Wednesday 29 January 2014

Making Vegetable Spring Roll with Kare-kare Sauce

Prepare a healthy snack with this steamed vegetable lumpia recipe (spring roll), drizzled with a zesty kare-kare sauce.
Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from a base of stewed oxtail, pork hocks, calves feet, pig feet, beef stew meat; and occasionally offal, or tripe. This is a traditional Filipino gourmet recipes dish served on special occasions as well as family dinners.




Ingredients:

1 pc (small) Onion (sliced)
150 grams Ground Pork 
150 grams string beans (cut into rings)
150 grams Banana Heart(trimmed and sliced)
1½ tsp Fish Sauce 
150 grams Cabbage(sliced)
15 pcs Lumpia Wrappers(medium round )
½ tbsp. Soy Sauce(for sauce)
4 cloves Garlic(minced, for sauce)
2½ tbsp Brown Sugar(for sauce)
1 pack (50 grams) Kare-Kare Mix 


Cooking Procedure:
Sauté onion and pork for 3 minutes. Add string bean, banana heart and fish sauce. Cook for 5 minutes with occasional stirring. Add 2 tbsps of DEL MONTE Quick n Easy Kare-kare Mix. Cook for 5 minutes. Add cabbage. Stir for 2 minutes. Set aside.


Combine 2/3 cup water, sauce ingredients and remaining kare kare powder. Stir to dissolve. Simmer with continuous stirring until thick. Set aside.

Wrap every 2 tablespoons of vegetable mixture in lumpia wrapper. Roll and steam for 1 minute. Pour sauce just before serving.

Makes 5 servings (3 pcs per serving with 2 tablespoons sauce)

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Cider Braised Pheasant

Long, slow cooking is the key to these tender, juicy birds, braised in an autumnal mix of apples, cider, and caramelized onion. If cooking recipes for pheasant is hard to come by, you can substitute chicken. Try to Eat best pheasant recipes
 


Ingredients


For marinade:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, whole
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 1/2 oranges)
3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 1/2 oranges)
Large pinch kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 (3-pound) pheasants, each rinsed inside and out, patted dry, cut into 6 pieces


To braise:
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon table salt
Pinch sugar
2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus additional, if necessary
2 cups apple cider
1 cup dry white wine
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced


For caramelized onions and apples:
10 ounces pearl onions, root ends trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons apple cider


To serve:
Fresh tarragon leaves, chopped



Preparation

Make marinade:
In blender, combine olive oil, ginger, tarragon, orange juice, zest, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. In large bowl, combine marinade and pheasant and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.

Braise pheasant:
In very large Dutch oven over moderately high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Remove pheasant pieces from marinade, scraping off excess, and sprinkle with salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, sear pheasant pieces until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Skim off all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan, leaving browned bits at bottom, and set pan over moderately low heat. Add butter and heat until melted. Stir in onions, bay leaf, fennel seeds, salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.

Return pheasant to pot. Add chicken broth, cider, and wine. (Liquid should cover half of pheasant pieces. Add more chicken broth if necessary.) Raise heat to high and bring liquid to simmer. Add apples, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Braise, turning pheasant pieces occasionally, until meat is cooked through and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Using tongs or slotted spoon, transfer pheasant to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Set pot over high heat and bring pan juices to boil. Boil, uncovered, until sauce is well reduced and thickened, about 25 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

While juices are reducing, prepare caramelized onions and apples:
Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add pearl onions and boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle; slip off skins.

In small skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, apples, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Sear, shaking pan occasionally, until onions and apples are dark golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in apple cider, scraping up any browned bits in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until onions are fork tender, about 2 minutes more.


Serve:
Spoon some of sauce over pheasant and garnish with onions, apples, and chopped tarragon. Serve additional sauce alongside.

Monday 27 January 2014

Potato Base Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe

There is nothing more comforting healthy meals than a hot bowl of creamy soup on a cold winter night. This is a potato base creamy vegetable soup recipe with bockwurst and it is ready in less than 1hr! 




Ingredients:

6 medium/ large potatoes, peeled and diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 large leek, cleaned and chopped
1/4 celery root, diced
20g cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 tsp parsley, finely chopped
1 litre vegetable broth
1/4 cup sherry
1tsp thyme
1tsp marjoram (or oregano)
pepper
5 Bockwurst, chopped

Preparation:

In a big pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil and add all the vegetables EXCEPT Leek . Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium low, leaving lid ajar, let the soup simmer for about 15mins.

