Easy, healthy homemade fruit, nut and seed chocolate

January 20, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

This is the most divine chocolate you can eat, and you choose exactly what you want in it and how dark the chocolate is. Everyone swoons with this chocolate.

It almost doesn’t need a recipe so I will give you the guidelines;

This makes about 40 pieces, at least

You will need;

A double boiler, or a bowl to sit on top of a saucepan without the bottom of it touching the water you put in the saucepan.
A shallow 9” by 13” baking tray lined with aluminum foil (however, you can make as little or as much as you want and vary the size of the tray.

Ingredients

12 x 4oz bars of really good quality chocolate. I use Lindt and use 8 x 85% bars and 4 x 70% bars, sometimes using a couple of the “Lindt Intense orange” flavor, or “mint” flavor but you can put in anything you want.

Salted, skinned peanuts (It’s nice to have something salted against the sweetness of the chocolate)
pumpkin seeds
pistachio nuts
sunflower seeds
toasted slivered almonds
any other nuts you like, chopped very coarsely
raisins
dried cranberries
dried blueberries
dried apricots
crystallized ginger
any other dried fruit

2 fresh oranges, grated zest only (if you like a lovely orange flavor)

Method

You can really improvise with this, but all you do is break up the chocolate and put it in the top bowl of a double boiler.

Cut all the nuts until they are pretty similar in size and sprinkle all the fruits, nuts and seeds of your choice onto the lined baking tray.

Finely grate the zest of the two oranges and add to the chocolate in the bowl over medium heat so the water underneath is gently simmering. Stir occasionally until it has all melted.
Take off the stove and pour over all the fruits, nuts and seeds in the baking tray, shaking the baking tray so it spreads evenly into all the holes and crevices. Sprinkle a few bits and pieces of the fruit, nuts and seeds over the top for decoration and then refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours until set.

Remove the foil from underneath the chocolate, and start cutting it into chunks . Store in a container in the fridge and you will have divine chocolate for weeks!!

Do-ahead · Fish

Shrimp Burgers with Roasted Garlic-orange aioli

January 18, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

Absolutely gorgeous and SO different with the superb flavors of the garlic-orange aioli binding the succulent shrimp together, then slathered between the burger and the bun.

Makes 4 patties.

Roasted garlic-orange aioli

1 head garlic
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Kosher salt
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice plus 1 tsp finely grated zest (from 1 orange)
freshly ground black pepper.

To roast the garlic; Heat the oven to 400 F.
Peel away the outer skin of 1 garlic head, and cut off the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the head to expose the individual cloves.
Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the garlic head, wrap in foil and roast for 30 to 35 mins, or until the cloves are soft when pressed.
Cool, then squeeze the cloves from their skin. Mash 3 cloves and set aside — reserve the rest for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks.
Gradually whisk in the remaining olive oil, then the grapeseed oil; begin with small drizzles, then whisk in a thin stream until the mayonnaise is very thick.
Whisk in a pinch of salt and then the orange juice, a little at a time (you may not need the full amount) orange zest and the roasted garlic paste.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shrimp burgers
5 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fennel, from one small bulb (fronds reserved)
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fennel fronds
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tbsp grated zest from 1 orange
1 1/2lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, finely chopped by hand
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
* 1 to 2 tbsp roasted garlic-orange aioli
Toasted hamburger buns for serving. (brioche is also nice)

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Add the fennel and shallots and cook until they start to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Add the red bell pepper and cook about 5 mins longer; you want the pepper to soften but retain it’s texture.
Remove from the heat.
Mix in the fennel fronds, chives and orange zest.

In a bowl, combine the chopped shrimp with the sauteed vegetable-herb mixture and salt and pepper. (to taste).
Fold in the aioli, a teaspoon at a time, to just bind the burgers.
Form them into four patties, refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil in a pan (cast iron works well) over medium-heat and fry the patties until golden, about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Spread the aioli on both sides of the toasted buns’ serve the shrimp burgers with your favorite condiments, such as a big leaf of butter lettuce

Fish · Gluten Free

Slow-roast salmon with fennel, citrus and chiles

January 12, 2014 Belinda

This is slow roasted, succulent salmon that gathers together the flavors of the fennel, lemon and chili. You can also try it with halibut, cod or turbot fillets. Thank you to Bon Appetite magaxine for this beauty.

Serves 4

1 medium fennel; bulb, thinly sliced
1 blood or navel orange, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 Meyer or regular lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
4 sprigs dill, plus more for serving
1 red Fresno chili or jalapeno with seeds, thinly sliced
kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 lb skinless salmon fillet, preferably center-cut
3/4 cup olive oil
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preheat the oven to 275 F
Toss the fennel, orange slices, lemon slices, chili and 4 dill sprigs in a shallow 3 qt baking dish.
Season with kosher salt and ground pepper. Season the salmon with salt and place on top of the fennel mixture.
Pour over the oil.

