Appetizers

Asparagus with sauces:

  • 1 bunch of asparagus
Rinse in cold water. Grab each plant by the two ends (the head and the stem) and bend like a bow. It will snap. Discard the broken stem part, keeping the head. Put all plants on a plate, and cook in a microwave on high for 3 min. Rinse in cold water immediately.

Sauces:

Light Lemon Mayonnaise:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons (1/2 medium lemon) lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
  • dash of white pepper
Blend together all the ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.

Variation: Tuna Sauce:
Antipasti

  • 1 recipe lemon mayonnaise
  • 1/2 can tuna, drained
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup chicken stock
Place tuna in a food processor and chop finely. Gradually add mayonnaise.Blend in lemon juice. Add enough stock to make a thin cream.
Can be used also for cold meats like veal, turkey, beef.

Wine sauce:
Cooking with wine

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 50 gram butter
In a double pot over a simmering water mix together egg yolks, wine, lemon juice, salt , and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until the foam is stable. Add butter in small pieces, while continuing to beat.

Creamy Mushroom Dressing:
Bon Appetite, March 1995

  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, very thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Toss mushrooms with lemon juice in medium bowl; season with slat and pepper. Whisk cream and mustard in small bowl to blend; gradually whisk in oil. Let mushroom mixture and dressing stand for 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Whisk tarragon into dressing. Drain mushrooms well and return to bowl. Mix in dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Polonaise Sauce:

  • 5 tblsp butter
  • 1/3 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 hard cooked eggs, chopped small
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • salt, white pepper
Melt butter in heavy sauce pan. When butter starts foaming, add bread crumbs and saute for 3 min. Add eggs and half of parsley and saute for 1 more min. Add salt and pepper, turn of the fire and mix well.
To serve, put some sauce, then asparagus, then the rest of the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.

 

Grilled Portobello:

  • 2 big portobello mushroom cups, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tblsp vinegar
  • 2 tblsp soy sauce
  • 1 teasp finely chopped garlic
  • black pepper
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a big bowl. Add mushrooms and marinate for 15 min, mixing frequently. Preheat grill to 500F. Arrange mushrooms on a grill and cook for 3 min. Serve on a leaf of lettuce.

Vegetable Tarts:
Alla Sheffer

  • 1 package of puff pastry dough, defrosted but not sticky
  • 1 egg
  • 4 small zucchini
  • 16 cherry tomatoes
  • 16 black olives, pitted
  • 32 large capers
  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (see recipe in salads)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesian, cheddar or swiss
Roll the dough slightly, cut each sheet into 16 squares. Arrange the squares on a tray and freeze for 2 min. Whip the egg in a small bowl (with a bit of water or milk). Baste the dough squares with the egg. Return to the freezer for 5 more min.
Slice zucchini 1/4 inch thick. Cut the olives and the tomatoes into halves. Cut peppers into 1/4x1 inch strips.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Arrange a slice of zucchini, half a tomato, half an olive, a caper, and pepper strip on each dough piece. Put the tarts to bake and bake for 10 min. Put some cheese on top of each tart and bake for 2 more min. Serve immediately.

Mozzarella Balls:

  • 1/2 cup dried bead crumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/3 lb grated mozzarella
  • 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
  • salt
  • white pepper
Mix crumbs and egg and let stand for 5 min. Add cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Make walnut size balls. Fry in olive oil for 5 min. Serve at room temperature.

Green Salsa:
Gloria Rendon

  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • Juice of two limes
  • One bunch of chives (finely chooped)
  • 1 carrot (finely grated)
  • 6 stems of green onions (finely chopped)
  • 6 stems of cilantro (finely chopped)
  • 1 avocado (coarsly crushed or pureed)
In blender, blend the first three ingredients together until peppers are in small pieces, don't overblend, you don't want a V8 salsa, do you? Add the other ingredients. Let stand for flavors to merge for at least 2 hours; best if prepared the eve of.

Salads

Lentil and Wild Rice Salad:
Salads

  • 1/2 dried (red) lentils
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 small coarsely shredded carrot
  • 2-3 medium sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (kusbara)
  • Cumin Dressing (below)
Heat lentils and 1 cup water to boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 min or until lentils are tender but not mushy. At the same time heat wild rice and 1 cup of water to boil, reduce heat and cook for 50 min. Cool slightly. Toss all the ingredients together. Serve hot or cold.

Summer Pasta:

  • 1/2 pound shortcut pasta
  • 1/4 pound fresh snow-peas
  • 2 ounces green sprouts
  • 5 leaves of lettuce, torn into pieces
  • 3 green onions, cut to 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoon old fashion unsalted peanut butter
  • 5 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 6 ounces smoked meat (ham, chicken, or turkey), chopped
  • oil
  • black pepper
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • tabasco sauce
Cook pasta aldente. Rinse and drain. Heat oil in a heavy frying pan. Brown the meat. Add Snow peas, green onions, parsley. Fry for 3 minutes, constantly stirring. Mix soy sauce with 2 tablespoons of water, add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Remove vegetables and meat to a big bowl. Add lettuce, greens and pasta.
Mix liquid from the frying pan with peanut butter until smooth. Add pepper and tabasco. Toss with the salad in the bowl.

Spaghetti and Mozarella Salad:

  • 12 oz spaghetti or fusilli
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup watercress, chopped
  • 1/2 pound fresh snow peas, blanched, or one box frozen snow peas, thawed only
  • 1/2 box frozen tiny green peas, thawed only
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 TBS herb vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
Cook spaghetti to al dente stage, drain well, and toss with 1TBS olive oil. Add the shredded cheese to the hot pasta and stir over very low heat until cheese melts. (Don't worry if cheese seems gummy - it will separate when the other ingredients are added). Remove from heat and toss gently with the remaining ingredients. Add dressing and toss again. Serve at room temperature. Pass the parmesan separately. Serves 6.

Crab Meat Pasta Salad:

  • 12 oz imitation crab meat
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 2-3 tomatoes
  • 1/2 lb short cut pasta
  • 2 tblsp mayonnaise
  • salt, pepper
Cook pasta, cut the crabmeat, tomatoes, eggs. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper. Mix. Chill for about 2 hours. Serve.

Snap Peas Pasta Salad:

  • 1/2 lb sugar snap peas
  • 6 oz mushrooms
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1/2 lb pasta
  • 2 tblsp old fashion (unsalted) peanut butter
  • 5 tblsp soy sauce
  • black pepper, parsley, tobasco
Cook pasta, blanch peas for about 2 min., slice mushrooms, cut the pepper. Mix peanut butter with soy sauce and 2 tblsp of water, add pepper and tobasco. Toss everything together. Serve.

Eggplant and Pepper Salad
Hana Shaulov Salads

  • 2 medium eggplant
  • 6 pickles
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 4 green onions
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • (1/2 cup roasted pinenuts)
  • oil for frying
  • coarse salt
  • Yogurt garlic dressing (below)
Slice the eggplants 1/4 inch thick. Put in a colander one layer at a time, covering each layer with salt. Let stand for 30 min.
Cut the peppers into thin strips, pickles into small pieces, chops the green onions and parsley.
Heat oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry eggplant one layer of slices at a time until golden brown. Take out with slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.
Fry the peppers (all at the same time) until limp. Drain on a paper towel.
Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Chill for at least 2 hours. Garnish with pinenuts and parsley.

Deepfried Eggplant Salad
Ayala

  • 1 medium to large eggplant
  • koshering salt
  • 2 eggs
  • flour
  • 1.5 liter (1.5 quart) oil

  • 6 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1 cup pickles, diced
  • 1 tbl sp minced garlic
  • 2-3 lemon's juice
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • salt, black pepper
Peel the eggplant, cut into .5x1x3cm (.25x.5x1inch) pieces. Put in a colander one layer at a time, covering each layer with koshering salt. Let stand for 30 min. Rince and drain
Slightly beat eggs in a small bowl, add enough flour to make the mixture sticky but still liquid. Heat 2 cm (1') of oil over a medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan to 350F (until a piece of dough sizzles on contact). Coat egglplant pieces in the egg mixture and fry until just brown, turning the pieces over, about 1 min. Drain on a plate covered with paper towl, put into a big bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients except for parsley to the eggplant, mix, cover and let stand over night. Add parseley and serve.

White Eggplant
Alla Sheffer

  • 2 lb eggplant (black and light, better small)
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 3 tblsp mayonnaise
  • salt, black pepper
  • (optional) 1-2 tblsp parsley, finely chopped
Pierce the eggplants with a fork in several places. Put the eggplants on an aluminum sheet in the (cold) oven. Turn on broiling setting. Turn the eggplants several times so they are slightly burnt all around (about 1/2 hour). Turn the oven off and let the eggplants sit inside until they are cool enough to handle.
Squeeze out the liquid slightly from the eggplants (over the sink). Pull the skins off, removing all the flesh from the skin (while they are still warm). Put the flesh on a plastic bag on a cutting board. Chop with a wooden chopper collecting the eggplant (using the bag) as it spreads out. Add garlic, continue to chop.
Transfer the eggplant to a container, add mayonnaise, mix. Let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Add salt and pepper (and mayonnaise if needed) to taste. Add parsley.

