Showing posts with label in. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in. Show all posts
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Steamed salmon in tin foil recipe
How to make steamed salmon using tin foil in the oven.
This is a very easy salmon recipe to cook.
Salmon is a very healthy and tasty fish to eat but on many occasions lots of different people have said that they love the taste of salmon but do not know how to cook it, Chef Jeena shows you how to cook salmon the simple way.
It is not always necessary to cook salmon in a fancy way, with some simple seasoning salmon can be very easy to cook and extremely delicious to eat.
Chef uses salt, pepper and dried dill to season this salmon, the dill is optional. The fish is then wrapped in tin foil and baked in a hot oven. Once cooked the salmon is then served with kale and garlic potatoes, you can serve with any side dish of your choice.
Salmon is high in omega oils, Vitamin D, Tryptophan (the happy brain chemical), Selenium and B Vitamins. So as well as being very tasty salmon is very healthy.
Ingredients
2-4 Salmon fillets
Salt
Black pepper
Dried dill (optional)
Picture of fresh salmon seasoned with salt, pepper and dill.
2-4 Salmon fillets
Salt
Black pepper
Dried dill (optional)
Picture of fresh salmon seasoned with salt, pepper and dill.
Picture of fork digging into the delicious steam baked salmon.
Recipe - How to make steamed salmon using tin foil in an oven
Unroll some tin foil and place it shiny side down on top of a flat oven tray.
Place a square/rectangle of greased proof paper in the center of the foil.
If there is no grease proof paper at hand the fish can be cooked in the foil alone.
Place a square/rectangle of greased proof paper in the center of the foil.
If there is no grease proof paper at hand the fish can be cooked in the foil alone.
Place salmon fillets in the center of the grease proof paper with a small gap between each fish.
Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and if using the dill sprinkle with dill. A fresh sprig of dill can also be placed on top of the fish to infuse the salmon instead of using dried dill.
Pull the tin foil up at both ends and fold to seal the foil.
Make sure that there is space inside the foil for the hot air to steam the fish, almost like a foil bag.
If the foil is wrapped to tightly there will be no room for the hot air to steam the fish nicely.
Make sure that there is space inside the foil for the hot air to steam the fish, almost like a foil bag.
If the foil is wrapped to tightly there will be no room for the hot air to steam the fish nicely.
Bake in an oven at gas mark 6-7 for 20 minutes or until cooked.
Serve with blanched green kale leaves and garlic potatoes or side dish of your choice.
To see how to cook a crispy salmon in the oven see:
Oven baked salmon recipe
Oven baked salmon recipe
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Life Changing Things You Hear in a Dressing Room
Last weekend, I was on a quest for the perfect dress to wear to my boyfriends brothers wedding. I was making the rounds in Georgetown, and stopped to peruse Zara, naturally.
I didnt find anything for the wedding, however I did snatch up this dress:
Read More..
I didnt find anything for the wedding, however I did snatch up this dress:
But, Im not blogging to brag about my amazing purchase (though, I will accept adoration and compliments in the comments section). What I really wanted to tell you was what I overheard while I was crying trying on clothes in the dressing room.
In the whirlwind of scouring the stores inventory for her size, one of my dressing room compadres began inquiring about a particular item. When she asked specifically about ordering something from another store, the sales girl offered an alternative solution: "Starting on September 7th, you can order from Zara online."
You know how they talk about your heart skipping a beat when you fall in love?? Im positive my heart skipped about 20 beats. Im basically writing this blog dead.
For Zara customers new and old, the online shop is WELL overdue. Despite its international presence, the European brand somehow missed the boat back in 2003 when, I dunno, EVERY OTHER RETAILER ON THE PLANET began promoting e-commerce!
That said, I feel the cliche "better late than never" is appropriate. Personally, as much as I love Zara for its on-trend garments and affordable prices, I hate the experience of shopping there. My Zara is located in the heart of Georgetown, on the corner of Douchebag Central and Tourist Square. Plus, the place is generally ransacked if you get there anytime ending in a "p.m.", so the size Im often looking for is long gone.
Fair warning, though: oftentimes I love something on the hanger or online, but when I try it on, I find that the proportions are off or I dont like the fabric. So, while Im excited at the possibility of more sizes, colors, and fashions altogether, Ill still probably brave the douchebaggery in Gtown from time to time, just to make sure I really like what I think I like.
How about the rest of you? Are you excited to see Zara coming to an online shop near you?? What about those of you that dont have a Zara within driving distance? Are you likely to start shopping online when its an option??
Monday, May 5, 2014
Hot breakfast in 5 minutes Im not kidding!
Hot breakfast in 5 minutes, and its not cereal or toast or a fried egg! Or a smoothie for that matter. Its this amazing thing called dhideer sevai or instant rice noodles which you absolutely must stock in your kitchen. Unlike Maggi or any other 2 minute noodles, you dont have to cook them. Immerse them for 2 minutes in hot water, drain and they are ready. These are the REAL 2 minute noodles. They make for the quickest lunchbox you can rustle up. Make a lemon sevai or mix with any ready pastes like Tomato pickle / thokku to make a tomato sevai. Add a tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds, red chillies on the top and its ready.
In my 5 minute recipe, theres no ready pastes involved. I quickly pulsed roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and black pepper in the mixer and that was the flavouring for this dish that went into my kids lunchbox today.
Tips
Sesame-Peanut Instant Sevai (Rice Noodles)
serves 2
Ingredients
100-150 grams instant rice noodles (Dhideer Sevai)*
1 litre recently boiled water
3 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds
8 black pepper corns
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh/frozen scraped coconut
2 tsp oil (I use cold pressed coconut oil)
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 dried red chilli broken into pieces
Directions
Immerse the noodles in the hot water, cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes. In the meanwhile coarsely powder the roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and black pepper corns in a small jar of the mixer.
Drain the noodles using a colander, shake off all excess water.
Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick kadai / pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, dried red chilli and asafoetida, when the curry leaves crisp up, add the drained noodles, salt and coarse peanut-sesame powder. Toss well but gently until the noodles / sevai is well coated.
Garnish with fresh coconut.
You could use the same recipe for poha (beaten rice).
*Ive used Anil brand Rice Sevai, 777 brand and found them to be good.
Read More..
In my 5 minute recipe, theres no ready pastes involved. I quickly pulsed roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and black pepper in the mixer and that was the flavouring for this dish that went into my kids lunchbox today.
For sneak peek into my kitchen and to get instant updates on my upcoming workshops - follow me on my Facebook Page
Photos from the Breaking Bread Workshop of 9 Nov in the Saffron Trail kitchen
- When you buy peanuts/groundnuts, roast them on the stove top / microwave or oven and keep in airtight jar. You can add them to a variety of dishes like salads, raitas, bhel etc.
- When you buy a coconut, grate / scrape the whole coconut and keep it in a freezer safe box. Whenever you need a small bit of grated coconut, scrape it out using a sharp knife and use as required.
Sesame-Peanut Instant Sevai (Rice Noodles)
serves 2
Ingredients
100-150 grams instant rice noodles (Dhideer Sevai)*
1 litre recently boiled water
3 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds
8 black pepper corns
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh/frozen scraped coconut
2 tsp oil (I use cold pressed coconut oil)
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 dried red chilli broken into pieces
Directions
Immerse the noodles in the hot water, cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes. In the meanwhile coarsely powder the roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and black pepper corns in a small jar of the mixer.
Drain the noodles using a colander, shake off all excess water.
Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick kadai / pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, dried red chilli and asafoetida, when the curry leaves crisp up, add the drained noodles, salt and coarse peanut-sesame powder. Toss well but gently until the noodles / sevai is well coated.
Garnish with fresh coconut.
You could use the same recipe for poha (beaten rice).
*Ive used Anil brand Rice Sevai, 777 brand and found them to be good.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Naan Recipe How to make Butter Naan in Oven
 |
| Naan Recipe |
Ingredients
Maida / All purpose flour - 4 cups
Thick Curd - 4 tbsp
Warm milk - 1/2 cup
Dry yeast - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Water if required
Garnish
Butter, Chopped garlic, Chopped coriander, Sesame seeds etc to spread over Naan
 |
| How to make Naan |
Method
1. In a bowl add yeast & sugar to warm milk and mix well.
2. Cover the bowl and set aside to rest until the yeast in milk ferments and becomes frothy.
3. In a large bowl add flour, salt, curd and fermented milk.
4. Mix the flour and knead dough well for 7 mins until dough becomes soft.
5. Cover the dough in the bowl with damp cloth and set aside for atleast 4 hours or until the dough to raise & double in size.
