Risoni and Wild Rice Salad

As you are already accustomed, here it is the original recipe that was translated before in Romanian. It is from a book called “Cooking for Two” , 1996 and writen by two chefs, Richard Olney and Simon Wheeler. I followed it years ago and I liked it. Simple. Now here it is.

Risoni and Wild Rice Salad

Serves 2 of course

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup risoni (a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice)
• 1/4 cup wild rice (you can replace it with other rice but remember the boiling time too)
• 2 tsp oil
• 4 green shallots, chopped (spring onions)
• 3 tsp chopped fresh lemon grass
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp fish sauce
• 30 g butter

Method:

• Add risoni to a pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, until tender; drain. Add rice to a pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, about 40 minutes or until tender; drain.
• Heat oil in pan, add shallots and lemon grass, cook, stirring, until shallots are soft. Add risoni, rice, juice and sauce, stir until heated through; transfer to serving dish.
• Add butter to same pan, cook until butter is lightly browned, pour over nice mixture; mix gently.

Enjoy your meal!

• Risoni and rice can be cooked a day ahead.
• Storage: Covered, in refrigerator.
• Freeze: Not suitable.
• Microwave: Risoni and rice suitable.

Ps: writing this it felt like a broken English to me today. I don’t know why. I may be tired but I do not realize I am. 🙂

Elena G

English Pie

‘Good House Keeping Cookery Book’ from 1985 provides me again with another amazing pie. I admit it is one of the least favourite pie of mine. I don’t like some of the vegetables, but I know it is very healthy and good. And vegetarian. I made it once for the sake of someone dear and it was a success, as always. I almost wish to make it again, as I write about it for the second time (first time being in Romanian). I imagine a mother and a father and 2-3 kids, around the table and a hot dish pie in the middle of it, steaming, plus boiled French beans and Brussels sprouts or stir-fried spring beans, to serve. A…

Wholemeal Vegetable Pie

Serves 4

Ingredients:

•  3 medium leeks, trimmed
• 275 g (10 oz) swede, peeled
• 225 g (8 oz) turnip, peeled
• 4 medium carrots, peeled
• 100 g (4 oz) butter
• 225 g (8 oz) large flat mushrooms, sliced
• 25 g (1 oz) plain flour
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock
• 175 g (6 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, chives, thyme, marjoram) or 10 ml (2 tsp) dried herbs
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 175 g (6 oz) Wholemeal Shortcrust Pastry or a simple shortcrust pastry
• beaten egg, to glaze

Method:

• Cut the leeks into 2,5 cm (1 inch) lengths, then wash well under cold running water to remove any grit. Cut the swede, turnip and carrots into small bite-sized chunks.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the prepared vegetables and fry over moderate heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Sprinkle in the flour and cook gently, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Gradually blend in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese, herbs, salt and pepper to taste. pour into a 1.1 litre (2 pint) pie dish and allow to cool for about 1 hour.
• Roll put the pastry on a floured surface. Cut out a thin strip long enough to go around the rim of the pie dish. Moisten the rim with water and place the strip of pastry on the rim.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Moisten the strip of pastry on the rim of the dish, place the lid on top, trim off any excess pastry and press to seal.
• Knock up and flute or crimp the edge. Decorate the top with any pastry trimmings. If you want to eat this as a ready meal, later, freeze it. If not, brush with beaten egg. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Bake the pie in the oven at 190°C, 375°F, mark 5 for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot, with vegetables.

Bon appetite!

 

Have You Got 50 Minutes?

Half of this recipe is almost done because it is similar to the one I wrote a few days ago, Fruit and Almond Couscous. And the sauce you have to make for this is very easy and quick. Relax! It is also a vegan recipe, because it has feta cheese. The source of it is Tesco Magazine from 2005 in London. Let’s start as you need 50 minutes and I talk too much. 😉

Aubergine Stuffed With Fruity Couscous

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 small aubergine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp harissa paste (or any similar hot sauce you have in your pantry)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 375 ml (13 fl oz) vegetable stock
• 175 g (6 oz) couscous
• 30 g (1 oz) raisins
• 30 g (1 oz) chopped dried apricots
• 30 g (1 oz) toasted sliced almonds (optional)
• small bunch spring onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp green olives, chopped
• 50 g (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

For the spiced yogurt sauce:

• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• salt
• ground black pepper

Method:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil; add the aubergines (in batches if necessary) and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove from water, halve lengthways and scoop out flesh leaving a 2 cm (1 in) shell. Chop the removed flesh and set aside.
• Place ten aubergine shells on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven at Gas 6, 200°C, 400°F and bake for 5 minutes or until just golden.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan, add onion and gently sauté until soft. Add harissa and cinnamon and fry, stirring, for 5 more minutes. Add stock and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add couscous. Let stand for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
• Fluff with a fork; add the remaining ingredients (except the feta) together with the reserved chopped aubergine.
• Pile the couscous mixture into the aubergine shells, top with the feta and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese starts to brown. Meanwhile combine sauce ingredients ready to serve with the stuffed aubergine.

Bon appetite!

Have You Got 10 Minutes?

Have you got 10 minutes? Do you like vegetarian dishes? Do you like couscous? Dried fruit? Do you like to have a healthy diet? Are you tired of cooking? Is it so hot outside that drains you out with cooking? If you answer is ‘yes’ to at least 3 of these questions, then read this recipe and why not eat it fresh, as it is best that way. My inspiration for this is  the cookbook ‘Quick Meals in Minutes’, 2001.

Fruit and Almond Couscous

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (400 g) couscous
• 2 cups (500 ml) boiling chicken stock or just boiling water if you are fasting
• 40 g butter or oil of any kind, preferably cold pressed, again, if you are fasting
• 1/4 cup (35 g) dried currants
• 1/4 cup (35 g) dried apricots, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup (35 g) slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method:

• Place couscous in medium heatproof bowl; add boiling stock and butter.
• Toss couscous gently, using a fork, until liquid is absorbed.
• Add the remaining ingredients; mix gently. Serve it fresh as it is or as a side dish with spiced wings if you like.

Bon appetite!

 

GAWPGH

When you feel like to much is too much, of food I mean, then take a break and try something exquisite and light. They say that good things come in small packages and this is true about this recipe. It is not for those who live to eat but mostly for the gourmand or gourmet . I cooked and ate this in 2005. Why do I know the year? Simple: I have the print of the article with the recipe. It is from the Sunday’s edition of  The Times, on the 28th of May 2005, where Gordon Ramsay presented some recipes about asparagus. It was a total hit, to be honest, and I would like to share with you this delicate and light recipe, that can be eaten as it is or as a side dish with meat to your liking.

Green Asparagus with Pink Grapefruit Hollandaise

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 coriander seeds, finely crushed
• 3 free-range egg yolks
• 125 ml light olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt
• pinch of cayenne
• 100 ml fresh pink grapefruit juice
• grated zest of 1 pink grapefruit
• 24 asparagus spears

Method:

• Place the coriander seeds, egg yolks and 1 tablespoon warm water in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Whisk the egg yolks until they are pale and creamy and form ribbons when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.
• Remove the pan from the heat and continue to whisk for a further 3 minutes. Gently warm the olive oil and add in a very slow, steady drizzle to the eggs, whisking continuously, until the sauce is thick and glossy (you may not need all the oil.) Add the lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Keep warm to the side of the cooker.
• Cook the grapefruit juice and zest in a pan over a moderate heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Whisk into the hollandaise.
• Bring a pan of slightly salted water to a gentle boil, add the trimmed asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Serve on warm plates with the hollandaise.

Bon appetite!

Have You Got 15 Minutes?

Please, please, say yes. Do you like vegetables? Please, please, say yes. Are you a vegetarian or a vegan? Please, please, say yes. Otherwise I see no sense in writing this recipe. Who would like it, make it, taste it? 😦  Me? Yeah, I forgot about myself. I like vegetables, I am sometimes a vegetarian, I like to cook, to eat and to write recipes. And I like to do that for you, who take the time to read my blog. For this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Today I invite you to try a French recipe, from Carolyn Humphries, ‘Simply Stylish Meals in 15 Minutes’, 1999. So, have you got 15 minutes? If so, here we go:

No-nonsense Ratatouille 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 small aubergine (eggplant), sliced
• 3 courgettes, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 green (bell) peppers, sliced
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried oregano
• salt
• pepper
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) tomato purée (paste)
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) red wine or water

Method:

• Put the prepared vegetables in a large pan with the olive oil. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
• Add the oregano, seasoning and the tomato purée blended with the wine or water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender.
• Serve with buttered pasta and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bon appetite!

I’m Not Famous But I’m Aromanian

Today I would like to introduce you to a special recipe, equally famous and tasty. It is a traditional Aromanian recipe, known for years and years. Aromanians are people who live in the Balkanic area and they talk a dialect or a language (here, the opinions are divided and it is not the subject of this blog, but you can get a lot of info from many sites). ‘I’m not famous but I’m Aromanian’, to paraphrase a film made recently by another Aromanian,  Toma Enache. I can not say the same thing for my mother, though. She is famous and she is Aromanian. 🙂

She is the cook for this famous recipe too and she does a brilliant job. I don’t like to cook it, only to eat it. In the future I see myself doing it but until then, I enjoy my mum’s fried bell peppers. It is an easy and light recipe, it requires a bit of work and guarding the cook. But it is soooo worth it. Aromanians call this recipe piperchi țârgâsiti or țâgârsiti, in case you know how to read Aromanian, and I hope from the bottom of my heart that once you eat this, you will definitely ask for more. Cross my heart, hope to live.

Fried Bell Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 kg bell peppers (or sweet pepper later in Autumn), diced into 2,5 (1 in) pieces
• 1 kg tomatoes, chopped
• 250 g cow or sheep feta cheese (you get delicious cheese from any market in Romania)
• 150 g cottage cheese or green cheese
• oil

Method:

•  Put about 500 ml of oil in a deep pan or wok and leave until hot. Put a batch of bell peppers in and stir a bit, until coated. Leave to fry until golden then remove and put to dry in a colander. Repeat with another batch until all the peppers are fried. You can add more oil if needed.
• In another large pan, put 5 tbsp of oil and add the tomatoes. Stir and leave to cook at a medium heat, until it becomes sauce-like. You can skin tomatoes before cooking and then diced them.
• Stir in the peppers and mix well. Leave for 5 minutes until it thickens a bit.
• Add the cheese and mix again.
• You can have it with a baguette or bakestone bread.

The End, my friend!

Bon appetite!