Monday, September 1, 2008
Summer Salads
Cucumber & Orange Salad
This light and refreshing summer salad is so easy to make, a perfect opener on a hot summer day.
2 cups finely shredded lettuce
2 cups grated english cucumber
or
2 cups grated garden cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 large or 2 small oranges, peeled and chopped in small pieces, reserving the juice.
Mix it all together just before serving, and serve in small individual bowls, garnished with an orange slice if you like.
Moroccan Tomato Salad - a classic take on fresh salsa
1 cup finely chopped red or white onion
1 clove of minced garlic (or more to taste)2
large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro (chinese parsley),or1/2 cup minced fresh parsley(or a combination of the two)
1/2tsp salt - preferably sea salt or fleur de sel
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp olive oil
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, minced finely(optional)
Mix them together, marinate for 1-2 hours before serving if possible.
You can adjust the salad to your taste - a little hot sauce, more garlic, fresh basil if you have it. This is a great side dish for grilled chicken or lamb. Wonderful with burgers or kefta.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Bangkok Prawns
1 lb fresh or frozen prawns, cleaned and peeled
1tsp lemon juice
1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
2tsp Real Thai spice blend
1 cup sliced onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely sliced
1 cup red pepper, sliced fine
½ cup green pepper, sliced fine
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Have all ingredients prepared, this is a very quick dish.
Place the peeled prawns in a bowl, toss with the garlic and lemon juice, and 1tsp of Real Thai spice blend
Heat a shallow pan on medium-high, and add the olive oil. Immediately add the prawns and all other ingredients, except the cilantro. Using a spatula or bamboo paddle, keep stirring the ingredients over medium high heat, just until the prawns become pink and opaque. Add the cilantro, stir, and serve with steamed rice.
,
1tsp lemon juice
1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
2tsp Real Thai spice blend
1 cup sliced onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely sliced
1 cup red pepper, sliced fine
½ cup green pepper, sliced fine
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Have all ingredients prepared, this is a very quick dish.
Place the peeled prawns in a bowl, toss with the garlic and lemon juice, and 1tsp of Real Thai spice blend
Heat a shallow pan on medium-high, and add the olive oil. Immediately add the prawns and all other ingredients, except the cilantro. Using a spatula or bamboo paddle, keep stirring the ingredients over medium high heat, just until the prawns become pink and opaque. Add the cilantro, stir, and serve with steamed rice.
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Sunday, August 12, 2007
Couscous Marrakech
One of the best couscous recipes, rich, flavorful, spicy, but only hot if you choose.
Couscous is a semolina based pasta, and like spaghetti, couscous is the name of the pasta and of the completed dish.
For the couscous grain, choose regular or whole-wheat, medium instant couscous. Despite what the package might say, it requires a bit more work than adding boiling water. Good couscous is not instant oatmeal.
For 2 cups of dry couscous, you will need 3/4 cup hot water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1tbsp olive oil or butter.
Place the couscous in a bowl, add the hot water and salt, and stir. Let it sit for ten minutes to absorb the water. Fluff with a fork or rub with your fingers to separate the grains. Add the butter or olive oil, and rub through the grains gently. Set aside.
The Dish
Couscous Marrakech is best with chicken, but can be adapted to a vegetarian dish by using firm tofu.
Ingredients
500gm boneless chicken breast, cut in strips
1 12oz can chickpeas
two medium onions
one clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup raisins
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1tbsp light jam - apricot, peach, or marmalade (this is the trick)
1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds
Traditionally couscous is prepared in a couscousiere, a tall two section pot like a double boiler, allowing you to prepare the main ingredients in the bottom, and steam the couscous grains above it. A simple alternative is to use a steamer over a small pot of boiling water for the couscous, and a heavy bottomed pan or deep skillet to cook the chicken.
Place the chicken strips in a bowl with 1tbsp olive oil, the paprika, cumin, garlic, and black pepper. Mix and let marinate for 15min. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and set aside. Peel and very coarsely chop the onions. Place the raisins in a small bowl with boiling water just to cover.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan or a deep skillet. Add the chicken, and brown over medium heat. Add the onions and cinnamon, and continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Now drain the raisins, and add to the chicken with the chickpeas, jam, and red pepper flakes. Stir lightly, then add 2 cups hot water. Cover and cook 15min over medium low heat, checking to make sure the liquid doesn't evaporate.
While the chicken is cooking, place the couscous grain in a perforated steamer, over boiling water. Steam for 5 minutes, fluffing with a fork once or twice.
Add the chopped cilantro to the chicken, and taste for seasoning.
Pile the couscous grain on a large round plate, with a well in the center. Drizzle the couscous with some of the sauce from the chicken, and then pile the chicken mixture in the center of the couscous, reserving some of the chickpeas and raisins to garnish the ring of couscous. Gently pour the sauce over the dish, garnish with almonds, and serve.
Couscous is a semolina based pasta, and like spaghetti, couscous is the name of the pasta and of the completed dish.
For the couscous grain, choose regular or whole-wheat, medium instant couscous. Despite what the package might say, it requires a bit more work than adding boiling water. Good couscous is not instant oatmeal.
For 2 cups of dry couscous, you will need 3/4 cup hot water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1tbsp olive oil or butter.
Place the couscous in a bowl, add the hot water and salt, and stir. Let it sit for ten minutes to absorb the water. Fluff with a fork or rub with your fingers to separate the grains. Add the butter or olive oil, and rub through the grains gently. Set aside.
The Dish
Couscous Marrakech is best with chicken, but can be adapted to a vegetarian dish by using firm tofu.
Ingredients
500gm boneless chicken breast, cut in strips
1 12oz can chickpeas
two medium onions
one clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup raisins
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1tbsp light jam - apricot, peach, or marmalade (this is the trick)
1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds
Traditionally couscous is prepared in a couscousiere, a tall two section pot like a double boiler, allowing you to prepare the main ingredients in the bottom, and steam the couscous grains above it. A simple alternative is to use a steamer over a small pot of boiling water for the couscous, and a heavy bottomed pan or deep skillet to cook the chicken.
Place the chicken strips in a bowl with 1tbsp olive oil, the paprika, cumin, garlic, and black pepper. Mix and let marinate for 15min. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and set aside. Peel and very coarsely chop the onions. Place the raisins in a small bowl with boiling water just to cover.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan or a deep skillet. Add the chicken, and brown over medium heat. Add the onions and cinnamon, and continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Now drain the raisins, and add to the chicken with the chickpeas, jam, and red pepper flakes. Stir lightly, then add 2 cups hot water. Cover and cook 15min over medium low heat, checking to make sure the liquid doesn't evaporate.
While the chicken is cooking, place the couscous grain in a perforated steamer, over boiling water. Steam for 5 minutes, fluffing with a fork once or twice.
Add the chopped cilantro to the chicken, and taste for seasoning.
Pile the couscous grain on a large round plate, with a well in the center. Drizzle the couscous with some of the sauce from the chicken, and then pile the chicken mixture in the center of the couscous, reserving some of the chickpeas and raisins to garnish the ring of couscous. Gently pour the sauce over the dish, garnish with almonds, and serve.
Monday, July 16, 2007
True tastes.
Recipes of authentic, real cuisine from around the world. Starting with Morocco and Spain, the classic "Andalusia". Dishes that taste the way they would in the homes and markets, made in the classic tradition.
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