Provencal Tuna Melt
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.
Flaked Salmon Tartare
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.
Crab Cakes
Crab Cakes
Recipe courtesy of Robert Duvall
Makes 5 crab cakes
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked through
2 heaping tablespoons prepared mayonnaise
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
17 saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup canola oil
Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
Lemon wedges, for serving
In a large bowl, mix together crab meat, mayonnaise, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, onion, and mustard. Gently stir in crackers. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop crab mixture into 8 portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press each scoop into a patty about 3/4 inch thick.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add crab cakes and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve immediately with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
Tartar Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped cornichons
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, cornichons, shallots, capers, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Skewered Bocconcini Sandwiches
Skewered Bocconcini Sandwiches
Makes 2 dozen
30 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 ficelle or very thin baguette, cut into forty-eight 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 balls fresh bocconcini (bite-size mozzarella), at room temperature, halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 flat anchovy fillets, minced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat oven to 325 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Skewer 1 bay leaf, 1 slice of bread, 1 piece of cheese, and another bread slice. Continue skewering until 4 sandwiches are formed on each skewer, beginning and ending with a bay leaf. Place skewers on baking sheet. Brush each skewer with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake, turning skewers halfway through, for 7 minutes, or until cheese is warmed through but not melted. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add anchovies, and stir until well combined. Add capers, lemon juice, zest, and parsley. Spoon mixture over skewers. Serve immediately.
Prosciutto and Pesto Panini
Prosciutto and Pesto Panini
Serves 4
1 10-ounce loaf ciabatta, halved horizontally and soft interior removed
1/3 cup Pesto (recipe follows)
1/3 pound Prosciutto de Parma, thinly sliced
Tapenade, optional (recipe follows)
1 roasted red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
1/4 pound fontina cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby arugula or basil, optional
Extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat or a panini press. Spread one cut side of ciabatta with the pesto and the other with olive oil. Layer one side of ciabatta with prosciutto, tapenade, if desired, red pepper, and arugula or basil, if desired; top with cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining bread.
Brush top and bottom of the sandwich with olive oil. Place on grill pan and weight top of sandwich with a heavy skillet or a foil-wrapped brick. If using a panini press grill according to manufacturer's instructions. Grill 3 to 4 minutes on first side, turn, weight down, and continue cooking until sandwich is golden and cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Cut sandwich into quarters. Serve immediately.
Pesto
Makes enough for 1 panini
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to prevent further browning. Let cool completely.
In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, cheese, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth.
Tapenade
Makes 1 cup
1 cup Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
3 oil-cured anchovy fillets
Zest of half a lemon
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
1 to 2 quarts extra-virgin olive oil
Coarsely chop olives garlic, capers, anchovies, and lemon zest on a parchment covered cutting board. Place chopped mixture in a bowl. Add pepper, mustard, parsley, and stir in enough olive oil to bind the mixture together.
Shrimp and Cod Burgers
Shrimp and Cod Burgers
Makes 4
12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into chunks
8 ounces cod, cut into chunks
3/4 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup drained capers, rinsed
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (1 to 2 lemons)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing
4 hamburger buns
Red-leaf lettuce, for serving
Tarragon Tartar Sauce, for serving (optional) (recipe follows)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Process half of the shrimp in a food processor until a paste forms. Add cod, remaining shrimp, the breadcrumbs, capers, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until just combined. Using dampened hands, shape into 4 patties. Refrigerate, covered, until cold and firm, about 1 1/2 hours (or overnight).
Preheat grill to medium-high (if using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand above grill for just 3 to 4 seconds). Brush grill and burgers with oil. Grill, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Toast buns on grill during the last minute of cooking, if desired. Serve burgers on buns; top with lettuce. Serve with tartar sauce, if desired, and the lemon wedges.
Tarragon Tartar Sauce
Makes 1 1/4 cups
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sweet relish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Stir together mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, capers, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week.
Red Snapper Veracruz Style
Red Snapper Veracruz Style
Recipe courtesy of Zarela Martinez of Zarela
Serves 4 to 5
1 three- to three-and-a-half-pound red snapper, scaled and cleaned
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil, for pan
Vera Cruz-Style Sauce (recipe follows)
2 to 3 dried bay leaves
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees;. Rinse fish under cold running water, inside and out, being sure to remove all traces of gills and blood. Blot dry with paper towels, inside and out. Lightly season, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the bottom of a large roasting pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with half of the sauce. Place fish over sauce. Tuck bay leaves, thyme, and onion into the cavity of the fish. Pour remaining sauce over fish.
