Beautiful Food : Cooking Melangery

Cranberry-Meringue Tart (Tarte Meringuee Aux Airelles) Beautiful Winter Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:43:00 +0000

Although, we are all waiting for the spring to come, I think there are a few winter recipes that we like to try before the sunny days are here. Today we have 53F outside, but my photographs look like Christmas cards, I guess I can use them next year :-)) probably; I am waiting for the snow - we will see about this. In the meantime, enjoy a slice of the delicious Meringue Tart with cranberries and a cup of coffee, a little treat in February.

This is a winter tart, when cranberries are in season. In a summer this tart can be made with red currant. Both cranberries and red currants are mouth-puckering red berries. Their intense flavor contrasts well with the almond- meringue butter and the crispy, unsweetened tart shell.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite book of chef Georges Perrier Le Bec-Fin Recipes

Makes one 10-inch tart

Ingredients:

I pound Pate Brisee
½ cup finely chopped blanched almonds
2 tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs whites
Pinch of salt
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp lemon juice
½ pound fresh cranberries, washed and drained
Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness to fit a 9 1/2 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the pastry even with the pan rim. Cover and place in a freezer for 1 hour.  Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Line the pastry shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until slightly set, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven and remove the weights and foil. Let cool. Reduce the oven to 375°F.

To make the filling, combine the almonds, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites and the salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat again until almost firm and glossy. Stir in the lemon juice and beat until firm and glossy. Gently fold the almonds mixture and the cranberries into the meringue. Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart shell. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Bake immediately on the lower rack of the oven for 30 minutes or until the filling has set and is no longer runny.

Tip: When cranberries are in season, buy several extra bags and freeze them right in their bag. Than you can make the tart whenever you want. Fold in the cranberries while still frozen.

Local Farms and Sauteéd Buffalo Liver with Onions and Homemade Cranberry Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:55:00 +0000

Lucky living surrounded by many beautiful farms, my family and I making the farm trips almost each weekend.

We buy many good things from farms: fresh, local grown fruits and veggies from Shady Brook Farm, artisan cheeses from hormone-free milk, and award winning sweet sausages by Ely Farm. Our favored is incredibly tasty buffalo meat from family-owned Thorpe’s Farm.

Fact: Bison is a wonderful healthy red meat with all of the flavor and texture of beef. It's rich in protein and high in iron yet is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than skinless chicken or turkey.

Thorpe’s Farm has a huge open barn with animals. For some reason many local cats like to be there as well. Mr. Thorpe says that every week they are getting new kittens, and he is not sure where they come from :-)

The recipe adapted from Carina Forum

Homemade Cranberry Vinaigrette is a stunning salad dressing: bright, bold and beautiful. You may also serve it over a bed of mixed greens, apple and red onion slices, and pecans or over any salad of your choice. The vinaigrette may be store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ingredients:

1 lbs buffalo liver
milk (enough to cover the liver)
3 Tbsp. flour
Salt, ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, sliced
cranberries and chopped parsley for garnish

For cranberry vinaigrette:

½ small sweet onion, minced
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
4-6 Tbsp honey
1 cup Canola oil or light olive oil
2 cups cranberry, fresh or frozen
1 cup water
2-3 tbsp poppy seeds (tasted)
Salt, ground black pepper

Directions:

To make the Cranberry Vinaigrette: In a blender or food processor, combine the cranberries, water and vine vinegar, puree. Over a medium bowl, strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer, pushing down on the solids. Return the mixture to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. With the motor running, slowly pour the oil in a slow steady stream through the feed tube. Blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper, mix well.

To cook the liver: Wash the liver, slice in 1 inch slices, then lay in shallow pan, cover with cold milk and let set in refrigerator for half hour. Remove liver slices from milk, and place them on paper towel to drain. Then coat the liver slices in a little flour, then season with salt and pepper.

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a skillet set a medium heat. Place the liver in the skillet and cook, turning once, until it is brown about 10 minutes. Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in another skillet and sautee onion slices until browned.

Arrange the onion on individual heated plates, add the liver and add some greens if desire. Pour over vinaigrette (or you can serve it on the side) and garnish with parsley and berries.

Peach, Oatmeal and Apricot Jam Cupcakes or Muffins, You decide!

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:59:00 +0000

Honestly, I don’t know what the difference between Cupcakes is and Muffins. Do you? I like to hear your thoughts.

Makes: 20

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups self-rising flour
½ cup oatmeal
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup peach juice
½ cup sour cream
20 canned peach halves or quarters in juice, drained
¼ cup peach or apricot jam

Note: I did not have sour cream so I used yogurt instead (1/2 cup), but not just a yogurt the Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt. It was amazing addition of the passion fruit to the cupcake.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 20 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the oatmeal and make a well in the center. Melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Wisk the combined egg and peach juice into the sour cream. Add both the butter and the egg mixtures to the well in the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners and place a peach half or quarter, cut side up, on the top of each cake. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cake.

Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Heat the jam in a small saucepan until melted. Brush a little jam over each cake.

Mussels in White Wine Sauce with Onions and Tomatoes - The appetizer that should be in every cook’s repertoire

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:12:00 +0000

I of the things I admire about French cooking is the fact that inexpensive foods are given the same loving treatment as the luxury items, and frequently turn out to taste even better. Take mussels. Probably the most popular mussel dish is "moules marinieres", a classic French recipe using wine, garlic, shallots, parsley and butter. This dish is easy to make, and tastes divine. The only different thing with my variation is that I add tomatoes to the souse. I love it this way. See for yourself when you try this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tbsp butter
2 1/2 lb. mussels, well scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup white wine
3-5 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bay leaf
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

(On the photo: Boston lettuce for my salad that I had with mussels)

Tip: To clean mussels, scrub the shells well under running water. The beard, a fibrous tuft near the hinge, should not be removed until just before cooking. Grasp it close to the shell and pull on it with a firm tug. Today, with so many farm-raised mussels in the market, beards are less fully formed and are easier to remove. Once the mussels have been thoroughly cleaned, remove and discard any shells that are open or broken and that do not close when tapped.

Directions:

Cook the onion, garlic and the butter on medium flame until the onions are soft. Turn up the flame to high and add the mussels. Pour in the white wine, bay leaf, parsley, ground pepper and stir for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, cover and cook for 5 minutes until all the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that did not open.

Serve the mussels in large bowl with the broth and baguette slices for dipping.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Flax, Chia and Hemp Seeds - It can't be better than this

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Flax, Chia and Hemp Seeds - It can't be better than this. These are protein-packing cookies, with just enough sweet, and wonderful combination of healthy seeds.
Adapted from Namely Marly

Ingredients:

½ cup peanut butter
½ cup coconut oil
1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Tbsp corn starch
3 Tbsp soy milk or water, cold
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp hemp seeds (hemp Seeds can be purchased at most health food stores, I bought my at Vitacost)
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1 cup chocolate chips, dairy-free

Tip: Make these cookies gluten-free by using 1 cup brown rice flour and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour.

Fact: Long recognized as an excellent source of nutrition and energy, hemp foods have been used by humans for over 12,000 years all around the world, and continue to be one of the top-rated superfoods.

Directions:

Heat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla.

In a separate small bowl combine the ground flax seed, corn starch, and soy milk (or water). The corn starch will want to get kind of clumpy. Stir it up a bit to keep that from happening. Then add the vinegar, let it sit for just a second or two and pour it into the peanut butter mixture. Stir well.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until combined. Add the chia, hemp, and give the dry ingredients another little stir.

Now stir together the dry and the wet ingredients. If the mixture seems a little bit too dry, feel free to add another tablespoon of soy milk (or water). Then add the chocolate chips and stir everything one last time.

Make 1 – 1 1/2 inch balls and placed them and inch or so apart on a baking pan. Bake anywhere from 10 – 12 minutes depending on your desired crunchiness.

Note: The cookies come out of the oven on the puffy side, but just wait a minute or so and they’ll deflate. After they cooled they were the perfect cookies – crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Chocolate Covered Strawbberies - Happy Valentine’s Day to Everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:58:00 +0000

Oh how sweet!

Chocolate lovers have always known what medical research has confirmed: chocolate is good for your heart. Chocolate has made people happy for centuries. Of course, in ancient Incan civilization, eating chocolate was part of a deadly act: a “bittersweet” drink of chocolate was used to sanctify the souls of human sacrifices.

Alas, many years passed before chocolate was available as a sweet treat to sanctify the souls of the living. Once brought to Europe, chocolate was greedily hoarded by royalty, who did not want their subjects to be distracted by the passion that chocolate unleashed. It is no wonder that princely heads would roll before the populace was able to indulge. Fortunately, chocolate is now available to everyone. The lucky ones know how it deliciously seduces the mouth and the soul.

Chocolate Covered Strawbberies

This recipe is so easy, it doesn’t really even need a write up.
Melt the chocolate, dip the strawbberies:-)) Simple, fun and luxuriously satisfying.

