Recipe: Vietnamese Sour Tamarind Soup (Canh Chua)

It's amazing how, as a kid, you never question what you are eating. At least I didn't. I either liked it or didn't. It was that simple.

I didn't realize how little I knew about the dishes I grew up with until I started asking my mom or my aunt (who was like a mom to me) for the recipe, and then not knowing what half of the ingredients are. "What is that called in English?" I would ask. The answer back would always be, "I don't know, take a picture and go find out".

This Vietnamese sour tamarind soup was one of my favorite soups growing up. I loved the sour taste of the tamarind, combined with the sweet pineapple balanced with the shrimp and fresh veggies. I seldom use tamarind in my everyday cooking, so I was excited when I finally had a chance to use it.

Chinese brown sugar, one of the ingredients in this soup, is solid cane sugar sold in blocks. It is brown in color and rock hard. It is typically divided up into equal pieces.  The 65g of Chinese brown sugar called for in this recipe should be one full piece of the sugar sold in most packages.

This recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Vietnamese Sour Tamarind Soup (Canh Chua)
- 1 elephant ear stem, cut into 1/2 inch slices on an angle (if not easily accessible, substitute with 3-5 stalks of celery, sliced)
- 5 cups of bean sprouts
- 8-10 sprigs of rice paddy herb, roughly chopped with stems
- 2 large ripe vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh ripe pineapple chunks
- 1/2 lb of large shrimp with shell (approx 18-20)
- 824ml chicken broth
- 200g, 7 oz. block of tamarind me chua paste
- 6 cups of water
- 65 grams of Chinese solid brown sugar
- fish sauce or salt to taste
- fried shallots

Method
1. Prepare the tamarind soup base by dissolving the tamarind pulp in 3 1/2 cups of hot water in a pot. Heat the mixture on medium high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking down the tamarind with a spoon or fork while it is heating. Once dissolved, the tamarind will turn into a thick dark paste. With a sieve, strain the seed and pulp to extract the tamarind water. Use a spoon to press the pulp to get more tamarind water.

2. In a large pot, combine 2 cups of the tamarind water, chicken broth and 2 1/2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Add the solid brown sugar and mix until completely dissolved. Add the shrimp and let it boil until it is just cooked (approx 1-2 min). Take out the shrimp and set aside so they don't overcook. Turn off the heat. Your soup base in now ready. At this point, depending on your taste, you may want to add a bit more water to make it less sour, some fish sauce to add flavor and to make the soup saltier, or more tamarind water for a more sour taste. Everyone likes it slightly different.

3. This soup is meant to be enjoyed fresh and you only prepare it when you are ready to serve. For 1 individual bowl, in a pot, combine 1 cup of the tamarind soup base, 3 pineapple chunks, 3 tomato chunks, 5 slices of elephant ear stem, and bring the soup to a boil (2-3 minutes). Add a handful of the bean sprouts, 3-4 cooked shrimp and let it boil for another minute. Turn off the heat and pour the soup into a soup bowl. Garnish with rice paddy herbs and fried shallots. Enjoy the soup hot, plain or with white Jasmine rice. To prepare a larger bowl, simply scale up from the portions described above.

For extra flavor, you can prepare a small bowl of fish sauce mixed with sliced red Thai chiles and dip your shrimp into it. If you don't like shrimp, you can substitute it with white fish or chicken. Do not use beef. It will alter the taste of the soup.

Elephant Ear Stem

Ingredients for Sour Tamarind Soup

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Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Orzo Salad with Feta

Tomato season is peeking right around the corner. Nothing beats eating tomatoes fresh, at its prime time.

Fresh summer tomatoes tossed in a cold, healthy, flavorful salad is my favorite way to eat them. I especially love salads that taste better the next day because it removes the hassle of meal planning. I'm always on the go, so salads that keep work well with a busy lifestyle.

This light orzo salad is great as a meal or as a side dish.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Heirloom Tomato Orzo Salad with Feta
- 2 cups of heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup of orzo pasta, uncooked
- 1/2 cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 150g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tbsp of sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp of dried basil
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp of flaky sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cook the orzo pasta until al dente. Follow the package instructions to cook the pasta. Drain the pasta.

2. In a large bowl, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the pasta and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve cold.

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Recipe: Lebanese Beef and Potato Stew

This is an authentic Lebanese recipe that will hit the spot if you're in the mood for something stew-y and warm. This stew can be eaten on its own or in true Lebanese style, with pita bread. This recipe calls for allspice and cinnamon, which adds a nice subtle spicy taste.

Beware of the imitation allspice that is sold in some grocery stores. The real stuff is a dried unripe fruit from the Pimenta dioica tree native to Mexico and Central America, and not a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

The name allspice was coined in the 17th century because the taste resembled the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

This recipe yields 4-6 large servings.

Lebanese Beef and Potato Stew
- 1 large onion, diced
- 0.5kg ground beef
- 5 small potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
- 4 Chinese eggplants, peeled and cut in quarters
- 2 hot house tomatoes, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup of basmati rice
- 3 Tbsp of tomato paste
- 4 cups of water
- 1/8 - 1/4 tsp all spice (depends on your taste)
- 2 large pinches of cinnamon
- salt + pepper to taste
- extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let it sit until it starts to release water. Approx 5-15 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel. This gets rid of the bitter taste in the eggplant. In an oiled pan, pan fry the eggplant until soft.

2. In an oiled casserole pot, saute the onions until translucent (approx 3 minutes). Add the ground beef and saute until the beef is 3/4 of the way cooked.  Add the potatoes and carrots and saute for another 3-5 minutes to blend the flavors.

3. Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes, all spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rice stir well and then lay the eggplant softly into the stew. Simmer for another 25 minutes. Once the eggplant is added, do not stir the pot too much as it will break the eggplant.

4. If you find the stew is not watery enough, add more water. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with bread or rice.

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The Persian Banh Mi

I'd like to introduce you to the kookoo sabzi sandwich, AKA 'The Persian Banh Mi'.

A banh mi sandwich is a Vietnamese sub that is served in a French baguette and filled with meats, fresh veggies, pickled veggies and different spreads like butter, mayo and pork pate.

Although very little similarities between a Vietnamese banh mi and the kookoo sabzi sandwich, this sandwich totally screams Persian Banh Mi. Mainly because it is served in an elongated shaped bread with a standard set of condiments.

This really is a delicious sandwich and healthy too! Here is how you put it together.

1. Make the kookoo sabzi.

2. Grab a hoagie bun and slice it down the middle.

3. Spread labneh on the bun, put kookoo sabzi in between and add condiments like tomatoes, pickles and hot peppers.

Noosh-e-jan!

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Black Bean and Tomato Soup

At home, CK and I are trying to eat more organic foods and less meat these days. I eat out a lot when I'm travelling so when I'm home, I try to eat really healthy to balance the fat, grease and salt I put into my body when I'm away.

Ok, so I don't eat super healthy right when I get home. Because I'm so used to eating out when I'm on the road, I have to ween myself off of the excessive eating and drinking. I have what I call my 'weening period'. Doesn't matter what day of the week I come home, I get to eat what I want, as much as I want (like driving to a late night bakery after stuffing my face at a dinner party, and ordering every type of croissant available for dessert, and then eating it in the car because I can't wait for the 5 minute drive home - yep, I'm sexy and I know it!) for the rest of the week, AND THEN I start my healthy eating and regular exercise.

This delicious black bean soup is my recent healthy concoction packed with protein, nutrients...and gas! Just blame it on the dog if you're eating this with other people.

Most of the ingredients in my recipe were organic, but I didn't list it as such. It's your choice

This recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Black Bean and Tomato Soup
- 4 (19 fl. oz, 540mL) cans of black bean
- 1 ( 28 fl. oz, 794mL) can of diced tomatoes
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- 1 generous cup of cilantro, roughly chopped

Method
1. In a pan, saute the onions and garlic until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Turn the heat off and set aside.

2. In a food processor, process 2 cans of black beans, the diced tomatoes and some of the sauteed onions and garlic (about 1/4 cup) until smooth.

3. Add the celery and carrots to the remaining garlic and onions to the pan, and continue to saute until the carrots and celery is tender (about 5-8 minutes). Transfer the vegetables into a large pot, along with the processed bean mixture, stock, remaining black beans, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

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Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Lasagna

Everyone needs a good lasagna recipe in their repertoire. Growing up, my mom tried hard to make a good lasagna, but no matter what she did, it would always turn out soggy. I was always envious of my friends whose moms knew how to make soggy-free lasagna. Well, I finally perfected a recipe, and can now enjoy soggy-free lasagna whenever I want!

