THREE SOUPS AND FOUR APPETISERS

                                

Today, I shall not write about events that cause sorrow, anxiety, annoyance or even disgust, because many are taking place around the world, at this very moment, such as civil wars and natural disasters with hundreds of innocent victims.    Also, politicians governing superpowers are criticized and lampooned for their preposterous acts and absurd statements.    

Instead, I shall give you a few recipes for comforting soups and appetizers, which I hope you will enjoy.

                                                      LOBSTER BISQUE

A delightful soup for special occasions.

2 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

3 tbsp plain flour

1250 (5 cups) tasty lobster broth* please see recipe below

500 g (1 lb) boiled lobster meat, cubed

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, optional
250 ml (1 cup) single cream

1 pinch Cayenne pepper

Melt butter with bay leaf, sieve the flour over and cook stirring for 5-6 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.  Pour in the hot lobster stock in portions, stirring well after each addition until the soup bubbles and thickens.  Discard the bay leaf.

Then, add the cubed lobster meat and the Worcestershire sauce if using, and stir in the cream and the Cayenne pepper.  Taste and season with extra salt, freshly ground pepper and Cayenne pepper, if needed.  Serve hot garnished with sprigs of dill.

·        Here is the recipe for the lobster broth:

1 onion peeled and sliced

1 stalk celery, trimmed and sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise

Lobster shells, cracked

1 tbsp tomato paste

250 ml (1 cup) white wine
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 clove
Water to cover

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for about 3 minutes in olive oil. Add the cracked lobster shells and the tomato paste and cook stirring for 3 minutes more.   Deglaze with the wine, and simmer until reduced by half.   Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and clove.   Cover with water,  bring to the boil and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 hours, adding more hot water, when and if necessary.   Add salt to taste, strain through a sieve, lined with a triple layer of cheesecloth, and use immediately or cool and freeze.

                                     CHICKEN ALMOND AND CARROT SOUP

Interesting, if you are not allergic to nuts.

250 g (½ lb) boiled chicken breasts, cut into chunks

60 g (2 oz) blanched almonds

2 large carrots, scraped and boiled

1250 ml (5 cups) tasty chicken broth

1 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs

Rind of ½ a lemon

1 pinch grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

187.9 ml (2/3 cup) single cream
A few stalks of snipped chives, for garnish

Blend the first 3 ingredients with a little chicken broth to a very smooth paste.  Scrape into the saucepan with the remaining stock and add the breadcrumbs, lemon rind and nutmeg.  

Bring the soup to a boil and taste and season with freshly ground white pepper, and extra nutmeg and salt if necessary.   Discard the lemon peel and just before serving, heat the soup, stir in the cream and sprinkle with snipped chives.

                                       CELERIAC AND POTATO SOUP

A lovely, aromatic soup.

500 g (1 lb) celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks

250 g (½ lb) mealy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1250 (5 cups) tasty chicken stock

4 tbsp Greek yoghurt, stabilized*(please see below)

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to  taste

Sauté celeriac in the butter for 5 minutes.    Add the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more stirring to coat everything evenly with butter.

Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for half an hour.  Blend with a hand blender until the soup is smooth and velvety.   Reheat the soup gently and stir in the stabilized yogurt and salt and pepper, if necessary.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.


(Thanking Claudia Roden for the following recipe)
*How to stabilize yogurt for cooking purposes, to prevent it from curdling.

1 litre (4 cups) Greek yogurt
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with a little cold water
A tiny pinch of salt


Beat yogurt until liquid.   Add the cornflour mixture and a little salt and stir well with a wooden spoon.  Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, in one direction.   Reduce the heat and barely simmer UNCOVERED, for 10 minutes or until the mixture has acquired a thick and rich consistency.   Do not cover, since a drop of water will ruin the yogurt.  After simmering it, is ready for use.

                                          SMOKED SALMON PATE

Smoked Salmon Pate Canapes

This is a delicious hors-d'oeuvre.

250 g (½ lb) smoked salmon slices, trimmed and cut into small pieces

90 g (2 oz) butter, softened

Lemon juice to taste

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

2 tbsp double cream

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Blend all the ingredients well together until smooth.   Taste and add more lemon juice or a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary.  Place into a dish and chill for 3-4 hours before serving with hot toast or spread on wholemeal brown bread.

                                       BACON WRAPPED PRAWNS

This a version of Angels or Devils on Horseback, which are oysters or prunes wrapped in crispy bacon.

12 large prawns, shelled, heads and tails left on, deveined, washed and patted dry

60 g tasty cream cheese with herbs, mixed with

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 rashers lean bacon, trimmed of excess fat

A little olive oil

Dip:

250 ml (1 cup) Greek yogurt

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Lemon juice to taste

A little olive oil

(Mix everything together until well combined)

Slit each prawn lengthwise, along the back and stuff it with the cream cheese/black pepper mixture.    Wrap the prawns with the bacon rashers, leaving heads and tails peeping out, and secure with toothpicks. 

Brush with olive oil and bake in an oven preheated to 230 C (450 F) for 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and aromatic.  Serve with the above dip or any other dip of your choice.

                                        

                                             GRILLED SCALLOPS

                                                 

We first tasted this delicious dish at a friend’s house, served with wild asparagus.

24 scallops, shelled

Marinade

2 cloves garlic, mashed

3 tbsp olive oil

 Salt and pepper to taste

A few saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp water

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or

½ tsp fresh thyme

Dressing

120 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil

 The juice of half a lemon

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 tsp strong or mild ready-made mustard 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley for garnish

Rinse the scallops, pat dry and slice them, if they are large. 

Mix all the marinade ingredients well together, and marinate the scallops for, at least 1½ hours.   Also, beat all the dressing ingredients together until they thicken, and set aside.

Place the scallops under a hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side.   Sprinkle with snipped chives and drizzle with dressing.  

If you can’t find wild asparagus, use the green, cultivated ones, boiled and sprinkled with the same dressing.

VERRINES WITH AVOCADO MOUSSE CREAM CHEESE AND DICED TOMATOES

For the last few years, verrines have been a trendy craze of presenting small savoury and sweet delicacies in tiny glasses.   They are attractive and very elegant!   I had first admired them at a bazaar, made and presented by Joy's Mum, Olga Dretakis.   

2 large avocado pears, peeled

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

250 g (½ lb) cream cheese mixed with

2 tbsp thick cream

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley + extra for garnish

2 tbsp finely snipped chives + extra for garnish

1 large, firm tomato, peeled, deseeded, finely diced and patted dry with kitchen paper or
4 smoked salmon slices, each cut into three pieces

Blend the avocado with lemon juice until a smooth paste is obtained.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and divide between 12 verrines and reserve

Divide the cream cheese mixture over the avocado and cover with equal amounts of diced tomato or small pieces of smoked salmon.   Sprinkle, if using tomato, evenly with very little salt, and all the verrines with chopped parsley and snipped chives.   Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Spring Flowers for You Dear Friends!