NYT Cooking-Melissa Clark

​Serves 4
 
4 fish fillets or steaks of any kind of fish, skin on or off to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
Black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Optional: fresh herb-parsley, mint, dill
 
 

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Measure fish fillets at the thickest part. You will roast your fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Drizzle fish with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down if you've left the skin on.
   
   
2. Roast fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until the fish is opaque and tender when pierced with a fork but before it starts to flake. Drizzle with more olive oil. If using additional fresh herbs, sprinkle some on each fillet and serve with lemon wedge.

NYTimes Cooking- Barbara Kafka

Serves 6
 
12 ounces wide egg noodles or fettuccini, or wide spinach noodles if you prefer
Zest and juice of 2 lemons; zest cut in very thin strips 1 inch long
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

 

1. Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. 
2. Just before noodles are done, in a small saucepan combine the lemon zest, heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat until the cream comes to a boil. Turn off the heat.
3. Set aside 1 ½ cups pasta water in case you want to add some starchy cooking water to the pasta later. Drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the warm cooking pot.
4. Pour cream mixture over drained noodles and add half the lemon juice. Stir to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes. If you prefer more lemon flavor, add more lemon juice to taste. If you prefer more sauce, add some of your reserved pasta water. Season with additional pepper, if desired.

 
Optional Additions: grated parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, 1 cup fresh ricotta-at room temperature, Parmesan cheese for serving, shredded chicken, cooked broccoli.
 *​If adding ricotta, add it after the pasta is cooked with the cream. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you like. 

Makes 6 entrée servings
 
Makes 6 entrée servings
 
7 cups beef or chicken broth
3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs pancetta (or thick cut bacon) diced
2 Tbs onion, chopped very fine
2 cups Arborio or other imported Italian risotto rice
1/3 tsp powdered saffron or ½ tsp chopped saffron strands dissolved in 1-cup of the hot broth or water.
Black Pepper, freshly ground.
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus additional cheese at the table.
Salt, to taste

1. Bring the broth to a simmer on a burner near where you’ll be cooking the risotto. 
2. Put the diced pancetta, 1Tbs of butter, olive oil, and the chopped onion in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat.  Cook and stir the until the onion becomes translucent.   
3. Add the rice to the pot. Stir to coat the grains well with the butter and oil. 
4. Add 2 ladles of simmering broth. The broth should just cover the rice and should be bubbling. Stir constantly, whipping the sides and bottom of the pot clean as you stir, until all the liquid is gone. When there is no more liquid in the pot, add another 1-2 ladles of broth, continuing always to stir as above. 
5. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, add half of the dissolved saffron.  Continue to stir, and when there is no more liquid in the pot, add the remaining saffron. 
6. Finish cooking the rice while stirring, until it is tender, but firm to the bite, and there is no more liquid in the pot.  
7. Off the heat, add a few grindings of pepper, the remaining butter, all the grated Parmesan, and stir thoroughly until the cheese melts and clings to the rice.  Taste and correct for salt.  Serve immediately with additional grated cheese on the side.

Additions:
Gently fold in a variety of roasted, diced vegetables-butternut squash, zucchini, mushrooms (sliced).
Seafood: roasted shrimp, sauteed scallops.

​

​Makes one 8-cup souffle to serve 4
Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. 
 
Ingredients
2 Tbs finely grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
2 1/2 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
1 cup hot milk
Seasonings: 1/2 tsp paprika, a speck of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3 grinds of white pepper
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites (2/3 cup)
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) coarsely grated Swiss cheese
 
Instructions

1. Preliminaries: Roll the grated cheese in the buttered baking dish to cover the bottom and side, and fasten on the aluminum collar (see Notes below). Preheat the oven to 400 F, and set the rack in the lower third level. Measure out all the ingredients listed.
2. The white sauce – béchamel: Stir and cook the butter and flour together in the saucepan over moderate heat for 2 minutes without coloring. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then pour in all the hot milk and whisk vigorously to blend. Return to heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, and boil slowly 3 minutes. The sauce will be very thick. Whisk in the seasonings, and remove from heat.
3. Finishing the sauce base: One by one, whisk the egg yolks into the hot sauce.
4. The egg whites: In a clean separate bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites to stiff shining peaks.
5. Finishing the soufflé mixture: Scoop a quarter of the egg whites on top of the sauce and stir them in with a wooden spoon. Turn the rest of the egg whites on top; rapidly and delicately fold them in, alternating scoops of the spatula with sprinkles of the coarsely grated cheese – adding the cheese now makes for a light soufflé.
6. Ahead-of-time note: You may complete the soufflé to this point 1/2 hour or so in advance; cover loosely with a sheet of foil and set away from drafts.
7. Baking – 25 to 30 minutes at 400 F and 375 F. Set in the preheated oven, turn the thermostat down to 375 F, and bake until the soufflé has puffed 2 to 3 inches over the rim of the baking dish into the collar, and the top has browned nicely (see Notes below).
8. Serving: As soon as it is done, remove the collar, then bring the soufflé to the table. To keep the puff standing, hold your serving spoon and fork upright and back to back; plunge them into the crust and tear it apart.