6. Once naan dough doubles in size divide the dough into equal sized balls.
7. Roll the dough into oval triangular shapes.( to get the oval triangular shape of naan, first roll the dough in oval shape then at one oval end roll the dough in opposite direction so that one end gets wider and other end gets narrow).
8. Pre-heat oven to 180C to 200C depending on your oven, place the rolled naan on greased cookie sheet.
9. Place the cookie sheet in the top rack of the oven and bake for 3 mins on each side or until golden bubbles appear on top of naan.
10. Transfer the baked naan to a plate and generously spread butter on top on hot naan.
Serve hot butter naan with palak paneer, butter chicken etc.
Tips
While finally rolling out naan sprinkle chopped garlic and coriander for garlic naan or sprinkle chopped dried fruits and nuts for Kashmiri naan or sprinkle some sesame seeds to keep it humble.
Click here to learn how to make Naan in tawa or pan.
 |
| Naan Bread Recipe |
Monday, April 7, 2014
Cornish Sardines in defense of Tesco
I got one of those lure you in vouchers from Tesco last week: Spend £40 and get £6 off your bill. So instead of shopping online I actually went into the Tesco store. This is usually a mistake as I tend to end up spending much more than when I shop online, but it does give me an opportunity to see what is there and get something different.
I was planning on having salmon fillets for supper tonight so headed ot the fresh fish counter. I did get the salmon fillets (reduced too!) but I was really surprised to see the variety of fish on offer, more than I had seen previously. I saw Tilapia, Sea Bass, Mackerel and various less well known white fish, which I assume must be there for sustainabilty. Now those of you who live in towns and cities will be thinking I must have lost the plot, but when you live in rural Scotland your fish choice is usually, haddock, cod, whiting, smoked haddock and smoked mackerel with the odd herring thrown in.
The woman at the counter said she only had five left so would give me a discount, they were only 35p each, how fab is that! So I brought them home and only then did I think "what on earth am I going to do with five Cornish Sardines?" A quick search on the tinternet and I found this fab site and this recipe for Cornish Sardine Bruschetta. The loaf I made yesterday was ideal for Bruschetta, so we had this for lunch. The sardines were delicious but they dont half stink up your kitchen!
So, in defense of Tesco: dont tell me that without Tesco in the town all these small shops would thrive. Ive lived in this area for 26 years and when I arrived we had a very poor selection of fruit, veg, fish and pretty much everything else except meat (there were three butchers in this small town) there is an awful lot to be said for the variety and choice that supermarkets deliver.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Roasted Vegetables in a Nest Gluten Free Pasta
 |
| Tender, sweet roasted vegetables in a nest of gluten-free pasta. |
Last night was a night for roasting. Theres nothing so easy as roasted vegetables. And nothing quite as tender and sweet. All those natural sugars softening and caramelizing into deep toned jewels of melting charred goodness. Its enough to soothe any gloomy girls heart. Especially against-the-current girls who dream of Venice Beach and don jean jackets and flip-flops instead of downy winter coats and wool scarves.
Especially in February.
Especially in February.
Roasted Vegetables in a Nest - An Easy Pasta Recipe
Balsamic vinegar and sea salt make for fabulous roasting, complementing the caramelized sweetness with a perfect touch of salty-tart (and who doesnt love a salty tart?). Seriously, nothing could be easier.
Cut up any and all veggies you happen to have kicking around and throw them in a roasting pan. Give them a hefty toss in some balsamic vinegar.
Put on a pot of pasta water.
Kiss your favorite person.
For last nights meal we cut up:
Half a head of cauliflower
Half a head of broccoli
One yellow and one green squash
One large sweet onion
3 large carrots
A handful of grape tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic
And tossed them in:
A generous drizzle of olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
More balsamic vinegar than you think youll need
A spoonful of your favorite herbs - oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, basil
Instructions:
Roast the veggies for about an hour, stirring them at least once or twice. If you prefer your vegetables less cooked, shorten the roasting time.
Roast the veggies for about an hour, stirring them at least once or twice. If you prefer your vegetables less cooked, shorten the roasting time.
Serve on a nest of cooked brown rice pasta noodles
tossed in pesto or simply your best fruity extra virgin olive oil. Shave some good Parmesan for the top, if you like cheese.
