Grand Bird, The Turkey with a difference

In our family we only eat Roast Turkey at Christmas. It is our family tradtion.

My way of roasting the turkey is a little different to the tradtional Irish way. I have found that most of the time the turkey meat was too dry. I had to find a way to change that.
I do not stuff my bird with the tradtional stuffing. If you roast the turkey until the stuffing is cooked, the breast will be dry and overcooked. If you do like stuffing, bake it seperately.
I line the the inside of the turkey with  majoram  and fill it with oranges.  But before I put the turkey in the oven, I layer the whole bird with streaky bacon, that does not only add moisture and fat, but also enhances the taste of the turkey gravy.
I do have problems finding dried Majoram in the shops here, so I grow my own. If you cannot get Majoram you can also substitute it with Oregano and or Thyme

Ingredients

1 free range turkey (weight depends on your size of family)
salt and pepper
1/2 dried Majoram
3 to 4 oranges
1 large pack of streaky bacon
water

The finished result

Method

Remove the giblets. ( use the liver to make Pâté, if you like,  and the rest to make stock for the gravy, if you wish)

Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper and Majoram or Oregano and/or Thyme

Cut the oranges into halves or quarters and fill the turkey with it. Depending of the size of the turkey you might need one more or less. Fill the front of the turkey, where the neck is, with half an orange.

Cover the whole turkey with the slices of streaky bacon.

Put the turkey into the roasting tin with the breast up.

Pour approx 1/2 l water into the roasting tin.

Start roasting at 175C for approx 11/2 hr. Once the bacon if browned take them off and with the help of somebody turn the turkey upside down, aka breast down.

After another hour turn the turkey around again and finish roasting. Use the water, which you replenish every so often, to baste the turkey, regularly

Cover the legs with tin foil to stop them from drying out too much.

The usual time for roasting are 20 minutes per pound at a medium temperature. I prefer to up the heat a bit and shorten the roasting time. 

You can use a meat thermometer to check if the bird is cooked.

In the end you know your oven and can adjust the time to suit your needs.

When the turkey is cooked. Set aside, cover with tin foil to keep warm.

For the gravy

Scrape all the bits from the roasting tin with the water. Pour through a sieve. Thicken the gravy with flour, make a paste from flour and water. (1 Tablespoon flour to 4-5 Tablespoons of water)

Pour the flour mixture into the gravy and cook for 2 min. Adjust the seasoning.

The end result should be a succulent roast turkey. Enjoy!

Baked Ham

It has been a while since I have put up a new recipe and now I can't wait much longer, as I would like you to have it before Easter. I originally had intended to publish it before Christmas, but somehow I did not manage to do so.
The recipe for the Baked Ham I earned fair and square many years ago. We were on holidays in Kerry and  I got it from a friend after I had cooked an 8, yes 8, course meal for him and his wife. You say a lot of work for one recipe, but I say, it was worth it.
Since then the Baked Ham is our family favourite for Christmas and all other occasions!
As with all meats, do get your ham from a source, you can rely that it has been properly cured.
For best results in making the sauce use mustard powder, if you can't get it then adjust the amount of mustard accordingly.
Best cabbage throughout the year is the York cabbage for this dinner, but you might have your own preferences.

Baked Ham and Cabbage with a Mustard Honey Sauce for 4-6 people

Ingredients

For boiling the ham

2-3lb ham (or piece of bacon)

2 carrots chopped roughly

1 medium/large onion chopped roughly

1 leek chopped roughly

Leaves of celery or lovage (optional)

Dozen black peppercorns

Bay leaf

For the sauce

1/3 cup (30g) of mustard powder

1 cup (180g) of unbleached, unrefined granulated sugar (preferably organic)

1/2 cup (100ml) of peach syrup (drain from can of peaches and serve peaches as accompaniment to meal)

Head of York or Spring cabbage

Remaining peach syrup

Butter for cooking

Potatoes

Method:

