The Loooonng Overdue Bride vs. Groom Pizza Challenge

 

Last month my fiancee and I had our pizza cook off, and today I have finally gotten around to posting about it. Epic fail, I know, but work and graduate school have eaten into my free time of late. Instead of walking through our strategies, I thought I would give some helpful tips to making pizza at home.

 

In case you were keeping score, the groom got his revenge and won with a prosciutto, peppers, and garlic pie.

 

 

 

 

The (Un)Official Rules to Homemade Pizza 





1. Buy a pizza stone. It is worth the cost. Cooking the pizza becomes much simpler and moving the pizza in and out of the oven is no longer a challenge.

 

 

2. Heat the  pizza stone in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes before you put your pizzas in.

 

3. Use small batches of dough. Each individual pie should only be 1/4 pound of dough. Any more and you'll get a chewy pizza not a crispy one. Roll the dough out thin and evenly to ensure you get the best crust possible.

4. Don't add too much sauce. You want the sauce to just about cover the the dough, not drown it. Just like with too much dough, too much sauce will give you a soggy instead of crispy pizza.

 

5. Mozzarella is not a requirement. Not every pizza needs to have a small village's annual cheese intake on every slice. My favorite pizza in NYC, at L&B Spumoni Garden, isn't even topped with mozzarella.

 

6. Let the pizza cook. You can tell by the crust when it is done. The crust should be a golden brown.

 

7. Enjoy it. If you are making more than one, enjoy the first one out before starting on the next otherwise you'll be more concerned about the one in the oven than the one in your plate.  My fiancee's veggie pie was great ... just not as good as mine. :)



Brussels Sprouts: A Sign of Growing Older

Brussels sprouts. I never heard of anyone who liked them as a kid. But as an adult, I love them and have my friends that love them as well. Just like when your frame of reference harks back to another millenium or when someone mentions a Total Recall or Judge Dredd you think of Arnold and Stallone instead of Colin Farrell and Karl Urban. Who can not think of Arnold and Stallone, to be fair! But right on cue, our frame of reference shifts and one day we wake up and like brussels sprouts. And why not? Healthy and loaded with flavor they are fantastic.

Most recipes call for the roasted brussels sprouts but after have the out of this world brussels sprouts bruschetta at Eataly's La Verdure, I decided to cook a warm brussels sprouts salad with sunflower seeds and roasted red tomatoes. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 2):

12 brussels sprouts

1 small yellow onion

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds

6 roasted grape tomatoes

1/2 lemon juiced

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt & black pepper

1.  Halve the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Add to tin foil and season with salt. Roast for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

2.  Trim the stem off your brussels srpouts and finely slice. Roughly chop the onion. Set aside.

3.  Heat a pan to medium heat and add a tsp of olive oil and the sunflower seeds. Cook for three to five minutes until browned. Remove from heat and leave pan over flame.

4.  Add to a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Top with olive oil and mix thoroughly.

5. Add to hot pan and sautee for five minutes.

6. Remove from heat and add back to mixing bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.

7. Add to plate and top with roasted tomatoes. Serve. 

 



TRL Salad: Tomato, Ricotta, Lemon

For a great weeknight side that will go with virtual any meal, don't look beyond a simple tomato and ricotta salad. Fresh tomatoes, creamy ricotta cheese, and tangy lemon will liven up a Tuesday chicken dinner. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 2):

3 cups medley tomatoes

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 red onion

1 tbsp. parsley

1/2 lemon juiced and zested
1 tsp. olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1. Halve the tomatoes, slice the red onion, and zest the parsley. Bring the ricotta to room temperature.

2. Add the ricotta, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil to a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix thoroughly and serve.

A Lamb Recipe from Food & Wine

This recipe turned out fantastic. I made it earlier in the fall when my future mother-in-law came to town. It was simple to make and came out great. When I went shopping for ingredients, lamb rib chops were actually on sale for less than lamb shoulder. As lamb chops are much more tender, I did not let them stew in the sauce for as long as you would a tougher cut like shoulder. I added the sauce to the chops with about 10 minutes to go so the chops would not turn to mush in the pan. I sliced some premade polenta and grilled it with olive oil and sea salt.

Take a look at the full recipe here. 

Carrots Need Appreciation Too

When we think of carrots we think of Bugs Bunny cartoons. Some of us might think about cake. Others reminisce to a college trip to Italy and the carrot-orange juice they would have after waking up in Rome. Few would see carrots and think of a hard-working, oft-overlooked vegetable. Carrots are just that. Not glamorous. Not trendy. Carrots are rustic. Carrots are the food that's always there.

Carrots, however, are more than just that staple. Originally they were not even grown for their roots - the orange food we eat today - but rather for their aromatic leaves. This is still the case for its cousins, parsley, fennel, and cumin today. Carrots also help other vegetables. They are the good Samaritans of the garden. When planted along with tomatoes, tomato production increases and if carrots are left to flower, the wasps it attracts kill garden pests.

We need to show some respect to our orange friends. I recently celebrated an impromptu carrot appreciation day, and the result was a tasty side to a weeknight chicken dinner. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 baby carrots

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp yogurt butter

1 tsp sea salt

1. Trim the leaves off the carrots. If desired, leave a bit of leaf on top if you plan on roasting the carrots whole. Otherwise trim the ends of the carrots and quarter them.

2. Chop the fresh cilantro and thyme. Mix the herbs and sea salt in with the yogurt butter.

3. Heat an oven to 375 degrees. Add the carrots to a baking pan and spread the herbed butter over them evenly and lightly. If you have leftover butter after coating set it aside.

4. Add the carrots to the oven and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Every 5 minutes, take the carrots out and move them around so they brown evenly. When you remove them to serve, they should not be too soft, but have some 'snap' left in them.

5. Let the carrots cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. 

Egg-lection Day!

Election Day is here. No more polls. No more back and forth. We all get a rest ... at least for 12 hours until we have a winner (let's all hope this doesn't drag out beyond today!). I voted early this morning and when I came home, I felt I needed a slight reward for performing my civic duty at such an early hour. I raided my refrigerator and made some eggs. It is Egg-lection Day after all! 

I heated a pan over a low-medium heat for a few minutes until it was hot, then I added a slice of butter to coat the pan. I pulled 3 eggs from the carton, cracked them in a mixing bowl, added a drop of olive oil, a few squirts of Frank's Red Hot, and some black pepper. I whisked the eggs for about 30 seconds before adding to the pan. From the shelf I grabbed some leftover sauteed kale from dinner last night, a few thin slices of Genoa salami, and a slice of New York White Cheddar which I diced into tiny pieces so it would melt. Next, time to mix up the eggs and add my meat, cheese, and veggies. I continually mixed for a few minutes until the eggs were cooked.

Scrambled eggs. Kale. Salami. Cheddar. I wish Election Day was every day. Enjoy!

Bride vs. Groom Pizza Cook Off Coming Soon

With the bride up 1-0 after the mac and cheese challenge, the groom is looking to hit back with a winning pie. Stay tuned throughout the week. 

The Best Steak Sandwich

A quick, simple, amazing steak sandwich recipe. No need to make things complicated. Steak. Onions. Peppers. Garlic. Bread. 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add a couple of cloves of garlic wrapped in tin foil to roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the garlic is soft like butter.

2. Sauté thinly sliced onions and peppers in a little olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

3. Grill your steak (hanger or sirloin work best) to medium rare. Leave to rest for 2 minutes before slicing into thin pieces. Reserve any juices from cooking in the pan.

4. Spread the roasted garlic over you bread. Layer the steak slices and top with the peppers and onions. Spoon some of the steak juices over the top.

Do you have knife skills?

Check out this article on NY Magazine's website regarding knife skills!

Butcher's Lunch Part Three: Antipasto

Ask any Italian what their favorite holiday food is and you are sure to get a different answer from everyone. Ask any Italian what food they eat they most of every holiday and there is only one answer - antipasto. Who can sit around an overflowing plate of salty meats and cheeses, sour marinated vegetables, and crunchy bread and not have a little bit of everything? A minimum of four plates per person I think. I may overdo it, but I love antipasto. I bought ingredients to make a more classic combination, but antipasto is simplya small plate you eat before dinner so it has different meaning to different people. La Cucina Italiana's recipe section has 10 completely different dishes tagged as antipasto.

My favorite: hot and sweet sopressatta, mozzarella stuffed hot cherry peppers, and artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil and parsley served with an extra glug of flavorful olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.

Think that you can do better? Let me know your favorite combination. 

Sunday Baked Eggs

Nothing says Sunday more than a lazy day in with a pot of coffee and eggs ... unless your my fiancee where a Sunday consists of walking around, brunching, shopping, and doing any other activity to make someone tired. Luckily for me, I got my lazy Sunday this week as she was spending time with her sister. I put on some TV, made a pot of coffee, and searched through our threadbare cupboards to find something to make with eggs. 

I found some red lentils and whole wheat breadcrumbs, and thought I would use my new mini Le Creuset bake pan I bought last week by making baked eggs. I made sure to add a layer of breadcrumbs to avoid the eggs from falling between the beans. I was happy to see a nice crunchy crust develop underneath my eggs, separating with wet yolks from the hearty, spiced lentils. Try it your next lazy Sunday, and if lentils aren't you're thing, used some cooked spinach, some thick cut bacon, or whatever you have in your cupboards. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 1):

2 eggs

2 tbsp. whole wheat bread crumbs

2 tsp. olive oil

1/3 cup red lentils

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. tarragon

1 slice of butter

sea salt & black pepper

1.  Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the red lentils, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, curry powder, cumin, parsley, and butter. Mix thoroughly, oat the lentils and leave over heat for 2 minutes. Preheat your over to 375 degrees.

2. Add half of the vegetable stock and leave the lentils to cook. When the stock cooks off, add some more. The lentils should be nice and tender, and cook in about 10 minutes or so. Add any more stock needed to get the beans to cook through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a bowl, add your bread crumbs and the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Mix together until you have a nice paste. Moist bread crumbs cook and taste much better than plain ones (that's why fried food taste so glorious as the breadcrumbs get slathered in grease!).

4. Remove the lentils from the pan, and drain most of the excess liquid. Reserve about a tablespoon's worth and add back to the lentils.

5. Add the lentils to your bake pan. Top with the breadcrumbs, making sure you spread them evenly over your beans. Crack two eggs over the bread crumbs and season with pepper and tarragon.

6. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Check the eggs periodically to ensure the yolks don't cook through. Remove from the stove and let sit for 1 minute on a trivet before serving.

Farmer's Market Pasta

Farmer's Markets are everywhere nowadays. Twenty or so years ago, it would have been difficult to find produce from local growers, now on any given day here in New York City there are several markets running. You can find a market close to you fairly easily. Some will argue that farmer's markets are the best place to shop, others argue that they are overpriced. For me, I think they are fantastic. I walked to a market by my apartment and found some amazing produce from local farmer's.

I bought garlic still on the stalk, fresh tomatoes, great looking summer squash, and a bunch of fresh arugula. I decided to pair those items with a basic tomato sauce (see my spaghetti al tonno post) and fresh fettuccine to make a wonderfully fresh salad. Go to your local farmer's market this weekend and find your own ingredients for a great pasta dinner. Enjoy! 

Ingredients (serves 2):

Basic tomato sauce recipe

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 summer squash

2 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

2 cups arugula

1/2 lb. fresh fettuccine

sea salt & black pepper

1. Make your tomato sauce ahead of time. Make enough for just the two of you or make a full batch for the week. Put the heat back on the sauce before you start to cook the vegetables.

2. Slice your squash, roughly chop your tomatoes, clean your arugula, and set aside.

3. Boil water in a pot for your pasta. Heat a pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and garlic cloves with the skin on. Let the garlic brown for 3 minutes. The skin should easily come off once the garlic cooks.

Note: Cooking garlic with the skin on yields more flavor.

4. Add the squash and tomatoes to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. If you are using dried pasta instead of fresh, add the pasta to the water at the same time. 

5. Reduce the heat on the pan and add sauce to vegetables. Add your fresh pasta to the water and cook for 3 minutes until al dente.

6. Drain your fettuccine and add the the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Mix in thoroughly. Add your arugula to the pan and work in.

7. Remove from the pan and serve.

Butcher's Lunch Part Two: Hanger Steak

The first sentence of the Wikipedia page for Hanger Steak sums up this cut of beef. It is prized for its flavor. Hanger steak has great marbling and when cooked is as juicy as any steak out there. I bought some from my butcher this week and had a great lunch during a stressful work day. Even better, a four ounce cut of hanger steak has only 200 calories. 

