Brisket with Carrots and Onions

Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Total Time : 4 hours and 10 minutes 
Prep: 10 min 
Cook: 4 hours

Ingredients

• 6 to 7 pounds beef brisket

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

• 8 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks

• 6 yellow onions, peeled and sliced

• 6 fresh or dried bay leaves

• 1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place brisket in a heavy roasting pan. In small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Rub mixture on brisket.

Pile carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaves on brisket and pour in enough tomato juice to come about 3/4 of the way up the meat and vegetables.

Cover top of pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. (The tomato juice will react unpleasantly with aluminum foil if they touch.)

Bake for 3 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender. Remove meat from pan and keep it warm. Place pan on 2 burners and boil vegetables and sauce over medium heat for another 30 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

To serve, slice meat across the grain. Serve with vegetables.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

Roast Turkey with Lemon, Fresh Herbs and Rich Brown Pan Sauce

• 2½ Tbs. kosher salt
• 4 Tbs. each:  minced fresh rosemary, thyme, sage – sometimes packaged together called “poultry blend.”
• 1½ Tbs. ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest (about 2-3 lemons)
• 1 Turkey 14 lbs. cut into eighths, rinsed, patted dry
• 2 each cut into large chunks - small onions, carrots, celery stalks
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 4 Cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbs. water
• Fresh herbs bouquet for garnish – rosemary, sage

Mix salt, fresh herbs, pepper, lemon zest in small bowl.  Rub mixture into turkey cavity of breast and under skin, using finger to gently loosen skin from meat.  Sprinkle on top of and under the skin of all turkey parts.

Refrigerate turkey pieces uncovered overnight.  Two hours before roasting, return turkey to room temperature. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Place onion, carrot and celery pieces on a heavy duty cookie sheet with a rim.  Arrange turkey pieces over vegetables.  Brush turkey with oil.  Roast breast till golden brown, meat thermometer in thickest section registers 160 degrees, about 60-70 minutes.

Continue to cook the remainder of the turkey pieces until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, additional 10-15 minutes.

Remove turkey from oven.  Transfer to a platter and let rest for 20 – 30 minutes. Pour vermouth or white wine onto cookie sheet with vegetables and drippings.. Scrape with a wooden or metal spatula to loosen as many brown bits as possible. Pour content of cookie sheet into medium saucepan and simmer to blend and intensify flavors for 5 to 7 minutes.

Strain out vegetables and skim off as much fat as possible.  Return dripping to saucepan and stir in chicken broth and any juices accumulating from resting turkey pieces.

When ready to serve, bring sauce to a simmer and whisk in cornstarch mixture.  Continue to simmer until sauce thickens slightly.

Carve each side of the breast from bone.  You can slice dark meat from thigh and drumsticks or leave intact. Pass sauce separately.

(For a 14lb. turkey)

Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Cilantro Pesto

• 2 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (Buy roasted and unsalted then skip first step)
• 1/2 cup (firmly packed) cilantro leaves and stems, plus extra leaves as garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
• 1/2 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sprinkling of garlic powder and ground cumin (optional)
• 4 6-ounce salmon fillets (preferably wild)
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds; sauté until beginning to brown and pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to paper towels to drain; let cool. Reserve skillet.

Pulse 6 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, cilantro, coriander seeds, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup oil, then 1/4 cup water, blending until coarse purée forms. Season pesto to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

Heat skillet.  Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. (Add other seasoning-if using).  Add fish to skillet and cook until just opaque in center, 3-4 minutes per side. Place fillets on plates. Spoon pesto over. Garnish with remaining pumpkin seeds and extra cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Serves Four.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon and Greek Olives

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup mixed Greek olives
• Juice of 1 lemon

Remove the chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to remove the chill. Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large ovenproof pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the thighs in a single layer, pre-heat pan, then heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

·Add the garlic cloves to the pan and flip the thighs over. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and has gotten a little brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and garlic from the pan and set aside.

While the pan is still hot, add the onions, lemon slices and oregano.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have wilted and the brown bits on the bottom of the pan have loosened, 6 to 8 minutes. Nestle the thighs skin-side up in the onion mixture and add the garlic and the olives. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Scatter fresh oregano leaves over the top and serve. Serves four-six.

Recipe adapted from "A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great," by Marco Canora with Tammy Walker