Chestnut and Fennel Corn Bread Stuffing

What is Thanksgiving without it's stuffing! A friend sent me this recipe years ago and I've decided to give it a try. You can easily substitute chestnuts with these ones that I found in the Asian grocery market. It is quite good and convenient.

Ingredients:

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into cubes

1 apple, cored and chopped into cubes
3 sticks celery, chopped into cubes
1 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 small red onion, minced finely

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup raisins

½ stick of butter

1 cup chestnuts, chopped

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 package corn bread stuffing mix

2-3 uncooked sausage, chopped

some melted butter for greasing

salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish or baking pan with melted butter. In a large skillet, brown sausage meat until cooked through and starts to brown. Drain excess fat and transfer sausage to a bowl.
2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic, fennel, celery and cook in butter until tender, stirring occasionally. Add in apples and cook for another minute, then add in the cranberries, chestnuts, raisins and bread stuffing and stir to mix. Stir in sausage, broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. (add more water or broth if you like a moister stuffing)

3. Transfer to baking dish, cover with lid or tent with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20-35 minutes. Remove lids or foil and bake for another 15 minutes until thermometer reads 165°F and is lighty browned.

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Brussels Sprouts, Squash with Vinaigrette Dressing

Brussels sprouts is a cultivar of the cruciferous family, which includes cabbage, collard greens, and kale. The leafy green buds, resembles miniature cabbages that offshoot from a single thick stalk is an interesting vegetable! It has a slightly bitter taste when it is overcooked. Instead of steaming or boiling it, I am going to pan roast them and serve it with a medley of fruits and vegetables for color.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
¾ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 small squash, cubed
½ cup sliced pancetta or bacon, diced
1 small red onion, sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup Vinaigrette dressing of your choice
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a skillet, heat some oil over medium heat and fry pancetta or bacon until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel. Add some more oil, and fry the onions until soft and slightly brown. Toss in Brussels sprouts and mix to combine for about 5 minutes, then add in the squash. Stir to mix.
3. Roast the vegetables until they are cooked through and golden.

4. Remove and toss in cranberries. Transfer to platter and dress the top with remaining pancetta or bacon. Serve warm with dressing on the side.

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Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes

This is a great dish to serve over the Thanksgiving holiday dinner. You can use garnet yams or sweet potatoes, but I prefer the Japanese sweet potatoes. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs sweet potatoes or yam, scrubbed clean
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 tsp. paprika (use 1 tsp. for less spicy)
1½  tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste
3½ Tbsp. olive oil
Baking tray
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely grind corander and fennel seeds in a coffee grinder. Pour into a bowl and mix in the rest of the spices.
3. Dry the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Put into a large baking tray and toss potatoes wedges with oil and spices until well mixed.
4. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove and turn wedges once or twice to cook through for another 15-20 minutes until tender and golden in color. Remove and serve warm.

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Spicy Shrimp Floss/Sambal HeeBee

This is a wonderful Peranakan side dish that is simple to prepare and store well in the refrigerator. I used to spread on a toast, or sprinkle on top of stir-fried vegetables. It is just as wonderful with plain rice.
Ingredients:
3 cups dried shrimp, rinsed and soaked overnight
½ cup dried chilies, deseed and soaked to soften
5 fresh red chillies, deseed and slice
1 lemon grass, sliced
½ cup chopped onions
1 piece ginger
1 Tbsp. dried belachan
2 Tbsp. tamarind powder or paste
salt and sugar to taste
¼ cup oil
Method:
1. Blend the following in a food processor: dried shrimp, chilies, lemon grass, shallots, and ginger until it resembles small chunks.
2. Heat oil on high and fry ingredients until golden brown and fragrant. Reduce heat to medium and continue to stir until mixture is dry. Season to taste with tamarind, salt and sugar.

3. Remove from heat and store in containers when cool enough to handle. Keep in refrigerator.
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Fried Spinach with Potatoes/Aloo Palak

Aloo Palak is basically spinach fried with potatoes and spices. The word, Aloo means potatoes and Palak is spinach. It is a classic Indian dish that is healthy, easy and inexpensive to prepare as a side dish.
Ingredients:
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen
2 medium or 1 large red potato, peeled and cubed
1 red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
2 small tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. cumin powder or 1 tsp. cumin seeds
juice of 1 small fresh lime or lemon
1½ Tbsp. olive oil, ghee, or butter
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. If you are using frozen spinach, thaw them ahead of time. Tear fresh spinach into large pieces and wash them to remove dirt completely.
2. In a pan, heat oil on medium and fry cumin and curry powder until fragrant. Add garlic and onions and stir to cook until the onions starts to caramelized. Add potatoes, tumeric and fry until the spices coat the potatoes and until it starts to brown on all sides. Add the chopped tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes at medium heat.
3. Toss in the spinach, give it a quick stir and cover to cook further until the potatoes are cooked and the spinach has wilted and not overcooked. Increase heat and toss the mixture until water has evaporates and spinach starts to stick to the pan. Remove from heat, cover the pan and let the heat settle inside the pan. Serve with a drizzle of lime or lemon juice on top. Serve with rice or flat bread.
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Braised Baby Onions with Raisins

If you like baby onions, you will love this piquant and flavorful dish. It is simple to prepare and great served with skewered meat, such as lamb or beef.
Ingredients:
20 baby white onions, peeled
½ cup red wine winegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey or sugar
½ cup raisins
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Add all the ingredients in a saucepan with 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Cook until onions are tender and most of the liquid has thickened.
2. Remove bay leaf and season to taste. Serve warm.
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Cheesy Potato Cakes

I found an old recipe book on potatoes and the different ways of cooking this spud. Here's a simple and easy one flavored with fresh dill and lemons from our garden. Great for an afternoon snack or a side dish.

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized potatoes

4 ozs goat cheese or plain feta cheese

1 bunch scallions, diced finely
2 Tbsp. dill, chopped
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying
all-purpose flour
Method:
1. Washed potatoes and boil them in their skins with a pinch of salt. Cook until they are soft. Drain, then peel while still warm. Put them in a mixing bowl and mash them.
2. Crumble cheese with your fingers into the potatoes and add the scallions, dill, egg mixture and lemon juice. Season with pepper and salt (lightly) as cheese is salty. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients.
3. Cover the mixture and leave in the refrigerator to chill when ready to fry.
4. Divide the mixture into golf-sized balls, flatten slightly and dredge them with flour to coat. Repeat the same with the rest of the mixture.
5. Heat a non-stick pan with some oil and fry the cakes on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
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Sweet Potato Galettes

This is a simple dish to prepare and great serve with any meaty dish. I used sweet potato for this installment.
Ingredients:
1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled
3 Tbsp. melted butter
salt and pepper
1 tsp. dried herbs (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice thinly sweet potato with a mandolin or a sharp knife.
2. Line and butter baking pan with aluminium foil. Arrange slices of potato and overlap to form a spiral. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dried herbs.
3. Bake in oven until golden brown about 20-30 minutes.
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