Heres my post How to Make a Vegan Pesto for those of you who are dairy-free.
tossed in pesto or simply your best fruity extra virgin olive oil. Shave some good Parmesan for the top, if you like cheese.Heres my post How to Make a Vegan Pesto for those of you who are dairy-free.
Recipe Source:
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Gousto Win Dinner in a box!
 |
| Ingredients for Spiced Pumpkin and Halloumi on Bulgar Wheat with Pomegranate Seeds |
What is a Gousto Gourmet Box?
Gousto provides you with all the ingredients in the right proportions to cook delicious meals at home. The produce is organic, fresh and seasonal. Gousto’s recipes are developed by a team of passionate chefs and tested by their friends and families first (very picky people). You get to choose the recipes online and every week the selection is updated to make sure there’re plenty of new recipes for you. The recipes are delivered right to your doorstep once a week so you decide when to cook. Whenever you’re on holiday or just don’t have time, simply place the subscription on hold – it’s easy.
In practice it is very simple, in a trial subscription you can decide whether to try 3 meals a week or 4 meals a week. Three meals a week for two people for the Gourmet box costs £42 (around £5 per person per meal) and for the Veggie Box it costs £39. Once you have your trial subscription you can log in to the Gousto Simply Cook website look at the list of recipes and choose what you would like to make, and there is a wide range to choose from and they are added to each week. You then add the recipes to you basket and sit back and wait!
Excellent Delivery Service
What I really liked about the website was the delivery address checker, I live in rural south west Scotland and have had problems with deliveries e.g. Ocado dont deliver to our area. So I was delighted to be able to put in my postcode and find that my parcel would be delivered on a Wednesday. Gousto are currently delivering to all postcodes in the UK apart from a few very remote areas, they deliver in London on a Tuesday between 1pm and 6pm and to other UK areas on a Wednesday, 9am - 5pm. The ingredients duly arrived on the appointed day packed expertly in a box with a fleecy lining and icepacks, there were no issues about signing for it and Gousto are happy to take instructions as to where to leave the parcel if you are out.
I have the opportunity to try two of the recipes, so I chose:
Spiced Pumpkin and Halloumi on Bulgar Wheat with Pomegranate Seeds
Oven Baked Pork Chops with Pears, Stilton and Pecan Nuts
Conclusion
The recipes are excellent and are definitely something that I would want to make and eat. There are interesting and exciting vegetarian options. The delivery service is one of the best I have experienced. There is also very little waste as you only get enough of the ingredients to make the meal. I would consider using the service if I was going on a self catering holiday and wanted to make nice food without the hassle of shopping, but I dont think it is something I would use on a weekly basis.
If, on the other hand, you find it difficult to decide what to make but love good food and are happy to cook, this is a great way to try out some new recipes and ingredients.
GIVEAWAY
You can win a Gousto Gourmet Box that feeds two people by following the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget. This Giveaway is only available for entrants with a UK delivery address.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was supplied with a Gousto Gourmet Box with two meals for two people. I was not obliged to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
Christmas in Connecticut
Christmas in Connecticut is a holiday film that plays 365 days of the year. Barbara Stanwyck gives a brilliant, sardonic performance as Elizabeth Lane, a columnist for Smart Housekeeping magazine, whose enticing descriptions of the exquisite meals she prepares for her husband and baby on their bucolic Connecticut farm earns her fame as "Americas Best Cook." A writer, she is; a cook, she is not. As she types the words, "From my living room window, as I write, the good cedar logs cracking on the fire..." the view is of clothes flapping on the line outside her bachelorette Manhattan apartment. An able supporting cast keeps her lie on life support: her editor, her stuffy and detestable architect suitor, and the wonderful "Uncle" Felix (S.Z. Sakall), an English-garbling Hungarian chef who provides the recipes that fill her column. Cut to Jefferson Jones, a sailor adrift at sea for weeks after his destroyer is torpedoed. Memories of the food described in Lanes columns are central to his survival. After his rescue, as hes recuperating in a naval hospital, a marriage-minded nurse thinks she might nudge Jones to the altar if he could only experience a real domestic Christmas. And it just so happens that she was nurse to the grandchild of Alexander Yardley, the wealthy and powerful publisher of --you guessed it--Smart Housekeeping magazine. And so, she pens the letter that