Broiled Salmon on Poached Leek and Endive

6 leeks
4 Belgian Endives, halved lengthwise
1 8-oz can mushroom pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp butter
dash red pepper flakes

1-1/2 lb skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions
2 tsp dried dill weed

Preheat oven to 425F. Trim a good portion of the tougher green leaves from the leek. You should be left with about 6-7 inches of leek. Slice leek in half lengthwise. Carefully clean leaves under running water, being careful to keep leek halves intact.

Place leeks in a large deep skillet, cut side down. Arrange endives about leeks. Scatter mushrooms over leeks and endives, pouring liquid into skillet as well.

Pour wine and water over veggies and salt and pepper to taste. Dot with the butter and sprinkle red pepper flakes to taste. Place skillet on stove and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes - leeks should be very tender; test with a knife tip. Remove from stove and keep warm, when done.

Meanwhile, place salmon in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spray salmon lightly with oil, and sprinkle dill on top of salmon. Place salmon in oven and cook 5 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook another 5 minutes, or just until the salmon firms up and is cooked through. For a 1-inch (max. height) fillet, 10 minutes total cooking should do it.

Remove salmon from oven. Place 3 leeks in each of four wide bowls. Add two halves of endives and distribute mushrooms and broth among bowls. Top each bowl with a wedge of salmon.

Serves 4.

White Bean and Baby Kale Stew with Baguette Croutons

Its easier than ever to eat your greens.  While some people find regular kale a bit hearty for their taste, tender baby greens like kale and arugula, that are becoming readily available, and add a much lighter green touch to a bean soup or stew. They cook up in literally minutes, and can also be used raw in salads. They are a perfect match for a fast weeknight bean stew.

And since we are going with quick and light in this dish, we use fresh tomatoes that are tossed in at the last minute, just to warm up.  No breaking these beauties down by cooking.  No gorgeous fresh tomatoes in your market yet?  No problem - a good fresh salsa could also be used.
2 carrots, finely diced, about 1 cup
4 celery heart stalks, sliced, about 1 cup
1 onion, finely diced, about 1 cup
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 quart broth, vegetable or chicken
1 can Navy beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups baby kale leaves
2 ripe plum tomatoes, diced

12 1-inch slices baguette bread, sliced on a bias

Heat about two tablespoons olive oil in a 3-quart pot. Add the carrots, celery and onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. The veggies should be softening and browning up quite a bit.

This caramelizing adds a great deal of flavor to this dish and is a critical step. Patience, Grasshopper.

Add the garlic, red pepper and thyme, and cook another 5 minutes. Add the broth and beans and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil 3-5 minutes, 3-inches from broiler to brown the slices.

This is a full-time job for a few minutes; keep watch as the bread can burn very quickly.

As the croutons cook, fold in the kale to the beans and allow to wilt for 2-3 minutes. When the baguette croutons are done, add the tomatoes to the beans and stir to mix gently, and warm the tomatoes. Place two baguette croutons in each or four wide soup bowls. Top generously with bean mixture and broth.

Serves 4.

Ziti Rigate with Asparagus and Green Ricotta Sauce

Here's another green Ricotta sauce (one of our favorites!) with pasta, asparagus and peas.  Served fresh (not baked) this is very creamy and enriching.
1/2 lb Ziti Rigate

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil

1-1/4 cup fresh Ricotta cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh arugula leaves
3 fresh green onions, diced

1 cup cooked peas
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil

Set a 4-quart pot of water to boil in a medium pot. Salt generously, and add the pasta when boiling. Cook the pasta, stirring often, until just al dente. Add the peas in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in a skillet with the butter and oil for about 5-8 minutes. At the same time, sauté the asparagus in butter and oil in a separate skillet also for about 5-8 minutes. I cooked the stems for the first half of the cooking time reserving the tips, adding them only for the second half of the cooking time.  I reserve a few asparagus tips for topping in final plating.

Place the ricotta, Parmesan, arugula and green onions in a blender and add about a cup or so of pasta cooking water as the pasta nears done. Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the blender. Drain the pasta and peas, and set aside. Blend the ricotta mixture until smooth, adjusting the thickness to your liking with the pasta water.  I would lean on the thinner side, as the pasta will absorb some of the liquid and it will thicken once mixed with the pasta.

