easy dinner

Salmon with Parsley Sauce

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for over thirty years, I love Salmon of all types and cooked in a variety of different ways. I found this sort of accidentally online and thought I might try it with some of the beautiful parsley I grow in my herb garden. I planted my garden several months ago and it is finally starting to take off. The following bright and flavorful parsley oil makes a great salmon sauce. I served it with bacon wrapped asparagus for the perfect dinner. We paired it with a nice Pinot Noiir.


Ingredients


For the parsley salmon sauce:
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Whole30 salmon:
4 3-ounce salmon llets, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper


Instructions

  1. First, make the salmon sauce: combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender, and
    pulse until very smooth. Pour into a jar, and set aside.
  2. Next, sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of the salmon llets, and heat a large skillet
    over medium-high heat.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F.
  4. Add the olive oil to the pan, and then add the salmon, SKIN SIDE DOWN.
  5. Watch the salmon cook on the edges. When it’s half-way cooked, move the skillet to the
    oven to nish cooking. No need to ip this salmon!
  6. Cook the salmon in the oven to your desired level of doneness. I like my salmon a little red
    in the middle, so I cook it for 8-10 minutes, but if you prefer it all the way done, cook it for
    12-15 minutes.
  7. Remove the salmon from the skillet, place on a serving dish and drizzle with the pars

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is one of the best recipes for easy entertaining! Cook it in the oven, on the
grill, or stove. Crispy and flavorful every time! It is so easy in the oven and you can cook it at the same temperature as the fish. I like to make many things with asparagus. The other night we had a simple asparagus soup. I used the leftover asparagus, cut up and added to our dinner salad.

Ingredients  

  • 1 pound asparagus spears trimmed (about 20 to 24 spears)
  • 1 Tbl Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 strips thick-cut bacon

Instructions

  • Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. For easy cleanup, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. ( and I put tin foil under this to make sure there is no mess)
  • Place the asparagus in a large bowl or on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Count the spears and divide the total number by 8. Gather that number of spears (likely 2 to 4 spears, depending upon their thickness) and hold them together in a single bundle. Starting midway to the top, wrap the bundle with one piece of bacon (overlap the starting end of the bacon slightly to secure it) and place the bundle on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining spears.
  • Bake until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus is tender, about 22 to 28 minutes, depending upon the thickness of your bacon and how crisp you’d like it to be. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note

  • You can add additional toppings, such as balsamic glaze, cheese, honey, and more!

Thought you might like to see a photo of my growing, still growing Herb Garden in California.

Note that the parsley is taking over the world and the chives are not doing so well yet! Hopefully they will take off growing soon, as they tried to take over my garden in Washington.

Salmon with Parsley Sauce

Spinach Soup

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

So easy and delicious and amazingly yummy! Made a few changes to the recipe I found in one of my cooking magazines. I doubled the amount of spinach used, added a little more homemade stock, did not add croutons and cooked my fresh spinach in the microwave to save time.

I view a lot of blogs that show step by step photos of all the simple food they prepare. At risk of being considered a food snob, I think all the illustrations are unnecessary if you know anything about cooking. I like to skip to the recipe and get to work. If you ever need assistance with a recipe, just let me know!

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cloves garlic, minced ( I used four and it was perfect)

russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ cubes

2 lbs fresh spinach, thick stems trimmed ( I did not trim it and the recipe called for 1 lb, but 2 was great. I precooked it in the microwave in big bowl to save time)

4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used about 6 cups and make my own, so it has a lot more flavour.)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish

FOR THE CROUTONS ( did not add croutons, but served with Irish Soda Bread I had made the day before)

3 tbsp butter

1 cup cubed bread 

Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and green onions and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, then add potato and spinach. Pour over broth and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is bright green, and potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. Stir in cream.
  3. Garnish with more cream and croutons.

MAKE CROUTONS

  1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add bread in a single layer and cook, tossing often, until bread is golden all over, about 3 minutes. 
  2. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with salt.

We served this with a 2017 Suisun Valley Red Wine Petite Sirah from the Lanza Family Vineyard. Perfection!

Spinach Soup

Carne Asada with Chimichurri Sauce

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , Leave a comment

Description

This Keto Carne Asada & Chimichurri Sauce is the perfect low carb grilling recipe for summer entertaining! Whole 30, Paleo, Atkins, Nut Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free!

