Taleggio filled chicken breast with gorgonzola spinach

A cheesy feast, or how to turn a diet dish into a huge calorie intake... to make it an even fuller dish, it could be served with baked potatoes. While gorgonzola is well known around the world, taleggio might be still a less recognisable cheese. It is an Italian semi-soft cheese with a mouldy crust named after Val Taleggio where it was originally made. It's been around for a long time in Italy - similar cheese was eaten on the Italian peninsula already in the times of Cicero.

You'll need:

one small chicken breast

60g of taleggio

70g of pre-cooked spinach (more if starting with fresh leaves)

20g gorgonzola

tarragon

salt & pepper

oil for frying

1.  If you're using pre-prepared spinach, then it's super easy - just warm it up, while adding a generous dose of pepper and melting in some gorgonzola. If using fresh spinach, wash and rinse the leaves first, then cut out the stems.Cook for 2-3 minutes on a dry pan until the leaves soften, remove from the pan, get rid of the extra moisture and chop. Put back on the pan, cook for a few more minutes and add gorgonzola and pepper.

2. Cut a hole on the side of the chicken breast and make a pocket to fill with taleggio. Making only a small opening hole reduces the risk that the cheese will melt out during frying. Stitch the opening with a piece of string or toothpicks. 

3. Season the chicken breast with tarragon and salt & pepper and put on a hot frying pan. Fry on all sides. A bigger piece of meat like this requires a longer frying time than a thin cutlet, so make sure it is well cooked through before serving.

4. Assemble the spinach and chicken on a plate, et voila!

Peppery tuna pasta bake

Comforting yet slightly spicy pasta bake with deliciously melty cheese. I actually didn't use brie, but a local Italian variety of soft moldy cheese, that I forgot the name of. If anyone could tell me what it might have been I would be grateful (I think the name started with "s", but I can't be sure; the search I made for it afterwards did not end up with a success).

You'll need:
1 yellow paprika
1 green paprika
2 green chillis
1 can of tuna in oil 
200g of brie type cheese
100g tomato passata
oregano
pasta (I used farfalle)

1. Boil the pasta al dente.

2. In the meantime cut the paprikas into small squares and fry together with finely chopped chillis and a pinch of salt. Add passata and oregano.

3. Mix the contents of the pan and the pasta.

4. Transfer half of the pasta into an oven dish and top with half of the cheese, then add another layer of pasta, top it up with tuna and the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with some extra oregano.

5. Cover the oven dish and put it in the oven pre-set to around 180 degrees for around 15 minutes.

Bon appétit!

Chilli con carne

It's time for an all American classic that also happens to be an official symbol of Texas by virtue of the House Concurrent Resolution No. 18, 65th Legislature, Regular Session (1977) - chilli con carne! Already before the WWII chilli con carne could be easily bought at "chili joints" throughout the South-West. Since then its popularity has not diminished and it remains a popular fast food that can be served with rice, tortillas, or even as a top up for fries. Chilli con carne is probably the most popular material of cook-offs: according to wikipedia the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctions over 550 chili cook-offs annually. There is also a world championship with regional qualifying events for those feeling brave enough, organized by the the International Chili Society (ICS). This of course means that there are perhaps as many versions of the dish as there are participants of those competitions - literally hundreds. Here's my take on it:

You'll need:

500g ground beef

600g red kidney beans (canned)

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 table spoons of tomato concentrate

1/2 red onion

1 onion

1 medium carrot

5 red chilies

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

fresh coriander leaves

cumin

oregano

smoked sweet paprika

Worchestershire sauce

sunflower oil for frying

sour cream (optional, to serve with)

dark chocolate (optional, for a more authentic Mexican feel)

1. Finely chop the onions. Peel the carrot and chop it into small pieces. Fry them all in a deep frying pan/non-stick pot with a generous dose of oregano and cumin for about 3-4 minutes. Towards the end of the frying add garlic and 2 finely chopped chillies.

2. Add the mince with a little bit of water to the frying pan and brown it. Add some salt as you do so.

3. As the meat browns, add sweet paprika, a few drops of Worchestershire sauce, canned tomatoes, tomato concentrate and the remaining chillies.

4. Turn the heat down and allow the mixture to simmer for 2 hours. As the moisture evaporates keep adding water (or beef stock) and stir from time to time.

5. Add beans during the last 15 minutes of the cooking time.

6. Chop the coriander leaves and stir into your chilli or just sprinkle on top.

7. Serve with rice/tortillas together with cream and/or grated dark chocolate (it will melt immediately on top of a hot chilli).

Bon appétit!

Mulligatawny soup

This curry flavoured soup originates from Indian cuisine, but this particular Anglosaxon version probably doesn't resemble much its oriental original. The name derives from Tamil words for pepper water, but this version is more sweet than anything else, especially with the addition of apples. This recipe was inspired by one from Hairy Bikers with some modifications. Mulligatawny soup is usually thickened by rice or lentils, but the way I prepared it, it was already quite dense, so I left it as it is. If you want to add rice, then I would suggest adding more broth. This soup can be easily turned veggie friendly if using vegetable broth. Equally, meat lovers might want to add some meat chunks to it (I suggest chicken).

You'll need:

4 medium sized carrots

2 potatoes

4 celery sticks

1 apple

1 onion

2 spoons of tomato concentrate

2 garlic cloves

bouillon 

curry powder

sour cream

coriander, parsley or dill for decoration

freshly ground black pepper

butter 

oil

1. Preparation: peel the potatoes and cut them into 2cm cubes. Cut the carrots and celery. Finely chop the onions and garlic. 

2. Melt the butter with oil on a deep pan/ in a thick walled pot and add the onions, potatoes, carrots, celery and garlic. Stir-fry over medium heat for around ten minutes or until they start to brown.

3. In the meantime peel the apple and cut it into cubes. Stir it in towards the end of the frying.

4. Add curry powder and stir.

5. Add the bouillon and tomato concentrate, bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for around 30 minutes or until the vegetables become soft.

6. Put it aside and allow to cool, then blend. If it's too dense after blending, add some more broth.

7. Warm it up again, transfer to a plate, add some sour cream, sprinkle with coriander and pepper, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Light Chicken Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi is one of the most popular Indian curries in the UK. It includes a mixture of stir-fry vegetables, typically peppers, tomatoes and onions. Unlike many curries, vegetables are not cooked into a pulp, but left intact, making this curry a beautiful mixture of colours. I wanted my jalfrezi to be a bit lighter, so the sauce I prepared to go with it is not as thick as in most curries, but it has just as much flavour.

You'll need:

one double chicken breast 

3 tomatoes

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 onions

3-4 green chillis

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 table spoons of natural yoghurt

1/2 glass of water

turmeric

cumin

garam masala

salt and pepper

a pinch of sugar

sunflower oil

1. Chop 2 green chillis (remove the seeds if you don't want your Jalfrezi to be too spicy). I used two because in Italy green chillis are hardly ever very spicy, but if you find a spicy variety, one might be sufficient.

2. Chop 2 tomatoes. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes of around 3cm.

3. Heat up a deep pan and put some oil on it. Add chopped chillis and garlic.Allow them to fry for around 30 seconds and then add chopped tomatoes, tumeric, cumin, garam masala and a pinch of salt and sugar. Fry for another 3 minutes or so until the tomatoes get soft.

4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes and then add water and yoghurt.Cut the remaining chillis alongside, without cutting them into half and add to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for around 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces. The yoghurt might separate at first, but it should be fine after a while.

5. Cut the peppers into 4cm slices and cut the onions into wedges. Stir-fry them together on another pan, adding some salt and garam masala. 

6. Cut the remaining tomato into wedges and add to the pan with the peppers and onions towards the end of stir-frying them.

7. Add the vegetables to the chicken with the sauce and serve with rice or naans.

Bon appétit!

Peach mousse with a hint of cardamom

You have guests and no time to prepare a dessert, but still want to show off a little bit with sth unconventional? Here's a dessert for you.

You'll need:

1 peach or nectarine (per head)

2 cardamom pods

2 tea spoons of brown sugar

50g of cream (cooled)

Kamis dessert spice mix (or self-made equivalent that contains vanilla, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon)

1. Cut your peach/nectarine into pieces and blend together with the seeds from the cardamom pods and sugar. Transfer into a glass or a bowl and cool down in a fridge.

2. Whip your cream and add it on top of your mousse.

3. Sprinkle with the spice mix on top, et voila!

 

Bon appétit!

Beef steak with gorgonzola with grilled mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on the side

Despite a continuous stream of articles on the hazards of eating red meet, I still believe that there are few things in life that are better than a beef steak for Sunday dinner. A little guilty pleasure from time to time can do no harm, right? Today I propose a simple beef steak with gorgonzola together with a few tips on how to make a perfect steak.

You'll need:

One beef steak

25g of gorgonzola

salt & pepper

5 mushrooms

10 cherry tomatoes

salad of choice 

tarragon

butter

oil

1. TIP: Remove your steak from the fridge at least half an hour before grilling/frying. It has to be at room temperature to remain tender after grilling.

2. Rub your steak with a generous dose of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Make sure it's covered on both sides. Normally, I would also use garlic and some herbs (e.g thyme), but since this time it is to be served with gorgonzola on top I decided to keep things simple.

3. Heat up a grill pan with oil. Put your steak on the pan (always moving away from yourself) and grill it, making sure it spends equal amount of time on both sides. TIP: Add some butter for some extra flavour. TIP: the best way to get to know the temperature of your steak is by touching it. If it feels like the inner side of your palm - it's rare, if it feels like the inner side of your wrist - it's medium, if it feels like the mid-way point  to your elbow - it's well done.

 4. When you think that the steak is almost to your liking, put some crumbled gorgonzola on top and cover the pan with a lid. 30 seconds later it should be deliciously melted on top of your steak.

5. Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest for a few minutes.

6. Use the same pan to grill fry (previously washed and sliced) mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. This way you can get back some of that amazing flavour from the steak! Season with tarragon while grilling.

7. Assemble everything on a plate, together with some fresh salad in simple vinegrette, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Cheshire cheese and pineapple chicken

A slightly exotic combination of flavours that will bring freshness to your kitchen. I used to make it very often when I lived in the UK, it's a quick dinner idea that can satisfy even the most demanding palates. Cheshire cheese melts very easily, but since it's rather crumbly to start with it doesn't go chewy when melted. This dish works very well if served with rice.

You'll need:
one chicken breast
100g of Cheshire cheese, sliced (Lancanshire cheese also works well)
around a quarter of a pineapple (or half of a can), cut into pieces
tarragon
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. Cut the chicken breast into thin fillets. Season with tarragon, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Warm up a pan and olive oil.
3. Fry the chicken on one side. Once you turn it to the other side, add sliced cheese and pineapple. Cover with a lid and fry for 2 more minutes, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Simply prawns

This is one of the most basic of recipes for fried prawns, but sometimes there is nothing better than a modest plate of prawns with a piece of fresh bread. Also, prawns prepared this way are prone to versatile use, they could be a great addition to a salad or pasta. Today I served mine as an appetizer over a bed of tomato salsa.

You'll need:
King prawns (preferably fresh)
White wine
Finely chopped garlic clove
Chili powder
Parsley
Lemon
olive oil
butter

For those of you living in Florence I recommend a morning visit to Mercato Centrale for a good selection of fresh seafood.

1. Prepare your prawns. If you bought them with the heads still on, just break them off and twist, don't use a knife. Then proceed to remove the shell and legs from the tail. They should come off easily. Make a cut across the back (outer side) and remove the intestines (a thin grey line along the back of the shrimp).
2. Warm up a pan, add some olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add garlic and chili powder and allow to fry for a few seconds.
3. Add your prawns and fry them for some 30 seconds on one side over medium heat. Then put them on the other side and add some wine. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, it becomes rubbery if overcooked.
4. Remove from the pan and sprinkle with fresh parsley and lemon juice, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Asian chicken satay with spicy strawberry sauce

A spicy option for those loving to grill coming straight from Indonesia. The sweet-spicy sauce is exactly what that chicken needed.

