29
Jul
2010

Food you don’t want to miss in London.

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Ask Restaurant. South Kensington st.

 

I don’t mind traveling back to UK just to eat this pizza again. it has just the right amount of cheese and tomato sauce. Topped with 4 different types of filfil =). roasted bell peppers, crushed chili peppers, fresh red chili peppers and something blended with the tomato sauce.. I think it was Tabasco but I’m not sure.. if you love spicy food, give it a shot :)

 

Strada Restaurant. Kensington High St.

I went into a seafood coma right there. voices started to fade out, and I couldn’t smell anything other than the sweet aroma of this dish. and I unconsciously did my “I’m happily stuffed” dance. the only think that was left from this fish was the head and bones.. just like what you see in cartoons heh.  YES it was that good!

It’s a poached trout, belly nicely cleaned and stuffed with rosemary and onions. drenched in butter, parsley and infused with the flavor of those gorgious olives. the only thing I would change is the boiled tomato slices. if I’m ever going to make this dish, I’d substitute them with oven roasted tomatoes. YUM!

My friends ordered pizzas. were amazing as well.. Thin crispy crust and very fresh ingredients. Their garlic bread was to die for.. didn’t even have the time to take a picture <3

 

Buttercup cupcakes. Read the rest of this entry »

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28
Jul
2010

Roasted Red Bell Peppers.

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If you haven’t tried it before, then you’re missing a whole bunch of new flavors.

If you have, then you’ll understand why is it special to me.

–

I do not like eating bell peppers in any dish, unless they’re roasted.. they become all soft, glossy and sugary. Just amazing!

It can be eaten alone with a light tangy sauce, wrapped around feta cheese and herbs, puréed and added to tomato sauces, in salads or pastas. Very versatile. Mix it with any dish and it will give it  an extra oomph.

Here’s how you start,

Place the bell peppers on open fire. Keep turning it until it turns black.

Place it in a small bag or a plate covered with plastic wrap. Let it cool Read the rest of this entry »

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24
Jul
2010

Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd’s Pie

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I cannot believe how much time it took me to finish this dish! all you got to do is put the meat in a skillet, mix it up with spices and herbs, boil potatoes, mash them and place them on top of the meat and you’re done :) easy and delicious.

It took me a whole week to finish this pie. I placed the meat in the fridge for two days. Day 3, I cooked the meat. Day 5, I boiled the potatoes. Day 6, put the meat back on the heat to add what’s missing. Today is day 7, I’ll finally eat the pie for dinner :)

I believe I redefined the term slow cooking ;)

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Today’s dish is very easy, all kids adore it. I’ll leave gordon ramsey to explain how its done :), followed the same recipe with different ratios. I didn’t add as much olive oil as he did and added less stock and ofcourse no red wine. the rosemary really did make a difference.

tip: if you find the mashed potatoes a bit dry, add skimmed milk to the mixture. you decide whether you want more meat or more potato in the dish.

 

Bon Appetit!

Basma.

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16
Jul
2010

Coffee Infused Crepe with Nutella Filling

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I never really liked crepe, up until I went to an amazing crepe house in my trip to UK. there was something about the banana and nutella mix that made me feel home. Turned out that it was my favorite dish when I was 3 years old. my dad used to stay in a really long line in Germany just to get me this delicious chocolate treat :)

here’s my way of saying I miss home:

 

Ingredients:

  1. 2 shots of espresso, or half a cup of instant coffee. I <3 nespresso *hugs* :)

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11
Jul
2010

Apple Pear Pie

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Can’t believe I’m Cooking again. So excited :)

Vol Au Vent shells.. I’ve had those shells for more than 2 months. everytime I think about using them I return them back again to the freezer and try something else. I was talking to my friend and she told me that she’s coming now and she wants tea and something nice and sweet. so I decided to give them a try.

its a puff pastry hexagonal peice that’s hollowed in the middle. When its baked, the whole thing puffs up leaving a hollow space in the middle for you to stuff it with any sweet or savoury filling you want. I made tiny pie like desserts with them. Turned out just perfect! loved them even more the next time when all the sauce got absorbed by the puff pastry.

