Tag: recipe

Peppers Stuffed with Paneer and Spiced Tomato Sauce

If you’re looking for a savory, spicy, and vegetable-rich recipe that’s as lightweight as it is delicious, then look no further than this Paneer-Stuffed Peppers recipe from Epicurious. The sauce is accentuated by a smoky flavor from the seared paneer cheese and a spicy stick from the jalapeño, fresh ginger, ground coriander, and cumin and mustard seeds, making it the perfect summertime dinner staple.

Ingredients

  • 4 red or yellow bell peppers (with ribs and seeds removed), halved through the stem end
  • 2 6-ounce packages of paneer cheese
  • 1 15-ounce can of crushed red tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 11-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ jalapeño (with seeds removed), finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of cilantro (chopped), for serving
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1¼ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt

Directions

  1. You’ll begin this recipe by making the savory, spiced tomato sauce. Start by heating your vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or another heavy pot. Place your Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Once it’s properly heated, cook the paneer cheese in a single layer, undisturbed, until it’s golden brown underneath. This should only take approximately 2 minutes. After it’s golden brown, transfer the paneer to a medium bowl, let it cool slightly, and then crumble the paneer into bite-size pieces. Then, set this aside for later.
  2. Next, take your Dutch oven or heavy pot and add in your jalapeño, ginger, cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and mustard seeds. Cook them over a medium-heat while stirring often, and continue to cook them until the onion is softened and translucent, which should take only 5 minutes. At which point, add your turmeric, coriander, and cayenne pepper to the pot and continue to cook while stirring occasionally. Continue to cook these ingredients until they’re quite fragrant, which should take about 3 minutes. Still over medium heat, stir in your crushed red tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring the oven or pot to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and stir in your reserved paneer cheese from earlier. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the sauce until it’s slightly thickened. Cook the sauce for about 15-20 minutes and stir occasionally throughout the cooking process.
  3. For your pepper assembly, place a rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat it to 400°F. While the oven is heating up, coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place your peppers, which have been halved through the stem send, with the cut side facing up onto the baking sheet. Spoon about ⅓ cup of your spiced tomato sauce into each pepper half and place them into the oven to bake. Bake them in the oven until the peppers are tender and their tops are lightly browned. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
  4. Once cooked, transfer the stuffed peppers from the baking sheet to plates, and top them with sprinklings of chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe works great as a main staple of a vegetarian-based dinner, but it also serves as an excellent side dish to a protein-rich entree. Additionally, you can add in some lentils or another legume to add starch and protein to this dish.
  • Alternatively, this recipe uses the same sauce as the Epicurious recipe for Toasted Tomato-Paneer Sandwiches. Simply double your ingredients for the spiced tomato sauce, and spread ½ cup of the sauce over a slice of bread. Top the bread with red onion, cheddar, cilantro, and another slice of bread. Then, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time while pressing down on them with a spatula until the underside of each piece is golden brown and crisp, which takes about 3 minutes. Then, turn the sandwiches over and cook until the other side is golden brown with the cheese melted.

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Chicken with Cashews (Poul Ak Nwa) Recipe

Sometimes you need to cook a restaurant-grade meal at home that is equal parts spicy, savory, and nutty. And thanks to this fantastic recipe from Bon Appetit for Poul Ak Nwa (chicken with cashews), you’ll be prepared to whip up an aromatic, Haitian meal in no time. The key to this tasty recipe is the Haitian spice blend known as epis, which also makes a fantastic marinade for pork or fish by the way.

Epis Ingredients

Epis Directions

Begin preparing this Haitian seasoning base by blending or processing your red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, scallions, parsley, garlic, vinegar, oil, lime juice, and thyme in a blender or food processor until smooth. This should generate about three cups. The epis could be made about 2 weeks ahead of time. Transfer the blender contents to an airtight container and either chill or pour into ice cube trays and free for up to three months.

