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FV12-10-0910

Original Recipe:
Gourmet | October 2004 & January 2005

Baking Empañada is like... baking lasagna for me... scary idea but I have to try...

While searching for a recipe, I found out that what we have back home is not the authentic Empañada, like everything else, it was modified through the years to suit our palate. It make sense, we have to adapt so it's not going to be so tedious for housewives to create. Moreso, we're not as globalized as we are today, malls weren't available and imported ingredients were,,, well... not that common.

Okay, it was my twin sister who made that analysis,,, she's boring. So now, this recipe is amazing.... and the result.... Oh... My... Gosh, Heaven!!! Okay, maybe not so much as heaven, if my mom reads this she'll be giving me a lecture on blasphemy... you get my drift though, right?

Tip 1: You can use whichever chicken part you prefer, though the ones closest to the bone are tastier
Tip 2: You can make the dough in advance, freeze it up to one week. Thaw it for few hours in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before using it.
Tip 3: You can make the fillings 2 days in advance. Again, bring it to room temperature before using it.
Tip 4: Because this dough is soooo amazing, you can play with it. You can choose whatever filling you want. I think as simple as hotdog and cheese to as complex as fruit preserves.
Tip 5: If you can't find the linked chorizo, just the tapa-sliced-type will do, just follow the weight

Dough Ingredients
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
2 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs + 1 for brushing crust
2/3 cup ice water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Filling Ingredients:
3 whole chicken legs, including thighs (2 to 2 1/4 pounds total)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
1/3 cup finely diced Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage; 1 1/2 oz; casings discarded if desired)
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (not hot)
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (1 Knorr chicken cube will do)

Serves 24

This took me 3.5 hours active time, yes that might be 2 or less hours for you.

To make the dough
Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

To make the filling
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Sauté onions, garlic, and bay leaves in fat remaining in skillet, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chorizo and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add olives, raisins, wine, and broth and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Return chicken to skillet along with any juices accumulated on plate, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer chicken, covered, turning over once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.

Transfer chicken to a clean plate. (Sauce in skillet should be the consistency of heavy cream; if it's not, briskly simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely chop meat. Stir chicken into sauce and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, then cool filling, uncovered, about 30 minutes.

Forming and baking of empañada
Form dough into a ball, then wrap in oiled plastic wrap (oiled side in) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 2 15x10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with 1 tablespoon oil.

Form smaller balls roughly 2x2 inch. Spread a tablespoon or more of filling, evenly and leaving 1 inch border. Moisten border with water then fold to make a half moon shape. Press the edges together and sill. Roll the edges in and press to form a decorative rim. Roll out remaining dough in the same manner.

Bake empanada 15 minutes, then brush crust with the beaten egg. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and brush empanada with remaining egg. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a rack, then slide empanada onto rack using a wide metal spatula and cool to warm.

I didn't think I'd ever say this,,, but this one made me realize... this is why I want to learn how to cook.... so I can eat good food like this one.

Impress your love ones, enjoy eating and most especially,,, happy cooking!

Acoustic Chef, cookin’one tune at a time!

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FV11-09-0910

Original Recipe:
Nancy Hawley | January 1999

This was the last salmon I made for a three in a row salmon dish that has to be as inconspicuous as possible.

The third one has to be special, otherwise my boys will probably not even put it in their mouth.

This was perfect... the maple syrup aroma was all over the kitchen... my kids got so curious and even watched it with me while I make sure the oven temperature doesn't burn it to dryness.

Tip 1: Don't dip the salmon bites to pepper. Use your finger to control how much pepper you want on your salmon bite. Have just enough pepper to have a little kick...
Tip 2: Make half the portion without pepper. Kids will love it!
Tip 3: I think this will also work well with boneless chicken pieces.

I did this in a jif.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup soy sauce
700 grams skinned salmon fillet
1/8 cup freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable or canola oil spray

Cut salmon into bite-size cubes. Combine maple syrup and soy sauce in a medium-size bowl and add salmon. Make sure the fish is fully immersed in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Grease a sheet of aluminum foil with the oil spray. Preheat oven to 500°F. put pepper in small plate and using your finger tip, tap a little pepper on one side of salmon. Place each peppered piece on foil, then cook in oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. 

