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