Sharing Plate – Your Cooking Coach |

The colors in this dish are very festive and remind me of the holiday season- which is good because that is what every one is looking for right now.

We all love scallops in my family and I cook them very often. I love pairing them with risotto. The creamy rice dish goes so well with the sweet scallops. Now, I know risotto is a bit labor intensive but if you make the scallops with it- which are very quick- it’s a nice combination.

I made the risotto with a bit of shallots and garlic. I slowly added the chicken broth and made the velvety risotto. I wanted to add asparagus and tomatoes. The colors make me happy. The flavors are fabulous- the asparagus with its fresh, grassy flavor and the tomatoes with the sweet and tart burst in your mouth.

The scallops, as I mentioned, are so easy and quick to make. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a screaming hot pan- is all you need (okay, some oil as well). The trick to perfectly cooked scallops is to turn them as soon as they turn brown. About a minute or two on each side on a very very hot pan. That’s all it takes- very simple.

This dish would be great for an intimate Christmas dinner. The colors are so appropriate and you can’t beat the taste. I would serve a red wine with this- I know a white goes better with scallops but somehow I think of red when risotto comes to mind. The heartiness of the gooey and soft rice is heaven with a yummy glass of red wine.

Whatever you are making for your big holiday- make it with love and enjoy your family and friends.

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1 to 2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch asparagus, end cut off and the tips cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.

Place the vegetables on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tomatoes begin to pop. Keep aside.

Heat the 4 cups of chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then place on simmer right next to the cooking risotto. In a wide frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the rice and stir for a minute. Add a ladle of chicken broth (about a ¼ cup) to the risotto. Stir on medium heat constantly until the broth is soaked up. Keep adding the broth till the rice is soft and well cooked- it should take about 20 minutes and most of the chicken broth. Add the roasted vegetables and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Add the butter and cheese. Serve pan seared scallops on top.

Pan Seared Scallops

• 1 pound diver sea scallops, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon Juice

In a wide non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil till almost smoking. Add the scallops and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Flip the side and cook for another 2 minutes and sprinkle salt and pepper. Drizzle some lemon juice and serve on top of the risotto.

This is a really quick, last minute meal. I had a super busy day and didn’t have anything for dinner.

I kept thinking what to make. I had a couple chicken sausages in the fridge. I always have grated carrots, green onions and some other vegetables in the crisper.

It is so important to have a well stocked pantry and fridge at a time like this. I decided to make a quick noodle stir fry. I chopped up the sausage, green onion, red pepper and garlic. I had chinese style noodles in the pantry which I decided to use- although any spaghetti or fettucini style pasta will do as well.

I added some tamari and in a few minutes I had a fabulous noodle stir fry. It is a one-pot meal with the protein and the vegetables all in one. I love making dishes like this plus my daughter loved it.

I added a bit of chile sauce for my husband and I and that is what we had for dinner as well. I opened some white wine and we had a green salad with it.

It was quick, fast and delicious! I think this is a perfect meal for this busy holiday season.

• 2 chicken sausages, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 green onions, whites and greens chopped and separated
• ½ cup grated carrots
• ½ red pepper, small chop
• 3 tablespoons tamari

• 2 eggs
• 1 sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 6 ounces spaghetti or egg noodles, cooked

Beat the eggs with the sesame oil and salt. Keep aside.

In a wok like pan, heat the olive oil. Add the sausages and sauté on medium high heat for a minute. Add the carrots, garlic, white part of the green onions and red pepper. Saute for a minute and add the egg. Mix well till the egg is cooked. Add the cooked spaghetti and tamari. Mix well and add the green part of the green onions. Check for seasonings and serve.

As I have mentioned many times before, my darling husband loves cauliflower. To say he loves it, is an understatement. I like it as well but don’t make it often enough for him. I keep trying to explain to him that I need new ways of cooking the same vegetable if I want to post the recipe on the blog.

I found a fabulous looking head of cauliflower at the supermarket and picked it up immediately. I wasn’t sure how I was going to cook it. As I was going through my pantry, I came across some Indian condiments including spicy pickles. Most Indian pickles consist of fennel, cumin and onion seeds, etc.

I decided to use these spices in the cauliflower dish and make it with potatoes- which is the classic combination most people are familiar with.

I also used mustard and fenugreek seeds with a combination of onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. This is the type of dish you will find at Indian weddings in India. It’s rich, vibrant and full of flavor. It is also very appealing to the eye and did I mention delicious! The sweet cauliflower is a great complement to the flavorful spices in there.

