Tomato Soup

Yum - this version is made with canned San Marzano tomatoes - and if ur gonna use canned, these ones are the best.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1-28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano, recommended)

½ teaspoon Kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan, add half the onion and cook until softened 

• Put in garlic and stir until fragrant, then add tomatoes, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes and oregano, mix well and simmer 5 – 10 minutes

• Use a blender or immersion blender to puree soup - keep warm

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Make this and make it often, I'm in love.

Makes about 2 cups

1 pound tomatillos, 5 or 6

3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

1 Serrano pepper

1 small white onion, cut in half

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Kosher salt

1. Heat broiler to high

2. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well to get off the sticky stuff

3. Put tomatillos, garlic, peppers and 1/2 the onion on a baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil and broil about 6 inches away from heat coils until beginning to start to blacken a bit - about 3 minutes

4. Flip over and repeat, let cool slightly

5. Put in a processor and whiz until nicely chunky, put in a bowl and add salt to taste, the other half of the onion finely diced and cilantro

6. Stir and serve

Mexican Salad with croutons

This is a simple bread salad, using one of my favorite cheeses, Cotija. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small can diced jalapenos, use 4 tablespoons 
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped  
• 1/2 cup, peeled cucumber, 1'' diced
• 1/2 cup skimmed milk cojita cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup mini baby tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup homemade croutons (see my recipe)

Dressing: 

• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lime, juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon liquid from can jalapenos

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix dressing, give it a good shake for 1 minute to emulsify
2. Mix salad ingredients in large bowl
3. Thow in the croutons, coat with approx 4 tablespoons of dressing, and allow to soak in for 2-3 minutes, eat!

WATCH ME MAKE THIS >>>

PASTA FAGIOLI

Serves 4

Sort of an Italian leftover dish of pasta and white beans, this goes from pantry-to-table in about a delicious 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 bacon strips, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 14oz (1/2 can) San Marzano canned tomatoes, crushed
• 15oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
• 1 cup leftover cooked pasta, whatever type
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Extra Virgin Olive oil for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat deep large pan on medium/high
2. Cook bacon until golden, for 2 minutes
3. Add onion, carrot and celery, cook for 3 minutes
4. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, Kosher salt, pepper, red pepper and pasta 
5. Turn up heat bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes
6. Garnish with parsley, top with Parmesan and drizzle of EVOO

Tomato Sauce Poached Halibut

Stupidly simple (like me) and so delicious.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Tomato Sauce, see recipe
• 2 tablespoons capers
• Four halibut fillets, about 4 ounces each

DIRECTIONS

1. Put sauce & capers in a small pot (but large enough to hold the fillets) and bring to a low simmer
2. Add fish, cover and cook until just getting firm, 8 to 10 minutes
3. Serve.

View fullsize

---

Pasta Puttanesca

Serves 6

This dish was named after Italian prostitutes, who would come into restaurants late after a long night of work. The chefs would prepare a simple meal of leftovers. Obviously the ladies liked it, and the dish is now a common item in many restaurants. Don't worry, eating it won't cause you to buy extra high heels and install a streetlamp in front of your house.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste - don't leave this out!
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 5 ounces Kalamata (Greek) Olives, coarsely chopped
• 28 oz can Italian tomatoes, chopped
• Any fresh pasta
• Fresh grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan
2. Add anchovy paste and garlic and saute for about one minute
3. Add tomatoes, capers, olives and red pepper and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes
4. Using a fork or big spoon, mash the tomatoes in the pan - you want the sauce thick and chunky
5. Serve over pasta and top with fresh parmesan

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Serves 4

Traditionally eggplant is breaded & then deep fried for this sandwich - but we're not doing that. We're going natural and all delicious. I wanna make one just thinking about it...

Ingredients

• 1 large globe eggplant - or 2 smaller ones
• 3 large tomatoes
• 4 slices mozzerella cheese
• 4 crusty Italian type rolls, split in half
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions

1. Cut eggplant & tomatoes to get eight 1/4 inch slices of each
2. Brush eggplant with olive oil and season with salt & pepper
3. Grill eggplant on both sides until soft and marked with grill lines
4. Do the same with tomatoes, but for about half the eggplant time
5. Heat broiler, and toast buns lightly
6. Remove from oven and on top of the bottom roll place, in this order...
7. 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices of tomato, 3 large basil leaves, mozzerella cheese and finally about 2 tablespoons of parmesan
8. Place openface under broiler to melt cheese and brown the top - but don't go far you don't want them to burn.
9. Place tops on and slice in half - yummm

Cheater Seafood Paella

Serves 8

Paella can be one big pain in the, well - you know. This...is not.

Ingredients

• Two 7-ounce packages Rice-a-Roni Spanish Rice
• One 28 ounce can tomatoes to make the Rice-a-Roni
• 3/4 pound raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined
• 1 pound fresh mussels
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions
2. When the rice has about 7 minutes left to cook, add shrimp and mussels and re-cover
3. Remove the lid, stand back and marvel at your excellence
4. Serve with a big fat wedge of lemon on the side - but don't serve any mussels that didn't opened - because they were d.o.a. and that's no bueno

Stuffing Bruschetta

Makes about 16 pieces

Weird...maybe. Good...of course. Will you make it? How am I supposed to know...

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 long sour dough baguette
• 1.5-2 cups stuffing, warmed
• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Cook onions in oil in a large pan until really well softened and just beginning to brown
2. Heat broiler
3. Slice baguette down the middle and brown ever-so-slightly under the broiler
4. Top each half with warmed stuffing, then onions and then a light coating of the cheese
5. Place under broiler until the slices begin to brown and cheese melts
6. Remove and slice each half into 8 serving pieces

Pork Jerky Machaca Burrito

Makes six burritos

Not only does the jerky give this great taste, but it also gives it a nice toothsomeness.

Ingredients

• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 small jalapeno, diced small
• 4 ounces pork jerky, chopped very fine
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced small
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 6-eight inch flour tortillas, warmed
• 2 avocados, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• Sour cream

Directions

1. Heat large non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat
2. Add onion & jalapeno, cook about 3 minutes
3. Add the jerky, mix well and allow to soften, 5-7 minutes
4. Stir in eggs and cheese, cook until done the way you want (just don't dry them out)
5. Add some sour cream to a warmed tortilla, a layer of avo and then some of the jerky eggs
6. Fold anyway you can, and eat