Eye for a Recipe

If you are looking for a light, tasty, fast weeknight dinner, try this seared tuna with warm tomato, bean and olive salad from the Holiday 2013 issue of the LCBO’s Food & Drink. Inspired by one of our summer favourites, salade Nicoise, seared tuna is paired with a salad of cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and blanched green beans tossed in a tangy vinaigrette.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olives and capers can contain artificial ingredients. I use Eden Organic brand vinegar, which has no sulfites added, and PC Old-Fashioned Dijon, which is all-natural. Check the label on the olives; I used Pilaros brand from Costco. Unico capers are preservative-free.

Make the tarragon-flavoured vinaigrette

Blanch the green beans

Combine beans, tomatoes, olives and capers

Use tuna steaks that are 1 to 1.5 inches thick

Sear the tuna for 1 to 2 minutes per side

Seared tuna with warm tomato, bean & olive salad

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tsp (10 ml) red wine vinegar

1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups (750 ml) fresh green beans, trimmed, about 10 oz (300 g)

Tuna

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, about 9 oz (280 g)

½ cup (125 ml) pitted, dry-cured Moroccan-style black olives

1 tbsp (15 ml) capers

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tuna steaks, each 10 oz (300 g), approximately 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) thick

Preparation:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

Combine garlic vinegar and Dijon in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil until combined. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Cook beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add tomatoes and cook, shaking the pan often, until tomatoes are wilted and skins have golden edges, about 4 minutes. Add olives and capers and cook until flavours have combined, 1 to 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with beans.

Wipe same pan clean and return to high heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil. Season tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Sear tuna for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp on the outside and rare in the centre. Remove to a cutting board. Slice tuna into ½ -inch (1 cm) slices, cutting across the grain.

Pour vinaigrette over warm vegetables and toss to combine. Divide vegetable salad onto 4 plates. Top with seared tuna. Serves 4.

From the Holiday 2013 Food & Drink magazine

Tasty, healthy and fast—this stir-fry from the December 2013 issue of Canadian Living is a perfect weeknight supper during the busy holiday season. Cook chicken strips with ginger and garlic, stir in a yellow pepper and the Swiss chard, wait until the chard wilts, and then stir in cooked soba noodles, snow peas and a soy/lime/sesame sauce. You could also serve this with rice or regular spaghetti noodles.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it does not contain preservatives. Always use freshly squeezed lime juice; the concentrates are bitter and contain sodium benzoate.

Cut the chicken into strips

Slice yellow pepper and Swiss chard

Stir fry chicken with garlic and ginger

Add chard and pepper

The chard will wilt in a minute or two

Serve the stir fry over soba noodles

Ingredients:

4 tsp (18 ml) sodium-reduced soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice

2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil

2 tsp (10 ml) vegetable oil

225 g boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) grated fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups (2 L) chopped stemmed Swiss chard, (about 1 bunch)

1 sweet yellow pepper, sliced

170 g soba noodles

4 cups (1 L) snow peas

2 tsp (10 ml) sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation:

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil; set aside. In large nonstick skillet or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat; cook chicken, ginger and garlic, stirring often, until chicken is light golden, about 3 minutes.

Stir in Swiss chard and yellow pepper; stir-fry until chard starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling water, cook soba noodles according to package directions; drain. Add noodles to skillet along with snow peas and soy sauce mixture; stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

From the December 2013 issue of Canadian Living

This recipe is from The Flavour Principle, a new cookbook from Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol (who does the wine matches for the recipes). It comes together quickly and has great flavor. The recipe calls for sweet potato noodles; I used spaghetti and you could also use soba noodles. Add some hot pepper flakes if you like a spicy stir-fry. Crosariol recommends a red zinfandel as an accompaniment.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce and a sesame oil that is all-natural.

Slice the steak and marinate the slices

Assemble all your ingredients in advance, because this stir-fry cooks quickly

Stir fry beef and vegetables

Add the spinach, sauce and, finally, the noodles

Ingredients:

8 oz (225 g) New York sirloin steak

Marinade

2 tbsp (30 ml) dark soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

1 tsp (5 ml) chopped garlic

1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground pepper

Noodles

4 oz (115 g) sweet potato noodles

1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

Vegetables

3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil

1 cup (250 ml) sliced onions

1 cup (250 ml) slivered carrots

3 oz (85 g) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

6 cups (1.5 L) baby spinach

4 green onions, cut in 2-inch lengths

1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

Garnish

½ cup (125 ml) slivered Chinese chives (also known as garlic chives)

Preparation:

Cut steak into thin slices.

