Browsing Category WARM TO THE HEART STEWS
Anita’s Irresistible Cioppino -Seafood Stew

Ingredients
1-pound mussels, scrubbed
1/2-pound small scallops
1-pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, diced
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups crushed tomato
1 cup clam juice
2 1/2 cup vegetable or fish broth
1/3 cup fresh lime juice or lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
wedges of lime or lemon for serving
Preparation
- Use a large skillet and heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and potato, until soft and tender.
- Add crushed tomatoes. Seasoned with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, and paprika.
- Add clams and stir. Add clam juice. Cook for 3 minutes. Add shrimps and scallops. Cover with fish or vegetable broth, and let it simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Lower heat and drizzle with wine. Simmer again stirring occasionally for 15 minutes, until clams open and rest of seafood is cooked. Discard any un-opened clams.
- Turn off heat and add in lime juice. Top with chopped fresh parsley leaves. Ooops, I missed the toasted piece of bread. Enjoy with extra wedges of lime :)!
Anita’s best Curry Cauliflower with Crystal Noodles

Ingredients
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 large carrots, cut rounds
2 large potatoes, diced
3 tomatoes, large diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
4 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoon curry powder or paste
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric or ground
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups of chicken broth
Preparation
- Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions, sauté until soft and add garlic.
- Incorporate cauliflower potatoes and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes and add cauliflower florets and tomatoes. Add grated ginger, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and chicken broth. Cover skillet slightly and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until carrots and cauliflower florets are tender. Set stew aside.
Note: If desired, instead of the chicken broth use coconut milk, but I wanted to leave the stew lighter by incorporating it into the crystal noodles.
Preparing Crystal Pink Noodles
- Fill a saucepan with a cup of coconut milk and one cup of water. Add the juice or water released of 4 boiled cooked beets or juices from can beets. Bring this water and coconut milk to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Place clear crystal noodles into this water and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
2.1 Drain noodles after getting colored using a strainer.
- Use this delicious and colorful noodles on the bottom of your serving plate and top with delicious Curry Cauliflower Stew. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Enjoy!
Anita’s Okra Stew

Ingredients
1 pound baby Okra
1 pound filet mignon, cubes
1 12 ounces can diced tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 Tablespoon tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
4 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander, dried
2 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses
3 cups of water
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Bay Leaf
Preparation
- Use a large-heavy pan over medium-high heat. Heat olive oil and add filet mignon beef cubes.
2. Cook meat till tender for about 8-10 minutes. Another kind of meat can be used, but it will take much longer to become tender and will need to cook separately . Add sliced garlic. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Incorporate baby Okra. When stew okra can get “slimy”, so I rather bring it fresh and freeze it and cook it while it is still frozen. Add salt, black pepper, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and bay leaf. Stirring occasionally until okra is slightly tender.
4. Add diced tomatoes. Stir and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses with three cups of water.
6. Incorporate and mix well all ingredients. Cover pan, lower heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens. Add cilantro. Stir well.
7. Serve Okra Stew next to rice. Enjoy!
Anita’s best Homemade Beef Stew

Ingredients
1 1/2 chuck pot roast meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
4 yellow potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 diced Roma tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
2 cups of peas, frozen
2 bay leaves
4 cups of unsalted beef broth
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Preparation
- Preheat olive oil at medium-low heat in a heavy pan.
- Incorporate pieces of beef well coated with flour into the olive oil and browned beef on all sides.
- Add potatoes, garlic and onions, stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in carrots and tomatoes. Seasoned with salt, pepper, ground thyme, fresh chopped rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, and at low heat simmer with lid on for about 45 minutes. Incorporate wine and let it reduced.
- Stir in frozen peas and cook through for another 15 minutes. Add cilantro leaves. Remove bay leaves and serve. Enjoy!
Anita’s Veal Osso Buco with Rosemary and Thyme

