Posts filed under 'Presentation Ideas'
Simple Sprouts And Pomegrenate Salad With Citrus (Orange) Vinaigrette
Bean sprouts tossed with pomegranate, celery, bell peppers (capsicum) and dressed in a citrus vinaigrette makes for both an interesting salad and a filling for wraps. Sprouts do not have a very attractive taste but are abundant in vital nutrients, so it becomes tricky incorporating them into a healthy diet. The citrus dressing provides a sweet and tangy dressing with a hint of cayenne pepper in the back ground to kick it up a notch. And for all those brave hearts out there, using chili powder in the place of cayenne pepper may just be the right combination of sweet and spice. This post also features an edible presentation tip that would work for all seasons.
Makes: 4 Salad servings
How long: 7 mins
Pots and pans: Bowl to mix salad.
Ingredients:
4 cups of ANY sprouts (rinsed, drained and completely devoid of moisture*)
1 cup of fresh pomegranate
1/2 cup of finely chopped celery
1/3 cup of finely chopped bell peppers (capsicum)
1 Orange
1/4 cup Orange juice
2 Tbsp Olive oil or any salad oil
1 tsp Cayenne pepper or chili powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
Salt as per taste
How to make
Cut the orange into two halves. Slice each half into thin slices. Mix orange juice, chili powder (or cayenne pepper), cumin powder and a pinch of salt. Drizzle oil into this mixture while stirring vigorously with a beater (non- electric) or a fork. Gather the ingredients for the salad. Look up the MTS post on how to peel pomegranate if you are not familiar with the process. Toss the sprouts with chopped celery, cilantro and bell peppers. At the time of serving, toss the salad with just enough dressing to make the salad wet. Plate the orange slices near the rim of the serving platter and then place the salad in the center (as shown in the photo).
Note: The key to a well done salad is the balance in ingredients (texture) and taste. Dressing being an integral part of a salad, add only a little bit at a time. Toss the salad completely until it is wet and there is no dressing collected at the bottom of the bowl. Serve additional dressing on the side.
Make it Fast, Fun, and Facile! – Sri
Tips, tricks and alternatives
If you have left over of this salad, drain the salad and get rid of any excess moisture(dressing). Keep the drained salad in the fridge. Wrap the salad in whole grain tortilla for a healthy snack or break fast next day. Make sure the salad is devoid of any excess moisture.
Left over sprout salad can also be added to any stir-fry or a curry while cooking.
If you would like to use fresh squeezed orange juice then place an orange in the microwave for 10 seconds. This will help with softening the orange a little and help extracting all the juice.
Using this salad as a filling for wraps:
This salad can be mixed with roasted baby carrots or sauteed/roasted potatoes or cooked rice or rice noodles for a very filling wrap.
Add comment April 27, 2009
Dessert coffee
Coffee after dinner is always a great way to end the night. A dessert coffee drink can be even better. Making a pot of fresh coffee? Well, make it a lot more interesting and make it even an alternate for a dessert drink. This recipe is a very simple, delicious and packs a whole lot of coffee flavor. Your guests are sure to be impressed with its look, taste and its simplicity.
Kind of food: Drink
Makes: 2 drinks
How long: 5 min – 10 min
Pots and Pans: Blender and coffee mugs
Ingredients
1 cup coffee ice cream
1 cup freshly brewed coffee (or instant coffee dissolved in warm water)
1/2 cup Kahlua (coffee liquor) (optional)
Whipped Cream ( a can of instant whipped cream)
Cocoa to dust
How to make
In a blender place the ice cream, brewed coffee and kahlua liquor. Blend till smoot and slightly frothy. Pour into a cappuccino or coffee mug. Top with whipped cream and dust with cocoa. If the drink its a bit warm then chill or pour over some ice. tip: You can cool the brewed coffee for a few mintues if you wanted the drink a lot cooler.
Serving ideas
Serve with Dark chocolate to compliment the flavors
Tips, tricks and alternatives
For non-alcoholic option – skip the Kahlua and add little extra coffee for more flavor.
For a Mocha feel to this drink, use chocolate ice cream instaed of coffee ice cream.
For kids or decaf versions – use vanilla ice cream with some decaf coffee and skip the Kahlua.
Add comment April 16, 2009
Egg souffles in ham shells
Eggs is often thought of as a boring yet essential breakfast material. Eggs can be very interesting and can also make some great looking quick meals. Try this recipe to make a brunch or breakfast a lot more interesting to look and to eat! This recipe can be modified to suit people that do not eat meat. Read more to find out how easy yet good looking & lip-smacking recipe this can be.
Kind of food: Main course
How long: 20 min
Pots & pans: Muffin baking tray or baking cups
Makes: 4 shells
Ingredients
4 slices Honey baked ham (or 4 slices bread)
4 eggs
1/2 cup mushrooms – sliced
Salt & pepper
How to make:
Set the oven on Bake at 375F. While the oven is warming up, grease a muffin pan or baking cups (ramekins will work too). In a pan, saute the mushrooms for a 2-3 min with olive oil. Season the mushroom with salt and pepper. Take the Ham slice or bread (sprinkle a tiny bit of water on the bread to make it more pliable) Like the baking cup or muffin tray with the slice of ham or bread. Make sure they make a cup like shape inside the muffin cups. Place about 1 tbsp of the sauteed mushroom inside the ham. Break an egg into the ham cup as well. Season with salt and pepper. After you prepare all the cups, cover them then foil. Bake for 15 min. Open, check if the eggs are done and you can optional sprinkle some cheese and bake for another 5 min or till cheese melts, leave them open this time. Cool the shells slightly and carefully dish them out on to plates.
