This was sort of cobbled together using a few different recipes - I had consumed lots of curry dishes lately, and wanted to try some new flavours - the heat from the spices was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the soup. Gorgeous, and I could feel my liver applauding my healthy efforts. That's like, 2 blended soups in a month - cue the 'babyfood for olds' jokes.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp ginger root, chopped
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cardamom (split the pods, then crush w/ mortar and pestle)
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, plus some cayenne
1 ½ lbs (about 5 large) carrots, chopped
4 cups veggie broth
Sea salt
Heat oil - add onion, sweet potato & garlic, ginger, and spices - cook 2-3 mins. Add carrots & broth, and 2 large pinches of sea salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat, & simmer 30 mins, until carrots are very tender. Remove soup from heat, cool slightly, then puree.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Rapini and White Bean Soup
(from cooking light)
Not to be confused with the chard and white bean soup I made a month ago! Needless to say, I loves me my greens 'n beans.
I tweaked the recipe somewhat, as I didn't feel like making croutons (who does?), I also used veggie stock instead of water - there are so few ingredients as it is, I wanted to ensure maximum flavour. So comforting and yummy - and easy - perfect for weeknights.
A bunch of rapini
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (I likely used more)
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp sea salt (added black pepper too)
4 cups veggie stock (plus one cup water)
some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds (I keep them in the freezer)
Remove and discard tough ends from rapini stems; coarsley chop.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add red pepper and garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rapini and salt, and cook another minute - infusing the flavours. Add stock, water and cheese rinds. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add beans, simmer 15-20 minutes. Discard cheese rinds.
Not to be confused with the chard and white bean soup I made a month ago! Needless to say, I loves me my greens 'n beans.
I tweaked the recipe somewhat, as I didn't feel like making croutons (who does?), I also used veggie stock instead of water - there are so few ingredients as it is, I wanted to ensure maximum flavour. So comforting and yummy - and easy - perfect for weeknights.
A bunch of rapini
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (I likely used more)
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp sea salt (added black pepper too)
4 cups veggie stock (plus one cup water)
some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds (I keep them in the freezer)
Remove and discard tough ends from rapini stems; coarsley chop.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add red pepper and garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rapini and salt, and cook another minute - infusing the flavours. Add stock, water and cheese rinds. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add beans, simmer 15-20 minutes. Discard cheese rinds.
Easy Thai Fish Curry
It doesn't get easier than this - guests (if you have them - we never do!) would never know you hadn't slaved over a hot stove for hours. Elegant, beautiful, absolutely delish.
Chop some peppers and onions, saute for a bit.
Add:
A few tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste
a can of light coconut milk
some cilantro
about a tbsp lime juice
Simmer
Add your fish, and poach in the above sauce - we used halibut, which was glorious.
Serve over lundberg mixed brown rice, sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and finely sliced green onions.
Chop some peppers and onions, saute for a bit.
Add:
A few tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste
a can of light coconut milk
some cilantro
about a tbsp lime juice
Simmer
Add your fish, and poach in the above sauce - we used halibut, which was glorious.
Serve over lundberg mixed brown rice, sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and finely sliced green onions.
Quick Asian Soup
I cannot remember where I found this, but it was amazing - we've had it a few times now, and it rivals the Asian noodle houses in Vancouver which we loved, and miss dearly!
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (I always use tamari in lieu of soy)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 ½ tsp honey
4 tsp lime juice (I used that ‘real lime’ stuff, not fresh)
1 tsp tomato purée (never thought of adding this before, but it added lots of depth to the broth!)
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated ginger (we love ginger, so used at least double that amount)
1 clove garlic, grated (or in my case, finely chopped)
50g fine rice noodles (I used Catelli Smart spaghettini, and cooked it separately)
1.5 cups boiling stock (used veggie stock, with a splash of Bovril chicken stock)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
finely sliced fresh red chili to taste (opt) (used Asian hot sauce, next time used sliced jalapenos - wicked)
75g napa cabbage, finely shredded (I don’t even know how much that is – used lots!)
(I also added a bunch of gailan, oh and a bunch of thinly sliced mushrooms!)
In the bowl you’ll be eating from, place your chopped green onions and cilantro (this is always how I do it anyhow).
In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, tomato purée, sesame oil, and grated ginger.
Cook noodles, then near the end of cooking process, add your cabbage (and gailan and other greens, (and mushrooms) if using) to quickly blanch. Heat up your stock, along with the garlic to boiling. When you are almost ready to serve, add your soy sauce mixture to the stock and keep it on a steady boil. Drain your pasta (and greens). Plop your pasta into the bowl, add your stock, and sliced chilli (if using). Stir and enjoy immensely!
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (I always use tamari in lieu of soy)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 ½ tsp honey
4 tsp lime juice (I used that ‘real lime’ stuff, not fresh)
1 tsp tomato purée (never thought of adding this before, but it added lots of depth to the broth!)
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated ginger (we love ginger, so used at least double that amount)
1 clove garlic, grated (or in my case, finely chopped)
50g fine rice noodles (I used Catelli Smart spaghettini, and cooked it separately)
1.5 cups boiling stock (used veggie stock, with a splash of Bovril chicken stock)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
finely sliced fresh red chili to taste (opt) (used Asian hot sauce, next time used sliced jalapenos - wicked)
75g napa cabbage, finely shredded (I don’t even know how much that is – used lots!)
(I also added a bunch of gailan, oh and a bunch of thinly sliced mushrooms!)
In the bowl you’ll be eating from, place your chopped green onions and cilantro (this is always how I do it anyhow).
In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, tomato purée, sesame oil, and grated ginger.
Cook noodles, then near the end of cooking process, add your cabbage (and gailan and other greens, (and mushrooms) if using) to quickly blanch. Heat up your stock, along with the garlic to boiling. When you are almost ready to serve, add your soy sauce mixture to the stock and keep it on a steady boil. Drain your pasta (and greens). Plop your pasta into the bowl, add your stock, and sliced chilli (if using). Stir and enjoy immensely!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Coq au Vin
I'm too lazy to type out the recipe from The Silver Palate Good Times book (why isn't it online?) - but suffice it to say, it delivered! Though I drained pretty much all the bacon fat out (both before and after the chicken was browned) - as it was just TOO FATTY, and I don't think the flavour suffered as a result. I halved the amount of chicken (and used all thighs) and bacon, but cranked the the veggie and wine quotient up to 11, and served it all over smashed potatoes - yumma yumma yumma; and served it with some 2006 La Frenz Shiraz (repeat above mantra) ... Leftovers here we come!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Fridge Foraged Roasted Veggies & Red Lentil Soup
I perused quite a few recipes looking for a way to use up some peppers, veggies and some red lentils (which have been the neglected redheaded stepchild since I found black French ones) – and I came up with the below – to surprisingly amazing results. The colour was perfect – autumn pumpkin orange, and the flavours from roasting the veggies was fab – how great is that?
4 peppers (2 red, 1 orange, 1 green)
1 carrot
1 parsip
1 onion
2 potatoes
2 ½ cups red lentils
1 container chicken stock, 1 container veggie stock
olive oil
s & p
Half the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes, half the carrot and parsip lengthwise – sprinkle all with olive oil, roast in 350 oven under tender. I did this the day before.
Sauté the chopped onion in some olive oil until translucent, add the stock, potatoes, and lentils and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove charred skins from peppers, then add the chopped, roasted veggies and simmer for another 5 minutes. Let it cool, then puree in batches in the food processor. Season w/ s & p.
4 peppers (2 red, 1 orange, 1 green)
1 carrot
1 parsip
1 onion
2 potatoes
2 ½ cups red lentils
1 container chicken stock, 1 container veggie stock
olive oil
s & p
Half the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes, half the carrot and parsip lengthwise – sprinkle all with olive oil, roast in 350 oven under tender. I did this the day before.
Sauté the chopped onion in some olive oil until translucent, add the stock, potatoes, and lentils and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove charred skins from peppers, then add the chopped, roasted veggies and simmer for another 5 minutes. Let it cool, then puree in batches in the food processor. Season w/ s & p.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
White Bean & Chard Soup with Rosemary Croutons
(from cooking light)
So, I’ve got this odd aversion to earthy veggies (spinach, mushrooms, beets) that reminds me of worms! But usually once the veggie is cooked I’m all in. So it was with great trepidation that I made a recipe with red chard – a gorgeous looking veg, but I was dreading the flavour even before I began (I think perhaps my previous experience was tainted due to undercooking)? Where was my head?! I’m very pleased to announce I’m now a proud card carrying chard member.
The vegetarians who may be perusing this recipe, may want to up the flavour component – as I’m unsure you’d get the same oomph from vegetable stock, but then I’m a smokin’ sister after all, who likely requires additional flavour from years of ciggie abuse.
Oh, and I have no idea why 6 extra cups of water are required in the original recipe – I used perhaps 1 additional cup, after adding all the stock – and it was fine. Also, in lieu of croutons, I added some chopped garlic to some olive oil, along with some chopped rosemary – then ‘spread’ it onto hearty bread, which was then toasted in the oven, and served along side – really nice.
1 lb (2½ cups, okay, I used 3 cups – I love a thick soup!) dried Great Northern beans
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 medium chopped carrots
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 biggie rosemary sprig
6 cups water (??)
4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 2 bunches)
Croutons:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used more)
Remaining ingredient:
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I don't believe I used any - shocking)
Sort and wash the beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans; set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Add salt, pepper, and rosemary sprig; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in beans, 6 cups water (??), and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add chard; cook 15 minutes or until chard is tender. Discard rosemary sprig.
Preheat oven to 400°: To prepare croutons, combine 2 tablespoons oil and bread; toss to coat. Add chopped rosemary; toss to combine. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden, turning once. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls; divide croutons evenly among bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese (if using).
So, I’ve got this odd aversion to earthy veggies (spinach, mushrooms, beets) that reminds me of worms! But usually once the veggie is cooked I’m all in. So it was with great trepidation that I made a recipe with red chard – a gorgeous looking veg, but I was dreading the flavour even before I began (I think perhaps my previous experience was tainted due to undercooking)? Where was my head?! I’m very pleased to announce I’m now a proud card carrying chard member.
The vegetarians who may be perusing this recipe, may want to up the flavour component – as I’m unsure you’d get the same oomph from vegetable stock, but then I’m a smokin’ sister after all, who likely requires additional flavour from years of ciggie abuse.
Oh, and I have no idea why 6 extra cups of water are required in the original recipe – I used perhaps 1 additional cup, after adding all the stock – and it was fine. Also, in lieu of croutons, I added some chopped garlic to some olive oil, along with some chopped rosemary – then ‘spread’ it onto hearty bread, which was then toasted in the oven, and served along side – really nice.
1 lb (2½ cups, okay, I used 3 cups – I love a thick soup!) dried Great Northern beans
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 medium chopped carrots
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 biggie rosemary sprig
6 cups water (??)
4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 2 bunches)
Croutons:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used more)
Remaining ingredient:
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I don't believe I used any - shocking)
Sort and wash the beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans; set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Add salt, pepper, and rosemary sprig; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in beans, 6 cups water (??), and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add chard; cook 15 minutes or until chard is tender. Discard rosemary sprig.
Preheat oven to 400°: To prepare croutons, combine 2 tablespoons oil and bread; toss to coat. Add chopped rosemary; toss to combine. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden, turning once. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls; divide croutons evenly among bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese (if using).
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Meatloaf 'bolognese'
Okay, last wkd's monstrous hit netted an extra loaf, which promptly went into the freezer. I was craving some pasta last night, so took the meatloaf (along with a huge bag of roasted tomatoes) out of the freezer in the morning. The end result later that night, is exactly as I had imagined - rich, flavourful, so absolutely satisfying on a Saturday night - and of course, accompanied with a lovely local cab-merlot, I was in absolute heaven!
Saute some onion, leek, garlic, and some chili flakes in olive oil - add some chopped peppers, and a bunch of chopped brown mushrooms. Add The equivalent of um, maybe 4 cups of roasted tomatoes, a small tin of Italian tomato paste (the roasted tomatoes have a good amount of liquid in them, no need to add more), and some Italian parsley. Season to taste. Simmer until pretty much cooked. Add a big chunk of that amazing meatloaf, crumbled, and toss it into the sauce. Simmer a bit longer. Serve over your fave noodles (had brown rice linguini), a generous sprinking of parm, and more Italian parsley. Seriously, the best bolognese I've ever had.
Saute some onion, leek, garlic, and some chili flakes in olive oil - add some chopped peppers, and a bunch of chopped brown mushrooms. Add The equivalent of um, maybe 4 cups of roasted tomatoes, a small tin of Italian tomato paste (the roasted tomatoes have a good amount of liquid in them, no need to add more), and some Italian parsley. Season to taste. Simmer until pretty much cooked. Add a big chunk of that amazing meatloaf, crumbled, and toss it into the sauce. Simmer a bit longer. Serve over your fave noodles (had brown rice linguini), a generous sprinking of parm, and more Italian parsley. Seriously, the best bolognese I've ever had.
Pork Tenderloin & Broccoli Stir-Fry
A free-styled stir fry, utilizing that delish Chinese pork. So freaking fantastic - I really should stir fry more often.
