Last night at a cooking class demonstration, Chef Jeremy Schorb from The Boathouse in White Rock, B.C. made this dish. His mother asked him to finish this off in the oven so “raw beef” would not be served. Tataki means “Raw”. Thank you Jeremy’s mother…at that point I loved you.
I have to say this was absolutely delicious. The marinade made it. This could be served on a crostini with some Burrata cheese and the beef as a perfect hors d’Oeurve at your next party.
- 2 cups Soy sauce
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup good red wine
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tbsp. fresh minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 lb. beef tenderloin (or striploin)
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until well mixed.
Place the meat in a ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and let sit for 4-6 hours. Once done, remove the meat and discard the liquid. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and place a frypan on high heat, adding small amount of canola oil. Sear all sides of the beef (about 2 minutes) and place in the oven to finish off (about 5-10 minutes) at 400 degrees. Let rest.
As noted, this can no longer be called tataki but is sooooo much better.
Slice very thin and serve. Last night ours was served on a small mound of a radish slaw, the thinly sliced beef and a gorgeous scallop. Yeah, it sucks to be us living here and able to attend these classes.
Pizza-Spanakopita Style
If you love Greek food you will love this pizza. It can be served as an Appetizer for your party or just nibblies during hockey night viewing.
- 1 bag of fresh baby spinach, stems removed
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup, extra smooth ricotta
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup crumbled Feta
- 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 450g pkg of all butter, puff pastry (2 rolls), thawed
- 1 egg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove middle rack, making sure one rack is in the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Boil a large pot of water and add the spinach, cooking until wilted (60 seconds). Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a tea towel and wring out excess liquid. Chop the spinach.
Heat a frypan and add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is lightly brown. Add the spinach and ricotta and reduce the heat. Cook until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, add the dill, 1/2 cup Feta and nutmeg. Set aside.
Unroll the pastry onto the cookie sheets. Use a sharp knife to score a 1/2 inch border around each pastry sheet. Then dock the pastry all over with a fork. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush evenly over the pastry.
Bake in the oven, switching the pans around halfway through baking time (about 14-15 minutes) until lightly golden in colour and puffy.
Remove from the oven, divide the spinach mixture between the two pans and spread out to the scored edges. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the tops and continue baking until the pastry and feta are golden in colour, again switching the pans around halfway through the 12-13 minute baking time. Slice and serve.
OMG! Yummy….
Bell Pepper and Shrimp Casserole
In an hour, you can have this awesome casserole on the dinner table. Add a crisp salad, glass of ….you know….and life is good again.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 yellow or bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 small white onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 12 oz. medium shrimp, deveined and shelled
- pinch of salt and pepper
In a large frypan, heat the butter and add the peppers, onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring vigorously for 30 seconds. Continue stirring, add the stock and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add the cream and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a large baking dish that you have sprayed with Pam. Set aside.
Dough Made With Cheddar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup corn flour (NOT corn meal)
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup chilled butter, diced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
In a large bowl combine the two flours, baking powder and mix well. Cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and add to the flour. Mix gently with a fork. Add the cheese and mix until the dough comes together.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface and shape to fit the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the middle of the oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The filling should be bubbling and the crust a beautiful golden colour.
What did I tell you? You bet….it is a yummy dinner.
Ice Cream Party Squares
This dessert is great for a party…birthday party…..Brunch celebrations….or just you. Cut in squares as needed and you have your own party.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup melted butter (not margarine)
- 1 cup either Butterscotch or chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups either Butterscotch or chocolate sundae sauce
- 8 cup softened ice cream
Combine the flour, oats, nuts and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and mix really well. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Crumble while still warm and cool completely.
Press one half of the mixture in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Stir the chips into the remaining mixture. Drizzle half of the sauce over the base and start to spoon in the ice cream, making sure it is level.
Drizzle the remaining sauce over the entire surface and cover with the remaining crumbs.
Cover with plastic and freeze completely. The nice thing about this recipe is you can use whatever ice cream you wish. For me? Chapman’s make the best.
Yummy!
Shrimp Quesadillas
Another quickie lunch or appetizer to serve. It is easy and scrumptious so go for it…..
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup black bean puree
- 1 tomato, seeds and diced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 bag of shredded nacho cheese
- 3 tbsp. salsa verde
- 1/4 cup sour cream (not light)
- 1 lime, quartered
Thread the shrimp on wooden skewers (soak the skewers first).
Place on a platter, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with the garlic and turn to coat both sides.
Preheat the barbecue.
Grill the shrimp for 45 seconds. Spread with bean puree, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Add the diced tomato, avocado and onion, then arrange the shrimp pieces over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese and cover with another tortilla. Press lightly.
Place on the grill and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Cut in half and serve with the salsa verde and sour cream.
