Archive for » September 7th, 2009«

Ingredients:

Tart Shell Pastry:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks

* 1 large egg, separated

* 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:

* 1 cup heavy cream

* 1/2 cup milk

* 30g semisweet chocolate, chopped

* 2 tablespoons sugar

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Method:

To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F.

Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 150 degrees C / 325 degrees F.

To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 160 degrees C / 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away – that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

Ingredients:

• 500g uncooked linguine

• 500g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 3 tbsp White wine

• 2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated

• 1 tbsp Butter

• 1 tsp Fresh parsley, chopped

• 3 Cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Bring a big pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

• Add pasta and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes till al dente, drain.

• In a saucepan, melt butter on medium low flame.

• Add wine, cheese, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to it.

• Simmer on low flame for about 3 to 5 minutes, keep stirring.

• Increase the heat to medium high and add shrimp to the skillet, cook for 3 to 4 minutes or till shrimp begin to turn pink, do not overcook.

• Divide pasta into portions and spoon sauce on the top.

Ingredients:

* 1 package (100g) cream cheese, softened

* 1/2 cup butter, softened

* 1 cup all-purpose flour

* FILLING:

* 1 package (250g) cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup fully cooked salmon chunks or 1 can (7-1/2 ounces) salmon, drained, bones and skin removed

* 2 tablespoons chicken broth

* 2 tablespoons sour cream

* 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

* 1 teaspoon lemon juice

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Method:

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add flour and mix well. Shape into 24 balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups.

Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the salmon, broth, sour cream, onion, lemon juice and salt until blended. Spoon into the shells. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with dill. Yield: 2 dozen.

Tip:

These are tempting little tarts frequently used for parties. They disappear at an astonishing speed,  so usually double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients:

Crepe mix

• 1 Cup plain flour

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 2 Eggs, beaten

• 1 Cup milk

• 80g Butter, melted

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sauce

• 80g butter

• 1/2 Cup orange juice

• 1/4 Cup caster sugar

• 1/4 Cup lime juice

• 1 tbsp orange zest

• 2 Oranges, segmented

• 2 tbsp Cointreau

• 2 tbsp brandy

Method:

• In a medium sized bowl, put dry ingredients and make a well in the centre of the bowl.

• Add eggs and milk gradually, and whisk until a smooth paste is formed.

• Whisk in butter and vanilla extract, and allow standing in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Preheat a medium sized frying pan with a tablespoon of oil.

• Pour about half a ladle of batter into the frying pan, and swirl the batter around until the whole surface of the pan has been covered. The batter and the resulting crepe should be thin.

• As soon as the crepe is slightly browned and detached, turn it over and cook for a few seconds.

• Continue until all the batter is gone

Sauce

• Heat butter in a frying until melted, add the orange juice, caster sugar, lime juice and orange zest and bring to the boil.

• Peel the oranges and cut into segments and add to the mixture.

• Reduce the heat, and simmer for 2-3 minutes until sugar has dissolved and sauce has thickened.

• Add the Cointreau and brandy, and simmer for 1 minute.

• Place crepes into the sauce one at a time and allow to heat through for 30 seconds.

• Fold the crepes into quarters, making sure the brownest sides of the crepes are facing up.

Ingredients:

500g cleaned squid (body tubes, tentacles or a combination)

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

3/4cup fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs

Vegetable oil

Tartar Sauce

Lemon wedges

Preparation:

1.Rinse squid under cold running water. Cut each squid body tube crosswise into 1/4-inch rings. Pat pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels.

2.Beat egg with milk in small bowl.  Add squid pieces; stir to coat well.  Spread bread crumbs on plate. Dip squid pieces in bread crumbs; place in shallow bowl or on waxed paper.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before frying.

3.To deep fry squid,* heat 1-1/2 inches oil in large saucepan to 350°F. (Caution: Squid will pop and spatter during frying; do not stand too close to pan.) Adjust heat to maintain temperature. Fry 8 to 10 pieces of squid at a time in hot oil 45 to 60 seconds until light brown. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining squid pieces. Do not overcook squid or it will become tough.

*To shallow fry squid, heat about 1/4 inch oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium. Add single layer of squid to hot oil without crowding. Cook, turning once, 1 minute per side or until light brown. Proceed as directed in step 5.

4.Serve hot with Tartar Sauce and lemon wedges.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup mayonnaise

* 1 tablespoon chopped gerkins

* 1 tablespoon chopped shallots

* 1tablespoon chopped fresh dill

* 1 tablespoon capers, drained

* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, gerkins, shallots, capers, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Tip:

Fish and chips just isn’t the same without tartar sauce! Although there are a lot of different recipes out there, tartar sauce is commonly made from mayonnaise, chopped capers and chopped dill pickles. The addition of some tartar sauce makes a quick and tasty fish or seafood dish.

Category: French, Sauces  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless chicken breasts, split in half flour

• 1 Medium onion, diced

• 125g mushrooms, sliced

• 1-1/2 tsp Garlic, minced

• 2 Cups tomatoes, diced

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1/2 tsp Rosemary

• 1/4 Cup white wine

• 1/4 Cup chicken broth

• 1/2 Cup sliced black olives

• Olive oil as needed

Method:

• Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan.

• Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic.

• Cook until just soft.

• Put tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, wine, olives, and broth.

• Simmer for 30 minutes.

• Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet.

• Dredge the chicken in flour.

• Add chicken to skillet and cook until chicken is done.

• Place chicken in a large casserole dish.

• Cover with the sauce and bake uncovered at 350 degrees C for 25 minutes, or until it bubbles.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm Bittersweet Chocolate (melted and kept lukewarm)

• 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar

• 2 cups Heavy Cream

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 4 Egg Yolks

Method:

• Heat 2/3 cup of cream in small saucepan over low flame until it just begins to steam.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.

• Add half portion of the hot cream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

• Add the warm egg-cream blend back into the rest hot cream in the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for a few more minutes.

• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate.

• Chill the chocolate custard thoroughly.

• Beat remaining 1-1/3 cups of cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form.

• Thoroughly stir ½ cup of the whipped cream into the chilled chocolate custard, and then gently fold in the remaining cream.

• Now thoroughly incorporated chocolate custard into the whipped cream and serve chilled.

Ingredients:

• 500 gm Fresh large squid, cleaned and left whole

• 6-8 Cups assorted salad greens

• 1/4 Cup soy sauce

• 1-1/2 Cups olive oil

• Juice of a large lemon

• 1 tsp Sesame oil

Method:

• Soak squid in the soy sauce for about an hour.

• Thread skewers through the squid two or three times hence they will lie flat on the grill.

• Skewer the tentacles individually.

• Grill the squid very fast, on the hottest part of the grill.

• It should not take more than 60 seconds per side to turn into light brown.

• Dress the greens with olive oil and lemon juice.

• Now cut up the squid and scatter it on top of the salad.

• Drizzle with the sesame oil.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup whole milk

* 1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin

* 3 cups whipping cream

* 1/3 cup honey

* 1 tablespoon sugar

* Pinch salt

* 2 cups assorted fresh berries

Method:

Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour into 6 wine glasses so that they are 1/2 full. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours.

Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve.