All posts tagged: spring

Indonesian and Timorese Meatballs | Chicken Bakso / Baso

Makes about 16 2″ meatballs Stuck in an Italian meatball rut? I’ve got the answer: cozy up to Asian-style Bakso meatballs. You’ll be in good company – these mild and tender meatballs are beloved street food throughout Indonesia, East Timor and other nearby islands. You’ll find them bobbing in soups, or thinly sliced and tossed in noodle and rice dishes. The meatballs can be made with beef, chicken, fish or shrimp. Oh, and super thanks to you who voted on our Facebook Fan Page – your votes decided we should try bakso made with chicken. The mild chicken flavor is perked up with a dose of sautéed garlic and shallots. They are great in Bakso Noodle Soup and can be frozen for other uses. Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup crushed ice 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Method: Gather the shallot and garlic. If you don’t have shallot you could use a little red onion. Chop the shallot and crush the garlic. Cook …

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Roast Lamb from Cyprus | Ofto Kleftiko

Serves 2-4 This completely fuss-free roast lamb dish, Ofto Kleftiko, maximizes the rich, succulent flavor of lamb and is so tender it literally falls of the bone. A great dish for holidays, festivals, or even pot luck dinners. Serve one shank per person, unless appetites are small. Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks, about one pound each 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground coriander 4 bay leaves salt pepper olive oil Method: Get the oven nice and toasty – set it to 375F. Meanwhile, drizzle lamb with olive oil… (a.k.a. liquid gold) Sprinkle with heaps of salt and pepper… Then, divide the cinnamon and ground coriander seed equally amongst the lamb shanks. If you’re feeling kind of crazy, you might add a bit more cinnamon. Take off your rings, roll up your sleeves, and rub the spices into the meat. Make sure to also coat the ends and bottom of the lamb. Place both lamb shanks on top of a bay leaf, on their own large square of aluminum foil. Add another bay leaf on top and …

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Comoros Sandwich

Serves 1-2 Piled high with juicy, sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and rich eggs and mayo, this sandwich is popular in Comoros. Ingredients: 8″ piece of baguette (I had to buy wide-style – “rustique” so it holds more) 1-2 tomatoes, sliced 1 cucumber, sliced (or 1/2 an english cucumber) 3 hard-boiled eggs mayonnaise, to taste Method: Slice a baguette in half lengthwise… watch your fingers! Spread with a thin layer of mayo. Or thick, if that’s more your style. Next, place juicy slices of ripe tomatoes. The juices will seep into the bread a bit and make for excellent flavor. Add the cukes. I used English cukes so I didn’t have to peel them. Add a sunny layer of hard-boiled eggs. Ava loves hard-boiled eggs. She’s so wise for her age. Cover with the top half of the bread and … … slice up to eat! Share if you dare… Comoros Sandwich Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Piled high with juicy, sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and rich eggs and mayo, this …

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Creamy Avocado Dressing | Vinagreta de Aguacate

Makes about 1 cup Thick and rich, this dressing will add South American flavor to any salad. Also, try it as a dip. Ingredients: 2 avocados 2 limes, juiced 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil (or to taste) salt pepper 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro Method: Scoop the flesh of two ripe avocados into a blender. These ones were so ripe, they were buttery-good. Add the juice of of two limes. There’s no substitute for the tart zing of lime juice. And a healthy pinch of fresh cilantro for even more South American flavor. You don’t have to chop it too finely because the blender will help you out. Thank goodness for modern appliances. Season with salt and pepper. Blend things up a bit. While the machine is still running, pour some olive oil through that peep hole in the top of your blender. Oh and don’t forget a splash of vinegar for a little extra pucker. Spoon into a serving bowl and use on salads or as a dip for veggies or …

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Poached Egg Soup | Changua con Huevo

Serves 4 Rethink eggs! Poached eggs swimming in milky broth is a delicious Colombian specialty which is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner. You can easily make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth. Ingredients: 4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken) 2 cups milk 4 eggs 3 green onions, sliced sprig cilantro, chopped salt pepper Method: Add stock to a large pot. Sploosh. Then add milk. Splash. Heat the broth and milk to almost simmering. Meanwhile, spread some thinly sliced green onion on the bottom of the bowls. Sprinkle with some chopped cilantro, too. When a few bubbles barely break through the surface of the hot liquid, you are ready to drop your eggs in to poach. Except you never, ever “drop” them. If you do, they’ll break, separate, make a big mess…. Instead, Break the eggs into a small, heatproof ramekin and gently “dip it and tip it” into the water. Let me show you what I mean. In this picture the ramekin is actually on the water… and partially dips …

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Chilean Alfajores

Serves 4 While Alfajores (cookie and dulce de leche “sandwiches”) are made throughout South America, the Chilean version is unusual both in technique and presentation. They use an egg-based dough (in other countries shortbread is favored). In addition, Chileans only roll one side of the dough, which results in a curled leaf effect on the dough as it bakes. Ingredients 5 Egg yolks 1 cup sifted all purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch, plus 1/4 cup as needed ½ tspn. baking powder 1/4 tsp orange zest 2 Tbsp Orange juice Dulce De Leche (recipe) Method: Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and cornstarch. Add in some orange zest if you have it. Orange zest adds lovely fresh citrus flavor to the cookies. Beat egg yolks until pale yellow. Add the dry ingredients to egg yolks in three parts, mixing in the orange juice in between. I used OJ with extra pulp, for extra goodness. If the dough seems sticky, add extra cornstarch one tablespoon at a time, until the dough …

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Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings | Grandpères

Serves 4 Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack. Ingredients: For the dumplings: 2 – 2 1/4 cups flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 3 Tbsp butter 3/4 cup whole milk For the cooking liquid: 2 cups maple syrup 1 1/2 cups water Method: In a large bowl, mix together flour… … start with two cups and add more if you need to. Stir in the baking powder… A scoop of cinnamon (or Sin as my mom likes to call it) Whisk together with a pinch of salt. Can you see Keith? Now add some buttery goodness. Cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter. Stop when the butter is pea-sized. Next comes the milk. Mix it together until it forms a loose mass, like wet bread dough. Add water to a pot… make it a …

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Canadian Dijon & Maple Grilled Chicken

Serves 6 If you’re looking for a quick and easy marinade, forget the supermarket bottles, loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals. Our sweet, natural glaze is made with dijon mustard, crushed garlic and rich maple syrup. Special thanks to Kevin from Toronto whose recipe Maple Dijon Grilled Chicken inspired our version. If you haven’t already checked out his blog “Closet Cooking,” you are in for a treat. This guy is an inspiring cook and photographer. Ingredients: 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, crushed Method: For the marinade: 1. In a small bowl, mix together mustard… … maple syrup… … and crushed garlic. I love how the mustard seeds give the marinade a little texture. Pour over the chicken and marinade for a few hours (overnight is best). Turn once to ensure even coverage of the chicken. To Grill: Preheat a clean, oiled grill to high. Lay on the chicken and let cook a few minutes per side, or until done. The maple …

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Spiced Lamb Kabobs | Brochettes

Serves 4 Borasheht (or brochettes/kabobs) can be any sort of skewered meat. In our recipe, tender pieces of lamb are marinated in a spicy sauce. As you bite into the lamb,  your mouth fills with a hint of cinnamon and garlic, mild tang from the vinegar, and a steady, creeping burn from the cayenne (about mild, on my scale). NOTE: If you would like some extra heat on the side, try our Kan Kan Kan spice blend, popular in Burkina Faso. Ingredients: 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne 3 cloves garlic, crushed salt, to taste 2 Tbsp vinegar 1 1/2 lbs lamb meat, cubed for skewers Method: 1. In a small bowl, mix together paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, garlic, salt, and vinegar. Have I told you recently how much I adore garlic? Salt not only adds flavor, but tenderizes the meat as well. Give everything a quick stir. No power equipment needed here! 2. Rub marinade all over the lamb pieces. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours. Keith snuck this photo …

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Bostwanan Stewed Spinach Greens

Serves 2-4 I love this easy, no-nonsense, super healthy side dish from Botswana.  Simply steam spinach in its own juices until all the vegetables are soft. If you’d like to leave the tomatoes a little firmer, add them half way through cooking. Ingredients: 1 lb baby spinach 1 large onion, sliced thinly 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 green pepper, sliced thinly oil salt pepper Method: 1. Add all ingredients to  a large skillet or wok. Cover and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft. Serve hot. The thinner the onion, the quicker it will cook and become tender. Look how pretty – you can see the knife through the onion! 🙂 ‘ Bostwanan Stewed Spinach Greens Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe I love this easy, no-nonsense, super healthy side dish from Botswana. Simply steam spinach in its own juices until all the vegetables are soft. If you’d like to leave the tomatoes a little firmer, add them half way through cooking. CourseSides …

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White Asparagus a la Flamande | Asperges op Vlaamse Wijze

Serves 4 (as an appetizer or side) White asparagus tastes more mild than green asparagus, perhaps even a little sweeter. The topping is rather like a rich, lemony egg salad and goes well with the asparagus. Ingredients: 1 lb white asparagus 3 Tbsp melted butter 2 hard-boiled eggs 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp minced parsley salt pepper Method: 1. Trim ends off the asparagus. Cook in boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. 2. In a small bowl, mash egg with butter. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix together to make sauce. 3. Spoon sauce over asparagus and serve immediately. White Asparagus a la Flamande | Asperges op Vlaamse Wijze Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe White asparagus tastes more mild than green asparagus, perhaps even a little sweeter. The topping is rather like a rich, lemony egg salad and goes well with the asparagus. CourseSides & Salads LifestyleVegetarian Food TypeVegetables Servings Prep Time 4 people 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Prep Time 4 people 10 minutes Cook Time …

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Baked Belgian Endive with ham and cheese

This recipe works great for nights that require something a little fancy, but you don’t have a lot of time to cook. Almost impossible to mess up, my version uses shredded cheese. You can get fancy if you want and serve this with a cheese sauce instead. Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 Endive 4 slices ham 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère dash nutmeg Method: 1. Preheat oven to 4ooF. Cut endives in half. Cook in boiling water for about five minutes. Drain well. 2. Wrap endives in ham and place in a casserole dish. Cover endives with grated cheese and sprinkle with a bit of nutmeg. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Serve hot. Baked Belgian Endive with ham and cheese Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe This recipe works great for nights that require something a little fancy, but you don’t have a lot of time to cook. Almost impossible to mess up, my version uses shredded cheese. You can get fancy if you want and serve this with a cheese …

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