Spinach, Feta and Basil Frittata with Baby Heirloom Tomatoes

Frittatas are so easy to make and even easier to clean up. A few eggs, a little fresh basil, a handful of spinach and some feta cheese, that’s all you need to have a delicious and very satisfying meal. Chopped fresh baby heirloom tomatoes and black olives on the top are the perfect finishing touch. Deee-licous!

4 eggs
2-3 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 cup of fresh baby spinach, stemmed and roughly chopped
3 green onions, sliced on a slant including some green tops
½ cup Greek feta cheese crumbled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh basil roughly chopped
3 or 4 baby heirloom tomatoes roughly chopped
2 tablespoons pitted and roughly chopped black Kalamata olives

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 F.

Whisk together eggs and milk and set aside. In an oven safe skillet heat the olive oil, add the spinach, green onions, salt and pepper, and cook on medium for 5-7 minutes until spinach has wilted. Now pour the egg mixture over the spinach and onions. Mix in some of the feta cheese and. cook for an additional 5 minutes on low heat until the eggs begin to set. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the top of the eggs and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes until the frittata is firm. Sprinkle a little fresh basil, some chopped baby heirloom tomaotoes and roughly chopped Kalamata olives with a bit of good Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the top. That is some fabulous healthy eating. Enjoy!

Wild Mushroom Soup withThai Red Curry

This wild mushroom soup is made bright, colorful and so appetizing with the addition of fresh herbs, finely minced carrot, and a little Thai Red Curry Paste. Browning the mushrooms with the carrots gives the soup a woodsy roasted taste that is amazing. The Thai Red Curry Paste adds a touch of heat and the dry white wine brings out the wonderful sweet earthy taste of the mushrooms.

2 tablespoon good olive oil
16 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

16 ounces of wild mushrooms cleaned and roughly chopped

¼ cup finely minced fresh carrots

¼ cup finely minced celery

1 sweet red onion, roughly chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon of butter

1 teaspoon of Thai Red Curry paste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, leaves only roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoons fresh parsley roughly chopped
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups good homemade chicken stock

¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup greek yoghurt

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan. Save your best Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a salad. A bottle of good olive oil is just fine for this soup. Use a food processor of finely chop the carrots and celery. Add the mushrooms, carrots celery and a teaspooon of thyme to the pot. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Saute until the moisture released from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms , carrots and celery begins to brown. This should take approximately 15-20 minutes, so please don't rush the process. Next add 1 tablespoon of butter, the teaspoon of Thai Red Curry Paste, onion, garlic, and rosemary and saute everything 2 to 3 minutes more until the garlic is softened and the spices in the Thai Curry Paste are released.

Now add the chicken stock and the white wine, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The last step is to mix in the greek yoghurt, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for 1 minute just until the yoghurt is heated through and serve.

Thai Coconut Rice

This is so easy to make and so delicious with Asian Glazed Salmon or Lake Trout with a Citrus Glaze.   If you don't have Jasmine rice, Aborio rice or regular rice works just as well. 

Ingredients:

1 cups Thai jasmine white rice

1 can good-quality coconut milk (not lite)

1 1/2 cup of water

2 heaping Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Optional: 1-2 Tbsp. toasted coconut for garnish (see instructions below recipe)

Preparation:

Rub oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. You will need a tight-fitting lid.

Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut, and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.

Once the coconut-water has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to a verey low simmer.  Cover tightly with a lid and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. To check, pull rice aside with a fork. If most of the coconut milk-water is gone, go on to the next step.

Replace the lid and turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. The Coconut Rice will stay warm this way for up to 1 hour or more!

When ready to serve, remove the lid and fluff rice with a fork. Taste and add more salt if needed. Top the rice with a sprinkling of toasted coconut and finely chopped fresh parsley.

To toast coconut: Place 1/4 cup dry shredded coconut, or more, in a frying pan over medium-high heat and stir  or "dry fry" until a light golden brown.  Do not leave the pan unattended while doing this as it browns rather quickly and can easily become too brown.

Asian Glazed Wild-Caught Salmon

The wild-caught salmon looked so good at the fish market yesterday that we had to bring some home for dinner.  The wild-caught salmon was a deep rosy color while the farm-raised salmon was a much paler shade.  Preparing the fish with this delicious Asian glaze is so easy.  A side dish of coconut rice with toasted coconut on top was also prepared together with asparagus with just a little orange balsamic vinaigrette to top it off.  A deliciously perfect dinner at the end of a beautiful day.

