Eye for a Recipe

I love sheet pan dinners. A protein, some veggies a nice sauce and dinner is ready. If you line the baking sheet with parchment or heavy-duty foil, you can even avoid washing it! This recipe from Canadian Living is quick, healthy and colourful. Make a quick vinaigrette with wine vinegar, mustard and shallots and toss some of it with green beans and cherry tomatoes. Place salmon on the lined baking sheet, surround it with the beans and tomatoes and bake until the fish is cooked through. Top with olives, capers and parsley and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar and President’s Choice Old Fashioned Dijon. Unico caper are additive-free, as are Silver Leaf Kalamata olives.

Arrange salmon, beans and tomatoes on a lined baking sheet

Bake until the salmon is cooked through

Sheet pan Mediterranean salmon

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

3 tbsp (45 ml) red wine or white wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 ml) grainy mustard

1 shallot, finely chopped

½ tsp (2.5 ml) each salt and pepper

1 skin-on salmon fillet, about 1 lb (454 g)

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) each salt and pepper

3 cups (750 ml) green beans, trimmed

3 cups (75 ml) cherry tomatoes

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped parsley

¼ cup (60 ml) pitted black olives

Caper berries for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve ¼ cup (60 ml).

Arrange salmon, skin side down, on prepared pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss green beans and cherry tomatoes with remaining vinaigrette and then scatter them around the salmon.

Bake until fish flakes easily when tested and vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Flake fish into large pieces. Sprinkle with parsley, olives and capers (if using).

Divide fish and vegetables among plates; drizzle with reserved vinaigrette. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from Kitchn tastes as good as it looks. Toss thinly sliced potatoes in garlic, salt and pepper and arrange them into overlapping rows to create four rectangles. Roast the potato “rafts” for a half hour, then top with the fish, butter, lemon, thyme and capers. Roast until the fish is cooked through and then serve. Healthy (about 330 calories per serving) and delicious!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a brand of butter than contains only cream and has no colour added. I use Unico capers, which are additive-free.

Arrange potato slices into rectangles and roast

Place fish, butter, lemon, capers and thyme on top of potatoes and cook until fish is done

The fish is flavoured by the butter, thyme, capers and lemon as it cooks

Lemon-herb sole on crispy potato rafts

Ingredients:

1½ pounds (680 g) russet potatoes (about 2 medium), unpeeled and scrubbed, sliced into ¼-inch-thick (0.64 cm) rounds

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (roughly 1 tablespoon/15 ml)

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless sole fillets or other firm white fish (5 ounces/142 g each and 1 to 1½ inches/2.5 cm to 3.8 cm thick)

4 tablespoons/60 ml unsalted butter

1 lemon, thinly sliced

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons (30 ml) capers, drained

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) with a rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until thoroughly coated.

Assemble 4 potato rafts by overlapping potato slices on the prepared pan in rectangular mounds. Each raft should consist of 3 or 4 shingled rows and be roughly 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm); use 3 or 4 slices of potato per row.

Roast the potatoes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and beginning to crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

Blot the fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Place one, skin-side down, centered on top of each potato raft. Top each piece of fish with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter, 2 lemon slices, and 2 sprigs thyme. Scatter the capers atop the fish and around the pan.

Return the pan to the oven and roast until the fish is flaky and opaque, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the potato rafts and accompanying fillets to individual plates, ideally with a big spatula. Serve hot. Serves 4.

From Kitchn

This tasty dish from Food and Wine takes about 20 minutes to make. Sear the fish in butter and then transfer to the oven to roast. Meanwhile, fry bread cubes and then add lemon juice, wine, capers and herbs. Serve the sauce over the fish and dinner is ready!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the butter does not contain colour and the bread is preservative-free. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a wine with a sulfite level of less than 10 parts per million. I use wine from Frogpond Farm organic winery. Unico capers are additive-free.

Sear fish

Fry croutons and then add lemon juice, wine, capers and herbs

Fish with Capers and Croutons

Ingredients:

¾ cup (180 ml) unsalted butter, divided

1 teaspoon (15 ml) olive oil

4 skinless fish fillets, such as cod, halibut, tilapia or skate (about 2 pounds/1 kg total)

Kosher salt

White pepper

½ pound (250 g) crusty bread, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes (about 3 cups/750 ml)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) dry white wine

¼ cup (60 ml) salt-packed capers, rinsed well and drained

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped parsley

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped tarragon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 475° F (245° C). In a large ovenproof skillet, melt ¼ cup (60 ml) of the butter with the oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper, add to the skillet, and cook over moderate heat until bottom is browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the fish, transfer the skillet to the oven, and roast until the fish is just white throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plates and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, melt the remaining ½ cup (125 ml) of butter. Add the bread cubes and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and wine, and cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the capers and herbs. Spoon the mixture over the fish and serve. Serves 4.

