Food + Drink – Page 24 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

Simple Grill Talk – Cuban Pork Chops

A very tasty Cuban marinade – serves four.

CUBAN CUISINE contains African, Spanish, Italian and Caribbean elements. The Cubans don’t follow any rules when cooking – the mixture of all possible tastes, smells and colors usually help to create little works of art. Cuba does not have a great reputation for their food – at least for tourists. I’ve been to Havana and found this to be true. Their rum however is second to none and if you stick with drinking mojitos all day long you may not even mind how bad the food tastes. The truth is if you’re lucky enough to be invited into a local home for a home cooked meal or go to one of the handful of local insider restaurants which happen to not be in the very touristy areas, you will be pleasantly surprised. Together with the wonderful herbs and spices from the region – for example, chilli, oregano, onions, garlic, parsley, saffron, basil, etc. – there are no limits to the varied dishes. Here is a simple and delicious marinade.

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) each frozen orange juice concentrate (somewhat defrosted), ketchup and molasses. (I used spicy ketchup from the Mcilhenny Co. brand that makes Tobasco).

1 tsp (5 ml) each ground cumin and dried oregano leaves

¼ tsp (1 ml.) cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime

1 Tbsp (15 ml) Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

4 centre-cut pork loin chops, each about ½ inch (1 cm) thickl

¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped cilantro

In a bowl, stir concentrate with ketchup, molasses, dried seasonings and garlic.

Squeeze in juice from lime, then stir in oil.

Pour three-quarters of the marinade over chops and turn to evenly coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least one hour but best overnight. Turn occasionally.

Refrigerate reserved marinade in a separate container.

Preheat barbeque, then adjust to medium heat. Remove chops from marinade and discard marinade. Place on grill. Close lid and grill, about 12 to 15 minutes, turning once.

Brush with reserved marinade during the last five minutes of cooking time. Remove to platter and sprinkle with cilantro.

Per Serving: 237 calories

Sides: I served this with cooked quinoa (in a vegetable broth) which was then mixed into a pan with caramelized onions, shallots, red pepper, green beans & cuban black beans.

Sweet yellow corn on the cob with cilantro/chili/lime butter & sea salt.

http://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/foodsavour-taste-flavor-relish-palate-enjoyment/

Food + Drink

Simply Satisfying – Vinegar Braised Chicken

This delightfully tangy rich recipe is inspired by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s (of “Marketplace” at the Shangrila) recipe for vinegar chicken. He suggests seasoning the chicken with salt a day in advance. Serves six.

3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces, preferably dark meat (like thighs).

2 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 ½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped shallots

1 ½ cups red wine vinegar (I substituted about half the vinegar amount for *red wine used for cooking purposes).

1 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup canned whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained and quartered

6 cloves of garlic

4 sprigs of thyme

3 bay leaves

2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 300. Season chicken with 2 tsp. salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 5-to-6 quart Dutch oven or wide, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken by arranging half the chicken in pot in a single layer and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken

Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until much of the acrid aroma has dissipated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and ½ cup water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook until slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes

Whisk in tomato paste and remaining ½ tsp. salt. Add tomatoes, then arrange chicken in pot, skin side up, pouring over any accumulated juices from plate. Tuck garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in liquid. Cover pot snugly with foil, then lid, and transfer to oven. Cook 1 hour and 15 minutes, until chicken is very tender.

Let rest 30 minutes; discard thyme and bay leaves. Scatter parsley and serve.

*I always keep a vacumized bottle of wine aside for cooking purposes. Usually it’s one I’m not so crazy about drinking so it comes in handy for recipes such as this one or in a hearty Bolognese sauce or Beef Bourgignon. More recipes with wine to follow. Of course I always drink a glass while cooking.

Food + Drink

Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Last week I promised this very simple (only 3 ingredients) recipe which you can add to Moroccan chicken, spicy lamb, seafood dishes or just use the juice in salad dressings.

Lemons loose their sharpness when preserved in salt. The unique flavour and silken texture that develops when you use this technique is a characteristic of North Africa, especially Moroccan cooking. Yet the lemons also make a novel addition to non-Moroccan dishes. You will find that these lemons are easy to prepare and thin-skinned lemons yield the most juice.

Traditionally, only the peel of the preserved fruit is used, but I usually include the flesh as well and you can eat the whole thing. Once the jar has been opened, the fruit will keep for up to 1 year unrefrigerated (don’t worry if a lacy white film appears on top of the jar or on the lemons, as it is quite harmless – simply rinse it off); a layer of olive oil floated on the surface will help to preserve freshness. When it comes time to use one of these lemons just rinse & chop it.

Ingredients

7 Tablespoons coarse salt (you use 1 Tbsp of salt per lemon)

7 plump, juicy lemons, preferably thin-skinned

Boiling Water

Put 1 tsp. coarse salt in the bottom of a clean, dry jar. Holding a lemon over a plate to catch the juice, cut lengthwise 4 times as if about to quarter it, but do not cut quite through – leave the pieces joined. Ease out any seeds.

Pack 1 Tbsp. salt into the cuts, then close them up around the salt and put the lemon in the jar. Repeat with 5 more lemons, packing them tightly and pressing each layer down to expel any air before adding the next layer, until the jar is full.

Squeeze another lemon and pour the juice over the rest of the lemons. Sprinkle with more coarse salt and finally pour in boiling water to cover the lemons.

Close the jar tightly and keep in a warm place for 3 to 4 weeks before using.

Give me your feedback after you try them because I’m sure you’ll LOVE them.

SALTS: There is no difference between kosher salt and rough sea salt. Many cooks prefer to use kosher salt because its larger rough size crystals is simply more convenient and practical for certain kinds of food preparation such as this one.

The only differences between kosher salt and nearly every other sort of salt lie in the shape and size of its crystals, not its chemical makeup. Almost all salt has an identical chemistry. Some are smoked, or have trace elements of minerals that change their taste or color, but any differences between “kosher” and “sea” salt, provided the shapes of their crystals are the same, are purely in the labeling. In general Kosher salt and flakier, more delicate salts that melt nicely on the tongue, tend to be used as finishing salts, adding the last crunchy, salty touch to a dish. Table salt is used more for seasoning a dish while still in process.

*Recipe taken from Sensational Preserves by Hilaire Walden (250 recipes for jams, jellies, chutneys and sauces). This has been my guide book for making jams, hot pepper sauces & mustards. It’s an exceptionally useful book in both my opinion and that of the Daily Mail, UK.

Food + Drink

Simply Satisfying: A Taste of Morocco

Moroccan Chicken with olives over Cous Cous — Moroccan Chicken with olives & apricots over Cous Cous.

Chicken Tagine with Olives and Apricots.

I’ve had a few requests for this recipe: Don’t worry if you don’t have a tagine – you can use a large dutch oven instead. No dutch oven (see below) – no luck!

I’ve not yet been to Morocco but I love the taste of Moroccan chicken and cooking it in a tagine (cone shaped clay cooker which cooks whatever is placed inside it very evenly and helps retain juices).

This is an easier recipe in the sense that you don’t need a tagine or the usual preserved lemons (although they are the best) which is a signature of Moroccan cooking. Preparing preserved lemons is easy but you need to leave them sit for at least 3 weeks before using them in the recipe. They “cook” in a mixture of their own juice, coarse salt and boiling water and have a unique sour-salty flavour. But using preserved lemons means being able to eat the skin too. I’ll put the recipe in next Tuesday. If you like this recipe then you can try making the preserved lemons for use next time. This is a bit more work than my usual blog recipes but worth the extra trouble. It will taste exotic.

Ingredients:

6 chicken quarters, excess fat trimmed

Kosher salt

2 Lemons (preferably thin skinned and juicy)

¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. crushed saffron threads

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

½ finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ finely chopped fresh mint

½ cup dried apricots, sliced in half crosswise

1 Tbsp. honey

¼ cup blanched almonds

1 cup pitted Moroccan olives (small black olives that look prunelike). You can substitute with pitted small green Greek or Picholine olives if you prefer.

1) Sprinkle the chicken all over with 1 tsp. kosher salt. **If you’re able to buy a Moroccan spice mix use some of that as well. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2) Meanwhile, thinly slice 1 lemon; spread out the slices and sprinkle generously with kosher salt on both sides. Stack the slices on a plate and let stand at room temperature, at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours.

3) Pat the chicken dry. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 3 Tbsp. of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add half of the chicken, skin-side down; cover and cook until the skin is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Discard the excess oil.

4) Add the butter, onion, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, saffron and ½ tsp. black pepper to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes; stir in the cilantro, parsley. Push the onion mixture to one side, then add the chicken to the pot, skin side-up. Spoon some of the onion mixture over the chicken and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, *cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes.

5) Meanwhile combine the apricots, 1 cup of water and the *honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until the apricots are plump, about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid is syrupy, about 15 more minutes, set aside. Cook the almonds in the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Set aside on paper towels.

6) Chop the salted lemons slices into small pieces; add to the pot with the chicken along with the olives and the juice of the remaining lemon. Cover and continue cooking until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes more. Arrange the chicken on a platter. Top with the olive sauce, apricot mixture and almonds. Sprinkle chopped mint over top. Serve with couscous.

*If using a tagine you would simply add the couscous first and the juices from the chicken would automatically cook it.

