Serves: 6

The shrimps tails hanging out of the crispy wonton wrappers make perfect hand hold which make them great finger food at parties!

• Ingredients

Oil for deep-frying
12 large shrimp, peeled with tails left on, deveined
1/4 cup Thai chili-garlic sauce
12 egg roll wrappers, cut in half into 2 triangles
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup pineapple, cut into a small dice
1/2 red pepper, cut into a small dice
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 green onions, washed, ends removed, chopped

• preparation

Pour the oil 2 inches deep in a large pot. Heat it to 350 degrees.

Make four slits width-wise across each shrimp belly to keep the
shrimp from curling as they cook. Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss
them with the chili-garlic sauce.
Shake any excess marinade off of the shrimp, wrap them in the egg roll wrappers leaving the tails out and seal the wrapper and seal the wrapper with a mixture of the water and the cornstarch. Set aside.

In a small skillet, combine the pineapple, red pepper, cilantro,
olive oil, lime juice and green onions. Warm over low heat.
Fry the shrimp in small batches in oil over medium-high heat until golden brown, crispy and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Serve with the relish.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) cod fillets, thawed
3 tbsp (45 mL) all purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) crumbled feta cheese
(about 1/4 lb/125 g)1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) tomatoes, (undrained)
1/2 cup (125 mL) pitted black olives
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
1 pinch granulated sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

• preparation

Cut cod into serving-size portions. Pat dry. Dredge lightly in flour. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown cod lightly on both sides and arrange in 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish. Sprinkle with feta.

Pour remaining oil into skillet; cook onion, garlic and green pepper, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes; crush with fork and stir in olives, oregano, pepper flakes and sugar. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste; spoon over fish. (Dish can be made ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Add 5 minutes to baking time.) Bake uncovered in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves: 4

This fiber-packed vegetarian curry soup is fragrant with ginger, ground spices and coconut milk. Served alongside a cool yogourt dressing.
Garam masala is a blend of ground spices common in India, Pakistan, and other South Asian cuisines.
A typical Indian version of garam masala contains:
Black and white peppercorns, Cloves, Cinnamon or cassia bark, Mace (part of nutmeg), Black and green cardamom pods, Bay leaf, Cumin, Coriander

• Ingredients

1 small cauliflower, washed and divided into small heads
2 tsp coconut oil, solid
2 cups onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
pinch grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
1 lb (450g) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 qt. hot vegetable stock
4 oz (120g) black beluga lentils
4 cups sweet potatoes, chopped into medium-sized chunks
2 cups (475 ml) can coconut milk

For the yogurt dressing:
1 cup 240 ml plain yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber, grated
10 mint leaves, chopped
pinch of salt

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 200 C. (400 F). Place the cauliflower in a baking dish, drizzle with coconut oil, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. While cauliflower is cooking, in a large pan, cook the onions, garlic, and ginger in 2 teaspoons coconut oil for about 10 minutes, then add all the spices, and cook over low heat for a few minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, stock, lentils and sweet potatoes, cover, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't burn and that you have enough liquid. Top up with water if needed. Add the coconut milk and continue to cook until the lentils and sweet potatoes are very soft. Add the cauliflower to the sauce in the pan.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together well. Cover and keep in the fridge until needed. Serve the curry with the rice and the yogurt dressing.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

3 cups chopped tomato
3/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon honey
4-4 ounce skinned, boned chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons Spicy Seasoning
Canola oil for cooking chicken
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
8 cups torn romaine lettuce

• preparation

Combine the first 7 ingredients and toss well.
Cover and chill. Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, water and honey. Cover and chill.
Rub chicken with Spicy Seasoning. See below.
Lightly oil heavy skillet and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook each side until done. Remove chicken from skillet, and let cool.
Cut chicken across grain into thin slices. Steam snap peas, covered, for 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water, and drain. Add snap peas and lettuce to the lemon juice mixture, and toss well.
Divide the lettuce mixture evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with 1 cup of the tomato mixture and 1 sliced chicken breast half.

Spicy Seasoning:

Combine the following ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon black pepper

Serves: 5

• Ingredients

4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 small red pepper, cut into thin strips
3/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup raisins

Dressing:
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup each light mayonnaise and sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
freshly ground pepper to taste

• preparation

Steam broccoli and carrots until tender crisp; drain and rinse under cold water; drain well.
In a serving cowl, combine broccoli, carrots , red pepper, water chestnuts, red onion, dried apricots and raisins.
Whisk together parsley, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic and pepper.
Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boned leg of lamb into 16 cubes
2 medium red peppers
2 medium onions, peeled

• preparation

Combine in the bowl of a food processor thyme leaves, rosemary, garlic, and parsley. Process until mixture is minced. Transfer to a bowl, and add pepper and olive oil.
Transfer the marinade to a shallow dish, about 10 inches long. Cut the peppers and onions into 1 1/2-inch squares pieces.

Thread the lamb on four 12-inch metal skewers alternately with the peppers and onions.
Put the brochettes in the marinade, turning them so that they are well coated.
Let them marinate at room temperature for 2 hours or longer, turning them every 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the brochettes with salt and pepper.
Broil or grill them over high heat, turning them occasionally, for 12 minutes or until the lamb is well browned.
Serve the lamb brochettes with rice or couscous.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

2 large conchs, cleaned
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 lime

1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
pepper sauce or red pepper flakes to taste
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
7 cups water

• preparation

Tenderize the conch to 1/8-inch thickness, using a meat mallet.
Place the conch in a pot of water. The water should just cover the conch. Boil for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot, add the oil and allow to heat up for a minute.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Let the roux simmer for about 5 minutes. Don't let the roux burn!
Add the tomatoes, onions, thyme, pepper sauce/red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add the potatoes, tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the conch out of the water and cut it into small chunks.
Add the water, conch and the juice of 1 lime to the large pot.
Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serves: 4

This zesty tropical recipe found its roots in St. Barth, the French West Indies. I have used the local fruits, cooked into a chutney. The salmon topped with the sauce is sealed in parchment and when baked develops a refined aroma.

• Ingredients

4 5-ounce salmon fillet, boned, and skinned
4 sheets parchment paper
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, julienned
2 medium fresh tomatoes, julienned
1/2 cup fresh ginger, julienned
1/2 cup papaya, julienned
1/2 cup plantain banana, julienned
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, julienned
1/2 cup fresh mango, julienned
2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon curry
1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
to taste salt and pepper
3 cups rice, cooked

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the red pepper in half, remove seeds, and cut across into fine julienne.
Peel the tomatoes by dipping in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water. Peel the pulp off the tomatoes, leaving the seeds and inside for other use.
Peel the fresh ginger. Slice into fine julienne strips.
Peel the papaya. Cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into julienne.
Peel the plantain banana. Cut across in 2-inch sections. Slice sections into julienne strips.
Remove outer skin of pineapple. Slice lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch long julienne strips.
Peel the mango. Cut into slices, and julienne strips.
In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, combine the honey and vinegar. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, ginger, papaya, banana, pineapple, and mango. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon, curry, and lime. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a warm plate.
Cut each parchment sheet into large heart shapes. Place salmon in center of each parchment sheet. Top salmon with 2 heaping tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Seal the paper, and bake for about 8 minutes.
Pack the hot steaming rice in 6-oz individual round molds.
PRESENTATION
Arrange each salmon papillotte on warm plates.
Unmold rice molds on plates.

Serves: 6

The raw paper-thin fresh salmon is combined a tangy dressing and a garnish of roasted sweet red peppers, and diced fresh tomatoes. You can prepare the salmon 2 hours in advance. Season only when ready to serve.

• Ingredients

1 pound salmon fillet, fresh
5 tablespoons green peppercorns, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
to taste, salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet red pepper
2 large tomatoes
6 sprigs fresh parsley
12 slices toasted french bread

• preparation

When serving raw fish, you must buy extra-fresh fish of the highest quality and serve it the same day. Bone and skin the salmon fillet. Cut into 6 equal slices.
Lay an 11-inch square sheet of plastic wrap flat on a working surface. Place one slice of salmon in the middle and cover with a second 11-inch square of plastic.
Gently flatten the salmon with a meat pounder, mallet, or a heavy skillet into a disk about 5 to 6 inches in diameter, shaping it as round and thin as possible. Repeat the same process with the other 5 pieces of salmon.
Stack the 6 wrapped salmon disks on a plate and refrigerate until needed.
In a cup, mix the green peppercorns, lemon juice, salt, and oil. Set the carpaccio dressing aside. Preheat broiler.
Split the red peppers in halves; remove seeds. Place the red pepper halves on an oiled baking sheet and broil until skin becomes dark, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Peel the blackened skin off under cold water. Pat dry with paper towel, cut into matchsticks, and set aside.
Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 8 to 10 seconds, transfer to cold water for a minute. Peel the tomatoes, split in halves, squeeze the seeds out. Cut tomato pieces into 1/4-inch dices, and set aside.
Remove the wrapped salmon slices from the refrigerator. Discard the top layer of plastic from each salmon disk and place salmon side down on a cold serving plate. Discard the remaining sheet of plastic. Repeat the same process with the remaining salmon disks.
PRESENTATION
Drizzle the carpaccio dressing equally over each salmon disk. Garnish each plate with the red pepper strips, diced tomatoes, and parsley sprigs.
Serve with toasted french bread.
Note: Another variation is to serve the salmon carpaccio with a gazpacho salad or a tabouleh salad.

Serves: 4

These flavourful chicken chimichangas are made with cheddar cheese, bell peppers, and spices

• Ingredients

4 Tortillas
2 Chicken Breasts Boneless
1 Red Bell Pepper Finely chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper Finely chopped
1 small Onion chopped
2 cloves Garlic minced
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Paprika
Salt To taste
Black Pepper To taste
100 g Cheddar Cheese
Oil For frying

• preparation

Season the chicken breasts with cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing into thin strips.
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Add the sliced bell peppers and cook until tender.
Add the sliced chicken back into the skillet and mix everything together.
Lay out the tortillas and sprinkle the shredded cheese onto the centre of each tortilla. Spoon the chicken mixture on top of the cheese.
Lay out the tortillas, add the chicken mixture, and then sprinkle the cheese on top.

Fold the sides of the tortilla in, then roll up the tortilla tightly around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go.
Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chimichangas seam side down and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and fry the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove the chimichangas from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Serve immediately, with optional sides such as guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried chilies
4 chicken breasts
4 cups Broccoli florets
1 red pepper
1 medium chopped onion
12 ounces egg noodles
salt and black pepper to taste .

• preparation

Combine chicken stock, half of oil, soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch, ginger and chilies.
Skin and bone chicken breasts. Place in mixture. Stir to coat evenly. Set aside.
Cut red pepper into strips. Heat remaining oil in a skillet. Drain chicken breasts and brown on both sides. Cook pasta according to standard directions.
Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Add vegetables to skillet. Cook until tender.
Pour soy mixture over vegetables. Stir until sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss drained noodles in sauce. Place chicken breasts on top and serve hot

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
1 green pepper, cut into small chunks
4 green onions, tops included, chopped
1 package (10 ounces) couscous, prepared according to package directions
Dressing: recipe follows
mint leaves for garnish

Dressing:
In blender or processor, place
1 large chopped garlic clove
1 chopped green onion
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons sugar.

• preparation

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in oil in pan to coat. Cook about 10 minutes on each side until chicken is fully cooked.
Remove chicken from pan and cut into bite-size pieces; place in large bowl. Add cucumber, chopped mint, green pepper and onions. Place prepared couscous in large bowl and fluff with fork. Add chicken mixture and stir gently.
Pour Dressing over all and toss gently to mix well. Garnish with mint leaves.

Dressing:
In blender or processor, place
1 large chopped garlic clove
1 chopped green onion
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons sugar.

Process until blended, slowly adding
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.

Serves: 10

• Ingredients

Oven-Poached Chicken:

1 4 to 5 pound roasting chicken
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salad:
1 pound rotini pasta
1 pound asparagus
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup unblanched almonds, toasted

Basil-Tarragon Dressing:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

• preparation

Place chicken in large roasting pan. Combine chicken stock, wine, bay leaf, tarragon and thyme; pour over chicken, cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven until drumsticks move easily and liquid runs clear.
Remove from pan and cool completely. Remove all meat from chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Break off tough ends of asparagus. Cook in boiling water until tender-crisp. Add snow peas to asparagus for 30 seconds. Drain vegetables and rinse under cold running water. Cut asparagus into bite-size pieces; add asparagus and snow peas to chicken, along with red pepper and almonds.
In food processor, combine onion, parsley, sugar, basil, tarragon and garlic; process until finely chopped. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; process until creamy. Add dressing to salad and toss well.

In Argentina, a small jar of deep-green chimichurri is often the first thing to greet you at your table.

• Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon finely grated or minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• preparation

In a medium bowl or jar, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Add the oil and vinegar* and mix well. Store covered for a couple of days and use before the herbs start to turn brown.

Note: *
Make chimichurri up to 4 days in advance but do not add the vinegar as the acid will brown the green herbs. Bring it to room temperature and add the vinegar a few hours before serving.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound lean pork loin, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced red pepper
1 cup sliced snow peas
1 tablespoons canola oil

• preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.
Heat a wok on high heat. Add oil. Slosh around. Stir fry pork with garlic and ginger until meat is whitish.
Add the gravy ingredients and stir until sauce is thickened. Add onion, celery and mushrooms, tossing for a while. Finely, add snow peas and mix for about 2 minutes. Serve with soy sauce.

Serves: 8

This citrus chili paste is a fresh take on the traditional Japanese yuzu kosho, substituting limes and lemons and orange and grapefruit for the tough to find yuzu. It’s fragrant and salty and hot. You’ll want a microplane and a mortar and pestle for this recipe. You could finish the mixing in a food processor or in a blender for a finer paste. The citrus kosho pairs well with beef, chicken recipes and with Miso soup..It also combines unexpectedly well with pasta, particularly with the Japanese-style pasta flavored mainly with soy sauce.Japanese.

• Ingredients

1 lemon ( Meyer lemon if available)
1 lime
1 small grapefruit
1 small orange
2 stalks lemongrass
2 serrano or jalapeňo chilis
1 tablespoon fine grained salt

• preparation

Zest the lemons, limes, along with the grapefruit and orange into a medium bowl. Remove the fibrous outer layers and tops and bottoms from the lemongrass, leaving the tender center of the stalk. Finely chop the center of the stalk and add to the bowl. Finely slice the chili, and add it, seeds and all, to the bowl.
Transfer the ingredients to a mortar, add the salt, and pound with a pestle until everything combines into a rough paste (alternatively, blend in a food processor or blender into a fine paste). Juice one half of a lemon and one half of a lime and add the juice to the paste and stir.

Place in a glass jar, cover, and let ferment a few days at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

Will keep in the refrigerator for about a month.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
oil for frying
Sweet Chili Sauce (See recipe)

• preparation

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, dredge them in flour, dip them in egg and coat them with a mixture of the breadcrumbs and shredded coconut.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the shrimp until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, before setting aside on paper towels to drain.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Canadian Living Magazine April 2003

• Ingredients

1 7ounce package crabmeat
1 2 ounce lobster tail
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil

Roasted Pepper Coulis:
1 sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dill Cream:
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
pinch each salt and pepper

• preparation

Place crab in sieve. Remove lobster from shell;dice and add to crab. Press out liquid and remove any visible cartilage or shell. Whisk eggs, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in crumbs, onion, dill, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauces, salt and pepper. Mix in crab and lobster.
With damp hands, form by 1/4 cupfuls into 8 cakes, each scant 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush large non-stick skillet with oil; place over medium heat.
Fry cakes, in batches if necessary and brushing lightly with oil if needed, until golden and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Roasted Pepper Coulis:
Meanwhile, grill or broil red pepper until blackened all over, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Peel, halve and seed; chop and set aside. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until golden, 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, roasted pepper, basil, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Purée in blender or food processor.

