Runners World magazine has turned out to be a great source for great recipes. These are courtesy of  Italian restaurant legend Joe Bastianich, who is also a marathoner.

The Pomodoro Sauce is so easy and so good I plan on keeping it on hand for last minute meals. I think the trick is to use San Marzano's which taste better than regular canned tomatoes. But regular will work too. Jim went back for seconds, which rarely happens even when he really likes something. He likes his meat but was left satisfied with his vegan dinner(he skipped the cheese).

I made the sauce a few days ahead of time. I didn't use rigatoni. I used whole grain fusilli. And my oregano is Turkish not Sicilian.


Pomodoro Sauce
Pomodoro (or tomato) sauce is the base for all of Chef Joe Bastianich's pasta dishes featured in these pages. Use a full batch of pomodoro for each recipe.

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 16-ounce cans of peeled, whole Italian plum tomatoes, such as San Marzano
1 teaspoon Sicilian oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) Today's food marathon begins with what
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium. Add garlic and saute until golden brown, about three minutes. While garlic browns, pour tomatoes into a bowl. Squeeze with your hands to break them up. Add tomatoes and their juice to the saucepan. Add oregano (if using), salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add a little water if needed to keep sauce from becoming too thick (it should be bright red; if it turns brick red, it's too thick). To make oreganata, simmer sauce with sprigs of fresh oregano. Make arrabiata by adding red pepper flakes to taste. Makes six one-cup servings.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 139
CARBS: 9 G
PROTEIN: 2 G
FAT: 9 G


Rigatoni a la Norma
"The very best eggplant is like filet mignon," says Bastianich. Here it's lightly fried "and incredibly tender and flavorful."

Pomodoro sauce
1 medium eggplant, peeled, then cut into one-inch cubes Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound rigatoni
6 tablespoons ricotta cheese

Boil a pot of salted water. Heat pomodoro in a saucepan. Sprinkle eggplant with salt. Place on paper towels to drain for 10 minutes, then dust with flour. In a saute pan on medium, saute one garlic clove in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil until golden. Add half the eggplant; saute until brown on the outside but tender inside. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining garlic and eggplant. In the same pan, saute onion in last tablespoon of oil until tender (seven minutes). Add to pomodoro sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to boiling water. Two minutes before pasta is cooked, remove from water and add with the eggplant to the pomodoro sauce (with some pasta water if needed to keep the sauce liquid). Cook until pasta is tender. Divide into six servings. Top each with a tablespoon of ricotta.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 559
CARBS: 74 G
PROTEIN: 14 G
FAT: 21 G

This was quick and healthy. It's similar to a tomatillo salsa.  We really enjoyed it. I will say the recipe makes a lot of salsa so unless you want to eat it with chips you should at least halve the recipe. 

Instead of broiling the fish we put it on the grill to give it more flavor.

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit, Aug 2010 HERE.

This is one of our favorite "fancy burger" recipes courtesy of Cooking Light. The burger is nice and spicy and the salsa is also excellent with tortilla chips. It's also quick to assemble.

I didn't use ground round. instead I used ground grass fed chuck which had a higher fat content as I do not like a dry burger(who does?). I also grind my own meat so I have no fear of eating a medium rare burger.

Recipe HERE

Now before you wonder what I've been smoking, let me say there is no Springbok or monkey in this recipe. It's not like I can get that easily in Phoenix.  I got this recipe from Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue!: 309 Recipes, 60 CountriesPlanet. Which is one of my new favorite cookbooks.

The original recipe does call for springbok but the only place in town that would have ordered it for me is too far away. Raichlen suggests veal or pork so I went with the pork. But seeing as the springbok kinda looks like a deer, maybe venison would work too.

Monkey Gland Sauce is just a traditional South African sweet and hot sauce. Probably named for shock value.

This was really good. I suggest making the sauce ahead of time so all you have to do is thread your kebabs and prepare your sides before dinner time. I also have quite a bit of sauce left over so you may want to halve it.

