Monday 30 September 2013

Introduction to Italian Cuisine. Marcella Hazan.

Introduction to Italian Cuisine -Bureau of Taste:
In the nineteenth century, modern-day Italy was a group of separate republics.
Unification created a single state.
But people carried on cooking according to local tradition, resulting in a country with an enormously varied cuisine.

Traditionally, the country’s wealth comes from northern Italy.
It had trade routes with the rest of Europe – but most importantly, the port of Venice imported coffee, spices and sugar since the Middle Ages.
Salts were used to cure meat like bresaola, salami and pancetta, and trading in luxuries afforded expensive food: liqueurs, nougat, osso bucco, truffles and nuts.

Central Italy is known as the country’s ‘breadbasket’: rolling Tuscan hills and green grazing pastures surrounding Bologna and Umbria.
Spelt or farro is one of the oldest crops, with pasta, bread and beans forming the base to most meals.
Tuscan beef stew, and carafes of Chianti shape day-to-day of life in this agricultural part of Italy.

The craggy, dry and comparatively poor south of Italy owes its rich cuisine to past invasions: honey, olives and nuts from the Ancient Greeks, and citrus trees from the Byzantines.
Aubergine is used as ‘the poor man’s meat’, and buffalo milk is turned into the region’s most famous export – mozzarella.

While pizza, pasta, and ice cream are products of unified Italy, for a true taste of the country you should start with authentic, local dishes which can be found in Bocca, The Silver Spoon and Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.
Remembering Marcella Hazan, Who Brought A Taste Of Italy To America : The Salt : NPR:
Marcella Hazan (April 15, 1924 – September 29, 2013) was an Italian-born cooking writer whose books were published in English.

Recipe: 'Roast Chicken With Lemons'
If this were a still life its title could be "Chicken with Two Lemons."
That is all that there is in it.
No fat to cook with, no basting to do, no stuffing to prepare, no condiments except for salt and pepper.
After you put the chicken in the oven you turn it just once.
The bird, its two lemons, and the oven do all the rest.
Again and again, through the years, I meet people who come up to me to say, "I have made your chicken with two lemons and it is the most amazingly simple recipe, the juiciest, best-tasting chicken I have ever had."
And you know, it is perfectly true.

Serves 4
1-2kg chicken
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 rather small lemons

Sunday 29 September 2013

Сottage pie.

From Lorraine Pascale:
SERVES 6
spray oil
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 big garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped
300g (11oz) chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin of green or Puy lentils, drained
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
150ml (5fl oz) vegetable stock
1 glass of Marsala, dry sherry or red wine
5 large sage leaves, roughly chopped
leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

MASH
2 medium sweet potatoes about 500g (18oz) total,
peeled and cut into 2cm (3⁄4 in) chunks
2 medium potatoes about 500g (18oz) total, peeled and cut into 1cm (1⁄2 in) chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1cm (1⁄2 in) chunks
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE
crisp green salad

● Spray a little oil in a large pan and set over a medium heat. Add the leeks and cook gently for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Next add the carrots, mushrooms, lentils, kidney beans, tomatoes, stock, Marsala (dry sherry or red wine), sage, rosemary and chilli flakes (if using). Whack up the heat and let it bubble away for 20 minutes while you make the mash.
● Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C), 400F, gas mark 6.
● Bring a large pan of water to the boil (no need to add salt). Add the sweet potato, potato and parsnip and cook for about 15 minutes or until everything is nice and soft. Then drain well and return to the pan. Add the butter, season well with salt and pepper, then mash until smooth and keep warm.
● Once the pie filling mixture has had its time, add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and sugar, if using. Let it bubble away for a further minute or two. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water, but if you think the sauce is too thin, then let it bubble away for a little longer. Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
● Once the pie filling is ready, tip it into a 2.5 litre-3 litre
(41⁄2 pt-51⁄4 pt) baking dish, measuring 25.5cm (101⁄2 in) square and 6cm (21⁄2 in) deep, and then spoon the mash over the top, spreading it out evenly, fluffing it up in places with a fork so that bits of it crisp up during baking. Sprinkle the Parmesan over, if using, and then bake for 20 minutes or until the mash starts to go a little crispy.
● Once baked, remove from the oven and serve straight away with a crisp green salad.

Friday 27 September 2013

Chicken wrapped in dough.


Foto!
How to Wrap a Whole Chicken in Pastry. Video!
Recipe-1.

1 whole organic chicken
2 lemons
2 handfuls of fresh oregano
1 handful of fresh thyme
8 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
1kg of flour
Okay, what to do:

Jamie's recipe for Flour and Water Crust Chicken from his book "Happy Days with the Naked Chef".

This is a great dish to serve up to friends - they'll wonder if you've gone a bit mad when you produce what looks like a huge lump of pastry and put it in the middle of the table!  It's a great way to cook chicken - the meat steams inside the pastry crust and becomes incredibly tender.  I've used nice small spring chickens, or poussins, in this recipe but it's just as easy to use one 2kg/4.5lb bird and roast it for 2 hours instead.  ps. you don't eat the pastry!

