I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t flexible. Not in the sense of touching my toes, but in my ability to pack my life into suitcases and trust the unknown. My parents moved us from country to country as easily as some people change seasons.
Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts
Shrimp Salmon and Saffron Fregola
With temperatures of -15 degrees C the only thing I have on my mind – the tiny part that is still left unfrozen – is warmth. If you remember the story of Nature Boy and Flirty Flannel Girl you will know I am once again featuring my hottest attire this season!
Prawn Ginger Garlic Tacos
Quick dinners are my life saviour at the moment. We’ve been busily chugging along ever since school started. The ease of summer break when the days were relaxed and calm have gone. Instead it’s work, photo shoots crammed in between guitar lessons, swim practice, homework and school projects. During the week I slip into the role of a single mum as Tom’s current project has him in Amsterdam from Monday to Friday. Weekdays are packed, mostly with fun and laughter but there are tantrums and the stubbornness of a pre-teen that need to be fended. So sometimes I cannot wait till Friday comes around when I can hand over the baton of responsibility to Tom.
Glorious Autumn Barbecue: Ras El Hanout and Za’atar Grilled Salmon, Chargrilled Vegetables in Yogurt Tahini Sauce, Tabouleh
The aromas of burning charcoal, a mélange of spices and the trail of sizzling meat hanging in the air are, for me, the telltale signs of seasons turning and summer is just around the corner. Each year, as Spring days begin to warm up, I impatiently await the piquant fragrance to fill the neighborhood. I am not alone, I soon realize, as the neighboring gardens become a hive of industrious activity. The barbecues are brought out of hibernation and rubbed clean for another season filled with succulent marinated meats, sausages and vegetables.
At this time of the year however, when the summer warmth dwindles into a crisp, cool Autumn morning and the days begin to get shorter I see those barbecues, which dutifully and laboriously entertained us throughout a summer of friends, family and relaxing evenings, being packed and banished at the back of the shed.
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Heirloom Tomato Goat Cheese Galette with Anchovies, Olives and Capers
How did this happen? And how come it happened so soon? And am I really ready? Do I have a choice?
These were just a few of the many questions I silently turned in my head, thoughts whirling around causing a commotion. I knew however, that the time had come to let go of his hand a little more. We were entering a new phase: the Junior High School Phase.
Cooking School: Bouillabaisse with a Red Pepper Rouille
I complain of it sometimes but truth be told I am guilty of it too. Trying to be faster than the fast-paced life we are living in. A touch and go world in need of more information in 140 characters. Our lives are ruled by news tickers, coffee-on-the-go and internet shopping. Apps organize our day, keep us “in touch” and connected, while we are constantly on the move
Anything that will make us faster, better and achieve more - in what seems to be less time than we had before.
Roasted Fennel Soup with Pernod and Smoked Salmon
First, I want to say WOW! Thanks for all those incredible comments, wishes and feedback on my last post. I was so touched by your heartfelt thoughts. It just blew me away. I enjoyed reading them so much, smiling and tearing up all at the same time.
Mussels in a Creamy Garlic Sauce
My father was often away. Traveling the globe to different locations, sometimes far off and exotic other times close to home and familiar, it was a normal way of life for my parents. Before we actually became school going kids, my mother would jet set with him spending a few weeks, maybe a few months depending on how she liked the place my dad was in.
Kids’ Favorites: Cornflakes Coated Fish Fingers with Roasted Root Veggie Chips
“We’re moving!” – Soeren and the move
One of the things I often get asked when people hear that we are moving away from Germany is “What about Soeren? How did he react to the news?”
Even my blog family, friends and readers have sent me emails or left comments asking me about this. When you have kids it’s definitely not an easy topic to tackle. So, how did we tackle it?
HHDD: Satay Roundup!
It
's the great Hay Hay Donna Day roundup!! This time we are having all sorts of firsts for this event. Two winners, two blogs, two different Donna Hay creations and two languages.
I shared the honor with another lovely blogger, Tartasacher of Mil Postres and together we came up with two Donna Hay creations for you to select from. Tartasacher selected a delicious sugar grilled fruit and cinnamon yogurt, while I went for chicken satay skewers.
Over here at the satay side of HHDD we had a lovely cozy gathering with a mixture of seafood, poultry and meat. Lovely ideas and great flavor combinations.
So without much fuss let me take you all over to the HHDD - Satay roundup! The picture gallery for the Satay roundup displays all the photos with mouthwatering details.
- ecurry: Shrimp Satay with Almond Satay Sauce
- La cocina de Zaira: Chicken Satay whit green peppers and cherry tomatoes
- 80 Breakfasts: Chicken Satay Skewers
- Fruit Art: Chicken Satay
- Bron Marshall: Prawn Satays with Peanut Sauce
- Home Gourmets: Turkey Mushroom Satay Skewers
- What's For Lunch, Honey?: Coconut Cashew Chicken Satay Skewers
That was it! Now it's time for all the participants to vote for their one favorite entry. Check out the roundup for the sweet Donna Hay entries over at Mil Postres, who will be posting the roundup a little later, then select your one favorite creation. Once you have decided, please send in your votes to Bron over at bron.marshall[AT]gmail[DOT]com.
The winner will be announced on February 19th. All the best!
I'll be back tomorrow with a delicious healthy family dinner. Stay tuned for that and in the meantime have a great weekend!
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Livestrong: Pumpkin Risotto with Shrimps
If all goes well you'll be reading this when I'll be at work and this post has published itself. See I am trying out the new feature scheduled posts from Blogger in draft.
Yes, my new job - I had my first day yesterday and it was pretty good. What I love the most is that I have real live colleagues with whom I can discuss issues, chat with and brainstorm in person. I really missed that working from home. The new job promises to be exciting and offers a nice diversity in tasks, which I personally like in a job. The best thing is that I was able to buy myself a new wardrobe and get to wear chic clothes instead of the comfy jeans and sweatshirt I used to wear when I was working from home. LOL!
Last year when I entered my sauce hollandaise for Barbara's wonderful event LiveSTRONG, I had mentioned in my post that I knew no one who was effected with cancer. That changed shortly after. My neighbor, a dear and wonderful lady, told me that she is a cancer survivor. She said she had beaten it, it took away one of her breasts, but she overcame it.
I wish the story ended there, like an happily ever after, but it goes on. A little while later she was informed that things were not looking good in her blood tests. Apparently after five years of it being dormant, the cancer came back, more aggressively than before. Somehow it had managed to find a way to her bones and eaten away on them. How this was not detected earlier still leaves me flabbergasted.
In the process of all this, she lost her job, her husband of over 13 years told her he was leaving her for someone else and finally when she decided to leave Weimar to go back to her hometown, where her parents were, her kids decided to stay on here with the father. It often seems when one is knee high in shit, one only finds a toothpick to dig themselves out of it. I felt so helpless - all I was able to do was be there to talk to her and try to raise her spirits.
Today, she is fighting the cancer with chemotherapy, she has been told that she will eventually die from it but the chemo will help her to prolong her life. She is a tough cookie. She has found love in the form of a new partner and when she came to visit me a little while back, I have to say she looked great. She still has that positive spirit and even after all that has happened to her in the short span of one year, she is looking into the future. No matter what she is determined to make it the best part of her life.
Go MP - you show em! This one's for you.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
500g Hokkaido pumpkin, cut into small cubes
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
400g Aroborio rice
1/8 l dry white wine
1 1/8 l vegetable stock
Fresh rosemary, chopped
200g shrimps, peeled
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Method
In a small pan, dry roast the coriander seeds until they are fragrant. Using a mortar and pestle grind into a powder.
In a heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and oil each. Add the onions, garlic, coriander powder, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin. Sauté for a few minutes, then stir in the rice. Sauté for another few minutes, until the rice turns transparent.
Pour in the wine and allow to soak into the rice. One the liquid has evaporated start adding the stock in ladles, each time waiting till the liquid has been soaked in. Stir frequently during this process to "massage" the starch out of the rice. The rice should be ready in about 15-20 minutes. It should be soft but still have a good bite to it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a non-stick pan, heat the remaining olive oil. Sauté the shrimps till they turn to their bright orange color and sprinkle with rosemary. Drizzle with lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
Incorporate the remaining butter into the risotto. Serve in pre-warmed deep dishes with the shrimps.
Helpful risotto reads:
About risotto
Basic risotto
Verdict:
Many of you know my affinity towards risotto. I love the creamy texture and the full bodied taste a risotto offers. This one is particularly special because it makes use of one common ingredient and one sophisticated ingredient - the pumpkin and shrimps - making this risotto a pure indulgence. It offers wonderful flavors of the sweet pumpkin and the firm shrimp infused with the delicate hint of coriander. The added plus are the crunchy pumpkin seeds.
This is for my support towards LiveSTRONG A Taste of Yellow.
Other risotto creations you might enjoy:
Risotto with creamy mushrooms
Risotto with creamy red bell pepper
Risotto with rucola and bresaola
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Pain Crevettes: Fancy Words For Shrimp Sandwich
Being grown up does have it's perks! There is no one to tell you to clean up your room, be back by 11 or eat up those veggies. You decide what you want to do and when you want to do it.
Take sandwiches for instance. I love sandwiches and could really eat a sandwich for each meal in the day - without having a guilty conscious. My hot (I do not know if he is hot but he sure writes like he is one hot dude!) friend over at Blood Sugar recently called it Man’s most incredible culinary creations, which I totally agreed with. However, while Graeme's very manly sandwich contained manly ingredients like tomato and ham and of course Chinese leaf, I decided to make a woman's sandwich.
