Cajun Pile-ups with Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 of 16-ounce loaf multigrain Italian bread, cut into 8 slices
4 cups (about 2 ounces) loosely packed, torn romaine pieces
2 tablespoons (1-2 ounces) pickled mild banana pepper rings, drained
1 medium tomato, cut into 4 slices and then halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 lb deli-sliced lean ham
2 thin slices (1-1/2 ounces) reduced-fat Swiss cheese, cut in half

Sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Method

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir until completely blended.
2. Drizzle one side of each bread slice with sauce.
3. Top four bread slices (sauce side up) with equal amounts of filling ingredients in the order listed, beginning with torn lettuce.
4. Place remaining bread slices (sauce side down) on top of filling.
5. Press down slightly, and cut each sandwich in half diagonally before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Heart-smart Diabetes Kitchen

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Chinese-style Lettuce Wrap of Pork, Ginger and Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 small perfect leaves iceberg lettuce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon ginger julienne
1 garlic clove, finely diced
2/3 cup ground fatty pork
4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked until softened, drained and finely sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped salted radish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped pickled mustard greens
2 tablespoons finely sliced Chinese sausage
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing wine
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup carrot julienne
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 tablespoon roughly sliced green shallots
1/4 cup finely sliced Chinese white cabbage
1 large red chili, finely sliced 1/4 cup green shallot julienne handful of coriander sprigs

Method

1. Soak lettuce leaves in cold water for 1 hour, drain them well and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator.
2. Heat peanut oil in a hot wok, stir-fry ginger, garlic and pork for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, radish, mustard greens and sausage, and continue stir-frying briefly.
3. Pour in wine, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until pork is cooked.
4. Toss in carrot, bean sprouts, shallots and cabbage, stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
5. Serve pork mixture in a bowl set on a large platter, garnished with chili, shallot julienne and coriander, and accompanied with the lettuce-leaf cups.
6. To eat, simply spoon pork mixture into lettuce cups, roll up to enclose the pork and eat with your fingers.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Kylie Kwong

Grilled Breakfast

Ingredients

4 portobello mushrooms, sliced
16 cherry tomatoes, on the vine
olive oil spray
2 good-quality pork sausages, skins removed
4 rashers of good-quality lean smoked back bacon, fat trimmed
2 free-range eggs
1 tsp white-wine vinegar
2 slices of sourdough bread, cut on the diagonal
150 g blueberries
2 x 1-cup glasses of orange juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C.
2. Lay the mushrooms and tomatoes on a foil-lined tray. Spray with the oil and roast in the oven for 15 minutes until they have browned and are cooked through.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the grill to very hot. Shape the sausages into 2 patties. Lay these onto the grill pan and place under the grill for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked.
4. Spray the bacon with oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Meanwhile, fill a small pan three-quarters full of water and bring to the boil.
6. Crack one egg into a cup. Add the vinegar to the pan then, using a wire whisk, swirl the water around to create a whirlpool. Slowly tip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. When the water comes back to the boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 2-3 minutes, then remove the egg with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Repeat with the second egg.
7. Lay the bread on the griddle pan and cook until crisp, about 1 minute each side.
8. Split everything between two plates and serve with the blueberries and orange juice.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Gizzi Erskine

Spanish-style Chicken with Chorizo

Ingredients

1 medium chicken, jointed, or 4 chicken legs, halved
2 tsp paprika
4 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 oz chorizo sausage, sliced
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
12-16 fresh bay leaves
5 tbsp medium sherry
salt and freshly ground black pepper
rice or potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
2. Coat the chicken pieces in the paprika, making sure they are evenly covered, then season with salt.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken until browned all over, turning occasionally.
4. Transfer the chicken pieces to an ovenproof dish.
5. Add the onions to the pan and fry quickly. Add the garlic and sliced chorizo and fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes, two bay leaves and the sherry and bring to the boil. Pour over the chicken and cover with a lid. Bake for 45 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and season to taste. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and golden. Serve with rice or potatoes, garnished with the remaining bay leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Best of Spain

Thai-style Steamed Pork and Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

7 oz lean ground pork
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 dried Kaffir lime leaf, soaked for 10 minutes and finely sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
12 oz Chinese cabbage, spinach or leeks (any combination)
4 tablespoons thick coconut ‘cream’, skimmed from top of canned coconut milk before it’s shaken
2 tablespoons fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, curry paste, lime leaf and fish sauce and mix well. Taste to see if a pinch of sugar or extra fish sauce is needed, as once you begin steaming you can’t stir in more flavours. The sauce should be sweet, spicy and a little salty.
2. Mix in pork to the sauce.
3. Line a baking dish that will fit inside a steamer with aluminium foil or banana leaves.
4. Place washed and drained vegetables in the bottom of the dish. Cover well with pork and sauce. Place coriander sprigs on top.
5. Place in steamer and steam for 20 minutes until pork is fully cooked.
6. Serve with coconut cream spooned over the top, and more coriander leaves, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Thai Cooking