905gr/2lb plain flour
2 fat lemons
2 handfuls of fresh sage leaves, picked
1 handful of fresh thyme leaves, picked
8 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 spring chickens

Thursday 26 September 2013

Голубцы.

» Как ты ко мне добра - Вкус и Цвет — Рецепты от Елены Чекаловой, Гелии Делеринс и Ольги Сюткиной:
Голубцы из савойской капусты
"Правильная капуста. Нужно постараться купить сорт «Слава» или сорт, близкий к этому. Листочки у этой капусты тонкие, сладкие, нет ужасающих прожилок,  которые стоят насмерть при любом способе тепловой обработки.

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Sticky cranberry sausages.

BBC - Food - Recipes : Sticky cranberry sausages:

Ingredients
2 red onions, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
400g/14oz uncooked cocktail sausages
1 heaped tbsp cranberry jelly
200g/7oz fresh or frozen cranberries
1 clementine, zest only
Preparation method
Fry the sliced red onions in a pan with the oil for five minutes or so until softened. Add the sausages to the pan.
As the sausages start to brown, add the jelly and cranberries
Cook on a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelised and sticky.
Grate over the clementine zest and serve.
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The Stylish Classic is Back: Dansk Kobenstyle!

The Stylish Classic is Back: Dansk Kobenstyle! Home & Housewares 2012 | Apartment Therapy: The earliest pieces of Kobenstyle are enameled on the bottom, are made in Denmark, and have a "Four Ducks" logo. The later versions have a different bottom, logo, and are marked Made in France.
available at Crate & Barrel
HOW TO CARE FOR VINTAGE DANSK ENAMEL PIECES (translated from Dansk's Danish website)
-In a pot large enough to submerge the piece of cookware you intend to clean, bring enough water to cover the piece to boil.
-Add 3-5 Tablespoons of Baking Soda to the water and allow the cookware to sit submerged in the boiling solution for 10 + minutes.
-Next, carefully remove from boiling water and wash in hot soapy water and scour with a nylon (not metal) scouring sponge.
-Rub with white vinegar to restore finish to the enamel after the item has cooled.
Granted boiling the larger pieces will be difficult for most people because you have to have a pot bigger that the piece you're cleaning.
Even Barkeeper's Friend can damage the enamel especially if there is already pre-existing damage or deep stains on the piece.
Dansk International Designs
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Saturday 21 September 2013

Pears poached in saffron syrup.

Pears poached in saffron syrup | The Times:
Darina Allen’s pears poached in saffron syrup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
200g caster or granulated sugar
425ml water
6 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
¼ tsp good-quality saffron threads
3 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 firm pears

Friday 20 September 2013

Печенье из гречневой муки с шоколадной крошкой.

Печенье из гречневой муки с шоколадной крошкой (из блога "The view from great island")
Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies.

духовка - 170С
получится примерно 24 печенья
Заранее достать все продукты из холодильника, чтобы они были комнатной температуры.

115 гр (1/2 чашки) несоленого сливочного масла, чуть-чуть размягченного
1/4 чашки белого сахара
3/4 чашки коричневого сахара

Monday 16 September 2013

Lacto-Fermented Pickled Vegetables Recipes.

Recipe: Lacto-Fermented Pickled Vegetables Recipes from The Kitchn | The Kitchn:
Lacto-Fermented Mixed Pickles
Serves 8

3 tablespoons sea salt, pickling salt, or kosher salt (see Recipe Notes)
1 quart water (see Recipe Notes)
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1 cup carrot chunks or slices
1 cup red bell pepper chunks or slices
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1-2 grape leaves (optional, to help keep pickles crisp)

Два рецепта консервированных помидоров.

Жить со вкусом, жить вкусно! - Два моих любимых рецепта консервированных помидоров.:

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Помидорки (сухой посол).

Жить со вкусом, жить вкусно! - Мамулины помидорки (сухой посол).:
"Зелень перемешиваю с солью,а чеснок - 1 зубчик на 4-5 помидорок. Помидоры средние, сантиметров 7-8 в диаметре. В принципе, размер не имеет значения,крупные нужно держать дольше,вот и вся разница."

подобные рецепты:
- ВРЕМЯ ВЯЛИТЬ ПОМИДОРЫ! (ибо всему свое время под солнцем):
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Рецепт засолки помидоров в крепком соляном растворе.

Рецепт: мытые красные помидоры уложить в 3-х или 5-ти литровые банки.
Положить туда все, что хочется на дно и сверху (например на 3-л):
-2 лавровых листа,
-черн.перец горошком (шт 7),
-чеснока -4-5 зубков нарезать,
-красного горького перца по желанию,
-зонтики укропа,
-пару веток сельдерея (если любите), и
-лист хрена.
В большой кастрюле сделать рассол -рапу (если сырое яйцо всплыло - готово).
Залить рапой помидоры в банках, и они оставить на 3-е суток.
Полсле этого слить раствор соли в большую кастрюлю, половину вылить и долит чистой воды. Довести до кипения, залить кипящий раствор в банки с помидорами и закатать.
Они будут готовы к употреблению очень скоро. Если будете хранить в холоде - можно залить не кипящим раствором, а холодным. Будет "Холодный" посол - он вкуснее. Самое главное в любом засолое - Н2О, которая должна быть живой, из скважины, родника или хорошего колодца.

