Category: Do-ahead

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Asian shrimp stuffed mushrooms with orange glaze

Belinda

This is a killer appetizer. I have never made it without my guests taking their first bite and saying”wow!” It’s incredibly light, moist and unexpectedly intense in flavor.
Serves 4

Mushroom-Shrimp

2 tbsp peanut oil
sliced green parts of the green onions  (for garnish)
24 small to medium button mushrooms or in my case I used 16 mini Portabellos as they are perfect for stuffing
1/2 lb raw shrimp
4 minced water chestnuts
1 green onion (spring onion) minced
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Twist the stems off the mushrooms and discard. Set caps aside.
Shell, devein and chop the shrimp, not too finely as you need to keep some texture.
Combine the shrimp, water chestnuts, green onion, ginger, sherry, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Stuff the mushrooms with the shrimp mixture, put on a platter  and refrigerate them until you cook them  (This can be done ahead of time and don’t worry if the shrimp mixture starts to discolor, it will disappear when cooking)

Asian orange glaze sauce

1 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp dry sherry
4 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese chile sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tsp grated orange rind

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well.
Set aside.

Final stage

Just before serving, place a large skillet (about 12″) over medium heat.
Pour in the peanut oil, then add the mushrooms carefully, button sides down. (stuffing upwards!)
Fry until the oil sizzles and the bottoms of the mushrooms are starting to brown, about 3 -4 minutes.
Pour in the Asian orange glaze sauce, cover the skillet and cook until the shrimp filling starts to turn white, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high and cook the mushrooms until most of the sauce has disappeared and glazes the mushrooms.
This is where the flavor gets really intense as the sauce has reduced so much and become very rich.
During the final minutes of cooking gently ladle what sauce is left over the tops of the mushrooms, glazing them with a shiny brown glaze.
Tip out the mushrooms and glaze onto a platter, decorate with the sliced green onion tops and serve immediately



Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Gorgonzola, fig and pecan cheese terrine

Belinda

This is such a lovely hors d’oeuvres to serve with crackers or celery sticks.

Yields about 20 servings

1/2 cup dried Mission figs, cut into small pieces, plus 1/2 cup for garnish
1 cup port
1 good sized sprig fresh thyme, plus 1 bunch for garnish
1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
1&1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
8 oz crumbled gorgonzola
2 tbsp brandy
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces, plus 1/2 cup for garnish
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
Mesclun or frisee greens, for garnishing

Put the 1/2 cup of chopped figs into a small saucepan along with the port and thyme.
Let the mixture simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain the figs, discard the thyme and port and set the figs aside to cool.
Put the cream cheese and butter into a bowl of a standing mixer and, if using the paddle attachment, cream the mixture on medium until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the gorgonzola, brandy and salt and beat for 1 more minute.
Take care not to over beat or it won’t set properly
Spray a 1 quart loaf pan with cooking spray and line the inside with plastic wrap. Spoon half of the cheese mixture into the pan and spread it evenly, making sure to get into the corners.
Scatter the figs, pecans and chopped parsley on top evenly and cover with the remaining cheese.
Give the pan a few sharp raps on a flat surface to settle the terrine and get out the air bubbles.
Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

To remove the terrine from the pan, turn upside down on a flat surface and pull 1 end of the plastic wrap down.
The terrine will slip out of the pan onto the top piece of plastic wrap.
Slice and fan out on a platter garnished with greens. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of figs, pecans and thyme.
Serve with crackers

 

Do-ahead · Meat

A traybake of roasted Italian sausages, potatoes, ciabatta and rosemary

Belinda

This is one of those traybake-style dishes that you can really add what you like to, as long as you toss it all in the olive oil and seasonings so that everything is well coated in order to caramelize beautifully! Make sure the pieces are roughly all the same size so that it cooks evenly. The whole family will love it and all you need is a big salad to accompany.

Serves 4

6 Sweet or spicy Italian sausages
1 1/2 tsp paprika
4 long rosemary stalks
smallish-sized potatoes, halved
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
About 12 to 16 cherry tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 thick slices of good ciabatta bread
plenty of fruity olive oil
1 large handful Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Slice the sausages into 1 1/2 inch pieces and place in the roasting pan.
Add the potatoes, tomatoes, paprika, rosemary, garlic cloves, sea salt and black pepper
Tear the ciabatta into bite-sized pieces and add to the roasting tray
Drizzle over about 1/4 cup olive oil, season and gently toss to combine.
Place in the oven and cook, stirring occasionally for 40 mins or until the potatoes are tender and the sausages and bread are golden brown.
When ready to serve, top with the chopped Italian parsley and serve.

NB   Mushrooms, halved are also nice in it

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Mustard stuffed chicken breasts

Belinda

This is so lovely and simple. The creaminess of the mozzarella with the tangy wholegrain mustard makes it extra special.

Serves 4

5 -6 oz large fresh mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces
3 oz strong cheddar cheese, grated
1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 rashers smoked bacon

Heat the oven to 400 F .
Mix the cheeses and mustard together.
Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast then stuff with the mustard mixture.
Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with 2 bacon rashers each, not too tightly, but enough to hold the chicken together.
Season and place on a baking sheet or pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or so, basting once.

Tip- If you want to use less bacon, stretch out each bacon rasher using the back of a knife to make each one longer and thinner and use only one.

Accompaniments · Do-ahead

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

Belinda

I am reading and adapting recipes from a book called “Vegan YumYum” by Lauren Ulm.
This is one of the recipes with a few modifications. Extra tasty, you won’t miss regular Caesar dressing and it’s completely cholesterol free!  No cheese or anchovies! The nutritional yeast and miso make it taste as if there is Parmesan cheese in it.
This recipe makes about 1&1/2 cups.