Make it Fast, Fun, and Facile! – Sri
Serving ideas
In the time the shells are baking, you can set up the coffee, tea, toast and some fruits to complete the breakfast table.
Tips, tricks and alternatives
You can try this recipe and technique with different sliced meats, breads and even puff pastry sheets.
Play with the fillings and try it with other vegetables, spinach or anything if your choice.
This is a great way to use up some of that leftover Ham or other meats from big dinners.
Add comment March 2, 2009
Valentine’s dinner for two in under an hour
Making a special dinner for two is not a daunting task if the plan for it is fail proof. This post offers one such menu idea which includes recipes that are very hard to mess up 
.
Beverage: Champagne/or any wine (MTS suggests a Sauvignon blanc or a merlot)
Appetizer: Brie n poppy aphrodisiac cups
First course: Easy gourmet valentine’s salad
Second course:Cilantro lime grilled fish or cilantro lime grilled portobello served with almond and raisin couscous.
Dessert: Chocolate Martini
IMPORTANT NOTE: This party post is a guideline on how to gear up with several recipes in a short amount of time. The time indicated will not be accurate for all users. Each of us work on a different pace. Please consider this as guideline on how multiple recipes can be prepared at the same time to save time and energy. Also take note of the serving sizes of each individual recipe and scale it according to your party size. You could always divide this menu among friends and family and host your MTS inspired event. Please send us feedback on such MTS inspired events
Please click here for the shopping list for this dinner menu.
Phase 1 (15 minutes)
Remove phyllo cups from the casing and set it aside for the appetizer. Marinate the fish with 1 tsp of lemon juice and salt for 10 minutes. In the mean time, grind to a smooth paste in a blender cilantro, jalapeno pepper, garlic, ginger and lime juice. Drain the 1st marindae (salt + lemon juice) off the fish and apply the ground paste evenly all over the fish. Let it marinate for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Boil water for couscous. Set out the ingredients for the salad.
Phase 2: (15 minutes)
Pour boiling hot water into the cousocous. Mix it, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Caramelize pecans in the microwave. Toss spinach with mandarin oranges and butter beans. Set pecans and feta cheese aside. Slice the brie (or cream cheese) into 0.75″X0.75″ pieces that will fit in the phyllo cups (for the appetizer). Place washed and towel dried raspberries on top of the cheese. Set this aside. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and mix in the almonds and raisins. Keep th couscous covered until serving time. Set out the ingredients for the chocolate martini.
Make the chocolate mixture for the martini: In a microwave warm up the chocolate syrup and milk in a coffee mug until the chocolate syrup and milk are completely homogeneous with each other( 30 seconds – 1 minute).
Phase 3 (7 minutes)
Add corn starch to the marinated fish. Heat a nonstick pan or a cast iron pan with 1 tsp oil. Place the fish gently on the pan. DO NOT MOVE it for at least one minute. After 2 minutes turn the fish to cook on the other side. Cook both fillets or both mushroom caps the same way.Keep the fish warm (covered) in 200 F oven.
Phase 4 (5 minutes before serving)
Drizzle 1 tsp of salad dressing on the raspberries just before serving. Set out the salad and toss it with with the dressing (or serve it on the side). Pour in the bubbles (or wine) and wait to surprise your special some one.
Make it Fast, Fun, and Facile! – Sri
Add comment February 11, 2009
Rimming glasses
Salt or sugar rimmed glasses appear very fancy to serve cocktails. They are so easy and do NOT really require any of the fancy kits sold on market. All you need are four components
1. Moisture layer to adhere the salt or sugar
2. Granular layer like salt, sugar, flavored and/or colored salt or sugar
3. A plate to work.
4. Glassware that needs to be rimmed
Step 1. Prepare the granular layer on a plate.
You could arrange one of the following choices in a plate or shallow plate ( 2 Tbsp per glass)
1. Spread kosher salt (for margarita) on a plate
2. Mix cocoa powder and sugar in a ratio of 2:1 (1 part cocoa to 1 part sugar) on a plate for chocolate or sweet cocktails
3 Flavored salt/sugar : Crystallized ginger – minced crystalline ginger and kosher salt (1:1 ratio)
Step 2. Moistening the rims of the glass
Hold the glassware and moisten ONLY THE EXTERNAL EDGES (the outer side) using one of the following methods
1. The easiest way to moisten the rims of a glass is to rub a lemon/lime wedge on the rim of the glass
2. While lemon or lime cannot work for all cocktails (like milky or chocolate cocktails) it is easy to create the moisture layer by simply rubbing a liquor like kahlua or other liquor that will used in the cocktail.
Step 3. Rubbing the granular layer
Hold the stemware on top of the plate (with the granular layer) parallel to the plate (the working surface). Now slowly in a steady speed rub the outer moistened surface of the glass on the granular layer. Tap the stem of the glass to shake of any excess. And that is how a glass is rimmed!
Make it Fast, Fun, and Facile! – Sri
Add comment February 5, 2009
