264 posts tagged “lunch”
Meat & Potatoes Burger
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Yields 4 servings
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup of heavy cream or half and half
Salt and pepper
2 pounds lean ground sirloin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 small onion, grated
4 poppy seed Kaiser rolls
A couple of tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 bunches watercress, cleaned and trimmed of thick stems
Place the potatoes in a sauce pot and cover by one inch with water. Place it over high heat and bring up to a bubble. Add some salt and boil the potatoes until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot and let them sit for a minute to dry out. Add the butter and the cream and a little more salt and some pepper. Using a fork or potato masher, mash them until desired consistency.
Once you have to potatoes going, put the burgers together: In a bowl, combine the sirloin, Worcestershire, parsley, grated onion, salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Score an X with the side of your hand to form 4 equal portions. Make the patties about one-inch thick and press a light indentation in the center of each one to prevent the burgers from bulging and promote more even cooking. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Once you see the oil ripple, add the patties and cook on each side for 5-6 minutes, until they reach desired doneness. While the burgers are working, split the buns and toast them until golden in the toaster or under the broiler.
To build your burger, slather the buns with Dijon mustard and top the bottom buns with some watercress. On top of the greens, stack a burger patty then some of the mashed potatoes and the bun top.
Spring Salad
Yields 6-8 servings
1 bunch of asparagus
1 English cucumber, cut into half moons
8 large radishes, cut into thin rounds
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
In a skillet with a cover, bring 1 inch of water to a boil to cook the asparagus. Add a generous amount of salt to the skillet with the boiling water. Hold the asparagus spears at each end. Snap asparagus tips from the tough ends by bending the spears. Use that as a guide as to where to cut the remaining spears. Simmer the asparagus spears for 3-5 minutes, until just tender. Drain the asparagus and run under cold water. Cut into one-inch pieces on an angle. Place asparagus in a serving bowl with the cucumber and radishes. Squeeze lemon juice over the salad, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Green Olive Couscous
Yields 6-8 servings
Good to serve with lamb
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups couscous
3/4 cup green olives, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the chicken stock in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat with a tight-fitting lid. When the liquid boils, add the couscous and give it a stir. Put the lid back on the pot, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the olives, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fluff with a fork.
Lamb with Roasted Tomato Gravy
Yields 6 to 8 servings
1 small, boneless leg of lamb, about 5 pounds, butterflied
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch mint, stripped from the stem and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Pre-heat an oven to 400°F. Place the half bunch of stemmed and finely chopped mint in the middle of the splayed-out lamb. Place the garlic in among the mint leaves then fold the lamb over so that the mint and garlic are almost entirely cocooned in the lamb. Place the lamb in a shallow baking pan on a roasting rack and drizzle evenly with olive oil. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
Place the grape tomatoes on a small cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to the oven when the lamb is about halfway done. If you roast them for 10 minutes, they will burst and be ready to serve. But if you prefer to let them brown up more, you can leave them in the oven for 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and using a potato masher or a fork, lightly mash the tomatoes.
Once the tomatoes are in the oven, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook for another minute. Add the white wine and chicken broth. Let the liquids reduce until a slightly thickened sauce forms, about 5 minutes. Add the mashed tomatoes to the sauce along with the parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve. Slice and serve the lamb with the gravy.
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.
Shrimp Cocktail Salad Rolls
Yields 4 servings
16 large, store-bought, peeled, de-veined and cooked shrimp, tails removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
5 radishes, thinly sliced, then stacked and julienned into matchsticks
1/4 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 scallions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced on an angle
6 stalks celery, 2 finely chopped and 4 cut into sticks
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup store-bought cocktail sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 hot dog buns, split on the top
4 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
1 bag rosemary potato chips, or any other healthy chip you like
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, radishes, bell pepper, scallions and the chopped celery. For the dressing: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, hot sauce and cocktail sauce. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the shrimp salad, toss to combine and reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the hot dog buns with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the buns with the shrimp salad. Serve with carrot and celery sticks and healthy potato chips alongside.
Flaked Salmon Tartare
Serves 6
1 large egg
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for garnish
Dash of hot sauce
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
3 cornichons, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Place egg in a small saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover, and let stand 13 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove egg, and rinse under cold water until cool. Gently press against a hard surface to crack shell; peel. Cut egg in half lengthwise. Grate each half on the small holes of a grater into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon in a 13-by-9-inch nonreactive baking dish. Brush with 1 teaspoon oil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover with foil; bake until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily, about 15 minutes. Uncover partially, and let cool slightly in dish on a wire rack. Using a fork, gently flake salmon into large pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
Whisk together lemon juice, hot sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, whisking until emulsified. Drizzle dressing over salmon, and toss gently. Divide among plates. Scatter shallot, capers, cornichons, chives, parsley, and egg over each, dividing evenly; season with pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
Potato Seafood Chowder
Serves 6
2 pounds littleneck clams, well scrubbed
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 celery stalks, strings removed, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 dried bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pound firm white fish, such as cod or red snapper, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Place clams and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover, and bring the water to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the clams have opened, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove clams, discard shells, and pass the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, reserving the broth and clams separately. Set both aside.
Melt butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the reserved clam broth and the potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover, and add fish and shrimp. Cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add half-and-half and the reserved clams; season with salt and pepper. Heat through, but do not return to a boil.
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.
Steamed Clams
Serves 4
5 pounds steamer clams
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 beer
Chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges
Unsalted butter, melted
Place steamers in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover. Add cornmeal, and stir to thoroughly combined. Let stand for at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours to allow the clams to purge their sand. Remove clams from water, and rinse thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
In a large saucepan, combine beer and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add clams, and cook, covered, until the clams have opened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove clams with a slotted spoon, discarding any clams that have not opened or ones with broken shells, to a large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley. Strain cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Serve clams immediately with lemon wedges, hot broth, and melted butter.
