Spaghetti with Lemon and Walnuts

Last Year's Post: Grilled Lobster Tails
Two Years Ago:   Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

If spaghetti with marinara and meatballs is classic winter comfort food, then this is its summer cousin - spaghetti with a light but very flavorful sauce of lemon, garlic, parsley and walnuts. It's definitely an unusual combination for spaghetti, don't you think?  You can serve it either warm or at room temperature, making it even more appealing for warm summer months.  And of course you could add some grilled chicken or shrimp if you really want, but I find it very satisfying as a vegetarian entree.

I think of this recipe as being minimalist in concept but definitely not in taste.  Just because it doesn't have a long list of ingredients, don't be fooled.  Each ingredient plays an important part for big impact: fruity olive oil, fragrant lemon zest and bright juice, mellow garlic slices, grassy parsley, crunchy toasted walnuts, grated Parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper.  Because there are so few ingredients, be sure to use the best you can find.

The original recipe called for adding the parmesan into the pasta while it's still in the pan, and stirring to make a "creamy sauce".  I found it made big gooey clumps of parsley and half-melted cheese instead, so I adapted the recipe to add the parmesan later.  Same tastes, happier result.

Spaghetti with Lemon and Walnuts

Serves 3-4

May be served warm or at room temperature.

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Zest from ½ lemon

2 ½ ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2/3 cup)

1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 lemon, cut into quarters, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon salt.  Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions.  Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes until pale golden-brown.  Place the pasta in the skillet, tossing to coat.  Add the parsley and toss, adding some pasta water if the pasta looks dry.  Taste and adjust salt if needed; sprinkle with pepper. 

Divide among shallow bowls and garnish with lemon zest, parmesan and walnuts.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and add lemon quarters on the side for squeezing.

Thai Chicken Salad (Copy Cat Panera Spicy Thai Salad with Chicken)

Last Year's Post: Salmon Nicoise Salad
Two Years Ago:   Muffuletta

This is my favorite Panera salad by far.  I think it's the spicy peanut drizzle along with the crunch of Romaine, edamame, wonton strips and nuts that makes it so satisfying while still low-fat and healthy.  Although I found several versions of the recipe online that supposedly re-created the salad, a lot of them had strange variations (yogurt in the sauce?  I mean, really.)  I KNOW this salad and wanted to re-create it as faithfully as possible so I combined various elements from all the recipes and was very happy with the result.  (OK, true confession, I substituted peanuts for cashews because that's what I had on hand.  Same difference.)

As you go through the Panera ordering line, the server first tosses the greens with dressing, then adds a scoop of edamame/carrots/red pepper and another scoop of sliced chicken.  The peanut drizzle, wonton strips and nuts go on last.  Can you tell I've ordered it a few times?  This recipe mimics that process.  The only thing I couldn't tell is whether they marinate their chicken before cooking, but I found an interesting marinade in one of the recipes so I tried it.  The resulting flavor is delicate but complements the salad very well.  If you don't feel like marinating the chicken I don't think it will impact the salad much with all those other big flavors, which means you could make it quickly any night of the week using a grilled or rotisserie chicken breast from the deli.

The good news is that the only somewhat unusual ingredient is Thai sweet red chile sauce, which you can find in the Asian condiments at any grocery store.

Start by marinating and cooking the chicken, if applicable, so it can cool.  You could also do this in advance.  Then saute the veggies so they can cool which only takes a few minutes, or it can also be done in advance.  Make the salad dressing and peanut drizzle, then you're ready to assemble.

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Thai Chicken Salad (Copycat Panera)

Chicken Marinade:

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, grated

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 small lime, juiced

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salad:

Vegetable oil

1 small carrot, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup shelled edamame (defrosted if frozen)

8-10 cups Romaine hearts, chopped (about 3 hearts)  

½ cup chopped cilantro

4 green onions, sliced

1 cup wonton strips

½ cup chopped cashews or peanuts

Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

Peanut Sauce:

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce

2 tablespoons water (more if needed)

In a ziplock bag, combine all ingredients for the chicken marinade.  Add the chicken and massage the bag to coat the chicken on both sides, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Cook the chicken on a grill or in a 350d oven for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165d.  Set aside to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Preheat a nonstick skillet to medium, and then add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil.  Cook the chopped carrot, red pepper and edamame until charred and slightly soft.  Cool mixture and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients; taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  In a second small bowl, combine all the peanut sauce ingredients; thin with a little additional water if it seems too thick to drizzle. 

In a large bowl, combine the Romaine, cilantro, and green onions. Toss with enough dressing to barely coat.  Divide among serving bowls, and then top with chicken and vegetable mixture.  Drizzle with the peanut sauce and top with wonton strips and nuts.

Cubanos

Last Year's Post:  Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Two Years Ago:    Farro and Kale Salad

This is another installment in my occasional and erratic series of famous sandwiches of the world.  Past posts have included pan bagnat, banh mi, Italian tuna, chicken schnitzel, and buffalo chicken sliders to name a few.  Cubanos originated in Florida and are made with Cuban rolls, roast pork, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard, all pressed together on a griddle or grill until warm and crisp.  Outside of Miami they also often include salami.  Although the most authentic version calls for yellow mustard, I used a combination of both whole grain and Dijon mustards for different textures and flavors.  And again although Cuban bread is authentic, you probably won't find it outside of a Mexican market in most cities.  Any soft oblong roll will work - just don't use a hard crusty French roll because it won't compress and crisp they way it should.

If you can find roast pork in the deli, that's great, otherwise plan to make Cubanos with the leftovers next time you make a pork roast or tenderloin.  Use the best quality Swiss cheese you can find, and slice everything as thinly as possible.  Placing cheese on both the top and bottom of each roll ensure the whole thing sticks together as the cheese melts.

