Apples Upgraded

Fall dinner with Friends!

RECIPES

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

4-6 large tomatoes

dried thyme

2-3 garlic cloves

few tablespoons balsamic

few tablespoons olive oil

S&P

1. Cut each tomato in half and place in deep 9 inch pan

2. Drizzle oil and vinegar over all the tomatoes

3. Sprinkle over S&P and thyme

4. Place thin slices of garlic over tops of tomatoes

5. Roast in oven at 250 degrees for approx 3-4 hours

until shrivelled and browned!

6. I served mine on a bed of baby spinach as a side dish!

The Hash

1 can corn

1 package diced pancetta

2-3 leeks

a good amount of shitake mushrooms

olive oil

butter

dill

S&P

a few table spoons of heavy cream

1. Get a deep pan very hot and fry the pancetta. Once its crispy

remove and set aside.

2. Add a spoon of butter to the pancetta fat and saute the leeks for 2-3 minutes

then add in the mushrooms and another spoon of butter and some S&P

Saute for another 2-3 min.

3. Add the can of corn, the fresh dill, and the cream, stir it all around

then remove from the heat and just let it sit until everything else is ready.

Pan-Seared Beef with Watercress

2-3 cuts of beef,  I used something like a flank steak

soy sauce

sesame oil

black sesame seeds

hoisin sauce

fresh ginger

olive oil

rice vinegar

1 lime

S& P

bunch of watercress

bunch of arugala

can of water chestnuts

green onions

1. First marinate beef in a few splashes of sesame oil, juice from the lime

and S&P, wrap up and set aside

2. To make the dressing for the watercress and arugula

whisk together to taste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, grated ginger

diced green onions, sesame oil, set aside to let the flavours meld together.

3. Heat a pan thats ok to be transfered to the oven, get it nice and hot and

using tong put the marinated beef in the pan, sear for 2-3 min on each side the

transfer pan to the oven for another 10-15 min until the beef is about 150 degrees with a meat thermometer. Once its done pull it out and let it rest for a few minutes

4. Toss the arugula and watercress with the dressing and plate it up, toss a few water chestnuts on top

then slice the steak and lay it over top!

Sweet Potato Latke with Smoked Salmon

I had this the other night at a local restaurant and it blew my mind, I had to come home and reconstruct it.  It is pretty simple too, nothing new here, just some odd pairings that are amazing.

the Latke
the secret to a good latke I discovered is to extract all the moisture from the ingredients before you fry them.  They will get much crispier, and sister...the crisp is what makes this all that.

heres what I did.

2 large sweet potatoes grated and drained*
2 medium onions grated and drained*
3 tablespoons flour (I used Rice flour)
2 eggs lightly beaten
Salt and Pepper

* I took all the shavings and placed them in a clean dish towel then slowly twisted it over the sink till all the moisture came out.  It is amazing how much liquid there is in those babies.

mix all the ingredients together and heat up some approapriate oil
I used Grapeseed oil, because I like it.

heat it up good and hot and slide in a nicely flattened puck, don't put too many in as they need room to fry.  Then remove to paper towel to dry.

the Smoked Salmon
I purchased this from the Superstore and it comes in thin slivers and is easy to slice and roll.

Place a dollop of sour cream and some fresh dill and get ready for the most amazing flavors to get together and have babies.

The Chevre + Tomato
I bought a roll of gaot cheese and sliced it, slightly oiled it then took my creme brulee torch to it, but you could put it under the broiler too.  It gets this amazing crust on top, and the cheese becomes this most amazing soft fluffy texture.

I took some small vine tomatoes and quartered them 80% of the way through put some SP on them and drizzle some oil and balsamic vinegar on it and get ready for something amazing.

Tilapia with Rice and Salad

Dill Rice

INGREDIENTS

-brown rice

-lots of fresh dill

-big handful of raw sunflower seeds

-S&P

-butter or olive oil

1. Cook rice until done, stir in a few teaspoons of butter, or a few gluts of olive oil.

Also stir in lots of finely chopped dill and a large pinch of S&P

Tilapia with Cilantro

INGREDIENTS

-tilapia fillets

-cilantro

-butter

-sesame oil

-S&P

-juice of 1 lime

1. First place fish fillets in a shallow bowl, cover in a few table spoons of sesame oil,

and the lime juice.

2. Finally chop a large handful of cilantro, and mash with some sesame oil, and S&P.

3. Heat non-stick pan and add a bit of a butter and bit of sesame oil. pan fry the fish about 4 min each side

until done through, and flakes of easily.

4. When you plate it up just spoon big scoops of the cilantro on top of each fillet!

Roasted Beet Salad

INGREDIENTS

-2-3 chopped, peeled beets

-spinach and arugula

-red pepper

-broccoli

-green onion

-goat cheese

-cashews

-olive oil

-balsamic

-1 clove garlic

-soy sauce

-1/2 tsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and chop beets, then place in a shallow baking dish, toss with a few splashes of balsamic, and olive oil.  Roast for 15-25 min until nicely browned and soft.

2. To make the dressing put in 2/3cup olive oil, 1/3 cup balsamic, then add a splash of soy sauce, 1 clove garlic crushed, and the sugar. I usually do this in a mason jar so I can give it a really good shake, and also store the leftover in the fridge easily!

3. Chop all the veggies and put in big salad bowl with spinach and arugula. Toss with a good amount of the dressing, top with beets once they have cooled a bit, then sprinkle goat cheese and cashews over top!

Fish Cakes

RECIPE TO FOLLOW

(It includes bacon and almonds)

raw zuchinni pasta, and almond cherry tom tartlet

the pasta

1 zucchini

1 large carrot

1 bunch asparagus

1 bunch fresh basil

big handful pine nuts

5-6 chopped sundried tomotoes

2 green onions

the sauce

1 cup soaked raw cashews

the juice from 1-2 lemons

6-7 fresh basil leaves

1 clove garlic

S&P

1tbsp miso paste

1. Soak the cashews for a couple hours before you start making this recipe. Put all sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, add a bit of water if its too thick.

2. Using a spriralizer turn the zucchini and the carrot into "pasta", chop up the rest of the veggies, and toss together in a large bowl. Toss with a spoonful of the sauce at a time until coated nicely.Top with pine nuts!

the filling

1 pack cherry toms

1 wheel goat brie

1 bunch fresh basil

a few tablespoons good balsamic 

the crust

1 1/2 cup almond meal

1 tbsp water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup flaxseed oil

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

a few grinds black pepper

1. Start with the crust, preheat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients until moist,

and push into tartlet dishes (i spray with something non-stick so the come out easier)

Get tomatoes into a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.

Place both tomatoes and tart shells in oven.

Take out tart shells after 15-20 min when golden brown.

Let cool for a few min while tomatoes finish off.

2. Slice up the brie, and the basil.

3. Lay slices of brie across the tart shells, top with roasted tomatoes, place back in oven for 2-3 min to melt cheese, then top with chopped basil and drizzle with balsamic.

Baby Clam Fried Rice

Recipe to Follow

Phad Thai

Phad Thai

Ingredients

for cooking

-snap peas

-red pepper

-green onions

-2-3 cloves garlic

-1 thai chili

-2-3 chicken breast/or 1 pack tofu

-1 pack rice wide rice noodles

for garnish

-bean sprouts

-cilantro

-thai basil

-raw peanuts(chopped)

-plain yoghurt

The Sauce

-1/4 cup soy sauce

-3-4 tbs tamarind concentrate

-1 tbsp brown sugar

-1/4 cup rice vinegar

-1/4 cup hoisin sauce

-2 tbsp fish sauce

-2 limes squeezed in

(all of these measurements are approximate

I always do this to taste)

1. I always start by putting all ingredients for sauce on low in a small saucepan,

and let simmer while I get everything else ready.  Also get out a big bowl and put the whole pack of rice noodles in with really hot water.

2. Then chop all the veggies and everything for garnish.

I always put each garnish in a small bowl and put in the middle of the table.

3. Then slice of chicken or tofu, and garlic and chillies. Heat up large wok

to medium high, pour in a little sesame oil and a little olive oil, toss in garlic and chlies,

toss for 20 sec, then throw in chicken or tofu.

Cook for 4-5 min, then toss and cook for 2-3 more min till cooked through.

4. While the chicken is cooking poor boiling water over the noodles, leave for a min or 2 then strain. 

5. Toss all veggies in with the chicken, pour over the sauce that had been simmering,

then pour in all of the rice noodles.

Use tongs to toss gently, rice noodles are delicate, if you stir to much they will turn a little mushy. Once everything seems coated with the sauce, turn heat off and serve up!

6. Top with all of the garnishes and enjoy!

DEEP FRIED ENOKI MUSHROOMS

this is what they look like without the crispy pants

Coconut and Cardamon Panna Cotta with Roasted Coconut and Strawberries

If you have never had Panna Cotta you are in for a whole new category of mouth feel.  It is a pudding that made babies with a jello, in an indian restaurant....in the summer.  That about explains it perfectly.  I had this yesterday and a couple of the poeple I was with didn't like it. the texture was too off for them.  I however stood up and yelled  "bingo".  It is easy, and cheap,...have a go.

I took this recipe from www.thefoodinmybeard.com 

1 cup cream
1 can coconut milk
½ cup sugar
About 20 pods of cardamom
3 tablespoons water
2 ½ teaspoons gelatin
Coconut Flakes

Heat the cream, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom(open the pods and add the seeds inside only) until simmering. Allow to cook about 5 minutes stirring often. meanwhile mix the water and gelatin. Pour the cream mixture through a strainer over the water and gelatin. Stir to combine well. Pour into greased and sugared ramekins and refrigerate 2-3 hours. To unmold, run a knife around the edges and flip onto a plate. Top with toasted coconut flakes and serve.