• preparation

Cut cod into serving-size portions. Pat dry. Dredge lightly in flour. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown cod lightly on both sides and arrange in 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish. Sprinkle with feta.

Pour remaining oil into skillet; cook onion, garlic and green pepper, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes; crush with fork and stir in olives, oregano, pepper flakes and sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste; spoon over fish. (Dish can be made ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Add 5 minutes to baking time.) Bake uncovered in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 15 minutes or until bubbly.

• preparation

Wash broccoli and cut into small florets. Steam in a microwave steamer or over boiling water until barely tender and still bright green.
Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, just until the garlic starts to soften. Add water, and the cayenne if desired. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Place the broccoli in a large serving bowl.
Pour the garlic mixture over it, mixing gently to coat. Serve hot or cold.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place roasting chicken in large pan.
In glass measure, combine stock, wine, bay leaf, tarragon and thyme; pour over chicken. Cover pan with foil.
Bake 1 1/2 hours or until drumsticks move easily in sockets. Remove pan from heat; set aside to cool completely.
Remove chicken to board; strain stock and reserve for another use, such as soup.
Remove all meat from chicken, discarding skin and bones; cut meat into 2-by 1-inch pieces. Place chicken meat in large bowl; refrigerate, covered up to 24 hours.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well; rinse under running water.
Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces; add to snow peas and chicken, along with red pepper and almonds.
Dressing:
In food processor, combine onion, parsley, sugar, basil, tarragon and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; process until creamy and well combined. Add dressing to salad; toss well. Spoon unto serving platter. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

• preparation

Soak the salted cod fish in cold water for 12 hours.
Cook in simmering water for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool and clean, debone and flake the fish.

In a mixing bowl , mix the flour and water to from a paste.
add the fish, scallions, Scotch Bonnet chile, garlic, onion and seasoning.
add the egg yolks and vinegar
just before cooking, add baking soda and beaten egg whites.
Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of corn oil to 350 to 375 degrees in a heavy cast-iron pot or deep fryer. Drop the acras into it by the teaspoonful. Fry until they are light brown, turning once. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve the accras as soon as they are ready with lemon wedges and curried mayonnaise sauce.

• preparation

Season cod with salt and pepper. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
In blender or food processor, combine chives, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil until thick and paste like. Remove cod from plastic wrap. Pat with paper towel to remove excess salt and moisture. Cut cod into four portions. Transfer to baking dish, and coat with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add olive oil to coat pan. When it is hot, add cod. Shake pan to be sure fillets do not stick. Add butter, a little at a time, shaking pan so butter slides under cod and combines with oil. Sauté until browned.
Transfer to oven, and roast until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately over corn pudding. Garnish with red pepper coulis.

CORN PUDDING
serves 4
Place corn in small saucepan; add stock. Heat over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently and pressing with the back of a spoon, until reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornmeal. Whisk in butter and continue to cook, until melted and heated through.

RED PEPPER COULIS:

Grill or broil red pepper until blackened all over, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Peel, halve and seed; chop and set aside. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until golden, 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, roasted pepper, basil, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Purée in blender or food processor.

SOURCE
Martha Stewart Living Television

• preparation

1. Rinse fresh blue mussels in tap water.
2. Place all ingredients (not the marinate ingredients) in a large sauce pan with a lid and steam for 5 to 7 minutes until fresh blue mussels are steamed.
3. Remove mussels, discarding any that do not open.
4. When cool, shuck mussels and place meats in a large serving dish.

Marinade
1. Combine ingredients in an air-tight container and shake vigorously to blend.
2. Pour over fresh blue mussels. 3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

• preparation

Clean and wash mussels under cold running water and debeard.
Heat the butter in a kettle. Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes. Add half of the parsley, pepper, wine, and mussels.
Cover and steam until mussels open.
Serve in soup bowls with the strained cooking liquid. Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.

• preparation

Melt butter in large heavy deep skillet. Add leeks and saute until tender.
Combine mussels, wine and parsley sprigs in Dutch oven. Cover and cook over high heat until mussels open. Transfer mussels to a bowl, discarding any that do not open.
Strain mussel juice into skillet containing leeks. Add saffron and cream; boil until reduced to sauce consistency. Stir in minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Add mussels and any remaining juices to skillet. Stir and heat through.

