Poached Salmon with Curried Couscous

Ingredients

4 (3 oz each) wild salmon fillets, skin on
1 cup organic dry white wine
1 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs Italian parsley
1 cup sugar snap peas

Couscous

4 Tbsp coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous 1/4 cup (60 mL) plain yogurt
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 small carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup unblanched sliced almonds, lightly toasted
2 whole green onions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Cut salmon into 4 single servings.
2. In large, deep frying pan, bring wine, water, lemon, bay leaf, and parsley to a gentle simmer. Add salmon fillets, skin side down. Add a little more water if necessary to completely cover salmon. Cover pan with lid and gently poach over low heat for 5 minutes. Scatter sugar snap peas overtop. Remove pan from heat and set aside, keeping covered.
3. Meanwhile, cook couscous. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in 1 Tbsp oil and couscous. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until couscous absorbs the liquid but is still firm. Give it a quick stir every minute. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 2 to 3 minutes. Fluff with fork.
4. Whisk together yogurt, remaining oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Stir to blend. Pour over fluffed couscous and mix well.
5. Fold in carrot, cilantro, and currants. Stir in more seasonings to taste, if you wish.
6. Remove salmon and peas from poaching liquid. Discard liquid. Peel skin from fillets.
7. Spoon couscous onto large platter or divide among 4 individual serving bowls. Place salmon fillet on top and surround with snap peas. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and green onions.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Alive magazine

Hearty Soup with Assorted Mushrooms, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
7 cups boiling water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 lb chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 stalk celery, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
1/2 cup 35% cream
pinch nutmeg
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Method

1. Fill a large pot with 3 cups cold water, add the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the rice is soft and beginning to burst, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cover porcini mushrooms with the boiling water and allow to soak until they soften, about 30 minutes. Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms and chop finely. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid, discarding any gritty bits. Reserve the liquid for the soup base.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shiitakes and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chanterelles and porcinis and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the brandy and stir for 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
6. Melt the butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, celery and kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to brown slightly.
7. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute to make sure the vegetables are evenly coated. Pour in the strained mushroom-soaking liquid a little at a time, stirring to prevent lumps.
8. Add the butternut squash and let the soup simmer gently for about 7 minutes.
9. Add the cooked rice, the mushroom mixture, and the cream, nutmeg and thyme. Cooking just until soup is heated through. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Style At Home magazine

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Ingredients

1/2 rack of lamb
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 oz leeks, julienne cut
2 tomatoes, cut in eighths
zest of 1/2 lemon, cut in eighths
10 black olives, pitted
1 tsp chopped parsley
Chine bone and trimmings from rack, chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 oz tomato paste
10 oz Mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion leeks, finely chopped)
1 clove garlic
thyme to taste
salt
peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup white wine

Method

1. Season rack of lamb with salt, pepper and thyme. Roast in preheated 375°F oven until medium rare.
2. Saute the garlic in a skillet of hot oil. Add leeks, tomatoes, lemon zest, salt and pepper and saute for 30 seconds. Add olives and parsley. Adjust seasonings.
3. to make Lamb Sauce, roast lamb bones with a little oil in preheated 375°F oven for about 1 hour.
4. Add tomato paste and mirepoix. Roast for 5 minutes and add 1-1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil.
5. Add seasonings and spices. Cook about one hour. Reduce to about 1 cup
6. Bring white wine to a boil and reduce to half. Add wine reduction to taste. Strain. Serve with lamb.
7. Carve lamb at table. Serve both sauce and tomato saute separately.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: American Lamb Council

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon evaporated cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1. Put the cashews in a blender and blend until finely ground. Add 3/4 cup water and blend for 2 minutes. Pour the cashew mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon. Discard the solids.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and saute until golden. Add the cauliflower, coconut milk, strained cashew milk, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, sugar, cinnamon, and salt as needed. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached.
4. If using a standing blender, allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the soup into the blender. Hold the lid down firmly with a clean, folded towel over it. Start on low speed and blend until the soup is smooth. Return to the pot and reheat if serving hot. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the cilantro before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: True Food

Roasted Pork Belly with Ginger Beer

Ingredients

1.5 kilogram piece boneless pork belly, skin on
2 onions, sliced
3 cups good quality ginger beer
3 firm but ripe pears, halved
1–2 fennel bulbs, cut into thick wedges through the root

Seasoning Paste

3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
sea salt and ground pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C convection bake.
2. Combine the paste ingredients in a bowl. Spread over the flesh side of the pork.
3. Arrange the onions in the base of a baking dish and place the pork, skin side up, on top.
4. Rub the skin with a little olive oil then sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Add enough ginger beer to come half way up the side of the pork but don’t let it touch the skin.
6. Roast for 30 minutes then remove from the oven.
7. Place the pears and fennel around the pork, spooning over some of the pan juices (but not over the pork).
8. Reduce the oven to 160°C convection bake.
9. Return the pork to the oven and roast for about 40 minutes or until the pork is tender when pierced with a skewer and the fennel and pears are tender. Cooking time will depend on how thick the pork is.
10. If the skin is not crisp and you would like the pears to have more colour, place the baking dish under a hot grill for a few minutes until the skin is golden.
11. Slice the pork and serve with the pears and fennel. Spoon the pan juices over before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Dish magazine