Tomato and Corn Salsa 2010-06-25

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

Juice from 2 limes

4 green peppers, seeded and finely chopped

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Preparation:

Place chopped onion in bowl, add salt and lime juice and let stand for 20 minutes.  Add chopped peppers, tomatoes, corn and cilantro to onion mixture and stir.  Yields 2 cups.

Chicken Piccata 2009-08-26

8 Chicken Cutlets( 1 1/2 to 2 lbs) pounded thin, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbls butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 1/4 cups of chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 3/4 tsp cornstarch

Season chicken with salt, pepper and flour.  Heat oil in pan over medium heat and saute the chicken until lightly browned on both sides.  Drain oil, add butter, lemon juice, broth, wine, and basil, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove chicken from heat and place on platter.  In small bowl, combine corn starch, with 1/4 cup on cold water and mix.  Whisk cornstarch in mixture with pan juices and simmer over low heat until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spoon the sauce over chicken before serving.  Mangia!

Orecchiette Carbonara with Leeks 2008-12-18

Ingredients

4 applewood-smoked bacon slices, diced
2 medium  leeks, (white and pale green parts only) halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/3 inch pieces
10 ounces orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or small shells
2 Large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional serving
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

 Directions:

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Paper towel the excess grease from the bacon.  Use about 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, add leeks and saute over medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes.  Set aside. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but firm.  Drain pasta.  Whiski eggs and 1/2 cup Parmesan in medium bowl to blend; gradually whisk in 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.  Add pasta to leeks in skillet and stir to heat.  Remove skillet from heat.  Pour egg mixture over pasta and stir until sauce is just creamy and eggs are no longer raw, about 2 minutes. (Return skillet to very low heat if egg mixture is runny; do not overcook or eggs will curdle.)  Add some of remaining 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to pasta if needed to moisten.  Stir in bacon and parsley.