Tag Archives: garlic

Fettuccine Alfredo ….ish

Posted on by
Reply

I love pappardelle pasta – if you make (or buy good quality) pasta these hearty noodles are so perfect for holding on to a sauce.  Tonight’s version was a way of using up leftover chicken from my Moroccan Spice Chicken. Another favorite to serve with the alfredo is panko crusted chicken – love the crunchy texture with the creamy pasta.

500 gm pappardelle pasta

kosher salt

1/2 cup butter

2 leeks (white and tender green parts) thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup good white wine

1 tsp mustard powder (or dijon mustard)

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup cheese (I like to use mostly parmesan reggiano, but you can add a bit of other cheese as well, mozzarella, ementhal, romano … etc)

chili flakes

salt and pepper

cooked chicken/prawns/ham – whatever you have left in the fridge … or leave it as is – you will still think it is the best alfredo!

Melt butter in saucepan – add leeks and onions, cooking until tender and translucent.

While onions are cooking, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook just until al dente.  Remove from heat, drain and keep warm.

To your onions, add garlic cloves, mustard, white wine, chili flakes to taste (start with 1/2 tsp and see how you like it!), and cream.  Heat through, remove from heat and stir in cheeses. If you are adding any of the cooked protein, this is the time to do it.

Toss it all together, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with extra parmesan cheese to grate over the top.

Feta Greek Chicken Burgers

Posted on by
Reply

You are going to love these Greek style chicken, pork burgers

studded with herbs and feta cheese!  

Great dinner when served with Quinoa Couscous Salad

Burgers are really just ideas … following are the ingredients in my burgers, with an approximate portion plan:

equal portions ground chicken and hot italian sausage meat (approx 1 pound each)

2 tbsp minced basil

2 tbsp minced mint

1 large minced garlic clove

3 scallions, sliced fine

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Lightly toss all ingredients together until just mixed.  Do not overmix your meat or it will end up with the texture of a meatloaf!  Form burger patties and place onto lined baking sheet.  Set aside, either in freezer or fridge until you are ready to grill and they have had time to rest.

Grill on greased surface until cooked through.

Serve with:

Grilled thin slices zucchini (lightly coated with olive oil, salt and pepper)

Grilled thick tomato slices (dusted with salt and pepper)

Coat each side of your pita style bun with a generous dollop of mint/dill yogurt sauce:

MINT/DILL YOGURT SAUCE

1 cup greek style yogurt

1/2 cup grated, drained cucumber

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp finely chopped dill

1 tbsp minced mint (try to say that a few times!)

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, and put in fridge to set up and allow flavours to blend.

Coconut Chili Vegetables

Posted on by
Reply

This recipe was created spur of the moment, when I needed another dish to round out dinner – Chinese Grilled Pork and Fried Rice … even with all the chopped vegetables in the rice dish, we needed more greens.  This was so simple, and could easily be turned into a full meal by adding any protein you were inclined to add.  The best thing is the simplicity – throw it all in a pot!

1 cup coconut milk                               

1 tbsp sambal oelek

1 tbsp minced garlic

bok choy

chinese mushrooms

red onion

Heat coconut milk, garlic and sambal oelek just until boiling point – add onions.  When slightly tender stir in the rest of your vegetables and allow to simmer just until cooked through – being careful not to overcook them or they will lose their vibrancy and wilt.

Spaghetti Bolognese ala Kat!

Posted on by
Reply

Any Italian would probably take offence if I said this was true bolognese …. so it is ala Kat!  The best part of this recipe is the fact that it is loaded with vegetables, and simmered until the aroma fills your kitchen, and your taste buds can hardly wait for the reward!  We have a vegetarian in our home right now, so this version allows for any vegetarians to get a great, hearty meal as well as those carnivores (like myself …).

