Georgia's Red Pepper Soup with a Touch of Corn and Cilantro

Ingredients

8 large red bell pepper (or 2 x 24oz cans of Mancini Sweet Roasted Red Peppers)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teas. pepper 1 to 2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup corn kernels lightly roasted
Cilantro lime sour cream

Directions
 
Slice the pepper in half lengthwise, remove stem, seeds and membrane. Place under the broiler - skin side up until the skin turns black and blisters. Remove and place in small paper bag or plastic container with a tight lid. Place in freezer for 10 mins. this will loosen the roasted skin. Remove peppers and rub off the black skin with your fingers. Chop skinned pepper and set aside (Or skip all the hassle and get  2 x 24oz Mancini sweet roasted red peppers from BJ’s - Georgia does this. )
Saute the butter, onions, garlic until soft. Add the reserved red peppers, tomato paste and chicken stock. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in heavy cream, cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir in the cornstarch mixed with a little cold water to thicken. Simmer 5 mins. Let the soup cool slightly and then blend in batches in a blender. Sprinkle roasted corn over the soup before serving and top with a dollop of cilantro lime sour cream.

Cilantro lime sour cream
 
Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1/2 lime juiced
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In a mixing bowl whisk all ingredients until light and creamy.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

2 14oz cans artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 10oz package frozen spinach thawed and excess water squeezed out well
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup pecorino / Romano grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Mix together all the above ingredients
Place in a baking dish and cover
Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Serve with corn chips, French bread or any cracker you fancy. Tastes good with anything!

Ladybug Cake

Meet Avery, our ladybug cake, made by Daniela, Nadia, Camilla and Emily . . . . named after Avery who came to eat it on her first birthday. It actually tasted so good we agreed it was by far the best cake we've made so far. All gone by breakfast the next day!

Cucumber/Tomato/Purslane and Red Onion Salad

It’s early August and the purslane is growing wild all over the garden. Purslane has six times more vitamin E than spinach and fourteen times more omega-3 fatty acids and seven times more beta-carotene than carrots. This salad with a base of sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, becomes delicious topped with purslane and red onions. Add some chopped parsley, mint, chives and some leaves of basil and it’s a perfect summer salad.

Ingredients

6 cucumbers peeled and chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 cup purslane, tender stalks and leaves
1 red onion sliced
Salt
Pepper
Citric Acid
Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
(Optional)
Chopped chives/mint leaves/parsley/basil leaf


Directions

Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, purslane, onion, and the chives, parsley, mint, basil leaf in a large bowl. If you don’t have chives, or parsley, mint or basil, it doesn’t matter, but it makes the salad taste better!
Just before serving, sprinkle salad with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon citric acid, and pour over 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar.
Mix all together.
Serve

Vegetable Stuffed Grape Leaves

I never particularly liked the grape leaves

done this way, they had a tendency to be
dry and tasteless, however, Chef Kamal Al-Faqih,
in his book Classic Lebanese Cuisine,
unlocked the secret of a moist filling and
a really delicious taste. Making the stuffing
the day before and refrigerating overnight,
allowed the rice to swell which was often
the cause of the dryness. You can add more
lemon juice if needed. Also, cooking the
grape leaves in a liquid that has a tablespoon
of olive oil, made all the difference. I often add
more lemon juice.

Ingredients

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup parboiled rice
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup and 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice divided
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dilll
2 cups finely chopped parsley, use green leafy parts and tender stems
1 1/2 cups (peeled) finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons dry mint flakes
3 cups boiling water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the pine nutes over a foil-lined baking sheet and toast in the center of the oven shaking the pan occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before adding them to the filling.

Combine 1 cup parboiled rice, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Mix well.
Add 1/2 cup currants, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill,2 cups finely chopped parsley, 1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped scallion, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (or 2 teaspoons dry mint flakes).
Mix well
Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Use fresh grape leaves, or frozen (just place in water and they are ready to roll) use scissors to cut off the stem. Soak in water, then drain in a colander.

To roll a grape leaf, place it flat on a board dull side facing you (the side with the raised veins) Place a teaspoon of filling near the stem end, shaped into a small sausage shape. Then fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, then fold both sides right and left over the filling. Roll the leaf firmly and evenly up toward the tip of the leaf and set in a pan with the seam facing down so it wont unravel during cooking.

Once you have used all the stuffing, in the same bowl add 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and enough boiling water to measure 3 cups. Pour over the stuffed grape leaves and top with a knob of butter.
Place a plate upside down over the top and simmer covered for 40 minutes.
Serve with yoghurt.
These can be frozen uncooked for up to two months. Freeze on a plastic lined tray uncovered, then store them in an airtight container. Thaw and cook as directed.

Lobster Bisque #2

This is how I made the lobster bisque when we were at the Cape. It’s different from my other recipe as I was missing some of the ingredients and I added red peppers. It has no lobster meat thrown in at the end as we had eaten it all, but still delicious.
Perhaps this is why Camille liked it this time!

Ingredients

Shells from at least 3 lobsters meat removed (presumably you have eaten the meat)
6 cups chicken broth
1 tomato chopped
2 onions chopped
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots chopped
2 red peppers chopped
10 sprigs parsley roughly chopped with tender stalks
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
3/4 cup uncooked rice
2 potatoes chopped
1/4 cup light cream, half and half or cream


Directions

In a large pot, put all of the above ingredients, except the cream
Simmer for 2 hours
Strain the broth through a colander over a large bowl
Remove all the lobster shells
Add the vegetables to the broth
Blend in a blender or cuisinart till smooth
Pour the mixture into a large pot, add 1/4 cup light cream, stir and bring it all to a low simmer. Do not boil.
Adjust seasonings if needed.

Can be frozen.

Chicken Barbecue

Ingredients

Chicken breasts, thighs, legs (from 1 whole chicken)
Olive oil (1 cup)
Soy Sauce (1/2 cup)
Lemon Juice (1/2 Cup)
Fennel Seeds (1 Tablespoon)
Dried Rosemary (1 tablespoon)
Dried Parsley (1 tablespoon)
3 cloves garlic chopped
KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce

Directions

Place the chicken parts in a large bowl. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, fennel seeds, rosemary, parsley and 3 garlic cloves chopped in a separate bowl. Add to the chicken and mix. Let the chicken sit in the marinade covered for at least 6 hours up to 24 hours in the fridge.
We use a charcoal grill. Heat the grill, remove the chicken from the marinade and place in a pyrex dish. Brush the chicken with the barbecue sauce.
Grill the chicken towards the outside of the heat, not too high heat. Keep the cover on to ensure the chicken stays moist. You may brush with the marinade once or twice.
Grill for 15 - 20 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Chicken should register at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Serve with garlic paste!