Cooking The Ideas

Spiced caramelized Apple butter cake

2011-03-13T17:32:00.005-03:00

Renders approx a square baking pan 30cmx20cm x5 cm high, a

bout 15 big brownie size squares.

For the caramelized apples

6 Granny apples

100 grs sugar

(optional) brandy or irish cream to taste

1/4 cup water

cinamon

ginger

nutmeg

For the cake

180 grs butter - room temp.

280 grs flour, sifted

6 med eggs

200 grs sugar

Baking powder , about 1 tablespoon

1 cup corn starch

drizzle vainila

(optional) ginger for the dough to taste.

irish cream or brandy

a bit of milk to soften dough only if necessary.

Caramelized apples

Place sugar on a non stick pan over medium fire, and do not remove until it starts melting.
Add liquor if desired and a bit of hot water. (watch not to get burned)
Add spices and sliced apples. (if you are preparing the apples ahead, leave them in a bowl with water and lemon juice to avoid browning).
Let simmer for about 5 min if apples are medium thick sliced, or 3 mins if they are thinly sliced. Turn heat off and let there until they finish cooking by the temperature in the caramel.

For the butter cake.

Start by preheating oven at 160C and butter & flour a baking pan.
Using electric mixer, Cream together butter and sugar until they turn to a light yellow color.
Add eggs one by one beating very well in between each one.
Add vainila and liquor if desired.
Sift together baking powder, flour and cornstarch and mix in dry ingredients in the eggs and butter mixture. Keep beating with electric mixer.
Dough consistency should be like any brownie or buttercake preparation, so add some milk if necessary.

Lay the caramelized apples on the bottom of the pan and pour dough over them.

Cook at 160C until done, use a brochette stick to stick in the cake. It should come out clear and dry.

Turn off the oven and let cool inside the oven with the door slightly opened for about 20 mins to avoid the center of the cake from falling down.

it is delicious to have this cake warm with a nice cup of coffee.

Tasty Omega-3′s: Upgrade Your Tuna Salad

2011-02-01T11:24:00.000-03:00

Tasty Omega-3′s: Upgrade Your Tuna Salad

More "cooking the ideas"

2010-11-22T14:36:00.002-03:00

Hi,

I have been having some problems lately with the blogger platform so I did some research and found Tumblr a nice place to post stuff.

I have been doing a test blog there with random posts but since I liked it I decided to keep it.

So for the time being I have the two blogs. They are not paralell, which means the content is not the same, so you can pay a visit ocasionally to the Tumblr site to see what´s going on.

Tumblr has a very nice feature which is send posts via email. Blogger has it too but Tumblr´s email works best with my mobile software. As it is easier for me to post via email sometimes, you may find th

at tumblr has newer posts than blogger.

Tumblr´s site is not only about cooking but also about photography and life. So I post there a lot of quotes I like as well as some of my own. I also post amazing pictures about world places or nature which I take or which I find around through other tumblers.

But anyway, it was just a comment and here is the page in case you want to pay a visit.

COOKING THE IDEAS @ TUMBLR.COM

Remember you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook

TWITTER: @cookingtheideas

FACEBOOK: @deliciasyvariedades

Energizing Homemade Cereal Bars

2010-09-13T12:04:00.006-03:00

These cereal bars are healthy and full of energy. Thus they are easily made at home in 5 simple steps, no baking or cooking needed.

You can use any cereals you like for this recipe.

I used Granola (Muesli), almonds, caju nuts, and Nestle Fitness Fruit cereals and some choco chips for fun.

The reason I used these cereals was because they were already in my pantry. The Nestle Fitness Fruity cereals gave a really nice flavor as they have tiny bits of papaya, pineapple and other fruits which gave a good acid contrast to the toasted flavor and sweetness of the bars.

The quantities are approx, so dont worry if you cant meassure everything perfectly.

Ingredients

1 cup Granola/Muesli

1/2 cup toasted nuts, chopped (e.g caju, almonds, pecans, etc)

2 cups Nestle Fitness Fruit cereals (or mix of corn, rice, oat or any other cereals)

Optional: toasted coconut, dried cranberries or other dried fruits, chocolate chips, etc.

80 grs butter

180 grs regular sugar

80 grs good quality honey.

Step by Step:

1- On medium flame, place a pan and add butter sugar and honey (all together). Stir with wooden spoon until sugar is melted.

2- Turn flame off and add all the cereals, fruits & nuts (if you chose to add choco chips, do not add them at this stage). Stir in all ingredients.

3- While still hot, pour the mix over a baking pan covered with wax paper-to avoid sticking to the pan- . (no need to grease the wax paper). Spread the mixture and gently press it with a wooden spoon so as to "pack" it a little bit.

4- Wait until the preparation is almost at room temperature to add choco chips if you chose to include them. In this way you will avoid melting the chips.

5- Let sit for 30 mins. Take out the wax paper with the cereal block from the baking pan, and cut in bars or squares using a sharp knife.

This quantity makes about 18 bars (1ocm long x 2 cm high)

Keep in dry container or wrap and give away to your friends.

Enjoy!!

Morning Cous Cous with almonds, coconut and honey

2010-09-01T20:47:00.003-03:00

This is an original recipe which can be used as dessert or breakfast

From The taste space

Morning Couscous with Almonds, Coconut and Honey

1 cup Israeli couscous
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
Dash of salt

1. Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for 7-9 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Toast couscous in a skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted.

2. Pour coconut milk in a small saucepan and heat until almost boiling, but not quite. Add toasted couscous, honey, and dash of salt and stir quickly. Cover the pot and remove from heat; let sit for 15 minutes. During this time, the couscous will absorb the liquid. Once couscous has absorbed all of the liquid, add in the roasted almonds and shredded coconut and a dash more honey to taste (depends on how sweet you like it).

Serves 4.

Melon Martini

2010-09-01T17:59:00.002-03:00

A refreshing summer recipe from ZTastyLife

Honeydew melon martini
Recipe inspired by a cocktail of mixologist Raafet Olian
2 ounces of vodka
1/2 ounce of Midori (a melon-flavored liqueur)
1/2 ounce of honeydew melon puree
1/2 lemon
1/2 tablespoon of honey
1 ounce of Champagne or sparkling wine

To make the honeydew puree, put peeled melon pieces in the blender and blender until smooth. Pass the blended mixture through a fine sieve and retain only the juice. In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with cracked ice, combine the vodka, Midori, honeydew puree and honey. Add one half teaspoon of juice from the lemon. Shake the drink vigorously, and strain it into a chilled Martini glass.Top this mixture with the Champagne, and garnish it with a slice of honeydew.

Grilled Corn Soup

2010-09-01T17:19:00.002-03:00

From Silk Routes

Ingredients

1/4 kg medium shrimps, heads separated
5 cups water
2 ears of corn with husk
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon butter
100 g pork belly chopped
2 bacon strips
1 onion bulb chopped
2 medium sized ripe tomatoes chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
salt and pepper
3-4 sprigs cilantro (optional)

Method

Make the shrimp stock by boiling all the shrimp heads in 5 cups of water. Reduce until stock is about 3 cups. If you have a potato masher start squeezing out the yummy juices out of those heads. You know you’re in good shape when you see an orange film on top of the stock. Peel the remaining bodies.

Meanwhile, soak the corn in water for about 10 minutes. The wet husk prevents it from burning easily and helps steam the corn. Place the corn on a high heat grill, turning the cob every so often to cook evenly. Grill the corn until the husk is well charred to induce that smoky aroma. Peel the husk off and grate the kernels. You may chop the kernels further if you don’t want them chunky.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the butter and oil. Render the fat of the pork belly and bacon for 7-10 minutes. Throw in the onions, garlic and tomatoes and saute until onion is translucent. Pour in the stock and corn. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot and top it with cilantro.

Lemon Sunrise

2010-09-01T17:09:00.002-03:00

Ingredients

Ice
1.5 oz limoncello
4.5 oz freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 juice oranges)
splash of rose grenadine

Fill a high ball with ice. Pour the limoncello and orange juice into the glass. Top with a splash of grenadine, but don’t stir if you want the “sunrise” effect. Let it settle to the bottom. Serves 1.

BAKING TIP: LEMON JUICE & BAKING SODA

2010-09-01T12:30:00.002-03:00

Sometimes recipes call for sour cream and baking soda, for example in chocolate cakes.

This is because the baking soda reacts with the acid elements in the sour cream and enhances a bit the flavour of the cacao thus helping it to gain a darker color.

If you don’t have sour cream or baking soda available, you can substitute these ingredients by ½ tspn of sodium bicarbonate (active principle of baking soda) and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or any other acid you have available.

Cheers!.

Sharing Recipes and Sharing Life

2010-06-02T17:48:00.004-03:00

I am aware the insertion of this post in Cooking The Ideas may sound a bit off-topic to all my followers and blog readers.

However I believe sometimes we have to make a stop in life to see where we are standing and which direction we want to go afterwards.

Today, I was reading one of the blogs I follow and I came across this article about Organ Donation. This is a subject I have considered many times during my life, and at first I was afraid but then I realized that it will be very selfish not to. What do you want to have your body for once you have crossed to the other side? It is going to start decomposing the instant you pass away and you will not even be there to do anything about it.

Instead, why not prolonging your life by doing a good hearted action. When there is nothing else that can be done for you, you have to think about other people who may as well, have a family like you, a son to keep hugging, a brother to live for, allowing a kid to keep playing and see what life has to offer, a grandma who will still be able to tell her life stories to her grandsons, etc. Why not giving them the gift of enjoying life a little bit more?

It is a hard choice to make, but it can save many lives. Let´s not be selfish.
I recommend you that you think about it thoroughly and make a conscious choice so that you will not regret it.

Furthermore, I wanted to copy the article here and share it with you and the world; spread the word.

Quoted Article at I-CHANGE BLOG.

I have previously written about our choice to try to make something positive from Carys’s untimely death. It seemed to the only choice we could make. When I entered that Intensive Care ward, and saw all those beds, each representing a tragedy for another family, when I passed those families in the corridors, how could I not wish that some of them got their prayers answered?

So, even before they turned off the life support we were asked if we would allow organ donation, and I said, unhesitatingly “Yes”. We got a first letter some 3 weeks later telling me of a 34 yr old lady who had been waiting for 4 yrs who now has a kidney, as a 54 yrs who had been on dialysis for 6 yrs. Her liver is helping a 64 yrs old man who is married with a family. A 50 yr married man has her lungs. Today I learnt that her cornea is allowing a 77 lady to perhaps see her grandchildren, and her aortic valve beats in the chest of a 27 yr old who may find love and joy now she is healthy.

How can we not do this? How can we not offer this chance to others when we would have given anything for our prayers to be answered? If you haven’t signed up for organ donation… do it today!

Curried corn salad

2010-04-26T10:00:00.001-03:00

750 ml corn kernels, cooked or canned (3 cup)

500 ml cooked chicken, cubed (2 cup)

250 ml red cabbage, shredded (1 cup)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 carrot, diced

75 ml red onion, chopped (1/3 cup)

125 ml plain yogurt (1/2 cup)

50 ml mayonnaise (1/4 cup)

5 ml curry powder (1 tsp)

5 ml packed brown sugar (1 tsp)

5 ml cider vinegar (1 tsp)

2 ml ground cumin (1/2 tsp)

2 ml salt (1/2 tsp)

2 ml pepper (1/2 tsp)

In large bowl; combine corn, chicken, cabbage, green pepper, carrot and onion.

In a small bowl; whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, sugar, vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss with salad.

Serves 4

Kaitlin´s Super Epic rainbow cake

2010-04-23T16:12:00.004-03:00

I found this cake on Martha Stewart´s video section and I fell in love with it. Probably I will be baking it for my son´s bday in a few months. (That is if I can wait till then.....)

You can find the original post on Kaitlin´s blog

Quoted from her post:

Super Epic Rainbow Cake
I'm adding a disclaimer here: THERE IS A LOT OF FROSTING/BUTTER IN THIS CAKE. I used a lot because I wanted the cake to be very striking visually. It is intentional. Put in less if you want. Also, I'm not forcing you to eat this entire cake by yourself, so - seriously - quit freaking out about the butter.

White Cake (but not really)
I made things difficult on myself and altered a coconut cake recipe for this. I don't know why I didn't just make a white cake from a white cake recipe, but.... I didn't. Here's the source if you're looking to make a coconut cake. It looks divine, but my friends don't like coconut :(
2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp
2 1/3 c (466 g) sugar
5 egg whites, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 c (375 g) flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 c (355 g) milk, warmed for 30 sec in microwave to bring to room temp
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple GEL food coloring. Liquid will not be vibrant enough!

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Oil and line how ever many 9” cake pans you have (I have three and I just reused them).

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter, then add the egg whites (I cracked them all into one bowl) and add them a little at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Then, alternating between wet and dry, add the milk and flour mixture in two parts.

Divide the batter amongst 6 bowls (I did it by weight. Weigh your mixing bowl before you begin adding ingredients and then subtract the weight of the bowl from the final measurement after the batter is completed. Divide that number by six and add that weight of batter to each bowl), and then whisk a fair amount of the appropriate food color into each bowl. Pour into the pans and bake for 15 minutes each.

When you remove them from the oven, let them rest on the cooling rack, in the pan, for ten minutes. Then flip, cover, and stash them in the fridge to cool quickly.

Lemony Swiss Meringue Buttercream
(Someday I will make a post, besides my pancakes or mint macarons, that doesn’t involve this recipe!)
I made this recipe twice today because I underestimated the amount of buttercream I would need/ I would recommend that you do the same because you would need a HUGE bowl to make this much buttercream at one time!

