Bacalhau à Brás (Cod fish with potatoes and eggs)

In honor of my Dad, I made his favorite recipe - Bacalhau à Brás, which he often cooked when I was growing up. Every bite brings me back to when I was a kid seated at the dinner table.

It’s such an easy recipe - cod mixed with onions, fries, and eggs, that’s it. If there is a recipe to make someone fall in love with cod, it has to be this one!

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Ingredients 

• 1 pound dried salt cod

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips

• 6 large eggs

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• Olive oil

• Oil for frying

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

• Salt & black pepper

Recipe

1. Soak the salted cod in water for 24/36 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times – depending on the thickness of the cod

2. Heat oil in deep heavy bottom pot

3. When hot, add potatoes and fry until golden – you want the potatoes light golden not to crispy

4. Remove the potatoes from oil and drain on paper towels

5. Add the cod to a pot of boiling water. Simmer on low for about 7-10 minutes.

6. Remove the cod pieces with a skimmer and onto a plate. Remove the skin from the cod and shred it, making sure to discard all the bones

7. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, set aside

8. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion, sauté for 5 minutes while stirring

9. Add the cod, mix and continue to cook for 5 minutes

10. Add half of the matchstick fries and mix

11. Add the eggs to the cod mixture and stir until the eggs are half-cooked

12. Add half of the matchstick chips, half of parsley and stir one last time

13. Remove immediately from heat to avoid overcooking the eggs

14. Serve and garnish with more parsley

Pea & Mint Risotto

Going green in celebration of Earth Day!

This fresh and vibrant green Pea and Mint Risotto is luxurious while still being a light dish. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal, as it is very quick to whip up.

When the warm weather arrives, my backyard gets taken over by mint! All Spring and Summer long I have plenty of mint to cook, bake and make tea with. So this recipe helps utilize my garden’s herbs and celebrate this wonderful day! GO GREEN!

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Ingredients 

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1-½ cups uncooked Arborio rice

• 4 sprigs fresh mint

• 4 ½ cups reduced sodium chicken broth

• ⅓ cup white wine

• 1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed

• ½ cup parmesan cheese

Recipe

1. In a small saucepan, heat the broth and keep warm.

2. In a large nonstick pot, sauté onion in butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender.

3. Add the rice, cook and stir 2-3 minutes. Add the wine, cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed.

4. Stir in heated broth, a ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between each addition.

5. Meanwhile, in a blender, add the peas with a splash of water and blend into a puree.

6. Cook until risotto is creamy and almost tender around 20 minutes. Add the sprigs of mint & the pureed peas. Cook until heated through.

7. Remove the mint sprigs.  Add Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

   Garnish with pea shoots or asparagus for an added bite.

Braised Lamb Shanks & Creamy Polenta

First snowfall of the season and boy did it take us by surprise in New Jersey! 

There is probably nothing that I enjoy about the winter other than the excuse to stay in and cook! 

One of my ultimate favorite comfort foods are these beautiful Lamb Shanks. I think visually they seem a little daunting to people; however, this recipe is easy, foolproof and can make any beginner cook look like a master chef! 

The lamb shanks are rubbed with spices, and cooked in wine (oh yes), and served alongside creamy polenta.

The polenta is simmered to ensure a beautiful creamy and thick consistency that will absorb the sauce from the lamb.

If polenta is not your thing, egg noodles go exceptionally well with this dish!

Happy Weekend and Happy Cooking!

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Ingredients

Lamb Shanks

• 3 medium lamb shanks

• 4 medium onions, sliced

• 6 garlic cloves

• 4 tbsp of tomato paste

• 3 tbsp of paprika

• 1 bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped

• 8 tbsp of butter, cut in small pieces

• 1/4 cup of olive oil

• 2 cups  white wine

• ½ cup water + 2 tbsp

• 3 tbsp of coarse salt & pepper

• 3 bay leaves

Polenta

• Kosher salt

• 6 cups water

• 1½ cups coarse polenta ( I used Bob’s Red Mills)

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

Lamb Shanks

1. Set the oven to 425 F

2. In a mortar, grind garlic, parsley and salt into a paste. Mix in the paprika, pepper, tomato paste,  2 tbsp of water and olive oil.

3. Rub the shanks with the mixture.

4. Place the seasoned meat in a large roasting pan, top with sliced onions, bay leaves and butter.

5. Pour in the wine and the rest of the water (½ cup) around the meat.

6. Roast for 1 ½ hour , basting every half hour .

7. Serve with Polenta.

Polenta

1. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low, whisking constantly, add in the polenta.

3. Cook, and whisk often  until polenta is thick and smooth, 20–25 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and ½ cup Parmesan to polenta and whisk until melted and incorporated.

5. Serve warm, top with extra Parmesan.
   

Arroz de Grelos (Broccoli Rabe Rice)

There will always be those dishes that the slightest smell or taste brings you right back to childhood. While some might be as simple as a soup or sandwich, mine is Arroz de Grelos, (Broccoli rabe rice).

I know, not your first guess ,but this particular dish is one that from as far as i can remember my mom always made.

I think mostly the memories are so strong because as a kid I was not that big of a fan of this dish. I knew the moment my mom began to boil that broccoli rabe that I would not be happy with the dinner choice.

But of course, as you get older, your taste for certain foods change, and i'm happy to report that i am now a BIG broccoli rabe fan!

A little bit of background on broccoli rabe.. it is a member of the brassica family which is known for being a vegetable family that is packed with all sorts of nutrients, like zinc, potassium, calcium, folate and vitamins A, C and K. ( no wonder my mom made it so much)

The combination of the fluffy rice with the bitterness of the broccoli rabe pairs well with any meat or even a pan fried fish, which is what i grew up eating it with!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of white rice

• 1 bunch of broccoli rabe

• 1 large onion

• ¼ cup of olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves

• 3 cups of boiling water

• Salt & Pepper

Recipe

1. Wash the greens and roughly chop them. Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely.

2. Heat a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Stir in the garlic and greens and cook until tender.

3. Add the rice and mix well.

4. Add the boiling water, season with salt and pepper and allow to boil again.

5. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked around 20 minutes.