Month: August 2012

” Penne Rigate alla Contadino ”

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Last nights dinner, rigate alla contadino,
a rich concoction you might find at a poor farmers table.
Even at a simple farmers dinner table you can find pasta,
sausage, cheese, cream and vegetables.
With a little imagination and love for food, you can turn these
simple ingredients into a dish fit for a king   🙂
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Ingredients :

Penne Rigate,          cooked al dente, strained, reserve some of the cooking liquid
Morcilla,                   thinly sliced
Chorizo,                     thinly sliced
Peppers,                     julienned
Onion,                        julienned
Garlic,                         paste
Tomato,                      wedges
Scallions,                   sliced
Parmesan,                 grated
Hot sauce,                 to taste
Salt,                             to taste
Cream,
Olive oil,

Method :

Saute onions and garlic until translucent, add chorizo and peppers and saute one more minute.
Add pasta,cream, cheese, morcilla and seasoning, simmer and mix well for another minute.
If texture becomes too thick, add some cooking liquid until you have the desired  texture.
To serve, sprinkle with scallions and more parmesan.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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” Just A Pretty Picture ” Vanilla Ice Cream & Fresh Berries

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It does not always have to be ‘Food Porn ” to get me visually excited about  a dish.
Last night I had a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream I made a few day’s ago,
together with some fresh berries and – voila, great dessert, even greater pictures.
Sometimes, the simple things in live……….  🙂

Life is Good !
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Vanilla Ice Cream & Fresh Berries 1

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Vanilla Ice Cream & Fresh Berries 2

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” Saure Kutteln ” (For Offal Lover’s Only)

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” Saure Kutteln “  (Sour Tripe) with potato gratin.

I grew up eating this dish often, it used to be  a popular dish in southern Germany.
Eating habit’s have changed over the past few decades since I was growing up there,
so who knows, maybe , like so many other wonderful classic dishes, it too has
disappeared from today’s “modern” menus  😦
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Ingredient‘s :

Tripe
Tomato sauce
Demi Glace
Cider vinegar
Dark rum
Garlic paste
Caraway seed
Onions
Butter
Salt
Cayenne

Method :

Blanch the tripe, starting with cold, vinegared, salted water, twice. The third time, simmer until tender. Don’t overcook ! In my opinion, the tripe should still have a bit of a bite to it.
Strain, rinse. Saute the onion, garlic and caraway seed’s until fragrant. Deglace with rum, add demi glace, tomato sauce, vinegar, let simmer for 5 minutes. Add tripe and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with pasta, potatoes or a rustic bread.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Moqueca de Frutos do Mar “

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Another 10 minute meal that looks and tastes like a thousand bucks  🙂
When I worked at the Intercontinental in Rio de Janeiro,
I had this for lunch at least twice a week at the pool restaurant.
Last night when I made this, I felt transported back in time to Rio
and it’s many beautiful treasures, the food,  the caipirinhas,
the vistas, the beaches and,most of all, the beautiful people who live life to it’s fullest.
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Ingredients :

2 lbs of mixed seafood
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
6 onions, chopped
2 green peppers, de-seeded and chopped
2 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped
2 bunch spring onions spring onions, finely sliced
6 limes, halved
2 tbsp light olive oil
1 pint coconut milk
3 tablespoons light olive oil _ *
1/2 ladle dende oil (substitute with annatto oil) _
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method :

Heat a large sauté pan with the olive oil.
Saute the onion and garlic until opaque.
Add the sea food, saute for two minutes.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a gentle bubble.
After 2 minutes, carefully stir the seafood.
Slowly simmer until the seafood is almost done.
Add the remaining vegetables and half the
herbs and simmer for two minutes.
Transfer to a large serving dish and sprinkle with
remaining herbs and spring onions.
Drizzle lime juice and dende oil (if available) over the top.

*Cook’s Note: Dende Oil is an African palm-oil,
widely used in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
If not locally available,  substitute with annatto oil.