This is perfect appetizer for gatherings... even guests who are picky and not fish eaters will like this a lot. It's yum-my...

FV10-08-0912

Original Recipe:
Bon Appetit | April 2002

We had another get-together last weekend and I went overboard with my grocery shopping. I bought tons of Salmon because I thought I'll be baking enough Salmon en Croute.

I didn't at all. Everyone brought something they also want to cook. So I got stuck with six good sized fillets and my family can only eat so much salmon en croute, regardless of how tasty it is.

I had to find recipe fast... obviously 2 will be in en croute and I'm still stuck with 4. It have to be good recipes that they won't think, "God, another salmon! Three freaking Salmons in a row!"

So I started with this recipe.

Tip 1: This is a hearty meal, a little side dish of steamed rice will be perfect. Let the salmon be the star.

I made this in 45 minutes... do the math!

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
2 medium leeks, halved, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 skinless salmon fillets (approx 700 grams in total)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 tablespoons olive oil

Serves 4

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until leeks are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium; add lemon juice and stir until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Mix in cream. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer mixture to blender. Blend until smooth. Strain sauce into same saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Mix almonds, parsley, lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper on plate. Place flour on another plate. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Dredge salmon in flour, shaking off excess. Lightly brush 1 side of salmon with beaten egg. Press brushed side of salmon into almond mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Arrange salmon, nut side up, on baking sheet.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium heat. Add half of salmon to each skillet, almond-coated side down, and cook until crust is brown, about 5 minutes. Turn salmon over. Sauté until salmon is cooked through and opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates.

Reheat sauce, stirring over medium heat. Spoon around salmon and serve. 

This is tasty and impressive to serve. It offers different textures which makes it enjoyable to eat.

Acoustic Chef, cookin’one  tune at a time!

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FV09-07-0910

I've made this numerous times and I got to say, this is simple, tasty and is perfect to accompany a simple meal or to be a foundation for an appetizer.

Tip 1: This is very forgiving so you can play with this recipe however you want. If you want this with melted cheese, sprinkle each slice with cheese before baking
Tip 2: You can also bake this straight away. Mix melted butter, minced garlic and whichever cheese you prefer, a little salt and pepper, then spread on each slice.

I'm able to make this in a jif (that sounds promising eh?)

INGREDIENTS:
2 garlic, crushed
2 tablespoon butter
French bread, sliced, 1/3 inch thick

Serves 10-15
Costs: Way Under AED 50

Direction by Baking
If you are making huge quantities, this is ideal. You just pop it in the oven and forget about it for the next 5 minutes while you do something else.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Place garlic and butter in a microwavable dish for 5-10 seconds... just until it melts. You can smell the aroma straight away.

Brush the mixture to bread slices and bake for at least 5 minutes.

Direction by Toaster
This is ideal when you're in a hurry, no need for pre-heating, and if you're only making just a few bread.

Everything is the same as the Baking direction, but instead of oven, you pop it in the toaster and toast it for 2-3 minutes, depending on how crisp you want it to be. Easy Peasy.

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FV08-06-0910

I love pasta. I love everything about it. Pasta dishes rarely disappoints me, so it's a staple in my top 3 back-up food whenever we dine out.

I don't regard pasta the same way if I have to cook it at home though. Unless it's Macaroni and Cheese or Spaghetti Bolognese, I'll pass. Needless to say, baking Lasagna gives me chills.

I always have this worrying visual in my head whenever I think of baking lasagna,,, a huge baking dish that tastes awful and it was either going down the trash or I'm sitting on the kitchen floor, eating it all by myself because no one else will touch it. 

So, yes, I finally faced my fears and I'm quite happy to report that my first lasagna was a success. Only a small piece was left and got rave reviews. They said it's moist, not too salty, not too cheesy, the flavours didn't compete with each other, it was just perfect!

Tip 1: If you're using no-cook lasagna sheet (I used Barilla), don't leave it as is but also don't boil it, because it's thinner than normal sheets. Soak the sheets in pre-boiled hot water with 2 tablespoons butter for 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry and set aside. 
Tip 2: Make extra sauce if you want your lasagna with sauce on it.
Tip 3: Adjust the amount of dried pepper flakes as you wish.
Tip 4: Lasagna can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cling film and keep it in the fridge.

