Smoked Salmon Lentil Salad

Ah, yes, fall is arriving.   We slowly, move out of our summer tomatoes and corn comfort zone.  Into a slightly heartier fare, of lentils.  One of my very first meals in Paris was a french lentil salad.  That is still so reminiscent.  I was so jet lagged when I first stumbled upon a little french bistro on the 
ile Saint-Louis.  I accompanied this salad with a crock of French Onion Soup and a french baguette with European Butter.  Ah. . . pure french comfort food.  

This lentil salad is really such a simple recipe, that yields such sophisticated results.  Now, when shopping for the lentils make sure you choose french lentils.  Which will maintain there firmness in the salad.  They will hold their shape during and after cooking creating the ultimate bite.

Immediately after cooking the lentils you will want to infuse as much flavor as possible.  Hit them with a strong dose of salt and pepper and vinegar.  Once slightly cooled add your vinaigrette.  You will be amazed just how flavorful these tiny lentils will be.  I like to cook these lentils in stock, if I have it.  It will lend another building block of flavor, but it isn't a necessity.

My ingredients for four servings:

• 4 oz Smoked Salmon, julienned
• 4 oz Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup French Lentils, rinsed
• 1 onion, diced, sauteed (optional:  carrot, red pepper or celery to add to saute)
• Fresh Herbs (Mint, Basil, Thyme, Chives, Parsley, Dill) Choose two or more
• Grape Tomatoes, halved
• Avocado, diced
• 2 tbsp. Sherry Vinegar + extra for warm lentils
• 1/4 cup of good Olive Oil + extra for sauté
• 1 tbsp. of honey
• 1 tbsp. of good quality Dijon
• plenty of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse and pick through lentils.  Place in an uncovered pot with plenty of stock or water.  Add thyme sprigs or bay leaves if available.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiled, turn down heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.  Test the lentils at this point.  They should be toothsome, but not hard.  Once cooked drain, and add to bowl.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and vinegar.  Be generous.
2. Prep vegetables for saute.  Use what is readily available for you.  Warm pan with one tbsp. of olive oil and saute vegetables, onion, carrot, pepper for five minutes while adding garlic during the last thirty seconds of your sauté.  Add to lentils.
3. Make dressing:  Mix 2 tbsp. of Sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp. of each Dijon and honey in a small bowl.  Now slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once the lentils are just slightly warm, not hot, it's time to add the dressing.
4. Prepare the tomatoes and avocado, and herbs that you wish to use.
5. Prepare the salmon and goat cheese.
6. Once the lentils have cooled add the tomatoes, herbs, salmon, goat cheese.  
7. Now, taste.  Add more seasoning, if needed.  Let sit, and taste again.  You want to be aggressive with the seasonings.  You can serve this salad room temperature or chilled.  Now, remember once chilled the flavors will dissipate slightly.  Taste again before serving.  You can brighten the salad with a hit of lemon juice to bring out the flavors again.

Dressing Ingredients:

I like to use a balsamic reduction in many of my salads and finished dishes.  It really lends itself well in this salad.  Find yourself, a good balsamic reduction. I find the Italian imports to be the best.  It is well worth the money.  Drizzle it on salads, fish, soups and Italian dishes.  It's a great healthy way to infuse flavor.

Nutrition Information:

1/4 cup of Lentils is one serving providing 160 calories, 9 grams of protein, a healthy dose of fiber and 23% of the daily requirement of iron.  This is all a bonus!

As you know, I love the Kitchen Basics stocks. You can purchase them at any good market.  I like to buy the unsalted versions.

You can add some fresh thyme, if available to your lentil and stock. Bay leaves are also, a welcome addition.

Preparation for my dressing and sauté.  

Diced veggies for my sauté.

Add a tbsp. of olive oil and saute ingredients such as onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and garlic.  For four people I would suggest one onion, two carrots, one stalk of celery, one bell pepper and one clove of garlic, minced.  If you have only one onion, that is fine.  Use what you have available.  The celery, red pepper and garlic are optional.

I love to use old jam jars to store my dressing.  You can just place all the salad dressing ingredients in the jar, and give it a good shake.  Presto!

The mint and dill are my favorite ingredients to add to this salad.  Along with the tomato and avocado.

Make sure your herbs are dry, before chopping.

Bon Appetit!

Healthy Sausage & Peppers

Healthy Sausage & Peppers

This recipe is an easy way to ease into the fall.  Make use of the last of the summer produce as we head into the fall season.  With a substitution of Turkey Sausage, hot or sweet, you can create a wonderful dinner the whole family will love.  This is an easy recipe with just a few ingredients that can easily be adapted to what you have at hand.  Use the recipe as a guide.  I am going to show this recipe with a side of Mediterranean couscous, steamed veggie tossed with a little seasoned butter and a squirt of lemon.  Now, you could easily just toss the sausage and peppers with pasta, and top with grated, and or shaved Italian cheese.

Ingredients

1 lb of Turkey Sausage, Sweet or Hot

1-2 Vidalia onions, depending on size, sliced in half; then in half moon slices

4  Bell Peppers, mixed colors, deseed and slice in 1/2 inch slices lengthwise

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 ears or 1 cup of corn, optional, 

16- 28 oz of crushed Tomatoes 

4 Bay Leaves

1/2 cup of dry white or red wine

2 Tbsp of olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional:  Shaved Parmesan

Brown sausage in Tbsp of olive oil with medium high heat.  While the sausage is browning slice the vegetables. If using ears of corn, remove the corn from the cob.