• preparation

Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan.

To make the cake:
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and mix on low speed until fine crumbs form. Change to the whisk attachment.
With the machine running on medium speed, whisk in the oil, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and orange juice.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time and then increase the speed to high and whisk the batter until light, about 3 minutes,
scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

To make the syrup and glaze:
While the cake bakes, whisk together in a small bowl the orange juice concentrate, butter, rum, and 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar.
When the cake is done, set the pan on a rack to cool for 5 minutes. With a thin skewer,
poke the cake all the way through to the bottom of the pan in several places.
Pour 1/3 cup of the syrup over the cake and let stand for 1 hour before removing the cake from the pan.
(At this point you can wrap the cake in plastic and hold for up to 3 days at room temperature; in fact, the flavor only improves.)
Cover the remaining syrup with plastic and store at room temperature.

When ready to serve, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into the remaining syrup.
Set the cake on a rack over a baking sheet and pour the glaze over the cake.
Let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

• preparation

Cut lobster meat into chunks.
Wash and scrub the live mussels, and remove beards. Cover sausage with water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Use kielbassa or other garlic smoked pork sausage.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown both sides in half of the oil.
In a heavy cast iron pot, heat the remaining oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, peppers, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add chopped seeded tomatoes.
Stir in rice, saffron and stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the browned chicken, all seafood and sliced sausage.
Bake 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
Steam peas for 5 minutes and sprinkle on top. Serve hot in serving dish.

• preparation

For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:
1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, diced peeled tomatoes and the white wine. Cook 9 to 12 minutes, stirring over low heat. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.
For the Cod:
1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Pat the cod dry with paper towels. Then season both sides of cod with salt and pepper.
2. Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the cod over and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, OR until it's cooked through.
3. Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod, let the sauce warm up for a minute, then remove from heat and and serve at once.

• preparation

Stir sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil syrup 1 minute. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.
Puree plums and raspberries in food processor. Strain puree through fine sieve into medium bowl. Add syrup, lemon juice to taste and salt and blend well.
Process in ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions. Spoon sorbet into covered container and freeze. (can be prepared 2 days ahead.) Scoop sorbet into bowls.
Garnish with plums, raspberries and mint.

• preparation

Season pork scallopine with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.
Heat butter in a non-stick frying pan. Brown pork scallopines about 3 minutes on each side.
Set aside on a plate.
Add mushrooms, pickles, capers and vinegar to pan. Heat for 5 minutes.
Add brown sauce.
Add pork slices and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Chestnut puree:
Drain and rinse chestnuts. Puree in a food processor with cream and honey until smooth.
Serve pork with garnish and chestnut puree.

• preparation

Place eggplant in non-reactive bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove to a clean kitchen towel and tightly twist to squeeze out all moisture. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in sauté pan. Add eggplant and shallots and sauté until very tender. Remove from heat.
Peel potatoes. Using a mandoline, shred potatoes into a clean kitchen towel. Tightly squeeze out moisture.
Heat vegetables in 1/4 cup of oil in a 9-inch ovenproof, nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Using a spatula, evenly press half of the potatoes into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the reserved eggplant over the top. Pat remaining potatoes evenly over the eggplant. Again season to taste. Cook, until bottom is golden.
Carefully turn and dab the crust with bits of butter. Cook until bottom begins to crisp. Place in oven and bake until potatoes are cooked and tart is golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes. Using sharp serrated knife, cut into 6 wedges.

• preparation

In a coffee grinder or spice grinder, grind dried mushrooms to the consistency of coffee. Set aside.
Beat egg in a bowl, with salt and pepper. Dip lamb in flour, shaking off excess. Dip it into egg, and then into mushrooms.
Pat mushrooms to adhere; coat lamb heavily. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Cook leeks in salted boiling water. Drain, and puree with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve. In a medium skillet, heat half of the oil. Saute mushrooms, garlic and thyme until mushrooms are tender.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place remaining oil in an oven-proof skillet. Heat to medium-high. Add lamb.
Cook for 2 minutes on one side. Turn and place skillet in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes for rare, medium-rare, (125 degrees) or longer for medium. Let lamb rest for 5 minutes then cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices.
Place a dollop of leek purée on each plate; top with portions of mushrooms. Place lamb on top.

