This is a great cheese delivery system disguised as 'salad'.
First, the pesto
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 tsp salt
2 large garlic cloves
6 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper to taste
if you want a 'light' version of this, reduce the parmesan to 1/4 cup and replace 5 of the 6 tblsp olive oil with a medium peeled and seeded tomato.
put the garlic and pesto in a food processor and chop it up, add all of the remaining ingredients and mix in the food processor.
Next, the salad
Some good quality ripe tomatoes
Some good quality italian mozzarella
1-2 minced garlic cloves
1-2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp of the pesto from above
salt and pepper to taste
slice up the mozza and tomatoes. place a slice of tomato on top of a slice of mozza. mix up the pesto and garlic and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste and pour some on top of the tomatoes. serve.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Red Chili Roasted Turkey
Tired of the traditional turkey recipe? Here's one I tried:
Red Chili-Roasted Turkey
8 dried mild and/or hot New Mexico or guajillo chilies or 5 dried guajillo and 3 pasillo or ancho chilies. (I used 3 acho, 3 new mexican mild, and 2 guajillo)
5 canned chipolte peppers with adobo sauce
4 cloves garlic, smashed
half white or spanish onion, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp oregano, dried
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
*******************
1/4 cup oil
1--12 pound turkey
Seed dried Chilies and place in blender, pour in 2 cups boiling water and soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Add rest of ingredients (to black pepper) Puree.
Thaw and dry turkey. Spread mixture insdside and out. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Bring turkey to room temperature drizzle with oil. Roast in 325 F oven for 1 hour. Baste with juices. if drying our cover with foil. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180F about 2 1/2 hours in total. Romove from oven, let stand 20 minutes. Carve and cover
with pan juices. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, tortillas if desired.
Red Chili-Roasted Turkey
8 dried mild and/or hot New Mexico or guajillo chilies or 5 dried guajillo and 3 pasillo or ancho chilies. (I used 3 acho, 3 new mexican mild, and 2 guajillo)
5 canned chipolte peppers with adobo sauce
4 cloves garlic, smashed
half white or spanish onion, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp oregano, dried
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
*******************
1/4 cup oil
1--12 pound turkey
Seed dried Chilies and place in blender, pour in 2 cups boiling water and soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Add rest of ingredients (to black pepper) Puree.
Thaw and dry turkey. Spread mixture insdside and out. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
Bring turkey to room temperature drizzle with oil. Roast in 325 F oven for 1 hour. Baste with juices. if drying our cover with foil. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180F about 2 1/2 hours in total. Romove from oven, let stand 20 minutes. Carve and cover
with pan juices. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, tortillas if desired.
Chipolte-Tomatillo Chicken
I made this recipe today for the first time. Here it is:
6 Chicken Breasts (you can use the ones with bones)
4 cups low salt chicken stock
1 chopped medium onion
2-3 dried or canned chipolte peppers
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 pound whole tomatillos, husked (I used canned)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
Place the chicken in a dutch oven or large saucepan that has a lid. Pour the stock over the chicken, add the onion, chipoltes, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to Boil. Reduce heat to low simmer, cover and let cook 15-20 min, until the chicken is just cooked. Let it cool in the stock for another 15 min.
Remove the chicken from the stock and let it cool. While the chicken cools, add the tomatillos to the stock, increase heat to medium-high and boil uncovered for 10 min, or until the tomatillos are soft.
Next, transfer the chipoltes and tomatillos to a blender, add the cilantro and puree. Pour the puree back into the stock and mix well.
If you used chicken with bones, pull the chicken from the bones after it cools enough, and cut into bite size pieces.
Meanwhile add your oil to the stock, reduce heat to medium-low and let it reduce for 10 min. Taste and add sugar if it is too tart, add salt to taste. Stir the cut up chicken into the stock , reduce heat to low and cook, covered for an additional 10 min or so.
Serve hot. you can garnish with additional minced cilantro, guacamole, avocado slices, or creme fraiche if you so choose.
This recipe comes from "the border cookbook" by Cheryl and Bill Jamison - my favorite of all the cookbooks I own.
