Lamb Exohiko

I enjoy reading other food blogger recipes and Peter, from Kalofagas (Greek Food and Beyond), is one I view on a regular basis.  His food postings always show at least three or four photos of each recipe along with tidbits of information allowing the reader to get a feel for the dish from start to finish.  Peter's recipe illustrates an easy way to use leftover lamb.  Lamb is a good source of protein, zinc (helps with your immune system) and vitamin B12.  It is a staple in cuisines throughout the world including Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Australia and countries of the Middle East.

Serves 4
recipe from Kalofagas
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Spinach Filling:
4 cup fresh spinach, or blanched, squeeze water out OR 1 (10oz/300gr) frozen spinach, thawed, squeeze water out, and coarsely chopped
4-5 scallions chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a shot of dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

Additional Filling:
4 slices of green bell pepper
4 slices of ripe, firm tomatoes
4 slices of Graviera (or firm Gruyère) cheese, 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 lbs. of diced cooked lamb meat, seasoned
8 sheets phyllo pastry
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 180c (350f).

If you need to cook the lamb meat, season cubes of lamb with salt and pepper and place in a skillet with some olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides then add about 1/4 cup of white wine and about an equal amount of stock. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 35-45 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone and the lamb is fork-tender. Finish off with a sprinkle of some dried Greek oregano, set aside and allow to cool.

For the spinach filling, place a skillet on the stove over medium heat and add olive oil, chopped scallions and chopped spinach and sauté for about 5-6 minutes. Add the shot of wine, reduce and season with some salt and pepper and chopped fresh dill. Place the slices of tomato and green pepper on top and allow them to cook for a minute or two. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Carefully remove tomato and peppers and reserve in separate plate.

Divide meat into four equal portions. Have the fillings arranged in a row of plates: sautéed spinach, tomato slices, cheese and finally your pepper slices.

Remove the thawed phyllo from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature (15 minutes).  Take a sheet of phyllo and lightly brush it with the melted butter.  Place a second sheet of phyllo on top of the other sheet and brush again with butter.  Add a portion of lamb meat on the bottom of the phyllo, about 5 inches from the border. Top with some sauteed spinach, followed by a tomato, a slice of cheese and finally topped with the green pepper slice. Fold the bottom section of phyllo up and over the filling, followed by folding the two vertical sections of phyllo over. Now roll the phyllo packet up to the top end until the packet has been completed. Place Exohiko (seem side down) on a greased baking sheet. Repeat this step to assemble and wrap the other Exohiko portions. Brush the tops with melted butter and place in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven, divide and plate. Serve with some roast potatoes and a seasonal green salad.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  Oh my gosh!  This was so delicious!  Peter's recipes are always mouth-watering to look at and to eat!   I didn't cook the tomato or green pepper as I didn't notice the instructions until after the packets were bundled up.  The steam inside the phyllo helped to soften both so I was pleased with the outcome. 

Spinach, Raspberry and Feta Salad

I'm a big fan of salads especially those that are as simple to make and as nutritious as this one.  Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. It is also a source of calcium and folate (a B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects). Spinach helps in protecting against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis.  As an antioxidant food, raspberries help prevent unwanted damage to cell membranes and other structures in the body by neutralizing free radicals.  Raspberries possess almost 50% higher antioxidant activity than strawberries, three times that of kiwis, and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes. 

Serves 6
recipe from Good Taste magazine
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60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
zest of one lemon
100g baby spinach leaves
120g punnet fresh raspberries
45g (1/3 cup) coarsely chopped pecans
100g feta, drained and crumbled

Place oil, vinegar, mustard and sugar in a small screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Shake well to combine. Place spinach in a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon zest, raspberries, pecans and feta. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I found the amount of pecans was too much so next time I'll reduce to 1/4 cup.  Make sure to thoroughly wash and dry the spinach (even packaging that say washed). I  love the flavors of salt and sweet from the feta cheese and raspberries.  Enjoy!

Polenta baked with Italian Sausage and Cheese

There's something about comfort food that strikes a chord in all of us. And, quite honestly, who hasn't experienced a food memory?   It's that sense of easy satisfaction from being warm, feeling full from a meal and the surroundings from which it was made.  Comfort food invokes feelings of nostalgia and of food that reminds us of simpler times and this recipe certainly does it for me.

Taleggio cheese has been used before the 10th century in the caves of Val Taleggio and it might easily be one of the oldest soft cheeses.  The texture of the cheese is moist-to-oozy with a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. Taleggio's soft texture, pungent aroma, and buttery flavors makes it a very addictive cheese especially when spread on fresh crusty bread.  Taleggio pairs nicely with Italian Nebbiolo wines.

Serves 6
recipe from TasteItalia
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300g traditional or quick-cook polenta
500g fresh Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
150ml vegetable or meat stock
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary and sage, mixed together
350g Taleggio cheese, chopped 
150g Parmesan cheese, grated
a few knobs of unsalted butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the polenta, bring 1 litre of salted water to a boil in a large saucepan, then slowly sprinkle in the polenta through your fingers, whisking all the time to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 45 minutes over low heat (quick-cook polenta will take less time). Once polenta is cooked, remove from the pan and place on a wooden board. Shape into a mound and leave to cool.

Slice sausages very thickly. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and fry until browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the stock and half the chopped herbs, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Cut the polenta into 1.5cm slices. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish, then arrange a layer of polenta on the bottom. Add half the sausage mixture, half the Taleggio and half the Parmesan, in layers. Cover with another layer of polenta , then add layers of the remaining sausage mixture, Taleggio and Parmesan. Dot with a few knobs of butter, then sprinkle with remaining herbs. Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serve warm.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Oh my!  The aromas coming from this dish immediately made my mind wander to a local Italian taverna and as my husband and I ate this, we did feel as though we had temporarily slipped back to Italy (sigh!).  The earthy tones from the herbs and aromatics from the cheeses all helped to make this dish excite all my senses.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Monkfish with Chard and Mustard Pickles

Monkfish (also known as the goosefish, anglerfish), is a large, ugly, bottom-dwelling fish found in the coastal Atlantic area. The only edible portions of the monkfish are its muscular tail and its liver. The tail meat of the monkfish is dense, sweet, and very similar to lobster tail meat in both flavor and texture. That's why it is also known as 'poor man's lobster'. As in all fish, monkfish should smell like the ocean, without having a fishy odor. Fresh whole-tail monkfish or fillets should appear moist and have a sheen but no slime. The flesh should be dense, without tears or gaps. Keep monkfish cool on the trip from the market to your house and never let it stay unrefrigerated for long. Monkfish is an excellent low-fat, low-cholesterol source of protein and B vitamins.  If you like this recipe, then try bacon-wrapped monkfish.  Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste profile: it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of spinach leaves. It has shiny green ribbed leaves, with stems that range from white to yellow and red.  Both the leaves and stalk of chard are edible, although the stems vary in texture with the white ones being the most tender.  Fresh young chard can be used raw in salads. Mature chard leaves and stalks are typically cooked or sautéed and their bitterness fades with cooking, leaving a refined flavor which is more delicate than that of cooked spinach.  Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamin K, A and C.

This recipe hails from Canadian chef, Craig Flinn, proprietor of Chives Canadian Bistro.  I've eaten there several times and each time I am encouraged to come back.  His food celebrates all things local and in his cookbook Craig says that "no single recipe would be possible without the tireless efforts of the farmers and producers of Nova Scotia".  Supporting local farms and markets not only helps economically but also serves as an avenue to educate our children about the quality of homegrown produce.

Serves 4 as a main, 8 as an appetizer
recipe adapted from Fresh & Local
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4 monkfish tail pieces, bone out (about 6 to 8 oz each)
several grindings of fresh black pepper
4 thin prosciutto slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
450g (1 lb) Swiss chard, cleaned and stems removed
250ml (1 cup) mustard pickles

Preheat oven to 150c (300f). Ask your fishmonger to remove the thin membrane on the outside of the tail. Cut the tails in half, making 8 portions. Season with a little pepper. Cut prosciutto in half lengthwise, making 8 long, thin slices. Wrap each piece of monkfish with a piece of prosciutto (like a napkin ring). Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and sear wrapped monkfish in olive oil on all sides. remove from the frying pan and complete the cooking in the oven for 8 minutes.

In the same pan, add butter and cook shallot for 3 minutes. Do not add any salt as the oil remaining in the pan from the prosciutto will be salty. Add Swiss chard and cook until fully wilted. Add a little more pepper if desired and serve immediately.

