Tag: cooking

Pan-Seared Turkey Breast with a Saffron Cream Sauce

On By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn morocco, RecipesLeave a comment

Pan-Seared Turkey Breast with a Saffron Cream Sauce

Turkey is something that is very versatile and served year-round in many places where we have traveled, but here in the United States it seems to be reserved for holidays. For this particular recipe, we chose to use a deboned turkey breast with the skin on. We also seasoned it with saffron, which certainly reminded us of our time in Morocco.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Turkey Breast deboned with the skin on
  • 1 Shallot sliced thin
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 2 cups Turkey or Chicken Stock
  • 1/4 tsp Saffron
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • Cast-Iron Skillet

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat
  2. Add the turkey to the skillet skin-side down and reduce the heat to medium
  3. Cook for about 15 minutes until the skin is crispy and then flip the turkey breast over
  4. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees
  5. Remove the turkey from the pan, tent with aluminum foil and let rest while completing the sauce
  6. Add the shallot to the skillet and cook for a minute and then add the garlic and cook for a minute longer or until the shallot is tender
  7. Use a half cup of the broth to deglaze the skillet using a spoon and then add the rest of the broth and saffron. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  8. Add the cream, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute or two
  9. Cut the turkey into single serving portions, pour the sauce over the turkey and serve with angel hair pasta

Lamb Chops Marinated with Dijon Mustard and Herbs

On By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes1 Comment

We enjoy having many different varieties of lamb dishes, especially during our travels, whether it be leg of lamb, lamb biryani, rack of lamb, or in this case lamb chops. Some people find lamb to be a little “gamey”, but we enjoy the robust flavor and it can stand up to a variety of spices. This is a simple recipe and yet it is quite delicious. The key to lamb is to ensure that you get the temperature right because if it is over-cooked, it can become dry, but if it isn’t cooked to mid-rare it can be chewy. We served ours with oven roasted red potatoes and brussels sprouts, which made for perfect accompaniments. You can substitute dry herbs for the fresh herbs, but use fresh herbs if at all possible as it will taste much brighter. Many people have to have mint jelly with their lamb, but if you try this more savory version, you might never go back to the mint jelly. This recipe serves 2 people.

Mustard and Herbs

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Lamb Chops (about 1 lb)
  • 1/8 cup Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary – finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh Thyme
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Marinating the Lamb Chops

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the mustard, garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a bowl and thoroughly mix. Salt and pepper both sides of the lamb chops. Smother all sides of the lamb chops with the mustard and herb mixture, cover, and put in the refrigerator for an hour. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for another 30 minutes in order to finish marinating and so that it cooks more evenly. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and then cook the lamb chops for 4 to 5 minutes on one side, then flip. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes and then set the chops on their fat side (assuming that they are 3/4 to 1 inch thick) for another couple of minutes. Cook until the internal temperature is 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooking the Lamb Chops in a Cast-Iron Skillet
Lamb Chops with Roasted Red Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Delish Green Beans with Coconut

On By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Food, India, RecipesLeave a comment

Today we are featuring a post from our friends at A Global Affair who provide wonderful content on travel and delicious recipes.

Many moons ago, when my mom had to leave for India for an extended period of time to care for my grandfather, she wrote down a bunch of recipes of the staple, time honored dishes that my family from Kerala had served for generations in their kitchen. Before I had any money to buy any sort of cookbook, these recipes became my guidepost; a primer that ensured that I would carry on creating the tastes of my mother, grandmothers, aunts and more in my kitchen. Of course, in the rush to give me these recipes, mom sometimes missed writing exact quantities or an ingredient, but they were enough of a foundation to enable me to cook.

Beans Poduthol, also called as Thoran, is a simple dish of whatever veggies are on hand, some oil and spices and lots of freshly grated coconut. It is the kind of dish that is not only super yummy and healthy, but also makes me feel with every spoonful that all will be okay in this world.

Ingredients:

  • A pound of beans, washed, destringed and cut into small pieces
  • A tbsp of oil (traditionally coconut oil is used)
  • A tsp of mustard seeds
  • A tsp of urad dal (skip if you don’t have this, it adds crunch)
  • One or two dried red chili pods broken
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • Four tbsps freshly grated coconut
When I copied mom’s recipe into my first attempt at organizing recipes.

How to:

1. Heat oil in a pan.  Fry the mustard seeds, urad dal (if using) and dried chilly pods.  When the mustard seeds start popping, add the beans, turmeric powder, salt and cumin powder and toss well.

2. Cover and cook till the beans are cooked, yet crunchy (about 10-15 minutes).

3. Add the fresh coconut and toss a few times.

Enjoy!

PS. You can prepare cabbage, spinach, carrots, and raw bananas in a similar fashion.