Arugula Pesto

I love pesto; basil pesto, sun dried tomato pesto and perhaps most of all I love arugula pesto. Can be used as a sauce on pasta, pizza, with meat, chicken etc., or as a spread on a piece of bread or, or, or......

Mmmmm.

Ingredients;

1 small bag of arugula (appr. 65 grams)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 finely chopped shallot
salt and pepper

Add all the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth (or coarse if you like that better). Taste then add salt and pepper (how much is more a matter of preference).

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. 

Holiday Ketchup

Yes, its quite possible to make your own Ketchup, pretty easy too. This one has a hint of the Holidays  from the use of spices like cloves and allspice.

Ingredients;

1 bottle of tomato passata ( 2 cups)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
4 whole cloves and 4 whole allspices freshly grind in a mortar
1 tsp salt

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small pot and continue to boil on medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

 Use a hand blender if needed to make the ketchup smooth.  Add to clean bottles or jars. Keep refrigerated. Use the way you would have used regular ketchup.

Perfect as a hostess gift during the holiday season!

Happy Holidays!!

Spicy Cranberry Jam

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I have started to prepare for the big feast. We're invited to the Baklid's so I'm just bringing some side-dishes like this Spicy Cranberry Jam. Instead of using fresh cranberries I used the leftovers (mush) from my Cranberry Jelly.

Ingredients;


1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 pounds fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
2 cups sugar
1 jalapeno chile, finely julienned (ribs and seeds removed for less heat...if desired)

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add cranberries, sugar and jalapeno. Simmer until berries start to pop and mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Immediately transfer to sterilized jars.

Uzbek marinade and sauce

This sauce/marinade is so so good. It is robust, flavorful but not to spicy. I have used it with lamb, chicken and steak and it all works fine. It can be used as a marinade or as a sauce. If using as a marinade make sure to brush of the marinade before putting it on the grill to make sure it sears nicely and develops the good char on the outside.

Ingredients;

1 small yellow onion
4 canned plum tomatoes (or any canned tomatoes you have in the house, if you use chopped tomatoes make sure you drain them first and then add the juice to the marinade after until desired thickness, if using whole plum tomatoes take out the tomatoes, keep the juice for later to add for desired thickness)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves coarsely chopped
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs sweet paprika (powder)
1 tbs dried thyme
1 tbs ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a food processor or the bowl attachment to a hand blender like the Braun process the marinade ingredients until very smooth. 

Mmmmmmm!