7 ‘Insta’ Recipes

Some of the most ‘liked’ photos on my Instagram account are my food shots. They are usually meals that I cook at home.

I always get a lot of inquiries about the recipes. It’s quite tedious to post it on the IG comment box so I’ve compiled some of my recent IG food pics and the lowdown on how to cook them:

Grilled Chicken Breast with Chipotle Rub and Wilted Garlic Kale

Ingredients: Chicken breast; chipotle or cajun or spiced rub (available in leading supermarkets); 2 cups of fresh kale, chopped garlic; 1 red onion;  a pinch of nutmeng;  garlic powder;  salt & pepper; cooking oil

Easy peasy:

Step 1: Prep the kale: rinse kale well in large bowl of water; place in colander. Drain. Discard any discolored leaves. To trim away tough stem ends, make “V-shaped” cut at stem end; discard tough stems.
Step 2. Prep the chicken breast: apply the chipotle rub on the outside of the meat, creating a coat that flavors the chicken while it cooks. Add a bit of salt and pepper.
Step 3: To cook chicken, Grill the chicken under the broiler. It takes 3-4 minutes on each side to cook, depending on how thick the meat is.
You can also use the Airfryer to cook the chicken. Set timer for 10-12 minutes, cook in 180 degrees.
Step 4: To cook the kale, heat oil over medium in a pan. Sauté the garlic and red onions. Add the kale then season with garlic powder, a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss till the leaves are wilted but do not overcook the greens.
Step 5: Serve with a smile! 😀

Truffle Mushroom and Sharp Cheddar Tortilla Pizza

Ingredients: soft flour tortillas; tomato/pizza sauce (canned or homemade); fresh portobello or button mushrooms; grated sharp cheddar; truffle oil; olive oil; salt & pepper

Easy peasy:

Step 1: Cook the chopped mushrooms in olive oil in a pan, in medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Step 2: To create a crispy tortilla crust, heat one side of the tortilla on top of the stove top (open flame) till it becomes crispy.
Step 3: Spread a thin layer of the tomato/pizza sauce.
Step 4: Top the pizza with mushrooms and sharp cheddar. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper
Step 5: Cook the tortilla pizza under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
You can use an oven toaster to cook this but you have to pre-slice the pizza to fit the toaster.
If using the oven, pre-heat the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until crispy.
Step 6: Cut pizza into wedges using a pizza wheel or sharp knife.
Step 7: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Rib Eye Steak with Wilted Kale

Ingredients: rib eye steak, kale, garlic, onions, cooking oil, salt, black pepper

Easy peasy:

Step 1: Preheat a grill or heavy pan to high heat.

Step 2: Place rib-eye steaks on a large platter and season with rub on all sides. Transfer seasoned steaks to the hot grill, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes (3-4 minutes if the meat is sliced thinner) on each side for medium-rare, longer if desired. Remove steaks and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Step 3: To cook the kale, heat oil over medium in a pan. Sauté the garlic and onions. Add the kale then season with garlic powder, a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss till the leaves are wilted but do not overcook the greens.

Lemon-Garlic Scallops on Toasted Ciabatta

Ingredients: 1/2 lbs or 14-16 pieces of fresh scallops; 1-2 tbsp minced garlic; cooking oil; 2 tbsp. lemon juice; chopped, flat leaf parsley; salt & pepper

Easy peasy:

Step 1: Using a heavy pan, heat oil on low-medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Add scallops, and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque. Season with salt & pepper.
Step 3: Turn off the heat and squeeze a bit of lemon juice on the scallops. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley.
Step 4: Slice the ciabatta in half. Lightly toast the bread in the oven or using the toaster. Serve the cooked scallops on top of the toast.

Grilled Cajun or Ancho Chicken Taco with Mango Salsa

Ingredients: 4 chicken breast fillet; ancho chili powder or cajun or spiced rub; soft mini flour or corn tortillas; tomatoes, mangoes; chopped onions; freshly chopped cilantro; 1 fresh lemon; salt & pepper

Easy peasy:

Step 1: To cook the chicken, generously add the dry rub to the chicken breasts until evenly coated.
Step 2: Grill the chicken under the broiler or preheat in the oven at 350 degrees  and bake chicken breasts for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3: While chicken is cooking, make the mango salsa: combine all the chopped mangoes, tomatoes and onion in a bowl. season with salt & pepper. Add freshly chopped cilantro and squeeze 1 fresh lemon juice.
Step 4: Heat the soft tortillas in an open flame or in a pan. Assemble your taco!

Boiled Egg Caviar

Ingredients: fresh eggs; caviar; truffle oil (optional)

Easy peasy:

How to cook the perfect hard boiled egg: Place eggs in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover them with cold water. Make sure the tops of the eggs are covered by at least an inch of water.Bring the water to a full boil, uncovered. You’ll see the water simmering, but as soon as you see a few big bubbles, remove the pot from the heat and cover it. Let the pot stand untouched for 15 minutes. Remove the boiled eggs from the water and transfer them to a bowl of cold/iced water for 15 minutes to stop the cooking process. Peel eggshells. Admire the perfect yellow yolks.

You may now add the arte-arte ingredients: caviar and truffle oil.

Baby Tacos with Papaya Salsa and Sharp Cheddar

Ingredients: soft mini flour/corn tortilla; 500 grams lean ground sirloin; 2-3 tbsp. chili powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; papaya; tomatoes; 1 onion; fresh cilantro; grated sharp cheddar cheese; salt & pepper

Easy peasy:

To cook the ground beef, heat the pan in medium heat (no need for oil) and brown the beef. Add the chili powder (don’t worry, this is not spicy, it has more of a smoky taste to it so it’s kid-friendly), cumin, paprika and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

To make the salsa, chop the fresh papaya, tomatoes and onion. Place in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and squeeze fresh lemon juice. Add freshly chopped cilantro.

Assemble the taco. Roll the flour/corn tortilla with the toppings. Cut it in half and serve with grated sharp cheddar on the side.

Follow me on Instagram/@jenniepperson for more food porn!

Shoppingero/shoppingera, happy cooking!