Banana Split

Bangkok is back to its hot, sticky, sunny days and there's nothing quite like ice cream to take the edge off the heat. Hard to believe the banana split has been around since 1904. The city of Latrobe, Pennsylvania celebrated the 100th anniversary of the invention of the banana split in 2004, and in the same year the National Ice Cream Retailers Association (NICRA) certified the city as its birthplace. My first introduction to this sinfully delicious treat was when I was a young girl. My parents would take us, my brother and sisters, to the Dairy Queen for an ice cream cone and on special occasions we could splurge and get one of their DQ treats. Now you have to remember that back then only hard ice cream was available so when Dairy Queen opened its doors and served soft ice cream, it was an instant hit especially with my family. The banana split (introduced by Dairy Queen in 1951) was one of my favorites. It comprised of three mounds of vanilla ice cream covered with strawberry, pineapple, and chocolate, topped with whipped cream all nestled between banana halves. We have DQ stores here but they don't sell the banana split or at least they don't in the ones I've been to. So, without much further ado, here's a simple recipe to satisfy any sweet tooth!

Serves 1

1 firm but ripe banana, peeled and cut in half lengthways
vanilla ice cream (for optimum flavor, buy the best)
crushed or chopped strawberries with some sugar added (this helps produce the syrup)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
whipping cream

First, combine chocolate chips and about 2 tablespoons milk. Melt the chocolate chips and mix until the chocolate is pourable, you may need to add more milk to achieve this then set aside. Whip about 1/2 cup of cream until soft peaks form. To plate up, place 3 scoops of ice cream equidistant to one another in a long dish and place the banana halves on the outside. Spoon strawberry mixture over ice cream followed by chocolate sauce. Use a pastry bag or plastic bag (snip one corner) and pipe whipped cream on top of ice cream.

The Culinary Chase's Note: If you can't find fresh strawberries, you can try substituting them with good quality strawberry jam or even better, homemade jam. If you live in a hot climate, scoop out the ice cream, place on a plate and return to the freezer until you are ready to use. If you like DQ's soft ice cream, click here for the recipe! This recipe is a guideline and add ingredients you like to make your own banana split version. Enjoy!

Tomato, Thyme and Pancetta Tartlets

A quick meal to make and so delicious to eat! Italian pancetta or Spanish panceta is a type of dry cured meat. It is pork belly that has been salt cured and spiced (nutmeg, pepper, fennel, dried ground hot peppers and garlic are often featured), and dried for about three months and is not usually smoked. Click here for more Pancetta (bacon like) recipes. Ricotta is a fresh cheese (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 5% fat. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. Thyme, a savory pungent flavor, is an amazing addition to bean, egg and vegetable dishes. Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

Serves 4
recipe from Gourmet Traveller

2 375g butter puff pastry sheets
300g ricotta
1 egg
finely grated rind and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
small garlic, finely grated
1/4 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 thin slices round pancetta
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
basil leaves to serve

Preheat oven to 200c. Cut four 12cm diameter rounds from pastry and place on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Score inside edges to form a 1cm border, prick within border with a fork and set aside in the refrigerator.

Combine ricotta, egg, lemon rind, thyme and garlic in a bowl, season to taste and mix until smooth. Divide mixture among pastry bases, spreading evenly within border. Scatter onion over, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake until puffed and golden (15-20 minutes). Meanwhile, place pancetta on a baking paper-lined oven tray and bake until just crisp (2-3 minutes), coarsely chop and set aside.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl, season to taste and mix to combine. Add tomatoes, toss to coat. Spoon into tartlets, scatter with basil leaves and pancetta. Serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase's Note: This is such an easy dish to make. You may want to use 4 sheets of puff pastry and put two on top of each other as I found the puff pastry I used wasn't thick enough. The end result should have higher edges but never mind, it still tasted great! Serve it up with a green salad.

Mojito

Mojito (pronounced moh-HEE-toh) is a delicious, refreshing drink with mint and lime which compliments the taste of rum. Mojito has been a favorite drink of ours for a number of years and my husband and I never tire of it. Cuba is the birthplace of the mojito, although the exact origin of this classic cocktail is the subject of debate. One story traces the mojito to a similar 16th century drink, the “El Draque,” in honor of Sir Francis Drake. It was made with tafia/aguardiente, a primitive predecessor of rum. Mint, lime and sugar were possibly used to hide the harsh taste.