Then add sherry, thyme, marjoram, pepper and leek. continue to let it simmer for about 30mins.

After 30mins taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper to your liking. I did not need to add salt since the broth ‘seasoned’ the soup already.

To make the soup creamy, puree the soup either in the pot with a hand blender or let it cool for 10mins and blend it in a blender .

Return soup to pot (If using a blender) and add the chopped Bockwurst for a min, just to heat the Bockwurst.

Serve!

Thursday 23 January 2014

Cranberry And Cilantro Quinoa Salad

There once was a saying that a great salad is not only healthy meals, but is colorful as well. Have you ever noticed that there are no garden salads, or any salads for that matter, that is comprised of only one color? All salads I have ever seen and tasted is a combination of a variety of fruits, vegetables, leaves, and even eggs. In this write-up, we would be looking into cranberry and cilantro quinoa salad. The best quinoa recipes




Now, a lot of people are familiar with cranberries. They are very popular, and cranberry juice is particularly helpful to people with urinary tract problems - the acidity in its juice help fight off the bacteria and infection in your urinary tract. Cranberries are also rich in antioxidants. It is a great way to detoxify your body, decreasing your chances of acquiring cancer and giving you healthy, beautiful skin.

Cilantro is an herb that is both famous and infamous. In Europe, and in some areas of the Western world, people could not stomach the smell of cilantro. In fact, Julia Child stated in an interview once that she hated cilantro (or coriander). She never wanted to see a single piece of cilantro in her dish. However, people in Asia are huge fans of cilantro. No matter where the fan base though, cilantro lends an aromatic nature to any dish. Thai dishes, in particular, use a lot of cilantro when cooking.

Quinoa is a wonderful cereal grain that could be used as a substitute for rice any day. It is more flavorful than your usual plain, white rice, and had an oatmeal-like texture to it. To some, it may be an acquired taste, but there are others who fall in love with it right away. Quinoa is also a great source for protein, so essentially, it is a rice and meat substitute!

For cranberry and cilantro quinoa salad, it is very simple. Unlike other recipes though, this is serve chilled. Your first step would be to cook your quinoa by steaming it for 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, chill inside the fridge. As soon as it is cold enough, mix in your dried cranberries, bell pepper, onions, etc. For added texture, you could also add in roasted almonds, cashew nuts, or peanuts. I personally prefer cashew nuts, though. This would be a great recipe to use if you have leftover quinoa. You could also keep it chilled if there are leftovers, and serve cold the next day!

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Home-made Root Vegetable Soup Recipe

This hearty vegetable soup recipe will warm up cold winter nights. It is a perfect match and along with your favorite sandwich and make a terrific lunch The earthy flavors of root vegetables make them a natural choice for soup healthy meals.



Ingredients:

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion-small diced
1 clove of garlic- minced
2 carrots- peeled and sliced thick
1 potato- peeled and cubed
1 turnip- peeled and sliced
1 small rutabaga- peeled and cubed
5 cups water
1/4 cup rice
1 can of kidney beans- rinsed
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
a few leafs of kale- chopped
dried oregano
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pot, gently heat oil, add onions and garlic. Sauté until soft.
Add veggies and continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes.
Add water and rice.
Bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer.
Add beans. Season with vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper
Stir in kale once ready to serve.

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Petit Pheasant Pot Pie

A hearty healthy meals: these savory pheasant recipes is great use as a starter to a meal.

Chef Jasper's Notes: This is a great pass around appetizer at parties or just a starter when guests arrive. 


The biscuit recipe is from my Mom and the exact recipe she has used since 1954.

Appetizer Recipes Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup onions, minced
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 MacFarlane Pheasant Breasts
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons brandy
3/4 tablespoon flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, diced and cooked
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Fresh tarragon to taste
Garnish with chopped chives

In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, melt. Add onions, carrots and celery, sauté until onions are translucent. Add pheasant breast, heat through, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove pheasant from pan, cut into bite- size pieces. In sauté pan, add remaining butter and mushrooms, toss for 3 minutes. Add brandy, heat. Add flour; stir until a paste is formed. Add milk, stir. Bring to a simmer to thicken. Add potatoes and pheasant, mix well. Season with salt, pepper and tarragon. Spoon into shot glasses or ramekins. Bake at 350˚ F for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven, top each with petit biscuit. Garnish with chives, serve.

Petit Southern Biscuits
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450˚ F. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Cut-in shortening. Add milk, mix by hand. Mixture should be in crumbles. Turn out on floured surface, kneed. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick, cut into mini biscuits. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool.




source: pheasantfordinner.com

Monday 20 January 2014

Fat Burning Vegetable Soup

The fat burning vegetable soup recipe for dieting is very popular because it doesn’t have limitation on the amount of food you can eat. At the same time it allows many different products in addition the main ingredient – the soup. It is called fat burning because of the specially picked vegetables that form these healthy recipes. All of these vegetables have negative calorie value which means that your body uses more energy to digest them than the calorie value they contain.



Ingredients: 

6 medium size onions
3 tomatoes
1 small head of cabbage
2 green bell peppers
1 beam of celery
fresh herbs
a little salt 
pepper to taste


Preparation:

  1. Cut the vegetables into small pieces and put into boiling pot.
  2. Fill the boiling pot with water to cover the vegetables, add 1 cube of vegetable bouillon and seasoning and boil on high heat for about 10 minutes. 
  3. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until vegetables become soft.
  4. Add fresh herbs and serve.

Friday 17 January 2014

Crispy Zucchini Oven Chips

Challenge picky eaters to eat their veggies with these easy appetizers recipe.These flavorful, crispy zucchini chips are so delicious that, just like their potato counterparts, I bet you won't be able to eat just one! They're a healthy recipes side dish for just about any appetizer recipes meal.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

3. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

4. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray, then place the rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Thursday 16 January 2014

Smoked Bangus Lumpia

Smoked Bangus Lumpia is an alternative healthy meals way to serve this delicious fish for the family. It is appetizer recipes that is worth all the extra effort. It is tasty spring roll lumpia recipe made from bangus or milkfish flakes.


A superb addition to your menus for any occasion!

Preparation time: 30 minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes; Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
2 pcs boneless tinapang bangus, finely shredded
2 medium-sized onions chopped finely
2 Tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 small bar quick melt cheese, cut into small cubes
1 bunch wansoy, finely chopped
1 pc mango, half-ripe, finely diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
lumpia wrappers
1 egg white

Procedure
1. Mix first six ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place a few tablespoons of mixture into lumpia wrappers and roll.
3. Use egg white as glue for wrapper ends when rolling.
4. Deep fry till golden brown.

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Quick and Easy Finger Foods Appetizers

Holiday party food is usually loaded with simple carbohydrates, high-sodium processed foods, and saturated fat. Say no to the unhealthy stuff this year and prepare the following quick and easy appetizers finger foods. Your body and your taste buds will thank you. Tasty little healthy meals. Bites of food that look spectacular and are intensely flavorful.



Ingredients:

Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) mustard
1 Tbsp (15 mL) apple juice concentrate
Black pepper, chipotle powder, and salt to taste
1 avocado, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 mango, chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) red onion, finely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) cooked black beans
1 - 16 oz (450 g) package whole grain baked tortilla chips
Cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, apple juice concentrate, black pepper, chipotle powder, and salt. Set aside.

In separate bowl, toss the avocado, red bell pepper, mango, onion, and beans with the dressing. Place tortilla chips on serving plate and top them with bean mixture. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.


Serves 16.

Each serving contains:

209 calories;

6 g protein;

6 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat);

34 g carbohydrates;

5 g fibre;

127 mg sodium

Monday 13 January 2014

Chicken With Honey Sauce As Appetizer

These bite-sized appetizers are steeped in a mixture of garlic, soy sauce, ginger, citrus, and honey. The marinade is then reduced and used to glaze the chicken. Sink your teeth into this delicious appetizer recipes or honey chicken wings made in the crock-pot! Served as an easy appetizers or main dish, these wings are yummy! a great complement to a spicy recipe with the National Honey Board




Ingredients
1-1/2 Tablespoons honey
2-1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
2 Tablespoons toasted whole cumin seeds, ground in a spice grinder
1 teaspoon sea salt
12 bite size cubes fresh chicken, from breast or thighs
6 small blanched cippolini onions
12 wooden skewers, soaked for 2 hrs in water to prevent burning

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice, yogurt, salt and pepper. Stir gently, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. With a sharp knife cut from the breast or thighs the 12 cubes of chicken, about 1 inch by 1 inch, meat only – no skin. In a shallow pie pan stir together the salt and cumin powder. Remove the skewers from the water and place 2 pieces of chicken per skewer with an onion in between each of the cubes of chicken. Roll each skewer in the cumin mixture, being sure to coat each side of the chicken. On a hot griddle or in a hot cast iron skillet place about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, gently place the skewers to cook being sure to rotate to cook each side of the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes each side. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Salmon with Shiitake and Red Wine Sauce

How to cook salmon in this recipe is perfect with a luxurious sauce from beef stock and red wine. 