1. Put ham in large saucepan with enough cold water to cover ham

1. Bring to the boil and boil for 15 minutes

1. Discard water and replace with cold water again. This is to remove the saltiness of the ham. If cooking a large ham (e.g. for Christmas) you should steep the ham in water overnight if possible

1. Add all ingredients above for ‘boiling the ham’ into water

1. Bring to the boil and simmer at low heat for 1.5hrs

1. About hour and half into cooking the ham, scrub potatoes and put on the boil to cook (should take about 30 minutes)

1. Wash and chop cabbage and blanch in saucepan boiling water for 2-3 minutes.

1. Put knobs of butter in ovenproof dish and transfer drained cabbage into dish and cover with tinfoil

1. Bake for 25-30 mins at 175˚C depending on amount of cabbage and size of dish

1. Once cabbage is in oven, prepare sauce by mixing all ingredients together. 

1. Put ham in oven dish and cover with sauce and bake for 20-25mins at 175˚C

1. Baste ham with sauce half way through. If sauce is too thick add extra peach syrup

1. Take ham and cabbage out of oven. Drain sauce into gravy boat and serve as accompaniment

1. Serve ham, baked cabbage and potatoes with peaches

1. Serve with a Chardonnay (Macon-Village is best), Frascati or Pinot Grigio, or an Alsace Riesling

Big Bird - Goose

Until I came  to Ireland I only ever had a goose for Christmas. As a matter of fact, the smell of a roasting goose is one of my first "smell" memories. My grandmother used to keep geese and when we  visited her in our holidays, summer or autumn, it was our job to bring them to the little pond near her house (this was in East Germany). Around the feast day of St. Martin (11.Nov.) the first geese would  end up on the table, in honour of St.Martin. Seemingly he was warned by geese and thus could flee from whomever.
I never forget the smell wafting through the house when grandmother slowly roasted the goose stuffed with apples and majoram. I still roast my goose the way she taught me .

Once a goose got me into bad trouble, I was six going on to seven. We were going back to West Germany on the train and as a going away present grandmother had given us a goose, plucked and oven ready. At the border we had to leave the train and the customs officers would check all suitcases. They were looking especially for food, as there was a food shortage in the Fifties in East Germany and you were not allowed to take any out.

The customs official opened my mother's case, prodded here, prodded there, then he went to the corner where mother had put the dirty wash. "No need to check there, Sir", I offered quickly, " there is only a goose in there". I do not wish to know what mother would have liked to do with me that very instant. He looked at me,  looked at my mother, and while closing the case, he said,"Well, then there is no need to look there", and with that he let us go. Needless to say that this was the last goose which was smuggled between the East and the West by us.

Anyway here is how to roast successfully a goose.

Ingredients

1 goose, approx 4kg

salt and pepper

500g apples (approx)

2 Tbsp dried Majoram

400 ml chicken stock

some water approx 375ml

1Tbsp flour

Method

Heat  the oven to 175C or 375 F 

Season the goose with salt and pepper in the inside (make sure you have removed the giblets)

Fill the goose with the majoram and the apples, which are cut into quarters, secure the end with a cocktail stick or two (or not, I just stick more apple in)

Lay the goose with the breast side down on the roasting tin. Pour approx 125 ml water in the tin.

Turn the goose around after about 11/2 hrs. add 250 ml of water. Keep basting the goose at regular intervals.

The goose needs about 3hrs roasting time. About 15 min. before the end turn the oven to 225 C or 425F. Take the goose out of the roasting tin, keep warm.

Making the gravy

With the chicken stock, boil up the juice in the roasting tin, pour through a sieve. If the liquid has too much fat remove it with a spoon.

Thicken the liquid with the flour, which has been made into a  paste by adding some water. Pour into the liquid stirring continuously. Should you by any chance have some lumps. simply pour through a sieve and remove same lumps. Bring to the boil for a minute or two. Adjust the seasoning.

Ready to carve!

Serve the goose with roast potaoes and (tradionationally) red cabbage. Needless to say you can use any vegetable you like.

