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Lemon Garlic Halibut

Like a lot of people, I am trying to include more fish in my diet. I came across this recipe on the internet and it looked good. The original called for Cod but I prefer Halibut instead. I upped the garlic and ditched the parsley. It turned out pretty tasty but next time I’ll increase the amount of spice as it wasn’t as favorable as I had hoped it would be. But then it’s hard to compete with the garlic and lemon. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Halibut

  • 2-4 8oz Halibut fillets
  • 5-8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl.

Mix the flour, spices, and salt in another shallow bowl.

In a frying pan that is oven proof, heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Pat dry the fish fillets. Dip them in the lemon oil mixture and then into the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour. Add the fish to the skillet and brown on each side, about a minute per side.

Add the minced garlic to the remaining lemon mixture and drizzle over the fish. Put in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve with rice or couscous.

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Roasted Garlic & Truffle Chicken

There’s a reason why my blog tag line is my experiments in cooking. Sometimes it’s just that, experimentation. This is one of the recipes I found via the internet, I don’t even remember where, that I thought I’d try. It turned out super moist but not nearly as flavorful as I had hoped. In part, I’m sure, because I modified the recipe slightly. I don’t have truffle bouillon or salt on hand nor actual truffle. Both of which the original recipe called for. In addition, I cheated slightly buy using garlic butter instead of plain butter and cut the amount of fresh garlic down (big mistake). And I have also realized that not all truffle oils are the same. I recently had to buy some as I had used up my supply. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the same brand that I had before so I bought a different brand. Not nearly as good. And a quick consult with my friend Google informed me that a lot of truffle oil isn’t made with truffles at all, instead they use chemicals to get the flavor. Yuck!

So long story short, I’m going to have to try this again with different ingredients. But it did turn out ok so I’m still going to post the recipe. Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic & Truffle Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, 4-6 lbs
  • 1/4 cup garlic butter (recipe below)
  • 1/2 bulb of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 4 Tbsp truffle oil
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, make sure to take the package out of the inside of the chicken (it’s the heart, gizzard, liver and neck). I put these in the freezer and when I have several I use them to make chicken stock. Place the chicken in a Dutch oven or roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck the wings underneath so they don’t burn. Take the rosemary, lemon, several of the smashed garlic cloves and put then in the chicken cavity. Tuck the rest of the garlic under the chicken skin. Rub the chicken all over with the garlic butter. Pour the truffle oil over the bird as well. Salt and pepper generously. Put the rest of the onion in the pan with the bird.

Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350° and bake for another hour. Baste the chicken half way through and then again when you remove it from the oven. You want the internal temp to be 165 at the thigh, make sure not by the bone though.

Remove the chicken and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the onion from the pan and return it to the stove. Skim off some of the grease from the butter and truffle oil. Add 1/4 cup of wine and the chicken stock. Heat on medium-high for about 20 minutes or until reduced by half; this will make a nice gravy. It you like it thick, add a tbsp. or so of flour or cornstarch.

 

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Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

So one of my family members posted this recipe to Facebook. The only modification I’ve made is to up the garlic (because I LOVE garlic) and removed spinach. Which I love as well, just not in this kind of dish. It’s pretty easy to make and actually fast, 30 minutes. Just have all your items prepped before you start, you’re not going to have time to do it as your cooking. Enjoy!

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

  • 4 boneless, skinless breasts, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 Tsp pepper, + more for seasoning the chicken
  • 1/2 Tsp salt, + more for seasoning the chicken

Directions

In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook on each side for 3-5 minutes (until golden brown). Remove from the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter and melt. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to get rid of the flour taste and it starts to thicken. Whisk in the chicken broth, cream, cheese, garlic powder, 1/2 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp pepper. Stir until it starts to thicken. Add the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes. I like to serve this with mashed potatoes but you can also use pasts.

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Meat Sauce

One of the best presents I’ve ever received was a series of Italian cooking classes. You know, the kind where it’s a bunch of strangers with a local chef who walks you through preparing a bunch of dishes while you’re all drinking wine. It was a blast and I still use those recipes to this day. This is based off of one of those. I didn’t make too many changes, just add a few additional ingredients and updated it for my Instant Pot. So instead of simmering for 2 or more hours, it’s ready is about 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Meat Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 28oz can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
  • 4-5 minced garlic cloves (or more if you like garlic)
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 lbs chuck beef
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (Italian is best)
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tsp onion powder
  • 1 Tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 Tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Pinch of sugar

Directions

In a heavy pot (like a Le Creuset Dutch oven) or in an Instant Pot set to sauté, heat the olive oil and brown the chuck; about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add in the onion and minced garlic, sauté for about a minute or until fragrant. Add the chuck back in and the rest of the ingredients. If using a heavy pot, bring to a boil and simmer; about 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart. If using an Instant pot, set the pressure cooker for 45 minutes with the valve closed.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

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Fontina Rolled Chicken

My partner loves chicken cordon bleu. I found this recipe on the internet somewhere, not sure where (sorry to who ever it is that created this), and decided to modify it slightly. The original called for parsley and bacon and a couple of other things I don’t remember. I ditched the parsley and substituted crispy proscuitto instead of bacon (because I had some left over from my previousy risotto recipe).  It turned out really well and I think it’s delicious. Enjoy.

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Fontina Rolled Chicken

  • 4 oz cream cheese at room temp
  • 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
  • 1/3 cup crumbled, crispy prosciutto
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 tsp+ salt
  • 1 tsp+ pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combines the cream cheese, fontina, prosciutto and green onion.

In a shallow bowl beat the eggs (a pie pan works great). In another shallow bowl, toss the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and paprika.

Pound out the chicken until it’s about 1/4″ thick, I like to use a ziplock bag for this. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Take the cheese mixture and spread it over the chicken. Roll up the chicken from the short side and secure with toothpicks. Dip the chicken in the eggs and then into the bread crumbs.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken seam side down. Drizzle the tops with the olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes or until the internal temp is 165 degrees and the tops are golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes, remove the toothpicks, and enjoy!

 

 

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Halibut Lemon Risotto

This recipe is based on one from Giada De Laurentis. Hers was with shrimp and had fennel and arugula in it. Not a fan of any of those. So I decided to skip them, add halibut and parmesan cheese as well. Turned out delicious! Not too lemony and it accentuated the fish perfectly. I used my Anova Sous Vide to make sure the fish turned out perfect, then gave it a little pan sear for additional flavor and color. Now I’m pretty sure you could make this with any type of fish or even add the shrimp back in. Like my other risotto recipe I topped this off with some crispy prosciutto.  Enjoy!

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Halibut Lemon Risotto

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 to 1 Lbs Halibut (1/2 feeds 2 people easily, more fish if you have more people)
  • 1 Tsp salt
  • 1/2 Tsp black pepper

Directions

In a medium pot bring the chicken stock to a simmer.

In a large heavy pot, I like to use my Le Crueset dutch oven, heat the oil and butter on medium-high. Add in the chopped onion and saute for 3 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir until well coated and translucent in spots, about 2 minutes. Add in the wine and cook until it’s mostly absorbed, stirring often. Add in a ladle of hot stock, the zest of the lemon and the lemon juice. Bring it to a boil, turning up the heat if need be. Continue to cook at a low boil, adding a ladleful of stock as needed, until the rice is just tender but still has a bite to it. Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking or burning on the bottom. This will take about 15 or so minutes. You don’t want it soupy nor the rice to get mushy. Once it’s just al dente, turn the heat off and add the parmesan. Add the salt and pepper.

Now for the fish. If you’re using a Sous Vide you will want to season lightly with salt and pepper. Set you Sous Vide to 115 degrees and cook for at least 45 minutes. Do a quick sear in a frying pan, about 1 minute per side.

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Garlic Fried Chicken

I got the idea for this from America’s Test Kitchen. Unlike their version, I don’t finish mine with garlic butter. Keep an eye on it as it’s easy to overcook, which you can tell by my picture I did. It still tasted pretty good.  Enjoy!

