Main Courses | Simple By Cindy

Summer Carbonara

May. 28
2018

Visiting my local farmer’s market is one of my favorite pastimes in the summer. There is nothing better than walking through and knowing that everything you buy was freshly grown. You know you are getting the highest quality food at an affordable price, as well as doing your part to help the local economy!

On my most recent visit, I got a few tomatoes, a bagful of fresh corn and some delicious treats from a baking vendor. Then I headed home to cook it all to my heart’s content. It is a wonderful way to spend a warm, sunny day in the summer.

There are some things you should know before going to a farmer’s market. It can be intimidating so here are some tips to help you get through it and thoroughly enjoy it.

Bring cash. Very few vendors I know take credit cards, and cash is always much easier.

Take a walk through the entire market before you buy anything. Take mental notes (or written if you prefer) of the booths you will want to return to.

Bring your own large tote bag to throw all of the items you buy in. This will make them much easier to carry.

Try something new. Last year I was visiting a vendor that had several foods I did not recognize. He let me try them. Sure enough, minutes later I was buying sea asparagus. It is a smaller version of asparagus that has several stalks emanating from the main one. It has a crunchy texture and a salty flavor. I bought it and made a delicious salad with it. Just goes to show, you never know! I will be looking for it again this year.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The vendors know how the food was grown, if any pesticides were used and how is best to store them.

Pick up your big purchases last so you do not have to carry them with you the entire time of your visit.

Now that you know some things about a farmer’s market, next time you visit make sure to pick up the ingredients for this recipe! It is an amazing version of a carbonara. It requires all the same ingredients plus extra veggies and a wonderful mix of aromatic herbs.

The bacon adds a nice, smoky flavor, while the cheese and corn lends a sweet and creamy texture. The crushed red pepper is a spicy surprise. This dish is finger licking good. I wouldn’t put it on your short on time list, but I would put it on your “must try” list.

This dish is courtesy of Half Baked Harvest, by Tieghan Gerard. All of her recipes are amazing, and I will be trying many more of hers in the future. It didn’t say how many people it will serve so I am going to say about 4-6 people who will relish this savory, sweet and spicy version of a summer carbonara!

Ingredients for. Summer Carbonara

2 pints heirloom or cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, and dill)
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound bucatini pasta
4 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 ears corn, grilled, roasted or boiled and kernels sliced from the cob
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme or oregano, plus more for serving
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces burrata cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the fresh herbs, half the garlic, and a generous sprinkle of salt and black pepper.

Toss well to coat.

Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes collapse.

Remove from oven and add the remaining 1/4 cup fresh herbs.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.

While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the bacon.

Beat together the egg and Parmesan in a medium bowl.

Remove the pasta from the heat and pour over the egg-cheese mixture, tossing quickly to ensure the eggs do not scramble until the sauce thickens.

Thin out the sauce with just a little bit of the reserved pasta water, adding it slowly until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

Add the tomatoes and all the juices from the baking dish, the corn, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme or oregano.

Gently toss to combine.

Season with black pepper, salt, and the red pepper flakes.

Divide the pasta among plates and top with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly torn burrata cheese, if desired, and fresh herbs.

It’s that simple!

Lemon-Parsley Baked Cod

Mar. 15
2018

What a perfect short-on-time dish this is!

Cod is a mild-tasting, white, flaky fish. Its mellow flavor allows it to be very versatile when cooking it. There are so many different ways of preparing this tasty fish. As an alternative to the panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, you could substitute regular breadcrumbs, cornflake crumbs or even crushed crackers such as ritz or saltines.

When it comes to seasoning, you can use oregano, thyme or basil. You can switch out the lemon for orange, or chop up some garlic and add it to the panko mixture. Poached, seared or baked, cod will blend with just about any flavor and come out tasting delicious. I think this recipe is a simple, fast and delightful way of preparing this fish. It is a healthy dish as well! Delicious, yet low in calories, and packed with healthy vitamins and omega-3 fats. This is a recipe that everyone in your family will enjoy.

This recipe will serve 4 people who will be elated with this wonderful, nutritious dish.

Ingredients for Baked Cod

3 tbsp. butter
1 cup panko crumbs
4 (1/2 pound) center cut, thick pieces of cod
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 scallions, white ends only, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt butter in baking dish in the oven while it is heating up.

Mix panko with salt and pepper.

Dip cod into melted butter.

Roll into panko crumbs.

Make sure cod is thickly coated with panko crumbs. You may have to repeat these steps to achieve desired thickness.

Top the cod with the lemon zest, juice, and white wine.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Fish should flake easily with a fork when done.

Garnish with scallions and parsley.

It’s that simple!

Chicken Agrodolce

Dec. 4
2017

Another weekday dinner to plan!

I did my research and found this wonderful recipe, courtesy of Giada De Laurentis.

This is one of my family’s favorite meals. It is simple and tasty. Who knew that “agrodolce sauce” could be so easy! It may sound intimidating, but trust me it is not! Agrodolce sauce is an Italian sweet and sour sauce. “Agro” means sour and “dolce” means sweet. It is made by cooking down, or reducing sweet and sour ingredients, such as the vinegar and honey in this recipe.

