Mediterranean Tilapia

I am not your mother's worst nightmare as a picky eater, but I am the first to say that fish has never been my favorite food, despite its great health benefits.  My taste buds do not go much further than salmon and tilapia.  I enjoy these fish grilled on the BBQ, but since I will not have access to a BBQ for the next two years, Dad showed me a great recipe I can use.  This is a very tasty and healthy meal which only takes about 20 minutes to cook. 

Tilapia is quite a bland fish.  Dad sautéed it in a tomato salsa and served it with rice and stir fried vegetables.  Cook rice according to packet directions and start vegetables and tilapia at approximately the same time.

Ingredients

3 fillets tilapia
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 garlic gloves, minced
3 spring onions, chopped
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened.
3. Add wine, tomatoes, and parsley; simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add fillets and simmer until fish turns white and flaky (approx. 5 minutes).
5. Complement with stir-fried vegetables.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(recipe adapted from Dillon's grocery store)

Serves 3 people

TIPS

- Check out the meat counter at your local Dillon's store for free recipe cards!!
- Note how the circles of courgette and carrot contrast with the lengths of celery and spring onions.  Nice touch, Dad!

Bon appétit!

Lemon Victoria Sponge Cake with White Chocolate

Several weeks ago, I made lemon blueberry cupcakes and made far too much lemon frosting, so I froze the leftovers, ready for my next sweet tooth craving. 

In order to use the frosting before I leave the parentals for the bright lights of Kansas City, I decided to make the classic Victoria sponge cake, but instead of chocolate  ̶  my favorite  ̶  I added lemon to tie in with the flavor of the frosting.  I used the lemon frosting to sandwich the two sponges together and melted white chocolate chips to place on top of the cake to please the choc-lover in the family.

The cake was light and delicious!  It is a very easy recipe  ̶  I have been making Victoria sponge cakes since I was 5 (with a little help from Mum)  ̶  and requires no special ingredients.  Enjoy with afternoon tea or, more decadently, with a glass of dessert wine after dinner!

Lemon sponge ingredients

4 oz margarine
4 oz sugar, sieved
4 oz self rising flour, sieved
Pinch salt
2 eggs
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Grease two 7-inch round cake pans around bottom and sides.
2. Draw around bases of each pan on parchment paper.  Cut out circles and place on bottom of pan.
3. Beat margarine and sugar in large bowl until color of mixture is almost white.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Fold in flour, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and juice with a metal spoon.
6. Separate mixture evenly between two pans and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.  Use listening test to determine if cake is cooked.*

7. Once cooked, use spatula to loosen sides of cake and tip pan over onto wire cooling rack with bottom of cake facing upwards.

8. Slowly remove parchment paper from sponge and allow to cool.
9. Prepare lemon frosting and sandwich two sponges together.
10. Melt 4 oz white chocolate (I did not have any white cooking chocolate and used chips) and pour over top.  Allow to set.

* Listening test: Place sponge close to ear.  If a faint popping noise can still be heard, leave sponge in oven for another 1-2 minutes.

Serves 8 people

TIPS 

- I have yet to find a 7-inch round cake pan in the U.S., but a standard 8-inch works well.
- Fresh lemon (grated rind and squeezed juice) is a superior taste than commercial lemon juice.
- Place bowl of water in electric oven to add moisture to the air and prevent cakes drying out.
- White cooking chocolate is easier to work with than white chocolate chips.
- If chocolate is microwaved too long and the consistency hardens and becomes thick, slowly beat in small amounts of vegetable oil until the mixture becomes liquid again. 

Lemon frosting ingredients

4oz cream cheese
2 1/2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sieved
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth.
2. Mix lemon juice and lemon zest.
3. Add sieved confectioners' sugar and mix well until smooth.
4. Sandwich both sponges together.
(frosting recipe adapted from annies-eats.com)

 Bon appétit!    

Rice with Stir Fry Vegetables

With Dad gone for a few days on business, mum and I decided to go veggie for the week.  We started with a quick and easy dish which only took about 30 minutes - perfect for the busy college student or mother of three!

We used brown grained rice as it has more fiber than the traditional white grained rice, however Zatarain's or any microwavable rice of your choice would work just as well.  The vegetables we used were the ones we had in the fridge at the time, so do not limited yourself to the ones we used. Experiment with your favorite veggies!! 

We both thoroughly enjoyed this light and healthy meal, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.  My mum found the dish a little dry, so adding a sprinkle of cheese, soy sauce, or even hot sauce would add moisture.  Be sure to serve with a glass (or two) of your favorite wine...you deserve it!

Ingredients

9 oz brown rice
1/2 bell pepper
1/4 onion
1/4 broccoli
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/4 cup diced fresh pineapple (optional)

Directions

1. Clean brown rice* and place in saucepan.
2. Boil kettle with approx 6 cups water.  Once boiled, pour over rice until covered.
3. Cover saucepan and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes or until there is minimal water.
4. Wash and slice vegetables.

5. 7-8 minutes before rice is cooked, pour 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil into frying pan and cook on medium heat until steam rises from oil.
6. Place all vegetables (except broccoli and crushed garlic) into frying pan.  Stir every 30 seconds to prevent burning.
7. After 3-4 minutes, add broccoli and crushed garlic.  Again, stir to prevent burning and remove from heat after 2 minutes.
8. Once rice is cooked, drain excess water and add cooked vegetables.  Stir well.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 3-4 people

* Place rice in sieve with bowl of water underneath.  Swish rice around with hand until water becomes murky and tip water away.  Repeat until water is nearly clear (white rice requires more washing than brown).

TIPS

- Chinese cut vegetables (cut diagonally) to allow quick and even cooking as well as absorption of sauces and seasonings for future recipes.

Bon Appétit!

Welcome!

Welcome to The Rookie Cook!

Up until now my forays into cuisine have mostly been confined to pasta and baking cakes and cookies.  But now I am moving into an apartment of my own and it's time to really get cooking! 

The Rookie Cook will include an array of mostly healthy recipes  ̶  with the occasional splurge on yummy desserts  ̶  on a college student's budget.  Some recipes will be a longtime favorite of mine, while others I will be trying for the first time, so some may not be a complete success (but you will hear about it all!) 

I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures in the kitchen and perhaps be tempted to try a recipe or two.  If you have opinions or suggestions regarding a recipe, please leave a comment!

Bon appétit!