From the category archives:

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe from Nigella Express: In a Word, Divine!

by Joi on February 10, 2010

Nigella Express

It’s been well-documented that Nigella Express is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks… and if there’s something I know inside/out it’s cookbooks. A collection numbering in the hundreds earns you the title expert.

A recipe I return to often is Nigella’s Roquamole. Like Nigella, I’m completely obsessed with avocados, so I thoroughly appreciate new and creative things to do with them. This recipe makes a throroughly modern Millie type of recipe that I know you’ll love.

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe

Yield: 4-6 Servings
1 cup crumbled Roquefort or Saint Agur blue cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup sliced pickled green jalapenos from a jar
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
1/4 tsp paprika
large bag of blue corn tortilla chips (the blue corn ones make a huge difference, I recommend them with this recipe)

  1. Crumble or mash the blue cheese with the sour cream in a bowl
  2. Mash in the avocados.  If they are ripe, a fork should be all you need.
  3. Roughly chop the jalapenos and stir them into the mixture along with the finely sliced scallions.
  4. Arrange in the center of a plate or dish, dust with paprika, and surround with tortilla chips.  Dive in.

Original Super Bowl Recipes Courtesy of the Amazing Avocado!

by Joi on January 31, 2010

I can’t even tell you how much I love avocados.  I’ve tried before and felt that I came up short, so I figure why even try?  Suffice to say, I could eat two every single day for the rest of my life and want more.  I use them in guacamole (of course), on paninis, in tossed salads, in pasta salads, on pizza, in tacos, in fajitas, and I’ve even put them into scrambled eggs before.

I also love to slice them, remove the pit, and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice inside.  Then I toss a little finely chopped tomato with a little olive oil and salt and glob the tomato mixture onto the avocado.  If I have fresh cilantro on hand, I sprinkle some on top.  Then I have a party in my mouth.  Naturally, I also simply slice them and eat them quite often as well.

A year or so ago, while reading a favorite cookbook, Nigella Express, I came across this quote from the beautiful author:  “I eat an enormous amount of avocados…. (I remember reading) when I was really quite young, just in my teens, that the dogs that lived in avocado orchards always had shiny, glossy coats because of all the windfall fruit they snaffled up daily.  That image has stuck with me, and it is such an appealing one.  I always have it in mind as I prepare myself an avocado, which is often.”

Ever since reading that quote, I picture Nigella’s gorgeous hair when I cut open an avocado!

Below you’ll find a wealth of Avocado information – how to pick an avocado, how to cut an avocado, how to prepare an avocado, the nutritional values of avocados, a guacamole recipe, and a Chicken and Avocado Pizza recipe.  Have mercy!   The avocado recipes below (as well as the ones linked to at the end of this Mega Avocado Post) can give you the power to have the best Superbowl Snacks on the block when the Colts and the Saints fight it out for the big one.  This has nothing to do with avocados or even cooking, but for the first time EVER, I honestly don’t care which team wins this year – I like them about the same.  Peyton Manning is a class act and the Colts are a classy organization -what’s not to like about them?  At the same time, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch and they’ve really built their program up to a position of dominance.  It’d be great to see them rewarded for all their hard work.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the game, almost as much as the snacks!

Guacamole Monster Dip Recipe

1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico – halved, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 cup plain thick Greek-style yogurt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  1. In bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, ginger, salt, wasabi, garlic, and lime juice; stir until well mixed.
  2. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
  3. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.
  4. Serve as a dip with chips or vegetables or topping for iceberg lettuce wedges or romaine hearts.

Preparation time is about 5 minutes. Yields about 1-1/2 cups.

Chicken and Avocado Pizza Recipe

California-style pizza, ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes | Serves 2-4

1 12-inch Boboli ready-made pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and sliced

-Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake crust 7 minutes.
-In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and Tabasco.
-Spread pizza with sauce; top with chicken, Avocado and cheese.
-Bake until crust is crisp on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Yields 8 slices.

Nutritional Information for Avocados:

  • One-fifth of a medium avocado (3 slices), or about one ounce, has only 50 calories.
  • Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
  • Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 3 grams monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz. serving.
  • Avocados have a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 3.5 grams to 0.5 grams, making them a great substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.
  • Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. According to the AHA, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
  • Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
  • Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
  • Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
  • Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein in a 1 oz. serving, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado from Mexico

(Or, How to recognize your Hass!)

