Monday, May 30, 2011

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:

1 cucumber
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
chopped parsley or chives





Procedure:

1. Peel the cucumber if the peel is thick
2. Slice it paper-thin. A cheese plane is a handy tool for this job
3. Mix vinegar , salt, sugar and pepper and pour over the cucumber
4. Sprinkle with parsley or chives serving

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wild Mushrooms on Toast

Wild Mushrooms on Toast
Ingredients:

2 ounces imported dried wild mushrooms
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp Creme Fraiche or sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of sweet Hungarian paprika
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
12 slices French bread
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Procedure:

1. In a small saucepan, simmer the mushroom in 2 cups of water until soft,
    about 40 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon.
    Strain the cooking liquid through a coffee
    filter and set aside. Pat the mushrooms dry with paper towels and finely chop

2. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms
      and onion and sauce, stirring for 15 minutes

3. Sprinkle with the flour, stir and cook for 1 minute.
     Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved  mushroom cooking liquid and
      simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more

4. Stir in the creme fraiche and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
     Add the garlic and season with paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer for
     2 more minutes and remove from the heat

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

6. Preheat the olive oil in a large ovenproof  skillet over medium heat.
     Add the bread slices and lightly brown, about 1 minute on each side

7. Heap some of the mushroom mixture on each bread slice.
    Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 10 minutes

8. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Lemon & Chicken Soup

Lemon & Chicken Soup
Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter
8 shallots, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
8 0z/ 225 g. boned chicken breasts(finely chopped)
3 lemons
5 cups chicken stock
80z/225g dried spaghetti, broken into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt & white pepper

To Garnish:

fresh parsley sprig
3 lemon slices, halved


Procedure:

1. Melt the butter in large pan. Add the shallots . carrots, celery
   & chicken & cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes

2. Thinly pare the lemons and blanch the lemon rind in boiling water for
   3 minutes. Squeeze the juice from the lemons

3. Add the lemon rind and juice to the pan, together with the chicken stock
    Bring slowly to a boil over low heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring
     occasionally

4. Add the spaghetti to the pan & cook for 15 minutes. Season to taste
    with salt & white pepper & add the cream. Heat through, but do not
    let the soup or it will curdle

5. Pour  the soup int a tureen or individual bowls. Garnish with the parsley
    and half slices of lemon and serve immediately

Tips:

You can prepare this soup up to the end of step 3 in advance, so that all you need do before serving is heat through before adding the pasta and the finishing touches

Monday, May 23, 2011

Crab and Rice Salad

Crab and Rice Salad
Ingredients:

1 pound cooked lump crabmeat
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups cooked long-grain rice(2/3 cup uncooked)
2 ribs celery, finely diced
2 medium size Kirby cucumbers (finely diced)
1 large dill pickle, finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives

Dressing and Garnishes:

1 cup homemade Mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
salt & freshly ground black pepper , to taste
boston lettuce leaves for garnish
2 cooking king crab legs, cut into 1to 1 1/2 inch.pieces for garnish
parsley sprigs for garnish

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the crabmeat with the lemon juice
    and let stand for 5 minutes
2. Into the crabmeat stir the rice, celery, cucumbers, pickle, dill and chives
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all  the dressing ingerdients
4. Carefully toss the crab mixture with the dressing, keeping
    the ingredients intact.  Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate
     for 1 hour
5. On a decorative serving platter, arrange the salad on a bed of lettuce leaves.
     Garnish with crab legs and parsley sprigs

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients:

Fresh pita bread
4 pcs whole dill pickle (cut lengthwise)
french fries
garlic spread

Marinade for chicken:

2 lb. boneless chicken (cut into pieces)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground green cardamoms
3/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tbsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp crushed red chilli
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for garlic sauce:

2 whole garlic bulbs
1 tsp salt
1 cup corn oil
3 tbsp lemon juice



Procedure:

1. Wash the chicken pieces pat dry. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl.
     Mix all the spices with lemon juice to make thick paste. Rub the paste
     over the chicken pieces thoroughly.

2. Marinate it for 5-6 hours at room temperature over night in the refrigerator

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a baking dish with oil
    put chicken pieces in skin side down, and bake it for about 20 minutes.