 
Notes
For drama, you choose a dish that’s a little too small, so that the soufflé puffs into a collar. When the collar is removed the puff holds itself 2 to 3 inches over the rim of the dish. Use a double thickness of buttered foil that will rise 3 inches over the top of the dish; secure the collar by inserting a straight pin head down – for easy removal.
When is it done? A soufflé baked in a dish should puff 2 to 3 inches over the rim, and the top should be nicely browned. The puff should hold up when you release the collar just a little bit to check – if the puff sags, rapidly refasten the collar and bake a few minutes more. If you want the puff to hold and the soufflé to stand a reasonable time, test it by plunging a skewer down into the side of the puff; if wet particles cling to it the soufflé will be creamy inside and will not hold as long as if the skewer comes out almost clean. 

Serves 2

2 (6-8 ounce) sirloin or rib-eye steaks-each about 1 1/2 inches thick
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons minced shallot 
½ cup Tawny Port or other sweet wine
½ cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

Steak

1. Take the filets from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Pat the filets dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot but not smoking lay the steaks in the pan and sear for 2 minutes. Turn the steaks and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Repeat two more times for a total of 4 minutes on each side. If you prefer to check the temperature with and instant read thermometer, test in the middle of the steak. 
   Meat Cooking Temperatures: 
   Rare = 140  Medium Rare = 145    Medium = 160  Medium Well – Well  = 170 and above
    
2. Remove the steaks and place them onto a cutting board and cover with foil to rest.  

 
Sauce

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the minced shallot and cook until the shallot is softened, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the port to the pan and raise the heat a bit to bring to a simmer. Simmer to reduce by half.  
3. Add the beef broth to the port reduction and gently simmer the mixture until it is reduced again by half.   
4. When reduced, whisk in the Dijon, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board from the steaks.  
5. To finish the sauce, remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk in the cold butter until the sauce is slightly thickened and shiny. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
6. To serve, slice the steak into ¼ inch slices and serve with the sauce drizzled over top.

Serve with: Sweet Potato Stacks and Sesame Green Beans w/Portabella Mushrooms

​Serves 2-4

2 Tbs olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large red onion cut into ¼ inch thick wedges
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 lemon cut into ¼ inch thick rounds
1-2 lbs sword fish-1 inch thick steaks
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
2 Tbs fresh herbs-dill, basil, parsley, rosemary, or mint

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Brush a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lemon, herbs and swordfish all in a single layer onto the pan. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with crumbled feta and additional fresh chopped herbs. Serve right from the pan!

Variations: Adjust your protein cooking time as needed. Thin pork chops-boneless or bone-in, sirloin tips, salmon fillets, chicken breads, boneless chicken thighs. Fennel bulb, red peppers, green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower florets. 

Recipe By Serious Eats
https://www.seriouseats.com/spaghetti-pasta-alle-vongole-clams-recipe
 
Kosher salt
3 pounds fresh small clams, such as littlenecks, Manilas, or cockles (about 3 dozen littlenecks or 4 dozen Manilas or cockles)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound dried spaghetti
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
Small handful minced fresh parsley leaves
​

