At my wedding I had to choose different salads, and one of the options was this grilled Caesar salad. I had never thought about lettuce being grilled but it was amazing! It was the one I went with. This one isn’t exactly the same but just a take on it. I enjoy it as a starter to a light meal. I even made my own Caesar dressing to go with it. Serves 4 (but adjust for your needs)
Ingredients:
2 whole heads of romaine lettuce (Cos)
¼ c fresh grated parmesan cheese (50g)
150-200g (6-7oz) fresh scallops (any type you can find is fine, but if they are frozen make sure they are perfectly dry)
Dressing:
1 tbsp. light mayonnaise
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
Fresh pepper
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Half lime juice
2 anchovy fillets (omit if you want but they only add flavour!)
2 tbsp. good olive oil
Blitz this all up in a blender or food processor and there’s your dressing. If it’s too thick, just add a little water. The fun of cooking is winging it, little of this little of that.
To grill the lettuce and Scallops:
Heat a grill pan, and add oil or spray oil.
Salt and pepper the scallops
Trim the tops of the lettuce that might look too dark, however do not chop off the bulb at the bottom that keeps the stock together.
Slice them down the middle.
Brush with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.
Once the pan is hot, add the lettuce flat side down. (I can only fit two at a time in my pan)
Lay the scallops around in the empty areas of the pan, and carefully turn once a brown crust has formed, they cook very fast.
Turn the lettuce once when the scallops are turned and voila they should be done!
Top with Parmesan cheese and my dressing and enjoy!
I blog about the food where I'm from, the food where I'm at now and the food I want to taste in the future. This blog reflects all things I love, food and life. I hope you enjoy my journey as a Texan turned Londoner.
Thursday 30 June 2011
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Good Enough to be British Venison and Ale Pie
When I made this I had two enough for two small casserole dishes, and it was liked by my husband so much he nearly ate one on his own, and when another friend was over and he ate the other small pot, so if an American can cook this British classic and have it gobbled down by British men then I think I’m doing a good job!
Ingredients:
350-450g (just less than 1lb) diced venison (or you could use beef)
3 medium carrots
1 large onion
2 sheets pre-made puff pastry (you probably won’t need all)
1-2 small potatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 cups mushrooms of your choice (100g)
¼ c whole meal flour (might not need it all, you can use regular white flour but I try to add extra nutrition when I can.)
1c prepared beef stock (usually half a stock cube prepared)
250-300ml good British Ale, I used Abbot Ale.
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp oil
To start:
Peel and slice into chunks, carrots and potatoes.
Dice onion and garlic.
Slice mushrooms.
Prepare the stock.
For the stew:
Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot.
Add in venison and brown for about 5-7 minutes. Then add about half the whole wheat flour and coat, continuously stirring 2-3 minutes till coated.
Salt and Pepper and add thyme.
Add the rest of the veggies, and sauté for a few more minutes.
Next add half the ale and the stock and bring to a boil.
You want a really thick consistency in the stew, so if it’s not getting thick, mix a little of the ale with the remaining whole wheat flour, and add it in. If it’s getting too thick add the rest of the ale, and just let it boil. Simmer for a good hour, until everything is melted together
Once the stew is cooked through where everything is tender, and you’ve tasted to adjust seasoning you can begin to assemble the pie.
Assembly:
Take your casserole dish and line it gently with some of the puff pastry (usually half of one sheet stretch it out if you need to.)
Ladle from the bottom all the big chunks into a casserole dish, if you have more that will fit in one, put it in another dish, we want most of the meat and veg in the pie instead of all the juice.
Once the casserole dishes are filled, take the remaining puff pastry sheets and roll over the top gently of the casserole dishes, it’s ok for them to hang over the side.
Bake in a 200C (400F) oven for about 30-45 minutes, keep an eye on it, we just want a golden brown puff pastry.
Once it’s done it will be extremely hot, serve with mixed veg and enjoy!
Ingredients:
350-450g (just less than 1lb) diced venison (or you could use beef)
3 medium carrots
1 large onion
2 sheets pre-made puff pastry (you probably won’t need all)
1-2 small potatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 cups mushrooms of your choice (100g)
¼ c whole meal flour (might not need it all, you can use regular white flour but I try to add extra nutrition when I can.)
1c prepared beef stock (usually half a stock cube prepared)
250-300ml good British Ale, I used Abbot Ale.
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp oil
To start:
Peel and slice into chunks, carrots and potatoes.
Dice onion and garlic.
Slice mushrooms.
Prepare the stock.
For the stew:
Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot.
Add in venison and brown for about 5-7 minutes. Then add about half the whole wheat flour and coat, continuously stirring 2-3 minutes till coated.
Salt and Pepper and add thyme.
Add the rest of the veggies, and sauté for a few more minutes.
Next add half the ale and the stock and bring to a boil.
You want a really thick consistency in the stew, so if it’s not getting thick, mix a little of the ale with the remaining whole wheat flour, and add it in. If it’s getting too thick add the rest of the ale, and just let it boil. Simmer for a good hour, until everything is melted together
Once the stew is cooked through where everything is tender, and you’ve tasted to adjust seasoning you can begin to assemble the pie.
Assembly:
Take your casserole dish and line it gently with some of the puff pastry (usually half of one sheet stretch it out if you need to.)
Ladle from the bottom all the big chunks into a casserole dish, if you have more that will fit in one, put it in another dish, we want most of the meat and veg in the pie instead of all the juice.
Once the casserole dishes are filled, take the remaining puff pastry sheets and roll over the top gently of the casserole dishes, it’s ok for them to hang over the side.
Bake in a 200C (400F) oven for about 30-45 minutes, keep an eye on it, we just want a golden brown puff pastry.
Once it’s done it will be extremely hot, serve with mixed veg and enjoy!
Friday 24 June 2011
Bit of Down South Comfort Food - Red Beans and Rice
This is a recipe that really brings me back to being in the south. It’s not a native recipe to Texas but when you smelt he flavours it just reminds you of being back in your native land. There aren’t that many ingredients and it’s super easy to make, put it in a pot and forget about it! And I did enjoy it so much I forgot to take a photo of it, but you can't get it wrong.
Ingredients:
500g (1lb) dried red kidney beans (washed and cleaned of any pebbles)
200g smoked lardons or bacon; Smoked ham hock if you can find it
1 large onion
3 large celery stalks
3 cloves garlic
1 large bell pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. cayenne (depending on how hot you like it adjust as necessary
Salt/Pepper
2-4 pints of water depending on how big your pot is
1 tbsp. oil
To start:
Dice onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic.
To cook:
Heat oil in a large pot, and sauté bacon, onions, garlic, pepper, and celery.
When the bacon fat has rendered out and is almost cooked add the dried beans, water, thyme and cayenne and pepper. DO NOT SALT YET; since salt naturally makes things retain water, it particularly impedes the cooking of the beans, so if you want tender beans only salt when the beans are done and almost ready to be served.
Bring up to a rolling boil and then turn down to a low simmer, and leave for 1-2hrs, stirring occasionally.
Serve over warm basmati rice.
Ingredients:
500g (1lb) dried red kidney beans (washed and cleaned of any pebbles)
200g smoked lardons or bacon; Smoked ham hock if you can find it
1 large onion
3 large celery stalks
3 cloves garlic
1 large bell pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. cayenne (depending on how hot you like it adjust as necessary
Salt/Pepper
2-4 pints of water depending on how big your pot is
1 tbsp. oil
To start:
Dice onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic.
To cook:
Heat oil in a large pot, and sauté bacon, onions, garlic, pepper, and celery.
When the bacon fat has rendered out and is almost cooked add the dried beans, water, thyme and cayenne and pepper. DO NOT SALT YET; since salt naturally makes things retain water, it particularly impedes the cooking of the beans, so if you want tender beans only salt when the beans are done and almost ready to be served.
Bring up to a rolling boil and then turn down to a low simmer, and leave for 1-2hrs, stirring occasionally.
Serve over warm basmati rice.
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Lamb Curry
So curry can be a difficult thing to make, and time consuming. But if you love it enough you will do what it takes to get an authentic homemade taste. This recipe is versatile, although it has a lot of ingredients; I have yet to find a good recipe that has a small amount. The more the ingredients the more depth of flavour is added to your dish. This can easily be made vegetarian substituting the lamb with anything such as aubergines (eggplant), courgettes, okra, etc… I hope that I can break down the steps simply enough to get you started, to 1) Blend your own spices, and 2) Adapt this to anything you like to eat with your curry. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
400-500g Lamb cubes (lean)
2 onions
Half red pepper
Half yellow pepper
Two tomatoes
1-2 chillies
200g puree of lentils (mash half a can)
Juice 200g pineapple can (in own juice)
2 tbsp. mango chutney
¼ c yogurt (I use non-fat Greek)
2 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. ginger puree (buy pre-made or chop a thumb size nob to a fine dice/mince.)
1 tbsp. garlic puree (see ginger puree)
½ c lamb stock (made from a cube, or use water)
1 tbsp. chilli powder
½ tbsp. turmeric powder
1-2 tbsp. curry powder (recipe follows)
5-10 cardamom pods
1 tbsp. garam masala (buy it at most stores or omit if you can’t find it)
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
To Start:
If you don’t have curry powder you’ll need to make your own, recipe follows. Mix in a paste the ginger puree, garlic puree, curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder, and a little water. Set aside.
Next:
Slice peppers, onions, tomatoes and chilli(s), set aside.
To Continue:
Mix together yogurt, tomato puree, lentils, lamb stock (or water).
To assemble the curry:
Fry in oil, onions and peppers on high heat for about 5 minutes in a large sauté pan.
Add the paste and fry for about 5 minutes coating the onions and peppers and becoming fragrant.
Next add the lamb, chillies, tomatoes and sauté for a further 5 minutes until the meat is browned.
Next add the pineapple juice, mango chutney and cardamom pods.
To finish add the yogurt, tomato lentil mixture.
If a little thick add a little water to get the texture you like.
Bring to a low simmer for about 20 minutes.
Finally add the garam masala and coriander at the end.
Serve over Basmati rice and enjoy…
Curry Powder:
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. mustard powder (English)
½ tsp. ground ginger
Mix together and keep in an airtight container.
Ingredients:
400-500g Lamb cubes (lean)
2 onions
Half red pepper
Half yellow pepper
Two tomatoes
1-2 chillies
200g puree of lentils (mash half a can)
Juice 200g pineapple can (in own juice)
2 tbsp. mango chutney
¼ c yogurt (I use non-fat Greek)
2 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. ginger puree (buy pre-made or chop a thumb size nob to a fine dice/mince.)
1 tbsp. garlic puree (see ginger puree)
½ c lamb stock (made from a cube, or use water)
1 tbsp. chilli powder
½ tbsp. turmeric powder
1-2 tbsp. curry powder (recipe follows)
5-10 cardamom pods
1 tbsp. garam masala (buy it at most stores or omit if you can’t find it)
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
To Start:
If you don’t have curry powder you’ll need to make your own, recipe follows. Mix in a paste the ginger puree, garlic puree, curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder, and a little water. Set aside.
Next:
Slice peppers, onions, tomatoes and chilli(s), set aside.
To Continue:
Mix together yogurt, tomato puree, lentils, lamb stock (or water).
To assemble the curry:
Fry in oil, onions and peppers on high heat for about 5 minutes in a large sauté pan.
Add the paste and fry for about 5 minutes coating the onions and peppers and becoming fragrant.
Next add the lamb, chillies, tomatoes and sauté for a further 5 minutes until the meat is browned.
Next add the pineapple juice, mango chutney and cardamom pods.
To finish add the yogurt, tomato lentil mixture.
If a little thick add a little water to get the texture you like.
Bring to a low simmer for about 20 minutes.
Finally add the garam masala and coriander at the end.
Serve over Basmati rice and enjoy…
Curry Powder:
2 tbsp. cumin
2 tbsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. mustard powder (English)
½ tsp. ground ginger
Mix together and keep in an airtight container.
Monday 20 June 2011
Hidden Healthy Surprise Turkey Meatloaf Patties
What’s worse than a dated old meatloaf? I think a lot! I decided to just deconstruct it a little and make it a little more appetizing and appealing to the eyes. What better way to take all those delicious ingredients that are added into a traditional meatloaf and making them into patties, that you can fry and put between bread or just eat alongside a salad. You can even add in a secret healthy ingredient that your diners will never know is there but packed with extra fibre and nutrition. This recipe can serve 4-5 people.
Ingredients:
500g (1lb) turkey mince (Try to get turkey breast only otherwise you’re getting the same amount as beef)
2 stalks of celery
½ red/green pepper
1 small onion
1 can chopped tomatoes
Garlic powder
Onion powder
1/3 c bulgur wheat
1 egg
1 fresh tomato
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
To start:
Dice all veggies, onion, pepper, celery and tomato.
Open the can of tomatoes and drain off most of the liquid, keep a little.
Next, mix all remaining ingredients until incorporated.
To finish:
Form patties and sauté in a hot pan with a little oil until browned on both sides.
Flip only once.
I suggest covering them for about 10 minutes so they get cooked properly through in the middle.
These made great leftovers to eat with sandwiches, salads, or just eat alone. The bulgur wheat addition really adds extra fibre and is a hidden plus for nutrition. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
500g (1lb) turkey mince (Try to get turkey breast only otherwise you’re getting the same amount as beef)
2 stalks of celery
½ red/green pepper
1 small onion
1 can chopped tomatoes
Garlic powder
Onion powder
1/3 c bulgur wheat
1 egg
1 fresh tomato
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
To start:
Dice all veggies, onion, pepper, celery and tomato.
Open the can of tomatoes and drain off most of the liquid, keep a little.
Next, mix all remaining ingredients until incorporated.
To finish:
Form patties and sauté in a hot pan with a little oil until browned on both sides.
Flip only once.
I suggest covering them for about 10 minutes so they get cooked properly through in the middle.
These made great leftovers to eat with sandwiches, salads, or just eat alone. The bulgur wheat addition really adds extra fibre and is a hidden plus for nutrition. Enjoy!
Friday 17 June 2011
Porcini and Courgette Risotto
This is the most versatile way to make risotto; I made it so that you can pick any ingredients to be the star of the show. I happened to make mine courgette and dried porcini mushrooms. Porcini mushrooms are a great addition because they add a delicious smoky flavour that you wouldn’t normally get with regular fresh mushrooms. Cooking risotto can be time consuming so make sure you have enough time to complete the task because it has to be watched. The key is to make sure there is a constant temperature similarity to the rice and the stock so that the pan doesn’t lose heat when you add the stock to cook the rice. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, although this is not my lightest recipe, it's still fun to have a go at a decadent meal. This recipe feeds 3-4 people.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c (~200-250g) arborio rice
40g dried porcini mushrooms, re-hydrated (or use whatever types you’d like)
2 small courgettes
3-4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
8-10 leaves of sage
1 c (200-250g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 glass of white wine
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
½ lemon
6-8 cups of chicken stock (or make 3 bouillon cubes as directed and add another cup to thin it down)
Fresh pepper
To start:
Dice onion and garlic separate into two halves.
Dice or slice courgettes any way you like.
Rehydrate mushrooms in hot water, drain and dice. If using fresh, just dice and set aside.
In a saucepan heat your stock to a simmer, and keep it hot.
Next:
In a large deep sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp. of oil and half the butter.
