Eye for a Recipe

This pantry-friendly recipe from Canadian Living makes tasty appetizers or a great weeknight supper. Cook and mash potatoes. Combine the mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs, green onions, parsley, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt and pepper and an egg. Fold in the salmon. Shape into patties and cook in a non-stick skillet for about 8 minutes, turning once. Cook’s note: This recipe makes 30 small appetizer-size patties. I halved the recipe and made six large patties.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for breadcrumbs without preservatives; panko crumbs are usually preservative-free. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. I used Clover Leaf canned salmon, which is free of additives.

Lemon pepper salmon cakes

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes (450 g) peeled and halved

¼ cup (60 ml) dried breadcrumbs

2 green onions chopped

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves garlic minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) each salt and pepper

1 egg whisked

2 cans red sockeye salmon drained and flaked

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil

Preparation:

In saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot; using potato masher, mash until smooth.

In large bowl, stir together potatoes, breadcrumbs, green onions, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; stir in egg. Fold in salmon. Let cool for 5 minutes. Shape by rounded 1 tbsp into ¼ -inch (5-mm) thick patties. (Make-ahead: Arrange on waxed paper–lined baking sheet; cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; working in batches, cook patties, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate on foil-lined baking sheet for up to 24 hours. Reheat in 375 F/190 C oven until warm, about 6 minutes.) Makes 30 appetizer-sized patties.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from Bon Appetit is quick and tasty. Toss shrimp with jalapeños and cornstarch. Heat oil and cook shrimp for about four minutes. Add chives and ginger and cook for about a minute, then add mirin and soy sauce. Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil. Serve with steamed rice, if desired.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for frozen shrimp with only salt added. Use tamari instead of soy sauce.  I used Shirakiku mirin and Lee Kum Kee sesame oil. Both are additive-free.

Shrimp stir-fry with chives and chiles

Ingredients:

1 lb (454 g) large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1–2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch

¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil

1 bunch chives (6–8 oz/170-226 g), cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

1 2-inch (5-cm) piece ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp (15 ml) mirin

2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) toasted sesame oil

Steamed rice (for serving; optional)

Preparation:

Spread out shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on, on a large plate. Sprinkle kosher salt over and toss to coat. Return shrimp to a single layer; let sit 10 minutes.

Blot shrimp dry with a paper towel; season with freshly ground pepper. Scatter jalapeños over shrimp, then sprinkle cornstarch evenly over shrimp and jalapeño. Using your hands (wear kitchen gloves if you’d like), gently toss to coat.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high. Reduce heat to medium-high and, using tongs, carefully arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan (you may need to add more oil). Some chiles will stick to shrimp and that’s okay; add remaining chiles to pan. Cook, adjusting heat if needed and turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Increase heat to high, add chives and ginger and cook, tossing, until chives are slightly wilted and ginger is fragrant, 30–60 seconds. Add mirin and soy sauce and toss to combine. Remove from heat; add toasted sesame oil. Transfer to a platter and serve with steamed rice if desired. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This recipe from NYT Cooking is a very tasty vegetarian side or main dish. Cook the orzo and set aside. Briefly cook garlic and red pepper flakes, add spinach and toss until it wilts. Add the marinara sauce, basil and spices and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked orzo, stir in the cheese, sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil and serve warm.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Ursini marinara sauce and Simple brand mozzarella, which contain no additives or preservatives. Genuine Parmesan is free of additives; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Cheesy baked orzo with mozzarella

Ingredients:

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 cup (250 ml) orzo

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

2 teaspoons (10 ml) minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) red-pepper flakes

5 ounces (140 g) fresh baby spinach

1 (24-ounce/750 ml) jar marinara sauce

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh basil leaves, plus torn or sliced basil for serving

1 cup (250 ml) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain the orzo and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a very large (12-inch/30-cm) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the marinara, basil, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.

Stir the cooked orzo into the sauce. Stir in the mozzarella, sprinkle the Parmesan on top, and bake, uncovered, until the Parmesan is melted and the pasta is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional basil and serve warm. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe for savoury pancakes from the Globe and Mail is based on a Chinese snack or breakfast treat. Make the dough, knead it and let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile melt the butter, combine with vegetable oil and stir in sesame oil. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll out. Brush with the butter-oil mixture and sprinkle with chopped green onions and salt. Shape the cakes and rest for another 20 minutes. Roll the cakes out again. At this point you can freeze the pancakes or fry them, one at a time, for 2-3 minutes per side.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the butter does not contain colour.

Green onion pancakes

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour

½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) baking soda

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt

¾ cup (187 ml) warm water

2 tbsp (30 ml) butter or shortening

2 tbsp (30 ml) cup canola or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking

1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

1-2 bunches green onions, roughly chopped

Salt, to taste

Preparation:

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the water and stir until the dough comes together. Knead for a few minutes until the texture is firm.

Cover dough with a towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Melt the butter or shortening and combine with the canola or vegetable oil in a small dish. Stir in the sesame oil.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Working with one at a time, roll out into a rectangle or oval as thin as you can get it. (Don’t flour the countertop; you’ll need the dough to grip in order to roll out thin.) Brush with the butter-oil mixture, scatter with green onions and sprinkle with salt.

The next step is to shape the cakes. There are many ways to do so, but here are two of the simpler methods. Starting at a long side, roll the dough up or fold it accordion-style, then coil it like a cinnamon bun. If you want to be more elaborate, coil each end in opposite directions, like an S. If you do this, fold the dough in half at the end, so the two coils are stacked on top of one another.

However you shape the coils, set them aside to rest for at least 20 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, so you can roll the cakes out again without the dough springing back.

This time, roll them as thin as you’d like. You can try rolling the dough between two pieces of parchment; this minimizes the mess of escaping green onions and can make it easier to transfer the cakes to the pan. At this point, the cakes can be frozen between layers of parchment.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil, ghee, butter or the last of the oil mixture you used to brush the cakes. If you used parchment paper, peel off the top piece, invert the cake into the hot pan and then remove the other piece. Cook one at a time, covered (foil works well to trap the heat if you don’t have a lid) for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook uncovered, reducing the heat to medium-low, until cakes are crisp and golden on both sides. Makes 4.

From the Globe and Mail

This recipe from Bon Appetit makes a tasty weeknight dinner. Slice pork and marinate briefly. Make the sauce and set aside. Partially cook the pork and set aside. Cook the peas and onion and then add the garlic. Return pork to pan and add the sauce. Cook until the pork is done and the sauce has thickened.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used tamari instead of soy sauce and Lee Kum Kee sesame oil. Both are additive-free. I made my own oyster sauce by combining 3 tbsp (45 ml) of tamari with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of sugar and 1 tbsp (15 ml) of cornstarch.

Gingery pork and snap pea stir fry

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb/454 g)

2 tbsp (30 ml) cornstarch

3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce, divided

1 tbsp (15 ml) plus ¼ cup (60 ml) or more vegetable oil

1 2-inch (5-cm) piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

¼ cup (60 ml) oyster sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) distilled white vinegar

8 oz. (227 g) sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 medium white onion, sliced into ½-inch- (1.25-cm-) thick rings

6 garlic cloves, smashed

Steamed rice (for serving)

Preparation:

Slice pork tenderloin crosswise on a slight diagonal against the grain ¼-inch (0.6-cm) thick. Transfer to a medium bowl and add cornstarch, 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, and 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil. Toss with your hands until meat is well coated. Cover and let sit at least 15 minutes.

Stir together ” piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, oyster sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, distilled white vinegar, remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce, and ¼ cup (60 ml) water in a small bowl; set sauce aside.

Heat remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil in a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until almost smoking. Arrange sliced pork in pan in a single layer, separating clumps with a fork as much as possible. Cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes (fat will spatter as the meat cooks, so stand back). Using tongs, transfer pork to a large plate, leaving as much oil in pan as possible (meat won’t be fully cooked through at this point but don’t worry; it will cook more later).

Cook sugar snap peas, trimmed, in same pan, tossing occasionally, until tender and blistered in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate with pork.

Cook onion rings, in same pan, tossing occasionally and adding up to 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil if pan is dry, until blistered in spots, about 4 minutes. Add 6 garlic cloves, smashed, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium.

Return pork and peas to pan and pour in reserved sauce (it should simmer right away). Cook, stirring, until meat is cooked through and sauce is clinging to meat and vegetables, about 1 minute.

Transfer stir-fry to a large shallow bowl or a platter and serve with steamed rice. Serves 4. Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 8 hours ahead; cover and chill. Pork can be marinated 8 hours ahead; keep covered and chill. No need to bring to room temperature before cooking.

From Bon Appetit