tomato | Kitchenbelle

Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Green Olivada

Posted on August 2, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I love the versatility of pasta salads made with olive oil instead of mayonnaise.

They:

are delicious both at room temperature or cold
are great sides for BBQ fare
can be eaten as a main dish
make for excellent leftovers

While I was on the prowl for a new olive oil-based pasta salad, I came across this recipe in July’s issue of Bon Appetit magazine. It spoke to me for two reasons:

I was intrigued by the Olivada. (I had never heard of that before.)
I love Gemelli.

It turns out olivada is a Mediterranean version of tapenade–minced olives blended with oil and spices. (Think olive pesto.)

Gemelli are chewy little braid-shaped macaroni. They are easily found in most grocery stores. That said, however, I don’t find them to be commonly used. Using them adds some visual and textural interest to what might have been a typical pasta dish.

As I read down the ingredient list for this recipe, I noticed a component I don’t frequently use in my kitchen: Anchovy paste. Interesting. While it’s not often that I cook with anchovies, I did happen to have a tin of anchovies in my pantry. I decided I could benefit from the fatty acids and calcium that anchovies pack so I added them in place of the recipe’s anchovy paste.

The outcome? Truthfully, it was basically like adding salt. They blended into the olivada so smoothly that I would never have known they were there if I hadn’t added them myself! (In fact, I served this to my sister-in-law, who does not eat fish, and she loved it! That is, until I let out my little secret! 🙂 )

If you are wary of small salty fish but interested in the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, I definitely recommend this dish as a way to ease in.

It is a delicious and versatile salad for summer and yet I can see bringing it to an apple picking picnic this fall.

Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Green Olivada:

3 garlic cloves peeled
1 jar pitted green olives
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small tin of anchovies
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of gemelli macaroni
2 pints of fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh chives. roughly chopped

Add garlic to food processor and process until finely chopped. Add 1 cup of the chopped olives, capers, red wine vinegar, anchovies, mustard, and crushed red pepper. Turn processor on and off six times or until mixture is coarsely chopped. With machine running, gently and gradually add 1/2 cup of olive oil. Use a rubber spatula to transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in remaining chopped olives. Season to taste using salt and pepper. This is your olivada. Cover and refrigerate.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Transfer pasta to a bowl and drizzle with about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add olivada and halved tomatoes. Toss well to coat. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

Adapted from recipe found in July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

Filed under: olives, tomato | 7 Comments »

White Bean and Asparagus Salad

Posted on July 30, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I don’t think I am alone when I say that as much as I adore cooking, the heat of the summer can really test that love. I don’t find myself extremely hungry when it is hot and humid and since it is my hunger and cravings that usually prompt a wild rendezvous in the kitchen I am less and less likely to be inspired to get in there and get busy. That said, however, there are nights when I am really hungry and the physical heat of the kitchen becomes my deterrent. That is when the grill out back becomes my hero. And what goes better with a grilled protein than a cool fresh summer side? Enter this White Bean and Asparagus Salad.

Not only is this superfood-packed salad a perfect accompaniment to grilled steak tips, lamb kebabs, or burgers, but also it stands up on its own just perfectly. I really enjoyed eating the leftovers for lunch. This is one of those salads where the flavors actually improve after a few days. And because asparagus is nice and fibrous it doesn’t get mushy.

*A Note about Raw Garlic: I am a garlic fiend. I love eating chunks of fresh raw garlic in foods, therefore, in salads like this one, if I am preparing it for myself and my family, I only roughly chop the garlic. However, chunks of raw garlic aren’t pleasant for most people. If you are preparing a dish containing raw garlic for a crowd, I recommend always finely mincing it or passing it through a garlic press.

White Bean and Asparagus Salad:

2 bunches fresh asparagus, trimmed and rough ends snapped off
7 sundried tomatoes (not in oil)
3 cloves of garlic*, roughly chopped or minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
a pinch or two of crushed red pepper
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a steamer basket over boiling water, place asparagus and dried tomatoes. Cover and steam until asparagus is crisp and tender–approximately 4 minutes. Remove tomatoes and set aside. Using tongs, remove asparagus from basket and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the water. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Roughly chop the tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Add asparagus, tomatoes, beans, and capers. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Adapted from recipe found here on MyRecipes.com.

Filed under: asparagus, beans, cannellini beans, Main Dish, salad, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 7 Comments »

Chicken Picadillo

Posted on June 9, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I’ve been slacking a bit in the dinner department lately and I haven’t liked it one bit! A combination of plans filling the last couple of Sundays, very hot weather that makes me a bit lethargic and less than eager to hang out behind the stove, and a myriad of other excuses have prevented me from doing my usual weekly shopping and meal planning. Therefore, weeknight dinners have been pulled together by combining a little of this and a little of that.

This weekend I decided enough was enough and we did our shopping on Saturday. I filled the cart with all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies and outlined some meal ideas so that we could eat well for both lunch and dinner all week. Man do I find that gratifying!

The thing about meal planning that I find tricky is I don’t love setting a strict schedule. Tuesday: chicken Marsala, Wednesday: rice and bean burritos, Thursday: baked fish etc. makes me feel restricted and who likes that? I don’t like being pigeon-holed that way. Every time I have tried to do something along those lines I end up coming home from work not feeling like whatever it was that I had planned. I much prefer to set up some loose ideas at the start of the week and then just kind of “go with it” during the week. So that’s what I did!

I found this Chicken Picadillo recipe in Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook. While the methods and actual recipe instructions in this book aren’t exactly perfect, her ideas for fresh clean meals composed of wonderful flavors and ingredients are very inspirational. And even more exciting is the fact that the photos in the book are stellar.

