Eye for a Recipe

This quick stir fry from Canadian Living features a home-made teriyaki sauce, tender pork and colourful veggies. You could substitute chicken, steak or tofu and any vegetables you have on hand.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce. I use Marukan rice vinegar, which is additive-free.

Make the sauce

Brown the pork and set aside

Stir fry the vegetables

Return the meat to the pan, add the sauce and heat through

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) sodium-reduced soy sauce

3 tbsp (45 ml) brown sugar

3 tbsp (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp (10 ml) grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb/454 g), halved lengthwise and cut in ½ -inch-thick (1.25-cm) slices

2 sweet yellow or orange peppers, cut in 1-inch (2.54-cm) squares

1 head broccoli, cut in small florets

2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Preparation:

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, stirring and flipping often, until still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate; set aside.

Add peppers and broccoli to wok; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add reserved pork and sauce; cook, stirring often, until sauce has thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions, if using. Serve with rice or noodles, if desired. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from NYT Cooking is simple but yields outstanding results. Cook garlic in oil for a few minutes and remove. Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 40 minutes. Strain the sauce to remove the skins and seeds. Return the strained sauce to the pan and add cooked spaghetti. Cook for about 2 minutes and then remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Cook’s note: Use the freshest and ripest tomatoes you can find. You can finish the dish with freshly grated Parmesan and/or chopped fresh basil, but it’s delicious on its own.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

This recipe’s ingredients are all additive-free.

Use the best, ripest tomatoes you can find

Chop the tomatoes

Cook smashed garlic in oil for a few minutes, then remove

Add tomatoes and simmer for about 40 minutes

Strain the sauce to remove the skins and seeds; add strained sauce back to pot

Add cooked pasta to sauce, cooks for a few minutes, then remove from heat and let stand

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled

3 pounds (1.36 kg) ripe tomatoes (any mix of plum, field, heirloom, grape or cherry), coarsely chopped

Salt

1 pound (454 g) thin spaghetti

Preparation:

Add the olive oil and garlic to a large Dutch oven or high-sided skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden, and small rapid bubbles form around the cloves, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pot and discard (or eat).

Carefully and gently lower the chopped tomatoes into the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes let off some liquid and the sauce starts to bubble steadily. Season generously with salt. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce reduces significantly, about 40 minutes.

Set a metal sieve, strainer or food mill over a medium bowl. Carefully pour in the tomato sauce. If using a sieve or strainer, push the sauce through with a spoon or flexible spatula, until all that remains are seeds and skins. Be sure to repeatedly scrape off the valuable pulp collecting on the bottom of the sieve (by holding the sieve down against the edge of the bowl and pulling it back). You should have about 2 cups (500 ml) of sauce in the bowl. Taste and add more salt, if needed, then return the sauce to the Dutch oven.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.

Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces slightly and the pasta is well coated but not drowned in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit so the pasta can absorb the sauce further, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from Food and Wine enhances the flavours of heirloom and cherry tomatoes by marinating them with onions in a dressing of oil, vinegar, oregano and garlic. Cook’s notes: I used chicken thighs instead of cutlets and added feta cheese to the tomatoes and onions just before serving. I also brushed the bread with oil and grilled it until toasted.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar and Ace Bakery bread, which are both additive free. Check the dried oregano to make sure it doesn’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Marinate the tomatoes and onions

Grill chicken and serve over tomato mixture. along with crusty bread

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

6 tablespoons (90 ml) sherry or red wine vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons (7.25 ml) dried oregano

1 small garlic clove, grated

2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) black pepper, divided

12 ounces (340 g) small heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges (about 2 cups/500 ml)

8 ounces (227 g) cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes, halved (about 1 ½ cups/375 ml)

1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced crosswise into rings (about 2 cups/500 ml)

8 chicken breast cutlets

Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation:

Whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt, and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) pepper in a large bowl or baking dish. Add tomatoes and onion; toss well. Let marinate at room temperature, tossing occasionally, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Brush chicken with oil, and season with remaining 1 ½  teaspoons salt (7.5 ml) and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper. Place chicken on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Slice as desired, or leave whole. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; spoon tomato mixture and any remaining marinade in bowl over chicken. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.

From Food and Wine

This classic bread and tomato salad from Ina Garten serves a crowd and is a great way to use up late-summer produce. Sauté bread cubes in olive oil until browned. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow peppers, red onion, basil and capers in a bowl. Add the toasted bread cubes and toss with vinaigrette. Let stand for a half hour before serving to allow the flavours to blend.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon, Eden Organic red wine vinegar and Unico capers—all are additive-free. I used Ace Bakery bread, which typically does not contain artificial ingredients.

Sauté the bread cubes

Panzanella

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely minced garlic

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons (45 ml) Champagne or red wine vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) good olive oil

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) freshly ground black pepper

Salad

3 tablespoons (45 ml) good olive oil

1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) cubes (6 cups/1.5 L)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt

2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) cubes

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced ½-inch (1.25-cm) thick

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) cubes

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) cubes

½ red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons (45 ml) capers, drained

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavours to blend. Serves 12.

From Ina Garten