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We do not use tinned or boxed products as our
main ingredient for our recipes. We always strive to use fresh produce in our
recipes. The only exception would be, for example, a pasta recipe where a tomato
sauce is involved, we would use chopped canned tomatoes...
We try to have an eclectic variety of recipes; Cajun, Scandinavian, Asian,
Italian etc. Our recipes also vary from easy to hard but we do try to lean
towards the easier side of gourmet cooking. For more of our Recipes of the
Week please go here.
Questions? Just ask! update@eclecticcooking.com
| Recipe of the Week |
|
| Melon with Caramel |
| (Serves 4-6) |
| Caramel: |
| 1 Cup (8 fl oz / 2 dl / 250 ml) whipping cream |
| ½ Cup (4 fl oz / 1 dl / 125 ml) light cream |
| ½ Cup (4 oz / 1 dl / 120 g) sugar |
| ¼ Cup (2 oz / ½ dl / 75 g) golden syrup |
| ½ oz (15 g) butter |
| Ca. 2 tsp lemon peel cut in strips |
| 1 lb mixed melon cut in large cubes |
| 1 liter (1 quart) vanilla ice cream / or sherbet of your choice) |
| Directions: |
| In a small saucepan, bring the whipping cream, sugar and golden syrup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid becomes a little thicker. Add the butter and stir until well mixed. Remove from heat and let it cool. Place the mixed pieces of melon on 4-6 wooden skewer or place on individual Dessert dishes. Place a scoop of ice cream on the plate and drizzle the caramel Sauce over the fruit and around the ice cream. Decorate with a mint sprig. Serve immediately. |
| Recipe of the Week |
Summer Mussels
(Serves 2)
1-¼ lb fresh mussels
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 large clove of garlic
2 carrots
2 small zucchinis or 1 large (ca. 16 oz / 500 g)
1 tsp olive oil
2 Cups chopped tomatoes (can be tinned)
1 Cup fish stock
(can be 1 bouillon cube dissolved in water)
2 tsp lemon juice
Fresh chopped parsley
Accompaniment: Garlic bread (or French fried potatoes - Belgian custom)
| Directions: |
|
If you make your own garlic bread, take a small French bread, cut it in half lengthwise and brush it with 1 tsp olive oil mixed with 1 large clove of crushed garlic and coarse salt. Grill in the oven until bread is golden brown. Wash the mussels in running water 2-3 times. Throw out any mussels which are not closed. (If a mussel is open, tap it gently on the counter, if it closes, it is alright; if it does not close, throw it out.) Wash vegetables, trim the carrot and zucchini and cut them julienne. Sauté the Crushed garlic and chopped onion in a little olive oil in a large, heavy pot; Add the vegetables, tomatoes, fish stock and lemon juice. Bring the vegetables to a boil, add the mussels and cook covered for about 10-15 minutes or until the mussels have opened. (Throw out any mussels which have not opened.) Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the mussels and serve in the large pot. Place a large soup bowl and side plate before each guest and let them serve themselves. Provide a bowl in which to place the discarded shells. Provide each guest with a bib - these can be home made and have a funny design. Serve with freshly baked/fried fries or garlic bread. Note: It is quite alright to eat the vegetables, but be careful of the juice or stock as some people react to this because of the iodine content.
|
| Recipe of the Week |
Super
Easy Lasagna
(Serves 4)
If you prefer to make your own tomato sauce or want to use some of
your favorite vegetables, this recipe can easily be adapted to
your taste.
7 oz (ca. 200 g) lasagna
23 oz (690 g) ready-made
tomato or spaghetti sauce
20 oz (600 g) mixed frozen
vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, etc.)
13 oz (400 g) cottage cheese
3 oz (ca. 100 g) grated mozzarella cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Accompaniment: Italian or French Bread
| Directions: |
|
Divide the Lasagna noodles into three portions. In an oven-proof casserole dish (ca. 8 x 10 inches / 24 x 18 cm) spread 1/4 of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish. Spread 1/3 of the frozen mixed vegetables over the tomato sauce. Then top with 1/3 of the cottage cheese. Last, top with 1/3 of the lasagna. Repeat the layers two more times finishing with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese and dried oregano over the lasagna and bake in the middle of the oven at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until the lasagna noodles are tender. Let the lasagna rest for about 15 minutes before serving. |
| Recipe of the Week |
Panne Cotta
(Serves 4)
2 Cups (2 dl / 16 fl oz / 500 ml) whipping cream
1 vanilla stick or essence of vanilla
2 oz (50 g) sugar
1 thin piece of lemon peel
1 Tbsp gelatin (3 gelatin sheets)
Apricot Coullis
2 oz (50 g) dried apricots
1/2 cup (1 dl / 4 fl oz / 125 ml) fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp good honey
1/2 cup (1 dl / 125 ml / 4 fl oz) sweet white wine such as a Muscat
| Directions: |
| In a medium-sized saucepan bring the cream, vanilla stick,
sugar and lemon peel to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly. In 1-2
tablespoons water, soften the gelatin and heat until the gelatin is
dissolved. (If using gelatin sheets, follow the directions on the
package.) Add a little of the hot cream to the dissolved gelatin and
then add the gelatin to the hot cream, stirring constantly. Strain the
hot mixture through a sieve and pour into four ramekins which have been
rinsed with cold water first. Cover the ramekins with plastic covering
and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Chop the apricots
and over medium heat cook them in the orange juice and honey. Remove the
mixture from the burner and add the white wine. Let the mixture cool.
Add more honey to the apricot mixture if desired. The apricot coullis
may be put through a blender if you wish to have a thick, creamy coullis.
Remove the panne cotta from the ramekins by placing them up-side-down on a small dessert plate and pour some of the apricot coullis around the dessert. Decorate with fresh berries in season for added flavor and color. |
| Recipe of the Week |
Chicken with Parma Ham
(Serves 4)
500 g (
1 lb) chicken filet e.g. chicken breast
(about 4 pieces)
small bunch fresh basil
4 slices Parma ham
(air-dried dried ham, popular in Italy, Belgium, France, etc.)
Pasta
50 g (ca. 2 oz) hazel nuts
2 large cloves garlic
2 Spanish onions (red onions) in wedges
1/2 dl (1/4 Cup) olive oil
250 g (8 oz) fresh mushrooms (these may be mixed)
250 g (ca. 8 oz) pasta e.g. shells
small bunch freshly chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Accompaniment: Italian bread and tossed green salad or fresh tomato salad
| Directions: |
|
Place one leaf of fresh basil
on each piece of filet and save the rest of the basil for the pasta.
Season the chicken filets with salt and freshly ground pepper. Wrap a
slice of Parma ham around each piece of chicken filet and place in a
lightly oiled casserole dish. Cover with foil, cut one or two small slits
in the foil to let the steam escape and bake at 225 C (400 - 425 F) for
about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. |