While I am sure this recipe is not a traditional picadillo (I wasn’t even sure what a picadillo was until I Googled it), it is a wonderful, hearty, delicious, and flavorful dinner. I made a few adaptations and I have included them in the recipe below.

The garlic, peppers, cumin, and cilantro pack lots of fresh flavor punch. And the combination of fresh and canned tomatoes really boosted the texture freshness factor.

I served this over brown rice the first time we ate it and over baked potatoes the second time. (With the baked potato I added a small scoop of sour cream and a few extra tablepoons of fresh cilantro–wow was that a delicious dinner!)

Tip: I think grilled tofu would be a great vegetarian substitution for the chicken in this recipe!

Chicken Picadillo:

a few glugs of olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (If you have time marinate the chicken in some olive oil, a splash of vinegar and some salt and pepper before cooking. If not, rinse the breasts, pat dry and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of ground cumin before cooking.)
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 large yellow pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 large orange pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1.5 Tablespoons chili powder
1 pint grape tomatoes, each one sliced in half
1 14.5 ounce can of chopped tomatoes with jalepenos (I like Delmonte brand)
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Cook chicken using your preferred method. Poaching or grilling both work well in this recipe. Once it is done cooking, cut into cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add onion and peppers. Cook until soft.

Add chili powder, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until veggies reach desired texture (we like them a bit soft but still with a little crunch).

Stir in chicken cubes and stir until mixture is heated through. Stir in fresh cilantro.

Peppers, tomatoes and spices simmering

I love using my grill pan to cook chicken breast

Adapted from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook.

Filed under: chicken, Main Dish, peppers, rice, tomato | 5 Comments »

Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice

Posted on May 12, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband requested some white fish for dinner and as always, I am happy to oblige his cravings! Baked white fish is one of my favorite meals so I looked forward to making this delicious weeknight dinner.

The basis of this fish recipe is something my mom has been making for years. It’s a favorite dinner of hers and mine and whenever dinner ended up just being the two of us, this is what she would make. I believe it is something my grandmother used to “throw” together when my mom was young. It is almost too simple to call a recipe, but I think it is definitely worth sharing. This is actually the first time I have made it and it came out almost as good as when my mom makes it!

I decided to serve the fish with rice and roasted broccoli for a satisfying, colorful, healthy and complete meal. Rather than plain old rice, I pumped up the flavor and nutrients by caramelizing some shallots and onions along with some fresh garlic and then fluffed it in to the cooked rice. (This is explained below.)

Enjoy!

Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice:

2 white fish filets, approx. 3/4 lb. each
2.5 cups of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed under running water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 (14.5) ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano (I like using Del Monte brand)
2 fresh scallions (green onions), chopped

Bring the water or broth to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes (or according to package directions).

Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onion, shallot, and garlic and cook over very low heat. (You can leave this mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, the entire time the rice is cooking. Doing so will really sweeten the onions and shallots bringing out their wonderful flavors.)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a small mixing bowl combine Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and fresh chives. Stir well. Rinse fish with cold water and pat until completely dry. Place fish in a glass baking dish. Spread a thick layer of crumbs over the fish and pat them down. Spoon the diced tomatoes over the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake fish uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until fish is done. (How long you cook the fish will depend upon the thickness of the filet.)

When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and use a wooden spoon to stir the onion mixture into the rice. Stir in chopped scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve fish with rice.

Here I spread a thick layer of breadcrumbs over the fish.

Here I spooned the diced tomatoes over the breadcrumbs.

A Kitchenbelle.com original!

Filed under: chives, fish, Main Dish, rice, Side, tomato | 11 Comments »

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto

Posted on April 14, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband is running the Boston Marathon on Monday and I could not be more proud! He has worked so hard training over the past several months and as great of a runner he was when he started training he has improved quite a bit and shown serious promise for race day.

I know how important diet is for athletic performance so I was sure to stock up on loads of lean proteins, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables at the grocery store this weekend. For this meal I decided to give him his fill of nutrients (as well as a few carbs!) to keep him healthy for race day. He loves red peppers, peas, and mushrooms so I created this meal around those. I LOVE arugula and what could be better or more nutritious than combining it with omega-laden walnuts?!

This meal was very delicious and enjoyable. The freshness of the arugula, vegetables, and chives was what stood out for me. I know it sounds dorky (but I’ll say it anyway): I have been cooking for years, yet still I continue to be amazed by the PUNCH and ZEST of the flavors in fresh vegetables and herbs. Mother Nature is pretty incredible if you ask me. 🙂

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto:

12 ounces of fresh pasta (I used Capone Foods Fresh Pasta Spinach Linguine from the Whole Foods refrigerated section)
a few tablespoons of olive oil
6 ounces of sliced portabella mushrooms
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 scallions, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
fresh chives, roughly chopped

Pesto

2-3 cups fresh baby arugula
2 cloves fresh garlic
2/3 cup walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup shredded cheese (you could use fresh parmesan for a strong flavor, mozzarella for a mild flavor or anything in between)
salt to taste

Make the pesto:

In a food processor combine the arugula, garlic, and walnuts. Pulse until combined. Slowly pour in the oil while continuing to pulse. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Add the cheese and continue to pulse until desired texture is reached. Add salt to taste. Set aside.

Prepare vegetables:

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a medium pan over medium heat. Add the mushroom and a few pinches of salt. Cook stirring frequently until browned. Add the garlic, scallions, and chopped pepper. Continue to cook until peppers are tender but still crunchy.

Meanwhile boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Add peas to sauce pan and cook until warmed through. Then add tomatoes. Stir to combine and let the heat soften the tomatoes, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add pesto to pasta and toss gently. Then add vegetables and gently toss again to fully disperse vegetables and sauce. Garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately.