Category: Easy Recipes

Chicken and Black Bean Chowder

black bean and chicken chowder - trustinkim

Soups, stews and chowders are the perfect winter food, although I love them all year round. Here’s an easy chowder recipe that I’ve been using as a main dish. It’s hearty enough to leave you satisfied on its own, but you could always add a slice of bread, or the tortillas that the recipe mentions.

I found the recipe on the Jamie Oliver website. The only changes I made were to use canned corn, to rinse the black beans before adding them, and serving with a dollop of yogurt. A number of people commented on the Jamie Oliver website that their soup was grey, so I think rinsing the beans first helped to avoid that.

This made quite a large batch, which was excellent for leftover lunches for several days.

What you need:

  • 1/2 bunch cilantro stems
  • olive oil
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 sticks of celery, sliced
  • 250 g cooked chicken breast
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 400 g tin of black beans, rinsed
  • 750 ml organic chicken stock  (or water and chicken bouillon)
  • 1 fresh corn on the cob or 1 can Peaches and Cream corn
  • 1 bay leaf

For serving:

  • cilantro greens
  • Plain yogurt (optional)
  • 2 corn tortillas (optional)
  • 1 lemon

What you do:

  1. If you need to cook the chicken breast, flatten it a bit first by pounding it with a mallet, rolling pin or heavy frying pan. This will help it to cook uniformly, and you won’t have dried out or raw bits. Add a little olive oil to a frying pan, then add the salted chicken breast, sprinkling on a little chili powder if you want. Let it cook a few minutes per side until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
  2. Pick the cilantro leaves and set aside for garnishing. Finely slice the stalks. Peel and  chop the onion and garlic, slice the celery finely.
  3. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a large saucepan and place it over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and cilantro stalks, then sauté for about 10 minutes. The vegetables should soften but not brown.
  4. Add the cumin and cayenne to the pan and fry for about a minute. Add the black beans, chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut or shred the chicken breast and add it to the pot. Cut the corn kernels from the cob or use the corn from the can along with its liquid, and stir into the chowder. Allow to simmer for about 5 more minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lemon juice. Serve with optional tortillas and a dollop of yogurt, and sprinkle with the cilantro leaves.

Homemade Croutons

homemade croutons - trustinkim

A photo cannot portray how addictive these croutons are. So here’s what happens  –  I make a batch, and most of them get snacked on before they even make it as far as a salad topping. Inevitably I save a few for a salad, and every time it is the Best Salad Ever because these things are just so delicious.

I think the best part is the hint of lemon in them. They’ve also got a little garlic (I use a clove of garlic instead of the powder that the recipe calls for), some thyme and paprika.

The recipe comes from Thug Kitchen. I use a lower baking temperature than the 400 degrees that the cookbook calls for, because I find they get a bit too blackened at the high temperature. I also add a little more lemon juice. Today I made them and (gasp!) I was out of olive oil, so I substituted butter – big thumbs up on that one!

My favourite salad to serve these on at the moment is a caesar salad with a lighter dressing made with yogurt.

You can keep these for a while in an airtight container.

What you need:

  • 1/2 loaf day-old bread (about 5 cups of cubes) (I like Olivier’s French Whole Wheat)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons or more of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

What you do:

  1. Heat the oven to 300F.
  2. Cut the bread into cubes.
  3. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix it up.
  4. Add the bread and toss it right away so all the pieces of bread get coated.
  5. Pour the bread onto a baking pan and shake it out so it is distributed around the pan evenly in one layer.
  6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring a few times throughout the baking so it doesn’t burn.
  7. Enjoy!

 

17th Century Italian Cucumber Salad

cucumber salad - trustinkim

I stumbled upon this recipe while searching for recipes to use the cucumbers that are growing in my garden. This blogger has a love for old recipes, and published this one, which is her version of a 17th century dish. She says it is “An interpretation of a dish described in Salvatore Massonio’s Archidipno overo dell’insalata e dell’vso di essa, published in Venice in 1627.”

It’s a really simple recipe, as are many of the best vegetable recipes. It should be prepared an hour or two before you plan to eat it.

I substituted sweet onion for regular, as I often do, and I peeled my cucumber because the peel on this variety is a little too bitter for me. In the original recipe the basil is added before refrigerating, but I like to add it at the end so that it retains its green colour. My version of the recipe is for two, and the measurements are approximate.

Please, please, please, don’t use dried basil for this recipe. It’s just not right. It really doesn’t taste like fresh basil. If you have no fresh basil, I’d opt to leave it out. You can freeze basil, so it retains the fresh flavour; if you use previously frozen basil in this salad it will be darker than fresh basil, but will still taste good.

After eating the salad I used the remaining dressing to pickle some cucamelons – these adorable little cucumbers that resemble a miniature watermelon. It was this summer’s garden experiment. The verdict? Cute, but I prefer a regular cucumber. The peel to inside ratio is a little high on the peel side.

cucamelon salad - trustinkim

What you need for two people:

  • 1 small cucumber or 1/2 an English cuke
  • a small chunk of an Onion, sliced very thinly
  • 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • a few pinches of salt
  • a few grinds of fresh pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

What you do:

  1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl or large jar.
  2. Cut the cucumber in half, then slice it lengthwise. Slice as thinly as you can, using a mandoline if you have one. Cut the onion in half and slice it as thinly as you can. Place the cucumber and onion in the container with the dressing and toss it well so it’s all coated.
  3. Refrigerate for an hour or two.
  4. Before serving chop the basil finely and stir it in.

Enjoy!

Japanese Grilled Eggplant

Japanese Roasted Eggplant - trustinkim

I’m always looking for new ways to prepare vegetables, and with barbecue season finally arriving, this seemed like a great dish to try out. It’s got a slightly sweet sauce that glazes the soft eggplant. I will definitely be making this one again.

I found the recipe on this site, where they suggest serving the eggplant in an udon noodle dish. We ate it on its own as an appetizer, but I think it might also be good on small slices of bread, used like a spread.

What you need:

  • 3 japanese eggplants (the long skinny ones)
  • 2 tablespoons red miso
  • 2 tablespoons mirin (or a sweet rice wine)
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • vegetable oil for griling
What you do:
  1. Whisk the miso, mirin, tamari and sugar together in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook briefly, just until it has thickened. Set aside to cool.
  2. Trim the stems from the eggplants and halve them lengthwise. Cut slits into the flesh of the eggplants, cutting almost through to the skin, but being careful not to slice all the way through it.
  3. Preheat the grill. Brush the fleshy side of each eggplant lightly with oil. When the grill is hot, place the eggplant cut-side down, on the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes; the eggplant should have grill marks on the fleshly side, and be somewhat softened.
  4. Turn the eggplants skin-side down, and spread the sauce over the fleshy side, all the way to the edges. Cook for about 3 more minutes. The eggplant should be very tender, and the sauce bubbling up.
  5. Enjoy!

japanese grilled eggplant - trustinkim

Thai Salmon Burgers

thai salmon burger - trustinkim

This is a really great salmon burger recipe, tender and full of flavour. Add a little salad and you’ve got a great little meal. I served them with a refreshing cucumber salad. They were pretty quick to whip up for a weeknight dinner.

I like the idea of making my own patties, partly so I know the fish is really fresh, and so I can adjust the spices, depending on the preferences of the people eating them (including e!). It’s easy enough to chop up the salmon, but you could buy ground salmon if you prefer. I thought the patties would fall apart when frying, but they stayed together nicely.

I found the recipe here; I just added lime zest, used a little less curry paste, and made a lime mayonnaise to serve the burgers. You could also add a little tomato or other toppings to the burger as you see fit. I like my buns toasted, and just a little lime mayo and a slice of tomato.

Enjoy! This recipe serves two people.

What you need for two salmon burgers:

  • 2 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, about 275g in total
  • 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
  • 4 cm piece fresh root ginger, grated finely
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • zest of one lime
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil for cooking
  • two buns

What you need for the mayonnaise sauce:

  • a few tablespoons of mayonnaise
  • a tablespoon or so of lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

  1. Finely chop the salmon. Add the curry paste, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, and finely chopped cilantro and mix until well combined (or use a food processor). Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.
  2. Prepare the mayonnaise sauce by combining the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper.
  3. Add the oil to a pan on medium heat, then fry the patties 4-5 minutes per side.
  4. Enjoy them while they are hot!

 

Hot Fudge Sauce

ice cream and hot fudge sauce - trust in kim

We are finally having our first warm days in Vancouver, so I thought it was the perfect time to post a recipe featuring ice cream.  I’ve made this hot fudge sauce a few times, but never got a photo I liked. So here it is. Easy to make, and a crowd-pleaser. It was served on vanilla ice cream, but it’s also delicious on a brownie or this amazing chocolate rum cake. There was a little bit of the eating it right off the spoon going on too.

I found the recipe here, and the only change I made was to cut the recipe in half. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks, but even this portion was more than eight people used for one dessert.

Enjoy!

What you need:

  • 125mL cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
  • 125mL granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 125mL whipping cream (1/2 cup)
  • 70mL salted butter, cut into pieces (2 tablespoons)
  • 7mL pure vanilla extract (1& 1/2 teaspoons)

What you do:

  1. In a medium-sized pot whisk together the cocoa and sugar. Whisk in the cream, then turn the heat on to medium.
  2. Whisk the mixture as it warms, then add the butter. Stir until it melts.
  3. Remove from the heat, then add the vanilla and stir to combine.
  4. Let the sauce cool for  a few minutes, then pour it into a jar.
  5. You can store this in the fridge for a long time, but before using it, scoop out the amount you need and either microwave it for a few seconds, or heat it in a small pot until it is warm.

Garlic Confit

garlic confit - trustinkim

Garlic confit is simply garlic that has been slow-cooked in olive oil – but it is also magical! It can be added to pizza, vegetable, soup and so many other foods, and the garlic-infused oil can be added to salad dressing or used for roasting.

I made up a batch recently and I’m quickly making my way through the jar of garlic, which has a lovely mellow roasted flavour. So good!

What you need:

  • a few bulbs of garlic
  • olive oil

What you do:

  1. The most labour-intensive part of this recipe, peel the garlic cloves. Mine had the green “germ” growing inside, so I cut the cloves in half to remove it. I think it adds a bitter taste.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200F.
  3. Place the peeled cloves in a dish and pour in some olive oil, until all the cloves are covered. Use tin foil to cover the container, then place it in the oven for about 2 hours.
  4. Remove the container from the oven and let it cool. Pour into a jar and store in the fridge. It should keep for a few weeks.

 

Sugar Snap Peas and Bell Peppers in Soy Sauce Glaze

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Simple and healthy, this is one of the vegetable dishes I make up on a regular basis. Add a little protein and rice, and it makes a complete meal for one. But truth be told, sometimes I just make up a giant bowl of this and eat it on its own for dinner.

What you need for one serving:

  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • a handful of sugar snap peas
  • sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • soy sauce
  • black chinese vinegar
  • mirin
  • hot sauce (I used Sriracha)

What you do:

  1. Prepare the vegetables by slicing the pepper and removing the strings from the sugar snap peas. Slice the garlic.
  2. Heat a frying pan to medium-high heat and add a drizzle of sesame oil. Add the peppers to the pan and fry until they begin to get soft. Add the garlic to the pan, then throw in the snap peas.
  3. Add a splash each of soy, vinegar, mirin, and a few drops of hot sauce. Adjust the flavours to taste. Cook this until the sauce begins to thicken up, only a minute or two, so the snap peas still have some crispness to them.
  4. Serve immediately – enjoy!

Bacon, Leek and Smoked Cheddar Toasts

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I’ve had a few holiday parties to attend this season, so I turned my thoughts to making something new to bring as an appetizer. This recipe is a new take on something I made a few years ago – but this time I added bacon, which was very popular, and the smoked cheddar and cracked pepper gave it some more complexity. Cooking the leeks in bacon fat adds more of that smokey, salty flavour we love so much.

If you prepare the leek topping ahead of time it’s really simple to make when you have company. Before serving you just need to top the bread with the leeks, bacon and cheese, pop it in the oven, and voila, a fabulous treat!

What you need:

  • 1 baguette (in Vancouver I prefer Bread Affair’s “Naked” traditional baguette}
  • 4-5 rashers of thick-cut bacon
  • 1 large leek or 2 small
  • a splash of milk or cream
  • a splash of white wine
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup grated smoked cheddar (I used Balderson’s Double Smoked)
  • freshly cracked black pepper

What you do:

  1. Fry the bacon until it is just crisped up; I like to use a cast-iron pan for this. Remove the bacon from the pan to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up excess fat.  Chop the bacon when it has cooled.
  2. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice them thinly.
  3. Remove some of the fat from the pan, leaving a tablespoon or two to cook the leeks in. Add the leeks to the pan and cook at medium heat for a few minutes. Add the milk and wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bacony goodness. Cook for a few more minutes, until the leeks are soft and much of the liquid has evaporated. Add more milk and wine if the leeks are not soft enough, and then cook a bit longer. Add a little salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that there will already be some salt from the bacon fat. Add the pecorino cheese and stir it in. You can either use this right now to top the bread, or refrigerate to use later.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice the baguette lengthwise and place it cut-side up on a baking tray. Top the bread with the leek mixture, and add the bacon on top. Sprinkle on the smoked cheddar. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the bread become a little bit crispy.
  5. Slice the baked bread into serving-sized pieces. Crack pepper on top, and serve right away.

Enjoy!

Very Chocolatey Zucchini Cookies

triple chocolate zucchini cookies - trustinkim

Because these cookies contain zucchini, we can pretend they are healthy. Because they contain three kinds of chocolate, we can call them delicious.

This summer I had a bumper crop of zucchini, so a gardener friend suggested I grate and freeze some of it. I grated and froze it in two cup portions, because my awesome zucchini loaf calls for that amount of zucchini. The other day I was looking for something to bring to work for my somewhat stressed-out colleagues (let’s just say the beginning of the school year isn’t just hard on the students) and I found this recipe. People liked the idea that they could trick themselves into thinking it was a somewhat healthy recipe, but mostly they loved the intense chocolaty-ness of the cookies. I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips because I think their quality it quite good!

The one change I will make next time I make these is in the fineness of the grated zucchini. I used the thicker side of my box grater, but I found that there were pieces of zucchini that stuck out of a few of the cookies, so next time I will use the finer grater.

The only thing I did differently from the original recipe was to bake for a minute or two less, and I put a little sea salt on top of each cookie before baking for an awesome chocolate and salt combination!

What you need:

  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded and drained zucchini
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet, semi- or bitter-sweet chocolate chips
  • optional:sea salt

What you do:

  1. Grate the zucchini and let it drain in a sieve. Press the zucchini down to extract some of the liquid.
  2. Melt the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  3. In a large bowl whip the butter, granulated and brown sugars for 1-2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for about a minute. Stir in the grated zucchini.
  4. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix.
  5. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until almost combined. Stir in the chocolate chips until everything is just incorporated.
  6. Scoop the cookie dough using a tablespoon or small ice-cream scoop, and place  them a few centimetres apart on the cookie sheets. Add a little sea salt to the top of each cookie before baking – optional but awesome!
  7. Bake for 9-10 minutes until just set.