Party ideas

Six weeks have gone by since my last blog. The only excuse I have, is that I have been busy with  my exercises in order to get back to a walking normality as soon as possible.
Seeing the Christmas season is soon upon us, I thought you might like to have some tried and trusted recipes for delicious Party fare.

I would not even try to count the parties and family get togethers we had in our house over the years. For me the most enjoyable part is the planning and executing of the food for the Party.  Once you have decided what kind of food you want to serve, finger food, cold or hot Buffet, you then can choose your
recipes.
One of the easiest and tastiest and quickest finger food to make are the baked chicken pieces, which have been marinated in my own concoction!

The second recipe is a Minced Beef Pie, which is very versatile, you can either serve it in small pieces or  serve it as a main course with a big bowl of green salad. It is equally tasty hot as cold.
Both, the chicken dishes and the Minced Beef Pie, are perfect meat dishes for any Buffet.

My next blog will deal with the roasting of birds, big and small.

Marinated chicken

Ingredients (Marinade)

1/2 cup chili ketchup ( use normal ketchup with 1/4 tsp chili powder)
1/2 Sherry ( or Port)
3 cloves of garlic (cut small)
1/2 tsp saltblack pepper
1 Tablespoon dark Soya Sauce
1  "       "        Balsamic vinegar
1   "      "        Maple Syrup ( honey or  brown sugar)


Method

Mix all the above ingredients
until you have a sirupy sauce. Marinate the  fresh chicken pieces for at least 2 hrs, for best results marinate the  pieces overnight. Refrigerate.

Put the chicken on to a baking tray and bake at 175C between 35 and 45 minutes depending on your oven.

In the summer you can of course grill the pieces on your barbeque.

Serve the chicken pieces with a variety of salads.

Minced Beef Pie

Pastry
You can use any of your favourite pastry, this recipe works equally well with Short Crust Pastry,
Puff Pastry ( ready made, bought), yeast dough for Pizza.
(The recipe for my Pastry will be under the heading, American Pie)
If you use either Short crust or Puff Pastry you might want to bake the Pastry blind for 20 min. to achieve a good base. Or make sure the filling is cold. The Pie, you see on the photo has been filled without being baked before hand

Filling

Ingredients:
400g very lean beef minced ( if you can get it freshly minced, do! This makes a big difference to the overall taste)
1 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Worcester Sauce
1/4 l water ( approx)
some vegetable oil for frying
some chili pepper ( optional)
1 clove of garlic ( optional)
1 large onion sliced
slices of Cheddar or Gouda cheese ( enough to cover the pie)


Method:
Fry the meat until it starts to brown,
add the flour, mix around and fry until the meat and flour is browned. Add enough water to make
the mixture look saucy, see picture above. If you have too much water in the pan, simply boil it off until you have the right consistency. Add the seasoning. Leave to cool. Once the mixture is cooled down, line a baking tray with the pastry of your choice, spread some tomato sauce of your choice thinly on the base. Add the meat, the onion slices and cover the lot with the cheese.
Bake for approx 45 minutes at 175C

Note: The filling can be used to make Empanadas. Delicious

The delicious end result

I used yeast dough for my pie but have successfully used both Short Crust and Puff Pastry

Bechamel or White Sauce

Being able to make a good sauce from scratch is most frightening for most people and it is so easy to grab a ready make sauce of the shelves of the Supermarket .

The truth is that the basic sauces, which are the base of endless varieties of sauces for countless recipes are easy and simple to make, as long as pays attention while doing them.

Nearly every sauce is based either on the brown Roux (Sauce) or the white Roux.

The other important factor in making a good sauce is the stock you use. Very few of us have neither the time nor the inclination to have a stock pot on the stove. There are very good commercial stock cubes, or stock granules, or even "stock pot" liquid stock available.  You have a great choice and you should use the ones you like best. I have always used the Knorr stock range. I tried other brands but my taste buds prefer the Knorr ones. But as the French say "Chacun à son goût ". So you use what you like best .

Ingredients

2 Tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil, either sunflower or rapeseed, 

2 Tbsp of white flour ( unbleached, if you have it)

Approx 1/4 l water ( you can substitute half of this with milk our white wine depending on what you want to use the sauce for)

1 cube of chicken stock, or vegetable, or fish stoke, depending on what your dish is

Method

Put butter/oil in a heavy pain, heat slowly to melt the butter.

Add the flour , stirring continuously, the flour will bubble up, this is important as it means the flour is cooking.

Immediately add the liquid is a steady stream, stirring continuously

Add enough liquid to have a smooth creamy consistency.

Should you end up with lumps. Don't despair. 
Remove pan from heat and pour sauce through a sieve into another pan. You end up with a smooth sauce.

Add your seasoning

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Once the Roux is cooked you can  add cheese and or cream. For fish use white wine

Note: The sauce with added cheese can be used for making a delicious Lasagne

Luxury Fish Pie

I think it is time for more fish. With the cold weather lurking around the corner, it is time to think of wholesome comfortable food. What is better than a nourishing pie?

One of the most satisfying of all pies is this fish pie. Needless to say that the fish has to be absolutely fresh. The quality of the pie lies in the freshness of the fish. 

The success depends but not only on the freshness of the fish, which is a given, but also on the sauce the fish is cooked in.
I use a white or Bechamel Sauce, which is one of the basic sauces any cook should be able to do in her or his sleep. You use this sauce in so many dishes that it worth your while perfecting it. You find the recipe for the sauce under Sauces or at the end of this one.

smoked cod

cooked prawns

fresh salmon darnes

Cooking Time: 45 min Prep.Time 20 min

Ingredients

1000g potatoes cooked and mashed

200-300 g fresh cod/or haddock or similar

200 g smoked fish (cod/haddock or salmon)

200 g fresh salmon

200 g prawns precooked (fresh or frozen)

1/2 l of  bechamel sauce (use white wine instead of water and enrich sauce with fresh cream)

Lemon juice to taste 

Cooking Instructions

Prepare the mashed potatoes as usual. Set aside. Wash and dry the fish and cut into cubes. If you use frozen prawns quickly precook them for 1 minute and then dab them dry, otherwise the sauce will get too runny. If you only have one kind of fish just make sure you end up with at least 600g fish. Although the mixture makes for a more interesting taste.

Place the fish into an ovenproof dish, cover with the well seasoned white (bechamel) sauce. As the fish will release liquid during the cooking, make the sauce a bit thicker than usual, otherwise the sauce would be too watery.  Put the mashed potatoes on top. Bake for 30 to 40 min at 175 C
Find the recipe for the sauce below.

The finished result

Bechamel (White) Sauce

Ingredients

2 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of oil, either sunflower or rapeseed, 

2 Tbsp of white flour ( unbleached, if you have it)

Approx 1/4 l water ( you can substitute half of this with milk our white wine depending on what you want to use the sauce for)

1 cube of chicken stock, or vegetable, or fish stock, depending for what dish you want to use the sauce for.

Method

Put butter/oil in a heavy pain, heat slowly to melt the butter.

Add the flour , stirring continuously. The flour will bubble up, this is important, as it means the flour is cooking.

Immediately add the liquid in a steady stream, stirring continuously

Add enough liquid to have a smooth creamy consistency.

Should you end up with lumps. Don't despair. Remove pan from heat and pour sauce through a sieve into another pan. You end up with a smooth sauce.

Add your seasoning

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Once the Roux is cooked you can  add cheese and or cream. For fish use white wine and/or cream

Note: If you like you can add mushroom and/or peas or any vegetables you like to the pie.

Annegret's Chicken Curry

This is the first time I have  actually written down the recipe for my curry. I did not come across curries as a dish until my first visit to England a long time ago and then later in Ireland. I was alway surprised  that it was the chinese restaurants who offered curries.
I always liked the taste of curry as one of the favourite fast food dishes in Germany is "Curry Wurst". This is a "Bratwurst", fried sausage, cut into pieces,covered in curry spice and a hot red sauce, like ketchup. Whenever you are in Germany try one!
According to legend  a woman in Berlin invented it after the war. She used the curry spices to cover up the smell of bad meat! Now I am well aware of the fact that neither the aforementioned nor my Curry have anything in common with the real curries in India. All the same, I think the following is quite delicious and as it is not too hot children will love it.

Over the years some friends and I decided on having curry lunches and the following recipe is the result
of many trials and error until every one of us was happy and content.

Cooking Time: aprox.30 min

Ingredients

400 g chicken breast

I large onion or 2 medium

1 red or yellow pepper

2 to 3 Tbsp corn flour

2 to 3 Tbsp mild curry paste of your choice

Some chili pepper depending how hot you want it

1 tin of coconut milk

150 to 200 ml chicken stock
1 Tbsp tomato purée 

Rapeseed or sunflower oil for cooking

Cooking Instructions

Cut the chicken breast into approx 2 cm large pieces.

Cover the chicken pieces with the cornflower 

Fry the chicken pieces in the oil until golden brown, set aside

Quickly fry the onion slices and pepper pieces set aside

Gently fry curry paste, add the coco nut milk and chicken stock and the tomato purée. Gently cook for approx 15 min. Adjust seasoning. Depending how hot you want the curry, add more chili.

Add the chicken and vegetables and heat thoroughly through. If you want the vegetables to be ""al dente" ,  add them only shortly before serving.

Serve the curry with rice and fried bananas ( fry banana slices in butter and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and Garam Masala)

                    Chicken curry in the slow cooker

You can make of course  your own curry mix, if you have all the ingredients in the house, but for a quick simple curry the paste is totally adequate. Have a look at the ingredients and if you like them, then the paste is for you.

Slow cooker
The recipe can be used equally well in the
slow cooker. Just prepare all the ingredients
and put them into a freezer bag, seal and freeze.
When you want to use it simply put the
frozen curry into the cooker and cook according
to your crock pot.

Slow cooking

For all the people who do not have time to assemble fine food after a hard days work.

This time I would like  to interest you in a very different type of cooking and preparation .
Circumstances forced me to prepare a lot of different dishes for the freezer, so I could use them at a later stage. What I did not have was time. What I do have is a freezer and a slow cooker or crock pot. Should you do not have a slow cooker, you certainly have an oven. All recipes can be slow cooked in a low oven in a casserole as well.

my reliable slow cooker

I got some very useful tips  from pinterest. I found that the recipes used ingredients which often were only available in the States, but I adopted the general idea and I have to say it works. I was surprised to see how well and especially how little time it took to prepare a dozen dishes.
 Would you believe,  within 2 hrs I prepared

10 main dishes and  two different vegetable soups. Not bad!

The main idea is, that you prepare all ingredients in their raw state, put them into a freezer bag and add a cooking liquid. All ingredients should be covered by that liquid, so that they would not suffer any "frost bites"
I used for the main meat ingredients chicken breast and loin of pork, you just as easily can use fresh fish, like cod and haddock or beef pieces or meat minced.
 For the liquid,  I used coconut milk for  curry, Baxters mushroom soup for the chicken mushroom casserole,  Baxters Consomme for the pork and bean stew, beer and consomme for the pork beer stew, etc.
The options are amazing depending on what you want to do. Once the freezer is empty, I certainly will try out more ideas.
So far I have used two of the prepared dishes. To my delight they were delicious and so, so easy.
I simply took the bag with the pork bean stew out of the freezer, emptied the content straight in to the slow cooker, added 1/2 cup of water, put it on high and forgot it for 6 hours. Every so often the lovely smell wafting through the house, would remind you, that there was something cooking.

Pork and Beans Stew 

Ingredients  ( 4 persons)

1 pork chop per person cut into small pieces

1 medium onion cut

2 tomatoes chopped

1 red/or yellow pepper cut small

1 tin of Baked beans

1 tin of kidney beans  (discard the liquid)

1 tin of Consomme or 150 ml chicken stock cooled

1 Tsp sweet paprika

some pepper

1 to 2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 clove of garlic (optional)

Method

Put all ingredients into a freezer bag and close, after pushing out the air beforehand. Freeze in!

