Author: bridgete

Categories
Fish

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

  • Cod filets
  • oil for deep frying
  • panko bread crumbs
  • flour for dusting
  • 1 egg
  • red cabbage/iceberg lettuce shredded
  • avocado
  • mango salsa
  • mayonnaise
  • fresh limes
  • small flour tortillas

MANGO SALSA

  • ripe mango
  • bunch of cherry tomatoes
  • red onion
  • salt
  • sambal or preferred hot sauce

Make the salsa ahead of time because the longer it sits, the better it tastes. Skin and chop mango, dice red onion and tomatoes and put in a bowl. and place in a bowl. Add salt and sambal and mix well. Set aside.

Put oil in a pot just high enough to almost immerse the filets. Cut the filets into large pieces (two pieces per taco) and flour to dry them.

Whisk egg(s) in a bowl and dip floured fish in.

Use food processor to whisk the panko to a powder and put in a bowl. Dp the egged filets in panko and deep fry. Set on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Heat flour tortillas in a pan (no oil)

To build your taco: place a soft heated shell on the plate. Put some mayo on the bottom. Ad 2 pieces of fish, salsa and top with shredded cabbage.

Categories
Fish

Spinach Mushroom Feta Quiche with Smoked Salmon

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 + 1/2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into small cubes
  • oil/butter for frying
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 200 g Spinach
  • 4 Eggs
  • 100 g Feta Cheese
  • Smoked salmon-thin sliced
  • 2 cups mushrooms cut into chunks
  • 1 c ricotta cheese (or milk or cream)
  • Parmesan cheese

TIP #1: Adding an egg to the quiche crust recipe will help bind the ingredients together and keep your crust from collapsing when removed from the quiche pan.

TIP #2: It’s important that the quiche crust is cold when filled and baked. Here’s the test: the cold dough should not lose its shape when pressed. When the fat (the butter) within the dough gets cold it helps keep the thin layers of flour/water separated which is exactly what’s needed to achieve a beautiful flaky quiche crust!

CRUST

  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and ice water. Set the bowl aside
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and salt. Pulse briefly until mixed.  Add in the the cubed butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in the egg/ice-water mixture. Pulse again until a lovely dough forms.
  3. Transfer the dough onto a lightly-floured board. Roll out the quiche crust so that it fits the measurements of your quiche pan or dish. Lay the rolled out dough onto the top of the quiche pan. Using your hands, gently press the dough into place. With a paring knife, slice off any extra dough that’s hanging over the rim of the pan or dish.
  4. Stick the quiche pan with the dough into the freezer for approximately 20-25 minutes (but if you leave it in there a bit longer, that’s fine too). For a flaky quiche crust it’s important that the crust is cold when it’s filled and cooked.
  5. Preheat oven to 175c Put a piece of baking paper in the frozen pie shell and fill with beans (for weight) Cook for 25 minutes.
  6. Take out the beans. Whisk one egg with some cold water and paint the bottom of the shell. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with semolina before filling.

FILLING

  1. Fry smoked salmon on high heat in oil until crispy-set aside
  2. cook the mushrooms in butter-set aside
  3. Cook the spinach in oil until wilted. Strain the water out. Chop so its not stringy and put in a bowl. Add the garlic powder and mix well. Add the mushrooms and salmon
  4. Whisk the eggs and add to the bowl with the other ingredients. Add the ricotta (or milk) and salt and pepper.
  5. Cut the feta into squares. When the crust is cooled, place the squares into the crust and then pour the egg mixture in.
  6. Bake at 175c for 45 minutes.
Categories
Fish

Sheet Pan Salmon

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish paste)
  • 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets (preferably wild)
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound baby bok choy, halved
  • 2 cups (packed) finely shredded green cabbage (about 5 ounces)
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced if large
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

RECIPE PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 230c°. Heat a large rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and wasabi in a small bowl.

Stir in half of ginger and half of garlic; set aside.

Season fish all over with salt and pepper.

Place bok choy, cabbage, and mushrooms in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and add remaining ginger and garlic. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper.

Scatter vegetables across one side of baking sheet. Arrange salmon on other side. Roast, stirring vegetables occasionally, until salmon is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Divide vegetables among plates; top with salmon. Serve wasabi mayonnaise alongside.

Categories
Shrimp Soup

Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp

  • oil
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 1/3 cup red bell peppers finely diced (about a half of a medium sized pepper)
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms about 5 ounces
  • 2 Tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger peeled, grated
  • 1 quart  broth
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 can coconut milk 13.5 ounces
  • 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined* (21-25 per pound)
  • 1/2 cup green onions thinly sliced (about 2)
  • 2 Tablespoons basil thinly sliced,
  • 2 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add shallots, and stir, cooking just until fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, curry paste, ginger, broth, brown sugar, and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until hot and bubbly, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add coconut milk and return to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook just until pink and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and add sliced green onions, lime juice and fresh basil.
Categories
Vegetarian

Aloo Gobi Potato Cauliflower Stew

  • 4 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp nigella seeds
  • 350g waxy potatoes, cut into rough 2.5cm dice
  • 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets and chunks of stalk slightly larger than the potato
  • 1 yellow onion, finely sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 1 tin of plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 5 chopped fresh tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted in a dry pan and ground
  • ½-1 tsp medium chilli powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2-4 small green chillies, slit along their length
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • Juice of ½ a lime
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

Heat the oil in a wide, lidded pan over a medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the cumin and nigella seeds and cook for a few seconds util they pop, then add the potatoes and sauté until golden. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and repeat with the cauliflower, then scoop this out into a separate bowl.

Turn the heat down to medium-low, add a little more oil if necessary, and add the onion. Cook until soft and golden but not brown, then stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes. Tip in the tomatoes, ground coriander, chilli and turmeric and cook, stirring regularly, until the oil begins to pool around the side of the pan.

Add the potatoes back in along with the fresh chillies and salt, bring to a simmer, turn down the heat, cover and cook for five minutes. Add the cauliflower and a good splash of water, cover and cook until both are tender, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick, and adding more water if necessary.

Take off the heat, stir in the methi and garam masala and leave for 10 minutes, then stir in the lime juice and fresh coriander before serving

Categories
Scallops

Pan-Seared Curried Scallops

  • 2 dry-packed sea scallops
  • Sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, butter, ghee or coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives, or 1 minced scallion, for garnish

Rinse the scallops, then pat very dry with paper towels. This step is very important, especially if you’re using frozen scallops; if they aren’t dry, you’ll be steaming instead of searing them. Season both sides of the scallops with salt and sprinkle the curry powder over both sides of the scallops. Give each one a pat so the curry becomes evenly distributed over the surface.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the scallops to the pan one at a time in a single uncrowded layer. Cook them in two batches if necessary. Let cook undisturbed, until deep golden-brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn and sear the other side until golden and the internal temperature registers between 150°F and 155°F, another 2 minutes. The scallops should be almost firm to the touch. Transfer the scallops to a serving plate and keep warm.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the grated ginger to the pan. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the coconut milk to deglaze the skillet, scraping any loose bits stuck to the pan. Cook the sauce until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the lime juice and any accumulated juices from the scallops. Taste; you might want to add a pinch or two of salt. Spoon the coconut sauce over the scallops, garnish with the chives, and serve immediately.

Categories
Scallops

Scallops in Puff Pastry

  • puff pastry (mini-cupcake tin)
  • scallops (or shrimp or lobster tails)
  • shallots
  • parsley
  • mint
  • lemons
  • pepper
  • kaffir lime leaf
  • mayo

Roll out puff pastry and add a little dusting of flour. Roll it out pretty thin, If its a little under defrosted that is even better,

Cut into strips and then into squares. Place them in the tin and they can be rough. You can make them in advance and put them in an airtight container after baking.

Brush them with melted butter. Put the pastry tin in the fridge as they need to be cold before baking.

Bake at 200c and watch them, As soon as they are out, press your thumb in the middle to make a cup. (now is when you can store)

Dry the scallops. Chop into pieces. Set aside

Melt a lot of butter. Cook shallots, lemon juice, lime leaf, pepper, Add scallop pieces. Bath the scallops in butter. Add a little salt, add parsley and chopped mint.

If premade: 150c for a couple of minutes to crisp up the cups. Warm the filling (butter will solidify.

Add a small amount of mayo. Fill cups.

Categories
Desserts

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 cup milk buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable canola oil, or melted coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

For the chocolate cake:

  • Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
  • Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
  • Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
Categories
Vegetarian

Roasted Aubergine with Garlic, Pine Nuts and Basil

NOTE: this takes about 2 hours. If you make the full recipe for the dressing you will have a lot leftover.

