Cuisine Eric

Stir fries are one of the fastest ways to get dinner on the table.  Use whatever protein or veggies you have on hand with this tasty sauce. 1/2 cup Jasmine rice (or favorite) 1 cup water 1/8 tsp salt Sauce: 1/4 cup pale dry sherry 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce 1 Tbsp ketchup 1 Tbsp sesame oil dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1/2 lb steak, thinly sliced (I used leftover rare NY strip) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves toasted sesame seeds for garnish Bring water to a boil and stir in rice and salt.  Return to the boil and reduce to the lowest simmer.  Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the water is all absorbed. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Heat a dash of canola or peanut oil over high heat in a wok or skillet.  Add the beef and stir fry about 2 minutes until just browned.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry another minute, stirring constantl

OMG this is the most kicked up cod I have ever made.  The gentle flavor of cod is pumped up and augmented with an aromatic Moroccan tomato sauce based on Harissa - a fantastic Moroccan chili paste. Discover your favorite harissa blends - there are many; better and best.  Explore. 1.5 lb cod fillet 1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved Liquid purée: 2 Tbsp Moroccan harissa chili paste (I used Cava brand paste) palmful fresh parsley 1/4 cup golden raisins 2 cloves garlic, quartered 1 piece candied ginger, or 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and quartered 1 tsp turmeric 2 Tbsp olive oil reserved tomato liquid ground sumac spice to taste palmful fresh parsley, minced for garnish Sauté the onion in a dash of olive oil in a small tagine or pot for about 5 minutes.   Add the drained tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes, adding olive oil as needed to keep a nice sizzle going.  Cook until

I found the most delicious French Brioche burger buns at the market and just could not resist.  Their light, soft consistency was perfect for a veggie burger.   This lentil quinoa burger has some bulk to it, so it stands up to a burger bun.  But if you are cutting back on carbs, serve the crispy warm burger on a cool tossed salad. 1 small leek, about 1 cup cooked 1 carrot, finely minced 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tsp ground coriander 1 cup cooked quinoa (I used rainbow) 1 cup cooked black lentils (or French Puy) 1/4 cup cooked wild rice (optional) 2 eggs, whisked 1/4 cup Panko crumbs 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp salt fresh ground pepper to taste 1/4 crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste palmful fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced 1/2 cup grated cheddar (or favorite) cheese Sauté the leek and carrot in a dash of olive oil and 2 Tablespoons water.   Cook until the water has all boiled off and the veggies have softened, about 5 mi

This is another classic comfort food, and is actually quite easy to prepare.  If you don't have coconut aminos just substitute soy sauce. 2 lb beef stew meat, cubed (I used chuck roast) 1 sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp herbs de Provence, or Italian herbs 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (I used Bragg) 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 quart beef stock 1/3 cup pearl barley In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, brown the beef in 2-3 batches in a dash of canola oil.   Set beef cubes aside. In same pot, sauté the onion, celery and carrots for about 6-8 minutes, until beginning to soften and sweeten. Add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes to the veggies and cook another 5 minutes or so, to darken the tomatoes and draw out their flavor. Now return the beef to the pot and add the aminos, Worc

This is a delicious shrimp dish inspired by Jamie Oliver's TV show "5 Ingredients".  I caught it from the sidelines at the gym where I work out, and I reverse engineered it as best as I could remember.  He didn't use noodles, but I could not resist.  It turned out just great! Shrimp shells: 12-18 shrimp, depending on size - serving for 4 1 Tbsp olive oil plus 1 Tbsp butter 1/2 lb shrimp, shells removed and reserved 1/2 cup pale dry sherry or dry white wine 1/3 lb favorite Asian noodles (most Italian will work as well) 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 lb grape tomatoes, sliced in half, lengthwise 1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves (or equivalent fresh) 1/2 tsp smokey Spanish pimentos paprika 1 tsp curry powder 2 Tbsp Mango Chutney (or apricot preserves) 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes palmful fresh parsley, minced Peel the shrimp, reserving the shells and setting the shrimp bodies aside

Here is a quick vegetarian dish, pulled together in minutes.  Serve with brown rice or other whole grain for complete protein. 1/2 tsp extra firm Tofu, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 8 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced, or 1 8 oz can mushrooms slices 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tsp fish sauce (I used Red Boat) 1 Tbsp sesame oil 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp pale dry sherry In a wide non-stick skillet, sauté the wok chop and mushrooms with a dash of canola or peanut oil for about 3-5 minutes. In a small bowl mix together the hoisin, fish sauce and sesame oil, soy sauce and sherry.  Pour into bok choy mixture.   Fold in the tofu.  Cook until the tofu is heated through.  Plate the dish and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with brown rice if desired. Serves 3-4.

"Mamma-Mia that's a spicy meat-a-ball !"  You may consider yourself a good cook, but not if you don't know how to make your basic spaghetti and meatballs; the king of comfort food.  Here's how, in case you were wondering, but were too afraid to ask. Wet mix: 1/2 sweet yellow onion, grated (about 1/2-3/4 cup) 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup Panko crumbs 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 tsp herbs de Provence, or Italian herbs 1 clove garlic, minced through a press palmful fresh parsley leaves, finely minced 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste) 1 lb ground beef Tomato Sauce: 1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved 1 6-oz can tomato paste 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 1 tsp herbs de Provence, or Italian herbs 1 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 lb spaghetti