garlic

Pot Au Feu

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My  butcher had these beautiful, fleshy beef neck bones which begged me to take them home and transform into a tasty dish. Since I had some nice baby carrots and beans in the fridge, what else then a rich “pot au feu” with pasta.
As usual, simple is best 🙂
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Pot Au Feu

Pot Au Feu

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Pot Au Feu

Pot Au Feu

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Ingredient’s :

Beef neck bones,
Penne rigate
Baby carrots,
Baby beans,
Onion,   large dice
Bell pepper,   large dice
Cilantro,   finely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Cayenne pepper,
Kosher salt,
Maggi seasoning,

Method :

Cover neck bones with cold water, add salt, pepper, garlic and ginger  and slowly bring to a simmer, skimming of all scum and most fat which surfaces.
Meanwhile, blanch and shock all vegetables. Cook pasta until al dente, drain. When beef is very tender but not falling of the bone, add vegetables to heat through. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
To serve, place pasta in bottom of serving dish, ladle pot au feu on top and sprinkle with cilantro.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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“Spicy Chicken Fajitas”

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Spicy  chicken fajas,
with tortillas, guacamole, vinaigrette dressed lettuce, sour cream and salsa mexicana. A couple of negra modelo beers. What other meal on a rainy Friday night at home ?
This was most enjoyable to eat and quick to prepare.

Viva Mexico ! 🙂
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Guacamole Recipe Here

"Spicy Chicken Fajas"

“Spicy Chicken Fajas”

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Ingredients :

Chicken,   legs and tights, deboned, sliced,
Onions,   sliced
Scallions,   sliced
Garlic
,   paste
Guajillo pepper,   ground
Cayenne pepper,   (lot’s of it)
Cumin,   ground
Chili powder,
Kosher salt,
Lard,   to saute ( Substitute with other fat if preferred )


Method :

Saute chicken until golden brown, add onions, scallions, garlic paste and seasoning, saute until fragrant. Serving suggestion: See pictures.

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

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Usually  I prefer rice sticks or mung bean noodles in this kind of soup,
but last night rice seemed to tickle my fancy even more.
Quick and easy to prepare and oh so delicious 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Ingredient’s :

Chicken Drumsticks,   (use any part of chicken you prefer)
Chicken stock,
Bok choy,   blanched
Coconut milk,
Chili flakes,
Rice,   cooked
Lemon grass,   pounded
Scallions,   finely sliced
Ginger,   grated
Garlic,   paste
Kosher salt,

Method :

Simmer chicken, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili and salt in chicken stock until tender but not falling appart. Remove chicken, set aside. Strain broth, add coconut milk and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. add bock choy and rice to heat through. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
To serve, add chicken to serving bowl, ladle sou on top. Sprinkle with and sliced scallions and more chili.
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Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

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Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

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Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

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Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

Chicken, Bok Choy & Rice In Spicy Coconut Broth

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Garlicky Shrimp Brochettes & Potato Salad In Dijon Mayonnaise

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Early  evening dinner before going to sleep and back to another happy work week.  (Do I have to mention I was NOT  the lucky winner of the $ 6 million Jackpot ?)
I wonder, if I would have won, would I go to work tomorrow…………
Anyway, back to reality and a great meal. I used a shameful amount of roasted garlic puree to season the shrimps and I hope nobody wants a kiss before tomorrow 🙂
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Garlicky Shrimp Brochettes & Potato Salad In Dijon Mayonnaise

Garlicky Shrimp Brochettes & Potato Salad In Dijon Mayonnaise

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Simmer  un-peeled potatoes until done. Remove from water, let cool. Peel, slice into thin rounds. Mix with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, a bit of vinegar, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions  and dijon mustard.

Season the shrimp with sea salt, chili flakes and roasted garlic puree. Saute in butter until almost done. Squeeze one lime over brochettes, turn once and remove from pan.
To serve, spoon some of the lime butter over the shrimps and accompany with potato salad.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

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Sunday  dinner was simple today. I did not feel like spending too much time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up, so it was a simple stew with biscuits. Nevertheless, it tasted and looked wonderful and the chicken was especially well received by Bella 🙂
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Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

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Ingredient’s :

Chicken drumsticks,
Corn on the cob,   shucked, cut into pieces
Cauliflower,   rosettes, blanched
Potatoes,   peeled, diced
Shiitake mushrooms,   stem removed, quartered
Leeks,   sliced
Onions,   diced
Chilis,   select for your favorite heat level
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Cilantro,   chopped
Saffran threads,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Chicken stock,

Method :

Simmer chicken, garlic, and ginger in lightly seasoned stock for 10 minutes. Add corn and simmer for another 15 minutes, Add all other vegetables and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add saffran and let steep for another 20 minutes. Return to heat until hot. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with cream biscuits on the side.
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Cream Biscuit Recipe Click Here
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Bon Appetit !   La vie est bien !

