Cottage Pie

Hi! Did y'all miss me? It's been a loooong time since my last blog. I have been pre-occupied with a lot of things and didn't have time to blog. But if you've been following me on instagram, you'll know that I have not given up on cooking, (and taking pictures!), I just haven't been able to post recipes. Sorry!

Anyway, I though I'd start off my comeback with this easy-peasy cottage pie that looks too pretty to eat. Of course, you can just dump the creamy mashed potato on top of the juicy meat and you're good to go. But why stop there? Me, I like playing with my food, so I pipe creamy mashed potato to top my cottage pie. I mean, who says piping is exclusive to buttercream, right?

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

See, I told you I meant to blog. I took these photos last year. You know what they say, better late than never! ;-)

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

This recipe can be easily doubled. Make this on your next potluck and your friends will think you slaved all day in the kitchen ;-)


Cottage Pie
Make: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g minced beef
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (diced carrots, peas, beans and corn)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp flour or cornstarch
1/4 cup beef stock
pink Himalayan salt or sea salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

For the Mashed Potato
1kg potato, peeled and roughly chopped
enough water for boiling the potatoes
1tsp salt
1/2 stick of butter, cubed
1/4 cup warm milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 200*C.

2. In a large cast-iron or non-stick pan, heat the oil then add the minced beef. season with freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, saute  onion until transluscent. Add garlic. Then add mixed veggies and cook for 1 more minute. Add the minced beef and the flour and cook for 1 minute. Then add the stock, soy sauce and tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning then add honey, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in the cast iron pan.

4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with enough water and add 1 tsp salt. Cook until fork-tender. Drain.

5. In a bowl, mash the potato with butter and add milk as needed. Mash until smooth and creamy. Transfer into a piping bag with star tip.

6. Pipe rosette swirls of mashed potato on top of the beef mixture; cover completely. Broil/bake for 5 minutes or until the mashed potato forms a light golden brown crust.

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Caldereta

My Beef Caldereta, a traditional Filipino stew, is probably the most requested dish friends ask me to bring whenever there's a potluck get-together. I love that they appreciate my cooking; to be asked for a repeat is the best compliment for an aspiring cook like me, (or it could be that I have really nice friends!).

Before, potluck get-together meant take-aways, home delivery or we just chip-in some cash for the food. It all changed when I got into the hobby of cooking. I feel I show a bit more appreciation to the host when I make the effort to prepare and bring something homemade. There's that added ingredient...love. It's not always a success though, sometimes what I make doesn't look (or taste!) exactly how I wanted it to be, like this one here, oh what a disaster!

instagram: tea cakes...epic fail! :'(

When this happens, a good bottle of booze is in order...or Krispy Kreme :-)

Recently, some of our friends organized a surprise send-off party to a lovely couple who are dear to us. We expats are used to hellos and goodbyes. For most of us Bahrain is (just) a "transient home". Sooner or later, we will bid ma'a salama (goodbye). But while we're here, we make friends, build relationships and touch lives. Some of my dearest and closest friends I met here in Bahrain, friends like the couple we honored that night. It was fun and loud as usual, but poignant nonetheless. We will miss them terribly, but it doesn't mean our friendship has to end. The world is smaller now and there are many ways to get in touch, (thanks mostly to Facebook!). And so though we will be miles apart, instead of goodbye, we say "till we meet again".


Going back to the caldereta, which was the dish that i brought to the send off, I thought it was high time to share the recipe so my friends, near and far can enjoy it anytime. And I'm dishing out my secrets why this dish is different from most caldereta you might have tried.

I'm going to peg this dish at medium difficulty not because it is complicated, it is really pretty simple and easy to prepare, but it is time consuming. You need 45 minutes pre-cooking and at least 2 hours resting time. You can even pre-cook the beef the night before. You can skip the resting time but I do this for one reason alone, which is secret no. 1...to skim off the fat.

I pressure-cook the beef then separate the beef from the stock and strain the stock to remove the spices. Pop the stock in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight. What happens next is the reason I take these extra steps...the fat will settle on top and harden forming a crust as seen here. Then it will be easy to remove these artery-clogging fats. So I get all the flavors of the fatty parts of the beef without the actual fats. I then add a different kind of fat, the ingredients that makes this dish creamy...dairy, make that 2 kinds of dairy-- butter and cheese. Hey, I didn't say this dish is healthy, but it is soulful, perfect to share with good friends.

How about you, what's your favorite dish to bring to a potluck?

Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 + 30 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 kg beef ribs, cut into cubes
1 kg beef brisket, cut into cubes
6 cups water
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp whole black peppercorn
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 head of garlic, whole, top trimmed + 1 head of garlic, minced
2 tbsp EVOO
1 stick of butter
2 medium sized red onions, diced
500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cube
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch thick
1 large green capsicum, deseeded and cut into square (1 inch), about 2 cups
2 cups green peas
2 packs Mama Sita Caldereta Mix
2 Reno liver spread
100 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Pressure cook the beef in water, salt, whole black peppercorn and 1 whole head of garlic for 45 minutes. Cool before opening the lid. Transfer the beef in one container and strain the stock. Discard the spices. Pop the stock in the fridge for a good 2 hours until the fat forms a crust on top. Skim off the fat and discard. Warm the stock over low heat. Set aside.

2. In a large, deep pot, melt the butter with EVOO over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic and the butter. Add the onion and crank up the heat to high. Saute occasionally for another 3 minutes until the onion is semi-translucent. Add the cooked beef, potato, liver spread, 4-5 cups of stock and Mama Sita Caldereta Mix. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes then turn down the heat to medium. Cover the pot and stir occasionally until the potato is almost cooked, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the ground pepper and salt as needed.

3. When the potatoes and carrots are cooked, add the capsicum, green peas and cheese just before you turn off the heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Makes 12-14 servings.

Home-cooked Meals
21 Sep 2012

Shrimp Jambalaya

Sorry for the long hiatus, my project of 3 years has come to an end, or rather, have started a new beginning and I have been swamped with work these past couple of weeks. I still have lots of photos and recipes waiting to be blogged. Don't worry, I will get to it, as we say here in the gulf, Inshallah (God willing)!

Anyway, I don't think this one can wait. This dish was an instant hit the first time I tried making it. And although we have never, (EVER!) tried a jambalaya before, this has now become a new favorite in the Casa Vaquer. My husband have requested it twice this week! I guess it's because it closely resembles our favorite Spanish dish, paella. But the great thing about this dish is it is not as labor intensive as the paella. Though it still is time consuming and will require your utmost attention, it is easier to prepare.
What I also love about this one-pot dish is that it is a crowd-pleaser and can instantly be the star of the meal. I made this on our weekend family lunch and everybody loved it. Wow your friends and bring this to your next pot luck.

The original recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe but I have modified the recipe to my own liking. If you want to try Martha's recipe, click here.

The original version calls for long grain rice, I guess if you use long grains the rice would be less mushy. But I love Egyptian rice and is a staple in my pantry. I like medium grains because it closely resembles a risotto and the flavor easily seeps in the rice. So feel free to substitute if you prefer long grains.

Here's how to make this New Orleans dish, Shrimp Jambalaya:

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 80 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
240 g Spanish chorizo, cut lengthwise and sliced into 1/6 inch thick
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 celery stalks (Note: reserve trimmed stalks and leaves for the stock)
1/2 head of garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsps paprika
1 1/2 to 2 tsps salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)


10 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

3 cups medium-grain white rice, (or long grain if you prefer), rinsed
1 kg medium shrimps, peeled and deveined (*Note: reserve the shells and head for the stock)
1 cup green peas, thawed
3 to 5 cups *stock
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

*For the stock:
Shrimp shells and heads, cleaned
1 red onion, quartered
celery leaves and discarded stalks
5 cups water
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Prepare the stock by putting all the ingredients in a pot and bring it up to a boil. Reduce the heat to low until ready to use, approximately 20 minutes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a big pot over high heat. Add the chorizo and occasionally saute for 4-6 minutes until it renders fat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper and celery. Cook for another 3 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften. Add the salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper, (if using) and let the ingredients absorb the spices, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and rice and stir until well combined. Add 3 cups of stock and stir. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, checking halfway and stir, making sure not to burn the bottom.
Note: This is where it gets tricky. Add an initial of 3 cups of water. After 10 minutes or so, check if the rice is cooked. Add stock as needed. Keep a close eye so you don't end up with a jambalaya with uncooked rice or is too mushy. I add an interval of 1/2 cup until I get the rice perfectly cooked.

4. Once the the rice is cooked and most of the water has evaporated, add the shrimps and peas and stir for the last time until well combined. Cover the pot and cook for another 2 minutes. Then turn of the burner, do not open the lid of the pot for the shrimp to cook just right.

5. Let the rice sit for another 10 minutes before you serve, to make sure the liquids are fully absorbed. Alternatively, serve immediately if you want a risotto-like texture. Garnish with scallions on top.

