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Creamy Goat Cheese Soup with Dill and Macadamias

Sunday, September 12, 2021

Tangy, earthy goat cheese, fresh dill and toasty macadamia nuts come together in beautiful harmony. Creamy, cheesy and full of flavour, this soup is a lovely combination of tangy, earthy fresh goat cheese, homemade broth and cream. Goat cheese and dill are such a classic culinary combination and compliment each other so well while rich toasty macadamia nuts add extra flavour and crunch to the soup. It makes an elegant appetizer or a light meal when paired with a couple of slices of keto garlic bread.

2 Shallots, minced
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Butter
500 ml Vegetable or chicken broth
150 g / 1 roll Soft goat cheese, crumbled
100 g Cream
Sea salt
Freshly milled black pepper
2 tsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dill, for the topping
Macadamia nuts, toasted and roughly chopped, for the topping

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic clove. In a large saucepan, saute chopped shallots and garlic in butter until tender. Pour in broth and bring it to a boil. Add in crumbled goat cheese and cream. Cook over mild heat until cheese is melted.
Use an immersion stick and process the soup until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Divide the soup into two bowls. Top with chopped dill and chopped toasted macadamias.

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Ground Beef Stuffed Butternut Squash

Friday, September 10, 2021

One of the best things about stuffed winter squash is that you can customize it to your liking. Feel free to make the recipe your own with whatever you have in your pantry. Use any kind of ground meat you like. Chicken or pork would work great in this recipe! I have tried stuffed squashes, like hokkaido, acorn, buttercup and they were very delicious.

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Chicken Under a Brick with Scallion Salsa Verde

Wednesday, September 08, 2021

Chicken under a brick--this is an effective and easy method for getting chicken skin perfectly browned, cracklingly crisp and its interior juicy and tender, thanks to the combination of the high heat and the downward pressure on the cooking meat from the weights above it. The original recipe is thought to be Italian and use a whole chicken that has been spatchcocked.
Back in ancient times, Roman soldiers had to cook for themselves. They invented a way to roast chicken under a clay dome called clibanus or testum. In order to roast small game or fowl, a heavy, glazed terracotta tile was designed to apply significant weight on the meat cooking under the clay dome (stove top or oven in modern time). You can use a clean brick or two, wrapped in foil if necessary, or a heavy cast-iron skillet as the weight. No brick? no cast-iron skillet? No problem. Fill a kettle with water and use that as the weight. And a 5kg dumbbel would work great too.

4 Chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in
Pink salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Ghee
2 Anchovy fillet, finely chopped
2 tsp Brined capers, drained and finely chopped
1 Garlic clove, finely minced
4 tbsp Parsley, finely chop
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 Scallions or spring onions, thinly sliced

Prepare a large piece of foil and a heavy skillet aside for weighing down chicken. Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.
Melt ghee in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange chicken thighs in pan skin side down, making sure they don’t overlap. Place foil over chicken, then set skillet on top. Cook chicken until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and flesh is almost completely cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Check halfway through to make sure skin isn’t taking on color too quickly and reducing heat to medium if needed.
Meanwhile, combine anchovy, capers, garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix in vinegar, mustard, red pepper flakes, and olive oil, then scallions. Taste and season salsa verde with more salt if needed.
Remove top skillet and check chicken. Using a spatula, release chicken skin from pan and turn thighs over. Turn the heat off and let chicken sit to finish cooking through, about 1 minute.
Spoon some scallion salsa verde onto a platter. Top with chicken with skin side up, and spoon more pesto over. Serve immediately.

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Baby Cos and Crouton Salad with Smoky Tahini Dressing

Monday, September 06, 2021

This simple and easy baby cos salad with crispy onion bread croutons and smoky tahini dressing is perfect as an appetizer or even as a light lunch. If you want to get fancy, top the salad with roasted chicken, steak, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, or chickpeas. The salad is also extremely versatile. It calls for baby cos lettuce, but feel free to use your favorite greens.
While this salad may make the meal, but croutons make the salad. These crunchy bite-sized onion bread cubes taste amazing after soaking up the smoky tahini dressing. However, if you have wheat allergy or on a diet that limits carbs, then use gluten-free bread, or low-carb bread to meet your dietary requirements.

Smoky Tahini Dressing	Salad
90-100 g Tahini 80 ml Water 1 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar 1 small clove garlic, zested or finely minced if not using a blender 1 tsp Maple syrup 1/3-1/2 tsp Smoked paprika 1 tsp Celtic sea salt	1 tbsp Sesame oil (or olive oil) 1 slice Crispy fried onion bread, cut into cubes Sea salt 2 Baby cos lettuce, cut into wedges 2 Spring onion, cut into thin rings 1/2 Sweet red pepper, diced 1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl, and whisk until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt as necessary. Cover and chill until ready for use.
Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan and toast the cubes of bread until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
To serve, place the baby cos wedges, spring onion and diced sweet pepper on a serving plate. Drizzle some of the dressing over. Scatter the croutons over the top and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

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The Difference Between Stovetop and Electric Pressure Cooker

Sunday, September 05, 2021

I, for one, am thrilled that pressure cookers are making a comeback. I recall my mom using it right on top of the stove when I was young, and I had assumed they were an outdated tool. It turns out that not only do they have tons of uses today, but they have been given a modern upgrade.

The traditional cooker is still around, but it has been all but pushed aside in favor of electric options. Is that because these newer cookers do a better job? Are they faster? Or is it just that they are super trendy? Let’s dig in to find out the different between stovetop and electric pressure cookers.

Heat Adjustments: When using an electric pressure cooker, I can easily set it and let the machine do the heavy lifting when it comes to heat settings. It just requires me to choose setting, and then it takes care of adjusting to the correct heat. I can even set it and leave the room while it does the hard work. The stovetop variety does require the home cook to make adjustments manually to ensure that I don’t lose pressure. There is a learning curve involved in getting it just right.
Power: Stovetop models will reach a higher pressure more quickly than their electronic counterpart.
Durability: It is likely that my mom still has that stovetop unit I mentioned because that thing was a champ. They are very sturdy and can last for decades. The electric models may contain plastic components that don’t have a very long life. The aluminum coating may also get scratched by utensils. Though they are newer to the market, some models last only a few years.
Timer: Traditionally, the stovetop variety of cooker does not have a timer included. There are newer models on the market, but most users will need to use a kitchen timer to keep track of cook time. For electronic models, the timing mechanism is included to keep track of cook time.
Size: Electric models are usually stored on a countertop due to their size. The versions that are used right on top of the stove are less bulky and can easily fit in the cupboard with the rest of the pots and pans.

Which Type is Best?

Deciding which type of cooker is right for you depend on your needs. If you are looking for a durable unit that is high in power and can quickly pressurize, then a stovetop model makes sense. They are also good for those who want to keep an eye on the entire cooking process. Kuhn Rikon Duromatic and Zavor DUO models are great options.

They are durable and offer a variety of sizes. For those who are looking for a cooker that adjusts to the appropriate heat and pressurizes without much intervention, then an electric model is a great option.

Those looking for an electric option, AllCookwareFind recommend the Instant Pot Duo Nova or Cuisinart CPC-600. These both allow sautéing and steaming in addition to pressure cooking. They boast built-in timers, are easy to use, and will be a nice addition to any countertop.

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Sour Cream Biscuits with Parsley and Schmaltz

Saturday, September 04, 2021

These sour cream biscuits with parsley are buttery and flaky with a soft, pillowy center. Sour cream adds a rich, tangy flavour, and its acidity helps make the biscuits incredibly tender. However, if you don't have any sour cream on hand, you can also use plain Greek yoghurt or even cream cheese. Rendered chicken fat, aka schmarltz, adds umami-rich, yet not overpowering flavour to the biscuits too. Instead of parsley, you can try scallions, chive, dill, arugula or a mixture of your favourite herbs for these savoury biscuits. The dough should be gently kneaded before being shaped, cut and baked. This allows gluten to develop, giving the biscuits a higher rise, and it also distributes the butter so the biscuits will be flaky instead of dense. The are best served hot or warm, plain or with extra butter or sour cream.

