Main Course

  • 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeños, or to taste, seeded and chopped
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups 2% or whole milk, warmed
  • 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (8 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 cup fresh plain, whole wheat, or panko bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Spicy Mac & Cheese

Spicy Mac & Cheese

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Course: 
  • 4 catfish fillets, 6-8 oz (185-250 g) each
  • 5 Tbsp (3 fl oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for coating Cajun Spice Rub (below)
  • 1 strip applewood-smoked bacon, finely diced
  • 8 handfuls baby spinach leaves or baby arugula leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • ½-1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cajun Spice Rub:

This rub adds contrasting color and a spicy taste to mild white catfish. The salt in the rub helps the spices to penetrate the flesh of the fish and imbue it with flavor. To make this rub, in a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 Tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika, 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground, and 1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled. Makes enough to coat 4 large fish fillets.

Cajun-Spiced Catfish Fillets

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Course: 
  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided 
  • 3 large shallots, finely chopped (1 cup) 
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 
  • 2 serrano chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rings, divided 
  • 2 pounds boneless country­style pork ribs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper 
  • 3 tablespoons molasses 
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges, to serve 
  • Steamed jasmine rice, to serve 
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro 

Don't use blackstrap molasses; its flavor is too bitter.

Sweet Soy-Braised Pork

Sweet Soy-Braised Pork

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Course: 

For the steak and marinade:

  • ¼ cup pure olive oil
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with salt 
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 4 (8-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, about 2 inches thick



For the oregano butter:

  • 4 tablespoons(¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste with salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Greek-Style Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Oregano Butter 

Greek-Style Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Oregano Butter

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Course: 
  • 2 (2¼- to 2½-pound) racks baby back ribs, trimmed and each rack cut into fourths 
  • 2 teaspoons ground fennel 
  • 4½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus salt for cooking pasta 
  • 1 teaspoon pepper 
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 1 large onion, chopped fine 
  • 1 large fennel bulb, stalks discarded  bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine 
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped fine 
  • ¼ cup minced fresh sage, divided 
  • ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry red wine, divided
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed 
  • 3 cups chicken broth 
  • 1 garlic head, outer papery skins removed and top fourth of head cut off and discarded 
  • 1 pound pappardelle or tagliatelle 
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Pork Ragu

Pork Ragu

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Course: 
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
  • 1¼ pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted dry 
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped 
  • 4 teaspoons fennel seeds, finely ground 
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine 
  • 1½ pounds small tomatoes, such as Campari, chopped, plus ¼ cup finely diced 
  • ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper 
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled (1 cup) 
  • ¼ cup chopped Peppadew peppers (optional) 

Recipe Note: 

This classic Greek dish pairs plump, sweet shrimp with briny feta cheese. We added chopped Kalamata olives for added savoriness, as well as ground fennel for a hint of anise. Our preferred tomatoes for this recipe are Campari (or cocktail) tomatoes, as they tend to be sweet and flavorful year-round; they're larger than cherry tomatoes but smaller than standard round tomatoes and usually sold on the vine in containers. We tried cherry and grape tomatoes, but found their skins to be tough and unpleasant in the finished sauce. Chopped Peppadew peppers are an unconventional ingredient, but their mild, sweet heat makes them a welcome addition. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

 

Shrimp with Feta Cheese

Shrimp with Feta Cheese

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  • 3 medium onions, chopped (about 2½ cups)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large russet (baking) potato, peeled and diced (¼ inch)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and minced fine (wear rubber gloves)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 1½ whole boneless smoked chicken breasts (about 1 pound), skin and fat removed and meat cut into ½-inch dice

Smoked Chicken Chowder

Smoked Chicken Chowder

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