Ingredients:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef stock, preferably homemade
8 thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup wild rice, rinsed
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms—stems discarded, caps cut into 1-inch pieces
Four 6- to 7-ounce skinless salmon fillets

Preparation:

In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, 7 minutes. Add the red wine, beef stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to 3/4 cup, 1 hour and 15 minutes; strain into a clean saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep hot.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the wild rice and a pinch of salt, cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the rice and return it to the saucepan. Season with salt, cover and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shiitake and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 5 minutes.

Arrange the salmon fillets on a rimmed baking sheet, skinned side down, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, until just cooked in the center.

Spoon the wild rice onto plates and set the salmon fillets on top. Spoon the shiitake mushrooms and red wine sauce over the fish and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The red wine sauce, sautéed mushrooms and cooked wild rice can be refrigerated separately, in airtight containers, overnight. Reheat gently.


source: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salmon-with-shiitake-and-red-wine-sauce

Tuesday 7 January 2014

BBQ Rotisserie Pheasant Recipe

Pheasant, once prepared, should be cooked pretty similarly to chicken. Pheasants tend to be a little smaller than many chickens so the cooking time will be a little less. Whole pheasant is perfect for the rotisserie and pheasant breasts are a great alternative to chicken breasts since pheasant recipes has a much better flavor.


Ingredients: 
1 Pheasant (medium sized)
1/4 water
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Catalina Seafood Rub (great for chicken and white meat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano leaves
baking string
BBQ
Rotisserie for BBQ


Directions:
Marinade:
Use a non-zip plastic bag and place the pheasant in the bag after removing the gizzards. (if from the store it will come sealed inside the bird much like turkeys do)
measure and mix ingredients:
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Catalina Seafood Rub
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano leaves
Pour mixture on top of pheasant in the bag. Tie the bag and place in the fridge to set over night.

Cooking:
Pre-heat the BBQ to 300º
Remove pheasant from back and dab with paper towels, try not to take too much seasoning off. Your just trying to dry it a little.
Slide the rotisserie stick and one attached prong through the bird then slide the other prong on the open side of the rotisserie stick. If the bird is not fat enough it's okay, that's what the baking string is for.
Ties the legs together then tie them to the rotisserie, not cutting the string wrap it around the bind until you get to the other side. Tuck the wings in and wrap it with the string. Lastly tie the string off on the that same end of the rotisserie stick and cut the remaining string off.
place on BBQ and cook for 3 hours or until it reaches your desired temperature.

Thursday 2 January 2014

Hearty Lumpia Recipe


This appetizer recipes is called Hearty Lumpia because this is Lumpia [spring rolls] made from Banana heart. We all eat bananas but how many of us have ever tasted the banana blossom? This dish is a hearty Lumpia recipe because this is made from banana heart. You know how we sometimes get tired of eating meat? Just incorporate more vegetables into daily menu to have healthy food recipes.


Ingredients:

500g banana heart (banana blossom)
250g ground pork
1 onion, chopped
cooking oil for frying
2 cloves garlic,minced
1¼ cups tomato sauce
¼ cups watersalt and pepper to taste
lumpia wrapper

Directions:

1. Clean banana heart by removing the first red layers. You would wanna see the yellow layers before yuo start slicing.
2. Slice banana hearts thinly. You should do this when you are ready to cook it because it turns black if you let it sit sliced for a long period of time.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.Sauté garlic and onion until onion becomes transluscent.
4. Add ground pork and banana heart.
5. Pour in water and tomato sauce.
6. Mix well.Season with salt and pepper.
7. Simmer until mixture is almost dry.Stir from time to time.
8. When the banana heart mixture is done. Remove it from heat and let it cool.
9. Place around 1-2 tbsp of mixture at the center of one end of a lumpia wrapper.Fold the left and right part of the wrapper towards the center and roll it up.
10. Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
11. This is best dipped in sweet chili sauce.