Author Archives: Margie

July 4, 2016

POTATO CROQUETTES WITH CHIHUAHUA CHEESE
This recipe for Potato Croquettes with Chihuahua Cheese hails from a London kitchen where a precious wife, mother, and trained Chef creates the most mouth watering and heartfelt family meals.

Susana Villasuso, known to her close friends as Susy, returned back to London after living for several years in NYC. Her Mexican heritage and love for family are evident in the beautiful meals and dishes she creates at home.

Susana Villasuso
London, England

Instagram: @holasus

One of the most special memories of my childhood was coming back from school and looking forward to seeing what my Mum had prepared for us, she would always cook fresh delicious food from scratch.

Potato croquettes served with a simple green salad were always a favorite of mine; my grandma used to make them as well. This is just one of those recipes that you keep close to your heart, I hope you make them for your family and love them as much as I do.

In this version I wanted to have a cheesy melted center when biting into them, the touch of San Miguel nut and spice blend in the filling as well as in the crispy coating give it that extra depth of flavor and dreamy texture.
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Potato Croquettes with Chihuahua Cheese

Ingredients

1 tbsp of San Miguel nut and spice mix

3 large potatoes

1 tbsp of creme fraiche

1/2 white onion, finely diced

handful of fresh marjoram, finely chopped.

2 tsp of rapeseed oil

1 7oz. (200 gms) block of Chihuahua cheese

1 1/2 cup of organic all-purpose flour

2 free range eggs

3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup of San Miguel nut and spice mix

Maldon salt and black pepper, for seasoning

canola oil, for frying

Instructions

Start by washing and peeling your potatoes, place them in a deep saucepan covered with water and a pinch of maldon salt, boil them until soft.

Once your potatoes are ready, drain the water and place them in a bowl, mash them roughly with the help of a fork and add 1 tbsp of San Miguel nut and spice mix, the creme fraiche, onion, marjoram, rapeseed oil, pinch of Maldon salt, and black coarse pepper. Mix it all really well with a spoon.

Prepare 3 bowls; one with all-purpose flour, one with the whisked eggs, and the last one with the panko bread crumbs combined with 1/4 cup of San Miguel nut and spice mix.

Cut your cheese into small cubes that would fit into the center of your potato croquettes. (see photo)

Get a spoonful of potato mixture in your hands and form a patty, pinch the center and place your cheese cube in the middle, close the patty and mold it with your hands to form the croquettes. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the potato mixture.

Pass your croquettes through the flour, then the egg mix, and finally through the panko & San Miguel blend coating, repeat the same with all of your croquettes.

Prepare a frying pan and add enough canola oil for shallow frying. Get your oil hot and start frying your croquettes, turning them over when they get crispy and golden on that side, keep turning them until they are crispy all around.

You can serve these delicious croquettes with a green salad for a full meal or as an appetizer with a bit of garlic mayo on the side, enjoy!

Notes

Chihuahua Cheese, also known as Queso Chihuahua, is a soft cheese named for its origins from Chihuahua, Mexico, a northern region of the country. It is typically made from cow's milk and has a salty, tangy flavor. Known for it's soft melty texture, Chihuahua cheese is the perfect center for these croquettes as the cube of cheese melts into a creamy, flavorful bite. If Chihuahua cheese is not available, a good substitute would be Monterrey Jack or a soft, white Cheddar.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
June 28, 2016

HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER
Who knew making Homemade Peanut Butter could be so simple and so delicious? I never quite believed when I read or heard that you could take fresh, whole nuts and whirr them away in a food processor until creamy nut butter immerged, but it really is true.

My husband has had a lifelong love and obsession for peanut butter. After becoming more conscious about the foods we ate, we grew more diligent about reviewing ingredient lists on products, and discovered most commercial jars of peanut butter were loaded with chemicals. We made the switch to buying pure almond and peanut butters at specialty grocery stores where the only ingredient coming out of these large nut crushing machines is pure almonds or peanuts.

This week I experimented with making my own nut butters using a variety of nuts and infusing them with spices, peppers and of course our Glory Kitchen nut and spice mixes. My hazelnut & chocolate butter (does Nutella come to mind?) received a pop of heat from our San Miguel nut & spice mix. The Asian peanut butter was blended with tahini and our Penang nut & spice mix, and the Middle Eastern flavored almond & peanut butter received an infusion of our Cairo nut & spice mix.

All three nut butter varieties had their own unique flavor, but all were delicious and so much more interesting than a straight up version of peanut or almond butter. We are loving the hazelnut & chocolate spread over bananas and strawberries. The Asian peanut butter is great on crackers with a drizzle of honey and additional crunchy Penang nut & spice mix sprinkled on top. The Middle Eastern nut butter is great in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

If you have a food processor, you too can easily make your own homemade peanut butter. The best part is you have delicious nut butters, made with real, plant-based ingredients and no chemicals, preservatives, or additives.

I hope you’ll give it a try; it’s great fun to watch the transformation and you’ll be thrilled with the homemade result.

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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Homemade Peanut Butter

each blend makes 1-2 jars

Ingredients

Spicy Hazelnut & Chocolate Butter:

1 tablespoon San Miguel nut & spice mix

3 1/2 cups hazelnuts, roasted or raw

1 cup dark chocolate chips, or less if you want it less sweet

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Middle Eastern Almond & Peanut Butter:

1 tablespoon Cairo nut & spice mix

2 cups peanuts, roasted or raw

2 cups almonds, roasted or raw

1 teaspoon sea salt

Asian Peanut Butter:

1 tablespoon Penang nut & spice mix

4 cups peanuts, roasted or raw

1/2 cup tahini

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

If you prefer a more intense and roasted nut flavor, and you're working with raw nuts, spread your nuts onto a baking tray and place into a 375° oven. Toast the nuts just until they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. If you prefer to keep your nuts raw, move forward with mixing them in a food processor.

If you are working with whole nuts, place all the nuts into a food processor and pulse until the nuts break down into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and whirl away until the mixture turns into a creamy butter. The more you process, the creamier the mixture will get, so if you prefer a crunchy or thick butter, do not process as long. As it mixes, stop and taste your flavors. If you like more heat on the Hazelnut Butter, add more cayenne. If you like it a bit saltier, add more salt. Just a little pinch at a time because salt and cayenne can overpower the butters very quickly, so add cautiously.

Pour your finished butters into canning jars and enjoy! They stay fresh longer if they are stored in the refrigerator, however, these can be left out on the counter at room temperature for about 1 week.

Notes

You can really get creative on flavors for homemade nut butters. Don't be afraid to experiment! Our Glory Kitchen Mumbai nut blend would also work well in a nut butter.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
June 20, 2016

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND CUCUMBER SALAD
This is a must-make Roasted Red Pepper and Cucumber Salad, especially in the summer when peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes are overflowing in the farmer’s markets.

Sweet, and robust flavored tomatoes are best when treated in a simple manner. Red peppers sweeten and intensify in flavor when they are caramelized in the oven, and fully ripened cucumbers are typically perfect left just the way they are. If you’re working with an English cucumber, which is typically thinner skinned and has fewer seeds than a conventional cucumber, a simple peel and slice is all that is needed to retain its crisp, fresh flavor. With a no-cook approach, tossing all these perfect summer vegetables with a light dressing and some fresh herbs allows the flavors of summer to shine.

I’ve finished this salad off with some thick shaves of parmigiano reggiano cheese, slivers of fresh basil, and lots of Umbria nut & spice mix for a touch of almond crunch and aleppo pepper heat. This is a fresh and tangy salad with nice crunch and can be served as a side dish or a full meal.

Of course you could always top this Roasted Red Pepper and Cucumber Salad with some swirls of thinly sliced prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured ham, to make it a beautiful main dish.

And finally, if you want to give this same salad recipe a Greek twist, you could replace the parmigiano reggiano with feta and instead top it with fresh torn mint leaves and our Glory Kitchen Cairo nut & spice mix… this might be my next salad to make. Enjoy!

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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Roasted Red Pepper and Cucumber Salad

serves about 4

Ingredients

For the pickled red onions:

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons salt

1 red onion, sliced thin

For the salad:

Umbria nut & spice mix

2 red bell peppers, roasted

1 english cucumber

½ lb grape or cherry tomatoes

½ cup kalamata olives

1 cup pickled red onions (recipe ingredients above)

3 teaspoons olive oil

3 teaspoons brine from pickled onions

4-6 fresh basil leaves, julienned

parmigiano reggiano cheese, small block

Instructions

for the pickled onions:

Using a small saucepan, combine the apple vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool a bit. In a bowl, pour the cooled brine over the thinly sliced red onions and set them aside to marinate & pickle for about ½ hour to 1 hour.

for the salad:

Slice each red bell pepper in half, lay them on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and Umbria nut & spice mix. Place into a pre-heated 400° oven and roast them until they are tender and browned. Remove from oven, cool and then slice each pepper. Set aside. For this recipe I used about 20 mini peppers (red, orange and yellow) instead of large red bell peppers.

Peel the English cucumber just a bit (see photo) and then slice in half, lengthwise. Cut the halves into half rounds (bite sized pieces) and set aside.

Slice each small tomato in half and set aside.

Slice each kalamata olive in half and set aside.

Using a large mixing bowl, add roasted red peppers, sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, sliced olives, pickled red onions, olive oil, 3 teaspoons of pickling brine, 2 heaping teaspoons of Umbria nut & spice mix, and the julienned basil. Gently mix together to combine.

Place the salad onto a large serving platter or onto 4 individual serving plates. Garnish with Umbria nut & spice mix, fresh basil and thick shaves of parmigiana reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
June 14, 2016

BLUEBERRY SCONES WITH LEMON GLAZE
These easy-to-make Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze include the French herbs of marjoram, savory, basil and thyme from our Provence nut & spice mix. The herbs, added into both the dough and in the lemon glaze, gives them a subtle hint of herb flavor and looks pretty on the glaze as well.

When blueberries are in season, it’s a sure sign that summer has arrived and there’s hardly anything prettier than these little, sweet berries. This recipe from Tyler Florence was adapted slightly to include our French herb & nut blend. The process is quite easy and the result is delicious.

I hope you make these soon – they’re the perfect pairing with your morning coffee. I made a double batch… wrapped up the extras individually, and froze them in the freezer. Each evening I pull one out and place it on the counter to defrost and welcome me in the morning.

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Yield: makes approximately 8 large scones

Ingredients

For the blueberry scones:

2 teaspoons Provence nut & spice mix

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones

For the lemon glaze:

1 teaspoon Provence nut & spice mix

¼ - ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

lemon zest, finely grated (from 1 lemon)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter to coat the pieces with the flour. Break up until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the heavy cream. With a wooden spoon, fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough.

Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Using your hands and a rolling pin, form into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 ¼ inches. This does not need to be exact, however, the shape will be a long rectangle (see example). With a floured knife, cut the rectangle in 1/2, then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3") squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on the diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape for scones. Gently place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the tops with a bit of heavy cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides and tops begin to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow the scones to cool completely.

While the scones are cooling, make the lemon glaze. Take 1 cup of the sifted powdered sugar and add about ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, the lemon zest, and the teaspoon of Provence nut & spice mix. Using a small whisk or a fork, whisk well until it is nice and smooth. Try to whisk the glaze enough to remove any sugar lumps. Add more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency. If you wish to have lots of glaze, begin with more confectioners sugar. I like it a bit thick so you get a nice layer of glaze on each scone.

Once the scones are completely cooled, using a spoon, drizzle each one with plenty of glaze. Sprinkle the glaze with fresh lemon zest. Allow the glaze to cool and set a bit before serving.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
June 6, 2016

ASIAN SHRIMP SKEWERS
This Asian Shrimp Skewer appetizer has a presentation ‘wow’ factor when serving to guests, but who knew this pretty platter could be put together quickly with only 6 simple ingredients? Easy is the best way to describe the process for this shrimp appetizer but sweet and fresh describes the surprising taste. In one biteful you get a burst of juicy grape and the soft, buttery taste of fresh shrimp. Paired with that is an Asian flavor surprise from our Glory Kitchen Penang nut & spice mix – crunchy peanuts, sesame seeds, and a touch of red pepper heat.

These little shrimps can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge until the guests arrive. We served these skewers with a crisp white wine but any fresh, fruity cocktail would pair perfectly with these juicy shrimp bites.

For this dish I chose to use red grapes but using green grapes would add a pretty peach and green contrast, and of course using other Glory Kitchen nut blends would also work well. Using the Cairo blend (Middle Eastern) or Mumbai blend (Indian) would take this shrimp appetizer in a whole new direction.

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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Asian Shrimp Skewers

Yield: 6-10 servings

Ingredients

For the shrimp skewers:

Penang nut & spice mix

1 lb. large to extra large shrimp, uncooked, with shells

1 bunch red grapes

asian dressing (see recipe below)

toothpicks

cilantro, for garnish

sea salt (optional)

For the asian dressing:

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 ½ teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon tahini

Instructions

Whisk together the ingredients for the Asian dressing and set aside.

Peel each shrimp, leaving the tails intact. To devein each individual shrimp, run a small paring knife down the back of the shrimp (from the head to the tail). Using your fingers, remove the vein along the backside as you gently rinse it under running water. Set aside the cleaned shrimp.

