Monthly Archives: July 2013

Moroccan Lamb Shanks

This is a recipe I got from the Internet

Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 2                   tablespoons olive oil
  • 4                   lamb shanks
  • 1                   brown onion, finely chopped
  • 1                   red chilli, finely sliced
  • 2                   cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1                   bunch cilantro, stalks, finely chopped
  • 1-½              tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1                   tsp chilli powder
  • 1                   tsp ground coriander
  • 1                   tsp ground cumin
  • 1                   tsp ground turmeric
  • 1                   400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 4                   cups beef stock
  • 1                   400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Pinch          saffron threads
  • 100               gms baby spinach, washed and spun dry
Method
  1. Heat olive oil in a pressure cooker on a medium-high heat, brown the lamb shanks all over, then remove and set aside.
  2. Reduce the heat and add the onions, sauté until soft, add the chilli, garlic and coriander stalks, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika, chilli powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric.
  3. Return the lamb shanks back to the pressure cooker and turn to coat in the mixture.
  4. Add the tomatoes and enough stock to cover the shanks. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil, cover with lid and when pressure cooker starts whistling, lower heat to medium low. Cook for 55-60 minutes, remove lid and remove lamb shanks, cover to keep warm.
  5. Stir through the chickpeas and saffron, simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining stock if mixture is too thick. Stir through the spinach and turn off heat.

For polenta:

pour the stock into a saucepan, place over a high heat and bring to the boil, remove from heat, add the polenta and whisk continually until smooth. Add the butter 50g at a time, add pine nuts and season.
To serve:

spoon polenta onto a plate, top with a lamb shank, spoon over the sauce and top with coriander leaves to serve.

Notes: Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour 40 minutes

Butterfly Cup Cakes

 

Cup Cakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. butter 
  • 8 oz. sugar 
  • 4 eggs 
  • 8 oz. all purpose flour 
  • 2 tsp baking powder 
  • 2 oz. milk to mix 
  • 1 cup whipping cream 
  • 1 pt raspberry or blue berry

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs thoroughly.
  2. Sieve the dry ingredients and add them, with milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
  3. Put into paper baking cases or patty tins and bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 25 – 30 minutes.
  4. In a medium size bowl whip the cream till it is thick.
  5. When the cakes are cold, slice a round from the top of each, and cut each round in half to form the butterfly wings.
  6. Fill the gap in the cake with whipping cream, and place the wings in position.
  7. Pipe a decorative band of cream between the wings to hold them in position.
  8. Put 3 raspberry/blueberry on top to decorate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Persian Biriyani

This biriyani is different then other biriyanis because of the herbs in it. It is very tasty. Biriyanis take longer to make because you have to boil the meat and rice separately and fry onions and potatoes and then bake everything together, but it is worth it.

Persian biriyani

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 2              lbs meat (veal, lamb, goat meat or beef bone in) cut into 1 “ cubes
  • 1              cup yogurt
  • 1/2          tsp red chillii powder
  • 2              tbsp green masala
  • 1/4          cup lemon juice
  • 2              tsp salt
  • 1              tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2          tsp saffron
  • 2              cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 3              potatoes, peel and cut in quarters
  • 4              onions peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1/4          cup oil
  • 1/2          tsp cumin
  • 1/2          tsp black pepper
  • 1              small piece cinnamon stick
  • 5              cardamom pods
  • 5              cloves
  • 4              tomatoes dices into 1/4 inch

 Rice

  • 2             cups rice
  • 6             cups water
  • 1             cup boiled bharazi (pigeon peas)
  • 1             cup chopped dill weeds
  • 1/4         cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4         cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/4         tsp saffron (add it to 1/4 cup hot water)
  • 2            cups oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Remove all the fat from the meat, rinse it in cold water and pat it dry.
  2. Marinate meat in yoghurt, red chilli powder, green masala, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, saffron for a couple of hours.
  3. In a medium frying pan heat the oil to 350 degrees(the oil is ready when you put the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil and bubbles form around it) and fry the potatoes, till the are light brown in colour and crisy on the out side.  Remove it from the frying pan and drain it on a paper towel.
  4. Fry the onions till they are golden brown in colour.  Remove onions from the oil and drain it in a colander.
  5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add cumin, black pepper, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamon.  Add the diced tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
  6. Add the meat mixture stir well and cook on low heat till the meat is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1/2 hour.  You should have about a cup of liquid left.
  7. Rinse the rice in cold water.
  8. Boil the water, add the salt, when the water starts to boil add the rice.  Cook it for about 10 minutes, The rice should be half cooked.  Drain the rice and rinse it in cold water.
  9. Add chopped bharazi dill weeds, cilantro and mint to the rice and mix.
  10. Arrange the potatoes on the meat, spread the onions on it and sprinkle it  with garam masala.
  11. Spread the rice on this mixture.
  12. Pour the saffron water on the rice, and then the oil on it.
  13. Cover the saucepan and cook it in the preheated oven for about half an hour.  The rice will fluff up and there will be a nice aroma when you remove the lid.
  14. While the meat is cooking boil the rice.

To Serve: Put rice in a large plate and the meat on top.

