Warm Halloumi Cheese with Cold, Minty Watermelon

  If you're  looking for a simple new way to  enjoy 'grilling cheese'  you may love this summery  recipe   from Michael Symon.  The  appeal of an easy  low-carb appetizer drew me into  its  satisfying taste --- warm, melty cheese topped with  cool, minty watermelon triangles.

Halloumi is most often  marketed and labeled as "grilling cheese" and served with bread.  A little research disclosed that  this appetizer is an old Cypriot recipe and that the  cheese is  usually part-goat, part-sheep's milk.  Halloumi  retains its shape, and  is   milder than feta or chevre.  The exterior stays somewhat firm, so watch it carefully to avoid burning.

Whisk together  one  TB each of grated garlic and grated  shallot. Add 2 oz red wine vinegar and one TB honey (I used  sugar-free).  Whisk in 4 oz extra virgin olive oil, 2 TB  toasted thin-sliced almonds, chopped, and 2 TB finely chopped fresh  mint.  Cut a  1" slice from a small round watermelon. Trim off the rind and white, and cut the melon in  8 triangles.  Place them in a shallow bowl and pour the marinade over the melon.  Cover and refrigerate for an  hour.

Using 1 TB extra virgin olive oil, heat a skillet (cast-iron preferred) , and  when it's hot, fry 8 triangles ( 8 oz) of   room-temperature halloumi cheese*  about a minute per side just 'til browned a bit on both sides.  Remove to  a serving plate, top with watermelon triangles and toothpicks.  Serve and enjoy the warm/icy cold  bites.

*Halloumi is generally sold in rectangular slices about  1/2" -3/4". It's often called frying cheese and may be "Italian grilling cheese" or "Greek frying cheese" or some similar flavor.  "Plain" is fine too.  If yours is  thicker,  the cheese may  not soften quite enough during cooking.  If it's too thick to use as-is  but too thin to cut in half horizontally,  nuke  less than 30 seconds in the microwave  either before or   after searing, and then proceed.   Poke it to be sure its soft inside before  removing from the pan...it keeps it shape even when soft.  This makes  8 one-or-two-bite appetizers. 

** If you're concerned about sodium  substitute Indian paneer cheese - it's  almost-zero -sodium and fries well without melting.

Roast Pork Egg Foo Yung

Crisp-fried egg patties, crammed  with soft onions and crunchy sprouts....mmmm.  I know there are more authentic and complex recipes, but I've happily thrown this one together for years and find it  not only acceptably passable  but delicious, and ready in 15 minutes.

 I can indulge myself  by  smotherimg  the patties  in gravy, substituting   an envelope of  dry  gravy mix   instead of making the gravy from scratch  with fat and flour.  Gravy.....at an   unbelievable  4 carbs per 1/4 cup..and almost no fat.....I now use no-sodium gravy mixes.  If you're not concerned with   carbs, serve  the patties with  steamed or  fried rice  or  lo mein noodles and /or a salad for a satisfying  quick supper. 

Feel free to change the meat to chicken, shrimp, or just  about anything,  but stick with pork or chicken  gravy.   If you can score some leftover Chinese-style roast pork  to use, all the better.

Prepare the gravy:  use a packet of  chicken or pork gravy mix and make  as directed,  using 3/4 c. broth or water, and adding  2 TB  soy sauce   as it thickens.  Have  the gravy  prepared and rice hot   before you fry the eggs.

In a big bowl beat 5 eggs well while 1/3 c. vegetable oil is heating in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  To the eggs, add 1/2 c. (cooled) diced  ham, roast pork, chicken or whatever,  1/2 c chopped onion ( not diced finely, just chopped up)  1/4 c. chopped green onion tops, 1/2 c. sliced or chopped water chestnuts , drained,   1 cup canned   bean sprouts, drained, 1/4 tsp salt.    When I use  ham I  like it a  bit crispy,  so I frizzle it briefly in a little hot oil and drain& cool briefly  before adding to the egg mixture.

Using a  1/4 c. measure, drop portions of the egg mix  into the hot oil and fry until golden and crispy on both sides, turning once. If your oil is hot enough it  will sputter and sizzle when poured in the pan.  Cook a minute or  two  on each side., just be sure the centers are firm.      Drain briefly  on paper towels.  Serve hot, with the gravy and extra soy sauce.   This will make about a dozen  4" patties and serve about 3-4  people. I usually make them twice that size.   If you  have a few  patties  left,   freeze or refrigerate.    Nuke them a few seconds to warm, then repurpose  as  a breakfast sandwich.

Broiled Halibut in Clam Sauce

I usually pick up regional  recipe books when traveling, and  while I did not bring home any freshly-caught Alaskan halibut , due to rough seas   the day we were scheduled to go out  from Homer, I did bring  a spiral bound collection of  150 "Alaskan Halibut Recipes"  contributed by locals.   There are many that sound wonderful. Many  of them  are  breaded or fried ,  so we haven't tried those yet, but  some others  tempted us.   This unusual  clam- sauced dish has become a favorite,. You can  use any thick, firm whitefish -- cod or haddock for example -- successfully.   There's  some  fat,  but  the dish is  very low in carbs.

 In a saucepan, heat 2 TB butter, when melted, add 2 TB flour.  Add clam juice from one small can of minced clams, plus enough hot milk to make 1 cup total.   Cook,  whisking, until the sauce is thick and boils.  Stir in 2 TB lemon juice, 1/3 c. minced  green onion, 1/4 c. sliced green olives, 1 tsp. prepared mustard, 1/4 c. mayonnaise ( no substitutes) and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. Place 2 lbs halibut fillets on a greased baking dish, season with salt & pepper, and   the juice of one lemon..  Dot with  butter and broil for 5 or 6 minutes before turning and covrering with clam sauce.  Return to broiler and cook until the sauce is bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Serves 4-6.

Chilled Steak Stroganoff Spread

If you can't hover over the table all night to  explain, make a little nametag for this  yummy appetizer, otherwise many  guests  will pass it up, thinking it's  herring in sour cream. Serve on  strips of buttered toast, or cocktail size pumpernickel or rye.

Cut  1 1/2 c. leftover steak or roast beef ( a bit rare preferred) into  thin strips about 1 1/2" long,  like the  beef  stir-fry strips, which you can buy and cook for this dish if you're not using leftover meat..  If slicing, cut against the grain.  Mix 2 TB lemon juice with 3/4 c. sour cream, 1/4 c. "real" mayonnaise,  1/4 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic salt, and 2 chopped green onions, some tops included.  Mix thoroughly, then add steak strips. Chill well in a covered bowl, preferably 6 hours. Serve sprinkled with paprika and some chopped green onion tops or chopped chives. And that little label!

Swiss Lemon Chicken

Not just delicious, but efficent, since its just as good  prepared ahead and  run under the broiler just before serving.  The creamy swiss sauce has a subtle touch of lemon and white wine.

Rub 8  boneless, skinless chicken breast halves thoroughly with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper,  Spread 1/4 c. flour* on a paper plate or wax paper, and roll chicken to coat lightly on both sides.  Heat 1/4 c. butter or  margarine in  a large skillet and brown in two batches, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate as they brown.

To the pan, add 1 tsp fresh lemon zest, 2 TB lemon juice, 2 TB dry white wine and bring to boiling, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the pan.  Return chicken, all of it, to the pan.  Cover and lower the heat, simmer about 5 minutes.   Then arrange the breasts in a single layer in a 9x13 pan.   Stir 1/2 c. heavy cream into the  lemon-wine mixture and cook til bubbly, about 1 minute.   Pour over the chicken, and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese.  Broil in a preheated broiler for about 5 minutes, until  bubbly and the cheese begins to brown. 

