from the los angeles times
Chilled pea soup with fines herbes
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 Tbsps. butter
12 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced (a generous 1/2 cup)
Coarse sea salt to taste
4 cups fresh or frozen green peas
5 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup crème fraîche
1 1/2 Tbsps. each finely chopped tarragon, flat-leaf parsley and chervil
3 Tbsps. chopped chives
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. In a 2-quart heavy-bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onions and sprinkle generously with salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Stir in the peas, then the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. While the peas are cooking, mix the crème fraîche with the tarragon, parsley, chervil and chives in a small bowl; set aside.
3. When the peas are very soft, remove the pot from the heat and purée the contents with an immersion blender (or cool the mixture slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth). Press the purée through a coarse strainer into a large bowl. Thoroughly whisk in the herbed crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving. (The soup is also great warm: Just add the herbed crème fraîche and reheat gently.)
Each serving: 350 calories; 16 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber; 20 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 41 mg. cholesterol; 131 mg. sodium.
Crispy fish with fines herbes ravigote
Total time: About 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. each finely chopped tarragon, flat-leaf parsley and chervil
2 Tbsps. chopped chives
1 Tbsp. drained and rinsed capers
2 Tsps. minced shallot
2 Tsps. lemon juice, or to taste
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
4 thick fillets (5 to 6 ounces each) flounder, sole or other mild fish, skinless
3/4 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten with 3 Tbsps. milk
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
1. For the ravigote sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, tarragon, parsley, chervil, chives, capers and shallot. Add 2 tsps. lemon juice, or to taste. Season if desired with salt and white pepper.
2. Season the fish with a pinch each of salt and black pepper on both sides. Dredge the fish fillets lightly in the flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the panko, coating well. Set aside on a rack.
3. Add enough oil to come about one-half inch up the sides of a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until hot enough that the fillets sizzle gently when placed in the oil. Cook the fillets until crisp and browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Then flip them over and cook until they are just done, 2 to 3 minutes longer, depending on the thickness (a slim knife should slide easily into the thickest part). Serve at once, with the ravigote alongside.
Each serving: 554 calories; 32 grams protein; 36 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 32 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 185 mg. cholesterol; 339 mg. sodium.
from cooksillustrated.com
Greek pita pizzas
These simple personal pizzas make a quick and delicious weeknight meal. We tasted various flavors of packaged hummus in this recipe—red pepper hummus was the test kitchen's favorite.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (8-inch) pita rounds
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 onion, red (small), sliced thin
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup hummus
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 cups arugula
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Brush 2 tablespoons oil over top and bottom of pita rounds. Transfer to baking sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl. Toss onion, olives, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette together in separate bowl.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons hummus on each toasted pita round. Sprinkle cheeses evenly over hummus, then top with onion mixture. Bake until onions soften and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Just before serving, toss arugula with remaining vinaigrette. Arrange arugula on top of pita pizzas. Serve.
Chicken and pasta with asparagus and lemon
Servings: 4
Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe; regular chicken broth will make the dish extremely salty. This recipe is from our cookbook, The Best Chicken Recipes.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), trimmed and sliced thin
1 leek, white and light green parts only, minced and rinsed thoroughly
6 medium garlic cloves, minced and pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound asparagus (about 1 bunch), tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
8 ounces penne pasta or ziti (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
2 teaspoons grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper
1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until beginning to brown. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook without stirring until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon more of the butter, the leek, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the skillet and cook over high heat until browned on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and flour and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and wine, bring to a simmer, and cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, stir 1 tablespoon salt and the asparagus into the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus are crisp-tender, about 1 minute (do not overcook). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
5. Return the water to a boil, stir in the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Return the chicken to the skillet along with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
6. Pour the chicken and sauce mixture over the pasta and add the asparagus and basil. Toss gently to combine, adding the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.
from kcrw's good food
Cianfotta
Roman Spring Saute
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1 white of leek, sliced and washed, tops reserved for soup
2 garlic cloves or 4-6 fresh garlic cloves or 1 stalk green garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 bunch pencil thin asparagus, tough stems cut off and discarded, stalks cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1/4 pound sugar snap peas, stem end and string removed, each pod sliced vertically so the peas inside are exposed
Spearmint leaves to taste, at least 15
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium to large skillet cook the leek slices in oil over medium high heat. When the leeks have started to soften add the garlic and cook until you smell the characteristic aroma. Turn the heat up to high and add the asparagus, sugar snaps and mint. Move everything around so there is maximum contact of veggies with heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook to your liking. I like this dish when the asparagus and sugar snaps no longer have that raw edge but are still al dente. Take the veggies off the heat and put them in a bowl or on a plate before they are actually completely done. They will continue to cook off the heat.
Eat hot, at room temperature, cold as is or add to pasta or risotto.
Recipe courtesy of Evan Kleiman.