Japanese Green Tea Tiramisu Recipe

The perfect fancy-pants dinner dessert
- dramatic looking but easy to do!

What you’ll need:

·       3 Egg yolks

·       1/3 cup white castor sugar

·       250gms Mascarpone cheese/unsalted cream cheese

·       1 cup heavy cream

·       1 tsp vanilla extract

·       1 tsp Cointreau, or any orange flavoured liqueur

·       1 tsp brewed Matcha green tea, cooled

·       3 Egg whites

·       Sponge cake strips or sponge fingers 

·      Matcha green tea powder (to garnish)

·      Mint sprigs or Oreos cut into quarters to decorate.

·      Lots of clean mixing bowls!

What to do:

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl set over pan of simmering water, until the mixture is pale yellow.

Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth and creamy.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream and add vanilla and orange liqueur.

In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Fold the mascarpone mixture into the cream until blended.

Dip sponge fingers into the brewed Matcha, then layer them on the bottom of a serving dish.

Spread the creamy stuff on top, and repeat layers.

Refrigerate at least a couple of hours.

Cut into rectangles and dust each serving with powdered Matcha.

Decorate with mint or cookies.

Serve!

N.B.

* To brew perfect Matcha tea use about 1/2 tsp of powder to 250ml of hot water.

* For a more ‘traditional’ recipe, simply replace the green tea with sweetened coffee reduction, the Cointreu with Kahlua or Balieys and sprinkle with instant coffee before serving.

Watermelon and Goat's Cheese Salad

Tartare

1 cup watermelon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup yellow tomato, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups arugula, chopped
8 Basil leaves, torn
Pinch sea salt
8 coarse grinds black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice

Toss all ingredients together.

Focaccia, Paris Style. By Gontran Cherrier

Ingredients:

    * 1 cup wheat flour
    * One teaspoon of dry bakers’ yeast
    * 3/4 cup lukewarm water (to dilute the yeast)
    * One slightly heaped teaspoon of salt (to mix into the flour)
    * Olive oil, fresh oregano, Nice olives and sea salt (to taste)

Simple Bruschetta

Ingredients:
1 ciabatta loaf/french loaf/ordinary bread, cut in thin slices
1 peeled clove of garlic, rub it in a little salt
Extra virgin olive oil

Topping:
Ripe red plum tomatoes
A bunch of basil leaves
A few drops extra virgin olive oil
Rock salt
Fresh black pepper

Method:

Put tomatoes in boiling water, take out as the skin peels. Cool. Peel the skin and chop.

Pre-heat oven for about 10 minutes. Place the slices of bread and toast them for about a minute on each side, until they're golden and crisp and have charred strips across each side. (You could also just toast them in a toaster.)

When its done, mark three little slashes across each slice, rub the garlic in and drizzle about half a tablespoon of olive oil over each one.

Now top with chopped tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, season with salt and fresh black pepper and sprinkle a few more drops of olive oil over before serving. Simples. :)

Picture courtesy Lacasereccia.

Book > Breakfast, Lunch, Tea - The many little meals of Rose Bakery.

The very unassuming cover opens into a delightful picture cookbook from the Rose Bakery, Paris. The very english Rose Carrarini married the very French Jean-Charles moved to Paris to set up Rose Bakery. They enjoy a loyal following are on the list of must visit while in Paris.

Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time is about 2 hours. Takes only 10 minutes to make.

Ingredients

165g/6oz dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, finely chopped
8 free-range eggs, whites only
4 tsp castor sugar
Fresh Lemon Juice

Method

1. Place the chocolate in a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the surface of the water) and leave to melt over a low heat. Turn off the heat once the chocolate is completely melted.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a bit of lemon juice (this help the egg whites from separating). Add castor sugar until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
3. Whisk a third of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining egg white with a large spatula, taking care to maintain volume. Pour into a glass bowl or individual glasses and leave to set in the fridge for two hours, then serve.

