Recipes

I have cooked two dishes in the past couple of weeks which I liked a lot and want to remember to make again. Read on if you are interested in either of the following:Scallop linguine in lemon-white wine sauceI don't have the proportions of this worked out, but it was pretty simple. I cooked onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and red bell pepper in olive oil, then added lightly floured thawed scallops. I think I seasoned it with thyme, savory, and basil, maybe something else, and a bit of Maggi. Once everything was slightly browned, I added a cup of dry white wine into which I had stirred about a spoon of cornstarch, and the juice of one lemon. Cooked this until somewhat thickened and threw in a few handfuls of raw spinach. Served over egg linguine. It was very good and even my husband - who is not as much of a scallop fan as I am - enjoyed it a lot. It was not hard to make and had a very delicate flavor. I sprinkled a bit of grated parmesan (the real stuff, not Kraft crumbs) on mine.Black bean and chicken sausage stewThis is a variation of another recipe I have made a few times and actually written down, so I have a more specific recipe. Besides, I made it today so it is fresh in my mind!Ingredients:1 large oniona handful of chopped carrotsolive oil2 spicy chicken-cilantro sausages (I can't recall the brand but I get them at my local organic grocery)1 4 oz. can diced green chiles1/2 14. oz. can diced tomatoes1 can black beans3-4 fresh jalapenos1 can vegetable broth2 teaspoons rice wine vinegarup to 1/2 cup water if needed1 tsp. ground cumin1 tsp. dried cilantro1 tsp. dried savorya few cloves in a tea ball or cheeseclothI cooked the onion and carrots in a bit of oil, then added the sausage (sliced in small rounds). I transferred this to my slow cooker and added the other ingredients. I added the water right away, but think it was probably not needed. It depends on how soupy you want it and how long you cook it, I suppose. Then the fun part is just letting it cook all day long! I ate one serving as a burrito, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with some shredded Mexican-blend cheese. Of course to do this you need to lift out the solid goodies with a slotted spoon and drain well before putting into the tortilla. It was good this way, and also good eaten as stew in a bowl with a bit of the shredded cheese mixed in. I suppose you would call this a sort of chili.The original recipe I based this on is one I use for slow-cooked beef to use for burritos, inspired by some wonderful Mexican restaurants where the beef is so tender it falls apart and seasoned with a few cloves. I had originally planned to use two cans of black beans and make this a vegetarian meal, but then I remembered the two sausages in the freezer.It turned out good and I am looking forward to leftovers!There is a new organic grocery store in my neighborhood that I love!