Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

1-1/2 tbsp cashew nuts
vegetable oil
1 (5 oz) chicken breast, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 tbsp chicken stock
3/4 oz Spanish onion, sliced
2 oz mixed red, green and yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 piece of a medium-sized carrot, about 1-1/4-inch long, cut into julienne strips (matchsticks)
2 pieces baby corn, quartered
4 button mushrooms, quartered
1 spring onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 oz pineapple, cut into small pieces
1-1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1-1/2 Maggi sauce
coriander leaves for garnish

Marinade

1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
2 pinches ground white pepper

Method

1. Make the marinade. Crush the garlic and mix it with the soy sauce and pepper. Coat the chicken with the marinade and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Fry the cashew nuts briefly in a small amount of oil until slightly browned.
3. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok until very hot. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute until the chicken is half cooked.
4. Add all the vegetables and the stock and the pineapple and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the sauces and cook for a further 1 minute, until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Mix in the cashew nuts. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle over the coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Makes 1 serving.

Source: The Blue Elephant Cookbook

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Potato Cakes

Ingredients

6-8 Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled
1 bunch fresh chives
1 egg
1 tablespoon sour cream or crème fraiche
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for greasing

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the potatoes, bring back to a boil, and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer.
2. Finely snip the chives and set aside.
3. Form a little well in the center of the potatoes. Separate the egg and put the egg yolk, sour cream, nutmeg, chives, butter, salt, and cornstarch into the well.
4. Mix with your hands, and shape the mixture into an elongated roll. As you work, dust the roll with flour so that it doesn’t stick to your hands.
5. Use a floured knife to slice the dough into 1/2-inch-thick circles.
6. Briefly toss the circles in flour and shape them into patty shapes.
7. Grease a nonstick skillet, heat over medium heat, then add the potato cakes and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until brown. Serve immediately

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegetables

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Rolled Omelet

Ingredients

8 eggs, lightly beaten (allow 2 eggs per person)
2 to 3 Tbsp milk
salt and ground black pepper-
4 to 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 green chili, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
4 to 6 oz goat cheese
3 Tbsp chopped dill
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
sour cream, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Prepare four individual omelets by mixing two eggs with a little milk for each omelet. Season to taste. Pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil into the omelet pan and warm, but don’t overheat it (it should be almost smoking, but not quite).
2. Pour in the required amount of beaten egg. Cook for a few minutes over low heat, lifting the edges from the sides, and letting the runny egg flow underneath. When the egg is nearly set, sprinkle in the chili, garlic, goat cheese, dill, and cilantro; fold over.
3. Roll the omelet out of the pan and serve hot, topped with sour cream, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Essentials Egg

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Grilled Pork Chops with Potato, Cauliflower, and Camembert Gratin

Ingredients

Pork loin chops (about 9 to 10 ounces and 1-inch thick)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gratin

2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 large sprigs of fresh thyme
2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
4 oz Camembert cheese, with rind, cut into large pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-1/4 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick slices

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.
2. Make the gratin. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the onions, garlic, and thyme and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender but have not taken on any color.
3. Add the cauliflower and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring often, or until softened.
4. Add the cream and milk and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir until it melts, then remove from the heat and discard the thyme stems.
5. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender and return to the pot. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Stir the potato slices into the hot cream mixture to coat. Spoon 1 cup of the cream mixture into the baking dish. Spread the potatoes and the remaining cream mixture evenly in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil and put on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife can be inserted easily into the potatoes.
7. Uncover the dish, raise the oven temperature to 400°F, and continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
8. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 to 20 minutes.
9. Cook the pork. Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high cooking over direct heat.
10. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, or until the pork shows only the barest hint of pink when pierced at the bone with the tip of a sharp knife. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 5 minutes before serving with the gratin.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Curtis Stone What’s for Dinner

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Tuna with Provencal Vegetables

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves-2 thinly sliced, 2 halved
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
1 small fennel bulb—halved, cored and sliced paper-thin
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon drained capers
4 (5-ounce) tuna steaks (1 inch thick)

Method

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, onion, thyme sprigs and sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the tomato, fennel, olives and capers, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Discard the thyme sprigs.
3. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil with the halved garlic cloves.
4. Season the tuna with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, turning once.
5. Cover the skillet and cook the tuna over very low heat for 2 minutes longer. The tuna should still be slightly rare in the center.
6. Spoon the vegetables onto plates. Top with the tuna steaks and the browned garlic halves and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Bruce Sherman

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