I GO CRAZY WHEN I HEAR THE WORD...

"CORN FLORENTINE"

I still remember the first time, Shalini(my best frnd) compelling me with a spoon full of this (never heard of dish) corn florentine, forcing me to taste it atleast once and then, poor gal, she had to order another one for herself after that! lol! And now, u ask me wat's my favourite continental dish, everybody who knows me well wud shout out this name 'corn florentine'.
Shalini, This is a really special post dedicated to you dear(lol). Among the so many very-spl-moments that we've had together trying out new dishes at new places, EDEN and corn florentine will always bring a smile on my face and ofcourse YOU for "all the .......memories" associated wid eden! :P :P

Anyways, here's some real gud stuff about the place and dish for ur information!

Eden,

Harrisons Hotel,

Nungambakkam

Tel: 42222777

This one’s not for those on a diet. Or, for someone trying to go on one. The Corn Florentine celebrates everything cheese. Nuggets of crisp corn and fragrant spinach fight for space in this creamy baked dish.

The base is made of cream, milk, butter (lots if it) and flour and once the corn and spinach go in, it is gratinated with cheese. The end result is a glorious stand-alone dish that makes for great comfort food. It is served with plain toast. And, Indianising this Continental dish a bit is the addition of garlic and pepper. If you are terribly health-conscious, they do a version with brown sauce! Also available at the Besant Nagar (24460777) and Anna Nagar (26221010) branches.

@suda: dont forget to try this next time! :)

TIFFIN READY :)

Well, we have something tasty and easy-to-make recipe in today's menu :

CORN PAKODAS

Corn Pakodas are the great appetizers that can have at tea time. Its easy, crispy and delicious to have. With very simple flavours, they are great and can be also have along with ketchup or salsa. Do try this snack delight and enjoy ur evening.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 2 chopped onions
• 1 egg
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
• 1 tsp chopped green chilli
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Oil to fry
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 cup makai ka atta
• Chopped dhania patta

METHOD:

To sweet corn, add onions, ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder, salt & pepper.

Mix these ingredients along with baking powder & egg. Add the flour & makai ka atta to the mixture.

Mix well & add dhania patta for taste. Wet your palms & shape the dough into balls.

Fry pakodas in hot oil on low flame till red. Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

WHAT'S ON TODAY's MENU # 2

It is delicious! I used just one chilli pepper, and found it gently spicy. I also added some lime juice for a little extra flavor. This is a 5-minute recipe, especially if you use frozen corn.

Slicing the kernels off the cob can get a little messy, though. I managed to do it :)

Spicy Corn with Mustard Seeds

makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 to 8 ears corn (or use 4 cups thawed frozen corn)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 or 2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• 1 -2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, to taste

METHOD:

1. Slice kernels off corn, if using fresh.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat, add mustard seeds, and cover. When seeds stop popping, lower heat to medium and add chiles; stir 30 seconds.

3. Stir in turmeric. Add corn and salt to taste. Toss, turn heat to low, cover, and cook until corn is tender, about 5 minutes (cook frozen corn about 1 minute). Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve warm.

WHAT'S ON TODAY's MENU # 1

RECIPE : VEGETABLE CHILLI

From “The New Basics Cookbook” by Julee Rosso and Sheila LukinsHave a pot of chili ready when everyone comes over to watch the Super Bowl. This vegetable chili is just as gutsy as any made with meat. Everyone will love it!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup olive oil2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice4 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice1 can (35 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder1 tablespoon ground cumin1 tablespoon dried basil1 tablespoon dried oregano2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon fennel seeds1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained1 cup canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained1/2 cup chopped fresh dill2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 cup sour cream2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese4 scallions (green onions), white bulb and 3 inches green, sliced on the diagonal

METHOD:

1.Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, and sauté until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large flameproof casserole or dutch oven.

2.Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Sauté until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole, along with the oil remaining in the skillet.

3.Place the casserole over low heat. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and parsley. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes.

4.Stir in the kidney beans, chick-peas, dill and lemon juice; cook for another 15 minutes. Stir well, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced scallions alongside.

