Edibletcetera – Fast & Fabulous Food | Quick (Mostly) & Easy Recipes for Busy People who LOVE Good Food…

Recipe: Roasted New Potatoes with Anchovies, Garlic & Parsley

Posted on July 6, 2013 by edibletcetera

I’m happy to bet that even anchovy-haters will love this.

Anchovies eaten on their own (although I don’t know of anyone who would eat them straight from the can) are intensely salty and fishy but once they’ve been incorporated into the sauce of a dish, they add a wonderful, complex and unidentifiable richness.

I’ve fed them to alleged anchovy-phobes on numerous occasions, sneakily incorporating them into a lamb shank recipe, pasta dish or appetizer; they were none the wiser – but of course, I’d never serve them to a vegetarian.

Adding anchovies and garlic to baby (new) potatoes then roasting them in the oven, results in a dish so wonderfully luxurious and rich tasting, that despite being intended as a side vegetable, I’ve found myself eating them all on their own, topped with a fistful of chopped parsley. They’re that good. They also go very well with any fish, meat or chicken entree.

Roast New Potatoes, Anchovies, Garlic & Parsley

ROASTED NEW POTATOES with ANCHOVIES, GARLIC & PARSLEY

(Serves 4-6 as a side dish)

Ingredients:

2 lbs (1 kilo) of baby potatoes; red, white or both – washed and patted dry

1.5 oz (42g) of unsalted butter

3 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

3 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped

2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed with a small amount of sea salt

2 heaped tablespoons of chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley, plus extra to serve

2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

5 fl oz (142ml) of water

Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Action:

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Halve or quarter the larger potatoes so that they’re roughly the same size.

On the stove top, heat the butter and olive oil together in a roasting pan or wide, ovenproof skillet. Add the anchovy fillets, mashing with the back of a fork until they’ve mostly dissolved. Add the potatoes and stir fry for a few minutes, until they start to brown.

Stir in the garlic and parsley then carefully pour in the water and lemon juice. Give everything a good grind of black pepper and a little more sea salt to taste, mixing well.

Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring and basting at ten minute intervals. Once they’re golden and tender, tip them into a warmed serving dish and pour all the buttery rich juices over. Serve immediately, topped with more chopped parsley.

Posted in Fish & Seafood, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 3 Comments

Recipe: Summer Tart of Roasted Tomatoes, Goat Cheese & Pesto

Posted on June 29, 2013 by edibletcetera

This simple summer tart of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil pesto and mild goat cheese baked in a puff pastry case, is absolutely delicious – and as the pastry in question is the ready made sort that you buy frozen, it’s incredibly easy to assemble.

I make my own pesto in large batches and freeze it in ice cube trays but any good quality store-bought pesto will suffice, making this recipe ideal for when you need to drum up something at short notice that’s colorful and bursting with flavor.

Make sure your tomatoes are ripe – always keep them at room temperature as they’ll never ripen in the fridge. If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese, try a sheep’s milk cheese or sliced mozzarella (preferably those balls made from buffalo milk that are packed in containers of water, not the pre-shredded rubbery stuff that you buy in packets).

You don’t have to scatter arugula (rocket) over the top but if you do, serve it right away before the leaves wilt as this tart is best served warm.

SUMMER TART of ROASTED TOMATOES, PESTO & GOAT CHEESE

(Serves 4 as a main course)

Ingredients:

8-9 oz (250g) of frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 tablespoons of best quality pesto, preferably home made

7 oz (200g) of soft goat cheese

3 – 5 ripe tomatoes (depending on size), thinly sliced

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, stripped off the stalk

A good handful of baby arugula (rocket) leaves to finish

Extra-v olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C). Roll out the pastry into a rectangle measuring about 9 x 12 inches (22 x 30cm) and place on a greased baking sheet. Lightly brush the edges with beaten egg and fold over approx 1/2 inch (12mm) all around, to create a lip.

Spread the pesto evenly over the base then add the cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top, scatter the thyme leaves over, drizzle with a small amount of extra-v olive oil and season with a good grind of black pepper.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden. Scatter the arugula over the tart and serve immediately; perhaps with a green salad dressed with aged balsamic vinegar and some shaved parmigiano reggiano (real parmesan cheese from a chunk).

Posted in Vegetables / Vegetarian | 13 Comments

Recipe: Toffee Bananas (or Berries) with Toasted Almonds

Posted on June 22, 2013 by edibletcetera

Ever wondered what dessert you could quickly whip up with almost no effort that generates a big ‘Yum!’ response?

Here’s something I’ve been making since the 1980’s when crème fraîche first became trendy in the UK and this recipe is a great one to keep up your sleeve.

Bananas are good all year round and the version with mixed berries is especially good in summer; use any combination you like. Here I’ve used strawberries and blueberries because that’s what I had in my fridge. Blackberries and raspberries (and even blackcurrants if you’re lucky enough to find those, as they’re unheard of in Colorado) would be fabulous.

Don’t be tempted to substitute sour cream for the crème fraîche as it simply lacks the rich buttery flavor that crème fraîche adds to everything it touches.

You’ll need to make this 3 hours ahead but the preparation time is about 3 minutes. It’s pretty in individual bowls but if you don’t have any small glass dessert dishes, make it in a large one.

You can increase the amount of yogurt for a slightly less rich combination but you definitely want to taste the crème fraîche.

One last note; the bananas are mixed together with the yogurt and crème fraîche but if you’re making it with berries, make those the bottom layer.

Toffee Bananas with Toasted Almonds

TOFFEE BANANA (or BERRY) DESSERT with TOASTED ALMONDS

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 large ripe bananas (or 2 cups of mixed summer berries)

2 oz (57g) of flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry skillet

8 oz (250g) of 2% plain Greek-style yogurt

8 oz (250g) of crème fraîche

5 oz (145g) of dark soft brown sugar

Action:

Combine the yogurt and crème fraîche and thinly slice the bananas. Fold everything together and spoon into individual dishes or a large shallow serving dish.

(If you’re making the version with berries, toss them in a teaspoon of fine sugar and arrange in the dish, then top with the yogurt/crème fraîche mixture, smoothing it out to cover the fruit)

Distribute the sugar evenly over the top; cover with cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours. The sugar will melt and form a lovely rich toffee topping.

Scatter the toasted flaked almonds over the dessert just before serving.

Posted in Desserts, Gluten Free Desserts, Made in Under 30 mins | 3 Comments

Recipe – Pork with Shallots, Sherry Vinegar and Thyme

Posted on June 15, 2013 by edibletcetera

I’m on a sherry vinegar roll right now (I recently bought a bottle of the best stuff) – and along with a good glug of dry sherry, this recipe makes the most of it. Both go extremely well with pork or chicken and fall into the classic French ‘au vinaigre’ category.

The result is impressive as the pork is perfectly complemented by the rich, mellow piquancy of the sauce. It’s easy to make at the last minute, so would be ideal for a special dinner party.

You’ll need to buy lean pork chops on the bone and shallots of roughly equal size.

I also recommend buying a good quality Amontillado sherry so that you’ll always have some to enjoy on the rocks. Sherry gets overlooked as an aperitif these days but I always keep a bottle in the kitchen for enhancing Chinese stir-fry, gravy, sauces and English sponge-based puddings.

This dish will be good served with rosemary roasted potatoes (with or without the added Jerusalem artichokes) – and a leafy salad with a lemony dressing.

Pork Chops with Shallots, Sherry Vinegar & Thyme

PORK with SHERRY VINEGAR, SHALLOTS & THYME (A Delia Smith recipe)

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 lean pork chops on the bone

½ tablespoon of all-purpose flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of extra-v olive oil

8 small to medium sized shallots, peeled and left whole

2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves

10 fl oz (275ml) of Amontillado sherry

3 fl oz (75ml) of sherry vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 heaped tablespoon of crème fraiche

Fresh thyme sprigs to finish

Action:

Season the flour with sea salt and black pepper and sift onto a plate. Dip both sides of the chops in the seasoned flour to coat.

Heat the olive oil in a good sized heavy sauté pan and brown the chops on both sides along with the shallots and garlic, until everything has a golden crust.

Reduce the heat then add the thyme leaves, sherry, sherry vinegar and bay leaf.