Some cooked pork tenderloin
vegetable oil
couple cloves garlic, minced
a nub of minced fresh ginger
a bunch of chopped broccoli florets
a couple of sliced carrots
a sliced red pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp tamari
4 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 green onions, sliced
(Cooked up some brown rice in some veggie stock to serve with).
Slice pork in desired pieces. Heat oil over highish heat; stir-fry pork until a bit browned. Transfer to plate.
Add garlic and ginger to pot - stir-fry over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add broccoli, carrots, red pepper and a bit of water; cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
Return pork and any accumulated juices to wok. Whisk together stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and vinegar; stir into wok and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions.
Some cooked pork tenderloin
vegetable oil
couple cloves garlic, minced
a nub of minced fresh ginger
a bunch of chopped broccoli florets
a couple of sliced carrots
a sliced red pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp tamari
4 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 green onions, sliced
(Cooked up some brown rice in some veggie stock to serve with).
Slice pork in desired pieces. Heat oil over highish heat; stir-fry pork until a bit browned. Transfer to plate.
Add garlic and ginger to pot - stir-fry over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add broccoli, carrots, red pepper and a bit of water; cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
Return pork and any accumulated juices to wok. Whisk together stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and vinegar; stir into wok and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions.
Char Siu Pork
I totally forgot about this! Made it last week, and quite frankly, it didn't have the desired colour or texture of Chinese bbq'd pork, but the meat itself was amazing - really wonderful flavour.
Approx 750g pork tenderloin
1½ tbsp liquid honey, mixed with 1½ tbsp hot water.
Marinade:
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake or dry sherry (I used mirin, as didn’t have any!)
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp chinese five spice powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp garlic powder
dash red food colouring (optional, but gives a beautiful colour) (I didn’t have any – boo)
Combine all marinade ingredients and put into a plastic freezer type bag.
Clean pork tenderloin by removing sinews etc, prick all over with a metal skewer and add pork to marinade in bag. Tie knot in top and massage marinade well into pork. (Okay, I simply plopped my two small tenderoins into the bag, massaged it with the marinade and let it do its thing)
Leave in fridge overnight, massaging occasionally.
Preheat oven to 200c. Half fill a deep roasting tin with water, put wire rack on top and place pork on wire rack. (I can't remember what the farenheit temps were, I wrote it down somewhere; oh, and my rack didn't fit over a deep roasting tin, so I used a cookie sheet - which is now completely destroyed!)
Roast for 15 mins, remove and baste with marinate. Lower oven temperature to 180c and roast a further 10 mins.
Remove and baste with honey/water mixture. Roast a further 10 mins.
Let it rest and slice thinly.
(You can then cook up the remaining sauce and use – I didn’t, as I wanted to use the pork for other recipes)
Approx 750g pork tenderloin
1½ tbsp liquid honey, mixed with 1½ tbsp hot water.
Marinade:
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake or dry sherry (I used mirin, as didn’t have any!)
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp chinese five spice powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp garlic powder
dash red food colouring (optional, but gives a beautiful colour) (I didn’t have any – boo)
Combine all marinade ingredients and put into a plastic freezer type bag.
Clean pork tenderloin by removing sinews etc, prick all over with a metal skewer and add pork to marinade in bag. Tie knot in top and massage marinade well into pork. (Okay, I simply plopped my two small tenderoins into the bag, massaged it with the marinade and let it do its thing)
Leave in fridge overnight, massaging occasionally.
Preheat oven to 200c. Half fill a deep roasting tin with water, put wire rack on top and place pork on wire rack. (I can't remember what the farenheit temps were, I wrote it down somewhere; oh, and my rack didn't fit over a deep roasting tin, so I used a cookie sheet - which is now completely destroyed!)
Roast for 15 mins, remove and baste with marinate. Lower oven temperature to 180c and roast a further 10 mins.
Remove and baste with honey/water mixture. Roast a further 10 mins.
Let it rest and slice thinly.
(You can then cook up the remaining sauce and use – I didn’t, as I wanted to use the pork for other recipes)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Veggie Meatloaf
I can’t think of a funny Meatloaf anecdote – sure, he had moobs and cried real man tears in Fight Club, and Bat out of Hell was the soundtrack in my rocker formative years, but I’m stumped to make a joke … the fact is, this is some hardcore meatloaf (from J’s repertoire!) – pretty much half veggies, half meat = guilt free + healthy. It made 2 medium sized loafs, so the effort paid off nicely. I did the veggie portion the day before, and assembled and baked the next day. As irresistible as the grandly silly, operatic, adolescent, aforementioned album.
1 medium onion
3 inches leek (green part)
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 medium beet
4 inches celery heart
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Heinz chili sauce
Basil, oregano, handful Italian parsley (I used fresh thyme, parsley and dried oregano)
3 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
700 g (1.5 lbs) extra lean ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c fresh bread crumbs
Place the first 6 ingred in a food processor & process until the texture resembles minced veggies. Saute the mixture in some olive oil for several mins (along w/ the minced garlic), then add the sauces, basil, oregano, and some s & p. Saute for another couple of mins, then remove from heat & stir in the parsley; set aside to cool. Once it's cooled a bit, combine the sauteed veggies w/ the sausages, ground beef, eggs & bread crumbs. Place the mixture in the loaf tins, spoon some more chili sauce on top, and place in a 350 oven for 1 hour or so.
1 medium onion
3 inches leek (green part)
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 medium beet
4 inches celery heart
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Heinz chili sauce
Basil, oregano, handful Italian parsley (I used fresh thyme, parsley and dried oregano)
3 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
700 g (1.5 lbs) extra lean ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c fresh bread crumbs
Place the first 6 ingred in a food processor & process until the texture resembles minced veggies. Saute the mixture in some olive oil for several mins (along w/ the minced garlic), then add the sauces, basil, oregano, and some s & p. Saute for another couple of mins, then remove from heat & stir in the parsley; set aside to cool. Once it's cooled a bit, combine the sauteed veggies w/ the sausages, ground beef, eggs & bread crumbs. Place the mixture in the loaf tins, spoon some more chili sauce on top, and place in a 350 oven for 1 hour or so.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Minestrone - My Way
Minestrone basically means big soup with lots of ingredients - which is music to my culinary ears, as the thicker, chunkier and more colourful, the better! The ingredients may vary, but I always incorporate zucchini, a hearty green, beans, and pasta.
Saute for a few minutes some onion, celery and carrots, season w/ s & p. Add chicken stock (8 cups), and a small can of v-8 juice, and turn up the heat. Add a mixture of green and purple cabbage (I've also added kale or rapini in the past, with amazing results, oh and green beans are lovely), zucchini & bell pepper, 2 cans of beans (I used one red & one white kidney) and a tray of roasted tomatoes. Simmer. Once nearly cooked, I stirred in a blob of frozen pesto I made earlier in the summer, and some el dente whole wheat broad noodles - which continued cooking in the soup. I'll serve w/ chopped Italian parsley, some chopped arugula, and a dusting of parm.
Oh.Mio.Dio.
Saute for a few minutes some onion, celery and carrots, season w/ s & p. Add chicken stock (8 cups), and a small can of v-8 juice, and turn up the heat. Add a mixture of green and purple cabbage (I've also added kale or rapini in the past, with amazing results, oh and green beans are lovely), zucchini & bell pepper, 2 cans of beans (I used one red & one white kidney) and a tray of roasted tomatoes. Simmer. Once nearly cooked, I stirred in a blob of frozen pesto I made earlier in the summer, and some el dente whole wheat broad noodles - which continued cooking in the soup. I'll serve w/ chopped Italian parsley, some chopped arugula, and a dusting of parm.
Oh.Mio.Dio.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Lentils and Snossies w/ Smashed Potatoes
I've become obsessive about the tomato roasting - I practically refuse to even eat a raw one now.
I cooked up a couple of local smoky Spanish chorizo snossies (to die for), in the oven - set aside to cool, then slice.
Get your spuds on for your smashed potatoes.
Roast a tray of tomatoes. Transfer them into a pot, add a small can of V-8 juice (I can't live without these), and some chicken stock. Add a can of lentils (week night dinner, no time to cook dried!), add your sliced snossies, season to taste, and some chopped fresh thyme and Italian parsley. Cook this mixture up to your liking texture wise.
Serve piled onto your smashed potatoes - this was so incredible, the sweetness from the tomatoes with the smoky goodness of the snossies made for one of the best dishes ever!
I cooked up a couple of local smoky Spanish chorizo snossies (to die for), in the oven - set aside to cool, then slice.
Get your spuds on for your smashed potatoes.
Roast a tray of tomatoes. Transfer them into a pot, add a small can of V-8 juice (I can't live without these), and some chicken stock. Add a can of lentils (week night dinner, no time to cook dried!), add your sliced snossies, season to taste, and some chopped fresh thyme and Italian parsley. Cook this mixture up to your liking texture wise.
Serve piled onto your smashed potatoes - this was so incredible, the sweetness from the tomatoes with the smoky goodness of the snossies made for one of the best dishes ever!
Roasted Tomato Soup
A fall bounty of harvest goodness from the garden!
Roast up a bunch of garden tomatoes. Saute onions and garlic until soft, add your tomatoes, season to taste, add some chopped fresh herbs, cook for a while. Blend slightly - you'll still want some texture. It tastes so rich and creamy, you'd swear there was added butter or whipping cream.
Roast up a bunch of garden tomatoes. Saute onions and garlic until soft, add your tomatoes, season to taste, add some chopped fresh herbs, cook for a while. Blend slightly - you'll still want some texture. It tastes so rich and creamy, you'd swear there was added butter or whipping cream.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Shrimp Salad with Cucumber, Melon and Coconut Mint Dressing
(from Rachel Ray)
Another winner from the EVOO gal. Again, too hot to bbq, but if I can fire up the stove before 2:00 pm, its all good.
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
5 tbsp walnut oil (boo, don’t have any, used flax-olive oil)
½ cantaloupe, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
Cucumbers, chopped (about 2 cups)
1¾ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used one lb – seemed like more than enough)
s & p
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut (ah, I actually halved this amount, and used unsweetened)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Preheat a grill (if using), or in my case, heat pan on highish heat, add remaining 2 tbsp oil (plus I added some tuscan lemon spice to the oil) - saute prawns on both sides, until done (I also then deglazed the pan a bit w/ more lime juice, and a splash of agave). Cool slightly.
Place the lime juice (and rind, if using) in a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons oil until combined. Stir in the cantaloupe and cucumbers, mint, coconut, s & p and refrigerate.
Transfer the prawns to the salad - toss well and season.
Another winner from the EVOO gal. Again, too hot to bbq, but if I can fire up the stove before 2:00 pm, its all good.
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
5 tbsp walnut oil (boo, don’t have any, used flax-olive oil)
½ cantaloupe, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
Cucumbers, chopped (about 2 cups)
1¾ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used one lb – seemed like more than enough)
s & p
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut (ah, I actually halved this amount, and used unsweetened)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Preheat a grill (if using), or in my case, heat pan on highish heat, add remaining 2 tbsp oil (plus I added some tuscan lemon spice to the oil) - saute prawns on both sides, until done (I also then deglazed the pan a bit w/ more lime juice, and a splash of agave). Cool slightly.
Place the lime juice (and rind, if using) in a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons oil until combined. Stir in the cantaloupe and cucumbers, mint, coconut, s & p and refrigerate.
Transfer the prawns to the salad - toss well and season.
Crab Salad Stuffed Avocados
(from Rachel Ray)
I'm not a huge fan of hers personally, but the recipes I've tried have all been successful, quick and easy - which is essential for weekday cooking. I tweaked the amount of ingredients, and added lemon juice.
We were so stuffed after this - was it supposed to serve 4? In any event, looks gorgeous, tastes great, probably 5,000 calories, but 'avocados - its a good fat' ... yeah, okay.
approx 2 tbsp mayonnaise
approx 2 chopped chives
a splash of red wine vinegar
same or more of lemon juice
1 clove finely chopped garlic
s & p
2 cans lump crabmeat
approx 1/3 cup chopped celery
4 pitted avocado halves (ours were soooooo perfect)
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chives, garlic, vinegar, lemon (if using), seaon w/ s & p. Stir in lump crabmeat and celery. Divide (read: pile) the crab salad among the avocado halves.
Serve w/ salad for vitamins!
I'm not a huge fan of hers personally, but the recipes I've tried have all been successful, quick and easy - which is essential for weekday cooking. I tweaked the amount of ingredients, and added lemon juice.
We were so stuffed after this - was it supposed to serve 4? In any event, looks gorgeous, tastes great, probably 5,000 calories, but 'avocados - its a good fat' ... yeah, okay.
approx 2 tbsp mayonnaise
approx 2 chopped chives
a splash of red wine vinegar
same or more of lemon juice
1 clove finely chopped garlic
s & p
2 cans lump crabmeat
approx 1/3 cup chopped celery
4 pitted avocado halves (ours were soooooo perfect)
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chives, garlic, vinegar, lemon (if using), seaon w/ s & p. Stir in lump crabmeat and celery. Divide (read: pile) the crab salad among the avocado halves.
Serve w/ salad for vitamins!
No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Bars with Fruit and Nuts
(from enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com)
As its been too bloody hot to cook, I had to resort to an alternative to the bran muffins - which, granted, I'm sort of over - at least until the Fall. Doubtful these are as packed w/ fibre, but darn it, they are tasty! Everything I want in a chewy granola type bar, like seriously chewy, and I significantly decreased the amount of honey, so while tossing everything together (actually it was more of a hardcore mash up, wearing rubber gloves!) I realized it looked a tad dry. But no worries - it packed into the pan nicely, and after cooling, cut really easily - no crumbs. Me likey a lot, will be making these steadily.
2½ cups old-fashioned oatmeal
½ cup toasted wheat germ (mine wasn't toasted, does it have to be?)
½ cup dried nonfat milk powder (looked for soy, couldn't find - oh well)
½ cup dried cherries, blueberries, or other dried fruit, coarsely chopped (I used a combo of sour cherries, dates, and cranberries)
½ cup roasted almonds (or other roasted or toasted nuts or seeds)(I used all sunflower seeds)
1 cup natural-style nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut, cashew, almond, or tahini) (3/4 cup almond butter + 1/4 cup tahini is nice)
¼ cup honey plus an extra tbsp
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
Line a 9x9" square metal baking pan foil; spray w/ nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl mix the oatmeal, wheat germ, milk powder, dried fruit and nuts; set aside.
Place the nut butter, honey and molasses in a large heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the cereal mixture (mix until well blended and all of the oat mixture is coated).
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a large square of wax paper or foil, very firmly press mixture down into pan to compact.
Cool completely. Remove bars using foil overhang and then cut into 16 bars or squares. Tightly wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store the wrapped bars in a plastic zip-top bag in the refrigerator.
As its been too bloody hot to cook, I had to resort to an alternative to the bran muffins - which, granted, I'm sort of over - at least until the Fall. Doubtful these are as packed w/ fibre, but darn it, they are tasty! Everything I want in a chewy granola type bar, like seriously chewy, and I significantly decreased the amount of honey, so while tossing everything together (actually it was more of a hardcore mash up, wearing rubber gloves!) I realized it looked a tad dry. But no worries - it packed into the pan nicely, and after cooling, cut really easily - no crumbs. Me likey a lot, will be making these steadily.
2½ cups old-fashioned oatmeal
½ cup toasted wheat germ (mine wasn't toasted, does it have to be?)
½ cup dried nonfat milk powder (looked for soy, couldn't find - oh well)
½ cup dried cherries, blueberries, or other dried fruit, coarsely chopped (I used a combo of sour cherries, dates, and cranberries)
½ cup roasted almonds (or other roasted or toasted nuts or seeds)(I used all sunflower seeds)
1 cup natural-style nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut, cashew, almond, or tahini) (3/4 cup almond butter + 1/4 cup tahini is nice)
¼ cup honey plus an extra tbsp
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
Line a 9x9" square metal baking pan foil; spray w/ nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl mix the oatmeal, wheat germ, milk powder, dried fruit and nuts; set aside.
Place the nut butter, honey and molasses in a large heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the cereal mixture (mix until well blended and all of the oat mixture is coated).
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a large square of wax paper or foil, very firmly press mixture down into pan to compact.
Cool completely. Remove bars using foil overhang and then cut into 16 bars or squares. Tightly wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store the wrapped bars in a plastic zip-top bag in the refrigerator.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Gazpacho
(from Epicurious)
For Cassilis, Nadal & Contador!
I can't believe I haven't made gazpacho since moving to the Okanagan - I mean, it screams 'hot weather food'. Apparently I couldn't hear its roar - blame it on the wine. In any event, a nice recipe, which leaves room for infinite interpretations.
3 cups finely diced plum tomatoes, juices reserved
2 cups finely diced cucumbers, peeled and seeded (I actually left the seeds intact)
1¼ cups finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, or parsley)
3 cups canned tomato juice (I used ½ V-8 and ½ extra spicy clamato!)
¼ cup red wine vinegar, or as needed
Juice of ½ lemon (I used all)
¼ tsp salt, or as needed
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (I used harissa)
some homemade croutons
a bunch of thinly sliced chives or scallion greens
Reserve 2 tbsp each of the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and pepper for the garnish.
Puree the remaining tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper in a food processor or blender along with the garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, and herbs until fairly smooth but with some texture remaining. (I actually added the juice as well at this point).
Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, the red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
After chilling, check the seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with the reserved vegetables, croutons, and chives.
For Cassilis, Nadal & Contador!
I can't believe I haven't made gazpacho since moving to the Okanagan - I mean, it screams 'hot weather food'. Apparently I couldn't hear its roar - blame it on the wine. In any event, a nice recipe, which leaves room for infinite interpretations.
3 cups finely diced plum tomatoes, juices reserved
2 cups finely diced cucumbers, peeled and seeded (I actually left the seeds intact)
1¼ cups finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, or parsley)
3 cups canned tomato juice (I used ½ V-8 and ½ extra spicy clamato!)
¼ cup red wine vinegar, or as needed
Juice of ½ lemon (I used all)
¼ tsp salt, or as needed
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (I used harissa)
some homemade croutons
a bunch of thinly sliced chives or scallion greens
Reserve 2 tbsp each of the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and pepper for the garnish.
Puree the remaining tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper in a food processor or blender along with the garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, and herbs until fairly smooth but with some texture remaining. (I actually added the juice as well at this point).
Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, the red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
After chilling, check the seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with the reserved vegetables, croutons, and chives.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Nice Weeknight Salad
Had some nice greens & cherry tomatoes from the garden, so made a salad, adding cucumbers and a big pile of canned crab on top, with a lemony olive oil dressing. Was craving some 'fat' (was thinking of garlic bread specifically), and as I'm currently abstaining from butter, finely chopped a bunch of sundried tomatoes (in oil), and spread them quite generously (seasoned w/ s & p) over some toasted bread chunks, then broiled. Again, kinda plain, next time will brush the toast w/ halved garlic, add some herbage and perhaps some chopped olives!
Pad Thai Salad
(from sophistimom.com)
As it was too hot, I decided at the last minute to change this into a pad thai salad! It wasn't the best thing I've ever eaten, but it was decent - lots of room for improvement. What caught my eye was using brown rice fettucini in lieu of rice noodles - which is brill. The one ingredient sorely lacking around Summerland is bean sprouts. Oh how I miss them so. And they are key to a pad thai, in my opinion. In any event, the dish doesn't offer much in terms of veggie content (some sauteed savoy cabbage might be nice), but it has a great flavour (was pleased w/ the tamarind sauce), so is a good base for future creations.
oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb of prawns
1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt
1 package brown rice fettucini
1 bunch cilantro, + more for garnish (plus I added some green onions)
1 good handful chopped peanuts, + more for garnish
1 big handful bean sprouts, + more for garnish (insert frowny face here)
2-3 limes, including their rind
tamarind sauce (recipe below)
Tamarind sauce:
2 tbsp of tamarind paste plus 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp agave nectar
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp chili sauce
Cook your pasta, strain and rinse and keep in cool water.
Saute shallots and garlic for a few minutes, add prawns and cook until they are done. Set aside.
Cook egg in same saute pan, remove and slice, add to prawn mixture.
Drain your pasta, toss with tamarind sauce, and remaining ingredients - including a bunch of lime juice, if you are making a 'salad'. Tuck in!
As it was too hot, I decided at the last minute to change this into a pad thai salad! It wasn't the best thing I've ever eaten, but it was decent - lots of room for improvement. What caught my eye was using brown rice fettucini in lieu of rice noodles - which is brill. The one ingredient sorely lacking around Summerland is bean sprouts. Oh how I miss them so. And they are key to a pad thai, in my opinion. In any event, the dish doesn't offer much in terms of veggie content (some sauteed savoy cabbage might be nice), but it has a great flavour (was pleased w/ the tamarind sauce), so is a good base for future creations.
oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb of prawns
1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt
1 package brown rice fettucini
1 bunch cilantro, + more for garnish (plus I added some green onions)
1 good handful chopped peanuts, + more for garnish
1 big handful bean sprouts, + more for garnish (insert frowny face here)
2-3 limes, including their rind
tamarind sauce (recipe below)
Tamarind sauce:
2 tbsp of tamarind paste plus 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp agave nectar
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp chili sauce
Cook your pasta, strain and rinse and keep in cool water.
Saute shallots and garlic for a few minutes, add prawns and cook until they are done. Set aside.
Cook egg in same saute pan, remove and slice, add to prawn mixture.
Drain your pasta, toss with tamarind sauce, and remaining ingredients - including a bunch of lime juice, if you are making a 'salad'. Tuck in!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Southwestern Bean Cakes
(from justveggingout.com)
I had a bunch of leftover canellini beans, which I had cooked overnight in the slow cooker, for Tuscan tuna & bean salad (a summer staple). But after having 2 meals of same, was looking to utilize the remains - and voila!
These were excellant - I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly, and next time would up the cilantro content, and add an onion component - shallots or green onions. I highly recommended serving them with a side of PC tomatillo sauce - delicioso! Also served with a simple side salad, with a lemony dressing.
2 15-oz cans canellini beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained
¼ cup chicken (or veggie) broth
Juice from 2 limes
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper (add more for extra heat)
2 tsp chili powder (I also added a tsp of cumin)
s & p
1 cup (at least) cornmeal or polenta (I had some fine semolina, which was perfect - I also pressed the patties into more to create a nice crispy crust)
olive/flax oil
Combine beans, broth, and lime juice in a large bowl. Mash the beans using a potato masher (my masher is crap, I used a hand mixer).
Stir in the cilantro, jalapeno, and spices. Stir in 1/4 cup of cornmeal. Continue stirring in more cornmeal in small amounts until you can form the mixture into 3-inch cakes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the bean cakes and cook until browned, approximately 4 minutes per side. (Add more oil to the pan if necessary.) Serve immediately w/ lime wedges and sprinkled cilantro.
I had a bunch of leftover canellini beans, which I had cooked overnight in the slow cooker, for Tuscan tuna & bean salad (a summer staple). But after having 2 meals of same, was looking to utilize the remains - and voila!
These were excellant - I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly, and next time would up the cilantro content, and add an onion component - shallots or green onions. I highly recommended serving them with a side of PC tomatillo sauce - delicioso! Also served with a simple side salad, with a lemony dressing.
2 15-oz cans canellini beans, rinsed and thoroughly drained
¼ cup chicken (or veggie) broth
Juice from 2 limes
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper (add more for extra heat)
2 tsp chili powder (I also added a tsp of cumin)
s & p
1 cup (at least) cornmeal or polenta (I had some fine semolina, which was perfect - I also pressed the patties into more to create a nice crispy crust)
olive/flax oil
Combine beans, broth, and lime juice in a large bowl. Mash the beans using a potato masher (my masher is crap, I used a hand mixer).
Stir in the cilantro, jalapeno, and spices. Stir in 1/4 cup of cornmeal. Continue stirring in more cornmeal in small amounts until you can form the mixture into 3-inch cakes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the bean cakes and cook until browned, approximately 4 minutes per side. (Add more oil to the pan if necessary.) Serve immediately w/ lime wedges and sprinkled cilantro.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Brown Rice Sushi Salad
(from teaandcookies.com)
Yes. Sushi Salad. I guess I can cross off 'learn how to make brown rice sushi' from my to-do list, as I've found my dream dish! Tastes JUST LIKE sushi, but way more healthy.
It helped that I already had the brown rice (and wheat berries!) in the fridge, so the assembly was quite easy. Made the rice dressing and the wasabi dressing in the morning, and threw everything together just before eating. I also doubled the recipe, and had about 1/2 rice, 1/2 wheat berries.
Oshi oshi!
Brown rice – cooked, 2 cups
vinegar dressing for rice:
¼ cup + 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, divided
¼ cup sugar
1½ tsp. salt
Sesame seeds
In a small saucepan combine ¼ cup vinegar to boil w/ sugar & salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved - remove from heat. Transfer rice to a large bowl & stir in vinegar mixture. Cool rice. (If there is excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl, drain rice again.) Stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tbsp. vinegar, and a bit of oil.
Add the following:
Grated carrot (about 1/2 cup)
Avocado (half an avocado)
Hijiki seaweed (1½ tsp dried; 1 tbsp reconstituted) (did not use)
Radish, grated or minced (1/4 cup) (I couldn't find any!)
Pickled ginger
Sliced green onions(1-2)
½ cup cucumber, chopped
2 sheets of nori seaweed, cut into small pieces
Wasabi dressing:
3 tsp wasabi paste
1 tbsp hot water
2 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp pickled ginger juice
In a small bowl, stir all ingredients together. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix carefully.
Yes. Sushi Salad. I guess I can cross off 'learn how to make brown rice sushi' from my to-do list, as I've found my dream dish! Tastes JUST LIKE sushi, but way more healthy.
It helped that I already had the brown rice (and wheat berries!) in the fridge, so the assembly was quite easy. Made the rice dressing and the wasabi dressing in the morning, and threw everything together just before eating. I also doubled the recipe, and had about 1/2 rice, 1/2 wheat berries.
Oshi oshi!
Brown rice – cooked, 2 cups
vinegar dressing for rice:
¼ cup + 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, divided
¼ cup sugar
1½ tsp. salt
Sesame seeds
In a small saucepan combine ¼ cup vinegar to boil w/ sugar & salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved - remove from heat. Transfer rice to a large bowl & stir in vinegar mixture. Cool rice. (If there is excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl, drain rice again.) Stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tbsp. vinegar, and a bit of oil.