Yummy….
Asparagus Orange Salad
Can you tell I’m getting ready for warm Spring/Summer weather so we can sit on the deck and enjoy eating outside…..you bet and here is a salad that bodes well.
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed of woody ends
- 5 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped (if you insist)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented, reserving the juice
- 8 slices proscuitto
- 4 thick slices focaccio bread
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 4 bundles of Burrata cheese, quartered (the best you will EVER eat)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Steam the asparagus in an asparagus pot for about 4 minutes and cool down in cold water. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil, cook the pepper and onion for about 10 minutes until soft and just beginning to brown. Add the sugar and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the vinegar and reserved orange juice. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Set aside.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and place the proscuitto slices on them. Bake for 7 minutes until crisp and some of the fat has rendered off. Carefully transfer to paper towels.
Rub the focaccio bread with the garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and place in the skillet on medium heat. Toast until golden, 2 minutes per side.
Divide the asparagus and orange segments on 4 plates, top with the cheese, drizzle some vinaigtette over, place a couple of proscuitto on the side of the salad and add a slice of bread. Voila!
Tostadas
Friday night and what to have for supper? Well, you could order in but….nah! This will wake up the taste buds and give you a new lift on the day. Let’s go.
Sauce
- 1 ancho chili
- 1 lb. ripe roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed and halved
- 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
In a frypan. toast the chili for 2 minutes each side, pressing firmly with a wooden spatula as you cook until fragrant and softened. Place in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes. Remove the seeds, stem and drain.
Place the tomatoes, onion, pepper, and garlic on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes until soft. Set aside to cool.
In a blender, puree the cooled baked vegetables, ancho pepper, salt and sugar to make the sauce. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stuffing
- 4 chorizo sausages, casing removed
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 1/4 cups fresh corn kernals
- 19 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 pkg. Monteray Jack Cheese
- 2-3 limes, quartered
In a frypan, cook the sausage meat for about 6 minutes, breaking up the lumps.
Brush the tortillas. brush both sides with oil and place on two parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven.
Divide the corn, black beans and sausage meat equally among the tortillas, topping with a few spoonfuls of the sauce and a slice of cheese. Bake for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve warm with extra sauce on the side and a couple wedges of lime.
There….now you have already forgotten about the day….the week….pour a cold beer…..yum!
Chicken Salad With New Attitude
This salad will make a great lunch fare or even better, a full meal deal, served with a warm roll and chilled glass of your favourite……
This is a good meal for 4 people.
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 (170g) container of Feta cheese
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 large English Cucumber, diced small
- 3/4 lb. baby new potatoes, cooked and halved
- 1/2 small watermelon, cut in 4 wedges
- 4 dried apricots, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, lime zest and one half of the juice, garlic clove and oil. Set aside.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in a shallow dish. Pour the vinaigrette over the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Preheat barbecue.
Grill on high heat for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Slice in 1/4 inch strips and set aside.
In a blender make the dressing by pureeing the Feta cheese, water, remaining lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. If needed, add more water.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, potatoes and half of the dressing and toss gently. Place this in a bowl, add the chicken slices on top, sprinkle with the apricot and drizzle with the remaining dressing. On the side of the plate, add the watermelon wedge. Serve immediately.
Delightful Focaccia Bread
This is a wonderful focaccia bread to have with a freshly made salad on the patio, chilled glass of…you know….sun shining, what more is there? You will love this and it is easy to make.
- 1 store-bought pizza dough (fresh)1 lb. wt.
- 2 tbsp. cornmeal
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 400g container ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and diced small
- 2 tbsp. Turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
- 2 tsp. fleur de sel
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic and set sit for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Invert baking sheet and sprinkle the cornmeal generously over it. Place the dough on the sheet. Dip your fingers into the melted butter and gently, but firmly, spread the dough out to cover the entire sheet. Brush the top with more melted butter.
Arrange the grapes, rosemary and ricotta cheese and cold butter evenly on top of the dough. Sprinkle the surface with sugar and salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is a golden brown and puffed around the edges. Serve warm.
Was I right? Hmmmm? Yummy.
Crab and Rice Noodle Spring Rolls
If you love ‘Spring rolls”, this is one you might want to try. The crab paired with orange and kiwi bring this up a notch.
- 2 kiwi, peeled and diced*
- 1 orange, segmented and diced (blood orange if possible)
- 7 oz. crabmeat, well drained and minced
- 1 tsp. wasabi paste
- 12 wide rice paper wrappers
- 12 slices Havarti cheese
- 12 Boston lettuce leaves
- enough plum sauce (to your taste)
- 12 sprigs coriander
- grilled sesame seeds
In a large bowl, combine the kiwi, orange and crab. Add the mayonnaise and wasabi and gently mix together.
