Avocado, mango and pineapple salad

This salad looked really pretty and was very flavourful... it went well with the Caribbean theme.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium shallot sliced thinly


• 2 tbsp rice vinegar


• 3 tbsp olive oil


• 1 tsp red wine vinegar


• 3 cups mescalin mix


• 1 tbsp thinly sliced mint


• 1 tbsp thinly sliced basil


• 3 medium avocados sliced


• 2 kiwis sliced and halved


• 1 mango sliced a quarter inch thick


• half a medium pineapple diced

Toss shallot with a tbsp of rice vinegar for 10 minutes. Drain shallot, reserve the vinegar and add the red wine vinegar into shallot vinegar and whisk in the oil. Toss a tbsp of vinaigrette with shallots and mescalin mix with the mint and basil. Arrange the avocado, kiwi, pineapple and mango decoratively on a plate and top with the mescalin mix and remaining vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.

Sorry, no picture of the salad, you will have to believe me that it looked and tasted pretty good!

Sweet and spicy roasted vegetables

For our party of 8

6 medium carrots halved lengthwise and cut in 1 inch pieces

2 red onions cut in 8 wedges

2 cups butternut squash cut in 1 inch pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

Toss the vegies with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 450 F for 30 minutes.

While it is cooking, heat 2 tbsp oil in a small frying pan and add 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground ginger, a half tsp cinnamon and a quarter tsp cayenne and cook until fragrant. Stir in 2 tbsp of honey and 1 tbsp fresh thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle the mixture over roasted vegetables. mmm mmm good!

Paella

I use the recipe from Cooks Illustrated edition number 74

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined, toss with salt and pepper and olive oil and 1 tsp garlic and set aside


• 8 cloves minced garlic


• 10 chicken thighs


• 1 red bell pepper sliced 1/2 inch thick


• 8 oz chorizo sausage sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias


• 1 medium onion finely chopped


• 1-14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained and diced some more


• 2 cups arborio rice


• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth


• 1/2 cup white wine


• 1/2 tsp crumbled saffron


• 1 bay leaf


• 12 mussels


• 1/2 cup frozen green peas thawed


• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley


• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Although I prepared the last 3 ingredients, I forgot to add them!!!
It didn't affect the flavour!!

I use a paella pan to prepare this dish...

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat 2 tsp oil in pan or dutch oven add peppers and cook until they are a little blistered and set them aside.

Add 1 tsp oil to pan on medium high heat and add chicken pieces to brown on both sides (~3-4 minutes per side). Set aside in a bowl. Reduce heat to medium add the chorizo sausage , cook stirring frequently until fat starts to render. Transfer to the same bowl with the chicken. Add enough oil to the pan to equal 2 tbsp, add onion and cook for 3 minutes and then add the garlic and cook for a minute more until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and stir until mixture begins to darken. Stir in the rice and stir until well coated. I prepared the dish this far in advance earlier in the day. Then half an hr before you want to eat... finish the recipe... So...

Stir in chicken stock (if using a dutch oven reduce the chicken broth by 1/2 a cup) wine, bay leaf, half a tsp salt and saffron. Return chicken and sausage to the pan bring to a boil, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover pan the shrimp to the rice mixture and add the mussels hinged side down and they stand upright. Arrange pepper in a pinwheel in the centre and scatter the peas. Cover and return to oven for another 12 minutes until the shrimp are opaque and the mussels have opened. Let stand 5 minutes, discard unopened mussels and bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley and pass the lemon slices!

Callaloo soup

You will need a ham bone (with some ham left on it, Eric is my supplier) or a pork hock.

Use a large pot, add 1 sliced large tomato, 1 large sliced onion, 2 frozen packages of okras and 1 package of frozen spinach and the ham bone. Add water to cover the ingredients. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil then simmer for ~ 1 hr. When the okra seeds turn pinkish, remove the ham bone and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Serve hot and pass the pepper sauce!