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in enough salt to make it salty like the sea. Add clams and let stand 30 minutes. Lift clams from water and discard purging water; if there is sand in the bottom of the bowl, rinse it out and repeat this process until clams no longer release sand into the water (usually 2 to 3 purging cycles). Discard any clams that are gaping open and refuse to close when prodded.
2. In a large skillet, combine oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until garlic is very lightly golden, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling.)
3. Add white wine and clams, cover, and increase heat to high. Cook, checking every 30 seconds or so and transferring clams as they open to a large heatproof bowl, until all clams have opened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
4. Allow clams to cool slightly, then pull meat from shells; save a few shell-on clams per serving for garnish. If clam meat is large (for example, from larger littleneck clams), you can roughly chop it.
5. In a pot or large skillet of lightly salted water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than cooking time on package). Transfer pasta to skillet with white-wine sauce, add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water, and cook over high heat, stirring and tossing rapidly, until sauce has reduced and is beginning to form a creamy, emulsified coating on the noodles. Add butter, if using, and both clam meat and shell-on clams. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted and clams are heated through, about 1 minute; add more pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if sauce over-reduces and becomes dry or greasy. Season with salt if necessary. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in parsley and a drizzle of fresh olive oil. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.

Serves 6
   
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
6 sole fillets of tilapia, sole, or halibut each 5 to 6 ounces and 3/8 inch thick, patted dry with paper towels
Salt and ground black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs unsalted butter 
4 Tbs unsalted butter , cut into pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbs capers 
4 Tbs lemon juice (1-2 Lemons) 
2 lemons , cut in wedges for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚.  You will need to work in batches.  Season the fish fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the 2 pieces of fish in flour and shake off any excess. You will dredge fish just before cooking to keep it from getting gummy.
3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with 1 Tbs olive oil and cook until the oil is shimmering. 
4. Add 1 Tbs butter and swirl until the foaming subsides.
5. Gently place the floured fillet into the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until there's a nice golden-brown color, then carefully flip it over. Cook for another couple of minutes or until this side is golden-brown, too. I cooked my tilapia fillets for 3 minutes on each side.
6. Remove fish from pan and place it on a baking pan and place into the warmed oven.  Wipe out the pan, and continue to cook the remaining fish in the same way.
7. When all the fish are cooked, add the remaining 4 Tbs of butter to the pan and swirl it around. Cook until it turns slightly brown.
8. Add the parsley, capers, and lemon juice to the hot browned butter. Cook for just a few seconds, letting it bubble.  Remove the pan from the heat.
9. Place the cooked fillets onto plates, then pour the browned butter onto the fish and serve right away. Garnish with lemon wedges.

 
Tips
Use fillet of white fish like tilapia, sole, haddock or other lean, firm fish
Try to purchase fillets that are of similar size, and avoid those that weigh less than 5 ounces because they will cook too quickly.
​A nonstick skillet ensures that the fillets will release from the pan, but for the sauce a traditional skillet is preferable because its light-colored surface will allow you to monitor the color of the butter as it browns.” Cook’s Illustrated

​Servings 4
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs-for low-carb option replace breadcrumbs with pork rind crumbs
Salt and ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 
¼ cup plus 5 tablespoons flour 
2 large eggs 
3 tablespoons mayonnaise 
½ teaspoon paprika 
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ¼ pounds tilapia, or skinless cod fillet , or haddock fillet, or other thick white fish fillet (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 4 pieces 
Lemon wedges
Tartar Sauce - recipe below 

1. Preheat oven to 450˚
2. Transfer crumbs to pie plate; toss with parsley. 
3. Place 1/4 cup flour in second pie plate. In third pie plate, whisk eggs, mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until combined; whisk in remaining 5 tablespoons flour until smooth.
4. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Dry fish thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge 1 fillet in flour; shake off excess. Using hands, coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of fillet with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to fish. Transfer breaded fish to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 fillets.
5. Bake fish until firm, with a little “give”, about 18 to 25 minutes depending how thick the fillets are. Using a spatula, transfer fillets to individual plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

TARTAR SAUCE
 
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet pickles, plus 2 teaspoons juice
1 tablespoon drained capers, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced shallot or red onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
 
Whisk mayonnaise, pickles, pickle juice, capers, lemon juice, shallot, and Worcestershire in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

This is so simple and delicious. Using the store bought, vacuum-sealed gnocchi is a game changer in this recipe. No need to boil it, you’ll be baking it instead. When I am feeling like a low-carb alternative, I replace the gnocchi with cauliflower florets. They are a lovely alternative. 
 
