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]

Once she has the technique down for a dish, it becomes an adventure in seasonings and alternatives.

Most the time they’re really good, and occasionally there’s a stinker. One look is all it takes - a mutual grimace - and we agree not to try this one again!

[TASMANIANRED]

Blessing and a curse.

[TASMANIANRED]

Your wiring is just fine.

[TASMANIANRED]

I’m right behind you.

Night Luvvy

Night everyone.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sending a prayer with you when you go to PT.

Good night and rest well, ms b...*HUGS*
Thanks for all you do for our troops.

[txhurl]

Eggplant Parmesan! I’d go find the recipe and type it in; problem is, Nana doesn’t use recipes for her ‘talian dishes!!

---

Lemme fix you up right quick.

Go get the fattest, heaviest two eggplants you can find. You want tight skin, deep purple, with no blemishes.

Slice them about 3/4 inch thick, after you peeled it, lay it out on a big pan or plate and sprinkle salt on it, drizzle with a little buttermilk. This cuts the ‘bite’.

Heat your choice of oil or butter in a big frying pan, dredge the eggplant slices in Italian bread crumbs mixed with flour, flip until nicely browned.

Now line a sprayed pan with marinara or meat/bologna sauce, place a layer of eggplant, top each slice with a spread of ricotta and sprinkle some parmesan or romano, and some garlic salt, repeat until eggplant stack is three high, then cover with more marinara.

Dose each stack liberally with shredded Mozzerella, italian seasoning and maybe some black olives, I like the purple Kalamata. Bake for 20 minutes at 350, then turn it over to broil to brown the mozzarella.

[HiJinx]

That’s pretty close.

She puts the ricotta in a tea towel to drain all the moisture out, then adds some spices and a wee bit of the marinara to it. It’s not a plain ricotta layer.

The eggplant is peeled before slicing; other than that, your recipe is pretty much spot on.

[oldteen]

I gotta get gone as well...early day tomorrow. Have a great Thursday everyone!! G’night! *HUGS* around!

[HiJinx]

G’night, Teenie - have a good day, tomorrow!

[HiJinx]

Okay, MA - I’m signing off, too.
I’m tired, and have a busy day ahead.

See you sometime tomorrow - don’t work too hard!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, teen...((HUGS))...hope your Thursday is good.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, HJ. Thank you for your service to our country and for helping honor our troops.

Hoping to be able to take the afternoon off.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, txhurl...thanks for sharing your recipe.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi Publius....sounds really good. Keeping in mind that I don’t cook, looks like even something I could do. d:o)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, AZ, for the red, white, and blue tribute.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Sand....you are a busy boy tonight.

[txhurl]

Oh, I’ve been here many years... got a name change :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Well then, good evening, or morning as the case may be. Only 10:15p here.

[txhurl]

Now this is totally off the wall: back in ‘05 or ‘06 I was listening to Kim Commando on tech stuff and a Kathy in Alaska called in. Was that you? I thought of you immediately.

[Kathy in Alaska]

A little late, but good morning, SgtBob...((HUGS))...ready for the weekend?