Little Meatballs in Rich Cheese Sauce

Here I am, at the last post from this marvelous book, Josceline Dimbleby’s “Marvellous Meals with Mince”, 1982. I followed this recipe too, light years away and enjoyed it very much. I am not into mince meat but these recipes made it so delicious and easy, thanks to  the wonderful cookery writer Josceline Dimbleby. Thank you. 🙂

Today it is all about cheesy cheese and if you ask me, this recipe reminds me a lot of a pizza. Just imagine the swimming meatballs in a cheese sauce that melts away and elongates as you extract a meatball, just like a pizza. Isn’t it deliciously nice looking?

Little Meatballs in Rich Cheese Sauce

Many little meatballs

Ingredients:

• 350 g/ 3/4 lb beef mince
• 100 g/ 4 oz semolina
• 2 rounded tbsp/ 4×15 ml tomato puree
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 2 tsp/ 2×5 ml oregano
• 1 tbsp/ 15 ml oil or fat for frying
• sare si piper negru

For the sauce:

• 25 g/ 1 oz butter
• 2 rounded tbsp/ 4×15 ml plain flour
• 600 ml/ 1 pint milk
• 225 g/ 8 oz grated cheese
• 150 ml/ 5 fl oz carton of soured cream
• 1/4 – 1/2 whole nutmeg, grated
• salt and black pepper
• grated Parmesan or extra grated cheese

Method:

• To make the meatballs, put the mince in a bowl and add the semolina, tomato puree, chopped garlic and oregano. Season generously with salt and black pepper and mix thoroughly together. With your hands form the mixture into small meatballs, each about the size of a medium-size marble.
• Heat the oil or fat in a large frying pan and fry the meatballs over a fairly high heat, turning them continually for 5-10 minutes, until dark brown all over. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a fairly shallow ovenproof dish (1 3/4 – 2 pint/ 1 – 1.1 litre capacity), such as an earthenware gratinee or flan dish, in which the meatballs cover the bottom fairly loosely.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour. Then gradually stir in the milk. Put back on the heat, bring to the boil, stirring, and let bubble, still stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Then stir the soured cream and grated nutmeg and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour over the meatballs, covering them. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan or other cheese over the top. Cook in the centre of the oven, Gas Mark 4/ 180°C, 350°F for 45 minutes.

Enjoy your meal!

Elena G

Say Cheese! :D

Today I am going to post a very tasty, easy and vegetarian dish. The first time I made it, I found it so delicious that I had said to myself, I would do it again. And I did it.

In case you have a toothache, this recipe is also welcomed. It is tender and it melts in your mouth. One thing I also like about it is the fact that you can mix vegetables that are in season and you end up with a nice colored dish. This recipe is from “Original card from Delicious Meals Made Easy”.

Cheesy – topped vegetables

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cauliflower, divided into florets
• 225  (8 oz) broccoli, divided into florets
• 75 g (3 oz) frozen peas (you can choose petit pois if you want or fresh peas)

Sauce (as you know, there is never enough sauce so you can double the ingredients):

• 40 g (1 1/2 oz) butter (or 80 g)
• 40 g (1 1/2 oz) plain flour (or 80 g)
• 450 ml (3/4 pint) semi-skimmed milk (or 1 l for a the same milk or a whole one)
• 100 g (4 oz) reduced – fat double Gloucester cheese, grated (or 200 g of that cheese or cheddar or any other that you prefer)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard (or 4 tsp)
• 1/4 (or 1/2) tsp salt
• black pepper
• 2 tsp of dried herbs de Provence (optional, for a herby flavour)

Method:

• Boil the carrots in a big pan of water for 3 minutes. I said big because you add the cauliflower, broccoli and peas. And they need space. Boil for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
• Drain the vegetables. Transfer to a flame-proof dish or a Jena oval or square dish and keep covered.
• For the sauce, melt the butter in a pan. Add the flour and cook gently, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in three-quarters of the cheese, the mustard and seasoning.
• Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir until well coated. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Put the dish under the grill for 5 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble. Serve.

Bon appetite!