* if avoiding flour, you can skip it, making this an essentially carb-free  taste sensation. I've also used whole wheat flour, and really, it's almost as good without flour at all

Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Peppers

Grilled as an entree with fresh sweet corn and fried zucchini....oozing with cheesy sausage goodness...oh, my! Love 'em a little charred, it just sweetens them even more. I've added Anaheims to my garden list for next year specifically to have on hand anytime the urge arises.

Use 20 banana peppers or 10 Anaheim peppers carefully sliced open on one side, seeded and cored. Or, you can just cut off the stem end if you feel you can push the sausage mixture all the way down in the pointy end after removing the seeds and pulp. Mix 1 lb ground Italian sausage (sweet or hot or both) mixed with 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese. Stuff the peppers. Use soaked skewers, toothpicks, or better yet, poultry-lacing pins to fasten shut the opening. Some leakage is inevitable. Place on top rack and grill over medium heat, turning often, til sausage is cooked through and peppers are soft.

Serves 8 as an appetizer, or 2-4 as an entree, depending on their size.

Brazilian Omelet

This  omelet, filled with cream cheese, bacon, and avocado, is nothing if not decadent.  There's no denying that the fat content may be a tad high.....just a tad...but the good news is that if you are ignoring fat and calories,  counting  carbs instead, you're home free....Feel virtuous, if you're on the Atkins or South Beach diet, this is a legit breakfast and a quick but  memorable treat.

Preheat the broiler.

For  an omelet for one hearty diner or  two smaller appetites,  beat 4 or 5  eggs with 1 TB cold water and 1/4 tsp garlic  powder.  If you happen to have powdered milk around, beat in  a tablespoon;  if not, don't use liquid milk.    Heat a tablespoon or two of butter in an ovenproof  skillet, and cook the eggs, pushing the edges away and letting the egg run to the sides of the pan as you would for any omelet.    When the omelet is nearly cooked but  still   wet on top, lay 4 oz. sliced cream cheese*  over  the eggs on  half the pan.  Put the pan  under the broiler, about 5" away, and broil briefly,  until the top of the eggs are  cooked   and the cream cheese has softened quite a bit.   Remove from the broiler.  Place  1/2 avocado, sliced, and 4 strips crisply cooked bacon  on top of the cream cheese.  Fold the  other side  of the eggs over, and serve immediately.   You won't   soon forget that first bite of   cream cheese, avocado, bacon and egg!

*slice the cream cheese while cold!

Crispy Roasted Tarragon-Butter Cornish Hens

The aroma  as these hens roast is  nearly  as delicious as the birds themselves.  Heavenly, buttery crisp skin,  bathed in white wine and loaded with tarragon inside and out,  with not much effort other than   giving them a little spooned shower now and then.  There's something fun  about  having a bird all to yourself, and  there's no fighting over who gets the wishbone.    The wine-spa treatment  indulgently relaxes these little hens' sense of  decorum enough that if you're  serving them  to guests you may wish to tie the legs together . As  your  your mom taught you,   ladies cross their legs at their ankles, and these  hens get so embarrassed when they  appear on the table with legs immodestly splayed.    

I  love cooking with white  Port, which was a very common table wine  years ago  but  scarce as cassette tapes in the new millennium. Use your favorite white, but make an effort to locate some white Port first.... good luck with that, cuz I can't vouch for your choice of wine and I've bought up every stray bottle  of  white Port I stumble across.

Preheat oven to 400.  In  a small saucepan, melt  3/4 c margarine with 3/4 c. white Port or other white wine, adding 1 TB dried tarragon.  In each of 6 thawed, rinsed, and dried  Cornish hens, place 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp dried tarragon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.  Sprinkle the outside liberally with garlic salt and rub.

Roast the hens in a large, flat, shallow pan, without a rack, for 1 hour or until well browned and a drumstick twists easily, basting often with the butter-wine mixture.   Serve the hens with a little  bit of drippings.   And make a teeny-tiny wish with your very own teeny-tiny little wishbone.