Kajoo Burfi

Kajoo Katri                        

Ingredients

  • 1               lb finely ground cashew-nuts 
  • 3/4            cup water 
  • 6               tbsp sugar
  •  1/2           tsp rose water 
  • 1/2            tsp freshly ground cardamon seeds 
  • 1/2            tsp butter 
  • 1/4            cup chopped pistachio for decoration

Instructions

 

  1. Grease a 10″ square platter. 
  2. Boil sugar and water until syrup forms one thread. (about 4 min) 
  3. Add the butter, rose water and cardamon. 
  4. Remove from the heat, fold in cashewnuts and pour it in the greased pan.. 
  5. Flatten out evenly with the back of a greased flat spoon. 
  6. Press down pistachio nuts. 
  7. Cool for 10 mins – cut into 1 inch pieces. Cool it completely before removing the pieces. 
  8. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pistachio Yogurt Cake with White Chocolate and Cardamom Frosting

                                20131204-163727.jpg20131204-163702.jpg

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 7              oz pistachio, ground 
  • 1/2           tsp ground cardamom 
  • 6              oz unsalted butter 
  • 12            oz all purpose white flour 
  • 3              tsp baking powder 
  • 8              oz berry sugar 
  • 3              eggs 
  • 1/2           cup yoghurt

For the frosting

  • 3 1/2        oz white chocolate, chopped 
  • 7              oz cream cheese 
  • 1/2           tsp rose water 
  • 1              tbsp icing sugar
  • 1/4           tsp ground cardamom

For garnish 

  • 1               edible rose, petals only 
  • 1               tbsp icing sugar
  1. Instructions
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and line an 8″ cake pan with parchement paper.
  3. Using a food processor, blend the ground pistachios, cardamom, butter, flour, baking powder and sugar until it resembles bread crumbs.
  4. Transfer the mixture in a mixing bowl and combine with the eggs and yoghurt.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for hour. Cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking.
  6. Let it cool on a rack.

To make the frosting

  1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to cool.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese with rose water, then add the cooled chocolate.
  3. Add the sifted icing sugar and cardamom.
  4. Mix well until a smooth cream forms.
  5. Serve the cake accompanied by the chocolate and cardamom cream.
  6. Sprinkle with edible roses and dust with icing sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

Asian Salad with a Creamy Carrot and Onion Dressing

This is a recipe I found in the Vancouver Sun on Wednesday July 10. Chef Antonio Park says “Salad does not have to be a starter and it does not have to be greens”. Asian Salads are textured, layered with colour and flavour, ranging from sweet to salty to sour. Leafy greens share the bowl with julienne vegetables and fruit, hand tossed with dressing and garnished with roasted nuts, sesame seeds and fresh herbs.

Use a grater to finely shred carrots, daikon, green papaya, underripe mango (or any combination of the above) in your salad.

*Plum paste is a bright purple puree made from salted pickled plums available at Japanese and Korean grocers.

Salad

Ingredients

  •  4                 cups green lettuce 
  • 1/2               cup grated carrots 
  • 1/2               cup grated jicima 
  • 1/2.              cup sliced red onion 
  • 1/2               cup sliced cucumber 
  • 1/2               cup sliced tomatoes 
  • 1/2               cup sliced strawberries 
  • 1/2               cup salad dressing

Instructions

Toss everything together and serve.

Dressing

Ingredients

  •  1                  large carrot, peeled and chopped 
  • 1                   large sweet or red onion, peeled and chopped 
  • 1                   cup extra virgin oil 
  • 1                   cup unseasoned rice vinegar 
  • 1/2                cup maple syrup

 Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree at high speed until smooth. Store in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Chef Park’s Crazy Dressing

  • 1                   cup Carrot and Onion Dressing 
  • 1                   tbsp Japanese plum paste*
  •  1                  tbsp white miso 
  • 1/2                cup organic tamari sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Herbed Asian Dressing

  •                       A handful of herbs – basil, Thai basil, Japanese shiso or mint – gives thie dressing a chartreuse colour. Makes about 1/4 cup
  • 1                    cup Carrot and Onion Dressing 
  • 1                    handful fresh basil, mint or shiso leaves 
  • 2                    tsp white miso

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Sindhi Pak

Sindhi Pak

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2                cup almonds 
  • 1/2                cup pistachio 
  • 1                   cup sugar 
  • 1/2                tsp butter

Instructions

  1. In a food processor finely chop the nuts.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt sugar on high heat until half the sugar has melted.
  3. Lower the heat to minimum and continue cooking until all the sugar is melted.
  4. When light brown, add nuts.
  5. Add the butter.
  6. Spread thinly on a greased cookie sheet.
  7. Cut into diamond shapes while still hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes & Feta Bread

Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes & Feta Bread

Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes & Feta Bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 6           oz spinach*
  • 1           oz sundried tomatoes
  • 6           oz feta, broken into little lumps
  • 6           oz finely grated Gruyere
  • 6           oz plain flour
  • 3           eggs
  • 3           tbsp olive oil
  • 3           tbsp milk
  • 1           tbsp baking powder
  •              pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Line a 2 lb. loaf tin with baking paper(or tin foil if you do not have any baking paper).
  2. Wilt the spinach over a steamer and set aside to cool. When cool enough, squeeze out as much liquid as possible and chop roughly. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Beat the eggs, milk and oil together and add to the flour with a sprinkling of salt. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the mixture with the two cheeses and the spinach. Stir well to combine.
  3. Spoon the bread mixture into the loaf tin and bake at 160 degrees for 45 minutes or until crispy and brown. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack.

Sr9Hc9SDQoiIELVwhqLywQ thumb 216e

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*you can use frozen spinach, defrost, and squeeze out all the liquid.