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Category: Main Dishes

main dish recipes

  • Grilled Rack of Lamb

    This is a decadent recipe we usually reserve for special occasions such as a birthday or anniversary. We usually opt for the traditional lamb chop, however, this time we decided to try the rack, and we were blown away by the results.

    2 Racks of lamb with roughly 6 to 8 bones in each
    1/2 Cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
    1/4 Tsp ground allspice
    1/2 Tsp no sodium spice mix like TJ’s “21 Spice Salute” or Mrs. Dash type product
    1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper

    Prepare rub by mixing the dry ingredients together and sprinkling on both sides of the meat. Gently press the rub into the flesh and apply evenly all over the meat.

    Next prepare charcoal or preheat gas grill to medium heat. While grill is preheating carefully wrap the tips of each bone in the rack of lamb with about a 2 x 2 square of aluminum foil to prevent charring or burning. Make sure you cover those bones or you will regret burning the tips and make a mess particularly if you are serving as an hors d’oeuvre.

    Place both racks on the grill facing opposite each other with the bones on the cooler side of the fire and the meat towards the hotter side. Grill lamb for 8-9 minutes a side and keep a close eye on the fire since fat drippings can intensify the fire and char the meat; you should consider keeping a small spray bottle of water next to the grill to tame the flames if necessary.

    Remove meat from the grill and rest for close to 10 minutes – I know it is hard to resist, but the reward is worth the wait. After the meat has rested, using a sharp knife, carefully cut the rack up by slicing through the membrane connecting each rib. We highly suggest serving with a homemade mint sauce.

  • Domenick’s Chicken Marinara

    1 Package of 2 split breasts of chicken (though you can use your preferred type of chicken meat)
    2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
    1 Small can tomato paste
    1 Tbsp of butter
    1/2 Yellow onion
    4 Cloves of garlic
    1/2 Tbsp of oregano
    1/2 Tbsp of basil
    1 Tbsp grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
    Pinch of red pepper flakes

    Pan-brown chicken with garlic and onions for about 5-7 minutes flipping midway through. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil; once boiling lower heat and cover to simmer for one hour. After an hour remove chicken and separate meat from bone and skin. Discard bone and skin and add pulled chicken back to sauce; also add oregano, basil, cheese and red pepper flakes and stir. Simmer the sauce for another 30-45 minutes.

    For pasta, fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and add a pinch of salt and a 1/2 tsp of olive oil cover and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add pasta of your choice and lower heat. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook time will vary on the type of pasta, so be sure to read the directions on the pasta packaging.

  • Spinach Salad with Chicken and Wild Rice

    2 Pouches of Uncle Ben’s* brown and wild rice
    1 Cup halved cashews
    3 Cups shredded or diced chicken
    1 1/2 Cups fresh spinach
    1/4 Cup chopped green onions
    1 Red bell pepper diced

    Dressing:
    1 Tsp crushed garlic
    1/2 Cup rice vinegar
    1 Tsp Dijon
    1/2 Cup veg oil
    1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
    3 Tbsp soy sauce
    1/2 Tsp crushed red pepper

    *Dressing recipe makes more than enough dressing, so don’t use it all, you can save it for something else.

    Remove skin and fat from bone-in chicken breast and place in a medium sauce pan; fill pan with water until breast is completely covered. Bring water to a boil and lower heat to medium temperature (maintain boil) – boil the chicken for about 20-25 minutes for a medium sized breast. Once chicken is done, remove from water and set on cutting board to cool. Once slightly cooled, use a fork to shred the chicken and set aside.

    For rice, follow directions on the bag using a saucepan: cut slit in top of the bag and stand upright in boiling water for 90 seconds. Remove bag from water and set aside.

    In a separate bowl add all ingredients and toss together.

    *Near East Wild Rice or home made also work great.

    Spinach Salad with Chicken and Wild Rice
    Spinach Salad with Chicken and Wild Rice

  • Whole Wheat Pizzas for Two with Chicken Sausage and Artichoke Crowns

    This is a recipe we are extremely excited about because we discovered an easy DIY pizza recipe to replace Boboli and costs about $5 less as a result. If you don’t want get involved with rolling out dough, we completely relate and would still recommend using Boboli’s whole wheat crust.

    1 (16 oz) whole wheat pizza dough (uncooked) from Trader Joe’s or a similar shop
    1/2 Cup of flour
    2 Cups of tomato sauce either store bought or home-made
    2 Cloves of garlic peeled and minced
    1 Cup of sliced artichoke crowns (or artichoke hearts if preferred)
    1/4 Cup fresh basil minced
    2 Links of Italian style (hot or sweet) chicken sausage – uncooked
    1 Cup of part-skim mozzarella shredded
    1/2 cup of fresh mini mozzarella balls

    Remove dough from the refrigerator and let rest for several minutes (Note: If using a silicon rolling pin, place it in the freezer for a few minutes prior to use). Heat a skillet over medium-low flame and cook chicken sausage for about 8 minutes, rotating frequently. Remove from heat and let the meat rest. When cooled, slice sausages into 1/4 in slices or thinner if preferred.

