Tag: tomatoes

Cold Leftover Steak Salad with Goat Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Ever get stumped by what to do with leftover steak?  Steaks aren’t sold for one person, generally. The portions are too big!  It’s not enough for another steak dinner, and too much to toss without guilt.  You could make a steak sandwich, or try something a bit different and toss it into a steak salad.

Add some veggies, goat cheese, and a homemade red wine vinaigrette and you’ve got a delicious dinner without any cooking.  Cold leftover steak salad is the perfect solution for late summer  or busy days when the thought of turning on the stove is too much to bear.

This recipe is inspired by a steak salad on Food Network.  I liked the basic idea, but wasn’t about to buy three kinds of greens, extra red onions, or bleu cheese (since bleu cheese and I don’t get along).  I used just one kind of lettuce (green leaf) instead and swapped the bleu cheese for herbed goat cheese.

This is best with leftover steak (since it’s already cold), but you can pan fry your steak and let it rest (or chill in the fridge) while you do something else. Use the rest for a steak sandwich or in a stir fry.




 

Cold Leftover Steak Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • Add a bit of Dijon mustard to the vinaigrette
  • Go for the bleu cheese if you like it
  • Use a handful of mixed greens (or make the entire salad with them)
  • Add half a sliced scallion
  • Saute some shallots and add them to the dressing

More Entree Salad Recipes

Chicken Caprese Salad Panini Sandwichchicken caprese salad panini

Grilled to a deep golden brown crispness, stuffed with gooey melted cheese, sweet tomatoes, and basil.  Comfort food for grownups.

 

leftover roast lamb eggplant spinach saladLeftover Roast Lamb Eggplant and Spinach Salad

Rich lamb, meltingly soft eggplant, and a garlicky aioli sauce. It’s an entire meal in a single bowl. Use leftover roast lamb breast, or make it with a lamb chop.

 

mixed greens egg potato chicken saladMixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

A fresh take on an entree salad, with hard boiled egg, potatoes, and a zippy vinaigrette. Use leftover or rotisserie chicken. Mix it all together and poof you have lunch (or dinner).

chili citrus avocado chicken saladChili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad

Transform leftovers into a whole new meal with crunchy veggies, velvety avocado, and slightly spicy chicken.

 




Cherry Tomato Basil Frittata

There are times when a simple recipe is just the thing. This cherry tomato basil frittata takes only a few minutes to prepare and only requires four primary ingredients (eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and basil).

Despite its simplicity, it’s full of flavor, even though it only has a few ingredients. You don’t necessarily have to fuss for hours or use a long list of twenty ingredients to get something delicious to eat.

The other nice thing is that it uses ordinary pantry/fridge staples you probably already have in your kitchen. No special shopping trip required!

This is adapted from a recipe I cut out from The New York Times (I think) long ago. I added the goat cheese, since I had a little bit left I wanted to use up. If you don’t have goat cheese, use something else. Any relatively mild cheese would do the trick.

I also reduced the servings, and adjusted the cooking time. The beauty of single servings is that it takes a lot less time to cook and prepare. The original recipe called for 6 eggs and a pound of tomatoes!

This is a great quick lunch, weekend brunch, or even breakfast. It only takes a few minutes to make, so it’s great when you’ve got a bad case of the “hungries.” Add a chunk of crusty bread and you’ve got a meal.




Substitutions and Variations for Cherry Tomato Basil Frittata

  • make it with mozzarella cheese or Monterey Jack instead of goat cheese
  • add some fresh spinach
  • use a pinch of red pepper flakes in addition to the black pepper
  • swap the plain goat cheese for herbed goat cheese
  • mix up the tomatoes: try one of those yellow/orange/red tomato blends

More Egg and Frittata Recipes

frittata recipe for one personFrittata Recipe for One Person

A versatile recipe that feeds you and cleans out your fridge at the same time.  Add ham (or not), use zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, or whatever fresh (or frozen) veggies you have around. The only constant is the eggs and the potatoes.

eggs with spinach and chili pepperEggs with Spinach and Chili Peppers

Great for breakfast, a light lunch, or brunch.  Spinach, a bit of warm/spicy cumin, and then a gentle kick from chili. And it’s easy and quick too.

 

egg and tomato gratinEgg and Tomato Gratin

Think “fast” food, but far tastier than anything from a takeout place.  Fast food that’s so much better than anything from a takeout place. Thyme, garlic, and onions add plenty of flavor and a mouth-watering fragrance. The whole thing is then topped with cheese.

egg chili cheese burritoEgg Chili Cheese Wrap Recipe

Perfect for a quick meal, and ready in minutes.  Just cook the egg, heat up some canned beans, and add chili.

 




Easy Mediterranean Fish Stew

There are probably hundreds or thousands of variations of this easy Mediterranean fish stew. In San Francisco, they add shellfish and clam juice or fish stock and call it cioppino.  Sicilians make it with sea bass or orange roughy.  The Greeks use dill and potatoes, while the Portuguese add sausage.

This particular version has tomatoes, potatoes, and some citrus zest.  I adapted it from a New York Times recipe (which made a big pot of stew, enough for 6 people, and included the dreaded anchovies).  I also threw in some mushrooms (mostly because I wanted to use them up).  There’s no shellfish, and I made it with cod (which is more sustainable and budget-friendly than orange roughy or sea bass). I also swapped the chopped tomatoes they called for with tomato puree (that’s what I had, and it cooks faster).

There are two nice things about this recipe.  The first is that it’s super-easy to make.  Just make the stew, and then add the fish at the very end. Don’t overcook it!

The second is that you can make it in advance up to the point where you add the fish.  When you’re ready to eat, reheat the stew and add the fish once it’s hot.




Substitutions and Variations for Easy Mediterranean Fish Stew

  • Replace the water with fish stock, clam juice, or white wine
  • Add some capers
  • Double the garlic and add some pepperoncini (Italian hot peppers)
  • Vary the fish by adding some seafood such as clams, mussels, or shrimp
  • Make it Portuguese style with chicken broth (as the liquid), green bell pepper, potatoes, and sausage

More Fish Recipes

pan-fried tilapia with lemon butter saucePan Fried Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

Plenty of flavor, from a bit of mustard, a sprinkle of rosemary, and a burst of lemony citrus. An easy dinner that’s ready in a few minutes.

 

greek fish with lemon and tomatoesGreek Fish with Lemon and Tomatoes

A quick, one pan meal that will make you feel as if you’ve traveled to the Mediterranean. All you need to do is make a quick marinade and then pan-fry the fish.

 

sephardic fish in peppery tomato sauceSephardic Fish in Peppery Tomato Sauce

A weeknight-friendly meal flavored with garlic, coriander, harissa, and piquant capers in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. Ready in under thirty minutes.

 

fish fillet with yogurt sauceIndian Fish Fillet in Yogurt Sauce

This creamy fish recipe tastes indulgent and decadent, but it isn’t. Ginger and cumin add savory flavor but not a lot of heat.

 




Pasta with Olives Tomatoes and Capers Puttanesca

In a hurry for dinner?  Pasta is your friend.  This pasta dish with olives, tomatoes, and capers (or pasta puttanesca) has a slightly racy name.  Nobody really knows why.  One theory says the dish was popular with the ladies of the evening because it was easy to cook and the ingredients were cheap.  Another says that the sauce’s aroma helped lure in customers.

Whatever the reason, it certainly is budget friendly and you can make it in about 20 minutes.

Whoever is responsible created a dish that’s packed with flavor.  There’s pungent little bits of garlic, slightly briny capers, and nutty Niçoise olives. 

Capers, in case you don’t know, are the buds of a Mediterranean plant that are picked and then pickled (try to say that three times fast).  I always thought Niçoise olives were a variety, but I found out today that they’re really called Le Calletier.  Niçoise is just the method of curing them.

I adapted this recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. They suggested using whole canned tomatoes, and then squeezing them out and chopping them up.  That’s too messy for me. You can use crushed tomatoes, purée, or even tomato sauce in a pinch.

Traditionally, this recipe also includes anchovies.  However, I am a fish wimp. The strongest fish flavor I like is salmon.  Also, anchovies were $32 a pound.  Nope. Not happening. Nuh uh.

The other great thing about pasta puttanesca is that you can use canned tomatoes, jarred capers, dry pasta, and spices you probably already have sitting on your shelf.

Save the rest of the tomatoes for pasta alla norma.

The remaining capers will keep indefinitely in the fridge once opened.  They’re great with smoked salmon, lemon, and dill for a weekend brunch.




 

More Pasta Recipes

penne with feta cheese and sundried tomatoesPenne with Feta Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Olives

Sweet tomatoes balanced by salty feta and tender pasta, combine for a delightful summer meal.  Drying the tomatoes intensifies their flavor.

 

smoked salmon pasta with tomato cream sauceSmoked Salmon Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

A velvety smooth sauce, with just a hint of cream.  The smoky, salty salmon complements the sweet tomatoes.  Check your grocer for salmon ends.

 

butternut squash cream sauce pastaButternut Squash Cream Sauce with Penne

Sweet butternut squash, savory/sweet roasted garlic, and creamy parmesan added just at the end. Feels far more indulgent than it actually is.

 

pistachio pesto penne pastaPistachio Pesto Pasta Recipe

A recipe inspired by a murder mystery (of all things). This is a twist on the usual pesto.  Because what would a mystery be without a twist?  No pine nuts and there’s broccoli instead of basil. The basil is just a garnish.




Shakshouka for One

Shakshouka doesn’t roll off the tongue when you try to say it.  Maybe it’s a Middle Eastern market?  Or a new folk dance?  It is Middle Eastern spicy poached eggs, either Tunisian or Israeli (depending who you ask, or which ingredients you use). If you make it with onions and bell peppers, it’s Israeli.  On the other hand, if you serve it up with feta or potatoes then it’s Tunisian.

This shakshouka for one recipe is actually two recipes that I mind melded together (one from column A and one from column B) to get what I wanted.

Also, for some reason, I thought it had spinach.  So, I washed and chopped 1/4 C of spinach. Only to find out there was no spinach in either recipe.  I added it anyway. Why waste perfectly good spinach? Besides it adds extra color and flavor, which I think worked out well.

The real recipe ingredients are poached eggs, tomato, onions, bell peppers, and some cayenne for kick.

I’m calling it lunch here, but it works well as a light dinner too. You can put the whole thing together in only 20 or 25 minutes.

So, easy, and no fussing. The hardest part is making sure you don’t break the egg yolks.

Serve it with lots of crusty bread to sop up the sauce.




Substitutions and Variations for Shakshouka for One

  • Slice and fry up a potato in some olive oil, then proceed with the rest of the recipe
  • Add some sliced spicy sausage (merguez would work beautifully)
  • Sprinkle it with some feta cheese
  • If you do break the eggs, just scramble them

More Egg Recipes

egg and tomato gratinEgg and Tomato Gratin for One Person

“Fast” food doesn’t have to mean heavy and greasy. This egg dish is different. Great for brunch or a light lunch.

 

cherry tomato basil frittataCherry Tomato Basil Frittata

Delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated. This recipe has only four ingredients. And you probably have most of them already.

 

egg chili cheese wrapEgg Chili Cheese Wrap Recipe

A quick meal with a bit of a kick. Ready in about fifteen minutes with pantry and fridge staples.

 

eggs with spinach and chili pepperEggs with Spinach and Chili Peppers

Brighten your day with this delicious and colorful frittata. It’s another “fast” food meal, ready in minutes. And only requires one skillet too.

 




Chicken Caprese Salad Panini Sandwich

Caprese salad meets the classic grilled cheese sandwich with a bit of roast chicken added and poof, you’ve got a chicken caprese salad panini. Perfect when you’re in a hurry and want something to eat fast! This chicken caprese salad sandwich feels rich and decadent, but you don’t need to invest a lot of time or effort to make it.  You don’t really even have to measure much of anything.

The market had some beautiful Campari tomatoes on sale, right next to the fresh mozzarella.  I couldn’t resist.  So, I put that together with some basil, leftover roast chicken, and a fresh loaf of ciabatta bread. Voila! The chicken caprese salad panini sandwich.

I started with leftover roast chicken, so I didn’t need to make the chicken.  If you already have cooked chicken, just pop it into the sandwich.  Some leftover rotisserie chicken would work nicely. All you have to do now is grill the bread, melt the cheese, and add the tomatoes and basil.

If not, see the substitutions and variations section below for ideas on how to cook the chicken.

The bread does tend to slurp up the olive oil, but really it’s worth it! The sandwich gets golden brown, and the cheese is gooey and melty. It’s your favorite childhood grilled cheese sandwich for grownups!

Do use the fresh mozzarella if you can get it. It’s far more flavorful (and I think it melts better) than the pre-packaged kind.




Substitutions and Variations for Chicken Caprese Panini Sandwich

  • Saute some mushrooms (do that first) and add them to the sandwich at the end.
  • Start with fresh chicken breasts (season with salt/pepper/balsamic vinegar/olive oil) then gently cook in olive oil
  • Or, season the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Cook that in a bit of olive oil
  • Add some avocado
  • Get an extra serving of veggies and put in a few spinach leaves
  • Or, try cooking it in the broiler instead (less oil needed)

More Sandwich Recipes

bacon spinach tomato aioli sandwichBacon Spinach Tomato Aioli Sandwich Recipe

Remember the classic BLT? This one is a bit different. Besides the spinach, the plain old mayo is now a garlicky, lemony aioli. Fresher, brighter, and even more delicious.