Dill Cream:
In saucepan, boil wine until reduced to 1/4 cup. Pour in cream; boil for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, mash butter and flour until smooth; whisk into pan. Simmer, whisking, until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in dill, salt and pepper. Reheat coulis; pool generous 2 tablespoons each of the coulis and dill cream separately onto each warmed plate. Top with 2 crab-and-lobster cakes.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

4 cups small dice eggplant, lightly salted to release excess water and bitterness
2 cups diced red pepper
2 cups diced yellow pepper
1/2 cup diced apple-wood smoked bacon
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons basil cut into fine strips
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fried Eggplant, recipe below

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place 1/2-teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan and add garlic cloves and bacon. Cook until bacon is slightly crisp. Blot the salted eggplant with paper towels to dry slightly. Discard 1/2 of the fat and add the eggplant. Cook until tender, season with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Drain and remove garlic.
In 2 separate saute pans add the remaining extra virgin olive oil and gently saute the red and yellow peppers until tender. Season with salt, pepper, and basil. Drain.
Form the tians by placing a layer of eggplant in a ring mold and packing it down gently. Next, add a layer of red peppers, then eggplant, finishing up with yellow peppers. Pack everything down gently.
Place in oven to warm. Unmold on a platter and serve with fried eggplant.
Fried Eggplant:
1 Japanese eggplant Salt, to purge the eggplant
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the neck of a Japanese eggplant thin on an electric slicer. It should be the thickness of a potato chip. Lay the slices out flat and sprinkle with salt and let stand for three hours.
Preheat a fryer to 300 degrees F. Blot eggplant slices dry with paper towels. Dip the slices in buttermilk, then in seasoned flour, and fry until crisp. Drain.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

2 medium eggplants
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 medium sliced onion
5 medium garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
to taste salt and pepper
Tabasco jalapeño
Aromat seasoning
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 envelop unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup roasted red pepper coulis (see recipe below)

• preparation

Peel eggplants. Cut into halves lengthwise. Slice across and sprinkle with lemon juice.
In a microwavable dish, combine eggplants, onion, garlic and olive oil. Microwave on high for 6 to 8 minutes or until eggplants are tender. Season with salt and pepper, Tabasco jalapeño and Aromat seasoning. Mix in the basil. Dissolve gelatin in water. Let set for 5 min. Melt over low heat, and stir into the warm eggplant mixture.
Spoon mixture in small ramekin dishes or molds. Refrigerate until set. Unmold on cold plate. Serve with cold tomato coulis or red red pepper coulis.

ROASTED PEPPER COULIS
Makes about 1 cup

2 red bell peppers
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
coarse salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub peppers with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes or until almost charred. Remove and place in plastic container with a lid to steam and cool.
When cool enough to handle, push off the skins and remove stems and seeds. Place peppers in food processor fitted with metal blade and puree along with the vinegar, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 3 teaspoons water.
Season to taste.

Serves: 2

THE CHILI AFFAIR

Ema Datshi, the national dish of Bhutan is a deliciously spicy stew made of chili peppers, onions and locally produced yak cheese.

Bhutanese have an undying love affair with chili peppers. Their journey with chilies begins from their infant age. Every dish in the Bhutanese cuisine invariably has copious amounts of chilies. People don’t touch the dish if it is not spicy enough.

known widely as the “national dish of Bhutan.” “Ema” means chiles, and “Datshi” means cheese.
It is a simple stew made of a variety of chilies and a special cheese, yak cheese, called datshi. Variations of this dish include potatoes (kewa datshi), beef, beans (semchung datshi) or mushrooms (shamu datshi). But just chilies and cheese are their favorite! The chilies that are used in the ema datshi are really spicy and this dish is served over a bed of red rice, another staple food of the Bhutanese.

To balance the heat quotient in the dish, tomatoes, butter and cheese are added. In spite of this, it is hard to have one spoon without rushing for a glass of water. The Himalayan has a rare and unique kind of cheese named chhurpi.

• Ingredients

10 oz. chili peppers (spicy Thai green/red chilies and jalapeño)
1 red onion , sliced
1 tomato , sliced
3 cloves garlic , crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup water
10 oz cheese , grated (a combination of cheddar or farmers cheese)
Salt to taste

• preparation

Heat a pan and add butter. Add the sliced onion, tomato, garlic and chillies. Give them a quick toss and add the water. Season them with salt. Cover and cook until the peppers become tender.
Turn off the flame and add the cheese and let it melt in the residual heat.
Serve it over a bed of red or white rice.
Notes
For a flavorful dish, use a combination of chillies like Anaheim, jalapeño, and green chilies (Thai or Indian variety).
Increase or reduce the amount of chillies based on your tolerance for heat. You can also remove the pith and ribs to reduce the heat quotient
You can use any type of cheese especially one that melts. Avoid using stringy cheese like mozzarella. A combination of farmer’s cheese, blue cheese & cheddar would be good.

Serves: 8

The origins of the empanada are not entirely clear, but it seems most likely that they first appeared in Argentina in the kitchens of immigrants from northern Spain, where the dish’s forebear was a larger, double-crusted pie cut into slices.
Once in South America, the empanada — meaning bread-wrapped — continued to evolve from a pie made with dough to individual pockets of pastry crust, often made with animal fat in beef-loving Argentina. The hand-held pies were baked or fried after being filled with whatever was available in the region at the time.


Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead and kept frozen

• Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divide
1 lb. ground beef (25% fat)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell peppers, seeded, chopped
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup raisins
1 recipe PIE CRUST (Recipe included)
½ cup pitted green olives (Picholine or Spanish), rinsed well, cut in half lengthwise, divided

• preparation

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.
Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, chopped, red bell peppers, seeded, chopped, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add ground cumin, sweet paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add low-sodium chicken stock or broth and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Roll the pie crust to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into 5-inch circles. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round.
Top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Pinch edges to seal.
Using a fork, crimp edges. Transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1" apart. Repeat with remaining rounds.
Bake empanadas until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.


Pie crust:

1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
1/2 pound (11/2 cups) shortening
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons cold water
In a large bowl, mix together flour, and shortening.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, egg, and water.
Blend all ingredients to form a ball. Add more water if necessary.
Chill dough and use as needed.

Serves: 20

This is the original Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Seasoning Spice; this Cajun seasoning made the New Orlean’s chef famous. Use this seasoning for your favorite seafood recipe.

• Ingredients

1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano

• preparation

Blend all ingredients together.
Seal in an air-tight container, and store in a dry place away from heat. Use with fish or seafood recipe.

Serves: 4

scotch bonnet is one of the hottest chili pepper and makes the stew very flavorsome.

• Ingredients

2 lbs (800g) goat meat, diced (with bones or without)
3 cups flour (approx.), one for coating goat meat and two for dumplings
Salt and pepper
1/4 ooking oil
1 cup spring onions, sliced
4 small scotch bonnets, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
6 carrots, peeled and sliced into about 1/2 inch rounds
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground cumin

• preparation

1. Season some flour with salt and pepper and coat the goat meat with it.

2. Heat cooking oil in a large pot and brown the meat.

3. Add a quart (1 litre) of water and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce to medium heat add spring onions, scotch bonnets, celery and carrots. Cook for 30 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an additional hour.

6. Just before the hour is up, make the dumplings by mixing the two cups of flour (and the allspice and cumin, if desired) with approximately 1 cup of water, added gradually, until a soft dough is formed. Each dumpling should be bite-sized.

7. Add the dumplings and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
8. Serve with naan bread (or other essential carb of your choice).

Serves: 20

What is gochujang?
Gochujang (고추장), Korean fermented chili pepper paste, is one of the primary Korean seasoning and flavoring ingredients. The red thick paste is deeply savory, peppery, pungent, slightly sweet and spicy! No wonder everything tastes better with gochujang!

Traditionally homemade, gochujang is made of gochugaru (Korean red chili peppers), sweet syrupy liquid made with yeotgireum (엿기름, malt barley), meju garu (fermented soybean powder), sweet rice or other grain powder, and salt. These ingredients are mixed well to a thick paste and placed in earthenware pots to ferment for months.

• Ingredients

500 grams yeotgireum (엿기름) (Barley malt powder)
500 grams wet chapssal garu (찹쌀) - sweet rice flour or 2 cups sweet rice soaked and blended
250 grams meju garu (메주가루), fermented soybean powder
250 grams Korean Cheonilyeom (천일염) coarse sea salt (bittern removed)
500 grams finely ground gochugaru, 고추가루 - Gochugaru is made from bright red Korean chile peppers with the seeds and membranes removed
1 cup jocheong (조청), rice syrup - optional or masilcheong (Korean green plump syrup)

• preparation

How to make gochujang at home as explained here by Hyosun on the following site:

https://www.koreanbapsang.com/how-to-make-gochujang/

Here, I’m sharing how to make gochujang the traditional way my mother used to make.
Place the barley malt in a large bowl. Stir in 10 cups of warm water, and let it sit for an hour or two, up to overnight.