To serve, pile Swiss chard in the middle of the plate (use a ring to keep it in place). Place fish on top (one piece per plate for an appetizer or two for an entrée) and garnish with a heaping spoonful of mustard pickles. Accompany with boiled potatoes or other favorite vegetable.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Harmony best describes this dish with all the ingredients complimenting one another!  The fishmonger at Pete's Frootique said to salt the monkfish first for 10 minutes.  Because monkfish has a naturally high water content it can make the fish have a soggy texture after it is cooked, and salting will draw some water before cooking. You can then rinse the salt off, pat dry and prepare the fish.  The secret to monkfish cooking is not to overcook it, internally it should be moist but not dry out as this can make it tough.  Grilling will give the fish a very good flavor but care needs to be taken to ensure it does not dry out, so a medium heat is best. You can also bake it in the oven wrapped in foil and seasoned with oil, salt and pepper.

Lamb Couscous with Chickpeas and Zucchini

Spices serve an important role in the flavoring food as well as being used for medicinal purposes. I can not begin to imagine what it would be like not to have spices in my pantry just sitting there waiting to be used at a moment's notice. Pepper is native to India and has been used in their cooking since 2000 BC! When it was introduced to Europe, pepper was highly prized and so valuable that it was often traded in lieu of gold coin or used as collateral. Pepper was historically both a seasoning and a medicine. It is the most widely traded spice in the world and as of 2008, Vietnam is the world's largest producer and exporter of pepper. Different colors of pepper, be it black, white, green or pink are formed using different processes to produce the different colors.   For example, black pepper is formed from the still-green unripe drupes of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The drupes are dried in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dried, the spice is called black peppercorn. Black pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that a message is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Hydrochloric acid is necessary for the digestion of proteins and other food components in the stomach.

Serves 12
recipe from Vegetable Harvest
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
fine sea salt
2 lbs. meat from a 3-pound leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup of instant couscous
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons harissa, or to taste
2 cups good-quality chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cooked chickpeas
one 15 oz. can peeled Italian plum tomatoes in their juice
1 1/2 lbs. slender zucchini, washed, trimmed, and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 cup mint leaves, cut into chiffonade

In a large bowl, combine the cumin, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Toss to blend. Add the cubed lamb and toss too evenly coat the meat. Ste aside.

Place the couscous in a heat-proof bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the harissa, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to blend. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock a boil over high heat. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous, stirs with a fork, and cover the bowl with the foil. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the lamb and brown well on all sides. Do this in small batches and do not crowd the pan. As each batch is cooked, transfer the meat to a platter and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Return the meat and any cooking juices from the platter to the skillet, along with the chickpeas, remaining teaspoon of harissa, and the canned tomatoes and their liquid. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and simmer for 2 minutes. The mixture should be broth-like. Taste for seasoning.

In another large skillet, beat the remaining tablespoon of oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Sear the zucchini, cooking just until it begins to brown at the edges. Season lightly with salt. Arrange spoonfuls of the couscous on warmed dinner plates. Spoon the lamb mixture alongside. Add the zucchini over the lamb. Garnish with mint.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I love how the spices lift all the ingredients especially the lamb. This dish is one to make again. Cookbook author, Patricia Wells, suggests "a good, bright young red with lots of muscle". Try the vin de table Petit Vin d'Avril from the Domaine Clos des Papes. This good-quality wine is a nonvintage blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Mourvèdre.

Homemade Granola

I've never been a huge fan of granola until recently. My experience hasn't always been positive even though I've most probably tried several types and yet none really shouted, 'this is it!'.   My husband and I were away last month and the hotel we stayed in included breakfast. One of the items on the breakfast menu was natural yogurt topped with their homemade granola. This was my opportunity to give it another go and I was pleasantly surprised enough to want to make it when I returned home. I recalled seeing a recipe from Curtis Stone's book but glossed it over because of my previous experiences. I think what makes his recipe enticing are the ingredients. A basic granola recipe has rolled oats, nuts and honey which is bland if you ask me. This one is spiced up. The names Granula and Granola were trademarked terms in the late nineteenth century United States for foods consisting of whole grain products crumbled and then baked until crispy. Granula was invented in Dansville, New York, by Dr. James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanitarium in 1894. The Jackson Sanitarium was a prominent health spa that operated into the early twentieth century.  Rolled oats is an excellent source of fiber (good for digestion), and the fruits and nuts in granola can contain important vitamins and promote good health.

Makes 6 cups
recipe from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup packed, light brown sugar
2 cups of rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Combine the butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, and stir for 1 minute or until the butter has completely melted. Add the honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar and stir for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer. Set it aside.

