Vietnamese Summer Rolls: Light and Fresh

It’s 38°C! I’m almost tempted to break and egg on the pavement and see if it gets cooked! My house feels like a mini sauna and I have officially stopped wearing pants at home. (I wear cotton dresses - go wash your dirty brains :P). So it goes without saying that summer is here! Which is both a boon and a curse depending on which part of the world you live in. I, for instance live in a city that has salubrious climate for 80% of the year so any extremes in temperature is treated with great disdain. (Yes, Bangaloreans are spoilt that way!). Every year we just whine and crib till the first showers of April hit the sands and then we whine and crib that it’s monsoon already. This year is no different except that I learnt how to make some Vietnamese Summer Rolls. It’s fresh, light and all kinds of colorful. Just what summer should be? 

This recipe is more about getting your mise en place and rolling technique right. Once you master than, you can churn out a gazillion of these with a flick of the wrist. (Ok, as usual I’m exaggerating, but you get the drift no?). Also since it’s a fresh roll, its best prepared and served just in time to eat. It doesn’t lower the temperature or anything, but I assure you summer will be more bearable – at least while you’re eating it!

Two ways to be Feta Chic - Salad and Appetizer

Feta is a brined soft cheese, made from sheep (and goats milk) and is very popular in Greek cuisine. It looks like paneer but is much softer, grainier and tangier. While the most popular way of using feta is in a Greek Salad – this cheese has the ability to shine in many other dishes. I picked up a slab of Feta this week and was hard pressed to find a recipe that does it justice. I wanted Feta to be the star of the dish and not just a supporting element. After many frustrating hours of searching my recipe books and the internet, I just decided to use it in a Watermelon and Arugula (Rocket) Salad. Besides, I had recently learnt how to deseed a watermelon and I was itching to see if it works. (It does – Instructables shows you how!). The salad is an amazing medley of tastes and textures – sweet and crispy watermelon, crunchy and peppery arugula and finally creamy and salty feta, dressed with silky honey and olive oil. The salad is super easy to put together and colorful to look at as well. I used up half the slab of feta here and packed the other half away.

Later in the day, I remembered a beautiful meal that me and the co-resident had in one of our favorite Greek restaurants – Thalassa in Goa. The appetizer was a slab of marinated Feta served with toasted Pita! I had found my Feta Star recipe. This is an absolute breeze to make and you will not believe the flavor explosion in your mouth. If I wanted to serve up a really chic appetizer in a fancy party – this would be it! It makes sense to go out and scout for a good slab of Feta, just to have the pleasure of eating this. The creamy Feta just luxuriates in a good quality olive oil and once you dress it in some herbs – your work is done. Like Leonardo Da Vinci said and Steve Jobs believed - “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.  

Fattoush Hummus (Lebanese Bread Salad)

Featured in Tastespotting.com on 16th Jan 2013

The first time I ate Fattoush, I didn’t pay much attention to it. It was my accompaniment to the more interesting Shawarma. And in the Bangalore of 2000, a Shawarma with all its trimmings was very very exotic. A vertical spit roaster filled with chicken slices rotating ever so slowly, while the chef toasted and filled the strange yeasty bread with Hummus, Tahini, salad and finally the sliced chicken – was a demonstration I thought was fit to bunk classes for. But slowly, ever so slowly, the Fattoush has established a firm place in my heart and I actually forgo the shawarma for just fattoush-hummus these days! So what exactly is the Fattoush? For those of you who have seen ‘Meet the Zohan’ – it’s Zohan’s arch nemisis Phantom’s real name! And for those who have better things to do than indulge in trivial pursuits – it’s a salad. A Lebanese Bread Salad that chefs in the earlier days made as an excuse, to use up stale pita bread. (Ok, no one uses stale bread anymore – just toasted crisps work just fine!)  So why am I acting all Alice in Wonderlandy about an ex-stale bread salad? Because fattoush hummus is my comfort baby. My tummy actually asks for this on a regular basis. Coupled with the hummus and the pita crisps, it’s actually a complete meal – One that will leave you feeling healthy and satiated. (No… KFC doesn’t do that!)

Herby Chicken Salad on Multigrain Bread

I bought a lovely multigrain loaf from Bliss Chocolates. Yes, yes…they now bake loaves, pita, lavash, foccacia and a host of other yeasty delights. And their packaging is quite nice as well and you know I’m a sucker for such things anyway. After I polished off half a loaf with just olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, I was left thinking how wonderfully this bread would lend itself to my chicken salad. I know it’s winter and a Chicken Salad is more of a light summery meal. But in Bangalore, the sun still shines nice and bright and the skies are awash with my favorite shade of blue. It’s not fair is it? :P

This basic recipe has many tricks up it’s sleeve. a. You can make this ahead and keep it in the fridge, the flavors just get better. b. So needless to say, it’s a great picnic staple! c. Serve it on some cucumber roundels and you have a fancy cocktail snack at a party! d. I ate this for lunch, so yes it’s hearty enough. And finally e. even though it’s a salad, it dosen’t feel like punishment at all because it’s so yummy! If all this is not enough to make you try this right away … look at the pictures!

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Chili Maple Croutons

Now don’t be babies and skip this post because it’s got ‘kaddu/ kumbalkayi’ as the star ingredient. I know I ran a mile when my mom made pumpkin playa when I was a kid. There was so much drama about not eating it, that my mom finally relented and stopped making it for many years. But I guess I was always a hypocrite when it came to pumpkins. There’s a special halwa (sweet) called ‘Kashi Halwa’, that’s made out of pumpkins for our wedding ceremonies. I used to wait patiently furiously tapping my banana leaf for the waiter to serve us the halwa. I would quickly devour it before he finished serving the rest of the table and act like he missed serving me. The look on the waiter’s face was priceless!  But topping that look was mine, when my mom finally told me that the halwa was made out of pumpkin! Evil evil woman! After that I had to make my peace with the pumpkin. (If only to avoid the dichotomy while eating the halwa!)

Circa 2012, over a dinner in Graze at the Taj Vivaanta – I order Pumpkin Soup. The co-resident looks like he’s going to gag on his breadstick. I look at him smugly with a wait and watch approach. The soup is divine! Maybe because of the generous amount of truffle oil, but divine nonetheless. It also costs an arm and a leg. So I come back home and attempt to replicate it over the weekend. And the result is this gorgeous concoction. Yum yum yum… I kicked the recipe up a notch and served it with some Maple-paprika croutons. I now crown myself Queen of the Pumpkin Patch! :P

Flame Grapes and Green Apple Salad

Yes I’m trying to show off and no the grapes are not on fire. That’s just a name for a variety of grapes that are both white and red in colour. Quite pretty really. They are also seedless and firm. Perfect for use in a salad. The tang of the green apple superbly complements the sweetness of the grapes and we bring it all together with some lovely lemon herb mayonnaise dressing.

Now I, (like most people) was not a very big fan of salads in the younger days of yore. We even called it Ghas Phoos. (Those who know, will know!). But now that’s I’ve grown older wiser, I gladly fill up my plate with the goodies. I’ve even been known to order just salad for lunch! (Ha ha ha … really got you on that one din’t I??) Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is … some salads do taste awesome! And though you probably won’t bypass a meal to eat just one, it won’t hurt to pile some on your plate. Besides this is almost a cheat salad – it has more fruit than the leafy stuff!

  

Flame Grapes and Green Apple Salad

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 2

What you need:

1 cup of seedless Grapes (flame/ globe)

1 Green Apple, cut into wedges

1 big bunch of Mixed Lettuce Leaves

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

½ tsp of mixed dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

What to Do:

Wash and dry lettuce leaves. (I have a salad spinner *smug*). Now combine the mayo, lemon juice and herbs in a small glass bottle. Shake well (with the lid on) to combine. You can also substitute sour cream for mayo. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Note: Always add the dressing on just before serving a salad. This will ensure the leaves are not limp and soggy but fresh and crunchy.

