Buffalo Bill Chili Courtesy of Whole Foods

I know that everyone does not have available at their local market buffalo meat.  But if you can find some, this is a very delicious recipe and healthy.  The ingredients list may look long but it comes together very quickly. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds ground buffalo meat
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 Poblano or Anaheim pepper, seeded and chopped (optional; Anaheim is less spicy)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• Sea salt, to taste
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2/3 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can (7 ounces) chipotle sauce or 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 bunch green onions, green parts only, sliced in rounds, for garnish
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Method: 

In a medium sized pot (about 4 quart capacity) with a lid, heat oil over medium heat and add ground buffalo. Brown meat, breaking large chunks into smaller ones. Cook for about 5 minutes or until all meat is browned. Remove from pot and discard excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Bring back to medium heat, add onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and Poblano or Anaheim (if using) pepper and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, scraping bottom from time to time to get all the browned bits of meat folded in with the vegetables. Add jalapeño pepper and cook for another 3 minutes stirring from time to time. Add garlic, cook for another minute and then add cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and pepper. Let spices cook for another minute, stirring.

Return browned meat to the pot. Stir in tomatoes and beef broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, adobo sauce and bay leaf, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes. Add beans and continue simmering, covered, for another 10 minutes or until beans are warmed through.

Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.

Recipe Variation
To add a smoky depth of flavor, you can roast the Poblano or Anaheim pepper before adding. Using tongs, hold the pepper over a high heat gas flame, charring all over for about five minutes. You want the pepper skin to have a very dark color on all sides. When done, place in an airtight container and let stand for about five minutes. Using plastic gloves to protect your fingers, rub the skin off and discard. Open the pepper and remove veins and seeds and discard the top or stem. Chop and add to recipe along with the jalapeno pepper.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:340 calories (60 from fat), 7g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 900mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (10g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 35g protein

Artic Char with Broccolini and Sweet Potato Puree

I know.  I know.  Salmon is good for you.  But sometimes the smell or taste is just a little too strong.  So, I asked the fish monger at Whole Foods to recommend something.  He recommended Artic Char.  It's the same color as salmon but has a much milder, sweeter taste.  He recommended serving it with sweet potatoes and a dark green vegetable for a very healthy and delicious meal.  So, here is my menu based on his recommendations as well as some help from Bon Appetit.

Artic Char with Broccolini and Sweet Potato Puree 4 servings

3 sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs)
2 tbls butter
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 lb broccolini
2 slices lower fat bacon (go ahead and use the fat stuff if you want)
2 tsps yellow mustard seeds
4 5-6 oz artic char fillets
2 tbls vegetable oil divided
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Wrap your sweet potatoes in foil and roast until tender, about 1  1/2 hrs.  Cool and peel.  Puree in processor until smooth.  Add butter and mix.  Season with salt and pepper. Put in a microwave dish.   Meanwhile, boil the vinegar in a small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/3 cup.  Stir in the soy sauce.  Blanch the broccolini in boiling salted water for 1 minute.  Drain and then place in a bowl with ice water. 
Set aside.  Cook the bacon in med skillet over med. heat until the edges are crisp.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Process the mustard seeds in a grinder until coarsely ground.  Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle ground mustard seeds over the top of the fish.  Heat 1 tbls vegetable oil in a large skillet over med. high heat.  Add the fish, mustard side down and cook until brown and just opaque in center, about 3 mins. per side.  Meanwhile, rewarm the sweet potatoes in the microwave.  Take the broccolini out of the ice bath and dry.  Heat 1 tbls oil in a large skillet.  Add the broccolini and bacon and sauté until broccolini is tender and heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide broccolini, fish and puree among plates and then drizzle with the balsamic, soy glaze. 

Goat's Milk Robiola/Creamy Tomato and Basil Sauce with Speck

This should be a first course but can also be a main course served with a salad and great bread.  I made this pasta dish for a dinner party I just had.  The sauce...you want to wallow in it.  I made these as raviolis but you can make them anyway you want.  I'm also not going to give you a recipe and instructions on making pasta.  Mario Batali's cookbooks and well as most good I-talian cookbooks have great instructions and recipes. I have used, in the past, wonton wrappers instead of making pasta.  Not quite as good but they'll do in a pinch.  Put down one wrapper, add a tsp or so of filling, egg wash the edges, place another wrapper on top and seal the edges.  Drop into boiling salted water and cook until they float to the top and cook one additional minute. Drain and add to sauce.  Here, I'm going to give you an adapted version of the pasta stuffing (goat's milk robiola is a very creamy cheese you can get at Whole Foods)  with the sauce from the restaurant Spiaggia in Chicago.  Serves 4

Goat's Milk Robiola/Creamy Tomato and Basil Sauce with Speck (speck is an I-talian meat you can find at upscale deli counters)

Filling
12 oz goat's milk robiola or fresh white goat cheese at room temp (because of the cost of the robiola, I used 6oz of each)
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
4 tbls butter
20 fresh basil leaves, plus 4 for garnish
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (dunk whole tomatoes in 1 quart boiling water for 2 minutes.  Put in ice bath and the skin should peel right off)
1 cup heavy cream
32 thin strips speck or bacon, chopped (try to find the speck. It makes a BIG difference)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbls tomato paste
salt to taste.

In a med sized bowl, mix together the robiola and the goat cheese until well blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside or chill until you are ready to fill the pasta.   You'll use about a tsp for each ravioli.  Use more if you want.

In a med. saucepan, over med. heat, melt the butter with the 20 basil leaves.  When the leaves are wilted, add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the cream, speck, tomato paste, parmesan and salt to taste.  Mix well.  Drop in the ravioli and coat.  Serve with an additional basil leaf on each plate.