Romesco

 

• ▢ 12 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained
• ▢ 14 oz canned fire-roasted tomatoes, well drained
• ▢ ¾ cup raw blanched almonds, toasted
• ▢ ¼ cup raw blanched hazelnuts, toasted,optional, you can use 1 cup almonds instead
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• ▢ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1-2 garlic cloves chopped
• ▢ juice of half a lemon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Chicken and butternut squash

 Scale chicken, squash and other ingredients as needed. Meal works with other cuts as well

• chicken thighs, skin on, trimmed. 
• butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and 1” cubed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bulb garlic, halved
• 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F/ 200C, having the rack in the middle.
2. In a large bowl, add chicken thighs and cubed butternut. Add olive oil, paprika, fresh thyme and salt and pepper and give them a good toss, making sure that the olive oil and condiments mix is evenly distributed on the chicken and butternut.
3. Place the whole mixture into a large oven proof pan or baking sheet and place the in oven.
4. Roast in the oven for almost 50 minutes, until chicken is dark golden with cripsy skin and butternut is soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool down for a couple of minutes before serving.

 Easy Kielbasa and Sourkraut

Peel potatoes and put on to cook  

Open sourkraut and drain

Dice some onion and garlic

Cut Kielbasa into 1/2” coins 

In hot Dutch Oven melt two T butter (foaming). 

Add in Kilbasa and brown. About five minutes. 

Reserve Kielbasa and add in onion. Cook to golden. Add in garlic and sauté one minute. 

Add in Sourkraut, some chicken stock (1/2 to 1 cup) and a sprinkle of Caraway     

Add in the Kielbasa.  Mix.  Allow to simmer while you prepare mashed potatoes. 

Souvlaki

 Lamb souvlaki with marinated pieces of lamb, threaded on skewers, and char-grilled to perfection. I like to serve these with rosemary garlic roasted potatoes, a Greek salad, and pita bread.

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1-inch cubes

  
  

  
  

  
  

Hoppin John - my version

Quantities are based on having two links of smoky sausage and a can of black beans. 

Chop up the trinity:  a stalk of celery, a carrot and a small onion. I like to include a half of a red and green pepper.

Sauté in a turn of EVO. After four to five minutes add some garlic, salt, pepper and a pinch of thyme. 

Stir in a cup of rice and sauté for another three or four minutes

Add two plus cups of chicken stock, a can of drained black beans and the chopped up sausage. It should be pretty soupy at this point. If not, add more stock. 

Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer; cover. 

Check after 10 minutes and add additional stock if necessary (you are cooking rice at this point.). Continue to simmer until rice is ready - another 10 minutes at least. 

Serve with buttered bread and some sliced scallions.