June 23, 2012

Watermelon Salad and a little special something :)

It is officially summer and I am enjoying using all the seasonal ingredients. I have started seeing tons of places serving watermelon salad and I love the idea of using fruit in savory dishes. I decided to put my own spin on it.

4 Cups cubed seedless watermelon
2-3 thai chilies
Juice of one lime
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (mint would also work well)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh feta cheese

In a bowl whisk together lime juice, vinegar, chopped pepper (seeded), salt and pepper. Pour moisture over watermelon. Then, add the cilantro and mix. Salad is topped with feta when serving. If the cheese sits in the dressing too long it will break apart and dissolve. Salad holds well in the fridge. Add feta cheese before serving.

When I made this at home, I was lucky to be able to pair it with an amazing gluten free beer. Before I went gluten free I always enjoyed a good beer. Not many good gluten free versions have been created. In Philly, there is a large number of at home brewers making some fantastic craft beer. I am very lucky to have a great friend that decided to experiment with a gluten free recipe. When I tried it, I was shocked. It was similar to a Walt Wit which is a citrusy wheat beer. It was light and crisp with hints of orange and spice. I must admit that having a friend really go above and beyond makes me feel very lucky. I am excited to see what he comes up with next and I hope that it will be sold in stores one day for anyone to try.

Posted in Dinner
Tagged gluten free, gluten free beer, summer recipe
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June 19, 2012

Chicken Kafta kabob

I always love Turkish food. The flavors can be exotic but similar in flavor to many
Mediterranean dishes. Kafta kabobs are common in Turkish restaurants. This dish takes a little effort to prepare, but it creates a very unique blend of flavors. I choose to use lean chicken breast but using lamb or beef is also traditional.

1 full chicken breast ( about 2 lb)
2 Tbsp. coriander / cumin blend
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tbsp.Harissa spice
1 Tbsp. granam spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tbsp. chick pea flower
3 garlic cloves
1 Roasted red pepper
2 chopped Serrano peppers

First place chicken breast in food processor and chop till meat reaches a fine ground cocsistency. Remove meat and place in large bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients except for chick pea flour in the food processor and blend together. Combine the remaining ingredients with the meat in the bowl and add the chick pea flower. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Form long oval shaped patties 6″ by 1″ on a foiled baking sheet. Cook kabobs on 500 degrees for about ten minutes and then flip. Cook an additional 5 minutes and serve with garlic sauce.

Garlic Sauce

I had this at a Lebanese festival in the city and it goes really well with the kabob.

7 Garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. yogurt
1 Tbsp. oil
Juice of half a lemon

Mix all ingredients in food processor and serve.

June 18, 2012

Chow Chow

I’ve always been a fan of quick pickling, but chow chow takes it to a whole new level. You get the vinegar flavor, but it is subtle and sweet enough that you might want to take a second portion. Chow chow is actually a very popular item sold in Amish markets.
Chow chow is a blend of a lot of vegetables in a vinegar base. It’s a great side to a sandwich or even good used on a salad. Feel free to use anything that you have on hand or any vegetable that looks good at the market.

1/3 cup sliced black olives
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white balsamic vinegar
1-2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp Splenda
5 carrots
1 head cauliflower
1 bell pepper
4 celery ribs
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine

Start by chopping all the vegetables. Blanch* the carrots and cauliflower in a large pot. In another large saucepan combine wine, salt, Splenda and vinegar. Heat liquid to a boil and remove from heat. Once vegetables and liquid have cooled, add both to big storage container. Next, add remaining vegetables and mix gently. Marinate overnight in the fridge and serve cold.

* Blanching vegetables is really a work of art. If you can master the technique, then you can make any everyday vegetable simply perfect.

