Searching4Zen

Welcome to Searching4Zen, a recipe sharing and blog discussing adventures in Food & Wine, Travel and Cycling. We hope you will register with us and share your comments.

  • Avocado Ice Cream

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    I had a sheltered life growing up in staid New England and never tasted an avocado until I was a teenager and took my first trip to California. There I was served a salad loaded with chunks of avocado, squishy, pale, and icky green. I tried to spear the offending slices to get them off […]

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  • Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Almonds

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    Ingredients 1-½ cups basmati rice 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2 cloves garlic, minced 2-¼ cups water 1-¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ⅓ cup dried fruit, such as currants, raisins or finely chopped dried apricots ¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted until golden […]

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  • 3 Ingredient Steak with Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

    1 hours
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    Ingredients 2 pounds small new potatoes Kosher salt 1/2 cup olive oil, divided 3/4 cup grated Parmesan 1 (1 1/2-pound) hanger steak Freshly ground black pepper Instructions Place potatoes in a medium pot; add cold water to cover by 1″. Season with salt, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 12–15 minutes. […]

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  • Herbed Pasta Dough

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    Ingredients 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 eggs ¾ tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. water or milk (lukewarm) 2 Tbsp. filly chopped fresh parsley 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh marjoram 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme Instructions Place the fresh herbs in a food processor and […]

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  • Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas with Salsa Huevona / Quesadillas con Camarones y Salsa Huevona

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    Ingredients ½ medium red onion, preferably a freshly-dug tropea, cut into ½-inch rounds 12 ounces peeled and deveined (if you wish) shrimp About ¼ cup vegetable oil (divided use) 3 cups (about 12 ounces) shredded young Manchego cheese 6 8-inch flour tortillas Salsa Huevona for serving Instructions Heat a gas grill to medium-high on one side, medium on the other, or light a charcoal fire […]

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  • Salsa Huevona (“Lazy” Salsa)

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    Ok, I know the name’s a little edgy, since many people wouldn’t use huevona around their grandmother.  Perhaps I should have translated salsa huevona as ‘lazy-ass salsa,’ more clearly capturing to the sentiment one of our cooks was expressing when he christened this salsa.  That was after his cousin put tomatoes, onions and jalapeños on the backyard grill one […]

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  • Rollos de Camarones al Ajillo, Mango, y Aguacate

    35 minutes
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    If I ever open a restaurant, this will be one of the top items on my menu—a shrimp roll on a soft bun, with bacon, sweet-tart chunks of mango, and creamy bites of avocado tossed in a thick, smoky vinaigrette made with a judicious amount of garlic and shallot fried in the rendered bacon fat. […]

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  • Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

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    Author Notes: The most famous tomato sauce on the internet, from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Editor’s note: Marcella called for 2 cups of tomatoes when using canned, but feel free to use a whole 28-ounce can (closer to 3 cups), if you like. You can scale up the butter and onion, if […]

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  • Tarragon Chicken

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    I hesitate even to call this a recipe. Don’t think of that sauce-heavy French traditional dish, but rather a quick way of infusing poultry with a liquorish herbal hit of summery freshness. You can marinate it in the fridge all day in advance, but if planning ahead is not one of your strengths, then know […]

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  • Shrimp with Coconut Milk

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    Ingredients 2 cloves garlic minced 1 teaspoon minced ginger root ½ pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp Oil 1 cup coconut milk ¼ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper Salt and pepper to taste Chopped cilantro Rice Instructions Sauté garlic, ginger and shrimp in oil in a large skillet until shrimp turns pink. Add […]

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