Now tip most of the the pasta and peas into a large serving bowl. Toss in the asparagus. Then fold in sauce, just enough to moisten the pasta. Top with a few uncoated pasta and some reserved asparagus tips.  Serve immediately with remaining sauce on the side.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  You could just toss everything with the sauce and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.  I like to separate it a bit for diversity and a slightly lighter feel.

You could substitute spinach for the arugula, but you will also lose the dimension arugula offers.  Sadly, there are actually people in the world who do not prefer arugula.  Dommage.

Navarin of Lamb with Apricots and Spring Vegetables

A Navarin is a french ragout of lamb, and a classic dish for Easter.  The name may relate to the term navet, which is turnip in French.  But stop right there, if you think this is a stodgy stew with turnips.  The last word in its formal name, Navarin d'Agneau Printanier, indicates springtime and sweet freshness.  This is why I prepare the veggies on the side of the stew, instead of in the stew proper. I found small organic turnips which were incredibly sweet and delicious - not something you hear too often about turnips.  So look for good ones if you can, and treat them gently!  A touch of diced dried apricots add an element of sweetness and lightness to the stew, which is appropriate for springtime and rejuvenation.

1 large onion, diced
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 lb boneless lamb, shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp flour
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
10 dried apricots, finely diced
2 Tbsp rosemary
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 cups white wine
2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable

6-8 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 lb fresh green beans, sliced on bias
3-5 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil
palmful fresh parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the onion and leek in a bit of olive oil in a 5 quart Dutch Oven or stew pot. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Set the onions aside.

Toss the meat with the flour in a bowl and then brown the meat in the Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Brown the meat in batches to make sure that you do not crowd the meat - this browns and flavors it best. Set the meat aside with the onions as it is cooked. Brown just until each major side of meat is well colored.

When all the meat is done add the mushrooms to the pot and cook them down, allowing them to release what water they will. Allow them to brown a bit. Add the apricots, rosemary, fennel seeds and coriander and cook another 2 minted. Then add the wine and broth, and return the meat and onions to the pot.

Stir, cover and place in oven.  Bake for a total of an hour and a half, stirring once or twice.

While the stew is baking, prepare the vegetables.

 Sauté the carrots, beans and turnips in the butter and oil in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, just until the veggies begin to soften. Cook them to your liking but it is highly recommended you keep them crisp-tender, to give a fresh offset to the rich stew.

Serve the dish by plating some vegetables around a large plate and placing a serving of stew in the center of the fresh vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to garnish.

Serves 6.

Lentils with Andouille Sausage and Crispy Veggies

I've loved lentils all my life. Our mother, raised in Europe and challenged to feed all eight of us, would cook up a large batch of lentils and extend them with a package of frankfurters. Or maybe it was vice versa. Keep in mind, that in Europe, frankfurters are a very standard type of sausage (without the negative connotation they can have here as a slightly inferior food). Often in the summer, she would pile the doggers and lentils in a big pot and we'd walk across the street to a small neighborhood beach. Our Dad would join us after work and we'd have dinner, soaking wet on the beach.

So I have a very warm place in my heart for lentils and sausages.

And while readers of this blog know how much I love frankfurters, I opt for spicy Andouille sausage here, for a bit of a kick to this dish. Instead of cooking some veggies in with the lentils, I've cooked them quickly on the side and scattered them on top of the sausage-lentil stew. This way, they retain a crisp-tender crunch and sweetness, which balances and offsets the richness of the stew.

1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
12 oz andouille sausage, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
1 cup lentils
1 quart chicken broth
1 Tbsp good English or Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar


1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise
1/2 lb cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 orange pepper, sliced into 1-inch slices

Heat a bit of olive oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and sausage, and cook for about 10 minutes. the veggies should begin to caramelize and the sausage should brown up a bot.

Add the garlic, fennel, cumin and rosemary and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the lentils and chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the mustard to the lentils and cook another 20 minutes, until the lentils are just cooked through.

