Zucchini, feta, pine nut and caper salad

October 19, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is such a divine combination and wonderful with grilled or roasted meats. After you have made it a couple of times you can start experimenting and add Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, basil, scallions…. Limitless possibilities.

Serves 4 (at most)

For the zucchini
1lb 4oz small zucchini, cut lengthways into fairly thin slices
1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes, optional
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, plus extra to taste
1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated
1 – 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then drained

To serve
7 oz Greek feta cheese, crumbled
4 tbsp pine nuts toasted

For the zucchini: Put the zucchini in to a colander and toss with 1 tsp salt.
leave for 30 to 60 minutes to drain in the sink, then rinse and dry on paper towels.
Season with lots of pepper and the chili flakes, if using. Add the oil and toss to coat.

Heat a griddle pan or a frying pan until hot and grill the zucchini for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once until well browned and just tender. Transfer to a dish.

For the dressing: Put the oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, garlic and chopped mint and parsley in a bowl and whisk well.
Stir in the capers and pour the dressing over the zucchini.
Cover and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes for the flavors to marry.

To serve” just before serving, mix in the feta cheese and serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and a few mint leaves.

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

Potato, squash and goat cheese gratin

October 15, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Serve 6, but can easily be doubled or trebled

2 (1/2 lb) medium yellow squash
4 medium red potatoes, about 1 lb
3 tbsp olive oil
5 oz goat cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole milk or cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp thinly sliced basil or thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 F. lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2 qt baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife,, slice the squash and potatoes into very, very thin slices, 1/8 inch or less.
Toss the sliced vegetables with 3 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl.
Place 1/3 of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish – no need to layer them squash-potato-squash, just evenly – then season with salt and pepper.
Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks.
Repeat with another 1/3 of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other 1/2 of the goat cheese.
Finish by layering on the final 1/3 of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.
Pour the milk or cream over the entire dish. Top with the parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until the top browns.
Scatter on the fresh basil, if using and serve

Fish · Meat

Gloria’s Fish Wellington

September 20, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is such a lovely recipe and much lighter and less expensive than beef Wellington.
Gloria used to cook for my mother and father after my mother became ill and I remember her making this, but I’ve never seen the recipe in any book.
It’s well worth trying and you can also make a nice cream fish sauce to go with it, but it’s not necessary.

4 rashers bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1lb white fish fillets, chopped
1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1/2 cup cream
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp dried dill weed
1 packet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Combine the bacon and onion in a small frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes or until soft.
Put the fish, breadcrumbs, cream, egg whites and dill in a food processor and process until combined.
Empty into a bowl and stir in the bacon mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tip into a 8″ by 5″ greased loaf tin and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Roll the pastry to about 10″ by 14″ rectangle and brush the edges with the beaten egg yolks.
Place the fish loaf in the center of the pastry rectangle, roll up, seal and trim any excess pastry around the edges.
Place onto a greased baking tray and brush all over with beaten egg yolk.
Bake until golden, about 30 mins or so, depending on your oven. Check occasionally.

Do-ahead · Grains · Poultry

Easy family-friendly Mexican chicken bake

September 20, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I have made this for the kids since they were 7 and 10 and they are now 22 and 25 and they still love it. It’s great for parties too.

Serves 4

3/4 cup medium or short grain rice
1 1/2 cups canned red kidney beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
3 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
12 oz jar spicy taco sauce. (In LA, I buy La Victoria Red Taco Sauce, medium)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Lightly grease a deep, round, 8 1/2 ” ceramic casserole dish. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the rice and cook for 10 to 12 mins, stirring occasionally. Drain.

In the prepared dish, combine the beans and 1 1/2 tbsp of the cilantro, then add the rice and toss together. Lightly press the mixture so that the beans are mixed into the rice and the mixture is flat.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute the chicken thighs for 3 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Add the taco sauce and cook for another 3 minutes.

To assemble, spread half the cheese over the rice. Arrange the thighs and sauce on top in a star shape, sprinkle with 1 1/2 tbsp of cilantro, then sprinkle with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned – remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.
Cut into four servings with a knife and scoop out carefully, keeping the layers intact.

Serve sprinkled with the remaining cilantro and a dollop of sour cream

Meat · Pasta

Pasta with spicy sausage, fresh basil and Dijon mustard

September 20, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

This is a Nigel Slater recipe which is fabulous, rich and unctious! I can feel the Southern Californian weather just start to nod towards Fall and that is my favorite season here.

This recipe is for 2 but you can easily double or treble it.

4 spicy Italian sausages
olive oil
4 handfuls (about 1/2 lb) of dried pasta. (any tube or shell shape that catches the sauce)
1 glass of white wine
dried chile flakes, a pinch or two
a small handful of chopped fresh basil, plus a few leaves for garnish
a tbsp of Dijon mustard, smooth or grainy
8 fl oz heavy cream

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

Split the sausages open and take out the filling. Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan, just enough to lubricate the bottom.
Discard the sausage skin, crumble the meat into the hot pan and fry till sizzling and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Salt the water generously and add the pasta.

Pour the wine into the sausage pan and let it bubble a little, scraping up all the sticky sausage goo on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chile flakes, season and add the chopped basil.
Add the mustard and pour in the cream and bring slowly to a simmer. Cook for a minutes or two, stirring now and again.

When the pasta is tender, about 9 minutes after coming to a boil, drain and tip into the creamy sausage sauce.
Serve piping hot garnished with a few sprigs of fresh basil

Asian flavors · Fish

Trout with ginger,cilantro and lime

September 10, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Well, after my last posting of the spaghetti with caviar, I thought I would post something very light and slightly less expensive! This is just delectable and very low calorie

Serves 2

2 whole rainbow trout, (about 11 oz each) cleaned and scaled
2 limes, thinly sliced
A 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, julienned
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Rind of 1 lime, cut into thin strips
1/4 oz fresh cilantro leaves.

Preheat the oven to 350F
Wash the fish and pat dry inside and out with paper towels
Fill the fish cavities with the lime slices and some of the ginger, then place each fish on a large piece of lightly greased aluminum foil.
Wrap the fish firmly to enclose and bake on a baking tray for 20 to 30 minutes, until the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.
While the fish is cooking, prepare the syrup

For the syrup;
Combine the sugar and lime juice with 1 cup of water in a small pan and stir without boiling until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until syrupy.
Stir in the remaining ginger and lime strips.
Put the fish onto the serving plates.
Top with the cilantro leaves and spoon the hot syrup over the top.

Baby salmon can also be used for this recipe.

Accompaniments · Baking

Easy and tasty pesto croutons

August 13, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

We had a couple of composer friends for lunch a while ago and the salad course was a Caesar, but just for a change I decided to make my own croutons and added pesto sauce.
They must have been successful as one of our friends who doesn’t usually like croutons loved them and recently asked me for the recipe.

1 loaf of ciabatta bread, chopped into chunks for the croutons. I leave the crusts on.
1 cup good pesto sauce, either homemade or commercial.
1/2 cup good extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic (at least) crushed
1 handful finely chopped fresh basil, if the pesto is commercial.
salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, add the pesto sauce, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Stir well and add more olive oil if it’s too thick.
Throw the bread chunks into the bowl and toss well.
Lay out croutons onto a large shallow baking tray and roast at 350 F for about 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Watch incase they burn though.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Serve if you haven’t already eaten them all!