Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda - Don't ask me how to say it

One of the unintended consequences of this blogging endeavor has been the addition of a few extra pounds (per my scale).  I thought this week I might need to lighten it up a little.  After all, bathing suit season will be here shortly.

Last night I made Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda (recipe to follow) from Giada De Laurentiis' Family Dinners cookbook.  When asked what we were having for dinner, I had to say tilapia with a citrus sauce as I could not say "bagna cauda" in a way that remotely sounded right.  I am sure Giada says it beautifully.

Preparation of this dish is extremely easy, and in fact, you can make the delicious sauce up to a day ahead of time for a really quick meal.  From start to finish, this meal took me 30 minutes to prepare.  Great for a busy weeknight.

RECIPE: Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

4 anchovy fillets, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange zest

6 (6-ounce) skinless tilapia fillets

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Cook the butter and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over low to medium heat just until the butter is melted, stirring frequently. Add the anchovies and stir until the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the orange juice, basil, and lemon and orange zests. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt.

The bagna cauda sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and brush both sides of the fish with remaining 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Working in 2 batches, fry the fish until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Cover with foil and keep warm in the oven while cooking the second batch of fish. Drizzle the sauce over and around the fish and serve.  (Courtesy of Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis)

I realize that the anchovy fillets may turn some people off, but don't let it, as it really does add an interesting flavor.  The minced fillets end up dissolving so it adds a salty flavor to the sauce versus a fishy flavor. The citrus sauce is very light yet packed with flavor.  It would be great on any type of mild flavored fish.  The cookbook had a note that the sauce is also good on cauliflower and broccoli.  Next time that may be worth a try.  

Serve the fish over rice, couscous or thin pasta.  The sauce begs to be sopped up by something.  This was an extremely satisfying (and light) dish, and was perfect for a warm evening.  

Delicious BBQ Chicken - Fire up the Grill

Spring has finally arrived in Dallas, and that means its time to fire up the grill.  We are definitely fair weather grillers, so our poor grill remains fairly neglected through the winter.  One of our favorite things to grill is BBQ chicken.   Within our family, my father-in-law is an expert on the grill.  He taught us a great way to grill the chicken, keeping it juicy and tender.

RECIPE:  BBQ Grilled Chicken

6 to 8  chicken pieces (your choice - breasts, thighs or drumsticks)

Italian salad dressing

3 teaspoons lemon pepper

salt and pepper for seasoning

 1/2 jar BBQ sauce (for basting the chicken and some reserved to serve on the side)

Place chicken in a plastic bag and then cover with the Italian salad dressing.  Close the bag, and massage the dressing into the chicken.  Place in the refrigerator, and allow to marinate for at least one hour.  After the chicken has marinated, heat the grill to a temperature of 325 degrees.  Place the chicken on a plate, and season with lemon pepper, salt and pepper (generously).   Place the chicken on the grill where it will receive indirect heat.  (For gas grills, turn off the burners directly below the chicken.)  Grill for 45 minutes to an hour, ensuring the temperature is maintained at 325 degrees and the chicken is almost cooked through.  (The chicken does not need to be turned or moved once on the grill.)  Baste each piece with the BBQ sauce of your choice.  Continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout.  Heat some of the BBQ sauce in a saucepan to serve on the side.

I cannot take credit for how delicious this chicken was, as Walter was in charge of grilling.  Cooking on indirect heat really keeps the chicken moist and flavorful.  Adding the BBQ sauce in the last 15 minutes prevents the sugar in the sauce from burning and turning the skin black.  This technique would be great for a variety of sauces.  Happy Grilling!

Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

I will be the first to admit, I am not great at the reinvention of leftover anything.  Occasionally, I'll catch one of those Food Network or Cooking Channel TV chefs demonstrating how to re-purpose last night's leftovers.  They may it look so easy.  Truth be told, with two growing and hungry teenagers, leftovers are generally enough for one person to scrap together a lunch.

Last night, however, this all changed.  Monday evening, I made lasagna rolls from Giada's Family Dinners cookbook, which also called for making homemade marinara sauce.   Historically, I have used jarred sauces when recipes call for a red sauce out of convenience.  Monday I had the time to give her quick marinara sauce a whirl.  The sauce was great, and even better, made enough for another meal.

Now to last night's dinner of Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti (recipe to follow).  The Barefoot Contessa has a great recipe for meatballs out of her cookbook How Easy is That?  I had not tried them before, but these had been recommended as a must try.

RECIPE: Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

Ingredients:
3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
2/3 cup whole milk
2 pounds ground turkey (85-percent to 92-percent lean)
1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
3 (24-ounce) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao's
2 pounds dried spaghetti, such as De Cecco
Freshly grated Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, for serving


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine.

With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked.

Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

(Courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa's How Easy is That?)


The combination of ground turkey, pork sausage and prosciutto was delicious with the turkey assuming the role formerly played by ground beef.  Ground turkey will truly take on the flavors it is mixed with, and I will oftentimes use it in meat sauce or chili.

