dinner Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Tandoori-Spiced Alaska Halibut with Grilled Vegetables and Cilantro-Mint Raita

June 29, 2020 By Becky 3 Comments

This post is sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. I’m thrilled to be partnering with ASMI to share a series of delicious recipes highlighting sustainable, wild-caught seafood from Alaska.

This tandoori-spiced Alaska halibut with grilled vegetables and cooling cilantro-mint raita is the perfect healthy meal to kick off grilling season!

Who else gets really excited about dusting off the grill once the weather warms up each spring? I love to cook outside, which is part of why I’m particularly excited about this recipe, which is the sixth in a series of recipes highlighting Alaska seafood that I’m sharing in partnership with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. This month’s recipe features Alaska halibut, which is a versatile whitefish with great flavor that holds together well for grilling.

Vietnamese Caramelized Alaska Salmon

May 15, 2020 By Becky 4 Comments

This Vietnamese caramelized Alaska salmon with vermicelli, quick-pickled carrots and cucumbers, cashews, and nuoc cham is a satisfying and flavorful dinner that’s easy to throw together on a summer evening.

Raise your hand if you love a good vermicelli bowl! They’ve been a favorite of mine for years. When my husband Ben and I lived in Boston, our apartment was in a Vietnamese neighborhood in Dorchester, with several great restaurants and grocery stores. My go-to order was a vermicelli plate with shrimp and pork, carrots, cucumber, fresh herbs, and nuoc cham dipping sauce.

Alaska Sablefish Poached in Brown Butter with Baby Potatoes & Kale

March 30, 2020 By Becky 6 Comments

Alaska Sablefish Poached in Brown Butter with Baby Potatoes & Kale

Try this Alaska sablefish poached in brown butter with baby potatoes and kale for your next date night in or Fish Friday. It’s easy, delicious, and packed with Omega 3s.

Have you ever tried Alaska sablefish? Otherwise known as black cod, it’s a mild but rich whitefish that has even more Omega 3s than salmon. Sablefish holds together well, so it’s ideal for a variety of cooking methods, from grilling to frying to poaching.

Sheet Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cabbage & Apples

March 27, 2020 By Becky Leave a Comment

Sheet Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cabbage & Apples

This sheet pan crispy chicken with cabbage and apples tastes amazing and is easy to throw together. It’s paleo, dairy free, gluten free, and Whole30-compliant–and all you’ll need to wash is one baking sheet!

Is anyone else holding on to wintry foods for longer than usual this year? Even though it’s almost April and the high will be 85 degrees in Chattanooga today, I’m still craving everything roasted or braised, plus soups, stews, and all other things comfort food.

I know almost everything is a struggle these days, and I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and home as much as possible. Access to food is now spottier than ever and constantly shifting, so I hope you are staying well fed. I photographed this over a month ago when it was still business as usual here, but lately have had to try several times before succeeding in obtaining bone-in chicken.

Instant Pot Balsamic Short Ribs

January 16, 2020 By Becky Leave a Comment

These Instant Pot balsamic short ribs are easy to make and the epitome of winter comfort food, plus they’re dairy free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant!

Shooooort ribs! I remember the first time I ordered them, at a restaurant in Jamaica Plain on New Year’s Eve in 2011. I said to the waiter, “So short ribs are pork, right?” 😂

I’ve learned a lot about short ribs since first falling in love with them almost a decade ago. To begin with, they’re beef! Also, they’re one of the richest, most tender cuts you’ll find, and are best slow cooked or braised. After much testing and experimenting, I’m happy to report that using your Instant Pot* is one of the best ways to cook them (*this link and others with an asterisk are affiliate links, which means I earn from qualifying purchases).

Sesame-Crusted Alaska Salmon Salad with Winter Citrus and Maple Sriracha Cashews

January 9, 2020 By Becky Leave a Comment

This sesame-crusted Alaska salmon salad features wild-caught sockeye salmon encased in black and white sesame seeds, along with orange and grapefruit, pickled onion, and maple sriracha cashews, all on a bed of tender kale.