When hot add the courgettes, mushrooms, half the onion and garlic and sauté until al dente.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
To start the Risotto:
In the same large sauté pan heat the remaining butter and oil, and turn up your stock if not at a good simmer.
Add the rice, remaining onions, garlic, and sage leaves and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened, being careful not to brown/burn the rice.
Add the glass of wine and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. You should have a very low boil here, keep it consistent and your rice will cook perfectly
Next, add 1-2 ladles full of stock.
Make sure the sauté pan is hot enough so the stock will boil into the rice.
Stir continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice, repeat until the rice is just tender, this process could take 15-20 minutes.
Squeeze in half the lemon just after the rice is getting softer and stir to combine.
When the rice is tender and cooked al dente, there should be a creamy consistency.
Add the parmesan cheese, courgettes and mushrooms right in the end.
And you're done.
Note: The trick to risotto is watching it carefully, it should be thick and creamy and spread when it hits the plate, it should also have a slight bite but one that’s enjoyable. If it’s looking like you need more stock just make a quick batch and keep adding until you get the consistency you desire. The ingredients can be very variable, I’ve added prawns to mine at the last ladle of stock, or you could add salmon chunks or anything you’d like really.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c (~200-250g) arborio rice
40g dried porcini mushrooms, re-hydrated (or use whatever types you’d like)
2 small courgettes
3-4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
8-10 leaves of sage
1 c (200-250g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 glass of white wine
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
½ lemon
6-8 cups of chicken stock (or make 3 bouillon cubes as directed and add another cup to thin it down)
Fresh pepper
To start:
Dice onion and garlic separate into two halves.
Dice or slice courgettes any way you like.
Rehydrate mushrooms in hot water, drain and dice. If using fresh, just dice and set aside.
In a saucepan heat your stock to a simmer, and keep it hot.
Next:
In a large deep sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp. of oil and half the butter.
When hot add the courgettes, mushrooms, half the onion and garlic and sauté until al dente.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
To start the Risotto:
In the same large sauté pan heat the remaining butter and oil, and turn up your stock if not at a good simmer.
Add the rice, remaining onions, garlic, and sage leaves and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened, being careful not to brown/burn the rice.
Add the glass of wine and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. You should have a very low boil here, keep it consistent and your rice will cook perfectly
Next, add 1-2 ladles full of stock.
Make sure the sauté pan is hot enough so the stock will boil into the rice.
Stir continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice, repeat until the rice is just tender, this process could take 15-20 minutes.
Squeeze in half the lemon just after the rice is getting softer and stir to combine.
When the rice is tender and cooked al dente, there should be a creamy consistency.
Add the parmesan cheese, courgettes and mushrooms right in the end.
And you're done.
Note: The trick to risotto is watching it carefully, it should be thick and creamy and spread when it hits the plate, it should also have a slight bite but one that’s enjoyable. If it’s looking like you need more stock just make a quick batch and keep adding until you get the consistency you desire. The ingredients can be very variable, I’ve added prawns to mine at the last ladle of stock, or you could add salmon chunks or anything you’d like really.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
3-Tomato Mexican Style Primavera with Chicken
I started cooking this dish just purely out of the things I had in the house. I think you could add or omit anything in this recipe even the chicken and it would still be great as long as you kept the seasoning the same. I really suggest serving over rice but pasta will do. To me this dish reminded me of something my mom used to make and brought back a lot of memories for me, so please enjoy! Serves 4.
Ingredients:
3-4 large to medium chicken breasts
1 ½ zucchini (courgette)
½ medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
1 bunch of asparagus, just the top 3-4inch tips
25 g sun dried tomatoes
1 can chopped Italian tomatoes (or any you have)
3 medium fresh tomatoes
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
½ tsp. cumin
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
½ chicken bouillon
Water
½ tbsp. oil
To start:
Slice the zucchini rounds. Cut them in half if you like and then slice the rounds.
Slice in onion, red pepper, sun dried tomatoes into strips
Dice garlic
Get all spices out and open jars/cans
Next:
Heat a sauté pan with the oil, and season the chicken breasts with salt/pepper and garlic powder.
When pan is hot sear the chicken breasts on each side for about 5 minutes. Then remove from a pan and set on a plate to rest.
To continue cooking:
Add the onion, courgette, red pepper, garlic and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant in the same pan.
Next add the can of tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, cumin, and oregano and turn up the heat to bring to a boil.
Crumble the chicken bouillon over the sauce and add about a half cup of water to get things moving.
While your sauce is simmering, slice the half cooked chicken breasts and set aside.
Stir your sauce continuously.
As you see the vegetables soften add the asparagus.
Taste to make sure you like the salt and the pepper.
When the vegetables are all soft and fully cooked add the chicken back into the pan and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve over hot rice, or pasta.
Ingredients:
3-4 large to medium chicken breasts
1 ½ zucchini (courgette)
½ medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
1 bunch of asparagus, just the top 3-4inch tips
25 g sun dried tomatoes
1 can chopped Italian tomatoes (or any you have)
3 medium fresh tomatoes
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
½ tsp. cumin
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
½ chicken bouillon
Water
½ tbsp. oil
To start:
Slice the zucchini rounds. Cut them in half if you like and then slice the rounds.
