Butterflied shoulder or leg of lamb marinated in Indian spiced yoghurt

August 14, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is simply divine and the spiced yoghurt really makes it so tender and flavorful. Personally I like New Zealand lamb the best, and if you are making it for 6 people, then buy 2 boned shoulders as they have the most flavor.

Serves 4 (if you’re using two shoulders then double the recipe)

About 1 & 1/2 lbs boned leg or shoulder of lamb (Shoulder may have more fat but it has much more flavor)
2 good sized lemons, juiced
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, leaves stripped
1 tbsp salt

8 fl oz natural yoghurt (don’t use low fat yoghurt)
2 fresh red chillies seeded
bunch cilantro (fresh coriander) chopped
3 good sized cloves garlic
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground cloves
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp ground cardamon

bunch fresh rosemary

Tenderize the lamb by opening it out and rubbing it all over with the lemon juice, 1 tbsp salt and the thyme leaves.
Leave for at least 4 hours then throw away the excessive lemon juice.

Whizz the yoghurt with the rest of the ingredients (except the rosemary) in the food processor to make the marinade.
Rub the marinade all over the meat and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge

Heat the oven to 450F. Put the lamb on a rack over a bed of the fresh rosemary in a roasting pan. If you don’t have a baking rack that fits in the roasting pan, don’t bother, it works fine either way.
Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked
Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes, covered with foil.
Slice and serve

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Meat

Tonnato sauce (Italian tuna sauce) with sliced pork fillet

August 9, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is the easiest and most delectable cold sauce to put over thinly sliced pork fillet.
You can also use thinly sliced turkey, chicken, veal and even roasted peppers. It’s so versatile and I highly recommend it.

Serves 4

For the pork
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1lb pork fillet

For the sauce
3.5 oz a good brand of canned tuna in olive oil, drained
2 egg yolks
2 anchovy fillets
8 – 9 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 -2 tbsp capers
freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley to garnish

Pout the stock into a large saucepan and poach the pork fillet for 20 minutes until cooked through. Leave it to cool in the stock.
When the fillet is quite cold, remove them it the stock and slice thinly. Arrange on a serving plate.

Meanwhile, put the drained tuna into a food processor with the egg yolks and anchovy fillets. Turn the motor on and gradually add the olive oil in a very thin trickle.
Add the ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste
Spoon the sauce over the pork and scatter with capers
Garnish with parsley and serve

Gluten Free · Meat · Nuts · Salad

Grilled asparagus,mozzarella, prosciutto and melon salad

August 9, 2012February 11, 2016 Belinda

Thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for this recipe. I like to serve this with a fillet of broiled wild salmon on the side.

4 -6 servings

3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lb asparagus
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 small melon (about 12 oz) peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 3/4″ cubes
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. bake for 12- 14 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the prosciutto into 1/4″ pieces
Place a grill pan over medium high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a medium bowl toss together the asparagus and 2 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2- 3 minutes each side until crisp tender.
In a medium bowl combine the lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil. Whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the melon and mozzarella cheese and toss until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange the asparagus on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the melon and mozzarella cheese on top of the asparagus.
Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle the prosciutto and pine nuts on top and serve.

To toast the pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Marie Claire’s Vietnamese prawn and chicken salad (CleanCuisine)

August 9, 2012February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is so light and tangy and one of the best salads I know. Well worth making and wonderful for entertaining in the summer!

Serves 4 – 6

12 oz small cooked prawns
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fish sauce
4 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
15 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
1 tsp sugar
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
2-3 carrots, grated
4 oz snow pea sprouts or other sprouts
1&1/2 English cucumbers peeled, seeded and diced
6 scallions (spring onions) , finely sliced
3 x baby cos (romaine) lettuce, finely sliced
1 -2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
optional 1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
optional 1 avocado, cubed

Peel the prawns and put them in a bowl
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, fish sauce, lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, mint and sugar.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the prawns and toss until the prawns are well coated.
Add the chicken, carrot, snow pea sprouts, optional cubed avocado, cucumber, spring onion and lettuce.
Lightly toss together then pile onto a serving platter or into individual bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (dry roasted peanuts)

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Green Goddess dressing

August 8, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

I don’t understand why this is not used as much these days. It’s fabulous!
A great idea is to slice tomatoes in half, put a piece of mozzarella and basil inside and sandwich them together then pour over the Green Goddess dressing. The dressing will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

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This recipe makes about 2 cups of dressing, the recipe is slightly adapted from the original recipe from”The Palace Restaurant” in San Francisco.