Take a toothpick and, beginning directly under the tail, spear it through the shrimp and a single red grape, then through the base of the shrimp. The grape should sit securely in the "c" curve of the shrimp. Do this to each one of the shrimps.

Using a small spoon, drizzle the Asian dressing over the lower part of your shrimp skewer, then sprinkle it with plenty of Penang nut & spice mix. Arrange it on a serving platter. Continue until the bottom half of each shrimp skewer is dressed with the Penang nut blend. Sprinkle the shrimps with a touch of sea salt. Cover the platter and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just before serving to guests, garnish the shrimp skewers with sprigs and leaves of fresh cilantro.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
May 31, 2016

ENGLISH PEA AND ORZO SALAD
This English Pea and Orzo Salad is the perfect way to ring in summer flavors . Adding small shrimp or chopped hard boiled egg could easily turn it into a full meal or it would also work well as a side dish for a barbeque or picnic. I love all the pretty little round ingredients: peas, capers, cherry tomatoes, and tiny little orzo pasta. Prepping and chopping the ingredients for the salad was almost as enjoyable as eating it, so enjoy the entire process!

When rounding up my ingredients at the grocery store, I tried to focus on yellow and green colorations. Remember, we eat with our eyes first, so the presentation of your meal can be the first step in truly enjoying a dish. I’ve added the Italian flavors of our Umbria nut & spice mix into this dish which gave it a subtle crunch of almonds and the robust taste of sun dried tomatoes.

This salad is dressed with simple ingredients – olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and fresh herbs, giving it a bright and clean flavor. I hope you enjoy this delightful salad as much as we did.

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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English Pea and Orzo Salad

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1 teaspoon Umbria nut & spice mix

1 lemon, fresh (about 2 tablespoons)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 pinch salt

3 pinches sugar

For the salad:

Umbria nut & spice mix

3 cups orzo pasta, cooked

1 ½ cups english peas, fresh

2-3 yellow bell peppers (or 20 mini bell peppers)

1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons shallots, sliced thin

1 ½ tablespoons capers, drained

8 oz. feta cheese

¼ cup flat leaf parsley, fresh

5-7 basil, fresh

2 tablespoons thyme, fresh

Instructions

For the dressing:

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside. (One fresh squeezed lemon should be equivalent to about 2 tablespoons)

For the salad:

Preheat the oven to 400-425°. If you are using full sized yellow bell peppers, slice each one in half. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and rub all over. Sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of Umbria nut & spice mix. Instead of large yellow bell peppers, I used 20 mini yellow bell peppers and roasted them whole. Roast the peppers in the oven until they are, soft, brown and a bit caramelized. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Take the cooled peppers and remove stems & seeds (the minis did not need seed removal), slice them into small pieces (see photo) and set these aside in a bowl.

Boil the orzo pasta until it is al dente. Drain & rinse, then pour into a bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the small pasta from sticking together. (1 ¼ cup of uncooked orzo pasta yielded me about 3 cups of cooked orzo)

Pour the fresh peas into a pot of boiling water and boil for only 1 minute, or until it is bright green. Remove from heat quickly, rinse with cool water, drain and set the peas aside to cool completely.

Slice the tomatoes in half if they are very small. If a bit larger, slice into quarters then set aside in a bowl.

Slice the shallots very thin. Chop the parsley, basil and thyme, place all the herbs into a bowl and set aside. Set aside a few whole leaves of herbs to use for garnish on top of each serving.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled orzo pasta, peas, yellow bell peppers, yellow tomatoes, shallots, herbs and the drained capers. Pour the lemon dressing into the salad and toss it gently but thoroughly. Pour into bowls or plates to serve individually, or if serving buffet style, arrange the salad onto a large platter. Top the salad with crumbles of feta cheese, sprinkles of Umbria nut blend, and finally fresh herb leaves for garnish.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
May 24, 2016

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE SALAD
This Red, White and Blue Salad recipe is a simple dish for celebrating anything patriotic in the USA. Monday is Memorial Day and it doesn’t take much to whip up a bright and colorful salad. Serve it on solid white, blue & white, or red accented dinnerware, and make the holiday feel just a bit more festive. Even if you don’t have grand plans for the Memorial Day holiday, a touch of patriotism can brighten the day.

To add a peppery bite to this salad I’ve used our Middle Eastern blend, Cairo nut & spice mix , however, the French blend, Provence, would add a nice herbaceous flavor, or the Indian blend, Mumbai, would add real spunk. I’ve used blackberries in this salad because I love the shape and flavor of these berries, however, blueberries are also a great color choice and they too bring a touch of sweetness to the mix.

A tip for presentation is to section each ingredient when arranging them onto the tossed greens to make the distinctive colors stand out.

Memorial Day typically marks the beginning of summer and is always celebrated on the last Monday of May. It originated at the end of the American Civil war, in 1868, when Union veterans would decorate the graves of those who died in service to our country during that war. It was first called “Decoration Day” but later changed to “Memorial Day” and is now intended to honor all United States deceased veterans who have served our country.

Thank you to all who have served and wishing you and your family a joyful holiday.

by: Margie Bruner, owner of Glory Kitchen
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Red, White & Blue Salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

Cairo nut & spice mix

mixed dark baby greens or mesclun mix

pine nuts, lightly toasted

grape tomatoes, sliced

blackberries, fresh

roasted chicken, shredded

feta cheese, crumbled

balsamic vinaigrette

For the balsamic vinaigrette

2 teaspoons Cairo nut & spice mix

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1-2 teaspoon honey

pinch of salt

Instructions

for the balsamic vinaigrette:

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

for the salad:

Shred the roasted chicken into small pieces and set aside. True confessions - I often buy an already roasted chicken at the grocery store and shred it for salads, pot pies, and other recipes which call for shredded chicken. It makes the process sooo much quicker and who doesn't want a shortcut that makes life a bit easier, right?

Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat until lightly browned and set aside to cool. Work quickly and be ready to remove them from the heat onto a plate because they can burn in no time. (they taste delicious raw as well if you prefer not to toast)

Slice the grape tomatoes into small rounds and set aside.

When you are ready to serve, toss the greens with a bit of balsamic vinaigrette and arrange them on a serving plate. Arrange each ingredient over the dressed greens in sections to highlight the individual bright colors; pine nuts, tomatoes, blackberries, chicken, and crumbles of feta cheese.

Drizzle the top with a bit more vinaigrette and top the chicken section with Cairo nut & spice mix. Serve immediately.

Notes

Other Glory Kitchen nut and spice mixes which I think would work well with this salad are the Provence and Mumbai blends. If using the Provence mix, I would trade out the pine nuts for toasted whole cashews.

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
May 15, 2016

STRAWBERRY AND BRIE CROSTINI
When it’s fresh berry season I love to use them in recipes of all types but keeping the process simple allows you to shine the spotlight on the berry and enjoy the fruit in its purest form.

Strawberries are abundant in the Carolinas during the month of May – the locally grown berries are available at every farmer’s market and up and down country roadsides. There are strawberry festivals in many small towns and everyone seems to be celebrating the season of that beautiful, sweet fruit. It is the first sign that summer is on its way and it’s time to lighten up our meals with beautiful farm fresh produce.

There is nothing better than a simple strawberry compote or preserve that highlights the natural sweetness and keeps the berry juicy and flavorful. I am a crostini gal. A simple toast topped with good cheese and something homegrown paired with a glass of crisp wine is my go-to dinner.

This recipe calls for 2 pounds of fresh berries but I doubled the recipe and filled several jars with the beautiful, red goodness. My strawberry jars will be given as gifts, however, it’s always a good idea to store one away in the freezer for another day when you have sweet strawberry cravings!

Margie Bruner
owner of Glory Kitchen

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Strawberry & Brie Crostini

preserves will yield about 2 cups

Ingredients

For the strawberry preserves:

2 pounds strawberries, hulled & sliced in half

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 cup honey

For the strawberry & brie crostini:

Mumbai nut & spice mix

toasted crostini toasts

strawberry preserves

brie cheese, room temp.

Instructions

for strawberry preserves:

After washing & trimming stems off strawberries, slice each one in half. Place the strawberries, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and honey into a large saucepan.

Begin to cook on a stovetop on high heat until the berries reach a boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally until the juices are released and the berries soften. When the syrup of the berries coats the back of a spoon, turn off the heat and allow the berries to cool. Cook time is about 15-20 minutes or until the syrup is thickened. Pour the cooled preserves into a jar and refrigerate until ready to use. These strawberries are great on toast, waffles, crostini or spooned over different cheeses for an appetizer.

for the strawberry & brie crostini:

Preheat the oven to 400° or set to broil (if you want them to toast very quickly). Slice a french baguette on the bias and place them onto a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each slice with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and place into the oven until they are lightly browned. If you have set the oven on broil, keep a close eye on the toasts because they brown quickly and can burn in no time - I am notorious for walking away and ruining a loaf of french bread so stay close to the oven! Remove and cool completely. These can be made the day before and stored in a ziplock baggie until ready to use.

Place a slice of brie cheese (room temperature) onto the toasts, spoon with strawberry preserves (also room temperature) and sprinkle generously with Mumbai nut & spice mix. For garnish, top with fresh thyme leaves.

Notes

This berry crostini can be made using all types of cheeses and various fresh fruits for the preserves. It would be wonderful using blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, even fresh seasonal figs. The spice mix could also work well with Cairo nut & spice mix

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© Glory Kitchen | all recipes and photographs are the property of Glory Kitchen
May 9, 2016

KIMCHI FRIED RICE WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHORIZO
My ultra talented friend, Lisa Rees, from Los Angeles, California, is sharing with us her mushroom and chorizo infused Kimchi Fried Rice seasoned with our Glory Kitchen Penang nut & spice mix. Lisa is a true master behind the camera lens, capturing her beautiful food creations in such artful ways.

Her photographs always seem to tell a story, arranged in such a way that draws you in for more. To learn more about this very talented cook and photographer, visit her links listed below. -Margie (food and photos created by Lisa Rees)

Lisa Rees
artist, photographer, & cook

Website: lisarees.photoshelter.com
Instagram: instagram.com/maisonrees/

Fried rice is such a popular dish universally nowadays, not limited to Asians. The various versions of fried rice dishes are limitless, for example Indonesian Nasi Goreng, Chinese pork fried rice, Thai pineapple fried rice, Filipino garlic fried rice. It is easy to make and the best part is with a little bit of imagination, you can use almost any ingredient on hand from the fridge/pantry to put into it. I love its crunchy crispiness accompanied by the complex flavors from the different elements. It’s quite sophisticated in its own simple and comforting way.

This recipe is inspired by the basic Korean style kimchi fried rice. I incorporated fresh shiitake mushrooms, chorizo sausage along with the deliciously Asian influenced blend of Penang Nut & Spice to the mix. The undeniable heat from the kimchi combined with the smokey flavor of the chorizo, further enhanced by the Penang Nut & Spice give this fried rice a vivacious personality and it is fiery in my opinion.
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Kimchi Fried Rice with Mushrooms and Chorizo

2-3 portions

Ingredients

Penang nut & spice mix

1 cup of Kimchi (densely packed)

1 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean chilli bean paste)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 oz. dried Spanish chorizo, cut into small dices

6 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 2 large ones), cleaned, stem removed and cut into thin slices

1 1/2 cups of short-grain rice, cooked to yield about 3 cups

1 bunch of spring onions, finely sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 small sheets of Korean nori (roasted seaweed), cut into thin slices

3 large eggs, optional (if you like a sunny side up egg on top)

Instructions

Squeeze out as much juice as you can from the kimchi, into a small bowl and reserve the juice. Then finely chop the kimchi set aside.

Whisk the reserved kimchi juice and Gochujang in a bowl until well blended.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot in a non-stick deep frying pan or wok. Add shiitake mushroom slices, chopped kimchi and 2 teaspoons Penang nut & spice mix into the pan, stir frequently for about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms become soft and the kimchi is browned and very fragrant.

Turn the heat to high, add the cooked rice to the pan, add toasted sesame oil to blend with the rice. Press the rice onto the sides of the pan if necessary to break up any large lumps, stir frequently for 2 minutes. Add chorizo dices and kimchi/Gochujang liquid evenly onto the rice, toss and stir fry everything for another 5 minutes until the rice is nicely browned and toasted, not sticking together as much. Add in the salt and 1 teaspoon of Penang nut & spice mix, mix well.

Take the pan off the heat and toss in chopped spring onions. Meanwhile cook sunny side up eggs separately in another pan if you choose, and set them aside.

To serve, divide the kimchi fried rice equally into 3 bowls. Sprinkle slices of nori and toasted sesame seeds and place a sunny side up egg into each bowl.

Notes

1. The cooked rice to be used should be at room temperature (not hot), and not mushy in consistency. If you have left over rice from the night before, it is even better.
2. The key to a good fried rice is to heat the pan or wok until it is extremely hot - it helps to toast the rice and keeps the grain separate during cooking.
3. By breaking up the runny yolk of a sunny side up egg and stirring it into the fried rice, this dish becomes super delectable and it gives the rice an almost melt-in-your-mouth, buttery taste.

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