perfect Prawns - Tips For Frying Prawns and Two Recipes

Prawns or shrimps are ideal for frying because they have such a short cooking time. You can whether pan fry them or deep fry them and both methods are fast.

It is best to use a non-stick wok if you are pan frying. A wok has high sides, which means you can toss the ingredients without spilling them over the sides, as is the case with most frying pans and skillets. Since fish and seafood is often pan fried for Asian-style dishes, woks are very handy to have. You can use any kind of oil for frying because the cooking process is so fast. This also means you will not need much oil, especially if you are using a nonstick pan.

Pan Fried Chicken

Some recipes will call for the fish to be cooked first, some might call for cooked seafood and others will tell you to add the fish right at the end because once it is pink it is done and this type of seafood cooks in less than a minute, whether you fry, boil, grill or broil it. The following pair of recipes gives you a good idea how easy it is to fry this yummy fish.

Recipe for Malaysian Pan Fried Prawns

The following formula takes about one miniature to make, so it is ideal if you want to make a quick lunch for one. Duplicate the formula or triple it if you want. Serve this in a baked potato, on toast or with rice or noodles.

You will find that the wok gets very dry and the shrimp might appear to be burnt but this is normal and any charring on the fish will taste good and add to the comprehensive flavor. You can use fresh water prawns or just jumbo sized ones for this recipe.

What you will need:

6 big prawns 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon white sugar 1 finely chopped clove garlic 1 teaspoon rice wine 1 teaspoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon chopped scallions

How to make it:

Heat the cooking oil in a wok, and then add the garlic. Saute it until golden brown, and then add the wine, sugar, soy sauce, and prawns. Press each prawn down on both sides as you cook them and keep the ingredients intelligent in the wok. Add the chopped scallions and serve hot.

Recipe for Deep Fried Prawns

This deep fried formula is quick and easy to make and you can serve the tasty fish with a dipping sauce. Sweet and sour sauce is good with this one, or perhaps you would prefer something creamy like lemon mayonnaise or garlic mayonnaise.

What you will need:

8 medium sized prawns 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup all purpose flour Soy sauce Salt Water, as needed Oil, for deep frying

How to make it:

Combine the flour and baking powder with adequate water to make a runny batter. Season the fish with salt and soy sauce and stir them into the batter. Deep fry them in the oil until golden brown, then serve immediately.

perfect Prawns - Tips For Frying Prawns and Two Recipes

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Couscous Recipe - How To Make A Perfect Algerian Dish

Algerian cuisine, like the very country itself, features many culinary influences, most notably, Berber, Arabic, French and Turkey. This mix of influences creates a blend of flavors, aromas and textures, something that is uniquely Algerian. The dishes and ingredients differ slightly from region to region, with each region having their own specialties.

You may also visit World Cuisine for a comprehensive list of mouthwatering recipes.

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Secrets to a Perfect Fried Chicken

A basket or a bucket of fried chicken is ideal for picnics and kiddie parties. It tastes good and so easy to eat with your hands, so using utensils is just an option. We are fond of buying a bunch at our favorite fastfood stores and we often wonder how these pieces become so crunchy. We have tried a few attempts in the kitchen but to no avail. It still comes out so different from the ones we often buy. So how do they really do this?

Trent Vaughn writes various consumer articles on a number of topics. Check out his panini maker blog where he reviews the latest products, including the cuisinart griddler.

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Secrets to a Perfect Fried Chicken

A basket or a bucket of fried chicken is ideal for picnics and kiddie parties. It tastes good and so easy to eat with your hands, so using utensils is just an option. We are fond of buying a bunch at our favorite fast food stores and we often wonder how these pieces become so crunchy. We have tried a few attempts in the kitchen but to no avail. It still comes out so different from the ones we often buy. So how do they really do this?

There are a thousand and one ways to cook fried chicken, which features different ways of preparing it. The chicken recipes itself vary from the batter used, to the ingredients added, to the cooking time and to the cooking method applied. Some recipes would tell you to double-coat the chicken, or removing the skin before battering. Other recipes will use butter, bacon grease or oil to fry it. Numerous variations are made to improve the taste but the basics of frying a chicken are just simple: chickens are cut up in preferred sizes, rolling in it flour, putting it in a skillet with oil and fried until golden brown.