Add the following:
Grated carrot (about 1/2 cup)
Avocado (half an avocado)
Hijiki seaweed (1½ tsp dried; 1 tbsp reconstituted) (did not use)
Radish, grated or minced (1/4 cup) (I couldn't find any!)
Pickled ginger
Sliced green onions(1-2)
½ cup cucumber, chopped
2 sheets of nori seaweed, cut into small pieces
Wasabi dressing:
3 tsp wasabi paste
1 tbsp hot water
2 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp pickled ginger juice
In a small bowl, stir all ingredients together. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix carefully.
(Pulling) Mussels from Michelle
(Adapted from Bon Appetit)
I'm on a total roll lately with the good grub. Feeling rather smug if the truth be told. And its dishes like this that validate my passion for good food. The best dishes are created with simple, fresh ingredients, and a lot of wine! Wonderful dish - soft, buttery mussels, a great loaf of bread, and two very satisfied diners.
Olive Oil
4 garlic cloves & 2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp dried red chilies
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Approx 2 cups dry white wine (I used gewertz)
1 lemon, cut into 3 thick slices
a bunch of chopped fresh parsley, basil and tarragon
2 1/2 lbs fresh mussels
Good break to soak up the goodness
Saute onion, garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil, about 4 minutes. Add wine, lemon slices and tomatoes - bring to boil. Add mussels. Cover pot and cook until mussel shells open, stirring a few times to rearrange mussels, about 4-6 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large shallow bowl. Boil broth in pot until reduced, about 3-4 minutes. Add fresh herbs. Season to taste. Pour broth over mussels. Nom nom ensues.
I'm on a total roll lately with the good grub. Feeling rather smug if the truth be told. And its dishes like this that validate my passion for good food. The best dishes are created with simple, fresh ingredients, and a lot of wine! Wonderful dish - soft, buttery mussels, a great loaf of bread, and two very satisfied diners.
Olive Oil
4 garlic cloves & 2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp dried red chilies
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Approx 2 cups dry white wine (I used gewertz)
1 lemon, cut into 3 thick slices
a bunch of chopped fresh parsley, basil and tarragon
2 1/2 lbs fresh mussels
Good break to soak up the goodness
Saute onion, garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil, about 4 minutes. Add wine, lemon slices and tomatoes - bring to boil. Add mussels. Cover pot and cook until mussel shells open, stirring a few times to rearrange mussels, about 4-6 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large shallow bowl. Boil broth in pot until reduced, about 3-4 minutes. Add fresh herbs. Season to taste. Pour broth over mussels. Nom nom ensues.
Grains Salad with Asian Dressing
After being led astray by a few grains lately, I've continued on my obsession with Lundberg rice and wheat berries. The combination of those grains, with just about anything, is very satisfying both flavour and texture wise. My inspiration for this dish was fried rice. Mmmm, fried rice.
3-4 cups cooked rice and wheat berries
Chopped carrot, green onions, snow peas and broccoli (blanched and cooled)
Dressing:
Juice of 2 limes, including the rind
a chunk of finely chopped ginger
Approx 1 tbsp sesame oil
Same of tamari
A bit of grapeseed oil
Approx 2 tbsp rice vinegar
A big blob of Asian chili sauce
A big sprinking of roasted sesame seeds
Combine in a jar, then toss with the above ingredients.
3-4 cups cooked rice and wheat berries
Chopped carrot, green onions, snow peas and broccoli (blanched and cooled)
Dressing:
Juice of 2 limes, including the rind
a chunk of finely chopped ginger
Approx 1 tbsp sesame oil
Same of tamari
A bit of grapeseed oil
Approx 2 tbsp rice vinegar
A big blob of Asian chili sauce
A big sprinking of roasted sesame seeds
Combine in a jar, then toss with the above ingredients.
Grilled Halibut with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
(from Epicurious)
This has to be the best fish recipe I've ever had. No I'm serious. Simplistic elegance.
The halibut was expensive, but worth every penny. This would be amazing with prawns, even calamari. I can't wait to have this again!
2½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp grated lemon peel
3 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil
2 tsp drained capers
Four 5-6 ounce halibut steaks
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic & grated lemon peel in small bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh basil and capers. Season vinaigrette w/ s & p to taste. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Season halibut steaks w/ s & p. Brush fish with 1 tbsp vinaigrette, dividing equally. Grill or broil halibut steaks until just cooked through. Transfer fish to plates. Rewhisk remaining vinaigrette; pour over fish. Garnish fish with remaining 1 tbsp basil and serve.
This has to be the best fish recipe I've ever had. No I'm serious. Simplistic elegance.
The halibut was expensive, but worth every penny. This would be amazing with prawns, even calamari. I can't wait to have this again!
2½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp grated lemon peel
3 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil
2 tsp drained capers
Four 5-6 ounce halibut steaks
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic & grated lemon peel in small bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh basil and capers. Season vinaigrette w/ s & p to taste. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Season halibut steaks w/ s & p. Brush fish with 1 tbsp vinaigrette, dividing equally. Grill or broil halibut steaks until just cooked through. Transfer fish to plates. Rewhisk remaining vinaigrette; pour over fish. Garnish fish with remaining 1 tbsp basil and serve.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Get Stuffed ... Peppers
Another freestyle recipe! Had a bunch of peppers that were to be used for another purpose, so decided some stuffed peppers would be in order. I had some leftovers in the freezer - wheat berries from an earlier recipe, and some brown rice pilaf from another time - thought they'd both be nice in peppers, cooked up some hot Italian turkey snossies, added some chopped green onions, a few chopped cherry tomatoes, then added some tomato passata to bind it all together, and seasoned to taste - stuff the peppers, dust w/ parm & bake. These were incredible - I hope to always have wheat berries and rice in the freezer in future! In fact, just having those two ingredients, with a dressing and some fresh veg would have made a delicious salad!
Wheat Berry Greek Salad
Yet another winner from Bitchin' Camero! What's not to love here - classic greek salad, plus 'popping' wheat berries = awesomeness! I omitted the chickpeas, but may add them another time. This will be on heavy summer rotation.
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. salt
juice of one lime
2 tbsp. tahini
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salad:
tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, feta
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I omitted!)
2 cups cooked grains, such as wheat berries
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. salt
juice of one lime
2 tbsp. tahini
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salad:
tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, feta
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I omitted!)
2 cups cooked grains, such as wheat berries
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Scarborough Fair Burgers, Two Ways
Another self-penned recipe! I've got parsely, sage, rosemary and thyme in the garden - so thought it would be wonderful in some burgers - half bison, half lean ground beef; add an egg, some s & p, and a hit of steak seasoning - bbq same.
1st batch: served w/ chive mayo and a salad
2nd batch: found some AMAZING morrel muschrooms @ the market today, so sauteed them with some butter, then added a little blob of liquid beef bovril, and a healthy splash of madiera wine (+ s & p). Smother on the burgers, serve with a simple salad with a lemony dressing.
1st batch: served w/ chive mayo and a salad
2nd batch: found some AMAZING morrel muschrooms @ the market today, so sauteed them with some butter, then added a little blob of liquid beef bovril, and a healthy splash of madiera wine (+ s & p). Smother on the burgers, serve with a simple salad with a lemony dressing.
The Caravaggio
I've been making pizzas like crazy - can't get enough! I have no idea why I named it this, other than I love his work, his name, and he's Italian - like pizza. This was earthy and divine.
Roast, until carmelized:
Armstrong asparagus - sliced as you like
a bunch of brown mushrooms, whole
onions, quartered
I had some steamed, chopped rapini in freezer, so took that out - to add before cooking.
Spread your vessel with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with shredded mixed Italian cheeses. Top with the above veggies (it took a while [had to chop the shrooms, slice the onions, make it all purdy] - hey, like a real works of art!); separate and sprinkle that thawed rapini, along with some fresh chopped herbage, along with a liberal dusting of parm. Bake, and enjoy!
Roast, until carmelized:
Armstrong asparagus - sliced as you like
a bunch of brown mushrooms, whole
onions, quartered
I had some steamed, chopped rapini in freezer, so took that out - to add before cooking.
Spread your vessel with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with shredded mixed Italian cheeses. Top with the above veggies (it took a while [had to chop the shrooms, slice the onions, make it all purdy] - hey, like a real works of art!); separate and sprinkle that thawed rapini, along with some fresh chopped herbage, along with a liberal dusting of parm. Bake, and enjoy!
Garlic & Cashew Noodle Salad
(from bitchincamero.com – oh how I've missed you!)
Another stellar result - I don't think you can go wrong with any of her recipes! Served this at room temp, as it was unseasonably chilly that night, and the leftovers the day after were delish. Refreshing and satisfying. I would up the dressing content next time however, as I had quite a few greens to cover!
For the dressing:
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp. shoyu (I used tamari)
3 tbsp. brown rice vinegar (used regular rice vinegar – wait, there’s brown rice vinegar?)
1 bunch garlic chives (I used regular chives)
½ cup fresh mint leaves
For the salad:
8 oz. soba noodles (couldn’t find any, used whole wheat spag)
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 baby bok choy – washed, stems removed and roughly chopped (I also used a bunch of chiffanade gailan as well)
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. super firm tofu, cubed
½ cup halved cashews
Whisk together the sesame oil, shoyu and rice vinegar in a bowl, then stir in the garlic chives and mint leaves. Set aside.
Cook the soba noodles until just al dente, then remove to a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain thoroughly. Set aside.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, heat the tablespoon of sesame oil, then saute the bok choy and garlic until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the tofu and cashews and continue to cook for an additional 5 – 8 minutes or until the tofu begins to brown a bit. Use a spatula to keep moving everything around the skillet so that the tofu doesn’t stick.
Toss the noodles with the dressing and contents of the skillet.
Another stellar result - I don't think you can go wrong with any of her recipes! Served this at room temp, as it was unseasonably chilly that night, and the leftovers the day after were delish. Refreshing and satisfying. I would up the dressing content next time however, as I had quite a few greens to cover!
For the dressing:
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp. shoyu (I used tamari)
3 tbsp. brown rice vinegar (used regular rice vinegar – wait, there’s brown rice vinegar?)
1 bunch garlic chives (I used regular chives)
½ cup fresh mint leaves
For the salad:
8 oz. soba noodles (couldn’t find any, used whole wheat spag)
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 baby bok choy – washed, stems removed and roughly chopped (I also used a bunch of chiffanade gailan as well)
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. super firm tofu, cubed
½ cup halved cashews
Whisk together the sesame oil, shoyu and rice vinegar in a bowl, then stir in the garlic chives and mint leaves. Set aside.
Cook the soba noodles until just al dente, then remove to a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain thoroughly. Set aside.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, heat the tablespoon of sesame oil, then saute the bok choy and garlic until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the tofu and cashews and continue to cook for an additional 5 – 8 minutes or until the tofu begins to brown a bit. Use a spatula to keep moving everything around the skillet so that the tofu doesn’t stick.
Toss the noodles with the dressing and contents of the skillet.
Lentil Salad with Grapes and Chardonnay Dressing
(from ourkitchen.fisherpaykel.com)
This was surprisingly good - great texture, kept really well in the fridge, though I opted out of the feta - I eat enough cheese thanks very much; and didn't miss it here.
For the salad: (serves 6 w/ main course)
2 c lentils (I used French green)
1 carrot, quartered
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 c almonds
2 c seedless grapes, halved
200g/7 oz feta, cubed (I omitted)
For the dressing:
1 tbsp + 1 c olive oil (I didn’t use this much!)
1 red onion, diced finely (I don’t think I used that much!)
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
2 lemons, juiced and zested
¼ c chardonnay (or a splash of white wine vinegar)
¼ c chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the lentils under cold water and add them to a large sauce pan with the carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Add enough cold water to cover.
Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for approx 30-45 mins. Drain, cool and remove the vegetables from the lentils.
For the dressing, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil. Cool.
Transfer the onion and garlic to a bowl and add 1 c oil, the lemon juice and zest, chardonnay (or vinegar), parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly toast the almonds in the oven or in a frying pan.
Combine the lentils, almonds, grapes, feta and dressing to taste (you don’t have to add all the dressing, just pour it into a jar and refrigerate what you don’t use, or serve it on the side).
This was surprisingly good - great texture, kept really well in the fridge, though I opted out of the feta - I eat enough cheese thanks very much; and didn't miss it here.
For the salad: (serves 6 w/ main course)
2 c lentils (I used French green)
1 carrot, quartered
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 c almonds
2 c seedless grapes, halved
200g/7 oz feta, cubed (I omitted)
For the dressing:
1 tbsp + 1 c olive oil (I didn’t use this much!)
1 red onion, diced finely (I don’t think I used that much!)
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
2 lemons, juiced and zested
¼ c chardonnay (or a splash of white wine vinegar)
¼ c chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the lentils under cold water and add them to a large sauce pan with the carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Add enough cold water to cover.
Bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for approx 30-45 mins. Drain, cool and remove the vegetables from the lentils.
For the dressing, sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil. Cool.
Transfer the onion and garlic to a bowl and add 1 c oil, the lemon juice and zest, chardonnay (or vinegar), parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly toast the almonds in the oven or in a frying pan.
