More Indian food

Many people have warned me that vegetarians can have problems getting enough protein in their diet.

I have turned to legumes and eggs, milk and yogurt, which all are great sources for protein.
Every day for lunch I eat one portion of organic Müesli with skim milk. I happen to love Müesli,so it's an easy task for me. Right now I eat a blueberry vanilla Müesli which I really like, but I also like the good old Müesli with raisins (I really like dried fruits).

For dinner I eat mostly Italian food, because I love the simple but hearty Italian cooking. Bust as with everything, even Italian cooking has it's limits. It tastes better when you don't get to eat it every day.
Which is the reason I have turned to Indian cooking. I recently read that 80 percent of the Indian population are vegetarians, and they have a long tradition of cooking with vegetables.
Thankfully, I like Indian spices, even though they are hard to find in regular stores. Last week I went to an Asian market and bought a stack of Indian spices like fenugreek, black mustard seeds and ajwain seeds. They were way cheaper than store bought spices too.

I also bought Indian ghee, whic is clarified butter. Since the milk proteins are removed, ghee can cook at a higher temperature than regular butter since it doesn't burn so easily.

Indian vegetarian dishes has a lot of starch like rice and vegetables in them. But as I have noticed, a lot of them has tofu and yogurt, which are great sources of protein. This particular dish contains yogurt.

The dish itself is easy to cook up on a weeknight. It contains potatoes, aubergines, cauliflower and rice which are all ingredients that are easy to find in regular stores. It can be done in 30 minutes or less. This is also a great dish for families that are part vegetarian and part omnivore.

For the family meat eater I fried up a piece of white fish fillet in regular butter. I gave the fish fillet a round of salt and pepper before frying it. DH said it tasted great, and I couldn't agree more.




Indian vegetable biryani

For four people, you’ll need:

1 cup Basmati rice, washed and drained
Oil for frying*
1 pound mixed vegetables (potatoes, aubergine, cauliflower), cut into small pieces
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon raisins, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon finely shredded ginger
1 red chilli, minced
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
½ cup natural yogurt
Salt
Juice from 1 lemon
A handful of fresh coriander and mint, chopped

* I used Ghee – Indian clarified butter – instead of oil.

Cook the rice according to package. Set aside when done.

Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan and fry the onion until brown. Drain and reserve.

Fry the vegetables for a couple of minutes. Make sure they don’t burn. Add a little bit of water and let them cook until they are cooked through – but still has a bite.

Add the garlic and ginger to the vegetables. Then add the spices, the yogurt, half of the friend onion and salt to taste. Blend well.

In an ovenproof serving dish, put one layer of rice and then one layer of vegetable mixture on top. Sprinkle some lemon juice over the vegetable mixture and then some chopped coriander and mint.

Begin with the next layer of rice and add vegetable mixture and sprinkle with lemon juice and herbs (mint and coriander).

End with a rice layer on top. Garnish with raisins and the rest of the chopped mint and coriander and fried onion.

Serve immediately, or keep warm in an oven (gas mark 4) until you are ready to serve it.

My voice is back and I have turned to Indian food

I feel better today than I have done in days!
My voice is back and my breathing is much better, though I don't plan on singing anything anytime soon (my voice sounds like I have smoked 60 cigaretts a day for 60 years).
It's finally a little warmer outside, so I took the dogs walking for an hour this afternoon. It was nice, and I think the fresh air did me good.



Back home, I decided to make Indian Pulao for dinner. This is a dish from west India, and is an easy but tasty dish of spiced rice with vegetables.
The spices used are cumin and garam masala, and you can find the vegetables in every store. It's a perfect dish for a Friday night when you want something easy and fast to put on the table.

Indian Pulao
(serves 4)

6 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp cashew nuts (I used unsalted nuts)
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
3 oz fresh or frozen sweet corn (I used canned)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp golden raisins, chopped
salt to taste
1 cup uncooked rice (I used basmati rice)


Heat oil in a heavy pan and fry the cashew nuts until golden.
Drain and reserve.

