Seafood Paella

I was first introduced to Paella about 10 years ago by a Spanish friend of mine. She was surprised to hear that I had never tried it before considering we live in such a multicultural city. After my first bite, I fell in love. If you know me well, you'll understand my love for shellfish, so how could I not love seafood Paella? Plus, the smokiness the rice picks up from the sausage.. oh my! Totally delicious. Let's get to the recipe! Give it a try if you're in the mood for a crowd-pleasing meal.


Ingredients

Seafood Paella

6-8 large shrimps
6-8 fresh mussels or clams
1 large squid, cut into rings
1 large spicy chorizo sausage, chopped
2 cups fish or chicken broth (boiling)
2 cups short grain rice
1 tomato, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp saffron
1 lemon cut into wedges

Method
There's lots going on with this dish, so make sure you have your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start cooking. In a small pot, bring the broth to a light boil. Preheat your oven to 350F and grab your cast iron skillet.  Heat the olive oil and add the pepper, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes on medium/high heat. Add the rice and all the spices and make sure everything is mixed and the rice is coated well with the oil from the skillet. Stir in tomato, peas and sausage and cook for  2 more minutes, then slowly add the hot broth. Let simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes, then dot the seafood among the rice until it's covered.

Move skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with hot towel or aluminium foil for another 10 minutes. Right before you serve, sprinkle lemon zest and parsley on top. Enjoy with juice from lemon wedges.

Cucumber Yogurt Salad

This has always been a favourite salad of mine. My parents made it for us often when we were growing up. It's an all around good for you salad which tastes great and can also cool you down when enjoyed with a spicy meal. Some enjoy this salad yogurt heavy, almost like a dip, and others like myself tend to use the cucumber a bit more. I love the crunchy bite!

Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Sometimes I use low fat sour cream instead of yogurt, at times I switch up the types of cucumbers. It really depends what I have the in refrigerator. With the warmer weather around the corner, this is going be popular at dinner.

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers 

1-1/2 cup yogurt 2%

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh mint - chopped

1/2 tbsp dried mint
1/2 tsp white sugar (my preference)

1/2 tsp salt

A bit of fresh cracked black pepper

Method

Chop the cucumbers in small pieces, or slice thin using a mandolin as I enjoy doing, and place in large bowl. Add all other ingredients to cucumbers and mix well then transfer to serving dish. Serve cold and garnish with more mint.

Enjoy!

Donuts with filling

Doughnuts, dough nuts, donuts.. whichever spelling you choose doesn't change the fact that they're delicious!

I grew up having many donut options to eat seeing as how my uncle was a long time baker at several cafés. He would visit us often, and bring all kinds of my favourite goodies from double chocolate to éclairs to croissants. The filled donuts were always the most exciting. Was it going to be the apple cinnamon dusted with brown sugar or the blueberry jelly with powdered sugar? Whatever it was, I scarfed it down.

I've been craving donuts these days, so I decided I wanted to try making my own at home. I could fill them with anything I wanted, from vanilla cream to nutella to peanut butter and jelly. The recipe I am sharing today delivers the most tasty bite of donut heaven.. especially when it's hot out of the oil! If you've always wanted to try making these suckers at home, give this a try!

Ingredients
Dough
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
2/3 cup milk (room temperature)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3 eggs
*if using unsalted butter, add 1 tsp salt

Filling
2 cups Nutella

Coating
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

You will also need 3.5 litres of canola or vegetable oil for frying

Method
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk then let stand until yeast is dissolved. Add flour, sugar, salt and eggs and mix on low speed for about 2 minutes until the dough comes together. Add the butter a couple of pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until butter is fully incorporated and dough is soft. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours - overnight recommended.

When you're ready to make the donuts, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Place the refrigerated dough on a floured work surface and roll into a 12 inch square about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 donuts using a 3 inch round cutter (you can also use a smaller or bigger cutter, but need to adjust your frying time). Transfer the donuts to the prepared baking sheet, cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and place in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and feel poofy, usually about 3 hours.

When you're ready to fry, fill a large pot with 4 inches of oil and place over high heat for several minutes, then lower to medium (ideal temp for oil is 350F). While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with paper towels for draining the donuts. Place the sugar for the coating in a small bowl and set aside.

Fry 2 -3 donuts at a time, and fry until golden brown on the underside -  2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn the donuts over and fry for an additional 2 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown as well. Using a strainer, remove the donuts and move to the paper towel lined baking sheet.
As soon as the donuts are cool enough to handle, toss them in the sugar one at a time to coat them. Allow to cool completely - 30 to 40 minutes.

Add 2 cups Nutella to pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Poke a hole in the side of each donut and fill with Nutella. The donuts taste best when enjoyed within 24 hours.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Mutabal

When people think of Mutabal or Baba Ganouj, an eggplant dip generally comes to mind. These dips have become very popular in the western world showing up at parties and on the plates of healthy vegetarians, right next to the hummus!

