Créole Spiced Bean and Vegetable Salad

What a delightfully delicious salad and so easy to make! This salad is overflowing with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - keeping us healthy and our immune systems strong. Louisiana Créole cuisine, is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana (Greater New Orleans area) that blends French, Mediterranean, Spanish, African, and American influences. Historically, the term Créole was first used to refer to colonists of French/Spanish descent who had been born in Louisiana. In present Louisiana, Créole has come to mean a people of generally mixed French, African American, Spanish, and Native American ancestry.

Serves 6
recipe from Gordon Ramsay

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
200g French beans, trimmed
2 zucchini (courgettes), trimmed and sliced into 1.5cm rounds
8 spring onions, trimmed and cut into short lengths
400g can haricot or butter beans, drained and rinsed
400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
bunch of fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
bunch of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

For the Créole Spice Mix:
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
pinch of chili powder, or to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add the onion with some salt and pepper. Stir frequently over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the onion is soft. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the Creole spice mix in a small bowl. Add to pan and stir for another minute or until fragrant. Tip the beans, zucchini and spring onions into the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes until tender. Turn off the heat, add canned beans and chickpeas along with the cherry tomatoes, and toss to mix. Transfer the salad to a large bowl and stir in the chopped herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Amazing flavors with different textures coming from this dish and one that certainly doesn't disappoint! I used a pinch of just the cayenne as the brand I have is quite potent. I wanted some heat but not so much that it out powers the lovely flavors of the vegetables.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Some of my postings of late have been a bit more than simple so I thought I'd best get back to posting quick and easy meals to make. Everyone has most probably made or tasted some sort of mushroom pasta, and this dish takes 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook. Macadamias are highly nutritious nuts. They have the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fats of any known nut. These nuts are considered the world’s finest nut and are the only native Australian plant to become an international food. Their delicate flavor, versatility and crunchy texture make them a delight to consume.

Serves 4
recipe from Australian Good Food magazine

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 birds eye chili, finely chopped
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
400g mushrooms, sliced
125ml (1/2 cup) chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
60ml (1/4 cup) cream
500g spiral or other short pasta
100g prosciutto, grilled and broken into pieces
60g roasted macadamia nuts, chopped
shaved parmesan, to serve

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Cook garlic, chili and white pieces of onion for 3 minutes or until softened. Add mushroom and cook 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and reduce heat. Simmer 5-10 minutes until reduced. Add remaining onion, mustard and cream and stir until heated through. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and return to pan. Add sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Top with prosciutto, nuts and Parmesan.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I love the flavors of the added prosciutto, nuts and Parmesan. If you don't care for birdseye chili, the longer red chili has less heat.

Swordfish in Tomato Sauce with Potatoes (Pesce Spada in Umido)

What a beautiful tasting stew! The swordfish was succulent to the point of melting in your mouth. Vin Santo (the wine of the Saints) is an Italian dessert wine. It can be a deep golden or amber color with a sweet, often nutty, taste. Swordfish comes as steaks or loin pieces. Swordfish does not freeze well, although some frozen-at-sea fish maintains its good quality. The color of quality swordfish varies from white to pinkish-beige, but if it is tinged with brown, that’s a sign of an off flavor. Swordfish do have dark meat along with the white, but it should be cherry-red, not brown.

Serves 4
recipe from TasteItalia magazine

600g swordfish steaks, cut into chunks
175ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
500g tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed, puréed
250g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
90ml Vin Santo
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place half of the oil into a large saucepan and sauté the onion, carrot and parsley together for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and leave to simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Put the remaining oil in a flameproof casserole dish and brown the swordfish chunks over a medium heat. Transfer the swordfish to the tomato sauce, cover, and leave to simmer for 25 minutes, adding a little hot water whenever the dish seems to dry out. Sprinkle with Vin Santo, season and cook for a further 5 minutes before serving.

The Culinary Chase's Note: A relatively easy meal to prepare with my family asking for seconds! I used sherry as a substitute for Vin Santo. If you're not a swordfish fan, then try using tuna instead. Also, if you don't have time to prepare the tomatoes, a can of chopped tomatoes will do the trick and you can either purée the tomatoes or leave them as is.

Fillet of Sole with Shrimp Stuffing

This humble fish is a type of flatfish (not very pretty looking) that swim on their side with their eyes on their back. The most celebrated is the Dover sole that was only found in the coastal waters of England. Today, it is found in the Mediterranean and off the coasts of Norway. Check this site for other sole recipes.

Serves 6
recipe from Ducasse Made Simple by Sophie

For the Shrimp Stuffing:
30 small shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 shallots, halved
1 cup walnuts
1/4 pound mushrooms, stems removed for the sauce, caps quartered
10 coarsely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
reserved mushroom stems from stuffing, chopped
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the sole:
6 sole fillets (6-7 ounces each) cut lengthwise into thirds
fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 steamed medium shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish

To prepare the shrimp stuffing: Combine the shrimp, shallots, mushroom caps, walnuts, chives and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and reserved mushroom stems. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions and mushrooms soften. Add the wine. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Strain the sauce, then reduce over high heat until about 3/4 cup remains and the sauce has slightly thickened (8-10 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a little at a time until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over very low heat.

For the sole: Preheat oven to 475f. Season the sole with salt and pepper, then spread the stuffing evenly over the fillets. Roll the fillets over the stuffing jelly-roll style and secure with a toothpick. Place fillets in a buttered baking dish. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat, and saute the steamed shrimp until warmed through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully remove fillets from the baking dish and divide among six warmed serving plates. Garnish each with 3 steamed shrimp, spoon the sauce around the fillets and sprinkle with the chives.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These fish roll ups were delicious! I used pine nuts (3/4 cup) in lieu of the walnuts.

Flash-Fried Squid with Paprika and Garlic

In every tapas bar selection, you'll find squid which are usually deep-fried. Quality squid is easy to tell. It smells like the ocean, never strong or fishy. It looks shiny and firm and the membrane covering the squid is gray, not purple or pink. Hard to imagine there's a site with 160 recipes for squid!

Serves 6-8
recipe from The Spanish Kitchen

500g small squid, cleaned
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoon Spanish mild smoked paprika
2 teaspoons plain flour
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Cut the squid body into rings and the tentacles into bitesize pieces. Place the squid in a bowl and pour 2 tablespoons olive oil, half the chili and the paprika. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge and leave to marinate 2-4 hours.

Toss the squid in the flour and divide into two batches. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or deep frying pan over high heat. Add the first batch of squid and quickly stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes opaque and the tentacles curl. Add half the garlic. Stir, then turn out into a bowl. Repeat with the second batch, adding more oil if needed. Sprinkle with the sherry vinegar, lemon rind, remaining chili and parsley. Season and serve hot or room temperature.

The Culinary Chase's Note: This was so delicious and the vinegar softened the flavors of the chili. If you can't find smoked paprika, use mild paprika instead. Make sure the oil in the pan is hot before adding the squid. Enjoy!

Barbecued Mini Ribs

The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas. Another delicious item to add to the list of tapas! In Spain, these ribs are known as costillas. For more tapas recipes, click here.

Serves 6-8
recipe from The Spanish Kitchen

675g (1.5 lb) pork ribs
6 tablespoons sweet Oloroso sherry
1 tablespoon tomato purée (paste)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon flour

Mix the sherry, tomato purée, soy sauce, Tabasco and sugar in a bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Put the flour in a plastic bag, then add the ribs and toss to coat. Dip each rib in the sauce. Cook on a hot barbecue or under a hot grill (broiler) for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked and a little charred. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Olorso sherry has a full body and sweet flavor reminiscent of port. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, use freshly squeezed orange juice instead of the sherry. These didn't last long! Cheers!

Marinated Manchego Cheese and Olives

These simple but delicious tapas are easy to make. Manchego cheese is produced in La Mancha and is made only from the whole milk of Manchega sheep. Olives are the most extensively cultivated fruit crop in the world. Some of the top olive producing countries in the world are: Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

Serves 4-6
recipe from The Spanish Kitchen

For the marinated olives:
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
115g (2/3 cup) black olives
115g (2/3 cup) green olives

For the marinated cheese:
150g Manchego or other firm cheese
90ml (6 tablespoons) olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 garlic clove, sliced
fresh thyme or tarragon sprigs
fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

To make the marinated olives, crush the coriander and fennel seeds in a mortar with a pestle. Work in the garlic, then add the rosemary, parsley, vinegar and olive oil. Put the olives in a small bowl and pour over the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 1 week.

