clean eating – Mary's Kitchen

May 7, 2019February 19, 2020

MAYONNAISE made EASY

LET’S MAKE HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

There are several methods of making this culinary favourite that graces most kitchens, restaurants and dining tables, but this method is by far the easiest and quickest method I have ever come across with “5 star” results.

The final result is a velvety mayonnaise that any chef would be delighted to serve and you can make it in your own kitchen in less than one minute. I don’t eat mayonnaise every day by any means but some recipes like devilled eggs, sandwiches, coleslaw, cocktail sauce and salads would not be the same without it.

Depending on what you decide to serve this culinary favourite with, you can add your own unique flavours by adding different herbs, mustards, vinegars and garlic. Nothing tastes better than dipping a homemade sweet potato wedge into a dollop of homemade garlic mayo. The wonderful thing about making your own mayonnaise is that not only are you in charge of the flavour, but more importantly, you know exactly what the ingredients are. There are no preservatives and other chemicals as are used in store bought. YOU ARE IN CHARGE.

Olive oil is my preferred oil but using other more neutral oils can make a better canvas for adding additional flavours. Grapeseed, safflower, canola, avocado and peanut oils are all good.

The one kitchen gadget that will simplify the production of your own mayonnaise is a hand held immersion blender which usually includes a tall plastic pint size cup. This one. shown here also has a lid so you can store your mayonnaise in the cup. From a few simple ingredients comes the delights of homemade mayonnaise.

INGREDIENTS

1 EGG (cold from fridge) do not break yolk while adding to blender

1TSP OF DIJON MUSTARD

250ML OLIVE OIL (you can use Sunflower, Avocado, Peanut, Grapeseed, Canola)

1 TBSP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR OR WHITE WINE VINEGAR

SQUEEZE OF LEMON (this can be added after to taste)

pinch SEA SALT

Add all ingredients (except lemon & salt) into tall pint size plastic cup that immersion blender fits into to. I use the one the blender came with. Insert immersion blender right to bottom of cup. Turn blender on to highest speed and do not lift out of cup. Continue for 10 seconds. A vortex is created and almost immediately the mixture will emulsify. Now you can move blender up and down to incorporate any oil that is still on top. Once you have a creamy velvety mixture, you can add lemon, salt and any other flavours you would like. Try garlic, herbs and chilli. Use different mustards and vinegars in your ingredients.

Once you have made in once, it will become a firm favourite to your kitchen repartee.

Why not visit Mary’s Kitchen for more delicious recipes on www.facebook.com/marypremiercru or Instagram on Mary_premiercru.

Your comments are always welcome. Please take a moment and subscribe to my blog by adding your email address in subscription box.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, please follow and put a ‘like’ on my Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/Marypremiercru/ – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading my blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

December 1, 2018December 1, 2018

LET’S MAKE ITALIAN BEAN & MINESTRONE SOUP

LET’S MAKE ITALIAN BEAN & MINESTRONE SOUP -( some things are just TOO GOOD TO THROW AWAY)

Italian Bean & Minestrone Soup – bursting with colour and flavour

There is no better time of year than SOUP TIME! The climate is getting cooler, flakes of snow are starting to fall and Christmas is just around the corner. So let’s get our jimjams (PJ’s) on, click on the Netflix and get a nice comforting bowl of soup with some fresh crusty bread.

Yesterday I was in Morrisons, a UK based supermarket and in the vegetable department I found this really neat idea. Morrisons had these boxes made up which were labelled – TOO GOOD TO THROW AWAY – and each box was full of great vegetables and fruit which they were selling for only £1. This got me thinking, how many times do you open the bottom drawer of your fridge and find an assortment of vegetables that are just about ready to put their best foot forward and take a hike right out of the vegetable drawer. So I decided to rescue the situation and turn these TOO GOOD TO THROW AWAY veggies and turn them into a wonderful pot of Italian Bean & Minestrone Soup. The result was amazing. I even found a half a bottle of Pinot Grigio and how that even made it into the fridge, only the wine fairy knows the answer to that.