Ingredients (serves 1):

4 oz. hanger steak

1 handful spinach

2 marinated artichoke hearts

1 tsp olive oil

sea salt & black pepper

1. Season your steak with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a pan and cook the steak for around 6 to 8 minutes. Let it rest on a plate for 2 minutes before serving.

3. While the steak cooks, roughly chop the artichoke hearts.

4. Heat a small pan over a medium-high flame, and add the artichokes. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing regularly, until the artichokes begin to brown then remove from heat.

5. Add spinach to a mixing bowl and drizzle olive oil, tossing until the spinach is covered. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Add the spinach and artichokes to a plate and top with the steak. Enjoy!

Butcher's Lunch Part One: Pork Chop

When heading into my local butcher's shop to grab something for lunch the other week, I avoided the sandwich trap. I was working from home and could use a little break from the items on my to do list at my job, so instead I bought myself a pork chop and a marinated mozzarella salad. I rarely get to eat pork at home as my fiancee does not like it. Unless it is pulled pork... or prosciutto ... or ... well she mostly doesn't like it! Making a small pork chop for one takes no time at all. It certainly alleviated any stresses from work to take 10 minutes from my day to make lunch and it tasted great. I thought it would be interesting to see what types of lunches I would be able to make from food just at my local butcher, and so this will be the first installment of a series of "Butcher's Lunches".

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 pork chop bone-in

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 mozzarella salad (cheese, roasted pepper, basil, olive oil)

sea salt & black pepper

1. Add some of the mozzarella salad to your plate. If your butcher doesn't have a pre-made version, mix the following ingredients: mozzarella balls or sliced mozzarella, roasted red peppers sliced, a few basil leaves, and olive oil. Season with black pepper.

2. Season your pork chop with sea salt, black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Rub over the whole chop.

3. Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and the pork. Add a drop of your broth to make sure the pork doesn't dry out (which is often a complaint of most anti-pork eaters).

4. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, adding more broth as needed. Then flip the chop and cook for another 3 to 7 minutes depending on its thickness. The same rules for seeing if a steak is cooked apply to all meats, even pork. Check out step 6 of my Cooking a Steak post to determine when the chop is cooked properly to your liking.

5. Remove the chop, add to your plate of mozzarella salad and enjoy!

New Segment: The Butcher's Lunch

After moving to a new neighborhood, I needed to find the best place to buy meat. Luckily for me, the butcher nearby is a good one. I walked in and saw much more than just chicken cutlets. In trying out their products, I thought I would add a new segment for the next few weeks that I will call The Butcher's Lunch. I will be buying food only from my local butcher shop and making quick recipes that anyone can cook for a weekend lunch or weeknight dinner.

Balsamic Glazed Figs

Last week, I made a Fig and Goat Cheese Salad. I used fresh figs in that recipe, but while at the grocery store this week I found some dried figs and decided to give it them a try. I was curious of the differences between the two and came across an article which noted that dried figs have more protein than fresh ones. 

Armed with my protein powered dried fruit, I was in search of a recipe to use the figs in. My fiancee loves a good cheese plate, so I took a cue from my salad recipe and made some balsamic glazed dried figs to go along with some Manchego and Colby cheeses. She loved it, and the sweet figs nicely offset the cheeses.

In three easy steps, you can make these figs for your own cheese plate: (1) heat a tbsp of balsamic vinegar and a tsp of honey over a medium-low heat, (2) halve a half dozen dried figs and add to the pan, and (3) cook for several minutes until the honey and vinegar caramelize the figs.

Try these sweet treats on your next cheese plate or along with some vanilla ice cream. Enjoy! 

Simply Grilled ... with Goat Cheese

Every once in a while I like to take a step back and do something simple. When you are trying to cook more and more, it is easy to get lost in trying more difficult techniques or using more difficult to make ingredients. I made a simple grilled steak, roasted vegetables, and goat cheese. As a small challenge, I roasted garlic until it got soft enough to spread with a knife and put it on top of the steak with the cheese. It was fun. It tasted great. It was a great way to recharge my cooking batteries.

Ingredients (serves 2):

2/3 lb. Sirloin steak

8 Brussels sprouts

1 white onion

1 beefsteak tomato

1.5 oz. goat cheese

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp. olive oil

Sea salt & black pepper

1. Peel 4 cloves of garlic. Put into tin foil, season with salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Add the garlic to the oven and leave to cook for 30 minutes until the cloves soften.

