Lime ginger mayonnaise (to serve with cold poached salmon or other seafood)

July 9, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This mayonnaise is utterly easy and a superb flavor. Well worth doing and very unusual.

Makes 1 cup

1/2 cup light, good quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup 2% plain yoghurt
grated rind of 1 fresh lime
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp freshly grated gingerroot
1 clove garlic

In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, yoghurt, lime rind and juice, ginger and garlic.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.

Delicious!!!

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Poultry

Turkish-style roasted chicken thighs with orange and sesame seed gremolata

July 7, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

While trolling the internet for new and interesting recipes I found the beginnings of this recipe and then adapted it. The flavors are really stunning and the chicken becomes sticky and browned with the deep chutney and five-spice flavors permeating it. The orange gremolata sprinkled over the top when you serve it really adds a zing. This is lovely served with simple boiled brown rice in chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Serves 4 – 6 but can easily be augmented

1/2 heaped cup of your favorite chutney (make sure it’s a good strong flavored one)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 heaped tbsp spicy brown mustard or coarse grain mustard
1 heaped tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp five spice powder
8 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Gremolata
2 tbsp Italian parsley, freshly snipped
1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
4 tsp orange rind, finely shredded

In a medium sized bowl combine the first 6 ingredients, mixing well.
Put the chicken thighs in a baking dish, pour over the mixture and coat well.
Put in the oven on a high shelf preferably, for about 45 minutes, taking out and giving a stir about 1/2 way through the cooking.
The chicken thighs should be showing signs of toasty brown bits on them and be lovely with the bubbly sauce.

Mix together in a small bowl, the orange rind, sesame seeds and parsley and sprinkle over the dish as you serve it.
Enjoy!

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Grilled pineapple with rum, lime-ginger syrup and ice cream

July 5, 2013 Belinda1 Comment

I made this yesterday from my new favorite recipe book, “In the hands of a Chef” by Jody Adams and Ken Rivard.

We were having the traditional BBQ on July 4th with the family and we’re all trying to eat less (Ha!) so I thought this would be light. It is but not only is it light, it’s incredibly simple and the syrup will knock your socks off!

Serves 4

Syrup

1 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

grated zest of 1 orange

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 star anise

1 ripe pineapple (make sure it’s ripe as they don’t ripen on the counter top and won’t be sweet enough).

2 tbsp grape seed oil or other mild tasting vegetable oil

1/4 cup dark rum

4 scoops vanilla, mango or coconut ice cream

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into very thin strips, for garnish

Combine all the syrup ingredients in a non reactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Remove the vanilla bean and allow it to cool. When cool enough to handle, scrape the seeds into the syrup. Discard the pod or save for another use.

Prepare a medium fire in a grill or use a ridged grill pan over the element on your stove.

Chop off the pineapple flower (the sprout with the spiky leaves) and the top inch or so of the fruit. Cut a slice off the bottom of the pineapple so it will stand upright. Slice off the skin in long vertical strips. If there are any “eyes” remaining, cut them out with a paring knife or potato peeler. If you have a pineapple corer, use it to remove the core, then lay the fruit on it’s side and cut into eight 1/2 inch thick slices.

If you don’t have a corer, just turn the pineapple on it’s side and cut the 8 slices, then use a paring knife or cookie cutter to remove the woody core at the center of each slice. (If you are lucky and can buy a ready made pineapple, go ahead and cut your work load down, I did!

Brush the pineapple rings with the oil and grill on both sides until lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side.

Arrange 2 pineapple rings on each plate. Pour a tbsp of rum over each set of rings then drizzle with the spiced syrup. Add a scoop of ice cream to each plate and sprinkle with the thin strips of fresh mint and serve