Serves 1
recipe from Cooking With Booze

1/2 lime, cut into quarters
3 sprigs fresh mint
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 oz. amber rum
Soda

Squeeze juice from lime quarters into an old-fashioned glass. Toss in lime quarters, sugar and mint and muddle with the end of a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Add ice and rum and top with soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint and lime, if desired.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and must not be shredded. I don't have a muddler so instead, I used a small, wooden rolling pin with flat ends. Muddling releases the natural oils from citrus fruits and herbs. The sugar also helps with the muddling but be careful not to over muddle or the mint will be pulverized and get stuck in your teeth (not a pretty picture!). Not enough muddling and the oils are not released resulting in a less flavorful drink.

Mojo Pork Tenderloin

The tenderloin is the leanest and most tender cut of pork and because of its leanness, care should be taken so that it is not overcooked. Tenderloin is a long, cylindrical, boneless cut of meat from the loin section of beef, pork, veal, and lamb. It is best when roasted or grilled. There are many recipes out there for pork tenderloin and this dish is one more to add to the list. Mojo is the name, or abbreviated name, of several types of hot sauce that originated in the Canary Islands. Mojo is also commonly served with fresh bread rolls at the beginning of a meal. Similar sauces, also known as mojo, are also popular in Cuba and throughout the Caribbean, due to heavy Canarian emigration to the Caribbean.

Serves 6
recipe from Cooking With Booze

75ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
75ml (1/3 cup) fresh orange juice
75ml (1/3 cup) fresh lime juice
75ml (1/3 cup) dark rum
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins (3/4 lb/375g each)
chopped cilantro

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and add garlic and cumin, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Add juices, rum, zest, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool. Place pork in shallow dish and pour marinade over. Refrigerate 1 to 3 hours.

Grease and preheat grill to medium heat. Grill tenderloin for 25 minutes, turning twice, or until internal temperature reaches 65c (150f), for medium. Transfer to cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Meanwhile, bring marinade to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add cilantro. Slice pork into medallions and arrange on a serving platter. Spoon over sauce and garnish with orange slices, if desired.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Lovely fresh flavors here. My husband usually grills this meat for about 10 minutes on all sides and then slices into medallions to cook for a further 2 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness of the slices). This helps to cut the cooking time down and also ensures the meat doesn't get overcooked. A favorite Cuban drink of ours is the Mojito which I made for us to drink while my husband cooked the meat. Cheers!

Bloody Caesar Steamed Mussels

Another wonderful recipe from Ryan Jennings and David Steele. Mussels are slender black bivalve mollusks with a blue inner shell. They live attached to rocks and other hard surfaces along coastal areas in many parts of the world. Their delicately flavored but somewhat chewy flesh ranges from cream to orange in color. The blue mussels native to the Pacific Northwest may be wild-gathered or farmed. You can tell them apart because wild mussels are rough, while farm-raised muscles have a clean, smooth shell. Green mussels from New Zealand are larger.

Quality mussels are easy to recognize. Fresh mussels smell clean, like the ocean, and the shells of live mussels are tightly closed. If the mussel is slightly open (no more than 1/4"), tap the shell, and a healthy mussel will close it within 30 seconds. Refrigerate mussels in a bowl, and cover with a damp towel. Never store mussels in water or in an airtight container—either method will kill them. Mussels should be cooked as soon as possible, but will keep for up to a week. Mussels are an excellent source of selenium (too little selenium impairs immunity and may affect thyroid function) and vitamin B12 (key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system). They are also a good source of folate (necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells) and zinc (helps immune resistance, wound healing, digestion, reproduction, physical growth, diabetes control, taste and smell).

Serves 4-6
recipe from Cooking With Booze

500g (1 lb.) mussels, beards removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
250ml (1 cup) Clamato juice
50ml (1/4 cup) vodka
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
dash Tabasco sauce
freshly ground black pepper

In a colander, shake and rinse mussels under cold water, discarding any that remain open. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the remaining ingredients along with mussels. Cover and steam over high heat until mussels open (4 to 5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and serve with warm crusty bread or spoon over cooked linguine for a complete meal.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Delicious!! This dish is great as an appetizer or as the boys pointed out, a full on meal. Their idea of a perfect Caesar is: celery salt, 1 1/5 oz. vodka, 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon horseradish, 6 oz. Clamato juice, salt, black pepper, celery stick and lemon wedge. Rim a Collins glass with celery salt and fill with ice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and horseradish. Top with Clamato juice. Garnish with salt, pepper, celery stick and lemon wedge. I'll drink to that! Cheers!

