Tag: coconut

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Lime Coconut Truffles

Belinda

 
In this recipe for lime-coconut truffles, a white chocolate truffle base is infused with fresh lime zest and juice, then rolled in sweet coconut for a refreshing tropical candy. Like many truffle recipes, this recipe requires several extended periods of chilling, so be sure to plan ahead. Yield: about 12 one-inch truffles.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cream
zest of one lime
1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
1.25 cup (9 ounces) chopped white chocolate (or chips)
pinch salt
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup shredded coconut
Preparation:
1. Combine the cream and the lime zest in a small saucepan over medium heat, and heat until it starts to simmer and bubble around the edges. Immediately remove from the heat and cover the pan with a lid, allowing the cream to infuse for 20 minutes.
2. While the cream is steeping, combine the chopped white chocolate (or white chocolate chips), the salt, and the diced butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate and butter for 45 seconds, to begin to melt the chocolate and butter. Set aside.
3. After the 20 minutes is up, return the cream to the heat and reheat it, stirring occasionally, until it once again reaches a simmer. Remove the simmering cream from the heat, and stir in the fresh lime juice.
4. Place a wire mesh strainer over the bowl of chocolate and butter, and pour the hot cream through the strainer over the chocolate. Press down on the lime zest in the strainer with a spoon to extract all of the remaining juice.
5. Gently whisk the cream and chocolate together, stirring until the mixture is smooth and all of the chocolate has melted. Cover the surface of the chocolate with cling wrap and refrigerate the candy until firm enough to roll, 4 hours or overnight.
6. While the candy is chilling, prepare the coconut by chopping it finely by hand or in a food processor. It is much easier to roll truffles in coconut that has been finely chopped, and the texture is more palatable as well.
7. Once the chocolate has set sufficiently, use a teaspoon to scoop a ball from the chocolate and roll it between your hands until it is round. Roll the truffle in the chopped coconut until it is completely covered. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and coconut.
8. These truffles should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, they should last for a week. For optimal taste and texture, bring them to room temperature before serving.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Grains

Coconut tapioca pudding with smoked sesame seeds

Belinda

This is great for vegans and tastes so exotic and comforting.

Serves 4

2 cups almond milk, divided
1/3 cup tapioca pearls
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 tsp good vanilla extract
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
Smoked sesame seeds for garnish

In a large bowl soak the tapioca overnight (or at least for 5 hours) in 1 cup of the almond milk.
When you’re ready to cook it, add the other cup of almond milk and warm the tapioca /almond milk mixture over medium heat.
Wait until the pudding is boiling then add the coconut milk, vanilla extract and agave syrup.
Cook for another 10 to 12 minutes, stirring continuously.
Finally, add the cornstarch/water mixture and the salt cooking and stirring for 5 minutes.
Cool in a glass or Tupperware bowl for at least 1 hour before serving, or, eat a little warm, it’s lovely.
When serving, sprinkle a few smoked sesame seeds on top.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Braised coconut spinach with chick peas and lemon

Belinda

Poured over a roasted sweet potato, this is powerhouse vegan comfort food, with loads of flavor and solid sustenance from the chick peas and sweet potato.

Serves 4 s a main dish or 6 as a side

2 tsp oil or ghee
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped. (If they’re in oil, drain them first.
1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tbsp juice)
1 dried hot red pepper or a dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1lb baby spinach
15 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp salt, or more, to taste
1 tsp ground ginger

To serve

Whole roasted sweet potatoes
cilantro leaves, to garnish
toasted unsweetened coconut, to garnish

Directions

Heat the oil or ghee in a large deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat.
Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, sun dried tomatoes, lemon zest and red pepper, if using.
Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the chick peas and cook ver high heat for  a few minutes or until they are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion/garlic mixture.
Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time, this will take about 5 minutes. Stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next lot.
When all the spinach has been stirred in, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger and lemon juice.
Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chick peas are warm through.
Taste and add more salt and lemon  juice if necessary.
Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes with cilantro leaves and toasted coconut to garnish.

Note

This is thick enough on it’s own to eat with a fork, it’s not terribly soupy, but it’s saucy enough to eat over pasta, rice, brown rice, quinoa or any other grain.

 

Dessert · Do-ahead · Egg based

Coconut Cream Bread Pudding

Belinda

Oh Lordy! I am a coconut fanatic and coupled with the comfort of bread pudding, you can’t get better than this!
Thank you to Paula Deen for daring to combine these two things.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Butter, for the dish
1 x 16 to 20 inch loaf of French bread, cut into cubes
4 extra large egg yolks
2 whole extra large eggs
2 (13 1/2 oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
1 (13 1/2 oz) can cream of coconut (The sweetened one found near the Pino Colada section in the supermarket)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch mace
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, plus 1/2 cup, toasted for garnish

For the chocolate velvet sauce
1 cup (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
Make the chocolate sauce right before serving the pudding. Put the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over low heat, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.

Directions for pudding

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch square flameproof baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole eggs, coconut milk, cream of coconut, salt, nutmeg and mace.
Stir in 1 cup of the coconut flakes. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, pressing down gently to soak up the custard. 
Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 325 F
Sprinkle the top of the pudding with the remaining coconut flakes. Cover the whole dish with aluminum foil, poking a few holes in the top to release the steam.
Put the baking dish into a roasting pan on a wire rack. Pout hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
Bake until the pudding if firm to the touch, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remore the foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
Remove the baking dish from the water bath and run it under the broiler, at least 4 inches from the heat, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Let the pudding cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Pour the chocolate sauce over the individual pudding servings as desired. Top with the toasted coconut and serve
Note The chocolate sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over low heat. Add more cream, 1 tbsp at a time as needed to return it to the desired consistency.