An assortment of – TOO GOOD TO THROW AWAYS.

In my search I found 4 softish tomatoes which I chopped up. A bag of carrots that were crying out – USE ME. Some celery that was left over from adorning Bloody Mary’s. A bag of green beans. Several garlic bulbs. In the cupboard I found some Butter and Cannellini beans. Went to the garden and picked some fresh herbs, added 1000ml of chicken stock plus 3/4 cup of pasta and voila. There is no measuring required here and what you will produce is something quite delicious.

ITALIAN BEAN & MINESTRONE SOUP – made easy

4 chopped tomatoes (or 1 tin chopped toms), 4/5 stalks celery, 2/3/4 garlic cloves chopped, 2 chopped onions, 5/6 chopped carrots, some chopped green beans, 1 tin butter beans, 1 tin cannellini beans, 1000 ml chicken stock, 1/2 cup of Pinot Grigio if you have any left over (lol), 1/2 cup of a small sized pasta (macaroni or such like), some fresh herbs.

Add 2tbsp of olive oil to your soup pot – add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, green beans and saute gently. Add tomatoes, wine, beans, chicken stock and whatever else you would like to throw in. Mix well, bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer for 1 hour.

Get yourself some lovely crusty bread and some grated parmesan to top off and just ENJOY.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow and have put a ‘like’ on my Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/Marypremiercru/ – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading my blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

October 22, 2018October 26, 2018

LET’S GET OUR SLOW COOKERS OUT OF HIBERNATION

LET’S GET OUR SLOW COOKERS OUT OF HIBERNATION

The autumn leaves are falling, the mornings are frosty and the temperatures are dropping. As we move into the winter months, let’s turn our thoughts to some winter warmers.

I have just dusted off my slow cooker (crock pot) and placed it on the kitchen counter in full view to remind me to use it! I don’t use this kitchen marvel during the summer months, but now the nights are closing in and getting colder, it’s time to crank the slow cooker back into action and produce some wonderful wintery dishes that fill the kitchen with awesome aromas.

Such a versatile piece of kitchen equipment, especially if your a busy mom or working person, the slow cooker can turn a simple selection of ingredients into something quite tasty.

If you are using meat, I tend to like to brown and seal mine first in a frying pan with some coconut or olive oil before adding to my pot. I also like to sauté my onions and garlic a little before adding them along with the other ingredients.

My first recipe I would like to share with you is:-

CHICKEN, MUSHROOM AND WHITE BEAN CASSEROLE3 CHICKEN BREASTS DICED, 3 TBSP. COCONUT OIL OR OLIVE OIL, 1 LEEK (SLICED AND DICED), 1 ONION (DICED), 3 GARLIC CLOVES (SLICED), 3 GREEN CHILLIS (DICED), 6 CARROTS (CUT INTO LARGE PIECES), 2 CANS OF WHITE BEANS (USE ANY SORT – I’M USING BUTTER BEANS), 1 PUNNET OF CHESTNUT MUSHROOMS, 2 – 3 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK, 2 HEAPED TABLESPOONS GREEK YOGURT, 1 TSP CUMIN, 1 TSP CAYENNE PEPPER, 1 TSP OREGANO, S&P.

HEAT OIL IN FRYING PAN – ADD CHICKEN BROWN AND SEAL – ADD SPICES – PLACE IN SLOW COOKER. SAUTE ONIONS, LEEKS AND GARLIC IN SAME PAN – ONCE THEY ARE SAUTÉED ADD A LITTLE CHICKEN STOCK TO FRYING PAN TO DECARAMELISE THE FLAVOURS FROM PAN. ADD TO SLOW COOKER ALONG WITH ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS. COOK ON MEDIUM – READY IN 4/5 HOURS. ENJOY.

LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS & ROSEMARY8 CHICKEN THIGHS, 3 TBSP OLIVE OIL, 2 SHALLOTS, 2 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK, 2 LEMONS (SLICED), 6 GARLIC CLOVES (SLICED), 2 BAY LEAVES, FRESH ROSEMARY, 8/12 PEELED CARROTS (LEFT WHOLE), 1 RED CHILLI (SLICED), 2 TSP CHILLI FLAKES, S&P.

