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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Quick and Easy Greek Pasta

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Quick and easy Greek pasta is a delectable recipe which you can prepare in minutes. Use any type of pasta if desired. I prefer using white wine instead of vinegar because of its aromatic flavor. I also like the way it enhances the taste of the tomatoes. Chili flakes or chili oil are great additions which can liven up the dish even more.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1  8 oz. package spaghetti

1 10 oz. bag fresh spinach

1 small head of cabbage, quartered

1 8 oz. pack sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 6 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

Extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crumbled feta cheese, for garnish

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

 

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it is al dente or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium flame. Cook the spinach and mushrooms in hot oil for ten minutes or until they give off moisture.  Add the red wine vinegar and the balsamic vinegar. Set the flame to high and bring it to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, parsley and black olives into the boiling vegetable and vinegar mixture.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer it for another 10 minutes or until all the flavors come together. Stir occasionally.

Add the cooked pasta to the tomato and herb mixture and gently toss to coat the pasta. Continue to simmer it for another ten minutes or until the flavors bend together. Season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle more olive oil if desired. Stir in the 2 ounces of feta cheese. Divide the pasta among individual plates or place it on a serving platter. Sprinkle some feta cheese over the plated pasta and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately with garlic bread.

 

Image from: little blue hen

Fruity Coleslaw

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Fruity coleslaw is a yummy side dish to any type of grilled or roasted meat. It can also be eaten as a healthy snack. Make sure that the canned fruits have been drained well, so that the coleslaw will not be runny. Add raisins or other fruits if desired.

 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained

4 pieces canned peach halves, drained

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup unflavored yogurt

1/4 cup honey

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Shredded chicken

 

Drain the peaches and chop them. Do the same for the pineapple chunks.

Place the cabbage, carrots, pineapple tidbits and chopped peaches in a medium sized bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the nutmeg, yogurt and honey. Mix well. Pour it over the cabbage and the fruits. Gently toss until well combined. Adjust the taste by adding more yogurt or honey.

Transfer the coleslaw in a bowl and serve. If you want to store it, keep it in an airtight container and refrigerate.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: mdid

Torta de Repolyo

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Torta de repolyo or cabbage omelette is a traditional Colombian dish served with tomato sauce. It can be a light lunch or served as a side. I recently tried in in a restaurant and it was so delicious that I had to find a recipe to do at home. This yummy omelette calls for white cheese, but any kind of cheese would do just fine.

 

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 large cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 lb. white cheese, shredded

5 eggs, beaten

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Tomato sauce for serving

 

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, Sauté the scallions in butter for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add the cabbage and cook it for another 15 minutes or until it becomes tender and a little translucent. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer it to a bowl.

While cooking the cabbage, combine the eggs, milk, cheese, breadcrumbs and parsley in a medium sized bowl. Season it with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Place the cabbage and the egg mixture on a greased baking dish. Bake it for 20-30 minutes at 350F or until the egg is set and the egg is slightly brown. Remove from oven and let it stnd for 2 minutes before serving. Serve with warm tomato sauce.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  Neil Armstrong2

Colombian Coleslaw

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Coleslaw also known as Ensalada de Repollo y Zanahoria  is a perfect add on to hotdog sandwiches, burgers or any type of sandwich. It  also a popular side dish served  in fast food restaurants and hotdog stands in Colombia.

 

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 cup carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

3 1/2 cups green cabbage, cut into chunks

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

Juice and rind of 1 lime

Salt and black pepper

Pinch of ground cumin

 

Put the cabbage, carrots and onions in a food processor or blender. Process it for 1 minute or until the vegetables are finely chopped.

Place the vinegar, sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, salt, pepper, cumin powder, lime juice and lemon rind in a small bowl. Whisk until well.

Combine the cabbage mixture and the mayonnaise mixture in a medium sized bowl. Mix well. Adjust the taste by adding more salt or sugar if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  giffconstable

Stir-Fried Pork with Ginger and Cabbage

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Stir-fried pork with cabbage is an aromatic recipe that you can enjoy over rice. I personally like it with a lot of cabbage to do away with the carbs. The shredded ginger and ginger juice add a lot of zest to the dish making it tastier.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh ginger juice

2 tablespoons sake

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons oil

500g pork tenderloin, thinly sliced

3/4 cup cabbage, cut into small squares

2 inch knob fresh ginger, shredded.

 

Place 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, sake, ginger juice and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well until the sugar granules are dissolved.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir-fry the pork and season it with soy sauce. Cook it for 4-6 minutes or until the meat is almost cooked.  Remove from the skillet and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Put the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the shredded ginger and stir-fry it for 2-3 minutes or until the ginger is fragrant and the cabbage is soft but crunchy. Return the pork into the skillet.  Pour in the soy sauce mixture. Set the heat to high and cook it for another 2 minutes or until the meat and vegetables absorb the sauce. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately with rice.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  yoppy

Colcannon

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Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. Add some ham or bacon to make it tastier. For this recipe, I decided to use garlic to make it more aromatic. You may eat this yummy comfort food as is or serve it as a side along with grilled meats, pies or casseroles.

 

Ingredients:

1kg potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup cream or half and half

40g butter

3 cups cabbage, finely shredded

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

 

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with salted cold water over high heat. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Drain and discard the liquid. Return the cooked potatoes in the pan and then add the milk, cream and half of the butter. Mash it with a potato masher or fork until it is smooth.

Next, melt the remaining butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes until it is light brown and fragrant. Add the cabbage. Cook it for 5-8 minutes or until it is tender. Stir occasionally. Do not overcook. We still want it to be a bit crunchy.

Combine the potato and cabbage mixture in the large saucepan. Mix well. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chives. Spoon some colcannon on a plate and serve warm.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  VegaTeam

Cajun Cabbage

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Cajun cabbage is an interesting spiced cabbage recipe that you will surely love. The mix of aromatic spices, beef and cheese makes this dish special. Adjust the taste and lessen the peppers if desired for a lighter meal. Yum!

 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium sized green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium sized onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 10oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 8oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce

1 head of a small cabbage, chopped

1 cup shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese

 

Preheat the oven at 350C and grease a baking dish with oil. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the chopped green pepper and the beef. Fry it for 6-8 minutes or until the beef is cooked and it crumbles. Mix in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, rice, basil, oregano, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper and tabasco sauce. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes. After, transfer it to the greased baking dish. Place the cabbage on top of the spiced meat mixture and top it with cheese. Bake it for at least an hour or until the rice is soft. Remove from oven and let it stand for 3 minutes before serving. Serve warm

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  Rex Roof

Cabbage Rolls

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Cabbages are a good source of vitamin C. I enjoy its sweet taste. I can even eat it boiled with a little salt. In this recipe I used ground chicken, but feel free to use other types of meat if you wish.

 

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage

500g ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

2 tomatoes, seeded and sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

3 cups tomato sauce

3 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and pepper

wooden toothpicks

 

Core the cabbage and make sure not to damage the leaves. Place the cabbage in a pot or Dutch oven with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or when the leaves are a little soft. Remove the cabbage from the pot and put it in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain the water and dry the leaves. Separate the leaves and remove the hard parts. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine one part of the garlic, half of the onions, grated carrot and the ground chicken. Mix well and season it with salt and pepper.

Get a cabbage leaf and place a tablespoon of ground chicken mixture. Wrap the cabbage around the mixture and secure it with a toothpick. Do this with the remaining cabbages and ground chicken.

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes or until light brown. Add the tomatoes. Cover the saucepan for another 5 minutes. After, add the tomato sauce and season it with salt and pepper. Place the cabbage rolls in the pan in one layer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and remove the toothpicks before serving.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: shekay

 

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

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St. Patrick’s Day is often associated with food like sheperd’s pie, boxty and the likes. Here is another delicious recipe that I enjoy. Whenever I feel lazy, I use canned corned beef. I sauté it in garlic and onions and I add some cabbage.  It is delicious.

