Filipino Night - Sept. 29, 2009
A mix of different flavors and strange tastes, the grand crossroads of food known as the Phillipines. Wow.
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<Tonight's cookers: Alex, Daniel, Ralph, Birgit, Gerd, Annette and friend, Tina >Really strange stuffed cucumbers |
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<Eggplant scallop (Ralph was disappointed because there wasn't any seafood involved) >Chop suey |
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<Spicy papaya would be best over rice >A full plate |
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<Our new blackboard |
Stuffed
Cucumbers
4 large cucumbers
1 small onion
½ cup shredded cheese
1 boiled egg, mashed
1 egg, beaten
½ cup tomato juice
bread crumbs
oil for cooking
* Cut a lengthwise strip rather thinly from each of four large cucumbers and
scoop cut most of the pulp.
* Prepare the following stuffing: Chop a small onion and cook it in two tablespoons
of oil; let it brown a little; add 1/2 cup shredded cheese and a mashed, hard-boiled
egg.
* Chop the pulp taken from the cucumbers and add to the first mixture.
* Moisten with one-half cup of tomato juice and bind the whole with one egg.
* Fill the hollowed-out cucumbers with this stuffing.
* Sprinkle the tops with finely ground bread crumbs.
* Place them on a baking pan and bake for 45 minutes.
Guinataang
Papaya
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup thick coconut milk (second extraction)
8-10 heads of garlic, minced
1/2 cup slivered ginger
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup thick coconut cream (first extraction)
1 medium green papaya, slivered thinly
Salt to taste
* In a pan heat cooking oil and saute garlic. When garlic starts to turn brown,
add the ginger and peppercorns and saute while pressing down to pulverize mixture.
Saute the papaya in the pan.
* Pour in second extraction of coconut milk, and salt. Cover and simmer 10 to
15 minutes or until papaya turns transparent. Add first extraction of coconut
milk and simmer 5 minutes more. Correct seasoning.
* May serve already at this point unless you want it of thicker consistency,
in which case, let it simmer on low heat until of desired consistency.
Peanut
And Eggplant Scallop
3-4 small eggplants
1 egg
3/4 cup condensed tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped salted peanuts
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup soft crumbs
1 tablespoon onion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry crumbs mixed with
1 tablespoon melted margarine
* Pare eggplants and cut in cubes. Cook in boiling salted water until tender.
Drain. Add all ingredients except buttered crumbs and cheese.
* Place in oiled baking dish. Sprinkle with crumbs and bake at 350 °F for
about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes. Yield:
5 servings.
Vegetarian
Chop Suey
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup carrots, sliced thinly
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup water
1 cup gluten, cut in pieces
Soy sauce to taste
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup toasted cashew or peanuts
2 cups hot water
6 cups Chinese fried noodles
2 cups bean sprouts
* Sauté onion, celery. mushrooms and gluten in oil. Add next 6 ingredients
and simmer for about 15 minutes.
* Mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water; add soy sauce and stir into hot mixture
to thicken; simmer for 10 minutes.
* Serve over chinese fried noodles. Garnish with cashew and parsley.
* Variation: You may substitute 1/2 cup carrots or 1/2 cup cauliflower for other
vegetables.
* Yield: 6 servings.
Pastillas De Mani or Pili
Ingredients:
1 can condensed milk
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 cup ground nuts (pili or peanuts)
1 teaspoon flavoring
* Combine all ingredients and cook until paste-like in consistency.
* Transfer unto buttered board and roll out 1/2 inch thick.
* Cut into pieces and roll in wax paper.
* Wrap in waxed paper.
* Yield: 2 dozens.
Words
of the week:
sabbatical
compensation
self-confidence
somersault
to hike – go take a hike
pulp fiction
wig
envy
environment
sect
bastard
machismo
kitshcy
Ehtiopian Night - Sept. 12, 2009
Another trip to Africa - this time with Ethiopia. The bread, essential to any Ehtiopian meal, came out fantastic. Don't know why we don't have more photos of the other foods...
