Chicken with Green Olives over Couscous

Chicken with Green Olives over Couscous



This is a North African dish that I highly recommend you try. The recipe is from the Cooking Light Chicken cookbook that I purchased from TJ Max. I really enjoyed the flavors that the olives brought to this dish. Did you know that 85% of the caloric content of olives is monounsaturated fats? The monounsaturated fats in olives helps lower LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) levels and also prevents the buildup of plaque along artery walls. But me mindful that some olives may be high in sodium. So enjoy in moderation.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced ginger (I used the ground ginger in a jar)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash of red pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cups (about 16) pitted green olives
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
 chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (I always "wash" chicken with some lemon juice before seasoning), add to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

Reduce head to medium. Add the onion and next 8 ingredients to the same skillet. Season with black pepper. Cook for 5  minutes then add the broth and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is done. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.

The recipe says to put the olives in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, drain, and repeat this procedure once more. I was reluctant whether or not to do this step. I boiled the olives in water once then decided it was a waste of time.

Add the olives and lemon juice to the chicken mixture. Serve over couscous. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Source: Cooking Light Chicken

Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/8 cups sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine and let mix until thickened, about 25 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft creamy texture at this point. Transfer to an airtight container and in place in the freezer.

Source: Cuisinart Recipe Booklet

Indian Mango Cheese Cake

Indian Cooking Recipe : Mango Cheese Cake

 

Ingredients :

1 can swad mango pulp

8 oz philadelphia cheese cream

8 oz whipping cream

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 oz knox unflavoured gelatin

Method :

Boil the water and add unflavoured gelatin to the boiling water and mix very well with out any lumps.

Simmer the stove, add sugar and mix it for 1 minute or two.

Thaw philadelphia cream cheese from friz and put it in the above mixture.

Add whipping cream also and mix it thouroughly.

At the end pour the Mango Pulp to the above mixture and mix it nicely.

Turn the heat off and let it cool for half an hour.

Put the mixture in a blender and whip it very smoothly.

Transfer the mango cheese cake mixture in a flat tray and put it in fridge for over night.

Ready to serve.

 

swad mango pulp available through Global Foods Direct. www.globalfoodsdirect.co.nz

 

Pancakes

Preparation time: 20 minutes

A true café breakfast – but much tastier and cheaper.

Cooking directions

For 12 pancakes:

• Whisk 2 eggs and 2 cups milk together. Slowly add 2 cups self-raising flour whisking all the time. Mix to a smooth batter.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan. Spray with a little cooking oil.
• Spoon about ¼ cup pancake mixture into the pan. Swirl mixture around pan to make a flat pancake.
• Cook pancake until it begins to bubble on top. Flip using a spatula and cook the other side until golden.
• Serve with canned or fresh fruit, yoghurt and a little golden syrup.

Anzac biscuits

Anzac biscuits.

Makes 30, depending on size.


1 cup flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups rolled oats
125g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp boiling water


1. Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake). Line two baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Place flour, caster sugar, coconut and
oats in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.


2. Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan to melt, or microwave in a bowl to melt. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Add melted ingredients and dissolved baking soda to dry ingredients and mix to combine.

3. Roll spoonfuls into balls and press onto prepared baking trays, allowing space for biscuits to spread while cooking.


4. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy!


Tip: Stored in an airtight container, Anzac biscuits will last well for up to a week.

Lamb with Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Lamb with Black Trumpets

Lamb
6 oz. lamb loin trimmed and cleaned 1 cup flour
2 oz. dried black trumpets 2 eggs beaten
Leave black trumpet mushrooms on a sheet pan for 6-8 hours (to dry further), then grind into a medium fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder. Dust with flour then dip in egg wash. Wipe off excess egg then coat well with black trumpets. Season lamb then sear on all sides and finish in oven to desired temperature. Remove from oven and rest.
Leek Puree
1 large leek 1 tbs. Butter Salt fresh ground black pepper
Cut bottoms of leeks and trim off hard green parts. Blanch in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and puree in blender with butter until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Sautéed Mushrooms
4 oz. Mixed wild mushrooms (chanterelle, black trumpet, oyster, shitake, hen of the woods, blue foot, et…) ( use brown button mushrooms with some re-hydrated Sylva French Dried Forest Mushroom Mix or a few dried Cepes, re-hydrated)
Olive oil ( Iliadia Kalamata EVOO )
Shallots chopped
Butter
Chive chopped
Discard stems from mushrooms then cut caps into chunks. Heat oil and butter in sauté pan and add shallots. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Season and finish with chive.
To Serve
Coarse salt
Baby Leeks
Lamb jus
Heat leeks in butter and water. Place in three sections on plate. Place mushrooms in center. Serve lamb on copper pan with jus drizzled around. Serve jus, leek puree and maxime potatoes on the side.


French dried Black trumpet mushrooms, other dried French mushrooms and top quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil available from www.globalfoodsdirect.co.nz .
We supply New Zealand and International Customers.
Wholesale available.

info@globalfoodsdirect.co.nz

Moghrabieh

Moghrabieh

 

Recipe from Taking Tea in the Medina by Julie Le Clerc. Serves 2-3 as main.

 

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1½ cups moghrabieh
4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
15g butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

 

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic until soft but not browned.
2. Boil water in a large saucepan. Cook moghrabieh for 5 minutes then drain.
3. Add moghrabieh to onion mixture, add stock and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. The moghrabieh should become tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed.
5. Stir through butter, herbs, lemon zest and juice. Serve.

 

Variations:
I added 10-15 chilli threads.
You could add chunks of poached chicken or strips of grilled zucchini to bulk out the meal.

 

I added the pretty, vibrantly coloured chilli threads which are apparently the filaments of a chilli plant (the part of the stamen that supports the anther). Since I'm not very familiar with chilli plants I don't know whether this is true or not but they look like dried stamens so it sounds plausible.

 

They are not very spicy, but they do add a very mild heat and at least a little chilli flavour.

 

www.globalfoodsdirect.co.nz