What I especially loved about this recipe is that you bake the meatballs instead of pan frying.  I have my own recipe for meatballs, which isn't half bad, but it requires browning and cooking them in the pan.  This was so much easier.  Once baked, just transfer them to the sauce and allow to simmer.

Truth be told, the family was pretty excited to have good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs last night.  In this blogging endeavor, I have tried to be slightly more adventurous.  Sometimes some pasta and a nice glass of wine are as satisfying as the fanciest of meals.  (Not that the kids had the wine - that was for Mom and Dad only.)

Lasagna Rolls - Worthy of a Standing Ovation

I have had a recipe dog-eared in Giada's Family Dinners that I have been wanting to try for Lasagna Rolls (recipe to follow).  Our family loves pasta and especially a good lasagna.  This take on the everyday Italian favorite did not disappoint, and I got my first dinner standing ovation!

RECIPE:  LASAGNA ROLLS

Ingredients:

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce (or make: Giada's Quick Marinara Sauce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions:
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread a large spoonful (about 3 tablespoons worth) of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.  (Courtesy of Giada's Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis)

I made these for Meatless Monday, so I omitted the prosciutto, which I did not miss at all.  I am sure adding it would be even more yummy.  I don't keep whole milk on hand, so I used low-fat milk and skim ricotta.  I think the recipe worked fine, and this helped make it a little more calorie friendly.

I definitely encourage laying your noodles out on a baking sheet, which will keep them from sticking to each other.  Assembly was really easy.  I used a tablespoon to add 3 tablespoons in 3 dollops at the top, middle, and bottom of each noodle.  I then spread them and rolled them.  Easy and fun.

I highly recommend making your own marinara sauce.  I made Giada's Quick Marinara Sauce, which is a quick and easy way to make homemade sauce.  When serving this dish, have some marinara on the table for adding to baked rolls (or dipping bread in). It makes about 6 cups of sauce, so we had enough leftover that tonight we are going to have spaghetti with meatballs using the leftover marinara sauce (keep an eye out for the next post).

These were fun, delicious, and a family friendly meal.  Like I mentioned at the beginning, at the end of the meal, Walter and the boys stood, and clapped because they loved these so much.  I have been asked to keep this marked as they expect me to make it again.  I will definitely do so, and this is one of those recipes I really wouldn't change a thing.

Sole in Parchment with Shaved Vegetables - Pretty Elegant for a Tuesday

We were fortunate to have Walter's parents in town last week for Spring Break, and had a great time visiting and catching up with them.  They both have been great supporters of my blogging endeavor, and were kind enough to bring me the new Lee Brothers cookbook The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen.  This is another one of those beautiful cookbooks where every page has something you want to try.

After our somewhat decadent Easter dinner, Walter requested something a little lighter for Tuesday's family dinner.  A specific recipe stood out to me for Flounder in Parchment with Shaved Vegetables (recipe to follow).

When I was growing up, my paternal grandparents, Grandma and Papa, had a second home in South Texas not too far from where I grew up in Harlingen.  Oftentimes, when they would fly into town on Friday nights, they would pick me up, and I was the lucky girl who got spoiled by them for the weekend.  One of their favorite restaurants was a seafood restaurant whose name escapes me (something like the Pelican or Pelican's Beacon) that I thought it was so fancy.  This was back in the '80s so it had plenty of wood paneling, and a darker ambiance.  The first time I had fish served in parchment was there, and I thought it was just about the fanciest thing I had ever had.  It was a stuffed fish with crabmeat.  Isn't it funny how certain things can conjure up a memory?

So of all the recipes in this cookbook, I kept flipping back to this one as the one to try first.  This is a delicious and guest-worthy dish, so we felt a little fancy last night.

RECIPE:  Flounder in Parchment with Shaved Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
kosher salt
2 ounces chainey briar (or 3 stalks of asparagus, shaved lengthwise with a vegetable peeler)
2 ounces radishes (about 3) shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 sheets of parchment paper
4 (4 to 6 oz) fillets of skinless flounder, or other tender white-fleshed fish, such as sole or snapper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut in 8 pats
1 lemon cut in 8 slices
freshly ground pepper
1 large egg white

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  In a shallow bowl, whisk the olive oil with the white wine, white wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the chainey briar and radishes, toss to coat with the dressing, and reserve.

3.  For each of the fillets, fold the parchment paper in half lengthwise so it opens like a book, with the seam at the left.  Place a fillet with its leftmost, longest edge in the crease of the seam and centered vertically.  Season each fillet with 2 pinches of salt.  Put 2 pats of butter and 2 slices of lemon on top of each fillet.  Grind some black pepper over the fish.

4.  Make the egg wash by whisking the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the three open edges of the bottom layer of parchment with the wash, and lay the top side of the parchment over the fish top.  Press on the edges of the parchment to seal.  Lift the bottom left corner of the parchment up, and fold it over crisply to create a small triangular fold.  Then place your index finger in the center of the long edge of the that fold, and make another triangular fold.  Continue folding the edge of the paper from the middle of the previous fold until you've sealed up the fish in a half moon-shaped package.

