Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Lamb Shank in Tomato, Onion and Eggplant Sauce

Ingredients:
  • lamb shanks x 2
  • cherry tomato x 1 pint
  • crushed tomato x 1 cup
  • red onion x 2 roughly chopped
  • garlic x 4 cloves
  • eggplant x 1 chopped in rings and then in half
  • herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley
  • red wine vinegar x 3, 4 tbsp
  • chili flakes x as much as you want
  • salt and pepper
  • feta cheese x 1/4 cup
Marinade:
  • garlic x 3 cloves chopped
  • shallot x 1 chopped
  • red wine vinegar x 2 tbsp
  • olive oil x 5 tbsp
  • herbs:  thyme, rosemary, parsley

Marinate the shanks overnight, then cook it slowly in the oven on 300F with onion and stuff and serve on top of some mashed potato!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Orange Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
  • butter x 125 grams (1 stick)
  • coco powder x 3-4 tbsp
  • salt x 1 pinch
  • vanilla x 1 tsp
  • baking powder x 1.5 tsp
  • all purpose flour x 1 cup
  • brown sugar x 3/4 cup
  • orange juice x 2 tbsp
  • orange zest x 1/2 tbsp

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Mix egg and vanilla, until frothy. Mix butter, sugar, zest of 1 orange well. Mix with the egg mixture. Then sift flour and coca powder. mix well. Add a pinch of salt and baking powder. Mix until very smooth. Pour into a buttered and flowered baking pan. bake for 40 to 50 mins or until a tooth pick comes clean.  Take out and cool on a baking rack.

Filling/Icing:
  • butter 30grams
  • crushed pecan 1/4 cup
  • icing sugar x as much as you fancy
  • dark chocolate x 150 grams
  • orange juice x 2 tbsp
  • orange zest x 1/2 tbsp

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Mix in the sugar and pecans. Slice the cake vertically. Fill in the middle and put the halves on top of each other. Pour the extra filling on top of the cake. Let it cool in the fridge for an hour.

Orzo Salad

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France


198 East 21st Ave, Vancouver
http://www.chocolaterienouvellefrance.ca/

Meatball Pasta Sauce


Ingredients:

Meatballs:
  • good quality ground beef x 0.7 lb
  • good quality ground pork x 0.3 lb
  • garlic x 3 cloves crushed
  • dried chili flakes x 1 tsp
  • dried oregano x 1 tsp
  • dried rosemary x 1 tsp
  • grated Parmesan cheese x 1 tbsp or more
  • egg x 1 large
  • salt x 4 tsp
  • peppercorn x 3 tsp
  • lime juice x 1/2 tbsp
Sauce:
  • onion x 1 small chopped
  • garlic x 1 clove chopped
  • oregano x 1 tsp
  • red wine x 1 glass (chose a wine that you enjoy drinking)
  • crushed tomato x 1 big can
  • basil and cilantro x a handful chopped

Mix all the meatball ingredients very well. Massage the mixture with your hands. Shape into small balls (wet your hands using cold water to shape them easier). In a large skillet, fry on medium heat until all sides are browned. Put aside. On the same skillet, add onion and then garlic and saute for 2 minutes, add oregano, then add red wine and deglaze the pan. Let it reduce to its half, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add fresh herbs. Return the meatballs to the pan, coat with the sauce and let it simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve with tagliatelle or fettuccine. Garnish with a few small basil leaves and shaved Parmesan.