Tag: lemon juice

Marinated Tuna Steaks

With the medical community and health-conscious Americans becoming more aware of the many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and low fat proteins, tuna steak is an increasingly popular item on menus and in grocery stores around the country. In addition to its almost “meaty” flavor and texture, tuna steak is highly versatile, lending itself well to many different seasonings and flavor combinations.Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_4740858_tuna-steak.html
Although we do not eat a lot of it, we certainly do enjoy fresh tuna steak (save the canned stuff for tuna noodle casserole). This is the second tuna steak recipe I have posted here. Check out Rachel Ray’s Tuscan tuna steaks for an unmarinated style.
 Marinated Tuna Steaks
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon white pepper
Few drops of sesame oil
Sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon fresh ginger gratedMarinate the tuna steaks for about 30 minutes.
Grill in a hot pan for 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting with remaining sauce.

Advertisement

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

As my wife and I had Greek neighbours, we often had Greek food with them or at the ethnic festivals each summer. Across the border from us in Detroit there was Greektown with wonderful restaurants (before the casinos moved in)…nothing like flaming cheese and OPA followed by this great soup!

From Wikipedia…Avgolemono or egg-lemon (from Greek: αυγολέμονο or αβγολέμονο), is a family of Mediterranean sauces and soups made with egg and lemon juice mixed with broth, heated until they thicken. In Arabic, it is called tarbiya or beida bi-lemoune ‘egg with lemon’; and in Turkish terbiye. In Sephardic Jewish cuisine, it is called agristada or salsa blanco, and in Italian cuisine, bagna brusca, brodettato, or brodo brusco. It is also widely used in Balkan cuisine.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons shredded carrots
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons chicken soup base
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cooked white rice
1/4 cup diced, cooked chicken meat
4 slices lemon
2 egg yolks

Preparation
1. In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, onions, celery, soup base, and white pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Blend the butter and the flour together. Then gradually add it to the soup mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until light in color. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return the egg mixture to the soup pot and heat through. Add the rice and chicken. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with lemon slices.

Emergency Seafood Sauce

So so hard to find here in Mexico, but if you cannot find it try one of these four substitutions – (my “go-to” is #4). You can usually find horseradish sauce….but pure horseradish is hard to find unless you find the actual vegetable…

#1 – 1/2 cup tomato juice. 1 tsp. horseradish, 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

#2 – 3/4 cups chili sauce, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon horseradish, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon grated onion, dash of hot pepper sauce

#3 – 1 cup salsa or catsup, 1 Tablespoon horseradish, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 3 dashes of hot pepper sauce

#4 – 1 cup catsup, 2 Tablespoons horseradish, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Just in case you find yourself in the grocery store with a clerk who speaks no English, show them this –

# 1 – 1/2 taza de jugo de tomate. 1 cdta. rábano picante, 1/2 cdta. Salsa inglesa, 1/2 cdta. vinagre, 1/2 cdta. jugo de limón

# 2 – 3/4 tazas de salsa de chile, 2 cucharadas de jugo de limón, 1 cucharada de rábano picante, 2 cucharaditas de salsa inglesa, 1/2 cucharadita de cebolla rallada, pizca de salsa picante

# 3 – 1 taza de salsa o salsa de tomate, 1 cucharada de rábano picante, 1 cucharada de jugo de limón, 3 toques de salsa picante

# 4 – 1 taza de salsa de tomate, 2 cucharadas de rábano picante, 2 cucharadas de jugo de limón

Caesar Salad

Everyone generally loves a great Caesar salad. Did you know it was invented by a chef in Tijuana, Mexico? If you don’t believe me, check out this Wikipedia article, where you will find the original recipe of Caesar Cardini – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar_salad

Personally, it is hard to believe this since most Caesar salads in Mexico do not even come close to Caesar’s…except my former sister-in-law’s which I use always. Try it for the long weekend!