4. Take it out, turn them over & bake for 10-15 minutes or until the
     chicken is tender

5. Remove  the skin and shred the chicken with a sharp knife.
    Put the shredded chicken  in the baking dish . Sprinkle 1 tsp of
     sumac and mix well.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sesame Seed Salad

Sesame Seed Salad
Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
3 tbsp sesame seed paste
juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of paprika
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
Boston  lettuce leaves

Garnish :
 Strips of pimiento
 lemon wedges
 toasted sesame seeds

Procedure:

1. Cut the eggplant in half, then place in colander and sprinkle
    with salt leave to stand 30 minutes, then   rinse under cold running
    water & drain well  pat dry with paper towels

2.  Place the eggplant halves, ski- side uppermost, on an oiled cookie sheet.
     Cook in a preheated oven, 450 F/230 degree, for 10-15 minutes.
     Remove from the oven and leave to cool

3. Cut the eggplant into cubes and set aside until required. Mix together
     the sesame seed paste, lemon juice and rind , garlic, paprika, & cilantro
     Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the eggplant

4. Line a serving dish with lettuce leaves and spoon the eggplant into the center.
   Garnish the salad with pimiento slices, lemon wedges & toasted
    sesame seeds  then serve.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Plum Pudding

Plum Pudding
Ingredients:

1 pound whole candied cherries
1 pound golden raisins
1 pound pitted dates, chopped
4 candied pineapple rings, sliced
3/4 cup chopped citron
1/2 cup chopped candied orane peel
1/2 cup chopped candied lemon peel
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 3/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
 1 lemon of juice

Procedure:

1. Place fruit in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of flour.
2. Sift together the remaining flour, sugar, salt, soda and spices
3. Beat eggs and add buttermilk, oil orange juice, brandy and lemon juice
4. Combine with the flour mixture pour butter over fruit and mix
     until all the fruit is coated with butter
5. Oil pudding molds or empty coffee tins and fill 3/4 full
6. Cover tightly with foil place in a steamer , cover and cook 3 to 4 hrs.or
     until pudding loses its creamy look
7 .Cool in molds 20 minutes wrap in cheese cloth that has been dampened with brandy, or rum
8.  Wrap again in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator to mellow 1 month
9.  When ready to serve, steam

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Mussels with Tomato Sauce

Mussels with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:

1/2 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 lb/900 grms. live mussles
1tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh white bread crumbs
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish


Procedure:

1. Place the onion , garlic & oil in a bowl.Cover & cook on High power for 3 min.

2. Cut a cross in the base of each tomato and place them in a small bowl  pour
    on boiling water & leave for about 45 seconds. Drain and then plunge into
    cold water then sins will slide off easily. Chop the tomatoes removing any
     hard cores

3. Add the tomatoes to the onion mixture, then cover and cook on high power
    for 3 minutes stir in the parsley and season to taste

4. Scrub the mussels well in several changes of cold water. Remove the taped
    sharply with back of a knife

5. Place the mussels in a large bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover them.
    Cover and cook  on high power for 2 minutes stirring halfway through until
    the mussels open. drain  well and remove the empty half of each shell.
    Arrange the mussels in 1 layer on a plate

6. Spoon the tomato sauce over each mussel. Mix the Parmesan cheese
    with the bread crumbs and sprinkle on top. Cook uncovered, on High power
     for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve

Tips:

Dry out the bread crumbs in the microwave for an extra crunchy topping. Spread them on a plate and cook on high power for 2 minutes, stirring once. Leaved to stand, uncovered

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Apples with Caramel Sauce

Apples with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:

4 large apples
1/2 liter /1 pint water
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp sugar
100g 3 1/2 oz cup sugar
1 1/2 dl 1 scant cup
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp heavy cream

Procedure:

1. Peel apples and cut them in two. Remove core

2. Bring water with lemon juice and 6 tbsp sugar, to a boil.
    Cook apples bareley tender in the  sugar syrup

3. Brown 2 1/2 dl / 1 scant cup / 1cup sugar in a pan, cool the caramel a little
    and add boiling milk. Beat egg yolks with 1 tbsp sugar

4. Cool caramel slightly and stir it a little at a time into egg mixture.
    Heat until it thickens

5. Beat cream stiff and stir into caramel sauce

6. Arrange apples on a platter and pour sauce over