Recipe Courtesy Raymond Blanc and BBC
Picture Courtesy She Knows

Spiced Sugar

Makes 1kg of sugar
3 fresh bay leaves
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
6 whole cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 gratings of whole nutmeg
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
1kg unrefined caster sugar

"What’s mad about this is that, even though all of these spices and flavours are so pungent on their own, they actually taste like tutti frutti sweets when together. You can use this sugar for so many things; from a sweetener for porridge, sprinkled over baked bananas, popcorn, or to make a gorgeous Chantilly cream. It will keep for a while, so if you’re going to make it, you may as well make a batch and keep it in an airtight container."

Whack the bay leaves, orange and lemon jest and all of your spices into a food processor and give it a good whiz. Once that’s well blended add your sugar and whiz again so you’ve got a lovely spiced sugar. Because there’s quite a bit of moistness in the zest and vanilla pod it’s a good idea to pour the sugar onto a baking tray, spread it out evenly then leave it to dry for a few hours.

Once the sugar is nice and dry, pass it through a sieve to catch any larger pieces of spices. Discard anything left behind in the sieve then put your sieved sugar into an airtight container, where it will keep happily for ages.

Recipe Courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy Recipezaar.

Roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander and almonds

1 head of cauliflower, outer green leaves removed, broken into florets
sea salt
olive oil
a knob of butter
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1-2 dried red chillies
a handful of blanched almonds, smashed
zest and juice of 1 lemon

"When most people think of ways to cook cauliflower they will come up with either boiling or gratinating - I'm sure this is the same for you. It may seem strange, but cauliflower is absolutely fantastic when lightly roasted, especially with herbs, spices, cheeses or breadcrumbs. It develops a really incredible flavour that I'm well impressed by. Here's a recipe I made up that is Indian-ish in style. But, hey, it's not about points for authenticity - it's about whether it's delicious or not and I think it is! Please try this one."

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain in a colander, allowing it to steam dry (you don't want any water left in your cauliflower or it won't roast properly). Toss it in a good glug of olive oil and the butter. In a pestle and mortar, bash your spices and chillies with a pinch of salt, then mix them with your almonds and put in a hot, dry ovenproof pan to slowly toast them. After a couple of minutes, add the cauliflower. When it gets a nice bit of colour on it, add the lemon zest and juice and mix around well. Fry for about a minute longer then pop the pan into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes to crisp up.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Pesto (serves 4)

½ a clove of garlic, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 good handfuls of fresh basil, leaves picked and chopped
a handful of pine nuts, very lightly toasted
a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
optional
a small squeeze of lemon juice

"First I’m going to show you an easy recipe for making pesto and then I’ll give you some ideas on how best to use it, instead of just having it with pasta all the time. When it comes to making pesto, you can invest in a good processor if you like, but you can also make it using a pestle and mortar. If you have a blunt blade from your processor then don’t chuck it, but keep it specially for making pesto or marinades where you need to bruise out the flavour, instead of chopping. You may think it’s nice to toast the pine nuts until they’re coloured, to give them a nutty taste, but the really good pestos I’ve tasted in Italy just have them very lightly toasted, to give a creaminess rather than a nuttiness. Pesto is normally made with green basil, but purple basil looks good if you can get hold of some. Another way, slightly more American, uses rocket instead of basil – it’s fragrant and interesting with roasted meats, but I prefer this classic pesto recipe."

Pound the garlic with a little pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar, or pulse in a food processor. Add a bit more garlic if you like, but I usually stick to ½ a clove. Add the pine nuts to the mixture and pound again. Turn out into a bowl and add half the Parmesan. Stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.

Season to taste, then add most of the remaining cheese. Pour in some more oil and taste again. Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency. You may like to add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to give it a little twang, but it’s not essential. Try it with and without and see which you prefer.

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy Mouse House Kitchen

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

• 1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ a bulb of fennel, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 stick of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
• olive oil
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• ½ a fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• sea salt
• 500g amazing cherry or plum tomatoes, halved plus 500g tinned plum tomatoes, chopped
or
• 1kg yellow, orange or green tomatoes, chopped
• 200ml red wine vinegar
• 70g soft brown sugar

Bizarrely enough for a chef, I really do take my hat off to Heinz, who have become the global brand of quality in the ketchup world. It’s such an everyday cupboard product that you’ve probably never thought to make your own. But if you’re growing tomatoes in the garden, or you catch sight of some really beautiful ones at the market in summer, just think how much of a treat it would be to offer your family or guests homemade ketchup. It’s great fun to make. And you can make different colours of ketchup using just yellow, orange or green tomatoes – simply exchange the cherry and tinned tomatoes for the same amount of your chosen coloured ones.

