Bhindi
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Chopped Onion
1 Pound Fresh Sliced Okra
½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
½ Teaspoon Ground Coriander
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Stir in the okra and season with the cumin, ginger, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes and stir occasionally. Remove and serve. Serves 4
Chicken Curry
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breasts
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ginger
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Finely Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Finely Chopped Green Chili
2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
3 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
Heat olive oil in a medium size pan. Dice chicken breasts and sauté until golden brown. Remove and drain. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté until golden brown as well. Add all of the spices and sauté for another minute. Add chicken broth and water and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cover the pan and let it cook for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes add the coconut milk and cook for another 1 minute. Serve over basmati rice. Serves 4
Tilapia Ceviche
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Diced Tilapia Fillets
1 Cup Lime Juice
½ Cup Seeded Chopped Tomato
½ Peeled/Seeded & Finely Diced Cucumber
½ Cup Finely Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro Leaves
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
1 Serrano Chile
6 Grilled Tostadas
1 Halved/Pitted/Peeled & Thinly Sliced Avocado
1 Lime Cut Into Wedges
Put the tilapia in a medium sized bowl. Pour the lime juice (about 8 limes) over the fish and mix gently to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until the fish is white throughout. This should take about 20 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and drain off the lime juice. Gently squeeze the fish with your hands and discard the lime juice. Add the tomato, cucumber, onion and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the hot sauce and chile.
To grill the tortillas heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Put the tortillas on the grill or grill pan and let them dry out until they are crunchy. If you would rather used readymade tostadas you can do that as well.
Top the tostadas generously with the ceviche. Arrange the avocado slices on top of the ceviche and serve immediately with the lime wedges alongside. Serves 6
Baked Camembert
I discovered Baked Camembert while living in France. Baked Camembert is a great appetizer or can be eaten as a meal.
INGREDIENTS
One 9 Ounce Camembert (In Wooden Box)
1 Peeled and Sliced Garlic Clove
½ Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Small Baguette (Cut into Slices)
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Extra Olive Oil For Brushing
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the camembert from the box and throw away any wax paper packaging. Take a 10 inch square of foil and place in the wooden box. Place the camembert back inside the box. Pierce the top of the camembert with the tip of a knife and push in the slices of garlic along with thyme leaves. Drizzle with honey. Loosely scrunch the foil up over the cheese and set aside. Brush two 12 inch square sheets, the size of your baking sheet, of parchment paper with oil. Line the baking sheet with one of the oiled parchment sheets – oil side up. Spread the slices of baguette over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed sea salt. Place the remaining sheet of parchment – oil side down – over the bread. Place in the oven with the camembert and cook both for 10 minutes or until the cheese has risen and the bread is crisp. Open up the foil and dip in the hot baguette. This is delicious! Serves 4
Julia’s Popovers
INGREDIENTS
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Sifted Flour
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
Extra Butter For Muffin Wells
Put 1/3 teaspoon butter in each muffin well. Heat the muffin tin in the oven for 5 minutes while you are mixing the batter. Sift the flour and salt into a medium sized bowl. In a separate medium sized bowl beat the eggs with a rotary beater. Now add the milk, butter and flour while beating on low. Mix only enough to make a smooth batter. Do not over mix. Fill the hot muffin wells 1/3rd full of the mixture. Bake in a preheated 450° F oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the oven down to 350° F and bake for another 30 minutes or until brown and popped. Makes 12
Pasta Primavara
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Uncooked Linguine
1 Thinly Sliced Medium Carrot
½ Cup Chopped Onion
½ Cup Julienned Sweet Red Pepper
½ Cup Julienned Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Thinly Sliced Medium Zucchini
1 Thinly Sliced Medium Yellow Squash
1 Cup Broccoli Florets
1 Pound (Cut Into 3” Pieces) Thin Fresh Asparagus
½ Cup Diced Mushrooms (Optional)
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Cold Water
½ Cup White Wine
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Minced Fresh Basil
6 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet coated with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, combine the carrots, onion, peppers, zucchini, summer squash and broccoli. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes. In a saucepan, combine flour and water until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes – stir constantly. Add the wine and salt. Stir well and pour over the cooked vegetables. Drain the linguine and add to the vegetable mixture. Add basil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves 6
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Peeled Baby Carrots
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Packed Brown Sugar
Dash of Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
In a medium saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and remove carrots from the pan. In the same saucepan combine butter, brown sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Add carrots and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes or until glazed. Season to taste with pepper. Serves 4
If you don’t have baby carrots you may use medium sized carrots – halved lengthwise and cut into 2 inch pieces.
Parmesan Potato Wedges
INGREDIENTS
6 Medium Baking Potatoes (About 2 Pounds)
1/3 Cup Melted Butter
1 Minced Garlic Clove
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Crushed Italian Seasoning
Line a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with parchment paper (or foil) and set aside. Cut each potato lengthwise into eight wedges. In a large bowl stir together butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Add potato wedges and stir to thoroughly coat. Place the wedges on a prepared baking pan and bake in a preheated 425° F oven (uncovered) for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and serve hot. Serves 6
Garlic Shrimp
This dish is super easy to make and everyone will love it!
INGREDIENTS
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 Minced Garlic Cloves
1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/3 Cup Decent Quality White Wine
1 Pound Shelled & Deveined Shrimp
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Butter
Chopped Parsley To Garnish
Prepare the shrimp by shelling and deveining. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic to the skillet. Cook for a 1 minute and add the pepper flakes. Increase the heat to medium high. Add the wine and let it cook for 1 minute. Now add the shrimp and season with salt. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes and add the lemon juice and butter. Cook for another minute. Remove and serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley. Serves 8
Veal Piccata
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Pound Veal Cutlets
4 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1/3 Cup White Wine
1 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Capers
1 Tablespoon Butter (NOT Margarine)
1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
Place cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. With a meat mallet, pound cutlets to ¼ inch thickness. On waxed paper, combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat cutlets with seasoned flour. Shake off the excess.
In a large skillet heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add half of the cutlets and cook until brown (for about 2 minutes). Turn cutlets and cook 1 minute longer. Using tongs, transfer cutlets to platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining veal. Transfer to plate with the other cooked veal.
Increase heat to high and add wine to skillet, stirring until browned bits are loosened from the bottom of the skillet. Add the broth and heat to boiling. Boil until sauce has reduced to ½ cup (4 to 6 minutes). Stir in lemon juice, butter, capers and parsley. When butter has melted pour sauce over veal. Serves 4