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar and pepper in medium bowl. Stir steak slices into marinade and let sit for 15 minutes.

Bring a wok or saucepan of water to a boil. Add noodles and boil 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with soy sauce and sesame oil. Wipe out wok or use a large non-stick skillet.

Drain beef. Heat wok over high heat, then add vegetable oil. Add onions, carrots and beef and stir-fry for 1 minute. Toss mushrooms into wok and stir-fry for another minute. Add spinach and green onions. Toss until spinach wilts. Stir in sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add noodles and toss everything together with tongs. Serve at once, garnished with chives. Serves 4.

From The Flavour Principle

This sophisticated take on sweet and sour chicken from the October issue of Bon Appetit will make you forget all about takeout. First, you brown chicken legs and thighs. Then you make a luscious sauce from garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, chicken stock and soy sauce. Pop the browned chicken into the sauce and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken, and, while it rests, reduce the sauce for about 10 minutes. Serve with steamed rice to soak up the sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Marukan rice vinegar, which contains only natural ingredients, and Imagine brand organic chicken stock. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it uses alcohol as a preservative, not sodium benzoate or MSG.

The sauce is made with garlic, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar, stock and soy sauce

Brown the chicken well

Brown the garlic

Caramelize the sauce

Nestle the chicken into the sauce and bake

While the chicken rests, reduce the sauce to thicken it

Top the chicken with the sauce and serve with steamed rice

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2½ pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken legs and thighs

Kosher salt

8 garlic cloves, peeled

⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar

¼ cup (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar

2 slices ¼”-thick slices peeled ginger

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Cooked white rice (for serving)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and, working in 2 batches, cook until golden brown and crisp, 6–8 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Add garlic to pot and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to plate with chicken. Pour off fat from pot.

Return pot to medium-high heat and add ½ cup water, scraping up browned bits. Add brown sugar; stir to dissolve, then cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, about 4 minutes. Carefully add vinegar (it may bubble up; sugar will crystallize); stir to dissolve sugar.

Add ginger, broth, and soy sauce, then add chicken, skin side up, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, 20–25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Bring cooking liquid to a boil and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to pot; turn to coat. Top with scallions and serve with rice. Serves 4.

From the October 2013 issue of Bon Appetit

Black cod, also known as sable fish, is a sustainable, cold-water fish caught near British Columbia and Alaska. It is mild and delicious. If you can’t find it, try halibut. This Mediterranean-inspired recipe from the Autumn 2013 issue of the LCBO’s Food and Drink magazine tops the roasted fish with a vinaigrette made from cherry tomatoes, black olives, balsamic vinegar and basil. This company-worthy fish dish is great with rapini and roasted potatoes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Smoked paprika may contain colour or anti-caking agents. Read the label on the olives to make sure they don’t contain preservatives. Use a balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites.

Season fish and roast on parchment paper

Saute the cherry tomatoes

Cook the rapini until it is tender

Add olives, vinegar and basil to the tomatoes

Roasted black cod with warm tomato vinaigrette on seared rapini

Ingredients:

1 fillet (1½ lb/750 g) black cod or 4 individual pieces, about 6 oz (175 g) each

Salt, pepper and sweet smoked paprika

1 tsp (5 ml) fresh thyme leaves

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

¼ tsp (1 ml) chili flakes

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp (30 ml) slivered pitted niçoise or Kalamata olives

2 tsp (10 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp (30 ml) slivered basil

1 large bunch rapini

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

⅓ cup (80 ml) water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place fish on parchment and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle with thyme leaves. Drizzle with 1 tsp (5 ml) oil. Roast in preheated oven, until a knife inserted in centre of fish is hot, 18 to 20 minutes (cooking time will be reduced if using individual pieces).

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chili flakes and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, just until tomatoes begin to shrivel. Add olives and balsamic vinegar. Stir until olives are hot. Turn off heat if fish is not yet cooked. Just before serving, reheat tomato mixture and stir in basil.

While fish is cooking, trim tough ends from rapini and set aside. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add rapini and ⅓ cup (80 ml) water. Simmer, covered, stirring halfway through, until rapini is more tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat and sauté, uncovered, a few minutes until any water remaining evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide rapini between 4 dinner plates. Divide fish into 4 portions, leaving skin on tray. Place fish on rapini, then spoon tomato mixture overtop fish. Serves 4.