Wagyu Beef

For the longest time my husband and I have wanted to try Wagyu beef (in Japanese "wa" means Japanese-style and "gyu" cattle). What is Wagyu beef you ask? Well, it has to be the most expensive brand of meat in the world!! Wagyu originated in Kobe, Japan where the cattle were brought in to help cultivate rice during the 2nd century. In America, Japanese Wagyu cattle were bred to Angus cattle to create a crossbred animal that would be more able to survive the U.S. climate and ranching methods. Both pure Wagyu and cross bred cattle are farmed in Australia for domestic and overseas markets. Not to confuse the issue, but Kobe Wagyu is bred in Japan under strict regulations (like designation/appellation). Kobe is the Rolls Royce of Wagyu beef (think of it as beef foie gras).

Wagyu is genetically predisposed to intense marbling, and produces a higher percentage of unsaturated fat than any other breed of cattle known in the world. Because the finely marbled fat melts quickly and burns easily (it cooks 35 percent faster than choice or standard prime beef), special care is required when preparing it. Think of quick-sear cooking techniques for things like rare tuna and foie gras. But not like your average steak; too rare and the fat will not have had a chance to melt and impart its flavor. Too well-done and the fats will have been cooked out of the meat. For more information and cooking tips, click here.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Thank goodness I did some research before cooking the beef otherwise, had we put the meat on the bbq, we would have been disappointed. I read that the marbling in the Wagyu under high heat causes the fat to quickly melt which results in flare ups and charred meat. This makes the meat bland and tough. We thoroughly enjoyed our 300g steak that cost us CAD$70.00! Once I got over the initial worries of how to cook it, the steak turned out beautifully! We like our beef medium rare. The Wagyu steak we had was 1/2 inch thick and I pan seared it on a Teflon coated grill pan one and a half minutes per side, reduced the heat and cooked for a further 2 minutes each side. We could have easily shaved 30 seconds off each side without it being too rare. I salted the grill pan with sea salt flakes before adding the beef. Heaven on a plate for our Valentine's meal!

Fettuccine with Leek Pesto and Sambuca Cream

Last month my husband and I were in a bookstore when he spotted this cookbook, 'Cooking with Booze'. The title caught his eye and he started to flip through the pages. After glancing through the pages, I agreed with hubby that we should buy this book. I'm glad we did as there are many delicious looking recipes. Cocktail connoisseurs Ryan Jennings and David Steele are the authors of this book and their humor, alongside the 96 recipes, is a cookbook one needs to seriously consider. They give tips as well as cocktail recipes on each page. They have a second book to compliment this one, 'Entertaining with Booze' so this will be another book to purchase! I love pesto and the idea of using leeks for pesto intrigued me. Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavored liqueur. It is usually served in restaurants with 3 coffee beans and is said that the beans represent: health, happiness, and prosperity. I'll drink to that!

Serves 6
recipe from Cooking with Booze

Leek Pesto
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup ground almonds
4 cloves garlic
2 cups sliced leeks (white parts only)

1 1/2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup white sambuca
1 teaspoon salt
500g fettuccine

To make pesto, toast pine nuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in skillet until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Pay attention as pine nuts can burn easily. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, Parmesan, almonds, parsley, garlic, leeks and pine nuts in a food processor and purée. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 230c (450f). Roast cherry tomatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté chicken breasts until juices run clear, allow to cool, and slice diagonally into thin strips. Add pesto to pan then slowly add cream and milk, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice, sambuca and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to thicken until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Toss chicken and tomatoes with sambuca cream and serve over fettuccine.

The Culinary Chase's Note: This dish was absolutely delicious!! The sambuca added a gentle licorice flavor which was a good match with the leek pesto. I had some semi-dried tomatoes which I used instead of roasting mine. Seconds? Yes, please!

Sticky Char Siu Spare Ribs

Oh how I love the taste of char siu (aka barbecued pork). It takes me back to my Hong Kong days. This delicious Chinese sauce is made up of honey, five-spice powder, fermented tofu, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red food coloring (optional) and sherry or rice wine (optional). Char Siu is readily available in grocery stores and a brand I use is Lee Kum Kee. This brand is easily recognizable all over the globe. Lee Kum Kee has been around for over 100 years and with over 200 different kinds of sauces and condiments, it's not surprising that Lee Kum Kee products are market leaders all over the world.

