I don’t know if some of you can relate, but some dishes get me confused as to how I will be serving them and how I prefer to eat them. With or without cheese on top? Do I melt the cheese before or put it on top as a final touch and enjoy a stronger taste? Do I mix the caramelized onions in or do I just let them add a crispy taste with each bite? So confusing, don’t you think? Continue Reading “How To Make An Irresistible Spaghetti Bolognese”
Tag: dinner
One-Pot Dinners: Chicken and Rice
Yesterday marked the first day of fall. Although the heat is still on and humidity is more stable than ever, this date instantly makes me think about cooler temperatures, fresh air and a light cardigan.
I’ve been looking at recipes lately and I find myself drawn to soups and comfort food. This year, I have come to the decision of making more and more one-pot dinners. I collaborated with Bibayti to create recipes for Happy – the supermarket chain. Here’s a simple and inexpensive chicken and rice (in one pot the whole time, I promise!). Stay tuned for warm food and new recipes throughout the new season! Continue Reading “One-Pot Dinners: Chicken and Rice”
Night in the Kitchen Part I – Crab Tartare
When my parents decided to “hire” us to cook for them and their friends, we were more than happy to comply. They’ve all been amazing at supporting our food adventures and I admit it was quite touching for them to trust us with a seated dinner of 15 people in their fifties (i.e. quite picky and not easy to satisfy). The dinner ended up being an absolute hit in the dining room and crazy fun in the kitchen! Not only were we full of adrenaline and couldn’t believe we were making it happen, but we also had excellent company! Continue Reading “Night in the Kitchen Part I – Crab Tartare”
Light Pizza for Dinner on Election Day
Last night resembled the night we waited to know if we passed our baccalaureate. That was 12 years ago. Continue Reading “Light Pizza for Dinner on Election Day”
Fresh Avocado Toast for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
As some of you might have noticed, I’ve been all over the place lately. Juggling between work, the last finishing touches of the new house, social events and emotional fatigue (due to everything that’s been happening in the world, touching our most favorite places), I have come to neglect Breadonbutter. I honestly feel like I’ve been neglecting my child. I think about it all the time and feel guilty – just like all the moms out there; and whenever I see something related to food or travel, or think of a story that would be interesting to share, I immediately jot it down on my blog to-do list. Knowing me, the fact that this love story between that website of mine and myself will be hitting three years in December, I just know it’s going to last forever. So no matter how long I’m away, know that I’ll always be back to share interesting stories, recipes, DIY projects and travel guides with you all.
Since I’ve also been too busy to cook, I’ve been all about easy, fast but nonetheless healthy recipes lately. The one I made today for lunch literally took 5 minutes, and it was completely satisfying and delicious. What I love the most about this recipe is that it can be made for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whenever you’re in need of a healthy and boosting breakfast, this should be your go to. When you’re looking for a lunch recipe on the go, this is it. Finally, when you get home from work craving something flavorsome but can’t deal with cutting vegetables and washing the dishes, well that’s the recipe you should opt for! The seasoning will depend on the time of day. Whether it’s for lunch or dinner, add some chili flakes to give it a punch. Lemon juice can also be avoided for breakfast.
So there it is. Fresh avocado toast topped with tomatoes and basil.
What you’ll need (for 1 person)
- Half a whole-wheat baguette
- Half an avocado
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 0.5 Tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp ginger powder
- A pinch of salt
- 2 small tomatoes, sliced coarsely
- 2 large basil leaves
- Chili flakes (optional)
How to make it
- Slice the bread in half and grill them until crunchy.
- In a bowl, crush the avocado with a fork, then add the lemon juice, olive oil, ginger powder, and salt, and mix until combined.
- Spread the avocado on the bread, place the tomatoes then the basil on top and sprinkle with chili flakes.
Enjoy the flavors 😉
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5 Pizza Toppings With A Twist For A Fun Night With Friends
As you grow older, get married and start having responsibilities, your lifestyle slowly changes. For example, when you have kids like some of our friends do, you go out less and have to make do with staying at home more often. You then start honing some of your skills, like cooking and DIY projects, and when you’re lucky enough to find friends who share the same passions and hobbies, you hone those skills and experiment together. Instead of going out for pizza or crazy wings night, you go ahead and buy that bread-maker and start having your own “crazy” pizza nights at home.
That’s exactly what we did last week over at Khater and Lea’s house (you can check Khater’s previous guest recipes for fig jam and brie crispy shells on this link and for lemony chicken on this link). Using a Moulinex bread-maker, Khater made the pizza dough (ingredients below) and we had fun with different toppings. So here are some toppings ideas, with a twist, for your pizza night.
First, make the dough.
What you’ll need:
- 800 g flour (20% of which can be corn flour as it gives the dough a crunch)
- 450 ml water
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar (for the browning of the crust)
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 tsp yeast
First steps:
- Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Flatten parts of the dough with a rolling pin to the size you prefer and prepare it for toppings.
If you’re not using a bread-maker, you can refer to this post to read about making a dough from scratch.
Pizza toppings ideas:
1) Vegetarian
Top one pizza with tomato sauce, green pepper, black olives, corn, mushrooms and block mozzarella cheese. Place in the oven until the crust is lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
2) Brie and Rosemary leaves
Top the dough with brie cheese and rosemary leaves. Top with olive oil and salt then place in the oven until the crust is lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
3) Zaatar (thyme) and Feta Cheese with pepper
Top the pizza dough with fresh thyme leaves, feta cheese and black pepper. Place in the oven until the crust is lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
4) Eggs and chorizo
Before topping the dough with the ingredients, fold its corners to prevent the eggs from overflowing.
In a bowl, break 3 eggs and whip them with a fork. Place the chorizo on the dough and top it with the eggs.
Place it in the oven until the crust is lightly golden and the eggs are cooked.
5) Proscuitto (parma ham), mozzarella and pesto sauce
Top the pizza dough with all of the ingredients and bake in the oven until the crust is lightly golden and the cheese has melted.
And there you have it! A trouble-free and fun pizza night! Thank you Khater! 🙂
Any other toppings suggestion?
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Rice and Goat’s Cheese Cakes with Lurpak Cook’s Range
This past summer, I had the pleasure to experiment the Lurpak Cook’s Range products right before their launch! 🙂 So during the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing all 10 recipes with you while at the same time demonstrating the use of each Cook’s Range product. There are 5 products, each made for specific recipes.
The first one I’m presenting today is the Clarified Butter. It’s basically 100% pure concentrated Lurpak butter. It has a rich intense taste and allows you to cook at really high temperatures, searing and locking in flavors. For storage, the Clarified Butter must be stored at room temperature, then kept refrigerated once opened. It has a shelf life of 9 months in the Middle East and 6 months in the UK.
A recipe you can make with this product is this Rice and Goat’s Cheese Cakes recipe. I found it to be a great dish to serve when you’re hosting a dinner party and you’re out of ideas. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Rice and goat’s cheese cakes (for 16): Preparation: 20 minutes – Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 100 g grated mozzarella cheese
- 200 grams goats cheese
- Rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1 cup plain flour
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- Clarified butter (for cooking the cakes)
- 5 cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
Instructions:
- Cook the rice: bring 1 liter of water and rice to the boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes until water is absorbed.
- In a bowl, combine mozzarella, half of the goats cheese and rosemary and add the rice to the mix. Mix until combined and the cheeses have melted. Season with salt and place in the fridge 10 minutes to cool down
- Divide the mixture into 16 patties. Cut the remaining goats cheese into cubes and place one cube inside each patty and roll the mixture around it
- In 3 different bowls, place: the flour, the slightly beaten eggs and the breadcrumbs
- In turn, dip the patties into the flour, then into the eggs and coat with the breadcrumbs
- Make the basil oil: Combine garlic cloves, basil leaves, cumin powder and olive oil in a food processor and crush them all together. Set aside
- In a pan, add the clarified butter and fry each patty on each side until golden
- Transfer to a dish covered with paper towel
- Serve with basil oil
Brought to you by:
Guest Chef: Khater’s Lemony Chicken
One of the best things in life is a nice and cozy gathering with friends. Great laughs, future plans, and stories are all shared and everyone feels good. Throw in some food of course and everything becomes excellent. What more can you ask for than friends who drink too much, swear too much and have questionable morals?