Roasted Vegetable and Spinach Lasagna
- 1 (375g, 13oz) package of uncooked oven ready lasagna noodles
- 2 cups of parmesan, mozzarella, and provolone cheese mix
- 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into thick slices (4-6 slices each pepper)
- 16 oz mushrooms
- 475g light ricotta cheese
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (156 mL, 5.5 fl oz) can of tomato paste
- 2 300g packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed with water rung out
- 2 eggs
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 (739mL) jar of roasted red pepper and garlic tomato sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper

Method
1. In a small bowl, cut the zucchini in 1/2 inch slices, and lightly coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Place the zucchini and red pepper slices on a baking tray and broil low for 25 minutes. Half way through, turn the zucchini and red peppers so that they are evenly cooked on both sides. Let it cool, peel the skin off of the red peppers, and roughly chop the zucchini and red peppers.

3. In a pan, saute the onions and garlic with some olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, and thyme and continue to saute until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, paprika, zucchini, and red peppers and saute for another 10 minutes. Add some water if the mixture is too thick.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, spinach, and a large handful of the cheese mixture. Layer the lasagna: coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with the sauce mixture, place the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce until the dish is covered, spread a thin layer of the spinach mixture over top of the noodles, sprinkle the cheese mixture over top, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Add a layer of the tomato sauce mixture, sprinkle the cheese mixture over top, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Repeat until the baking dish is full and your ingredients used up. The last layer should be the tomato sauce with some cheese sprinkled over top.

5. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil and broil high (2-5 minutes) until the cheese on top becomes a golden brown. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes before serving.

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Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)

I am slowly collecting my Persian recipes, and this is the latest one. This is a fresh and easy dip that is great for dinner parties. If you like eggplant and garlic, then this dip is for you.

Some recipes call for eggs and onions but that is not how my mother-in-law makes it. I like to add a bit of paprika for extra sweetness, which is entirely my addition and not traditional in any sense.

Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)
- 10 Chinese eggplants
- 1 (156 mL, 5.5 fl oz) can of tomato paste
- 1 fresh roma tomato, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp of paprika
- 4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. With a fork, poke holes into the eggplants, cut off the stems, place them on a baking tray, and broil low (approximately 15-20 minutes) until they are tender and the skin turns a light brown color. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Peel the eggplants with your hands (the skin should come off easily), discard the skin, and roughly chop the eggplant.

3. In a frying pan, heat the garlic on medium heat with a generous amount of olive oil for 1 minute. Add the eggplant, roma tomato, turmeric, paprika and tomato paste, and cook for another 15 minutes. Once all of the flavors are blended, add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Refrigerate and serve cold. If the dip seems a bit dry, add some olive oil and mix well.

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Home Made Veggie Pizza

Here is a little glimpse into the way we make home made pizza. It is guaranteed to be a family affair, and the veggie pizza is the clear winner with us.

First we make the whole wheat dough. Hardly any work involved here. We let the bread maker do the dirty work.

Once that's done, knead the dough into a pizza pie shape, and create a base of tomato sauce and some cheese.

Now, go crazy and layer the pizza with veggies.

Don't stop there, keep going....

I didn't say stop yet...

It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings (in our case, 'til the spinach is loaded)

To finish, top the pizza with more cheese.

Bake it in the oven until the cheese starts to brown, and voila! This beats any store bought pizza hands down.

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Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup

I've been eating out a lot! It's not just lately, it's been the last 7 months. Hmm...right around the time I started my food blog. What a coincidence. Well, my friends, it has finally caught up to me. I don't eat in moderation anymore. When I go out to restaurants, I like to order a few appetizers + a main + dessert. It doesn't matter if it's not good for me, or if I don't have the room in my stomach, I just want to try it all.

I'm going to start eating healthier for the summer. This means more cooking at home, which means more recipes.

Here is an awesome veggie soup that is good for all occasions. I eat this when I want to cleanse my body, or when I am sick with a cold. It is packed with nothing but goodness. In the summer time, I like to eat this cold like you would gazpacho.

This recipe makes 4 servings.

Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup- 1 (796ml, 28 fl. oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices, chopped
- 3 cups of water
- 1/4 cup of cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of curly parsley, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 leek (light green part only), chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup of barley
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp of turmeric
- salt and pepper to taste
- extra virgin olive oil

Method1. On high heat, heat a large pot with some extra virgin olive oil, and sautee the onion, garlic, and turmeric until the onions are translucent.

2. Turn heat down to medium. Add the tomatoes, water, cilantro, parsley, scallions, and leek, and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Turn the heat down to simmer. Add celery and carrots and cook for 20 minutes with the lid on.

4. Add the barley, and cook for 30 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Add more salt and pepper if required.
If you prefer a more watery soup, use less barley.