Serves 8
recipe from Super Food Ideas

1/2 cup char siu sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (can also use dry Sherry)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1.2kg pork spare ribs, rind removed

Combine char siu sauce, soy sauce, rice wine and garlic in a jub. Place pork in a large glass or ceramic dish. Pour over half the sauce mixture. Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4-5 hours or overnight, if time permits. Preheat oven to 200c/180c fan-forced. Place pork on a wire rack in a large roasting pan lined with baking paper. Roast, basting with remaining marinade and turning every 10 minutes, for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through. Cut ribs in half.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I used pork belly slices as I have been wanting to try this type of cut for a long time. The glossy sheen on the meat after roasting makes this very inviting to eat. The next time I make this I will omit the soy sauce as I found it tasted a bit salty even though I used low sodium soy sauce. This certainly was sticky with a hint of sweetness. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes

I remember my Mom making stuffed peppers when I was a teenager so not much has changed over the years! The version Mom served contained minced beef but I really like the flavors of this recipe. Bell peppers are the Christmas ornaments of the vegetable world! They are excellent sources of vitamin C and vitamin A. For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, peppers also contain vitamin B6 and folic acid.

Serves 4

1 green and 1 yellow bell pepper, halved (core and seeds removed)
2 large tomatoes, halved and pulp scooped out (reserve for stuffing)
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sultana raisins
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 180c (350f). Lightly grease a shallow baking dish large enough to hold pepper and tomato halves in a single layer. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add chopped onion and garlic. Cook, stirring until soft and then add chicken stock, rice, cranberries and raisins. Stir until combined and heated through. Transfer the rice mixture to a bowl and add chopped tomato pulp, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Lightly fill each pepper half with the rice mixture. Combine cheese and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the tops with the bread crumbs and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until crumbs are lightly browned and peppers are al dente.

The Culinary Chase's Note: With this pretty presentation of colors, how can one resist eating these peppers!

Risotto Pomodoro

Risotto is a family favorite and when I'm asked, "what's for dinner?", there's a bit of excitement coming from my daughter when she hears my response. Risotto originated in Northern Italy (Eastern Piedmont, Western Lombardy) where rice paddies are abundant and is the staple food of Milanese cuisine. This recipe incorporates some interesting blend of flavors along with some healthy ingredients to make this is a very delicious dish!

Serves 8
recipe from Ultimate Italian magazine

1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 fresh sage leaves, finely snipped
2 1/2 cups arborio rice
2 cups seeded, chopped and drained roma tomatoes
6 cups hot chicken broth
1 6oz. package fresh baby spinach
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped

In a heavy large pan, cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Add sage; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add rice, cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes. Slowly add 1 cup of broth to the rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until liquid is absorbed. Add 3 cups more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until liquid is absorbed. Stir in spinach and chicken. Add enough of the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring just until rice is tender (about 25 minutes). Transfer risotto to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon.

The Culinary Chase's Note: What a great way to add spinach into a dish for those finicky eaters! The tomato adds a bit of color as does the spinach. This was a new risotto for us to try and I have to say that this will definitely be on that ever expanding 'repeat' list. Cheers!

Grouper en Papillote

The following dish was inspired by my Canadian foodie friend, Peter, from Kalofagas - Greek Food & Beyond. The word grouper comes from the word for the fish, most widely believed to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa. The origin of this name in Portuguese is believed to be from an indigenous South American language. Grouper is a mild flavored fish which is low in saturated fats but very high in B6 (the master vitamin for processing amino acids) and protein. There are many grouper recipes out there and some just as easy as this one. Last January I made Baked Salmon parcels and what I liked about this easy dish was that it's a meal all in one package.

Serves 4
recipe from Kalofagas

1 medium red onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pints of cherry tomatoes (pre-roasted on high heat in your oven)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
1-2 zucchini, sliced
4 (7-8oz.) Grouper fillets
1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dry basil)
1 teaspoon dry Greek oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
parchment paper
butcher's twine
extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 200c (400f).

Rinse and pat dry fillets and season lightly with some salt and pepper; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil reduce to medium and sauté onions and peppers for about 6 minutes or until softened and tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, wine and simmer for another minute. Stir in zucchini and add salt and pepper according to taste and set aside.

Cut four pieces of parchment paper (about three times the size of each fillet) and layout on your kitchen's work surface. Set each fillet in the middle and spoon some sauce mixture over each fillet. Top with a few basil leaves and some dried oregano and fold the sides up towards the middle, fold the two pieces to form a seal in the middle and twist the ends of the paper with your hands. Now secure each end by tying each end with butcher's twine.

Place paper parcels of fish on a large baking sheet and place on the middle rack of a preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Carefully transfer to each plate and cut open the packets at your dinner table. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over each fish and serve with a seasonal salad, some crusty bread and a dry white wine.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Peter is right in saying this meal will satisfy ones taste buds and satiate the tummy without adding too many calories. I used tin foil as I was out of parchment paper. When ready to open at the table, take a sharp knife and make an X in the middle and roll back the pieces. Viola!