Crustless Smoked Salmon, Leek and Red Peppers Quiche

This crustless quiche is easy to make and great for any meal. The smoked salmon lends a touch of elegance, and the leeks can be substituted with onions or shallots. 

Ingredients:

- 3 eggs

- 1 1/2 cup milk or cream

- 6 oz smoked salmon

- 1 large leek, white and light green parts sliced (about 1 cup of slices)

- 1 small red pepper, chopped 

- 3/4 cup shredded cheese - almost any kind or combination is fine, but not too much strong-flavoured cheese such as Parmesan

- 1 tsp dry mustard (I replaced with Dijon)

- 1/2 tsp thyme

- pinch of cayenne pepper or a bit of hot sauce

- paprika, salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Saute leeks in a little olive oil. When they begin to soften, add the peppers. Add a little salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Just before taking off the heat, add the thyme.

Risotto Primavera

This is a twist on the technique to cooking a classic risotto, and it only takes 6 minutes of continuous stirring, as opposed to 18, because this risotto cooks undisturbed for the first 12 minutes. It is a quick and easy meal for two, using the following ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

- 1/2 cup water

- 4 tsp olive oil

- 3 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin

- 1 small onion, chopped fine (I used 3 scallions)

- 1/2 cup Arborio rice

- 3 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

- 1/4 cup frozen peas

- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

- 1 tbsp unsalted butter

- 2 tsp lemon juice

- salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Branzino Stuffed with Leeks and Meyer Lemons

I prepared the branzino in the Mediterranean style, with citrus and herbs and served with a risotto Primavera. You can replace the branzino with any white, flaky fish.

Ingredients:

1 whole branzino or other white-fleshed whole fish, butterflied

1 leeks cut into thin strips

1 Meyer lemon cut into thin rounds with one wedge reserved

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place fish on a roasting pan open and flesh side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both fish. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over each fish. Line one side of the fish with lemon slices, top with a generous amount of leeks and 2 sprigs of thyme. Fold the empty side onto the filled side. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Cook for 12 to 18 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Crustless Broccoli and Cauliflower Quiche

This recipe again makes use of the entire broccoli, nothing is left out. Peel off the skin of the broccoli stems with a vegetable peeler or a very sharp knife, then cut them into slices or chunks.

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for the baking dish

- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

- 4 large eggs

- 1 cup whole milk

- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/4 tsp dried thyme

- 1/4 tsp dried oregano

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary, chopped

- 1 medium bunch broccoli and cauliflower, cut into florets, broccoli stems peeled and cut 1/3 inch thick

Heat the oven to 375F. Brush a 10-inch pie plate with olive oil.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let it cool.

Add the eggs to the onion and slightly beat. Whisk in milk, 1/2 cup of the cheese, water, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and rosemary to blend.

Cover the bottom of the pie plate with the broccoli and cauliflower.

Pour the cream mixture into the pie plate. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean and quiche is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Enjoy!

Baked Basa Roulades

Ingredients:

2-3 Basa fillets

2 red bell peppers

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon

4 cloves of garlic

dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Place the red peppers on highest rack in oven and broil. Rotate until burned on all sides. Place in a plastic bag until cool. 

Mix vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Peel away the charred outer layer of red pepper. Seed, cut into strips, and soak in vinaigrette for 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Layer the strips on the fillet, 

roll up and tie with thread (I left them untied).

Place rolled fillets in a shallow baking dish, in 1/2 inch of white wine. Bake on middle rack, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the fillets are opaque.

Enjoy!

Chicken Braciole with Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 to 2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 ounces angel hair or fettuccini pasta, cooked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pound the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to about 1/4-inch thickness. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, grated Parmesan, and garlic. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until the mixture becomes the consistency of thick paste. Evenly spread the mixture down the center of each piece of chicken, leaving room around the edges. 

