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Oven Baked Basa Fillets With A Zesty Marinade....

Basa is a type of catfish native to the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam. It is becoming much more popular here in the UK and is available in most supermarkets. It’s a white fish with a firm, meaty texture and is sometimes used as a substitute for cod. What I love about basa is that it’s a very versatile fish and really easy to cook. Check out this great website for more inspiring basa recipes.

Another bonus I have discovered with basa – no bones! Or at least none that I have found and you know with fish – even the carefully filleted ones – there are always bound to be bones lurking somewhere. I do love fish but the bones really stress me out. A childhood incident where a fish bone became stuck in my throat resulted in me having to eat slice after slice of ‘wonderbread’ to help remove it. Wonderbread was never quite the same after that.

Ok no more trips down memory lane – let’s get on with the recipe!

Luna’s Recipe for Basa Fillets With A Zesty Marinade

Marinade:

Juice of 1/2 lemon.

1 clove of garlic, minced.

1 Tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.

1 Tablespoon of runny honey.

3 Tablespoons of light soy sauce.

Directions:

Put the basa fillets in a shallow dish and cover with the marinade.

Leave to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. I turned the fillets over twice during the marinating process just to make sure everything was covered.

Preheat oven to 180C

When the fillets have marinated long enough place them on tin foil, spooning any remaining marinade on top.
Fold the tin foil around them like a parcel and place them on a baking sheet.

The directions on the pack said to cook the fillets for 20 minutes – I actually cooked them for a lot longer – 45 minutes!

Note to self: Before you start cooking make sure husband is actually on his way home and not stopping off at the pub for a quick pint after work!

Fortunately the extra time in the oven did not impair the flavour at all. In fact the fish was incredibly moist and very VERY tasty! I think the lemon juice probably helped.

I served the fillets with my favourite Egg Fried Rice courtesy of Ken Hom and some lightly steamed broccoli.

This was a filling dinner but it felt very light. It’s perfect for a warm Spring evening with a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Oven Baked Basa Fillets in a Zesty Marinade.

Sorry about the quality of the photograph – I must get a new camera and stop taking photos on my phone!

Maple Syrup Glazed New Potato Salad With Crispy Pa...

I love watching cooking shows and one of my favourites here in the UK, is Saturday Morning Kitchen hosted by James Martin. They always have a wonderful selection of chefs that demonstrate a broad range of delicious recipes you can easily try at home.

Just the other week I watched as chef Shaun Rankin prepared the most amazing salad of maple syrup glazed new potatoes with crispy pancetta and squid. This was a recipe I knew I had to try. On the show he actually used Jersey Royal New Potatoes. This lovely little potato has a firm texture and slightly nutty- sweet taste. What makes these potatoes so special is that to be a true Jersey Royal New Potato it has to come from the island of Jersey itself.

What really excited me about this recipe (aside from the fact that it involves one of my all time favourite food items: Maple Syrup!) is that it also uses squid; something I love to eat but have never tried to cook at home. I guess the idea of preparing and cooking squid always concerned me. Luckily our local fish monger did the deed as I didn’t think I was up to that particular task– I felt cooking it was enough of a challenge for one day! To my amazement I discovered squid is actually very easy to cook – the only real danger is in over cooking it. It really doesn’t take very long at all.

While the addition of maple syrup may seem odd, trust me when I say it really is the magic ingredient that brings all the beautiful flavours of this dish together. If you want a recipe that is perfect for an elegant Sunday brunch then this salad is for you! My husband and I were really impressed with the results and will absolutely be making this again. I’m glad I watched Saturday Morning Kitchen as it really inspired me to try something new!

Maple Syrup Glazed New Potato Salad with Crispy Pancetta and Squid

Chinese Style Chicken Thighs With Egg Fried Rice....

In these tough economic times many of us our counting our pennies and looking for bargains when we do our food shop. Using leftovers creatively is a great way to save money, as is using less expensive cuts of meat. I have become very fond of using chicken thighs which are much cheaper and more flavoursome then chicken breasts.

Tonight I tried a completely new recipe with some chicken thighs and served it alongside some egg fried rice. It was a hit and I will be making this again for sure!

Luna Raye’s Chinese Style Chicken Thighs.

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs with skin and on the bone (I use organic free range chicken).

For the Marinade:

5 Tablespoons of Superior Dark Soy Sauce.
Juice of half a lemon.
2 Tablespoons of runny honey.
2 cloves of minced garlic.
1 Tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
Drizzle of olive oil.

Directions

Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add chicken thighs to the bowl and mix thoroughly into the marinade so the thighs are completely covered.

Cover the bowl and allow the thighs to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Add to an ovenproof dish and cook at 200C turning the thighs at least twice during cooking. I like the skin on top to crisp up.

