Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Backed Chicken With Herb Crumbs


Ingredients

2 Sprigs fresh rosemary
2 Sprigs fresh thyme
1 whole Chicken
1 Pinch of salt
1 Pinch of black pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp flour
80 g white bread slices
3 tbsp olive oil

Steps

Pluck the rosemary needles and thyme leaves from their stems and finely chop them. Cut the chicken into parts. Cut each breast into two pieces . Separate the breast twice. Separate the legs at the joints and cut throught each thigh along the bone. Season with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, rosemary, thyme and salt. Mix with a fork until smooth. Cut off the crust from the white bread slices and finely chop in the food processor. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and turn to coat with the egg mixture. Then add the white breadcrumbs and mix again.

Place the Chicken pieces on an alluminum baking sheet and sprinkle with some olive oil. Bake in a preheated convection oven at 400°F (200°C) for 40 minutes. You may have to cover the chicken with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from getting too dark. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish and serve hot.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Shrimp and Avocado Cocktail

Ingredients

1 half lemons
1 half onions
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt
2 lb (907 gr) large raw shrimp
1/2 cup (125 mL) lime juice
2 tbsp (25 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) hot pepper sauce
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 cup (250 mL) cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh coriander
1/4 cup (50 mL) minced red onions
8 sprigs fresh coriander

Steps

Squeeze juice from lemon into large saucepan of water. Add lemon, onion and 1 tsp (5 mL) of the salt ; bring to boil.

Meanwhile, peel and devein shrimp; cut lengthwise down back almost but not all the way through. Add to saucepan; cook until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, discarding lemon and onion; let cool and cut into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, hot pepper sauce and remaining salt. Add shrimp, avocados, tomatoes, chopped coriander and red onion. Garnish each serving with coriander sprig.

Pigeon Pastilla

Ingredients

6 pigeon
4 TBSP olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green coriander
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 TBSP mix herbs (ground ginger, saffron and ground turmeric)
Salt and black pepper
2 cup sugar
3 cup water
4 egg, beaten
1 cup peeled toasted almond
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon powder
12 special pastille foils (spring roll foils can be used)
Butter and beaten butter to brush

Steps

- Heat oil and fry onion. Add coriander and parsley, and stir.
- Add pigeons after they have been washed well. Mix with onion and add spices, mix and bring to red color.
- Add sugar and water. Simmer on low heat until pigeons are cooked and then add a little cinnamon.
- Remove pigeons out of the sauce, remove bones, and cut into small pieces.
- Place sauce in a pan over heat. Add eggs and keep mixing until eggs are cooked and then set aside.
- Add confectioners’ sugar with cinnamon to the peeled almond.
- Put two pastilla foils and add the mixture of almond, then add the mixture of sauce and eggs to the pigeons. Put two pastilla rolls foils and repeat the previous step.
- Brush pastilla with the beaten eggs and butter, and close from the sides.
- Brush a pan with cooking oil, and then place the pastilla on the pan and brush with a little butter.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven.
- Sprinkle sugar powder and cinnamon as garnish. Serve hot.

Avocado and Pomegranate

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 cup ice
4 Tbsps sugar
½ cup pomegranate arils
½ cup crushed ice
1 Tbsp pomegranate syrup


Steps

Cut avocado into half, peal and remove pits, and then cut and put into a blender.
Add lemon juice, water and sugar, and then blend.
Pour into a serving glass.
Mix pomegranate seeds with ice and syrup in a blender.
Add the pomegranate arils mix on top of the juice and serve cold.

Labneh

Ingredients

2 Cups yoghurt
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp mint, dried or thyme
1 1/2 Cup olive oil

Steps

- Mix well yoghurt, lemon juice, and dry mint.
- Cover bottom of a bowl with cheesecloth.
- Pour inside the yoghurt mixture in the center of the cheesecloth.
- Tie the cheesecloth edges and hook over the bowl. Pull corners up and tie tightly.
- Cool until all the water is exterminated (Hang overnight or for 24 hours).
- Note that labneh should be refrigerated if the weather is hot.
- Remove from cheesecloth, refrigerate.
- Divide labneh and roll it into smooth, round 4 cm balls.
- Refrigerate again.
- Place in a sterile jar, cover with olive oil.
- Labneh can be refrigerated for 3 months.

Note:
- For low fat labneh, use low fat yogurt.
- Thyme, chili powder or crushed black pepper can be used instead of dry mint.
- Herbs can be added to oil for different flavors.

Fried Squid (Calamari)

Ingredients

Main
½ kg cleansed squid
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper
Sauce
1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp tomato, finely chopped
1 Tbsp capers, finely chopped
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup ketchup
*Mix all ingredients, season with salt and pepper.

