Quinoa with garlic, walnuts, shimeiji mushrooms and broccoli together with miso-glazed salmon

Sometimes I wonder about the kind of food I eat. It seems pretty much mundane and somewhat same most of the times. Then I bought some healthy grains like couscous, quinoa and I also discovered a packet of millet that I bought sometime ago! I guess it is time to try and eat healthier since the year has almost just begun ;P

So I decided to try one of Ellie Krieger's quinoa recipes. And it turned out pretty well but of course, with some of my variations too :) See my modifications in blue.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1/4 cup pinenuts walnuts, chopped

1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock or water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced chopped

1/3 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup raisins

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about half lemon)

1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces and parboiled in hot water till cooked

kosher salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, for about 2 minutes.
2. Add water or chicken stock (about 3/4 of the total liquid is chicken stock and I added some water to reduce the saltiness) and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered for about 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toast the pinenuts walnuts in a skillet over medium high heat, stirring until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate bowl.
4. Add olive oil and garlic and shimeiji mushrooms with broccoli and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to the plate, reserving the oil. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the walnuts.
5. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pinenuts walnuts, garlic, reserved oil, parsley, raisins broccoli and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

It is the 1st time I cooked quinoa and Mr G seems to like it alot. He was happily eating away while I asked him if he noticed anything queer about the dish. He said no, there's salmon, broccoli blah blah. I chuckled to myself. Then I said erm there is quinoa. Do you like the taste of quinoa? Hmm he managed to say between mouthfuls of the quinoa mixture. Haha!! He likes it!! Yippee!! The conclusion came when I asked if he will eat this again. Mr G said sure, it is very good. I like it :) There you got it!

If you are curious about how this quinoa tastes with the miso glazed salmon, I can daresay it tastes perfect. If you like salmon skin, the skin tastes super yummy!! Try to picture sweet mirin, salty miso, etc. There you got it! If you are keen for the recipe of the salmon, look further down.

This salmon is a miso-glazed recipe from Ellie Krieger. It is a super no fuss recipe that you don't need much efforts to cook it. If you want the exact proportions Ellie made, see the link above. If not, you can use the modifications I made below.

Ingredients:

2 thick slices of salmon

2 to 3 heaped tbsp miso paste

1 tsp to tbsp brown sugar (I reduced the brown sugar portion as there is also mirin which is sweet as well)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp mirin

Method:

1. Soak the salmon in some water and add about 1 tsp salt to it. Leave it for about 10 minutes or so.
2. Rinse the salmon and use kitchen towel to dab dry.
3. Combine miso, brown sugar, sesame oil and mirin. Stir well until brown sugar is fully dissolved.
4. Brush the glaze on the fish fillets on both sides. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and put it in the fridge until ready to panfry.
5. Heat up the skillet over medium heat and add abit of olive oil.
6. Panfry the fish fillets till both sides are cooked for about 3 to 7 minutes total. If there isn't enough glaze, you may brush the uncovered side with glaze and let it caramelize by turning it face down on the skillet. Cook until the fish is flaky but not undercooked.
7. Serve while hot.

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs - February Potluck.

Mini dark chocolate brownies

This week is Nibbles and Noshes at IHCC. Although for me, nibbles always come in savoury form, this time round I would like to have a sweet dessert nibble. I decided to make Ellie Krieger's dark chocolate brownies but in a mini version. I have bookmarked this recipe for a long time but didn't know why I just never managed to make it. Finally I did!! I didn't regret it for sure.

This recipe is from Ellie Krieger's Comfort Food Fix. See! I told you I like this book already!! Hehe! See my modifications in blue.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

227g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

28.35g unsalted butter (I used salted butter and omitted salt)

100g whole-grain pastry flour or whole-wheat flour

29.5g unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

200g packed light brown sugar (I used only 180g)

120g plain low-fat yogurt

54.89g canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional (I used chocolate chips instead)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double broiler or heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the chocolate-butter mixture and whisk until blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Bake until the wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into 24 pieces.

 

 

These mini brownies did look like cookies right? Trust me, after taking them out from the mini moulds, the rest were history. So hence, I didn't have a better picture than this one.