ADD OLIVE OIL TO FRYING PAN, ADD CHICKEN THIGHS AND BROWN SKIN WELL. WHILE BROWNING THIGHS, ADD YOUR CARROTS AND LINE BOTTOM OF SLOW COOKER. PLACE COOKED CHICKEN ON TOP OF CARROTS. ADD SHALLOTS TO FRYING PAN AND SAUTÉED UNTIL TRANSPARENT – ADD TO COOKER. ADD ALL THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS. COOK ON MEDIUM – READY IN 4/5 HOURS. ENJOY.

If you are in more of a hurry, both these dishes can be cooked in a casserole dish and placed in a conventional oven at 375F (180C). Place foil over top of dish if it doesn’t have a cover. Cook for about 1-1/2 hours.

The luxury of the slow cooker is, you can prepare meals the night before in the slow cooker, place the internal pot in the refrigerator over night. In the morning, turn your slow cooker on ‘low’ and come back later that day to a wonderfully tasty meal that you haven’t had to worry about getting burnt. Because the food is cooking so slowly all the flavours are intensified.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy these two recipes.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow and put a ‘like’ on my Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/Marypremiercru/ – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading my blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

October 13, 2018October 16, 2018

SOME LIKE IT HOT!!!!

SOME LIKE IT HOT!!!!!

So let’s talk Chillies. Why does this small, hot-tasting pod set our world on fire. Deriving from the capsicum family, this tantalising pod of various forms, colour, size and strength of flavour excites our taste buds like no other spice. We take masochistic pleasure in adding it to our food.

We make this powerful pod it into powders, hot sauces, relishes and pickles and we continue to cultivate it to find an even hotter chilli than the present world record holder, The Carolina Reaper.

There are 1,000’s of varieties of chillies, as growers will always continue to try and create the World’s Hottest Chilli. The names given to some of these hotter than hot chillies who have also been proud World Record Holders in the past are the Trinidad Scorpion, 7 Pot Primo, 7 Pot Douglash (extremely rare), Komodo Dragon, Naga Viper and my personal favourite, 7 Pot Brain Strain. These chillies have all been rated by the Scoville scale which is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness/ heat) of chilli peppers and other spicy food. The letters SHU (Scoville Heath Units) will often follow the heat measurement based on the chemical compounds responsible for the sensation – these are called capsaicinoids.

Although there a numerous varieties of the Hot Peppers, some of the more commonly used in the home and readily available in our supermarkets are the Scotch Bonnet, Jalepeno, Habanero, Serrano and Bird’s Eye.

Anyone who knows me and are followers of my Mary’s Kitchen page (www.facebook.com/marypremiercru) will know that I am a lover of chilli and use it in a great many foods. Let’s just talk about the enormous health benefits surrounding the chilli pepper. Studies have shown that chillies can significantly control insulin levels after eating. It is an overlooked circulation booster and can have a dramatic impact on our heart health, and it is a powerful antioxidant.

Presently I am perfecting some hot sauces, powders and pickles using various

types of chilli peppers. One of my all time favourites is pickled jalepenos which can be used in a variety of ways. I love them with scrambled eggs and omelettes. They are a must with tacos and all mexican food. Nachos dressed in cheese, sour cream and guacamole are missing their crowning glory without – pickled jalepenos. So why not have a go and pickling your own. It couldn’t be easier but I recommend wearing disposable gloves when handling any type of chilli.

10 MINUTE – PICKLED JALEPENO PEPPERS

MAKES 2 X 8 OZ JARS

12 Green Jalepenos, 1 Scotch Bonnet, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Havana Gold Chillis, 2 Red Bird’s Eye. (slice all chillies and garlic thinly)

1 cup white spirit vinegar (or you can use White Wine or Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup of water

2-3 tbsp of organic raw sugar (the sugar helps to take some of the heat out of the pickles – lessen the amount of sugar for more increased heat or leave out all together.

