Buffalo Chicken Strips with Cilantro Slaw

On 18/03/2012 (Sunday) at 8:04 pm by Benny.
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Details

• Prep Time:
  5 min
• Cook Time:
  20 min
• Ready Time:
  25 min

Ingredients

• Organic Chicken Breast or Chicken tenders if chicken breast cut into chicken strip sizez
• olive oil
• Panko Bread crumbs
• pinch of kosher salt and pepper

Cilatro Slaw

• 2 cups cabbage
• 1 cup Cilantro
• tablespoon Japanese Mayo
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• pinch of kosher salt and pepper

Buffalo Sauce

• 1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce
• tablespoon unsalted butter
• fat free Greek Yogurt

Directions

Start with the chicken strips, coat them with a little olive oil and roll them in some seasoned (pinch salt and pepper)  panko breadcrumbs making sure to press the panko into the chicken. Now into a 425 degree oven for between 15-20 min turn when starting to brown after about 10 min let cook until a golden brown.

While the chicken is cooking put the Franks Sauce and butter into a small pan and melt the butter low heat until incorporated keep warm.

Make the slaw, slice the cabbage and give the cilantro a rough chop. Add to a bowl with the Japanese mayo and rice wine vinegar and mix well. Adjust for your taste more mayo, more Ric Wine etc.

To serve slaw into a bowl, lay the chicken strips on the side and drizzle some of the buffalo sauce on them. Put a dollop of Greek Yogurt in a small serving bowl and put some more buffalo sauce top.

Enjoy!

Benny

Stuffed Squid with Squid!

On 12/04/2011 (Tuesday) at 9:57 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/6yuxzde

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Details

• Prep Time:
  60 min
• Cook Time:
  60 min
• Ready Time:
  2 hour, 0 min

Ingredients

• one pound of squid tubes and tentacles cleaned
• one large onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider optional
• kosher salt and pepper
• olive oil

Tomato Sauce

• 2 cups canned peeled tomatos
• 3 gloves of garlic finely chopped
• kosher salt
• olive oil
• splash of dry red wine

Directions

Start by taking your sliced onion and in a medium heat pan start cooking them in a good amount of olive oil, kosher salt a little sugar and some apple cider. This is gonna take about 45 min but get them so they are almost onion jam. Once done set aside and move onto the tentacles.

Take the tentacles and  do a rough chop on them and add them to the caramelized onion and mix together. Now comes the tricky bit, open up the ends of your squid tubes and stuff that mixture into them until full and seal the open end with a skewer as seen in the photo. Now take your simple tomato sauce that you have prepared and in a baking dish place the stuffed tubes and ladle on enough sauce to just coat all the tubes completely.

Put this is a 350 degree oven covered with foil until the sauce is bubbling and the juices are running out of the tubes about 45 min to an hour. To finish take off the foil and crank the heat to 425 degrees and you will see the sauce start to reduce and caramelize onto the tubes. Once the sauce and the tubes are one take out and let rest for 5 min.

To plate slice up a couple of the tubes and place around the whole ones and garnish with some chopped chives or even some Parmesan cheese. These are a Italian/Spanish (they will fight over this one) treat that just makes me want to think that the squid is just as Nobel as the pig.

NOTE: simple tomato sauce: saute the garlic with some kosher salt and olive oil for a few min then add the tomatoes with a some kosher salt, splash of red wine and simmer for 40 min and cool.

Benny

Healthier Chicken Nuggets

On 11/04/2011 (Monday) at 8:37 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/6h52rst

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Details

• Prep Time:
  10 min
• Cook Time:
  5 min
• Ready Time:
  15 min

Ingredients

• one large boneless skinless chicken breast
• one egg beaten
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Start by cutting your chicken breast into the same size cubes about 1/2 inch square. Now set up one bowl with the beaten egg and one with seasoned panko bread crumbs. Now dip the chicken into the egg wash shake off eccess then into the panko bread crumbs and put on a tray to set for a few min. While they are setting lets make the sauce.