6 Chicken Breasts (you can use the ones with bones)
4 cups low salt chicken stock
1 chopped medium onion
2-3 dried or canned chipolte peppers
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 pound whole tomatillos, husked (I used canned)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
Place the chicken in a dutch oven or large saucepan that has a lid. Pour the stock over the chicken, add the onion, chipoltes, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to Boil. Reduce heat to low simmer, cover and let cook 15-20 min, until the chicken is just cooked. Let it cool in the stock for another 15 min.
Remove the chicken from the stock and let it cool. While the chicken cools, add the tomatillos to the stock, increase heat to medium-high and boil uncovered for 10 min, or until the tomatillos are soft.
Next, transfer the chipoltes and tomatillos to a blender, add the cilantro and puree. Pour the puree back into the stock and mix well.
If you used chicken with bones, pull the chicken from the bones after it cools enough, and cut into bite size pieces.
Meanwhile add your oil to the stock, reduce heat to medium-low and let it reduce for 10 min. Taste and add sugar if it is too tart, add salt to taste. Stir the cut up chicken into the stock , reduce heat to low and cook, covered for an additional 10 min or so.
Serve hot. you can garnish with additional minced cilantro, guacamole, avocado slices, or creme fraiche if you so choose.
This recipe comes from "the border cookbook" by Cheryl and Bill Jamison - my favorite of all the cookbooks I own.
Shrimp and Squash Laska soup
Here is a soup I made the other day:
12-16 oz cooked peeled shrimp
22 oz cubed pepper squash
2-3 red chiles, deseeded and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 thumb sized pieces of ginger, peeled
3 sticks of lemongrass, chopped
large handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp cumin
peanut oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 14 oz cans coconut milk (I used one lite can and one regular)
salt and pepper
6 tblsp lime juice
chop up the squash and set aside. strip the leaves from the cilantro stems and put the stems and roots in a food processor with the first 2 of the tblsp of lime juice, chiles, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, 5 spice powder and cumin. get a wide high-sided fry pan (as in the picture), put this mix in there with some peanut oil and the onion, cook on medium for about 10 min, or until stuff starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
next, add the squash and the vegetable stock and water. stir around, loosen the bits off the bottom and bring to a boil. add the rice. reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 15 minutes or so. By this time the squash should be breaking up a bit you should be able to stir and break it down a bit. Keep simmering with the lid on until the rice is done. give it a good stir. Remove the lid and add the coconut milk and the shrimp - let it heat up until the shrimp is heated, taste and season with salt and pepper. Add some lime juice until it has a bit of sharpness in the taste. Sprinkle some cilantro leaves on top and serve.
12-16 oz cooked peeled shrimp
22 oz cubed pepper squash
2-3 red chiles, deseeded and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 thumb sized pieces of ginger, peeled
3 sticks of lemongrass, chopped
large handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp cumin
peanut oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 14 oz cans coconut milk (I used one lite can and one regular)
salt and pepper
6 tblsp lime juice
chop up the squash and set aside. strip the leaves from the cilantro stems and put the stems and roots in a food processor with the first 2 of the tblsp of lime juice, chiles, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, 5 spice powder and cumin. get a wide high-sided fry pan (as in the picture), put this mix in there with some peanut oil and the onion, cook on medium for about 10 min, or until stuff starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
next, add the squash and the vegetable stock and water. stir around, loosen the bits off the bottom and bring to a boil. add the rice. reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 15 minutes or so. By this time the squash should be breaking up a bit you should be able to stir and break it down a bit. Keep simmering with the lid on until the rice is done. give it a good stir. Remove the lid and add the coconut milk and the shrimp - let it heat up until the shrimp is heated, taste and season with salt and pepper. Add some lime juice until it has a bit of sharpness in the taste. Sprinkle some cilantro leaves on top and serve.
Lite Salad Nicoise
Have a lot of ripe tomatoes and peppers in my garden, so I made this recipe
serves 4
4 tuna steaks
4 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled and chipped
1 green pepper, diced in large dice
1 red pepper, diced in large dice
3-4 scallions, chopped
1 tblsp salt
lettuce
2 hard boiled eggs
anchovies
black olives
dressing:
1 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2-3 tblsp red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, put through a press
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tblsp olive oil
1/4 cup basil
salt and pepper to taste
combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and scallions in a bowl. add the salt and toss gently. cover and let sit while preparing the rest
mix the vinegars and garlic for the dressing and add the yogurt, oil and pepper and mix well. cut up the basil very fine and add it to the dressing. stir well.
cook the tuna to taste.
drain the salted vegetables and wash off the salt. wash and drain the lettuce and cover the bottom of a plate with some lettuce. put some of the mixed vegetables on top of the lettuce, then some of the dressing, and then a couple anchovies and a few olives. put the tuna on top and serve.
an alternative: make some tapenade and serve on the side in place of the olives and some of the anchovies.
serves 4
4 tuna steaks
4 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled and chipped
1 green pepper, diced in large dice
1 red pepper, diced in large dice
3-4 scallions, chopped
1 tblsp salt
lettuce
2 hard boiled eggs
anchovies
black olives
dressing:
1 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2-3 tblsp red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, put through a press
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tblsp olive oil
1/4 cup basil
salt and pepper to taste
combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and scallions in a bowl. add the salt and toss gently. cover and let sit while preparing the rest
mix the vinegars and garlic for the dressing and add the yogurt, oil and pepper and mix well. cut up the basil very fine and add it to the dressing. stir well.
cook the tuna to taste.
drain the salted vegetables and wash off the salt. wash and drain the lettuce and cover the bottom of a plate with some lettuce. put some of the mixed vegetables on top of the lettuce, then some of the dressing, and then a couple anchovies and a few olives. put the tuna on top and serve.
an alternative: make some tapenade and serve on the side in place of the olives and some of the anchovies.
Smoky Spagetti Sauce
I made a super-yummy spagetti sauce today. Probably my favorite ever, due to the smoke flavour it has. The key ingredient is two "Pasilla de Oaxaca" dried chiles that I bought from http://chillychiles.com (its located here in Ottawa).
This is kind of like an arrabiatta sauce, but with a smoky flavour. Its simple and takes about 30 minutes to make
2 cans good quality whole plumb tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
olive oil
fresh basil, including stems
2 Pasilla de Oaxaca chiles
Torn mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
red wine vinegar (optional - I didnt bother)
a little sugar (optional)
your favorite pasta
optional vegetables to taste
seperate the basil leaves from the stems. Chop up the stems and fry them in olive oil with the garlic and the two chiles over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the cans of plumb tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. once heated, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. At this point, remove one of the chiles, chop it up as fine as possible and add it back into the sauce. Also chop up the basil leaves and add them as well. If you want more heat, you can also chop the second chile as well. simmer for a further 10 minutes, remove the whole chile and discard (unless you chopped it up earlier).
now mush up the tomatoes. you can do this with a fork or a spoon, or a hand blender - its good to not blend it up too fine, nice to have a few chunks of tomatoes still in the sauce. Add a bit of red wine vinegar (optional) and taste. if it is a bit bitter (it may depend on the tomatoes), you can add a little sugar.
if you want to have some vegetables in your pasta, at this point add them, turn the heat back up a bit and let them cook for 10 minutes. I had zucchini, green pepper, red pepper and mushrooms. You can add what you like, or nothing at all.
Cook your pasta according to the directions. Tear up some chunks of mozzarella. Spoon the sauce on the pasta and top with the chunks of mozzarella. Enjoy.
This is kind of like an arrabiatta sauce, but with a smoky flavour. Its simple and takes about 30 minutes to make
2 cans good quality whole plumb tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
olive oil
fresh basil, including stems
2 Pasilla de Oaxaca chiles
Torn mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
red wine vinegar (optional - I didnt bother)
a little sugar (optional)
your favorite pasta
optional vegetables to taste
seperate the basil leaves from the stems. Chop up the stems and fry them in olive oil with the garlic and the two chiles over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the cans of plumb tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. once heated, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. At this point, remove one of the chiles, chop it up as fine as possible and add it back into the sauce. Also chop up the basil leaves and add them as well. If you want more heat, you can also chop the second chile as well. simmer for a further 10 minutes, remove the whole chile and discard (unless you chopped it up earlier).
now mush up the tomatoes. you can do this with a fork or a spoon, or a hand blender - its good to not blend it up too fine, nice to have a few chunks of tomatoes still in the sauce. Add a bit of red wine vinegar (optional) and taste. if it is a bit bitter (it may depend on the tomatoes), you can add a little sugar.
if you want to have some vegetables in your pasta, at this point add them, turn the heat back up a bit and let them cook for 10 minutes. I had zucchini, green pepper, red pepper and mushrooms. You can add what you like, or nothing at all.
