Fruit Infused Waters - Delish, Natural and Beautiful

I have always kept a pitcher of vegetable infused water in my fridge, you know, the pitcher with the chunks of cucumber, zucchini, lemon and limes? I love the delicate flavor that the veggies infuse.

 Recently I have been seeing more and more of these beautiful, healthy and inspiring fruit waters, so delicious. What I do is dissolve a small amount of honey or agave into lukewarm water to dissolve, I use this as a base, then I add the fruits, berries, mint, vanilla bean in any combination that suits me.

This one I love, Slice fresh peaches, vanilla bean, honey and water, let infuse for several hours, or add a few slices of ginger for a Ginger Peach Infusion, perfect for a Tea Party Refresher, 

after work out pick me up, 

or just because!

Yum, NomNom Mini Asian Baja Fish Tacos, Finger Food at it's Best

I created this recipe to combine the flavor and crunch profiles that I love. You can easily adapt this as party fare by using mini tostadas and layering them with the Chipotle Crema, Wasabi Slaw, Fish, topped off with a sprig of Cilantro and a dusting of Queso Fresco. Or serve them as the main attraction for Dinner as a regular sized Taco, Icy Cold Margaritas and Coronas 

(of course).

The recipe has multiple steps, and the success of the fish does depend on having frying oil at a perfect 350 degrees, this keeps the fish light, crisp and airy.  The Wasabi Slaw adds the right punch of sweet/sour, and the Chipotle Crema just a hint of heat. My son devours these faster than I can make them. They do hold well for a second go-around, just reheat the fish in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes or so and serve.

Asian Infused Baja Fish Tacos

Prep: 1 Hour

Cooking Time: ½  Hour

Serves: 4 – 6

*These fish tacos are lightly fried in a beer batter and topped with Wasabi Slaw, Cilantro and Chipotle Crema 

Wasabi Slaw:

1 Bag of Slaw Mix – about 10 Ounces

2 Green Onions Thinly Sliced

¼ cup Pickled Ginger diced (I add more because I love this stuff)

½ Cup Chopped Cilantro

*Dressing:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 tbl. Wasabi paste

Juice from 1 Lime

1 tbl. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. sugar

Whisk ingredients together and mix with slaw mixture. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or so.  Check for Salt and Pepper Seasoning.

Fish Tacos:

1 Cup Flour

1 tsp. powdered mustard

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. onion powder

Pinch Cayenne Powder

1 Cup Craft Beer, Pale Ale works best

1 Egg

1 Pound thick white fish – Cod, Scrod, Haddock

Thin Corn Tortillas

Chipotle Cream Mayo (Recipe Follows)

Cilantro Leaves

Limes

Directions:

Heat 2 – 3” of safflower oil in a pot until it registers 350F on a thermometer

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Measure the beer, let froth subside and mix into the egg. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, do not over stir, small lumps in the batter are fine.

Cut the fish into 1” Cubes

I use 2 bamboo skewers to pick up a fish cube, batter it, and drop into hot oil

Fry until light golden brown, place on paper towels to drain

Warm Tortillas in the oven (wrapped in foil), or on the stovetop on a grill pan

*Chipotle Crema

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayo

1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo (minced)

*blend all ingredients well, add a touch of salt and a pinch of sugar to taste

Great Holiday Entertaining - Recipes for Every Taste, Lamb Barbacoa My Style

Every so often I make a dish that is traditionally Mexican Party Fare, but with a few tweeks and a good price on a leg of lamb it's a fantastic dish for entertaining at home. My version of Lamb Barbacoa is a recipe that I entered for the Casting Process on America's Best Home Cook Reality TV Show. It is savory, beautiful to serve and very impressive when you add all of the accompaniments to the dish.

Traditionally this dish is cooked slowly in a pit that is lined with leaves and wood embers to slow roast the leg of lamb. I cook mine on a BBQ Grill or in the Oven, directly on a rack to capture all of the pan juices and dripping from the meat, creating the most savory, delicious broth that you have ever had.

To accompany the Lamb and Broth, I make 2 - 3 Salsas, Tortillas, Cilantro, Queso Fresco and Lime Wedges. For the Salsas I prefer a Green Tomatillo Salsa and a Roasted Garlic Chipotle Salsa, this is a nice balance between smoke, spice, citrus and sweet. 

To serve, each guest will have a bowl of the broth that is loaded with chickpeas, rice and carrots, tortillas filled with slivers of slow roasted lamb, and the toppings. Finish with Salsa, a sprinkle of crumbled cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime for a guaranteed party in your mouth, such a fabulous mix of flavor, texture and smokiness.

Recipe:

Liz’s Barbacoa

Prep: 2 Hours

Cook Time: 6 Hours

Serves: 6 – 8

Lamb

7 lb. leg of lamb

1 Onion Quartered

3 Cloves of Garlic Halved

2 Cups Dried Chick Peas

1 Cup Chopped Carrots

1 Cup Chopped Celery

2 Bay Leaves

Directions

Heat Oven to 325F. In a large hotel style pan, place onion, garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaves, chickpeas and water to a 2 -3 “ height on side of pan. Place this on the bottom rack, as close to the bottom of the oven as possible. Place another rack 2” above the pan. Place the Leg of Lamb that has been well salted directly on the rack over the pan of water, making sure that all juices from the lamb will drip directly into the pan. This can also be done on an outdoor grill with the same arrangement.

Roast slowly for 4 – 6 hours until lamb is tender and broth is thick and bubbly

Remove from heat and cover lamb to let rest for 20 minutes. During this time you can blend the broth if you choose to or just remove the large chunks of garlic and bay leaves.

*Rice of cubed potatoes can also be added to the broth mix

Salsas:

Chipotle/Tomatilla Salsa-

2 – 3 Chipotles in Adobo

5 – 6 Tomatillos

3 -4 Plum Tomatoes

2 Clove Garlic – skin on

½ yellow onion

Bunch Cilantro

In a heavy pan on direct heat, blacken the garlic, tomatillos and tomatoes until the skin is evenly blackened and the garlic is soft. Place the onion, chipotles, tomato, tomatillo, cilantro and roasted garlic (skin removed) in a blender, add 1 tsp. sugar and salt to taste and chop coarsely until you have a smooth salsa.

Tomato/Jalapeno Salsa

5 -6 Plum Tomatoes

1 -2 Jalapenos

½ yellow onion

2 -3 Cloves Garlic (skins on)

Bunch Cilantro

In a heavy pan on direct heat, roast the garlic, tomatoes and jalapenos until blackened and soft. Peel the  garlic and add to blender with tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, cilantro and salt to taste. Blend until desired consistency.

To serve:

Slice the lamb and plate

Heat tortillas and serve bowls of the broth with the

lamb tacos

salsas

fresh cilantro

wedges of lime

Crumbled Feta or Queso Fresco Cheese

Greek Pizza

Greek Pizza, I love this recipe, light and delicious, chock full of healthy greens, tomatoes, and fat free feta. I came up with this one night for a fast, easy meal as an alternative to the traditional pie (which I also make, just for some variety). The following recipe will top one 12" crust or artisan bread.

You will Need:

Pizza Crusts - I buy anything on sale
3 Plum tomatoes - sliced
4 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
Fat Free Feta
Capers
1 Medium Onion - Sliced
2 Cloves Garlic - Sliced
Olive Oil
Greek Olives - Optional

Pre-heat your oven to 425

In a saute pan I coat the bottom with a swirl of olive oil, add sliced onion and sliced garlic, saute until transparent. Add 1/2 jar of drained capers (love the flavor) and stir, add the baby spinach and stir to coat, the spinach wilts rapidly, so stir to coat with oil and then remove from heat.

Lightly drizzle the pizza crust with olive oil, lay out your tomato slices, spoon the spinach mixture over the crust and top with crumbled feta cheese. You can add sliced greek olives if you like at this point. Reduce your oven temp to 400 and pop the pizza in on a baking tray or pizza stone. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the crust gets lightly browned on the edges. Remove, slice and enjoy! This spinach topping is also excellent over baked salmon, the capers just give it such a wonderful flavor.

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love to make soups with layers of flavor and texture. Somehow soup is always a welcoming meal, a go to when I don’t know what else to make, someone is ill or I want something filling, covers all of the food groups and does not pack on the pounds. This recipe for Chicken Tortilla soup is a fantastic amalgamation of several years of finding the “perfect” combination.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts – with bone

1 Medium White Onion - Diced

2 Celery Stalks - Diced

2 Garlic Cloves – Smashed

2 Carrots – Peeled and Diced

1 – 2 Jalapenos – Chopped Finely

1 Cup Tomatoes – Diced

1 Cup White or Brown Rice - Rinsed

6 Cups of Chicken Stock

2 Bouillon Cubes

12 Corn Tortillas

2 Cups Frozen Corn

1 Cup Chopped Green Beans

Jack Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

Avocado

Fresh Cilantro – Leaves removed and coarsely chopped

Chicken – Bring 2 Pots of water to a boil, each pot with 6 cups or so of water. In one pot place your chicken breasts and boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat, rinse and place in the second pot of boiling water. Cook until meat can be easily shredded. Using this 2 pot method gives you a beautiful, clear chicken broth; the first boil eliminates bone fragments, and that nasty brown/gray foamy stuff.

While the chicken is cooking, take a 6 quart Dutch Oven and sauté the onions, garlic and celery in olive oil. When translucent, add carrots, jalapenos, and tomatoes and stir, cook for a minute or so. Add 3-4 tortillas that have been chopped into small pieces and stir. Add your chicken broth and 2 bouillon cubes, green beans, corn and 1 cup of rice. Allow this to cook for 30 minutes.

Cut 6 – 8 tortillas in half, and then slice into strips. Fry these in Safflower oil until crispy and drain on paper towels.

Cool the chicken and shred, add to the soup pot.

To Serve: ladle soup into bowls, add a layer of shredded cheese, crispy tortilla strips, diced avocado and fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy this wonderful layering of fresh flavors, old favs and crispy goodness. This is just too yummy, healthy and totally filling as a main dish.

Steak, the Best Recipe

Every so often I decide to explore new recipes and techniques that look interesting. My son loves steak, and not always wanting to go outside on the porch to grill; especially in winter, I needed to find a delicious option for cooking indoors on the stove. I saw this prepared on Top Chef and decided to try it. This is a perfect composition of juicy, tender strip steak, served over a savory blend of creamed corn and topped with a refreshing arugula and tomato salad, just totally yum...

You will need:

• 2 Strip Steaks or Shell Steaks
• 2 Ears of Corn, I use frozen if fresh is not available (strip the corn off with a knife)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
• 2 Shallots, diced fine
• 1 Cup of Snap Peas, Sliced on the diagonal
• 2 Cups of Baby Arugula
• Tomatoes - the best that you can find
•  Lemon
•  Olive Oil
•  Salt & Pepper to taste

First, get a skillet, ( I used cast iron ) smoking hot with a coating of oil in it. Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper, place in the skillet and cook about 5 minutes on each side. This gives you a beautiful medium rare steak, as long as it is about 1" thick. Adjust cooking times depending on the thickness of your steak. When done, place on the side and let rest.

In a saute pan add olive oil to coat, add garlic, shallots, corn, snap peas and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and a pinch of thyme, salt and pepper to taste and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Toss your Arugula with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, add tomatoes and toss to coat with dressing
I like to add thinly slice red onion to this salad.

Plate as you desire, the combination of savory, bitter, sweet and salty is perfect. This dish is a snap to make and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. Delish!

*Retrieved from Bravo TV Top Chef Recipes 2012