Recent Cooking and Dining at Home During the Pandemic

As a summer treat, we dine on sheet-pan chicken with jammy tomatoes and pancetta, accompanied by a watermelon and heirloom tomato salad (with feta cheese).  We toss chicken thighs in a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, paprika, oregano, brown sugar, and cumin before roasting them with cherry tomatoes and pancetta. 

Chicken, tomato/watermelon salad

Returning to a favorite fish for grilling, we make swordfish brochettes with basil and harissa, grilling the swordfish cubes (each stuffed with a basil leaf) on a skewer, seasoned with a mixture of toasted fennel seeds, olive oil, harissa, lemon zest, lime zest, garlic, salt, and pepper.  We serve with roasted broccoli and leftover tomato-watermelon salad from the previous day.

Grilled swordfish

Next, we grill a bourbon-marinated flank steak (marinated overnight in bourbon and Dijon mustard), accompanied by roasted brussels sprouts and pancetta, finished off with lemon zest and juice, pomegranate seeds, and balsamic vinegar.

Brussels sprouts, with flank steak

Then, it's back to JP Seafood for scallops, preparing them Provencal-style, with a sauce of  shallots, garlic, and parsley, cooked in white wine and butter, accompanied by a kale salad with pancetta and shaved pecorino romano cheese.

Kale salad, scallops Provencal

But, soon, its time for more pasta and we make a favorite:  orecchiette with broccoli rabe, cooked with hot Italian sausage and garlic and served with a kale salad.

Orecchiette with broccoli rabe

We're working through our old favorite recipes, discovering new ones, and enjoying lots of great meals!