English hamburger with summer salad

Since it is July and I know how much Romanians like to barbecue, I decided to share with you a fantastic English hamburger recipe. Why English? for it is always accompanied by a cool summer salad and  "crushed" potatoes  instead of a bun. Why is it special? Well .. first of all because I like it .. and then because it is very healthy, refreshing and nourishing ... and especially for that  fantastic barbecue taste.

What we need:

For the burgers:
1 kg lean minced beef (the better quality, the taste will be greater)
300 g grated Parmesan or Pecorino
salt and pepper to taste (be careful, the cheese is already salted)
For potatoes:
1 kg potatoes, wash thoroughly (do not peal them)
One bunch spring onions,
1 teaspoon sweet paprika or hot as you prefer,
salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
4 tomatoes,
1 long cucumber,
One bunch spring onions,
1 red or yellow bell pepper,
1 green pepper,
1 small grated beetroot,
One hand full of micro greens: coriander sprouts, parsley, dill, basil, mint
For salad dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
some lemon juice

How we prepare:

            First, start the grill .. but I'm presuming  we all have '' males'' around the house that deal with this issue :)
           Mix the meat with the grated cheese and spices, than form burgers medium size to penetrate well inside, and put them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes so they become more firm. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in boiling salted water and boil them, after drain well. Put in a pan to fry sliced ​​scallions with a little oil and after a few seconds add the paprika. Crushed the potatoes roughly and add the spring onion mixture. Season with pepper and salt if needed. Keep potatoes hot. Put the burgers on the grill and turn occasionally so they do not burn, but not before catching color on one side (grill marks). The burgers must remain juicy inside and outside well colored. Fry up burgers, wash vegetables, cut them into desired shapes and mix everything with dressing made​​.
            Caution! Do not put dressing on the salad too fast, only 2-3 minutes before serving salad for otherwise the salad will soften and will not be crisp and refreshing.
Serve burgers on a bed of potatoes and a side salad.

Enjoy!!!

Sweet and sour chinese-with Physalis

This is a recipe that I like a lot. But more than me this recipe is appreciated by my husband and son, who like Asian food a lot. It has a higher degree of difficulty and a greater number of ingredients, but I assure you it is worth the effort. You need a large wok when cooking for 3-4 people as I do and a gas stove, hot flame.

What we need(for 4 people):

1 kg chicken breast washed and diced
3 peppers (red, green) cleaned and sliced ​​or diced
1/2 pounds oyster mushrooms or cloud ear mushrooms cut into stripes
1 piece of ginger peeled and grated
4-5 cloves of garlic
100 g of canned or fresh pineapple cut into small cubes
100 g Physalis fruit cut in half or quarters (preferably quarters)
50 g bamboo (canned)
soy sauce
chili sauce
five spice seasoning
honey
rice wine vinegar
fish sauce
Sesame oil
boiled rice for serving

How we prepare:

We start with a very hot wok  and a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the garlic and ginger for a few seconds (be careful not to burn the garlic, it becomes bitter) then add the vegetables  and mushrooms. Keep everything on fast, hot fire to fry not to boil. When catching color add pineapple, chicken, bamboo and  Physalis.  We keep on  the heat for a few minutes to cook well the chicken and fruits. Vegetables and fruits should be tender, combine their flavors, but still be a little crunchy. Towards the end mend the flavors: soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili sauce, 5 spice flavors. Caution: add one at a time and taste often as many of them contain salt! Taste should be well balanced between salty, sweet and sour, and very little spicy. When sauce thickens and begins to be sticky, the dish is ready. Serve with boiled rice.

Enjoy!!!

胃口好

Chicken stew with vegetables and mashed potatoes

On a cold day, you feel the need to eat something "with soul", something to warm you up inside and enjoy t. This dish is actually a Romanian old recipe that I saw my grandmother make, just that she used preserved vegetables (that pasta made from peppers, tomatoes and carrots). You can serve with mashed potatoes and polenta, as desired.

What we need (for 4 people):

chicken: boneless legs, chest (about 1 kg)

1 red pepper de-seeded and diced

2-3 ripe tomatoes with no skin, cleaned and diced (or canned tomatoes)

1 stalk of celery diced

2 large onions diced

3 cloves garlic

1 carrot peeled and grated

1 tablespoon of sweet paprika

chopped parsley

salt pepper to taste

a little oil

mashed potatoes or polenta for serving

How we prepare:

Cut meat into equal strips, wash and set aside. Brown onion in a little oil with the garlic, peppers, carrots and celery. When they have softened add the paprika and tomatoes. Stir well and add the meat. Put about a cup of water and let it simmer on low heat for an hour or until the sauce reduces and becomes a paste. Season with  salt and pepper and add chopped parsley. If you prefer, you can add chopped fresh dill. Serve with hot mashed potatoes or polenta made fresh.