- How to Make Gochujang
Rub the malt between palms and squeeze out milky liquid. Strain the malt liquid through a fine sieve into another bowl. If you don’t have a fine sieve, line a strainer with a cheesecloth. Then, squeeze the malt husks with your hands through the sieve to drain out the remaining liquid. Transfer the liquid to a large heavy bottom pot.

- How to Make Gochujang
Place the malt husks in the first bowl and add another 10 cups of water. No need for an additional soaking time. Repeat the squeezing and straining process. Transfer the liquid to the pot with the first batch of milky liquid. This will yield about 17 to 18 cups of malt water.

4
Add the sweet rice powder to the malt water and stir well. Turn the heat on to warm it up. Warm but not too hot to touch. Turn the heat off, and let it sit for two hours. During this process, the enzymes in the malt will break down the starch in sweet rice and convert to sugar.


Turn the heat on to medium and boil the liquid down to a half, stirring once in a while. Measure the depth of the liquid with a wooden spoon or spatula, so you can easily tell when the liquid is reduced to a half. This will take about 2 hours and the resulting liquid will be around 8 to 9 cups. You’ll need about 8 cups for this recipe, but a little bit of extra is nice to have just in case. If you're using other optional liquid, you can reduce it further. Stir once in a while. Let it cool down a bit.



While the liquid is still warm, pour 7 cups of the malt liquid into a large bowl, and add the salt. If you're not using Korean sea salt, hold some back and add as necessary after mixing dry ingredients. Stir to dissolve. This is about a cup less than what’s required so you can add the rest or optional ingredients as needed.



Using a whisk, stir in the fermented soybean powder and mix well until you see no lumps.


Stir-in the gochugaru and mix very well until there are no big lumps. Continue to stir. You can use a large wooden spoon or spatula this time. If the gochujang is too thick, use more malt liquid or optional rice syrup (jocheong), plum extract, and/or soju to adjust the thickness and sweetness. It should be thin enough to slowly drop from the wooden spoon or spatula like a thick batter. Let it sit for a few hours until the dry ingredients fully absorb the liquid, and salt is completely melted. Adjust the saltiness, sweetness, and thickness as necessary. Gochujang should be a bit too salty to eat as is.


Transfer to a jar(s) or an earthenware -- onggi hangari, if you have one. Lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cover with a fine mesh fabric or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 large grapefruit, peeled, membrane removed, sectioned, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

• preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
Serve chilled as side dish, seafood and nachos.

Serves: 8

Schug also known as schug, zhug, and skhug is a Middle Eastern blend of herbs, chilies, and toasted spice often used in Yemeni and
Israeli cooking.It might be red, green, or brown. The sauce is made from fresh red or green hot peppers and is seasoned with garlic, coriander, and cumin. Then fresh herbs such as parsley and cilantro are added. A brown schug is usually a green pepper variety with tomatoes added in.

• Ingredients

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup seeded and roughly chopped fresh hot green chilies, such as serrano or jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
2 to 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 cups lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
zest from one lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• preparation

1. In a small skillet, toast the cumin and coriander seeds until they smell fragrant and have turned a shade darker in color. Transfer to a spice grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle.
2. Put the chilies and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are fairly fine. Add the cilantro, parsley, lemon zest, reserved toasted spiced, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Pulse until all is finely chopped into a rough purée. Continue mixing while drizzling in the olive oil. Stop the processor before the sauce is completely blended and smooth—you want some texture. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 pound asparagus, stems trimmed and peeled
1 red pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 yellow pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, patted dry and coarsely chopped
3 ounces drained canned water chestnuts, thinly sliced
1/2 pound Gorgonzola or Stilton cheese, crumbled
1/2 pound finely diced ham
3 bibb lettuce, leaves separated

• preparation

Whisk 3 tablespoons of the oil with the lemon juice, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Add the chicken breast and turn to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
In a large skillet of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus until crisp tender. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
Cut the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch lengths.Grill or panfry the chicken until nicely browned and cooked through. Let cool.
Heat 2 more tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add the peppers and onion and cook until crisp tender.
Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer to a bowl, add the rosemary and toss.
Stir in the pepper mixture, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes and water chestnuts.
Add the cheese, ham and remaining 3 tablespoons oil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the salad on lettuce leaves.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped red bell pepper
to taste garlic powder
2 cup cooked rice
2 cups cooked black eyed peas
fresh parsley

• preparation

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic powder, to taste, and cook for 5 minutes. Add peas and rice and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; this dish is best if the bell pepper and onion still have a crunch to them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with sprig of parsley.

Serves: 6

Jollof Rice is probably the most famous West African dish. It’s long-grain rice spiced up with tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, then simmered in a delicious chicken broth

Centuries ago, the Wolof or Jolof people (from the Senegambian region) created the rice dish. Back in the mid-1400s, the Portuguese introduced tomatoes, and the local people put them to good use.

• Ingredients

• 3 cups long-grain brown rice
• 2 plump tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 teaspoon bouillon powder or cube
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt, to taste

• preparation

1. Wash the rice and set it aside. Add tomato, bell pepper, half of the onion in a blender, and puree until smooth.
2. Heat your oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped onions, garlic, and thyme and saute for about 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent and slightly caramelized.
3. Then add tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in pureed tomato mixture and cook while stirring for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Add washed rice, bay leaf, Scotch bonnet, bouillon powder, chicken broth, and water. Give everything a generous stir, then season with salt to taste.
5. Bring the liquids to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow rice to cook until tender and fluffy (about 30-40 minutes)
6. Turn off heat, allow the rice to cool for about 10 minutes, then fluff rice using a fork.
7. Serve with grilled chicken or meat.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

2 red peppers
2 (10 oz) cans condensed chicken broth
4 inch (10 cm) piece fresh unpeeled ginger, thinly sliced, about 1 cup (250 mL)
6 to 8 stalks lemongrass, about 2 bunches
2 cups container whipping or table cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound bay or sea scallops
1 pound frozen or defrosted, raw shelled medium-size shrimp
2 pounds fettuccine
1 tablespoon ( 15 ml) each of butter and vegetable oil

• preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Slice peppers in half and remove seeds.
Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast, uncovered, until peppers are partially charred, from 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, pull up edges of foil, wrap around hot peppers and seal. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, pour broth into a wide saucepan. Add ginger. Thinly slice root ends from lemongrass and discard. Remove any dried outer leaves. Pound stalks to flatten slightly. Slice into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces. Add to broth. Place over high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to medium or medium-high so broth gently boils. Boil, uncovered, until reduced to 1 cup (250 ml). This should take at least 20 minutes. Broth will taste very strong. Saving broth, strain and discard ginger and lemongrass.
3. Return broth to saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add cream. In a small dish using a fork, stir cornstarch with water to form a smooth paste. Whisk into hot cream broth and whisk almost constantly until thickened, from 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and stir in lemon juice, if you like. Cover and remove from heat. If making ahead, refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 2 days.
4. About 15 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of water and salt to a boil. If using sea scallops, slice in half. Rinse frozen shrimp with cold water to remove clinging ice crystals. Then drain and pat dry. Prepare roasted peppers by draining juice accumulated in foil into a small bowl. Peel off charred skins and discard. Slice peppers into bite-size strips and add to juice. Set aside.
5. When water is boiling rapidly, add pasta and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until al dente, from 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a wide frying pan set over medium- high heat. Add seafood and stir-fry until scallops are lightly browned and shrimp are bright pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in peppers and juice. Drain pasta well. In a large bowl, stir pasta with cream sauce until coated. Place in pasta bowls and spoon seafood mixture over top.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

Serves 4

1-2 1/2 pound cod fillet, with skin
5 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons chives
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for sautéing
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

Corn pudding (recipe follows)
Red Pepper Coulis (recipe follows)

CORN PUDDING
serves 4
4 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornmeal, toasted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter


Red Pepper Coulis:

1 sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

• preparation

Season cod with salt and pepper. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
In blender or food processor, combine chives, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil until thick and paste like. Remove cod from plastic wrap. Pat with paper towel to remove excess salt and moisture. Cut cod into four portions. Transfer to baking dish, and coat with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add olive oil to coat pan. When it is hot, add cod. Shake pan to be sure fillets do not stick. Add butter, a little at a time, shaking pan so butter slides under cod and combines with oil. Sauté until browned.
Transfer to oven, and roast until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately over corn pudding. Garnish with red pepper coulis.