Serves a hearty helping for 4



Home-cooked Meal
22 Feb 2013

Bagoong Rice

This is one of those dishes that I made as a result of my one of those out-of-the-blue-cravings. I didn't know how to make it, but I was sure I want something home-made, not take out, (nope, not even Thailand or Mami Soup will cut it this time). So I did some research, but none of the recipes online seemed to work for me. If you cook, you know by looking at the ingredients how it's going to taste like, right? Probably the one closest to what I was dreaming of was this recipe from yummy.ph. So that became my guide, then I adjusted it to my liking.

Though this has been well adapted as a Filipino dish, this was borrowed from our Thai neighbor. We Southeast Asians share the same love for rice! And this rice dish is one of them; it's bursting with with complex flavor-- salty, sweet and tangy, what more can you ask for? A second serving perhaps?

Ingredients:
FOR THE PORK BITES
1 cup bite-sized pork belly
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

FOR THE BAGOONG RICE
3 cups day-old cooked rice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup raw bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsps finely chopped red onions
1 red chili, thinly cut, crosswise

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar

FOR THE OMELET:
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS
1 green mango, 3 inch-julienne
1 cucumber, 3 inch-julienne

Directions:

1. Make an omelet with one egg lightly seasoned with salt. Cool for a couple of minutes and then slice thinly, (the same size as the cucumber and mango). Set aside.

2. Season the pork with salt, pepper and sugar. Fry the pork in EVOO until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes; you may adjust to your preferred doneness. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Remove some of the pork fat and reserve for later, leave 2 tbsps of oil in the pan.

3. Saute garlic, chili and onion in the same pan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until onion is slightly softened. Add the shrimp paste , sugar and black pepper. Saute until the shrimp paste change its color from pink to brownish. Add the rice and mix until well combined. Serve in a bowl and top with strips of mangoes, cucumber and omelet.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
06 Oct 2012

Mongolian Beef

Here's another dish that spawned from gawking in Pinterest, P. F. Chang's Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe by Six Sister's Stuff. When I saw the picture, my mouth started to water! I gotta have some! No, I gotta make some!

Now, there's no P. F. Chang's here in Bahrain and I have never tried their Mongolian Beef so I have no way of telling you whether that recipe is as good as that of P. F. Chang's, but what I can tell you is that the mongolian beef that I made adapted from that recipe was good...really good.

For my recipe, I made some modifications; a little plus/minus on the ingredients, (like the garlic, I needed more garlic!), and I have my way of cooking the beef. I like to sear the beef until the edges are caramelized and the only way to do that was to fry by batch. It's a little more tedious but sealing the flavor pays off for the extra time spent frying them.  So, if you want the original P. F. Chang's copycat recipe, (original copycat haha!), click the link here. For my version, keep reading. And oh, make sure you've got bowlfuls of steamed white rice.


Difficulty: Medium


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes


Ingredients:

500 g flank steak, thinly sliced into bite sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying, (after cooking the beef in it, reserve 1 tbsp of the beef oil)

1/2 tbsp ginger, minced

2 tbsp garlic, minced, (the original recipe called for 1 tbsp, but I love garlic so I doubled it!)

1/2 cup soy sauce 

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup dark brown sugar 

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted*

*Tip on toasting the sesame seeds: Place the sesame seeds in a dry pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and shake the pan every couple of seconds to make sure the sesame seeds are evenly toasted. Keep a close eye on it, it only takes 1-2 minutes to toast the seeds.

Direction:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet.

2. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in flour then put the beef in a sieve to shake off excess flour. You only want a thin coating.

3. Sear the beef by batch, just enough to cover the wok. Do not overcrowd the wok. You want each piece to nicely brown on the edges on both sides, but be careful not to cook it all the way through as it will cook further when you put it back into the wok with the sauce. Drain over paper towels. Repeat the process until all the beef slices are cooked. Set aside.

4. Remove most of the oil from the wok but leave 1 tbsp of the oil. Saute garlic and ginger for 1 minute over high heat. 

5. Add the soy sauce, water and sugar and boil until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and toss until well coated. Let simmer for another 2 minutes to infuse the sauce into the meat. Just before you turn off the heat, add the sesame oil. 

6. Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds and scallions on top.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meals

07 Apr 2012

Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles

If you have been following my blog for quite some time, you will notice that most of the dishes I cook are easy to prepare. And that's mainly the point of my blog; I would like to encourage the working moms out there that preparing a home-cooked meal is not only doable, it can be fun too and surprisingly a stress-reliever. What's more, you get to choose what you put on the table and what's in it, which sometimes means a healthier version of your favorite meal. And did I mention the dinars you'll save from cutting down on home delivery and eating out? Yeah, some of my favorite resto dishes are so easy to prepare, and I save heaps making it at home, without sacrificing on the quality of the ingredients.