You want to show Dad that you love him. Make him this delicious dinner. Comforting, tender, juicy and super delicious meat, so hard to resist!
Ingredients:
4 veal shank, 3 to 4 inches thick (center cut)
2 carrots, cut in rounds
1 yellow onion, small diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs, rosemary
1 sprig, thyme
1 teaspoon thyme, ground
1 bay leave, dried
4 to 5 cups vegetable stock
1- 8 ounces can, tomato sauce
1 cup white or red wine
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped (for garnish)
1 sprig thyme, finely chopped (for garnish)
2 Tablespoon flour
Bulgur (see recipe on my site)
Make a Simple Gremolata:
Grating zest of a lemon or orange and mincing parley and garlic. Add salt. Mix and Sprinkle over cooked ready to serve Osso Buco.
Preparation
- Season veal shanks with salt, pepper and ground thyme.
- Dust veal with flour and pan-sear until golden brown.
- Use a large skillet and sate onions, carrots, garlic in olive oil at medium heat until slightly soft (translucent).
- Placed veal shanks over vegetables and add vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato sauce. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes and lower heat.
- Add fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs and bay leave.
- Cook for at least 2 hours with lid on, until veal is fork tender and have absorbed all flavors.
- Remove bay leave.
- Serve oso bucco with reduced sauce of vegetables. Garnish with lemon zest, fresh rosemary, and thyme over a bed of Delicious Wheat Bulgur and Baby potatoes. (see recipe on my site) . Sprinkle with Gremolata. Buen Apetito!
Anita’s Creamiest Chicken Curry

Slightly spicy curry sauce thickened with yogurt, tender chicken and grinding your own spices makes all the difference. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast, cut into large bite-sized chunks
3 large potatoes, cut in large size
3 carrots, sliced
1 onion, large diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala spices
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Preparation
- In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and butter. Add chicken. Cook until lightly golden browned. Chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Add onions, garlic, potatoes and carrots. Cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes and carrots are starting to become tender.
- Add the garam masala, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, curry, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add tomato paste and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil. Simmer at low heat for about 20 minutes until sauce thickened and vegetables are tender.
- Add yogurt and stir through.
Serve next to Basmati Rice. Enjoy!
Anita’s Best Ever Shrimp Curry

This delicious Indian-inspired dish is infused with a rich and creamy coconut sauce. Serve next or over Basmati rice. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 pound cooked and peeled shrimp
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoon peanut oil
1 onion, small diced
2 red sweet pepper, medium diced
2 yellow sweet pepper, medium diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 Tablespoon mascarpone cheese
1 (14 ounces) can coconut cream water
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground
1/2 teaspoon turmeric, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper.
Preparation
1.Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers, cook for about 10 minutes until translucent. Add potatoes.
2. Add garlic, curry, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
3. Add coconut cream and stir all ingredients together.
4. Add shrimps and simmer for about 10 minutes until shrimps are cooked. Add mascarpone cheese to make a creamy sauce stirring constantly. Stir in some of the cilantro right before turning heat and garnish with some leaves.
Anita’s Lebanese Kafta (Meatloaf with Potatoes)

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon pepper, ground
4 tomatoes, sliced in rounds
4 large potatoes, sliced in rounds
1 ( 4 ounces) can tomato paste mixed in 1 1/2 cup of water
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit and butter a glass dish. Set aside.
- In a big bowl mix ground beef, parsley, onions. Add ketchup, pomegranate molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix all until well combined. Transfer meatloaf into the glass baking dish and make it all even.
- Layered Potatoes on top of meatloaf.
- Placed one sliced tomato on top of each potato sliced. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. (As shown in picture).
5. Pour over, mixed tomato paste into 1 1/2 cup of water over the entire dish. Bake for about one hour or until juices of beef and tomato sauce have almost reduced, beef is cooked, and potatoes are tender. Serve next to rice. Enjoy!
Anita’s Vegetarian Zucchini Stew with Brown Rice

A delicious, vegetarian, healthy and light Tomato-based dish. No time to cook and enjoyable during the summer when zucchinis are in season.
Ingredients
6 medium zucchini, cut in half moon
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, small diced
1 cup vegetable broth
4 tomatoes, small diced
1- 8 ounces tomato sauce can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon mint, dried
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
1. Sate onions in olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and zucchini and cook covered until zucchini is tender.
2. Add tomatoes, mint, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper, and stir all.
3. Add tomato sauce can, vegetable broth and simmer on low heat uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes till zucchini are tender but not overcooked.
4. Serve warm next to white or brown rice.
Anita’s Cauliflower Stew

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 whole head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 carrots, rounded sliced
2 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
Parsley to garnish
Preparation
- Sate ground beef in olive oil until golden brown and water from beef is evaporated. Add onions, garlic and carrots till tender.
- Stir in tomato paste and mix well. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, salt and pepper. Add cauliflowers.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover. Let it simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
- Add lemon juice and cilantro and turn off the heat.
- Serve warm next to rice. Enjoy!