Note:  Write the name of the dish on the bag before filling it. Later after a few days in the freezer you will not be able to distinguish between the Pork & Beans or the Pork in Beer Sauce

When you want to use it, simply empty the food into the slow cooker with a little added water. Switch the slow cooker on high and leave alone for 6 hours

If you use the oven, put the casserole in at 150 C. Check after 2 hrs if the food is defrosted, within the 6 hrs you might want to add a little more water. Depending on your oven you might want to reduce the temperature.

Note 2: check the seasoning before serving. I added a little more vinegar to balance the taste

Ready for the freezer

Chicken and mushroom 

Ingredients ( 4 persons)

1 chicken breast per person ( if breasts are very big then use two breasts per 3 persons)

1 medium onion

250 g fresh mushrooms

rind of 1 lemon

juice of one lemon

Some black pepper

1 tin of mushroom soup ( I used Baxters)

                          ⌘

a little fresh cream to be used just before serving

Method

Cut the meat into pieces, cut the vegetables. Put all ingredients into a bowl, mix well. 

Put all the ingredients into a freezer bag and seal it. Freeze.

When you want to use it, simply put the food into the slow cooker, minus the freezer bag of course, and add a little water.

Switch the cooker on to high and leave it alone for 6 hrs.

The oven option as above as for the Pork and Beans.

Note:  these dishes are served equally well with rice, pasta or creamed potatoes.

More fish

0n a recent visit to Gdansk in Poland, ( which is, by the way a beautiful city, and worth a visit)
I was reminded how much fish in all its shapes and forms and flavours has been part of my life.

Delicious Roll Mops ( pickled herring)
Great hangover cure!

I got the love for good fish from my father who was born in in the "county" of Gdansk which was the Freestate of Danzig, when he was born. One of my first memories is, that he taught me how to eat pan fried fresh herring, delicious when you know how it is done. ( you bite into the back of the fish and thus avoid the fishbones!) He loved cod, salted herrings, pickled herrings and above all smoked and fresh eel. He was the one who wanted "Blue carp" at Christmas, but my mother won and we used to have goose ( she was from Saxony, recipe to follow nearer Christmas)
So on this visit I made sure I had my share of fish dishes.
We had a wonderful food experience in a restaurant which is called "Metamorforza", a restaurant in Gdansk which serves Polish cuisine but to a very high standard using a lot of local seasonal ingredients. We took the taster menu of seven courses and every one was an outstanding eating experience. Today I just want to mention the fresh sea trout from the Baltic, pan fried ( as it should be) served with little crushed  fresh elderberries and some stewed gooseberries. It was simply delicious.
The following recipe is quickly done and the most important ingredient here is the fresh fish. Once the fish is done, it should be eaten as quick as possible. Preferably eat the fish first and then the sides, so you can enjoy the crispy batter at its best

Cod in batter

Ingredients

Approx 500 g Fresh cod or haddock
some some salt
juice of fresh lemon

rapeseed or sunflower oil for frying

Batter
1 egg
2 Tbsp plain flour
2 Tbsp corn flour
a little salt and pepper
enough water ( or white wine or sparkling wine or beer)
to make a silky smooth batter ( thickness as for crêpes)

Note: this batter is equally perfect for Tempura or anything you want to fry in batter

Method

1. Run the fish under fresh water  and dry with kitchen paper.

2. Lightly salt the fish and squeeze some lemon juice on it

3. Prepare the batter, simply put all ingredients
into a bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth and silky.
Dip the fish into the batter and coat from all sides

4. Preheat the pan with enough oil so that the fish can "swim" in it.

5. Fry the fish until golden brown on each side.
6. Serve immediately

Sides
There is nothing better than very plain sides with fresh fish like that. I usually do small potatoes in the oven and some petit pois ( frozen) Or you can do the traditional mushy peas and chips. The recipe for the small potatoes you will find under Sides

Delicious Battered Fish!

O Sole mio or my lemon sole

I am a firm believer that fish should be cooked quickly and simple.

