PULSE OF EUROPE

At the end of 2016, "Pulse of Europe", a pro-European citizens' initiative, was founded by a German lawyer from Frankfurt, Daniel Roeder and his wife Sabine.  The initiative "encouraged citizens of the European Union to speak out publicly in favour of the pan-European identity".  The initiative grew and flourished, as many people of the same convictions joined the Roeders in order to protect and guard the unity of Europe.

Then, Europe was facing BREXIT and an increasing popularity for right-wing, nationalistic parties that are dead against the European Union. The initiative has the aim of opposing and putting an end to Euroscepticism.

These are the ten basic principles that lead their actions:

1.   Europe must not fail.  It appeals to the citizens of the European Union to publicly back and support the European idea and vote for pro-European parties.

2.  The European Union is the only guarantor of peace in Europe.

3.   All European citizens should oppose and obstruct any attempts of dividing the  Union.

4.   The "silent majority" should get up and vote for pro-European parties.

5.   "Basic rights and the Rule of Law are inviolable" and must be preserved in all European countries.

6.   European fundamental rights are not negotiable.   The great achievement of transforming national states into one community and legal rights and duties of the citizens must be protected and maintained in all European countries.

7.   Reforms are necessary.  The European idea must be amended to secure the support of, both, the Union and the citizens of Europe.

8.   Any doubts concerning the Union must be taken seriously and solutions must be found to re-establish and strengthen the people's faith in Europe's future.

9.   Maintaining the European identity contains the "preservation of regional and national diversity which is an enrichment."

10.  All Europeans should be part of this initiative.    PULSE OF EUROPE regards itself as an initiative which has no political or religious connotations and is dedicated to protecting and defending the unity of Europe and its citizens.




Please find below recipes of European soups, first courses, main dishes and desserts.



                                       POTAGE DE CREME CRESSONIERE
                                                (Watercress Cream Soup)

A Spicy Soup from France

A wonderful slightly peppery soup from France, which I hope you will enjoy.


360 g (12 oz) fresh watercress, washed and patted dry
1 tbsp clarified butter
1 onion
4 spring onions, trimmed, washed and sliced
2 leeks, trimmed split lengthwise and thoroughly washed and sliced
500 g (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and chunked
1250 ml (5 cups) fond blanc de volaille *(please see recipe below) or chicken stock
195 ml (3/4 cup) full milk
A tiny pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper

2 egg yolks whipped, then mixed with
125 ml (1/2 cup) double cream
15 g (1/2 oz) chilled butter, cut into small pieces


Reserve a few watercress leaves for garnish and coarsely chop all the rest of the leaves and stems.

Heat the clarified butter over medium heat and saute the onions and leeks and stir frequently for about 5 minutes until soft but not coloured.  Add the potatoes and turn them over with a spoon until well covered with butter.  Then pour in 500 ml (2 cups) of fond blanc de volaille or chicken stock and simmer partly covered until the potatoes are tender.   Pour in the remaining stock, the milk and the chopped watercress and a touch of salt and pepper.  Bring it to a simmering point and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Puree the contents of the saucepan with a rod blender and sieve the soup through a fine-meshed sieve pushing with the back of a soup ladle, in order to extract all the taste.  Return the soup to the saucepan and bring it to a simmering point.  Then, pour the egg/cream mixture into the soup, whisking it constantly for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly and is very hot.  Do not allow it to boil.

Remove the saucepan from the stove and swirl in the chilled butter.   Taste and season accordingly, if necessary.  Stir in the reserved watercress leaves and serve immediately.


*Here is the recipe for Fond Blanc de Volaille:

1 1/2 kg (3 lb) chicken cut into pieces
2 1/2 kg (5 1/2 lb) chicken wings, necks and backs
4 litres (16 cups) water or more
2 carrots, scraped washed and cut into chunks
2 leeks, trimmed, slit lengthwise, thoroughly washed  and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks with leaves, trimmed, washed and chopped
2 unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a kitchen knife
1 bay leaf
1 scant tsp salt
1 tsp peppercorns

Place all the chicken piece in a large saucepan cover with water and bring to a simmer. Do not allow the liquid to come to a boil at any point and remove all the froth and scum from the surface very thoroughly.

Add the vegetables, herbs salt and peppercorns, partly cover the saucepan and simmer very gently for about  2 1/2 hours.  Turn off the heat, and with tongs or two forks discard chicken the pieces and the vegetables and strain the stock through a fine sieve double lined with damp cheesecloth.  Do not add more salt or seasoning to the stock.  Stir occasionally until the stock is completely cold.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the surface is covered with solidified fat.   Remove the fat before using.



                                                        GNOCCHI

Potato Gnocchi with Sage Sauce

My mother used to often prepare this lovely first dish, the recipe of which was given to her by an Italian friend.


4 medium-sized potatoes, boiled or baked in their jackets, peeled, mashed and kept hot
2 egg yolks, whipped
30 g (1 oz) grated Parmesan
65 g (1/2 cup) plain flour and more for rolling out
Salt to taste and
Freshly ground white pepper
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

Sage sauce:
1 tbsp butter
2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely chopped
3-4 sage leaves, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
125 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
250 ml (1 cup) or more double cream

Grated Parmesan to pass around

While the potatoes are still warm,  mix all the ingredients well together and knead the potato dough slightly using more flour if it sticks to your hands.  Shape finger-thick cylinders and cut them into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces.  Press each piece with your thumb on the tines of a fork and place them on a floured surface.

In the meantime, saute the spring onions and sage in butter until soft, sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground white pepper, pour in the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour in the cream and barely simmer for two minutes more.  Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Boil the gnocchi in salted water.  When they rise to the surface, transfer them with a large slotted spoon to a hot serving dish and pour the hot sage sauce evenly over.  Serve the gnocchi as soon as possible sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan and freshly ground white pepper.




                                                LIPTOVSKY SIR
                                                (Liptauer Cheese)

Liptauer Cheese Balls Rolled in Chopped Chives, Pomegranate Seeds and Chopped Nuts

This is a tasty and colouful Hungarian cheese concoction.

250 g (1/2 lb) cottage cheese, I use Greek anthotyro
125 g (1/4 lb) butter at room temperature
1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp capers, soaked to remove excess salt and chopped
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream + 3 tbsp more for a dip

3 tbsp finely chopped chives
3 tbsp finely ground nuts
3 tbsp peppercorns

With the back of a soup-ladle rub the cottage cheese through a sieve into a bowl.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy.   Add the cheese, paprika, salt and pepper, caraway seeds mustard powder, capers and 1 cup sour cream, and mix at medium speed until the mixture forms a smooth paste.

If the Liptauer cheese is to be used as a spread, shape into balls and roll them either in the chopped chives or nuts or peppercorns and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

If you prefer to prepare a dip, add the extra sour cream into the paste and beat it until smooth,  Pour it into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped chives.  Serve with crispy, warm brown bread or a variety of biscuits.



                                                            PAELLA

Some of the Ingredients for a Paella

A Superb Spanish Dish 

 Paella, Spain's popular national dish, can be a simple meal or an extravagant feast for special occasions.   It is a real treat, delicious and colourful, the rice hued with the sunshine glow of saffron.    You can prepare this dish with any combination of shellfish, mollusks, meat and chicken to suit your taste.  I usually use the double amount of prawns in lieu of lobster.


1 lobster, boiled, head and stomach discarded, deveined and sliced with the shell on, then quartered
12 medium sized prawns, shelled (tails left on) and deveined or

24 medium sized prawns, shelled (tails left on) and deveined
1 1/2 kg  (3 lb) chicken, cut into 12 serving pieces
12 mussels, scrubbed thoroughly under cold running water.  Remove and discard the string-like tufts
12 clams or cockles, scrubbed under cold running water
3 chorizos, or use any other garlicky sausage, pricked with a fork and boiled for 5 minutes, drained and sliced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, separated

Sofrito:
90 g (3 oz) boneless pork, cubed
90 g (3 oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled  and finely chopped
1 medium-size red pepper, seeded and white pith removed, cut into large strips and cubed
1 medium-size green pepper, seeded and white pith removed, cut into large strips and cubed
2 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cubed

Rice:
3 cups paella rice or any other short grained rice
5-6 saffron threads
1.689 litre (6 3/4  cups) boiling tasty chicken stock
120 g (4 oz) peas

Garnish:
3 seedless lemons, cut lengthwise into 6 wedges

Place prepared prawns, clams and mussels on separate plates.  Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and saute them, skin down, in 3 tbsp of olive oil, until rich golden brown on all sides, and place on a plate.

Add the lobster pieces, if using, to the frying pan and cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes turning over twice until the shells change colour. and set them aside, on a separate plate.  Repeat the same procedure with the shrimps sprinkling with a little salt.  Then brown the sausage slices quickly on both sides and spread them on kitchen paper to drain.

Discard all the remaining fat from the frying pan and add the rest of the olive oil and prepare the sofrito.  Saute the pork, on all sides, over high heat then add the onions, garlic, peppers and tomato and cook briskly, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has evaporated and mixture has thickened.

Half an hour before serving the paella, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).   Place the sofrito, the rice and saffron in an ample 35 cm  (14 inches) paella pan or casserole.  Pour in the boiling chicken stock, and stirring constantly bring to the boil over high heat.  Remove the pan from the stove immediately and taste the liquid and add more salt if necessary.  Arrange the chicken, lobster if using, prawns, mussels, clams and sausage on top of the rice and scatter the peas all over.  Place the pan or casserole on the floor of the oven and bake

When the paella is donebuen provencho!


                                               RAHMSCHNITZEL
                                    (Veal Cutlets with Mushroom Sauce)

Veal Cutlets with Mushroom Sauce garnished with Buttered Asparaguses 

This a delicious Austrian main dish, slightly altered,

1 kg (2 lb) veal  cut into thin cutlets
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Flour
60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tbsp mild olive or sunflower oil

Mushroom  Sauce:
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
500 g ( 1 lb) white mushrooms, trimmed and halved or quartered
1 liqueur glass good quality brandy
250 ml (1 cup) tasty chicken stock

1 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp plain flour
1 cup chicken stock

125 ml (1/2 cup) double cream


 Sprinkle the veal cutlets, generously, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, dip in flour and shake off the excess.  Melt butter and olive oil in a deep, large frying pan and cook the cutlets, in batches.   Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, over high heat.  Lower the heat, and cook the cutlets for 3-4 minutes longer on each side.  Transfer them to a  hot dish and keep hot.

Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the frying pan.   Add the mushrooms gradually and cook over high heat until the mushrooms are cooked and dry.  Transfer them to a dish, and lower the heat.   Add the onions and cook, stirring until they soften.  Then add the garlic and the sauteed mushrooms and cook for a few minutes more.  Pour in the brandy and wait for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.  Add the chicken stock and cook until the mushroom are tender and the onion is cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare a white sauce.  Melt the butter, add the flour and the bay leaf for extra aroma, and stir 2-3 minutes until the roux simmers, add the hot chicken stock and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and bubbles.  Stir the cream into the white sauce, discard the bay leaf, and pour the sauce into the saucepan with the mushrooms and mix, until well combined.   Arrange the sauteed cutlets into the mushroom sauce and simmer for two minutes more. Taste and season accordingly.  Serve with smashed potatoes, sprinkled with chopped chives and buttered asparagus tips.



                                             BIFE A PORTUGUESA

Bife e Batatas a Portuguesa

A Portuguese main dish full of savour that I'm sure you will enjoy.


1 clove garlic peeled and squashed
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
(Mix all the ingredients together)

6  2-cm (3/4 inch) fillet steaks

2 tbsp olive oil
45 g (1 1/2 oz) butter
1 clove garlic cut in half
1 bay leaf, crumbled

12  thin slices presunto or any other lean, smoked ham

125 ml (1/2 cup) dry red wine
3 tsp finely chopped parsley for garnish


Rub the steaks with the garlic/vinegar mixture on both sides.  Place the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan, with the garlic and bay leaf, and cook for 1 minute. stirring constantly in order to release their aroma.  Then remove and discard the garlic and bay leaf, add the steaks and cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides.  Lower the heat slightly and cook for 2 minutes more on both sides and transfer the steaks to a hot dish and keep hot.