Steps

Cut squid into rings.
Mix buttermilk with lemon juice, add squid rings, cover and keep refrigerated for at least 2 hours or a day.
Season flour with salt, pepper, cumin and coriander.
Heat oil in sauce pan or deep fryer.
Remove squid rings from buttermilk, dip into seasoned flour. Dredge, shaking off excess flour.
Place the coated rings in the hot oil and fry in small batches, turning occasionally until golden on all sides, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Serve hot or warm with the sauce.

Pickled Onion

Ingredients

1 kg small onions
1 cup red hot pepper cut into small pieces
1 TBSP mustard seeds
1 TBSP coriander seeds
6 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
1 TBSP honey
4 celery sticks

Steps

Put onion in boiled water for few minutes, then peel without using a knife, put in cold water and drain.
Add mustard, coriander, celery to vinegar and boil to get an addition flavor, drain, set aside.
Put onion in sterile jar, add red pepper pieces, and cover with vinegar till 1 cm left from the top, seal properly.
Put jar in boiled water bath (put the jar in bigger pan with boiled water) for 10 minutes to get the air out of the jar.
Keep for a week till fully pickled or depends on the size of the onions.

Pickled Cucumber

Ingredients

1 kg small size cucumber
¼ cup salt
3 cups water
1½ cup vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves grains
10 black pepper seeds
2 TBSP crushed garlic

Steps

Wash cucumber, put in sterile jar.
Dissolve salt in water.
Put water, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper in a pan on medium heat till
boil. Leave to cool and saturate all the herbs flavor.
Add garlic to cucumber. Pour the water mixture till the cucumber is fully covered.
Keep the cucumber jar for two days until infuse all flavors.
Remove froth if appears.

* keep cucumber in the fridge after use.
* For large sized cucumber, cover with salt for one day in the jar, until absorb the most of water.

Pickled Pepper

Ingredients

1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
3 garlic cloves cut into thin circles
2 TBSP Honey
3 cups white vinegar
1 tsp ginger powder

Steps

Cut pepper in halves; remove the upper part and the seeds, cut to small pieces.
Boil water on medium heat, add pepper for two minutes, drain and set aside.
Melt well honey in vinegar.
Mix pepper pieces with garlic rounds and ginger, put in small jars, cover with vinegar and honey.
Seal jars tightly, keep for 3 days before use.
Keep in fridge after use.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Steps

Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Blueberry Compote

Ingredients

1/2 cup Orange Juice
2 tbsp 100% Pure Wildflower Honey
2 1/2 cups Frozen Wild Blueberries
1/4 cup Chopped dark chocolate

Steps

- In medium saucepan, combine orange juice, honey and half the blueberries. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced to a light syrup consistency, about 15 minutes.
- Add the remaining blueberries and heat through.
- Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Serve warm.

Baked Honey Meringue Cakes

Ingredients

8 Individual dessert shells (sponge cake cups)
3/4 cup Frozen Wild Blueberries
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup 100% Pure Wildflower Honey
1 tbsp Lemon zest
1/2 cup 100% Pure Egg Whites
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Lemon juice
1 pinch Salt

Steps

- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine frozen berries, mascarpone, 2 tbsp honey and lemon zest. Refrigerate until needed.
- Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and salt at medium speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. In small bowl, microwave 1/4 cup honey at high until boiling, about 30 seconds. While beating, slowly pour honey into egg whites. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is glossy and stiff, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Place dessert shells on parchment paper-lined baking pan. Top each with a generous 1 tbsp of mascarpone mixture.
- Pipe or spread meringue over the top of the dessert shell and mascarpone mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve immediately on a spoonful of Chocolate Blueberry Compote. Drizzle with additional honey and dust with cinnamon.

Crêpe Cake With Caramelized Apples & Wild Blueberries

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
2 cups Milk
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Granulated sugar
1 cup 35% whipping cream
2 tbsp Icing sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tbsp Butter
2 Gala Apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch slices
3 tbsp Unsalted butter
3 tbsp Honey
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 cup Frozen Wild Blueberries

Steps

- In a bowl, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Add eggs and sugar and whisk until smooth, about 10 seconds. Let stand 10 min.
- Meanwhile, beat whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla until firm. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and oil together in microwave for 30 seconds; stir to blend. With a heat-resistant brush, brush pan lightly with some of the butter and oil mixture. When pan is hot, pour 1/3 cup batter in pan and swirl pan to coat thinly. Cook until bottom is golden and edges start to curl, about 1 min. Flip over and cook other side, about 30 seconds. Remove to a platter. Repeat with remaining batter to make 8 crêpes.
- Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, Add apples and cook until lightly browned, about 3 min. Add honey and simmer 1 min. Add pecans and blueberries and simmer 1 min. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 min.
- To assemble, lay one crepe on a serving platter. Spread evenly with 1/4 cup whipped cream. Repeat, using all the crepes and whipped cream. Top with apple-blueberry mixture. Cut into eight wedges and serve with additional whipped cream, if desired.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Tempura with fruits

Ingredients

2/3 cup cornstarch
¼ cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 tablespoon water
2 egg white
½ kilo fresh fruits (Apricot, strawberry, plum)

Steps

- Wisk starch, rice flour, baking powder, water, and egg white, in a deep bowl, until well combined.
- Dip fruits into batter until fully covered.
- Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
- Fry fruits for 2 minutes until golden color.
- Put fried fruits on parchment paper, wipe off excess.
- Serve warm with homemade strawberry sauce.
٭ This recipe is gluten free, suitable for who is allergic of wheat flour.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients

1/2 kilo Mozzarella cheese
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for frying
tomato sauce to present
Steps

Slice mozzarella cheese in equal size fingers.

