Thursday, January 29, 2009

Mushrooms


When I was a child, a few decades ago, there were some foods that really did not like.
Some of them where my mom’s favorites and I so wanted to please her that I would eat them any way, swallow them whole not to taste them, and tell her I love them.
Crazy!!!
One of those foods where mushrooms. I remember summers by the beach and my mother running out after a rain storm to see if there were any wild mushrooms around.
She could always find them and inevitably end up in an omelette.
At some point in my life, I have no idea when, I started liking mushrooms and now I really, really love them.
I while ago I found this recipe in the BBC Good Food web site and decided to give it a try. It turned out delicious.
I didn’t post it for a long time because I did not like the picture I took, but Ilva from Lucullian Delights, inspired me to share it any way. It is truly a nice recipe.

Pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce:

2 tbsp sunflower oil
6 large, free-range chicken legs , halved at the joint so you have 6 thighs and 6 drumsticks
700ml/1¼ pts chicken stock
50g butter
1 onion , finely diced
400g mixed wild mushrooms (about a pound)
300ml/½ pt dry white wine
284ml pot double cream (1 1/4 cup)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the thighs for 8-10 mins, skin side only, until golden brown, then transfer to a casserole dish. Fry the drumsticks for about 5 mins each side and add them to the thighs.
Pour the stock over the chicken legs in the casserole. There should be enough stock to just cover the chicken, if not add a little water. Bring stock to the boil and cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook at just below simmering point for 30-35 mins until chicken is cooked.
While chicken is simmering, drain oil from the pan. Heat the butter in pan and add onion. Sweat onion for 5 mins until soft, but not coloured. Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms, then fry for 3 mins until they soften and start to smell wonderful. Pour over the white wine, raise the heat to maximum and boil rapidly for 6-8 mins until reduced by two-thirds. Turn off the heat and leave until chicken has cooked. Once chicken legs are cooked, strain stock into pan with the onion, mushrooms and white wine, bring back to the boil and reduce again by two-thirds until it is thick and syrupy. Pour in double cream,
bring it to the boil, season if you want, then pour it over chicken. Heat chicken through in the sauce for 2-3 mins then turn off the heat and leave for a few mins before serving. This is such an aromatic and beautiful looking dish you should serve it straight from the casserole with the lid on.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

BEST SUSHI


Here in Brazil it is very common to have restaurants that sell food by the pound (kilo actually).
It is a buffet, but instead of eating “All you can eat style”, you help your self to what ever you want and then they weight your plate. Yes, ½ a pound of mashed potatoes has the same price as ½ a pound of tenderloin. I’m sure it works because they are very popular.
My favorite so far are two restaurants, one called Central and a Sushi bar called POKURO.


Central has been in business for years. The have a big and exquisite food selection, displayed in a beautiful way. Very good service and reasonable priced.
Pokuro is quite new; I think they have been open for 2 or 3 months only.
The sushi is delicious. The rolls are small, something that I love; you can just pop them in your mouth.



They have great variety and a lot of unusual combinations, such as the dessert pieces with strawberries and chocolate.
I wasn’t able to find a webpage for any of the two restaurants. If you do let me know, I would like to add the links.









Friday, January 9, 2009

Resolutions

I don’t even know what happened in December 08, in between traveling and holidays I’ve lost the entire month.
Now things are back to normal ( well…my normal might not be that normal) and I’m happily catching up with life.
I received the New Year in South America and I have to admit I really love the feeling of starting the year during summer time.
What I liked the most was the way people wished you a happy new year; you feel that they really meant it. While they hold you they look at you in the eyes and smiling they wish you love and prosperity, health, good luck and many wonderful things.
It really made me think, I usually just say “Happy New Year”. Next year I will honestly customize my wishes. Actually, why wait until next year?
To all of you, from the bottom of my heart I really wish this would be the year that you find peace and harmony.
I wish you will feel loved.
I wish you will laugh every day.
I wish you could see the people you love often.
I wish you health.
I wish you will feel young and beautiful.
I wish you will have time to play, time to look around and admire.
I wish you will have no regrets.

Happy 2009

I would love to share this delicious and simple Omelette recipe I’ve got from Recipezaar, one of my favorites sites.
Caramelized Onion & Goats Cheese Omelette:




1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, preferably unsalted
4 eggs
40 g goat cheese
1 pinch rosemary
1 pinch sage
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch marjoram
1 pinch thyme
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Rocket or baby spinach leaves or salad greens, 2 handfuls
1/2 tablespoon olive oil (or 1/4 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice) 1 tablespoon lemon zest


Melt the butter in a (preferably non-stick) pan and sauté the onion and garlic until they have softened and golden browned; remove from the pan. If you want to use the same pan, rinse or wash it as necessary and wipe it clean with kitchen towel.
Whisk the eggs lightly and pour into a (preferably non-stick) pan; when the base of the omelette is beginning to set, add the cheese, onions and garlic, your choice of herbs and salt and pepper to taste.Cook the top of the omelette under a grill; slide the omelette onto the serving plates and serve immediately with your choice of salad greens drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with lemon zest.