Archive for » September, 2009 «

28
Sep
Cooked Tarragon Strukli

Ingredients:

Dough:

500 g high grade flour,

1 egg

Pinch of salt

2 tbs oil

Lukewarm water

1 tbs white vinegar

Filling:

500 g cottage cheese

3 eggs

150 ml sour cream

3 tbs sugar

3 tbs chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Topping:

½ cup oil

50-80 g breadcrumbs

Sugar and cinnamon to taste

Method:

Dough: from mixed ingredients make smooth dough by working them with hand in a bowl. When it easily separates from the wall of the bowl, oil it on top (to prevent drying out) and let it rest for half an hour.

Filling: Mix all ingredients together. Use old tablecloth and cover it with flour. Roll the dough until it is about 1 cm thick, then spread by fingers until it is couple of mm thick (should NOT be thin as filo pastry) and of rectangular shape.

Sprinkle it lightly with oil and spread the filling along longer side through ¾ of the dough.

Roll the dough from the filled towards unfilled side (help yourself by pulling the tablecloth). Cut it 5-8cm in length by rolling the edge of a plate over it. These way little pillows called strukli are formed.

Bring larger pot of salted water (3-4l) to boil. Gently put strukli into boiling water, stir lightly that they don’t adhere to the bottom and cook for about 15 mins; they will be floating atop. Don’t cook in overcrowded pot (cook in batches if needed). Take them out of water on a serving plate.

In a frying pan heat the oil and brown the breadcrumbs. Pour over the strukli. Serve them warm. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Note: Cooked tarragon strukli with their particular aroma are typical dish Of Slovenian gastronomy. First recorded recipe is from 1589 and they were on the menu as a holiday dish, for which they are valued today as well. I remember them as one of my grandma’s signature dishes.

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28
Sep
Pan-Fried Trout with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

* 4 trout fillets

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* 2 tbs flour

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

* Cooking spray

* 1 1/2 cups mixed fresh herbs (parsley, chives, basil and similar)

* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

* 1/8 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Score skin side of fish. Sprinkle fish with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, then roll in flour. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add fish, skin side down, to pan; cook 4 minutes or until skin is crisp. Turn fish over; cook 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine herbs, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Serve it over fish.

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28
Sep
Garlic & Thyme Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

* 1 garlic clove , crushed

* butter

* 2 sprigs thyme leaves

* 750g small chantenay carrots

* light chicken stock

Method:

1. Put the garlic, a large knob of butter, and thyme in a large wide pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and toss together, then pour in just enough stock or water to barely cover the carrots.

2. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until just tender, then increase the heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and the carrots are glazed. Season and serve.

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28
Sep
Lemon Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

* 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

* 1/3 medium-sized red onion

* 1/3 large sweet onion

* 7 large cloves of garlic

* 4 medium-sized beets

* 2 medium-sized potatoes

* 1 medium-sized sweet potato

* 1 whole lemon

* salt and freshly ground pepper corns

* 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

* 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Set out two small roasting pans or cast iron pans. Add two Tablespoons of olive oil to each pan.

2. Chop the onions into rounds and chop each clove of garlic into three or four chunks. Put half of the onions and garlic in one pan and half in the other.

3. Scrub the potatoes, beets, and sweet potato. Peel the sweet potato. Chop all into bite-sized chunks. Put the beet chunks into one pan and the sweet potato and potato chunks into the other pan.

4. Wash the lemon and then zest the entire surface of the peel. A zester usually costs only a few dollars at the grocery store, and will save you a huge amount of work. You can buy a Lemon Zester here from Amazon. If you don’t have a zester, however, you can use the fine grating surface of a block grater, being sure to get all surfaces of the peel (this takes a while, but works).

5. Add half of the lemon zest to one pan and then half to the other. Squeeze the juice from the lemon, then splash each pan with two tablespoons of lemon juice.

6. Sprinkle salt (to taste) evenly over each pan, and then do the same with the pepper. Finely chop the rosemary and put one teaspoon of it into each pan.

7. Roast both pans in the oven on center rack until the root vegetables are cooked through (a fork should slide easily all the way through). Roasting will probably take at least a half an hour.