Serves 4-6
 
2 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup water
2 packages fresh or vacuum-sealed gnocchi or 1 small head cauliflower cut into florets
6 ounces diced pancetta
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups frozen green peas, thawed
4 egg yolks
 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place oven rack in the middle position.
2. In a small bowl, combine the grated Parmesan and water.
3. Combine the gnocchi, pancetta, onions, and oil on the sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Cook until the pancetta and gnocchi are golden and crispy.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and add the cheese mixture and the peas to the pan ingredients. Stir to combine well. 
5. Bake for another 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and season with freshly ground pepper. 
7. Divide evenly on plates or shallow bowls. Place an egg yolk on the center of each gnocchi dish and season the egg with pepper and a pinch of salt.  Serve immediately and tell everyone to stir the lovely yolk into the dish to create a creamy sauce.

Community Cookbook Recipes from the Heart of Hollis-1912 to present
Recently, I pulled out my small collection of Hollis community cookbooks and began turning the pages. It was like stepping back in time. These endearing books were created by Hollis community groups as fundraisers and sold at various festivals and Old Home Days celebrations. Each book is a collection of tried-and-true family favorites, potluck specialties, and social hour regulars. The recipes provide a peek into a place and a time like a culinary historical record. Ingredient lists, cooking instructions, and recipe themes all tell part of a larger story about the times in which the recipes were created and give a glimpse into the lives of the home cooks who filled the pages with their favorite recipes.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Source: Favorite Herbal Recipes of the Maple Hill Gardeners, 2000
Submitted by: Cay Gregg
Location: page 42
 
1(6lb) leg of lamb, butterflied
½ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rosemary (dried)
½ teaspoon ginger (dried)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
 
Mix seasonings and spread over lamb. Marinade overnight in refrigerator. Broil for 15 minutes on each side. Makes it well done. Serves 6 to 8.
 
Liz’s Notes:
Cay Gregg was the wife of NH Governor Hugh Gregg and mother to NH Senator Judd Gregg. I met Cay shortly after I moved to Hollis. She always made time to sit with me and chat about my family and what I was up to. Cay was a lovely woman, and I feel privileged to have called her a friend. What a delight it was to discover some of her recipes in the pages of this cookbook. I will forever prepare my butterflied leg of lamb Cay’s way.
 

• I prepared this recipe using a 3 ½ pound butterflied leg of lamb and cut the marinade recipe in half to serve 4.
• To cook, I set my broiler on high and placed the lamb 5 inches below the flame/coil. I prefer my lamb a little pink and cooked “medium” rather than “well done”. I cooked the butterflied lamb for 10-15 minutes on each side. Test the temperature with an instant read thermometer. 145 degrees for medium.
• Let the lamb rest, covered with foil for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with my mint vinaigrette if you like. I love it!

By Joshua McFadden from his book Six Seasons
Serves 2-4 
(depending on the shape of your head of cauliflower and how many “steaks” you serve per person)
 
1 large head cauliflower (1 ½ -1 ¾ pounds)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups dried breadcrumbs (or panko breadcrumbs)
1 cup (3 ounces) aged provolone, shredded (grated on large holes of a box grater)
Plus ¼ cup finely grated provolone for dusting (cheddar, mozzarella, or swiss are delicious too)
½ cup chopped pickled sweet hot peppers
1/3 cup chopped mixed pitted olives (kalamata, green)
¼ cup capers
¾ cup lightly packed roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Trim the bottom of the cauliflower so that it sits firmly on the cutting board. Trim off about ½ inch from two opposite sides (to flatten them), then cut the cauliflower into thick slabs. Use a large spatula when handling the slabs. This will help to keep them from falling apart. Brush both sides of each slab with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Chop the trimmings and set aside to use in the topping.
3. Heat a baking pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Preheating the baking pan will help to brown the steaks on the bottom. Heat two if needed to cook the steaks without crowding.
4. Using a spatula, lay the slabs on the preheated pan and return to the oven quickly. Roast the cauliflower until tender, but not falling apart, 18-20 minutes.
5. While the steaks are roasting make the topping by mixing the breadcrumbs, shredded provolone, pickled peppers, olives capers, parsley lemon zest, and chopped cauliflower trimmings. Moisten with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, just to help the filling hold together. Taste the filling and season well. You should want to eat it all!
6. Take out the baking pan again and distribute the topping among all the slabs, pressing the make a thick layer. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the topping is lightly browned and starting to crisp, 10-15 minutes. 
7. Using your spatula, transfer the slabs to plates and top with a dusting of finely grated provolone.

 
Alternatives:
 
Variation to the above filling: (omitting the pickled peppers, olive, and capers) instead use 1 cup roughly chopped fresh mushrooms-cremini, portabella, button, ½ cup roasted red peppers, roughly chopped, 1/3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed. Follow the recipe as above.

