Cucumber

Faux Chicken Biryani

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It looks like biryani.
It tastes like biryani.
It smells like biryani.
Alas, it’s not biryani.
As usual when I cook for Bella and myself, a few days ago I cooked too much jasmin rice. The next day, my usual train of thought at first led me to either one of two leftover dishes – fried rice or congee. But I did not really feel like either one of those, so my next choice was this very easy to prepare “faux biryani”.
While a “real biryani is easy enough to prepare, this one was even easier and of course, with the pre-cooked rice at hand, this was the perfect way to utilize the rice and at the same time get a dish that is wonderful, flavorful and beautiful. Naturally, the texture of the rice was different from the real deal, (not inferior, just different), but nevertheless, the dish was a great success, fully enjoyed by Bella and myself 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
Usually, one would steep the saffron in ghee, but because of the relatively high-fat content of the chicken skin which will render into the dish, I replaced the ghee with milk.
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Faux Chicken Biryani

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Preparation :
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: marinade 8 ea chicken thighs in 1 cup yogurt, 1 tblsp garam masala and 1 tsp turmeric overnight

: steep 1 gram of “superior Spanish saffron” treads in 1/4 cup warm milk

: marinade julienne of 1/4 large red onion and slices of 1/2 medium size cucumber in 1 tblsp cider vinegar and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: saute julienne of 1 large white onion in 2 tblsp ghee or peanut oil

: add 8 oz diced tomatoes, 1/2 cinnamon stick, 3 ea chilies, 1 ea bay leaf, 1 tblsp grd cumin, 1 tblsp grd coriander, saute until fragrant

: add the chicken, season with kosher salt to taste

: cover and cook SLOWLY for 15 minutes

: turn the chicken

: cover, cook SLOWLY for another 15 minutes

: at this point, check the chicken for doneness, the temperature should be at 155F on the bone

: top with 2 cups cooked rice

: drizzle with half the saffron milk, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tblsp chopped cilantro and 1/2 tsp chopped mint leaves, repeat with another 2 cups of cooked rice, the other half of the saffron milk, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tblsp chopped cilantro and 1/2 tsp chopped mint leaves

: cover and cook SLOWLY for another 5 minutes or until the rice is heated to proper temperature, let the dish rest, covered, for another 5 minutes before serving

: plate the rice on a serving platter

: top the rice with the chicken, garnish with the cucumber and red onions, lemon wedges (optional) and more chillies (optional)

: Faux Chicken Biryani

: Faux Chicken Biryani

: Faux Chicken Biryani

: Faux Chicken Biryani

: Faux Chicken Biryani

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Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

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Last night on my way home I stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant where I used to eat pho. I stopped eating there because of the tiny portions (see my post about it by clicking this link: ….Pho….
Knowing that I would be disappointed by the skimpy pho, I placed my hope into an order of summer rolls…….
Well, the same crappy principle as with the pho (a ton of stock, a tiny amount of anything else); only this time, there was a ton of wrapper (2 per roll !) and just a tiny bit of filling. I could have kicked myself for not following my own previous advise to avoid this place.
So, what’s an old cook to do? Well of course, make my own version of rice paper rolls 🙂
Mind you, these are NOT Vietnamese summer rolls! And, because of their plumpness, rather than eating them by hand, I suggest you use a fork in order to have a less messy encounter with these babies. 🙂
However, these rolls consist of the exact amount and ratio of ingredients I craved when I ordered the rolls in the restaurant and was so badly disappointed:
A small amount of wrapper, LOT’S of noodles and shrimp, and NOT drowned in fish sauce and basil. Ahhhh, the good life ! 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
If you prefer the more traditional skinny shape, just arrange the filling accordingly.
P.P.S.
I am still hoping to find a decent Vietnamese restaurant around here 🙂
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Hans’ Peanut Sauce

This recipe may not be the most authentic, but it’s really, really good.
Serve it as a dipping sauce, over hot or cold noodles or as a salad dressing.

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

4 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons chili paste

½ teaspoon garlic paste

1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Whisk again before serving.
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Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

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Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

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Preparation :
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slice 1 lb medium size cooked shrimp in halves

soak 8 oz rice sticks in hot water until soft, drain, mix with the shrimp (reserve 12 halves for garnish, 2 inside the rool and one on top), fine julienne of 1/4 red pepper and 1/4 yellow pepper, fine julienne of 1/4 red onion and 3 ea finely sliced basil leaves, dress with rice vinegar, fish sauce, chili pepper, kosher salt and sesame oil to taste

prepare the peanut sauce according to the recipe on this page

the good stuff……

rice peper sheets

soak 1 sheet at the time in warm water until pliable

remove to a work surface

add a bit if peppers, cucumber and two half shrimp

top with the salad

fold both sides over the top, then roll tight

recipe will produce 4 “fat” rolls or 8 thin rolls; serves 2

Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

Shrimp And Rice Stick Pillows With Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

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Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

