Blue Apron: Gnocchi with Sausage and Savoy Cabbage

What I really love about Blue Apron is the variety.  

Sometimes you get this crazy out of the box (see what I did there?) recipe, and sometimes you get something easy simple and comforting.  This weeks box proved that.  Macadamia crusted cod and Black Rice are ingredients I don't use often.  It was one of my favorite meals but required a few different pots and pans, slicing dicing and a ton of mess.

This gnocchi dish on the other hand, was a simple sorta one pot meal.  One pan for the toppings, and a pot for the gnocchi.  Everything cooks quick and there is little mess involved.  The ingredients were "normal" ingredients you probably already have and the recipe was straight forward and simple.  Although it was simple, it was still unique and extremely satisfying.  I would have never thought to throw cabbage and vinegar into a dish with gnocchi and sausage.  

While this isn't the most beautiful plate of food,
 it is still unique, filling, and oh so good.

Blue Apron:  Gnocchi with Sausage and Savoy Cabbage 

Get the PDF of the recipe here!

2 Servings

600 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS 

8 Ounces Sweet Italian Sausage
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Red Onion
10 Ounces Savoy Cabbage
¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
8 Ounces Fresh Gnocchi
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese



1. Prep:  
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and onion. Remove and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves. Remove the sausage from the casings and break it into small pieces; discard the casings.

 2.  Cook the sausage: 
 In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sausage and cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned.

3.  Add the aromatics: 
 To the pan of sausage, add the onion, garlic and as much of the crushed red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.
4.  Add the cabbage:  Add the cabbage to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cabbage has wilted. Stir in the red wine vinegar.

5.  Cook the gnocchi:  
While the cabbage cooks, add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the gnocchi float to the top of the pot. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly to the pan of cabbage and sausage, reserving the pasta cooking water. Add ½ cup of reserved pasta water and all but a pinch of the Parmesan cheese (save the rest for garnish) to the pan of pasta. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined; season with salt and pepper to taste. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add up to an additional ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.)

6.  Plate your dish:  
Divide the gnocchi and sauce between 2 dishes.
 Garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese. 
Enjoy!

Blue Apron: Stewed Chicken with Potato Latkes and Creme Fraiche

This meal came right at the beginning of Hannukah, which I thought was kind of fun considering it contained Latkes. I have never made latkes before but I love potatoes, and I love pancakes, so I knew I would love this. I am not a huge soup person so I was excited to see this had less liquid than most soups and had the potato latkes on the side (with a sauce !)

A lot of prep and little time consuming- but totally worth it.

Blue Apron Fun Fact: 

"Crème Fraîche is basically a more delicate (French) kind of sour cream. It is slightly less sour, a little thinner and has a higher percentage of butterfat. It's a cool, refreshing way to finish off a dish and add a little richness, too".

Click HERE for the Blue Apron PDF

Blue Apron 

 Stewed Chicken - with Potato Latkes and Creme Fraiche

2 Servings

650 calories per serving 

INGREDIENTS:

2 Airline Chicken Breasts

1 Pound Russet Potatoes

6 Ounces White Button Mushrooms

2 Carrots

2 Stalks Celery

1 Yellow Onion

1 Bunch Parsley

1 Bunch Thyme

3 Tablespoons Chicken Demi-Glace

2 Tablespoons Matzoh Meal

¼ Cup Crème Fraîche

The mushroom came in this box-  

Have you seen anything cuter?

1. Prep: 

 Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the mushrooms. Peel and thinly slice the carrots into rounds. Thinly slice the celery. Peel and halve the onion. Thinly slice one half; reserve the remaining half. Pick the parsley and thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche and half the thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Brown the chicken: 

 Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides; sprinkle the skinless side of the chicken with the remaining thyme. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken, skin side down first, and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned. (You’ll finish cooking the chicken later.) Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan. Set aside.

3. Make the latke mixture: 

 While the chicken cooks, grate the potatoes and the reserved onion half on the large side of a box grater. Place in a medium and season with salt and pepper. Add the matzoh meal; mix until well combined. Set aside.

4. Stew the chicken and vegetables:

 Heat the pan of reserved chicken fond on medium-high until hot. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Add the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Add the carrot, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the browned chicken (skin side up), demi-glace and ¾ cup of water. Heat to boiling then reduce the heat to medium. Loosely cover with foil; simmer 13 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook the latkes: 

While the chicken simmers, using your hands, divide the latke mixture into 6 equal portions. Using your hands, squeeze out and discard any excess liquid. Flatten each drained portion into a ¼-inch-thick cake. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that the m

ixture immediately sizzles when added to the pan, add the latkes. Cook, occasionally turning with spatula, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt.

6. Finish and plate: 

Stir all but a pinch of the parsley into the stewed chicken and vegetables. To plate your dish, divide the stewed chicken and vegetables between 2 dishes. Garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve with the latkes and seasoned crème fraîche on the side.

Enjoy!

Blue Apron: Macadamia Crusted Cod with Black Rice, Golden Beet and Avocado Salad

I know I keep saying every recipe is my favorite...

 but this is my new favorite.

Blue Apron:  Macadamia Crusted Cod with Black Rice, Golden Beet and Avocado Salad

I love cod.  I love fish.  I love rice.  I love beets. I love avocado.  

So yes I loved everything about this dish.  If you are as obsessed with these ingredients as I am, then you need to order this one up.  Better yet, you need to try Blue Apron and see what other creative meals they come up with.

Get a PDF of the Recipe Here!

2 Servings

700 calories per servings

INGREDIENTS

2 Cod Fillets

¾ Cup Black Rice

3 Scallions

1 Avocado

1 Bunch Baby Golden Beets

1 Bunch Mint

2 Tablespoons Panko Breadcrumbs

1 Lime

¼ Cup Macadamia Nuts

1. Cook the rice: 

Heat 2 small pots of salted water to boiling on high. Once the first pot of water is boiling, add the rice and cook 27 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Set aside.

Rice cooker is the easiest way to cook any rice- buy yours off Amazon here!

2. Cook & peel the beets: 

While the rice cooks and once the second pot of water is boiling, add the beets and cook 22 to 25 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the beets thoroughly. When cool enough to handle, using your hands and paper towels, gently rub the skins off the beets; discard the skins. Cut the beets into wedges and place in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Prepare the ingredients: 

 While the rice and beets cook, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the roots of the scallions; thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Using a peeler, remove the green rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter the lime. Peel, pit and dice the avocado; top with the juice of 2 lime wedges to prevent browning and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Finely chop the macadamia nuts and place in a small bowl with the breadcrumbs.

4. Coat & cook the cod: 

 Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat 1 side of each seasoned cod fillet in the breadcrumb-macadamia nut mixture. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated cod, crusted-side down first, and cook 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until the crust is golden brown and the fish is cooked through.

5. Make the rice salad: 

 To the pot of cooked rice, add the cooked beets, lime zest, white parts of thescallions, avocado, mint (thinly slicing the leaves just before adding), half the green parts of the scallions and the juice of the remaining lime wedges. Add a drizzle of olive oil and stir until combined; season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Plate your dish: 

 Divide the rice salad between 2 dishes. Top each with a cod fillet. Garnish with the remaining green parts of the scallions. Enjoy!

Blue Apron: Salmon Roll Sandwiches with Baby Beet and Pea Shoot Salad

Another recipe,

Katie, have you done anything more than stuff your face lately?

Why yes, yes I have. Actually,  a lot!  But I have to sit down and write a cohesive post about that.  So while I do that, I will share another blue apron recipe with you all.  And this one is perfect for summer.  Lemony salmon with mayo, crunchy celery and herbs, and this fresh beet and pea shoot salad on the side....you will not have leftovers here!

Click here to download a PDF card of this recipe!

Salmon Roll Sandwiches 

with a baby beet and pea shoot salad

Makes 2 Servings

About 615 Calories Per Serving

'This recipe is our interpretation of the traditional seafood sandwiches popular in New England. Rich, flaked salmon is mixed with herbs, mayonnaise, crunchy celery and lemon then stuffed into a soft potato roll. We're also using pea shoots, the leaves and curly tendrils of the pea plant. These tender leaves are full of the promise of spring and its flavor, too."

Ingredients

1 Bunch Chives 

1 Bunch Parsley 

1 Lemon

1 Shallot

1 Stalk Celery

½ Bunch Red Baby Beets

2 Skin-On Salmon Fillets 

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

2 Ounces Pea Shoots

2 Long Potato Rolls

Makes 2 Servings

About 615 Calories Per Serving

Cook the beets: 

Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Add the 

beets and cook 28 to 32 minutes, or until tender when pierced with 

a fork. Drain thoroughly and let stand until cool enough to handle. 

Using a paper towel and your fingers, gently rub the skin off each 

beet; discard the skins. Trim off and discard the top of each beet, 

then cut each bulb into wedges and place in a medium bowl. 

While the beets continue to cook, pat the salmon fillets dry with 

paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a 

medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive 

oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned salmon fillets, skin 

side down first, and cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum 

foil, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate 

and let rest. Wipe out and set aside the pan. When the salmon is 

cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Then, using a 

fork or your hands, flake the cooked salmon into large pieces and 

place in a large bowl. 

Prepare the ingredients:  

While the beets cook, wash and dry the fresh produce. Finely chop 

the chives. Pick the parsley leaves off the stems; discard the stems 

and finely chop the leaves. Using a peeler, remove the yellow 

rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 

2 teaspoons of zest. Cut the lemon into quarters and remove the 

seeds. Peel and mince the shallot. Small dice the celery. 