Combine the lentils, almonds, grapes, feta and dressing to taste (you don’t have to add all the dressing, just pour it into a jar and refrigerate what you don’t use, or serve it on the side).
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Pizza, Two Ways
Our beloved Italian importers in Kelowna has just launched this amazing pizza crust - whole wheat, 16", the thickness of a communion wafer! Praise Him, my pizza prayers have been answered.
The first one, I roasted off a bunch of vine ripened tomatoes (which aren't so tasty this time of year), peeled and coursely chopped same, added a bunch of fresh chopped herbage, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, s & p. This sat overnight in fridge. Spread same on pizza crust, add a dusting of shredded Italian cheeses, and some grated Regiano. Holy mother, pray for us sinners.
Second one, I sliced a bunch of brown mushrooms, sauteed with some garlic, chopped fresh sage, thyme and parsley, added a splash of madeira. Brush crust with porcini oil (poor man's truffle oil!), add mushroom topping, a dusting of shredded Italian cheeses, and some grated Regiano. Sprinkle a bit more porcini oil after cooking. Ave Maria.
The first one, I roasted off a bunch of vine ripened tomatoes (which aren't so tasty this time of year), peeled and coursely chopped same, added a bunch of fresh chopped herbage, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, s & p. This sat overnight in fridge. Spread same on pizza crust, add a dusting of shredded Italian cheeses, and some grated Regiano. Holy mother, pray for us sinners.
Second one, I sliced a bunch of brown mushrooms, sauteed with some garlic, chopped fresh sage, thyme and parsley, added a splash of madeira. Brush crust with porcini oil (poor man's truffle oil!), add mushroom topping, a dusting of shredded Italian cheeses, and some grated Regiano. Sprinkle a bit more porcini oil after cooking. Ave Maria.
Pasta Puttanesca
From The Silver Palate.
Right from the author's mouths "this racy pasta sauce is named for Italian ladies of the night (the puttone). It's quick and cheap and we hope it offends no one to say so." As the Stranglers would say, 'its nice in Nice'.
After recently purchasing some jarred anchovies, I'm so absolutely hooked on their culinary allure, I can't stop consuming them! I've been meaning to try this dish for ages, and it recently came back on my radar - so glad it did - this is a total keeper. Scottie loved it, and it will be on heavy rotation. In the fall, I'd use roasted tomatoes from the garden, tonight it was tomato passata, crushed Italian tomatoes and salt - the only sauce that matters. I also changed the method of prep a bit, as well as some of the proportions of ingredients - I don't think it matters.
1 lb linguine
1 jar passata
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup drained capers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, plus extra for garnish
s & p to taste
Cook pasta until tender but still firm. While cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet - add garlic, dried chilis and anchovies - cook for a bit. Add the passata. Continue cooking. Stir in oregano, olives and capers - stirring frequently. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook, until the sauce has thickened to your liking, add the parsley. Taste and add s & p, if desired. Toss pasta with sauce - serve immediately, garnish with the additional chopped parsley. Delizioso!
Right from the author's mouths "this racy pasta sauce is named for Italian ladies of the night (the puttone). It's quick and cheap and we hope it offends no one to say so." As the Stranglers would say, 'its nice in Nice'.
After recently purchasing some jarred anchovies, I'm so absolutely hooked on their culinary allure, I can't stop consuming them! I've been meaning to try this dish for ages, and it recently came back on my radar - so glad it did - this is a total keeper. Scottie loved it, and it will be on heavy rotation. In the fall, I'd use roasted tomatoes from the garden, tonight it was tomato passata, crushed Italian tomatoes and salt - the only sauce that matters. I also changed the method of prep a bit, as well as some of the proportions of ingredients - I don't think it matters.
1 lb linguine
1 jar passata
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup drained capers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, plus extra for garnish
s & p to taste
Cook pasta until tender but still firm. While cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet - add garlic, dried chilis and anchovies - cook for a bit. Add the passata. Continue cooking. Stir in oregano, olives and capers - stirring frequently. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook, until the sauce has thickened to your liking, add the parsley. Taste and add s & p, if desired. Toss pasta with sauce - serve immediately, garnish with the additional chopped parsley. Delizioso!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Dan Dan Noodles
(from ‘food 4 wibowo’)
Lady-boy food, just a goofy name or good times? All of the above! So freaking fantastic - a total surprise. Think Asian spaghetti with meat sauce. Leftovers (2 days in a row) were wonderful - the pasta didn't dry out, the flavours were more developed, it was the best thing I'd made in ages - seriously, its just that good. Highly recommended for coolish grey days, dreaming of spring.
I made the meat portion one day ahead, so didn't have the 'crispy' end result, but rather I reheated it with the sauce, giving it a bolognese texture, which I think was preferable, but that's just me. Plus I kept chopping more and more green onions to top, as the leftovers kept on coming. Also I used gailan in lieu of the choy sum, as that's what I could find - plus, loves gailan. Oh, and a big handful of bean sprouts I think would add another flavour/texture element - next time! Oh, and pass the Asian chili sauce please - a must.
1 lb ground pork
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp peanut (or vegetable) oil
4 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
5 tbsp onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp chili oil
1½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp dry red chili pepper
8 oz chicken stock
1 pkg spaghetti
½ lb of Choy Sum
a bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped (I used roasted slivered almonds - yum)
Marinate the ground pork with 1 tbsp of soy sauce of 1 teaspoon of salt for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, stir fry the pork with 2 tbsp of oil until it's golden. Pour away any excess fat, then add honey and toss until all the ground pork is nicely coated. Cook for another minute and then set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil (to be used to cook the pasta and blanch the greens).
Reheat the skillet and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger and onions until fragrant for about 2 mins.
Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, dry red chili pepper, salt and chicken stock and simmer for 5-7 mins.
Cook the noodles. Add the greens in the last minute to quickly boil them. Drain well.
Return the noodles, vegetable, cooked meat and the peanut sauce into the pot, stir in roasted nuts.
Serve in massive bowls, with a handful of chopped green onions.
Lady-boy food, just a goofy name or good times? All of the above! So freaking fantastic - a total surprise. Think Asian spaghetti with meat sauce. Leftovers (2 days in a row) were wonderful - the pasta didn't dry out, the flavours were more developed, it was the best thing I'd made in ages - seriously, its just that good. Highly recommended for coolish grey days, dreaming of spring.
I made the meat portion one day ahead, so didn't have the 'crispy' end result, but rather I reheated it with the sauce, giving it a bolognese texture, which I think was preferable, but that's just me. Plus I kept chopping more and more green onions to top, as the leftovers kept on coming. Also I used gailan in lieu of the choy sum, as that's what I could find - plus, loves gailan. Oh, and a big handful of bean sprouts I think would add another flavour/texture element - next time! Oh, and pass the Asian chili sauce please - a must.
1 lb ground pork
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp peanut (or vegetable) oil
4 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
5 tbsp onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp chili oil
1½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp dry red chili pepper
8 oz chicken stock
1 pkg spaghetti
½ lb of Choy Sum
a bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped (I used roasted slivered almonds - yum)
Marinate the ground pork with 1 tbsp of soy sauce of 1 teaspoon of salt for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, stir fry the pork with 2 tbsp of oil until it's golden. Pour away any excess fat, then add honey and toss until all the ground pork is nicely coated. Cook for another minute and then set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil (to be used to cook the pasta and blanch the greens).
Reheat the skillet and add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the garlic, ginger and onions until fragrant for about 2 mins.
Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, dry red chili pepper, salt and chicken stock and simmer for 5-7 mins.
Cook the noodles. Add the greens in the last minute to quickly boil them. Drain well.
Return the noodles, vegetable, cooked meat and the peanut sauce into the pot, stir in roasted nuts.
Serve in massive bowls, with a handful of chopped green onions.
'Memories of Kelowna' Paninis
Yeah, I know, how lame! We recently discovered this amazing Italian importer shop in Kelowna (who supplied the US Olympic team at the 2010 winter games), that not only rivals Bosa in Vancouver, but serves up the most delectable to-go items, including said sannie (and baked goods, chocolate explosion thingees, roasted veggies, etc etc). So, I’ve varied my sannies to include a whole grain panini (Save-On Foods in Penticton has a bakery to die for, for reals), and turkey Italian snossies in lieu of the heavy fat pork ones. My culinary mind, blow it!
Pesto – I made this ahead
6 whole grain paninis
3 onions, carmelized
6 hot turkey Italian sausages, ‘steamed’, cooled, icky casings removed, then sliced
Sundried tomatoes, not in oil, thinly sliced
Sprinkling of mixed grated Italian cheeses
Assemble your sannies to your liking with the above ingredients – wrap well, and freeze. Defrost, tuck in some fresh basil leaves, wrap in foil, and heat in 350 degree oven for approx 25 mins. Bellissimo!
Pesto – I made this ahead
6 whole grain paninis
3 onions, carmelized
6 hot turkey Italian sausages, ‘steamed’, cooled, icky casings removed, then sliced
Sundried tomatoes, not in oil, thinly sliced
Sprinkling of mixed grated Italian cheeses
Assemble your sannies to your liking with the above ingredients – wrap well, and freeze. Defrost, tuck in some fresh basil leaves, wrap in foil, and heat in 350 degree oven for approx 25 mins. Bellissimo!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Speedyish Moussaka
(from ‘Sara Moulton’)
Her recipe is called Speedy Moussaka, and while I wouldn't exactly call it speedy, it was absolutely wonderful, and much lighter, than most - and it will be on heavy rotation when we're craving comfort food. I went with ground turkey thighs for this, in lieu of extra lean ground beef (or god forbid, lamb - ew(e), and it was perfect! I also substituted dry curd cottage cheese for the ricotta as that's what I had on hand, but because I had half the amount, I upped the yogurt content, and also added some grated Regiano for flavour and to assist the top in browning. 4 extra large servings!
1 large eggplant
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 lb ground beef or turkey (or lamb, yuck!)
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp fresh oregano
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup dry red wine
¼ cup tomato paste
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces feta cheese
One (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
¼ cup plain low-fat or full-fat Greek yogurt
375 oven. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet + a 9” square baking pan or 10” oval casserole dish.
Peel eggplant and cut crosswise into ½” slices. Combine olive oil w/ ¼ tsp salt & brush on both sides of eggplant slices. Arrange in one layer on baking sheet & bake until tender, 12-15 mins. (I needed to repeat this process!) Remove eggplant from oven & and set it aside until coolish.
Meanwhile, cook meat in large skillet until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spatula, and discard all but 1 tbsp fat from the skillet. (You won’t have any fat from the turkey!)
While the meat is cooking, coarsely chop onion. Heat remaining 1 tbsp fat in the skillet, and cook onion, about 5 mins, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped oregano (1 tbsp) & parsley (1/4 cup).
Return the meat to the skillet and stir in red wine, tomato paste, oregano & cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 mins, or until wine has almost evaporated. Add s & pepper to taste and set aside.
Crumble feta cheese into a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta and parsley. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture.
I actually made this in 3 layers, like lasagna –arrange 1/3 of the eggplant in the oiled pan or casserole dish. Top it with ½ the meat mixture; Add another 1/3 of the eggplant, and ½ ricotta mixture in the bowl, and then the final 1/3 of the eggplant & remaining sauce. Stir yogurt into reserved ricotta mixture and spread it over the eggplant. Bake for about 35 mins, or until moussaka is heated through and the top cheese layer has set. Spoon onto plates and serve immediately.
Her recipe is called Speedy Moussaka, and while I wouldn't exactly call it speedy, it was absolutely wonderful, and much lighter, than most - and it will be on heavy rotation when we're craving comfort food. I went with ground turkey thighs for this, in lieu of extra lean ground beef (or god forbid, lamb - ew(e), and it was perfect! I also substituted dry curd cottage cheese for the ricotta as that's what I had on hand, but because I had half the amount, I upped the yogurt content, and also added some grated Regiano for flavour and to assist the top in browning. 4 extra large servings!
1 large eggplant
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 lb ground beef or turkey (or lamb, yuck!)
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp fresh oregano
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup dry red wine
¼ cup tomato paste
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces feta cheese
One (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
¼ cup plain low-fat or full-fat Greek yogurt
375 oven. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet + a 9” square baking pan or 10” oval casserole dish.
Peel eggplant and cut crosswise into ½” slices. Combine olive oil w/ ¼ tsp salt & brush on both sides of eggplant slices. Arrange in one layer on baking sheet & bake until tender, 12-15 mins. (I needed to repeat this process!) Remove eggplant from oven & and set it aside until coolish.
Meanwhile, cook meat in large skillet until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spatula, and discard all but 1 tbsp fat from the skillet. (You won’t have any fat from the turkey!)
While the meat is cooking, coarsely chop onion. Heat remaining 1 tbsp fat in the skillet, and cook onion, about 5 mins, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped oregano (1 tbsp) & parsley (1/4 cup).
Return the meat to the skillet and stir in red wine, tomato paste, oregano & cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 mins, or until wine has almost evaporated. Add s & pepper to taste and set aside.
Crumble feta cheese into a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta and parsley. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture.
I actually made this in 3 layers, like lasagna –arrange 1/3 of the eggplant in the oiled pan or casserole dish. Top it with ½ the meat mixture; Add another 1/3 of the eggplant, and ½ ricotta mixture in the bowl, and then the final 1/3 of the eggplant & remaining sauce. Stir yogurt into reserved ricotta mixture and spread it over the eggplant. Bake for about 35 mins, or until moussaka is heated through and the top cheese layer has set. Spoon onto plates and serve immediately.
Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips
(from ‘simply gluten-free’)
Yeah, I know right? Your eyes are not deceiving you - they are chips. Made with kale. Seriously delish, we ate them all while I was prepping dinner last Saturday. A healthy alternative to a huge fave of ours - enjoy!
1 bunch kale, washed and dried well (I used a salad spinner)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the stem from each leaf of kale and tear into large bite sized pieces. Toss in a large bowl with oil, vinegar and salt. Lay kale on prepared baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Let cool before devouring.
Yeah, I know right? Your eyes are not deceiving you - they are chips. Made with kale. Seriously delish, we ate them all while I was prepping dinner last Saturday. A healthy alternative to a huge fave of ours - enjoy!
1 bunch kale, washed and dried well (I used a salad spinner)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the stem from each leaf of kale and tear into large bite sized pieces. Toss in a large bowl with oil, vinegar and salt. Lay kale on prepared baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Let cool before devouring.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Chickpea Curry
(from ‘Almost Vegetarian’)
Yup, yet another chickpea curry – can’t get enough! Ever since I went through my ‘I hate beef’ phase last fall, I’ve been pretty much on the vegetarian trail. Though I still loves me my ghetto meat (chorizo sausage, jalapeno cheddar smokies), so I'm a far cry from vegetarian. I really should give beef another try. One of these days. But in the meantime, mo’ chickpeas! The granny smith apple was a total surprise - never thought of adding them to a curry, ditto on the coconut (though I did draw the line at raisins) …
3 inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
1 small can chopped tomatoes (organic)
1 granny smith apple, diced
4 cups cooked chickpeas (yes, I soaked them overnight, then cooked them in the slow cooker!)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus I had some lime rind in the freezer, so added about 1 tsp of same)
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Heat oil in large pot, sauté ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro, and spices over med-low heat, approx 8 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, apple and chickpeas and simmer, covered, for approx 25 mins. Add lemon juice (and rind if using) and coconut and simmer another 5 mins. Turn off the heat, stir in the yogurt, cover and let rest for 10 mins before serving. Add more chopped cilantro to top.
Yup, yet another chickpea curry – can’t get enough! Ever since I went through my ‘I hate beef’ phase last fall, I’ve been pretty much on the vegetarian trail. Though I still loves me my ghetto meat (chorizo sausage, jalapeno cheddar smokies), so I'm a far cry from vegetarian. I really should give beef another try. One of these days. But in the meantime, mo’ chickpeas! The granny smith apple was a total surprise - never thought of adding them to a curry, ditto on the coconut (though I did draw the line at raisins) …
3 inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
1 small can chopped tomatoes (organic)
1 granny smith apple, diced
4 cups cooked chickpeas (yes, I soaked them overnight, then cooked them in the slow cooker!)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus I had some lime rind in the freezer, so added about 1 tsp of same)
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Heat oil in large pot, sauté ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro, and spices over med-low heat, approx 8 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, apple and chickpeas and simmer, covered, for approx 25 mins. Add lemon juice (and rind if using) and coconut and simmer another 5 mins. Turn off the heat, stir in the yogurt, cover and let rest for 10 mins before serving. Add more chopped cilantro to top.
Tandoori Chicken
(from ‘Almost Vegetarian’)
Yes, you could use pressed tofu in lieu of the chicken, but its not really my thing! This was terrific – easy to make, and it sat for 1.5 days in the fridge in a ziplock bag, saturating its green goodness into the chicken, resulting in a moist, flavourful treat!
2 cloves garlic, chopped (no need to mince, will be chucked into food processor!)
2 inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
½ tsp lemon zest
Juice from one lime
¼ cup cilantro
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1/8 tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
2 whole chicken breasts, split (4 pieces)
In a food processor, combine all ingredients (except the meat!), process until smooth. Place chicken in large ziplock bag, pour in marinade, and massage into the chicken. Refrigerate 12 hours or so, turn bag occasionally to ensure even distribution.
Grill or broil chicken breasts to your liking! (I dumped the remaining marinade into a small pot, and heated it to kill any bacteria, then poured it over the chicken and served on top of a mixed brown rice – delish!)
Yes, you could use pressed tofu in lieu of the chicken, but its not really my thing! This was terrific – easy to make, and it sat for 1.5 days in the fridge in a ziplock bag, saturating its green goodness into the chicken, resulting in a moist, flavourful treat!
2 cloves garlic, chopped (no need to mince, will be chucked into food processor!)
2 inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
½ tsp lemon zest
Juice from one lime
¼ cup cilantro
1 tbsp madras curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1/8 tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
2 whole chicken breasts, split (4 pieces)
In a food processor, combine all ingredients (except the meat!), process until smooth. Place chicken in large ziplock bag, pour in marinade, and massage into the chicken. Refrigerate 12 hours or so, turn bag occasionally to ensure even distribution.
Grill or broil chicken breasts to your liking! (I dumped the remaining marinade into a small pot, and heated it to kill any bacteria, then poured it over the chicken and served on top of a mixed brown rice – delish!)
Herbed Asparagus Tart
(from ‘Almost Vegetarian’)
My sis J bought me this cookbook back in the olden times (early 90s?) from Granville Island, and I’ve utilized it quite extensively over the years. I just recently rediscovered it on a shelf (whoo hoo) – have bookmarked several recipes to try over the summer, and am excited to bring some healthful cooking into the mix. This was lovely – light and refreshing, would be perfect for a ‘ladies who lunch’ après spa snack (serve w/ shampers!) It can be made in advance, served at room temperature.
½ tbsp unsalted butter or canola oil (I used buttah!)
1 small red onion, minced
2 scallions, minced
1 tbsp each minced fresh sage and chives
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup grated Regiano Parmesan
1 cup part skim ricotta (I couldn’t find any, but used low fat dry curd cottage cheese)
1 ½ cups asparagus, slivered, then blanched
Preheat oven to 450.
Melt butter or oil, sauté onion, scallions, sage and chives over med-low heat, approx 5 mins. Stir in blanched asparagus.
In mixing bowl, combine eggs, Parm and ricotta or cottage cheese – beat until smooth.
Spray glass pie dish with cooking spray, spread onion mixture onto bottom of dish, add egg mixture on top. I sprinked a little more Parm on top!
Bake approx. 35 mins, should be light brown on top, knife inserted in centre comes out clean.
My sis J bought me this cookbook back in the olden times (early 90s?) from Granville Island, and I’ve utilized it quite extensively over the years. I just recently rediscovered it on a shelf (whoo hoo) – have bookmarked several recipes to try over the summer, and am excited to bring some healthful cooking into the mix. This was lovely – light and refreshing, would be perfect for a ‘ladies who lunch’ après spa snack (serve w/ shampers!) It can be made in advance, served at room temperature.
½ tbsp unsalted butter or canola oil (I used buttah!)
1 small red onion, minced
2 scallions, minced
1 tbsp each minced fresh sage and chives
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup grated Regiano Parmesan
1 cup part skim ricotta (I couldn’t find any, but used low fat dry curd cottage cheese)
1 ½ cups asparagus, slivered, then blanched
Preheat oven to 450.
Melt butter or oil, sauté onion, scallions, sage and chives over med-low heat, approx 5 mins. Stir in blanched asparagus.
In mixing bowl, combine eggs, Parm and ricotta or cottage cheese – beat until smooth.
Spray glass pie dish with cooking spray, spread onion mixture onto bottom of dish, add egg mixture on top. I sprinked a little more Parm on top!
Bake approx. 35 mins, should be light brown on top, knife inserted in centre comes out clean.
Bouillabaisse
I wanted to make something festive for Easter (yeah, I know, it was ages ago now!), and I recalled my sis’s amazing Cioppino she made in Calgary like, a LONG time ago, but I needed to use up some fish stock, and her recipe didn’t utilize any, so I ‘made do’ with the Good Times gals recipe below – outstanding! Cioppino, see ya soon …
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups well rinsed coarsely chopped leeks
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 can tomato purée
1 large can chopped tomatoes (organic)
2 tbsp dried thyme
½ cup chopped Italian parsley (plus more for garnish)
2 bay leaves
2 cups dry white wine
4 cups Fish Stock
S & P, to taste
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ tsp whole saffron
2 quarts fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
48 Cherrystone clams, scrubbed (unfortunately, I couldn’t find any!)
3 pounds skinless firm white fish steaks, such as bass, snapper, and cod, cut into large cubes
1 lb colossal prawns
4 small lobster tails, shelled and halved crosswise
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, wine, fish stock, and salt and pepper. Simmer to blend the flavors, 20 mins.
Blend the butter and flour together in a bowl and then whisk the mixture into the tomato mixture.
Add the saffron and the mussels and clams in their shells and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fish, shrimp, and lobster tails and simmer until all the shellfish are opened and the fish is done, another 5 mins. Do not overcook.
Ladle into hot soup plates, discarding any mussels or clams that have not opened. Garnish with a bunch of chopped parsley.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups well rinsed coarsely chopped leeks
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 can tomato purée
1 large can chopped tomatoes (organic)
2 tbsp dried thyme
½ cup chopped Italian parsley (plus more for garnish)
2 bay leaves
2 cups dry white wine
4 cups Fish Stock
S & P, to taste
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ tsp whole saffron
2 quarts fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
48 Cherrystone clams, scrubbed (unfortunately, I couldn’t find any!)
3 pounds skinless firm white fish steaks, such as bass, snapper, and cod, cut into large cubes
1 lb colossal prawns
4 small lobster tails, shelled and halved crosswise
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, wine, fish stock, and salt and pepper. Simmer to blend the flavors, 20 mins.
Blend the butter and flour together in a bowl and then whisk the mixture into the tomato mixture.
Add the saffron and the mussels and clams in their shells and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fish, shrimp, and lobster tails and simmer until all the shellfish are opened and the fish is done, another 5 mins. Do not overcook.
Ladle into hot soup plates, discarding any mussels or clams that have not opened. Garnish with a bunch of chopped parsley.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Chana Masala
(from tastespotting.com)
We can't get enough chickpeas!
This does require soaking the chickpeas overnight, which I tend to forget, but I planned this a few days ahead. It was sooooo worth it! The aroma was amazing … the taste outstanding.
My changes are listed below (I used about 2 cups of chickpeas to ensure lots of leftovers, and doubled the cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala. There was also a cream element, which I immediately omitted. Oh, and I used the juice AND zest of one lime, and a large can of tomatoes!)
Upon reflection, some chopped cilantro would be a really nice addition.
2 cups dried chickpeas
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash salt
28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp garam masala
Juice & zest from one lime
1 day ahead: Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak overnight. (If you think you are hearing odd sounds from your kitchen, it is the chickpeas ‘popping’!)
Next day: Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approx 1 hour, or until tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Turn the heat to lowish and add the onion. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soft and golden.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes along with their juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and the garam masala. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the lime juice. Stir in the caramelized onions.
We can't get enough chickpeas!
This does require soaking the chickpeas overnight, which I tend to forget, but I planned this a few days ahead. It was sooooo worth it! The aroma was amazing … the taste outstanding.
My changes are listed below (I used about 2 cups of chickpeas to ensure lots of leftovers, and doubled the cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala. There was also a cream element, which I immediately omitted. Oh, and I used the juice AND zest of one lime, and a large can of tomatoes!)
Upon reflection, some chopped cilantro would be a really nice addition.
2 cups dried chickpeas
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash salt
28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp garam masala
Juice & zest from one lime
1 day ahead: Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak overnight. (If you think you are hearing odd sounds from your kitchen, it is the chickpeas ‘popping’!)
Next day: Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approx 1 hour, or until tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Turn the heat to lowish and add the onion. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soft and golden.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes along with their juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and the garam masala. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the lime juice. Stir in the caramelized onions.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Pasta and Clam Sauce
From Rachel Ray (definitely NOT my go to girl for recipes, but don't let that deter you).
I sought out an alternate recipe from my own, as I didn't have any lemons on hand. And wow - this was simply amazing (and no citrus in sight!). Must be the addition of anchovies - which I would never have thought of adding previously. Really terrific dish, great heat from the chilies, will be on heavy rotation for those lazy weeknights when the pantry needs replenishing.
1 pound spaghetti
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 fillets flat anchovies, chopped (used a big blob of anchovy paste – I never have canned anchovies on hand)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme leaves (used a whack of fresh instead)
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15-ounce can whole baby clams, with their juice (used 2 cans, and emptied out most of the juice of 2nd can)
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Cook pasta until al dente. It will continue to cook in sauce, later.
To a large skillet heated over medium heat, add oil, anchovies, garlic, thyme & red pepper flakes. Cook together until anchovies melt into oil and break up completely. Add wine to the pan and give the pan a shake. Add clams and their juice. Drain pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in sauce with clams until the pasta absorbs the flavor and juices, 2-3 mins. Remove from heat and season with salt, add parsley and serve.
I sought out an alternate recipe from my own, as I didn't have any lemons on hand. And wow - this was simply amazing (and no citrus in sight!). Must be the addition of anchovies - which I would never have thought of adding previously. Really terrific dish, great heat from the chilies, will be on heavy rotation for those lazy weeknights when the pantry needs replenishing.