Slice in onion, red pepper, sun dried tomatoes into strips
Dice garlic
Get all spices out and open jars/cans
Next:
Heat a sauté pan with the oil, and season the chicken breasts with salt/pepper and garlic powder.
When pan is hot sear the chicken breasts on each side for about 5 minutes. Then remove from a pan and set on a plate to rest.
To continue cooking:
Add the onion, courgette, red pepper, garlic and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant in the same pan.
Next add the can of tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, cumin, and oregano and turn up the heat to bring to a boil.
Crumble the chicken bouillon over the sauce and add about a half cup of water to get things moving.
While your sauce is simmering, slice the half cooked chicken breasts and set aside.
Stir your sauce continuously.
As you see the vegetables soften add the asparagus.
Taste to make sure you like the salt and the pepper.
When the vegetables are all soft and fully cooked add the chicken back into the pan and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve over hot rice, or pasta.
Saturday 11 June 2011
Salmon and Fennel with Roasted Veg
As you know when I cook it’s usually just for my husband and so, I try to accommodate the people cooking for themselves as well as well as a family. This one is simple for a family or one person. The ingredients can be as large or small as you'd like. With this recipe I usually roast potatoes with fennel, and add some of the fennel leaves to the salmon. Well this week’s veggie box, I got an abundance of carrots. So I decided to mix them in with the roasted veg part. So here’s what we need for 4 people.
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets 150-200g each depending on how hungry you are (6-8oz each)
1 large bulb fennel
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
3-4 baking potatoes
4-5 big carrots, depending on what feeds your family
1 lemon
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
Olive oil for roasting
Chilli flakes (optional)
To start:
Slice off the tops of the fennel and set aside (all the furry bits and leave just the white body)
Slice the fennel thinly through the core that holds it together
Peel and slice your onion
Peel and dice your garlic
Scrub your potatoes (Don’t dice yet or they’ll get brown)
Peel the carrot and chop in finger length sizes.
Next:
Heat the oven to 200C or (~400F)
Dice the potatoes and put them on a foiled lined baking tray
Sprinkle about 3/4ths of the onion slices on top
Sprinkle half of the garlic on the potatoes.
Add half to 3/4ths the fennel to the potatoes (add all of the fennel if you’re not doing the carrots).
Drizzle with about 2 tbsp. olive oil.
Crack pepper and salt on top, and douse with a couple shakes of garlic powder and get your hands ready to toss it up.
Then:
Before you put the potatoes in the oven, prepare the carrots. (or omit the carrots from the recipe).
Lay in a baking pan or foil lined dish.
Drizzle olive oil on the carrots
Add any remaining onion or fennel or chop some fresh garlic.
Sprinkle chilli flakes and half of lemon on the carrots, cover with foil and place in the oven with the potatoes.
Roast for about 35-45 minutes, poke to see if they are tender.
Prepare the salmon fillets half way through the potatoes cooking time:
On a foil lined baking tray, lay the salmon fillets out and put some of the fennel fluff underneath the salmon and between the pieces
Salt and pepper
Add a lemon on top.
Bake in the oven when the potatoes are almost done about 40 minutes into their cooking time, for about 8-10 minutes depending on how thick your fillets are. Basically this is not rocket science, but it was hard to write the recipe to coordinate everything to be done at the same time. I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions on how to work the timing let me know :D
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets 150-200g each depending on how hungry you are (6-8oz each)
1 large bulb fennel
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
3-4 baking potatoes
4-5 big carrots, depending on what feeds your family
1 lemon
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
Olive oil for roasting
Chilli flakes (optional)
To start:
Slice off the tops of the fennel and set aside (all the furry bits and leave just the white body)
Slice the fennel thinly through the core that holds it together
Peel and slice your onion
Peel and dice your garlic
Scrub your potatoes (Don’t dice yet or they’ll get brown)
Peel the carrot and chop in finger length sizes.
Next:
Heat the oven to 200C or (~400F)
Dice the potatoes and put them on a foiled lined baking tray
Sprinkle about 3/4ths of the onion slices on top
Sprinkle half of the garlic on the potatoes.
Add half to 3/4ths the fennel to the potatoes (add all of the fennel if you’re not doing the carrots).
Drizzle with about 2 tbsp. olive oil.
Crack pepper and salt on top, and douse with a couple shakes of garlic powder and get your hands ready to toss it up.
Then:
Before you put the potatoes in the oven, prepare the carrots. (or omit the carrots from the recipe).
Lay in a baking pan or foil lined dish.
Drizzle olive oil on the carrots
Add any remaining onion or fennel or chop some fresh garlic.
Sprinkle chilli flakes and half of lemon on the carrots, cover with foil and place in the oven with the potatoes.
Roast for about 35-45 minutes, poke to see if they are tender.
Prepare the salmon fillets half way through the potatoes cooking time:
On a foil lined baking tray, lay the salmon fillets out and put some of the fennel fluff underneath the salmon and between the pieces
Salt and pepper
Add a lemon on top.