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<Tonight's cookers: Gerd, Kerstin, Susanne, Ralph, Cyrus and his daughter Janette, and Daniel >Injera bread: essential to any Ethiopian meal |
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<Using the bread to scoop up other things (dish to the left is Chick Pea Wat) >chop chop |
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<Not very authentically Ethiopian blueberry cake |
Injera
Bread
Makes 24 /10" injera; serves about 6
Injera are similar to crepes and always served with Ethiopian meals. They are
made out of many different types of flour, but these are made with teff flour,
a very small, nutritious grain that is preferred for these breads in Ethiopia.
Teff flour might be found in a box in a health food store. If you can't find
it, substitute millet flour (which can be made by grinding millet in a DRY blender)
or stoneground cornmeal, or perhaps chick pea flour (which can be bought in
most Indian markets). Traditionally, injera are made with a fermented dough
that stands for several days-- this is a faster version.
Injera are traditionally made on a very large griddle, but I made them in a
large teflon skillet. Injera can be made well before the meal is served, as
they are served at room temperature.
* 4 and 1/2 c. warm water
* 2 tsp. regular baking yeast
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 3 and 1/2 c. teff flour, millet flour or stoneground cornmeal (note: I used
chick pea flour, it worked great)
* 1 c. whole wheat flour
* 1T. vinegar
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water and let stand 10 minutes. When bubbly,
stir in the teff or millet flour, or cornmeal. Cover and let stand at room temperature
for 4 hours. Add the flour, vinegar, salt and baking soda. It should be like
a crepe batter.
Heat a 10" cast iron skillet or 12" round heavy griddle over medium-high
heat (or use a large electric griddle or frying pan) until drops of water bounce
on it. Keep a paper towel wadded up and handy to grease the pan between breads.
Lightly oil the pan with the towel. Stir the batter each time before you measure
it out. Pour about 1/4 c. of batter into the pan and tilt the pan (using potholders)
in all directions to cover the bottom evenly with the batter, about 10"
across. Cover the bread with a large pot lid and cook 1 minute, until the injera
is dry but not crisp on the bottom (if it's crisp, turn the heat down a little),
and full of tiny holes on the top. Remove carefully from the pan with a large
pancake-turner and lie topside-down on a platter. (Do not turn it over and cook
the other side.) Repeat, stacking each injera on the last one. When finished,
keep some injera flat to line each diner's plate with before adding the food,
and roll up the rest fairly tightly. Cut the rolls in half. These are served
with the meal to scoop up stews, etc.. Cover with plastic wrap until serving
time.
Ethiopian
Eggplant Salad
* 2 eggplants, peeled, diced
* 1 lemon, juice of
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* salt and pepper
Place the diced eggplant in a bowl. Mix the salt and lemon juice together and
pour over the eggplants. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle on the oil and toss well. Gently stir in the garlic, beans, and sugar.
Season with black pepper.
Ethiopian Chickpea Wat
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 large red onion, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, finely chopped
* 1 potato, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook
until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and potato, cover and cook
10 minutes longer.
Remove and cover and stir in cayenne, paprika, ginger, salt, pepper, cumin,
cardamom and tomato paste. Add chickpeas and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and the
flavor is developed, about 30 minutes, adding a bit more water if needed. About
10 minutes before the stew is ready, stir in green peas and taste to adjust
seasonings.
Ethiopian
Okra
* 4 cups okra, trimmed and split lenthwise (seeded if mature)
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups red onions, minced
* 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
* 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground
* 2 jalapenos, minced
In a medium saucepan, heat oil.
Cook onions until light brown.
Add tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Lower heat, and stir in garlic, ginger, and cardamon. Add the okra and cook,
uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Add chiles and cook five more minutes.
Ethiopian
Green Beans and Potatoes
2 large white potatoes, diced (and peeled if desired)
1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch sections
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Bring enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil in medium saucepan, and place the potatoes in. Cook for 12 minutes over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. Drain the potatoes and green beans in a colander.
Heat large non-stick skillet.
Sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeño for about 4 minutes, adding
a little water, if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir in the seasonings and
sauté for 1 minute more. Add the potatoes and green beans, stewed tomatoes,
and lime juice and cook for 7 to 10 minutes more over medium heat, stirring
frequently.
