Tag Archives: Dinner

Pasta Puttanesca

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Rumor has it that in Rome, ladies of the night who were voraciously hungry after a long night on the job, would come home and prepare pasta using staples always on hand in the pantry. This pasta dish, which is lusty and full of bold flavors, was named for the ladies. It is one of my favorites.

Rumor has it that in Rome, ladies of the night who were voraciously hungry after a long night on the job, would come home and prepare pasta using staples always on hand in the pantry. This pasta dish, which is lusty and full of bold flavors, was named for the ladies. It is one of my favorites.

  • 1 pound imported dried Penne
  • Extra virgin olive oil to coat bottom of pan
  • 1 can whole tomatoes, San Marzano if available
  • 1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • Dried crushed red peppers to taste
  • 1 oil packed anchovy (optional but authentic and delicious)
  • 2 tablespoons small whole capers in brine (drained) or chopped large capers
  • ¼ cup good quality black olives, pitted & chopped
  • 3 tablespoons salt plus additional for seasoning
  • Liberal amounts of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped italian parsley, plus additional for garnish
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  1. Boil a large stockpot full of water for pasta, while preparing sauce.
  2. Heat olive oil in another large saucepan on medium heat.  Add onion and saute for one minute, stirring. Add garlic, red pepper (if using) and anchovy and continue to saute for several minutes until anchovy starts to dissolve. (do not allow vegetables to brown, but to look translucent).
  3. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as they are added to the pot.  Add capers, olives and black pepper.  Increase heat to medium high heat and boil sauce for eight to ten minutes to reduce and thicken.
  4. Add 3 tablespoons of salt to pasta water.  Prepare pasta according to directions minus 2 – 3 minutes, until slightly underdone.  Drain pasta very well, reserving ¾ cup of pasta cooking water.
  5. Add drained pasta to pot of sauce gradually, mixing and adding reserved water as needed, to help moisten and bind the sauce together with the pasta, tossing as you add more pasta and water, until all of pasta has been added to sauce.
  6. Garnish with cheese and chopped parsley, serving immediately.

 

Serves 2-3 as entree, 4 as first course

photo by Kristi Senat

Grilled Red Snapper with Mango Salsa

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Red Snapper is a delicious, mild, sweet and moist fish – perfect for grilling and topping with the fresh and spicy mango  salsa

For the mango salsa
  • 2 cups peeled, diced, ripe mango
  • 3 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
  • 1 yellow or orange pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion (rinsed in a strainer in cold water 2x and drained)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Minced jalapeno or serrano pepper to taste
  • 2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  2. Taste for seasoning.

Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving

For the snapper

  • 4 – 6 oz red snpper filets
  • Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
  1.  Preheat a gas grill to medium high.  Oil the racks very well.
  2. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper, liberally.
  3. Grill the fish without turning for approximately 5-6 minutes until fish is just opaque in the center.
  4. Remove fish carefully from grill and place on a serving platter.
  5. Top fish with salsa and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Sautéed Chicken Breasts Provençal

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Fresh and flavorful, this is the perfect weeknight dinner.  From the kitchen counter to the table in 20 minutes, this dish allows you time to dream Provençal dreams! Have your butcher pound out the chicken breasts for you to save time.

  • 4 tbs olive oil
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
  • ¼ cup flour
  • Salt & fresh pepper to taste
  • Crushed hot red pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced
  • 6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped (use italian canned if necessary)
  • 1 cup pitted black niçoise style olives
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 3 tbs chopped parsley
  • A handful of chopped fresh basil leaves
  1. Season flour w/ plenty of salt & pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour, patting off excess flour.
  2. Heat 2 tbs oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Sauté the chicken on both sides for approximately 1½ minutes per side. Remove breasts from pan and tent w/ foil. Drain excess oil fro pan.
  3. Add 2 additional tbs oil to pan and sauté onions, garlic, crushed hot peppers (if using), yellow and red peppers on medium heat for 5 minutes, until onions and peppers are softened.  Increase heat to medium high heat and add tomatoes, olives and white wine to skillet and cook for 5 -10 minutes, until wine is nearly evaporated.  Add parsley, basil, salt, pepper and any juices, which have accumulated under the chicken to the pan, and cook sauce for 5 minutes longer.
  4. Add chicken to the skillet with the sauce and turn the filets over in the sauce two or three times to reheat and blend flavors.  Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and pour the sauce over.  Garnish with additional fresh basil, finely sliced.

Serves 4

 

Grilled Greek Island Style Chicken Breasts

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Grilled boneless chicken breasts served warm with a cool, Greek style chopped salad on top is the perfect summer dish for a breezy, al fresco dinner

Grilled boneless chicken breasts served warm with a cool, Greek style chopped salad on top is the perfect summer dish for a breezy, al fresco dinner

  •  4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded 3/4” thin

For the marinade

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tblespoons chopped mint
  • Salt & pepper

For the garnish

  • 1 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
  • 2 red ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped finely
  • 2 tablespoons sweet vidalia type onion, chopped finely
  • 3 tablespoons small capers in brine, drained
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup greek feta cheese, crumbled
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoons each, flat leaf parsley and mint chopped for garnish

 

 

  1.  Marinate chicken breasts for one hour in marinade.
  2. Prepare garnish by combining all ingredients and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.  Garnish may be made up to 6 hours ahead, but do not add feta cheese until ready to serve.
  3. Preheat grill to high heat.  Grill chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, remove chicken from the grill and place on serving platter, spooning garnish directly over chicken.
  4. Serve immediately, or at room temperature as part of a buffet.
Serves 4