Green bean salad

It's been ages since I posted, so here's a quick recipe which I'd already typed up.

This salad is very easy, quick and delicious. And if you always keep green haricots verts in your freezer, you can always serve an easy healthy accompaniment with you meal.

Green beans (fresh or frozen)

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Toasted sesame oil

Soy sauce

Lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Boil the beans until just crunchy (don’t let them go totally limp).

Drain. Season with above ingredients.

Rice pilav

This is rice like my mother taught me.

For 4 persons

1½ cup basmati rice
2 to 3 Tbsp oil
1/4 thin vermicelli
Black pepper
2½ cups chicken broth

- Soak the rice in boiled water (anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on how much time you have).
- After soaking, rinse the rice in plenty of fresh water (until the water runs almost clear) then let it drip in a colander.
- While the rice is dripping, heat the oil in a pan on medium and add the vermicelli (if it looks like a nest when you buy it, just crush it in your hand). Keep stirring until the vermicelli turns light brown. Watch it closely, as it takes only a second for it to turn from done to burnt.
- Add the rice to the pan, and stir to coat all the rice with oil.
- Add plenty of freshly ground pepper.
- Keep stirring for a few minutes until the rice becomes almost transluscent.
- Add the boiling water (be careful, it will splatter).
- Lower the heat to very low, cover the pan tightly and let it be.
- It is done when all the water has been absorbed by the rice (10 to 15 minutes).

Chicken with garlic and fresh coriander (cilantro)

There are many recipes I make with chicken filets, and the common denominator with all of them is that they are quick and easy.

The following one is with my favorite flavors, fresh coriander, garlic and lemon.

350-500 g of chicken fillets
Olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped.
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Chicken broth

- Slice the chicken in bite-size strips.
- Fry them in some olive oil.
- Remove to chicken from the pan when done and keep it warm aside.
- Mix the chopped garlic and cilantro and add them to the pan. Cook over medium to low heat for a few minutes. Don't let the garlic burn. When it's close to having enough, it will smell quite heavenly.
- Add the chicken back to the pan.
- Sprinkle with the cornstarch and mix well.
- Add the lemon juice, stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble. (if you don't like it too lemony, you could add only half the juice)
- Add the broth, stirring constantly. Add enough broth to cover the chicken, about 1 to 1½ cups.
- Cook a few minutes, stirring, and bring to the boil.
-Voilà. Serve with rice and some green salad.

The same procedure can be used with parsley instead of the cilantro.

Enjoy!

Tomato paste spread / marinade

This is an idea from my mother who makes the most wonderful barbeques. She marinates the meat in tomatoe paste, olive oil, garlic and lots of pepper before grilling. She also uses it to marinate pieces of filet before frying and serving.

Today I served this mixture as a spread on the walnut bread my husband brought home.

• 1 small can tomato paste (70 g)
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• a dash of onion powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Just mixed everything thoroughly.

Spread on bread, or rub on meat as a marinade, etc...

Potato Spinach frittata

This was inspired by my mother-in-law. We were at her birthday party the other day and she served - among other yummy things -a frittata with spinach. It was delicious, and the kids couldn't get enough of it. Today I decide to make a meal out of it and added some potatoes.

Here is how I made mine:
(For 4 people)

• 2 medium onions (yellow, red...whatever you like), chopped.
• 2 big potatoes, thinly sliced (It had to go quick today, so I pre-boiled the potatoes then sliced them).
• Whole leaf spinach (I used one 450 g bag of frozen spinach, thawed)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
• 8 eggs, beaten.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Now that I think of it, some crumbled feta would have gone very nicely with this.


- Soften the onions in some olive oil.
- Add the sliced potatoes. Until done, if they are raw.
- Press all the liquid out of the spinach and add to the pan.
- Add the chopped garlic.
- Make sure everything is evenly spread in the pan.
- Add the egges, beaten with some salt and pepper.
- Cook on a gentle heat until eggs are set. (As this was a rather large portion, and it was difficult to turn the fritatta to cook on the other side, I chose to cover it to let the top cook by the steam. If I had more time, I would have probably cooked it in the oven. 160 -180 degrees C, about 20 minutes?)

Bon apetit!

Baba Ghannouj

... or aubergine caviar, or eggplant purée...

This one is for Anna.

Baba ghannouj is a typical part of a mezzé. It is traditionally made with tahini, but it can also be made with yoghurt, for a milder flavour.

1 (big) eggplant
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tahini
Juice of (approximately) half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Grill the eggplant, either in the oven, under the grill, or on the flames of a cooker, until the skin is blackened and the inside is very soft.
When it is cool enough to handle, peel the skin (and discard the top).
It is probably a good idea the drain the flesh for a few minutes so that the end product is not watery.
The flesh will be soft enough to mash with a fork.
Combine all the ingredients very well together.

Serve in a deep dish, topped with some olive oil and sprinkled with chopped parsley (it is traditionally eaten by scooping with wedges of Arabic bread).

To make the baba ghannouj with yoghurt, replace the tahini with yoghurt and reduce lemon (to taste).

Yoghurt soup

This recipe is for my cousin Gemma (sorry it took so long, Gemma).

Yoghurt soup is also a great hit in our house. It is easy and quick, and can be varied as to what you put in it, so it can stretch from a light and warm starter, to a full and satisfying meal.

Choose a yoghurt with a degree or tartness you like. I like it not too acid, but not completely lacking acidity either. The consistency should be quite liquid. Of course the thicker the yoghurt you use, the more water you will need to add. And vice versa. (Here in Denmark, yoghurt is traditionally quite liquid, but recently, all kinds of more creamy and thick yoghurts can be found on the market, usually sold as Greek or Turkish yoghurt).

Although I have decided to cut down on the use of bouillon cubes, it does give the flavour a distinct plus in this recipe.

As to the type of "filling" that can be used with the soup, the simplest is probably cooked round rice. But also cooked tortellini, meat cubes, chicken cubes... anything your imagination fancies. Unless whatever you decide to "fill" the soup with cooks almost instantly, I would recommend the add it in at the last minute, after the soup is cooked, to heat through, then serve.

So here is how to make it. I would be happy to hear how it works for you.

1 Tbs olive oil
4 to 8 cloves garlic (or one, depending on your taste), crushed.
1 chicken bouillon cube (I use one Maggi or Knorr bouillon)
1/2 liter (thick) yoghurt
1 liter water
1 Tbs maïzena (cornstarch), diluted in 1/2 cup of cold water (it prevents the yoghurt from separating as it heats).
Crushed dried mint - a little handful

-Dilute the bouillon cube over medium heat with half the crushed garlic. (don't let the garlic brown)
- Add the yoghurt, the water and the cornstarch.
- Keep stirring (best with a wisk) and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the crushed garlic.
It's ready!
- Add rice, cooked tortellini, etc... and sprinkle with the dried mint

Enjoy!

My favorite breakfast of the hour - Oatmeal

Yes, oatmeal. With a little twist.

My kids love this for breakfast, without the walnuts, with extra raspberries.

1 cup oats
1 tablespoon flaxseed (crushed, if you have the time)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Frozen raspberries (or any berries, really), about 1 cup
Water to cover, plus about 2 cm on top.

Here in Denmark we have two kinds of oats, 'fine' and 'rough'. Both work well. I prefer the 'rough' type, where the oats are bigger, and I always buy them organic.

Just put the oats, flaxseed, syrup, raspberries and water in a pan on medium heat. Stir for a few minutes after it boils.

Serve and enjoy.