Add vegetables and the spices to the pan. Fry for a few minutes.
Add rice and 1 1/2 cup of water. Cook until rice is done and vegetables are soft but still crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

Add cashew nuts and golden raisons and serve hot.

I ate this dish as it is, but DH - the Meat Eater - had some butter fried white fish to go with it. I'm happy to report we both liked it.

Vegetarian fast food (dinner in 10 minutes)

Some days I'm home so late for work, the thought of spending an hour cooking dinner could drive me over the edge. (Yeah, I'm a little edgy when I'm hungry.)

This dish can be made in 10 minutes flat, and it's really good too. Actually, it's one of my favorite dishes.

You'll need:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus
salt (I use Malsdon salt)
4 eggs
butter
2-3 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Cut off the dry ends of the asparagus.
Steam the asparagus for 5-6 minutes in a poy.

Fry eggs in the butter until done. Some people like a runny yolk, while other want it cooked through. I like mine runny.

Divide the asparagus on two plates. Sprinke a couple of pinches of salt over them. Place two fried eggs onto each plate, on top of the asparagus. Sprinkle parmesan on top.

It's good, it's healthy and I could totally see myself living on just this one dish. It is really that good!

Greek Briami - or Roasted vegetables

This dish is one of my favorited vegetable dishes. I got the recipe years ago from my Greek friend Evelyn, who is a fantastic cook.

Briami is something so simple as zucchini and potatoes roasted with herbs and oil in the oven. I sometimes add a fennel if I have some, but the original recipe is also good as it is. I have never had a reason to twist or tweak this recipe.
I serve the Briami with a slice of feta cheese on the top, and a basket of fresh bread on the side. It tastes delicious, and when I close my eyes, I imagine sitting on a Greek island with the Greek sun over my head.


Evelyn's Briami
(serves 6)

Pre-heat oven to 420F

10 good-sized zucchini, washed and scrubbed
and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
7 large-sized potatoes, peeled and cut
crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 very large onions,
peeled, cut in half, each half cut into
thirds (large wedges)
3 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into
quarters
1/3 lb of hard cheese (I use Parmesan or Manchego)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons oregano
3 tablespoons cut mint
3 tablespoons cut cilantro (optional)
salt and pepper

Put everything in a very large baking pan.
Pour water, olive oil on top and add herbs.
Season generously. Put your clean hands in
the pan and give all the veggies a toss so
herbs, and oil and salt and pepper go on
everything.
Roast in 420F oven for a couple
of hours, stirring everthing up a couple of
times to allow veggies on bottom to come up
and brown nicely too.

Vegetarian lasagna

Have you ever tried to take a picture of baked lasagna, successfully?
Whatever ligt, angle and cheese used as topping, the lasagna always comes out as a goey mush.
It could have been improved with some grean lettuce leaves and tomatoes, but unfortunately, I had neither on hand today.

Luckily, most of us have had lasagna before so we know that this goey mush is indeed a great mix of tomatoes, cheese and delicious velvety pasta.

I start making my lasagna by cooking a tasty vegetable tomato sauce. I layer it with lasagna plates and ricotta cheese. Somtimes, when my local food store is out of ricotta (- or I'm too cheap to use ricotta since it costs twice as much as the alternative) I'm known to use cottage cheese that I mash with a fork instead. If you want my honest opinion (- if you don't, stop reading here), it works just as well. The strong flavors in the vegetable tomato sauce will overpower the delicate and distinctive taste in the ricotta cheese. It's the texsture I'm looking for in this dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
While oven is heating up, make the lasagna.

Tomato sauce.

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 small or 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 celery sticks, rinsed and sliced

1 small boc (1/2 cup) tomato puree
1 cup frozen spinach
1 can (1 pound) chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (1 1/2 pound)
lasagna plates
1 medium ball of mozarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated parmesan

Saute onion in the canola oil until transludent. Add carrots and celery sticks, and saute on medium heat for 5-10 minutes.