 

 

alright, so I just opened the fridge and started assembling what might go along together, building the taste as we go.

 

Ingredients:

  1. 3 pears

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09
Jul
2010

Don’t judge me, judge my imaginative brain.

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first of all I’m back from my trip :), it was a great trip filled with shopping. came back with 2 lomography camera’s that I literally can’t wait to try (1 fisheye and 1 mini Diana) and some cook books. one of the highlights of my trip was slipping and doing a back flip with high heels. morale of the story: never wear high heels anywhere other than your home :)

OK, let’s get down to business!

I have a confession to make. I’ve seen an image last year that’s haunting me till this day. I can’t stop thinking about how it would taste like but I’m afraid to try it. we’ve all eaten, at least once in our lives a sweet and sour Chinese dish, or pineapple glazed steak or apricot glazed chicken or whatever. all I know is, MEAT TASTES GREAT WITH A SUGARY GLAZE. something very subtle, nothing over the top.. but the hint of sugar makes everything great.. example: Ketchup, BBQ sauces and balsamic vinegar glaze.

back to the picture :)

here it is: (hiding behind the screen, eyes all shut)

 

look at all the grease. I’d try it with a lean burger, matured cheddar cheese, lettuce, mustard, my burger sauce and a donut, cut in half and crisped. (hides behind screen again).

Won’t even think about counting calories.. am I the only one who finds it interesting to experiment?

Unless you’re looking for clogged arteries by the age of 30, don’t humor me and try it. ;)

Basma.

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27
Jun
2010

Our Chicken Liver, lebneh mix!

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I’m on a tight schedule, therefore i thought of the quickest way to give you 13cups.com readers something really juicy and delicious to make. its a 15-20 minute recipe to cook, and its so easy to make and follow.

you need to have the following

  1. chicken liver –  per product preference
  2. a pinch of salt and pepper
  3. olive oil – italian or french, its better than the heavy other ones – a small drizzle Read the rest of this entry »

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23
Jun
2010

French Burgers with an Italian Twist

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Hello 13cups.com readers and followers. i’m a bit excited that i’m writing my first post at 13cups.com. Basma is out of the country right now, but I will do my best to try to substitute her in the time being.

ilmuhim, i hope you enjoy it. Fawaz Al-Yaqout who’s one of my good friends and who’s also a photographer said its good but there is something missing! thank you Fawaz for helping me 9ara7a on short notice, i wouldn’t have been abled to post it without you.

INGREDIENTS

20g Butter

150g onion, finely chopped

1 kilo minced beef, i got new zealand 25% fat beef

1 tsp fresh oregano chopped

1 tsp Parsley chopped or as desired

2 egg, beaten

A pinch of salt and black pepper as much or as little as needed

semi sun dried tomatoes + mushrooms – processed to become a spread

Gorgonzola cheese which is the italian version of blue cheese.

French dijon mustard

balsamic vinegar

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the onion. Fry over a gentle heat until the onion is soft and very pale golden. Leave to cool.

2. Mix the mince with the herbs and egg, and then season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, and mix.

3.  then shape into hamburgers. each hamburger make it in to two slices and put the blue cheese in as a filling then close the edges. Heat the grilling pan and cook the burgers for several minutes on each side, you can drizzle some olive oil if you want on top of the burger while grilling it.

4. while grilling the burgers, split the bun horizontally. spread one side with the french dijon mustard and the other side with the  ’mixed-mushroom-sun dried tomato- paste’. put the patty inside the bun, drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top of the patty, add letuce, close it. and then enjoy the taste.

please put a very small amount of blue cheese inside of the burger.

the mustard can be changed if you don’t like the sharp taste of the dijon mustard

Bon Apetit,

Raz

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21
Jun
2010

Raz, welcome to 13Cups.

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Hey guys!

I’m going on a trip to UK for two weeks starting from today. got so many restaurants to visit and couple of fromage places. will document everything in pictures and post them when I return back home :)

Raz, the youngest and most talented foodie in the family will take my place until I come back.

Have a blast Raz! I know I will :)

Basma.

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19
Jun
2010

How to peel a boiled egg

7 Comments

 

 

 

how to peel a hard boiled egg

 

I want to try this! =)

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