1 pound spaghetti
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 fillets flat anchovies, chopped (used a big blob of anchovy paste – I never have canned anchovies on hand)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme leaves (used a whack of fresh instead)
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 15-ounce can whole baby clams, with their juice (used 2 cans, and emptied out most of the juice of 2nd can)
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Cook pasta until al dente. It will continue to cook in sauce, later.
To a large skillet heated over medium heat, add oil, anchovies, garlic, thyme & red pepper flakes. Cook together until anchovies melt into oil and break up completely. Add wine to the pan and give the pan a shake. Add clams and their juice. Drain pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in sauce with clams until the pasta absorbs the flavor and juices, 2-3 mins. Remove from heat and season with salt, add parsley and serve.
Mushroom and Spinach Pizza
I still had some leftover roasted garlic puree from a previous recipe, so decided to make a bunch of mushroom, spinach and roasted garlic mini pizzas for the freezer. We loves us our pizza for weekday lunches! I was pretty much inconsolable last wkd because I couldn't find rapini for my famous (only in our home) carmelized onion, kalamata olive & braised rapini pizzas, I had to create an alternate recipe - this was the result!
10 whole wheat pitas
3/4 of a bag shredded Italian 4 blend cheese
a whole bunch of sliced brown mushrooms, say, 7 cups?
1.5 packages of fresh spinach leaves
Some chopped mint and oregano (from my aero garden) - 1.5 tbsp?
splash of madeira wine
1.5 tbsp (?) of roasted garlic puree
Saute the mushrooms, along with the garlic puree, some s & p, add a glug of madeira - cook to your liking. Let cool on platter. In same pan (w/ juices), cook the spinach until wilted. Add chopped herbs. Cool, then squeeze dry the spinach.
Sprinkle pitas w/ cheese. Add 'strands' of spinach, then a bunch of cooked mushrooms - freeze on cookie sheet in freezer - stack and store in freezer!
10 whole wheat pitas
3/4 of a bag shredded Italian 4 blend cheese
a whole bunch of sliced brown mushrooms, say, 7 cups?
1.5 packages of fresh spinach leaves
Some chopped mint and oregano (from my aero garden) - 1.5 tbsp?
splash of madeira wine
1.5 tbsp (?) of roasted garlic puree
Saute the mushrooms, along with the garlic puree, some s & p, add a glug of madeira - cook to your liking. Let cool on platter. In same pan (w/ juices), cook the spinach until wilted. Add chopped herbs. Cool, then squeeze dry the spinach.
Sprinkle pitas w/ cheese. Add 'strands' of spinach, then a bunch of cooked mushrooms - freeze on cookie sheet in freezer - stack and store in freezer!
Roasted Garlic and Walnut Pasta
From The New Basics Cookbook (the good times girls).
This was a huge hit - full of earthy flavours. The 'girls' had this memorable dish in Rome, one of their faves. I changed the recipe by NOT adding the extra head of roasted garlic, but I did make a half batch of their roasted garlic puree, and used about 3.5 tbsp. of same in the recipe. Here is the revised recipe below.
roasted garlic puree:
4 whole heads of garlic
1.5 tbsp butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 kosher salt
1/4 cup (or more) chicken stock
Preheat oven to 350. Carefully remove outer papery skin from garlic heads, leaving the whole heads intact. Arrange in a small baking dish. Dot w/ butter, thyme, pepper and salt. Pour stock into the dish. Cover w/ foil and bake, basting frequently, for 1 hr. Uncover, bake 10 mins longer. Cool then remove garlic, and combine into a mush.
Recipe:
1/2 cup chopped pecans (roast until toasted)
1/2 cup olive oil
3.5 tbsp roasted garlic puree from above
1/2 lb spaghetti
bunch of chopped parsley
s & p to taste
Cook pasta. While its cooking,
Heat olive oil in small skillet. Add garlic puree and nuts - saute for 5 mins. Add parsley, s & p, stir well. Add cooked drained pasta, serve immediately. Buon appetito!
This was a huge hit - full of earthy flavours. The 'girls' had this memorable dish in Rome, one of their faves. I changed the recipe by NOT adding the extra head of roasted garlic, but I did make a half batch of their roasted garlic puree, and used about 3.5 tbsp. of same in the recipe. Here is the revised recipe below.
roasted garlic puree:
4 whole heads of garlic
1.5 tbsp butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 kosher salt
1/4 cup (or more) chicken stock
Preheat oven to 350. Carefully remove outer papery skin from garlic heads, leaving the whole heads intact. Arrange in a small baking dish. Dot w/ butter, thyme, pepper and salt. Pour stock into the dish. Cover w/ foil and bake, basting frequently, for 1 hr. Uncover, bake 10 mins longer. Cool then remove garlic, and combine into a mush.
Recipe:
1/2 cup chopped pecans (roast until toasted)
1/2 cup olive oil
3.5 tbsp roasted garlic puree from above
1/2 lb spaghetti
bunch of chopped parsley
s & p to taste
Cook pasta. While its cooking,
Heat olive oil in small skillet. Add garlic puree and nuts - saute for 5 mins. Add parsley, s & p, stir well. Add cooked drained pasta, serve immediately. Buon appetito!
Eggless Coffee Cake
I wanted to make a yummy coffee cake for breakfast, and well, no eggs to be found! Found this recipe online (can't recall where!), and while I wouldn't say it was super moist, the flavours were quite nice - and it really is perfect w/ coffee.
For the cake:
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt (I used coffee cream yogurt - yum)
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups plain soymilk
1 tsp vanilla
For the topping:
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray.
Make the topping: Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle the oil in a little at a time and whisk until crumbs form. Add the walnuts and mix.
Make the cake: Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Add the wet to the dry and combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the topping over it. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife comes out clean.
For the cake:
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt (I used coffee cream yogurt - yum)
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cups plain soymilk
1 tsp vanilla
For the topping:
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray.
Make the topping: Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle the oil in a little at a time and whisk until crumbs form. Add the walnuts and mix.
Make the cake: Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Add the wet to the dry and combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the topping over it. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife comes out clean.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Warm French Lentil Salad with Smoked Sausage
From finecooking.com
So delicious - so French. Would be perfect spring picnic fare, to wineries and such - bon freaking apetit!
1 ¾ cups Puy lentils
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1 small onion, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled and split lengthwise
8 oz. smoked sausage, such as kielbasa (I used Harvest brand double-smoked farmer’s sausage [insert homer drool here …]
1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth (I used vermouth)
2 ½ tbsp red-wine vinegar; more as needed
2 tsp. Dijon
Kosher salt
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp walnut oil (I used all olive oil)
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 finely chopped scallions
Freshly ground black pepper
Pick over and rinse the lentils, and put them in a large saucepan. Place thyme, bay leaves, garlic, & peppercorns into bouquet garni - add pouch to the pan along with the onion & carrot. Fill pan w/ cold water to cover the lentils by about 2”, & bring to a boil over med-high heat. Immediately lower to a gentle simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 30-40 mins. (If water level drops below the surface of the lentils, add a little more water.)
Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced sausage in a baking pan. Add the wine or vermouth. Bake for about 30-40 mins, or until slightly browned and carmelized.
While the lentils and sausage cook, make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk 1 ½ tbsp of the vinegar with the mustard and a pinch of salt. In a steady stream, whisk in the olive and walnut oils. Season to taste w/ salt.
Drain the lentils, discarding the bouquet garni, carrot, and onion. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 tsp. salt and the remaining 1 tbsp vinegar, tossing to coat.
Drain the sausage, and, if necessary, peel off the casing if necessary (my brand didn’t need to be!). Slice into ¼” slices. Add the sausage and vinaigrette to the lentils, tossing to coat. Stir in the parsley and scallions, and season with a generous amount of black pepper, plus more salt and vinegar to taste.
So delicious - so French. Would be perfect spring picnic fare, to wineries and such - bon freaking apetit!
1 ¾ cups Puy lentils
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1 small onion, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled and split lengthwise
8 oz. smoked sausage, such as kielbasa (I used Harvest brand double-smoked farmer’s sausage [insert homer drool here …]
1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth (I used vermouth)
2 ½ tbsp red-wine vinegar; more as needed
2 tsp. Dijon
Kosher salt
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp walnut oil (I used all olive oil)
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 finely chopped scallions
Freshly ground black pepper
Pick over and rinse the lentils, and put them in a large saucepan. Place thyme, bay leaves, garlic, & peppercorns into bouquet garni - add pouch to the pan along with the onion & carrot. Fill pan w/ cold water to cover the lentils by about 2”, & bring to a boil over med-high heat. Immediately lower to a gentle simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 30-40 mins. (If water level drops below the surface of the lentils, add a little more water.)
Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced sausage in a baking pan. Add the wine or vermouth. Bake for about 30-40 mins, or until slightly browned and carmelized.
While the lentils and sausage cook, make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk 1 ½ tbsp of the vinegar with the mustard and a pinch of salt. In a steady stream, whisk in the olive and walnut oils. Season to taste w/ salt.
Drain the lentils, discarding the bouquet garni, carrot, and onion. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 tsp. salt and the remaining 1 tbsp vinegar, tossing to coat.
Drain the sausage, and, if necessary, peel off the casing if necessary (my brand didn’t need to be!). Slice into ¼” slices. Add the sausage and vinaigrette to the lentils, tossing to coat. Stir in the parsley and scallions, and season with a generous amount of black pepper, plus more salt and vinegar to taste.
Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Soup
From foododelmundo.com
I changed this recipe quite a bit, as I didn't feel like yet another blended soup, but I love the ingredients - and 2 lbs of broccoli - holy fibre Batman! Used Lundberg mixed brown rice in lieu of wild, and instead of 2 cups of light cream, used about a cup of evaporated skim, and blended about 1/3-1/2 of the cooked broccoli into the food processor, and threw it back in the pot. The addition of hot pepper flakes while the veggies were cooking was amazing - we both really enjoyed this meal, leftovers of course were even better!
2 cups cooked Lundberg rice (cooked in ½ water, ½ beef stock because I had some leftover!)
3 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
½ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 lbs broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
Dash red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
1 cup or so evaporated skim milk
3 chicken breasts, roasted and diced
s & p to taste
In a large pot, melt the butter; add the onion mushrooms, red pepper flakes. Saute for 5 mins or until the vegetables are cooked. Add the broccoli, carrots and chicken broth. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Remove 1/3 – ½ of the broccoli, and process until smooth along with 1 cup of skim milk. Return to pot. Heat to simmering and cook until thickened. Add the cooked chicken and rice. Add s & p to taste.
I changed this recipe quite a bit, as I didn't feel like yet another blended soup, but I love the ingredients - and 2 lbs of broccoli - holy fibre Batman! Used Lundberg mixed brown rice in lieu of wild, and instead of 2 cups of light cream, used about a cup of evaporated skim, and blended about 1/3-1/2 of the cooked broccoli into the food processor, and threw it back in the pot. The addition of hot pepper flakes while the veggies were cooking was amazing - we both really enjoyed this meal, leftovers of course were even better!
2 cups cooked Lundberg rice (cooked in ½ water, ½ beef stock because I had some leftover!)
3 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
½ pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 lbs broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
Dash red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
1 cup or so evaporated skim milk
3 chicken breasts, roasted and diced
s & p to taste
In a large pot, melt the butter; add the onion mushrooms, red pepper flakes. Saute for 5 mins or until the vegetables are cooked. Add the broccoli, carrots and chicken broth. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Remove 1/3 – ½ of the broccoli, and process until smooth along with 1 cup of skim milk. Return to pot. Heat to simmering and cook until thickened. Add the cooked chicken and rice. Add s & p to taste.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sauerkraut Cabbage Roll Soup
From closetcooking.
This is very reminiscent of my sis J's 'cabbage roll casserole' (which is fantastic!) Why not throw all the ingredients into a soup (well, stew actually - it's quite thick) - as the casserole version requires a disposable baking tin (though upon further inspection, I found one hiding in my cupboard!). So freaking yummy, this one was huge hit w/ hubby and it will be on heavy winter rotation. I added a bunch of shredded green cabbage, as original recipe didn't have any (what the what?), upped the garlic quotient a bit, added some smoked paprika (because I don't know whether my paprika is hot or not), and deglazed w/ some red wine then added beef stock. насладитесь!
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 tbsp flaxseed oil
1 diced onion
3 chopped cloves garlic
½ cup brown rice
3 cups beef broth
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cups sauerkraut (with liquid) (mine didn’t have liquid!)
A bunch of shredded cabbage (2 cups or more?)
2 ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
s & p
¼ cup chopped parsley (or more!)
Brown the ground beef, drain, and set aside.
Heat the oil - add onions, sauté a few mins; add garlic & sauté a further minute. Add the rice and toast for a few mins. Add a splash of red wine (if using) and deglaze the pan. Add broth, cooked beef, tomatoes, sauerkraut, shredded cabbage (if using), paprika, bay leaves, s & p and bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer until the rice is cooked, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
The leftovers for lunch were outstanding!
