Tuna Risotto

Believe it or not this is from an Italian cookbook. Be sure to use good canned tuna in this. That means Albacore Tuna. I also could see using chunks of sauteed fresh tuna. My family would like either. However, the canned tuna makes it a midweek meal because I don't have to get fresh fish.

TUNA RISOTTO

Step 1:
1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice

 
Sauté onion until softened. Add rice and cook until well coated with oil.

Step 2:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2  cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock

 
Add salt and wine and cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add stock and cook risotto-style (adding 1/2 cup stock at a time and stirring until absorbed). I tend to add 4 cups of stock, let it get absorbed by simmering, and then add the rest of the stock the "right" way. Its not "proper" but gets the same creamy effect and I can use that initial simmering time to make salad and dressing, etc.

Step 3:
12 ounces canned tuna, drained, broken into large pieces

 
Stir in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Step 4:
1 ounce grated Parmesan

 
Remove from heat and stir in immediately.

(First published here in 2004.)

Meatball Subs

This was on one of those handy-dandy recipe cards in Cook's Country, long ago. It is unfailingly reliable and a real crowd pleaser. It is really, really easy. 

 I've simplified it a bit more by using a pound of Italian sausage and bread crumbs that have no Italian seasonings. 

 I also use my favorite pizza sauce instead of a jarred marinara.  I usually have a cup or so stashed in my freezer, so that makes it very simple for me. Also, you won't find an easier or more delicious sauce anywhere. Just try it once and see what you think. 

  Meatball Subs 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs with Italian seasonings
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 (6-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise
1-1/3 cups jarred marinara sauce
4 slices deli provolone cheese (4 ounces)

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Our favorite premium jarred sauce is Victoria Marinara Sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS
1
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease rimmed baking sheet with oil. Mix beef, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in bowl until well combined. Form mixture into twelve 2-inch meatballs, place on prepared sheet, and bake until browned and meat registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate; discard accumulated grease on sheet.

2
Carefully line now-empty sheet with parchment paper. Place rolls on sheet and lay 3 meatballs inside each roll. Top meatballs on each sandwich with 1/3 cup marinara sauce and 1 slice provolone. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

The Pizza Maker's Sauce (Salsa Pizzaiola)

There isn't an easier pizza sauce around. Or one that is tastier. It also freezes well. This is from Pizza: Any Way You Slice It by Charles & Michele Scicolone. It's my favorite pizza cookbook. 

Pizza Sauce 

Makes about 3 cups 

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 

Pinch of crushed red pepper 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

Salt (though I almost never use it) 

 In a large skillet, cook the garlic and red pepper in the oil over medium heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, or 10-15 minutes. Let cool before spreading on pizza dough. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month. (I've used it after a year and it is still good.)

Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt in Pita Bread

This is from Bon Appetit and you can find it online on Epicurious. It was really delicious.

The only problem we had was that the mixture was rather soft when forming patties. Looking over the comments there was a person from Egypt who said that canned garbanzos are too mushy and soaking dried ones for 24 hours is the proper way to do it. Without cooking them at all. This blew our minds and I began pulling out cookbooks that were the closest to primary sources as I had.

They agreed! My goodness! We will be going on an adventure the next time we make these, but in the meantime the recipe below works well and is simply delicious.

We're going to double the sauce next time but that's really the only change, aside from the fact that we didn't have pita bread so wrapped them in flour tortillas instead. Delicious!

Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt in Pita Bread

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped onion
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large egg
Olive oil
4 warm pita breads, top third cut off
Sliced tomatoes
Crisp lettuce leaves

Step 1
Whisk yogurt, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup onion, 1 garlic clove, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in medium bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 2
Blend garbanzo beans, 3 tablespoons flour, cumin, remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, 4 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in processor until almost smooth. Add egg and remaining 3/4 cup onion and blend, using on/off turns, until onion is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Turn patties in remaining 1/2 cup flour to coat on both sides.

Step 3
Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes per side. Open pita breads; slide 1 patty, sliced tomato and lettuce into each. Spoon in some yogurt mixture.

Coriander Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower and Herbed Yogurt

This is easy and really delicious, from Cook's Country. The chicken is delicious but the genius comes from cooking the vegetables in the pan that the chicken browned in so it picks up extra flavor. I loved the way that the cherry tomatoes get cooked just enough by adding them to the pan the cauliflower is in, off heat.

I served it with Garlic Naan (from the freezer, thanks to a recent visit to a local India Bazaar). Delicious! And perfectly suited to the tone of the meal.

Coriander Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower and Herbed Yogurt

Serves 4

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
1-1/4 teaspoons table salt, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into 1-inch florets
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus 1/2 cup torn leaves (or fresh basil)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
1
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to rimmed baking sheet and roast until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 17 minutes.

2
Meanwhile, heat fat left in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cauliflower, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until tender and browned, stirring occasionally, 12 to 14 minutes. Off heat, stir in tomatoes and garlic.

3
Combine yogurt, chopped mint, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Transfer cauliflower to platter and sprinkle with mint leaves. Serve chicken with cauliflower and yogurt sauce.

Beef-Sauced Hot Lettuce Salad

From Beyond the Great Wall, another of the wonderful books by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. This is an unusual dish — a warm salad from Inner Mongolia — which the authors posit may be a fusion dish of some kind, possibly with a Russian influence. The sauce is literally a ground beef dressing which is delicious.

I turned it into a main dish by doubling it — which worked well — and the simple expediency of serving it with rice. Oh, so very good ... and it looked just like the picture in the book. It will not only make your taste buds sit up and sing but will be easy on the budget as well.

Beef-Sauced Hot Lettuce Salad

About 4 packed cups coarsely torn romaine lettuce

Dressing
1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 pound (1 packed cup) ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon Jinjiang (black rice) vinegar, or to taste
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

Place the lettuce in a wide salad bowl or serving dish and set aside.

Place a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. toss in the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the ginger. Stir-fry over medium-high to medium heat until slightly softened and starting to turn color. 

Add the meat and use your spatula to break it up so there are no lumps at all, then add the salt and stir-fry until most of the meat has changed color. Drain fat. 

Add the soy sauce and vinegar and stir to blend. Add the warm water and stir to blend. (The dressing can be prepared ahead to this point and set aside for up to 20 minutes. When you are ready to proceed, bring to a boil.)

While the dressing mixture is coming to a boil, place the cornstarch in a small cup or bowl and stir in the cold water to make a smooth paste. Once the liquid is bubbling in the pan, give the cornstarch mixture a final stir, add to the pan, and stir for about 1 minute, the liquid will thicken and become smoother. Taste for salt, and add a little salt or soy sauce if you wish. 

Add the sesame oil and stir once, then pour onto the lettuce. Immediately toss the salad to expose all the greens to the hot dressing. Serve immediately (or see Note).

Serves 4 as a salad or side dish.

Author's note on texture: If you use romaine lettuce, the salad will have good crunch as well as some wilted softer textures when you first serve it. We love the contrast. If you prefer a softer texture, either let the salad stand for 5 minutes before serving it, to give the greens more time to soften in the warm dressing, or use leaf lettuce instead of romaine.

“Impossible” Ham-and-Cheese Pie

This is from Cook's Country and is just as easy and delicious as advertised. It's just as good reheated for breakfast as it was for dinner the night before.

“Impossible” Ham-and-Cheese Pie

Step 1

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, 1 tablespoon softened and the other 2 tablespoons melted
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate with softened butter, then coat plate evenly with Parmesan.

Step 2

8 ounces Gruyere, shredded (2 cups) — don't use pre-grated if you can avoid it. Real Gruyere is worth the trouble of grating by hand to get great flavor.
4 ounces thickly sliced deli ham, chopped
4 scallions, minced

Combine Gruyère, ham, and scallions in bowl. Sprinkle cheese-and-ham mixture evenly in bottom of prepared pie dish.

Step 3

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2-1/2 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup half-and-half
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Dijon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine flour, baking powder, pepper, and salt in now-empty bowl.

Whisk in half-and-half, eggs, melted butter, mustard, and nutmeg until smooth. Slowly pour batter over cheese-and-ham mixture in pie dish. 

Step 4

Bake until pie is light golden brown and filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Slice into wedges. Serve warm.

Cheat's Souffle with Three Cheeses

Here's a little something that makes a truly delicious Lenten Friday meal. Serve it with rolls and a salad.

This is from Gordon Ramsay and has become a regular, especially on our meatless Fridays. It heats up really well for breakfast too!

Cheat’s Soufflé With Three Cheeses  

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup cottage cheese
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9x13" baking dish.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder in a bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the beaten eggs, milk nand a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir in cottage cheese and grated cheese. Dot small lumps of cream cheese over the egg mixture and then mix in with a spoon.

Pour into the greased baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and set all the way through.

Mushroom Galette

Meatless Fridays are here! If you're looking for something different and meatless, try this. This is from Taste of the South magazine and has a sophisticated taste and look without being difficult.

Mushroom Galette

Step 1:

2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 10 minutes.

All all else. Cook until aromatic, about 1 minute more. Drain any excess moisture.

Step 2:

1 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 cup shredded Gruyére cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 piecrust, whether packaged or homemade
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Gruyére, and salt.

Roll piecrust into a 9" circle or unroll packaged crust. Spread 1 cup cheese mixutre onto crust in a think layer, leaving a 1-1/2-inch border. Top with mushroom mixture and reamining Gruyére; gently fold edges of dough over filling.

Brush dough with egg; bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Chicken-Rice Soup with Garbanzos and Green Chile

This is from The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison. It was easy, homey, and perfect for a cold night in Texas. It makes a huge batch and, based on my breakfast the next day, the flavor improves over time.

I didn't serve it with a lot of extras but the recipe notes say you can add various extras like shredded Monterey Jack, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and avocado. Everyone said this made them think of a variation of Chicken Tortilla Soup, especially if you had the extras to add.

My cooking notes:

• This was a super-thick soup. I think that next time I will try using half the rice and see what a less solid version is like.
  
• I used about 3 cups of chicken instead of the amount below, just because that is what I had on hand.
• If you don't want to use rotisserie chicken: cook the chicken in the way I do for Chicken Tortilla Soup. I include it here for anyone who is interested. Simmer 1-1/2 - 2 pounds chicken thighs in 8 cups chicken stock until done. Let cool on a plate and then discard skin. Pull meat off the bone in bite sized pieces. This enriches the broth and gives good moist chicken that will stand up to the later simmering. Reserve broth and chicken.
• I skipped the bay leaf
• I used 1 tablespoon cumin
• I used poblano chiles, skipped the roasting, and just chopped it up to add with the chicken, etc.
• We served it with grated Monterey Jack (hand grated so it would melt well, not like the pre-shredded kind). The cheese added a great layer of flavor.
  

Chicken Rice Soup with Garbanzos and Green Chile

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked rice
8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
15 ounce can garbanzos (chickpeas), drained
3/4 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

In a heavy sauce pan, warm the butter over low heat. When melted, add the onion and garlic. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice and saute it briefly until the grains become opaque. Pour in the stock, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until rice is very soft. Serve hot.

Oven-Fried Chicken

I've made this so long that I no longer remember where I got it. It's easy and delicious and has become our family standard. I can't believe I haven't included it here before now. 

Once you're used to the basic recipe, play around with adding a teaspoon or two of spices or spice blends. You really can't go wrong.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
Whole chicken, cut up OR 6-8 chicken pieces as desired
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Additional seasoning or dried herbs, if desired
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted or room temp

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together and put in a bowl or shallow pan for dredging. (I use a pie pan.)

Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and arrange skin side up, 1 layer deep, on rimmed baking sheet. Brush butter onto skin. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or so until fork tender and browned.