Avocado & Arugula Salad

Apr 28, 2022

Avocado & Arugula Salad – Candy Coated Culinista

Avocado lovers … this is the recipe for you.

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Slightly altered from The New Rules

Ingredients
⦁ 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more
⦁ ¾ smoked paprika, divided
⦁ ¾ sweet paprika, divided
⦁ 3 tbsp coconut vinegar
⦁ Kosher salt
⦁ Black pepper
⦁ 5 oz. baby arugula
⦁ 2 ripe avocados
⦁ Pine nuts, handful
⦁ Persimmons, cut into chunks

Assembly
⦁ In a small frying pan heat oil and add paprika’s stirring and immediately pour vinegar stirring until combined.
⦁ Add salt and pepper and set aside.
⦁ Quarter avocado and set aside.
⦁ Place arugula in a bowl with the pine nuts and toss.
⦁ Place avocado and persimmons on top and drizzle with dressing.
⦁ Finally sprinkle with paprika and a little evoo and serve.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
Creamy, bright and tangy. This is a great quick dinner salad or a meal if you like. I couldn’t stop thinking about this recipe as I have never used paprika like this. I only use it as a seasoning for my proteins. Well now I know that there are other ways to enjoy paprika and I am quite happy to have stumbled upon this recipe. I made a few changes by swapping out almonds for pine nuts, sherry vinegar for coconut vinegar and adding persimmons as I just couldn’t resist adding a little sweet to balance the acidic.

Easter Lemon Meringue Cake

Apr 20, 2022

Easter Lemon Meringue Cake – Candy Coated Culinista

For Easter this year I made a new cake and flavour wise this is my favourite cake to date. Then again I am a sucker for any type of citrus cake and lemon is number one on that list.

Yield/Serving: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Difficulty level is: Medium, time consuming

Ingredients
Lemon Curd
⦁ ½ cup fresh lemon juice
⦁ 2 tsp lemon zest
⦁ ½ granulated sugar
⦁ 5 egg yolks
⦁ 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into pats
Lemon Cake
⦁ 3 cups all-purpose flour
⦁ 1 tbsp baking powder
⦁ ½ tsp sea salt
⦁ 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
⦁ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
⦁ 4 eggs
⦁ 1 tbsp vanilla extract
⦁ 1 tsp lemon oil
⦁ ½ cup water
⦁ 3/4 cup heavy cream
Lemon Marshmallow Whipped Buttercream
⦁ 4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
⦁ 1 jar marshmallow fluff
⦁ 1 tsp lemon oil
⦁ 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
⦁ sprinkles, if desired

Assembly
Lemon Curd

1. Whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and eggs together in a small saucepan.
2. Stir in butter and cook over medium-low heat and whisk until curd is thick and mixture show streaks from the whisk and bubbles appear; about 6 minutes.
3. Pour mixture to a heat proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. (so no skin can form)
4. Let set for 2 hours.
   Lemon Cake
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Spray two 9″ cake tine with non stick spray and line with parchment paper and set aside.
7. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and set aside.
8. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
9. Reduce speed to low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the side and allowing each egg to incorporate before adding the next.
10. Add in vanilla extract followed by lemon oil.
11. Mix ½ cup water with heavy cream and add in 3 batches flour followed by cream mixture alternating flour then cream, ending on cream until smooth.
12. Divide batter into pans and evenly spread with offset spatula and slam on countertop to remove air bubbles.
13. Bake for 35-40 minutes until cake tester inserted comes out clean.
14. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes and turn out and place on cooling racks to cool and remove parchment paper.
15. Using a serrated knife level the cakes if needed.
    Lemon Marshmallow Buttercream
16. Using the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat butter until fluffy.
17. Add in marshmallow fluff and incorporate for a minute followed by lemon oil.
18. Add in confectioners’ sugar a half cup at a time and whip for 5 minutes.
    Cake
19. Place one cake on platter and spread lemon curd on top, not going right to the edge with the lemon curd.
20. Top with the second cake with the bottom face upwards and crumb coat cake.
21. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
22. Once firm place finally coat of buttercream and decorate and add sprinkles if desired.

Tips
⦁ Purchase store-bought lemon curd if you want to have a short cut.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
The smell of this cake was just divine. Using lemon oil versus lemon extract made all the difference. The aroma from the cake and butter cream and curd was just something else. This is lemon on top of lemon on top of lemon and any lemon lover will be all about this cake as I am.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Apr 13, 2022

Braised Lamb Shanks – Candy Coated Culinista

When the temperature dips the meal really hits the spot and also works as a romantic dinner for two.

Yield/Serving: 2
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 2 hrs
Difficulty level is: Medium

Ingredients
⦁ 2 lamb shanks
⦁ kosher salt
⦁ Ground black pepper
⦁ 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
⦁ 2 tbsp, butter, divided
⦁ 1 small onion, chopped
⦁ 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
⦁ 2 garlic cloves, minced
⦁ 1 tbsp tomato paste
⦁ 1 cup low sodium beef broth
⦁ ½ can tomato sauce
⦁ 1 spring rosemary
⦁ ½ cup red wine or cranberry juice or grape juice
⦁ Rosemary finely chopped, as garnish

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Season lamb with salt and pepper and pour extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
3. Cook until seared, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside on a plate.
4. Melt 1 tbsp of butter and add onion and carrots and cook until soft.
5. Add in the garlic and cook for one more minute and then add tomato paste and stir until vegetables are coated.
6. Pour in broth and tomato sauce and return lamb to Dutch oven.
7. Add rosemary and bring to a boil.
8. Cover and transfer to oven for 2 hours until tender.
9. Remove lamb from pot and tent in aluminum foil on a plate.
10. Toss rosemary.
11. Return pot to stove over medium-high heat and add wine or juice and bring to a boil.
12. Reduce heat and let simmer until thickened, 10 minutes.
13. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

Tips
⦁ Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Please Enjoy
My thoughts
This makes a great winter meal and I want to make this again very soon. The sauce is rich and with this hearty meal one shank can be split by two people. If you want to impress company this is the meal to make.