Bake just until the flesh flakes when tested with the tip of a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Use two large spatulas to transfer fish to a platter spooning sauce and cooking juices over it. Or remove fish from bone and serve on individual plates, with sauce spooned over it.
Vera Cruz Style Sauce
Makes 6 to 7 cups
1/2 cup olive oil
10 garlic, 6 left whole, 4 very finely chopped
2 medium white onions, finely chopped
8 to 10 large ripe tomatoes, (about 4 pounds), finely chopped, or two 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), coarsely chopped, with their juice
24 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced if large
4 to 6 pickled jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut lengthwise into thin strips
2 teaspoons small capers
4 dried bay leaves
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
4 fresh marjoram, or 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried marjoram
4 fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground canela
1 cup dry white wine
In a medium stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add whole garlic cloves, and cook, stirring, until golden on all sides. Remove garlic and discard. Add minced garlic and the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
Add olives, chiles, capers, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, marjoram, oregano, salt, canela, and wine. Cook until the sauce has thickened to desired consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning. If using fresh whole herbs, remove and discard before serving.
Baccala (Cod in a Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Baccala (Cod in a Spicy Tomato Sauce)
Recipe courtesy of Pasquale Martinelli of Bellavitae
Serves 4 as an appetizer
4 cloves garlic, halved
3 cups tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless cod, cut into 20 equal-sized pieces
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed
4 teaspoons Olio Santo (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably wild
Fine sea salt
4 slices baguette, toasted
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide garlic and tomato sauce evenly between 4 small earthenware dishes. Place 5 pieces cod in each dish. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon capers, 1 teaspoon olio santo, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and a pinch of salt over cod in each dish. Bake until cod is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with baguette slices.
Tomato Sauce
Makes enough for 4 servings
2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped white onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Place tomatoes in the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor; blend or process until pureed. Place olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook until translucent. Add tomato puree, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
Olio Santo
Makes 1/2 cup
5 to 6 small green or red hot peppers, preferably diavolicci, halved lengthwise or 8 teaspoons red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
Place peppers in a medium bowl and cover with oil. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight before using.
Yellow Rice – Arroz Amarillo
Yellow Rice – Arroz Amarillo
Recipe Courtesy of Daisy Martinez
Yields 6-8 servings
Good to serve with Fillet a La Veracruzana
1/2 cup Achiote Oil (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Sofrito (recipe follows)
1/2 cup alcaparrado (marinated olives, capers and pimentos, found in jars in the international foods aisle) or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
2 to 3 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cups long grain white rice
4 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned, plus additional if needed
Heat the achiote oil in a heavy, 4- to 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Stir in the sofrito and cook until most of the water is evaporated. Add the alcaparrado or olives, salt, cumin, pepper, and bay leaves; stir to combine. When the mixture is bubbling, add the rice, stirring to coat. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the rice by the width of two fingers. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid until the broth reaches the level of the rice. When the broth and rice are level, stir the rice once, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, without opening the pot or stirring. After 20 minutes, gently fluff the rice up by scooping the rice from the bottom to the top. Serve hot.
Achiote Oil
Yields 1 cup
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds
Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until the seeds start to give off a lively, steady sizzle. Don’t overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil a nasty green. Once they’re sizzling away, pull the pan from the heat and let it stand until the sizzling stops. Strain as much of the oil as you are going to use right away; store the rest for up to 4 days at room temperature in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Sofrito
Yields 4 cups
2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks
3 to 4 Italian frying peppers or cubanelle peppers, cut into large chunks
16 to 20 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large bunch cilantro, washed
4 leaves of cilantro
3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks
Add the onion and cubanelle or Italian peppers into the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. Sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully.
Fillet a La Veracruzana
Fillet a La Veracruzana
Recipe courtesy of Daisy Martinez
Yields 4 servings
Flour to dredge
4 fillets (either chicken or snapper; tilapia works too)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 large Spanish onion, sliced
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into half-inch slices, lengthwise
2 cloves garlic minced
2 large plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon capers
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, pit removed and sliced
Season the fillets with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour. Shake off any excess. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the floured fillets and cook until golden on one side. Flip the fillets and cook until golden on the other side. Heat the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and add the onions, peppers and the garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and the capers and heat through. Add the lime juice and cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove fillets to plate and top with vegetables. Serve with Yellow Rice – Arroz Amarillo and garnish with a slice of avocado.
My Recipes 