Kitchen Confidential

Christmas Wreaths

Preparation:                20 min

Marinating/Waiting:      0 min    

Cooking:                       1 hr 

Total:                       1 hr 20 min

20 treats (servings)

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Recipe Ingredients

        1 cup (250 mL) mascarpone or ricotta cheese
        ¼ cup (60 mL) mixed candied fruit
        3 Tbsp. (45 mL) sugar*
        20 old-fashioned brownies*
        Fresh fruit to taste. 

Preparation 

In a bowl, mix cheese, candied fruit and sugar together. Spread cheese mixture on 20 brownies and garnish with fresh fruit.

Courtesy of Metro Kitchens.

Click HERE for more Chirstmas and Holiday recipes.

Spaghettini with Chicken, Onion and Peppers #6287

Preparation:    15 min
Marinating/Waiting:    0 min
Cooking:    30 min
Total:    45 min

4 servings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe Ingredients

500 g CATELLI Spaghettini
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Irresistibles extra virgin olive oil*
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 onion, sliced
1 green, orange or red pepper, chopped
1 jar (700 mL) CATELLI Garden Select Pasta Sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Preparation  

Cook spaghettini according to package directions. Heat oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat; sauté chicken until golden. Remove and set aside. Add onion and green pepper; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce and reserved chicken; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sauce over hot spaghettini and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

 

For a South Asian Desi Twist:  

Add 1 tsp of garlic paste, 1 tsp of cayenne powder and 1 tsp of tandoori  masala.     

                                       

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Lamb Chops with Cumin and Yogurt Sauce

Preparation:    5 min
Marinating/Waiting:    2 h
Cooking:    10 min
Total:    2 h 15 min

4 servings

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe Ingredients
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil*
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. (5 mL) ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 fresh lamb chops

Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 mL) firm yogurt
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) honey*
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. (5 mL) ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation

In a bowl, mix oil, parsley, cumin and garlic together. Pour marinade over chops and refrigerate for 2-3 hrs. Turn chops occasionally to coat them thoroughly.

 

In another bowl, mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.

 

To pan-fry in a skillet, cook chops 3-4 minutes per side to desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce.

Barbecue - preheat barbecue at medium high.

For a South Asian Desi Twist: 

Add 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1 teaspoon red chilli powder for added spice.

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Cardamom Panna Cotta with Chocolate Syrup

 Preparation:    20 min
Marinating/Waiting:    3 h
Cooking:    12 min
Total:    3 h 32 min
6 servings

 

 

 

 

 Recipe Ingredients

1½ cups (375 mL) milk
1½ cups (375 mL) heavy cream 35%
? cup (80 mL) raw cane sugar
cardamom pods, seeds ground
1 7-g envelope plain gelatin
2 oz. (60 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup (60 mL) heavy cream 35% m.f.*
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Irresistibles espresso or robust coffee*
                                                                                                 
Preparation

Panna cotta

 

In a big pot over medium-high heat, bring 1¼ cups (310 mL) milk, cream, sugar and cardamom to a simmer, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Soften gelatin in remaining milk for 5 minutes.
Stir softened gelatin into cardamom cream mixture.
Pour into small ½-cup (125-mL) glasses, cool, then refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours to set.

Chocolate sauce

 

In a double-boiler or the microwave, melt chocolate in the ¼ cup (60 mL) cream.

Gently stir in coffee. Reserve at room temperature.

To serve, spoon a little chocolate sauce on each panna cotta and sprinkle with pistachios if you wish.

Suggestion

 

Refrigeration Time: 3 hours
You can make the panna cotta a day ahead, and do the chocolate sauce just before serving.

You can replace the cardamom with ½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract.

 

For a South Asian Desi Twist: 

Garnish with chopped pistachios.

Click HERE for more recipes.

Raspberry-Chocolate French Macaroons #6207

Preparation:    30 min
Marinating/Waiting:    10 min
Cooking:    15 min
Total:    55 min

36 macaroons servings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe Ingredients       

                                             

Macaroons
5 oz. (140 g) ground almonds
9 oz. (250 g) icing sugar
5 egg whites*
2 oz. (60 g) fine sugar*
1 – 2 drops red food colouring
 

Filling
4½ oz. (125 g) raspberry purée
6 oz. (175 g) dark chocolate*
2½ oz. (75 g) unsalted butter*
    
Preparation
    

Macaroons

 

Preheat oven to 260°F (125°C).

 

In a bowl, combine ground almonds and icing sugar, then reduce to a fine powder in the food processor. Sift and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed into stiff peaks. Add sugar gradually, then food colouring and continue mixing for about a minute to melt sugar into the meringue.

 

Transfer the meringue to a large bowl and gradually fold in the almond-sugar mixture. Do not overwork the mixture or the meringue will collapse.

 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pastry bag with a 1¼-in. (3-cm) tip, pipe 72 regularly spaced disks.

Bake for about 15 minutes. When done, the meringues should easily peel off the parchment paper.

 

Cool completely.

 

Filling

 

In a pan, bring raspberry purée to a boil.

 

Break chocolate up in a bowl. Pour hot raspberry purée and alcohol over it and let rest 1 minute without stirring.

Using a rubber spatula, stir until mixture is shiny. Then stir in butter.

 

Let rest to gel.

 

To make the macaroons, put 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) filling on the flat side of a meringue and top with another meringue.
    
For a South Asian Desi Twist:
Sprinkle coarsely chopped badams (almonds) over the macaroons.

 

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