Fizzy Batter Fried Fish

Chemistry was an exciting subject in school – at least the part that required us to don lab coats and act like scientists. No matter that the only thing we were actually allowed to do, is heat some substances (washing soda/ copper sulphate) and note down the properties. I don’t want to give you the spiel about how recreating a recipe is nothing but chemistry, but in this case it’s true. I was supposed to use carbonated water or soda, in combination with soda bicarbonate powder to get the desired ‘fizziness’ to make the batter light and crispy. It’s anticlimactic that the actual reaction was nowhere near the explosion that I expected, but more of a tame bubble bath! But the end product was right as promised – crisp, light and almost see-through-lace like batter. Now that’s an experiment recipe worth repeating.

Red Bell Pepper Soup with Lime

I bought a new cookbook (yes, the umpteenth one!) and paid a ridiculous price for it. (Come on, 1000 photos don’t come cheap). I have so many cookbooks that I just stare at the pictures and sing myself a foodie lullaby. So this time I was determined to cook something from the new book, just so that I can redeem the guilty feeling of not having used it at least once! I admit that the reason I even made this recipe is because the color looked so gorgeous. Bright orangey red! And the fact that there was lemon rind in the recipe didn’t hurt either. I think Lemon rind adds a zing that is unmatched by anything else (Ok, maybe Basil). I must warn you that this soup is not some soothing balm before you start the meal. It’s more like a jolt that wakes you up and gets your belly fire started. Hot and Tangy, I give you Red Bell Pepper Soup with Lime!

Red Bell Pepper Soup with Lime

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 (but I think it’s more like 6)

What you need:

1 tsp Olive Oil

4 Red Bell peppers (seeded and chopped)

1 large Onion, chopped

4 Garlic cloves, crushed

1 small Red Chili, sliced

3 Tbsp Tomato Puree

1 Lime (Juice and the rind grated)

3 ¼ cups Vegetable/ Chicken Stock

Salt and Ground Black Pepper

To Garnish: shreds of lime

What to do:

Heat the oil in a pan over low heat. Add the peppers and onion, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for about 5 mins until softened. Toss in the garlic and chilli, stir. Add the tomato puree, sauté. Add half the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pan again and simmer for 10 mins.

Leave to cool slightly, and then ladle the soup into a food processor or blender. (In batches, if necessary). Process to a puree. Return it to the rinsed out pan. Stir in the remaining stock, the lime rind and juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring the soup back to the boil, then ladle it into warmed soup bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with a few shreds of lime rind and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Twice Cooked Rosemary Chicken

Rosemary is a woody herb mostly used in Mediterranean cuisine. In Latin it means ‘dew of the sea’. Apparently Aphrodite rose from the sea with rosemary draped around her. (Ahem Ahem!). The herb is also associated with Virigin Mary. Please go figure the dichotomy yourself! There are so many other tales around rosemary – curative, memory enhancer, love charm, protection herb, etc. etc.! But today, we will limit ourselves to its use in food. Rosemary is highly aromatic, so a little should suffice. When burned, it smells similar to burning wood, so it’s great for flavoring barbeques. If you want an easy recipe with five star results, it’s the rosemary Chicken. It’s simple enough to cook and elegant enough to impress. Perfect for busy bees and gourmands! Yes, I am both and therefore this recipe is my failsafe. The technique is essentially pan frying and basting the chicken with the herb, thereby allowing the flavours of the herb to mould with the chicken, then roasting it to seal the juices in. The end product is crispy, soft, earthy awesomeness!

Twice Cooked Rosemary Chicken

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Makes: 4 portions

What you need:

4 Chicken Thighs (with skin)

4+2 Tbsp Oil

2 Tbsp Butter (unsalted)

2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary (10-12 leaves)

Salt and Pepper

What to do:

Pat the chicken dry using some tissues, making sure to keep the skin intact. Drying the chicken reduces cooking time. You can even pop it into the fridge for half hour uncovered to dry it out. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. (We are going to roast the chicken after frying). Heat the oil in a frying pan to just below smoking point. Place the chicken skin side down and wait for the skin to brown nicely. About 6-7 mins a side. Stand away from the pan, as the chicken tends to sizzle and splutter. Turn the chicken over and wait for the other side to brown as well.( It’s better to do two portions at a time to avoid overcrowding in the pan. ) Now toss in the additional oil as well as butter into the pan. Toss the rosemary in and start basting chicken with the fat and herbs. (Easy way to do this is by using a spoon with a long handle. Take some of the liquid fat from the bottom of the pan by tilting the pan and then spoon it over the chicken). Do this 2-3 times till the herb releases the aroma and the chicken skin looks wonderfully brown and crispy.

Now pop the chicken into the pre heated oven and let it cook for 12 mins. (7-8 if you are cooking without bone/ chicken breast). Remove and let the chicken rest for 3-4 mins before serving. This lets it absorb the juices. Voila! Serve with something creamy like mashed potatoes or risotto.

Pasta with Tuna and Capers

We generally buy our seafood fresh from the local market and nothing can really beat the taste of the sea. However there is no shame opening up a can of tuna for a quick weekday meal. Considering the fish was a favorite of the ancient Phoenicians (And the Greeks and Romans loved it as well)…it’s already got a good reputation. With all the Omega3 that doctors keep saying we need to incorporate into our diet, this fish is heart healthy! I found this recipe in my cooking bible – The Family Circle Cooking Encyclopedia.  So there’s really no going wrong. The co-resident and I give this one a thumbs-up! So does Muesli, who thought the can of tuna was for her… :)

Pasta with Tuna and Capers

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:
500 gms Pasta
¼ cup Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, minced
225 gm Tuna drained
60 gms Butter
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp chopped Capers
½ tsp chopped Chilli

What to do:
Place pasta in a pan of boiling salted water and cook until just tender.
Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and chilli, cook 1 min. Add tuna and cook 2 mins longer. Add butter lemon juice and capers, stir into tuna and cook on low until heated through. Drain pasta, add to sauce and mix to combine. Serve hot.