    Prepare a shallow roasting pan or cookie sheet by spraying or brushing a light layer of olive oil over the surface. Another option is to put down a thin layer of cornmeal to prevent sticking. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    For this recipe, we cut the dough into two even portions and roll out 2 pizzas. Prepare to roll out the dough by sprinkling a pinch flour over the surface you will be rolling the dough on. Sprinkle flour on the first portion and set aside the second; slowly knead the dough and work into a rectangular shape. Place dough on the counter and use the rolling pin (sprinkled with flour) to roll out the dough into an evenly portioned rectangle. Place the dough on the baking sheet and use your fingers to keep the rectangle stretching so that it doesn’t shrink back to a smaller size. Repeat process for second portion of dough.

    With dough now on the backing sheet, coat each rectangle with tomato sauce. Be sure to coat the rectangle evenly and leave a 1/4 inch border of plain dough around the sides. Now add minced garlic and basil, sprinkling each evenly on top of the sauce. Next comes the shredded mozzarella, sprinkle evenly around the pizza in a single layer. Add sliced chicken sausage and sliced artichoke crowns in even rows and add as much or as little as you desire.; each rectangular dough should hold the equivalent of roughly one sausage link. Finally, cut the mini mozzarella balls in half and add them to the pizza, roughly 8 halves to each rectangle.

    Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool; handle with care when transferring to a cutting board to slice as the cheese may slide easily when fresh from the oven.

  • Chicken Masala with Cashews

    1 Cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (or regular)
    1/2 Cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
    3 Tbsp olive oil
    1 Tbsp garam masala
    1 Tsp coarse kosher salt
    1 Large garlic clove, pressed
    1/2 Cup roasted, unsalted cashews
    1 Roasting chicken, or 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drum sticks (all bone-in)
    1 Large onion, cut into 1/4 inch rings

    For the yogurt option, you can use whatever your prefer. We used non-fat Greek, and you can learn more about the specifics here.

    Combine yogurt, cilantro, olive oil, garam masala, salt and garlic in medium to large rectangular pan or glass dish. Remove skin from chicken and trim extra fat. Add chicken to marinade one piece at a time, take care to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 + hours.

    Preheat oven to 400 and place onion rings on the bottom of a freshly oiled roasting pan and place individual pieces of chicken on top of the rings, spread evenly. Discard remaining marinade. Roast chicken for 50 minutes; serve chicken on top of onion rings from the pan.

  • Grilled New York Strip with Pomegranate Chile Sauce

    Sauce Ingredients:

    1/3 Cup sugar
    1/2 Cup water
    2 Cups of 100% pomegranate juice
    2 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
    1 Fresh anaheim chile (stemmed and seeded)*
    1 Red jalapeno chile (stemmed and seeded)*
    1 1/2 Tsp adobo sauce from tin of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
    1 1/2 Tsp balsamic vinegar

    *Can be subbed with dried chiles, but be sure to seed.

    For sauce:

    In a large sauce pan add broth and pomegranate juice over medium heat; chop chiles into 1/2 inch pieces and add to sauce pan. In a separate small-medium size sauce pan stir sugar into water over medium heat. When sugar dissolves, increase heat and boil for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add to the broth/juice stirring thoroughly. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil for about 25 minutes to reduce. Once sauce is reduced, remove from heat and cool. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in adobo sauce, vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    For steak:

    Rub steak on both sides with coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper. Drizzle each side of the meat with olive oil. Prep coals or heat gas grill to medium-high temperature. Once grill is ready, add meat and grill for 7 minutes each side (medium rare-medium temperature for 1 lb cut at 1.5 inch thickness). Remove from heat and let rest for 5 + minutes. When ready, slice meat and serve, drizzling pomegranate chile sauce over meat once plated.

  • Chicken Paillards with Clementine Salsa

    This is a recipe based on an original recipe seen in the December issue of bon apetit, but we added our own touch of spice by adding jalapenos among other things.

    4 Chicken breast halves
    4 Clementines, peeled, diced (about 1 cup)
    1 Cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
    1/2 Cup diced red onion
    1/2 Cup diced celery
    1/4 Cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
    1/4 Cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
    1/4 Tsp Salt
    1/4 Tsp Pepper
    2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
    2 Tbsp lime juice
    1 Jalapeno, seeded, minced
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    1/2 Cup clementine juice

    Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of wax paper, separating . Using tenderizer or mallet, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

    Mix clementines, tomatoes, onion, celery, basil, cilantro, salt and extra-virgin olive oils in medium bowl. Cover; let stand at room temperature.

