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Avocado, Cheese and Salsa Puffs May 25, 2014

Filed under: Mexican,Starters,Tarts & Pies,Uncategorized — delishuss @ 9:54 am
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I was looking for a Mexican starter recipe for my friend’s dinner party and came across these on: http://www.averiecooks.com. I cooked them the evening before the party as I knew I wouldn’t have time to prepare them that evening.  You can just pop them in the microwave for a minute or two to heat them up but they are best served straight out of the oven. They tasted really good but I think if I was making them again I would make them with a cheese that melts and goes stringy. Also I used a salsa that had chipotle and black bean flavours and it competed with the flavour of the cream cheese, but would probably work better with a less flavoursome cheese. I’m not the best at baking but these are so simple and require very little technique but the finish product looks impressive.

Ingredients

Makes 18 puffs

2 ripe avocados, mashed (1 tablespoon per puff)

1/3 cup cream cheese or manchego (1 teaspoon per puff)

1/3 cup salsa (1 teaspoon per puff)

3 sheets puff pastry (thawed as per the packet instructions if frozen)

1 egg beaten for glazing

Salt & pepper

 

Method

1. I made these in batches as I only had one baking tray but you can add multiple trays at a time if you wish. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a sheet of baking paper to the tray (s) and spray them with cooking spray to prevent the puffs sticking.

2. Flour your work-top and place your sheet of pastry on top. The original recipe said to roll it out as thinly as possible. I didn’t bother. Flour a sharp knife (stops the pastry sticking) and cut the sheet into 9 squares. you will use 6 squares for the first batch and then the remainder with the next batches.

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3. Spoon a tablespoon of avocado, a teaspoon of salsa and a teaspoon of cheese on a square of pastry.

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4. Top with another square of pastry.

 

20140519_2034135. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal the puffs.

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6. Repeat this process with the remainder of the pastry and filling ingredients. Place the finished pastries on the baking tray.

7.  Brush the pastries with the egg mixture and place in the oven.

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8. Cook the puffs for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and puffed up. Check them 10 minutes into the cooking time just to make sure that they are not cooking faster than the mentioned time.

9. Remove from the oven and serve.  I served 2 puffs per person.

Me

 

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Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip September 28, 2013

Filed under: Chicken,Starters — delishuss @ 3:34 am
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I always order these when I see them on the menu. I have a bit of a weakness for wings. I made these along with the Shredded Chilli Beef as an entrée. It was supposed to be a Mexican themed night. I’ve always associated wings with Mexican food as some of the Mexican restaurants that I have been to had them on the menu. I was curios about their origins so I did a bit of research and they supposedly originate in Buffalo, New York’s Anchor Bar. I was really chuffed with how these turned out.  The recipe for the wings was adopted from: http://americanfood.about.com/od/appetizersandsoups/r/bufchicwing.htm

The blue cheese dip recipe I used was: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/fried-buffalo-wings-with-blue-cheese-dip-recipe/index.html

This recipe served 5 hungry adults

Wings Ingredients

  • 1 kg chicken wings
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

Dip Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 small clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon milk or buttermilk
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix the flour and paprika in a bowl and coat the chicken wings in the flour mixture.
  3. Spray an oven-proof dish with olive oil spray.
  4. Add the chicken wings to the dish and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. 10 minutes before the wings are cooked (they should be starting to brown), remove from the oven and pour over the sauce, ensuring that the wings are fully coated in the sauce. Place the wings back in the oven and cook for the remaining time.
  6. While the wings are cooking make the blue cheese sauce. Pulse the sour cream, blue cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, milk and lemon juice in a food processor until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dip.

 

Vietnamese Beef Salad with a Ginger & Lime Dressing January 21, 2012

Filed under: Favourites,Healthy Eating,Meat,Starters — delishuss @ 9:17 pm
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As it’s January I’m on a health buzz. I nearly caved and got a Indian take-away. Not the healthiest of fast food choices but my conscience (my boyfriend Stephen) steered me away. Thank the maker he did. I had planned to make this recipe this evening and I’m so glad I did. It’s fantastic. This recipe is from Ballyknocken Cookery School. Stephen’s sister in law Sinead went to a Taste of Thailand and Vietnam class so she kindly passed on the recipes. Because it’s for a main meal, I made some fried noodles to go with it. I’ll just tell you before you start the meat needs 1 hour to marinade, just in case you are in a rush. Otherwise it’s really quick to put together.

