Stuffed Peppers

Big, beautiful summer peppers stuffed with ground poultry, smoked mozzarella and fresh basil.  Mixed with rice, seasonings and tomatoes to elevate this to a spectacular comfort food.  It's a healthy dish that is so well received with family and guests.  Easy to make ahead, and serve with your favorite marinara sauce.

This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

Ingredients

1 lb of ground turkey or ground chicken
3/4 cup, approximately, of smoked mozzarella, shredded
1 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup of rice, uncooked
4 medium-large peppers or six if smaller
1/2 cup of grated cheese, Romano or Parmesan
fresh basil, cleaned, leaves torn
1 tbsp. of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. of thyme if available, chopped (otherwise use 1/2 tsp. of dry)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
15-20 oz of chopped tomatoes
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, to make a sauce
breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
olive oil
salt, pepper, red Aleppo flakes if available

Directions

Prepare a large dutch-oven with plenty of water and one tbsp. of salt.

Clean peppers, slice the tops off with a serrated knife, 3/4-1 inch from the top.  Remove ribs and seeds. When water is boiling, drop peppers in for five minutes, with lid on.  Remove peppers and let drain on paper towel lined cookie sheet upside down, to continue steaming.

Now, add rice to boiling water.  Boil for 13 minutes at a medium boil.  Drain well in a mesh strainer, and lay out on a sheet pan to cool.

Warm a large skillet with 2 tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Hold back a little onion and garlic for tomato sauce.   When ready, brown meat and onion, adding minced garlic during last minute of cooking.  Remove from heat, set aside in large bowl.  Add chopped tomatoes, and let cool.

While waiting for things to cool a bit.  Pre-heat the oven at 350.  Make your tomato sauce with the reserved onion and garlic, few basil leaves and crushed tomatoes.  Saute onion and garlic in two tbsp. of olive oil for three minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, and basil.  Add a salt, pepper and a little sugar, let simmer for thirty minutes.

Prepare breadcrumbs, if using homemade.

Now, add cheeses and basil to meat mixture.  Add spoonfuls of rice until the mix looks plentiful.   You don't want the rice to overpower the mixture.  Add plenty of salt and pepper to taste,  to the mixture.  Be generous, the rice will soak up the seasonings.  Taste and recorrect.

Now, spoon the mix in the prepared peppers in a ovenproof baking dish with a little side for balance.

Be generous with mix.  Really pack it in the peppers.  Sprinkle tops with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle extra grated cheese, if desired.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake prepared peppers at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Let cool, and serve with tomato sauce spooned around the pepper.

Cleaned Peppers, ready for the five minute simmer.

Browning the ground meat with the onion, and finish with rosemary and garlic.

Rice cooling on a sheet pan, after a 14 minute simmer in boiling water.

Beautiful, shredded smoked mozzarella.

All my ingredients, except the tomatoes, ready to mix.

Prepared Mixture, ready for stuffing.

Waiting for breadcrumbs.

Beautiful!!!

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Simple, Easy and Quick

     Ingredients are slowly simmered in curry sauce that is made simply from commercially prepared curry paste, stock and coconut milk.  Spices, both dried and fresh, are simmered to authenticate and personalize your sauce.  Spices can include fresh ginger, kaffir dried lime leaves, either fresh or dried lemongrass.  Spices for garnishes will include basil, parsley and/or cilantro.  Below, I will tantalize you with an introductory curry dish made from chicken thighs or breast tenders with cauliflower and/or broccoli simmered in a mild red curry paste.  Let this be your first step into the vast world of curry.  Possibilities, are endless.  Robert Kanhi, chef, author and food consultant shared his simple method of putting together a weeknight curry in less than an hour in Fine Cooking April/May 2011.  Once you understand the method you can interchange ingredients creating your own recipes, such as mine below.  I prefer the Roasted Red Pepper Thai Chili Paste, it's a little milder in heat.

Ingredients for four:

1 1b Chicken, boneless, cut into bite size pieces, dark meat is preferable otherwise breast tenders is a good option

1 can lite Coconut milk

1 cup of low sodium all natural Chicken stock

2-3 Tbsp of Red Curry paste, depending on the heat level of your paste 

3 Tbsp of Fish Sauce

3 Tbsp of Light Brown Sugar

Juice of half of Lime or more to taste

3 Scallions, sliced thin

Broccoli or Cauliflower, 1/2 head total, broken into small florets

2 Shallots, minced or a yellow onion, sliced thin

1 red or yellow pepper, 1/2 inch sliced strips

3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal

3 oz or more of shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch

optional vegetables:  bamboo shoots, cut baby corn, bean sprouts or sliced water chestnuts

optional:  peanuts or cashews, whole or chopped

accompaniments:  rice, noodles, cornbread or banana bread


Directions:


Add coconut milk, which will appear to be separated, to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.  Stir and reduce until the mixture comes together, and thickens slightly.  This will take a few minutes.  When the mixture begins to shine add your 2-3 Tbsp of red curry paste.  Whisk, and bring to a boil.

Add your bite size chicken pieces along with 3 Tbsp of fish sauce. and 3 Tbsp of light brown sugar, and 1 cup of low salt chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer till chicken is cooked thru, a few minutes.

Next, you will add Broccoli and/or Cauliflower, half head cut into florets.  Let simmer for two minutes or so, then add 3 peeled carrots which are cut into coins with one pepper, julienned.  After a few minutes add a minced shallot with 3 oz of shiitake mushrooms.  Simmer for a good five minutes.  The vegetables should be crisp tender, not at all mushy.

