Cooking Fish With Grill Planks

Ask any griddle enthusiast about grill planks, and there is really no stopping them after that. They’ll go on and on about cooking salmon on cedar planks. Actually, there are eateries that prepare something like forty pounds of salmon each day with cooking planks.
Plank barbecuing and cooking planks aren’t new. In fact, they’re a wonderful old tradition of cooking that originated from the Indians around the Pacific Northwest and became popular with the rest of the planet.
Plank barbecuing is comparable to using a pan. The difference is you’ll get smoke, and the plank is probably going to catch fire. Planks are great as you get a nice flat surface that’s stable to put your food on, enabling them imbibe that smoke flavor. Think fish fillets. In reality, the 1st ever food cooked on planks was fish, and you can imagine why.

Barbecuing planks put that perfect flavor into your grilled meat, fish or bird. The juices are held intact within the meat making them succulent. Before you start cooking on the plank, it’s got to be drenched for fifteen to twenty mins. Then it can be placed immediately over the fire. A grilling plank can be used up to four times. In fact, these will work with any grill, be it a charcoal griddle, gas griddle or even electrical griddle, as long as you have a lid for the griddle.
Preparing your meals on aromatic barbecuing planks is a wonderful way to griddle. The original Indians would slow roast their fresh catch of salmon on cedar or alder planks over their fire pits. This methodology made the natural oil and moisture in the cedar or alder wood penetrate the salmon to give it a phenomenal flavor. Now, this method is also being used creatively all over the world to cook meat, birds cheese, vegetables and fruit. And yes, you can make your pizza on a cooking plank!
When you buy your cedar barbecuing plank, ensure you get one that’s untreated. You can get them at your local hardware or grocer. Why untreated? So that you can avoid your food being poisoned by chemicals. Also avoid resinous wood like pine. Aside from cedar barbecuing planks, you can also try alder, maple, cherry, apple wood, mesquite, peach or oak to experience different flavors in your food. About an in. thick wood will do. Get a cooking plank that will take the dimensions of the food you would like to griddle.
You may also purchase your cooking planks online these days. Lots of folks visit their local lumberyard and get the exact size cut to fit their griddle. If your plank has similarities to cedar shingles it can crack, chip or burn and you can only use it once.
Experienced cooks use one inch thick alder grilling planks for cooking salmon. They have a series of holes drilled diagonally across to skewer the salmon fillets to the board. These planks are hung vertically around a fire pit that burns slowly to enable the salmon roast slowly, basting in their own oil while absorbing the smoke and the wood flavor.
Plank barbecuing is a particularly juicy way to griddle thanks to the delicious tastes. It’s also very easy to do. Those who have tried it once appear to want to get as many recipes as practicable into their favorite cookery book and try them all on the board. Practically anything can be plank grilled from poultry to huge roasts and almost anything that needs a longish barbecuing time. Cooking planks give your food that great smoke flavour which is the bedrock of barbecue barbecuing.

Cooking Fish

There are various ways in which fish is cooked and the recipes in this chapter are all based upon the basic methods below:

To bake fish:

This means cooking the fish in the oven; it could be baked in just a little seasoned butter or it could have a variety of other ingredients as the recipes you will find here in our food section. If you want the fish to keep moist cover the dish, but if you want the fish to brown slightly on top leave the dish uncovered. Bake whole fish for approximately 12 minutes per lb. (1/2 kg.), fillets for 12 to 20 minutes, depending upon the thickness and most fish cutlets take about 20 minutes. The oven should be set to a moderate to moderately hot temperature, unless stated to the contrary.

To fry fish:

There are two basic ways of frying fish, the first in shallow fat or oil, the second in deep fat or oil.

When frying fish you can coat the fish with seasoned flour, or to give a better coating, with the flour then with beaten egg and fine crisp breadcrumbs. This coating is suitable for both shallow or deep frying.

You can, however, coat the fish with a batter; directions for making this are given under the fried scampi recipes in this section.
If frying in shallow fat allow enough fat or oil to give a good coating in a large frying pan. Put in the fish and fry rapidly on one side then turn and fry on the second side. Thin fillets of fish take only about 4 minutes, but thicker fish will take up to 10 minutes. Lower the heat after browning the fish on either side.

If frying in deep fat or oil, make sure this is really hot you will find advice on testing the temperature in the recipe in this food section. The cooking time when deep frying is a little shorter than when frying in shallow fat or oil.

To Grill Fish:

Make sure the grill is really hot before putting the fish under this. Either cover the grill pan with buttered or oiled foil, or bush the grid of the grill pan with butter or oil. Cook for the same time as shallow fruing, and baste the fish with butter or oil to prevent it drying.

To poach fish:

Often one is told to ‘boil’ fish, this is a mistake, for fish should not be boiled quickly; it spoils the texture and breaks the fish. Put the fish into seasoned cold water, or white wine or fish stock (made simmering bones and skin). Bring to simmering point, then allow 7-10 minutes per lb. (1/2 kg.); in some recipes the fish is put into the heated liquid and simmered.

Canned and frozen fish:

Many fish are either canned or commercially frozen, it is useful to have these in either your store cupboard or freezing compartment of the refrigerator or the freezer.

The official recommendations about storing canned fish is to keep fish in tomato sauce for only up to 1 year and fish in oil for up to 5 years. The most useful canned fish is sardines, for savory toast or sandwiches or used on quick recipes.

There is a wide variety of frozen fish available; much of this can be cooked from the frozen state. Read and follow the manufacturers’ instructions on the packet. Shellfish, however, is generally better thawed out at room temperature. If you are in a hurry, stand the container in cold, not hot water to hasten defrosting.

Remember: When canned fish is removed from the can or the can is opened and when frozen fish is defrosted, these are as perishable as fresh fish.

Delicious Fish to eat

Carb Fish, Lobster Fish, Whiting Fish, Trout Fish, Shrimps, Fish Scallops Fish, Oysters, Fish Mussels, Red Mullet Fish, Salmon Fish, Mackerel Fish and Halibut Fish are the delicious fish to eat.

Wow!Pizza Monkey Bread

Pizza Monkey Bread is perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare a meal. Making pizza monkey bread is so easy. We use canned biscuits, spaghetti sauce, and a few simple pizza ingredients to make up this Italian inspired dish. You can use this recipe to clean up the odd bits of leftovers in your refrigerator.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings
3 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pepperoni
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian three cheese blend
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
Optional Ingredients
chopped green bell pepper
chopped onions
black olive slices
cooked sausage
cooked hamburger meat
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open canned biscuits and cut into quarters and place into bowl. Pour spaghetti sauce, and add Italian seasonings over the biscuits and stir well. Add 3/4 of the pepperoni into the mixture, reserve the remaining 1/4 to place on top of the “pizza”. Add 1/2 of the cheese to the sauce and biscuit combination, and stir well. Pour the pizza into a greased 9 by 13 pan. Sprinkle remaining pepperoni and cheese on top of pizza before placing into the oven. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are fully cooked, they will be slightly firm when you press down on them.
Italian seasonings, is a very great spice blend to have on hand. This spice blend goes well in spaghetti sauce, on a pizza, or even sprinkled on grilled chicken. If you don’t happen to have any on hand you can make your own Italian seasonings by mixing together equal amounts of: basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

Flavors Of Olive Garden Salad

Olive Garden is known for their salads. The salad and the Olive Garden Salad Dressing are served complimentary with every meal. Their cold, crisp salad is hard to be beat; when it comes with Olive Garden salad dressing, it always seems to taste better. Everyone must love the Olive Garden salad dressing, because they don’t offer any other flavors of salad dressings. We hope you enjoy our version of the salad dressing.
Olive Garden Salad dressing recipe at home–it’s easy to do.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sugar (optional)
Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Another great use for the Olive Garden salad dressing is as a marinade for vegetables or even meats that you might like to grill. So you can see the Olive Garden salad dressing can be used in more than one way.
Be sure to serve this recipe with the Olive Garden Salad Mix.
Making Olive Garden Salad Dressing at home is easy to do. You can make other recipes that taste just like they do in a restaurant.

Eating Locally Grown Food

If you’re reading this, chances are that you’ve heard the term “local food” bandied around a lot lately. Maybe you heard it on the news in a discussion about sustainable agriculture, or in a debate between about whether “local or organic” is better for the environment.

Maybe you saw that episode of Portlandia where Fred and Carrie interrogate their waitress about the origin of the chicken used in the restaurant, eventually asking her to hold their table while they drive 30 miles to the farm its sourced from (and end up joining the polygamist cult that runs it).
Okay, so that’s a little extreme, but there is an increasing popular movement that’s pushing for buying and eating locally grown food. So what exactly does locally grown mean?

Orlando Movie World Restaurant

The Orlando Movie World Restaurant is best known for wood-grilling its fish and seafood at dinner service; a natural, flavorful, and clean cooking style. This cooking method, a Southern tradition, adds a mild-smoked flavor to each seafood dish.We also provide other different fresh cooking methods of seafood.
Every night, we will play one movie for your entertainment. We hope you can enjoy both our movies and food at the same time.

Every week, our amazing chef will introduce one new dish. Please see the weekly recommended dish.
Whether enjoying a romantic dinner for two or a private event for 50 people, an evening at The Orlando Movie World Restaurant ‘s Seafood is truly a memorable experience.

Greener Additives For Plastics At Trade Show

Chemtura Corporation, the largest plastics additives company in the world, is showcasing new Greener is Better additives at Chinaplas 2008.
These new or improved plastics products all achieve Chemtura’s goal: to provide customers with sustainable plastics additive solutions. Each product has been screened to make sure that it offers a “greener” profile than the product it is intended to replace. The criteria are performance without compromise, proven cost effectiveness, plus a strong environmental and human health profile.
New Chemtura “Greener” Additives for:
Flexible PVC: Mark* OBS* Organic-Based Stabilizers.
The world's first non-heavy metal heat stabilizers are more cost effective than calcium/zinc alternatives. Mark OBS creates opportunities for automotive and flooring manufacturers around the world and are non-heavy metal heat stabilizers that are more cost effective than calcium zinc stabilizers in flexible PVC.
100% Nonylphenol-Free Phosphite Stabilizers: Weston* NPF 705.

Weston NPF 705 is a drop-in, liquid replacement for TNPP, an industry-standard secondary antioxidant which is used in LLDPE and HDPE, in PVC and in SBR. Weston NPF 705 is targeted for use in consumer and industrial packaging, household goods and tires, to name a few applications. Chemtura is seeking global food contact approvals. Developed as DVS 005, with a patent pending, Weston NPF 705 neither contains nonylphenol nor can it break down to form nonylphenol.
Reducing DNBP: Naugard* 300-E.
Naugard 300-E Styrene Monomer Inhibitor, is a new DNBP inhibitor blend that allows the use of lower DNBP levels in the processing of styrene monomers processing. Naugard 300-E is the latest tool in improving the control and efficiency of styrene monomer production, especially compared to Tempo-based products.
Polyurethane Foam: Firemaster* 800 Flame Retardant.
New flame retardants for flexible polyurethane (PU) foam are 10% more efficient than their Chemtura predecessors. Each has an excellent environmental profile and is non-scorching in flexible polyurethane applications, such as automotive and furniture manufacturing.
Wood Plastic Composites: Polybond* 1103 & Polybond 3029 Coupling & Lubrication Agents.
Now Polybond products are even more effective, such as Polybond 1103 for processes and applications requiring very low melt viscosity. Newly reformulated Polybond 3029 is now 50% more efficient than ever and is a more effective coupling and lubrication agent that allows manufacturers the use of more recycled wood in the composite.

College Food and Nutrition,You Should Kown

Ok, so you got the acceptance letter, you called your new roommate and now what? It's time to look into the food situation. Sure your parents paid for the room and board. That means that you won't starve but do you really want to eat that junk?
Eating Vegetarian can be a healthy alternative to the greasy burgers and meat layered pizza that seem to be a staple in college. The most important thing to keep in mind if you plan to start eating vegetarian is that you keep in mind what you can eat, not what you can't eat.
It is important to include food from each of the groups because:

　　1. Grains give your brain and muscles energy.
They are a good source of B-vitamins and iron. Try to include grains like rice, potatoes, pasta, and whole grain bread at every meal.
2. Fruits and Vegetables help eyes, hair, and blood and boost your immune system. They are a good source of vitamins A and C, minerals, and fiber. Try having fruits and vegetables like apples, broccoli, pear, carrots, squash, salad 5-7 times per day (2 1/2 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruit).
3. Milk or Dairy Products help maintain strong bones and teeth. They are a good source of calcium and protein. Try to have a serving of low fat dairy foods like 8 oz milk, 1 oz cheese, 1 cup yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, or frozen yogurt 3 times a day.
4. Foods high in Protein help build muscles, fight infection, and heal wounds. Try having beans, peanut butter, fish, tofu, or eggs at 2 meals daily.
5. Fats and Oils keep hair and skin soft and give a feeling of fullness. They are a good source of dietary fat. Try to include a little fat like salad dressing, olive oil, guacamole, nuts, or seeds at each meal.
Please note: Many young women don't get enough of all of the vitamins they need every day, even if they eat a balanced diet. Talk with your doctor about taking a multivitamin.

Pasta Dish With Shrimp

A light pasta dish loaded with shrimp, zucchini and fresh tomatoes. A perfect dish when summer tomatoes are at their peak.
I like it a little spicy but if you're not a fan of spicy food, you can omit the red pepper flakes. This takes no time to make, in the time it takes the pasta to cook, the shrimp and vegetables will be cooked. Top this with some really good grated cheese like Pecorino Romano.

