Green Bean Salad

It’s a fresh new twist on this classic vegetable!

• 1/4   c. olive oil
• 2        tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2        tsp.Dijon mustard
• 1        tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2     t  ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1         lb.  green beans, trimmed
• 1/4    red onion, sliced
• 1         large tomato diced (about 8 oz.)
• 1/2     c.  Kalamata olives, chopped

          1/4    c. chopped roasted salted almonds

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine. 

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water over high heat until boiling. Season generously with salt. Add the green beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender, yet still a little crisp. Transfer the cooked beans to a bowl of ice water. Let sit 3 minutes to cool, then drain. 

Transfer to a platter and top with goat cheese and almonds, if you like.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Dijon-Garlic Croutons

2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon thyme sprigs
Shaved skin of 1 lemon, plus grated zest of ½ lemon
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large celery sticks, cut into 3cm pieces
2 bay leaves
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and white pepper
1 large cauliflower, broken into small florets

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock for non-vegetarians)
2 tbsp chopped chives
For the mustard croutons:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp picked thyme leaves
4 slices gluten free bread

1. First make the croutons. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Put the butter in a medium saucepan on a medium heat. When it starts to foam, whisk in the mustard, herbs and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, take off the heat, leave for a couple of minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the ciabatta. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. (Any you don’t use for this dish, store in an airtight container.)

2. For the soup, put the oil and butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Tie together the thyme, parsley and lemon skin (or put them in a tied-up muslin), and add to the pan with the onion, celery, bay leaves, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a quarter-teaspoon of white pepper. Cook for eight to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft but has not taken on any color. Add the cauliflower, potato and stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for eight minutes, until the vegetables are cooked but still have some bite.

3. Use a slotted spoon to lift a third of the cauliflower out of the pan – avoid removing any potato – and set aside. Let everything simmer away for another five minutes, then remove the herb bundle and the bay leaves. Using a hand-held blender, or in a food processor, blitz the soup until smooth, return to the pan and add the reserved cauliflower pieces. Stir in the grated lemon zest and chives, and serve, sprinkling the croutons on top at the last minute..

Sesame Crusted Cod with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

1 lime, juice of

1 teaspoon grated ginger

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Sesame Crusted Cod

3 tablespoons white sesame seeds

3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

1 pound Cod

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Ginger Lime Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, ginger, olive oil, and salt & pepper.

Sesame-Crusted Salmon: Combine white and black sesame seeds and spread evenly on a plate. Set aside.

Brush each piece of salmon with thin layer of wasabi paste and season with salt and pepper. Roll in the sesame seeds and coat evenly.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently place the pieces of salmon into the pan. Cook salmon for 1 minute. Turn and repeat cooking each of the 3 remaining sides for about 1 minute each (that includes the narrow sides, too). Lower the heat if the sesame seeds are browning too quickly.

Place the salmon on individual plates then drizzle with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Shrimp, Mango and Cucumber Salad with Dill

• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

• 3 tablespoons Monkfruit sweetener or honey

• 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 4 large pickling cucumbers, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

• 2 large mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 1 pound cooked medium shrimp

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Hot pepper sauce

1. Salt and Pepper to tastMix vinegar and sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in mustard and mayonnaise. Cover and chill.

2. Combine cucumbers, mango, shrimp, and dill in large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Season with salt and hot pepper sauce.

Roasted Bananas with Poached Pink Grapefruit

Serving Size : 4

2 large pink grapefruit — sectioned

1 large pink grapefruit — juice only

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 lemons — zested

4 large bananas — ripe

1 tablespoon honey

1) Peel grapefruit over bowl to retain juice. carefully section grapefruit so as not to break the sections.

2) Pour all the juice into a saucepan with the lemon juice, honey and lemon zest. simmer until it is reduced in half.

3) Turn off heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes. place grapefruit sections in pan with warm juice and toss.

4) Preheat oven to 500° . peel bananas and slice once lengthwise. place in glass baking dish. roast approximately 3-4 minutes, until bananas are fairly soft.

5) To serve, place bananas with some of the juice that cooked out of them into a shallow bowl and spoon grapefruit sections with juice over the bananas.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Mustard Croutons

4 servings

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1  medium onion, chopped
1½ tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large head of cauliflower (2½–3 lb.), florets broken into small pieces, core chopped
¼ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper, plus more
¾ cup almond or cashew cream
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
5 cups country-style bread, gluten free, preferably day-old, torn or sliced into 1″ cubes
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

1) Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-low. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if onion starts to brown, until softened but without taking on any color, 5–7 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2) Add 1 large head of cauliflower (2½–3 lb.), florets broken into small pieces, core chopped, 1½ tsp., ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper, and 5½ cups water (the water should just barely cover the cauliflower). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until cauliflower is completely tender and starting to fall apart, 15–20 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup half-and-half and simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.

