Sesame Shrimp over Fresh Buckwheat Udon

Fresh buckwheat Udon noodles are a real treat, with a toothy bite and rich flavor.  If I have too much at one time I freeze them - they do fairly well in the freezer and I think are still better than dried noodles when thawed.
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp golden raisins, very finely minced
1 fresh tomato, diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp asian fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 lb fresh buckwheat udon noodles
1/4 cup frozen petite peas
16 shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat a dash of canola oil in a medium pot. Add the garlic, ginger and raisins and cook about two minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the pot and bring to a sizzling boil. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, then turn to a simmer. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 more minutes to darken and develop their flavor. Add the fish sauce and sesame oil, stir and reduce to a low simmer.

Meanwhile bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt generously for the noodles. Cut the noodles if longer than about six inches in length. Add the noodles to the water and cook until just al-dente; this will take only a few minutes because the noodles are fresh. If you can only find dried buckwheat udon, then cook longer until al dente. Add the peas to the water for the last 30 seconds.

Add the shrimp to the tomatoes and bring to medium heat. Cook until the shrimp is just pink. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, only if necessary.

Drain noodles and divide into four bowls. Drizzle with a dash of sesame oil if desired.  Top evenly with shrimp mixture. Serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: Asian recipes like this often call for a teaspoon of sugar or other sweetener, just to cut the edge - and its very good. I did not add this as many are concerned about added sugars these days. Instead I used the raisins.

Brown and Bubbly Pasta Egg Bake

Cooking the eggs only 7-8 minutes keeps their yokes bright and moist.  This is a variation of a larger dish we have made many times with tofu.  With the peas and eggs, there's plenty of protein in this vegetarian casserole.
1/3 lb small pasta (see Cook’s Note)
4 eggs
1/4 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, chopped or grated

White Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp coriander
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 Tbsp chopped chives

Preheat oven to 425F. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a medium pot. Generously salt the water for the pasta. Gently add the eggs with a large spoon and then add the pasta. Swirl gently and allow the eggs to cook about 7-8 minutes. Retrieve them from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately place in a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking.

Continue cooking the pasta until al dente, about 10-12 minutes or according to package directions. Add the peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain the pasta and the peas and set aside in the pot.

While the pasta cooks, make the white sauce. Cook the flour in the butter and oil in a saucepan for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the milk, coriander, mustard and garlic powder and bring to a gentle boil, until thickened, whisking often. When thickened, adjust thickness with milk if necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Peel the eggs and quarter lengthwise. Now pour the sauce into the pasta mixture in the pot and stir in the chives and half the cheese.

Transfer the mixture into a medium casserole and nestle the egg wedges into the pasta mixture, leaving several exposed.

Top with the remaining cheese, cover the casserole with a top or some aluminum foil, and place casserole in oven.

Bake for 20 minutes covered. Reduce heat to 350F and continue cooking uncovered for about another 10-15 minutes, until brown and bubbly.

Serve with a salad or favorite vegetable side. Serves 4.

Cook’s Notes: You can use most any favorite pasta, but I like a small pasta for tis.  For example, you can use regular Elbow Macaroni or large Ditalini pasta. I used Ditalini Rigati No. 257 from Wegemans.

Sea Bass Roasted with Garlic Onion Jam and Pistachio Almond Crust

Fresh herbs, nuts and garlic make for a wonderful crust on fish fillets.  But they have to be painted onto the surface of the fish, or they should fall off.  Mayonnaise works wonders as does mustard, and they impart their taste accordingly.

Here I use a fantastic jam of caramelized onion and roasted garlic (from Trader Joe's).  The savory element of the caramelization and roasting combines with the sweetness of the jam to complement the very robust flavor of black sea bass.  Try other paints you may have like orange marmalade or mint jam!
2-3 cloves garlic (to taste)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
palmful fresh parsley leaves

3/4 lb fillet of Bass
2 Tbsp Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam (I used Trader Joe’s)
2 Tbsp sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the Bass into two serving portions.

Load a small food processor with the garlic, pistachios and parsley. Pulse just only as few times as necessary to produce a VERY coarse grind 1/16-inch or so.

Cut Bass into two serving portions, diagonally in half, if the fishmonger cut the ends at an angle.

Place the Bass fillets skin-side down on an oiled casserole. Paint the surface of the filets with the jam evenly.

Distribute the pistachio mix evenly on top of the jam.

Then top the fillets with the sliced almonds.

Bake the fish in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The dish should appear well cooked, browned and bubbly around the edges.

But caution: it is a common practice to overcook fish. Lean towards the shorter times, if anything.

Remove from oven and serve with your favorite side dish such as asian noodles. Serves 2.

Asian Green Bean Mushroom Pho Noodle Fry

I love Asian noodles; in so many forms.  And I look for fresh noodles wherever I can - typically in a local Asian or Farmer's market.  I am always trying to balance the carbs from the noodles with veggies, so I'm always pounding on veggies in such dishes.

Use whatever veggies you love or have on hand here, but I'd suggest a much larger proportion of veggies to noodle.
4-6 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

Sauce:
1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 lb fresh thin rice noodles (for Vietnamese Pho, or angel hair pasta)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 orange pepper, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes until well rehydrated. Drain and slice thinly.

Prepare a large bowl of water with ice cubes in it. Set aside. Bring about 4 cups water to a boil in a pot. Add 1 tablespoon Kosher salt to water. Add the green beans and gently boil for 5 minutes. Remove the green beans with a strainer to a bowl of ice water, reserving the hot water. When the green beans are cold, return to a strainer and drain well.

Return the hot water to a boil. Toss the noodles into the water for about 2-3 minutes for fresh Pho rice noodles. Otherwise cook according to package directions. Drain noodles well.

Whisk together the sauce ingredients and toss with the noodles. Set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and peppers in a skillet for about 5 minutes.

Add the butter, mushrooms, garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the drained green beans and heat through. Now add the noodles and gently toss everything together as you heat the dish through.

Serves 4-6 as a warm side dish.

Artichoke and Bay Scallop Frittata

A frittata transforms ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary every time!
8 eggs
1/4 cup light cream or half-and-half

1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 12-oz can artichoke quarters, drained
1/2 lb bay scallops
1/3 lb Monterrey Jack cheese, diced 1/4-inch
1/4 tsp dried crushed red chili flakes

Preheat oven to 400F.

Whisk together the eggs and cream in a medium bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a dash of olive oil in an oven-going non-stick skillet. Add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until softened and aromatic. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the artichokes, scallops and cheese to the skillet and spread out evenly. Pour the eggs over the mixture and heat over medium-high het for a few minutes. When the edges begin to firm up a bit, sprinkle on the chili flakes and place pan in the oven.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the frittata is nicely browned. Remove pan from the oven and transfer frittata to a serving platter.

Serves 4.

Orange Lies Matter Inauguration Casserole

A peaceful transfer of power is at the core of our American democracy, and everyone should respect it.  But that doesn't mean we can't have just a bit of fun appreciating some of the protester's signs at the post inauguration rally in Philadelphia.  I designed this casserole inspired by one good sign "Orange Lies Matter" and offer a sarcastic crunch of a Cheetos crust to chew on.

Something different, maybe slightly unhealthy - but in certain ways alluring.  Possibly dangerous in regular quantities, perhaps.  The new administration?
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 lb broccoli flowerets
1 lb bulk Italian sausage

Cheese sauce:
1 Tbsp canola oil plus 2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 lb orange sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb Monterrey Jack cheese

10 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups crispy Cheetos

Preheat oven to 375F. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil for the pasta in a medium pot. Salt generously. When pasta is just becoming al dente, add the broccoli and cook 2 more minutes. Drain well and return to pot.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage well in a large skillet.

While the sausage browns make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in the oil in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk together, cooking about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the milk and mustard and bring to a gentle boil to thicken. Grate half the cheddar and half the Monterrey Jack cheese and whisk into the cheese sauce until melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

When the sausage is browned, tip it into a large oiled 9x13-inch (or two smaller) casserole. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and let them brown up nicely, about 5-8 minutes.

Add two thirds of the sauce to the pasta and broccoli, and layer the pasta over the sausage.

Cube the remaining cheese and mix with the mushrooms in a bowl.

Layer the mushroom mixture over the pasta and cover with the remaining one third of sauce. Top the casserole with Cheetos.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly.  Makes 1 large or 2 medium casseroles.  Serves 6.

Protestors exercising their freedom in Philadelphia the day after Inauguration day, 2017

Asian Minced Pork with Broccoli and Noodles

This is a kind of stir fry with noodles.  I cut up the noodles, but you could keep them longer, to your taste.
4-5 dried skiitake mushrooms
1/3 lb medium Pho rice noodles, or angel hair
pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cups broccoli flowerets
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes, or to taste

Sauce:
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp Korean Gochujang chili paste, or ketchup
1/4 cup pale dry sherry
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Sesame seeds for garnish

Soak dried mushrooms is 2-3 cups very hot water. Allow to completely hydrate and then drain and slice.

Heat a pot of water to a boil for the pasta, Add the pasta and cook only until just al-dente. This will depend on the type of noodle you use, so look to package instructions. When cooked, drain well and keep warm. Stir every once in a while to avoid sticking together.

Sauté pork in a large skillet or wok with a dash of canola oil. Add the fennel seeds, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pork until well browned and then add the garlic and ginger. Cook another 2-3 minutes and remove to a bowl.

Add a dash more canola oil to skillet or wok and brown the mushrooms.

Meanwhile in another skillet, sauté the broccoli in a dash canola oil for about 2-3 minutes.

Add 1-2 tablespoons water and continue cooking just until the water is evaporated and the broccoli is bright green and crisp tender.

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Now mix together the pork, broccoli and pasta in one of the skillets. Add the sauce and heat completely through. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

Pan Seared Salmon Puttanesca

Nicely browned salmon fillet in a rich tomato and olive sauce is a wonderful way to serve salmon on a cold winter night - especially when you kick up the sauce with the heat of some red chili flakes - so characteristic of a robust Puttanesca tomato sauce.
1-1/4 lb salmon fillet
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp dried crushed red chili flakes
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1 6 oz (dry weight) can small black pitted California olives

Cut salmon into 4 serving portions.

Melt butter in oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add salmon, skin-side up. Brown the salmon over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, until nicely browned.

Flip salmon pieces and cook another 3-4 minutes, skin-side down.

The salmon should still be slightly rare, as it will cook some more in the sauce, and you do not want to overcook the salmon. Remove salmon to a plate and keep warm.

Add mushrooms to skillet with a dash more oil and cook over high heat until they release what water they will and brown up nicely - about 5-8 minutes. Add the onion and cook another 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and chili flakes and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Now add the tomatoes to the mushroom mixture by breaking them up with your hands to crush them as you add them. Add the remaining juice from the can. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Stir, then cover and simmer to 30 minutes.

After the sauce has cooked and developed richer flavor, add the olives and heat through.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Now nestle the salmon portions in the sauce and return to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and heat the dish through, to finish cooking the salmon.

Serve salmon portions with Puttanesca sauce.  Serves 4.

Carrot Ribbon Salad

A simple fresh side veggie with no cooking required.  Fast, easy and full of all the nutrients fresh veggies have to offer.
3 large carrots, peeled and then peeled into ribbons with peeler
3 Kirby cucumbers, cut into half moons
1/2 cup purple Bermuda onion, sliced
1 Tbsp diced chives
1/3 cup favorite vinaigrette dressing

Toss veggies together in a large bowl.

Add dressing and allow to marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

Makes about 4 cups chopped salad.

Thai Coconut Chicken on Greens

Three strata - greens, noodles, and chicken and pecans, build layers of flavor and texture in this chef salad.
1/2 lb Pho rice noodles, or angel hair pasta
2 carrot, peeled into ribbons
palmful cilantro leaves, chopped

Noodle dressing:
4 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp canola oil

1-inch ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, sliced
2 Tbsp grated coconut
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp asian fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp pale dry sherry
1 tsp sesame oil

6 cups fresh baby greens
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 red chili pepper, finely sliced

Heat a quart of water in a medium pot to boiling. Salt generously for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, whisk together the noodle dressing in a medium bowl. Drain the pasta when cooked and allow to cool off a bit, tossing it with tongs.

Toss pasta into bowl with dressing and add carrot and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a dash of canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the ginger and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Mix the chicken in a small bowl with coriander and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Add the chicken to skillet and brown one side a bit. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil to the pan and stir the chicken.

Allow the chicken cook through and the liquids to evaporate. The chicken should have a syrupy coating.

Distribute the greens evenly on four plates. Distribute the noodle salad onto the four plates evenly. Top with chicken, evenly distributed on the noodle salads. Garnish with pecan halves and red chili pepper.

Serves 4.

Tempeh with Sesame Coconut Peanut Sauce

A vegetarian stir fry that really satisfies.

Sauce:
1/4 cup peanuts
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp chili paste with garlic
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup pale dry sherry

1 14-oz tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 carrot, sliced
3-4 cups broccoli, cut into coarse flowerets
1/2 large onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
toasted sesame seeds

Blend peanuts in a small food processor until smooth, like chunky peanut butter. Add remaining sauce ingredients and blend well, stirring down sides of processor.  Get together your 'miss en place' - all your ingredients in bowls and ready to go.

Heat a wok and add a tablespoon canola or peanut oil. Stir fry the tempeh for a few minutes, until the tempe is well browned. Set tempeh aside in a bowl. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok. Stir fry the broccoli, carrot and onion, stirring briskly. Add about a tablespoon water while stirring and allow the veggies to steam a bit as the water cooks off. Add the ginger and garlic and cook another few minutes.

Return the tempeh to the wok and pour in the sauce. Heat through while gently folding the veggies with the sauce. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto with Chicken

Risotto usually takes an hour or so of constant stirring - a true act of love if you have time.  But did you know you can also do a nice risotto dish with a slow cooker while you're away at work.  It'll cook on low for 4 hours, and then keep warm until you're home and ready to eat.

Here's a slow cooker mushroom risotto cooked with chicken.  I'm lovin' my new All Clad slow cooker with a brown-in, non-stick,  removable aluminum crock.  Finally can brown right in the cooker pot!  But if you have a traditional ceramic crock, you can do the browning on the stove.

6 chicken thighs, trimmed
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 red Serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño), finely diced
3 cloves garlic
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the thighs well in a dash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove to a plate. In the same pot (I used a brown-in slow cooker) add the leeks, mushrooms and chili pepper. Sauté the veggies for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the water and wine and stir. Return the chicken thighs, nestling into the rice. Cover and cook in slow cooker for 4 hours on low.  (I did this the night before and put the crock in the refrigerator overnight.  I returned the crock back into the cooker and set to low for 4 hours, and went to work.  I returned 10 hours later).  When ready to eat, uncover chicken and turn slow cooker to high.

Remove chicken thighs to a plate and keep warm (for example in a warm oven).

Stir rice well and add the peas. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir well and add the butter and parmesan cheese.

Stir well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness with a dash of water if needed. Serve chicken thighs on a bed of risotto.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:  I used short grain brown rice, but you could certainly use arborio or other short grain white rices as well.

Pumpkin Apple Soup Over Savory White Beans

There's a reason they call it winter squash.  My smaller pumpkins from Halloween, kept in the cool, dark basement were still beautiful right after New Year's.  OK, they may not have been so sweet as at harvest, but let's not forget what our forefathers had, as they stored their harvest for winter feeding.

If you don't have a nice medium-small sweet pumpkin, stored from fall and still ''rooking mawh-velous" (a shoutout to Saturday Night Live) in January, then you can simply use a nice butternut squash that you find in the market.  Really, any winter squash would work wonders here.  But don't fret about how sweet your pumpkin or squash might be (so long as it looks unblemished, beautiful and smells absolutely fresh), because this soup is sweetened by apple and sweet potato.

This soup becomes a full meal when coupled with savory beans, stewed with tomatoes and fennel and rich herbs like rosemary.  This is a warm, hearty winter dish, probably not unlike those eaten many decades ago in a simpler time.
1 medium pumpkin, about 8-inch diameter (or 1 large butternut squash)
1 lb carrots, peeled and thickly sliced, about 5-6
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced (I used Honey Crisp - choose something sweet)
1 sweet potato, peeled and coarsely diced
1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
about 2 cups water, more or less as needed
1 cup half and half

1 fennel bulb, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp rosemary, crushed or minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 cans white beans, lightly drained
1 cup water
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out and discard all the seeds and wet internals. Carefully slice the pumpkin (or squash) into 1-2 inch slices. Lay the slices on rimmed baking sheets and sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper.

Roast for about 40 minutes, or until they brown at the edges and smell very aromatic. Check the pumpkin every once in a while and turn pans if necessary to assure even heating.

While the pumpkin roasts, sauté the onion, carrot and apple in a dash of olive oil in large soup pot. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the veggies begin to brown and caramelize a bit. Remove from heat.

When the pumpkin is roasted, remove from oven and carefully slice the meat from the peel and add the meat to the carrots and onions in the pot. Add the broth and enough water just to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, and stir. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring several times. Add the sweet potato and cook another 20-30 minutes, stirring often.

While the soup cooks, sauté the fennel and onion in a medium pot with a dash of olive oil.

Cook for about 15 minutes, until the veggies soften and begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes and coriander.

Cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

Add the beans and water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often. Then add the butter to the beans and stir to incorporate.

Purée the soup with an emersion blender. Pour soup into shallow serving bowls. Mound a cohesive mound of beans, about 3/4 cup, into the center of each bowl protruding from the soup.

Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.