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So here I was on a Thanksgiving afternoon, coming home at 4.30 pm, hungry but absolutely not in the mood to do the turkey thing just for Bella and myself.
But you see, being alone has the distinct advantage that tradition and customs can be ignored at will in ones own four walls, especially when the one you live with, Bella in my case, is even less into tradition but a sucker for ANY good food, as long as there is meat or seafood involved.
So after our walk, a decision what to prep for dinner was due.
A quick glance at the contents of the freezer and fridge revealed shrimp, cooked potatoes, cucumber, mayo, avocado, grape tomatoes and pomegranate.
Ten minutes later, myself comfortable in my TV chair and Bella by my feet, a tasty (and huge) plate of shrimp salad in my hand, we truly enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner with not even a bit of a longing for turkey and its trimmings 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

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Preparation :
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: bring to a simmer 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tblsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, cayenne pepper and kosher salt to taste

: add 1 lb peeled, headless, tail less, deveined shrimp, cover, simmer until shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes, drain, spread out to cool to room-temperature

: dice 1 med cucumber, 6 oz cooked potato, 10 ea grape tomatoes, 1/2 cup mayo, 1 tsp grated horseradish, cayenne pepper and kosher salt to taste, mix all ingredients,; to serve, arrange on serving plate, sprinkle with sliced scallions, 1 ea diced avocado and seeds from 1/2 pomegranate

: Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

: Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

: Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

: Not Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner ……..Shrimp And Potato Salad

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Pig’s Feet Souse ( Love It Or Hate It )

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Pig’s feet are not everybody’s cup of tea, but for those of us who love them, they are a special treat.
I prepare them quite often, in stews, steamed, braised, Asian style, Latin style, German style; any way is fine with me 🙂
The following dish is Caribbean Style Souse, as I enjoyed it many moon’s ago a couple of times in Trinidad, at the home of my friend Lyron’s mother.
Very spicy and lightly acidic, with lots of vegetables, it was the perfect food on a hot day by the beach, spend in wonderful company and washed down with a few bottles of Carib Beer – nothing else was needed in those moments to feel happy and content 🙂
These meals (and times) are now in the distant past; all that’s left are the happy memories, vividly recalled by preparing the meals we enjoyed together then – Lyron and his wife Dorsey, my wife Maria, myself and Lyron’s mother, whose name eludes me after all these years but whom I always remember when preparing this particular souse………….
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Escabeche on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Pigs Feet on ChefsOpinion
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Pig’s Feet Souse

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Preparation :
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: cut 1 large cucumber, 1 bunch chives, 2 large carrots, type and quantity of chilies of your choice, 5 ea red radishes, 1 large onion; make a dressing of 1 cup water, 4 small bay leaves, 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, grated ginger, maggi seasoning and garlic paste to taste, mix all except the carrots and bay leaves, set aside

: rinse 4 lbs pigs feet , cut into large pieces, cover with cold water, season with 1 cup white balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your choice), 2 tplsp garlic paste, kosher salt and hot sauce to taste, simmer until tender but not falling apart, about two hours, add the sliced carrots and bay leaves, let cool to room temperature; drain the broth, add the vegetables with the dressing and serve either cold, at room temperature or hot; serves 4

: Pig’s Feet Souse

: Pig’s Feet Souse

: Pig’s Feet Souse

: Pig’s Feet Souse

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Salad of Tomato, Cucumber, Alfalfa Sprouts And Parmigiano Reggiano

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While ” Just A Salad ” usually does not do it for me, this one certainly did 🙂
Consisting of just a few simple ingredients, the quality and richness they possessed made this a complete, delicious and utterly satisfying meal.
The tomatoes were super ripe and super sweet, the cucumbers crispy and fresh, the sprouts added a new texture and the parmigiano reggiano was as perfect as can be.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Salad on ChefsOpinion
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slice 2 large, very ripe tomatoes into fine slices, arrange on serving platter, sprinkle with sea salt to taste

slice 2 large, very ripe tomatoes and 1 medium size white onion into fine slices, arrange on serving platter, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste, add 1/2 tray alfalfa sprouts, drizzle with 3 tblsp white balsamic vinegar and 3 tblsp olive oil

slice 2 medium size cucumbers and 1 medium size white onion into fine slices, arrange on serving platter, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste, add 1/2 tray alfalfa sprouts, drizzle with 3 tblsp white balsamic vinegar and 3 tblsp olive oil

shave 6 oz of parmigiano reggiano on top of salad, drizzle with 2 tbslp olive oil and sprinkle with fresh-cracked black pepper to taste; serves 2

Salad of Tomato, Cucumber, Alfalfa Sprouts And Parmigiano Reggiano

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Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chops