Summer Pasta Salad - a la Infinitea

I’m more of a summer person than a winter person. Or so I thought, till I got baked in the sun the past couple of days. The heat has been unbearable. I have the fan on full speed at home and there’s still no respite. Being Bangalorean, I always think I don’t need an AC in our pleasant city. Boy, am I wrong! The only time I’m happy these days, is when I’m in the car and I have the AC on full blast in my face or when am under a cold shower! Which leads me to change my earlier notion of what weather person I am - I am an opti-weather person. I don’t like it too hot or too cold, too dry or too rainy, too windy or too still! I’m not fussy, but that’s the weather I would like. If wishes were horses, right? But I still concede that when it comes to satisfying my weather requirement, no other city in the world gets it as close to perfect as Bangalore. It’s almost like my genes have adapted to the city of my birth and the thermostat has been set to ‘comfortable’. Speaking of comfortable, I went to my old hangout Infinitea last week. Lazing around on their sofa’s, ordering a pomegranate ice tea and summer pasta salad and chatting with the girls. Can’t get more comfortable than that! I adore their version of the summer pasta salad (which is more of a main course in my opinion) and tried to replicate it at home. Results? A very comfortable match!

Summer Pasta Salad

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

350 gms Penne

3 Peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green), finely chopped

1 small Onion, finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup Corn Kernals

100 gms Mushrooms, finely chopped

1 Tbsp chopped Jalapenos

1 Tbsp chopped Sun dried tomatoes in oil

2 Tbsp chopped Green and Black Olives

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Butter

200 ml Cream

Salt and freshly ground black Pepper

To garnish:

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Mixed Herbs

What to do:

Julienne the peppers and then chop them up into tiny pieces. Ensure that the onions and mushrooms are also chopped to roughly the same size. Try to cut up the olives, jalapenoes and sun dried tomatoes to the same size as well. In the meantime, boil the corn and set aside.(I used the microwave).

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and toss in the butter. When the butter sizzles, lower the heat and add the onions. Saute for 2 mins till it gets soft. Raise the heat. Then add the garlic and the mushrooms and saute for another minute. Toss in the peppers, saute for 3 mins. Finally add the corn, stir to combine.

Now lower the heat and add the cream. Cook for a minute and toss in the jalapenoes, sun dried tomatoes and olives. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine and Turn off the heat.

Spoon the pasta into a serving dish. (it helps if its microwave friendly). Now toss the grated cheese on top and heat for 30 secs in the microwave till the cheese is melty. Season with mixed herbs and serve!

P.S. You could add in the juice of 1 lemon in the final stage of seasoning to make it more tangy.

Potato and Sausage Soup with Pesto

I resisted for a whole month. I did. Honest. Everyone says I make too many dishes with pesto in it. But…. I love Pesto! And how could I not start the New Year with another way to use the glorious green?! This time I added it to a soup. And not just any soup – the quintessential soup for the manly man. The meat and potatoes soup! It’s technically a main course, but since it’s eaten out of a soup bowl (albeit a rather large one) we’ll still call it soup. As with all things creamy and filled with carbs and meat – this is a hearty one. Meditate on the word – Hearty. It dosen’t just mean ‘filling’, it means something that will make you all loving and giving once you’ve eaten it. Seriously, have you ever seen someone deprived of Carbohydrates? Bitchy bitchy. But not with this soup … all the nastiness just melts into the bowl. Don’t believe me? Try wolfing down a bowl of this and go take a look in the mirror. Did you see the contented smile plastered across your face? There. (Atleast you’ll be an epitome of goodness till dinnertime.) Saving the world darling, that’s what I do best …

Potato and Sausage Soup with Pesto

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 4 as main course

What you need:

4 large Sausages (I used Chicken franks)

3-4 Tbsp Pesto (click here for recipe or use store-bought Pesto)

4 large/ 450 gms Potatoes

3 Onions, chopped

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Butter

2 ½ cups Chicken Stock

2 ½ cups Milk

100 gms dried Pasta (macaroni/ conchigliette/ spirali – any small shape)

