Tag: lime

Dessert · Do-ahead · Icecream

Margarita ice cream!

Belinda

In the hot summer months, what could be nicer than a Margarita for dessert!

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Serves 6
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp tequila
3 tbsp Cointreau or Triple sec
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Pour the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur into a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cream and then softly whip until thick and smooth but not stiff.
Spoon into an airtight container to freeze overnight. This ice ream does not need softening before serving as it won’t freeze too hard due to the alcohol in it. It will melt pretty fast so don’t let it stand around at room temperature too long
Finely grate some lime zest over to serve

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces

Avocado salsa to have with cold poached salmon

Belinda

 

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Serves 4

This is gorgeous on a hot summers day with cold poached salmon.  The recipe is from Delia Smith, a British recipe book writer whose recipes are absolutely fail-safe. This is a cross between a sauce and a salsa and complements the flavor of salmon and it also looks really pretty with the color of the salmon.

1 ripe but firm avocado
2 large firm tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 rounded tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
A few drops Tabasco
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then leaving for exactly 1 minute before draining and slipping the skins off when they’re cool enough to handle.
Then cut each tomato in half and, holding each half over a saucer (cut side downwards), squeeze gently to extract the seeds.
Now chop the tomato flesh as finely as possible.
Next, halve the avocado, remove the stone, cut each half into quarters and peel off the skin.
Chop the avocado into minutely small dice, and do the same with the onion. Finally, combine everything together in a bowl, adding seasoning, the lime juice, chopped cilantro and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
Cover with clingfilm and leave on one side for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Serve this salsa with grilled, poached or baked salmon salmon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead

Avocado and lime mousse

Belinda
 
Wondering what to do with all those avocados?
Here is a super, light and tangy recipe, great as a starter for a nice dinner.
Yields 4 servings
2 large ripe avocados
grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 1/2 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp unflavored gelatine powder
1 egg white (optional)
You will need nice glass dishes as the picture above or 4 x 4oz ramekin dishes
 Pit and peel the avocados and scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor.
Add the lime zest and juice and process until really smooth.
Add the cream cheese and blend until completely combined.
Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
Sprinkle the powdered gelatine over 2 tbsp water in a small heatproof bowl. Let it stand until it starts to look spongy . Place the bowl in a skillet of barely boiling water so it comes about halfway up the sides and sir constantly until the gelatin dissolves.
 Drizzle the dissolved gelatin over the avocado mixture and stir well.
If using, beat the egg white until it forms soft peaks. Fold the egg white into the avocado mixture.
 Spoon into the dishes and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or so until chilled and set.
Serve chilled

 

Asian flavors · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Tom Kha Gai. The world’s best soup!

Belinda

This is one of my “desert island” foods. I am absolutely addicted to this soup and these flavors. The bright, clean taste of lime, ginger and cilantro and the exotic coconut milk and red curry paste is divine.
Red curry paste is available online on Amazon and this particular brand is the best and will keep in the fridge for months. They also have green and yellow pastes. I have all three on the go all the time.
If you don’t have the Keffir lime leaves, then use lime zest, but I highly recommend you go out and buy a Keffir lime tree and keep it in a pot. There is nothing like the flavor of those leaves.

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 stalk lemon grass (pound the white ends to release the flavor)
2 tsp or more, of red curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Asian section in supermarket)
1 tbsp coconut or palm sugar. (optional)
3 (13.5 oz ) cans coconut milk
1lb chicken breast sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Keffir lime leaves, very finely chopped, or the zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute the chicken pieces till done, add the ginger, lemongrass and curry paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Stop,    inhale,    the aroma!
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring cnstantly.
Stir in the fish sauce and coconut sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms and cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, abut 5 mins.
Stir in the lime juice, and zest or finely sliced (julienned) Keffir lime leaves.
Season with salt, garnish with cilantro.

Serve!

Baking · Do-ahead

One-bowl sticky lime and coconut drizzle loaf

Belinda

 

This is an incredibly easy recipe as you throw everything into one bowl. The flavors send you straight to the Caribbean and it’s very moist and sticky. You will love this one!

4 oz butter, softened
6 oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 oz golden caster sugar, or superfine sugar
2 large eggs
Half a 400g can of coconut milk (use the other half for the icing)
finely grated zest of 2 limes (use the juice for the icing)

For the icing and decoration
 Remaining coconut milk
8 oz golden caster sugar or superfine sugar
finely grated zest 1 lime plus the juice of all three limes

Heat the oven to 350 F
Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
Tip all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl, then beat until completely combined and the mixture drops off the spoon.
Tip the mixture into the loaf tin, then smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 40 mins until golden and firm to the touch.
While the loaf is baking, make the icing and sugar.