You can serve it with rice or potatoes. Just make sure to put a little bit of glaze on anything you make with it, because it will be delicious on those as well.

Her original recipe was made with pork chops. Feel free to make it with those. I substituted chicken bottoms and it was was delightful.

Giada never disappoints. Her recipes are always dependable and fantastic.

Add this one to your list of “must make”. It really was wonderful! This recipe will serve 4 people who will love this delicious sauce!

Ingredients for the Chicken

1/4 cup of olive oil
3 chicken bottoms, (thighs and legs attached)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Ingredients for the Glaze
(Agrodolce Sauce)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, pale green and white parts only, chopped
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 stick of unsalted butter (4 tbsp. cut into 1 inch cubes at room temperature
1 tsp, kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

In a heavy, oven-ready skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes.

Place chicken bottoms (skin side down) in the skillet and set your timer for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, thighs should be golden brown. Turn thighs over and set your timer for an additional 7 minutes.

Place pan in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Take out of oven and set aside.

Glaze:

In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, garlic, scallions and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat.

Stir occasionally until honey has dissolved.

Simmer for 9 minutes (set your timer) until mixture is slightly reduced.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.

Add salt and pepper.

Arrange the chicken thighs on a platter and drizzle with the glaze.

It’s that simple!

Veal Meat Loaf

Aug. 24
2017

Ever wonder what you can do with ground veal that is on sale at your supermarket? Well, there are several options. You could make meatballs, which are delicious but take a lot of time to prepare. They are also messy because they are fried. You could also make veal burgers, which are always a healthy option. This time, however, I chose to make a veal meat loaf. It was fantastic!

In the past, meat loaf was not considered to be so desirable. This concept has changed throughout the years and now you can find meatloaf on the menu at some very fine restaurants. It has come a long way. Many chefs have perfected the recipe and made it quite elegant. Although meat loaf has many “home-made” memories, it is no longer your mom’s meat loaf.

After you complete your mise-en-place, this recipe is as fast and as easy as it gets. I chose the ingredients carefully after reading through several similar recipes. The combined ingredients result in an exquisite, full flavored main dish. The Dijon mustard, steak sauce and chili pepper give it a nice tang. Every bite of veal is moist and delicious.

This recipe serves 6-8 people who will learn to love meat loaf again!

Ingredients for Veal Meat Loaf

2 pounds ground veal
1 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. steak sauce
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 cups ketchup, separated
1 egg, beaten
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 large basil leaves, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
4 sprig of fresh thyme, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat olive oil in a pan on stove over medium heat.

Once the olive oil is heated, add the carrots and onions.

Cook until carrots and onions have softened, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl, and mix in the veal, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, steak sauce, chili powder, egg, garlic, 1 cup ketchup, onion, salt, pepper, basil and thyme.

Line an 8×8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that the parchment hangs over the sides, like handles.

Transfer mixture to pan and top with the remaining ketchup.

Bake 45 minutes.

It’s that simple!

Salmon with Cumin-Orange-Honey Marinade

Jul. 21
2017

Marinating is one of the easiest and quickest ways to flavor food. Poultry, fish, meats, and vegetables are like sponges, and they can easily absorb the marinade. Many marinades have tenderizing effects as well, which start the “cooking process”. You need to be very careful in determining the amount of time you marinate your food. For instance, the acid levels contained in fish often accelerate the cooking process. Therefore, you should only marinate fish for 1 our or less.

Ideally, a marinade helps to flavor, and not tenderize foods. Using anything acidic, like citrus or vinegar, softens the food, allowing it to absorb the flavors of the sauce. There are many different types of marinades: Mediterranean, spiced, herbed, citrus or any combination of ingredients you enjoy. There are no rules for making a marinade. You can use whatever ingredients you have in your pantry. Combine them, add the food, and let the flavors blend.

This marinade was superb. The cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper added a savory, yet delicate aroma to the salmon. Marinating is the easy part; cooking the salmon is a little more tricky. When cooking it on the grill, I usually time it for 2-3 minutes each side, check the consistency, then alter the cooking time as needed.

This recipe is courtesy of Fine Cooking. It will serve 4 people who will thoroughly enjoy this wonderful marinade.

Ingredients for Cumin-Orange-Honey Marinade

4 (1/2 lb.) center cut pieces of salmon
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Pinch cayenne pepper

Today’s hint: When marinating fish, let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour. If it marinates any longer, the flesh may start to “cook” and go mushy. This is especially true when using any citrus in your marinade.

Place garlic in the bowl of a mortar and pestle.

Sprinkle kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp.) over garlic.

Mash with a pestle until a paste forms.

Note: if you do not have a mortar and pestle, use the flat part of a knife to mash it down to a paste.

Whisk the garlic paste with the rest of the ingredients.

Place salmon in marinade and let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.

Place salmon on grill for 2-3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Well-done fish requires one or two minutes more.

*Cooking time will also vary according to the thickness of the salmon.

It’s that simple!