Pan Fried Chicken

But there are a few tips in order to get that ideal crunch and taste. The key to making the chicken so tender is to marinate it overnight with buttermilk. The milk will tenderize the meat and at the same time brings out a rich, and a little tangy flavor. You can shake the excess milk before flouring the chicken. For a little kick, you can add in a few drops of Tabasco sauce if you prefer. Using a seasoned cast iron skillet can make a difference. Yes, you can also use the ordinary deep pans for frying but trying it out with this skillet will let you tell the difference. One more important tip is to not add in MSG or other flavor enhancers. The chicken can definitely still taste good without this.

With all these easy tricks, you are now ready to serve your crunchy fried chicken! Serving it with mashed potatoes and gravy is a great choice, or corn-on-the-cob with dinner rolls is as inviting.

Secrets to a Perfect Fried Chicken

Trent Vaughn writes various consumer articles on a number of topics. Check out his breville panini press blog where he reviews the latest products, including the cuisinart griddler.

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The Perfect Pesto

Pesto in Italy and Pesto in the rest of the world; is just not the same. So what is it that makes authentic Italian pesto unlike any pesto you have ever tasted? Is it as simple as making it by hand or are there certain techniques that ensure a successful or a flopped pesto? The following will give some general hints as to how to make the perfect pesto from scratch.

Pesto originated from the region of Liguria. It is named for the method of its preparation - pestatura - grinding of the leaves and the other ingredients in a traditional marble mortar (murta) using a wooden pestle (pestellu). This gives us a hint of the true key to the perfect pesto - that is hand-grinding using a mortar and pestle. Most pesto that you will encounter, will have been machine blended. This causes the ingredients to become homogenized into a paste with little or no definition between them. By hand chopping the ingredients, you allow for definition between them so that when you taste the final product of the dressed dish, individual flavours pop into your mouth in a unique way for a unique taste.

Pan Fried Chicken

Ideally, when chopping the ingredients, you should chop some of the ingredients, then add some and chop some more. Continue this way until all ingredients have been added and chopped. This allows for different sizes of cut ingredients throughout the pesto, which adds to its texture and character.

Make sure that you use a sharp knife when chopping the basil for your pesto. If your knife is blunt, the basil will turn a dark shade. It can take twenty to thirty minutes to chop all of the ingredients for a pesto, so a sharp mezzaluna (preferably with a large, single blade) is the ideal knife to use. The ingredients often get stuck in the double bladed knives, so these can become frustrating to use. A half-moon shaped pizza cutter can work a treat as well.

Genovese pesto is made with small, young basil leaves - a distinction that has made it famous. It is possible to find these in the stores, but if you grow your own basil that will afford you the flexibility of choice of basil leaves that may make all the difference to your pesto.

Seasoning is very important with your pesto. It is quite acceptable not to add salt to the pesto, but if you are serving it on pasta, then make sure that you salt the water for your pasta well, or the overall flavour will be lost. You may need to slightly adjust your seasoning before serving.

Pesto tastes best when it is served soon after it is made, though it will last a short time in the fridge. If you are serving your pesto on pasta, you can add some of the pasta water to thin it for more coverage, but this is not a necessity. Just before serving, give the pesto a good stir to mix the olive oil in with the basil leaves, dress your dish and have a treat.

Recipe of the Day - Pesto Chicken Swirl

This recipe assumes that you have made your own tradition pesto (ie a combination of garlic, olive oil, basil and roasted pine nuts). If commercial pesto is used, may be add a bit of coarsely crashed roasted pine nuts and/or chopped basil leaves to enhance the texture and flavour.

Serving Size - 1 Person

Ingredients

1. 1 Skinless Chicken Breast

2. 50g of Gourmet Cherve (or any mild goat cheese or fetta)

3. 3 Tspn of your homemade Pesto

4. 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

5. 1 Tspn of roasted Pine Nuts

6. 1/2 Cup of Chicken Stock

7. Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

1. Pound your chicken breast to a thin piece. To minimise the mess of the pounding you could create, just make sure you cover the chicken breast with a layer of glad-wrap while pounding. Make sure to avoid pounding through the meat creating holes.

2. Spread the Pesto on one side of the chicken generously and season with salt and pepper.

3. Coarsely crushed the cheese and arrange on one side of the chicken and sprinkle the roasted pine nuts along the cheese. Make sure this is arranged to allow you to roll the chicken with the cheese becoming the centre of the roll. Also make sure there is enough room at both ends to allow you to secure it with wooden skewers to prevent the cheese filling from escaping from the roll.

4. Roll the chicken to ensure it is a reasonable tight roll, securing both ends. If the chicken is too big a piece, cut it into half, it is easy to cook and less likely to fall apart if the roll is smaller but big enough to cut into half (if not thirds). Brush the chicken roll with olive oil generously.

5. Heat up a pan with some olive oil. When the oil is hot enough (but not smoking), place the chicken roll with the unseal side down first and turn down the flame to medium. Gently pan fried the chicken rolls about 5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the roll.

6. Pour in chicken stock and cover to simmer for 10 minutes (make sure that the stock does not dry up, add hot water if stock looks like drying up).

7. Dish up the chicken roll and remove the skewers at both ends of the roll. Cut the roll diagonally in half to review the cream, green and white swirling colour effect of the roll. Drizzle the remaining cooking juice from the pan onto the roll. Server it with either cooked vegetables or salad.

The Perfect Pesto

Patrick Tang is the author of this article. His passion for good quality gourmet food and gifts has driven him to setup Fabulously Gourmet for the Australian Community.

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The Perfect Crowd-Size Meal (and It's Perfect For Diabetics, Too)

If you have a crowd to feed, here is an easy way to do it. For your entree, go with Spiced-Up Oven Fried Chicken for a Crowd. Whipped Sweet Potatoes is an excellent side dish, make your favorite deviled eggs or set out a relish tray of fresh vegetables and serve Boston Cream Cupcakes for dessert. This is a simple menu that will please your crowd and leave you with time to enjoy the occasion with them.

SPICED -UP OVEN FRIED CHICKEN FOR A CROWD

Pan Fried Chicken

8 cups plain cornflakes cereal, crushed
1 to 1 1/2 tbsps smoked paprika, to taste
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 chickens, cut-up into 8 pieces each
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with sides with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, one at a time. Shake off excess mixture then dip into the crumb mixture coating well. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Do not crowd the pieces together. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and juices run clear. To serve, arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with the parsley.

Note: This is a great make ahead entree as it is good served hot, cold, or at room temperature.

WHIPPED SWEET POTATOES

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 tbsp reduced-fat margarine
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/2 tbsp Splenda brown sugar blend
2 tbsp orange juice
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Place the sweet potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; drain. Return vegetables to the pan. Add milk, margarine, salt, Splenda, orange juice, and nutmeg. Mash the potato mixture over low heat, then whip to desired consistency. Serve immediately while hot.

Yield: 6 servings but this is an easy recipe to double or triple for a crowd.

BOSTON CREAM CUPCAKES

1 pkg 1/2 the sugar yellow cake mix
3 cups low-fat milk
3 egg whites
1 egg
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 pkg (1 oz) sugar-free, fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 containers (4 oz each) sugar-free chocolate pudding snacks
1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate syrup
Chocolate Decorating Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Prepare cake mix according to the package directions, using 1 1/2 cups milk, egg whites, egg, and yogurt. Divide batter among liners. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using remaining milk. Refrigerate until firm; about 1 hour. Transfer vanilla pudding to pastry bag with star tip. Press tip into top of each cupcake and pipe in about 2 teaspoons of pudding. Combine chocolate pudding and syrup. Spread on cupcakes; top with sprinkles.

NOTE: For a fancy presentation, tie small colorful ribbon around the center of the paper cup. Display on a footed or fancy cake plate.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Crowd-Size Meal (and It's Perfect For Diabetics, Too)

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her vintage recipe collection go to http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Pork Tenderloin: The Perfect Choice for Dinner

Pork tenderloin is a center cut that can be broiled, roasted, pan-fried or grilled. It is a boneless, extremely lean cut of meat that is almost as low in fat as chicken breasts, and the lack of fat and bones leaves more usable meat per pound than its fatty, bone-in counterparts. Its mild flavor can be combined with any number of ingredients to create a wonderful meal.

Apples are commonly used in conjunction with pork. They can be cubed and placed in a roasting pan around the meat, or combined with cranberry and pecans and stuffed inside the tenderloin. An ample amount of apple cider works great in a crock pot when slow cooking the meat. Other fruits are frequently used with pork as well. Apricots, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, peaches and pears can all complement pork tenderloin. Marmalades, jams and jellies can be heated and used as a glaze on the meat to add a nice finishing touch. Strawberry sauce and compote are two surprisingly delicious additions to a pork meal.