  • Avocados from Mexico are available year round. You can spot a ripe Hass Avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin.
  • Look for the “Avocados from Mexico” sticker
  • It appears on only the finest Avocados imported from Mexico.
  • Hass has heft
  • When you hold the Avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.

Get it ripe
Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green Avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready for use in a shorter time, two to three days.

Need your Avocado now?
If you need Avocados to use right away, look for fruit whose skin has turned dark green or black. The Avocado should yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.

Avocado Ripening and Storage Information

How to tell if your Avocado is ripe
To determine if your Avocado from Mexico is ripe, gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe Avocados will feel slightly soft. And when shopping for and storing Avocados, use this guide:

Storing ripe Avocados
Avocados at stages 2 – 4 can be stored at room temperature in an area with good circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep Avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Avocados at stages 4 – 5 can be stored in your refrigerator (36º to 40º F) for up to one week. When saving part of an Avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

How to Cut and Prepare an Avocado

Cut
Using a sharp knife, cut into the Avocado straight down, longitudinally (from top to bottom) until you hit the pit.
Twist
Take the Avocado and twist it until it separates into two halves, one of which will contain the pit.
Hit
Carefully strike the pit with your knife. Using a twisting motion, use the knife’s leverage to loosen and dislodge the pit.
Spoon
With a spoon, gently scoop away the Avocado’s flesh from the outer skin.
Enjoy
Your Avocado is now ready to make your appetizer or entrée a work of culinary art.

Ways to Serve Avocados

Avocados are most commonly used to make guacamole, but they are so versatile and can be incorporated into many other dishes like main entrees,, salads, dips, desserts, and sandwiches.

Avocados substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Images, recipes, and information are courtesy of  www.theamazingavocado.com.  Visit their site  for hundreds of recipes.  I just found one for Fish Tacos that I’ll be trying this week (I’d make it tonight  if I didn’t already have a huge pot of Great Northern beans, potatoes, and ham cooking!).   Another favorite is the Portabella Burgers with Avocado Spread.  I’ve linked you to the page containing these recipes – be sure to browse around for more.  That’s where I’m headed!

Nigella Lawson Mixing Bowls – You’re Going to Love These

by Joi on August 18, 2009

Nigella Lawson 4-pc. Mixing Bowls Cream

The , pictured above, are from Shop.com. Trust me, whether it’s cookbooks, measuring cups, graters, or measuring bowls – if it has Nigella Lawson’s name on it, you don’t just want it, you need it.

Features:
From Nigella’s kitchen comes this set of beautiful ceramic mixing bowls. Unique to these bowls are their special egg-shapes or organic-droplet form which makes them easy to hold under your arm while mixing or blending batters. Plus the shape enhances the ability to pour perfectly right from the bowl. Matte exterior finish with glossy interior. Set includes four sizes that nest for convenient storage.

A reminder: One of my favorite all-time cookbooks remains Nigella Express. Click the link for my review of this extra, extra, extra special cookbook. I’d recommend it without a second’s hesitation to new cooks and veteran cooks. Nigella Lawson is the culinary world’s answer to Ava Gardner – and the lady’s recipes and presentations are as beautiful as she is.

Why You Should Be Watching the Food Network!

by Joi on March 3, 2009

Food Network Favorites As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!

This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household.  I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.

I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:

  • Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
  • Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
  • Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
  • Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first.  You can always add more but you can never add less.
  • Keep your cleaning tools clean.
  • Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
  • NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
  • Fall in love with Olive Oil.
  • Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
  • Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves.  Make your own biscuits.
  • Take pride in everything you make.
  • Experiment with different herbs and spices.
  • Rosemary loves chicken.
  • Basil loves tomatoes.
  • Use fresh ingredients.
  • Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
  • You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!

These are the tips I dish out the most often.  Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time.  I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites, pictured above)  However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.

There are several reasons.  For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best.  Bottom line:  They know what they’re talking about!  Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.

Another reason is this:  You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have.  It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.

When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side.  It became so much work that I stopped doing it.  However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there!  I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category.  Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day.  They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.

Today on the Food Network!

Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
3:30, 2:30 C

Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract
8:00 pm, 7:00 C

Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork
8:30 pm, 7:30 C

Ace of Cakes – Cake-tastrophe
9:30 pm, 8:30 C

Poached Cod and Cannellini With Olympic Chit Chat

by Joi on August 19, 2008

Nigella Express

Last night was a rarity in our house – my youngest daughter (Stephany) and I were the only ones home for supper. She and my oldest daughter (Emily) are ridiculously easy to cook for – they’ll try anything. So, on the rare occasions that it’s just us, I take the opportunity to try something new.

Steph and I both love fish fiercely, so I knew it’d involve some sort of fish. I put a few fillets of cod in a large skillet. I added some bay leaves, lemon zest, chives, a stalk of celery, and seasonings. Then I poured about a cup to a cup and a half of water over the whole production. After I brought it to a boil, I reduced the heat and covered the pan with foil. I poached the fish for about 6-7 minutes.

I removed the fish and wrapped it in foil to keep it warm. Then I tried something I’d seen in Nigella Express (an AMAZING cookbook if there ever was one): I added a few cans of Cannellini Beans to the remaining seasoned water in the skillet. I let the beans get all hot and bothered in the aromatic water.

I strained the beans into a small casserole dish, crumbled the fish on top, and finished it all off with a few spritzes of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I’m chive mad, so I also snipped some fresh chives on top.

Geez, Louise – it was amazing! It was a perfect, light yet filling, and very delicious meal. It would have been great with hushpuppies, but we had some Red Pepper Hummus left from the weekend, so I toasted some thick Italian Bread to use with that. We finished it all off with Rice Krispie Treats with red, white, and blue Go USA sprinkles on top. We enjoyed a great meal and great conversation – I don’t think we left an Olympic event or athlete un-discussed.

When Em got home, she delighted herself with a plate of goodies I’d saved for her. When my husband came dragging in, he was too pooped to pop, so he just popped in bed. The vegetarian (Brittany) of the group wrinkled her nose at the cod and dove head first into the hummus served with a boca burger I fixed for her. I told her that I’ll make her a version of this dish soon, with Firm Tofu instead of the fish. Tofu soaks up the deliciousness of bay leaves and lemon beautifully. It loves garlic, too, but I wouldn’t want to steal the show from the lemon – garlic’s such a scene stealer!

Poached fish is amazingly fast and a very healthy alternative to fried fish. The next time I make poached fish, I’m going to serve it with orzo – although I’ll be returning to the Cannellini beans often. They’re a perfect companion to just about anything.

Why Nigella Express Should Be the Next Book You Buy

by Joi on January 5, 2008

Nigella Express

One of the things I was fortunate enough to receive for Christmas was Nigella Express. I’m a huge fan of the ridiculously beautiful Nigella Lawson, so when I pulled her newest cookbook out of the gift box, I immediately launched myself into the recipes.

In the end, good southern manners prevailed, so I led Nigella to the dining room, seated her at the table, and promised to return when all the presents were given out, opened, and enjoyed. British graciousness ensured that she wouldn’t mind – not in the least.

When I returned for her, I started with the Introduction and read through every single recipe and every single notation. All 378 pages. I even read the Acknowledgement’s Page. It was here that I learned that all of the beautiful dishes, linens, silverware, pans, and other embellishments featured in the book’s photos came from Nigella’s own “…cupboards and an almost dangerous eBay habit.” Her words, not mine.

Nigella Express is an absolutely perfect cookbook. She set out to prove that fabulous food doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. As the inside cover (yes, I read that, too) says, “Nigella Express is her solution to eating well when time is short.”

But don’t think for one second that the recipes aren’t out of this world, because that’s exactly where they are. These recipes are fresh, original, fun to make AND serve, delectable, and….I know you’ll love this…highly do-able. They feature ingredients that won’t be strangers to your favorite grocery store’s shelves. In fact, you probably have the ingredients on hand for many of the recipes.

In addition to (honestly) sone of the best recipes I’ve ever seen, Nigella offers countless ingenious tips, suggestions, and shortcuts. There’s even a chapter, Chapter 13 to be precise, called “Storecupboard SOS: How to Cope When You Haven’t Got Time to Go Shopping.” The recipes in this chapter are to help you out when you have people to feed with little or no warning. Instead of hitting the panic button or punching in the number for Papa John’s Pizza, you can just grab Nigella and let her help you out of a little jam.

