kosher salt

Lamb Meat Balls In Harissa/Tomato Sauce, With Garlicky Pearl Pasta And Feta Cheese

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Last month my friend Curtis introduced me to a store which I have been missing all my cooking life. It’s the “Foodtown Supermarket” in Davie, corner sterling/dairy rd extension. Here I can find EVERYTHING my culinary cravings will ever desire as far as Asian and Latino food ingredients are concerned. EVERYTHING !!! 🙂 – Live frogs, live crabs, live shrimps, fresh fish heads, intestines, you get the idea.
(You can check it out online by clicking this link, especially read the comments) 🙂
Although Merguez sausage is neither Asian nor Latino, Foodtown has a great quality one on offer, as well as a small selection of other African/Mediterranean items.
So yesterday after work I stopped by there for a few goodies and amongst other stuff I got merguez sausage, harissa and pearl pasta (Piombi)
So here is what I had for lunch today :

Click here for more on MERGUEZ SAUSAGE

Click here for more on LAMB MEAT BALLS

Click here for more on HARISSA
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Lamb Meat Balls In Harissa / Tomato Sauce With Garlicky Pearl Pasta And Feta Cheese

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Preparation :
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cook pearl pasta in salted water, strain, reserve some of the cooking liquid in case you need to thinnen the sauce

cut mild chilies, onion and blanched carrots into triangels

cut mild chilies, onion and blanched carrots into triangles

saute carrots and onions in a generous amount of herb / garlic butter and olive oil until starting to caramelize

add chilies and sliced scallions

add pearl pasta, mix well, check / adjust seasoning

add pearl pasta, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, mix well, check / adjust seasoning

remove merguez sausage from casing, form into small balls, saute in olive oil until medium, add 1/3 of harissa and 2/3 of tomato sauce. If too thick, add some of the pasta liquid, simmer for one minute, check / adjust seasoning

plate pasta, leaving a well in the center

add lamb meatballs and harissa / tomato sauce

sprinkle with finely crumbled feta cheese and sliced scallions

Lamb Meat Balls In Harissa / Tomato Sauce With Garlicky Pearl Pasta And Feta Cheese

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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS # 39 – Steak & Eggs #2

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After a work week (getting up at 4.00 am daily) of two bananas and a glass of iced tea for breakfast, I always welcome the time and leisure the weekend affords me to have a more elaborate but nevertheless easy and fast to prepare meal to start off the day. So here is what I had for breakfast today 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Steak & Eggs

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Preparation :
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season rib eye with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, brush with garlic oil and grill to your desired doneness, set aside

season blanched green asparagus with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, coat in garlic oil, grill until heated through

plate asparagus

top with rib eye

top with hard boiled eggs and herb butter

top with hard boiled (waxy) eggs and herb butter, sprinkle eggs with salt and chili flakes

Steak & Eggs

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Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus

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This started out with the plan to make a simple potato cream soup with bacon. Soon I realized that I had no bacon in the house, so I tried to figure out another approach. Checking the cupboard revealed Spanish octopus in virgin olive oil. I also had a bunch of nice, sweet carrots. This might at first seems like an odd combination, but when you think about it – seafood, potatoes and root vegetables – surely a match made in heaven 🙂 The result was even more delicious and balanced as I had expected, so this dish will definitely be a new standby for me, either as a substantial main course or a small appetizer 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus

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Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus

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Preparation :
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saute onions and garlic paste in olive oil

add carrots, saute until starting to caramelize, but just lightly so that the soup does not get too dark

add the potatoes

add white wine and chicken stock, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

simmer until carrots and potatoes are soft

blend until very smooth

add heavy cream

add sriracha and maggi seasoning, check / adjust taste

season drained octopus pieces with kosher with garlic paste, salt and cayenne pepper, saute in olive oil until heated, add finely sliced scallion

season drained octopus pieces with kosher with garlic paste, salt and a good amount of cayenne pepper, saute in olive oil until heated, add finely sliced scallion

plate potato / carrot cream

garnish the soup with octopus

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Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus

$C:\Users\HANS\Desktop\To Post\Food\Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus$

Potato And Carrot Cream With Spicy Octopus

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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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While a genuine Thai, Indonesian, Indian or any other “genuine” coconut soup can be wonderful if properly prepared, sometimes it is impractical to go to the full length of dozens of ingredients just to have a quick, flavorful and economic soup. If you find yourself in such a situation, you might want to try this simple preparation, which can be enjoyed after no more than fifteen minutes from start to finish. Of course, I am all for authentic recipes and I believe we must make an effort to make sure that under normal circumstances and whenever practical, we don’t make unnecessary short cuts because we are lazy. But sometimes, if you want something tasty and can’t do the big production for whatever reason ………., well, I am sure you’ve got the point 🙂

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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Preparation :
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marinade diced chicken breast in soy sauce, lime juice, kosher salt, five spice powder, grated ginger and garlic paste, add corn starch, mix well

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cook pasta of your choice, drain, blanch snow peas, shock in ice water, drain, heat chicken stock seasoned with kosher salt, cayenne, garlic paste, grated ginger

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add coconut milk, simmer for three minutes

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after simmering snpw peas one minute, schock in ice water

after simmering snow peas one minute, shock in ice water

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add fresh shiitake mushrooms and chicken to simmering stock, simmer for three more minutes

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add drained pasta and snow peas to serving bowl

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ladle soup with chicken and shiitake on top of pasta and snow peas

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sprinkle with chili flakes and chopped cilantro

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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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Coconut Soup With Silkened Chicken & Snow Peas

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THE ULTIMATE! Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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Let me warn you – if you don’t like spicy food………. ahhh, don’t worry, if you don’t like spicy, just replace all the cayenne pepper with mild smoked paprika and you’ll be fine.
But if you do like spicy, this recipe is addictive, especially if you combine the Papas Bravas (my own version of this Spanish classic) with the chicken as I have done here. It might take a bite or two to get used to the heat, but then……Heaven 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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The Ultimate Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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The Ultimate Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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juicy lucy…….

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Preparation :
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chicken tighs and breast

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add peeled, raw potatoes, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and granulated garlic

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eggwash : whole eggs, greek yougurt, sriracha, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic

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whisk eggwash until smooth

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seasoned flour : a/p flour, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, kosher salt

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dredge chicken in seasoned flour

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coat floured chicken with eggwash

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dredge flour dredged, eggwash coated chicken once more in seasoned flour, shake off excess flour, fry at 325F for about 20 minutes, depending on size of chicken

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after 10 minutes frying the chicken, add the seasoned totatoes, fry until soft on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside Bout 15 more minutes, during the last 5 minutes, ingrease the temperature of the oil to 375F

after 10 minutes frying the chicken, add the seasoned totatoes, fry until soft on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside, about 15 more minutes; during the last 5 minutes, ingrease the temperature of the oil to 375F

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when potatoes and chicken are done, remove to absorbent paper

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seasoning dip : cayenne pepper, scotch bonnet hot sauce, garlic paste, lime juice, kosher salt, garlic oil

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ready to add the fried chicken and potatoes to seasoning dip

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toss chicken and potatoes in seasoning dip

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The Ultimate Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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The Ultimate Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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The Ultimate Fried Chicken & Angry Potatoes (Papas Bravas)

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Juicy Lucy …….

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Jamaican Black Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Hocks And Spinners

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Here is another hearty recipe of wonderful comfort food.
Many folks are familiar with Jamaican dumplings and some have become addicted to them like I have. Although in their most basic form they are made of just flour, water and salt, as part of a soup or stew they can be mind-boggling great because of their unique texture. As for the taste, I usually add garlic paste and cayenne pepper to give them a bit of extra umph 🙂
The traditional shape of Jamaican dumplings is a thick disk shape with an indention in the center. Spinners are made of the same dough, but they are “spinned” between your hands to shape them into tapered tubes, which is the shape I prefer.
As for the protein in the bean soup, use whatever you like and/or have at hand. Chicken, pork, salt beef, fresh beef, even seafood or just root vegetables. Of course, smoked ham hocks are the price in today’s lunch’ version, which could not have been more tasty and delicious.
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Bon Appetit ! Irie, Mon !
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Jamaican Black Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Hocks And Spinners

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Jamaican Black Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Hocks And Spinners

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Preparation :
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simmer ham hocks in generously seasoned water (kosher salt, garlic paste, scotch bonnet hot sauce) until tender but NOT falling apart

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when ham hocks are tender, remove from stock, reserve

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smoked ham hocks

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remove bones from ham hocks, give one each to your dog and his/her friends 🙂

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dice meat and skin into bite size cubes

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add canned, strained black beans, quartered onions, a small amount of curry powder and turmeric and coconut milk to stock, simmer for another 45 minutes

add canned, strained black beans, quartered onions, a small amount of curry powder, turmeric and coconut milk to stock, simmer for another 45 minutes

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blend in electric blender until smooth, check / adjust seasoning

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make a dough of a/p flour, water and salt, knead until the dough looks like this

make a dough of a/p flour, water, garlic paste, hot sauce and salt, knead until the dough is smooth

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roll individual pieces into small tubes like this, simmer in salt water until cooked through, 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the size you prefer

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almost………..

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add meat to soup to heat through

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plate soup in serving dish

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top with spinners

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sprinkle with scallions and/or herbs of your choice

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Jamaican Black Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Hocks And Spinners

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Jamaican Black Bean Soup With Smoked Ham Hocks And Spinners

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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After being sick as a dog for the past few day’s, today I can at least walk again without fear of falling on my behind because my legs could not hold me up. So, as any sane person would do, the first thing to do was to prep a meal that would make me feel better. Shrimp and mayo might not seem very smart as a first solid meal in three day’s, but I am happy to report that three hours later I am still ok 🙂
(In case you wonder how I posted the last post about the fish in black bean sauce:
I usually have one or two post’s on stand-by for situations like this and all it needs is the push of a button, the rest takes care of itself)
Anyway, I hope my recovery is going to last for a good time to come and things will be back to normal, at least healthwise.
So here we go, today’s early, delicious lunch:
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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Preparation :
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mise en place

