Frozen Vodka Strawberry Cocktail

Preparing vodka drinks is worth the time spent. You can find plenty of easy recipes and they’re all pretty good, too. Just like this frozen vodka strawberry cocktail from www.ThisGirlWalksIntoABar.com.

This is a very easy and delicious cocktail that only requires three ingredients and one optional addition at the end. Its festive colors make it a great drink to serve on any American holiday.

Bass Escalope

This fish may be available whole, in steaks, or as fillets. They may be available fresh or frozen, or sometimes, caught in the most recent fishing trip.

Cooking recipes are found everywhere, in books or online and there are a lot of fish recipes to try in all levels to utilize the delicious flavor and qualities of this fish, from appetizer to the main course, or a full meal such as pasta or stew.

And they work and taste well in baked fish recipes.

In this recipe, Bass fillets are seared and cooked in the oven, moistened in white wine, and flavored with pine nuts, black olives, fresh herbs, and bouillon in this lavishly flavorful sea bass recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 lbs. bass fillet
• 3 spoons pure cold-pressed olive oil
• 1/2 lemon
• 1.8 oz. pine nuts
• 3 ½ oz. (about ½ cup) black olives
• 1/2 glass dry white wine
• salt
• flour
• 1 oz. butter
• 2 or 3 drops of Worcestershire sauce
• minced spices (rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme)

Preparation Instructions

1. Cut the bass fillet into four pieces. Salt and sprinkle with flour.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Place escalopes in the pan and brown each side. Place them in a 356 to 392 degree F. oven for about 6 minutes.

3. Remove the cooking grease, place the escalopes on the stove again, and moisten with white wine. Allow the liquid to evaporate. Add the black olives and pine nuts.

4. Remove escalopes from the pan and place on a dish. End the sauce cooking by adding some minced herbs and bouillon.

5. Press half a lemon. Add butter, 2 or 3 drops of Worchester, and salt. Cook on low heat, stirring with a spoon until the sauce is thick. Serve sauce alongside the dish.

Recipes form Gourmandia.com

Fish Pie Recipe

Healthy fish recipes help those who are very conscious with their health and diet to still stick to their meal plan by providing them with appetizer recipes that are easy to do as well as easy to love. Diets do not have to be perpetually just eating tasteless and colorless food. Eating healthy means choosing the right ingredients and combinations and cooking them in ways that are healthy and flavorful.

Try this fish pie and know the real meaning of healthy and flavorful.

Ingredients

• 300g smoked haddock fillets with their skins on, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• Bunch of flat leaf parsley
• 2 peppercorns
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 500ml milk
• 50g butter
• 75g flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• 300g fresh cod fillets, diced
• 250g salmon fillets, diced
• 175g shelled and peel king prawns
• 3 hard boiled eggs, quartered
• 50g grated Cheddar cheese

Direction

Step 1: Make The Infused Milk

In a bowl, place the fish skin from the smoked haddock, celery, carrot, half of the parsley, peppercorns and onions. Cover with the milk and leave for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Make The White Sauce

Melt the butter slowly over a low heat. Then add the flour bit by bit, mixing in between. Strain your infused milk and remove the ingredients added to flavour it. Add the milk bit by bit to the flour and butter mixture, mixing well in between to make sure there is no lumps. Season with salt and pepper, and then set aside.

Step 3: Make The Pie

In a bowl, place all the fish and add the rest of the parsley and the white sauce. Mix well and then place in a baking dish. Layer the king prawns over the top and then the eggs. Then make some mashed potato by boiling the potatoes and then mashing with a dash of milk and a knob of butter. Layer over the fish and then sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Then place in the oven at 200C and leave for 30 minutes.

Veracruz-Style Red Snapper

This bright red fish seen in supermarkets has flesh that is sweet, white, and firm, making it the excellent choice for a lot of healthy recipes. There are a lot of fish recipes that can be found on the web to cook snapper. They may be grilled, fried, roasted, or baked. The flavor goes well with a lot of seasonings and spices, and each spice complements this fish bringing out exciting flavors when tasted.