Tian of Eggplant, Tomato and Herbs

This gorgeous layered vegetable gratin requires 3 hours in the oven for its alchemy to work. A tian is an earthenware baking dish but you can use a small paella pan or any dish with a 10-cup capacity. The delicious liquid that accumulates in the dish can be used to make a vinaigrette. Serve the tian hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

- 1 large eggplant (about 1.5 lb), peeled

- 4 medium onions, about 1.5 lb

- 5 large ripe tomatoes, about 2 lbs

- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

- 2.5 tbsp dried oregano

- 10 tbsp freshly grated Pecorino Romano

- 1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Slice the eggplant into thin rounds. Toss with one tbsp salt. Thinly slice the tomatoes. Thinly slice the onions, keeping the slices intact.

Arrange half of the eggplant in the bottom of a tian or paella pan. Top with an overlapping layer of half the tomatoes, and then half the onions.

Sausages, Beans and Olives Casserole

I read that this is a traditional dish in northern Italy, usually made with lard and pork belly, which I replaced here with olive oil, sausages and pancetta, thus getting the strong flavours of pork with less cooking time. The sausages can also be replaced with small ribs.

 Ingredients:

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- 2 medium onions, chopped

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 4 oz pancetta, diced

- 1 lb sausages, cut into 1-inch thick chunks (mine had cheese and parsley in them)

- 1 cup pitted black olives

- 3 oz tomato puree

- 1 cup beef stock

- 1 glass red wine

- 14oz can cannellini beans, drained

- 3 bay leaves

- salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and fry the onions and carrots over high heat for about 2 minutes, until golden.

French Vegetable Tian

A wonderful vegetarian dish I used to accompany some chicken breast stuffed with pine nuts, leek and bell pepper. Very simple to make and very versatile, can easily be paired with any meat or eaten on its own.

Ingredients:

- 60 ml olive oil

- 500 gr zucchini, thickly sliced on the diagonal

- 4 garlic cloves, crushed

- 650 gr tomatoes

- 2 medium red onions, chopped

- 60 ml white wine

- a pinch of nutmeg

- 25 gr chopped parsley

- 130 gr grated Gruyere cheese

- a few small sprigs of thyme

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 6x10-inch ovenproof dish with melted butter or oil. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan, then add the zucchini and half the garlic.

Cook, stirring, over low heat for about 8 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg, Spread evenly into the dish.

Veal Cutlets with Red Bell Pepper

For this recipe I used veal for scallopini, so no need to bother beating the meat. I also made some modifications, which I will mention as I go along. The listed quantities yield 6 servings, but I halved them for our needs:

• 1 1/2 pounds veal slices (about 1/4 inch thick)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard (I replaced with 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I didn't use it)
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 medium sweet red peppers, julienned
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (didn't use )
• 1/2 quart chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (I omitted it)
• 2 teaspoons water

Place veal in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. dish; set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, lemon peel, garlic, sugar, salt, paprika, mustard and nutmeg; reserve 2 tablespoons. 

Crunchy Crumbed Cod with Frozen Peas

In this recipe frozen peas are used straight from the freezer, just break them up by slamming the package on the counter a few times. The peas provide moisture as the cod is roasted at a high temperature.

- 10-ounce package frozen peas

- 4 scallions

- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

- 4 tbsp olive oil

- 1 cup panko

- 1 large garlic clove

- 4 thick cod fillets (about 6 oz each)

Preheat the oven to 475F. Put the frozen peas in a large bowl. Slice the scallions thinly on the bias and mix with the peas. Add the thyme, 2 tbsp of oil, salt and pepper. Sprea on a small rimmed baking sheet.

Mix the panko with the remaining oil, grated garlic and salt. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Top each piece with a thick covering of panko and press down firmly. Place the fish atop the peas. 

Roast for 12 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the fish is just firm. Serve the fish on the peas.

Enjoy!