How to cook perfect tarte tatin.

How to cook perfect tarte tatin | Life and style | The Guardian:

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Sunday 15 September 2013

Preserve Small Tomatoes.

The brine was
-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar,
-1/2 cup filtered water,
-2 teaspoons pickling salt and
-2 teaspoons sugar.
I added
-tiny pinches (no more than an 1/8 of a teaspoon each) of mustard seeds,
-coriander seeds and
-red chili flakes to the jar, along with
-two juniper berries.
Pour the brine over the tomatoes.
Tap to remove bubbles and add a bit more brine.
Keep in the fridge for at least 48 hours before eating.

- Tomato Preserves | Love and Olive Oil:

- Slow Oven-Roasted Roma Tomatoes | Food in Jars:
OR... preserve tomatoes with literally no work: Just freeze 'em!

Tomato tarte tatin.

My Favourite Dish: Eric Lanlard on heirloom tomato tarte tatin - Telegraph:
"Serves eight
500g (1lb 2oz) ready-made or home-made puff pastry
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Bunch of thyme, leaves picked
12 mixed heirloom tomatoes, halved
75g (2 ¾oz) gruyère, finely grated
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
Bunch of basil

Tomato Jam

TomatoMania: Sicilian Style Tomato Jam- Spicy, Sweet and Savory - SippitySup:
Sicilian Style Tomato Jam with Goat Cheese makes about 2 pints.

1.3kg ripe, super sweet cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3-tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1-tablespoon ground cumin
1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon ground cloves
1-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon cayenne, or to taste.

Friday 13 September 2013

Щи валаамские постные.

Максим Сырников
"Что надо:
1 кг капусты
2 луковицы,
2 лавровых листа,
1 корень петрушки,
7 горошин черного перца,
400-500 г грибов,
1 ст. ложка муки, растительное масло, соль, зелень петрушки и укропа.

Грибные щи из квашеной капусты.

Максим Сырников.
"Горсть сухих белых грибов, две горсти квашеной капусты, пару луковиц, два зубчика чеснока, две столовых ложки постного масла.

Капусту помещаем в чугунок, поливаем маслом, немного сбрызгиваем водой. И в духовку, сперва - на максимальную температуру, которую через несколько минут - уменьшаем до 110-130 С. И держим там под крышкой как минимум три часа. Если будет подсыхать - ложечкой подливаем водичку или рассол.
Нужную кислоту регулируем именно рассолом. Если капуста бочковая, стоит с осени - можно рассол вообще отжать и добавить водички. У меня эта капуста заквашена перед самым постом, поэтому излишней кислотности нет.
В итоге капуста у нас становится замечательного светло-коричневого цвета.
За полчаса-час до конца тушения добавляем в капусту мелко нарезанные лук и чеснок.
Грибы все это время у нас замачиваются.
А как вымокнут - режем полосками и варим бульон.
Грибы разварились - закладываем капусту.
И варим с полчаса.
Едим с гречниками, а то и просто - с гречневой кашей.
Вот и все."

Богатые щи.

eda_kak_eda: Богатые щи.:
Максим Сырников

"Вот и съездил я сегодня к хорошему мяснику по фамилии Рублёв, да купил у него увесистый кусок лопатки с куском сахарной кости.
А раз уж щи наметил себе те, что спокон веков в России назывались "богатыми", то присовокупил к мясу горсть сухих белых грибов из карельских ельников, четыре небольших репки, морковь, корень петрушки, репчатый лук, ну и так - по мелочи...
А ещё сходил в закрома, да зачерпнул из кадушки то, без чего щей бы сегодня не вышло - отличной квашеной капусты.
Капусту эту я поставил месяц назад, она на холодке до полного своего совершенства дошла, для щей - лучше и не сыщешь.

Здесь я открою вам тайну, которую предки наши хорошо знали, а мы позабыли.

Sunday 8 September 2013

Tomato Mango Jam.

Tomato Mango Jam + Breakfast for Dinner Giveaway | Food in Jars:

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Tomato Jam.

Tomato Jam | Food in Jars:
"Tomato Jam"
Yield: Varies depending on the kind of tomato used, pan width and the finished thickness*

Ingredients

5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon red chili flakes

Friday 6 September 2013

Lemon Raspberry Gooey Butter Cake.

Lemon Raspberry Gooey Butter Cake > Willow Bird Baking:
This was beyond fantastic. The gooey, fluffy texture of this cake along with the subtle lemon flavor was a downright ethereal combination. You’re gonna freak out when you taste it!

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Filling Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
powdered sugar for dusting

Toppings Ingredients:
fresh raspberries
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
lemon zest

Sunday 1 September 2013