Welcome to the Polyphagous Dragon!

Hearty greetings from the Rainbow Dragon to all visitors to my digital kitchen in the blogosphere!

As my blog title suggests, these pages contain a wild mix of recipes which sample a wide range of flavours and cultures. I won't even try to apply an over-arching theme to this project other than to say that every dish is about creating good food!

The Polyphagous Dragon offers multiple options for site navigation in the sidebar panels. Use the Contents box to search for recipes by dish type, the Blog Archives to search for a specific recipe by title or the Ingredients Index to pull up all recipes that feature a particular ingredient. See also my Cooking Philosophy notes for further insights.

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Friday, November 28, 2008

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup


Ingredients:
  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 4 - 5 large tomatoes
  • 6 jalepeño peppers
  • 1 yellow onion
  • olive oil
  • 2 heads oven roasted garlic
  • 1 sweet potato
  • fresh basil
  • 3 cups herb broth

Garnish:

Directions:

Remove stem and seeds from peppers.
Remove stem from tomatoes.
Peel onion.
Cut peppers, tomatoes and onion into large chunks.
Coat large baking pan with olive oil.
Add peppers, tomatoes and onion. Toss to coat with oil.
Roast in oven at 350°F for 1 hour.
Peel and cube sweet potato.
Boil until soft.
Strain off water.
Purée peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, sweet potato, basil and juices from roasted vegetables in food processor.
Add broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes to allow flavours to blend well.
Serve topped with seasoned croutons, crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil.


Sunday, October 19, 2008

Chocolate and Orange Scones

This recipe was inspired by my friend Rob.

To understand the significance of this, you need to know that Rob is not a cook.
When Rob invites me over for dinner, it is to eat food which his wife, Sumaya (an excellent cook), has prepared.
Even when Sumaya is out of town, dinner at Rob and Sumaya's means enjoying food which Sumaya has prepared in advance and left for Rob to reheat.
Rob, however, does know his scones.

Being a good British child, I have been eating scones for most of my life.
Those scones, however, were always laced with that staple of British baking: raisins.
Chocolate was something one occasionally ate a solid piece of. If we were lucky, we might be given half of a Cadbury's Flake bar stuck in a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like raisins just fine. But I like chocolate a whole lot more -- and since learning to cook myself have been working hard to make up for the lack of appreciation for the versatility of chocolate evident in the food of my youth.

I have developed a number of chocolate recipes over the years, as the pages of the Polyphagous Dragon will attest, but it was Rob who introduced me to chocolate scones.

Rob's scones are sinfully delicious. He shapes a batch into one large scone, which then needs to be sliced into wedges with a knife. I find it far too easy to eat far too much of Rob's giant scone, however, so I shaped mine into small, individual rounds.

It was still far too easy to eat far too many!

The moral to this story is: shape your scones however you like -- and figure out some external method for balancing the caloric consumption.

The more important moral is: Be careful not to overlook a potential source of culinary inspiration. Sometimes the best ideas come from the most unlikely of sources.

Thanks Rob!

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 oz. unsalted butter
  • zest of one large orange
  • shaved chocolate
  • 5 fl. oz. milk

Directions:

Mix flour, salt and baking powder together.
Incorporate butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly.
Add orange zest and chocolate. Mix well.
Add just enough milk to hold dough together, forming dough into a ball with your hands.
Shape scones as desired.
Place scones onto greased baking sheet.
Brush tops of scones with milk.
Bake for 7-10 minutes at 425°F.

These are best enjoyed still warm from the oven, but can be cooled on a wire rack and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. (If they last that long!)

Monday, October 13, 2008

Coconut Cream Pie

This is the real deal.

Ingredients:
  • 2 coconuts
  • 1 cup graham crumbs
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 inch piece ginger root
  • approximately 1 cup hot water
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons coconut rum
  • 1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Drill through the eyes of the coconuts with a 1/4 inch drill bit.
Drain water from coconuts, sieve and reserve.
Bake coconuts at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Smash coconuts open with a hammer.
Pry flesh away from the shell.
Peel brown skin off coconut flesh.
Finely grate half of one coconut.
Peel and grate ginger root.
Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, ginger root and finely grated coconut together.
Press graham crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a buttered pie plate.
Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Chill crust in refrigerator.
Chop flesh of one coconut into small chunks.
Pour water from coconuts into a blender with enough additional hot water to make 1.5 cups total volume.
Add coconut chunks to blender and purée.
Allow puréed coconut mixture to stand for 15 minutes.
Press coconut mixture through a fine sieve to extract milk.
Whisk egg yolks and 4 tablespoons sugar together until sugar is dissolved.
Add corn starch and 1 tablespoon coconut rum, mixing until smooth.
Bring coconut milk to a boil.
Add hot milk to corn starch mixture, stirring constantly until smooth.
Return mixture to pan and continue to heat until custard has thickened.
Pour custard layer over base and chill until set.
Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons rum until stiff peaks form.
Spoon cream over top of pie.
Coarsely grate remaining half coconut.
Sprinkle coarsely grated coconut over pie.
Serve chilled.