• preparation

Remove outer endive leaves and discard. Separate leaves. Remove long stems from spinach. Wash and spin dry.
Drain artichoke hearts and cut each in half. Slice onions into thin rings. Cut garlic clove in half.
Using the cut side, rub garlic around the inside of a salad bowl. Combine endive, spinach, and artichoke hearts in salad bowl.
Scatter onion rings over greens.
Chop hard-cooked egg.
In a small bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and shredded endive stem, and pour over salad. Sprinkle with chopped egg before serving.

• preparation

Trim endives and separate leaves.
Arrange endive leaves, shrimp, cucumber and carrot slices on individual cold plates.
Serve with sauce.

• preparation

Cut the octopus into large pieces. Slice the fish into 1-2 inch cubes. Peel the shrimp and wash the scallops. Toss each of them with some salt and set aside separately.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stew pot over medium-high heat for a minute or two, then add the onion and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add the green and red bell peppers and the baby octopus.

Saute the octopus, peppers and onion for a minute or two, then add the garlic and mix well. Cook for one minute, then turn the heat up all the way and add the white wine.Mix well, and add the hot and sweet paprika and mix again. Let the mixture boil fiercely until half the wine is boiled away.Add the chopped sage and rosemary, then the fish stock. stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let this cook for 35-40 minutes.Test for salt and add if needed. Test a piece of octopus: If it is tender, proceed. If not, cook a bit longer.Once the octopus is tender, add the tomatoes, the shrimp, fish and scallops, then add half the parsley. Cook this at a simmer for 4-5 minutes.Add the rest of the parsley and the basil. Stir to combine and serve.

• preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 420°F (215°C).
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and anise seeds in a bowl. Set aside. Pour the olive oil into a measuring cup or another bowl with the water, then add the sugar and yeast and mix well. Set aside for a few minutes for the yeast to become frothy.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the yeast mixture, using a fork to gradually mix in the flour. When everything starts to come together, use your hands to mix it into a lovely, smooth dough. If the dough is sticky as heck, add some or all of the remaining flour, a little at a time, until a smooth dough forms.
4. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets, then dust them with confectioners’ sugar. Lightly flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin with all-purpose flour. Divide your dough into 12 equal-size pieces and shape each one into a ball, then roll out each ball until it’s almost translucent and about 5 inches in diameter. Place each torta on a baking sheet and lightly brush with some beaten egg white. Dust the biscuits lightly with confectioners’ sugar and then scatter a little raw sugar.
5. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Watch the tortas closely as they can burn in seconds. Immediately transfer the tortas to wire racks to cool for as long as you can resist tucking in. The tortas sorta flake and crumble as you take a bite, and will then quickly dissolve into sweet nothingness within a matter of seconds. So lovely.
*00 FLOUR NOTE
Look for 00 flour at Italian delis and markets, specialty stores, and some grocery stores.

• preparation

Saute onions and peppers in butter over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer until tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Strain in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped parsley.
Make individual omelets with the egg mixture.

• preparation

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top.

• preparation

In a small bowl, combine wine, sugar, and almond extract. Peel, half and slice peaches. Layer strawberries and peaches in dessert glasses.
Pour the red wine syrup over and serve. Can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead.

• preparation

Sauce:
In a heavy large saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer to a thick syrup consistency, about 30 min. Cool.
Crust:
Boil apricots and water. Remove from heat. Let stand until fruit is soft. Drain apricots and pat dry. Place in food processor. Add sugar and egg whites and process apricots are minced. Add 1/2 cup coconut and process until minced.
Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in remaining coconut. Freeze until firm.
Wrap heavy-duty foil around outside of 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch high sides. Spoon coconut mixture into pan. Spread over bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan to form crust. Bake crust until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and salt in large bowl until smooth. Add sour cream, rum, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until well blended.
Add eggs and beat until blended. Transfer to crust.
Bake cheese cake until brown, and firm in center, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Arrange berry halves over top of cake. Garnish with mint, if desired.
Serve with strawberry sauce.