From Food and Wine

This tasty dish from Chef Daphna Rabinovitch takes only minutes to make. Pound chicken breasts until they are thin, dredge in flour and cook them. Once the cutlets are done, make a quick pan sauce flavoured with lemon and capers.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Imagine chicken stock, which has no artificial colours or flavours. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. I use Unico capers, which are additive-free.

Pound chicken until it is then and then dredge in flour

Fry until browned and cooked through

While chicken rests, make a pan sauce

Chicken piccata

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, filet removed, pounded thin to ¼ inch (0.64 cm) thickness

¼ cup (60 ml) all purpose flour

¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper

3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil (not olive oil)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock

2 tsp (10 ml) grated lemon rind

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) drained capers

2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

3 tbsp (45 ml) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation:

In large shallow bowl or plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Carefully coat chicken breasts in flour mixture, reserving any remaining flour.

Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add cutlets, two at a time, to prevent overcrowding of the pan, and cook, turning once, for 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Transfer cooked cutlets to plate; cover to keep warm. Add remaining oil to pan; repeat with last two cutlets, transferring to plate to keep warm once cooked.

Stir garlic into pan; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of reserved flour mixture; cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Pour in chicken stock; bring to boil. Boil for about 3 minutes or until reduced to ½ cup (125 ml). Pour in lemon rind, juice and capers, simmer for another minute or so until thickened and flavourful. Swirl in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. Serves 4.

Daphna Rabinovitch

This delicious and colourful salad from the Summer 2015 issue of Food and Drink is perfect for a fall potluck. Saute garlic, peppers and onion until soft and stir in tangy capers, balsamic vinegar and oil. Toss with cooked mini potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley. Cook’s Note: This tastes best served at room temperature.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The two ingredients that may contain additives are the vinegar and the capers. Look for a balsamic vinegar with naturally occurring sulfites. I use Unico capers.

Boil mini potatoes until tender

Saute peppers and onions

When the vegetables are soft, toss with vinegar and capers

Garnish with parsley and serve at room temperature

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) olive oil

1 head garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced

2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 large orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp (45 ml) good quality balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp (30 ml) drained capers

3 lbs (1.5 kg) mini yellow-fleshed potatoes

½ cup (125 ml) firmly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry garlic until light golden, about 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside.

Add peppers and onion to pan; season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium- low and cook, stirring from time to time, until vegetables are very soft, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in reserved garlic, balsamic vinegar and capers; reserve.

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 12 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, cut each in half and add to a large shallow serving bowl or platter. Spoon oil and pepper mixture over potatoes and gently toss to combine. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

Bring to room temperature if necessary and, when ready to serve, scatter with parsley and gently toss once again. Serves 10.

From the Summer 2015 issue of Food and Drink

This recipe from the Barefoot Contessa is one of my favourite pasta salad recipes. Fresh tomatoes, black olives, fresh mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes are tossed with cooked pasta and then dressed with a tangy vinaigrette. Top with grated Parmesan and chopped basil and you have a wonderful side dish or vegetarian lunch.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

It can be difficult to find sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil that do not contain sulfites. You can dry your own, or look for a sulfite-free brand, such as Mediterranean Organic. Check the ingredients on the olives and fresh mozzarella. I use Pilaros olives (available at Costco) and Tre Stella bocconcini cheese. Red wine vinegar can contain sulfites – I used Eden Organic brand. Unico capers are additive free. Make sure the Parmesan does not contain colour.

Fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, olives and fresh mozzarella

Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes

Ingredients:

½ pound (225 g) fusilli (spirals) pasta

Kosher salt

Olive oil

1 pound (454 g) ripe tomatoes, medium-diced

¾ cup (188 ml) good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced

1 pound (454 g) fresh mozzarella, medium-diced

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons (90 ml) good olive oil

1 garlic clove, diced

1 teaspoon (5 ml) capers, drained

2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (250 ml) freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup (250 ml) packed basil leaves, julienned

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well. Serves 6-8.

From the Barefoot Contessa