Saffron Mussel Soup

Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs live mussels
  • 3/4 cup dry wine
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 6 small leeks
  • 1 lb potatoes
  • 3 cups fish or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron
  • parsley to garnish

Directions:

Scrub and rinse mussels.
Steam mussels in wine in a covered pan until mussels open. (Approximately 5 minutes on high heat.)
Remove mussels from liquid, discarding any which failed to open.
Set aside both mussels and liquid.
Peel onion and potatoes.
Wash leeks thoroughly.
Dice onion, leeks and potatoes.
Fry vegetables in butter for five minutes.
Add stock and reserved wine/mussel juice and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat.
Add saffron.
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Purée soup in a blender or food processor.
Set aside some mussels in half shells -- one to garnish each bowl.
Discard shells from remaining mussels.
Divide mussels amongst soup bowls.
Ladle puréed soup over mussels.
Garnish each bowl with a mussel in half shell and a sprig of parsley.
Serve immediately.

Roasted Parsnip Soup

A delicious "creamy" soup -- without the cream! This soup is lactose-free and vegan-friendly.

Roasted Parsnip Soup


Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. parsnips
  • 1 firm pear
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 garlic
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4-5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp ground thyme

Directions:

Peel parsnips, pear, potato, onion & garlic.
Core pear.
Seed pepper.
Cut vegetables into large chunks.
Toss vegetables with oil in a large, shallow casserole dish (such as a lasagna pan).
Roasting vegetables for parsnip soup
Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, turning vegetables over in pan after first ten minutes to ensure they are fully coated in oil. Vegetables should be soft and lightly browned when done.
Heat stock in a large pot.
Add roasted vegetables.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Purée soup in a blender or food processor.
Return to pan.
Add thyme and more liquid if desired.
Simmer for a further 15 minutes to allow flavours to blend.
Ladle into soup bowls and serve warm.

Fried Plantain Platter

A delicious and simple appetizer.
This is a great prelude to my jambalya.

Ingredients:
  • 2 green plantains
  • 1 yellow plantain
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic, minced
  • cayenne pepper
  • olive oil for frying

Directions:

Slice one green plantain into wafer thin rounds and fry until golden.
Coarsely grate the second green plantain and stir fry with sliced onion until golden.
Cut yellow plantain into 1/2 inch cubes and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Fry with minced garlic until brown.
Arrange three styles of fried plantain on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Devilled Eggs

Devilled eggs in true, flavourful, Polyphagous Dragon style.
These ain't no church-lady devilled eggs!

Ingredients:
  • 5 large eggs, hardboiled, cooled & peeled
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 4 teaspoons HOT Caribbean style sauce (such as "Jamaica Hell Fire" or "Susie's Calypso")
  • 1 teaspoon hot curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Directions:

Cut eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks.
Mash yolks with a fork and mix with mayo, hot sauce, basil and spices.
Spoon (or pipe from a bag) yolk mixture back into wells in egg whites.
Serve chilled. (Just not at your church luncheon -- unless the attendees have been suitably warned!)

Belgian Waffles

These are decadent. Seriously decadent. I don't make them too often because eating them makes my head spin, but they sure do taste good!

Ingredients:
  • 6 oz. butter, melted
  • additional butter for greasing waffle iron
  • 4 eggs
  • 6 oz. sugar
  • 12 oz. all purpose flour
  • 12 fl. oz. milk
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • fresh raspberries
  • dark chocolate ice cream
  • white chocolate ice cream
  • chocolate raspberry cream liquer

Directions:

Beat eggs, sugar and melted butter together.
Sift flour with baking powder.
Add flour to egg mixture, alternately with milk, until all flour and milk has been incorporated.
Spoon batter (in batches) onto hot, greased waffle iron.
Close iron and cook until waffles are golden.
Place one hot waffle on a serving plate.
Sprinkle chocolate chips into the valleys of the waffle.
Cover with a second hot waffle until chocolate is melted (approximately 30 seconds).
Remove second waffle and top each chocolate-filled valley in the bottom waffle with one large fresh raspberry.
Replace top waffle.
Cut two one-inch thick slices of dark chocolate ice cream and two one-inch thick slices of white chocolate ice cream. Each slice should be 1/4 the size of your waffle.
Arrange ice cream slices in a checkerboard fashion on top of the second waffle.
Top with additional raspberries and a generous portion of liqueur.
Share these waffles with many friends!

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is simple to make and wonderfully versatile. Try some of the additions suggested in this recipe for a delicious variety of flavours.

Basic Ingredients:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup corn starch

Additional Ingredients (choose one combination):
  • orange zest & finely grated dark chocolate
  • lemon zest & minced candied ginger
  • ground pecans & finely grated dark chocolate
  • peppermint oil & crushed candy canes

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Stir in flour and corn starch until incorporated fully.
Stir in additional ingredients, if using.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick sheet.
Cut into rounds or shapes with cookie cutters.
Arrange cookies on cookie sheets lined with waxed paper.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for five minutes.
Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Store cooled cookies in airtight containers at room temperature.

Fruit Scones

A classic British recipe for scones. When I was a child, my mother made these with sultanas and currents. They are equally good with fresh cranberries and/or apple. Try them topped with raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream!

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz. all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 oz. unsalted butter
  • 4 oz. fruit such as sultanas, currants, fresh cranberries or chopped apple
  • 5 fl. oz. milk

Directions:

Mix flour, salt and baking powder together.
Incorporate butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly.
Add fruit. Mix well.
Add just enough milk to hold dough together, forming dough into a ball with your hands.
Roll dough out into a one inch thick sheet.
Cut into rounds with cookie cutter.
Place scones onto greased baking sheet.
Brush tops of scones with milk.
Bake for 7-10 minutes at 425°F.

These are best enjoyed still warm from the oven, but can be cooled on a wire rack and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

A classic chocolate cookie batter which produces a delicious, moist cookie. Great for creating cookies with your favourite flavoured chocolate chips, and/or nuts.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 5 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • white, raspberry or mint chocolate chips

Directions:

Cream together butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs until mixture is light and fluffy.
Mix in melted chocolate and sour cream.
Sift baking powder, soda and salt into flour.
Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until well blended.
Stir in chips and/or other goodies as desired.
Refrigerate batter for 30 minutes.
Drop spoonfuls of chilled batter onto a greased (or non-stick) cookie sheet, allowing space between each spoonful for batter to spread as it cooks.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°F.

These cookies are delicious hot out of the oven.
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool at room temperature on cookie sheets or wire racks. Then store at room temperature in airtight tins.

"Everything" Cookies

This is a great cookie dough for chocolate chip cookies or your favourite variation thereof. I like to mix different flavours of chips, with some shredded coconut as described in this recipe.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • peanut butter chips
  • white chocolate chips
  • shredded coconut

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar together.
Beat in eggs until mixture is light and fluffy.
Sift baking soda and salt into flour.
Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until well blended.
Stir in chips, coconut and/or other goodies as desired.
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a greased (or non-stick) cookie sheet, allowing space between each spoonful for batter to spread as it cooks.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°F.

These cookies are delicious hot out of the oven.
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool at room temperature on cookie sheets or wire racks. Then store at room temperature in airtight tins.

Basic Brownies

These brownies are delicious by themselves and also work great as a starting point for one of many wonderful brownie variations.

Brownies


Ingredients:
  • 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose or cake & pastry flour

Directions:

Beat eggs until lemon coloured.
Add sugar. Beat until thickened.
Stir in melted chocolate and butter.
Fold in flour and incorporate fully.
Transfer batter to a greased and floured cake pan.
Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

Brownie Sundae


Chocolate Orange Cranberry Cheesecake

This is a variation on my Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and a favourite flavour combination for the Yule season.

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/3 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 2 lbs. cream cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • zest of one large orange
  • 3 oz. orange liquer such as Cointreau
  • 8 oz. fine bittersweet chocolate, melted
  • 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water

Directions:

To make the crust:

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter.
Press onto the bottom of a greased 9 or 10 inch round springform pan.
Bake for 8 minutes at 350 F.

To make the filling:

Beat the cream cheese until soft.
Add 1 cup sugar and corn starch and beat until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Beat in sour cream, orange zest and liquer, then melted chocolate.
Pour filling over crust and bake at 350 F for 75 minutes (or until set).
Allow to cool completely (8 hours) before garnishing.

To garnish:

Heat water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves.
Add cranberries and bring to a boil.
Continue boiling gently until cranberries pop (approximately 5 minutes).
Remove cranberry sauce from heat and allow to cool but not set.
Spread cooled cranberry sauce evenly over top of chilled cake.
Refrigerate until sauce is set.

