Ella's Lemon Basil Chicken

My sister-in-law Ella who is a fantastic cook gave me this recipe. You simply cannot get an easier more tasty chicken.
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut up into 4-6 pieces skin on
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 onion cut into slices
2-3 teaspoon olive oil
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375C.
2. Pour the oil at the bottom of the baking dish. Add the onions at the bottom.
3. Wash the chicken pieces with the skin on. Pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Push the basil leaves below the skin.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste on top.
6. Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice on top of the chicken.
7. Bake uncovered in a pre-heated oven at 375C for 1 hour.

Tomato & Potato Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
1 potato cut into 1 cm cubes
1 carrot peeled and very finely chopped
2 roasted red peppers (the jar ones are fine)
3 large tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil water in a medium sized container. When it's boiling put the tomatoes inside and allo it to cook for 2 minutes until you see the skin cracking. Remove tomatoes from the boiling water and put immediately under cold water. Peel the skin off the tomatoes and seperate the flesh from the seed part. Chop up the flesh finely and keep seperately. Put all the seeds and pul into a strainer and strain out all the liquid. Discard the seeds.
2. Bring the broth to a boil. Add the tomato liquid, finely chopped tomato flesh, carrots and peppers and cook for 30 minutes covered on MEDIUM until the potatoes are cooked.
3. Add the sugar and salt to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the basil leaves - Stir.
5. Serve hot

Spaghetti Squash with Onions and Garlic.

This is a wonderfully easy way to make a healthy quick meal.

Ingredients:
1 x Spaghetti Squash
1/2 onion finely chopped up
3-5 cloves garlic finely chopped up
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup water
2-3 tablespoons grated cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375C.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and the fibre from the middle.
3. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
4. Place the squash cut side down on the baking dish. Add the water to the pan. Cook in a pre-heated oven for about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and using a fork scrape out all the squash - it will come out in spaghetti strands.
5. In a pan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook on MEDIUM for about 3-4 minutes or until the garlic is slightly brown.
6. Add the squash and stir. Season with salt.
7. Serve hot and sprinkle some cheese on top.
8. Add pepper to taste.

Potato Gratin in a Muffin Tin

Quite a unique idea that I picked up from one of the TV shows on Food Network and changed it to suit our tastes.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
1/2 cup grated cheese (use any that you like)
3-4 cloves garlic - very finely chopped
1/2 cup cream

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375C.
2. Grease a non-stick muffin pan very well .
3. Peel the potatoes and cut into paper thin slices (I use a mandolin for this).
4. Mix the chopped garlic with the grated cheese.
5. Line the bottoms of the muffin tins with the thin potato slices. Add a layer of cheese mixture, then a layer of potatoes, then cheese and continue till you have used up all your potatoes and cheese mixture.
6. Pour the cream on the top of the potatoes.
7. Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for 35-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
8. To serve, use a butter knife and remove each individual "gratin" per serving.

Bollywood Borscht

As an Indian married to a Russian - I have been trying to figure out how to make a decent borscht for ages. Finally - I decided to re-invent the dish and here is my "desi" version of the Russian classic.

Ingredients:
9 medium beets
2 medium potatoes- boiled with the peels on
2 medium onions - roughly chopped
5-6 cloves large garlic
2 bay leafs
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water+ 2 teaspoons dried chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon curry spices (mix of cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, chili powder)
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons olive oil
sour cream
chopped chives

Method:

1. Wrap beets in foil and roast in an oven at 375F for 30-35 minutes. After this, leave to cool and then remove skin, head and tails and cut into large pieces.
2. Boil potatoes and remove peel. Chop large.
3. In a large pan mix the water,chicken broth, bay leaves, onions and garlic and boil for 15 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and beets and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the bay leaf. And using an immersion blender, puree the rest of the soup till it is smooth.
6. In a separate pan, heat the oil - add the spices and cook for about 30 seconds - add immediately to the pureed beets. Stir.
7. Add the honey.
8. Allow to cook on low for about 5 minutes so that the flavors blend.
9. To serve ladle the soup on a bowl, add a generous spoon of sour cream and a teaspoon of chopped chives.

Sauteed Apple Chicken

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts cut into slices
2 apples cored and cut into thin slices
5-6 large cloves garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
5-6 basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
Grated cheese for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan over high heat.
2. Add apple slices, stir and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes
3. Add chopped garlic and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes
4. Add chicken and stir - lower flame to MEDIUM and stir occasionally.
5. When chicken is cooked (about 10 minutes) and a bit brown add the basil and stir.
6. Add soy sauce and stir.
7. Salt to taste
8. Serve immediately on a slice of bread with cheese on top.

Mango Ice-cream

This is the Emperor of all Ice-Creams. You do need a good ice-cream maker for this. Make sure the freezer compartment of your ice-cream maker is kept in the freezer for at least 72 hours before you use it. It's also good practice to make sure that all the ingredients are very cold (not frozen) as well. Don't be tempted to lower the calories by using lower fat cream and/or milk - it really does not work and simply is not worth the effort.

Ingredients:
1 large can Alfonso Mango Pulp (they have this at every Indian grocery store)
1 500ml container of 35% whipping cream
1 250ml container of 18% table cream
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
4 tablespoons pasteurised egg whites (optional)

Method:

1. With the ice-cream maker running, add the Mango Pulp, whipping cream, table cream, and sugar.
2. Allow it to run until the ice-cream is almost set.
3. If you are using pasteurised egg whites add them now and allow the ice-cream to complete the process. The egg whites will prevent the ice-cream from freezing too hard.
4. Keep a watch on the ice-cream. The moment it's done remove it from the ice-cream maker into a thick plastic container. Cover with clear-wrap and then cover with the container lid. Put directly into the freezer.
5. Freeze for at least 8 hours before you eat.