Tortellini With Mushroom Cream Sauce

I am not in the mood for writing anything today. That is why I will be short. The recipe I have chosen is a very tasty and fragrant one. It is that good that you will empty your plate at once. I bet on that. So let’s eat some

Tortellini With Mushroom Cream Sauce

Time: 18 min

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 185 g (6 oz) small mushrooms
• 1 small lemon
• 60 g (2 oz) butter ( you know already, 80-82 % fat)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 300 ml (9 1/2 fl oz) cream
• black pepper
• pinch nutmeg
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 500 g (1 lb ) cooked tortellini, drained and kept warm

Method:

• Slice the whole mushrooms finely. Grate the lemon rind finely. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan and cook the mushrooms over medium heat for 30 seconds.
• Add the garlic, cream, lemon rind, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir through the grated Parmesan cheese and cook gently for 3 minutes further.
• Place the cooked tortellini in a warm serving dish. Add the sauce and stir gently to combine well. Serve immediately.

Bon Appetite!

This dish is perfect, easy and sooo delicious. I picked it up from the cookbook “Confident Cooking – Classic Essential Pasta”, 1996. In case you have it, don’t look here! 😉

Caesar Salad

My blog is not just about food, but it is mostly about it. This is what interests me mainly. Among other things. But one at a time. Today I come with a very easy and famous salad. I have eaten this salad most of the times with chicken but this recipe is with anchovies. If you don’t eat meat, than eat this. Fish is very good for you. But you already know this.

In case you know Romanian, check the recipe here. If you don’t, than stick with English. The original is in English, taken from the “Good Housekeeping Cookery Book” -1985. That old it is. The book, not the recipe. The recipe is even older. :)) Check here.

Here is the salad, a very tasty, quick, easy to make and a good choice after the Easter meal.

Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 large garlic clove, skinned and crushed
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) olive oil
• 75 g (3 oz) croutons
• 1 Cos lettuce (replace it with any other salad, make sure it is a crispy one)
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (or cheddar or any other cheese that you like, but remember, there is nothing like Parmesan cheese)
• 8 anchovies, finely crushed (well, you can try it out with one chicken breast, skinned, cut in small cubes and fried in butter – please, please – the 80-82% fat butter, it is the best, unsalted)

Method:

• Add the garlic to the oil and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a salad bowl. Pour over the garlic oil and toss until the leaves are completely coated. Season well.
• Boil the egg for 1 minute only, break it into the salad and toss well. Add the lemon juice, cheese, anchovies and croutons and give a final toss. Serve immediately.

Bon appetite!

Cheese D’Artois

En Garde!

Cheese D’Artois

2 fingers

Crist aras! It is the second day of Easter and after the break of yesterday, I have returned with something easy and special: cheese D’Artois. They are perfect during the festive season, like Easter or Christmas. What is so special about it? I will make it with a home-made puff pastry. This kind of pastry is vert tasty and good-looking, I can say it is my favorite pastry. But the way of doing it is not simple at all. I wanted to make it quick. So I searched Google for easy puff pastry and I found one that I liked very much. Here is the link, if you want to try.

Cheese D’ Artois

Makes 30-40

Ingredients:

• 150 (5 oz) Gruyère, grated (you can use cheddar or parmesan instead)
• 25 g (1 oz) walnut pieces, coarsely chopped
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 370 (13 oz) packet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Method:

• In a bowl, mix together the cheese, nuts and pepper to taste. Bind with the egg, reserving a little egg to glaze the pastry.
• Roll out the pastry to a rectangle 40,5 x 38 cm (16 x 15 inches).
• Cut the pastry into 10 strips, each measuring 20,5 x 7,5 cm (8 x 3 inches), using a pastry wheel for an attractive edge.
• Lay 5 strips on an ungreased baking sheet, divide the filling equally between them and spread it out evenly, almost t the edges.
• Cover with the remaining 5 strips and lightly press the edge to seal. Cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Mark each strips into 6-8 fingers and brush with the reserved egg. Bake in the oven at 200 grades C (400 grades F) mark 6 for about 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Cut the pastry through into fingers and serve immediately.

Bon appetite!

Tip: You can make this pastry with sweet filling like pastry cream (crème pâtissière). Enjoy!