If you’re a fan of Nigella Lawson’s Food Network series – and who wouldn’t be – you’ll really love Nigella Express. Nigella writes just as she speaks, so reading the cookbook is like sitting at the table talking to the Domestic Goddess, herself.

For example, in a recipe for Golden Honey Dressing, she instructs, “Put all the ingredients into a jam jar, make sure the lid’s on firmly, and shake like mad.” Vintage Nigella!

I just can’t tell you how much I want you to buy this cookbook. It’s a work of culinary perfection – and, quite frankly, a remarkably entertaining read!

The links I’ve included in this post are to Cooking.com. I checked my favorite online shops to find the best price for this amazing cookbook. After all, if I’m going to recommend it to my online friends, the least I can do is find the best deal for you, right? Cooking.com actually has Nigella Express for about $11 less than other places, including offline bookstores.

I’ve already tried quite a few of the recipes, including a Red Pepper Humus that’ll be made again in a few days – served inside Celery Sticks, I’ll make a total pig out of myself. Again. I also have plans for about 4 other lovelies this week – with Breakfast Tomato Bruschetta and Breakfast Avocado Bruschetta leading the way! Make no mistake about it, I’ll get to each and every recipe this year – and, if they’re like the ones I’ve had so far, they’ll be repeated again and again.

Some of the recipes in the Cookbook are:

MUSTARD PORK CHOPS

QUICK CALAMARI WITH GARLIC MAYONNAISE

BUTTERSCOTCH FRUIT FONDUE

ROAST CORNISH HEN AND SWEET POTATOES

CRAB AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH JAPANESE DRESSING (threatening to jump in front of the Breakfast Bruschettas!)

POTATO AND MUSHROOM GRATIN

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH GLAZE

CHERRY CHEESECAKE

MANGO SPLIT

HOMEMADE INSTANT PANCAKE MIX

BREAKFAST BARS

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE SUNDAE

Okay. That’s it. I was going to list some more, but the picture of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae just derailed my thoughts and intentions. All that chocolate…the caramel spilling over the side… oh man, I’d tell myself, “Be strong!” but it’s too late. My mind has already taken inventory of the ingredients in the pantry and freezer and the ones I’ll need to pick up at Kroger. ASAP.

Get Nigella Express, my foodie friends, you’ll be so glad you did!

Feasting on Nigella Feasts

by Joi on October 31, 2006

Food Network has done it again – they’ve served up another amazing cooking show hosted by an even more amazing personality. I was perfectly content with my “set” favorite shows (Paula’s Home Cooking, all of Rachael Ray’s shows, Everyday Italian, Emeril light and Emeril Live, Good Eats, Food 911, Tyler’s Ultimate, anything by Jamie Oliver, Throwdown and The Secret Life Of…) – more than content, actually, I was as happy as a fat woman in Duncan Doughnuts on pay day.

Truth be known, I didn’t really have any extra time for following another show – then along comes Nigella Lawson, daring me not to get hooked.

I didn’t much want to like her at first – she looks like a young Elizabeth Taylor crossed with a young Raquel Welch. Add in a lovely personality, beautiful voice, and the ability to cook like Emeril – I not only didn’t want to like her, I just wanted her to go away.

Then, a hurt foot and a remote control with faulty batteries found me on the couch and face to face with her. 30 Minutes later, I’d determined three things:

1. I had to go to Food TV.com and print out each of the recipes she used.
2. While on the website, I had to find out the times Nigella was on – so I wouldn’t miss any.
3. I needed to go to the store to get the ingredients for not one, but two of her recipes from the show to make right away: The Chocolate and Peanut Granola and the Raspberry and Oatmeal Swirls.

Done, done, and done. I’ve even made the Chocolate and Peanut Granola – it’s perfectly delicious. I couldn’ t find the brown rice syrup or rice malt syrup in my neck of the woods, so I just used some Dark Corn Syrup that I had left from a recent Pecan Pie.

The Raspberry and Oatmeal Swirls are set to be made today, and the other dishes she made will hit my counter later in the week.

If you haven’t caught one of her shows yet, make it a point to do so. It’s time very well spent. To show how impressed I was — I’ve only seen one show, so far, but I’ve already included her name in my “Blog Category Subjects” to the right. See? She’s right there with Paula, Rachael, Giada, Emeril, and Alton.

Joi