    Uncover chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until slightly browned and cooked through, about 3 -4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Add clementine juice to skillet and stir/scrape chicken bits from pan; boil until reduced for about 2 minutes. Drizzle sauce over chicken add salsa and serve.

  • Grilled Chicken with Blood Orange and Rosemary Marinade

    Similar to many of our recipes, the portions and ingredients below are based on serving two (2) people. You can always increase the quantity of the ingredient list if you need to serve more.

    2 Bone-in chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs (boneless works if you prefer, though be sure to adjust cook-time down accordingly)
    3 Blood oranges
    1 Lemon
    2 Sprigs of rosemary
    3 Garlic cloves
    1/4 Tsp Salt
    1/4 Tsp Fresh ground pepper
    3 Tbsp olive oil

    Skin the breasts and slice the top of the breast cross-way slightly to increase exposure to the marinade. Place the chicken in resealable bag or container and wash the cutting board and knife.

    In a separate bowl squeeze the juice of the blood oranges and the lemon. Crush the garlic and add to the bowl as well as the salt and pepper. Now carefully remove the rosemary leaves from the stem and coarsely chop by rocking the blade of your knife through the pile several times (mincing); Add rosemary to the juice and pour olive oil in. Use a whisk to stir the marinade and pour over the chicken; cover and store in the refrigerator for several hours (if possible) periodically shake the container to move the marinade evenly around the meat.

    Prepare the coals or light the gas grill to a medium-high temperature. Once the grill is ready, place the meat on the grill with the bones down and the thicker portion of the breast positioned toward the center of the grill/hotter temperature; be sure to replace the grill lid to maintain control over the temperature. Grill chicken for 10 – 11 minutes a side; when you flip the chicken, keep the thicker portion of the breast towards the center of the grill/hotter temperature. Remove the chicken and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Cut into one piece to make sure it is cooked through; the meat should be slightly pink so if you have any doubt place the meat back on the grill for a minute or two.

    Grilled chicken is not the easiest to cook, so if you don’t have much experience keep at it and you will soon have a good feel for judging time and temperature.

  • Grilled Pork Tacos with Tomato, Corn, Cilantro and Avocado Salsa

    1 Pork tenderloin (roughly 1 – 1.5 lbs)
    1 Tsp Nutmeg
    1 Tsp Cinnamon
    1 Tsp Cumin
    1 Tsp Chile powder
    1/2 Tsp Cayenne powder
    1 Tsp Cajun seasoning
    1 Tsp Garlic powder
    1/2 Pint grape tomatoes
    1 Avocado
    1 Red onion
    1/2 cup cilantro
    1 Can sweet corn
    1 Lime
    1 Can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
    1 Pint low fat sour cream
    1 Package of corn tortillas

    Butterfly pork tenderloin and combine next 7 ingredients for dry rub. Sprinkle rub liberally all over the pork and take care to rub the seasoning into the meat well.

    Prepare coals for BBQ or set gas grill at medium heat and grill pork for 10 – 12 min each side or until slightly pink in the center. Rub will char on the grill and add fantastic flavor to the finished product. Remove meat from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

    For salsa, chop tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and add to a serving bowl. Slice avocado and add with corn to the bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the salsa and stir; lime juice adds nice flavor and preserves wonderful colors of the ingredients. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

    To make chipotle sour cream, add 1/2 to full pint of low fat sour cream to a bowl and add 1-2 spoonfuls of adobo sauce from the can of chiles for mild spice. You can adjust the spice higher by adding more sauce or seeding & chopping some of the chiles and stirring them in.

    Warm tortillas over coals or over medium heat on the gas grill for about 30 seconds a side. If you prefer, you can warm the tortillas in the oven by wrapping a stack in a damp paper-towel and baking for 20 minutes at 250 degrees. If you need to micorowave the tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper-towel and microwave on high for 45 – 60 seconds.

  • Slow Cooker Cacciatore

    3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp poultry seasoning
    1 chicken cut into serving pieces and skinned
    3 Tbsp olive oil
    1 yellow onion, finely chopped
    4 cloves of garlic minced
    3 Tbsp coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (can be dry or oil packed)
    1 cup dry wine
    2 sprigs of sage
    2 sprigs of rosemary
    Pinch of red pepper flakes
    Freshly ground black pepper

    Combine flour, salt and poultry seasoning in a resealable bag.  Add the chicken to the bag and shake to coat completely.

    Heat a large iron skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.   Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes a side or until browned; remove chicken and place in the slow cooker.

    Add the onion to the skillet and saute – stirring frequently – until translucent.  Add the garlic and saute until lightly browned.  Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and be sure to scrape the remaining bits from the chicken. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker and add pinch of crushed red pepper and crushed red pepper.

    Tie the sage and the rosemary sprigs with a bit of twine or in some cheese cloth and submerge in the broth in the slow-cooker.

    Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 4 hours – 8 Hours (at 6-8 hours the meat will fall off the bone).  Remove sage and rosemary just before serving.