Shrimp and quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup bouillon ( I like clam, but chicken works too)
• 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 small zucchini, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• Squirt of lime juice

Steps:

Boil the quinoa in the the chicken broth.  Set aside to cool.
Heat a fry pan, add lime juice and shrimp and cook until shrimp is pink and done.
Mix vegetables, olive oil and vinegar with quinoa.
Top with warm shrimp.
Serve.

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The best part of this recipe is that it is only 255 calories and is filling enough to be a full meal on it's own.

Calories : 255
Fat: 10g
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 28g
Iron: 20g
Calcium: 6g

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This recipe is linked back to Cook & Tell at Shrinkingktichen.com

Who knew that gluten free stuffing could taste good?  Even though the loaf of "bread" we used had the consistency of Styrofoam when we cubbed it, by the time Hilary added in all the other great flavours and it cooked inside the turkey for several hours, it was delicious!

The only down side - it leaves some mysterious residue on the plates that does not come off in the dishwasher! In fact, all the dishwasher does is spread it to all the other dishes, so that you have to re-wash the whole load by hand.  

Soup Stock

Roast beef bones (on the right) and Oxtail bones (on the left) until fully cooked.  Drain off excess fat.

Add bones, carrots, celery, onions and garlic to stock pot.  Season with pepper, thyme and rosemary (or any flavours of choice).  Cover with COLD water.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 3-4 hours.

Strain stock, discarding solids.

Ratatouille and Polenta

I made a baked Polenta, using a Food Network recipe.  It was creamy and very cheesy.  I fried it in olive oil after it had set to warm it through before serving.

I served it with Ratatouille.  No real recipe here.  Start by sauteeing onions and garlic and keep adding in vegetables that have all been cut up in chunky pieces.  I used carrots (not traditionally found in Ratatouille), eggplant, green and yellow zucchini, green, red and orange bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.  Add in the hard vegetables first as they will take the longest to cook.  Let the whole thing simmer over a low heat for 20-30 minutes till everything is done.

Sambar Curry

Sambar Recipe 

Adapted from South Indian recipes.com

This Sambar recipe is one of the most loved dishes in South Indian cuisine. It accompanies most every meal. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lime sized ball Tamarind
• 1 cup Toor Dal (or red lentils)
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 2 teaspoons oil
• Salt to taste
• 5 small dry red chilies (or to taste)
• 8 Curry Leaves (see note)
• 1 medium onion (shallots are preferable)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (optional) (substitute garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 large tomato
• 2 tablespoons sambar powder (see note)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (also known as coriander leaves)
• 1 cup of a vegetable of your choice like green beans, chopped carrot

Directions:

• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 20 minutes. Squeeze it out, adding water little by little to prepare 1 cup of juice.
• Choose a heavy cooking pot. Wash and clean the dal.
• Boil 2 cups of water and add the dal, turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of oil.
• As the dal boils, skim off the foam and discard.
• Boil until the dal is soft and then mash it coarsely.
• If needed, add more water as it is boiling but do not let it get too watery. If you use a pressure cooker it will take about 5 minutes.
• In a separate pan, heat to medium and pour in the remaining oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add the chilies, mustard seeds, fenugreek and curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes.
•  Add the onion and brown lightly. Add the tamarind extract and let boil lightly until the onions are cooked.
• Add this mixture to the dal with asafoetida, tomato, vegetable of choice and sambar powder.
• Allow this to boil for 5 to 10 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with cilantro.

Dinner for Friends

While away on vacation, I had some friends over to my Mom's house for dinner. They always have me over to their house for a wonderful feasts, so I wanted to return the favour:

Menu 

Grilled Bocconcini

Mango Shrimp and Quinoa salad

Grilled/Broiled Okra

Eton Mess

Recipes

Starter - Grilled Bocconcini

• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped capers
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 chopped anchovy filets
• ¼ Baguette
• 1 container Bocconcini (8)

Combine olive oil, parsley, capers, Dijon, lemon juice and anchovies.
Slice baguette into 20 thin slices and Bocconcini into 16 halves.
Lightly toast baguette and top each piece with a Bocconcini half.
Run under broiler until cheese begins to melt – 4 to 5 minutes depending on broiler or heat on grill
Drizzle with anchovy sauce.

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Main - Quinoa and shrimp salad

• 1/2 cup Mango Chipotle dressing divided
• 2lbs shrimp peeled and deveined
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups quinoa rinsed
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 orange pepper, finely chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onion, finely sliced
• ½ cup chopped fresh coriander

Bring broth to boil, add in rinsed quinoa.
Return to boil; cover.
Simmer med-low 10-15 minutes until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Fluff and cool.

Marinate shrimp in ¼ cup Mango dressing.

Chop vegetables and mix remaining dressing with lime juice.
Add vegetables and dressing to cooled quinoa and toss, gently.
Flash fry shrimp and arrange, prettily, around salad.

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Side - Grilled/broiled Okra

• 2 or more lbs Okra
• Olive oil
• Pepper
• Salt
• Lime juice

Skewer Okra on two parallel skewers.
Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Broil for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
Remove skewers.
Sprinkle with Lime juice and serve.

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Dessert – Eton Mess

• Whipping cream
• A little sugar/booze/Splenda
• Meringues
• Fresh chopped fruit (Strawberries are traditional but anything that strikes your fancy)

Whip cream to soft peaks.
Crumble meringues.
Stir all together with fruit and serve at once

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Dinner was a great hit with everyone!!

Gumbo

Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo

Minimally adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) rendered chicken fat, duck fat, or canola oil

1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) flour

2 large onions, diced

1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 lbs.), cut into 10 pieces

2 tablespoons (30 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) Basic Creole Spices (recipe follows), or store-bought Creole spice blend

2 pounds (2 kilograms) spicy smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch (15mm) thick

2 stalks celery, diced

2 green bell peppers (capsicum), seeded and diced

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 quarts (3 liters) Basic Chicken Stock (recipe follows), or canned chicken stock

2 bay leaves

6 ounces (175 gm) andouille sausage, chopped

2 cups (480 ml) (320 gm) (11 oz) sliced fresh okra, ½ -inch (15mm) thick slices (or frozen, if fresh is not available)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Filé powder, to taste

Tabasco, to taste

4-6 cups (1 – 1½ liters) (650 gm – 950 gm) cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Prepare homemade chicken stock, if using (recipe below).

2. Prepare homemade Basic Creole Spices, if using (recipe below).

3. Season the chicken pieces with about 2 tablespoons of the Creole Spices while you prepare the vegetables.

4. Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, diced, chopped, minced and ready to go before beginning the roux. You must stand at the stove and stir the roux continuously to prevent it from burning.

5. In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the chicken fat, duck fat, or canola oil over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil – it will start to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate, and continue whisking until the roux becomes deep brown in color, about 15 minutes.

6. Add the onions. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the onions into the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue stirring until the roux becomes a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes.

7. Add the chicken to the pot; raise the heat to moderate, and cook, turning the pieces until slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

8. Add the sliced smoked sausage and stir for about a minute.

9. Add the celery, bell peppers, tomato, and garlic, and continue stirring for about 3 minutes.

10. Add the thyme, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.

11. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, skimming off the fat from the surface of the gumbo every so often.

12. Add the chopped andouille, okra, and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper, several dashes of filé powder, and Tabasco, all to taste.

13. Simmer for another 45 minutes, continuing to skim the fat from the surface of the gumbo. Remove the bay leaves and serve in bowls over rice. Pass more filé powder at the table if desired.

Seafood Gumbo

Minimally adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh
Servings: 10

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) flour
2 large onions, diced
6 jumbo blue crabs, each cut into four pieces (if unavailable, omit, or substitute another type of crab)
1 pound (½ kilogram) spicy smoked sausage links, sliced ½ inch (15mm) thick (optional, but encouraged if you eat sausage)
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (240 ml) (160 gm) (5½ oz) sliced fresh okra, ½ -inch (15mm) thick slices (or frozen, if fresh is not available). If fresh or frozen is unavailable, you can leave it out because the roux will provide enough of a thickener.
Leaves from sprig of fresh thyme
3 quarts (3 liters) shrimp (prawn) stock (recipe below)
2 bay leaves
1 pound (½ kilogram) peeled and deveined medium Louisiana or wild shrimp (prawn) (Note: If you are buying whole, head-on shrimp, which you will need in order to use the heads and peels for stock, you will then need approximately 4 pounds (2 kilograms) of shrimp to yield enough heads/shells for the stock. Although the recipe only calls for 1 pound (½ kilogram) of shrimp, you will end up with a little over 2 pounds of cleaned shrimp (1 kilogram), which I found was perfect for this size pot of gumbo)
1 pint (475 ml) (450 gm) (16 oz) shucked oysters
8 ounces (225 gm) lump crabmeat
1 cup (240 ml) (100 gm) (3½ oz) minced green onions (scallions, or spring onions)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basic Creole Spices, to taste (recipe below)
Worcestershire, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
4-6 cups (1 – 1½ liters) (650 gm – 950 gm) cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Prepare shrimp stock, if using (recipe below).
2. Prepare homemade Basic Creole Spices, if using (recipe below).
3. Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, diced, chopped, minced and ready to go before beginning the roux. You must stand at the stove and stir the roux continuously to prevent it from burning.
4. In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the canola oil over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil – it will start to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate, and continue whisking until the roux becomes deep brown in color, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the onions. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the onions into the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until the roux becomes a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the blue crabs and smoked sausage and stir for a minute before adding the celery, bell peppers, garlic, and okra. Increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
7. Add the thyme, shellfish stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.
8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, skimming off the fat from the surface of the gumbo every so often.
9. Add the shrimp, oysters, crabmeat and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Make sure everything is ready to serve before adding the shellfish to the gumbo. DO NOT OVERCOOK your shellfish.
10. Season with salt and pepper, Creole Spices, Worcestershire, and Tabasco.
11. Serve in bowls over rice.