Meanwhile, saute the presunto ham, on both sides and place two slices on each fillet.  Pour the wine into the frying pan, bring to the boil scraping any brown particles clinging to the pan simmer for 4 minutes and pour over the stakes.  Serve with Portuguese fried potatoes, sprinkled with chopped parsley, e bom apetite!



                                  CHICOREE ET VOLAILLE  BRUXELOISE

Baked Chicory Halved

Chicory stuffed with creamed chicken and wrapped in ham or bacon is a famous Belgian specialty.


6 chicory heads with unblemished leaves, cores discarded
Salt a freshly ground white pepper
3 tbsp lemon juice
8 tbsp butter, separated

500 g (1 lb) chicken breast, skinned, boned diced and sauteed in a little butter and sprinkled with salt

Sauce:
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp plain flour
1 bay leaf
250 ml (1 cup) tasty chicken stock
197.5 ml (3/4 cup) cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Nutmeg, grated

6 slices smoked ham or
6 rashers bacon or more

2 egg yolks
6 tbsp grated Gouda or Gruyere or any other soft yellow cheese


Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Place the chicory heads in a buttered dish, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground white pepper drizzle with lemon juice and 2 tbsp melted butter.   Cover with a sheet of baking parchment and bake for about an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the bechamel sauce.  Melt butter, add the bay leaf and sift the flour over and cook the roux stirring for 2-3 minutes.   Pour in the hot chicken stock and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.  Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg, and discard the bay leaf.

Stir 1/3 of the sauce into the sauteed, diced chicken and mix well.  Taste and season accordingly, if necessary.    Remove the chicory head from the oven and cut each in half, lengthwise.  Divide the creamed chicken between half the chicory heads and cover with the remaining half.  Wrap each stuffed chicory head with a slice of smoked ham or bacon. and place in a buttered dish.

Stir the beaten egg yolks and grated cheese with the remaining sauce, spoon it evenly over the stuffed chicory and bake until light golden brown.  Serve hot, with a glass of Cruztberg Chardonnay Barrique, a wonderful Belgian white wine.



                                                  MAMALIGA

Hot Mamaliga with Veal  Stew

Cold Mamaliga Garnished with Tomatoes, Brynza Cheese and Herbs 

Here is a recipe for Romanian polenta. an example of the delectable European "poor cuisine".

1 litre (4 cups) water
2 1/2 tsp salt or more
480 g (12 oz) finely ground yellow or white cornmeal
60 g (2 oz) butter, melted


Bring water and salt to the boil, over high heat, in a saucepan.  Pour the cornmeal in a slow stream into the boiling water, making sure that the water does not stop boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer for 12 minutes or more until the mamaliga is very thick.  Spoon in a mold and reverse and serve immediately drizzled with melted butter.

Mamaliga can be served hot with meat and gravy or cold, garnished with olives, hard boiled eggs, tarragon sprigs accompanied with soured cream or yogurt and brynza cheese.



                                               PIECZONY SCHAB

Roast Loin of Pork with Apple-Sauce Glaze

This a delicious Polish main dish, very easy to prepare.



1 1/2 - 2 kg (3 - 4 lb) loin of pork, on the bone
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Coarse salt and
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves
3 tbsp olive oil

250 g (1/2 lb) apple sauce



Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Using a sharp knife, very carefully cut the meat from the bone in one piece.  Reserve the rack.

Rub the loin with salt, pepper, garlic all over, stud the meat with the cloves and place on the bone rack and secure with kitchen string.  Roast in the middle of the oven for 1 hour.  Spread the meat with apple sauce and roast for 30 minutes more until the meat turns golden brown.

Transfer the roast pork to a heated dish and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Carve thinly and serve with roast potatoes, pickled plums, sauerkraut, and apple salad.



                                            SCHOL UIT DE OVEN

Fish Fillets "Out of the Oven"

The Dutch love fish, especially herrings but this is a popular fish dish prepared with plaice.


8 180g (6 oz) fillets of plaice, skinned
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste (about 1 1/2 tsp)

60 g (2 oz) butter
8 lean rashers bacon, fried until crisp and drained on kitchen paper

150 g (5 oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp of dill seeds
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

Topping:
60 g (1 oz) grated gouda
5 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
45 g (1 1/2 oz) almonds, blanched,  lightly roasted and finely ground
(mix everything well together)

45 g (1 1/2 oz) chilled butter, cut into tiny pieces


Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt, drizzle with lemon juice and set aside for 1/2 an hour.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350  F) and brush a baking tin lavishly with butter.   Pat the fish dry, and dip each piece of fish in flour, gently shaking off the excess.   Sprinkle both sides with dill seeds and nutmeg and arrange in the buttered tin, side by side, in a single layer.  Grind a little pepper over the top.  Place a piece of bacon on each piece of fish.

Scatter the topping mixture evenly over the fish, dot with butter and bake in the top part of the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is golden brown and flakes easily.  Serve with a green salad and crispy brown bread.


                                         KHLIAB RAISKA PTITSA

Bird of Paradise Bread

A lovely, tasty loaf of bread from Bulgaria.


1 tbsp instant yeast
500 g (1lb) plain flour plus a little extra for dusting
1 tsp sugar
68.5 ml (1/4 cup) water
6 tbsp yogurt
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
90 g (3 oz) mild brynza cheese or mild feta cheese

15 g (1/2 oz) salted butter for the  baking tin
1 egg wash: 1 egg whipped with 1 tbsp milk

Garnish:
2 square pieces of Kashkaval or Cheddar cheese
4 slices of ham cut into rectangular pieces
4 pitted olives
1 star made out of 2.5 cm square (1-inch square) of red bell pepper



In a mixer place the yeast, flour sugar and mix together very gently.  Add the yogurt, water, eggs and salt and using a pastry hook, mix at low speed until a dough forms a ball around the hook.  Then increase the speed and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, adding a little more flour if necessary.   Lower the speed and add the grated brynza or feta cheese and mix until well combined. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, shape it into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, drape it with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in bulk.

Brush a large tin with melted butter.  Punch the dough and shape it into a round loaf 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter.  Brush the entire loaf with egg wash and garnish according to taste with the Kashkaval or Cheddar cheese, ham and olives, placing the red pepper star in the centre of the paradise bread.

Bake the loaf in the middle of a hot oven, preheated to 200 C (about 400 F), for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to180 C (350 F) and bake for about 35-40 minutes longer until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped at the base.    Transfer the bread to a rack to cool.  Serve at room temperature.



                                                  WIENERBROD

Danish Pastry Doug

Snegle - Snails With Cinnamon and Currants

Danish pastry is a puff pastry enriched with yeast.  A lovely flaky pastry.


250 g (1/2 lb) strong white flour
250 g (1/2 lb) plain flour plus extra for dusting
9 g (1 envelope) instant yeast
45 g (1 1/2 oz) sugar
1 salt spoon ground cardamom, optional

150 ml (3/5 cup) full milk
1 large egg
a pinch salt

250 g (1/2 lb) cold butter cut into 8 slices


Place the 5 first ingredients in a food processor and pulse gently to combine.  Add the milk, egg and salt and pulse until a smooth but sticky dough is formed.  Knead, using a little flour, just until smooth, and shape into a ball,  Place it in a warm, oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave it to prove in a  warm place, for about one hour, until doubled in bulk.

Sprinkle a work surface with plain flour, punch down the dough and gently roll it out into a rectangle.  Place the butter slices over the middle of the pastry in a rectangle and fold the pastry over the top until the butter is hidden.  Press the edges down with the tines of a fork to seal.  Roll out the pastry into a 30 cm x 50 cm rectangle.  Turn the pastry sheet 90 degrees around and fold the right third over the left, so that there are three layers of pastry on top of each another.  Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate for half an hour.  Then roll out the pastry again, repeating the same procedure five times more. chilling for half an hour between each roll.   Very easy to prepare but time-consuming!  Store the Danish pastry dough, covered, in the fridge, until needed.




