Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (18 page)

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Season the chicken breasts with the remaining tablespoon of cumin, the coriander, and salt and pepper; add to the hot skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on
each side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken to the cutting board, squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the chicken, and allow it to cool slightly.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, cutting around the pit. Separate the halves and using a spoon, scoop out the pit and then scoop the avocado from its skin. Chop the avocado flesh into bite-size pieces. Add to a mixing bowl. To the avocado add the shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Cut the chicken into thin strips and add to the bowl. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lime over the salad and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

To finish the soup, turn the heat off. While whisking, add the grated Cheddar cheese in 3 additions. Serve the Cheddar soup immediately alongside the lime chicken avocado salad.

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SERVINGS

In a salad bowl combine the ginger, jalapeño, vinegar, salt, and pepper. In a slow steady stream, whisk in 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the radishes, cucumber, and bell pepper and toss to coat. Let the veggies marinate at room temperature while you prepare the sesame-crusted snapper.

With a sharp paring knife, score the skin side of the snapper fillets: Slash 3 ⅛-inch-deep cuts across the width of the fish. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle and then gently press the sesame seeds onto both sides of the fish. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (twice around the pan). When the pan is hot, add the seasoned fish to the skillet skin side down. Sauté the snapper for 4 minutes, and if you find that the fillets bubble up in the center section, carefully press each fillet down with a fish spatula. Flip the
fillets and continue to cook on the second side for 3 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and opaque. While the fish is cooking on the second side, finish off the ginger-dressed snappy veggies.

To the marinating vegetables add the watercress, basil, and peanuts. Toss to combine.

To serve, distribute the snappy veggies among four plates and top with the sesame-crusted snapper.

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Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium high.

To a shallow dish add the lemon juice and garlic. Pile the cilantro and parsley together and finely chop them. Pile the green herbs into the dish. Add the red pepper flakes and a generous dose of coarse salt and the ¼ cup of EVOO. Mix the marinade and add the fish. Coat the fish evenly with the marinade, then thread it onto metal skewers. Thread the chorizo onto another skewer with cut sides facing out to expose them to the grill and so they will get good markings. Reserve the skewers.

Heat a deep, medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tablespoon of EVOO and the butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and rice. Stir and sauté the mixture for 3 minutes, then add the cauliflower and stock and season with salt and pepper. Stir in saffron threads and bring the liquid up to a bubble. Cover the pan tightly and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 17 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Place the skewers on the grill when the mostly-vegetable rice has cooked for 5 minutes with the lid on. Cook the fish for 8 to 10 minutes, until opaque, turning every couple of minutes. Cook the chorizo for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to get good markings; the sausage is already fully cooked, you are just warming it and marking it.

Uncover the vegetables and rice and stir. Pile portions of the mostly-vegetables and saffron rice on plates. Remove the swordfish and chorizo from their skewers and combine them. Pile the fish and cooked chorizo on top of the veggie and rice mixture and serve.

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Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with a little EVOO. In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, orange zest, chipotle powder, egg whites, parsley, Old Bay seasoning, bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Add the crabmeat and gently fold the mixture together, trying not to break up the large pieces of crab. Add half of the seasoned crab mixture to the food processor. Using the pulse function, zap it 4 or 5 times. You are not trying to make a paste, you are just looking for a finer blend. Thoroughly combine
the pulsed crab with the chunky crab, folding it together somewhat gently so as not to break up the chunky part. With your hand, score the crab mixture into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 2. Scoop the portion with an ice cream scoop and release onto the baking sheet. Press down to form each of your 8 portions into a 1-inch-thick cake. If you are going for the panko bread crumbs, drizzle the panko with a little EVOO and sprinkle each cake with about 1 tablespoon of the panko. Bake the crab cakes on the top rack of the oven for 12 to 13 minutes, or until cooked through. While the crab cakes are cooking, prepare the sweet and bitter salad.

In a large salad bowl combine the endive, radicchio, and lettuce. To make the dressing, in another bowl squeeze the juice of the reserved orange, then add the red wine vinegar, honey, and mustard. Whisk in about 3 tablespoons EVOO, pouring it in a slow, steady stream. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Serve 2 crab cakes on top of a portion of the sweet and bitter salad.

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JICAMA SLAW

FIRE-ROASTED SALSA