2/3 cup Cream

Parsley, chopped – to garnish

What to do:

Par Boil and keep aside – potatoes and sausages. Peel and chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces. Chop the sausages as well – I prefer franks as they hold their shape in the soup. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan and fry the chopped onions for 4 mins, till cooked but not coloured. Add the stock and milk to the pan, bring to the boil. Toss in the potatoes and sausages and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet and drain and keep aside. Blend in the cream into the simmering stock and simmer for 5 mins. Add the parsley and pesto (I like 4 Tbsp for a nice pesto hit) and combine well. Check seasoning and then adjust for taste with salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the cooked pasta and heat through for 2-3 mins.

Transfer the soup to individual serving bowls and serve with some freshly grated parmesan and garlic bread.

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.

Cucumber and Dill Salad

There is a dish in India called ‘Bheja Fry’ which literally means Brain fry and is also used to denote a situation when you’re head is all messed up! I’ve had Bheja Fry for the past few weeks. And no, its not what I ate! In an exact opposite to Bheja Fry is another synonym – Cool as a Cucumber. With the current state of affairs around me, I wouldn’t mind getting to the cucumber’s state. Coming to the point – Cucumber and Dill salad is as cool as you can get. Soothes the palate as well as the head. Hopefully my mind will unscramble itself soon!

Cucumber and Dill Salad

Prep time: 10 mins

Marinating time: 3 hrs

Serves: 4

What you need:

1-2 Cucumbers (regular will do)

1 Tbsp White Vinegar

2 Tbsp Sugar

4 Tbsp Water

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ a Handful of Dill

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

Trim and peel the cucumbers. (You can use regular cucumbers here as we marinate them to make them soft. Save the dainty English cucumbers to eat fresh). Cut in half lengthwise and then scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut into half rings or chunks.

Dissolve sugar and salt in water. Bring to a boil. Cool and add Vinegar. Now add the cucumbers and let it soak for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Drain the cucumbers. Toss with Olive Oil, Dill and seasoning. Savor and enjoy!

P.S. This is Julia Child’s recipe. So yes, it’s pretty much a blind rendition of the masterpiece with little tweaks.

Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto

This one is inspired by the Pasta Salad that I have in Café Max every single time I go there. One rainy day I was craving for it, but the car was out of commission and there’s no way I was going to hail a rickshaw and pay triple! After pacing up and down the hall swinging between ordering something else or hailing the hell ride, I decided to make it myself. I generally have readymade pesto in the fridge for just such emergencies, but today was one of those days. Ok, no problem, I’ll whip up my failsafe Pesto. I opened the fridge to realize I also didn’t have Basil at home. Pesto without basil? Was I going to lose this battle? Necessity is the mother of all inventions. Cilantro looked like a good substitute for Basil (Ok, it was leafy and green, beats using a carrot!). The problem with cilantro though is it reminds me of Chutney. So after I wrestled the idea out of my mind, I finally got mixing. I must tell you that I was pleasantly surprised. The result was a fantastic light salad!

Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto

Prep time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 small portions/ 2 large portions

 

What you need:

 

½ portion Pesto Recipe (click here) (Please substitute Cilantro for Basil)

2 cups cooked Pasta

1 onion, chopped

2 Tomaoes, seeds removed and chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

Make ½ portion of the Pesto Sauce according to my fabulous recipe ;) Don’t forget to substitute Cilantro for Basil. Or you can use the basil as well and then it will be a regular Pesto salad. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain.

Now is the simple bit. Just toss all the ingredients together. Make sure the pesto coats everything. Drizzle with some extra olive oil and grate some more parmesan if required. Stuff your face blissfully.