3. Slice the tomato and onion horizontally and add to an oven pan. Trim the stems of the Brussels  sprouts and cut an X into the top going about halfway down. Add to the pan with the tomatoes and onion.

4. Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil and add to oven to cook alongside the garlice cloves.

5. Cut the steak into two individual pieces. Cook the steak in a pan to medium-rare or medium based on your preference.

6. Remove the garlic and veggies from the oven. 

7. Add the steak to a plate, top with a slice of goat cheese and garlic and accompany with the grilled vegetables.

8. Simply ... enjoy!

Scramble Your Eggs-pectations

I don't normally eat breakfast, but when I do, I prefer eggs. This morning, I needed a kick start. I took a look in the refrigerator to see what I could pair with eggs in a quick, deliciously messy scramble. I had several sweet onions on the counter, some arugula, and Sriracha sauce. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When you want eggs on a Monday morning. you use what you have. By the time I finished I felt energized and ready to take on the work week. Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 2):

3 eggs
1 small sweet onion
1 handful arugula
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
sea salt
Sriracha sauce

1. Slice (or chop) your onion. Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add your onion and let it sweat for 2 minutes before adding olive oil and mixing. Cook for another 5 minutes mixing occasionally.

2. While your onion cooks, clean the handful arugula and chop into four (one horizontal cut, one vertical cut). Set aside.

3. Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and lightly season with sea salt. Whisk for 30 seconds until eggs begin to fluff up.

4. Lower heat on onion pan to low and add a slice of butter. Move the butter around the pan to coat all of the onions. 

5. Once the butter has melted, add the whisked eggs. Cook for 3 minutes moving the ingredients regularly. This is an egg scramble so don't be afraid to move them around!

6. Add your arugula to the pan and mix into eggs. Leave over heat for another 2 minutes until eggs are cooked.

7. Add to plate and drizzle some Sriracha sauce on top for an extra punch to your morning.

Spaghetti al Tonno

Tuna. Thanks to Jessica Simpson, we definitively know that this chicken of the sea is indeed a fish. Tuna is also a great cheap source of protein that works great in tomato sauce. I was skeptical of having canned tuna with pasta the first time I ate it. Now, I love it. It brings an incredible flavor and a heartiness to a weeknight meal. 

Ingredients (serves 2):

Basic tomato sauce recipe

1/2 lb. spaghetti

1/2 lemon zested

2 teaspoons capers

1 can tuna (whole, in water)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 handful fresh basil

1. Make a basic tomato sauce. If you make the sauce in advance, gently warm up the sauce before proceeding.

2. Add lemon zest, capers, and olive oil to the sauce and cook for 2 minutes over a medium heat. 

3. Break up the whole tuna and add to the sauce. Cover and let cook over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

4. Boil a pot of water and cook spaghetti to al dente which should be around 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Drain the water from the pasta. Add the sauce to the spaghetti and mix. 

6. Serve your pasta with some fresh basil. Enjoy!

Fig-getaboutit Salad

Fig leaves have been a symbol of humility since the book of Genesis was written. It has only been fairly recently that Western civilization has been able to shed the leaf from the world of art. Figs themselves have been eaten by humans for over 10,000 years and were a staple on Roman tables during the height of their empire. With such an illustrious history, I needed to make sure I gave this fruit its rightful place on my dinner table. The result was a delicious salad which left me wanting more. There is no time for humility on an empty stomach!

Ingredients (serves 2):

8 black figs

2 handfuls arugula

1.5 oz. goat's cheese

2 tbsp. balsamic reduction

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

1. In a mixing bowl, add arugula, olive oil, and salt. Toss gently.

2. If you can't find balsamic reduction in your grocery store, you can make it for yourself with this easy recipe. 

3. Thoroughly wash your figs, then quarter them. 

4. In two plates, add the arugula, a slice of goat's cheese, and top with the fresh figs. 

5. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the figs and cheese.

Don't Be Afraid to Take a Step Back to Go Forward

Last month I tried my hardest to jazz up a chicken breast by stuffing it with ricotta cheese and wrapping it in prosciutto.  I revisited that same dish and took a bride approved (see: healthier) approach to it. Instead of prosciutto I used turkey bacon, instead of ricotta filling I used sauteed spinach and chopped black olives, and instead of breasts I used thighs. It was easy to make for a weeknight meal and tasted great. Never be afraid to add a new twist on an old favorite. Enjoy!