Happy Valentine’s Day to Everyone!

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (best quality)
1 pound strawberries with stems, washed and dried very well

Directions:

Put the semisweet chocolates into heatproof medium bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowl of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth.

Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Salmon Rice Soup with Seaweed

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:48:00 +0000

In our home we love salmon soups. I have already two recipes here; it’s Salmon Vegetable Soup with Barley and Coho Salmon and Autumn Vegetables Soup with Turmeric.

If there is a more perfect fish soup than this one, I cannot think of it at the moment. Succulent pink salmon in clear broth with rice and seaweed seasoned with the white vine and served with lemon slice and fresh dill.

Some facts about salmon: Oily fish as salmon are generally very popular as they are healthy and readily available. Salmon is good for the brain and great at helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes; it can also help make your skin look younger. Salmon is a great source of protein, rich in magnesium, zing, selenium, and vitamin A, plus B vitamins, and – most importantly-it is a good source of omega3 fatty acids, with make the blood less “sticky,” thus helping to reduce the risk of blood clots that could cause heart attacks.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 quarts fish stock or water
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 middle sized carrots, diced
2/3 cup cooked white rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dry seaweed
1 lb. skinless boneless wild salmon fillet, cut into 1" cubes
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white vine
freshly ground pepper, to taste
salt, chopped dill
lemon slices for serving

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, bay leaves and 6 cups fish stock or water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add salmon to soup; simmer until just cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add cooked rice, white vine and seaweed and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes.

Divide soup between bowls; garnish with lemon and fresh dill.

Blackberry No-Bake Cheesecake - Pre Valentine's Day Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:20:00 +0000

It's never too early to start your Valentine's Day with beautiful dessert like Blackberry Cheesecake. You may do it day before and surprise your loved one in next morning -)

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup graham crackers crumbs
1/2 cup instant oatmeal
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
few drops of vanilla extract

For the filling:

1 envelope powdered gelatin
1/4 cup water
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar (if you like more sweet add more sugar)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups blackberries, washed and drained
1 cup blueberries, washed and drained for serving

Directions:

To do the crust: Mix together graham crackers crumbs, oatmeal, sugar, salt, coconut oil and vanilla. Press into the base of round spring-form pan, and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12-15 minutes. Remove from an oven and cool completely at room temperature.

To do the filling: Soak the gelatin in a 1/4 cup cold water (for about 10 minutes), and then put on a fire and warp up, stirring, until dissolved. Mix together cheese, heavy cream, sugar and lemon juice. Puree blackberries in a food processor(a blender will work fine) then strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl. Mix the berry mixture with cream cheese mixture.

Start stirring cheese mixture slowly, while pouring the warm gelatin, after ingredients have combined, let it stand for a few minutes until it start thickens.

Now spoon over the mixture evenly into the chilled base, smooth the surface, and refrigerate for about 4-5 hours, but best to leave overnight.

Before you unlock the spring form pan, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake.
Serve with some blackberries and whip cream if you like.

Tip: You may do variation of cheesecake in cups.

Baked Skate with Lightly Roasted Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:02:00 +0000

Skate is a flat seawater fish lives in cold and temperate waters on the bottom of the see where its coloring – a gray or brown back with lighter spots and black dots – camouflages it on the sea bed. Skates lay eggs in rectangular cases with “tassels” in each corner, with when washed up on the beach are known as “mermaids’ purses”. When alive, skates contain little ammonia, but after death they produce a lot more. The smell of ammonia should disappear when the skate is cooked; if it doesn’t, the skate is not fresh.

Skate wing is a fairly inexpensive fish. It may be hard to find as it is not very popular. Try local Farmers market or Fish market. It is a delicious flat fish you may only see in French restaurants.
The Skate have a simple bone structure, so even people nervous of bones can cope with them. The best way of eating most flat fish is pan-fried with a little lemon, parsley and browned butter – stronger flavors will overpower the delicate flavor of these fish. Good rich sauces for this fish include hollandaise, parsley, and lobster sauce.

This is a first time I am cooking the skate. Simple recipe but heavenly delicious! These skate wings are baked with butter. When you bake them watch the edges as they tent to burn. Cover them with foil and the skate will cook quite quickly. I served my skate wings with roasted tomatoes, capers and mustard sauce.

Unusually delicious!