1/3 heaped cup fresh chives or green onions (packed in to a measuring cup)
1/3 heaped cup fresh tarragon, (packed into a measuring cup, tarragon is optional but if you like tarragon it’s really good in this dressing)
1/3 heaped cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley (packed into a measuring cup)
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp anchovy paste (or more, depending on how much you like anchovies)
1 cup mayonnaise (a good brand like Kraft or Helmanns)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

I used a food processor for this recipe, it makes life a lot simpler.
Measure 1/4 cup each of chives (or green onions) tarragon and parsley and add to the food processor.
Pulse the processor until the fresh herbs are finely chopped then add the lemon juice, white wine vinegar and anchovy paste and pulse a few more times.
Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper and run the food processor about 20 to 30 seconds or until the ingredients are well combined,
Chill at least for a few hours before serving

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted parmesan crusted cauliflower

August 7, 2012February 7, 2016 Belinda

Last night, we felt like something meatless, light and different, so I researched our most interesting vegetable and found this recipe. I made it with the “Indian twist” ingredients and it was absolutely divine. I served it with a simple salad of Romaine lettuce, red onion, avocado and cold roasted beets that I happened to have in the fridge. The book I found it in is called “The Low-Carb Gourmet” by Karen Barnaby

Makes 4 – 6 servings

at least 2lb cauliflower (you will need more than you think as it can crumble on you)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg
2 tbsp whipping cream
2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
For the Indian twist
You can add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Garam Masala, and 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds to the cream/egg mixture.

Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower and slice it into thin wedges, keeping the pieces no thicker than 1/2 inch. A few florets will fall off and crumble and that’s okay. Just set them aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the oil on a rimmed baking sheet or put down a piece of parchment paper or non stick aluminum foil.

Beat the egg with the cream in a shallow bowl and season ( add the Indian spices if you are using them) and spread the grated parmesan cheese out on a plate.
Dip each side of the cauliflower wedges into the egg mixture, then press each side into the parmesan cheese.
Lay the pieces on the baking sheet.
When you are finished, mix the extra crumbled bits with the remaining eggs and cheese and put onto the baking sheet, flattening them down slightly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned on the bottom and easy to turn without the cheese sticking to the pan. Turn ver and bake for 10 minutes longer.

NOTE
You can also add other spices to the egg/cheese mixture like garlic powder, oregano, basil.

Fish · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Jamie’s traybaked salmon with olives, green beans, anchovies and tomatoes

August 2, 2012January 7, 2017 Belinda

This is so light and tangy as the anchovy melts over the vegetables, the cherry tomatoes provide sweetness and juice and the olives a little hit of pure joy

Serves 4

7 oz green beans
20 small cherry tomatoes
1 handful pitted black olives
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
freshly grund black pepper
4 x 8oz thick fillets of wild salmon, with or without skin but definitely pin-boned
2 lemons
1 good handful fresh basil
12 anchovy fillets (the ones in oil)

Top and tail the green beans, blanch them until tender in salted boiling water and drain. Shock in a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process then drain.
Put the beans in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes and the stones olives
Toss in the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
Give the salmon fillets a quick wash under the tap and pat dry using kitchen paper towels.
Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the fillets, on both sides, then season both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
Preheat the oven and a roasting tray at the highest temperature your oven goes to.
Put your 4 fillets at one end of the roasting tray.
Toss the basil into the green beans, olives and tomatoes and place this mixture at the other end of the tray.
Lay the anchovy fillets over the green beans
Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes then remove from the oven and serve with lemon quarters.
This is very tasty especially with some homemade mayonnaise or aioli.
A good cheat’s aioli is done by adding crushed garlic to a good brand of store bought mayonnaise, say the Helmanns or Kraft brand.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Nigella’s lemon meringue pie ice cream

August 2, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is outrageous!! It’s like a frozen form of lemon meringue pie but ultra creamy with the crunch of the meringues and no ice cream maker needed.
Thank you to Nigella Lawson
(Apologies, but it’s in grams)

600 ml heavy whipping cream
225g Greek yoghurt
320g lemon curd (Trader Joes sell this above the freezer section)
juice and zest of 2 lemons
6 meringue nests (Trader Joes sell these as “Vanilla Meringues” Use about 2/3 of a 210g container. These are also above the freezer section )

Whip the cream until fairly stiff and fold in the yoghurt.
Add the lemon curd, lemon juice and zest (you will find it easier to stir in the curd if you add the lemon juice to it first) and the meringues, broken up into smallish pieces, but not so small that they dissolve into dust
Put into a container, (it should be a shallow rather than tall container) and freeze.
And thats all there is to it!
Ripen in the fridge for 40 minutes before you want to eat it.
You could also dribble over it some clear honey or some more lemon curd diluted to “runniness” with lemon juice

Fish · Gluten Free

Mustard Roasted Fish

July 15, 2012February 8, 2016 Belinda

Absolutely divine, creamy, tangy and simple.
Thank you Barefoot Contessa for this recipe. I have tweaked it a little, however.

Serves 4

4 (8 oz) fish fillets such as red snapper, salmon, Chilean sea bass, or whatever is your preference.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz creme fraiche
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tsp drained capers
Grated rind of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp dried dill weed (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish)
Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan/ baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and the grated rind of the lemon.
In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it is barely done.
The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it’s done)
Be sure not to overcook it! Serve it hot or at room temp with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.