Is this the war of the sandwiches? No, it certainly is not! It intrigued me to see the ingredients used by Graeme. You see I can swear to you that when Tom makes us sandwiches, he too will almost always go for the ham, tomato and lettuce combination, although hats off to Graeme for using that Chines leaf. When I make the sandwiches I am using ingredients like avocados, tuna, shrimp, rocket leaves and goats cheese. I have nothing against ham, lettuce and tomato, I actually love a good HLT sandwich. That is not the point here - the question that I had in my head was:
Do men make different sandwiches then women?
I never came up with the answer - so I will leave the question here for you to discuss and debate.
What do you think?
What is your favorite type of sandwich?
Graeme also asked us if we were so weird that we would eat a sandwich for lunch, dinner AND breakfast! Well I guess I belong in that weird category. And as I am all grown up now, I can choose to do so without feeling bad about it. Yes, it certainly is liberating to be an adult. So gimme that sandwich - man or woman!
The sandwich I am sharing here is one that we all really enjoy. Most of the ingredients come fresh from the Farmer's market or my CSA box. I often make it for a quick lunch for myself or a light dinner for all three of us, varying a few of the ingredients for a different combination of flavors. This one has lovely steamed shrimps, cucumbers and tomatoes with an added bite of rocket leaves and radish.One does not really need instructions to make a sandwich but often it helps to have it written down so that it can be re-created. So, I hope you all enjoy it!
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here
200g steamed shrimps
Juice of half a lime.
2 rustic baguette rolls
1/2 cucumber - sliced
2 small tomatoes - sliced
Handful of radishes - sliced
Large handful of rocket leaves
100g Herb flavored quark or sour cream
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Method
Cut open the baguette using a sharp knife. Spread a thin layer of the quark or sour cream on both sides of the baguette. On one side of the baguette, arrange a few rocket leaves, tomato, cucumber and radish slices. Toss the shrimps in some lime juice. Scatter a good helping of the shrimps on the baguette and then add a dollop of the quark or sour cream. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Close the sandwich with the other half. Gently press down.
Serve immediately otherwise it will get soggy.
Verdict
Sandwiches rule - whether made by a man or a woman. No doubt about that. This one is always a pleasure because it combines the shrimps and crunchy cucumber with the sharpness of the radish and the herby rocket leaves making each bite a flavorful experience.
From The Archives
Garlic Shrimp & Eggs on Bagel
Calzone's Super Veg Sandwich
Pitta Parantha Fusion
Cheese Quesadillas with Two Salsas
Technorati Tags: Sandwich, Bread, Shrimp, Rocket, Tomato, Cucumber, Radish, Food, Recipe, Photography, Nikon D70s
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Fried Fish Provencal Style
There are some recipes that at first sight seem just a bit ordinary - or so you think when you look at the list of ingredients. It takes a second look to change that first impression. Because you realize the simplicity of the recipe has big taste attached to it.That is what I thought when I first saw the recipe for this fish. We really enjoy our fish and it is important to me to show Soeren that there are plenty of tastier and healthier ways to enjoy fish as the ever so popular fish fingers. For some reason the first time I looked at the recipe I missed the big herb bit. When I went through it again the combination of the herbs and the garlic from the Aioli just sounded too good to pass up. I adapted the recipe by making my own herb mixture from fresh herbs.
This recipe uses Herbes de Provence, a herb mixture of aromatic plants native to the beautiful Provence region of France. The fresh herbs are gathered from the mountain sides and used in traditional dishes. These are sold typically (but not always) dried and in larger bags than the regular sized bags for other herb mixtures.
Traditionally, Herbes de Provence contains a mixture of rosemary, marjoram, bay leaf, basil, savory and thyme. You might also find lavender flowers and fennel in the herb bag too. You can also use other herbs like tarragon, chervil and sage. The flavor of thyme is most dominating in this mixture.
Commonly it is used with grilled foods like fish and meat, but it is also often found in vegetable stews as well. The reason this mixture is best made with dried herbs is due to the fact that the fresher variety will lose their flavor if cooking for longer than 20 minutes.
As I was using this herb mixture blended in the coating I made a mixture using fresh herbs from sage, marjoram, rosemary, basil, thyme and tarragon. I also added a bit of dried orange zest to my mixture giving the entire mixture a tangy aromatic flavor.
For those of you who give this recipe a try will straight away realize that it is quick and easy to make and you will presumably replace those fish fingers. Nothing against fish fingers, but why settle for frozen processed sticks with more batter than fish, when you can enjoy a healthier and tastier fish big on taste.
Don't forget to send in your warming and soothing dishes to the next Monthly Mingle - Give ThanksDeadline: November 16, 2006
Please note: I will require a 75 x 75 picture of your dishes too.
Music while cooking:
Robbie Williams - Lovelight - This is such a hot single and the video is ohhhh just gorgeous, a major distraction while cooking. New on my iPodAlbum: Rudebox
*Artwork and music courtesy of iTunes
Ingredients:
For the fish
400g - cod filets
6 tablespoons fresh Herbes de Provence mixture - finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 egg - beaten
2 tablespoons milk
100g bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
Oil
For the Aioli
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 lime - juice and zest
1-2 garlic cloves - mashed
Method:
To make the Aioli
In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice and zest and the mashed garlic together. Keep cool.
To make the fish
Place the flour in a deep plate. In another mix together the egg and milk and in yet another mix the breadcrumbs and the herbs together.
Cut the fish filets in 2-4 pieces and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. Take each fish piece coat each side first with flour, then soak with the egg mixture and finally completely coat with breadcrumbs and herb mixture.
In a large pan heat the oil and fry the fish pieces on each side for 3-4 minutes. Set on some paper towel to soak excess oil.
Serve with the Aioli and some fresh lime wedges.
Alternative ideas:
You can use different types of herb mixtures for a new flavor each time. Try my Italian Herb Mixture.
Verdict:
Hmmm! This was a pleasure from beginning to end. While preparing the dish the kitchen was filled with a wonderful herby aroma. My men just could not wait to get to the dinner table. At the table, the full flavor of these herbs and the crunchy coating combined with the garlicy mayonnaise was a delight in every bite. It's one of those recipes that lingers on your tastebuds long after the meal is over and you just do not want to eat anything else, because you do not want that flavor to dissolve. Do you know what I mean?
I am the host for this weekend's Weekend Herb Blogging created by the lovely and currently a bit under the weather Kalyn so do two things: first go over to Kalyn's blog and give her a huge get well soon hug and then send me your recipes for the event!
Roundup will be on Monday.
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photography, nikon, nikon d70s, photo, fish, herb, provencal, foodblog, Weekend Herb Blogging, aioli, garlic, Herbes de Provence, provence, France, Robbie Williams
Cooking School # 3: Paella
I was not really planning to do another "Cooking School" session so soon, but as things would have it, this is the ideal post for my own event the Monthly Mingle. The theme this month is Holiday Cuisine.
You folks probably thought I would be cooking up something Greek to celebrate our upcoming vacation. Nope! It is the perfect Paella.
You all want the story now, right?
Well it is a romantic one and if there are any sentimental ones out there (like myself) a few tissues would be handy.
Tom and I will be celebrating our 8 years together on September 9. We came together 8 years ago and have been going strong ever since. We've done and seen so much together that sometimes it seems like we've been together a lot longer. We both love traveling and have been to a few great places.
One place that I will always have in my memory is our very first vacation together. It was on the beautiful island of Mallorca in Spain. To be quite honest, we wanted to go to Greece (sound familiar) but had decided on the vacation spontaneously and on the last minute. We found nothing that fit our schedule. Finally our travel agent recommended Mallorca. We were very hesitant because Mallorca does not always have the best of reputations. What you see on the travel reports and often hear are the stories of the beach mile in Palma where everyone gets drunk and parties wildly into the wee hours of the morning. Hey, we like to party too, but it is not really our type of vacation to spend the days nursing a hangover and the nights in smoky bars.
The travel agent was brilliant. She put together a fantastic package and said that she would book us in a romantic hotel about 30 to 40 kms from Palma. We decided to rent a car and the agent gave us a few fantastic tips.
Mallorca is a beautiful place with lush green vegetation and an aquamarine sea. We stayed away from Palma for the most part and set out on our own tours discovering the East coast of the island. Romantic bays, sandy beaches, gorgeous sunsets and the food was to die for. We ate in rustical restaurants serving some of the most delicious seafood specialties I have ever had and of course my all time favorite - Paella.
It was in Valldemossa where Tom and I actually really fell in love.
Sound funny?
There is always that one second when you look into someone's eyes and POW! you know you've been hit by cupid's arrow. For us it was in this quaint and charming little town and funny enough right there in the monastery where Frederic Chopin spent the last years of his life.
Valldemossa is famous thanks to Chopin and his lover, writer George Sand (wrote "A Winter in Majorca") who moved there to fight against Chopin's tuberculosis. The village is situated in the mountains and getting there from the coastal harbor is the most amazing drive. Through luscious olive and almond trees, always with the view of the turquoise colored sea below. The winding road up to the town was so breath taking that we kept stopping and taking pictures.
Once there, we wandered the town, including the monastery's gardens. Sitting in the courtyard just outside the monastery gardens we both wrote postcards to our friends. There on that bench it clicked. Just like that. I looked at him writing his cards and smiled, in that moment he looked at me and smiled back. My stomach did a huge turn and everything went pink.
Isn't that the color of love?
After this enlightening moment, we walked around and found a gorgeous little restaurant. On their board outside the words "Homemade Paella" brought water to our mouths. It was the best Paella I have ever had. Probably because the atmosphere surrounding it was so grand.
Ever since then I have been trying to make the perfect Paella. Some resulted in disasters others were very good, but always a lot of hard work and not quite that Valledemossa taste.
I did not give up. Experimenting and tweaking all the time. Eight years after that Paella I think I am ready to serve you what I believe to be that very perfect Paella from Valldemossa.
