SHRIMP COCKTAIL WITH ARUGULA OR WATERCRESS

SHRIMP COCKTAIL WITH ARUGULA OR WATERCRESS

Serves 8 or more as a first course.

• 2 c. arugula or watercress

• 2 large red or yellow bell peppers (or 1 of each)

• Boiling water

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 small dice chile pepper, such as jalapeño or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/2 c. olive or grapeseed oil

• 2 or 3 tbsp. cider or wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill or 2 tsp. dried dill, finely crumbled

• 2 or 3 tsp. spicy brown mustard

Directions

Rinse the arugula or watercress, drain and pat dry. Wrap the greens in a towel and chill until ready to serve. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove the core, and cut into thin strips. Rinse the peppers well and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in the salt, chile pepper or red pepper flakes. Drop in the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are tender, stirring a time or two with a large spoon.

Using a strainer or large slotted spoon, immediately remove the shrimp from the water and set aside, saving the cooking water.

Bring the cooking water to a boil again. Stir the bell pepper strips into the water and cook for about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl combine the shrimp, peppers, sliced onions and arugula or watercress.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, dill and mustard in a small bowl, beating briskly with a fork. Pour about half of the salad dressing over the shrimp and vegetables. Cover the bowl and chill the shrimp and vegetables for about 1 hour, or longer if desired.

To serve, arrange the shrimp cocktail on a platter with lemon wedges and drizzle over a little more salad dressing, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories123Fat7 gSodium240 mg

Protein9 gCholesterol80 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat.

COQ AU VIN OR CHICKEN IN RED WINE

Serves 6.

• 12 small white onions

• 1 bay leaf

• 31/2 lb. frying chicken pieces (mixture of legs, thighs, wings, breast, or your choice)

• 1 tsp. salt, or to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3 or 4 tbsp. corn or peanut oil, divided

• 2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 11/2 tsp. fresh or dried thyme, fined chopped

• 2 tbsp. flour

• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

• 11/2 c. chicken broth

Directions

Rinse and peel the onions. Pour 1 cup water into a small sauce pan and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and drop in the onions and boil or blanch for just 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the onions, saving the bay leaf. Set aside.

Trim away and discard any excess fat and skin from the chicken pieces. Rinse the chicken well under cold running water and pat very dry with paper toweling.

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and black pepper. Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet or heavy pot that has a lid or cover and heat until quite hot.

Remove the chicken to a platter or dish when nicely browned and brown the remaining pieces the same way. When all the chicken is browned and on a platter, pour over the Cognac, brandy or rum, and set aside.

Meanwhile, add a little more oil to the pan if needed, and stir in the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and the reserved onions and bay leaf. Sauté the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring a couple times.

Then sprinkle the vegetables with flour and cook over low heat stirring for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste, and mix well.

Pour in the wine and chicken broth, stirring until the sauce is well blended. Return the chicken with Cognac drippings to the skillet or pot, stirring well, and bring the gravy to a gentle boil, turning over the chicken several times.

As soon as the gravy is bubbling, cover the skillet or pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pieces are fork tender and the juices run golden when pierced with a fork, turning over occasionally.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories450Fat23 gSodium775 mg

Carbohydrates19 gSaturated fat5 gCalcium62 mg

Protein35 gCholesterol101 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 4 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat.

Makes 12 to 15 muffins.

Note: I use a 12-cup muffin pan that is just shy of 3 inches wide and close to 2 inches deep, filling the pan almost to the top with the batter, which is thick and will not spill over. Cooking time varies with the size of the muffin cups, so begin checking the muffins after 14 or so minutes in the oven.

• 2 c. yellow cornmeal

• 1/2 c. unbleached flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

•1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/3 c. orange marmalade or apricot preserves

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 c. buttermilk or 1 c. plain yogurt stirred with 2 or 3 tbsp. hot water

• 1/3 c. grapeseed, corn or peanut oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter or oil a 12-cup muffin pan and set in the oven to heat while you mix the batter.

Sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Mix the orange marmalade or apricot preserves and cinnamon in a small bowl, beating briskly for a few seconds and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk or the yogurt and hot water mixture, the oil and the eggs and beat briskly with a large spoon or whisk until well blended.

Stir in the cornmeal mixture and beat briskly for a few seconds, mixing well. Pour the marmalade or preserves over the batter, and mix well again.

Set the filled pan or pans in the center of the lower oven shelf. Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Remove the pans from the oven, set on a wire rack and allow the muffin to cool for a few minutes. Run a metal spatula around the edge of the muffins and immediately remove from the pan. Serve warm.

Nutrition information per serving (with 15 muffins):

Calories173Fat6 gSodium136 mg

Carbohydrates26 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium63 mg

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 1 other carb, 1 fat.

CORIANDER CHEESE STRAWS

Makes about 4 dozen cheese straws.

• 2 to 3 tbsp. coriander seeds

• 8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

• 2 c. all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

• 6 to 8 tbsp. buttermilk or whole milk

• Lightly beaten egg white

Coarsely crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle or whirl in a coffee grinder for a few seconds. Then, scatter the seeds in a small heavy skillet and set on low and heat, stirring for 4 or 5 minutes, just until the seeds are warm and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Cut the butter into inch-size pieces and combine in a large bowl with the cheese. Mix until well blended.

Sift into the bowl the flour and salt, and stir in about half of the coriander seeds. Using fingers or two knives, cut in the flour with the cheese and butter until the mixture resembles tiny peas or very coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle the milk over the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time, using a fork to lift up the dough so all portions are moistened. Quickly form the dough into a ball, squeezing firmly to make it hold a shape.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Roll out 1 piece of dough at a time into a 5- by 10-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/2 -inch wide strips.

Twist the strips like a candy stick and place on the baking sheets, at least an inch apart. Brush the tops lightly with the egg white, and sprinkle lightly with the remaining seeds.

Set the pan on the lower shelf of the hot oven and bake the cheese straws 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning over with a metal spatula at least once.

Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let cool a few minutes, and then remove the straws from the pan with a thin metal spatula.

Roll out and bake the remaining dough in the same way. If not serving immediately, reheat in a hot 350-degree oven for a few minutes before serving.

Calories66Fat4 gSodium72 mg

Carbohydrates4 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium42 mg

Protein2 gCholesterol13 mgDietary fiber0 g

SCALLOPED POTATOES

Serves 6.

• 2 lb. waxy white potatoes, such as Yukon Gold

• 1 tsp. salt, or to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, divided

• 11/2 to 2 c. heavy cream

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 garlic clove, crushed, if desired

• 1/2 c. grated imported Parmesan or Gruyère cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set aside a shallow 2-quart-size ovenproof casserole dish.

Butter the casserole dish with about 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside the rest. Arrange the potato slices in the buttered dish in overlapping slices, forming several layers. Dab the top layer of potatoes all over with pieces of the butter.

Combine in a bowl or cup the 11/2 cups heavy cream, chives, nutmeg and garlic, if desired, and mix until combined. Pour the heavy cream mixture over the potatoes. Cover the dish with a generous layer of foil, tucking tightly at the sides and ends.

Set the dish on the lower oven shelf and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, ladling over the heavy cream with a spoon a couple of times during the baking.

When the potatoes are done, remove the foil from the casserole dish and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. If the potatoes are drying, pour the additional half-cup of heavy cream over them.

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the potatoes. Bake the dish about 20 minutes longer or until the potatoes are lightly brown and the cheese is crispy.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories410Fat30 gSodium576 mg

Carbohydrates29 gSaturated fat19 gCalcium185 mg

Protein7 gCholesterol103 mgDietary fiber4 g