 

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs Nibbles and Noshes.

 



Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Red Onion

Are you trying to eat clean? If yes, this might be what you are looking for. This spinach salad is made with mushrooms and red onion. The whole array of ingredients used are below:
 

This recipe can be found on page 30 of Ellie Krieger's Weeknight Wonders. Try it! You will love the freshness of the salad :)

 

This will be posted on Eating with Ellie. Do check to see how other members are doing with their versions.

 

Gaeng Hung Lay Curry

This traditional Northern Thai dish originated from Burma and consists of stewed pork belly and shoulder in a rich, dark fragrant sauce finished with ginger and peanuts. It is typically what you can find in the Chiang Mai region. As the people in that region cook with less coconut milk, it is a much lighter curry compared to its counterparts in other parts of Thailand. Also, meat is used as fish is less readily available in the Chiang Mai region.

This recipe from Gordon's Gordon's Great Escape Southeast Asia and serves 4. See my modifications in blue.

 

Ingredients:

 

Curry paste

6-8 dried red chillies, rehydrated and roughly chopped

1 tsp salt

2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and roughly sliced

2cm knob galangal, peeled and chopped

4 shallots, peeled and chopped

1 tsp shrimp paste (I omitted this)

Pork 

vegetable oil, for cooking

500g pork belly, diced

500g pork shoulder or leg, diced

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp fish sauce

4 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp palm or cane sugar

1 tbsp pickled ginger (optional)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tbsp pickled ginger, finely chopped

approx 800ml chicken stock

100g toasted peanuts

2 tbsp shredded ginger
1 head cauliflower, cut into pieces

 

Garnish

1 red chilli, finely sliced

2 tbsp shredded ginger

Method:

1. Grind together all the curry paste ingredients until smooth, either in a blender or pestle and mortar with 2 tbsp water. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large wok, add the paste and cook for a few minutes.
2. Place the pork belly and shoulder or leg in a large bowl and toss together with the curry powder and cinnamon to evenly coat. Add the pork to the pan with the curry paste and saute for a few minutes. Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar and continue to cook for a few minutes to caramelise the pork.
3. Bash together the pickled garlic, if using, garlic and pickled ginger and add to the wok. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with foil or a lid and allow to cook gently for 1.5 - 2 hours, until the meat is tender.
4. Towards the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the toasted peanuts and shredded ginger to the pan and continue to cook.
5. Spoon into bowls to serve and garnish with thinly sliced red chilli and more shredded ginger.

 

This is the first time I had a curry made this way. I would say that it is a very interesting taste as I never expected curry to be cooked with dark soy sauce etc. It is very different from the usual ones I cooked and tried. However, I think it does taste good.

 

I'm submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#28 organized by Joyce of kitchenflavours.

 

 

Meatballs with Simple Marinara

Finally, my book arrived!! If you are wondering what book it is, it is Ellie Krieger's Weeknight Wonders.

So this week is my 1st with Eating with Ellie, a group of like-minded people who cook and bake together with Ellie Krieger. Although I have only been introduced to Ellie Krieger very recently, I must say that I do like her recipes. They are very easy, not much fuss but yet very delicious. It is something that a working woman does need often so that we do not eat out always. This way we can have a healthy lifestyle too!

This recipe is from page 107 of Weeknight Wonders. See my modifications in blue.

Ingredients:

5 medium cloves garlic (minced)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp dried basil

3 tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg (I used 3 small eggs)

1 pound lean ground beef I used about 500g chicken/pork (use whichever meat variation you like or just 1 type of meat)

1/2 cup quick cooking oats (I used steel cut/old fashioned oats)

1/4 tsp salt
1 bunch of bak choy, cut into edible sizes

Method:

1. Mix eggs with oats and allow the oats to soften.
2. Heat the oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Put half the garlic into the saucepan and cook until fragrant, for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, 2 tsp each of the dried basil and dried oregnao, and 1/4 tsp of pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low tand simmer while you make the meatballs.
4. Peel and finely grate the carrot. Finely grate the Parmesan cheese.
5. Lightly beat the egg into a large bowl.
6. Add the grated carrot, grated Parmesan cheese, beef, oats, basil and oregano, the remaining garlic, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper and salt to the bowl, and using your hands, mix to incorporate together with the egg and oats.
7. Form the meat mixture into 8 meatballs and place them gently into the sauce.
8. Return the sauce to a boil, add the bak choy, cover, lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