Cook the salmon:

While the beets continue to cook, pat the salmon fillets dry with 

paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a 

medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive 

oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned salmon fillets, skin 

side down first, and cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum 

foil, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate 

and let rest. Wipe out and set aside the pan. When the salmon is 

cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Then, using a 

fork or your hands, flake the cooked salmon into large pieces and 

place in a large bowl.

Make the salmon filling:

To the bowl with the cooked salmon pieces, add the celery, lemon 

zest, chives, parsley, mayonnaise, half the shallot and the juice 

of 2 lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper and gently mix 

until just combined. Set aside as you continue cooking. 

Dress the beets and pea shoots:

Add the vinegar and remaining shallot to the bowl of cooked 

beet wedges. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive 

oil; toss until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, toss the 

pea shoots with a drizzle of olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon 

wedge (you will have an extra lemon wedge); season with salt and 

pepper.

Toast the buns and plate your dish:

In the same pan used to cook the salmon, heat 2 teaspoons of 

olive oil on medium-high until hot. Open each potato roll, place 

in the pan, interior side down, and toast 30 seconds to 1 minute, 

or until lightly browned. Transfer the toasted buns to a plate. To 

plate your dish, fill each toasted potato roll with half the salmon 

mixture. Divide the pea shoots between 2 plates and top with the 

beets. Enjoy! 

Blue Apron- Fried Green Tomatoes with cajun remoulade sauce and boston red leaf salad

Happy Tuesday-  Hope everyone is feeling refreshed and happy after a long weekend and the kick off to summer.  Now that the sun is shining and the veggie stands are making their appearance once again, I thought I would share a fun recipe with you. 

Let me backtrack by saying how much I love my Nikon DSLR.  The problem is, for a while I got lazy and started to rely completely on "Point and shoot" mode and "auto focus".    The other issue is the lighting is always terrible in my house.  Well this weekend I left my comfort zone, took my dinner outside, put my camera on manual focus, and oh my was it fun and did it pay off.  Now, back to the food.

Every time I get a blue apron package on my doorstep, and start cooking in my kitchen, I love Blue Apron a little more.  I love to cook- love love love.  But I don't always have the time or patience for the grocery store, and never mind spending the money on a jar of something for a recipe that only needs a teaspoon.  

But I have to say my favorite thing about Blue Apron is trying these fun new recipes.  Even more specifically, trying new vegetarian recipes that I would never think to try. 

Well, today I got to try fried green tomatoes for the first time. 

Fried Green Tomatoes 

(with a cajun remoulade sauce and boston red leaf lettuce)

Makes 2 Servings

About 590 Calories Per Serving

"This dish is a taste of what’s to come, using the current crop of green tomatoes (red tomatoes that haven’t had a chance to ripen in the summer sun). Their firm texture and lightly acidic nature make them perfect for breading and pan-frying. We’re adding our own special touch to this  mainstay of Southern cuisine, serving it with a zesty Cajun rémoulade sauce for dipping."

INGREDIENTS

3 Breakfast Radishes

2 Green Tomatoes

1 Bunch Parsley

1 Clove Garlic

1 Head Boston Red Leaf Lettuce

1 Lemon

1 Shallot

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon Cajun Seasoning

1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

½ Cup All-Purpose Flour

½ Cup Buttermilk

1.  Prepare the ingredients

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the radishes into thin rounds.  Slice the tomatoes into ½-inch thick rounds. Pick the parsley leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Peel and mince the garlic then, using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste. Cut out and discard the root of the lettuce, then roughly chop the leaves. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter the lemon and remove the seeds. Peel and mince the shallot. 

2.  Make the remoulade 

In a small bowl, combine the shallot, lemon zest, garlic paste, mayonnaise, Cajun seasoning and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Stir to thoroughly combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Bread the tomatoes

Place the flour, buttermilk and breadcrumbs into 3 separate dishes. Working one at a time, coat each tomato slice in the flour (tap off any excess flour), then briefly dip in the milk before coating  completely with breadcrumbs. With your fingers, gently press the crumbs into the tomato to make sure they stick. Transfer the breaded tomato to a plate or tray; repeat with the remaining tomato 

slices.

4.  Bread the tomatoes

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the breaded tomatoes to the hot oil (working in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding) and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until crisp and golden brown. (You may need to rotate the tomatoes around the pan to ensure 

even cooking.) Transfer the fried tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Set aside as you continue cooking.

4.  Make the salad

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, radishes and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add the juice of 1 lemon wedge (you will have an extra lemon wedge) and a drizzle of olive oil; toss to coat. 

Serve and enjoy!!

Makes 2 Servings

About 590 Calories Per Serving