Bacon and leek risotto with poached egg

August 25, 2011February 8, 2016 Belinda1 Comment

Serves 6

PREP TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

Recipe c/o Jill Duplex

So tasty and comforting!

Ingredients

6 large eggs

5 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)

1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice (about 10 ounces)

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Italian parsley leaves (for garnish)

Additional finely grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Preparation

Bring large skillet of water just to simmer over medium-low heat. Sprinkle water with salt.

Working with 1 egg at a time, crack into small bowl and slide egg into simmering water.

Cook eggs until whites are cooked through but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer poached eggs to medium bowl filled with ice water.

DO AHEAD Eggs can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate in same bowl of ice water

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan; cover to keep warm. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally.

Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks to drippings in pan; cook until soft but not brown, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 generous tablespoonfuls leeks to small bowl; reserve for garnish.

Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23 minutes total.

Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat poached eggs in medium skillet of simmering water just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top risotto in each bowl with poached egg.

Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley leaves, additional cheese, and reserved leeks.

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Coconut tuna tartare with avocado mousse

August 25, 2011February 7, 2016 Belinda

It doesn’t get much better than this! (c/o chef John Doherty of the Waldorf Astoria)

Ingredients
1 pound sushi grade tuna; cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 tbsp grated coconut; toasted
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp toasted almond slivers; chopped
4 tbsp currants
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp fresh ginger; minced
1/2 tsp garlic; minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 ripe avocados
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Prepare Coconut Tuna Tartare with Avocado Mousse
In a medium stainless mixing bowl combine the diced tuna, coconut, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, almonds, currants, vegetable oil, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil.
Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Peel and halve the avocados and remove the pits. Give them a rough chop and place them in a small stainless mixing bowl.
Add the remaining lime juice, cayenne, cumin, paprika, and olive oil.
Mash the seasoned avocado with a sturdy whisk until creamy in texture and season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Divide the avocado mixture equally into the bottom of 8 martini glasses.
Separate the tuna into eight equal portions and spoon on top of the avocado

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Jerusalem artichoke and mushroom dauphinoise

August 25, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is almost sexy in it’s unctious creaminess!!
Make sure the artichokes are tender when you cook them, because when I cooked this the first time, they weren’t!

1 1/2 lbs Jerusalem artichokes (or sunchokes)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sliced onion
2 crushed cloves of garlic
5 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2/3 cup light cream or whole cream
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 lemon, grated zest only
1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook artichokes in lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add 1 sliced onion and 2 crushed cloves garlic and saute for 3 minutes until soft.
Increase the heat and add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 to 10 mins tossing occasionally, until golden.

Drain the artichokes and refresh under cold running water. Drain again and peel.
Slice any large artichokes into thirds and arrange in a shallow 1 1/4 quart dish with the mushroom mixture.

In a bowl mix together the sour cream, (or creme fraiche) light cream, whole grain mustard, freshly grated nutmeg, grated zest of a lemon and chopped parsley. Season well and pour over the vegetables.
Sprinkle the top with the grated gruyere cheese and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve immediately.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Carrot puree with ginger and orange

August 23, 2011June 11, 2024 Belinda

This is one of our favorite side dishes.

Serves 8

3 lbs carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
4 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook the carrots and 3 tbsp sugar in a large pot of boiling salted water until the carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain well. Return carrots to same pot. Stir over medium heat until any excess moisture evaporates.

Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to a simmer in a heavy, small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, ginger and orange zest, whisk until the butter melts.
Whisk in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tbsp sugar.

Puree half the carrots and half the juice mixture in a food processor until smooth. transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining carrots and juice mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead)
Cover and refrigerate.
Re-warm carrots in a microwave on high for about 4 minutes or re-warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Gluten Free · Grains

Provencal gratin of spinach and zucchini

August 23, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

Provence (my most favorite part of the world) is known for it’s terracotta (baked earth) flower pots, urns, tiles and even cooking dishes. A “Tian”is a type of earthenware gratin dish which also gives it’s name to the food cooked in it.
They are generally vegetable oriented; and often rice grown in the Camargue (the marsh land of Provence) is added to the dish to make it more substantial.
This is an easy dish to double.

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients
1 1/2lbs fresh spinach, washed
3 good sized zucchini, grated
4 oz short or medium grained rice
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 extra large whole eggs
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tsps salt
freshly ground black pepper
good pinch grated nutmeg

Assembly and Presentation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Oil a fairly large earthenware oven dish with a bit of olive oil.
In a saute pan cook the chopped onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt and pepper and add the grated zucchini and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the zucchini is wilted.

Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Squeeze out the excess liquid and chop the spinach.
Put the rice in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain.
Beat the eggs and gradually stir in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the zucchini, spinach. rice and parmesan.

Pour into the gratin dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot .

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Nuts

Caramel Salmon with Lime (CleanCuisine)

August 23, 2011February 11, 2016 Belinda

This is an unbeatable salad combination of Thai tastes, c/o Jill Duplex, a wonderful Australian cookery book writer. The flavors in this dish are chilli, cilantro, mint, sugar, lime juice and fish sauce, all perfect for a piece of delicate, rich salmon.
A really innovative, tasty, complex salad dish for either a main course or a starter.

Serves 4

4 thick salmon fillets, skinned (choose wild salmon, if possible)
200 grams bean sprouts
2 tbsps vegetable oil
50 grams fresh mint leaves, left whole
25 grams cilantro leaves, left whole
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsps salted or dry roasted peanuts, crushed coarsely
1 lime, quartered

Sauce
100 grams soft brown sugar
125 mls water
1 red chilli, finely sliced
3 cm knob of fresh ginger, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
4 tbsps Thai fish sauce
4 tbsps fresh lime juice

To make the sauce, use the ingredients in the “sauce” list only. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring.
Add the chilli, ginger and garlic and let it bubble away to reduce (but do not boil over!) for 4 – 5 minutes until quite syrupy.
Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce and the lime juice.

Cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces, about 3cm square and coat lightly in the caramel sauce.
Pour a jug of boiling water over the bean sprouts then drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the salmon quickly until caramelized, keeping the inside pink.

Combine the salmon, mint, coriander, scallions and bean sprouts in a bowl and toss well.
Strain the sauce and keep warm, if necessary, reheat.
Arrange on warmed dinner plates, spoon the warm sauce over the top and scatter with peanuts.

Serve with the lime wedges and plenty of steamed rice.

Gluten Free · Grains

Leek, spinach and dill weed pilaf

August 21, 2011February 8, 2016 Belinda

I serve this with the “Mediterranean Fish Dish” and countless other dishes, as the leeks give such a wonderful flavor through the rice. A lot of people don’t like leeks, but you won’t even know what they are by the time you’ve finished the dish!

Serves 4

4 good sized leeks, rinsed and chopped lengthways, then across in 1/2 inch slices.
Butter
8 oz washed baby spinach
1 good tbsp dried dill weed.
salt and pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup long grain rice

Saute the leeks in a good knob of butter and add the dill weed. When they are soft, add the rice and stir, coating well with the leeks and butter, season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and spinach, bring to the boil, stir well and turn down to low. Cover and cook with the lid on following the cooking time on your rice packet. (Usually 20 minutes)
When ready, give a stir and serve.

Fish · Gluten Free

My Mediterranean Fish dish (CleanCuisine)

August 20, 2011January 10, 2016 Belinda

Yesterday I bought some orange roughy, normally when we eat white fish we like either Halibut or Chilean sea bass as our everyday fish, but sea bass is so pricey that I decided to try orange roughy.
I also decided to try a dish with mainly pantry ingredients and it turned out so well, here it is.
The amounts of ingredients can be varied according to taste, but this is approximately what I did.
It was gorgeous, robust but very light!

serves 4

2lbs orange roughy or halibut fillets (a firm fish works better for this dish)
3 good sized onions, sliced
4 big cloves garlic, crushed
3 lemons plus grated rind of them all.
1/3 cup drained capers
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
butter and olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large shallow, heavy frying pan that is oven proof and has a lid, (I use a large round, shallow, Le Creuset pan) and saute the onions and garlic very slowly in the butter/olive oil mixture for about 30 – 40 minutes or until caramelized, adding the capers, olives, lemon rind, salt and pepper.

Add the lemon juice and cherry tomatoes. Mix well and lay the seasoned fish fillets on top, spooning some of the goodness below on top of the fillets. Sprinkle a little lemon juice over the fish fillets and put the lid on.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. Check to see if the fish is done. There should be a good amount of juice too.
I serve it with a rice pilaf made with sauteed leeks, spinach and dill weed.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides

Mashed rosemary white beans

August 20, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is lovely as a replacement for mashed potatoes, especially with lamb.

2 (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 -3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
a few sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, garlic and rosemary over medium – low heat. Saute till fragrant.
Add the beans and chicken stock.
Increase the heat to medium and stir the beans.
Continue to stir until the beans begin to soften, approximately 8 minutes.
Using a potato masher, mash the beans until they reach the desired consistency.
Add the salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
(I used a bit of cream at the end to make it even silkier and it worked a treat!)