Makes 4–6 servings
Pear Ginger Chutney
¼ cup sliced almonds
4 Bartlett pears, peeled and cut into roughly 1" pieces
1 cup golden raisins
½ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes until just browned. Keep an eye on them, since they will burn easily. This can be done a day ahead if you like.
In a small saucepan, add the rest of ingredients. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes, or until the pears are tender. Cool the chutney and mix in the toasted almonds.
Parsnip Puree
1 lb. of parsnips, peeled and sliced into ½-inch-thick slices
½ cup honey
½ cup water Salt and pepper to taste
Place parsnips in a large pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, cook until very tender, and then drain. While still hot, puree the parsnips in a blender with the honey and ½ cup water until smooth. The puree should be the consistency of mayonnaise, so add more water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pancetta
12 slices of pancetta, about ¼ inch thick (sliced like bacon)
Simply cook the pancetta slices over a grill or on a stove top skillet until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and pat off any grease with paper towels. Set aside.
Scallops
4 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp. salt
1½ lbs. of fresh sea scallops, patted dry with a towel
1 oz. canola oil
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spread the coriander seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown. Grind the toasted seeds in a clean coffee grinder and mix with the salt. Generously season both sides of the scallops with the coriander and salt mixture. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and sear the scallops for two minutes on each side.
To Plate
Arrange three slices of the grilled pancetta in the center of a plate. Top with some pear chutney, and place the scallops around the plate in a circle. Drizzle with the parsnip puree.
Fish Fillets with Vegetables and Herbs
Jessica Park, Manchester, New Hampshire
This is a very easy way to cook fish fillets. It is nearly impossible to mess up unless you absolutely forget about the fish and let it completely overcook! Feel free to substitute or add whatever seasonal vegetables you like. Fresh herbs will really make a difference here. You may want to stick with one variety if it is particularly pungent, like thyme. (Basil and parsley will match up well with other herbs, but you wouldn’t want thyme competing with cilantro.) If you’ve got a grill fired up, these fillets will cook up beautifully for an outdoor supper.
Serves 4 people
4 6–8-oz. pieces of white fish (cod, haddock, red snapper, halibut), preferably fresh Salt and pepper
2 plum tomatoes, halved and then sliced, or a handful of yellow or red cherry or pear tomatoes, sliced in half
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
2 scallions, finely sliced
1–2 cloves garlic, minced or finely sliced
1 cup white wine
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. olive oil Handful of fresh herbs (thyme, basil, cilantro, oregano, parsley), roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spread out four good-sized pieces of tinfoil (roughly 15" to 18" long) on two baking sheets. Place each fish fillet on one half of the foil piece. Season well with salt and pepper. Lift up the sides of the foil so your toppings won’t leak out and then top each fillet with equal amounts of tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash, scallions, garlic, wine, butter, olive oil, more salt and pepper, and the herbs. Fold the foil over the top and seal the edges. Place the trays in the oven and check after 12 minutes. When the fish is fully cooked and the meat is flaky, remove from the oven. Top with more fresh herbs if you like and then serve with plain couscous, rice, or French bread (to soak up all the delicious juices), and a salad.
Crispy Calamari with an Asian Slaw and Roasted Pineapple Dressing
Mark Porcaro, Executive Chef, Top of the Hub, Boston, Massachusetts
The roasted pineapple dressing in this recipe is outstanding and very simple to make. You will need to let the slaw marinate in the dressing for a bit so that the vegetables will soften and all the delicious flavors will come together. Topped with the hot fried calamari, this slaw creates a fantastic summer entrée!
Makes 6 servings
Roasted Pineapple Dressing
1 tsp. canola oil
½ pineapple, skin and crown removed, quartered
1 cup orange juice
½ tbsp. red Thai curry paste
½ cup honey
2 cups canola oil Optional: 1–2 tbsp. scallions, cilantro, chives, or lemongrass
Preheat oven to 350°.
Rub 1 tsp. of canola oil onto pineapple quarters and roast on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
Puree the roasted pineapple in an electric blender with the orange juice, curry paste, and honey. Add canola oil in a steady stream until the dressing has emulsified and thickened. Add any of the fresh herbs listed above and pulse the blender a few times to incorporate.
