food + drink · garnishes · posts

valentine’s day garnish

Moya6 Comments

Flowers, chocolates ( yes please ) and dining are always high on the menu for Valentine’s Day and many people love to mark the occasion. But then, there are some who would rather stay at home and not get caught up in the hype. If flowers and chocolates are not for you and you find the whole romance thing a bit much, you could always garnish your food with a subtle touch of romance. Remember when Richard Gere in the movie “Shall We Dance” came up the escalators with a single red rose… well you can place your single edible rose on what ever your heart or stomach desires.

Cherry Tomato Rose

Ingredients:

  • firm cherry tomatoes (or you can use bigger tomatoes)
  • chives or parsley stalks
  • mint leaves or parsley leaves

How to make: Using a sharp paring knife cut thinly into the top of the tomato creating a base for the rose, which should still be attached to the tomato. Continue cutting a thin spiral strip around the tomato just under the skin.

Roll the strip of tomato skin up and onto the base to form the rose.

Fresh chives or parsley stalks can be use for the stem, fresh mint leaves or parsley for the leaves. Happy Valentine’s Day!

appetizers · Food · food + drink · posts

Leek and Broccoli Soup with Lemon Creme Fraiche

Moya4 Comments

This recipe is from the Home Cooking Calendar  

A satisfying fresh bowl of home-made leek and broccoli soup served with a chunk of your favorite bread… is comfort in a bowl. Leek and broccoli have some health benefits and are a rich source of beta-carotene. Leeks being a member of the powerful Allium family (garlic, onions and chives) have anti-bacterial properties and useful for helping to reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and also good for gout and arthritis. It was said, the Roman Emperor of Nero ate leeks every day to improve his singing voice and the Celtic soldiers wore leeks in their caps so they could recognize a friend from foe when on the battle field.

Broccoli being a member of the Cruciferous family is high on the list as one of the vegetables shown to have protective powers against cancer and also good for anaemia, stress and some skin problems.

Leek and Broccoli Soup with Lemon Creme Fraiche

Ingredients:

  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 medium leeks chopped, white and light green parts only (use the dark green parts for stock making)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 500g broccoli florets and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 450ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 450ml whole or low-fat milk
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • salt

for the topping

How to make: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic, cook for a few minutes until softened but not brown. Add broccoli, stock, milk and bay leaf. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until broccoli is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl, creme fraiche or yogurt, lemon rind and juice, season with salt. Refrigerate untill needed.

Use a stick blender or transfer the slightly cooled soup to a blender (remove bay leaf), blend in batches until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan, season with salt to taste and gently re-heat.  Ladle soup into pre-warmed bowls and add a spoonful of lemon creme fraiche or yogurt, grate over some Parmesan cheese and serve.

food + drink · posts

A Real Hot Chocolate Fix

Moya20 Comments

What to make for the Death by Chocolate Blog Hop, hosted by The Hungry Australian.

Thinking…  a decadent chocolate cake or some fudgy brownies, what about  chocolate pots, or maybe a rich chocolate mousse. The list is endless when chocolate is the subject and in the end, decided on “Real Hot Chocolate”… a fix of liquid chocolate in a mug. Good quality chocolate and cocoa percentage is the defining factor for flavour and intensity and it’s all a matter of taste.

Real Hot Chocolate with a Hint of Cinnamon

Ingredients: 

  • 200g good quality dark chocolate (around 50% to 60% cocoa solids)
  • 600ml whole fresh milk
  • 2 tablespoons powdered milk
  • 4 cinnamon sticks

How to make:

With a sharp knife chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a heat-proof bowl.

Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan and with a whisk blend in the powdered milk. Place the saucepan on medium heat and bring the milk to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the boiling milk over the chopped chocolate. Use the whisk to stir continuously until the milk and chocolate combine completely.

Pour the hot chocolate into cups or small mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick. Using cinnamon sticks to stir the hot chocolate with will impart a slight cinnamon taste.

The Cocoa Bean Pod… the beginning of all our chocolate addictions.

Try different types of chocolate, milk, dark, or even white. Chocolate with chilli or flavoured with orange could also be used. Using chocolate with 70% to 90% cocoa solids will need sweetening with sugar, unless you enjoy the taste of bitter chocolate.

This post was part of the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop! Click on the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop Badge to check out all the other “Death by Chocolate” entries!