FRESH ASPARAGUS SOUP
A lovely and light soup.
500 g (1 lb) asparagus remove the hard ends of each salt and cut it into small pieces
1 250 ml (5 cups) of water
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) tasty chicken broth
1 tsp of salt and
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
3 tbsp low-fat Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Boil the asparagus in slightly salted water for 5 minutes until tender. Drain and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Blend the asparagus and the reserved water until smooth and pour into a saucepan. Stir in the chicken broth and sprinkle with white and Cayenne peppers and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat, stir in the yoghurt, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
BROCCOLI CHOWDER
A delightful winter soup.
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cornflour
2 cubes chicken bouillon dissolves in 2 cups of water
1000 ml (4 cups) milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
500 g (1 lb) mild Cheddar cheese, grated
500 g (l lb) broccoli, trimmed, cut into small flowerets and boiled, reserving a cup of the liquid
Saute the onion in butter until tender and sprinkle with cornflour.
Pour in the dissolved bouillon cubes and simmer gently, stirring constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Add the cheese and stir until melted then add the milk gradually. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and add the broccoli flowerets with the cooking liquid and stir well to combine.
MUSHROOM SALAD WITH HAM AND A GARLICY DRESSING
A Mediterranean dish prepared with jamon or prosciutto.
250 g (8 oz) white button mushrooms
2 tsp lemon juice
3 slices Spanish jamon or Italian prosciutto
Dressing;
125 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme
(Whisk everything well together)
Garnish:
2 tbsp grated manchego or feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash, pat dry and thinly slice the mushrooms and place them in a salad bowl pour the lemon juice over and toss. Pour the dressing over the mushrooms, add the cheese and one tbsp of parsley and toss gently.
Serve the salad sprinkled with the remaining parsley.
AVOCADO AND SALMON PASTA SALAD
250 g (1//2 lb) shell macaroni boiled for 8-10 minutes until al dente
350 g (12 oz) tinned salmon, drained, picked over and flaked
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tbsp black Kalamata olives, stoned and chopped
1 tbsp chopped basil
Dressing;
3 tbsp garlic-scented olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp mild mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
(Whip until thick)
Lettuce leaves
Combine the pasta with the salmon mixture in a bowl. Add the dressing and mix gently until well coated. Serve on lettuce leaves garnished with a few basil leaves.
BREAD STUFFED WITH CHEESE AND HAM
This is a lovely first dish that will keep your guests happy.
500 g (1 lb) loaf of bread
Stuffing:
250 g (1/2 lb) grated Cheddar
250 g (1/2 lb) softened cream cheese
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream or yoghurt
250 g (1/2 lb) chopped ham or baby shrimp
60 g (2 oz) spring onions, finely chopped1
tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Cut a slice from one side of the loaf and remove the bread for the interior, leaving a hollowed shell. Reserve the slice and the removed bread.
Mix all the stuffing ingredients well together and spoon into the bread shell and replace the reserved slice. Wrap the loaf with foil and bake for 30 minutes or more if necessary. Serve with the scooped up bread and crackers.
SHRIMP BROCHETTES WITH AN ASIAN TOUCH
A delightful meal with Far Eastern innuendoes,
18 shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
18 grape tomatoes
12 red pepper chunks
6 green pepper chunks
6 yellow pepper chunks
12 onion pieces
Marinade:
3/4 cup orange juice
8 fresh basil leaves, minced
2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Thread the shrimps, tomatoes, peppers and onion pieces alternatively on skewers and season with salt and pepper and marinate for two hours at least.
Preheat grill or grill pan, Drain the brochettes and place them on the grill. Cook until slightly opaque, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with Asian glaze and a summer vegetable salad.
Asian glaze:
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp fresh ginger minced
1 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 spring onions, trimmed and minced
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup soy sauce
3 tsp cornflour
Place one cup of orange juice, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, spring onions, spices and soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Combine the remaining orange juice with the cornflour, mix well and add to the simmering sauce Reduce heat and whisk and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.
Summer Vegetable Salad:
250 g (1/2 lb) asparagus cooked al dente
125 g (1/4 lb) French beans, cooked
125 g (1/4 lb) carrots, peeled and finely sliced
125 g (1/4 lb) mushrooms, thinly sliced
125 g (1/4 lb) cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dressing:
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
2/3 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
(Mix everything well together until the dressing thickens)
Place vegetables in a bowl, add dressing and toss. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for1hour allowing flavours to develop and mingle.
