I love-love-love yams any way you can cook them but this is a really cool way.
- 4 medium yams, scrubbed clean
- 4-6 bacon slices,
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 tbsp. butter, divided
- 4 tbsp. pure maple syrup for drizzling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prink each yam with a fork and wrap tightly in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until they are fork tender. (35-45 minutes). Make a large X across the top of each one and scoop out the flesh carefully. Do not break the shell apart.
Cook the bacon until crisp and chop finely. Set aside.
Mix together the yam flesh and butter. Spoon back into the shell and top with a dollop of sour cream, bacon bits and drizzle maple syrup over each one.
Oh my goodness these are wonderful. Serve with a favourite fish or steak dish and a crisp salad. What more could you ask for?
Halibut With Mushrooms and Pickled Jalapenos
I’m good until the jalapenos…my lips would swell too much if I ate them but, please, go for it.
- 5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 2 cups mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- pinch of pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 jalapenos (recipe follows)
- 6 x 4 oz. halibut fillets
Heat 4 tbsp. oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are done but not brown (5 minutes). Stir in the mushrooms, stock, salt, vinegar, thyme, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and be sure to remove the thyme and bay leaves. Add the pickled jalapenos and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
Heave a heavy bottomed fry pan over medium heat. Add the remaining oil and as soon as it begins to sizzle, add the fillets, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook, turning only once, until browned (2 minutes each side). Carefully remove the halibut to individual deep set plates or bowls. Divide the broth and vegetables among the bowls and serve immediately.
Pickled Jalapenos
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp. whole peppercorns
- 1/2 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 lb. jalapeno peppers
Add all the ingredients, except the peppers, to a medium sized saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Now….wearing gloves, slice the jalapenos into 1/4 inch rings. Add to the brine and bring back to the boil. Turn off the heat and let these cool down to room temperature. Pour into a glass container with a tight lid and refrigerate until ready to use. These will keep for a month if refrigerated.
This can be paired with a Sauvignon Blanc or a fire extinguisher. Just kidding!
Barbecue Rib-Eye With a HOT Pepper Relish
Spring is almost here ( at least it has warmed up in most of our Country) and everyone is dusting off the barbecue. This will be a great start to the season. Oh yeah…keep the fire extinguisher handy for your mouth…it is a HOT relish.
Hot Pepper Relish
- 1 cup bell pepper (any colour), seeded and cut into strips
- 1 cup Banana pepper, seeded and cut into strips
- 1 cup Habanero peppers, seeded and cut into strips
- few drops Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup Vidalia onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients in a large heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until desired consistency. Stir often so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Remove from heat and cool down to room temperature. Pour into a sealable canning jar and refrigerate.
This will keep for about 3-4 weeks. Make this ahead of the day you want to barbecue.
Rib Eye Steaks
- 2 rib-eye steaks about 1 inch thick * Could have left-overs or cut in half and serve 4
- olive oil for brushing on the steaks
- Hot Pepper relish
- 1-2 avocados, peeled and cut into a small dice
- bowl of baby potatoes, cooked and kept warm
Remove steaks from the refrigerator at least 60 minutes before cooking. Lightly oil steaks and place on a medium-high barbecue. After 3-4 minutes, turn the steaks over (5 minutes if cooking to medium rare).
Transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest. Prepare the avocado. Place the steaks on 2 pre-warmed plates and top with the relish and avocado. Serve with the new potatoes. Optional”: Sour cream to cool down the heat on the relish.
Five Ways To Use Hot Peppers For Snacks
For those of you who can eat these peppers, here are five different variations you can serve at your next football or hockey gathering.
Recipe for pickling jalapeno peppers
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 14 cup water
- 1 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 8 oz. jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, lengthwise
Boil everything together except the peppers. Stuff the jars with peppers and ladle the vinegar into sterilized jars. Seal and let stand overnight before using. Can be refrigerated up to 1 month. Now go ahead with the recipes.
Jalapeno Stuffed Peppers
- 10 pickled Jalapeno peppers
- 2 slices bacon
- 3 tbsp. cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Seed the peppers. Cook the bacon until crisp and then finely chop.
Stir in the cream cheese with the mint. Stuff the peppers with the mint mixture and top with the chopped bacon. Broil on a baking sheet for 1-3 minutes. Serve warm.
Pickled Chilies
- 7 oz. red chili peppers
- 2 shallots, cut in half
- 2 slices bacon
- 3 tbsp. cream cheese
- 2 tbsp. chopped, finely, cilantro
Seed the chilies, add the shallots to the bacon and cook making sure not to burn the shallots. Remove from the heat and chop fine.
Mix together the cream cheese and cilantro well. Stuff the chilies with the cheese mixture, top with the bacon shallot mixture. Broil on a baking sheet for 1-2 minutes.
Pickled Pepper Caesar
- 2 cups Clamato juice, chilled
- 1/2 cup Vodka
- 1/4 cup pickled pepper brine
- Lemon rounds, thinly sliced
- saucer with celery salt for rimming glass
- 1 celery stalk each glass
- 1-2 pickled jalapeno peppers, each glass for garnish
Stir the Clamato juice with the vodka and brine along with the lemon rounds in a large pitcher filled with ice cubes. Rim glasses with celery salt and pour the mixture into each glass. Garnish with a celery stalk and a pickled pepper.
Pickled Banana Pepper Caesar
- 8 oz. banana peppers, seeded
- 1 tbsp. pickling spice
- 1/4 cup pickling brine
Mix these together and use instead of the jalapeno peppers in the above recipe.
Pickled Scotch Bonnets
(be sure to warn your guests on this one)
- 5 oz. scotch bonnet peppers, seeded
- 4 bay leaves
Add these to a jar of scotch bonnets and use in either the Caesar drink or as the stuffed peppers, making sure to remove the jalapeno or banana peppers to continue with the recipes.
Note: Be sure to wear rubber gloves when working with the peppers and do not touch your eyes.
Hot Crab And Cheese Spread
Wanting a new dip for veggies at your party? This would be a great ‘new’ one to serve one and all.
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 oz. really sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 8 oz. crab meat, check for cartilage first and remove
- 1/4 cup chopped pimento
- 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- hot sauce to taste
- pinch of coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups rustic bread cubes (from a French bread loaf, crusts removed)
- fresh vegetables such as celery sticks, cucumber spears, etc.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whip the cream cheese until very soft and smooth. Add the cheddar and 1/2 cup mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice, salt and a drop or two of hot sauce (to taste). Spoon into two 14 oz. baking dishes, dividing evenly.
Stir together the bread and remaining 2 tbsp. mayonnaise. Top the spread with the bread mixture, dividing evenly. Bake on a baking dish until bubbling (about 25 minutes). Serve immediately with the vegetables.