‘I like Green Eggs and Ham, I do, I like them Sam I Am’
I definitely think ‘Sam I Am’ was right in his persistence to try Green Eggs and Ham. My Green Eggs and Ham are a tribute to Dr Seuss and all his wondrous, crazy banter. These are absolutely one of the easiest dishes to assemble and will satisfy that salty craving in an instant. Plus, they are even easier to eat 
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Oh wow, this is amazing. I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I decided on a cauliflower crusted pizza for a mid week dinner. I must say I’m glad I did it. I had seen a couple of people mentioning it on the interwebz and I have to say I felt quite virtuous sitting down to my dinner. I’m always looking for lighter, healthier alternatives for some of my favourites and who doesn’t love indulging in a pizza as a mid-week treat. Now you can and it’s all vegetable. High five!
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One of the simple pleasures in life, well in my life, is being able to get a meal together with whatever may be lying around the pantry or in the fridge. This is definitely one of those recipes.
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Two weeks ago, I started training in GAA football (Irish Football) with a team here in Perth. The team is made up of mainly Australian girls with a few Irish thrown in the mix. I was so surprised when I arrived in Australia and learned that the girls team of my boyfriend’s football club were mainly Australian. I shouldn’t really have been too surprised seeing as the team I trained with in Qatar had Australian, English, Irish, American, Scottish etc… What does surprise me though, is the influence that GAA is having throughout the world. So much so, that in September of every year, the GAA hold a Tournament known as the Asian Gaelic Games. Last year it was Seoul and the year before, Hong Kong. My boyfriend with his team flew to Hong Kong in 2010 and played against other Irish living abroad in Asian countries. They even had the pleasure of having a drink with Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. Regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest commentators on Irish gaelic games.
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Over the past couple of months, the WA foodies have been setting up monthly get togethers. Our first date was with Jerry Fraser in Amphoras, the next was to The very aptly named Nomvember and in December we put our glad rags on for a night of delectable degustation at Chez Pierre in Nedlands, Perth.
We were treated to a glass of sparkling wine and some beautiful hors d’ouerve of crab and dill on mini crostini. Our first course was a pumpkin mousse to whet the appetite. Followed by a ceviche au saumon with mango salsa. Scallops with veal ragout, almond foam and spinach purée. Chef Andre then treated us to a surprise course of pea risotto and juicy tiger prawns. A refreshing palette cleanser of mint and cucumber sorbet allowed us to take a break and get ready for the heavier dishes to follow.
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A while back, I went along to a cookery class run by Porcini Restaurant in the Ritz Carlton Hotel here in Doha. The head chef, Alessio Corda used to run the classes on the first Saturday of every month. 11 of us went along to get a sneak peak at some real Italian cooking. I had previously been to one of the cookery classes and loved it so much. We were presented with our aprons and recipe cards and soon got down to business.
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I had been meaning to make pesto for such a long time and when I looked in the fridge to see what my options were, a big bunch of bright, green, fresh parsley was gleaming out at me. I had never had Pesto al Prezzemolo before but surely it would be just as yummy as the traditional basil version.
I got all of my ingredients out, some fresh garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, a dash of olive oil and a big ole bunch of parsley.
Here is how you do it…..
What you need:
150 g Fresh Parsley
50 g Pine nuts
50 g Grated Parmesan
200 ml Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of salt
In a food processor, blend the pine nuts with the garlic and salt.
Slowly add in the parsley leaves and pulse.
When all of the parsley has been added in, drizzle in the olive oil and let the pesto come together.
Mix through the grated parmesan.
Season with some pepper, to taste.
Serve with some antipasti or mix through spaghetti.
Buon Appetito!!!
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Chili con Cacao, sounds good right? Who couldn’t resist this traditional Spanish dish, infused with my very own raw chocolate. Simmered over a low heat for the day and served up with basmati rice, this dish was perfect for the Irish Foodies Chocolate Cookalong. It was my first time experimenting with savoury and bitter sweet and I really enjoyed the flavours and so did my guinea pigs. A little more chili for an extra kick is more than welcome. I was a little apprehensive about using chili and only used 2 red chilis in this but I think that 4 would have given it the desired POW! factor.
Here are the ingredients and feel free to mix it up a little bit. Make a dish your own by adding in your favourite flavours.
500g Minced Beef
2 large onions
3 cloves garlic
2 cans of tomatoes (diced)
4 tspns cumin
1 tspn oregano
2 bay leaves
2-4 red chilis
2 tspns salt
1/2 tspn pepper
2 cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
80g Raw Chocolate
1/2 glass of wine
1 cup of rice
Method
Heat a saucepan with olive oil.
Dice the onions and garlic and add to the pan. Sweat for about 15 minutes.
Add the meat and brown.
Add in the cumin, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper.
Cook for 10 more minutes to release the flavours.
Pour in the two tins of tomatoes.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Tipple in the red wine.
Break in the chocolate and allow to melt.
After draining the kidney beans, throw them in to the pan with the chili.
Leave the chili on the lowest heat and simmer for about 2 hours.
Boil up the cup of rice with 2 cups of water and serve with the chili.
Sprinkle with some cheddar and devour.
I left my chili cooking for 4 hours in total and I feel it needed every second. It had the chance to release and absorb all of the flavours, the meat was tender and the flavours had combined to form a rich and exotic taste.
It was followed by these mini chocolate and rummy cakes. The guinea pigs had a great feast! I’d be lost without them 
Que Aproveche!!!
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I love the combination of garlic and Parmesan, it is a match made in heaven. So, I whipped up this little jem. It’s rich and creamy and the flavours just melt into one another. Perfect after a long day in the office, or in the classroom, in my case. For some extra indulgence, a glass of red wine just sets it off to perfection.
3 chicken breasts
400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, grated
50g grated parmesan
Fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper
White sauce
1 tblspn flour
1 tblspn butter
250ml low fat milk
400g fresh gnocchi
Fry up the chicken in olive oil.
When it is slightly browned, add in the onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Throw in the tin of chopped tomotoes and simmer on a low heat.
In a separate saucepan, heat the butter and flour and whisk to make a paste.
Take off the heat and add in the milk a little at a time until a nice creamy consistency is formed.
Add the white sauce into the chicken and tomato mixture, stir to combine, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the gnocchi into the sauce. Cook for a further 3 minutes.
Tear the basil leaves into the sauce just at the end of cooking.
Butter your baking dish, tip the chicken sauce into the dish.
Sprinkle over some grated parmesan and garlic and pop in the oven for 25 minutes.
Niente di più semplice……. Buon Appetito!!
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Parmesan chicken is a melt in your mouth kind of meal. The flavours blend so beautifully together to create a refreshing and light mouthful!
I wanted to mix the Mediterranean influence of the chicken with something traditional and homely so I thought that Colcannon Mash would go well, and it did!
With a bit of rocket and parsley salad, this meal is perfect for having a few friends over.
Here’s the recipe…. I hope you like it
For the Parmesan Chicken:
6 fresh chicken fillets
150 g Breadcrumbs
60g finely grated parmesan
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 tspn lemon zest
For this recipe, you will need to start by flattening the chicken fillets. You can use either a rolling pin or an empty bottle of wine and cling film. I used a bottle of wine and pounded the chicken until it was nice and flat.
To make the crust, mix the breadcrumnbs, grated parmesan, chopped parsley and lemon zest together in a bowl.
Beat the 2 eggs together in a separate bowl.
Dip each chicken fillet into the egg, shake off any excess.
Lay the chicken fillets into the breadcrumbs one at a time, ensuring total coverage on both sides.
Leave to set on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
Heat up a wide based frying pan with butter and a dash of olive oil.
Place each fillet into the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes on either side.
I put the cooked chicken fillets into a baking try and popped them in the oven for 10 minutes before serving.
Colcannon mash:
8 medium sized potatoes
250ml fresh milk
1 head savoy cabbage
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
salt
pepper
butter
Boil up the potatoes, leaving the skin on.
When the potatoes are almost cooked, drain off some of the liquid and put back on the heat to finish cooking.
Peel the dark leaves off the cabbage and place in a saucepan with a little water on a low heat. Cook for 7 minutes.
Put the milk in a saucepan and allow to come to a low heat for a few minutes, without letting it simmer.
Peel the skins off the potatoes. Mash the potatoes and add in the milk and a tablespoon of butter.
Mix in the cabbage and spring onions.
Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste.
Serve up the Colcannon Mash with the Parmesan crusted Chicken.
A side salad of rocket, parsley and a few shavings of parmesan with some balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice dressing goes really nicely with this meal too.
Filed under Bites and Delight
Irish foodie exploring the world. My current location: Ballymaloe Cookery School, Co. Cork