Add water, vinegar, garlic and sugar to pan. Bring to boil. Take off heat. Add all chillies to hot mixture. Leave to sit for 10 minutes. In the meantime sterilise you jars in boiling water. Spoon chillies into jar, top up with brine, put lid on.

Keep in fridge – once opened for 2 months.

Once I have perfected my hot sauce, I will share this recipe with you. In the meantime, enjoy this easy to make recipe of pickled jalepenos.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

September 8, 2018September 8, 2018

LET’S MAKE RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – UNFILTERED, UNPASTURISED

LET’S MAKE RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – UNFILTERED, UNPASTEURISED (with MOTHER)

When I saw my apple trees heavily laden, I stopped and thought, what can I do with all these wonderful apples that will keep for some time. Being on a clean eating regime it suddenly occurred to me to have a go at making my own Raw Apple Cider Vinegar.

So yesterday, I got the ladder up into the tree and picked 10 kilo of beautiful apples. The tree was full and it would have been such a shame to waste such a wonderful, purely organic, nature given fruit.

I had a great many masons jars from previous preserving of various vegetables, so I dug those all out and got them prepared. You must ensure before you start that all your bottles and implements are sterilised and free of any micro bugs. I usually run mine through the dishwasher which gets up to a very his temperature or you can warm them in the oven as well. You can also use VWP sterilising tablets which you can purchase at any Home Brew shop.

The recipe itself could not be easier. The only other thing that are required is apples, water, sugar and an abundance of patience for the fermentation process.

It’s very important to add here the immense health benefits Raw Apple Cider Vinegar has. It has a high Acetic Acid content, with potent biological effects. It can lower blood sugar levels and assists in fighting diabetes. It helps to lose weight and in particular, belly fat (that’s a win win). It also lowers cholesterol and improves heart health. Your blood pressure may also be reduced when taking regular doses of ACV. You may also find your skin, nails and hair improve.

I like to take mine in the morning and evening in a cup of warm (not hot) water with 1/2 squeezed lemon.

Now, let’s get started

I am using 500 ml Mason Jars (you can use any type of jug (glass or ceramic) do not use plastic as this can contaminate the vinegar

Make sure your jars and utensils are sterilised.

METHOD

A 500ml jar with take about 6/7 medium size apples

Use 1 tsp sugar per apple of Dark or Light Muscovado Sugar, Dark or Light Brown Sugar, Honey, Organic Cane Sugar (buy organic if you can)

Filtered water

Cut up your apples, place in vessel you are using, mix sugar with a little warm filtered water to assist it in dissolving, add to apples, top up with water and give it a good stir with a wood spoon (do not use metal for stirring). Cover with cheesecloth, paper towel and put an elastic band around mouth of jar or vessel. I like to label mine with the date, type of sugar and apple.

Now here is where the patience is required. Store in a warm place – if your kitchen is warm – place on kitchen counter. Every day for first 10 days stir, then for the next 10 days stir every second day, then leave for the next 10 days. After the 30th day, strain apples and retain liquid. Put liquid back in jar and again cover with a breathable cheesecloth or paper towel and leave for 2 to 3 months. The longer you leave it, the better it will develop.

This vinegar will contain a bacteria looking cellulose which is what gives it all its great health properties called The Mother. This will settle to the bottom. When you are finally ready to use your vinegar, always give it a good shake (it will get cloudy) and use.

I hope you have fun making this and I will be back to give a full report on my efforts and also the experiments I have had with other sugars like Stevia, Honey and Coconut Sugar.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow and put a” like” on my Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/Marypremiercru/ – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading my blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

LET’S EAT AL FRESCO

LET’S EAT “AL FRESCO”

There is no better past time in the summer than to fire up the barbecue and cook and eat Al Fresco. Especially when the weather here in Scotland has been so outstanding, pushing temperatures into the 80’s.

With Canada Day on July 1 and Independence day July 4, I can’t imagine either of these holidays being complete without family and friends all around and the grill fired up.

Being a huge BBQ aficionado, I grill all summer long and am always inventing new recipes to try, creating marinades and accompaniments to go with these.

