Leftovers #69 ~ Korean Keema Fried Rice

 

It's a rarity we have leftover Korean Keema when having it for dinner. I could have possibly made more this time as I know how enjoyable this meal is. Rather than just eat the leftovers as is, which would have been perfectly fine, I decided to make a Korean Keema egg fried rice. I didn't use any additional sauce just a bit of oil. I heated a tablespoon of oil in a frypan over medium high heat, added the leftover keema meat and gently fried until heated through. I made a well in the centre of the frypan, pushing the meat to the sides of the frypan then adding two large eggs and lightly scrambling them before incorporating them into the meat mixture. I then added the leftover rice, breaking it up and stirring to mix everything together. The spicy sauce from the seasoned meat seemed to coat everything nicely so no additional sauce was needed and when serving add some freshly grated carrots and radishes or tangy pickled vegetables. Although keema is exceptionally tasty as is, this was an enjoyable leftover variation that was greatly appreciated and may be repeated. 

Pasta Risotto with Peas & Pancetta

Having leftover ham and spotting this no fuss recipe in Nigella Lawson's cookbook Nigellisima, became a mid-week inspiration. Replacing the pancetta for leftover ham and using vegetable stock for some of the water were great substitutions. One of the fastest dinners I have ever made and will undoubtedly be added to our regular meal-time rotation. A one pan wonder recipe that is quick, luscious and satisfying!

Pasta Risotto with Peas & Pancetta - Nigella Lawson 

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Serves: 2 hungry grown-ups or 4 small children

2 tablespoons garlic flavoured oil (or use regular olive oil and 1 fat clove of garlic)

6 ounces pancetta cubes

1 1/4 cups frozen peas

1 1/4 cups orzo pasta

kosher salt (to taste)

1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

black pepper

METHOD:

1. Warm the oil in a heavy-based pan that will take everything later; a casserole or saucepan of 22cm/ 9 in diameter should be plenty big enough.

2. Cook the pancetta, stirring, until it becomes crisp and bronzed. If you're using regular olive oil rather than garlic-infused oil, mince or grate in your garlic clove now, and cook for a scant minute, giving everything s bit of a stir, then add the peas and stir for a couple of minutes or so until the frozen look leaves them.

3. Add the pasta and turn it about in the pancetta and peas then pour in 625ml/2 1/2 cups of boiling water. Add salt (cautiously, especially if this is for children - the pancetta is salty, as is the Parmesan later); then turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, though check on it a couple of times and give a stir or two, to stop it from sticking and to see if you need to add a little more water from the kettle.

4. When it's ready, the pasta should be soft and starchy and the water absorbed. Beat the butter and Parmesan into the pan, check the seasoning and serve immediately to warm waiting bowls.

Please note that the amount of water specified is a starting point only; you may need to add more if the pasta's absorbed and the water before it's cooked. 

For Metric measurements for this recipe and to view other recipes by Nigella visit her website, nigella.com 

Keema Curry with Ground Beef and Peas

Keema Curry is a comfort food recipe that I keep coming back to. I have tried a few recipes and this one is quite flavourful and most of the ingredients I seem to always have on hand. Traditionally, Keema is an Indian dish made with ground beef or lamb simmered with peas, potatoes, tomatoes, coconut milk and spices. Keema may be prepared with just peas, Keema matar, or potatoes, Keema aloo, and sometimes both. 

Here I made it with just peas, as I didn't have any potatoes, however you may add oven roasted potatoes when adding the peas to this recipe or try adding roasted cauliflower instead. I know that will slightly change the recipe however there is no shame in using what you have on hand as you can see from the photo, I garnished with grated fresh carrots and chopped green onions, instead of the lime and cilantro due to supply issues at the store I went to.

Keema Curry with Ground Beef and Peas

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1 lbs minced beef

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1  x 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 x 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup frozen peas

fresh lime juice, to taste when serving

fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

Notes: If adding potatoes, prep and bake the potatoes first and as they roast continue with the rest of the recipe... 

Dice 2 large potatoes into cubes and toss them in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the diced potatoes onto a parchment line baking sheet and roast in a 425ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once half way through to ensure even roasting and a lovely golden brown colour.    