Protein option: Place topping on slabs of fried tofu

Herb options: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
 
How can you use this topping? 
 Stuffing for peppers, zucchini
Topping for roasted portabella mushrooms, spaghetti squash, pasta

​Serves 4
2 (8 rib) lamb racks-about 1 3/4 pounds each 
¾ cup avocado
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ cup loosely packed chopped mint
½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt
Pepper, freshly ground
 
Let the lamb rest at room temperature while you are preheating the oven. 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 
Pat the lamb racks dry with a paper towel. 
To “french” the racks, you will remove the layer of fat that rests on the top side of the rib bones. Using a boning knife, slice across the layer of fat as high or low as you like above the ribs. Pull the layer of fat off. You may need to slide your knife under it to release it. Remove the strips of meat between the rib bones by cutting along the inner edges of the bones until you reach the crosscut you made previously. Cut any sinew or remaining meat as close to the bone as possible for a clean appearance. 
Cut each rack in half. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. 
Heat a large, ovenproof sauté pan or cast-iron pan. When hot, place the seasoned lamb racks in the pan with the rib side up. Sear the meat for 3 minutes or until browned. Turn the racks over and place the pan into the preheated oven. If you do not have an oven proof pan, place the lamb racks onto a baking pan. Cook for 15 minutes for rare or 20 minutes for medium rare. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest, tented with a piece of tin foil, for 5-10 minutes before cutting. 
Cut into individual chops and serve with the vinaigrette drizzled over the chops.
 
Mint Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup
 
To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar in a blender with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed. 
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serves 6-8
 
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes (leave the peels on)
2 pounds ground beef, pork, lamb, or combination
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, grated
2.5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken)
2 cups peas, frozen and thawed
1/3 cup butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. In a 4-quart sauce pot, cover the potatoes with water, plus 1 teaspoon salt and boil until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. 
2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ground beef, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Brown the ground beef breaking it up a bit as you are cooking it. I like to use a 10-inch cast iron pan and then use it to bake the pie in after. You can  use any oven-proof pan.
3. Remove the cooked ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the stove and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add the vegetables and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the cooked and seasoned ground beef back into the pan and stir in the tomato paste and stock. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. 
5. When the potatoes cooked, drain well and put the potatoes back into the pot with the butter and mash. Stir in the thawed peas, 2/3 cup of the cheese, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Spoon the meat mixture into a deep-dish pie pan or a large baking dish. Cover with the potato and pea mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese over the top.
7. Bake for another 30 minutes or until heated through and the potatoes are lightly browned.

Variations:

• Curried Cottage Pie, instead of adding herbs, add 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander to the ground beef while it is cooking.
• Substitute the potatoes with mashed rutabaga, celery root (celeriac), or cauliflower. These are lower carb alternatives for potatoes.

A delicious and elegant entree for any time you are feeling a little fancy. Its actually very easy to prepare. Serve it with my favorite low-carb side dish Mashed Cauliflower.

​Serves 6
 
3-pound boneless pork roast or pork loin (not pork tenderloin)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed 
1 16-ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained
8 ounces feta, crumbled
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil, pork fat, or coconut oil
Butcher’s twine
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. To prepare the filling, squeeze the thawed spinach of excess water and place into a large bowl. Roughly chop the drained roasted peppers and add to the spinach. Add the crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Evenly combine all the stuffing ingredients.
2. Holding a sharpened boning knife or chef’s knife parallel to the cutting board, make a horizontal slice lengthwise about 1/3 of the way from the bottom, stopping about 1/2- inch from the other side. Open the flap like a book. Make another horizontal cut into the thicker side of the roast, level with the first cut and stopping about one inch from the edge. Open that flap to create a flat piece of meat. As an alternative, you can cut the loin in half being sure to stop at 1/2 inch from the edge and opening like a book. Stuff and tie with twine.
3. Spoon the filling mixture onto the pork loin and cover the entire surface of the loin. Press the filling in an even layer.
4. Carefully roll the loin towards the end that has the fat facing down so that the fat is exposed when complete.
5. Cut 5 pieces of twine 18-inches long. Tie the stuffed loin with twine so that the loin is firmly held together. 
6. In a small bowl combine the chopped rosemary with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. Coat the loin with the seasoning and press into the meat.
7. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Place the stuffed pork loin into the pan fat side down and sear until browned.  Turn the pork over and place the pan into preheat oven and cook until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees, or about 40-45 minutes.  Remove the loin from the oven tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 
Notes:
You can often find instant read thermometers at the grocery store
Instant Read Thermometer
Digital Meat Probe
Butcher Twine

• Alternative seasoning: Add ¼ cup chopped fresh mint and/or ¼ cup chopped fresh dill to the stuffing.
• Replace the roasted peppers with ½ cup dried fruit-chopped apricots, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.
• Cook your roast on top of carrots, parsnips, or wedged potatoes and serve them as a side dish.