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Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Back in February when I lived in San Diego for the month, I watched the Food Network day and night. I was addicted. The shows on the American Food Network were different from the ones on the Canadian one, so it was neat to see the small cultural differences in the food shows. A lot of dishes and recipes on the American shows were latino influenced, and I finally learned who Paula Deen was (and discovered deep fried macaroni and cheese along the way)!

One show I really got into was Tyler's Ultimate. Tyler Florence explores traditional meals and teaches you the ULTIMATE way to make them. I adapted my Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde from his show, and it was a rockin' meal. CK and I couldn't believe how awesome it was.

One thing to note is that Enchiladas are traditionally made of corn tortillas. This recipe uses flour tortillas. Use whatever suits your fancy.

When available, I prefer to use uncooked tortillas. I love watching them bubble as they cook, and they have a nice chewy fresh texture to them.

This recipe makes 6-8 enchiladas.

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
(Adapted from Tyler Florence)
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 can (7 oz.) of chicken broth
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chicken breast, cubed
- 1 jar (16 oz.) salsa verde (I used Pace salsa verde. The jalapenos and smoked Spanish paprika in this salsa added a nice flavor).
- 3 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup of cilantro, chopped
- 6-8 uncooked flour tortillas
- 2 cups of cheddar and jack cheese blend
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Guacamole to serve on the side

Method
1. On medium-high heat, cook the tortillas on an ungreased pan. Cook one side until the tortilla bubbles, flip it, and then cook for another 30-45 seconds. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Sautee the onions and garlic with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the chicken, chicken stock, salt + pepper, and simmer until the chicken stock dehydrates. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool. Shred the chicken with hands.

4. Fill the bottom of a large baking dish with a thin layer of salsa verde.

5. Construct the enchilada. Lightly coat both sides of the tortilla with salsa verde. Place a spoon of the chicken mixture onto the tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese, fresh tomatoes, and cilantro on top of the chicken mixture. Fold the tortilla over the filling, and roll the enchilada. Place it on the baking dish with the folded side down to prevent it from unrolling. Repeat until all enchiladas are constructed.

6. Pour the rest of the salsa verde evenly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle some tomatoes, cilantro, and the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven, turn off the heat. Garnish the enchiladas with more fresh tomatoes and cilantro. Serve with guacamole.

I kept this dish fairly healthy by skipping out on the sour cream (which I luckily don't really like anyway), and by using the tomatoes and cilantro as a main ingredient instead of a garnish.

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Capellini Con Tonno

Sometimes, a can of flaked tuna can be a savior. All you have to do is open the can, and voila, it is ready. I like to make this pasta dish when I need a dose of meat protein, but don't feel like cooking any meat. Both the tuna and the beans in this dish provide a good source of protein.

If you don't feel like cooking the tomato sauce from scratch, you can always open a jar of prepared tomato sauce, and use that instead.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Capellini Con Tonno
- 450 g dried capellini pasta
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup of peas, frozen
- 5 vine ripened tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 340g of canned light tuna in water, drained and flaked
- 1 can (156ml, 5.5 fl. oz) of tomato paste
- 1 can (540ml, 19 fl. oz) of Romano beans, drained
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of cilantro, finely chopped + extra for garnish
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 fresh lemon

Method
1. To peel the tomatoes, cut a small cross across the bottom of each tomato, and immerse them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the water, and allow them to cool. The skin of the tomatoes should peel off very easily. Remove the seeds, and roughly chop.

2. Sautee the garlic and onions in a pan with the oil on high heat until onions are translucent.

3. Add the tomato paste, chopped fresh tomatoes, water, oregano and salt + pepper and stir until it bubbles. Turn the heat down to simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the beans, frozen peas, tuna, chili flakes, and smoked paprika and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

5. In another pot, cook the pasta until al dente.

6. Drain the pasta, and serve with the sauce.

7. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top of the dish.

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Red Lentil Dal

I know I said I was going to post my Viva Pops post next, but I wanted to share this kick a** dal recipe before the weather becomes too hot for a hearty dish like this.

I wanted to cook something hearty but light. Although it is June, and summer is around the corner, it has been rainy here in Ottawa. This is a healthy dish that is full of flavor, and is great for cool and rainy days.

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, and my friend K perfected it by adding cauliflower. Even my sister, who has some weird abhorrence of dal, loves this dish!

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Red Lentil Dal
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups of cauliflower florets
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 Tbsp low fat plain yogurt
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 (796ml, 28 fl. oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices, chopped
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 1/2 cup coriander + 2 Tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- cayenne pepper to taste (I used 1/4 tsp)
- salt + pepper to taste

Method
1. On medium heat, sautee the oil, garlic, ginger, and onion in a pot until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the tomatoes, 2 Tbsp of coriander, bay leaves, and all of the spices into the pot, and cook until the tomatoes are crushed. This will be approximately 10 minutes.

3. Turn the heat down to simmer. Add the lentils to the tomatoes, and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes.

4. Add in the cauliflower and cook with the lid on for 25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.

5. Add in the rest of the coriander, and cook for 5 minutes. Add more salt + pepper if needed. Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

6. Right before serving while still warm, stir in the yogurt. This step makes all the difference.

Enjoy this dish as is, or with your favorite bread!

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Greek Orzo Salad

My favorite thing to make is a good healthy salad. The thing I love about salads is that they are so simple to make yet can be so complicated in taste. I put tons of stuff in my salads, creating layers and layers of taste.

This Greek orzo salad is a great example, and I find the nuttiness of the toasted pine nuts really complements the taste of the melted feta cheese. I had this salad at BB's house a few weekends ago, and adjusted the recipe to my taste.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Greek Orzo Salad
- 2 cups of uncooked orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of sliced kalamata olives
- 2 cups of Italian parsley, loosely packed and finely chopped
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, chopped
- 3 hot house tomatoes, chopped
- 200g light feta
- 2 Tbsp mint, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of pine nuts, toasted
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Cook the pasta until al dente, and drain.

2. Crumble the feta into a large bowl. Add the pasta, and mix until cheese has melted into the pasta. Drizzle in the olive oil to prevent the pasta mixture from drying out too much. Set aside and let it cool.

3. When the pasta mixture has cooled, add in the tomatoes, onions, olives, cucumbers, parsley, and mint. Add in the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and salt + pepper to taste. Mix well and serve.
I may be travelling in San Diego, but I scheduled this post so you wouldn't get lonely ;-)

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Cous Cous Alla Panzanella

One of my favorite Canadian Food Network Shows is David Rocco's Dolce Vita. It is a great show that shows snippets of David's life and adventures in Italy. I'm pumped everytime I hear the upbeat theme music of his show, and of course, I love his food. In each show, David shows you how to make very simple Italian dishes that are effortless.

One of my favorite recipes is his Cous Cous Alla Panzanella. It is a no-cook cous cous recipe that is easy and packed with great flavors. Instead of boiling his cous cous in water, David Rocco prepares the cous cous by soaking it in olive oil and tomato juice.

I make this for lunch all the time, and with the amount it makes, I usually have enough to last me the entire week.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings

Cous Cous Alla Panzanella
(Adapted from David Rocco)
- 2 cups cous cous
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 orange pepper, chopped
- 20 grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 (796ml, 28 fl. oz) can whole tomatoes with juices, chopped
- juice of one lemon
- 40g basil leaves, torn
- salt and pepper to season

Method
1. Place olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and canned tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add cous cous and mix thoroughly.

2. Add red onions, red, orange, and yellow peppers, and cherry tomatoes to the bowl. Mix well.

3. Add in lemon juice, and torn basil leaves. Mix well. Add pepper to taste (and more salt if needed).

4. You can serve immediately or wait a few hours for the flavors to intermingle.

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The Best Chunky Guacamole You'll Ever Taste

I was never a big fan of avocados. The creaminess just didn't appeal to me. I'm still not fond of them but when I tried my sister in-law's guacamole, I fell in love!!!

I can't get enough of it, and make it myself all the time now. I've made guacamole before but I used to make it in a food processor, and it turned out very smooth. I think part of the appeal of good guacamole is to make it chunky so that you taste the bits of fresh avocado, tomato, and onion.

I've brought this chunky guacamole to a few parties this past holiday season, and people just loved it. This recipe makes about 2 cups.

Chunky Guacamole

- 3/4 to 1 tsp salt (depends on your taste)

- juice of 1 lime
- 3 avocados

- 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

- 2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped

- 1 tsp garlic, pressed or minced

- 3-5 Tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped

- cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Peel the avocados, and remove the pit in the middle

2. In a bowl, mash up the avocados, salt, and lime juice with a fork until you get the consistency you like.

3. Fold in the onions, garlic, cilantro, and tomatoes

4. Add cayenne pepper. How much will depend on taste, and how spicy you like things. Depending on how fresh my cayenne pepper is, I usually add in about 1/2 - 1 tsp.

I've discovered that cayenne pepper is the secret ingredient. Even if you add in a very small amount, it will make a difference! I usually serve this guacamole with jalapeño corn tortilla chips.

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