Slaw
1½ cups cooked cappellini, cooled under running water
1 tsp. canola oil
1½ lbs. Chinese cabbage, shredded
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
½ cup carrots, shredded or julienned
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
½ bunch cilantro
½ cup water chestnuts, sliced
1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 350°.
Toss cooled cappellini with oil, spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Remove and set aside.
Mix the rest of the slaw ingredients together and then toss with as much Roasted Pineapple Dressing as you like, reserving any extra dressing for another time. Refrigerate the slaw for 3 to 6 hours before serving so the slaw can marinate and the vegetables can soften.
Calamari
Peanut oil for frying
1 lb. calamari (frozen is fine), cut into 1/8" rings
Kosher salt for seasoning
Cornstarch for dredging
Add enough peanut oil to a deep skillet to reach halfway up the pan and heat to 350° (or you may use a deep fryer if you have one). Season the calamari rings as you like with the kosher salt and then dredge in cornstarch. Fry the calamari in batches until golden brown, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Drain the rings on paper towels.
To Serve
Fresh mint
Toss the baked cappellini and hot calamari rings into the slaw and top each serving with a sprig of fresh mint.
Guatemalan Tamales
Julio and Anjos Veliz, Boston, Massachusetts
Don’t panic when you see the list of ingredients and the huge amounts for these tamales! This recipe will make 100 tamales but can easily be cut in half or quartered. As Snacker pointed out in the story, if you are going to take all the steps necessary to make these delicious creations, you might as well make a very large batch and freeze a portion or give some away as gifts. Get together with a friend or two and spend an afternoon in the kitchen rolling these phenomenal treats!
Note: Maseca corn flour is readily available in Hispanic markets and even in some large grocery stores. The frozen banana leaves are also found in Hispanic markets and in some Asian stores. The dried chiles and pumpkin seeds can be found in most good markets or natural foods stores.
Prepare the Night Before
50 chicken thighs, skin removed, bone in
Salt for seasoning
10 cups of uncooked white rice
Using a good, heavy knife, cut the chicken pieces in half, chopping through the bone. Season the chicken well with salt, and refrigerate until following day.
Set the uncooked rice in a bowl or pot and cover with cold water. Let the rice soak in the water overnight. The rice will absorb most of the water, but do not drain any excess the next day.
Sauce
40 plum tomatoes
15 red peppers, cut in half, stems and seeds removed
7 onions, cut in half
1 head of garlic, skin removed, cloves left whole or slightly crushed
2 quarts water
1/3 cup salt
4 guajillo chiles
4 ancho chiles
2 whole sticks cinnamon
3 cups pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Place tomatoes, red peppers, onions, garlic, water, and salt in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let cook over medium-high to high heat while you prepare the chiles, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin seeds. Stir the sauce occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
Cut all the chiles in half and remove the seeds and stems. Place chiles and cinnamon sticks in a nonstick pan and toast over high heat for about 2 minutes until they release their aroma. Do not burn these or your sauce will be bitter! Add to sauce.
Toss pumpkin seeds into a nonstick skillet and stir over high heat until they begin popping and are gently browned.
When the vegetables in the sauce have softened, stir in the pumpkin seeds, and then remove the pan from the heat. Ladle the sauce in batches into an electric blender and puree each batch until smooth. When all the sauce has been blended, strain through a mesh colander or sieve to remove any excess chunks and seeds. Return to the pot and add the olive oil. Bring to a boil once, and then set aside.
Dough
Rice that has been presoaked, with any remaining liquid
1 bag (4.4 lbs.) Maseca corn flour
1/3 cup salt
1 gallon whole or skim milk
4 cups chicken broth
1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil (25.4 ounces)
Puree the soaked rice and any liquid that remains in a blender. Add water as needed to avoid clumping.
In a large bowl, combine the rice puree, the Maseca, salt, milk, and chicken broth. Use your hands to mix these ingredients until they are well combined and the salt has dissolved. At this point, the mixture should be watery, but you may add some cold water if the dough is too clumpy. Add the entire bottle of olive oil and mix with a wooden spoon. Scrape the dough into a large pot and place over high heat. Cook the dough 5 to 10 minutes while stirring constantly. The dough will stick easily if you leave it unattended! The dough is done when it becomes spongy and difficult to stir.
Banana Leaves
100 (2 pkgs.) frozen banana leaves
Boil a large pot of water and add banana leaves in batches. Cook for roughly 30 minutes until pliable. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut the leaves into roughly 5" × 6" pieces.
Tamale Assembly
Per tamale:
1 sheet of 12" × 12" aluminum foil
1 sheet of softened banana leaf
¾ cup dough
1 piece of raw chicken
2 strips of red pepper
1 Spanish green olive, pitted
2 capers
2/3 cup red sauce
Lay the aluminum foil sheet on a flat surface and then lay the banana leaf on the foil. Place the dough, centered, 1/3 of the way up from the short edge of the banana leaf. Top with the chicken piece, red pepper, olive, capers, and then the sauce. Roll the short edge of the banana leaf over the top and then fold in the sides. Now roll all the way down, keeping the banana leaf package nice and tight. Repeat with the aluminum foil wrapper. You may repeat with a second sheet of foil if necessary to make sure that the tamale is sealed and waterproof.
Repeat the process until you have all of your tamale bundles wrapped. Pack as many tamales as you can fit into a deep Dutch oven, Le Creuset, or other heavy pot so the tamales fit together snugly. If you have extra banana leaves, you may use those to line the pot. Fill the pot ¼ high with water, cover tightly, and place over high heat. Cook for 2 hours, but check periodically to make sure that the water has not evaporated. Add more water if needed.
When done, tamales may be eaten immediately. Remove the foil wrapper, or fold back neatly, and enjoy the tamales right from the banana leaf. These also freeze very well for 3 to 4 months, so you may simply place the foil packets as they are in the freezer. To reheat, place in a pot as you did to cook them, and boil for 30 minutes.
Basic Vinaigrette
Jessica Park, Manchester, New Hampshire
This spicy dressing really has a bite to it and works with almost any salad. There is no vinegar in this since the lemon provides enough acidity, but there is certainly no lack of flavor. I like this best tossed with beautiful fresh red leaf or Bibb lettuce, feta cheese, and Greek olives. Josh and Chloe don’t mind garlic-laced kisses, but if you do, you may not want to serve this before a romantic evening.
1½cups good quality olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Whisk all ingredients together with a fork and let sit for at least an hour before serving. This will keep perfectly in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Spaghetti and Lobster
Jody Adams, Executive Chef, Rialto, Cambridge, Massachusetts
This is the most delicious pasta recipe! After discarding the shells from the lobster tails, claws, and arms, you save the lobster bodies and use them to add incredible flavor to the wonderful green and red tomato sauce. This aromatic dish is perfect any time of the year, whether you are dining on your deck in the summer or huddled up by the fire during a winter snowstorm.
Makes 4 main course servings
Kosher salt
4 1-lb. lobsters
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into ¼" dice Freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
½ tsp. fennel seeds
¼ tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1 pinch saffron
2 lbs. green, unripe tomatoes, cut in half and charred under the broiler, skin removed and meat chopped into ½" dice
1 cup canned strained tomatoes
2 lbs. ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half and charred under the broiler, skin removed and meat chopped into ½" dice
16 oz. spaghetti
4 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
Fill a large pot with 1" of salted water. Invert a colander in the pot. Bring the water to a boil. Put the lobsters in the pot and cover tightly. Steam for 5 minutes, then open the pot carefully (steam is hot) and, using a pair of tongs, change the lobsters’ position. Quickly replace the lid and steam for 5 more minutes. Remove the cooked lobsters from the pot and allow to cool. Separate the tails, claws, and arms from the body of each lobster. Chop the bodies into 4 pieces and set aside. Remove the lobster meat from the tails, claws, and arms, and discard the shells. Cut the tail meat in half lengthwise and remove the digestive tract, the dark veinlike structure. Cut the tail into 1½-inch chunks. Cover and refrigerate the meat.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and lobster bodies, season with salt and pepper, and cook 6 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, hot pepper flakes, and saffron, and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the green tomatoes, strained tomatoes, and 1 cup water, and cook 15 minutes. Add the charred red tomatoes and cook 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat. The sauce should be fairly thick.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.
While the pa
sta is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the lobster meat and cook 3 minutes. Remove the lobster body pieces from the onion mixture and discard. Add the tomato sauce to the lobster pan and keep warm.
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