Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from NYT Cooking mostly uses pantry ingredients and is a great weeknight supper. Combine canned salmon, panko, mayonnaise, egg, dill, garlic, paprika, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into balls and bake for about 10 minutes. You could also pan fry the salmon balls.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Clover Leaf pink salmon, Hellmann’s mayo and homemade breadcrumbs. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Baked salmon meatballs

Ingredients:

4 (5-ounce/142-g) cans skinless and boneless salmon, drained

1 cup (250 ml) panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup (60 ml) mayonnaise (or olive oil)

1 large egg

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh dill

1 garlic clove, grated

1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika

1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges

Salt and black pepper

Tartar sauce (optional), or other favourite sauce

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To a medium bowl, add the salmon, panko, mayonnaise, egg, dill, garlic, paprika, lemon zest and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) each of salt and black pepper. Mix until just combined.

Form the salmon mixture into 24 small balls (about 2 tablespoons/30 ml each) and place on the baking sheet. Bake meatballs for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges and, if you like, tartar sauce or your desired dipping sauce on the side.

From NYT Cooking

America’s Test Kitchen just put out its latest cookbook, Dinner Tonight, and it is filled with creative recipes that can be on the table in 45 minutes or less. In this recipe, pork tenderloin, croutons and vegetables are roasted on a sheet pan for 20 minutes. While they are roasting, make a dressing of oil, vinegar, mustard, capers and their brine and garlic and toss with cucumber, cherry tomatoes and basil. Remove the pan from the oven and let the pork rest for 10 minutes. Add the croutons and cooked veggies to the other vegetables and toss to combine. Top the salad with sliced pork and serve. Cook’s note: I used zucchini instead of summer squash and omitted the basil.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar, which has no added sulfites, President’s Choice Old-Fashion Dijon mustard and an Ace Bakery baguette. Unico capers are additive-free.

Pork tenderloin and panzanella salad

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon (15 ml) packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cornstarch

2 (1-pound/454 g) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Salt and pepper

1 (12-inch/30-cm) baguette, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces

1 red onion, cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch- (1.25-cm) wide strips

1 yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces

½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) capers, rinsed, plus 1 tablespoon brine

1 garlic clove, minced

½ seedless English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch (1.25-cm) pieces

6 ounces (170 g) cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped fresh basil

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Whisk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mustard, sugar, and cornstarch in bowl until no lumps of cornstarch remain.

Pat tenderloins dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place tenderloins in centre of rimmed baking sheet (it’s OK if they are touching) and brush tops and sides with the vinegar mixture.

Toss baguette, onion, bell pepper, squash, ¼ cup (60 ml) oil, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper in large bowl until baguette and vegetables are well coated with oil. Distribute vegetable mixture around tenderloins on sheet. Roast until pork registers 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 20 minutes, stirring vegetable mixture halfway through roasting.

Meanwhile, whisk capers and brine, garlic, ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml) salt, ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml) pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mustard, and remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) oil together in now-empty bowl.

Transfer tenderloins to carving board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. While tenderloins rest, add cucumber, tomatoes, 6 tablespoons basil and vegetable mixture to bowl with caper dressing and toss to combine.

Transfer salad to serving platter. Slice tenderloins ½ inch (1.25-cm) thick and arrange over salad. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) basil. Serves 4-6.

From Dinner Tonight

This one-pot meal from Bon Appetit combines chicken thighs with cilantro-infused rice and black beans. Season the chicken and set aside. Combine cilantro, onion, green pepper and garlic in blender and process until it is smooth. Brown the chicken on one side and set aside. Cook the cilantro purée in the same pot for a few minutes and then add the beans, rice and water. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat and arrange the chicken on top of the rice mixture. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit in oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and feta cheese and serve with lime wedges. Cook’s note: I omitted the lime wedges.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Unico or Blue Menu beans are free of additives. You could also soak and cook a cup of dried beans. I used Tre Stelle feta.

One-pot chicken thighs with cilantro rice and beans

Ingredients:

2 lb. (900 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs (6–8)

1 tsp. (5 ml) freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. (5 ml) ground cumin

3 tsp. (15 ml) kosher salt, divided

1 bunch cilantro, rinsed well, tough stems removed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped

6 garlic cloves

3 tbsp. (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 15.5-oz. (439 g) can black beans, rinsed

1½ cups (375 ml) long-grain white rice (do not rinse)

Crumbled feta cheese and lime wedges (for serving; optional)

Preparation:

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F (190°C). Pat skinless, boneless chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with pepper, cumin, and 2 tsp. (10 ml) kosher salt. Set aside.