INGREDIENTS

For the Carne Asada:

  • 1 pound flank or skirt steak
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Carne Asada:

  1. Combine the lime juice, avocado oil, cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, cilantro, cayenne, black pepper, and salt in a bowl or gallon sized plastic bag.
  2. Mix well and add the steak to the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly.
  3. Seal the bag or bowl and and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for the best flavor.
  4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature.
  5. Prepare the grill and preheat to 450 degrees.
  6. Grill the steaks over direct heat for 4 – 5 minutes per side, or until your desired doneness is reached.
  7. Remove the cooked steaks and place on a clean plate or platter.
  8. Rest the meat for 10 minutes before slicing.
  9. Serve with the Chimichurri if desired.

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small blender or magic bullet.
  2. Blend for 20 seconds, or until fully combined but not completely pureed.
  3. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
  4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Carne Asada with Chimichurri Sauce

Potato | Spinach Galette

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

2

Since I had already made the pie crust and there was enough for two, I thought a savory galette might be good.  I am staying with a friend while waiting for my new home to close escrow next week, and we both love to cook.  I was looking online and found a recipe for potato galette.  We have been trying to order our food online with the COVET 19 and she sort of accidentally ordered way too many potatoes.  So instead of nine potatoes, she received nine pounds of potatoes.  How to creatively use more potatoes.

Use the other half of the pie crust recipe that I made yesterday:

Ingredients:

 

3 cups (375g) Plain Flour (unbleached and unfortified)
2 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 sticks (220g) of Butter
(small cold cubed)
1 beaten Egg mixed with
3/4 cup Milk (cold)

 

HOW TO PREPARE PASTRY:

  1. Mix flour, sugar & salt to evenly distribute the dry ingredients
  2. Add cold butter cubes with the flour mix and work with hands or pastry knives until it transforms into small pea-sized crumbs
    (Use cold utensils )
    3) Add egg and milk mixture till the mixture comes together
  3. Make a well with the flour crumbs mixture adding the egg and milk mixture in the well and lightly handling the mixture
    (do not knead)
  4. Incorporate all ingredients together to form a dryish dough
  5. Wrap it well with cling film & refrigerate for 1 hour
  6. Roll out the dough split it in half for two pie crust and roll it out bigger than the pie dish
  7. Fit the rolled out pie dough in the greased and floured pie dish making sure pie dough is press all around the crevices of the dish so it doesn’t sink in or collapse when cooking.
  8. Cut around the edge of the pie dish and refrigerate again for 20 before egg washing it and filling it with pie filling and cooking in the oven.
    Enjoy!

FILLING

2 potatoes ( I used Yukon) slice thinly with a Mandolin (1/8″ thick)

4 TB unsalted butter

1 Yellow onion ( I had half a red and a shallot) so used those

Bacon – you pick how much, but be cooked and cut up (Maybe 2 slices)

Spinach = (one big bunch) cooked down with garlic

1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano Shredded Cheese

Egg wash – one egg whisked with a little water

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons chopped chives

3 tablespoons white vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Flaky salt, for topping

 

HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER

  1. Directions

    1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    3. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the potatoes, flipping once, until just tender and beginning to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain, then remove the paper towel. Sprinkle the potatoes with the chives, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.
    4. Roll your pie dough out into a 13-inch circle and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl and brush it onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch perimeter. In the center of the dough, layer up the toppings in this order: half the onions, half the Parmesan cheese and then half of the potatoes, in a fanned even layer. Top with the remaining onions, remaining cheese, the other half of the potatoes and any additional chives or black pepper from the bottom of the pan. Brush the edges of the crust with egg and then fold them up around the potatoes. Brush the outside edges with egg and sprinkle with flaky salt.
    5. Bake until the pie crust edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the galette with the remaining tablespoon of vinegar before serving.
Potato | Spinach Galette

Pork Chops with Wine & Garlic

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Pork Chops with Wine & Garlic.jpg

  • 6 whole Pork Chops (medium-to-thin)
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • Salt And Pepper
  • 1-1/2 cup Red Wine
  • 1/2 cup Beef Broth (more If Needed)
  • 1 whole Bay Leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 18 whole Peeled Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter (additional)
Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops and sear them on both sides until they’re nice and golden, about 2 minutes per side. (No need to completely cook the chops at this point.) Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, then throw in the whole garlic cloves. Stir them around and cook them for several minutes, or until they get nice and golden brown.