Shrimp and Zucchini with Bowties in Light Tomato Sauce
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 3 • Size: 1/4th or recipe • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 366.9 • Fat: 6.8 g • Carb: 51.6 g • Fiber: 3.8 g • Protein: 26.6 g • Sugar: 2.1
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deviened (12 oz peeled weight)
6 oz uncooked bowtie pasta
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 shallots, diced
1 zucchini, julienned or cubed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
cooking spray
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and fresh pepper
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet until very hot. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to hot skillet. Saute for about 1 minute, until almost cooked through and remove from heat. Set shrimp aside.
Add olive oil to the pan, lower heat to medium, add shallots and garlic and saute until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, and cook about 1 minute. Add zucchini, saute another minute. Add chicken broth, red pepper flakes and mix well. Return shrimp to the pan and simmer 30 seconds.
When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain in a colander and add pasta to sauce. Mix well with the sauce and adjust salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley and serve. Top with some really good grated cheese!
Yields a little over 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Scampi is about as simple as it gets - shrimp, olive oil, garlic, and parsley - but there are numerous authoritative ways to get that cooked. Do I just saute the fixin's and be done with it? Do I follow one yummy sounding recipe and broil them? Or do I go with my own preference and use butter rather than olive oil?
Well, I go with butter and a little olive oil. Very yummy. Try and get fresh shrimp. If you can't get those, try and get ones that are still frozen. The ones defrosted in the meat case will have already started spoiling.

1/4 lb Shrimp
2 Cloves Pressed Garlic
1/4 tsp Salt
A dash of Cayenne
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Sherry
I Pinch Lemon Zest
1 Tbsp Chopped parsley
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Defrost the shrimp if they're frozen and peel them. In a small bowl combine the shrimp, garlic, salt, cayenne, and olive oil. Set that aside for a few minutes to let things marinate. If the shrimp are still a little bit frozen be sure to let it sit until they are completely thawed. They'll cook better if they're closer to room temp than cold.
Over medium heat, in a small pan, melt the butter. Don't get the pan too hot. If it's too hot you'll burn the garlic, boil off the yummy shrimp flavor, and probably overcook the shrimp. As soon as the butter melted, add the shrimp. Let them simmer on one side until they're done half way through and then turn them and cook till done. The time will vary depending on many factors, but for the size shrimp I was using here I turned them after about 2 minutes and then cooked them for another minute.
Just before the shrimp are just done (don't over cook them or they'll be tough) add the sherry, lemon zest, parsley, and lemon juice. Stir everything together and cook for a few seconds more. At this point they are ready to serve. I eat them right out of the pan with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Make Custard Tarts At Home

Ingredients
For the pastry
* 250 g flour,
* 50 g sugar,
* 40 g almonds,
* 140 g butter, chilled
* 2 eggs,
For the custard filling
* 425 ml milk,
* 150 ml cream,
* 4 eggs,
* 3 egg yolks,
* 80 g sugar,
* nutmeg,
* ice cream, to serve

Method
1. For the pastry: sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and almonds. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Make a well in the centre and add 1 1/2 eggs. Gradually, incorporate the flour mixture from around the sides to make a dough. Cling film and put in the fridge for an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 170C/ gas 3. Roll out the pastry and line 8 individual flan rings. Line with cling film and pour in baking beans. Bake blind for 15-20 minutes. Remove the baking beans, beat the remaining half egg and brush the base of the pastry cases with it. Pop back into the oven for 2 – 3 minutes to seal the pastry. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/ gas 2-3.
4. For the custard filling: warm the milk and the cream together in a pan. Whisk together the eggs and sugar and add the milk to the mixture, continuing to whisk. Pass through a sieve.
5. Pour the hot liquid into the pastry cases until half full. Move to the oven and fill them to almost the top. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm but still slightly wobbly in the middle. Remove and leave to cool.
6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

How Many Remember “The Milkman

How many remember “The Milkman?” The guy who delivered Milk to your home..in glass bottles (before the days of 2%, ½%, Skim, Soy, & Almond Milk).That was Good Milk! I also remember my grandparents refrigerator. There was no such thing as “Bad Milk”…if it went past the expiration they saved it for baking. They took something “sour” and even made something “sweet.” That is the way it is with God. Peter tells the early church (& us) that Milk has its purpose and it is good (even great). But God wants more for us.

I have recently had experiences with both Granddaughters and they both love Milk-Emery in her Sippy Cup & Karis in her bottle. In fact Peter says:
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2
Milk/Formula is great for a start. But at some point we all move to solid food. Our physical bodies require it. In the same way as Christian we need more than just milk to live our lives to deal with the difficulties the rigor of the world. The writers of Hebrews tells us:
And a person who is living on milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right. Hebrews 5:13-14
“Solid Food” is given that we might have the ability to Discern (Not Judge). To Understand God’s Love & Grace, yet realize there are consequences. Once we truly discern and understand, we can teach others/show others God’s Love & his Grace. Like our Food Pantry in Splendora. We give the recipients Milk—we also give Meat and Solid Food as a way of saying “This is How Much God Loves You!”

Pudding Recipe

The recipe makes enough for 1.5kg of pudding. It will fill two medium-sized (16in) pudding basins, or a large (20in) one.

• 175g (6oz) shredded suet
• 175g (6oz) soft brown or demerara sugar
• 175g (6oz) seedless raisins
• 175g (6oz) stoned prunes
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 100g (4oz) chopped mixed peel
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs
• 150ml (5 fl oz) milk

Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Beat the eggs and the milk until frothy then stir into the dried ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Allow to stand in a cool place (not the fridge) for 12 hours.
Put mixture into pudding basins and cover with a layer of folded greaseproof paper. Tie with string.
Cook, covered in a water bath, for 3 hours. Keep 4-5cm (1-2in) simmering water in the pan at all times. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 1 1/4 hours.
Allow to cool and store in a cool, dark place.
Before serving, steam for an hour in a saucepan (or for 30mins in a pressure cooker).
Flame with brandy and serve with all the usual asides.

 

You Can Prepare For Christmas

We’ve got something a lot tastier than a raffle ticket this Christmas. We’ve got The Ultimate Plum Pudding – one of the finest Christmas puddings you can buy. It has been endorsed by the BBC Good Food Magazine and by Chef magazine as being as good as the best home made and has won a food ‘Oscar’ – a gold award at the Great Taste Awards.
The pudding is made by a small craft manufacturer in Cumbria and it’s absolutely gorgeous. All the vine fruits are soaked overnight in lots of brandy and dry sherry. Fresh breadcrumbs and freshly grated carrot help give the pudding a lighter texture. Ingredients are top quality and much more varied than usual – almonds, walnuts, stem ginger, apricots, cherries as well as the best, juicily alcoholic, raisins and sultanas. We asked why there are no currants and were told – none of us like currants! It’s not steamed until it’s black, caramelised and bitter – it’s light, sweet and aromatic and you can taste every ingredient. Most people have no idea that Christmas pudding can be this good and lots of people enjoy it who ‘don’t like Christmas pudding’.
The Ultimate Plum Pudding is not available in supermarkets (the company is too small for that) but it is available through Mill Hill School PTA. We have had the pudding attractively labelled especially for us. Our label incorporates the art work of pupils in year 9 and states that the sale of the pudding supports our school. Each order for a 1lb pudding (serves 4) costs £5.00 (We get bigger discounts the more you order). There are also small individual puddings priced at £1.75 each. By ordering direct from the manufacturer allows there to be a good profit for us within a price which is competitive with the premium retail puddings.

It’s a really great pudding – a true highlight for the meal of the year. We’re proud to offer it and know that you’ll love it. Your family and friends will love it (including the vegetarians). It’s so easy to order from us AND it raises money for Our School. It has to be worthwhile.
Fill in the order form and send it back now. Last date for orders is Friday 5th November and the puddings can be collected from the main school reception or will be delivered via pupil post the week of the 6th December.

The Mojito Is A Minty Choice In Summer

This summer, instead of beer or wine, try one of these crisp, refreshing summer cocktails instead. The Mojito is a minty choice, while the Broken Lawn Mower is a spicy cocktail that provides a kick.
Classic mojito
The minty Mojito is a refreshing cocktail that is perfect for an afternoon party or summer BBQ. In this video, hosted by Bahama Breeze Senior Development Chef Peter Olsacher, you can learn how to make the perfect Mojito.

Ingredients
3 lime wedges
4-6 mint sprigs
Simple syrup
Rum
Crushed iced
Splash of soda
Sugar cane for garnish

Directions
In the video, Chef Olsacher uses Garapo - the juice of sugar cane. They use Garapo at Bahama Breeze restaurants, however at home you can substitute simple syrup.
Another fabulous summer cocktail is the Broken Lawn Mower. This is the perfect cocktail for Dad on Father's Day or anytime he needs to perfect excuse of avoiding his worst weekend chore.
Broken lawn mower
Ingredients
1-1/2 oz. Sobieski Vodka
3 oz. chilled beef bouillon
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 dash habanero sauce (optional)
1 oz. fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
juice of 1/2 lime
spicy salt (equal parts coarse salt, black pepper, chipotle or regular chile powder and lime zest)
Directions
Moisten rim of highball glass with lime.
Roll outer lip in a saucer filled with the spicy salt mixture.
Shake all ingredients thoroughly.
Strain over ice into the pre-rimmed highball glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge and a pickled hot pepper.
"The Broken Lawn Mower is best served with lots of ice and a spicy pickled hot pepper for that extra kick," said mixologist Tad Carducci, who created this cocktail. "The peppery Dankowski rye in Sobieski Vodka matches well with the spicy flavors in the Broken Lawn Mower. I recommend enjoying a Broken Lawn Mower outside in the backyard over a great conversation with your Dad."
Sobieski Vodka tastes great served neat, chilled, on the rocks or in a wonderful summer cocktail. It is widely available at a retail price of $10.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

You Can Cook Cold Sesame Noodles

It’s getting a little too hot to eat warm food. Fortunately, these sesame-coated noodles are cold and refreshing. This preparation is vaguely Japanese-inspired, due to the wakame and soy sauce, but with a local twist of tahini. To the best of my knowledge, you can’t readily find tahini in Japan, because if you can, I’m not sure why our friends there asked us to bring a kilo of it with us when we came to visit.

I get good-quality egg noodles from East & West, and they come in units that resemble a hardened bird’s nest (see the photo). I used one such chunk in the following recipe. You can use any kind of noodles you like, though.

For 2 servings:
120 grams dry egg noodles (or another noodle of your choice)
100 grams tofu
100 grams cucumber
2 tablespoons dry wakame
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Optional toppings: spring onions, chives, sesame seeds
Drop the noodles into a pot of boiling water.

Meanwhile, mix the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. Chop the tofu into tiny cubes, and slice the cucumbers into short, thin strips.
Once the noodles are almost at the desired softness, drop the tofu and the wakame into the pot with the noodles, and let boil for another minute.
Empty the contents of the pot into a strainer, and rinse with cold water to cool. Toss with the sauce the cucumbers. Top with toppings of your choice.

How To Make Salad For Your Family

There is nothing better than salad dish to eat. It is too healthy and helps to reduce weight and keeps the body in shape. Ith's easy to prepare.

There are many types of salads that can be prepared at homes  such as: Green Salad, Yogurt Salad, Eggplant Salad, Potato Salad, Tahini Salad and Others.

And from the below Recipes you can prepare delicious salads.

Yogurt Salad:

1) Get  two cans of yogurt.

2) 1/2 tea spoon of minced garlic

3) Tiny small parts of 1 cucumber.

4) 2 tea spoons of lemon juice.

5) Enough salt as you like to taste.

6) Crushed mint

Directions:

Get the yogurt in a plate and stir it  well. Then add garlic, lemon, cucumber  ,salt and combine them together well with yogurt. Then garnish it with crushed mint.

Eggplant Salad:

1)2 meduim eggplants

2)Small parts fo bread

3) 2 cans of yogurt

4)1/2 teaspoon  minced garlic

5) Walnuts for garnish

Directions:

-Peel the eggplants and cut it into small squared parts

-Preheat a pan then add oil to it, when oil becomes hot add eggplants to fry it

-When the eggplants become semi-brown, take it from oil and put it away in a plate

- Put the bread parts to oil to fry it then combine it with eggplants

-Get the yogurt in other plate then combine lemon and garlic with it

-Cover the combination of bread and eggplants with yogurt , then garnish with walnuts

And here are a lot of Salad recipes that are easy to prepare

Cooking For Kids

Pete Solomita knows a thing or two about cooking with kids. As chef/owner of the Little Buddy Biscuit Company, he creates sweet treats that delight the children of Brooklyn and their parents alike. He also teaches healthy cooking classes for young people of various age groups at his alma mater, the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. Where he's really got his work cut out for him, though, is at home, where instilling healthy eating and cooking habits in his five-year-old son Jack is no small feat. We asked him to give us some tips on getting kids involved in the kitchen, and how to make standard kid fare more healthful.

Kid-food expert Cricket Azima shows how easy it can be to make fun, simple and healthy food. From Breakfast Pizza to Tortellini Totem Poles, find 5 kid-friendly meal ideas.