3) While the soup is simmering, whisk 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, and 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper. Add 5 cups country-style bread, preferably day-old, torn or sliced into 1″ cubes, and toss to coat in mustard mixture. Transfer bread mixture to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake in a single layer, turning halfway through, until cheese is melted and croutons are golden brown and crisp, 10–15 minutes.

4) Working in batches, carefully purée soup in a blender until very smooth, transferring to a medium bowl as you go. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend soup in pot until smooth.) Return soup to pot and reheat over medium-low, stirring and adding more water to thin if needed (you’re going for the consistency of heavy cream). Stir in 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice. Taste and season soup with more salt and/or pepper if desired.

Asian Ramen Bowl with Sesame Salmon

 2
Servings

1/4    cup cilantro, chopped
2    Tbsp sesame seeds
1    Lb wild Salmon Fillet
1    pound Rice ramen  noodles
1   cup wilted spinach
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1     green onions, sliced
1     Teriyaki Sauce (soy free, I make it using coconut aminoes)
1     cucumber, quartered and sliced
2     roma tomato, quartered, seeds removed & sliced into thin strips
1/2    small red onions, sliced thin

1)    Preheat oven to 400°F. Place salmon fillets on a
foil-lined sheet pan. Brush with 1/2 of teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame
seeds. Bake 20 minutes.

2)  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package
directions; drain well.

3) Combine pasta with remaining teriyaki
sauce and all ingredients except salmon. Portion       out
into 4 bowls and top with sesame salmon.

Vietnamese Baked Salmon

Serves 4

2-3 garlic cloves- minced
1 green onion
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
½ Tbsp. sugar
2 lbs whole salmon fillet
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp toasted sesamel oil
1 pat melted butter

TOPPINGS

2 Tbsp scallion oil
1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts

Peel and finely mince the garlic. Finely chop the green onions.

In a measuring cup, add the sesame oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Stir together until the sugar is dissolved. Add the minced garlic and green onions and mix together.

Rinse salmon on both sides with cool water and then pat dry with paper towels.

Line a large baking dish with 2 pieces of foil. Leave excess foil on both sides, enough to be able to wrap the fish later when baking. Drizzle 1 teaspoon vegetable oil onto the foil and coat evenly. Place the fish, skin side down, on the foil. Spoon the marinade on top of the fish coating it evenly. Sprinkle ground black pepper on top. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating up, remove the fish from the refrigerator. When the oven is up to temperature, wrap the fish using the foil from the pan creating a tent. Fold over the ends as well. This will keep all of the hot air in the tent. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the fish from the oven and carefully peel back the foil. Brush the fish with melted butter. Set the oven to broil and bake the fish for another 5- 7 minutes until it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the baked salmon to a serving dish. Top with scallion oil and the crushed roasted peanuts.

Serve with Tamarind Dipping Sauce.

TO-DIE-FOR Hungarian Mushroom Soup Recipe

3 tablespoons butter

2 cups chopped onions

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (any kind – a mix is the best)

2 teaspoons dried dill weed

1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

2 cups of chicken or veggie broth

1 cup  almond milk

3 tablespoons rice flour

Fresh ground pepper to taste

2 teaspoons lemon juice (I add more because I love lemon!)

1/2 cup sour cream (dairy free)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How to Make Rustic Hungarian Mushroom Soup:

1) Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Put in the mushrooms and saute for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the dill, paprika, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), and chicken broth. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

2) Whisk the milk and flour together in a separate bowl. Pour into the soup and stir well. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Finally, stir in the ground black pepper, lemon juice, and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Mix and cook over low heat, about 5 more minutes. Do not boil.

Seafood Cataplana with Saffron

4 garlic cloves
1 small shallot
1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 small vine-ripened tomato
16 small hard-shelled clams (less than 2 inches in diameter) such as littlenecks
30 mussels (preferably cultivated)
16 large shrimp (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
2 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice
1 cup cashew cream
sea salt
30 large shrimp, shelled, deviened

Mince garlic and finely chop shallot and onion. Cut bell peppers into julienne strips. Cut tomato into 1/4-inch dice. Scrub clams and mussels and remove beards from mussels. Shell and devein shrimp.

In a 4-quart shallow heavy kettle with a tight-fitting lid cook garlic, shallot, onion, and bell peppers in oil, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes, or until peppers are softened. Add vermouth, wine, and saffron and boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Add stock or clam juice and cream and bring to a boil. Immediately add clams and simmer until they just begin to open, about 3 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, tomato, and sea salt and pepper to taste and stir until combined well. Simmer cataplana, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes and discard any unopened clams or mussels. Transfer seafood with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and boil cooking liquid, uncovered, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer gently just until shrimp are bright pink. Remove from heat and stir in cashew cream.

To Reheat- Heat cataplana over moderate heat until just heated through.
Serves 4.