You'll need:

one chicken breast

For the marinade:

3cm of fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

chili powder

lemon

2 spoons of olive oil

salt & pepper

For the strawberry sauce:

200g of strawberries

2-3 spoons of honey

1 garlic clove

3cm of fresh ginger

1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar

chili powder

lemon/lime juice

lemon zest (optional)

 

1. Cut the chicken breast into small flat bits ready to be put on a grilling stick. Crash garlic and ginger into a paste and prepare a marinade using the ingredients from the list above. Put aside for at least 3 hours.
2. Chop garlic and ginger into a paste for the sauce and put on the heat in a sauce pan. Blend the strawberries and add to the saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients. Allow the flavours to combine.
3. Put the chicken on sticks and grill on a grill pan or a grill, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Watermelon aqua fresca

With the temperatures outside way above 30 degrees, aqua fresca comes to rescue! Aguas frescas are cooling down drinks popular especially in Mexico made from a variety of fresh fruit. Today I propose a watermelon version.

You'll need:
a watermelon
lime
fresh mint leaves
ice cubes
brown sugar (optional)

1. Cut the watermeloon into pieces removing all the seeds and put into a bowl/pot.
2. Chop the mint leaves and add to the bowl.
3. Cut the lime into half, cut of a slice for decoration and squeeze the rest into the bowl.
4. Add sugar.
5. Blend.
6. Put in the fridge to cool down.
7. Serve with ice cubes.

Bon appétit!

Spinach and cheshire cheese pockets

Puff pastry with a twist. A light vegetarian recipe for those not afraid of trying new things. The combination of spinach and cheese is not in itself surprising, but spinach is cooked Mauritian style with ginger and garlic, transforming the whole thing into a unique combination of flavours.

You'll need:
puff pastry (20 x10 cm)
A big handful of fresh spinach leaves
fresh ginger (or ready made paste)
one small garlic clove crushed into a paste
a few slices of Cheshire cheese
sour cream
black pepper

1. Start off by preparing spinach filling. Cook fresh spinach on a dry pan with a splash of water together with garlic and ginger. It doesn't need to be cooked into a pulp, just softening it should be enough as it adds a nice texture to the dish. It will take just a few minutes to make. Once done, remove spinach from the pan, strain any spinach juices (the filling cannot be watery as it will affect the pastry) and chop with a knife.

2. Prepare two square slices of puff pastry of approximately 10x10cm size. Lay the spinach filling on one of them, leaving a 1cm edge. Put some Cheshire cheese on top and cover with another layer of pastry. Glue the edges of the square together. You might also use a fork to add a pattern.
3. Put your square pocket(s) in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for around 15min or until the pastry is ready (i.e. turned golden brown).
4. Prepare spinach sauce by cooking a few more spinach leaves on a dry pan, this time without any spices. Transfer the spinach into a container, add sour cream and freshly ground black pepper and blend.

Bon appétit!

PS. The spinach and cream sauce also works very well as a dip for example to go with prawns:

Chicken tikka masala

A mildly spicy curry for those who do not like too much hotness. Not to be confused with chicken tikka, which is simply spiced chicken grilled on skewers. Extremely popular in the UK, where it can be considered a national dish. As with every curry, there are many variations of the dish - the only thing that they all have in common is an orange coloured sauce (masala). Here is my take on it, inspired by Hairy Bikers' recipe.

You'll need:

    one chicken breast

 For the marinade:

    4 spoons of natural yoghurt

    4 cm of ginger

    2 cloves of garlic

    black pepper

    cumin seeds

    ground fenugreek seeds

    ground coriander seeds

    cinnamon

    sweet paprika

    pepper cayenne

    one clove (crushed)

    turmeric

    salt

For the sauce:

    2 onions

    3 cloves of garlic

    4cm of ginger

    turmeric

    3 spoons of tomato concentrate

    1/2 glass of water

    a pinch of salt 

    a pinch of sugar

    2 spoons of sour cream 

    butter (for frying)

1. Cut the chicken breast into pieces, put in a bowl, add the spices and yoghurt and stir. Put aside in a fridge for at least 4 hours or better overnight.