This took me an hour and a half to bake... yes, yes, you'll take maybe an hour.

INGREDIENTS for Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
450 grams ounces lean ground beef
30-ounce crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried pepper flakes

INGREDIENTS for Lasagna
15 lasagna sheets/pasta
850 grams ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 large eggs, beaten
4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Serves 6-8 hearty portions

Directions For Sauce:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and garlic; saute until softened, about 12 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 6 cups, stirring occassionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool.

Directions For Lasagna:
Preheat oven to 350F. Soak no-cook lasagna sheets in a pre-boiled water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Mix ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.

Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9x3-inch glass baking dish. Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over pasta. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese spreading with spatula to cover (careful, sauce will be thick). Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (May refrigerate at this stage)

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 10 more minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve this with Garlic Toast on the side, Tabasco sauce and extra Parmesan cheese and let your guests enjoy!

Acoustic Chef, cookin’ one tune at a time!

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FV07-05-0910

I was supposed to face my fear and bake lasagna today. I really meant to but I ended up cooking another dish that I also thought was sooo complicated.

No worries, I will still face my fear in a few hours. I didn't manage earlier because it was too late when we came back from our ingredient hunting. Yup, almost 8 hours of walking, driving and searching unfamiliar supermarket isles (I only know Geant by heart).

So anywho, I had that nagging feeling I'll be wasting food today... and I hate that. A lot of people are starving so I have to try my best not to screw this one up. Hubby's waiting for dinner, kids are getting restless so I collected whatever remaining courage I had for the day and just cooked.

Let's just say, I surprised myself. It's the first time for me to make this and I think... I didn't do soooo bad! It was a hit in our house, hopefully they're not just feeding my ego! :D

Tip 1: If you don't like curry, by all means, use sweet chilli sauce (if you have kids, they prefer this over curry) and you will enjoy your meal just the same.
Tip 2: If you're lazy like me, cheat, find Curry Mix from the Japanese section of your supermarket.
Tip 3: Don't follow the directions in the curry mix packet, follow the steps below.

Japanese curry mix comes in different level: mild, medium and hot. Choose how you want your sauce

This took me 45 minutes, realistically that will be 30 minutes or less for you.

Chicken Katsu INGREDIENTS:
4 Chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
5 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
120g Panko breadcrumbs
Cooking Oil

Curry INGREDIENTS:
Japanese Curry Mix - Mild (choose spicy if you prefer it with a kick)
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, small cubes
1 potato, small cubes
400 ml water
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil

Serves 5

Sauce Direction:
In a medium size saucepan, saute chopped onion in oil. Immediately throw in carrots and potato cubes and stir around for 2 minutes.

Pour half the water and let it simmer. Dissolve the curry mix in the other half before combining both liquid. Lower the heat while you finish off Chicken Katsu.

Chicken Katsu Direction:
Sprinkle chicken with very little salt and pepper. Lightly coat chicken in flour, dip it into beaten eggs and thoroughly coat with Panko breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large frying pan or deep fat fryer and fry chicken until cooked through, golden brown and crisps.

Take off excess oil by resting fried piece on kitchen towel for a minute before slicing it into pieces.

Hope you enjoy this new one!

Acoustic Chef, cookin’ one tune at a time!

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FV06-04-0910

Original Recipe:
Gourmet | July 2009
by Maggie Ruggiero

Club Sandwich has always been my ultimate saviour at times of confusion. I've always adored it but never thought of making one myself.

I thought restaurants have some secret dressing that makes it yummy. I was so wrong!

I'm so happy about this discovery, a dish so delicious that my son who's a picky eater actually loved it! 

Our nanny who doesn't eat after 6PM finished the whole thing! That must be a good sign.

Tip 1: For non-pork eaters, use beef bacon, turkey or chicken ham
Tip 2: Use any bread you feel like eating!
Tip 3: If you're using white bread, toast it so it doesn't sog. Plus it looks more appetizing with a bit of colour. Don't make it too brown though it'll be too hard to bite at and yes... take the edge off!
Tip 4: If you're serving as a main meal, add a good portion of french fries, potato wedges or just pop open a bag of crisps.

