recipes

Feb

2017

Marty’s Breakfast Omelette

I’m told that one should have two cups of vegetables per day. Cooked. Uncooked. Whatever – just get that two cups into you every day. This second or third hand from some celebrity chef or other. I couldn’t find the source quickly so… – if you know you can leave it in the comments.

I grew up in the 60s so was exposed to the books of Adelle Davis and her philosophies on nutrition and eating. “Breakfast like a King” she says. So, most days my first breakfast(I also like the Hobbit form of two breakfasts when I can) consists of a pretty healthy omelette.

Ingredients:

Three eggs

Zucchini

Green Onions

Mushrooms

Heavy Cream

Hard Cheese(Pecorino)

Salt

Pepper

Different Spices(Berbere or often ‘Whatever’ from AceCurriestogo.com)

Sometimes I will alternate Feta and Spinach for the Pecorino)

Sometimes I add Basil Pesto or Sundried Tomato paste for something a little different as well. The Basil Pesto is great!

Pretty simple really. Sauté the veggies until the onions are, well, sautéed. I mix the eggs with the cream, salt, pepper and whatever spice I feel like that morning and pour over the veggies. Grate the cheese into the eggs while in the pan. Cover and let cook about halfway on a low/medium heat – don’t let cook too fast. Meanwhile oven is on low broil. Once eggs are partially cooked uncover the pan and put in the oven. Keep the light on in the oven so you can see when ready. This will depend on how far along you cooked before placing in the oven. Timing is going to be different for every stove top and every oven. I can usually tell when done by the aroma. Remove from the oven(please use an oven mitt) and serve. You can cover for a minute if you want – sometimes it comes out the pan more easily when you do this.

I garnish with my homemade Peach Chutney or Mango Chutney and usually a bit of hot sauce.

Don’t over cook the veggies before you put the eggs in. Don’t be shy on the cheese. Don’t ever be shy with the cheese.

Oct

2014

Recipe: Stir Fry Lamb

This recipe take longer to tell than to cook.

Ingredients(extremely flexible)

Lamb sausages (pork chops or boneless/skinless chicken will do as well but by far our favourite is lamb)
Fresh green onions
Cherry or some sort of small tomatoes(any tomato will do – something with a lot of taste)
Feta cheese(dry)
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Red pepper
Pasta
Basil
Ground pepper
Olive Oil
Butter
Salt
Turmeric (use very lightly if I’m cooking with chicken instead of lamb)
Mint Sauce(with the Lamb)

I first get a pot of water going for the pasta as it take the longest. Start the other items to time them to the completion of whatever kind of noodles that you are using. Salt the water, add a bit of oil and when boiling throw in the appropriate amount of pasta. Note: This meal is not heavy on the pasta; I essentially cover the bottom of the eating bowl or plate, not heap it.

I get lamb sausages that are already spiced so there is no need to add anything to them. If you use chicken or pork, oil them and season with salt, pepper and basil to taste.

Grill them if you can.

Vegetables: Mushrooms, Zucchini and Red Pepper. Grill if you can or fry. If you fry, wait until everything else is almost done before starting – I put zucchini in longer, then the mushrooms and the peppers for only a minute. Covered. With lots of butter and a little oil(I cook with grapeseed oil a lot). Try not to cook the veggies too much.

If you grill the vegetables as well, then lightly oil and season with the salt, pepper and basil as well.

Garnish: Chop green onions(two or three) into a bowl that you can use for serving. Half the cherry tomatoes and add them(a handful or two). Add a good handful of Feta cheese(I use cow Feta) with a bit of pepper and basil. The Feta I use is pretty salty so extra salt is not needed. Just before you serve, add a bit of good olive oil and stir.

When the meat is cooked, cut into bite sized pieces.

Presentation: I use wide soup bowls(from Ikea) for this dish. Put a small amount of noodles on the bottom of the dish. Add the vegetables(the grilled or fryed) and then the meat. The garnish is on the table and is added as desired. Use a bit of mint sauce if you are using lamb.

This is best served with a decent Chianti.

I think I’ve covered everything here. A very flexible recipe. Use what you have. My garnish though, is pretty much always the same – incredibly refreshing.

Enjoy,

– Martin