                                        MOCHA CAKE WITH IRISH CREAM

A Wonderful Irish Dessert

A famous dessert that brings back sweet memories of my years in Dublin.

Cake:
1 egg
65 g (1/2 cup) cocoa, sifted with
195 g (1 1/2 cup) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder and
1/2 tsp salt
125 g (1/2 cup) butter at room temperature
200 g (1 cup) sugar
115 (1/2 cup) buttermilk

62.5 (1/4 cup) hot coffee
62.5 (1/4 cup) Bailey's Irish Cream

Icing:
500 ml (2 cups) heavy whipping cream
195 g (1 1/2) icing sugar, sifted
5 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream

Garnish with chocolate curls


Preheat oven to180 C (350 F) and line a buttered cake tin with buttered baking parchment.
Mix the 8 first ingredients for the cake well together and then stir in the hot coffee and Bailey's Irish cream until well combined.  Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.   Reverse on a platter and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing.   Sift the icing sugar over the cream, pour the Irish cream over and whip the mixture to the stiff peak stage.   Frost the cool cake attractively with the  Irish cream icing and garnish with chocolate curls.



                                      SWEET AND SOUR PUMPKIN

Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Sprinkled with Sliced Spring Onions

Malta has a varied cuisine inherited by the conquerors that occupied, and numerous visitors who settled down in this beautiful island.   I'm giving you below a recipe of Italian origin.



1 kg (2 lb) pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cinnamon stick

4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp sugar
Sage leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish: finely sliced spring onions


Saute the garlic in olive oil, add the pumpkin and the cinnamon stick and cook, tossing and turning until the pumpkin is soft and slightly charred around the edges.   With a slotted spoon, place the pumpkin in a serving dish and sprinkle with a little salt.   Discard the garlic cloves but not the cinnamon stick.

Sprinkle the vinegar, sugar, and sage leaves into the same pan in which you sauteed the pumpkin. season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook over very low heat for 2-3 minutes and then pour, evenly, over the pumpkin.

Cool, and refrigerate overnight so that the pumpkin absorbs all the wonderful flavours.



                                                      PAMBUSKI

Baltic Buns

These lovely small buns are prepared in all three Baltic states.


360 g (12 oz) strong  white flour
150 g (5 oz) rye flour
7 g (1 sachet) instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
300 ml (10 fl oz) warm milk
1 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves  peeled and mashed
30 g (1 oz) butter
A pinch of salt


Place all the dry ingredients, except the salt, in a mixer and combine well together, add the butter,  and gradually the warm milk and the salt and mix until a dough forms around the dough hook.  Knead for 5 minutes more.  If it seems dry add a little warm water.   Remove the dough from the mixer and place it in a greased bowl, cover with cling film, cover with a cloth and let prove in a warm place, for about one hour until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature.   When the dough has risen, knock it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces.   Shape into 8 balls and arrange them in a tin, sprinkled with plain flour, 5 cm (2 inches) apart, and allow them to rise once more until just touching.  Lower the temperature to 180 C (350  F) and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the garlic and salt in butter for 2-3 minutes and sieve through a fine mesh pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the flavour.   When the buns are out of the oven brush with this seasoned butter and serve warm.


                                                       SFETALIA

Caul Fat 

Ready to Barbecue

Kali Orexi!

The Pick of the Vinyard

Sfetalia are very tasty Cypriot home made sausages. Here is the recipe.

Caul fat is a paper thin fatty membrane that surrounds the stomach of ruminant animals.  Usually, it is sold perfectly clean.  But one could rinse it out in cold water and soak it for half an hour in dry white wine for extra taste.  Traditionally, sfetalia is prepared with equal amounts of minced lamb and minced pork, but you could prepare it only with minced pork if you wish. I have even made it with minced veal, with excellent results.