Food And Love

Eating food and having sex: both sensual activities that are so much more fun when you're not doing them alone. And they go well together too.Good food can help you get in the mood when you're planning to get it on, which is useful if you're strapped for time / can't be bothered with foreplay. And if you dispense with cutlery, you can use someone else's body to eat those delicious morsels off, which can be a very sexy, if slightly messy, activity.
However, not all of us get to pay homage to 9 1/2 Weeks every time we eat and / or have sex, and if you're planning a meal in public, I would imagine people might object to your licking whipped cream off your partner's stomach (or so I hear).
So if we know (or hope we know) what the main course is going to be later on, what can help set the scene for an hors d'œuvre? Choice of restaurant can be important. Most people would, I assume, try to pick somewhere they feel is "romantic", in the hope that their lover will respond by feeling amorous and more amenable to a steamy embrace later on.

Who am I to criticise this method? Clearly, it must work; in fact many of the restaurants on the Observer Food Monthly list appear to fit into this category: atmospheric interiors, soft music, candlelight. I'm sure this can help set the scene, but for some this route to seduction won't work.
Let's face it, some of us are clumsy. Some of us don't have great eyesight. Combine the two and you have wine spilled on plates and crumbs all over laps. Not a good start to the evening, really. It doesn't bode well when your lover thinks you're looking passionately into their eyes, but you're actually just trying to figure out if that really is rigatoni on their plate, or maggots.
These "romantic" restaurants might set the scene, but that scene is one of high expectations, and anything that follows may end up disappointing - not great if one is hoping for a night of hot sex.
The answer then, to my mind, is to approach this situation from the exact opposite direction. To me the sexiest meal can be had in the brightest environment with uncomfortable chairs and noisy chatter. The food itself is largely irrelevant (though it's advisable to avoid spinach, for its teeth-gripping qualities; spaghetti, for its chin-dripping likelihood; and shellfish, for the possibilities of allergic reaction or food poisoning) and it's advisable that you limit your alcohol intake prior to the point where the room begins to spin.

What's most important is that you are there with your lover and that your intent - to shag each other rotten - is made clear. Forget the longing looks over candlelight; instead, a simple hand on your partner's knee (or thigh, or ... ) and a knowing glance can say it all. There is nothing sexier than attempting to have some surreptitious nookie under the table while surrounded by a room full of people who have no idea what you are up to. The contrast is what heightens the sexual tension and can only add to what is to come later (or hopefully, very, very soon).
The only drawback to this is when you have a very attentive waiter, who apparently has a keen interest in talking you through the wine list. Again. Sometimes the service can be a little too good for one's liking ... The other thing, of course, is that if things go well, you may end up eating little of your meal and instead dash off to enjoy each other instead. But then it's not always about the food; sometimes other things should take precedent, I think, especially if you end up being the dessert.

The possibility of finding a (new) definite keeper

 The possibility of finding a (new) definite keeper or killer recipe is what keeps me going and spending -probably too much- time on the culinary end of the net. A trait many food lovers – especially food bloggers – have in common, continuously striving to find yet another fantastic new recipe. Which also serves nicely as a handy excuse to allow one’s cookbook racks to gradually take over what you used to refer to as your apartment. But cookbooks – in many ways – can’t compete with online recipe sources and in particular with food blogs. For a couple of reasons:

We write because we love our food, which, photographed or not, will land on our plates afterwards. Usually. I dare to claim food bloggers are epicureans, so by no means would someone add hairspray to a painstakingly prepared feast, right? RIGHT? And the inexorably melting ball of ice cream showcased on the plate is real ice cream – likely to have been documented by the bloggers’ cursing about how difficult it was to capture the perfect scoop. It’s all real.
Immediate feedback. Sometimes not the recipe per se attracts the reader’s attention, but perhaps the through-the-roof positive reviews it has received. Expressed appraisal and appreciation by the readership and other food bloggers can be the golden seal of approval. It’s a good sign that a recipe truly works and has the potential to knock you of your feet.
With the unbeatable side effect: Little flaws in recipes are likely to be discovered by your attentive readers which adds that extra level of quality insurance and encourages food bloggers to be careful and precise about each recipe published online. Mistakes happen, all the time – after all we are human – but it’s far easier to correct it online than it would be in a printed book, ultimately resulting in a higher accuracy of a recipe.
Why am I telling you this? Because the number of my recipe bookmarks has skyrocketed over the last months. Not a single day goes by without adding one or two new alluring recipes – most of which I haven’t tried yet (and truth spoken, I may never get to). A fault confessed is half redressed! So from now on, similar to Zarah Maria’s Dinning with the bloggers, I’ll try to re-cook or -bake as many of my bookmarked recipes in one day, now whenever that day is. Simply to find out, if there are some real keepers out there and I have a strong feeling there are!
How about you? Have you recently discovered drop-dead fabulous recipes online? True keepers? ‘Love to hear about your experience, what made the dish so special and who wrote about it!
The same recipe was bookmarked twice, Barbara’s, as well as Sam’s attempt to bake these little breakfast treats. I found the dough a tad too sticky to work with and decided to add a bit more flour, which worked well: Fluffy crumb, crisp on the outside, next time perhaps with an extra pinch of salt – a keeper, I’d say!
Gougères
Cheese-y, fluffy, cute. Anyone out there who doesn’t like them? Thought so ;) Jennifer raved about them, Deb had before and I’m doing it now: Little delights, easy to prepare, the secret star of every party buffet. Original recipe by Jacques Pépin, Food & Wine
Gougeres
Potato arugula soup
Luisa’s encounter with Leslie Brenner’s Arugula And Potato Soup was not exactly what she had hoped for. Yet her thoughts on how to go about making a proper version planted a seed in my brain and I – an absolute arugula aficionado – had to see for myself.
Potato Arugula Soup‘Sautéed some shallots in butter, followed by the potatoes, added the chicken stock, seasoned it with salt, fresh black pepper, nutmeg, a dash of cayenne and a generous dollop crème fraîche before finally adding the arugula and blending everything. Help! I never had anything like this. Pungently bitter in taste and slimy in its consistency, I quickly came to my senses and kept repeating to myself that arugula is just not meant to be heated AND pureed…
Semolina pudding with oranges, syrup and pistachios
Petra writes one of those blogs I’d trust blindfolded, each and every recipe, seriously, I kid you not. Concise in her description and steps, her culinary taste never disappointed me, which is probably why her blog is the one I cooked most recipes from over the last years. Putting aside what I just wrote, this recipe instantly convinced me just by its looks, so colorful and juicy, it was screaming my name – or was it the blood oranges on our window sill, desperately waiting to be eaten? I cooked the pudding according to her instructions sans beaten egg-white (I don’t like the taste of it in my semolina puddings), reduced the orange juice together with brown sugar until syrupy and garnished everything with pistachio halves. Mmmmh-yum! A visual epiphany with a oriental undertone, which I’d like to emphasize even more so next time with additional cardamom and cinnamon.