For baked fish recipes to cook snapper, this Mexican recipe is a great choice. To cook your own Veracruz-Style Red Snapper, watch the video below.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 boneless red snapper filets, about 7 oz each
• cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon caper brine
• 1 large jalapeno, sliced, seeded
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup sliced Castelvetrano green olives, or any green olive
• 2 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 2 limes

*Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes

recipe: foodwishes.blogspot.ca

Vegetarian Tofu Turkey

When did you become a vegetarian? Or rather, how long have you been a vegetarian? You definitely are having problems when eating in holidays when your family isn’t vegetarian like you.  It’s even more of a problem when your family is trying to hold a long tradition of a healthy dinner with chicken and turkey for special occasions. There might be no other better turkey recipes or easy chicken recipes other than this vegetarian tofu turkey as an alternative.

Ingredients

• 5 (16 ounce) packages extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 1/3 cups diced celery
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup dried sage
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 3 cups prepared herb stuffing
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 5 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon honey mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Line a medium sized, round colander with a cheese cloth or a clean dish towel. Place the crumbled tofu in the colander. Place another cheese cloth over the top of the tofu. Place the colander over the top of a bowl to catch the liquid. Place a heavy weight on top of tofu. Refrigerate the colander, tofu and weight for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Make the stuffing: In a large frying pan sauté onion, celery and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil until tender. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, salt and pepper, rosemary and 1/4 cup of the tamari. Stir well; cook for 5 minutes. Add prepared herb stuffing and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
4. Combine 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup tamari, miso, orange juice, mustard and orange zest in a small bowl; mix well.
5. Remove the weight from the tofu. Hollow out the tofu so that there is one inch of tofu still lining the colander. Place the scooped out tofu in a separate bowl. Brush the tofu lining with a small amount of the miso seasoning. Scoop the stuffing into the center of the tofu shell. Place the leftover tofu on top of the stuffing and press down firmly. Turn the stuffed tofu onto the prepared cookie sheet. Putting the leftover tofu side of the "turkey" (the flat side) down. Gently press on the sides of the "turkey" to form a more oval shape. Brush the tofu turkey with 1/2 of the oil-tamari mixture. Place the sprigs of rosemary on top of the tofu. Cover the "turkey" with foil.
6. Bake for one hour. After one hour, remove "turkey" from the oven and remove the foil. Baste the "turkey" with the remaining tamari-oil sauce (reserving 4 tablespoons of sauce). Return "turkey" to oven and bake another hour or until the tofu turkey is golden brown. Place the tofu turkey on a serving platter, brush with the remaining tamari-oil mixture and serve hot.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Baked Salmon over Apple-Ginger Quinoa

Learn how to cook salmon over apple-ginger quinoa is perfect for weeknight meals. This baked salmon over apple-ginger quinoa like many other quick quinoa recipes can be put together in a matter of minutes!

A sophisticated weeknight dinner, these flavorful salmon fillets are coated in a delicious juice-based marinade and then baked to perfection. Drizzle remaining marinade over salmon and serve over fluffy apple-ginger quinoa.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Apple NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® 100% Juice, divided
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger, divided
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 4 (about 6 ounces each) salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup ivory quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• Ground black pepper
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Shrimp Chowder

Many people love seafood and fish recipes. You can try looking for cooking recipes and videos online but you definitely can’t miss this.