To fill and crumb coat:
9 egg whites
1 ¾ c (350 g) sugar
4 sticks (532 g) of butter, room temp
2 tsp lemon extract

To frost:
5 egg whites
1 c (200 g) sugar
2 sticks (226 g) butter, room temp
1 tsp lemon extract

Cook the egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved (test by rubbing some between your fingers. If it's completely smooth, it's done). Pour into another bowl (a stand mixer is preferable) and whip on high speed until room temp. Then, on a medium-slow speed, add the butter, waiting until each piece is completely incorporated before adding the next. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer back to high speed and whip until it has come together, about five minutes. Add the extract, beat briefly and then use.

If the buttercream seems soupy after all of the butter is added and does not come together after whipping, refrigerate for 5 to 7 minutes and continue whipping until it becomes fluffy and workable.

Comfort Foods: My version of Spanish Lentil Stew

2010-04-22T15:31:00.005-03:00

Ingredients for about 10-12 servings.

3 cups of lentils (peeled, red or mixed) soaked for 8 or 10 hours.

100 grs diced bacon

400 pork ribs.

400 beef meat

1 sweet red bell pepper

1 sweet green pepper

1 big onion

1 glass white wine (sauvignon/chardonnay, etc)

3 rippen tomatoes, diced

1 big carrot grated.

1 large spanish spicy sausage (see example )

About 3/4 lt or more of chicken broth/stock

olive oil

salt

pepper

paprika

Fresh (or dry) thyme leaves

Chopped parsley and chopped chive leaves for decoration and fresh touch.

Cooked white rice

Start by placing a pinch of oil in the bottom of a saucepan and fry the pork and beef there, including the bones of the pork chops. Let golden brown, stirring occasionally to be sealed from all sides. If the pan does not have a very large area, perform this operation in two stages so that the meat can brown well. Otherwise, if the meat is tight together and no air circulates between the hubs, it will transpire boil instead of browning. Do not add too much oil from the beginning as the meats, bacon and sausage will release their inner oils.

A crust will form on the bottom of the pan, as a result of chemichal reactions of the enzymes contained in the meat and the caramelization of sugars in the meat during sealing.(This reaction is known as the Maillard reaction in cuisine and it constitutes a great source of flavor for the dish). Once the meat is golden, remove it from the pan and add a little more oil. Sauté there over medium heat the chopped garlic (taking care not to burn it), onion, and peppers. Next, add the wine and let a few seconds so that the alcohol evaporates. This process will deglaze the pan, and the crust that was formed when browning the meat will dissolve in the preparation. Stir with a wooden spoon so that nothing remains stuck at the bottom of the pan.

If you chose not to use wine, dont worry because the acids of the tomatoes will deglaze the pan anyways.

Add broth/stock. Place lentils in and let this cook for about 5 mins. Add then the carrot and diced tomatoes. Add one tbspn of sugar if necessary to soften the acidity of tomatoes.

Let cook covered with a lid, over low flame for 45 mins or one hour stirring ocassionally. 10 minutes before doneness time, add spices and herbs.

Rememeber that if you decide to add spices from the beginning of the cooking process, you can do it but keep in mind that during long cooking liquids will reduce and flavors concentrate. Hence you can end up with a product too salty or spicy. There is always time to add more spices. So it is better to go slowly than to regret.

Serve over hot white rice, sprinkle chive leaves and parsley and enjoy.

In Season: Strawberries. A Healthy Indulgence

2010-04-10T22:15:00.006-03:00

Strawberries can brighten up both the taste and visual presentation of any meal. They are the most popular berry worldwide.

They pack a bunchfull of nutritional elements. One cup (144 gr) of strawberries contains aprox 44 cal and is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Flavonoids.

Strawberries contain vitamins such as Ascorbic Acid, a sugar acid with antioxidant properties also known as Vitamin C, Thiamin (a sulfur containing vitamin from the B group) , Riboflavin (Vit B2) , Niacin (vit B3), Vit B 6, Vit A and E. Vitamins from B12 group. One of the most important elements strawberries contain is Folate. Folate also called Folic Acid, is one of the main vitamins in the B group and it is important to prevent coronary diseases and malformations of the fetus in pregnant women. They are also packed with a lot of healthy minerals vital for human body, such as Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potasium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganesse and Selenium.

Strawberries contain in addition, aminoacids like glutamic acid (also known as Glutamate) which is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate nervous system. Because of it role in the synaptic plasticity of brain cells, glutamate is involved in cognitive functions like learning and memory. It is also a part of the "aphrodisiac" powers of Strawberries. In addition to Glutamate, a large amount of other aminoacids are present in these fruits, such as Lycine, Aspartic Acid, along with 16 other aminoacids.

Selection, Storage and Handling: Look for strawberries that are plump, bright red in color, and have freh green caps. To mantain flavor, store them loosely, covered and unwashed in the refrigerator. Just before eating rinse with cool water.

Delicious apple pie

2009-12-28T12:55:00.003-03:00

This recipe is easy to make with ingredients that are already in your house, and way more delicious than you can imagine

Recipe Tip: You can mix a tablespoon or two of flour or cornstarch with the apple slices and brown sugar. This will absorb extra liquid and make the finished product hold together better.

Ingredients
6 baking apples
1 cup oats (any kind)
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 - 2/3 cups vegan margarine

Directions:

Peel and core apples, and cut into extremely thin slices (the thinner the better).

Mix with approx 1 cup brown sugar (more or less, depending on your taste), coating the apples, and spread mixture evenly in the bottom of a 10 x 13 cake pan.

In a bowl, add oats, flour, remaining cup of brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir together well, then gradually add margarine and crumble with fingers until a chunky but not overly crumbly texture is reached (mixture should stick together when pressed firmly).

Place oat topping over the apples, and press together lightly.

Put in preheated 325 degree F oven, and bake for about 45 minutes or until top is golden and apples are soft and fully cooked. Serve warm with vegan vanilla ice cream.

You can make more of the oat mixture if you prefer a thicker topping. And there are endless fruit combinations possible, like pears, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches...

Makes: 6 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 45 minutes

Fat Free low sugar brownies

2009-12-28T12:35:00.004-03:00

1 cup of unbleached flour
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of agave nectar (add more if desired)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons soy yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:

The next time I make these I'm going to try another 1/4 cup of applesauce or a full container of yogurt to see if I can make the brownies a bit more dense.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt). Mix wet ingredients in another bowl (agave nectar, applesauce, soy yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract). Combine the mixtures.

3. Pour batter into a pan (I used a 9" x 9" dark pan).

4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how fudgy or cakey you like your brownies.

The ENTIRE batch has somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 calories so it should be about 80 calories per brownie depending on how you cut them.

Please note, these definitely do not taste like full fat, full sugar brownies but they take care of that chocolate cakey fix you need when you have to watch your weight. You could even eat two and not blow your diet!

Source of recipe: I wrote the recipe.

Makes: 12 to 16 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes

Orange & Cranberry bread

2009-12-28T12:10:00.004-03:00

I was craving something tangy and this definitely hit the spot
This cranberry bread is simple and delicious, thus it is loaded with flavor and moisture.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tblsp vegetable oil
hot water
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/2 tblsp orange peel, grated
Ener-G Egg Replacer for 1 egg
1 cup cranberries (fresh, dried , or frozen)
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven at 375 F.

Grease and flour loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, vegan sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda).

In a small bowl, add walnuts, cranberries and 1/2 cup of dry mixture to coat the nuts and berries.

In a measuring cup, add oil and top-up with hot water to make 3/4 cup.

In a medium bowl, mix oil/water mixture, orange juice, orange peel and Ener-G Egg Replacer.

Combine liquid mixture to dry mixture (don't overmix!).

Fold in nuts and berries.

Bake for 1 hour.

Orange Chickpea salad

2009-12-28T12:06:00.002-03:00

Recipe Credits: I am sharing this recipe here from my blogger friend Susana @ Spanish Steps blog.

Sometimes simple things are those which give us greater comfort.

So is the case for this delicious salad perfect for a summer hot day. It is simple and satisfying.

Ingredients:

1/8 cup orange juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove finely chopped garlic
pepper to taste
1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 small red onion (about 4 ounces), peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
3 cups romaine lettuce leaves, washed, dried, and torn

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Add chickpeas and onion. Toss well to combine. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend. Toss again.

Divide lettuce among two salad plates. Spoon chickpeas mixture evenly over lettuce and serve at room temperature.

Serves:2

Enjoy!

The miracle of life

2009-11-09T21:12:00.009-03:00

Life. A word composed by few letters but involving a whole spectrum of sense and interpretations.

At the risk of sounding shallow, I must say I am a person easily amazed by the small wonders in everyday life and who values that kind of things. It might ranges from watching a kiddo laughing, or simply seating under the warm sun to enjoy whatever I feel like at a given time. Name it reading, enjoying the view around or simply, laying there.

I am very fond of nature and I love to take pictures of landscapes and nature stuff. I love when after winter time, the leaves of many trees and plants come to life again or when you simply plant a seed and watch after it and then it starts sprouting. The miracle of life seems to be a great mystery to me and a big subject for my curiosity.

Probably this is where I got my interest in the science of food from. The curiosity for knowing what makes a simple ingredient turn into a totally different thing.

Well, regardless the "wheres" and "whys", it gave me the opportunity to come up with a good blend of motivations which have led me to my particular view on Cuisine and food related subjects.

I would love to hear about your views too by leaving your comments to this post.!!!

Duesseldorffer Potato Mushrooms

2009-07-27T15:44:00.005-03:00

Yes, I agree, the name is a bit confusing.

Is it potatoes filled with mushrooms Dusseldorff style, whatever that style is? Or mushroom shaped potatoes dusseldorff style?.

If your guess was the second option, you hit it.

Why did I chose this recipe?. It is a long story but to take a shortcut, let's just say Yakety Yak is the beginning of all doomed things.

Unfortunately I haven´t been able to discover german cooking in full yet.

However, in light of my soon to come trip to such lands where I should be able to discover its allure in full, I hope, my friend Marion challenged me to start quenching my thirst for germany cuisine at my own risk :)))

Hence, this is my starter project which I wholeheartidly hope complies with her requests :))) The German cuisine condrum ended with a simple but indeed delicious recipe serving either as main dish or side dish. A very stong flu and overload of work didnt let me free time to inquire much about the origins and delicacies of such culinary region, especially as there are many types of cuisine within one geographical area.

Nevertheless, this is the truth unbidden.....

3 potatoes
bunch of spring onions
1 onion
200 g pork
2 tbsp. white wine
3 tbsp. cream
1 flat tbsp. mustard
100 g cabbage
salt, pepper, spices to taste

Peel potatoes, cut out from the bottom so that they look as if there is a stem sticking out. Take the potatoes cut in halves and scoop out in a special manner so that they look like halved mushrooms. Put them in water and cook until ready. Slice and blanch green onions. Chop onion and pork finely. Put them together into the pre-heated pan and fry. Sprinkle with white wine, add salt, pepper, spices, cream, mustard, and cabbage. Lay the "potato mushrooms" out on a plate, fill with green onions and add the fried stuff. Serve Duesseldorfer Potato Mushrooms with fresh parsley.

As a side note, I imagine it could be a nice try for next time to use some hollandaise sauce or melted cheese in this recipe.... Yummmyyyyy

Origins of Chocolate

2009-06-25T11:40:00.008-03:00

Chocolate dates back to the ancient times of Mesoamerican people who drank chocolate as a bitter beverage.
For these people, chocolate wasn’t just a favorite food—it also played an important role in their religious and social lives.The first people clearly known to have discovered the secret of cacao were the Classic Period Maya

The Maya and their ancestors in Mesoamerica took the tree from the rainforest and grew it in their own backyards, where they harvested, fermented, roasted, and ground the seeds into a paste.

When mixed with water, chile peppers, cornmeal, and other ingredients, this paste made a frothy, spicy chocolate drink.
By 1400, the Aztec empire dominated a sizeable segment of Mesoamerica. The Aztecs traded with Maya and other peoples for cacao and often required that citizens and conquered peoples pay their tribute in cacao seeds—a form of Aztec money.

Like the earlier Maya, the Aztecs also consumed their bitter chocolate drink seasoned with spices—sugar was an agricultural product unavailable to the ancient Mesoamericans. Many people in Classic Period Maya society could drink chocolate at least on occasion, although it was a particularly favored beverage for royalty. But in Aztec society, primarily rulers, priests, decorated soldiers, and honored merchants could partake of this sacred brew.

Chocolate also played a special role in both Maya and Aztec royal and religious events. Priests presented cacao seeds as offerings to the gods and served chocolate drinks during sacred ceremonies. The Mayan and the Aztecs called this chocolate beverage Xocolatl, a Nahuatl word meaning bitter water

Europe’s first contact with chocolate came during the conquest of Mexico in 1521. The Spaniards recognized the value attached to cacao and observed the Aztec custom of drinking chocolate. Soon after, the Spanish began to ship cacao seeds back home.

An expensive import, chocolate remained an elite beverage and a status symbol for Europe’s upper classes for the next 300 years.

When the Spanish brought cacao home, they doctored up the bitter brew with cinnamon and other spices and began sweetening it with sugar.

