Category: Appetizers

Salsa Verde Cruda

 

This recipe is from Gabriela Camara teaches Mexican cooking on Master Class. From the Master Class cookbook “different salsas serve different purposes and speak to different traditions. Each region has its own specialty salsa based on the local ingredients and local palates. This raw, creamy salsa is simple to make. It packs medium heat and a lot of fragrance. You can use hearts of romaine instead of little gem lettuce here, the idea is to add freshness and crispiness to the mix. Seek out a very ripe avocado. It should offer no resistance when touched lightly from the outside and be soft enough to press a spoon into.” Ingredients are all in grams, I just eyed everything and added to taste.

Ingredients:

  • 860g small tomatillos
  • 20g white onion, roughly chopped
  • 35g cilantro leaves
  • 2g garlic cloves, cut in half
  • 20g chiles serranos, de-stemmed
  • 20g little gem lettuce
  • 165g avocado
  • 140ml water
  • salt to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.

 

 

 

Stuffed Mushrooms

This tasty mushroom recipe is from the first diet plan that ever worked for me. It doesn’t taste like diet food because yummy melted cheese! Found in Suzanne Somers’ Get Skinny on Fabulous Food cookbook, they are cheesy and tasty with no rice or bread. They are easy to make and can be served as an appetizer if you are entertaining. Picture is my mom, son, and daughter enjoying Tofino in Vancouver Island.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound mushrooms
  • 4 TBS butter
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 TBS chopped thyme, parsley or tarragon (she uses fresh lemon thyme in the book but I have trouble finding that)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Carefully pull stems off the mushrooms, finely chop stems. Select the 12 largest caps and set aside for filling. Finely chop the remaining mushrooms. Melt the butter in a large skillet, add shallots and saute until golden brown. Add chopped mushrooms and herb and saute until brown and crispy. Add wine and cook off the alcohol for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and preheat broiler.

Place the mushroom mixture in a mixing bowl with 1/2 the cheese, stir until well combined. Lightly rub the caps with oil and place on cookie sheet. Fill each cap and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Broil for 5 minutes. Cheese should be bubbly and the caps a little brown.

 

 

 

Chicken Kebabs with Avocado Dip

I’m back to college and trying to juggle studying, children, and work with my personal life. That means less time to share recipes but I haven’t stopped cooking. Cooking gives me a break from studying and relaxes me. This is a rather simple recipe I found in Jamie Oliver’s book titled Jamie does Spain, Italy, Morocco, France, etc. etc. Love his recipes and books and this one is simple and delicious.

This can be served as a main or an appetizer.

Ingredients;
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 pitas or flatbreads (Olga bread works well)
1 lemon

For the marinade;
Fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated, thumb size piece
1 TBS hot paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
3 TBS olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the avocado dip;
2 ripe avocados
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
1 fresh green or red chile, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions;

Cut chicken into pieces for kebabs and mix marinade ingredients together, combine with chicken and cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge for 30 minutes or overnight. Make avocado dip and set aside. Place chicken pieces on skewers, grill for 5-7 minutes on each side and serve with bread and avocado dip.

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