Total Preparation Time: Less than 15 minutes
Actual Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 2 (only because it’s so good)

Ingredients:

2 Skate wings from Madara's Seafood
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
salt and fresh ground pepper, paprika
dill, parsley, tarragon (and any kind of herbs of your choice)
1 pound of small tomatoes on vine
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Toss the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the tomatoes for 20 minutes or until lightly roasted.

Place the skate wings in an oven dish and sprinkle with lemon juice, pepper, salt and the chopped herbs. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Cook it in the oven at the same time as tomatoes for 20 minutes.

Old-Fashioned Veal Fricassee or Veal Stew with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:49:00 +0000

A Fricassee is a classic dish in which poultry or meat is first seared in fat, and then braised with liquid until cooked. This recipe of Veal Stew with Mushrooms is finished with a little cream – leave it out if you wish.

Ingredients:

2 pounds veal, cut into pieces
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
bouguet garni
¼ tsp white pepper
8 ounces button mushrooms
1 tsp lemon juice
10-12 small white onions, peeled or 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
6 Tbsp heavy cream
salt to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Directions:

Wash the veal pieces, and then pat dry with paper towels. Melt half the butter with the oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add the veal pieces and cook for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, or until just golden in color. Sprinkle the veal with the flour, turning the pieces to coat. Cook over low heat for about 4 minutes, turning ones or twice.

Pour in the wine, bring to a boil and add the broth. Push the veal pieces to one side and scrape the base of the casserole, stirring until well blended.

Bring the liquid to a boil, add the bouquet garni and season with a pinch of salt and white pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes until the veal is tender.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onions with lemon juice and cook 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are golden, stirring. Add the mushrooms and onions to the veal and cook about 10 minutes more. Discard the bouquet garni. Whisk the cream (if using) and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Tip: This dish can be made ahead and kept hot in a warm oven for up to an hour before serving.

French Chocolate Cake - Gateau au Chocolat

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:22:00 +0000

French Chocolate Cake - Gateau au Chocolat

This is typical of a French homemade cake - dense, dark and delicious.
The texture is very different from a sponge cake and it is excellent served with cream or a fruit coulis.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

3/4 cup superfine sugar, plus some for sprinkling springform pan
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs, separated
1/4 cup flour, sifted
pinch of salt
confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional, I used cocoa powder)
1 lb berries, for fruit coulis, plus extra to serve (optional)
1/2 cup superfine sugar, for fruit coulis
juice of 1/2 lemon, for fruit coulis

Directions:

For fruit coulis: Put the berries (of your choice) in a pan with ½ cup sugar and heat very gently, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time. When the mixture comes to a simmer, cook gently for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and whiz to a puree, then strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl. Let this coulis cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. When cold, stir in the lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Generously butter a 9_1/2 inch springform pan, then sprinkle the pan with a little sugar and tap out the excess. Set aside 3 tbsp of the sugar, you are going to use it for the egg whites. Place the chocolate, butter and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and let the mixture cool slightly.

Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, beating each in well, and then stir in the ﬂour.

In a clean greasefree bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites slowly until they are frothy. Increase the speed, add the salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle over the reserved sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. Beat one-third of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites.

Carefully pour the mixture into the pan and tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.

Bake the cake for about 35-45 minutes until well risen and the top springs back when touched lightly with a fingertip. (If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate after 20-25 minutes.) Transfer the cake to a wire rack; remove the side of the pan let cool completely. Remove the pan base. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar and transfer to a serving plate.

Warm Potato Salad with Smoked Oysters, Sauté Mushrooms and Avocado

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:13:00 +0000

Potatoes are very versatile and can be used as a base to create an array of tempting light meals, like Warm Potato Salad with Smoked Oysters, Saute Mushrooms and Avocado. They are also nutritious, and their carbohydrate gives a welcome energy boost. As potatoes have a fairly neutral flavor, they can be teamed with a variety of other ingredients and flavors. In this dish the smoked oysters are making perfect combination with potatoes and mushrooms.

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes, skin on
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 pkg. fresh mushrooms, quartered
3 Tbsp. butter
1 can, smoked oysters, drained
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled, cubed or chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, peeled, cut in cubs
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferable homemade)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 12-15 minutes or until just tender. Drain and allow to come to room temperature. When cool, slice into 1/3" slices. If you like you may peel the skin off, I did. Potatoes may be cooked 1 day ahead, cooled, and kept chilled, covered.

Set the pan over medium-high heat with olive oil and arrange the potato slices in the pan in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the potatoes to a large plate.

Saute onions and garlic in butter until transparent. Add mushrooms and soy sauce. Bring to full boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cover and let set 5-10 minutes.

In a big bowl, mix together saute mushrooms with onions,avocado, parsley, hard boil eggs, lemon juice, mayonnaise and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the mixture on the top of potatoes, arrange the smoked oysters around. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Very delicious!

Tip: To make a lighter dressing, use a mixture of half mayonnaise and half plain yogurt.

Hyacinth - gleams of the spring for you my dear readers!-)

Baked Scallops with Cheese and Wine Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:08:00 +0000

This is a very old recipe but none the less a very tasty one. The choice of cheese you use is entirely up to you, although I would stay away from really strong cheeses or you will lose the flavor of the scallops.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

¾ cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
4 peppercorns
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tblsp butter
1 ½ tblsp all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
salty and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely diced fontina cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 scallops on the ½ shell
2 tblsp dry breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place the wine, bay leaf, peppercorns, and onion in a small pan and bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by three quarters. Strain the liquid and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk and the wine reduction, stirring until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and black pepper, then add the fontina and the mustard.

Preheat the broiler. Spoon this mixture over the scallops and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Cook under the broiler until crisp and golden brown and serve immediately.

Tip for Buying and Storing Scallops:
Be sure to smell them on the premises, since scallops are perishable. They should have a sweet mild fresh odor; a strong-smelling scallop is a stale one. Refrigerate them in a leak-proof plastic bag in a bowl of ice, and cook them as soon as possible.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts and Anchovies

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:15:00 +0000

Adapted from Food & Wine

The key to Michael Symon's deeply savory side dish is a dressing that includes anchovies, capers, mustard, and a little honey.

Ingredients:

3 pounds brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise or quartered
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
One 2-ounce tin of anchovies, drained and minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, toss the brussels sprouts with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the brussels sprouts on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender and charred in spots. (Note: Mine were done after 20-25 minutes)

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.

In the large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard and honey. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until emulsified. Add the capers, garlic, shallots and anchovies; season with salt and pepper. Add the brussels sprouts and walnuts and toss well. Serve.

Strawberry Mousse with Crème Patissiere

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:18:00 +0000

From Michel Roux book “Eggs”

Serves: 6

Ingredients for the mousse:

1 lb (350g) strawberries, plus extra to serve (optional)
2/3 cup (130 g) superfine sugar juice of 1 lemon
generous 1/3 cup (100ml) heavy cream
2 egg whites
1/3 quantity (9oz/250g) crème patissiere, cooled

Ingredients for the crème patissiere:

6 egg yolks
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp(125gr) superfine sugar
¼ cup (40gr)all-purpose flour
generous 2 cups (500ml) milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
a little confectioners’ sugar or butter

Makes: about 1 lb 10 oz (750gr)

Directions for the mousse:

Put the strawberries in a pan with ½ cup (100g) sugar and heat very gently, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time. When the mixture comes to a simmer, cook gently for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and whiz to a puree, then strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a bowl. Let this coulis cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. When cold, stir in the lemon juice.

Whip the cream to a ribbon consistency, then fold into the cooled crème patissiere.
Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl to a foam, then add the remaining sugar and whisk to soft peaks. Gently fold in the pastry cream mixture, without overworking.

Very delicately mix in the cold strawberries coulis. Divide the mousse between 6 glass dishes and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Serve the mousse on its own, or with extra berries.

Tip: You may need to adjust the quantity of sugar for cooking the berries according to how ripe they are. This mousse is equally delicious made with flavorful blackberries or raspberries.

Directions for the Crème Patissiere:

Combine the egg yolks and one-third of the sugar in a bowl and whisk to a light ribbon consistency. Add the flour and whisk it in thoroughly.

In a pan, heat the milk with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla bean. As soon as it comes to boil, pour it onto the egg yolk mixture, stirring as you go. Mix well, then return the mixture to the pan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with the whisk. Allow the mixture to bubble, still stirring, for 2 minutes, then tip it into a bowl.

To prevent a skin forming, dust the surface with a veil of confectioners’ sugar or dot all over with little flakes of butter. Once cold, the pastry cream can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove the vanilla bean before using.

Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding - the Perfect Valentine's Day Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:03:00 +0000

Raisins plumped in rum contribute the signature flavor to this custardy pudding. If you like, sprinkle each serving with granulated or confectioners' sugar.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dry cranberries
1/4 cup rum or brandy
4 cups day-old bread cubes, each about 1/2 inch square (challah or another egg bread, such as brioche or panettone)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
ice cream for serving or Crème Anglaise

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the raisins, cranberries and rum and let stand for 30 minutes.
While the raisins are soaking, preheat an oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish or 4 to 6 custard cups.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the bread cubes, cranberries, and raisins and rum. Let stand until the bread cubes soak up most of the liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir again and pour into the baking dish or divide among the custard cups.
Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes for custard cups, 50 to 60 minutes for the baking dish.