250 g (1/2 lb) caul fat

Stuffing:
500 g (1 lb) leg of lamb,  finely minced
500 g (1 lb) leg of pork, finely minced or
1 kg (2 lb) leg of pork, finely minced + a little pork fat finely minced.

1 cup peeled and grated onion
1 large tomato, cut in half, seeds removed and grated, skins discarded
2 slices of day-old bread crusts removed and soaked in dry white or red wine and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon powder

Place the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix everything well together.  Make a small patty and cook in a griddle pan and taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Lay the piece of caul fat on a work surface, and cut into 7.5 square (3-inch square) pieces. Shape sausage-like patties with the minced meat mixture and place them on the caul fat pieces and wrap them all over with the membrane.

Cook them on a hot grill, over a charcoal barbecue.  The fascination begins when the fat from the caul fat melts and drops on the fire with explosions of tiny flames and a superb aroma that cook and flavours the sfetalia.  Grill for 10-15 minutes on all sides until the meat is cooked through and the casing is crisp.

Serve immediately sprinkled with a mixture of chopped parsley and finely sliced spring onions, tomato and cucumber salad, pitta bread and a glass of an excellent Cypriot dry red wine like Maratheftico.



                                      FRANKFURTER KRANZ

Frankfurter Kranz

To honour the founders of Pulse of Europe, Mr. Daniel Roeder from Frankfurt and his wife Sabine, find below the recipe of a  superb German celebration cake.


180 g (6 oz) self-raising flour sifted with
1 1/4 tsp baking powder and
1 1/4 tsp salt

180 g (6 oz) butter, at room temperature
180 g (6 oz) sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
1 1/4 tsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp rum


Buttercream Filling:
6 egg yolks
300g (10 oz) butter, at room temperature

210 g (7 oz) sugar
A pinch of cream of tartar
172 ml (2/3 cup) water
4 tbsp rum

Almond Praline Topping:
15 g (1/2 oz) butter
125 g (1/2 lb) sugar
165 g (5 1/2 oz) blanched almonds


Whipped cream  and 8 maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)


Prepare the cake.  Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Mix all the ingredients for 2 minutes. Scrape the batter into a greased tin lined with buttered baking parchment, even the surface, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.   Remove from the oven.  Run a flexible knife around the inside edges of the cake tin and reverse the cake on a serving dish and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream filling.  Whip the egg yolks until pale and fluffy and set aside.  Also, cream the butter and reserve.
Boil the water, sugar and cream of tartar to the soft ball stage (1 drop of syrup spooned into ice-cold water immediately forms a soft ball).  Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the whipped egg yolks beating constantly and continue beating for 4-5 minutes more until the mixture is thick and smooth.  Gradually add the rum and continue beating until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.  Beat in the reserved butter, a spoonful at a time, and when it has absorbed all the butter cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes until spreadable.

In the meantime, prepare the almond praline.  Brush a tin lined with baking parchment lavishly with butter.  Bring sugar and water to the boil and continue boiling until the syrup reaches the soft ball stage.  Stir in the nuts and cook until the syrup caramelises and turns golden brown,  Pour into the prepared tin and allow to cool and harden.  Break into small pieces, grind thickly in a food processor and spread out on baking parchment.

Cut the cake into two or three layers with a sharp knife.  Place the first layer on a serving dish and drizzle with rum.  Spread with buttercream filling and cover with the second slice of cake.  Drizzle with rum, spread with filling and sandwich the last layer of cake carefully over.  Sprinkle with rum, and spread the whole cake with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle thd almond praline evenly over.   You could garnish the cake with whipped cream rosettes and maraschino cherries, if you wish.




                                           JANSSON'S TEMPTATION

Jansson;s Temptation Ready to Serve 

I like the taste and the name of this interesting Swedish fish dish.

