Modern Kitchen

Kerala style plum cake

2010-12-19T05:28:00.000-08:00

Kerala Plum Cake/Christmas Special Fruit Cake

Here is another take on the famous fruit cake from South India.

This will make a 8 inch size cake

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar to make caramel
1 cup dry fruits and nuts(raisins, cashew, dates, tutty fruity) etc
2 tsp of caraway seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves powder,ginger powder(at least two items)
1/2 cup of Rum(Substitute with juice, keep the cake refrigerated)

Directions

Soak the dry fruits in 2-3 tbsp of rum and keep this at room temperature overnight or this can be made many days ahead and keep refrigerated Prepare caramel based on the steps below.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and all the spices and keep aside. Mix butter and sugar till creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in the caramel syrup and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the flour spice mixture and mix until the flour is completely incorporated with the wet part. Strain the dried fruits and mix with 1 tbsp of all purpose flour. Add this to the batter and mix again. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a tooth pick inserted into the center of he cake comes out clean plus about 5 minutes. Once cake is cooled, make small pores on cake with tooth pick and pour 1to 2 tbs Rum and let it soak. Cover the cake with wax paper and keep it 4 to 5 days or more for a better taste and texture.

Cakes & Deserts

2010-12-19T02:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas Cake

Recipe 01

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) containers candied cherries

1 (8 ounce) container candied mixed citrus peel
2 cups raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
2 (2.25 ounce) packages blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
6 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup apple juice

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds. Stir in brandy; let stand 2 hours, or overnight. Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again. In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until light. Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs. Mix together molasses and apple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions. Fold in floured fruit. Turn batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove from pan, and lift off paper. Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe 02

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups candied pineapple chunks
3 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups candied cherries
1 cup dried currants
2 ounces candied orange peel
2 ounces candied citron peel
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
8 eggs, separated
4 cups pecans, chopped
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Directions

Chop pineapple, raisins, and cherries. Combine chopped fruit with currants, orange peel, and citron; soak in orange juice overnight.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Place a small pan of water in the oven. Line one 5x9 inch loaf pan and two 3x8 inch loaf pans with parchment or doubled waxed paper.
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioner's sugar. Stir in beaten egg yolks. Stir in fruit, juice, and pecans. Mix in sifted flour.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to peaks. Fold into batter. Fill pans 2/3 full.
Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until golden brown, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

The Italian Culinary Experience

2010-06-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

No country in the world combines its passion for food, family, friends and daily life more than Italy. So learning to become a top Italian cook requires intense training in more than just Italian cooking techniques and traditional recipes of Northern and Southern Italy. It demands immersion in the Italian language and culture as well. This is the focus of The Italian Culinary Experience and provides one of the most well-rounded and authentic training programs available anywhere for the aspiring Italian cook.

As a student in The Italian Culinary Experience, you'll find yourself totally immersed in Italian culture, learning to speak and understand the language as you also become adept at preparing classic, authentic Italian cuisine. You'll learn up close and hands-on from top chef-instructors in an environment that's fast paced and inspiring.

• Fresh and filled pastas, including ravioli, agnolotti and tortellini

• Fillings and sauces

• Risottos and polenta

• Pizza and flatbreads

• Antipasti

• Cheeses

• Fish and shellfish

• Meat and poultry, including game, lamb, rabbit, chicken, duck, turkey, pigeon and quail

• Italian dessert and pastry

Fennel

Italians love fennel, and it's easy to see why. Enjoy the vegetable's crisp texture and subtle licorice flavor raw in salads and sandwiches, or cook it—just about any way you like—to savor its sweet side.

All parts of fennel are edible: the bulb, stalks, feathery fronds, and even its seeds and pollen

Take a look at all the recipes featuring fennel (finnochio in Italian), and you'll see that fennel is a very versatile vegetable indeed. Looking a little like celery on steroids, it has a pale bulbous base from which emerge finger-like stalks topped with frilly green leaves. Raw, its crisp texture adds a fragrant bite to salads, sandwiches, and salsas. But fennel is as much a wonder when cooked, especially when browned to bring out its sweetness.

Buying fennel: Though you can find fennel throughout much of the year, most locally grown fennel is at its peek in the fall; look for it locally at farmers markets for a real treat. Choose firm, pale bulbs with a good appearance, bright green tops, and a lovely scent. Avoid fennel that looks dry or browned, although a little browning on the outer layer of the bulb, which is often trimmed away, is okay. Fennel will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. For best storage, cut off the stalks and leaves.

Preparing fennel: All of fennel is edible, though it's the meaty bulb that gets used most. (The fibrous stalks make a great addition to the soup or stew pot, while the leaves, which look like dill, may be used as an herb, a great way to add a boost of fennel flavor.) The first step when handling fennl is to cut away the stalks close to the bulb. Trim the root, if necessary and pull off the outer layer if it looks dry or discolored. The bulb may then be cut into wedges for braising or roasting. sliced into strips for pasta or to cook with fish or chicken, or very thinly sliced, preferably with a madoline, to use in a salad. It can also be diced like an onion for salsas. Once cooked, fennel is also delicious pureed for sauces or soups.

American Cullinary

2010-06-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

RECIPES

Seared Scallops with Pineapple-Ginger Sauce Ingredients:6 tbs. homemade or low salt canned chicken brothcup thawed pineapple juice concentratetsp. grated fresh ginger1 lb. dry sea scallops, patted dry2 tbs. olive oilCoarse salt and freshly ground black pepper1 tbs. unsalted butterInstructions:Combine the chichken broth, pineapple juice concentrate and ginger in a small bowl. Set the scallops on a plate and drizzle with the oil; turn to coat. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

About 2minutes before searing the scallops, set a heavy-based 12 inch skillet over high heat and turn on the exhaust fan. When the pan is very hot, add the scallops. Cook over high heat until they develop an even, rich brown crust, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and transfer the scallops to a plate.

Return the empty skillet to the heat and add the pineapple juice mixture; boil until the liquid reduces by about half. Tilting the skillet so that the reduced liquid is at one side of the pan, whisk in the butter. Spoon a portion of sauce over the scallops and serve immediately. READ MORE