It was a mix of all the right ingredients and although rustic, far from ordinary. They had a secret ingredient I’ll share below

I posted this recipe eleven years ago am I’m reposting with new pictures. It was a post that expressed how I feel about food, and particularly developing recipes you will actually make and enjoy. I still feel the same way in what I believe this blog is all about. It’s about you and how to make your life more delicious, more enjoyable in an easy, approachable style.

 Some people think that hat good food can only be achieved if you spend hours in the kitchen.

No one, not even a passionate foodie type, food blogger has several free hours to make each and every meal.  I now own a keto bakery and cooking is a lot more challenging for me.

When I boil down the reasons I blog about food, it’s not really for me. I can go in the kitchen and come out happy any time of day. I also know many of you didn’t grow up with my background.

I was exposed to home cooking and fine dining since the day I was born. I was also that girl who lived with one parent, and especially the years I lived with my father, I did all the cooking. The meals became important in rough times. Sometimes sitting to have nice food together was the only normal I felt.

When I write out recipes, I write them for you so you can have some normal in your day, to bring good smells, tastes, and bites of pleasure to your family. If you’re going through something, at least you can sit and eat together and smile through the food.

After all these years of writing this blog, my passion rests in getting my readers to try new foods, new flavors with ease and joy. This means it has be fast, easy, approachable, understandable and yet, still have last meal goodness.

My husband says “if I had a choice between this dish and sex, I would have a hard time choosing. There is no other food on earth I can say that about.” That’s a huge testimony to this dish.

Main Ingredients

• Scallops
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Anchovies
• Bucatini
• Garlic
• Sliced Almonds
• Breadcrumbs (optional)

Pesto

There are many ways to make pesto. This recipe was made with pestle and mortar, which allowed me to add oil as I wanted. I crushed the basil with garlic confit, toasted almonds first, and gradually added olive oil. Salt before you taste, because salt finishes it. I also added an Italian cracked chili pepper. I also replaced the pine nuts with sliced almonds, as they are more affordable.

TIPS: If you don’t have enough basil (2 cups) do half and half with Italian parsley.

Anchovies, the Secret Ingredient

Do not let the anchovies scare you. When you are at the grocery store just pick up a can and trust me. Melt them into your olive oil. They may gross you out at first, but once the basil pesto sauce is layered over the pasta, you won’t even know the anchovies are there. They are an amazing flavor enhancer, giving any dish that umami oomph.

Actually pick up a few cans. Melt anchovies into olive oil and cook broccoli or cauliflower and taste the flavor boost.

Why Bucatini?

Bucatini is a large hollow spaghetti, which will absorb the flavors, and has a great bite to it.You could use linguini or spaghetti but bucatini is a favorite with this type of sauce.

Seared Scallops

I used smaller scallops that actually work better, because they are bite size and more affordable. You could also do large scallops. See Variations below.

So tell me, are you interested in fast, easy dishes that are amazing? Would you like to see more of these types of recipes?

Variations in this Recipe

• Replace the scallops with shrimp, or combination.
• Replace the scallops with broccoli florets.
• Replace the scallops with chick peas, green peas, or white beans.
• Replace bucatini with spaghetti or linguini, or even gnocchi.

More Recipes with Pesto from Spinach Tiger

• Zucchini Garlic Scape Pesto
• Ricotto Peas Pesto Appetizer
• Caprese Salad with Pesto
• Baked Red Snapper with Pistachio Pesto

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Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops

Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops, Toasted Almonds

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Bucatini, pesto, scallops

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound bucatini pasta
• 2 tablespoons salt for the pasta water
• 1 pound scallops
• 1/3 cup tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small can achovies approximately 6 to 8 packed in olive oil
• salt
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs optional

Pesto Sauce

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon sliced almonds toasted, divided

Instructions

• Toast breadcrumbs either in oven until golden or in dry frying pan. Toast pine nuts or sliced almonds. Set both aside. You can skip the breadcrumbs if you want to.

Pesto Sauce

• Make Pesto Sauce, by combining basil, garlic olive oil in food processor or magic bullet, or by hand with mortar and pestle, reserving one tablespoon of toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds for garnish. Set aside.

  TIP: Mortar and pestle is the best way to go. The color will remain brighter green.
  
• Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add ample amount of salt to pasta water.
• Cook bucatini or spaghetti one minute less than directions to al dente. Pasta will finish cooking in sauce. While pasta is cooking, make scallops.
• Cook and drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. You won't use all of that, probably a few tablespoons.

Sear Scallops

• Bring scallops to near room temperature. Ice cold scallops won’t cook inside.
  
• Remove muscle, a little rubbery piece on side of scallop.
• Pat dry. Season with salt and pepper
• Use a pan (not non-stick) that is large enough to give each scallop plenty of room. I use all-clad 12 inch pan.
• When scallops are crowded, they steam, instead of caramelize.
• Add enough butter in pre-heated pan that when melted, pan is covered. Add in a little bit of olive oil.
• Add scallops to hot pan, and do not try to turn until they are brown and no longer stick, 4-6 minutes, less for smaller scallops, which take 2-3 minutes.
• Turn and cook for a few more minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

Assemble dish

• In same frying pan heat 1/3 cup olive oil on medium heat.
• Add anchovies, breaking up with a wooden spoon until they are melted.
• Add cooked pasta.
• Add in pesto sauce. Only use as much as needed. You may have some left over.
• Add in pasta water, as much as you need, so pasta is not dry. Toss.
• Add Scallops.
• Season with salt if needed and some cracked red pepper.
• Cover dish with toasted sliced almonds. Can sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs to finish dish.
  
• Serve immediately.
  

The post Bucatini with Basil Pesto and Seared Scallops appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Green Goddess originated in San Francisco with Chef Philip Roemer of the Palace Hotel  to honor an actor who was starring in a play called “The Green Goddess.” Many recipes originate in San Francisco and that’s no surprise, as its still my favorite food town.

Recipes for Green Goddess dressing vary, but the original was mayonnaise and sour cream based chives, parsley, anchovies and vinegar. Some have since added avocado, Worcestershire, and some have replaced anchovies with capers. I highly recommend the original mayo/sour cream version with anchovies and adding in tarragon.

Tarragon has a licorice flavor, only fresher and while a little goes a long way, it adds that extra layer of flavor.

Green Goddess does not have to be limited to salad. It’s great for a crudité plate or fried seafood. Back in the day they poured it over canned artichokes, which was considered a luxury at the time. I can see the dressing with fresh artichokes. I might want to mix it with the yolks for a tangy deviled egg.

Ingredients for Green Goddess Dressing

• Mayonnaise
• Sour Cream
• Lemon Juice
• Anchovies or Capers
• Parsley
• Chives
• Tarragon
• Salt, Pepper

I hope you make this dressing, as it’s not only beautiful, it’s a layer of flavors that are tangy, herbacious, and will add excitement to your lettuce or veggies.

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Green Goddess Dressing

Homemade Green Goddess with Fresh Herbs for Salads and Crudite

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword Green Goddess Dressing, Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons tarragon chopped
• 3 anchovies chopped
• 1 cup parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together.
• Refrigerate for a few hours prior to serving, if possible.

The post Green Goddess Dressing Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It’s been way too long since Spinach Tiger posted a pasta recipe, and I’ve come back with one that is so scrumptious, we made it two nights in a row.

My pasta with salmon recipe hits all the notes if you like Mediterranean flavors (and who doesn’t) and there’s the added benefit of cauliflower.

I used salmon, which because of it’s high fat content and texture, works so well with pasta. The last time I made a pasta dish this good was when I made this hazelnut crusted tuna with homemade pasta. The secret ingredient in this dish is the anchovies, which melted into olive oil. Do not let that scare you. The anchovies add an umami boost but you don’t know they’re there. You may not know this, but there are anchovies in Worcestershire sauce.

This pasta with salmon recipe is such a stunning and scrumptious dish. and yet only takes about twenty minutes to make.

A few months ago we were in San Francisco and I bought some Papparadelle’s Pasta. I discovered this pasta years ago at a Denver farmer’s market. They make over 50 varieties including a low carb and gluten free. We chose several to bring back for friends (like sweet potato orzo) and picked up a few low-carb pastas that I was surprised to like.

In this pasta with pasta with salmon recipe, I chose the four-peppercorn fettuccini and it’s only 7 carbs per 2 ounces (dried). There is no other low-carb pasta on the market that I know of that I can eat with such gusto. It’s very high protein and you do have to cook it for about 14 minutes. You can order at their website.

The Process for Pasta with Salmon Recipe

I baked the salmon in the oven, for about 7 minutes, but you can also pan fry. I melted the anchovies in olive oil, added garlic, thinly sliced cauliflower and more olive oil as I needed it. Once the pasta was cooked, I added it to this frying pan with some cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. I had an after thought that some crumbled feta on top would be amazing, so I’ll include that as an option to the recipe.

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Play Around: Try Scallops

On another night I repeated this recipe with seared scallops.

• Bring scallops to room temperature.
• Remove that little muscle found on the side.
• Dry with paper towels. Use Medium to medium high heat.
• Place some coconut oil or avocado oil in the pan.
• Get the oil hot. Add scallops. Do NOT turn over until they turn easily. If using an all clad pan, only use medium heat.

You could also make this with other fish, or seafood, such as shrimp and lobster or any mix.

You may also like these dishes from Spinach Tiger

Scallops with Pasta

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Pasta with Salmon, Olives, Cauliflower in Twenty Minutes

A medley of pasta, cauliflower, olives, tomatoes, herbs for an easy, delicious Mediterranean style dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound salmon
• 4 ounces pasta see notes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil
• 4 anchovies optional
• 2 cups cauliflower sliced thinly in small pieces
• 4 garlic cloves diced
• 1 shallot diced
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 -8 kalamata olives
• 6 grape tomatoes cut in half or sun dried tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• Heat two tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil in pan to medium high heat.
• Melt 4 anchovies in hot oil. You will not taste these, but they add a layer of flavor.
• Add cauliflower.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Fry until cauliflower is mostly golden brown. Drain Set aside.
• Put salmon in oven at 400 degrees for ten minutes or until done, but not overdone.
• In meantime, cook pasta according to directions.
• Make sure to heavily salt the water once pasta boils and then add pasta.
• Drain pasta, but reserve a little bit of the pasta water.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add in garlic and shallot until softened.
• Add cauliflower back. Add in cooked pasta and a little bit of pasta water, just enough to make sure pasta is not dry.
• Cut salmon into pieces and add to pasta.
• Season with salt, pepper.
• Add olives, tomatoes.
• Add in more olive oil if necessary.
• Top with fresh herbs.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

I used low-carb pasta from papparadelle's.

The post Pasta with Salmon Recipe, Mediterranean Style (with Low Carb Pasta) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Yesterday a friend asked me for something different as a Thanksgiving side dish.  I tend to cling to traditional recipes with one hand, while twisting them and turning them a bit modern with another. The Thanksgiving table has to have turkey, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, potatoes, corn pudding, gravy, green beans and stuffing, but not often in the usual heavy way, although let’s face it, it’s a feast no matter what.

This month the Five Star Foodie Challenge was squash, and  I submitted a pumpkin pie with a the surprise ingredient, using cream cheese instead of eggs, and reinventing the pumpkin pie into a pumpkin tart. In this side dish, the secret ingredient is still a secret, unless you want to peruse the recipe to find out. You may be quite surprised and you might even squiggle up your nose, but trust me, it makes sense in the end and you won’t know it’s there. It will do its little magic in exciting the dish but not be imposing at the end.

