Cookbooks | Simple By Cindy

Asparagus A La Parmigiana

Jun. 17
2016

I love eggs, especially with vegetables. I love the way the runny yolk gets into every crevice and yummy bite.

Eggs in vegetable dishes are more popular in Italy and France, but they are slowly making their way into the American cuisine as well. When I see it on a menu, I order it. It is these little things that make me so happy.

While browsing through my cookbooks, I came across this recipe by Andrew Cardellini from his “Urban Italian” cookbook. I love the easy and comfortable tone to his writing, as well as the information he provides about each of his recipes.

When I saw this one with the asparagus and runny eggs, it was a done deal for me. I had to make it.

This recipe was scrumptious! Fantastic, delectable, mouth-watering and delightful—- enough said.

Trust me, this recipe is fast and easy. Just measure all your ingredients before you begin. The whole process will take no time at all. This recipe didn’t indicate the number of servings, but I would estimate that it serves about 4 very satisfied people.

Ingredients for the Asparagus Parmigiana

1 bunch asparagus (about 16 stalks)
1 tsp melted butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to coat the pan
a generous pinch of salt (about 1/2 tsp. or more)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
4 eggs
2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp. breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Place a large pot of salted water on stove. Bring to a boil.

Trim about 2 inches off the bottom of the asparagus. (If you really want to be fancy, you can peel the stalks with a carrot peeler).

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until the color intensifies.

Prepare a bowl with ice water.

Remove the asparagus and place into ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.

Set your oven rack one notch below the top and turn the oven to broil.

Coat the bottom of a long pyrex or earthenware oven-friendly casserole with melted butter, or olive oil using a pastry brush.

Lay the asparagus in the casserole, making sure the pieces are placed tightly together with no spaces in between. (otherwise the egg will run through instead of browning over the asparagus.)

Use a pastry brush to glaze the asparagus with melted olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the thyme and rosemary on top. Be generous with the herbs and seasonings; they are important to the dish’s flavor, so make sure every piece of asparagus gets its share.

Crack the eggs and put directly over the asparagus.

Sprinkle the cheese over the entire dish.

Place the casserole in the oven and broil for 2 minutes. The egg whites should be fluffy white with brown specks, but the yolks should still be runny when cut.

Remove the asparagus from the oven and drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar over the top.

Serve immediately in the baking dish.

It’s that simple!

Saffron Cauliflower

Dec. 3
2015

I made many delicious side dishes for Thanksgiving this year. This one was one of the most successful!

This recipe is courtesy of Yotam Ottolenghi, found in his “Plenty More” cookbook. There are so many wonderful recipes to choose from in all of his cookbooks. They present an unusual take on vegetables, grains and legumes that are combined with fresh ingredients to make wonderful dishes.

I choose this one because I wanted to learn how to use saffron, which quickly has become my new favorite ingredient. To tell you the entire truth, the picture he had in his book looked so beautiful I knew this would be on my Thanksgiving menu.

I will definitely be making this dish again sometime soon!

Ingredients for the Saffron Cauliflower

1 1/2 tsp. saffron
1/3 cup of boiling water
1 medium cauliflower, divided into medium florets

1 large red onion, sliced
2/3 cup of golden raisins (if they are dry, soak them in water for a few minutes, then drain)
1/2 cup good quality green olives, pitted and cut lengthways in half
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cups of roughly chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400.

Put the saffron strands in a small bowl and pour in the boiling water. Leave to infuse for a minute, then pour the saffron and water into a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the parsley, and mix everything together with your hands.

Transfer the mix to a medium ovenproof dish, cover with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender but still a bit firm, not soft. Remove the dish from the oven and stir it around, then recover and return to bake.

Once the cauliflower is cooked, take it out of the oven, remove the foil and allow to cool down slightly before stirring in the parsley.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s that simple!

Chicken Piccata and Roasted Potatoes

Nov. 30
2015

It is 4:00 p.m. and once again, that nagging daily question arises. What do I make for dinner?

I really hate that question!

Today I wanted to make something simple (as always) and starting looking through my cookbooks. I came across this one, courtesy of Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa “At Home”. I love her cookbooks because the recipes are easy to read and follow. This is one you have to make! Ina writes that she makes this over and over and so will I.