50 g Dark rye flour
250 g White spelt flour
1½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking soda
2 tsp Coconut sugar
1 tsp Kala namak rock salt or sea salt
1 tsp Freshly milled black pepper
50 g Schmaltz-Chicken fat, chilled (or butter)
100 g Chilled unsalted butter, diced, plus 2 tbsp melted (for the topping)
20 g Parsley, chopped
180 g Full fat sour cream, plus more for serving
Flaky sea salt

Whisk rye, spelt, coconut sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add chilled chicken fat and diced butter and toss to coat. Use your fingertips to rub the chicken fat and butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add chopped parsley and toss to evenly distribute.
Create a well in the center and add in sour cream. Using a fork, mix until incorporated and the mixture just begins to hold together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until the dough comes together. Pat the dough into an 8x4" rectangle, about 1" thick.
Working from a short side, fold dough in thirds as you would a letter. It doesn’t need to overlap perfectly. Pat dough into another 8x4" rectangle, then fold dough in thirds like a letter one more time. Pat dough back into an 8x4" rectangle and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 squares for a total of 8 biscuits.
Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking tray. Cover with a plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven 220C/425F.
Brush tops gently with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake biscuits until golden brown, 20–22 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream or more butter.

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Chicharrones Colombian Fried Pork Belly

Thursday, September 02, 2021

Chicharrones are skin-on pork belly, sliced and fried until the skins are blistered and crisp. For this heavenly Colombian styled pork belly I first slow-cooked the meat in water with bay leaf, black peppercorns, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns for 3 hours until very tender, then dry them over night before frying them in the lard until a crackling top and tender, succulent meat are achieved. The best pork belly that I have ever had. I have tried air-frying, oven-roasting, and broiling, but nothing came out as good as frying in lard. If you don't have a slow cooker, then do it on the stovetop with a large saucepan or in your instant pot for 45 minutes.

1.2-1.5 kg Pork belly (cut to 3-4 large pieces)
4 Bay leaf
1 tsp Black peppercorns
3 Star anise
1/2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
Grey celtic salt
Lard for frying

Combine the pork belly, bay leaves, black peppercorns, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns and salt in the slow cooker. Cover with water and leave on high for 3 hours until pork belly slices are tender.
Remove the pork belly from the slower cooker and set on a wire rack. Poke holes on the skin using a toothpick or a fork. Leave to cool to room temperature, then chill, uncovered, in the fridge overnight.
Remove from the fridge and rub the pork belly generously with salt. Melt lard in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add in dried pork belly slices into the oil and deep fry until evenly golden, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the pork belly. Place pork on a wire rack to cool to room-temperature, about an hour.
Heat the lard over high heat. Return the cooled pork belly slices into the saucepan and deep fry for 5 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

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Beetroot Borani with Buckwheat and Feta

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Borani, a common and popular Persian yoghurt dip, can be made from almost any vegetables you like, from eggplant, spinach, butternut squash, carrot to beet. I have a bag of cooked organic beets sitting in the back of the cupboard begging to be used, hence this beet borani. Use fresh beets, red or golden, if have them, just cook beets (steam or roast), and then blend with yoghurt, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor until creamy. Easy, quick and delicious. I paired it with a simple buckwheat salad with Feta topped with a poached egg, but you can use couscous or bulgur instead, or enjoy the dip with flatbread.

120 g Buckwheat
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 Lemon
Salt and black pepper
60 g A mix of arugula and parsley leaves
100 g Feta, cubed
1 Red onion, peeled and diced
250 g Cooked organic beetroot
150 g Greek yoghurt
1 clove Garlic
1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
3 Eggs, poached
1/2 tsp Black sesame seeds
2 tsp Dukkah

Cook the buckwheat following pack instructions, then transfer into a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Season and mix well. Add the mixed leaves, cubed Feta and diced red onion. Roughly toss together.
Place the beetroot into a blender or food processor with the yoghurt, juice of half a lemon, garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Add the ACV to a pan of simmering water. Swirl the water around with a spoon and crack an egg into the centre. Poach for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper on a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
To serve, spoon some beetroot borani into 3 serving plates and divide the buckwheat among the plates. Top with a poached egg. Scatter the black sesame seeds and dukkah over. Serve immediately.

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Search Angie's Recipes

Featured Recipe: 85 Recipes that highlight the beloved humble Pumpkin

Creamy Goat Cheese Soup with Dill and Macadamias

Ground Beef Stuffed Butternut Squash

Chicken Under a Brick with Scallion Salsa Verde

Baby Cos and Crouton Salad with Smoky Tahini Dressing

The Difference Between Stovetop and Electric Pressure Cooker

Which Type is Best?

Sour Cream Biscuits with Parsley and Schmaltz

Chicharrones Colombian Fried Pork Belly

Beetroot Borani with Buckwheat and Feta

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Featured Recipe: 85 Recipes that highlight the beloved humble Pumpkin

Which Type is Best?

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