15 December 2023 Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce

Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce

December 15, 2023 By

I love anything with flavors of lime and cilantro so when I’m out at a Mexican restaurant, I typically order enchiladas verde, enchiladas in green salsa. Salsa verde features tomatillos, garlic, onions, chiles and lime. I made my version by first roasting my veggies on the grill to get bits of char in the salsa. This process can also be done in a 450 degree oven.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound peeled tomatillos, about 6 medium-sized tomatillos
  • 6 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped in large pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 8 ounces chicken broth (can use vegetable broth)
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 7-ounce can green chilis (I use La Preferida Mild Diced Green Chiles, Roasted & Peeled)
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the tomatillos, garlic, onion and poblano in a bowl and add the olive oil, the salt and the pepper. Toss to fully coat. Place the veggies on a grill pan, or an outdoor grill, and roast on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, turning to roast on all sides, until veggies have softened and show charred bits. If roasting in an oven, place the veggies on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
  2. Place the roasted veggies in a blender or food processor (could use a stick blender) with the broth, lime juice, green chillis and cilantro. Blend until mostly smooth, about 15 seconds. Taste and re-season, if needed, to taste.

Makes about 3 cups salsa verde.

Filed Under: Mexican, Sauce Tagged With: , , ,
28 October 2023 Smoked Swordfish with Avocado Salsa

Smoked Swordfish with Avocado Salsa

October 28, 2023 By

Growing up in South Florida, we ate a lot of swordfish. Then, there was over-fishing that nearly brought swordfish to extinction. Having overcome that situation, swordfish is back and I couldn’t be happy – I love it!

I’ve been thinking of things to make on my Rectec smoker and since swordfish has a meat-like texture, I thought it’d be a good candidate. The ‘recipe’ is very simple but the results are amazing.
If you don’t have a smoker, simply add some wood chips to your grill and grill with smoke.

I served the fish with a side of guacamole that I left very chunky, some lime and cilantro and it was a great pairing.

Ingredients:
• Two 6-ounce pieces of swordfish
• 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt, divided
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Tony Chachere’s no salt seasoning (or your favorite Creole seasoning)
• Cilantro Lime Rice (optional)
• Zesty Guacamole or an avocado salsa
• Juice of half lime
• 1 tsp. cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  1. Place the swordfish on a plate and sprinkle with the Kosher salt. Place in the fridge for an hour.
  2. Take the fish out of the fridge and rinse the salt under running water. Pat the fish dry with paper towel.
  3. Coat the fish with oil and sprinkle with pepper and Tony’s.
  4. Bring the smoker up to 200 degrees, place the fish in it and smoke for 60 minutes.
  5. Bring a grill to medium/high heat and grill the fish on each side until internal temperature of the fish reaches 130 degrees.
  6. Serve with the rice, if using, the guacamole, a squeeze of lime and the cilantro, if using.

Makes two servings.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Fish Tagged With: , , ,

Blueberry Croissant French Toast Casserole

July 22, 2023 By

I love a recipe you can prep in advance that doesn’t require a lot of work once my guests arrive. Just love spending time with my guests vs having them speak at my back while I’m making food.

One such recipe is this Blueberry French Toast Casserole that’s prepared the evening prior to your brunch and pop in the oven to bake while you’re entertaining.

It’s blueberry season now so I’m using that berry, but this dish is also great with sliced strawberries or blackberries. I use Quebec maple syrup but use any good quality syrup. I like making this with buttery croissants, but brioche of challah bread would be great also.

Ingredients:

  • 12 cups croissants torn into bit size pieces (about 10 medium sized croissants)
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1 cup, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup milk (not low-fat)
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, optional
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, optional
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 2 Tbsp. confectionary sugar, optional
Croissant Pieces
Custard Over Croissants
Add Blueberries and Maple

Directions:

  1. Butter or coat with cooking spray a 9″x13″ baking dish. Add the croissants pieces to the casserole. It might seem like a lot of croissants, but after they soak into the custard overnight, the mixture will shrink some.
  2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup of cream, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon (if using), and brown sugar. Whisk the mixture until fully blended, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the croissant pieces and push down on the croissant with a spatula to ensure all the pieces are soaking into the custard.
  3. Add the blueberries, lemon zest (if using) and drizzle with the maple syrup.
  4. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, or foil, and place in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 5 hours.
  5. When ready to bake, turn oven on to 350 degrees F, allow to preheat then place the casserole in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the casserole top is golden brown (see pics for reference).
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectionary sugar, if using.
  7. Serve with additional maple syrup and a drizzle of cream.

Makes 10 servings.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Eggs, Fish, French Tagged With: , , , ,
19 December 2022 Easy Garlic Confit

Easy Garlic Confit

December 19, 2022 By

I have a jar of this fantastic concoction in the fridge at all times. I typically make it every couple of weeks and use the oil and the cloves in a variety of things ranging from adding to potatoes I’m mashing (see picture below) to simple crostini with smacked cloves and a drizzle of oil to adding to a tomato sauce for subtle sweet garlic taste.

There’s not an actual recipe, add whole cloves to olive oil in a small pot and cook slowly. Couldn’t be easier!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Whole garlic cloves, I use about 40 for this quantity of oil, but lower the count for less oil

Adding cooked cloves to mashed potatoes

Directions:

Heat oil on low in a small saucepan, add the garlic and cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the cloves are soft.

Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to 10 days. I use a mason jar.

Enjoy!

Veronique

Filed Under: Italian, Sauce, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
14 December 2022 Horseradish Cream

Horseradish Cream

December 14, 2022 By

Horseradish cream is fantastic and you need it in your life. That’s all this post should really say. It’s a condiment that’s put together in a couple minutes and goes amazingly well with some many things, including my Reverse Seared Prime Rib.

Whip this up the day prior to using it as it develops its flavors over time, just cover your bowl in cling wrap and refrigerate.

Regarding the horseradish I use, I like the Silver Spring Horseradish brand as it’s fresh and hot. Make sure whatever brand you get, it’s the horseradish that’s refrigerated often referred to as “fresh”, “prepared” or “coarse”. I don’t recommend the kind found on grocery shelves store at room temperature for this preparation.

Ingredients:

  • 5 Tbsp. fresh prepared horseradish, drained
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 6 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (could use lime juice also)
  • ½ tsp. each salt and freshly-ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine and whisk all the ingredients together
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to a day ahead of serving

Yields 1 ½ cups cream.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: American, Sauce, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
9 December 2022 Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

December 9, 2022 By

I spend 20+ years in South Florida and love Cuban food, which is easy to find there and delicious. Since moving north, I’ve not found it in many places, and if I have, it just isn’t the same.

Ropa Vieja

I was so excited when one of the avid contributors to my Food & Wine Chickie Facebook page, Cathy, shared her recipe for Ropa Vieja, one of my favorite Cuban dishes. The dish is named Ropa Vieja as it translates to “old clothes”, a reference to the beef’s shredded/tattered appearance.

While there are many regional variations of this dish, the basic concept of that of braised flank steak with vegetables that’s cooked until the meat’s VERY tender and can easily be shredded. Cathy’s recipe is cooked in the slow cooker, so set it and forget it. In her recipe, she uses green and red bell peppers, but I prefer all red so the below reflects that…and I added garlic, cause everything’s better with garlic. Many remove the carrots before serving, but I like the sweetness of cooked carrots, so they stay in for me.

I serve my Ropa Vieja with white rice and black beans with a nice squeeze of lime. The meat is also AMAZING in tacos and freezes very well for a few months.

Ingredients”

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 – 3-pound flank steak
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, whole
  • 3 bay leaves
  • ½ cup olives with pimiento and ¼ cup of the juice they come in
  • 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
Flank Steak
Ropa Vieja Ingredients

Directions:

  1. Over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil in a skillet.
  2. Season the steak with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Brown the meat on both sides, about six minutes total.
  3. Place the browned meat, then all the other ingredients, in the slow cooker. Cook on high for four hours (of 8 hours on low) or until meat is very tender and falling apart. 
  4. With two forks shred apart the meat into stringy strands.
  5. Serve over white rice.

Makes six servings.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Beef, Cuban, Entrees, Slow Cooker Tagged With: , , , ,
20 October 2022 Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

October 20, 2022 By

At our home, we make soup nearly every weekend when the weather’s cooler. While we have some favorites that we often default to, we also like to try new flavors to change things up.

Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

This week, I did a velvety, stellar carrot, apple and ginger soup that was absolute fall in a bowl.

This recipe is super simple to prepare with just a few ingredients. After simmering all the ingredients in vegetable broth, I puréed the mixture in my Vitamix until perfectly smooth.

The results were outstanding.

Soup Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 4 cups peeled and sliced carrots
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 medium apple, peeled and diced (I used a Granny Smith)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, optional 
Soup Simmering
Soup in Blender

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and warm for 1 minute.
  2. Add the onion and the carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the ginger, the garlic and the apple and sauté an additional minute.
  4. Add the broth and spices and simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Pour the cooled mixture in a blender (could also use a food processor) and purée until very smooth. This may need to be done in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
  6. Pour the soup back in the saucepan over medium heat and bring back to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the cream, if using.

Serves 6.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,
11 August 2022 Aperol Gin Cocktail

Aperol Gin Cocktail

August 11, 2022 By

My foodie pal Justin, who lives in New Jersey, is hilarious and sarcastic in the best possible way and he’s been a constant inspiration in my pursuit of craft cocktail mastery. I’ve been following his posts on Instagram (you must follow him too: https://www.instagram.com/justinelmini/) and recreating some of his libations since the start of the pandemic. The latest drink I’ve recreated of his is what I’m calling Aperol Gin Cocktail.

The Aperol Gin Cocktail is incredibly easy to make and is a fantastic drink to enjoy on a hot summer day and/or by the pool. While Justin serves his version up in a coupe, which is lovely, I served mine in a more typical Aperol stemmed glass over ice.

Aperol Gin Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 ounce Aperol
1 ounce Gin (I use Aviation)
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces sparkling or soda water
Thinly sliced lime for garnish

Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the Aperol, gin, lime juice and simple syrup. Shake hard until the shaker is frosty and too cold to hold (if it’s metal), about 30 seconds.
Pour the drink and the ice into a large stemmed glass and top with the sparkling/soda water and a slice of limes.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , ,
9 February 2022 Quebec Old Fashioned Doughnuts         

Quebec Old Fashioned Doughnuts         

February 9, 2022 By

Growing up in Quebec, many families had their traditional recipes for homemade doughnuts that they would make primarily around the holidays. Some families, especially the large ones, made doughnuts year around as they freeze well placed into freezer bags and can be thawed for impromptu visitors (or just because).

My mom made this giant batch of doughnuts today and I just had to share the yield she gets from that one recipe. These Quebec-style doughnuts, also called croquignoles, are cake like inside and perfectly crunchy from a quick dip in the fryer. The traditional method is to serve these plain or coated in granulated sugar, but the sky’s the limit with the various toppings to add – they’re a delicious blank canvas.

Doughnut Cutter

Check out my mom’s doughnut cutter. The benefit of using this type of cutter is that you also get doughnut holes that you can fry to deliciousness. A 4” in diameter glass would also work, but I’d recommend using a smaller cutter to cut a hole in each doughnut.

Ingredients:

  • 5 large eggs
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 cups whole milk combined with 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ Tbsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 10 cups of all-purpose flour combined with 8 tsp. baking powder (plus extra flour for rolling the dough)
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • Crisco or oil for frying
This is What This Recipe Yields

Directions the day prior to making the doughnuts:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the milk mixture, the salt and the vanilla and beat until combined, 30 seconds.
  3. Add the flour mixture, 2 cups at a time, until fully incorporated – don’t overmix.
  4. Add the butter and blend into the dough until fully incorporated.
  5. Cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Mom and Her Doughnuts

Directions for frying day:

  1. After the dough’s rested overnight, heavily dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. The dough will be quite sticky, so don’t be shy with the flour dusting.
  2. Divide the dough into 2 batches and place one portion onto the floured work surface. Knead the dough until it’s mostly no longer sticky – don’t over-knead as that’ll create tough doughnuts.
  3. Roll the kneaded dough using a rolling pin to about ½ inch in thickness for bigger doughnuts or ¼ inch in thickness for smaller doughnuts.
  4. Using a doughnut cutter (or a glass 4” in diameter), cut doughnuts out of the dough and place them on a wire rack until ready to fry. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
  5. Fill a large deep skillet or pan 1/3 of the way full of either Crisco or vegetable oil. Bring the oil to 375 degrees over medium-high heat.   
  6. Fry the doughnuts in batches so there’s no crowding in the pan. Bring the oil back up to temperature between each batch. Place the fried doughnuts on layers of paper towels to drain, then move to a wire rack to cool.

Yields about 10 dozen doughnuts.

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,
11 January 2022 Easy Pork Schnitzel

Easy Pork Schnitzel

January 11, 2022 By

My husband’s Dutch and loves a good schnitzel. We often make this popular German dish using veal or chicken, but perhaps our favorite version is to use pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin isn’t a cut of meat I purchase often, like its beef counterpart, I just find it too low on fat to produce a juicy, dare I say moist, dish.

Pork Schnitzel

The crunchy exterior and ultra-tender meat are a perfect match for a great schnitzel. I typically serve our pork schnitzel with my Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce and lots of fresh lemons.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pork tenderloin cut into 2-inch-thick portions
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs, I like a mix of regular and Panko
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup vegetable oil for frying
  • Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce
  • 2 lemons, cut into quarters
Prepped Ingredients
Properly Coated Pork
Pork Frying
Pork Schnitzel with Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce

Directions:

  1. Place a pork medallion between two layers of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to ¼ inch thick.
  2. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate.
  3. Place the flour on a separate plate.
  4. Scramble the eggs in a shallow dish.
  5. Warm the vegetable oil in a large deep skillet (I use my cast iron pan) over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. You want the oil hotel so the pork gets crispy and not soggy.
  6. Dredge the pork into the flour to coat, then dip into egg mixture, back into the flour, back in the egg then finally in the breadcrumbs. Lightly pat the breadcrumbs on to ensure a good coating.
  7. Place the coated pork into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pork and cook and additional 3 minutes, or until the pork is browned and crisp. Fry in batches so the pan doesn’t get crowded causing the oil to cool too much.
  8. Serve hot with the Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce lemon wedges.

Makes two generous portions or up to four if you serve the schnitzel with a starch like mashed potatoes, rice or buttered noodles.

Filed Under: Cuisine Type, Entrees, German, Pork Tagged With: , , , ,
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