When I took a bite into these homemade meatballs, I was pleasantly surprised. I never expected the meatballs to taste so moist, flavourful with the spices in it. Most of the acclaimed homemade meatballs outside usually taste tough and hard to chew. I'm very glad that these ones aren't that way. You bet I'll make these meatballs over and over again. These are definitely very good for meatball marinara pasta. Great ideas for busy mummies!! 

I'm submitting this post to Eating with Ellie.

I'm also submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#28 organized by Joyce of kitchenflavours.

                      

I'm also submitting this post to Cooking with Herbs organized by Karen of lavenderandlovage.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

I have bookmarked this soup for sometime now and thought maybe the weather lately might be a good one to make. This recipe from Ellie Krieger's Comfort Food Fix: Feel-Good Favorites Made Healthy proved to be a healthy and yummy soup recipe. I think I really love this book already!!

 

Ingredients:

475ml 1% low-fat milk

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

90g lightly packed, shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large head broccoli, florets and tender part of stems, chopped (6 cups)

1 litre low-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Method: 

1. In a small saucepan whisk the milk and flour together until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
2. Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
3. Working with about 1 cup at a time, puree the broccoli mixture in a blender until it is mostly smooth but still has some chunks, and then transfer it to another pot. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender). Stir the cheese mixture into the broccoli puree, season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium-low heat for an additional 3-5 minutes, until warmed through.

This is my 1st time making a soup from scratch like this. Obviously canned soups don't count :P And neither do chinese soups. I must say that this is nice and filling soup. It is definitely good with some roast chicken on the side. Mr G was happily slurping his soup and so am I. We are both satisfied people hehe

 

I'm submitting to I Heart Cooking Clubs - Potluck November.

 

I'm also submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#28 organized by Joyce of kitchenflavours.

 

 

Grilled Kebabs

Do you know who Mark Bittman is? If you have heard of it, it would probably be through his cooking shows or documentaries that he has done on tv, teaching us the benefits of conscious eating to improve our health as well as the world around us. I like his book 'How to Cook Everything' as it goes back to the basics.

With our monthly featured Chef, I'm glad to be able to cook with Mark Bittman. I have bookmarked this recipe for sometime. I decided to make a simple one-dish meal for a weekday night dinner and it really came in handy. If you are wondering, this recipe did come from His "How to Cook Everything". See my modifications in blue.

Ingredients:

About 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or legs, cut into 11/2-inch chunks (I used pork shoulder and cut into big cubes)
2 large onions
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Lemon wedges or ground sumac (available in Middle Eastern stores)
1/2 packet white mushrooms (cut into halves)
1-2 red/green capsicum, cut into 1/8 or suitable size for the skewers

Method:

1. If you’re using wooden skewers (you’ll need at least 8), soak them in warm water while you prepare the chicken. When you’re ready to cook—if you choose not to marinate the meat—heat a charcoal or gas grill or the broiler to moderate heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.
2. For the marinade, chop one of the onions and combine it in a large bowl with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, some salt and pepper, the bay leaves, and the marjoram; taste and adjust the seasoning. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least a few minutes or an hour or so at room temperature or longer—even overnight—in the refrigerator.
3. Cut the remaining onion into quarters, then separate it into large pieces. Thread the chicken and onion alternately onto skewers, leaving a little space between pieces.
4. Broil or grill, turning once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (to check for doneness, cut into a piece with a thin-bladed knife; the center should be white or slightly pink). Serve with the lemon wedges or sprinkle with a bit of sumac.

Check out my kebabs that were made and getting ready to be grilled in the oven!!

I loved the overall taste of this - onions, mushrooms, capsicums and meat in 1 nutshell. The overall taste is really yummy and nothing overbearing for the palate. This can serve as a very good bbq potluck dish. Don't say I never give you ideas ;P

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs.