Cook your pasta according to the directions. Tear up some chunks of mozzarella. Spoon the sauce on the pasta and top with the chunks of mozzarella. Enjoy.
Arroz con Polo mexican style
Here is a real nice chicken recipe I made today:
3 lbs of chicken pieces (I use drumsticks - skin optional)
2 or 3 chicken thighs or small chicken breast - cubed
olive oil
one dried ancho chile, and one dried new mexican (mild) chile, or two of either type
2 tsp dried mexican oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1 large onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups uncooked rice (I like brown basmati)
3 cups chicken stock
3 small roma tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3/4 pound of chorizo sausage - cut into 3/4" slices
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup whole black olives
grind up the ancho and new mexican chiles in a (clean) coffee grinder. put 2 tsp of the ground mix in a bowl (set the rest aside for another time). add the oregano, cumin, thyme, and salt to the bowl and mix well.
coat the chicken with olive oil and rub the spice mixture onto the chicken. Let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge.
the next day, preheat your oven to 350. Chop up your onion, tomatoes, and chorizo.
in a large dutch oven, heat some olive oil to medium high and fry the chicken in the oil - just enough to brown the outsides - it doesn't have to be totally cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pot and add the onion and garlic. When the onion begins to soften, throw in the uncooked rice and cook for a few minutes, be sure to stir around and get the good flavour bits off the bottom of the pot.
Arrange the chicken in the pot on top of the rice mixture. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaf. Cover and bake in oven for 45 minutes.
While baking, brown the chorizo and drain the excess fat.
After 45 minutes, remove from oven and add the peas, chorizo and olives and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes, then serve.
Hints:
- a really smoky dried chorizo goes really well in this recipe (when I bring leftovers to work it drives people nuts, they love the smell of it). Next time I make it I might try substituting a smoky hot pepper for one of the two peppers and see how it is, but it is excellent as described.
3 lbs of chicken pieces (I use drumsticks - skin optional)
2 or 3 chicken thighs or small chicken breast - cubed
olive oil
one dried ancho chile, and one dried new mexican (mild) chile, or two of either type
2 tsp dried mexican oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1 large onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups uncooked rice (I like brown basmati)
3 cups chicken stock
3 small roma tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3/4 pound of chorizo sausage - cut into 3/4" slices
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup whole black olives
grind up the ancho and new mexican chiles in a (clean) coffee grinder. put 2 tsp of the ground mix in a bowl (set the rest aside for another time). add the oregano, cumin, thyme, and salt to the bowl and mix well.
coat the chicken with olive oil and rub the spice mixture onto the chicken. Let the chicken sit overnight in the fridge.
the next day, preheat your oven to 350. Chop up your onion, tomatoes, and chorizo.
in a large dutch oven, heat some olive oil to medium high and fry the chicken in the oil - just enough to brown the outsides - it doesn't have to be totally cooked.
Remove the chicken from the pot and add the onion and garlic. When the onion begins to soften, throw in the uncooked rice and cook for a few minutes, be sure to stir around and get the good flavour bits off the bottom of the pot.
Arrange the chicken in the pot on top of the rice mixture. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaf. Cover and bake in oven for 45 minutes.
While baking, brown the chorizo and drain the excess fat.
After 45 minutes, remove from oven and add the peas, chorizo and olives and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes, then serve.
Hints:
- a really smoky dried chorizo goes really well in this recipe (when I bring leftovers to work it drives people nuts, they love the smell of it). Next time I make it I might try substituting a smoky hot pepper for one of the two peppers and see how it is, but it is excellent as described.
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