Blueberry
Oatmeal Loaf Cake
* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 6 ounces vanilla fat-free yogurt, about 2/3 cup
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/4 cup milk
* 2 large eggs
* cinnamon sugar for topping, optional
Preparation:
Heat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
Combine the blueberries with flour, oats, baking powder, salt, 1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon, and 1 cup granulated sugar.
In another bowl, whisk yogurt with lemon juice; whisk in the milk and eggs.
Pour yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until blended. Spoon into
the prepared pan; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture (about 3 teaspoons sugar
to 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean.
"Feel the Magic" Night - August 18, 2009
Okay, so we didn't really have a theme tonight (Andrea said she'd only come to class if we *didn't* cook Ethiopian food, which has been postponed until next time). Ralph found this great recipe for gulasch, and we built from there. The chocolate raspberry cake was an opportunity to use some of the fresh blackberry sauce in my fridge, as well as to finally melt down the Easter bunnny into something edible.
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<Tonight's cookers: Tina, Susanne, Ralph, Gerd, Andrea, and Daniel (behind the camera) >Gulasch |
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<Andrea makes the salad pretty >Easter bunny melting in butter |
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<The pretty salad >The torte, which took a very long time to cook |
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<Gulasch >Andrea makes gulasch pretty |
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<Choco raspberry cake >With cream and Andrea's proper artistic presentation |
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Pfifferlinge
(Chantarelle Mushroom) Gulasch
# 1/2 kg Pfifferlinge mushrooms
# 100 g onion
# 3-4 cloves of garlic
# 3 EL Paprika powder
# salt, petter
# 1/8 l sour cream
# 50 g parsley
Clean the Pfifferlinge and cut into large quarters or halves. Cut onions small
and fry in oil until browned. Add paprika and stir well. Add mushrooms, salt
and garlic, and cook until mushrooms are soft. Before serving add sour cream
and sprinkle with parsley.
Rice
Torte with Zucchini and Rucola
250g rice
750g veg broth
2 zucchini
1 bunch rucola
3 eggs
200 ml creme fraiche
200 ml heavy cream
150g shredded cheese
salt, pepper, ground nutmeg
Cook rice in vegetable broth for approx. 20 minutes, but don’t cook completely.
Let cool uncovered.
In the meantime, wash rucola and coarsely chop, and shred zucchini with a cheese
grater.
Mix cream with crème fraiche, eggs and 100g cheese. Add in zucchini and
rucola. Mix in rice and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Spread into a springform
pan.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake in oven at 180 degrees until
golden brown, approx. 40 min. Allow to cool, serve.
Spinach
and cranberry salad
1 bag spinach, washed and dried
200g dried cranberries
150g fresh goat cheese
100g walnuts or pecans
200g cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
Mix ingredients. Toss in a dressing of oil and vinegar and fresh thyme.
Blackberry
Chocolate Cake
* 100 g blackberries .
* icing sugar, for dusting .
* 2 tbsps Grand Marnier or Cointreau liqueur .
* 150 g chocolate (70%cocoa) .
* 125 g sugar .
* 3 eggs .
* 2 tbsps cornstarch or flour .
* 100 g ground almonds (skin on) .
* 100 g butter .
* butter, for greasing
Directions:
* Step #1 Line & butter a springform of 20cm.
* Step #2 Melt butter & chocolate on low heat.
* Step #3 Let cool a little bit while stirring.
* Step #4 Add eggs, sugar & gran marnier (or cointreau).
* Step #5 Mix cornstarch (or flour) with ground almonds & add.
* Step #6 Pour mixture into springform.
* Step #7 Stick blackberries into mixture.
* Step #8 Backe in the middle of a 200°C oven for 20-25 mins.
* Step #9 The cake should still be moist.
* Step #10 Remove cake & let cool.
* Step #11 Cool for several hrs or best overnight.
* Step #12 Sprinkle top with icing sugar & serve as it is or with whipped
cream, sour cream or ice cream.
Words
of the week:
chanterelle mushrooms (pfifferlinge)
gulash
spinach
to lurch
to tear down – torn down
white noise
salmonella poisoning
to breathe in through your nose
choking
hare, rabbit
the week after next
spell check
The meaning escapes me, but I feel the magic
Paraguayan Night - July 29, 2009
The search for unexplored lands continues. Ralph suggested Paraguay, as it would give him a chance to tell about his adventures there... We just liked the food : ) Sorry I was too lazy to re-type the .jpegs of some of these recipes - those recipes came directly from http://www.pyadopt.org/recipe.html .
