Cherries Cheesecake

Recipe Ingredients:

• 300grs well matured cherries
• 250grs mascarpone cheese
• 200grs sugar
• 8-10 digestive biscuits
• 2 soup spoons of butter
• optional, cherry liquor + a little vanilla essence
  

Preparation:

Put in a pan the cherries chopped + the sugar, boil it as if you were going to make jam, but you turn of the stove one step before it becomes jam, as you just want a delicious fruit compote, and then let it cool down completely.

Meanwhile place in a bowl the finely crunched digestives, the butter and half of the cherries liquor, mix all very well. Once well mixed place them in the container you wish to make the cheesecake spreading it evenly throughout the base and press firmly down with the base of a drinking glass.

Next step is to get another bowl and place there the mascarpone two thirds of the cooled compote and the remaining cherries liquor, mix all very well in a folding motion, and place the mix on top of the previously laid biscuits spreading it evenly....finally place the remaining compote on top of this in a circle smaller than the circumference of the cheesecake, and with a stick go around the circle line twirling circles over this one to get the same effect, or do it your own way hehe!!...it wil taste the same.

Finally refrigerate for a minimum of one hour and serve it with very strong black coffe for a treat. Bon Apettit!!

Salmon with Philadelfia and Caremalized Onions En-croute

Beautifull en-croute, made with salmon and a topping of caramelized onions and Philadelphia cream cheese.

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 1 skinless and boneless salmon fillet (I purchased it with skin and removed it after as is cheaper this way)
  
• 1 packet of puff pastry (I purchased it already rolled, as I didn't want the trouble to make it myself)
  
• 1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
  
• 2 tomatoes sliced
  
• 2 minced garlic cloves
  
• 21/2 a shot of Port Wine
  
• 2 Heaped soup spoons of Philadelphia Cream cheese (or similar)
  
• 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  
• a little salt, black pepper and virgin olive oil
  
• 1 egg yolk to brush the pastry
  

In a frying pan put a little olive oil and once hot add (salt and pepper), onion and garlic. Let them cook until they caramelize well, when this happens add the port wine, cook for another minute, remove from heat and leave to cool.

After cooling add the two tablespoons of Philadelphia over the chopped parsley and stir until it becomes consistent. Place the fillets of raw fish over the pastry (add a little salt and pepper on top), spread fillets with cream cheese and onion, put on top of the slices of tomato.

Now lift the flaps of the pastry covers the fish but do not completely cover it, use the excess of the ends of the wrap to make the strips to put over, these will not let the dough open more when cooking (see photo). Press the edges with the teeth of a fork and brush the dough thoroughly with the egg yolk. insert it in the hot oven (200 degrees C) for 25 minutes, and is ready to serve.

The vegetables are just boiled, I used as you can see, round beans, carrots and potatoes. You can use the same or even cauliflower, broccoli etc. You can also quickly after boiling the vag sauté them for one minute with butter on a frying pan then sprinkle some chopped parsley and a little lemon juice.

For the sauce puts the milk in a saucepan with the nutmeg, butter plus a dash of salt and pepper. Once it boils, mix the wine with the flour premixed, and stir until it thickens, finally add the chopped parsley and is done, pour over the vegetables. Bon Appetite

Tagliatelli a la Rico

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 or 3 very hungry ones)

• 400grs mixed tagliatelle egg and spinach
  
• 1/2 can of black olives (cut in halves) roughly 120gr +or-
• 12 cherry tomatoes (cut in halves) with skin
  
• 1 courgette (cut in small cubes)
• 4 spring onions (cut in slices)
• 1 garlic clove minced
  
• 1 lid of nice balsamic vinegar
  
• 1/4 fresh cream
  
• 2 soup spoons of grated cheddar cheese
• 1 coriander bunch (finely chopped)
• sufficient, salt, black pepper and olive oil
  

From beginning to end it only took me 15 minutes to complete this meal. Put a pan with boiling water on the stove + a little salt and oil (tip, the oil prevents water from foaming up as well as it keeps pasta separated after cooked, rather than clumping up, I learnt this from the age of 9) in there put the pasta cooking.