could unravel Lanes carefully constructed fraud. She writes to Yardley asking that Jones be included in Americas ultimate Christmas--the one to be held at the Lane family farm in Connecticut. The pompous Yardley (ably portrayed by Sidney Greenstreet) believes the Lane myth and instantly sniffs a story that will send his magazines circulation skyrocketing. And staring down a lonely holiday, he decides to join the Lanes for Christmas on the farm, too. Now, all Lane has to do is come up with a farm. And a husband. And lets not forget the baby. Christmas in Connecticut is classic screwball entertainment of the best kind, with its on-target skewering of social convention and house-of- cards-about-to-tumble tension: a perfect farcical vision of domestic blitz. --Susan Benson
Price: $9.98
Click here to buy from Amazon
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Macaroni in tomato sauce
Macaroni in tomato sauce
Ingredients
- Boiled macaroni 2 cups
- Cabbage finely chopped 1 cup
- Carrot finely chopped ½ cup
- Onion finely chopped 1
- Ginger finely chopped 1 tsp
- Garlic crushed 1 tsp
- Salt ½ tsp
- Black pepper ½ tsp
- Crushed red pepper 1 tsp
- Oil ¼ cup
Method
- Heat oil in a wok add chopped ginger garlic with onion, cabbage and carrot, fry for 2 to 3 minutes add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and boiled macaroni, mix well add tomato ketchup with ¼ cup water toss well and serve.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Soya nuggets in a brunch plate
Soya nuggets have long been a favourite of mine, even before I started thinking of nutrition and eating healthy. The very fact the the boiled nuggets turn spongy, all ready to absorb any flavours you dunk them in, make them a delight to cook with. Biting into one of the nuggets and letting the absorbed juices explode in your mouth is a foodies delight. They are odourless and tasteless by themself, presenting to every cook a blank canvas to paint on. I love using them as substitutes to eggs in egg curries, in stir fries, in pulaos and the different shapes available (such as granules, smaller nuggets) allow one to adapt them into a variety of recipes. Poha made with a mixture of beaten rice and soya granules is a favourite in our house.
Ruchi was one of the first companies to bring out and popularise these soya products in India under the brand name Nutrela. They claim to use exceptionally high quality, non-genetically modified soya beans - the nuggets have a protein concentration of 50-55%, the highest for any vegetarian source and negligible fat content. You will find a whole lot of recipes listed on their site.
These nuggets are made like our Indian vadis, using soy flour - dried out in the sun and used as per need. Heres a nice little breakfast / brunch recipe which goes wonderfully with lightly buttered and warmed pav (Mumbai special bread). You can also have this as a salad by itself, being high in protein it is extremely filling.
Read More..
Ruchi was one of the first companies to bring out and popularise these soya products in India under the brand name Nutrela. They claim to use exceptionally high quality, non-genetically modified soya beans - the nuggets have a protein concentration of 50-55%, the highest for any vegetarian source and negligible fat content. You will find a whole lot of recipes listed on their site.
These nuggets are made like our Indian vadis, using soy flour - dried out in the sun and used as per need. Heres a nice little breakfast / brunch recipe which goes wonderfully with lightly buttered and warmed pav (Mumbai special bread). You can also have this as a salad by itself, being high in protein it is extremely filling.
Note the increase in size after boiling
The dried nuggets have to be either soaked in salted boiling water for a few minutes or boiled in salted water for 3-4 minutes, until they have balooned out and become soft, before use. Follow the instructions on your pack for this. Idea is to soften them and yet keep their texture intact, or else you can end with a mushy mess.
Soya Nugget Salad with Pav
Category: Vegetarian protein, accompaniment with bread, Salad
Time taken: Under 20 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
14-15 larger size soya nuggets - boiled as per instructions above
1 medium onion - sliced
1 small carrot - diced
1 medium capsicum - deseeded and diced
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup thick yogurt
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise ( I used Karen Anand brand Eggless mayo)
7-8 black pepper corns - roughly pounded
Dried herbs of your choice (I used parsley)
pinch of chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt
Pav (1 slab of 6) or any other bread
Directions
Heat a tsp of oil in a wok. Add the vegetables and saute for 2-3 minutes, with a tiny pinch of salt. We want them to retain their crispness. Meanwhile, take the boiled nuggets in a colander and press down hard with a rounded bowl or so, to drain out all the water from them. Cut them into quarters or smaller pieces and add them to the wok.