Chicken Ingredients

 Chicken Directions

  1. Bring the cashews and three cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. You’ll want to simmer until the cashews crumble but don’t disintegrate when pressed between your fingers (approximately 45-60 minutes). Drain the cashews and set them aside.
  2. Mix your chicken, garlic, cloves, lime juice, parsley, thyme, a copious amount of black pepper, 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ cup of the epis in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot until your chicken is coated.
  3. Nestle the chile in the center of the pot, cover, and set it over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the chicken is nearly cooked through and a lot of the juices have cooked out; this will take about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken mixture to a medium bowl, scraping any remaining seasonings out of the pot with aheatproof rubber spatula.
  4. Pour some vegetable oil into the same pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Then, use tongs to return the chicken to the pot, leaving the juices and chile behind in the bowl. Cook the chicken until it’s browned all over while occasionally turning it over (about 5-10 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low, add tomato paste, and cook while stirring often and adding 1 tablespoon of chicken juice if it’s starting to burn. Cook for about 2 minutes- just until the paste is slightly darkened in color. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to soften (about 4 minutes).
  5. Add your reserved chicken juices, cashews, and reserved chile to the pot while making sure that you are keeping the chile intact. You’ll do this because an open chile will add a lot of heat. Pour ½ cup of water into a bowl and swish around to pick up any seasonings that were left behind, and then pour it all into the pot. Bring this chicken mixture to a simmer, cover it, and cook until the chicken meat is falling off of the bone, about 20 minutes. Stir in onion and bell pepper, re-cover the pot, and cook until vegetables are softened but still retain some bite (about 5-10 minutes). Remove the chile from the pot and discard. Taste your dish of poul ak nwa and season with more salt or pepper, if needed.
  6. To serve, divide your cooked jasmine rice among shallow bowls and ladle the poul ak nwa over. Iif needed, this dish can be made 1 day ahead if you cover, chill, and reheat it over medium-low heat before serving.

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Classic Savory Meatloaf Recipe

It’s consistently beneficial to have a reliable, flavorful recipe in your back pocket that doesn’t require a lot of prep time and is always sure to satisfy. That recipe does exist, and it’s this classic, all-American meatloaf recipe from Martha Stewart’s recipe blog that’s guaranteed to delight your taste buds, budget, and kitchen.

Ingredients for Meatloaf Recipe

  • 3 slices of white sandwich bread
  • ⅓ cup of whole milk
  • 1 ½ pound of ground beef chuck
  • ½ pound of ground pork
  • ½ medium onion, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup of ketchup
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions for Meatloaf Recipe

  1. You’ll want to start this recipe by preheating your oven to 400°F. Line an oven-safe baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set this aside. Take your pieces of bread, place them into a food processor, and pulse the bread pieces until fine crumbs form. Then you’ll transfer them into a small bowl and stir in milk. Set this all aside for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. While you’re letting the crumbs and milk rest, combine your 1 ½ pounds of ground beef chuck, ½ pound of ground pork, grated half of a medium onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ cup of ketchup, 1 ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper together in the mixing bowl. After it’s mixed, add in your bread-milk mixture and mix it very gently with a fork. At this point, be careful to not overmix it all.
  3. Take your set-aside baking sheet, and put your meat mixture on top of it. Using gloves or freshly-washed hands to form it into a loaf that’s about 9 inches long and 4 to 5 inches in width.
  4. Place the sheet pan into the oven by setting it on the middle rack. Bake it until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F using an instant-read thermometer. Twice during the baking process, you’’ want to brush the ¼ cup of ketchup on top of the meatloaf or the meatloaf glaze detailed below. The total baking process should take anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes. After the internal temperature reaches 160°F, let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before you slice & serve it.

Notes:

  • While many like to bake their meatloaf specifically in a loaf pan, the loaves are able to obtain a nice texture and crust when it’s shaped by hand “form free” and cooked in the oven on a baking sheet.
  • Vegetable mixture: Depending on your particular tastes and preferences, you may want to consider simmering some additional vegetables in a skillet to go along with the above recipe’s onion & garlic. This way you’ll add a heartier and more texture-rich flavor to your meatloaf.
    • Place 1 medium carrot, and one celery rib along with your onion in your fruit processor until they’re all finely chopped.
    • Turn on your stove and heat2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over  medium-high heat. Once it’sproperly heated, add your vegetables, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme to the skillet and cook it.
    • Stir in about 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of low-sodium chicken broth, and ¼ cup of ketchup.
    • Remove this all from the heat, and let it cool completely. You can later add this mixture to your meatloaf before shaping it.
  • Meatloaf Glaze: Instead of brushing your meatloaf twice in the oven with ¼ cup of ketchup, you may choose to prepare the following meatloaf glaze.
    • In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce with 3 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar.
    • Brush a layer over the top of the meatloaf prior to baking it so that it’s coated.
    • About halfway through the baking process, rotate the loaf, and place the remaining glaze on top.

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Deliciously Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Whether it is time for lunch or dinner, a side dish that can be paired with your meal is always an essential piece of the dinner table tableau. Plus, once you have this deliciously creamy baked mac and cheese recipe from Food 52 in your back pocket, you’ll never find yourself without a reliable side dish at your disposal.