Roast until the salmon is just cooked (the tip of the knife will slide through easily and the flesh will be slightly opaque), 30 to 40 minutes for medium rare.

Transfer the salmon to a platter, breaking it into large pieces as you go.
Spoon the fennel mixture and oil from the baking dish over it.
Discard the dill sprigs.
Season with sea salt and ground pepper and top with the fresh dill sprigs.

Gluten Free · Poultry

Light and easy chicken piccata

January 11, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

We absolutely love this recipe, it’s equally good with thinly sliced pork fillet, chicken, turkey or fish and is so light, quick and tangy.
* I made this again the other day and omitted the butter, adding a little more olive oil instead and we didn’t miss it!

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 5oz each
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour (GF flour is okay too)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry sherry (if you don’t have sherry you can use dry Vermouth or a dry white wine)
2 lemons
2 tbsp capers
1 cup chicken stock, or broth
2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
kosher salt to taste

Squeeze the juice out of one of the lemons and set the juice aside.
From the other lemon, slice 4 very thin slices from the center (the widest part) and set those aside too.
Stretch a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface, place the chicken breast fillets on it, lay another piece of plastic wrap on top, covering the fillets.
Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or similar flat object, flatten the chicken breasts between the payers of plastic wrap until they are 1/4 inch thin, but no thinner or they lose their consistency.

In a shallow baking dish or even a plate, combine the flour and salt.

Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and heat for another 30 seconds or so.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Remove the onion and garlic mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan and let until it turns foamy.

Now dredge both sides of the chicken breast fillets in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour and add them, one at a time to the hot pan.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil, while you make the sauce.

Add the stock or broth, sherry, lemon juice and capers to the pan and scrape off the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
Then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and heat it through, adding a bit more oil or butter if necessary.

Return the chicken to the pan, bring the liquid to the boil, then lower it to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by about 1/3.
Add the chopped parsley just at the end of the cooking.

With a pair of kitchen tongs, remove the chicken breasts and plate them. Adjust the seasoning on the sauce with kosher salt and lemon juice. Make sure there is plenty of sauce on each chicken fillet with a lemon slice on top and serve immediately

Baking · Do-ahead

Coconut lemon traybake

January 11, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

These are very lemony, “coconutty”, soft and gooey, Very easy to make with no “creaming the butter and sugar” something I am allergic to doing!

Combine;

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Crumble it together lightly with your hands until it resembles fine bread crumbs and press it into a 9 x 9” baking pan.
Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool a little.

Mix together;

2 slightly beaten eggs
3 tbsp lemon juice or more if you like things really tart and lemony.
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sweetened desiccated coconut (and extra for sprinkling n the top)
1/4 tsp salt

Pour this over the baked crust.
Put in the oven for 30 minutes

If you want it to look really nice, sprinkle it with icing sugar or more coconut when it has cooked so it looks like a snowfall.
You can also sprinkle the top with more coconut “before” cooking and it will brown a little, but be careful it doesn’t burn

Asian flavors · Curry · Pasta · Poultry

Light curried chicken penne with fresh mango chutney

January 9, 2014September 13, 2018 Belinda

Very light and refreshingly different with that gorgeous hint of creamy curry going though it.

Serves 6

Chutney
2 cups diced peeled ripe mango (about 2 mangoes)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp red curry paste
1 to 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
4 cups hot cooked penne rigate (abut 2 cups uncooked)
2 tbsp chopped green onions (scallions) for garnish

To prepare the chutney, combine the first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.

To prepare the chicken, heat the oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat.
Add the garlic and chicken, saute for 5 minutes. Combine the coconut milk and the next 4 ingredients (coconut milk through the fish sauce) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Add this coconut mixture to the pan, bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli and cauliflower florets, cover and cook for 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chutney and pasta, toss well to combine.
Sprinkle with the chopped scallions.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Pasta · Salad · Vegan

Avocado green curry noodles with toasted coconut and cashews

January 8, 2014January 10, 2016 Belinda

Thank you Aida Mollenkamp for this gorgeous, tasty healthy combination.

Makes 2 to 3 servings

8 oz dried soba noodles or udon noodles
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
4 medium shallots, peeled and minced
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 very ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
3 tbsp green curry paste
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp honey
1 bunch stemmed kale, torn into bite sized pieces, (about 4 cups packed)
1/3 cup raw coconut flakes, toasted
1/2 cup roasted and salted cashews, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp raw flax seeds

Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil over high heat and cook noodles according to the package instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Add the kale and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes.

Drain the noodles when they are done, saving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Combine the avocado, curry paste, lime juice and honey in a small food processor and puree until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste and thin out, as needed, with the reserved cooking water.

Toss the noodles with the sauce, turning to coat all the noodles. Add the shallots and kale and turn to coat everything.

Divide among serving plates, top with the cashews, coconut and flax seeds and serve.