My friend Tina told me how she made these potatoes for dinner one night and I knew I had to try them. They were just as she described them. Fantastic. If you make sure to really get them golden brown, they are almost addicting. I couldn’t stop eating them. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Please email me if you make any of my recipes and let me know how you liked them! Remember you can adjust, add or delete any ingredient to suit your preference! I would love to hear from you!

Ingredients for the chicken Breasts

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. kosher salt plus 1/2 tsp. for sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper plus 1/4 tsp. for sauce
1 cup flour
2 extra large eggs
1 1/2 cups seasoned dried bread crumbs
2-3 tbsp. good olive oil
1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup of good dry white wine
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound it out to 1/4 inch thick (mine were a little thicker than that) Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a plastic bag.

Beat the eggs and 1 tbsp. of water together in a bowl.

Place the bread crumbs on a plate.

Shake the chicken in the bag with the flour mixture. Take each piece out shake off the excess flour, dip it into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs.

Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large saute’ pan over medium to low-medium heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook them for 2 minutes on each side until browned. Set your timer.

Place them on the baking pan while you cook the rest of the chicken.

Heat more olive oil in the saute’ pan and cook the other 2 chicken breasts. Place them on the baking pan as well and place in the oven. Allow them to bake for 5-7 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute’ pan with a paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 tbsp. of butter and then add the lemon juice, white wine, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat, add in the remaining butter and swirl to combine.

Serve one chicken breast on each plate and spoon on some of the sauce.

Top with fresh parsley.

Ingredients for the Potatoes

5 medium red potatoes
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 500.

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

Cut off ends of the potatoes and very thinly slice them.

Mix potatoes with the olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a single layer, place each slice of potato onto baking pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

It’s that simple!

Salmon Balls

Nov. 23
2015

I promised you another “ball” recipe so here it is! (See my Chicken Ball recipe here!)

This is a wonderful appetizer courtesy of “The Meatball Shop” cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow. This cookbook has so many great appetizers, dips, side dishes and desserts.

The recipes have simple ingredients and are very easy to follow. This book is definitely one you should add to your collection!

This recipe may initially seem to have many steps, but it is uncomplicated and takes very little time to prepare. You can make the salmon balls ahead and freeze them which it always a plus when planning a holiday or dinner.

Go ahead and try this one out, I think it will become one of your favorites too!

Ingredients for Salmon Balls

4 tbsp. olive oil
2 pounds salmon fillet, skin and bones removed
1 onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 large eggs
3/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Carefully lower the salmon into the pot. When the water comes back to a boil, turn off the heat and cover with a tight fitting lid. Allow the salmon to rest until it is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spatula, transfer the salmon to a tray and place it in the refrigerator to cool thoroughly, about 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450.

Drizzle 2 tbsp. of the olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and translucent but not browned, about 5-8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a tray and place in the refrigerator to cool.

When the salmon is completely cool, break the salmon into pieces but do not completely shred.

Combine the salmon and vegetables with the mayonnaise, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The balls should be touching each other.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until the balls are firm and cooked through.

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

You can also place the balls in the freezer until the day you are serving them. Take them out the morning you are going to use them and let them thaw completely and bring them to room temperature.

Place in oven set to 350 for about 20 -25 minutes or until they are warmed up.

Remember not to leave them in the oven too long. You do not want to recook them, just warm them.

It’s that simple!

Mini Buffalo Chicken Balls

Nov. 13
2015

This is another great “ball” recipe from The Meatball Shop cookbook.

My friend Beth, who has always known the best cookbooks, had tried this recipe herself and told me how wonderful it was. She was right as always and this is definitely blog worthy.

When paired with a blue cheese dip, these buffalo balls are delicious. I include them in many of my family gatherings and they are always a hit.

By the way, the author’s have a restaurant in New York City which is on my “to try” list. I hear that these balls, in particular, are among their favorites.

As I promised, this is another fabulous “ball” appetizer to try. You can make them ahead and freeze them. How great is that?

Ingredients for the Chicken Balls

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup Frank’s Redhot sauce (or any other favorite hot sauce)
1 pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
1 large egg
1/2 celery stalk, minced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450.

Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the surface.

Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, 3/4 inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching each other.

Roast for about 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 155F. (I changed this temperature to 10 degrees below original recipes to allow cooking time after it is taken out of the oven).

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

It’s that simple!