Ingredients:

6 to 8 ounces of wild-caught salmon fillets for each person

Marinade:
1/4 cup of Hoisin sauce
1/4 cup of Thai Fish Sauce
1/4 cup of honey
2 large cloves of garlic peeled and put through a press
2 tablespoons of lime juice

Note:  This is enough marinade for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of salmon.

Directions:

Mix the Hoisin Sauce, Thai Fish Sauce, honey, garlic and lime juice together.  Marinate the salmon, skin side up, in this mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Turn the salmon over, skin side down, in a baking pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil.  Use a spoon to pour some of the marinade over the fish again.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the flesh at the thickest part flakes easily with a fork.   

Serve with some Thai Coconut Rice.

Zucchini Gratin with Fresh Basil

Zucchini with onions, garlic and fresh basil is very delicious.  Add some fresh eggs, milk and grated parmesan cheese and it becomes even better in a lovely gratin hot out of the oven. Sprinkle a little olive oil on the bread crumbs and cheese which gives the gratin a lovely brown top. 

Ingredients:

1 medium size zucchini about 8 ounces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion sliced

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 ½  oz. homemade bread crumbs

salt and pepper

Fresh basil leaves roughly chopped

¼ cup grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).  Slice the zucchini and onion and sauté in olive oil in a skillet with the garlic and chopped basil for about 10 minutes. When the zucchini and onion slices are lightly browned, spread them in a gratin dish. First the zucchini then the onions. In a bowl combine the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Add a TB or 2 of Parmesan if you like. Pour over the zucchini.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs, parmesan and sprinkle lightly with olive oil.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasted root vegetables are treasures worthy of notice. They are available in winter when other vegetables are hard to find and very inexpensive. Turnips, potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, onions, beets and parsnips all have great taste when roasted with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. The more fresh herbs the better for this dish. There is no need to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil since you will be roasting the vegetables. Any good Olive Oil will do.

Ingredients:

2 pounds assorted root vegetables peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
2 or 3 tablespoons good olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled and smashed
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar
smoked sea salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut all the pieces of vegetables to about the same size so they will cook evenly.  Place the root vegetables and onion in a non-stick roasting pan, or line the pan with some non-stick aluminum foil. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and salt to taste. Set the garlic cloves aside for now. Do not crowd the vegetables. Roast the vegetables for 45-50 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, scatter the garlic cloves in with the vegetables. Continue stirring every 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned. Do not let the garlic burn for it will taste quite bitter if it burns. Before serving, add some more fresh rosemary, parsley and oregano, all roughly chopped and sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar.

Orange Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette on Mixed Greens

This citrus vinaigrette is so refreshing on a combination of fresh spinach, rocket, and tender buttercrunch lettuce. I like to add some very thinly sliced red onions, sections of fresh orange and pitted black Kalamata olives. Serve with some grilled Bass, or pan roasted Whitefish or Lake Trout. Delicous!

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
¼ cup orange tangerine balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped

Directions:

Combine the garlic, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, orange zest, orange juice and vinegar in a blender or small food processor. Blend thoroughly. With machine running, slowly add oil until smooth and homogenized. Next add the fresh thyme and blend for just 2 or 3 more pulses so the chopped herbs can still be seen in the vinaigrette. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Red Rice with Shallots and Onion

Red rice is an ancient
colored-bran short-grain rice grown high up in the Himalayas at 8,000 feet in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Irrigated with 1,000 year old glacier water and rich in trace minerals, this exotic rice has a nutty/earthy flavor, soft texture and beautiful red russet color. It cooks in only 20 minutes and it goes very well with fresh caught wild salmon, pork or chicken. Saute some shallots and onions and olive oil until they are transparent, add a generous handful of fresh oregano and the red rice. Stir until the rice grains are nicely coated with the herbs and the oil. Then add the chicken stock and let it simmer until the kernals of rice are tender. Finish with a handful of roughly chopped fresh parsley.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of good olive oil
1 medium size red onion diced
2 shallots peeled and diced
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano finely minced
1 cup of Bhutanese red rice
2 1/2 cup of good homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley roughly chopped

Directions:

Saute the diced red onion and shallot in the olive oil until transparent. Add the fresh minced oregano and the red rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil and the herbs. Add the 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock, and bring up to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until all of the chicken stock is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and add the chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot with roast pork, chicken or fish.