They managed to keep their delicious drink a Spanish secret for almost 100 years before the rest of Europe discovered what they were missing. Sweetened chocolate soon became the latest and greatest fad to hit the continent Because cacao and sugar were expensive imports, only those with money could afford to drink chocolate. In fact, in France, chocolate was a state monopoly that could be consumed only by members of the royal court. Like the Maya and the Aztecs, Europeans developed their own special protocol for the drinking of chocolate. They even designed elaborate porcelain and silver serving pieces and cups for chocolate that acted as symbols of wealth and power.
Cacao and sugar were labor-intensive agricultural products. To keep up with the demand for chocolate, Spain and many other European nations established colonial plantations for growing these plants.

A combination of wage laborers and enslaved peoples were used to create a plantation workforce.
For centuries, chocolate remained a handmade luxury sipped only by society’s upper crust. But by the 1800s, mass production made solid chocolate candy affordable to a much broader public.
The first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. In 1689, noted physician and collector Hans Sloane developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica which was initially used by apothecaries, but later sold to the Cadbury brothers

Cacao growing hasn't changed much since ancient times
cacao farming itself remains basically unaltered.

People grow cacao in equatorial climates all around the world today using traditional techniques first developed in Mesoamerica. Cacao is still harvested, fermented, dried, cleaned, and roasted mostly by hand.

But cacao is more than a source for calories and confections. The chemicals and substances in cacao can be extracted and incorporated into cosmetics and medicines. And the by-products of cacao can be used as mulch or fodder for cattle. The cacao tree grows in the shade of tropical rainforests near the equator.

Cacao trees are quite picky about their environment. If any of the following requirements are not met, the cacao tree will stop bearing fruit:

Regular rainfall Steady, warm temperatures Constant, high humidity Partial shade Rich, well-drained soil Canopy trees to protect plants from wind and moisture loss In addition, the seeds themselves won’t germinate after planting if they’re exposed to low temperatures or low humidity.Like people, cacao trees go through different stages of life. Their needs for food and shelter change as they mature.

Several types of chocolate can be distinguished. Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. "White chocolate" contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids

White chocolate is formed from a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids. Although its texture is similar to milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain any cocoa solids. Because of this, many countries do not consider white chocolate as chocolate at all

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S. Government calls this "sweet chocolate", and requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids

Eclairs

2009-06-16T10:29:00.006-03:00

It's been a while already since I posted my last recipe.
Of course I didn't stop cooking. Unfortunately I have been overloaded with work and things to do which left me very little time for uploading the recipes onto the blog.

I was pretty excited some time ago with mobile blogging service which would save me some time by being able to post things via an email from my phone. However, for some reason service is not working. I have followed all steps and directions, but they never appear anywhere in the blog.

Well, anyways, I am back to old fashion posting, which is logging in and writing from my computer.

So, back to the idea of this post, following is a set of Eclairs recipes to indulge yourselves.

An éclair is a thin pastry made of choux pastry

Choux pastry is a light french pastry dough made of butter water, flour and eggs. Its high moisture and raising capability makes the dough puff when pre-cooked, obtaining a very light and airy dough. This dough is then piped with a pastry bag into an oblong shape, baked until crisp and hollow inside. It is afterwards filled with different creams and topped with icing.

Choux pastry is used for eclairs and profiteroles. Traditionally it is filled with pastry cream, custard or whipped cream and topped with chocolate or other icing matching the flavor of the filling.

Basic Eclair dough recipe 1

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter sliced
1-1/4 cups flour (all purpose)
7 eggs, or more as needed

Method:

Combine water, salt, butter in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer.
Just as the butter melts, add the flour all at once.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball, pulls away from the sides and leaves a whitish film on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer to a bowl and work with a wooden spoon to cool it down slightly.
Work the eggs in one at a time, beating well with each addition.
The dough must be stiff enough to hold it’s shape when piped but loose enough to pipe...
You have added enough eggs if the dough droops from a spoon held sideways.

Basic Eclair recipe 2

75g/2½oz butter, diced
200ml/7fl oz water
salt
100g/4oz strong plain flour
3 free-range eggs, beaten

1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the butter, water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon as the butter melts.
2. Meanwhile, sift the flour into a small bowl.
3. When the butter has melted, turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Switch off the heat and quickly tip the flour into the saucepan. Immediately beat the flour into the liquid with the wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together. Stop beating when the mixture swells into a smooth dough that comes away from the sides of the saucepan. This should take only a few seconds.
4. Let the mixture cool for 3-4 minutes. Pour in a little of the beaten egg into the flour mixture and beat it in well. Keep adding and beating in the egg, a little at a time, until the dough looks thick, smooth and shiny and still holds its shape well. You may not need the last two or three tablespoonfuls of egg if your eggs are large.
5. Spoon the mixture into a freezer bag (you'll need to scrape it out of the pan with a plastic spatula). Fold down the top of the bag to squeeze the dough to the bottom. Snip off one of the bottom corners of the bag to give you a hole about 1cm long. You can also do this using a pastry bag.
6. Line two flat baking sheets with baking parchment. Squeeze the mixture into oblong lines on to the parchment, allowing about 4cm between each one (they will at least double in size in the oven). You should be able to make about 12.
7. Wearing oven gloves, place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Take the éclairs out when they are puffed up, golden brown all over, and feel hard when you poke one with a knife.
8. Immediately take each éclair off the baking sheet (they will be very hot, so wear oven gloves) and, with the point of a knife, gently slit the side to let out the steam. (Otherwise, the steam sits trapped in the éclair and turns back to water, leaving you with a soggy bun.) Leave them to cool and dry out on a wire rack.

Fill and top with desired options. Hereunder are some ideas.

Chocolate Cream Filling:
6 oz. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 cup Milk
4 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Flour

1. Melt chocolate (chopped) and milk in a pot, and bring to light boil, remove. 2. In a bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until it whitens. 3. Slowly add flour, stirring. 4. Slowly add chocolate and milk, stirring until homogenous. 5. Put back in pot, bring to light boil, stirring constantly, until cream thickens and becomes smooth. 6. When cream cools off (and eclairs have cooled off as well), you can begin filling the eclairs: Cut a small slit lengthwise, and then stuff with cream, using your baking sac or a small spoon. Voilà!

Meyer lemon filling:

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (or any other lemon variety)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks

Combine lemon juices and zest, sugar, butter, and salt in a nonreactive saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring gently, until butter is melted. Combine eggs and egg yolks in a bowl and mix together until blended. Whisk about 1/2 of the hot lemon mixture into the eggs to warm them, then slowly add the egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat (do not allow to boil), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate until cold and firm. Place on pastry bag and fill eclairs.

whipped cream filling:

1 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, for garnishIn a mixing bowl, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla extract, and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Place onto pastry bag and fill eclairs.

Passion Fruit and raspberry filling

10-12 passion fruits
25g caster sugar
150ml cold, thick fresh custard , homemade or bought
142ml carton double cream
225-350g raspberries
icing sugar , for dusting

Halve the passion fruits and scoop the pulp into a small pan. Add the sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for a minute or two until a thick consistency is reached. Leave until cold, then spoon the syrup into the custard, saving a little to finish the dish. Whip the cream to soft peaks before gently spooning into the flavoured custard. Refrigerate until needed (it will keep for up to 4 hours). To serve, split the eclairs lengthways and put the bases on individual plates. Spoon on the cream generously - it will happily tumble onto the plate. Now sprinkle the raspberries over and around, and drizzle with the passion fruit syrup. The lids can now be placed on top and dusted with icing sugar.

Chocolate Icing:
5 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
2 oz. Butter
1/4 cup Water
Chocolate eclair recipes are well-worth the time they take!!!
1. Melt chocolate with water in a small pot over a low flame.
2. Once melted add butter, whisking the whole time. Should look shiny and creamy!
3. Remove from heat. Spread a thin layer on each eclair, using a spatula.
4. Wait until icing hardens a bit to serve it.

Tip: Even if you are making fewer eclairs, make the full quantity of dough (it will prepare better!). You can always freeze what you don't use.

Courgette Rissotto

2009-05-15T12:54:00.003-03:00

I am copying this recipe from http://thesamovar.wordpress.com/2007/07/14/courgette-risotto/ after trying it and finding it stunning.

The texture and flavors melt mildly on your palate and the touch of parmessan... well, that is the perfect finishing for this recipe.

I added a bit of ground nutmeg to the recipe and then more parmessan on top

Ingredients (for 2)
2 courgettes, skins taken off and roughly chopped, flesh finely chopped (I only roughly chopped it, and I think it would have been better done fine)
Handful of pinenuts, toasted
Herbs, chopped (some combination of parsley, oregano, marjoram, basil, mint probably)
Lemon juice to taste (probably about 1/3 of a lemon’s worth)
Pesto (optional, it was quite nice but fine without)
Onion, risotto rice, parmesan, stock, wine, butter, oil, salt, pepper

Soften onions in olive oil, add risotto rice and toast for a minute or so. Pour in some wine or dry vermouth and boil until dry. Put in the finely chopped courgette flesh, some stock and half the herbs. Cook as a normal risotto.
Meanwhile, saute the courgette skins in butter on a high heat so they soften a bit (but not mushy) and brown. Add the lemon juice and herbs to this. Toast the pinenuts.
When the risotto is ready, stir in the pinenuts, parmesan, butter, salt and pepper and test for seasoning. Finally, lightly fold in the skins, herbs and lemon mixture.
Serve with the pesto on the side.

Quick Jam sponge pudding

2009-05-15T12:48:00.002-03:00

Serves 4
Total Prep & Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 tbsp Jam
100g/4oz Butter or Margarine
100g/4oz Sugar
2 Large Eggs, beaten
1 teasp Vanilla Extract
100g/4oz Self Raising Flour
Instructions
1. Lightly grease a 900ml/30fl.oz microwave bowl then place the jam in the bowl, spreading it evenly to cover the base. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
3. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla extract. If you use a whisk it will mix together more quickly.
4. Add the flour and mix well then transfer the mixture to the bowl containing the jam.
5. Cover with a microwaveable plate and cook for 3 and a half minutes on high (800w).
Serve with lashings of creamy custard.

Courtesy of www.Recipes4us.co

A twist on Carbonara

2009-05-15T12:45:00.001-03:00

Ingredients
175g/6oz Dried Pasta (shortcut or long)
50g/2oz Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
1 Egg Yolk
120ml/4fl.oz. Double Cream
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4 rashers Streaky Bacon, chopped
½ a medium Onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
Salt and Black Pepper
　
Instructions
　
1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add plenty of salt, add the pasta, stir well, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes.
　
2. Meanwhile, place the cheese, egg yolk, cream, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Set aside.
　
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan until hot, add the bacon and fry over a medium heat for 1 minute, turning.
　
4. Add the onion and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, then add the garlic and continue to fry, stirring, for a further 2 minutes.
　
5. Once the pasta has cooked, drain well in a colander then return to the pan and stir in the hot bacon mixture.
　
6. Immediately add the cheese and cream mixture to the hot pasta mixture and mix well. There's not need to have any heat under the pan as the heat of the pasta will cook the sauce. Serve immediately

Glazed Carrots

2009-05-15T12:40:00.002-03:00

Glazed Carrots

Serves 2
　
Total Prep and cooking time: 20 minutes
　
Ingredients
25g/1oz Butter
1 Large Shallot or ½ a small Onion, finely chopped
225g/8oz Carrots, cut into batons
2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
120ml/4fl.oz. Hot Vegetable Stock
Salt and Black Pepper
　
Instructions
　
1. Heat the butter in a medium sized saucepan until melted, add the onions and carrots, turn to coat then sprinkle over the sugar and cook over a medium heat, for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar has melted.
　
2. Add the hot stock, season with salt and pepper, mix well then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
　
3. Remove the lid and continue to cook over a medium heat, stirring from time to time, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are left with a glazed coating. Serve immediately.
　
Courtesy of www.Recipes4us.co.uk

Suggestion: using baby carrots for this recipe enhances it very much.

Strawberry smothie

2009-05-15T12:35:00.002-03:00

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ Large Banana

5 Strawberries

120ml/4fl.oz. Vanilla Yoghurt

2-3 teasp Honey

2 large Ice Cubes, crushed

1 Whole strawberry to garnish

Instructions

Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces, place all of the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a fanned strawberry.
Courtesy of www.Recipes4us.co.uk

Traditional Bread and Butter Pudding

2009-05-15T12:26:00.003-03:00

Serves 4 - Prep & Cooking time: 60mins
Ingredients

6 slices well buttered Bread

50g/2oz Sultanas

4 Eggs

25g/1oz Sugar

600ml/20fl.oz. Milk

A little Freshly Grated Nutmeg

A little extra Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, Gas mark 3.

Grease a 7.5cm/3 inch deep ovenproof dish.

2. Remove the crusts from the buttered bread and cut into quarters (triangles or squares). Reserve 4 quarters for the top and arrange the rest in layers in the dish, sprinkling the sultanas between each layer. Top with the reserved quarters.

3. In a saucepan, heat the milk to hot but not boiling. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar then add the hot milk, stirring well then stir in a little freshly grated nutmeg.

4. Slowly strain over the bread and fruit, being careful not to dislodge the top layer of bread. Leave the bread and butter pudding to stand for 10 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the bread and butter pudding with a little extra sugar and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is browned and crispy.

PICTURE AND RECIPE CREDITS:www.recipes4us.co.uk

The Joy of Cooking

2009-05-07T12:10:00.009-03:00

Many times I receive emails from fans of this blog who want to congratulate me for the blog, ask cooking questions to me, or simply say hi. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of them for their inmense support. It is very flattering for me to receive such mails and it fills my spirit with energy and encouragement.

I would like to point that out, because lately it has been very hard to find the time for blogging and replying to everybody. But I do read all of them and I do appreciate you being there.

Having said that, I'd better get now back to the idea of the post, before I end talking about something else.

Since the blog has been running, I have started receiving comments and questions from people who like my recipes and the articles posted here. Ever since, the amount of questions has been growing, but there is one recurrent topic always. That is, people wanting to know how one gets to lose fear of cooking and how to come up with your own recipes.

I must tell you that, there is no absolute truth about how to be a great cook. Each dish is a way of presenting a set of ingredients with a specific purpose. Such purpose can be expressing art of food through the beauty and colors of its ingredients, stressing out a specific product or texture, or simply feed a family, just to mention a few. The way each cook selects and treats ingredients is completely related to cultural issues, traditions, the final purpose of the dish to be prepared, and his/her own style.

In general, I always tell my friends the same. Develop your passion and find your style.

1) First step to start cooking is leaving your fears aside.

If you have the chance, books are good for helping. You can also get help/knowledge from serious internet cooking sites or blogs, or TV.

2) Keep in mind that the base for a good result lies in good ingredients.

3) Do not use too much or too many spices for starters. Start little by little until you get used to them. There is always plenty of time to add more if needed, whereas if you use too much of them, it is difficult to fix. In addition you need to know that the same spice can be stronger depending if it is used fresh or dried. Longer cooking also tends to concentrate flavors as liquids start reducing. Same happens when you freeze food, flavors also tend to concentrate over time.

4) Practice makes master

5) Be yourself. Let your energy flow through you.

6) Use your talent to create something. We all have our talent, some, just havent found it yet.

7) Creativity comes from instincts. Trust your instincts.

9) Study the ingredient, observe it, analyze it, and respect it.

10) Learn how ingredients work, so you can always adapt recipes to your personal taste or pantry. Read your recipe thoroughly before starting. This way you are sure you have what you need and you will know better how to follow the directions in it.

11) Be passionate about what you do. This is what will turn all your hardwork into a unique masterpiece.It will be the source of your inspiration and the engine to pop out all the creativity that lies inside of you.

12) and most important : Have Fun in The Process!

Moelleux au chocolat

2009-03-29T17:57:00.003-03:00

I owe the sinfulness of this dark chocolate moelleux to my friend Lydia from Xing network, who shared it with me from BBC Food site.

She is aware of my love for chocolate and she found a way to tempt me. Well I didnt have the chance to taste it for myself (although the fragant smell from the oven almost kills me) however family loved it.

This recipe only serves 2, so if you plan on serving more people, increase the recipe quantities accordingly.

Original recipe follows however I used only 80 grs of chocolate (dark chocolate) and added 1 teaspoon of espresso coffee powder to increase choco flavor and dark color.

Ingredients for 2

100g chocolate (ideally about 70% cocoa solids)
75g unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
25g flour
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to around 200C. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie.
Mix together the icing sugar and flour in a seperate bowl. Then add the eggs and mix well.
Butter two ramekin dishes. When the chocolate/butter is truly melted, pour the mixture into the flour/icing sugar/egg bowl and mix completely.
Pour mixture into the ramekins about 3/4s full. Cook for approx 10mins, or until they have risen about an inch.
I serve it still in the ramekin dish (in a very rustic French style!) with a raspberry coulis (recipe to follow soon) and vanilla ice cream.

Culinarium

2009-03-29T00:05:00.003-03:00

Ingredients and how they work

Have you ever wondered what is the science behind the food we eat ? What are the processes our food undergoes during cooking? What are the characteristics and benefits of the ingredients we use? What are the food safety rules we should follow? Here is a place where you can find the answers to these, and many other questions. Jump onto CULINARIUM.

The chocolate heart attack cake

2009-03-24T14:17:00.001-03:00

From http://almondandthehazelnut.com/archives/2008/11/the-chocolate-heart-attack/

This recipe has been adapted from one found in Bon Appetit. In Australia, I was hard pressed to find plain chocolate wafers, so I used Gaiety, a wafer with a thin chocolate coating. This addition of chocolate, once melted in the oven, produced a most pleasant crisp, extra chocolatey dimension in the base… Yes, a most pleasant addition.

Base
150g packet chocolate wafers
1 tablespoon caster sugar
60g butter, melted

Middle
300g dark chocolate*, chopped
1kg cream cheese, softened
1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar
¼ cup cocoa
4 eggs
Top
¾ cup pouring cream
90g dark chocolate*, chopped
90g milk chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm springform pan and line the base with baking paper. Blend the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Add the sugar and blend till combined. Add the melted butter and blend till well combined. Press the crumbs evenly on the base. Bake until just set, about 5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

For the middle, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool - it is very important that it is room temperature, but still pourable otherwise the it will harden on contact with the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you don’t have one big enough, use an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the cooled chocolate. Pour the mixture over the base and smooth the top. Bake until the center is just set and the top appear just dry. Cool in the pan at room temperature. Transfer to fridge and chill overnight.

For the top, place the cream, chocolate and sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Pour over the top of the cheesecake and spread evenly. Chill in the fridge until the top is set, about 1 hour. Let it stand for 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

* For maximum heart attack effect, use 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate.

Chocolate decadence cake

2009-03-24T14:15:00.004-03:00

source http://www.aspoonfulofsugar.net/wp/2008/11/chocolate-decadence/

150g dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped fine (at least 70% cocoa solids)
1 whole large egg
1 large egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
50g best quality cocoa powder
20g plain flour
180g caster sugar (divide into 130g and 50g)
185ml milk (original recipe uses skimmed, but I only had full-fat on hand which worked fine)

You will also need a 20cm (8″) round cake tin with a solid bottom, 1 1/2 to 2″ deep and a roasting tin at least 2″ deep and 2″ wider than the cake tin

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 180C (fan oven 160). Spray the sides of the pan with oil and line the base with parchment paper. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Combine 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk in a small bowl with the vanilla. Place the 2 egg whites in a medium bowl with the cream of tartar. Set all 3 bowls aside.

Sift the cocoa, flour and 150g sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk in enough of the milk to form a smooth paste. Mix in remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to prevent burning until mixture begins to simmer. Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes. Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla mixture. Set aside.

Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining 50g of sugar, whisking at high speed until stiff, glossy but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top. Set cake tin in roasting tin and place on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting tin to come about half of the way up the side of the cake tin. Bake for exactly 30 minutes. The surface of the torte will spring back when very gently pressed but it will still be quite gooey inside. Remove cake tin and water bath from oven. Remove the cake tin from the water and cool completely on a rack. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate overnight before attempting to remove from tin.

Unmould by sliding a thin knife or metal spatula around the sides of the tin to release the torte. Place a piece of wax paper on top of torte. Invert a plate on top of the wax paper and invert torte onto plate. Remove tin and gently peel away paper liner. Turn torte right side up again and remove wax paper. Cut into wedges with a sharp thin knife. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each slice.

Ultimate chocolate cake

2009-03-24T14:11:00.002-03:00

source http://msugarn.blogspot.com/2008/11/chocolate-cake-showdown.html

Ingredients

Sponge cake
4 eggs

105g caster sugar

110g flour

20g unsweetened cocoa powder

60g melted butter

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ovalette

1 tsp vanilla essence

45g low fat milk

Rum

Chocolate Frosting

160g 60% (bittersweet) chocolate chopped

160g milk/semi-sweet chocolate chopped

1 1/2cup lite sour cream

Chocolate ganache

80g semi-sweet chocolate chopped

100g heavy cream

Method

Chocolate sponge cake

1. Beat the eggs and milk at low speed.

2. Add the dry ingredients and ovalette, and continue beating at low speed for 1 min then swith to high speed and beat for 6 minutes

3. Add vanilla essence and melted butter to mixture and beat at medium speed until well mixed

Chocolate Frosting

1.Melt chocolate in a double boiler/heatproof bowl over barely simmering water.

2. Beat in the sour cream until well mixed.

Layer cakes to about 1cm (my preference) divide frosting accordding to the number of layers you are planning to set. e.g 3 layers, divide frosting into 4 portions. 4 layers>5 portions so on and so forth.

Dot a little rum on each songe cake layer before spreading the frosting. Use remaining to frost top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate ganache

1. Heat heavy cream to boil.

2. pour heated cream over chocolate and mix until homogeneous.

3. Let it cool a little, and pour over cake. (You can choose to cover the whole cake with the ganache. But be warned, it's goin to be very rich!)

4. Chill for about 15mins.

5. ready for devour

Penny & Fiona’s Chocolate Cake

2009-03-24T14:05:00.000-03:00

Penny & Fiona’s Chocolate Cake (from http://tummyrumble.net/)

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)
250g butter
2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 tbs instant coffee (I used actual coffee made with my machine)
1 1/2 cups Self raising flour
3 tbs cocoa
2 eggs
1 dessert spoon vanilla essence

Melt the butter in a large saucepan - do not allow to boil.

Dissolve coffee in boiling water, and add coffee mixture, sugar and broken up chocolate to butter. Stir until dissolved, melted and mixed. Do not allow to boil.

Pour mixture into bowl & allow to cool. (You will need a large bowl as it’s a big mixture)

Sieve flour and cocoa together and add to butter/choc mixture in 3 lots, beating well between additions.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well between eggs.

Add vanilla essence and beat well.

Pour mixture into a well greased and lined tin, and bake in a slow oven (fan-forced around 160°-170°) for 1 1/2 hours.

The mixture when cooking is very moist and really only firms up at the end. It makes a very large cake. When cooked the top very often rises and cracks (high sugar content), and apparently it is very good to freeze when cold, but I’ve never tried!

Whole wheat chocolate linzer cake

2009-03-24T13:59:00.002-03:00

Source http://mixtomatch.blogspot.com/2008/11/whole-wheat-chocolate-linzer-cake.html

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 round cake pans (maybe 8-9" diameter)/line them with parchment paper.

Dry Ingredients:

100% whole wheat pastry flour - 3/4 cup (Try not to use the regular whole wheat flour, unless you want a very dense cake)
Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

Wet Ingredients:

Whole almonds - 2/3 cup
Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
Skim milk - 2 tbsp
Almond extract - 3/4 tsp
Large eggs - 4 (Separated, meaning white and yolks in separate bowls)
Sugar - 3/4 cups (I use a little less)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

For finishing:

Strawberry preserves - 3/4 cup
Confectioner's sugar - Just enough to cover the top of the cake
Fresh strawberries - As many as you like!

Method:

Sift all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Take the egg whites and beat them on low speed in a hand mixer till soft peaks form, slowly add 1/4 cup sugar and beat till you get stiff peaks.

Grind the almonds in a food processor, then add the milk, almond extract and vegetable oil and pulse till it forms a wet mass.

Beat the egg yolks & 1/2 cup of sugar separately in a bowl till the mixture turns pale yellow and creamy. Add vanilla essence.

Now add the almond mixture and mix till incorporated with the egg yolk mixture. Then add the flour mixture and fold/mix evenly.

Add one-third of the beaten egg whites and fold into the above mixture. Do not beat/whisk (as tough as it may be), then add the rest of the egg whites and fold till the batter looks even.

Divide equally into the two prepped pans and tap gently to settle the air bubbles.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 min, turn the pans midway, then bake for another 10 min.
Cool completely on a cake rack for atleast an hour.

Spread the strawberry preserves evenly on top of one cake, and then place the other cake on top and press firmly.
I did have pre-powdered sugar with cardamom (Indian spice) and it co-ordinated pretty well with the cake.
Dust the powdered sugar on top and decorate with fresh strawberries. Cut yourself a slice and enjoy!

Chocolate peanut butter mousse cake

2009-03-24T13:57:00.003-03:00

Source http://alpineberry.blogspot.com/2007/04/chocolate-peanut-butter-mousse-cake.html

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
(Adapted from Tish Boyle's "The Cake Book")
(makes one 9-inch cake)

Chocolate Wafer Crust
1 1/2 cups (6.3oz) Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookie crumbs
4 tbsp (2oz) unsalted butter, melted

Peanut Butter Mousse
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp (1oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (4oz) confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup (7oz) creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Mousse
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup whole milk
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To make the crust:
Lightly butter the bottom of a 9x3 inch springform pan. In a bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter until combined. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Refrigerate the crust while you make the PB mousse.

To make the PB mousse:
In the bowl of a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, about 1 minute on medium-low speed. Mix in the confectioners' sugar. Add the peanut butter and salt and mix until well blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set aside.

In a clean mixer bowl, using the whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipping cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost blended. Fold in another 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream until completed blended. (Save the remaining whipped cream for making the chocolate mousse.)

Scrape the peanut butter mousse into the prepared pan and spread evenly over the crust. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate mousse.

To make the chocolate mousse:
Place both chocolates in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave the chocolate in the bowl.

Combine the milk and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. With the food processor running, pour the hot milk mixture through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is completely melted. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla, and process until blended. Scrape mixture into a large bowl.

Gently fold one-third of the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream until completely blended. Scrape the chocolate mousse over the peanut butter mousse layer. Loosely cover the cake and freeze for at least 1 hour, until firm.

To serve:
Run a thin-bladed knife under hot water (or dunk into a pitcher of hot water) and wipe dry, run the knife between the cake and the side of the pan to release the cake; reheat the knife as needed. Remove the sides of the springform pan. The cake is ready for serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Optional: You can also glaze the top of the mousse cake with your favorite bittersweet chocolate glaze. Refrigerate the glazed cake for 1 hour before serving. (Although I think I liked it better without the glaze.)