Meanwhile, toss the Brussels sprouts, cabbage and orange pepper into a large skillet and sauté for about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat. You want the veggies just to begin to brown, but remain very, very, crisp tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir every once in a while to let the steam escape, so the veggies do not overlook. You want sweet crips veggies for this topping.

When the lentils are just done, add the vinegar and stir well. Serve in bowls, with a generous topping of crispy veggies over the lentils.

Serves 6.

Cook's note: I used black Beluga lentils here which really keep their shape and texture nicely.

You could also use French Puy lentils. If you use common green lentils, it will also be fine.  You can expect a thicker stew, which will taste wonderful as well.

Horseshoe Harbor, New York

Pork Chops with Spaghetti Fresh Spinach and Tomatoes

Share a pork chop - you'll make friends.  Especially if you slurp a few spaghetti noodles like the lovers in Disney's 101 Dalmatians!
2-3 1-inch thick pork chops
1/2 lb spaghetti
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
2 small fresh ripe tomatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 large shallot (or 1/4 cup onion) finely diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1/4 cup grated or shaved Romano or Pargmagiana cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat a slug of olive oil in a large skillet and brown the chops well on both sides. Salt and pepper generously and dress with half the thyme.

Remove chops to a baking pan and place in oven. I insert a digital thermometer into the meaty center of one of the chops to check for doneness by internal temperature.

While the chops cook, cook the spaghetti until al dente. While the spaghetti cooks, sauté the shallot in the pan used to brown the chops. After about 3-5 minutes, add the garlic and the remaining thyme. When the spaghetti is done, drain well and toss on the skillet with the shallots. Add a bit of olive oil of necessary, to coat the pasta lightly. Add the spinach leaves and fold carefully to incorporate the, into the simmering pasta.

Remove the chops from the oven when the internal temperature has reached 140F (about 10-12 minutes in the oven), cover with foil. When most of the spinach leaves in the spaghetti have begun to wilt, add the tomatoes, and toss to heat them through. Keep warm.

After the chops have set for 5-8 minutes, toss pasta with the cheese and nestle the chops into the spaghetti, either in the skillet or after transferring spaghetti to a serving platter.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve. If the chops are more than one serving each, you can slice the chops into serving portions before nestling into the spaghetti.

Serves 4.

Tomato Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Tarte

Here is a nice little appetizer, or a side dish instead of a veggie casserole.  Nuts add dimension to a savory tart crust, and toasting them especially brings out their deep flavor.  You could use most any tree nut you like for this crust.
2 large onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large zucchini, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp pesto
1 large ripe tomato, sliced thinly
1 cup cheddar (or other favorite) cheese, finely grated
1/2 tsp herbes de Provence

Crust:
1/4 cup whole hazelnuts
3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, cubed
3 Tbsp ice water

Set onions to caramelize. Place onions in a large skillet with the butter and the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté for about 5 minutes as the onions start to brown a bit. Turn the heat down to medium and stir the onions. Cook them for the next 20 minutes, stirring often, and adjusting the heat to medium-low just to keep them browning, but definitely not burning. Lightly salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the crust. First toast the hazelnuts in a 375F oven (I use a toaster oven) for about 3 to 5 minutes, shaking once or twice. Watch the nuts closely, being very careful not to burn them, which can happen quickly. Keep oven preheated at 375F.

Let the nuts cool and then tip them into a large food processor. Pulse them to form a fine, but dry grind, being careful not to over process to almond butter! Add the flour and salt and pulse together.

Next, add the butter and pulse together just enough to form a coarse mixture. Pulse in the water by the tablespoon-ful. Add only enough just so that the dough pulls together. Tip dough out onto a floured counter and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, the onions should become nicely caramelized and brown.

Add the garlic for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Set them aside in a bowl. Then put the zucchini into the same skillet as the onion were cooked in, and sauté over medium-high heat to brown them up and allow them to lose some water. Do not add salt as this can make them limp, and there is plenty of flavor in this dish.

Take the dough from the refrigerator and roll out in plenty of flour to 12-inch diameter. Oil a 10-inch fluted tart pan (ideally with removable base) and lay dough down evenly into pan. Gently push sides into flutes and then roll top with a rolling pin to cleanly trim the edges.