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced beef and cook, stirring frequently to break up the pieces, until no longer pink, for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté the ingredients and stir frequently until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the salt and pepper, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and tomato paste. Stir  together until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste is worked into the beef, about 1 minute.

Add the fire roasted tomatoes and coconut milk. Give everything a goos stir. Bring the liquid to a boil, the  reduce to medium-low. Simmer and stirring occasionally, until the curry thickens, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the frozen peas and or roasted potatoes, if using (see Notes above for potato prep and roasting instructions). Simmer until the peas are warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. 

Serve over steamed rice in a bowl and sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro. 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Noodle Soup

Noodle soups are the most versatile meal one can make. By simply adding fresh or frozen vegetables changes the the flavour and your outlook. A quick and nutritious slurp and brimming broth eases the understated ordinary into something exceptional and satisfying. It's amazing what frozen peas, peppers and kale can do!   

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a nice weekend! - JD

Korean Keema

I have been wanting to make this Nigella Lawson recipe, from her Kitchen cookbook,  for awhile. It's simple and fast enough for a weekday meal. I did make some substitutions due to what I had on hand; lean ground beef for the ground turkey, jasmine rice for the basmati/sushi rice and freshly grated carrot on the side. Still, this was a successful tasty weekday meal.  Although I have shared the recipe below by all means, visit Nigella Lawson's website for this delicious recipe and more.  

 Nigella Lawson's Korean Keema

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Serves 2 

3/4 cup basmati rice or sushi rice

8 ounces ground turkey

6 thin or 3 fat scallions, chopped

1 cup frozen petits pois (petits peas)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ground nut oil

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine 

1 - 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

FOR THE SAUCE:

2 tablespoons Gochjang 

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce

METHOD

1. Cook the rice according to packet instructions, or in a rice cooker according to manufacturer's instructions. And put a kettle on to boil for the peas later.
2. Whisk together the sauce ingredients, and stir in the ground turkey. Leave to steep for about 5 minutes, or while you are getting on with your next tasks, such as chopping the scallions and blanching the peas.
3. Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan on the hob. While this is heating up, pour boiling water from the kettle over the frozen peas in a sieve or colander, letting the hot water drain away, thereby defrosting the peas. When the wok is hot, add the oil, then the defrosted peas and chopped scallions. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the turkey and its sauce, and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until cooked.
5. Add the 2 tablespoons rice wine with 4 tablespoons water to swill out the residue of the sauce from the meat-steeping bowl (so that nothing is wasted) and scrape and pour this into the pan, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until it's all piping hot.
6. Serve over rice, and with a good scattering of chopped cilantro.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe! - JD 

Curry Galette

Now more than ever is time for leftovers and creating a meal on limited ingredients. Savoury galettes are an easy way to create a delicious meal and use those bits and pieces,  like I did with a leftover curry. 

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. Simply roll out ready made puff pastry or homemade pastry. Transfer the now rolled out puff pastry to the prepared baking tray. 

Evenly spread crushed tomatoes over the puff pastry, leaving about 1 to 2 inches from the edge.  Add about 3 teaspoonfuls of mild or hot curry paste and spread over the crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle with freshly grated carrots over top of the two sauces. Then spoon the leftover curry on top of the grated carrots. Sprinkle a handful of frozen peas over the leftover curry mixture. Fold up the sides. Brush the sides with an egg wash and pop  in the preheated oven and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and puffed up and the filling is warmed. Serve with freshly grated apple on top and with a soup or salad.

Notes: you may add the grated apple on top before popping in the oven to bake.  

Hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe. Have a good weekend everyone! - JD  

Slow Cooker Highland Beef Stew

A very rich and hearty beef stew that is great on it's own or served with tatties and neeps (potatoes and turnips). Although I served it with a round of Bannock, that did just nicely.      

Slow Cooker Highland Beef Stew

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1 1/2 kg stewing beef, cut into 2inch/5cm pieces

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 bay leaves

2 x 440ml cans of dark Stout, preferably Scottish

100g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cups brown mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup Port 
frozen peas, optional
chopped parsley for garnish  

Place the beef, garlic and bay leaves in a large non metallic bowl and pour the Stout over top. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for a least an hour or overnight. 

Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Keep the remaining marinade and set aside. Add the chopped onions, chopped mushrooms and chopped bacon. Sprinkle the flour over top and give everything a toss. Pour the Port over the meat and vegetable mixture and then pour the reserved marinade over top of everything. Give a gentle stir. 

Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or High for 3 to 5 hours

Add the frozen peas in the last half hour of the cooking time. And serve with fresh chopped parsley. 

Notes: Slow cookers vary so cooking times may vary. If you find that the stew's sauce is not thick enough you can mix a bit of cornstarch with water and add that to thicken the sauce when the stew is done. If you can not find a dark Scottish Stout then use Guinness or any other dark Stout. If you do not want to use Port then red wine may be substituted.   

Hope everyone had a great weekend! - JD

Bacon ~ A Love Story

This condensed cookbook is resourceful and fun and is written by bacon blogger and enthusiast, Heather Lauer. She explores the increasing popularity of bacon with historical and fun facts. Bacon sales have increased over the years and, according to this book, Google has over 50 million results for bacon! 

Whether we love or loathe bacon, it has become more common place in our households and daily life. No longer a breakfast staple but a hot culinary commodity that has evolved. Traditionally, bacon is pork however over the years and the flux in eating habits has created some interesting versions such as: turkey bacon, tofu bacon, beef bacon and duck bacon. Yes, duck bacon! Pork, turkey, and tofu, are the most recognized. 

There are two parts to this book which read like a paperback : Bacon 101 and The Bacon Diet, together they consists of 10 chapters and approximately 20 recipes. This cookbook is sure to inspire and quite possibly sway you into the throws of Baconmania. Like bacon brownies, candied bacon ice cream, bacon wrapped corn on the cob and bacon wrapped water chestnuts dipped in honey. I am going to share the recipe for Hungarian Rice because it is an easy and simple dish that can be adapted to your culinary desires. Like adding mushrooms using turkey or tofu bacon, or shaking in a bit of paprika; it is a bit universal with possibilities. There is a back story for this recipe which I am including as well from the book. 

To find out more about Heather Lauer and Bacon Unwrapped click *here*

"This recipe comes courtesy of a Bacon Unwrapped reader named Steph: "Our standby bacon-based entrée is what my husband calls Hungarian Rice." "This dish is perfect example of how the use of bacon and a few simple ingredients can make an incredibly delicious entrée." 

Hungarian Rice

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Serves 4 to 6 

1 pound sliced bacon (your favourite)

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

4 cups cooked rice (your choice)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained

salt and pepper

1. In a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet. Once the bacon has cooled enough to touch, chop it coarsely.

2. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook over medium heat just enough to bring to the flavour. Add the rice and heat, stirring to get the drippings and garlic mixed in well. Add the bacon and peas. Continue cooking until the peas are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. 

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. A bit warmer temperatures which is welcoming before we head back to cold. - JD 

Hearty Soup

On those days when something substantial will only do; there is this soup which seems more like a stew. This tomato based soup is nestled with lentils, peas and pearl barley and will keep you content for quite awhile.   

Hearty Soup

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2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup (250ml) soup mix (consisting of green split peas, yellow split peas, white long grin rice, pearl barley, and red split lentils)

2 tablespoons summer savoury

1 - 2 teaspoon thyme 

1 28oz (796ml) can of no or low sodium diced tomatoes

4 cups (1 litre) low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups (500ml) water

Place the oil and diced onion in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Rinse the dry soup mix then add the rinsed soup mix, the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, water, and herbs into the saucepan with the onion. 

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. Serve.

Notes: You may try adding different herbs and seasonings. Adding curry powder would be a fantastic way to add a bit of kick.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Seems like warmer weather is set our way for this week.  - JD 

Leftovers #35 ~ Chicken Stout Pie

The Braised Chicken in Stout, I made for St. Patrick's Day offered plenty of leftovers so I decided to make a pie rather than serve it with the usual suspects... potatoes or rice. I threw in some peas and added leftover roasted potatoes and made a lovely pie crust to encase it all. So delicious!  