• preparation

Puree 1/2 of the strawberries. Strain. Combine with orange juice. In a small bowl, mix gelatin with 2 tablespoons orange-strawberry juice. Stir to dissolve, and let soften for 5 minutes. Warm gelatin over low heat. Stir into orange-strawberry juice. Add sugar, and stir to dissolve.
Freeze in ice cream maker.
Slice remaining strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar if needed. Scoop sherbet into bowls. Top with strawberries.

• preparation

Clean the tomatoes and cut the top off. Empty the inside with the help of a spoon, keeping the pulp and top. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Blend the pulp with a hand blender, adding oil, basil, the tomato juice, a bit of sugar, salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of apple vinegar and dried fruits. When it’s mixed, add a little more salt and store the gazpacho in the refrigerator. Stuff the creamy cheese inside the tomatoes, cover it with the lid chopped off earlier and add some pepper and oil. It will be inserted in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees for it to scald and the cheese to melt.
Presentation
Pour the gazpacho into soup bowls and place the tomatoes on top, sprinkle a bit of parsley or chives over, and decorate it with a basil leaf. Serve immediately when cold.

• preparation

In a saucepan combine wine, orange juice and honey. Split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the pan using the tip of the knife. Add the pod and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced to about one cup (about 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and add the raisins. Set aside to cool then remove vanilla pod. Cut off the orange peel with a knife. Separate the segments free from all membranes. Repeat with remaining citrus, removing seeds. Add all fruit to the cooled liquid. Spoon into glasses.

• preparation

Cut cod into serving-size portions. Pat dry. Dredge lightly in flour. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown cod lightly on both sides and arrange in 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish. Sprinkle with feta.

Pour remaining oil into skillet; cook onion, garlic and green pepper, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes; crush with fork and stir in olives, oregano, pepper flakes and sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste; spoon over fish. (Dish can be made ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Add 5 minutes to baking time.) Bake uncovered in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 15 minutes or until bubbly.

• preparation

In a large bowl with water, soak beans overnight.
When you are ready to make your stew, in a large heavy-bottom soup pot, over medium heat, add the oil and bacon. Cook until crisp and transfer to a plate.
Use the same saucepan to brown ribs and sausages in batches. Set aside.
If needed, add more oil to the pan. On medium-high, sauté onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add them to the pot along with the ribs, bacon, sausages, salt, pepper, bay leave. Cover with water (about 8 cups).
Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for 2 to 2 and a half hours, or until the beans are soft and the stew has thickened.

Serve with white rice and sprinkle some farofa on top.
Notes
* 1 pound dry beans = 2 cups dry beans = 6 cups cooked beans (Feel free to substitute drained, canned beans if desired.)
Recipe inspired by curioucuisiniere.com

• preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then reduce the heat so that the water is simmering. Add the salt cod and cover tightly. Turn off the heat and let the cod sit until the fish can be pulled apart with a fork but is still moist, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the water. When cool enough to handle, remove any bones and break up the fish.
Put the fish in a food processor and process until uniformly mashed. Add 2 of the eggs and process until well incorporated and the mixture is fluffy. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the parsley, garlic, onion, mayonnaise, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Gradually add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and mix them in; stop adding when the mixture is stiff. Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into small disks about 2 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick.
In a bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs; put the flour on one piece of waxed paper and the remaining breadcrumbs on another.
Dredge the disks in the flour, dip in the beaten egg, and roll in the breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a deep stockpot to 375 degrees. Deep fry the fritters, a few at a time, until deep golden brown. Drain the fritters on paper towels.
Serve with tomato sauce, mayonnaise or tartar sauce.

• preparation

Soak the salted cod fish in cold water for 12 hours.
Cook in simmering water for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool and clean, debone and flake the fish.