Simmer gently, uncovered for approx 20 minutes. Turn everything over (inc the shallots) and continue to simmer for another 20-25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the crème fraiche. To serve, arrange the shallots and garlic around the chops and pour the sauce over everything. Decorate with a thyme sprig or two.

Posted in Meat | 2 Comments

Recipe: Warm Potato Salad with Smoked Bacon, Shallots & Sherry Vinegar

Posted on June 8, 2013 by edibletcetera

Many potato salad recipes use mayonnaise to hold everything together and some are really very good, especially those with fennel or celery mixed in to give it a nice contrasting crunch.

However, this version is one of my favorites and has more of an European style to it; crispy smoked bacon gives it real substance and depth of flavor – and replacing the ubiquitous mayo with shallots softened in bacon pan juices, along with good olive oil and a little diced red onion, results in a wonderful and robustly-flavored potato salad. The addition of sherry vinegar might make your eyes water at first – (you throw in onto the hot potatoes and it steams) – but wait and see what happens after 20-30 minutes. All those flavors combine to make this potato salad really stand out from the crowd. You may need to add more olive oil if you use British back bacon – this recipe calls for the American-style (streaky) variety.

I sometimes mix baby white and red potatoes together for color and the addition of grilled sweet red pepper strips is optional but very good. You can use flat or curly parsley but I prefer the flat-leaf Italian variety.

Serve this dish warm or at room temp – but if you plan to make it ahead and chill, you’ll definitely need to bring it back to room temp first to allow the dressing to soften up.

Warm Potato Salad with Bacon, Shallots & Sherry Vinegar

WARM POTATO SALAD with SMOKED BACON, SHALLOTS & SHERRY VINEGAR

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

2lbs (1 kilo) of baby new potatoes, washed

8 oz (230g) of smoked bacon cut into thin strips

1/2 cup (120ml measure) of finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup (120ml) of sherry or red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (120ml) of finely chopped red onion

Optional – 1 roasted and skinned sweet red pepper (DIY or from a jar is fine); stalk, membranes and seeds discarded – and cut into fine strips

1 cup (240ml measure) of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

ACTION:

Quarter the potatoes, put them in a large pan and cover with salted cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat slightly and cook for 8-10 minutes or until they’re soft but still have some firmness; ‘al dente’.

While the spuds are cooking, saute the bacon pieces until crispy – remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the bacon fat.

Saute the minced shallots in the bacon fat until they’re soft – make sure they don’t brown – set everything aside.

As soon as the potatoes are cooked, drain quickly and put in a large bowl. Immediately pour the shallots and bacon fat over them, followed by the sherry vinegar, olive oil and a good grind of black pepper. Gently toss everything together and check the seasoning.

Add the red onion, red pepper strips (if using) and chopped parsley and carefully combine everything. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes and add more olive oil if you think it looks too dry – scatter the bacon over the top.

If you’re making it ahead, cool to room temp then cover and chill. Bring it back to room temperature to serve; adjust the seasoning and oil if necessary, then add the bacon.

Posted in Meat, Salads & Appetizers, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 4 Comments

Recipe: Kerala Beef Curry with Coconut

Posted on June 1, 2013 by edibletcetera

Add this wonderful recipe to your repertoire of authentic Indian dishes; you’ll find a growing list on this blog here.

Beef isn’t something you’ll often find in Indian cuisine; lamb, goat, chicken and seafood are the norm, asides from all the incredible vegetarian options. However, beef is eaten in India by Christians and Muslims – and as the US and the UK are big beef eaters, this is a delicious way to use that ground beef in your freezer. If you prefer you can substitute lamb for the beef but you may want to cut back on the oil a bit.

This recipe comes from the Kerala region of India in the southwest and where coconut seems to be in just about everything. Generally speaking, the further south you go the hotter the dish but you can always reduce the amount of chili. I don’t recommend it though; this recipe has some heat to it but it really isn’t overwhelming.

It’s easy to make so don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients; some of which you may be unfamiliar with… just step outside the box! I strongly recommend that you measure and line everything up before you start. ‘Ground masala’ refers to a combination of particular spices that are blended with the coconut and added at the end.

If you don’t have access to an Asian Indian supermarket, you can order the spices online at very reasonable prices from A1 Spice World.

