sabina k.i. lazarz-daniels - bisia's bites

thai noodles with basil

3/25/2015

8 oz soba or rice noodles
1 tbsp canola oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 chicken stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup sliced basil
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1 lime, cut in wedges

in a large bowl, pour boiling water over noodles to cover and let soak 15 minutes. do not soak longer or noodles will overcook.
meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. add garlic, ginger, and onion. cook until golden, 10 minutes. stir in beef, cook until no longer pink, 5 minutes. stir in stock, soy sauce, sugar, salt and crushed pepper. ad corn starch and simmer uncovered until starts to thicken, 5 minutes.
drain noodles. add noodles, cilantro, basil to the beef mixture and stir together. serve in bowls, top with cucumber, bean sprouts, and peanuts. serve with the lime wedges.

indian flatbread

7/26/2014

2 cups finely ground yellow corn flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-inch of fresh ginger, grated
2 fresh green chiles, jalapeno or serrano, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1-1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon canola oil

Combine corn flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a medium bowl. Mix in ginger, chiles, onion and cilantro.
Drizzle warm water over the mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring it in as you go, until the mixture starts to come together and form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into 12 portions and shape each into a ball. Keep the balls covered with plastic wrap or with a slightly damp paper towel.
Combine melted butter and oil in a small bowl, have handy near the stove.
Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place a ball of dough between sheets of wax paper. Press it down to form a patty, then roll it out into a 1/8-inch-thick disc, 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
Gently peel the dough off the paper and add it to the hot pan. Cook until the underside is light brown in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip it over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Brush the top with butter-oil mixture and flip it over to sear it, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the other side.
Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve warm.

lentil burger

7/20/2014

6 cups water
1 cup lentils
2 tablespoons evoo
2 chopped jalapenos
1 small onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon thyme
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until very tender and beginning to break down, about 25 minutes for brown lentils or 30 minutes for green lentils. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, squeezing extra water out.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add almonds, thyme, salt and pepper to taste; continue cooking until the almonds are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and mix in. Let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in egg and lemon juice.
Form the lentil mixture into 5 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn gently and continue to cook until lightly browned and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately.

tilapia & summer vegetables packets

7/7/2014

1 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
small bunch green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
salt and pepper
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions

Preheat oven to 425.
Combine tomatoes, zucchini, onion, green beans, olives, lemon juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
To make a packet, generously coatta sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place one portion of seasoned tilapia in the center of the foil. Top with about 1/4 portion of the vegetable mixture.
Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Repeat with remaining portions.
Bake the packets directly on an oven rack until the tilapia is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.

purple potato gnocchi w/ pork belly & sage-butter

11/1/2013

Gnocchi

1 tsp salt
1½ lbs medium purple potatoes, halved
2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1⅓ cups flour, plus extra for rolling
1 egg

Pork Belly

½ lb pork belly, cut into ½-inch-by-1-inch strips
grated parm cheese

Sauce

6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

1. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. add the potatoes and cook about 20 minutes. once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins. return the potatoes to the pot, add the butter and mash well. use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour, egg and 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing until the potatoes come together into a soft dough.

2. lightly flour a cutting board and place the potato dough on top. divide the dough into quarters and roll each into a ¾-inch-thick rope. use a knife to divide the rope into ¾-inch pieces. transfer to a floured baking sheet or plate and repeat with the remaining dough.

3. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. cook the gnocchi in batches, being sure not to overcrowd, simmering until the gnocchi float to the top. use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to a large plate.

4. while the gnocchi cook, brown the pork belly: in a large skillet set over medium heat, add the pork belly and cook until it is browned and crisp. transfer the pork belly to a paper-towel-lined plate.

5. make the sauce: set a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. cook the butter, stirring often, until the it turns golden-brown and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. turn off the heat and stir in the garlic, sage and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. add the cooked gnocchi and pork belly and cook until warmed through. Divide among plates, sprinkle with the grated cheese and serve.

miso egg thread soup w/ asparagus

11/1/2013

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup pastina, or other tiny pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp miso paste
soy sauce

bring broth to a boil in a pot. stir in pasta. cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat, until pasta is just tender, about 5 minutes. stir in asparagus, miso paste, soy sauce to taste; cook for 2 minutes. reduce heat to medium.
break eggs into a cup and whisk. add to the gently boiling soup in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly with a fork. remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. taste, adding salt if desired.

pork stir fry

10/30/2013

3 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
splash of orange juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch

heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. swirl in 2 tsp oil, then add pork and cook, stirring, until just cooked, 3 minutes. transfer to a plate.
add the remaining 1 tsp oil to the pan along with shallots, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper and orange juice. cook, stirring, for 1 minute. add bell peppers and celery and cook, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. stir in soy sauce; bring to a simmer. cook for 1 minute.
whisk vinegar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then pour it into the pan along with the pork and its juices. cook, stirring often, until thickened and bubbling and the pork is heated through, about 1 minute.

grilled steak w/ roasted beets & radicchio

10/30/2013

2 tbsp crumbled goat feta cheese
2 tsp white-wine vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp minced shallot
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 1/2 tsp evoo
1 small head radicchio, halved, cored and each half quartered
1 8-oz can baby beets, drained
8 oz New York strip steak

preheat cast iron skillet on high.
place cheese in a medium bowl and mash it with the back of a spoon until creamy. add vinegar, dry mustard, shallot, parsley, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper; whisk to combine. slowly drizzle in 2 tsp oil and whisk until blended.
toss radicchio chunks and beets in 1 tsp oil, season with salt and pepper and roast under broiler for 3-5 minutes.
rub steaks with the remaining 1/2 tsp oil. season with salt and pepper.
cook the steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. transfer the steaks to a plate; let rest for 5 minutes. serve steaks and vegetables with the sauce.

butternut squash cheesecake bars

10/30/2013

9 graham or ginger crisp crackers
1/2 cup oats
2 tbsp plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp nonfat milk
8 oz nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
1/2 cup squash puree
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

preheat oven to 350F. coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
process graham crackers, oats, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. add milk; pulse until completely moistened.
transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. bake for 10 minutes. cool for 20 minutes.
meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325. beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. beat in squash puree until smooth. beat in eggs one at a time. finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tbsp flour. scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust.
bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

lemon herb salmon

10/30/2013

1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 lb center-cut salmon, skinned

preheat oven to 350F.
lay a piece of foil on a rimless baking pan. arrange lemon slices along the foil. spread dill over the lemons.
with the side of a chef’s knife, mash garlic with salt to form a paste. transfer to a small dish and stir in mustard and the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped herbs. spread the mixture over both sides of the salmon. place the salmon on top of the layer in the pan.
cover the pan with another piece of foil; cook until the salmon is opaque in the center, 30 minutes. cut the salmon into 4 portions and serve.