1 21/2 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into long, thin chips and placed in cold water and patted dry with paper towels

2 tbsp corn oil
60 g (2 oz) butter plus extra for the dish
3-4 onions, peeled and very finely sliced
20 anchovy fillets drained and patted dry with kitchen paper

3-4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
250 ml (1 cup) double cream
250 ml (1 cup) full milk
Freshly ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Saute the onion in the corn oil and half the butter, stirring until soft but not coloured and set aside.  Grease a pyrex dish with butter.  Arrange a layer of potatoes then add alternate layers of onions and anchovies ending with potatoes, sprinkling each layer with freshly ground pepper.

Sprinkle the dried breadcrumbs evenly over the potatoes and dot with the remaining butter.   Heat the milk and cream until it barely simmers, and pour over the potatoes.   Bake for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and the liquid is almost absorbed.


                                                CUCUMBERS IN SOUR CREAM

Preparing A Creamy Cucumber Salad

This is an interesting salad from Slovakia which reminds me of our tzatziki.


3 medium-sized cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 large pinch of salt

250 ml (1 cup) sour cream, I use yoghurt
1 tbsp vinegar
2 spring onions trimmed and very finely sliced
1 heaped tsp chopped dill

Multicoloured peppercorns, coarsely ground


Mix the first 3 ingredients and place them in a fine-meshed sieve over the sink and allow them to macerate for 45 minutes.   Squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands, pat the cucumber slices completely dry with kitchen towels and place them in a salad bowl.

Meanwhile, stir the sour cream with the vinegar, the chopped spring onions and the chopped dill well together,   Spoon the sour cream sauce over the cucumber slices and toss thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour at least.  Serve sprinkled with coarsely ground multicoloured peppercorns.  This salad is lovely with grilled or poached fresh salmon or a hot chicken curry.



                                        MUSSELS FROM THE GRAND DUCHY

This recipe is similar to "moules  marinieres", but it is cooked with more vegetables.


2 kg (4 lb) mussels, scrubbed and thoroughly rinsed

2 tbsp butter
90 g (3 oz)  onions, peeled and finely chopped
90 g (3 oz) leeks, trimmed, sliced lengthwise, thoroughly washed and finely chopped
90 g (3 oz)  celery stalks, trimmed and  finely chopped
500 ml (2 cups) good quality white wine
Freshly ground pepper  to taste
A little  salt if necessary
Chopped parsley for garnish


Saute the vegetables in butter until soft, add the mussels, pour in the wine, cover the pan and cook, over high heat, until the all the shells are completely open.   Naturally, discard any mussels that do not open.

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley, hot crusty brown bread and a glass of the same white wine used for cooking.



                                              SPEZOFAI FROM PELION

Hydrangeas in Tsangarada, Pelion 

Spezofai A Flavourful Dish from Mount Pelion

This is a delicious dish from Central  Greece.   If you cannot find Pelion sausages you can use any pork sausages of your choice.  You could also use 1 kg (2 lb) sauteed aubergine slices in this dish.


500 g (1  lb) Pelion sausages, sliced

4 tbsp olive oil, separated
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into julienne strips
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into julienne strips
2 yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into julienne strips

Sauce:
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
250 ml (1 cup) red wine
500 g (1 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved deseeded,  grated, skins discarded
1 tsp sugar or more according to the acidity of the tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 chilli pepper, optional
Pinch of  paprika
Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste


Fry the sliced sausages, in batches, in half the olive oil and transfer with slotted spoon to a dish and reserve.

In the same frying pan saute the peppers, adding more olive oil when and if necessary, and transfer to a separate dish.  Sprinkle the peppers with a  little salt.

For the sauce, fry the onion in the remaining oil, until soft, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic,  and cook for two minutes more.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring fo 2-4 minutes and then pour in the wine and cook for 3-4  minutes more until the alcohol evaporates.  Pour in the grated tomato and add the bay leaf and the chilli pepper, if using, and season with sugar, salt, freshly ground black pepper and paprika.  Cover and cook the sauce for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked and thick.  Discard the bay leaf and the chilli pepper.

Arrange the sausages in the sauce and cook for ten minutes, then add the sauteed peppers and sauteed aubergines if using, and cook for 5-7 minutes more.  Taste and season accordingly.  Serve with chips, crusty bread and a glass of red wine.