Seems like this week disappeared before I could blink. Have a good weekend everyone! 

- JD   

Jeera (Cumin) Rice

Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin seeds and Jeera Rice is an Indian dish that consists of rice and cumin seeds; which may or may not include peas, onions and coriander leaves. In Pakistan it is known as Zeera rice. This popular North India dish is quite fragrant and easy to prepare and would work well with any meal.

Jeera (Cumin) Rice
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup dry jasmine rice
1 3/4 cups water
1/3 cup frozen organic peas 
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan over medium-high heat. Drop int eh cumin seeds, and cook until they start to splutter. Do not allow the cumin seeds to burn or become really dark brown in colour. Add the rice and fry in the oil, with the cumin seeds, for about 1 minute. 

Add the water, frozen peas, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook the rice for approximately 15 minutes. Keep checking to ensure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the saucepan or burning. If the water is absorbed before the 15 minutes or the rice still feels too firm after the 15 minutes add a bit more water. Adding small amounts of water at a time will make sure that the rice does not become too sticky or mushy. Toss with a fork when ready. 

NOTES: If you are concerned about possibly burning the rice a trick that I have read many times over is too place the saucepan on flat pan or griddle which would then be directly on the heat source or flame. Therefore cooking times many change. I did not have to do this as I kept a close eye on the rice. I did have to add more water.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I am still trying to shake off a flu I came down with over the weekend. - JD  

Potato and Veggie Cakes

Remember the veggie strudel I posted about the other day. The lovely filling of onions, potatoes, carrots, peas, cheddar cheese and curry powder. There was enough filling left over for me to make these potato and veggie cakes. In a blender I added the filling and some chicken stock. I added enough stock just to smooth the consistency a bit. Making sure not to add too much stock. Stopping the blender every now and again and with a spoon scrapping the sides of the blender. Not worrying if the filling wasn't completely smooth. I then transfered the blended filling into a large bowl. Added some cornmeal until the consistency thicken up and held well together. I didn't measure exactly how much cornmeal. I just eyeballed it. You want it so that the filling doesn't fall off a spoon. Then I fried in a pan with olive oil over medium high heat. Until they have browned on both sides.

This was a great way to use up leftovers. I dressed them with chives and sour cream and served them with sausages and steamed string green beans. -JW 

Veggie Strudel

I am just plowing through that 10 pound bag of potatoes. A veggie strudel I have made before using chickpeas instead of potatoes. I managed to pre-boil the potatoes and chop the veggies which saved me a bit of time. You may be thinking cheddar cheese and curry? They are actually very quite tasty together. Don't let this delicious combination fool you. Give it a try. The recipe goes as follows...

5 potatoes - boiled with the skins and chopped
1 onion - chopped
1-2 tablespoon of no salt butter or low sodium margarine
3 teaspoons of curry powder
1 carrot - chopped
1/2 cup of peas  *frozen peas will do nicely too*
3/4 cup low sodium organic chicken or vegetable stock
juice of half a lemon
1 cup cheddar cheese - grated
pinch of salt
pepper
10 sheets of phyllo pastry 
melted butter


1) Pre-heat oven to 350º. Line a baking try with parchment paper. Making sure that the parchment paper goes a bit up the sides. To catch any runny liquid. 

2) Boil the potatoes in their skins until done. Firm so that a fork can pierce. When the potatoes are done, drain and rinse under cold water. Set them aside. 

3) Melt the butter in a hot pan. Add the onions and cook until slightly transparent. Then add the curry powder. Stir. Coating all of the onion bits. Cook for a few more minutes.

4 Add the chopped carrot and peas. Stir. Cooking until veggies are slightly soft. Then add the chicken stock. Stir and let the liquid reduce a bit. Remove from heat. If you are concerned about the liquid or as I like to call it gravy being to runny. Just take a bit of cornstarch in a small bowl and mix it with a bit of water. Then add that to the veggie mixture and stir. The liquid should thicken up a bit. 

