Gormandize

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Chickpea, Apple and Cashew Salad with Tahini Dressing

My mum calls me the Salad Queen because I almost never make the same salad twice. I just love making salads - they are so easy and so versatile. A lot of people think that salad is boring which baffles me - maybe they just put lettuce, tomato and cucumber in their salads and then add some store bought sugary dressing? If that is how you view salads then I challenge you to try some of my salads.

There are so many different vegetables and fruits, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds and different dressings to use in salads! This hearty salad is perfect for people who think that salads aren't filling enough to be your whole meal. It's also deceptively healthy - the rich creamy dressing is made with tahini which already has a certain oil content so that means you don't need to add any oil to the dressing - winner!

Ingredients

1 small or medium sized beetroot

Lettuce (as much as you want for 2 people)

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp pepitas

1 x 400ml tin of chickpeas OR 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (soak for 24 hours, then boil for 30 minutes)

1 medium apple (see note)

1 cup unsalted cashews

Dressing

2 tbsp unhulled tahini

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 small glove garlic, crushed

Note: The variety of apple you choose will alter the flavour profile of the dish. I chose a sweet apple (like gala or pink lady) to add some crunchy sweetness to the salad. If you use a granny smith you'll have a more sour taste to the salad. Try both and see which one you prefer? :)

To Make:
1. Peel and dice the beetroot. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until tender (about 15-20 minutes - depending on how big you cut the pieces). Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Spread lettuce between two bowls. Chop tomatoes and layer on top of the lettuce. Then top with the cooled beetroot.
3. Lightly toast the pepitas by dry frying in a pan for about 60 seconds, tossing them regularly until they're browned and starting to pop. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. To make the dressing mix together all the ingredients and stir vigorously until smooth and combined.
5. In a bowl toss the cooked chickpeas, diced apple, cashews and pepitas with the dressing to coat. Distribute amongst the bowls and enjoy!

Serves 2

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Home Made Salsa Lizano (Costa Rican Brown Sauce)

Salsa Lizano is ubiquitous in Costa Rica. It's used in cooking and poured liberally over food as a condiment. So, what is it? It's a brown sauce made from vegetables and spices. It's also not very readily available in Australia. I could have ordered it online from America and paid an absolute packet for a jar of sauce.... but I've always preferred making things from scratch anyway.

A quick google on the internet revealed several forums in which people were asking how to make Salsa Lizano at home only to be told by various people that you simply can't make it at home. Well that sounded like a challenge to me so goshdarnit I set to it! Having never tasted the real stuff I guess I'm at a disadvantage for recreating it. But I used the ingredients of the sauce from wikipedia as a starting point and went from there. The sauce I made was delicious and it's great to use in cooking for instant 'WOW' flavour. I couldn't tell you if it tastes like the real thing though - somebody else will have to make it and tell me!

Ingredients
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 tsp powdered vegetable stock
1/2 green chilli
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp tumeric

To Make
1. Place the chopped onion, carrot and cauliflower in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water.
2. Stir the vegetable stock powder through the 1/4 cup hot water that you reserved.
3. Place the cooked vegetables in a food processor or blender. Add the vegetable stock and all the other ingredients (note: if you don't want it hot you can remove some or all of the seeds/placenta of the chilli before adding it).
4. Purée until it forms a smooth sauce and then transfer into a bottle or a jar until needed. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 medium sized bottle. Use in cooking or pour over just about anything for added 'pow' flavour.

This month I'm featuring lots of delicious food from Costa Rica.

Check out my other recipe posts:

Saturday, 9 February 2013

Chayote con Maiz (Costa Rican Chokos and Corn)

When I started researching Costa Rican food to make this month, I quickly realised that there are a LOT of essential Costa Rican ingredients that I just can't get my hands on. I started to compile a list of the ingredients that I kept finding in recipes again and again and again. I wish I could have bought and tried all these, but I guess I'll just have to wait until I can finally travel to Costa Rica.

Things I Can't Get Near Me:
Plantains (sob!)

Pejibayes

Yuca

Achiote (paste)

Ayotito

Arracahe

Chicasquil

:(

I also kept finding recipes online which called for chayote. Not knowing what a chayote was, I put it down on the list and discarded all the recipes. Then, in a stroke of genius which rarely occurs - I thought I might just google chayote to see what it was. To my surprise I discovered that I was actually familiar with it - I just know it by a different name: Choko. You know, these fellas:

I've eaten choko since I was a kid and I've always really liked it, although I know that not everybody is as keen! Infact I've heard rumours that McDonald's Apple Pies used to (or still do?) contain quite a lot of choko because the flesh holds it's shape well, has a mild taste and looks pretty similar to apple when cooked. I don't know if that is true, but it sounds pretty plausible to me.

It turns out that chokoes go by many different names. You might also have heard them called Christophenes. In fact according to wikipedia (get your grain of salt ready) it's also known as:

cho-cho
mirliton/merleton
vegetable pear
pear squash
chuchu (in Brazil)
Centinarja (in Malta)
chouchoute
pipinola

You certainly learn something every day! So, once I realised that chayotes were actually chokoes and that I could get my hands on them, chayote was back on the menu! I started searching around for a good choko recipe from Costa Rica and ended up being emailed one by an awesome Costa Rican named Kimberly who out of the goodness of her heart took the time to type it all up for a complete stranger. Sometimes the internet reminds you that the world is a wonderful place (even though a lot of the time it reminds you that the world is full of horrible and cruel people).

I changed the recipe very little from the one she sent me. At first glance it looks too simple to be interesting but all I can tell you is that this dish is special. It's so creamy and flavourful that it's impossibly just to eat a little bit, I find myself going back for more and more. Next time I buy chokoes I am definitely going to be making this again with them! Serve with corn tortillas (like everything else in Costa Rica) and chopped coriander to garnish.

Ingredients
3 med-large chokoes (chayotes)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Salt and cracked black pepper
1 tin sweet corn kernels, drained (you can also use 1 cup frozen corn, or 1 cob fresh corn)
1/4 cup rice milk
1 tbsp sugar

To Make
1. Peel the choko and chop into cubes (NOTE: it is a good idea to use gloves when peeling and cutting choko, as it's juices irritate the skin and leave you with a very unpleasant dry and tight feeling on your hands).
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic, sauté until soft.
3. Add the chopped choko, cumin, corainder, salt and pepper and cover with a lid. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the corn, rice milk and sugar. Cook, uncovered, until the choko is cooked (it should be tender to pierce but still firm enough to hold it's shape) and the milk has cooked down by about half. Stir well and serve.

Serves 4 with tortillas (and any other accompaniments).

This month I'm featuring lots of delicious food from Costa Rica.

Check out my other recipe posts:

Friday, 8 February 2013

Paprika de papa (Paprika Potatoes)

Potatoes make such a wonderful comfort food - and potatoes and paprika are a match made in heaven! This recipe is very simple, and although it's part of Costa Rican Food month, I'm sure that similar dishes are cooked in many other countries all over the world. Because it's just a winning formula.

Although simple and easy to make - these potatoes just knocked my metaphorical socks off. This is a recipe which will go in your regular rotation, it's been added to mine. I plan to make this again and again and again!

This basic recipe can also be slightly adapted to your mood. If you want a bit of heat add some more hot paprika, if you want that smoky taste, add a bit of smoked paprika. You could also add cumin or even lemon juice for a bit of sour tang. So many possibilities! But try the original recipe first, then you can play around with it. Serve with corn tortillas and chopped fresh coriander.

Ingredients

5-6 large potatoes

5 cloves garlic

4 tbsp olive oil (you'll need a bit more if you aren't using a non stick pan)

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1 pinch hot paprika (optional)

1 tsp sugar

Cracked pepper to taste.

Fresh coriander, to serve

Corn tortillas, to serve

To Make

1. Peel and cube the potatoes. Peel and slice the garlic.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large frypan (I highly recommend non stick)

3. Add the potatoes, garlic, paprika, salt, sugar and pepper.

4. Fry on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir often to avoid sticking to the pan.

5. Serve in corn tortillas topped with fresh coriander.

Serves 4.

This month I'm featuring lots of delicious food from Costa Rica.

Check out my other recipe posts:

Love Heart Melon Bouquet for Valentine's Day

It's getting close to Valentine's Day now and, although my partner and I don't do anything on Valentine's Day, I thought I might share with you this special and healthy Valentine's treat. Because you should always do nice things for the people that you love!

Sometimes I find that there are just a few too many occasions in the year in which overeating and 'indulging' are expected. Overeating is the order of the day on Xmas - usually at several Xmas gatherings (and often in the form of chocolates for Xmas presents), then suddenly it's New Year and it's champagne, cocktails and more parties. The beginning of the year is for recovery and getting yourself back on a healthier eating plan, but then suddenly it's Valentine's Day and you're facing more chocolate. Then before you know it around comes Easter and it's hot cross buns and LOTS more chocolate. Then there's his birthday, your birthday, your mum's birthday, dad's birthday - all of which mean CAKE and often dinner out at somewhere less than healthy (pizza, thai etc.) Then it's your anniversary and you're celebrating with wine/champagne, dinner out and yes, chocolates. Then around comes Xmas again and it all starts over! That doesn't even include friend's birthday's (more cake!) or weddings (open bar! - oh and more cake!).

Looking at that then it's no wonder that obesity is so rife in Western nations! Your body barely has time to recover before it's another onslaught of of 'special event' food. It's great to have so many things to celebrate every year and I love all the excuses to get together with friends and enjoy good food and wine. My solution is to try and make at least some of those celebrations healthy. That doesn't mean it's not special!! Honestly there are so many wonderful and healthy special things to eat and drink on your celebratory occasions.

This bright bouquet of melon can be arranged in a vase or wrapped in cellophane and ribbon to give to somebody you love. Paper wrapping is not advised though - the melon is too juicy and will soak the paper. To make this you'll need a cookie cutter shaped like a heart - preferably a small-medium one as you'll find it too difficult with a large one. If you don't have a heart shaped cookie cutter you could cut a stencil out of plastic (paper will get too soggy) and use a sharp knife to cut around the stencil (a more time consuming method).

Ingredients

Watermelon

Rock Melon (cantaloupe)

Honey Dew Melon

Long skewers

To Make

1. Cut a slice of each of the melons about 1.5cm thick. Use the cookie cutter to cut heart shapes out of the melon flesh. Continue to do this until you have as many as you want for your bouquet.

2. Insert a skewer into the bottom of each love heart. If you are displaying them in a vase, trim the bottom of the skewers so that they are all different lengths. This will make arranging them prettily easier.

TIPS

~ The skewers can be prepared in advance and kept in a sealed container in the fridge and then assembled when needed

~ Cutting the honey dew and rock melon can be a challenge if you're cutter is bigger than the radius of the flesh. See?

To overcome this - take your 1/2 rock melon and cut the bottom half off it and then slice it.. Like this:

Sorted! You can do the same with the Honey Dew Melon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thursday, 7 February 2013

Orange & Passion Fruit Pudding (only 5 ingredients!)

It's simple desserts like this which fill me with joy. This vibrant orange pudding only contains 5 ingredients (actually technically only 4 because two of the ingredients come from the same oranges...) and is very easy to make (as long as you don't take your eye off it when it's cooking!) This recipe is part of Costa Rican Food month, which kicked off a couple of days ago with the very special Resbaladera (Rice and Barley Milk Drink). I had to post this recipe next because it was one of my absolute favourites!

The reason it is part of Costa Rican food month, is because I have based this recipe on a Costa Rican dish - Atol de Naranja. An atole/atol is a Central/South American dish which is thickened with either cornstarch or hominy grits. It is often consumed as a hot drink, however I decided to make mine a cold dessert pudding instead. I've also added a tropical touch with the gorgeous fresh passion fruit on top which really took this simple dessert to a whole new level!

So- with all the changes is it actually an authentic Costa Rican dish? I have no idea! Maybe a Costa Rican can tell me. What I can tell you is that this dessert is spectacular. So just make it :)

Ingredients
3 cups fresh orange juice (should be about 3-4 oranges worth)
1 tbsp orange zest (tip: zest orange before juicing)
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups brown sugar
4 passion fruits

To Make
1. Place the orange zest and 1/2 cup of the orange juice in a saucepan.
2. Add the cornstarch and stir well until completely dissolved and with no lumps.
3. Gradually stir in the remaining orange juice and the sugar.
4. Place the saucepan over a medium to low heat and stir continuously while you slowly heat it through.
5. As the pudding heats it will begin to thicken, stir continuously to prevent lumps forming. Heat until the pudding is thickened (this should take about 10 minutes, but may take less or more time depending on how hot your stove is).
6. Once the pudding is thick transfer immediately into 8 individual serving bowls (or glasses). Place in the fridge and chill for a couple of hours until completely cold.
7. Top each serving with the pulp of 1/2 a passion fruit and serve.

Serves 8 (note: makes fairly 'modest' servings, if you want large servings you can use this recipe to serve 4-6 people with larger serves).

This month I'm featuring lots of delicious food from Costa Rica.

Check out my other recipe posts: