Simple, Real Food: A Favorite New Year’s Eve Feast

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Amanda Cushman

Coconut shrimp and pineapple dipping sauce

Coconut shrimp with pineapple dipping sauce

The holidays are upon us and winter is now in full swing. Time for entertaining and planning what to make for New Year’s. I for one, do not love New Year’s Eve (does anyone over a certain age?) but my husband and I often make a gourmet meal and have a really good bottle of champagne (Veuve Clicquot, anyone?) and enjoy a quiet, cozy evening at home.

I have many entertaining menus up my sleeve and focus heavily on appetizers as they are so creative and fun to eat.

Here is a sample of one such menu that is sure to make your guests or maybe just your significant other happy.

This recipe can be cut in half as well as frozen, both the shrimp and the sauce freeze well. If you decide to make this ahead and freeze the shrimp, do not defrost, simply drop them into the hot oil.

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cayenne

3 to 4 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, butter-flied

2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Dipping sauce:

1/4 cup canned pineapple, drained

1 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced

2 Tb. apricot preserves

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 Tb. lime juice

1/2 jalapeno, chopped

Salt

Procedure

1. Combine the flour, salt and cayenne on a flat baking sheet. Place the egg whites and coconut on two separate baking sheets. Dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the whites, then in the coconut. Press the coconut onto the shrimp. Chill for at least an hour.

2. Heat the oven to 200. In a medium saucepan heat the oil until moderately hot but not smoking. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

3. In a processor combine the pineapple, scallions, apricot preserves, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and salt to taste. Process until blended and taste, adjust seasoning.

4. Serve the shrimp on a platter with the sauce in a small serving dish.

Burrata on Crostini with Caramelized Shallots and Bacon

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tb. brown sugar

1 baguette

12 slices applewood- smoked bacon

1½ pounds burrata, sliced into 12 slices

extra virgin olive oil

parsley, chiffonade

Fresh pepper

Procedure

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the balsamic and brown sugar and simmer the shallots until the bottom of the pan is dry about 6 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 400. Slice the bread into ¼ inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with the garlic clove. Toast for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
Cook the bacon on a rack on a baking sheet in the oven until down but not crisp about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cut in half.
Place a slice of burrata on each crostini, then a piece of bacon and then a spoonful of the shallots. Drizzle with the extra virgin oil and then grind some pepper over each one before serving, garnish with parsley chiffonade.

Pan-Roasted Duck Breasts with Port Wine and Balsamic Glaze

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1/2 whole duck breast per person

Salt, pepper

2 shallots, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup Tawny port

1 cup chicken stock

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tb. honey

Procedure

Heat the oven to 450.
Score the fat on the duck and season the meat side with salt and pepper. Heat a medium cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium high heat. Sear the duck skin side down until golden brown about 5 minutes. Place the duck on a rack fat side up in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cover to keep warm. Reserve the fat from the roasting pan.
Heat a medium skillet and add 2 Tb. of the duck fat to the pan. Sauté the shallots and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and de-glaze, reduce the port to half and add the stock, reduce to about 2/3 cup. Add the vinegar and honey and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Remove from the heat.
Slice the duck breast and arrange on a plate pour the sauce over and serve.

Chicken breasts can be used in place of the duck.

Arugula, Endive Salad with Simple Vinaigrette

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 bunch arugula, washed and spun dry

1 head endive, julienne

2 cups mixed greens

1 lemon, juiced or vinegar of your choice

1 Tb. Dijon mustard

3 Tb. chopped mint

1/3 to 1/2 cup virgin olive oil

Salt, pepper

Procedure

1. Combine the arugula, endive and greens in a large bowl and toss.

2. Combine the lemon, Dijon and mint in a small bowl and whisk add the oil slowly while whisking, season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Toss some of the dressing with the greens and reserve any leftover for another salad.

Amanda Cushman

Editor’s Note: Amanda Cushman of Simple Real Food Inc., is a culinary educator who has cooked professionally for over 30 years. She has taught corporate team building classes for over 15 years for a variety of Fortune 500 companies including Yahoo, Nike and Google. She began her food career in the eighties and worked with Martha Stewart and Glorious Foods before becoming a recipe developer for Food and Wine magazine as well as Ladies Home Journal. Having lived all over the United States including Boston, NYC, Miami and Los Angeles, she has recently returned to her home state of Connecticut where she continues to teach in private homes as well as write for local publications.

Amanda teaches weekly classes at White Gate Farm and Homeworks and is also available for private classes. Her cookbook; Simple Real Food can be ordered at Amazon as well as through her website www.amandacooks.com

For more information, click here to visit her website.

Simple, Real Food: Organic or Not, That is the Question

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Amanda Cushman

We all are aware of the issues about pesticide use, GMO’s and the whole idea of sustainable food production but with so much information, it’s overwhelming to figure out what is best for you and your family.

I for one, do organic produce, wild fish and organic poultry and here are the reasons why I think it is something to consider.

For one thing eating organic means you are ingesting fewer pesticides. A recent study out of the United Kingdom reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts. Additionally, a 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown berries and corn contained 58 percent more polyphenols—antioxidants that help prevent cardiovascular disease—and up to 52 percent higher levels of vitamin C than those conventionally grown.

Recent research by that study’s lead author, Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., an associate professor of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, pinpoints a potential mechanism to explain why organic techniques may sometimes yield superior produce.

It’s a difference in soil fertility, says Mitchell: “With organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients.” Buying conventional produce from local farmers also has benefits. Nutrient values in produce peak at prime ripeness, just after harvest. As a general rule, the less produce has to travel, the fresher and more nutrient-rich it remains.

We know that organic produce up to now at least is far more expensive and I hope there will come a time when there will be no other choice so the prices will come down but for now it may be unattainable for some to afford. If this is the case there is a list called the “dirty dozen”, these are fruits and vegetables that are heavily sprayed and most contaminated. If you can choose organic for these items you will be doing your health a favor;

Apples

Celery

Strawberries

Peaches

Spinach

Nectarines

Grapes

Sweet Bell Peppers

Potatoes

Blueberries

Lettuce

Kale

I also recommend eating wild fish especially salmon, which, in its farm-raised form, is high in contaminants, has double the saturated fat as wild and dyes added to make the flesh the orange color we are all used to. They are kept in tight quarters and fed soy to increase their weight and the nutritional value is far less. Wild salmon, although more expensive is worth the extra bucks, with more calcium, iron, potassium and half the calories.

Try these delicious recipes for your summer entertaining and remember to read labels and buy local.

Seared salmon with balsamic orange sauce

Seared Salmon with Balsamic Orange Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tb. mirin

1 shallot, minced

1 Tb. orange zest

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tb. olive oil

4 wild salmon fillets, 5 oz. each, skin removed

1 Tb. chopped mint

1 Tb. chopped basil

1 Tb. chopped Italian parsley

Procedure

Combine the juice, vinegar, mirin, shallot and zest in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 5 minutes until reduced to about ½ a cup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over med-hi heat and add the olive oil. Sear the salmon for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn and sear another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Add the herbs to the sauce and pour the sauce over the fish. Serve warm with rice or mashed potatoes.

Kale Quinoa Patties

Serves 5

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cooked organic quinoa, cooled

3 large eggs. beaten

½ cup grated parmesan

½ cup scallions, minced

2 Tb. olive oil, plus more for sauteeing

4 cups organic kale, veins removed, chopped

1 tsp. sea salt

½ onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup bread crumbs

Procedure

Combine the quinoa, eggs, cheese, scallions and salt in a medium bowl.
Heat the 2 Tb. of the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the kale and cook until soft and bight green. Transfer the kale mixture to the bowl with the quinoa and add the salt and breadcrumbs.
Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and heat the pan. Form the patties and add to the oil. Sauté until browned on each side about 10 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and serve.

Amanda Cushman

For more information, click here to visit her website.

Simple, Real Food: Eating Light, But Still Tasty

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Amanda Cushman

I have always been a fan of lighter food even at the height of my catering career in NYC when I would cook for hundreds, at the end of the day I love to eat clean, simple meals. Simple doesn’t mean boring or dull mind you, but can be the best if you chose quality ingredients.

People often ask me where I shop since we are not exactly in the middle of it all here and I must admit I drive all over to find ingredients that I enjoy. It is worth the effort and, if planned properly, you can make a twice a month trip either north or west and you have many options for food shopping.