This is meant to be a dry curry so it’s best served with dishes that have a good sauce, such as Channa Dahl – serve it with some cooling Raita on the side; Raita is a refreshingly simple relish of plain full or low-fat yoghurt, peeled and grated hothouse (English) cucumber, chopped mint leaves, a few lightly crushed dry roasted cumin seeds, a pinch of cayenne and sea-salt to taste. Play around with quantities until you’re happy, then cover and chill in the fridge for an hour or so to allow the flavors to develop.

Another refreshing side dish that isn’t specifically Indian but I think would go well here is a salad of ‘Watermelon with Onion and Mint’.

So, if you love beef, coconut and a bit of heat, then this is the curry for you – and the good news is that it can be made ahead and reheated.

Kerala Beef & Coconut Curry

BEEF AND COCONUT CURRY

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

¾ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

For the ground masala:

4 teaspoons of ground coriander seed

1 teaspoon of ground cumin seed

½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of turmeric

¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

~~~

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (I prefer grape seed oil – great at high temps)

1 teaspoon of mustard seeds

2 dried red chilies

10 fresh curry leaves (can be bought in bulk and frozen)

1 tablespoon of uncooked long grain white rice

1 cup (240ml measure) of chopped onion

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

2 teaspoons of minced fresh ginger

½ teaspoon of chopped fresh green chili (Serrano or similar)

¼ teaspoons of fennel seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder

1 ¼ lbs (half a kilo) of lean minced/ground beef, preferably organic

2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Action:

Combine the shredded coconut and ground masala ingredients and add about ¼ cup of water (or more if needed), enough to make a moist ball. Set aside.

Heat the oil over a medium to high heat in a deep nonstick sauté pan.

Add the mustard seeds and immediately cover (you’ll hear why). When they’ve finished popping, add the dried chilies and curry leaves.

The curry leaves will crackle; after a few seconds add the uncooked rice and watch it puff up and turn white.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft then add the garlic, ginger and green chili. Stir for about 1-2 minutes then add the beef.

Stir frequently until the beef loses its pink color.

Stir in the coconut mixture, ground fennel, vinegar and sea salt. Continue stirring for about 5-8 more minutes or until the meat is cooked through and there’s no liquid left.

Adjust the salt as necessary and serve warm.

(Recipe from Maya Kaimal ‘Savoring The Spice Coast Of India’ cookbook)

Posted in Indian & Asian Cuisine, Meat | 3 Comments

Recipe – Mushrooms with Fennel & Red Wine

Posted on May 25, 2013 by edibletcetera

As a confirmed fungi-phile, I’m always looking for different ways to incorporate them into a dish. Faced with a huge container of brown button mushrooms at my disposal the other day, I made this delicious and mysteriously dark-looking appetizer with minimal effort – although it does need to be made 24 hours ahead to allow the flavors to fully develop.

You might not expect mushrooms to combine brilliantly with fennel seeds, yet they do – the end result packs a lot of deep, aromatic flavor and is substantial enough for a light lunch; dollop some onto your favorite crusty bread; possibly a soft black rye.

Vegetarians will love this and meat-eaters will appreciate the meatiness of the mushrooms.

Use any firm button mushrooms and leave the small ones whole; halve or quarter the larger ones so that they’re all roughly the same size.

MUSHROOMS MARINATED WITH FENNEL & RED WINE

(Serves 4-6 as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

1 ½ lbs (680g) of button mushrooms, de-stalked and wiped clean

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 med-sized sweet yellow onion, halved then sliced thinly across

4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

1 tablespoon of dried basil

2 teaspoons of dried marjoram

1 cup (240ml measure) of chopped, canned Italian tomatoes, drained of their juice

1 cup (240ml) of decent red wine

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I use a 25 yr old balsamic but any good quality will do)

Plenty of chopped flat-leaf parsley and warm crusty bread to serve

Action:

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the mushrooms stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes – add a little salt and pepper and cook for one more minute, stirring well. Transfer them to another bowl with a slotted spoon.

Lower the heat and sauté the onion and chopped garlic in the remaining oil for approx 15 minutes then add the fennel seeds and dried herbs; cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chopped, drained tomatoes, red wine and balsamic vinegar; season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and simmer gently for about 15 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.

