Bacon Gremolata

Here is a nice addition to an already beautiful topping for vegetables, fish or meat.  Come on, what isn’t better with bacon?  Well, Gremolata is no different.  I’m using this to top a super moist salmon filet this week.  Enjoy!

 6oz. Bacon, Diced

2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 TBSP grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3 TBSP minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP toasted pine nuts
2 1/2 TBSP olive oil

In a skillet over medium high heat cook bacon until golden brown, Using a slotted spoon remove bacon from skillet and place in medium mixing bowl.  Discard fat.  Add to bacon the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts.

Place Gremolata atop vegetables, meat or fish and enjoy!

Weekly Menu Jan. 14 - Fri 20th

Saturday-
Sous Vide Salmon with Bacon Gremolata
Roasted Carrots and Broccoli
Baby Romaine Salad with Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette

Sunday-
NY Strip Steaks with Cabernet Butter
Zucchini Squash Gratin
Roasted Beet Salad with toasted Pine nuts and Goat Cheese

Monday-
Indian Spiced Chickpea and Vegetable Stew
Basmati Rice

Tuesday-
Roast Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary
Baby Romaine and Frisee with Avocado Salad, Citrus Vinaigrette

Wednesday-
Sautéed Kale, Mushrooms, and Carrot Medley tossed in a spicy Coconut Sauce
Romaine Salad with shredded Carrots, Apples, and Beets, Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

Thursday-
Stir Fried Vegetables with Chinese Styled Shredded Chicken
Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Almonds

Friday-
Lettuce Wrapped Burgers with Caramelized Onions
Sweet Potato Fries
Warm Brussels Sprouts and Carrot Slaw

Kettle Corn Crusted Salmon with Fennel and Dill

So, last weekend at the Farmer's Market, on a whim,  my girlfriend picked up a bag of kettle corn.  They were popping it fresh and the smell just said, "buy me!"  The popped corn with its beautiful mix of salt and sweet was delicious.  It got me thinking about other ways to incorporate it into a dish.  I thought paired with toasted fennel and fresh dill it would be great.  I decided to use it on Salmon, but it would also be dynamite on chicken, shrimp, other white fish, you name it.  It was an instant hit!  Enjoy!!

4 Salmon filets
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 C. Kettle corn
1 Tbsp. Fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. Fresh Dill, fine chopped
Red pepper flake to taste
1/2 C. flour
1 egg
2 Tbsp. water (can use milk)
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F

Heat a small, ungreased sauté pan over high heat. Once warm, place fennel seeds in pan.
Move or shake the pan briskly back and forth to stir and agitate the seeds so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or burn. Or use a wooden spoon to constantly stir the seeds.
Cook the fennel seeds for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they become fragrant and slightly darker brown.
Turn off the heat and remove pan from the stove top. Place the seeds in a small bowl or scattered on a baking sheet to cool. Place seeds in a mortar and grind with the pestle until fully ground.

Add kettle corn to food processor and pulse to make crumbs.  Add ground toasted fennel, dill, and pepper flakes.  Reserve in large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl whisk egg well, mix in water or milk.  Reserve.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and reserve on the side.

Season each salmon filet with garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper.  Take a filet at a time and dredge with flour, shaking off excess.  Place into egg mixture and coat fully.  Then place into popcorn mixture and gently press to insure popcorn crumb mixture adheres to all sides of the fish.  Place coated filet on the lined baking sheet.  Repeat this step until all the filets are coated with popcorn mixture.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add oil and heat.  Very carefully place fish in the pan and cook to golden brown on both sides (this will probably need to done in batches as not to overcrowd the pan).  Remove browned fish and place back on lined baking sheet.  Once all filets are done, place baking sheet with fish into the hot oven.  Cook until done, about 8 minutes.  Serve and Enjoy!

The Weekly Menu

Sunday-

"Smorgasbord Night"

Monday-

Baja-style Fish
Zucchini Medley
Arugula Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

Tuesday-

Chicken and Wild Mushroom Meatloaf
Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts
Roasted Carrots with Thyme

Wednesday-

Chicken Piccata
Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Parmesan Oven Roasted Asparagus

Thursday-

Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
Corn Bread
Collard Greens
Roasted Delicata Squash

Friday-

Dinner out - Republic Detroit

Meatloaf with green chiles, bacon, and spicy Ketchup

Comfort food doesn't get much better than this.  I was inspired by a burger I saw on a TV cooking show and thought it would translate well to a loaf.  I guess I was right, cause since I've served this up, it's the household's favorite this fall.  I pair this with crispy sweet potatoes, but any potato would work here. Top each slice with a fresh hot, sunny side egg and you've got week night deliciousness!  Enjoy!!

Loaf-

1# chopped meat, beef

1/4 # ground pork
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 whole egg
1 small can chopped green chiles
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 sweet onion, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 ribs celery, small dice
1 small carrot, peeled and small dice
1 small pink lady Apple, peeled and diced

1/2# bacon

2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper, to taste
 
Spicy Ketchup-

1/2 C. Ketchup

2 Tbsp. Honey

2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce

1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1Tbsp. Rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili paste

Garnish-
Sunny side eggs


Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a small frying pan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots.  Sweat until translucent, add garlic and apples, cook two more minutes or until apples release some of their juices.  Remove from heat, reserve and cool.

In a medium mixing bowl combine all Spicy Ketchup ingredient, mix well and reserve in the frig, covered.  

In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mix beef and pork.  Add eggs, chiles, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, Worcestershire, cool vegetable mixture and salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Check seasoning (I place a half dollar sized disc into the microwave and cook for 10 seconds, or done and taste).  Correct if need be.  Reserve off to the side.  

 

Take a loaf pan and line with plastic wrap.  Make sure to push wrap into the corners and tight to the sides of the pan.  Taking one strip of the bacon at a time, cover the inside of the pan going across the mold (short ways).  Each strip should resemble the letter "U" with it going down one side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the pan.  Continue across the pan, shingling each slice of bacon until the entire mold is covered.  Now, using a kitchen spoon (I use my hands) put the meat mixture into the pan onto of the bacon.  Once all the mixture has been added, gently press the meat mixture into the loaf pan.  Fold the ends of the bacon down across the meat mixture and gently press (this will be the bottom of the loaf).  At this point the loaf can be chilled for cooking another time or frozen for longer storage.

Take a piece of parchment paper and press to the top of the loaf pan, quickly turn it over onto a baking sheet. Remove plastic wrap.  The entire loaf should be covered by the bacon and ready for the oven.  Place into the hot oven and cook 1 hour.  Once done, loaf should be dark brown on the outside and an internal thermometer should read 155 F.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  This is  a prefect time to make your sunny side up eggs.  Slice a thick piece of loaf and serve with hot egg on top, Enjoy!

Moraccon Rice Pilaf

1-1/2 C. basmati rice
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 C. finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/4 C. water
1-1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C. dried fruit, such as currants, raisins or finely chopped dried apricots

1/2 C. Peas

1/4 C. sliced or slivered almonds, toasted until golden

Place rice in medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat four to five times, until water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain water from rice. Place strainer over bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic to sautéed onions and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add rice to pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add water, salt and pepper to rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid, and sprinkle dried fruit and peas over rice (do not mix in). Place lid loosely over pot and let stand 10 minutes. Toss in toasted almonds, fluff rice with a fork, then serve. Enjoy!

North African Spiced Butternut Squash

5 tbsp. vegetable oil

 1 ¹/₂ C. walnut halves

1 each cinnamon stick
2 each whole cloves
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 
2 # butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1” pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
¹/₂ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
¹/₂ inch fresh gingerroot, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 ¹/₂ C. golden raisins
1 ¹/₂ C. vegetable stock or water
1 C. Pomegranate seeds, (optional)

 

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Add walnuts and toast lightly (about 3-4 minutes tossing often).  Remove walnuts and reserve.  Add remaining oil, heat very hot.  Add the cinnamon, cloves, coriander and the ginger.  Cook 10 seconds, add onions and squash, cook for 15-20 minutes until the squash is golden brown. 

 

Add the salt, pepper, sugar, lime juice, golden raisins and vegetable stock or water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until squash is tender. Fold in the walnuts. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (optional), serve and Enjoy!