easy recipes

Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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Usually, when we think of the combination of shrimp and coconut, Asian food is foremost in our mind. Lately, every publication seems to have a preference for food with an Asian origin or at least an Asian influence. While I am a huge fan of Asian food, I am also very fond of the food from our closest neighbor, the Caribbean. Here now is a shrimp and coconut soup I had first put on the menu while I was working in Negril, Jamaica in the late 80’s. (How time flies when you look back)

Bon Appetit ! Iree, Mon !
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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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Preparation :
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to split the coconut, saw a small inision around the outside of the coco, then crack it with the back of a large chefsknife or machete (I live in Florida where it is normal to have a machete in the house) :-)

to split the coconut, saw a small incision around the outside of the coco, then crack it with the back of a large chef’s knife or machete (I live in Florida where it is normal to have a machete in the house) 🙂

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good job

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saute finely diced onions in coco oil

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season shrimp with sea salt and cayenne pepper, dust lightly with corn starch

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add shrimp and garlic paste to pan and saute until shrimp are halfway cooked

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remove shrimp, reserve

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deglaze pan with cocnac (careful, it might ignite)

deglaze pan with dark caribbean rum (careful, it might ignite)

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add white wine

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add coconut water from coco, two small can of coconut milk, one small can of clam juice

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season with sea salt and cayenne pepper, simmer until slightly thickened

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add diced cooked potatoes, corn and shrimp, heat through and remove from heat, dont let it simmer or the shrimp will toughen and get dry

add diced cooked potatoes, corn and shrimp, heat through and remove from heat, don’t let it simmer again or the shrimp will get dry and tough

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spoon shrimp, potato and corn into clean coconut, spoon soup on top and sprinkle with chopped cilantro

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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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my portion 🙂

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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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Caribbean Shrimp & Coconut Soup

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Since breakfast was substantial and relatively late, lunch was late as well and will have to do for both lunch and dinner. Well, maybe there is a midnight snack on the horizon, we’ll see 🙂
The red jalapeno peppers I used here were exceptionally fruity and only mildly hot, so they were perfect for my taste and heat tolerance. Please adjust the amount and heat level to your own taste or eliminate the chilies altogether and replace with mushrooms, water chestnuts, bell peppers, green peas, carrots or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Click here for FAN (chinese steamed rice ) recipe

Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Preparation :
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season sliced chicken with salt, five spice powder and soy sauce, dust with cornstarch and stir fry in peanut oil

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remove chicken from wok, reserve

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saute chilies and scallions, remove from wok, reserve

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saute onions and garlic paste in garlic oil

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add soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, sesame oil and sugar, simmer until slightly thickened

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return chicken, chilies and scallions to sauce, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

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to serve, sprinkle chicken with white sesame seeds, rice with black sesame seeds

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Fan (Chinese Steamed Rice)

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Breakfast Of Champions # 36 – Naanwich

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A great way to start a relaxing saturday at home with a couple of good movies, some good reading and lots of great food is to have a hearty breakfast of bubbly and a wonderful sandwich.
Here is what I fancied for a late breakfast by the lake this morning (besides a glass of veuve–clicquot):

Naan with eggs, spicy chorizo, shrimp, chilies and arugula. Life is Good !

Bon Appetit & Cheers ! Have A Great Weekend !

Naanwich

cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Preparation :
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bake naan until golden, brush with butter and sprinkle with sea salt

saute diced chorizo in plenty of butter

whisk whole eggs with chili sauce, sea salt and garlic paste

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add to chorizo, add finely sliced chilies and butterflied cooked shrimp

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cook until eggs have set to the texture of your liking

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Naan

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top naan with eggs, top eggs with arugula in lime vinaigrette

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Naanwich

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Naanwich

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Croque Madam

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I am trying to vindicate the Croque Madame, who has been so brutally mistreated in so many kitchens lately that her true identity has been all but forgotten 😦
During the past couple of years I have ordered a croque monsieur (without fried egg) or croque madam (with fried egg) on several occasions late at night, usually in a hotel lobby or nightclub. What I have been served on every occasion has been less than stellar, to say the least. Typically what is being served nowadays is a grilled cheese sandwich wich has been stuffed with a few thin slices of ham and american sliced cheddar, topped with more sliced cheddar and then finished under the broiler. This is no doubt a fine ham and cheese sandwich but that’s where the similarities with a croque mensieur or croque madame end.
Both croques in it’s original form should be prepared in the following way:
Toast slices of rustic bread, top with bechamel to which a fine mustard has been added. Top first slice with cooked ham and lot’s of shredded Gruyere Cheese , top with a second slice of bread, cover with mustard-bechamel and plenty more shredded gruyere. Sprinkle with herbs de province or other herbs of your choice. Bake at 425 F until the bechamel/cheese bubbles.
There you have it – Croque Monsieur ! Top with fried egg for Croque Madame !

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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Preparation :
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mise en place

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toast thick slices of sour dough bread on bothe sides, mix bechamel with grey poupon mustard

toast thick slices of sour dough bread on both sides, mix bechamel with grey poupon mustard

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top bread with mustard-bechamel

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top with grated gruyere

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saute thick slice of ham on both sides

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top first bread with ham, sprinkle with grated cheese and scallions or herbs of your choice

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top with second slice of bread, sprinkle with scallions or herbs of your choice

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bake until cheese and sauce bubble

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almost…..

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meanwhile, fry eggs, season with cosher salt and chili flakes

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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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EASY DOES IT # 14 – Fondue Au Fromage Sec #2

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Click here for all previous EASY DOES IT recipes

Click here for previous Fondue Au Fromage Sec recipe
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This is a dish you want to share with your best buddy or closest family on that special, informal occasion. That time when you just want to have a few drinks and eat good, without spending too much time in the kitchen (- or non at all – you can prepare this the day before without baking it, keep it in the fridge and then just jugg it in the oven 15 minutes before you are ready to eat).
Goes great with cold beer, cold white wine or slightly chilled red wine.
P.S.
Although there is a knife and cutting board in the picture below, the whole thing is even more agreeable if you just grab a piece and rip it from the loaf 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Fondue Au Fromage Sec #2

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Preparation :
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mise en place: Sour dough loaf, sun dried tomato, sliced chives, sliced asiago cheese, crumled gorgonzola, mustard, sriracha, olive oil

mise en place: Sour dough loaf, sun dried tomato, sliced chives, sliced asiago cheese, mascarpone, crumbled gorgonzola, grey poupon mustard, sriracha, olive oil

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score bread in a criss-cross pattern about half way down, in a bowl, mix all remaining ingredients, then stuff them into the breads cavities.

score bread in a criss-cross pattern about half way down, drizzle a good amount of mascarpone over bread and into the cuts, in a bowl, mix all remaining ingredients, then stuff them into the bread’s cavities.

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bake at 375 F until cheese has melthed and center of bread is at 165 F

bake at 375 F until cheese has melted and center of bread is at 165 F

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EASY DOES IT # 14 – Fondue Au Fromage Sec, #2

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Fondue Au Fromage Sec #2

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Pork Blade Steak

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If you are on a budget but still like to have more than a tiny steak for dinner, you might want to try this cut. While not overly popular, probably because folks don’ know how to prepare it, it is a great piece of meat, tender, juicy and very economic (meaning bloody cheap 🙂 ) The three steaks in the picture were just $ 4.20, so the whole meal was under six buck’s. Even if you are not on a budget, these steaks make for a great, tasty meal. I guess that most people would have had enough with just one steak (which would then be about $ 2.50 per portion, including the salad), but since I did not prepare any starch, the three of them with a small salad were just the right sized portion for me. And of course, Bella had a few bites too.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pork Blade Steak & Arugula In White Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Pork Blade Steak

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arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

arugula with radish and onions in white balsamic vinaigrette

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Preparation :
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season sliced onions and sliced radishes with kosher salt, set aside

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season blade steaks with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, dredge in flour, saute in peanut oil

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first one done, two to go…..

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two done, last one on the way

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saute grape tomatoes in garlic/olive oil, season with salt and pepper, just before serving add fresh chives

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meanwhile, squeeze and discard excess juice from radish and onions, add arugula, white balsamic vinegar, freshly ground white pepper, garlic/olive oil and a splash of maggi seasoning

arrange steaks on serving platter, top with sauteed tomatoes and chives

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Pork Blade Steak & Arugula

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Pork Blade Steak

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Pork Blade Steak

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arugula with radish and onions in balsamic vinaigrette

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Tonight’s hot dog took a long, imaginary jouney from being a simple German veal bratwurst (kalbsbratwurst) to “The Well Travelled Hot Dog”.
Born in Germany, it went to France where it was joined by garlic aioli. On to Mexico for some ensalada de repollo con chipotle and from there to India to pick up freshly baked naan. From there to it’s final stop in the USA, where it became “The Well Travelled Hot Dog” 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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For Garlic Aioli recipe click here
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For Chipotle Coleslaw recipe click here
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For Naan recipe click here
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For more about German Bratwurst click here
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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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PREPARATION :
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saute bratwurst

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prepare chipotle cole slaw

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chipotle cole slaw

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top naan with bratwurst

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add cole slaw, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos, drizzle with garlic aioli

add cole slaw, drizzle with garlic aioli, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Living in Florida does not necessarily lend itself to be inspired to cooking with mushrooms, but thankfully the markets around here carry small offerings of fresh mushrooms which I like to enrich by adding some good quality dried mushrooms. Today I got some fresh baby bellas, oyster mushrooms and botton mushrooms, to which I added dry shiitakes and porcini’s. To intensify the mushroom flavor even more, I added some porcini powder to the sauce as well.
And voilà – Mushrooms Galore 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Preparation :
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boil fusilli al buco until al dente, strain, reserve some of the cooking liquid

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saute diced onions and fresh mushrooms in butteruntil onions are opaque

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add garlic paste and re-hydrated mushrooms, saute until dry

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almost….

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add heavy cream, demi glace, merlot, sliced chives, porcini powder, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

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simmer until nape texture is reached, check / ajust seasoning

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add pasta and a small amount of fresh grated asiago cheese, blend well, if too thick, add a bit of the reserved cooking liquid

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Dear Friend’s, to help support this blog,
please be so kind and click on the video on the bottom of this page. Thank you 🙂
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Steak Tartar

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Ok, folk’s, before you send me tons of anger and disapproval, I admit that this is not your typical, modern Steak Tartar. However, Larousse Gastronomique describes steak tartare as ground beef mixed with raw egg yolk. Wanna argue with Larousse?
Here now is my traditional version of this classic. I can assure you that both texture and taste are exceptional. Why screw with a classic , just to be “modern and innovative”, especially if it obviously does not appeal to most people who actually grew up eating this dish often? I, for example 🙂
If you are lucky enough to have a good butcher in your neighborhood who you can trust with the quality of the meat and the cleanliness and food safety of his shop environment, do as I do: Order a pound of freshly ground, most fat and all sinew’s removed striploin (in front of your eyes if possible, it will make you feel safer). Then proceed within the hour in your kitchen as follows.
In a ice cold bowl, mix the following items, fresh out of the fridge:
Chopped capers, finely diced onions, finely sliced scallions, chopped anchovies, chopped jalapeno, good quality mustard, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce of your choice, raw egg yolk, garlic paste, a few drops of good quality oil of your choice. Mix everything well. Remove ground meat from fridge and lightly fold with the seasoning. Serve with bread of your choice and a couple of brewskies (Negra Modelo fits best for me).
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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mise en place

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seasoning

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Steak Tartar & Sour Dough Bread

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Steak Tartar

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Friday afternoon, crappy week, don’t feel like doing anything after work, just hanging on the sofa with a drink, flipping through the channels but still want to eat good ?
How about just throwing a bird in the oven and waiting for its georgeous beauty to emerge 90 minutes later?
Actual prep time: Three minutes. Cooking time: About one and a half hour, depending on the size of the chicken. Effort : Zero. Satisfaction: Great.
Voilà, there you have it 🙂

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Blend sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic paste and kosher salt. Season chicken with this blend inside and out. Roast on a rack at 420 degrees for 15 minutes, turn down heat to 380 F and cook until chicken has reached 161 F at its thickest part. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting it or tearing it apart. The carry over heat will take the meat to a safe 165 F without drying it out. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping and lime to drizzle.
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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Soy, Ginger & Garlic Glazed Chicken

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Dear Friend’s, to help support this blog,
please be so kind and click on the video on the bottom of this page. Thank you 🙂
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