Groom's Grub is Back!

After a brief hiatus, I will be posting regularly again. I moved at the end of August and have seriously upgraded my kitchen. Looking forward to trying out new recipes and old favorites this fall!

Morocc' and Roll

As someone with roots from Mediterranean Europe, it is easy for me to fall into the trap of always cooking food using the same types of ingredients and styles. Recently I took a detour south, making a meal with Northern African influences. The eclectic mix of spices required tested out the depth of my cupboard as well as produced some of the most amazing smells my tiny kitchen has ever had the pleasure of having. I suggest to any cooks out there to try out these cuisines as they will certainly re-energize your creativity in the kitchen.  

I made Curried-Yogurt Chicken with Moroccan-Style Zucchini and Lentils. To see the recipe I used for lentils, check out one of my prior posts here.

                                              Ingredients (serves 2):

For the chicken:                      For the zucchini:

                                     4 chicken cutlets             2 zucchini

                                     6 oz. yogurt                    1 chopped tomato

                                     2 tbsp. olive oil              1 chopped clove garlic 

                                     2 tsp. curry powder         1/2 lemon juiced

                                     1/2 lemon zested            1 tsp. ground cumin

                                     1 tbsp. parsley                1/2 tsp. cinnamon

                                     1/2 cup chopped basil     1 tsp. paprika

                                     sea salt & black pepper    1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

                                                                          1 tbsp. olive oil 

                                                                          sea salt

1. Prepare the chicken marinade. Add the yogurt, olive oil, curry powder, lemon zest, parsley, and basil to a mixing bowl. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes until all of the ingredients are evenly worked in.

2. Season your chicken with sea salt and black pepper before adding to the bowl with the marinade. Mix in the chicken so that it looks as below, and let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

3. Prepare your zucchini marinade. Add the chopped garlic, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, red pepper, and olive oil to a mixing bowl. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes until all of the ingredients are evenly worked in.  It should be a nice paste.

4. Halve your zucchini stalks horizontally then slice into quarters. You should have nice sized wedges. Season with sea salt and add to the bowl with the marinade.

5. Mix in the zucchini so that it looks as below then add the chopped tomato.

6. Preheat and oven to 400 degrees, and add the chicken and the zucchini, in separate cooking trays, at the same time. If you are using chicken thicker than cutlets, you will want to start cooking it before the zucchini.

7. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Then serve with your lentils. Enjoy!

Surf and Turf: Groom's Grub Style

The king of meals. Steak. Lobster. Guaranteed to be great. Despite the drop in lobster prices and impending lobster revolution this summer, I don't like shelling out for an expensive weeknight dinner. Sorry. Couldn't help but make the pun.  I decided to make a 'Surf and Turf' using one of my favorite beef and one of my favorite shellfish recipes. For the 'Surf', I am making basil-breadcrumb crusted shrimp. For the 'Turf', a bourbon beef shank. Enjoy!

The 'Surf' Ingredients (serves 2):

12 shrimp peeled and cleaned

1 handful fresh basil

1/2 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup flour

1 egg

1.  Add the basil, bread crumbs, and olive oil to a food processor. Mix thoroughly alternating between chopping and grinding for 30 seconds.  Breadcrumbs should be green.

2.  Place the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate plate. Dip the shrimp in each plate, making sure that the shrimp is wholly coated. Place in a tray as below.

3.  Add shrimp to broiler for 3 minutes, then take out and flip. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Serve.

The 'Turf' Ingredients (serves 2):

1 bone-in beef shank

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup red wine

1 cup crushed tomatoes

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup parsley

1 small yellow onion

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1.  Add the bourbon, red wine, crushed tomatoes, sugar, brown sugar, parsley, and onion to a bowl and mix thoroughly.

2.  Season beef shank with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.

3.  Heat a large skillet on a medium heat. Add the beef to the skillet and brown both sides.  After browning drop heat to low, add bourbon sauce and coat both sides before placing a lid over the top.

4.  Cook for 3 to 4 hours (although after 1 hour, the meat will be cooked and ready to eat) to ensure the beef gets tender and absorbs the flavor of the sauce.

5. Remove beef from the skillet, carve slices, and top with the bourbon sauce.