Spray a large heavy baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Combine oats, pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a big bowl. Drizzle the warm syrup over the oat mixture and toss to coat well. Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared baking sheet, forming an even layer. Bake, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes or until the mixture is dry.

Stir in the cranberries and raisins and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the granola darkens slightly. The granola will be soft but once it cools it will become crunchy. Transfer baking sheet to a cooking rack and let the granola cool completely. It will set into chunks, so simply break it up into smaller bits.


The Culinary Chase's Note: I love all the ingredients especially the honey and maple syrup. The sweetness from these two really helps make the granola delicious. You can eat this by itself as a snack, served with milk for a great start to the day or with poached fruits.

Creamy Fennel Pasta

I'm sure I saw this meal being prepared on one of Jamie Oliver's cooking shows but it was a while ago and I can't find it in any of his books nor is it on the web.  Anyway, I hastily wrote down the ingredients so the quantities are approximate.  This dish is easy to make within half an hour and is perfect for those unexpected dinner guests. Fennel is related to parsley, carrots, dill and coriander. In animal studies, the anethole in fennel has repeatedly been shown to reduce inflammation and to help prevent the occurrence of cancer. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of fiber.  It was revered by the Greeks and the Romans for its medicinal and culinary properties. Today, the United States, France, India and Russia are among the leading cultivators of fennel. Fennel is not a common allergenic food and according to the Environmental Working Group's 2009 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides", fennel is not listed as one of the 12 foods most frequently containing pesticide residues.

Serves 2
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1/2 lb. fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cream
grated Parmesan, pecorino, or asiago cheese for garnishing

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until tender to the bite (al dente), reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before you drain the noodles.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large frying or sauté pan over medium high heat.  Sauté the fennel and onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add chili flakes and stir to combine. Add cream, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until fennel is tender, up to 5 minutes.


Add drained pasta and stir to combine. You may need to add the reserved pasta liquid if sauce becomes too thick. Serve immediately topped with Parmesan, Pecorino o Asiago cheese.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Fennel has a sweet anise flavored when prepared like above and the chili adds a bit of heat to the dish. Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper, where it should keep fresh for about four days. However, it is best to consume fennel soon after purchase since as it ages, it tends to gradually lose its flavor.

Grilled Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Stacks

Some nights we enjoy having meatless dishes and this vegetarian recipe leaves you feeling very satiated.  Eggplant features of host of vitamins and minerals and in the skin of the eggplant is a phytonutrient called nasunun.  Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage.  Fresh mozzarella is traditionally produced from the milk of the domestic water buffalo.  You can also find fresh mozzarella made from cows milk.   Buffalo mozzarella is made into a ball surrounded by brine and when broken apart, it produces a white watery fluid with the aroma of milk enzymes.  It's rich in calcium, high in protein and is easily digested.

Serves 4 (as an appetizer)
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2 large eggplants (about 400g each)
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, minced
sprig of rosemary, chopped
about 2 cups of good quality tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Cut eggplant into thick slices and grill both sides. In a bowl, combine lemon zest, parsley, garlic and rosemary. To make the stacks, place a slice of eggplant on a baking tray, followed by a slice of mozzarella and topped with the herb mix. Do this twice more ending with the herb mix. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. To plate up, place a spoonful of tomato sauce on the plate and place the eggplant stack on top. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Choose eggplants with a uniform diameter so the slices will be similar in size. When making the stack, place the largest eggplant slice on the bottom followed by one of similar size and top with a slightly smaller eggplant slice. This will help to keep the stack from falling over.  Lovely flavors coming from this simple dish. 

Chargrilled Prawns with Coriander and Lime

We use our barbecue as much as possible for a myriad of things and with Spring warming the air a bit, the barbecue is on a lot more these days.  There's a confusion, at least for me, about the difference between a prawn and a shrimp.  To me, they both appear to be the same.  But, according to one site I visited, prawns and shrimps belong to different suborders.  Prawns belong to the suborder Dendrobranchiata, while shrimps belong to the suborder Pleocyemata. Their gill structure and abominable segments are different and the front pincers of shrimp that are typically the largest while prawns feature bigger second pincers. Prawns also have longer legs compared to shrimps.  Female prawns shed their eggs into the currents where the eggs develop independently. Shrimps on the other hand, brood their eggs.  After researching this it doesn't really matter either way for me as both taste great.  Shrimp is a nutritious alternative to meat proteins and is low in calories and saturated fat.  Shrimp also emerged as a very good source of vitamin D and vitamin B12.  For more health benefits of shrimp, click here.

Serves 6 as a starter
recipe from Australian Table magazine
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80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
24 large prawns, peeled and deveined with tails left intact
baby spinach leaves, to serve

Place oil, lime juice, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic and ground coriander in a food processor and process until smooth. Place prawns and 2/3 of paste in a bowl and stir to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Heat a barbecue grill or plate on high. Place prawns on BBQ and cook 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Arrange baby spinach on plates and place prawns on top of spinach. Serve drizzled with remaining coriander mixture.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I found that 2 tablespoons of ginger overpowered the sauce and to tame it somewhat, I added a teaspoon of honey to the coriander mixture. That did the trick and you could taste all the herbs without one flavor standing out more than the other. A very aromatic dish and one that didn't last long once served.   Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable, Pesto and Ricotta Tart

This is my kind of fast food!  Phyllo (filo or fillo) dough is paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough used for making pastries. A popular dessert using filo pastry is baklava but there are oodles of other sweet and savory dishes out there using filo pastry.  When cooked, filo pastry is crispy and flaky and melts in your mouth.  For more delicious filo recipes, click here.

Serves 4
recipe from Delicious magazine
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olive oil spray
4 filo pastry sheets
500g mixed marinated vegetables (eggplant, peppers, tomatoes), well drained
50g pitted Kalamata olives
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
250g low-fat fresh ricotta
2 tablespoons good-quality pesto
small basil leaves to garnish


Preheat oven to 200c (400f). Lightly spray a 12cm x 35cm loose-bottomed tart pan with oil. Stack filo sheets on top of each other, spraying lightly with oil in between, then use to line the tart pan, trimming edges to fit. Line filo with baking paper, fill with pastry weights or uncooked rise and bake 3 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Remove paper and weights and bake for a further 3-4 minutes until filo is crisp and golden. Set aside to cool (15 minutes).

Meanwhile, pat all the vegetables well with paper towel to remove excess oil, then cut into bite-size pieces and toss gently with olives, lemon juice and a little pepper. Mix ricotta, pesto lemon zest and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Carefully spread this mixture over the cooked filo base. Arrange the vegetable mixture on top, sprinkle with basil leaves. Slice and serve with a green salad.


The Culinary Chase's Note: Beautiful flavors!  Other pesto flavorings to consider beside basil are: coriander, tomato, cashew or leek for the base.   Use your own favorite grilled or marinated vegetables to add to the tart.  I don't have a rectangle tart pan so I used a flat pan and lined it with parchment paper.  Place a filo sheet on the pan, scrunch it up to form sides and repeat the process for each filo sheet.

Turkey Jambalaya

Turkey is something I only cook on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  I'm always trying to think of new ways to incorporate leftover turkey that will appeal to everyone.  How much turkey to buy, you ask, to avoid a lot of leftover meat?  A good rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person to allow for seconds and leftovers.  This recipe is from Kelly Donlea who contributes her food writing abilities on suite101.  Other recipes I've used in the past: spicy chili turkey, turkey fajita wraps, turkey leftover bake, turkey tetrazzini to name a few.  Explore the web for more ideas and take leftover turkey to be more than just sandwiches!

Serves 6-8
recipe from Kelly Donlea
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1 lb. leftover  turkey, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ribs celery, chopped
2 small cans tomato paste
1 28 oz. can tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
handful parsley, chopped

In a sauté or frying pan, sauté diced turkey meat in salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper until just warmed through. In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent. In the same pot, add the tomato paste and let it brown a little.

Once the vegetables are translucent deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly.

Add the remaining seasonings, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the turkey and cook another 10 minutes. Add the rest of the stock, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. Turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  The cayenne pepper I have is quite strong so I only used 1 teaspoon which was sufficient heat. I added the turkey in with the tomatoes as this helps to keep the meat moist. You can also use chopped ham in lieu of turkey.  Enjoy!

By The Glass Tasting Note:  For the spicy richness that Jambalaya presents beer is often a better match than wine. Oenophiles should stick to the fresh, fruity and cooling nature of a Grenache based. Provence is the classic place to pick good quaffing pinks but Australia is making some gutsier Grenache and Shiraz based wines that have a little more gusto to stand up to the big flavours here.