lemon

January 10, 2011

Easy Citrus Chicken

mel entree, recipe chicken, lemon, orange

Easy Citrus Chicken

It’s been quiet around here, online hasn’t it? I know you all think I’ve abandoned my site, or I’m lying in a ditch somewhere, but that’s not the case! I’ve just been really busy with another project that I’ll introduce here soon. It’s no excuse, I know. But I’m back and I have a couple of new recipes for the week.

Somehow it’s January already, and January means resolution season. For lots of people that means detoxing from the Christmas cookies and New Year’s hangovers. For other people, it’s a pledge to eat at home more often and save money. Whether your resolution is physically or financially motivated, this recipe should help you keep your resolve while still eating well. Because if you’re not eating well this year, it’s not going to be a good one.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can throw everything in a baking dish and stick it in the oven with minimal chopping and prepping. Chicken thighs, slices of orange and lemon, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper. The shallots caramelize and sweet, while the citrus brightens the dish up. It’s a happy kind of dish and a wonderful way to start the new year.

July 12, 2010

Apple & Poppy Seed Coleslaw

mel recipe, sides & bites almonds, apple, cabbage, dressing, lemon, poppy seed, vegetarian

Apple & Poppy Seed Coleslaw

If you read last week’s post about my quest for summer potluck recipes, cure then you’ll understand where I’m coming from here. This summer’s been chock-full of BBQs and potlucks and I’m in serious danger of repeating a recipe – something that makes me very very sad. So, pills instead of serving the same old thing, illness I came up with another summer side.

Apple & Poppy Seed Coleslaw

Though some people hate on coleslaw, I think it’s great. It’s cool and crunchy and a nice way to balance the piles of grilled meat that usually make up the centerpiece at any BBQ. I like to use some green apple in my coleslaw because it adds a sweet crispness to the dish. This time I also used slivered almonds for crunch and instead of straight mayo, I made a vinaigrette with olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and poppy seeds. It’s lighter and brighter than the standard and goes great with the apple.

I know meat is supposed to be the main event when you’re grilling, but sometimes the sides just steal the show.
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May 5, 2010

Roasted Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Pecorino

mel entree, sides & bites artichokes, lemon, pecorino, salad, vegetarian

Roasted Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Pecorino

Hello everyone! I’m back from my trip and I’ve missed my little blog so very much! While I was away, abortion I sampled some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted (a long post about that later this week). And I waited in line. Oh boy, approved did I want in line! Some of you may remember the Evil Ash Cloud that made air travel in Europe impossible a few weeks ago. I’m here to tell you – it was truly a nightmare.

I was supposed to leave for Paris on Friday, April 16. On Thursday, all airports in France closed. My flight was canceled and I had to kiss my plans for Paris (and the all money for my rental apartment … and all my croissant-filled plans) goodbye. Since we were only supposed to stay for 4 days before heading to Rome, I told myself all was not lost. We were confirmed on a flight into Rome for Tuesday. I would only lose 3 days of my vacation. But the Evil Ash Cloud was spreading and I was getting nervous. What if my flight to Rome was canceled? I had to get myself to Europe.

So we showed up at the airport Saturday morning and begged and pleaded our way onto a flight to Madrid that evening. I don’t know how we did it, but a very very nice lady named Maria helped us and we got on the standby list. We waited several long hours and somehow, we made it onto the flight! I jumped for joy like a little girl when they called our names and we were on our merry way to Spain. After we landed, we spent about 4 hours trying to figure out how to get to Rome. There was a lot of standing in line and I thought my feet were going to fall off by the end of it. In the end, we got a flight to Rome for Tuesday and spent 2 nights in Madrid. I know that we are some of the luckiest people on the planet for making it as far as we did when nothing in Europe was flying, trains were booked and rental cars were non-existent. It was hard to get there, but I am so glad we did!