Remove from the oven and serve hot or at room temperature. Sprinkle each serving with granulated or confectioners' sugar. Serve with ice cream or Crème Anglaise.

Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley - The Best Sizzling Spicy Appetizer

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:07:00 +0000

Appetizers are purely for fun. Hors d'oeuvres the French call them: "outside of the works." They are likely to have a wicked lot of calories but most people have come to expect them with cocktails. The French picked up the habit of pre-dinner snacking from the Russians, who call such tidbits zakuskis. Italians have their little plates of antipasto, while Scandinavians serve all manner of spicy, pickly things at a smorgasbord and make a complete meal of them.

Hot hors d'oeuvres are always a treat. You may have to spend a few last minutes with them, but they are worth whatever confusion they create. Some, such as tiny cream puffs, turnovers, and meat balls can be completely cooked well in advance, then popped into the oven just before the first guests arrive. Do keep appetizers bite-size. Their function is to titillate the appetite, not satisfy it.

This recipe of Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley is amazing. I love spicy, so for me this is so good and it takes only 10 min to prepare.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 to 5 Tbs. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 Tbs. dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
lemon pepper pasta for serving, optional (I got the pasta from Trader Joe's)

Directions:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and paprika and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the shrimp, lemon juice and dry white wine, stir well, and sauté until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Redish Salad and Berry Drink "Mors"

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:10:00 +0000

A simple Radish Salad.

Ingredients:

5 radishes, sliced thin
1 cucumber, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
kosher or sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
fresh parsley, minced

Direction:

Slice radishes and cucumber in thin rings. Chop fresh parsley. Toss them in a bowl.

Mix lemon juice, olive oil, black and red pepper and salt. Drizzle this mixture on radishes and cucumbers rings and serve.

Mors is a refreshing drink made of berries. Though cranberries are the most traditional choice, any berry in season can be used. This version, made with cowberries, cherries and strawberries.

Ingredients:

1 cup frosen cowberries (lingonberry, red huckleberry)
1 cup frozen cherries
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
6-8 cups water
1/3 cup sugar (more or less, depending on your taste and the acidity of the berries)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Directions:

Place the berries and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Pass the liquid through a chinois and return to the saucepan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and remove from the heat. Let cool and refrigerate.

Carrot, Apple and Orange Salad with Ginger Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:26:00 +0000

Carrot, Apple and Orange Salad made in minutes, this salad is not so much thrown together as tossed together, and this harmonious combination of ingredients and complementary dressing belie the speed with which it is made. This salad ideal for easy entertaining or speedy midweek meal when you are too tired, too busy or too hot to spend much time in the kitchen. It can be served as appetizer or as a refreshing accompaniment to fish or meat dishes.

Tip: It's better to have the ingredients julienned with the knife. A food processor or a mandolin might cause the apples to turn watery. You may julienned the apples 1 hour before serving time, toss them in lemon juice to prevent them from browning and they will look great while sitting in the fridge, waiting to be tossed and eaten.

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly julienned
2 apples, cut into thin matchsticks
2 large oranges, peeled and slice thinly
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. chopped pistachio nuts
1 small piece root ginger
1 tsp chia seeds
chopped parsley or mint (whichever herbs you prefer)
salt and ground pepper

Directions:
Peel and finely chop or grate the ginger.
Blend together the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, ginger and season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the carrots and apples together, pour the dressing over and mix well.
Arrange on a plate the oranges and sprinkle lightly with chia seeds.
Put the carrot-apple mixture over the oranges.
Sprinkle the salad with the pistachio nuts and chopped herbs.

Kougelhopf - Fruit and Almond Ring, the Perfect Breakfast and Brunch Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:55:00 +0000

Kougelhopf - Fruit and Almond Ring, is the symbol of Alsace baking.

Gugelhupf, Kougloff, kougelhopf, or guglhopf are the various versions of the name of the famous yeast ring cake. The Alsatians have used this name from time immemorial, but they still do not know how to spell it, although they all agree that the cake is part of a good breakfast or something to eat with afternoon coffee. When a glass of Tokay Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer is offered, a piece of cake should be offered too. Savory versions with diced bacon instead of currants accompany the aperitive.