Wile the pasta is cooking put a Wok on the stove, and in it add a little olive oil enough to cover the bottom, heat it up and as soon as fumes start coming out of it, add in there the following vegetables, courgette, spring onion and garlic + seasoning (salt and B pepper). Let these ones cook for around 3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the tomatoes and onion + a the balsamic vinegar, and continue to stir for a further 3 minutes.

To that now you add the fresh cream and the cheese, and stir for a further 2 minutes, add to it now the drained tagliatelli, give it a few more turns, than switch the fire of on the stove and throw in the coriander, giving it a few more turns to mix it in well, then serve and (optional) you can add extra B pepper and or Grated dried parmesan cheese...And have a nice quick healthy cheap meal.

Caramelized Onions and Garlic Cheese Omelette

Who doesn't know how to make an omelette...the answer would be no one, as everyone knows how to make them, but the most important is the the contents (fillings) same as a person, as is what is inside a person that counts (their personality) same goes for the omelette, the fillings are it's personality, so make them good.

However simple it may be, this one is one of the best tasting omelettes I've made, and as such I wanted to share this with my followers. As to the potato wedges, there several recipes previously posted on how to make these, look in my previous postings or search for the keyword "wedges" in the labels.

Receita em Portugues AQUI


Recipe Ingredients: (1 person)

• 2 big eggs (mixed in a bowl)
  
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
  
• 3 soup spoons full of cubed cheese (I used cheddar and cut it into very small cubes)
  
• a little olive oil
  
• salt and black pepper to taste.
  

Place a non stick frying pan on the stove with a little olive oil, temper it with sea salt and black pepper, once hot add the onion and garlic, always stirring let them go golden brown virtually caramelizing them, (both the garlic and the onion will get a specific sweetish taste, which is beautiful) at this stage remove them from the fire, and pour them inside the mixed eggs , and stir these well.

Put the frying pan back on the stove with a little of olive oil, and once hot pour in the mixture of eggs and onions, at the start stir it as if you were going to make scrambled eggs, but as soon as it starts to dry stop mixing, as to achieve a perfect omelette it must be (a little) moist inside. Leaving 2 centimetres from the edge on the pan, lay a line of cheese cubes across the middle of the omelette, and then with a teflon spatula fold one third of the omelette back into it's center and do the same from the oposite side, let it cook for 1-2 minutes and once that is achieved flip it over letting it cook for another 1-2 minutes, after this it is ready to serve and eat, when you cut the amelette in the middle should be moist and the cheese should ooze out yumyum!!


You can serve it with what to want, I made potato wedges, you can use salad, rice and/or any other combinations that you may like. Bon appetit.
These eggs that I used were given by a friend who has hens and liked my blog so the eggs are free range and organic (super fresh), my friend's name is Manuel. Today some friends also gave me a wonderful fish which I will cook soon, but for now I have more surprises for you coming soon. xx

Potato and Mushroom Halloumi Grattin with Sticky Pork Ribs / Crumed Garlic Chicken / Fish Cake

Receita em Português AQUI

Another simple yet effective recipe, very tasty indeed, if I may say so, and the accompaniment is so versatile that goes with many things, some of which I listed here, the rest is up to you. Above you can see the Potato and Mushroom Halloumi grattin, bellow are the sticky ribs YUM!!!

Recipe Ingredients: (grattin, feeds 4 people)

• 1kg potato red skin (washed and thin sliced)
  
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  
• 300grs Large open mushrooms (sliced)
  
• 200grs cheddar cheese (grated)
• 200grs Halloumi cheese (thinly sliced , about 1/2 cm thickness)
  
• 1/2 glass full fat milk
  
• (optional) few bits of butter
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• salt pepper and olive oil (to taste)

Place a pan with boiling water on the stove, and put the sliced potatoes in, once it reaches boil again let them cook for 4 minutes. While that is doing you can pan fry with a little olive oil the mushrooms and 1 garlic clove (minced), and once that is that do the same to the onion and another garlic clove (minced).

You then assemble the dish for the oven, after draining the potatoes, one by one cover the bottom of a pirex dish, then scatter covering those potatoes with the onion, followed by the mushrooms. On top of those pour half of the milk you have in the glass evenly throughout the whole area, and then the grated cheddar, follow that by a little seasoning salt and pepper, and layer another section of potato slices using the remainder of the potato, once that is done pour the remaining milk evenly to cover all area and position the Halloumi to be well spread over al of the potatoes (see picture). Then goes in the oven for 30 minutes at 180c.

For the pork ribs, make sure when you buy these that they are quite meaty, but they also must have a little fat, as they helps with being tender when cooking.

Recipe Ingredients: (ribs enough for 2)

• 400-500grs pork rib rack
  
• 2 soup spoons of ketchup
  
• 1 soup spoon of condiment of mustard (or American style mustard)
  
• 1 tea spoon of smoked paprika
  
• 1/2 tea spoon of chilli powder
  
• 1 soup spoon of smoky BBQ sauce
  
• 1/2 orange in juice
  
• 1 soup spoon of denmerra sugar

Mix all the ingredients (apart from the pork rack...lol) to form a basting and sticky sauce. Brush it on both sides of the rack, once that is done place the rack in the oven at 180c for 30 minutes (so you see this will cook at same time as the potatoes), however set a timer every ten minutes of those thirty for you to brush more sauce on the rib rack, so you get to brush it 3 times in all and I want you to (by the last brushing) use all the sauce. that will make the ribs very nice tender and sticky, obviously tenderness of the ribs will also depend on the quality of pork. YUM!!

The chicken is just some rests I used to not go to spoil, basically I de-boned a couple of leg/thighs and took the skin off, tempered them with salt lemon and garlic, and let them marinate for 30 minutes before I started the whole coking. Then I pass them through flour (mixed with garlic granules and pepper), and some egg (mix) and finally through bread crumbs. And deep fried these until golden brown (see picture)

The fish also a rest of fish, weigh it and boiled the same weight of the fish in potatoes. So 50% fish 50% potato, mashed the potato and minced the fish, mix the two together, adding an egg yolk some seasoning and some parsley chopped, once well mixed I beat the egg with to peak and folded that into the mixture, formed some cakes pass these through flour, and then egg (mix), finally bread crumbs and deep fried, same as the chicken...well YUM!! again,,, you can top it up after fried with a little lemon juice, and some tartare sauce if you like... have fun...you can use many more left overs. If you ever have difficulties thinking what to do with left overs asked I might be able to help....lol

Smoked Fish and Prawns in a Pasta and Cream Grattin

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 large courgette cut in half and then in stripes.
  
• 6 carrots with skin (well washed, thinly sliced)
  
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  
• 3 garlic cloves (two minced, one crushed)
  
• 300mls double fresh cream
  
• 150grs grated cheddar
  
• 800grs pasta (use a mixture of two nice ones, different types)
  
• 400grs smoked filet's like haddock or another smoked fish( skinless and boneless cut into little cubes)
  
• 250grs fresh uncooked king prawns skinless (cut in half's)
  
• 2 soup spoons of butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• a little olive oil
  

Easy recipe to make. Place a large frying pan on the stove and a deep pan with water salt and the crushed garlic to cook the pasta, once the water is boiling add the pasta, leave it cooking for 10 minutes, while on the frying pan ad a glug of olive oil, and once hot add the two minced garlic, onion, courgettes, carrots and seasoning (salt and pepper to taste), stir these frequently until the onion and carrot are half cooked, at this stage add, the butter and then once melted the fresh cream, wait now until the cream starts to bubble, and at this stage add the cut smoked fish, reduce the fire to medium and let it simmer for 3 minutes, lastly add the prawns and let it simmer a further 3 minutes.

Get a couple of large Pyrex, cover the bottom with some of the boiled pasta (half) dividing equally between the both. After that split the sauce into two parts reserving a little liquid with veg bits, put each of those two parts over the bed of pasta, and then cover the sauce with another layer of pasta on each dish until all the pasta has gone, now pour half of the reserved liquid evenly over the pasta of both dishes and over that the grated cheese over the two trays (for more cheese flavour you may add some grated Parmesan "optional") season a little salt and pepper and goes in the oven at 200c for about 15 minutes, well ...until golden brown on top to your liking, this serves 10 people easy. At least that is how many ate this at my house, and to be honest they all loved this dish, so hope yours like it too, if your people eat a lot make this dish for 8. Luv ya ...and thanks for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment.

Mange Tout and Spinach Spaghetti

Receita em Portugues AQUI

My wife arrived home and due to circumstances she was only able to get herself and my son something to eat, so I was left to fend for myself.

So I looked in the fridge gathered a few old things and asked the Chef's inspiration Gods to help me..... What I found was some old "mange tout" in the veg compartment, I remembered I had some frozen spinach portions in the freezer, but I was feeling like having pasta...after a short moment of indecision I further looked into the fridge and I found an old piece of cheddar cheese that was nearly dried... and "ping" it just popped into my head. So without further a due.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion (finely chopped).
• 1 garlic clove (finely chopped).
• 1 soup spoon full of butter.
• 1 glass of milk.
• 5 portions of spinach (or if you using fresh about 100grs finely chopped).
• 1 soup spoon of plain flour diluted in a little water.
• 2 soup spoons of cheddar cheese (if you want more flavour add a tea spoon of Parmesan too).
• 200grs of spaghetti.
• 1/2 tea spoon of paprika
  
• 1 little bunch of dill (finely chopped).
• a little olive oil.
• salt and black pepper to taste.

So simple yet so tasty, I know is very green so not much in the colour but what you cannot see is the textures that this dish creates and enables you to feel, not to mention taste.

Boil the pasta this will take about 10-12 minutes, more than enough time to do the sauce. On a frying pan put a glug of olive oil and once hot add the garlic and the onion, let them fry until the onion is translucent, at this stage add some pepper, salt and the mange tout, stir fry it for about 3 minutes then add the milk. Let it heat up until the milk starts bubbling, now put in the spinach, butter and half a tea spoon of paprika, letting this simmer until the spinach melts completely and blends with the milk (for fresh spinach this will take less time). Now add the diluted flour and the cheese (or cheeses), continuously stir should get nice and thick (ish) add the dill now and dish it over the spaghetti.

When you eating, you get the most amazing crunchiness from the mange tout and the softness from the cream and the spinach, it is quite delicious too. Enjoy.

Roasted Pork Loin with Loaded Goats Cheese and Dill Skins

Receita em Portugues clique AQUI

This is definitley a treat for all my followers and visitors.

Ahhh!! Dill and (French) Goats Cheese, as soon as I saw this I had to use it, especially in view that the previous day I had roasted a pork joint to eat today and I still didn't know what to do as an accompaniment so I decided for loaded skins, but I didn't want to do the traditional Bacon and cheese, as everyone normally does that.

So this is really two recipes, one short and longer, the pork joint no recipe is needed. As for that all you need is a pork joint from any main supermarket and you unfold it and rub in and on it a
paste made of: (a bunch) coriander + garlic (2 cloves) + sea salt (1 soup spoon) + ground black pepper (1 tea spoon) + chili powder (1/3 tea spoon) + a little olive oil.

After that is done let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, then stick it in a preheated oven to 130c for about 1 hour, remember should be in a small container as the juices will further help it cook, also slow cooking is imperative as this will leave meat more tender.
After initial cooking I left the meat rest from one day to the other, and then blasted it for 15-20 on a 200c oven the crackling goes very crispy as you want it to be, so prior to cooking diamond scoring is important too. See picture bellow.