This is a recipe adapted from a 1992 issue of Woman's Day. This recipe was from an article on family recipe traditions during the holidays. The person who shared this recipe said this was a recipe her family makes for Christmas Eve. You might also want to make a few extra shrimp to use whole as a garnish on top of each bowl.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled,deveined,thawed if frozen,cut in bite sized pieces
• 3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (the diced kind)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or 1/2 cup light cream
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Saute onions in butter in a large skillet until tender, about 5 minutes or so.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.
3. Add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until no longer translucent in center(be careful not to overcook them).
4. Remove shrimp and place in a covered bowl.
5. Add potatoes to the same pan, and season with salt & pepper to taste.
6. Simmer for about 4-6 minutes, stirring as needed, until potatoes are tender.
7. Add milk and half and half and bring to just a boil, stirring occasionally.
8. Once it just comes to the boil, remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
9. Add shrimp back to the pot along with parsley, reserving a small portion of the parsley for garnishing if desired.

Vegan Red Quinoa Steak

Healthy, affordable and delicious. These fantastic and easy recipes can be found all over the web. It makes me happy to be able to see people from top chefs and creative people inventing their own dishes from all over the world in just a mouse click away. They’re affordable and delicious, but what about healthy? Of course, healthy food recipes are lying just around the web. You just have to do the right research. This is how I found out about this healthy food, quinoa, several years ago.

Over the years, more and more quinoa recipes were created. Just like this Healthy, affordable, delicious, and vegan quinoa steak recipe by Chef Bruno Albouze.

Crispy Grilled Black Cod With Garlic

The sablefish (a.k.a, black cod), noticed as a fish with creamy white flesh with black skin is a tasty fish that’s easy to cook as well as to enjoy. This fish is silky rich and loaded with a lot of omega-3 fatty acids that are very good for a healthy heart. Because of their high value, unique flavor, and health benefits, it has become a quite popular choice in countless healthy recipes.

Sablefish is a fish that can easily get along even with the novice cook. It’s a fish that’s delicious, tasty, and nutritious and there are a lot of fish recipes for it. So you can have baked fish today and probably next week, grill it, slice it, and toss it with some pasta.

There are a lot of new healthy food recipes to try to do and sometimes, a little experiment would not hurt. So check out this Crispy Grilled Black Cod With Garlic recipe below

If you choose to turn up the griller, better slap on some marinades with the sablefish as this is awesome grilled. The fat will act as a barrier to prevent overcooking. Salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and more spices and a hot griller and it would be a complete, delicious, and healthy treat served with drinks, probably a side dish or two, or maybe serve it with other grilled seafood.

Orange-Vanilla Ricotta Cheesecake

Vodka is one of my favorite drinks; I'm a big fan of vodka drinks and cocktails. But recently, the world of cooking with alcohol has been introduced to me. Since I'm new to this, I've been looking for easy recipes online to practice on. Then I stumbled upon this cheesecake topped with vodka-marmalade glaze! Wow, doesn't that sound wonderful?

Who doesn’t love a Creamsicle: vanilla ice cream wrapped in orange ice? Now take those flavors, whip them together with ricotta and a bit of vodka, and you’ve got an adult cheesecake that’s elegant yet still strikes a nostalgic chord.

Orange-Vanilla Ricotta Cheesecake
Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs, from about 11 cookies 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted, plus more for coating the pan 

For the filling: 

• 2 pounds good-quality ricotta cheese, at room temperature 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 teaspoons packed orange zest (from about 1 medium orange) 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 

For the topping: 

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade 
• 1/3 cup vodka 

For the complete recipe, click here

Here's a bonus for my fellow easy dessert recipes lovers out there.

Crispy Cod Nuggets

I love cooking crispy and tasty food. That’s something that I inherited from my parents. We would look for chicken and fish recipes and make crispy delights out of them. So right now, I try to continue the tradition by watching and trying to learn from new cooking recipes online. Here’s a good example that I found. 

Yep, crispy cod! Cod is a low-calorie fish that is a great substitute for meat protein. That’s why I’m a big fan of it. Then just recently, I found a really interesting crispy cod nugget recipe online. I’m sharing it because it’s really good!