Food + Drink

Simple & Satisfying – Red Chile Sauce

Basic Red Chile Sauce is one of the staple dishes of New Mexican Cuisine and can be used on lots of different dishes like enchiladas, burritos, tamales, etc. You can use it to season beef, chicken or fish for soft tacos or even in homemade chili.

This is from the Santa Fe School of Cooking.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2-3 t minced garlic
2 T all purpose flour
1/2 cup pure ground New Mexican red chile powder
2 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1 t Mexican oregano
1/2 t freshly ground cumin seed
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in the flour, the chile and slowly add the water (chicken stock), whisking to break up any lumps in the chile. Add the oregano and the cumin, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Season with salt to taste. Optional: freshly ground coriander seed. Makes about 3 cups

*you can find Mexican Oregano (a little different than regular) at your local specialty market like Granville Island, etc.

For the best authentic Mexican food – Guadalajara Grill (today for lunch):

I had the grilled wild caught salmon with grilled veggies, rice, + guacamole. Homemade corn tortillas on the side. — I had the spicy grilled wild caught salmon with perfectly grilled veggies, rice + guacamole. Homemade soft corn tortillas on the side. Excellent.

Don ordered the grilled whole Tilapia. The best since having it in Africa. Skins for JiaJia.

Food + Drink

Argentinian Chimichurri

Flavourful Chimmichuri — Flavorful Chimichurri Sauce

This FRESH HERB Chimichurri is what is commonly used for steak sauce in Argentina and there’s a good chance it may make you leave your regular one behind.

Make it in a blender, food processor or with a mortar. But whatever you do don’t do as I once did camping where chopping everything up by hand with a not too sharp knife became very time consuming. You can make this a few hours or even a day ahead so the flavors really start to meld. To be enjoyed on steak, fish, chicken, macaroni even sandwiches.

½ cup chopped cilantro, packed

½ cup parsley, packed

¼ cup of olive oil

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

3 tsp. best quality red wine vinegar

½ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. crushed chillies

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

Cut all ingredients as small as humanly possible to make a nice rustic sauce, or better yet pulse in blender or food processor a few times.

Best served with grilled skirt steak. Cut meat across the grain into thin slices and serve with sauce in between slices.

Here is an equally delicious smoky red version of same sauce:

1 small red onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup of aged sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. pureed chipotle in adobo (smoked chillies canned in red sauce)

1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

1 Cup of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbps. Finely chopped fresh oregano

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Send me your feedback after you make it.

Check my Food Folder out on Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/intrigueimports/

Food + Drink

the Best Bolognese

If you’re in the mood for a classic tomato, wine and meat sauce then this is the ONE with a slight twist of course. The original recipe is from Bologna.

It’s simmered slowly in a big pot and deliciously tossed with noodles of your choice. I switched up the original ½ lb. (250g) of lean ground beef and ¼ lb. (125g) each ground veal and ground pork using all hot Italian sausage. If you wish to stick to the original by all means do so but substituting some or all the meat with the sausage was absolutely wonderful & warming for this time of year. It got ravenous reviews from our group. Buen Appetito!

¾ cup (180 ml) olive oil

2 ounces (60 g) pancetta, coarsely chopped

1 lb. best quality hot Italian sausage – casings removed

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 small carrots, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

One 28 ounces (840 ml) crushed canned Italian Plum Tomatoes

2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine or 4 cups – two for you!

*1 tsp (5 ml) hot red chilli flakes (optional if using only the hot Italian sausage)

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) nutmeg

¼ cup (60 ml) coarsely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

2 tsp (10 ml) dried oregano

3 Tbsp (45 ml) coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

1 piece Parmesan cheese rind, about 3 inches square (for flavour)

2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar

Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

*I also add 21 vegetable seasoning salute (or a variation of) and Bay Leaf.

2 pounds (1 kg) of fresh or packaged pasta of your liking will be good to serve 6 people for dinner with a side salad.

Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté for 1 minute.

If using ground meats, gradually add them and cook breaking up any large chunks, just until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon to a wired mesh sieve to drain any excess fat.

**OR; remove casings from sausage (about 4) and cook with a little olive oil breaking up pieces in skillet until cooked through & no longer pink. Set aside.

In a dutch oven preferably or solid pot heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped onions, carrots and celery and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in the drained meat or *sausage, tomatoes, wine, red chilli flakes, nutmeg, Italian parsley, oregano & rosemary. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add the Parmesan rind and brown sugar and season to taste. Simmer slowly over low heat, uncovered, about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Remove rind. bolognese in pot

Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just tender to the bite, al dente stage. Reserve a little liquid from cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander.

If making this as main course for 6 people, add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding a bit of the pasta cooking water if needed to coat the pasta evenly. Cover and cook for one minute. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese & a little flat leaf parsley for garnish. Very Important: Don’t forget the vino – it makes everything taste better. Salute!

