Potato salad with a french twist april 26, 2008

VINAIGRETTE
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

SALAD
2 pounds new or red bliss potatoes, skin on
2 cups diced tomato, including skin, seeds and juice
1/2 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon or finely sliced basil or spring onion

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.

Put the potatoes in a big pot of well-salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Cut into quarters.

Add some of the vinaigrette to the potatoes and toss; you may not need it all. Add the diced tomato, onion and tarragon, and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The potato salad will probably need more salt.

Peach melba

400g sugar
600ml water
½ vanilla bean
2 firm but almost ripe white peaches
Vanilla Ice-cream
Raspberry Coulis
Pineapple sage leaves to garnish

Raspberry Coulis:
120g raspberries
75g icing sugar
2 tsp lime juice

Crystallised Pineapple sage leaves
Pineapple sage
Caster sugar
1 egg white

Drop the peaches into a saucepan of boiling water for a few seconds until the skin becomes loose. Transfer to a bowl of iced water, then remove skin which should slide off easily. Place sugar and water in saucepan and add scraped vanilla bean. Heat until sugar dissolves and add peaches and turn down heat. Poach until firm but a skewer slides through easily once pierced. Turn off the heat and allow the peaches to cool in the syrup for about 20mins. Transfer to a plate and once completely cooled cover and chill.

Raspberry Coulis
Puree raspberries with sugar to a coating consistency. Strain through fine sieve if you want a fine finish.

Crystallised Pineapple sage leaves
Dip sage leaves in egg white, coat with sugar, spread the leaves on baking paper and let dry for a day in the window sill. (Or put in the oven at about 40C for a couple of hours.)

To serve
Place peach on a serving plate. Simon cuts the bottom slightly so that it sits flat, adds the sage leaves to replace the ‘real’ leaves on the peach, makes a roll of ice-cream beside the peach, and spreads the coulis around on the plate.

Recipes found here: abc.net.au

Peach and blackberry shortcakes

Shortcakes
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
8 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon whipping cream

Filling
2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced
2 6-ounce containers blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt

Blackberry cream (optional)
2 6-ounce containers blackberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For shortcakes:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, 7 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form. Gather dough together; flatten dough on floured work surface to 3/4- to 1-inch-thick round. Using floured 3-inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Gather dough scraps and flatten on work surface to 3/4- to 1-inch thickness; cut out additional rounds for a total of 6.

Transfer shortcakes to prepared baking sheet. Whisk cream and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl to blend. Brush cream mixture over tops of shortcakes.Bake shortcakes until tops begin to brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer shortcakes to rack. do ahead Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Rewarm in 350°F oven 5 minutes before assembling.

For filling:
Toss sliced peaches, blackberries, sugar, and salt in medium bowl; let stand while preparing blackberry cream.

For blackberry cream:
Rinse blackberries; moisture will enhance puree. Place in processor. Add sugar; puree until smooth. Strain mixture through fine strainer set over bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Discard solids.

Using electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form. Fold 3/4 cup blackberry puree into whipped cream until incorporated. Reserve remaining blackberry puree for sauce.Cut shortcakes horizontally in half. Place 1 bottom half of each shortcake on each of 6 plates. Spoon filling over each, then generous amount of blackberry cream. Drizzle each with reserved blackberry puree. Cover with top halves of shortcakes and serve.

Recipes found here: Epicurious

Jasmine tea pudding

1 cup whipping cream
2 cups 2% milk
2 tbsp jasmine flower tea
1 vanilla bean
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup semolina flour

Tuiles
3 egg white
1 cup +1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp pastry flour, sifted
1/2 cup butter, melted

Lightly oil 4 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil or food release spray and set aside.
Heat cream and milk with tea, scraped seeds and pod of vanilla. Keep just below a simmer for 10 minutes, to infuse flavours.

Strain tea and vanilla pod out and return milk to heat. Bring up to a simmer and whisking rapidly, pour semolina in an even stream. Whisk for another minute, then, as it thickens, switch to a wooden spoon. Continue cooking while stirring about 3-5 minutes, until mixture is thick, and semolina is tender.

Remove pudding from heat and pour into ramekins. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Loosen the sides of the ramekin with a knife and invert pudding onto a plate.

Tuiles
In a bowl, whisk together egg whites and icing sugar until smooth.
Whisk in pastry flour until smooth and then stir in melted butter. Pour batter into a container and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Cut a template out of a plastic lid– for a simple circle, I trace a cookie cutter and cut the plastic leaving a clear hole in the center.

Using a silicone-lined baking sheet, or a cookie sheet greased and dusted with flour, spread a thin amount of chilled batter within the circle filling the space completely. Repeat until tray is filled.

Bake for 6 or 7 minutes, rotating the pan once while baking. Tuiles can be left to cool flat, or can be curled immediately out of the oven by draping them over a rolling pin. Tuiles can be made up to a day in advance, if stored in an airtight container.

Recipes found here: food tv.ca

Banana bread with walnuts

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 soft, ripe bananas, mashed

Cream sugar and shortening; add eggs, flour, soda, bananas, and chopped nuts. Pour banana bread batter into 1 greased and floured loaf pan; bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. This banana nut bread recipe makes 1 loaf.