I cannot tell you how my husband devoured this dish. He didn’t want me to share it with anyone- which I normally do since I churn so much food out of my kitchen- I like to give some away. He wanted to have it all to himself and asked me to make this dish again.

I guess its back to drawing board for me- trying to come up with new cauliflower recipes…. Enjoy- this one is a keeper.

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3-4 white potatoes, cut into wedges

• 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon onion seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 medium white onions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 inch ginger, sliced thin
• 3 serrano chilies, deseeded and sliced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

In a large wok like pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, cumin, fennel, mustard and fenugreek seeds. Saute for a minute on high heat, or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and Serrano chilies. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well and add the salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, turn the heat to low and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Take the lid off to check if the potatoes are tender. Turn the heat up and cook the excess moisture accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes on high. Check for seasonings and add the cilantro before serving.

This is my take on macaroni and cheese with chicken nuggets. I love coming up with healthier versions of these classic dishes that kids love so much. The problem is that most of the things our kids love to eat are not so healthy. I am always thinking of ways to come up with things they will eat happily which are healthy.

So in this version the chicken cutlets are breaded and sauteed in a non-stick pan. They are delicious with parmesan cheese in the breading. I could just eat the cutlets on their own. They are crispy and healthy and most importantly the kids love them.

I decided to pair the cutlets with pasta I made with sauteed mushrooms, a bit of homemade tomato sauce and fontina cheese. I love fontina cheese since it melts so well and has a great nutty flavor. It is mild enough for the kids to enjoy.

I gave this dinner to my daughter and her friend. They loved it! There was silence for a few minutes as they ate- now when does that happen when you get two girls are together?? It was fabulous!

My husband and I ate it with a nice green salad and red wine. It was delicious evening…

• 10 ounces cremini mushroom, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ pound elbow pasta, cooked al dente
• ½ cup grated fontina
• 1 cup marinara sauce

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil on high heat. Add the mushroom and sauté for 4-5 minutes on high heat, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and salt and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep aside.
In an ovenproof pan, add the cooked pasta, sautéed mushrooms, grated fontina cheese and the marinara sauce. Mix well and bake in a 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with the chicken cutlets on top.

• 1 pound chicken breast, pieces pounded thin

• 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup bread crumbs mixed with one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten mixed with one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In 3 large wide bowls add each of the three ingredients to set up a breading station.
Take a piece of thin chicken cutlet and dip into the flour bowl patting the excess flour off. Dip into the egg mixture and then cover with the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded chicken into a large non-stick frying pan with heated olive oil. Bread all the chicken pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side on medium heat till the chicken is cooked (time may vary depending on the thickness of the pieces).
Serve on top of the baked pasta.

I made this lasagna for a friend and her kids. I was a bit skeptical since the keema I used in the dish was cooked in Indian spices. Although the meat was not spicy, it did taste different and I wasn’t sure if my friend’s kids would enjoy the flavor.

I decided to make a bechamel sauce- which is essentially the white sauce used in macaroni and cheese. I thought the creaminess of the sauce will off set any ’strange’ flavors that the meat may have. It is very hard to gauge how kids are going to react to new dishes. I love experimenting on my daughter’s friends- as they taste the dish, their faces say everything.

I also had a fresh made tomato sauce which I used in the lasagna. I used gruyere and parmigiano cheeses to layer between the noodles. Gruyere is one of my favorite cheeses to use in such dishes- it melts beautifully and had a delicious nutty flavor.

It turns out, they all did eat the lasagna. My daughter asked me why it tasted like keema?? I asked her to be quiet and keep eating.

I considered it a success. I thought it was fabulous- I loved the dry spice flavors mixed in with the creamy bechamel sauce and cheese. I made a salad and served some red wine. It was all good.

• 1 cup prepared keema
• 2 cups homemade or store bought tomato sauce
• 3 cups béchamel sauce
• 1½ cup grated gruyere cheese
• ½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
• 6 lasagna no-boil lasagna sheets

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the two cheeses and keep aside. Pour 1 cup tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13 lasagna pan. Add three lasagna sheets. Add ½ cup of keema, spreading it evenly. Top it with ½ cup grated cheese and 1 cup béchamel sauce. Add three more lasagna sheets and repeat the process. Top with the last three lasagna sheets. Pour the remaining 1 cup béchamel sauce. Then add the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce. Top with 1 cup grated cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60-80 minutes or till the noodles are soft and cooked and the cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Bechamel Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon powdered nutmeg
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Heat a pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute and then whisk in milk, Add the thyme and the rosemary. Season with salt and nutmeg. Cook until thickened, about 7-8 minutes, whisking occasionally.