Chocolate orange tart

2009-03-24T13:53:00.002-03:00

Candied Orange peel:
1 orange
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water

Crust:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped* or substitute haze nuts
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

For candied orange peel:
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from orange in strips. Cut strips into matchstick-size pieces and place in small saucepan. Cover with cold water; bring to boil. Cook 30 seconds; drain. Rinse saucepan; add 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and peel. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until peel is translucent and syrup is thick, about 20 minutes. Using tines of fork, transfer peel to plate and cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)

For crust:
Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until smooth. Beat in cocoa powder. Add flour and beat until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 11-inch round. Peel off top sheet of paper. Invert dough over 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Gently press dough into pan. Press dough overhang in to form double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until sides look dry and bottom looks bubbly, about 14 minutes. Transfer crust to rack. Using back of spoon, press up sides of dough if falling. Cool completely.

For filling:
Toss almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl. Chop all but 2 strips of peel. Sprinkle chopped orange peel, then almond mixture over bottom of prepared crust. Place cream in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth; mix in Grand Marnier. Pour into crust. Refrigerate until filling is firm, at least 3 hours. Garnish with remaining 2 orange peel strips. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep refrigerated.)

Using sharp knife, gently loosen crust from pan sides. Remove pan sides. Cut tart into wedges; serve cold.

Devilish chocolate cake

2009-03-24T13:50:00.003-03:00

2/3 cup sifted cake flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350°.
ift together first 4 ingredients in a bowl, and set aside.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, warm water, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating mixture until stiff peaks form. Sift flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, and fold flour mixture in gently.

Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; let cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow spatula; revert cake onto a baking rack. Transfer the rack to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Combine the chopped chocolate and milk together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring with a fork until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the tablespoon of butter. Spoon the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, pushing some of the glaze over and down the sides of the cake.

Arrange the sliced strawberries on the top of the cake, placing them in concentric circles. Allow the chocolate glaze to set for at least an hour.

Source http://ourkitchensink.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/devilish-angel-food/

Coffee dark chocolate layer cake

2009-03-24T13:35:00.002-03:00

From bonapetit.com http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/slideshows/2009/04/cake_slideshow?slide=3

Ingredients

cake

2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water

frosting

1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese
Bittersweet chocolate curls (optional)

Preparation

cake

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth.
Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake; invert again so top side is up. Cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake in plastic and store at room temperature.

frosting

Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.
Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting in dollops over top of cake. Using offset spatula, spread frosting to edges. Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Using offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Top with chocolate curls, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Chocolate cake with cream cheesecake filling

2009-03-24T13:32:00.002-03:00

Source: Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chocolate-layer-cake-with-cheesecake-filling-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur
Chocolate Cake, recipe follows
Sliced almonds, for garnish

Cheesecake:

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9-inch round baking pan with aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan. Lightly grease the foil.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, beating until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and liqueur. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in oven with door closed for another hour. Let the cheesecake cool completely in its pan on a wire rack then cover and chill for 4 hours. Using edges of foil as handles, remove cheesecake from pan and peel away foil.

Assembly:

Spread a layer of frosting on top of chocolate cake. Next, layer cheesecake and top with chocolate icing. Place second chocolate cake and ice with frosting on top and on the sides. Sprinkle almonds on sides or top.

Chocolate Cake:

1 (18.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup almond flavored liqueur
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, liqueur, water, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Chocolate Almond Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
12 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur
6 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add chocolate, beating until combined. Beat in almond liqueur and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.

White chocolate layer cake

2009-03-24T13:23:00.002-03:00

12 squares (1 ounce each) white chocolate, divided

1cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, divided

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1-1/2teaspoons vanilla, divided

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

Pinch salt

1-1/2cups powdered sugar

1/4cup seedless raspberry jam

1cup raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Microwave 6 squares white chocolate and 1/2 cup butter in microwavable bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) 1-1/2 minutes; stir. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until chocolate is melted. Cool slightly.

2. Beat cake mix, milk, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and white chocolate mixture in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool layers in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

4. For frosting, melt remaining 6 squares white chocolate; cool slightly. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Beat in melted chocolate, remaining 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar; beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

5. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Top with frosting; spread jam evenly over frosting. Place second cake layer over jam. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with raspberries.

Source http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/white-chocolate-lovers-layer-cake-recipe.htm

Triple chocolate layer cake

2009-03-24T13:05:00.002-03:00

Source: http://canarygirl.vox.com/

triple chocolate layer cake slice

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1/2 cup (120 grams) butter

1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) powdered sugar

6 eggs

6 ounces (170 grams) sugar

5 ounces (120 grams) dark chocolate

4 1/2 ounces (130 grams) flour

pinch of salt

For the filling:

8 ounces (200 grams) butter

6 ounces (150 grams) white chocolate

1 tablespoon espresso, cold

a little over 8 ounces (220 grams) powdered sugar

8 nces (200 grams) heavy cream

For decoration:

fresh strawberries, washed and completely dried

melted white chocolate

melted milk chocolate

Preparation:

Make the cake the day before.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Line a larger springform pan with parchment (bottom and sides), or grease and flour the pan.

Melt chocolate over a double boiler and allow to cool.

Using an electric mixer, blend butter, powdered sugar and salt until creamy.

While continuing to mix, add egg yolks one at a time, fully blending after each addition.

Incorporate melted chocolate until fully combined.

Beat egg whites and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture carefully, just until fully combined.

Sift flour into the batter, and fold in carefully just until fully combined.

Spread batter into prepared pan, leveling with a spatula.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes.

Wait 24 hours to remove from pan.

Prepare the strawberries:

Gently stir melted chocolates, to create a swirly mix, not fully combined.

Dip strawberries in chocolate and place on a wax paper lined plate.

Reserve any unused chocolate for decoration.

Place in refrigerator until ready for use.

Prepare filling:

Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until creamy.

Melt chocolate and incorporate into the butter mixture.

Add espresso and beat until combined.

Whip cream until soft peaks form.

Carefully add cream to chocolate mixture, folding in with a spatula, just until combined.

Assemble cake:

Cut cake into 4 equal layers (or 3 uneven ones, like I did LOL).

Frost layers with filling, then frost outside with remaining frosting.

Top with chocolate dipped strawberries, and drizzle with reserved chocolate (I put it in a plastic bag and snipped the corner off....make-shift pastry bag!).....I also added chocolate dipped cookie "pearls" at the base of the cake.

Double chocolate layer cake

2009-03-24T10:31:00.000-03:00

Ingredients:
For cake layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment
two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

Preparation:
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

RICH CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

2009-03-24T10:25:00.002-03:00

1 box(es)	devil's food cake mix, such as Betty Crocker
1/4 cup(s)	unsweetened cocoa
1 cup(s)	mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's or Best Foods
3 large	eggs
1 cup(s)	water
2 container(s)	(16 ounces each) chocolate frosting
1/4 cup(s)	sour cream
2 teaspoon(s)	vanilla extract
1/2 cup(s)	chopped almonds, toasted
1 cup(s)	sweetened flaked coconut, toasted Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Cut two 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter. Lightly flour both pans, shake out excess flour and set aside. Beat the cake mix, cocoa, mayonnaise, eggs, and water in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on low speed. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean -- about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool. Make the filling: Whisk the frosting, sour cream, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of frosting to a medium bowl and stir in the almonds and the toasted coconut. Set aside. Assemble the cake: Split both layers and brush away any excess crumbs. Place one split layer on a cake plate. Tuck strips of wax paper under the edges of the cake to protect the plate. Spread 1/3 of the filling over the layer. Top with the next layer and spread another 1/3 of the filling over the top. Repeat with the third cake layer and remaining filling and top with the final cake layer. Spread the frosting over the top of cake smoothing out to the edges. Spread the remaining frosting around the sides and serve or store covered for up to 4 days.

Chocolate Caramel Cream Pie

2009-03-23T17:13:00.005-03:00

Recipe from Countryliving.com

8 tablespoon(s)	unsalted butter
2 cup(s)	(about 5 ounces) finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies
2 tablespoon(s)	Cognac
5 ounce(s)	bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large	egg yolks
2/3 cup(s)	dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon(s)	dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon(s)	cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon(s)	salt
2 cup(s)	heavy cream
2 tablespoon(s)	heavy cream
1 cup(s)	(plus 2 tablespoons) whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon(s)	pure vanilla extract caramel sauce - recipe follows

1 tablespoon(s)	cocoa powder

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir the crushed cookie crumbs, melted butter, and Cognac in a medium-size bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and all around the sides of a pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the pudding: Place the chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk the egg yolks, 2/3 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, milk, and remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat and, whisking continuously, gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture. Return the milk-and-egg mixture to the saucepan and, whisking continuously, cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook for 1 more minute, whisking continuously, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Remove from heat and strain the pudding into the bowl with the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes and fold the chocolate into the pudding with a spatula. Cool to room temperature.
Finish the pie: Pour caramel sauce into the bottom of the piecrust and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Spread the pudding over the caramel and chill for 2 hours. Beat the remaining cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and the cocoa powder in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Top the pudding with the cream and chill for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup(s)	sugar
1/4 cup(s)	heavy cream
1 tablespoon(s)	unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Increase the temperature to high and cook until the caramel reaches an amber color. Remove pan from heat and stir in cream 1/8 cup at a time until smooth. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
cool until caramel is slightly thickened and use immediately. For other use, store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Heat until just warm in a hot water bath or in microwave to use.

Cornbread muffins

2009-03-22T18:38:00.002-03:00

This cornbread muffin recipe is versatile enough to accomodate your needs for savory or sweet muffins

Classic Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
You Will Need:
1 cup flour1 cup cornmeal
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with liners.
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add in buttermilk, oil and egg and stir using a wooden spoon until batter is blended. Don’t fret about lumps.
At this point, you can simply fill the muffin liners with the batter (until ¾ of the way full) and bake them until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center. This will take about 20 minutes. However, if you want to tailor the recipe, you can add in extra ingredients before baking.

Suggestions for altering this basic corn bread recipe:
For sweeter cornbread muffins, increase sugar by ¼ cup and add two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Add one cup of fresh blueberries or raspberries if you wish. If you add berries, increase cooking time to 25 minutes.
For sweet and spicy cornbread muffins, add ½ finely chopped fresh jalapeño pepper, ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper and ¼ cup more sugar.
For chunky corn muffins, add in one can of drained, canned corn and ½ cup finely chopped red pepper. Increase cooking time to 25 minutes.
For extra moist corn muffins, replace buttermilk with sour cream. Increase cooking time by three to five minutes.
All of these corn muffin recipes will taste best if served hot out of the oven with a pat of butter or honey butter.

Chocolate chip and pear muffins

2009-03-22T16:53:00.011-03:00

This recipe is the perfect treat for a fragant breakfast or afternoon tea delight.

A deliciously unfussy moist and tender muffin packed with the moisture and scent of pears, ginger, cardamom and cinammon.

A delight on its own and versatile to be easily addapted into a variety of savory or sweet muffins.

Renders 20-24 mid sized muffins

Dry ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup of cornmeal flour (you can substitute cornmeal for whole wheat flour or an additional cup of plain flour)

2/3 cups unpacked brown sugar. (white granulated sugar also works)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tbspn milk powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon powder ginger

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon

Wet ingredients

3 large eggs

2 medium firm pears, peeled and grated so as to make a puree.

150 grs melted and cooled butter

1 tspn vainilla

3/4 cup buttermilk, (you can use cream, natural unflavored yoghurt or just milk)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Position rack in center of oven.

Place muffin paper cups and spray with vegetable oil.

In a large mixing bowl mix together all wet ingredients except butter.

In another large mixing bowl mix together all dry ingredients.

With a rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result. Even if you have some batter lumps, they will dissolve when baked.

Fill in the muffin cups with the batter only until 3/4 of their height.

Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.

Optional> you can sprinkle the muffins with a mix of sugar and cinammon before placing the muffins into the oven.

Enjoy!!

For a savory muffin option substitute chocolate chips for same amount of parmessan cheese and do not use sugar.

Just two tips for a successfull muffin recipe:

Do not overmix ingredients

Once wet and dry ingredients are mixed, place muffins in the oven right away.

Additionaly, you can check my Corn muffin recipe and variations on this site.

Chocolate raspbrerry slice cake

2009-02-27T12:35:00.000-02:00

Base:

125g butter
125g sugar
250g S.R. flour
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

* Cream butter & sugar, then add other ingredients and mix into stiff dough. Press into cake tin.
* Cover base with a layer of loganberry jam

Top:

1 cup shredded coconut
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbs cocoa

* Mix well & spread over jam layer
* Bake slice at 180C for 15-20 min

Hummus and Feta cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread

2009-02-25T12:40:00.002-02:00

Recipe from epicurious.com

Hummus:

1 14-to 15-ounce can organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño chile

Sandwiches:

4 5x3-inch slices whole grain bread
1 Persian cucumber or one 4-inch piece English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
8 fresh mint leaves
4 fresh cilantro sprigs
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Preparation

For hummus:
Using on/off turns, finely chop garbanzo beans and garlic in processor. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining ingredients; process to coarse puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Transfer to airtight container and chill.

For sandwiches:
Spread 2 tablespoons hummus over each bread slice. Top 2 bread slices with sliced cucumber, mint, and cilantro, dividing equally. Arrange slices of feta atop cilantro. Top each with second bread slice and press gently to compact slightly. Cut sandwiches in half.

* Available at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Middle Eastern markets.

Gourmet Burger

2009-02-25T12:37:00.000-02:00

* 4 tablespoons canola oil
* 2 medium portobellos, diced
* 1/2 red onion, diced
* 1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
* 1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 egg whites
* 1 tablespoon honey mustard
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
* 4 whole-wheat buns
* 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
* 4 lettuce leaves
* 4 tomato slices
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pepper begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add beans, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook, smashing beans with the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs. Form into 4 patties. Wipe out skillet; heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat and cook burgers until brown and feels firm, 6 to 7 minutes each side. Place on buns; top with barbecue sauce, lettuce and tomato.

Professional Photoshop Edittings

2009-01-15T14:43:00.001-02:00

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE CRISTALIZED OR CANDIED GINGER

2009-01-15T13:16:00.003-02:00

Peel and thinly slice 1 pound (500 grams) fresh gingerroot.
Place sliced ginger in a heavy saucepan.
Cover with water.
Cook gently until tender, about 30 minutes.
Drain off water.
Weigh the cooked ginger and measure an equal amount of sugar.
Return ginger to saucepan.
Add sugar and 3 Tablespoons water.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, and cook until ginger is transparent and liquid has almost evaporated.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, until almost dry.
Toss cooled ginger in sugar to coat.
Store crystallized (candied) ginger in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.

What You Need:

Fresh ginger
Knife
Sugar
Water
Heavy saucepan
Stove
Sealable glass jar for storage

Personalized Gift for your family or friends

2008-12-15T17:47:00.004-02:00

Lemon poppy seed cake in a jar

This is a great gift idea for your friends, family or co-workers. You can buy the ingredients in bulk and get some jars at your local discount store. Decorate the jars with festive colored ribbons and bows
You can print a recipe card and attach it to the jar.

For the jar mix
1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
3 Cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 Cups poppy seeds

Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a wire whisk. Store the mix in an airtight jar.

Attach these instructions to the jar:
Lemon−Poppy Seed Cake
3/4 Cup butter
6 eggs
1/3 Cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract (not lemon juice) Zest of 1 lemon
1 jar Lemon Poppy−Seed Cake
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter an 8− to 9−cup Bundt pan.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the milk, extracts and lemon zest. The mixture will look curdled. Add the jar contents, and continue to beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Lemon Glaze
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
150 grs philadelphia cheese or any white cream cheese
Juice of 1/2 mid sized lemon

Combine sugar, cheese and lemon juice until soft and creamy and the sugar is dissolved.

Let the cake stand for 1 hour and remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. Cover with the lemon glaze

Candied citrus peels

2008-12-08T14:56:00.004-02:00

Candied Citrus peels

Candied peel is a delicious decoration for desserts and ice cream. It's also wonderful dipped in chocolate to serve with coffee.

Makes about 1 cup.
Total preparation time: 30 minutes

3 firm, ripe lemons or oranges
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Using a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the fruit, leaving the bitter white pith. Using a sharp knife, cut the peel into strips, according to intended use. If you want to use the candied peel on cakes or tarts, cut it into matchstick strips; if candying to dip in chocolate, cut the peel into larger strips.

Step 2:
Place the strips in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, drain, and refresh under cold running water. Return to the saucepan, add the sugar and 1/2 cup water and cook over moderate heat until the liquid has evaporated and the peel is bright and shiny. Spread peel on a sheet of foil to cool, separating the strips.

Step 3:
Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. The candied peel will keep for up to 6 months.

No Bake White chocolate and Lemon cheesecake & Strawberry coulis

2008-12-08T13:32:00.009-02:00

Hello,

Today's post is a very nice easy and mouthwatering recipe.

I came up with this recipe over the weekend for a dinner with friends, but it is a very easy and gourmet style option for the incoming holidays or any other ocassion.

Serves 12.

Ingredients:

CRUST

2 packages classic Oreo chocolate cookies

1 tspn ground coffee.

1 tspn salt (better if you can ground some cooking salt (rock salt) so it is not as fine as table salt, but still can be felt in the mouth)

FILLING

2 packages 140 grs of Kraft's philadelphia cheese

2 egg yolks

140 grs sugar

Seeds from one vainila or 3 tspns vainila extract.

50 cc freshly squeezed lemon juice

500 cc milk cream

240 grs white chocolate

15 grs unflavored gelatine.

TOPPING

350 cc freshly squeezed lemon juice

7 grs of Agar Agar

120 grs sugar

1/4 cup water

SAUCE

250 grs fresh strawberries or any other red berries.

Juice of 2 big oranges.

1/4 cup of sugar.

a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice

GARNISH

Candied citrus peels (see recipe below)

Instructions:

Process the cookies with coffee and salt.

Add Melted butter, mix and place the mixture on the bottom of the desired pan.

Place in the fridger to allow to set.

Melt the chocolate (without overheating to avoid burning) over simmering water or microwave. Set aside.

Moisturize the gelatin in cold water (the amount of water is about 5 times the amount of gelatin). Microwave for 30 secs and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

Place the yolks in a bowl over simmering water and stir with a hand mixer (not beating) until slightly warm. This will pasteurize the yolks.

Then put in a bowl: the philadelphia cheese, yolks, lemon juice, vainila, and sugar. Beat everything until creamy (one or two mins).

Stir in the melted chocolate and gelatin. (If gelatin has set a bit, place it on the microwave for 10 or 20 secs to melt).

Mix everything well.

Add the cream previously beaten to 3/4 of a point. (this is when the cream is still fluid but a bit thick but stiffed yet).

Mix everything with "enfolding" movements so that the air bubbles in the cream do not break.

Place over the crust and let sit in the fridge for several hours.

For the topping, put the lemon juice, water and sugar to a boil over medium flame. Add the agar agar and let boil for one or two mins to let the agar dissolve, stiring in.

Set aside and let cool.

For the sauce, process the strawberries and sift them to discard the seeds and most of the flesh and have a soft and silky juice.

Add lemon and orange juice. This will prevent oxidation during cooking and allow you to have a bright red sauce. Add sugar and place over medium flame to reduce until reaching the texture of a thick syrup.

Note: Remember that when you are making this coulis or sauce, it works the same way than for making jelly. It will be a little thicker when it is cold than what it looks when hot. To make sure you have reached the desired point, simply put teaspoon of the sauce on a dish and let cool. since it is a very small sample of the sauce, it will cool inmediately and you will be able to see if the texture is the one you are looking for or you still need to allow the sauce reduce a little longer. If it is too thick, add some water to it.

Once the cheesecake is fully set, warm the lemon topic on the microwave and spread on top of the cheesecake and place on the fridge.

Agar agar is very versatile and can be heated and cooled many times without losing its jelly properties.

Note: Do not substitute agar agar for unflavored gelatin. Gelatin structure will break with the action of the acid in the lemon and it will never set.

Agar agar can be bought in many markets, gourmet shops, pastry ingredient stores, celiac or diabetic specialized stores, or many macrobiotic or nutrition stores.

Decorate with Candied citrus peels and garnish with strawberry sauce when serving.

Candied Citrus peels

Candied peel is a delicious decoration for desserts and ice cream. It's also wonderful dipped in chocolate to serve with coffee.

Makes about 1 cup.
Total preparation time: 30 minutes

3 firm, ripe lemons or oranges
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Crab and mango salad

2008-11-07T11:59:00.000-02:00

/4 cup fresh Dungeness crab meat
1 fresh mango, peeled and diced
1 fresh mango, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, cut into matchsticks
juice from 2 fresh limes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh mint chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
8 fresh mint sprigs
small ring molds (I use 8 ounce tomato sauce cans, ends removed and cleaned)

Mix crab with diced mango, diced cucumber, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper, chopped mint and parsley.

Spoon equal amounts into ring molds on individual plates; remove the ring and garnish with mango and cucumber matchsticks, mint sprigs and serve.

Wine recommendation: Pinot Gris; Dry Riesling

Spaghetti cooked in red wine

2008-11-07T11:56:00.002-02:00

Serves 8

8 ounces spaghetti
1 bottle Zinfandel wine, 750 ml, (3-1/4 cups)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup butter, softened
5 garlic cloves minced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
3 fresh scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
fresh basil sprigs for garnish

In a large pot bring wine, water and sugar to a boil; add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain the spaghetti and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. In a microwave container cook butter and garlic together for 30 seconds, add to the drained red pasta, stir in salt and pepper.

Heat 8 plates.

Place 1/8th of the pasta in a tea cup; twirl the pasta using a long-tined fork, slip pasta off fork onto a heated serving plate piling as high as possible. Repeat this procedure for all pasta servings. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, scallions, basil sprigs and serve.

source: finedning.com

Spaghetti cooked in red wine

2008-11-07T11:56:00.001-02:00

erves 8

Heat 8 plates.

source: finedning.com

Fettuccine and Mushroom Cream sauce pasta

2008-11-07T11:54:00.000-02:00

serves 2

6 ounces fettuccine pasta, cooked, drained
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces fresh Shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoons Madeira wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped

Prepare fettuccine according to package directions; drain the pasta.

In skillet over medium heat melt butter, sauté mushrooms and garlic; add tarragon, cream and Madeira wine. Bring just to a boil, add fettuccine tossing lightly to coat with the cream sauce. Add salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Wine suggestion: Chardonnay

Cheesy bread

2008-09-25T20:22:00.003-03:00

1 cup yellow or white cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp butter or margarine
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of cayenne

Mix in med. bowl, cornmeal and salt. In medium pan, bring 2 c. water and the butter to a boil. Add to cornmeal mixture, stirring with a whisk. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add milk and beat until smooth. Cool
Preheat oven to 375� Lightly grease 2 qt. casserole. In med. bowl, with mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks in small bowl until thick and light. Fold whites, yolks, cayenne, and baking powder into cornmeal mixture until combined. Turn into prepared casserole.
Bake 55-60 min. or until puffed and golden. Serve hot, spooned from casserole, with butter

It’s Guacamole Time!

2008-09-23T11:09:00.003-03:00

It’s Guacamole Time!

Onion Dip from Scratch

2008-09-23T11:07:00.001-03:00

Onion Dip from Scratch

Posted using ShareThis

Garlic and Herbs mashed potatoes

2008-09-15T15:36:00.000-03:00

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-09-15T15:29:00.000-03:00

Chocolate Muffins

2008-09-15T10:30:00.002-03:00

These are some great muffins, you can vary the recipe to your taste, e.g add toasted nuts or almonds, raisins, substitute sugar for good quality brown sugar.. etc

Ingredients (Renders: abt 16 to 18 units)

450 grs self raising flour (or all purpose flour + 2 tspns baking powder)

dash salt

200 grs sugar

200 grs bitter cacao powder

375 ml milk

125 grs butter, melted

3 large eggs

2 tspns vainila

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl thieve flour, salt, baking powder if needed, sugar and cacao.

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk and butter. (just mix, do not whisk)

Stir dry ingredients into wet ones, in two or three times, mixing as little as possible.

The mixture will look a bit thick, not very fluid. So you can spoon some of the mixture into the muffin molds previously buttered or sprayed with veg oil. Be sure to fill not more than 3/4 of the mold as it will grow.

Cook until the mixture grows and it starts cracking on the top. Insert a stick into the muffins and it should come out dry.

Sprinkle some glazing sugar on top if you want, or just cover with your favorite topping.

I left them simple.

Bon appetit.

Leek Cream Sauce for Pasta

2008-09-04T10:13:00.003-03:00

This is an easy to make, quick, and delicious cream to be used with pasta or chicken.

To make the sauce you will need:

2 big leeks, washed and clean, roots off.

2 tbspns butter

1/4 glass white wine or vegetable broth.

1 meat or vegetable broth cube (preferably unsalted), also a tspn of meat concentrate paste will work.

500 cc cream

Additional milk if needed.

Salt

Pepper

dash of fresh oregano (dry will work too)

2 full tablespoons of cream cheese (preferably tasty cream cheese, not natural but natural will work anyways).

Start by cutting off the roots and most of the green leaves of the leek, leaving only the white part and a small light green part from the leaves to enhance flavor. (about 2 cm of light green part).

Make a cut in the middle of the leek, alongside and wash it thoroughly under running water, open it a bit with your fingers so that no dirt is left in between leek's layers.

Rinse it and chop the leek in julienne, as thinly as possible.

Preheat a saucepan and when hot, lower the flame and add butter. Sautee the leek in butter on low flame, watching the butter and leek do not burn.

Add a bit of salt on the leek so that it sweats but does not caramelize.

Spread some white wine or veg broth to deglaze.

Once evaporated, add the cream, broth cube o meat concentrate, cream cheese, and let cook for 5 to 10 mins.

Add salt, oregano, and sprinkle fresh ground pepper just at the end of the cooking time. If the sauce is too thick you can add a bit of milk to lighten it.

Pour over the pasta and serve. You may sprinkle some freshly chopped cilantro or ciboulette to enhance flavor and presentation.

Renders: 6 portions

Brown sugar whole wheat sandwich cookies

2008-08-31T19:48:00.006-03:00

Recipe link> http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/brown-sugar-sandwich-cookies-recipe.html

This is a recipe from one of my fav sites 101cookbooks.com. used the same recipe, just added one tablespoon of honey.

There are a couple tricks to making these cookies extra good. The first is simple - roll the dough out very, very thin. Not parchment thin, but certainly Saltine cracker thin. The resulting cookies will be crisp, elegant, and lovely to look at. You want just a bit of chocolate sandwiched between just a bit of cookie. Too much cookie and the ratio gets thrown off.

The second important thing to be (particularly) mindful of is the baking time. You want the cookies to bake until they are beautifully golden, particularly on the bottom edges where the cookies meet the baking sheet. Don't turn your back, cookies this thin will go from blond to burned in a heartbeat.

