I tried lots of great new concoctions and recipes this year. As part of my annual Favorite Things series, today I will share my favorite new main dishes of the year.
Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken from Bon Appetit
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit. I often marinate the chicken while it’s thawing to enhance the flavors. Also, since I do not have masala on hand, I add cinnamon, cardamom, coriander and cumin to the marinade instead. Served with brown rice and a side veggie, this is easy to prepare and healthy, too!
Grilled Steak and Kebabs from Cuisine at Home Magazine
Though this magazine does not post recipes on its web site, the Runyon Canyon Community re-printed it in its entirety.
In a nutshell, you grill kebabs of tenderloin and potatoes and place atop a bed of greens. The recipe suggests a watercress and tomato salad, but I use whatever greens I have handy in the fridge with a basic lemon vinaigrette. The mint chimichurri is the secret to making this dish fabulous!
Fennel-Crusted Pork Loin from Real Simple
This is a wonderful dish that my friend Lisa shared with me. Another easy, healthy recipe that is especially tasty in the winter when root vegetables are plentiful. In fact, this is my variation to the dish. I go light on white potatoes, skip the pears, and use a wide array of root veggies and sweet potatoes instead.
Steamed Fish on Soft Tofu with Black Bean Sauce from Sunset Magazine
This fish dish is really yummy if you like Asian flavors. Though it takes a few minutes longer to make, it’s light and delicious.
Southern Vegetarian Burgers from Cuisine at Home
I searched the web and couldn’t find this recipe anywhere. It takes a while to prepare but is worth the effort! The burgers – made from a black-eyed pea base – sit atop cornbread with a special comeback sauce on top. Then, to make the dish truly Southern, sauteed greens are placed on top of this!
Salmon Piadine
I made up this recipe after sampling the real thing at Tomatina in Santa Clara, CA. Piadines are warm-from-the-oven flatbreads with cool salads on top. The description of the salmon version is as follows:
Oven roasted salmon with tomato, shaved fennel, julienne zucchini, red onion, garlic oil, arugula, caper aioli, parmesan cheese and lemon vinaigrette.
Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Salad from Cuisine at Home
I couldn’t find this recipe either, but this one is especially great in the summer when vegetables are plentiful and it’s easy to grill. First, you toss sliced red potatoes, asparagus, and sliced fennel in olive oil, salt and pepper. Then you grill the vegetables alongside the chicken (also seasoned with EVOO, salt and pepper). The ingredients are stacked upon one another to serve and topped with a hollandaise dressing. Easy, healthy, yum!
Marinated Ahi Tuna with Asian Slaw
This recipe idea came from my friend Gail. The tuna is marinated in sesame oil, soy, lime juice, garlic, ginger and chopped green onion for a few hours before searing on the outside (rare on the inside!). I have used really fresh albacore tuna as well. Though there are a variety of Asian slaw recipes on the web, I really like this one from Guy Fieri.
