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Garlic and Thyme Fondant Recipe

Garlic and Thyme Fondant Recipe

Perfect for dinner parties or Sunday dinner. 

INGREDIENTS 

  • 6-7 medium sized potatoes 
  • 4 tbsp butter 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 
  • salt and pepper to season 
  • 3 cloves sliced garlic 
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme 
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock boiling hot (approximately) 
  • 2 additional tbsp butter 

 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. First of all you are going to want to choose a pan that's the right size for the potatoes. I usually use a 9x9 glass pan for the potatoes and peel and chop the perfect amount of potatoes that will fit into it. Once you've determined that, remove the potatoes and heat the baking dish in a 400 degree oven while you brown the potatoes. 
  2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into about 2 inch thick cylinders. Cut off the rounded ends and try to keep all the potato pieces the same size 
  3. Heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or non stick saute pan. Add the sliced garlic and sprigs of thyme. Cook for just a minute or so to soften the garlic, then remove it from the pan along with the thyme. Set the garlic and thyme aside for later. 
  4. Season the potatoes on both sides with salt and pepper and brown both ends of the potatoes until golden, about 3-4 minutes or so per side over medium to medium high heat. While you are doing this heat the chicken stock to boiling. 
  5. Remove the browned potatoes from the cast iron pan and fit them into the heated baking dish from the oven. Tuck the garlic slices and thyme sprigs used to flavour the oil and butter between the potatoes. Pour on the hot chicken stock just until the potatoes are half submerged. Dot the top of each potato with a little bit of butter, then return the pan to the oven for about a half hour or until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve immediately. 

 Source – Rock Recipes 

Eddie Pile
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Tuna Melt Recipe

Tuna Melt Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 9 ounces canned tuna  drained 
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise  
  • 1/2 celery stalk, finely sliced 
  • 1/4 small ( 2 tablespoons) red onion, finely chopped 
  • 1/4 medium (about 2 inches long) cucumber, peeled, if desired, and finely diced 
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon 
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
  • 1/2 baguette, cut crosswise into 2 portions, or 4 slices bread, such as sourdough or multigrain 
  • 4 slices tomato (optional)
  • 2 slices cheese of your choice

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
  2. Using a fork, flake the tuna into a bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, celery, onion, cucumber, and lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix again. 
  3.  Cut the baguettes in half lengthwise and divide the tuna mixture between the bottom pieces. Place 2 slices tomato on each sandwich, if desired. Top with a cheese slice and the baguette lids, pressing down gently to settle the filling. 
  4.  Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sandwich is warmed through and the cheese begins to melt and turn ooey gooey. Alternatively, you can warm the sandwich in a griddle or sandwich maker. 
  5. Serve the sandwiches immediately, preferably with napkins galore.

Source – Leite’s Culinaria

Eddie Pile
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Plantain Lasagna Recipe

Plantain Lasagna Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3-4 Large ripe plantains
1 medium onion chopped
1 red/ green bell pepper chopped
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin spice
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano thyme
½ -1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tomatoes chopped or 1 cup tomato sauce
1 pound ground beef/chicken or minced meat
1 16 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
1/4 cup sliced olives
2 -3 green onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons water
2 cup shredded cheese
1 packet sazon or 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
2-3 Tablespoon parsley chopped
2-3 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain; peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back. Slice the plantains horizontally into 4-5 pieces depending on plantains. You may either fry or bake the plantains. Frying was used in this recipe.

Frying Method

Heat up a large skillet or cast iron with oil up to ½ inch- medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

Fry the plantain in batches, turning once, until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pan (it will make the plantains to be soggy and absorb excess oil)

Use a slotted spoon, transfer the fried plantains and drain on paper towels.

Baking method

Spray a baking sheet and place plantains on them in a single layer; spray lightly over the plantains using the canola oil spray and bake at 400 degrees F, turning over slices, after 8 minutes for about 12- 20 minutes or till plantains turn slightly brown.

Next add about 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet followed by onions, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, sweat for about a minute.

Then add bell pepper, tomato sauce, bring to a simmer, add ground meat/mined meat, beans and cook for about 7-10 minutes, while stirring frequently to prevent burning burn add about broth or water as needed.

Season with salt, chicken bouillon or sazon.

Finally add olives, green onions and parsley, adjust for seasoning. Remove and set aside

Assembling
  • Spray a deep 8x8 pan with cooking spray or rub with butter/oil.
  • Line the bottom of the baking pan with the fried/baked plantain. Make sure there is no space between the plantains.
  • Add enough of the beef/minced meat mixture to make a layer, just like you would prepare lasagna. Alternate rows of plantains and meat until both are used up. Add cheese in between if desired
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and pour over the Pastelon. Making sure to cover the entire thing.
  • Add cheese if desired, or only use cheese
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until all the egg has cooked through and the cheese are bubbly.
  • Let it cool then serve warm
  • Recipe Notes
  • I usually go with moderately ripe plantains. They don’t fall apart or soak up tons of oil. You can deep-fry, pan fry or bake them.
  • You can use – ground beef, chicken or beans or combine protein and beans.
  • Add cayenne pepper if you want some heat in it.
  • With or without cheese, this plantain lasagna still taste good.

Source –Immaculate Bites

Eddie Pile
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Caesar Chicken Salad Recipe

Caesar Chicken Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
  • 1 tsp sunflower oil 
  • 1 romaine lettuce hear 
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 
  • 2 slices of ciabatta bread, each about 1.5cm thick (15g a slice) 
  • flaked sea salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper 

Dressing 

  • 2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and roughly chopped 
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped 
  • 2 tbsp light mayonnaise 
  • 1 tsp lemon juice 
  • 15g Parmesan cheese, finely grated 
  • 2½ tbsp cold water

DIRECTIONS 

  1. To make the dressing, put the anchovy fillets in a pestle and mortar, add the chopped garlic clove and pound into a paste. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan and water and stir well to make a pourable dressing 
  2. Place a chicken breast between 2 sheets of cling film and bash it with a rolling pin until the chicken is about 1cm thick. Bash the other chicken breast in the same way, then season the breasts on both sides with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. 
  3. Dip a pastry brush in the oil and brush over the base of a large nonstick frying pan. Place the pan over a medium heat, add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for 2–3 minutes on the other side until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken in the warm pan to rest. 
  4. While the chicken is cooking, make the salad. Separate the lettuce leaves and wash and drain them well. Tear any large leaves into smaller pieces. Arrange the lettuce in a large serving dish and scatter over the tomatoes. Toast the slices of ciabatta and tear them into bite-sized pieces. 
  5. Put the cooked chicken breasts on a board and cut them into thick strips. Scatter these over the lettuce and tomatoes and toss everything together lightly. Spoon over half the dressing and serve while the chicken is warm. Fantastic!

Source – Hairy Bikers

Eddie Pile
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Smoked Herring Fishcake Recipe

Smoked Herring Fishcake Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

For Fishcakes: 

  • 1 cup (250 g) leftover mashed potatoes 
  • 1 tsp. flat leaf parsley (finely chopped) 
  • 1 spring onion (finely sliced) 
  • Pinch of paprika
  • 1 lemon 
  • 2 eggs 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • 3.5 oz (100 g) smoked herring (flaked) 

For Breading & Frying: 

  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 cup Bread crumbs 
  • 1 tbsp. Butter 
  • 3 tbsp. Olive oil 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, parsley, spring onion and paprika. 
  2. Using a fine grater (Microplane grater), zest about 1/4 of the lemon (yellow skin only) and add the zest to the potato mixture. 
  3. Break the eggs into a shallow soup bowl, whisk, and add 1 tbsp of the eggs to the mash. Mix well. 
  4. Set the rest of the eggs aside until later. 
  5. Using your hands, carefully flake the herring, removing any skin or bones. 
  6. Fold the flaked fish through the potato mixture. 
  7. Cover a tray or large plate with plastic wrap. Form 8 evenly sized balls with the fish mixture and place on the tray, pressing gently down with the palm of your hand to form 8 fishcake patties. 
  8. Cover patties with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or overnight, if making ahead of time). 
  9. Assemble three soup bowls: one with the leftover beaten egg from earlier in the recipe, one with flour, and one with fresh breadcrumbs. 
  10. Dredge the herring fishcakes in the flour, making sure that they are evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour. 
  11. Dunk the fishcakes briefly, one by one, in the soup bowl with the beaten egg mix, allowing any excess egg to drip off. 
  12. Now transfer the fishcakes, one by one, to the dish with the bread crumbs. Toss each one in the bread crumbs until it is thoroughly coated. 
  13. Add butter and olive oil (you'll need about 1 tbsp. butter and 3 tbsp. olive oil) to a large frying pan and heat until the butter turns foamy. 
  14. Add half of the fishcakes and cook until the bread crumbs turn golden and crispy - they'll need about 3 minutes a side. 
  15. Remove the fishcakes from the frying pan and allow to drain on kitchen paper. 
  16. Repeat the process with the other 4 fishcakes. 

Serve with baked thick-cut oven fries, salad, lemon wedges and our fresh tarragon & garlic mayonnaise. 

Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan. If you don't have a large frying pan, make several batches in a smaller skillet, and keep the earlier batches warm in a preheated oven.

Source – The Spruce Eats 

Eddie Pile
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Pakistani Seekh Kebabs Recipe

Pakistani Seekh Kebabs Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 ½ pounds Minced Lamb 
  • 1-½ tsps. Salt 
  • 1-½ tsps. Black pepper 
  • 2 tsps. Sugar 
  • ¼ cup Red Onions 
  • ¼ cup Cilantro 
  • ¼ cup Basil 
  • 2 tsps. Garlic 
  • 1 tsp. Oil 

Spice Mixture:  

  • 2 tsp. masala 
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger 
  • 1 tsp. ground bay leaf 
  • 1 tsp. turmeric

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl with 1 ½ pound of minced lamb, add the Spice Mixture. 
  2. Mix thoroughly. 
  3. Using a skewer roll the kebabs 
  4. Place on a grill pan when the pan reaches at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  5. Cook for 7-10 minutes, checking occasionally and turning when one side is brown. 

Enjoy with your favorite barbeque sauce. 

Source – Man Kitchen 246

Eddie Pile
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Salt Fish Fritter Recipe

Salt Fish Fritter Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 8 oz salted fish 
  • 2 scallion, finely chopped 
  • 1 small onion, finely diced 
  • ¼ tsp finely diced hot pepper, I used wiri wiri or scotch bonnet 
  • 1 tsp black pepper 
  • 2 cups flour 
  • 1 ½ cup water 
  • Salt(optional) 
  • Oil to fry 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Soak saltfish in water overnight to remove salt or boil by changing the water twice. 
  2. If using salt fish with bones and skin, remove the bones and skin. 
  3. Finely flake the saltfish. 
  4. In a bowl add flaked saltfish, finely chopped scallion, onion, hot pepper, black pepper, flour and water and mix to form a batter. Add salt if needed. 
  5. Heat oil(about ½ inch deep) over medium fire in a skillet. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the oil and fry until golden brown. Turn halfway through cooking so that it browns on both sides. 
  6. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel to collect the excess oil. Serve warm. 

 Source – Jehan Can Cook 

 

Eddie Pile
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Oxtail Stew Recipe

Oxtail Stew Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 can butter beans 
  • 4 pounds oxtails trimmed 
  • 2 large onions chopped 
  • 3 scallions chopped 
  • 4 garlic cloves smashed 
  • 3 carrots chopped 
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme 
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes or 1 scotch bonnet pepper seeds included 
  • 4 teaspoons hot paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup 
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth just enough to slightly cover the oxtail 
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes 
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste 
  • 1 tablespoons salt 
  • 1 teaspoon pimento seeds (optional) 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. In a large pot, add oxtails, onions, scallions, garlic, thyme, red pepper, paprika, bay leaf, soy sauce, pimento seeds, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally. 
  2. Remove the oxtail from marinade. In a large pot heat up enough oil to brown the oxtail. When the oil is hot not burning, place the oxtail in the pot and brown on all sides. Remove the brown oxtail and place in slow cooker. Add enough broth to cover the oxtail. Also toss in the marinade, tomatoes, and carrots. Set on high and cook for 7-8 hours. Until the meat becomes tender. 
  3. Every hour check on the oxtail and keep oxtails slightly covered with liquid. 
  4. At 6 hours, add the beans, tomato paste, and more of beef broth and/or water, if needed. Then simmer uncovered 1 hour, skimming fat off top and stirring occasionally. In the last 1/2 hour of cook time, season with 1- 2 tablespoons salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve with rice and peas. 
  5. *Don't forget to remove bay leaves. 

