Shrimp with Pea Pesto

 This is a quick weeknight meal inspired by F&W. Fresh peas are required for this dish, so do seek them out. I cooked up some orzo that I tossed it with the extra pesto to compete the meal.

Ingredients:
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
2 c shelled fresh peas
3/4 c parmigiano, grated
2 cloves garlic, green germ removed
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil, plus extra for cooking the shrimp
Salt and pepper
1 lb shrimp, peeled and cleaned

In a food processor or blender combine peas, cheese, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Cook shrimp anout 2 minites per side until opaque and cooked through.

Serve shrimp with pesto and a little parmigiano cheese.

Serves 2 – 4.

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Pork Cutlets with Fennel and Asparagus Salad

  I think restraint may be the most difficult thing a cook faces. Thank you Bon Appetite for this simple yet complex dish. Freshness really matters for this dish so try to get your veg at the farmers market and prepare this within 2

Ingredients:
Pork Cutlets, ¼ inch thick
3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 c dried bredcrumbs
2 TBSP corn starch
1 small fennel bulb, cored, thinly sliced, plus 2 tablespoons fennel fronds
1 lb asparagus spears, shaved lengthwise into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

Place flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow bowl. Toss breadcrumbs and cornstarch in a third shallow bowl; season with kosher salt and pepper

Season cutlets with kosher salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Transfer to bowl with egg and turn to coat. Lift from bowl, allowing excess to drip off. Coat with breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook cutlets, shaking pan occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack; season with sea salt.

Combine fennel, fennel fronds, asparagus, onion, and parsley in a medium bowl. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil; season with kosher salt and pepper. Serve salad alongside cutlets with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Serves 4.

Caramelized Garlic Tart

 Seriously, if you don’t have one of Ottolenghi’s cookbooks you need to stop what your doing go to Amazon and buy one. This dish is from Plenty – I made one minor change, I grated the Gouda. This dish is rich so serve it with a healthy salad or veggie side. The flavors are unbelievable – it is worth every single mouth watering calorie. 

Ingredients
1 sheet of puffed pastry, defrosted
3 medium heads garlic, peeled
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 c water
3/4 TBSP sugar
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves
4 1/2 oz cherve, broken into chunks
4 1/4 oz goat gouda, shredded
2 eggs
3.5 oz half and half
3.5 oz creme fraich
Pepper

Roll out pastry to fit an 11 inch fluted tart pan. Line the pan with the pastry and fold and trim any excess. place a piece of parchment over the pastry and fill withbpie weights or dried beans. Chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the tart in then oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and bake 5 – 10 more minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.

Place garlic in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and return to pan with olive oil. Fry the garlic cloves on high heat for 3 – 4 minutes until they start to brown. Add water and balsamic bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, rosemary, thyme and 1/4 tsp salt. Simmer over medium flame for 10 minutes until garlic is coated in a thick syrup. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs, half and half, creme fraiche and pepper. Set aside.

To assemble, evenly distributed gouda, cherve and garlic. Carefully pour egg mixture over the cheese and garlic.

Reduce oven to 325 and bake for 30 – 45 minutes, until golden brown.

Serves 8.

Roasted Artichokes & Asparagus

  
This recipe brings all the goodness of spring into a simple and easy to prepare dish. Thanks Cooking Light for the inspiration. If you have the time and the inclination you can use fresh artichokes, I’m too lazy so I defrosted a couple bags of frozen.

Ingredients:
1 lb frozen or canned baby artichokes
10 thin lemon slices
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 TBSP butter, melted
4 TBSP chopped fresh flat-leaf
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp eash salt and pepper
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 450.

In a rinmed baking sheet toss together artichokes, 1 TBSP olive oil and lemon slices. Arrange in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes until the artichokes begin to brown. 

Toss asparagus and remaining olive oil with the artichokes and roast 15 – 20 more minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times until asparagus is tender.
Add butter, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and pine nuts, stir to combine.

Serves 8. 3 WW PP

Fregola with Green Peas, Mint & Ricotta

 This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetite to which I made a few minor changes. The mint really makes the dish special. If you don’t have fresh peas, frozen are fine. You can buy Fregola on Amazon, or swap in another small pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c Fregola
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 c dry white wine
• 2 1/2 c chicken broth
• Pepper
• 2 TBDP mint, chopped
• 4 oz ricotta

Cook fregola in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente, 6–8 minutes. Drain pasta (do not rinse), reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium and cook bacon, stirring often, until bacon is brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until skillet is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add fregola and cook, stirring often, until pasta is just al dente and broth is thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add peas and chopped mint and cook, stirring, until peas are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta cooking liquid as needed to adjust consistency.

Serve topped with ricotta, mint, and cracked pepper and drizzled with oil.

Serves 4.

Asparagus Tart

 

Asparagus, cheese and puff pastry – what’s better? Nothing in my book. 

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• 1 bunch of thin asparagus
• 1 c Gruyere, grated
• 4 oz ricotta 
• Espellette pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Roll out pastry and place on a baking sheet. Prick with a fork and bake for 15 minutes until it starts to brown.

Spread ricotta over pastry. Top with 3/4 the cheese, then aspasragus, espellette and remaining cheese.

Bake 10 – 15 minutes until cheese is melted and staring to brown.

Serves 4. 

Asian Slaw

 Edit   

This is a tasty slaw with Asian flare. It also will keep overnight in the fridge for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of shredded cabbage
• 2 grated carrots
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 2 TBSP sesame seeds

Combine oil, vinegar and soy sauce in a small jar. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Serves 6. 2 WW PP.

Cottage Cheese, Tomato & Cucumber

 

A simple, quick and healthy salad. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c cottage cheese
• 2 tomatoes, cored and sliced thin
• 1 Kirby cucumber, sliced thin
• Salsa
• Red hot salt

Red Hot Salt

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espellette pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Combine in a jar.

Arrange tomatoes and cucumbers on a plate, sprinkle with red hot pepper. Place cottage cheese in center and drizzle with salsa.

Serves 1. 2 WW PP. 

Chicken with Mint

  

Another winner winner chicken dinner from Patricia Well! I served it asparagus and bread.

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breast, pounded 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 c mint, minced
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• Salt
• 1 c dry white wine
• 2 TBSP capers, drained 

Place chicken, mint and 2 TBSP olive oil in a shallow dish and toss to combine. Let marinate for 30 plus minutes.

In a large skillet heat 1 TBSP olive oil over med high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and cook 2 – 3 minutes, turn and cook 3 more minutes. Remove and cover with foil.

Add wine to skillet and capers and boil uncovered 2 – 3 minutes until reduced.

Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves 4. 5 WW PP.

Asparagus with Shallot Vinegrette

 

If you’ve been following my blog, you know come spring I develop a pretty serious asparagus habit. The challenge finding new ways to cook up my fav spring veg. Leave it to Ms Wells to come up yet another perfect recipe! This is adapted from Vegetable Harvest.

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 c shallots, minced
• 2 TBSP sherry vinegar
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• Lemon zest from 1 lemon
• Salt
• 1/3 c olive oil 

Combine in a jar and set aside.

Asparagus:

• 1 lb asparagus
• 3 TBSP vinaigrette 
• Sea salt
• 1 oz shaved Parmesan 

 Preheat oven to 450.

Toss asparagus with vinaigrette, season with salt and place in a pan in a single layer. 

Bake 12 min. Add parm and cook until melted.

Serves 2. 2 WW PP.