Recipe by Joshua McFadden Six Seasons A New Way with Vegetables
 
Serves 4
1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 red bell peppers
1 bunch scallions
4 ounces prosciutto
6 eggs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper and stirred until creamy

1. Put the potatoes in a 4 qt pan and just cover with water and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Bring to a boil and cook until they are tender but not mushy, 10-15 minutes. Drain
2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees (this is to finish the frittata. Most of the cooking will happen on the stove top) or you can use the broiler instead. If using the broiler preheat at the same time you add the eggs to the pan.
3. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet (non-stick if you have one, with an oven proof handle) over medium high heat. Swirl the melted butter to cover the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
4. Add the peppers, scallions, and prosciutto, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant and the peppers ae softening but not browning, 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes to the top.
5. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add 1 teaspoon salt, many twists of pepper, and the Parmigiano. Whisk until the eggs are nicely blended. Pour the eggs over the ingredients in the skillet, scraping everything out of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and let the eggs sit for about 2 minutes. Then carefully slip the spatula around the edges of the eggs, releasing them from the pan, allowing more liquid egg to flow underneath. Let the new layer of egg set up a bit and then repeat the process.
7. After most of the liquid egg has cooked, but the top is still runny dollop the ricotta over the top of the frittata in 8 blobs.
8. Transfer the pan to the oven and finish cooking the frittata all the way through, about 5 minutes. It should puff up a bit and brown. If finishing under the broiler, place the pan at least 5 inches away from the heat source. Keep an eye on the frittata and remove once it browns.
9. Let the frittata sit in the pan for a couple of minutes, then run the spatula or small knife around the edge of the frittata and as far under the center as you can. Serve it from the pan or gently slide it onto a serving platter. Serve warm or cold the next day.

Recipe by Julia Turshen Small Victories The entire book is filled with easy, delicious recipes. I love her "small victories". They will give you so many different ways to use her recipes.
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4 scallion stalks, white and pale green parts only
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 16-oz jar cabbage kimchi, including juice
3 tbsp avocado oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt
4 cups day-old cooked white rice
1 tbsp soy sauce, plus more as needed

1. Julienne scallion into 2″ matchsticks. Combine with sesame oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
2. Drain kimchi, retaining juice. Chop finely and set aside. In a large wok over medium-high heat, heat up oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, around 5 minutes. Turn heat to high and add kimchi. Cook for another 5 minutes until the edges become crispy and kimchi begins to stick to the pan.
3. Add chilled rice into the wok, and as it heats up, use wooden spatula to break up the chunks. Combine thoroughly. Add in reserved kimchi juice and mix until thoroughly red-orange in color. Turn off heat and drizzle over soy sauce. Taste and adjust as preferred.
4. Transfer fried rice to a bowl, top with scallion salad.

1 (24-ounce) bone-in ribeye steak, 2-inch-thick, at room temperature
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry; season generously with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Heat a medium cast iron skillet over medium high heat until very hot, about 1-2 minutes; add canola oil.
3. Place the steak in the middle of the skillet and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until a dark crust has formed on both sides, about 12-14 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Push steak to one side of the skillet; add butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary to opposite side of the skillet, tilting the skillet towards the butter and cooking until butter is foaming, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Working carefully, spoon butter over steak for 1-2 minutes, turning over once, until it reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for medium rare, or until desired doneness. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
6. Serve immediately.

A quick video on the butter basting to finish the steak. 

