Poached Halibut with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Halibut Courtesy of Cooking Light
Snap Peas Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Greetings! I hope everyone is off to a good 2014! What better way to kick it off than cooking healthy, light meals for dinner? Now that we have a wedding on the horizon, we're really trying to make an effort to be healthy -- at least during the week ;) I saw some fresh fish today and had to have it. This recipe had been on my mind, so I figured it would be a good chance to try it out! At first, it sounded kind of strange to me, to be honest, but it ended up delightful! Definitely give this a shot :) I had some of the sauce left over, so I'm going to save that and put it on some other things this week -- it would be great on scallops, or any other seafood! I served this with some sauteed snap peas. Enjoy!

Halibut Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 lemon sections, finely chopped 
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 parsley sprig
• 1 cilantro sprig
• 4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets 

Snap Peas Ingredients:

• Package of snap peas 
• dash of salt and pepper
• dash of Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
• dash of lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients.
2. Combine water and next 5 ingredients (through cilantro sprig) in a large skillet; bring to a low simmer (180° to 190°). Add fish; cook 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Heat 1 tb olive oil in a saute pan and add the peas. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cook on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like them.
4. Remove fish from pan with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Serve with sauce and peas.

 

Prosciutto Wrapped Cod

Adapted from the Rachael Ray Show (Serrano Wrapped Fish Recipe)

This recipe caught my eye on TV one day b/c I love fish, and I'm always looking for new ways to make it. I also love prosciutto -- who doesn't?! I didn't have serrano, which is why I swapped it out for prosciutto. I'm sure either would be good! I strayed from using her sides in the recipe b/c we were trying to be more healthy, but I'm going to post her recipe as she made it so that you can make it her way! Just note that my picture is my way.

Ingredients:

• 4 8-ounce portions thick cod or other sustainable white fish 
• Salt and pepper 
• Granulated onion
• Paprika or smoked paprika 
• Minced parsley and thyme 
• Lemon zest 
• 8 thin slices Serrano ham 
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 16 small white or gold potatoes (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds), halved and chopped  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped 
• 2 Serrano pepper, finely chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste  
• 1/2 cup chicken stock 
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season fish with salt, pepper, granulated onion, paprika, minced parsley, thyme and lemon zest. Wrap each piece in 2 slices of ham that are slightly overlapping to cover fish. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 turns of the pan, in a cast-iron or other skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Season potatoes with salt and pepper, and lightly brown for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Add onions, celery, pepper and garlic, and cook to soften, 10 minutes more. Add tomato paste, stir, then add stock to loosen pan bits. Toss with a handful of parsley.  Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and crisp the ham, 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to oven and cook through, 8-10 more. Douse with lemon juice and serve with hash alongside.

 

Orange Mustard Glazed Pork Chops with Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Carrots

Courtesy of Cooking Light

I love pork chops, especially thick cut pork chops, with the bone-in. That's the only way to do it! They do take longer to cook, but they come out with much more taste and aren't as dry. Give it a whirl next time! This recipe was really tasty -- at first I thought the onions was a weird addition, but they ended up going nicely once they're soaked in sauce and cooked :) I served this with roasted brussel sprouts and carrots! Enjoy.

Pork Chop Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges) 
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick) 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

Veggie Ingredients:

• small package brussel sprouts (sliced in half)
• small package carrots 
• couple swirls of olive oil
• few dashes of Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
•  dash of balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°. 
2. Toss the carrots and brussel sprouts with all ingredients and place in a lightly greased baking dish (on top of foil if you'd like). Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes. Stir halfway through.
3. While the veggies are baking, combine juice, marmalade, and mustard in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until syrupy.
4. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Turn pork; add rosemary and onion to pan. Pour juice mixture over pork; bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140°. Place onion and rosemary on a platter. Return pan to medium-high heat; add lime juice. Cook 4 minutes or until liquid is syrupy. Add pork to platter; drizzle with sauce. Serve with veggies on the side. 

 

Garides Saganaki (Shrimp Saganaki)

Courtesy of Closet Cooking 

If you've ever had this in a restaurant, well, a good restaurant, you'll want to learn to make it yourself! It's so delicious. I first had this at Zaytinya, which is one of our favorite restaurants in DC. They also do a broccoli saganaki which is delicious. In any event, definitely give this a shot. The original recipe categorizes this as an appetizer portion, but I doubled the recipe for dinner. I think next time I will add bay scallops as well just to add some variety! It would also be good over some pasta -- I could just keep on going. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup onion (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup tomato (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 splash ouzo (or mastic liqueur, optional) -- I left this out b/c I didn't have any on hand
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound shrimp
1 handful parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup feta (crumbled) -- mine had Mediterranean spices in it, even better!