The Process is easy, although the butternut squash is quite daunting if you ever tried to take your knife through one. This is why I always peel it first, then assess the easiest way to cut into it with my sharpest knife. Once it’s cut in half, and seeds are scraped, simply cut into cubes, drizzle the holy marriage of olive oil and sea salt and then roast.

There is much latitude with this recipe. One day I used torn bread pieces, toasted and added in panzanella style. On another day, I added in some purple potatoes and salad greens (as pictured at the top) for a very colorful dish. You could even replace the butternut squash with cubed sweet potatoes for yet another take on this. But, do use Brussels sprouts, and do use that secret ingredient.

More Thanksgiving Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Brussels Sprouts Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Thanksgiving Side: Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and a Secret Ingredient

A medley of Butternut Squash, Brussells sprouts,

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• olive oil
• 10 Brussels sprouts
• 3 slices Italian bread
• 3 anchovies
• Fresh sage leaves for adding in dish and garnishing.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Peel butternut squash. Slice in half, scoop out seeds.
• Cut into large cubes, toss with olive oil and roast for 20-30 minutes (until soft).
• Cut stale Italian Bread in cubes (or tear in bite size pieces). Toast in oven.
• Clean Brussels Sprouts. Slice thinly to shred.
• Heat olive oil in pan. Fry sage leaves until crisp. Remove. Set Aside for garnish. Melt anchovies in hot oil. Add Brussels Sprouts. Saute until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add in a pinch of freshly chopped sage.Add in squash, bread pieces, and season with black pepper and salt as needed. Keep in mind anchovies are salty. Garnish with sage leaves.

The post Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and a Secret Ingredient appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is all dressed up food crack. One bite and you’re hooked, because it’s a food experience that wakes up your senses and brings a lot of satisfying texture. Anchovies, crushed red pepper, garlic, capers, kalamata olives and Italian parsley come together to create a spicy, sultry, fabulous dish.

While Ahi Tuna is usually prepared with Asian flavors, Ahi works very well with a Mediterranean profile because it’s mild of flavor,  yet meaty, bringing an incredible texture and balance to bigger, bolder flavors.  It has a lot of heat, salt, and acid. The anchovy sauce by itself could be a bit overwhelming, but put it with pasta and back it up with a hazelnut crusted Ahi Tuna and everything balances out just wonderfully.

Once prepped, you can literally make this dish in under 15 minutes, but this is not fast food.  This is dinner party food.  This is a dish your friends will talk about and come back for more.

I’ve been meaning to make this dish that’s been in my head for over four years, but it took All-Clad to make it happen. When I agreed to create a recipe in exchange for receiving a 10 inch frying pan,  I knew it was time.  It  takes this kind of pan to make the dish and it takes this kind of  dish to show off this pan.

Why All Clad

Part of the joy of writing a blog is to inspire people back into the kitchen. I am serious about my cookware.  I had already been a huge fan of All-Clad and for good reason. I have the 12 inch frying pan and it’s the secret to my perfectly seared golden scallops.  My good fortune is that the ten inch pan had already been on my wish list, so I was not agreeing to accept something I wasn’t willing to purchase.

Before I talk recipe, I want to tell you why an All-Clad pan is a must in every kitchen. Made in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania with American steel, All-Clad is crafted to conduct heat evenly with no hot spots.  Even at a low temperature, you can sear scallops to golden perfection or prepare a piece of Ahi Tuna in two minutes. It will be your go to pan for a quick sauté a toasting of nuts, caramelizing onions, making a wine reduction, finishing a pasta dish, or searing a steak and putting it into the oven to finish. This pan will most likely be the hardest worker in your kitchen, as long as you know how to cook with it. Many cooks think that to get that beautiful sear, you have to turn the heat up high, splash hot oil all over your kitchen and set off the smoke alarms. Not so with All-Clad.

How to Cook with All Clad Frying Pans

All-Clad suggests preheating a pan on low to medium heat for one to two minutes and testing the upper edge heat of the pan. If it is to hot, remove for a few minutes to cool down. In a moderately hot pan, pour in 2 to 3 teaspoons of cold oil, just enough to cover the pan.  You want to hear a sizzle, not a crackle. The food should temporarily stick to the pan and needs to be left alone until it is ready to turn easily. The sugars in the food are caramelizing and the food will lift when you have a nice sear. When finished cooking, allow the pan to cool before immersing in water. Keep your pan looking brand new by using Bar Keeper’s Friend. However, your pan will not need a lot of maintenance if you stick with low to medium low heat.

Making the Dish

I put this recipe together with the idea of showing the versatility of the pan. I was able to toast the bread cubes, sear the tuna, make the olive anchovy sauce and finish the pasta dish all in the ten inch pan, and I made enough for four people to eat a medium sized portion.

First I made the bread crumbs by melting a little butter into the pan and cutting bread into very small cubes. If you use panko bread crumbs as an option, you can toast the crumbs in under a minute.

Next I made the tuna, first by turning the pan on medium low, and allowing it to heat before I put in the olive oil as suggested by All-clad. Once the tuna was made, and set aside, I used the pan to make the olive anchovy sauce, by melting in the anchovies, adding the crushed red pepper, parsley, chopped olives and capers, and garlic. The best part is the finish. Once the pasta is almost finished, it is drained (never rinsed) and tossed in the sauce to finish cooking, while maintaining a low heat.

Cooking Notes

• You could make the pasta without the tuna or you could substitute the tuna with seared scallops. But, this is truly an exciting and fresh way to incorporate a piece of Ahi Tuna into a dish.
• I used homemade breadcrumbs. You could substitute toasted panko bread crumbs, but be sure to toast them first (using this pan).
• I made a homemade pasta, but linguini or spaghetti would also be good choices.

Note: All-Clad provided this pan for this post.

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Ahi Tuna with Tagliatelle in an Olive and Anchovy Sauce

An Italian take on Ahi Tuna, with a spicy kalamata olive and anchovy sauce, homemade bread crumbs.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• BREADCRUMBS
• 2 pieces stale bread
• 2 teaspoons butter
• AHI TUNA
• 1/4 cup crushed hazelnuts
• 1 pound Ahi Tuna
• finely ground sea salt freshly ground black pepper
• OLIVE ANCHOVY SAUCE
• 1/3 cup olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for cooking fish
• 3 anchovies rinsed, patted dry
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 6 kalamata olives seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 4 tablespoons Italian parsley finely chopped, divided saving 1 tablespoon for garnish
• 1/2 pound pasta see note for recommendations
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

• I used a 10 inch all-clad frying pan for breadcrumbs, tuna and sauce, cleaning each time in between.
• BREADCRUMBS
• Cut bread into small cubes. Heat pan on low. Add butter, and when melted, add in bread cubes and pan fry until golden brown. Set aside.
• AHI TUNA
• Brush tuna with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and pack on hazelnuts on top and bottom of tuna.
• Heat 10 inch frying pan on medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add Ahi Tuna and sear one minute on each side. Set aside.
• Cook Pasta: Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions, short of 1 minute. Drain.
• OLIVE ANCHOVY SAUCE
• Heat 10 inch frying pan. Add 1/3 cup olive oil. When oil is hot, add anchovies and break up with wooden spoon, until they melt into the oil.
• Add in crushed pepper, capers, kalamata olives. Cook for one minute. Add in garlic, parsley. Add tuna to pan and turn over once just to get the flavors. Remove tuna to a platter.
• Add drained pasta to olive oil anchovy sauce and finish cooking on low heat for a minute until pasta is cooked.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Put pasta on a serving platter. Toss with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, crumbling some of the cubes with your hands. Top with tuna.
• Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the pasta, you can use linguini, tagliatelle or a thick spaghetti. This will serve 4 medium portions or 2 large portions.

The post Hazelnut Crusted Ahi Tuna with Tagliatelle in Olive Anchovy Sauce appeared first on Spinach Tiger.