Serves 6

Salad Dressing:

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fresh lime juice (1 lime)

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chilli, minced

Salad:

Mixed lettuces

Half a cucumber, thinly sliced

18 cherry tomatoes, halved

Half a cup of basil

Marinade:

2 beef fillets

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp medium dry sherry

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 garlic cloved, minced

Method

For the marinade:

1. Cut the beef into 3/4 inch strips. Mix all the ingredients and add to the beef. Refridgerate for 1 hour minimum.

For the salad:

1. Wash the salad leaves and tear into bite size pieces. Prepare cucumber and tomatoes as directed above. Mix the salad dressing ingredients and set aside.

To finish:

1. Add oil to the frying pan and heat until searing. Add beef and marinade and fry quickly on full heat until brown on all sides and still pink in the centre (or to taste).

2. Stand back when you can- you will need to be careful as the pan will “spit” a lot.

3. When the beef is ready, remove immediately from the pan and set aside.

4. Mix half of the dressing with the salad leaves. Divide between plates.

5. Arrange the beef on the plates, resting on the salad.

6. Sprinkle some of the dressing around the plate with a teaspoon.

7. Tear the basil leaves and place on top of the salad leaves.

 

Red Lentil, Red Pepper and Cocunut Milk Soup October 26, 2011

Filed under: Soups and Stews,Starters,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 9:17 pm
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I was over in my friends house and Catherine’s Family Kitchen came on the telly. We only caught the last few minutes of the programme but she was making chilli bread, the details of which I have yet to post. At the end of the programme she re-capped on what she had cooked and she mentioned this recipe. So I looked it up on the Internet and gave it a try. I used a scotch bonnet chilli, let’s just say I should have known better. It really needs to be eaten fresh or do you drink soup, never got that one.

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1½ red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
2cm fresh ginger, grated
½ tsp cumin
2 red peppers, deseeded and diced
100g red lentils
400ml vegetable stock, more if necessary
400ml can of coconut milk

Sunflower oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted desiccated coconut, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and celery and sauté for 8-10 minutes over a low heat until soft.

Add the chillies, ginger and cumin and cook for a further minute.

Add the peppers, lentils, coconut milk and the stock and stir to mix.

Continue to cook until the peppers are soft.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a hand blender, purée the soup until smooth.

Season to taste, adding salt and pepper as required and reheat.

Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the soup to serve.

 

Feta, lentil and sundried tomato salad June 26, 2011

Filed under: Salads and Dressings,Starters — delishuss @ 9:17 pm
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I saw this recipe in a magazine or cookbook some time ago. When I went to try it, I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I decided to wing it and it turned out really well. It would be nice as part of buffet style salad bar.

Makes a big bowl

Ingredients

1  can green lentils

1 red onion, sliced thinly

300g feta cheese, cubed

75g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

5 tbsps balsamic vinegar

squeeze of lemon juice

handful of fresh basil, chopped

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

 

Italian Style Tomato Soup September 13, 2010

Filed under: Soups and Stews,Starters,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 10:28 pm
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This is very simple to make. It’s pretty healthy as well. You would probably get about 6 servings out of this.

Ingredients

1x400g can chopped tomatoes

1 jar passata

1 large onion, chopped

1x 400g butter beans

2x leeks, chopped

2x cloves, garlic crushed

300ml stock

handful of chopped basil

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Fry off the onions and leeks in a lidded saucepan for 2-3 minutes at high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and saute for 3 more minutes. Add in the garlic and stir, fry for another 1 minutes.

2. Add in the tomatoes, passata and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the butter beans and basil and stir. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Season to taste and serve.

This would be great served with the Traditional Soda Bread With Sundried Tomato & Parmesan.

 

Mixed Pepper Melts July 6, 2010

Filed under: Starters,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 2:55 pm
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Serves 4

Time to table:  30 minutes

Ingredients

255g Couscous (Aldi do a good hot and spicy version)

3 red and 3 yellow peppers

4 spring onions

198g cherry tomatoes

170g vegetarian mozzarella cheese or goat’s cheese

A small handful of fresh basil

1tsp red chilli flakes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Fry light

 Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cook the couscous according to packet instructions and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients; halve the peppers lengthways and deseed; finely slice the spring onions; peel and finely chop the garlic; halve the tomatoes; cut the mozzarella into cubes and chop the basil.
  2. Place the peppers on a non stick baking tray cut side up. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, cheese, basil and chilli flakes to the couscous, season well and spoon into the pepper halves.
  3. Spray with Fry Light and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the peppers are soft.

Serve with a mixed green salad.