To make the marinated cheese, cut the cheese into bite size pieces, removing any hard rind and put in a small bowl. Combine the oil, vinegar, peppercorns, garlic, thyme or tarragon and pour over the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Buy whole olives with the pits as this helps to retain the flavor better than pitted olives. Make sure to drain the brine that the olives come in. Add more olive oil to the olives, seal and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. Serve the olives as a tapas dish or add to salads. The oil that's leftover from the olives can be used in salad dressings or as a topping for hot food.

Mussels with a Parmesan and Parsely Crust

In keeping with my last posting on tapas, below is the recipe for mussels. Mussels from the Atlantic coast of Spain grow to an enormous size within a very short time without becoming tough. 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-inch), tap the shell, and a healthy mussel will close it within 30 seconds. Mussels live attached to rocks and other hard surfaces along coastal areas in many parts of the world. The plump tender meat is creamy white when the mussel is male and apricot to orange when the mussel is female. Flavor is not differentiated by color and the flavor of both is superb.

Serves 4
recipe from The Spanish Kitchen

450g (1 lb.) fresh mussels
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
crusty bread, to serve

Scrub mussels thoroughly, scraping off any barnacles with a round-bladed knife and pulling out the gritty beards. Tap any open mussels and discard any that fail to close or whose shells are broken. Place mussels in a large pan and add the water. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for about 5 minutes or until the mussel shells have opened. Drain the mussels well and discard any that remain closed. Carefully snap off the top shell from each mussel, leaving the actual flesh still attached to the bottom shell.

Balance the shells in a flameproof dish, packing them closely together to make sure they stay level. Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Put the melted butter, olive oil, cheese, parsely, garlic and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Spoon a small amount of the cheese and garlic mixture on top of each mussel and gently press down with the back of the spoon.

Grill the mussels for about 2 minutes or until they are sizzling and golden. Serve the mussels in their shells, with plenty of bread to mop up the juices.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Steaming the mussels will produce about 1 cup of shellfish stock. Let stock cool and then freeze for later use. An easy dish to prepare and yet so delicious! Cerveza por favor!

Tapas

Tapas are finger food which originated in Spain. Dinner in Spain is usually served between 9pm and 11pm and therefore, Spaniards often go bar hopping and eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. The word tapa means lid or cover in Spanish. An item (be it bread or a flat card) would often be placed on top of a drink to protect it from fruit flies and at some point it became a habit to top this cover with a snack. The Formula 1 Grand Prix was held yesterday in Spain and much to my husband's delight (he's half Spanish), I decided to make tapas for the event. The following recipe is for Spanish Empanadillas. These little pies (featured in the middle of the dish) are part of the Moorish tradition in Spain. The Arabs first brought spinach to Europe and pine nuts and raisins are typical Arab flavorings.

Makes 20
recipe from The Spanish Kitchen

1/4 cup (25g) raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (450g) fresh spinach leaves, washed, drained and chopped
6 anchovies (canned), drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup (25g) pine nuts, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
12 oz (350g) puff pastry

To make the filling, soak the raisins in a little warm water for 10 minutes. Drain well, then roughly chop. Heat olive oil in a large pan, add the spinach, stir, then cover and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes or until the spinach starts to wilt. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Add the chopped anchovies and garlic to the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute then remove pan from the heat and stir in raisins and pine nuts. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180c (350f). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Using a 7.5cm (3") pastry cutter, cut the pastry into 20 rounds. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each round, then brush the edges with a little water. Bring up the sides of the pastry and seal well. Press the edges together and brush with an egg. Place pies, slightly apart, on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Transfer the pies to a wire wrack to cool. They are best served while still warm but not hot.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These were delicious! I wasn't sure I'd like the combination of raisins and anchovies but after sampling these heavenly pies, my thought was, why haven't I thought of this before??

Handmade Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Homemade pasta really sets the stage for a very good meal! Fresh pasta is very limited in Bangkok so when I'm in the mood for making my own, nothing tastes better. Ravioli is a type of filled pasta composed of a filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta dough. The filling may be meat-based (either red or poultry), fish-based, or cheese-based. Ravioli can be rectangular, triangular, half-moon or circular in shape. Other traditional Italian fillings include ricotta mixed with grated cheese and vegetables such as spinach, swiss chard, or nettles or they may be a puree made of potatoes, mushrooms, pumpkin, chestnut or artichokes. A version filled with sweet potatoes is popular in contemporary Israel. View this video to see how easy it is to make ravioli.

Serves 6
recipe from TasteItalia

For the Pasta:
400g Italian '00' flour
4 eggs, beaten

For the Filling:
400g cooked spinach, moisture squeezed out and finely chopped
250g ricotta
150g Parmesan or Grana Padano, grated
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 egg, beaten

For the Sauce:
100g unsalted butter
4 sage leaves
200ml vegetable stock
grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, to serve

To make the dough, pile the flour onto a worktop and make a well in the center. Pour two-thirds of the egg into the well and, using one finger, gradually mix the flour into the eggs in a circular motion. Add more beaten egg if it is too dry, until a dough forms. Lightly flour the worktop and kead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and soft. Form into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes (can leave overnight). Cut the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll one half out into a strip that is thin enough to fit through the pasta maker. Starting at the highest setting, roll one pasta strip through. Run the dough through again but this time at a lower setting & repeat this process until the dough is at the lowest setting. Place on a floured surface and repeat with the other half of the dough. Cut circles about 8cm in diameter, out of the dough (a can of tomatoes is about the right size).

Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of half of the pasta circles. If you have any filling left over, you can freeze it to use again. On the filled circles, wet your finger and run around the edge of the circle. Place a plain pasta circle on top and pinch the edges together from the filling to edge, ensuring no air is trapped inside and that they are secured firmly. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli 4-5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the sage and cook 1-2 minutes, then pour in the stock and cook 5 minutes. Add the cooked ravioli and 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid. Stir for 2 minutes, then serve with extra Parmesan.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Although you can make the dough like this recipe indicates, I also like to use my food processor (being a bit lazy). Beautiful earthy flavors coming from the sage sauce which compliments the ravioli. Enjoy!

Grilled Pear and Cheddar Stuffed Pork Tenderloins

The pork industry is undergoing an evolution in order to meet changing consumer palates. On average, the most common cuts of pork have 16 percent less total fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than they did nearly twenty years ago. In fact, pork tenderloin is now as lean as the leanest type of chicken (skinless chicken breast). It is important that consumers are aware of the benefits of eating lean pork, as pork is naturally nutrient-dense and offers potential health benefits as well. This dish is so easy to make! Click here for more pork tenderloin recipes.

Serves 4
recipe from Metro

1 tablespoon (15mL) fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoon (45mL) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 small pork tenderloins
1 Bartlett or Anjou pear, sliced thin
4 oz. (120g) 1-year-old cheddar cheese, sliced
6 slices prosciutto

Purée rosemary and oil in the blender and season. Cut tenderloins open lengthways and brush inside with rosemary purée. Cover with overlapping slices of pear and cheddar. Close up tenderloins and brush outside with rosemary purée. Roll each tenderloin up in 3 slices of prosciutto, tie or close with big toothpicks that have been soaked in water. Season.

Oil the grill and preheat barbecue to medium-high. Cook tenderloins 4 to 5 minutes per side for meat with a hint of pink. Remove from heat, tent with foil and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Slice and serve with grilled vegetables and herbed noodles.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I stuffed the tenderloin with the prosciutto and the flavors coming from the pear and cheddar make this tenderloin absolutely delicious! Instead of making the purée, finely chop the rosemary and mix in a bowl. Use a pastry brush to slather this on the pork and enjoy a more rustic taste.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

I was in the bookstore the other day and spotted Martha Stewart's book on cookies. Even though I have enough recipes on cookies, I flipped through the book and found this intriguing one on biscotti. No one in my house refuses chocolate and since I made cranberry and pistachio biscotti last Christmas, which every one enjoyed, chocolate biscotti would be welcomed as well. Chocolate has been around for more then 1,500 years and we have the ancient Aztecs and the Maya in Mexico and Central America to thank. Dark chocolate with high cocoa content (minimum 70%), is high in flavonoids (epicatechin and gallic acid). Cocoa also has polyphenol antioxidant properties, countering low density lipoproteins (LDL - levels of "bad" cholesterol) as a result. Click here to read more on cocoa.

Makes 20 biscotti (depending how thick it's sliced)
recipe from Martha Stewart

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheet
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Butter and flour a baking sheet; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add flour mixture, and stir to form a stiff dough. Stir in pistachios and chocolate chips.

Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet; form into a slightly flattened log, about 12 by 4 inches. Bake until slightly firm, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. On a cutting board, using a sharp serrated knife, cut biscotti diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet, and bake until crisp but still slightly soft in the center, about 8 minutes.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips as well as non-stick baking paper to put on the tray. Imagine chocolate cake with pistachios and you have the taste of this treat! Delicious!