I personally prefer to take 95 South and hit Orange and Milford due to the abundance of markets along the Post Road. From Trader Joes and Whole Foods to Lin Asian Market, the Post road from exits 39 to 41 has it all. If you live closer to Haddam, taking a trip to Glastonbury or West Hartford will be perfect for everything from a fabulous Whole Foods to wonderful Asian markets.

I love ethnic markets and Groton has a couple of good ones:– New Asia Market and Raj Cash and Carry both are ideal for ingredients from the East.

Here are a couple of recipes utilizing more exotic ingredients- perfect for entertaining:

Fried Shrimp with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Makes 25

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, butter-flied

Flour with salt and pepper

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or unsweetened coconut

Vegetable oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup lime juice

3 Tb. fish sauce or soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tb. sugar

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or 1 small Thai chili, minced

Procedure

Dredge the shrimp in seasoned flour. Then dip in the egg and then the bread crumbs.
Place the shrimp on a baking sheet.
Heat up a saucepan and add enough oil to come up halfway. When the oil is hot fry the shrimp a few at a time until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer a few minutes.
Serve the shrimp with the sauce.

Rice Noodles with Cilantro, Peanuts and Mint

Serves 6

Ingredients

¼ cup rice vinegar

1 Tb. sugar

1 Vidalia onion, cut into half moons

8 oz. rice noodles

Sauce:

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 scallions, sliced thinly

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup mint, chopped

3 Tb. fish sauce*

1 Tb. soy or tamari sauce

Stir Fry:

1 Tb. vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons, chopped dry roasted peanuts

1 large cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, thinly sliced

Procedure

Combine the vinegar and sugar in a medium bowl and add the onion, cover and marinate for 30 minutes drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles for 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse well and transfer to a bowl and cut into three sections with scissors. Add the reserved vinegar and toss well.

Combine the lime juice, oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, scallions, cilantro, fish sauce, mint and soy sauce in a medium bowl and whisk.
Heat a large wok over high heat and heat the canola oil add the noodles and stir fry 4 minutes. Add the sauce and coat well. Serve on a platter with the onions, peanuts and cucumber on top

* for a vegan dish use all tamari in place of the fish sauce.

Amanda Cushman

For more information, click here to visit her website.

Simple, Real Food: Stews and Entrée Soups

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Amanda Cushman

Beef Bourguignon

Winter is now in full swing as we have witnessed the past few weeks. With freezing cold temperatures, snowfall, ice and the like, it’s a great time to turn to warming foods such as stews and entrée soups.

Some of my favorite meals are slow cooked in my large Le Creuset Dutch oven or, if you have a crock pot, these recipes are perfect.

I find with a one-pot-meal, the day after it tastes even better. Perfect for company as everything can be done ahead.

So bring on the warm tagines, stews and what I call “kitchen sink” soups. Just about everyone loves this type of eating and it’s good for you at the same time.

Amanda’s Beef Bourguignon

Serves 8

Ingredients

Red Wine Sauce:

1 Tb. butter

1 onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

2 cups beef broth

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

zest of one lemon

zest of one orange

1 Tb. tomato paste

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups red wine, Burgundy or Cabernet

Beef:

4 Tb. unsalted butter or olive oil, divided

2 large diced onions

2 tsp. sugar

¼ cup chicken broth

12 mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced

4 thick slices salt pork, diced finely or ½ pound diced bacon

2 ½ pounds beef tri-tip cut into 1 ¼ inch cubes

Chopped Italian parsley, garnish

Procedure

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and carrot until browned about 8 minutes. Add the beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, lemon and orange zests and bring to a simmer. Cook for an hour and then add the tomato paste, salt, pepper and wine. Simmer another 40 minutes. Strain through a sieve and set aside in the same saucepan.
Meanwhile heat 1 Tb. of the butter in a large high-sided skillet and add the onions, sauté them until they are lightly browned about 12 minutes, adding the sugar for the last 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, season with salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl. Add 2 Tb. of butter to the same skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until browned about 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the onions. Add the salt pork to the same skillet and sauté until crisp brown, remove to the bowl and drain off the fat from the pan. Set the cooked salt pork aside.
Heat the remaining butter in the same high- sided skillet and sauté the beef in batches over medium high heat to sear, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add the red wine sauce and let it just come to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender about 40 to 55 minutes. Add the vegetables and salt pork and bring to a simmer another 10 minutes..
Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Chicken Tagine

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces

Kosher salt

1 Tb. white wine vinegar

5 Tb. olive oil

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. saffron

Salt

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. turmeric

2 Tb. olive oil for cooking

¼ cup mixed olives, pitted

2 preserved lemons, rinsed well, or 2 whole lemons, zest and juiced

4 oz. pitted prunes

Procedure

Rub the chicken with the salt and then wash it with the vinegar. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Rinse and dry the chicken and set aside in a medium bowl.
Mix the oil, cilantro, cinnamon, saffron, salt, onions, garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika and turmeric in a medium bowl. Rub over the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350.
Heat the tagine or large deep saucepan and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and sauté until chicken is lightly browned on each side. Add the olives, preserved lemons and prunes. Transfer to the oven and cook for 45 minutes.

2 ½ pounds of leg of lamb, cubed can be used in place of the chicken

Vegetable Chicken Soba Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

9 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage

1 red pepper, julienne

1/4 pound shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly

4 scallions, thinly sliced

3 inch piece fresh ginger, julienne

1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into thin strips

6 oz. soba noodles, cooked, drained

1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed ( Swiss chard, spinach or bok choy can be used instead of the watercress)

2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce or Tamari

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 Tb. cilantro leaves

Procedure

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the cabbage, pepper, mushrooms, scallions and ginger and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Add the chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve warm.

Amanda Cushman

For more information, click here to visit her website.

Simple, Real Food: Comfort Food for Cold Days

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Amanda Cushman

With the winter now in full swing, it is time for pulling out the stew and soup recipes and serving warm comfort foods. I love a big bowl of soup with a salad and some crusty bread for dinner on almost any night and find nothing easier to make. Since most soups can be frozen, it’s another meal that can be made ahead. which is my kind of cooking.

When you are ready to take a break from all the rich holiday meals, try any of these recipes for a warming and delicious meal.

White Bean Tomato Soup with Vegetables

White Bean Tomato Soup with Vegetables

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 cup dry white wine

Salt, pepper to taste

28 oz. canned tomatoes with juices, chopped

3/4 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch diagonal slices

1 medium zucchini, diced

Tuscan kale, chiffonade, garnish

Procedure:

1. Reserve 1 can of the beans for later. Puree the rest of the beans in a processor with 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and celery until slightly browned about 8 minutes. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan over high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Add the salt and pepper, remaining cup of stock, tomatoes, green beans and zucchini and cover, simmer another 10 minutes. Add the pureed beans and bring to a simmer, cook until all the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the reserved whole beans and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Heat the soup before serving and garnish with the kale.

Chick Pea Soup with Sausage

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tb. olive oil

1 Tb. rosemary, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

2 cans chick peas, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

5 sausages of your choice, sliced into ½ inch rounds

1 bunch Swiss chard or Escarole, rinsed, trimmed, roughly chopped

Procedure

Sauté the garlic, celery, carrots and onion in 2 Tb. of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until softened. Add the rosemary, stock, chick peas, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes. Spoon some of the solids into a food processor and puree. Add the puree back to the saucepan and cover to keep warm.
Heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet and sauté the sausages until browned. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Add the sausages to the saucepan along with the greens and heat the soup covered over medium heat. When the greens are wilted taste and adjust the seasoning, serve in large bowls.

Creamy French Lentil Soup

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 Tb. olive oil

2 carrots, finely chopped

3 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 shallots, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 cups chicken stock

3 sprigs thyme

1 1/2 cups French lentils

2 Tb. chopped Italian parsley, garnish

Procedure

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the carrots, celery and shallots and sauté 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock, thyme and lentils. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until lentils are tender about 25 minutes.

2. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or food processor and season to taste.

3. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley.

Amanda Cushman

For more information, click here to visit her website.

Archive

Site Snapshot 11 September 2025

Author Archives: Amanda Cushman

Simple, Real Food: A Favorite New Year’s Eve Feast

Simple, Real Food: Organic or Not, That is the Question

Simple, Real Food: Eating Light, But Still Tasty

Simple, Real Food: Stews and Entrée Soups

Simple, Real Food: Comfort Food for Cold Days