Breakfast Egg Muffins

For an easy breakfast make Egg Muffins. The Muffins can be made ahead and stored in your refrigerator and then in the morning just pop them in the microwave and Voila, ... your breakfast is ready.

Ingredients;

1 egg per muffin

Spice (salt/pepper/creole seasoning or any other seasoning you like)

Filling;

Chopped and blanched onion

Ham, chopped

Mushroom, chopped

Fresh baby spinach leaves

Grated Cheese

Etc.

Preheat oven to 375F.

To make the muffins spray a silicone muffin pan with non stick spray or line a regular muffin pan with muffin liners and spray. In the bottom of each muffin layer the fillings of your choice. You can use any or all of the fillings I have suggested or you can come up with your own. When done beat the eggs and divide among the muffins.

Do not fill more than 3/4 full. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until a baking stick comes out clean. 

Cool and keep in refrigerator until ready to be used. Pop in microwave on high for ca. 1 minute. 

Meringue

This delicious and delicate dessert is a big winner if you eat it alone, together with fruits, ice cream, vanilla custard or whipped cream. It's a wonderful dessert any time of year. The best way to make sure you get a perfect result is to use room temperature egg whites and to start whipping your egg whites at a low speed then gradually increase speed until you get the right consistency.

Ingredients;

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder

2 tsp white wine vinegar 

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 large egg whites (room temperature)

A pinch of Salt

Preheat oven to 275F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Pour vanilla extract and vinegar into a cup and mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. In the mixer bowl whip egg whites and salt using the whisk attachment. Remember for a good result to start at low speed. When soft peaks start to form increase speed to medium high and gradually add the sugar/cornstarch mixture. After a few minutes add the vanilla/vinegar mix. Increase speed further and whip until meringue is glossy and stiff, this takes 4 to 5 minutes. 

If you are using the meringue with fruits or ice cream or any other filling spoon it into large round mounds on the baking sheet and create an indentation in the middle for the filling. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 250F and bake for 50-60 minutes. The Meringues are supposed to be crisp on the outside but with a marshmallow-like inside. If the Meringues takes on color during baking reduce the oven temperature a bit.

 

When done cool the Meringues on a wire rack. Use immediately or store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

Champagne Sorbet

I just read in a magazine about different ways to make mondays better as most people tends to look at mondays as the worst day of the week. I guess this recipe is my contribution to the list.

1 1/2 cup champagne
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Put champagne, sugar, syrup and zest in a pot. Bring to a hard boil and continue to boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Strain into a bowl, add grapefruit and lemon juice. Chill completely.
Add the mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to the directions it. Use immediately or store in the freezer until needed

Cheers!

Pharma wrapped Portobello Mushroom

An appetizer or a side-dish that can be prepared way ahead if time is limited.  I have used Prosciutto di Parma but you can use any other type of prosciutto, I have also used Boars Head Prosciutto and that worked fine. Bacon can also be used if you like that.

Ingredients;

As many slices of Portobello as you like
Prosciutto di Parma (a halv slice for every portabello slice)
2 garlic cloves to 12 portabello slices minced
Fresh thyme
salt and pepper
4 tbsp Olive oil

Preheat oven to 437 F.

Add the garlic to the olive oil. Dip the Portobello in the olive oil on both sides and put a thyme sprig on top, add salt and pepper then wrap the portobello in half a slice of the prosciutto. Go easy on the salt as the prosciutto adds a lot of salt to the dish by it selves. Up to this point everything can be made ahead and refrigerated.

When ready add the portobello to an ovenproof dish, drizzle some olive oil on top and bake in the oven for around ten minutes. The portobello is supposed to be nice and crispy but not burnt.

Eat warm or lukewarm!

Paella

Paella is one of Spain's most famous and cherished dishes named for the pan in which it is cooked. The Paella pan is wide and shallow and made of a thin, conductive metal, with sloping sides and a handle on each side. It is important to use a wide shallow pan so that all the liquid is evaporated at the time the rice is done. The Paella pan is also supposed to respond quickly to a change in heat as the Paella is cooked over high heat first and then at a lower temperature. When the pan is taken of the heat the rice at the bottom is supposed to stop cooking immediately.

As Paella is like an ever-changing combination of ingredients there is no right way to cook one but it seems like every region and major city has one, perhaps even every family. I'm not sure what to call this one so I'll just call it; PAELLA!

