Herbed Beef Roast

INGREDIENTS
4   tablespoons olive oil, divided
2   pound boneless beef roast
4   cloves garlic, chopped
2   tablespoons dried parsley
1   tablespoon dried thyme
1   tablespoon dried Italian oregano
1   tablespoon dried rosemary, ground
2   tablespoons Dijon style mustard
3   medium carrots, peeled, cut to 1 inch pieces
3   stalks celery, cleaned, cut to 1 inch pieces
1   large white onion, quartered
3   medium Yukon gold or yellow potatoes, quartered

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until nicely browned, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a blender or food processor, add the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary and mustard. Process these ingredients to a paste. Steam the carrots and celery for 7 to 8 minutes to pre-cook.

Place the beef roast in a large roasting pan and coat it on all sides with the spice paste. Arrange the vegetables around the beef roast, breaking the onion quarters into smaller pieces. Bake in the oven until it reads 125 on an internal thermometer (about 30 minutes) and make sure the vegetables are all cooked tender. Let the roast rest about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.This recipe should serve 4 as a main course.

Salt Cod with Cannellini

Please read the information at the top of this blog about preparing Salt Cod.
 
INGREDIENTS
1    slice bacon, cut to ½ inch strips
1    can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1    cup chicken or vegetable broth
½   cup chopped onion or leeks
1    tablespoon dried basil
½   pound prepared salt cod
1    tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained
1    can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

METHOD

Place a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the bacon pieces. Fry until they are crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes, and add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add the broth, leeks and basil. Cut the cod into bite-sized pieces and add to the sauce pan. Add the capers.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the cod is tender. Add the cannellini beans and reheat for 5 to 6 minutes before serving. Will make 3 to 4 servings as a fish or soup dish or 2 servings as a main dish.

Fried Fish or Pescado Adobado

Usually, this dish is marinated for hours, covered with flour and fried in oil. I decided to speed things up and eliminate the frying part by baking the fish instead. Tastes great, less filling.
 
INGREDIENTS

1    pound firm white fish; halibut, pollack, mahi-mahi
4    cloves garlic, chopped
4    tablespoons white vinegar
3    tablespoons olive oil
1    teaspoon smoked paprika
1    teaspoon oregano
1    cup bread crumbs
      mmayonnaise for serving

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the fish into bite-sized portions – 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes – and pat dry with paper towels. In a food processor or blender, combine and puree the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, paprika and oregano. Pour this into a medium bowl. Place the bread crumbs on a medium plate.

Place a large wire rack onto a baking sheet. Dip each piece of fish into the bowl of puree, allowing the excess to drip off. Roll each piece of fish into the bread crumbs and place onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. When all the pieces are covered, put the baking sheet into the middle of the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Carefully remove them to a serving dish with a small dish of mayonnaise and serve. The recipe will serve about 4 people.

Modified from a recipe in About.com Spanish Food

Garbanzo Ragout

 INGREDIENTS
2    tablespoons olive oil
1    cup diced white onion
2    cloves garlic, minced
1    teaspoon ground cumin
2    cans (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
1    can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1    teaspoon dried thyme
2    teaspoons honey
2    teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1    cup chicken or vegetable broth
      couscous for serving
½   cup flat leaf parsley

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and add the garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and sprinkle with the cumin, stirring to combine.

Add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, thyme, honey, emon juice and broth, stirring to combine well. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. While this cooks, prepare ½ to 1/3 cup of the couscous according to package directions.

Add the parsley to the garbanzo mixture and stir. Remove from the heat and serve over portions of the couscous.

From a recipe at Epicurious.com by Sheila Lukins

Rice with Sun Dried Tomato

INGREDIENTS
½   cup Arborio rice
2    tablespoons olive oil
¼   cup pine nuts
2    teaspoons minced garlic
¼   cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
½   cup chicken or vegetable broth
½   cup minced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
1    tablespoon white balsamic or white wine vinegar

METHOD

Cook the rice in boiling water for 7 minutes, drain and set aside. In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat. When warmed, add the garlic and pine nuts and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, broth, basil and vinegar. Cook for 4 minutes and add the rice. Continue to cook while stirring for 2 minutes,  remove the skillet from the heat and serve.

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine