Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Pasta · Sauces

My special bolognese sauce

Belinda

Serves about 6

Olive oil and butter
1lb Sweet Italian Sausage, crumbled finely
1lb Ground pork
1lb Ground lamb
4oz small cubed pancetta
1 and 1/2 large onions diced finely
3 carrots diced finely
3 sticks celery diced finely
Garlic 3 cloves crushed,
Tomato paste (1/2 a small can)
1 x large jar of (San Marzano) marinara sauce
Whole milk  (1 cup at least)
1 cup Chianti (at least)
1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground in mortar
fresh rosemary, chopped fine
salt and pepper

Chop fine all the vegetables and garlic and sauté in large pan of olive oil and butter.
Add the pancetta and ground fennel seeds and stir over moderate heat.
Add the sausage meat from the sausages, removing the casings and crumbling as fine as possible. Stir into vegetables and brown.
Add the pork and lamb and stir over a high heat to brown. Keep it all from sticking together.
Add red wine, milk and tomato paste and stir in Marinara Sauce. Stir well and lower heat and simmer for 1 and ½ hours.
Season and add parmesan cheese and cream if necessary before serving.
Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce and add more on top when serving in the bowls.
The milk is great and acts like cream and tenderizes the meat.

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Steamed mussels with lemongrass, thai basil, chilies and coconut

Belinda

This is divine and exotic!

Adapted from “Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges”


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb mussels (washed and bearded)

6 stems of Thai basil leaves (use only the leaves)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 clove shallot (minced)

3 bird’s eye chilies (finely chopped)

1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
FOR THE BROTH:
 3 cups coconut milk
1/2 inch galangal/ginger (lightly pounded)

1 lemongrass stalk (trimmed, smashed, and chopped)

3 bird’s eye chilies (smashed)

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste
METHOD:
Bring the coconut milk, galangal/ginger, lemongrass, and smashed bird’s eyes chilies to boil over high heat. 
Add the lemon zest and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. 
Remove from the stove, strain the broth and set aside. Discard the aromatics.
Heat up the cooking oil in a wok or deep saucepan that can later be covered.
Add the minced garlic and shallots and cook until lightly browned. 
 
Stir-in the chopped bird’s eye chilies, then add the mussels and the broth. 
 
Add the basil leaves, cover and cook until all mussels are open. 
 
Add salt to taste, dish out and serve hot with steamed rice.
Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Dried figs pickled in port and whisky

Belinda

I have a jar of these sitting in my pantry and even when I first put them into the jar, they smelled incredible. Can’t wait to have them with a dollop of creme fraiche or icecream

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp pickling spices (mixed whole spices)
1lb dried figs, halved
2-3 tbsp whisky
1 cup port

Combine the water, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, then add the figs and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to stand for 24 hours.
Drain the figs and reserve the syrup
Sprinkle the figs with the whisky and pack into a sterilized wide-mouthed jar. Add the port to the reserved syrup, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour this hot mixture over the figs to cover.
Seal the jar and store in a cool dark place for 1 month to mature (yeah baby!) before using.
Enjoy!!!

Asian flavors · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Coconut Panna Cotta with mango and lime syrup

Belinda

This is the ultimate of all the desserts I make, as it’s so exotic. You will love this if you love coconut!


Serves 6-8  

For the Panna Cotta
2 & 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup unsweetened coconut cream (not coconut milk)
2/3 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar)
pinch of salt
3 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water until limp then squeezed dry. (You can get these online)
2 mangos, peeled and cut into pieces, or slices. (or use pineapple)
15- 20 fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips.

For the Lime Syrup
2 cups dark palm sugar  (You can get this at an Asian market, or online)
½ cup superfine sugar
zest and juice of 4 limes
4 tbsp Malibu rum

Method
To make the panna cotta, pour the cream, coconut cream and sugar into a saucepan. Bring to the boil while stirring. 
Add the pinch of salt and stir until dissolved. 
Add the gelatine leaves, stirring to dissolve and pass through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Pour into dariole molds or ramekins and refrigerate for at least 5 hours. 
Unmold either by dipping the bottom of the molds in hot water.
To make the  syrup, place the sugars, zest and juice in a saucepan and reduce to a light syrup. 
Pour in the rum and pass through a fine sieve. Set aside at room temperature. (This syrup can be frozen and used for up to 1 year!)
To serve, place a panna cotta in the center of a dish, arrange the mango around, scatter with finely chopped fresh mint and spoon over the syrup
Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Creamy baked Potato and Celeriac

Belinda

This is unctuous, creamy and divine!

 

4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus a couple extra knobs, divided
2 pounds potatoes, peeled
1 small celeriac, peeled and halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint heavy cream
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 a small bunch fresh sage, leaves picked and roughly chopped
4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan, divided
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a large, shallow baking dish.

Slice the potatoes and celeriac into disks just under 1-inch thick.

