Guacamole

For Christmas I got something I've had on my list for a long time; a Molcajete. This is a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle made of Mexican volcanic stone, used when making guacamole, salsas and mole sauces.
Today I'm using it (not for the first time...) for Guacamole.

Ingredients;


A handful mixed cherry tomatoes
1-2 fresh chilies (depending on their strenght)
A handful of fresh cilantro
2 ripe avocados
1-2 limes (I use 2 but if you like it less sour only use 1)
Salt and pepper

Divide the cherry tomatoes in 4, chop the chilies and cilantro and add it to the Molcajete.

Use the pestle to squeeze the tomatoes, chilies and cilantro together. Add the avocados and juice of the 2 limes (or 1 if you prefer) and continue to use the pestle until the guacamole has the right consistency.

Some like it rather chunky (I do!) but some like it more smooth. Taste and adjust the flavors by adding salt and pepper and perhaps more lime, chili or cilantro.

I like to serve my Guacamole straight from the Molcajete but if you want you can put it in or on something else. Your Guacamole can be served with fish, chicken, meat, chips or perhaps as I did with a plate of vegetables for dipping.

Bon Apetito!!!

Almost Jamie's Tray BakedChicken

This recipe iI found in a new cook-book of mine Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes. I omitted the slices of bacon and the butter in the recipe but except for that it's pretty much the same.

Ingredients;

Dried oregano
Sweet paprika (I use Hungarian)
4x6 ounce chicken breast (the recipe called for skinless but since I'm not using bacon on the top I used chicken breast with skin and that was perfectly fine...)
1 lemon
2 ounce cherry tomatoes
a couple of sprigs of rosemary

Turn the heat on under an empty frying pan to high and add some olive oil. Sprinkle a good pinch of dried oregano, salt&pepper and paprika and drizzle over some olive oil on a large piece of parchment paper. Lay the chicken breasts on the parchment paper and roll them making sure they are covered with the spices.

Add to the hot pan and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until golden on both sides.

In a roasting pan add lemon in quarters along with the tomatoes. Tip in the chicken breasts and any juices from the pan. Arrange nicely. Put the rosemary sprigs in the frying pan on medium heat and move them around until they are covered in the remaining juices. Pop them into the roasting pan with the chickens and bake in the oven under the broiler on medium setting (use your ovens setting chart since different ovens seems to differ a lot) for 25 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked but not dry.
Eat with a salad or my Vegetable Gratin, rice or pasta.

Enjoy!

Burger buns!

The Americans love their burgers and even if I just buy the regular burgers in the meat isle at Publix they are really good when you add some spice to them before you put them on the grill.
The buns though they are a totally disaster! They are somewhat sweet, way to soft and rather spongelike so when we have burgers I always make my own. (Later i will give you my burger recipe but this time I cheated and just bought the regular Publix ones!)

Ingredients;

2 envelopes dry yeast (I use Fleischmann's® Active Dry Yeast)
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
4 tsp olive oil
2 eggs
1 1/3 pounds flour
1 tsp turmeric
sesame seeds
1 egg for brushing

Whisk the yeast in the lukewarm water until it's dissolved. Add oil, egg, flour and turmeric. Knead with your hands or preferably a mixer until the dough is smooth. . When I use my Kitchen Aid I run it for at least five minutes

Let stand covered in room temperature for at least 30 minutes under a towel. I also put Glad Cling Wrap under the towel. After 30 minutes or when the dough has doubled its size divide the dough into pieces and make rolls.

Put the buns on a baking sheet and flatten them. Let them rise for another 15 minutes under a towel then brush them with the egg (beaten) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in the oven on 390F for appr. 15 minutes.

Serve with the burgers of your choice and enjoy!

Zucchini, Eggplant Gratin

This is another recipe I have gotten from my friend Gisela and this is as yummy as all the other recipes I get from her.

Ingredients;

1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 pound tomatoes, cubed
olive oil
1 yellow onion (medium size)
1/2 red chili, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
as much fresh thyme as you want....chopped
cayenne pepper (a pinch or more if you like it on the spicy side)
Italian spice blend
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 clove garlic finely chopped (or more if you love your garlic...)


First cube ( small or large cubes is just a matter of preference) the eggplant and zucchini and fry it in a pan with the oil one after the other until it is soft. This might take some time so you might consider using two pans. When soft add to a ovenproof dish with the tomatoes. Add chopped onion, chili, thyme and the spices.

In a pot bring the creme fraiche, parmesan and garlic to a boil and add to the dish and spread it evenly.

Bake in the oven on 440 F until the dish is bubbling and has a nice color to it.

Eat with chicken, meat or as a vegetarian dish by itself.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Gratin

As I guess you have already discovered I'm a big fan of side-dishes. When it comes to dinner it's not the main dish that's the problem it's the side-dish. I mean it's not a big deal to put a piece of chicken, fish or meat in the oven but it's figuring out what to serve together with it that's the headache. If you have a lot of side-dishes that goes with all types of food you will never run out of dinner ideas though.
So here's another one...

Ingredients;

1 regular sized cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1/2 cup panko (breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
1/3 cup of cream (pouring) or you can use half and half
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the cauliflower florets to a pot with salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for a couple of minutes until just tender. Drain well. Place the florets in a shallow oven-safe dish, add the cream and top with a mix of the breadcrumbs, parmesan and salt & pepper. Put in the oven and bake until the cream is bubbly then broil (in the oven) on high until the top is golden and crunchy.

Yummy in my tummy.........

Sweet Potato Mash

The main course on New Years Eve was duck breast and as a side we made a sweet potato mash. Its easy, tastes good and the sweetness goes really well with the duck breast.

Ingredients;

4 sweet potatoes
2 Idaho potatoes
Butter
Salt/pepper

Pell and cut the potatoes in chunks, the smaller the chunks the faster it boils. Bring to a boil in a pot with water and boil until soft. Remove the water and pure with a hand blender. Add butter, salt and pepper to your taste. We also added some of the duck fat. This side-dish goes well with almost everything.

Mmmmmmmmm!

Smoked Salmon Cream with Grisini in glasses

This dish was also part of our New Years Eve menu. You can find it in the same cook book as yesterdays Granité, "Gourmet" for nybegynnere. The dish doesn't necessarily need to be served in glasses, you can put the cream on crostini's or on a toast or put it in a bowl with crackers on the side as a spread.

Ingredients;

8 oz Philadelphia cheese
1/2 cup milk (I use reduced fat you can use whatever you want)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
6 tbsp good olive oil
1/2 pound of smoked salmon cut in small pieces
3 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1/2 tsp salt
5 rounds with the pepper mill

Put the cheese, milk, lemon and olive oil in the bowl attachment to the hand blender and blend for ca. 15 sec. Add the smoked salmon, herbs and spices and blend an additional 10 sec.
Put the smoked salmon cream in high glasses, top with some olive oil and grisini.

Eat and be merry!!