Crispy cod nuggets with sweet potato wedges

Ingredients

• 4 pieces skinned cod fillet, cut into chunks
• 30ml (2tbsp) plain flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 100g (4oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 30ml (2tbsp) olive oil
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• 15ml (1tbsp) honey
• Sunflower oil, for shallow-frying
• Soured cream and chive dip and lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Coat each piece of cod in flour then dip in beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 mins. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF, gas mark 6).

2 Heat the olive oil in a roasting tin for 3-4 mins then add the sweet potato. Roast for 20 mins, turning once. Brush with honey and return to the oven for 10 mins until tender and golden.

Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy-based frying pan and fry the fish nuggets for 2-3 mins on each side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve with the potato wedges, dip and lemon.

Recipe from goodtoknow.co.uk.

Sardines with Blue Chips

Are you looking for inexpensive, healthy and nutritious cooking recipes? You might think in advance how to cook salmon for your meals. I know salmon is a really big and healthy fish, but you shouldn’t overlook the nutrition values of the smaller fishes, like sardines.

They are rich in vitamins and minerals with a small serving providing about 13 percent of vitamin B2; 25% of niacin and well over the daily recommended requirement for vitamin B12–all of which vitamins help support the proper functioning of the nervous system as well as energy metabolism.

The small fish, usually consumed with the bones, are high in phosphorus, calcium and potassium, and well as minerals like iron and selenium. Due to its small size, it spoils rather quickly and after catching, the fish are submerged in brine as they are transported to land where most are canned in several ways. And aside from eating them right after you open the can, you may also try a few fish recipes using sardines. Maybe add blue corn chips beside them? Sounds great right?

Sardines and Blue Chips

Ingredients:

Blue corn chips

Canned sardines with olive oil

Please watch the video for the instructions.

Additional tips: Blue corn chips have 20% more protein than yellow corn chips, but yellow corn chips will suffice. Make sure the chips are made from organic corn!

More at Healthy Recipe – Sardines and Blue Chips by Dr. Gerhauser, www.naturalfoodsdiet.org

Health Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa(pronounced as: Kween-wah) is one of the healthiest grains that has been under the covers for hundreds of years. It was until it was rediscovered by two Americans back in the 80’s after about 500 years when the Spanish first imposed their culture to the Incas (They started growing it in Colorado). For 5,000 years, it was the natives’ staple food. It was because isolated Incan farmers in Andes were able to hide growing quinoa that we’re able to lay our eyes on this “super crop”. The Indian natives of the Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia considers the crop to be sacred and a gift from the gods and the seeds were worth more than gold.

Today, this super-healthy grain is slowly gaining popularity; even as a substitute to other grains such as rice and millet. It’s been popularly added to salads and new quinoa recipes come out every now and then. In the near future, we might even be replacing wheat flour with quinoa flour in most of the breads baked in the world! I’d love to see that happen. It really might, and if it does we should learn of the benefits we can get from quinoa.

Benefits of Quinoa (Herrington, D. 2013)

1. High in protein -- its protein balance is similar to milk and has more protein compared to rice, millet or wheat.
2. A good source of riboflavin -- riboflavin helps reduce the frequency attacks in migraine sufferers by improving the energy metabolism within the brain and muscle cells.
3. The saponins from quinoa are used to promote healing of skin injuries in South America, making it a good antiseptic.
4. It's alkaline-forming. Although it is not strongly alkaline-forming, it is comparable to wild rice, amaranth, and sprouted grains.
5. It only has 172 calories per ¼ cup dry quinoa.
6. Since it is not related to wheat or grain, it's gluten-free. Millions are discovering they feel better and lose weight when they reduce gluten grains or at least wheat products.
7. It is a complex carbohydrate with low glycemic index. This is again good for weight management. I use it in a number of my health Boot Camps.

Sources:

Products at http://www.quinoagold.com/products.html

Herrington, D. 2013. Seven Reasons Quinoa is the New Health Food Superstar at http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/

Lobster & Sea Bass Moqueca Stew

Bass is one of the most popular fish in cooking recipes, and although there are a lot of fish being referred as bass, only black sea bass and striped bass are considered the true bass.

Bass may be also included in curries and savory fish recipes. Its taste and texture makes it excellent for soups, especially seafood soups served in bread bowls. Lobster & Sea Bass Moqueca Stew, from the name of the soup itself, includes seafood delights like lobster and fish fillets of sea bass.

Lobster & Sea Bass Moqueca Stew

 Ingredients:

• 2 bunches fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 bunches fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 large Sea Bass, cleaned
• 2 large lobsters, halved
• 10 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 6 onions, chopped
• 4 green peppers, de-seeded and chopped
• 2 bunch spring onions spring onions, finely sliced
• 6 limes, halved
• 2 tbsp light olive oil
• 1 pint coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons light olive oil
• ½ ladle dende oil
• 3 tablespoons salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Roughly chop nearly all the coriander and spring onion, leaving enough for garnish. Place the coriander, parsley, garlic, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spring onions and salt into a large heavy bowl. With a pestle, mash together all ingredients, gradually squeezing in juice of limes.
2. Take both fish and slash diagonally 3 times on each side. Stuff some of the mixed vegetables and herbs into the slashes and the centre of the fish and close. Take the halves of lobster and cover with vegetables and herb mix, leaving around half for later.
3. Heat a large saute pan with the olive oil. Arrange sea bass and lobster (placing flesh side down) in the sauté pan. After 2 minutes, pour over the coconut milk and bring to a gentle bubble. After a further 2 minutes, turn over the fish and lobster. Add the remainder of the vegetable and herb mix.
4. Cook for a further 10 minutes, when the fish and lobster are tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
5. Transfer to a large serving dish and sprinkle with remaining coriander and spring onions.

Add dende oil (is available) in a slow circular motion over the top.

*Cook’s Note: Dende Oil is an African palm-oil, widely used in the Brazilian state of Bahia and is difficult to obtain elsewhere. The dish is just as delicious without it.

Recipe courtesy Aldaci Dada Dos Santos, 2003, Image: Moqueca de peixe e camarao by Luca Nebuloni from pilotguides.com

A Healthy Way to Cook Swai Fish

The swai fish, unlike catfish which are found in ponds, is found in the rivers of Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam. This is a fish with white flesh and a more delicate texture as compared to catfish. The flavor is mild, making it versatile and suitable for a lot of healthy food recipes that needs white fish. It is available in fillets and nuggets, and depending on the recipe, this can be cooked in a variety of fish recipes.

Swai fish may also be added to other dishes. The nuggets may be cooked and then tossed with pasta and other seafood for the perfect, healthy, and filling seafood pasta. This fish flakes quite easily and with the perfect mix-ins and some bread, it can be made into a sandwich. It may also be made into an open-faced sandwich by adding some olive oil, olives, cheese, and probably a bit of capers. Some recipes may even be developed on your own as you get to know this fish better.

Swai fish is a perfect alternative to the usual food fish, just to give the menu planning a bit of variety by introducing more fish to the list. This is a fish easy to cook, even with novice cooks starting out in the kitchen as it goes well with a variety of other ingredients and can be cooked using a lot of cooking techniques.

Wahoo(Ono) Tacos

Wahoo is a very tasty fish that’s found in tropical and subtropical areas with an elongated body covered with small scales. The wahoo as food has a very delicious and tempting flavor and can be cooked in a lot of ways. If desired, the leftover meat may be flaked and included in sandwiches, salads, quiche, pizza, dips, or other easy appetizers.

One of the easiest way to cook this fish is baking, which combines fish with mayonnaise, lemon and lime juices, pickle relish, and chopped chives. Baked fish recipes are easy to make, even for beginners, and fast enough that it does not take much time to prepare. Dishes like these may be served by a novice cook in a potluck party or get-together if the choice to make is something healthy as opposed to ordering pizza. 

You can make tacos with wahoo as well, and the recipe below shows us how. While the original fish taco was made with deep-fried fish, this recipe — made with sautéed fish — is a delicious and fresh version. This recipe is easily doubled, which makes it a great dish to make when entertaining a crowd.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped
• 1 pound wahoo, or another flaky white fish such as mahimahi or cod, cut into 4 pieces
• Salt, to taste
• 8 fresh corn tortillas
• Mexican crema, homemade or store-bought
• Fresh tomato salsa
• 2 limes, cut into quarters
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

First marinate the onion. Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in enough red-wine vinegar to cover it well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to several weeks. Next, pour the olive oil into a small bowl and add the ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, chopped cilantro, and jalapeño. Mix well. Place the fish on a dish and pour the marinade over it, making sure to coat the fish well on both sides. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and place it in the hot pan (there is no need to add more oil). Season the fish with salt. Cook the fish for 4 minutes undisturbed, then turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and flake the fish into the pan with a fork, making sure to mix in all the marinade that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Check for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside. Place four of the tortillas on a plate and sandwich them between 2 slightly dampened sheets of paper towel. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Place the warm tortillas in a towel-lined basket or plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. To assemble the tacos, place a heaping spoonful of the marinated flaked fish onto the center of a tortilla. Top with the marinated onions. Serve accompanied by Mexican crema and salsa. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

Traditional Mooncakes

Mooncake (simplified Chinese: 月饼; traditional Chinese: 月餅; pinyin: yuè bĭng) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiujie). The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching, when mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Mooncake (月饼) is often consumed during Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), with the full moon on the night of a 15th day of the 8th lunar month, as well as the traditions of moon gazing. Having many different fillings, it could also be eaten as easy desserts after a meal.

Traditional Mooncakes (recipe)

Makes 12-13 mini mooncakes (50 grams mould)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

100g of plain flour

4ml of alkaline water

70g of golden syrup

25ml of vegetable oil

¼ tsp of vanilla extract

For filling:

430g lotus paste or any paste that you like

(I'm using lotus and red bean)

Egg wash:

1 egg and 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a bowl, add golden syrup, alkaline water, and vanilla extract, stir to well combine. Add in oil, mix well.
2. Add in plain flour, mix with a spatula to form a soft dough. Gently knead the dough using a spatula till smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Wrap with cling wrap and leave to rest for at least 3 hours. 
4. Preheat your oven to 180C/160CFan-forced.
5. Dust the dough with some flour. Give the dough a few light kneading to smooth it.
6. Divide dough into 15g pieces. Shape each dough into a ball. 
7. Divide the filling paste into 35g pieces. Shape each dough into a ball.
8. Roll each dough over some flour. Dust hand with flour and flatten each dough into a small disc. Wrap it around the filling and shape it into a ball. Dust hand with some flour to avoid the dough from sticking.
9. Lightly dust the wrapped dough with some flour. Place it in the mooncake mould and press the mooncake out. Place mooncake on a baking tray line with parchment paper.
10. Spray some water on the mooncakes. This will help to prevent the mooncakes from cracking during baking.
11. Bake it for 10mins. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 25 minutes. This is to prevent the filling to expand so that the crust will not crack.
12. Brush the top with some egg wash. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 12 - 15mins until golden brown.
13. Leave the mooncake to cool completely and store in air tight containers. Wait for a day for the mooncakes' skin to soften before serving.

If you want to add egg yolks in it.

1. You need to divide the egg yolks and white and steam the yolks for 5 minutes then cool.
2. Reduce the amount of filling paste. Both paste and yolk add up to 35 grams. (For mini mooncake, I suggest you to half the yolk for each cake after you cooked)
3. Flatten the round paste, in the center add one egg yolk. Roll into ball.
4. Follow the rest of the steps in the video.

recipe from www.youtube.com/zatayayummy

Turbot Fillet en Papillote with Cream of Lemon Sauce

The turbot has a good flavor, with firm flesh which makes it great to be added to everybody’s healthy meals, which require the fish to hold its shape, like stews and soups. The flavor of the turbot is mild and good, so there are a lot of fish recipes which this can be used.

The turbot has a lot of recipes to try from appetizer recipes to main course that is delicious and healthy. For those novice cooks, there are also easy dishes to try for the family to be introduced to healthier foods rather than dialing delivery. But for those willing to take the challenge, this recipe: Turbot Fillet en Papillote with Cream of Lemon Sauce by Fabrice Morel is definitely wonderful dish to try.

Turbot Fillet en Papillote with Cream of Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 fillets of turbot approx. 120 gm each
• Dash of white wine
• 2 carrots
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 red pepper
• 2 onions
• Basil
• Dash of soya sauce
• 4 tablespoons (60 mL) créme fraiche, Devon cream or thick sour cream
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon
• Olive oil (enough to coat bottom of wok or skillet)
• Pinch of salt, preferably fleur de sel

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
2. Cut all vegetables into fine strips
3. In a wok or skillet, preheat olive oil and add vegetables
4. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, adding salt, pepper and soya sauce
5. Remove from stove
6. In a bowl place 4 tablespoons of créme fraiche and add freshly squeezed lemon juice, making sure the cream stays thick in texture
7. Place the thinly sliced vegetables into a Culinary Parchment Cooking Bag (one bag can be used to cook 1 to 2 servings)
8. Place the fillet of turbot on top of the vegetables, adding a pinch of salt on top
9. Add a dash of white wine with 1 tbsp of lemon cream and a basil leaf on top of the turbot
10. Close the bag by folding 3 to 4 times, crimping to seal
11. Place bag(s) on a cooking tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Recipe source: paperchef.com

Pan-fried Turbot with Wild Mushrooms

The flavor of the turbot is mild and good, so there are a lot of fish recipes which this can be used. The turbot has a lot of healthy recipes to try from appetizer recipes to main course that is delicious and healthy. For those novice cooks, there are also easy dishes to try for the family to be introduced to healthier foods rather than dialing delivery.

As a main course, they may be cooked pan-fried, like the pan fried turbo fillet with violet artichokes, a very healthy Mediterranean recipe with a very delicate flavor. They may also be pan-fried with wild mushrooms, mashed potatoes and cream sauce. The recipe below shows us how.

Pan-fried turbot

with wild mushrooms, mashed potatoes and cream sauce

Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 x 150-175g/6-7oz turbot fillets, skinned
• For the cream foam
• 175ml/6fl oz white wine
• 175ml/6fl oz fish stock
• 175ml/6fl oz double cream
• For the mushrooms
• 55g/2oz butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 200g/8oz mixed wild mushrooms
• ½ lemon, juice only
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• To serve
• mashed potato

Preparation method

1. Heat a frying pan until hot and add the butter and the olive oil.
2. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place into the pan when the oil and butter are sizzling hot. Cook the turbot fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown all over.
3. For the cream foam, pour the white wine into a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Boil until reduced by two thirds, then add the fish stock. Bring back to the boil and cook until the liquid has reduced by two thirds.
4. Add the cream, bring back to the boil and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
5. For the mushrooms, heat a clean frying pan and add the butter and the olive oil. Once hot add the shallots and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the lemon juice and parsley.
7. Using a hand blender, blend the cream sauce until light and foaming.
8. To serve, place a large spoonful of mashed potato into the centre of each plate. Place a turbot fillet on top of each and spoon the mushroom mixture around the edge of the potato. Spoon a little of the sauce foam over the mushrooms and serve.

