Tuna Ceviche

From the magazine Traditional Home April 2007. 

 12 oz fresh tuna fillet 

1/2 cup lemon juice 

1 ripe avocado, chopped 

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 

1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped 

2 Tbs orange juice 

2 tbs soy sauce salt and pepper 

 Cut tuna into 1/4 inch cubes after removing any white pieces that might make it tough. Place in large bowl. Add lemon juice. Stir to coat. Let marinate 5 minutes. Drain tuna and discard lemon juice. In another bowl, combine avocado, onion, serrano pepper, orange juice, and soy sauce. Fold in tuna. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fabulous.

Peppercorn, ie Au Poivre Sauce

Makes about 2 cups 

1 Tbs unsalted butter 

1 1/2 Tbs chopped shallots 

2 Tbs cracked peppercorns 

1/2 cup cognac 

3 Tbs undiluted store-bought veal demi-glace (Fresh Market carries)

3/4 cup heavy cream salt 

 In saute pan, melt butter over low heat. Add Shallots and peppercorns and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the shallots soften. Add the Cognac, raise heat to medium, and cook until the cognac evaporates almost completely. Ad 3/4 cup of water and the demi-glace. Bring to a boil, stirring until the demi0glace dissolves. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt. Great over a steak :)

Salmon in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Totally copied from here: https://cooktoria.com/salmon-in-roasted-pepper-sauce/#wprm-recipe-container-7553 but I don't want to forget how much I like it. 

 Ingredients: 

 2 salmon fillets skin on (about 1 lb.) 

Salt and pepper to season 

1 tbsp. olive oil 

1 tbsp. butter 

3 cloves garlic finely diced 

4 oz. roasted red peppers diced 

4 cups fresh baby spinach 

1/2 cup Half & Half or heavy cream 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste 

1/4 cup chopped parsley 

Salt and pepper to taste 

 Cook salmon however you like after you've seasoned it. Initial recipe calls for browning/cooking it in the pan you will use for the sauce. However if you prefer to bake in oven, you can later add it to the sauce and also have the benefit of cooking both parts simultaneously. To the pan, add butter and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, add the roasted peppers, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt. Reduce the heat to low, and add Half & Half, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer. Return the salmon to the pan and spoon the sauce over each filet.

Thai Curry Pepper Soup

I love cooking Thai food. This is served like a soup, with yummy fresh lime juice, avocados, fried shallots, bean sprouts on top :) I've served over rice noodles, over shiritaki noodles, and most recently over a small scoop of cauliflower rice. 

Adapted from : https://carlsbadcravings.com/one-pot-thai-chicken-noodle-soup/ 

 INGREDIENTS: 

olive oil 

8-10 boneless chicken thighs, trimmed 

1 white onion, chopped 

4 tablespoons red curry paste 

2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 

6-8 garlic cloves, minced 

 Lots of Peppers: I use 1 poblano, 5 sweet baby peppers, 4 jalapenos, shishitos, banana peppers, 1 red bell pepper - all diced 

2 small packages of mushrooms, halved or quartered into large but bite sized pieces 

baby bok choy, x 6, chopped coarsely 

 4-6 cups chicken stock 

2 14 oz. cans quality coconut milk (Chaokoh recommended from initial source and I loved it) 

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 

2 tablespoons fish sauce 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

1 tablespoon dried basil (I use fresh Thai basil when it's growing in my garden, a large bunch) 

2 Tbs lime juice 

3 oz. rice vermicelli/thin rice noodles/sticks broken into pieces** 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 

2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha or more to taste 

Garnish: crushed peanuts chopped cilantro lime juice 

Trim chicken thighs. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger powder. I have a crockpot insert that is aluminum and can go on the stovetop initially, so I use it to brown the chicken ahead of time on both sides. Put chicken aside. In the same pot, pour a little more olive oil and saute onion. Add garlic and ginger, stir. Add red curry paste and mix. Then add peppers and mushrooms, bok choy. Pour in chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar, all with a good squirt of lime juice. 

Can double this portion of the recipe if the sauce seems too "coconutty". Serve over rice/cauliflower rice/noodle of choice in bowls. Garnish with cilantro, avocado slices, fried shallots (can get at Asian groceries, very worth the effort), and lime wedges.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

I adapted this from several versions I could find online - not sure if I have the vinegar 100% correct, but this is pretty hard to beat! 

 Main source: https://laughingspatula.com/3-minute-lemon-dijon-vinaigrette/ 

3 cloves garlic 

4 tbs lemon juice or about 2 lemons 

6 tbs dijon 

1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I also tried apple cider but it made it too tart for what I was looking for) 

1 1/2 cup olive oil 

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper 

 Add all to a small blender. I make a lot, this could still be sufficient if halved.

Deb's Cranberry Sauce

small bag cranberries (fresh)

1 cup sugar

orange rind grated

Empty bag cranberries into boiler pot.  Add just enough water to cover the top *Not floating.  Add 1 cup sugar.  Cook until cranberries soften and pop, mashing them, about almost jellied/congealed, about five minutes.  When you think it's ready, do it a little bit more.  Mash them down.  That's it.  Add orange rind at the end.

Rae Ann's Macaroni and Cheese

16 oz corkscrew (cavatapi/rosini) pasta

6 tbs salted butter

1/3 cup finely chopped yellow/white onion

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

6 TBS all purpose flour

3 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

8 oz extra sharp white cheddar cheese (cracker barrel)

8 oz diced/grated sharp white cheddar cheese (in divided doses)

Preheat oven 350.  Prepare pasta al dente.  Melt butter in large saucepan over medium.  Add next six ingredients.  Cook stirring 30 seconds.  Add flour and stir until golden, 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in milk and cream.  Bring to boil, whisking occasionally.  Reduce heat to low, simmer whisking until slightly thickened, five minutes.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce.  Remove from heat, stir in 3/4 cup each shredded cheeses, until melted.  (reserve remaining 1/4 cup each shredded cheese).  Stir in pasta and diced/grated cheeses.  Pour into slightly greased 13x9 inch/3 quart baking dish.  Bake on rimmed baking sheet until golden and bubbly, 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, turn oven to broil.  Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheese, bake 6 inches from heat until cheeses are melted and golden, about 2 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool 15 minutes.