"Gourmet" Herb Dipping Oil

A lovely oil for bread-dipping.

What you need:
1/2-2/3 cup Olive Oil
1-2 Tablespoons EACH chopped fresh basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano (vary this depending on how much you like each herb.  You can also use dried, just reduce to 1-2 teaspoons)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small hot pepper, cut into slices (I used a red one for the color contrast)
Large pinch of Kosher salt
Large pinch of Black Pepper

Sprinkle herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper into a smallish shallow bowl.  Place pepper slices on top- evenly districbute for nice presentation.  Pour olive oil over the top and let meld for an hour or so before serving.  Enjoy!  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Pizza Scones with Tomato Dipping Sauce

A quick and easy meal.  Portable too!

To make the scones:

You need:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 crushed tomato
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
2 small hot peppers, sliced thinly
1/2 finely diced onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Measure flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl.  Cut the butter into the flour until there are no large chunks.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix gently until a soft dough forms.  Use a spoon to plop the dough onto a baking sheet.  You can make small "personal" scones, one huge one, or somewhere in between.  I made four, each with about a six inch diameter.  They were about 1.5 inches thick. If you make one large one, make the round a bit thinner to ensure it cooks through in the middle without having burnt edges. Sprinkle with a bit more cheese, some parmesan, oregano, and garlic powder.  Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 15 minutes.  If you are making larger or smaller ones than I did, adjust times accordingly.  Serve warm with pizza sauce or the sauce below.

For the Tomato Dipping Sauce:

You need:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
A few cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 hot peppers, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4-1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 cups crushed tomato
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Olive oil

Saute garlic, onion, celery, and peppers in the vegetable oil with a pinch of salt until softened.  Add tomatoes, vinegar, pepper and oregano.  Add half a cup of water and then let simmer until sauce has thickened again.  Remove from heat and add the basil.  Let cool a bit and then place in blender.  Add a splash of olive oil and blend briefly (or more if you want a smoother sauce).

Guava Chicken Curry

This was a bit of an experiment, so the ingredients are really just estimations, but anyone on Saba who finds themselves with a bunch of guavas, give this a try!

First, make the curry sauce:

Cut a few pounds of guava into quarters.  Puree half of these in the blender (you will need to add a little water to these to help them blend).  Put all of the guava into a large pot, add a couple cups of water, a few tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/4 cup curry powder, and a couple of hot peppers, cut into chunks.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thick and peppers are cooked.  Remove from heat and let cool a bit.   Then strain the sauce in a fine mesh strainer to eliminate most of the seeds.  Keep the big chunks of guava and pepper, but rinse to remove any guava seeds.  Put the chunks of guava and pepper into the strained sauce and add a cup of coconut milk.  The sauce is done!   This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to make the rest of the curry.

To make the rest:

Chop up some garlic, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and hot peppers.  Sautee in a large greased pot with a few tablespoons of curry powder and a couple teaspoons of fennel seeds.  Add one pound of chopped chicken breast.  Sautee until chicken is lightly browned, then add the guava sauce.  Let simmer on low for 45 minutes, adding water if it becomes too thick.  If it needs more seasoning, add garlic powder, black pepper, cumin, and coriander to taste.  Just before removing from the heat, throw in some chopped fresh basil and mint.

Serve over rice or a bed of lettuce.  Top with a sprinkle of goat cheese or feta cheese if desired.  Enjoy!

Peanut Pesto

A delightful twist on regular pesto.  No need to buy expensive pine nuts!

What you need:
2/3 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 hot pepper, chopped
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup fresh parsley
3 T soy sauce
3 T rice vinegar
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil/ Water

Place all ingredients except oil/ water in blender.  Add oil/ water as necessary to create a thick paste (I used about half water and half oil).

Enjoy as a dip, spread, or base for a pasta sauce.  I made a tuna salad using this, canned tuna, chopped onion and celery, and olive oil mayonnaise 

Black Beans and RIce

Cheap and hearty.  I make a variation of this about once a week for my boyfriend.  I often substitute bacon or smoked sausage for the Italian sausage and also sometimes add frozen peas or corn.  I also vary the spices from time to time depending on what's handy.

What you need:

1 cup uncooked rice (I think jasmine is best, but use any type you like)

Salt

1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

4-6 garlic cloves, chopped

A couple hot peppers, chopped (use less or substitute bell peppers if you don't like the heat)

Soy Sauce

White Wine Vinegar

Black Pepper, Cumin, Dried Oregano, Garlic Powder

2 cups Black Beans (I use dried ones that I have reconstituted.  You could also use a can, just rinse and drain)

Fresh Cilantro

Shredded Cheese, Cheddar or a "Mexican Blend" (optional)

Cook the rice according to package instructions.  While it cooks, you can start the rest:  Brown the sausage in a large saucepan, breaking into small chunks as it cooks.  When it is nearly cooked through, add the onion, celery, garlic, and peppers.  If there is not enough grease from the sausage to keep these from sticking to the pan, add a little cooking spray or oil.  Cook until vegetables have softened and browned a bit.  Add a couple of splashes of both the soy sauce and the vinegar.  Season with black pepper, cumin, dried oregano, and garlic powder.  Stir in the cooked rice and the black beans.  Allow to heat through.  Sprinkle the cilantro on top and it's done!  Sometimes I also add a little shredded cheese on top.

Goat Cheese, Basil, and Tomato Pizza with Eggplant and Hot Pepper Spread

A unique pizza using the Eggplant and Hot Pepper Spread as a sauce.

What you need:

A 12 inch Pizza Crust or Naan Bread (which is what I used, because there is a good locally baked one in the stores here)
1/2- 3/4 cup Eggplant and Hot Pepper Spread (from a previous post of mine)
1 large Tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Greek Olives, chopped
1/2 cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded or cut into very small cubes
Fresh Basil and Oregano, chopped (used dried if you don't have fresh- that is what I did with the oregano)
Olive Oil, if desired

Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spread Eggplant and Hot Pepper Spread on the crust.  Top with the tomato slices,Greek olives, and both cheeses.  Bake until cheese melts and begins to brown/ bubble (15-20 minutes).  Take out of the oven and sprinkle with the herbs.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil, if desired.  Enjoy!

Simple "Sushi" Snack

A quick and healthy snack or appetizer with a bit of flair.

What you need:

A cucumber, sliced into rounds
Fat free cream cheese ( or use the 1/3 less fat kind if you don't care for fat free)
Imitation Crab or Smoked Eel
Avocado, cut into thin slices or little chunks
Wasabi Dipping and Grilling Sauce (mine was Asian Gourmet brand)

Place a dab (about 1/2 teaspoon) cream cheese on each cucumber round, then top with a chunk of crab or eel and piece of avocado.  Drizzle with the sauce.  Enjoy!