8. Once cooked, mix the contents of the two pans, add the feta cheese, and serve. If you are using this as a main dish, serve over couscous or rice. Enjoy!

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26
Sep
Lemon and Lime Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

175g plain flour

100g cold butter , cut in small pieces

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 egg yolk

OR 375g pack sweet shortbread pastry

For the filling:

juice and zest 3 lemons

juice and zest 3 limes

150g (5oz) caster sugar

50g (2oz) cornflour

200ml (7fl oz) water

5 egg yolks

15g (½oz) unsalted butter

For the meringue:

5 egg whites

100g (4oz) caster sugar

Method:

You will need 23 x 3cm (9 x 1¼in) deep tart tin.

1. For the pastry, put the flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Using the pulse button so the mix is not overworked, process until the mix starts to bind. Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don’t worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 1⁄2-1 hour (or overnight). Preheat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan oven, 400 F, gas 6.  Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden, then remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

2. To make the filling, place the juice (you should have 300ml (½pt) of liquid – if not, make it up by squeezing in some more juice), zest and sugar in a pan and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Mix the cornflour to a paste with 3 to 4 tbsp of the water and add to the juice in the pan along with the remaining water. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Cool slightly and whisk in the egg yolks and butter. Pour the filling into the pastry case. Lower the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

3. To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add one third of the sugar. Whisk for a further minute and add a third more sugar. Whisk for another minute and add the last of the sugar. The mixture should be smooth, thick and glossy. Spoon the meringue over the filling covering it completely, then swirl it with the back of the spoon. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the meringue is golden; serve cold.

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26
Sep
Pan-fried Trout with Fresh Herb Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Fish:

* 4 whole trout, cleaned, boned and rinsed

* About 1 tsp.  salt, divided

* 1 cup cornmeal

* 6 to 7 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

* 1/2 kg mini multicolored bell peppers, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise

* 1 lemon or 2 limes, cut in wedges

Salad:

* 1 kg Yukon Gold potatoes

* 3 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil

* 1-2 tablespoons white vine vinegar

* About 3/4 tsp. salt

* 1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

* 1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

* 1 tablespoon minced chives

* Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Fish:

1. Preheat oven to 150°. Sprinkle inside of each trout with salt (use about 1/2 tsp. total).  In a large, shallow dish, combine cornmeal and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Turn fish in cornmeal to coat evenly.

2. Pour 2 tbsp. oil into frying pan, preferably nonstick, and warm them over medium heat. (Or warm a large griddle over 2 burners.) Put fish in the pan and fry, turning once, until golden brown outside and no longer translucent in the center, 8 to 9 minutes total; reduce heat if fish start to get too brown. Transfer fish to 1 or 2 large platters and keep warm in oven.

3. Pour 1 more tbsp. oil into 1 pan (or onto griddle) if it’s dry, then set over medium-high heat. Quickly sauté peppers until they’re softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste and scatter on top of fish. Serve with lemon wedges  and potato salad.

Salad:

1. Pour about 3 cm water into a large pot and set a steamer basket* in the bottom. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until tender when pierced, 25 to 30 minutes. Pour potatoes into a colander in the sink, rinse with cool water, and let stand until cool enough to handle.

2. Peel potatoes and slice crosswise into 1cm thick slices. Put in a large serving bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and 3/4 tsp. salt and drizzle over warm potatoes. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and add pepper and additional salt to taste, mixing gently to coat.

*Potatoes cook most evenly in a steamer basket, but if you don’t have one, fill pot halfway with water and boil potatoes.

Make ahead: Chill airtight up to 1 day (the salad will become even more flavorful); before serving, bring to room temperature, then stir.

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26
Sep
Bazlamacha/Polenta Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs,

1 l milk,

100 g sugar,

250 g corn flour (yellow),

250 g polenta (corn maize),

200 ml sour or fresh cream,

2 tbs unsalted butter or margarine,

1 tbs grated lemon zest,

20 g fresh yeast (or 1 tsp dried)

pinch of salt

Method:

Beat egg yolks into milk, add sugar, lemon zest, salt, raised yeast; beat then add corn flour and maize. Leave it at room temperature to rise (up to two hours).

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in beaten egg whites. Grease the baking dish with butter and spread the dough equally. Bake in the oven at 180-200°C for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Pour over the cream and bake for additional 5-10 minutes until crust is formed.

Note: Serve dusted with icing sugar or spread on top some marmalade. The best is with rosehip or some other dark marmalade (sour cherry, strawberries or plum). It can be served either warm for breakfast or as savoury appetiser, or cold as a cake snack.

Bazlamacha is a word of Turkish origin, but this is old fashioned traditional recipe of ‘peasant’s cake’ known throughout Balkan.

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23
Sep
Fresh Lemon Tart with Candied Lemons

Ingredients:

Filling:

4 eggs

400ml cream

150g caster sugar

4 lemons, juiced

zest of 2 lemons

Candied lemons:

2 small lemons, thinly sliced

250g caster sugar

Pastry:

1 ½ cups plain flour

½ cup icing sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

125g cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg yolk

Method:

1. Process all ingredients for the lemon filling in a food processor until just combined. Transfer to a large jug or bowl and refrigerate until the froth separates from the liquid. This should take a few hours.

2. For the candied lemons, place lemon slices in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, then drain and repeat 4 times. Combine sugar and 250ml water in a separate saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then add lemon slices and cook over low heat until tender and translucent (30-40 minutes). Cool.

3. For the pastry, whizz the flour, sugar, butter, salt and zest Add the butter and whizz until it becomes pebbly, with large bits and small bits. Add the egg yolk and a tablespoon of water and combine until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and lightly knead for a minute. Wrap the dough up and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. Roll the dough out between two sheets of non-stick paper and line a 22cm (9 inch) fluted flan tin. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to chill and rest. Remove the lined tin from the fridge.

4. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Blind bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the exposed edges are a very light brown. Remove the baking paper and weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°. Meanwhile, skim top of lemon filling to remove froth, pour into pastry case and bake until just set (30-40 minutes). Cool to room temperature in tart tin, place candied lemons on top and serve.

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23
Sep
Roasted Leg of Lamb

Ingredients:

(Serves 4-6)

* 1 leg of lamb

* 2 tablespoons of olive oil

* 3-5 garlic cloves, sliced

* 6-8 sprigs of rosemary

* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

* mixed vegetables, peeled and chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 ° F (200 ° C).

Use a sharp knife to make a few small incisions in the outside of the leg of lamb.

Insert the garlic and rosemary into each of the cuts. Both these flavors are a classic combination with lamb.

Rub the skin of the lamb with a little bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the lamb in a large baking tin and surround with a selection of peeled and chopped vegetables. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining oil.

Roast the lamb in the oven for about 1 hour, maybe a bit longer. Approximately every 20 minutes coat the lamb with the juices which develop at the bottom of the baking tin.

Remove from the oven, cover and allow to cool down before carving. Keep the vegetables warm until ready to serve.

Note: You can make a gravy using the pan juices, which is a great accompaniment for the leg of lamb to pack it with flavor.

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23
Sep
Cheese Burek

Ingredients:

*1 kg filo pastry

* 1 kg ricotta cheese

* 200g sour cream

* 1/2 Tsp salt

* 3 eggs

* 160g oil

Method:

1. Preheat 180 d C.

2. Filling: Beat cheese, sour cream, salt and eggs in a bowl and until well combined.

3. Cut pastry into sheets to fit a 30×35 cm greased baking dish. Brush 2 sheets of pastry individually and generously with oil and place into the greased dish. Spread a thin layer of cheese filling onto the pastry. Repeat the procedure alternating pastry and filling until both have been used up. Brush top generously with oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Make a few holes in the top with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into desired portions and serve hot.

4. Note: The filling may be spread onto the uncut buttered pastry and rolled into a roulade, then curved, if necessary, to fit the baking tray.

Note: Burek can be made using a variety of fillings such as – lightly fried grated potatoes and leeks; fried spinach and mushrooms; fried spinach and onion; soft cheese and eggs, apples or minced meat and onions. Serve warm with unsweetened  yoghurt.

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