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shrimp, green peas, golden grpe tomatoes, radish, scallion

shrimp, green peas, golden grape tomatoes, radish, scallion

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mayonnaise, sriracha, ketchup, brandy, horseradish, dijon mustard, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, lime juice

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slice italian garlic roll in half (toasting optional)

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top with romaine leaves in lime vinaigrette

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top with generaos amount of shrimp salad

top with generous amount of shrimp salad, garnish with fennel leaves

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serve with lime wedges and arugula in french dressing

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Old Fashioned Shrimp Roll

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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce

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This particular fish, Corvina Sea Bass, is, according to the seller, legally caught fish, in contrast to Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Tooth Fish).
I have enjoyed Chilean Sea Bass many times while I was living in Argentina in the 90’s, when the fish was still abundant and cheap. Unfortunately, due to overfishing, the fish is now rare and endangered and should only be bought from sources which can proof that their fish was legally harvested .
When properly cooked, sea bass is wonderfully moist and flaky, which lends itself to a variety of cooking methods and recipes.
Following is one of my all time favorites 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Chinese Steamed Rice (Fan) recipe
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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce

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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce

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Preparation :
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cut sea bass into large cubes, marinade with five spice powder, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, dust with rice flour, mix well

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saute whole chilies for a second or two, remove, reserve

saute whole chilies for a second or two in sesame oil to flavor, remove chilies, reserve

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saute onions until translucent

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add peppers and scallions, saute for two minutes, add garlic paste and grated ginger, saute until fragrant, remove, reserve

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reserved sauted onions, peppers, scallions and chilies

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saute sea bass in peanut oil until golden, remove from wok, reserve

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add soy sauce, black bean sauce, chili sauce and rice wine to wok, simmer for one minute

add soy sauce, black bean sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil and rice wine to wok, simmer for one minute

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return fish to wok, simmer until fish is almost cooked through, about one minute

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remove from heat, return vegetables to sauce, mix well, check/adjust seasoning

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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce With Fan

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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce

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Stir Fried Sea Bass In Black Bean Sauce

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Fan & Black Sesame Seeds

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Polpi In Umido – Italian Style Octopus Stewed In Wine And Tomatoes

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Octopus is one of my favorite seafood. Unfortunately, fresh octopus is not usually available around here. I sometimes order it online, but for the spur of the moment, I usually fall back to canned octopus. I have tried many different brands over the years and my favorite is the Vigo brand in garlic/olive oil. I usually prepare a salad by mixing it with peppers, herbs, potatoes and vinaigrette. Once in a while I mix it in a mixed seafood stew. However, for the dish at hand it was the perfect taste and texture. I even added the garlic oil from the can since it has a strong taste of the sea. A quick, easy and very affordable seafood recipe. If you are not a fan of octopus, replace it with shrimp, just simmer the shrimp and sauce for less time in order to keep the shrimp succulent and moist.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more about Octopus
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Polpi In Umido – Italian Style Octopus Stewed In Wine And Tomatoes

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Polpi In Umido – Italian Style Octopus Stewed In Wine And Tomatoes

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Preparation :
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saute finely diced onions and garlic paste in olive oil

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when onions are translucent add tomato paste, saute another minute

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deglaze with red wine, add octopus with it's canned oil, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer fr three minutes, check/adjust seasoning

deglaze with red wine, add octopus with its canned oil, finely chopped tomatoes, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer for three more minutes, check/adjust seasoning

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meanwhile, cook bucatini al dente, strain, mix with olive oil

meanwhile, cook bucatini al dente, strain, add some olive oil

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plate bucatoni, top with octopus ragout, sprinkle with italian parsley and basil leaves

plate bucatini, top with octopus ragout, sprinkle with italian parsley and basil leaves

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Polpi In Umido – Italian Style Octopus Stewed In Wine And Tomatoes

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Polpi In Umido – Italian Style Octopus Stewed In Wine And Tomatoes

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Dear Friend’s, to help support this blog,
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Milanesa Mexicana

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Playing with food 🙂
Green, white and red –
very easy to come up with a real Mexican dish using the mexican flag colors.

¡ Buen Provecho ! ¡ Viva México!
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Click here for Guacamole recipe
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Click here for Salsa Mexicana recipe
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Milanesa Mexicana

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Milanesa Mexicana

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Preparation :
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mise en place

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season veal cutlet with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, bread with flour, egg and breadcrumbs, saute in olive oil and butter until golden and cooked medium well, remove to absorbent paper

season thinly pounded veal cutlet with mustard, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, bread with flour, egg and breadcrumbs, saute in olive oil and butter until golden and cooked medium well, remove to absorbent paper

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place onto serving platter, drizzle with lime juice, top with guacamole, sour cream and salsa mexicana, sprinkle with chives or cilantro (however, there is already plenty cilantro in the guacamole)

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