Tag: capers
Cilantro and Chives Fish and Chips
Great time to make this English classic. I like to kick mine up a notch or two.. this time I added cilantro and chives. Everyone loves fish and chips in my family.. I usually make it when we are all home for dinner at the same time- like a Sunday! I made the fish and chips as well as delicious tatar sauce and the mushy peas.
- 1 pound firm fleshed white fish like cod, cut into 3 to 4 fillets
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- Salt
Marinate the fish fillets in the garlic and salt. Keep aside for an hour.
- 1 cup plus ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup cold club soda plus more
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Salt
- ½ cup extra light olive oil
Create a breading station. Add ½ cup flour to a small platter, add some salt, mix and keep aside. Add the beaten eggs and some salt to another platter and mix and keep aside. Transfer the 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, cilantro and chives to a medium bowl. Mix well and slowly add the club soda while whisking the batter until completely smooth. Keep aside in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
Add the oil to a wide frying pan and heat on medium heat. In the meantime, take each fish fillet, dredge it in flour, dip it in the egg mixture and then dip it generously in the batter and make sure all parts are coated well. Immerse into the hot oil and repeat with the rest of the fillets. Cook on medium heat, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or till fish is cooked through but not over done. Place on a paper towel lined platter to drain excess oil. Serve with fries and tartar sauce.
Fries
- 4 to 5 yellow skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Transfer the potatoes to a saucepan and fill with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them dry in the same pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the salt and drizzle the olive oil. Mix well and bake in a hot oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or till golden brown. Serve warm with fish.
Tartar Sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- Juice of half a lemon
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 teaspoons capers, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and serve with fish.
Chicken Cacciatore
My first try at chicken cacciatore! Not sure why I didn’t make it before- it was quite easy and super flavorful.. especially with the capers and basil!
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 large red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 16 ounces, Cremini mushrooms, cut in half
- 4 large garlic cloves wrapped in aluminum foil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large cookies sheet with aluminum foil. Place all the vegetables onto the tray accept the garlic. Drizzle oil, vinegar and sprinkle salt and pepper. Mix well with fingers and add the covered garlic cloves. Roast the vegetables for about 40 minutes or till they are golden brown and soft. Take out of the oven and keep aside.
- 2 pounds chicken cutlets
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 14½ ounces can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, sliced thin
Mix the flour, salt and pepper on a flat bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces taking off any excess flour. In the meantime, heat a large saucepan with the oil, butter, rosemary and thyme. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on both sides till golden brown. Take out and keep aside. In the same pan, add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth and capers. Bring to a boil and add the roasted vegetables including the soft garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes on a simmer and add the chicken pieces. Add the chicken pieces and cook till the chicken is cooked through. Check for seasonings and garnish with basil. Serve with pasta or polenta.
Scallop Scampi
My daughter loves shrimp scampi and scallops- so I made scallop scampi! Why not?? It was delicious…
- 1 pound scallops, cleaned
- Sprinkle of salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons capers, smashed
- Juice of half a lemon
- Zest of a lemon
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Salt
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
Take one tablespoon butter and mix with one tablespoon flour. Mix well and keep aside.
Heat the olive oil and remaining butter in a non-stick frying pan. Brown the scallops about a minute each on high heat on both sides. Take out of the pan and keep aside. Reheat the pan and add the garlic, capers, lemon juice and white wine. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the butter and flour mixture and mix well. Bring to a boil till the liquid becomes thick. Add the scallops and cook on a simmer for a few minutes till they are cooked- but not over cooked. Check for seasonings and garnish with parsley and lemon zest. Serve with pasta or garlic bread.
Chicken Piccata
I am amazed this is the first time I am making chicken piccata. It is quite easy to make and it felt nice to add another chicken dish to my repertoire. We are always looking for more, different chicken dishes to make for our families… well, here is a delicious one.I served it to my daughter with some whole wheat thin spaghetti. I had it just with the veggies and it was quite a substantial meal…
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Juice of half large lemon
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin into cutlets (or cutlets can be purchased from the store), sprinkled with salt and pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or till translucent. Take out with a slotted spoon and keep aside. In the meantime dredge the chicken cutlets into the flour. Add butter to the frying pan and brown the chicken cutlets for about 3 minutes on each side on medium high heat. Keep aside and cover with foil. Add the white wine, chicken broth, capers and lemon juice to the frying pan. Bring to a boil and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Add the shallot and garlic mixture. Return the chicken pieces back and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or till the chicken pieces are cooked through and the liquid has reduced by about one-third. Add the chopped parsley and check for salt and pepper. Serve hot with pasta, rice or salad.
Pan Seared Scallops with Salsa Verde
This is a fantastic recipe to entertain with. I made it through the week as my daughter was complaining about missing scallops. I simply seared the scallops in a non-stick pan till golden brown. I also made a delicious sauce with basil, pistachios and capers. The sauce can be used with other meats as well as pasta…
Salsa Verde
- 1 cup fresh basil, leaves only
- ½ cup fresh mint, leaves only
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- ¼ cup pistachios, toasted
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 anchovies
- Zest of one lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Process all the ingredients together in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit for an hour or two before serving.
- 1 to 2 pounds scallops, cleaned
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat some oil to a frying pan on medium high heat. Sear the scallops on high heat for a couple minutes on each side- careful not to over cook. Serve the scallops with the salsa verde and sautéed green beans.
Kale with Grapes and Capers
I enjoy eating kale, especially in a salad. I decided to cook it this time and add a sweet and savory component to the dish. The capers and grapes give this dish a delicious flavor- one almost forgets how healthy this green is!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, smashed and drained
- 1 cup red grapes, chopped
- 4 to 5 cups kale, washed and chopped
- Salt
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the capers and grapes. Saute for another minute and add the kale. Cook on high heat for 2 minutes while stirring. Lower heat to simmer and cover for 10 minutes. Take lid off and add salt if necessary.
Shrimp Scampi with Puttanesca Sauce
This is two dishes in one. We all love shrimp in our house- especially shrimp scampi with lots of pasta or a yummy crusty bread to scoop up all the garlicky goodness. I usually have a big green salad and dinner is done.
Now my husband had been talking about puttanesca sauce which in Italian means ladies of the night. There are a lot of origins of this sauce but how ever it started- it is one of my favorites. I wasn’t sure why I had never made it before- I always have all the ingredients available.
I love the tangy, spicy and savory aspect of this very simple pantry sauce. It is especially great when you are in a bind, short on time or it is too cold to go for dinner. I made this particular one with shrimp to please my daughter and husband.
I love the anchovy flavor in this sauce- now most people claim they don’t like anchovies, including my husband but he loves puttanesca sauce and caesar salad. When people smell the anchovies in the jar- they don’t smell so good- but once you cook them or mix them with another ingredient, they bring an underlying salty, nutty flavor.
I paired it with shrimp because it enhances the salty and nutty flavor. This dish was delicious. I used penne but any pasta can be used- the classic being spaghetti. My daughter ate it as well- I didn’t give her too much of the sauce, just the shrimp and lots of olives since she adores them.
A big salad and it was a successful dinner.
- 1 pound cleaned shrimp
- 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- ½ cup white wine
- Salt
- Red pepper flakes
- ½ pound penne, cooked al dente
- ½ cup saved pasta water
In a large frying pan, add the olive oil and garlic. Heat the pan slowly so the garlic does not burn. Saute the garlic on a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the shrimp, raise the heat and sauté for a minute or two or till the shrimp begin to turn pink. Add the white wine and red pepper flakes. Mix well and add the salt. Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water. Cook for a minute or two and serve with the puttanesca sauce mixed in or on the side.
Puttanesca Sauce
- 3 cups fresh tomato sauce or canned tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons capers, crushed
- ¼ cup olives- mixture of black and green, crushed
- Salt
- Red pepper flakes
In a wide frying pan, add the olive oil and anchovy fillets. Saute on medium heat till the fillets melt. Add the garlic, capers and olives. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, salt and red pepper flakes. Add cooked pasta and serve.