From the Autumn 2013 issue of Food and Drink

This is a delicious stir-fry from Lucy Waverman, written for the Autumn 2013 issue of the LCBO’s Food and Drink. Chicken, eggplant and red pepper are flavoured with garlic, ginger, chili flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder, balsamic vinegar and capers. I didn’t have cocoa powder, so I used finely grated dark chocolate instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Be sure to use spices without colour and anti-caking agents. Look for a balsamic vinegar with no sulfites added, and for an all-natural brand of capers, such as Unico.

Remove strips of peel and dice the eggplant

Dice the chicken and season it with salt, pepper and cayenne

Saute the chicken with garlic and ginger

I served this dish with steamed broccoli and rice

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, about 1 lb (500 g)

12 oz (375 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ tsp (1 ml) cayenne

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) minced garlic

2 tsp (10 ml) minced ginger

1 red pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion

1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) red pepper chili flakes

1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon

½ tsp (2 ml) cocoa powder

Pinch cayenne

3 tbsp (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tsp (10 ml) capers
¼ cup (60 ml) water

Garnish – Chopped Italian parsley

Preparation:

Trim the ends off the eggplant and using a vegetable peeler, create stripes by removing strips of skin, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Chop into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes.

Dice chicken into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger to pan and sauté until just turning colour, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve.

Add remaining oil, eggplant, red pepper, onion, sugar, chili flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder and cayenne to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions start to brown. Stir continuously to prevent spices from burning.

Stir in vinegar and capers. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Add water and bring to a boil, stirring. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the mixture is thick, dark and glossy. The flavours should melt into each other. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and more balsamic vinegar if desired. Sprinkle with Italian parsley. Serves 4.

From the Autumn 2013 issue of Food and Drink

This recipe from Style at Home magazine is absolutely delicious. The bacon, pearl onions, herbs and balsamic vinegar add terrific flavour, while the tomatoes and olives add colour. I used chicken thighs and drumsticks, instead of a whole chicken cut up, because we prefer dark meat.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use bacon without nitrites, balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites, and white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. I used all-natural garlic stuffed olives – either Pilaros brand or President’s Choice.

Brown the chicken well in a Dutch oven

Saute bacon and onions, return chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes and olives

I served the chicken with roasted potatoes

Ingredients:

1 3-lb (1.5 kg) whole free-range organic chicken, cut into 8 parts

1 tsp (5 ml) Maldon sea salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 4-oz (113 g) slab smoked bacon, cut into large cubes

1 cup (250 ml) pearl onions, peeled and halved

1 tbsp (30 ml) each: chopped fresh rosemary and thyme

2 tbsp (60 ml) aged balsamic vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) white wine

½ cup (125 ml) small green olives

½ pint (250 ml) grape tomatoes

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large cast-iron casserole pan or Dutch oven and sear the chicken pieces in two batches, turning occasionally, until well browned all over.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the bacon and pearl onions; cook until the onions are caramelized.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan and return the chicken pieces. Add the herbs, vinegar and wine and bring to a boil.

Add the olives and tomatoes and bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serves 4 to 6.

From Style at Home magazine

This hearty soup from the Barefoot Contessa is full of goodness – squash, tomatoes, cannellini beans, pasta and spinach. And the bacon doesn’t hurt either. I made this soup in two stages: the first day I simmered the vegetables and liquid, and the next day I added the beans, pasta and spinach. I did not use pesto, although I’m sure it would have been a great addition.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for bacon or pancetta with no nitrites added. You can make your own stock, or use an all-natural one, such as Imagine brand. I used PC Blue Menu white kidney beans and a white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. Make sure the bread has not additives; I used a baguette from Ace Bakery. Cheese can contain colour, so look for a brand with no colour added.

Bacon adds depth of flavour

This minestrone contains onion, garlic, carrots, squash and fresh herbs

Once the vegetables are tender, add the liquids and simmer 30 minutes

Just before serving, add spinach and stir until it wilts

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve

Ingredients:

Good olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, ½-inch-diced

1½ cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)

2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)

2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash

1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

26 ounces canned tomatoes

6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti

8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup good dry white wine

2 tablespoons store-bought pesto Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Garlic Bruschetta

1 baguette

Good olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot. Serves 6 to 8.

For the Garlic Bruschetta: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.

From Foolproof by the Barefoot Contessa