Prawns With Asparagus

Prawns With Asparagus

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 175 g/ 6 oz fresh asparagus, cut into  2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
• salt
• 4 tbsp dry sherry
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 500 g/ 1 lb peeled prawns
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp finely chopped root ginger
• 4 spring onions, chopped

Method:

• Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water for 2 minutes; drain well and set aside.
• Mix the sherry and soy sauce together in a  large bowl. Stir in the prawns and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a wok and quickly stir-fry the garlic, ginger and half the spring onions. Add the prawns and marinade, and the asparagus and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the ingredients are hot.
• Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining spring onions. Serve immediately.

Enjoy your meal!

Source: Sainsbury’s Stand-Up Cookbook: Wok Dishes”, 1985 by Caroline Ellwood

Elena G

Rasfat

Iata ca am ajuns la ultima reteta cu ce se misca prin mare. Si ma bucur ca am reusit in sfarsit sa elimin din lista ceva. Cu pasi mici, ma indrept spre completarea blogului cu retetele culese de-a lungul timpului. E un proiect de suflet al meu, asa ca o parte din timpul liber, atunci cand il am si cand am si dispozitie, mi-l dedic scrierii. Azi inchei cu o reteta deosebita, culeasa din “Sainsbury’s Stand-Up Cookbook: Wok Dishes”, 1985, scrisa de Caroline Ellwood. E o reteta speciala si prin ingredientele sale si prin pretul mai ridicat asa ca stiu ca nu va fi facuta in fiecare saptamana insa pentru o zi de rasfat, merita. Ea face parte din bucataria chinezeasca si ca mai toate retetele chinezesti, se prepara repede si usor. Si e foarte delicioasa. Iat-o:

Creveti cu sparanghel

4 portii

Ingrediente:

• 175 g/ 6 oz sparanghel proaspat, taiat in bucati de cca 2.5 cm (1 inch)
• sare
• 4 linguri vin sherry sec
• 1 lingurita sos soia light
• 500 g/ 1 lb creveti curatati
• 2 linguri ulei
• 2 catei usturoi, taiati fin
• 2 lingurite ghimbir proaspat, tocat marunt
• 4 fire ceapa primavara, tocata

Preparare:

• Fierbe sparanghelul in apa fiarta si sarata pentru 2 minute. Strecoara si pune deoparte.
• Amesteca vinul sherry cu sosul de soia intr-un bol mare. Adauga crevetii si lasa-i la marinat 15 minute.
• Incalzeste uleiul  in wok si caleste usturoiul, ghimbirul si jumatate din ceapa de primavara. Adauga crevetii si marinada, sparanghelul si caleste cca 1-2 minute, pana cand toate ingredientele sunt fierbinti.
• Transfera minunatia pe o farfurie calda si pune deasupra restul de ceapa verde. Serveste imediat.

Pofta buna!

Elena G

Rumanian Baked Fish

I found this recipe years ago, in a book from a London library. It was called, the book I mean, “Encyclopedia of European Cooking” and it was from 1962. It is interesting how words, not more than 70 years ago, changed so much. I am not a linguist but here it is a nice to read and to follow “rumanian” recipe. 🙂

Rumanian Baked Fish

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cutlets any firm, white fish
• 4 oz French beans
• 4 oz carrots
• 2 tbsp cooked peas
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp sultanas
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• few springs parsley
• 1 gill sherry
• 1 tsp cummin seeds
• salt and pepper
• frying oil
• 1 gill water

Method

• Place the fish into a deep oven dish, greased with oil. Chop the onion and fry for a few minutes in hot oil, then add sliced French beans and diced carrots. Fry for 5 minutes then mix with the tomatoes, cut in quarters, the peas, aultanas, chopped garlic, cummin seeds, salt and pepper. Add the sherry and water, stir well then pour over the fish. Cover with lid and cook in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Then take off the lid and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy your meal!

Glossary

gill – or teacup is a unit of measurement for volume equal to a quarter of a pint.

Elena G

Stiu ca stii ca sssss

M-am chinuit sa gasesc o imbarligatura de limba pentru titlu. Pentru ca ma gandesc intotdeauna la un titlu si cere si el ceva munca. Vroiam ceva cu peste insa nu am gasit nimic potrivit asa ca am adaptat. Daca in ultima vreme am tot scris despre acest animal minunat, curat si plin de oase, mai adaug o reteta. Sau doua, sau noua… Sa vad cum stau cu inspiratia de a scrie. (doar o parte e inspiratie, stiu, pentru ca reteta numai inspiratie nu e, atunci cand e luata de undeva)

Cu aceasta ocazie mi-am dat seama ca nu am o reteta romaneasca. Stiu si de ce. Initial blogul se dorea o amestecatura de retete care mi se pareau mie mai speciale, mai deosebite si evident, din bucataria internationala. Asa de atrasa am fost de ce am descoperit prin experienta mea de amator in bucatarie! O mare parte din viata nu am mancat decat romaneste asa ca nu avea nici un farmec pentru mine sa scriu despre asta. In schimb bucataria internationala era ceva nou. Insa s-a intamplat sa se intample, si acum, ca sa repar o nedreptate, si sa echilibrez balanta, voi adauga si o reteta romaneasca, asa, oficiala, culeasa de undeva tiparit, zic. Vor mai fi si altele, pentru ca, oricat am respins eu asta o vreme, mi-am dat seama ca gresesc si desigur, va fi o reteta minunata si speciala ca asa le consider eu pe toate pe cele pe care le adaug aici. :))

Acum ceva amuzant sper. Reteta aceasta am cules-o dintr-o carte de bucate in limba engleza. Oamenii astia au facut niste carti despre lume ceva de speriat. Am dat peste “Encyclopedia of European Cooking” din 1962 intr-o biblioteca din Londra si ce crezi? Avea si sectiunea de “Rumanian cooking”. Dap, asa e scris. Am ramas uimita sa o gasesc si bine-nteles ca mi-am dorit sa gatesc romaneste, asa deodata. :)) Ca sa vada si altii ca si noi avem o bucatarie foarte buna. Azi voi scrie aici reteta de la pagina 415, reteta foarte interesanta si romaneasca, ca asa “zice” ei, englezii . ;)) Imi aduce aminte de prima mea reteta si in acelasi timp a doua postare de pe blog. Devin nostalgica. 🙂 Sa purcedem dar. Sa nu uit, sa citesti si reteta originala in engleza sa vezi acolo cuvinte! Urmeaza.

Peste la cuptor

4 portii

Ingrediente: 

• 4 bucati de peste cu carne alba, mai tare un pic sa nu se faramiteze
• 4 oz/ 115 g pastai verzi
• 4 oz/ 115 g morcovi
• 2 linguri de mazare fiarta
• 1 ceapa
• 1 lingura stafide
• 2-3 rosii
• 2-3 catei de usturoi
• cateva fire de patrunjel
• cca 150 ml sherry (daca nu ai, orice alt vin alb merge, ca sunt sigura ca la 1962 numai sherry nu puneau romanii in peste)
• 1 lingurita seminte chimion
• sare si piper
• ulei
• cca 150 ml apa

Preparare:

• Unge o tava mai adanca cu ulei. Aseaza pestele.
• Taie ceapa si caleste-o cateva minute in ulei fierbinte intr-o tigaie, adauga pastaile si morcovii taiati cubulete. Mai prajeste circa 5 minute apoi adauga iar rosiile, taiate in 4, mazarea, stafidele, usturoiul maruntit, semintele de chimion, sarea si piperul. Pune si apa si sherry. Toata combinatia aceasta rastoarn-o peste peste. :))
• Pune un capac peste tava si introdu-o in cuptor, la foc moderat pentru cca 30 minute. (inca nu erau grade pe atunci vad). Indeparteaza capacul si mai lasa in cuptor 5-10 minute.

Pofta buna rumaneste!

Elena G

Honey on … pork

Happy New Year, my dear readers! Be happy, healthy, enjoy exquisite food with the loved one and be good to each other this year and always!  Today I thought of a delicious meal that hopefully will make your belly sing. I found it in Delicious Meals Made Easy, 1996 and I tried it one day, years and years ago.  It is a mix sweet and hot and made me think…hmm…now that is another use of honey ;). Because we all know, honey is very good on skin, in tea, usually for sweet things and food.

Here is the recipe of

Honey-Grilled Pork Chops 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 16 – 20 minutes

Ingredients:

•  225 (8 oz) can pineapple rings in fruit juice (unsweetened juice rather than syrup, because it is lower in calories and sugar)
• 4 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 4 lean loin pork chops, about 100 g (4 oz) each
• spring onions to garnish

Method:

• Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. In a bowl, mix the juice with honey, sherry, mustard, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons.
• Put pork chops and pineapple in a shallow dish. Pour over marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes, turning once.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Remove pork chops and pineapple from the marinade. Discard the marinade.
• Put chops on a grill rack and brush with reserved marinade. Cook under grill for 8-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked and tender. Grill pineapple for the last 5 minutes of cooking time, turning it once.
• Arrange the pork chops and pineapple slices on a large serving plate, garnished with spring onions.

Bon appetite!

Cu gandul la Craciun

La multi ani, prieteni dragi si cititori intamplatori ai acestui blog! Ce dor imi era sa mai scriu cate o reteta aici, si pentru ca de Craciun se consuma porc, eu cel putin asta mananc, m-am gandit la o reteta exotica pe care am gatit-o candva, demult…intr-o alta tara pe unde m-a purtat viata sau eu pe ea, inca nu stiu sigur si nu m-am decis cum mi-ar placea sa scriu…; ) ) Mie mi-a placut foarte mult si combinatia de dulce, iute si sarat data de ingrediente e memorabila. Plus ca e porc. Recunosc, sunt carnivora din cand in cand si dintre toate felurile de carne, prefer porcul, cu ceva grasime. Si orice vine din mare. Dar mai ales, ador orice la gratar. Dar cine nu? Sa revin. Reteta aceasta mai are un avantaj: se prepara usor si repede. Si arata impresionant, o mananci cu ochii, nasul … si daca cumva te hotarasti sa gusti, daca…dar mai ai putintica rabdare. Si pregateste-te. Ai de facut niste cumparaturi, ai nevoie de un stomac gol ca sa o poti savura la maxim si pe cineva alaturi. Singur(a), nu recomand. Merge si un pahar cu vin rosu, dar pentru ca partea cu vinurile este specialitatea altora, m-as bucura de un feed-back si de o sugestie, ca sa stiu si eu si cine mai citeste reteta. Multumesc anticipat! Trebuie sa mentionez ca reteta a fost culeasa din Delicious Meals Made Easy, 1996 si povesteste despre cum sa gatesti la grill in cuptor dar merge si la gratar foarte bine. Yummy!

Cotlete de porc in miere, la grill

4 portii

Timp de preparare si marinare: 15 minute

Timp de gatit: 16-20 minute

Ingrediente:

• 225 g (8 oz) inele de ananas in suc propriu (mai sanatos decat siropul)
• 4 linguri miere
• 1 lingura dry sherry (sec)
• 2 lingurite mustar cu boabe
• 1 lingurita condiment ardei iute (chilli)
• 1/4 lingurita sare
• piper negru (proaspat macinat de preferinta)
• 4 cotlete de porc, de cca 100g fiecare
• ceapa verde pentru decor

Preparare:

• Strecoara ananasul si pastreaza sucul. Intr-un bol amesteca sucul cu mierea, sherry, mustar, ardei iute, sare si piper. Pune deoparte 2 linguri din acest sos marinat, vei avea putin mai tarziu de el.
• Pune cotletele si ananasul intr-o farfurie adanca. Toarna peste ele sosul de marinat. Acopera farfuria si pune-o la frigider pentru 30 de minute, intorcand ingredientele o singura data.
• Incalzeste grill-ul simplu (single grill) din cuptor la 230°C. Scoate cotletele si ananasul din sos.
• Pune carnea pe gratarul din cuptor, avand grija sa fie si tava dedesubt, pentru a aduna sucul care curge. Gratarul trebuie sa fie pe primul spatiu de sus al cuptorului. Lasa cotletele cca 8-10 minute pe fiecare parte sau pana se patrunde carnea toata. In ultimele 5 minute adauga inelel de ananas si intoarce-le doar o data.
• Aranjeaza pe un platou carnea cu ananasul si decoreaza cu ceapa verde de primavara.

Pofta buna!

In a Hurry?

If you are in a hurry but still want to impress someone special or your friends, here is a recipe that it is both delicious and easy to make: liver Stroganoff. The book I found the recipe in, is titled how else but “Cooking in a Hurry” by Anne Ager, published in 1980. In those times I guess it was still kind of boring to stay in the kitchen and just cook, one wanted to live her/his life too. In Romania it was a way of life cooking not for your family but organising festive meals for the entire clan. I speak for myself because I have seen my mom many times doing that during a year and my sister and I had to help too. It was fun for us but if I put myself in her shoes I guess it was not that fun. I know I wouldn’t do that but occasionally. Well, if my mom had known this recipes she would’ve got away with it easily. Joking. 🙂

Though I made this recipe just once, a few years ago, I loved it and I thought to share it with you. So here it is.

Liver Stroganoff

Preparation and cooking time : 25 min

Ingredients:

• 750 g (1 1/2 lb) calf’s or lamb’s liver, cut into strips, 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick
• seasoned flour
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 50 g (2 oz) butter (80-82% fat please)
• 100 g (4 oz) button mushrooms, sliced
• 6X15 ml spoons (tbsp) dry sherry (if you don’t have sherry, don’t worry now, try to make sure you have for some time in the future, there are plenty of recipes with sherry)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) soured cream

Method:

• Dust the strips of liver in seasoned flour, then shake off any surplus flour.
• Fry the onion gently in the butter for 2 minutes in a shallow frying pan.
• Add the liver and continue frying, stirring occasionally, until the liver begins to colour.
• Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 3 minutes. Add the sherry, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. And close the kitchen window so you take pity on your neighbours.
• Stir in the soured cream and heat through carefully, without boiling.
• Serve with boiled noodles and a salad. Do not forget to toss the noodles in butter and add some pepper, if you like.

Bon appetite!