Music while cooking:
Lee Ryan - Army of Lovers
Album - Lee Ryan
Ingredients:
4 chicken legs - separated into thighs and drumsticks
500 g Mussels - washed and cleaned. Sort out those that are opened.
150 g large shrimps or prawns - cleaned. You can leave the skin on if you wish.
400 g Fish filet - cut into bite sized cubes
2 bell peppers (yellow and red) - cut into cubes
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
250 g Paella rice
1/2 teaspoon of saffron
150 g peas - frozen will do fine
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 liter chicken stock
Method:
To start with you will need a large heavy pan with a lid that you can put into the oven. I used my Wok, which served the purpose very well.
In some oil fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Take out and set aside.
Heat up some more oil and add the fish, mussels, and the shrimps. Quickly saute these for approx. 2 to 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Take out and set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 150° C.
Adding some more oil (should you still have some oil in the pan then you do not need to add any more) saute the peppers and the onions. Add the garlic and the rice and mix together. Dissolve the saffron in the chicken stock (if you should accidentally spill the contents of the saffron on the kitchen floor like I did and there is no more saffron in the spice cabinet - please substitute with turmeric. LOL!).
Add some of the chicken stock/saffron (turmeric) mixture and the peas. Allow to simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has been soaked up by the rice. Then add some more stock. Repeat this process until all but the last 1/4 l of the liquid remains. Add this to the rice. Salt to taste and now add the mussels, fish, shrimps and the chicken to the wok. Mix well. Cover and put into the oven to allow the paella to cook slowly and soak up the remaining liquid - about 20 minutes. Do not open the lid too often as the paella needs to gently combine all its flavors and aromas together.
Take out of the oven. Keep covered for 5 to 8 minutes before opening. Salt and pepper to taste and pour the lemon juice over the top.
Enjoy with a chilled white wine on pre-heated plates.
Verdict:
I can't even start to describe the reverie of flavors and aromas. Once you open the lid you are hit with ecstatic fragrance of sea and land. Do you know what I mean?
The seafood brings that aroma of the ocean and the rice, vegetables and chicken takes you away back on the mountain village of Valldemossa. Fork after forkful, it was a delightful experience. The chicken and the shrimps, mussels brought a gorgeous harmony to the rice and vegetables.
Soeren at first did not want to eat the mussels. "You can't eat shells!" But as I scooped out the flesh and showed him that it was this part he ate, he was willing to try. Yes, he ate the whole plate, even the mussels and wanted more. So, any parents with kids who might think their kids will not take a liking to this do not have to worry.
Tom, looking at his expression, was back in Mallorca. He seemed to be in a trance and enjoyed every biteful. I had made a huge amount of the Paella. I was really surprised that a larger part of it disappeared.
Last reminder that the deadline for this month's Monthly Mingle Holiday Cuisine ends on September 7th. So, get those lovely dishes sizzling that take you away to that far off land or remind you of your fave holiday.
Ruth from Once upon a Feast is hosting the Weekend Cookbook Challenge this time round. She has chosen the theme (somewhat similar to the Monthly Mingle) "Foreign Dish". I figured this would be a perfect entry for the event. This recipe has evolved from several different cookbooks, magazines and hand-me down recipes from some of my Spanish friends and so I am unable to define one particular cookbook for it.
I hope Cate will also enjoy this dish for her ARF-5-A Day Tuesday.
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paella, chicken, rice, spanish, seafood, food, recipe, Weekend Cookbook Challenge, shrimp, mussels
Big on Barbecue
You know when I write this post I think back to the actual day we had this barbecue. It was back then when Germany played against Argentina. Although we did not know it at the time the pictures were taken, but Germany would win the match and a mad soccer craze would pour not only at our place among our guests but throughout Germany.
Ironically, I am doing the write up now with the knowledge that Germany lost to Italians in the semi finals. Funny how in the process of an actual post you can share so many feelings, thoughts and experiences.
It was a turbulent wave of feelings, for both matches. On one side ecstatic happiness and then four days later, a sort of numb with shock feeling.
We are over it now and with the knowledge that the Germans not only played extremely well throughout the world cup but also with the fact that Germany was a fantastic host to all the guests and teams during the matches, we look forward to the next match against Portugal.
Sometimes, this country goes a little under-rated in the World but even though with all the bickering that goes on here about high taxes, expensive gas prices, high unemployment .... this and that ... it really is a fantastic place to live.
Anyway, yet another ironic fact in this story is that my Barbecue concentrates on the Italian tastes LOL! (so that brought me back on track!)
My previous post here was all about the basic sauces you would need for a quick barbecue. If you have made the sauces and already have these in your refrigerator, then you know that this grilling session is gonna be a quickie.
In the scrumptious photo above you can see just a few things I made all using the three sauces as a marinade, sauce and dip.