Little miniatures of their larger cabbage

Little miniatures of their larger cabbage brothers, it’s hard to not love these leafy green cuties – but not quite impossible. They were my childhood’s nightmare, an acquired taste coming at costs I wasn’t will to pay. With a great deal of persistence, my cunning mum wanted to coax me into liking them by sauteing them with breadcrumbs – a very legit attempt. Anything involving butter-browned breadcrumbs increases the odds tenfold, but I was a hard nut to crack. Somehow I only have bad memories attached to Brussels sprouts, the brash kitchen smell after cooking them, a nasty pot coaster showing cheesy 70s flowers, the usual and inevitable long discussion (“Pleeease, just try a single ONE!“) at our kitchen table, they never had a real chance to make it on my shortlist.
Oven-baked Brussels sprouts
Over the years I felt comforted by the thought, that I wasn’t all by myself with this antipathy and never contemplated cutting it some slack. Then things started to change. What did I miss? All of a sudden I saw myself surrounded by Brussels sprouts loving people, a conspiracy? What was up with everybody!? I felt like on a culinary life raft far away from the shore. Luckily adulthood not only brings bills and a few more wrinkles but the ability to revisit a preconception and acknowledge an error. Was it an obvious sign, when I recently stumbled onto Petra’s latest Brussels sprout recipe? I couldn’t escape any longer.
Oven baked Brussels sprouts
My own version involves some fresh red chili, pine nuts and pancetta and turned out everything I had hoped for. Taking a big bite made my culinary senses jump from crunchy over nutty to spicy and back again. But because my greedy boyfriend (a Brussels sprouts lover since birth), literally breathing them in, didn’t much care to leave enough to further foster this new and still fragile friendship – I simply had to cook this meal again the following day. Needless to say that when I told my mum on the phone about the 2nd time she was fully convinced I was pulling her leg. She left it at “I will have to see it with my own eyes“, obviously she also has a hard time letting go bad veggie memories. Even if her memories are more related to the Brussels sprout-rebellious kid than to the green babies themselves.
Oven-baked Brussels sprouts
Preheat the oven to 200°C (~390°F). Wash the Brussels sprouts, trim the stems and remove dowdy leaves. Cut in halves, then quarters, each time stem to top, so the quarters don’t fall apart.
In a bowl carefully mix together the Brussels sprouts with the olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper, the Dijon mustard and the finely chopped red chili until everything is well distributed and evenly coated. You could also add the pine nuts now, but in my second batch I browned them in a later step together with the bread crumbs, which I think is even tastier.
Transfer the Brussels sprouts into a baking dish and distribute the Pancetta – cut in small stripes – over it. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them once or twice. (Take samples: when the edges start to turn brown to early and the Brussels sprouts are not done yet, you may cover the baking dish with aluminum foil) Meanwhile prepare the breadcrumbs. Heat the butter in a larger pan, add the slightly crushed pine nuts and the coarse breadcrumbs as soon as it starts to sizzle. Allow to gain a golden brown color, then remove from the stove and put aside for serving.
When done, remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven and sprinkle generously with the breadcrumbs/pine nuts mix and some Parmesan. Best eaten straight from the oven!

Dinner Tonight: Penne with Tuna and Spicy Mustard

It's often said that a work of great design is complete only when there's nothing to add, and nothing to take away. Without taking cooking too seriously, I'd say this is true of recipes as well.
More often than not, a great dish will either surprise you with an unexpected addition, or more often, by removing what doesn't need to be there. Sometimes it's both. And that's true of this gem from Patricia Wells' recent book Salad as a Meal.
I've had and enjoyed recipes with pasta and tuna before, including, of course, the famous Tuna Casserole. But this recipe is my favorite of all of them. Wells uses the oil from the tuna (making it essential to buy good-quality stuff packed in olive oil) mixed with spicy whole-grain mustard. She calls for Piment d'Espelette mustard, though a whole-grained mustard will suit just fine.

Either way, it sort of melts into the dish leaving behind tiny orbs of spiciness that cling to the noodles. It's the best three-ingredient dish I've eaten in a long time, though I did cheat and add a little chopped parsley. If only for the picture.

If you had ever stood in front of my cookbook shelf

If you had ever stood in front of my cookbook shelf – actually shelves would be more appropriate, but using the singular form makes me feel a little less cookbook fanatic – you couldn’t have helped but notice a large section dedicated to Italian cuisine. Beyond argument, the Italian cuisine was omnipresent over the last years and not surprisingly among the most popular cookbook themes. Old classics and new bestsellers have occupied the bookstores’ windows, every celebrity chef chipped in and gave his or her view on Italian cuisine, more or less compelling. You’ll find a plethora of books dedicated to pizza and pasta, traditional family cuisine or even vegetarian food. The influx of titles raised my doubts about whether new publications could possibly generate more than a shrug of my shoulders. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Italian cuisine and I am almost positive that I could live on Vitello tonnato, Minestrone, Lasagne and Tiramisu only, probably for the rest of my life. But how many different interpretations of Italian food does a cookbook aficionado really need?

So it may come as a bit of a surprise (certainly to me), that the last cookbook I feel in love with – yet again – covers Italian food: Beaneaters & bread soup by Lori De Mori and Jason Lowe. There couldn’t have been a better basis for this well written book, De Mori, a passionate food writer, who restored a 200 year-old farmhouse in Tuscany and Lowe, an award-winning food photographer – besides being her husband. Their love for Italy and its food shines through every line and photography. The rustic and unpretentious cover doesn’t give away, what beauty you’re about to discover. The choice of paper, the fonts, the overall style emphasizes the stories this talented couple shares with the reader: 25 gastronomic and food-related artisans are portrayed in an extraordinary intriguing manner, you can’t help but smile about carefully observed details.
… On the upper left hand side of the menu – under the heading ‘IMPORTANTE’ – the following caveats appear (in both Italian and English): ‘The trill of mobile phones disturbs the ribollita‘s cooking. …’
Quote from the chapter about Gianluca Paoli (Cook/Proprietor)

The portraits cover an amazing variety of artisans, Tripe Vendor - check, Lardo die Colonnata Producer - check, Mushroom Hunter, Potter, Sheperd – check, check, check – and they are accompanied by roughly 90 recipes, for the most part simple and traditional dishes featuring the regions essential ingredients, tempting nevertheless. My first choice was slightly influenced by the leeks in my fridge, which have been waiting for their gala display longer than necessary already. But then, is there a better ending to a leek’s life than becoming julienne for risotto? I hardly doubt that. Besides, the final result was an very honorable advocate of the risotti kind. Especially the leek julienne provided an additional velvety mouthfeel that made me and my co-eaters go mmmmmmh all the time…