Caribbean night

We had our Dominican Republic travel buddies for dinner and a little Caribbean flair!
There were flowers palm trees and exotic birds pasted to walls to help create the atmosphere. Music filled the air and the welcome drink was a rum punch made with dark rum and triplesec.

The dinner menu for 8 was as follows:

Hors d'ouevres of mini meat pies, antipasto and mini egg rolls (all previous entries)

Callaloo soup (sorry, don't know how to spell it)!

Paella

Chocolate souffle with whip cream spiced with rum

Sweet and spicy roasted vegetables

Avocado mango, and pineapple salad

My sister Gillian's fudge

Anyone with any kind of a sweet tooth will absolutely love this fudge!! It doesn't take long to make, you don't need a candy thermometer and it tastes delicious... I warn you though, this fudge is addicting!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 lb butter
• 1 can carnation milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 750 grams of icing sugar (or 3/4 of the 1 kg pack)

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.

Add the brown sugar, milk and vanilla, stir well and bring to a boil.

Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool stirring occasionally.

Add the icing sugar a little at a time until the mixture is thick. Pour into 2 greased 9 by 13 pans or 2 rimmed cookie sheets. Cool over night, cut into 1 inch squares... enjoy!

Chinese beef and broccoli

Another quick stir fry... prepare everything in advance and then just whip it up when you're ready to eat!

You will need :

• a little more than 1/2 a lb of flank steak thinly sliced across the grain



• 1 tsp of corn starch



• 1 tsp sugar



• 1 tbsp mushroom soya sauce



• 2 tbsp wine (or vermouth)

Slice meat and marinate in above mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare:

• 1 small head of broccoli cut into Florette's



• 1 carrot sliced



• 1 medium onion quartered



• 3 cloves garlic sliced in 2

In a measuring cup add:

• 2 tsp cornstarch



• 2 tbsp of dark soya sauce



• 2 tbsp oyster sauce



• 1/2 cup water to mixture.. Mix together and set aside

Add2 tsp olive oil to a frying pan and add the pieces of garlic for 30-60 seconds. Add the meat and stir fry until just cooked. Remove meat from pan. Add the vegetables all at once. Add 1/4 cup of water and cover for 2 minutes. Add the measuring cup of soy and oyster sauce and stir until thickened. Add more water to get the right consistency. Add meat back into the pan and heat through. Serve with white rice and a green salad... enjoy.

Marcie's home made baked brown beans

These beans are just awesome...they are simple to make, you just have to plan the day before. I serve these beans with a tortiere and a salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups navy beans
• 2 large Spanish onions diced (to those of you who tried to make this dish with 21 onions, I apologize for the typo)!!
• 1/2 lb bacon

Sauce

• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 5 tbsp molasses
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Rinse and soak beans on cold water overnight

Next morning, drain and cover with fresh water and boil for 3/4 hr. Once boiling reduce the heat to medium to keep boiling.

Mix sauce together...

When beans are done, DO NOT DRAIN....

Use 9by 13 pan -put 1/2 bacon and 1/2 the onion on bottom of the dish. Scoop 1/2 the beans over the onion and bacon and use some of the bean water.

Repeat using remaining beans.

Slowly pour the sauce over the beans. Liquid should cover the beans...if not , use some of the liquid from the boiled beans.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 4 hours.. remove foil and bake for 2 more hrs. Add more bean water as necessary to keep moist.

Enjoy!!

Roast lemon herb chicken... apres ski!

After a day of skiing, it's nice to pop something into the oven and let it cook itself!!

Clean a 3-4 pound chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Take a few sprigs of thyme and a handful of parsley and stuff it under the skin of the breast and leg. Season with salt, pepper and 3 minced cloves of garlic. Sprinkle with paprika and dollop with butter. Bake at 350 degrees F for ~ 1 hour and 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Tent with foil for 5 minutes to consolidate juices.

Wash 3 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 3 and add to roast pan to roast for 1 hr.