In a mixing bowl , mix the flour and water to from a paste.
add the fish, scallions, Scotch Bonnet chile, garlic, onion and seasoning.
add the egg yolks and vinegar
just before cooking, add baking soda and beaten egg whites.
Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of corn oil to 350 to 375 degrees in a heavy cast-iron pot or deep fryer. Drop the acras into it by the teaspoonful. Fry until they are light brown, turning once. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve the accras as soon as they are ready with lemon wedges and curried mayonnaise sauce.

• preparation

Melt butter in a frying pan. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes over low heat. Chop potatoes coarsely. Flake the cod flesh. Combine potatoes, salt and pepper, onion, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley.
Add the flaked fish and blend well. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and smooth it over. Chill.
Shape the mixture into 12 round cakes. Coat the cakes with breadcrumbs.
Heat half of oil and butter in a skillet, and brown the cakes on both sides about 4-5 minutes per side.

• preparation

Place crab in sieve. Remove lobster from shell;dice and add to crab. Press out liquid and remove any visible cartilage or shell. Whisk eggs, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in crumbs, onion, dill, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauces, salt and pepper. Mix in crab and lobster.
With damp hands, form by 1/4 cupfuls into 8 cakes, each scant 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush large non-stick skillet with oil; place over medium heat.
Fry cakes, in batches if necessary and brushing lightly with oil if needed, until golden and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Roasted Pepper Coulis:
Meanwhile, grill or broil red pepper until blackened all over, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Peel, halve and seed; chop and set aside. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until golden, 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, roasted pepper, basil, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Purée in blender or food processor.

Dill Cream:
In saucepan, boil wine until reduced to 1/4 cup. Pour in cream; boil for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, mash butter and flour until smooth; whisk into pan. Simmer, whisking, until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in dill, salt and pepper. Reheat coulis; pool generous 2 tablespoons each of the coulis and dill cream separately onto each warmed plate. Top with 2 crab-and-lobster cakes.

• preparation

For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:
1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, diced peeled tomatoes and the white wine. Cook 9 to 12 minutes, stirring over low heat. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, sugar, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.
For the Cod:
1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Pat the cod dry with paper towels. Then season both sides of cod with salt and pepper.
2. Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the cod over and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, OR until it's cooked through.
3. Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod, let the sauce warm up for a minute, then remove from heat and and serve at once.

• preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C), and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a saucepan, bring to a rolling boil the sugar, water, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick.
3. Separately, whisk the milk, flour, and salt together very thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes or until well combined and thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Once cooled, whisk in the egg yolks. Then add the sugar syrup (removing the cinnamon stick), and mix until everything is well-combined. Strain into a bowl.
5. Meanwhile, cut the puff pastry sheet into two pieces and place them on top of each other. Tightly roll the sheets into a log, from the short side. Next, cut the log into 12 evenly sized pieces.
6. Place one piece in each of the 12 wells of the muffin tin. press down into the center of the dough piece and press outwards to form a cup with the pastry. The pastry cup should have its top edge just above the top of the well of the muffin tin.
7. Fill each pastry cup 3/4 of the way to the top with custard.
8. Place the tray in the oven and bake until the custard starts to caramelize and blister and the pastry goes golden brown (10-12 minutes). Cool pastries before serving.

• preparation

Wash peppers. Cut in halves. Remove seeds. Place in a pan. Broil until peppers are browned. Cover with foil until cooled. Peel peppers. Puree peppers, cream or mascarpone in a food processor. Add the eggs, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
Butter six 4-ounce timbales. Fill with red pepper puree. Place in a baking pan. Pour hot water in pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake timbales, until they are just firm to the touch. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Place sliced salmon in the center of 6 round plates.
Invert mousse over salmon. Serve with a dab of anchovy cream.

• preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

• preparation

In a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, cook chicken until browned, stirring often, set aside chicken.
Add broth, water, carrots, green beans, basil and garlic powder. Heat to a boil.
Stir in rice. Cover and simmer over low heat 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken and rice are done. Garnish with peas and serve.