Pan Fried Chicken

Pork tenderloin can take on a southern flair with the addition of a spicy chipotle rub or zesty barbecue sauce. Oriental food enthusiast can cut the meat into strips and stir fry with a teriyaki or sweet and sour sauce. Those fond of Italian fare can split the tenderloin, place a combination of cheeses inside and then bake in tomato sauce. Pork can be marinated in jerk sauce to add a hot and fiery Jamaican tang, or marinated in a sauce of lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes to create a spicy Indonesian dish.

Cutting pork tenderloin into strips for a stir fry or pounding and slicing it into medallions will stretch the meat to feed more people. Pork must be fully cooked to avoid illness due to parasites or other harmful bacteria. The meat thermometer should read 170 degrees to ensure the meat is cooked through, or check for doneness by slicing the center of the tenderloin to view the color. Properly cooked meat will have an even, light gray hue. Be careful not to over cook the meat or it will become very dry and lose some of its flavor.

Pork tenderloin can be a bit more expensive than other cuts, but considering the fact that the entire cut is used and it is higher quality meat, it is well worth the cost. The health benefits from eating meat that is low in fat are another reason to spend the extra buck to buy a good cut of pork. Its versatile nature and endless recipe possibilities makes pork tenderloin the perfect choice for dinner.

Pork Tenderloin: The Perfect Choice for Dinner

When it is time to enjoy delicious barbecue hot off the grill, there is no need to look any further for great pork tenderloin recipes or a delicious pulled pork recipe. Learn the secrets to great grilling with tips and techniques designed to turn you into a grill master.

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The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King

Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. The garden is about done. The freezer is full of veggies. All the canning is done, and winter is coming. Just before winter hits, the price of beef drops as cattlemen sell off any remaining stock that they don't want to "winter over". It is the perfect time to stock the freezer with homemade chili.

There is nothing better than to come home at the end of a cold winter day, chilled to the bone, and sit down to a bowl of piping hot chili and steaming black coffee. It is more than food for the body. It is truly a comfort worth remembering.

Pan Fried Chicken

By itself, chili is absolutely delicious. As a side dish to grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, or toasted BLTs, it is out of this world. But there is a fabulous meal I call "perfect chili fit for a king" that is even better. It is a masterpiece of cookery.

There are two great secrets to making "perfect chili fit for a king". One is in the making, and the other is in the serving. The first secret involves understanding the word "perfect". More people disagree on what makes good chili than any other dish. Some think that hotter is better. Others say milder. Some like it soupy. Others like it thick. And that is the secret to this recipe. When you finish making it, you will have 3-4 gallons of chili that is perfect FOR YOU...not for me. Yes, I said 3-4 gallons. When frozen in quart containers, you will have 12-16 wonderful meals that can be served in a matter of minutes. Just remove it from the container, add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (depending on how you like it), turn on the burner, put on the coffee, and start the grilled cheese and garlic sandwiches. Your family will be eating in about 20 minutes.

To begin with, you will need at least a 16 quart pot. I use the same 20 quart pot normally used for canning just to be sure I have a pot that's big enough. And you will need the following ingredients.

5 lbs. of ground chuck

5 Family size (40 1/2 oz.) cans of dark red kidney beans (drained)

1 Institutional size can (6 lb. 9 oz.) of whole peeled tomatoes

3 large bell peppers (washed, cored, and seeded) mixed colors preferred

3 medium to large oninions (about the size of an orange...peeled and washed)

2 to 4 TBS (tablespoons) Ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) to 1 TBS of crushed red pepper

1 to 2 TBS of salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chili powder

grated sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

chopped chives (fresh or dried)

Open the tomatoes and carefully pour the entire contents into the cooking pot. Making sure you keep your hand submerged below the liquid line, find the whole tomatoes one by one. Poke a hole in them with your thumb, then squeeze the tomato until the pieces squish out between your fingers. WARNING. If you do not poke a hole in the tomato before you squish it, I promise you that both you and your kitchen will be wearing tomato juice. The same is true if you squish them with your hands above the liquid. Continue squishing the pieces of tomato until they are the size you prefer.

Chop all the bell peppers into dime-sized chunks and divide into two equal portions. Put one half into a bowl and the other in the pot with the tomatoes. Do the same with the onions, placing half in the pot and the other half in the same bowl as the bell peppers.

