Shrimp-Stuffed Sole

This microwave recipe is lightning-quick! I used to make it with nice large pieces of sole. This time, all I had were Asian-imported pieces of Cryovac-wrapped flash-frozen sole that came in a giant plastic bag with a fancy label. When they thawed, each little piece split down the center, which didn’t look so pretty. I urge you to make this excellent dish with fresh fish you’ve selected yourself, piece by piece. That’s how I’ve prepared it in the past and will do in the future. 

Shrimp-Stuffed Sole:

4 oz. (113 g) fresh, hand-peeled shrimp (see Note)

1/2 c. (125 g) finely chopped mushrooms, lightly sautéed in 1 tsp. (5 mL) olive oil

1 green onion (“spring” onion), finely chopped

2 tbsp. (15 mL) finely minced fresh parsley, divided

2 tbsp. (30 mL) Greek yogurt or commercial sour cream

2 tsp. (10 mL) lemon juice, divided

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) prepared mustard

6 small sole fillets (or other thin white fish) (about 1-1/2 lb. or 750 g)

Salt and coarsely ground pepper, to taste

1/2 c. (125 mL) dry white wine

To prepare filling, stir together shrimp, mushrooms, onion, 1 tbsp. of the parsley, yogurt or sour cream, 1 tsp. of the lemon juice, and mustard. Set aside. Season fillets, dividing shrimp mixture among the pieces. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Array rolls in a microwave-safe casserole. Pour wine and remaining lemon juice over fish, sprinkling with remaining parsley. Cover with cello wrap, turning back a small corner to let steam escape. Cook 4-to-6 min. on high power or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Let stand, covered, 5 min. before serving. 

Note: If fresh shrimp is unavailable, use a small can of drained, rinsed, and finely chopped shrimp. I’ve also used a mixture of chopped artificial crab combined with just enough mayonnaise and cream cheese to hold it together. 

Fill ... 

Roll ... 

Secure with toothpick.

And into the microwave oven this goes!

Ready for the table! 

Chorizo-Bacon Bites

Stumbling on a really great dish excites me! Stumbling on one that’s easy and cheap excites me more! I recently came across an appy similar to this at a Texas barbecue.

Two gone ... Four to go! We could have eaten 40!

After I returned home, I created my own version of it, and wow! Was it a success! The amount in this recipe serves 4. Increase or decrease it as you desire. 

Chorizo-Bacon Bites:

4 cooked chorizo sausages, each approximately 5” (12.7 cm) long and 1 in. (2.54 cm) thick

1 tbsp. (15 mL) canola oil

6 uncooked bacon strips, preferably thick

1/3 c. (80 mL) liquid honey

1/2 c. (125 mL) demerara sugar

Turn toaster oven or regular oven to broil setting with oven rack in top position (Foods broiled in regular oven will need oven door slightly open; this is not necessary in toaster oven). 
Slice each sausage into thirds. Slice each bacon strip in half. Brush one side of bacon with honey. Wrap honeyed side loosely against sausage, securing with toothpick; bacon will tighten as it cooks. Roll uncooked, honeyed bacon in sugar, pressing sugar against bacon with cupped hand. 

Set broiling pan on oven rack. Broil 3 min., bacon-side up. Turn to broil further 3 min., also bacon-side up, or until bacon is fully cooked. Serve at once. Yields 12 Chorizo-Bacon Bites. At 3 pieces per-person, serves 4. 

Slice sausages in thirds.

Slice bacon in half.

Fry cut sausages until golden, about 5 min.

Roll in demerara sugar, pressing against honeyed bacon.

Turn after 3 min. Broil on second side

Salmon or Halibut Marinade

I like this tasty marinade a lot! The brown sugar caramelizes as the fish cooks over the grill.

Salmon or Halibut Marinade:

1/2 c. (125 mL) olive oil

2 tbsp. (30 mL) soy sauce

1/4 c. (60 mL) rye whiskey

1 tbsp. (15 mL) demerara (dark brown) sugar 

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1/2 (2.5 mL) tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) coarsely ground pepper

1 tsp. (5 mL) finely chopped fresh ginger (optional)

Fresh minced dill weed, as desired (optional)

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) lemon juice (optional)

Shake together in lidded jar. Pour over fish, marinating 20 min. at room temperature, turning once after 10 min. Barbecue on an oiled rack until fish fat begins to bubble and the juices in the fish run. The timing of the fish depends on its size. 

Chicken Pilaf

This chicken casserole baked in the oven as I blogged it. Is that efficient, or what? This is a very easy recipe - but have a double martini while you’re sitting and waiting for it to emerge from the oven. This recipe feels like it should be a make-ahead dish, but it isn’t. The rinsed rice will expand and the stock poured over the works needs to be at the boiling point or you’ll wait forever for this dish to be ready! 

Chicken Pilaf:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) canola oil
2 c. (500 mL) chicken parts, bone-in, skin on or off (see Note)
1 or 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper or 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell peppers (capsicums), diced
1 c. (250 mL) uncooked rice
1/4 tsp. (1.2 mL) salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 c. (750 mL) chicken stock
1-to-1-1/2 c. (250 mL-to-375 mL) grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. In large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté chicken parts until cooked through and no pink remains. Set aside. In the same skillet also over medium-high heat, sauté onions and peppers until tender. Place in 2-qt. (2 L), spray-greased casserole. 
Rinse rice in cold water until water runs clear. Add to casserole, combing with onions and peppers and seasoning lightly. Set chicken in casserole. Bring stock to a boil, pouring over vegetables, rice, and chicken in casserole.
Cover tightly with foil, baking 45 min. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven, uncovered, baking until cheese is bubbly. Serves 4-to-5.

Note: Leftover cooked chicken is also excellent in this recipe. Stir-fry chicken just until hot before proceeding as directed. 

Further Note: This recipe makes plenty and freezes well. If you’re planning leftovers for another day, bake this dish in two 1 qt. (1 L) casseroles, rather than a large one.

Sauté chicken parts until no pink remains.

In unwashed skillet, sauté onion and peppers.

Add boiling stock, cover, and bake. Nothing to it! 

Ron’s Barbecued Chicken Thighs

Mah, oh mah! One of my very favorite dishes! But first ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeC9Z1YQjXs Ooops! What I meant to play was “Smoke Gets in Your Thighs,” which is what this recipe’s about. Ron invented this dish. Truly, it is the best chicken recipe in my collection - quick to prepare, not too spicy, not too garlicky, not at all fatty, and a sure-fire crowd pleaser! The proportions below make just enough for the two of us, but are easy enough to increase.

Ron’s Barbecued Chicken Thighs:

This recipe requires extra time 

for marination

5 or 6 small chicken thighs, boneless and skinned

5 large garlic cloves or 8 medium, crushed

1/3 c. (80 mL) dark soy sauce

2 tsp. (10 mL) Chinese Sriracha sauce 

Place thighs in small bowl. Add sauce ingredients, combining over all sides of thighs. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 30 min. Barbecue over medium heat 5 min. per side. Serves 2. 

Use plenty of garlic!

Crush it well.

Garlic is essential to the success of this great recipe!

Now add the soy and Chinese Sriracha sauces.

Combine well; cover and refrigerate.

Barbecue and eat! This is quick and delicious!

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins

I made these easy, delicious muffins for house guests this week: They were a massive hit!

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins:

To Prepare the Muffins:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) freshly grated lemon rind

1 tbsp. (15 mL) lemon extract

3 c. (750 mL) all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. (4 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

1 c. (250 mL) fresh blueberries 

1 c. (250 mL) butter or margarine, softened

2 c. (500 mL) granulated sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 c. (250 mL) buttermilk (see Buttermilk Substitute Note)

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Drop ungreased paper liners into muffin pans or spray-grease muffin cups lightly. In small bowl, combine rind and extract. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients; carefully fold in blueberries. Set aside. 

In large mixing bowl, combine butter or margarine, gradually adding sugar until creamy, about 5 min.  

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mixing by hand, fold in thirds of dry ingredients and half the buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat in rind and extract. Spoon into ungreased paper liners in muffin pans. 

Bake 25-to-30 min. or until toothpick poked into center of muffins comes out dry. Proceed with Lemon Glaze recipe while muffins are baking. Cool muffins in pan 10 min. before transferring onto cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Brush on Lemon Glaze. Makes 2-1/2 doz. standard-sized muffins. 

Buttermilk Substitute Note: For each cup of buttermilk you need, measure 1 tbsp. (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice and enough whole milk to measure 1 c. (250 mL). Stir, then let stand for 5 min. Or: use 1 c. (250 mL) plain yogurt. Or: Combine 1 c. (250 mL) milk with 1-3/4 tsp. (8 mL) cream of tartar.

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins

To Prepare Lemon Glaze:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) lemon marmalade

1-1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) water

In small saucepan over low heat, combine 

marmalade and water, stirring frequently until marmalade melts. Continue warming 3 or 4 min. over low heat, or until mixture thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Do not boil. 

Using a pastry brush, dab muffin tops with glaze. Cool muffins to room temperature. 

Let glaze firm up at least 15 min.

Parsley Salad (Tabouleh)

The name Tabouleh conjures up macramé plant hangers, love beads, and flower power. Calling it Parsley Salad seems more “today.” 

When the parsley in my herb garden threatened to explode, I used plenty of it in this interesting Mediterranean salad. Some variations of Tabouleh use cinnamon; this one does not. Some use mint; I threw in a couple of fresh mint leaves, also from the garden. It all starts with a freshly snipped bunch of curly parsley ...

Fresh from the garden!

Parsley Salad (Tabouleh):

1 c. (250 mL) cracked wheat (bulghur)
1 c. (250 mL) boiling water
Enough fresh, stemmed parsley to make 3 c. (750 mL), uncompressed
2 large mint leaves, center stem removed
6 green onions (“spring” onions), finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. (125 mL) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed, blotted dry (see Note)
5 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 3 medium lemons (or 2 large)
Coarsely ground salt and black pepper, to taste

To a small bowl, add cracked wheat and boiling water, combining well. Cover with cello wrap so steam cannot escape. Set aside until water has been fully absorbed and mixture reaches room temperature.

Cracked wheat absorbs equal amount of boiling water fast.

Chop parsley and mint finely. Add to medium bowl with green onions, tomatoes, and chick peas, combining well. 

Colorful - and highly nutritious!

In a clean, lidded jar, shake together olive oil and lemon juice. 

For the freshest taste, use freshly juiced lemons.

Dress salad with lemon juice and olive oil.

Pour over parsley mixture. Add cooled cracked wheat mixture, gently tossing until well combined. 

Voilà! C’est fini!

Season to taste. Serves 6.

Note: I used canned chickpeas in this dish.

Spicy Sesame Rice

I enjoy moderately spiced food, so this dish instantly became one of my favorites when I prepared it for house guests last night. I found the recipe on the side panel of a bag of Indian rice. Regrettably, I’ve lost the company’s name, so can’t give the company the credit. I’ve also changed the recipe slightly.

Spicy Sesame Rice.

Have you noticed something about the paragraph above, Dollinks? Nicole Parton’s Favorite Recipes is new and improved. My enormous staff in the Stainless Steel Kitchens that are our corporate headquarters in the Time Zone and at the Latitude Where I Live have abandoned their lazy-writing-ways. We have reformed. We have seen the light. But let’s get on with what this means for you, Dollinks.

I’ve been told I use far too many exclamation marks in these introductions. From now on, there will be no more. I’m just going to remain c-a-l-m, and will stop being the happy-go-lucky person I am and more like normal recipe writers and forwarders. Fasten your seat belts, Dollinks. Learning to drop the exclamation marks in my introductions may be a bumpy ride. Whee. What a trip this will be.

Spicy Sesame Rice!

4 tbsp. (60 mL) clarified butter, divided! (see Note!)
2 tbsp. (30 mL) coarsely chopped cashews!
1 c. (250 mL) plain sesame seeds!(not the black ones!)
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) cayenne pepper!
1 bay leaf, crumbled!
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt!
4 c. (1 L) hot, cooked basmati rice! (see Additional Note!)
Juice of 1/2 lime!

To a medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp.(15 mL) of the clarified butter, sautéing cashews until golden brown! Remove from pan and set aside! In small bowl, combine sesame seeds, cayenne, and crumbled bay leaf! To the skillet, add remaining 3 tbsp. (45 mL) of butter! Over medium heat, sauté seeds, cayenne, and bay leaf until seeds are golden brown! Remove from heat, stirring in previously sautéd cashews! Stir in salt and rice, combining thoroughly! Sprinkle with lime juice, serving hot! Serves 4!

Note: See the Index for How to Clarify Butter!

Additional Note: See the Index for How to Cook Rice!

Coarsely chop cashews!

Sauté cashews until golden!

Add combined seeds, cayenne, and bay leaf to pot or skillet!

Fry and proceed as directed! I forgot to take more photos!

Eggplant Parmigiana (Version 2)

This, Dollinks, is an eggplant. It looks like a zucchini in disguise. 

Eggplant. Not a zucchini.

This is a sliced eggplant. Not much prettier.

Sliced eggplant. Still not a zucchini.

But this, Dollinks, is what you can do with it! 

Eggplant Parmigiana: Dig in, Dollinks!

