Nectarines with Honey Marinated Nuts

Here’s another recipe blatantly stolen from Roland (link in the “friends” section).  The honeyed walnuts making an appearance for a neat little something, something to impress the hoity toities in us all.

Nectarines with Honey Marinated Nuts

Serves 4

4 nectarine
4 cardamom pods (optional secret ingredient)
4 tbsp honey
1/2 cup mixed nuts

First, get a jar of nuts and honey from Bulgaria.

If that’s not easily done, mix some nuts and honey together yourself. Stir to coat. Cover and leave at room temperature until ready to use.

Optionally, up to a day or two before, mix the nuts and honey in a small jar. This softens the nuts a bit, but it’s not critical. You can make a larger jar of nuts and honey and just keep it in the cupboard, too. You might make this recipe, or something else, another time.

Pit and slice the nectarines into bite sized pieces.

Grind the seeds from the cardamom pods and sprinkle over the nectarines. Cardamom is a secret ingredient here. A misunderstood little spice. They won’t know it’s not there, but if it is, they might wonder why it’s so good.

Add the honey to the nectarines and stir to coat. Allow the fruit and honey mixture to sit at room temperature until ready to serve.

Dish the fruit into small bowls, divide the nuts and arrange on top of the fruit. Drizzle with the fruit juice and honey mixture . Serve.

I know what you’re thinking… Boy, that would be good on ice cream! You are correct, but don’t go taking credit. I thought of it first.

Grilled Pineapple

1 Pineappe, skinned and cut into rounds

1 Can Coconut Milk

Cinnamon

Grill

Directions:

Put your pineapple rings in a gallon zip bag and pour the coconut milk on it.  Stick it in the fridge for the night.  The next day, get good and drunk…cook some ribs or something.  Once the meat is all done get your grill hotter than the third ring of hell.  I’m talking make your balls sweat when you walk by kind of hot (ladies, just pretend that you had balls and imagine how hot it’d have to be to make’em sweat.  Visualize here, FOCUS).  Take out your pineapple rings and toss them on the grill using a frisbee motion.  DON”T TOUCH THEM.  Once they’re on the grill they’re freaking holy objects…don’t touch unless you’re going to flip, and you can only flip once so don’t screw it up Pyle.  Let them cook for 2 minutes or so.  You don’t have to worry too much about buring because it’s like 90% water here folks.  Worst case scenerio you’ll haver some jerky…that’s cool.  You’re looking for nice grill marks and a little bit of carmelization.  Flip, and sprinkle the cooked side with some cinnamon.  Now you’re only going to do one side.  If you put it on the side on the flames then you risk burning the cinnamon…and then your pineapple taste like tree bark.

Take off the pineapple and toss it in a plate.  Slap on a small round of vanilla ice cream (plate…not bowl…small…hot…melt).  Maybe a little sprinkle of coccoa just to sexy it up a little bit and WHAM!  Grilled pineapple

Imam Bayalda – A Recipie Stolen Twice

Here’s a tasty recipe that I stole from Roland, who stole it from Galya. Enjoy!

Imam Bayalda (The Imam Fainted)

2 medium eggplants
1 large onion
2 zucchini
4 large cloves of garlic
1 lb ground or cubed lamb
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups water
4 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove
1 tsp turmeric
salt to taste (about a tbsp to start)

Cut the eggplant into small cubes, chop the onion and zucchini, and mince the garlic.

In a large covered pot, metal slow cooker pan, or dutch oven, brown the lamb over medium high heat, draining off the extra fat. Remove from heat and put the cooked meat into a bowl (or the crock of your “crock pot,” if you’re going to be using it).

In the same pan, brown the eggplant in batches, adding olive oil when necessary. As the eggplant is browned, put the batches in the bowl with the lamb.

When the eggplant is done, using the same pan, cook the onion in the remaining olive oil. When the onion is translucent and starting to brown, add the garlic, cumin, and paprika. Stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds to a minute), being careful not to burn the garlic. When the garlic is done (or even before, if you’re concerned), add the water and stir.

Add the remaining spices and stir to combine. Stir in the lamb and eggplant. Bring to a light simmer, cover, and allow the food to cook on a low simmer for at least an hour. I like to use my metal panned slow cooker to brown, then let it cook all day. If you have a “crock pot,” and not a slow cooker, brown in a pan, then transfer it all to the crock.

I said to start with a tbsp of salt. I’m sure you’ll need more.

Options: Just eat it like chili, or serve with rice or pita bread. You can also stir in a can of chick peas for more of a chili effect. A few spoons full of Greek or normal yogurt tastes good on top.

Middle Eastern Inspired Chicken

This is good by itself or you could serve it with rice andor a minted cucumber salad.  There’s a ton of flavor with not a lot of calories.  Only word of caution would be to not put leftovers in your good butter dishes because it WILL stain.

3 boneless chicken breasts diced
1 med onion
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 can of diced tomatoes (or sauce, 14oz)
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 cup of chicken broth

Put broth and onions in large saucepan and cook till translucent.  Add chicken and cook through.  Add everything else and cook for 5min or until mixture is kind of on the thick side.

I like to add a hit or two of hot sauce (or some chili’s)…but you do what you do.

Greek Style Sandwhich

This is one of my recipes that I like a lot. It’s not terribly authentic but more of a “reminds me of” dish.  For something that takes about 15min to go from fridge to belly it’s a nice departure from your normal ham and cheese.   If you have access and a desire you could sub shaved lamb or ground turkey for the pork and it’ll turn out just fine.

Meat

1lbs of Groundshaved Pork loin

1/4 cup of Lemon Juice

SaltPepper to taste

1 TBS of Rosemary

Stick it all in a skillet and fry it up.

Sauce
1 cup of plain yogurt.
2 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 cup shredded cucumber
1tsp dill (or mint)

Mix it.

Serve in a pita w fresh tomato, lettuce, maybe some thinly sliced onions.

Mahi Mahi w Red Pepper Sauce

Blatantly Stolen from Roland’s Blog:

Mahi Mahi

4 Mahi Mahi fillets
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 tbsp light olive oil
½ tsp salt

Roasted Pepper Sauce

3 large red or yellow bell peppers
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 fresh large basil leaves or ½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup cream
salt to taste
sesame seeds for garnishing

Mahi Mahi

Spread sesame seeds and half of the salt onto a plate. Lay filets in the seeds, coating one side only

Heat a nonstick skillet using high heat. Add olive oil and swirl. When oil begins to smoke, add the coated filets, sesame seeds down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Pour ½ cup of sauce into rimmed plates or shallow flat bowls. Carefully, lay a filet onto the center of each plate, sesame seeds up. Sprinkle sauce and filets with additional sesame seeds.

Roasted Pepper Sauce

Roast peppers over open flame, on the grill, or in the broiler. Keep turning them until the surface is charred and mostly black. Immediately seal in tupperware or ziplock bag for ten to twenty minutes. Submerge them in cold water and rub the skins off with your hands. A lot of blackened spots will remain. Cut open peppers and remove seeds. Coarsely chop the peppers.

In medium saucepan over high heat, combine oil, roasted peppers, onion, garlic, basil, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper; cook 3 minutes.

Add broth to the pepper mixture and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender jar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth. Add cream to blender and blend for a few seconds to mix.

Salt to taste.

If made ahead, keep the sauce warm, but do not allow it to boil.