Quick Fried Shrimp with Garlic

This is so good. Even my picky hockey player had two helpings.  If you love garlic this is the dish for you.  The spices really compliments the shrimp and you can make it spicy or mild.  Just play around with the amount of chili powder and cayenne.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped garlic (about 2 large heads)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt (more to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
2 tblsp chili powder
1 tblsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne (more to taste)
2lbs medium-large shrimp (shelled and deveined)
3 tblsp cilantro (roughly chopped)
Slices of lime
Salt and pepper

In a small sauce pan add olive oil and garlic.  Using medium heat, cook until garlic is lightly brown.  Add chili powder, paprika and cayenne.  Continue stirring for another minute.  Add the lime juice and continue cooking for another 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, season the shrimp with salt and pepper.  In a deep frying pan, add 3 tablespoon of the oil (make sure you do not include the garlic) from the sauce pan. Make sure pan is hot, add 4-5 pieces of shrimp.  Quick fry the shrimp in batches for about 3-4 minutes.  When shrimp is pink and opaque, transfer to a bowl.  Continue to add the oil from the sauce pan without the garlic while cooking the shrimp in batches until all the shrimp is done.  Strain the garlic from the sauce pan and add to the cooked shrimp.  Add the chopped cilantro to the shrimp. Toss shrimp, garlic and cilantro until it well mixed.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with slices of lime and your favorite rice (i.e. Spanish, Cilantro lime etc.)

Brown Rice, Lentil and Spinach Soup

This is such a wonderful robust soup.  It is definitely a meal in itself.  I love the texture of the brown rice.  The lentils add additional protein and fiber that makes this a filling soup along with the sweet Italian sausage.  Yummmmmm.


Ingredients:

1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (removed from casing)
3 tblsp olive oil
2 carrots (chopped)
2 celery ribs (finely chopped)
1 large onion (minced)
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 small chile de arbol
12 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup brown lentils
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 lb of baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper

Rinse brown rice in cool water, drain and set aside.  Rinse the lentils in cool water, drain and set aside.  Heat olive oil in a 5 quart pot.  Add the sweet Italian sausage , breaking it up into crumbles while browning.  Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate.  Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot  and stir continuously until onions are a light golden color (appoximately 10-12 minutes).  Add cumin seeds, thyme and chile de arbol.  Continue sauteing for another 3 minutes until spices are incorporated with the vegetables.  Return the sausage to the pan and add the chicken broth.  Add the rinsed brown rice and lentils.  Stir and bring to a boil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for another 45 minutes.  Uncover and add the spinach leaves. Cook until spinach is wilted (approximately 1 minute).  Serve in your favorite bowls.

Mojito Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tblsp olive oil
1 small onion (minced)
4 cloves garlic ( minced)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts (cut up into bite size pieces)
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup rum
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and pepper

In a glass bowl, toss chicken breast pieces with 1/4 cup of lime juice, salt and pepper.  Let marinade for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and sugar and cook for approximately 3 minutes, until oniond are soft, stirring constantly. Add chicken and saute up to 5 minutes until golden brown on all sides.

Add the rest of the lime juice and carefully, off the heat, add the rum. Return to the heat and add lime zest and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  Serve chicken, garnished with mint, over rice with roasted asparagus on the side.

Fried Brown Rice

I recently wrote an article on brown rice based on a recent discovery that this very healthy food has changed. The new organic growing and processing methods has definitely changed this rice.  So, I decided to start adding brown rice to my repetoire.  Check out this new version of fried rice.  It goes great with any of your Asian dishes.

Ingredients:

2 tblsp sesame oil
2 green onions (chopped)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tblsp pine nuts
2 tblsp soy sauce
1 small red chillie (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 inch ginger (minced)
Salt and pepper

Heat sesame oil in a frying pan or work.  Add garlic and ginger, stirring continuously for approximately 1 minute.  Add green onions and pine nuts and continue stirring for  2 minutes until pine nuts have a light golden color.  Add the brown rice and the soy sauce.  Continue stirring until rice clumps are removed and rice is well incorporated with the other ingredients (approximately 3 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the red chillie. Enjoy with your favorite Chinese or Asian toppings.

Brown Rice with Chicken and Chorizo

This is a hearty one pot meal.  The chicken combined with the chorizo and rice is similar to the classic Spanish dish called arroz con pollo.  The brown rice adds a nice twist.  Check it out.

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken thighs
3/4 lbs smoked or Spanish chorizo (cut into 1" thick slices)
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tblsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or less (to taste)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large onion (minced)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice (rinsed)
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth
3 roasted red peppers (cut in strips)
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper


Preheat oven at 400 degrees.  In a large dutch oven or a deep oven proof pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the sliced chorizo and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove to plate with a slotted spoon.  Working in batches, add the chicken thighs.  Do not crowd.  Brown each side (about 4-5 minutes each). Remove from the pan and set aside. Once all the chicken thighs are done, Pour off some of the fat and grease, leaving approximately 3 tablespoon in the pot.  Add the onion and garlic stirring constantly until onions are lightly browned. Add the bay leaf, red pepper flakes and oregano and cook for another 30 seconds, then add the roasted red pepper.  Continue stirring for another 2 minutes, then add the brown rice.  Stirring constantly until rice is well coated and well mixed with the other ingredients.  Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the wine and continue to cook for another minute.  Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan and add the chicken broth.  Season with salt and pepper and cover bringing it to a boil; add the peas. 

Transfer the covered pot to the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes until chicken is done and rice is tender.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes covered before serving.

Banana Leaf Wrapped Tilapia

I've always wanted to make something in a banana leaf, but I wanted something easy to start with.  I thought if I  started with easy, it would build my confidence and then I can go to more complex type foods.  This is a great recipe if you have never cooked with banana leaves.  You don't have to create a container or do any type of special folding or wrapping. The roasted pepper sauce is absolutely divine.  When you serve it like in the picture with a side of cilantro lime rice....OMG!

Ingredients:

1 bag of banana leaves cut into 5 or 6 inch squares
8 tilapia fillets (approx. 6oz each)
4 small limes
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1 green onion (chopped)
Sliced lemons or limes

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 12oz jar roasted peppers (drained)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large stock pot about half way with water and bring to a boil. 
Season each tilapia fillet with salt and pepper and juice of half a lime; set a side. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

When water comes to a boil, blanche a banana leaf in the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds.  If the banana leaves are frozen, blanche for at least 1 minute.  Remove from the boiling water and lay out on a flat surface.  Place one of the tilapia fillets in the center.  Fold each corner like you are wrapping a gift. Flip the wrapped fish over so that the seam side is down.  Place the parcel on the greased baking sheet.  Continue with the other banana leaves and tilapia fillets.  Once all the fillets have been wrapped and placed on the baking sheet, bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

For the red pepper sauce, place the red peppers, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender.  Puree adding the olive oil is a slow stream until well blended.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 

Remove the wrapped fillets from the oven and allow to sit for approximately 5 minutes.  Cut slits across the top of each parcel separating the banana leaves.  Spoon the red pepper sauce and garnish with the green onions and sliced lemons or limes.

Vegetable Jambalaya

I am always trying to find vegetarian recipes.  I have friends who are vegetarian and it is always nice to surprise them with a special vegetarian dish.  I also like to bring a vegetarian dish to the office pot luck so that the vegetarians can enjoy as well.  This is a really beautiful and impressive looking dish.  The flavors are wonderful.  The original jambalaya calls for spicy sausage, but with this recipe, you don't miss it.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown rice
3 tblsp oilive oil
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 red onion (large chopped)
1 eggplant (diced)
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 can of baby corn on the cob (sliced in half)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small broccoli head (broken into florets)
2/3 cup vegetable broth
8oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tblsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
1/2 tsp chili flakes
Salt and pepper

Cook brown rice following package instructions or your normal cooking process.  When done, fluff with a fork to loosen and set aside.

In a large skillet or pan, heat oil and add onions and garlic.  Cook stirring constantly for 3 minutes until onions are translucent.  Add creole seasoning and chili flakes.  Stirring constantly, cook for approximately 1 minute to heat the spices.  Add eggplant, bell peppers and broccoli.  Continue stirring for another 2-3 minutes.  Stir in peas, corn and tomatoes and mix well with the other vegetables in the pan.  Add the vegetable stock and tomato paste stirring until tomato past is incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cook  covered in low heat for approxmately 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Stir in the brown rice and mix well.  Cook for another 4 minutes. This is best served warm, so serve immediately.

Filipino Blood Stew (Dinuguan)

Many cultures use blood in their cooking (the Germans have blood sausage).  In the Philippines, a stew is created using blood as well.  My husband (an American from Ft. Worth) actually loves this stew when the weather is cold or rainy.  This is one of those recipes that you adjust according to taste.   If you are the adventurous type try it out.  If you want something spicier, use a hotter pepper (green chillies).  Pig's blood can be purchased at any Asian grocery store. This is a perishable item. Use the blood within 24 hours. 

Ingredients:

1 16oz container of fresh pig's blood
1lb of pork butt or shoulder (Cut in large chunks)
8oz of beef or calf liver (cut into small bite size pieces)
1 medium onion (minced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tblsp sugar
1 1/2cups pork stock
1 cup apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar
4-5 whole peppercorn
1 small banana pepper or anaheim pepper
2 tblsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a stock pot, fill about half way with water.  Add salt, peppercorn and pork butt/shoulder.  Allow to boil until tender, approximately 1 hour.  Watch to make sure it does not run out of liquid.  Add water when needed.  When done, remove pork and place on chopping board.  Reserve the stock.  When cool enough, cut the pork into small bite size pieces. Set aside.

In a large pot or stock pot, heat oil. Add onions and garlic, and banana/anaheim pepper.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent.  Add oregano and bay leaf. Continue cooking, stirring constantly for another minute. Add the pork and liver.  Continue stirring and allow liver to cook thoroughly.  Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Allow to gently boil.  In a food processor or blender, add the blood and 1/2 cup of the pork stock.  Turn on the blender and mix until blood is no longer congealed and is liquified. Add the liquid from the blender into the pot.  Add the remaining stock and continue to gently boil for another 15 minutes.  The longer you boil, the vinegar will tone down.  Taste the stew, you can adjust the tanginess at this point.  If you like it tangier, add a 1/4 cup of vinegar. If you wish for a sweeter flavor, add another tablespoon of sugar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Brown Rice Fritters

I discovered that there are different cultures that have a version of rice fritters.  The Asian version all use short white sticky rice. The Italians have one that uses risotto.  This brown rice version give it a more earthy nutty texture. 



Ingredients:
2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 tsp oregano (chopped fresh)
salt and pepper
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tblsp butter
Chopped parsley and additional butter for garnish

In a bowl combine the brown rice, cheese, oregano, egg, salt and pepper.  Mix well and form rice mixture into 2 inch round cakes. Place rice cakes on a sheet tray and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes allowing it to firm.

Remove rice cakes from the refrigerator and pour flour onto a shallow bowl.  Dredge each rice cake into the flour.  Dust off any excess.  Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet.  Fry rice cakes in batches.  Do not crowd.  Cook each side approximately 4 minutes or until brown, turning only once.  Remove from pan and garnish with  thinly sliced butter and chopped parsely.  Enjoy this great snack!