5.  When all the parchment packages are sealed, put them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes.  Toss the chainey briar and radishes again in the dressing, then cut each packet open.  Working quickly, remove the lemon slices (if desired) and strew a portion of the chainey briar and radishes over the fish, and serve immediately, placing each packet of fish directly on a dinner plate.

(Courtesy of The Lee Bros Charleston Kitchen  by Matt Lee and Ted Lee)

After visiting the fish market, they did not have any skinless flounder, so I opted for some very fresh sole fillets.  This is a great preparation method for sole, which is extremely delicate.  Until I read this recipe, and then did a Google search, I had no idea what chainey briar was.  Apparently it is a vine found most predominantly in Florida, and is a relative to asparagus.  I used asparagus.  With the radishes, I used my mandolin slicer, and sliced them at 1/8 inch.  I am not a huge radish fan, so having them in thinner slices, helped temper the bitterness.

The parchment paper keeps the fish and all the delicious cooking juices contained in one neat little package.  The acidity of the asparagus and radish garnish added even more depth, and added some beautiful color contrast.  The hardest and most stressful part of making this dish is the folding of the parchment paper.  Once you do a couple, you will get the hang of it.

Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin and Mashed Potatoes en Croute - An Easter Day Feast

What started as a dark and gloomy morning, turned into a beautiful sunny and warm Easter day.  After a morning of church and helping with the Easter egg hunt, we had a little work to do to put a beautiful Easter dinner on the table.  When it comes to Easter, we do not stick with tried and true dishes like we do for Thanksgiving.  Wait, let me make one exception.  We change things up with the exception of deviled eggs.  That is a must have.

Our 2013 Easter Dinner Menu:
Slow Roasted Filet of Beef 
Mashed Potatoes en Croute
Deviled Eggs 
Garden Salad
Blueberry and Blackberry Silent Shade Cobbler

I found the Slow Roasted Filet of Beef recipe in the Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook Foolproof.  I made this earlier in the year for my mom's birthday.  That go around I overcooked my tenderloin which was so disappointing, and I found out that this recipe is not totally foolproof (ha-ha).  However, we loved the crust created on the tenderloin from the salt, pepper and tarragon, and I knew we would need to give it another try.  This next go around we slowed cooked the beef in a roasting pan on our outside grill, and I put Walter in charge of cooking to perfection.

RECIPE:  Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef

Ingredients:

Ready for the Grill

1 whole filet of beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (4 ½ pounds)

3 tablespoons good olive oil

4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

10 to 15 branches fresh tarragon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to be sure your oven temperature is accurate!

Place the filet on a sheet pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Brush the filet all over with the oil, reserving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and pepper (it will seem like a lot but believe me, it makes a difference). Place the tarragon branches around the beef, tying them in 4 or 5 places with kitchen string to keep them in place, and then brush the tarragon with the reserved oil.

Roast the filet of beef for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until the temperature registers 125 degrees in the center for rare and 135 degrees for medium rare. I place the thermometer horizontally through the end of the beef. Cover the filet with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature.   (Courtesy of Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten)

Note:  There is a recipe for Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise that comes with this recipe, but I didn't make it this go around.

Ready to be eaten!

My childhood friend Chris shared  a recipe with me a week or so ago for Mashed Potatoes en Croute.   Knowing my affinity for mashed potatoes, she thought we'd love this.  And boy was she right!  Anytime you are concerned your mashed potatoes are not quite decadent enough, try out this recipe.  Puff pastry with rich mashed potatoes is delicious -- if you were wondering.  When boiling the potatoes, you include 2 bay leafs.  This adds an additional depth to the potatoes, and I would try this in the future when just making mashed potatoes.

RECIPE:  Mashed Potatoes en Croûte (as printed in Southern Living November 2010)

 Ingredients:

4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup milk

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon half-and-half

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Bring 2 qt. salted water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and next 2 ingredients, and cook 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes, and discard bay leaves. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until soft and fluffy.

2. Microwave butter and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute. Stir until smooth; add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir butter mixture into mashed potatoes. Stir in egg yolks and cheese until smooth.

3. Press 1 pastry sheet into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, allowing edges to hang over sides. Spoon mashed potatoes into pie plate, and top with remaining pastry sheet. Crimp and fold edges inward. Cut several slits in top of pastry for steam to escape. Whisk together egg and half-and-half; brush over pastry.

4. Bake at 425° for 24 minutes or until pastry is golden and has risen slightly.

We enjoyed deviled eggs and a beautiful garden salad as additional sides to these delicious show stoppers.

Now with it being a holiday, we had to have a little something sweet for dessert.  I  went to my favorite go-to dessert for Silent Shade Cobbler (courtesy of Martha Hall Foose's Screen Doors and Sweet Tea cookbook).   We had some beautiful blueberries and blackberries at our market, so I made it the traditional way.  I posted the recipe for this back in February Crab Cakes, Gumbo, Cobbler and Oscar, but made it with apples then.  If you have not made this yet, what are you waiting for?  I can't get enough of this stuff!

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!  We had a great day with full bellies.