Add the drained kidney beans to the pot.

Add 2 TBS (tablespoons) of Ground black pepper.

Add 1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) of crushed red pepper.

Add 1 TBS of salt.

Add 1/4 cup of chili powder.

Take a strong spoon and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pot on the stove, and set the burner on the LOWEST possible setting that will boil water. At this point, you may feel that the chili is too thick. If you are not sure, the best way to tell is if the chili is too hard to stir. If it is, add water to the pot until it is the consistency you prefer. Stir again. Cover the pot. (Note: if you are adding more than two glasses of water, you may want to substitute tomato juice for part of it.)

From now own, two things are very important. Always keep the chili at the consistency you want by adding water when necessary. So that when the chili is done, the consistency will be perfect for you. It is equally important to stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. When you are cooking this much chili at one time, it is possible to burn it on the bottom while the chili on the top is still cold. Stirring keeps the chili evenly heated from top to bottom.

Take a large frying pan and press enough ground chuck into the pan to cover the bottom with a layer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Salt and pepper the meat and then top with a handful of the chopped onions and peppers from the bowl. Cover and cook with the burner set about one notch higher than the pot is set on. Your goal is to partially cook the gound chuck, onions and peppers. Check the meat about every 5 minutes until it starts to firm. When the meat firms and starts changing colors on the bottom, take a strong spatula (the kind used for flipping hamburgers) and use the edge to start cutting the meat into pie shaped pieces. Flip the pieces to the opposite side, cover, and continue cooking. When the other side starts to firm, using the edge of the spatula, cut the hamburger into the size pieces you prefer (Again, I prefer mine about the size of a dime). Keep flipping the smaller pieces until they have completely turned on the outside and are firm. Remove the pan from the burner, and transfer the meat to the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow all the grease to drain from the spoon before you put the meat in the pot. Pour off the grease in the frying pan, and repeat until you have used all the ground chuck. When you are finished, pour any remaining chopped peppers and onions into the pot. Again, each time you add meat to the pot, adjust the consistency with water if necessary.

Now, everything is in the pot, and it is the perfect consistency. Now, it's time to adjust the spices. If you haven't been doing so, you should begin tasting the chili. If you want a stronger chili flavor, add more chili powder 1 or 2 TBS at a time. To make it more spicy, add black pepper 1 TBS at a time. If you want it to have more bite, add crushed red pepper 1 tsp at a time. If it needs salt, add salt 1/2 TBS at a time. Stir thoroughly each time you alter the flavor, and continue cooking for at least 5-15 minutes before tasting again. ALWAYS sir the pot thoroughly before you taste. Continue altering the flavor until it's perfect for you.

Remember the half of the raw onions and peppers that were added directly to the pot? They will tell you when the chili is done. When the raw onions in the pot start to turn clear, turn the burner off. Do not overcook the peppers and onions as they add a wonderful sweet crisp texture to the chili. If you can stand it, allow the chili to sit covered for about an hour to allow the flavors to mature and mingle. Stir and serve. If you prefer, reheat a portion of the chili in a smaller pot and serve bubbling hot. Allow the remaining chili to stand in the original pot until it cools enough to place in containers and freeze.

There you have it. Perfect chili. Just the way YOU like it.

The second secret that makes perfect chili fit for a king is in the serving. While perfect chili is in a category all by itself, it can be wonderfully enhanced by making it into a meal that rewards all your tastes and senses. Hot, cold, sweet, spicy, sharp, flat ... something for every aspect of your culinary pallet.

With that in mind, let's plan the meal. To begin with dispense with the ordinary salad and add something with more zest and contrast. To accomplish this, there is nothing finer than an ice-cold fruit plate served with bubbling hot chili. For the fruit plate, you will need the following ingredients.

1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks.

1 29 oz. can of peach halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 29 oz. can of pear halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 6 oz. jar of red maraschino cherries

1 6 oz. jar of green maraschino cherries

1 samll jar of spiced crabapple rings

crisp cold lettuce

jalapeno pepper-jack cheese

Put all of the ingredients in the bottom of the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (48 hours would be better).

Just before serving time, remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and drain all the fruit. Divide the pear and peach halves equally on six salad plates covered with a bed of cold crisp lettuce. Fill in around the fruit halves with pineapple chunks and crabapple slices. Spread the cold red and green maraschino cherries equally over all the fruit plates, and line the outer edge of each plate with bite-size nuggets of jalapeno pepper-jack cheese.

Fill the bowls of chili straight from the bubbling pot. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Finish with a light dusting of chives. Serve the fruit plate and chili with hunks of hot buttered garlic bread and sweet iced tea. For dessert, follow up with pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, or hot blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream ... served with steaming cups of strong black coffee. Oh! My!

Perfect chili can be more than just stick-to-your ribs "down home" cooking. It can be a culinary masterpiece that produces such delicious complementing and contrasting flavors and sensations that it is quite literally "Fit for a King".

Bon appetit!

Copyright 2004 by John Foutz All Rights Reserved

The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King

John Foutz has been marketing quality internet products since 1999. His latest offering "Cat Head Biscuits and Garlic Fried Chicken" represents Southern cooking at it's finest. 180 mouth-watering dishes that are family tried and tested. Authentic heirloom recipes from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeGourmet.com

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The Perfect Pesto

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Pesto in Italy and Pesto in the rest of the world; is just not the same. So what is it that makes authentic Italian pesto unlike any pesto you have ever tasted? Is it as simple as making it by hand or are there certain techniques that ensure a successful or a flopped pesto? The following will give some general hints as to how to make the perfect pesto from scratch.

Pesto originated from the region of Liguria. It is named for the method of its preparation - pestatura - grinding of the leaves and the other ingredients in a traditional marble mortar (murta) using a wooden pestle (pestellu). This gives us a hint of the true key to the perfect pesto - that is hand-grinding using a mortar and pestle. Most pesto that you will encounter, will have been machine blended. This causes the ingredients to become homogenized into a paste with little or no definition between them. By hand chopping the ingredients, you allow for definition between them so that when you taste the final product of the dressed dish, individual flavours pop into your mouth in a unique way for a unique taste.

Ideally, when chopping the ingredients, you should chop some of the ingredients, then add some and chop some more. Continue this way until all ingredients have been added and chopped. This allows for different sizes of cut ingredients throughout the pesto, which adds to its texture and character.

Make sure that you use a sharp knife when chopping the basil for your pesto. If your knife is blunt, the basil will turn a dark shade. It can take twenty to thirty minutes to chop all of the ingredients for a pesto, so a sharp mezzaluna (preferably with a large, single blade) is the ideal knife to use. The ingredients often get stuck in the double bladed knives, so these can become frustrating to use. A half-moon shaped pizza cutter can work a treat as well.

Genovese pesto is made with small, young basil leaves - a distinction that has made it famous. It is possible to find these in the stores, but if you grow your own basil that will afford you the flexibility of choice of basil leaves that may make all the difference to your pesto.

Seasoning is very important with your pesto. It is quite acceptable not to add salt to the pesto, but if you are serving it on pasta, then make sure that you salt the water for your pasta well, or the overall flavour will be lost. You may need to slightly adjust your seasoning before serving.

Pesto tastes best when it is served soon after it is made, though it will last a short time in the fridge. If you are serving your pesto on pasta, you can add some of the pasta water to thin it for more coverage, but this is not a necessity. Just before serving, give the pesto a good stir to mix the olive oil in with the basil leaves, dress your dish and have a treat.

Recipe of the Day - Pesto Chicken Swirl

This recipe assumes that you have made your own tradition pesto (ie a combination of garlic, olive oil, basil and roasted pine nuts). If commercial pesto is used, may be add a bit of coarsely crashed roasted pine nuts and/or chopped basil leaves to enhance the texture and flavour.

Serving Size - 1 Person

Ingredients

1. 1 Skinless Chicken Breast

2. 50g of Gourmet Cherve (or any mild goat cheese or fetta)

3. 3 Tspn of your homemade Pesto

4. 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

5. 1 Tspn of roasted Pine Nuts

6. 1/2 Cup of Chicken Stock

7. Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

1. Pound your chicken breast to a thin piece. To minimise the mess of the pounding you could create, just make sure you cover the chicken breast with a layer of glad-wrap while pounding. Make sure to avoid pounding through the meat creating holes.

2. Spread the Pesto on one side of the chicken generously and season with salt and pepper.

3. Coarsely crushed the cheese and arrange on one side of the chicken and sprinkle the roasted pine nuts along the cheese. Make sure this is arranged to allow you to roll the chicken with the cheese becoming the centre of the roll. Also make sure there is enough room at both ends to allow you to secure it with wooden skewers to prevent the cheese filling from escaping from the roll.