The potatoes now they were just outta this world, and I am not one to brag, actually I invited my sister for dinner and she normally eats very little but not this time.



Recipe Ingredients:

• 150-200grs of "French" Goats cheese
• 1/2 glass of cream
• 1/2 glass of milk
• 2 soup spoons of butter
• 1 bunch of dill
• about 1kg of potatoes (red)
• salt and pepper to taste

Roast the potatoes it will take about 1 hours 200c, once done cut the potatoes in halves with a spoon scoop the potato interior from each half into a bowl, leaving virtually just the skin.

Mash the potato with a masher and throw in the goats cheese in bits and the butter also seasoning (salt and black pepper to taste), give it a stir the goats cheese should melt as the potato is hot and will start going very thick now throw in the rest, the dill, the milk and the cream (double is best) and stir it all very well.

Spoon the mixture back into each potato and on the top sprinkle a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper, put it back in the oven for 15 minutes more 200c and it is done.
See, when you put the potatoes in for the 15 minutes it is at this time that you can reheat and cook the crackling of the pork as previously mentioned, as this way both things are ready at the same time. DELICIOUS really is.
You will notice I also cooked some halves, corn-on-the-cob with a little melted butter on top they were great too.

Charlotte and Mushroom Penne Pasta Gratin

Receita em PORTUGUES clique AQUI

This was a quick and easy recipe I made to make use of some Charlotte onions that I had in a bag and needed to use before getting spoiled.... ***WARNING**** Very easy and cheap to make.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 20 Charlotte onions (remember these are small onions, pealed and cut in halves)
• 10 medium mushrooms (halved and sliced)
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 piece of fresh ginger minced (the size of two garlic cloves)
  
• 2 large carrots (half and sliced very very thinly)
  
• 1 plum tomato tin (chopped)
  
• 2 soup spoons of tomato paste (in a little water)
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 soup spoon of butter
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a pinch of salt and black pepper
• 2 soup spoons of plain flour dissolved in water
• 4 soups spoons of grated cheese + 3 soup spoons of grated cheese (any mature cheddar will do)
• a soup spoon of oregano
• 400grs of penne pasta (other durum wheat pasta will do)
• 5 soup spoons of olive oil
  

It looks like quite a lot of ingredients but really isn't and is really easy and cheap winter food.
Put a pan of water with a little salt and a soup spoon of oil on the stove till is boiling, them put the pasta in and boil until cooked "al dente" which should be around 10 to 12 minutes, once done let in drain in a colander.

Now you need to make two sauces, a bechamel and a tomato one. Start by the tomato one as takes longer. So in a pan on the heat pour the 5 spoons of olive oil the pinch of salt and black pepper plus the minced garlic and ginger, let these cook until golden, as soon as that happens add the onions and the carrots, continue cooking stirring occasionally until the onions are semi transparent, at this stage add the mushroom the tomato tin the tomato paste in a little water, and let this all cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Five minutes before the tomato sauce is done start doing the bechamel and start preheating the oven to 200c. To make the bechamel sauce put on another pan the milk the butter a pinch of salt and black pepper plus the pinch of nutmeg, wait until very hot by this time the butter has melted, add in one go the flour that you previously fully dissolved in some water, always stirring so that it doesn't get lumps, once it thickens add the 3 soup spoons of grated cheese, this will thicken the sauce even more.

Now compose the dish by pouring the pasta into the tomato sauce , mix well, then pour this into a large Pyrex tray, smooth it down with the back of a serving spoon, then evenly pour the bechamel sauce over the tomato and pasta, so that it evenly covers the whole of the pasta, over this with your hand sprinkle the remaining grated cheese, and finally on top sprinkle the oregano and grind some black pepper. Stick this in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown on top and serve.

this is a lovely vegetarian dish I invented years ago but is always popular in my house, for meat eaters just add a side of plain grilled chicken breast with some melted butter, lemon juice, garlic and parsley poured over the chicken. (or fish well whatever you want :) )

Cheesy Meat Balls

Receita em Portugues clique AQUI



I needed to make something fast the day before yesterday as we were all hungry and I had left it too late to cook dinner as had been working on making a menu on a PC for a friend and time passed very quickly, so I decided on a traditional recipe and added a little surprise inside.


