Grilled Chicken Wings with Feta Cheese Dressing

Whether you’re tailgating with friends or fixing a casual dinner for two, grilled chicken wings are easy, flavorful, and satisfying. Typical Buffalo-style wings are deep-fried and served with a side of blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. I lightened up the chicken a little by grilling the wings on a cast-iron griddle, and, for this recipe, I made the creamy dressing a bit milder with feta cheese instead of blue. The celery sticks are a keeper.

Tip: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing to use with salads the next day. Simply whisk in one to two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and you’ve got a creamy, rich dressing for greens and fresh vegetables.

Serves 2-3 (easily increased to feed a crowd)

Ingredients

For the Wings

• 1 1/2 tsp chile powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• sea salt
• 12 large chicken wing pieces (drums and flappers)
• olive oil, for brushing
• homemade barbecue sauce, or your favorite bottled
• celery sticks, for serving

For the Dressing

• 2 scallions, white and green parts chopped separately
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

For the Wings

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl. Place the wings in a large bowl and add the spice rub. Combine well to coat all the wings. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (May be refrigerated overnight.)

Spice Rub for Wings

Spice-Rubbed Wings

1. Prepare a grill for high heat. Place a cast-iron griddle over the flame and heat 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil and place the wings on it close to the center.
2. Grill 10 minutes, then turn and grill another 10 minutes. Continue grilling, turning every 5 minutes, for a total of 30-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the wings.
3. Remove to a large bowl and toss with barbecue sauce.

Wings Beginning to Grill

Grilled Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Wings with Barbecue Sauce

Serve the wings with the dressing (recipe follows) and celery sticks alongside.   

For the Dressing

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients (through lemon juice) in a small food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to break up the feta but not enough to emulsify the dressing. Pour into a bowl (or individual serving bowls) and season with salt and pepper.

Feta-and-Sour-Cream Dressing

Bourbon-Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles

Recipe updated August 2017

Classic beef stroganoff is a simple recipe that turns beef, mushrooms, and noodles into a rich, creamy dish with velvety texture and lots of flavor. I added bourbon to the sauce for a little piquant, oaky bite. If you prefer not to use alcohol, simply omit it and carry on with the rest of the recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1-1/4 lb beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 1-1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary  
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced 
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley  
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• cooked egg noodles (about 6 cups), for serving

Prepared Beef

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the beef in a single layer (work in batches, if your pan is smaller) and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 7-8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. 
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the bourbon. Return the meat to the pan, along with any accumulated juices.
3. Add the beef broth and rosemary. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the beef is tender, about 2-1/2 hours. To reduce some of the liquid, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking and increase the heat slightly for a light simmer. Discard the rosemary stems.
4. Add the mushrooms to the beef mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, parsley, and mustard and cook 5 minutes.

Beef Beginning to Brown

Browned Beef

Broth Added

Braised Beef

Mushrooms Added

Sour Cream Mixture Added

To serve, divide the noodles among 4 shallow bowls. Divide the beef stroganoff on top and serve right away.

Bourbon-Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles

Swai Wraps with Asian Slaw

Swai is a freshwater fish found in rivers in Southeast Asia, and it's very similar to North American catfish. Swai is becoming more available in the United States (usually sold frozen)—as well as more popular, chiefly because of its affordability. But I’m betting taste will be a big draw as well, once more people sample this very mildly flavored fish.

Swai’s pretty, pinkish-white flesh and flaky, buttery texture make it an appealing dish to serve even to guests who don’t fancy themselves big fish eaters. Like catfish, it’s great for breading and frying, and it goes well with a boldly flavored accompaniment, like the Asian-flavored slaw in this simple, easy recipe.

Swai Filet

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Slaw

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 Thai chiles (red or green), finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and shaved into short, thin strips with a vegetable peeler
• 1 red Fresno chile, chopped

For the Swai Wraps

• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 cups panko, or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• flour, for dredging
• 4 swai filets, cut lengthwise in half (about 1 lb)
• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• 4 7-inch (fajita-sized) flour tortillas, warmed

Preparation

For the Slaw

1. Combine the first 5 ingredients (through chile flakes) in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.

Asian-Flavored Sauce for the Slaw

1. Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce over the slaw, tossing well to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the vegetables to soften slightly.

Slaw with Sauce Added

Slaw Marinated in Sauce

For the Swai Wraps

1. Whisk the eggs and milk in a wide, shallow bowl. Season the panko with salt and pepper and spread on a plate. Spread the flour on another plate.
2. Dredge the swai pieces in the flour. Shake off the excess and dip each in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Press both sides of the pieces into the panko and lay on a large plate. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes (to help the breading adhere to the fish during frying).

Breaded Swai

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Fry the fish until golden brown and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Fish after Turning

Fried Swai

To serve, place 2 pieces each of the swai in the middle of 4 warm tortillas. Divide the slaw (use a fork or slotted spoon to let some of the liquid drip off) on top of the fish and fold the tortillas over it. Serve right away.

Beef Lasagna with Fresh Mozzarella and Marinara

I’m calling the marinara a reduction because it’s made with fresh tomatoes and tomato paste that cook at a constant simmer until reduced to a thick, rich sauce. It holds together when baked in the lasagna better than a thin sauce that may be runny in the final dish. 

For this recipe, it’s important to leave the pan partially covered as the tomatoes cook to let their natural juices evaporate. This allows for a reduced, concentrated tomato flavor to complement the lean beef and creamy, salty cheeses.

Note: Cook the tomatoes in a large, nonstick skillet instead of a deep pot, which lets the sauce spread out, speeding up the evaporation and thickening process. 

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the Marinara

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 lbs mixed large roma and stem tomatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp tomato paste (preferably double-concentrated Italian)
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Tomatoes Ready to Peel

For the Beef Lasagna

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for oiling dish
• 1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano, plus more for garnish
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella (2 large balls), thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Cheeses for the Lasagna

Preparation

For the Marinara

1. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, but maintain a simmer, and cook partially covered until reduced to 2 cups, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aide.

Shallot and Garlic Beginning to Cook

Marinara Beginning to Cook

Marinara Reduction

For the Beef Lasagna

1. Cook the lasagna in a large pot of boiling, salted water 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the beef, garlic, onion, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef, until just cooked through, 7-8 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place in a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Sirloin Beginning to Cook

Beef and Parmesan Mixture

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Lightly oil a 13 X 9-inch baking dish and place 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom, slightly overlapping each. Spread 1/2 the beef mixture over the noodles.
3. Place 1/2 the mozzarella slices over the beef, then spoon 1/3 of the marinara over the top. (The entire beef and cheese layer will not be covered.) Repeat the layer.
4. End with another layer of noodles and spread the remaining marinara on top. (Yes, this means there are 2 layers of noodles close to the top of the lasagna—a good al dente texture and taste when you bite into the lasagna.)

1st Layer of the Lasagna

1st Mozzarella Layer

1st Layer with Mainara

1. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and the Pecorino Romano cheese on top. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned, 35-40 minutes.

Lasagna Ready to Bake

Baked Lasagna

1. Remove from the oven and rest 10 minutes. Slice the lasagna into 6 large or 8 small pieces and serve.

Beef Lasagna with Fresh Mozzarella and Marinara Reduction