Cheever Sauce

If I am in a rush and find myself with hardly any time to cook dinner, fish is usually my go-to for a quick and easy meal. Line a baking tray with some tin foil, slab on a nice piece of fresh fish, add a delicious topping, bake, and voila! Dinner. Eating fish always makes me feel super healthy and satisfied without leaving me overly full, which is generally the aim I go for when cooking…. even if that doesn’t always happen. 

I’ve been making this dish for myself for some time now, and it’s a classic example of how to make an impressive dish with minimal ingredients. I was inspired to make this after eating a similar plate at Tia Pol in Chelsea a couple years ago. Tia Pol is known for their amazing tapas, and this dish came on a sizzling plate drenched in Mediterranean goodness. I remember being taken aback how delicious such a simple fish could taste and realized the combination of flavorful ingredients like warm olives, capers, shallots, and basil, really brought the dish to a whole new level.

Tia Pol’s dish was also baked in oil and butter which certainly added to its rich flavor, but I decided to lighten up my version by swapping those out for fresh lemon juice. Personally, I love this variation more because the lemon juice ads a sweet tang to the dish, which is a nice contrast to the strong flavors that make up the fish’s topping. This dish is super super easy because it takes just 5 minutes to prep your topping, and only 20 minutes to bake. It’s a great fast solution to a typical “what to make for dinner” dilemma that doesn’t taste like your typical everyday meal. 

Read on for the recipe!

Everybody loves a great sandwich. A truly outstanding sandwich has just as much emphasis on the bread and a creative sauce, as the fresh and high quality ingredients that go inside. I am a sucker for sauces, especially on a sandwich, it just gives it that extra umph! we’re all looking for when we bite in between two pieces of bread. Big Macs didn’t become a hit for no reason…it’s all about the special sauce. So when I stumbled upon a recipe for an arugala and parsley aioli, I instantly knew I found the perfect companion to the roasted veggie sandwich I’ve been dying to make. 

Preparing a veggie sandwich is one of the easiest things you can do and I prefer my veggies over deli meat.  I chose some of my favorites to roast: portabella mushrooms,  red peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. I put a little olive oil on the mushrooms, olive oil and garlic powder on the eggplant, and olive oil and rosemary on the tomatoes. I put everything on 1 baking sheet with the red peppers at 400 degrees, and watched them until I knew each was roasted properly. The mushrooms came out first, and I stuck my sheet back in to let the tomatoes, eggplant and red peppers cook a little longer. The peppers will be blistered and charred when done (Be sure to remove their skins before serving). Roast everything to your desired taste and remove from the oven. 

I spread a little of the Arugula and Parlsey Aioli on one slice of whole grain crusty bread from Balthazar, and goat cheese on the other. I topped off my veggies and added some arugala for added texture. It’s simple and delicious and packs up easy for lunch the next day. 

Read on for the recipe for Arugala and Parsley Aioli

There really are no words for this salad. All winter I anxiously fantasize about summer watermelon because of this dish (clearly my anticipation for for watermelon season is borderline inappropriate). But in all seriousness, a variation of this dish appears in some of the best restaurants around the country and you want to know whyyyy? Because its AH-MAZING. And good news for everyone at home - it’s probably the easiest thing you will ever make.

Are you ready for the big reveal? I don’t even have to write out steps for this salad because its so simple. 

Here we go. In a bowl combine cut watermelon, feta cheese, arugula, pistachio nuts, dash of salt, dash of pepper. Dress with an olive oil, lemon, and raspberry vinaigrette. Voila! 

I really don’t know what genius decided to mix all these flavors together, but I am hoping they received some sort of culinary honor for their service to mankind. I don’t know what it is but the combination of the sharpness of the feta cheese, with the sweet watermelon, which is ever so perfectly seasoned with S&P, with the crunch from the nuts….ugh I can’t even keep on writing I have to go eat now. :) 

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