easy spicy tomato- mozzarella bake

6 medium-sized roma tomatoes
1 package fresh mozzarella
1 medium onion, diced small
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
fresh or dried basil
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

preheat oven to 400° F.

Grease a baking pan with a little olive oil

Cut the tomatoes in half, . Scoop out some of the pulp and seeds. Set it aside. Place the tomato cups in the baking pan.

Cut the mozzarella into cubes. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic to this. Saute till the onions are wilted, and the garlic sends out its aroma. Now add the red pepper flakes. Add the scooped out stuff here. Stir well. Add enough salt, pepper. Remove from heat. Add the basil. Stir well.

Spoon the cooked filling into each tomato cups. Top with the cubed cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes.

That's all, folks!

asha's seafood stew

a hearty stew, me hearties! a reminder of my pirate days. ya, right!

asha's seafood stew

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shrimp
1/4 lb. scallops
1 skinless fillet of salmon, diced
1 small can crabmeat
1 med. onion, chopped
3 stalks of green onion, chopped, keep aside a tbsp or so for garnish.
3 celery stalks, chopped
6 green chilies, slit (according to your taste - this here will be hot)
6-7 cloves of garlic, crushed ( again, acc. to your taste)
1 small piece of ginger, crushed
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
3 leek stems, chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-2 tbsp clam juice
1 tbsp vinegar
1 can coconut milk
Olive oil
Salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes

Method:

Pan sear all the seafood (except the crabmeat),  sprinkled with some salt and black pepper, a pinch of turmeric,  in a little olive oil, for three minutes.  Set aside. Drain the crabmeat. Set aside.

Heat 2-3 tbsps of olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic in it, till they wilt. Add the ginger, leek,  the green chilies, and green onion.  Stir well, cook for a couple of minutes. Add the crushed red pepper. Saute for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Stir for two or three minutes. Add the clam juice. Add the wine. When it boils, add the coconut milk . If it is too thick, add about half a cup of water. Let it come to a boil. Add  the vinegar now. Add  the carrots and potatoes. Cook till tender. Add the seared seafood, and the crabmeat. When the stew comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with green onions.

To make it easier,  microwave the potatoes and carrots separately.

Serve on its own. Or with rice. Or roti.

seafood stew with rice

seafood stew with rice and spinach mezhukkupuratti

roast turkey aftermath

Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without the roast turkey. But then there are the leftovers. And so naturally, to soups, and paté.

turkey paté with rye bread

Easy paté

Sauté 2 cups of the cooked turkey meat with a half cup of chopped onion, and 2 tsp of chopped garlic, in 2 tbsp of olive oil. At this point, I add either chopped green chili peppers or crushed red pepper flakes. That is optional. Grind this spiced meat in the food processor along with a cup (or more -- to your taste) of cream cheese or sour cream. A tbsp or two of coarse- grained mustard may be added too, if you like. Add a 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes, any color bell peppers, a tbsp of chives or spring onion, and fried bacon bits, if you happen to have some,  to this and mix well. You may add cheese too, if you like.

Now serve as a dip, spread, in rolls etc.

turkey paté pinwheels

Above is the same paté rolled in grilled and buttered tortillas, and garnished with jalapenos.

For info on the bread, please go to "my gallery".