Combine the mayo, mustard and honey and blend well together and keep in the fridge until you are ready. Now there are two ways to cook the chicken, fried and baked. If you fry them correctly there wont be that much more fat than if you bake them and if you use good vegetable oil the fat is not going to be bad for you although it is calories its not hydrogenated fat calories.

Baking Method:

preheat oven to 400 degrees and take some vegetable spray  and give the nuggets a little coating of oil before you put them in. This will make them nicer color and give them a little more moisture. Bake in the oven until golden brown about 10 min. Take out, and serve with the dipping sauce.

Frying Method:

Heat some vegetable oil in a a fryer or a frying pan to 375 degrees and fry until golden brown, drain on a paper towel.

Serve the dipping sauce in a little bowel and drizzle some chili oil for some heat if you like.

Benny

Tuna Melt from Hell!

On 11/04/2011 (Monday) at 1:37 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/3mxt2j7

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Details

• Prep Time:
  5 min
• Cook Time:
  5 min
• Ready Time:
  10 min

Ingredients

• one can of albacore tuna
• one tablespoon good mayo
• one scallion chopped
• teaspoon lemon juice
• kosher salt and pepper

additional

• bread of your choice make it thin and healthy
• sour pickles
• sharp cheddar cheese
• finley crushed red chilies and chili sesame oil

Directions

Start by taking you favorite bread and in a 400 degree oven toast it up take out and set aside. Now for the tuna combine the tuna, chopped scallions, mayo, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and mix together. Slice one pickle and also some sharp cheddar cheese.

Start with the bread and coat it with one even layer of the tuna take it all the way to the edges. Now a layer of the pickle followed by a layer of the cheese. Take some finely grated chili pepper and give it a nice coating on top and into a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted all the way and bubbling a little.

Take out and let rest for a min before cutting it into 4 sections, finish with some hot chili sesame oil and you are in late nite spice heaven.

Benny

Shrimp and Grits

On 10/02/2011 (Thursday) at 6:05 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/4jmmya6

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Details

• Prep Time:
  16 min
• Cook Time:
  50 min
• Ready Time:
  1 hour, 6 min

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, halved lengthwise, and deveined
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits, instant or quick-cooking
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup (about 1/4 pound) sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of hot pepper sauce. Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.

Make the grits in a large heavy saucepan, first bringing 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Whisk in the grits a few handfuls at a time. (They will bubble up initially.) When you have added all the grits, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.

While the grits simmer, get the gravy under way. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in the onion, and garlic and continue cooking until the onion has sautéed , about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and continue sautéing for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and remaining salt and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat while you finish the grits.

When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much of the butter as you wish, followed by the cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like, cover the grits.

Now in a pan quickly sauté the shrimp in butter for about 90 seconds and take out.
To assemble place some of the grits in a bowl or on a plate, add 3 or 4 of the shrimps then top with the gravy and some chives.

Now can’t you just hear your left ventricle slam shut as you mmmmmm yum your way through the dish.

Benny

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About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.

Spicy Scallops with Enoki Mushrooms

On 10/02/2011 (Thursday) at 5:04 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/4epnssq

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Details

• Prep Time:
  10 min
• Cook Time:
  10 min
• Ready Time:
  20 min

Ingredients

• Fresh large diver scallops
• Enoki mushrooms
• Sesame chili oil
• Smoked paprika to dust

Spicy sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 6 tablespoons good Japanese mayo
• ¼ teaspoon sesame chili oil
• ½ teaspoon honey
• Juice of ½ a lime.

Directions

Spicy sauce: mix everything together and adjust to your taste should be made 30 min ahead or night before.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, now take the Enoki mushrooms and make a circular pattern with them on a plate.

Place a large scallop in the middle, now drizzle some chili oil on the mushrooms. Now take a good dollop of the spicy sauce and put on top of the scallop now place in the 475 degree oven and cook until you see the spicy sauce starting to blister and bubble about 3-4 min.

Take out and be very careful the plate will be insanely hot. I use a blow touch to really get that spicy sauce blistered and bubbling but that is an option as long as it’s looking like there is a little blistering your good to go (this also intensifies the flavor).

Finish with some chopped chives or green garlic stems, dust with a little smoked paprika and rocket your taste buds to another planet!

Benny

Step by step in photos here >>

About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.

Mini Elephant Ears

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 8:30 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/5swulhf

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Details

• Prep Time:
  25 min
• Cook Time:
  18 min
• Ready Time:
  43 min

Ingredients

• One sheet of puff pasty
• One cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Teaspoon of dried orange peel
• Honey to coat pastry

Directions

Combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and other flavors you desire together and set aside.
You can also double or triple this as it will keep for next time and can be used for other recipes.

Now take one sheet of puff pastry and roll it out so it’s not so thick but keep it an even square if you can. Now, coat it with an even layer of the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Take one end and start rolling it towards the center, now do the same for the other side until they meet in the middle. Tap the ends to make even and push it together so its nice and tight.
I use those great silicon mats on a baking tray as they work best.
Cut the pastry into less than one inch pieces and lay flat on the tray, don’t crowd them as they will expand and need room for this.
Now drizzle them with honey and any loose sugar that might have come off while you were cutting them and bake on first side at 375 degrees for about 10-12 min. Now you need to turn them over use a good spatula and make sure you don’t touch them as the honey will be bubbling and scorching hot. Once tuned over place back in the oven for about 6 min keeping an eye on them so they don’t get to brown .

Now remove and put on a cooling rack again make sure you don’t touch them they will severely burn you. If you see any that have open up to much you can use a utensil to roll it back up and it will keep that shape when it cools.

That’s it!, these are great, buttery and lovely and should be eaten at every opportunity.

Enjoy,

Benny

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About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.

Thai fish cakes with cucumber relish

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 11:06 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/5wkaeob

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Details

• Prep Time:
  40 min
• Cook Time:
  5 min
• Ready Time:
  45 min

Ingredients

• 16oz cod filet or other white fish
• 2 tablespoons red curry powder
• One egg
• Handful chopped cilantro
• One kaffir lime leaf chopped
• Teaspoon fish sauce
• Kosher salt
• Handful French beans chopped into small pieces

Cucumber Relish:

• 3 Japanese cucumbers skin off, cut in half remove seeds and slice
• One Holland chili chopped or fine slices
• Handful chopped cilantro
• Handful chopped mint
• Small shallot finely diced
• 1/3 cup light soy sauce
• 1.3 cup rice wine vinegar
• One squeeze of lime juice

Directions

Combine everything except the French beans into a food processor and blitz until a smooth paste.
Put into a bowl and add the chopped beans and mix together.

Method:
Take a ping pong size ball of the fish cake mixture and flatten it like a small pancake less than half an inch thick . Once all have been formed put in fridge to set for 20 min while you make the cucumber relish.
Now vegetable oil, hot pan and fry them until they are a nice dark color on both sides.

Serve with cucumber relish on top or on the side.

Enjoy!
Benny

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About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.

Roast Beef Au Jus!

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 7:25 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/4z9tw3l

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Details

• Prep Time:
  5 min
• Cook Time:
  15 min
• Ready Time:
  20 min

Ingredients

• thin sliced Roast Beef can be from leftovers
• fresh mozzarella
• crusty roll

Au jus:

• pan drippings from roast
• splash of dry red wine
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons of Whoshestershire sauce
• kosher salt to season

Directions

Take the pan  with the drippings from your roast and put it on the stove on medium heat. At least 2 cups of warm water ready. Now when the fat starts to bubble stir everything around and now slowly add the warm water and keep stirring until all the little bits have come off the bottom. Now at this point add the Worcestershire,  dry red wine.  put a splash  of wine in and keep adding until you are happy with the taste about a cup is good

Now keep stirring and let it reduce for a bit keep tasting , do you taste a good beef flavor yet, is there enough salt you have reduced it enough if you are like WOW I can taste that beef like a proper Au Jus. Now when you think it is where you want it to be take that and pass it through a strainer to take out all the little bits and make it a nice clean Au Jus or broth.

Benny

Roast Beef with fresh mozzarella and Au jus on crusty roll!

…amazing rich flavor perfect!

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About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.