Another tip is to use dry vermouth whenever a recipe calls for dry white wine. It has the same effect and is much cheaper. Also a bottle will last longer as it doesn't have to be used right up after opening.

I paid about $4.00 for Noilly Prat at BevMo. It is the brand that was highly recommended.


Recipe for South African Springbok Kebabs with Monkey Gland Sauce  HERE

I have never made cinnamon rolls before but love them. But with a cinnamon roll hating boyfriend it seemed like I would be the only one eating them. So when my supper club did brunch I seized the opportunity. Based on reviews, Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Roll recipe was the one to try.

This recipe seems a lot more intimidating than it is. I hate rolling dough because I suck at it but I pulled up the youtube video of Alton Brown making these rolls and moved right along with him.When I pulled them out of the oven cinnamon hater said they smelled awesome and said he's like to try one.

These tasted amazing! The dough was light and the filling was the perfect mix of cinnamon and brown sugar. I used Penzey's Vietnamese Cinnamon and did not adjust the measurements. They were a huge hit at the brunch and I manged to save one for Jim. His verdict? He liked it. A lot! But when he talked about other rolls he's had he did say they were soggy and unappealing. So now he's a fan.

Recipe HERE

I'd like to thank Bob for bringing this recipe to my attention. I like to use my large cast iron skillet and "one pot" meals are awesome so this was right up my alley. It's also very easy once you get the vegetables chopped. I used a red bell instead of green. I also poached some boneless skinless chicken breast but you could also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it to save some time. I think other vegetables like corn and zucchini would work in this dish.

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light HERE

I love a healthy vegetable packed recipe that makes great leftovers. This was easy to prepare and made an excellent lunch the next day. I served it over whole grain pasta but any grain would work. Next time I'm going to use farro.  

Summer Squash & White Bean Sauté  

From EatingWell:  July/August 2008

Bountiful summer vegetables—zucchini, summer squash, fresh tomatoes—are quickly sautéed with protein-rich white beans and topped with Parmesan for a hearty dish. This sauté is endlessly versatile and works well with eggplant, peppers or corn. Double it and toss the leftovers with bowtie pasta for lunch the next day. Serve with: Brown rice or bulgur.

4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15- or 19-ounce can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, summer squash, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, tomatoes and vinegar; increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan.

Nutrition

Per serving : 195 Calories; 6 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 5 mg Cholesterol; 25 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 600 mg Sodium; 726 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving

Jim isn't always the most adventurous eater so I "neglected" to tell him I was making potatoes with seaweed. After he had a bite and said they were good I did tell him and he hesitated and continued to devour them. He did say the wakame was a bit chewy but overall it was a hit.

I thought it was really good and this was my first non-sushi seaweed experience. We had it with grilled chicken and a green salad. Since I now have seaweed and potatoes in the pantry I'll be making it again soon. Sea vegetables are a very rich source of vitamins A, E and iodine.

The recipe is from the January 2010 issue of Sunset Magazine

Potatoes with Sea Vegetables

Time: 25 minutes

Yield:  Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 2-in. chunks
About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 ounce dried wakame pieces, broken into roughly 2-in. chunks, or wakame flakes*
1 white or yellow onion, quartered and cut into 1/4-in. slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ounce dried dulse*, torn into small pieces

1. Put potatoes in a medium pot and add just enough water to cover, plus a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, covered; add wakame, reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain, saving about 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, sauté onion in oil over medium-high heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and dulse; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes more. Add potatoes and heat for a few minutes, stirring gently to combine. Pour in some cooking liquid to moisten if you like. Season with salt to taste.

*Find wakame at Whole Foods Markets or Japanese markets; dulse is available at Whole Foods (both are types of dried seaweed). Or order them from Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable Company (ohsv.net or 707/937-1923) in Mendocino, California.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
CALORIES 207 (29% from fat); FAT 6.9g (sat 1g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32g; SODIUM 322mg; PROTEIN 4.9g; FIBER 5.7g

Sunset, JANUARY 2010

This was billed as a 15 minute salad on the cover of BA magazine. Mine took a bit longer as I only had raw shrimp on hand but it was still pretty quick.

It was good but the dressing was a bit on the sweet side for my taste. I did like the mango, shrimp, avocado combo in a hot summer day.  I'll try it again with a different dressing.

Recipe HERE. 

Blueberries are in season and they're on sale so I've been buying a lot of them. I usually freeze them for smoothies but also love them in savory dishes.

This was really scrumptious and a recipe I'll be making again for as long as the berries last. I think this dressing would also work with grilled chicken.

Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sp...rry_salad.html

From EatingWell: July/August 2010

Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil
1 pound sirloin steak or strip steak (1-1 1/4 inches thick), trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Preheat grill to medium.
Pulse 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup walnuts, vinegar, shallot, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor to form a chunky paste. With the motor running, add oil until incorporated. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl.
Sprinkle steak with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Oil the grill rack. Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for medium. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes.
Add spinach to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Thinly slice the steak crosswise. Top the spinach with the steak, feta and the remaining blueberries and walnuts.

Nutrition
Per serving : 392 Calories; 26 g Fat; 5 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 50 mg Cholesterol; 11 g Carbohydrates; 29 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 494 mg Sodium; 748 mg Potassium

I was first introduced to this salad about 20 years ago by a Thai friend. I was battling a bad sinus infection and she insisted her papaya salad would give me relief. I heard "papaya" and "salad" and assumed the Vitamin C would be the cure. Um no it was the handful of chile peppers. Sinus infection was gone that day. I'll spare you the details.

She made it quite a bit and when she couldn't get green papaya she would use shredded carrot.

This is one of my favorite Thai dishes of all time. I did cut back on the chiles from her handful. Dried shrimp are found in the refrigerated section of my Asian grocery. They also had bags of shredded green papaya in the produce section. I pounded the dressing in my giant mortar and pestle and added the papaya because that's how she did it.

You can definitely add to this. I suggest green onions, peanuts, carrot, radish or green beans.

Green Papaya Salad

Gourmet  | May 2000

1 tablespoon dried shrimp
6 Thai chiles
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons asian fish sauce
4 tablespoons palm or brown sugar
1 pound grated green papaya

Crush the dried shrimp with the chiles and garlic cloves, then whisk in the lime juice, fish sauce and the sugar. Toss the dressing with the papaya and serve.

 



The good folks at Buitoni sent me a coupon for one of their free premium frozen meals for two.

I really wanted to try the Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni but my store didn't carry it so I selected the Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli. I thought it was a bit pricy at $8.99 but I don't usually buy frozen meals and Buitoni is higher quality than say Stouffers. I talked to some friends and they didn't think the price point was out of line. And because I cook and don't use convenience food I may be over critical. Part of me says I could put the $8.99 towards ingredients and get a few meals. But these are all about convenience.

This was easy to prepare. Just boil the bag of sauce with the ravioli's and serve. I added the red pepper flakes for color and punch.

The ravioli was very good. The garlic butter sauce not so much. I tasted more salt than garlic and thought it was a bit one note. If the ravioli were sold separately I would definitely buy it and make my own sauce.

I still want to try the cannelloni if I find them on sale.

My 3 year old nephew came to visit and he has a serious sweet tooth so I thought it was a good time to try Alton Brown's Serious Vanilla Ice Cream.

And serious it is! Very vanilla-y which I love! It also keeps well. Seems like a lot of homemade ice creams turn rock hard or to leather. This one did not. I think that's why Alton added the peach preserves-to use the pectin as a stabilizer. It doesn't add any peach flavor.

Recipe HERE. The fudge sauce is from a jar.

This isn't a great picture of a fantastic dinner. I LOVE fish tacos and have made a few variations but this recipe is by far my favorite! I didn't add the taco garnishes the recipe suggested. We just stuck to the slaw and it was perfect. If I were to add anything it would be avocado. 

 Grilled Fish Tacos

The recipe is courtesy of Eating Well May/June 2010

6 servings, 2 tacos each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Adobo-Rubbed Fish

• 4 teaspoons chili powder, preferably made with New Mexico or ancho chiles. (I used Penzeys Med-Hot)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds mahi-mahi or Pacific halibut 1/2-3/4 inch thick, skinned and cut into 4 portions(I used mahi)

Coleslaw(can be made up to 4 hours ahead)

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed (see Tip)

Preparation

1. To prepare fish: Combine chili powder, lime juice, oil, cumin, onion powder, garlic power, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub adobo rub all over fish. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavor.
2. To prepare coleslaw: Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix until smooth and creamy. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high.
4. Oil the grill rack or use a grilling basket. Grill the fish until it is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a platter and separate into large chunks.
5. Serve the tacos family-style by passing the fish, tortillas, coleslaw and taco garnishes separately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 319 Calories; 9 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 110 mg Cholesterol; 29 g Carbohydrates; 31 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 702 mg Sodium; 824 mg Potassium
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving




Mexican Street Corn is also great although not necessarily easy on the waistline. I love grilled corn on the cob when it's slightly charred and although a mayo topping may sound weird it's actually quite good! There are a lot of recipes out there and one of my favorites comes from America's Test Kitchen. I'm not going to link to it or give the recipe here because they're jerks about that. Read THIS if you want more info. It's quite entertaining. But if you do a search for the recipe you can find it.


I did NOT use that recipe for tonight's street corn. Instead I wanted to experiment with my new Penzey's spice blend, Arizona Dreaming. I like this blend. It's not too hot and has a smoky flavor with a hit of citrus. We liked it on the corn. I simply mixed it into a quarter cup of mayo to taste. I also added about a tablespoon of sour cream for tang, chopped cilantro and some crumbled queso fresco. It was as good as the ATK recipe.

My first experience with Piri-Piri was THIS recipe from Marcus Samuelsson's The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. Back then I said I wanted to make this a lot. And then I didn't... So when I saw Steve Raichlen's recipe for Piri-Piri Chicken in the July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit I got all excited!. His recipe calls for bottled Piri-Piri but it's so easy to make yourself I recommend doing exactly that. Samuelsson's recipe makes a cup which is more than you'll need so you can make the shrimp later in the week. 

The chicken was more tangy than spicy which surprised me considering the marinade had eight red bird chiles. It was very good and we will definitely make it again.

The slaw is dead easy. I thought it would be cool after the chicken but that one tiny pepper gave it some kick. I used a bagged slaw instead of shredding cabbage because I'm lazy like that. 

Piri-Piri Chicken

This is a very refreshing summer salad that takes very little effort. The only cooking required is boiling the shrimp. I use Rick Bayless's method and simmer the juice and rind of one lime in water in a covered pan for 10 minutes, then add the shrimp. It gives it a lot more flavor.

One item that's a challenge to find is celery leaves. Seems the stores like to trim them off which is a shame because they really are a good addition to salads and stocks.

This dressing would also be great as a dip for vegetables.

Recipe courtesy of The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift

Crispy Cucumber Shrimp in Retro Goddess Dressing
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a first course

Dressing

2 tight packed tablespoons of fresh tarragon leaves
3 large whole scallions
1 tight packed tablespoon of fresh parsley leaves
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Asian Fish Sauce
1 tsp dark spicy mustard
1 tbs white wine or cider vinegar
1 ripe Haas avocado
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Kewpie-it's Japanese and fantastic!)Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine everything in a food processor and blend till smooth.

Salad

8 oz cooked shrimp
1 medium cuke, peeled seeded and cut into pieces(I didn't peel or seed)
1 medium head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1-2 tight packed tablespoons of celery leaves chopped.

Combine salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

 


I love cold noodle salads in the summer and my friend Liz must have known that because she saw this recipe and though of me! Thanks Liz!

This recipe is courtesy of Bill Granger, who is an Australian Chef. It's easy to put together and Jim kept commenting about all the different flavors going on. He liked the chicken but honestly I'll leave it out or replace it with cold cooked shrimp when I make it again.  Also the additional 3 tbs of sugar in the dressing seemed excessive so I added to taste and for the chiles I used 2 Thai Bird chiles.

