Tag: paprika
Memorial Day Recipes: Moroccan Style Lamb Burgers with Harissa Sauce
- 1½ pounds ground lean lamb
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons harissa sauce
Put the lamb in a mixing bowl and add the paprika, salt, cumin, garlic, shallot, parsley, cilantro and harissa. Mix well and divide into 8 patties. Keep aside.
Grill the patties on high for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
Sun Dried Tomatoes Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (in oil), chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Juice of half a lemon
Mix the sun dried tomatoes, mayonnaise, cilantro, parsley, salt and lemon juice into a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate till serving.
To Assemble
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- Baby arugula
- 2 baguettes, sliced and cut into 4 pieces each
Place a burger into a sliced piece of baguette. Spread some mayonnaise and add a tomato, some onion and arugula.
Shrimp and Spinach Risotto- Latin Style
A Latin style risotto, you ask? Well, why not?? Risotto is one of our favorite things to eat and I am always trying to make it in new and different ways incorporating new ingredients every time. Risotto is made with Arborio rice which is a thick grained rice. It is white rice and thus processed- the key is to use the best ingredients one can find while making risotto and eat it in moderation. Usually risotto is finished with cream, butter and cheese making it quite heavy. It can be made lighter and healthier by using good olive oil and a moderate amounts of cheese.
This risotto is a bit different from the Italian variety. I decided to use some Latin flavors… so, I marinated the shrimp with some smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. I then sautéed some shallots and garlic. I added the rice, kidney beans. I cooked the risotto with chicken broth and added fresh baby spinach. The addition of all these yummy ingredients make this risotto quite light and very delicious. The key to making light dishes is to boost the flavor factor- in this case, it is the delicious marinated shrimp.
Try this dish next time you want to have a delicious, healthy and different risotto- try this one..
read more …
Grilled Steak Fajitas
This is the first time I have cooked a flat iron steak. I saw it in Whole Foods and remembered reading about this reasonably priced yet delicious cut of beef. Like a skirt steak, the meat is to be cut against the grain. It has very good marbling ensuring delicious flavor.
I wasn’t sure how I would be using the cut but somehow Mexican food came to mind. I envisioned a dry rub on the steak and making steak fajitas. That is what I did- I mixed ground coriander, roasted cumin seeds, salt, ancho chili powder and paprika. I let the steak sit in the fridge for a while and prepared an avocado crema (recipe to follow tomorrow). I grilled the steak, about medium and it was perfect. The meat tasted delicious- I couldn’t believe it was so reasonably priced. Definitely try this cut next time you go to the supermarket.
I sauteed peppers and onions to serve on top and used corn tortillas instead of the flour ones. I made some rice with tomatoes and garlic and it was a delicious meal…
read more …
Mushroom Enchiladas with New Mexico Red Chile
This is a fabulous meal to make for company or if you just want to impress your family. It is a vegetarian meal but you can substitute any kind of meat in here including chicken, pork, shrimp or even fish.
I made this fabulous meal for a friend who was coming over with her family. They are vegetarian so I had to be careful and use vegetable broth where ever I normally use chicken broth, etc.
I made a delicious stuffing for the enchiladas with cremini mushrooms, onions and garlic. I added paprika and unsweetened cocoa. I wanted to emulate the mole sauce flavor which is a very labor intensive dish to make requiring lots of ingredients. I decided to introduce just the cocoa part to the stuffing to bring out the earthiness in the mushrooms.
I used whole-wheat tortillas- and guess what- no one noticed. Once the tortillas are doused with the super flavorful sauce, you can’t tell the difference. A perfect, sneaky way to make the dish healthy without anyone knowing.
I also cooked up some green rice and some quick vegetarian refried beans- recipes to follow tomorrow and the day after.
Definitely try making the mushroom enchiladas with new mexico red chilies- you will be impressed with yourself.
read more …
Chicken Paprika
I had forgotten about this dish. I grew up eating it. My Mom would make it with green peppers and served it over white rice.
While she was a young girl, she stayed with her brother and sister-in-law in the UK. She learnt a lot of local cooking and one of the dishes my aunt used to make was chicken paprika.
Even after moving to the US, my Mom made this particular chicken dish quite often. I am usually not a big rice eater, but love white rice with this particular dish. As some of you know I am big into healthy eating and brown rice is part of the repertoire- but with this meal white rice tastes the best.
The dish itself is very easy to make. The gravy consists of onion and garlic and the main ingredient is sweet paprika. A pinch of cinnamon brings out the sweetness in the chicken and the peppers. As I mentioned before, my Mom would use green peppers but decided to use one green and one red. It makes a delicious and colorful dish.
My daughter was very curious while I was cooking it. She was a bit put off by the peppers- she doesn’t like them. I told her I would give her the chicken with the rice and one or two pieces of peppers. She loved the chicken and tolerated the peppers. Overall she enjoyed and so did my husband- he thought it was delicious.
Next time you are wondering what to do with the chicken in the fridge- try Chicken Paprika.
read more …
Easy Chicken Recipe: Moroccan Chicken with Apricots
Sometimes I get into a rut and make the same chicken dishes time and time again. I had chicken thighs in the fridge and I wanted to make a different preparation for a change. Nothing was coming to mind until I was flipping through a William Sonoma catalog. They were featuring a tagine and had a recipe for a chicken cooked in the contraption. I noticed the recipe included olives and apricots- I had both in the fridge- so I started cooking.
I sprinkled salt and pepper on chicken thighs- my favorite part of the chicken. Thighs are great to use in such dishes- they can be cooked for a long time and not get tough on you, plus they have great flavor. I made a simple spice mix with cinnamon and coated the chicken. I then browned the pieces and sauteed them with garlic and onions. I decided to add some grated carrots- to add some veggies- no one was able to detect anything healthy!
The olives and apricots really gave the chicken an incredible flavor and texture. I love the two ingredients together… The sweetness and chewiness of the apricots complimented the saltiness of the olives really well. I went to a few local stores to find preserved lemons (often used in Moroccan dishes) but was not able to. The olives I had were marinated with lemons- so that is what I used. It worked really well but I am sure using the actual preserved lemons would have been delicous too.
The dish was yum- I made cumin couscous with it. My daughter until recently didn’t care of couscous, but once I told her it is pasta in another form- she was a little more receptive. I made a green salad with our dinner and opened a bottle of red wine. Delicious!
Great Summer Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Rolls and Grilled Potatoes
I first had a lobster roll at our local Irish pub a few years ago. They have it in the summer months and serve two hot dog rolls full of lobster salad with a side of chips (fries). Their hot dog rolls are toasted and slathered with butter- absolutely delicious!
I liked them so much that I decided to make them at home- I used shrimp instead of lobster- for two reasons: one- shrimp is cheaper; two- everyone in my family loves shrimp. I poached the shrimp and added mayonnaise and fresh herbs to it. I served the shrimp salad in hot dog buns and we ate it with some oven fries- it was great!
I remembered the lobster rolls this summer while I was in town and passed the pub. I immediately went to the fish store and bought fresh shrimp. I had hot dog rolls and the other ingredients at home. Instead of poaching the shrimp, I thought of grilling them. I tossed them with salt and olive oil and quickly cooked them on the grill- it took all of five minutes. I then proceeded to make the mayonnaise dressing with a little dijon mustard and lots of basil and chives from my herb garden. I tossed the big shrimp pieces into the creamy dressing and placed it in the grilled hot dog buns. The shrimp salad was scrumptious- I think it would be great served on a bed of lettuce- tasty lunch… Since I love my potatoes- I grilled thick wedges and added a little spice to them. They were crispy and healthy at the same time. I also made a fresh corn salad with some greens and a delicious citrus vinaigrette (the recipe will be up tomorrow). I adapted this recipe from a corn salad I have been making for a few years. This version is a lot easier and very delicious.
My husband and I enjoyed the meal with – yup, you guessed it- a delicious Malbec Rose! For my daughter, I kept a few grilled shrimp aside and served them with some greens and fresh corn. She enjoyed the meal as well- devoured the shrimp and the corn.. had a little difficulty with the greens- but ate them anticipating ice cream at the end of the meal…