Cauliflower mutabal however hasn't made much of a splash as it's eggplant friend, but it's still an extremely popular dip/spread enjoyed by many in the Arab world. It's prepared almost much of the same way, but has a different taste and texture altogether. Give it a try if you're a cauliflower lover, like myself.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
5 tbsp tahini paste
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Enough vegetable oil to fry cauliflower

Garnish
Parsley, chili sauce, cumin, evoo, fried cauliflower florets

Method

Cut the cauliflower into pieces and give them a good wash. Make sure they are dry before you begin deep frying in the vegetable oil. Fry the florets until they are a golden brown colour, and move them to sit on paper towels to have some of the oil drain off. After a few minutes -while still hot, use a potato masher to mash the florets in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice, tahini, salt, garlic and evoo until thick and creamy. Add to the mashed cauliflower and mix for a minute with a spoon until well combined. I do not recommend adding all ingredients in a processor as you would baba ganouj, as it will make the consistency too smooth, and that's not what you're looking for with this type of mutabal.

I usually garnish with evoo and chili paste. This can be served hot or cold, but I prefer cold myself. I usually smear a spoon or 2 ...or 5 on my morning pita :)

Enjoy!

Kofta b' Tahini

Today I am sharing a recipe for a dish that was a childhood favourite of mine. It's called, Kofta b'Tahini, which literally translates from Arabic to Meatballs and Tahini.

This is a very delicious and hearty dish which is perfect for a cold day when you're looking to devour some comfort food!

Kofta b Tahini

Traditionally, this dish is prepared in layers. Usually, minced meat is pressed on the bottom of a pan, followed by placing scalloped potatoes on top and finally, smothered with a Tahini sauce. I decided to change it up a bit. I used the same traditional ingredients but chose a different method, by coring and stuffing the potatoes instead. It's still the same familiar taste, with a modern twist!

Potatoes stuffed with meat

If you're looking to make something different and delicious for dinner using Tahini, and you're not worried about the calorie count, give this a try! It will make a perfect Sunday evening dinner.

Ingredients

12 medium potatoes

1 lbs ground lamb (or beef, turkey)

1 large onion

1 cup tahini paste

1 cup water

Juice of 2 lemons 

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Ready for 400C heat

2 tsp baharat (Arabic all spice)*

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

*(if you do not have baharat, you may also

use 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika and allspice )

Method

Preheat oven to 400C.

Heat a frying pan with added olive oil and cook diced onions until they start to turn golden in colour. Let cool.

Mince the sautéed onion, parsley and garlic in a food processor for a few seconds, then add the ground meat and spices. Make sure to pulse a few times so it's a smoother, more minced texture.

Kofta b'Tahini

Wash, peel and core 12 potatoes. You can pick up a utensil to core vegetables at most supermarkets. After you've finished coring (hoping carpel tunnel hasn't set in!) stuff the all the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a roasting dish with the opening facing upwards. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk tahini paste, water and the juice of 2 lemons ( I also added the juice of a blood orange - I was feeling creative!) Pour the sauce all over the potatoes, and sprinkle pine nuts all over the top. Pop in the heated 400C oven for 70 minutes, and then another 5-10 on low broil.

Enjoy!

Baked Mahi Mahi with Sweet Glaze

If you're looking for a meaty fish that is very tasty and satisfying, give Mahi Mahi a try. It's not too flaky, so it likely won't fall apart when cooking. I enjoy baking fish most of the time, and love to make different glazes or sauces for different types. I chose to make a sweet glaze which pairs well with my Mahi Mahi and it has always been a hit with those who have tried it. Give it a try the next time you're looking to serve fish for dinner.


Ingredients
4 -  5oz fillets of Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi

3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp baslamic vinegar
3 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp mined garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger

Method
Place Mahi Mahi in shallow dish. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over fish, Let marinate for at least 30 minutes. When you're ready to cook, reserve the marinade and pour into pan on low heat until it thickens into a glaze,

Heat oven to 350C, and place fish on greased baking tray. Cook for 25 minutes. Pour glaze on fish and serve with your favourite sides!

Enjoy!

Four cheese artichoke dip

A hot and cheesy artichoke dip is hard to resist. It's a party favourite and almost always is served as an appetizer with toasted bread or fried tortilla. Today I am sharing my recipe for this rich and creamy treat. Try it this holiday season!

Ingredients

2 cups chopped artichoke hearts

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 block (8 ounce)  softened cream cheese

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup shredded gouda (or swiss, mozzerella)

1/2 cup shredded parmigiana reggiano 

1/2 softened goat cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cracked pepper

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot sauce

Method

Four cheese artichoke dip

Preheat oven to 350C. Cream all cheeses and mayonnaise on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Move dip to an oven safe baking dish, crack more black pepper on top, sprinkle more parmigiana reggiano and bake at 350C for 40 minutes. Serve hot with bread. If you're making in advance you can reheat dip in hot oven for 5 minutes.

I like to squeeze a bit of lemon juice over top to add that extra zing that compliments the creaminess. Devour hot or cold, but make sure to have enough bread or chips handy.

Enjoy!