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<Cookers: Susanne, Daniel, Ralph, Cyrus, Kerstin (Sorry Susanne, it was the only photo that was almost in focus) >Susanne kneads dough for the Noquis |
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<The Sopa Paraguaya is not a soup, but actually something akin to a Yorkshire Pudding >Kerstin is in charge of the empanada making
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Noquis de Batata (Sweet Potato Gnocchi), <before and after> cooking. I could only find yellow sweet potatoes, and they needed A LOT of flour |  |
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Kerstin is pleased with her empanadas |  |
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<Not the prettiest meal, but it tasted good : ) >Orange Flan |
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Sopa Paraguaya http://www.pyadopt.org/documents/Recipe-Feb2003.pdf
Noquis De Batata (Potato Gnocchi) http://www.pyadopt.org/documents/Recipe-Feb2003.pdf
Empanadas De Espinaca (Spinach Empanadas)
Shell:
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup ice water
Filling:
2 ½ lbs fresh spinach, stemmed washed drained, or 2 10-oz frozen
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lg cloves garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 medium onions
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground fennel
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground mace
1 tsp coarse salt
3 sprigs fresh terragon, basil or oregano, finely chopped
¼ lb fresh mozzarella, finely chopped
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Cut the shortening into the flour as though you were making a pie crust by working it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle dough with just enough ice water so that it will just hold together. Knead together briefly and allow to rest, covered about 10 minutes.
Prepare spinach. Fry onions and garlic, sauté with hot pepper, add spices and place spinach in pan. Allow to cool. Shortly before stuffing empanadas, add cheese.
Roll dough
out on a lightly floured board to circles about 3-4 inches in diameter.
Place a spoonful of empanada filling of your choice on one side of the circle.
Moisten the edges of the circle with a small amount of water and fold the dough
over the filling to make a half circle. Press the edges together to seal.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Flan
de Naranja (Orange Custard)
1 pint milk
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
4 oranges
1 Tbsp corn starch
cinnamon to taste
Mix ¼
cup of the milk, egg yolks, sugar and corn starch and stir until corn starch
is well-blended. In a pan, heat the milk but do not boil. When the milk is warmed,
stir in egg/cornstarch mixture little by little, stirring the milk constantly
with a whisk. Keep stirring until milk thickens, remove from heat.
Peel and cut oranges into slices and put them in a bowl, sprinkling liberally
with sugar. Pour the custard over the oranges, top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Chill and serve.
Words
of the Week:
to cash in on [something/someone]
bank transfer
wire transfer
to whine, complain, moan
calming
soothing
meditative
construction site
even
regular
sensual
to wag
anti-depressant
pushy
bargain
stingy
team up with [someone]
buff
choke
virginity
maiden name
ear drums
longitude / longitude
I love Korean food. Since it's been about 2 years since we last cooked Korean, I decided it was time to do it again, including an attempt a vegetarian Bulgogi. (Some things in the world really do need meat, and I've now proven that bulgogi is one of them). We served the whole meal as a bibimbop bowl, and it was great. I wanted to do a pear dessert, but I couldn't find an Asian pears - and since the sour cherry tree was ready to be picked, I decided it was time for Rote Gruetze.
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Tonight's cookers: Julika,Christiane, Ralph, Gerd, Annette Christiane the sushi-roll master, in charge of the kim-bap |
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<Vegetarian Bulgogi, with pfifferlinge mushrooms >Julika removes stones from the sour cherries |
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<Zucchini for bibimbap >Gerd is on cherry duty |
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<Carrots for bibimbap >Bean sprouts for bibimbap |
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<A full plate of bibimbap - there's a layer of rice under there somewhere >Rote Gruetze made from sour cherries - not Korean, but really yummy |
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Bulgogi
For marinade:
2 TB soy sauce
4 TB gochujang (fermented korean red pepper) paste
2 TB water
2 TB honey
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 TB ginger, grated
3 green onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
500g pfifferling mushrooms
1 cucumber,
peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
2 TB white vinegar
1/2 TB sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
Vegetarian
kim chi, as needed
4 oz. bean thread noodles, prepared
1.5 cups mung bean sprouts
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Combine marinade ingredients and marinate mushrooms for one hour. Meanwhile, combine cucumber/carrot strips, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a bowl and refrigerate.