4. Roll the chicken to ensure it is a reasonable tight roll, securing both ends. If the chicken is too big a piece, cut it into half, it is easy to cook and less likely to fall apart if the roll is smaller but big enough to cut into half (if not thirds). Brush the chicken roll with olive oil generously.

5. Heat up a pan with some olive oil. When the oil is hot enough (but not smoking), place the chicken roll with the unseal side down first and turn down the flame to medium. Gently pan fried the chicken rolls about 5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of the roll.

6. Pour in chicken stock and cover to simmer for 10 minutes (make sure that the stock does not dry up, add hot water if stock looks like drying up).

7. Dish up the chicken roll and remove the skewers at both ends of the roll. Cut the roll diagonally in half to review the cream, green and white swirling colour effect of the roll. Drizzle the remaining cooking juice from the pan onto the roll. Server it with either cooked vegetables or salad.

Patrick Tang is the author of this article. His passion for good quality gourmet food and gifts has driven him to setup Fabulously Gourmet for the Australian Community.

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Old Fashion Recipes Perfect For Picnics and Potlucks #2

Looking for something new to take to picnics and potlucks? Here are some old-fashion recipes that are perfect for such occasions. Wisconsin Oven-Baked Beans includes directions for making this dish diabetic friendly which is a good thing since there is usually a diabetic or two in most crowds. Delicious breads are always popular so this Pineapple-Nut Bread is sure to be a hit. Instead of the usual fried chicken, brighten up the taste buds with this recipe for crispy Italian Chicken.

WISCONSIN OVEN-BAKED BEANS

1 can (15-oz) butter beans with liquid
1 can (15-oz) great northern beans with liquid
1 can (15 1/4-oz) kidney beans, drained
3/4 lb thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup diced onions
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp prepared horseradish

In a 3-quart baking dish combine the butter beans, great northern beans and kidney beans. Stir in the bacon pieces, onion, brown sugar, mustard and horseradish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Uncover during the last hour of baking to brown the top. Add water during baking if needed.

Note: This is a good dish for diabetics if they substitute 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Splenda Brown Sugar Blend for the brown sugar listed above. You won't even notice the difference in the taste.

PINEAPPLE NUT BREAD

1 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp lemon peel
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
8.5-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch loaf pan; add 1/4 cup of the pecans and shake around in pan to coat. Lightly sprinkle these nuts with a pinch of sugar. Set pan aside.

In a medium bowl,blend together the butter and lemon peel; beat in sugar and add egg. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into the sugar mixture alternately with the pineapple. Add the milk and mix well. Stir in the remaining nuts and pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

CRISPY ITALIAN CHICKEN

2 cups Corn Chex cereal
2 cups Rice Chex cereal
2 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup margarine, melted
3 lb skinless chicken pieces
Paprika

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a plastic bag, crush cereals together until the 4 cups are only 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. In a large shallow dish, combine the crushed cereal, Italian seasoning, parsley, and garlic salt. Place the margarine in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; roll the chicken in the margarine. Remove chicken and dredge in the cereal crumb mixture. Return the coated chicken to the baking pan. Sprinkle paprika over the chicken. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until lightly browned.

6 servings: Approximate per serving = 316 calories, 17 g carbs, 28 g protein

Note: This is a good recipe for diabetics.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old fashion recipe collection visit http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

Thanks To : all clad master chef 2 14 piece cookware set cuisinart chef's classic stainless steel 10 piece

Chicken Biryani Recipe - Secrets of Making a Perfect Biryani

Image : http://www.flickr.com

If I ask you, "which is your favorite Indian rice recipe"?, I am sure your topmost answer will be "a biryani". Even in biryanis the most liked of all is a chicken biryani.

So here is a recipe for you to make a perfect biryani.

Ingredients required

Ingredients for marinating the chicken

* 1 Kilo Chicken on the bone cut into 12-16 pieces
* 1 cup of curd
* 1/2 Teaspoon turmeric powder
* 1 Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
* 1 Teaspoon of coriander powder
* a little salt

Mix all of the above ingredients and let the chicken marinate for 6-12 hours, more the better.