Stir to mix it with the vegetables. Remove wok from flame and keep aside.
In a large bowl, take the mayo, yogurt, roughly pounded pepper, salt, herbs and beat with a fork to mix well. Once the contents of the wok are cooled, transfer them to the bowl. Mix to coat the dressing uniformly.
Garnish with chilli flakes.
To prepare the Pav, tear them into individual pieces. (They generally come in a slab of 6 or 8) Slice them into two horizontally, but not going all the way through. Apply a dot of butter on the inside and on both the outer sides, place on a hot skillet, until lightly golden and crispy on the outside.
If you do not get pav, where you live, try out this superb tried and tested recipe for home baked Mumbai-special Pav.
This is my entry to WBB - Soy hosted by Rajitha at Hunger Pangs.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Mushroom Salad in Endive Leaves
Ridiculously simple, but tasty and attractive enough to serve as a buffet plate, an appetizer salad, or a pass-around cocktail party tid-bit. Unlike many such offerings, its also light and not too filling - its always a relief to see things like this in amongst the great piles of rich and fatty party food.
12 filled leaves (3 to 4 servings)
20 minutes prep time
Make the Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt
a pinch of salt & black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Whisk these ingredients together in a bowl.
Make the Salad:
125 grams (1/4 pound) button mushrooms
1/3 cup dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
1 large head Belgian endive
Clean and trim the mushrooms, and chop them fairly finely. Chop the dried tomatoes, and put them in a small pot with water just enough to cover. Bring to a boil, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Mix the mushrooms, tomatoes and seeds into the dressing.
Separate the endive leaves, discarding the too-small ones at the core. (Chop the core and add it to your next regular tossed green salad.) Lay the ones large enough to fill out on a plate, and divide the salad amongst them.
Last year at this time I made Bocadito Elena Ruz.
Read More..
12 filled leaves (3 to 4 servings)
20 minutes prep time
Make the Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt
a pinch of salt & black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Whisk these ingredients together in a bowl.
Make the Salad:
125 grams (1/4 pound) button mushrooms
1/3 cup dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
1 large head Belgian endive
Clean and trim the mushrooms, and chop them fairly finely. Chop the dried tomatoes, and put them in a small pot with water just enough to cover. Bring to a boil, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Mix the mushrooms, tomatoes and seeds into the dressing.
Separate the endive leaves, discarding the too-small ones at the core. (Chop the core and add it to your next regular tossed green salad.) Lay the ones large enough to fill out on a plate, and divide the salad amongst them.
Last year at this time I made Bocadito Elena Ruz.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Cheesy Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
Its another really not very glamourous dish, but we enjoyed it very much. I will never say no to cheese, Im afraid.
6 to 8 servings
2 hours 20 minutes - not including boiling the beans
Boil the Beans:
450 grams (1 pound) white pea (navy) beans
Rinse and pick over the beans. Put them in a large pot with plenty of water to cover them. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover them; soak them overnight. The next day bring them to a boil again and simmer them until tender.
Bake the Beans:
1 large carrot
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
3 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon rubbed basil
1 tablespoon rubbed oregano
250 grams (1/2 pound) old cheddar cheese
2 cups water from cooking the beans
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and chop the onions. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and cook the onion and carrot until soft. Mix the drained beans, the carrots and onions, the tomato sauce and the seasonings in a large baking dish. Grate the cheese and mix in about two-thirds of it. Gently mix in 2 cups of water left from cooking the beans.
Bake the beans, uncovered, at 350°F for about an hour to an hour and a quarter. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and return to the oven for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browing around the edges.
Last year at this time I made Rohkostsalat.
Read More..
6 to 8 servings
2 hours 20 minutes - not including boiling the beans
Boil the Beans:
450 grams (1 pound) white pea (navy) beans
Rinse and pick over the beans. Put them in a large pot with plenty of water to cover them. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover them; soak them overnight. The next day bring them to a boil again and simmer them until tender.
Bake the Beans:
1 large carrot
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
3 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon rubbed basil
1 tablespoon rubbed oregano
250 grams (1/2 pound) old cheddar cheese
2 cups water from cooking the beans
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and chop the onions. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and cook the onion and carrot until soft. Mix the drained beans, the carrots and onions, the tomato sauce and the seasonings in a large baking dish. Grate the cheese and mix in about two-thirds of it. Gently mix in 2 cups of water left from cooking the beans.