Remove gluten from marinade, reserving marinade, and grill over hot coals until browned and crispy on all sides. Heat marinade in a pan and simmer until reduced by half. Place reduced marinade in a serving bowl.
Serve cucumber/carrot salad, grilled gluten, marinade/sauce, bean thread noodles, bean sprouts, and kim chi on a platter with the lettuce leaves. Place a bit of all the ingredients in the leaf and wrap up to eat.
Bibimbap
Ingredients:
* Cooked rice
* a package of bean sprouts
* a bunch of spinach
* 2 small size of zucchinis
* 5-7 Shiitake mushrooms
* fern brakes (kosari)
* 200 grams of ground beef (about half a pound)
* 1 small carrot, eggs
* soy sauce, hot pepper paste, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and vegetable
oil
Arrange everything on a platter.
1. Cook
rice. You can use a rice cooker or a stainless pot.
2. Next, you need to prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on.
Rinse your bean sprouts 3 times and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add
1 ts of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of
minced garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
Put it on the platter.
3. Put your spinach in a pot of boiling water and stir it for a minute. Then
rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it lightly. Mix it with a pinch
of salt, 1 ts of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it
on the platter
4. Cut 2 small size zucchinis into thin strips, sprinkle them with a pinch of
salt, and then mix them together. A few minutes later, sauté them in
a pan over high heat. When it’s cooked, it will look a little translucent.
Put it on the platter.
5. You can buy soaked and cooked “kosari” at a Korean grocery store.
Prepare about 2 or 3 cups of kosari for this 4 servings of bibimbap. Cut it
into pieces 5-7 cm long and sauté in a heated pan with 1 ts of vegetable
oil. Stir and add 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 tbs of sugar, and cook them for 1-2
minutes. Add sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
6. Slice shitake mushrooms thinly and sauté with 1 ts of vegetable oil.
Add 2 ts of soy sauce and 1 or 2 ts of sugar and stir it for 2 minutes. Add
some sesame oil, and put it on the platter.
7. On a heated pan, put some oil and 200 grams of ground beef and stir it. Add
4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 tbs of sugar, a little grounded
black pepper, and sesame oil.
Put it on the platter.
8. Cut a carrot into strips, sauté it for 30 seconds and put it on the
platter.
9. prepare eggs with sunny side up.
10. Put your rice In a big bowl, and attractively display all your vegetables
and meat t. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.
11. Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste.
12. Lastly, mix it up and eat!
Green onion sauce:
Chop 4 green onions and put them in a small bowl. Pour half cup of soy sauce
in there, and add 1 tbs of sesame seeds, 2 ts of sugar, 1 tbs of sesame oil
and mix it up.
Kim-bab
Ingredients:
Short grain rice : 5 cup
Eggs : 5
Carrots : 2
Cucumber :1/2
A bunch of spinach
8 sheets of seaweed
Fish cake (available in Korean grocery store) : 1 sheet
Rice seasoning:
1 t. salt
2tbs sugar
6tbs vinegar
1) Cook
rice. Allow to cool a few minutes, then add marinade.
2) Cut cucumber in long strips, and pickle it in a vinegar (8tbs), sugar (3),water
(1/2 cup)and 1/2 tbs of salt for 1hr.
3) Cut carrots in long strips, and stir-fry it.
4) Cook eggs like pancake way ,and cut them in long strips.
5) Cook spinach in a boiling water for 1 minute, and squeeze water out.
6) Season spinach with pinch of salt, sesame seed and sesame oil.
7) Cut fish cake in long strips (8),and cook it with soy sauce (3tbs), sugar
(1tbs), until it is evaporated. At last, drop sesame oil.
8) Cover 3/4 sheet of seaweed with rice. Arrange some of each ingredient in
the center and roll firmly.
9 ) Slice them in 1" and serve it!
