Warm seafood salad with white beans and potatoes

Posted on July 26, 2008 by meggamoma

In the spring of 1990 I took a workshop with the famed NYC chef Gennaro Picone, the then owner of the restaurant Malvasia. It was such a ploeasure to watch him at work. This is one of the salads he served at Malvasia. Serves4

For Beans

10 ounces of white beans

1 cup of olive oil

1 whole garlic bulb

2 bunches of sage

1 tablespoon salt

Soak beans overnight completely covered in water. Boil  with the rest of the ingredients, drain , removing everything but the beans.

I use canned white beans, drained and rinsed, they are not as flavorful but it is so much quicker.

For seafood

6 ounces of each

Clams

Mussels

Scallops

Shrimp

Calamari

1 Medium potato (boiled and diced)

5 Basil leaves

1 tablespoon of parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup olive oil

10 ounces fish stock

1 teaspoon crushed red peppers

1 garlic bulb, crushed

Cut and clean all seafood.

In a large slillet combine olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, parsley,salt, crushed red pepper and seafood. Cook until clams and mussels open, approximately 10 minutes.

Add beans,potatoes, chopped basil and fish stock. Boil a few minutes and serve.

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Poached Whole Shrimp with ginger,scallion and Soy

Posted on July 26, 2008 by meggamoma

This recipie is a real treat from the Shun Lee cookbook. It is important that you use Jumbo Whole shrimp, with head and tail on. It is served with a light, slightly spicy dipping sauce

Dipping sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Maggi sauce, available at Asian Markets

1 tablespoon Chicken stock, fresh or canned chicken broth

1 teaspoon peeled and minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon chinese barbeque sauce, preferably Bull Head

1 tablespoon Rice Wine, or dry sherry

1 scallion, white part only,trimmed and minced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 small green chili, Thai or serrano, seeds and ribs removed, minced

 

1 scallion, green part only,trimmed and cut into 3 pieces

one 1/2 inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into 2 slices and smashed

1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry

12 colossal or jumbo shrimp, unpeeled

To make dipping sauce, mix soy sauce, maggi sauce, stock,ginger, barbeque sauce, rice wine, scallion, cilantro, and chili in a small bowl, set aside.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in wok over high heat. Add scallions, ginger and rice wine. Add shrimp and cookjust until they turn bright pink , about  2 to 3 minutes. Drain well. Discard the scallion and ginger.

Transfer the hot shrimp to a platter and arrange overlapping, in a circle. Serve with the dipping sauce.

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Baby bok choy in spice paste

Posted on July 25, 2008 by meggamoma

I love bok choy as it is delicious, nutricious, and low in carbohydrate. This Malaysian spice paste can be made ahead of time and refridgerated so you can saute your favorite green vegetable any time you like. Try this with baby spinach or swiss chard.

Spice paste

4 small shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1-2 serrano chilis

6-8 candlenuts or Macadamia nuts

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

water to thin

1-11/2 lbs baby bok choy,coarsley chopped for stir frying

 

Place Shallots, garlic, ginger, nuts, soy sauce and chilis. Blend to a fine paste. Add water to thin up to 1/4 cup.

Heat a wok or skillet till hot. Add 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add spice paste and stir fry about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and add in Boy choy and stir fry about 2 minutes or till tender. Add water if it is too dry.

Turn off heat and drizzle on 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Serve

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Garlic Roasted Baby Chickens

Posted on July 25, 2008 by meggamoma

This popular Vietnamese dish comes from Corinne Trang. This dish is mostly prepared with whole chicken , chicken parts or quail, but the writer prefers to use baby chickens sold as Poussin.

serves 4-8

1/2 cup Mushroom Soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 large garlic cloves, peeled, crushed and minced

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

four 10-12 ounce baby chickens or 21/2 lbs of chicken parts

Whisk together the Mushroom soy sauce,sugar and honey in a bowl till the sugar is completly dissolved.Stir in 1 tablespoon of oil, the garlic and pepper.

Carefully loosen the skin of the chickens by gently running your fingers between the skin and the meat. try not to tear the skin in the process. Put the birds in a ziploc bag and pour on the marinade. Seal the bag and shake it a few times. Marinate the chickens, refridgerated, shaking the bag perodically.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place rack in the middle of the oven. With a cleaver , cut through the center bone of the breast lengthwise and flatten the birds. Place skin side up on the rack set over a roasting pan. Roast till juices run clear about 40 minutes.

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Thai Chicken with Chili Basil

Posted on July 24, 2008 by meggamoma

This Thai Hot dish is delicious with Thai Basil, sometimes called Holy Basil or Siam Basil. If Thai Basil is not available you may substitute with Half mint and half Basil.Serve this dish with a bowl steaming bowl of Jasmine rice. Serves 4

1-11/4 lbs Chicken Thighs, Washed, dried cut into bite sized pieces.

Peanut oil or vegetable oil for stir frying

5 cloves chopped Garlic

4 fresh red Chilis sliced on the diagonal

2 Serrano chilis, optional, sliced

1/8 cup Fish sauce

1 cup fresh Thai Basil leaves, washed and dried

1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce, or dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon palm sugar, or white

Heat a wok or heavy skillet with some peanut oil. Add garlic and sizzle 10 seconds.Add Chilis and stir briefly. Add chicken and stir till it turns “white” about 1 minute. Add fish sauce, and hoisin sauce. If it is too thick thin with 1-2 tablespoons of water. stir for about 1 minute.Add sugar and stir fry one minute. Add Basil and sliced Serrano chilis, if using and toss .

serve with Jasmine Rice.

Filed under: Chicken, Thai | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Eggless Lime Fool with Strawberries and Kiwi

Posted on July 24, 2008 by meggamoma

Fools are light desserts made of fruit and whipped cream. This version with White Chocolate gives this classic a contemporary twist.

The presentation is beautiful as it is served in individual wine glasses, taking the guess work of portion control away from your guests. Making it ideal for casual and sit down dinners.

From Bon Appetit. Serves 4

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

6 ounceswhite chocolate chopped

3/4 cup chilled whipping cream

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups sliced , hulled strawberries

2 kiwi fruit, thinly sliced

4 whole Strawberries

4 lime slices

Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in a heavy saucepan. Turn off heat and add chopped chocolate. Stir till melted. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Refridgerate till cold but not set, stirring occasionally about 25 minutes.

Whip cream till soft peaks. Add sugar and whip to stiff peaks. Fold into cold chocolate mixture.

Place 1/4 cup berries into each of the 4 8-10 ounce Wineglasses.Press 3 Kiwi slicesagainst sides of each glass. Spoon 1/3 cup cream mixture into eac glass and top with1/4 cup berries. Try to center the berries so they do not show from sides of glass. Spoon remaining cream mixture over each glass, smooth and refridgerate 2 and up to 6 hours.

To serve top with a strawberry and atteach a lime slice to the side of the glass.

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Passion Fruit Rose iced tea

Posted on July 24, 2008 by meggamoma

21/2 cups water

4 Passion Tea bags( We love Tazo Tea Bags)

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cups Apple Juice

3 tablespoons or more Honey

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon Rose Water, available in Asian stores or Whole foods

Brind water to boil. Add cinnamon sticks and tea bags. Cover and turn off heat. Allow to steep for 6-8 minutes.

Discard teabags and add honey, lime juice, apple juice and rose water. Taste for sweetness, add more honey if desired.

Cool . Then place in Refriderator till cold. Serve

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Fontina, corn and Chipole quesadillas

Posted on July 24, 2008 by meggamoma

Quesadillas are satisfying and comforting. Their so quick to make simply with ingredients commonly founfd in your freezer or pantry, making them ideal for a quick lunch or snack, the fillings can be left to your imagination. I love Fontina because of the flawless way it melts, but any cheese of your choice will be great.

Serves 4

8 7″ flour tortillas

1/2 lb grated Fontina cheese, grated1 Chipolte chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped( I use at least 2)

2 teaspoons fesh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 teaspoons olive oil plus more for brushing skillet

Heat a skillet and add 2 teaspoons oil. Add corn, oregano and salt. Stir for 2 minutes and stir in the chopped chipoltle chili. Turn off heat.

Heat a 8-10inck skillet and brush with oil. Add 1 tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup of corn mixture.Top with another tortilla. Cook 2 minutes per side till tortillas are light brown and cheese has melted.

Repeat till all ingredients are used up. Cool for 3-5 minutes to allow cheese to settle. Cut each totilla into 8 wedges.

Serve with salsa and sour cream (optional)

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Rice with Tomatoes and Spinach

Posted on July 23, 2008 by meggamoma

This recipie comes from Sheila Jacob. It is wonderfully filling and satisfying. I love to eat this with a simple bowl of garlic laced lentils and a cup of plain yoghurt.

serves 6

2 cups Basmati rice, washed . (I like Lal Qilla best, but any other long grain rice is good) Soaked in water for 30 minutes

1 10 ounce pack frozen spinach, squeezed of excess water.

2 small tomatoes, chopped finely

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion very thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium high heat. When hot add the onion and fry till golden. Add the soaked and drained rice. Lower heat to medium and stir rice for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, Spinach, turmeric, cumin, coriander,and salt. Stir for 1 minute.Now add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.. Cover with a tight fitting lid and turn heat to low. Allow rice to cook covered for 25 minutes.Remove cover and fluff rice with a fork leaving the crust on the bottom alone.Cover and leave to cook a furthur 10 minutes.

Serve.

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Coconut Shrimp

Posted on July 23, 2008 by meggamoma

This is a very popular item at all my dinner parties. There must be something comforting about eating Large shrimp coated in Coconut. I love to serve these as a serving of 4 on individual plates with  a small wedge oflime, to be sprinkled on at the last minute. As a second accompinment I offer a small bowl of spicy Lingham sauce available at most Asian Markets.

1 cup All purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup beer (not light), ice cold

2 tablespoons sugar

Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Chili powder

11/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut, available in Asian markets.

12 Jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail on. Dried throughly in paper towels

Oil for deep frying, heated tp 350 degrees

Combine Flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper, chili powder and half of the coconut. Reserve the other half of the coconut in a seperate dipping bowl.

Dip each shrimp in the batter holding it by the tail and then roll in the dry coconut.

Deep fry , 3-4 shrimp at a time for 1-2 minutes per side till golden. Drain on paper towels and plate with LIngham sauce and a lime wedge

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