Crème Brûlée

Make 6 ramekins

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 vanilla bean
2 tbsp sugar

3 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Warm cream, half and half, vanilla bean and 2 tbsp sugar over medium heat just until steam rises. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the bean and scrape the contents of bean into the mixture.
Whisk yolks, egg, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
Slowly add hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Strain into a cup with spout.
Put water to heat.
Divide into the six ramekins. Arrange ramekins into a baking tray and put the tray in the oven. Add hot water to the tray and hake for 35-45 minutes.
Remove ramekins from the water, cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill - preferably overnight.

Top with a mixture of brown sugar & plain sugar (2:1 ratio). Tap out excess sugar. Burn until the surface is caramelized. Let stand 3-5 minutes so the topping hardens.

Variation - Instead of vanilla, add 1/4 cup fresh ginger - chopped and blanched in boiling water for 1 minute and then drained.

Chicken Tagine

Flavorful chicken, chick peas and olives add a lot of character to the dish.
Serves 4.

Moroccan Spice rub
4 chicken thighs, rub moroccan spice and let stand for an hour or 2 in refrigerator

1 small onion, diced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
pepper flakes to taste
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf

1/4 white wine
1 tsp tomato paste

1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 tbsp honey
1 lemon cut into 8 wedges
Salt to taste

Chopped fresh parsley

Toasted Pita bread

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium, add chicken, skin side down. Saute until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove chicken.
Add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Deglaze with wine and tomato paste and simmer till liquid evaporate.
Add tomato, chicken broth, chickpeas, olives, honey, lemon & chicken. Cover & reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is cooked - 20-25 minutes.
Add salt to taste and garnish with parsley.
Serve with toasted Pita bread.

Morroccan Spice rub

Makes enough for 4 servings of meat

1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne (less if you prefer low spice)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)
Salt to taste

Mix and use it as run on chicken or lamb.

Lemon Snap Peas

Great side dish, goes great with Fish.
Makes 4 servings

2 cups sugar snap peas
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet, on medium-high heat. Add peas, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add lemon zest, salt & pepper. Cook for another minute or so - peas should be just slightly tender.
Serve warm.

Chips "on" Fish with vegetables

Taken from Cuisine at home magazine, this is a more elaborate version of baked fish that I normally make.

Vegetables:
1 large tomato, seeded & chopped
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped

Fish:
4 red snapper fillets, boned & skinned (flounder or tilapia will work equally well)
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crushed potato chips
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Lemon wedges & chopped scallion for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine the vegetables together, season with salt & pepper & spread on a baking tray coated with cooking spray.
Arrange fillets on top of vegetables, season with salt & pepper.
Combine crumbs, cheese, chips, paprika & pepper, toss with melted butter. Divide the mix over the fillets, pressing gently on the fish.
Bake 20 minutes or so until fillet flakes easily with a fork.
Serve topped with scallion with lemon wedge on side.

Serve with side of asparagus or snap peas.

Mixed Greens Salad with Honey Mustard dressing

To turn this into a complete meal, I serve crusted chicken breast on this salad.

Honey Mustard Dressing:
1/4 cup Honey (or Agave Nectar)
2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard (based on the sharpness of the mustard)
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp vinegar, apple cider or red wine.
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk the ingredients together.

Salad:
8 cups mixed greens
small red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz (1/2 cup) of goat cheese, crumbled

Mix the greens, onion and goat cheese. Just before serving, add dressing as needed. Top with crusted chicken (if using).

Fresh Garden Salad

Good for anytime you're looking for a light, crispy taste of fresh salad. Makes about 8 cups of salad.

Vinaigrette:

1 shallot, minced

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk the ingredients together.

Salad:

2 romaine lettuce hearts chopped

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

5 red radishes, thinly sliced

handful of dried cranberries

Toss vinaigrette with vegetables just before serving.