I would like to share a couple of these recipes with you. So along with my chicken skewer marinade, I have included two clean eating side accompaniments that will turn your chicken skewers from humdrum to fandabbidossie.

Marinade for Chicken – Serves 2

3 tbsp olive oil, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped red chilli, 1 tbsp honey, a good splash of soya sauce, a dash of paprika. Mix throughly in a bowl and add 2 chopped chicken breasts. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

4 bamboo sticks (make sure you soak in water before threading chicken on to them. An assortment of peppers, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, courgettes – what ever you would like to thread onto the bamboo stick along with the chicken. Alternate between chicken, veg or fruit. (peaches and pineapple work well with chicken to.)

Two Awesome Sides – PICKLED BLACKBERRIES and PICKLED RED ONION & CUCUMBERS

PICKLED BLACKBERRIES – 3/4 cup blackberries, 1 small red onion (chopped), 1 chopped red chilli, 1 tsp coconut sugar, 1 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme.

Gently squash berries in a bowl with the back of a spoon. Add the rest of the ingredients. Leave to sit for at least one hour. Serve as a side dish.

PICKLED RED ONIONS & CUCUMBERS –2 sliced red onions, 1 chopped red chilli, 1/2 cucumber deseeded, 4 tbsp cider vinegar, 1-1/2 tbsp water, 3 tsp coconut sugar.

Gently heat vinegar, water and 2 tsp coconut sugar. Leave on heat until sugar dissolves. Add sliced onions and coat in pickling liquid. After 5 minutes add cucumbers and chilli. Stir and coat everything well. Place in a bowl and sprinkle remaining tsp of coconut sugar on the top. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for a good hour.

Both these dishes are simple to make and really pack a punch to any BBQ food. Whether your cooking chicken, pork, beef or fish, you will find these two accompaniments and real hit with your guests.

Now get that Barby fired up and enjoy eating Al Fresco.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

June 3, 2018January 11, 2021

4 HIGH PROTEIN POWER SNACKS TO KEEP YOU GOING

LET’S MAKE SOME HIGH PROTEIN POWER SNACKS – KEEP YOU GOING THROUGH YOUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES and WHEN YOUR ON THE RUN

Summer seems to be finally here in Scotland which brings with it outdoor summer activities. Whether you like walking for miles, playing golf, cycling with friends, swimming, surfing, running or any other outdoor activity, it’s good to have on hand some high protein energy snacks to keep you going.

I play a lot of golf and when I get onto the 10th hole I often feel the need for an energy boost. Here are 4 easy to make power snacks that you can carry with you on whatever your favourite outdoor sport is. Three of these recipes require no cooking and can be made in less than 15 minutes.

They are so simple to make and only require few ingredients. Let’s start with my Raw Ingredient Energy Bars – Easy as 1,2,3 and taste sensational.

RAW INGREDIENT ENERGY BARS – EASY AS 1, 2, 3

2 cups (16 ozs) pitted dates, 1/2 cup (4 ozs) pecans, 1/2 cup walnuts.

This is the simple part – put all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Press mixture into an 8×8″ baking tin. I like to sprinkle some chia seeds or milled flax seed on top – if you do, press gently on top. Place in fridge overnight. Cut into 2″ x 1″ bars. Great source of energy if your on the run.

4 INGREDIENT POWER COOKIES

3 or 4 Mashed Bananas, 2 cups (16 ozs) whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup shredded organic unsweetened coconut, 1 cup 70% chocolate drops or cacao nibs.

Mash bananas and mix in remaining ingredients.

If you want to be creative – you can add 1/4 cup honey or peanut butter and 1/4 cup walnut, almond or pecan pieces, some chopped red chilli, cinnamon, maple syrup instead of honey. Be creative.

You have a basic recipe in which you can add some other ingredients to create a different flavour. Enjoy.

Bake at 350F 15/20 Minutes

PEANUT BUTTER BITES – POWER SNACK (Bet you can’t just eat one!!!)

