil for another 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off the fat. Pour the pan juices into a gravy boat or pitcher and serve along with the pork roast. You may want to also serve this dish with applesauce. Serves 6
I’ll bet you counted more than four spices in that ingredient line-up didn’t you? Here is a bit about Quatre-Épices:
Quatre-Épices or “Four Spices” usually includes four or five spices and are commonly used in French cuisine. In many French households the combination of spices are mixed in advance and kept on hand. This is a great idea as it gives the spice combination a chance to really meld together.
Bastille Day Pain Française
Tuna sandwiches à la française! The best way to make this very large sandwich is to make it a day in advance. This allows the delicious juices to soak into the French bread. Make sure to use olive oil packed tuna instead of tuna packed in water.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Loaf of French Bread (Round or Long)
2 Garlic Cloves Cut in Half
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Medium Sliced Ripe Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Mint
6 Ounces Canned Tuna Packed in Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Pitted & Chopped Kalamata Olives
2 Chopped Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Capers
1 Large Hard Boiled Egg Sliced
Cut your bread in half horizontally. Take out some of the soft center from each half to make about a one inch shell. Rub the inside of the bread halves with the garlic. In a small sized measuring cup mix together the olive oil, vinegar, kosher salt and pepper. Drizzle 1/4 of the olive oil mixture onto both halves of the garlic rubbed bread. On the bottom half of the bread place 1/3 of the tomato slices. Drizzle about half of the remaining oil mixture onto the tomato slices. Next top with half of the basil and all of the mint. Set aside. Drain the tuna. In a small size bowl flake the tuna. Add the olives, green onions and capers. Spoon the tuna mixture over the tomato and herbs. Place the egg slices on top. Put the remaining tomato slices and basil on top of the egg slices. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil mixture. Place the top half of the bread on top all of this deliciousness. Wrap this large sandwich tightly with either foil or plastic wrap. Put in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge when ready to serve and cut into 4 separate sandwiches. Makes 4 main dish servings.
Zucchini Pesto
Many of us who have gardens or friends with gardens usually have zucchini coming out of their ears! Yes, even in New York City people have gardens (community gardens & rooftop gardens). Here is a nice way to make zucchini that is worth a try.
INGREDIENTS
8 Grated Medium Size Zucchini
1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Butter
In a large size colander combine the zucchini and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Sit it in the sink or over a large bowl, for 30 minutes, in order for it to drain. While the zucchini is draining place the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, kosher salt and Parmesan cheese into a food processor (or blender) and process until mixed well. In a large sauté pan melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the drained zucchini and sauté for 3 to 6 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in the pesto and serve immediately. Serves 4