Bake the beans, uncovered, at 350°F for about an hour to an hour and a quarter. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and return to the oven for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browing around the edges.
Last year at this time I made Rohkostsalat.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Braised Scotch Lamb Shanks in Red Wine
I was invited to a cookery demonstration for the Wham Bam Thank You Lamb campaign being run by Scotch Lamb at the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School. I was absolutely gutted to have to withdraw at the last minute as I was ill with bronchitis. However, I am delighted to tell you that I am still able to take part, as I was provided with voucher to buy some lamb at a local butcher who was a member of the Scotch Butchers Club, in my case this was J.B Houston in Dumfries.
I had a lovely chat with the butcher who recommended that I cook these lamb shanks with some red wine, he definitely knew what he was talking about, as the flavours of the lamb and the gravy were superb. My top tip when cooking lamb? Ask your butcher!
Lamb Shanks in Red Wine
1 tbsp olive oil
2 lamb shanks
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
a sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato puree
350ml red wine
200ml lamb stock
1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Heat the oil in a casserole dish or roasting tin and brown the lamb shanks.
3. Remove the lamb, turn the heat down a little and add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes until beginning to soften and brown slightly.
4. Add the rosemary and bay leaves and cook for another minute.
5. Add the flour and tomato puree, then pour in the wine and stock, stirring all the time to blend.
6. Put the lamb shanks back into the dish, cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the lamb is tender.
7. Remove the lamb from the dish, let it cool slightly and then strip the meat from the bones.
9. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.
This is a slow cooked dish but if you are in a hurry, there are loads of great quick cook recipes on the Wham Bam Thank you Lamb website some of them cook in 10 minutes!
Many thanks to Scotch Lamb for the opportunity to cook with such a premium product, I was notpaid for this post and all opinions are my own.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Hunting In Prose
Beautiful piece of prose by C.E. Anderson about "Deer Hunting In Michigan", printed in Forest and Stream (later merged with Field & Stream) in 1877.
"I wait in the grand solitude of the of the virgin forest, with ears intent for the voice of the hounds. I cannot tell how long I waited. I only know that in a supreme moment of contemplation, when the soul seemed filled with the greatness, the grandeur, the glory of the illimitable wilderness, I was suddenly aroused to a realizing sense of the situation by a distant cry of the hounds, distant and low at first, gradually coming nearer and more distinct; now evidently running to the north, now to the south. Oh! The music of that full chorus, which now began to break loudly on the still air, was inspiring. All else was still as death, every particular hair was standing on end with expectation.
“A’ah! There is a commotion in the brush by that stump. A crash in the thicket and out rushes like the wind an old gray-haired monarch, plunging like lightning right by my wondering and bewildered vision, and myself powerless to raise an arm to stop him. In an instant, however, Richard Greenhorn is himself again, and I send a wild shot after him. He is away now two-hundred yards, going straight from me. I raise my Winchester again with comparative deliberation this time. Ah! Old fellow, where are you now? His heels fly up, and turning a complete somersault he lies still. The shot had struck him behind the ear and entered his brain, and in falling his momentum had carried him completely over.”
Read More..
"I wait in the grand solitude of the of the virgin forest, with ears intent for the voice of the hounds. I cannot tell how long I waited. I only know that in a supreme moment of contemplation, when the soul seemed filled with the greatness, the grandeur, the glory of the illimitable wilderness, I was suddenly aroused to a realizing sense of the situation by a distant cry of the hounds, distant and low at first, gradually coming nearer and more distinct; now evidently running to the north, now to the south. Oh! The music of that full chorus, which now began to break loudly on the still air, was inspiring. All else was still as death, every particular hair was standing on end with expectation.
“A’ah! There is a commotion in the brush by that stump. A crash in the thicket and out rushes like the wind an old gray-haired monarch, plunging like lightning right by my wondering and bewildered vision, and myself powerless to raise an arm to stop him. In an instant, however, Richard Greenhorn is himself again, and I send a wild shot after him. He is away now two-hundred yards, going straight from me. I raise my Winchester again with comparative deliberation this time. Ah! Old fellow, where are you now? His heels fly up, and turning a complete somersault he lies still. The shot had struck him behind the ear and entered his brain, and in falling his momentum had carried him completely over.”
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)