Spain was wonderful, Italy was insanely delicious. And let me tell you about the markets. Wonderfully fresh fish, mountains of baby purple artichoke hearts, white and green asparagus and zucchini flowers. I very badly wished I had a kitchen so I could buy up all that amazing produce, but I contented myself with eating everything I could get my hands on. (If you need to get a hold of me this month, you can find me at the gym.)

venice market

Still, I couldn’t get those baby artichokes out of my mind, so I bought up the best ones I could find here. Prepped and sliced, I just drizzled them with olive oil and roasted them. Toss with lemon juice and Pecorino cheese, salt and pepper and you’ve got a very simple, very delicious spring side. You can also toss them with pasta, couscous or your favorite grain for a nice little side salad.

Roasted Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Pecorino

On a side note: I embellished the blog design a bit by adding that background picture. What do you guys think? Is the image too much? Let me know!

April 12, 2010

Spring Pancetta & Pea Shoot Pasta

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites lemon, pancetta, pasta, pea, pea shoots, spring

Spring Pancetta & Pea Shoot Pasta

Spring is full of wonderful things! Since I moved to a place with no seasons, ed I can’t say that I’m experiencing any of those wonderful things, but I do remember those signs of spring. The first day it’s warm enough to wear a dress without tights and boots. The first yellow-green buds on the trees. The tulips. The first picnic. And the abundance of things-that-are-not-brown at the farmer’s market. Asparagus, spring onions, rhubarb, fava beans and pea shoots.

Spring Pancetta & Pea Shoot Pasta

If you’re not familiar with them, pea shoots are lovely little green things that taste just like spring. So while it’s already hitting 80 degrees with 90% humidity down here, I can whip up something with pea shoots, close my eyes and remember the newness of spring. This pasta is one of those easy dishes – pancetta, shallots, pea shoots, lemon, olive oil and pepper tossed with linguine. It’s light and fresh and just tastes like spring! I am kind of in love with it and I think you will be, too.

And now for some housekeeping. I’m going on a long and lovely 2 week vacation to Paris, Rome and Tuscany. I’m so excited I can barely contain myself! I fully intend to gain 10 pounds and eat gelato, pastries, pasta and wine until my jeans no longer fit. So, things might be a little quiet around here starting next week, but I promise I’ll be back and inspired to cook and share everying I ate. Anyone got any must-eat places I shouldn’t miss? Leave them in the comments and I’ll add them to my very very long list.

April 6, 2010

Easy Skillet Lemon Almond Cardamom Tart

mel breakfast, dessert, recipe, sides & bites almond, cake, cardamom, lemon, sweet, tart

Easy Skillet Lemon Almond Tart

Sunday morning the family came over for Easter Brunch. We weren’t a big crowd, health but there was enough food to feed a small army. I made those Baked Eggs with Chorizo and Gruyere I posted on Friday, cialis 40mg little tarts with vanilla honey goat cheese and raspberries, ascariasis and this Skillet Lemon Almond Tart. My mom brought a huge basket of breads and muffins, coconut bars and other assorted goodies. My mother-in-law brought fruit salad with orange-scented yogurt and cinnamon buns. And of course, the guamosas were flowing. After brunch, I thought I’d never be able to eat again. But that didn’t stop me from snacking on leftover cinnamon buns, fruit, cheese and salami later that night.

Easy Skillet Lemon Almond Tart

And about that tart, when I saw this recipe in the New York Times months ago I knew it would be wonderful. It’s full of things I just love: butter, almonds and lemon. I added one more thing I love: cardamom. This tart is perfect for the non-baker because it lessens the usually complex and tedious tasks of baking – weighing, measuring and leveling – down to something as simple as mixing together a frittata. Because this dessert is essentially just that – a sweet, almondy, lemony frittata. The most perfect accompaniment to a steaming cup of coffee with real cream. I recommend you make one as soon as possible.

May 18, 2009

Lamb with Mint Gremolata

mel entree, recipe chops, garlic, lamb, lemon, mint

Have you ever had a Lamb Saratoga chop? Neither had I. But they looked so pretty in the butcher’s case at Whole Foods that I splurged for a fancy Saturday night dinner. According to this site, cialis 40mg a Saratoga roll “refers to a boneless center lamb roast obtained from the blade portion of the lamb shoulder and is also known as a chuck eye lamb roast.”

Now that we got the lamb anatomy lesson out of the way, medicine I can tell you what it tasted like. My mom was right on when she said it was like a lamb filet mignon. The chops were small, and very lean and super tender. Almost melt in your mouth tender. And since they were so lean, they didn’t have as strong a game-y flavor as most lamb chops.

