Saturday, December 29, 2007

Dukkah crusted loin with baby pineapple & Spanish potato tortilla

A short note: just let you know that I'm going to take a trip to New Jersey of America, will be back by 20 January. Happy New Year everyone!

sliced pork loin coated with Dukkah (blend of mixed nuts and herbs), pan fried, then placed on baby pineapple (middle layer) and Spanish potato tortilla/ potato omelet (bottom layer), drizzled with pineapple juice glaze, garnished with red lettuce and rocket.

Every time I walk pass kebab store, my nostrils are naturally open wide so as to catch all the wonderful spicy aroma drifting in the air. So I was fortunate enough to stop my nose on time to vacuum a pack of Telegraph Hill Dukkah when I was sniffing to it! That's right, this blend of nuts and herbs has the reminiscence of aromatic kebab. If without Katie and Linsay creating Seasoned Eatings, I wouldn't have chance to receive such a wonderful gift from Morven. Morven now is living in New Zealand, a country produces excellent wine, fruits, dairy products and many more. She also gave me two packs of local extra-virgin olive oil so I know their olives must be very famous as well. Now you may like to browse the followed photos and see how lovely the goodies she prepared for me!

Content of Morven's package: a heart-warming letter, a recipe of Dukkah crusted chicken, Telegraph Hill's flyer with great cooking tips... and (see next below)...

... a pack of roasted Dukkah, a lovely greeting card, and two packs of TH extra-virgin olive oils (the latter not in photo)

Ingredients of TH Dukkah: dry roasted Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, herbs, spices and salt. Although didn't mention, I can see caraway and fennel seeds.

Morven kindly includes a recipe of Dukkah crusted (deep-fried) chicken with rocket potatoes and balsamic glaze. Besides, in her letter she introduced one more preparation which is more simpler yet delicious (with mustard). I don't eat chicken breast so replace with pork loin. Anyway, it just tells us how versatile Dukkah in cooking! I am going to briefly tell you how I made my version, then Morven's recipes come afterwards. By the end I'll include a recipe of home-made Dukkah and Spanish tortilla respectively that I search on internet.

Dukkah crusted loin - inspired by Morven at http://www.foodartandrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/

  • few big spoonfuls of Dukkah (see bottom for home-made recipe)
  • a small spoonful of Dijon mustard thinned with pineapple juice
  • pork loin, sliced
  • mild flavored olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Pour about 1/2 cm-deep olive oil in a skillet, preheat. Pat dry the loin, brush with Dijon mustard mixture, completely coat with Dukkah, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully lay the loin onto the skillet and pan-fry for a few minutes (they cook fast) over medium heat.

Pineapple juice glaze

  • natural pineapple juice (about 1/2 cup for 1 serving)
  • spoonfuls of brown sugar
  • a dash of vodka
  • a pinch of coriander seed powder
  • a pinch of onion powder
  • a small cube of butter

In a small pot, add onion powder, coriander seed powder and butter. When the aroma arises, add a dash of vodka, wait a few seconds before add in pineapple juice and brown sugar. Simmering over low heat until the liquid thickens. Drizzle it over Dukkah crusted loin.

Morven's Dukkah Crusted Chicken (makes 4 serves)

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 100g flour
  • 1 cup Panko crumbs + 1 cup Dukkah, plus a bit lemon zest and parsley

Slice the chicken breasts into small steaks and beat to thin by placing them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. First dip the meat into flour, then the egg , then the dukkah mix. Set aside.

In a pan heat some olive oil about 1 cm deep. Hot fry the coated chicken till golden in color. Do not have the heat up to high.

Serve the chicken with rocket potatoes (recipe next)

Morven's Rocket Potatoes

  • 1 bunch rocket
  • 2 medium waxy potatoes, dice into small cubes
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic
  • salt and pepper

Boil the cubes potatoes with a pinch of salt until tender, drain. Drizzle some olive oil in a hot frying pan, add garlic and potatoes, throw in rocket and season with salt and pepper. Remove as soon as the rocket has wilted.

To serve: place the rocket potatoes in the center of a main course plate and stack the chicken on top, drizzle the balsamic glaze around.

For home-made Dukkah, please click here

For home-made Spanish potato tortilla, please click here

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21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, these are absolutely gorgeous! I only wish I'd seen them earlier this week as I happened to be given a whole bagful of sweet baby pineapple that we ate raw because I couldn't think of what to do with it! I'll have to see if I can get any more!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Dukkah is completely new to me, though perhaps I have eaten it at a kebab shop and didn't know what it was. I'm going to look for the next time I visit a spice market.

