Main Course

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Vegetables

Makes 6 first course servings • Makes 4 main course servings

I serve this dish frequently because it is easy to prepare, versatile, nutritious and elegant. You can even make it several hours ahead of time. See note at the end of the recipe.

Ingredients

• ½ pound haricots verts (string beans) • ¼ pound sugar snaps • 4 scallions, including green part, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup pitted black olives, quartered
• ¼ pound smoked salmon cut into wide strips (2 by 1 inches)
• 1 pound imported farfalle, or any other small shaped pasta (I like to use DeCecco pasta).

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons lime juice (approximately)
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.

2. Trim and discard the stem end of the beans. Steam the beans for about 4 minutes, or until just tender. Place in a bowl and cool.

3. Pinch off both ends of the sugar snaps and pull off the strings running along the sides. Steam the sugar snaps for about 4 minutes, or until just tender. Add to the beans and cool. When the vegetables have cooled, add the scallions, parsley, olives and smoked salmon. Set aside.

4. In a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the farfalle and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered for about 8 minutes, until the farfalle is al dente.

5. Drain well in a colander. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl to cool. Toss the pasta with ½ of the dressing, add the beans, sugar snaps, scallions, parsley, olives and salmon. Toss with the remaining dressing. Let rest for a minute and season well with salt and pepper.

Note

If you wish to prepare this dish ahead, I suggest that you cook the pasta and toss it with ½ of the dressing. Prepare all the other ingredients but combine it all a few hours before serving. It is easier to preserve the wonderful green color of the vegetables.

 
 

Chicken Rolls with Orange Sauce

Makes 4 servings.

I serve this dish as the main course for dinner or as one of several dishes on a buffet table.  This recipe first appeared in my cookbook, Helen Nash's New Kosher Cuisine.

ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each (Ask the butcher to butterfly the chicken breasts and pound them thin.)
• 12 large spinach leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

TO MAKE THE ROLLS:

1. Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast on both sides and place it on a piece of cling wrap.

2. Remove the stems from the spinach leaves and flatten the leaves so they will roll easier.

3. Line each breast with 3 spinach leaves and one-fourth of the filling.

4. Starting with the narrowest end, roll the breast up (not too tight!) until it looks like a log. (I use the cling wrap to facilitate the rolling.)

5. When the breast is rolled and completely enclosed in the cling wrap, twist the sides and close them with a metal tie. Refrigerate if not using right away.

TO COOK THE ROLLS:

1. Bring the chicken rolls back to room temperature, if necessary. Place them in the basket of a bamboo steamer.

2. Set the basket over a large pot or wok, whose bottom third has been filled with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

3. Cover and steam over high heat for 9 to 10 minutes, turning the rolls once. Cook until the chicken has turned pale pink inside.

4. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 1 minute.

Filling

ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw sushi rice
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place the sushi rice and water in a small saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

4. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cool.

Orange Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring all the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small enamel-lined saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 
 

SEARED TUNA WITH TWO SAUCES

Makes 6 servings.

Tuna is surely one of America’s favorite fish, and it lends itself to many types of preparation, from sashimi to “tuna-fish” sandwiches. The dish that follows calls for the fish to be almost raw; it can be accompanied with one of the Asian-inspired sauces, Ginger or Piquant Asian, that follow.  This recipe first appeared in my cookbook, Helen Nash's New Kosher Cuisine.

ingredients

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds (900 g) sashimi-quality tuna
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Julienned daikon, sliced seeded cucumbers, and strong-tasting salad leaves like arugula or watercress, for garnish
• Ginger Sauce or Piquant Asia Sauce, to serve

Preparation

1. Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl.

2. Pat the tuna dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sear the tuna on both sides, then remove from the heat and rub both sides with the salt-pepper mixture.

3. When cool, wrap the tuna tightly in wax paper, then in foil. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight. This will make it firmer and thus easier to slice.

 

To serve

Cut the fish against the grain in thin slices, and serve accompanied by the sug­gested vegetables. Serve either of the sauces separately.

 

Ginger Sauce

Makes about 1/2 cup (125 ml)

  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 21/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 generous tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 generous tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the ingredients well, and season to taste.

Piquant Asian Sauce

Makes about 1 cup (125 ml)

  • 1/4 cup (10 g) loosely packed cilantro leaves
  • 2 teaspoons wasabi powder
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 cup (78 g) shelled soy beans (edamame), defrosted(see note)
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable broth
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper 

Place all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh strainer. Season to taste. 

Note

Frozen edamame, shelled and unshelled, are available in health-food stores and supermarkets.

 
 

ZITI WITH HERBS AND MOZZARELLA

ZITI WITH HERBS AND MOZZARELLA

Makes 6 appetizer servings or 4 main-course servings

ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup loosely packed arugula leaves
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound imported ziti
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and bake in a toaster oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft. Cool.

2. Peel the cloves and place them in a food processor along with the basil, parsley, and arugula. Adding the oil in a stream through the feed tube, pulse until semicoarse. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the cheese, along with the crushed pepper, to the herb mixture and combine.

4. Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add all the ziti at once and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.

5. Drain in a colander, refresh with cold water, and drain well again. Add the ziti to the herb and mozzarella mixture and combine. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.