Strawberry romaine salad

An healthy  afternoon three ingredient salad tossed with that lemon oil (added chopped shallots) I made lastnight.
Quick recipe:

1. Organic romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

2. Hand full of organic strawberries, cubed

4. Fresh parmesan cheese, grated.
5. Lemon oil, with chopped shallots added.
Toss together and enjoy!

Asparagus avocado salad.

Quick healthy salad recipe. Dinner: Seared wild caught salmon with a fresh side of avocado asparagus salad.
Recipe:
Steamed asparagus cut into halves
1 avocado cubed
1 firm tomato cubed or sub with plum tomatoes
A dash of greated parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Dress with lemon oil.
And toss in a salad bowl. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Lemon oil.
In a bowl. Whisk together, 1 lemon, its zest, 1/4 cup good tasting olive oil, pinch of salt, fresh black pepper to taste, a pinch of oregano and chopped (finely) garlic.  Pour over Salad and toss

5 ingredient Homemade Vanilla strawberry swirl icecream.

Ingredient for icecream:

5 organic egg yolks
1 organic cup heavy cream
1 organic cup milk (or sub with half an half)
2/3 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract or bean
Pinch of salt

(I used organic because I'm allergic to regular dairy)

First put your icecream maker attachment in the freezer for no less than 12 hours or overnight. The custard can be done on the same day so both will be ready to churn the following day.

Method:

Set a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

In a metal bowl combine yolks, salt and sugar and whisk until pale yellow.

Heat the half an half (milk/cream), when bubbles form at the sides remove from heat  and use a small amount (constantly whisking) to tempur yolks so as to not cook the yolks and end up with scrambled eggs.

Over the pot of simmering water place the metal bowl with icecream custard (yolk mixture) using a rubber spatula to stir until custard has thickened, I used the candy thermometer until it read 170°F, but the old way to know if the custard is ready is to use a wooden spoon dipped in the custard, then pass your fingers through and if it separates and stays that way then your custard is indeed ready to cool and chill in the fridge for no less than 6 hours or overnight.

On the following day remove and assemble ice cream maker, then starting on low speed, start pouring custard and let it churn slowly on medium for 20-30 minutes until custard resembles soft serve. Add strawberry swirl and use a toothpick to make desired art.

Pour icecream in an airtight container and freeze for 8 hours or until icecream has fully frozen.

Strawberry swirl/syrup ingredients:

2 cups strawberry, cubed
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of a lemon
1tbsp water
2 teaspoon cornstarch

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and strawberry and cook until juices are flowing out, :))

Combine remaining ingredients and add to strawberries and cook until thickened, less than a minute. Let it cool to add to the icecream. Enjoy! 

Piri piri Spatchcock chicken.

Recipe:

Ingredients :

One whole chicken cleaned washed and butterflied (Spatchcock)
1 tbsp chilli pepper fresh or dried
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Fresh black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475 °.

In a small bowl whisk all ingredients together and pour over chicken. Rub in to marinate for at least 1/2 an hour.

Place chicken in a baking dish and bake open faced for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked and skin has crisp.

Remove from oven and enjoy. 

Easy honey lime roast salmon.

Ingredients:

Salman fillet
3 tbsp lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp organic honey
2 tsp fresh black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 425°.

In a glass bowl whisk/combine all except fish.

Put fish in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

Pour honey lime mixture over salmon and let it stand for 10 minutes.

After stove has reached 425°, place in oven and bake open faced for 12-15 mins or until fully baked.

I made this with roasted sweet potatoes and roasted broccolette.

Honey lime roast salmon is one you'll most definitely enjoy.
Enjoy!

V-day Easy rum chocolate truffle.

Basic truffle ingredient:

3/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cup (10oz) Good bitter sweet chocolate.
2 tbsp Jamaican rum

Method:
In a heat safe glass bowl set chocolate aside.
In a sauce pan heat the cream and just when it starts bubbling at the sides remove and pour over chocolate. Wait a few mins util it melts, then use a rubber spatula to combine. Add rum, stir and set in the refrigerator for no less than 2 hours, overnight is best.

Using a melon or small ice cream scoop,  scoop chocolate and form round balls, you can use your hand but gently in order not to melt the truffle.
Place balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in refrigerator for another 2 two hours to firm up.

Top coat.

Ingredients :

5 oz bittersweet chocolate
Sweet Coconut shavings, store bought
Cocoa powder for dusting
Blended pistachio

Place chocolate in a glass bowl and melt over a double boiler ( sauce pan with water simmering and heat safe glass bowl atop).

Put chocolate truffles on a cooling rack or it can remain on parchmented baking sheet, which ever preferred. Pour melted chocolate over them and let cool for about a minute.

In three separate bowls add pistachio, Coconut shavings and Cocoa powder. Gently roll the amount of truffle you want covered in whatever covering you wish into each topping and for the remaining truffles keep as is to achieve that crisp chocolate shell covered truffle. Refrigerate and serve to your special someone for dessert with champagne, prosecco or Moscato.

Believe me they won't be disappointed knowing that instead of going out to buy those processed stuff you took the time out to make them yourself, he or she will be immensely impressed. Happy valentine day. Enjoy!

V-Day cioppino for two.

Ingredients :

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp butter
2 large shallots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 large fennel, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil (some for garnish)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (some for garnish)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 pinches of kosher salt
1/2 tsp Fresh cracked black pepper
4 cups dry white wine
3 1/2 cups seafood stock
1 large can tomato sauce
1/2 lb fresh clam
1 lb fresh mussels
1/2 lb scallop,  seared.  (Seared for extra crisp and flavor)
A few king crab legs
1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned and peeled
1/2 lbs fresh calamari

Method:

In a dutch oven or large soup pot on high heat, heat oil and butter. Add onion, fennel, garlic, shallots, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper and sauté until onion is translucent.

Bring heat to medium, then, add wine, seafood stock and tomato sauce, stir and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Add calamari, clams and mussels. Cover and cook until mussels and clams opens up, this should be about 7 mins( if they don't open up, toss it, they're no good).
Add shrimp, crab legs and scallops and simmer for another five minutes for the shrimp to cook through (do not over cook shrimp)  Add more pepper flakes if you like your food really spicy. 

Remove from stove and serve in a bowl with crisp butter toasted bruschetta bread and a glass of prosecco.   Enjoy!

Seafood potato bake. V- day dinner recipes

Dinner for two.

Ingredients :

2 pieces flounder fish fillet, pat dried
2 cups fresh jumbo shrimp, cleaned and pat dry
1 large organic sweet potato, peeled and par-boiled
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large lemon, zest and juice
1 tbsp fresh black pepper
kosher salt to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp fresh rosemary
1 habanero, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup Holland house lemon wine (Yes I do cook with wine alot)
2 large pieces of heavy duty foil.

Method :

Pre-heat oven to 475 °.  In a medium bowl, whisk all except shrimp, fish and potato.

Slice par-boiled potato and place on foil. Should be eight pieces, 4 for each foil.

Place fish and shrimp atop potato then place both foil packages in an oven safe baking dish or skillet.

Spoon herb/wine mixture over fish.

Place skillet in oven, foil open and roast for 15 mins.

After 15 mins remove and enjoy with your significant other .  V- day dinner ideas.