A delightful Greek tart, a superb way to start a special meal!
Pastry:
180 g (6 oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
60 g (2 oz) San Mihalis, grated
90 g (3 oz) butter
Freshly ground white pepper
1 middle-sized egg, beaten
1 liqueur glass of Metaxa brandy
Filling:
300 g (10 oz) cooked crab, flaked
150 g (5 oz) cooked tender fennel bulb,
finely chopped and patted dry
1 tbsp chopped fennel leaves
250 ml (1 cup) full milk
187.5 ml (¾ cup) thick cream
4 eggs separated, whites whipped to soft
peaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to
taste
1 tbsp grated San Mihalis cheese mixed with
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F). Place the first five ingredients for the
pastry in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles
breadcrumbs. Pour in the beaten egg
and the brandy and pulse just until dough forms a ball around the hook of the
food processor. Remove the dough. Cover
and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Then, roll out the pastry thinly and line a
30 cm (12 inch) buttered, deep tart dish and sprinkle lavishly with the dried
breadcrumb/grated cheese mixture. Add
the crab meat and the fennel bulb evenly over and sprinkle with the chopped
fennel leaves.
Lightly whisk the egg yolks with the milk,
cream salt and pepper to taste and gently fold in the whipped egg whites. Pour over the crab meat and fennel and bake
in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180 C (350 F) and bake for 25 minutes more or until the
pastry is crisp and the filling set and golden.
Serve the tart garnished with sprigs of
fennel and a zesty green salad.
SPAGHETTI CON LE VONGOLE
Spaghetti With Clam Sauce
A delicious Italian seafood dish.
5 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) clam broth
250 ml (1 cup) dry, white wine
Water
500 g (1 lb) spaghetti
Water
Salt
30 g (1 oz) butter, softened
36 small hardshell clams, shelled
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauté the chopped garlic in olive oil, over moderate heat,
stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.
Pour in the clam broth and the wine and boil briskly over high heat,
until the foam disappears, and the liquid has reduced by ¾ cup. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 7-12 minutes,
stirring gently to prevent the spaghetti strands from sticking to each other. When the spaghetti is cooked al dente,
drain and transfer them to a large,
heated serving bowl and toss with the soft butter.
Bring the sauce to the boil, over high heat, and
add the clams. Cook the clams, turning
them constantly for 1-2 minutes. Then
pour the clams and sauce over the spaghetti, sprinkle with chopped parsley and
toss together with two large forks until the ingredients are well mixed. Taste
and season with salt and white pepper.
Serve immediately.
(Smoked Salmon Pate)
This is a delicious French fish paté, which is
very easy to prepare.
150 g (5 oz) smoked salmon
210 g (7 oz) cream cheese
Lemon juice to taste
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
12 stalks chives, finely snipped
White pepper to taste, optional
Blend the first 3 ingredients, until
smooth, then fold in the chopped herbs and the pepper, if using.
Spoon into a bowl and serve with hot toast.
PAELLA CATALANE
Here is the recipe for a delightful celebration dish from Spain.
750 g – 1 kg (1 ½ - 2 lb) lobster
6 medium-sized prawns shelled, deveined, thoroughly washed
and patted dry and reserved
6 mussels scrubbed thoroughly, the black rope-like tufts
discarded and set aside
3 chorizo sausages or substitute
250 g (½ lb) any other garlic-scented sausage
750 g – 1 kg (1 ½ - 2 lb) chicken, cut into serving pieces
and thoroughly washed
1 ½ tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tbsp olive oil
Sofrito:
60 g (1 oz) lean pork, cubed
60 g (2 oz) finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium-sized sweet, red or green pepper, halved, seeded,
white pith discarded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
750 g (1 ½ lb) medium, long-grain or short-grain rice
½ tsp ground saffron
1250 ml (5 cups) tasty chicken stock
90 g (3 oz) thoroughly defrosted frozen peas
2 lemons, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
In Spain, paella can be plain or festive. According to The Good Cook, one could vary
the combination of chicken, meat and shellfish to suit one’s taste. You could omit the lobster altogether or
replace it with 6-7 additional prawns. “Rabbit
can be used instead of chicken, ham or veal can be used instead of pork or the
sausage and French beans and artichokes can be used instead of peas”. So, besides being delicious, it is a very
convenient dish.