Food + Drink

Simple & Satisfying – Asian Inspired Marinade

For this recipe we used a Standing Pork Rib Roast. The cut makes a show-stopping centerpiece for an elegant dinner. This marinade can also be used for beef, chicken or fish.

MARINADE for a 5-6 lb. Rack of Ribs. Each rib equals one good serving per person with sides.

First slice but do not cut through the ribs on both sides.

*This part is optional but gives it more flavour. Rub the roast outside & in between each rib first with some sea salt & pepper (I use an “everyday spice” which besides salt & pepper includes coriander, mustard seed & paprika). Then mix together in a bowl the following ingredients:

1/3 cup of Molasses and 1/3 cup of Maple Syrup

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)

2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (about 2 inches of ginger)

4 tsp. minced fresh garlic (about 4 medium size cloves)

4 tsp. Thai red curry paste OR;

**2 tsp. Thai sweet red chilli sauce & 2 tsp. Sambal Oelek (ground fresh chili paste) which is what I used.

2 tsp. grated lemon zest (from about 2 small lemons)

2 tsp. Sesame Oil

½ tsp. ground Coriander

Mix all the ingredients together and in a plastic Ziplock bag let marinate with roast for at least 2 hours.

Remove Pork from marinade. Two ways to bake: To bake as a circular standing rib roast then form a circle with the rib ends up. Tie rib ends together (see photo).

For standing roast just place on a baking sheet lined with foil or a dutch oven with ribs side up (see above photo).

Bake at 400 for a minimum of 25 minutes or until pink in the middle. Internal temperature to the thickest part of the meat should be 145 degrees minimum.

Serve with rosemary potatoes & roasted brussels spouts or broccoli.

Food + Drink

Halibut en Papillote

Have you ever tried cooking “en papillote?” which in French means “in parchment.” Let’s stick with papillote – it sounds more ~~French~~ fou fou.

before putting in oven in parchment paper. — Getting ready for the oven

You will basically be wrapping the fish in parchment paper. The beauty of cooking this way is that once you seal the paper then the fish will cook evenly at a higher heat for less time and still stay moist.

I don’t have a specific recipe but you can start with placing the fish (halibut, salmon or other fish) on top of a bed of sliced tomatoes and/or thinly sliced onions that sit on top of a piece of parchment paper large enough to seal around it. Coat the fish with capers/lemon/butter or a pesto sauce and a few sliced lemons over top. Then seal the parchment tightly with lightly brushed on egg white. Bake at 375 until done. It can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending on the size fish. You can always open the parchment to check but make sure to re-seal it again if not yet done. How to tell: pierce fish with a fork and if the fork meets resistance it’s not yet done.

halibut with sundried tomato pesto served over sliced sweet onion & campari tomatoes. — Halibut baked in parchment topped with sundried-tomato-pesto & served over sliced sweet onions & campari tomatoes. Side: crisped roasted brussels sprouts.

For sides serve with rice & veggie of your liking.

I’d like to hear back from you to find out how your recipe turned out.

Food + Drink

Asian veggie noodle soup.

soup 1 — Japanese inspired with crunchy seaweed on top & soba noodles.

Asian Inspired veggie noodle soup – my version. This is a great tasting dish and so healthy too. It will help you avoid getting a cold.

I recently had lunch at a noodle house where everything was made fresh on the spot with your choice of noodles from buckwheat to rice to udon.

You can tick off all the veggies and meat or dumplings you want to add to it on a little sheet where everything is listed. Fun! I want chicken dumplings with rice noodles and baby bok choy, tofu, mushrooms, green onions and spinach. Don’t feel like the crunchy cruciferous ones right now. I bought a homemade hot/garlic sauce which really added oomph to the broth.

soup 2 — Chinese inspired with baby bok choy, snow peas & spinach noodles.

Then on my way home I bought the following:

Shiro Miso Soybean Paste for making broth (which they use for Miso soup), extra firm tofu, a bunch of different veggies and I had buckwheat and spinach noodles at home just waiting to be useful.

Added chicken stock for additional flavor, some bonito flakes and a bit of bonito flavoured soup stock (available at any Japanese grocery store) and steamed the veggies in a huge bamboo steamer. At the end I tossed in some baby spinach, tofu & sliced green onion. Then upon serving a little soy, some crunchy seaweed/sesame and Japanese 7 house spice that is on the table at every single Japanese restaurant. The actual name in English is red pepper mix or Shichimi Togarashi. Nothing with M.S.G.

Let me say that it was simple to prepare and so delicious that I may never end up going back to that little noodle house ever again…except to buy more of their special house hot sauce.

What about you? Do you love Asian INspired soups? What kind of noodles are your favorite?

Note: You can find many Asian groceries like noodles, bean paste and spices now at places like Whole Foods or other local grocery stores and markets.