Archive for September, 2018

In this recipe from the New York Times, farro (a type of wheat grain) is cooked on top of the stove then topped with salmon fillets. While the salmon steams, toss cucumbers, radicchio and dill with a lemony dressing. The farro turns out savour and chewy, the salmon is moist and the salad adds colour and crunch.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

All ingredients in this recipe are additive-free.

Cook onion and farro until grain is toasty

Add water and simmer

Meanwhile, make salad

Farro is done when most of the water is absorbed and the grain is al dente

Place salmon fillet on top of farro, cover and steam

Remove skin from salmon before serving

Farro with salmon, cucumber, radicchio and dill

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 onion, finely chopped (1 cup/250 ml)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 cups (500 ml) farro (12 ounces/340 g), rinsed and drained

1 lemon

3 mini (or Persian) seedless cucumbers (7 ounces/198 g)

1 small head radicchio (5 ounces/141 g)

⅓ cup (75 ml) packed finely chopped dill

4 boneless salmon fillets (4 ounces/113g each, and about 1-inch/2.5 cm thick)

Preparation:

Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the oil in a large straight-sided skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until starting to turn clear, about 3 minutes. Add farro, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the pan is dry and the farro smells toasty, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 ½ cups (725 ml) water. Bring to a boil, then cover skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, zest the lemon into a large bowl, then squeeze in its juice. Cut the cucumbers in quarters lengthwise, then slice into ½ -inch (1.25 cm) slices crosswise (you should have 2 cups/500 ml); add to the bowl. Quarter and core the radicchio, then thinly slice into ¼ -inch (0.67 cm) strips (you should have 3 cups/750 ml); add to the bowl. Add dill, remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper to the bowl, and toss until evenly coated.

When the farro is done, season the salmon with salt and pepper. Uncover the farro. Most of the water should be absorbed and the grains should be al dente. Set the salmon on top of the farro in a single layer, skin side up if applicable. Cover and steam to desired doneness, 6 to 7 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the heat. If your salmon has skin, grip a corner with a paper towel and peel off and discard; repeat with the remaining fillets. The skin should come off easily in a single piece.

Divide the farro and salmon among bowls, flaking the salmon into pieces if you like, and top with the cucumber salad. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.

From the New York Times

This recipe from Bon Appetit is easy, tasty and pretty. Cook whole peppers in a hot cast iron skillet until they start to brown, then cool and slice. Return the peppers to the skillet with shallot, chile and thyme and set a whole chicken on top. Roast until the chicken is done and then serve the carved chicken over the beautifully soft and luscious vegetables.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Everything in this recipe is additive-free.

Cook peppers until they begin to colour

Slice peppers and place in skillet with shallot and thyme

Top with whole chicken and roast

Roast chicken with bell peppers, lemon and thyme

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers (any colour)

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced crosswise

5 sprigs thyme, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) plus 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 3½–4-lb. (1.6-1.8 kg) chicken, patted dry

1 lemon, halved

Preparation:

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425° F (218° C). Heat a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook bell peppers in skillet, turning every minute or two, until blistered in several spots, about 5 minutes. (You aren’t trying to cook them, just get some color on them.) Transfer bell peppers to a cutting board and let cool slightly; reserve skillet. Stand a pepper upright and slice off sides, working your way around stem in 3 or 4 cuts. Pull out ribs and seeds; discard along with stems. Repeat with remaining peppers.

Return peppers to skillet and add shallot, chile, and 3 thyme sprigs. Season generously with salt and black pepper and drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) oil over. Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper and set on top of peppers. Place a lemon half and remaining 2 thyme sprigs in chicken cavity and rub skin all over with remaining 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) oil. Roast in oven until skin is golden brown and crisp all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 160° F  (71° C), 60–80 minutes. Remove from oven (be careful; handle is hot!) and let rest 15 minutes before transferring chicken to a cutting board and carving.

Just before serving, squeeze remaining lemon half over chicken and bell peppers. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This delicious salad from Bon Appetit features grilled corn tossed with a spicy dressing, avocado, chile and cilantro. If you don’t have a barbecue, just cut the kernels from the cobs and sauté them in the butter until they are tender and beginning to brown. I served this right away, without chilling it for two hours, and it was great. It was also very good the next day, chilled.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your butter does not contain colour and be sure to use fresh lime juice. I use Simply Natural Organic Sriracha.

Grill corn or remove kernels and saute

The corn is tossed with a honey-lime dressing

Grilled corn salad with hot honey-lime dressing

Ingredients:

3 ears of corn, husked

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) unsalted butter, melted

1½ tsp. (7.5 ml) kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. (45 ml) fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) honey

1½ tsp. (7.5 ml) Sriracha

1 tsp. (5 ml) granulated garlic or garlic powder

1½ avocados, cut into ¾-inch (1.9-cm) pieces

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

½ cup (125 ml) cilantro leaves with tender stems

Preparation:

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Brush ears of corn with butter; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until kernels are very tender and charred in spots, 10–12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut kernels from cobs.

Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, honey, Sriracha, granulated garlic, and 1½ tsp. (7.5 ml) salt in a large bowl to combine. Add corn, avocados, chile, and cilantro to vinaigrette and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing in direct contact with salad to prevent avocados from turning brown. Chill at least 2 hours. Do Ahead: Salad can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Serves 8.

From Bon Appetit

This fun recipe from Bon Appetit lets everyone assemble their own meal. Marinate shrimp briefly in a spicy sauce then quickly cook them in a skillet. Arrange the shrimp, cucumbers, herbs, lettuce and peanuts on plates and let everyone compose their own wrap. In addition to cucumbers, I used red pepper and radishes. I also used cilantro instead of mint.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Sambal oelek typically contains additives, so I used Simply Natural Organic Sriracha. Check the sesame oil and nuts to make sure they are additive-free.

This recipe lets everyone assemble their own meal

Sambal shrimp lettuce wraps

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)

¼ cup (60 ml) honey

¼ cup (60 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

4 tsp. (20 ml) toasted sesame oil, divided

1½ lb. (680 g) large shrimp

Kosher salt

1–2 Tbsp. (15-30 ml) vegetable oil

2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds

Flaky sea salt

2 heads of Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, covered, chilled

½ cup (125 ml) mint sprigs

½ cup (125 ml) crushed salted, dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation:

Whisk hot chili paste, honey, vinegar, and 2 tsp. (10 ml) sesame oil in a small bowl to combine. Season shrimp lightly with kosher salt and place in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in half of marinade and seal bag. Transfer remaining marinade to a small bowl and set aside for serving. Let shrimp sit at room temperature, turning the bag occasionally to ensure even coating, 10–15 minutes.

Remove shrimp from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into bag, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Heat 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches and adding another 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) oil along the way if the skillet is looking dry, arrange shrimp in skillet in a single layer and cook undisturbed 2 minutes (the marinade will have darkened in colour and some of the sugars in it will have started to caramelize). Turn shrimp over and cook 30 seconds. Transfer to a platter.

Arrange cucumbers on platter next to shrimp; season with sea salt and drizzle with remaining 2 tsp. (10 ml) sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves and mint sprigs on platter so that each component is visible and easily accessible. Place crushed peanuts in a small bowl and set out next to platter along with reserved marinade (for spooning into wraps). Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit