Oven-Poached Pacific Sole With Lemon Caper Sauce

From NY Times.  A fish piccata of sorts, this dish is easy to make and the sauce is perfect for delicate fish like sole or flounder, as well as more robust fish like swordfish.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Pacific sole or flounder fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 cup dry white wine (you can also use rosé; the sauce will have a pink hue)

For the sauce
1 plump garlic clove, minced or puréed (more to taste)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil or butter one or two baking dishes large enough to accommodate the fish fillets in one layer. Lay the fish in the dish(es) and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small or medium skillet and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan, bring to a boil, and pour the wine and shallots over the fish. Return the skillet to the stove (make sure the heat is off) for later use. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork.

3. While the fish is in the oven, whisk together the garlic, capers, lemon juice and olive oil. You can also mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle and work in the capers, lemon juice and olive oil, though I prefer the capers chopped, even some intact, and not puréed.

4. When the fish is done remove it from the oven and carefully transfer to a platter or plates. Cover and keep warm. Pour the liquid in the baking dish into the skillet and turn the heat on high. Reduce, stirring often, to about 1/4 cup – it should be thick – and stir in the garlic and caper mixture and the parsley. Whisk together, taste and adjust seasoning, pour over the fish and serve.

Yield: Serves 4

Advance preparation: This is all pretty last minute, but you can prep the sauce before you begin cooking the fish.

Hearty Whole Wheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Cheese and Potato

From the New York Times.


Title: Hearty Whole Wheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Cheese and Potato
Yield: 8 entree servings
Time: 45 minutes, plus resting
Author: Nigella Lawson

Summary:
Adapted from “Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes,” by Nigella Lawson


Ingredients:
1 3/4 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 (8-ounce) baking potato, peeled and in 1-inch dice
1 pound whole wheat or spelt tortiglioni or penne
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup ricotta
8 ounces Gruyère, in 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 sage leaves, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Method:


1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, then add brussels sprouts, potato and pasta, and let water come back to a boil. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until potato is tender and pasta is al dente. Just before draining, remove 2 cups of the cooking liquid and set aside.
2. Tip drained pasta, brussels sprouts and potato into an approximately 10 x 15-inch roasting pan (or a 9 x 13-inch lasagna dish), then add ricotta, Gruyère and 1 cup cooking water, and toss well to combine. Add more liquid if you feel the pasta is too dry.
3. Warm butter, olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and, when melted and beginning to sizzle gently, add sage and fry for about 30 seconds. Spoon or dribble the butter and sage over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes, by which time the surface will be scorched a light gold. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before eating.
Source: The New York Times

Gordon Hamersley's Salt Cod Poached in Porcini Broth with English Peas & Pancetta

I have not tried this but it looked great on the Ming Tsai cooking show on PBS.  The link to the original recipe:

http://www.ming.com/food-and-wine/recipes/season-10-cooking-on-the-fly!/gordon-hamersleys-salt-cod-poached-in-porcini-broth-with-english-peas-and-pancetta.htm

Ingredients

2 4-oz. pieces salt cod
2 cups dry white wine such as Chardonnay
¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 "no boil" lasagna sheets
½ cup fresh English peas, shelled
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 ounce pancetta, sliced in 1/3- x 1/3- x ½- inch pieces
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
½ cup lemon juice
½ bunch roughly chopped parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions

Two to 3 days ahead, place the salt cod in water in the refrigerator. Change the water frequently.
In a small pot, bring the white wine to a simmer. Add the dried porcini mushrooms and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are plump and re-hydrated. Strain the mushrooms and reserve the wine.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta sheets for about two minutes or until they are al dente. Remove from the water and place on a cutting board with a long edge toward you. Slice into ½-inch thick ribbons and reserve.

In the same water, blanch the English peas for about 45 seconds or until they float. Drain and reserve. (If not using immediately for last step in this recipe, shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking process).
Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, shallot, and sun-dried tomatoes. Allow to soften, about 3 minutes, then add the lemon juice. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and about 1 cup of the hot wine to the poaching pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Season the fish with pepper and add it to the pan. Cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until the fish just cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the reserved pasta ribbons and the reserved peas to the sauté pan. Cover with parsley.
To plate: Using a slotted spoon or fish spatula, transfer the fish to a large bowl. Spoon the broth over the top and surround with the vegetables and noodles.

Rock Shrimp Scampi

This is a recipe from Gina at Ecco la Cuccina (http://www.eccolacucina.com).


Mom's Rock Shrimp Pasta
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3lb rock shrimp
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Hot pepper flakes, to taste
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 teas dried basil (it's my mom's recipe)
1 teas dried oregano
1 teas sea salt
1 lb spaghettini or 1 ½ lb angel hair pasta

Directions:
Clean the rock shrimp:  take each tail and cut it lengthwise through the legs, taking out the sandy vein.  Butterfly each tail, it's okay if you cut all the way through as long as the halves are joined at the tail. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a small saucepan.  Add the garlic and hot pepper and take it off the heat.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Taking each rock shrimp by the tail, dip them one at a time into the butter and oil, then lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Pour the remaining sauce onto the tails.  Broil for 5 minutes until done.  Meanwhile, cook spaghettini or angel hair pasta until al dente and place in a large pasta bowl.  Pour the rock shrimp directly onto the bowl of pasta and toss, drizzling additional olive oil to finish.

If you can't find rock shrimp, substitute regular shrimp, shell and devein.  Heat the oil in a sauté pan with the garlic and hot pepper, add the remaining ingredients and then the shrimp.  Toss and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes until cooked through, toss with pasta and serve.

Mashed Winter Squash with Mascarpone

Ingredients:

• 1 large plus 1 small Winter squash (I used a large butternut plus a small delicata and acorn) cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 tsp each ground  cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 "shot" of strong coffee (I used a pumpkin spice, but plain is fine)

Directions:

Lay the squash pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with spices and just a little salt and pepper.  Roast the squash in a 350 degree oven until tender - about 30 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a bowl.  Add the coffee and cheese and mix, slightly mashing the squash as you mix (I like it "chunky" - if you want it more smooth, then mash more!).  Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cheese as necessary.

You can do the roasting ahead of time and then just reheat the squash in a bowl and add the cheese and coffee and adjust spices.

Creamy Chicken Apple Chili

Despite hating Rachel Ray, this is a good recipe!


Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper
2 apples, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
2 15 ounce cans  pinto or white beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
Toasted tortillas, for serving
Chopped scallions, for serving


Directions

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

In the same pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the apples and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 6 minutes; add to the chicken.

In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute; whisk in the chicken broth and milk until thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken-apple mixture and beans, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cheese. Serve with the tortillas and scallions.

Dumpling Filling

My riff on Chinese dumplings.  The first version was good....

Ingredients:
2 small spring onions, sliced into thin rings, whites and light green parts
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 "pinky" size piece fresh ginger, chopped fine
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper as needed
1 pound ground pork

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and let sit in refrigerator for 2-4 hours to let flavors combine.

Stuff into dumpling skins, approximately a teaspoon full for each.