2 cups whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter (palm oil free please or any other nut butter you prefer – almonds, cashew, pecans), 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, 1/4 cup water. You will find a recipe on my YouTube site (Mary PremierCru) for making your own almond butter. Please subscribe to my Blog and YouTube if you enjoy my tutorials.

Put oats into a large mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients – mix well. Elk bro a dozen or so balls. Then roll in Cacoa, Shredded Coconut, Chopped Walnuts or Milled Flax/Linseed – use your imagination – everyone loves these.

No cooking required – sure in a plastic container in fridge or freezer. Delish!

CHICKPEA POWER BALLS

1 tin (400g) chickpeas drained and rinsed, 1/4 cup ground almonds, 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup, 3/4 cup organic peanut butter (or cashew, almond or pecan), 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup cacao nibs (or dried chopped fruit – i.e. cranberries, dates, apricots)

Add chickpeas to food processor and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients (except cacao nibs/dried fruit), Blend well – remove blade and add cacao nibs or dried fruit. Roll into about 2-1/2 dozen balls.

I like to roll mine in cacao or shredded organic coconut. Store in an airtight plastic container in fridge.

(If you have nut allergies, replace peanut butter with tahini paste (made with sesame seeds) – You can find a recipe on how to make your own tahini paste on my you tube site – Mary PremierCru.

If you are enjoying my Blogs and following me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen” , please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 24, 2018May 24, 2018

SPICY TURKEY MEATBALLS with a CHILLI and RED PEPPER SAUCE – BELLISSIMO!

SPICY TURKEY MEATBALLS with a CHILLI and RED PEPPER SAUCE

I love nothing more than a lovely plate of pasta adorned with spicy Italian meatballs smothered in a rich marinara sauce. I say Italian meatballs because by tradition that is normally equal portions of pork and beef. So this spurred me on to create a slightly healthier option using Turkey Mince. The result was phenomenal if I do say so myself. They were so moist and tasty, I much preferred them to the usual beef meatball. I think the most important thing is to spice them up. Try them – you won’t be disappointed.

TURKEY MEATBALL INGREDIENTS – 1 LB lean turkey mince (organic if possible), 1/2 chopped red chilli, 1 beaten egg, 1-1/2 slices of gluten free bread made into bread crumbs (use your hand held blender to do this), 2 heaped tbsp chopped onion, 1 tsp thyme, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 tsp of mixed herbs, 1 tbsp Worcester Sauce, 2 ozs grated Parmesan, season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix all ingredients together then divide into 12/16 balls. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the meatballs 5-10 mins until brown all over. Remove and set aside resting on paper towel.

CHILLI AND RED PEPPER SAUCE INGREDIENTS – Add 1 more tbsp of olive oil to same pan – add 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped red peppers, 1/2 chopped red chilli and 1 clove chopped garlic. Cook 5 minutes until everything is soft. Add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (14 ounces/400g) and 10 ounces water (300ml). Cook for a further 10/15 mins. Let sauce cool slightly, put in a blender and blend until smooth. Return sauce to pan and add meatballs then simmer for a further 30 minutes. Serve over spiralised courgettes or your favourite pasta. Top with some grated parmesan.

BELLISSIMO! – Serves 4.

If you are enjoying my blogs and following me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen” , please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 12, 2018March 11, 2024

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

No food cries out Italy more than a tasty dish of Melanzane Parmigiana. You may not be familiar with the name Melanzane, more commonly known in the UK as Aubergine. The “eggplant”, as it is also known, was originally native to Pakistan and India. In India it is known as Brinjal.

Melanzane from the Latin “mala insana” or “bad egg” but there is nothing bad about this world respected fruit. The Greeks use it in Moussaka, the Indian culture in vegetarian curries, and throughout the world this dish favours in many a vegetarian diet.

I would like to share my recipe with you so you to can enjoy this easy to prepare tasty dish.

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA – Serves 2

1 Aubergine (The first thing you must do is prepare your aubergine. Slice it thinly lengthwise. Brush lightly on both sides with olive oil.)

I like to prepare mine on my outdoor barbeque as it gives a lot of space to lay the aubergine. However, if you are not able to do this grill it in the oven until it colours and turn over. This will not take too long so keep your eye on them.