Ingredients;

2 Lb chicken tights with skin, bone-in

1 onion chopped

oliveoil

4 tomatoes

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1 cup white wine (dry)

1 tsp freshly squized lemon juice

Saffron (I use 2 packets)

salt and peper

3 cups short or medium grain rice 

7 cups chicken stock

12 mussels

18 shrimps (raw, shell on)

1/4 Lb chorizo (chopped)

1/4 Lb peas

3 tbsp chopped parsley

lemon wedges for garnish

First fry the chicken tights in the pan on each side until they get a nice color, transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake on 400F until cooked all the way through. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry on medium heat for some minutes, if needed add some olive oil (might not need it because of the liquid from the chickens) then add the chorizo and fry for another couple of minutes (if raw until cooked through). Chop the tomatoes and add to the pan with the bay leaf, wine, lemon juice, spice and chicken stock. Let simmer for about 5 minutes then add the rice. Turn up the heat and boil hard for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to low and add the mussels, peas and the shrimp and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated, the rice is cooked but has a bite to it, the mussels have opened and the shrimps have turned pink.

Remove from heat, add the chicken tights and cover with paper towels then let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Garnish with the lemon wedges and parsley, serve out of the Paella pan.

Mmmmmmm!

Sesame seared Tuna with soy sauce

This dish can be made well ahead of time so that you don't need to stress last minute. Rather enjoy a glass of wine with the guests I would suggest. This recipe well be enough for 6 persons as a starter.

Ingredients;

Tuna;

1 pound raw tuna

3 tbs chopped cilantro

3 tbs chopped parsley

3 tbs roasted sesame seeds

1,5 tbs lime peel, chopped

salt and pepper

Cut the tuna in strips 1,5 x 1,5 inch and rub them with salt and pepper. Give them a quick fry in vegetable oil on all sides (only about 20 sec. on each side). 

Chop the herbs and combine with the sesame seeds and lime peel. Add the herbs to some glad squares (same amounts as yours tuna strips, divide the herb mixture among the glad squares). Put one strip of tuna on each glad square and cover with the herbs then wrap in the square. You can now put it in the refrigerator until serving time, at least one hour. 

Sauce;

1/2 cup Ketjap manis (sweet soy sauce)

1/2 lime, juice and peel

1 tsp minced ginger

1tsp finely chopped red chili

1 tbs chopped cilantro

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp regular soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Combine all ingredients. Let stand about 10 minutes and it is ready to be served.

Remove tuna from refrigerator and cut in thin slices. Arrange on a plate with the soy sauce and perhaps some arugula or another salad if you prefer. 

Prawns with green olive and caper ailoli

This is a dish you can use at a buffet arranging all the prawns on a plate with a bowl of the aioli on the side or as an appetizer neatly arranging the prawn and aioli on a plate.

Ingredients;

As many prawns as you like (the aioli will be enough for 20 prawns)
4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup lemon juice
Sea-salt and freshly ground pepper

For the aioli;

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp chopped green olives

1 tbsp salted capers rinsed and dried

1 clove garlic minced

Sea-salt and freshly ground pepper 

Aioli;

Place mayonnaise, olives, capers, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and combine. Set aside until ready to be served.

Prawns;

Place prawns, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowls. Stir so that all is combined. Allow to set for about 5 to 10 minutes before frying them in olive oil over medium to high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until they turn pink. 

On the picture they are served with julienne strips of parsnip that is fried in vegetable oil for as long as it takes to get a golden color. Perhaps not as long as some of the strips in the picture, they are not supposed to turn dark brown.

Brie-Mushrooms

I found this recipe in one of Ree Drummonds cook-books "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" a cook book that I highly recommend.

The dish can be used as a side-dish or appetizer or as one of many items if you're having a buffet.

Ingredients;

12 (or as many as you like) big white button mushrooms

Oliveoil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves minced

5 green onions sliced

A splash of white wine (if you have any..)

One 8 ounce brie cheese cut into bite sized chunks

Preheat oven to 350F

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop. Add oil in a skillet over medium heat, when oil is hot add the mushroom caps and toss them around until they soften. Transfer mushroom caps to a baking dish top side down. 

Throw in the parsley, garlic, green onions and mushroom stalks. Add the wine if you're using it. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes or until the flavors release. Remove from heat. 

Place a chink of Brie inside each mushroom cap then pour the parsley mixture on top. 

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. The dish is done when the cheese is all melted. 

Can be served straight out of the oven or at room temperature.

Love Them!!

Broccoli Slaw

This slaw can be used with anything you would use to accompany a regular coleslaw. It works perfectly with any type of grilled dish. A lot of my friends that I serve this to say they didn't really think that raw broccoli would work that well but it certainly does.

Ingredients;

2 broccoli heads
One handful of pine nuts toasted in a nonstick pan without oil (tossing all the time until golden brown and fragrant)
One handful dried cranberries
1/2 red onion finely chopped

Dressing;

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayo

2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

Shred the broccoli in a food processor ever so slightly, you don't want the pieces to be to small. Add to a bowl with the pine nuts, cranberries and onion and blend. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and add to the broccoli mix. Blend well and transfer to a serving bowl. The slaw will tolerate a day or two in the refrigerator if not used all at once.

Enjoy!