To finish add the juice of a half of lime.  Taste, and adjust seasoning.  Garnish with sliced scallions and peanuts or cashews.

As my starch, I will make a nice pot of rice to soak up all the rich flavors.

Lime, scallions and chopped herbs will garnish the final dish.

Finally, a sprinkle of peanuts, and homemade cornbread!

Springtime Farro Risotto

Farro Risotto

I can't think of a better way to welcome Spring than with a healthy dish full of flavor, spring vegetables and color.  Farro is an ancient whole grain which is naturally fiber-rich full of protein and a good source of iron.  It's a sweet, nutty grain that will remain chewy when fully cooked.  This along with it's slow starch releasing properties, make it an ideal candidate for risotto.  

One serving of Farro will provide an individual with two hundred calories, seven grams of fiber and seven grams of protein with ten percent of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Now, add some flavorful low sodium stock, vegetables and shredded good quality Parmesan cheese, and you've got yourself a wonderful dinner.

Farro can be soaked for quicker cooking.  Without soaking the grain it will take twenty-five to thirty minutes to cook.  With an overnight soak, you can cook it in as little as ten to 15 minutes.  I don't usually soak Farro, before cooking.  You can also just soak it for thirty minutes to shave off a little bit of time.  I like to achieve a good toast on the grain, so I like to keep it dry.  The ratio of Farro to liquid is 1:2.5-3.  Other ways, you will see Farro commonly used, is in salads and soups.

Below, I will show you my favorite Risotto recipe.  However, feel free to substitute however you see fit.  I personally like this combination.  I feel the sherry adds to the sweet nuttiness of the grain.  While the tomato paste lends a slight richness, and acidity with a brilliant color from the San Marzano tomatoes.   I chose early spring vegetables, however, feel free to change.  It's your dinner.  I use vegetable broth with this recipe due to the use of the tomatoes and mushrooms.   As for cheese, any good quality hard Italian cheese will work just fine.  Parmesan will lend creaminess without overpowering the finished dish. Finally, I splash the finished dish with a squeeze of lemon to awake all the flavors.

Once you get the hang of this, it can become a healthy weeknight meatless dinner.  It can be made rather quickly.

Ingredients

for four servings

1 cup of Farro, unsoaked

2 cups of low sodium vegetable broth, heated

1-1/2 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 shallot, minced

1 yellow or red pepper, diced

1/2 cup of petite peas, defrosted

6-8 shiitake mushroom caps sliced lengthwise, and halved

1 stalk of celery, sliced

2 carrots, peeled, and diced

1/4 cup of sherry

1/2 cup of good quality Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

optional:  balsamic drizzle

Directions

Combine oil, butter, shallot, tomato paste in a large saucepan on medium heat.  Saute for three minutes.  Now, add diced carrots, sliced celery, diced pepper.  Saute for another five minutes, then add your shiitake mushrooms, with a little salt and pepper.  Don't stir.  Let your mushrooms brown.  Hold back on the peas until the end to retain that nice green color.  While sauteing warm your liquids up.

Stir in farro to toast for two minutes, stirring constantly.  Add sherry and reduce till the pan is almost dry.  Now begin to add about three quarters of a cup at a time.  Stir frequently, but not constantly.  When almost dry add another three quarters of a cup and so on, until the grain is al dente, twenty to twenty-five minutes.

When done, you will remove pan from heat with a some liquid remaining, because it will continue to cook and therefore thicken.  Stir in you cheese by the handful.  Taste for seasoning.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  Taste, it might be all you need.  A balsamic drizzle is a wonderful garnish for this. Now, sit back and take in the "oohs" and "aahs".

Tomato Cabbage Soup

Last days of March, with Winter still kicking at our door. . . Makes a hot soup seem all the more inviting. This Tomato Cabbage soup is the perfect antidote.  The cabbage naturally sweetens the turkey tomato broth as it simmers.  Add some white beans, rosemary, bay leaves and Parmesan and/or Romano cheese rinds, and you have yourself a winner!

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean

1 onions, peeled and diced

4-5 carrots, peeled and diced

1 head of cabbage, 1" slices in length, 1/2 " in width

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of white wine

4 cups of low salt chicken broth

2 (26-28 oz) chopped, strained or crushed tomatoes

1 28 oz. can of cannellini beans, strained and rinsed

1 tbsp of chopped rosemary

3-4 very large bay leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp of unsalted butter

optional:  1-2 Cheese rinds of hard Italian cheese such as Parmesan and/or Romano
                1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
                1 tbsp of lemon juice
                1-2 tbsp of sugar in the raw

Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:  Grated/shaved Parmesan/Romano
                     Remove bay leaves & cheese rinds
                     Crumbled croutons

Servings per recipe:  Easy eight

Directions

Brown turkey over medium heat in a dutch oven with 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Season meat with salt and pepper as it browns.  Remove from heat once browned.  Place turkey in a bowl, and set aside.

Prepare onion while dutch onion is warming with 1 tbsp of butter and additional tbsp of olive oil.  Add to dutch onion, stirring occasionally over medium heat.  Prepare cabbage and carrots, and add to pot with an additional tbsp. of butter.  Cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes.

Mince garlic and rosemary.  Add to pot. Stir.  Heat for one minute and add wine.  Turn heat to medium high. Cook to burn off alcohol for a few minutes.

Add Turkey back to pot with bay leaves, tomatoes and chicken broth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you have a cheese rind, add it now.  Rinse off cannellini beans and add to soup.

Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low.  Cook for two hours on low, with lid ajar. Stir occasionally.

Optional Ingredients to heighten the soups flavors.

All that you need to round out the meal is warm crusty bread and a green leafy salad.