To serve:

Carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan and place on serving platter.
Enjoy with many friends!

Chocolate Rollups

Here's another quick treat. It's a variation on my Cinnamon Rollups idea -- because everything's better with chocolate!

My friend Pam gave me a massive tin of fair trade genuine Belgian chocolate hot chocolate. But this is no flavoured cocoa powder with weird additives. This is the real deal. Shaved Belgian chocolate.

I'm not a milk drinker, and couldn't bring myself to simply melt the stuff into hot water, so I'm having fun with all of the baked goods one can easily whip up with a ready supply of shaved gourmet chocolate. This one is quick and simple, and so good I'm tempted to forget the whole "leftover pastry scraps" idea and whip up a fresh batch of dough for this recipe alone!

Ingredients:
  • leftover pastry dough
  • fine, shaved chocolate

Directions:

Roll out pastry dough into a thin sheet.
Sprinkle shaved chocolate nice and thickly over the dough.
Roll pastry up into a tight roll.
Bake at 450°F for 12 minutes.
Enjoy hot out of the oven.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Shrimp Fresh Rolls

These are a wonderful alternative to egg rolls or spring rolls -- loads of flavour without the deep frying.

Shrimp Fresh Rolls


Ingredients:
  • rice paper
  • bean vermicelli
  • cooked, peeled shrimp
  • spring onions, cut into thin strips
  • julienned carrots
  • fresh mint leaves

Ingredients for Fresh Rolls


Directions:

Soak vermicelli in boiling water for a few minutes to soften.
Strain vermicelli.
Soak one sheet of rice paper in boiling water until soft.
Remove from water and place flat on a work surface.
Place a thin line of vermicelli across the centre of the rice paper.
Top with onions, carrots, mint and shrimp.
Preparing Fresh Rolls
Tuck in the side edges and roll up.
Repeat with additional sheets of rice paper.
Serve immediately with a spicy peanut sauce.

Shrimp Fresh Rolls with Peanut Sauce


Crab & Avocado Salad

This salad is super simple to make and a wonderful appetizer for any seafood dish.

Crab & Avocado Salad


Ingredients:
  • cooked crab meat*
  • avocado
  • lime juice

Substitutions:

Crab flavoured pollack works too, if you cannot get the real thing or have guests with allergies to shellfish.


Directions:

Peel and pit avocado.
Cut into small cubes.
Sprinkle lime juice over avocado.
Flake crab meat.
Mix crab and avocado together.
Serve immediately in small bowls.

Cinnamon Rollups

This is a quick little treat I designed for using up extra scraps of pastry.

Cinnamon Rollup


Ingredients:
  • leftover pastry dough
  • ground cinnamon
  • sugar

Directions:

Roll out pastry dough into thin sheet.
Mix equal quantities of sugar and cinnamon together.
Spread cinnamon sugar mixture over the pastry.
Cinnamon Rollup
Roll pastry up into a tight roll.
Cinnamon Rollup
Bake at 450°F for 12 minutes.
Enjoy hot out of the oven.

Cinnamon Rollup


Cherry Pie

Yes, the dragon can bake a cherry pie!

Cherry Pie


Ingredients:
  • shortcrust or whole wheat pastry
  • 4 cups pitted cherries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1/4 cup lime juice

Directions:

Dissolve sugar into water in a large saucepan.
Add cherries.
Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for five minutes.
Strain off 1/4 cup juice into a small bowl.
Add cornstarch to juice, stirring until well blended.
Pour cornstarch/juice mixture back over cherries.
Add lime juice.
Return to heat and cook until juice has thickened. (1 - 2 minutes)
Cherry Pie Filling

Roll pastry out into two disks of appropriate size to line and cover your pie plate.
Grease and flour pie plate.
Line with larger circle of pastry, trimming off any excess.
Fill with cherry mixture.
Top with second pastry disk.
Pinch edges of the pastry together.
Pierce centre with a knife or fork to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.

Enjoy hot out of the oven or cooled to room temperature.

Cherry Pie Ă  la Mode




Shortcrust Pastry

Rolled thinly, these quantities will make one covered 9 inch pie.
For a thicker pastry, make a double batch for a covered pie or one batch for a pie base only.

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz flour
  • 4 oz butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • cold water to mix

Directions:

Crumble butter into flour using a fork or potato masher.
Short Crust Pastry

Add cold water, a few teaspoons at a time.
Mix water in immediately, using hands to incorporate the final bits of flour.
Pastry should be just wet enough to hold together in a ball.
Short Crust Pastry

Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
Roll out to desired shape and size.
Grease and flour pie plate.
Line pie plate with pastry.

For pies with unbaked fillings:

Line pastry with tin foil and fill with dried beans or other baking beads.
Bake blind 25 minutes at 450°F.
Fill as desired.
Bake as per recipe for filling.

For pies with baked fillings:

Partial baking blind may be required.
See individual recipes for instructions.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Almond, Snow Pea & Sweet Pepper Noodle Salad

Almond, Snow Pea & Sweet Pepper Noodle Salad


Ingredients:
  • 8 oz rice stick noodles
  • 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
  • 1 garlic
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 100 g shelled almonds
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • cilantro
  • olive oil for frying

Directions:

Soak noodles in boiling water for 5-7 minutes.
Strain noodles. Toss with Hoisin sauce.
Mince garlic and stir fry in oil 1-2 minutes.
Slice peas on the diagonal.
Add peas to pan with garlic and stir fry 1-2 minutes.
Add almonds. Continue stir-frying another minute.
Slice pepper thinly & cut slices into thirds.
Add pepper to stir fry. Cook one minute longer.
Toss vegetable/almond mixture with noodles.
Garnish with cilantro.
Serve at room temperature.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Sesame Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

Sesame and ginger compliment one another perfectly in this simple chicken stir fry.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Stir Fry


Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs fresh or 1 lb dry rice noodles*
  • 1 garlic, minced
  • 2 inches ginger root, minced
  • 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 bok choy, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons soya sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili pepper sauce**
  • cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • olive oil for frying
  • sliced spring onions for garnish

Notes:

* I use fresh udon noodles when I can get them. If not available, a dry rice stick noodle is an acceptable substitute.

** Amount of chili pepper sauce can be adjusted depending on the heat level of your sauce and your personal taste. I use President's Choice "Memories of Thailand" Fiery Chili Pepper Sauce in my dish.


Directions:

If using dry noodles, place them in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. (Fresh noodles do not require pre-soaking.)
Allow noodles to soak 5-7 minutes (or as directed on package for preparing noodles for stir fry).
Drain noodles and set aside.
Heat olive oil in large skillet or wok.
Add garlic and ginger and stir fry 1-2 minutes.
Coat chicken strips in corn starch.
Add chicken to pan and fry until heated through (5-6 minutes).
Add shredded bok choy and continue stir frying, 1-2 minutes until cabbage has wilted.
Add soya, sesame oil, chili pepper sauce, cilantro and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and mix well.
Stir in noodles and heat through.
Serve immediately, garnished with spring onions and reserved sesame seeds.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Gazpacho

This cold tomato soup is the perfect dish for a hot summer day. Full of flavour and fresh-from-the-garden goodness.

Gazpacho


Ingredients:
  • 5 large tomatoes
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 garlic
  • cilantro
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • hot sauce such as Susie's Calypso
  • 2 cups cold vegetable stock
  • seasoned croutons for garnish

Directions:

Dice tomatoes, peppers and onion.
Mince garlic and cilantro, reserving some cilantro leaves whole for garnish.
Toss vegetables and minced cilantro together.
Pour oil and vinegar over vegetables and mix well.
Fire it up as desired with hot sauce.
Mix in cold vegetable stock.
Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to allow flavours to blend.
Serve cold, garnished with croutons and whole cilantro leaves.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Lemon Pepper Vodka Ice

Finally: a popsicle for grown-ups! Delightfully refreshing and not too sweet, enjoy this cool treat to take the edge off summer's heat.

Lemon Pepper Vodka Ice


Ingredients:
  • freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
  • 1 shot vodka
  • 13 twists freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups ice water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Pour into popsicle moulds or other suitable freezable containers.
Chill until frozen.
Enjoy Lemon Pepper Vodka Ice frozen solid on a popsicle stick or thaw to a slush and eat with a spoon.

Enjoying Lemon Pepper Vodka Ice


Friday, June 6, 2008

Gourmet Cheese, Tomato & Carmelized Onion Panini

Cheese & tomato sandwiches, grilled cheese, and cheese & onion just about anything are traditional common grub in my native land. In the best tradition of my adopted country; however, I've combined these flavours with some local specialties and a cooking technique from yet a third country (the Italian pressed & grilled sandwich or "panino") to create this delicious sandwich. Simple food with gourmet taste.

Gourmet Cheese, Tomato & Carmelized Onion Panini


Ingredients:
  • hearty whole grain, multi-grain bread
  • onion, thinly sliced
  • tomato, sliced
  • chèvre
  • aged Canadian cheddar, sliced
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • olive oil for frying

Notes:

Panini are traditionally made in a ridged sandwich press which toasts both slices of bread while heating the sandwich through and fusing the fillings together. The ridges give the panino its characteristic stripes. If you don't have such a press; however, you can still enjoy this delicious sandwich by cooking it in a skillet and pressing down the top of the sandwich with a second heavy skillet or other weight, then flipping the sandwich halfway through the cooking time to toast the opposite side of the bread. You won't have the stripes using this second method, but you'll still get all of the flavour!


