Food & Drink

Simple Pan Seared Scallops

Now that we are just about settled in at CasaDelSal, I can’t wait to entertain in our new kitchen; it is absolutely beauteous. Seriously though, I am in love. 🙂

When having guests over, the one thing I try to plan for when prepping the party menu is to serve dishes that take little time to assemble (it’s all about the prep!). I want to be able to enjoy our company rather than be stuck slaving away in the kitchen.This dish for seared scallops is a dream. The prep can be done in advance, its ingredients are simple, it is not complicated, and  yet it looks fancy and tastes delish!

The sweetness from the corn and the red pepper along with the saltiness of the prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes is heavenly when paired with seared scallops. This dish makes for an excellent starter or great meal served with a simple salad.

Pan Seared Scallops (yields 4 servings)

  • 8 sea scallops
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 can of corn
  • 6 slices of prosciutto, double smoked bacon or pancetta, diced
  • 10 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • parsley to garnish
  1. Pan fry choice of meat until crispy, remove and set aside on paper towel
  2. Deglaze the pan with white wine
  3. Add red pepper, corn, sun-dried tomatoes to pan and cook on low-medium heat, set aside
  4. Thoroughly dry the scallops by laying and folding them within a double layer of paper towel
  5. Pre-heat a heavy-duty skillet over high heat then add oil. When it is almost smoking, season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear them briefly, 1-2 minutes per side, so they are golden on the outside, and still tender inside. I always add a bit more wine!
  6. Plate the red pepper, corn mixture on a plate with 2 scallops
  7. Garnish with parsley

photo 1Savour On. xx

No-bake Berry Cheesecake

With the holiday season being so busy, I pull out my favourite no fail recipes that are easy and quick yet still fancy and delicious. This quick no-bake cheesecake recipe comes together in a snap and will surely impress your guests. The perfect go to for your next gathering.

No-bake Berry Cheesecake (yields 8-12 servings)

  • 500 g mixed berries
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups graham wafer crumbs
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 450 g mascarpone cheese
  • 200 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 2-4 tbsp powdered sugar, to taste
  1. Put 2/3 of the berries (the rest are used as they are), granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and let simmer 2-3 minutes stirring every now and then. Let cool.
  2. Mix the graham crumbs with melted butter.
  3. Mix mascarpone, cream and powdered sugar until creamy.
  4. Layer graham crumb mix, fresh berries, mascarpone cream and cooked berries into serving glasses.
  5. Best served chilled.

IMG_4209Indulge! xx

 

Chia Pudding

The tiny chia seed is a powerhouse of nutrients. It’s loaded with fiber, calcium, maganese, omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and various antioxidants. All of which offer benefits to our heart, brain, digestive, bone and oral health. No wonder it’s a superfood!

You can easily add the chia seed into your daily diet due to its tasteless nature.  I find it easiest to sprinkle on salads, add it to smoothies, or most favourably- chia pudding!

This recipe comes together easily and you can top it however you like.  Interchangeably chia pudding makes a great breakfast or dessert. And an added bonus, this recipe is vegan, raw, and gluten-free.

Chia Pudding (2 servings)

  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 4 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract or maple syrup
  • 1-2 tbsp of unsweetened coconut
  • any toppings of your choice – fresh fruit, raw nuts, coconut are my go-to
  1. Combine almond milk, vanilla extract, chia seeds in a jar and shake until combined
  2. Chill in refrigerator for 4 hours or leave overnight
  3. Remove from fridge, stir in coconut and mix until smooth
  4. Serve with your favourite toppings

Chia Pudding

 Enjoy. xx

Pumpkin Risotto

Nostalgia and a feeling of warmth flows over me whenever I hear the word risotto (ri-sòt-to/riˈzoːtto, pronunciation is key– nothing quite irks me like this one, it’s not ri-SOH-toh or ri-ZAH-toh people!). It is definitely the comfort food that instantly brings me back to my childhood. Growing up with Italian roots, risotto was always my choice of comfort carb -forget about the pasta.  My mom would make her chicken giblets, garlic, and white wine recipe (simplicity at its best) and a smile would cross my face as the smell of heaven circulated the house.

As I grew older, I gravitated towards the more complex varieties. Seafood, squash, beet, truffled mushroom, the flavour combinations bountiful and ever changing. How do we try them all?  Different variations are constantly popping up at my favourite restaurants or in my favourite magazines, often surrounding the latest food trend – which inspired me to introduce pumpkin to my love of risotto.

Once the cooler weather hit, I was set on stirring up a pumpkin risotto. And low and behold a friend of mine happened to post this dish days after the idea entered my mind. So here it is, pumpkin risotto. Best served as a meal or would make a killer side dish to an apple stuffed pork tenderloin (just saying).

Pumpkin Risotto (yields 6 servings)

  • 2 cups aborio rice
  • 1 cup bacon, sausage or pancetta
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4-5 sprigs rosemary
  • 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 can of pumpkin puree
  • S&P to taste
  • Parmesan
  1. In saucepan saute, oil, onion, garlic on medium heat
  2. Add in meat option, paprika and rosemary and mix until meat is cooked through
  3. Add aborio rice to mixture, once coated add 2 ladles of vegetable broth
  4. Once absorbed add 2 more ladles of vegetable broth
  5. Repeat adding ladles of broth every five minutes on medium to low heat for 20 minutes
  6. Melt in pumpkin puree within the last minutes of cooking
  7. Serve with parmesan, cracked black pepper and rosemary

China 1347Mangia Mangia! xx

Hearty Black Bean Soup

This black bean soup is quick, healthy, hearty, flavourful and fool proof. Its simple ingredients make it easy to stir up in a matter of minutes- it doesn’t get much better than that. Oh but it does– I mean who doesn’t love some good heat! This soup finishes with a smooth spicy kick, but not to fear, as you can gradually add more or less spice as you please.

Not only is this soup tasty and filling, but black beans offer many health benefits as they are packed with fiber, folate, protein, and numerous vitamins and minerals. Offering digestive tract benefits, blood sugar regulation, benefits to cardiovascular health, and cancer prevention properties. Major incentive to increase your bean intake.

This recipe easily cuts in half or you can freeze the leftovers for those cooler months ahead-I hope you enjoy!

Hearty Black Bean Soup (yields 8 servings)

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 x 19 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
  • 10 oz. low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 10 oz. water
  • 19 oz. can of diced tomatoes
  1. Cook onion, garlic, celery, green pepper, and jalapeño in oil over medium heat in large saucepan for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in cumin, coriander, and sriracha.
  3. Place 1 can of beans and broth in blender, blend until pureed. Add to ingredients in saucepan.
  4. Place second can of beans and water in blender, blend until pureed. Add to ingredients in saucepan.
  5. Add remaining can of beans and tomatoes to mixture. Mix well.
  6. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Ladle into serving bowls and top with sour cream, guacamole and cilantro. (whatever you prefer!)

photo-16

 Keep it Spicy. xx