Because this recipe has you baking the mac and cheese, it makes it simple to prepare the ingredients alongside the remainder of your meal, mix them together in your preferred casserole dish, and cook in your oven at whatever time aligns with your main course. Though, the freshly-grated cheeses included in this recipe serve to make this dish upstage your primary protein if you’re not too careful.

This recipe only calls for about 15 minutes of prep time, which can easily be done as you prep or cook your other ingredients. The cooking time is stated as being 30 minutes with the resulting dish suited to serve 4-6 people, but you can always multiply the ingredients so as to whip up a larger batch. In fact, if you’re a fan of cheesy leftovers, that might just be a great idea.

Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients:

5 cups of whole milk

10 tablespoons of unsalted butter

½ cup of all-purpose flour

1 additional tablespoon of all-purpose flour

3 ounces of aged provolone, grated

4 ½ ounces of asiago fresco, grated

4 ½ ounces of fontina, grated

¾ pound of fresh mozzarella, grated

1 pound of cavatappi pasta

Kosher salt, to taste

Directions for Baked Mac and Cheese:

                          1. You’ll begin this recipe by setting a large pot of water on your stove to boil and then cook your pasta. Set the pot to high heat, add a small dash of salt, and cover it almost completely so as to let the water reach its boiling point.
  2. Set another large pot on another burner, but set this one to medium heat. Melt your butter in the pot and add in your flour, whisking it for 1 to 2 minutes. While whisking constantly, add in your milk and you will begin to notice a paste form. Continue adding your milk until all 5 cups are used, and be sure to whisk the pot throughout the process until it’s completely smooth with no lumps. Simmer the pot until your milk, butter, and flour sauce begins to thicken to the consistency of a thin gravy.
  3. While your sauce is busy thickening, reduce your heating element from medium to low. Add in your grated fontina, provolone, and asiago cheeses. Stir them into the sauce until all of the grated cheeses have melted completely. At this point, taste the sauce and adjust the salt accordingly. Be sure to keep your pot on the lowest-possible heat so as to only warm the sauce, and preheat your oven to 450°F.
  4. At this point, your pasta water should be boiling. The salt you’ve added before should make the pasta water taste like a highly-seasoned soup broth. Cook your pasta for half the time that’s suggested on the box. You’repurposefully undercooking the pasta so that it will finish cooking in the oven with the cheeses.
  5. After it’s properly undercooked, drain your pasta and add it to your cheese sauce. Stir the noodles into the sauce thoroughly, and carefully transfer your mixture to a large, shallow baking dish. It’s preferred that your baking dish have more surface area so as to allow for more small crispy bits that truly elevate the texture.
  6. Sprinkle your fresh mozzarella cheese on top of your pasta and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes, until you begin to see the sauce bubbling up around your noodles. Then, broil your mac and cheese for 1 to three minutes until your mozzarella is brown and crispy.
  7. Remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly, and serve immediately.

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Maple Compound Butter Seared Steak Recipe

Welcome winter the right way with this meticulous and delicious recipe for Seared Steak with Maple Compound Butter from Food52 the next time you need a hearty meal that blends savory and sweet flavor notes in the best way imaginable.

Many agree that the perfect steak should have a juicy, pink interior (though the “pinkness” is often debated) and a gorgeous, textured outer crust. This particular recipe relies on the convenience of sous vide cooking so that the steak is cooked for just the right amount of time before it gets a quick sear on an electric cooktop. This particular recipe’s steak cooking times can be altered depending on your exact heating element, as this specific recipe makes use of theLG Studio Electric Cooktop.

What really sets this recipe apart from the pack is the blend of autumn and winter that rests in the delicious maple compound butter. It has just the right touch of sweetness, making it ideal to complement the savory meat. In order to achieve the best results in this savory and sweet flavor pairing, you’ll want to use the best-quality maple syrup that you’re able to find. It’s traditionally accepted that the darker the syrup, the better in terms of pronounced flavors.

