Month: April 2013

Chinese Chicken Hoisin Pizza

I first came across this recipe several years ago. I have to admit that I love Hoisin Sauce which you will find in the Oriental section of any grocery store (even in Mexico). If you buy  some flatbread or a prepared crust and those precooked chicken strips, this recipe is K.I.S.S.  Cooking it on the BBQ keeps the kitchen from heating up!

VEGAN friends…you can substitute your favourite grilled tofu for the chicken!

Chinese Chicken Hoisin Pizza

  • Prepared pizza dough (or your favourite flatbread)
  • 2 T oil
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 grilled skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 onions finely sliced
  • 2/3 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/3 cup red pepper in paper thin strips
  • 1 cup mozzarella
make it
Roll out dough if using fresh. Brush with olive oil. Place directly in center of BBQ for 1-3 minutes. Flip over and spread hoisin sauce, chicken, onions, cilantro and pepper. Sprinkle cheese over top. Move off heat and grill 5-10 minutes with lid closed.
OR
Brush flatbread or prepared crust with oil and brown one side on BBQ. Flip over and spread ingredients. Close lid and grill until cheese melts.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Chilled Avocado-Cilantro Soup

Hard to imagine on this very cold Sunday morning that anyone in Canada might be interested in a cold soup…LOL. Nevertheless, I have had a request for this soup from a dear friend in Burlington who enjoys a similar soup at our friend Valeries’ The Pickled Onion B and B in Santa Elena. Alas, it is NOT Valerie’s recipe (family secret), but it has been tested by Larry and I and it is a winner!

Ina Pinkney’s Chilled Avocado-Cilantro Soup

  • 1 2/3 large ripe fresh California avocados- peeled and pitted
  • 2 cup chicken stock (canned low sodium)
  • 2/3 Tbsp. lime juice
  • ½ cup yogurt- plain, low fat
  • ¼ cup sour cream or cottage cheese
  • 1 tomato – large, peeled and seeded or 10 or 12 cherry tomatoes whole
  • ¼ cup cilantro – fresh, chopped
  • salt to taste
  • hot sauce for garnish

Instructions

  1. Put 1 1/2 the avocados, stock, lime juice, yogurt and sour cream in a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Add the tomato and cilantro and pulse just until the tomato is coarsely chopped.
  4. Coarsely chop the remaining half of avocado and stir into the soup.
  5. Chill for several hours.
  6. Serve with a dash of hot sauce (optional)
  7. A dollop of sour cream on the surface of the soup, stirred with a toothpick to make a swirl. You could add a few croutons!

Makes 4 generous servings…

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity according

Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Don’t tell the kids it is – Cauliflower!)

Just trying to clean out the fridge and use up a few veggies. Also wanted to try a new recipe from my friend, Karen – Chinese Five Spice Scallops! They will appear next week 🙂

Decided the best thing was to make up the cauliflower like mashed potatoes. Lo and behold my favourite Food Network had this great recipe by George Stella and it was easy! Ya gotta try this!!!! Even the kids will eat it…no matter what age…LOL

“Mock” Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Recipe courtesy George Stella

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.

In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smoo

Egg Ribbon and Parmesan Soup

Was looking for something easy and quick to make for supper last night and came across this on Bon Appetit….it was very simple and uses just a few ingredients. My additions are indicated in red….

Egg Ribbon and Parmesan Soup (Bon Appetit September 2004)

Robyn Fuoco of Mainly Café and Bakery, Philadelphia, PA, writes: “Although I don’t have any formal culinary training, I’ve spent my entire career working as a chef. You could say the restaurant business just runs in the family. My grandfather had his own restaurant, my husband is a chef, and I’m co-owner of the Mainly Café and Bakery, where I also happen to be the pastry chef. After I’ve spent all day baking—and tasting—sweets, it’s good to go home and make “real food” to eat. Because I’m busy, I like dinnertime to be organized. My secret is keeping the pantry well stocked with basics like olive oil, kosher salt, and a variety of pastas and beans.”

4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 6 cups low-salt chicken broth (or half chicken and half vegetable)
  • 3/4 cup tiny pasta (such as acini di pepe or orzo) (I used Barilla fideos…very small noodles for chicken soup)
  • Chopped fresh Italian parsley or basil
  • When I do this again, I will add slivers of carrot. If ya gotta have it, add cooked chicken…

Preparation

  • Whisk eggs and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese in small bowl to blend. Bring chicken broth to simmer in large pot. Add pasta. Cover and simmer until pasta is tender, about 6 minutes. Gradually add egg mixture to soup, stirring constantly until egg ribbons form, about 1 minute. Simmer 1 minute longer. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve, passing remaining cheese separately.

Panna Cota with Strawberries

This recipe comes from my friend Karen in Maine. It is a very simple and light dessert. For other great recipes, please visit Karen’s site… www.backroadjournal.wordpress.com

Panna Cotta BYJ

Serves 4 to 6

  • 1 pkg. of Knox gelatin powder (1/4 oz.)
  • 1/4 c. milk plus an additional 1/4 c. milk
  • 2 c. heavy cream
  • 1/2 c. powdered (icing) sugar
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. lemon extract (optional)

Place 1/4 cup of milk in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it and let soften for about 10 minutes. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and heavy cream into a pot and add the sugar, stirring well. Simmer over low heat until the mixture just starts to get small bubbles around the edge. Add the softened gelatin to the mixture and stir until the gelatin dissolves. (Do not let the mixture boil.) Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a container with a pouring spout. Stir in the vanilla and lemon extract.

Pour into small cups* and refrigerate for at least four hours. (If making the day before, once the mixture has gotten firm place a piece of plastic on top so that a thick skin doesn’t form.)

*If you plan to unmold the panna cotta, run cold water on the inside of the molds, rinse but do not dry. A thin film of non flavored oil can be wiped on the inside of the molds instead, which will also help when unmolding.  To unmold, dip the container into hot water for a few seconds and then run a knife around the edge.

Balsamic Strawberry Sauce

  • 1 c. sliced strawberries
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (Don’t skip this!)

Place all the ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Mash the strawberries a little if necessary and then pour through a fine sieve, mashing with the back of a spoon to extract all the sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve. May be prepared a day ahead.

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