Recipes found here: dianas kitchen

Kongerejer i plomme sauce april 23, 2008

4 ss Hoi Sin Sauce (Kinesisk Plommesaus)

1 1/2 dl hvitløksmajones

24 rensede kongereker

Frityrolje

Bland plommesausen og majones til fargen er jevn og sausen er glatt. Ha den i en serveringsbolle. Sett den kaldt. Vask og rens kongerekene, legg dem på litt kjøkkenpapir slik at de får rent godt av. Varm opp frityrolje i en stor tykkbunnet panne.

Sjekk med en pinne om det bruser rundt den, da er oljen klar. Ha i kongerekene når oljen er varm. Rekene tar kort tid, når de er lyserosa på farge etter ca 3 minutter tar du dem opp. Legg på et nytt kjøkkenpapir slik at de renner godt av. Serveres straks alle er ferdige sammen med plommesausen.

Tips!

Ha denne retten som del av et tapasbord, ta da en tannpirker uten smak igjennom hver reke og legg dem ved siden av sausen.

Vårruller med chilli og peanut sauce

50 g ris vermicelli nudler

250 g hakket svinekjøtt

1 ss olje

1 fedd hvitløk

1 ts rød chilli, frisk, hakket

2 st grønne sjalottløk, hakket

1 gulrot, revet

1 ss koriander blader, frisk, hakket

1 ts fiskesaus

100 g reker, kokt og hakket

30 stk vårrullsdeig

1 ss mel

2 ss vann

Olje til frityrsteking

Chilli & peanøttsaus:

1/4 kopp eddik, hvit

2 ss sukker

1/2 stk hakket agurk, uten skall

1/4 ts rød chilli, frisk, hakket

1 ss peanøtter, hakket

Dekk ris vermicelli nudlene med varmt vann i en skål, ca. 10 minutter. La dem renne av. Varm opp oljen i en tykkbunnet panne og tilsett kjøtt, hvitløk og chili. Stek godt og rør rundt til kjøttet er brunt. Tilsett løk, gulerøtter, koriander, fiskesaus, reker vermicelli. Stek og rør til det er gjennomstekt. Sett det til avkjøling.

Legg ca 1 ss kjøtt på et hjørne av hvert deigblad, smør hjørnet med en blanding av mel og vann. Fold venstre og høyre hjørne inn, rull rundt og lukk. (Som en konvolutt). Like før servering frityrstekes rullene i varm olje til de er brune. La dem renne av på et papir.

Server rullene varme sammen med chili og peanuttsaus som du lager slik: Bland eddik og sukker i en panne, rør i dette til sukkeret er opplølst. La det koke, la det småkoke uten lokk i ca. 4 minutter til sirupmassen begynner å få farge. Fjern sirupen fra varmen og hell den over i en skål. Avkjøl og rør i resten av ingrediensene.

Tips: Steker du vårrullene noen dager i forveien, kan de fryses til de skal brukes.

Agurk kunst

2 agurker
2 store modne avocadoer
1 bundt purreløk
1 gulrot
3 dl kremfløte
1 fedd hvitløkS
alt & pepper
Sitronsaft etter smak

Skjær rundt agurken med en ostehøvel og skjær agurken i fine strimler. Pisk kremfløten stiv. Mos eller bland avocadoene med kremen, presset hvitløk og krydder. Smak til med sitronsaft. Klipp purreløkene fint og rør dem inn i kremen. Skjær gulerøttene i fine tynne tråder. Rull sammen agurkene og fest dem med en tannpirker uten smak. Fordel fyllet i agurkene og dryss på purreløk og pynt med gulerottråder.

Server.

Avocado suppe

2 stk avocado¨

1 purre

2 kokte poteter

Saften av 1/2 lime

1 1/2 dl matfløte

Ca 8 dl vann

1 terning buljong

1 dl tørr hvitvin

Salt

Hvit pepper

Del avocadoene og fjern steinene. Skrell dem og skjær kjøttet i biter. Vask purren og skjær den i 2 cm store biter biter. Skrell poteter og skjær i like store biter. Ha avocado, purre og poteter i en food processor. Tilsett sitronsaften og kjør blandingen til mos. Tilsett buljong og fløte. Kjør miksen videre til fin, jevn konsistens. Tilsett hvitvin til slutt. Smak til. Server suppen fra porsjonsboller. Du kan gjerne ha i nykokte blåskjell, reker eller rogn i suppen for ekstra smak.

Kikærtesuppe

500 g kikerter

1 l vann

2 ss olivenolje

1 ss spisskummen

3 fed knust hvitløk

1 ss tahin pasta

2 ss sitronsaft

Sett ertene i vann, natten over. Hell av vannet og kok dem i en gryte med vannet i 10 minutter. Skru ned på varmen, tilsett olje og kommen og kok dette ved svak varme i ca 1 ½ time. Rør hvitløk og tahinipasta i retten. Kok alt videre i 25-30 minutter. Rør i sitronsaften og server suppen varm.