Feel free to substitute unbleached all-purpose flour, spelt flour might work as well although I haven't tested it in this recipe. I also think these cookies might be great with some sort of spice infusion, but haven't played around with that angle yet either. I like to use this sugar - but you can substitute whatever fine-grain brown sugar you have on hand.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder scant

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup good quality brown sugar.

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon big flaky sea salt (optional)

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional)

6-7 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

special equipment: a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350 - racks in the top 1/3 of the oven.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside. In a separate bowl, either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is fluffy and creamy. Add the sugar and mix some more, scraping the sides of the bowl once along the way. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract, scraping the sides again if needed. Being careful not to over-mix, stir in the flour mixture by hand. If the dough is on the dry side stir in the milk as well. Turn the dough out onto the counter-top, kneed it once or twice (just so it comes together) and form one large ball. Cut the dough into four quarters, then shape each piece into a ball. Flatten each of the four balls into 1/2-inch thick pancakes, and wrap each piece individually in plastic before chilling in the refrigerator for at least a half an hour.
Roll out the dough thin as can be on a lightly floured surface - wafer thin, about 1/8-inch, and stamp out using the cookie cutter. Arrange cookies 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets before sprinkling with a small pinch of salt and sugar. Bake for about seven minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet or until the cookie edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
When you are ready to assemble the cookies, place the chocolate in a double boiler (or a bowl placed over a bit of simmering water) to melt. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate onto the center of the flat side of one cookie. Top with another cookie - matching flat side to flat side. Repeat with the remaining cookies, setting them aside to let the chocolate set.
Makes 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch sandwich cookies.

Aloo Gobi (Indian Recipe of Potatoes and Cauliflower)

2008-08-30T18:50:00.003-03:00

Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)

Ingredients :1 large cauliflower
2 potatoes, boiled & peeled
1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
1 green chillies
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp dhania powder
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp curds
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp oil or ghee

To be ground into paste :
2 tbsp coconut, grated
¼ cup coriander, chopped
3 green chillies
½ tsp ginger grated
1 tsp garlic grated
1 onion
½ tsp wheat flour

Directions :
Break cauliflower into florettes. Simmer in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, keep aside. Chop potatoes into medium chunks. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, allow to splutter. Add onion and green chilli, saute till pink. Add paste, turmeric powder, dhania powder, saute for 2-3 minutes. Add curds, stir continuously, till boiling resumes. Add potatoes, cauliflower, cook till gravy thickens. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. When gravy is thick and oil separates, add lemon juice and it is done . Garnish with coriander, serve hot. Enjoy!

Spicy Kelantan Chicken

2008-07-30T18:00:00.001-03:00

1 whole chicken (quartered) or 5 chicken legs
4 tbsp oil
1 slice asam gelugur or 2 tsp tamarind pulp
4 stalks lemongrass (thick bottom third only, outer layer removed, inner part bruised)
1 cup water
1 cup thick coconut milk or 1/2 cup coconut cream mixed with 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt Ingredients for Marinade
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt Ingredients for Spice Paste
4 candlenuts (chopped rough) or 4 cashew/macadamia nuts
2 cm ginger (sliced)
9 dried chillies (cut into lengths, soaked in warm water)
6 cloves garlic (halved)
3 fresh red chillies (sliced)
5 shallots (halved)
TIP: Chicken can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator in marinade sauce for up to 24 hours before you start barbecuing.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the mariande
Rub marinade well into the chicken pieces
Set aside for 1 hour
How to make the Spice Paste: Using a blender or mortar, blend all the ingredients for the spice paste
Add a bit of oil to keep the blades turning every so often
Remove and set aside
How to make Spicy Kelantan Chicken: Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the spice paste till fragrant (5 mins)
Add in asam gelugur or tamarind pulp and lemongrass, stir-fry for 3 mins
Add water, stir and cook for 3 mins
Add in chicken, coconut milk, sugar and salt
Reduce the heat and simmer till chicken is cooked (20 to 30 mins)
Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a plate
Reserve the curry gravy mixture
Barbeque the chicken over low charcoal fire or under a grill, basting frequently with the curry gravy mixture till chicken is cooked (5 to 10 mins each side)
Serve hot, topped with remaining gravy

Cooking Meatloaf video recipe

2008-07-29T17:47:00.000-03:00

Delicious & quick chicken salad

2008-07-29T17:43:00.001-03:00

1 1/2 tablespoons grated onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

2 cups shredded lettuce, such as leaf lettuce or romaine

RECIPE METHOD

In a large bowl, whisk together the onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in the chicken and parsley and toss to combine.

Put the lettuce on plates. Top with the chicken salad

Recipes to reduce food waste and save time

2008-07-21T14:53:00.003-03:00

Today's post is about recommending a great site I have recently become familiar with.
It is a web site from UK called LOVE FOOD, HATE THE WASTE.
A wonderful campaign to help many people make better use of their pantries and reduce the waste of food. We just cook everyday but we are never aware of the amounts of food we waste per week.

Cooking with leftovers doesnt necessarily mean the dish is going to taste like junk food. On the contrary, many of the greatest recipes we achieve are made with leftovers.
Here you will learn how to avoid food wasting, make good use of leftovers, plan your meals, find meals for cooking once and eating twice, fast making meals, tips on how to store your pantries etc.
It is really worth to have a look at it

http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes

60 seconds Brussels sprouts

2008-07-16T11:34:00.006-03:00

Try this recipe. Many of my friends didnt like brussels sprouts but they did like this recipe. You can use this as side dish or it tastes really good in whole grain bread sandwiches, just the brussels sproouts or you can add ruculae, chicken or turkey left overs and some dijon mustard. It turned out to be a great sandwich for snack, brunch or taking to work.

I did this recipe but I sauted some thinly sliced bacon until crispy before adding the sprouts.

New Recipe Searching tool

2008-07-15T11:08:00.003-03:00

While searching for some google business tools today, I came across Base Beta, a new search tool developed by google, especially designed to make searches on specific topics easier.

I cant insert images now on this post, something is not working with blogger but, anyway, just go to
This link and enter your prefered topic for search. There are some popular searches already categorized there like Recipes. If you click Recipes on the popular item types, you will be directed to this page and once there, simply type in the ingredient, kind of course or type of cuisine you are searching for, and voila....!!!

I hope you can benefit from this tool as much as I do.

Food Science: Hot and Spicy

2008-06-12T11:13:00.001-03:00

rather "crazy" but very clear explanation on how hot and spicy molecules from food act on our body

Food Science: Leavening and Fermentation

2008-05-23T11:54:00.002-03:00

Food Science: The Maillard Reaction

2008-05-23T11:32:00.003-03:00

Have you ever wondered why our food develops that nice browning and aromatic flavors when cooked?. There are two main processes that occur during cooking and that transform the substances in the surface of our food into other more developed substances capable of creating wonderful odors and flavors on our dish.
One of this processes is called CARAMELIZATION. It is simply the chemical decomposition of the ingredients in the sugar cristals or sugars contained in foods, into other kinds of sugars like fructose and glucose as well as other substances that give nutty and buttery flavor as well as brown color as temperature increases. The highest heat, the browner. Caramelization is a non enzymatic browning.

This process is also accompanied by another process ocuring in the foods when heat is present. It is a process that occurs when the denatured proteins/aminoacids combine with the sugars present.

Maillard reaction is a type of non-enzymatic browning which involves
the reaction of simple sugars (carbonyl groups) and amino acids (free amino
groups). They begin to occur at lower temperatures and at higher dilutions
than caramelization.

For this reason it is also called browning reaction.

The Maillard reaction is not a single reaction, but a
complex series of reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars,
usually at increased temperatures

The Maillard reaction occurs most readily at around 300º F to 500º F. When a product is cooked, the outside reaches a higher temp than the inside, triggering the Maillard reaction and creating strongest odors and flavors on the surface. This reaction was discovered by Lous Camille Maillard in the early part of the 20th century. He was trying to find out how aminoacids linked up from proteins. He discovered that when he heated sugars and aminoacids together, the mixture slowly turned brown.
Further studies showed later that there was also a connection between aminoacids and development of new flavors. This process is accelerated in an alkaline environment. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction is also promoted by both high temperature and low moisture levels and as said before, increased by alkaline factors. It starts at a temperature range higher than the temperature needed for evaporating water which is 212F or 100C. So by the time browning starts some of the water will have evaporated already.

As temperature or
time of heating increases, the results are increases in colour development, the carbon-to-nitrogen
ratio and the degree of unsaturation and the chemical aromaticity.
Maillard reactions are important in baking, frying or otherwise heating
of nearly all foods. Maillard reactions are (partly) responsible for
the flavour of bread, cookies, cakes, meat, beer, chocolate, popcorn,
cooked rice. In many cases, such as in coffee, the flavour is a
combination of Maillard reactions and caramelization. However,
caramelization only takes place above 120-150 °C

Avoiding steam blocking your vision when straining pasta, rice....etc

2008-05-08T12:12:00.001-03:00

Today's post is a simple but very nice tip. At least it has worked for me.
It is a tip for avoiding most of the steam that comes up when you are straining some boiled food like rice, pasta, veggies, etc.
I saw it on a cooking channel some weeks ago. I didnt pay much attention at first because it sounded kind of null to me, but I remembered it couple of days ago when boiling some pasta and I decided to try it out.
And it really worked. I will start using it from now onwards. Especially because it solved a big problem for me. If you have to wear glasses like me, it has probably happened to you that your glasses are steamed up and you cant see a thing in front of you. I used to take my glasses off when straining to avoid not seeing anything and get burned.

Well, the thing is, you have to open your faucet and let cold water run while you drain the pasta or whatever you were boiling. Sounds silly, I know. But it works.

I am not familiar with the scientific fact behind this, but it helps a lot in "dissolving" the steam so only a little quantity of steam remains on the surface of the strainer and food and therefore your vision is not blocked.

Probably you already knew this trick, or know other ways to avoid steam. If you happen to know other tricks, your comments are welcome.

Creamy Spinach Soup

2008-05-07T17:45:00.002-03:00

I was given the recipe to this soup some years ago when I needed my 3 year old daughter to eat some iron and she hated spinach or lentils among other iron-rich foods. It is very easy and it is good for kids or grown ups. Turned up she loved it so much she would kill for it. I really love the taste of this soup and I use it as a handy resource till now.

ingredients for four.

1 liter whole milk
1 package frozen spinach leaves (or 2 medium bunches, cooked)
250 cc cream or half and half.
salt and pepper to taste
(optional) 1 broth cube, meat.

Bring the milk to a boil and add the spinach.
Process everything to get smoother texture.
Add salt and pepper and meat cube if desired.
Add cream.

Serve and add some parmessan cheese if desired.You can spread some fresh cream before serving too.

Note: if you like to thicken it a bit more you can stir in some cornstarch previously dissolved in cold milk.

Marinated pork or lamb chops with creamy spinach rice and glazed carrots

2008-05-07T17:36:00.001-03:00

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 big medium thick pork or lamb chops
1/3 cup of infused vinegar (I used estragon infused vinegar, if you dont have you can use red wine vinegar, balsamic or regular vinegar). You can also use lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup or as necessary olive oil.
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme.

For side dish
2 cups white rice
250 cc cream or half and half
About 300 grs or 1 small bunch of spinach, baby spinach is better .
1 cube of meat broth. I used Knorr steak's cube.
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
a bit of milk (used for dissolving cornstarch).

Glazed Carrots
4 to 5 baby carrots or half big carrot per person.
Salt
Pepper
half stick butter
olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Balsamic or wine vinegar (if you dont have white wine is ok).

Start by marinating the pork or lamb chops. Prepare the marinade whisking together the vinegar or lemon juice, as you prefer, salt, pepper and mustard. Finally add oil stiring in constantly. You have to add the salt with the vinegar in order to disolve it. Salt will not dissolve in oil directly.
Place the chops in a bowl and mix them with the marinade. Let there for 30 to 60 mins.

In the meantime put some water to boil to prepare the rice and meanwhile the water is ready prepare the carrots.
If you are using big carrots, peel and cut them in thin slices.
Put a skillet over medium flame. When it is hot put the butter and a bit of olive oil to prevent the butter from burning. Sautee the carrots there until they are "al dente" (hard edges but soft in the middle) in order to preserve their shapes and textures.
Salt and pepper and add sugar.
Let caramelize and then add vinegar or white wine and let them cook for a few mins until alcohol evaporates.
Set aside until ready to serve. You may need to warm them a little bit when serving.

Once the water is boiling and you put the rice in, place the chops on a baking pan and cook them in the oven until done. you can also grill them if you prefer.

In the meantime, prepare the spinach cream. Place a deep skillet or saucepan over the flame and put the cream or half and half. Add the meat cube or broth, and add the spinach leaves (well rinsed) and wait until boiling.
Use a mixer to process the cream and spinach and then place the saucepan back to the flame.
Dissolve cornstarch with cold milk in a small bowl and mix it in the processed spinach cream in order to thicken the cream a bit. Cornstarch should be first dissolved in cold milk or otherways it will create curds on your cream.
Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the rice with the cream.

Serve the chops with warm glazed carrots and put some rice on the side

Fried cinnamon ice cream with chipotle chocolate sauce

2008-04-29T14:13:00.001-03:00

Recipe from Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30930,00.html

4 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean pod, cut and
scraped
2 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

1 cup sugar
8 whole egg yolks
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying

Chipotle Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows
Whipped cream, for garnish

Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Maraschino cherry, for garnish
Combine the half-and-half, vanilla bean and seeds,
cinnamon sticks, cinnamon and salt, in a non-reactive saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the half-and-half to a boil to scald it, and remove the saucepan from the
heat.