Risotto with leeks & winter squash
Prepare the vegetables: Cut the squash into small cubes (up to you, mine were a tad smaller than a cm / ~1/4 inch), discard seeds and skin. Slice the white parts of the leek in small julienne stripes (roughly 8 cm/3 inches long).
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the leek julienne over low to medium heat. The leeks are not supposed to brown, so you might add a little broth to prevent them from gaining color. When the leeks are soft (about 5 to 8 minutes), add the pumpkin cubes and cover with a lid. Make sure to stir frequently and add more broth if necessary. Stir in the chopped parsley as soon as the pumpkin has become soft (mine took less than 15 minutes) and remove from the heat until further use.
Prepare the risotto: Add the shallots and half of the butter to a pot and sauté shortly until soft and translucent, but don’t brown them. Add the rice and stir over medium heat to coat the grains with the butter, then add the white wine and stir as long as most of the liquid has evaporated.
Now add a cup of the warm broth and stir gently until almost all of the broth is absorbed. Add a little broth at a time, continuously stirring and having an eye on the pot to not let the rice stick to the bottom. Do so for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender and done. Finally add the sautéed vegetables and cook for another minute or two.
Fold in the grated Parmesan, the remaining butter and season with a pinch of nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with additional grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

that’s what I keep telling myself while I’m typing this

No sweat – that’s what I keep telling myself while I’m typing this. I really do hope, that my family and friends forgive me referring to these cutesies as Berliner (which is a correct term, just not in Bavaria). Tip of the day: unless you’re in for a surprised look, try Krapfen - when you’re in Munich. These delicious airy dough balls are basically a doughnut without the hole – so instead of poking one in, we give it a sweet filling like jam or custard.
Yesterday was the last day (hooray!) of what we call Fasching or Karneval (carnival), which, traditionally rooted, is celebrated differently across Germany. While I’ve never been bent on becoming princess, clown or cowgirl for a day, the culinary side-effects to this time of the year are not half bad. Not bad at all – they actually make up for the craziness around.

The good news, you can hardly avoid stumbling into Krapfen, as they are everywhere, and so are other traditional fried dough specialties (Hasenöhrl, Auszogne, Mutzen, Schneeball’n and more). And not just the regular ones (filled with apricot jam, dusted with powdered sugar), they are available filled with chocolate creme, eggnogg custard, champagne custard, raspberry jam and – an old favorite of mine – rose hip jam. I’m most certainly a picky Krapfen eater, they shouldn’t be packed with too much rose hips jam filling and they better not be too greasy. Hard to find, I can tell you!
Now that this year’s carnival season has come to an end, I wanted to try my luck with my very first homemade Krapfen. Fully custom designed: Smaller in size than off the shelf ones (so you could have more without feeling guilty!) and of course filled with my favorite rose hip jam. Since I love working with fresh yeast, it couldn’t really be much of an affair, could it?
We’re not talking rocket science here, the whole procedure is completely doable (a bit of cheating included). Pictures say more than words, a step by step guide:

Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a hollow in the center. Add a tablespoon of sugar as well as the crumbled yeast …

… pour the lukewarm milk into the well …

… before carefully stirring once or twice. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let the pre-dough rise for about 15 minutes …

… the surface will start to look bubbly.

Add the other ingredients (the remaining sugar, egg yolks, lukewarm melted butter, a pinch of salt) and …

…knead well, either by hand or with your kitchen machine until dough can be easily removed from the bowl (non-sticky). If it still feels too sticky, add a tad more flour. Let the covered bowl rest again in a warm place for at least 30 minutes or until the dough has almost doubled. Knead briefly …

… then roll out with a rolling pin about 2cm (0,8 inch) thick. Since I wanted to create a miniature version of Krapfen, I used a cookie cutter to stamp out little discs (~5cm/2 inches in diameter).

Let them rest a final time on a floured tray or baking mat, well covered with a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile heat the fat of your choice in a large pot (or deep-fryer) until it reaches the desired frying temperature of 175°C (~345°F).

The original recipe tells you to add the dough pieces upside down, and to flip them after they attain a golden brown color. Which I exactly did. Quite sadly no white ring, the key-feature of Krapfen, anywhere. Here comes the cheating part: I got rid of as much oil as necessary, to stop them from free-floating – iniquitous, I know! On the upside – pun intended – , they now gained a nice ring around their bellies. I verified with online sources afterwards (should have done it in advance!), just to find out, that it’s key to close the lid after sliding the dough pieces into the fat. The developing steam helps to lift the Krapfen up, leaving a lighter ring. Oh well, I’ll make a mental note for next time! Oh and on a final note, always watch the fat’s temperature: if too low, the Krapfen get all greasy, if too high, they get too dark too quick and may not be baked through.

Remove them from the fat with a skimmer when done and let excessive fat drip off on a paper towel.

Let them cool down for a couple of minutes, then fill the minis with your favorite jam using a long piping nozzle. Finally dust these little cuties with powdered sugar and enjoy! And don’t feel obliged to only have them during carnival season!

How often do you come across highly addictive recipes?

How often do you come across highly addictive recipes? Recipes that make EVERYONE lick their fingers, rave and ask for a detailed step by step recipe after the very first bite? Doesn’t happen that often, does it? So here is the find of the year, wait don’t scream, I know, I know the year has just started, but when I was visiting my friend Hande’s blog and discovered her latest sweet creation, which she very aptly named Wedges of Decadence, I just felt the potential right then and there. “Decadence” certainly is a strong word, but sounds like the understatement of the century in context of this sweet sin, which holds the power to convert even the most persistent chocolate and caramel haters into the opposite. So better be warned, we’re talking serious business! You may need a license to bake!
　　
Meanwhile Hande’s original recipe has been adapted not only to fit my standard cake form (~26 cm/ ~10 inch in diameter), but also to my preferences, which means a softer crust, less spices and even more chocolate (hopefully Hande won’t abandon our friendship for doing so).
　　
My friends and neighbors had the chance to sample both versions and the outcome was round about 50:50, some preferred Hande’s slightly chewier, spicier original, some opted for my adaptation (which needs to be served straight from the fridge, at least if you ask me). Whatever your choice will be, you won’t regret it (maybe your hips will, but who listens to them anyway…).
　　
On a side note: The silver spoon you see on the very first picture is a lovely gift from a Viennese reader of my book. She saw the picture on page no.2 with all the silver cutlery and sent me this one, an old collectible from her mother, as a surprise. Thank you so much!
　　
Preheat the oven to 180°C (~355°F) and prepare the form (~26 cm/ ~10 inch in diameter): I usually cover the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper before I pull the ring around the bottom. Then I tear off any overlapping paper.
Mix together all ingredients for the crust except the water/creme fraiche. You can do this either by hand/with a pastry cutter or in a food processor on pulse function. You are aiming for a very crumbly dough, that doesn’t hold together very well. If the outcome is too dry, add a tbsp water or creme fraiche. Put the dough crumbs into the prepared baking form and gently press down to form an even bottom – no rim needed! Bake on middle level for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden around the edge. Take out of the oven and put aside. Keep the oven temperature at 180°C (~355°F).
Prepare the filling while the crust bakes: Put all ingredients for the filling into a medium saucepan, except the orange and nuts. Stir and bring to a boil. Wash the orange under hot water and pat dry, then use a fine grater to zest the orange. I find the aroma can be quite overpowering, therefor I use it very cautiously and add only little amounts at a time until I’m happy with the taste. Let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and don’t forget to stir from time to time. Meanwhile coarsely chop the nuts. (Hande suggests toasting them in advance, which I often skip simply because of laziness, but this step can further increase flavor and crunchiness!)
Now cover an oven tray with another sheet of parchment paper and put the baking form with the prebaked crust onto it (this avoids a messy oven in case your baking form isn’t leak-proof – like mine). Distribute the chopped nuts in an even layer over the crust, then carefully pour the hot cream mixture over the nuts. Put the tray back into the oven at middle or 2nd from bottom level and bake for 25 minutes. The mixture will firm and gain a nice golden brown color. Take out.
Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate immediately after releasing it from the oven. 5 minutes later you can easily distribute the melted chocolate and create an even layer of chocolate coating with the back of a spoon. Run a knife around the pie and let cool off completely before releasing from the form (the baking form may look pretty used and have sticky residues, but nothing an extensive bath in a hot sink can’t solve). Tightly cover in foil and keep in the fridge, where it keeps up to a week. Cut into small cubes this goes perfectly well with a cup of tea or coffee. Consume in small doses only ;)
　　