The key to perfect blanching is an extra big pot of boiling water and lots of salt. For the best result you do not want the water to ever stop boiling. If volume of water is too low, then the water will stop boiling when vegetables are added. This would increase the cooking time and creates a more soggy product. Use lots of water and small batches of vegetables. The water should also be super salty so that when you taste it, it tastes like ocean water. This is the only time your vegetable will absorb any flavor.

Place vegetables in boiling water for about 3 minutes but keep an eye on them to avoid over cooking. Then spoon the vegetables out and place in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and to retain their natural color. The more ice the better. Allow the vegetables a few minutes to cool and then remove and drain.

June 13, 2012

Mom’s ratatouille

I’m not sure why this is called ratatouille but I love it. My mom would make it all the time and I would eat it right out of the container. Living in the Italian market makes getting the recipe together very easy. It is a great summer produce recipe. The best part is you can always add whatever you have on hand and use it however you want. Try over pasta, polenta, on a piece of bread or as a side. I changed my mom’s recipe a little to cut some fat bit I promise it taste just as good if not better (sorry mom).

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
1 onion
4 medium celery stocks
1-2 spicy small peppers (I like using the Thai ones)
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
one chopped bell pepper
Half a cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup wine
4 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste

First step is to cut eggplant into small cubes and cook on medium low heat in a sprayed large pan. Try to cook the eggplant low and slow to help sweat without using any oil. The oil is absorbed quick so adding it after cooking for a bit help reduce the amount needed to soften eggplant. After about 10 minutes, once a eggplant is soft, add olive oil and continue to cook. Add chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, wine, vinegar and continue to cook for an additional a few minutes. Last, add celery, olives, oregano, basil and salt pepper to taste and continue to cook the last few minute. Make sure you allow it to cool before storing.
Ratatouille is an easy solution for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner
Tagged Farmers market, gluten free, seasonal veggies, vegan
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June 12, 2012

Carrot Flat Bread

This is most likely the only recipe I make at least once a week. It’s the one recipe I wish I could package and sell. Being gluten-free, it’s tough to find bread; it’s either not very good, or it’s very expensive.
Around the same time that I went gluten-free I also became very interested in juicing. I had done a lot of research on health benefits of vegetable juice. Eating raw vegetables is very good for you but it’s hard to get all the fiber. Juicing is a good way of making sure you get
all the nutrients you need. Once I got into juicing, I realized that I had tons of extra pulp,
and started to learn how to make really creative recipes using all the different pulp. Carrot pulp can be used like any flour.
My carrot bread is great to keep on hand. I freeze it. Whenever I want some, I just heat it for a few minutes in the oven. It’s great with lunch meats

2 cups Carrot pulp
1 egg
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Half cup Quick oats
Half cup almond milk
Half cup rice flour (brown or white)

Juice about 2 pounds of carrots to get two full cups of pulp. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pulp and stir very well. Spread the mixture out on a baking pan (see picture below). Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least an hour. Once cooled, cut into approximately 8 pieces to make for sandwiches. I often freeze a lot of what I make by wrapping it with wax paper, stacking it in a Tupperware and put it in the freezer.
Give it a try and tell me what your favorite toppings are. I think .

June 9, 2012

Falafel Chicken, Hummus and Parsley Salad

When we can’t decide what to have, anything greek is a good option. When summer comes around it’s a safe bet that we have all of this stuff in the fridge.

Falafel Chicken

Make a big batch on Sunday and it is a great protein to bring for lunch any day of the week. Put on a salad, or in a sandwich and you’re good to go. This recipe can be done with store bought falafel mix but I prefer to make my own.

1 pound chicken breast (clean and cut into nuggets)
1/2 cup chick pea flour
2 Tbsp. coriander / cumin Blend
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano

Mix all the ingredients together without the chicken to make a falafel mix. Once combined well, coat each piece of chicken with mix. It may be easier to pour mix into a large zip lock and shake. Cook the chicken on a medium flame in a large well sprayed / oiled pan till golden brown and cook completely.

