Thai-Inspired Coconut Cod

by Hilary Gauntt on October 15, 2024

This recipe was created by Jamie Vespa, a registered dietitian and food journalist. I was searching for a way to use some fresh cod, and happened to have all these ingredients hanging around. Easy and delicious! Perfect over jasmine rice and the leftovers were divine with a package of Momofuku noodles for lunch the next day. Easy to add in vegetables like baby bok choy, asparagus cut into bite size pieces, and even an ear of fresh corn. So good!

1 to 1.25 lbs. cod fillets (preferable cod from Norway)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)

1/2 cup minced shallots

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 Tbs. Thai red curry paste (or more)

1 13.5-oz. can coconut milk

1 tsp. fish sauce

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped or torn (substitute basil)

Cooked white rice or rice noodles for serving

Pat cod fillets dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add bell pepper and shallots; cook 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and red curry paste; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, until aromatic, and season with 1/4 tsp. salt.

Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring mixture to a simmer. Nestle seasoned cod fillets in skillet, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Remove from heat and add fresh lime juice. Garnish with green onion and cilantro, and serve over rice or noodles. Serves 4.

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Angel Hair Pasta

by Hilary Gauntt on August 9, 2024

I just finished the leftovers of this for lunch, and it was just as good! Made with pantry staples, it comes together quickly – angel hair cooks in 2 minutes!. Olive oil, butter, garlic, herbs and softened pan roasted tomatoes is a favorite combo; especially with a hefty dose of Parmesan cheese to serve. Wanting to add some protein, I sautéed some shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper first; set them aside and then added them back in at the end. A dash of white wine along with the shallots and garlic is a nice idea as well. I did feel the pasta to sauce ratio was off though; perhaps use 1/2 to 2/3 pound of angel hair ? Credit to Dan Pelosi of the New York Times for this quick and easy recipe.

Salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. butter

1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Crushed red pepper (optional)

1 pound angel hair pasta

2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried parsley

2 Tbs. minced fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat a large pasta pot of salted water to boil.

To a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to soften and the skins are a little blistered, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add garlic, shallot, 1 tsp. each of kosher salt and black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper, if using, and toss to combine with the tomatoes. Cook for about 6 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and the tomatoes are fully softened yet still intact. Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to the package directions, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then strain the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta, herbs and a bit of the reserved pasta water to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine, until you have a glossy pan sauce; add more pasta water slowly, if needed. Serve topped with plenty of Parmesan. Serves 4.

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Ina’s Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake

by Hilary Gauntt on July 20, 2024

A lovely moist cake that works after dinner just as well. Easy to make in a stand mixer, and most any berry will work here. I made this a day ahead and left it wrapped on the counter, and doubt anyone could tell the difference. A few people commented that even with the toothpick coming out clean, the center wasn’t quite done. I baked it for the full 55 minutes and it was fine. This is from Ina Garten’s Go-To Dinners cook book.

10 Tbs. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

2 Tbs. sour cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

Kosher salt

2 cups fresh blueberries (12 ounces), divided

Sifted confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.. Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, shaking out any excess flour.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after every addition. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. (The batter will look curdled.)

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing until just incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold two thirds of the berries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and lightly dust the top with the confectioners sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6-8.

Note: You can roll the berries in a bit of flour to keep them from dropping to the bottom.

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Honey-Roasted Fig and Prosciutto Bruschetta

by Hilary Gauntt on July 15, 2024

Milk Street Magazine discovered this sweet and savory bruschetta at Silene Piccolo Ristorante in the central Italian town of Foligno. Fresh figs are roasted with rosemary and garlic, and layered with prosciutto and arugula on toasts rubbed with garlic. Fresh figs can be hard to find, and I used the suggested substitute of a ripe but firm Bosc pear. I made the toasts and roasted the pear ahead of time, and put it together before taking it to a neighbor for happy hour. Looks pretty and tastes great!

Four 1-inch-thick bread slices from a country-style boule

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled

2 Tbs. honey

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

4 ounces fresh figs, stemmed and quartered, or 1 ripe but firm Bosc pear, unpeeled, halved, cored and sliced lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick

1 rosemary sprig

2 cups lightly packed baby arugula

1 tsp. lemon zest, plus 1 tsp lemon juice

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, each slice torn into 3 or 4 pieces

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Heat the broiler with a rack positioned about 6 inches from the element. Generously brush both sides of each bread slice with oil and place in a single layer on a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping slices about halfway through and rotating the baking sheet as needed for even toasting. Remove from the oven and lightly rub the garlic clove all over one side of each toast. Cut each toast in half crosswise and transfer to a platter; set aside. Reserve the baking sheet for the figs.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Add the figs and rosemary, then gently toss until evenly coated. Place the figs cut sides up on the reserved baking sheet, gathering them in the center (if using a pear, there’s no need to position the slices in a certain way, but do gather them in the center.) Tuck the rosemary into the figs, then drizzle with the honey mixture remaining in the bowl. Wipe out and reserve the bowl. Broil until softened and lightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the reserved bowl, combine the arugula and lemon juice; toss and set aside.

Drape a few pieces of prosciutto over each toast, dividing them evenly. Place figs on top of the prosciutto, dividing them evenly, discard the rosemary. Drizzle each bruschetta with any juices on the baking sheet. Top with the arugula and sprinkle with the lemon zest and sea salt (if using). Serves 4 to 6.

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