I grilled the chops simply with a little salt and pepper, then topped them off with a little mint gremolata. Gremolata is just a fancy word for chopped herbs, garlic and lemon zest. The mint and lemon were an extremely refreshing counterpoint to the lamb, and the raw garlic added just the right amount of bite.

I served the chops with a simple heirloom tomato salad and Pepita Rice Pilaf. It was pretty much the perfect meal for a summer night and a great way to officially kick off the grilling season.

April 28, 2009

Steak, Asparagus & Chimichurri Pasta

mel entree, recipe lemon, parsley, pasta, steak

sildenafil Asparagus & Chimichurri Pasta” />

Around here everyone dresses their skirt steaks with a dollop of Chimichurri. If you’ve never had it, you’re definitely missing out. Chimichurri is a steak condiment originally from Argentina and made from parsley, olive oil, garlic, salt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. It’s rich and herbal, tangy and a little spicy. It’s the perfect accompaniment for grilled beef.

Since Chimichurri also resembles pesto, I figured it would make a great pasta sauce. And I was right. I grilled a skirt steak and some big, purple asparagus and tossed them with Rigatoni and a fresh batch of Chimichurri. I loved the grilled flavors with the pasta and garlicky sauce.

This is the perfect meal to eat outdoors when the weather is nice and you have a big frosty beer or chilly glass of wine. Is it the weekend yet?

March 30, 2009

Pomegranate Sangria & Tapas

mel recipe, sides & bites garlic, lemon, sangria, thyme, vegetarian, white beans, wine

I love tapas. Given the choice between them and a 3-course meal, nurse I’ll always choose the tapas. Why eat just 3 things when you can eat 20? This Saturday, instead of a complicated dinner, we had tapas.

Some of my favorites are cured meats, cheeses, chorizo simmered in cider, hummus and pita brea, Spanish Omelettes, and Garlicky Thyme White Beans on bread. I usually make these beans because they’re easy, delicious and always a hit. Just stir white beans with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon them over bread and you’ve got a great little hors d’oeuvres or a nice tapa.

I was also lucky to receive some Pomegranate juice from the good folks at POM Wonderful. Since I love anything pomegranate and anything to do with red wine, I made Sangria. The perfect accompaniment to tapas and a great way to kick off Spring.

Sangria is usually made from red wine, brandy, fruit juice, simple syrup, seltzer and fruit. There are tons of great variations, including a white wine, pear one that my mom makes. I used cognac, POM juice and white grapes in my version. I loved the way the pomegranate and wine complimented each other, and the cognac adds just the right amount of booziness.

Sangria and Tapas are my favorite kind of party food. Tapas are tasty, filling and less work than a 3-course meal, Sangria is always a crowd-pleaser and this pomegranate version is really unique.

March 23, 2009

Grilled Chicken & Fennel Kebabs w/Tzatziki

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites chicken, fennel, garlic, greek, grilling, kebabs, lemon, onion, yogurt

I’m happy that Spring is officially here! For most people, sales spring means tulips, blossoming trees, warmer weather and the all-clear to finally fish those flip flops out from under a pile of boots. Spring used to mean all of these things to me, but now I live in Miami. Here, Spring means that the perfect weather is almost gone. That the humidity will rise steadily over the next 6 months, and that soon it will downpour every afternoon.

But it also means that some of my favorite ingredients start popping up at the grocery store again! Asparagus and peas, cherries and stone fruits…Cadbury eggs! It’s also the start of the grilling season. This weekend, I was really craving Greek food. And when I have a craving, I must tame it. I made some quick kebabs with chicken, fennel and red onion. Sprinkled on some salt, pepper and dried oregano, then drizzled my meat on a stick with olive oil and lemon juice.

They were exactly what I wanted. Hearty and flavorful, but not at all heavy. I swear I could eat these every day. I served them with some homemade tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki is my favorite Greek condiment and is made from Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, salt and lemon juice. It’s thick and tangy and the perfect compliment to grilled meats. (Well, that and chimichurri.) I also made a thyme-infused flatbread with chickpea flour, which was delicious, but I had some issues with it sticking to my skillet. I’m going to try again this week and post back with details.