  • 5 medium aubergines
  • 120 ml olive oil plus extra to serve
  • 150 g yogurt
  • 10 g basil leaves
  • 20 g pine nuts toasted
  • sea salt and pepper

Garlic Dressing

  • 50 g peeled garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 tsp harissa
  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 50 ml olive oil

Preheat oven to 200c. Cut each aubergine in 4ths-half lengthwise then again widthwise. Then cut each section into wedges about 3cm wide and 10cm long and put in a bowl with 1 tblsp olive oil and salt and pepper and mix well. Place them skin side down (not crowded) on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Mix all the ingredients for the garlic dressing into the food processor with 1/4 tsp salt and blitz for about 2 minutes until a smooth paste is formed.

Place the aubergines and dressing into a bowl and mix well. Use your hands as to not break down the aubergines into mush. Leave for one hour or more if possible.

To serve, spread the yogurt onto the plate and put the aubergines on top. Sprinkle torn basil leaves over each plate and then sprinkle pine nuts. drizzle with a little olive oil.

HomeMade Harissa

  • 10 dried New Mexico chiles (or other large dried chile with mild-to-medium spiciness)
  • 7 dried chiles de arbol (increase for more heat, decrease for less heat)
  • 1 Tbsp (heaping) cumin seeds (or sub slightly less ground // if using ground, skip the toasting step)
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds (or sub slightly less ground // if using ground, skip the toasting step)
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds (not essential, but added to most traditional harissa)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste (or sub finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (if avoiding oil, sub water or omit)

Instructions

  1. fsAdd dried chilies to a mixing bowl or measuring cup and cover with hot water. (We used a mix of mild New Mexico chiles and hot peppers (chiles de arbol). Adjust the ratio to preferred spice level.) Once submerged, cover and steam for 15-20 minutes to rehydrate. Set aside.
  2. In the meantime, add cumin and coriander seeds to a small skillet and toast over medium heat for a few minutes, or until fragrant and they start to pop. Then transfer to a mortar and pestle (if you don’t own one, just add to a food processor to mix later), and crush into a fine powder.
  3. Next add caraway seeds, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and salt, and mix. Then add lemon juice and vinegar and mix again until you’ve achieved a paste. Transfer paste to food processor and add the tomato paste. Set aside.
  4. Once chiles are rehydrated, drain and remove the stems and seeds (I recommend wearing gloves to protect your hands), then add to food processor. At this point, all ingredients (besides olive oil) should be in the food processor.
  5. Blend for 1-2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed until a smooth paste is achieved. Then stream in 1/4 cup olive oil while blending to create a saucier consistency (see photo). (Add more oil (or water) as needed until desired consistency is achieved.)
  6. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon or vinegar for acidity, paprika for smokiness, tomato paste for depth of flavor, or salt to taste. If it’s not spicy enough at this point, you can either add more chiles de arbol (rehydrated and seeds removed) or cayenne pepper to taste.
  7. Scoop paste into a jar to store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If storing in the freezer, we recommend scooping into an ice cube tray, freezing, and storing in a freezer-safe container up to 2 months. Add cubes directly to warm foods (like stews or cooked sauces). If adding to cold foods (like dressings or dips), let thaw before adding.
Categories
Vegetarian

Carrot Beignets

  • 250 g haloumi (sheep)
  • 4 large peeled and grated thick carrots
  • 5 chopped spring onions
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 1 tbsp roasted ground coriander seeds
  • 20g chickpea flour
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • bunch of ruccola
  • 4 tbsp lemon sauce (see below)
  • pepper and salt

Grate 50g haloumi cheese roughly and stir together with grated carrots. slice the rest of the cheese and set aside. Mix in the rest (up to the oil) of the ingredients and add a bit of salt and pepper, Form into 12 balls and then press them into flat shapes. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes,

Put the oil in the pan and fry the beignets and the sliced haloumi (keep them warm in the oven as you fry them)

To serve, stack the beignets, add ruccola, then fried haloumi, ruccola etc. Finish with lemon sauce.

LEMON SAUCE

  • 1/2 clove garlic chopped fine
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • juice and small amount of grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 90 ml olive oil