Tag Archives: Dining

I really like Brussels sprouts when they’ve been roasted to the point of being crispy on the outside, but lately I’ve been shredding the roasted veggie and turning it into a salad. It never fails to please and I like how versatile the salad is.

Lately, I have been adding shredded Parmesan cheese and prosciutto to this salad, but the recipe below includes pomegranate, almond slivers and goat cheese. These items are all optional – you could use cranberries in lieu of pomegranate for example. The entire process takes about 1 hour because you have to let the vegetables cool after roasting them.

lay the brussels sprouts face down and drizzle a little extra olive oil

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 medium to large sized brussels sprouts
• Olive oil & balsamic vinegar
• Salt & thyme
• Goat cheese (optional)
• Pomegranate (optional)
• Almond slivers (optional)

After roasting, put them in the refrigerator to cool before shredding

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

– Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
– Prep and clean the vegetables by cutting the stem, removing any old or bad outer leaves, cutting the sprout in half and place in bowl with cold water.
– Drain the water and add enough olive oil to coat the sprouts along with 2-3 healthy pinches of salt and thyme; mix with your hands until the sprouts are thoroughly coated.
– Place on a baking sheet faced down and drizzle a little extra oil and leave in the oven for 20 minutes
– Remove the baking sheet out and flip the sprouts over (they should be cooked on both sides) drizzle a little balsamic over each vegetable, turn off the oven and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to let the balsamic marinade in the heat.
– Let the vegetables cool. I put them in a bowl and into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes then once cooled, take them out and shred them with a knife and add to the salad bowl.
– Add your optional items (I like adding something with color to make the plate pop) and then toss together. Taste the salad to see if it needs more salt.

Serving tip: Just prior to serving I drizzle more olive oil and balsamic over the top of the salad.

When served as a side to an otherwise healthy dinner this can be the difference between an okay meal and something really delicious. The recipe comes from Ina Garten and while I never seem to be able to follow recipes, this one is really easy. The total prep time is ~5 minutes and the cooking time is ~25 to 35 minutes.

This is one of those dishes that everyone likes. The recipe below is for two people so double this (or more) if you are cooking for a dinner party. I can guarantee you every last shallot will be devoured. When it is cooked, the smell is mouth watering and you can cut them with your fork.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of whole, peeled shallots
• 3 tablespoon of butter
• 1+ tablespoonsof sugar
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• pinch of kosher salt
• pinch of fresh ground black pepper
• flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (as much or little as you like)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Cooking tip: save yourself time and buy shallots that have already been pealed.
– Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
– Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat then add the shallots and sugar. Be sure to coat the shallots with the butter and sugar and stir them until they start to brown (5-10 minutes).
– Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly then put the pan (uncovered) in the oven until tender and caramelized; about 20-30 minutes.
– Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Cleaning tip: The most difficult thing about making this is cleaning the pan after. I suggest that after you cook the shallots and plate them, add some water to the pan with a little dish soap and leave it on low heat on your stove. Just remember to use your oven mitts when you grab the pan to clean it!

Baked Salmon with a cucumber & tomato salad, served with mustard dill sauce and rice

It has been too long since I last shared a recipe so in lieu of sharing another restaurant review I wanted to share a slightly modified recipe I picked up from epicurious.com, that was really excellent.

Sergio does not care for salmon and earlier this month he was away so I used the opportunity to make baked salmon with a mustard dill sauce. I served it alongside a cucumber and tomato salad and brown rice. The recipe has two steps; first making the mustard dill sauce followed by baking the salmon. Despite the two step approach, this healthy dinner was easy to make.  The recipe shared below will serve 3-4 people.

Step 1: Making the mustard dill sauce:

To make the sauce you will need approximately one half of a small to medium sized vidalia onion, 8 ounces of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of fresh dill finely chopped.

The first step is to mince approximately half of a medium sized vidalia onion and add it into a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients: 8 ounces of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill along with salt and ground pepper to taste. Whisk the entire mixture and let it sit on the counter for 45 minutes – 1 hour. The point is to let the ingredients combine and ensure it is applied to the salmon at room temperature.

Full disclosure: I added slightly more mustard and dill, but if you taste as you mix the sauce you can ensure it is precisely to your liking.

Step 2: Baking the salmon:

First preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and once the oven is ready place your salmon (1 lb – 1.25 lbs filet) skin side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Add salt and pepper and one minced garlic clove (the garlic is optional but I can’t imagine cooking without using garlic) to the top of the salmon filet.

Take approximately 1/3 of a cup of the sauce and liberally cover the entire filet. I also covered the sides of the salmon. Place the salmon in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check to see if the filet is cooked to your liking. I turned off my oven, slightly opened its door and let the salmon sit for another two minutes before I took it out to plate it.

While I was making the sauce, I also was cooking brown rice, but since there are different cooking times depending on the rice you use, follow those directions to ensure you have a well cooked grain to accompany the salmon.

While the salmon was in the oven, I peeled and sliced a cucumber and chopped a tomato. I used the extra mustard dill sauce to add to both the salad and the the salmon after I plated it. I will definitely make this again when Sergio is out of town. Although he may not care for salmon, this is one of the best meals I have cooked in a long time. The fact that it is was so easy to make, clean up and fairly healthy is an added bonus.

Ingredients
1 – 1.25 lbs salmon
8 ounces of sour cream
2 tablespoons of mustard (I used dijon)
2 tablespoons of fresh dill
1/2 medium sized vidalia onion
1 garlic clove
1 tomato
1/2 of a cucumber
salt and pepper for seasoning