I'm also submitting this to Cook-Your-Books#28 organized by Joyce of kitchenflavours.

Spinach, Broccoli, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This morning, I woke up and then couldn't get back to sleep. So I decided to cook whatever I have in the fridge to give Mr G a hearty breakfast. His favourite is frittata so I'm going to make a healthier version by Ellie Krieger. This frittata is from Ellie's Weeknight Wonders.

Please see my modifications in blue below as I used what I have in the fridge.

 

Ingredients:

 

5 large eggs (I used 8 eggs instead)

5 large egg whites

1 medium leek or small onion, chopped

3 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves I used a few dashes of dried parsley

40 chives I used 1 whole broccoli, cut into smaller pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces soft goat cheese (feta)
1 packet of minced pork
1 packet of cremini mushrooms

 

Method:

1. Preheat the broiler oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Combine the whole eggs, egg whites, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl and whisk well. 
3. If using leek, slice off the dark green top and discard. Slice the remaining white and light green parts in half lengthwise and rinse well between each layer to remove any trapped dirt, then finely chop. Otherwise, dice the onion. Coarsely chop the spinach, parsley, and all but about 8 of the chives.
4. Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron or nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the leek or onion and cook, stirring until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. I added the cremini mushrooms and minced pork. Add the spinach, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper and cook until the spinach is just wilted, 1 minute.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the greens in the skillet, covering them evenly. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the egg mixture has set around the edges of the pan but not in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes about 1-3 minutes.
6. Distribute the cheese over the top of the eggs in 10 to 12 dollops and scatter the reserved whole chives on top. Place the skillet under the broiler about 2 inches from the heat and broil until the surface is set and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. I put the whole skillet into the oven for about 10-20 minutes to let the frittata set well. Be careful not to overcook or the egg mixture will become tough.
7. Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve.

 

This is a good and filling breakfast especially if you are going no-carbo or low carbo. Eggs are good form of protein despite the myth of eggs giving you high cholestrol. Mr G loves this variation and it was gone in no time.

 

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs October Potluck.

 

I'm also submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#27 by Joyce of kitchenflavours.





Parmesan Crusted Chicken

It is once again our potluck week for the month at I Heart Cooking Clubs. This time round, I chose Ellie Krieger as I cannot get enough of her. Haha literally of course!!

This time, I made her Parmesan Crusted Chicken for our weeknight dinner. It was a hit with Mr G!! He finished it in a jiffy not just because he was hungry but also he didn't expect to have a chicken meal taste this good.

This recipe is from Ellie Krieger's Weeknight Wonders. I love that book! See my modifications in blue.

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated) I used parmesan cheese powder

4 skinless chicken breasts I used chicken fillets instead of breasts

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
a few dashes of red chilli pepper

 

Method:

1. Coarsely grate the parmesan cheese. I omitted this step as I was using parmesan cheese powder.
2. Put the chicken in between sheets of plastic wrap and pound it out to an even thickness of about ½ inch. As I used chicken fillets, I omitted the step of pounding the chicken. Rub the top side of the chicken pieces with half of the mustard, then sprinkle with half the cheese, pressing lightly so it adheres, and season with half the pepper. Flip the chicken pieces over and repeat on the other side.
3. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, without moving it, until the cheese on the bottom forms a deep brown crust that releases fairly easily from the pan, 3-4 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about three minutes more.

This can also be baked in the oven wherein you can flip to the other side of the fillets after a few minutes when the cheese has crusted. I'm sure I'll make this again. Mr G loves it so much!! You must definitely try!!

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs October Potluck.

 

I'm also submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#27 by Joyce of kitchenflavours.

Pound cake

This was probably not my best pound cake but I like the fact that this is so so easy. These days, to even want to cook or bake something with much effort just seems like I was climbing Mt Everest. Haha!! Ok I'm just saying.

 

In any case, I realised that of all Jacques Pepin's dishes I've made, I have never made a dessert with him before. So I've decided to make his favourite pound cake. I must warn you that this pound cake is dense like it really should be. If you are a fan of soft and light cakes, you might just not quite like this. But I always think a good pound cake is best for the afternon tea.

 

This recipe is from Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way.

 

Ingredients:

283g unsalted butter, softened

281g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

6 large eggs

60g milk, at room temperature

250g cake flour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper that extends 2 inches past the short ends of the pan.
    
2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar, vanilla and salt at medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating between additions. Beat in the milk. Sift the flour over the batter and whisk it in until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
    
3. Bake the cake for 1 1/2 hours, until it is cracked down the center, golden on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold the cake and let cool completely.

 

I thought this was a really good closure to the good times we had with Jacques Pepin.

 

 

Quick Roasted Chicken with Mustard and Garlic 

 

 

Paella

 

I'm submiting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs - Au Revoir Jacques Pepin!

 

 

Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant that says 'Dish of the Day' but it's not stated in the menu? I thought it would be interesting to find out what the chef would present to their customers as Dish of the Day.

 

For me, I was just into a one-pot meal where it can make one happy and very satisfied with all the flavours of the dish in it. I decided to go for Jacques Pepin's Beef Stew in Red Wine sauce from Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook.

 

Ingredients: 

2 pounds beef, either flatiron or chuck (cut into cubes)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon flour

1 bottle red wine (750ml)

2 bay leaves

1 nice branch fresh thyme

For garnishing 

12 to 15 small-to-medium cipollini or pearl onions, peeled

12 to 15 small-to-medium cremini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, washed

12 to 15 baby carrots, peeled

1 piece pancetta, about 5 ounces (I used back bacon instead of pancetta)

2 cups water plus ¼ cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

A dash each of sugar, salt, and pepper

Fresh parsley

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the meat in the casserole in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 minutes.
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes.
4. Add the flour and stir to coat the meat with it. Add the wine, bay leaves and thyme, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
5. Cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven. Cook the stew for 1.5 hours, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is flavourful.
6. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cover the pancetta back bacon with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the pancetta back bacon and slice it 1/2 inch thick, then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons.
7. In a large skillet, combine the pancetta back bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and carrots. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and a large pinch each of sugar, salt and pepper.
8. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until almost all of the water has evaporated, 15 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat, tossing, until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
9. To serve, stir some of the vegetables and lardons into the stew and scatter the rest on top as a garnish. Top with a little chopped parsley and serve.

I love how this one pot dish looks. It is perfect for a cold and windy day. Mr G didn't quite like the taste of this beef stew given its strong red wine flavour. Yeah you probably guessed it. He's a beer lover Haha!! But everything on his bowl was emptied :)

 

 

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs - Le Plat Du Jour.

 



  

Miso Chicken

While looking for inspiration for dinner, I stumbled across this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. It was so simple to lure me. Just his mere words "Marinating chicken in miso adds lots of character to the meat with little work" and I was sold.

 

If you think I'm too easily sold, then you should try this and give me your comments on it ;) I'm convinced this is better than your usual roast chicken for sure.

 

This recipe is from The Guardian magazine 9 April 2011.

 

Ingredients:

 

150g sweet miso paste (I used the regular miso paste I could find in the supermarket)

2 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp English mustard

2 tbsp caster sugar (I used brown sugar instead of caster)

1 tbsp lemon juice (I used the juice of a whole lemon)

12 free range boneless chicken thighs, skin on (I used a whole chicken)

 

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix the miso, mirin, sugar and lemon juice together.
2. Add the chicken and rub in the marinade.
3. Cover with clingflim and marinate for at least an hour.
4. Set oven to 190 180 degrees celsius.
5. Lay the thighs well apart on a baking tray and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until well cooked and skin golden brown. I roasted the whole chicken for about 1.5 hours and turning it each side about half hour.

I told you this recipe is super easy right? Just a mere 3 steps and you are done!

If you are a lover of roasted chicken, you will love this miso chicken. It really does the meat a bit more character than usual. I love this. For dinner. So does Mr G. He has been really silent on this. I always take his silence as his way of nodding ;)

 

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs for our August Potluck.

 

 

I'm submitting this post to Cook-Your-Books#26 organized by Joyce of kitchenflavours.