Avocado Soup

I made this as a side to the grilled lemon chicken and added lemon juice to the soup to compliment the chicken.  Very yummy!

from Mark Bittman

time 10 minutes, plus time to chill

yield 4 servings

category Vegetables, Soup

cuisine American

ingredients

3 or 4 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and chopped (about 2 cups)

3 cups milk, preferably whole milk

Salt and cayenne

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon, orange or lime juice, or to taste (optional)

directions

1. Put the chopped avocado in a blender. Add half the milk, a large pinch of salt, and a small pinch of cayenne and process to a purée. Beat in the remaining milk, then chill for up to 6 hours if you have time (press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the soup so it doesn’t discolor).

2. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, add the citrus juice if you’re using it, and serve—in chilled bowls if you want to be precise.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

The original recipe, which you can find here, has a recipe for a satay dip that looks good.  I just made this and had it with avocado soup (blog post to follow)

from Ina Garten

time 35 min

yield 8 to 10 servings

category Chicken

cuisine American

ingredients

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)

3/4 cup good olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, halved and skin removed

directions

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Heat a grill. Grill the chicken breasts for 10 minutes on each side, until cooked through. 

Lasagna Burgers

These were very tasty but also quite messy.  I think using sturdier bread (like the ciabatta roll) will be better than a hamburger bun.

from Rachael Ray

time 30 minutes

yield 4 Servings

category Beef

cuisine American

ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, pork and veal mix

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

One 14.5-ounce can Italian crushed tomatoes

1 handful basil leaves, shredded or torn

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 c ricotta cheese

1/4 c Parmesan cheese

4 hamburger or ciabatta rolls

directions

1. In a large bowl, season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties, thinner in the middle for more even cooking. Drizzle with EVOO.

2. In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes; add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes; stir in the basil.

3. In large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until medium-rare, 7 to 8 minutes.

4. While the patties are cooking, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg, then cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and parmigiano-reggiano.

5. Spoon some red sauce on the roll bottoms, then top with the patties. Dollop the cheese sauce on the patties and set the roll tops in place.

notes:

Spicy Marinated Sirloin Tips

You can vary the level of spice by adjusting the amount of Harissa (or Adobo Mole in my case) that you add to the marinade.  I did not find this spicy at all with these amounts.

from Bon Appétit (via epicurious.com)

time 1 hour

yield 4 servings

category Beef

cuisine North African

ingredients

1 2-pound top sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick), fat trimmed

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for brushing

4 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon harissa sauce (I used Mexican Adobo Mole sauce)

directions

1. Cut steak lengthwise in half, forming two 2- to 3-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip into 2- to 3-inch triangles. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, thyme, and 2 teaspoons harissa in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add beef; toss to coat evenly. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day, tossing occasionally.

2. Drain beef. Heat 2 heavy large skillets over high heat. Brush skillets generously with olive oil. Divide beef tips between skillets. Cook until well browned on all sides, turning with tongs, 6 to 7 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer beef tips to platter.

3. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon harissa, and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl to blend well. Season sauce to taste with salt. Drizzle sauce over beef tips and serve.

notes: • Harissa = A spicy North African red chile sauce; available in cans and jars at some specialty foods stores and at Middle Eastern markets.