Caesar Salad

1 inch of anchovy paste (I know it isn’t part of the original recipe)

Crushed garlic (you be the judge)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon wine vinegar

1 egg yolk coddled (if your eggs are pasteurized I just use a yolk and do not coddle it)

3/4 cup Crisco oil (NOT extra virgen olive oil)

Mix all of the first 6 ingredients together with a whisk. Slowly add in the oil, whisking away as you go. Chill.

My Caesar salad includes:  romaine lettuce leaves minus the ribs, fresh croutons, green onions, fresh bits of bacon and fresh mushrooms and, of course, LOTS of Parmesan cheese!!!!

Enjoy the holiday weekend!!!

Pesto Crusted Chicken

Another in the KISS series…we always have a jar of ready made pesto sauce in the house as it can be used so many ways. This one is a very simple main course using chicken…breasts or thighs…whatever you prefer. Just add some rice and a salad…

Pesto Crusted Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 – 7 oz. jar prepared pesto
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 T lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon peel
  • 4 skinless chicken breast halves, bone-in
  • 1 T olive oil
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blend ingredients in food processor. Place chicken in greased baking dish. Cover with pesto mixture. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Mix juices with 2 T lemon juice. Spoon over chicken. Serve.
Notes

Greek Salad a la Larry

Larry decided to explore several different Greek salad recipes one day – the result was his version below, which turned out to be very good!

Larry’s Greek Salad Recipe

Dressing Ingredients:

1 1/2 TBS  lemon juice

2 TBS     red wine vinegar

6 TBS       olive oil

2              small garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped

1 tsp      white sugar

1 tsp      salt

½ tsp     course ground pepper

1  tsp     Dijon grainy mustard

6 to 8     black / Kalamata olives finely chopped    Note: 15 oz can, the remainder go in the salad.

Mix all ingredients well in a salad dressing mixer or glass jar with lid.  Adjust quantities of ingredients to your individual taste.  The small amount of sugar cuts the acidity and is pleasant on the tongue without being sweet tasting.

Salad ingredients:

1              small red onion, very finely sliced

 Cut into approx.  one inch cubes:  1 green pepper,  1 red pepper,  1  yellow pepper (seeded, etc)

½ c          coarsely chopped flat parsley leaves  (if you like, you can also add some chopped mint leaves)

12 -16    Kalamata / black olives, pitted and halved

4              mini  cucumbers  (Costco), quartered lengthwise, and cut in 1” thick slices

200 gr    feta cheese, cut into small ½” cubes ( in Mexico, I use Apetina brand found at Superama, in brine)

1 cup     Plum tomatoes, halved ( more if you like)

Mix all the ingredients together and toss with some of the dressing.  I like to add the feta cheese to the individual salad bowls.   Guests can add more dressing if they like.

Another option:  let guests add their own dressing and feta.  If there is salad remaining, it will store better without the dressing added.

Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil* Soup (Harira)

Thanks to Karen at Back Road Journal for this tasty recipe! backroadjournal.wordpress.com 

As we have been doing some travelling I had not tried this before returning home. Fortunately, another friend told me I could find harissa at a store near her! I was concerned that we had run out of lentils when I went to make it, but was equally happy with using pearl barley. I don’t think I would do this with rice, but that is my bias!

By the way, harissa is a paste composed of several spices. It is found in a small jar in the imported foods section of some grocery stores. If you have a Middle Eastern market near you check it out. It is spicy! Be sure to check Karen’s blog for other wonderful recipes and happenings in her life in New England!

Harira, A Moroccan Chickpea And Lentil Soup

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  •  pinch of saffron (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 3/4 c. lentils or pearl barley
  • 1 c. cooked chickpeas (if canned, rinsed)
  • 2 c. stock (vegetable or chicken) Choosing vegetable broth would make this began I believe
  • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 c. water or additional stock
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. or to taste harissa (optional)
  • lemon slices or wedges to serve alongside

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat, add the onion and carrot and cook until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the lentils, chickpeas, stock, tomatoes and water, stir and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, and harissa and simmer for a few minutes. Taste for additional seasoning. Ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro and a lemon slice.