Roasted Squash Salad with Maple Apple Cider Vinegar

I love roasted squash so trying this recipe from Food and Drink magazine was an obvious choice.  I changed around a few things to suit my tastes like changing the arugula salad to a spring mix.  The big surprise for me was the amazing taste of the sweet and sour reduction of the syrup and vinegar.  I am a big fan of this.

1 medium size acorn squash, washed
1 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clamshell (142 g) spring salad mix
1 small apple, cored and very thinly sliced
1 cup extra smooth ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shelled, salted pistachios, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Slice squash in half lengthwise, seed and stem it, then cut each half into 1/2 inch wedges.  Place on baking sheet and toss with oil, salt and chili flakes.  Roast for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until squash wedges are slightly browned.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a small pot over medium heat, combine maple syrup and vinegar.  Let reduce down to a thin syrup, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
4. When you are ready to serve, lay out a base of salad, layer on roasted squash and apple slices, then small spoonfuls of ricotta dotted about.  Drizzle with syrup, sprinkle with pistachios and season generously with salt and pepper.

Serves 4 to 6

Lentil Salad

A healthy salad with tastes from the Mediterranean.    This is a great side for grilled chicken.  Use green lentils in this recipe as they hold their shape when cooked, red lentils do not.  From Food and Drink Autumn 2003.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp chili flakes
1 1/2 cups green lentils
Water to cover
1 bay leaf
2 slices lemon about 1/2 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper

DRESSING
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

GARNISH
175 g feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow pepper, finely diced

1. In a pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute, stirring for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Stir in chili flakes.
2. Add lentils and cook, stirring, until lentils are coated with the seasoning mixture.
3. Add water to cover lentils, add bay leaf and lemon slices, squeezing them gently.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.  SEason well with salt and pepper.  Drain off any excess water and remove the lemon slices and bay leaf.
4. Mix together dressing and toss with warm lentils.  Cool and then sprinkle with feta cheese, black olives, oregano and peppers.  Adjust seasoning if needed.  Serve on platter.

Serves 8

Arroz Con Pollo

This is a big batch recipe, make it for tonight and save one for a busy night.

2 tbsp olive oil
10 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups parboiled (converted) rice - not instant
1 tsp turmeric
1 can (798 ml) diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp crushed dried chili flakes - or to taste
2 tsp salt (I skipped this)
1/2 tsp pepper
chopped fresh parsley

• Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease two 9 x 13 in baking pans - I used 1 foil one for freezing.
• Heat oil in a large skillet.   Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper (I just use pepper) and saute in batches - don't overload the pan.  Remove from skillet and set aside, leaving as much of the oil behind in the skillet as possible.
• Add the onions, green pepper and garlic to the skillet.  Saute until softened, about 5 min.  Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add rice and turmeric, and cook stirring for a minute or two.  Then add tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, chili flakes, salt and pepper.  Transfer to prepared baking pans, dividing the rice mixture and liquid evenly.  Arrange the browned chicken pieces in the rice (half the chicken in each pan), pushing them down so they're just partially submerged.  Cover the pans with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.  Cover tightly with foil wrap, label and freeze.
• To serve, defrost fully in the refrigerator.  Place in the oven and reheat at 350F for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue heating for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until heated through.  (If the rice seems dry, you may need to add a bit of water or broth).  Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Green Minestrone with Pesto

Not a beautiful looking soup, but delicious and healthy!

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

pinch hot red chili flakes

2 zucchini, diced

1 bunch swiss chard or kale, chopped

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped

1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1/2 in slices

8 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

1/2 cup macaroni or other small pasta (whole wheat if possible)

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas

2

cups chopped escarole or baby spinach leaves

3 green onions, chopped

Pesto

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 

2 oz (60g) shaved or grated Parmesan (preferably parmigiano reggiano)

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.  Add onions, garlic and hot chili flakes.  Cook gently until tender.
2. Add zucchini, Swiss chard, broccoli, green beans and stock. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Add chickpeas and escarole, salt, pepper and green onions.  Cook 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make pesto by placing garlic, basil and salt in a food processor and chopping finely.  While the machine is running, add olive oil through the feed tube, until mixture is thin enough to drizzle.
5. Serve soup, drizzled with pesto and topped with Parmesan.  Freeze any leftover pesto. 

Asian Inspired Steak

Fantastic flavour!  The original recipe called for flank steak but I ended up with some rib eyes that I saw for a good price.  Either way the marinade will help a tough cut of meat or flavour a good one.

Marinade
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (essential - do not substitute)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
sprinkling of chili flakes

1 1/2 - 3 lb (.8 to 1.5 kg) steak - your choice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place all the marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag and squish to combine.  Add the steak, seal the bag and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2. When you are ready to cook, remove steak from bag.  Discarding marinade.  Sprinkle meat with a little salt and pepper.   Cook on a grill, preheated to high for 7 to 9 minutes each side for medium rare, turning once.  
3. After cooking, let meat rest 5 to 10 minutes to retain its juices.  Slice thinly across the grain, on the diagonal and serve with rice or stir fried veggies or on a bed of salad greens.