Recipe Ingredients:

• 500grs minced beef
• 60grs bread crumbs (I used old bread and crumbed it)
• 1 egg (medium)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tea spoon chilli powder
• 1 large onion
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• a little bunch of parley
• 600grs rice
• 2 bay leafs
• some olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Some cheddar cheese
• 2 soup spoons of tomato paste
  

This recipe was very fast and very easy to make, is not fattening at all and the garlic and chilli help the blood circulation, and at this time of the year I suppose it is welcomed, also was very cheap to make.

For the rice just put it in boiling water with a crushed garlic clove inside and a couple of spoons of olive oil and salt to taste, after 10 to 12 minutes is cooked depending on the rice you using (I like basmati) once cooked rinse it in a sieve with boiling water and drain it ready to plate.

For the sauce I chopped the onion very finely and the remaining two garlic cloves one to add to the mince the other for the sauce. The meat balls were made as follows, I put the mince in a bowl adding to it the egg (whole) the bread crumbs, one spoon of the chilli powder, one garlic salt and pepper to taste, and mixed all with my hands until was all blended in, then I cut the cheese into little squares and making a little disk in my hand with a portion of the disk mixture I placed the cheese square in the middle, folded the meat around and rolled it into a ball and set it aside until all the meat was spent.

Then in a pan I put some olive oil, let it get hot and added the chilli, onion (diced), bay leafs, garlic, and the meat balls swirling the pan around from time to time until the balls were sealed (you can see this as they turn from red to brown) at this stage I added the tomato a small glass of water and the tomato paste, I let this cook for 20-30 minutes, obviously only started making the rice 10-12 minutes before the rest was ready, so all comes out at same time, and on the last 1 minute of cooking of the balls I added the parsley chopped. As simple as that.

Now you can use spaghetti if you prefer, I do but the family wanted rice and I had to go with the majority.

Meat Loaf with Cheese and Courgette

Recipe Ingredients:

• 500grs of lean minced beef
• 4 dried toast slices (made into crumbs) or 4 soup spoons of bread crumbs
  
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 pinch of chilli powder
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (good quality)
• 1 egg (large)
• 8 large potatoes
• 6 slices of ham
• 3 slices of cheese (Gouda or mozzarella)
• 1 courgette
• 1 onion
  

Cut the potatoes into cubes and parboil them, following that drain them until dried.
While that is happening place the mince in a bowl add one garlic minced the egg the bread crumbs and half of the parsley (finely chopped) salt and pepper to taste and the pinch of chilli powder, blend it well with your hands. Once all well mixed spread it over a large chopping board into a square shape about 2-3 cm deep, slice (very thinly half of the courgette) and lay it on top of the mince to cover the whole of it, then layer the ham to cover it too, and finally lay in the middle the three cheese slices, with the help of a spatula roll it up into a torte shape, then insert it inside a foil parcel put it in a tray and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes (gas mark 200), once that is done to brown the top open foil and cook for a further 10 minutes. As to the potatoes there is two ways you can do them, deep fry them and drain them or (my preferred way) drizzle some olive oil over them and bake them in the oven (about 20 minutes) obviously add salt and pepper to taste previously.
Now while meat is cooking, chop the onion finely and the remaining garlic, and pan fry them until the onion is translucent, add to this the courgette and the tomato (tin) let it cook for a further 10 minutes and add the parsley at this stage and salt and pepper to taste.
plate composition slice the meat loaf (a couple of slices per plate) and serve this with some cubed fries and poor a couple of tomato sauce spoons over the fries, it is just delicious. See picture bellow.