CORN PUDDING
serves 4
Place corn in small saucepan; add stock. Heat over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently and pressing with the back of a spoon, until reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornmeal. Whisk in butter and continue to cook, until melted and heated through.

RED PEPPER COULIS:

Grill or broil red pepper until blackened all over, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Peel, halve and seed; chop and set aside. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until golden, 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, wine, roasted pepper, basil, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Purée in blender or food processor.

SOURCE
Martha Stewart Living Television

Serves: 8

Mediterranean Farro Salad with feta, fresh tomatoes, vegetables, and a bright red wine vinaigrette.

• Ingredients

1 cup uncooked Farro, soaked in water for 1 hour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, cut into julienne slices
1 large cucumber seeded and finely diced
3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers drained and finely diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup frozen petite peas thawed
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Italian Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• preparation

Rinse and drain farro, then cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl.
While the farro cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly blended. Pour half of the dressing over the warm farro and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the feta: sundried tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, and parsley. Toss to coat. Taste and add as much of the remaining dressing as you like. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves: 4

Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, is grilled corn on the cob slathered with an irresistibly salty-tangy mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, lime juice, and chile powder. The addition of cilantro and a poblano chile turns them into another hand-held treat: pizza.

If you don't have a pizza stone, don't worry, you can still get a crisp crust. Preheat a 13- x 9-inch sheet pan (not a cookie sheet) in the oven. After it preheats, coat the pan evenly with cooking spray, then sprinkle it with cornmeal before adding the pizza dough.

• Ingredients

3 ears fresh corn, shucked
1 small poblano chile
1 pound fresh prepared pizza dough
All-purpose flour, for work surface
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 1/2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled (1/3 cup)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Lime wedges

• preparation

Preheat pizza stone, and grill corn:
Place pizza stone in oven. Preheat oven to 500°F. Heat a grill pan over high; coat with cooking spray. Add corn and poblano to pan. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Cut kernels from corn cobs; discard cobs. Chop poblano, discarding stem and seeds.

Roll out pizza dough, top pizza, bake:
Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch circle. Scatter cornmeal on preheated pizza stone. Transfer dough to stone. Prick dough liberally with a fork. Brush with oil. Top with mozzarella, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with corn and poblano; then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 500°F until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Make sour cream mixture:
Meanwhile, stir together sour cream and lime juice.

Drizzle sour cream mixture, and serve:
Remove pizza from oven. Drizzle evenly with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with Cotija, cilantro, and paprika. Slice and serve with lime wedges.

Serves: 4

All the delights of Mexican street corn (elotes) in salad form, and you don't even have to fire up the grill to make it.
Smoky, sweet, spicy, and tangy, esquites are the off-the-cob version of elotes—grilled Mexican street corn slathered with creamy, cheesy, lime-scented, chili-flecked sauce.

• Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
4 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed (about 3 cups fresh corn kernels)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (30ml) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (30ml) sour cream
2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lime juice
2 ounces (60g) feta or Cotija cheese, finely crumbled
1/2 cup finely sliced scallions, green parts only
1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and stemmed, finely chopped
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced on a Microplane grater (about 1 to 2 teaspoons)

Chili powder or hot chili flakes, to taste

• preparation

In a mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add corn kernels, season to taste with salt, toss once or twice, and cook without moving until charred on one side, about 2 minutes. Toss corn, stir, and repeat until charred on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Continue tossing and charring until corn is well charred all over, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large bowl.k
Add mayonnaise mixture, cheese, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and chili powder and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more chili powder to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves: 12

Mole is a rich and complex Mexican sauce made from various ingredients, including chili peppers, chocolate, spices, and sometimes even fruit. It's traditionally served warm or hot and is often used as a sauce for dishes like chicken, turkey, or enchiladas. The heat helps to bring out the flavors and aromas of the sauce. However, the specific temperature at which it's served may vary depending on personal preferences and the dish it accompanies.

• Ingredients

3 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup white onion, chopped
½ poblano pepper, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cinnamon
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon sea salt

• preparation

Toast chipotle, guajillo, and ancho chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warm and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
Heat 2 cups chicken broth in a saucepan until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Pour broth into the blender with mushrooms. Puree until smooth.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, poblano pepper, oregano, cumin cinnamon and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
Mix in flour and stir for about 2 minutes until combined. Gradually add chicken and mushroom puree, whisking constantly and scraping up bits on bottom of pan. Bring to boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and use immersion blender to puree until smooth.
Return saucepan to medium-high heat and stir in the chocolate, almond butter, tomato paste and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Adjust for salt if needed. Serve warm.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 large onion, medium diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach

• preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

12 ounces pasta shells
8 ounces can white tuna
1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
8 ounces broccoli florets
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup shredded basil

For caper dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons drained capers
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

• preparation

Cook pasta until al dente, drain, rinse under cold water until chilled, drain well.
Drop broccoli florets into boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; drain well again. Flake the tuna.
Combine with pasta, broccoli and pepper. Blend in dressing and remaining ingredients.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Caper dressing :
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir to blend

Serves: 8

Home-made Peri Peri Sauce is used as dips, accompaniments, marinades or even spreads. This Nandos style Piri Piri Sauce is easy made. PERi-PERi, also known as the African Bird’s Eye Chilli, is the key to our legendary, flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken. It’s grown in the African soil, so the magic starts from the ground up.

• Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers, char grilled
1 large red onion, char grilled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
zest of one lemon, finely grated
10 small red Thai chilis, roughly chopped (more to taste for hotter sauce)
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, or plain paprika
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
To finish the sauce (when cooked)
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon, finely minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• preparation

Start by roasting the red peppers and onions. This can be done on a gas grill, under the broiler or on a cast iron grill pan. You want to get good char marks on the outside of the peppers and onions. Don't worry if they are not fully cooked, they will get fully cooked in the sauce.
Chop the peppers and onions and add them to a food processor or blender. You can us an immersion blender if that is all you have on hand, just take the time to get the ingredients well pureed.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, red Thai chilis, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper to the food processor with the grilled onions and peppers and puree until smooth.
Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan, add the bay leaves and simmer slowly for 20-30 minutes.
Let the sauce cool to warm. Remove the bay leaves then return the sauce to the food processor again.
Add the additional lemon juice, red wine vinegar and lemon zest. Puree for another few minutes until very smooth. Slowly add in the olive oil in a thin stream as the processor is running.

Serves: 8

The pickling of hot peppers is a common practice across Latin America. These pickled serranos add tartness and heat to everything from tacos to scrambled eggs. For the tastiest results, allow the pickled peppers to sit in the refrigerator for at least a week before you use them.

Serrano chili peppers
fall between Jalapeño and Cayenne peppers, which should give you an idea just how mild they really are.

• Ingredients

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1⁄4″ slices
2 tsp. toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
24 serrano or jalapeño chilis
12 whole allspice
12 whole black peppercorns
4 dried bay leaves
1 cup distilled white vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste

• preparation

Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, peppers, allspice, peppercorns, and bay leaves; cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and salt; bring to a simmer.
Transfer the pepper mixture to a 1 1⁄2 -qt. sterilized glass jar and allow to cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate for 1 week before serving.