Hummus

This recipe is in my blood. I can understand why buying store made hummus is such a big trend. It’s expensive and has a lot of preservatives. It’s so easy make hummus and to always keep all the ingredients around. Once you get a good base recipe down, that you enjoy, feel free to add whatever you want from pesto, to roasted peppers or anything else.

1 can chick peas (reserve half the liquid)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

Place all ingredients in food processor. Blend until appropriate consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasonings as you prefer. I love adding roasted red peppers to the mix for some additional flavor and color.

Parsley Salad

2 Seeded and Chopped Tomato
1 chopped seedless cucumber
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice half lemon
2 cups chopped parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and let marinade in fridge for 20 min before serving.

May 27, 2012

Round 3: Gourmet

The show is really heating up and with the final on the line this week is huge!

This week’s challenge is gourmet cooking and nice plating. To keep my trend of international dishes, I chose to go Mediterranean this time. The trick to gourmet cooking is to make it look simple but with flavors that will blow your mind. Mixing textures and colors will make the plate playful and inviting. Give it a try and check out the episode to see how I do!

Bronzino:

4 Bronzino filets (Skin on but no bones)

6 different colored bell peppers (cleaned and cut in half)

1 lemon

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

2 TBS chickpea flower

½ TBS Coriander and Cumin blend

2 Tsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

¼ Cup chopped parsley

Start by rubbing oil on the peppers and roasting in the oven at 500 degrees. They take about 20 min but watch them so they don’t burn. While the peppers are in the oven the fish can be prepared. In a large bowl, mix together the coriander blend, 1Tsp salt, chick pea flower, garlic and onion powder. Coat only the skin side of the fish in the mixture. Next, place the fish on a hot oiled pan skin side down. Allow the fist to cook for about 3 minutes. As soon as the skin starts to brown, it can be moved to an oiled backing dish. Top each piece with the remaining salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of olive oil. Place lemon rounds along the tops and then finish toping with parsley. Now, it’s time to remove the peppers and turn oven down to 400 degrees. Once the oven cools down a bit place fish in about 5 minutes, again paying attention not to burn it. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and julienne into strips. The fish should be served on top of the peppers either with or with out the skin. I chose to go skinless for the show since it sits a bit before judging and I did not want a soggy final product.

In the show I topped the fish off with a simple tappenade of chopped green olives, red olives, capers and truffle oil.

Israeli Salad:

This recipe is a staple at all family meals in my home. Great for any summer day.

1 Large cucumber chopped fine

4 Roman Tomatoes Seeded and chopped

½ Cup Chopped parsley

¼ Cup chopped mint

2 TBS Olive Oil

½ Juice of a Lemon

1 Tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl, stir and let sit of 30 min in the fridge. I prefer to drain off the extra liquid before serving and top with good crumbled feta cheese.

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May 20, 2012

Round Two: Mexican Vacation on a Budget

The search for the next local TV chef continues. Round Two – cooking on a budget. Each chef was allowed $25 to create a meal for four. Since cooking on a budget is what I am great at, I decided to kick it up a level and pull out all my great stuff.

I love to travel and when I need a beach vacation, Mexico is my number one choice. My favorite part is the endless guacamole and the super fresh ceviche. Pair this combo with some black beans and corn tortillas and you have an amazing budget friendly feast that will feed a crowd.

Cuban Style Black Beans:

1/2 Pound Black Beans (soaked overnight)

1/2 C cilantro

1/2 jalapeño pepper diced

4 C Water

1 Cube of bullion

1/2 Copped red onion

Tsp Cumin

Tsp Salt

1 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp brown sugar

1/2 Lime

1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 Bay leaves

1/4 cup Queso Fresco Cheese

2 Tbs EVOO

Strate by browning onions in EVOO. Next, add beans with 4 cups of water. Then, bring mixture to boil while adding everything except vinegar and bay leaves. Once a nice boil is reached, lower flame to a high simmer and give a good stir. Add bay leaves and vinegar. Let beans cook at least an hour or until the beans reach a soft consistency. If you don’t have an hour, cook the beans before hand for 30 min in boiling water, rinse and then start with the first step. Serve warm and top with Queso Fresco.