Pesto Aubergine Wraps
Ingredients:
Pesto alla Genovese
1 Aubergine - cut in slices lengthways
Mozzarella - sliced
Tomato - sliced
Olive oil
Method:
Spread some Pesto alla Genovese on the sliced aubergine. Lay a slice of tomato and mozzarella and fold over once. To keep it in place stick a toothpick into the middle of the wrap. Drizzle with olive oil. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes.
Put on barbecue and grill till soft and the cheese has started to melt.
Garlic/Herb Potatoes
Ingredients:
New potatoes - cut in half
olive oil
Aglio Olio
Dried Thyme
Salt and pepper
Method:
In a bowl place the potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons of the Aglio Olio. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the thyme and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well. Allow to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
Grill on a barbecue till soft and slightly brown.
Mixed herb vegetables
Ingredients:
Aglio Olio
Mixed dried herbs
Vegetables of your choice. I used whole spring onions and long pointed bell peppers cut in half.
Olive oil
salt and pepper
Method:
Place vegetables in a long dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub in some Aglio Olio and drizzle with olive oil.
Grill on a barbecue until soft.
Garlic Shrimps
Ingredients:
Fresh jumbo shrimps - peeled and cleaned
salt and pepper
Aglio Olio
lime juice
skewers
Method:
Rub the shrimps with plenty of Aglio Olio, salt and pepper. Pour the juice of one lime and allow to marinate for 6-8 hours.
Place the shrimps on skewers. A little tip from me: If you are using wooded skewers place them in some water for 20 minutes or so. This way they won't burn on the grill.
Grill the shrimp skewers for just a few minutes on each side.
Spicy swordfish skewers
Ingredients:
Swordfish filet - cut in cubes
Arrabiata
salt and pepper
Method:
Place the fish filet cubes in a bowl and mix with the Arrabiata well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Marinate for 6-8 hours.
Place the fish cubes on skewers and grill for a few minutes until cooked.
Verdict:
Phew! The write up took more time to do then the actual preparations for the barbecue ;-)
I am just going to say one thing for the verdict - DELICIOUS.
It was easy, simple and the most important thing - I had time for my guests and was able to enjoy their company.
If you are like my friend - fussing and fretting, I really hope this post shows you that sometimes you too as a host can relax and have fun.
As the host of the Monthly Mingle I would like to thank all those you have sent in their entries.
Round-up tomorrow!
There are so many gorgeous things on this barbecue so I thought Cate would be glad to receive a whole barbecue meal for the great ARF 5 A Day Tuesday.
Search Tags:
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Blog Swop: Spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola
This was my recipe I cooked extra for Pam at Posie's place in our blog swop! It was fun and look forward to doing this again.Pam and I decided to surprise our readers with a Blog Swop. We discovered, in our virtual friendship, that we have a few things in common and really took a liking to each other. One thing we both love is Jamie Oliver and his current Jamie's Italy. The recipes are all fantastica! That is why it was rather difficult for me to decide what could I cook for Pam.
At first I thought of making something sweet but then decided to go with this recipe:
Spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola - Spaghetti with jumbo prawns and rucola. I had a few great ideas how I could photograph the prawns ;-)!
I did make one or two very minor changes to the recipe though. For example instead of using white wine I used vegetable stock (I have a 3 1/2 half year old son and substitute alcohol for stocks). I used normal tomato paste and chopped up sun dried tomatoes into the sauce. Jamie recommends using paste from sun dried tomatoes or puréeing 6 sun dried tomatoes into a paste. Instead of lemon juice and zest I used limes. Those were my only changes otherwise I tried to stick to the recipe as much as I could ;-)!
I hope you liked our little surprise and enjoy this great tasting recipe.
Ingredients:500g Spaghetti or Fettucini - try getting some fresh pasta if you can, it always tastes much better
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
400g large jumbo prawns
good extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
1-2 dried red chili - broken into flakes
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 - 8 sun dried tomatoes - chopped coarsely
zest and juice from 1 lime
2 handfuls of rucola - chopped coarsely
Method:Add some of the olive oil in a large pan and heat. Add the garlic and sauté. Jamie recommends to also add the chilies at this point and sauté with the garlic but as I am cooking for a child I always add the spice later. When the garlic starts to take on a nice color, put in the prawns and fry for approx. 1 minute. Now, add the stock (or wine) with the tomato paste and chopped sun dried tomatoes. And allow to simmer for a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the spaghetti according to instructions. Once these are ready drain, saving some cooking water for the sauce. Pour this into the sauce until it has you preferred consistency. Now you can take a small portion out if you are also cooking for kids and in the rest add the chilies. Throw in the spaghetti in both sauces and mix well. Pour the lime juice and add some of the chopped rucola. Quickly serve on individual plates sprinkling, a bit of the zest and the rest of rucola over the pasta.
