Stuffed Squid with Squid!

On 12/04/2011 (Tuesday) at 9:57 pm by Benny.
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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

Fried Green Tomato Salad

On 10/02/2011 (Thursday) at 7:31 pm by Benny.
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Details

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

Ingredients

• Red tomatoes any variety sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Green tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Micro greens of your choice
• One beaten egg
• Panko bread crumbs Vegatable oil for frying
• fresh mozzarella ball (large) sliced 1/4 inch thick

Vinaigrette

• one cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

Make the Vinaigrette by combining the Olive Oil, Balsamic and season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Dip the green tomato in the egg wash then the seasoned panko and fry in 350 degree in vegetable oil until golden brown and set aside.

Now assemble starting with the fresh tomato, then mozzarella and follow through as you see it. Finish with a good drizzle of the vinaigrette and go to town. Enjoy this one its light flavorful and good for a fantastic starter or light lunch.

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.

White Bean and Grilled Salmon Salad

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 3:28 am by Benny.
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Details

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

Ingredients

• One small grilled radicchio
• 3 gloves chopped garlic
• One small grilled red onion
• One cup chopped watercress or parsley
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
• 2 cups cannellini beans drained and rinsed to remove the starch
• Grilled 4-6oz salmon filet

Directions

Grill the radicchio, onion and salmon until the vegetables are soft with nice grill marks and the salmon is fully cooked through.

Put the beans in a bowl and chop up the radicchio, garlic, chopped grilled onion and parsley. Now add olive oil the balsamic vinegar and mix adding salt and pepper to taste.

Finally pull apart the salmon into chunks and mixing carefully check for seasoning and enjoy!

Simple delicious and very healthy for you. Enjoy… I can see summer around the corner

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.

Spaghetti Pomodoro

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 3:14 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/6ca65lo

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Details

• Prep Time:
  15 min
• Cook Time:
  65 min
• Ready Time:
  1 hour, 20 min

Ingredients

• 6 oz of fresh of dry spaghetti
• 5 vine ripe tomatoes skinned and seeded or one large can of skinless tomatoes
• 2 cups good extra virgin olive oil
• 12 whole garlic clove
• 2 cups of fresh basil
• Tablespoon butter
• Crushed red peppers
• Kosher salt

Directions

First let’s make the infused oil.
Put 2 cups of olive oil in a pot and add the garlic, crushed red peppers and the fresh basil.
Now let this steep for 45 min at a low heat. You will start to smell the flavors combining and you are basically making an olive oil tea.

Now strain into a jar and you now have amazing garlic basil olive oil which will be good for many dishes.

Ok with that aside take your tomatoes put them in a pot with a little olive oil and kosher salt and using a potato masher crush them as much as you can. The salt will help break them down. Now start to simmer the tomatoes and add about 1/3 cup of that olive oil to it and incorporate it well, let simmer for 20 min and check for seasoning.

Now cook your pasta according to the box and minus a minute off that time, if its fresh it’s going to cook much quicker but I prefer dry pasta as I want to get that nice al dente texture to it.

Now in a pan on medium heat put about 4 oz of that sauce in the bottom and instead of draining the pasta I use tongs to pull it out of the pasta water let it drain a little and put that in the pan as I want some of that pasta water to help thicken the sauce. Now flip the pasta and sauce putting some air into it do this several time, now add a dollop of butter and continue to flip it a few more time.

It’s time to plate, I used a ring mold to give it some height but just place nicely on a plate or bowl and finish with a little olive oil and that’s it! I put a little Parmesan cheese on it or some crushed red peppers…enjoy simple and delicious!

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.

Orange Egg Cinnamon Crepe

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 2:44 am by Benny.
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Details

• Prep Time:
  15 min
• Cook Time:
  30 min
• Ready Time:
  45 min

Ingredients

• 4 eggs beaten
• Cinnamon
• Caster sugar
• One cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• Olive oil

Directions

With a pan at medium heat put a little olive oil in the bottom and let heat up.
Now put a small ladle of the egg and swirl around to cover the bottom with a thin layer of the egg. Once it starts to set sprinkle on tablespoon of sugar on it evenly and a dusting of cinnamon.

Slide out onto a baking dish and repeat with the remaining eggs making sure to add the sugar and the cinnamon on each layer.

Now with the orange juice pour it over the top of the egg stack and put in a 375 degree oven and baste the eggs with the juice as it reduces down to a nice thick syrup about 15 min or so.

Now take out and you can fold it in half and cut into pieces and drizzle some of the orange syrup over it to be rustic or you can do what I did and cut out a round place in a bowl and dust with come icing sugar and with a blow touch Brule the sugar like you would crème Brule.
I finished with some more strands of the eggs and drizzled the orange syrup over the top.

This will be a unique dish to server your guests that’s not high in fat or carbs and simply amazing…give this one a try kids!

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.

Braised Chicken with Tomato, Sausage and Goat Cheese

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 2:01 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/698tbqr

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Details

• Prep Time:
  10 min
• Cook Time:
  90 min
• Ready Time:
  1 hour, 40 min

Ingredients

• 12 chicken drumettes
• Large can of peeled whole tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• One large onion chopped
• Thinly sliced chorizo sausage
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of honey

Directions

Hot pot, olive oil and now brown the seasoned drumettes. Set them aside and add the onions, garlic and chorizo and cook until the onions have caramelized. Keep the chorizo on top of the onions so they steam and their fat renders but they stay soft we don’t want them to crisp up.
Now add the tomatoes and start to break them up. Cook some of the rawness out of them and add the chicken stock, the honey and a few good pinches of kosher salt. Check for seasoning as it cooks.

Now nestle those drumettes back in and make sure they are completely covered and braise on low about 240 degrees in oven or on very low on the stove for about 90 min checking to make sure they are still covered with the liquid. You will know when they are done when the chicken has given off its fat which you will see on top of the liquid. Just skim off any excess you see with a spoon or ladle.

Now to finish uncover and turn up the heat to 375 degrees or medium high on the stove and reduce the liquid until it’s about half or starting to tighten up around the chicken pieces. Be careful checking the sauce as the chicken is very tender and you don’t want to break it up in the pot you want to keep each drumettes one nice piece.

Now to serve carefully remove the chicken and about three pieces a serving is good. Plate so each piece is separate as I have then spoon some of that sauce over each piece. Now finish with some crumbled goat cheese, shaved parmesan and fresh parsley…..voila!

Eat people eat!
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.

Octopus Carpaccio

On 19/02/2011 (Saturday) at 1:16 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/6xxoffo

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Details

• Prep Time:
  25 min
• Cook Time:
  90 min
• Ready Time:
  1 hour, 55 min

Ingredients

• Large Octopus Tentacles
• Extra Virgin olive oil
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Lemon
• Fresh Herbs
• chili flakes

Directions

-First we need to tenderize the Octopus here is the method I use which also infuses flavors into the meat-
The easiest one is to place the octopus in water and let it boil for 2 and one-half hours with the following ingredients : onions, garlic, carrots, and any other vegetables you like in a vegetable, beef or chicken broth. You can also add a couple of wine corks as there are enzymes in them that can help break down the fibers . The flavors permeate the octopus and give it a little lift in its flavor before the next step.

If you have a meat slicer use the setting .05-1.0 for thickness and slice the octopus. If you have a knife try your best to make the thinnest slices you can without tearing the meat. You can also use a mandolin but be careful as you will need to hold the octopus with your hand.
If you have a 4 inch or there around ring place that on a plate and start layering the octopus slices in a circle for about 2 layers overlapping them over each other.

Remove the ring and now it’s time to dress the octopus. Drizzle some good finishing extra virgin olive oil over it followed by some kosher salt squeeze the juice from half a lemon over it and finish with some carefully places fresh herbs and some chili flakes.

Garnish with some lemon slices and serve! What’s good about this dish is it can sit out for an hour and it just get better so it nice for tapas at a get together.

ENJOY!
Benny Doro

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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.

Lemon Basil Risotto

On 18/04/2011 (Monday) at 11:05 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/3z2as9c

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Details

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

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3-1/2 cups simmering chicken stock or vegatable stock
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice add this to the chicken stock before cooking
• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1/4cup basil, julienne
• kosher Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add celery, garlic, and shallot. Cook until shallot is translucent. Add rice stirring constantly and cook 5 minutes more  making sure rice does not brown. Add wine, stirring constantly and let totally evaporate. When wine is evaporated, begin adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition evaporate before adding the next addition.

After fourth addition of stock is added, begin tasting the rice. Rice should be al dente when done as I described earlier outer rice  should be soft and have a little sturdy texture in the center. You will need to keep tasting the rice as depending on the rice, you may or may not have to use all of the stock. Add lemon zest after fourth addition of stock is absorbed.

After last addition of stock is absorbed, remove from heat, and stir in butter, parmesan, parsley, and basil. and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Benny

Tiramisu New Style

On 07/02/2011 (Monday) at 3:57 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/4cwlj3p

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Details

• Prep Time:
  30 min
• Ready Time:
  30 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup good mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons coffee liquor
• One short shot of strong espresso
• ½ cup of strong coffee
• Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup icing sugar
• Good chocolate for shaving garnish
• Lady fingers

Directions

In one bowl combine the mascarpone, coffee liquor, vanilla and strong espresso shot and mix together.

In another bowl mix the heavy cream and icing sugar to taste. Now combine the two and mix together. In another shallow bowl put the ½ cup of strong coffee and quickly roll the lady fingers in the coffee and set aside. Now break up one of the lady fingers and put in the bottom of a martini glass and now lay two more lady fingers on the sides as seen in the picture.

Now fill the glasses up with the cream filling and tap the glass carefully so it settles. Now in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to set. Now take out and shave some good chocolate on top and whola!

Enjoy kids!

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.

Orange Blossom Honey Salad

On 17/02/2011 (Thursday) at 4:20 am by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/4bj3x2d

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Details

• Prep Time:
  15 min
• Cook Time:
  35 min
• Ready Time:
  50 min

Ingredients

• 1 large celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 20 thin slices lardo (about 3 ounces, this is the just fat part of cured ham)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons honey, preferably orange blossom
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Submerge celery, fennel, carrot, bell pepper and zucchini in water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap 1 piece lardo around each shrimp.

Drain vegetables and pat dry. Divide vegetables among 4 serving plates; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer cooked shrimp to plates with vegetables but leave the skillet as is, do not wipe it out. Return skillet to heat, add honey and cook over low heat just until honey is warmed through and viscous.

Drizzle honey over shrimp and vegetables. Garnish with chives.

Enjoy!

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.