Ceviche:

1 Pound Fish (This can be ANYTHING from shrimp, catfish or flounder.)

6 Limes

¼ Cup red onion very thinly slices and soaked in cold water (the water takes out the bite)

1 Cup plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.

1 Cup Cilantro Leaves Chopped

1 Yellow piper thinly slices

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ceviche is a dish that is fully cooked without heat. The fish is prepared by soaking in citrus such as lime, lemon or grapefruit juice. It’s important to use very fresh fish in order to make sure the dish is safe to eat and tastes great. In some countries, the “milk” that remains after cooking is considered a hangover remedy but I don’t recommend it.

The first step is to marinate fish in lime juice for at least 24 hours (The bigger the pieces, the longer it will take). The fish should be fully covered by the juice so that the meat is evenly cooked. The acid from the citrus will affect any metal it comes in contact with so make sure to use a glass or plastic bowl. After the fish has soaked for 24 hours in the fridge, drain off all remaining liquid. Finally, add sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, salt, pepper and cilantro. Stir everything gently and serve cold.

This dish promises to impress a crowd and is a great option for some inexpensive entertaining. Just serve with tortillas and you have great guilt free fish tacos.

Guacamole:

You can’t have a Mexican meal without some creamy guacamole and chips. As the guilt free foodie cutie I have added my own twist. Give it a try!

Dip-

3 Ripe Avocados (dark in color and soft to the touch)

1 lime

1 C cilantro leaves chopped

¼ red onion chopped

½ jalapeño seeded and chopped

1 -2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped (depends on if you like your guacamole chunky or creamy)

½ tbs garlic powder

½ tbs pepper

1 tsp salt

Chips –

2 Plantains (slice thin with a mandolin or the side of a box grater)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs salt

2 Tsp brown sugar

Slice avocados in half and remove pit (save both for later). Spoon out the creamy inside and mash with fork in large bowl. Add cilantro, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes and garlic to the bowl. Next, add lime juice slowly until desired consistency is reached. The amount of lime juice depends on how soft the avocados are and prevents avocados from oxidizing and becoming brown but can also make the dip runny if you overdo it. Guacamole is great served in the remaining avocado shells for a nice presentation. Also the pits can be placed in the dip to help preserve freshness when storing in the fridge.

Making the chips is easy and a much healthier choice then tortillas. Toss the sliced plantains with oil, sugar and half the salt. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8 min. Flip chips and sprinkle remaining salt on top. Then return to oven for addition 5 minutes or until they begin to brown and become crispy.

May 20, 2012

Round Two: Mexican Vacation on a Budget

Cuban Style Black Beans:

1/2 Pound Black Beans (soaked overnight)

1/2 C cilantro

1/2 jalapeño pepper diced

4 C Water

1 Cube of bullion

1/2 Copped red onion

Tsp Cumin

Tsp Salt

1 Tsp pepper

1 Tsp brown sugar

1/2 Lime

1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 Bay leaves

1/4 cup Queso Fresco Cheese

2 Tbs EVOO

Ceviche:

1 Pound Fish (This can be ANYTHING from shrimp, catfish or flounder.)

6 Limes

¼ Cup red onion very thinly slices and soaked in cold water (the water takes out the bite)

1 Cup plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.

1 Cup Cilantro Leaves Chopped

1 Yellow piper thinly slices

Salt and Pepper to taste

This dish promises to impress a crowd and is a great option for some inexpensive entertaining. Just serve with tortillas and you have great guilt free fish tacos.

Guacamole:

You can’t have a Mexican meal without some creamy guacamole and chips. As the guilt free foodie cutie I have added my own twist. Give it a try!

