Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli

Ingredients

For the crab cakes
1 large egg
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat
½ cup panko
Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking
For the chipotle aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeds removed and chopped
1 1/2 tsp adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix all aioli ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve the crab cakes warm with the chipotle aioli.

Notes

Substantially adapted to unrecognizability from any recipe I started with

September 8, 2023September 8, 2023

Easy Plum Cobbler

Ingredients

4 cups pitted sliced plums (about 6 to 8 medium plums)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/4 cup milk (I used oat milk)
coarse sugar, optional (sanding sugar, turbinado, or demerara)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside a 1 & 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.
Combine the plums, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Mix directly in the baking dish, or mix in a separate bowl and transfer to the baking dish.
Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the butter to the flour mixture, and mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until crumbly.
Add the milk, and mix just until a dough forms.
Using about a tablespoonful at a time, drop the dough over the top of the plum mixture. If you like, sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Notes

recipe from Bake or Break

September 8, 2023September 8, 2023

Steak & Potato Skillet

Ingredients

1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. canola oil, divided
1 lb. baby creamer potatoes, quartered
Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 1 chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. flank steak, cut into 2″x 1/2″ strips
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/2 cup oil. Arrange potatoes in a single layer with a cut side facing down; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, undisturbed, until one side starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Toss potatoes so another cut side is facing down and add smashed garlic. Cook, undisturbed, until both sides are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer potato mixture to a paper towel-lined plate.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Once bubbling subsides, add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 1 minute more. Transfer butter mixture to a small bowl. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper and vigorously whisk until smooth and emulsified.
Season steak with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. In same skillet over medium heat, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Arrange half of steak in skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until bottom starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Toss steak and continue cook until desired degree of doneness is reached and other side is starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer steak to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and steak. Return potatoes and steak to skillet and remove from heat.
Drizzle steak and potatoes with mustard butter sauce.

Notes

recipe from Delish

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023

Orange Ginger Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Sesame Ginger Marinade, Chicken, & Dressing
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 to 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salad
2 cups shredded lacinato kale or romaine lettuce (if using kale, remove stems before shredding)
2 cups shredded red cabbage
½ cup grated carrots (or carrot matchsticks)
3 fresh mandarin oranges (like Halos), peeled and segmented
¼ cup chopped green onion tops (green parts only)
Optional Garnishes
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sesame seeds or sliced almonds

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, tamari sauce, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Reserve a ¼ cup of the dressing. It will be used for the chicken marinade in step two. To the remaining larger portion of the dressing, add the finely grated ginger and toasted sesame oil. Stir to mix and set aside.
Place the chicken in a medium bowl with the ¼ cup of reserved dressing (without the ginger and sesame oil). Toss to coat the chicken. Allow the chicken to briefly marinate while you heat the grill or broiler in the next step.
Heat a tabletop grill or broiler on high. Once the grill is hot, cook the chicken, flipping once, until done. This usually takes me about 12 minutes using my small tabletop grill. Remove the chicken from the heat and place it on a clean cutting board. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
While the chicken is cooking, I like to assemble the salad. Place the kale, red cabbage, carrots, mandarin orange segments, and green onion tops (green parts only) in a large bowl and stir to mix. Add the cooked chicken and dressing. Toss to mix.
Serve salad topped with optional cilantro and sesame seeds.

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023

Ham Ramen

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 cups room-temperature water
2 packages of your favorite ramen noodles
4 slices of deli ham
2 green onions, sliced

Directions

Place your eggs in a pot of water over medium-high heat and bring the 2 cups of water to a boil. Cook the eggs for six and a half minutes for medium- to soft-boiled eggs, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil.
Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill until it is cold enough to handle. Gently crack your eggs all over and peel. Set the eggs aside.
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
Divide the cooked ramen noodles and the broth into 2 bowls. Slice the egg in half and place it with the sliced ham on top of the noodles. Garnish with the sliced green onions.
For dramatic effect, place the lid over the ramen bowl and wait for the big unveiling. Enjoy!

Notes

from The Unofficial Studio Ghibli Cookbook

August 15, 2023August 15, 2023

Pisto Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, diced
1/2 tsp salt (for eggplant)
Good quality olive oil (cold-pressed)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1/2 long red chilli, diced (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 green bell pepper/capsicum, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1.5 cans crushed tomatoes or tomato passata (organic, if possible)
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey or coconut sugar (optional, omit for Whole30)
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and diced

Directions

Dice the eggplant into cubes and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave for 15-20 minutes. This removes some of the bitterness from the eggplant and draws out the moisture so that the vegetable doesn’t need as much oil to fry in.
Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep frying pan or a casserole dish and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, chilli and diced peppers. Cook over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, until well softened. Then, add the garlic, tomatoes, salt and sugar or honey and cook for 10 minutes covered with a lid, stirring a couple of times. In the meantime, dice the zucchini and set them aside.
Rinse the eggplant under water and pat dry slightly with the kitchen towel. In a separate frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway, until slightly browned off.
Remove the eggplant and add a little more olive oil. Add the zucchini and cook for 4-5 minutes as well, stirring a couple of times.
Finally, add the pre-fried eggplant and zucchini to the pot with the tomato mixture and stir through. Cook together for 25 minutes over medium-low heat, covered with a lid. Stir a few times.
Let it sit for 5 minutes after cooking before serving. You may garnish pisto with fresh parsley, basil or coriander if you wish.

Notes

from Cooked and Loved

August 15, 2023August 15, 2023

Chorizo al Vino

Ingredients

5 Cured Spanish Chorizos
2 cups Spanish dry red wine
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

Heat 1 Tbsp spanish olive oil in a small, non-stick pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes.
Pierce each sausage a few times with a fork and add to pan along with wine; bring to a simmer. Remove sausages from pan and cut into ½” thick slices. Set wine aside.
Return sausage slices to pan over medium-high heat and cook until browned on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and add reserved wine; cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is reduced by half, and chorizo absorbs flavor of the wine, about 10 minutes.

Notes

from Amigo Foods

August 15, 2023August 15, 2023

Patatas Bravas

Ingredients

Aioli
1 egg
1 cup olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
salt to taste
Brava Sauce
3 tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish sweet paprika)
small pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
salt to taste
Potatoes
4 cups olive oil
1 pound russet potatoes (approximately 2 medium potatoes)
salt to taste
bunch chives for garnish (optional)

Directions

Break the egg into a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic clove and the vinegar.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, mix at high speed until garlic is pureed. Add olive oil in a slow, but steady drizzle while continuing to blend until you have a nice thick aioli. Salt to taste. If you experience problems with the aoli, visit the linked site. There are tips there for troubleshooting broken sauces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Grate and then sieve tomatoes to produce 1 cup tomato puree or process halved and seeded tomatoes in a food processor.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over low heat. Add the tomato puree, sugar, bay leaf, pimenton and cayenne. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until mixture is reduced by 2/3rds, stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaf, add vinegar and salt to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 4 cups olive oil to 250 degrees. Place the potatoes in the oil and poach them, frying slowly until soft, about 10 minutes. The potatoes will not changes color, but should yield easily when pierced with a toothpick. Remove to a paper towel covered plate with a slotted spoon.
Raise the temperature of the olive oil to 350 degrees. Return the potatoes to the pot, frying in batches until crispy and brown, about 2 minutes. Salt to taste. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
Spread brava sauce on a plate, top with potatoes, top potatoes with aioli and garnish with chopped chives.