Easy and Quick Recipes

Ingredients 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar Salt and pepper 1 one-pound salmon fillet with skin (about 1 inch thick) 1 pound corkscrew or other short pasta 10 ounces spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well 1/2 cup sour cream 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Directions Heat the broiler. Put fennel seeds in a small, self-sealing plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin. Add parsley, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the bag, and shake to mix. Press the mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon. Broil salmon, skin side down, until it is no longer red in the center, about 8 minutes. Flake the fish with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta. Return it to the warm pot, add spinach, and toss. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, l...

Ingredients 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes (12 ounces) 4 thyme sprigs 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick (2 cups) 3 garlic cloves, halved Coarse salt 1 pound conchiglie 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left intact (optional) 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/8 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish Paprika ) 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Gently toss tomatoes with thyme and 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic; toss to combine. Roast until tomatoes are just broken down and zucchini is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook conchiglie until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Meanwhile, season shrimp with salt. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook shrimp, stirring occasionally, until just opaque, about ...

Ingredients For Poaching 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1 lemon, halved 1 pound large shrimp (31 to 35), peeled For Serving 2 tablespoons champagne or white-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups corn kernels (from 3 ears) 2 medium zucchini, diced medium Salt and pepper Directions Poach shrimp: In a medium pot, combine 6 cups water, Old Bay, and lemon; bring to a boil. Add shrimp and simmer until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, discard lemon, and transfer shrimp to a bowl. To serve: Toss shrimp with vinegar, mustard, and 2 tablespoons oil. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add green beans and cook until bright green, 4 minutes. Add corn and zucchini; saute until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Top with shrimp mixture, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm. Serves: 4

Ingredients 1 1/4 pounds skin-on salmon fillet (no more than 1 inch thick; preferably tail end) 2 tablespoons Thai red-curry paste 2 tablespoons safflower oil Lime (for squeezing) Directions Slice salmon fillet into strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. Stir together curry paste and safflower oil; coat salmon strips on all sides. Refrigerate until ready to grill (up to 8 hours). If using wooden skewers, soak 14 in cool water at least 30 minutes, then thread lengthwise through strips. Preheat grill to medium-high. Sear salmon, skin side down, until strips can be lifted with a spatula, about 1 minute. Flip, and cook until just opaque but before it flakes when pressed, 1 to 2 1/2 minutes. Serve on skewers with lime for squeezing. Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Serves: 8

Ingredients 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons coarse salt 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnishing 2-pound fillet of striped bass or red snapper, skin intact Lime wedges, for garnishing Directions Stir together spices and salt. Mix in olive oil and cilantro. Use a sharp knife to make shallow slashes about 1 1/2 inches apart into the fish skin; transfer to a large dish and rub both sides with spice mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Preheat a clean, lightly oiled grill to high heat. Place fish, flesh-side down, on hot grill. Do not move for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fish is opaque. Flip using two spatulas. Cook until fish flakes slightly when pressed, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Transfer fish fillet to a plate. Set aside to cool slightly. Place on a serving platter, shred fillet with fork into bite-size pieces, and garnish pla...

Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grates 1/2 cup Dijon mustard 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar 3 pounds medium-thick asparagus, trimmed Coarse salt and ground pepper 4 salmon steaks (6 to 8 ounces each) 4 slices grilled bread (optional) Directions Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Make mustard sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Divide sauce between two bowls (about 1/2 cup each); use one for basting and the other for drizzling. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss asparagus with oil; season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, if necessary, grill asparagus, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness of spears. Set aside. Arrange salmon steaks on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. With a brush, baste each side lightly with some of the mustard sauce. Grill salmon steaks, basting with sauce again, until glazed and cooked through...

Ingredients 3 tablespoons   fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons   chopped fresh cilantro 2  garlic cloves, minced 1/4 teaspoon   salt 1/4 teaspoon   pepper Dash hot sauce 1/2 cup   olive oil 4 pounds   sea scallops, rinsed and drained (about 48) 24  bacon slices (about 1 lb.), cut in half Wooden picks 1/4 teaspoon   salt 1/4 teaspoon   pepper Vegetable cooking spray Preparation 1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small mixing bowl; whisk in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Place scallops in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; add lime juice mixture. Cover or seal, and chill 30 minutes, turning once. Drain scallops, discarding marinade. 2. Microwave bacon, covered with paper towels, in 4 batches, at HIGH 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly brown. Wrap 1 bacon piece around each scallop, and secure with a wooden pick. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 3. Coat a cold cooking grate with cooking spray, and place grate on gr...

Ingredients 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups chopped onions 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 1/2 cups   Shrimp Stock 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, as desired 2 pounds crawfish tails, with the fat Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 cup chopped scallions 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Hot cooked white rice, for serving Directions In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until flour mixture is the color of peanut butter. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes, salt, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce,...