Its appearance is due to the high-walled wavy mold in which it was baked. Traditional ringcake molds are fired in terracotta and are tile red. The name is derived from German, although it comes from Austria, from where Marie Antoinette brought the recipe to Versailles. An exception is the kougloff of Ribeauville, where the inhabitants claim that the originator of their ringcake was a former village baker.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp/ 30 ml kirsch
1 cup/ 150 g raisins or (sultanas or Malaga currants)
5 cups/700 g flour
1 oz/ 30 g compressed yeast
2 cups/ 500 ml lukewarm milk
1 tbsp/ 10 g salt
2/3 cup/150 g sugar
¾ cup/180 g soft butter
2 tbsp almond flakes

Directions:
Pour the kirsch over the raisins, stir, leave covered for a few hours to soak. To prepare the starter dough sieve 2 cups/300g flour into a bowl, make a hollow in the center, crumble in the yeast, pour on half the lukewarm milk and stir. Lightly knead and leave to prove for 2 hours.

Then add the remaining milk, the remaining flour, salt, sugar, and eggs to the starter dough, mix all the ingredients well and beat vigorously for at least 10 minutes, which is very important for the texture of the cake. The loose, semi-solid dough should come away from the bowl easily. Mix in the butter and knead the mixture, until it becomes a smooth, supple dough. Now add the raisins or currants and work them in until they are evenly distributed in the dough.

Carefully grease two ringcake molds with butter and sprinkle the almond flakes evenly in them. Fill the mold up to halfway with the dough and leave to prove in a draught-free place.

Preheat the oven to 390F/200C. Bake the kougelhopf for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the mold. When the surface is golden brown, remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool on a cake stand.

Tip: I don’t have two ring molds, so I used one ring mold and one pan for 6 small bandt cakes. Worked perfectly for me. I baked small cakes for only 15 minutes.

Preserved Lemons with Rosemary

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:21:00 +0000

Preserved lemons are a classic Moroccan condiment often used to flavor stews and sauces. Boiling the lemons softens them more quickly than soaking them in a salty solution alone, cutting your soaking time to around three days. Keep in mind that lemons with thinner skins will take less time to soften. Thinly slice or chop preserved lemons (both rind and flesh), and add to fish, lamb, or chicken recipes. They also give a big flavor boost to tuna, lobster, and pasta salads. Remember to taste before seasoning the dish with any additional salt.

Adapted from Coastal Living

Preparation time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total: 20 Minutes
Chill: 3 days
Yield: Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

4 lemons
1/2 cup Himalayan Pink salt
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 springs fresh rosemary
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil; add lemons. Boil 5 minutes; drain. Run lemons under cold water until cool enough to handle.
Cut lemons into wedges with pink salt, red pepper, and rosemary in a medium bowl. Pack into a jar. Pour lemon juice over lemon wedges to cover. Seal jar, and chill at least 3 days or until rinds are soft and pliable. Shake container daily. Store lemons in refrigerator up to 1 year.

Tip: Stir finely chopped pieces into hot or cold dishes for a burst salty, lemony flavor.

Homemade and Ayurvedic tips for skin care

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Guest post from Simply Gluten-Free

Body:

Beautiful skin is not the foray of the rich and famous only. One can easily develop a beautiful glowing skin without much use of harmful chemicals that are going to ruin the skin in the long run. There are quite a few natural products that will pamper your skin. You need to make sure that your skin gets the external and internal both nourishments as the glow that is exhibited by the skin is internal. You will find that homemade tips rival the expensive cosmetics that are used from the market.

However before using any home based product on your face and other parts of the body you need to do a analysis of your skin. While doing the analysis one needs to determine the kind of skin one posses. For Example a set of home based remedies will be beneficial for dry skin and another set will be beneficial for oily skin. Its crucial that you make sure which category your skin falls else you may end up harming your skin instead of doing it any good.

According to ayurveda gram flour applied on the face with a tinge of lemon juice to rid the skin off its dryness, pimples and even acne. Gram flour is easy to obtain from the market and one just needs to make a paste and add lemon juice to it so that it can be spread easily on the face smoothly. Once applied it has to be left there for an hour or two. This treatment can be had once a week and after a couple of weeks the good effects will show on your face with a glow and healthy skin. Remember ayurveda effects are slow but last long and don’t have any side effects.