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If you never tried Panzanella, chances are that a dish using stale bread is on the bottom of your “must try this” list.
After all, nowadays stale bread is usually used either for bread pudding, bread dumplings, or, most likely of all – thrown into the garbage bin.
Now, I have to admit that most bread you can buy is best thrown away after a few days, since it was nothing special to begin with. But if you are a fan of really good bread, it would pain you to throw away some of it just because it has survived a few more days than usual and has become a bit stale. If this happens in my kitchen, I usually slice the bread thick and grill it, which will revive it beautifully and will give a loaf at least another 4 days of good use.
Or, surprise surprise – I’ll make Panzanella.
The first written recipe for Panzanella dates to the 15th century. Originally, stale bread was soaked in water, onions added, then dressed with olive oil, salt and vinegar. This eventually morphed into the modern Panzanella through the addition of cucumbers and, later-on, tomatoes.
Later still, lettuce, olives, mozzarella, white wine, capers, anchovies, celery, carrots, red wine, red onion, cucumber, tuna, parsley, boiled eggs, mint, bell peppers, lemon juice, and garlic were sometimes added, although traditionalists still prefer the simple version of soaked bread, onions, olive oil, salt, tomatoes and sometimes fresh basil.
If I prepare Panzanella as a main dish, I usually add boiled eggs, anchovy fillets, capers, garlic paste, roasted marinated peppers and lots of chives and fresh basil and oregano. I don’t soak my Panzanella in water but rather in a generous amount of dressing of good olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before I dig into it, by which time the dressing has been soaked up by the bread. Usually, I over-eat on this stuff because once I start, I can’t stop until it’s all gone 😦 🙂
However, since I had grilled pork chops with this one, I kept it simple and used only bread, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil and dressing. What a wonderful meal this was…….
So, I hope that next time you have some good, rustic bread which has seen better days, you will give this delicious dish a try 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

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Preparation :
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: red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh basil, cubed sour dough bread; add dressing of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, mix well, let sit 30 minutes before serving

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

: Panzanella & Grilled Pork Chop

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Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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If you’ll have a sandwich, you might as well make a good one ! This one certainly qualifies 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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P.S.
You might want to stop after step 3 – “gratinate until golden” and just enjoy one of the best garlic breads you’ll ever find 🙂
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Preparation :
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: mix finely grated parmesan, garlic paste and garlic oil

: spread generously on two slices of sour dough bread

: gratinate until golden

: top both slices of bread with sharp cheddar, then top one slice with sliced cucumbers , season with kosher salt and chili flakes

: top with sliced mortadella

: top with sliced tomato, add horseradish to other slice of bread

: put both breads together, brush both slices with garlic oil

: saute or griddle bread on both sides until golden

: cover sandwich , keep cooking SLOWLY until cheese starts to melt. Meanwhile, make a salad with tomato, cucumber and vinaigrette, serve with sandwich

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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Salade De Pâtes

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A simple pasta salad will, more often then not, hit the spot for a simple yet satisfying meal.
And if you add some fruits to it, culinary bliss will be achieved with a minimum of fuss and expense 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
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P.S.
Use any protein or vegetable to replace the bologna and Swiss cheese, such as shrimp, crab meat, chicken, roast beef and/or any vegetable and cheese at hand.
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More Pasta Salad
Even more Pasta Salad
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Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

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Preparation :
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: blanche asparagus in salted water

: shock asparagus in ice water, drain

: cook pasta, drain

: slice bologna and swiss cheese into julienne(or other protein / cheese of your choice)

: radish, cucumber, asparagus, swiss, bologna

: add COLD pasta, garlic paste, apple cider vinegar, mayo, mustard, ketchup, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: serve with carambola and kiwi (or other fruit of your choice)

: mix all ingredients, check / adjust seasoning

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

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The Italianator

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Sometimes, a simple sandwich can satisfy all my culinary needs, as long as it is interesting, tasty and – yes – as long as it looks great and appetizing!
When a slice of dry turkey and sandwich spread between two slices of wonder bread won’t do, (which, for me, is NEVER!), a sexy beauty like “The Italianator” will surely ring the bells of culinary bliss and lets me forget steaks and lobsters, at least for the moment.
– And on top of it, getting to name these creations is much fun in itself. 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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The Italianator

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Preparation :
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: Rustic Italian Sourdough Bread

: slice bread into thick (dare I say monstrous) slices

: grill bread until golden, then brush with garlic oil

: season broccoli florettes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and garlic oil

: top bread with broccoli

: top broccoli with prosciutto cotto

: top ham with thick slices of gorgonzola, sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper

: bake sandwich until cheese is melted

: season cucumber and radish julienne with italian vinaigrette, sprinkle generously on top of sandwich

: The Italianator

: The Italianator

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NorthStar Pickles

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Dear Friends,

While I often get free product samples and requests for product reviews often, in order to stick to my motto of “Real Food & Real Opinions”, I blog very seldom about the products I receive. The simple reason for this is that I want to keep my independence and that I don’t want to review products I don’t like and can endorse wholeheartedly.
Not to worry about these principles when it comes to NorthStar Pickles.
I have never before taste pickles which have a home made taste and the crunch of a fresh product like the range of pickles I tasted from NorthStar Pickle.
I received 6 Products and was smitten by 5 of them. Only one, “Half Sours”. although good, did not wow me like the rest of them. I have not seen these pickles on any supermarket shelf around here, but when I do, they will be my new “go to” pickles of choice 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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One Star : No way Jose,
Two Star : Can do without
Three Star : OK
Four Star : Very Good
Five Star : Superb, best I’ve had

New Spears : * * * * *
Deli Spears : * * * * *
Baby Dills : * * * * *
Burger Chips : * * * * *
Green Tomatoes : * * * * *
Half Sours : * * *