Pineapple glazed chicken

• Ingredients
  1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup 1/4-inch cubes fresh pineapple
• 3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canned sliced jalapeño chillies, drained, coarsely chopped
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (1 3/4 pounds total)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until glaze has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix pineapple, red pepper, cilantro, onion, and chillies in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Line baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on sheet and brush with glaze. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze, then broil until cooked through and golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.

Spoon salsa over chicken and serve.

MONGOLIAN BEEF

 

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon ginger (minced)
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
½ cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green onions (sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
Oil (for frying)

Preparation

Step 1: To make the sauce- in a sauce pan heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir fry 10 seconds. Add soy sauce, wine and water. Add brown sugar and dissolve into the sauce. Add red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 2: Slice the flank steak against the grain into ¼” thick slices. Tilt the knife blade at a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak to get wider cuts. Toss the steak slices with cornstarch and let the beef sit for 10 minutes (this is very important, do not skip).
Step 3: Heat up about a cup of oil in your wok to about medium heat. Add the beef slices to the wok and cook for 3 minutes (or use a deep fryer).

Step 4: Remove the meat from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain all of the oil from the wok expect about a tablespoon. Add onions to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the steak back to the wok and pour in the sauce. Cook while stirring until the sauce began to bubble.
(Makes 2 Servings)

HOT & SPICY BEEF SALAD

Ingredients

2 x 100g sirloin steaks, trimmed
a little vegetable oil for brushing
100g/ 4oz green beans, trimmed
75g/ 3oz cucumber, deseeded
3 small tomatoes, quartered
handful coriander leaves
1 (150g) bag Bistro style leaves (eg Red Chard, beetroot
and lamb’s lettuce)
For the dressing:
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 tsp caster sugar

Method

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the steak on both sides with the oil, then season well. Cook under the hot grill for 8-10 mins, turning once until the steak is cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for 3 mins, before slicing.

Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3 mins or until just tender. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Cut the cucumber into thick slices then mix with the beans, tomatoes and coriander leaves. Scatter over the salad leaves.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Toss the vegetables, sliced steak and salad leaves together and divide between two plates. Drizzle a little dressing over each, and serve straight away.

Cooks tip: As an extra why not serve this recipe with crusty bread.

Been Too Long

It has been a year since I last posted on this blog. Many things have happened in the meantime. Three of my internet friends have sadly died and I have had a few health scares myself. Wendell is all all grown up now and my little granddaughter is growing fast.I am inserting a couple of photos to show the changes. Off to prepare lunch after.