Directions:

Stir fry onion in olive oil over medium heat until onions are caramelized (soft and caramel in colour).
Spread chèvre on one side of each slice of bread.
Place tomato slices on one slice of bread for each sandwhich.
Top tomato with slices of Canadian cheddar. (I've had great results making this sandwich with Balderson's 2 Year Old Royal Canadian Cheddar.)
Spread carmelized onions over top of cheddar.
Assembling Panini
Top sandwiches with second slice of bread (cheese side inside).
Brush outside of sandwiches lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Cook in a hot sandwich press or skillet with top weight until both sides of the sandwhich are toasted and the cheeses have melted, fusing the fillings together.
Enjoy hot off the grill.

Mango Citrus Salad

A delightful and refreshing summer salad. Enjoy it with a tall cool glass of Mint Lemondade.

Mango Citrus Salad


Ingredients:
  • mixed salad greens
  • spring onions, sliced
  • fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
  • fresh cilantro leaves, torn into small pieces
  • chives, chopped
  • grapefruit, peeled, seeded and divided into segments
  • mango, peeled and sliced
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • liquid honey

Directions:

Line plates or bowls with mixed greens.
Sprinkle onions, mint, cilantro and chives over the greens.
Arrange grapefruit segments and mango slices on top.
Pour lemon juice and honey into a glass jar with a tightly fitting lid (or a similar, non-reactive vessel which can be used as a shaker).
Seal lid onto jar/shaker and shake vigorously.
Drizzle dressing over top of salad.
Serve immediately.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Seafood Linguine

A truly decadent seafood linguine, simmered in a sun-dried tomato pesto and white wine cream sauce.

Seafood Linguine


Ingredients:
  • 4 servings whole grain linguine
  • 1 pound live mussels
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup shucked scallops
  • olive oil for frying
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
  • 1 cup cooked lobster meat, broken into small pieces
  • 1 cup shrimp
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook linguine until al dente.
Scrub and rinse mussels.
Place mussels and wine in a large saucepan with a tightly fitting lid.
Steam mussels over high heat until they open. (Approximately 5 minutes.)
Strain wine off mussels and reserve.
Remove cooked mussels from their shells, discarding any that have failed to open.
If using large sea scallops, chop into 1/2 inch cubes.
Stir fry scallops in olive oil over medium heat until they turn opaque (2-3 minutes).
Add cream and wine to scallops and bring to a boil.
Simmer until sauce thickens slightly. (Approximately 5 minutes.)
Add pesto and mix in well.
Add lobster, mussels and shrimp.
Continue cooking another 5-6 minutes, until everything is heated through.
Serve seafood mixture over linguine, garnished with Parmesan and black pepper.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Jambalaya

A little bit of everything adds up to a whole lot of wonderful!

Jambalya


Ingredients:
  • 1 garlic
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ground cayenne pepper
  • ground oregano
  • 375 g Cajun smoked sausage
  • 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 400 ml clam juice
  • 1/2 pound shrimp
  • olive oil for frying

Directions:

Mince garlic.
Cut onion into eighths and separate layers.
Remove stems and seeds from bell peppers and cut into bit-sized chunks.
Toss onion, garlic and bell peppers together in a large bowl.
Season vegetables generously with black pepper, cayenne and oregano.
Tossing Jambalya Vegetables with Spices

Fry chicken in olive oil until cooked through. At this point, the chicken should be soft enough to cut easily into small pieces with a plastic spatula.
Chicken Cooked for Jambalya
Remove chicken from heat and set aside.

Slice sausage 1/4 inch thick and fry until browned.
Cooking Sausage for Jambalya
Remove cooked sausage from pan, placing between sheets of paper towel to absorb excess fat.

Stir fry seasoned vegetables in olive oil until onion becomes soft and translucent.
Stir Frying Vegetables for Jambalya

Add cooked chicken & sausage to the pan with the vegetables.
Add clam juice and bring stew to a boil.
Simmering Jambalya in Clam Juice

Continue cooking Jambalya until most of the liquid has evaporated/been absorbed.
Add shrimp during final 6 minutes of cooking.
Add Shrimp to Jambalya

Serve over hearty whole-grain rice with a side of Garlic & Hot Pepper Corn Bread.