Fill a shallow dish with warm water. Submerge a rice wrapper for 8 seconds and place on a clean dish towel.
Place a slice of havarti in the centre, add a lettuce leaf, some plum sauce, rice noodles and some of the crab mixture. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds and roll up tightly, tucking in the ends.
Repeat until all are used up and serve with more plum sauce.
This can be a light lunch with family on a Sunday or take to work and enjoy immensely while everyone looks on with pouts because they didn’t have one or you also can use these as an Appetizer for company. Just sayin’.
*The gold kiwi fruit is not as acidic as the green. I prefer it, but have trouble finding it in stores.
A Few More Lunch Ideas To Take With You
This one is easy to make. If you are having grilled chicken for dinner on, say, Sunday, make one more for you to put together this sandwich to take for lunch on Monday. Remember the mantra….cook once, eat twice.
Grilled Chicken And Slaw
- 1/4 of a small cabbage
- 5 tbsp. lowfat yogurt
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon, torn
- 1 whole chicken breast, cut in half
- 2 2-ounce sections fresh baguette, cut open lengthwise
Remove outer leaves of the cabbage and core it. Slice very thin shreds and set aside in a small bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add this to the shredded cabbage and tarragon, tossing to coat well.
Place each breast half between plastic wrap and pound out with the flat side of a meat mallet (Girls, just think of mamograms). Season with salt and pepper.
Grill for 2-3 minutes and then turn over, cooking a further 2 minutes. (Do this the night before to save time).
To make the sandwiches, simply cut and place the chicken to fit the baguette and, when ready to eat, top with 1/4 cup of coleslaw.
That makes a better lunch than cottage cheese and plain water. Yuk!
OR try this one…
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, the healthy way
- 3 sun-dried tomato halves
- 1 6 oz. tuna, packed in water
- 1 celery stalk, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup diced fennel
- 3 tbsp. freshly chopped dill
- 1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2-3 drops Tabasco sauce (to taste)
- pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp. nonfat yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp. mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1 English cucumber, unpeeled and sliced very thin
- 1 cup fresh pea sprouts
- 3 2-ounce pita, cut open
Rinse the tomatoes in hot water and remove the oils and rehydrate in boiling water for 1 minute. Chop and set aside.
In a bowl combine the tomatoes, tuna, celery, onion, carrot, fennel, dill, parsley, lime juice, Tabasco and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
Assemble the sandiches dividing equally in the pitas and top with the pea sprouts and line one side with cucumber slices.
These should break the habit of same old-same old sandwiches.
Yum!
Lighter, Healthier Sandwiches to Take To Work/School
Time to re-think what we take to work or school. Being ‘light’ does not
just mean cottage cheese or yogurt in a container. Today, I will try a few to give you some ideas. To make it work you should emphasize low-fat proteins such as chicken, turkey, tuna, beans or legumes to get top marks. Also try whole grain bread instead of white.
Try these for a week and you will feel better (if only mentally) and might try to make up your own light lunches.
Black Forest Ham And Argula Sandwiches
- 1/2 tbsp. nonfat sour cream
- 1/2 tbsp. nonfat cream cheese
- 1/2 tbsp. honey mustard
- 1/2 tbsp. each of chopped fresh dill and chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- 4 slices of whole grain or pumpernickel bread
- 4 ounces sliced Black Forest Ham
- 1 cup Arugula leaves
- 4 tomatoes slices, 1/4′ thick
In a small bowl mix everything except the ham, tomato slices and arugula leaves. Spread half of this mixture on each of two slices of bread.
Assemble the ham, arugula and tomato slices. If taking in a baggy to work, add the tomato slices just before eating so they won’t become soggy. (just put in separate small baggy). If you don’t care for tomatoes, use cucumber slices instead. Nothing is written in stone.
White Bean And Roasted Garlic Pitas
Before even thinking about this one, have breath mints or mouth wash handy. Nothing is worse than trying to speak to someone who has eaten garlic for lunch and you haven’t. Trust me.
You can even use bottled peppers in water (not oil).
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in quarters
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters
- Pam spray
- 1 19 oz. can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- sprinkling of salt and pepper
- 2 cups of arugula leaves
- 4 2-oz. pita breads, cut open
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Separate but do not peel the cloves of garlic. Place on a square of tin foil and add 1 tbsp. of water and seal tightly. Roast until very soft (45 minutes).
When cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out and set aside.
Place the beans, roasted garlic and lime juice in a processor for 10 seconds or until really smooth. Season with the salt and pepper.
Assemble the sandwiches, dividing the peppers, arugula and beans among the 4 pitas. This makes lunch for 2 hungary people or 4 lunches for kids.
Enjoy…..I’ll try a couple more soon…..