Tag Archives: recipe

Italian, recipes, Salad

Stacked Caprese Salad Recipe

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Stacked Caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella
Caprese Salad with Formaggio di Bufala

Ingredients:

4 large ripe beefstake tomatoes,
2-3 balls of fresh buffalo mozzarella, (formaggio di bufala)
4 tablespoons pasto sauce,
sea salt to taste,
some leaf lettuce for decoration,
freshly ground black pepper to taste,
fresh parsley sprig or basil for decoration.

Recipe:

  1. Slice each tomato to 4-5 slices and sprinkle some sea salt on each slice.
  2. Arrange the tomato slices on stacks, as seen in the picture below, and put a teaspoon of pesto sauce and a slice of buffalo mozzarella between the tomato slices.
  3. Serve each stack of caprese salad on a plate over some leaf lettuce and grind some black pepper on top.
  4. Decorate the caprese salads with fresh parsley or basil.
  5. This salad is very easy and doesn’t take any major cooking skills to prepare. Preparation time is only 10 minutes. For best results serve the salad slightly chilled, but not cold. If you have balsamic reduction ready, you can sprinkle it around the edges of the plate for decoration. Cheers.

Pork, recipes, Wraps

Pulled Pork and Beans Wrap

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Pulled pork and beans wrap
Pulled Pork and Beans Wrap

Ingredients:

1 pork loin,
1 carrot,
1 onion,
2 stalks celery,
2 bay leaves,
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns,
1 tablespoon Montreal steak spice,
1 teaspoon salt,
1 cup BBQ sauce,
12 twelve-inch tortillas.

For the beans:

1 can black beans,
3 oz BBQ sauce,
1/2 onion, sliced,
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced,

Recipe:

  1. Place the pork loin in a large 4-inch hotel pan. Add the coarsely cut carrot, onion and celery to the pan. Also, add the bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Season the pork loin with the Montreal spice. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and place the pan with the pork loin not-covered in a preheated (convection) oven at 400 F.
  2. Brown the pork loin for aproximately 20 minutes, then cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about two-and-a-half hours to three hours, or until the pork loin is tender and can be pulled easily by hand.
  3. After the pork loin is ready, remove it from the roasting pan and let it cool down enough to be able to handle it. Reserve the liquids for a gravy if you want.
  4. Remove any excess fat from the pork loin. Pull the pork and mix it with the BBQ sauce.
  5. Roast the sliced onion and pepper in a greaced hotel pan until browned. Add the beans and bbq sauce and bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Put about 3 oz. each, baked beans and pulled pork in the middle of each tortilla and fold the wraps.
  7. Grill each pulled pork wrap in a panini press or over a flat-top grill until lightly golden brown, then cut on a bias and serve. Cheers.
  8. (Optional) you can add shredded cheddar cheese to your pulled pork wraps if desired.

Pork, recipes, Wraps

Pulled Pork and Lemon Coleslaw Wrap

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Pulled pork and lemon coleslaw wrap

Ingredients:

1 pork loin,
1 carrot,
1 onion,
2 stalks celery,
2 bay leaves,
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns,
1 tablespoon Montreal steak spice,
1 teaspoon salt,
1 cup BBQ sauce,
12 twelve-inch tortillas.
For the Coleslaw:
1/2 head of cabbage,
1 carrot,
1/2 cup chopped red onion,
1/2 cup of light mayonnaise,
1 tablespoon of sugar,
1 lemon, juiced.

Recipe:

  1. Place the pork loin in a large 4-inch hotel pan. Add the coarsely cut carrot, onion and celery to the pan. Also, add the bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Season the pork loin with the Montreal spice. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and place the pan with the pork loin not-covered in a preheated (convection) oven at 400 F.
  2. Brown the pork loin for aproximately 20 minutes, then cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about two-and-a-half hours to three hours, or until the pork loin is tender and can be pulled easily by hand.
  3. After the pork loin is ready, remove it from the roasting pan and let it cool down enough to be able to handle it. Reserve the liquids for a gravy if you want.
  4. Remove any excess fat from the pork loin. Pull the pork and mix it with the BBQ sauce.
  5. Slice the cabbage thinly and shread the carrot. Mix the carrot and cabbage with the other ingredients for the coleslaw.
  6. Put about 3 oz. each, coleslaw and pulled pork in the middle of each tortilla and fold the wraps.
  7. Grill each pulled pork wrap in a panini press or over a flat-top grill until lightly golden brown, then cut on a bias and serve. Cheers.