Rote
Gruetze
1 Liter red wine
300 g sugar
¼ Liter cold water
100 g corn starch
2,5 kg red berries or cherries, washed and stoned
Combine
red wine and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.
In a separate bowl mix the corn starch into the cold water until smooth, then
stir slowly to the wine mixture. Add berries and allow to boil again.
Remove from
heat and allow to cool at least 3-4 hours. Keeps in fridge approx. 1 week (or
longer in sterilized jars).
Words
of the week:
cuisine (not kitchen)
by coincidence
round
gift basket
eggs sunny side up
addicted
surgeon
wimpy
diameter
packing / packaging
to hand in an application
reduced working hours
edible, fit for human consumption
tasty
tasteful
In honor
of the 4th of July, we wanted to BBQ again but the weather didn't cooperate.
I thought it would be fun to make our own marshmallows, but my electric mixer
died and the gelatin didn't set properly. From the mess of sugar I threw in
some heavy cream and made caramels - pure sugar in a slightly different form...
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Cookers: Alexandra, Cyrus, Christiane, Tina, Gerd, Ralph >Risotto involves a lot of time doing this |
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Mangoes and beets combine (later) to make a great salad |  |
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<Unmeat loaf >Macaroni salad (no American 4th of July celebration is complete without this) |
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<Mashed sweet potatoes >Cyrus and his Uncle Sam hat |
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<A full plate >The marshmallows that didn't work became caramel |  |
Risotto
with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 lb white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups simmering chicken stock
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese (or Swiss cheese)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup basil, julienne
* Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions
and mushrooms and sauté until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
* In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot
and garlic. Cook until garlic just begins to brown. Add rice, stirring constantly,
and cook 5 minutes more, making sure rice does not brown. * * Add wine, stirring
constantly, and let totally evaporate. When wine is evaporated, begin adding
stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition evaporate before adding the next
addition.
* After fourth addition of stock is added, begin tasting rice. Rice should be
al dente when done. You need to keep tasting rice, because, depending on rice,
you may or may not have to use all of the stock. When fourth addition of stock
is absorbed, add onion and mushrooms.
* After last addition of stock is absorbed, remove from heat, and stir in butter,
Romano, Gruyere, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Mashed
Sweet Potatoes
Peel sweet potatoes and cube. Cook in boiling water until soft. With a fork
or a potato masher, mash until mushy. Add butter and milk, and, if you’re
feeling decadent, a ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese.
Macaroni
Salad
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
3 tomatoes, cubed
salt, pepper
1 pinch cumin
1 cup goat cheese or farmer’s cheese, cubed
2 cups macaroni, cooked and cooled
½ cup mayonnaise (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, chill and serve.
Unmeat Loaf
1 can black beans
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded an diced
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg
¼ cup fresh cilantro
hot sauce (to taste)
1 can corn
½ brick tofu
1 cup bread crumbs
Directions: In a frying pan, sauté onions and mushrooms until brown.
In a large bowl, mash tofu and egg until combined. Add all other ingredients,
mix. Put into a loaf pan and bake at 350 until eggs are firm.
Can also be formed into patties and made into veggie burgers.
Beetroot
Mango Salad
2 bunches beets (750g)
2 mangoes
3 limes
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 bunch mint
Cook beets, cool, peel and cube. In a separate bowl, place mango chunks (peeled).
Juice limes and pour half the juice and the ginger into the beets and the other
half into the mango bowl. Mix chopped mint into mango.
To preserve colors, keep separate until serving.
Homemade
Marshmallows
* 2 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
* confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
Directions: Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of an electric
mixer with whisk attachment.
Let it stand 30 minutes.
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup of water in a small
heavy saucepan; place over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve sugar crystals.
Clip on candy thermometer; raise heat to high.
Cook syrup without stirring until it reaches 244° (firm ball stage).
Immediately remove pan from heat.
With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully pour syrup into the softened gelatin.
Increase speed to high; beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost
tripled in volume, about 15 minutes.
Add vanilla; beat to incorporate.
Generously dust an 8x12 inch glass baking pan with confectioners' sugar.
Pour marshmallow mixture into pan.
Dust with confectioners' sugar; let stand over night uncovered, to dry out.