 

2 onions, finely diced

2 medium size leeks, finely sliced

8 garlic cloves (yes, eight)

2 medium size carrots, finely diced

4 celery stalks, finely diced

1/2 each of red, green and yellow peppers, finely diced

olive oil

1 pound / 1/2 kg each of ground beef and pork

1/2 pound / 300 gms  of bacon, finely sliced (depending on how much you like bacon)

1 28 oz / 796 ml can good quality tomatoes

1 24 oz / 680 ml good quality tomato sauce

1 5.5 oz / 156 ml can tomato paste

1/2 cup good red wine (always use wine you would like to drink!)

bay leaves

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry parsley

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

enough pasta to feed your crowd – the above Bolognese will probably feed 6-8

Saute the onions in olive oil until just starting to carmelize, add the rest of the diced vegetables.  When the carrots are fork tender, add the garlic and the tomato sauce.  Simmer just until all the vegetables are tender.  Using either an immersion blender or your food processor (being VERY CAREFUL to allow steam to escape by leaving the lid ajar or center portion removed) whiz vegetables and sauce until a thick paste forms.  ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SPACE FOR STEAM TO RELEASE FROM BLENDER, BURNS CAN BE A DISASTER (and so will the mess).  Return sauce to sauce pan and stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and seasonings.

If you have fresh herbs, a nutmeg that you can grate, and fresh cinnamon – so much the better!

In a separate fry pan saute the bacon, beef and pork until cooked through.  The biggest reason I use a separate sauce pan is the vegetarian …. This is the point where you can separate the amount of sauce you need for a vegetarian, and then add the rest of the carnivorous goodness to your stock pot.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Personally, I like to take the amount of salt and pepper I would add in total, and with each layer sprinkle a bit of each.  That way all the vegetables end up seasoned, and I think the flavour goes right through.

Cook pasta until just al dente – drain and add just a bit of the bolognese to the pasta to coat the noodles.  Serve with extra sauce over top, then a generous grating of parmigiana.

Peanut Chicken Wings

Posted on by
Reply

Image

In large bowl blend:

1 cup smooth peanut butter

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup light soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 limes, zest and juice of

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Blend all ingredients well, until smooth and creamy – add:

40 chicken drumettes ( or 20 chicken wings)

Toss well and turn onto baking tray (works really well if you cover baking tray with parchment paper, and you also reduce your clean up time!)  Reserve the sauce.

Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, turn and bake another 10.  Return wings to sauce and toss once more – baking for another 15 minutes until they start to crisp up.

Delicious!  Make sure to have extra napkins handy …

Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Posted on by
Reply

Your whole house will smell fantastic with these roasting!

Peel and quarter potatoes (if using new potatoes they don’t need peeling)

Cover with watered down chicken stock, a pile of garlic cloves and 4 lemons, quartered, salt to taste.

Bring to a boil and then transfer to roasting pan – only use enough liquid to cover half way up the potato.  Roast until just fork tender – carefully pour liquid off, toss with a little olive oil and continue roasting until they get nice and crispy.

Garnish with freshly ground salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.

Delicious with greek food! (grilled lamb filet in photo)

Citrus Marinated Chicken

Posted on by
Reply

Chicken thighs that have been marinated for at least 24 hours are perfect for grilling

6-8 chicken thighs

1 generous tbsp dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lemon, sliced

1/2 lime, sliced

1 tbsp freshly chopped herbs, i.e, basil, rosemary, parsley – experiment…

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

Put all marinade ingredients in ziplock bag and give it a good squish.  Once all ingredients are smooth, add the chicken and marinate – the longer the better.

Grill and enjoy!  Serve with freshly sliced lemon/lime and chives.

Perfect with Orzo Greek Pasta

Flank Steak

Posted on by
Reply

This has been a family favorite for years!  While it is pretty good with any cut of steak, flank is definitely the best.  Also – if you can’t access a grill ….

you can use the broiler, but – well it just won’t be as fantastic!

  • 1 flank steak
  • 1/2 cup soya sauce
  • 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil (I usually stay with 1/4 cup)
  • 4 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 6 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary (and only fresh will do)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Prepare marinade and put in ziplock bag along with the steak.  Seal for a minimum of 2 hours, but really …. overnight is best.  I have also put it in the freezer at this point, and then you always have one ready!

Grill for 5-7 min per side (depending on thickness) for medium rare, and then slice thinly on the diagonal.

Garnish with slivered green onions