Dinner for two just got easier, thanks to these entrees that you can get on the table in very little time. Just add your favorite salad, sides and dessert of choice to round out the meal. For even more convenience, the Bolognese can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge, or for up to one month in the freezer.
This recipe turns your favorite white fish fillets into a dinner to remember.
Photo by Gina Moore
PAN SEARED FISH WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES
SERVES 2
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 white fish fillets (cod, halibut, turbot)
Seafood seasoning (or salt and pepper)
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup quartered grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons white wine
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup halved Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped basil
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season fish fillets and fry on both sides until brown. Add onion and saute 2 minutes; add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add tomatoes, wine, lemon juice and olives. Continue cooking until the fish has cooked through and sauce is reduced. Plate and serve with additional sauce and garnish with basil.
Honey Mustard Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Surprise your dinner companion with this flavorful twist on roasted pork.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 2
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 pork tenderloin, silverskin trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, combine mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Using a small basting brush, rub the mixture all over the tenderloin until coated.
In a large cast-iron or oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Sear the tenderloin on all sides. Baste with any remaining sauce. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and roast 10–15 minutes until tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove from oven and tent with foil; let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef’s tip: Know the difference between a pork tenderloin and a pork loin. The tenderloin is the long, narrow boneless cut of meat that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone of a pig. These usually weigh about 1½ pounds and are sold two to a packet. The loin is wider, flatter, and comes from the back of the animal. The average weight is about 6–8 pounds.
Bucatini Bolognese
Pasta with Meat Sauce Closeup with Bread Loaf
Take your pasta experience to a whole new level with this easy recipe from Chef Belinda.
Photo by Karen Hermann
SERVES 2
Bucatini (or your favorite pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flatleaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package cooking recommendations, drain (reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid) and keep warm.
In a large skillet (or small dutch oven) over medium heat, add oil. Saute onions until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add celery and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring until meat is no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomatoes, parsley and basil, and cook until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Serve bucatini in pasta bowls topped with Bolognese sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Chef’s tip: If bucatini or Bolognese sit for an extended period before serving and get a little dried out, toss with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid.
Beef Filets with Sauteed Mushrooms
Break out the cast-iron skillet to make this delicious twist on a classic dish.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 2
2 6- to 8-ounce beef filets
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 ounces bella mushrooms, sliced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 400 F. Season filets with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, add oil. (Open a window or turn on cooktop vent to help with ventilation.) When skillet is very hot, almost to the smoking point, add filets. Sear 2 minutes on each side. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook 5–6 minutes for medium-rare. Cook 1–2 minutes longer for each level of doneness over medium-rare. For example: 6–7 minutes for medium or 8–9 minutes for medium-well. Remove from oven and tent with foil for at least 5 minutes.
While waiting, prepare mushrooms. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat with butter and spread out in pan. Let cook without stirring for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 2–3 minutes until all liquid is evaporated from pan. Turn off heat and stir in thyme.
Chef’s Tip: All meats—beef, pork and poultry—have an ideal cooking temperature, so pay close attention to recipe instructions and check cooked temperature with a meat thermometer.
Cooked steak temperatures:
- Very rare/rare = 120 to 125 F
- Medium rare = 125 to 130 F
- Medium = 135 to 140 F
- Medium well = 145 to 150 F
- Well done= 160 F and above
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Related stories
Prepping pork tenderloin—Before cooking a pork tenderloin, you’ll need to remove the silver skin membrane. A butcher can do this for you, but it’s also an easy do-it-yourself job. Chef Belinda shows us how it’s done in this how-to video.
Cast-iron cleaning—Don’t shy away from your cast-iron skillet because you think it’s hard to clean.