Monthly Archives: January 2010

Fried or Boiled Plaintains

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PAN-FRIED PLANTAINS
Makes 6 servings. Cooking time 5-10 minutes.
2 ripe plantains
1/3 cup light olive or vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp butter for frying
Salt to taste

Choose plantains with some yellow color on the skin.
Peel. Thinly slice diagonal pieces. Set aside.
Warm skillet over low-heat with oil and butter for 3 minutes. When oil is hot (about 350 degrees) add plantain slices and cook over medium heat until lightly brown on first side.
Turn and cook until lightly brown on second side. Watch carefully. Do not overcook. Remove from pan when lightly brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels before serving. Sprinkle with salt.

PLAINTAINS
2 Plaintains
4 tsp butter
salt
2 tsp parmesan cheese

Choose plantains with some yellow color on the skin.
Peel. Slice diagonally, into about 1/2 inch thick pieces. Place into boiling water on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain water and place plaintains into bowl. Garnish wiht 4 tsp of butter, salt and cheese.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

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Zucchini Soup

Serves 4. Makes a great appetizer!
Preparation time 15 minutes.  Cooking time 30 minutes.

Zucchini and squash may be used together for a tastier soup!

  • 4 medium size potatoes washed, peeled and quartered
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 pat of butter
  • 2 onions peeled and thinly sliced (May substitute with leeks. Thinly slice and soak in water to remove dirt.)
  • 6 zucchini sliced into thin circles (peeled optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt (to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Garnish with parsley, cilantro, or pesto
DIRECTIONS
  1. Wash, peel and quarter potatoes. In a medium size pan add 5 cups of water to potatoes, cover, allow to boil over medium heat for 20 minutes. Potato should permit a fork to pierce it with just a slight  resistance.
  2. Meanwhile, over medium heat place a large sauce pan and add olive oil, butter, garlic, onion (or leeks). Allow to saute for 3 minutes.

    saute garlic, onion in oil then add sliced zucchini

  3. Add zucchini slices, and sautee` for another 5 minutes.
  4. Turn off burner, remove potatoes from heat. Carefully drain water into sink. Place potatoes into blender.
  5. Remove zucchini and onions from heat and turn off stove top.
  6. Place zucchini and leek (or onion) into a food processor. Cover food processor and blend vegetables for about 30 seconds.
  7. Turn on stove to medium heat, place large sauce pan and return blended vegetables to sauce pan.
  8. Add milk and water.
  9. Season with salt and pepper.
  10. Stir in parmesan cheese
  11. Allow to warm on stove top on medium heat for 10 minutes.
  12. Place into individual soup bowls. Garnish with drizzled olive oil, chopped cilantro / parsley or a dab of pesto!

Calzone

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Great for appetizers, lunches, picnics!!!
An easy way to make Calzone without investing into the dough making, is by substituting it with Pasta Sfoglia (2 Pastry Sheets) purchased from your local grocery store in the freezer or refrigerator departments.  Please scroll to “Home Made Dough” to follow original recipe.

Calzone
Serves 4-6
Preparation time 8 minutes, Baking time 15 minutes
Preheat oven to 400 F or 180 C.

On a clean baking sheet unroll first pastry sheet (may throw out parchment paper or place it on baking sheet with pastry sheet on top).  Add suggested fillings. Close sides of dough and place in oven for 20 minutes.

HOME MADE DOUGH: Follow this recipe for ultimate Calzone Dough La Focaccia Italiana

Pinch sides of pastry sheests to close the calzone. Place in oven to bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Suggested Fillings for calzone.

Ricotta and Spinach
250 g Ricotta
20 leaves spinach (washed and patted dry)
1 Egg slightly beaten
Combine all ingredients. With a spatula layer pastry sheet with filling. Unroll second pastry sheet and lay on top of ricotta filling.

Leeks and Dried Cranberries
4 Leeks thinly sliced and soaked in water. Carefully remove leek slices by hand from the water so that the dirt will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup milk
250 g mozzarella diced
2 Tbsp dried cranberries or raisins

After leaks have been washed, place into a large pan on medium heat and allow to with olive oil for 5 minutes then add milk and salt. Cook on stove top for about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour leeks into a colander to drain fluid. Return leeks to pan and add mozzarella, dried cranberries salt and pepper to taste.

Roll out dough about 1/2 cm thinkness.

Roll out first pastry sheet and place on to a baking sheet, layer with leek filling, then place second pastry sheet on top. Pinch the sides of the pastry  sheets together to close. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tuna and Sundried Tomato’s
120 g Tuna from cans
2 eggs
1/4 onion peeled and diced
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes diced
1/4 cup walnuts
100 g mozzarella diced

Place pastry sheet on to a clean baking sheet. Combine all ingredients. Layer filling on to a pastry sheet. Place second pastry sheet on layered filling and pinch pastry sheet edges together to close. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh Veggie Salad

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Tantalizing Vegetable Salad
Serves 4-6
Preparation time 10 minutes

1/4 onion peeled and diced
1 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed is good too!), or White Wine, or Vinegar
1 spear of Broccoli
1 Pepper (yellow)
1 Carrot sliced (lengthwise or circular)
1 Celery stalk
5 Cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp Pinenuts (optional)
Dressing
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice, or white wine, or vinegar

In large bowl, soak diced onion in lemon juice (method of cooking to neutralize acidity from onion) and set aside, allow to marinade 10-15 minutes.
Thinly slice all vegetables and then add to bowl with marinading onion. Add to same bowl all ingredients for dressing and toss salad to combine flavors. May serve immediately, or prepare the night before.