Cubanos are like the best ham and cheese sandwich you've ever had, all crispy and warm and gooey.  There's a reason they're famous.

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Cubanos

Serves 2

2 (8 to 10”) Cuban rolls (or soft Bolillo or hoagie rolls)

4-5 ounces roast pork, leftover or purchased from the deli

4 thin slices of smoked ham

6 slices best-quality aged Swiss cheese

Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard

2 medium dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil

Preheat a Panini press or large skillet over medium heat.

Split the rolls lengthwise.  Slice the leftover pork as thinly as possible.

Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top and bottom of each roll.  Tear each piece of Swiss cheese in half and place 1 ½ slices (3 rectangles) on the bottom and top of each roll.  Layer the pork, ham and pickles on the bottom of each roll.  Close the sandwiches, pressing gently together.

Brush the top and bottom of each sandwich with softened butter or olive oil.  Place the sandwiches in the press, using moderate pressure, for about 8 minutes until crisp on both sides.  If using a skillet, use a second pan to press on the top of the sandwiches for about 4 minutes, then flip to crisp the second side.  Sandwiches should be somewhat compressed but not completely flat.

Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

Indonesian Grilled Swordfish

Last Year's Post: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Two Years Ago:   Mini Shrimp Tacos

This recipe is from Ina Garten of Food Network fame.  She claims that it started as her famous Indonesian Ginger Chicken recipe and then she tried it with swordfish.  I've never tried the chicken version although I did notice several of the ingredients are different between the two recipes.  With the omission of honey (from the chicken recipe) and the addition of mustard I'm not even sure this would be considered Indonesian, but whatever.  That's what she calls it.  In any event, it's moist, tender and full of delicious flavors.  If you like swordfish, you'll love this recipe. The marinade doesn't overpower the swordfish but somehow makes the fish taste more delicate.  Don't ask me how that works!

If you happen to look at the swordfish recipe on the Food Network site, note that it has an error regarding the marinating time.  On the video Ina says to marinate no more than 6 hours or the fish will start to break down, but the printed recipe states to marinate at least 6 hours and up to overnight.  Many comments stated that the marinating time should be no more than 6 hours.  I marinated the fish for about 5 hours and it was great.

If you're making the recipe for less than 6 people, I suggest that you make the full amount of marinade and save a small amount separately, then brush it on cut-up vegetables and grill them along with the swordfish.  Onion, zucchini, red peppers and mushrooms are particularly nice and are easy to grill when cut into pieces and threaded on skewers.  Serve the swordfish and vegetables with rice or couscous on the side for a very healthy and delicious dinner.

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Indonesian Grilled Swordfish

Serves 6

1/3 cup soy sauce

¼ cup canola or peanut oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup minced ginger root

2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Six (6-8 ounce) swordfish steaks, 1” thick

Lemon wedges, for serving

Combine all ingredients except the swordfish in a gallon zip-top bag. Seal the bag and squeeze/massage ingredients to combine.  Open the bag and add the swordfish steaks; reseal and shake to coat the steaks thoroughly.  Refrigerate for 4-6 hours (no more than 6 or the swordfish will start to break down), turning the bag occasionally.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high.

Remove the fish from the marinade allowing some of the ginger to stick to the fish, and discard the marinade.  Season the fish lightly with salt and place on the grill.  Cook for about 5 minutes per side until the internal temperature is 125d.  Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving with lemon wedges on the side.

Chicken Tikka

Last Year's Post: Blackberry Hoisin Ginger Pork Tenderloin
Two Years Ago:   Red-On-Red Chicken Salad

We all love chicken, but sometimes you can get tired of the same old recipes.  Get out of your chicken rut with Chicken Tikka, a dish popular in India and Pakistan in which chunks of boneless chicken are marinated in spices and grilled.  The marinade often includes yogurt, but this particular recipe omits the yogurt from that step and adds a small amount of yogurt to a very delicious cilantro-mint chutney for dipping.  Don't confuse chicken tikka with chicken tikka masala, which typically includes tomatoes, yogurt and a bunch of heavy cream to make a rich sauce for the chicken.  Delicious, but not very healthy.

The chicken tastes quite exotic from all the spices but is not particularly spicy-hot.  If you like heat, add more cayenne to the marinade or add more chile to the chutney. And don't be tempted to skip the chutney - it really makes the dish.  I like   to serve the chicken with some grilled veggies and basmati rice for a very healthy and balanced meal.

If you have leftovers, you can easily make a pasta salad by combining the chicken with cooked penne pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and a little leftover chutney for the sauce.


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Chicken Tikka

Serves 6

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 ½ ” cubes
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons garlic, grated
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
4 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Mini bell peppers, zucchini and/or onion pieces, optional

Mix together canola oil, garlic, ginger, spices, lemon juice and salt in a large dish or large zip top bag. Add the chicken and stir into marinade until evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, turning periodically.

Thread the chicken onto skewers. Thread the vegetables on a separate skewer.  Grill chicken for 4 minutes over medium-high heat, flip and grill an additional 2 minutes until cooked through. Grill vegetables 2 minutes, flip and grill an additional 2 minutes.  Serve with cilantro-mint chutney.

Cilantro-Mint Chutney
2 c. of cilantro, loosely packed
1 c. of mint leaves, loosely packed
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 t. ginger, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. serrano chile, minced
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. kosher salt
2 T. lemon juice
2-3 T. plain yogurt

Put all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and process until nearly smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

  

Chicken Tikka Pasta Salad: Mix any leftover chicken pieces with cooked penne pasta, chopped English cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and a little of the leftover cilantro-mint chutney.
Add salt and pepper to taste.