Eggplant Parmigiana (Version 2):

1 medium eggplant 

1 c. (250 mL) ketchup

1/3 c. (80 mL) spicy barbecue sauce (see Note)

1/4 c. (60 mL) parsley flakes

1/2 c. (125 mL) grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. (60 mL) Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Spray-grease a 7 in. x 11 in. (1L) baking dish. Peel eggplant, slicing into 1/4-in. (0.7 cm) pieces. Overlap single layer of eggplant slices at bottom of casserole. Combine ketchup, barbecue sauce, and parsley flakes. Brush generously over first layer of eggplant slices. Repeat layering and brushing until eggplant and sauce are entirely used up. Combine grated mozzarella and Parmesan. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 20-to-30 min., until eggplant is tender. Serves 4-to-6. This dish should be consumed the day it’s served. It doesn’t freeze or keep well. 

Note: This is the time of year to have Ron’s BBQ Sauce on hand! Not only is it great on the grill, but it’s perfect in this dish! 

Further Note: Eggplant is out-of-this-world-delicious in the appetizer enticingly called Baba Ganoush. 

Eggplant lover? Be sure to try Eggplant Parmigiana (Version 1)!

Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip

This deliciously simple appy is my kinda dip!

Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip:

8 oz. (250 g) cream cheese, softened

One 14 fl. oz. (398 mL) can unmarinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

1/4 c. (60 mL) mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) each dried basil, onion powder, salt, horseradish, hot sauce

Approx. 1/2 lb. (225 g) shelled crabmeat, canned or fresh (see Note)

1/2 c. (125 mL) grated mozzarella cheese

1/3 c. (80 mL) red bell pepper (capsicum), diced fine

1/3 c. (80 mL) green bell pepper (capsicum), diced fine

1/3 c. (80 mL) green onion, sliced fine

Crackers or sliced baguette, for serving

Preheart oven to 350 deg. F. In food processor, whirl cream cheese, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, garlic, basil, onion powder, salt, horseradish, and hot sauce until well combined. Transfer to baking dish. Drain and rinse crabmeat. Hand-stir into creamed mixture with cheese, peppers, and onion. Mixture should be chunky. Bake, loosely covered with foil, 15-to-20 min. until heated through. Serve at once, heaping onto crackers or baguette. Serves 8.

Note: I find artificial crab to be superior to the real thing in preparing a dish like this. Not only is the real crab expensive, but its delicate flavor is lost among the spiciness blend of flavors in this excellent appy!

Stewed Rhubarb

Long-time cooks will roll their eyes: Stewed rhubarb? Everyone knows how to make that! No, they don’t. You’d be surprised what some people have never made because they wrongly think it may be difficult. I’m feeling über lazy today, and don’t want to do anything that requires a lot of work, which is why the simplicity of rhubarb came to mind. Although Stewed Rhubarb is great on its own, it’s sublime over ice cream, plain cake, or Greek yogurt.

Stewed Rhubarb:

4 c. (1 L) fresh rhubarb 

3 tbsp. (45 mL) water (see Note) 
1/2 c. (125 mL) granulated sugar, or to taste
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Twist rhubarb stalks from their root. Trim and discard leaves - they’re toxic. Slice away and discard tough end piece, cutting where knife easily penetrates stalk. Rinse stalks before slicing into 1-in. (2.54 cm) pieces. Blot dry and refrigerate until needed, up to a week.

Bye, bye leaf!

So long, baby!

Rinse!

Chop!

Rinsed, sliced, raw rhubarb freezes well in airtight containers or freezer-strength bags, for later use in muffins, pies, or fruit soup (see Naughty Note). To stew it, bring water and sugar just to the boil in a large saucepan, until sugar dissolves fully. Add cinnamon stick and rhubarb. Cover, reducing heat to medium-low. Cook about 7 min., until rhubarb is soft, checking to ensure pot doesn’t boil dry. 

Start stewing!

Serve hot or cold, either on its own or over yogurt, ice cream, or pound cake.

Oh, YUM!

Note: For a delicious rhubarb drink, follow recipe above, using 3/4 c. (180 mL) water instead of the lesser amount stated. Strain, chill, and pour liquid into glass. 

Eating - or drinking - rhubarb is good for you!

Rhubarb is high in dietary fiber. See:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/rhubarb.html  Rhubarb’s health benefits include its ability to “aid weight loss, improve digestion, prevent Alzheimer’s disease, stimulate bone growth, avoid neuronal damage, increase skin health, prevent cancer, optimize metabolism, improve circulation, and protect against various cardiovascular conditions.” All of which sure sounds good to me!

Further Note: See this recipe for the world’s best Rhubarb Soup!