Butter Crunch Lettuce Salad with Chevre and Orange Vinaigrette

Fresh Butter Crunch lettuce is delicate and delicious. This Orange Vinaigrette with a touch of honey and mustard is perfect with it. The addition of a little smooth Chevre plus the dried cherries, cranberries, hazelnuts and almonds makes it even better. You may have to search for the Butter Crunch lettuce because it sells out so fast, but it is worth the search. If you can’t find the Butter Crunch, try this on some baby spinach and add some very thinly sliced shallots or red onions to the salad. You’ll be glad you did.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, or orange tangerine balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
sea salt to taste
1 head of Butter crunch lettuce broken apart and torn into bite size pieces
3 tablespoons of chevre cheese broken into bits
2 tablespoons of dried cherries
2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
2 tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts toasted
2 tablespoons of sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

In a small food processor blend together the orange juice, vinegar, mustard and honey until smooth. Or combine all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well. Season sea salt and pepper. Drizzle over a layer of butter crunch lettuce. Break up 3 tablespoons of chevre cheese , dried cherries, dried cranberries, choppped hazelnuts and almonds and spread them over the lettuce. Enjoy!

Spinach Mushroom Herb Risotto

Risotto is so delicious, and not difficult to make at all. You just need to keep a stockpot of warm broth simmering that you can add to the rice a ladle full at a time as it cooks. Adding the sprig of rosemary to the simmering broth adds a nice bit of flavor to the dish. You must use a big wide pan to make the risotto, because the rice will not absorb enough moisture if you make it in a tall stockpot, and you won’t be happy with the result. In the end you will have a lovely creamy rice dish with lots of good green spinach in it that tastes really good and is so good for our health. Try one of the Farmers Markets and look for some wild mushrooms and some really fresh spinach. I always keep some frozen chopped spinach in the freezer because we eat it so often, but there is nothing like the taste of really fresh spinach.

Ingredients:

1 package of fresh spinach chopped , or a 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
3 cups of good homemade chicken broth
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 cup water.
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 shallots peeled and finely diced
8 oz. of mixed mushrooms roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano finely minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil.
1 cup Aborio rice.
1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Directions:

Cook the chopped spinach and drain. Let the spinach cool completely and squeeze all the water out of it.

In another saucepan, bring the chicken broth, water and the sprig of rosemary and keep it at a low simmer.

In a large open pan, (12 inches wide) cook the onions, mushrooms and oregano in olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion and shallots are softened and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Next, add the rice, stirring until each grain is well coated with oil. Add the wine and cook over moderately high heat stirring, until the wine has been absorbed. Next add about ½ cup of simmering rosemary flavored broth and cook over moderately high heat stirring constantly until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth about ½ cup of at a time stirring constantly and letting each addition be well absorbed before adding the next amount. Reduce the heat but keep the risotto at a strong simmer. Keep adding broth until the rice is tender and creamy. There should still be a bite to it, or as the Italians say, “al dente.”

Nest stir the spinach into the rice. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove the pan from heat and stir in half of the grated Parmesan. Serve risotto with the remaining Parmesan cheese on the side.

A Cook's Take on Salt and Pepper

Sea Salt: Today there are many varieties of sea salt, each with a different taste to add something special to a recipe. Fleur De Sel de Camargue is a hand raked salt harvested in France. The name comes from the aroma of violets that develops as the salt dries.

Smoked sea salts are a wonderful, natural way to add interesting taste and flavor to a dish. Try finishing off a pasta dish or roasted vegetables with a delicious Hickory or Applewood smoked sea salt. Murray River salt crystals are light & delicate peach colored flakes that have a wonderfully mild flavor. Cyprus Flake has a fresh ocean flavor and a satisfying crunch that make it a favorite with many professional chefs. Smoky, earthy, smoked chipotle salt combines the spiciness of smoked chipotle peppers with all-natural Pacific sea salt when you want to add a bit of zing. Wild Porcini Sea Salt is a delicious fusion of all-natural sea salt and dried porcinis that adds a mushroom aroma and depth to risotto, soups, and sauces. Try one of these gourmet salts to add some amazing taste and variety. They are available on line or in some high-end grocery stores.

Pepper: Pepper was the first spice used in Europe and it came to have great social and economic value there. Up until the 19th century, it was a luxury only the rich could afford. Pepper became affordable to the average person in the early 1800s. Today we have a wide variety of peppercorns available to us. Malabar is pungent and aromatic, Tellicherry has a rich aromatic aroma with a hint of cedar and cherry, green peppercorns are relatively mild, white peppercorns have a bit of heat, and rainbow peppercorns that give an interesting variety of tastes to food. Keep several kinds on hand in peppermills to use daily.

