Marinated Fennel and Green Bean Salad

From the Cook Book, Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck

I first read a recipe by Lidey Heuck in the New York Times for a Taverna Salad, to me it sounded like a different version of fattoush, with the toasted pita bread and halloumi, although the traditional Lebanese fattoush does not include halloumi cheese. It reminds Lidey too of fattoush. Anyway I’ve made it many times this week both with and without the pita bread and halloumi cheese. It’s delicious both ways. I tried the other two recipes by her, a clam and pearl couscous recipe and a shawarma chicken with the most delicious dip. So then I bought Cooking in Real Life and have to say this is a fantastic cook book, so far all the recipes work, they are unique in that they add an unexpected ingredient with a twist to familiar dishes.  She also adds alternative ingredients if you don’t have something or can’t find it easily in the store. Looking through all the recipes, I went for this one next because I had some leftover green beans in the fridge and a fennel bulb. 

Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb green beans trimmed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Grated zest of half an orange

2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice

Grated zest of half a lemon

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 large shallot)

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Chopped fennel fronds or fresh parsley for serving

Directions

In a large pot, fill with water and a tablespoon salt, bring the water to the boil and drop the green beans. Cook for three minutes until just tender. Drain and place the beans in ice water to cool. Next place the beans in a colander to drain.

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk vigorously then add the shallot and whisk again.

Pat the beans dry with a paper towel and add them to the bowl, along with the fennel and olives. Toss well. Set the salad aside to marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature, tossing occasionally or up to six hours non the fridge. Allow the salad to come to room temperature before serving

Spoon the salad onto a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with fennel fronds.

This salad can be made ahead, good with chicken or salmon added.

A Different Fattoush Salad

This salad recipe adapted from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck appeared in the New York Times on Wednesday April 3, 2024. It is a delicious salad but although the recipes states it can be made ahead, I would caution you to keep the toasted pita bits to one side not mixed in with the salad. We found the pita bread becomes quite soggy soaking up all the delicious juices if you eat it the next day.

The dressing can be made in advance.  Tonight I had no halloumi and skipped toasting the pita bread, it was still a good salad without the halloumi or toasted pita!

Ingredients for the dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the salad

3 medium tomatoes diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 (15 oz) can chick peas drained

1 orange or yellow bell pepper diced into half inch pieces

1 large English cucumber halved and diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup minced red onion or shallot

2 tablespoon capers coarsely chopped 

2 scallions thinly sliced

1 lemon squeezed

a pinch of citric acid

1/2 pita bread (optional)

1 8oz block of halloumi cheese - use 4 oz. Cut into 3/4 inch thick slices (optional)

Directions

Dressing

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup olive oil with 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season with salt and pepper

Salad

In a large bowl combine tomatoes chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

The pita bread and halloumi is optional, the salad is terrific without these two ingredients

Chop the pita bread into 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the pita bread until toasted and golden brown.

About 3 minutes. Return the toast pita to the bowl.

Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium high heat and cook the halloumi until golden brown, approximately 2-3 mins per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite size cubes.

Add the pita and halloumi to the salad and serve.

Country Style Pork Chops and Potatoes with a Country Style Sauce

Baked Pork Chops  and Potatoes with a Country Style  Sauce

A really delicious dish all in one, the pork chops can be marinating in the sauce overnight, it is an easy meal to make for those of us short on time.

Adapted from Nagi/RecipeTinEats

A really easy delicious meal for those of us short on time.

Ingredients

4 pork chops with the bone

Baby potatoes cut in half, at least 20

1 tablespoon oil

Salt and Pepper

Country Style Sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

Mix the ingredients for the country style sauce all together in a bowl.

Pour the sauce into a ziplock bag, add the pork chops, rub the sauce into all sides of the chops and leave in fridge overnight to marinate

Preheat the oven to 430 degrees F.

In a baking dish, spray with Pam, add the potatoes and bake for 15 minutes to give them a head start.

Take the tray out of the oven, push the potatoes to the sides and place the pork on the tray.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the tray, change the oven from bake to broil/grill and make sure the oven rack is about 8 inches from the broiler.

Turn the pork chops over, brush the juices over the chops and broil for 7 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Note

I served this with French green beans blanched ahead.

Wash the beans and bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

Drop the beans in and remove after 4 minutes.

Place the beans in cold water, drain in a colander and put the beans in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge.

Just before eating, sauté the beans with 1 clove garlic finely chopped in oil. 

Remove when the garlic starts to brown. This will take two minutes.

 

Cod Poached in Coconut Milk with Ginger, Shallot and Bok Choy

 

I found this recipe on Unpeeled Journal and tweaked it slightly, it is very light and I think one of the best ways to eat cod.

Ingredients

1 lb cod fish filets

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large shallot sliced

2 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced

2 slice of ginger, 2 inches thick, peeled and thinly sliced

1 12oz can coconut milk

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

5 bok choys sliced and bottoms removed

3 scallions green and light green parts sliced thin

1 lime

Lemon Wedges

Salt

Directions

Wash and dry the fish, sprinkle with salt and set aside

In a medium skillet heat the canola oil. Add the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Cook stirring until the shallot is translucent, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in the coconut milk, juice of 1 lime, the oyster sauce, brown sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and add the fish. Turn the heat to low and cover.

Poach the fish at a low simmer for 7 minutes until the fish is cooked (when it has turned white and flaky) . Do not boil or the fish will be tough.

Remove the fish and place it on a platter, raise the coconut milk liquid to medium low. Add the bok choy and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour over the fish and top with scallions and lemon wedges.

Sauteed Red Cabbage

My daughter fell in love with this recipe when she visited Prague a few years ago. 

Ingredients

1 red cabbage chopped thinly

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped

2/3 apple cider vinegar ( ran out of apple cider vinegar and added white balsamic vinegar)

4 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium high heat

Add the oil and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. 

Add cabbage and turn in pan, sautéing until it wilts.

Add vinegar to the pan and turn the cabbage in it.

Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat

Let cabbage continue to cook 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

I would recommend making this a day ahead, it seems to be even better a day later.

Tuna Fish - Pan Seared

This Saturday, we bought fresh tuna fish steaks at the Farmer’s Market. I found a video by Jamie Oliver and decided to try his recipe for tuna.

He makes a crust using coriander seeds, fennel seeds, pepper corns and salt which he pounds in a pestle. The fish is seared in a hot non stick pan for no more than two minutes on each side.

We ate it with asparagus and new potatoes. Really delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb tuna fish (for two people)

Olive oil

1 teasp coriander seeds

1 teasp. Fennel seeds

1 teasp. Salt

1/2 teasp. Pepper corns

Directions

Grind all the herbs till they are like coarse bread crumbs.

Wash the fish and pat dry with a paper towel

Sprinkle the crushed seeds on a board and place the fish over the seeds, flipping the fish so you get both sides.

Take a little olive oil and pat on both sides of fish, massaging just a little.

Heat up the frying pan so it is very hot

Place the fish in the pan, should sizzle loudly and flip the fish after two minutes, continue to sear for 1 1/2 minutes, you want the fish to remain raw in the center.

Remove fish and serve with lemon juice.