Chop off the tail of the lobster at the point where it joins
the body with a cleaver or a large heavy knife.
Twist or cut off the large claws.
Discard the gelatinous stomach, in the head and the long intestine vein
attached to it.
Without removing the shell, cut the tail, crosswise into
thick slices and split the body of the lobster in half lengthwise. Then cut
again crosswise into quarters and set aside.
Prick the sausages with the prongs of a fork and add enough
cold water to cover and bring them to a boil, over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered
for 5 minutes. Then drain and slice them.
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and freshly ground
black pepper. Sauté the chicken in 3
tbsp olive oil, skin side down, brown it well all over and transfer to a plate
with a slotted spoon.
Add the lobster to the frying pan and cook over high heat,
turning the pieces frequently until the shell begins to turn pink and set aside
on a different plate. Also, sauté the
sausages on both sides and place them on kitchen paper to drain.
For the sofrito, discard all the oil from the frying pan and
in its place, add the remaining olive oil.
Add the pork and sauté quickly, on all sides, over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers and tomato
and cook briskly, stirring constantly until most of the liquid in the pan has
evaporated and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon. Set
the sofrito aside.
About half an hour before you wish to serve the paella, preheat the oven to over 200 C (400 F). Place the sofrito, the rice, a little salt and the saffron in a paella pan or a casserole that will hold it comfortably. Pour in the hot chicken stock and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil, over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat immediately, taste the liquid for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
Arrange
the chicken, lobster, sausage, prawns and mussels on top of the rice and
scatter the peas evenly over. Set the
pan or casserole on the floor of the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25-30
minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed, and rice is tender but not too
soft. Do not stir the paella after it has
been put in the oven.
When the paella is done, remove from the oven and cover it
loosely with a tea towel. Let it rest
for 5-8 minutes and serve from the pan or casserole garnished with lemon
wedges.
A fabulous British main dish, slowly cooked, which resembles
roast beef with a continental touch. Do
not worry about the large amount of garlic, when cooked it is delicious.
6 thickly cut beef short ribs, sprinkled with salt and
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large head of garlic cut in half
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bottle of good red wine
1 litre (4 cups) beef stock or vegetable stock made with
onions, carrots, celery etc.
6 rashes of bacon
500 g (1 lb) mushrooms of your choice
Preheat oven to 170 C (338 F). Heat a deep roasting tin on the stove and sauté the short ribs in olive oil until well browned all over and transfer to a dish and keep warm. Lower the heat and add the garlic, cut side down, and cook pressing slightly with a fork for1-2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Return the short ribs to the saucepan
and pour in the wine to deglaze it scraping up the bits at the bottom with a
spatula and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half.
Then pour in the meat or vegetable stock and bring to the boil, basting the ribs
with their juices. Cover the roasting
tin with tin foil and cook for 3-4 hours, basting occasionally, until the meat
is tender and succulent.
Meanwhile, a few minutes before the meat is ready, fry the
bacon until crisp. Remove most of the
fat and add the mushroom and sauté for 4-5 minutes until cooked.
When the short ribs are ready remove from the oven and place
on a hot serving dish and cover to keep warm.
Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skins and sieve them. Discard the fat from the cooking liquid, strain
and add to the mashed garlic. If the gravy
seems too thin thicken it with a little flour.
Serve the short ribs with the hot bacon and mushrooms and
drizzled with a little gravy. Pass the
rest in a sauceboat.
PRAWN CURRY
This is a recipe for a fabulous Indian curry dish.
1 ½ kg (3 lb) prawns, shelled, deveined, thoroughly washed
and patted dry
A little salt mixed with
½ tsp ginger
3 tbsp olive oil or
more
3 onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
2 heaped medium-hot curry powder
½ tsp ground cardamom seeds
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
800 g – 1 kg (1 lb 10 oz – 2 lb) apples or peaches peeled,
cored and thinly sliced
500 ml (2 cups) tasty vegetable stock
Salt, sugar or honey to taste
1 pact of desiccated coconut
Boiling water to cover
Sprinkle the prawns with the salt and ginger mixture and
sauté them in olive oil and clarified butter until they just changed colour and
transfer to a dish.
