International Cook-blog

With Baby Tomatoes and Sage

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•          3 cups of fresh baby tomatoes (rinsed and halved)

•          2 cups of Greek feta (crumbled roughly)
•          5 leaves of sage (roughly chopped)
•          1 medium sized lemon
•          1 cup of Olive Oil
•          Basil pesto (store-bought or homemade - here’s an excellent recipe!)
•          1 packet of your favourite pasta (I like linguine for this dish!)

•          Sea salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.     Get your pasta started in a deep pot, a regular packet of linguine would usually take around 10 - 12 minutes after the water’s boiled. I like to add a pinch of salt into the water, for seasoning.

2.     Get a saucepan heated over a medium-high flame, add about half a cup of Olive Oil, and throw in your sage leaves. Let them crisp a little, this could take up to 5 minutes, at most. Then, add your tomatoes, with about a tbsp of black pepper and some salt, to your liking. Let them fry up until they’re a little charred, then put them aside in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon.

3.     When your pasta is finished, toss it in some Olive oil too, to prevent stickiness.

4.     To serve, sprinkle some feta cheese over a nice amount of pasta. Toss in the tomato-sage mix, and then add some basil pesto! Delicious and fresh!

With Sesame/Ginger Salad

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

•          4 Tilapia fillets
•          2 eggs (whisked)
•          1 cup of cake flour
•          3 medium sized lemons
•          6 medium sized potatoes
•          3 cups o Sunflower oil
•          Half a cup of Olive oil
•         1 clove of garlic (crushed)
•         1 tbsp of Sesame oil
•         1 tsp of Sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
•         1 tsp of fresh ginger (roughly crushed)
•         (regular & coarse) Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.     Allow fish fillets to marinade in the crushed garlic and juice of 1 lemon for 30-60 minutes. While waiting, prepare your potatoes. Peel the spuds and cut into freehand wedges, so that each chip will have its own shape. Stand them in (regular) salt water while heating the 3 cups of Sunflower oil in a deep saucepan.

2.     Test one chip to ensure that the oil is up to heat. Then, add handfuls of chips, ensuring that all are covered by the oil. Leave them undisturbed in the hot oil for a few minutes before stirring When they are golden-brown, remove from oil and place on absorbent paper (I use newspaper). Cook a second batch, if there are some left over. When all are cooked, sprinkle some coarse salt over the chips, and keep warm, but uncovered. In preparation for your fish, set up a frying pan and heat Olive oil.

3.     Place the whisked eggs and the flour into separate bowls, grind some black pepper into the flour and stir. Dip each fillet into the egg and then coat in the cake flour. Fry each fillet in the hot Olive oil for about 5-8 minutes, or until opaque. One done, remove and place on absorbent paper.

4.     For the salad dressing, simply stir the Sesame oil, seeds, ginger, and juice of one more lemon in a bowl, then drizzle over your favourite green salad.

5.     Serve a delicious fillet, or two, with a handful of chips, and squeeze some fresh lemon over your fillets for some zing! The salad will add some healthiness to this fried dish! Yummy!

With Jasmine Rice

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

•          One half, large white onion (roughly chopped)
•          3 cloves of garlic (minced)
•          2 large, ripe tomatoes (diced)
•          2 cups of frozen, or fresh, green peas
•          One small red chili (chopped - nearly minced)
•          1 cup of fresh lemon juice
•          A handful of Thai basil (roughly chopped)
•          2 tbsp of soy sauce
•          2 cups of Jasmine rice
•          3 cups of frozen, or fresh, small shrimps
•          Canola, or vegetable oil
•          Lemon (to taste)
•          Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.     If shrimps have been frozen, thaw for as long as needed, prior to preparation of the dish. De-tailing is optional. It is important that your shrimps marinade for a good amount of time, before cooking. For the marinade, simply mix one cup of fresh lemon juice with 2 tbsp of soy sauce, and one minced garlic clove. Add the shrimp and let them sit in the mixture for at least an hour.

2.     Get your rice started in a rice cooker, or follow directions on package.

3.     Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a saucepan and throw in your onions, once they begin to brown, add another clove of garlic (minced). After the garlic, add your freshly chopped chili! Let them simmer over a medium-low flame for about 5 minutes, and then add your tomatoes. Once the sauce begins to bubble, throw in your peas! If desired, squeeze some fresh lemon in too, for a tang.

4.     In another pan, heat 2 more tbsp of oil over a medium-high flame. It’s easy to overcook such small shrimp so the cooking process will be quick! Throw in the shrimps and let them fry up for about 2-3 minutes.

5.     To serve, dish a generous amount of rice with a few shrimp and veggie mix! A delicious, homey meal! Eat up!

With Salmon

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

•          One ripe, large mango (peeled and diced)
•          1 cup of cucumber (peeled and diced)
•          1 half tsp of green jalepeño (finely chopped)
•          1 half of a red onion (diced)
•          3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice
•          1 tbsp of cilantro leaves (roughly chopped)
•          1 medium sized lemon (to taste)
•          2 center-cut salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)
•          2 tbsp of olive oil
•          Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.Let your salmon fillets thaw, if frozen, while preparing your salsa. Combine your mango, cucumber, onion, cilantro, and jalepeño in a bowl. Add lime juice and gently toss ingredients, add salt and/or pepper to your liking.

2.       While preparing your salmon, put the salsa into the fridge to cool. Warm a large frying pan with olive oil over medium-low heat. Season the fish with as much salt and pepper as you like, also, squeeze some lemon over the fish for flavour.

3.       Bring your heat up to medium-high and place salmon fillets in the pan, skin-side up. Cook until golden brown on one side, usually takes about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook until skin is crispy, if desired, usually takes about 3 minutes.

4.       Serve a salmon fillet with some salsa, fresh and delicious! (Salmon skin can be served or removed easily, using a knife or spoon).

With Linguine

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•          1 large white onion (diced)
•          4 large tomatoes (diced)
•          2 cloves of garlic (minced)
•          1 small sprig of rosemary
•          1 small sprig of thyme
•          Tin of tomato puree
•          3 tbsp of virgin olive oil
•          Salt and pepper (to taste)
•          Freshly grated Parmesan (to taste)
•          1 packet of linguine

Method:

1.       Fry the diced onions in a heavy based saucepan with 2 tbsp of olive oil. When the onions are golden brown, add the minced garlic and both herbs, then the tomatoes. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

2.       Fill a large pasta pot with 4 quarts of water, once boiling, add linguine and stir regularly.

3.       Add the tomato puree into the saucepan and stir over a lower flame. I usually add about 2 tsp of salt and pepper but adjust this according to your own taste.

4.       Drain the al dente pasta, and transfer into serving bowl. Toss pasta with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

5.       Serve pasta with a dollop of sauce and a sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

With Cloves

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

•          2 fresh kiwis (peeled)
•          10 strawberries
•          1 tsp of dried cloves
•          1 medium lime
•          1 tbsp of sugar

Method:

1.       Make sure to rinse all of your fruit.

2.       Squeeze your lime juice into a cup with 1 tbsp of sugar and the cloves, let this sit while preparing your fruit.

3.       Peel the kiwis; slice them, about half an inch thick, and then half the slices. De-head your strawberry tops, and then half them.

4.       Throw your kiwi slices and strawberry halves into a bowl and mix in the lime and clove concoction. Deliciously refreshing!

With Berries, Honey, and Ice Cream

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

•          About 18 strawberries (rinsed and halved)
•          1 cup of blueberries (rinsed)
•          1 tub of vanilla ice cream
•          Honey
•          3 tbsp of butter (melted)
•          2 eggs
•          2 cups of milk (warmed)
•          1 and a half cups of flour
•          1 tsp of baking soda
•          Salt

Method:

1.       Mix your flour, baking soda, and egg together using a whisk, or an electronic mixer, in a deep bowl. Add a pinch of salt.

2.       Add your melted butter (2 tbsp) and milk to the bowl, once cooled and stir. Make sure that there are no lumps in the mix and let it stand for about 30 minutes.

3.       While your pancake batter is standing, get your berries ready. Simply slice the heads of the strawberries off, and then halve them. Rinse the blueberries and strawberries and set aside.

4.       After 30 minutes has passed, let 1 tbsp of butter melt down in a frying pan over a medium-high flame. Ladle about half a cup of the mixture into the pan and make sure it spreads around the entire base. The pancakes will usually take about 5 minutes to cook, once you see little air bubbles forming, turn it over – it should be a nice golden colour. Perform the same steps with the rest of the batter.

5.       For the condiments, spoon about 3 dollops of ice cream down the middle of each pancake, add some strawberries and blueberries, and then to finish, drizzle as much honey on as you desire. Roll up the pancake and enjoy!

With Lemony Langoustine Fettuccine

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•          3 large fennel bulbs (peeled)
•          2 tbsp of fennel seeds
•          2 cups of sugar
•          3 tsp of butter
•          1 tbsp of virgin olive oil
•          2 cups of frozen langoustine tails
•          Salt and pepper (to taste)
•          1 packet of fettuccine
•          1 medium sized lemon

Method:

1.       Take out langoustine tails to defrost while preparing your fennel bulbs. Slice fennel, vertically, each bulb should give about 6 slices. Get 2 tsp of butter melted in a large frying pan and throw in the fennel.

2.       Once all of the fennel is a nice golden brown colour on both sides, remove from pan and let 1 tsp of butter melt down. Then throw in you fennel seeds, let them get crispy and then add both cups of sugar. Let the sugar melt, then put the fennel back into the pan and coat it in the sticky, sweet sauce. Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl.

3.       Get about 4 quarts of water boiling in a deep pasta pot, add the fettuccine and stir regularly. Test the pasta to your liking, I usually serve it al dente, and then drain it. Transfer to serving bowl and lather in tbsp of olive oil.

4.       Rinse the langoustine tails in warm water once thawed and add to pasta. Squeeze half a lemon into the pasta.

5.       Serve a slice, or two, of fennel with a pile of pasta. Bon appétit!

With Caramelized Onion and Tomato

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

•          2 medium sized tomatoes (sliced)
•          1 medium sized onion (sliced)
•          2 large eggs
•          2 slices of whole wheat bread
•          2 tbsp of olive oil
•          1 tbsp of white vinegar
•          1 tbsp of sugar
•          Butter (for toast)
•          Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.       Heat your olive oil and start frying roughly sliced your onion over a medium-high flame in a saucepan. Once they have turned golden-brown, throw on 1 tbsp of sugar and add your tomato slices to the same pan. Let them cook with the onions for about 5 to 10 minutes.

2.       Remove your tomatoes and onions from the heat and transfer to serving bowl. For the toast, either heat bread in a saucepan with about 1 tbsp of butter until golden brown, or use a toaster! As soon as the toast is ready, butter it up.

3.       Bring about 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil, stir the water in a whirlwind-like motion and pour 1 tbsp of vinegar into the water. While the water is still whirling around, crack and slowly slide one egg into the whirlpool. The eggs will usually take around 3 to 5 minutes. Remove poached egg with a spoon when ready. Repeat with other eggs.

4.       Serve a slice of toast with a good amount of onion and tomato, and a poached egg on top. Season with salt and pepper to your liking and dig in!