This took me an hour to make so yes, half an hour for you.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
12 slices white bread, toasted
2 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced and seasons with salt
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
150 g bacon or 4 good sized strips, halved and fried until crisp
4 slices of ham
1 cup of mixed herb leaves, flat parsley, basil, lettuce and cilantro or two herb leaves per sandwich
lettuce leaves

Makes 4 large sandwiches
or 8 servings of halved portion
or 12 hors d'oeuvres

Add chives to mayonnaise then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Spread mayonnaise mixture on 4 slices of toast. Top it with egg, tomato, bacon and herbs. Spread mayonnaise mixture on both sides of another 4 more slices of toast. Top it with ham and lettuce leaves. Lastly, spread the last 4 toast with remaining mayonnaise mixture, mayonnaise-side down.

Secure sandwiches with picks and cut into quarters.

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FV05-03-0910

I used to think... Salmon-En-Screwed! Not in plain English... disaster in the making. WRONG! It is one of the simplest recipe I've ever tried and you will think so too, I bet!

Tip 1: This can be served hot or cold. If you'll serve the fish hot, this is best served with Hollandaise. If you'll serve it cold, it's excellent with mint, lime and cucumber salad. If you'll ask me, I like it hot.
Tip 2: Prepare this in advance, very forgiving, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
Tip 3: Prepare Hollandaise/Salad while the fish is in the oven. That saves you time.

All in all, this took me one hour to make, that means a lot less to everyone else.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large side of salmon, pin boned, skinned and filleted, or 2 smaller fillets
1 packet of puff pasty
1 egg, beaten
12 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
2 tablespoons mint leaves, torn coarsely
Salt and pepper.

Serves 8 (large fillet), 4 (small fillet)

Heat oven to 180°C.

Cut salmon to make 2 equal parts.

Roll the pastry out to double the size of the salmon. Cut it into two equal parts.

Place one fillet in the middle of one pastry and spread cream cheese on top. Sprinkle mint and season with salt and white pepper. (I also tried with asparagus on top, but didn't taste the difference so I'll stick to mint next time. Seal the filling by placing the other fillet on top, like a sandwich. Marry the two pastry together by pinching tightly on the side, carefully avoiding tearing any part that covers the fish.
 
Using the beaten egg, brush around the side of pastry and place the other half pastry on top. Seal the salmon as tightly as possible.

Rest in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Transfer Salmon en Croute to a low rise roasting pan. Using the remaining beaten egg, brush all over the top and side.

Bake large fillets for 45 minutes and 35 minutes for smaller fillets.

Rest Salmon En Croute for few minutes to let the cheese regain its texture. This will make it easier to slice.

Serve this with hollandaise sauce. Add buttered baby asparagus and baby potatoes as side dishes.

Side dishes:
Boil the skinned baby potatoes with some salt and butter. Drain and cut in half. Place it back on the same hot pan and add another tablespoon of butter to coat each. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Quickly stir fry the asparagus in butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce I used to complement this dish was Hollandaise Sauce.

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FV04-02-0910

There are probably gazillion versions of Hollandaise and I've only tried one. Why? Because I'm close to a dead wood when it comes to cooking. If I'm lucky enough to find a masterpiece recipe that I will not sweat about? I won't be trying others anytime soon. And that so not soon was 5 years ago.

This sauce doesn't need a blender. It's as easy as 1-2-3 so I'm sticking to it and buy it.

Tip 1: If you can't find Labneh or yoghurt cheese in your area, replace it with cream cheese. Taste will differ and because haven't tried substitute ever, I will not know any better... so why will you listen to me? Well be brave, try it and let me know.
Tip 2: This sauce is so good that you can actually use it as a dip for vegetable crudités, perfect for parties. No hassle fillers while you're prepping for main dishes.

This takes me 5 minutes to make and I guess that's a realistic working time.

INGREDIENTS:
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lemon juice
1 tablespoon Labneh
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons Mayonnaise

Mix them all together and you have hollaindaise sauce - the lazy version.

This is the sauce that I partnered with Salmon En Croute. Perfect marriage.

Acoustic Chef, cookin’ one tune at a time!

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