Cookin' With The Canteen Presents: Fresh Recipes Of Spring

Canteen Crew

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Cookin’ with the Canteen presents: Fresh recipes of Spring!



Spring is here! Time for new and lighter recipes made with fresh ingredients, and lots of wonderful spices!



Mojo!
Would you give us a hand here please?
Sheesh!




No Ma, really!
You don’t have to help..thanks anyway!



Ahem!

Okay, lets’s get started!

Steamed Baby Bok Choy with Broiled Salmon and a Warm Roasted Tomato and Lemon Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
4 bulbs baby bok choy
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 (6-ounce) portions salmon fillets
8 sprigs fresh marjoram

Preheat the oven to broil with the rack 6 to 8 inches below the lighted broiler plate.

Place the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, marjoram, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the lemon juice in a 10-inch saute pan, saute quickly, and set in the oven on the rack. Cook until the tomatoes are well caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Add the basil to the vinaigrette and toss to blend. Set aside until ready to use.

Place the bok choy in a Dutch oven with the water and turn the heat up to high. When the water begins to boil, season the bok choy with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon white pepper. Place a lid on the pan and steam the bok choy until most of the liquid has evaporated and the bok choy is tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven and slice each bulb in half lengthwise. Place the bok choy, cut side down, on a plate with the leaves in toward the center of the plate and the bulb ends facing towards the rim.

To cook the salmon, lay the fillets in a 12-inch saute pan and season with the remaining salt and remaining black pepper. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the salmon, arrange marjoram sprigs over top, and broil in the oven until the salmon is browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and lay the salmon on the bed of bok choy. Top with the tomato and lemon vinaigrette.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartlets

From The Food Network:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 1/2 ounces mild goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 large eggs, separated
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Chopped chives, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with the chives.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Rosemary From New Best Recipes:

Ingredients
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary , or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crushed
1 leg of lamb, cleaned, boned, and tied
2 medium cloves garlic , each peeled and cut lengthwise into 8 slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and rosemary in a small bowl.

Cut slits into roast with point of paring knife; poke garlic slivers inside. Rub seasoning onto all surfaces of meat, then coat with olive oil. Place leg meat side up on roasting pan fitted with wire or mesh roasting rack; let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast lamb for 10 minutes.

With a wad of paper towels in each hand, turn the leg over. Roast 10 minutes longer.

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Again, turn leg meaty-side up and continue rosting, turning leg every 20 minutes until instant-read thermometer, when inserted in several locations, registers 130 to 135 degrees, 60 to 80 minutes longer. Transfer roast to another pan; cover with foil and set aside in a warm spot to complete cooking and allow juices to reabsorb into the tissues, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove string from roast and carve. Transfer sliced lamb to a warm serving platter.

The Canteen is a place for our Troops and their
families to rest, relax, and relate.
Please leave thy politics at the door.
A gentle reminder from Ms. B~

[HiJinx]

How can you make a decent lasagna or baked macaroni without Ricotta cheese?

That’s just un-(Italian)-American!!!!

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Publius.

[BIGLOOK]

You can make a Luau at home featuring Kalua Pig very simply and affordably. Get a good sized pork butt, some sea salt to season, wrap it in Ti leaves and place it in an aluminum pan. Add some liquid smoke to a cup or so of water and pour it in, cover tightly with foil and bake the hell out of it till the meat falls apart.

Or dig a hole, start a hardwood fire, burn it down to coals, line it with river rocks, cover with banana leaves and place a whole pig covered with ti leaves in the pit, cover with more banana leaves and a tarp and bury the sucker for half a day. Skip the liquid smoke....unnecessary.

For the latter method you'll also need a half a case of cold beer for the cook.

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Luvvy, Hugs.

[luvie]

I know we eat well...and often! I think the only thing that
saves us is that we walk it all off on our treks! LOL!

I miss everyone, too....I wish we could get together more often!

[PROCON]

Evening Troublemaker.

Excuse me?!

[luvie]

Howdy, Sissy!

(((hugs)))

I wondered where you were! :D Having a good night?

[oldteen]

Evenin’ TAZ. How are U? *hugs*

[Publius]

You are absolutely correct — which is why I haven’t made those things since I left the East Coast almost 40 years ago. I make them when I go back for a visit, and my cousin straps an apron on me and puts me to work in her kitchen. She’s a tough taskmaster.

[AZamericonnie]

You call it the “egg thingie” Ma...but it’s a crustless quiche! :)

And yes...you put no green things in yours! LOL

[MS.BEHAVIN]

That sounds AWESOME!
Thanks, ZET!
*HUG*

[AZamericonnie]

Hiya Taz....how in the world are ya? *hugs*

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Biglook.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

“you’ll also need a half a case of cold beer for the cook.”

That sounds like my kinda cookin’, Big.

I suspect I could adapt the latter method to use with a Weber kettle grill.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

YAY!!!
I can’t wait!

[Publius]

Evening. Federalist #15 goes up tomorrow morning, and you should take blood pressure medication before you read it.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Oh, boy!
*swan dive*
TANK U!!

[oldteen]

Evenin' HJ. Can you believe some people make lasagna with cottage cheese??? *sigh*

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening my.

[mylife]

How do Tas?