Pod Fredra–A Wroclaw Review

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Romina Moradi

I can’t believe that it’s almost been a month since I left Vancouver. I miss home endlessly but have found much happiness in making a new home here in Wroclaw. I sometimes look around and laugh at how my path led me here . It’s amazingly confusing.

One of the best things about Poland is that their currency hasn’t adopted the Euro yet–this makes the cost of living & food dirt cheap. Yes, and as most of you have expected– i’ve been extremely busy eating. One of my favorite Polish restaurants is located right in the heart of Rynek and was actually recommended to me by my cousin Ola. It goes by the name of Pod Fredra and it cooks up authentic Polish Cuisine.

The interior of Pod Fredra is very rustic. They have solid oak lodges, wooden tables and a plenty of “trinkets”. The service is great and the food comes faster than expected.

The pricing is fair but please do note that you must order the sides separately. All main courses come side-less. Ah, yes, there are some things that a Canadian must get accustomed with here.

What I recommend ordering:

Herb & Lemon Chicken (+24.70 z) with side order of Grilled Potatoes & Bacon (+7.90 z)

Chicken was lathered with fresh herbs and garlic. The potatoes were rich in bacon-y flavors and were the perfect compliment to the dish. All together this dish will cost you 33 zloty–which is roughly $10 Canadian.

2. White Sausages w/ Caramelized Onions 24.70 z ( roughly $8 Canadian)

Huge apology for the terrible quality photo!!!

These sausages were bursting with flavorful juices. Each bite was better than the last. The server suggested that we add a side of bread to the dish but we found the bread to be too dense & heavy to properly accompany the sausages. Perhaps a salad of some sort would have been better.

If you’re in the mood for some authentic Polish food, then I would recommend this as a go to-joint.

Sending you many kisses from Poland,

R x

PS: i’m surviving medical school!

BBQ Chicken w/ Stuffed Feta & Black Olive Jam

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Romina Moradi

I got a new toy today! And I’m in love with it! It’s pastel white, has wheels, and knows the way to my heart. No, no, it’s not a car—it’s a new BBQ! Woooooo!

Why do I feel like I’m wooo-ing alone here? I mean, other girls save up their money for new BBQ’s too—right? =)

Anyhoo, today was my day off. Ah, yes, zero obligations my friends! Just me, myself, and my new BBQ—getting our grill on. Check out what we came up with (it was really a collaborative effort).

BBQ Chicken w/ Stuffed Feta & Black Olive Jam

What you will need:

Chicken Breasts

Feta Cheese

Crushed Garlic

Black Olive Jam ( I used Dudrave Company’s Black Olive Jam bought from Lala’s in Deep Cove). You can also any other type/brand of sweet jam.

1. Cut your chicken breast 3/4 of the way down the middle & stuff with feta and crushed garlic.

2. Toothpick close the chicken breast and spread Black Olive Jam the top w/ some crushed garlic.

3. BBQ medium-high until the chicken is fully cooked and the sugars from the Black Olive Jam have caramelized.

Love always,

R x

Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Chocolate Balsamic Flat Bread

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Romina Moradi

It seems as though the sun has finally come out for us Vancouverites! About time I would say..after all, it is May 7th weather gods.

I’m going to go out on an optimistic limb here but I have a good feeling that the sun is here to stay. To keep the good weather coming–I’m going to share one of my absolute favorite summer recipes: Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Chocolate Balsamic Flat Bread.

I can’t describe how perfect this flat bread is for a summer day. All you need is a refreshing glass (or pitcher!) of sangria for absolute perfection. The caramelized onions, strawberries, goat cheese & mint leave the most unbelievable flavors in your mouth. The drizzled chocolate balsamic then ties everything together… in matrimony.

Pardon!? Chocolate Balsamic?

Yes ,Chocolate Balsamic. Such a thing does exist my fellow foodies! I got mine from the most adorable store called LaLa’s In my hometown Deep Cove. Regular balsamic will work just fine, however, this chocolate balsamic is out of this world. It takes this flatbread to a whole new level.

One great thing about making a flatbread is its versatility. Feel free to get creative with your flavors. I added BBQ chicken to my second flatbread. It was great, and the guys really seemed to prefer it with the chicken (go figure!). You can use whatever BBQ sauce you like, but one brand which I recommend is The Gourmet Village Beer BBQ Grilling Sauce. It also sells at Lala’s gift store in Deep Cove.

Confession : I was on a tight schedule so I used a pre-made flat bread (I hope I haven’t insulted anyone here). But any flat-bread recipe will do.

Ingredients

2 (6-inch) round or square flatbreads
olive oil for brushing
6 large strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chocolate balsamic vinegar

1 onion, sliced thinly
6 mint leaves, chiffonade

3 tbsp of toasted sunflower seed

Additional Toppings:

BBQ Chicken Pieces ( I used Gourmet Village Beer BBQ grilling sauce)

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the onion & caramelize on medium heat until golden brown. Roughly 15-20 minutes.

2. Place flatbread(s) on a cookie sheet and lightly brush a little olive oil on them. Distribute the strawberries on top, followed by the goat cheese & the caramelized onions when ready.

3.Drizzle a few tablespoons of the Chocolate Balsamic Syrup. (The sugars of the balsamic will come out in the oven…absolutely divine) .

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just golden.

5. Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds & mint.

Easy, Sinful & Elegant. It’s perfection.

