Sunday round up

Spring is here and my herb garden has expanded. My husband went a bit overboard and selected some varieties I wouldn’t have thought of. Besides the stalwarts of basil, parsley, oregano and rosemary, chives and sage, which were saved in the cold frame over winter, I now have dill (for homemade refrigerator pickles), chamomile (for making tea) and lemon-flavored varieties such as lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lemon thyme plus flat and curly leaf parsley. This should make for a flavorful summer.
 
About a week ago my local ShopRite had Atlantic cod fish on special. I found a delightful recipe on The New York Times cooking app, Cod Baked with Prosciutto, by Nigella Lawson, using just a handful of ingredients. Besides the cod and prosciutto, you’ll need butter, salt and pepper. After reading the cooking notes of other cooks, I used some fresh thyme from my garden.

I began by seasoning the fish with salt and pepper, melted butter in a pan with fresh thyme leaves added. I brushed the butter on the fish then wrapped it in prosciutto. A bit more butter was brushed on top before baking in a 400° oven for just 10-12 minutes.
 
I had some Italian pearled farro in my pantry and tried the recipe on the back of the package Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs. Farro is a high-fiber, high-protein ancient whole grain. It has a chewy texture with a hint of cinnamon. Besides the two main ingredients you’ll need salt, sweet onion (Walla Walla or Vidalia), fresh chives, fresh parsley, garlic clove, balsamic vinegar, fresh ground pepper and extra virgin olive oil. 
 
What a delightful and tasty supper! I’m so glad I added thyme to the butter as it added another layer of flavor. The fish was perfectly baked, light and flaky. The accompanying farro salad was wonderful! The farro had a nice chewy texture.
 
My husband and I, along with our son and daughter and their family, recently hosted a family reunion with his two sisters, several of his nieces and two grandnephews. Guests stayed in local Airbnb’s, but came to our house for breakfast and dinner. Luckily they also arrived in waves over a three-day period.
 
For breakfast, I stocked my freezer with Individual Zucchini Frittatas with Pecorino and Chives, Mini Hash Brown Frittatas, Easy No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls (and a gluten-free version), and British Style Currant Scones.
 
For the first evening, we had our niece, her boyfriend and her two sons. I served Honey Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus and homemade chocolate chip cookies. The next evening it was my husband and I, my daughter and her family (4 people) and my sister-in-law and her two daughters from Atlanta. As my nieces were craving pasta, I served Pastosa Cheese Ravioli, both regular and gluten-free for my sister-in-law and one of her daughter’s. I dressed the ravioli with homemade tomato sauce and meatballs. For dessert I served Spanish Almond Cake, which is gluten-free and everyone loves.
 
On the last day, I had 17 guests for dinner. To make life easy for myself, I had a barbecue with Sabrett skinless beef frankfurters and hamburgers. I purchased my ground beef from Costco.  My husband complimented me on how tasty they were. I purchased red-skinned potato salad from my local Foodtown. Signature Circus Own Potato Salad was delicious and everyone enjoyed it. I made Carolina Coleslaw, a recipe I found in Bon Appétit Magazine, March 1996. This is an oil and vinegar-based slaw that gets a bit of tang from a dressing made with distilled white vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, dry mustard and celery seeds.
 
As one of the boys was turning 12 the next day and my husband’s 70th is coming up in August, what better time to celebrate both events with both of his sisters in town. I had an ice cream cake from “Sundaes, The Ice Cream Place,” in Manasquan, NJ. Their ice cream is rich and creamy and they have intriguing flavors such as Brownies Irish Cream, Cappuccino Explosion and Cannoli, to name just a few. 
 
Everyone had a grand time and ate well; it has been quite awhile since we’ve seen each other.

---

Cod Baked with Prosciutto
By Nigella Lawson
Featured in, “At My Table; Cod that Speaks Italian
Also, on the NYT Cooking App
 
Yield: 6 servings
Time: 20 Minutes
 
INGREDIENTS*
6 (6-ounce) skinless cod fillets
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and black pepper
8 ounces prosciutto di Parma (about 16 large slices)
French lentils with garlic and thyme, for serving (optional; see recipe)
*I added some fresh thyme for another layer of flavor for the fish.

 
PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner or aluminum foil.
2. Brush cod fillets with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap each in a slice or two of prosciutto, leaving ends of fillets unwrapped. (If slices tear or are narrow, more than two may be used to wrap each fillet.) Brush with butter again, and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake fish until firm and white at unwrapped ends, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove from baking sheet, and, if desired, place each fillet on a bed of lentils.

 
French Lentils
By Nigella Lawson
Featured in, “At My Table; Cod that Speaks Italian
Also, on the NYT Cooking App
 
Yield: 6 Servings
Time: 40 minutes
 
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 ¼ cups French lentils
1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
 
PREPARATION

1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
3. Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later.

cod_baked_with_prosciutto.pdf
File Size:	47 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs
From Earthly Choice
 
Ingredients:
4 cups water
10 ounces Nature’s Earthly Choice™ Farro
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1-pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ sweet onion, chopped
¼ cup snipped fresh chives
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
 
Directions:

• Add the tomatoes, onion, chives, and parsley to the Farro as directed on the package, and toss to combine.
  
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
  
• The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  

farro_salad_with_tomatoes_and_herbs.pdf
File Size:	40 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---