Same is the case with Aloe vera. Aloe vera forms the base of most creams and conditioners available in the market. But if this is applied even in its natural form it will have a magnificent effect on the skin. Cucumber kept on the eyes while sunbathing has a soothing effect on the eyes and will surely leave the skin underlying fresh and ready to face the harsh sunrays once again. Azadirachta indica leaves dipped in water will kill all the germs and viruses present on the skin. Many of the herbal soaps use the ingredients of this tree and have a great effect on the skin of human beings.

Keeping a tab on the kind of skin you have in various phases of the weather change will surely allow you to use home based remedies that can be used to ensure the best maintenance of the skin. Skin is the outermost and the most sensitive part of the body. Taking care of it is of utmost importance and primary responsibility.

Author Bio:

The author is an expert in writing on topics like Food, health and Medical Issues. She is a fitness freak and believes that nutritious food and good health are the essential elements of life that help a human being lead a quality life. Being gluten intolerant she is a big time advocate of a Gluten Free Food and Gluten Free Recipes.

Photo "Basil" by Cooking Melangery

Celeriac and Spinach Soup with Baked Kale Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:19:00 +0000

Celeriac and Spinach Soup with Baked Kale Chips - it can’t get healthier than that!
Celery Root, also known as Celeriac, has mild aroma and flavor of celery and walnuts with crisp texture perfect julienned or sliced into salads and soups or braised in broth and butter.
Here, it is combined with spinach to make a delicious soup.

Serves: 6

Ingredients for the soup:

1 ¾ pints/ 4 cups of water
8 fluid ounces/1 cup dry white wine
1 leek, thickly sliced
1 ¼ pounds celeriac, diced
7 ounces fresh spinach leaves
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and ground black pepper
baked kale chips to garnish

Ingredients for the kale chips:

about one bunch of kale, rinsed and dried, torn into bite-sized pieces and tough stems removed
olive oil
salt, to taste
cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp wine vinegar

Direction for the kale chips:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, wine vinegar, cracked black pepper and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 2 hours.

Direction the for soup:

Mix the water and wine in a pitcher. Place the leek, celeriac, and spinach in a deep pan and pour the liquid over the top. Bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Pour the celeriac mixture into a blender food processer and process until smooth, in batches if necessary. Return to the clean pan and season to taste with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.
Reheat gently. Serve with the homemade baked kale chips.

Tip: If the soup is too thick, thin with a little water or low-fat milk when processing.

Stay warm and healthy! And have a good winter-)

Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:50:00 +0000

In this recipe Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce the vegetables are cooked separately and then combined just before serving. This helps them to cook evenly and retain their color and texture. Serve this flavorful dish with curry sauce for a meatless entrée or as a side dish with roasted meats or poultry.

Serving: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 lb mushrooms of your chose, brushed clean
2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

For curry sauce:

14 oz coconut milk
3 T curry powder
3 T honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce

Directions:

Make curry sauce. Combine coconut milk, 3 T curry powder, honey, and chili garlic sauce in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency.

In a large saute pan over medium heat warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the zucchini and cook until the zucchini rounds are tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter.

Return the saute pan to medium heat and warm 2 Tbsp. of the oil. Add the tomatoes and repeat the cooking process. Transfer the tomatoes to the platter with the zucchini rounds.

Return the pot to medium heat and warm 2 pof the oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, 7 to 8 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add minced fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms and garlic to the plate with the other vegetables. Serve with curry sauce immediately.

Spicy Bean Soup (Potage Tour D'argent)

noreply@blogger.com (Yelena) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:34:00 +0000

A filling Spicy Bean Soup made with two kinds of beans and lentil flavored with cumin. Hot, spicy and richly flavored, this is a substantial soup that is perfect for a cold winter evening. Serve with homemade Sun-dried Tomato Bread with Onions.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

6 ounces/1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 ounces/1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 /2 cup dry lentil, soaked overnight and drained
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 celery stick
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 fluid ounces/ ¼ cup red wine
2 pints/ 5 cups Meat Stock
8 fluid ounces/ 1 cup water
salt and ground black pepper
For the garnish chopped fresh herbs

Directions:
Put the black beans and kidney beans plus lentil in two separate pans with cold water to cover and a bay leaf in each. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons coarse salt to each pan and continue simmering for 30 minutes, until the beans are tender. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole. Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the cumin, cayenne, and oregano and season with salt to taste.
Add the red wine, meat stock and water and stir to mix all the ingredients together. Remove the bay leaves from the cooked beans and discard, then add the beans to the casserole.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer half the soup (including most of the solids) to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Return to the pan and stir to combine well.
Reheat the soup and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve hot, garnished with chopped herbs.