Source – Cooking Maniac 

Eddie Pile
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Rainbow Tortilla Pinwheels Recipe

Rainbow Tortilla Pinwheels Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 3 12-inch spinach tortilla wraps 
  • 10 ounce container of cheese spread 
  • 1 red pepper, cored and thinly sliced 
  • 1 yellow pepper, cored and thinly sliced 
  • 12 baby carrots, thinly sliced 
  • ¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced 
  • 1 cup fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Prep ingredients by slicing thinly.
  2. Spread veggie dip over tortilla. 
  3. Arrange sliced veggies as shown.     
  4. Roll up tortilla tightly, tucking it in as you go.
  5.  Slice tortilla crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Source – A Side of Sweet 

Eddie Pile
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Orange Cake Recipe

Orange Cake Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins 
Cook Time 45 mins 
Total Time 1 hr 
Servings:10

INGREDIENTS 

  • 10 oz unsalted butter 
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
  • 5 large eggs 
  • 2 cups cake flour 
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract 
  • 2-3 tablespoons orange zest 

 DIRECTIONS 

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease a 10 inch pan generously with cooking spray and set aside. 
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar at high speed in a stand mixture until it’s fluffy and starting to look white, about 4- 5 minutes. 
  3. Stir in the eggs, a little at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder into the batter, and then add the grated orange zest , juice , almond, and vanilla extract. 
  4. Stir well until everything is fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. 
  5. Pour batter into a greased cake pan. Tap pan on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles. 
  6. Bake at 325 F until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean,about 45–50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. 
  7. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and serve with orange curd or drizzle over cake.

Source – Immaculate Bites

Eddie Pile
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Beef Liver Pâté Recipe

Beef Liver Pâté Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • lb Ground Beef 
  • ¼ lb Beef Liverfinely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup Oniondiced 
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika 
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder 
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper 
  • 1/2 tsp Salt 

 DIRECTIONS 

  1. In a medium skillet, melt butter or ghee.  
  2. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add chopped liver and cook until completely done but not overcooked.  
  3. Place cooked onions and liver into a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and even throughout.  
  4. Add more salt if necessary and pulse a few more times to blend well. 
  5. Transfer to a mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Source – Primal Palate 

Eddie Pile
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Beef Liver and Onions Recipe

Beef Liver and Onions Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 cups milk or buttermilk (optional) 
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 ½ lb Rumba Meats Liver, sliced into strips 
  • Salt and black pepper to taste 
  • 1 tablespoon butter 
  • 3 onions, thinly sliced 
  • ½ cup white wine 
  • Fresh parsley, chopped 

 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. To reduce the strong taste of the meat place liver in a bowl, or a Ziploc bag, and cover with milk, or buttermilk, and refrigerate. Let it soak up to 2 hours. Then remove the liver from liquid and pat dry. This step is optional but highly recommended If you are not used to the taste of the liver.  
  2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the liver strips, working in batches if necessary, and fry until browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove liver from skillet with a slotted spoon. Set aside on a plate or bowl. 
  3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the butter in the same skillet. Add onions and sauté until translucent and fragrant. Add the liver back to the skillet and add the wine. Let the wine reduce for 2 - 3 minutes. 
  4. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with rice, mashed potatoes or veggies.

Recipe Notes -  

To add more flavor season the liver with cumin and/or paprika. You can also add cayenne pepper if you like the heat. 

If desired, use the pan drippings to make a gravy. Just add 1- 2 tablespoons of flour for each to the drippings. Cook the flour briefly for 1 -2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add 1 cup of beef stock for each tablespoons of flour. Cook and stir until thickened. Serve over liver and onions. 

Source – Mommy’s Home Cooking 

Eddie Pile
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