Add tomato paste, stir well until the onion, carrots and celery pieces are coated well.
Add chopped tomatoes, oregano and salt an pepper. Let boil for 20 minutes, or until carrots are almost done.
Add the frozen spinach. When the spinach is well blended into the sauce, the sauce is done.

My lasagna form is a deep 8 x 4 inch baking dish. Use whatever size that pleases your crowd.

Start with the vegetable tomato sauce.
Layer half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Cover with lasagna plates. Spread half of the ricotta cheese over the lasagna plates. Make sure it's spread out evenly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the tomato vegetable sauce on the side, and spread the rest over the ricotta cheese. Cover with lasagna plates, and spread the reserved tomato vegetable sauce on top. This is done to make sure there will be enough moist to bake the lasagna plates througly since the ricotta cheese don't hold enough moisture.
Spread the ricotta cheese on top, cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes in the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the aluminus foil, spread the mozarella cheese on top, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the mozarella cheese. (I add parmesan as neither the ricotta nor mozarella cheese holds a lot of taste. The parmesan adds an extra flavor that goes well with the tomato and vegetable sauce).

Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and had taken on a golden color.

Enjoy!

Navratan Korma missing two ingredients...

So, I got home from work the other day and I was so hungry I could hardly wait to get dinner ready.

I made this really tasty Navratan Korma but alas, I was so hungry I completely forgot to add the peas and the nuts at the end *LOL*.

Anyways, it tasted great still but next time I will add all the ingredients. And for the record, this dish is so good it will definitely go into my regular file.

This is an Indian vegetable korma with nuts, paneer cheese, and an adjustable list of vegetables. It is in a tomato-cream sauce as opposed to the usual yogurt based sauce.
I didn't find paneer cheese so I substituted it with regular cottage cheese.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil,
divided
1/3 cup nuts, chopped (you can mix cashews,
pistachios, almonds)
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 cup water
1 T raisins
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup chopped potatoes
4 ounces paneer, cubed (Or use cottage cheese)
3/4 cup coconut milk
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir onion into the skillet, and cook until tender. Mix in garlic paste and ginger paste, and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Pour in water, and mix in raisins, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
2. Heat remaining oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the paneer on both sides, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place in a bowl with enough hot water to cover for about 2 minutes to soften, then stir into the skillet with the vegetables.
3. If you don't have paneer cheese, add cottage cheese straight to the skillet.
Stir coconut milk into the skillet with the vegetables. Add frozen peas. Bring to a boil, and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Sprinkle nuts on top and serve with rice, salad and naan bread.

Vegetable Moussaka and a small problem

Lately we've had a tiny problem in this household.
You see, food keeps disappearing!
Not from the cupboards, but from the dinner table. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy that people enjoy my food, but today is the second time in a row I didn't manage to get a decent photo of a dish before it was gone. I managed to snatch a slice of aubergine with tomato and cheese and a spoon of sauce for todays picture but to be honest, this picture doesn't give full credit to this dish. Think silky smooth aubergine, sun ripe tomatoes, potatoes and white sauce, a little mustard and melted cheese on top.
Am I the only one drooling now?

Vegetable Moussaka

50g/2 oz green or brown lentils (I used red and it worked just fine.)
570ml/1 pint water
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
110g/¼lb mushrooms, wiped and chopped
2 - 3 tbsp tomato purée
2tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
350g/12 oz or 2 medium aubergines, washed and sliced
2 potatoes, scrubbed, boiled and sliced2 tomatoes, washed and sliced thickly

For the sauce:
20g/¾oz butter
1 tbsp flour
225ml/8fl oz milk
1 small egg
½ tsp mustard powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
75g/3oz grated cheddar cheese.

Method
1. preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Pick the lentils over for sticks and stones, wash them thoroughly, then bring them to the boil in the water. Cover and simmer for 40 - 45 minutes or until they are soft.
3. When cooked, drain and reserve the liquid for stock.
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic gently so that they remain translucent.
5. Then add the chopped mushrooms and cooked lentils and cook for a further few minutes, mixing well.
6. Remove the vegetables from the pan using a slotted spoon so that as much oil as possible is left in the frying pan.
7. Put the vegetables in a bowl and mix in a little stock, 2-3 tbsp of tomato puree and the oregano.
8. Season well with nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then add a further 2 tbsp of oil to the frying pan and fry the aubergine slices until soft, turning them over constantly. (You may need a little extra oil for this.)
9. Put the slices onto a piece of kitchen paper to drain and let them cool.
10. Grease a 1.75L/3pt ovenproof dish and put in a layer of lentil and mushroom mixture, then a layer of aubergines, then of potato and tomato slices.
11. Next make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook the roux for 2 - 3 minutes.
12. Pour on the milk and bring the sauce to the boil, stirring constantly.
13. Simmer for 5 minutes and then allow to cool.
14. Beat in the egg and season the sauce well with mustard, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
15. Pour the sauce over the top of the casserole and sprinkle over the grated cheese.16. Bake for 40 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
Serve piping hot.

(From BBC Food)

Nigella's sesame peanut noodles

This recipe comes from Nigella Express.

It's fast and easy to make, and delicious both warm and cold. I make it for dinner one day and bring leftovers to lunch the next.
I usually use what vegetables I have.
Today I used some broccoli florets, sliced carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced spring onions and some sliced white cabbage. Use what you prefer, but for a start, here's Nigellas recipe with the vegetables she uses.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil or 1 tablespoon oil and 1/3 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice

Salad
1-1/4 pounds cooked noodles, ( I use egg noodles)
2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed
1-1/2 cups snow peas, whole or cut in half or strips
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into small strips
2-4 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Boil noodles according to package. (Let cool if you want to serve the salad cold.)
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl or small pitcher.
Mix the noodles, bean sprouts, snow peas, radishes, sliced red pepper and scallions into a bowl.
Pour over the dressing and mix thoroughly to coat everything well.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Chicken curry

(photo by: Romulo Yanes)

This recipe is from Gourmet in January 2005.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHICKEN-CURRY-WITH-CASHEWS-231358

It's the best curry recipe I have ever come across!

"In this recipe adapted from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook, ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer."
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces

1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup cashews (1/4 lb)

3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice

Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.

Just before serving:Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooks' note:Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

Green lava for salmon and trout

When I cook, I now and then stumble upon a perfect combination of tastes. Last time it happened was today.
I made baked salmon for dinner and served it with a pea sauce, and it was marvellous! This is definitely something I will make again.
The pea sauce is inspired from a cooking show with Nigella Lawson. She served this pea sauce with lamb (she also added some dry mint to it which I omitted for this recipe).
I decided to try and mix it with fish and it paired perfectly with baked salmon. Since salmon and trout share many of the same qualities, this delicate sauce goes with both.

I baked my salmon in aluminum foil in the oven (400F) for ten minutes. Before I baked it, I sprinkled my salmon with some fresh lemon juice, a little salt and fresh dill on top.

For the pea sauce, you will need the following ingredients:

1 garlic clove, peeled
1 to 2 cups of peas
2 tablespoons parmesan sauce
3 to 4 tablespoons creme fraiche (- or mascarpone cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a couple of cups water in a pan. Add the peas and garlic clove, and cook until peas are done. (I used frozen peas so it only took a couple of minutes.)

Drain the peas and add all the ingredients in a food processor. Blend on high for a fev seconds, then scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula, add the lid and blend for a few seconds more.

I served the fish and pea sauce with baked potatoes and steamed asparagus (- asparagus being the vegetable of the season right now.)

Salmon and rice with vegetables in pita bread

Leftover rice is a common problem with a simple solution. Mix with vegetables, add meat or fish and dump into a pita bread. Voila, dinner!