Recipe is HERE courtesy of BBC.

Before I went on vacation I received a HUGE box from Nature's Pride Bread full of their new buns and rolls. I buy their bread so I was excited to get these. They aren't in my local grocery store yet but hopefully that will change. I think it's hard to find buns and rolls in the regular grocery store that don't have chemicals and the ones at the natural foods stores can be pretty expensive.

I used the Country White Deli Rolls for Eating Well's Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple Slaw. We really liked this although my fish wasn't crispy. I don't own a non-stick skillet and the coating stuck to my oiled All-Clad. Other than that, Jim's only comment was the fish was pretty spicy without the slaw(I also may have overseasoned). I made my own Cajun seasoning since I don't cook a lot of Cajun and had all the individual spices on hand.

Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple Slaw

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/crispy_fish_sandwich_with_pineapple_slaw.html
From EatingWell:  EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook A fish sandwich doesn't have to be deep-fried and doesn't have to be off your list of “healthy” foods. Try our version with a tangy, zesty pineapple slaw. It's worth taking the extra minute to chop pineapple slices instead of using crushed pineapple—the crushed is too small and disappears into the slaw. Try this with oven fries.
4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or rings, drained and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups coleslaw mix, (see Tip)
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/4 pounds haddock, or Pacific cod, skinned and cut into 4 portions
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 8 slices whole-wheat country bread, toasted

Preparation

1. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar and crushed red pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add pineapple and coleslaw mix and stir to combine.
2. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of fish with Cajun seasoning and salt. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the fish and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and fish, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning.
4. Top toasted bread with the fish and pineapple slaw to make sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 425 Calories; 9 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 105 mg Cholesterol; 42 g Carbohydrates; 44 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 684 mg Sodium; 865 mg Potassium

 



This is our second recipe from Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbeque. The original recipe calls for halibut but I had good mahi in the freezer so I used that.

We loved this! With the sauce the flavors popped into a party in your mouth. Hot salty sour and sweet! I thought it required less cooking on our charcoal grill but on a gas grill 5-7 minutes is about right.

I served it with brown rice and baby bok choy stir fried in sesame oil with garlic and soy sauce.

Herb Paste

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and cut crosswise in 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup lightly packed  Thai basil leaves
2 cloves garlic peeled and halved
1 tbs chopped corriander root or 2 tbs coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1-2 Thai chiles or serrano peppers, chopped
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
2 tbs Asian(dark) sesame oil

Place the lemongrass through the salt in a mortar and pestle and pound into a paste. Work in the sesame oil. If you don't have a mortar and pestle use your food processor.

For the Fish

4 banana leaves cut in 8x8 squares(you can also use foil but it's not as fun)
2 firm white fish fillets

Honey Lime Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce or soy sauce (I used fish sauce)
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 Thai chili chopped

Mix everything

1. Prepare the herb paste and spread a spoonful on the banana leaf(to soften the leaf heat it over a burner for 15-30 minutes). Place fish on paste and spread another spoonful on top of fish. Fold banana leaf like you fold a burrito and secure with butcher string or a toothpick. Marinate 20 minutes to 2 hours.

2. Prepare a grill for direct heat on high

3. Grill fish packets 5-7 minutes on each side. To check for done-ness insert a metal skewer through the packet and let sit for 15 seconds

4. Serve the fish with the dipping sauce. Cut the string, open and enjoy.

In case you're wondering I did not eat half a chicken for dinner. But this was so good I probably could have!

I bought Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue!: 309 Recipes, 60 Countries for Jim last week and it's a fantastic book. There are so many recipes and techniques to try! We're doing another tomorrow.

Our first recipe from the book is Cambodian Grilled Chicken. Raichlen calls Cambodia SE Asia's best barbecue secret. 

I didn't actually make this Jim did. He said it was easy. He made the corn American style but there is a Cambodian grilled corn recipe in the book he missed. Next time! 