Sweet Corn Soup Chinese Style

I had a can of Sweet Corn cream style in the pantry. I had picked this up in the market to produce something exciting. But as it happens with most things in my pantry, the exciting recipe never gets produced and the expiry date on the can looms close. So one fine day when I look at the contents in the pantry (which happens to be a big drawer actually!), I find things that should have been thrown out six months ago and things that need to be used as of yesterday. The Sweet Corn, thankfully, belonged to the latter category. So I poured into my innumerable cookbooks for a recipe with cream style corn and I didn’t find anything I fancied. Finally out of desperation and hunger gnawing at my tummy, I did the unthinkable! I followed the recipe on the back of the can. *Eyes wide with horror*. Ok, I was just kidding, of course I don’t give a damn if the recipe is from the back of the can as long as it tastes good. And this people, did taste good. A penny saved is a penny earned, or in this case – ‘A can of corn saved is a can of soup eaten’!

Sweet Corn Soup Chinese Style

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 12 mins

Serves: 4 small portions/ 2 large portions

What you need:

1 can Sweet Corn Cream Style (I used Delmonte)

2 cups Stock (vegetable/ Chicken)

1/2 cup Chopped Vegetables (Carrots/ beans/ asparagus)

1 Tsp Corn Flour

2 Tsp White Vinegar

Salt and White pepper powder to taste

1/4 cup Chopped spring onions - to garnish

What to do:

Heat 2 cups of vegetable stock/ water in a pan. Mix in cream style sweet corn, add chopped vegetables and bring it to a boil. Blend 1 tsp corn flour in a Tbsp of water and stir in the boiling soup to get the desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper powder and white vinegar to taste. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve piping hot with soya and chilli vinegar!

P.S. You can crush a Maggie tastemaker cube into 2 cups of water to make a substitute for Vegetable/ Chicken stock.

P.S. Delmonte din’t pay me for this. The can just looked so colourful, it was begging to be photographed. Also if Delmonte would like to pay me for this, please call me for my bank account number. (People can dream can’t they? :P)

Masala Fried Fish with Salad Nicoise-ish

If there is a French person reading this, I apologize for turning a perfectly authentic salad on its head. If there is a person on a diet reading this, I apologize for luring you in here with a salad and then saying it’s topped with ‘fried’ fish. The original recipe calls for tuna, which I replace with fried sear fish. (Go ahead and grill yours, if you want to be on the safe side of the scales). I also omit boiled green beans and add fried croutons instead for crunch. (Blasphemy, I know). At this stage you might understand why I called it ‘Nicoise-ish’. Should I have just called it ‘fusion food’? Or should I have called it ‘things I like to eat’? Like Shakespeare said, ‘a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. Now, who are we mere mortals to argue with that kinda logic, right? It’s a fantastic meal in one and looks so freaking amazing. That said, I love this version of Salad Nicoise (Nee-sh-wah) more than the original! Gasp Gasp :P.

Masala Fried Fish with Salad Nicoise

Prep time: 15 mins

Marinating time: 1 hr

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

For the Masala fried fish:

4 steaks (400 gms) Sear Fish/ any white fish (1 inch thickness)

½ tsp Turmeric

2 Tbsp Chili Powder (or according to taste)

½ tsp Ginger Garlic paste

Salt

Oil for frying

For the Salad Nicoise:

1 big Cos Lettuce, (rinsed and well dried)torn into shreds

4 Tomatoes, chopped

3/4th cup sliced Black Olives

4 hard Boiled eggs

1 Onion, finely sliced

2 slices old bread, cut and fried into croutons (use the same oil as the fried fish for awesome flavour)

For the Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp white wine Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

What to do:

First of all, don’t be alarmed by the list of ingredients. It’s just assembly. Artful tossing together. Starting with the fried fish. Make a thick paste with turmeric, salt, ginger garlic paste and chili (add as much heat as you can take, but be advised that extra chili powder tends to blacken the fish and leave debris in the cooking oil). Marinate the fish steaks by rubbing the paste on both sides of the fish. Set aside. Add all the vinaigrette items into a bottle and give it a good shake till it looks like everything is homogenously incorporated. Keep cool in the fridge.

Heat oil to just below smoking point, put in the fish steaks and immediately lower the heat. Fry for 4 mins on each side. The extra masala will settle to the bottom of the pan. Drain and keep warm.