Mushroom and Green Bean Salad
Food Writer's Favorites, Salads

  • 3/4 Lb fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 8 oz sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tblsp minced green onions
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tblsp lemon juice
  • 1 tblsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup minced roasted red peppers (see recipe)
Cut beans into 1 inch length. Add 3 tblsp water. Cook in microwave on high 4 min. Drain, cover with cold water for 2 min. Drain.
Combine beans and mushrooms. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Roasted Red Peppers

  • 10 red bell peppers
  • 3 tblsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tblsp minced garlic
Preheat the oven to 450F. Wash and dry the peppers. Arrange in the oven on a rack. Roast and turn about every 15 min until the peppers are black (burnt) on all sides. Take them out and put in a paper bag. Let stand until peppers are cold enough to handle comfortably. Clean the peppers from all skin and seeds. Do not wash under water: it takes away the smoky flavor. Cut the peppers into 1 inch square pieces. Put in a bowl. Combine all the dressing ingredients, pour over peppers and toss to coat. Chill for at least a day before serving.

 

Salad Dressings

Vinegrette:

  • 1 tblsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tblsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • salt, sugar, black pepper, oregano
Cumin Dressing:
Salads

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (1/4 medium lemon) lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce (like tabasco)
  • 1 clove garlic
Grapefruit Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup white grapefruit juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
Yogurt Garlic Dressing:

  • 3 tblsp yogurt
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tblsp chopped garlic
Cremme Fraiche:
Alla Sheffer

  • 1 quart heavy whipping cream
  • 4-5 tbls sour cream
  • (optional) 1/2 teasp citric acid
Bring the cream to near boil and let it cool until you can hold a finger in it counting to 10 slowly. Add a bit of the whipcream to the sour cream and whisk together. Add the mixture to the rest of the whipcream and mix (whisking) well. Add citric acid. Let sit in a warm place (Wrapped in a blanket) over night.

Soups

Squash, Garlic and Onion Soup:
Bon Appetite?

  • 1 unpeeled garlic head
  • 2 pound butternut squash or other orange flesh squash cut into 8 pieces, seed removed (reserve the seeds)
  • 1 large onion, unpeeled, cut vertically in half
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 fresh thyme springs or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • Minced fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 180C. Cut 1/3 inch off the top of the garlic head, exposing cloves. Put garlic, squash, and onion in a baking dish, sprinkle with oil, scatter thyme over. Cover with foil and bake until the squash is tender, about 1 1/2 hour. Uncover and cool for 15 min.
Spread the squash seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 15 min.
Scrape squash from skin, peel outer layers and trim root end from the onion, separate 9 garlic cloves from the head and peel. Put everything into a food processor. Add juices from the baking dish, add cream and puree.
Transfer puree to a heavy large saucepan, whisk in the stock. Stir over medium heat until heated through but not boiling. Add salt and pepper.
Garnish with parsley and roasted squash seeds before serving.

Shi with Meat Dumplings:
Dumplings:

  • 1 lb ground beef (70% lean)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup rice (uncooked)
  • white pepper, salt, dried coriander to taste
Stock:
  • 1 big onion chopped small
  • 1 big carrot grated
  • 2 celery stalks cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 2 potatoes cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 small cabbage head chopped small
  • bay leaf, black pepper corns, salt, white pepper, dry celery seeds, dry dill weed to taste.
Put water to boil in a big sauce pan. Combine all the ingredients for dumpling in a bawl. Mix well. Using wet hands, make balls about 1 inch in diameter. When the water boils, reduce the heat so it just simmers. Put the balls into the pan one at a time. Cook until all of them float to the surface. Take out the dumplings, reserve the cooking water.
Heat oil in the large sauce pan. Fry onions until translucent. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes and fry for 3 min. Add cabbage and fry until the cabbage starts to get soft. Add the water reserved from cooking dumplings. Add more water if necessary to cover the vegetables with about 2 inches of liquid. Add bay leaf and the spices. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 1.5 hours. Put the dumplings into the soup and cook for 1/2 hour more.
Serve with a table spoon of sour cream in each bowl.

Main Courses

Jeroen's Heart Dish:
Jeroen Pennings, pennings@sci.kun.nl

  • 500 grams (1 pound) beef heart
  • 1 tin (400 grams) beans(250 grams) in tomato sauce(150 grams)
  • 1 tin (280 grams) of maze
  • 50 grams of cashew nuts (roasted and salted)
  • 50 grams of olives
  • 3 tablespoons of Indonesian soy sauce ("kecap")
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • oregano
  • salt
  • olive oil
Cut the beef heart into appr. 1 inch parts. Remove arteries etc. Wash for 10 minutes in salted water. Fry the heart in olive oil. After 10 minutes, add the nuts, maze, beans, and olives. Mix well, and add the soy sauce, garlic, and oregano. Stir for 5 minutes and serve.
Makes 3 servings.
The olives and nuts are salt enough, so there is no need for more salt.

Semolina Mish-Mash:

  • oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated coarsely
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped, or sausage meat (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried coreander leaves
  • 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • 1/2 cup water
  • salt
  • Louisiana hot sauce or tabasco
Heat oil in a heavy (cast iron) skillet. Add onions, stir and fry for 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir and fry for 1 minute. Add meat and fry for 2 minutes or until pink. Add carrots, celery, peppers, stir and fry for 5 minutes or until peppers begin to soften. Add thyme, oregano, coriander, and stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and salt, and fry for 2 minutes. Add semolina and mix well. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing in very well before adding more. Add hot sauce, fry for 2 more minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese:

  • 5 tblsp butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 bunches of beet leaves, chopped coarsely
  • 20 ounces frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 pound large elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/3 pound thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto
  • 2 1/2 cups (or 9 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
  • fresh parsley, chopped
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan, add chopped onion and saute until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add beat leaves and stems and saute for 5 minutes. Add corn and saute until vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Cook macaroni in a large pot. Drain. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to coat. Add whipping cream and ham to vegetable mixture and bring to boil. Pour over the macaroni. Add grated cheddar and stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Desserts

Coconut Dream Bars:
The Art of Making Good Cookies, Ross&Disney

Bottom Layer:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 325F. Cream together butter and sugar and add flour. Press in thin layer in 9-inch-square-pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Add the top layer.

Top Layer:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/2 cups grated coconut
Blend sugar and beaten eggs. Add vanilla. Sift together salt, flour, and baking powder, and stir in. Add nuts and coconut. spread over the bottom layer and bake for 10 more minutes. Cut into squares while still warm.

Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies:
Elisheva, Har-Nof, Jerusalem

  • 200 gr salted butter/margarine
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
Mix well. Put into a baking pan about 1 cm thick. Bake at 175 C for 20 minutes, or until browned. Cut into diamond shapes as soon as you remove from the oven.

Vita's Chvorost:
Vita Birger

  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 100 gr sourcream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 250 gr flour
  • 1 tablespoon vodka
  • oil (lots!)
  • powdered sugar
Beat egg and sugar. Add sourcream, mix. Add flour and soda, mix. Add vodka, mix. Cover with a napkin and chill for 20-30 minutes.
Roll into a very thin (2-3 mm) sheet. Cut into 2x10 cm strips. In the middle of each strip make a slit about 3 cm long. Turn one end of the strip through the slit.
Heat oil 1 cm deep in a heavy (cast iron) frying pan. Deep fry the dough strips until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
Transfer all the cookies into a big bowl. Pour the sugar over the cookies and shake gently.

No-bake Cookies:
Mama

  • 300 gr petit buerre, crumbled
  • 200 gr unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup roasted nuts
Mix the crumbled cookies and nuts in a bowl.
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed small sauce pan. Add sugar, cocoa, and milk. Cook together on a very small heat constantly stirring, until the sugar melts, for about 5 min. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cookies. Mix well.
Cut 4 aluminum foil sheets about a foot long. Put a quarter of the mixture into each sheet and roll into a sausage shape. Close the ends, make sure the mixture is pressed together well inside the foil. Put into the freezer for 1 or more hours.
Take the rolls out of the freezer, let stand for about 15 min. Unfold the foil, picking any pieces that stuck to the cookies. Cut the "sausages" into 1 inch thick pieces. Serve.

Drinks

Whiskey Sour:
House & Garden's Drink Guide

  • 2 or 3 ounces whiskey
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 or 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
  • 3 or 4 ice cubes
  • 1 orange or lemon slice or peel
  • Maraschino cherry
Combine all ingredients except the fruit slice or peel and cherry in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a sour or Delmonico glass and garnish with the fruit and cherry.

Michelada:
Diego Fernandez

  • 1 part lemon juice
  • 4 parts Corona beer
  • salt
Wet the glass border, dip in salt. Mix lemon juice and beer in the glass. Drink!

Caipirinha:
about.com

  • 2 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 lime
  • 2 oz. cachaca
Chill a rocks glass with crushed ice. Cut the lime into 4 wedges and place into mixing glass. Add sugar and muddle until well blended. Add cachaca and the ice from the rocks glass. Shake thoroughly. Pour back into rocks glass. Drink!