 

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, cut into wedges

4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 pound baby carrots

3 cups water

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons cider vinegar or stout beer

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half

1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges

 

Place the corned beef including the spice packet that came with it in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Pour in the water. Add the garlic, bay leaf, vinegar and pepper. Bring it to a boil. After, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1hour or until it is tender. Add the carrots and potatoes. Put more water if desired. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Once they are, you can put the cabbage in the pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until he cabbages are soft. Remove the meat and let it stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Put the meat back into the pot and ladle the corned beef and vegetables into individual bowls.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: bobjudge

 

Cheesy Cabbage Bake

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Cabbage is a leafy vegetable rich in vitamin C. It has amino acids that help reduce discomfort and inflammation. Aside from these, it is a common diet food because it contains few calories.

This vegetable is usually added to soups stews or prepared as a side. This dish is a wonderful addition to fish or poultry. Serve it to kids or adults who do not like vegetables and they will definitely love it.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized cabbage, coarsely chopped

5 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups milk

2 teaspoons spicy mustard or Dijon

8 ounces white Cheddar cheese, shredded

8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

1 tablespoon parsley for garnish

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven at 350F.

In a deep saucepan over medium low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Saute the garic for 2-3 minutes or until light brown. Add the the cabbage and stir-fry for 5-8 minutes or until it is soft. Drain the excess water and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine themilk, flour and mustard. Mix well until there are no more lumps. Fold in the white and sharp cheddar cheese. Pour it into the cabbage. Mix well and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thick.

Place the cabbage and cheese mixxture in a greased baking pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for  20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Photo Courtesy Of:Arnold Goodway

Winter Minestrone Soup

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This is a classic winter warmer and is great as a Lunch, Snack, or prepared as a starter for a main meal – to make it more filling, serve with freshly toasted slices of Ciabatta, or fresh crusty rolls.

Minestrone Soup

Why microwave it out of a can, when you can make this fresh, rich and flavoursome dish from scratch, and it’s much more interesting and will warm you twice – once whilst cooking, once whilst eating! It’s also very healthy – just 2g of Saturated fat in each portion.

To serve 4
2tsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Carrot, Chopped
1 Celery Stick, Chopped
70g Pancetta, Cubed
1 Garlic Clove, Crushed
2tbsp Fresh Thyme, Chopped
1l Hot Chicken Stock
400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
400g Tin Borlotti Beans, Drained
125g Minestrone Pasta
175g Savoy Cabbage, Shredded
Pesto, to Serve

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and add the Onion, Carrot and Celery, then cook for eight to ten minutes, until the vegetables have softened, before adding the Pancetta, Garlic and Thyme and fry off for a further two to three minutes.
2. Add the Hot Stock, Tomatoes and half of the Borlotti Beans to the pan, and mash the other half of the Beans, and stir them into the pan. Simmer for twenty minutes, season to taste and then add the Pasta and Cabbage and simmer for a further ten minutes.
3. Season to taste, and divide into four bowls, then serve fresh out of the pan with a spoon of Pesto on the top.

Photo Courtesy of: Emily Lou Cooper

Dolmades

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These Greek Stuffed Vine leaves are a great dish to have as a starter, and are very soft, succulent and tasty. They should be soft enough that you can easily bite through them, but not too soft that they’ll fall apart when you pick them up.

Dolmades

Authentic Dolmades are made using Vine or Fig leaves, however if you can’t find any of these, then Savoy Cabbage leaves make a suitable replacement – they’re also stronger meaning you can fill them more. There are a range of different varieties too – these are meat-free ones, which are still juicy and full of amazing flavours.

To serve 4
2tbsp Pine Kernels
18 Leaves – Vine, Fig or Savoy Cabbage
125g Rice, Uncooked
1 Onion, Finely Chopped
8 Dried Apricots, Finely Chopped
4tbsp Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
4tbsp Fresh Dill, Finely Chopped
4tbsp Fresh Mint, Finely Chopped
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
1tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1.       Dry fry the Pine Kernels for a few minutes until they begin to brown over a low heat, keeping an eye on them to make sure that they don’t burn

2.       Wash the Leaves, and blanche them in Salted Water, in small groups for five or six seconds. Drain them off well

3.       Whilst letting the Leaves drain more, mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.

4.       Line the base of a large saucepan with a couple of leaves. Lay the rest of the leaves out flat, and place one or two tablespoons of the mixture close to one end of the leaf, and roll over once. Fold the sides in, and continue to roll, before securing with cocktail sticks. Place gently in the Saucepan. Repeat until you’ve got all of the Dolmades laying in the pan.

5.       Place a small plate on top of the stuffed Leaves, and add enough boiling water to cover the Dolmades and simmer for fifty minutes.

Photo Courtesy of: Seelensturm

Sauerkraut

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A very popular European dish, with many countries using it in one way or another in a traditional dish. It’s quite easy to see why too – it keeps for such a long time without the need for storing it in a refridgerator, and goes with Pork, Beef and Lamb, as well as other vegetables and pasta dishes.

Literally, it’s sour cabbage. Don’t let that put you off – it’s very good for you – very high in Vitamins, good bacteria and other important nutrition.

You can always add extra fruit and vegetables to make it your own – carrots, different cabbages, onion, beetroot, apples…the list goes on!

1 cabbage

Fine Sea Salt

Storage Pot (not plastic or metal)

Mixing bowl

1.      Shred the cabbage. Chop it in a fine pieces, or coarsely. Dump it in the mixing bowl and add salt as you go

2.      To add any extra fruit and vegetables, grate or dice them. Personally, I like the flavours that you get from the mix of Carrot and Garlic. Grate and Dice any extra fruit and vegetables, and add these to the bowl, with the extra salt.

3.      Squeeze and mix everything together. Try using your hands to start off with, because you can squeeze harder.

4.      After getting some of the moisture out, start to pack the mix into the ceramic storage pot – make sure you can cover whatever sized pot you use. Pack it into the jar very tightly, making sure you can compress it down further.

5.      Cover with a snug fitting cap, or a plate if you have one which fits. Place something heavy on top to weigh it down (large water bottle, or a rock) to make sure that the mix is completely covered under the brine. Cover the whole assembly with a towel or cloth to keep any bugs and insects out

6.      Every few hours for a couple of days, press down on top of the weight to make sure it’s all still submerged. If it isn’t you’ll just have old cabbage, so you’ll have to add more water and some more salt.

7.      After the first two days, check it less often. It will reduce in volume as it begins to ferment, and some mould or scum may appear on the surface. Skim it off as you see it appear, but don’t worry – as long as the Sauerkraut is covered, it’ll be fine

8.      Taste it after three or four days. It should begin to be tangy, and you’ll be able to judge how long you’ll need to leave it to get the right taste – the longer it’s left, the stronger it tastes.

9.      Usually, it’s ready in between three and seven days – if you leave it somewhere cool (like a cold cellar, or a fridge) it can improve for months.

That’s it. Only takes a few minutes to shred and cut everything, but then the time comes in waiting!

Photo courtesy of: bucklava

Bratwurst

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Keeping with todays theme of Oktoberfest, here’s another traditional German dish: Bratwurst. These low fat sausages are full of flavour when cooked regularly, but follow the recipe below, and a whole combination of flavours, colours, smells and textures make this a great dish

Serves 8
8 fresh bratwurst
1 litre  beer
500g bacon, chopped
2 cups onions, julienned
Fresh ground pepper
1 small head of cabbage, cored and shredded
Salt
2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
8 hot-dog buns

1. Preheat your grill.

2. Put the beer into a saucepan, and bring it to the boil on the stove.

3. When boiling, reduce to a simmer, and add the sausages. Cook for ten minutes

4. Remove the sausages from the beer, but keep it to one side.

5. In a fresh large pan, heat it till medium-hot. Add the bacon, and cook until crispy. Should be around six or eight minutes. Once cooked, set aside and remove all the fat from the pan except for ¼ of a cup.

6. Put the bacon back in the pan, add the Onions and Cabbage, season with salt and pepper.

7. Continue to cook on a medium heat until tender, before stirring in the Garlic, Mustard and 2 cups of the beer. Bring to simmer, and cook for ten minutes.

8. Place the sausages on the grill and cook for two minutes on each side.

Continue to sauté for four minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic, mustard and two cups of the liquid from the sausages. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for eight to ten minutes. Place the sausages on the grill and cook for two minutes on each side.

To serve, place a sausage in each bun. Top with some of the cabbage and finish with whole grain mustard.

Photo Courtesy of Stu Spivack