Brainy Greek Fish... so Mediterranean

 

Greek Fish is an easy and delicate dish made in one pot, served with eggplant chips...

For this dish: use either fresh or frozen 'thawed' fish (cod or mahi mahi is recommended). In a deep pot on the stove melt in butter (3 tbs) and olive oil (3 tbs) then add 1/2 cup of chopped onion, a tsp of crushed garlic if you like and 1 cup more or less of grated/scalloped carrot.

Lay in the fish over the onion and carrot to sizzle for 3-4 min. on high heat. Next, pour over the top 1/3 cup of chicken or fish stock and sprinkle in fresh herbs: rosemary and Greek oregano. Reduce heat and let the simmer for 12-15 min. or until the fish is white and firm.

The eggplant chips should be made before the fish as they take longer to prepare. Thinly slice a large ripe 'washed' eggplant, bread lightly by brushing with low fat milk and pat each side gently with dried bread crumbs to flash fry in a shallow skillet of grape-seed oil.

Then move the fried eggplant slices to a cookie sheet with a rack to be baked in the oven on 350f. Once they are crisp with curling edges, serve with the poached fish/onion/carrot/herbs; include a dipping sauce of sour cream or yogurt and herbs to dip the eggplant chips.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Summer Fruits Add Brainy Flavor and Flare...

 















Fresh and dried fruits are great flavor enhancers to any dish. We don't often think of dried apricots or fresh apricots as a side dish... let alone part of the main course.

Whatever main course you prepare, consider a side of apricots or even dried plums. They can be cooked on the side or in the same skillet/dish/pan.

Mark's Asian chicken with apricots and seared flank steak with apricots...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Gourmet Barbecued Ribs and Chicken...

Funny, I realized only a few days ago that I've never blogged about oven barbecued ribs or chicken. Why oven? I don't grill out and neither does my spouse. We just don't do that but we do enjoy grilled foods and believe that nearly the same barbecued flavor can be achieved in the oven or broiler. 

Now, if you like the smoky flavor, all you have to do is buy a bottle of liquid smoke. If that idea is out of the question, but still want that smoky flavor there is an alternative. Smoked paprika, a spice made by drying peppers over oak burning fires for several weeks, is a great alternative.

For this fourth of July, we barbecued in and it was great. Just prepare your chicken and ribs by seasoning them with your favorite rub mix. Place the ribs in one glass baking dish and the chicken in another. If you have a big oven, you might get them both in at the same time. If not, start with the chicken. 

Preheat the oven to 400f. When the chicken is half way done, remove and start the ribs. Then place them together, if they will fit, side by side to finish them off with a slather of barbecue sauce painted over the tops. Reduce the heat to 375f. 

The best fourth sides: sweet corn, french fries and salad. To that, you can add even more... potato salad, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and fruit jello.  

 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

 

Brainy Hawaiian Baked Pork Pineapple...

 

Hawaiian food is both sweet and savory because its a rich blend of local and immigrant tastes. Given that, Asian influences have made teriyaki sauce a favorite means to add pizazz to any meat. 

For this dish you will need: 1-2 lbs of boneless pork tenderloin (depending on number of guests), two large bell peppers, red and green, 2-3 cups of fresh pineapple, teriyaki sauce, minced garlic and ginger and white rice. 

To begin, marinate the pork (cut into medallion sizes) in a glass baking dish; using fig infused balsamic vinegar, olive oil, the minced garlic and ginger (2 tbs of each), sea salt and black pepper. To that, add the pineapple and bell pepper, cubed. Drizzle more of the balsamic fig vinegar over the top along with fresh herbs: mint, oregano and rosemary. Pop in the oven on 375f.  Bake for 45 minutes while you prepare the rice. 

After 45 min, sear the top of the mixture in the broiler. Once the rice is tender, drain and ladle onto a serving plate and top with the pork. What about the teriyaki sauce? Well, at our house someone doesn't like it... So, its served on the side along with their preferred sauce... chipotle. Also, to make this dish extra special, serve with coconut and almond shavings which can be set out in bowls. 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Bourbon Street Braised Pork Spare ribs...