Bake in the oven when the potatoes are almost done about 40 minutes into their cooking time, for about 8-10 minutes depending on how thick your fillets are. Basically this is not rocket science, but it was hard to write the recipe to coordinate everything to be done at the same time. I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions on how to work the timing let me know :D
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Get on an Island with Rice Pinapple Salsa and Seared Fish
This is a variation of a recipe I have made before, but on request I’ve jazzed it up to have more sweet savoury element contrast for the “island” feel. You can have the rice and salsa on its own and enjoy it as a vegetarian meal, or a side dish. I topped it with some fish fillets that I had around and it made a great full meal. So I hope you enjoy it. This feeds 2-4 depending on how hungry you are, and like I always say, I try to write the big part of the dish for more than two people but the protein like steak or fish would be your discretion. And basically we’re making rice the normal way we’re just substituting different liquids to make up that proportion of 2:1, so think of it that way if it gets confusing!
Ingredients for Rice:
1 cup Basmati rice (185g)
½ medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
¼ c white wine (I use sauvignon blanc, viognier etc.. something you want to drink)
¾ c canned coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock (you can definitely substitute vegetable stock or whatever)
2-3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (coriander)
1can black eyed peas
1tbsp oil
Ingredients Pineapple Salsa:
1 small can (200g) of pineapple chunks or slices (doesn’t matter you will chop it up anyway)
10 cherry tomatoes quartered
½ a green chilli, like jalapeno
2 cloves of finely finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Juice from the pineapple
Salt + pepper
Fish:
Use enough fillets for your family, I suggest Sea Bass, Plaice..etc, something with light flavour.
Salt and pepper them and grill them in a pan and voila. Obviously this is a perfectly acceptable dish without the fish for a vegetarian option.
To Cook Rice:
Chop onions, garlic, cilantro.
Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan, when the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, and rice. Brown slightly until everything becomes fragrant. About 5 minutes.
Add the wine; quickly stir into the rice cook for 2 minutes be careful not to burn all the liquid out.
Next add the coconut milk and stir, and follow with the stock.
Stir around and put on a very low simmer, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes, check near 15 minutes and give a stir, add a little extra stock if necessary.
Next add the can of black beans and chopped cilantro, mix and take off heat and let sit while you finish dinner.
The Salsa:
Basically chop everything up to as chunky or as fine as you’d like, I suggest the chilli and the garlic extremely fine, pour in a little pineapple juice and let simmer.
To assemble your plate, start with the rice, add the cooked fish on top and top with the salsa, and you have Island rice with pineapple salsa and grilled fish. It will be like you’re in the Caribbean.
Ingredients for Rice:
1 cup Basmati rice (185g)
½ medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
¼ c white wine (I use sauvignon blanc, viognier etc.. something you want to drink)
¾ c canned coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock (you can definitely substitute vegetable stock or whatever)
2-3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (coriander)
1can black eyed peas
1tbsp oil
Ingredients Pineapple Salsa:
1 small can (200g) of pineapple chunks or slices (doesn’t matter you will chop it up anyway)
10 cherry tomatoes quartered
½ a green chilli, like jalapeno
2 cloves of finely finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Juice from the pineapple
Salt + pepper
Fish:
Use enough fillets for your family, I suggest Sea Bass, Plaice..etc, something with light flavour.
Salt and pepper them and grill them in a pan and voila. Obviously this is a perfectly acceptable dish without the fish for a vegetarian option.
To Cook Rice:
Chop onions, garlic, cilantro.
Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan, when the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, and rice. Brown slightly until everything becomes fragrant. About 5 minutes.
Add the wine; quickly stir into the rice cook for 2 minutes be careful not to burn all the liquid out.
Next add the coconut milk and stir, and follow with the stock.
Stir around and put on a very low simmer, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes, check near 15 minutes and give a stir, add a little extra stock if necessary.
Next add the can of black beans and chopped cilantro, mix and take off heat and let sit while you finish dinner.
The Salsa:
Basically chop everything up to as chunky or as fine as you’d like, I suggest the chilli and the garlic extremely fine, pour in a little pineapple juice and let simmer.
To assemble your plate, start with the rice, add the cooked fish on top and top with the salsa, and you have Island rice with pineapple salsa and grilled fish. It will be like you’re in the Caribbean.
Monday 6 June 2011
Lower Calorie, Lower fat cheesecake! Possible? It just might be..
So, I’m really not the best at baking but I really try to make an effort because sometimes you just want something for dessert. Who doesn’t like cheesecake though?! I did a few trial and errors to get this one right, and I think I’ve just about gotten it right. So if you’d like to try it, this is what I did.
One thing, I don’t have a proper spring form pan yet, so I just experimented with a pie dish. It worked out pretty well, no need for a spring form pan. But if you have one, then great! And this recipe uses no cane sugar, all substitute.
Ingredients for Crust:
1 cup of crushed graham crackers or 100g crushed digestive biscuits
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. sugar substitute (splenda or something, there are tons out there, make sure you use the ones that are spoon for spoon equal, i.e. Not sweet’n’low)
3 tbsp. melted butter (I used flora, which is margarine with extra heart boosters and helps lower cholesterol, and better than just regular butter)
Ingredients for Pie filling:
400grams (10-12oz) Philadelphia light cream cheese (you could use half non-fat and half light)ROOM TEMPERATURE
½ c sugar substitute (65g)
Very tiny pinch of lemon zest, if you’re not careful it’ll be a lemon cheesecake
1 tsp. good vanilla
3 eggs separated
¼ non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. sugar additional
To start the crust:
Mix crushed crackers, cinnamon, sugar and butter together until thoroughly incorporated.
Press into a pie dish, and baked at 156C (350F) for 6 minutes.
Take out and let cool. Keep oven on.
For the filling:
Combine cream cheese, sugar, zest, vanilla, 3 egg yolks, and yogurt, and blend until thoroughly mixed.
In another clean bowl beat TWO of the egg whites 2/3rds of the whites, until soft peaks form and add 1 tbsp. sugar.
Fold this into the previous batter gently, and then pour into the pie dish and bake for about 45 minutes until there’s a light golden hue.
One thing, I don’t have a proper spring form pan yet, so I just experimented with a pie dish. It worked out pretty well, no need for a spring form pan. But if you have one, then great! And this recipe uses no cane sugar, all substitute.
Ingredients for Crust:
1 cup of crushed graham crackers or 100g crushed digestive biscuits
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. sugar substitute (splenda or something, there are tons out there, make sure you use the ones that are spoon for spoon equal, i.e. Not sweet’n’low)
3 tbsp. melted butter (I used flora, which is margarine with extra heart boosters and helps lower cholesterol, and better than just regular butter)
Ingredients for Pie filling:
400grams (10-12oz) Philadelphia light cream cheese (you could use half non-fat and half light)ROOM TEMPERATURE
½ c sugar substitute (65g)
Very tiny pinch of lemon zest, if you’re not careful it’ll be a lemon cheesecake
1 tsp. good vanilla
3 eggs separated
¼ non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. sugar additional
To start the crust:
Mix crushed crackers, cinnamon, sugar and butter together until thoroughly incorporated.
Press into a pie dish, and baked at 156C (350F) for 6 minutes.
Take out and let cool. Keep oven on.
For the filling:
Combine cream cheese, sugar, zest, vanilla, 3 egg yolks, and yogurt, and blend until thoroughly mixed.
In another clean bowl beat TWO of the egg whites 2/3rds of the whites, until soft peaks form and add 1 tbsp. sugar.
Fold this into the previous batter gently, and then pour into the pie dish and bake for about 45 minutes until there’s a light golden hue.
Saturday 4 June 2011
That Pesky Ingredient Sugar, How it Loathes Me
Okay, so anyone that knows me probably knows that I have a very odd sweet tooth. I barely ever am attracted to sweets. I have no idea why… if I’m in a store looking for something to snack on nine times out of ten it will always be a savoury one. When I’m going through a market full of beautiful foods including cakes and confectioneries of any kind, masterful artwork called desserts, I’ll always turn my head and go for something else. When I do get a sweet tooth it’s usually late at night and can be fixed with a bowl of cereal or toast and jelly (jam). My husband however likes his sweets, would like to see more of them come in our house but can generally not complain without them, which means a lot of apathy when it comes to helping me figure out what to make!
I’m not very good at being creative with inventing desserts but I am definitely bold enough to try anything and put a healthier twist on it. The problem is, my husband is the only one around me that can make suggestions, “Oh honey, you know I’d really fancy a white chocolate cheese cake with caramel sauce.” I kind of have to pretend I know what I’m doing and make something up with the ingredients I have. Putting a healthy spin on things is even more challenging! Thankfully I’ve got access to a lot of nice replacement products to cut out some calories, like artificial sweeteners especially for baking. This is a good way of just cutting out a big portion of the calories. Sometimes I like to switch it up and try and mix in a whole wheat or soy flour if I can to add some more fibre and cut down some carbs. I have some experimenting to do yet with replacing that fat element….tricky tricky..
It’s hard to appropriate what is right and wrong with desserts because there are so many wrongs! Who wants to go to bed with fruit, wake up with fruit and snack on it all day? A lot of people I know can’t control themselves around chocolate for instance. If it’s there, they will eat it. We all try to gravitate towards a certain lifestyle change where our diets improve a little bit and shove a little fruit in there when we can, let’s all make our 5 a day quota. But when you really look at the logistics of nutrition it’s hard to shove something sinful or something that really tickles your fancy, when you’re too busy watching the intake of grains, dairy, fruit and veg, and fat, it ends up adding to be a lot of things you have to eat! But, let’s face it, if we don’t have our guilty pleasures, what do we really have? We need something in our lives to help fill that need for pleasure in food, something to make us feel like we’re not missing out on something and we’re not being bad. Guilt is probably the worst emotion that does a lot of psychological damage, especially with food. For now, my outlook on it is; If I can make it better for me, with moderation, I should be able to enjoy it, and share it with anyone wanting to fulfill a need while still trying to solve that age old problem of taking the guilt out of guilty pleasures. Keep an eye out for my reduced calorie and fat cheesecake.
I’m not very good at being creative with inventing desserts but I am definitely bold enough to try anything and put a healthier twist on it. The problem is, my husband is the only one around me that can make suggestions, “Oh honey, you know I’d really fancy a white chocolate cheese cake with caramel sauce.” I kind of have to pretend I know what I’m doing and make something up with the ingredients I have. Putting a healthy spin on things is even more challenging! Thankfully I’ve got access to a lot of nice replacement products to cut out some calories, like artificial sweeteners especially for baking. This is a good way of just cutting out a big portion of the calories. Sometimes I like to switch it up and try and mix in a whole wheat or soy flour if I can to add some more fibre and cut down some carbs. I have some experimenting to do yet with replacing that fat element….tricky tricky..
It’s hard to appropriate what is right and wrong with desserts because there are so many wrongs! Who wants to go to bed with fruit, wake up with fruit and snack on it all day? A lot of people I know can’t control themselves around chocolate for instance. If it’s there, they will eat it. We all try to gravitate towards a certain lifestyle change where our diets improve a little bit and shove a little fruit in there when we can, let’s all make our 5 a day quota. But when you really look at the logistics of nutrition it’s hard to shove something sinful or something that really tickles your fancy, when you’re too busy watching the intake of grains, dairy, fruit and veg, and fat, it ends up adding to be a lot of things you have to eat! But, let’s face it, if we don’t have our guilty pleasures, what do we really have? We need something in our lives to help fill that need for pleasure in food, something to make us feel like we’re not missing out on something and we’re not being bad. Guilt is probably the worst emotion that does a lot of psychological damage, especially with food. For now, my outlook on it is; If I can make it better for me, with moderation, I should be able to enjoy it, and share it with anyone wanting to fulfill a need while still trying to solve that age old problem of taking the guilt out of guilty pleasures. Keep an eye out for my reduced calorie and fat cheesecake.
Thursday 2 June 2011
This Little Piggy Went to Market and Got Apples
If you didn’t know, apples and pork create a very good relationship. Not only do they complement each other in taste, the act of pairing them together has been around for centuries. To illustrate, “For example, to cook apples with fatty meats, so that their sharpness offsets the fat, is a practice which dates back at least as far as classical times when Apicius gave a recipe for a dish of diced pork with apples...the versatility of apples was already being exploited in medieval times; the Forme of Cury and the Menagier de Paris (14th century cook books) give a range of recipes for apple sauce, fritters, rissoles, and drinks."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 30-31)
So with this said, I love pork and apples, so I have a yummy recipe, that I make, and I serve it with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans. My recipe can serve 4.
Ingredients for Pork n’ Apples:
4 bone in pork chops (thick if you like it)
1 large apple
½ onion
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 chicken stock cube (made with 2 cups of water or however the instructions say)
2-3 tbsp. flour
Half of a lemon
Salt/pepper
Mash Sweet Potato:
3-4 large sweet potatoes (enough that will feed your family)
1 tbsp. orange marmalade
2 tbsp. non-fat yogurt, or half fat crème friache, sour cream etc..
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
To start:
Peel and dice the potatoes and get them boiling until soft.
Slice the onion and the apple, and chop garlic, set aside.
Make the stock
Next:
Heat a pan with a little oil, salt and pepper your chops and let them sear in the pan, get a good colour but we’re not trying to complete the cooking here just the colour. When the sear is complete put them on a plate and cover with foil, you could put them in a warm oven while you’re making the sauce.
Next:
Add a tiny bit of oil in the same pan that the chops were in and get it hot, add the onion and apple, cook until soft.
Add the thyme and give another few stirs.
Sprinkle with flour and stir until all the flour is dissolved into the onions and apples. 2-3mins.
Squeeze the lemon on the mixture and add about half the stock. Stir thoroughly.
As it thickens add a little more stock but be careful not to make it too watery.
Return the chops back to the pan, plus the juices, stir and cover for another 5 minutes and turn off heat and it should cook in broth.
To finish:
Mash the potatoes
Add the marmalade, yogurt, seasonings and mash. Enjoy!
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 30-31)
So with this said, I love pork and apples, so I have a yummy recipe, that I make, and I serve it with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans. My recipe can serve 4.
Ingredients for Pork n’ Apples:
4 bone in pork chops (thick if you like it)
1 large apple
½ onion
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 chicken stock cube (made with 2 cups of water or however the instructions say)
2-3 tbsp. flour
Half of a lemon
Salt/pepper
Mash Sweet Potato:
3-4 large sweet potatoes (enough that will feed your family)
1 tbsp. orange marmalade
2 tbsp. non-fat yogurt, or half fat crème friache, sour cream etc..
Garlic powder
Salt/pepper
To start:
Peel and dice the potatoes and get them boiling until soft.
Slice the onion and the apple, and chop garlic, set aside.
Make the stock
Next:
Heat a pan with a little oil, salt and pepper your chops and let them sear in the pan, get a good colour but we’re not trying to complete the cooking here just the colour. When the sear is complete put them on a plate and cover with foil, you could put them in a warm oven while you’re making the sauce.
Next:
Add a tiny bit of oil in the same pan that the chops were in and get it hot, add the onion and apple, cook until soft.
Add the thyme and give another few stirs.
Sprinkle with flour and stir until all the flour is dissolved into the onions and apples. 2-3mins.
Squeeze the lemon on the mixture and add about half the stock. Stir thoroughly.
As it thickens add a little more stock but be careful not to make it too watery.
Return the chops back to the pan, plus the juices, stir and cover for another 5 minutes and turn off heat and it should cook in broth.
To finish:
Mash the potatoes
Add the marmalade, yogurt, seasonings and mash. Enjoy!
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