Eye for a Recipe

This refreshing and nutritious salad from the New York Times combines chickpeas with succulent shrimp. Toss chickpeas, onion, chile and parsley with a citrus-mustard-oil dressing. Cook shrimp with garlic and red pepper flakes, squeeze lime juice over and serve them on top of the chickpea salad. Cook’s note: Canned chickpeas are fine for this, but if you have time, try soaking and cooking dried chickpeas — the flavour and texture are better. One cup of dried chickpeas will yield the same amount as two 15-ounce/443 ml cans.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a fresh lemon and lime. I used President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon, which is additive-free. If you are using canned chickpeas, look for a brand without preservatives, such as Blue Menu or Unico. Look for frozen shrimp with only salt added.

Toss chickpeas with dressing, onion, chile and parsley

Top chickpeas with shrimp and serve

Ingredients:

1 medium lemon, zested and juiced

1 lime, zested and halved

1 teaspoon (5 ml) Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons (75 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 (15-ounce/443-ml) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ small red onion, diced (about ¼ cup/60 ml)

1 Fresno chile or jalapeño, cut into thin coins or seeded and diced

1 packed cup parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

2 large garlic cloves, grated or minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) red-pepper flakes

1 pound (454 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry

Preparation:

In a large serving bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, lime zest and mustard. Whisk in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Add the chickpeas, onion, chile and most of the parsley (reserving some for garnish) and toss to coat with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil in a 12-inch (30-cm) skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, pulling the pan from the heat briefly if it seems like the garlic is burning.

Add the shrimp to the pan, season with salt and pepper and stir to coat with the garlic and oil. Cook until the shrimp are pink all over with a golden crust in parts, stirring and flipping the shrimp halfway through, about 4 to 6 minutes total. Turn off the heat, then squeeze the lime juice over the shrimp in the pan, stirring to combine and scraping up anything on the bottom of the pan to coat the shrimp.

Serve the shrimp on top of the salad. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve. Serves 3-4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from Canadian Living is a lovely spring dinner. Sear salmon fillets and set aside. Cook potatoes, radishes and asparagus in wine and stock and season with tarragon. Return the salmon to the pan, cover and cook until the fish is cooked through. Cook’s note: I did not use peas, but they would be a great addition.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used a white wine from Frogpond Farm organic winery with a sulfite count lower than 10 parts per million. Imagine Organic stock is additive-free. Always use fresh lemon juice instead of concentrates.

Sear the salmon and set aside

Cook the vegetables

Return salmon to pan and cook until done

One-pot salmon with vegetables and tarragon

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided

4 skinless salmon fillets (about 5 oz / 140 g each)

2 shallots, finely chopped

12 oz (340 g) baby potatoes, cleaned (large ones halved)

½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine

1 bay leaf

1 cup (250 ml) sodium-reduced vegetable broth

1 bunch radishes, trimmed (large ones halved)

7 oz (200 g) small asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2-inch/5-cm pieces

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh tarragon, divided

1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

Salt and pepper

½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen peas

Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation:

In large deep skillet, heat half the oil over medium heat. Add salmon fillets and cook, turning halfway through cooking time, until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer fish to plate; set aside.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, wine and bay leaf. Bring to boil and cook until wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until potatoes are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.

Add radishes, asparagus, 1 tbsp (15 ml) tarragon, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover skillet and cook for 5 minutes.

Add peas and place reserved salmon on top of vegetables; continue cooking, covered, until fish flakes easily when tested with fork, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with remaining tarragon and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This tasty noodle and vegetable stir-fry from Half Baked Harvest is topped with roasted cashews tossed in hot sauce, soy sauce and honey. While the cashews are roasting, cook the noodles and make the sauce. Stir-fry the vegetables, add the ginger and then the sauce. Add the cooked noodles and garlic chili oil to the pan, cook for a few minutes and serve topped with the cashews and chopped scallions.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check to make sure the cashews and sesame seeds do not contain additives. I used No-Name raw cashews and raw sesame seeds, Simply Natural sriracha and tamari sauce. I used Marukan rice vinegar and substituted honey for the molasses. Use pure peanut butter and plain ramen noodles with no additives. Instead of purchased chili oil, I grated a clove of garlic and added it and ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) of hot pepper flakes to two tablespoons (30 ml) of canola oil.

Toss cashews with honey, sriracha and tamari and roast

Stir fry the vegetables

Add noodles and sauce

Top with roasted cashews and scallions and serve

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) raw cashews

2 teaspoons (10 ml) sriracha

½ cup (125 ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

4 tablespoons honey (60 ml)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon (15 ml) molasses

Black pepper

8 ounces (226 g) ramen noodles, Chinese egg noodles, or rice noodles

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame or extra virgin olive oil

3 cups (750 ml) mixed stir fry vegetables (I used broccoli, pepper and onions)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh grated ginger

1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) garlic chili oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw sesame seeds

2 green onions, chopped

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread the cashews out on the baking sheet and bake 5 minutes. Add the sriracha, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) honey, and the sesame seeds. Toss to combine. Bake another 5 minutes, until toasted.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions, drain.

To make the sauce. In a jar, whisk together ½ cup (125 ml) soy sauce. 3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey, the rice vinegar, peanut butter, molasses and a big pinch of black pepper.

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, cook another minute, then pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the noodles and chili garlic oil. Toss to combine, cooking another 3-5 minutes until the sauce coats the noodles.

Serve the noodles topped with cashews and green onions. Serves 6.

From Half Baked Harvest

I love baked pasta and this one from Bon Appetit is especially good. Cook the pasta until it is slightly underdone and set aside. Cook leeks until tender and add anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes and pepper. Add cream, Parmesan, peas and cooked pasta. Top with more cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cook’s note: Even if you are not a fan of anchovies, I suggest you include them. They add a wonderful depth of flavour to this dish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Unico anchovies. Genuine Parmesan cheese has no additives – look for the name stamped on the rind.

Cook the leeks and add the anchovies, garlic and hot pepper flakes

Add cream and Parmesan

Add peas and cooked pasta

Bake until top is crisp and cream is bubbling around the edges

Baked leeks with pasta and anchovy cream

Ingredients

1 lb. (454 g) short pasta (such as rigatoni, penne, or conchiglie)

Kosher salt

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 large leeks (about 1½ lb./680 g), white and pale green parts only, trimmed, sliced ½-inch (1.25-cm) thick

15 oil-packed anchovies, drained (from a 1.5-oz./42 g tin)

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp. (5 ml) mild red pepper flakes or ½ tsp. (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream

3 oz. (85 g) Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

1 10-oz. (285 g) bag frozen baby peas, thawed in warm water, drained

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large high-sided skillet over medium. Add leeks; season with a couple pinches of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden around the edges, 6–8 minutes. Uncover and add anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until anchovies are disintegrated and garlic is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add cream and 3 oz. (85 g) Parmesan. Bring to a simmer; season with salt and black pepper (it should taste a bit salty because the pasta will absorb some seasoning as it bakes). Add peas and reserved pasta and toss gently to coat; top with more Parmesan. Transfer pasta to oven; bake until top is crisp and cream is bubbling around the edges, 25–30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Serves 4-6

From Bon Appetit