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
4. Add the tomato, oregano and ouzo and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and simmer for 30 seconds per side.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
7. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the feta cheese.
8. Bake in a preheated 425F oven until the sauce is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Boneless BBQ Pork Ribs

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Nothing says winter like ribs -- well, I guess summer also counts because you can grill them. However, I don't have a grill, so I'm forced to cook them indoors :) I associate them with comfort food, and that's what we had last night! It had been quite some time since I cooked (sad). These were super easy and pretty tasty! These would also be yummy in the slow cooker, but I got started too late to do that, so I went the oven route. I served these with some sauteed broccoli, but you could do all kinds of sides (mashed potatoes would be delightful). For the sauce, you can use whatever your heart desires. I did half and half (half with Scott's Carolina BBQ sauce and half with Sticky Fingers Carolina Mustard BBQ sauce). I also used a special hickory rub that my wonderful Mom made me!

Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless pork ribs (you can adjust recipe depending on amt. of ribs)
approx. 4 tb dry rub (I prefer something smoky/hickory flavored)
approx. 1/2 cup your favorite bbq sauce (I used 2 different types and split them up)
1 tb vegetable oil

Directions:
Season the ribs by rubbing them with a bit of oil and then rubbing them with the dry rub. Refrigerate up to 12 hours (I only had time for 2 hours). Remove and let them come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 250. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the ribs on the foil and cover with additional foil. Bake for about 90 minutes. Remove the foil and baste the ribs with the sauce, and turn them over. Bake for another 30 minutes and repeat. Bake another 30 minutes if necessary (depends on the size of the ribs). Remove the foil and place under broiler for the last 10 minutes. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve additional sauce on the side if desired.

Pork Scaloppine with Mustard Pan Sauce

Courtesy of Cooking Light

I made this recipe about a week or so ago, just haven't gotten the chance to post! I really, really liked this dish -- I love a good pork chop and I also love mustard. I decided to serve it with wild rice to soak up the sauce :) Definitely give this one a try. The original recipe called for thinner pork chops, but I enjoy thicker pork chops, so I used those. You just have to cook them a bit longer. This sauce would also be good on chicken; I might give that a try next time! Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut crosswise into 12 pieces, and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness (or just buy pre-cut chops like I did)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard (I used 1 tb dijon mustard and 1 tb whole grain mustard)
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon canola oil; swirl to coat. Add 6 cutlets; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon canola oil and remaining pork.
2. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock and mustard; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in sour cream; cook 1 minute. Serve pork with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.

Tsukune (Japanese) Chicken Meatballs

Courtesy of Cooking Light

I love most Asian food, so this recipe got my attention -- and who doesn't love meatballs? I finally got around to making this last night, and it did not disappoint! Full disclosure: this recipe does require a lot of ingredients (some of which you may not have on hand). I had to hunt down the soybean paste (miso) and finally found it at Wegman's. It's a bit time consuming, but it is definitely worth it if you have the time! I served this with sauteed french green beans, but you could serve with any sort of vegetable or rice and it would be great. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 
Meatballs:

• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 4 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps (I used a blend of mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons red miso (soybean paste)
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large egg white
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced (I left this out) 

Directions:
1. To prepare meatballs, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 1 tablespoon garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add sherry; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat; cool. Place mushroom mixture and miso in a mini chopper; pulse 10 times or until very finely chopped.
2. Combine mushroom mixture, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chicken, and next 6 ingredients (through egg white) in a bowl. Shape mixture into 36 (1-inch) meatballs. Thread 3 meatballs onto each of 12 (6-inch) flat bamboo skewers. Chill for 30 minutes. NOTE: I did not use skewers b/c I didn't have any on hand, and it worked fine -- but, I do think turning them would be easier with the skewers.
3. To prepare sauce, combine mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in juice, 2 teaspoons grated ginger, and serrano. Reserve 2 tablespoons sauce.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 6 skewers in pan; cook 9 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan; brush half of sauce over meatballs. Repeat procedure with remaining 6 skewers and sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds; serve with reserved 2 tablespoons sauce. NOTE: The cooking time took a bit longer for me; you want to make sure they are cooked all the way through. My meatballs were a bit larger, so that's probably why.