This is very reminiscent of my sis J's 'cabbage roll casserole' (which is fantastic!) Why not throw all the ingredients into a soup (well, stew actually - it's quite thick) - as the casserole version requires a disposable baking tin (though upon further inspection, I found one hiding in my cupboard!). So freaking yummy, this one was huge hit w/ hubby and it will be on heavy winter rotation. I added a bunch of shredded green cabbage, as original recipe didn't have any (what the what?), upped the garlic quotient a bit, added some smoked paprika (because I don't know whether my paprika is hot or not), and deglazed w/ some red wine then added beef stock. насладитесь!
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 tbsp flaxseed oil
1 diced onion
3 chopped cloves garlic
½ cup brown rice
3 cups beef broth
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cups sauerkraut (with liquid) (mine didn’t have liquid!)
A bunch of shredded cabbage (2 cups or more?)
2 ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
s & p
¼ cup chopped parsley (or more!)
Brown the ground beef, drain, and set aside.
Heat the oil - add onions, sauté a few mins; add garlic & sauté a further minute. Add the rice and toast for a few mins. Add a splash of red wine (if using) and deglaze the pan. Add broth, cooked beef, tomatoes, sauerkraut, shredded cabbage (if using), paprika, bay leaves, s & p and bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer until the rice is cooked, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
The leftovers for lunch were outstanding!
Indian Spiced Carrot Soup with Ginger
From Epicurious.
Nice soup. I'd rate it a 7.5 out of 10. I'd reduce the 5 cups of stock to 4 for a thicker soup, and it needs slightly more of a kick, so I'll tinker w/ the recipe for future. It's 'cheap like borscht' however, so for those penny pinchers, it more than hits the mark.
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
3 tbsp peanut oil
½ tsp curry powder (preferably Madras)
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (I likely had more!)
2 cups chopped onions
4 cups carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
1 ½ tsp finely grated lime peel
5 cups chicken broth (I'll use 4 next time!)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Plain yogurt (for garnish)
Grind coriander & mustard seeds in spice mill to fine powder. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground seeds + curry powder; stir 1 min. Add ginger; stir 1 min. Add onions, carrots and & lime peel, add some s & p - sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 mins. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low; simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, about 30 mins. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in lime juice; season w/ s & p. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish w/ yogurt & serve.
Nice soup. I'd rate it a 7.5 out of 10. I'd reduce the 5 cups of stock to 4 for a thicker soup, and it needs slightly more of a kick, so I'll tinker w/ the recipe for future. It's 'cheap like borscht' however, so for those penny pinchers, it more than hits the mark.
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
3 tbsp peanut oil
½ tsp curry powder (preferably Madras)
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (I likely had more!)
2 cups chopped onions
4 cups carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
1 ½ tsp finely grated lime peel
5 cups chicken broth (I'll use 4 next time!)
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Plain yogurt (for garnish)
Grind coriander & mustard seeds in spice mill to fine powder. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground seeds + curry powder; stir 1 min. Add ginger; stir 1 min. Add onions, carrots and & lime peel, add some s & p - sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 mins. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low; simmer uncovered until carrots are tender, about 30 mins. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in lime juice; season w/ s & p. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish w/ yogurt & serve.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
White Bean Dip
From chezus.com
Because a girl can't live by St. Andre cheese, smoked oysters and pickles alone, I thought I'd give this a whirl - I used to make a bean dip when I lived on the coast, and this is likely quite similar - I recall it being super easy, and really satisfying. Serve generously w/ veggies and/or crackers - low fat, high fibre, great taste! I have halved the recipe, which fills a ziplock container.
1 15 oz can white beans, rinsed & drained
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 heaping tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
s & p
1/4 cup olive oil
Place everything except except oil in a food processor, process until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while food processor is running. Season w/ additional s & p to taste.
Because a girl can't live by St. Andre cheese, smoked oysters and pickles alone, I thought I'd give this a whirl - I used to make a bean dip when I lived on the coast, and this is likely quite similar - I recall it being super easy, and really satisfying. Serve generously w/ veggies and/or crackers - low fat, high fibre, great taste! I have halved the recipe, which fills a ziplock container.
1 15 oz can white beans, rinsed & drained
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 heaping tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
s & p
1/4 cup olive oil
Place everything except except oil in a food processor, process until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while food processor is running. Season w/ additional s & p to taste.
Pumpkin Molasses Bars
From havecakewilltravel.
I wanted to switch up the breakfast bran muffin thing with something a little different - made some granola bars a few weeks ago, and now these bars - wow - they really pack a punch - super dense and flavourful, they will be perfect with a smoothie. The recipe called for 1 cup of light spelt flour, but I substituted 1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 of bran - cuz bran is good times; and added some pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 of bran
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/6 cup dried cranberries, 1/6 cup pumpkin seeds
Oven - 350°F. Lightly coat an 8" square baking pan w/ cooking spray.
In a med saucepan, heat pumpkin, molasses, sugar, and oil until smooth and combined, for about 2 mins. Stir in vanilla.
Fold in oats, flour/bran mixture, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cranberries & pumpkin seeds.
Press mixture into prepared pan, bake for 25 mins.
Place pan on a wire rack to cool, the slice.
I wanted to switch up the breakfast bran muffin thing with something a little different - made some granola bars a few weeks ago, and now these bars - wow - they really pack a punch - super dense and flavourful, they will be perfect with a smoothie. The recipe called for 1 cup of light spelt flour, but I substituted 1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 of bran - cuz bran is good times; and added some pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/2 of bran
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/6 cup dried cranberries, 1/6 cup pumpkin seeds
Oven - 350°F. Lightly coat an 8" square baking pan w/ cooking spray.
In a med saucepan, heat pumpkin, molasses, sugar, and oil until smooth and combined, for about 2 mins. Stir in vanilla.
Fold in oats, flour/bran mixture, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cranberries & pumpkin seeds.
Press mixture into prepared pan, bake for 25 mins.
Place pan on a wire rack to cool, the slice.
Lellie’s Eggy Sausage Casserole
Well I'm giving my sis the credit for this recipe, because she served this up (amongst numerous wonderful goodies!) for her annual xmas brunch - and it was a big hit!
I altered the recipe a bit, by (1) adding chopped peppers, (2) cutting back on the cheese and (2) reducing the butter content, thus reducing the 'roux' portion of the recipe. I remedied this by using some bread crumbs to add as a binding agent. What I love is the addition of cottage cheese, which makes the dish fluffy and light. Yum!
I'm making this again this wkd, and using black forest ham, spinach and asparagus - I find eggy dishes very forgiving. Oh, and the best part, is we had this every 2nd day for breakfast, until it was gone - it heats up nicely in the microwave, and makes for a nice change from bran!
3/4 lb hot Italian sausage
1 tbsp butter
4 green onions, chopped
A bunch of sliced brown mushrooms
One diced pepper
10 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
A couple handfuls of shredded sharp cheddar
One 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
handful of bread crumbs
Cook sausage if using, to your liking; set aside. Melt butter in skillet, saute green onions, peppers & mushrooms until tender.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, and chiles. Stir in the sausage mixture. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. (I made it the day of - but good to know!)
350 degree oven. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake 40-50 mins (I think I needed a bit more time), or until lightly brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
I altered the recipe a bit, by (1) adding chopped peppers, (2) cutting back on the cheese and (2) reducing the butter content, thus reducing the 'roux' portion of the recipe. I remedied this by using some bread crumbs to add as a binding agent. What I love is the addition of cottage cheese, which makes the dish fluffy and light. Yum!
I'm making this again this wkd, and using black forest ham, spinach and asparagus - I find eggy dishes very forgiving. Oh, and the best part, is we had this every 2nd day for breakfast, until it was gone - it heats up nicely in the microwave, and makes for a nice change from bran!
3/4 lb hot Italian sausage
1 tbsp butter
4 green onions, chopped
A bunch of sliced brown mushrooms
One diced pepper
10 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
A couple handfuls of shredded sharp cheddar
One 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
handful of bread crumbs
Cook sausage if using, to your liking; set aside. Melt butter in skillet, saute green onions, peppers & mushrooms until tender.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, and chiles. Stir in the sausage mixture. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. (I made it the day of - but good to know!)
350 degree oven. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake 40-50 mins (I think I needed a bit more time), or until lightly brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Carvery Black Bean Soup
I have no idea where this originated from, but my mom gave me the recipe, and I've been making it for years! Very robust and flavourful, it makes a ton of soup, whose flavours develop day after day, and it freezes really well. You can scoop out the beans and use them as a base for quesadillas - very tasty! I double the amount of beans originally called for, as I like a thicker soup.
2 lbs black turtle beans (original recipe calls for 1 lb)
one onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 or 3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup Heinz chili sauce
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
12 cups (3 containers) chicken stock
sour cream (opt)
Soak beans overnight.
In large stock pot, cook veggies 5-10 mins in a little chicken stock, add garlic, spices and bay leaves. Drain off beans and add to veggie mixture. Add stock and chili sauce. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 3-4 hours (yes, it does take that long!). Serve with a dollop of sour cream (chopped cilantro is also nice).
2 lbs black turtle beans (original recipe calls for 1 lb)
one onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 or 3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup Heinz chili sauce
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
12 cups (3 containers) chicken stock
sour cream (opt)
Soak beans overnight.
In large stock pot, cook veggies 5-10 mins in a little chicken stock, add garlic, spices and bay leaves. Drain off beans and add to veggie mixture. Add stock and chili sauce. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 3-4 hours (yes, it does take that long!). Serve with a dollop of sour cream (chopped cilantro is also nice).
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Sauce
Another killer recipe from The Silver Palate, Good Times.
I’ve been perusing the three Silver Palate cookbooks in my collection – and they are fabulous! Brings back good memories, cooking with my sis in Victoria, trying out new recipes in our culinary formative years!
This sauce is excellent – it cooks on the stove for ages (in fact, mine was on the stove for 2 hrs, not the 1 they called for), and after blending, all the flavours marry wonderfully. This would be amazing with a stuffed pasta, but I’ll likely use a fusili type, and use some of the sauce for pizzas. Good times indeed!
1/4 cup oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (I omitted this)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, minced
3 carrots, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
1 cup dry white wine (I used red, as that’s what I had on hand)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil (and butter if using) in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and fennel seeds and sauté for 15 minutes. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, wine, and s & p to taste. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour (or 2?), stirring occasionally. Cool slightly, then transfer the sauce to a food processor, and process with repeated pulses until blended but not smooth. Tiny chunks should still remain. Serve the sauce over a hearty pasta, such as thick spaghetti or ziti, with freshly grated Parmesan.
I’ve been perusing the three Silver Palate cookbooks in my collection – and they are fabulous! Brings back good memories, cooking with my sis in Victoria, trying out new recipes in our culinary formative years!
This sauce is excellent – it cooks on the stove for ages (in fact, mine was on the stove for 2 hrs, not the 1 they called for), and after blending, all the flavours marry wonderfully. This would be amazing with a stuffed pasta, but I’ll likely use a fusili type, and use some of the sauce for pizzas. Good times indeed!
1/4 cup oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (I omitted this)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, minced
3 carrots, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
1 cup dry white wine (I used red, as that’s what I had on hand)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil (and butter if using) in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and fennel seeds and sauté for 15 minutes. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, wine, and s & p to taste. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour (or 2?), stirring occasionally. Cool slightly, then transfer the sauce to a food processor, and process with repeated pulses until blended but not smooth. Tiny chunks should still remain. Serve the sauce over a hearty pasta, such as thick spaghetti or ziti, with freshly grated Parmesan.
Chicken Breasts in Champagne
From The Silver Palate, Good Times.
This is a show-stopper dish if there ever was one – it’s easy to prepare, and the flavours are intense and so satisfying (and boozy!) – first had this dish visiting my sis in Calgary, and it blew our minds – I’ve made it only twice since, and receives raves every time (because everyone was drunk?).
I halved the recipe, and also reduced the cooking time of the chicken from 45 minutes to 25 minutes – perhaps when more chicken is in the pan, the longer it takes to cook? In any event, they were done to perfection.
2 whole chicken breasts, halved
S & P to taste
2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup cognac
1 ½ tbsp flour
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 ¾ cups dry sparkling wine
¼ cup light cream
Sprinkle chicken breasts w/ s & p. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts on all sides, for about 10 mins. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Pour the cognac into the pan, warm it, and flame with a match. When flame subsides, stir in the flour and tarragon. Cook 2 mins, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the shampers. Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, approx. 25 mins.
Remove chicken, stir in the cream. Cook sauce on high heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. OMG.
This is a show-stopper dish if there ever was one – it’s easy to prepare, and the flavours are intense and so satisfying (and boozy!) – first had this dish visiting my sis in Calgary, and it blew our minds – I’ve made it only twice since, and receives raves every time (because everyone was drunk?).
I halved the recipe, and also reduced the cooking time of the chicken from 45 minutes to 25 minutes – perhaps when more chicken is in the pan, the longer it takes to cook? In any event, they were done to perfection.
2 whole chicken breasts, halved
S & P to taste
2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup cognac
1 ½ tbsp flour
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 ¾ cups dry sparkling wine
¼ cup light cream
Sprinkle chicken breasts w/ s & p. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts on all sides, for about 10 mins. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Pour the cognac into the pan, warm it, and flame with a match. When flame subsides, stir in the flour and tarragon. Cook 2 mins, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the shampers. Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, approx. 25 mins.
Remove chicken, stir in the cream. Cook sauce on high heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. OMG.
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