Serves 4 

½ pound angel hair pasta 
12 ounce Andouille-style sausage (or other spicy, cured sausage), sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, slice thin
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 
1 6-ounce can tomato paste 
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 pound 26-30 sized raw shrimp, shelled and deveined 
½ cup fresh flat-leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt ground pepper to taste
Parmegiano Reggiano, freshly grated

1. To cook the pasta, bring a large sauté pan filled halfway with water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stirring occasionally, and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 6-8 minutes. You will see that the pasta will absorb most of the water and the water will become cloudy with the starch from the pasta. Plan to use some of the leftover water to add to your sauce if you like.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan with the oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the sausage, onion, and garlic slices.  Cook stirring occasionally until the sausage is lightly browned and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and red-pepper flakes. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. 
4. Add the shrimp and continue to cook, covered, just until the shrimp are opaque, about 4 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce with ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired. Cook for 1 minute to allow the pasta to absorb the flavorful sauce. Turn off the heat and add the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with parmesan cheese on the side.

 
Variations:

• For a low carb version, serve with cooked spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles instead of pasta
• Cook sliced mushrooms with the sausage and onions.
• Add black olives (kalamata or oil cured) and/or capers with the diced tomatoes
• Add canned artichoke hearts with the diced tomatoes

Serves 2-4
Southwest Seasoning
Makes ¼ cup
2 tablespoons smoked paprika (I get mine at HomeGoods). You can use sweet paprika instead, but it will not have a smokey flavor-still delicious though!
½  tsp chipotle power or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt

Fajitas
1 ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (or tenders), cut into 1 inch slices
2 large peppers, red, yellow, or combination, cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half from top to bottom, each half cut into ½ inch wedges
2-3 tablespoons Southwest seasoning
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into 1/4s
8 corn or flour tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Combine the Southwest seasoning ingredients in a small container and set aside. 
3. Place the chicken pieces, peppers, and onions into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoning and the olive oil. Toss to coat the chicken and vegetables with the seasoning. 
4. Place the seasoned chicken and vegetables onto a sheet pan and spread out into one layer -do not over crowd.  If you need another sheet pan, place them in the oven on separate racks with plenty of space between. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 12 minutes or until the chicken is firm to the touch and the peppers and onions have softened.
5. If you would like to add more browning, place the pan under the broiler (set on high) and cook (with the door open) until browned, 3-5 minutes more.
6. Warm the tortillas (covered) in the microwave for 1 minute.
7. Serve hot with lime wedges. 

 
Add Liz’s Southwest Coleslaw to create an amazing meal! 

​4 ounces butter, unsalted, grass fed
1 ½ lbs (about 1/2 a head) head Savoy cabbage or green cabbage-shredded 
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced                 
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup assorted greens-baby spinach, flat-leafed parsley, baby arugula-chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt 4 ounces of butter in a large sauté pan over a medium- high heat.  Add the slice garlic, ground beef, and pepper flakes. You can put the ground beef into the pan a break it apart as it cooks or place it in the pan in large pieces and cook without breaking up. Cook the meat until it is browned and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes. 
   
   
2. Add the shredded cabbage and thyme. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted but still bright green, 3-5 minutes. 
   
   
3. Add the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, and the heavy cream. Toss the ingredients gently to coat. Simmer for 3 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

 
Additions:
10oz frozen spinach, thawed and pressed to remove excess water
Shrimp. Add raw shrimp with the cabbage to cook.
Replace ground beef with 1 lb sausage meat. 

2 Tbs oil (peanut oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil)
1 large carrot, peeled, sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
1/2 lb broccoli, cut into florets w/stems
1 large pepper-red, yellow, or orange, sliced
1/4 lb snow peas, whole or cut in half
​3 scallions, chopped-green and white parts
Fresh cilantro (a handful with stems), chopped or flat leafed parsley- if you do not like cilantro

Optional protein additions: 
1 pound chicken breast or sirloin tips, cut into 1-inch pieces
or
½ pound extra firm tofu, drained, pressed between paper towels, and cut into ½ inch cubes

1. Prepare hot and spicy stir fry sauce (recipe below) and set aside.
2. Add 2 tbs of oil to a large fry pan and heat pan over high heat until oil is shimmering.  If cooking chicken or beef, add to hot oil and toss until cooked through. Remove from pan. 
3. Add more oil if needed and add sliced onions and carrots, cook over high heat, stirring until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  
4. Add broccoli and peppers with 1/4 cup water, cover, and steam over high heat for about 2 minutes; uncover.
5. Add snow peas (and tofu, cooked beef, or cooked chicken if using) and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 30-60 seconds.
6. Pour 1 cup stir fry sauce over cooked vegetables. Add more if you like.  Add chopped scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately.
   
