LATEST POLITICAL EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

 

                                

 

Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, on Tuesday, pointedly blamed Donald Trump for having provoked the violent attack at the Capitol on the 6^th of January. 

 

His remarks to the Senate came shortly before the President-elect Joe Biden was scheduled to leave for Washington.

 

Police and the military are in full force in Washington to prevent violations during Jo Biden’s presidential inauguration.

Nearly 200,000 flags are on display on the National Mall ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration.  The Field of Flags represents the Americans who were unable to travel to Washington for the inauguration amid the coronavirus pandemic and security threats. 

                                              INTERNATIONAL DISHES

 

Here are a few recipes for dishes, which I hope you will enjoy:

 

 

                                                         POTATO SOUP

A delicious French soup.

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

1500 ml (6 cups) hot vegetable stock

Salt, freshly ground white pepper and grated nutmeg to taste

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf – 1 thyme sprig – 1 marjoram sprig)

Cream  and

Chopped chives for garnish

 

Sauté the onion and leeks in butter until slightly softened but not coloured.  Add the potatoes and simmer, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, then pour in the wine and simmer until the alcohol evaporates.  Pour in the hot vegetable stock, drop in the bouquet garni, lower the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Discard the bouquet.

 

Blend with a hand blender to smooth soup.  Serve drizzled with cream and sprinkled with chives. 

   

                                         ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

A soup with a wonderful taste and nutty flavour.

 

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

500 g (1 lb) pumpkin, peeled and seeded

2 potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks

2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

4 plum tomatoes, cut in half, seeds discarded

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 stalks celery, threaded and chopped

1 onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 ½ litre (6 cups) vegetable stock

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

 

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and line a dish with a double layer of baking parchment.  

Arrange the first five ingredients on the dish, placing the tomatoes cut side down.   Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.   Then place them in a saucepan with the celery, onion, garlic, vegetable stock and the cayenne pepper and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until soft.  

Puree the vegetables with an immersion blender and sieve, pushing the vegetables with a spoon.   Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.  Bring the soup to the boil, remove from the heat and pour in the cream.  Taste and season with more salt, if necessary.     

Serve garnished with chopped chives.  

 

 

  

                                           CHICKEN OR PORK FRIED RICE

 

 A delectable Chinese dish. 

¾ cup chopped onion

2½ tbsp. oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 drops soy sauce

3 drops sesame oil

240 g (8 oz) cooked chicken or pork, chopped

½ cup, finely chopped carrots

½ frozen peas

4 cups cooked rice, separated (medium grain)

4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

2 cups bean sprouts, optional

2 tbsp light soy sauce

 

Stir-fry the onions in 1 tbsp of oil until golden brown and remove from the wok also cool the wok a little.   Mix the beaten egg with the soy sauce and sesame oil and reserve.

 

Pour ½ tbsp. of oil to the wok and add the egg mixture and swirl.   When the egg sets and puffs, flip it over and cook the other side, briefly, then remove from the wok and chop into small pieces.

 

Heat a little oil in the wok, add the chicken or pork along with the carrots, peas and cooked onion and stir-fry for 2 ½ minutes.

 

Add the rice, spring onions and bean sprouts, if using, toss to mix well and stir fry for 3 minutes.

 

Add 2 tbsp light soy sauce and the chopped egg to the rice mixture and fold in.   Stir fry for 1 minute more and serve.

 

 

                                                   STIR FRY CHICKEN

2 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and chopped into small pieces

1 onion, peeled and grated

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Olive oil

2 carrots, scraped and thickly sliced

3 multi-coloured peppers, deseeded and thickly sliced

 

Marinade:

62.5 ml (¼ cup) light soy sauce

250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

1 cup brown sugar

1 heaped tbsp mustard with honey

 

2 tbsp cornflour diluted in 1 tbsp water

Olive oil for sautéing

Roasted sesame seeds

 

Marinade the chicken cubes for 2 hours at least. Then strain and pat dry and reserve the marinade.

 

Sauté the onion in a little olive oil for a few minutes until soft but not coloured, add the chicken cubes and garlic and simmer until the chicken changes colour. Stir in the carrots and multicoloured peppers and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Pour in ¼ of the marinade, hot water to cover and the diluted cornflour and simmer until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.  Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

 

  

                                   NOODLES WITH SHRIMPS IN SOY SAUCE

A famous East Asian dish.  

500 g (1lb) rice noodles

12 large shrimps, shelled, deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry

3 tbsp olive oil

1 bouquet garni (1 sprig thyme - 1 bay leaf - 1 marjoram sprig)

62.5 ml ( ¼ cup soy sauce)

Enough hot water to cover

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Sauté the shrimps in olive oil for 1 minute on each side and transfer to a dish with n a slotted spoon.  Add the bouquet garni, the noodles and drizzle with soy sauce and cover with hot water and boil for 10 minutes until the pasta is tender and strain.

