Eye for a Recipe

This pasta recipe from America’s Test Kitchen is very tasty and uses only one pan. Cook tomatoes in a hot cast-iron skillet until blistered. Add garlic, tomato paste and hot pepper flakes and cook briefly. Lightly mash the tomatoes. Add uncooked pasta and water, cover and cook until the pasta is done, about 18 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and basil, sprinkle with mozzarella and broil until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Simple brand tomato paste and mozzarella are free of additives. Check the hot pepper flakes to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Genuine Parmesan has no additives; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Cast iron baked ziti with charred tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds (680 g) grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon (5 ml) tomato paste

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) red pepper flakes

12 ounces (340 g) ziti

3 cups (750 ml) water, plus extra as needed

1 ounce (28 g/125 ml) Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh basil

4 ounces (113 g/250 ml) mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack 6 inches (15 cm) from broiler element and heat broiler. Heat 12-inch (30-cm) cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Toss tomatoes with oil and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and blistered, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, coarsely mash tomatoes using potato masher.

Stir in pasta and water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to vigorous simmer, cover, and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Stir in Parmesan and adjust sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serves 4.

From America’s Test Kitchen

This recipe from America’s Test Kitchen makes a great weeknight supper. Cut pork tenderloin into four pieces and pound until ¼ inch (0.6 cm). Dredge the cutlets in flour, egg and panko and let dry for 5 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet and cook pork for about 2 minutes per side. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the panko does not contain preservatives. I use PC brand.

Crisp pork cutlets

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour.

2 large eggs

1 cup (250 ml) panko breadcrumbs

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 4 pieces, and pounded ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil

Preparation:

Place flour in shallow dish. Beat eggs in second shallow dish. Place panko in third shallow dish. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with one at a time, coat cutlets lightly with flour, dip in egg, and dredge in crumbs, pressing to adhere. Transfer cutlets to large plate and let dry for 5 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer pork to paper towel–lined plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Serves 4.

From America’s Test Kitchen

This one-pot recipe from America’s Test Kitchen is perfect for supper on a cold winter night. Puree beans, tomatoes, juice and broth until smooth. Brown sausages and set aside. Cook onion, garlic, puree mixture, kale, tomatoes and seasoning. Add more beans, return the sausages to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Season and serve with crust bread.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Blue Menu beans are additive-free, or you could soak and cook ¾ cup (187.5 ml) dried beans. Unico tomatoes are free of additives. I used Better Than Bouillon paste for the broth and Free From hot Italian sausages.

One-pot Italian sausages with white beans and kale

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce/425 g) cans cannellini beans, rinsed

1 (28-ounce/794 g) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved

1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound (454 g) sweet or hot Italian sausage, pricked all over with fork

1 onion, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound (454 g) kale, stemmed and chopped

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Puree ½ cup (125 ml) beans, ½ cup (125 ml) tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and chicken broth in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add sausages and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add onion to fat left in pot and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato puree mixture, kale, remaining drained tomatoes, and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted and tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in remaining beans, then nestle browned sausages and any accumulated juices into pot. Cover and simmer until sausages register 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) and sauce is thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 4.

From America’s Test Kitchen

This recipe, inspired by America’s Test Kitchen’s Air-Fryer Perfection, makes a great late summer lunch or dinner. Grill sausages, peppers and onion, load into warmed buns and top with your favourite condiments. Cook’s note: To keep onion slices from separating and falling through the grill rack, thread them onto metal or pre-soaked wooden skewers.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Free From hot Italian sausages and Ace Bakery buns, which are additive-free.

Grilled sausage and vegetable subs

Ingredients:

4 mild or hot Italian sausages

1 red pepper, seeded, sides and bottoms sliced off

1 green pepper, seeded, sides and bottoms sliced off

1 red onion, cut into thick slices

Vegetable oil

2 sausage buns

Preparation:

Preheat and grease the grill. Wrap the buns in aluminum foil and warm on the grill. Toss the vegetables with a little vegetable oil. Grill the vegetables, turning once, until charred and tender. Remove from grill and slice into strips. Grill the sausages, turning every few minutes, until they have browned and reached an internal temperature of 160 F (71 C). Place the sausages in the warm buns and top with grilled vegetables. Serves 4.

Adapted from Air-Fryer Perfection

This healthy and tasty recipe from America’s Test Kitchen can be made in a toaster oven or regular oven. Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, water, shallot, oil garlic, lemon zest and juice and seasoning in a baking dish. Rub cod with oil and spices and nestle into chickpea mixture. Bake until the cod is just cooked through.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Blue Menu chickpeas are additive free. Make sure the dried spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Nestle cod into chickpea mixture

Bake until the cod is just cooked through

Baked cod with cherry tomatoes and chickpeas

Ingredients:

15-oz can (443 ml) chickpeas, rinsed

6 oz (170 g) cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp (30 ml) water

1 shallot, minced

3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) grated lemon zest plus 1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) juice

1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander, divided

1 tsp (5 ml) paprika, divided

½ tsp (2.5 ml) table salt, divided

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 6-8-oz (170-226 g) skinless cod fillets, 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) thick

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 F (204 C). Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, water, shallot, 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) coriander, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) paprika, ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt and pepper in 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish or pan.

Combine remaining ½ tsp (2.5 ml) coriander, remaining ½ tsp (2.5 ml) paprika, remaining ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt and cayenne in bowl. Rub cod with 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and sprinkle with spice mixture. Nestle cod into chickpea mixture and bake until od flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 F (60 C), 20 to 25 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and sprinkle with cilantro to serve. Serves 2.