Beat the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. Add the half-and-half mixture, about
1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten eggs and sugar, whisking in between each
addition, until all is used. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan reduce the
heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 5 to 6 minutes, or
until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from
the heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely. Pour the filling
into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions for
churning time. Place ice cream in a freezer-safe container and freeze until
firm, about 8 hours.

Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the freezer) with plastic wrap. Using a
1/2 cup ice cream scoop, form 8 large balls and place on the prepared baking
sheet. Cover the ice cream balls with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about
2 hours.

Whisk together the 2 whole eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Place the graham
cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer and
dip, 1 at a time in the egg mixture and then in the graham cracker crumbs. Dip
the ice cream balls a second time in the egg mixture and then again in the
graham cracker crumbs, pressing to coat well. Place the ice cream balls on the
baking sheet and return to the freezer. Freeze overnight, or until very firm.

Pour the vegetable oil into a medium stockpot to a depth of about 3 inches
and preheat the oil to 375 degrees F. Remove the ice cream balls from the
freezer 2 at a time and immediately drop into the hot oil and fry for 15
seconds. Remove from the oil with a large slotted spoon, draining well and place
on the serving plate. Drizzle with the Chipotle Chocolate Sauce, garnish with
whipped cream, fresh mint and a maraschino cherry if desired. Serve immediately.
Repeat with remaining ice cream balls.

Chipotle Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1/2
pound Mexican chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Combine the half-and-half, butter, and ground
chipotle in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture
until a thin paper like skin appears on the top. Do not boil. Add the chocolate
and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and let cool.

The sauce can be kept refrigerated for several days, but it must be returned
to room temperature before serving.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Working and storing fresh herbs and other ready to use ingredients (Part II)

2008-04-29T13:40:00.002-03:00

So, further to my previous post, here are some ways I normally keep my most used cooking ingredients at hand.

1- Fresh herbs, bunch: I place them in cold water for some minutes before storing so that all soft leaves become crispy again. Then I place them into perforated zip-loc bags with the stems wrapped in a wet paper towel (kitchen towel). They last 10 or 12 days.
2- Fresh herbs, chopped, frozen: I bleach them in boiling water for a few seconds. This process helps chlorophyl (the substance that gives green color to leaves) to remain unchanged and thus chopped herbs keep an intense green color. It also prevents some of the oxidation that occurs when chopping.
Then I dry them with a kitchen towel (softly) and I proceed to chop them. Then I wrap them in small amounts into aluminium or plastic foil, as tightly as possible same way you wrap a candy. Then I store them in the freezer until ready to use. You can use this kind of herbs for stews, soups, etc. They last for months
3- Fresh herbs, chopped, fresh: I chop them and place them into a glass container adding enough oil (olive or vegetable) until covering the surface of the herbs. I add more oil to the jar as I use the herbs for cooking since some of the oil is used too when taking herbs from the jar. You should make sure the chopped herbs are always covered with oil so that air does not get into the spaces between chopped herbs and start decomposing them. Same principle as for any oil preserved food. They last for two weeks in the fridge

4- Other handy ingredients ready to use: I normally keep a glass container with the following things in my fridge. It saves me time when cooking as I normally come late from work.
a- Chopped parsley and garlic mix, preserved in oil with the same technique as item 3.
b- Chopped onion, idem.
c- chopped red bell pepper (or mix of all peppers, according to seasons of the year), idem
d- chopped garlic, idem. (see my post on garlic for full information on different ways of handling and using garlic: Garlic 101)

These are mainly "basic" items used in most recipes so it is very handy for me to keep them ready to use in the fridge.
They normally last in perfect condition for two weeks or a bit more, depending on how fresh they were at the time of buying them.
Parsley and Pepper tend to soften faster than onion as they might start to get jelly-like after a couple of weeks.
Thus, I use the infused oil for salads or other preparations after the chopped items finish.

I know it is a lot of work, but I do it one day and I have them ready for two weeks. It is worth it. Of course you can use a food processor for chopping

5- Grated/chopped carrots, fresh: you can keep grated carrots for salads, for example, in a zip loc bag, perforated inside the vegetable part of the fridge.

6- Grated/chopped carrots for cooking, frozen: If you have a food processor with grater, it is optimum. I normally buy 2 kilos of good carrots, peel them and then grate them. I store them in zip loc bags in the freezer. I place the grated carrot in not much thick layer so I can break a frozen portion with my hands when needed for cooking. You can also store it in small portions. This is good for cooked carrot. (stews, soups, etc) not for using in salads as after defrosting the grated carrot turns soft.

Another method for keeping frozen chopped veggies is to chop onion, pepper or whatever you need, place it in portions into an ice cube tray and after frozen, take them out, wrap with foil and keep in the freeze, ready to use in cubes.

I hope this is helpful. If anyone has any other usefull techniques, please comment.
thanks

Working and Storing Fresh Herbs, and other ready to use cooking ingredients.

2008-04-29T12:21:00.002-03:00

Adding fresh herbs gives an extraordinary touch of freshness and richer flavor to your meals. Thus, having ready-to-use chopped herbs or ingredients like onions, peppers, etc will save you time.

Well, first of all this is a very extensive subject to talk about as there are many methods/techniques that can be used to obtain similar results.
What I will try to explain here are those methods that worked out the best for me, for my everyday use in the kitchen. So the idea is that you grab the best tips from this post according to the kind of use you give to herbs in your kitchen. My best advice would be that you try out different methods and see which is the most appropiate and which you feel more practical when using the herbs in your kitchen.
First of all, I would like to give you some general tips and hints on working with fresh herbs, like I said, as general knowledge.

Fresh herbs have both more and less flavor than dried ones. Dried herbs have had some of their flavor elements concentrated and so they can seem stronger. But drying them causes some other tastes to be lost, so the flavors are disminished. The general ratio to substitute fresh for dried is 3 to 1. That is, 3 times as much fresh herbs as dried herbs the recipe calls for.

Fresh herbs have subtle and delicate flavors. Prolonged cooking causes them to lose their fragance and flavors. Add the fresh herbs near the end of the cooking time. The flavors develop very quickly. They shouldnt cook in liquids for more than about one hour, generally, to get the most from them. Add to stocks, soups, stews, etc near the end, and see how much richer the flavors will be when serving.

Roasts should be rubbed with herbs
before cooking. One restaurant technique is to chop the fresh herbs you
want to use with a bit of salt and pepper. They each flavor the other.
Then, rub the seasonings on the roast and finish as usual. This
approach can be used for poultry and seafoods as well.

For ground meats, finely mince the
fresh herbs and mix into the meat before cooking. Add whatever other
additions you like - eggs, crumbs, prepared sauces, salt, pepper, etc.
- and shape them as appropriate for the dish.

Fresh herbs may be added to both batters and crumb mixtures used for fried foods. Chop finely and add as desired.

Fresh herbs enhance cooking waters for vegetables. Either chop and drop
them into the water so they'll be part of the finished dish or tie them
in a little cheesecloth bag and remove them before serving.

Fresh herbs can add wonderful character and pleasantly surprising
complexity to breads. A general rule of thumb is to add somewhere
between 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs per one-pound loaf.
Herbal cornbread is wonderful. Likewise biscuits, dumplings, savory
pancakes and waffles - add up to a tablespoon to 2 cups of flour.

For instance, I have been adding 2 teaspoons of fresh or 4 teaspoons of dried thyme to my pizza dough (made with about 1 lb of flour). This enrichens the pizza dough very much without turning invasive and so far nobody has disliked it.

Fresh herbs are perishable and propper storage can extend their lives rather nicely. Bunches of fresh herbs can be stored in the refrigerator with their stems in water. Lose leaves are best kept in the coldest part of a refrigerator in perforated bags. I normally use some zip-loc bags to which i make some perforations and then wrap the stems of my fresh herbs bunches in a wet kitchen paper towel and they last in good condition for almost 10 or 12 days.

Be careful when you buy fresh herbs. The fresher they are the longer they will last if stored propperly.

Normally you should look for hard stems and leaves, discard all broken or yellowish leaves as they will rotten first and can cause the sorrounding leaves to rotten as well.

What I usually do is to place the herb bunches in cold water (with some ice cubes if needed) for 30 or 40 mins before putting them in the fridge. This allows the leaves to "get back to life" and become hard again (especially in summer when all the leaves are normally soft due to the environmental temperature).

How to chop our herbs?

Rinse your herbs and carefully dry them with a paper towel.

Clean your cutting board, leaving a wide working area.

If using herbs with a woody or thick stem, like rosemary, basil, or older thyme, strip the leaves off the stems using your fingers. (normally from the upper side to the bottom of the plant) You can save the stems for other uses (like making a bouquet garni for flavoring soups or broths)

(a bouquet garni is a group of herbs tied up together so that it is easy to remove them after cooking is finished).

Back to chopping herbs, remove the lower stems from herbs like parsley or cilantro. Pile the herbs on your cutting board. Chop the herb pile roughly first, drawing the berbs into a pile as you rechop.

Finely chop the herbs by holding the knife firmly but not too tight with one hand and place the fingers of your other hand on top of the knife down by the tip, both to keep the tip lightly pressed to the cutting board and to keep that hand out of the way.

Raise the kinfe handle up and down, using a rocking motion, with the tip of the knife acting as a hinge.

Remember you should cut the herbs, not hit them with your knife when chopping. This latter will only oxidate, damage and break your herbs edges, you will not have nice looking and full flavored herbs.

Most of the fresh herbs can not be chopped too much time ahead as they may oxidate. They are better when chopped right before using them. Also some herbs like basil leaves are better if used whole, not chopped as they are very delicate and oxidate inmediately.

Salmon with Lemon Pepper Sauce and Watercress Herb Salad

2008-04-26T19:55:00.002-03:00

This is a simple but yet impressive choice for impressing your guest on a party. Kids also loved this dish.

Recipe from epicurious.com

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, divided

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil plus additional for brushing

2 tablespoons chopped shallot

6 6-ounce salmon fillets

1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) watercress leaves and small sprigs

1/4 cup small fresh dill sprigs

1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves

Fleur de sel*

6 lemon wedges

Whisk crème fraîche, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel in small bowl. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper.
Whisk honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallot, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel in 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Add salmon fillets and turn to coat. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour, turning salmon fillets occasionally. Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with foil and brush with olive oil. Transfer salmon fillets, with some marinade still clinging, to rimmed baking sheet. Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss watercress leaves and sprigs, dill sprigs, tarragon leaves, remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in medium bowl. Season to taste with fleur de sel and pepper.
Place 1 salmon fillet on each of 6 plates. Top with watercress salad. Drizzle with lemon-pepper sauce and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve, passing additional sauce alongside.

*A type of sea salt; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores

Cooking Like a Chef!! (Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Bacon, Lentils and Cider Reduction)

2008-04-26T19:30:00.003-03:00

This recipe is ideal for a special romantic evening or for impressing your guests. It has mild flavors, amazing textures and has sofisticated touches with the mascarpone cream and cider reduction but it is yet simple to do and with handy ingredients and has a relative normal cost.

The recipe calls for lentils du puy which are lighter than other lentils, but I have made it with red lentils and turned out great too.
Small flat circular shape, dark speckles on a dark brown seed coat; yellow cotyledon.

Du Puy lentils are named after Le Puy in Auvergne, in the center of France.
Le Puy lentils have a delicate taste, a fine green skin with steel blue speckles. They are excellent in salads and vegetable dishes.

So here is the Pan-seared sea scallops recipe (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

Mascarpone Cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

Cider reduction
2 cups apple cider
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped shallots

Lentils
6 whole cloves
1 medium onion, peeled
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups French green lentils (lentilles du Puy; about 12 ounces)
2 bay leaves
6 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise ÿ inch thick
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Scallops
6 tablespoons butter, divided
18 sea scallops, patted dry
2 tablespoons olive oil

For mascarpone cream:
Place wine and shallots in heavy small saucepan. Boil until almost dry, about 6 minutes. Add cream. Boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in mascarpone, lemon peel, and chives. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to small bowl; cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.

For cider reduction:Place cider, vinegar, and shallots in heavy medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Strain; discard solids in strainer. Return cider mixture to pan. DO AHEAD: Cider reduction can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For lentils: Press thin end of cloves into peeled onion. Place onion in heavy large saucepan. Add 6 cups water, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.Meanwhile, cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallots to skillet and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes.Drain lentils, discarding onion and bay leaves. Add reserved bacon, lentils, and thyme to shallots. DO AHEAD: Lentils can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring often.For scallops:Bring cider reduction to simmer. Whisk in 5 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep warm.Season scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops and cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side.Divide lentils among 6 plates. Arrange 3 scallops atop lentils on each plate. Drizzle cider reduction over scallops and around lentils. Drizzle warm mascarpone cream over.

Garlic 101 / Garlic gadgets

2008-04-19T20:47:00.003-03:00

Here are some usefull/fancy garlic gadgets you may go for if you like:

1- Chef 'n garlic machine> a garlic holder and presser that stores peeled garlic cloves and in a clear cylinder and uses a metal cutting blade to evenly mince large and small garlic cloves. Refilling the machine is as easy as unscrewing the black base, inserting peeled cloves, and replacing removed base
2- Garlic press easy to use and clean, you dont need to peel the cloves before pressing.
3- E-Z roll garlic peeler> Created by Ben Omessi, the E-Z-Rol garlic peeler truly works. Insert cloves into this rubber-like tube and roll, applying pressure with the hand. You can hear the skins pop right off. It's fast and easy, and your hands stay clean. It's a great gift