Wash the lettuce and pat the leaves dry. (Or use a salad drier). Toss in the rest of the ingredients (tomatoes, onions, olives) accordingly. Toss over the vinaigrette (Approx. 1 Tbsp per plate), just before serving to avoid the lettuce leaves becoming limp. Divide among four plates with one boiled egg per person. Place the fried fish in the center and serve with pride. Dig in with absolute abandon!

Minted Pea Soup

Is it a guy thing, to be repulsed by the idea of green food? No seriously, even before tasting my pea soup the co-resident faked fullness of the belly, courtesy a late lunch. The office mate nearly choked on his food before being forced to try it. The other colleague acted like he was part of a science experiment before gingerly licking the back of the spoon! Men I tell you… gutless, literally. That said, they all concluded that it was ‘not so bad – for pea soup’! And as an afterthought grudgingly added that it was actually (gasp gasp) tasty! I for one, love this version , cause the mint really uplifts it and its really easy peasy! 

Minted Pea Soup

Prep time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4-6

What you need:

2 Tbsp Butter

1 large Onion, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp all-purpose Flour

500 gms frozen Peas

5 cups (1.25 lt) Vegetable/ Chicken Stock

½ tsp Sugar

2 large Mint Sprigs

Salt and Black Pepper

Shredded fresh Mint for garnish

What to do:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft but not colored. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for a further 1-2 mins, then add the frozen peas, stock, sugar and sprigs of mint. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently. Stir occasionally for 5 mins or until the peas are soft. Do not simmer any longer than this otherwise the peas will lose their fresh green color.

Remove the mint sprigs and discard. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan, reheat and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot garnished with shredded fresh mint. 

Classic Bacon and Egg Salad Sandwich

It’s called classic because it’s a timeless combination. Bacon and Eggs. I could actually have an entire blog dedicated to the dishes you could dish out of this very combination. But we don’t want to be biased now, do we ;) ?  New question… why do I need a separate blog post for the simplest of sandwiches? Because my friends it’s the little things that matter and this recipe has all the little things that will transform a slap dash sandwich into the classic it is. For a hint – it’s Mustard. Not convinced? Ok, Parsley. Still not convinced? Ok its mustard and parsley and mayo. Trust me, the combo works like a charm!

Classic Bacon and Egg Sandwich

Prep time: 10 mins

Makes 2 sandwiches

What you need:
2 rashers rindless Bacon
2 hard boiled Eggs
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp finely chopped flat leaf Parsley
Salt and freshly ground Black pepper
Butter or Margarine
4 slices Milk or other White Bread

What to do:
Grill bacon or fry in a dry non-stick pan until crisp. Allow to cool, then chop. Chop up eggs and mash with the mayonnaise, mustard and parsley. Stir bacon pieces through and season with salt and pepper.
Lightly butter bread, spread egg mixture on two slices and top with remaining bread.

P.S. This sandwich is also tasty when toasted. Or if you please, you can ditch the bread and have it as an Egg Salad instead!

Insalata Caprese (Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato Salad)

I know it’s not summer and this is definitely a summer salad. But on a dreary winter day like today, the colors sure cheer me up. This is such a simple salad but tastes heavenly. The creaminess of the bocconcini is well worth the visit to a gourmet store. (By the way, the white colour and creaminess is because it’s made from buffalo milk.) But if you can’t stomach the thought, then fresh mozzarella is fine as well. Like I was saying…chase the winter blues away with some red, white and green!

Insalata Caprese
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 6

What you need:
6 medium, ripe Tomatoes
4 fresh small Mozzarella (Bocconcini) balls
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
4 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
Handful of shredded Basil leaves
Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

What to do:
Slice tomatoes thickly. Slice mozzarella thinly and interleave with tomato slices and basil leaves. Combine lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well using a wire whick. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with shreds of basil leaves and pepper. Serve!


P.S. This salad is best served freshly made. Tomatoes at room temperature bring out their flavor.

