Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (38 page)

If you didn't grow up around families who kept kosher you might be under the misconception that eating kosher food seems like a sacrifice in some way. Well, that idea isn't kosher! This small collection of recipes alone runs the gamut from Broken Florentine Lasagna Bake to Mediterranean Grilled Tuna Steaks with Sicilian-Style Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad, Apricot and Cipollini Braised Chicken to Wild Mushroom Beef Meat Loaf with Horseradish Gravy, proof that
any
cuisine can be kosher and tasty, too.

I love beets, and if you like sweet beets too, this totally tasty all-red salad is for you! Your tongue will turn red, but your mouth will be happy.

SERVES 4 BEET-LOVIN' PEOPLE

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Drizzle just a little EVOO over the beets, then wrap them in foil. Roast the beets for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender. Let them cool for a few minutes, then rub off the skins with a paper towel—they'll come off like magic! Drizzle oil on your hands first to make washing them a little easier. Chop the beets on a rubber or plastic cutting board; the beets will permanently stain a wooden board.

Next, combine the cranberry sauce and vinegar in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Whisk in the ¼ cup EVOO and season the dressing with salt and pepper. Add the beets and apples to the bowl, then the grapes, onions, celery, and walnuts. Toss the salad together for a minute or two until everything in the salad is tinted red!

Place 2 lettuce leaves in each of 4 bowls. Fill the lettuce leaves with red salad and top each with 1 cup shredded chicken. Delish!

This simple, heart-healthy sammie was invented by my friend Jon, a single man who has recently become Master and Commander of his kitchen.

SERVES 2

Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high to high heat until the oil smokes. Add the tuna and cook for 2 minutes on each side for rare and 4 minutes on each side for cooked-through fish. Remove from the heat and let the fish rest for a minute or two, until it is cool enough to handle.

Preheat the broiler.

Chop the tuna into small dice. Combine the tuna with the capers, hot peppers, onion, celery, arugula, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of EVOO, and black pepper to taste. Toast the split baguette or bread under the broiler until golden. Dot with tapenade, pesto, or sun-dried tomato spread, if using, and pile the tuna salad onto the bread.

This meal is simple, hearty, flavorful, and packed with many of my favorite Sicilian ingredients.

SERVES 4

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, salt the water, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until just tender.

Drizzle a little EVOO over the tuna, then season it with the rosemary, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Ladle a cup of the boiling potato water over the tomatoes to soften them. Steep for 10 minutes, then drain and thinly slice the tomatoes.

In a bowl, combine the anchovy paste, garlic, lemon juice, and about
1
⁄
3
cup EVOO. Drain the potatoes and return to the hot pot to dry them out for a minute. Toss the potatoes with the dressing and the onion, celery, olives, capers, and parsley. Season the salad with pepper and taste to see if it needs salt; both the capers and the anchovy paste are salty on their own.

Grill the fish for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, up to 10 minutes total for fully cooked fish. Serve the fish with a mound of the salad alongside.

Cold Chicken Satay Noodles

This meal comes together in a snap because it uses a store-bought chicken. The salty-nutty sauce goes especially well with the nutty flavor of whole-grain pastas.

SERVES 4

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water liberally, then add the pasta and cook to al dente. Run the cooked pasta under cold water to cool. Drain well.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, heat the peanut butter in the microwave in 10-second intervals until softened. Place in a large bowl with the honey and warm water. Whisk in the tamari, garlic, lime juice, and hot sauce, then whisk in the oil in a slow stream. Add the noodles, veggies, and peanuts to the bowl and toss until the ingredients are well mixed. Serve the noodles in shallow bowls topped with the chicken and cilantro.