Here's what I had for dinner today:

1 cup leftover rice
2 spring onions, finely sliced
6 champignon mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 salmon fillet, cubed
1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 pita breads
6 to 8 tablespoons tatziki (-Greek yoghurt sauce with garlic and cucumber)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat pita breads for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil or other vegetable oil in a skillet.
Saute spring onions and mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Add frozen peas and cubed salmon. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes, or until salmon is almost cooked through. Add leftover rice and soy sauce. Gently stir the ingredients together, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice pita breads in half, add the salmon and rice filling. Top with tatziki and serve while still hot.

Vegetable pita sandwich

Last year I bought three beautiful bikinis on sale. They are the prettiest bikinis I've ever owned!
The only problem is, they are one size too small. Or rather, they are in the size *I* should be! *LOL*

With summer just around the corner, I have decided to loose the extra pounds, because I really want to get into these bikinis. Not because I love using bikinis. I don't think I have used one since 1993!
But I love a challenge, and I think that exercising and eating more healthy will be good for me.

This morning, I made myself a vegetable pita that tasted wonderful. It was an easy start on the "new" me!

Vegetable pita sandwich

1 pita bread
5 to 6 slices of cucumber
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
2 to 3 tablespoons tatziki (Greek yogurt sauce).

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan. Transfer to a small bowl or plate when done.

Toast the pita bread in a hot oven or a toaster. When done, cut the top of the pita almost off, and fill it with sliced vegetables, toasted pine nuts and tatziki.

You can buy tatziki at most stores, but it's easy to make your own:

Tatziki
2 cups Greek yoghurt OR make your own from regular plain yoghurt
(put plain yogurt in a big coffee filter in a big strainer/colander, set it in the fridge and next morning it has drained off the water and is wonderful and thick like Greek yogurt)

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)

Sprinkle the chopped cucumber with a generous pinch of sea salt and let it drain for a few minutes Avoid using a food processor to chop the cucumber since it will then have to be drained in a strainer)
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Keep in the refrigerator until served.

Paella

At least once a month I make Paella, the Spanish dish that started out as a poor man's fare but are now one of the regions most popular dishes. Why? Because just smelling the paella cooking makes me feel good. Eating it afterwards is even better! I think, hands down, that this Paella is one of the very few things that can make me forget about chocolate. It is actually that good.
I wrote down the recipe from a TV-show long time ago. What show it was, I no longer remember. But, as with all recipes, this one is also best when shared.

Paella

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika powder
1 teaspoon saffron
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup rice (Calisparra rice or Arborio rice)
2 quart bullion
3 oz Choritzo (a Spanish sausage), roughly chopped
1 pound cubed fish and/or other seafood like shrimp, lobster and crab meat.
1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

This dish is best prepared in a large paella pan, alternatively a large wok.

Fill a small casserole with water and bring to a boil. Cut a cross on the opposite side of the stem on the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in the hot water for a minute or two, until the skin starts to peel off. Lift out the tomatoes, let cool a little and peel off the skin. After the tomatoes are skinned, chop them roughly and set them aside.

Heat the bullion in a casserole. Keep the bullion on low heat once it's warm.

Heat the oil in the paella pan, and add onions and paprika. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt.Sautè for about five minutes.
Add Choritzo, hot and sweet paprika powder and garlic.
Sautè for a few more minutes before you add the tomatoes and the saffron.
NOTE: Add the saffron after the tomatoes, as the saffron burns easily and the liquid from the tomatoes will keep it from burning.

Add the rice and wine.
Let the wine evaporate before you start adding more liquid (the bullion).

Add the bullion a little at a time. I usually add a cup, then I let the rice absorb the liquid before I add another cup.
Let the rice cook for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the fish and seafood, and let it sit in the paella until it's cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir very gently in the paella at this point so the fish and seafood doesn't fall apart while cooking.
Add the peas, stir gently, and wait another couple of minutes until the peas are heated through.

Serve the paella with a green salad.

