Soft Fish, Tough Veggie-- Strong Partnership

Ugggggggh. Weekday slump. It's been a week that's been pretty ass-kicking mentally and pretty exhausting. So, for dinner options, the easier the better! This recipe is pretty rich in flavor and utilizes some simple fresh ingredients to pack a punch.  Dover sole is a light, flaky fish that almost literally melts in your mouth; the fennel bulb is a textured anise flavored vegetable.

Also, don't forget about the Operation Goodbye Gut contest!  It's pretty simple: send us a recipe, win a prize. You have until June 15th to email your recipes!

Dover Sole With Fennel and Kale
--1/2 bunch of kale (about 2 packed cups), stems removed and leaves torn into pieces
--olive oil, chopped
--garlic, minced
--small yellow onion
--fennel bulb, stalks removed and roughly chopped.
--1 lb. Dover sole filets
--2 TBSP flour

--salt and pepper
--paprika
--1/4 cup of white wine

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the kale evenly with olive oil and spread out in an oven-safe pan or on a cookie sheet.  Bake until crispy.

While the kale cooks, heat 1 TBSP of olive oil over medium heat in a large deep-sided skillet. Add the garlic, onion, and fennel to the pan and cook to translucency.

While the vegetables cook down, prepare the sole filets.

In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour with salt and pepper and paprika. Fluff the mixture with a fork.  Rinse the sole filets and gently pat with a paper towel so that the water is removed but the fish isn't completely dry.  Dredge the fish through the flour mixture until all fish pieces are lightly coated.

When the vegetables are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon or so of the olive oil to the pan and shake so that the bottom of the pan is coated in a fine layer of the oil.  Add the fish filets and cook each side for 3-ish minutes or until the fish is golden.

Add the fennel mixture back into the pan along with the wine. Mix together, careful not to completely destroy the fish filets. (Note: Dover sole is a light fish, it will tear when you move it around no matter how careful you are; just try not to rip the poor things totally apart.)

Add the cooked kale into the mix--or serve the filets and fennel mix on a bed of crisped kale, mmm. Once the wine has reduced serve!

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Calories: 297 per serving

I Like My Chicken Juicy

One of my favorite ways to prepare meats (especially in the winter) is by braising. When braising any meat you first want to sear the meat at a high temperature to lock in all the delicious juice (but not cook all the way through). Then the meat is submerged into a liquid and cooked slowly.

I like to experiment with different braising liquids, though broth, stock, and wine are the most common liquids. The following recipe uses apple juice with some wine and bourbon for addition flavors. I typically add something with an alcohol content because it helps some of the liquid to evaporate and the sauce will thicken as a result.

Apple Juice Braised Chicken

--Olive oil
--chicken
--garlic salt
--black pepper
--paprika
--onion, roughly chopped
--garlic
--fennel bulb, ends trimmed, center core removed, sliced
--1 cup dry white wine
--1 cup apple juice or cider
--2 TB bourbon
--2 green apples, cored and sliced

Trim any fat off of chicken, rinse and pat dry. Season with garlic salt, pepper and paprika.

In a large deep-sided skillet that has a well-fitting lid, heat a quarter-sized dollop of olive oil over medium high heat. Sear both sides of chicken (2-ish minutes each side). Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same deep-sided skillet, turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, garlic, and fennel. Cook for a few minutes until veggies begin to brown and/or get translucent.


Nestle the chicken back into the pan. Cover with the apple slices. Pour in the apple juice, wine, and bourbon. Turn heat up to high and allow liquid to come to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Cover with the lid and turn heat down to simmer. Simmer for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Liquid will reduce and sauce will thicken some. I've also had success adding in sliced potatoes and/or quartered brussels sprouts when I was craving starch or veggies. I suggest serving over brown rice!