Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp canola, rice bran, grapeseed, or other high smoke-point cooking oil
• 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips (across the grain), 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

Stir Fry Sauce

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
• 1/2 tsp chili oil

Method

1 Fill a medium sized saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Blanch the cut asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of white rice, following the instructions on the rice package. 2 In a small dish, stir together the stir fry sauce ingredients—soy sauce, chopped ginger, minced garlic, chopped green onion, chili oil—and set aside. 3 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pot that can handle high heat) on high heat until shimmery. Add the asparagus and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the asparagus from the pan and set aside. 4 Heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan on high heat until shimmery. Stir fry the beef strips in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, until they are browned but still a little pink inside. Return the first batches of beef strips to the pan along with the bell pepper strips. Stir and toss over high heat until the bell pepper strips are just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes. 5 Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed white rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice).

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Fish Tacos Recipe

• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves four.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of very fresh fish fillets – (Good fish for tacos are firm fish like swordfish or halibut)*
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

• 1 doz corn tortillas (3 tortillas per person)
• Vegetable oil or butter (optional, depending on how you heat your tortillas)

• Salsa – (see Mango Salsa Recipe)
• 1 ripe Avocado

• Cabbage (or iceberg lettuce)
• Cider vinegar
• Salt

*Fisheries worldwide are under pressure. Be sure to choose a sustainable fish. See the guidelines at Monterey Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.

Method

1 Prepare the salsa. Either use store bought or make your own. (See above link for Mango Salsa, which is especially good with fish.)

2 Prepare the cabbage and avocado. Thinly slice cabbage. Put in a small serving bowl. Sprinkle with cider vinegar (about a Tbsp) and salt (about a tsp). Mix in the vinegar and salt. Peel avocado and remove seed. Chop and reserve for later.

3 Heat the tortillas. Unless you have made fresh tortillas from scratch, you will need to soften them somehow. One way to easily soften and heat a tortilla to simply heat it in the microwave for 20-25 seconds on high heat, on top of a napkin or paper towel to absorb the moisture that is released. We often will heat two tortillas at once in the microwave, heating them for a total of 40 seconds.

Another way is to heat a well seasoned (black) large cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spread a half a teaspoon of butter on one side of one tortilla. Place tortilla in the pan (butter side down if you are using butter). As the tortilla sizzles, flip the tortilla with a spatula so that the other side gets some of the oil or butter from the pan. Continue to flip every 10-30 seconds until the tortillas begins to develop air pockets, about a minute. If the pan begins to smoke, lower the temperature. You can skip the butter or oil if you wish and just heat the tortillas up on the skillet without them. We have found that the flavor of packaged tortillas benefits from heating them with a bit of oil.

Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it folded on a plate. If the pan is large enough you can prepare two or more tortillas at once. Continue until all the tortillas (estimate 3 per person) are cooked. Set aside.

4 Cook the fish. Soak the fish fillets in cold water for at least one minute. Pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large stick-free skillet to medium high heat. Add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to the skillet. Place fish on skillet. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillets. A thin fillet may take only one minute on each side to cook. A thicker fillet may take a couple of minutes. Fish should be still barely translucent when cooked. Break off a piece and test if you are not sure. Do not overcook the fish. Remove from pan when done to a separate plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5 Assembly. I think tacos are best when you assemble them yourself. Place the plate of tortillas, the plate of fish, the salsa, the cabbage, and the avocados on the table and let everyone assemble their own.

Easy Grilled Salmon Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 3 pounds salmon fillets, skin-on (figure 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person)
• Canola, olive, or grapeseed oil

Marinade Recipes

Basic marinade:

• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Basic teriyaki marinade:

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1-inch nob of fresh ginger root, grated
• 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 to 4 Tbsp brown sugar

Teriyaki marinade with mirin:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Pinch chili pepper flakes

Yakitori marinade with sake:

• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 2 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• A dash of red chili pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Method

1 Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. If sugar is an ingredient in the marinade you are using, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2 Cut filles 1 1/2 to 2-inches wide. Place marinade ingredients in a large casserole dish (or a plate with sides so the marinade doesn’t run). Coat the salmon fillets in the marinade and then place them skinless-side down in the marinade. Marinate for 20 minutes for a quick marinade (can do this at room temperature while you are preparing the grill) or if you have more time from 1-2 hours chilled in the refrigerator. Before grilling, remove fillets from marinade and discard marinade.

3 Prepare grill for high direct heat (if you are using a charcoal grill, allow one side of the grill with much fewer coals for indirect heating). When the grill is good and hot, spray or brush oil generously on both sides of fish fillets. Place fillets on grill, skinless side down first, so that they can get nice grill marks on the hot grill while the fish is still firm. Close the grill lid. Cook 1-3 minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are.

Once the fish fillets have been placed on the grill, do not move them until you are going to flip them over, otherwise they may fall apart.

4 Look for grill marks on the fish and a small layer of opaque (cooked) fish where the fish is closes to the grill. Using tongs, and a metal spatula if necessary, carefully turn the fish onto the other side, so that the skin side is now on the grill grates. If you are using a charcoal grill, the fillets should be placed on the side of the grill furthest from the coals. If you are using a gas grill, just reduce the flame to medium. Close the grill lid. Cook for another 2-5 minutes, again depending on the thickness of the fillets. Salmon should be just barely opaque throughout when done.