Beef, Wraps

Beef Burrito Recipe

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Beef burrito

Ingredients:

2 lb lean ground beef,
1 cup parboiled rice,
360 ml. water,
1 can black beans,
3 oz BBQ sauce,
1/2 onion, sliced,
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced,
Taco seasoning to taste,
1 Tbsp. olive oil,
shredded cheddar, as needed,
8 12-inch flour tortillas

Recipe:

  1. Brown the ground beef with the red pepper and onion in a large heavy skillet with the olive oil. Season the beef to taste with the taco seasoning.
  2. Put the rice and the water in a saucepan with a heavy lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmering without lifting the lid until the rice is ready.
  3. Bake the black beans with the bbq sauce in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes.
  4. Place some of the beef, rice, baked beans and shredded cheddar in the middle of each tortilla and fold the burritos.
  5. Cook each burrito until lightly toasted and the cheddar inside is melted, on a flat-top grill or in a cast-iron pan.
  6. Cut each burrito in the middle on a bias and serve with salsa and sour cream.
recipes, Salad, Vegetarian

Quinoa Salad Recipe

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Quinoa salad
Quinoa salad

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa,
2 1/4 cups of water,
2 tbsp. EV olive oil,
2 garlic cloves, chopped,
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped,
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper,
1/4 cup chopped celery,
1 cup chopped broccoli,
2 cups diced tomato,
1/4 cup chopped red onion,
1/2 lemon, juiced,
4 tablespoons sunflower oil,
salt and pepper to taste,
200 grams feta cheese.

Recipe:

1. Pour the EV olive oil in a heavy saucepan and saute the garlic, yellow onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes.

2. Add the quinoa, stir it in and immediately add the water. Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. It is even better if you cover the saucepan with aluminum foil first and then put the lid. Cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes or until ready. You can open the lid and check, but don’t do it often.

3. When the quinoa is ready spread it on a baking tray and let it cool down. When all the steam is gone stir it gently and put the tray in the fridge until the quinoa cools down completely.

4. In the meantime, cut the rest of the vegetables if you haven’t already done so.

5. Mix all the quinoa salad ingredients in a bowl and serve in 6 bowls. Crumble the feta cheese on top of the quinoa salads.

I cook my quinoa the same way I cook rice pilaf. If you would like to use the quinoa as a side dish you can replace the water in the recipe with chicken stock or vegetable stock. Even a spoon of butter wouldn’t be a bad idea if the quinoa is to be used as a side dish.

Chicken, recipes

Vol-au-vent Au Poulet

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Vol-au-vent with chicken
Vol-au-vent au Poulet – Chicken vol-au-vent

Vol-au-vent is a great French dish made with a puff pastry shell and a creamy filling. It can be served as a main course, as well as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

Frozen puff pastry sheets, as needed, 1 cup diced cooked chicken breast, 3 tbsp. butter, 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour, 1 garlic clove, chopped, 1 shallot, chopped, 1/2 cup 18% cream, 1 cup chicken stock, 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Recipe:

1. You can use square or round puff pastry sheets. Cut half-way through the puff pastry at 1 centimeter from the edge and bake according to package instructions. After the vol-au-vent shells are baked, let them sit for 5-10 minutes, and then remove with a fork the cut-up middle part, which will serve as the lid.

2. Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan and saute the garlic and shallots. Add the flour and make a roux. Add the cream while stirring and then add the cricken stock. Make sure that the sauce has no lumps of flour in it by stirring vigorously.

3. Add the cooked chicken, fresh chopped thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Now you have to have in the pan something very similar to chicken pot pie stuffing. Optional: You can thicken the sauce some more with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

4. Spoon the stuffing in the warm vol-au-vent shells and serve.

Italian, Pasta, recipes

Gnocchi with Pancetta and Snap Peas in Blush Sauce

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Gnocchi pasta with blush sauce
Gnocchi with Pancetta and Snap Peas in Blush Sauce

Ingredients for 4:

2 pounds of potato gnocchi,
4 oz sliced and chopped pancetta,
2 garlic cloves, chopped,
1 shallot, chopped,
1 cup snap peas,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
1 cup pasta sauce,
1/2 cup 18% cream,
1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese,
salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe:

1. Saute the garlic and shallot with the olive oil in a large heavy pan for 2 minutes.

2. Add the pancetta and snap peas and saute for 5 minutes more.

3. Add the pasta sauce and the cream and cook at medium heat for 5 minutes or until the desired consistency is achieved.

4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

5. In the meantime, boil the gnocchi according the package instructions in a large saucepan with at least 4 liters of water. I usually boil them for about 3-4 minutes, or 1 minute after they all swim up to the surface of the water.

