recipes

Provençal Grilled Chicken and Gemelli

gemelli or penne pasta
skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin
1 yellow zucchini, diced
a handful of asparagus spears, chopped in 1'' lengths
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dried herbes de Provençe (ex. oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sage)
black pepper
finely shredded Asiago cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
2. Stir fry chicken in batches, till golden, and set aside.
3. Stir fry vegetables till tender and return cooked chicken to pan.
4. Add herbs and cooked pasta and toss gently to combine.
5. Serve topped with cheese, if desired, and a sprinkling of black pepper.

Satay Beef Stir-Fry

½ cup peanut butter
2Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dried crushed chillies
1 clove garlic, crushed
¾ cup coconut milk
2 tsp brown sugar
1 onion, chopped
4-5 green onions, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 lb inside round steak
2 Tbsp chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
2 cans water chestnuts, drained

1. Add peanut butter, half the sauce, rind, juice, chillies, garlic, half the coconut milk and sugar to small pot; stir over low heat, without boiling, until heated through.
2. Heat oil in wok, stir-fry beef until tender.
3. Add onions to wok, stir-fry till softened.
4. Add remaining coconut milk and remaining ingredients to wok.
5. Stir in one package of cooked cellophane noodles.
6. Serve with warm peanut sauce from step 1, and a plate of crushed peanuts on the side.

Penne Arrabbiata

This is particularly cheap/easy. Serves 2 (including refills).

1 lb bacon, diced
3-4 larg garlic cloves, minced
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
lots of hot red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 box penne noodles 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Sauté the bacon in a heavy saucepan or wok over med-high heat until getting crisp (but still maleable!). Set aside the bacon (usually on a paper towel on a plate to drain out some more fat), and pour the remaining fat out of the pan/wok.
2. Sauté and stir the garlic until it just starting to golden.
3. Start cooking the penne. This will actually take about 20 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes (diced and sauce), and stir in the red pepper flakes, and the bacon. Reduce heat to med-low and continue cooking until the tomatoes are soft and the sauce is dence but not puréed - about 20 minutes.
5. When the noodles are ready - drain them and stir the parsley into the sauce.
6. Serve the sauce over a bed of penne.

Linguine with Greens & Bacon

This is awesome. Serves 2, both of whom will be happy.

Linguine
1 lb bacon, chopped
3/4 cup pine nuts
1 onion, diced small
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ried hot red pepper flakes
1 bunch of collard greens or rapini leaves, chopped (I prefer spinach)
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved width-wise
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (optional)

1. Cook pacon in large heavy pot or wok over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until getting crisp (but still chewy!), then transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
2. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of bacon fat from pot/wok.
3. Add pine nts to pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden.
4. Transfer nuts with slotted spoon to the bacon bowl.
5. Set the linguine to cook, strain when done.
6. Add onion to pot/wok and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
7. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook whilst stirring, 1 minute.
8. Add greens to pot/wok and cook until wilted.
9. Add tomatoes and drained linguine to pot/wok and heat through, stirring occasionally, for 1 or 2 minutes.
10. Add bacon and pine nuts to pot/wok. Stir well.
11. Serve in bowls, topped with cheese (if you want). Drink wine with it.

Vegetable Dahl Curry

This serves about 8 or 10 meals, depending on your appetite.

1 cup green lentils
1 cup yellow split peas (some variation on this and above is fine)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes or the equivalent in yams, diced in bite-size chunks
2 tablespoons of curry powder (to taste)
2 teaspoons of ground cumin (or much, much more, to taste)
2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger root (or more, to taste)
2 cups of dihydrogen monoxide, if you can find it
1 cup of cauliflower florets (or much, much more, to taste)
1 small eggplant, diced
2 zucchini, sliced into thick rounds, then cut diametrically
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
hot pepper sauce, to taste
Indian pickle, if so desired

1. Put lentils and peas to soak overnight, or for several hours, in a large pot.
2. Drain remaining water, cover these grains with fresh water, and simmer.
3. Meanwhile, in a huge pot, cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until they are translucent.
4. Add sweet potatoes (or yams) to onions, cook and stir for 2ish minutes.
5. Add spices to potatoes, and stir well for another 2ish minutes.
6. Add water and remaining vegetables, cook and stir for a few more minutes.
7. Drain the pot with the grains, and add them to the huge pot with everything else. Stir well, and cover the pot.
8. Simmer until nice and dahly, for about 30 or 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add lemon juice and pepper sauce, and adjust seasoning.
10. Serve on white rice (converted is fine, basmati is probably more authentic), with a side of Indian pickle for those who go for that sort of thing.

Al Fresco

There is no fixed recipe, but this gives you the general idea. I recommend having this for a late lunch on the weekend, then take a nice long nap, then skip dinner. It really works best with several people.

Green or red pepper, sliced lengthwise.
Parisian or sourdough baguettes.
Paté. I like either peppercorn or cognac.
Mustard. I like the authentic stuff with the seeds.
Black olive tapenade.
Tomatoes, sliced into wedges and sprinked with Montreal steak spice.
Olives. I like Calabrese olives with the pits still inside.
Sliced ham, turkey, salami, or salmon, or some combination.
Lots of cheese. I like gouda spiced with cumin cut into bite-sized chunks, and slices of Baluchon (like Oka) from Quebec. Others like having softer stuff like brie or camembert.
Whatever you want.

1. Put the stuff on a table.
2. Eat the stuff.