Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Fresh Tomato

½ lb. Angel Hair Pasta
2 large, fresh tomatoes
10 fresh basil leaves
2 medium zucchini, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
dash red pepper flakes
1 shallot, minced
handful fresh chives
¼ cup chicken broth or white wine or pasta water

Set salted water to boiling for pasta. Dice tomatoes and strain out seeds and juices. Stack basil leaves, roll and thinly slice to for a chiffonade – thin slivers. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the zucchini over medium-high heat, until beginning to brown.

Meanwhile cook the pasta until just al-dente; since this is angel hair, it will take only 3-5 minutes. Drain pasta and tip into serving bowl; cover. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and shallots to zucchini, lower heat a bit, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the chives, basil and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and fold in the tomatoes. Tip veggie mixture over the pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan Cheese.

Comfort Meatloaf with Sherried Mushrooms

1/4 cup ketchup
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1small onion, finely minced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco sauce
3-5 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
About 1/3 cup herbed Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 lbs ground beef chuck

1 12-oz package mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sherry, cognac or brandy
1/4 cup cream (I use light cream)

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all ingredients except meat together. Add beef and mix together lightly Don't over-mix as this will make meatloaf dense. Transfer to a loaf pan or casserole. If desired, top with a little tomato sauce or ketchup. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325F and continue cooking another 30-40 minutes until meatloaf is cooked through.

Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in a large skillet until butter bubbles and spurts. Toss in mushrooms and stir to coat evenly. Cook over high heat without stirring so one side of mushrooms begins to brown. Stir and allow the mushrooms to release their water and allow them to dry up a bit. Remove from stove and carefully add the sherry. Allow the mushrooms to steep for a few minutes in the sherry then add the cream. Cook to reduce the liquid down to a thicker sauce. Serve mushrooms over the meatloaf.

Crab-Stuffed Salmon

Pan Seared Haddock with Salsa Zing

1 lb haddock fillets, enough for four
1 cup zucchini and walnut salsa verde
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil

Prepare the salsa verde about an hour or more before serving.

Heat butter and oil in a large non-stick skillet until butter darkens a bit but does not smoke or burn. Place fillets, textured-side (serving-side) down, in skillet and cook about 2-3 minutes, until well browned. Flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through, but no longer.

Transfer fillets to plates at top with one fourth of the salsa.

note: many cooks use regular skillets to pan sear fish. I do too, but you have to be sure to allow the fillet to brown without disturbing. If it sticks it still isn't done... It's the same as grilling fish on a BBQ - patience is scary but necessary. Also note that this salsa verde will go with most any fish or grilled meats as well.

Zucchini and Walnut Salsa Verde

1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 jalapeño pepper, quartered
Palmful fresh cilantro leaves

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes or until fragrant, but not burnt. Transfer to food processor with garlic and process into a fine grind. Set aside in a bowl.

Place zucchini and all remaining ingredients into food processor and process into a fine slush. Tip into bowl with walnut mixture and stir together. Let flavor marinate in refrigerator for at least half and hour.

Makes about 1½ cups salsa.

Mutter Paneer

400 g paneer, cubes into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Vidalia or 2 medium onions, finely diced
2 large fresh tomatoes, diced or 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 stick cinnamon
1 star anise clove (or 1 tsp fennel seeds)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup half-and-half cream

In a non-stick skillet, fry the paneer in the canola oil until the paneer is slightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. When browned, set aside on a paper towel.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in a bit of canola oil, until very well softened, and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two. Set aside in a bowl.

Add the cinnamon, anise, cumin and red pepper to the skillet with a bit of canola oil. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the fenugreek and turmeric powders and cook another minute. Add the tomato, salt and sugar and turn the heat high so the tomato sizzles. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring every so often.

Spoon most of the tomato mixture (without the cinnamon and anise) into a food processor and add the onion mixture. Process to a smooth purée (but not a soup). Return to the skillet and heat to bubbling. Add the paneer and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Add the peas and butter and cook through, until heated, about 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half (and a bit of water if still too thick) to achieve a nice saucy consistency.

Lentil Dal with Tomato

1 cup black French Puy lentils
3 cups water

1 large onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp salt

Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add lentils and cook for about 20 minutes or just until softened, but not fully cooked. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, carrot and celery in another pot in a bit of canola oil, until very soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, Ginger, cumin, fennel, cinnamon stick, and pepper flakes, and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes.

