by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Appetizers, Dips, Vegetables
I have always loved hummus, but sometimes the chick peas or garbanzo beans can get a bit filling. So I looked around to see what else would pair well with tahini and found a great zucchini recipe. I have made some alterations to the one I found, as I thought it needed more tahini, added parsley and less cumin. So here are the ingredients:
- 3 medium zucchinis
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley leaves
- 1- 16 oz. jar of tahini (I prefer organic)
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- ¼ cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 ½ tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp of cumin
- ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper or add to taste
In a food processor with an “S-blade”, blend the zucchini, parsley, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cumin until smooth and creamy. Add in the cayenne slowly and taste to make sure it meats your preferred level of heat. Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This can be served with crackers or carrots sticks. Also great as a spread on a grilled chicken sandwich.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Pastas
Here is an easy anchovy and Broccoli pasta, with a bit of Manchego and red pepper flakes. This recipe serves 2 so be sure to adjust quantities as needed.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of small broccoli florets
- 7 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil (EVOO)
- ½ tsp of pepperoncini (red pepper flakes) * add more if you can handle the heat
- 3 tbs anchovies cut into pieces
- ½ cup finely grated Manchego cheese
- Fettuccini for 2
In a large pot, boil water, and add salt. Place the broccoli florets and cook until tender but not over cooked. (At altitude about 5 minutes – less time needed at sea level). Remove broccoli and set aside. Add in the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente. While pasta is cooking, in a small sauce pan, on medium-low heat, add in the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes. Cook at low heat, making sure the garlic does not brown. When pasta is finished, strain and set aside. In the large pot, add the oil garlic mixture and broccoli and cook until broccoli is coated. Add the pasta to the pot and stir, for a few seconds, making sure all of the noodles are covered with the oil and broccoli mixture. Place pasta into bowls and sprinkle the Manchego cheese. Mix in the cheese so it evenly covers the Fettuccini, and voila… a simple anchovy pasta dish.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Salads, Sauces
Here is a simple recipe I found for homemade Caesar dressing. It’s really easy to make and this batch can last in the fridge for a few days. It’s not too fishy or garlicky.
Ingredients:
- 4 Cloves of minced Garlic
- 1 tsp of Anchovy Paste
- 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp of dijon mustard
- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup of mayonnaise (favorite is Hellmann’s Real)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the mayonnaise, cheese, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. I normally add the croutons to the lettuce before adding the dressing, as it softens them up a bit. When adding dressing to your romaine lettuce, start with a small quantity. A little goes a long way, and you want to make sure your salad does not get too soggy or over dressed. You can then add thin slices of parmesan, and your sliced chicken to each plate. (I’ll be sure to include my favorite breaded chicken milanese recipe for you to try next).
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Appetizers, Fish, Sauces
This is one of the few recipes my mom brought with her from Sweden. The name actually comes from the way salmon was prepared back in the old viking days. The Salmon back then with all the spices were buried in a “grave”, for curing. It is simple to prepare. It basically takes care of itself for 3-4 days.
Ingredients:
- Two 1.5 lb. filets of salmon with skin on preferably mid-section – need to match when placed together (skin side out)
- ½ cup (organic) sugar
- ½ cup salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or cracked) larger chunks
- 1 tsp ground white peppercorns
- 3 cups of chopped dill with stems (to make a thick blanket on all sides)
Directions:
Mix sugar, salt and pepper. Rinse and pat dry the salmon filets. On a piece of tinfoil, thick blanket of dill the same size of the salmon, then you sprinkle liberally ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture. Place first piece of salmon, with skin down. Then cover with the top of the salmon with ⅓ dill and sprinkle liberally with another ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture. Place then next salmon filet, on top with skin to the outside. Place last ⅓ of dill and last ⅓ of the salt/sugar mixture on top of the skin of the 2nd piece. Cover with another piece of tinfoil, and seal the edges of the foil loosely so it has some air to breathe (since it’s not quite dead yet…still needs to be buried ;-). Place salmon in a plastic bag. Next place the bagged salmon in a shallow dish and add a heavy weight on top, you can use an iron skillet or flat stone if you have access to one. Place salmon with weight in the fridge for 4 days, turning over salmon once a day. When slicing the salmon be sure to slice against the grain in super thin slices.
Sauce:
Coming soon – I have to get some help from my mom on this, that has never written it down.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Pastas, Sauces, Vegetables
Here is a fun, lighter spaghetti dish with ricotta, mozzarella, basil, garlic, cherry tomatoes and parmesan. My son loves ricotta and if he has his preference he would pretty much add it to anything.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 6 cloves chopped Garlic
- 10-15 cherry tomatoes (slices in half)
- ½ cup chopped Burrata (or fresh mozzarella cheese)
- ½ cup of whole milk organic Ricotta cheese
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes (chili)
- 1 cup Roasted tomatoes sliced
- 1 box of spaghetti (barilla or other Italian brand)
- salt as needed
- 10 leaves of fresh basil sliced
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Boil pasta water (making sure to salt after boiling). In a small sauce pan, add the oil and garlic and cook at medium heat, making sure garlic does not brown. Mix together cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, ricotta, red pepper flakes, and roasted tomatoes. Add ¼ tsp salt and stir. Cook pasta. Strain pasta, saving some of the water. Add olive oil and garlic to ricotta mixture. Stir in pasta to mixture to coat spaghetti well, add additional salt if needed. Serve into shallow pasta bowls, sprinkle with basil and parmesan cheese and serve. Makes 4 Servings.
