Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is a delicious combination of roasted vegetables, salmon and greens, topped with a brown butter sauce. Roast the root vegetables—I used carrots and rutabaga instead of potatoes—until they are done, remove from the oven and keep them warm. Place the salmon on the same baking sheet, add the asparagus tossed with Parmesan and roast until done. While the salmon is cooking, whisk together the dressing ingredients and combine with the greens. In a saucepan, brown the butter until it smells nutty and then add lemon juice. Serve the brown-butter topped salmon with the vegetables and greens. Cook’s note: I used rainbow trout instead of salmon and omitted the basil and dill.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the Cajun seasoning does not contain colour or anti-caking agents. I use Eden Organic brand red wine vinegar, which does not contain sulfites. Use butter that contains only cream and genuine Parmesan, which does not contain colour or other additives. You can tell it’s the real thing because the name is stamped on the rind.

This recipe is a sheet-pan meal, topped with brown butter

Serve brown butter-topped salmon with roasted vegetables and dressed arugula

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) baby potatoes, halved

4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 – 1 ½ pounds (454 – 680 g) salmon filet

2 tablespoons (30 ml) Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

2 teaspoons (10 ml) red wine vinegar

1 cup (250 ml) arugula

½ cup (125 ml) fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh dill, roughly torn

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

½ cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan

4 tablespoons (60 ml) salted butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425° F (218° C). On a large baking sheet, combine the potatoes, 2 tablespoons (30 l) olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Add the salmon to the center of the pan (if the salmon is large, cut it into smaller portions). Rub 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and the Cajun seasoning. Add the asparagus to the pan and toss with the Parmesan. Bake everything together for 10-15 minutes or until the salmon has reached your desired doneness.

In a bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the arugula, basil, dill, and a pinch of chili flakes. Toss to combine.

Add the butter to a medium pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown, until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice.

Serve the salmon, potatoes, and asparagus together with the arugula salad on top. Drizzle the brown butter over the salmon. Serves 6.

From Half Baked Harvest

This recipe from NYT Cooking calls for tofu, but it reminded me of a pork dish I once had and loved in a restaurant, so I substituted pork tenderloin. Slice the pork into medallions, sear until just cooked through and set aside. Make the sauce in the same pan, return the pork to the pan to coat with the sauce, add scallions and serve over steamed rice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Imagine Organic chicken stock, Yoshi mirin and San-J tamari sauce. All are additive-free.

Glazed pork with chile and star anise

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb. (454 g)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

Kosher salt

¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar

1 whole star anise

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth or chicken stock

¼ cup (60 ml) mirin

¼ cup (60 ml) dark soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (½ -inch/1.25-cm) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and thinly sliced

1 small hot dried chile

6 scallions, whites cut into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) pieces, greens thinly sliced

Steamed rice, for serving

Preparation:

Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions about ½-inch (1.25-cm) thick.

In a large skillet or cast-iron pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season both sides of the pork with salt and place in the pan; sear without moving until the contact side is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over and sear the other side until browned and cooked through. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Carefully add ½ cup (125 ml) water, the sugar and star anise to the pan. (The mixture will sputter and steam.) Cook, stirring, until the syrup is reduced and turns deep amber, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the stock carefully (again being mindful of sputtering), Shaoxing, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chile and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced, syrupy and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.

Return the pork to the pan and add the scallion whites. Toss to coat with the sauce and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the star anise and dried chile. Garnish with scallion greens and serve immediately with steamed rice. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from Bon Appetit tops cooked pasta with a sauce of sausage, garlic, basil, corn, butter and Parmesan. While the pasta cooks, brown the sausage and set aside. Cook garlic, wilt basil and cook corn until tender. Add cooked pasta, butter, pasta cooking water and Parmesan. Return sausage to pot, stir to blend the ingredients, season and serve. Cook’s note: I used hot Italian sausage instead of sweet Italian sausage.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for sausages made without additives or preservatives – I used Free From brand. Check the red pepper flakes to make sure they don’t contain colour. Use butter that contains only cream, with no colour added. Genuine Parmesan cheese is additive-free; look for the name of the cheese stamped on the rind.

Brown sausage and set aside

Wilt basil and cook corn until tender

Corn and sausage pasta

Ingredients:

12 oz. (340 g) rigatoni, spaghetti, or any pasta you have on hand

Kosher salt

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. (454 g) sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 sprigs basil, plus 1 cup (250 ml) leaves for serving

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) Aleppo-style pepper or other mild red pepper flakes

2 cups (500 ml) fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)

4 Tbsp. (60 ml) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 oz. (56 g) Parmesan, coarsely grated, plus more for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 2 cups (500 ml) pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and cook garlic in same pot, stirring occasionally, until light golden around edges, about 2 minutes. Add basil sprigs and Aleppo-style pepper; cook, stirring, until basil is wilted, about 1 minute.

Add corn and ½ cup (125 ml) water to pot and cook, stirring often, until corn is mostly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in pasta and 1 cup (250 ml) pasta cooking liquid. Then add butter and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add 2 oz. (56 g) Parmesan in several additions, stirring after each addition until sauce is smooth. Return sausage to pot and cook, adding a splash or two more of cooking liquid if needed to loosen sauce, until flavours meld, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Divide pasta among shallow bowls; top with basil leaves and more Parmesan. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This recipe from Bon Appetit pairs roast chicken and vegetables with tomatoes and a tangy feta sauce. Toss the chicken, lemons and onions in oil and fresh oregano. Brown the chicken, set aside and cook the onions and lemon slices. Return the chicken to the pan and roast until done. While the chicken cooks, make the feta sauce. Serve the chicken, lemon and onion with sliced tomatoes and the feta sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for feta and yogurt without additives and preservatives. I used Tre Stelle feta and Astro Original Balkan-Style yogurt.

Toss the chicken, onions and lemon slices with oil and oregano

Brown the chicken, set aside and then cook the onions and lemon slices

Return chicken to pan and roast until done

Serve chicken with sliced tomatoes and feta sauce

Ingredients:

1 lemon

6 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 tsp. (10 ml) finely chopped oregano, plus leaves for serving

⅓ cup (85 ml) plus 4 Tbsp. (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2½ lb. (1.13 kg) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

2 medium red onions, cut into 1-inch- (2.54-cm) thick wedges

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 cup (250 ml) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

½ cup (125 ml) crumbled feta

2 large heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch- (1.25-cm) thick rounds and/or wedges

Preparation:

Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 450° F (232° C). Cut lemon in half. Thinly slice one half into rounds and remove seeds; set other half aside for sauce.

Whisk garlic, 2 tsp. (10 ml) chopped oregano, and ⅓ cup (85 ml) oil in a large bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to bowl; add onions and lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Heat 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) oil in a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook chicken (leave onion and lemon behind in bowl), skin side down, until deep golden brown and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate (chicken won’t be cooked through yet).

Cook onions and lemon slices in the same pan, turning occasionally, until onions have taken on some color and lemon slices have shriveled slightly, about 5 minutes.

Arrange chicken in pan, skin side up; transfer pan to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through and onions are softened but still hold their shape, 16–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir yogurt, feta, and remaining 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) oil in a medium bowl to combine. Squeeze in juice from reserved lemon half and add 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) water; mix well. Season feta sauce with salt.

Arrange tomatoes on a platter; season with salt. Using tongs, arrange chicken, onions, and lemon slices on top. Pour any pan juices over and top with oregano leaves. Serve with feta sauce alongside. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit