Storified by Lucette Delacroix· Thu, Feb 28 2013 19:16:40
Sweet, spicy, smooth and velvety, Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes is an exotic and filling dish that can be served on its own as an appetizer or as a dip for nachos or chips. You can even stuff this nutritious snack in burritos, tacos, or top it over rice for a quick and satisfying meal. Containing more fiber and nutrients than regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are excellent for your digestion and are a great addition to your weekly home cooking recipe menu. They also make versatile vegetarian fare.
You don’t have to turn all-out vegetarian to be healthy and slim. Schedule one day of the week for detoxification, such as meatless Monday, so that your family can feel recharged and energized and take on the challenges of the week. Make this a staple for those healthy days. Full of flavor and textures, this is a dish that you won’t easily get tired of. Spices like coriander, cilantro, lime, chili, and cumin make it an addicting starter.
Ideal for the couch potato as it is for the health buff, this is a zestier and healthier alternative to French fries or a bucket of fried chicken. You won’t feel guilty even after consuming a whole bowl of spicy mashed sweet potatoes. In fact, you’ll feel more energized and invigorated after devouring the dish. Because it aids in digestion, bingeing on this snack could possible help you lose weight.
The generous amount of spice contained in this dish also helps speed up your metabolism so instead of accumulating fat while you’re sitting around on a lazy weekend, it will help burn up those unwanted calories. You can make spicy mashed sweet potatoes ahead of time, place it in the container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, and you can instantly enjoy a healthy snack anytime.
This recipe is inspired from Penzeys Spices catalogue, Winter 2011 edition. Cook Emily Sommer makes a burrito out of her version of this.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 6 or 8 pieces each. Place potatoes in a microwave safe container with a lid and cook on high (1100 watt microwave oven) for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and mash potatoes using a potato masher.
Add cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, pepper and lime juice and stir to combine. Gently stir in beans, chilies, corn and peas. Add a bit of water if it seems too thick (up to 1/4-1/3 cup or so should be fine). Return to microwave oven and cook 2 minutes, to combine flavors and heat it thoroughly.
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.
Storified by Lucette Delacroix· Sun, Feb 24 2013 19:05:48
Aromatic and ambrosial, this turkey noodle soup will warm you up and light up your soul on those dreary days when you can’t get out of bed and feel too tired to do anything. A bowl of this tasty broth will bring you back to life, ready to take on the new day. Simple and easy, this recipe is suited for the busy lifestyle or for the novice cook. An alternative to the classic chicken noodle soup, this turkey dish is also perfect for leftover turkey from thanksgiving.
Turkey carcass makes an excellent turkey broth. Simply sauté some chopped onions, carrots, and celery in some olive oil using a cast iron pot and place the chopped up turkey carcass. Cover the bones with some water and simmer for two hours. Make sure that the bones is always covered with water so check from time to time if the water has evaporate too much and add liquid when needed, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off some of the fat that surface on top of the water. Toss out the bones and mushy fragments but leave any remaining turkey meat behind and you have yourself a very flavorful broth for making a hearty turkey noodle soup. You can make the turkey broth ahead, days before you plan on or spontaneously crave for noodle soup. Place the broth in an airtight container and freeze so it can be stored for longer periods. If you have no time to make stock, you can always use canned or packaged turkey stock available in groceries.
Egg noodles are the suggested type of noodles for this recipe but some people like to use pasta, soba, and other kinds of noodles. Feel free to use your favorite noodles but remember that different noodles require different times to cook, so adjust accordingly. You can also make a diet soup recipe version.
Prepare linguine according to package directions in a large saucepan. Add broccoli to the water during the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often, 5-7 minutes.
Add soup, milk, cheese, pepper and linguine and broccoli to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is hot and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.
Storified by Lucette Delacroix· Fri, Feb 22 2013 18:47:23
In this recipe video, salami is combined with onions and parsley and seasoned with mustard vinaigrette to make a simple and tasty salad. So what kind of salami should you use for this recipe? Originally from Italy, there are numerous kinds of salami made from all over the world and each have a distinctive taste. One of the best ways to enjoy salami is serving different varieties in a platter with different kinds of cheese such as in a wine tasting party. In making salami salad, you can use one type of salami or you can use two or three kinds for a more flavorful and complex dish.
Some have more fat than others and the color can range from pink to red. The various textures and shades make for a more attractive appetizer. Some are made of pork others beef, while others are a combination of both. The different kinds of spices used to make various kinds of salami also what makes them taste different from each other. Salami is famously topped on pizzas and filled in sandwiches.
Some of the better-known kinds include Finocchiona, Pepperoni, Ciauscolo, Felino, Genoa, Soppressata, Cotto, and Napolitano. Finnocchiona is ground pork spiced with the fragrant fennel; Pepperoni as it's name suggests is spiced with peppers and is America’s most favorite pizza topping; Ciauscolo has a spreadable texture like pate with a hint of wine in flavor; Felino is a specialty from a Northern Italian town with the same name made of lean pork and fat and flavored with black pepper, wine, and salt; Genoa is made of extra-lean pork and seasoned with garlic, spices, pepper, and red wine; Soppressata is popular in Southern Italy and is defined by its softness and thin slices; Cotto is soft and made of pork and beef flavored with pepper, garlic, salt and sugar; and Napolitano is spicy similar to pepperoni made with lean pork and peperoncino.
Remove the skin of the salami. Cut into thin slices and place on a dish.
Add chopped onions and chopped parsley.
In a bowl, mix vinegar, oil, and mustard to make vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the salami with the dressing and serve.And here's another salami salad recipe:
Storified by Lucette Delacroix· Thu, Feb 21 2013 19:31:50
Veal has a delicate flavor and when cooked with a potent and intense botanical like licorice, the contrast allows a deeper and different appreciation of the natural tender taste of veal. Forget the usual garlic or aromatic herb seasoning and try something completely new and adventurous such as this recipe for Veal Filet Mignon with Licorice by Chef Marc Veryat, known for his wild gastronomic creations and touted by many as the best chef in the world.
A recent study conducted by the Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation in Chicago found that the scent of black licorice stimulates female libido, increasing the blood flow in the brain areas related to arousal when exposed to the scent of the botanical. If you are planning an exciting and romantic evening, then look no further. Perfect this recipe for an unforgettable evening. Serve it with a special bottle of Anjou Blanc for a truly sublime time.
Somewhat sweet and tastes a bit like anise or fennel, licorice enhances the natural flavors of veal filet mignons. In this recipe, licorice is used in two ways; the ferns are inserted in the meat to flavor it and are also added in the vegetable broth to make the sauce.
For juicy and perfectly cooked veal filets, pat the veal dry with a paper towel before cooking. This will promote browning and seal in the moisture. Season the meat with salt and pepper only after it has browned so that the salt won’t extract the moisture while it is cooking. Pan fry the veal on medium-high heat and when they are nice and brown, decrease the temperature to low to slow cook the inside. High heat can overcook the meat quickly and produce dry and bland-tasting veal. Medium cooked veal should be slightly pink in the center. Learn how to cook veal shank.
Ask your butcher to prepare the veal filet mignon. Cut slices of about ¾ inch in thickness (2 per person). Pierce each slice with 2 licorice stems. Cook in a pan with 3 ½ tablespoons of melted butter. Begin by browning them lightly then end by cooking them over low heat, 5 minutes on each side. Season meat with salt and pepper.
Once the cooking is done, place the mignons in aluminum paper and close it hermetically. The cooking can continue on low heat.
Reduce the vegetable bouillon by 1/3. Let the licorice simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and strain. Add a tablespoon of butter and the half a bouillon cube. Keep this gravy in the bain-marie (water bath).
Place two veal filet mignons on each serving dish. Pour some drops of licorice sauce over them and sprinkle with Guerande salt grains.
Storified by Lucette Delacroix· Wed, Feb 20 2013 17:22:19
Mihidana is like boondi but this one is made in a true Bengali style. Mihidana is made from gram flour and the mixture in dropped in hop oil through sieve and later soaked in sugar syrup. Get more michelin desserts here.
Preparation Steps
In a bowl mix besan or gram flour with enough water to form a thin liquid paste which is free flowing.
Allow it to soak for about 30 minutes and then drain the excess water and, keep aside.
To this mix the finely chopped dry fruits and serve is a pudding dish.