1/4 cup slivered almonds (raw)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp mellow white miso
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed (or more if you like it really garlicky)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 pinches salt
2 pinches ground pepper
About 1/2 block of silken tofu (6 oz)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, but I use it as it contains protein and is really good for you)
2 tbsp water or more oil , to thin out the dressing if necessary

Make the dressing by putting ALL the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
That’s it!!

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Nuts · Vegetable-related

Italian rice and beans

Belinda

This is the beginning of a series I am starting called “CleanCuisine”. The emphasis being on “clean” tasting food that has zero cholesterol, very low fat and is probably the healthiest for you (and tastiest). As you eat it, you can feel it doing you good!
The special ingredient for this is the grated lemon rind over the dish, as it creates a tangy zing in the mouth and really brings it all together. Don’t skimp on the lemon rind

Makes 2 – 3 servings

1 cup brown rice
3 tbsp olive oil
3 heaped tbsp fresh Italian herbs, roughly chopped. (basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary…)
A heaped half cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, sliced into strips
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 can Cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained. (I cooked my own beans and have them available in the fridge)
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tsp balsamic vinegar (you may need more at the end)
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
zest of 2 lemons

Start by cooking the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Just use water, not  broth
When the rice is finished, keep the lid on and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
Add the herbs, tomatoes and pine nuts. When the pine nuts start to turn a golden brown, add the beans. Toss gently, trying your best to keep the beans whole.
Add the salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar and stir gently. Turn down the heat to low.
Place the spinach in one layer on top of the bean mixture. Place the hot, steaming rice over the spinach and cover for about 30 seconds until the spinach starts to wilt. Mix it all together gently and taste for seasoning. At this point you may need more salt and pepper or even balsamic.
Grate the lemon zest on top of the dish and serve. (I use a Microplane grater as it makes the lemon zest all fluffy and it goes further)

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Roast chicken with basil, lemon, garlic and white wine

Belinda

This is the quintessential juicy, tangy, moist roast chicken that you can’t beat.
You can make this for any amount of people, but this recipe serves 4.
You will need to use a good white wine that you will also be drinking, the tougher leaf basil and a good organic, free range chicken, whether it’s a whole chicken cut up or chicken pieces. This is seriously divine with couscous or good bread as there is so much juice, the couscous just soaks it up

6 free range, organic chicken pieces, bone in and skin on
good fruity olive oil
6 – 8 large cloves of garlic,
1 large lemon
a large glass of white wine, (not too sweet)
large handful of basil leaves (about 30)

Season the chicken pieces well on both sides with salt and pepper and put them in a roasting tin.
Pour over enough olive oil to moisten them and make a shallow pool in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Squash the garlic in it’s skin and tuck it in amongst the chicken.
Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and drop in the empty shells too.

Roast for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 400 F.
After the chicken has been roasting for 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven.
Tear up the basil leaves and toss them about a bit with the chicken and pour in the white wine, stirring everything around.
Return the chicken to the oven for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and put the roasting tin over a hot flame and let the wine and juices bubble and reduce a little, (for about 5 minutes) basting the chicken as you do this.

This is also good with lots of good bread as there is so much aromatic, sticky juice to mop up from the plate.

This is seriously divine!!

Do-ahead · Meat · Poultry

My turkey meat muffins

Belinda

These are fun and easy to make and are great to have cold the next day. You can use a muffin or cupcake tin and they are so much more flavorsome than ordinary old meatloaf. You can vary the amounts of ingredients, I tend to like a very flavorsome blend.

Makes about 18 cupcakes, or 12 muffins

2lbs ground turkey (I use the dark meat, but either is good)
1 large onion, chopped in the food processor
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
2 heaped tsp sweet paprika
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 extra large egg

Glaze

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Get your largest bowl and put ALL the ingredients except the glaze ingredients into it.
Wash your hands, (remove any wedding rings) and plunge your hands into the mixture and mix it all together thoroughly so the egg is well blended and everything else is well blended.

Get out your muffin or cupcake tins and spray each hole with oil. Also with your hands, or an ice cream scoop, fill each hole with the meat mixture.

Brush the tops of each meat muffin with the ketchup then sprinkle over the grated parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Zucchini Provencal

Belinda

This is our favorite way of having zucchini as the onions are so sweet underneath, enhanced by the parmesan cheese and herbes de provence.

Serves 4

5 – 6  medium sized zucchini, sliced on the 1/4 inch, diagonally
3 large yellow onions, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 heaped tsp herbes de Provence (or if you don’t have it, try dried thyme)
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 350F
Heat a heavy bottomed frying pan on medium heat and put in 3 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter.  When the butter has melted, put in the sliced onions and stir to coat the onions in the butter/oil mixture.
Season with salt and pepper, stirring, then turn the heat to low and let the onions caramelize for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom.
When they start to turn a lovely beige color and soften, tip them into the base of a baking dish with flat sides. (10″ by 8″ approximately)
Sprinkle about 1/3 of the parmesan cheese on top of the onions, then season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 1 tsp of the herbes de Provence over the onions.
Slice the zucchini on the diagonal, then lay in rows, just overlapping at the wide side.
Season the zucchini and sprinkle the remaining herbes de Provence and parmesan cheese over the top.
Drizzle the top with some olive oil and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the zucchini are tender and the top is browned.
Test the zucchini by pushing a fork of skewer into the thickest one.