Paint the pesto evenly on the bottom of the crust.

Top with the onions and garlic and then layer on the zucchini.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and then top with the tomatoes, evenly layered in a spiral.

Sprinkle with the herbs and bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the tart once or twice if necessary to cook evenly.

Remove from tart pan, slice and serve as a side dish or appetizer.

Serves 4.

Buddha Noodle Bowl

A Buddha bowl is a simple combination of grains and vegetables to make a single, humble meal.  Usually plant-based proteins like tofu or beans are included to complement the grains.  Here I use noodles, but often the dish is prepared with rice.  Simple, quick, nourishing and gentle on the planet and to your body.  Peace.
1-inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 quart broth, vegetable or chicken
2 Tbsp miso
1 Tbsp gochujang, Korean chili bean sauce
12 oz fresh Asian rice noodles (or lo-mein noodles)
1 yellow pepper, sliced
2 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into bite-sized pieces
10 oz fresh straw mushrooms
7 oz baked tofu, sliced

Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a 3 quart pot and sauté the ginger and garlic for about 3 minutes, until just beginning to brown.

Add the broth, miso and gochujang and whisk together. Bring to a gentle boil and add the noodles, pepper and broccoli. Return to a boil, and carefully fold in the tofu. Remove from heat and serve in four bowls.

Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: I used Trader Joe’s baked tofu, but you can also use Asian baked tofu from an Asian market, or just plain old firm tofu. I also used Trader Joe’s Korean rice noodles, which thickened the broth considerably. This is fine, but not necessary, and there is a world of fresh noodles around - like lo-mein noodles, that you could use. Just make sure your noodles are fast-cooking, in 2-4 minutes, or plan the addition of the veggies later, so as not to overcook them - they should be only just crisp-tender.

I used a fine barley miso I get from South River Miso Company in New England, but you can certainly use any miso you prefer, or have around.

Chili Lime Shrimp Kebabs

Fast.  Easy.  Delicious.  Happy.
24 medium shrimp, peeled
2 limes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 Tbsp pale dry sherry

Sauce:
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp chili paste with garlic, or Shriracha hot sauce
1 tsp dried dill
palmful cilantro, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced

Soak 8 wooden skewers in water. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer half the sauce to a large bowl, add the dry sherry and fold in the shrimp. Allow to marinate for about an hour.

Heat an outdoor grill. Thread three shrimp separated by lime wedges on each of the skewers. Baste with some of the remaining sauce and grill, about 8-10 minutes in total, turning at least once and re-basting with sauce.

Serve over rice or polenta.

Serves 4.

Chicken Dijon with Leek Capers and Sun-dried Tomatoes

I love Chicken Dijon; can't count the ways.  Here's yet another way with the tang of capers balancing the sweet tartness of sundried tomatoes.
4 large or 6 medium chicken thighs, skin trimmed
1/8 lb apple smoked bacon diced, about 2-3 slices
2 Tbsp butter
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1/4 cup oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup sherry
3 Tbsp good French Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp capers, drained
1/2 cup sour cream

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet and add the back on. Cook until the bacon begins to crisp up and then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. There should be enough fat in the pan to brown the chicken thighs; the combination of butter and bacon will give a rich flavor to the chicken and the sauce, and because so little bacon is used, there should be no need to spoon out any excess bacon drippings.

Place the thighs skin-side down in the skillet and brown over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes, until the skin is beginning to brown nicely.

Flip the thighs and brown the other side another 3-5 minutes. Remove the thighs to a plate.

Add the leek and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes to soften and color a bit.

Now add the sherry and mustard and stir to mix well. Return the bacon to the pan and stir. Nestle the chicken thighs into the simmering sauce, skin-side up. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the capers. Cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until the thighs are cooked through.

Remove the thighs to a plate and keep warm. Add the sour cream to the pan and stir well. Adjust the consistency with a bit of water or milk if necessary. Swirl a quarter of the sauce on each of four plates. Place a thigh on top of sauce. Serve with a French accent.

Serves quatre.