68 posts tagged “basil”

Provencal Tuna Melt
Yields 4 servings

4 cans of tuna in water, drained and flaked
5 to 6 sprigs tarragon, stripped from the stem and chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
12 black or green pitted olives, about a handful, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 French baguette, cut into 4 sections and split on top
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat the broiler. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the tuna, tarragon, basil, parsley, olives, shallots and capers. Squeeze the lemon over the bowl, being careful not to get any of the seeds in. Drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the baguettes with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the baguettes with the tuna salad. Top with gruyere cheese and pop under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with carrot and celery sticks, and healthy potato chips alongside.

Steamers with Asian Broth and Cilantro Butter
Serves 6 to 8

1 cup unsalted clam juice
1 cup loosely packed Thai or regular fresh basil leaves
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, (nam pla)
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 pounds steamers, (littlenecks or cherrystones can be used instead), scrubbed
3 limes, cut in wedges, for garnish

Combine 2 cups water, clam juice, basil, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, and salt in a stockpot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until well flavored, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cilantro and butter in food processor; mix until cilantro is in tiny flecks. Set aside in a small saucepan.

Pass liquid in stockpot through cheesecloth-lined strainer. Return to stockpot over medium-high heat. Add clams (use a bamboo steamer if desired); cover pan. Cook until clams open, 10 to 12 minutes; discard unopened ones. Melt the cilantro butter. Transfer the clams to a serving bowl, and strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Serve clams with lime wedges, broth for rinsing off sand, and butter for dipping.

Shrimp with Baby Penne & Baby Arugula
Yields 4-6 servings

1 pound baby penne
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
2 pints grape tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
24 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
6 scallions, green and white parts chopped on a bias
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cups basil, thinly sliced into ribbons
3 cups baby arugula, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water over to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Once the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the starchy, pasta-cooking water.

While waiting for the water to boil, place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place tomatoes in the hot oven and roast until the tomatoes just start to burst, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, smash them lightly with a fork or a potato masher and reserve.

While the pasta is working and the tomatoes are almost ready, preheat a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.  Add the garlic to the hot skillet along with the shrimp. Cook the shrimp on both sides until firm and pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add the scallions, cook for a minute or so, then add the pasta, a ladle of the reserved pasta water, lemon zest, basil, arugula, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give it a good toss and pour it into a serving bowl. Add the reserved roasted tomatoes, toss to combine and serve.

Chicken and Thai Basil Dumplings
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

1 pound ground chicken breasts
2 ounces bean thread noodles, blanched and chopped
1 cup grated carrot, squeezed dry
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil, chopped
1/4 cup scallion greens, cut on the diagonal
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon green curry paste, (preferably Maeploy brand)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons coconut milk
1 package round white dumpling wrappers
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce
1 can (14-ounce) coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup dark-brown sugar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Prepare the filling; combine all of the ingredients, except the dumpling wrappers, in a medium bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon filling, and cook until no longer pink. Taste, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Place a dumpling skin on work surface. Using your finger, wet around the edges with water. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in the center. Fold dumpling skin over to enclose. Pinch the edges together to form a half moon. Pleat the rounded edge. Set aside. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Prepare dipping sauce; combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat gently, whisking, until emulsified. Be sure not to boil. Set aside to cool. Just before serving, bring a large pot, fitted with a steamer insert lined with lightly oiled parchment paper with a few holes poked in it, to a simmer. Add dumplings and simmer until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir-Fried Tofu
Serves 4

1 (14 ounces) regular tofu, firm or extra-firm, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 Chinese broccoli, stems trimmed
1 small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced lengthwise
Coarse salt
1/4 cup whole basil, cilantro, and mint leaves
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Cut tofu in half widthwise. Keep the pieces stacked and cut lengthwise into thirds (creates six rectangles), and then cut the tofu horizontally (slicing parallel to work surface) into quarters to create 24 cubes, each about 1 inch. Press the tofu. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, curry paste, and coconut milk until blended; set aside.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the tofu and sear without moving until the cubes have browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the tofu and sear other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Turn and sear a third side, again for about 2 minutes. Remove tofu to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat. Add the broccoli, red pepper, 3 tablespoons of water, and salt to taste; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are almost tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Return tofu to the skillet and stir in the sauce. Cook to heat and blend flavors, about 1 minute. Serve immediately, garnishing each portion with basil, cilantro, mint, and peanuts.

Layered Spring Omelet
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
21 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup grated Vermont cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn in half
8 ounces spinach, leaves picked and torn in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 small leek, julienned, for garnish
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes, and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer tomatoes to a stainless-steel colander, and drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Lightly beat mixture with a fork. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heat-proof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one-third of the egg mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, stir eggs until they just begin to set, about 1 minute. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Using spatula, gently pull sides of omelet toward center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. Cook until eggs have almost completely set, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Place a baking sheet on top of skillet, and invert skillet onto baking sheet, releasing the omelet layer; hold both baking sheet and skillet firmly so omelet doesn’t slide. Set aside in a warm place.

Carefully wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour another third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the reserved cooked tomatoes to the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread the remaining tomatoes on top.

Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and place another baking sheet on top of skillet; carefully invert skillet to release second layer. Carefully slide on top of the first one, and set the two aside in a warm place.
Wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the spinach and thyme; incorporate into the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread remaining spinach and thyme on top. Transfer skillet to the oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Invert the third layer onto a baking sheet, and slide on top of the other two layers. Transfer the three-layer omelet to a serving platter, and garnish with leeks and chives. Serve warm.

Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Yields 4 servings

1 pound egg noodles
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 cups shredded or grated carrots
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped
1 fresh or dry bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 10-ounce box frozen peas
20 leaves basil, roughly chopped or torn
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Italian 3-cheese mix

Preheat oven 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the egg noodles.  Once boiling, add some salt and the noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions.  Drain thoroughly. While the water is coming up to a boil for the egg noodles, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle the pan with two turns of the pan with EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both side for about 4-5 minutes and remove to a plate.

To the same large skillet over medium-high heat, add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf, season with some salt and pepper and cook, stirring every now and then for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies start to get tender.  Scoot the veggies to the sides of the skillet and add the butter to the center of the skillet. Once the butter melts, add the flour, stir to combine and cook about 1 minute. Add the white wine, chicken stock and milk and whisk together.  Stir in the veggies, bring up to a bubble and simmer for 3-4 minutes until thick.  Remove the bay leaf and then add the peas, reserved chicken pieces, basil, parsley and drained noodles, and toss to combine. 

Transfer everything to a baking dish.  In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and shredded Italian 3 cheese mix, sprinkle over the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top is brown. Serve with a simple green salad alongside.

Panzanella
Serves 6

1 clove garlic
2 pounds ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut into large chunks
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 one-inch-thick day-old Tuscan-style bread
4 (about 12 ounces) Kirby cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

Place garlic on a cutting board; hit it with the side of a large knife to break it open a bit. Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large nonreactive bowl. Drizzle oil and vinegar over the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Toss; let stand, covered, in a cool place, for 1 hour or more.

Place bread on a hot grill or under a heated broiler; toast until both sides are slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, rub lightly with garlic if desired; tear bread into bite-size chunks. When ready to serve, add cucumbers, basil, and bread to tomatoes. Toss to coat bread thoroughly with the marinating liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and remove garlic clove.

Variations: Try adding bocconcini (cubed fresh mozzarella), roasted bell peppers, sliced fresh fennel, or capers. Experiment using other seasonal vegetables.

Pan Bagna
Serves 6 to 8

1 loaf Italian or country bread with crust that is not too heavy
1 large clove garlic, halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
8 anchovy fillets, drained
1 small roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
Oil Poached Tuna (recipe follows)
12 basil leaves
12 oil-cured black olives, pitted and minced

Halve bread horizontally. Pull out the soft interior, to within 1-inch of the crust; discard interior or reserve for another use. Rub the inside of bread all over with garlic, then drizzle with oil and vinegar. Cover the bottom half of the bread with onion and tomato slices. Top with anchovies and pepper strips. Evenly distribute tuna and basil.

Spread the top half of bread with minced olives, and place it olive-side down over filled bottom half. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place on a large plate, and top with a second plate. Weight with several heavy cans. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, cut into 6 to 8 wedges or slices.

Oil Poached Tuna
Makes 1 1/2 pounds

1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 large garlic, smashed
3/4 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 lemon thyme, (or plain thyme plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
2 bay leaves

Season tuna with salt and pepper. Place in a saucepan with garlic and enough oil to just cover. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat until the fish is opaque, about 10 minutes. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon thyme and bay leaves. Let stand until room temperature. Use immediately, or transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Hero Sandwich
Yields 8 servings

1 large round loaf bread
6 large portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed to 1/2 inch
Olive oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
7 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced
1 small red onion, (4 ounces), peeled, thinly sliced, and rings separated
2 large yellow peppers, roasted, peeled, and cut lengthwise into thick slices
6 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
Creamy Tomato Dressing (recipe follows)

Cut bread in half horizontally. Using a short serrated knife, carve out insides of bread, in whole pieces if possible. Using a long serrated knife, thinly slice inside pieces. Cover; set aside. Pull out any remaining bread from crusts, leaving 1/4-inch bread border. Cover crusts; set aside.

Thinly slice mushrooms. Heat a grill to medium hot, or place a grill pan over high heat. Brush mushrooms with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush fennel with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Arrange filling in bottom of bread: First, cover with half the tomatoes, then half the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; drizzle with 3 tablespoons dressing. Cover with 1 cup basil, and top with a layer of sliced bread. The second layer is made up of half the mushrooms, then salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The third layer is peppers, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The fourth layer is the remaining mushrooms, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The fifth layer is fennel, salt and pepper, dressing, basil, and bread. The last layer is the remaining tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper, dressing, and basil. Place top of bread on bottom half, enclosing vegetables. Wrap with plastic; weight with heavy books. Let stand 45 minutes. Unwrap sandwich. Using a large serrated knife, cut into eight wedges.

Creamy Tomato Dressing
Makes about 1 cup

3 ripe tomatoes, (12 ounces), cored
1/4 cup low-fat (1 percent) cottage cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut tomatoes into quarters; puree in a food processor. Pass through a strainer into a bowl; discard seeds and skin. Using a rubber spatula, press cottage cheese through a strainer into tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients; whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.