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Garlic Fried Chicken

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp granulated garlic
  • 10 cloves minced garlic, divided 5 & 5
  • 4 Tbsp black pepper, divided
  • 4 Tbsp kosher salt, divided
  • 4 pieces of chicken (I use thighs)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp chipotle powder
  • 3 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder

Directions

In a ziplock bag; mix together the buttermilk, granulated garlic, 5 Tbsp minced garlic, 2 Tbsp salt, and 2 Tbsp pepper. Add in the chicken and let it marinate overnight.

Sift together the flour, paprika, chipotle poser, baking powder, 5 Tbsp minced garlic and garlic powder in a medium bowl.

Heat a heavy pot, like a dutch oven, half full of vegetable oil until it’s 350 degrees. I’m lucky enough to have a Butterball XL Electric Fryer. Pour the buttermilked chicken into a medium bowl. Take and dip the chicken into the flour mixture, back into the buttermilk mixture and again into the flour. Gently place it in the hot oil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees.

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Honey Garlic Salmon

This recipe is super easy and delicious. I make my salmon using my Anova Sous Vide, this guarantees that it comes out perfect every time. Sure it takes a little longer but it’s worth it to me to have the salmon perfect and not over-cooked. I serve this with rice. Enjoy!

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Honey Garlic Salmon

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce
  • 1 large lemon (juiced, zested and a couple of slices)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 salmon fillets (size is up to you)
  • 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 Tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 green onion, chopped

Directions

In a medium bowl combine the honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and onion. Zest your lemon into the bowl of honey. Slice off about 4 or 5 thin slices from the lemon, set aside and juice the remaining lemon into the bowl of honey as well. If you didn’t sous vide your salmon you’re going to need to cook it. Either way, lightly salt and pepper both sides. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat with the olive oil until it’s hot. Add the salmon and brown on each side, about 2 minutes if sous vide or 4-6 minutes if not (that’s per side). Remove and set aside. Take the pan off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes, so you don’t burn the garlic. Turn the heat to medium and add the garlic, sautéing until fragrant (about 2 mins). Add the honey mixture and sliced lemons, cook for about 5 minutes or until thick. Add the salmon back in and turn to coat. Give it about a minute to make sure the salmon is heated and then serve.

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Beef with Rosemary-Mushroom Sauce.

This is one of the more healthy recipes that I like to make. It’s pretty tasty and I love to serve it with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

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Beef with Rosemary-Mushroom Sauce

  • sliced mushrooms, about 6 oz
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 lbs steak, I used skirt steak but any will do (about 1 inch thick)
  • 1 Tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 green onions, chopped
  • 1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 4-5 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • Salt & pepper

Directions

Combine the mushrooms, wine and steak in a Ziploc bag, seal, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Turn it every 10 mins or so.

Heat a pan, I like to use my Le Creuset Braiser, over medium-high with the oil. Remove the steak from the Ziploc, keep the marinade, and lightly salt & pepper the steak. Cook the steak for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until the desired degree of doneness, this will depend on the thickness of the steak. Remove it from the pan and let it rest covered with aluminum foil. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, rosemary, marinade, broth, and tomato sauce. Bring it to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Slice the steak diagonally across the grain and toss in the sauce. Serve it with potatoes or even rice.

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Chicken Cacciatore

I make this dish for my significant other more than me. It’s pretty traditional and I, being me, have taken an untraditional approach. Enjoy!

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Chicken Cacciatore

  • 2 boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 boneless chicken breast
  • 2 Tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tsp fresh black pepper
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 or 5 minced garlic cloves
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3 Tbsp drained capers
  • 1 Tsp Italian herbs
  • 1 1/2 Tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 Tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag. Cut the chicken in about 3″x3″ cubes. Put them in the ziplock and shake to coat. In a large saute pan, I love to use my Le Creuset Braiser, heat the olive oil on medium high. Brown the chicken, about 3 minutes each side. Transfer it to a plate and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; you may need to add a little more oil. Season with a little salt and pepper. Saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, chick broth, capers, Italian seasoning, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken back in and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

I like to serve with penne pasta and garlic bread.