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Apricot, white chocolate and cashew nut slice

Belinda

This is a great KIWI recipe. Kids love this and it’s fairly good for you too! (Sorry about the metric ingredients, NZ has been that way for years!)

Makes about 18 bars

For the base

4 oz grams butter, melted
8oz grams graham crackers, crushed
2 cups raw cashew nuts, lightly chopped

For the topping

1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels or chips
1 cup chopped dried apricots
3 cups long strand coconut
16 fl oz sweetened condensed milk

Grease an 8 by 12 inch slice or Swiss roll tin, line with baking parchment and set aside.

Mix the crushed cookies, chopped nuts and melted butter together and press into the tin.

Mix the chocolate, apricots, coconut and condensed milk together and press over the base.

Bake at 325F for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Take care not to overcook as the finished slice should be sticky, chewy and slightly moist.
If you find that the slice is browning too quickly cover with a piece of baking paper until finished cooking .

Leave until cold before slicing.

Curry · Fish · Gluten Free

Salmon with coconut sauce on a bed of curried onions and peas

Belinda1 Comment

This may not be the most beautiful picture, but the actual dish was tremendously flavorful and interesting with the different spices.
Although the onions I put underneath the salmon aren’t in this picture, it’s well worth doing instead of rice.

Serves 2

Ingredients
4 -6 tbsp genuine coconut oil, divided  (The healthiest oil there is, available from Wholefoods))
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cardamon seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds

1 tbsp ground coriander, plus 1/2 tsp to season the salmon
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes. (a good quality tinned one is okay)
1 cup coconut milk
salt and ground pepper to season
2 (6 ounce) fillets of wild salmon, skinned

For the onion dish
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
4 large onions
1 cup frozen petit pois, boiled till cooked
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp medium curry powder
1/2 tsp cardamon seeds
salt and pepper

For the sauce
Put 2 tbsp coconut oil into a large skillet over low-med heat then add the ginger.
Saute for 30 seconds and then add the fennel seeds, cardamon seeds, brown mustard seeds and ground coriander and cook for 10 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring well. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

For the onions
Slice the onions fairly thickly. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet to low-med and add the onions, stir frequently and add the turmeric, curry powder, cardamon seeds, and salt and pepper.
Slowly caramelize the onions, stirring for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the peas or petit pois and add them to the onions mixture in the last 5 minutes of the onions’ cooking. The dish will have a nice deep yellow color and be very flavorful with the cardamon seeds.

For the salmon
Sprinkle the 1/2 tsp ground coriander, salt and pepper on both sides of the salmon fillets. Heat the remaining coconut oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, sear the salmon fillets on each side for 7 – 8 minutes total or until they are just cooked through.

Plating
Put a large spoonful of the onion mixture on a plate, lay a piece of salmon across them and ladle the sauce over the salmon.

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Fish

Crab Cakes with Ginger and Coconut milk

Belinda

This a recipe by Barbara Tropp from the “More than Burnt Toast” Food Blog
Spectacular and so different!

Ingredients


1/4 bunch of cilantro or parsley (depending on your taste) leaves and stems finely chopped
2 tbsp grated ginger
4 scallions sliced into thin rings, using the white part and about 2″ of the green part.
1 tsp (or more to taste) of Chinese chili sauce
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 pieces of white sandwich bread (as close to the Pepperidge Farm brand as possible) crusts removed, cut into tiny pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb jumbo lump blue claw crabmeat

In a bowl, mix the cilantro, scallions, ginger, chili paste, salt, coconut milk, bread pieces and egg together.
Set aside.
Inspect the crab meat for bits of shell being very careful not to break up the lumps of claw meat.

Gently fold the cilantro/ginger mixture into the crabmeat. Taste for seasoning. Gently but firmly press the crabmeat mixture into patties. Do this by filling 2 inch rings with the mixture, removing the ring and then gently pressing the edges towards the center.
Place the patties on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour which will make the crab cakes firmer and less prone to breaking apart.
Gently “film” a cast iron or any other sort of frying pan with vegetable oil, NOT olive oil and saute the crab cakes until browned.
Turn gently and brown the other side.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Thai chicken, cucumber and coconut salad (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

I made this last night and we were blown away by the flavors. It’s light, healthy and full of flavor!
You can buy palm sugar in Asian supermarkets like “99 Ranch” (in Los Angeles)

Serves 4

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
165 mls coconut milk
40 grams palm sugar, (shave it off with a knife) or if you can’t find any, demerara sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 large English cucumber
2 long sweet red chillies, thinly sliced  (I noticed that Trader Joes has these)
small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
1 good sized thai shallot or regular shallot, finely sliced
50 grams roasted peanuts. crushed

Put the chicken between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin or heavy pan to flatten a little so it is all the same thickness.

Put the coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce in a wide, shallow pan. Add the chicken to the cold liquid then gently bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool in the liquid, turning it a couple of times.

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumber into long thin ribbons.

Take the chicken from the poaching liquid and slice as thinly as possible, then mix all the ingredients except the roasted, crushed peanuts.
Serve drizzled with some of the cool poaching liquid and sprinkle with the peanuts.

It’s SO delicious!

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

Coconut tuna tartare with avocado mousse

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

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.