To make the icing;
Tip the coconut milk and 6 oz sugar into a saucepan. Boil for 5 mins until syrupy and you see the bottom of the saucepan when you stir.  Stir in the lime juice and set aside.
Meanwhile, crush the remaining sugar with the lime zest until you have a damp green paste and set aside.
When the loaf is cooked, remove from the oven and pour the icing a little at a time, waiting for the cake to absorb it before adding more.
By the time all the icing is used, it will be coming up the sides of the tin.
Leave everything to cool.
To serve, carefully remove the loaf from the tin, sprinkle with the lime sugar and cut into pieces
 

Dessert · Fruit · Gluten Free · Vegan

Melon balls with tequila, lime and mint

Belinda

Gorgeous, slimming, and refreshing at the end of a meal.

Try and get a “melon baller” for this recipe as it will make your life so much easier. They are easy to find these days and you can also get one online.

Serves 4

1 honeydew melon, preferably chilled
3 tbsp cold tequila
finely grated zest of 1/2 lime plus extra to serve
Juice of 1/2 lime
A tiny pinch of sea salt
A few sprigs fresh English mint, leaves only, chopped

Halve the melon and remove the seeds with a spoon. Using a melon baller, scoop the flesh into neat balls and place in a large bowl.

Mix the tequila, lime zest and juice, honey, and salt together in a small pitcher.
Taste and add a little more honey if the dressing is too sour.
Pour over the melon balls, toss very gently to mix and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Divide the melon balls among serving glasses, grate over some lime zest and sprinkle with freshly chopped mint to serve

 

Asian flavors · Curry · Fish · Whole30 compliant

Thai-style halibut (or other white fish) in a coconut-curry broth

Belinda

Light and very flavorful.

Serves 4

2 tsp vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 tsp red curry paste (or 2 tsp curry powder)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt, plus 1/4 tsp, plus more for seasoning
4 (6 oz) fillets of halibut or any other flaky white fish, like cod or chilean sea bass
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions green part only, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
freshly ground black pepper

*2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving
* 1lb steamed spinach for serving

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat.
Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the curry paste (or powder) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 tsp salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

Season the fish fillets with 1/2 tsp salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce.
Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes

Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with rice.

 

Appetizers · Gluten Free · Pasta · Poultry · Salad

Chicken and rice noodle salad

Belinda

From the wonderful Australian chef, Donna Hay. Simple, elegant, healthy and light.

Serves 2

6 oz rice noodles (the wide ones are nice)
2 x 7 oz cooked chicken breast fillets, sliced
2 long red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
3 scallions, finely sliced
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves
A handful of fresh mint leaves
A handful of fresh basil leaves

Coconut milk dressing

1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine)

Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water and stand for 4 to 6 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse

Toss the noodles with the chicken, chili, lime leaf, onion, cilantro, mint and basil.

To make the coconut dressing, combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, juice and sugar.
Pur over the salad and serve

 
 

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces

Tangy and fresh lime and caper vinaigrette to have with fish or chicken.

Belinda

This is a wonderful and versatile vinaigrette to serve with fish or chicken.
It’s divine paired with my “Light and zesty lemon dill rice” recipe. (in the RICE folder)
Thank you Delia Smith!

Juice and zest of 1 good sized juicy lime
1 heaped tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp good grain mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

A few sprigs of fresh cilantro

Prepare the dressing by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

Warm it through a little in a saucepan (to take off the chill) and tip over a nice piece of sauteed or poached fish, chicken or halloumi cheese
Top with the garnish of cilantro sprigs.
Serve with my lemon dill rice and you have a really light, stunning meal.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Lemon and lime posset

Belinda

This is one of the world’s easiest and loveliest desserts.

Makes 4-5 servings

2 1/4 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup plus 1.5 tsp sugar
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp grated lime peel

Mix the 1.5 tsp sugar, lemon peel and lime peel in a small bowl the night before you serve the possets, so it allows plenty of time to go crunchy. Add more sugar if necessary.

Bring the cream and 3/4 cup sugar to boil over medium-heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over.
Remove from the heat.
Stir in the lemon juice and lime juice and cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the mixture again and divide among 6 1/2 cup ramekins or in lovely glass jars.
Cover and chill the possets until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle atop the possets and serve with a delicate ginger or lemon cookie