Beat eggs and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Cover the cheese fingers in flour, eggs, then bread crumbs (keep in refrigerator to hold together) and then repeat the same steps again.

Fry the fingers in hot heavy oil, until golden.
Lift onto paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Served hot with tomato sauce or ketchup.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fresh and Smoked Salmon Chowder

Ingredients

5 tsp. (25 mL) butter
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
1 1/2 stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, sliced thin
1 new potato, finely diced
4 button mushrooms, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (500 mL) chicken broth
1/2 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 1/4 – 2 cups (310 – 500 mL) 2% or whole milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 lb. (225 g) fresh salmon (barely cooked), cut into very small pieces
Fresh dill to taste for garnish
Sufficient quantity, smoked salmon, cut into strips to garnish
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) minced parsley

Steps

In a stockpot over low heat, cook shallot and leek in butter until glassy.
Add remaining vegetables, except corn, and cook 10 minutes.
Salt and pepper lightly. Stir in flour.
Add broth a little bit at a time, whisking each addition into the flour mixture. Add bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture thickens.
In a small pan, bring milk to just under a boil. Stir into soup. Add corn and cook 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Stir in salmon and parsley.
Spoon chowder into large heated bowls and garnish with fresh dill and smoked salmon strips.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Turkey Rice Vermicelli Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
1 large pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) minced garlic
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) paprika
3 plum tomatoes, diced
2 cups (500 mL) turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth
¼ lb (100 g) dried rice vermicelli
2 cups (500 mL) baby spinach
to taste salt and pepper
½ cup (125 mL) sour cream
4 scallions,sliced diagonally

Steps

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook pepper, garlic and paprika and cook 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and continue cooking over medium-high heat while stirring in turkey and chicken broth. Simmer 15 minutes. Add rice vermicelli and cook 3 minutes.
Add a little water or broth to thin soup to desired consistency.
Stir in spinach just before serving,season and serve, adding a dollop of sour cream and scallions to each bowl.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Oven Baked Fries

Ingredients

5 potatoes
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 tsp (2 ml) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2 ml) pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard

Steps

Cut the potatoes into fries. Peel them or not, according to your taste and/or variety of the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
In a large bowl, using a whisk or fork, mix together oil and seasonings. Add potatoes and mix well to coat.
Place potatoes on a good quality nonstick cookie sheet. Ensure that potatoes do not overlap.
Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the fries with caution and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, until browned to your liking.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

1 tsp. oil
1 lb. (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
3 cups fresh stir-fry vegetables (tomato, red and green peppers, onions)
2 tsp. chili powder
8 small flour tortillas
1 cup Cheddar Shredded Cheese

Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced

Steps

Heat oil in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 min. or until done, stirring occasionally.
Stir in dressing, vegetables and chili powder; cook 5 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Top tortillas with chicken mixture and cheese; roll up.
Served with salsa, sour cream and Guacamole.


Guacamole:

Mash avocados with fork in a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients; mix well.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Quick Egg and Cheese English Muffin

Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 whole wheat English muffin, split, toasted
1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
2 Slices Light Cheese
2 slices tomato, cut in half

Steps

BEAT whole egg ,egg white and basil in small microwaveable bowl with whisk until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; turn back 1 corner to vent.
MICROWAVE on MEDIUM-HIGH 1-1/2 min., stirring every 30 sec. Let stand, covered, 30 sec.; spoon onto muffins.
TOP with slices cheese and tomatoes.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches

Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
1 1 / 2 cup (375 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 / 4 cup (65 ml) cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1 / 2 tsp (2 ml) salt
3 / 4 cup (190 ml) milk
1 / 2 cup (125 ml) mashed ripe bananas
1 / 3 cup (85 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Frosting:
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 / 4 cup (65 ml) cocoa powder
1 / 4 tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract
1 1 / 2 cup (375 ml) icing sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) banana, blackberry, crushed
1 tbsp (15 ml) milk

Steps

Cake:
Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the milk, bananas, oil, lemon juice and vanilla.
Beat with electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Put into ungreased 8-inch square (2 L) greased.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean.
Leave it to cool completely before applying the glaze.

Frosting:

Melt the butter in a double boiler or microwave. Stir in cocoa powder and vanilla.
Add alternately with icing sugar, bananas and milk. Stir until smooth. Apply on cooled cake.

Sponsor by: Wrist Watches