My Recipe Box - Coconut Shrimp Air Fryer

 I've done coconut shrimp twice now, in the air fryer. The first time I used the Cuisinart recipe and substituted gluten free all purpose flour and they turned out well.

The second time I used a gluten free recipe and we used the air fryer. That recipe didn't use any breadcrumbs so I found they didn't get golden brown. This one had spices added so I decided to combine both recipes.

INGREDIENTS

½ pound shrimp

  ½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour gluten free or coconut 

1 large egg, beaten 

1 cup panko breadcrumbs gluten free

½ cup shredded coconut 
2 tablespoons lemon juice or lime
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
salt & black pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic sliced (optional)

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray 

Instructions

1. Shell & devein shrimp, if needed, leaving tails intact. Drizzle lemon or lime juice on shrimp. Season shrimp with salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper and cumin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Beat egg in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Place flour in zip lock plastic bag then season with salt and ground black pepper. Set aside.
4. Place dried coconut and bread crumbs on a plate and season with salt, ground black pepper and smoked paprika. Set aside.
5. Dredge seasoned shrimp in flour and shake off any excess particularly on the tail. Then dip in beaten egg.
6. Then coat with coconut and breadcrumbs.
7. Place the AirFryer Basket onto the Baking/Drip Pan. 
8. Coat the basket well with nonstick cooking spray and evenly lay out shrimp.
9. Airfry at 385 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

We are loving this bottled mango sauce from Metro

Thai sweet chili sauce

Here's an easy orange sauce.

Mix the ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until serving time.

½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup honey
¼ cup Dijon mustard
4 drops hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste

My Recipe Box - Stir fry sauce

 March 2021 - Toronto ON

I am loving my new stir fry pan.

 I have been doing a lot of stir fry vegetables lately with various combinations depending on what I have available.

I usually just finish the sautéing with a splash of soy sauce (gluten free) but I wanted something a little different. 

I searched around and looking at various recipes came up with this that worked well and tasted good. John even noticed that I had done something different with the vegetables.

This is so simple it seems almost silly to post this.

This would also be good with meat or fish, but I would double or triple the recipe.

I often use:

Bok choy

Broccolini

Onions

Mushrooms

Green peppers or other colours

Swiss chard is a new 2021 addition

Snow peas

Celery

I always top with scallions and sesame seeds black and white.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup soy sauce gluten free

Dash Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves minced

Chopped jalapenos optional
3 Tablespoons brown sugar or honey 
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish optional

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, chicken broth, sriracha and cornstarch.


Pour over veggies/meat and cook until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

My Recipe Box - Copycat Swiss Chalet Sauce

Weekend Potluck
What's for Dinner?
Full Plate Thursday


May 2020 - Toronto ON

In Quebec I grew up with St. Hubert chicken. It is a chain of Canadian casual dining restaurants.
The first restaurant opened in September 1951 on Saint Hubert Street in Montreal, just south of Beaubien street.

Image Source

It is a rotisserie chicken with fries, a bun and a dipping sauce, which is the main reason for its popularity. They serve other items but that is neither here nor there!

When we moved to Toronto St. Hubert was hard to find and now it is almost impossible.

We switched to Swiss Chalet. Swiss Chalet is a Canadian chain of casual dining restaurants founded in 1954 in Toronto, Ontario. The first Swiss Chalet (originally Chalet BBQ) restaurant, at 234 Bloor Street West in Toronto, operated for 52 years. 

I walked passed this for years until it closed in 2006 and then demolished for a condo development in 2009.

They started out focusing only on charcoal spit-roasted chicken. The founder, Maurice Mauran, was apparently inspired by a Swiss method of roasting chicken over charcoal on a turning spit.

The building featured exposed-beam ceilings in the Swiss chalet style.

Both companies sell their gravies as powdered mixes in Canadian retail supermarkets. The difference for us is that Swiss Chalet is gluten free.

It is an

I used the sauce to make hot chicken sandwiches, leftover homemade roast chicken on a slice of bread with the sauce poured over. Yes, I served it with green peas!

Image Source Kraft Canada

According to Wikipedia:

The hot chicken sandwich or simply "hot chicken" (Quebec French: sandwich chaud au poulet) is a type of chicken sandwich consisting of chicken, sliced bread, and gravy. The sandwich is usually served with green peas and commonly found in Eastern Canadian cuisine. It's especially popular in Quebec and is often considered one of the province's staple dishes. Since it is so commonly found in eateries of Quebec (Rôtisserie St-Hubert, Valentine, e.g.) and less seen outside the province, many Québécois regard it as a part of Quebec cuisine and believe it to have originated in the province.