Add the lentils to the veggie mixture, and stir in the tomatoes, fenugreek, coriander and salt. Cook another 20-30 minutes until the lentils are nice and soft. Add water as needed to maintain a nice saucy consistency.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Tofu

1/2 lb spaghetti or lo-mien noodles
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into matchsticks, seeds excluded
1 red pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
1/4 cup shredded carrot
8 oz firm Asian-flavored tofu

Sauce:
1/4 cup tahini paste or peanut putter
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime, about 1 Tbsp
1/4 tsp Chinese chili paste with garlic
Toasted sesame seeds

Cook pasta in salted water until just past al dente. Rinse in cold water to cool completely and drain well. Place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water as necessary to get a sauce that is just pourable.

Toss noodles with a bit of canola oil in a large bowl. Toss well with the dressing and gently fold in the veggies and tofu. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Grilled Swordfish with Romesco Sauce

1 1/2 lb fresh swordfish, in 4 portions
Romesco Sauce (see below)
dried dill weed
1 lemon, quartered

Heat grill. Spray fish with oil. Place fish on grill and allow to cook 3-4 minutes without disturbing. check if fish releases from grill. When it does (don't cook more than 5 minutes), flip and cook other side for 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and dress with a sprinkling of dill weed.

Plate fish and top with Romesco sauce. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Romesco Sauce

1 red pepper
1 lb tomatoes, 3-small (size of lemons)
Head of garlic
1 tsp Pimenton, smokey paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 slice stale bread
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 375 to roast the tomatoes and garlic. Core the tomatoes and cut in half. Slice the top end of the garlic head off to expose the top of each clove. Place the garlic head and the tomatoes on a baking sheet and dress with a bit of olive moil on top of each.

Roast for about an hour, basting with the oil every 15 minutes, until the veggies are browned but not burned. Toast the almonds, spread evenly on another baking sheet, for 3 minutes (watch carefully that they do not brown and burn!). Char the red pepper either on a grill or on a gas stove until the skin is charred on each side. Place pepper in a paper or plastic bag to steam for 3-5 minutes. Peel charred skin off pepper; core and seed. Chop in quarters.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the almonds until very, very fine, but not puréed. Tip into a mixing bowl and set aside. Process the bread until very fine, and add to the almonds. Slip the garlic cloves out of each skin into the food processor. Tip the tomatoes and the pepper into the processor and blend to a coarse paste. Transfer tomato-pepper paste to bowl with almonds. Add the salt, cayenne, vinegar and pimenton. Stir well to mix. Allow flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sage and Bacon

Labor Day end of summer grilling with the last of the roses.
2 pork tenderloins
10 slices smoked apple-maple bacon
8-10 fresh sage leaves
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds

Heat grill. Lay tenderloin on wax paper, each atop five strips bacon, evenly spaced. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with seeds and top with basil leaves. Use wax paper to help roll the tenderloin to cover with bacon. Secure bacon with tooth picks.

Grill tenderloins, turning every few minutes until internal temperature is above 140F for medium; about 10 minutes total. Remove tenderloins to cutting board and cover with foil; allow to rest 8-10 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 150F (medium). Remove toothpicks! Slice on a bias and serve with a good mustard.

Last roses of summer...

Eggplant Couscous with Red Beans

1 cup couscous
1 cup water
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 purple Bermuda onion, diced
1 red bell beeper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 can pinto or red beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tsp favorite curry powder or masala
Dash red pepper flakes
Palmful fresh cilantro leaves, minced

Prepare couscous by bringing water with oil and salt to a boil. Add couscous, stir, cover and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, sauté the eggplant in a bit of olive oil in a non-stick skillet until well browned. Don't stir too often so sides brown well. Set aside on a bowl. In same skillet, sauté red pepper and onion for about 6-8 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook another 2 minutes. Add the beans and curry powder and heat through.

Fluff the couscous and toss gently in a serving bowl with all the veggies. Top with cilantro.

Serve with Cool Herb Tsatsiki Aioli sauce.

Black Bean and Toasted Corn Burgers

1 cup cooked short grain brown rice, or other leftover rice
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
1 small carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
Palmful fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Besan (chick pea flour)

If the rice is cold, zap it quickly in the microwave to make it warm and sticky. Toast the corn in a non-stick skillet in a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring often until the corn begins to brown. Meanwhile, chop the carrot, onion, jalapeño and cilantro in a food processor until finely ground but not puréed. Set aside in a large mixing bowl. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, corn, Besan and cheese to the veggies in the mixing bowl.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the black beans and add to the mixing bowl. Process remaining beans in a food processor until well chopped but not fully puréed. Add to mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to cool in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Fry burgers in a large non-stick skillet in a good bit of canola oil over medium high heat. Flip very carefully after about 3 minutes, or when the first side becomes nice and crispy but not burnt.
note: the Besan was very important to bind everything together - if you leave it out, the burgers will not hold together. Whole wheat flour, or a mix of whole wheat flour and corn starch, may also do the trick, but I have not tried that yet - just in case you don't happen to have Besan hanging around...