Cooking Seafood With Summer Vegetables - Fruit De Mer and Samphire

There is no better example of cooking seafood with summer vegetables than a classic chilled Fruit de Mer on a be of steamed marsh Samphire. The visual appearance of the dish resembles a work of art.

Marsh Samphire grows naturally around the coasts of northern Europe and is available fresh in July and August. It looks like green Asparagus, and is often called the "Asparagus of the sea." It can be stored in a fridge wrapped tightly but is best served fresh. Jarred and pickled versions can also be found throughout the world. To prepare, wash under running water then either cook in boiling water for two minutes or steam for the same time, the Samphire will not need seasoning. Set aside and chill.

For the Fruit de Mer you will need as large a range of shellfish as possible all served at fridge temperature on a bed of crushed ice topped with the chilled Samphire. The portions below are for one person.

Lobster - a half of a Lobster, approx 500 g total weight, with the intestinal tract and stomach sac removed, and the claw cracked.

Oysters - three raw Oysters opened and served in the shell. try to find different types of Oysters

Mussels - 150 g of fresh Mussels steamed with onion, garlic, dry white wine and herbs and served in their shells.

Clams - 75 g of each of two types, subject to local availability, cooked in the same way as the mussels.

Prawns - as in the European meaning of the word. Two types medium and large served in their shells. Ten medium and three large.

Shrimps - once again the European version. Around 50 g in their shells.

Scallops - one served in the shell if you are confident of the freshness and source of supply then serve raw, if not steam for 4 minutes.

Crab - ideally a half of a boiled brown Crab. But if not available use Velvet, Spider or in the USA King Crab from Alaska.

Langoustine - subject to the size up to five.

Whelks - around five, subject to size.

Winkles - a handful of Periwinkles.

Urchin - one left in the shell.

The dish should be served with shallot vinegar, mayonnaise, rouille and chilli sauce.

The unusual switch to the dish is to serve all of the ingredients warm, on bed of Samphire with a light dressing of fish stock, olive oil and Thai fish sauce. This option is particularly popular in the winter months when the thought of an iced main meal is not to every persons taste.

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Main Dish Recipes That Are Okay For Diabetics, Too

The recipes in this article offer a choice of yummy entree ideas that are not only tasty for anyone, they are also okay to serve diabetics. No need to cook two separate main dishes, these recipes are perfect for all! The chicken is a quick and easy meal perfect for summer or any time. The ham is great for serving a large group. The leftover ham also makes some good ham and beans, an excellent dish for diabetics.

PINEAPPLE-MANGO CHICKEN
1 lb (4 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mango fat-free yogurt
1 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups canned pineapple tidbits in their own juice, drained
butter-flavored cooking spray

In a small bowl mix the yogurt with the cilantro and pineapple. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Be sure to stir the sauce before using.

Spray a frying pan with the cooking spray and heat the pan over medium heat. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken and cook just until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Turn at least once or twice during cooking.

To serve, drizzle the chicken with the mango sauce.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: Approximately 155 calories, 1 g fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium, 27 g protein, and 7 g carbs Exchanges: 3 meats

SPIRAL HAM WITH A DIABETIC ORANGE GLAZE
1 fully cooked spiral sliced ham (approx 8-9 lbs)
2 cups water
1/2 to 3/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 cup no-sugar-added orange juice (fresh squeezed is best!)
1 cup Splenda sweetened orange marmalade
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the ham, cut side down, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour the water into the pan; cover the ham with an aluminum foil tent. Bake 1 and 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Splenda, orange juice, marmalade, and Dijon mustard. Set mixture aside.

Remove the ham from oven and remove the foil tent. Liberally brush the glaze mixture over the surface of the ham using 3/4 cup. Leave the foil off and return ham to the oven for another half hour or until internal temperature is 140 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Serves approximately 20 to 25.

Enjoy!

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Chicken Curry Recipe - Flavoursome Without The Bite

I love curries as they are often naturally wheat and gluten free. For a cold summer's day, this makes a lovely homemade authentic chicken curry experience. This is a very simple chicken curry recipe. It really is one of the easiest chicken curry recipes out there, without the compromise on taste.

I say easy, because the only slight objection that you may have when preparing Sri Lankan food is accessing the ingredients. If you don't live near an area that caters well for spices, then simply head to Waitrose who stock a broad range of spices. Yes spices are pricier at Waitrose, but you will leave the store with a more manageable amount of spices (instead of the bulky bags of spices that you may end up purchasing from local Indian shops).

If you struggle to find fresh curry leaves, I was ecstatic to find these in Tesco. They do make a world of difference to the final dish.

You can also manipulate the ingredients so that this turns into a mild chicken curry recipe. For example, you can skip the cayenne pepper and choose 'mild' curry powder from your local supermarket.

When you give this recipe a go, you'll soon appreciate that this is one of the easiest and definitely the best chicken curry recipe. Who would ever complain about throwing a bunch of ingredients in to a pot with dinner served approximately 40 minutes later! And it's full of flavour and spice without the bite.

This definitely is my all time favourite curry recipe!

Ingredients

900g chicken thigh or breast pieces

Marinade
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 cardamom pods, crushed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon garlic puree
½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

3 large tomatoes, diced
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ thumb sized ginger, chopped
¼ teaspoon tamarind paste
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 stalks of curry leaves
150ml coconut milk
Salt to taste

Preparing the marinade

Trim all visible fat off the chicken thighs. This is the only time consuming aspect of the recipe. It's worth it to have a good go with a pair of kitchen scissors when you realise that nearly half the chicken is fat! In a bowl, add chicken, crushed garlic, curry powder, tomato paste, garlic puree and the lemon juice. Mix well. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Methods

1. Add oil to a large saucepan. Add sliced red onions and fry for a couple of minutes. I would add salt at this stage as onions absorb salt well.
2. Next add in the crushed garlic, cloves, mustard seeds and tomatoes. Stir for a few seconds then add fenugreek seeds. Cook until the tomatoes create a paste like texture.
3. Tip in the chicken, stir well and add 1-2 cups of water (or enough water to completely immerse the chicken). Cook on high for 5 minutes.
4. Add cumin powder, fennel seeds, ginger, tamarind paste, cayenne pepper and cinnamon powder.
5. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
6. Uncover and add curry leaves.
7. Simmer partly covered for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is well cooked through.
8. Stir in the coconut milk and serve with rice and a salad.

The Top 4 Most Common Types of Seafood for Gumbo

The truth is you can use almost anything in gumbo: it's one of those dishes that are sometimes made with whatever you have laying around in the refrigerator. It just so happens though, that many families in the gulf south keep things like onions and shrimp laying around the house. This article is going to list and discuss the 4 most common types of seafood for gumbo.

Shrimp

Shrimp is the most common type of seafood used in gumbo. The reason for this is because shrimp is incredibly prevalent in Louisiana, where gumbo was invented. Additionally, shrimp are available most of the year in Louisiana. One of the best reasons to use shrimp in this dish is because it's easy to obtain rich, flavorful stock from shrimp by boiling the shells. If you boil the heads and shell of shrimp you will get an extremely shrimpy flavor that you can use to be the base of your gumbo, along with the roux.

Crab

Crab meat is also extremely prevalent in Louisana, and therefore, in gumbo. The type of crab most commonly used is blue crab, which has a texture that's sweeter and richer than almost any other crab in the United States. Usually, meat from the body and claws is reserved and placed in the gumbo towards the end of the cooking, but sometimes, people use what they call "gumbo crabs," which are crabs that are too small to justify boiling and eating on their own, but add a great crabby flavor to the dish. To use these small creatures, remove the top shell, crack them in half, and let them cook along with the rest of the gumbo.

Oysters

Oysters are extremely common in seafood gumbo and most people will tell you they either love oysters in gumbo, or hate it (there are very few in between). When oysters are added in gumbo the texture is somewhat slimy, since, not only are oysters slimy, but if you use okra in your gumbo, that will only contribute to this texture problem. This really isn't a problem, however, for most people because many are used to okra in gumbo. Some say that eating oysters in gumbo is the best way to taste the true flavor of oysters, and it's true: you get to taste the oyster without the competing flavors of breading or cheese, but unlike raw oysters, these are warm, and the heat intensifies this flavor.

Crawfish

Crawfish is the type of seafood that is absolutely adored by anyone with access to it. Additionally, the crawfish season is limited throughout the year, and it's a type of food that people love eating alone. Since that's the case, it's somewhat rare that crawfish makes its way to the gumbo pot. If you do have a lot of crawfish left over after a boil, however, and you don't want to make any of a wonderful variety of dishes like crawfish etouffee and crawfish bisque, you can use your crawfish tails for meat in the gumbo, and use the shells for stock.

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Who Do We Have to Thank for Chicken Pot Pie?

As the sandwich celebrates its 250th birthday this year, you may have been hearing trivia about its origin. Legend has it that the Earl of Sandwich, an avid card player, wanted an easy way to have something to eat without having to put his cards down. He asked for a piece of beef between two pieces of bread, and the "sandwich" was born. According to our research, it was a similar desire to eat a filling lunch easily, without using cutlery, which may have led to the origin of the chicken pot pie.

The Cornish Pasty - Parent to the Pot Pie?

One of the earliest and most popular versions of a chicken pie hails from Cornwall in Great Britain. To this day it is referred to as a Cornish "pasty," and appears more similar to an Italian calzone, encased in a thick, closed crust. Unlike a calzone or more modern variations on the pasty, it's filled with savory meat, vegetables and spices but no sauce or gravy as that would make it too messy to eat by hand. Pasties were a very popular lunch with Cornish miners, because they stay warm for a long time in a lunch pail and are easy to reheat by placing on a shovel and holding over a flame. Pasties also require no cutlery to eat, and could be held by their thick crusts by miners with dirty hands who would discard the crust after eating the rest. Today, pasties are Cornwall's national dish and account for 6% of the food economy.

While the ingredients of any savory meat pie have been available for centuries in various countries, there are references in cookbooks from France dating back to the 1300s. Pasties are also referred to in correspondence related to high ranking officials, the clergy, and royalty of the 1200s. It may not have been until the 17th and 18th centuries, however, that pasties became common fare among the working class. With such an important place in Cornish lore and as a "national dish" of Cornwall, the neighboring county of Devon sometimes competes for a role in pasty history.

Cornish Miners Take the Recipe on the Road

As tin mining was on the decline in Cornwall, the miners traveled for work to other parts of the world in the 1800s, and brought their hearty lunch recipe with them. They settled in areas such as Australia, Mexico, the mid-western United States, and Pennsylvania. While these areas are still eating the pasty in a more authentic form, some regions have done away with the more utilitarian features, like the thick crust and lack of sauce.

Modern "Pot" Pies

The original savory pie makers of Europe would use a pot, and include a top and bottom crust to help the pie keep its shape. Some American variations over the years have done away with the bottom crust as it was no longer deemed necessary to eat this dish "on the fly" without cutlery. A more casserole-like dish which features a generous filling, including gravy, has become more popular. Also, the "pot" pie is usually associated with vegetables in addition to chicken meat.

While the recipe and "use" may have changed over the years, chicken pies are still seen as a wholesome, stick-to-your ribs meal for the end of a long work day. Also, as fans know, similar to Cornish pasties, chicken pot pies are one of the few main courses that will still be warm when you go back for seconds!

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Most Famous Food Dishes of Goa

Goa cuisine is extremely popular and the spices and flavors used in the food are absolutely amazing. Seafood forms the staple diet of the Goan cuisine and no meal is complete without fish. Rice and fish are undoubtedly the staple food and some of the most common varieties of fish used include tuna and pomfret. Some of the varieties of shellfish that one can enjoy include mackerel, crabs, prawns, lobster, mussels and squid.

Hindu Goan cuisine uses a lot of vegetables, pumpkins, lentils, bamboo shoots, roots etc. Coconut oil is used to prepare most of these dishes. Goan Hindus eat fish and chicken on most days and some days they follow strict vegetarian diet due to religious reasons.

Some of the popular Hindu Goan dishes include fish curry and rice, fried fish, dangar or fish cutlets, bhaji or shak made from vegetables, tondak made out of beans. Goan Catholic cuisine is also seafood based and a lot of spices are also used. Seafood, chicken, beef and pork dishes are quite popular and some of the well-known dishes include arroz doze, balchao, chamucas, xacuti, sanna, vindaloo and croquettes.

Chilis are used extensively in Goan food and most of the dishes are extremely spicy. The goan bread called pao is also quite popular usually eaten for breakfast along with some kind of goan curry. Lunch and dinner usually comprise of fish and rice or those who are vegetarian can consume lots of lentils, different types of vegetable preparation and rice.

Baji-pao is the traditional Goan breakfast, which is ideally a plate of stewed vegetables, which contains coconut flavor and is served with traditional Goan bread called pao. Lunch and Dinner is mostly Goan fish curry with rice. A lot of dried fish is also consumed along with fish curry and rice. Vegetarian food is also easily available and strict vegetarians can enjoy vegetable stews that are flavored with coconut, herbs and chilly. Cottage cheese is also part of the vegetarian diet and is prepared in different ways.

Where desserts are concerned, one of the most popular items is undoubtedly bebinca, which is a kind of pudding prepared from coconut oil, sugar and egg yolks. A variation of this pudding is called batica, which is served warm and dodol usually prepared during Christmas. Though it may come as a surprise, lassi is extremely popular in Goa, which is a drink prepared from water and curd and is flavored with sugar to make it sweet lassi or salt to give a salty flavor.

Goan food is truly delectable and when visiting Goa, one should gorge on all the delicious delicacies that this amazing place has to offer. Goa food is sure to please even the most discerning travelers in the world.

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Famous Polish Main Courses

Polish food may not be as famous as say the French or Italian cuisine, but the Polish certainly have very distinct dishes. Centuries ago Poland was very big and powerful. People from all kinds of nationalities lived there, and it had its influence the kitchen. From Hungarian Goulash to French pastry, Italian salads to Ukrainian beet soup, "borscht". The Polish have derived their own versions of these well-known dishes, and made them their own.

Poland is famous for their inventive use of simple, fresh ingredients. Often recipes have remained unchanged for centuries, although there are many regional varieties.

Polish people really like their food, and both making the main dish and eating their festive meals can take many hours. Some special meals may even take days to prepare. Many meals include a variety of meat, but not always. Most Poles are Roman Catholic, who observe fast days. During these days they do not eat meat, and mushrooms and/or fish are being used as substitutes.

Bigos is one of the most famous Polish main courses, with a long history. Many consider it to be the Polish national dish, and it is believed to have been around since the late 14th century. This hunters' stew of meat and cabbage is made of sauerkraut and sweet cabbage, several kinds of meat, wild mushrooms, onions and seasoned with spices and fruit like peppercorns, apples, dried plums, juniper berries. Recipes vary widely as one would expect of a main course of such long history. Polish dishes are usually very rich in meat, and the Polish national dish Bigos is no different. Recipes can include pork, venison, steak and kielbasa - the well-known spicy Polish sausage.

If you want to impress your family and friends with Bigos you better take the time to prepare it: Bigos needs no fewer than three days to reach full flavor.

Other well-known main courses include pierogi (dumplings), roast duck with apples, golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls) and breaded pork cutlet (kotlet schabowy). Vegetables are often eaten in a shredded fashion, either as sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) or shredded root vegetables with lemon and sugar.

And you don't have to go to Poland to get to know these Polish main dishes; just get a books from the library or Amazon, or search online for "Polish cuisine" or "Polish recipes" and you will get more ideas than you will be able to execute.

Smacznego (bon appetit)!

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