BARBECUED SEA BASS ON SAMPHIRE
Sea bass is a wonderful fish to barbecue.
1 1/2 kg (3 lb) sea bass
1 bulb fennel, roughly chopped sprigs left on
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Rosemary sprigs
Samphire:
500 g (1/2 lb) samphire, tough stalks removed leaving tender sprigs
3 tbsp butter
Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
Aioli:
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
300 ml (1 cup + 3 tbsp ) extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
(Blend the first three ingredients together, then add the olive oil and the lemon juice alternatively, and season to taste)
First, prepare the samphire, Rinsed in plenty of water and steam it for 3-5 minutes until tender and hot. Then toss in butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the barbecue to medium-low heat. Fill the cavity of the fish with fennel, garlic and rosemary sprigs. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place it on the barbecue rack for 7-8 minutes on each side but do not overcook. The fish is ready when the eyes are opaque and the flesh is firm to touch. Serve on top of the samphire accompanied by the aioli. Et bon appetit!
SALMON COULIBIAC
A gourmet Russian dish which is difficult to prepare but such a treat!
500 g (1 lb) puff pastry
562.5 g (1 1/4 lb) salmon fillets, skinned
2 large hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
90 g (3 oz) butter
90 g (3 oz) basmati rice
240 g (8 fl oz) fish stock
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and chopped
120 g (4 oz ) button mushroom, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
To finish 90 g (3 oz) butter
1 egg lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). First, melt 30 g (1 oz) butter and stir in the rice, when it is well coated with butter pour in a little fish stock and simmer, covered for exactly 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, take off the lid and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, place the salmon on buttered foil, season, wrap it up loosely but thoroughly and place in the oven for exactly 10 minutes, because it must be partly cooked. Then cool it.
While the rice and salmon are cooling sweat the onion in butter for about 10 minutes until it softens, add the mushrooms and half the dill and cook for 5 minutes more, add the lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the salmon broken into large flakes, the hardboiled eggs, the remaining dill and half the parsley. Season well with salt and pepper. In another bowl combine the rice mixture with onion and mushrooms and the remaining parsley, and season well with salt and pepper.
Take the pastry out of the packet, unfold it and place it, lengthwise, on a lightly floured surface, Then using a tape measure, fold the pastry into a 35 cm (almost 14 inches) square. Now cut it into 2 lengths. one 16 centimetres (6.30 inches) and the other into 19 centimetres (7.48 inches).
Lightly brush the baking tin and the surface of the pastry with melted butter and lay the narrower piece of pasty on top. Then first spoon half the rice mixture, along the centre leaving 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) gap all around. Then spoon the salmon on top of the rice building up as high as possible, pressing and moulding with your hands, trying to make the mixture look like a loaf. Then lightly mould the rest of the rice on top of the salmon and brush the border all around with beaten egg. Then take the lattice cutter and run it across the other piece of pastry, leaving an even margin of 2.5 cm (1 inch) all around. Brush the surface with butter and very carefully lift it and cover the salmon mixture with it. With a fork, press the edges of the pastry, firmly, all around to seal and brush with egg wash and the remaining butter.
Raise the oven temperature to 220 C (425 F) and bake, on the high shelf, for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
A lovely and light soup.
500 g (1 lb) asparagus remove the hard ends of each salt and cut it into small pieces
1 250 ml (5 cups) of water
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) tasty chicken broth
1 tsp of salt and
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
3 tbsp low-fat Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Boil the asparagus in slightly salted water for 5 minutes until tender. Drain and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Blend the asparagus and the reserved water until smooth and pour into a saucepan. Stir in the chicken broth and sprinkle with white and Cayenne peppers and bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat, stir in the yoghurt, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
BROCCOLI CHOWDER
A delightful winter soup.
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cornflour
2 cubes chicken bouillon dissolves in 2 cups of water
1000 ml (4 cups) milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
500 g (1 lb) mild Cheddar cheese, grated
500 g (l lb) broccoli, trimmed, cut into small flowerets and boiled, reserving a cup of the liquid
Saute the onion in butter until tender and sprinkle with cornflour.
Pour in the dissolved bouillon cubes and simmer gently, stirring constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Add the cheese and stir until melted then add the milk gradually. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and add the broccoli flowerets with the cooking liquid and stir well to combine.
MUSHROOM SALAD WITH HAM AND A GARLICY DRESSING
A Mediterranean dish prepared with jamon or prosciutto.
250 g (8 oz) white button mushrooms
2 tsp lemon juice
3 slices Spanish jamon or Italian prosciutto
Dressing;
125 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried thyme
(Whisk everything well together)
Garnish:
2 tbsp grated manchego or feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash, pat dry and thinly slice the mushrooms and place them in a salad bowl pour the lemon juice over and toss. Pour the dressing over the mushrooms, add the cheese and one tbsp of parsley and toss gently.
Serve the salad sprinkled with the remaining parsley.
AVOCADO AND SALMON PASTA SALAD
250 g (1//2 lb) shell macaroni boiled for 8-10 minutes until al dente
350 g (12 oz) tinned salmon, drained, picked over and flaked
1 1/2 cup tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tbsp black Kalamata olives, stoned and chopped
1 tbsp chopped basil
Dressing;
3 tbsp garlic-scented olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp mild mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
(Whip until thick)
Lettuce leaves
Combine the pasta with the salmon mixture in a bowl. Add the dressing and mix gently until well coated. Serve on lettuce leaves garnished with a few basil leaves.
BREAD STUFFED WITH CHEESE AND HAM
This is a lovely first dish that will keep your guests happy.
500 g (1 lb) loaf of bread
Stuffing:
250 g (1/2 lb) grated Cheddar
250 g (1/2 lb) softened cream cheese
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream or yoghurt
250 g (1/2 lb) chopped ham or baby shrimp
60 g (2 oz) spring onions, finely chopped1
tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Cut a slice from one side of the loaf and remove the bread for the interior, leaving a hollowed shell. Reserve the slice and the removed bread.
Mix all the stuffing ingredients well together and spoon into the bread shell and replace the reserved slice. Wrap the loaf with foil and bake for 30 minutes or more if necessary. Serve with the scooped up bread and crackers.
SHRIMP BROCHETTES WITH AN ASIAN TOUCH
A delightful meal with Far Eastern innuendoes,
18 shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on
18 grape tomatoes
12 red pepper chunks
6 green pepper chunks
6 yellow pepper chunks
12 onion pieces
Marinade:
3/4 cup orange juice
8 fresh basil leaves, minced
2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Thread the shrimps, tomatoes, peppers and onion pieces alternatively on skewers and season with salt and pepper and marinate for two hours at least.
Preheat grill or grill pan, Drain the brochettes and place them on the grill. Cook until slightly opaque, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with Asian glaze and a summer vegetable salad.
Asian glaze:
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp fresh ginger minced
1 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 spring onions, trimmed and minced
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup soy sauce
3 tsp cornflour
Place one cup of orange juice, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, spring onions, spices and soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Combine the remaining orange juice with the cornflour, mix well and add to the simmering sauce Reduce heat and whisk and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.
Summer Vegetable Salad:
250 g (1/2 lb) asparagus cooked al dente
125 g (1/4 lb) French beans, cooked
125 g (1/4 lb) carrots, peeled and finely sliced
125 g (1/4 lb) mushrooms, thinly sliced
125 g (1/4 lb) cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dressing:
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
2/3 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
(Mix everything well together until the dressing thickens)
Place vegetables in a bowl, add dressing and toss. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for1hour allowing flavours to develop and mingle.
BARBECUED SEA BASS ON SAMPHIRE
Sea bass is a wonderful fish to barbecue.
1 1/2 kg (3 lb) sea bass
1 bulb fennel, roughly chopped sprigs left on
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Rosemary sprigs
Samphire:
500 g (1/2 lb) samphire, tough stalks removed leaving tender sprigs
3 tbsp butter
Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
Aioli:
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
300 ml (1 cup + 3 tbsp ) extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
(Blend the first three ingredients together, then add the olive oil and the lemon juice alternatively, and season to taste)
First, prepare the samphire, Rinsed in plenty of water and steam it for 3-5 minutes until tender and hot. Then toss in butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the barbecue to medium-low heat. Fill the cavity of the fish with fennel, garlic and rosemary sprigs. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place it on the barbecue rack for 7-8 minutes on each side but do not overcook. The fish is ready when the eyes are opaque and the flesh is firm to touch. Serve on top of the samphire accompanied by the aioli. Et bon appetit!
SALMON COULIBIAC
A gourmet Russian dish which is difficult to prepare but such a treat!
500 g (1 lb) puff pastry
562.5 g (1 1/4 lb) salmon fillets, skinned
2 large hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
90 g (3 oz) butter
90 g (3 oz) basmati rice
240 g (8 fl oz) fish stock
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and chopped
120 g (4 oz ) button mushroom, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
To finish 90 g (3 oz) butter
1 egg lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). First, melt 30 g (1 oz) butter and stir in the rice, when it is well coated with butter pour in a little fish stock and simmer, covered for exactly 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, take off the lid and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, place the salmon on buttered foil, season, wrap it up loosely but thoroughly and place in the oven for exactly 10 minutes, because it must be partly cooked. Then cool it.
While the rice and salmon are cooling sweat the onion in butter for about 10 minutes until it softens, add the mushrooms and half the dill and cook for 5 minutes more, add the lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the salmon broken into large flakes, the hardboiled eggs, the remaining dill and half the parsley. Season well with salt and pepper. In another bowl combine the rice mixture with onion and mushrooms and the remaining parsley, and season well with salt and pepper.
Take the pastry out of the packet, unfold it and place it, lengthwise, on a lightly floured surface, Then using a tape measure, fold the pastry into a 35 cm (almost 14 inches) square. Now cut it into 2 lengths. one 16 centimetres (6.30 inches) and the other into 19 centimetres (7.48 inches).
Lightly brush the baking tin and the surface of the pastry with melted butter and lay the narrower piece of pasty on top. Then first spoon half the rice mixture, along the centre leaving 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) gap all around. Then spoon the salmon on top of the rice building up as high as possible, pressing and moulding with your hands, trying to make the mixture look like a loaf. Then lightly mould the rest of the rice on top of the salmon and brush the border all around with beaten egg. Then take the lattice cutter and run it across the other piece of pastry, leaving an even margin of 2.5 cm (1 inch) all around. Brush the surface with butter and very carefully lift it and cover the salmon mixture with it. With a fork, press the edges of the pastry, firmly, all around to seal and brush with egg wash and the remaining butter.
Raise the oven temperature to 220 C (425 F) and bake, on the high shelf, for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
RIGATONI WITH
MINCED MEAT SAUCE
You can use any pasta with this delicious minced meat sauce.
500 g (1 Lb) rigatoni or any other pasta of your choice
boiled in salted water al dente
Sauce:
600 g (1 lb 3 oz) minced meat, sautéed in olive oil until
the crumbly and slightly brown and pour in
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
Sauce:
3 tomatoes, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded
2 onions, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tender stalks celery, threaded if necessary
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
½ tsp cinnamon
6 corns allspice
Grated cheese. San Mihalis or Parmesan
Blend the 10 first ingredients for the sauce to a smooth
paste add the allspice. Pour it into the saucepan with the sautéed minced meat
and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the meat is cooked and the sauce thickens.
Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Serve sprinkled with grated cheese and enjoy.
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON
This is a fabulous dish of Provincial France which is very easy to prepare.
500 g (1 lb) beef cut into chunks
250 g (1/2 lb) smoked bacon rashers, chopped
125 g (1/4 lb) chestnut mushrooms
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
250 g (1/2 lb) pearl onions, peeled
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
500 ml (2 cups) or more red wine
Just place the first 9 ingredients in an ovenproof casserole and season well. Sprinkle evenly with flour and toss until everything is lightly coated with flour. Pour in the wine, cover with the lid and bake in an oven preheated to 170 C (338 F) for one and a half to one and three-quarter hours until meat is tender and the sauce thickens.
500 g (1 lb) beef cut into chunks
250 g (1/2 lb) smoked bacon rashers, chopped
125 g (1/4 lb) chestnut mushrooms
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
250 g (1/2 lb) pearl onions, peeled
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
500 ml (2 cups) or more red wine
Just place the first 9 ingredients in an ovenproof casserole and season well. Sprinkle evenly with flour and toss until everything is lightly coated with flour. Pour in the wine, cover with the lid and bake in an oven preheated to 170 C (338 F) for one and a half to one and three-quarter hours until meat is tender and the sauce thickens.
APPLE FRITTERS FROM TRIPOLI
These apple fritters are unusual and very popular!
6 Tripoli
apples, or Cox’s Orange Pippins or Granny Smiths, thickly grated
5 tbsp flour
200 g (1 cup) sugar
Oil for frying
Cinnamon
Mix together the grated apple, flour and half the sugar
until smooth. Heat about 2.5 cm (1
inch) oil, in a frying pan. Drop
tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil.
Fry until browned. Drain on
kitchen paper and serve sprinkled with the rest of the sugar. If liked, sprinkle the fritters with
cinnamon as well.
 |
| Untitled by an Unknown Artist |
No comments:
Post a Comment