2. To prepare the sauce, first chop the onions, garlic and ginger. Melt the butter on a frying pan and start by frying the onion for 3-4 minutes. Then add garlic, ginger and turmeric and fry for one more minute, being careful not to burn the spices. Add the tomato concentrate, pour the water and allow to simmer until the sauce reduces. At the end add the sour cream and stir. The sauce should have a nice orange colour. Put the sauce aside to cool down.

3. In the meantime prepare the chicken. It's best grilled. In home conditions you might either use a grill option in your oven if you have one, or alternatively (all other grilling options failing) fry it on grilling pan.

4. Before you add grilled chicken to the sauce, you need to blend it. The smoother the sauce the better! Then add the chicken and warm everything up again, e voila!

Bon appétit!

Channa masala (channay)

A wonderful Punjabi vegan dish with a fresh citrus note. Popular in northern India as well as in Pakistan. As usual I don't give precise spice measurements since it's a question of individual taste - I leave it to you how spicy you would like it to be ;) Don't let the long list of spices scare you off, it's really easy to make.

You'll need:
a can of chickpeas (200g)
a can of chopped tomatoes
one onion
2 cloves of garlic
3cm of ginger
cumin seeds
garam masala
turmeric
ground coriander seeds
pepper cayenne
one red chili (or dried crushed chili flakes)
sweet paprika
fresh coriander leaves
a splash of lemon juice
1/2 glass of water
black pepper
a pinch of salt

1. Finely chop the onion, ginger and garlic. 

2.Warm up oil on a deep frying pan. Once it's warmed up, start by frying the onion for a few minutes, then add garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and chili. Allow to fry for another minute or so, being careful not to burn the spices.

3. Add garam masala, turmeric, ground coriander, pepper cayenne and paprika and stir.

4. Add canned tomatoes and water. Add some salt and black pepper for taste.

5. Rinse your chickpeas and add to the pan.

6. Allow to simmer for around 30 minutes.

7. At the end of the cooking, when the the sauce has reduced, add a bit of lemon juice. Serve with fresh coriander leaves.

Bon appétit!

Cheddar pasticcio

A Greek recipe with an Italian name and English cheese, a truly international mix! It's basically two layers of pasta covered in cheesy bechamel sauce with meat in the middle, baked in the oven. It's probably best the day after, reheated, but it's hard to resist it till then.

You'll need: (a portion for around 6 ppl)
500g of mince beef
a packet of penne rigate (the exact proportions depend on the size of the casserole dish ;))
100g of chopped canned tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
a sip of red wine
3 spoons of tomato cocentrate
1 egg
basil
50g of butter
4 spoons of flour
milk
300g of cheddar
nutmeg
pepper cayenne (optional)
oil for frying

cheesy bechamel

1. Chop the garlic and fry swiftly on a hot pan with oil. Be careful not to burn it as it will become bitter. Add basil and mince beef. Add salt and pepper for taste and a little bit of water. 

2. Once the meat turns brown, add some wine and, shortly afterwards, chopped tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Then add the tomato concentrate and allow to simmer for a few more minutes.

3. In the meantime prepare the sauce for the pasta. Start by melting butter in a pot. Then add flour and milk, just like with standard bechamel sauce, the only difference being that it's supposed to be slightly more runny. Then add 250g of crumbled or grated cheddar and allow it to melt into a smooth mixture. Add nutmeg and pepper cayenne.

4. Boil the pasta al dente and mix it with the sauce.

5. Allow the meat filling to cool down a little and add the egg.

6. Spread half of the pasta on the den of a casserole dish, put the meat on top of it and then cover with another layer of pasta on top. 

7. Grate the rest of the cheese and sprinkle on top.

8. Put in the oven set to around 200 degrees for 15 minutes, et voila!

 

straight from the oven

Bon appétit!