Happy New Year! I’m back with another seasonal fish recipe as part of my series with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. This time, I have a fresh salad that you’re going to love featuring winter citrus, pickled onions, the most amazing candied cashews, and sesame-crusted Alaska sockeye salmon.

Gluten-free Fritto Misto with Alaska Seafood

December 5, 2019 By Becky Leave a Comment

When my husband and I spent time in Italy on our honeymoon, we had an amazing fritto misto in Venice. I’d never heard of the dish before, but it’s basically a variety of crispy fried seafood and vegetables served with lemon wedges and a delicious sauce for dipping—kind of like an Italian tempura. Fritto misto means “mixed fry” in Italian.

For the second recipe in my ongoing partnership with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, I’m thrilled to share this amazing gluten-free fritto misto made with Alaska seafood. It’s a wild caught, homemade spin on what we ate in Italy, and it’s even better than the restaurant version!

Pumpkin Alfredo with Seared Alaska Scallops

October 23, 2019 By Becky 2 Comments

Pumpkin Alfredo with Seared Alaska Scallops

This low-carb pumpkin alfredo with seared Alaska scallops and crispy sage is the perfect quick but fancy dinner for chilly fall evenings at home.

I’m here with your perfect fall dinner: pumpkin, creamy sauce, brown butter seared Alaska scallops, and crispy sage. This is one I could eat pretty much every day of the week because it’s so flavorful and healthy but takes less than half an hour to make.

Did you know that Alaska has sustainable fishing built right into its state constitution? That means seafood from Alaska is always wild caught and fished in a way that preserves the environment and marine ecosystem for generations to come. I’m so excited to be partnering with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute to share a series of creative recipes with Alaska seafood and encourage you to #AskforAlaska while shopping and dining out.

October is National Seafood Month, so this is the perfect time to make sure you’re eating seafood several times a week. Why not start with this pumpkin alfredo with seared scallops?

Shepherd’s Pie with Rutabaga

September 24, 2019 By Becky 17 Comments

Rutabaga is even more delicious than potato atop this paleo version of shepherd’s pie. This shepherd’s pie with rutabaga is one of my go-to dinners during the colder months! Recipe and photos updated September 2019.

I’ve been making this shepherd’s pie with rutabaga for over five years now! It’s my husband’s very favorite and most-requested dinner, and I love it, too. With fall making its official arrival this week, I decided it was high time to pull this recipe out of the archives, shoot some new photos, streamline the cooking process, and share it with you again. (I’ve left in one of the old photos in for posterity–I’m sure you can figure out which one it is!)

Instant Pot Tomato Sauce (made with fresh tomatoes)

September 9, 2019 By Becky 2 Comments

Instant Pot Tomato Sauce (made with fresh tomatoes)

This simple and luxurious Instant Pot tomato sauce is inspired by Marcella Hazan’s classic recipe, but takes advantage of fresh summer tomatoes from your garden or CSA.

Something about September makes me want to bust out the Instant Pot for almost every meal! All summer long I only used it for rice (it makes the most PERFECT rice!), but now that it’s fall I’m ready to make all manner of sauces, soups, stews, and braises.

Cantaloupe, Corn, and Zucchini Salad with Lemony Pesto

August 5, 2019 By Becky 2 Comments

This cantaloupe, corn, and zucchini salad with lemony pesto is a perfect no-cook recipe for hot summer nights. It’s vegan, gluten free, and dairy free.

What’s fresh, fast, raw, and super delicious?

Cantaloupe, corn, and zucchini salad with lemony pesto, that’s what!

Chicken Tikka Masala

October 29, 2018 By Becky Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by .

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is a favorite at Indian restaurants, but it’s even more delicious when made at home! Try it with my paleo flatbread.

Who else is a huge fan of Indian food? I think if I had to pick just one cuisine as my very favorite, Indian would be it. I just can’t pass up all the layers of spice and flavor! And while it’s great to go out and enjoy dinner at an Indian restaurant, it’s even more fun (and even tastier) to make it yourself at home. Plus, your house will smell amazing!