Roasted Asparagus with Feta

Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

PG tested

Salty chunks of feta give this roasted veggie dish a flavorful kick.

• 2 1/2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 ounces feta, preferably French, crumbled

Put rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Toast asparagus with oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet spread out on one layer. Roast shaking pan once about half way through roasting until asparagus is tender when pierced with a fork, about 8 to 12 minutes.

Serve asparagus sprinkled with cheese.

Serves 6.

-- "Gourmet Today"

Quinoa with Mango and curried yogurt

PG tested

I know it's good for you (the ancient Incas considered it the "mother grain") and oh-so-trendy, but I wasn't a fan when I tried quinoa for the first time a few months ago. Turns out, I simply needed a better recipe.

The quinoa in this fruity dish is first boiled and then steamed (it's easier than it sounds), giving it a great fluffy texture. Then it's tossed with fresh mango, minced jalapeno and a curried yogurt sauce. Even my 13-year-olds, who usually limit their grains to rice or couscous, dug in. I substituted sliced roasted almonds for the peanuts and ate the leftovers for breakfast.

-- Gretchen McKay

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt, which is creamier than regular yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 1/3 cups quinoa
• 1 pound firm but ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded if desired (for less heat) and minced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

Rinse quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve between changes. Cook in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water (2 teaspoons salt), uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold water.

Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 11/2 inches boiling water, cover with a kitchen towel and the lid, and steam quinoa until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes.

Toss quinoa with curried yogurt and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 6 as a side dish, or 4 a main-course salad.

-- "Gourmet Today"

Apricot Chicken with Almonds

Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

PG tested

My kids weren't crazy about trying something made with -- ugh! -- apricots, mustard and almonds (see above photo). Boy, were they wrong. One bite, and not only were they converts but also fighting over who got seconds.

-- Gretchen McKay

• 4 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Put a rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil flameproof baking dish.

Sprinkle chicken all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and arrange at least 1/4 inch apart in baking dish. Roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast almonds in a small baking pan in oven, stirring twice, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Combine apricot preserves, soy sauce, mustard, butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until preserves are melted.

Pour sauce over chicken and roast until just cooked through, about 10 minutes more.

Turn on broiler. Broil chicken 4 to 5 inches from heat, basting once, until glazed and browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Serve sprinkled with almonds.

Serves 4.

-- "Gourmet Today"

Blade Steaks With Mushrooms

PG tested

It's always a challenge to eat well when you're on a limited budget. Yet this easy recipe is as tasty as it is inexpensive, reports my oldest son, Dan, who's been on his own for about a year and a half now and got a copy of "Gourmet Today" for Christmas. Blade steaks, which come from the chuck section of a cow, are on the lean side, so they are best cooked rare to medium-rare. The balsamic reduction, Dan says, was good enough to be served alone on rice.

-- Gretchen McKay

• 4 1/2-inch-thick top blade chuck steaks (1 1/4 pounds total)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 10 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch wedges
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (Dan substituted garlic)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons beef stock or broth

Pat steaks dry and cut 3 (1-inch-long) slits, 1 inch apart, across center cartilage (to keep meat from curling), then sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook steaks, turning over once, until meat is just medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer steaks to a platter and cover loosely with foil.

Add butter to skillet and saute mushrooms and shallot, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 4 minutes, then transfer to platter with steaks.

Add vinegar and soy sauce to skillet and simmer, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup beef broth and simmer 2 minutes.

While sauce simmers, stir cornstarch into remaining 2 teaspoons broth in a cup. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Return steaks and mushrooms, along with any juices accumulated on platter, to skillet and simmer, turning steaks over in sauce, until just heated through, about 1 minute.

Serves 4.

-- "Gourmet Today"

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

PG tested

I wasn't sure what to do with my bounty of tomatillos, which I grew for the first time this summer with great success. (Who knew one plant would provide dozens of the tiny green fruits?) Then it hit me: why not chicken enchiladas with a great salsa verde? This recipe from international-flavored "Gourmet Today" couldn't have been easier, or more tasty.

-- Gretchen McKay

• 2 to 3 serrano chiles
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed under warm water, or 3 cups canned tomatillos (from 3 11-ounce cans), drained
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Preheat boiler. Put chiles, garlic and fresh tomatillos, if using, on a rack of a broiler pan and broil 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once or twice, until softened and partially charred, about 8 minutes.

Peel garlic. Discard stems of chiles. Puree tomatillos, garlic and chiles with remaining ingredients, in 2 batches if necessary, in a blender until almost smooth.

Salsa can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered.

Makes 5 1/2 cups.

-- "Gourmet Today"

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