Recipe by James Martin at bbc.co.uk

Italian Red Mullet Stew

Red mullet is popularly enjoyed in a variety of fish recipes. – smoked, cured, baked, grilled, or incorporated to foods like pasta or salad. It has a taste stronger than whiting or flounder and most people like to cook it in baked fish recipes.

If you want to have an idea on how to cook red mullet fast and easy, try watching the video below.

Mullet is a strong-flavored fish that may be served in a lot of ways from easy appetizers to salads, soups, pasta, and hearty main courses and stews. Italian fish stew is a good dish to try. But since this is high in cholesterol, this should be taken with moderation especially those with a history of high cholesterol.

Italian fish stew 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ carrot, finely chopped
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• ½ fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 2½ garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 20g/¾oz dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for ten minutes
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 litres/3 pints 10fl oz fish stock
• 200g/7oz Roosevelt potatoes, or other small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm/¾in pieces
• pinch saffron
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250g/9oz clams, cleaned (discard any which do not close when tapped)
• 2 red mullet fillets
• 200g/7oz monkfish fillet, membrane removed, cut into chunks
• 110ml/4fl oz white wine
• 250g/9oz cooked lobster tail and claw meat (optional)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley

Preparation method

• Heat a deep-sided frying pan until hot and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrot, onion, fennel, two of the chopped garlic cloves, the chilli flakes and fennel seeds and fry gently for 2-3 minutes.
• Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out any excess liquid, then roughly chop. The soaking liquid can be used in another dish.
• Add the chopped porcini to the pan along with the tomatoes and cook over a low-medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down and the vegetables are softened.
• Add the fish stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the potatoes into a saucepan of boiling water along with the saffron and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside.
• Remove the fish broth from the heat, then either use a stick blender or pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a shallow pan until hot, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the clams, red mullet, monkfish and white wine, cover with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time.
• Remove the lid and discard any clams which have not opened.
• Add the fish broth and saffron potatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes, then add the cooked lobster, if using, and continue to simmer until heated through.
• In a bowl, mix the chopped parsley with the remaining chopped garlic. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the stew and serve.

Recipe by Theo Randall at bbc.co.uk

Tuna Bowtie Pasta Salad

Fresh tuna has been enjoyed by coastal dwelling peoples for countless years in countless fish recipes with records showing early preservation techniques such as smoking and pickling being practiced since ancient times.

Like salmon, tuna ranks among several lists of healthy recipes. It is a wonderfully nutrient- and protein-dense food packed with important nutrients including the selenium, magnesium, potassium; B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6. But these are all somewhat secondary to the significant levels of valuable omega-3 essential fatty acids. Since these are not synthesized by the body, it has to be taken in through foods.

Though canned tuna accounts for the majority of American consumption, go for fresh if you want to savor the wonderfully firm and dense flavor of this fish. Some even describe the meat as having a meaty flavor and a steak-like texture. It is so versatile that even the most budget-conscious housewife can prepare a casserole or sandwich from a couple cans of tuna and combine it with the simples of ingredients. The versatility of the tuna fish also cleared its way into various healthy food recipes such as salads and pasta. Bow-tie pasta makes a wonderful salad combined with tuna and vegetables. 

Bowtie and Tuna Salad recipe

Ingredients

• 12 oz. bow tie pasta
• 8 oz. fresh green beans, cut into 1 in. pieces
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• ½ pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cans (3.5 oz. each) tuna packed in water, drained

Preparation Instructions

1. Fill a large saucepan with water and place it over medium heat. Bring it to a boil then pour the pasta into the pan. Boil about 8 to 12 minutes following package instructions. During the last 4 minutes of the cooking, add the green beans to the pot.
2. In a large bowl, stir the olive oil and lemon juice together. Add the mayonnaise and the salt and pepper.
3. Drain the pasta and beans. Add to the bowl with the olive oil mixture. Toss the pasta until it is well coated with the olive oil mixture. Add the tomatoes and tuna. Toss again, to combine the ingredients.