Place all the vegetables in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with a big splash of olive oil and the ginger, garlic, chilli, basil stalks, coriander seeds and cloves. Season with the pepper and a good pinch of salt.

Cook gently over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until softened, stirring every so often. Add all the tomatoes and 350ml of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half.

Add the basil leaves, then whiz the sauce in a food processor or with a hand blender and push it through a sieve twice, to make it smooth and shiny. Put the sauce into a clean pan and add the vinegar and the sugar. Place the sauce on the heat and simmer until it reduces and thickens to the consistency of tomato ketchup. At this point, correct the seasoning to taste.

Spoon the ketchup through a sterilized funnel into sterilized bottles (see page 324 for ways of doing this), then seal tightly and place in a cool dark place or the fridge until needed – it should keep for six months. Great with steaks and chips.

Recipe Courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy whatsforsupper

Grilled Herb Shrimp (Serves 6)

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled (tails left on) and deveined

Combine the garlic, onion, parsley, basil, mustards, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals, and brush the grilling rack with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Skewer the shrimp. I use 5 or 6 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for a dinner serving. Grill the shrimp for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. 

Recipe and picture courtesy Barefoot Contessa.

Chicken liver parfait (serves 8-10)

2 x 250g packs of butter
a small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1kg chicken livers, preferably free-range or organic, trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a small wineglass of brandy
mixed fresh bread, to serve

Parfait is basically a silky smooth pate. You can buy it in supermarkets and delis but it’s so simple and satisfying to make yourself. The ingredients are cheap, you get an amazing freshness and you have complete control on flavour so you can pimp it and make it really luxurious. Make it up to a week in advance and you’ll be laughing. It also makes a great present.

To make your clarified butter, pop a whole pack in a pan on a low heat or pilot light and let it tick away for 20 to 30 minutes until completely separated. The clear oil will separate from the white part in the bottom which is the whey. Skim the clear stuff off the top and put in a separate pan. Put this on a medium heat and add one sage leaf – this will act as your gauge so you know when it’s hot enough.

Meanwhile, heat a lug of oil in a large pan and when hot, add the onion, garlic and thyme leaves. Fry fast for about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until soft and starting to colour. Add a splash more oil, your chicken livers and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on a high heat for no more than 4 minutes so still blushing in the middle, you’ll see them start to plump up. If you overcook them, they’ll be tough, and we want them silky and smooth.

Keep an eye on your pan of oil and when the sage leaf is frizzled and fried and it’s noisy, add the rest of the sage leaves and take the pan off the heat. They’ll go crispy, snappy and delicious. Leave to one side.

Add your brandy to the pan of livers, and let it cook off. You can flame it if you want – I like to do this as it’s a visual sign that the alcohol is burning off. Tip everything straight into a food processor with all the juices, and blitz until smooth – a liquidiser would be even better here if you’ve got one. You’ll notice that the smell changes straight away. Have a taste, and season to a degree where you’re happy, then add a little more as the seasoning goes down when it gets cold which is how you’ll serve it. Dice up your remaining pack of butter, and add it piece by piece, with the food processor still running. Wait for each piece to be combined before adding more. Keep whizzing when it’s all in, and you’ll see it start to shine. Taste again and season if necessary, then whiz for 2 or 3 minutes.

You can serve the parfait in whatever you like - individual terrines or in a big bowl or platter. Push it through a fine sieve and smooth it out, then pop in the fridge covered with a piece of greaseproof paper until set. Use a slotted spoon to pop the sage leaves on top in the centre of the parfait, then pour over the clarified butter. Pop back in the fridge and it will go hard and opaque and act as a seal. You don’t have to eat the butter later if you don’t want but it will have amazing flavour from the sage.