 

three cheese grilled cheese sandwichThree Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Why settle for one kind of cheese when you can use three instead? I get the cut up cheese cubes (instant variety without more than I can eat).  Because who doesn’t like grilled, melty cheese?

 

vegetarian eggplant sandwichVegetarian Eggplant Sandwich for One Person

Take plain Israeli salad and turn it into an entire meal with tender eggplant, hummus, and pita.

 

 

strawberry balsamic grilled cheeseStrawberry Balsamic Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Another twist on grilled cheese, this time with sweet berries and tangy vinegar.  It’s an unexpected combination that works surprisingly well.

 




Chopped Israeli Salad for One Person

Chopped Israeli salad isn’t quite what you might assume. It doesn’t have lettuce or carrots.  It’s not even eaten when you’d expect.  Israeli salad isn’t for lunch or dinner. Instead people eat it for breakfast with eggs, hummus, pita bread, fish, and olives. Not being much of a standard American breakfast person, I approve!

Of course, all of those things make a great lunch too, especially on a hot day when  you don’t want to get anywhere near a stove or an oven. I adapted this recipe from a comment on Tori Avery’s web site. 

She had a recipe for Israeli salad, and a commenter, Schelly Talalay Dardashti, pointed out that there’s a Persian version called “salad e-shirazi.”

She said it calls for red onion and parsley (neither of which I had).  However, I did decide to follow her suggestion and use lime juice instead of lemon juice and add mint.

Make sure to use either Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers (rather than the standard kind).  The Persian (or mini) cucumbers are shorter and thinner than standard cucumbers and usually sold in sealed packages.  The English (or hothouse) cucumbers are the long, skinny ones individually wrapped in plastic wrap.

They’re easier to cut up and you don’t have to peel them! Also, the standard cukes tend to be more bitter.

I cut everything up, mixed it together, and left it out on the counter for a couple of hours (there’s nothing to spoil quickly) so that the flavors would blend.  Also, if you put tomatoes in the fridge, they start to lose their flavor.

You can serve this salad with the pita and etc. I mentioned above for a light meal or as a side dish with a sandwich or some eggs. You can make plain scrambled eggs, a frittata, or keep the Persian theme going and serve it with Persian eggs. I added about 1/4 C of eggplant I had left over (recipe here and it’s even for one person).

There’s no picture of the eggs because I was hungry and started eating before I remembered to take one!




Substitutions and Variations for Chopped Israeli Salad

  • Try the full standard Persian version, “salad-e-shirazi,” which is made with seeded cukes and tomatoes, red onion, parsley, mint, salt, pepper, lemon juice (or lime juice) and a bit of olive oil.
  • Make it more filing with some crumbled feta cheese.
  • Add some red bell pepper (or try orange or yellow for more color), cut into tiny pieces
  • Chop some radishes and add them to the salad
  • The Book of Jewish Food has a variation popular with Baghdadi Jews in India: add grated ginger and some chopped chili peppers.

More One Person Side Salad Recipes

lemony cucumber salad recipeLemony Cucumber Salad Recipe with Dill

Easy, refreshing, and just perfect for a hot summer’s day.  Only requires a few basic ingredients too.

 

dill caper potato saladDill Caper Potato Salad

Instead of heavy mayo salad, try this tangy version instead. The star here is the starchy, tender potatoes paired with the crunchy sour/sweet flavor of the capers and the lemony, sweet dill.

no mayo healthy cole slaw recipeNo Mayo Healthy Cole Slaw Recipe for One

Crispy, crunchy, and packed with nutrition too. And just look at those colors.  A great alternative to the usual mayo.

 

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladDijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

A French twist on potato salad with bell peppers, dijon mustard, and lemon. Perfect for picnics (no mayo again).




Chicken with Olives and Tomatoes for One

The source of this recipe for chicken with olives and tomatoes will probably surprise you. It’s a North African recipe from a Jewish cookbook.  You probably think of lox and bagels and matzo balls when you think of Jewish cuisine, but it’s really far more varied than that. This is just one example.  My recipe for Moroccan chicken and lentil soup was adapted from the same cookbook.

This recipe looks a bit complicated, but it really isn’t.  The flavors of the chicken, olives, garlic, and a bit of ginger make it rich and delicious (with a hint of spiciness).  It clocks in at about 45 minutes cooking time, so it works for either a work night or a weekend.