As for the steaks themselves, this recipe doesn’t intend to reinvent the wheel. Salt and pepper always go a long way for seasoning, as proper steak preparation relies more on focus, patience, and finesse than anything else.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup of pure maple syrup
  • 2 12 oz. sirloin, strip, or ribeye steaks
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Directions:

  1. Because it’s unwise and rarely a good idea to juggle too many tasks while properly cooking a steak, you’ll want to first prepare the maple compound butter for this recipe before touching your favorite cut of steak. To begin, you’ll blend your softened butter with your maple syrup in a bowl.
  2. Once the butter is fully mixed, transfer it all to a piece of parchment paper and roll it up, shaping it into a log shape. Place it in the refrigerator and chill it for at least a few hours until it’s firm.
  3. This recipe suggests preheating your sous vide appliance to your desired steak temperature, which will depend on the level of doneness you prefer. As you do this, you’ll want to season your steaks generously with salt and pepper on both sides of the cut. After they’re properly seasoned, transfer them into plastic sous vide bags and seal them tightly.
  4. Next, you will cook them according to your sous vide appliance’s directions for their necessary time in order to reach the right temperature. Once cooked, remove them from the bags, setting them aside.
  5. Take a cast-iron skillet and rub its interior with your vegetable oil. Afterward, place your skillet on the stovetop and heat it as high as your burner will allow until the oil just begins to smoke.
  6. Place your steaks carefully in the pan and cook them for 30 seconds. Then, flip them over and cook for an additional half of a minute. Flip the steaks again, cook one side for 15 seconds and then flip one last time, cooking them for an additional 15 seconds. With this method, you should have a nice sear on both sides of the steak, but if not then you can continue cooking and flipping the steak 15 seconds at a time until your desired sear appears.
  7. After you’ve flipped your steak for the final time, add about 1 tablespoon of maple butter on top of each piece of steak. Remove them from the pan and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. Once plated, be sure to add some extra compound butter on the side.

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Roasted Chicken With Lemon Curd, Garlic & Chiles

Excellently-roasted chicken that’s properly seasoned and cooked with herbs is the perfect hearty dinnertime meal for this time of year, and this particularly delicious recipe from Food 52 hits the savory and sweet spot needed for the fall or winter season.

One of the impressive choices this recipe makes is using the traditionally sweet lemon curd for a savory pairing, thus adding a tart-full richness to herb-encrusted sheet pan chicken thighs. What’s left is a medley of tender chicken, seasoned vegetables, and garlic-spread sourdough toast that will be sure to surprise and delight anyone eating alongside you at Sunday night dinner.

Ingredients For Roasted Chicken Thighs:

  • 6 bone-in chicken thighs with the skin still on
  • 3 garlic heads with the top third sliced off
  • 7 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 3 tablespoons of lemon curd
  • 2 teaspoons of urfa biber or ¾ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  • 2 lemons, each halved horizontally
  • 1 loaf of sourdough, toasted
  • Kosher salt, for taste
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
  • Flaky salt, for sprinkling

Directions for Roasted Chicken Thighs:

  1. You’ll begin this delicious recipe by patting your bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with a dry paper towel, so as to soak up any excess juices from the packaging. Then you’ll set the chicken thighs on a small tray or plate and season them all over with salt. Then set them aside as you prep the other ingredients.
  2. At this point, open your oven and position one rack in the center and one in the top slot. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  3. Place your garlic heads (with each head’s top third sliced off) on a rimmed sheet pan alongside your peeled and cut carrots. Drizzle this garlic and carrot-filled sheet pan generously with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper, and toss it all together to coat fully. Lastly, turn the garlic so that the cut-side is facing downward.
  4. Next, finely chop enough sprigs of rosemary to yield 1 teaspoon. Transfer your chicken thighs (with the skin-side facing upward) to the sheet pan with garlic and carrots. At this point, you’ll carefully peel back the skin on the chicken thighs and evenly spread the lemon curd on the top of each thigh. Next, evenly sprinkle your chicken with the chopped rosemary and follow it by sprinkling the urfa biber or red pepper flakes. Smooth the skin back over the lemon curd and season your thighs with salt and pepper. Lightly-drizzle the thighs with oil, place the remaining rosemary sprigs onto the sheet pan, and add your lemon halves with the cut-side facing downward.
  5. Roast this filled sheet pan on the center rack for 25 minutes. Throughout the cooking process, rotate your thighsand shuffle the ones near the edges of the sheet tray toward the middle and vice versa. Flip over your lemon and garlic heads after the initial 25 minutes are through, and then continue roasting for 5-7 more minutes. You should be sure to keep a watchful eye on the chicken thighs and roast them until the skin is golden. If you want extra crispy skin, you can place the sheet pan under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  6. Lastly, to finish things off, you’ll bring your sheet pan to the table, set it atop a trivet, divide the pieces among three plates, and sprinkle it all with flaky salt. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its papery sheaths and spread it onto the sourdough toast. Squeeze the lemons all over, and enjoy!

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