Keep it in the fridge for up to a week then I like to serve it with toasts, cornichons, watercress and a few wedges of lemon, with some lovely sweet dessert wine to wash it down. If you’re having it at a party, put it out with a toaster and a loaf of bread and let people serve themselves.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (serves 2)

30g butter, plus a little extra for spreading
6 large free-range or organic eggs
2 slices sourdough or crusty white bread, griddled or toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of smoked salmon
1 lemon, quartered

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a moderate heat until it’s foaming. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add to the saucepan. Stir the eggs continuously with something flexible like a spatula to get right into the corners, and cook until little pieces of cooked egg are surrounded by soft, smooth and still quite runny egg. The egg will continue to cook even when the heat is turned off, so undercook them slightly and leave them in the pan while you butter your toast. Season the eggs to taste and pour over the toast. Drape the salmon over the eggs and serve it with the lemon wedges. Add plenty of black pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver

Cinnamon Chocolate Fudge

Butter for greasing the pan
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound (about 2 cups) bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli)
*see Cook’s Note
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
Kosher or flake salt (optional)


Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, about 14-inches long and 7-inches wide, allowing the excess to overhang the sides. Set aside
In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the condensed milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Place the bowl on a saucepan of barely simmering water and mix until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes (mixture will be thick). Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
Run a warm knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the fudge. Remove the fudge and place on a cutting board. Peel off the parchment paper and cut the fudge into 1-inch pieces. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or freeze.

*Cook’s Note: The fudge can also be made using 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

Recipe Courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Picture Courtesy Sugarlaws

The Full English (serves 2)

Ingredients:
6 good-quality pork and leek sausages
4 field mushrooms, wiped
2 small tomatoes – scored on top
250g smoked dry cured back bacon
170g black pudding, sliced
1 x 420g can of baked beans
2 knobs of butter
6 eggs, preferably free-range or organic, cracked into a bowl and beaten
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ a loaf of thick-sliced bread, for toasting

Preheat the grill to high. Set the oven to its lowest heat and pop 2 plates in it to keep warm.Put the sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes, scored-side up, on to a large grill pan and place under the grill, about 5cm from the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the sausages once or twice.

Add the bacon and black pudding to the pan and grill for 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until they are cooked and crispy. Put the baked beans in a saucepan and warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Melt 1 knob of butter in the pan, add the eggs, season to taste and stir gently until just scrambled. Remove from the heat. Put the bread in the toaster, and arrange the sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes with the bacon, black pudding and beans on the warm plates. When the toast pops up, butter it, then put a slice on each plate and top with scrambled egg. Serve with HP sauce or tomato ketchup on the side, and a pot of tea.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Tequila Chicken

1/2 cup gold tequila
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeño pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeño pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Barefoot Contessa.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip (Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
10 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Purée the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

Photo and Recipe Courtesy Barefoot Contessa.

The Gastronomy of Marriage

“First-time memoirist Maisto turns out a subtle valentine to cooking and New York City life in this chronicle of two foodies in love.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“Foodies who have also navigated a valuable and deepening relationship fraught with eating concerns will especially enjoy this story of passions of the heart and table, filled with glorious descriptions of meals and the couple's special recipes.” — Book Reporter

You'll relate immensely. I just finished the book. Made me want to find a man and a kitchen :) - my dear friend P

Juju's Hot Tea

A great cocktail:

Infuse a green tea bag in 250 ml boiling water, then mix in 1tsp of white sugar, add 1 tsp honey, 75ml gin, 25ml brandy. Add two large disks of fresh lime. Leave for 2 mins, then strain and pour in a teacup.

(Via Swapan's Shot. Picture courtesy Indulge cigars)

How to make the perfect rice

1. Remove Excess Starch: Put rice in a deep bowl, run cold tap water over it. Once the bowl is full of water, use your fingers to swish the rice around. The water will start getting murky. Now gently pour this water out. Repeat this process till the water is mostly clear. This will take at least 4-5 washes.

2. Let it stand in water: Now fill it up one last time. Don't wash the rice again. Just leave it in there, covered with water, for about 30 minutes or so. It results in a much fuller, softer grain. After the soaking, you will notice that the rice grains have turned a nice milky white.

