Cilantro (aka Coriander)

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes with Peppers, Cilantro and Thyme

1 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes (about 15), washed well
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil, if you have it)
4 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup diced red bell peppers
1/4 cup diced green bell peppers
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash well, and then dice the potatoes into bite sized pieces – about 1 inch.  I hardly ever peel the potatoes.  I like to leave it intact, as it gives good flavor, and texture.

In a large bowl mix the oil, garlic, and cilantro and thyme.  Add the potatoes and peppers and toss well.

Transfer the potatoes to a shallow baking pan, and arrange into a single layer.  Roast until potatoes are tender when tested with the tip of a knife, which should be between 25-30 minutes.

Serve hot, or cold, as these are great leftover.

Note:

I have sometimes made a ‘potato’ salad with the leftovers, adding in mayo, and eggs, with a bit of spicy mustard.

Garlic & Parmesan Pita Chips

2 Pita bread pockets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Salt

Heat your oven to 400F. 

Cut the pita bread into 8 triangles, and then split them apart.  Place them evenly on a baking sheet.  I like to place them inside down.

In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, garlic and salt.  Brush over one side of the pita triangles, and then sprinkle with the parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the pita triangles are golden brown.  These can burn pretty easily, so keep your eye on it. 

Variations:

This is one of those recipes where the only limit is your imagination.  There are hundreds of combinations:

• Black pepper, garlic salt, dried basil, dried chervil
  Cajun seasoning, ground cumin
  Sesame Seeds
  Prepared Italian Dressing, parmesan & sesame seeds
  Lemon Pepper & Garlic
  Basil & Pine Nuts, with Parmesan

Notes:

I like these chips as is, but they are great for all kinds of dips

Crumble these up, and use in place of croutons in salads

Officially, tuna is supposed to be cooked quickly, and left rare.  I’ve seen people cook tuna 1-2 minutes per side, leaving the inside quite rare.  It’s all up to you, and your palate. I, personally, like tuna a little more cooked than that, and so 3-4 minutes per side, at the minimum for me.  (Click here for a few different images of tuna steak)

Enjoy!

Garlic & Lemon Tuna Steaks

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
2 Minced cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons or the juice of one Lemon
1 teaspoon Salt
4 Tuna Steaks
1 large ziplock bag

Combine all ingredients and pour into ziplock bag.  Add tuna steaks and marinate for 30 minutes.   Don’t marinate too much longer, or the flavors become too intense and the resulting flavor of the tuna is just.. well.. yuck

Broil on a low setting for 5 minutes each side.

This can also be done on a grill, or  you can wrap steaks in foil (individually) after marinating is complete and grill or bake at 400 for about 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the steak. 

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, mash the garlic well.  Add salt and continue to mash it together.  Whisk in the balsamic vinegar, and 1/2 cup of oil.  Add pepper to taste, again whisking well.  I keep this in the mixing bowl, until just ready to serve, when I whisk it well again, and then pour into a serving bowl.

Use the vinaigrette as a dipping sauce for the nuggets.

This recipe is nice in summer, when you can pick the basil from the garden, or get it fresh from the market.

Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic and Basil Pasta Sauce

1 roasted garlic bulb
1 minced clove garlic (raw)
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces to soften
1/3 cup olive oil
1 handfull basil, chopped or as a chiffonade
Salt and Pepper to taste (kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper)
1 pound linguini, cooked al-dente
1/4 cup shredded cheese — parmesean, romano, asagio

Add roasted garlic paste, raw garlic, butter (softened), oil, salt and pepper to pasta bowl and mash together lightly — enough to mix the garlic and butter into everything.

Add basil and mix lightly again, reserving a small bit of basil for garnish.

Pour hot cooked pasta over sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, and garnish with basil.