NOT better than takeout Seafood Tempura

With the husb out tonight I figured I'd try something new for dinner. I had a craving for Japanese food and since my favourite spot is an hour away from here, I tried to make my own tempura.

First things first....try to find a tempura batter recipe. Well, that's easier said than done! There are so many variations on the web. I tried one from a blog I found from a guy who lives in Japan. I mean, you'd think that would be the best option, right? Not so much. I wanted to make the crispy, light, airy stuff you get at a restaurant. Mine was much more dense and more like something you'd see on a piece of takeout Haddock with chips. Not sure where things went wrong. Could have been the batter, maybe it was the oil temperature or perhaps the seafood was too watery.

What is your tempura batter recipe? PLEASE send me a comment if you have one (plus your tempura secret)!

I'm going to post pictures anyway because I said in my profile that I would post even on bad days. This is one of them. Obviously, there is no need to follow my recipe but I am going to post it so you can tell me if the recipe looks similar to yours or not.

Recipe for tempura batter:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Here are some pictures of the shrimp & squid tempura...it looks better than it tastes! Don't you love that I actually have a bonsai tree on my table:)

The Best Lemon Cranberry Scones!

 

As the daughter of English parents I've had my fair share of scones. Nothing beats a warm scone with a little butter and strong cup of tea on a Sunday morning. This recipe will put your morning scone from Starbucks to shame. The secret is keeping the scones moist (the job of 18% cream) and perfectly sweet (but not too sugary).

I found some amazing organic lemons at the market the other day and had to buy them. They were my inspiration! They really were the biggest lemons I've ever seen. I can't believe they are organic because they really look like a genetically-enginered version. I even took pictures so you could see them!

Make these for overnight guests at your home or as a hostess gift when visiting friends.

The recipe is easy to adapt for seasonal variations so feel free to add/delete ingredients so it works for you. I have noted the changes I made for this batch in italics.

Ingredients & Preparation: (Original recipe from Bon Appetit, November 2005)

Makes 12

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon peel (I use at least 2 tbsp of lemon peel)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (I only use 1/2 cup or I find the scones too sweet)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I didn't use walnuts for this batch)
• 1/2 cup (or more) chilled half and half (The secret is to use 18% cream instead! I use at least 1 cup)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup icing sugar for dusting (this is my addition)

For the glaze:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Position rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk 2 tablespoons sugar and 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice in bowl for glaze.
Whisk flour, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, and 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Add chilled butter; using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Mix in cranberries and walnuts. Add cream and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Toss with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more cream if dough is dry (It will be dry - add more cream!). Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Press out each half on floured surface to 6-inch-diameter (1-inch-high) round. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Transfer to baking sheet; brush with glaze.
Bake scones until golden and tester comes out clean, about 18 minutes (With more cream added I baked my scones for another 4-5 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Orzo with Grilled Shrimp, Summer Vegetables & Pesto Vinaigrette

I've never cooked orzo before but it is a great pasta shape! Looks like rice but isn't - it's a tricky little noodle. The fresh, seasonal flavours of this dish are amazing after about 1 day when they've had a chance to really get incorporated with everything. This pasta salad can be served cold or at room temperature. Another great option for a potluck, picnic or a summer evening on the porch.

Ingredients & Preparation: (Original recipe from epicurious, Bon Appetit June 2008)

Serves 6

• 8 ounces orzo (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 6 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
• 2 medium zucchini or summer squash (about 9 ounces total), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, quartered
• 3 tablespoons purchased pesto
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 2 heirloom tomatoes (8 to 10 ounces total), cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I did not add mozzarella because we were having mozzarella sandwiches as well)

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl. Brush zucchini and bell pepper with oil mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Whisk pesto, lime juice, remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl for pesto vinaigrette. Place shrimp in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons pesto vinaigrette; toss to coat.

Grill zucchini and bell pepper until crisp tender, about 3 minutes per side for zucchini and 4 minutes per side for bell pepper. Transfer to work surface. (I baked my zucchini, shrimp & peppers in the oven and that worked well - about 10 minutes at 350F.)

Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper; grill until charred and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place shrimp in bowl with orzo. Chop zucchini and bell pepper; add to bowl with orzo. Add remaining vinaigrette, tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; chill. (I made mine the night before and I think that it turned out just fine!)

Garnish with basil sprigs and serve cold or at room temperature.

Mozzarella & Pepper Cooler-Pressed Sandwiches

I made these for our picnic yesterday and they were a big hit. Easy to transport with the added bonus of not getting soggy. I made these the night before so the juices had time to settle and they were perfectly flavoured for the next day's lunch. Cut into individual sized pieces when ready to serve.

Ingredients & Preparation: (Original recipe from epicurious, Cookie July 2007)

Serves 4

• 1 (5-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 pinch hot-pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped Italian parsley, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 (6-ounce) container bocconcini in oil (or 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella in oil, torn into pieces), undrained
• 1/2 thin 18-inch baguette, sliced lengthwise
• optional: 2-3 tbsp olive oil (if your bocconcini is in brine like mine was, add extra olive oil for flavour and not a lot of the brine)

In a medium bowl, combine the first four ingredients (including some of the bocconcini or mozzarella marinade). Fill the baguette with the mixture. Close the baguette and wrap it tightly in waxed paper, then in aluminum foil or saran wrap. Place the sandwich at the bottom of the cooler so the weight of the other contents compresses the sandwich and allows the juices to soak into the bread.

Mock Skor Bar

This is the easiest dessert ever! I've been making it for about 8 years now after tasting it at a volleyball weekend up at a friend's cottage. With only 4 ingredients it takes very little energy to make this recipe. The result tastes like you spent hours on it. It's perfect for a last minute potluck or if you package it nicely, a hostess gift. Make sure to keep very cool when transporting so the chocolate doesn't melt. My husband made this last night (with a little help) for a picnic we are having today.

Ingredients & Preparation:

• 24 regular salted soda crackers (i.e. premium plus)
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. Arrange crackers evenly in pan. In saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Stir in brown sugar until melted and smooth. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Boil for 2 minutes and then pour mixture evenly over crackers. Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate pieces evenly over caramel mixture. Return to oven just long enough for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula. Place pan in refrigerator or freezer until chocolate is firm. Cut or break into pieces.

Couscous with peppers, onions, pine nuts & thyme

This will just be a quick post.

If you are looking for an easy meal to make on a work night, give this a try. Satisfying, super easy, only 1 pan required and quick. Make extra couscous for lunch the next day. This is also a great option for a picnic!

Ingredients & Preparation:

Serves 4

• 1 cup of Israeli couscous
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 chopped red pepper
• 1 chopped onion or 2 chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts
• 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves only (fresh from my garden!)
• some olive oil

Add some olive oil to a heavy bottom, deep frying pan. Add pine nuts and saute until golden. Set aside. Add onions and cook until soft. Set aside with the pine nuts. Add 4 cups of vegetable stock to the same pan, bring to a boil. Add the couscous and bring back to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Strain. Put couscous, onions, and pine nuts back into the pan. Toss in the red peppers (I don't cook these - I like them crunchy!) and thyme leaves. Stir until mixed through. I didn't need to add any extra salt or pepper. Garnish with thyme. I served mine with falafel (buy a store bought mix and make at home) but the couscous can be enjoyed alone.

Zucchini & Spinach Soup

I had another produce delivery on Wednesday - I don't think having our groceries delivered will ever get old for me! I had ordered quite a few items including spinach and zucchini. I thought I had ordered one of each. Turns out "one" means one batch or bushel. I think I received about 12 yellow & green zucchinis and 3-4 bunches of fresh spinach. My husband was out of town so I knew I wouldn't be able to eat all of that by myself. Soooo, I went looking for a soup recipe. Lucky for me the amazing and wonderful blog "101 cookbooks" exists. See "Blogs I love" for the link.


Based on a 101 cookbooks recipe I made the following soup. Heidi's recipe is perfect. I just added 2 ingredients only because I had them to use up and omitted one ingredient because my herbs haven't grown as much as I would like just yet. Her recipe is below with my 2 additions noted.


Hearty, warm, satisfying, healthy, rich...this soup has everything you need in one bowl!


Ingredients & Preparation (from http://www.101cookbooks.com/)
Serves 6

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• big pinch of salt (I used my Salish smoked salt and more than a pinch - about 1 tsp)
• 2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used russets)
• 2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped (I used 5 because they were smaller)
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped (did not use this as not available in my herb garden yet!)
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup of cream (my addition; if you choose this add at the end of cooking)
• 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves only (my addition)

In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so. Now stir in the cilantro. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Many thanks to Heidi at 101cookbooks for a new soup to add to the rotation!


Here are a few pictures of my humble, cute, front porch, herb garden.

Snap Pea & Yellow Zucchini Parpadelle with Saffron Thyme Cream

Hands down this is the best pasta I have ever dreamed up on the way home from work. Do you ever get into a funk where nothing you make seems to taste that good? I get that sometimes, other people may like it (or are they just saying that?) but this dish I absolutely loved! You must give it a try. Sometimes the best creations are a complete fluke. It's quite late and I should be in bed but I had to write this all down before I forgot what I did!

I wanted to use up some sugar snap peas and zucchini I had in the fridge. These ingredients are key to the dish so make sure you use the freshest produce you can...

Ingredients & Preparation:

Serves about 3 as a main course

For the cream sauce you will need -

• 1 cup 18% cream
• few pinches of saffron
• about 6 springs of fresh thyme (pull the leaves off)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• a few shakes of white pepper
• a pinch of sea salt (I used Salish Smoked Salt from the Pike Place Market)
• a generous swirl of good quality, fruity olive oil

For the pasta -

• 1 package of fresh lasagna sheets, cut into strips to make a "cheat's parpadelle" noodle
• 2 handfuls of sugar snap peas, topped & tailed
• 1 handful of watercress leaves (cut off the long stems as they are hard to swallow in pasta - I learned the hard way)
• 1 small yellow zucchini, grate on a cheese grater to make little strips
• 4-6 slices of halloumi cheese, 1/4 inch slices (this cheese is fairly salty so go easy on the salt in the cream sauce)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil in preparation for your pasta.

In a small pan, add the ingredients in the order listed above. Using a small whisk, gently stir the sauce to incorporate all the ingredients. Use a medium heat so it doesn't burn. Slowly whisk the sauce until it becomes a little thicker (the cream may become too thick if you beat it too much) and heat through. You don't want a runny consistency but you also don't want whip cream! Set aside when ready.

Add your pasta and bring to a boil. Fresh pasta shouldn't take too long to cook.

In another pan, add a smidgen of water, cover and steam your snap peas and watercress for only a few minutes until they are warmed through but still crunchy. You don't need to cook the zucchini.

In a small non-stick frying pan, add a touch of olive oil and place your cheese in for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Plate the pasta first in the centre and build the dish up from there. Add the snap peas and watercress. Then the zucchini on top. Place the cheese slices (about 2 per dish) on the side and give the plate a generous drizzle of the saffron thyme cream.

Enjoy this meal on a warm summer night with friends!