 

Place the shrimps over the noodles, taste for seasoning and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt if necessary. Discard the bouquet garni and serve immediately.    

 

 

 

                                                   PRAWN CURRY

This is a recipe for a delicious Indian 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 for 1 minute but 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.

 

 

                                             STUFFED CANNELLONI

An Italian dish.  Pasta tubes, filled with meat, spinach and baked in tomato and béchamel sauce.

 

Pasta dough (Please see recipe below)

Water and salt

 

On a floured surface, roll out the dough until paper thin.   Then, cut the pastry sheet into rectangles 5.2 x 7.62 cm (5x7.62 inches).   Bring the salted water to the boil and drop in the pieces of pasta and stir gently with a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking to each other.  Bring to the boil, over high heat, and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente.  Drain, then cool slightly and spread the pasta on a paper towel to dry.

 

Filling:

5 tsp olive oil

45 g (1½ oz) finely chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

300 g (10 oz) cooked spinach, squeezed dry and finely chopped

30 g (1 oz) butter

500 g (1 lb) beef, minced twice

60 g (2 oz) grated Parmesan

30 ml (1 liquid oz) double cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 saltspoons dried oregano, crumbled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until they are soft but not brown.   Stir in the spinach and cook stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.   When all the moister has boiled away and the spinach sticks lightly to the saucepan transfer it to a large bowl. 

Sauté the minced meat in 15 g (1 oz) butter, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. And add it to the onion and spinach mixture.  Also add the Parmesan, cream and oregano.   Mix the ingredients thoroughly together.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

                                                        PASTA DOUGH

180 g (6 oz plus)  plain flour

1 egg

3/4 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

A few drops of water

Place the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add all the other ingredients and mix until the dough can be gathered together into a ball. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.  Wrap with cling film and allow to rest for 1 hour at least before using,     

 

                         VEAL ESCALLOPES COOKED WITH WINE AND CHEESE

 

Another Greek dish from the Peloponnese. 

6 veal scallops, 250 g (½ lb) each

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 twig of sage or rosemary

250 ml (1 cup) Malvasia or any other dry white wine

6 slices of graviera from Naxos

Sauté the scallops on both sides in olive oil, over high heat.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, add the herb of your choice, pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.  

 

Lower the temperature and simmer very gently until the meat is tender.   Add the graviera slices, discard the herb and serve the scallops with the melted cheese, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.   

 

 

 

 

                                              BEEF STROGANOFF

 

A delicious dish of the Russian Cuisine.

 

2-3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

Water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter

500g (1 lb) mushrooms, whipped, trimmed and thickly sliced

 

1 kg (2 lb) fillet steak, sliced then cut into strips

2 tbsp or more plain flour mixed with

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

125 ml (½ cup) white wine

1 tbsp English mustard

250 ml (1 cup) cream

250 ml (1 cup) beef stock

½ cup chopped parsley

 

Sauté the onions in olive oil, with a cupful of water and a little salt, over medium heat.   Stir frequently, and simmer for 15 minutes until the onions are completely soft.  Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Then add the butter and the mushrooms and cook until soft and most of the cooking liquid has evaporated.   Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and tip into a large plate.

 

Toss the meat strips into the seasoned flour and sauté, in the remaining olive oil and cook until golden brown.  Pour in the wine and stir for 2-3 minutes more until the alcohol evaporates.   Then return the onion and mushroom mixture back into the saucepan and stir well together.   Finally, mix the cream, mustard and stock until well combined and pour evenly over and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes more and sprinkle with  chopped parsley

 

Serve with noodles or rice.

 

 

                                

                              LAMB FRIKASSE WITH LETTUCES AND ENTIVES

A traditional Greek dish.

 

1.250 kg (2 lb 8oz) lamb chops, boned, all visible fat removed, reserve the bones*

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, peeled and grated

6 cos lettuces, trimmed, washed, cut into small pieces, blanched and well strained

1.250 kg (2 lb 8oz) endives, washed, thickly chopped, blanched and well strained

Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste

Stock prepared with the *reserved bones + 1 carrot + 1 celery stalk with leaves + ½ an onion

 

Avgolemono Sauce:

3 eggs

1 tbsp plain flour

1 cup lamb stock

 Lemon juice to taste

 

Cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Brown all over in butter with the grated onion.  Pour the lemon juice and enough water to cover.  Lower the heat, and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes or until tender.

 

When the lamb is cooked add the blanched vegetables and cook for 5 minutes more.   Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.

 

Then prepare the avgolemono sauce (egg and lemon sauce).  Whip the eggs, sift the flour over and stir until well combined.   Pour in the lemon juice over sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until the sauce thickens.  Then add 500 ml (2 cups) lamb stock and mix very well together until smooth.   Pour evenly over the meat and vegetables and swirl the saucepan to incorporate the sauce.   Taste once more and season accordingly.  Serve with chips.