Beet and Goat cheese Napoleans

May 15, 2013September 23, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

I love beets and goat cheese and this is so tasty, easy and light.

Serves 4
5 large beets, roasted then peeled and cut across into 1/4″ slices
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
9 oz goat cheese, softened
4 tsp minced fresh chives
4 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp grated orange zest
1 small shallot, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp hazelnut oil
Kosher salt to taste
3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

Using a 2 5/8″ cookie cutter cut out 20 of the beet slices. (reserve scraps for another use, like borscht or a salad)

In a 12″ skillet put the rice vinegar and sugar and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and working in batches, cook beet slices, turning once, for about 2 minutes.
Transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry and let chill.
Stir the goat cheese together with the chives, parsley, thyme and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring the orange juice to a boil in a 1 qt saucepan over medium high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 4 – 5 minutes and let cool
Transfer the orange juice to a bowl and add the remaining thyme, balsamic vinegar, zest and shallots.
While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and hazelnut oil. Whisk until smooth.
Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper and let chill.

To serve;
Put 1 beet slice on a work surface, spread about 1 tbsp cheese mixture over it. Top the cheese with another beet slice, pressing down so the cheese oozes to the edge.
Repeat to create a stack with 4 layers of cheese between 5 beet slices.
Make 4 stacks in all.
Slice each stack carefully into 4 wedges.
Drizzle some vinaigrette over each plate, garnish with chopped nuts.
You can serve with a little mixed greens if you like

Do-ahead · Meat

Easy Crockpot Carnitas

April 15, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I just love using my slow cooker and am always amazed at the moist, falling off the bone meat it produces.

Cook time – 8 hours
Serves 10 to 12 people

4 – 5lbs pork shoulder
5 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chipotle hot sauce (optional)
juice of 2 large limes
1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed, preferably)
12 oz beer
1/2 cup salsa (Not too chunky)

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Roughly chop the garlic and place in the slow cooker. You can also rub it into the meat to get as much flavor as possible)

Sprinkle the meat with salt, cumin, chile powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Rub the seasonings onto the pork.

Add lime juice, orange juice, beer and salsa. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Shred meat with two forks directly in the slow cooker (or take out, shred and replace in the sauce)
It should fall apart easily.

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the shredded meat on the cooking sheet and pour a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the top.
Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until you get browned edges on the pork.
Serve on tortillas with fresh cilantro, avocado and lime juice

Gluten Free · Poultry

Turkish chicken with orange and warm spices

February 14, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

This dish is incredibly scented and layered with such lovely spices like coriander, cinnamon and orange. It is very easy to make and really doesn’t take very long to prepare.

Serves 4

2 oz butter
2 tbsp olive oil
8 good sized chicken thighs, seasoned well with salt and pepper. (I used boneless, skinless)
2 thin-skinned oranges, unpeeled, halved and sliced into thin wedges
2 large red onions, halved and cut into wedges
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chile, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
3 good tsp ground coriander
1 long stick cinnamon, snapped in half
3 -4 oz raisins, soaked in boiling water for 30 mins then drained
juice of 1 large orange
6 -7 fl oz good chicken stock
2 tbsp thyme honey (I could only find sage honey, but I don’t think it matters as long as it’s great quality)
a small handful of fresh mint leaves
Greek plain yoghurt

Heat the butter and oil in a shallow casserole and brown the chicken thighs on each side.
Lift out the browned chicken and set aside on a plate.
Add the red onion and orange to the pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, chile, dry spices and raisins and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Pour on the orange juice, stock and honey.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Put the chicken and juices back in the pan, cover and cook in the oven preheated at 300F for 30 to 45 minutes OR keep on a low flame and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Check the seasoning, scatter the mint over the top and serve with Greek yoghurt and cooked rice.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Glazed orange-hoisin chicken

December 16, 2012November 13, 2022 Belinda

This is one of our family favorites. It’s also very popular with children because of the sweetness and stickiness the orange marmalade creates, but the hoisin and fresh ginger give it a sophistication.

It’s great straight out of the oven, at room temp and even cold the next day. Terrific for picnics too.

Serves 4 but can easily be doubled

Marinade

3 tbsp hoisin sauce (Available in the Asian food aisles)
1 tsp chili paste/sauce with garlic (If you can only get chili paste, that’s fine too, but add a couple of cloves of minced garlic)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp dark or toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/3 cup Dundee-orange marmalade

3 to 4lbs chicken quarters

Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped scallions
orange slices

1/ Combine all the marinade ingredients except for the marmalade in a large bowl. Add the marmalade and whisk the marinade well. Taste for seasoning.

2/ Add the chicken quarters to the marinade and coat all the pieces evenly. Cover and marinade the chicken for 30 minutes to 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turning the pieces once or twice.

3/ Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the chicken quarters skin side up in a large shallow roasting pan and roast for 50 to 55 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown. Baste with the juices once or twice while it is roasting. After this, turn the oven to 350F and loosely cover the roasting pan with foil, roasting at for another 30 min. Turn the oven off and leave in there for another 20-30 mins.
The meat should be falling off the bones and very moist.

4/ To serve, remove the chicken from the pan and degrease the drippings. Arrange the chicken on a large serving platter, spoon some sauce over it, and garnish with scallions and orange slices.
Serve immediately.

Advance preparation

This recipe can be made 1 day ahead, refrigerated and served chilled or prepare it up to 2 hours ahead through step 2 and refrigerate.

Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Broiled asparagus, orange slices with olive oil and shallots

September 6, 2012January 7, 2017 Belinda

Another lovely, fragrant accompaniment with chicken, fish or just rice.

Serves 4 as a side dish

1lb asparagus, woody stem ends snapped off and discarded
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
6 very thin orange slices, cut into quarters (unpeeled)
1/2 tsp grated orange zest

Adjust an oven rack to as close to the broiler as possible. Heat the broiler on high.
In a bowl, toss the asparagus with the oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the shallot slices in a thin layer on one side of a rimmed baking sheet.
Put the asparagus in a single layer on top of them.
Toss the orange slices with the leftover oil in the bowl you used for the asparagus.
Arrange them in a single layer alongside the asparagus.
Broil until the asparagus and the oranges start to char, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the asparagus with the orange zest.
Arrange the asparagus, shallots and oranges on a serving dish.
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Meat

Pumpkin sausage meat muffins with cranberry glaze

November 15, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

These are so cute and easy!
Makes 12 muffins.

1 cup finely chopped onion
8oz mushrooms, chopped finely
3 cloves minced garlic
1lb pork sausage meat (I used Sweet Italian sausagemeat)
1 cup pumpkin puree, either canned or homemade from roasted butternut squash
1 egg
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tsp each minced thyme, sage and rosemary
Freshly ground pepper and salt
1 tbsp Worcester sauce

1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
grated zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a standard 12 cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.

In a non stick skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes more, until vegetables are tender. Add to a bowl with the sausage meat, pumpkin, egg, oats,sage,rosemary and thyme, salt and pepper.
Toss gently to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin tin. Place in the oven, bake for about 20 minutes.

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon onto the meatloaf muffins and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Ginger cranberry sauce

November 13, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is vibrant and tangy and the ginger gives it a somewhat exotic flavor.

1 large red onion cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1lb fresh cranberries
zest and juice of 3 large oranges
2 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

In a non-reactive saucepan coated lightly with oil on a medium heat, saute the onions, ginger and orange zest until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the cranberries, orange juice, sugar and season.
Simmer for 30 minutes until very soft.
Check for seasoning and put aside until needed, or freeze until Thanksgiving/Christmas

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Carrot puree with ginger and orange

August 23, 2011June 11, 2024 Belinda

This is one of our favorite side dishes.

Serves 8

3 lbs carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
4 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook the carrots and 3 tbsp sugar in a large pot of boiling salted water until the carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain well. Return carrots to same pot. Stir over medium heat until any excess moisture evaporates.

Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to a simmer in a heavy, small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, ginger and orange zest, whisk until the butter melts.
Whisk in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tbsp sugar.

Puree half the carrots and half the juice mixture in a food processor until smooth. transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining carrots and juice mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead)
Cover and refrigerate.
Re-warm carrots in a microwave on high for about 4 minutes or re-warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.