Dip-

3 Ripe Avocados (dark in color and soft to the touch)

1 lime

1 C cilantro leaves chopped

¼ red onion chopped

½ jalapeño seeded and chopped

1 -2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped (depends on if you like your guacamole chunky or creamy)

½ tbs garlic powder

½ tbs pepper

1 tsp salt

Chips –

2 Plantains (slice thin with a mandolin or the side of a box grater)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs salt

2 Tsp brown sugar

May 9, 2012

Summer Rolls

My Signature Dish

The NBC cooking competition has finally started filming. I must admit I was really nervous going into it. Once it was underway, I was able to relax and everything just flowed.

The first challenge was “Your Signature Dish.” I decided to go with my famous summer rolls and my simple broiled salmon recipe. Summer rolls are a great unique treat. They can be eaten by hand and dipped into a wide range of sauces. Even better, they are easily gluten free and really healthy too. Let’s hope it’s a winner 🙂

Salmon

4 (4oz) Salmon Cuts

4 TBS Hoisin Sauce (Gluten free) (Asian BBQ Sauce)

2 Tsp Ginger Powder

2 Tsp Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper

2 TBS EVOO (Olive Oil)

Place fish on an oiled baking tray. Sprinkle all pieces of salmon with equal parts ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Next, coat each with a thin layer of olive oil. Then, top each piece with a TBS of hoisin and spread it around. Finally, put the tray in the broiler for about 4 minutes. WATCH THE FISH and DON’T LET IT BURN.

This dish also works well with a simple watercress salad. Simply trim the watercress and dress it with vinaigrette of lime, salt, pepper and a touch of EVOO.

Spring Rolls

Ten (4 inch) Rice Papers

2 Cups cooked Rice Noodles

1 Bulb Fennel with top

1 Carrot

1 Piece Celery

1 TBS Rice wine vinegar

1 TBS Brown Sugar

1 tsp Salt

¼ lime

1 C Fresh Basil

1 C Fresh Cilantro

1 C Mint Fresh Leaves

The first step is to prepare the filling. Grate the carrot, celery and fennel bulb into a bowl (I know this is a pain but the effort will pay off). Chop ¼ of the fennel top and add it to the bowl along with the salt, sugar, vinegar and lime. Stir the mixture well and then put it to the side. Next, wash, dry and chop the mint, cilantro and basil and place into a bowl.

Now to assembling. The first thing to do is make sure you have a clean, dry non-stick work space (a clean plate or board is great for this). Spring rolls involve no cooking but the rice paper needs to be re-hydrated in order to roll. It’s important to do one at a time and be patient; it may take a few minutes before you get the hang of it. To re-hydrate the paper, fill a medium bowl or a high sided pot with very warm water. Submerge each paper in the water for about 5 second. Remove paper and lightly dry off access water and lay it on a flat surface. Begin to layer the fillings on one end of the roll starting with a 1/8 cup of rice noodles, then 2 TBS of the fresh herbs and then 3-4 TBS of the fennel and carrot mixture. (Hint: Filling the rolls well and not allowing the paper to become too wet will help the final product hold shape). Roll the filling into the paper just like you would roll a lunch wrap or as many would say a cigarette. Fold in the sides and keep the roll snug as you roll. Place the finished rolls on a plate and allow 10 mins for them to dry and become more firm.

Use your imagination on the filling. Summer rolls can be made to fit any dish. Adding a protein like shrimp, chicken or tofu can really make this dish a great summer meal all on its own.

Dipping Sauce:

2 TBS Peanut Butter

Juice or ½ a Lime

1 TBS Brown sugar

1 TBS Sriracha (Asian Hot Pepper Sauce)

1 TBS Hoisin Sauce (Gluten Free) (Asian BBQ Sauce)

1 TBS Soy Sauce (Gluten Free)

1 TBS warm water

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Adjust ingredients depending on how spicy you like.