Alex's Recipes

Turkey Biryani

• 150g raw Turkey breast, cubed
• 1 Shallot, halved then sliced
• 1/2 a Red Pepper cubed
• 1/2 a Green Pepper cubed
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 3 tablespoons Biryani Paste
• Cooked Rice

Soften the onion and brown the meat in the olive oil over a medium low heat. Add the peppers the yogurt and the Biryani paste with a little bit of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the meat is cooked and the peppers slightly softened.

Serve over rice.

(Serves 1 to 2 depending on the amount of rice used)

Carrot & Ginger Puree

• 5 medium Carrots
• 1 small Onion
• 1 tablespoon grated Ginger
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 cup Water
• Salt/Pepper

Peel and rough chop the carrots and the onion. Mix them with the ginger, oil and honey in a pot and cook over a low heat until the onion has softened. Add the water and bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes until the carrots are very soft.

Put the mixture through a food mill twice and add the salt and pepper (to taste).

(Serves 2)

Creamy Radish & Bacon Soup

• 1 bunch Radishes (roughly chopped – about 3 cups)
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 1/3 cup Bacon, diced
• 1 cup Water
• Hot Pepper Paste
• Mustard
• 1 cup Cream
• Salt, Pepper, Dill

Cook the radish, onion and bacon over a low heat covered stirring occasionally the hot pepper paste until the onion and radish are slightly sort. Add the water and boil for a few minutes. Put the mixture through a blender. Add the cream, salt, pepper, dill and mustard. Reheat.

Just before serving skim off the bacon grease floating on the top.

(Serves 2 or 1 as a meal).

Fluffy Omelette

• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Fromage Frais (Quark) or Sour Cream
• 1 Plum Tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 Hot Pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Hard Strong Cheese (like Romano or Parmesan)
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Whisk together thoroughly the eggs and the fromage frais. Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in the eggs, stirring and filling in holes until the top begins to set (use a flexible spatula to keep the edges lifted).

Add the tomato, hot pepper and cheese and flip half the omelette onto itself. Cook, flipping once, until the cheese and eggs are at a desired consistency.

Top with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

(Serves 1).

Filling variation: In the frying pan before cooking the eggs, sauté one small shallot diced, the tomato, 1/4 cup diced bacon and some hot pepper paste (to desired heat) until the bacon is cooked, but not crispy and the shallot is soft. Remove from pan and add back (without the hot pepper and cheese) when the omelette is ready to be folded in half.

Sausage Ragout

• 3 Italian Sausages (your choice of spiciness)
• 1 Hot Pepper
• 1 medium Eggplant
• 1 medium Zucchini
• 1 small Onion
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 stalk fresh Basil
• 1 cup Red Wine
• 2 teaspoons Cornstarch (dissolved in cold water)
• Salt/Pepper

Peel the eggplant and rough chop the meat and veggies. Mix them all together in a casserole dish with the basil, wine and salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 for one hour covered, stirring occasionally.

Take out of the oven and put on a burner, adding the cornstarch and boiling until the sauce just begins to thicken.

(Serves 2)

Pear, Walnut & Roquefort Salad

• 1/2 head of Leaf Lettuce (or the equivalent in Mixed Greens)
• 2 small Plum Tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• 1/3 cup Walnut Pieces
• 1/4 cup Red Wine
• 1 Pear, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup Roquefort Cheese, crumbled

Wash the lettuce and add the diced tomato.

Heat the oil and honey in a frying pan. Add the walnuts and coat. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens a tiny bit. Add the pear slices, coat them and heat through.

Pour the sauce over the lettuce and tomato then add the cheese. Toss it all together and serve immediately.

(Serves 1 for dinner or 2 as a side dish)