 

Louisiana road trip...

Before you get started, what is the difference between spare ribs and short ribs? Spare ribs are pork and short ribs are beef. So, for this dish, you will need to buy a package of boneless pork spare ribs, 1-1/2 inch thick. A package of cherry tomatoes, and some bourbon or not... you can of course make this dish without it. 

Marinate the pork for at least one hour in a shallow dish covered with 1/4 cup of bourbon along with sea salt, garlic powder and black pepper as well as dried herb seasonings: mint, rosemary and oregano or basil.

In a heavy black iron skillet, sear your marinated pork in 4 tbs of olive oil and coconut oil. Then add some organic honey and fresh grated ginger along with a generous squeeze of lime. Cook on high for 3 min and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 6-8 min, depending on thickness of pork. Remove from heat and move the pork aside or to a serving plate and cover to retain heat. In that same black iron skillet sauté onion and cherry tomatoes in a buttery olive oil combination letting them sizzle together with an extra dash of bourbon. As they near caramelizing, prepare another side... potatoes or couscous.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Tuscan Garlic Chicken with Rosemary...

 

Tuscan garlic chicken with rosemary marinated in lemon juice and served with potatoes mashed with Parmesan cheese and garlic is brainy delicious. For this dish, you will need to buy: a package of chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. Fresh garlic, one lemon, fresh rosemary sprigs or use dried, yellow gold potatoes (six or seven med. size) and Parmesan cheese.

To begin, marinate the chicken thighs in a glass baking dish using the juice of one lemon, toss over the top 3-4 peeled and diced garlic cloves, drizzle on some olive oil and lay on your rosemary sprigs or sprinkle generously dried rosemary. Heat your oven to 425F.

After 12-15 min. of marinating time, place the chicken in the oven and roast for about 30-40 min uncovered. Check to see if the skin is crisping and if yes, turn over the thighs, return to the oven for 5 min. After five minutes or so turn the thighs back over and consider adding a few fresh washed red cherry tomatoes and a handful of kalamata olives.

Return to the oven covered, reduce heat to 350F and let roast for another 15 -20 min. Take this time now to prepare the potatoes. Wash, peel and halve, the potatoes. Add to boiling salted water and cover. When tender, drain and mash using 3 tbs of butter, the same of sour cream, a dash of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp of minced garlic and 1 tsp of dried herbs - Italian blend.

Brainy Beef Stroganoff... its what's for dinner!

 

When Beef Stroganoff is served, you think: rich and creamy and romantically delicious! You can even imagine that you are at some far off tucked in European bistro...

For this dish you will need: quality cuts of beef (stew meat or thick sirloin cut into chunks), one medium onion, dark brown Bavarian mushrooms, beef stock, heavy cream and wide egg noodle pasta - Tagliatelle.

To begin, marinate the beef in balsamic vinegar and pink Himalayan salt for 30-40 min. When that time is nearly finished, in a large skillet saute the onion in olive oil until dark brown on the edges.

Remove from skillet and in the same skillet, brown the mushrooms, adding 3 tbs of butter. Once the mushrooms are darker and tender, remove from the skillet putting them aside with the onion and sear the beef in chunks (drained) in the same skillet, adding a drizzle of olive oil.

Bring back into the skillet the onion and mushrooms, pour in about 3 tbs of beef stock, a half shot of either white wine or vodka, stirring on high heat. Then turning down the heat, add the heavy cream about 1/2 cup, cover and let simmer while you prepare the pasta and a side of blackened asparagus.

Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until tender, drain and ladle onto a low lipped plater. The asparagus should be flash stir fried in olive oil, then cover to simmer on medium high adding 1 tbs of beef stock.


 Serve all together, start the music and pour the wine...

~ Tutti a Tavola