You got it! Dinner in 30 minutes is actually possible.  A famous Food Network celebrity had an entire show dedicated to it.  The concept is a good one as it leaves no excuse to prepare a solid meal.  No need to order out and or make an unhealthy food choice; this time, you are in control and going to eat healthy

Here is a nice, relatively light meal that quick to make, healthy and a great meal for us cyclist. Packed with healthy carbs, lots of greens, and plenty of protein, this meal is a favorite post-rde, early evening recovery choice in our kitchen. 

Ingredient List:

Small Yukon Gold Potatoes

Chard or Kale

Favorite Portion of Fish

Spanish Smoked Paprika (Pimenton)

Garlic

Chili Flake

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - XVO

Salt & Pepper

For the potatoes

•  Set your oven at 375 degrees and on the convection setting.
•  Slice the potatoes about 1/4 “ thin slices.
•  Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and the paprika.  A few shakes of dried rosemary always works nicely too if you have it.
•  Arrange on a baking sheet or a casserole dish fanned out.  This will allow for a faster cook time.
•  In the oven they go.  30 minutes or till tender

For the Greens

• • Wash the greens thoroughly and shake dry.
• • Cut about 1 inch off the bottoms and discard.
• • Slice the greens into ½ inch pieces.
• • In a large sautee pan combine olive oil and the garlic which you have already slivered very thin.
• • Bring up to medium heat in order to “lightly toast” the garlic.
• • Add a sprinkle of chili flake.
• • Add the greens to the pan and stir to coat.
• • Add seasoning to taste and stir to incorporate.
• • A quick splash of water and a lid to cover expedites the braising process at this point.
• • Check your heat and turn down slightly as need.

For the the fish

• • Season with salt and pepper on the flesh side only.
• • Prepare a blue steel pan or a non stick pan will work.
• • Burner on high-preheat the pan.
• • Once hot, add a drizzle of oil and lay the seasoned side of the fish down first. Taking care not to splash and burn ones self.
• • Allow to cook for 3 minutes and carefully turn the fish to the other side.
• • Adjust temp of burner at this point if needed and allow fish to cook through.

Plate up

• Arrange the potatoes, greens and fish on the plate however your creative self feels is appropriate.
• Drizzle with a little XVO and perhaps a squeeze of Meyer Lemon as they are in season now.
• Eat and Enjoy!

There you have it.  A simple, easy preparation, quick cook time and healthy, satisfying meal all rolled into one.  

Enjoy!

Chef Ritchie 

 With the holidays over and entirely too much good food consumed, most of us find ourselves feeling constantly full and even a little sluggish. How does one compensate and get back on track?  My recommendation is to go with a high vegetable diet.  Incorporate in good proteins and alternative carbs. 

Braised winter greens, quinoa or farro and organic poultry is a good place to start.  Leave the heavy sauces behind and opt for extra virgin olive oil and balsamic reduction to garnish.  Think in terms of anti oxidants, cleansing foods and immune boosters.  Garlic, beets, dark green vegetables are always a good way to go throughout the winter.  Lighter, fresher, and cleaner foods will have you back in the saddle, feeling 100% in no time.  

It’s the Holidays.  Keep it Simple

As the Holidays approach, we begin to plan our special meals for those very special days and nights with family and friends.  All too often the desire to impress our guests takes over and far too much time is spent in the kitchen and no enough time is spent with our guests themselves. The risk and time dedicated to trying a new recipe (out of one of those foodie magazines with the pretty pictures) can sometimes end in disaster. Or at the very least, working in the kitchen can consume so much of our time that we loose sight of the purpose of our meal, which for me is to enjoy time with friends and family.  My simple but important advice: KEEP IT SIMPLE. 

To spend more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen, the menu should be simple.  Cooking is based on methodology, technique, watching, tasting and adjusting.  Pay attention to the ingredients before you and give them the respect they deserve.  At some level, it took another individual’s passion to grow, raise or prepare them; now is your cancel to take his or her patience in the field and use them at the table.

 As a professional chef I am constantly asked how to make just about everything imaginable.  Truth is, I have almost no recipes, certainly very few recipes to memory. Unless it pertains to pastry treats, which is an area I have spent much of my culinary career perfecting, I go to the tried & true: the back of the can.    When asked how to make the perfect pumpkin pie, for example, I turn to the best all-American recipe on the back of the can of Libby’s brand pumpkin puree.  Follow it to the T and do not substitute even “pumpkin pie spice” for the individual ingredients and you’ll be more than impressed.  Sound too simple or not authentic? Think again. 

Let this hold true for all your preparations this Holiday season.  Use quality ingredients.  Dairy fresh butter and cream.  Fresh butchered fowl or roasts.  Farm fresh produce and don’t forget the Organic Eggnog.  The bottom line: if you start with quality, prepare the classics that almost every family member and friend love, you will spend more time with them and less in the kitchen.  And I guarantee you will still get rave reviews. 

 Save the cooking magazine recipes for a night with a few friends.  If they are a hit, you look like a champ, if the recipe bombs, well, pop the cork on another bottle of wine.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season.

Cheers, Chris (aka Chef Ritchie)