3. Cooking the rice: Drain the water out. Put the rice in a heavy-gauge pan that has a flat bottom. If your pan is made out of some thin flimsy metal, your rice will get nicely burnt at the bottom while the grains at the top may not cook properly. You also need one with a tight lid, or else the precious steam will leak and your rice won't cook right. Now put in the water. Normally, a long-grain rice recipe calls for twice the amount of water as rice. Because our rice has already been sitting in some water for a while, and has absorbed a bit of it, we need just 1.5 cups per cup of rice. Moreoever, there is still some leftover water after you drained it, because no one can drain it absolutely dry.

4. Salt: Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the rice if you like.

5. Boil then simmer: Put the pan on medium high heat. Wait till the water boils and starts bubbling. Now turn the heat down as low as you can, cover with the tight lid, and let it just sit there for about 15-20 minutes. Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek at the rice. Not even a peek.

6. Turn off heat: After the 15-20 minutes is up, turn off the heat. No, you still can't lift the lid. Now you have to let it "stand" for another 10 minutes or so. This will help the rice to "settle" so you don't have dry grains on top and wet grains at the bottom.

7. Eat: After 10 minutes, lift the lid, take a fork and fluff the rice. You will have nice separate grains without having used any oil, butter, or other fat in the cooking process.

This method of cooking rice is known as the "absorption method".

(Via Shiokfood. Picture courtesy ehow.com)

Caramel Truffles

Caramel truffles:

Makes 34 (11 g each):

100 g sugar

20 g butter at room temperature

125 g cream

142,5 g dark chocolate, chopped

85 g milk chocolate, chopped

Cocoa

Caramelize sugar with a bit of water.

Add the butter then the warm cream.

In a bowl, pour the toffee over the chocolate and stir until creamy.

Cover the bowl with wrap film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Put the cocoa on a plate.

With greased hands make small balls with the truffle mixture and gently roll each truffle in the cocoa to coat.

(Picture and recipe courtesy - flagrantedelicia.)

New Orleans Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Pudding:

1/4  cup  raisins

2  tablespoons  Bourbon

1 1/4  cups  2% reduced-fat milk

1/2  cup  sugar

1  tablespoon  vanilla extract

1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg

Dash of salt

3  large eggs, lightly beaten

4 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch) cubed French bread (about 8 ounces)

Cooking spray

Sauce:

1/2  cup  sugar

1/4  cup  light-colored corn syrup

1/4  cup  butter

1/4  cup  Bourbon

Preparation

To prepare pudding, combine raisins and 2 tablespoons bourbon in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain mixture in a sieve over a bowl, reserving liquid.

Combine reserved liquid, milk, and next 6 ingredients (milk through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with raisins, pressing gently into bread mixture.

Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place dish in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

To prepare sauce:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a simmer; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup bourbon.

Serve each bread pudding piece warm with about 1 tablespoon sauce.

(Picture and Recipe courtesy myrecipe.com)

Aloo Posto (Potatoes, Bengali Style)

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp mustard oil

1kg/2lb potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm/½in cubes

½ tsp dried turmeric

½ tsp red chilli powder

salt to taste

For the tempering:

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp five spice mix (panchphoran)

1 green chilli finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

1. In a wide non-stick pan, heat the oil to a medium-high heat and add the potatoes.

2. Sauté the potatoes until they are nearly cooked. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and salt and fry until they are cooked through.

3. In a separate small shallow frying pan heat the oil until it begins to smoke. Mix together the five spice mix ingredients, and add two teaspoons to the hot pan. The seeds will crackle and pop, so be careful when handling the mixture. Add the green chillies and the chopped coriander and stir for a few seconds. Pour this mixture onto the cooked potatoes.

4. Serve immediately.

(Recipe from Indianfoodsco. Image courtesy the recipe hunter)

Kuhelee's yummy Green Chutney

Ingredients for Chutni:

* lots of tender kadi patta

* some dhania

* some pudina

* mirchi - according to how hot you want it to be

* adrak - ditto

* onion

* curd - this can be mixed in later too, because this is what will make the chutni go sour quickly

* salt

* sugar

Note:

* you can put in kakdi as well, to give more bulk to the chutni without contributing too much to the taste

* you may add some sev to add colour, taste and bulk

* you can add coconut - but that will change the taste completely

* you can add lime juice - as well as curd or minus the curd - it lends a different type of khattapan

Method:

* plonk all these things in a mixer and grind fine.

* taste the chutni and fine tune by adding a bit of this, a little of that. remember you cannot take away anything once it is put in but you can nullify the effect

Enjoy :)

Kuhelee Khandelwal

Pure and Simple Vegetarian Cooking

I saw this book at crossword and was charmed by the simple, elegant way the book was laid out - the pictures, the instructions, the way the food was presented. I had to buy it. I've been trying a dish everyday. Will post pics of them soon.

Passion Fruit Parfait

Prep time: about 45 minutes, plus 4 hours of freezing

Ingredients (serves 4):

Passion Fruit Parfait

1 vanilla pod

3 large egg yolks

50 g sugar

2 passion fruit

4 tbsp meringue crumbs (about the size of a hazelnut,

possibly extra for sprinkling on top)

200 g whipping cream

Reduction

400 ml red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)

50-75 g sugar

1 organic orange

1 piece of fresh ginger (about 1 cm/0.5 inch))

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 star anise pod

1-2 tsp cornstarch (if necessary)

plus: 4 ramekins of about 100 ml

For the parfait, slice the vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the pulp with a knife, and put into a large metal bowl together with the egg yolks and the sugar. Whisk over a hot bain-marie - this rarely takes more than 4 minutes, even by hand. The mixture will be foamy, then creamy.

Set the bowl into ice-cold water and keep beating until the egg creme has cooled down. Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the pulp and seeds, and stir into the creme with the meringue crumbs. Beat the whipping cream until stiff. First fold in one-third of it into the creme, then gently fold the rest into it so that it remains fluffy. Fill into the ramekins and freeze for

at least 4 hours.

In the meantime, boil the wine and sugar for the reduction in a pan. Wash the orange in hot water and peel 2-3 stripes of the zest with the potatoe peeler and add to the wine. Squeeze out the orange and pour the juice in through a sieve. Peel the ginger, cut into slices, and also add with the cinnamon and anise. Boil everything down to at least half the volume over medium heat in 20-30 minutes. If the reduction is still too liquid, stir the cornstarch with 2-3 tbsp of cold water until smooth before mixing it into the reduction, which should now be simmering. (The reduction gets even thicker when it cools down, so a bit of intuition is required here). Remove from the stove and let it cool down. The consistency is perfect when the reduction drips from the spoon like runny honey.

Dip the ramekins into hot water for a few seconds before serving. Then run a knife along the edge and loosen the parfait before turning it upside down on the plates. Let it thaw for a few minutes - that's the only way it will develop its full creaminess - and sprinkle with the reduction. If you like, you can also sprinkle a few meringue crumbs on it. By the way, the parfait can be easily kept in the freezer compartment for several days. It's a dessert you can make in advance for special occasions.

(Recipe and picture source: delicious days)

Jack's really small kitchen.

Click through the link to see more pics from his kitchen. He chooses his cutlery with care, buys limited things, and uses his chopping board over the sink to serve as a dining table. :)

How to Defrost Frozen Meat

Thawing Frozen Meats (and no, leaving it on the counter isn't one of them!):

The absolute best way to thaw frozen meats is by leaving it in the fridge until it's completely thawed. If you're crunched for time, take the meat out of it's package, put it on a plate, and place it under cool RUNNING water. This carries away any bacteria that is already present or that grows on the surface of the meat and gently thaws the meat in about 20 minutes (for small cuts) or an hour or two (for large cuts).

You can also safely thaw meat in the microwave, though be careful since your microwave can actually start to cook the meat before it's completely thawed.

(Source: thekitchn.com)

How Long Can You Leave Cooked Food Unrefrigerated?

Leaving Food at Room Temperature: Four Hours

Four hours is a good rule of thumb for most buffet foods. After four hours, the potential for you to get sick from eating food left at room temperature increases drastically. If you're throwing a party and afraid you might forget, try setting a timer to remind yourself when four hours is up.

Ice cream and other frozen foods are of course another story - try putting those back in a little sooner!

(Source: thekitchn.com)

How to blanch asparagus.

Don't try this with really thick spears - use the thinnest, freshest ones you can find.

Put a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Wash the asparagus spears. Trim the dried or hard ends off the bottom of the spears and lay them in a thin layer in a glass baking dish.