Morrocan Spiced Chickpea Soup

Chickpeas seem to call out for Moroccan spices, so that's what they get here. I make this soup really chunky and hearty.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1 large onion, medium diced
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• several kale leaves (to taste)

Chicken Livers Peri Peri

My daughter requested that I make some chicken livers last night, and she wanted a recipe I haven't made before. So I found this one which apparently originates in South Africa. I cut down pretty much on the  heat, to make sure she can eat, too. Now, if you decide to make this recipe, please be sure you have plenty of fresh bread on hand to mop the fantastic sauce with! So, here are ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken livers, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I only used 3/4 tsp)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp brandy

Place chicken livers in a large bowl, and pour in 3 tbsp  olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice; season with garlic, cumin, coriander, chili flakes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir together, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 

  

Remove livers to a bowl, and reserve marinade. 

Sauteed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Grapes Sauce

If you've never had roasted grapes before, please do yourselves a favour: try them now! You'll wonder how could you have lived without until now :)).

3/4 pound black or red seedless grapes, stemmed
3/4 pound seedless green grapes, stemmed
4 tbsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, can be substituted with thighs (as I did)

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (I used dried instead)

Green Lentil and Canadian Bacon Soup

My friend Sandi started the lentil soup trend and really got me into the game. My soup is obviously not entirely vegetarian, but the meat in it is very lean, as you know Canadian bacon is recognized for its lack of fats. Without further ado, let's proceed:

- 1/2 lb lentils, picked and rinsed

- 2 stalks green celery, chopped

- 1 large yellow onion, chopped

- 1/2 lb Canadian bacon, finely diced

- 4-6 cups chicken broth

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

- 1 pinch dried thyme

- 1 bay leaf (optional)

- olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

Sauteed Collard Greens with Garlic

I found some great produce (although pricey) in the produce section at the WholeFoods, so I got a little bit of this and that, not having made up my mind as to what I was going to do with them. Of course, the first combination that came to me was meat and greens, so I made a side dish for the veal scaloppine with ruby red grapefruit:

- 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
- 2 heads collard greens (about 1 pound each), tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
- coarse salt
- 1/2 cup water

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in collard greens and 1 teaspoon salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, and steam, covered, until greens are just tender and water evaporates, about 10 minutes. If greens are ready but there is still water in the pan, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, until completely evaporated. Plate and serve.

Enjoy!

Tabbouleh

Yes, the New Year came together with its resolutions, some of which being to "lose a couple of pounds" and "get back in shape". I'm sure I'll please my friends Happy, Sandi and Zazuza with this recipe:

• 1 cup bulghur wheat
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in quarters
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours. Enjoy!

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

Since the oven-fried cod with dill butter needed a side dish, I opted for this very fast red Swiss chard recipe, for which I used:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped (can be replaced with any small onion)
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt to taste (optional)

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. 

Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. 

Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Enjoy!

Tilapia Fillets in Spanish Sauce

My daughter is not the biggest fan ever when it comes to fish; however, this recipe was a huge success with her, so much that she wanted me to pack any leftovers for the following day's lunch at school. Indeed, the combination of flavours is special and unbelievably tasty.

Ingredients:

- 6 tilapia fillets (any other mild fish is equally suitable)

- 1 head of garlic, medium

- 1 tsp hot paprika

- 2 tsp sweet paprika

- 1 small chilli pepper (optional)

- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped

- 1 tbsp ground cumin

- 1 1/2 cup tomato juice

- 1/8 tsp ground all-spice

- zest of 1 lemon

- 6 tbsp olive oil

- 1 handful black olives (I used Kalamata pitted olives)

- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

- salt and pepper to taste

Vegetarian Stuffed Grapevine Leaves (Dolmades)

Another one of the dishes I made for the office party was this vegetarian version of a staple Christmas meal. For about 50 dolmades, you'll need:

- 1/2 cup olive oil

- 6 spring onions, chopped

- 3/4 cup long-grain rice

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

- 2/3 cup lemon juice

- 1/4 cup currants

- 1/4 cup pine nuts

- 7 1/2 oz packaged vine leaves 

- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra

Heat the oil in a medium pan. Add the spring onion and cook over medium heat for a minute. Stir in the rice, mint, dill, half the lemon juice, and season to taste.