Cut 1 pepper squash in half... remove seeds, add 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp butter and add to the oven with the chicken and potatoes and roast for 1 hour. Scoop the squash into a bowl and serve with the chicken, potatoes and green beans....I just rested my weary bones while the whole meal cooked by itself!!

Last but not least, Chocolate souffle for dessert

Now the really great thing about this recipe is that you can freeze it in advance then pop it in the oven for 18 minutes before serving!

You will need...

• 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter


• 1/2 cup sugar plus 2tbsp


• 1/2 cup milk


• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used Belgian chocolate)


• 6 large egg whites at room temperature


• 4 large egg yolks

Brush 8 ramekins with the melted butter, sprinkle with the 2 tbsp sugar, shake off excess and set aside.

Heat milk until steaming hot and add the chocolate, stir until melted and set aside.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp of water in a saucepan and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let sit while you beat the egg whites.

In a standing mixer beat egg whites on medium speed until they form soft peaks. I always add a little sprinkle of cream of tarter to aid the process. While mixer is running, add the sugar syrup to the bowl. Increase speed to high and beat another 1 1/2 minutes until egg whites hold medium peaks.

Mix the egg yolks into the melted chocolate until combined. Fold 1/3 of mixture until totally combined. Add remaining 2/3 of whites and fold in until no streaks remain. Divide batter evenly into ramekins. Freeze and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. The ramekins can be frozen for up to 1 week.

Remove from freezer and bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until tops are puffed and cracked and souffles are barely set in the middle. Serve immediately.

Now, that was an awesome New Years dinner!!

New Years... the main course!

Once again "Fine Cooking " magazine is my source for the following recipes.

Roasted Cornish hens with cranberry -port sauce.



Here's how!

Prepare the hens the day before....



I prepared 3 hens...

• 4 tsp finely chopped sage, save stems for the broth



• 4 tsp chopped fresh thyme, save stems for the broth



• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper



• 1 tbsp melted butter

Remove the backbone from the hens and the last 2 joints of the wing tips. Place hen breast side up and flatten by pressing down with your palm, cut bird in two. Remove the breast bone, save with wing tips and back bone for the broth.

Combine sage thyme salt and pepper...dry the hens apply rub on all sides. Place on a cookie sheet skin side up on a rimmed cookie sheet so they are not touching and refrigerate uncovered overnight.

Brush the birds with a tbsp of melted butter and roast at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes... let rest for 5 minutes.

Make the broth (the day before)....

In a 4 quart saucepan add 2 tsp olive oil and add the reserved bones stirring until brown. Add 1/3 cup chopped shallots and reserved sage and thyme stems. Add 2 cups chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool the broth for a few hours in the fridge. Skim off the fat.

Make the cranberry port sauce in advance. I finished it the day before and refrigerated until I was ready to use the the sauce ....

Combine 1/3 cup dried cranberries and 1/3 cup ruby port and let sit for a few hours or overnight.

Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan, add a tbsp of minced shallots - cook ~2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of flour and mix until it forms a thick paste. Strain the port into the saucepan...( don't press the cranberries). Whisk for ~30 seconds and then slowly add the refrigerated broth. Simmer and reduce by a third ~5 minutes. Stir in reserved cranberries. Just before serving, add any accumulated juices from cooking the hens.


The Pear Potatoes


Although the picture isn't clear. the potatoes were made in the shape of a pear with a piece of spaghetti for the stem and a bay leaf for the leaf.

Peel and boil 2 1/2 lbs of white potatoes... Dry them in the pan. Put the potatoes through a potato ricer and mix with 2 egg yolks. Form the potato into pears and use a piece of spaghetti for the stem and a bay leaf for the leaf. Roll in dry bread crumbs and deep fry until lightly golden brown... I made these ahead and reheated in the oven with the hens for the last 15 minute of the cooking time.

The broccoli...

Cook enough broccoli for 6 people in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain.
Just before eating, heat 4 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp of calamata olives and 2 tbsp of capers. Serve hot!

Lots of different tastes and flavours...FANTASTIC!!