When the water comes to a boil, pour over the spears and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. Pull out a spear and test it after a couple minutes - it's easy to check for your preferred texture. When they are crisp-tender pour off the water and salt lightly.

Serve with melted butter or a vegetable dip.

(Source: thekitchn.com)

How to peel ginger.

Begin by cutting off the amount of ginger you need and then trimming it of any small nubs so that you have a relatively uniform piece to work with.

Then, hold the ginger in one hand and use the tip of your spoon to scrape off the peel. You’ll find it comes off very easily and that you get a smoother, more uniform end result than when you use a knife or vegetable peeler.

(Source: thekitchn.com)

How to hard boil an egg.

• First place the eggs in a small sauce pan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch.

• Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

• Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for exactly 12 minutes.

• Rinse with cold water until the eggs are cool.

The whites will be light and tender, not rubbery, and the yellows will be bright and creamy, not greenish and powdery. Perfect for egg salad, deviled eggs or just a nice little snack.

(Source: thekitchn.com)

Food Habits around the world

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
Favorite foods: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
Favorite foods : Spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25
Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11
Favorite foods: fish, pasta with ragu, hot dogs, frozen fish sticks

Great Britain : The Bainton family of Cllingbourne Ducis
Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15
Favorite foods: avocado, mayonnaise sandwich, prawn cocktail,
chocolate fudge cake with cream

Kuwait: The Al Haggan family of Kuwait City
Food expenditure for one week: 63.63 dinar or $221.45
Family recipe: Chicken biryani with basmati rice

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09
Favorite foods: pizza, crab, pasta, chicken

China: The Dong family of Beijing
Food expenditure for one week : 1,233.76 Yuan or $155.06
Favorite foods: fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27
Family recipe: Pig's knuckles with carrots, celery and parsnips

United States: The Caven family of California
Food expenditure for one week: $159.18
Favorite foods: beef stew, berry yogurt sundae, clam chowder, ice cream

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53
Family recipe: Okra and mutton

Mongolia: The Batsuuri family of Ulaanbaatar
Food expenditure for one week: 41,985.85 togrogs or $40.02
Family recipe: Mutton dumplings

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week : $31.55
Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week : 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Family recipe: Mushroom, cheese and pork

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23
Favorite foods : soup with fresh sheep meat

(Via Ashima Chander)

How to boil potatoes in 2 minutes

I'm pretty excited about this! I learnt that you can boil potatoes in 2 minutes. No more waiting endlessly (and anxiously) in front of the cooker. Or put off making the vegetable because of the time it takes to cook.

Just peel, cut, cover (not immerse) with water and microwave for 2 minutes. Voila perfect potatoes!

Luxury Cooking

Pot à la Fissler and Harrods:
timeless luxury for £100,000

Fissler, the leader on the German market for premium cookware, is setting new standards of luxury with a unique product: a pot adorned with gold and diamonds from Fissler will be presented to the exclusive clientele of the London department store Harrods from the 10th of September until the 20th of October. This true gem will be exclusively produced to order and will cost £100,000.

Technically, the diamond pot is based on a saucepan of 28 cm in diameter from the successful premium series 'original profi collection®' by Fissler. The handles on the lid and sides as well as the name logo are made from almost one kilogram of solid gold (750/yellow gold) and are studded with more than 200 diamonds (TWSI) of varying sizes.

The breathtaking one-off originals will be crafted lovingly by hand in Idar-Oberstein/Germany. This town in Rhineland Palatinate is well-known as the home of Fissler, the international leaders and experts in cookware, and has, for centuries, enjoyed a global reputation in the design of precious stones and jewellery for the most exclusive clientele all around the world.

The product will be presented in accordance with its unusual characteristics: the diamond pot will be showcased at Harrods on a special presentation pedestal made of rootwood. The diamond pot will come complete with a high-class jewellery box made of rootwood. A document and the appropriate quality certificate guarantee additional exclusive quality for the buyer.

With the diamond pot, Fissler will be presenting what is probably the most precious pot in the world. An application for inclusion in the book of Guinness World Records has already been submitted.

Via Ashima Chander

Beautiful Food

(Via AgyBanks)