Philadelphia, PA—Alright, the holidays have passed, and needless to say, you’re tired of turkey, ham, roast beef, or whatever. Now, you may be watching your diet after indulging yourself. So here are some quick and easy food ideas that keep calories in mind but are still good and a nice pace change.
We hope that you enjoy these recipes, and that they give a nice change to your meal ideas and a nice change of pace. Adding wine to your meal can have many benefits; it can enhance your dining experience with the proper wine-food matching.
Lobster Bisque
- 4 4 oz lobster tails, thawed if frozen and removed from shell
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose or gluten-free flour
- 5 cups seafood or fish stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- chopped chives, for garnish
On a medium heat, melt butter in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook these for 6 to 7 minutes, or until they are soft. Then add in salt and pepper to taste and stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes or until the tomato paste covers the vegetables. Sprinkle the plain flour on top and cook for a further 1 minute. Add seafood stock and the wine. Stir in with a bay leaf and 3 sprigs of thyme. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the liquid is reduced and flavors combine. Stir occasionally and let simmer for a total of 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme then puree in a blender until smooth, in batches as needed. Bring mixture back to medium-low heat. Add the lobster tails. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.
Shrimp with Avocado Salad
- 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup grape-seed oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 lb medium shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
- Two ripe avocados
- Lettuce - preferably butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce
- Lemon slices for garnish
- As an Option - 2 Tbsp chopped toasted walnuts or pistachios
- 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Combine oil, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl. Chop shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the oil mixture. Arrange leaves of lettuce on individual plates. Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Remove some avocado around the pit area and mix it with the shrimp. Carefully scoop out avocado halves from their skins in one pie with a spoon. Place the avocado half on a plate with lettuce, and spoon the shrimp mixture onto the avocado. Sprinkle with walnuts and cilantro (optional). Serve with lemon slices for garnish. You can serve this along with vegetables or cottage cheese. For wine, choose Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc.
Spanish Rice with Chicken
- Two tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
- One onion chopped fine
- One garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
- 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock if vegetarian
- One heaping tablespoon of tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
- Pinch of oregano
- One teaspoon salt
- Two pounds of chicken can be grilled or fried, cut into slices or chunks, and added alongside the rice or mixed with rice as it simmers. This is an excellent addition to the rice and can be mixed in once the rice has been cooked.
In a large skillet, brown the rice in olive oil on medium-high heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook the onion-rice mixture, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened.In a separate saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring it to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Let sit for 5 minutes. For wine, use Chenin Blanc or maybe Gewürztraminer again, depending on your taste for wines.
These recipes are complete, but there are many more available, so if you enjoy food and wine as much as most people, then stop by and visit our site listed below. Till the next time, enjoy good food, good wine, and life.
Share This Article on Social Media