-r x

Chicken Satays with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Romina Moradi

These chicken satays come loaded with mind blowing flavours! The yogurt marinade creates an extremely juicy & tender chicken satay and the peanut sauce will leave an unforgettable after-taste in your mouth.

They are by far the most requested dish at my catering events. Try them for yourselves and you’ll see why!

I love making these because it gives me an excuse to indulge in some peanut butter. Confession: I may have a slight peanut butter obsession.

The trick to the perfect chicken satay lies in the preparation of the chicken. To ensure even cooking- “butterfly” your chicken breast by running the blade of the knife width-wise down the breast. Do not cut all the way through!

Keep the edge intact & open the breast along the fold.

Cut the chicken breast into equal sized pieces. Repeat this method for each chicken breast. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts ( 3-4 breasts)- which yields around 15-20 chicken skewers.

Once prepared, transfer the chicken strips to the fridge & start on the yogurt marinade.

Yogurt Marinade for Chicken Satay’s

1 cup of Plain Yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips (method shown above)

15-20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes

In a large mixing bowl combine: 1 cup of plain yogurt with 1 1/2 tsp of grated ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp of curry powder & 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and give it a gentle toss until each chicken piece is coated. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

If you let the chicken satay’s absorb the flavours of the marinade overnight- they will be much more tender.

When ready, skewer each chicken strip in a “thread” like method. Please make sure you have pre-soaked your wooden skewers first!

Broil the chicken satays for approximately 8-9 minutes and turn to broil another 4-5 minutes on the other side. Serve with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce (click for the recipe!).

Bon Appétit!

xo r

Red Coconut Chicken Curry

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Romina Moradi

About a month ago I held a Twitter contest asking if any of you could guess what fruit this was.

I got a ton a hilarious replies: Gauva? Crazy looking orange? Tomatillo?

My friend Kelly ended up guessing correctly with her answer as Passion Fruit. She won a free dinner (of her choice) cooked by me. We decided on Thai flavors & I thought my Red Coconut Chicken Curry would do the trick .

The great thing about this recipe is it’s versatility. Work with what you have in your fridge! You can use just about any vegetable in this dish.

Red Coconut Chicken Curry

1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs ( I used 2 chicken breasts instead)

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

2 medium sized Carrots, cut into chunks

1 cup of Sprouts

1 cup of green beans (leave whole)

1 large onion, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot

1 tbsp (15 mL) Thai red curry paste

1 can (400 ml) coconut milk

2 tbsp (30 mL) fish sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lime rind

1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed fresh coriander leaves

1/4 cup of Peanuts (for garnish)

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In wok or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over high heat; stir-fry chicken, in batches, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Add remaining oil to wok; stir-fry the carrots, green beans, onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste ( for those sensitive to spicy food, reduce the curry paste to 2 tsp ) until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.

Pour in coconut milk and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to simmer. Add fish sauce, sugar, lime rind and juice, salt and chicken; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh sprouts, peanuts & coriander. Serve with Coconut rice ( see recipe below). Makes 5-6 servings.

Coconut Rice

Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained well
1 1/2 cups good, thick coconut milk (shake can to mix well before opening)
1 1/2 cups water

Heat butter a medium sized, heavy saucepan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add brown sugar and salt, stir until dissolved. Turn heat to high, add rice and stir until all grains coated evenly. Add coconut milk and water. Stir.

When boiling, immediately cover with tight fitting lid, turn heat to medium-low and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat but do not open lid. No peeking! Let sit for 10 minutes. Makes 4-6 side servings & is a great pair to the Red Coconut Curry.

P.s Next Twitter Dinner Give-a-Way will be on March 14th. Study your fruits & veggies!

Chicken Breasts

Feta Cheese

Crushed Garlic

Black Olive Jam ( I used Dudrave Company’s Black Olive Jam bought from Lala’s in Deep Cove). You can also any other type/brand of sweet jam.

Love always,

R x

2 (6-inch) round or square flatbreads olive oil for brushing 6 large strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup chocolate balsamic vinegar

1 onion, sliced thinly 6 mint leaves, chiffonade

3 tbsp of toasted sunflower seed

Additional Toppings:

BBQ Chicken Pieces ( I used Gourmet Village Beer BBQ grilling sauce)

Easy, Sinful & Elegant. It’s perfection.

-r x

1 cup of Plain Yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips (method shown above)

15-20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes

Bon Appétit!

xo r

Red Coconut Chicken Curry

1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs ( I used 2 chicken breasts instead)

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

2 medium sized Carrots, cut into chunks

1 cup of Sprouts

1 cup of green beans (leave whole)

1 large onion, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot

1 tbsp (15 mL) Thai red curry paste

1 can (400 ml) coconut milk

2 tbsp (30 mL) fish sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lime rind

1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed fresh coriander leaves

1/4 cup of Peanuts (for garnish)

Coconut Rice

Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt) 2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained well 1 1/2 cups good, thick coconut milk (shake can to mix well before opening) 1 1/2 cups water

Bon Appetit!

xo r

2 (6-inch) round or square flatbreads
olive oil for brushing
6 large strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chocolate balsamic vinegar

1 onion, sliced thinly
6 mint leaves, chiffonade

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained well
1 1/2 cups good, thick coconut milk (shake can to mix well before opening)
1 1/2 cups water