JUST THE WAY YOU IMAGINED: BROWNIE POINTS

Ingredients:

125g unsalted butter
125g dark chocolate
30g cocoa powder
3 eggs, whisked lightly
115g white flour
250g white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F
Grease and line a baking pan (a 20cm pan is ideal)
Combine chocolate and butter in a bowl over hot water (bain marie), stirring until melted.
Once melted, remove the bowl from over the heat and stir in cocoa powder, eggs, flour and vanilla.
Immediately pour the mixture into lined baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool before taking a pinch to make sure you’re not dreaming.

WHAT’SOUP: LENTIL & COCONUT SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cups of lentils (I used brown, but you could also use red lentils)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp curry powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of coconut milk
1 handful of fresh chopped spinach leaves

Directions:

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat adding in chopped onions, minced ginger and garlic until the onion becomes translucent.

Stir in lentils, tomato paste, curry and red pepper flakes.

After a couple minutes, pour in vegetable broth, coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes

Place spinach in pot and leave to point of just wilting

Serve hot.

SWEET NUT THINGS: PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 Cup of All Natural Peanut Butter
1 Cup of White Sugar
1 Whole Egg

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175C (350 F)
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth
3. Place spoonfuls of mixture onto a lined baking sheet and bake for approx 8 mins.

Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk (Cow, Soy, Almond, Rice… take your pick).

FIRM & SOFT: CHOCOLATE MOELLEUX

 

Ingredients:

dark chocolate (100g)
butter (110g)
white flour (50g)
white sugar (100g)
eggs (4)

Preparation:

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl resting over a pot of boiling water
2. In a separate bowl, beat 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, add Sugar and mix until frothy
3. Pour melted chocolate & butter into egg & sugar mix and stir until well blended.
4. Next, using a sieve or (as I do a fine tea strainer), sift the flour into the mixture and mix until smooth.
5. Pour mixture into a food grade plastic (squeeze) bag, tie a knot or otherwise seal and place in refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 210°C
7. Push away the contents from one corner of the bag and cut away to form an opening about the size of the tip of your thumb.
8. Working your way down from the top of the bag, squeeze contents evenly into 4 buttered and floured (so they don’t stick) ramekins filling approx. 2/3 of the way full.
9. Place the ramekins on middle rack in the oven for 8-10 mins until firm on the outside and soft on the inside.

Add ice cream, whipped cream and/or strawberries to your liking.

A COLORFUL FISH TALE: RAINBOW TROUT

 

Ingredients:

4 fillets of rainbow trout
4 teaspoons of soy sauce
Salt and black pepper red pepper to taste
3 pinches of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 onion peeled and sliced
2 scallions chopped
3 sprigs of coriander (mince with fingers)

Preparation:

Marinate trout in soy sauce, salt, black and red pepper and coriander. (set aside)

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions and scallions, stirring until onions become translucent.

Add trout fillets and cook for 3- 4 mins on both sides until fish is browned and onions, garlic and scallions are crispy.

Serve with steamed Basmati Rice and a side of sautéed snow peas. Grated carrots drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil add extra pop, texture and flavor to the dish.

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO: SWEET POTATO PIE

Ingredients:

2-3 sweet potatoes (1lb)
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg/ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
9″ unbaked pie crust (I buy 2 just in case)

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes- peel skin and set aside
2. Soften butter and mix in sugar until smooth
3. Combine all other ingredients into butter sugar mix (including potatoes) then blend with hand blender until smooth.
4. Pour into pie crust(s)– sometimes enough for 2.
5. Bake for 55-60 mins at 350F (175C)

Enjoy plain or with whipped cream.

THIS CAME FIRST: CHICKEN ADOBO

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup soy sauce
1½ cup rice vinegar
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 whole bird’s-eye chilies or other fiery chili
3 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs.

Preparation:
1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic freezer bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.

2. Place chicken and marinade in a large lidded pot or Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, around 30 minutes.

3. Heat broiler. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl, raise heat under the pot to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until it achieves almost the consistency of cream, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and chilies.

4. Place chicken pieces on a roasting pan and place under broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Remove, turn chicken, baste with sauce and repeat, 3 to 5 minutes more. Return chicken to sauce and cook for a few minutes more, then place on a platter and drizzle heavily with sauce.

Serves four.  I suggest you serve it with steamed rice.

Source: my boyfriend, who got it from a friend, who likely either got it from somewhere else or gets the credit for his take on this amazing dish.