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Pigs Tail And Potato Curry, Naan & Cucumber Raita

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Some folks are probably scratching their head, going “WTF” (what he food 🙂 ) when reading this. But hey, I love pigs tail and curries of any style.

Pigs tails – not everybody’s cup of tea                                read about Pigs Tail
Real curries – everybody loves those                                  read about Real Curries
European style curries – if you grew up with them…….. read about “European Style” Curries

The good thing is that if you don’t love pig’s tails, you can replace them with any other protein or vegetables.
However, here is what went on in my kitchen for today’s lunch:
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Pigs Tail And Potato Curry, Naan & Cucumber Raita

Pigs Tail And Potato Curry, Naan & Cucumber Raita

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Curry :

Pigs tails,   cut into pieces
Potatoes,   peeled, cut into wedges
Bananas,   sliced,
Baby carrots,
Peppers,   diced,
Celery,   sliced
Tomato,   diced
Ginger,   grated
Garlic,   paste
Cilantro,   chopped
Vegetable stock,
Coconut milk,
Turmeric,
Curry powder,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Butter,

Saute pigs tails in butter until lightly browned, add vegetables, banana, garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant. Add curry and turmeric, saute for another minute. Add stock, salt and pepper and very slowly simmer until pigs tails are tender. Add coconut milk and potatoes and simmer until potatoes are done but still firm. Adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve, sprinkle curry with plenty of coarsely chopped cilantro.

Naan :

1/2 cup   water,
1 pck yeast
2.5 cup  a/p  flour,
1/4 cup vegetable oil,
1/3 cup greek yogurt,
1 lg egg
Salt

Combine yeast, sugar and water. Stir to dissolve, let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

In another bowl, combine the flour with the salt. Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour/salt mixture and stir until well mixed. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon (about 1 to 1.5 cups later).

Turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky.

Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface (see photos below). Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs!
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For Raita Recipe, click here
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Sauted Strip Steak , Cauliflower Tortilla & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

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Sunday’s  late lunch / early dinner (4.00pm)
After sleeping-in late (7.30am and enjoying a big breakfast of strawberry smoothies and goose liver pate stuffed croissants, I did not feel hungry at lunch time and held out until late afternoon.
But then I knew I would have to combine lunch and dinner, so it needed to be a substantial meal, otherwise the snack monster would haunt me early in the evening. This is the first time I made a Spanish Tortilla with cauliflower and tomatoes and it made me realize what a great dish I’ve been missing all my live. What a wonderful dish. It can stand on it’s own, as breakfast, snack, even a complete meal if accompanied by a small salad, served hot or at room temperature. You can of course use different vegetables, different cheeses, add protein such as sausage, bacon, shrimp, crab meat, add different herbs, etc. The possibilities are endless and only limited by your fantasy 🙂
If you ever want to reproduce this dish, just make sure the cauliflower / vegetables are blanched  al dente, so that the tortilla has a bit of a bite to it. While I was cooking the tortilla, I also added grated parmesan cheese to the whisked eggs, (not featured in the mise en place picture). You can omit the cheese, but it definitely adds another level of depth to the dish.
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Sauted Strip Steak , CauliflowerTortila & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

Sauted Strip Steak , Cauliflower Tortilla & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

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Ingredients :

Tortilla :

Cauliflower rosettes,   blanched al dente
Eggs,  whole, whisked, seasoned with kosher salt, cayenne and grated parmesan
Grape tomatoes,
Butter,

Method :

Saute cauliflower and tomatoes briefly in butter, add egg mixture and cook covered on low heat until eggs have set but are not dry. Slide onto a dinner plate, top with the saute pan, invert and cook other side of tortilla until golden.
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Steak :

Season teak with salt, granulated garlic and freshly ground black pepper and saute both sides until desired doneness. Remember the carry over heat will cook it  one more level after you remove the steak from the pan! Let the steak rest for ten minutes before slicing !

Butter :

Mix softened butter with sriracha, roasted  garlic paste, a bit of lime juice and kosher salt.

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Fried Cornish Hen, Pommes Frites & Baked Parmesan Tomato

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After  I cooked this meal and started eating it, I became acutely aware of a monstrous mistake I had made: I had two hens in the fridge and I only cooked one, thinking it would be enough. I should have known better.
This could be the poster child for comfort food. The crispy, juicy , oh so tender cornish hen, freshly fried , crispy, tasty pommes frites and a great heirloom tomato baked with scallions, freshly grated parmesan and seasoned with sea salt and cayenne pepper. The whole schamukkus served with mayonnaise to dip the frites and a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice and chili oil for the meat.
Absolutely delicious – I just wish I had cooked both of the cornish hen’s  🙂
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Fried Cornish Hen, Pommes Frites & Baked Parmesan Tomato

Fried Cornish Hen, Pommes Frites & Baked Parmesan Tomato

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Ingredient’s :

Cornish hen,   padded dry inside and out
Makeshift fryer,   filled with heavily salted peanut oil
Chili oil,

Potatoes,   peeled, cut into fries
Duck fat,
Sea salt,
Cayenne pepper,

Heirloom tomato,   cut in half
Parmigiano-Reggiano,
Scallions,   cut into 3 inch lengths
Sea salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Butter,   melted,

Method :

Fry the cornish hen at 375 F until very crispy and cooked through. Remove to absorbent paper. Drizzle with chili oil.

Add the potatoes to the cold duck fat and heat it until the fat reaches a temperature of 375 F. Cook until crisp and golden brown. Remove to absorbent paper. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

Season tomato with salt and pepper, top with grated parmesan. Dip scallions in butter and season with salt and pepper. Place on parmesan topped tomato. Bake until parmesan crust is golden brown.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Breakfast Of Champions # 21 “Shrimp, Vegetable and Potato Bowl”

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What a perfect way to start a day.
Spicy, beautiful, well rounded, rich and satisfying.
(Just like a spouse should be 🙂
Have a great weekend y’all.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Breakfast Of Champions # 21 Shrimp, Vegetables and Potato Bowl

Breakfast Of Champions # 21 Shrimp, Vegetables and Potato Bowl


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Saute  mushrooms, add potatoes,  scallions and peppers, season with (lots) of freshly ground black pepper and (not a lot) kosher salt, add garlic paste, saute until fragrant. Add blanched  broccoli  and shrimp, saute until broccoli is heated through and  shrimps are just cooked. Remove from heat, add  maggi seasoning  (or soy sauce  if you prefer), mix and serve. Goes best with a cold beer 🙂
( Relax, it’s your day off ! )
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Pork Ribs & Rice Noodles Soup

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I was  tempted to call this dish  “Kluay Teaw Moo Toon”, but then I remembered that Mirandi of the “High Heel Gourmet is coming by at ChefsOpinion sometimes and how fierce she is about authentic Thai  recipes. (I REALLY don’t want to get her mad 🙂
All jokes aside, this dish is  definitely Thai inspired. Fragrant, light, bright, tasty. I hope that recipes like this will inspire my readers to understand the philosophy of cooking as I see it :
Take a look at good stuff, feel inspired by it, learn from it, do your own spin on it. Just make sure you call it “inspired by” or “in the style of”. But then again, if the shoe fit’s……
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 Kluay Teaw Moo Toon (Variation Of A Thai Pork Spareribs Noodle Soup)

“Kluay Teaw Moo Toon”
( “Variation Of A Thai Pork Spareribs Noodle Soup” )

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Ingredients :

Pork ribs,   blanched  (for a clear stock)
Rice noodles,  soaked
Bok choy,   substitute with other green vegetable if you prefer, I used brocoli
Bean sprouts,   (I prefer the crunch and tasteof raw onion julienne)
Cinnamon stick,
Star anise,
Coriander,   crushed
Garlic paste,
Cilantro stems,   Thais normally use cilantro root but I can’t get it around here
Cilantro leaf’s,   coarsely chopped
Soy sauce,
Sugar,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Onion,   peeled, quartered
Ginger,   grated
Pork stock,  substitute with vegetable stock if you prefer
Peanut oil,

Method :

Saute ribs in peanut oil until lightly browned. Add garlic, ginger , star anis , coriander and onion and saute until fragrant. Add stock and cilantro stems (roots if you can get hold of them) and simmer until ribs are tender but not falling apart, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove ribs and set aside. Adjust seasoning. Strain stock. To serve, place noodles, ribs and vegetables in a serving bowl. Top with boiling hot stock. Sprinkle with cilantro and onion julienne. Serve with soy sauce, chili sauce and fried shallots.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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