"a delicious quickie saturday brunch"!...at kitchen! kitchen!





Without much thought of what I will cook except for a package
of ground turkey lying on the counter and the clock telling me it's 10:00 a.m.
with, " I have tons of errands to do today on my mind",
the result was a quick, easy "turkey tartare" for brunch.
Easy and delicious, I may add!

Served with fried egg on top and a good italian bread to scoop up
all the goodness. Great for tacos too!



What you need:

a pkg. of ground turkey (you may used ground beef or pork)

1 tbsp. of my amazing dry rub (see previous posting)

olive oil

4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped

1/2 an onion minced

1 tsp. of paprika

saffron (optional) *soaked in a bit of hot water*

1/2 cup of frozen baby peas

1/4 cup of dried cranberries (or raisins)

Your favorite shredded cheese about 1/4 cup

On a hot pan with olive oil brown the meat on medium heat - add the garlic, onions and the rest of the ingrdients except the peas. Season with amazing dry rub and continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes. Add the peas and swish around to combine. Turn off the stove and sprinkle your favorite shredded cheese.

Serve with fried egg on top and some slicess of italian bread or french baguette.

It's that quick, easy, and delicious!!!

it could be a lamb stew!......for kitchen! kitchen!

This is a "goat" meat stew prepared by the mother of a
co-worker from British Guiana.
The meat just slides off the bones and the taste - let's just say,
you'll forget who you are for a moment. The exotic spices of
a far away land seem to linger in your mouth.
The heat from the chili took its time to develope in my palate and 
perfectly balanced that there was no need to scream for water.
Gosh, I wished to be adopted and be permanently
esconced in their household.
With a dish like this who wouldn't!!!
I served this with rice and a side dish of mango salad.

I don't have the recipe for this dish, however, since goat meat is hard to find
you may substitute it with lamb or beef.
FOR LAMB RECIPE look up my previous posting
of my "Lamb Expression" dated: 10/14/10

refreshing mango salad....at kitchen! kitchen!



Refresh your palate with this simple Mango Salad
All you need is a bunch of nicely chopped scallions,
1 minced jalopeno, a handful of chopped cilantro,
a juice of 1 or 2 limes, and don't forget to add the zest of the lime,
salt and pepper and some seeded sliced cherry tomatoes for color.
Lovely!
For more details on the recipe. check previous posting on "Salsa or Salad"
dated: Oct. 15, 2010.

 I made this salad for a friend of mine - unfortunately mangoes in winter are not as bright yellow and juicy beautiful as they are when in season. The winter mangoes seemed to be deprived of the sun that makes their color yellow alive and bursting with sweetness. Or maybe these mangoes were stored somewhere to be transported come winter. Who knows!! However, this pale looking mangoes are not as bad with a little bit of help from a secret friend called "honey". Honey to the rescue....added to the salad brings out it's sweet and natural flavour!. Don't let the color keep you from making this refreshing mango salad.

mortar & pestle.......at kitchen! kitchen!

Lao-style Mortar and Pestle
What sets this apart from others is the generous capacity,
and beautiful rustic apperance.
Handmade in Thailand of long-lasting clay.
This traditional mortar and pestle is used to make
a wide range of Thai and Loatian dishes. The mortar is a simple fired clay and
highly functional with a capacity of approximately 8 cups.
The pestle is made of beechwood that would not break the mortar.

Infuse your favorite fresh ground flavors of basil, sage, tarragon, garlic, pepper,
and much more. Ideal for grinding and pulverizing spices and herbs into
seasoning pastes and spice mixtures.
What I have here is handful of cilantro (roughly cut),
 tarragon, garlic, small jalopeno, and ginger for my spiced green rice..



A day old basmati rice sauteed in vegetable oil, and seasoned with
the ground spices and herbs makes one delicious
"Spiced Green Rice".



