recipe Archives - Page 2 of 2

September 1, 2016

Swordfish Recipe with Avocado Mango Salsa

ingredients for stir-fry swordfish recipe and avocado mango salsa

Before summer comes to an official close, I thought I’d share one of my favorite summer recipes. Typically prepared on the grill, I have brought this version inside to cook up on my new stir-fry pan, which I’m obsessed with by the way (thank you Mom).

With a few minor adaptations, this May to September swordfish recipe is something I’d be happy to whip up when the weather is cooler, but I’m still in the mood for something light and refreshing.

Summer, winter, spring or fall; this swordfish recipe with mango avocado salsa is super easy and really tasty. Guests love it and it always makes a great impression when served.

When I’ve prepared this on the grill, I marinate the fish in oil, lime, juice, salt, pepper and even a splash of tequila. However, in the stir-fry pan I prefer to keep the fish dry so it can brown nicely – so just salt and pepper for today’s version.

The Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound swordfish, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large avocado, cubed
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 1/2 cup mango (in summer I use fresh, but this time I used precut, frozen and it was delish)
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley (original recipe calls for cilantro – I had parsley in)
Juice of 1 lime, more if you like
Salt and pepper to taste
A dash of red pepper flake for a kick

Directions

First prepare the salsa by combining the avocado, mango, onion, parsley, lime, salt, pepper and pepper flake in a bowl. Mix gently so not to break the mango or avocado. The frozen mango held up so beautifully, I may actually prefer it.

mango avocado salsa for swordfish recipe — The salsa!

Heat stir-fry pan on stove top and lightly oil. Sprinkle swordfish with salt and pepper and toss in the pan. It cooks through and browns so quickly, you’re done before you know it!

swordfish sauteing in pan — Sizzle, sizzle.

Serve over a bed of rice and you’ve got an amazing meal for every season.

swordfish with mango avocado salsa over a bed of rice — The meal

I hope you enjoy this swordfish recipe with yummy avocado mango salsa!

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June 27, 2016

Food & Drink

My Greek Family’s Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipe

stuffed grapes leaves

When I search for a recipe online, it drives me nuts when it’s hidden among paragraphs of narrative. With that in mind, I’ll keep this intro short. I’m often asked for my stuffed grape leaves recipe or, as my family calls them in Greek, dolmades. I find them easy to make and they are gluten, dairy and egg free. Over the years, I’ve made a few adjustments to the original recipe to make life easier and a little healthier. Traditionally served with an egg lemon sauce, avgolemno, I’ve eliminated that in favor of lots of fresh lemon juice.

Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipe

Ingredients

1 jar grape leaves (I use Peloponnese). Blanch to tenderize and reduce bitterness.
1lb ground beef, lamb, turkey or any combination of the three (I use turkey for “light days.”)
1/2 cup white or brown rice, uncooked
1 large onion, chopped (yellow, red or whatever you have in)
½ cup fresh parsley plus ½ cup fresh mint, chopped (original recipe called for less, but I like more.)
2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
Lemon pepper seasoning to taste (I’ve added this and like the extra punch it offers)
2-3 fresh lemons (I like lots of lemon)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (original recipe cooks the stuffed leaves on the stovetop using plates to prevent the leaves from floating– I prefer oven baking). Gently remove grape leaves from jar. They are tightly packed, but take care not to tear them. Boil for 5-10 minutes, then rinse under cold water. Set aside until ready to stuff.

In a bowl, mix the ground meat, onion, rice and chopped mint/parsley mixture. Add salt and pepper.

ingredients for greek stuffed grape leaves recipe — Cut stems off leaves, chop mint and parsley together, combine meat, rice, onion, mint and parsley

Lay out grape leaves and be sure to cut off stems. Add about 1-2 teaspoon of the meat mixture to each. Do not over stuff or the leaves will break. Use any broken leaves to patch tears. Like a burrito, fold up from the bottom then in from each side and roll tightly. Place rolled leaves in 9 x 13 baking dish or roasting pan, as shown, for a double batch.

Add water to about half to three quarters the height of the grape leaves. Salt the water and add the juice of 1-2 lemons. Leave the rinds in the pan to infuse even more lemon flavor. Cover with foil.

Stages of stuffed grape leaves preparation — Stages of preparation – Always keep an extra jar of leaves on hand in the event you get a bad jar. This batch of leaves was particularly challenging, but I managed.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

When done, drain water and immediately drizzle with olive oil and more lemon juice. The hot grape leaves will absorb the added lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Serve hot or cold – yummy either way. If you’re not devouring these immediately, I like to add more oil, lemon juice and seasoning again just before serving.

I hope you enjoy this stuffed grape leaves recipe!

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April 25, 2016

Food & Drink

Delicious Chicken Stew Recipe for a Chilly Day

chicken stew recipe with vegetables

I’d like to think I’d be craving ice cream by now, but with a nip still in the air, my go-to chicken stew recipe is on my mind. I love this stew at any time of year, especially when I’m hungry, but want a healthy option. This variation of Giada De Laurentiis’ Chicken Spezzatino is hearty, yet fresh and light at the same time. I recently shared the recipe with a friend and she gave it the thumbs up, so I thought you all might like it too.

While Giada uses split chicken breast on the bone (which I’ve done and it does add flavor) I opt for the easier alternative – boneless chicken breast and lots of it. I also prefer to use only white kidney beans (cannellini) vs. red. I think this adds to the lighter essence of the chicken stew which I favor. My final adaptation is that while the original recipe calls for ½ cup of fresh basil leaves. I load up with one, maybe even two cups. I just love the fresh basil taste and aroma.

Hear it goes…

Chicken Stew Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2-4 stalks celery, cut
2 carrot, peeled and cut
1 large onion, chopped
1 28oz. chopped, crushed or diced tomatoes
1 14.5oz. can low-salt vegetable broth
1-2 cup fresh basil leaves (I leave them whole)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2-3 boneless chicken breast
1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions

Warm oil in a pot. Add onion, celery and carrot until onions are translucent. Add salt, pepper and thyme.

Chicken Stew ingredients - sauteed onion, carrot, celery — Mirepoix – onion, carrot, celery

Add chicken breast and brown slightly.

Boneless chicken breast with chicken stew ingredients — Boneless chicken breast

Add tomato and chicken broth. Press chicken to submerge and bring to a boil. Add tomato paste (I skip this if I don’t have any in) and bay leaf. Lower heat to a simmer. Allow chicken to cook through until tender and breaks apart relatively easily with a fork. Once cooked through, remove chicken to slightly cool.

Chicken cooking in for chicken stew recipe — Cook chicken until tender

Add cannellini beans and basil to the broth.

Basil and white kidney beans - cannellini beans — Basil and beans

When chicken is cool enough to handle, break apart into bite size pieces and add back to the stew.

chicken stew recipe — Break chicken apart and add back in

Let all of the ingredients in the chicken stew simmer together for 10 minutes. Take off burner and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Remove bay leaf. Great with rice or crusty bread, but also perfectly filling on its own.

Enjoy!

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