Cooking times may vary but I kept mine in the oven for an hour. Do make sure the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Egg Fried Rice

For the egg fried rice recipe I used Ken Hom’s recipe as a base but made a few changes. This is a great recipe top play around with. Follow the basic directions and try adding different things like bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and prawns. For my version I used:

• 1 cup of cold cooked white basmati rice.
• 2 salad onions (spring onions) chopped finely.
• ½ cup frozen peas (thawed).
• ½ cup frozen sweet corn (thawed).
• 2 eggs beaten with 1 Tablespoon of light soy sauce (I had run out of sesame oil).

Chinese Style Chicken Thighs With Egg Fried Rice

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Caramelized Onions...

Cooking really changed for me when I finally mastered the fine art of caramelizing onions. Although it may seem like a simple thing to do I usually ended up with charred bits of onion stuck to a heavily smoking pan and lots of little burns on my hands and arms. I think the main culprit in this was my love of cooking everything in butter (and lots of it!). Apparently the dairy solids in butter have a tendency to burn which I didn’t realize. You can use clarified butter but using olive oil seemed a much simpler (and healthier) solution. So I made the switch and the rest is history.

My onion of choice is the large yellow Spanish onion which has a beautifully sweet flavour when cooked. However I personally like to add a sprinkling of brown sugar or for a special treat, a drizzle of maple syrup, which gives the onions a deep rich colour and really brings out the smoky sweetness in flavour. By cutting the onion cross wise in large round slices you get lovely long strands of onion which look quite elegant. To caramelize them add to a pan with some olive oil and a sprinkling of brown sugar or maple syrup. Cook over a moderate heat until soft. It’s as easy as that!

I am very proud of the fact that I can now easily whip up this tasty delight adding a whole new dimension to a variety of dishes. No more charred onions or smoking pans for me, although I still burn my hands from time to time, but then again I can be a real klutz (I am an Aries after all)!

Caramelized onions are a fantastic condiment and can be added to:
• Burgers
• Hot Dogs
• Sausages
• Steaks
• Sandwiches (grilled cheese is especially good)
• Salads (they work really well with hummus or goats cheese)
• Mashed, Scalloped or Jacket Potatoes
• Salsas, chutneys and gravies

You can also add them to:
• Pasta sauces. (my favourites are tomato or carbonara)
• Quiches or vegetable tarts.
• Omelettes.
• Soups.

Here is my recipe for Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Caramelized Onions.

Ingredients
1 large yellow Spanish onion, cut crosswise in large round slices.
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced.
2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes.
2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar or pure maple syrup.
3-4 Tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Directions
1. Add olive oil and chopped onions to a large skillet and stir to coat onions in the oil. Sprinkle the brown sugar or drizzle some maple syrup over the onions and continue to cook over a medium heat until the onions become soft.

2. Once the onions have been cooked set them aside on a plate. Don’t wash the skillet!

3. Add the tomatoes and minced garlic to the unwashed skillet (there will still be some lovely flavours from the onions lurking there). Cook over a low heat stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.

4. While the tomatoes and garlic are cooking get a pan of salted water on the boil for the pasta. You can use any kind of pasta but I love using spaghetti or linguine for this dish.

5. Once the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, add the caramelized onions back into the skillet with the tomatoes and garlic. Gently stir to mix the onions, garlic and tomatoes together.

6. When pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to bowls.

7. Generously spoon the sauce and top and grate some Parmesan or Romano cheese on top.

8. Serve on its own or with garlic bread and enjoy!

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Caramelized Onions

Caramelizing Onions

Fillet Steak with Frites and Caesar Salad. A Recip...

Last night my husband surprised me with a pre-Valentines romantic meal! He grilled 2 fillet steaks and served them with frites and a Caesar salad. It was wonderful and the Caesar salad made it extra special as he used my Grandfather’s recipe for Caesar dressing – which simply is the best Caesar dressing I have ever tasted.

Here is my Grandfather’s recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 garlic cloves (minced).
  • 1 anchovy fillet (or 1 Tbsp of anchovy paste).
  • 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
  • 2 egg yolks slightly beaten.
  • 3 Tbsp of “Maille a L’Ancienne” mustard. This is a type of Dijon mustard with seeds and is A VERY IMPORTANT INGREDIENT.
  • Juice of ¼ lemon.
  • ½ cup of olive oil (I do use slightly less)
  • 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce.
  • 2 dashes of Tabasco.
  • 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese.

Method:

Add all the ingredients together in the order they appear in this ingredients list. Combine each ingredient well before adding the next one. This will make the basic dressing.

Use 1 large head of Romaine lettuce (this should make enough for 4 servings).

Toss the Romaine with the dressing.

Add another ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and toss again till well mixed.

Just before serving you can add crushed bacon and/or croutons. Toss again just before serving and enjoy!

Tonight it’s MY turn to make the romantic meal. Wish me luck.

Fillet Steak with Caesar Salad and Frites

Red Peppers Stuffed with Refried Beans and Goats C...

I was at a loss for what to make for dinner tonight. There were 2 large red peppers languishing at the bottom of my crisper so I decided to look for a recipe for stuffing them. Luckily I had some goat cheese on hand but I wasn’t sure what else to add as a filling.

Trawling through recipe sites I found one for Red Peppers, Red Beans and Goat Cheese, which sounds delicious. Of course I was missing the kidney beans and the butternut squash so I needed to make some adjustments.

For my recipe I used a tin of refried beans which I heated up with 2 chopped shallots, 2 cloves of minced garlic and the bits of pepper that were around the stems. I added some mushrooms toward the end.

I had already starting roasting peppers – without the mixture – and after about 20 minutes took them out and crumbled some goat cheese in the bottom. I then added some of the refried bean mixture about ½ way up the pepper and then added some more cheese and another layer of the mixture.

Once the peppers were completely stuffed I covered the top of them with the rest of the goat cheese. I put them back in the oven for a further 30 – 40 minutes or until soft.

They looked and smelled delicious! The only problem was I got my timing wrong and my husband was another 20 minutes getting home from work. The result was that the peppers became very soft and one fell over spilling its contents all over the baking tray.

It didn’t look pretty but boy did it taste great! I will try the original recipe at some point – I love the idea of adding kidney beans and butternut squash!

Nachos With Homemade Guacamole....

Saturday night is nacho night. I love Tex Mex food and nachos are always top of my list. I especially love them with sour cream and homemade guacamole.

I mash 3 large avocados in a bowl. I do like my guacamole chunky so I don’t mash them too much. If you prefer a smoother mix you can always purée the avocados in a blender.

I add lemon juice which stops the avocados turning brown. It also adds a nice tang to the dish. Usually 2-3 Tablespoons is enough but tasting and seasoning as you go along is important.

I also add salt and pepper and 1-2 cloves of minced garlic to taste. If you like a bit of extra spice you can add some chilli flakes.

Guacamole is great with nachos but I also love it on toasted bagels too!

Kitchen Tools: A Main Ingredients Hand Grater....

It’s important to purchase good quality kitchen tools. Not only can they make your life easier in the kitchen but they can also help introduce you to new techniques and cooking methods.

I recently purchased a large Prestige Main Ingredients Hand Grater which is the perfect tool for zesting lemons, limes and oranges. It is also wonderful for finely grating garlic and ginger and for putting those extra special touches of parmesan cheese on pasta dishes, salads and soups.

For ages the only grater I had was a box grater. It is perfect for grating large blocks of cheese but I found it hard to use when I needed things finely grated or zested. The hand grater is a great and inexpensive kitchen tool and I would recommend one of these for anyone who is serious about cooking.

One of the first recipes I used the grater for was Nigella Lawson’s, Linguine with lemon, garlic and thyme mushrooms. In fact, I bought it so I could make this very dish, and it was absolutely worth it!

Give this recipe a try. It is simple, elegant and delicious and while you’re at it, why not treat yourself to some new tools for your kitchen!

White Bean and Turkey Chilli....

This is the perfect lunch for a lazy Sunday afternoon. The recipe comes from one of my favourite chefs, Giada De Laurentiis and is a real winter warmer.

Although I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand for her white bean and chicken chilli, I compromised and the results were just as good.

I halved the recipe as I was making this for two, but I still used one whole onion and 4 cloves of garlic.

Instead of chicken I used turkey and substituted savoy cabbage for the swiss chard.

This also gave me an opportunity to use cannellini beans which I have never used before. For my version of the recipe I only used 1 can.

I also made a few changes to the spices as I was missing both fennel seeds and chilli powder. Instead I used;

  • 1 heaping Tablespoon of Cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon of dried Oregano
  • 3 teaspoons of Garam Masala

I added salt and pepper to taste and actually forgot to add the red pepper flakes towards the end of cooking, so it wasn’t as hot and spicy as it could have been.

Everything was in the pot and cooked within 20 minutes – then it just simmered away for another 45 minutes before I served it up with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I will definitely make this again!

Smashed New Potatoes with Garlic and Dill...

Tonight we are having fresh organic salmon fillets. I like to put a little bit of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and some crushed garlic on them before I wrap them up in tin foil and bake them in the oven. I always find this keeps the fish really moist and flavourful.

My favourite side dish to have with oven baked salmon is Smashed New Potatoes with Garlic and Dill.

I boil up some new potatoes (usually about 5-6 potatoes per person). Once cooked, I drain them and put them back into the saucepan. I then add a knob or so of butter, 2-3 minced garlic cloves (depending on how much you like garlic) and add some chopped fresh dill. I give the saucepan a vigorous shake and if needed toss the potatoes around with a spoon.

They do get smashed up this way – but that adds to the flavour as all the buttery garlicky goodness seeps into the flesh of the potato.

It’s an easy side dish and a perfect match for the lemon garlic oven baked salmon.

….and yes those are creamed leeks on the side!

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