One of my favorite is this Japanese noodle, zaru soba or cold buckwheat noodles. Yes, the noodles are served cold, sometimes on a bed of ice and served with a hot dipping broth.

This version is actually Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodle. And here's how I make it.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
400g dried cha (green tea) buckwheat noodles
water for boiling the noodles
a big bowl of ice cubes

For the Hot Broth:
4 tbsp dashi granules
4 cups water
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup Kikoman soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped scallions

Toppings & Garnish:
shredded nori (dried seaweeds), as desired 
togarashi (red chili flakes), as desired
toasted sesame seeds

Direction:

1. Place Cha noodles in boiling water and cook as directed in the package. Drain and transfer the the noodles on a bowl of ice cubes. Set Aside.

2. In a sauce pan, dissolve the dashi granules in water and bring up to a boil. Bring the heat down then add mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cold soba on bamboo soba plates, garnish with nori, sesame seeds and togarashi. Alternatively, you may put ice cubes on serving bowls then top it with the soba to keep it chilled. Have a small dipping bowl of broth on the side, add scallions to the broth as desired. Dip, slurp and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
24 Oct 2011

Spaghetti Bolognese

One my favorite and go-to recipe is Spaghetti Bolognese. I always have dried spaghetti and the necessary ingredients in my pantry to make this dish so I can make some for unplanned meals or sudden cravings. This is where dried herbs and spices come in handy. I have a variety of of them. For years they lie hidden in my cupboard...but not anymore!

Recently, I started a DIY project; I recycled Starbucks coffee bottles and turned them into spice jars. I so love 'em! They're great functional accessories on my kitchen countertop.

For more photos and to see my other DIY kitchen projects, click here.

Ok, going back to bolognese. This recipe is my no-fuss version; dried pasta, dried herbs, canned tomatoes, everything that you might have available in your pantry. I use dried herbs when I only plan to use a little as it pains me to waste leftover herbs, they are expensive! And unless I find real good tomatoes, I use the canned ones because the flavor is consistent. But if there is one thing that I try not to compromise is the cheese. I buy fresh block of parmigiano reggiano and NOT the bottled, powdery ones. It's just not the same, the taste of freshly shaved cheese is exponentially better! Just buy a small block, enough for the dish you're serving. I tell you, it will make all the difference.

So here it is, my Spaghetti Bolognese.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
500 g dried spaghetti
2 L water + 1 tsp salt  + 1 tsp olive oil for boiling the spaghetti*

 400 g minced beef
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp freshly ground pepper, adjust to taste
3-4 tbsp EVOO
6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 tsp dried oregano, (or 1 tbsp chopped fresh fresh)
2 tsp dried basil, (or 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil, more for garnish)
1/2 tsp dried thyme, (or 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed)

1 dried bay leaf
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups water*
400 g canned whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and roughly chopped
425 g tomato sauce
135 g or 6 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey
100 g parmigiano reggiano, shaved
chili flakes, optional
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Note: You may use the starchy water from the cooked pasta for a richer texture.

1. Season the beef with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO and saute the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the dried basil and thyme for another 30 seconds. The herbs will release it's flavor when sauteed in oil. Add the onions and cook until softened.

4. Add the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the the wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is reduced and the meat is cooked.

5. Add the carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning before you add the honey.

5. Add the pasta to the sauce.

6. Serve with shaved parmigiano reggiano, chili flakes and freshly ground pepper on top and garnish with chopped parsley.

 Makes 4 Servings

Home-cooked Meal
14 Jul 2012

Binagoongan

Binagoongan

Here's my first ever post on a truly, authentic and originally pinoy (filipino) food-- Binagoongan, (Pork in Shrimp Paste).

It was noteworthy to mention that this is the first time I ever tried making this dish. My husband begged me to write it down immediately or else I might forget how I made it and I won't be able to duplicate the dish. It's gonna be an "adobo story" all over again and my husband wouldn't want that, oh no, no no! I'm still trying to find what I put in the adobo that he fell in love with, still trying to find that long lost love. Pots by pots of adobo and he still ends up brokenhearted... she is not the one. Hence, the reason why I'm blogging. I told myself never again will I cook a dish and forget about it. I owe it to the people who falls in love with it to revisit and rekindle that love over and over. So they may live happily ever after. The...what?! Ok, enough with the drama, and the adobo, let's talk about binagoongang baboy or just simply binagoongan.