Anonymous said...

Gattina! You could cure all the world's ills if everyone would just look at your marvelous creations! That's so amazing...so Gattina! Thank you for all the great posts. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Gattina in 2008! Hugs!

Suganya said...

Thank you for bringing Dukkah to our attention, Gattina. I am going to try it with tofu. BTW, the links for home-made dukkah and tortilla are interchanged.

Anh said...

Gattina, how wonderful! Dukkah is very big in Australia now, and I totally love it!

All the best for you and your family in the new year!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

My favorite Dukkah was from a tiny Middle Eastern restaurant where they would put it on flatbread and toast it. Your recipe is far superior, Gattina. Seriously. I have got to try this. It's too beautiful not to. May 2008 be joyous for you.

Brilynn said...

I was first introduced to dukkah in Australia and love it immediately, this sounds fabulous!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Wow oh wow! You just keep getting better and better. I so want to make the potato tortilla like the one I had in Spain.
Wishing you a wonderful new year Gattina!

Unknown said...

Have a great year ahead!

Katie Zeller said...

The Dukkah sounds wonderful. I love all of those nuts. When we lived in Andorra I always bought Brasil nuts in the markets in Barcelona. For some reason we can't get them here...
Lovely dish, esp. on the tortilla!
Have a very Happy New Year!
(Did you peel your grapes?)

Cynthia said...

My dear friend, it was undeniable pleasure to discover your blog in 2007, I have admired and loved your work and that admiration and love will increase as the years roll by. Thank you for making the time to come to my blog and leave a much-appreciated comment.

Happy new year to you and your loved ones!

Cakespy said...

Oh BABY. I never knew about dukkah until right now, but now I am obsessed with it! Awesome.

Amy said...

Mmm I'm sure it tasted and smelled amazing! I need to get some dukkah now. Happy New Year Gattina!

Pooja said...

Hey Gattina ,
A very Happy new year to you dear !
another wonderful recipe from you :P , and my mouth is watering just looking at your picture, why dont you participate with your picture in some food photography events. I am sure you can get a winner position.
Stay tuned ....
-Pooja

Gattina Cheung said...

Ellie, I just love pineapple. However, the price of baby pineapple probably is the same of the big whole one. Wish I could help you out (by eating...) that bagful :)

Lydia, all the best. I think you can make from scatch, sound super-easy to me.

Sher *hug* thanks for always be here since from my early days when I started blogging. I am really very happy to have a special friend like you :D

Suganya, thank you for pointing out the mistake. And just visted your blog, absolutely beautiful! So glad to meet you.

Anh, best wishes to you and your family too! Things still keep you busy? I'll fly off to the States tomorrow, but will check your blog when I'm back.

Susan, my husband starts thinking about moving to the west coast (e.g. California), I think I'll be thrilled if such a chance turns up one day even I haven't been there. Just from reading about your little Middle East restaurant (and many other of your posts), can tell the area totally filling with superb food and life-style! I'd completely waste my time if I haven't tried them...

Brilynn, I love it too at the first sniff.

Tanna, I love patata tortilla a lot too, but the standard of patata tortilla is very various in this city, really depending which restaurants.

Angie, how have you been? Miss you a ton! Any chance back to blogging, once in a while?

Katie, *smacking my foreheat* shoooot... that's why I saw those tiny pack of grape selling a few days before the new year days! How could I forget that!!! Interesting, in the street (I live in the area close to Pg de Gracia) there seemed nothing wild going on when it was close to the mid-night, really a very well-orded city.

Cynthia, it is joyous to know you and your wonderful blog. Continue to see you around!

Cakespy, me too! you can play around the proportion of the mixed nuts if you make them from scatch.

Amy, true, dukkah tastes wonderful, seriously.

Pooja, thank you so much so much for your encouragement! I'll start looking at some of the events, if the timing is right, let me try :D

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious! Happy New Year!

Best,
Paz xxoo

Anonymous said...

Waouuuuuuuuu ... I just discovered your blog and I just love it !

Madame K said...

I love the way this looks.

I'm just learning about dukkah and I'm ready to start experimenting.

Thanks for the recipe!

Courtney said...

Looks good, although i haven't even read through it yet, i was just so excited to see your site because i'm a foodblogger in barcelona too!

Edith said...

G, such beautiful pix and as usual great tempting dish.

Have something for you, check it out. http://preciousmoments66.blogspot.com/2008/01/sleepless-in-singapore.html

Pooja said...

Dear gattina,
Just drop in to say that you have been missed...
Is everything ok at you end dear?