Herbs, spices and condiments used are as follows

* 8 cloves
* 1 Cinnamon stick
* 6 green Cardamoms
* 2 Bay leaves
* 1/2 Teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
* a few pinches grated nutmeg and mace each
* 1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
* 1 Teaspoon red Chili powder (to taste)
* 5-6 Tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
* 2-3 chopped green Chilies
* 4-5 chopped Tomatoes
* a whole bunch of fresh coriander leaves

For fried onions

About 8-9 medium size onions

Other Ingredients
* 500 g good basmati rice
* Oil for deep frying and 3-4 tablespoon for cooking
* 1 Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
* 1/2 cup of milk
* a few strands of Saffron (kesar)
* Desi ghee (clarified butter) about 6-7 Tablespoons
* Cashew nuts ( a few or as many as you want)
* Raisins and almonds are optional
* Salt to taste

Deep fry the onions
While the chicken is marinating, slice the onions very thin. You can use a food processor for this or a slicer. Now heat oil and fry these sliced onions in batches. The heat should be medium. Definitely not high, otherwise the onions will get burned.

Stir the onions continuously for uniform browning. When they become light brown, drain them on kitchen paper. Keep them aside. They will get nice crispy as they cool down.

Cook the Chicken

Take a deep, wide mouth vessel and heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in it. In this add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, little bit of shahi jeera and allow to crackle. Now add a tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and stir a little. Now tip out all the marinated chicken and the marinade. Cook on a high flame so that the water gets evaporated quickly. Add the chopped tomatoes, mint, green chilies, all dry powders(coriander, chili), and salt. Cook till the chicken is cooked and the gravy (masala) is not watery. Add one third of the fried onions. Mix well. Keep aside.

Parboil the rice

Boiling rice is one of the most important part of cooking a biryani. The rice needs to be parboiled. Meaning, it should be three fourth cooked. The rest of it gets cooked on dum (when we layer the chicken and rice, seal it and put on a very slow fire).

To boil the rice take a big deep wide mouth vessel, add lots of water (at least 10 times more than rice). Add ample salt (this is very important because the rice needs to be salty when cooked). Also add a cinnamon stick, a couple of green cardamoms, a few cloves and the rest of caraway seeds (shahi jeera), for flavoring the rice.

Now boil all this for a few minutes on a high flame (7 minutes or so). This is how to check if the rice is done. Without burning your fingers, take a few grains of rice (use a clean spoon to take some out of the boiling water), break a grain, if it breaks into 3 parts easily, your rice is done.

Strain the rice and spread it on a clean surface ( a tray or something), so that it cools faster. If you want to pick out the whole spices which you added, you can do that now. Or else just let them be.

Keep all these ready

Now that the rice and chicken are cooked. Fried onions are ready. You just need to get a few more things organized, so that the layering can be done.

* Chop the coriander leaves
* Boil the milk and add crushed saffron in it. Give it a stir.
* In desi ghee, fry the cashew nuts till golden brown. Also the almonds and raisins, if using. Keep aside.
* Keep some melted desi ghee aside.

Layering the biryani

Take a heavy bottom pan with a lid (non stick is best).

Take some melted ghee and grease the bottom of the pan with it. Then

* Put a layer of rice,
* Then a layer of chicken
* followed by a layer of fried onions
* then a layer of chopped coriander.

Repeat and finish off with the rice layer. Lastly, sprinkle the leftover fried onions (if any), cashews and other nuts. Pour the saffron milk on top. Also pour some desi ghee down the sides of the pan and some on top of the rice. It will trickle down with the heat.

Yep, you are done. Seal the lid by sticking it with some chapati dough or simply fix a big foil before placing the lid. The idea is to restrict the steam from escaping. Place this pot on a very slow flame. Ideally place this vessel on top of another flat pan or tawa, so that the bottom of the pan doesn't come in direct contact with the heat source.

Leave for one hour. When you open it, what you get is the magical, flavorsome and aromatic chicken biryani. Please dig in. Don't forget to prepare a riata while your biryani is cooking. Enjoy hot biryani with a cold raita.

Manila Williams is the owner of http://www.creative-cooking-corner.com/ where she shares her easy, healthy and free recipes and cooking tips. If you liked this Chicken Biryani Recipe, then please visit her website to find out more tasty recipes. You will find many secrets of healthy cooking in store for you.

See Also : cuisinart multiclad pro stainless 12-pc cookware kitchenaid 10 piece cookware set kitchenaid gourmet distinctions 16 1 2 inch