INGREDIENTS – 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 red onion (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (sliced), 4 oz chestnut mushrooms (or any other type), 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried thyme, 8 sage leaves (chopped) or 2 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 can chopped tomatoes 400g/15oz, 1/4 cup red wine, 2 to 3 oz grated parmesan, 1 slice of gluten free multi seeded bread made into bread crumbs (use a hand blender for this task and also excellent for grating parmesan), 2 oz pine nuts, 1 mozzarella ball, handful of fresh basil.

METHOD – Put your olive oil into a heavy based frying pan. Add onions and mushrooms, allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add your herbs (dried or fresh). Add tomatoes and red wine. Allow this to cook for 20 minutes allowing the herbs to infuse. Get an ovenproof casserole dish. Now we are going to layer this like lasagne. Put a little sauce in the bottom of your dish, add a layer of aubergine, add more sauce, then aubergine until everything is incorporated. Mix your bread crumbs, parmesan and pine nuts and add a little olive oil and mix together. Slice your mozzarella ball thinly and place on top of dish. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture. Bake at 375F/190C/Gas Mark 5. Serve as a main course with a side salad or as a vegetable dish.

Bellissimo!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018

CINCO DE MAYO – LET’S CELEBRATE

CINCO DE MAYO – MAY 5 – LET’S CELEBRATE THIS MEXICAN HOLIDAY IN TRUE FASHION.

Some people think that May 5 represents Mexico’s Independence Day when, in fact, that is September 16. Cinco de Mayo (pronounced SINKO- DAY- MYOH) is the anniversary of an unlikely Mexican victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The French forces had come to collect Mexican war debts and they fought the French and won. A true victory for Mexico.

But if you ask any non-Mexican American what Cinco de Mayo is all about and why they are celebrating whilst swilling down their 3rd margarita and indulging in a Mexican food feast, they would shrug their shoulders and glaze over.

So let’s put the record straight before we indulge in some wonderful Mexican delights. Most of America now celebrate this holiday in style and I want to pass a couple of recipes on to you to enjoy during the festivities.

LET’S MAKE SPICY SALSA

Enlighten your tastebuds with this lively spicy salsa. Easy to prepare and enlivens any dish. A must for any Mexican celebration.

Ingredients – 3 large tomatoes chopped, 6 cherry tomatoes chopped, if you can find some tri-coloured cherry tomatoes, use 6 of the yellow and purple ones as well. 1 red onion finely chopped, 3 spring onions, 1 red chilli chopped, 1 green chilli chopped, juice of 2 limes, 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients and leave for flavours to infuse before serving. Great with Tortilla Chips, BBQ food or fish. Goes well with most anything so keep a supply in the fridge.

TIP – My friend Jamey Button likes to add 3/4 cup of chopped mango – delicious – a must try.

BURRITO ZUCCHINI BOATS

Fun and easy to make with the kids. A good way to get veg into them unsuspectingly.

Ingredients – 2 large zucchinis, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium red onion

chopped, 2 cloves of garlic sliced, 1/2 pound grass fed ground beef or ground turkey (vegetarian option – use 1 cup brown rice or 1 cup quinoa), 1/2 tsp chilli powder, ground cumin & paprika – sea salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes chopped, 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup corn (frozen or unsweetened tinned), 1 red chilli chopped, 4 ozs Feta or Goat’s Cheese, 2 tbsp fresh Cilantro chopped.

Method – add olive oil to your large frying pan, Add onions – cook 5 mins then add garlic. Add ground beef and spices. Cook until meat has browned. Add corn, black beans, tomatoes & chilli. Cut zucchini in half, hollow centre out. Fill with meat mixture. Crumble cheese on top. Bake 350F for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh Cilantro when they are ready to serve.

TIP – If making with the kids and they don’t like chilli, leave it out. Also they would probably prefer their burrito boats topped with Monterey Jack and Cheddar. You can also use red or green peppers, aubergines (eggplant) as your vessel.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CINCO DE MAYO celebration.

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Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder