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Tag: olive oil

Quick Summer Pasta

I was watching Michael Symon making a summer pasta and I decided to tweak his recipe and make my own. I have to say, one of my favorites!!

  • 3 strips bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup green beans, chopped
  • 2 ears of corn, off the cob
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 large jalapeno, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ pound pasta of choice, cooked al dente with ½ cup pasta water spared
  • Salt

Heat a frying pan and add bacon and oil. Cook the bacon on medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon pieces are golden brown. Add the beans, corn, garlic, green onions and jalapeno. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta and pasta water, mix well and add salt, dill and cilantro. Serve warm.

 

Healthy South Indian Style Lemon Rice

This is a great dish to eat as a snack or as a starch in a meal- the best part is that they are super healthy. I used brown rice and no one could tell!!

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1½ cups brown rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons urad dal
  • 2 teaspoons channa dal
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 2-3 dried red chilies
  • A pinch of asafetida
  • ½ cup peanuts, roasted
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Heat a saucepan with the oil and butter. Add the rice and sauté on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, turmeric, water and salt. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes. Once the liquid is cooked from the surface, lower the heat and place lid. Cook for another 15 minutes or till the rice is cooked through but not mushy.  Cool the rice off once cooked and keep aside.

In a large wok like pan, heat the oil.  Add the urad and channa dal and sauté for about 30 seconds on medium heat.  Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and saute for another minute.  Next, add the red chilies and asafetida.  Add the cooked and cooled rice.  Mix well.  Add the peanuts, lemon juice and salt.  Mix well and serve.

 

 

 

Middle Eastern Style Ground Beef

I recently entertained and decided to make a Middle Eastern/Greek meal- so I started with this ground beef dish flavored with mint and garlic. I served the meal with warm pita bread with delicious feta cheese and hummus for appetizers…

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 pound grass fed ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeds and core removed, chopped
  • ½ cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the oil. Add the dried mint and garam masala and sauté on medium heat for 10 seconds. Add the ground beef and increase the heat to high and sauté while separating the meat with a wooden spoon for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Saute on high heat for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the salt and lower the heat to medium and cook with the lid on for 8 to 10 minutes. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Garnish with parsley and mint. Serve with heated pita.

Greek Style Eggplant with Pine Nuts and Feta

This is a yummy dish for meatless Monday. It has delicious roasted eggplant flavored with mint, cinnamon, tomatoes and feta. It is a great side dish or a dip with warm pita bread!

  • 1 pound eggplant, I used small ones, sliced ½ inch thick
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt

Place the sliced eggplant on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle some salt. Broil under medium heat turning the slices once till both sides are golden brown- about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
  • Salt
  • ½ cup dried currants
  • ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped
  • ½ cup feta, crumbled

Add the olive oil to a heavy saucepan and add the mint and cinnamon. Cook for 15 seconds on medium high heat and add the onion, garlic and pine nuts. Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and currants. Saute for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the parsley and dill. Once the dish is completely cooled off, add the feta and mix well. Serve room temperature.

Bulgur Pilaf with Red Pepper and Eggplant

This is a perfect accompaniment for the kebabs from yesterday’s post. I added delicious red pepper and eggplant to the grain and included harissa which is a Moroccan spicy condiment. It was a delicious dish!

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 large red pepper, diced
  • 1 small eggplant, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • 1 cup tomatoes, diced
  • 1½ cups bulgur wheat, washed and drained
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried mint

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the harissa and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the red pepper, eggplant and jalapeno. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, mix well and simmer on a medium low heat, covered for about 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the bulgur and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the hot water, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the bulgur rest for 20 minutes. Take the lid off, fluff with a fork. Add salt and dried mint. Check for seasonings. Serve warm.

Fish Stew with Coconut Milk

This is a great stew to make through the week since it doesn’t take very long. It is also good to incorporate fish into your diet and this is a great way to eat delicious fish in a delicious stew! I served it with some forbidden rice- recipe coming tomorrow…

  • 1 to 1½ pounds filets of firm white fish, cut into large fillets
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Marinate fish with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Keep aside for about half an hour.

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 4 green onion, chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
  • Salt

Add the oil to a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the green onion and red pepper and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and smoked paprika. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cilantro and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the fish fillets and simmer until cooked through, making sure not to overcook the fish. Adjust seasoning and serve with rice.

Chicken and Bean Stew

So my daughter just got a full set of braces- so she has to eat all soft stuff for a bit. I decided to make a play on pasta fagioli- I changed it by making it a stew instead of a soup. I also added chicken to it as I wanted more protein in the dish and I thought a one pot meal would be a lot easier to make. This is a great dish to make today- especially with all the snow coming…

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 large carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
  • ½ pound pasta
  • Salt
  • Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.

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