   
   

Hot and Spicy Stir Fry Sauce
Martin Yan (prepare before class)
Makes 2 cups
​
2/3 cups Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons sugar
½ tsp white or black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon chili garlic sauce or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 ½ tablespoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
​1/4 cup water

1. Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, broth, sugar, pepper, and garlic sauce in a bowl. Set aside. Combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and stir. Set aside.
2. Heat a saucepan with the cooking oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring for about 20 seconds. 
3. Add the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.  
4. Stir up the cornstarch mixture and add to the hot sauce while stirring and cook until thickened. Store sauce in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze.

Serves 2-4
2 Tbs olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion cut into ¼ inch thick wedges
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper 
1 lemon cut into ¼ inch thick rounds
1-2 lbs salmon
1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 
2-4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
½ lb green beans, stems removed
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Brush a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the tomatoes, onion, green beans, garlic, and salt and pepper in a large bowl and toss gently to season everything evenly. 
3. Place the salmon, onto the center of the sheet pan. Spread the salmon with the Dijon mustard using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the dill. 
4. Place the seasoned vegetables around the salmon in a single layer. Place the sheet pan in the in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Add the green beans to the pan and continue cooking for and additional 5 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through. The thickest part of the salmon should be firm with a little “give” when pressed with your finger.
5. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle on the crumbled feta and serve right from the pan!

Variations: Adjust your protein cooking time as needed. Thin pork chops-boneless or bone-in, sirloin tips, swordfish fillets, chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs. Fennel bulb, red peppers, asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower florets. 

This is an easy and delicious Instant Pot recipe. My favorite Instant Pot recipes are from Urvashi Pitre. Here website is twosleevers.com. Go there and you will find many more great recipes.

4-6 servings
2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless cut into bite sizes
1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
1.5 tablespoons chile powder (NOT cayenne)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil- olive, coconut, or avocado
14 ounces diced canned tomatoes
5 ounces can tomato paste
1 small onion chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 ounces canned/pickled jalapenos
 

1. Turn your Instant Pot or Pressure cooker onto Sauté.
2. While it heats, coat the chicken with the cumin, chile, and salt.
3. Pour the oil into the pressure cooker once it is hot, add the coated chicken pieces.
4. You are doing this step to get the spices to "bloom" a little bit to get their full flavor. So cook it for 4-5 minutes, and you should be good to go.
5. Add everything else into the pressure cooker and close.
6. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes, and allow it to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Release all remaining pressure.
7. Use two forks to shred the chicken a bit more if you're serving as tacos, or eat over rice.

Serves 4
 
Give your chicken a major flavor boost by stuffing pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano into the meat before searing. While the chicken is cooking, prepare this quick, flavorful tomato sauce with fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes and slowly sauteed garlic. Finish it off with a handful of fresh basil and a swirl of creamy butter and you will be in heaven!
 
 
4 boneless chicken breasts (about ⅓ pound each)
2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half from top to bottom. 
10 thinly sliced garlic cloves
½ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
1 pinch crushed red pepper
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Kosher salt 
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking pan with foil. 
2. Cut the Parmesan into 32 ¼ -inch pieces and set aside. Pat each chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Make 8 small, shallow slits into the top side of each chicken breast. Gently insert a piece of Parmesan into each slit. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. 
3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the pan is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan, top side down. Sear the chicken until the breast lifts easily from the pan and is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and place them on the baking pan with the seared side facing up. Finish cooking in the oven for 15 minutes or until the flesh is firm, yet has a little “give” when pressed. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit covered for 5 minutes before slicing.
4. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the tomato sauce using the same pan you seared the chicken in. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic in the pan and turn the heat to medium low. Cook the garlic slowly until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and basil. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until the tomatoes break down and become saucy, about 10 minutes. To finish the sauce, turn off the heat and slowly stir in the cold butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with sliced chicken. 

Variations
 
Basil Tomato Corn Sauce     
The addition of fresh corn kernels to the cherry tomato sauce above creates a colorful and delicious complement to seafood, chicken, or pasta. Prepare the sauce as above. When the tomatoes begin to break down, add ½ cup of water and the kernels cut from two fresh ears of corn. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and finish the sauce with cold butter as above.   
 
Southwest Mussels with Tomato Corn Sauce     
Prepare the Basil Tomato Corn Sauce without the basil. Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin with the tomatoes and 2 pounds of cleaned mussels with the corn kernels. Finish the sauce with butter and a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro. Serve with pasta or polenta.