Molé Lentil, Barley and Pink Bean Stew with Swiss Chard

1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
1 cup green lentils
¼ cup pearled barley
1 quart chicken broth
1 can pink beans, drained
4 cups sliced/shredded Swiss Chard
2 Tbsp prepared Molé paste (such as Trader Joe’s)
¼ cup Chili Sauce (such as Heinz) or catsup
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2-4 cups water – enough to thin to desired consistency

Sauté leek and carrot in a bit of olive oil in a soup pot. After about 6-8 minutes add the cumin and mustard seeds and sauté until fragrant, another 3-5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, lentils, barley and broth and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about half an hour, stirring every so often. Add the remaining ingredients, with just enough water to thin to the desired consistency as you cook stew for another 20-30 minutes, covered. Remove bay leaf.

Definitely serve with corn bread!

Father's Day Summer Solstice

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Barbque Rib Eye Steaks


Mac and Cheese

Farfalle with Tofu Eggplant and Mint

1 eggplant, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and diced
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. Farfalle pasta
1 Tbsp chives, minced
1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves (or 1 tsp dried), minced

Sauté eggplant in a non-stick skillet for about 2 minutes without any oil. Once sizzling hot, hit the eggplant with a bit of olive oil and continue sautéing until the eggplant is nicely browned on all sides. Heating up the eggplant before adding oil seems to keep the eggplant from absorbing too much oil and getting soggy and oily. Set eggplant aside.

Toss the tofu with the garlic and onion powders and some salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the tofu in the non-stick skillet in a bit of olive oil over very high heat. Brown all sides nicely, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and pepper just until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Return eggplant and tofu to the pan, mix gently, and keep warm.

Meanwhile bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al-dente. Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup pasta cooking water, and tip pasta into a large serving bowl. Toss with vegetable mixture. Add a bit of cooking water to moisten if needed. Top with chives and mint.

Really Cool Dinner Salads

Grilled Salmon on Spinach & Avocado Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Dressing:
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

Salad:
4 cups baby spinach leaves (about one 7-oz. bag)
1 ripe avocado, sliced
¼ cup grated carrots
½ cup diced cucumber

4 salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick

Whisk together dressing. Spray salmon with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a non-stick grill pan on high heat and cook salmon, skin-side up, for 5 minutes. Flip salmon and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness). Meanwhile, toss spinach, cucumbers and carrots with dressing and lay out on a large platter. Arrange salmon and avocados on top of spinach and garnish with lemon wedges.


Lemon Grilled Chicken on Balsamic Blue Cheese Salad


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Eat Fish

No explanation necessary. Here are more simple great ways to eat fish.


Crabmeat-stuffed Sole with Shrimp
4 fillets of sole
1 can crabmeat, drained and checked for bones
12 whole shrimp, peeled
2 cups prepared herbed stuffing

Heat oven to 400F. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing according to package directions. Gently fold crabmeat into stuffing mix. Place ½ cup stuffing on top of each filet and roll and tuck filet to make a nice package. Butterfly each shrimp and sauté in an oven-going pan in a bit of butter and olive oil. Remove shrimp and place stuffed fillets in pan. Arrange shrimp on top of fillets and spoon butter/oil mix over fillets. Bake 15 minutes.

Cod and Pesto Wrapped in Prosciutto
This is based on Mark Bittman’s recipe which I think cannot be improved upon – it is Minimalist and pure down to its elements - as simple and pure as can be.

4 thick (‘Captain’s Cut’) fillets of Cod, about 1½ to 2 lbs. total
8 thin slices prosciutto ham
4 Tbsp. pesto

Slightly overlay two slices of prosciutto and spread 1 Tbsp. pesto on top. Lay 1 cod fillet on one end and roll up to wrap fillet. Sauté in a bit of butter and olive oil just until fish is cooked through, 8-10 minutes, turning as needed.

Cod with a Light Asian Vegetable Base
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 zucchini, finely diced
1 leek, washed and finely diced
2 cups cauliflower, broken into very small pieces
dash red pepper flakes
dash dill
dash basil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1½ lb Cod, filleted and skinned, 4 portions
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauté pepper, zucchini and leek in a bit of olive oil until beginning to soften. Add cauliflower, red pepper, dill, basil and garlic and continue cooking for another five minutes. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar, and toss with the vegetables in the pan. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a non-stick skillet until almost smoking, and lay in the fish fillets. Cook about 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the fish and finish cooking another 3-5 minutes on the other side.

Serve the fish on a bed of the vegetables.