Appetizers – check! Entree – check!

Appetizers – check! Entree – check! Main course – check! Dessert – check! Cheese – check! This was me, last Friday, skimming through my shopping as well as to do list. Checking of items on your checklist, isn’t that the greatest?! It was already late in the afternoon and I had not only prepared everything that could be done in advance, my timing was much better than usual. The additional spare time gave me the luxury of going through our complete menu once again, and oh gosh, how could I have missed a little something to accompany the cheese course? Grapes, nuts, store-bought mustard or chutneys usually would do a great job, but since we awaited dear friends from Italy, I waived the typical options and turned to my cookbooks for a quick fix.

Only minutes later I had drafted Oliver into kitchen service, taking full advantage of his cutting skills. My man loves any kitchen work that involves a sharp knife, so no humbly beseeching was necessary and the big pile of red onions for a homemade confit was sliced up in no time. Now I had everything at hand that the recipe asked for and in less than an hour I was filling the enticing result in one large and two tiny glasses. As usual I couldn’t help it and had altered the recipe to my liking, substituting orange juice for water, port wine for red wine and thick, aged balsamic vinegar for regular one. While the onions turned into a glossy, sweet-sour delicacy, Oliver and myself couldn’t stop tasting directly from the pot and an odd thought came to mind: why not serve this confit with a little cheese – instead of cheese with a little confit?

Heat the butter and half of the olive oil over low to medium heat in a large pot and add the sliced onions. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Add the thyme sprigs, the bay leaf and muscovado sugar, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are tender. Again, don’t forget to occasionally stir – the onions are not supposed to gain (much) color.
Add the finely chopped prunes and the liquids: the orange juice, the balsamic vinegar and the port wine. Adapt the temperature until the mixture slightly simmers and keep stirring regularly until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Finally add the remaining olive oil (gives a nice, glossy finish) and season to your own taste. More vinegar for an extra tangy note? A bit more pepper to spice things up? Hey it’s your canvas confit, you can do it! (sorry B .Ross came through) Keeps in the fridge for several days.

Those were the key words that got my attention

Unkosher and chorizo challah. Those were the key words that got my attention when I stumbled upon this and I was hooked. The liaison of yeast bread and my favorite Spanish sausage, well, that’s just so me! Right away I had marked the location of Momofuku bakery in my bookmarks for a future trip to NYC and added the magic words “Chorizo Challah” as a note in my recipes-I-have-to-try notebook. At the time who would have thought that we would indeed spend some days in NYC before Christmas…

Can anyone imagine the sadness that crept up on me, when we entered Momofuku Bakery after a freezing cold and hefty odyssey through NYC’s East Village only to find out that I was out of luck! My happy order was instead answered with shrugged shoulders and an unacceptable Sorry, we don’t have Chorizo Challah today. I was devastated, the Chorizo Challah was the actual reason why we had come here in the first place! The lovely girl behind the counter tried to make up for it by praising their other products and of course I couldn’t help and try some. A cup of strawberry milk and some fairly oversized and still warm cinnamon buns later the world didn’t look as bad anymore as before. And still… I couldn’t stop thinking about that ominous Chorizo Challah.

I almost had forgotten about my little “Make Chorizo Challah” note until dear friends recently brought us their favorite Chorizo from Spain. I had an immediate visual: Chorizo incorporated into a braided yeast bread. Cut into tiny little cubes should do the trick, but maybe there was an even better way to give the crumb a distinctive Chorizo flavor. Does migas con chorizo ring a bell? For these fried bread pieces you saute Chorizo in olive oil until it has gained flavor (and color). It seemed like the perfect way to flavor the melted butter for the yeast bread recipe and indeed it worked like a charm! Big time competition for the traditional sweet Easter bread – be assured – and it’s so easy to make :)

Peel the skin off the chorizo and cut into small cubes. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the sausage cubes and saute for about five minutes over medium heat. Set aside and let cool off.
Crumble the fresh yeast into a bowl, add sugar and lukewarm water, then stir until everything has dissolved.
Mix the flour together with the salt in either a big bowl or the bowl of your food processor/KitchenAid. Now add, one after another, the yeast water, the eggs and the liquid (yet cooled off) butter together with the chorizo cubes and knead on low level or by hand until you receive a smooth and elastic dough. After two or three minutes of kneading the dough should come together beautifully and the sides of the bowl should be clean, otherwise add flour by the tablespoon. Shape the dough into a ball and let rise in a lightly oiled bowl tightly covered with cling-film (in a warm and draft-free spot) until the dough has doubled its volume (about 1 hour).
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390 °Fahrenheit). Depending on your desired bread (do you want to bake a three, four or even six strand bread?), divide the dough into equally sized portions and roll into even ropes on your work surface. Gather and press the ends together, then braid the strands (if you need help you may want to check out these braiding instruction videos here or here). Lightly tuck both ends underneath the bread to ensure a nice and even look. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let rise – covered with a kitchen towel – for 30 more minutes.
Beat the egg yolk and milk together and generously brush the loaf with it. Bake on middle level (or one below) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cover with aluminium foil, if the breads gets too dark too quickly.