So two days ago, on one of those fun gatherings, Guest Chef Khater (check out his past fig jam and brie crispy shells) cooked us his latest creation: a lemony spicy chicken on a bed of noodles. It’s easy to make and you get to enjoy a variety of flavors while you dine!
Here’s what you’ll need (for 4 persons):
– 1 kg of chicken breast, sliced
– The zest of 2 lemons
– The juice of the same 2 lemons
– 3 red chili peppers
– 3 green chili peppers
– Fresh Coriander
– Soy Sauce
– Black pepper
– Fresh ginger
– 200 grams of noodles (any kind you prefer)
– A big wok
– Cooking oil
How to make it:
1) Grate the lemons and set the zest aside, then press all of them
2) Dice the red and green chili and slice the ginger
3) Slice the chicken and season it with black pepper and soy sauce
4) Boil water then cook the noodles in for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside
5) Heat some cooking oil in a wok. Add the chicken and cook for about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and cook. Add the vegetables, ginger and fresh coriander and stir often until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Remove from the wok and set aside in a serving platter.
6) In the same wok, place the noodles, sprinkle with soy sauce and heat for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Set aside in another serving platter. And serve!
There you have it! Easy, delicious and full of different flavors 🙂 Don’t forget to decorate with fresh coriander leaves.
Weekday Dinner: The Lebanese Omelette
This recipe is for when you get home late after work, you’re tired and just want something healthy and satisfying. It’s a kind of omelette but made the Lebanese way. Normally, we also add crushed zucchini to it (without the skin) but it takes more time and effort.
Here’s what you’ll need (for 1 person):
– 2 Eggs
– 1 small Red Onion, diced
– 0.5 tablespoon of Flour
– 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
– Parsley (as much as you’d like)
– Olive oil
– Salt and Pepper to taste
– Chili powder (optional)
How to make it:
1) In a bowl, whisk the eggs, onion, baking powder, flour and parsley and let it rest in the fridge for an hour
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on very low fire in a pan
3) Add the mix to the pan and cook to your liking
Enjoy with a fresh dish of Tabbouleh 🙂
Guest Chef Jean Fares’ Ultimate Lamb Chops and Their Special Compote
Our favorite guest chef is taking a lot to the grill lately. The way he does it, is that he heats the grill pan for about 7 minutes until it becomes so hot that when you drop a piece of meat on top, it will grill almost instantly.
A few nights ago, he made us these beautiful lamb racks with a compote that you will keep on eating long after you’re done with the whole dish. Along with a nice green salad, this meal is all you need for when you’re having friends over. They will be licking their fingers after this!
What you’ll need (for 2 to 3 persons):
– 8 Lamb chops
To marinate:
– 1 teaspoon of 9 spices blend (see recipe here)
– 3 tablespoons olive oil
– The juice of 1 lime
For the compote:
– 20 g of unsalted butter
– 4 red onions, thinly sliced
– 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon of honey
– 6 dried figs
– 4 tablespoons of sherry vinegar (or vinaigre de Xeres)
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 teaspoon thyme (zaatar)
1) Marinate the lamb chops in the marinade ingredients, cover and leave them in the fridge for a minimum of an hour, 2 hours if you have time
2) Make the compote:
In a pan, melt the butter on low heat, then add the onions, sprinkling with the sugar and honey
Mix well and cover, cooking them for 15 minutes on low heat
Add the figs and half of the vinegar and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated
Add the remaining vinegar and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated
Add the olive oil and mix until the consistency of the whole thing becomes jam-like
Remove from heat and add the zaatar, then cool
3) On a hot grill, cook the lamb chops on high heat until golden brown
Present them beautifully and savor! Bon appétit! 🙂