Garlic & Hot Pepper Corn Bread

Garlic and chili peppers add extra zing to this delicious corn bread.

Garlic & Hot Pepper Corn Bread


Ingredients:
  • 3/8 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic, minced
  • 3 chili peppers, seeded and minced
  • 2 cups sweet corn kernels
  • 2 cups stone ground cornmeal
  • 1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Notes:

This bread is best baked in a Dutch oven. A large cast iron skillet with a lid can be used for the same purpose. I have also had success baking this recipe in a terra cotta roasting dish. If none of these options is available to you, try for other thick-walled ovenware with a tight-fitting lid.


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Oil Dutch oven & place in oven to preheat.
Fry chilies and garlic in butter.
Combine dry ingredients and sift into a large bowl.
Combine buttermilk, eggs, olive oil, pepper mixture and corn kernels.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Stir batter again until well blended and pour into prepared pan.
Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Bread is finished when a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on wire rack, with the lid off, for 15 minutes.
Remove bread from pan.

This bread is best served fresh and warm, either straight up or spread with garlic butter. Any leftovers should be allowed to cool to room temperature, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature and consume within 48 hours. Bread can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Firey Fajitas

A splash of hot sauce adds a spicy twist to my take on this favourite dish. These fajitas are simple to prepare and ready to eat in under ten minutes. Fast food can be flavourful!

Ingredients:
  • 10 inch diameter whole grain tortillas
  • yellow onion
  • cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • red bell pepper
  • avocado
  • feta cheese
  • Dan T's WhiteHot Inferno sauce
  • olive oil for frying

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet.
Slice onion lengthwise and stir-fry until soft and translucent.
Add strips of cooked chicken and continue cooking until chicken is heated through and onion begins to carmelize.
While the chicken and onions are cooking, slice pepper and avocado into thin strips and crumble feta.

Place onion, chicken, pepper, avocado, feta and hot sauce across the centre of a tortilla, leaving one edge bare.
Firey Fajita 1

Fold the bare side of the tortilla up over the fillings.
Firey Fajita 2

Fold the near edge of the tortilla up over the fillings and folded bottom edge.
Firey Fajita 3

Beginning with the side you have folded over, roll the fajita away from you until it is fully wrapped.
Firey Fajita 4

Enjoy!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Zucchini and Corn Enchiladas

Here's a vegetarian derivative of my popular chicken enchiladas recipe.

Ingredients:
  • olive oil for frying and greasing pan
  • 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 cup sweet corn kernels
  • 2 cups hot (spicy) tomato-based salsa
  • 1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated
  • 10 seven-inch whole wheat tortillas
  • sour cream (to garnish)
  • guacamole (to garnish)

Directions:

Lightly grease a lasagna pan or other large casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Stir fry garlic and onion until onion turns translucent and soft.

Add zucchini and corn and stir fry until cooked through.

Add one cup of salsa, mixing well.

Remove filling mixture from the heat.

Lay one tortilla flat on a large plate or other flat surface.

Spoon a row of filling across the tortilla, about 1/3 of the way in from the near edge.

Sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese on top of the filling.

Starting at the near edge, roll up the tortilla around the filling.

Place rolled enchilada into greased casserole dish, seam side down.

Continue filling and rolling enchiladas as above until all are lined up side by side in the casserole dish.

Spread remaining salsa over top of enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of salsa.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Serve warm with sour cream and a side of guacamole.

Chicken Enchiladas

Last week my father was craving Mexican food and asked me to take him to Taco Bell.
I told him no. I'd make him Mexican cuisine with real food instead.
This was the result.

Ingredients:
  • olive oil for frying and greasing pan
  • 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 2 cups hot (spicy) tomato-based salsa
  • 1/2 lb aged cheddar cheese, grated
  • 10 seven-inch whole wheat tortillas
  • sour cream (to garnish)
  • guacamole (to garnish)

Directions:

Lightly grease a lasagna pan or other large casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Stir fry garlic and onion until onion turns translucent and soft.

Add chicken and stir fry until cooked through.

Continuing to stir fry, use the edge of a spatula to dice chicken strips into small pieces.

Add one cup of salsa, mixing well.

Remove chicken/salsa mixture from the heat.

Lay one tortilla flat on a large plate or other flat surface.

Spoon a row of chicken/salsa mixture across the tortilla, about 1/3 of the way in from the near edge.

Sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese on top of the chicken/salsa.

Starting at the near edge, roll up the tortilla around the filling.

Place rolled enchilada into greased casserole dish, seam side down.

Continue filling and rolling enchiladas as above until all are lined up side by side in the casserole dish.

Spread remaining salsa over top of enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of salsa.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Serve warm with sour cream and a side of guacamole.

