Tag: tomato

Veggie Skewers

Veggie skewers II

Veggie Skewers

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

When hungry people are chomping at the bit at a BBQ appetizers can buy you time and these ones are so easy and tasty that your guests may even forget about the main course.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 8 ounces Paneer
  • 1/2 of a Large Red Onion -thick sliced
  • 1 large Red Pepper – cut into chunks
  • 12 – 18 Grape tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Cumin
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 6 Bamboo/Metal skewers

Putting it all together:

  1. Cut the Paneer into small cubes and place in a large bowl.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  3. Soak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes so they won’t burn.
  4. Starting with the Paneer thread the ingredients on the skewers, alternating, until all skewers have been used.
  5. Grill at 350° for about 10 minutes.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                             Bon Appetit

Advertisement

Fish Sandwich

 

Fish sandwich

Fish Sandwich

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Fish is one of those versatile ingredients that is so under utilized in my house and it shouldn’t be simply because it not only tastes good but is good for you and there are endless ways to prepare it.

This recipe is great for a quick and easy lunch and when complimented by a nice salad it hits all the right notes.

Cooks note: I use Basa (Vietnamese Catfish) because it is a firm white flesh fish that holds up well to various applications and is inexpensive but feel free to use whatever fish you like.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 Basa filets
  • 2 Eggs
  • sliced Tomatoes
  • Mayonnaise
  • 1 cup All Purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 3 teaspoons Old Bay® seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Pepper
  • 4 soft Kaiser rolls
  • Canola Oil for frying

Putting it all together:

  1. In a non reactive bowl mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and Old Bay®.
  2. In a separate bowl mix the eggs together.
  3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large deep pan.
  4. Dredge the fish in the flour, egg and flour and cook in the oil until golden brown on both sides.
  5. Remove the fish to drain on a paper towel.
  6. Split the kaisers and lightly toast the inside.
  7. Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun topped with a tomato slice and the fish.
  8. Enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                            Bon Appetit 

Mexican Chopped Salad

Chopped Mexican Salad

Mexican Chopped Salad

  • Servings: 4 - 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Staying with the Healthy Eating aspect of my new fitness regime I’m sharing a modified Mexican Chopped Salad that I borrowed from Rachael Ray.

Now this one is modified because there are ingredients she has in hers (Jicama) that I don’t have and I’m using a couple of things she doesn’t (Turnip and Radishes). Also her particular recipe calls for a vinaigrette while mine has no dressing at all.

Thank you Chef for a great salad idea.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 1/2 heads Romaine lettuce – rough chopped
  • 1 head Kale – rough chopped
  • 1 medium Turnip – cut into matchsticks
  • 6 – 8 Radishes – quartered
  • 3 Roma tomatoes – diced
  • 1 medium Green Pepper – diced
  • 1/2 large Red Onion – diced
  • 1 handful Cilantro – chopped
  • 1 8 ounce tin Corn kernels
  • 1 9 ounce can Black Beans – drained and rinsed
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • Feta cheese for topping

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large bowl toss all ingredients except the Feta and Lime juice.
  2. Squeeze the lime juice over the salad and top with the Feta cheese.
  3. Enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time………

                           Bon Appetit

 

Surf and Turf burger

DSC01109 (1)

Surf and Turf burger

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.

Anthony Bourdain

It’s cold and snowy and blowing and depressing and I want it to end……… come on Mother Nature have a heart BRING ON THE SUMMER—– please??

Okay so my grovelling didn’t work and despite what some rodent proclaimed a few weeks back winter and all it’s icy snowy wonder is here to stay for a wee bit more but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream of warm weather, cold beer and BBQ right? 

So in honour of summer dreaming I decided to make Surf and Turf burgers for dinner tonight. Now absolutely everyone has “the best” burger recipe and I for one am not about to get into a war of words over who is right and who is not but suffice it to say the best burger (in my humble opinion) is one where the patty stands on it’s own based on a righteous flavour profile and is simply enhanced by whatever toppings you put on it.

With that in mind here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 Pounds ground Pork
  • 2 Pounds ground Beef
  • 12 peeled and deveined 26-30 Shrimp
  • 1 medium Onion – minced
  • 3 Eggs
  • 3 Garlic cloves – finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons Blackening Spice
  • 2 Tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Red Onion – sliced
  • 1 large Tomato – sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • handful of Spinach
  • Soft Crusty rolls – split

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large non reactive bowl mix together the pork, beef, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, eggs and blackening spice. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
  2.  Using a standard ice cream scoop form 4 ounce patties.
  3. Grill or pan fry the burgers until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
  4. In  a medium saucepan melt the butter and add the garlic. While the garlic butter is heating dust the shrimp with the Old Bay and add to the garlic butter. Saute until the shrimp is pink, about 4 minutes.
  5. Build your burger and enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                           Bon Appetit

 

Salad Nicoise

  • Servings: “1”
  • Difficulty: “Easy”
  • Print

IMG-20160307-00516

This classic appetizer was the First course of my Culinary School Practical Exam and although it looks difficult it really isn’t. The biggest pain is getting all the components together and then figuring out how to plate it. This was my design—- simple but classy at the same time. Now you may notice the Tuna is well done when it should be rare and that is because my “taster”wanted her Tuna and her Steak well done without realizing that well done Tuna slices terribly and falls apart which makes plating a wee bit difficult….. aw well…. did the best under the circumstances.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • Mixed greens—- small bunch
  • Potatoes— Fingerling 3
  • Green beans washed and trimmed— 8
  • Tuna (yellow fin)—- One three ounce piece
  • Anchovy fillets—- 1-2 depending on size
  • Black olives— Pitted 6
  • Hard cooked egg, sliced or quartered—- 1 egg
  • Tomato wedges—- 4
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

For the vinaigrette:

  • 40 ml Olive oil
  • 10 ml White wine vinegar
  • Chopped garlic— 1-2 cloves
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together for the vinaigrette and set aside.
  2. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until just fork tender
  3. Slice and grill the potatoes just until there are grill marks.
  4. Dress with a little of the vinaigrette and refrigerate
  5. Cook the bean in boiling salted water.
  6. Drain, cool and dress with a bit of the vinaigrette
  7. Line a small salad bowl with the mixed greens
  8. Plate the green beans and potatoes how you like
  9. Grill the Tuna until it is rare. Cool and slice
  10. Place the Tuna on the top of the mixed greens.
  11. Arrange the Anchovies on top of the Tuna
  12. Arrange the tomato wedges, olives and egg around the plate as you wish.
  13. Sprinkle with some of the chopped parsley
  14. Serve cold.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”.

Until next time…….

Bon Appetit