Recipe Source 

My changes are in RED.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chicken broth I used homemade broth because I had it
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp mineral salt
1/2 tsp xylitol or brown sugar
1 tsp Frank's red hot sauce
1 tsp paprika DO NOT do what I did and substituted cayenne!!
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp xantham gum I used corn starch to thicken


INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan, except for the xanthan gum or corn starch. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in xanthan gum or corn starch until thickened. Serve as a dipping sauce with cooked chicken.

My Recipe Box - Onion Bhajis

I first made these using a recipe from A Saucy Kitchen. It has since evolved with additions from various sources.

UPDATED DECEMBER 2021 

Soaking the onions in water and using the onion water was added, I found this in most Indian recipes.

You can with make them like onion rings. I prefer just chopping them and then using a muffin pan to bake them.

I prefer to bake in the oven rather than deep-frying.

INGREDIENTS
2 white onions, sliced or chopped I have also added scallions and red onions 

3/4 cup | 105 grams garam flour/chickpea flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Ginger chopped finely

Garlic ground or powder

1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon juice
5-6 tablespoons water    
coconut oil for frying or your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and finely slice the onions. Cut each slice into 3cm pieces. Put the onions in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, mixing very well with clean hands. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. When ready to form the bhajis, squeeze the onions to release the water into the bowl. 

In the same bowl as the onions and water, place the flour, baking powder, salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, ginger, garlic, chili, cilantro, and lemon juice in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add more water if required.
Once you've got a thick batter, add the onions slices and stir to coat with the batter. I find this step is easiest if you just mix with your hands.
Heat a large wok on the stove top on a medium heat and melt enough coconut oil so that you've got about a half inch layer of oil.
Carefully drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil cooking about 3-4 bhajis at a time. Fry for about a minute on each side and then flip the bhajis to get the other side until golden. Remove each bhaji with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Continue until all of you batter in gone.

OR

Fill a muffin pan and bake for 40 minutes in a 375 oven.

DIPPING SAUCES

AVOCADO


1 ripe avocado, pitted and removed from skin
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2–1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 clove garlic

A pinch of cumin
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup water, more as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until
smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

GREEN CHUTNEY

1 large bunch cilantro (stems and leaves)
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons plain greek-style yogurt
1/2 – 1 whole serrano pepper, stem removed
2 cloves garlic
1 inch piece fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all the Green Chutney ingredients to the blender. Add the entire bunch of cilantro, stems and all. If you are sensitive to spice, use only half of the serrano pepper and remove the seeds. Pour in 1/4 cup water. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour the green chutney into a bowl and set aside.

TAMARIND

6 tbsp jaggery substitute sugar, dark sugar, agave but adjust starting with less as jaggery is less sweet
▢¼ cup water
▢1½ tbsp tamarind concentrate / paste
▢¼ tsp red chili powder
▢¼ tsp cumin powder
▢¼ tsp coriander powder
▢¼ tsp salt

In a small saucepan, add ¼ cup water and jaggery powder and turn the stove to medium heat. Within a minute or two the jaggery will begin to melt. Mix to melt completely.
Turn gas to low-medium and add the rest of the ingredients (tamarind concentrate and spices).
Mix and let simmer on low for 1-2 minutes to help the spices mix.
Let cool to serve at room temperature.

My Recipe Box - Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce

It's tomato season and I had so many, so I scouted out slow cooker recipes for tomato sauce and cobbled together this one.

Slow-Cooker Tomato Sauce

6 pounds of tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 – 8oz jar of organic tomato paste
1 and 1/2 tablespoons organic dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Some honey to sweeten
1/2 cup white wine or water
salt & pepper to taste

Dried chili flakes to taste


 In a slow-cooker, combine all ingredients and mix until everything is well-distributed  Turn the slow-cooker on low and allow to cook for 8 to 12 hours, mixing occasionally.

Some recipes placed the tomatoes in hot water to remove the skins.

Others stated that  removing the seeds from the tomatoes will prevent the sauce from turning bitter.

Many added brown sugar or white or honey to sweeten.