Spanish Cod and Chorizo with Crispy Oregano Potatoes and Sauteed Kale

Adapted from Hello Fresh: Tender, mild cod goes perfectly with spicy chorizo! A bed of garlicky sauteed kale and crispy potatoes round out the Spanish-inspired seafood dish. 

Level: 1

Ingredients:

2 cod fillets

1/4 cup panko 

1 lemon 

1 link chorizo

1 sprig oregano

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch kale- about 6 ounces 

Russet potatoes 12 oz

2 cloves garlic

2 1/2 TBSP EVOO

1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. Finely chop the oregano. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with oregano, 1 TBSP EVOO, and 3 pinches of salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. 

2. Meanwhile, zest and halve the lemon. Remove and discard the ribs and stems from the kale, then roughly chop the leaves. Finely chop the parsley. Halve the chorizo lengthwise and thinly slice into 1/4 inch thick half moons. Mince or grate the garlic.

3. Coat the fillets with 1 TBSP EVOO  and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Then, set on the baking sheet to roast for about 10 minutes, until flaky and opaque. 

4. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, tossing 3-4 minutes until slightly crispy. Stir in the panko, chopped parsley, half the garlic, and a pinch of lemon zest. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Set aside and wipe the pan clean. 

5. Heat 1/2 TBSP EVOO in the same pan over medium. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing 4-5 minutes. Add a splash of water if necessary. Add the remaining garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, tossing, until fragrant. 

6. Serve the cod filets on a bed of kale, surrounding by roasted potatoes. Sprinkle with the chorizo and panko mixture and top with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Tres Leches Cake

A Latin America recipe meaning "three milk cake." This is perfectly sweet and serves a 9x 13 dish of cake so invite some people over and enjoy! 

Ingredients

Cake:
6 large eggs, separated
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder and ¼ tsp baking soda
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream topping:
1 14 -ounce can evaporated milk
1 14 -ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBSP gold rum

To make the cake:  Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed for 3 minutes. Add the sugar gradually with the mixer running and mix for 4-5 minutes. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating 20 seconds after the addition of each. Beat mixture once all eggs are added for about 2 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture, gently folding into batter, alternating with the half and half. (Do this quickly so the batter does not lose volume.) Add the vanilla. Blend for 1 minute. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

To make the cream topping: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the rum and blend for 30 seconds.

Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes all over so the cream will sink in (lots of holes, like 40 with a fork) and while still warm, pour the cream mixture over it, being sure to reserve a bit ( about 6 oz) for a light glaze topping. After you've poured it in, try to distribute it evenly amongst the bottom of the pan. I just pick up the 9 x 13 dish and tilt it around a few times.

 Let sit and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.


To assemble: Remove the cake from the refrigerator, cut, and pour about 2 TBSP of the milk topping on each piece and garnish with cherries or other fresh fruit. 

Salmon Burgers with Tarragon Aioli and Mache Salad

This is a filling meal that is great for all seasons! 

Level: 1

Ingredients

3 scallions

3 sprigs tarragon

1 ounce mache

2 ounces arugula

1 lemon

12 ounces chopped salmon

2 packets Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon horseradish

¼ cup panko bread crumbs

2 packets mayonnaise

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 brioche buns

2½ tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

black pepper

1.     Rinse scallions, trim and discard roots, and thinly slice. Finely chop tarragon leaves, discarding stems. Trim and discard dirt from mache, if needed. Rinse leaves and tear into bite-size pieces. Rinse arugula. Halve lemon. Pat salmon dry with paper towel.

2.     In a medium bowl, combine scallions, salmon, Dijon mustard, horseradish, and bread crumbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix by hand until fully combined. Form into 2 equal patties, ¾ to 1-inch thick. Place in fridge to chill for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

3.    While burgers chill, in a small bowl, stir together tarragon, juice of ½ lemon, and mayonnaise to make aioli. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. In a large bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar and 1½ tablespoons olive oil to make dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Use remaining ½ lemon to brighten a glass of water.

4.    Place a medium pan over medium heat. Immediately add buns cut-side down and toast until golden and warmed through, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.

5.    Burgers Wipe pan from buns clean and add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add salmon burgers and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden on outside and medium inside, 3-4 minutes more.

6.    Add mache and arugula to bowl with dressing and toss to coat. Divide evenly between 2 plates. Place salmon burgers on bottom buns, spoon over tarragon aioli, and finish with tops. Serve.

1. 

Curry Spiced Chicken Thighs

Adapted from Blue Apron: This Indian-inspired recipe uses classic spices and preparations along with seasonal vegetables to create wonderfully balanced, fresh dish

Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
1 pound fingerling potatoes
1 cup plain greek yogurt
12 oz sugar snap peas
2 salad cucumbers
2 bunchs of mint
2 inch piece of ginger
2 TBSP madras curry powder

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges. Trim off and discard the end of each sugar snap pea; pull off and discard the tough string that runs the length of the pod.Grate the cucumber. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Peel and mince the ginger.

2. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange the seasoned potatoes in a single, even layer and roast 14 to 16 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside in a warm place.

3. While the potatoes roast, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels; season with salt, pepper and half the Madras curry powder. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, loosely covering with aluminum foil, 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan.

4. While the chicken cooks, using your hands, squeeze the grated cucumber over a bowl to release as much liquid as possible; discard the liquid. In a medium bowl, combine the drained cucumber, yogurt and the juice of 2 lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the ginger and remaining Madras curry powder. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the sugar snap peas, cooked potatoes and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the snap peas are bright green. Remove from heat. Add the mint(roughly chopping just before adding) and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Divide the finished vegetables and cooked chicken between 2 plates. Garnish each with a spoonful of the yogurt sauce. Serve with the remaining yogurt sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Seared Salmon with Sorrel Salad and Creamy Barley

Adapted from Blue apron: The earthiness of the barley perfectly complements the richness of the salmon. 

Level: 21, takes about 40 minutes but is simple and delicious! 

Ingredients
2 skinless salmon filets- I only buy Wild Alaskan. Atlantic is severely overfished and I refuse to contribute to this problem.
1/2 cup pearled barley or red quinoa
3 ounces baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon
1/2 ounce sorrel leaves
1 bunch dill 
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the barley and cook 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. 

2. While the barley cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Roughly chop the spinach. Mince the garlic. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind the get 2 tsp of zest ( or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon. Pick the sorrel and dill off the stems and discard. Roughly chop the sorrel. 

3. While the barley continues to cook, in a medium skillet, heat teaspoons of EVOO on medium until hot. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds stirring frequently. Add the spinach and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Transfer to a strainer; hold or rest the strainer over the sink and, using a spoon or spatula, press down on the cooked spinach to release as much liquid as possible. Wipe out the skillet. 

4. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the pan used to cook the spinach, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fillets and cook 3 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fillets; add the butter. Cook, spooning the butter over the fillets, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat. Transfer the salmon to a plate.

5. In a small bowl, combine the sorrel and half the dill. Toss with the juice of 1 lemon wedge and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. To the pot of cooked barley, add the sour cream, drained spinach, remaining dill, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil; stir to thoroughly combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished barley and cooked salmon fillets between 2 dishes. Top with the herb garnish. Enjoy!