great taste

Tostadas De Camarones

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I am not sure if I should call the this dish “Tostadas”, “Shrimp Salad” or “Shrimp Cocktail”.
It is actually all of the above, so pick the name that best suits you 🙂
All I know is that this was a great dinner after a long day at work , followed by a few hours of running errand’s.
Since I was very hungry and it was already late when I got home, something quick and light was appropriate. After all, at 3.00 am the alarm will sound again and I’ll have to be ready for another long, hard day. I already have started to have my breakfast and lunch according to the “Hans’Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” Plan, which will start in full on Monday, January 19th. If you are interested, you might want to go to “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” for more details. These “Tostadas”, “Shrimp Salad” or “Shrimp Cocktail” would be a typical example of a dinner Item on my monthly “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shrimp Tostadas

Shrimp Tostada

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: Make a salad of lettuce, baby corn, chilies, radish, onion, cilantro, salt, garlic paste, olive oil and lemon juice

: Salad

: marinade cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp with garlic paste, olive oil, kosher salt and lime juice

: serve shrimp and salad with fried tortillas (totopos), sour cream Thai chili sauce

: Shrimp Tostada

: Shrimp Tostadas

: Shrimp Tostadas

: Shrimp Tostadas

: Shrimp Tostadas

: Shrimp Tostadas

: Shrimp Tostadas

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The Slammer

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It is great to have the liberty to name the dishes one creates, even using somewhat goofy but fitting names, such as “The Slammer” 🙂
This is one of the dishes which owe their creation to the fact that sometimes I think I have nothing in the fridge to prep a great meal and going to the shop is not an option. Out of this familiar dilemma, sometimes a wonderful dish finds the light of day, as happened with this mouthwatering, sexy sandwich.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to Hans’ Homemade Buffalo Sauce
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The Slammer

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: grill a thick and a thin slice of whole wheat bread which you generously brushed with garlic paste

: spread both slices of bread on one side with Hans’Homemade Buffalo Sauce

: season chicken breast with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, soy sauce and granulated garlic, saute in canola oil

: slice tomamto and radish, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: add sliced avocado tothe thicker slice of bread, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

: add the sliced tomatoes

: top with cucumber shavings

: top with parmigiano reggiano shavings

: top with sliced chicken

: top with radish

: top whith second, thin slice of grilled bread

: The Slammer

: The Slammer

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Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock & Sour Lentils)

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This was the third and final Dish I made from the leftovers of the Roast Pork Ham I prepared on 25th December.
(I’ll post # 1 next week) 🙂
It brought back memories of spit-roasted pork and veal hocks on food , beer and song filled evenings with friends, spend in “gemuetliche” (cozy) rustic restaurants in Swabia and Bavaria 40 years ago when food like this could be had in most of the simple restaurants (Gaststätte, Gasthaus, Gasthof, Wirtshaus) in the South of Germany and in Austria, any day of the week, usually accompanied by potato dumplings or bread dumplings and sauerkraut.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to original dish – ROAST FRESH HAM WITH CARAWAY JUS
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Link to the first leftover dish – RÔTI DE PORC AVEC SAUCE AU CÈPE PORCINI
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Link to the second leftover dish – THE GERMAN DIP
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Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

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Preparation:
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: saute chopped smoked hamehocks and diced onions in porkfat, add washed lentils and chickenstock, simmer slowly until tender but not falling apart

: season with rice vinegar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer another 2 minutes, check/adjust the taste

: add fully cooked pork hock to the lentils, brush generously with melted butter, cover and bake in oven until pork is heated on it’s thickest part to 165F

: saute cooked small potatoes in olive oil , add sliced chives, season with kosher salt. To serve, add potatoes to lentils, brush pork with olive oil

: Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

: Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

: Bella – Iron Will 🙂 Look but don’t touch……

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Pollo En Escabeche (Fried Chicken In Vinegar And White Wine)

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Like so many other “classical / original dishes, there is a million and one ways to prepare “en escabeche”, which in Spanish simply means marinated or pickled.
As usual, I have picked my favorite one to be featured on ChefsOpinion.
Of course you can also do vegetables, seafood, and other proteins “en escabeche”. (For my German-speaking friends, how about “Brathering 🙂
But today we are going to savor one of the goodies which I used to serve many times in our house to my family and friends in times past.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more on Escabeche
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Pollo En Escabeche

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Preparation:
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: season chicken parts with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, dust in flour and fry until internal temperature reaches 165F

: when chicken is fully cooked, remove to absorbent paper

: meanwhile, mix 1/3 water, 1’3 white vinegar and 1/3 white wine, olive oil, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, bay leaves, sliced peppers and onions, bring to a boil, add chicken, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

: Pollo En Escabeche

: Pollo En Escabeche

: Pollo En Escabeche

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“The German Dip”

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This is the second dish I prepared with the leftovers from the roast pork ham I prepared on the 25th. It turned out to become a masterstroke of a sandwich, and since I have not heard of a national German sandwich, I hereby declare this sandwich the “Official German Sandwich”, also known as “The German Dip”.
(Without the dipping jus, it shall simply be known as “The German”).
You are welcome Germany, glad to help 🙂
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Guten Appetit ! Das Leben Ist Wunderbar !
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“The German Dip”

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Link : Löwensenf
Link : Allgäuer Bergkäse
Link : Rotkohlsalat
Link : Schweinebraten

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: brush halved rye sub liberally with melted garlic butter, toast on both sides

: smear one half with “Löwensenf”, the other half with horseradish

: add sliced cooked ham, sliced cucumber, sprinkle cucumber with kosher salt

: add sliced roast pork (schweinebraten), sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper

: top with red cabbage salad (rotkraut salat)

: top with sliced bavarian cheese (allgäuer bergkäse)

: top with German salami

: heat in 400F oven until outside of sandwich is hot and crispy

: “The German Dip”

: “The German”

: “The German Dip”

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Pear Crumble

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If you have not yet decided on a stunning dessert for your holiday party, you might want to strongly consider this one. It is easy to make, can be made in advance and looks and tastes like a million bucks. Otherwise, promise yourself that you’ll prepare this as soon as sanity has returned to your kitchen after the holidays. I am sure it’s ease of preparation, as well as it’s deliciousness, will make it one of your standby’s, just as it has become one of mine. When you prepare this, make sure you let the crumble rest at least 30 minutes in a warm place to let it set. If you want to re-heat it, give it enough time to get warm in low heat (about 20 minutes at 300F), then a bit under the broiler to re-crisp the crust. – You’re welcome 🙂 >
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pear Crumble

Pear Crumble (My kind of food porn – no tweezers required)

Pear Crumble

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
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: use very ripe pears (but not mushy) for best result

: peel, core and dice pears

: simmer pears briefly in simple syrup with a good dash of rum or brandy, thicken with cornstarch slurry

: mix 1/3 a/p flour, 1/3 castor sugar, 1/3 stoneground oats, fill pears into buttered baking dish, top with crumble mixture, add a generous amount of butter, bake at 400F until brown

: when crumble top is brown and bubbly, sprinkle with crashed walnuts, let cook for another few minutes until walnuts start to be lightly toasted

: remove crumble from oven, let set in a warm place for 30 minutes before serving

: serve with whipped cream, dust with cinnamon

: Pear Crumble

: Pear Crumble

: Pear Crumble

: Pear Crumble

: Pear Crumble

: Pear Crumble

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Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter) (French Toast)

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If there is one dish made of stale bread that is served just about anywhere in the world it is Pan Perdu, also known as:
Germany (arme ritter), England (poor knights of windsor), USA and Kanada (french toast), France (pain perdu), Russia (grenki), Spain (torrijas), Finnland (köyhät ritarit), Hungary (bundás kenyér), Turkey (ekmek balığı) Holland (wentelteefje), Austria(pavesen), Portugal (rabanadas). This is but a small part of a large number of countries which serve pan perdu in one form or another.
The most basic form of preparation is stale bread or cake soaked in a mixture of milk, egg and sugar, then sauteed. From there on, many variations exist, with a few or many other ingredients added -white wine, honey, brandy, cinnamon, fruits, cream cheese, maple syrup and countless other variations, even savory ones. My own version this morning was pretty basic, I did however use chocolate pound cake instead of bread and dusted the sauteed pan perdu with castor sugar and cinnamon. You can imagine the improvement. The hot, very sweet pineapple also added to the enjoyment of this oh so simple leftover dish. Truly a champion of a breakfast, worthy to be served to a champion 🙂

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter)

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: peel and carve fresh pineapple

: grill pineapple very slowly so it will caramelize but not burn

: beautiful 🙂

: cut chocolate poundcake into thick slices

: mix milk egg, castor sugar and a dash of vanilla extract, soak cake for a few minutes in mixture

: saute at low heat

: almost……

: Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter)

: Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter)

: Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter)

: Breakfast Of Champions # 45 – Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter)

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Curried Beef & Pasta

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Sunday lunch is supposed to be the highlight of the week, when traditionally the whole family gathers around the dining table for the culinary highlight of the week. So sad to see traditions like that slowly but surely disappear 😦
However, Bella and I keep the tradition alive as best as we can, gathering on my chaise-lounge and enjoying a great lunch while watching a good movie (the movie substituting the lively conversation which is supposed to take place among the family during Sundays lunch).
We do converse though – she begs, upon which I sternly say “don’t beg, which she follows with a moan or bark, followed by me giving her a morsel. Then I have a few bites until she begs again, which is usually as soon as she swallows her bit. And so on, until the meal is finished 🙂
So, here we go, without further ado – today’s lunch :
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Curried Beef & Pasta

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
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Click here for Garam Masala Instructions
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: skirt steak

: cut skirt into strips, season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, saute in VERY hot garlic oil until rare, remove to absorbent paper, set aside

: saute onions in garlic oil

: add sliced peppers and scallion sticks, season with one table spoon garam masala and one table spoon curry powder, add half cup of heavy cream, simmer one minute

: remove from heat, add beef, check / adjust seasoning

: add pasta of your choice (I love broken lasagna sheets)

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

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Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

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Versatile is an understatement when describing this dish.
Tasty, great, satisfying, lecker , delicious and wonderful on the other hand are highly accurate.
Because of the large amount of shrimps added to the potatoes, there is fair amount of stuffing left over. You can shape this into patties (2 ounces for hors d’oeuvres, 4 oz for appetizers, 6 oz for main course) and freeze them between oiled plastic film (airtight) for at least one month, then just saute them in butter until heated through and golden. Or, you could forgo the whole stuffed potato thing and transform all of it into patties :-).
Either way, I am sure whether you are a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned veteran, you will love and appreciate this simple yet sophisticated dish.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & CucumberTomato Salad In Lime Vinaigrette

Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

Baked Potato Patty & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Lime Vinaigrette With Aji Amarillo Sauce

Baked Potato/Shrimp Patty & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette With Aji Amarillo Sauce

Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

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Preparation :
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To enlarge pictures, click on pictures
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: baked idaho potato

: let potato cool, cut off top 1/3

: scrape out potato flesh, mash, not to smooth

: add greek yogurt, cooked shrimp, sriracha, garlic paste, kosher salt, mix

: add lots of sliced chives

: spoon back into potato shells

: spray with melted butter, sprinkle with panko and parmesan

: shape patty with leftover stuffing, spray with melted butter, place with stuffed potato in pan or baking dish

: ready to bake

: mix cucumber and grape tomatoes with chili flakes, kosher salt, olive oil, garlic paste and lime juice

: Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

: Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

: Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

: Baked Potato/Shrimp Patty & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette With Aji Amarillo Sauce

: Baked Potato/Shrimp Patty & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette With Aji Amarillo Sauce

: Baked Potato/Shrimp Patty & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette With Aji Amarillo Sauce

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No Cook Octopus Salad

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Please forgive me for the slight misnomer of this dish, “No-Cook Octopus Salad”.
Of course, the potatoes have been pre-cooked and so has the octopus.
But since I had leftover potatoes from yesterday and the octopus came out of a can (Vigo Brand, which is one of my favorite canned seafood brands), all I had to do today for this quick and tasty dinner is to mix the cubed potatoes and drained octopus with sliced romaine, diced onions and a garlic/lime vinaigrette (lime juice, olive oil, garlic paste,cayenne pepper and kosher salt).
Voilà, minimum time and effort for maximum taste and satisfaction 🙂
With the salad I had a freshly baked warm french bread and a glass of iced peach tea.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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