Mulligatawny soup

Monday 11 March 2013

Preparation time: 15 minutes 
Cook time: 1.5 hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 chicken legs and thighs, bone-in
1/2 cup brown rice
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 1/2 tbsp Madras curry paste
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2  tsp cayenne pepper
1/2  tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups apple juice
4 cups chicken stock
1 400 ml can coconut milk
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

Garnish
green apple, julienned
green onions, chopped
bunch mint, chopped
sunflower seeds

Directions

     1.  Wash chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Remove skin and fat. 
          Heat oil in a large pot over medium-heat and brown chicken legs on
          both sides, two at a time.  When chicken is finished browning (about 4
          minutes per side), set aside in a shallow dish to reserve juices.

     2.  Add onions to the pot and sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add
          garlic and spices.  Cook for a remaining 2 minutes.

     3.  Add chicken back in the pot with vegetables and rice.  Pour in 
          stock and half the apple juice.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and let
          simmer for 1 hour.

     4.  Remove chicken from the pot and cut meat into bite-sized pieces.  Add
          remaining apple juice and coconut milk.  Heat on medium for an
          additional 5 minutes (do not boil).

     5.  Serve hot and garnish with fresh mint, green onions, apples and
          sunflower seeds.

     6.  Savour it!

Category chicken, soup

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Preparation time: 10 minutes 
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
16 slices of swiss cheese
4 slices of black forest ham
2 tbsp caesar dressing
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup rice krispies, crushed
1 tbsp flax seeds (optional)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg

Directions

     1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     2.  Remove fat from chicken breasts.  Lay the breasts flat and gently
          pound using a meat mallet until the chicken is 1/4 inches in thickness.

     3.  Lay ham and cheese over chicken breasts, leaving about 1/4 inch of
          space at the end for rolling.  Add a small dollop of caesar dressing in
          the middle of each breast.  Roll and place on a cutting board seam side
          down.

     4.  Whisk the egg with a fork in a small bowl.  Combine the bread crumbs,
          rice krispies, flax seeds, paprika and cayenne pepper in a small place.

     5.  Coat each breast will the egg and then dredge in the bread crumb
          mixture.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

     5.  Savour it!

Category chicken

Cabbage Rolls

Sunday 10 March 2013

One of my friends, François, brought a variation of cabbage rolls into the office one day and I made it my mission to try and make them.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

1 lbs ground pork
1 lbs ground beef
2 carrots, shredded
2 parnsips, shredded
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup Italian  parsley, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 egg
tbsp dried thyme
tsp smoked paprika
pinch of salt and pepper
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1 medium-sized head of green cabbage

Directions

     1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Also, boil a large pot of

     water.

     2.  Using a a knife, cut in a circle all around the stem of the

          cabbage and remove the core.  Place the head of cabbage

          in the pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.  Remove

          from water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.  Peel the

          outer leaves, without ripping.  If this cannot be done easily,

          place the cabbage back in the pot for a few more

          minutes.  Repeat until you have about 10 leaves.

     3.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine meat, onions, garlic,

          carrots, parsnips  celery, parsley, rice, egg, spice and

          tablespoon of tomato sauce.  

     4.  Place 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce in a medium-sized pyrex

          dish and distribute evenly.

     5.  Remove the thickest part of the vein from each cabbage by

          cutting out a thin triangle from the bottom.  With the

          bottom of the leaf facing you, place about 4-5 tablespoons

          of filling in the middle of the leaf.  Fold over the bottom edge

          and then fold the left and then right sides.  Tuck in all

          corners.  Place cabbage rolls seam side down in the pyrex.

     6.  Pour the remaining tomato sauce and beef broth over the

          rolls and cover with foil.  Bake for 1 hour.

     7.  Garnish with Greek yogurt and chopped parsley.

     8.  Savour it!

Category beef, pork

Braised lamb chops with stewed okra

Monday 11 February 2013

Lamb shoulder slices were on sale so I decided to give them a try.  I wanted to go to yoga before dinner so I started them off in the slow-cooker and finished them in the oven.  For complete oven cooking see the note below.


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours (2.5 in oven alone)
Serves: 2

Ingredients

Lamb
2 lamb shoulder chops
1 carrot, thickly sliced
1 celery rib, thickly sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup beef stock
4 cloves garlic, pressed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp flour
pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Stewed okra
2 cups of okra
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

  
   1.  Grind rosemary and thyme with a mortar and pestle.  Add to a small          
        bowl with garlic, lemon zest, half the lemon juice and half the oil.  Add          
        salt and pepper and mix well. Rub the mixture on both sides of the          
        lamb chops.  

     2.  Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the          
          meat, about 5-7 minutes per side, until a slight crust forms.  Set chops
          aside.

     3.  Turn down the heat to medium and add onions.  Sauté until          

          translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add stock to the skillet and scrape off         

          brown bits.      

     4.  Add meat, onion mixture, remaining lemon juice, carrots and celery to         

          the slow-cooker, over high heat.  Cook for 2 hours.       

     5.  Meanwhile, cut off the tops of the okra and slice lengthwise.  Soak in         

          cold water for 10 minutes.       

     6.  Sauté onions and garlic with 1/2 tsp of olive oil over medium heat for 5 

          minutes.  Add cumin and cinnamon.  Add drained okra and cook for 10        

          minutes, stirring frequently.         

     7.  Add tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water and simmer over medium-low         

          for 15 minutes. Add additional water if necessary.      

     8.  Remove lamb from the slow-cooker and place in a small pyrex dish with

          1/2 of the liquid. Bake at 300 °F for 1 hour.      

     9.  To make gravy, add the remaining liquid and vegetables from the slow          

          cooker to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add balsamic vinegar and          

          allow the liquid to reduce for 10 minutes. Add flour and whisk until

          smooth.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes until sauce thickens.      

     10. Remove lamb from oven and plate with gravy and okra.       

     11. Savour it!

Note: If you only want to use the oven, place chops, onion mixture and stock to a roasting pan and bake with a lid on for 2 hours at 300 °F. Increase heat to 350 °F, remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Category lamb, okra

Asian Salmon Tartare

Monday 4 February 2013

I`ve always wanted to try and make this dish.  Salmon was on sale at the grocery store so I gave it a shot.  It turned out great!


Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Serves: 4 

Ingredients

1 8-oz boneless salmon fillet, skin removed 
1/4 cup cucumber, finely diced 
1/4 cup minced cilantro 
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced 
2 green onions, finely diced 
1 tsp ginger, grated 
1 1/2 tsp olive oil 
1/2 tsp sesame oil 
Juice of 1 lime 
Zest of 1 lime 
pinch of red chili flakes 
pinch of salt and black pepper 
Tortilla chips

Directions

     1.  Place salmon in the freezer for about 20 minutes. 

     2.  Thinly slice salmon into small cubes. Place in a medium-sized bowl
          with remaining ingredients. Toss to combine. 

     3.  Refrigerate the mixture for 1-2 hours before serving. 

     4.  Savour it!

Category fish