Cookin' With The Canteen Presents: Fresh Recipes Of Spring

Canteen Crew

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Cookin’ with the Canteen presents: Fresh recipes of Spring!



Spring is here! Time for new and lighter recipes made with fresh ingredients, and lots of wonderful spices!



Mojo!
Would you give us a hand here please?
Sheesh!




No Ma, really!
You don’t have to help..thanks anyway!



Ahem!

Okay, lets’s get started!

Steamed Baby Bok Choy with Broiled Salmon and a Warm Roasted Tomato and Lemon Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
4 bulbs baby bok choy
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 (6-ounce) portions salmon fillets
8 sprigs fresh marjoram

Preheat the oven to broil with the rack 6 to 8 inches below the lighted broiler plate.

Place the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, marjoram, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the lemon juice in a 10-inch saute pan, saute quickly, and set in the oven on the rack. Cook until the tomatoes are well caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Add the basil to the vinaigrette and toss to blend. Set aside until ready to use.

Place the bok choy in a Dutch oven with the water and turn the heat up to high. When the water begins to boil, season the bok choy with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/2 teaspoon white pepper. Place a lid on the pan and steam the bok choy until most of the liquid has evaporated and the bok choy is tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven and slice each bulb in half lengthwise. Place the bok choy, cut side down, on a plate with the leaves in toward the center of the plate and the bulb ends facing towards the rim.

To cook the salmon, lay the fillets in a 12-inch saute pan and season with the remaining salt and remaining black pepper. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the salmon, arrange marjoram sprigs over top, and broil in the oven until the salmon is browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and lay the salmon on the bed of bok choy. Top with the tomato and lemon vinaigrette.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Tartlets

From The Food Network:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 1/2 ounces mild goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 large eggs, separated
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Chopped chives, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with the chives.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Rosemary From New Best Recipes:

Ingredients
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary , or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crushed
1 leg of lamb, cleaned, boned, and tied
2 medium cloves garlic , each peeled and cut lengthwise into 8 slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and rosemary in a small bowl.

Cut slits into roast with point of paring knife; poke garlic slivers inside. Rub seasoning onto all surfaces of meat, then coat with olive oil. Place leg meat side up on roasting pan fitted with wire or mesh roasting rack; let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast lamb for 10 minutes.

With a wad of paper towels in each hand, turn the leg over. Roast 10 minutes longer.

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Again, turn leg meaty-side up and continue rosting, turning leg every 20 minutes until instant-read thermometer, when inserted in several locations, registers 130 to 135 degrees, 60 to 80 minutes longer. Transfer roast to another pan; cover with foil and set aside in a warm spot to complete cooking and allow juices to reabsorb into the tissues, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove string from roast and carve. Transfer sliced lamb to a warm serving platter.

The Canteen is a place for our Troops and their
families to rest, relax, and relate.
Please leave thy politics at the door.
A gentle reminder from Ms. B~

[Publius]

How about some easy-to-satisfy hunger? How about something you don't have to cook? A Spanish recipe from my late (Italian) mother's cookbook:

GAZPACHO

1 clove garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 lb ripe tomatoes
1/3 cup green peppers, finely chopped
1/3 cup white onions, finely chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup wine vinegar
salt
pepper

Mash the garlic with 1/4 tsp olive oil, and rub it around the bowl. Peel the tomatoes, and chop them into chucks, but don’t crush or mash the tomatoes too much. Leave them chunky. Add the remaining ingredients, and refrigerate for 3 hours. Serve chilled.

[luvie]

Steaks don’t have faces. :D

[eleni121]

Lots of Greek recipes there... a good one is stewed lemon-oregano - chicken in olive oil...over a bed of rice or new potatoes..or whatever.

Lots of lemon and it is soo good.

Health nuts: remove skin of chicken before cooking.

[luvie]

Glad to see you, too! (((hugs)))

[PROCON]

In 1971, in Vietnam, we were boiling water in our canteen cup over a sliver of lit C-4! LOL!

[ConorMacNessa]

Brings back memories, Pro! We cooked everything over C-4.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Publius]

I recall the instructions we received at ROTC boot camp in 1970 concerning C-4.

"It's OK to light a fire with it, but I wouldn't advise stamping on it."

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Got one for you:

Petesch Family Ranch Dressing

1 qt mayonnaise
1 qt buttermilk
2 heaping tsps garlic salt
2 tsps onion salt
1 tsp MSG
1 tbsp coarse ground pepper
2 heaping tbsp parsley flakes

Mix all ingredients in a bowl to consistency.

This is a good base recipe. Father-in-law adds dill. My sister-in-law and I add 2 habaneros, 2 jalapenos and 2 serranos (use a food processor). Hot, but great on EVERYTHING, especially baked potatoes.

[ConorMacNessa]

Beans and bangers in the early morning!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[PROCON]

I hear polar bear tastes just like chicken!

[SevenofNine]

Hey LUV maybe Chinese are changing their attitude

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterfoster/100036849/chinas-changing-attitudes-to-animals/

[MS.BEHAVIN]

I did a thread on MREs once..
Sarge called them “Meals rejected By The Enemy”
LOL

[Publius]

Bangers?

I recall a bit of dialog from the very first episode of "The Jeffersons" in 1975.

GEORGE JEFFERSON: Why are they called bangers?

MR. BENTLEY: Eat one and you'll find out.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

That sounds wonderful!
(I leave the skin ON)
LOL

[luvie]

Mmmmmm...I have always wanted to try that recipe and here is
an original! Thanks!

I like ANYTHING I don’t have to actually cook! LOL!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

YUM!!!
I always save these threads for the new recipes that folks share with us!
Thanks so much!

[ConorMacNessa]

C-rats were bearable - but a couple of times, they came out to the bush and cooked us steaks - and a pair of canned beers. I used to trade off stuff with guys for their beers.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[PROCON]

Hey, MRE’s were after my time, but I’m sure they are better than C-ration cold turkey loaf! LOL!

[mylife]

Yom!

Nice thread Ms B!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, ms b, for today's Fresh Recipes of Spring