Some might say it’s a bit pretentious of a name for “Baked Scallops and Stir-fried veggies,” but a dish with class deserves such a description!
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2 lbs bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 F. In a 9″ round dish, add melted butter, and scallops that have been drained, rinsed, and patted dry between paper towels. Toss to combine, then distribute into one even layer.
In a bowl, combine all the other ingredients and using a fork, mix well to combine. Layer this topping evenly over the scallop and butter mixture.
Bake until scallops are firm and opaque, about 25-30 minutes.
Serves: 6
(For the stir fried veggies, use any mix that you like. I used baby corn, snow peas and broccoli. Heat your wok (or large skillet) with 2 tbsp oil. Add 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 2 tbsp finely diced fresh, peeled ginger. Saute this for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and then add veggies and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, or until tender and heated through.)
Late work day? This “False Alarm Chili” is just the thing to set the night in motion…and take the stress off of you! (N.B. For an alternate chili that uses the traditional kidney beans, see the post for Chili Con Carne.) I call it “False Alarm Chili” because you get all the flavour, and none of the heat!
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can tomato puree
3 tbsp minced garlic
3 cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 large onions, minced (separated)
1 tbsp oil
2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
5 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
In a large pot, mix all the canned tomato products, garlic, black beans, and 1 1/2 of the minced onions. Bring to a boil, then back the heat off and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and stir occasionally.
In a large skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Add the reserved 1/2 minced onion and sauté until translucent but not browned. Add the ground beef and break up any large pieces. Sprinkle over chili powder and cumin, and cook until no longer pink. (Using beef this lean means you will not have to drain it, and therefore not waste your spices as they would normally drain off in the fat!)
Add the spiced meat and onion mixture to the larger pot. Stirring occasionally, allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
This recipe can also be made the night before, stashed in the fridge, and reheated the next day to allow the flavours to commune.
(The honesty in me comes out when I have to share that I actually took the last harvest of the season in fresh tomatoes and used it in place of the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. Cored and peeled, I cooked them down and made my own red sauce which can be used for pizzas, pastas, or in this case, chili!)
I can’t give a serving, because whenever I serve this, people always want seconds (and thirds!) Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, and black olives as toppers. Oh, and regular saltines (or even oyster crackers) are a welcome accompaniment as well.
(And there’s nothing wrong if you want to have your favourite frosty malt beverage along with, just please remember to enjoy such things responsibly.)
1 lb fettuccine (fresh or dried)
2 tbsp sea salt
1 lb frozen broccoli florets
In a large pot, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water after it has come to a boil (salting before boiling might lead to pitting of your cookware), then add the broccoli. Return pot to boil, and cook for 1 minute, then add the fettuccine. Continue cooking until fettuccine is al dente. Immediately remove to strainer.
In the meantime, heat your oil in a wok until it has a slight shimmer. Add garlic and cook for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant. Add peeled, deveined shrimp and toss to coat with oil and garlic. Continue tossing (or stirring) until shrimp are opaque and pink in colour. Add soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to coat. Cook 1 minute more.
Add cooked broccoli and fettuccine to the wok, and using tongs, toss to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and dinner is ready.
2 lbs of beef roast (such as London Broil) cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb carrots, cut into coins
1 lb fingerlings (new potatoes), or potatoes cut into a 1″ to 1.5″ cube
2 medium (or 1 large) onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves (or more), minced
1 750ml bottle of good red wine*
1 tsp each of rubbed sage, oregano, and thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart of fresh water**
cornstarch
In a large pan, brown the cubes of beef (they’re not to be cooked through). If you have too many for the pan, do them in stages as you’ll want them to brown, not steam. After all have been browned, return to the pan, and add onions, garlic, sage, oregano, thyme, water, bay leaves and wine. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, making the beef tender. After 1 hour, add your potatoes. 30 minutes later, add your carrot coins.
Combine cornstarch with cold water and stir to combine. How much you’ll need to use depends on (1) the volume of liquid you have in your stew and (2) the thickness you wish for it to be. Remove the bay leaves, then add the cornstarch/water mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes to cook the starch thoroughly.
Ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside fresh Rustic Herb Bread.
* It can be jug wine, but be sure it’s the kind you would drink. As it cooks down, the flavour intensifies, and if it’s bad tasting wine, that too will intensify.
** Yes, “Fresh” Water. Water that has been placed through a filter and let sit on the counter is not “fresh.” Bottled water is not fresh. If you do not wish to use tap water, run it back through your filtration system again. Water loses oxygen as it sits, and there is a difference in the way it cooks.
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
20-24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 red onion, cut into wedges, about 1/4 inch wide
2 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into strips 1/2 inch wide
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup Manchego cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
Heat the oil and butter in frying pan until butter foams, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté them over a fairly high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, until colored. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add onion and peppers to the pan, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes until softened.
Stir in the tomatoes, cayenne, and paprika and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir together, adding Manchego and sauté for 30 seconds. Season to taste, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 large egg
1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 lb fresh crab meat
1 cup panko bread crumps
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Vegetable oil spray
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil until it shimmers. Add minced onion and sauté until translucent but not coloured. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine.
When mixture has cooled, place in a mixing bowl and add yogurt, egg, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Carefully fold in breadcrumbs and crab meat (attempting to keep crab in as large of pieces as possible.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Using a medium sized scooper (not as large as ice cream, not as small as truffles), dish out individual crab cakes and gently flatten in your palms before placing on cookie sheet. This recipe should make about 24-26 crab cakes of the smaller size.
Spritz the top of each crab cake with cooking spray. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.
Serves: 4 with a salad. Also may be served with cocktail sauce, tarter sauce, or a rouille (see below note)
This recipe has been lightened up by the inclusion of non-fat yogurt versus the regular mayonnaise that you would traditionally find in a crab cake recipe, and by baking instead of deep fat frying the cakes.
Note: Rouille Sauce (adapted from Julia Child’s “The Way To Cook”)
6 large cloves of garlic, pureed
1/4 tsp salt
18 large leaves of basil (or 1 1/2 tsp dried savory, oregano or thyme)
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 to 3 tbsp hot milk
3 large egg yolks
1 roasted red pepper (seeds, core, and stem removed)
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
5 drops of Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
N.B.: If you are making this in a food processor, it is imperative that the garlic be pureed. A food processor chops instead of pureeing, and you’re wanting a smooth sauce. (If you’re using pre-purchased pureed garlic, you may make this in a food processor from this point forward, as long as you are careful to make sure each step is followed as closely as possible for a smooth sauce.)
Puree the garlic in a heavy bowl (or add purchased pureed garlic, if you are familiar with the quality of the product) and add salt, pounding into a paste. Continue pounding while adding the herbs. When well mashed and blended, add panko and milk to form a paste. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Now, using a whisk or electric mixer (hand mixer preferred over stand mixer here so that you keep the sauce in motion), beat for 1-2 minutes until it thickens slightly. Then, start beating in the oil in a series of slow additions (almost dribbles to begin with), as if you were making a mayonnaise. The sauce will be thick and heavy. Season to taste with Tabasco, salt and pepper.
Rouille is perfect for use on crab cakes, in fish soup, on pasta, on potatoes, broiled or grilled fish, in fact, anything that you would sauce, as long as you’re wishing for the flavour of garlic and peppers.
Some might say it’s a bit pretentious of a name for “Baked Scallops and Stir-fried veggies,” but a dish with class deserves such a description!