I made this dish over the weekend. I searched the bloggesphere and watched several videos and none of them seems to be the "right" recipe. If you're a cook, you KNOW what I'm talking about. Once the food touches your taste buds, you know it's anatomy, you can dissect it in your mind, and can vividly imagine how it was put together... even if you haven't made one yet. I've been wrong before but I'm usually right! So, what a girl to do? Well, experiment of course! Just don the apron and get cookin'! And boy! was it a success. My husband found his new love!

As for me, I have learned my lesson, I'm penning this baby down before I forget. Let me know if this rocks your world the way it did my husband ;-)

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1hr + 40 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs, 30 min
Note: You can cut total time in about 1 hour if you prep during the initial cooking time and inactive time.

Ingredients:

1 kg pork belly, cut into 1 inch strip.
1 head garlic, minced
2 large, red onions, diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 eggplants, cut lengthwise then sliced into 1 cm thick
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced, set aside a few slices for garnish
1/2 cup, Barrio Fiesta Sweet shrimp paste
1 cup pork broth*
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 pork cubes, crushed, (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup oil + more for deep frying the pork (approximately 4 cups)


Direction:

1. Boil the pork in water with salt, pepper and 1 pork cube. After boiling for 5 minutes, turn down the heat and continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes until the pork is tender and the fat is really soft and has a buttery texture. Fish out the pork and set aside 1 cup of pork broth* for later. Slice the pork into 1 inch cube and pop in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
 Note: You may want to prep while you wait for the pork to cook.

2.  Heat the oil for deep frying.

3. Fry pork per batch until golden brown Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the pork will stick and the temperature of the oil will drop. Drain and Set aside.
*Caution: Watch out for the oil splatters!

4. In another pan, saute garlic, onion and tomatoes. Then add the shrimp paste, the remaining pork cube, sugar, vinegar and pork broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the eggplant and jalapeno. Finally, add the pork and toss until well combined. Taste for seasoning. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes. To serve, garnish with jalapeno slices on top. A perfect compliment to rice.

Makes: 6-8 servings

Home-cooked Meals
26 May 2012

Lemon-Garlic Chicken

Got this delicious chicken recipe from pinterest which was originally from Annie's Eats. I slightly modified it to suit my taste and have altered some of the ingredients, like, I used dried basil instead of fresh rosemary. Not that I don't like rosemary but I only had dried basil available in my kitchen when I made this. This dish is so easy to make and it tasted absolutely yummy! The herb and spices did come together wonderfully.

For Annie's Eats recipe, click here. For my adaptation, keep reading.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 15 (marinade), 10 minutes (pre-cooking)
Inactive Time: 2 hours to overnight
Cooking Time: 70 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

900g chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
juice of 3 lemons
zest of 3 lemon
1/2 head of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 stick of  unsalted butter, melted

 for garnish:
thin slices of lemon
2 sprigs of thyme

Directions:

1. Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, basil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

2. In a large, rectangular container, arrange the chicken thigh, skin-side up. Pour the lemon marinade. Cover and marinade the chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 200*C.

4. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or baking dish, skin-side up. Pour half of the marinade. Brush the top of each chicken with melted butter.

5. Bake the chicken for 60-70 minutes.After 30 minutes, add the rest of the marinade and brush the remaining butter on top of the chicken. If you don't want the extra juice on your chicken you can skip adding the rest of the marinade. Rotate the pan and wait until the chicken is done.

6. To serve, garnish with slices of lemon and sprigs of thyme.

7. Serve immediately. Great paired with white rice or mashed potato.

30 March
Home-cooked Meals

Bacon and Spinach Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

Whole wheat, spinach, garlic, EVOO...these stuff are not only delicious but good for you. And a little sprinkle of bacon bits will not hurt you at all. Here's how you can enjoy this pasta, guilt-free.

Ingredients:

200g whole wheat spaghetti pasta
200g fresh spinach
100g bacon, diced
1 head garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste
freshly shaved parmigiano reggiano, optional

Direction:

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.

Cook the bacon in 1 tbsp EVOO until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of EVOO to the bacon dripping and sautee the garlic for about 2 minutes on medium heat.
Deglaze the pan using 1/4 cup of wine. Simmer for a couple of minutes until the wine is reduced to about 1/8 of a cup.

Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.

Then, add the pasta and half of the bacon bits.

Lastly, season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, add the remaining bacon bits and freshly shaved parmigiano reggiano on top.

12 March 2012
Home-cooked Meal