The Basics of Cooking

New to cooking or just want to make sure you have the basic skills down? The following recipes are great ones to start with.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced

• 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced

• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter, alternating between the two.

2. Tuck whole basil leaves between the slices.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze, if using.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve immediately.

Grilled Citrus Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, honey, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.

2. Add chicken breasts to the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and grill for 6-7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and juices run clear.

5. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Easy Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain rice

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, finely chopped

• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional, for color)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in rice and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted.

4. Pour in vegetable broth, add turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.

6. Stir in frozen peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Wine Poached Pears

Ingredients:

• 4 firm pears, peeled, halved, and cored

• 1 bottle red wine (750ml)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 star anise

• 4 cloves

• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

• Zest of 1 orange

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine red wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, vanilla bean and seeds, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Add the pear halves to the wine mixture, making sure they are fully submerged.

3. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes, or until the pears are tender.

4. Remove pears from the poaching liquid and set aside.

5. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce the poaching liquid by half to create a syrup.

6. Serve the pears warm or chilled, drizzled with the reduced wine syrup.

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