Castelvetrano olives, by the way, are far different from the sad specimens you get in a can. They’re firm, bright green, sweet, and buttery, almost like a fruit.  I thought I hated olives, until I happened to try these (they were an amuse bouche at a restaurant).  The restaurant is now gone, but the olives are still here!  If you can’t find those, try cerignola olives. They are large, salty/sweet, bright green, and great for snacking or cooking.




Tools and Ingredients for Chicken with Olives and Tomatoes

saffron

Spanish Saffron

Soak a tiny pinch of this in hot water before you use it. Saffron adds a flavor that’s hard to describe, as well as beautiful reddish-yellow color. Use it for Moroccan dishes (like this one), or for Indian food.

olives

Jeff’s Naturals Whole Castelvetrano Olives

Use the olives for this chicken dish, or the pasta recipe below. They’re also great with an antipasto platter. Or, add some olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, and marinate them. Don’t get the pitted ones; it seems easier, but they lose flavor. Serve that with a cheese platter.

The Book of Jewish Food cookbook

The Book of Jewish Food

This is part cookbook and part travel diary. The author includes brief histories of the communities that created the dishes, and how they adapted local cuisine to suit religious restrictions (such as no pork or mixing milk and meat).

There’s recipes for the expected kugel, split pea soup, and chopped liver. But then it goes off to Spain, Baghdad, and India. From there you get leek meatballs, eggplant fritters, chicken with rice croquettes, borekas, lamb with raisins and almonds, and pumpkin kofta curry.

More Recipes with Olives or Chicken

penne with feta cheese and sundried tomatoesPenne with Feta Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Olives

Easy and pantry-friendly too. Sun-drying intensifies and sweetens the tomatoes, which make a delicious contrast to the salty olives and cheese.

 

spaghetti with green olives and lemon pankoSpaghetti with Green Olives and Lemon Panko

A delight in a bowl, with crispy golden-brown lemon panko, dill, and a burst of citrus. It’s light, it’s green, and it’s an ideal wake-me-up for your taste buds.

 

chili citrus chickenChili Citrus Chicken Thigh Recipe for One

Turn an ordinary piece of chicken into something special with a quick chili citrusy marinade tempered with honey.  Then let it sit, and bake.

 

feta brined roast chickenFeta Brined Roast Chicken Recipe for One

You’ve heard of brining turkeys? This is a twist on that old favorite. Here, the brining is not with salt, but with feta cheese. The brine keeps the chicken moist and flavorful, and the whole thing only requires a few simple ingredients.




Small Batch Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

I have been making my spicy stovetop chili recipe the same way for years — until recently. There was a blizzard raging outside and I figured chili would keep me (and the apartment warm).  The recipe has evolved since I first started making it, but I’ve been consistently using kidney beans, green and red bell peppers and threw in some chopped jalapeños and a couple of spoonfuls of salsa.

However, I didn’t have any of those ingredients on hand and had no intention of going outside to get them! So, I improvised.  Instead of kidney beans I used cooked small white beans (which I had leftover from making this delicious garlicky bean dip).  If you don’t have cooked beans ready, use this quick soaking method to speed up the process, or just use half a can.

That solved the bean problem, but there was still the question of adding more heat.  I did have plenty of sriracha sauce and ground cayenne, so I used that and added a pinch of cinnamon to balance it out.

The chili came out so well I think I may make it this way going forward.  Less chopping!

This makes about three or four servings.  You can make it for company, eat it several times in one week, or freeze individual portions for later use.




Substitutions and Variations for Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

  • use kidney beans instead of white beans
  • replace the sriracha with Tabasco sauce
  • add a teaspoon or two of salsa
  • add jalapeño peppers to taste
  • add about 1/4 each red and green bell pepper about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time (so they keep a bit of crunch)
  • use 2/3 pound beef and 1/3 lb. pork

More Ground Beef Recipes

compound butter cheeseburgerCompound Butter Cheeseburger

A few simple extra ingredients transform your burger from ordinary to fantastic.  The secret is compound butters mixed in with the ground beef.

 

easy Italian meatballs for oneEasy Italian Meatball Recipe for One

Just enough meatballs for one serving of spaghetti (or eat them on their own with sauce).  Or, serve them with the soup below. No extras, no leftovers.

 

sloppy joes one person recipeSloppy Joe Recipe for One Person

Sure it’s messy. Says so right in the name. But this Sloppy Joe recipe is worth it.  It’s got a bit of a kick too (there’s sriracha in there!).  Soooo good.

 

easy Italian wedding soupEasy Italian Wedding Soup

Soup in a matter of minutes! Once you’ve got the meatballs (make them or buy them) all you have to do is add a couple of ingredients and eat them up!