Category Archives: Food Blog

Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp Cocktail has to be one of the most classic starters I can think of. It’s one of those dishes that almost everyone loves, and is perfect for dinner parties since it’s light, fresh, delicious and elegant. Leaving you plenty of room for the main course.

You can make the sauce in advance, cook the shrimp in advance and assemble the Shrimp Cocktail just before serving, which is fairly easy.
The sauce is really delicious and that tiny bit of vanilla takes it to the next level.

Use just a small amount of Tarragon, you want a hint in the background without overpowering the Shrimp.

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Prep time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes
Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS:

• 110 ml. / 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
• 100 ml. / 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 50 ml. / 1/4 cup crème fraîche
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• A splash of tabasco (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/4 vanilla bean, scraped
• 1 tsp fresh chopped Tarragon
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• 450 gr. / 1 lb. cooked shelled prawns
• 1 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• Some lime wedges and pomegranate arils for decorating.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and chopped Tarragon
If you’re cooking the shrimp yourself; this is how.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the shrimp all at once, bring back to the boil and lower the heat to a simmer, cook until the shrimp change color to a beautiful coral. Normally for medium sized shrimp this will take about 5 minutes at the most. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Drain and cool. Then peel the shrimp and discard the shells.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir to coat, reserving some larger shrimp to decorate and place on top.
Place the shredded lettuce on the bottom of four glasses or glass bowls, followed by the avocado, then a generous spoonful of prawns and sauce.
Decorate with lime wedges and Pomegranate arils.
Serve straight away.

Enjoy!
Myra XO

Earl Grey Duck Legs

7 Replies

Three and a half weeks ’till Christmas!!!! Are you as excited as I am?

This recipe is a life saver for the Holidays, because you can’t mess it up. It works, always. Duck legs are very forgiving. You can even make it a day in advance and heat it up the next day if that were more convenient for you.
You can easily double the recipe, also any leftovers heat up great, or eat wrapped in a tortilla with spring onions, cucumber sticks and Hoisin Sauce. Absolute Heaven!!!!
But I’m getting off track here. Make it for Christmas or any other night of the year, it’s sure to please at any moment.
It’s put together fairly easy, just put the marinade in a zip lock bag, marinade, bake and you’re done.

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⏰ Prep time : 15 minutes
🍴 Serves : 4
🍗 Cooking time : 2 hours
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INGREDIENTS:
• Four Duck legs
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups of Earl Grey tea, cooled
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 1 bouillon tub or 1 tbsp paste *see Note
• black pepper
• 1/2 orange in slices
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1 sliced red onion
• handful of cranberries
• 2 bay leafs
• 2 tbsp. honey * see Note
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
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• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup orange jam
• 1 tbsp. honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the marinade in a zip lock bag and add the duck legs.
Refrigerator, turning over the meat once about halfway through.
Pre heat the oven to 160° C / 320° F
Take the duck legs out of the marinade and pat dry on kitchen paper.
Sieve the marinade.
Place the solids in the roasting tin and put the duck legs on top.
Cover loosely with aluminium foil and bake for one hour.
After one hour, remove the foil and pour off the fat.
In a sauce pan , over medium heat. Mix the wine, orange jam and honey, until the jam is melted. Pour over the duck legs and return to the oven, without the foil.
Roast for another hour.
Serve straight away, with the sauce.

Enjoy!
Myra XO

NOTE 1 : When I make the earl grey tea, I add the bouillon cube and the honey so it melts and mixes in as the tea cools.
NOTE 2 : I like to put on little aluminium foil “socks” on the legs during cooking to prevent burning.

Brown Sugar Cajun Butter Salmon

12 Replies

Winner winner, Salmon dinner.

In under 30 minutes!!!

Let’s have a chat about this baked salmon. I’ve said this before, I know, I know but this is my favorite way to eat Salmon. It is by far the juiciest way to cook a salmon and all the flavor stays right in there, where you want it.
If you’re looking for a no fail, fool-proof recipe that you can’t mess up. Congratulations, you’ve come to the right place.
Impress your hubby, your wife, date, girlfriend, boyfriend or family this week with a big Salmon feast. Let’s do this.
First you make the thick Brown sugar Cajun seasoned butter mix then spread it on top of the salmon fillet. This part is a bit tricky because the salmon is so slippery so you have to use a knife and fingers to spread it out as best as you can.
As this flavoured butter melts in the oven, it’s basting the Salmon and the sugar melts and forms a sticky crust full of spiced flavor, slowly penetrating the entire fillet.
The result is a melt in the mouth, moist and delicious Salmon feast.
I like to serve this with an exotic Pomegranate and Avocado Salsa.

Serves: 6 – 8
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: ca. 15 minutes
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INGREDIENTS:

SALMON
• 1 ¼ pound salmon, skin removed (preferably wild )
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar )
• 2 tablespoons of my cajun seasoning without salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
• ½ tsp salt

SALSA
• 2 avocados
• 1 pomegranate
• Juice of half a lime or more according to taste
• 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro/coriander
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS:

Pre heat the oven to 220 C / 428 F
Prepare your baking tray by covering it with foil. Place the salmon fillet on top.
Prepare the Cajun flavoured butter by adding the grated garlic, Cajun seasoning, brown sugar and salt to the softened butter and stir to combine completely.
Spread the butter over the salmon as best as you can.
This part is a bit tricky because the salmon is so slippery so you have to use a knife and fingers to spread it out.
Place the salmon in the middle of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Switch on the broiler or oven grill and grill for 4 – 5 more minutes until really golden and sticky on top. Serve straight away.
I served this with zucchini ribbons, that I tossed in olive oil and a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper. Then I placed the ribbons at the sides of the salmon and baked them together.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Cozy Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with crunchy Maple Pecans

6 Replies

….Pumpkin n spice and all things nice…

We love a warm breakfast especially when it’s getting a little colder outside. This Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal will keep you going until lunchtime for sure. It’s super comforting and filling and full of Pumpkin goodness.
Everything is there, the fresh pumpkin puree, the caramelized Pecans, the maple syrup the warm spices, seriously delicious

⏰ Prep time : 10 minutes
🍝 Cooking time : 2 x 10 minutes,
🍴 Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. frozen or fresh cubed pumpkin
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or soy milk
• 1/4 teaspoon (Himalayan) salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR (1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, dash of nutmeg and ginger)
• 2 cups quick cooking oats (not instant )
• 1/2 cup pecan nuts + 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• Maple syrup for serving

Directions:

Put one pound of frozen or fresh pumpkin cubes in a large pot with about ½ cup of water and steam on medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Fresh pumpkin may take a little longer.
Drain and let it steam off.
Mash the pumpkin with a hand held blender until smooth. You should have about a cup.
Meanwhile heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pecan nuts and toast them, tossing them about constantly so they don’t burn.
Add the maple syrup and quickly coat all the nuts.
Keep a close eye on the nuts now and remove them from the heat as soon as it has caramelized and turned dark amber. About 1 to 2 minutes tops.
Transfer them to a pierce of parchment paper and try to keep each nut separated from the other because they will stick to each other and form clumps, you don’t want that.
In large saucepan over medium heat bring the water, milk, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to a gentle boil.
Add the oatmeal. Turn the heat down and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir often.
Once the oatmeal is cooked , serve in bowls drizzled with maple syrup and the caramelized pecan nuts on top.
Enjoy!

Myra XO