Set aside a small handful of cilantro, rinsed well, tough stems removed, for serving if desired. Blend 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 medium green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped, 6 garlic cloves, and remaining cilantro in a blender on high speed until mostly smooth. Set aside.

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large high-sided ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, cook reserved chicken in a single layer, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, arranging browned side up. (Chicken will still be raw.)

Cook reserved purée in same pan over medium heat, stirring often, until it dries out into a loose, tomato-paste-like texture, 6–8 minutes. Add black beans, rinsed, long-grain white rice (do not rinse), remaining 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1½ cups (375 ml) water; bring to a simmer, then immediately remove pan from heat.

Arrange chicken, browned side up, on top of beans and rice; cover pan. (If lid doesn’t fit well, cover pan with foil first.) Transfer to oven; bake 45 minutes. (Be exact; don’t peek.) Turn off oven; let sit in oven (still covered) 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, uncover, and fluff rice with a fork. Scatter crumbled feta cheese (if using) and cilantro if you reserved some over. Serve with lime wedges if desired. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This is another recipe from Alison Roman’s Something from Nothing that is perfect for a cold winter night. Make the sauce by cooking onions, garlic, seasoning and canned tomatoes. For the cheese mixture, combine ricotta, cream and garlic. Cook the pasta. Assemble by layering the sauce, pasta and cheese mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes. Cook’s notes: Don’t be shy about using enough sauce, otherwise the pasta will be dry. If you want the finished product to be more browned on the top, place the pasta under the broiler for a minute or two. This would also be very good with a meat sauce. Add a pound of ground meat or poultry when the onions are cooking and then continue with the sauce recipe, cooking for an extra 30 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Unico tomatoes, Tre Stelle ricotta and Simple brand mozzarella are all free of colour, additives and preservatives. Genuine Parmesan is also free of colour, additives and preservatives; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Baked shells

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper

2 large or 4 small onions, diced

8–10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus 1 clove garlic, grated

½–1 (2.5-5 ml) teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1 (28-ounce/796 ml) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice

1 (28-ounce/796 ml) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup (250 ml) ricotta

3 tablespoons (45 ml) heavy cream

1 pound (454 g) large pasta shells

½ pound (227 g) salted mozzarella, roughly torn by hand or grated on a box grater

Parmesan, for grating

Preparation:

Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown, turning down the heat if needed), 8 to 10 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the crushed tomatoes to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill the empty can about halfway with water, swirling to get any excess crushed tomatoes hanging around, and add it to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low (or low, depending on your stove) and cook, stirring occasionally, letting it bubble gently, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavours have come together, at least 30 minutes, and up to an hour and a half.

Make the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream, and 1 clove grated garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Prepare the pasta: Heat oven to 425°F (218°C) and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. Cook pasta until it’s nearly al dente and drain. Return pasta to pot and add two cups sauce, tossing to make sure the sauce gets in all the nooks and crannies and is nicely coated.

When assembling, try not to fuss too much over the measurements, but be mindful that you always want to end with a good amount of cheese and sauce on the top to give you a bubbly, browned top.

Spoon a bit of the remaining sauce in the bottom of a 3-quart (3-L) baking dish, then add ⅓ of the pasta. Spoon a little sauce on top, then dollop with ricotta and dot with mozzarella. Grate parmesan on top. Add another ⅓ of the pasta, followed by more sauce, more ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan. Add the rest of the pasta, more sauce, the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella, another good grating of parm and some pepper (there’s a good chance you’ll have some pasta sauce left over– refrigerate or freeze for another time).

Place the baking dish on a foil-lined sheet pan and loosely cover the baking dish with foil. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes before removing the foil and continuing to bake until it’s nicely browned and bubbling, another 20-ish minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes or so before eating– it will stay very hot for a while, so don’t worry. Serves 6-8. The sauce can be made 5 days ahead, refrigerated and can be frozen for up to two months. The baked pasta can be assembled and baked several days ahead, kept wrapped and refrigerated. To reheat from cold, simply bake per the instructions above. It can also be assembled and frozen up to two months ahead– to reheat from frozen, keep wrapped in foil and bake at 325°F (162°C) until totally defrosted and bubbly (60-ish minutes), remove foil, increase temperature to 425°F (218°C) and bake until golden brown, 20 minutes or so.

From Something from Nothing