After five minutes turn sausage to brown the opposite side.  Once second side is finished, remove sausage.  Add wine and turn up your heat to deglaze pan.  After the wine reduces to 1/4 cup add your vegetables to the pan with the bay leaves, adding additional olive oil if necessary.  Turn down your heat to medium and saute for 10-12 minutes.  

Add corn, and garlic to pan and saute for one minute.  Now, add crushed tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering slice the sausage on the bias in 1/2 inch slices.  After 15 minutes add the sliced sausage.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Browning of Turkey Sausages

Deglazing. . .

Vegetable Saute. . .

Bring Vegetables with Tomato Sauce to a Boil.  Simmer for twenty minutes.

Now for the sausage, and an additional 10 minute simmer. . . 

Couscous

(for six)

1 1/2 cup of couscous

1 cup of low sodium natural chicken broth

1/2 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads or two pinches

 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt

few bay leaves

1 Tbsp of unsalted butter diced

few grinds of black pepper

2 garlic cloves, sliced in quarters

drizzle of honey

2 Tbsp of lemon juice

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan

Bring water, chicken stock, saffron to a boil.  While waiting, place couscous, diced butter, salt, pepper, bay leaves and quartered garlic in a medium bowl.  Place boiling liquid in the bowl with the couscous and cover with saran wrap for at least five minutes.  When all the water is absorbed, uncover and fluff with a fork.  Remove the bay leaves, and garlic if possible.  Drizzle with honey, add 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice to couscous.  Fluff again, and taste for seasoning.

Basil Crumbed Cod with Spaghetti Squash and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Basil Crumbed Cod with Spaghetti Squash and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

An Elegant, yet Easy, Weekend Dinner. 

Fresh local cod, is topped off with a creamy lemon basil aioli, dusted with panko, lemon peel and a blend of freshly grated Italian cheeses.  The  Spaghetti squash is seasoned with herb sea salt, honey, freshly grated Italian Cheeses and a touch of Marinara.  Brussel sprouts are quickly blanched then headed into a very hot oven to be roasted with seasoned sea salt and good olive oil.  Once, the sprouts are done, just a squeeze of lemon juice is all that's needed.

Let's start with the vegetables:

Spaghetti Squash

Heat the oven to 350.

Slice your squash in half, lengthwise, scoop out seeds. 

Place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.  

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until tender.

Turn over to cool.       

                                                      

                                   

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Wash and slice brussel sprouts in half lengthwise.

Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling salted water.

Refresh in ice water.

Drain.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place on roasting pan.

You can roast the sprouts at the same time as the fish.

                                                                                                                 

To make your squash into strands of spaghetti,  just run the fork down the squash.  The squash will just fall into"spaghetti-like"strands.  Place in a pie dish to heat up when you take the fish out of the oven.  Season up your squash with Italian grated cheeses, salt, pepper, drizzle of honey, seasoned sea salt, good olive oil and / or a few dollops of marinara.

Now, for the Cod.

Ingredients for the Cod

Fresh local Cod

Lemon

Good quality Mayonnaise, I like Hellmans with Olive Oil

Basil Pesto

Panko

Freshly Grated Italian Cheeses

Directions

Make a blend with a cup or so, of panko,
grated cheeses, a pinch of salt and pepper
and grated lemon zest.  Set aside.

Make a second blend with two Tbsp. of  mayonnaise, pesto, salt and pepper and a tbsp. of lemon juice. Place aside.                          

Place cod on foil lined sheet pan or broiler
pan prepped with no stick spray.  Paint the 
fish generously with mayonnaise mixture, and
coat well with the panko mix.

Drizzle with good olive oil, and place in a 
425 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Fish is done when it's color is bright white, and
easily flakes using a paring knife.

Scones

 Buttermilk Scones

Capturing the last moments of Indian Summer with Fresh Berry Scones.

Kids all time fave. . . Chocolate Chip!

Ingredients (for eight scones)

2 cups of All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup of Quick Quaker Oats

1/2 cup of granulated Sugar

3/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda

3/4 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon of fine Sea Salt

1 stick of unsalted Butter

3/4 cup of Buttermilk

2 teaspoons of Vanilla, divided

1 cup of dried Fruit or Chocolate chips or 1 -1/2 cups of Raspberries or Blueberries

Optional:  Lemon or Orange zest 2 teaspoons

Glaze:  1/2 cup of Confectionary Sugar + 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract + 1  Tablespoon of Milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Prepare a cookie sheet with Parchment, Silopat or greased foil.

Mix all dry ingredients together.  If using zest, add now.

Cut each Tbsp of cold butter into 4 cubes.  Place in bowl with dry ingredients.  Using cold fingertips rub butter into the flour mixture until big"pea"size lumps start to appear.  

Mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla with buttermilk.  Pour over your flour mixture.

Now, with a gentle folding and patting motion mix the wet with the dry ingredients.  When the flour and liquid become "one mix in your chocolate, fruit etc., using a gently folding motion.

Bring dough together with a gently knead in the bowl first, then on the counter.  Now pat into a disc shaped circle, 2 inch thick. Using a bench knife or Chef's knife cut dough into eight sections.  Slide each piece out and place on your prepared sheet.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Scones should be slightly golden.

Dry ingredients.

Cutting in the butter with cold fingertips.

Folding & gently "patting" in my buttermilk and vanilla mixture.

Ready to gently fold in my Chocolate Chips.

Buttermilk folded & patted into Flour/butter mixture.  Chocolate chips to be added next.

Dough is gently kneaded a few times, and patted into a circle, about 2 inches thick.

Love my Bench Knife, makes it all so easy!

Vanilla Glaze.

Scones await their glazing.