Sushi

Sushi takes some time to prepare but it's not difficult. Once you learn the process you can have fun experimenting with many different filling combinations. Some of my favourites are shown below.

Sushi Platter


Ingredients:
Basic ingredients:
  • 2 cups short-grained Japanese-style white rice*
  • 2 cups water, plus additional for rinsing
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 8 sheets nori (roasted, pressed seaweed)
  • sesame seeds

Suggested fillings:
  • cooked shrimp, tails & shells removed
  • fresh mint leaves
  • green onion
  • cooked crab (or crab-flavoured pollack)
  • avocado
  • carrot
  • smoked salmon
  • cream cheese

Serve with:
  • soya sauce
  • sesame seeds
  • wasabi
  • pickled ginger

Notes/Substitutions/etc.:

* I have had good results with President's Choice brand Sticky Rice but any short-grained Japanese-style rice should work well.


Directions:

Prepare the sticky rice:

Rinse rice with water, scrunching the rice around with your hand, until the water coming off the rice runs clear.

Place cleaned rice in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cover with an equal volume of water and allow rice to soak for 30 minutes.

While the rice is soaking, dissolve sugar into rice vinegar. You may need to heat the vinegar gently to help the sugar dissolve, but be careful not to boil your mixture. Once sugar is thoroughly mixed in, remove vinegar from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Bring rice to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Keep the lid on the rice throughout the cooking process -- the steam trapped inside the pan is crucial to cook the rice properly and give it the desired consistency.

Remove rice pan from the heat and allow it to stand -- with the lid on -- for 15 minutes.

Turn rice out into a shallow, wide-bottomed, non-metallic bowl. (The shape of the bowl is important to ensure that the rice cools down quickly and evenly.)

Pour vinegar/sugar mixture over the rice and mix in using a non-metallic spatula or large spoon. Continue mixing vinegar into rice until it is thoroughly incorporated and rice has cooled to room temperature. You can use a hand-held fan to fan the rice while you are mixing and encourage the cooling process.

Once rice is thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, it is best to work with it immediately. If you are not ready to work with the rice yet, leave it in the bowl at room temperature and cover with a damp cloth. Do not refrigerate the rice or allow it to dry out.

Assemble the sushi:

Place one sheet of nori onto a bamboo sushi rolling mat.
Spread a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving the far edge of the nori bare.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice.
Preparing Sushi

Arrange your desired fillings in a thin line on top of the rice, approximately 1/3 of the way in from the near edge. Many wonderful combinations of seafood and vegetables are commonly used to prepare sushi. Here are some of my favourites:

Shrimp, fresh mint, and green onion:
Shrimp with Mint & Green Onion Sushi

Smoked salmon and cream cheese:
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Sushi

Crab and avocado:
Crab & Avocado Sushi

Avocado and carrot:
Avocado & Carrot Sushi

Starting at the edge closest to you, use the bamboo mat to roll the sushi. Apply gentle pressure with your hands to the outside of the rolled mat to ensure a nice, tight sushi roll.
Rolling Sushi

Remove the bamboo mat from the outside of your sushi roll and slice roll into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife.

Arrange sushi pieces on a platter, with the fillings displayed.
Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, soya sauce and sesame seeds on the side.

Shrimp Curry

A wonderful succulent and savoury shrimp curry, great as a crêpe filling or served over rice.

Shrimp Curry 5 - add the shrimp!


Ingredients:
  • olive oil for frying
  • 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 inches ginger root, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons hot curry paste*
  • 250 g carrots, julienned
  • 250 g snow peas, sliced on the diagonal
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
  • fresh cilantro leaves
  • freshly squeezed juice of one lime
  • 500 g shrimp**

Notes/Substitutions/etc.:

* I favour Patak's Madras curry paste, but there is a wide variety of excellent prepared curry pastes available for those of us without the time to prepare our own.

** If you are preparing the curry for use in crêpes or will be serving it to people who are squeamish about handling their food with their fingers, peel the shrimp and remove their tails before adding them to the curry.


Directions:

Stir fry onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil.
Shrimp Curry 1 - garlic, onion & ginger

Add curry paste and mix well.

Add carrots and snow peas, continuing to stir fry until carrots soften slightly.
Shrim Curry 2 - carrots & snow peas

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Shrim Curry 3 - coconut milk

Reduce heat and simmer.

Add mango, chopped cilantro leaves and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Shrimp Curry 4 - mango & cilantro

Continue to simmer curry until flavours are well blended and the sauce has thickened.

Add shrimp during final few minutes of cooking and heat through.

This dish is best served fresh!