5) Chop the potatoes and place them into a large mixing bowl. Pour the curried veggies over the chopped potatoes. Stir. Mixing well. Then add the grated cheddar cheese and the the freshly squeezed lemon juice. 

6) On a clean surface place one phyllo pastry sheet. Narrow edge towards you. Brush with butter than place another sheet of phyllo pastry on top, brush that one with butter and repeat this, layering all 10 phyllo pastry sheets. Brushing each with melted butter or margarine. Then spread the veggie mixture about an inch or two from the narrow edge. Not spreading the veggie filling completely to either ends. Once all the filling has been placed roll once then tuck in the sides all the way down the length of the prepared sheets of phyllo pastry. Then continue to gently roll until you have reached the other end. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Brush with melted butter or margarine. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Checking after 20 minutes. Serve with a green leafy salad.

You can change this dish up by adding different veggies to suit your taste. You can omit the curry powder if you wish and add other herbs to season. 
Have a good weekend everyone! - JW   

Potato Kedgeree

On the weekend I made potato kedgeree for brunch. Normally kedgeree is made with fish and rice. The fresh lemon zest and juice gave it a lot of punch, a very summery zing which was good. The curry flavour was mild. I omitted the fresh sprigs of mint. And I really wish I had fresh watercress to add that finishing touch to the dish instead. To save time I boiled the potatoes and eggs the night before. The recipe came from a cookbook that I will be reviewing tomorrow. I will share the recipe with you all now. 
It goes as follows: 

Potatoes - 5 medium, boiled in their skins
Butter - 2 tablespoons (25 ml) 
Onion - 1, peeled and finely chopped
Mild curry powder - 2 teaspoons (10 ml)
Zucchini - 1, sliced
Eggs - 4, hard-boiled
Peas - 1 cup (250 ml), cooked  ... I used frozen 
Plain yoghurt - 1 cup (250 ml)
Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon (5 ml) 
Grated lemon peel - 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml)
Salt - 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) 
Sprigs of mint

1. Peel the cooked potatoes and chop coarsely.

2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan. When the foam subsides, add the chopped onions and curry powder and fry gently for about 5 minutes

3. Add the chopped potatoes and fry for another 5 minutes, stirring to combine. Stir in the sliced zucchini and continue cooking for 5 minutes

4. Peel the eggs and cut into halves. Add the eggs, peas, yoghurt, lemon juice, grated lemon peel, salt and pepper to the pan. Combine carefully so that the ingredients are not mashed together. Heat through but do not overcook.

5. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sprigs of mint.  

This is how is how I served the kedgeree, with two slices of bacon and tomato. Sausages, whether veggie or not, would do nicely too. - JW

Salmon

Last nights dinner was salmon baked in a parchment paper pocket with butter, fresh dill and lemon slices. In my view parchment paper is one of those glorious kitchen must haves. Very versatile, disposable but worth every cent. 
Just cut a piece of parchment paper according to what you are going to fill it with. Add the salmon. On top of the salmon add a dollop of butter, fresh herbs... in this case dill and follow with fresh lemon slices. Fold all edges underneath to create a pocket. You could also seal with melted butter. Bake at a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.        

I served it with a side of fresh peas and Perishke, baked perogy, in a dill cream sauce. The perishke I bought at Two Baba's & A Stove from the framer's market. Why mess with perfection! Dinner was very tasty, fresh and filling. - JW 

Wasabi Peas

These mighty nuggets I do like to snack on. You can buy them just about anywhere. The ones I bought in this picture here are organic wasabi peas and they pack a punch. More then tantalizing your taste buds instead stimulating your nose. Even though I do find them a bit on the salty side, once I start eating these I find it hard to stop. The crunchiness can be a bit additive. But eventually I do because the burning sensation takes over. I don't recall if these are roasted or fried. Regardless I still limit this snack.   
You probably know wasabi, the green paste on the side, when you order sushi. Wasabi is extremely hot and comes from the same family as cabbages, horseradish and mustard. It is said to contain powerful antioxidants, potassium and calcium. It is sold in two forms which are: as a root or a tube of paste. - JW