Cooking With Cider - Red Cabbage and Apples

It's almost tax time, so we were on a Skype call this past week with our German friends, Harald and his wife Inge. We help Harold negotiate the finance world of US banks and tax law sometimes. Anyway, in making small talk about late winter and what everyone has been doing and eating during COVID lockdowns, the topic of schnitzel and veggies came up. One thing lead to another and by the time I began planning for dinner, pork medallions and red cabbage became my targeted ingredients. Hiel and I really miss the German fare that we had when we would meet friends at the local restaurants in Baden -Württemberg. Between missing our friends and missing the German culture, I was back to the schnitzel and sides.

Pan Seared Halibut and Cannellini Beans with Anchovy Herbed Vinaigrette

 

That recipe name ! What a mouthful ! This dish has a bunch of flavours that make for a real mouthful. The vinaigrette looks sparse, but it has so many powerful ingredients! In small amounts, they pack intense power. In addition, the beans have stealth to them. They have the garlic and shallot flavours that have gently infused their way into them. And the fish ... it was heavenly. With its crispy top and perfectly salty flesh, it is a real treat! SB and I have not been eating a lot of fish lately. For whatever reason, I have been craving it. I'm so glad I splurged and bought this halibut.

This was SUCH a nice dinner ! We had it with a side of steamed broccoli florets. 

Chicken Stew with Mashed Potato 'Dumplings'

Merry Christmas ! Happy New Year ! Got leftovers ? Me, too !

Zucchini Fritters

 

Fall lighting is here and dinners look pretty cozy when captured in that golden light of the evening kitchen lamps ! These fritters were made with the last of the garden zucchini - grated and mixed up with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, some egg, some spices, and 'oven fried' to crispy bites. They were perfect dipped in creamy rich aioli !

They are ridiculously easy to make, folks ! The batter is moist enough that using a tablespoon to scoop and press along the inside of the batter bowl creates nice round fritters that pop easily onto a spritzed piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Then, simply spritz the tops with a bit of olive oil and pop them into a 400 degree F oven for 20 - 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through the oven time. 

Moussaka for Two

Moussaka ! Ground lamb, eggplant, onions, oregano, mint, tomato sauce, and a Bechamel sauce and cheese topping. Oh my ! This is a bit labor intensive during prep, but the payoff is oh, so good. It's prepared in three separate steps and then assembled and finished in the oven to a gooey, bubbling finish. Enjoy !

Mom's Banana Bread

It's humble. It's a modest housewife's sweet response to the ethos of Mom's Depression Era generation - 'waste not, want not'. It's one of the first baked quick breads that Mom showed me how to make. Granted, Mom came from the generation of bottled lemon juice and walnuts only at Thanksgiving time or for very special baking holidays. She came around in later years ... and now, her legacy lives on and continues to grow in her kids and grands, and great-grands.

Two Words

First Harvest

Honey Soy Chicken Thighs - Instant Pot !

We pulled out the Instant Pot this week to make an easy and really tasty fast chicken thigh recipe. Put some steamed rice and extra sauce on the side with a vegetable and the plate was a great dinner. The whole deal came together within 45 minutes.