Grilled Mediterranean Swordfish

I found this recipe on Mediterranean Dish.
Get steaks that are 1 inch thick. One steak weighs a little over 1 lb., enough for two people. Grilled swordfish hold up well on the grill - treat it like a beef steak using high heat to sear it on one side for 5 - 6 minutes, then turning the fish over and grill for another 3 minutes.
The fish is ready when it flakes easily with the touch of a fork.
This is a quick dish, you can marinate the fish for no longer than 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 lb. swordfish steak one inch thick.
For the marinade
12 garlic cloves peeled
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 lemons squeezed
1 teaspoon coriander
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (pimento)
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Blend all the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor until smooth for about 3 minutes..
Wash the fish and dry with a paper towel. Place the fish in a pan with sides and apply the marinade generously on both sides. Set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the grill.
Grill the fish on high heat for 5-6 minutes on one side, turn over once and grill on the other side for 3 minutes. The fish should flake easily while maintain firmness.
Finish with a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

 

Last Saturday we bought fresh salmon at the Farmers Market, I thought we had too much but it was so tasty there was only a portion left over, it was even good cold the next day. I was thinking the leftover salmon would make a good salmon salad, but it was gone by noon!
Cafe Delite provided the recipe, I highly recommend this site! I’ve changed some of the amounts slightly. My sister in law, Portia, took the pictures, she thought they looked so beautiful in the pan with the lemon slices.

Ingredients

2 lbs salmon filets (we bought with skins on and cooked it that way)
Salt and pepper to season
6 tablespoons lemon juice divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoon butter
8 cloves garlic finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves chopped, divided
1 lemon cut into slices.

Directions

Wash the salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper Squeeze 4 teaspoons lemon juice over each filet and rub all the flavor in. Let stand till the fish is at room temperature.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat until hot. Place salmon filets skin side down, pressing them lightly so the entire surface is in contact with the pan. Sear undisturbed for 4 minutes until crispy and golden.
Flip the fish and sear the other side of each filet for 2 minutes. Add in the butter, chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons parsley, 4 tablespoons lemon juice and lemon slices. Stir the butter and garlic around each filet.

Pan Seared Lemon Garlic Scallops

 I’ve lately been looking for good fish recipe sites - cafedelites.com has fabulous recipes and they work! This one for scallops is excellent. It is Seared Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops. They describe the scallops coated in a “deliciously silky lemon garlic butter sauce” “The ultimate treat!” I made this for our wedding anniversary.


Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 lbs scallops
3 tablespoons butter
5 large garlic cloves minced (or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions
Have everything ready before frying the scallops, the 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic, the wine measured in 1/4  cup, the 4 tablespoons lemon juice squeezed and the 1/4 cup of  parsley chopped.
If there is a side muscle attached to the scallops, remove. Rinse the scallops and pat dry with a paper tower.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium high heat until hot and sizzling. Add the scallops in a single layer without over crowding the pan. (work in batches if needed)
Season with salt and pepper and fry for 2-3 minutes on one side until a golden crust forms underneath. Then flip and fry again for 2 minutes until crisp, lightly browned and cooked through (opaque). Remove from skillet and transfer to a plate.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits left over from the scallops. Add in the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant for 1 minute.
Pour in the 1/4 cup wine and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes or until wine reduces by about a half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Remove pan from the heat and add the scallops back into the pan to warm through slightly, garnish with parsley.

You can serve the scallops over pasta, rice or crispy bread, nice with steamed broccoli, or zucchini.

Kale & Basil Pesto with Walnuts - dairy free

Ingredients

1 bunch kale (preferably Tuscan but the curly is fine) Approx.1 cup
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Black pepper
1 cup walnuts chopped in food processor
1 tablespoon thyme
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic minced

Directions

Tear off the kale leaves from the center stem and wash thoroughly.
Use only the basil leaves and also wash well. Drain both in a colander.
In a food processor or blender combine 1 cup kale leaves, 1 cup basil leaves and 1 cup walnuts, along with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 cup of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until chunky smooth. Add 1 tablespoon thyme, the zest and juice of one lemon and 2 cloves garlic minced. Pulse again.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a package of your favorite pasta. Once tender, drain the pasta, put in a bowl and stir in the pesto.

Pork Loin Chops with Garlic/Rosemary Butter Sauce

This is absolutely delicious! We served it with broccoli and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

1 lb pork loin chops
2 tbsp olive oil
 
For the butter sauce

1/2 stick butter melted
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped

Parsley for garnish

Directions
Remove pork chop from fridge and leave out at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make the butter sauce first
Melt 1/2 stick butter
Stir in 3 cloves garlic minced and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make 4 slashes in the fat of the chop without piercing the meat, this prevents the chop from curling up when searing.
Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chop
In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat
Once the oil is really hot, drop the chop into the skillet and sear for two minutes or until browned, flip and continue to sear for one minute, cover the top of the chop with the butter sauce.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue to cook for six minutes. Using a thermometer the temperature should read 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and let rest, the chop will continue to cook and should raise to 145 degrees F.  Sprinkle parsley leaves over the top and serve with apple sauce.

Salmon Filet with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped finely
8 plum tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
2 lbs salmon filet cut into 4 pieces
Olive oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the sauce ahead. Fresh plum tomatoes are the best or you can use a large can of crushed tomatoes. Plunge 8 plum tomatoes into boiling water, leave for a minute and remove, place in a colander. While waiting for the tomatoes to cool, prepare the other ingredients for the sauce.. Chop half a Vidalia onion and 3 cloves garlic (chop garlic finely). You can now peel the outer skins of the tomatoes, hollow out the core and chop.
To make the sauce, put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauce until just beginning to brown, add the garlic and sauce for 1 minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Cook over medium low heat stirring from time to time until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set to one side.
 
Rinse the salmon in water, pat dry with a paper towel.
Take a large cast iron pan over high heat for five minutes, during this time, brush the fish with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Place the salmon skin side up in the pan and cook for 4 minutes without moving until browned.
Flip the fish skin side down, transfer to the pan to the oven and cook for 8 minutes. The salmon will not be completely cooked all the way through. Remove from oven and place on a platter, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 8 minutes.

Reheat the tomato sauce, serve over the salmon.

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

I found this recipe on Allrecipes, submitted by Chef John.
I’ve tweaked it a bit, but it’s a delicious dish, all in one and has a lovely lingering flavor.

Ingredients

4 Bone in Chicken thighs (skin on)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (or Real Lemon)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic finely minced
3 potatoes quartered and halved
2/3 cup chicken broth with a bit left over to deglaze pan at end

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a roasting pan with Pam
In a large bowl, place the chicken pieces. Season with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 6 cloves finely minced garlic. Add 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil. Add potatoes and mix until potatoes and chicken are well coated with the marinade.

Transfer chicken to the roasting pan, skin side up, reserving marinade. Scatter potato pieces around chicken, drizzle 2/3 chicken broth and finally spoon remainder of marinade over chicken and potatoes.

Place in preheated oven, uncovered. Bake for 20 minutes. Toss chicken and potatoes, keeping chicken skin side up. Continue baking until chicken is browned and cooked through more (20-25 mins). A thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer chicken to serving platter.
Toss the potatoes and continue to roast for three minutes.
Transfer potatoes to the platter with the chicken.
Place roasting pan on stove over medium heat. Add a splash of broth and stir up browned bits from bottom.Strain the marinade.
Spoon juices over chicken and potato.
Serve with broccoli/ green beans/ or salad.