Remove all but 2 tbsp of the oil and add the onion and a
little water and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion is cooked
and slightly coloured. Then add the
garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes.
Mix all the spices together and sprinkle over the onion
mixture and stir for 3-5 minutes. Then
add the fruit, salt and sugar or honey, lower the heat and simmer gently,
covered, stirring occasionally until the fruit resembles a thick purée. Add the
stock and stir to prevent sticking.
Remove the ginger slices and blend the sauce until smooth and taste and
add sugar or honey and salt, if necessary.
Add the prawns to the sauce and simmer gently until the
prawns are tender. Do not overcook. Cover, cool and refrigerate the food until
needed. I usually prepare this dish the
previous day because it really improves with time.
The next day, place the desiccated coconut in a saucepan and
pour boiling water over, to cover and leave for 1-3 hours to infuse. Heat the prawn curry, strain the coconut
milk over and stir. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. It should be perfect.
YEUNG CHOW
Fried Rice
A Chinese delight.
4 eggs sprinkled with a pinch of salt and
whipped until pale and fluffy
2 tbsp corn oil or mild-tasting olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
500 g (1 lb) chicken legs, skinned, boned
and finely sliced
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweet white wine or sherry
4 cups steamed rice* (please see recipe
below)
120 g (7 oz) bean sprout from a jar, patted
dry
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp thickly chopped parsley
Place half the amount of oil in a wok, and
place over high heat. Add the whipped
eggs, and cook for 2 minutes, until an omelette is formed. Fold in half, continue sautéing until cooked
and golden and transfer to a plate and chop finely.
Pour the remaining oil into the wok and
sauté the onion and ginger for 1 minute, stirring constantly until slightly
coloured. Add the chicken and sugar and
cook for 3-4 minutes more, then stir in the steamed rice, and the oyster and
soy sauces, stirring for 3-4 minutes until well combined and piping hot. Serve in a large bowl sprinkled with
parsley.
4 cups tapioca flour
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
312.5 ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
6 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
2 large eggs
2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) or higher. Combine, milk, water, oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil, over medium heat.
Place the tapioca flour in a bowl and when the milk boils pour over the tapioca, and blend with a hand blender. The mixture will be white and sticky, drop in the eggs, one at a time and continue blending until thoroughly mixed. If you think it is too liquid add a little more tapioca flour by the spoonful until a soft, sticky but pliable dough occurs.
With the help of a tablespoon and wet hands shape the dough into walnut-sized balls or a little larger, if you wish. Place them evenly on a baking tin lined with parchment and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden.
This is a decadent dessert invented by Australian pastry cooks in honour of the Russian prima ballerina Pavlova who was visiting their country.
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla
690 g (6.3 oz) of icing sugar
500 g (1 lb) strawberries, washed and hulled
Marinade:
120 g ( 4 oz) caster sugar
1 tsp lemon juice to accentuate the taste
2 tbsp of cognac or Grand Marnier
Chantilly cream:
500 ml (2 cups) fresh thick cream
A tiny pinch of salt
2 heaped tbsp of icing sugar
1 tbsp of liquor used in the marinade
Tow days before you wish to serve the dessert, prepare the meringues. Preheat the oven to120 C (248 F) and whip the egg whites with salt to the soft peak stage. Add the vanilla and sugar by the spoonful, whipping constantly until the egg whites turn into a stiff and glossy meringue.
Line a baking tin with parchment and trace 2 equal circles. Preferably with a piping bag or with two tablespoons pace equal amounts of meringue within the traced circles, on the baking parchment. Bake for 1hour or more until firm but not coloured. Then turn off the heat and leave the meringues in the oven until completely cold. The following day store them in a tin.
The morning of the day that you wish to serve the Pavlova, wash, hull and dry the strawberries and place them in a large bowl, beat the marinade ingredients together and pour over the strawberries and leave in the fridge for 2 hours at least, then dry them completely.
Meanwhile, whip the cream with the salt and icing sugar until stiff. Then drizzle the liquor over the Chantilly fold in very gently, cover and refrigerate.
Two hours before serving, place one of the meringues on a serving dish and spread with whipped cream. Cover with sliced strawberries, sandwich with the second meringue, spread lavishly with Chantilly cream and garnish attractively with whole strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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