Lamb curry on a bed of spiced green rice.
Or your own stewed meat or fish will be great with this too!
Google for recipe on lamb curry or check out my previous posting
of "Lamb Expression.. Indian style" dated: 10/14/10

FOR the "SPICED GREEN RICE":

Used a day old cooked white rice. (what I had was a day old basmati rice) but any cooked white rice will do as long as it is not sticky rice).
a bunch of cilantro (or flat leaf parsley)
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 tbsp. of fresh ginger
A sprig of tarragon (or any of your favorite herb)
1/2 of a jalopeno (remove seeds if you don't want too much heat) ...or replace with another herb.
1 jalopeno minced (optional)
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
On a very hot pan with oil and on medium heat- put in your ground spices and herbs, fennel seeds, and minced jalopeno. Stir around for a minute or so, sprinkle some salt and add the rice, stirring for a few more minutes until completely coated with the ground spices and herbs. Taste to correct seasoning.

winter butternut squash anyone?.....at kitchen! kitchen!

A winter butternut squash with some baby white potatoes, rutabaga,
and a healthy dose of collard greens  make a fantastic
comfort food side dish.

Winter has been good and the mild temperature seem to say that spring is trying to get through  prematurely. So I thought maybe, having a winter butternut squash with some root vegetables like rutabaga, baby white potatoes, and some collard greens will be like paying homage to the cold, dark snowy winter that we don't have so far this year. Knock on wood!

So easy to make:
1/2 half winter butternut squash (cubed - same size)
4 small rutabaga peeled and cubed
4 small white baby potatoes quartered
1 bunch of any collard greens - washed and cut (parboil for a few minutes until welted- drain & set aside).
olive oil
salt and pepper
Pancetta crisps (or bacon crisps) 1/4 cup or much as you want...
Season all the root vegetables with salt and pepper and coat with olive oil in a large baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes or so until cooked at 350F degree preheated oven. You may separately roast them by way of making individual container of sort out of the aluminum foil in 1 large baking sheet.
Toss all the root vegetables after it has cooled a bit in a large bowl with the collard greens and bacon crisps. Sprinkle a bit of extra virgin olive oil and top with some slivers of parmessan cheese.

Suggestion: Adding pasta to this dish will make a great main course.
(I had this for brunch the following day topped with fried egg - just as delicious)!

home made sausage and savoy cabbage.....at kitchen! kitchen!



 SAVOY CABBAGE



An Irish influence of savoy cabbage and mashed potatoes combination.

A comfort food on a lazy Sunday.
Homemade  sausage of ground pork and beef with
mashed potatoes and savoy cabbage.
For recipe on homemade sausage and mashed potatoes.....
check previous posting of turkey sausage on Dec. 14, 2010
Just replace the ground turkey with your faovite meat.

Serve with melted butter or your favorite sauce and dressing.

a breakfast of champion.......at kitchen! kitchen!

Aged  Manchego Cheese
A regular in our household for a delicious grilled cheese.
A quick and delicious "pick me upper".

A breakfast of champion?? Not really more of a hungry man's breakfast
A 2 egg omellete, toasted multi grain bread with
melted machego cheese and vine ripe tomatoes. 
This could be your champion's breakfast. 
Why not!!!

nothing like a fresh robust salmon steak ......at kitchen! kitchen!

Perfectly seared  salmon steak with roasted cherry tomato topping
and a sprinkling of roasted sesame.

My son could not resist asking how I made this robust looking salmon steak.
Maybe, he is thinking of making it himself one day?? Wistful thinking!!!

For salmon recipe: see previous posting dated: Jan 28, 2012
(Add a dollop of Korean barbecue sauce on its
final stage of cooking while still in the oven).

For roasted tomato recipe: see previous posting dated: Sept. 27, 2011

it's been a while "saucy chicken divine"....at kitchen! kitchen!

It's been a while since I've made the "saucy chicken divine".
So  now, I brought it back and it's as delicious as ever.
On a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, and slices of bruschetta rubbed with garlic.
Now, don't let the wine bottle labeled Arsenic Cider Mix scare you -
a good friend who is a total prankster likes to replace wine labels with his own.
  One wine, he labeled as "Embalming Liquid" and we all drank it.....
 There's nothing that will keep us away from a good wine.

FOR RECIPE LOOK UP PREVIOUS POSTING OF
"SAUCY CHICKEN DIVINE" dated: 9/23/10

an encore for oyster mushrooms......at kitchen! kitchen!