From America’s Test Kitchen

This recipe from Bowls by America’s Test Kitchen combines green beans, ground pork and water chestnuts, bathed in a mouth-numbing Sichuan sauce and served over rice. Cook’s note: I used radishes instead of water chestnuts, white rice instead of brown and orange and pineapple pieces instead of mandarin oranges.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the peppercorns and red pepper flakes don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and check to make sure that the sesame oil, water chestnuts and mandarin oranges are additive-free.

Cook the beans

Add the pork and cook

Add the water chestnuts (I used radishes instead) and sauce

Sichuan stir-fry bowl

Ingredients:

1 tsp (5 ml) Sichuan peppercorns

3 tbsp (45 ml) water

2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

½ tsp (2.5 ml) cornstarch

1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil

12 oz (340 g) green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

4 oz (113 g) ground pork

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ to ½ tsp (1.25 ml to 2.5 ml) red pepper flakes

1 (8 oz/125 ml) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups cooked brown rice, warm

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh cilantro leaves

Mandarin orange segments (optional)

Preparation:

Process Sichuan peppercorns in spice grinder until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Whisk ground peppercorns, water, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch together in bowl; set aside. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch (30-cm) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until green beans are shrivelled and blackened in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add pork and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon until no pink remains, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk sauce to recombine then add to skillet along with water chestnuts and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 15 seconds.

Divide rice among individual serving bowls, then top with green bean and pork mixture and sprinkle with cilantro and mandarin oranges, if using. Serves 2.

From Bowls, by America’s Test Kitchen

I have a major weakness for cookbooks and just added America’s Test Kitchen’s Bowls to my collection. Bowls combine vegetables, protein and sauce over a base of greens, rice, grains or noodles. I like this cookbook because suggests many ways to customize your bowl, as well as tips on improvising and presentation. In this recipe, spicy Chinese noodles are topped with vegetables, shrimp, scallions and cilantro. I omitted the carrot.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure the noodles are additive-free. I used dried chow mein noodles and frozen shrimp with only salt added. Check the curry powder for colour and anti-caking agents. You can also make your own.

Cook the shrimp and set aside

Cook the vegetables and set aside

Toss noodles with sauce, curry powder, garlic and ginger

Top noodles with shrimp, peppers, scallions, cilantro and a lime wedge

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) water

2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce

1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

6 ounces (170 g) fresh or dried Chinese noodles

4 tsp (20 ml) vegetable oil, divided

½ red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long (5-cm-long) matchsticks

1 tbsp (15 ml) curry powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp (2.5 ml) grated fresh ginger

¾ cup (185 ml) sautéed shrimp

¼ cup (60 ml) cilantro leaves

1 scallion, sliced thin on the bias

Preparation:

Whisk water, soy sauce, sugar and lime juice together in small bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside. Bring 2 quarts (2 L) water to boil in large saucepan. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until nearly tender. Drain noodles and rinse thoroughly with cold water; set aside.

Heat 1 tsp (5 ml) oil in 12-inch (30-cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl, cover with aluminum foil and set aside until ready to serve.

Add remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil, curry powder, garlic and ginger to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture and noodles, tossing to coat noodles with sauce, and cook until liquid is absorbed but noodles are still glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among individual bowls, then top with vegetable mixture and shrimp and sprinkle with cilantro and scallions. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 2.

From Bowls by America’s Test Kitchen

I have a new kitchen toy — an extra-large air fryer. Air fryers aren’t really fryers at all – they are small convection ovens that circulate hot air with a fan. The intense hot air approximates frying — with little or no fat. I have a Philips Avance model and have been impressed with the results — crispy fries, moist fish and chicken that cooks through and browns in 20 minutes. It frees up oven space and there is no spatter! On the down side, it is large and heavy, so I’ve been leaving mine on the countertop. These Tandoori chicken thighs are from the American’s Test Kitchen Air Fryer Perfection cookbook. Marinate the chicken for a few minutes and then air fry for 20-30 minutes. You could also bake them in a 425 F (218 C) oven for 30-40 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your dried spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use fresh lime juice and yogurt with no additives.

There are many different models of air fryers. This is a Philips XL Avance.

Marinate the chicken and place in the fryer basket.

The chicken is cooked and well-browned in about 20 minutes.

Air fried Tandoori chicken thighs

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp (15 ml) grated fresh garlic

1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) garam masala

1 tsp (5 ml) chili powder

1 tsp (5 ml) vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

½ cup (125 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt

4 tsp (20 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice

4 5-oz (140-g) bone in, skin-on chicken thighs

Preparation:

Combine garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, oil, ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt and ¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper in large bowl and microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly, then stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) yogurt and 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Using metal skewer, poke skin side of chicken 10 to 15 times (omit this step if you aren’t using an air fryer). Add to bowl with yogurt-spice mixture and toss to coat; set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) yogurt and remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) lime juice in clean bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and arrange skin side up in air-fryer basket, spaced evenly apart (or place chicken on baking sheet). Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 F (204 C) (or place in pre-heated 425 F/218 C oven). Cook until chicken is well-browned and crisp and registers 195 F (90 C), 20 to 30 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking; do not flip (if roasting in oven, cook 30-40 minutes).

Transfer chicken to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with reserved yogurt-lime sauce. Serves 2.

From America’s Test Kitchen Air Fryer Perfection