Char Grilled Red Peppers with Balsamic Dressing

Summer times call for grilling. While most people can’t think of anything other than meat to toss onto a grill, I say give some veggies a chance - especially red peppers. Don’t worry if you don’t have an outdoor grill, I make mine on an indoor one (with the window open!) and it tastes just as fine. Its funny how the heat makes peppers change their nature – they go from pungent to sweet! Just peppers for dinner might not sound satisfying right now, but I assure you – serve it with some mashed potato, feta and green salad and you have the most refreshing summer meal!

Char Grilled Red Peppers with Balsamic Dressing

Prep time: 20 mins
Marinating time: 1 hr
Serves: 4

What you need:
6 Red Peppers
11/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
200 gms Feta
Green Salad

What to do:
Cut each pepper into quarters; remove seeds and stems. Place skin side up under a preheated grill. Cook until skin blisters and turns black (about 15 mins). Cover peppers with a clean damp tea-towel and allow to stand for 5 mins. Peel away skin. Cut pepper pieces into 2 cm strips. Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar, whisk. Place pepper strips in a small bowl, pour oil mixture over and marinate for an hour in the refrigerator. Serve with green salad and cubed feta cheese.

P.S. Roasting or grilling peppers and peeling off the skin removes bitterness and intensifies the sweet flavor. You can roast a large amount at once and preserve in oil. There’s a fantastic pepper pate recipe I will share soon for the leftover grilled peppers.

Warm Penne, Tomato and Olive Salad

If you want a salad that is hearty, healthy and colorful look no further than this page. Tomatoes and olives are a match made in heaven and in this dish they are combined with just pasta and olive oil, allowing their flavors to shine. I prefer to use black olives in this, cause the colur and taste compliment the dish much better than green olives. But go ahead and experiment. After all the pasta recipes with the heavy sauces, this is a welcome break to my stomach. There’s absolutely no guilt when I indulge in this one. Come to think of it, I have no guilt in indulging in food at all!

Warm Penne, Tomato and Olive Salad

Prep time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 as main course / 8 as salad

What you need:

5 ripe Tomatoes

12 Black Olives sliced

400 gms Penne

4 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Oregano

1 Tbsp fresh Parsley

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

What to do:

Cook the pasta in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 12-14 mins or until tender. Meanwhile roughly chop the ripe tomatoes. Finely chop the parsley. Drain the pasta thoroughly in a colander and return it to the clean pan. Toss with the olive oil, tomatoes, sliced olives and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley. Serve. So simple!

P.S. If you are unable to find ripe tomatoes, roast those you have to bring out their full flavor. Simply put the tomatoes in a roasting pan, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast at 190ºC for 20 mins. Allow to cool slightly, then mash roughly with a fork.

Corn and Cheese Chowder

What is it about the color yellow that makes us think of summer and feel happy at the same time? Perfect for a dreary winter night, this chowder has loads of yellow in it! Corn, cheese, potatoes and cream. When you finally eat it, the happiness of the yellow gets transferred onto your face in the form of a content smile. Chowder is a thick soup, usually milk based, made with seafood, fish, vegetables or chicken. The name comes from the French chaudiere, a copper pot in which fishermen’s wives cooked a communal soup from a share of each man’s catch to celebrate the safe return of the fishing fleet from the sea. OK, so this recipe does not have fish but the story does make you feel all warm and benevolent, just like this soup!

Corn and Cheese Chowder

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves: 8

What you need:

90 gm Butter

2 large Onions, finely chopped

1 clove Garlic, crushed

2 tsps Cumin seeds

4 cups (1 ltr) Chicken stock

2 medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup canned creamed Corn

2 cups fresh Corn kernels

1 cup cooked Macaroni

¼ cup chopped fresh Parsley

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Salt and freshly ground Black pepper to taste

¼ cup Cream (optional)

What to do:

Heat butter in a large heavy-based pan. Add onion and cook over medium-high heat for 5 mins or until golden. Add garlic and cumin seeds and cook for 1 min, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil. Add potato; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins. Add creamed corn, corn kernels and parsley. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins more. Stir in cooked pasta, cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and cream. Heat gently until cheese melts. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Heavenly summer in a bowl!