An encore for oyster mushrooms!
Sauteed with beech mushrooms and slivered sweet red peppers.
Another simple dish - simply sautee in olive oil; oyster sauce
with chopped white onions and garlic. Give it some sprinkling of
dried red chilis for a bit of heat and let simmer until sauce i s reduced.
Great as a side dish or on a french baguette as a sandwich.

simply tomatoes...... salad with anchovies.......at kitchen! Kitchen!



A Salad of Cherry Tomatoes and Dill
This simple salad of cherry tomatoes, chopped sweet onions and the ever
wonderful "miracle herb" DILL with Italian flat anchovy fillet on a freshly
baked proscuitto bread will make this simple salad a great appetizer.
This is very simple. All you need is a quart of cherry or grape tomatoes
sliced in half; half of a white onion, roughly chopped, a handful
of chopped dill and a scattering of flat anchovy fillets. Add some of the
anchovy's olive oil from the jar; some black pepper and
allow to sit for while for the juices of the tomatoes to be the dressing.
Give it toss before adding the fillets. This is a very rewarding no fuss salad.

It is great to have a jar of flat anchovies from your favorite
gourmet store. I prefer this than the ones in a small can.
This type of flat anchovy fillet has none of those
annoying tiny bones and it is a less salty too.



 

fast and easy cucumber salad.....at kitchen! kitchen!



Cucumber And Tomato Salad With Dill

A mouth watering freshness awaits you with this simple and easy to make salad. Goes with anything!! The dill lends a peppery fresh taste to the salad. A simple dressing of a juice of fresh lemon, a teaspoon of mustard, a bit of salt, a squirt of honey, and a little olive oil well shaken will go a long way. Sometimes, all it needs is just a squeeze of lemon, a bit of salt to taste and a handful of chopped dill.
For a more robust version add some hard boiled eggs and a scattering of good Italian or Spanish anchovies from your favorite gourmet store.

wild about oyster mushrooms.......at kitchen! kitchen!

Oyster Mushroom Chili
Here's a mushroom that lives up to its name - it looks, smells, and
tastes like oysters. I found these goodies in the asian market. They are robust,
sweet tasting and quite versatile too. Blends well in a variety of dishes.
These are normally wild that grow on tree trunks after the first rains
of the season. No need to forage around your backyard or in the woods for these.
(God forbids you might end up with poisonous ones)
They are now cultivated and readily available in
supermarkets and specialty stores.
When I made the oyster mushroom chili, my son said, " a good dish to add to
the rotation". I have come up with a few rotation of dishes for dinner each week.
One would be a dinner of fish (or any seafood), another chicken or turkey dish.
I have cut down on red meat, so most of my dishes are either, chicken, turkey,
duck, and fish. Don't get me wrong, I still love read meat, so every now and
then I would just throw in a steak to sear for dinner. Vegetables or salads
are a "must have" of course. Because we are kind of watching our carbs intake,
pasta is only served if I am being lazy and needs to do a quick dish.
Weekend dishes are different - I make something special, since I have more time
to spend in the kitchen in a more relaxed mood.



Oyster mushroom chili perking away in a deep pan.
A more reduction of the sauce will make this a wonderful filling for tacos.
Another dish to consider!

My main ingredients are:
1 pk. of ground Jennie-O turkey (any ground meat will do)
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 medium diced onions
Salt/black pepper
1 tblsp. of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil
Diced green chili pepper (optional) * instead use sweet green peppers diced)*
1 pk. of oyster mushrooms (cleaned)
1 can (15 oz.) of diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) of gandules verdes (green pigeon peas) - rinsed and drained*
Sofrito (google for recipe) or a jar of Goya's sofrito *

In a large deep pan heat the oil and add the ground meat until the water from the meat evaporates; make a small well in the middle and add the diced garlic, onions, chili pepper until translucent. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms, mixing well; incorporate the tomato paste, sofrito; add the diced tomatoes, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes before adding the gandules verdes. Simmer for another 10 minutes. * you may simmer this longer to reduced the sauce for TACOS.
Serve with diced white onions on top and shredded cheese. (picorino romano)