If it’s finally warm enough to grill where you are, then these are for you. If not, then bookmark this recipe for summertime. Either way, whip up a batch of Tzatziki this week. It makes a great spread for lamb burgers or vegetarian pitas.

February 23, 2009

Lemon Linguine

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites butter, cream, lemon, pasta, vegetarian

When I lived in NYC I had about 10 favorite restaurants. A favorite casual Thai place, ampoule another for Tapas, physiotherapy the Ramen place, the sandwich place, the ever-delicious Babbo, and my favorite neighborhood place. I changed neighborhoods a few times, but when I was living in the East Village, that place was Lil’ Frankie’s.

Lil’ Frankie’s was everything a neighborhood restaurant should be — dark, casual, consistently good, no reservations, reasonable prices and a great bar menu. The food is simple and satisfying with enough variety in the daily specials to keep it interesting. And as with any favorite place, I had a favorite dish. A mainstay that I’d order again and again…and again. The Spaghetti Limone.

Simple spaghetti, tossed with a lemony, buttery sauce and topped with cheese. No garnishes, nothing fancy. Just plain delicious noodles. The simplest dish on the menu and my favorite. I’ve been trying to recreate it for a few years and this has been best imitation to date. Dear Frankie, if you’re out there, help a girl out and send me the real recipe! Oh, and a Norcini pizza while you’re at it. Please and thank you!

September 24, 2008

Crisp Gnocchi with Lemon & Garlic Greens

mel entree, recipe basil, garlic, gnocchi, kale, lemon, pasta, serrano, vegetarian

Hot on the heels of the homemade gnocchi post, arthritis here’s another method for cooking fresh gnocchi that will make those little potato pasta pillows even more delicious and addicting. Pan fry them until they’re crisp and brown. I would describe the taste as a cross between pasta and a french fry. MMM. There’s nothing better than that!

As with the last batch of gnocchi, I didn’t want to smother them in sauce. I wanted them to really shine. So, I sauteed some kale with basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and serrano peppers. The greens were spicy and garlicky and lemony and the perfect compliment to the crisp, starchy gnocchi.

I used a batch of frozen homemade gnocchi for this dish — it went straight from the freezer into the oiled pan and crisped up nicely. You can also use fresh and frozen gnocchi, but I would avoid the shrink-wrapped kind you find in the pasta aisle. You’ll lose all of the creamy potato-ness if you go that route.

This dish came together in under 20 minutes and is delicious and fancy enough for guests. The Lemon and Garlic greens would also be fabulous tossed with pasta and a little olive oil. Just make sure you make a whole bunch — people will be wanting seconds.

Shamless Plug: Head over to Kelly Spitzer’s Flavor a Deux to read her “Foodie Spotlight” all about yours truly. I had a great time working with her on this interview. Thanks Kelly!

September 11, 2008

grilled chimichurri tofu sandwich

mel entree, recipe, sides & bites lemon, olive oil, parsley, pumpernickel, sandwich, tofu, vegetarian

Is it wrong to dress tofu in chimichurri? Maybe. But, pill it makes a damn good sandwich. Chimichurri is a delicious Argentinian sauce usually drizzled over freshly grilled meat, infection and most often over skirt steak. It’s made by blending olive oil, visit this site parsley (I like Italian Parsley myself), lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt together like you would a pesto. The bright green sauce is rich, herbal, tangy and a little spicy. Just the thing for grilled meats, and apparently just the thing for spicing up an otherwise bland piece of tofu.

As you all know, I’m by no means a vegetarian. I love my bacon, beef, pork and lamb. Seafood, too. Yum! So, it may seem surprising that I’ve also grown to love tofu. You just can’t think of it as a meat substitute. It’s no replacement for steaks and burgers, but it has its own unique flavor and texture. I love how it soaks up its marinade and develops nice, crisp grill lines. Paired with some greens and piled onto toasted pumpernickel, it made a hefty and flavorful sandwich.

My beef-jerky-loving Midwestern man ate it up and asked for seconds. Chimichurri and a grill are always a winner, and can probably turn the most rabid tofu haters into tofu lovers.