Better to err on the side of undercooking the salmon, rather than overcooking. You can always put the fish back on the grill, but once a good fillet is overcooked, there’s nothing you can do.

Remove from grill and serve immediately.

Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_grilled_salmon/#ixzz3XbOHfY5A

Creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil + more for lightly coating chicken
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup sliced shallots
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (can sub chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 Tbsp Dijon mustard, smooth or whole grain or a mixture of both
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Method

1 Remove chicken breasts from package and sprinkle with salt. Remove the tenderloin from each breast and set aside. Cut each chicken breast into 3 pieces, approximately the same size. Coat with just a little olive oil. Place the breast pieces between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a mallet, empty wine bottle, or rolling pin to pound the chicken pieces to an even thinness of about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the tenderloin pieces.

2 In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium high to high heat. Stir in the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the chicken pieces to the pan.  Do not crowd the pan, if necessary work in batches. Lightly brown chicken on one side, turn over and brown the other side. Do not overcook the chicken. The pieces are thin and they will cook quickly. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside while you make the sauce.

3 Add sliced shallots to the pan. Lower the heat to medium. Stir to coat with the remaining fat in the pan. Cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

4 Add white wine to the pan and increase the heat to high. When most of the wine has evaporated, add the water, the mustard, and the dried thyme. Reduce by half.

5 Lower the heat to low. Add the chicken back to the pan and coat with the sauce. Remove the pan from heat and drizzle in the cream. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary.

Serve with egg noodles (not for gluten-free version), rice, mashed potatoes, puréed celery root or parsnips (or serve alone or with vegetables for low carb version).

Crab Salad with Pear and Hazelnuts Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fresh lump crab meat
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 firm, but sweet pears, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice (or 3 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 large pieces of butter lettuce, rinsed and patted dry

Method

In a medium sized bowl mix the hazelnuts, celery, pear, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, ground pepper, and salt. Gently fold in the lump crab meat, trying not to break up the crab too much.

Make individual servings, about a half cup each over a piece of butter lettuce.

Serves 4.

Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/crab_salad_with_pear_and_hazelnuts/#ixzz3XbMufu50

Chicken Mango Lettuce Wraps Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer.

Why the corn starch? It’s a cooking trick that you often find in Chinese recipes. The corn starch helps the chicken hold in its moisture and keep it from drying out in the high heat of the stir frying.

Recipe slightly modified from Chicken Mango Lettuce Cups in Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken (I use ground chicken thighs for more flavor)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if cooking gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon corn starch (or potato or rice starch)
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil (a high smoke point oil would be best such as rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 large mango, diced (see How to Cut a Mango)
• 1 head of butter lettuce, rinsed, leaves separated

Method

1 Place the ground chicken, soy sauce, and corn starch in a large bowl. Mix to combine.

2 Heat a wok or a large sauté pan on medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the oil. Add the green onions and sliced shiitakes. Let cook for about a minute.

3 Increase the heat to high, and add the ground chicken, soy sauce, corn starch mixture.  Use a wooden spoon to break up the ground chicken and spread around the pan.  Stir fry in this way for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and diced mango.  Remove from heat. Adjust seasonings (rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce) to taste.

Scoop spoonfuls into the cups formed by the lettuce leaves to serve.

Options – stir in a small spoonful of chili sauce, or add a few chili pepper flakes to the oil as it is heating. Top with some fresh cilantro leaves. Experiment with other meats such as lamb, turkey, beef, or pork. Try subbing out the mango with mandarin orange slices.

Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_mango_lettuce_wraps/#ixzz3XbMGvBMv

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer.

We suggest using plum tomatoes for bruschetta because they have thicker flesh with fewer seeds and less juice than regular tomatoes, but feel free to use any tomato for this recipe. If you use cherry tomatoes, just quarter them, don’t bother blanching or peeling them.

Ingredients

• 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced* or chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste

• 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

*To thinly slice basil leaves, stack the leaves on top of each other and roll up like a cigar. Then make thin slices from one end of the basil cigar to the other.

Method

1 Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. As the water is heating make shallow cuts in a cross pattern at the tip ends of the tomatoes (this will make the tomatoes easier to peel).  Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Put the tomatoes in the hot water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then gently peel off the tomato skins. Cut out the stem base with a paring knife. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters and squeeze out most of the juices and seeds.

2 Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the top slot of the oven. Finely chop the tomatoes and place them in a medium bowl. Mix in the minced garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar. Stir in the thinly sliced basil and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more to taste. Note, tomatoes love salt; you may need to add more than you expect.

3 Use a bread knife to slice the baguette on the diagonal making half-inch thick slices. Brush one side of each slice with olive oil (a pastry brush helps here) and place olive oil-side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan. The baguette slices will toast best in the top rack of your oven, so you may need to work in batches to toast them all. When the oven has reached 450°F (230°C) place the slices in the oven on the top rack and toast for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.

If you want you can toast the bread slices without coating them first in olive oil. Toast them until lightly browned on both sides. Then cut a clove of garlic in half and rub over one side of the toast. Then brush with olive oil. (See Easiest Ever Garlic Bread.)

4 Arrange the toasted bread on a platter, olive oil side facing up (the olive oil will help create a temporary barrier keeping the bread from getting soggy from the chopped tomatoes). Either serve the toasts plain with a bowl of the tomato bruschetta mixture on the side for people to top their own, or use a spoon to gently top each toasted bread slice with some of the tomato mixture. If you top each slice individually, do it right before serving.