Add the cooked mushrooms and simmer together for another 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if needed and remove from the heat. Allow it to cool to room temp before stirring one more time, then cover and chill for 24 -36 hours.

To serve; bring back to room temp and sprinkle generously with chopped Italian flat leaf parsley – eat with chunks of crusty bread that perhaps you’ve buttered first.

Posted in Salads & Appetizers, Vegan, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 3 Comments

Recipe: Truffle Parmesan Popcorn

Posted on May 18, 2013 by edibletcetera

This is snacking heaven! Popcorn is always fun to eat; it’s high in fiber and depending on what you put on it, it becomes a gourmet treat for when your friends drop by… not that you’ll need an excuse to make it or someone to help you eat it as its so delicious and easy to assemble.

This popcorn is 100 times better than the stuff covered with yellow ‘gloop’ (euphemistically referred to as ‘melted butter’) that you get at the movies; even without the melted ‘butter’, its overloaded with sodium and according to my taste buds, sugar.

In the same way that truffle parmesan french fries have become increasingly popular in restaurants these days – and rightly so, they’re scrumptious – why not elevate your popcorn to the same level?

This recipe comes courtesy of my good friend Shannon – thank you.

Happy popping!

TRUFFLE PARMESAN POPCORN

(Makes approx 7 cups)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of popcorn kernels, preferably organic and with packet instructions

2 tablespoons of melted butter

2 tablespoons of truffle oil

1 heaped tablespoon of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

½ cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Action:

Prepare the popcorn according to the instructions on the packet.

Place the warm popcorn in a bowl – toss with the remaining ingredients and mix well to serve.

Posted in Made in Under 30 mins, Salads & Appetizers, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 4 Comments

Recipe: Chicken & Edemame Burger

Posted on May 11, 2013 by edibletcetera

Here’s another delicious way to deal with that piece of boneless, skinless chicken (or perhaps turkey) that you have in your fridge.

This recipe packs a high-protein, nutritious punch and is full of flavor, low in fat – and the addition of mushrooms adds some low-calorie moisture.

You can use chicken breast or thigh meat – I prefer thigh as it’s slightly juicier.

The avocado, cucumber, red onion and yoghurt dressing would also make a wonderful salad to serve alongside poached salmon or anything else that’s summery, sandwich-y or burger-y. It doesn’t keep too well due to avocado’s tendency to discolor, so it will need to be eaten within a couple of hours.

I like to use sprouted grain buns; they’re available in the freezer section of good supermarkets or Whole Foods; sprouted grain breads taste terrific and contain more protein and less carbs than regular bread; something to do with the sprouting reducing the grain’s carbohydrate content…I always have it in my freezer.

Chicken Edemame Burger with Avocado Cucumber Relish

CHICKEN EDEMAME BURGER

(Serves 4)

Ingredients for the burgers:

12 oz (340g) of boneless, skinless chicken (or turkey) breast or thigh meat

1 cup (240ml measure) of defrosted shelled edemame beans

4 large white button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (you’ll need half an onion – the other 1/4 goes in the topping)

2 tablespoons of tamari or reduced sodium soy sauce

A pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Ingredients for the topping:

1/4 cup (60ml) of plain low-fat Greek yoghurt

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 ripe avocado, roughly chopped

Approx 1 cup (to 240ml) of thinly sliced hothouse/English cucumber

Burger buns and lettuce to serve

Action:

Make the topping first – whisk the yoghurt, vinegar and sugar together in a bowl. Add the avocado, chopped red onion and avocado – toss well and chill while you make the burgers.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C)

Start by pulsing the edemame, mushrooms, garlic and red onion in a food processor until finely minced. Add the chicken (or turkey), soy sauce and cayenne and pulse again until everything is well blended. Form into 4 equal patties.

Heat a large heavy ovenproof skillet/frying pan over a high heat then add the olive oil. Cook the burgers for 2-3 minutes each side or until both sides are browned.

Place the skillet directly into the preheated oven and cook for 12-14 minutes or until the burgers are cooked right through.

Serve immediately on toasted buns with lettuce and a good dollop of the avocado cucumber topping – serve the rest on the side.

(Adapted from the ‘Drop 10 Diet Cookbook’)