Pasta with salmon creme sauce

Some people will tell you that fish and cheese is a bad combination.
I find that to be true most of the time, but in some dishes, cheese gives the dish a wonderful flavour. When I cook this dish, I sprinkle parmesan on top of the fish and pasta. A lot of parmesan! If I ever was addicted to something, parmesan would be very high on my list of addictives.
But, some people prefer to stick to the old advice and keep cheese and fish separated. This dish will also work without the parmesan, but if you omit the cheese, add a little morer salt.

Pasta with salmon creme sauce

1 1/2 pound salmon fillet, cubed
1 1/2 pound spaghetti
1 onion
1 1/2 cup heavy creme
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Heat oil in a wide pan and cook onion until soft, about five minutes.
Add salmon, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add cream, dill, cayenne and cucumber, and cook for another couple of minutes or until the salmon is done. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook spaghetti according to package.

Serve dish with shredded parmesan.

Baked trout with tabbouleh

Salmon and trout is one of the healthiest choices you can make when it comes to fish. Loaded with healthy Omega 3 and with a delicate taste, it's on top nof my list when I want to treat myself to something delicious.
In this recipe, I serve my trout with tabbouleh, a traditional Middle Eastern salad that goes so well with fish one could think they were made for each other.

Baked trout with tabbouleh

one trout fillet, about one pound.
1 teaspoon canola oil
one lemon
fresh dill sprigs
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 430F.

On a sheet of aluminum foil, brush one teaspoon canola oil.
Place trout onto foil, skin side down.
Slice three to four slices of lemon from the middle of the lemon, leaving full ends.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon ends over the trout. Sprinkle with salt, place dill sprigs on the teout and top with 3 to 4 lemon slices. Close the foil gently around the fish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until done.

For the tabbouleh you'll need:

1/4 cup bulgur

1 cup finely chopped parsley

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 oz chopped unsalted cashew nuts

1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely chopped

1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped

4 green onions, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper

Place bulgur in a bowl and add 1/3 cup hot water. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and honey, and leave until done.

If there is still liquid in the bowl when the bulgur is done, strain bulgur before you mix it with the other ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the tabbouleh in the fridge until it is being served. It tastes best cold, and it's absolutely at it's best when the flavours have had a chance to set so you can make it a day ahead.

Chicken curry with cashews

I need to clean out my freezer, and it so happens that my freezer is full of chicken!

As much as I love creamy sauces, I try to stick to more healthy choices during the week. Also, it's easier to use a healthy dinner as an excuse to have some ice cream for dessert!

Tonight I made chicken with a curry and cashew nut sauce. This sauce is so tasty and good, I find myself wondering why I don't make it more often.
This recipe is adapted from a recipe printed in Gourmet, January 2005.

Chicken Curry with Cashews

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

4 large chicken breasts, cut into one inch cubes

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

3 oz cashew nuts, finely chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt

Accompaniment: cooked basmati or jasmine rice.

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat.

Cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and stir well. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, including juice, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and let simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

When chicken is cooked through, add finely chopped cashew nuts. They give this dish a delicious nutty flavour.

Add a couple of tablespoons of yogurt right before serving.

NB: Do not let the chicken curry come to a boil after the yogurt is added. The yogurt can separate under high heat.

Garnish with chopped cilantro if you like, and serve.

(Serves 4)

Pasta with Peas and Parmesan

Fuzz free pasta

Sometimes, when I get home from work, I'm so hungry I can't see straight.

In those times, it is really tempting to order a pizza or to take a huge dive into the stack of chocolate in the pantry. My stomack is literally screaming and there is no way in Hades I'm waiting for a sauce to thicken. Fire up the BBQ? Forget it!

In times like that, I usually go for my Pasta with Peas and Parmesan. This dish is good, easy, fool proof and ready in minutes. What else can you wish for?

1/2 to 2/3 pound of penne, farfalle or other short pasta

1 cup frozen peas.

Chopped parsley (- to suit your taste)

freshly grated parmesan

Cook pasta according to package. Drain.

De-freeze peas in a pot with warm water over moderate heat while the pasta cooks. Drain.

Dressing:

1/4 cup herb vinegar (I often use apple vinegar)

1/2 cup olive oil

3 to 5 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped

juice of one lemon

a dash of salt

1 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard

Mix all the ingredientd for the dressing.

Add the dressing to the pasta (- don't add everything all at once. The garlic can be pretty strong, especially if you use chinese garlic, so add a little, taste, then add some more and repeat tasting until you find the taste that suits your palate.)

Add the peas, and sprinkle parmesan and parsley on top!

Posh cod

Butter fried cod with foie gras

At a restaurant a few weeks ago I had butter fried cod with foie gras, and the combination was so good I had to try it at home.

(4 servings)

2 pounds fresh cod fillet, cut into four pieces

2 oz foie gras

1-2 tablespoon butter

four lemon wedges

salt to taste

Melt butter in a pan. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the cod filets. Fry fish on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on both sides. It is very important to NOT over fry the fish, because the meat will dry out.

Transfer fish fillets onto plate and put a slice of foie gras on top.

I served my cod with steamed sugar peas and spring onion, hasselbach potatoes and a veal sauce (made from veal stock).

Cod cannelloni

Fish and creamy cheese in soft pasta with a rich saffron sauce.

This dish became an instant favourite. It is easy to make, and it tastes rich and delicious.

(2 portions)

4 lasagna sheets

1 tablespoons butter

150 g (1/3 pound) cod or other white fish fillets

salt

freshly ground pepper

juice from 1/2 lemon

150 g (1/2 cup) ricotta cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives

freshly ground nutmed

Saffron sauce

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

small pinch of saffron

150 ml (1/2 cup) single cream

Preheat oven to 180C / 350F

To make the filling, melt the butter in a pan and cook the fish on 3-4 minutes on each side. Season with pepper and lemon juice.

Transfer fish to a bowl, leaving the juices and butter in the pan.

Add ricotta cheese, parsley, chives and egg to the bowl. Add nutmeg and salt to taste.

Blanche lasagna plates in hot water.

Take out, let them drain in a colander and add a little oil to them so they don't stick together.

Put some filling down the centre of each pasta sheet. Roll into a tube. Arrange the cannelloni in a greased ovenproof dish.

To make the sauce, heat the remaining juices and butter in the pan. Add more butter if necessary. Fry the shallot and garlic for 3-4 minutes, but be careful so it doesn't burn.

Add saffron and cook for one minute. Pour in the cream, bring the sauce to a boil and let it cook for a few minutes until it thickens.

Pour the sauce over the cannelloni and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through.

Fish cakes - the ultimate comfort food

I love fish cakes!
I can have them for lunch and dinner (breakfast is too early for most foods, in my humbe opinion) , but too often, store bought fish cakes tastes too bland and - frankly - the texture is rubbery.

I prefer to make my own fish cakes. Real home made fish cakes, with a lot of taste.
These fish cakes are so good, they should be prescribes by doctors!

Broiled fish cakes with ginger and chili
(serves 4)

2 baking potatoes
Salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds fillet of cod
2 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger
1 fresh medium hot red chile, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil
Lime wedges.

Boil potato in salted water to cover until it is tender but not mushy.
Meanwhile, place fish in a skillet. Add water to cover, salt the water, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat. Cover, and set a timer for 10 minutes. After that time, use a slotted spoon to remove fish to a bowl.
When potato is done, peel it and mash it with the fish. Add heavy cream and seasonings, along with some salt and pepper, and work the mixture with your hands until it is well blended. Shape into 6 equal burger-shaped patties.

Preheat broiler, and set rack about 4 inches from heat source. Brush patties on both sides with oil, then place on a non-stick baking sheet. Broil carefully, until nicely browned on top, then turn and brown on the other side.
Serve hot, with lemon wedges.

The fish cakes before broiling.