Enjoy!!!

Fast food :)

I couldn't even call this a recipe :) It's like fast food, but healthy cooking when you do not have time for anything else and are on the run. My son likes that this dish has oriental flavors.

What we need:

Any vegetables you have in the fridge and you like :)
I chose tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, corn
2 slices of chicken breast
Asian spices: curry, turmeric, 7 Thai spice, chili, coriander or whatever you like

How we prepare:

Season and spice the chicken slices, brush them with a little olive oil and fry them in a grill pan.
Serve with your favorite vegetables.

Enjoy!!!

Watercress pasta salad

I admit I like salads, but only if they are simple and with fast preparation. Lately I have been working a lot and this salad saves my life  when I come home tired in the evening and I do not feel like sitting in the kitchen for hours to cook. And it's super tasty and easy to make.

What we need:

1 casserole of watercress 

400 g colored pasta cooked al dente

1/2 cucumber de-seeded and diced

2 tomatoes diced

1/2 red pepper diced

1 bunch radishes washed and sliced

5-10 chopped pitted green olives

1 boiled egg

olive oil

1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

For the cheese sauce:

100 g soft cheese (Brie, blue cheese, goat)

2 tablespoons sour cream or yogurt

How we prepare:

It could not be simpler than this: in a bowl mix all the salad ingredients, salt and pier , add a little olive oil and lemon juice and mix everything. For the cheese sauce we melt our cheese  a little on the fire or in the microwave and then mixed with sour cream. Serve salad with poached egg and cheese sauce on top. Warning, do not add hot sauce!

Enjoy!!!

Risotto ai funghi Shimeji

Although it has a pretentious name it is just a Chinese mushroom risotto  (and a small addition of mini Champignons or Button mushrooms). But the taste is unmistakable. Do not associate in this dish strong spices or garlic because mushrooms have a delicate taste and it will be lost. Which is why I decided to cook a risotto with leeks and white wine.
  I accompanied with slow cooked chicken on low heat with just slightly dehydrated vegetables salt and pepper.

What we need(for 4 people):

400 g Arborio rice (or other risotto rice )
200 g  Shimeji mushrooms
150-200 g mini Champignons mushrooms
1 leek
150 ml dry or semi-dry white wine
500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
50 g butter
50-80 g Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
5-10 g dried/dehydrated vegetables
4 big chicken drumsticks
salt and pepper to taste

How we prepare:

Remove cuticle from the Champignon mushrooms. Do not wash! Remove dust or soil with a kitchen brush. Cut mushrooms into chunks (the smaller half), the Shimeji only break them smaller bundles. Brown them in a little olive oil, until they let all the water. In another pan / skillet cook the leek we have finally sliced ​​(white part only). Then add the rice and let it absorb a little of the oil then pour wine to de-glaze , stir a little and let them simmer  to evaporate the alcohol. When the alcohol is evaporated add the dehydrated vegetables and add a bit of stock. A ladle or two at the time,steering often to bring out the starch from rice. Repeat the process until the rice is boiled al dente.  At this point add the mushrooms. butter and half the Parmesan cheese. Mix everything well and mend it with salt and pepper.
  At the same time we can do the chicken but it's better to do it before because as  it needs about 1 h 30 min-2 h to cook. It's very simple to do. I use drumsticks, cleaned, washed and I put them into a frying pan / skillet, brown in a little olive oil then cover with water add dehydrated vegetables (about 10 g), salt and pepper and let simmer up to 2 h.
Serve the mushroom risotto with chicken and shaved Parmesan on top.

Enjoy!!!

Mexican chili chicken

My folks  like Mexican food, even my son  appreciates food with spicy exotic flavors. So this dish with chicken and chili is spot on. It is also easy to prepare and quick.

What we need:

1 kg boneless chicken breast, diced

1 tin red or black kidney beans 

250 g long grain rice

200 g green beans (frozen)

1 small can of corn

1 red bell pepper diced

2 large cloves of garlic

about 1 liter chicken stock

chili to taste (powder or flakes)

Green cherry tomatoes and cucumber salsa

grated cheddar cheese to serve

How we prepare:

We brown in a pan chopped garlic in a little oil and the red pepper. Add the chicken cubes. When the chicken has caught some color add the washed rice, corn, beans and green beans. Add chicken stock enough to cover everything (we add along the way if needed for the rice to boil). Meanwhile the cherry tomatoes are cut in quarters and cucumber into small cubes, add salt and mend them with a little olive oil (I recommend making salsa closer when eaten  to maintain crisp vegetables).

When the chicken and rice are boiled, mend for salt and pepper and add chili powder or flakes to taste.

Serve with salsa on top and grated Cedar.

Enjoy!!!

Surf and turf macaroni

I kind of missed out lately on my cooking, but my job kind of 'eat' all my time. After many traditional dishes for the holidays, I felt the need to eat something lighter and I remembered that I have frozen prawns in the freezer. This recipe of surf and turf (sea and earth :))'s easy, quick and delicious.

What we need:

500 gr prawns ( big ones, cleaned, de-vaned) 
500 gr pork file cut into 2 cm thick pieces
400 gr pasta(I chose macaroni)
300 gr Edam or Gauda cheese grated
200 ml double cream
2 egg yolks
salt, pepper, parsley and lemon zest to garnish

How we prepare:

Put salted water to boil for pasta. Heat the pan with a little oil in it and when it is hot add the pork file seasoned with salt and pepper and cook for about a minute on each side (should be pink in the middle). We leave the fried fillet to 'rest' and then in the same pan we fry the prawns (about 2-3 min). Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente | (about 8 min). After the pasta is cooked drain the water and set it aside. In a large skillet or saucepan put the yolks mixed with sour cream and grated cheese, let until it reaches boiling point (Warning do not boil as the egg and cream  will curdle).Season with salt and pepper, add shrimp, fried pork file and pasta. Stir it well and serve with chopped parsley and a little orange peel.

Enjoy!!!

Tagliatelle con ragu di ciorizo e Grana Padano

Pasta and sauce are generally my favorite dish. This recipe tagliatelle con ciorizo ​​sausage and ragu sauce with grated Grana Padano cheese fill that void in your soul in a cold autumn evening, when you're tired and hungry after a hard day at the office.

What we need:

• 500 gr tagliatelle (Barilla or any good quality ones, or you can make them yourself )
• 500 gr can of chopped tomatoes in tomato sauce
• 500 gr ciorizo sausage cut into slices
• 1 bunch of green basil
• 1 celery stick cut into small pieces
• 1 carrot pealed and cut finely into small cubes
• 1 big onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• salt, pepper and 1 tsp sugar
• Grana Padano( or Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino ) grated

How we prepare:

Boil the pasta as directed on the package. For the sauce, fry the sausages and  ​​sliced ​​onion and carrot and celery in oil left from the sausage. Add the garlic and canned tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce reduces to desired consistency. Add salt, pepper, basil and a teaspoon of sugar  to balance the acidity in the sauce.

Serve pasta with sauce and grated cheese of your liking.

Enjoy!!!!

Lemon drizzle cup cake

Yum yum! Sweet and sour, sticky and delicate. I love these cup cakes with lemon. Fast and to the children's liking.

What we need:

• 250 g white flower
• 250 g caster sugar
• 250 g room temperature butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 lemons
• 100 g powder sugar
• 1/2 baking powder sachet 

How we prepare:

Preheat the oven at 180 * C. With a mixer beat butter and granulated sugar and then incorporate the eggs one by one. Then incorporate flour mixed with baking powder. Grate the peel of a lemon and a few drops of lemon. Prepare a tray for cup cakes  that put 12 paper covers for cup cakes (found in supermarkets). Pour batter in evenly cup cake (not exceeding three quarters of the paper covers) and put in the oven 35-40 minutes and bake until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let them cool. Mean while make a thick syrup from  powdered sugar and juice from one lemon. Add a little lemon zest. After the cup cakes have cooled poke them with a tooth pick from place to place and liberally pour the syrup over, to soak them really well. Serve warm or completely cooled.

Enjoy!!!!

Fusion: Thai duck breast with mushrooms risotto

I like to combine different cuisines and cooking styles to obtain new,  unique culinary experiences, to carry my thoughts overseas, to make me dream of exotic lands and fragrant spices.

        This dish was inspired by my son, who tells me one day that since I work so much, I do not cook like old times. I wanted to show him that it is not like that. So I treated him with Thai-style duck breast and mushroom risotto.

What we need?(for 2 people):

1 duck breast(the 2 side pieces)
1 tsp of Thai 7 spice(if you can't find it it's a combination of :chili, coriander, star anise  cumin, granulated garlic)
4-5 tbs of duck fat or butter 
400 g risotto rice(Arborio)
200 g  brown Champignon mushrooms or forest mushrooms
1 carrot
1 celery stick
700-800 ml chicken stock
100 g Parmesan cheese
100 ml dry white wine
100 g butter

How we prepare?

For the risotto: cut carrot and celery finely into small cubes (Brunoise), fry them in a little oil in a  pan/ pot that will allow the rice to increase in volume. After 2-3 minutes add the rice to the vegetables fry for a  few seconds then add the wine. Let the vegetables and rice in the wine to slowly bubble to evaporate the alcohol from the wine. Then add the mushrooms and start adding chicken stock little by little, stirring frequently so that the starch in rice will come out of it. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked (al dente, but not very hard). Be careful not to smoked the rice or to not catch to the bottom of the pot. Blending often is therefore  essential. Finally ad butter and Parmesan and stir for a few times.
       The duck breast is rubbed with Thai 7 spice , score the skin finely to become crispy when fried. Heat the duck fat or a little butter in a pan and add the duck skin side down. Fry on that side until the skin becomes crispy. Intoarcem on the other side and cook for a bit (not too much pink duck is served, otherwise it hardens).

      We serve the portioned meat, but only just after I left it to rest with risotto.

Enjoy!!!

Boneless chicken thighs with mushrooms and Gauda cheese

This recipe is very quick and easy to do. Not to mention that it is also very delicious and tasty. So if you only have 30 minutes available to cook and want to impress, this is the perfect recipe.

What we need:

• 1 kg boneless chicken thighs butterflied like for barbecue
• 1  big jar of mushrooms (800 gr)
• 2 slices of Gauda cheese for each peace of meat
• salt pepper
• mash potato for serving or any other side you prefer

How we prepare:

First we preheat the oven at 200 * C. We take a Yena 

glass tray or Teflon tray , brush with a little oil and put the seasoned boneless thighs  side by side. Place a pile of  the mushrooms over each thigh and finish with two slices of cheese. May sprinkle some salt and pepper. Put in the oven about 25-30 minutes until the thighs are browned  and cheese is melted.

  Serve with mashed potatoes and a green salad. Didn't I say it's easy?

Enjoy!!!

Hearty beef soup

I kind of bailed out on cooking lately because I have no time after work. But on weekends, I always try to cook something after my own heart :). So is this hearty beef  soup with onion sprouts, cream and pepper.

What we need:

   vegetables for a pot of soup cleaned and cubed(2 carrots, 1 parsnip, 1/2 celery root, 1 red pepper, 1 kohlrabi, 1 big potato)

• one big beef marrow bone(just for boiling in the soup for intense taste)
• 1/2 kg beef meat cubed
• 1 bunch of parsley and a little garden lovage
• 1 tsp of Bors Magic(i told you about this in another recipe- you can use vinegar in stead)
• 1 big clove of garlic
• creme fresh in abundance
• 1 egg
• chilies to serve
• optional- onion sprouts 

How we prepare:

Put to boil in a pot of 6-7 kg the beef bone and meat. After boiling (2-3 hours), set aside the stock and meat. In another pot fry to soften the vegetables in a little oil (2-3 min). We then add the stock from meat and  the meat.We let simmer 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add salt or bullion base, and bors magic with chopped herbs. Once cooled slightly add the garlic  mixed with cream and the egg. Be careful! If the soup is too hot the cream and egg

 mix will curdle , if it's too cold, the egg remains row! It has to be done just at the right time.

When serving, add another teaspoon of sour cream, chili and red onion sprouts for a more intense flavor.

Enjoy!!!

Crispy chicken wings with sweet chili sauce and Mediterranean salad

I was kinda lazy lately and I have not posted any recipes. The truth is that I worked very long hours and I did not  cook because I had no time. But today I decided (even if it's very late) to make this recipe of crispy wings with sweet chili sauce and a Mediterranean salad: cherry tomato, cabbage, peppers, olives and other goodies.

What we need? for 2 people:

4 big chicken wings(or 6 smaller ones)
3-4 tbs of bread crumbs
2-3 tbs of white flower
1 bitten egg
1/2 kg cherry tomatoes
1/4 white cabbage finely chopped
100 g green olives
1 long pepper
50 g Cheddar cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk soft boiled/person
for the dressing 2 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
sweet chili sauce(as much as you want)

How we prepare?

Wash the wings and season them, toss them in flour, egg and breadcrumbs( in this order), and fry  in a hot oil bath (preferably in a deep fryer). Fry on all sides until they are golden and poke with a fork and no blood comes out. Take them out on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
        For the salad take a bowl in which we put the cherry tomatoes cut in half, shredded cabbage, olives pitted, cut pepper into strips and cheese cubed. Add salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar  and olive oil dressing.

        Arranged on the plate the wings, chili sauce and salad, and the last time we add over the salad the soft boiled egg yolk.

                                              Enjoy!!!

Polenta with cheese and sausage ''á la carte''

If I like something a lot, is to take a traditional recipe  and turn it into something different ... something that can serve in a ''á la carte'' restaurant. For that we must recognize that first of all and before we taste a food, we eat with our eyes. I tried this with many recipes  .. and one of them is  polenta with sheep's cheese and fried home made smoked pork sausage . It makes a great appetizer in the form presented here. I think this recipe is easy to make for  everyone, and every one knows how to do it, only the presentation is different. I would say that my secret ingredient in this recipe is butter put in the polenta. It makes it incredibly creamy. A. .. and the'' heart'' of sheep's cheese kneaded inside the polenta. As for the sausage..they have to be home made, smoked , fried and ...as many as possible :))))

Enjoy!!!!

Crispy schnitzel with season salad

When you're craving a fast food but not the extra calories that come with it, I recommend this recipe, it is quick and much healthier. Crispy chicken schnitzel (Parisian) with a  season salad .

What we need:(for 1 person-fr more multiply quantities)

2 pieces of chicken breast flattened and seasoned

bread crumbs (50 gr)

white flower (30 gr)

1 beaten egg

1 cucumber(small)

1 carrot

1 tomato

2 scallions

salt and pepper

balsamic vinegar for the salad

oil for the salad and for frying the schnitzel 

How we prepare?

Place a hot skillet with a little oil (contrary beliefs, schnitzels  may very well fry in  little oil if you have a good nonstick pan). Take chicken schnitzel , over in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in that order. If you want a thicker crust, repeat the process in the same order. Place to fry and fry on both sides until golden and crispy. Remove from pan to a paper towel to absorb excess fat. In a bowl  cut the vegetables pieces, scrape carrots to be easy to eat, make a dressing of salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and oil, mix everything well and the salad is ready to serve. If you prefer, you can grate a little Parmesan cheese into the salad.

Enjoy!!!

Kohlrabi soup with chicken meatballs

              It's so hot that not I can't even think to cook for hours, although it's what I like the most. I was thinking the other day what can be easily cook, nourishing and I could eat for a few days? .. And I remembered this recipe for Kohlrabi  soup that I know from my grandmother. To make it more filling I added some chicken meatballs.

What you need(for 4-6 people):

1/2 kg young Kohlrabi or 2,3 Kohlrabi if you buy them by the piece

carrots and root vegetable as for a soup sliced or diced

the Kohlrabi leafs if you have them

1/2 kg minced chicken meat

 50-100 gr round grain rice

1 egg

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbs white flower

salt and pepper to season

finely chopped parsley 

1/2 of lemon juice or better what I use a traditional product named Bors (obtained from fermenting cereal)(we can find it in sachets as a powder and it is called Magic Bors)

How we prepare:

We start by cleaning, washing and chopping the vegetables into cubes, slices, as you prefer. In a 5-liter pot we shallow fry the vegetables in a little oil, then add the paprika and flour to fry for a few seconds. Then add water enough to fill pot 3/4 volume. Add chopped Kohlrabi leaves. Let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs: mix the meat with the washed rice, egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and form small meatballs that we drop in the boiling soup (I use a small scoop of ice cream, the kind that forms small and perfect balls ). Let it simmer for another 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked and vegetables as well (meatballs rise to the surface when cooked). Finally add magic Bors(or lemon juice) and salt and pepper to taste. After we take off the heat sprinkle liberally with chopped parsley. Serve with sour cream and hot peppers   for hotness enthusiasts.

Enjoy!!!

Spaghetti Carbonara

If there is something I can eat in industrial quantities :)) without getting bored ... is Spaghetti Carbonara . It's my favorite pasta and for a good while now I'm still experimenting to find the best recipe. I do not know if I found it, but I will share it with you.

What we need:

1 pack of good quality spaghetti
200 ml double cream
300 gr bacon diced 
200 gr Parmesan cheese 
3 egg yokes
2 garlic cloves
a very small pinch of dried oregano

salt and white pepper to season

How we prepare:

We put in a pot to boil water for the spaghetti with a pinch of salt. When water boils put in the spaghetti, stir often so it does not catch to the bottom and cook as directed on package(usually 7-8 min for al dente pasta).           In a frying pan without oil we put the diced bacon, 2 garlic cloves crushed only, which we will remove later, and the oregano. The reason for which we do not have oil in the pan  is that the  bacon  will render its fat . Separately beat egg yolks with double cream and about 3/4 of grated Parmesan cheese (keep the rest for the end). When bacon is almost crispy fried (do not burn it shall become bitter), slowly turn the heat and pour the egg mixture, cream and cheese. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens slightly and egg mixture cooks. You should not boil this! Sour cream will curdle . Incorporate the spaghetti into sauce, mix well and season (attention the bacon and Parmesan contain salt!) Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!!!

Mediterranean salad

Today I feel flaccid and without energy ... so I need something to wake me up and bring more vitamins to my body. I think this Mediterranean salad with garden fresh tomatoes and crumbly feta It'll 'fix' great. It can be consumed as an aperitif, or a side next to a barbecue, and as such as a refreshing and light summer salad.

What we need(for 2 people):

3 garden tomatoes cut into bite size slices or 400 gr  cherry  tomatoes  cut in halves

1 cucumber cut into slices

1 bunch of scallions cut into small pieces 

150 gr  feta cheese (not to salty)

For the  dressing:

3 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano orbasil(or fresh if you want)

1/2 chili deseeded and finely chopped

salt and pepper to season

How we prepare?

We cut all the vegetables into a bowl, crumble feta over them into small pieces. We do separate the dressing in a small bowl, mixing all the ingredients. Beware of salt if feta is salty! Add the dressing over the salad, mix well and serve immediately. If salad is not consumed then, ad later the dressing  before eating for the vegetables become soft  and are no longer enjoyable. For lunch you can eat with  a warm, fresh salt or cheese pretzel .

Enjoy!!!

Brazed pork loin in red wine sauce

I know this dish is very hearty, specific tho the colder periods, but I for one I missed eating something ... with a bit of soul to it .. :) ... So this recipe for brazed  pork loin stewed in red wine sauce filled the void in the soul and the stomach :) ... I do not know exactly where I learned this recipe .. for it has in it Hungarian influences from my grandmother ... and British influences from the steak and kidney pie, and I used the Portuguese port wine ... so ... I will not try to categorize this ...  but just tell you how to do it ..

What we need:

1 kg pork loin cut in to 1-1.5 cm slices(you can also use pork leg as it is more juicy)

2 carrots, pealed and diced

3 large onions cut in slices

2 red peppers diced

2 cloves of garlic mashed

2 sprigs of dry thyme

3 tbs concentrated tomato paste

1 tbs sweet paprika

2 chilies de-seeded and finely chopped

100 ml Port wine or a sweet red wine

salt and pepper to taste

The dish is served with fresh fluffy mash potato.

How we prepare?

In a pan fry the slices of meet on both sides for catching a nice color.

     We put the onions, peppers and carrots to fry in a saucepan with a little oil. We leave until vegetables are soft and add the garlic, paprika and tomato paste. Stir well and add the Port wine. Add fried the meat, thyme and 500 ml hot water and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, 1 hour and a half until the meat is tender and vegetables are a good forming a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper .. I prefer pepper liberally. Serve with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. For extra flavor and extra kick in the mashed potatoes I put in a teaspoon of horseradish cream (found at supermarket in jars).

Enjoy!!!

Plum and apple crumble with green apple sorbet

It's July and summer apples are ripe and juicy, plums smile joyful from our orchards and   the smell of cinnamon apple pie cooked by our grandmothers is following us everywhere. I will share with you a recipe of classic apple(and plum) crumble, not from us, but from the UK and I found this recipe to be utterly  delicious  If it is that  easy, why not play a little with the ingredients ... meaning ..my cake is with apples and plums, because I think it's a fantastic combination but actually, this recipe works with any fruit  found in summer apples, plums, raspberries, blueberries, berries, rhubarb ... the sky is the limit :) Englishmen are proud of this recipe  Apple (and plum) crumble because is a kind of national symbol and they should be ... it's delicious. They do it all year round just different fruits depending on season. Serve hot accompanied by a globe of custard (eggs and vanilla cream) or vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet or green apples as do and I .
What we need:

For the cake:

500 gr summer apples, \washed, deseeded and cut in plum size pieces :)

500 gr sweet plumes washed and cut in halves(no seeds)

200 g caster sugar

2 sachets of vanilla sugar

400 gr butter or vegetable fat for baking

800 gr biscuits(vanilla, crunchy biscuits)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the sorbet:

1.5 liters fresh green apple juice (obtained from juicing the apples not from a can)

1 lemon

1 lime

400 gr sugar

300 ml sparkling water

a few drops of natural food coloring: green

How we prepare?

First we preheat the oven at medium heat 30 minutes before baking the cake. Crush well the biscuits until no pieces larger than a peanut remain ...  try to make them 'dust' :)) Melt the butter or margarine and add over biscuits. Mix well until the biscuits are forming  lumps and  composition is coated with butter. Cleaned and cut fruits (apples to be equal to half the plums) must be mixed well with granulated sugar and vanilla. If you like very sweet cakes you can add sugar to the composition of biscuits .. but I think that cookies are quite sweet for my taste.Take a deep pan (I used the oven pan) and grease with margarine or butter.Takes 2/3 of the biscuit mixture and form a base tray, about 1.5 cm thickness, press well so the base does not scatter when we cut the cake. Arrange fruit on top of the biscuits evenly, and sprinkle cinnamon.
  Add remaining biscuits over the fruit to form a sheet over them. Put in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the biscuit crust is golden brown . Caution if fire is too hot it burns very easily and the fruit does not bake, and if the fire is too slow  everything will boil and the cake will not be crispy !

For the sorbet:

I usually do the night before the sorbet because it needs to sit in the freezer for at least 4-5 hours.
Boil the apple juice, sugar, juice of lime and the juice of half a lemon, lime peel. Simmer until mixture reduces to half and get an intense flavor of green apples. Let it cool and strain through tea strainer (very fine). Add mineral water, mix well, and add a few drops of natural food coloring for color to restore green apple color (the color is lost by boiling the juice). Do not add too much color  for  sorbet will not look good. Place in a container and put in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. You will need to stir the mixture frequently in the beginning and then once an hour  to incorporate as much air and get a smooth sorbet without ice crystals.
         Serve cake warm, with a globe, or two of cold sorbet.

                                                 Enjoy!!!

Rooster with red sos

And because I told you I like French cuisine, I will share with you a classic recipe which I reinvented in my own stile: free range organic rooster with a red sauce( called hunter's sauce). This recipe is not "Pollo cacciatore!

What we need:

 1 young free range organic rooster(or hen if can not find a rooster),
             vegetable like for a soup( carrots, parsnips, onion, celery)
             200 g tomato paste(sauce)
             100 ml red wine
             1 onion finely chopped
             1/2 tsp hot paprika, or Cayenne pepper
              parsley
             2 tbs white flower
             1/2 tsp sugar
             2 bay leaves
           salt and pepper
Fluffy mash potato to serve.

How to prepare?

Wash, clean and portion the bird, put in a pan to boil with the soup vegetables.Boil softly until very tender .Take the meat from the breast and legs and season then fry just until golden brown in a little oil.
For the sauce we fry the finely chopped onion until golden and ad the paprika and tomato paste. Ad the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add some of the stock from the meat and ad the bay leaves and sugar to balance the acidity. Boil for 4-5 minutes.We make a paste out of the flower and some cold water making sure no lumps are formed. Pour the mix over the boiling sauce ans stir to mix. Boil for another 2-3 min until a sauce is formed.We season the sauce and take out the bay leaves so they do not go bitter. The sauce should be spacey but not hot.
We serve with fresh fluffy mash potato, sauce and meat peaces. You can sprinkle some chopped parsley.

Enjoy!!!

Romanian Carp with garlic sauce

I can honestly declare I love fish and sea food. But maybe I love the most out local sweet water Carp cooked in the most simplest  way : maize flower crust with hearty garlic and parsley sauce. I would like to mention the fish in this dish is local( caught by my dad who is an awesome fisherman when he catches fish and extremely unlucky when he doesn't :). I would like to also thank my father for all the fishing adventures he tuck me along. But returning to our recipe I can say is dead easy to make and if you did not try this yet you will so repeatedly after tasting once.

What we need(for 4 people):

1 Carp  (2 kg or 2 peaces /person if you buy it ready butchered (you can get file as well but I like this particular fish o the bone)
4 tbs maize flower
salt, pepper , granulated dried garlic(Yes! I do use it!)
 For the garlic sauce:
5 cloves of garlic,
salt ,
a little oil(any kind),
a little finely chopped parsley
For garnishing a little tomato rose and parsley

How to prepare?

Wash the fish and cut into serving peaces if necessary, dry it with a paper towel, salt it and pepper it and we set aside in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour. When ready to fry, mix  in a bowl the maize flower with 1 tsp granulated garlic and a pinch of salt. We heat some oil in a pan(about 1 cm high) (do not use olive oil for this it is going to change the flavor).We toss the fish pieces in the flower mix and fry skin side down first on medium heat.Fry on all sides until golden brown and take from the pan on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
For the garlic sauce, we peal the garlic and pass through a garlic press or fine grater, we rob a little salt in it util becomes a paste  and then gradually add a little bit of oil. We top it up with half of glass of water and stir to mix. I like to add some finely chopped parley to it for freshness and color.
 Serve the fish with the garlic sauce and if you like it with fresh polenta. I hope you like this dish at least as much as I like it :)
 

Enjoy!!!

Special chocolate mousse

      I am not specially fond of sweets or cakes, but once in a while I feel the need to eat something to make me say WOW!! Of course it has to be chocolate times 100...because otherwise is not memorable..at least not for me :). I learned this recipe from a great Greek chef for whom I hold a great deal of respect but I also hate him for teaching me to create such "obscenities" that make you forget about your figure and common sense when you eat them and wish you had 2 mouths :))

The recipe it self is not difficult but to make it exactly like mine you need a few gadgets and of course good quality ingredients. But if you want to impress someone special or even yourself :) it's worth the effort.

What we need(for 2 hearts):

For the chocolate mousse:

150 gr dark chocolate(at least 75% pure cocoa)

2 eggs

2 tbs sugar

250 gr double cream

and my secret 

is to add 2 tbs of ready prepared gelatin

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          For glazing:

50 gr dark chocolate 

50 g of chocolate shards

1 tbs egg meringue(hold some from the mousse preparation)

For garnish use any fruit you have :)

For the heart shape you need 2 silicone heat shapes(but it can have any shape you want: round, square or can even be served in a cup or glass).

How we do it?

The good news is you do not need an oven for this :) . Let the eggs come to room temperature and then separate the whites from the yokes. Melt the chocolate on bain-Marie or in the microwaves. Add the double cream an the beaten yokes while the mix is still very hot but stirring to make sure the the egg does not curdle. Set aside to cool. Mean while beat the egg whites with the sugar into a stiff meringue. When the chocolate mix is cool incorporate the meringue(set aside 1 tbs for garnishing) and the 2 tbs of gelatin stirring lightly not to ruin the mousse. Spoon the mousse in the silicone shapes or cups or glaces  and refrigerate for 2-3 h. If you want to do this particular heart shape mousse , in the last 1/2 h put the mousse into the freezer but be careful so it does not freeze over and form ice needles because it will go bad. Take out rapidly the mousse from the molds so it does not melt, glaze with the melted remaining chocolate and sprinkle the edges with chocolate shards. Ornate with the white meringue and put into the fridge for another 30 min. Serve with fresh fruit(preferably something acidic).

 Serve with moderation!! :) I'm trying with no success :))

              Enjoy!!!!

Refreshing tuna salad

It is really hot outside and I don't feel like cooking ..I'm home alone and this salad is perfect for a quick and tasty lunch. It's a great idea for a lunch you can take to the office or for the kids lunch at school and it encourages them to eat more veggies and fish.

What we need:( for 2/3 people)

1 medium can of peas(make it a good quality one to taste the difference)1 mediumcan of sweet corn( I used corm from a fres boiled cub)1/2 medium red onion sliced very thinlly1 small can of chickpeas1 can of good quality tuna in oil(drain well) the juice from 1/2 a lemon1 tbs olive oil or some oil from the tuna cansalt, pepper and fresh chopped coriander to garnish

      How we do it?

We open all the cans and drain them.Put everything in a bowl and add the chopped onions, lemon juice, salt , pepper to taste and mix well. The salad gets more tasty if we refrigerated for 20-30 min. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve on toast or just on its own.

       Enjoy!!!!

Chinese style sweet and sour ribs

 It there is something I really like and feel good eating is Chinese and Thai food.
I decided to share with you this recipe of Chinese style sweet and sour ribs slightly spicy , to show you that Chinese food can be festive food not just food you take out from a fast food. 

What we need? (for 4 people)

1 kg short pork ribs cut into pieces 

2 large carrots  (one for the garnish, one for the sauce cut into log strips (julien))

2 red peppers cut julien

250 g mushrooms(normal, Pleurotus, Shiitake..) cut into slices

200 g diced pineapple and pineapple juice (about 5-6 table spoons-can be caned pineapple)

1 can of bamboo shoots 

4 cloves of garlic

4 table spoons of ketchup

3 table spoons of honey

4 table spoons of light soy sauce

2 tea spoons of  Chinese 5 spice (you can find it in any supermarket)

1 tea spoon of chili flakes 

salt (only if needed-soy sauce is salty) and pepper to taste

long grain rice boiled and drained to serve

Wow we do it?

We first season the ribs with salt and pepper and we sear them in a pan with a little vegetable oil until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a bowl we mix 2 tbs of ketchup, 2 tbs of soy sauce,  1 and 1/2 tbs of honey, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp of 5 spice mix and 1/2 tsp of chili flakes. We add 300 ml of water(or as much needed for the ribs to be soft boiled) and we mix to obtain a sauce.We then pour this mix over the ribs and leave to boil until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced and caramelized.

 In a wok( deep Chinese pan) on very high heat we heat some oil, we add the remaining garlic finely diced(be careful,garlic burns quickly and becomes bitter), the pepper, carrot and mushrooms.We fry until the vegetables become softer but still crunchy and then ad the pineapple and bamboo. We ad after that the remaining ingredients: ketchup, honey, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 5 spice and chili flakes.We mix thoroughly and leave on the heat for another 2-3 minutes for the ingredients to combine. We taste for seasoning.

We serve with boiled rice and pork ribs. For garnish we use fresh coriander lives, cucumber and carrot.

      

                        Enjoy!!!