6. Strain the gnocchi with a colander and immediately toss them in the sauce. Serve and enjoy.

Cooking tip: I like my snap peas to have a little crunch, but if you like them softer you can blanch them before adding them to the frying pan.

Appetizer, recipes, Vegetarian

Potato Croquette Recipe

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Potato croquettes

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato,
2 large baking potatoes,
1/2 tsp. garlic powder,
1 tsp. salt,
1/2 tsp. black pepper,
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill,
1 cup panko breadcrumbs,
1 cup regular breadcrumbs,
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese,
2 eggs,
1 oz. heavy cream,
1 cup all-purpose flour,
vegetable oil for frying.

Recipe: Peel and cut the potatoes to large chunks. Boil the potatoes, strain and mash them. Add the garlic powder, fresh dill, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Mix the panko and regular breadcrumbs with the Parmesan cheese and put the mixture in a shallow bowl. Beat lightly the eggs with the cream and pour the mixture in a bowl. Put the flour in a third bowl. Form oval shaped croquettes from the potato mixture and dredge them in the flour, then dip them in the eggs and roll them in the breadcrumbs to coat them completely. Deep-fry the croquettes for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Put the croquettes on tissue paper for 1 minute after frying to remove any excess oil. Serve the potato croquettes with cucumber-dill sauce for dipping, or another sauce you desire.

Appetizer, Italian, recipes

Italian Escargot Recipe

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Escargot in mushroom caps
Italian Escargot

Ingredients for 4 appetizers:

20 large escargots from a can,
20 small mushrooms, stems removed,
3 tablespoons butter,
3 garlic cloves, chopped,
1 oz. white wine,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley,
1/4 cup grated mozzarella,
chopped chives or lemongrass (optional),
salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe:

This escargot recipe is similar to the Escargots à la Bourguignonne recipe with the major difference of using mushroom cups for serving it instead of the snail shells.

1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pan and saute the garlic for 1 or 2 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms and the escargot and cook until the mushrooms are soft.

3. Deglaze with the white wine and add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve the escargots in the mushroom cups, top each one with a little grated mozzarella cheese and drizzle the butter-garlic sauce from the pan over the escargots.

5. Broil each bowl under the broiler briefly until the cheese is fully melted and serve with garlic bread.

Did you know that some people consider the escargot as seafood, therefore suitable for vegetarians?

recipes, Vegetarian

Homemade Veggie Burger Recipe

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Homemade veggie burger
Veggie burger with Black Beans

This is a recipe for a veggie burger made with black beans, and is suitable for vegetarians who consume eggs.

Ingredients:

Two 8 oz. cans of black beans or the same amount of boiled beans,
2 eggs,
1/2 cup bread crumbs,
1 teaspoon smoked paprika,
1 teaspoon natural smoke essence,
1 oz. instant oatmeal,
salt and pepper to taste,
1 tablespoon chopped green onion,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Recipe:

  1. Boil the black beans and strain them. If using canned beans, drain the liquid and place the beans in a food processor. Process them until they are pasty. Alternatively, you can mash the beans with a potato masher.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  3. Form burger patties. You should have enough mixture to form 6 veggie burgers.
  4. If using a convection oven you can place the veggie burger patties on parchment paper, or use aluminum foil for a conventional oven. Bake for about 8 minutes on each side at 375 F, or until cooked through.
  5. At this point you can either use the veggie burger patties, or you can grill them briefly in order to give them some nice grill marks. That’s your choice. The veggie burgers will taste like grilled because of the smike essence, so grilling them is not required.

I served my veggie burger from the photo above with tomato, pickle, lettuce, mayo and pickled candied red onions in a sesame bun. Enjoy.