This chicken is excellent! Be sure and make the dipping sauce. We liked it best without the sugar.

From the book:

"The temple complex at Angkor Wat is one of the archeological wonders of the world. It's not, however, the most interesting site in Siem Reap, Cambodia. That honor goes to the less-visited Bayon temple, built at the end of the twelfth century A.D. by the Buddhist king, Jayavarman VII. On its stone walls an amazing series of bas-reliefs tell the story of the victory of the Khmers over the Thais. The obligatory heroic and horrific battle scenes are portrayed, but what caught my eye are the pictures of the army supply trains, encampments, field kitchens, and yes, some of the earliest depictions of Asian barbecue. Specifically, you'll see chicken and other meats skewered on split sticks and grilled over pyramid-shaped fires. Fast forward nine hundred years to the parking lot of Angkor Wat where you'll find chicken grilled on split wooden sticks over an open fire, exactly as it was done during the height of the Khmer empire. This recipe may look complicated, but it's really just a series of simple steps."

This was the first time I've ever had mustard greens. They're OK but didn't knock my socks off. I think part of the problem is my dates (Deglet Noor dates) weren't as sweet as the Medjool dates I really wanted to use. Medjool's would have balanced the bitterness of the greens better. 

If I were to make this again I'd substitute Kale and maybe add some cherry tomatoes in place of the dates. Which would be an entirely different dish.

Mustard Greens & Bulgur

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mustard_greens_bulgur.html
From EatingWell:  January/February 2008 Pungent mustard greens beg for other strong flavors for balance. Here walnut oil, walnuts, dates, bulgur and white-wine vinegar do the trick.
6 servings, about 2/3 cup each | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur, (see Shopping Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 6 teaspoons walnut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 12 cups thinly sliced mustard greens, (about 1 bunch), tough stems removed
• 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Prepare bulgur according to package directions. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cool water; drain. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Place 5 teaspoons oil and shallots in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the shallots start to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add mustard greens, dates and 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and the water evaporates (add another tablespoon of water if the pan is dry before the greens are tender), about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt and the prepared bulgur; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with the walnuts before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 169 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 27 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 199 mg Sodium; 192 mg Potassium

I love rhubarb but don't buy it much out here because it can be expensive. And by expensive I mean more than the free rhubarb I used to pick at home.

Out of 10 stars Jim rated this an 8 1/2 because he likes his pork overcooked and dry. But he did go back for seconds. I cooked it to temp (recommended since mine took longer than the 15-17 minutes) and I thought it was perfect. 

Roast Pork with Sweet Onion-Rhubarb Sauce

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/roast_pork_with_sweet_onion_rhubarb_sauce.html
From EatingWell:  May/June 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)
 
Tart rhubarb is balanced by sweet onions in this sumptuous sauce for grilled pork tenderloin. If you can't find fresh rhubarb for this, use frozen (no need to thaw it first). For dinner in a hurry, try two quick sides like whole-wheat couscous and steamed broccoli.
4 servings | Active Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1-1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 2-4 tablespoons water
• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon oil, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture into pork. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F, 15 to 17 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water; continue cooking, stirring often, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes more, adding water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to prevent burning. Stir in rhubarb, vinegar and brown sugar and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb has broken down, about 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the sliced pork and sprinkle with chives.

Nutrition

Per serving : 261 Calories; 8 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 68 mg Cholesterol; 23 g Carbohydrates; 23 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 348 mg Sodium; 715 mg Potassium

For some reason my camera is refusing to upload photos so the one above is courtesy of Eating Well.

Jim was apprehensive about a steak sandwich with no steak. He likes his meat. I should just serve him instead of telling him ahead of time we're having a meatless meal.  But he asked for seconds after he devoured his sandwich and asked when I'd make these again so I call this a hit.



Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

From EatingWell:  December 2005/January 2006, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)
 
Cheese steaks are a Philadelphia tradition: thin slices from a rich and very fatty slab of beef, fried up and topped with a heavy cheese sauce. We've cut down on the fat considerably - but not on the taste. All it needs is a cold beer or a glass of pinot noir on the side. Make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of chicken stock.
4 sandwiches | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 268 Calories; 10 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 15 mg Cholesterol; 35 g Carbohydrates; 13 g Protein; 7 g Fiber; 561 mg Sodium; 704 mg Potassium


 

Farro is my favorite grain and this dish is divine! I used vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.It was really hard for me to store the leftovers. I wanted to eat it all!!!

Jim, who isn't much of a vegetarian, suggested the addition of chicken sausage or shrimp but I thought it was perfect in its original incarnation.

Farrotto with Artichokes

Eating Well March/April 2009

•  1/2 cups farro, rinsed 
• 1 leaf fresh sage
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 10-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2-2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. Place farro in a large saucepan and cover with about 2 inches of water. Add sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the farro, tomatoes, artichokes, basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
3. Add 1/2 cup broth (or water), bring a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until most of the broth is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth (or water), adding it in 1/2-cup increments and stirring until it’s absorbed, until the farro is creamy but still has a bit of bite, about 10 minutes total. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and lemon zest. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Nutrition

Per serving: 264 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 8 g fiber; 530 mg sodium; 168 mg potassium.

When I saw the Mojo de Ajo episode of Mexico: One Plate at a Time I knew I had to make it. Rick Bayless calls it liquid gold and made several recipes with it on the show. His daughter even used it on popcorn!

This recipe is especially good as I always have shrimp, pasta and chiptles in adobo available.  I made the mojo a couple of weeks ago. It was a bit time consuming to peel four heads of garlic. No matter how good my aim is skins always end up on the floor. After that you just slow roast the garlic in olive oil and add lime juice. Your house will smell wonderful!

The shrimp dish has amazing depth of flavor and was not too spicy for my pepper averting boyfriend. And once you have the mojo made this couldn't be easier.

I've posted both recipes below.

Slow Roasted Garlic Mojo

Ingredients

Directions

 

Garlicky Linguine with Seared Shrimp, Chipotle and Queso Anejo

Ingredients

Directions

This is definitely going on my regular rotation!!!

The chicken was moist and the sauce was creamy with a bit of tang. The recipe calls for the chicken to be pounded into paillards but I felt like skipping that step. They probably would have cooked faster but other than that I didn't see the point.

Jim thought the cauliflower was potatoes. Hahaha. I've made the South Beach diet version but I like these better. Definitely a great side dish.

Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive Sauce
Eating Well  December 2005 January/ 2006

4 servings | Active Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped chives, (about 1 bunch)

Preparation

1. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.
3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.
4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 244 Calories; 9 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 72 mg Cholesterol; 1 g Carbohydrates; 26 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 679 mg Sodium; 334 mg Potassium
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

From EatingWell:  February/March 2005, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

4 servings, 3/4 cup each | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Preparation

1. Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place florets and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with 1/4 cup water, cover and microwave on High for 3 to 5 minutes.)
2. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add buttermilk, 2 teaspoons oil, butter, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Per serving : 107 Calories; 7 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 3 mg Cholesterol; 10 g Carbohydrates; 5 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 339 mg Sodium; 288 mg Potassium
 

1. Combine the water, sugar, and salt in a large container with a lid or a large freezer bag, and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the chicken to the brine, cover or seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and no more than 6.
2. Set up a steamer on the stove. Drain the chicken and discard the brine. Put the chicken in the steamer basket (if you are using a stacking Chinese-style bamboo steamer, put the legs in the bottom level and the breast on the top). Turn the heat to medium and set the lid of the steamer ever so slightly ajar. Steam the chicken for 40 minutes, then remove it from the steamer and put it on a cooling rack to cool. Chill it in the refrigerator, preferably on the rack, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you fry it.
4. In a deep skillet, heat enough oil for the chicken to be submerged to 375F. Fry the chicken in batches, turning once, until the skin is deep drown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
5. Cut the chicken into a few pieces: cut the wing from the breast, cut the breast in half, cut through the knee to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Put in a large bowl, toss with the vinaigrette, and serve hot.