Serves: 4

punjabi samosa - a classic & popular indian snack stuffed with spiced potato peas filling.
The recipe is adapted from www.vegrecipesofindia.com

• Ingredients

for the samosa pastry:
2 cups maida or all purpose flour
4 tbsp ghee or oil
5-6 tbsp water (i added 5 tbsp + 1 tsp water)
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt as required ( i added ¾ tsp salt)
oil for deep frying

For the samosa stuffing 1:
3 medium sized potatoes/aloo
¾ to 1 cup green peas/matar, fresh or frozen
1 green chili + ½ inch ginger crushed to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
½ tbsp oil
salt as required

whole spices to be ground:
¼ inch cinnamon (dal chini)
2 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 clove (laung)
1 green cardamom (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
½ tsp cumin (jeera)
½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp dry pomegranate seeds/anardana or 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur * check notes for mango powder

For the samosa stuffing 2:
3 medium size potatoes
¾ to 1 cup peas/matar, fresh or frozen
1 green chili and ½ inch ginger made in a paste or chopped finely
¾ tsp garam masala powder
¼ or ½ tsp red chili powder
1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
1 tsp fennel powder (saunf powder)
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
¾ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
2 to 2.5 tsp oil
salt as required

• preparation

Serves: 8

Recipe credited to The French Secret to Ratatouille, a Last Taste of Summer
By Bill Buford

• Ingredients

2 lbs. tomatoes, preferably fleshy plum tomatoes (rather than a juicy heritage breed)
A good olive oil
A pinch of sugar
A pinch of saffron (optional)
4 medium-sized red bell peppers
3 large onions, peeled and roughly diced
3 medium-sized eggplants, peeled and roughly diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Sprigs of rosemary and thyme, tied together into a bouquet garni, plus 1 tsp. of thyme leaves
A handful of basil leaves (optional)
3 medium-sized zucchini
1-3 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar, according to taste
A dozen pitted black Kalamata olives (optional)
Salt and pepper
Basil leaves

• preparation

1. Prepare tomatoes. Heat oven to 225 degrees. Drop the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water, and, if necessary, weigh them down with a heavy slotted spoon, to keep them from floating. After 2–3 minutes, test by pulling off a bit of skin with a paring knife. If it comes off easily, pull tomatoes out, one by one, and drop them into the ice bath. After a minute or two, retrieve them and peel off the skin.

2. Place a sieve over an empty bowl. Cut the peeled tomatoes into quarters, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon and place them into the sieve. Set aside.
3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Brush the paper with olive oil and season it lightly with salt and sugar. Place tomatoes on the paper cut-side down and brush them, too, with the oil. Cook for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked but still firm. Cool and set aside.
4. While tomatoes roast, stir the tomato pulp and seeds in the sieve vigorously with a spatula or wooden spoon, to extract the maximum possible liquid. You should have between ½ cup and 1 cup. Pour the liquid into a saucepan, place over low heat, and simmer, gently, until the volume is reduced by half. Set aside.
5. If you are using saffron, hydrate in water and set aside.
6. Prepare peppers. Raise the oven temperature to 425 and insert a medium-sized tray. When hot, remove the tray and splash with olive oil, then add peppers and, with a pair of tongs, roll them in the oil to cover. Return the tray to the oven. Check after ten minutes. If the peppers have begun to brown, flip them with the tongs. Check after another 10 minutes and repeat, until peppers are nearly black on all sides. Remove the tray from the oven and, if needed, wrap peppers in a piece of aluminum foil (the trapped steam helps loosen the skin). When peppers are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin with a paring knife. Remove the stems and seeds and cut peppers into quarters.
7. Prepare onion. Heat a sauté pan over a low flame. Season onion with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and add 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan. Add onion and cook, tossing occasionally until soft but not browned. Drain in a colander to remove excess oil and set onion aside.
8. Prepare eggplant. Wipe out the sauté pan and place over a low flame. Season eggplant with salt and pepper. Increase the heat and add a little less than 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. Add eggplant—don’t move or shake until it begins to color slightly. Flip eggplant with a spatula and cook until tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.
9. Begin assembly. Place a medium pot on a low burner. Chop tomatoes into bite-size pieces and add to the pot, then add 2 Tbsp. of tomato water. Chop peppers into bite-size pieces, then add to pot and stir. Add onion, then eggplant. If the mixture seems dry, add more tomato water. Add garlic and bouquet garni. Add saffron, if using. Cover. Check after 5 minutes to insure that the mixture is not boiling. Stir gently. After another 5 minutes, remove lid, stir, and simmer.
10. Prepare zucchini. Cut zucchini into bite-size pieces and toss in a bowl with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, a few twists of black pepper, and reserved thyme leaves. (Do not salt: salt will liquify zucchini and prevent them from crisping up.) Heat a sauté pan over a high flame and add zucchini. Toss occasionally, until zucchini show color but are still crisp: that is, bright green with bite. Remove from the pan and drain in a colander, then salt to taste.
11. Finish assembly. Taste for seasoning and for moisture, and add more salt and pepper and tomato water as needed. Add vinegar, then mix in zucchini and let cook until heated through. Add olives if you’re using them . Remove bouquet garni and garlic. Dress with torn basil leaves. Serve with roasted chicken, French fries, toast, nothing at all, or just about anything.

Serves: 12

• Ingredients

1/2 cup instant rice
3 cups chicken stock
8 cups sweet red peppers
2 medium sliced white onions
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste

• preparation

In a large saucepan, simmer plain rice in the 3 cups of chicken stock.
In another saucepan, simmer sliced red sweet peppers and sliced onion in remaining chicken stock. Simmer till tender.
Purée red pepper mixture with rice in a blender. Add milk and cream. Season with Tabasco, pepper, paprika and salt.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

3 sweet red peppers
4 ounces creme fraiche or mascarpone cheese
to taste salt and pepper
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 small slices smoked salmon
anchovy cream (recipe below)

Anchovy cream:
2 teaspoons whipping cream
1 ounce anchovy, rinsed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 shallot, sliced
to taste salt and pepper
Puree cream and anchovies in a blender until cream thickens. Transfer to a bowl. Add all ingredients.

• preparation

Wash peppers. Cut in halves. Remove seeds. Place in a pan. Broil until peppers are browned. Cover with foil until cooled. Peel peppers. Puree peppers, cream or mascarpone in a food processor. Add the eggs, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
Butter six 4-ounce timbales. Fill with red pepper puree. Place in a baking pan. Pour hot water in pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake timbales, until they are just firm to the touch. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Place sliced salmon in the center of 6 round plates.
Invert mousse over salmon. Serve with a dab of anchovy cream.

Serves: 10

Originally from Yemen and Israel, this fiery hot sauce components are always from a variety of fresh chiles, herbs, and spices, and garlic. Use schug as a dipping sauce for toasted pita, falafel or as a marinade for kebobs. Red zhug, also known as Zhoug or schug is made with red peppers while green zhug is made with green peppers, or jalapeños.

• Ingredients

Makes 1 cup

1 cup grapeseed oil
2 large red bell peppers, stemmed and seeded, cut into 8 pieces
8 red chiles stemmed and seeded, cut in half
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom pods, with the husks
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 garlic minced cloves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons packed cilantro leaves, chopped

• preparation

Add the oil to a large sauté pan and place on the stove over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bell peppers and chiles and fry while continuously stirring for about 10 minutes, until the peppers start to blister and darken in color.

Remove the peppers and chiles from the oil, set aside, and let cool. Add the cooled fried peppers and chiles and the paprika, turmeric, cloves, cardamom, cumin, salt, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor and blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula when necessary, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarce puree. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool, then add the cilantro and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Serves: 4

can be prepared a few hours before serving. Reheat in the pan.

• Ingredients

1 ½ pounds small brussels sprouts
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (to taste)

• preparation

Trim brussels sprouts at the base, remove unattached leaves and set them aside. Cut in half and place in a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add brussels sprout halves to fit in a single layer, cut side down, and sear until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet, cut side down.
Repeat with remaining sprouts. Place baking sheet in oven and roast until sprouts are tender, another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat and add red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring for a minute. Add roasted brussels sprouts to pan, stir together and add lemon zest, mint and freshly ground pepper.
Heat through, taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and serve.

Optional garnish: After removing roasted brussels sprouts from oven turn heat down to 350 degrees and move rack to highest setting.
Toss loose leaves that are set aside with a little olive oil and salt and spread on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast on top shelf of oven for 15 minutes until brown and crisp. Serve as garnish.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds firm, ripe roma or plum tomatoes (about 15)
1 whole head of garlic
3 sweet red peppers
1/2 teaspoon each hot pepper flakes and salt
1/3 cup olive oil

• preparation

Immerse tomatoes in large saucepan boiling water 10 seconds or until skins losen. Drain, then chill under running water. Remove core and slip off skins.
Cut tomatoes in half horizontally; squeeze tomatoes gently between hands to extract juice and seeds.
Place tomato flesh in 9-by-13in non metallic baking dish. Break head of garlic into individual cloves; peel cloves and add to tomatoes. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and white membranes. Cut peppers into 1 1/2-in strips; add to tomatoes. Add olive oil to tomato mixture, tossing to coat ingredients well.
Spread ingredients out in single layer; sprinkle with hot pepper flakes and salt. Roast in 350 degree oven 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tomatoes are shiny and reduces in volume by about half and no liquid remains in dish. Serve at once or spoon into hot sterilized jars and cover tightly. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.
This irresistible appetizer captures the essence of summer in a jar. Serve it as part of an antipasto platter or use it to top crusty bread for instant bruschetta.

Serves: 4

Making burgers has taken a new meaning. Use fresh salmon for this recipe. The burger patties can be prepared 2 hours in advance.

• Ingredients

4 kaiser rolls, or hamburger buns
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 pound salmon, boned and skinned
1/2 cup seeded and diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup seeded and diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon green tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
to taste salt, ground black pepper
1 egg white
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoon butter
4 thick slices large tomatoes
1/2 cup tartar sauce
2 cups cole slaw

• preparation

Preheat the broiler. Lightly brush bread with butter. Broil on both sides for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
To prepare the salmon burger mixture:
Cube the boneless and skinless salmon. Chop finely on a cutting board. In a large bowl, combine the salmon with the red and green peppers, green onion, tabasco, salt and pepper to taste. Beat the egg white with a wire whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into the salmon mixture.
Divide into 4 equal portions, shape into patties 3/4-inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.
Refrigerate the patties on a tray until ready to use.
When chilled they hold together better.
Preheat a large nonstick skillet on the stove over medium heat until hot.
Brush the salmon burgers with canola oil on both sides, and carefully place in the skillet. Cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and continue cooking the burgers until they are browned and just cooked through.
PRESENTATION
Arrange each salmon burger on a bun. Top with a slice of tomato, one heaping tablespoon of tartar sauce, 1/4 cup mixed green salad and finish with another piece of bread.

Serves: Makes 2 cups

Salsa verde is a spicy green sauce in Mexican cuisine based on tomatillo and green chili peppers.

• Ingredients

7 medium tomatillos husks removed, washed and quartered
1 poblano pepper seeds removed and halved
lengthwise
1 jalapeno cut in half lengthwise
1 small white onion peeled and cut into
wedges
2 cloves garlic skins left ON
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp lime juice fresh is best
1/2 cup fresh cilantro a small handful
2 - 4 Tbsp water to reach desired
consistency

• preparation

Adjust oven rack to 6 inches from the top and preheat
broiler on HIGH.
Add tomatillos, poblano, jalapeno, onion and garlic to a
large sheet pan, spreading them out a bit.
Broil for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through
broiling.
Add tomatillos, poblano, jalapeno and onion to food
processor. Peel garlic and add it food processor as well.
Add salt, lime juice, and cilantro and process until
everything is coarsely chopped. Add water, starting with 2
Tbsp and process until desired consistency is reached.
Add more water, to your liking.

Serves: 2

When making pajeon, most Koreans use green onion, and the most popular kind of pajeon is made with seafood. A recipe related to
https://www.maangchi.com

• Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon potato starch
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus a pinch of salt
a pinch of ground black pepper
¾ cup stock (anchovy kelp stock, chicken stock or vegetable stock), or water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 green onions, roots and tops trimmed to 8 to 9 inches long (to fit your skillet)
4 to 5 ounces (½ cup) seafood (peeled and deveined shrimp, squid, clams), chopped
1 large egg, beaten in a small bowl
1 fresh red pepper, sliced

For dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes)
1 green onion, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

• preparation

dipping sauce:
1. Put soy sauce, vinegar, gochu-garu, green onion, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
2. Mix and set it aside.
3. Prepare pancake ingredients:
1. Combine the chopped seafood, pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper in a small bowl. Mix it well and set aside.
2. Combine flour, potato starch, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup stock (or water) in a large enough to accommodate the green onions. Mix with a whisk until smooth.
Make green onion pancake:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and swirl to coat evenly.
2. Add the green onions to the batter to coat them. Using tongs or your hand, place them side by side in the skillet, alternating white end to green end, so they form a neat rectangle.
3. Add the seafood to the leftover batter in the bowl. Using your hands or tongs, spread the battered seafood on top of the battered scallions, scraping out any excess batter remaining in the bowl.
4. Add the sliced red pepper and pour the beaten egg over top of the pancake in the skillet.
5. Quickly wash your hands!
6. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 6 minutes, until the bottom is light brown and crispy.
7. Turn the pancake over with a large spatula. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil around the edges of the skillet. Lift one edge of the pancake with your spatula and tilt the skillet so that the oil flows underneath the pancake. Cook for another 3 minutes until nicely browned and crisp.
8. Turn the pancake over again. Turn up the heat to medium high heat and cook for 1 minute, until the bottom turns crunchy.
9. Transfer to a large plate, with the egg and seafood side up. Serve right away with the dipping sauce.
How to eat:
1. Mix the dipping sauce with a spoon. You can cut up the large pancake into several pieces before eating. Take 1 piece to a small individual plate and drizzle some dipping sauce with the spoon and eat. If you don’t want to precut the pancake, you can use your chopsticks to tear off a chunk of batter with a green onion and seafood, and then eat it with the dipping sauce. I prefer the second way because I love to eat the whole cooked green onion.

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

Vegetable Tian:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 1-inch wide strips
12 ounces fresh plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
8 ounces zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
8 ounces Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
Assembly:
6 (6-ounce) portions fresh tuna steaks, cut about 2 1/2-inches thick
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 by 13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the oil with the thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Arrange half of the vegetables in rows in the dish, interspersing the different types until the bottom of the dish is covered. Drizzle with half of the oil mixture.
Make a final layer of mixed vegetables, and drizzle with the remaining oil mixture. Cover the top of the vegetables with lightly oiled parchment paper. Bake until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
Remove the vegetable tian from the oven, keep warm in a warm place, and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
Season the tuna with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the tuna and cook, turning once, until seared on both sides, about 2 minutes.
Uncover the tian and place the seared tuna fillets on top of the vegetables, spacing them evenly. Bake, uncovered, until the tuna is rare to medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Spoon equal amounts of the sauce in the centers of 6 warmed plates.
Using a wide spatula, lift portions of the tuna and vegetables and transfer to the plates.
Tomato Confit:
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, halved, and squeezed to remove seeds 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 (3-inch ) sprigs fresh rosemary 1 1/2 cups olive oil, or as needed
Garlic Confit:
1 cup whole, peeled garlic cloves 1 cup olive oil, plus more as needed Place the tomatoes in a colander and toss with the salt. Let drain at room temperature for 2 hours. Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary in a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan. Add enough oil to cover the tomatoes. Cover the saucepan and bake until the tomatoes are very tender, but not falling apart, about 3 hours. Drain, discard the garlic and rosemary, and set the tomato confit aside for the sauce. (The tomato confit can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, covered and refrigerated.)
Place the garlic cloves and 2 cups cold water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain. Repeat the procedure 2 more times. Return the drained garlic cloves to the saucepan and add the oil. Bring to a bare simmer over very low heat. Cook until the garlic is tender, about 40 minutes. Cool completely.
Transfer to a 1-pint canning jar, add enough oil to cover the garlic, and seal. (The garlic confit can be prepared up to 3 weeks in advance, covered and refrigerated.)
Sauce:
1/2 cup Tomato Confit (see above)
1/3 cup Garlic Confit (see above)
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Place the tomato confit, garlic confit, water, salt and pepper in a blender and process on high speed. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil and blend until the sauce is emulsified, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the parsley and thyme. Set aside at room temperature.
Recipe courtesy Terrance Brennan

Serves: 20

Shito is a very spicy traditional Ghanaian sauce. It is composed of peppers, and accompanies many dishes, especially fish.Shito can also be prepared with fresh bell peppers instead of chili peppers. They are crushed with onions and tomatoes in an asanka, a local terracotta bowl.
Author: Renards Gourmets

• Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut or canola oil
• 2 medium red onions , cut into small cubes
• 2 cloves garlic , very finely chopped
• 2 inch fresh ginger , peeled and finely grated
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed thyme leaves
• 2 oz. green kpakpo shito peppers (or green Scotch bonnet peppers, or alternatively 2 tablespoons dried green pepper flakes), diced with seeds
• 3 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 oz. chilli powder
• 1 oz. ground dried shrimp
• 1 oz. smoked fish powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• preparation

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the oil and fry the onions over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until they become translucent.
2. Add garlic, ginger, thyme and green kpakpo shito peppers. Mix well and fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and mix well.
4. Pour in the chili powder and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 30 minutes.
5. Finally, add the dried shrimp and smoked fish powder, then cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring almost continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.
6. The content should change from dark red to very dark brown and the oil will rise to the surface when the sauce is ready.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
8. Cool, then spoon into sterilized glass jars.
9. Seal the jars and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

8 oz vermicelli rice noodles
1 tbsp mild curry powder
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup sliced onion
1 sweet pepper, yellow or orange
6 oz bean sprouts
1 red chilli, sliced (optional)

• preparation

Soften the noodles in a large pan of boiling water to cover, pushing the noodles under the water. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, until the noodles are completely soft. Mix the curry powder, turmeric, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and 1 tbsp water in a bowl.
Heat a wok until very hot. Add the sunflower oil, onion and pepper. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until softened and starting to brown in places. Drain the noodles and add to the pan, along with the sauce mixture and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for a further 3-4 minutes, tossing everything through the sauce, until hot. Adjust the seasoning with a little more soy or sugar, if you like, and scatter over the chilli, if you like more spice.

Serves: 8

• Ingredients

1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 cup red peppers, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound diced peeled tomatoes
16 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• preparation

Saute onions and peppers in butter over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer until tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Strain in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped parsley.
Make individual omelets with the egg mixture.

Serves: 20

• Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs red jalapeños (or serranos), stems snipped off, leaving green tops intact
6 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon fish Sauce
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

• preparation

Place peppers, garlic, sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor fitting with steel blade. Pulse until chilies are very finely chopped, stopping to scrap sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to a clean jar, cover, and let sit at room temperature.
Check jar each day for fermentation, when little bubbles start forming at bottom of jar, about 3-5 days. Stir contents each day, continuing to let ferment until chilies are no longer rising in volume, an additional 2-3 days.
Transfer chilies to jar of a blender or food processor, add in white vinegar, Fish sauce and puree until completely smooth, 1-3 minutes. Transfer to a mesh strainer set atop of a medium saucepan. Strain mixture into saucepan, using a rubber spatula to push trough as much pulp as possible, only seeded and larger pieces of chilies should remain in strainer.Use a food mill with the medium disc to make this easier.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce thickens and clings to a spoon, 5 or 10 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Serves: 6

You can store unused portion of ssamjang in an air tight container and refrigerate until needed. From a food safety perspective consume within 3-5 days.


** If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, see essential Korean grocery ingredients!

• Ingredients

1/4 cup doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp minced garlic
10g / 0.35 ounces onion, thinly sliced
(optional) 2 Tbsp walnuts (or your choice of nuts and seeds) – this will add nuttier flavor and creamier texture.
(optional) 10g / 0.35 ounces apple, cored and cut into small pieces

• preparation

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until the texture is smooth. It will takes about 1 min. Transfer the sauce into a serving bowl. Garnish with the green onion and sesame seeds.

Serves: 4

A most Flavorful meal! Microwave any leftovers the next day.

• Ingredients

FOR SERVING: optional
3-4 cups (474-632 g) cooked brown rice
Steamed broccoli
TOFU
1 lb (450 g) extra-firm tofu
4 Tbsp (60 ml) tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut sugar or maple syrup
4-5 Tbsp (28-35 g) cornstarch
2 Tbsp (30 ml) canola oil

SAUCE
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 Tbsp (6 g) ginger, minced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar (or sub white vinegar)
1/4 cup (48 g) coconut sugar or maple syrup, plus more to taste
3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce,
1/3 cup water

STIR-FRY
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 large red or yellow pepper, thinly sliced.
1 Tbsp red pepper sauce (sriracha sauce) or 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
optional: Sesame seeds, for garnish

• preparation

1. Prepare the rice and broccoli.
2. Chop green onions, garlic, and ginger . Set aside.
3. Prepare sauce by combining sesame oil, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, rice vinegar, coconut sugar or maple syrup, tamari or soy sauce, and water in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
4. Unwrap tofu, rinse under cold water; dry well in a towel to remove moisture and cut into even pieces, about 3/4-inch cubes.
5. Add tofu to a shallow mixing bowl and top with tamari or soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Toss to combine. Let rest 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Use a slotted spoon or fork to transfer tofu to a quart-size or large freezer bag. Add cornstarch 1 Tbsp at a time and toss to coat. Continue adding more cornstarch and tossing until tofu is coated in a white sticky layer- about 5 Tbsp.
7. Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add 2 Tbsp canola oil and heat for 30 seconds. Then use a slotted spoon or fork to add tofu to the pan.
8. Cook on all sides until light golden brown. Remove tofu from pan. Set aside.
9. Return skillet to burner and increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, chopped green onions and sliced peppers . Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Add the sauce and tofu with the red pepper sauce or garlic sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, to coat the tofu and vegetables for 2 minutes, or until warmed the sauce has slightly thickened.
11. Remove pan from heat and add sesame seeds (optional). Toss to coat.
12. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli (optional).

Serves: 6

• Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped white onions 3/4-inch sized pieces
1 cup chopped red bell pepper 3/4-inch sized pieces
1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2-inch sized pieces
1 cup pineapple chunks 3/4-inch sized pieces
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

• preparation

In a medium-sized bowl combine sweet and sour sauce ingredients, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and water.
Season pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
In a shallow dish mix together flour and 1/3 cup cornstarch.
In a separate shallow dish add eggs and whisk.
Batter each piece of pork by coating it with the flour mixture, then dip in the whisked egg, and coat in the flour mixture.
In a wok or medium sized pan, heat 2 cups of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil reaches 350°F (180°C), work in 2 to 3 batches, adding the battered pork and frying until golden brown and pork is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer pork to a sheet pan and drain on paper towels. Fry the next batch.
Discard the oil from wok and carefully wipe the inside of the pan with paper towels to clean.
Heat wok over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon oil.
Once the oil is hot add the garlic and onions, stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add in the red and green bell peppers, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add in the pineapple and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add in the pork and the sweet and sour sauce, stir to combine and allow the sauce to come to a boil.
Stir the cornstarch slurry and then add it to the pan, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, 60 seconds. Mix the ingredients with the sauce to coat the pork.
Garnish the sweet and sour pork with green onions and sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Serves: 4

• Ingredients

3 medium eggplants
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 white onions, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch cayenne pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
3 large vine ripe tomatoes
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped basil

• preparation

Prepare the eggplant stew a day ahead. Wash and cube with the eggplants with the skin.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add eggplants and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat, until lightly brown. Add chopped onions and coriander seeds; continue cooking for 5 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Season with cinnamon and cumin ; add cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cayenne and chicken broth.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until eggplants are soft and almost all liquid has evaporated. Cool and refrigerate.

Prepare the peppers a day ahead. Wash and dry peppers. Grill under a broiler until the whole surface of the peppers is dark brown to black. Remove skin. Cut in halves and remove seeds and white pith. Cut into strips.
Peel and slice garlic. In a glass bowl, combine pepper strips with garlic and oil. Allow to marinate for a day or two.
To assemble:
Slice tomatoes. Arrange on plates or platter. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, cilantro and basil. Spoon peppers and eggplant compote around tomatoes. Serve cold.

Serves: 4

Nước Chấm/Nước Mắm Chấm .
Serve with C ha Gio also called Imperial Rolls in the United States, not to be confused with Summer Rolls.

• Ingredients

6 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 teaspoon chopped Bird's eye / Thai chiles

• preparation

1. Combine water and sugar in a bowl. Use warm water for easier dissolving.
2. Add lime or lemon juice in increments until you like how it tastes. A good guide is it should taste like lemonade/limeade.
3. Add garlic and fish sauce in small increments until you like how it tastes. It should be a little strong since it goes on unseasoned food.
There are so many different recipes for dipping sauce in Vietnam. The one I like best is smashing some garlic, chilli with sugar, add lime juice, add some water (only if I want diluted sauce for Bún or Rolls), then some fish sauce. I like to crush garlic and chilli at first because it adds a strong taste to the sauce, which is really great when combining with other food.