Bom apetite !    Vida é boa !
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” The Best Outdoor Dining Spots In The U.S. “

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According to Bella, this is the # 1 outdoor dining spot in the U.S.
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However, according to the HUFF POST and Food & Wine,
the following are the best outdoor dining spots in the US :
Click here to read article and see photos
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” Breakfast Of Champions ” # 7 Hearty Sandwiches

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School was cancelled today,
Although the message did not reach me, so I got up at 3.00am anyway.
I got to the school at 5.00am. Around 6.00am I was wondering why nobody
showed up, so I called my boss. I was back home at 6.30am, HUNGRY !
So there  I was, hungry and ready for a good breakfast and a movie     🙂

Hot peppermint  tea, , yoghurt, vanilla ice cream;
Grilled rye bread, spicy guacamole, tomato, brie with black pepper;
Grilled rye bread, spicy guacamole, tomato, aged asiago, chili flakes;
Grilled rye bread, spicy guacamole, tomato, genoa salame, chives;

Life is Good !
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” Fruit & Veggie Sprays Clean Better Than Water : Make Your Own For Just A Few Cents “

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Once in a while I come across a great tip or info I just have to share.
This is one of them :

Fruit & Veggie Sprays Clean Better Than Water :

Make Your Own For Just A Few Cents
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” Healthy Mac & Cheese and Guacamole “

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“Healthy”  mac & cheese ?  Why not, it’s got veggies  🙂
Well, there you have it. It all depends on how you look at things.
But honestly, what’s wrong with a good meal of pasta, cheese, cream
and vegetables ? Nothing ! Just don’t do what I did :
Eating too much of it at one time. ( The pic’s of the individual portion
should indicate a proper portion for the health- and weight- conscious).
Everybody else : Just dig in and enjoy.

Life is too short to feel miserable about thing’s that make you feel good!
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Ingredient‘s :
Pasta:

Ziti,                          cooked al dente
Carrots,                   blanched
Broccoli,                 blanched
Celery,                     finely diced
Garlic,                     paste
Whip cream,
Whole egg,            whisked
Salame,                  diced
Sharp cheddar,    shredded
Parmesan,            shredded
Brie,                        finely diced
Salt,                        to taste
cayenne,                to taste
Chili flakes,          to taste
Maggi,                   to taste
Butter

Guacamole :

Avocado,               diced
Lime,                      juiced
Fresh chilis,         finely sliced
Cilantro,                coarsely chopped
Garlic,                    paste
Salt,                        to taste
Cayenne,               to taste

Method :
Pasta :

Butter a ovenproof casserole generously with butter.
Mix all ingredients except the chili flakes and half the parmesan.
Fill casserole to the rim, sprinkle with parmesan and chili flakes.
Bake until set and crust is golden. Serve with Guacamole.

Guacamole :

Mix all ingredients until guacamole has the texture you desire.
The more you stir, the more the avocado breaks down and the
guacamole becomes smoother, less chunky.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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” Salad Of Romaine, Salame, Gorgonzola & Pomegranate / Blueberry Dressing “

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Although I love pasta and stews of any kind more than any other food,
a close third place is definitely a nice salad. Last night the salad God’s
were knocking at my door, leaving me with this wonderful, quick and easy
concoction :
Romaine, salame, roquefort, egg, carrot, tomato, onion and
pomegranate / blueberry Dressing.
Salad Heaven, right there   🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Romaine lettuce,           cut
Tomatoes,                       sliced
Onions,                           sliced
Carrots,                           julienned
Eggs,                                made into thin crepe, julienned
Garlic,                              paste
Salame,                            thickly julienned
Gorgonzola,                   coarsely  crumbled
Dressing,                        Pomegranate / blueberry/garlic

Method :

Mix all ingredients lightly and serve with a slice of rustic bread
to mop up the dressing and bits at the bottom of the plate.

In this case I used ready made dressing ( Litehouse Pom / Blueberry),
which I enhanced a bit to my taste with garlic paste. Obviously the
choice of dressing, as well as any other ingredient to this salad is
open to change and additions. Just follow your heart, your
cravings and your phantasy  🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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” Smoked Pig’s Tail, Bow Ties & Vegetable Stew “

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In my opinion, pig‘s tails are the second best part of the whole pig,
right after the cheek’s. I prefere them brined and simmered, served
with a good mustard and sour dough bread. However, I found those
smoked ones at my neighbor hood store and what better way to enjoy
them then in a good stew  🙂
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Ingredient‘s :

Smoked pig’s tail’s,
Bow tie pasta,                    cooked, al dente
Cauliflower,                       blanched
Broccoli,                             blanched
Carrots,                               blanched
Scallions,                            sliced
Tomatoes,                          wedges
Ginger,                                grated
Garlic,                                 paste
Cilantro,                             chopped
Cayenne pepper,               to taste
Kosher salt,                       to taste
Maggi seasoning,             to taste

Method :

Simmer pig’s tail’s in lightly seasoned water until tender.
Add all other ingredients, simmer until heated through.
Serve with rustic sour dough bread.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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