Place the slices into a large pan, cover with cold water, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and allow the vegetables to steam dry for a minute or so. Put back into the pan with the cream, chopped garlic, sage, half the Parmesan and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Mix together, then tip into the buttered baking dish and spread out evenly. Pour any mixture left in the pan over the top.
Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan, cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

When the potatoes are cooked, take them out of the oven, remove the foil and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until bubbling and golden.

Dessert · Do-ahead

Amaretti Semifreddo

Belinda

Screen shot 2014-05-31 at 12.22.22 PM

 

I have made this several times and it always goes down a treat. The Amaretti cookies with the cognac gives it that really unique flavor that has your guests exclaiming “Wow, what’s in it?”
This is the sort of food I love that really gets people’s attention.

7 oz  Amaretti cookies
5 large eggs
10 fl oz or 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp sugar
4-5 tbsp of espresso (according to taste)
2 tbsp cognac
dark chocolate, for shavings for decoration

Crush the cookies in a small bowl and add the coffee and the cognac. Mix well until the cookies are pretty moist.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and add them to the Amaretti mixture.
Separately whip the egg whites and the cream and add them in this order to the cookie mixture. Mix until the mixture is homogeneous but do not mix for too long or the egg whites and the cream will lose their volume
Pour the final mixture into a loaf mold. Put in the freezer and let rest for at least three hours if you like it somewhat soft or overnight if you like it very hard.

If you have trouble unmolding the semi freddo once well frozen just put the back of the pan under running water. Serve it with shaved dark chocolate on top and with additional Amaretti and/or whipped cream.

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

Ahi tuna and avocado tartare

Belinda

This is sensational. It mingles fresh ahi tuna, avocado, cucumber and spice and will impress the most knowledgeable food critic.
The prep time is 10 minutes and it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Serve with small rice crackers.

3/4 lb sashimi grade ahi tuna, diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or less if you don’t want it too spicy)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp sesame oil (I use toasted sesame oil)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)

In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, cucumber, avocado, green onion, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.
Pour in the lemon juice, sesame oil and soy sauce and stir carefully to blend so as not to mash the avocado. Place this bowl into a larger bowl that has been filled with ice. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes but no longer, the terrific freshness of the fish will be lost.
Once chilled, remove the bowl from the ice and invert onto a serving dish. Serve

To toast the sesame seeds,
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add sesame seeds and cook until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Mock Potato Salad

Belinda

This is just like a potato salad, but done with cauliflower. I am realizing what an amazingly versatile vegetable cauliflower is the more I try it in different dishes. I leave the seasonings to you to experiment with. I also like to give it a bit of cayenne pepper for those who like a kick!

Serves 8


1 head fresh cauliflower
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced (I always peel celery with a peeler to get rid of the stringy bits)
2 slices onion, chopped
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp pickle relish
salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, paprika, to taste (experiment a bit with the amounts of these)
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Cook cauliflower until tender. Drain and pat dry. Let cool and pull into small floret pieces. Place in a large bowl.
Mix in remaining ingredients except paprika and parsley. Chill for 2 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle on paprika and garnish with parsley.



Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Curried cauliflower with currants and pinenuts (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

This recipe is really unusual and full of flavor.
Serves 6-8


Dressing
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp Madras curry powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Cauliflower
2lbs cauliflower florets
2 tbsp kosher salt
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (I used about 1/2 cup at most)
3/4 cup dried currants
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 small red onion, finely chopped

Method for the dressing

 In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Whisk in the curry powder, salt and pepper.
Very slowly, drizzle the oilve oil and whisk into the vinegar mixture until incorporated. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Set the dressing aside.

Method for the cauliflower

Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water. Drain and add pine nuts, currants, sunflower seeds and onions. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing lightly to mix thoroughly. Chill for 1 -2 hours before serving. (I didn’t have time to chill it for that long when I made it and it was still great warm)

Plating
Mound the salad onto a plate in a compact pile and decorate with a few cilantro leaves

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Salad

Couscous, Orange and Carrot Salad

Belinda

I love this salad and it’s great multiplied for larger groups. It’s fresh, healthy, low calorie and tastes out of the ordinary because of the wonderful zingy dressing with all the minced ginger. This is a Canadian recipe from a book I have used to death called New Light Cooking by Anne Lindsey.

Screen Shot 2015-08-16 at 7.44.21 AM

1 3/4 cups chicken stock or water (I use chicken stock)
1 1/4 cups couscous
2 oranges,sectioned and chopped, removing the pith
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, (coriander for the Brits!) parsley or mint. ( I use cilantro)

Ginger Vinaigrette
2 tbsp each of balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp each of olive or vegetable oil and water
1 tbsp each of granulated sugar and minced gingerroot
1/4 tsp each of salt, freshly ground black pepper and ground cumin (I like to roast my cumin)

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil, add couscous and stir quickly to mix. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid. Using a fork, fluff the couscous and then let cool.

In a salad bowl combine oranges, carrots, currants, cilantro and couscous.

Ginger Vinaigrette- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, oil, water, sugar, ginger, salt, pepper and cumin.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to mix.