Here's a cool take on the ubiquitous soup...check it out

Like all whole grains, whole wheat is a very good source of fibre as well as manganese and the amino acids. If you have a wheat allergy, substitute barley, which provides celenium, copper and phosphorous. And the below mentioned recipe serves six!

INGREDIENTS:

• Barley : 1/3 cup
• water : 2 cups
• salt : to tase
• finely diced cucumber : 1 cup
• plain low fat yogurt or butter milk : 5 cups
• ripe but firm tomatoes : 2
• celery stalk (small) : 1
• garlic pod finely minced or pureed with a little salt in a mortar : 1
• lemon juice : 2 tbsp
• cumin seeds toasted and ground : 2 tsp
• ground pepper : to taste
• fresh mint leaves : 2 tbsp

METHOD:

Heat a heavy medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the barley. Stir or shake in the pan unitil it smells toasty, about five minutes. Add the water and salt (to taste) and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 45 mins. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

While the barley is cooking, place the cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss and place in a strainer set over the bowl. Allow to drain for 30 mins. Rinse well and drain on paper towels.

Combine all the ingredients except the mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for an hour or longer. Serve, garnishing each bowl with the mint leaves.

MADLY IN LUV WITH BLOGGING :P

Hi to every one reading this !

This blog of mine was created long back but i din't do much to keep it updated, Though i call it my FIRST BLOG :)

I hav recently started writing posts on different recipies that i come accross, in THIS BLOG. So i just thought that my other blog space cud be utilized for foodies and other eat-out related posts thereby making it active!

Hope u guyz will like it! I would be glad if u leave ur comments wen ever u drop in! thank u!

MEALS THAT HEAL.......!

SOUP SO SPECIAL....

Hello people...i am here with another recipe today and i'm sure this is going to be something that you wouldn't hav tried before! It is called the "PEARS AND CELERIAC SOUP"

Read more to know what and how it is made!

INGREDIENTS:

• Celeriac, peeled and chopped - 400 gm
• onion chopped - 50gm
• garlic - 30gm
• olive oil - 15ml
• ripe pears, thinly sliced - 2
• bay leaf - 5gm
• salt and pepper to taste
• cream - 50 gm
• chives - 50gm

METHOD:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Fry the onion and garlic until they turn translucent. Add the celeriac to the pan and cook for further five mins stirring occasionally.

Add some vegetable stock, pear slices and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and blend the soup in a food processor. Return it to the pan and heat it gently. Season and stir in a little cream to taste. Sprinkle chopped chives and serve!

MORE ON CELERIAC:

Well, most of you would not have heard this veggie called celeriac. Or rather, i actually didn't know that there was something like this until i googled about it. So i though it wud be an informative post along with the recipe :)

Celeriac is a vegetable that is a member of the celery family, however only its root is used for cooking purposes. Also known as celery root, knob celery, and turnip rooted celery, it tastes similar to a blend of celery and parsely.

It has a tough furrowed outer surface, usually sliced off before use as it is too rough to peel. It is often used as a flavouring in soups and stews and can also be used in baked dishes.

Celeriac contains no cholestral or fat and provides an excellent source of dietery fibre. Because of its taste and consistency, it is a flavourful addition to low calorie meals.

So pals, hope this post was really informative and interesting!

CHEERS!

PINEAPPLE, ANYONE?

It may look intimidating but once you get past its prickly exterior, you'll be hooked!

The words nana and anana both mean "excellent fruit" in the language of the tupi indians of Brazil, where the pineapple originated. And sir Walter Raleigh called it the "Princess of fruits" but when sailors returning to Europe managed to grow pineapples and presented one to Charles V , "he refused it with characteristic hesitency to touch it".

Well it does look like an intimidating creature, and peeling and cutting one is so daunting that i rarely do.

This post is about a small easy recipe with the princess of fruits as its main ingredient..check it out :)

PINEAPPLE CHILLI SALSA

(make about two cups)

• 2 cups pineapple, peeled cored and coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp gur or sugar dissolved in a spoon of water
• 3 spring onions finely chopped
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 2 tsp chopped fresh corriander
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Toss all these ingredients together in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes to blend flavours. Salsa can be made a day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

yummy......isnt it? :)