Frittata Nests

• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 2 small zucchini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 leeks, thinly sliced and washed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, cream and some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Trim the zucchini ends and grate each one lengthwise over a box grater to take the flesh off without pulling out any of the seeds. Place a medium size skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Sauté the leeks and zucchini until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Baste the inside of each cup of a six-cup muffin pan with some melted butter. Divide the leek mixture between the six cups. Push the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form a “nest”. Divide the egg mixture between the six cups, pouring it directly into each nest. Bake until the eggs are set and puffed, 8-10 minutes.

Let set a minute before removing. Serve warm.

Middle Eastern Beans & Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in rice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, then pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Place the turkey in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
3. Gently mix cooked turkey, garbanzo beans, black beans, cilantro, parsley, and pine nuts into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Asian Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup lite soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian chile paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 (2 pound) fat-trimmed pork tenderloin

Directions

1. Pour into a medium bowl the soy sauce, sesame oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Then whisk in brown sugar, green onions, garlic, chile paste, and pepper. Place the tenderloin in a shallow dish. Pour sauce over tenderloin, turning the meat a few times to coat. Cover dish, and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Transfer pork with marinade into an aluminum foil-lined baking pan.
3. Roast in a preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes. Remove, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Bucca di Beppo - Macaroni Rosa

• 8 ounces macaroni, cooked
• 3 ounces olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 6 ounces cooked chicken breast strips
• 3 ounces peas
• 16 ounces marinara sauce
• 6 ounces cream
• 6 ounces broccoli, buds
• 1 ounce basil, for brushetta mix
• 1/4 tablespoon salt, for brushetta mix
• 2 ounces olive oil, for brushetta mix
• 1/4 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper, for brushetta mix
• 2 ounces garlic, peeled chopped for brushetta mix
• 4 ounces red onions, for brushetta mix
• 1 lb roma tomato, for brushetta mix
• 2/3 cup grated romano cheese

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients together listed for brushetta. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.
3. Add mushrooms and chicken tenders. Sauté until chicken starts to brown along the edges.
4. Add marinara and cream and reduce by a third.
5. Add 4 oz of bruschetta mix and peas. Cook for three minutes. (Refrigerate the remaining brushetta mix to serve over toasted Italian bread with fresh mozzarella).
6. Drop macaroni and broccoli buds in boiling water for three seconds.
7. Drain and toss in sauce along with Romano cheese and serve on a large platter.

Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Marinade:
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar

Other:

• 1/2 pound Chinese noodles (thin or thick noodles are fine)
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 1 carrot)
• 1 8-ounce can straw mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long. (It’s easiest to do this if the chicken is slightly frozen). Add the light soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, sesame oil and the cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the other ingredients: Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the noodles in boiling water until they are cooked al dente (tender but still firm). This will take about 3 minutes for fresh noodles, and 4 - 5 minutes for dried noodles. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

3. Cut the carrot into thin strips to match the chicken. Rinse the straw mushrooms under running water to remove any “tinny” taste. Drain thoroughly.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high to high heat. Add the garlic, stir-fry for a few seconds until aromatic, then add the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until it changes color and is 80 percent cooked. (If you need more oil, try adding 1 tablespoon water). Remove the chicken and clean out the wok.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the salt in the wok. Add the carrots and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken. Add the noodles, stirring to mix in with the other ingredients. Add the sauce into the wok, mixing with the other ingredients.

6. Cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt or pepper if desired. Serve hot.

Spicy Ground Chicken and Eggplant (PF Chang's)

Ingredients:
1 pound eggplant (Chinese preferred)
4 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 scallions, chopped fine
4 ounces ground pork
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili paste with garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken stock

Directions:

Slice eggplant diagonally into 1-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in wok until very hot.

Stir-fry eggplant about 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and half the scallions on low heat until aroma comes, about 30 seconds. Add pork.

Turn to high heat. Stir-fry until meat changes color. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili paste with garlic. Stir-fry 30 seconds.

Pour eggplant into meat mixture. Add remaining scallions and stock. Cook and stir about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil.

Salmon with Red Curry Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

• 4 salmon fillets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tsp Thai red curry paste
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• (all portions approximate -adjust to taste)

1. Heat the canola oil in a shallow frying pan on medium heat. Add salmon fillets skin side down and brown for about 2-3 minutes. Then turn salmon over and brown the other side for another 2-3 minutes or less, depending on thickness. Be careful not to overcook the salmon. If in doubt, use a knife and fork to gently part flesh (without breaking fillet) to make sure it's moist inside, but not raw.

2. Set salmon aside in a dish and cover. Add scallions and red curry paste to the same frying pan with the salmon drippings on medium high heat, and stir until scallions are wilted and red curry paste is well mixed in.

3. Add orange juice, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to the frying pan and stir. Simmer on medium to low heat. As mixture reduces, taste and adjust ingredients according to personal preference. Splash in some soy sauce to round out the flavor, again adjusting the amount according to taste.

4. When mixture has reduced to a thick sauce, lower heat. Put salmon on serving dishes with sides (suggested sides: white rice and a steamed vegetable). Pour reduction over salmon, serve and enjoy!