Pour in the red wine, then add the bay leaf. Stir around and let it reduce, raising the heat if necessary. Cook the sauce for several minutes, or until it’s nice and reduced and thick.

Stir in the beef broth (you can add more if it needs the liquid) and add the chops back into the cooking liquid, arranging them so that they’re swimming in the sauce. Allow the chops to cook in the liquid for a few minutes, then pour in the balsamic. Shake the pan to get it to distribute, then cook for a couple more minutes, or until the pork chops are done.

Remove the chops from the pan once more, then let the sauce reduce a little more if needed until it’s very thick and rich and the garlic is soft. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle in a little salt and pepper.

Arrange pork chops on a platter, then pour the whole skillet of sauce (including garlic) over the top.

Serve with a green salad.

*You may substitute white wine for a slightly lighter sauce.

Pork Chops with Wine & Garlic

Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites (Pinchos Morunos)

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

Tonight for a quick dinner I mixed together the spices in the morning and pulled a pork tenderloin from the freezer.  I buy them on sale, so it is a very inexpensive dinner.  Trying to keep the carbs down a little, I served it over cauliflower rice which I made from a head of cauliflower I had in the refrigerator.  I cooked it in a little ghee to give it a slight butter flavor.

The combination of spice and sauce made the entire meal delicious.  It was fast and very easy to make.  I grow my own herbs, so always have a fresh supply.

Pork

We usually prefer the flavor we get from grinding whole spices ourselves, but in this recipe, we found preground worked. Cutting the pork tenderloin into 1- to 1½-inch cubes produced more surface area, allowing the spice rub to quickly penetrate and season the meat. (Any smaller and the meat cooked too quickly)

INGREDIENTS
  • 1½ TEASPOONS GROUND CORIANDER
  • 1½ TEASPOONS GROUND CUMIN
  • 1½ TEASPOONS SMOKED PAPRIKA
  • ¾ TEASPOON EACH KOSHER SALT AND COARSELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
  • 1 POUND PORK TENDERLOIN, TRIMMED AND CUT INTO 1- TO 1½-INCH PIECES
  • 1 TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE, PLUS LEMON WEDGES FOR SERVING
  • 1 TABLESPOON HONEY
  • 1 LARGE GARLIC CLOVE, FINELY GRATED
  • 2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
  • 1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH OREGANO

In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until just smoking. Add the meat in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Off the heat, pour the lemon juice-garlic mixture over the meat and toss to evenly coat, then transfer to a serving platter.

Sprinkle the oregano over the pork and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites (Pinchos Morunos)

Back to Cooking

kingstoncovestudio, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Shepherds Pie is so easy to make.  I had left over potatoes from a couple a nights ago, so did not them to go to waste.  The recipe calls to put it in a casserole pan, but I like individual servings, so put in smaller containers, so I could freeze two for later or eat later in the week.  I added mushrooms and four cloves of garlic and just cut and put in the blender to dice.  Fast and easy.

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's PieLarger photo

American favorite shepherd’s pie recipe, casserole with ground beef, vegetables such as carrots, corn, and peas, topped with mashed potatoes.

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes (about 3 large potatoes), peeled and quartered
  • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1-2 cups vegetables—diced carrots, corn, peas
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

METHOD

1 Boil the potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in medium sized pot. Cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender (about 20 minutes.

2 Sauté vegetables: While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.

If you are including vegetables, add them according to their cooking time. Carrots should be cooked with the onions, because they take as long to cook as the onions do.

If you are including peas or corn, add them toward the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat starts to cook, as they take very little cooking time.

3 Add the ground beef, then Worcestershire sauce and broth: Add ground beef to the pan with the onions and vegetables. Cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth if necessary to keep the meat from drying out.

4 Mash the cooked potatoes: When the potatoes are done cooking (a fork can easily pierce), remove them from the pot and place them in a bowl with the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter. Mash with a fork or potato masher, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Layer the meat mixture and mashed potatoes in a casserole dish: Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the beef, onions, and vegetables (if using) in an even layer in a large baking dish (8×13 casserole).

Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef. Rough up the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork so there are peaks that will get well browned. You can even use a fork to make creative designs in the mashed potatoes.

6 Bake in oven: Place in a 400°F oven and cook until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. If necessary, broil for the last few minutes to help the surface of the mashed potatoes brown.

This is comfort food for a rainy cold day and enjoyed with a nice Tempornillo Wine.

 

Back to Cooking