Verdict:
This was just delicious. Soeren once again thought the prawns were chicken. I wanted to explain to him that these were prawns but as I have a very inquisitive son he would have wanted to see what they look like in real. Well, I thought I would save that for another day. He enjoyed the dish very much ... after all all kids love pasta. This is a nice variation to the usual pasta and tomato sauce or the famous bolognese! Of course it is a finer type dish and therefore perfect for when you have guest over.
Tom (my better half), is being spoilt the last few days as I have been cooking for a few blog events since the weekend! He loved the slightly limey taste this had and with the prawns he just relished the pasta. For some reason we did not talk much at the dinner table! I wonder why?
Power Potato Cakes with Smoked Graved Salmon
These are so full of goodies that there can be no other name for these potato cakes.Filled with carrots, herbs, flax seeds and sesame seeds they are perfect for so many dishes. When I make these I make a huge batch because we eat them in so many ways and with so many dishes. I made these yesterday and used them in Soeren's Tiffin. They are so easy to freeze and take out any time you want.
The idea for this recipe came when I was at a friends place and she served these. I asked her how she makes them and she said she doesn't she buys them! Well I figured I can do that too, but it would be better (and healthier) if I had a go at making them myself.
It's an easy peezy recipe and tonight I served these with smoked Graved salmon and avocados. A light snack filled with an extra portion power. Full of tangy freshness with avocado and a touch of lime juice. The mustard honey sauce fives it a fine aroma.
Ingredients:
For potato cakes:300g potatoes - grated
100g carrots - grated
handful flax seeds
handful sesame seeds
1 cup mixed herbs
salt & pepper
oil
For smoked graved salmon
200g Smoked Graved Salmon - thinly sliced
1 avocado
fresh lime juice
150g sour cream - double use
2 teaspoon mustard - I used dijon
11/2 teaspoon clear honey
salt & pepper
Method:
Potato Cakes:In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients together and mix well. Form medium sized flat cakes.
In a frying pan heat up the oil and fry the cakes on both sides till golden brown.
If freezing, fry for only 2-3 minutes on each side. Take out and pat dry. Allow to cool. Lay a sheet of baking paper in between each cake and freeze in a ziploc bag. When you take these out of the freezer you can bake these in the oven or fry them without thawing.
Smoked Graved Salmon
In a mixing bowl add 100g of the sour cream, mustard, honey, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth and creamy. Put in refrigerator to cool.
Cut the avocado in thin slices. Place in bowl and add the lime juice. Toss the avocado well.
In the mean time using the rest of the sour cream, add a small dollop on each potato cake. Place two avocado slices on top. Roll a slice of the salmon and place this on top of the avocado. Now, using a teaspoon add a small portion of the mustard honey sauce into the roll.
Serve this with a green salad made from lamb's lettuce and green asparagus. Recipe coming soon!
Verdict:
This was Soeren's first try at salmon. I made his like a little sandwich instead of the open faced cakes. He ate it with ketchup (?) instead of the honey mustard sauce, but he enjoyed it. After he ate his portion he said "The ham was good!" Cute eh?
Tom came a little later then usual and I think his was a little cold, but he really liked it. He loved the silky combination of the avocado, with the crispy potato and the smooth salmon. He also liked the fact that it was light and easy.
Tuna Tacos - ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday
Tacos are loved by almost everyone I know. Although Tom sometimes complains because one can never eat a Taco with a certain countenance: I file it in my Non-Countenance recipes! But he too loves these great finger foods. The recipes I have for tacos are mostly with beef, chicken, pork - so when I saw this recipe with tuna in a German food magazine, I was delighted.I also did a little research on tuna to check out the nutrition facts. The basic low-down is:
It is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Selenium.
Together with kidney beans, which is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol, a good source of Protein, Folate and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, and the corn, which is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium and a good source of Vitamin C and Folate, I thought this would be a great dish for the ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday entry over at Cate's Sweetnicks.
Phew! Armed with all this information I hope you enjoy making these great Tuna Tacos.
PS. I recently took part in My Dhaba's cooking competition. My entries were Spinach Soup with Coconut Milk and Chicken and Italian Oven Vegetables. As of today, April 11 through to April 20, the public opinion poll starts.
Maybe you'll find some time to check it out and nominate me as your favorite. I am counting on you! Details to vote can be found here.
Ingredients:
2 white onions - chopped
2 cans of tuna in water without salt (each about 185 g)
250 g kidney beans - soaked overnight (or canned beans work fine too)
285 g corn
1 can of canned tomatoes - chopped (500g)
fresh thyme
chili powder
olive oil
salt and pepper
lettuce leaves
Taco shells
Method:Heat the olive oil in a large pan and gently sauté the onions until they are soft. Pour in the can of chopped tomatoes and sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the beans, corn and the tuna and cook everything for another 5 minutes. At this point, if you are cooking for children too, then simply separate a portion for the little ones. Add chili powder according to your taste to the main mixture.
Warm the taco shells according to instructions. Line each taco shell with some lettuce and fill with the tuna mixture.
Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
Verdict:
I had these for lunch today and will be serving this to my men later this evening. So, first my verdict:
The fact that I was able to whip this together for a quick lunch gave the recipe a huge bonus point. I work from home and every now and then tend to skip my meals at the thought of cooking something. This was definitely quick and I had most of the ingredients in the pantry. I really liked the taste of the thyme and tuna together with the corn and beans. It was just right. The juices of the tomatoes harmonized really well with the rest of the ingredients. I was going to add a bit of grated cheese to the top but decided against it. It would not have gone so well. Now, I am completely stuffed.
Sweet & Sour Fish
Next stop Shanghai! On our food journey across the world this weekend, I decided to make this great alternative to the usual sweet & sour chicken. A lot of people shy away from making Chinese cuisine at home as it is known, that although the cooking time does not take so long it is the preparation that makes one slog in the kitchen. This really does not have to be if you prepare and plan in advance. I normally go to our fresh fruit and vegie market at least once a week. Once a month I buy in bulk. I buy all types of vegetables and fruit that we like to eat at home and spend part of my weekend chopping and freezing these in portions. This way I always have fresh vegies nicely frozen for any type of meal. When I wanted to cook this sweet & sour fish I hardly spent any time cutting and preparing the vegetables.Ingredients:
500g fish (do not use a very soft type of fish for this) - cut in bite size pieces
1 egg
3 tablespoons cornstarch
soya sauce
1 large onion cut in thick slices
1 garlic cloves, finely chopped
300g Mixed Chinese vegetables (I used cauiflower, peas, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, sprouts, bell peppers etc.)
2 tomatoes cut in half then in thick slices
1 small can pineapple
For the sauce:
3/4 cup of water
1/4 vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soya sauce
Method:
Blend cornstarch, egg and some water together and make a nice smooth batter. Add some soya sauce to taste. Put the fish pieces in the batter and mix so that all the pieces are nicely covered. Take out, let drip and fry in portions in hot oil until nice and brown. Remove from oil and put on some kitchen paper so that some of the oil gets soaked up. Keep warm.
In a wok add some oil (Rape or Sesame oil) and fry the onions and garlic until tender. Except for the tomatoes and pineapple, add all the vegetables you are using.
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Add the mixture to the wok and let simmer for a few minutes. When the sauce has thickened add the tomatoes and pineapple. At the very end add the fish pieces to the sauce & vegetable mixture.
Serve this with steamed basmati rice.
Verdict:
"Different with the fish, but extremely good" was Tom's comment to this. Soeri, asked what the pieces of meat were and I told him it was fish "Hmmmnnn I like to eat this stuff" and with that he literally stuffed his mouth spoonful after spoonful. I was a bit worried that Soeren might turn this down, as he likes to separate his vegetables to his fruit ... and keep them that way. I was very glad that he excepted this combination.
Pesto Salmon, New Potatoes, Snow peas & Corn
Recipes I make up do not generally have measurements as I simply add or concont according to feeling. I have however, tried to give some guideline where I can.If you all have been reading my other blog, will know I have been on a Pesto trip ever since our trip to Liguria in September 2005. I brought back a few jars of delicious pesto alla genovese from a fantastic organic food market in Imperia. But you can also use the recipe, I also brought back from the Italian mama I dared to ask!
Ingredients
- Pesto alla Genovese
- 4 Salmon Steaks
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 lime for lime juice
- New potatoes
- Snow peas
- 1/2 onion chopped
- Frozen sweet corn
- Olive oil (preferably from Liguria)
- 300 ml Fish fond (Vegetable fond will also do)
- Creme Leger (which is low fat cream)
- Dried basel
MethodSprinkle sea salt and freshly ground pepper on the salmon steaks. Generously rub them with the pesto on both sides. Refrigerate overnight, not forgetting to cover tightly with cling film.
Wash the new potatoes with salty, warm water. In a steamer bring water to a boil and put the potatoes to steam for 15-20 minutes.
In the meantime, add some olive oil to a large pan. When the oil has heated up throw in the steaks and fry quickly on both sides for approx. 3-4 minutes. Add some of the fond and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and gently simmer for a further few minutes. Depending on the thickness of the steaks for approx. 6-8 minutes.
Take the steaks out, wrap in aluminum foil and keep warm. Turn up the heat and add the rest of the fond. Bring to a boil for a minute or so. Now once again reduce the heat and add the creme leger and let simmer until the sauce thickens. Make sure that the sauce does not boil again or else the cream will clot!
In another large pan, add a generous helping of olive oil. Gently fry the onions in the pan. Take the potatoes out of the steamer and add to the pan. Do not reduce the heat from the steamer, as you can put in the frozen corn and let those steam while you get the potatoes ready.
Toss the potatoes until covered in oil. Add salt and the dried basel. Saute until brown.
A minute or two before the corn is ready throw in the snow peas. Let them steam.
Serve on pre-warmed plates!
Verdict:Yummy! This is definitely something I should make again. Soeri spooned the salmon, potatoes and corn in huge bites.
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