Cayenne Pepper adds very intense heat. A well-placed pinch of Cayenne brightens up cream soups, tomato sauces for pasta and dips for crudités. Aleppo Pepper is like paprika. Sauté with onions, garlic, or bell peppers and use in breading for baked or fried chicken. Its moderate heat enriches savory fish stews, rice pilafs, simmered beans and lentils. Hot Red Pepper Flakes add a touch of heat to marinades or can be fried with garlic in oil to start vegetarian pasta sauces or beef stew. Italians often keep pepper flakes on the table to sprinkle on pizza or pasta. Try adding some pepper flakes to a simmering tomato sauce to give it a little bit of heat.

Northport Wheat Berry Cherry Salad

Fresh cherries can be found everywhere at roadside farm stands and markets in Northern Michigan. Most grocers also stock dried cherries that keep very well in the pantry. I like to keep a supply of them on hand. They are a delicious addition to this Wheat Berry Salad. You do not have to soak the wheat berries overnight as some cookbooks say. Just put them in a big pot, cover with plenty of water and cook until tender. The wild rice cooks separately for about 45 minutes. You can easily prepare the wild rice and the wheat berries ahead of time. When combined with this dressing, the wheat berries, hazelnuts, wild rice and cherries are amazingly good. Serve it with some Butter Crunch lettuce or fresh baby spinach.

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries
1/2 cup raw wild rice
2/3 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
1 cup chopped dried Michigan cherries
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped green onions

Dressing:

3 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tbs honey
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Boil the wheat berries in 6 cups of water for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Add more water as necessary to keep wheat berries covered during cooking. Drain excess water when done.

In another pot, boil 2 cups of water. Add the wild rice and simmer covered for about 45 minutes, or until the rice begins to split. It is better if slightly undercooked. Drain excess water when done.

Combine the cooked wheat berries and wild rice in a large bowl.  Combine the lime juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Add the dressing  and mix thoroughly.  Next add the chopped dried cherries, toasted chopped hazelnuts, parsley, and green onions and combine well.  Serve on leaves of butter crunch lettuce or fresh baby spinach leaves.

Wild-caught Lake Trout with Capers and Lemons

Wild-caught Lake Trout from Lake Michigan’s clear blue water is so fresh and delicious.  Roasted in foil and dressed with a sauce of capers and lemons it is a feast for the senses.  A salad of heirloom tomatoes, spinach, sliced fennel, orange sections, thinly sliced red onions, black kalamata olives and fresh basil with a simple apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing is the perfect finishing touch.

Ingredients:

4 wild-caught lake trout fillets, each 6 ounces
2 lemons
1 cup chicken stock, homemade if possible
1 tablespoon soft butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 squares of non-stick aluminum foil.

Place 1 lake trout fillet on each of the foil squares. Cut 1 lemon in half. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the fish. Cut the other half of lemon into very thin slices, place over the fish and seal the foil.  Place in the oven and bake until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. While the fish is cooking, zest the rind of one lemon. Set aside.

In small pot melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour and mix together. Add the chicken stock to the butter mixture and continue to stir until thickened. Add the rinsed capers and remove from the heat. Serve over the fish and garnish with the lemon zest.

Smoked Lake Trout Pate

After a great day on the boat or at the beach, this smoked trout pate is delicious on a tortilla chip or a tasted bruschetta with a glass of Pinot Grigio.   Made with low-fat cottage cheese instead of cream cheese it is better for your heart than the ready made smoked fish pates that you find at the grocers. 

Ingredients:

1/4 pound smoked trout fillet, skinned and broken into pieces
1/2 cup 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 celery stalk, finely diced or minced

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine the smoked trout, cottage cheese, red onion, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the minced celery. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving.  Serves 4 hungry people, but don't expect to have any left over.

Wake Up Virgin Mojito

Something more interesting than the usual glass of juice is a great way to wake up on a vacation morning. This non-alcoholic combination of fresh lime juice, grapefruit juice and orange juice looks so inviting in a tall pitcher with sprigs of mint leaves. It is sure to please your guests. You can prepare it the night before and have it chilling in the fridge. Pair it with some scrambled eggs and some smoked salmon for a breakfast you will remember.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
5 or 6 fresh mint sprigs
2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 lime, cut into slices

Directions:

In a large glass pitcher, combine the lime, grapefruit and orange juices, and 2 teaspoons of lime zest. Pour into a tall glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig and a slice of lime.