The only condition is, that the fish is absolutely fresh. Fish that smells like fish is not fresh. Fish should have a fresh smell of sea water.
Make sure that you go to a fish monger or supermarket which has a good turn over and you can trust their advice.
Don't buy fish on Mondays as you get the leftovers from the weekend
Flat fish, like Plaice, Lemon Sole, Turbot, Brill etc should have bulging eyes, the spots on the Plaice should be bright orange, the skin should be taught and firm. The fresher the fish is the harder is it to take off the skin.

        That's how fresh fish looks. The skin taught and shiny

The following is the quickest and easiest recipe and can be used for any flat fish or fillets of cod and haddock. The only thing that changes will be the cooking time as this depends on the thickness of the piece of fish

Ingredients

Depending on the size of the fish

2 sole fillets per person

some Salt

Some fresh lemon juice

50 to 100 g butter

Sole skin side up in melted butter

Method 

1. Rinse the fish under fresh cold water

2. Dry the fish with some kitchen paper

3. Lightly salt the fish and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on skinless side

4. Melt the butter and fry the fish first with the skin side up . 

That prevents the fish curling up
5. Fish cooks very quickly, so it does not take take more than 3-4 min each side, depending on the size of the fish.

After turning the fish onto the skin side press lightly with the fish slice on the top of the fillet. This ensures that the fish stays nicely flat.

Serve the fish with some of the butter you fried the fish in 

And some lemon slices.

Note:

If you like and have fresh Dill to hand, add some fresh dill to the butter in the pain and serve with the fish. 

Ready to eat!

Fresh tomato soup

I have said quite a lot about soups already and I have to admit I simply love home made soups . During our camping days I tried to use soup in a package. I thought it would save work and time. To my chagrin I found out that package soup took me longer to make than soup I would quickly produce myself . 

How, you say, is this possible ? Well most package soups need to be stirred for 10 minutes. In that time I have fresh vegetables cut and in the pot. Point in time the tomato soup.

Ingredients

Ripe Tomatoes about 1 kg sliced and diced

A bunch of Fresh Herbs ( Basil, Oregano, Parsley)and one medium diced onion

1 chicken stock cube

1 glass of good dry white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

Some oil for sweating/ sautéing the onions

Method

After sweating the onions put all other ingredients into the pot, simmer for approx 20 min.

Purée the soup and adjust the seasoning. If the wine was very dry use a Teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity.

Add some more fresh herbs

Serve with fresh crusty bread

 

Note 

The tomatoes will produce enough liquid so there should not be any need to add extra liquid.

Note 2

This soup is equally delicious served cold!

Delicious!

Nudelsalat ( pasta salad )

Just like with the potato salad , every German family have their own Nudel Salat/Pasta Salad. The one big difference  between the potato salad and the pasta salad is that the pasta salad has so many different taste directions . I would like to share the more traditional German version with you.

Ingredients

250 g uncooked Pasta ( of your choice)

2 hard boiled eggs

2 -3 slices of cooked ham/ or one cooked frankfurter

1 diced sweet red pepper

2-3 diced pickled cucumber/gherkins

Some crushed hazelnuts

2-3 Tbsp mix of chives and parsley

Salad sauce

In a bowl mix I portion of the normal vinaigrette with 2 tbsp mayonnaise of your choice, some fresh cream or Greek yoghurt until you have a smooth sauce.

I use a little whisk for best results .

  

Method

1 cook the pasta until just ready. Rinse with cold water and shake well to dry.

2 add all ingredients in a large bowl, add the pasta and the salat sauce and mix well.

Garnish with egg quarters and gherkins . 

For best results leave it stand in the fridge for at least an hour!

Note

For a vegetarian pasta salad omit the ham or the sausage and add a diced crunchy apply instead.

Note 2

For a more Mediterranean  twist add some diced tomatoes, some fresh basil and fresh oregano and use slivers of Italian salami or Parma ham

It is fun to add and change different ingredients and find the one you like best

        Guten Appetit / Buon Appetito

Kartoffelsalat (Potato Salad) the Queen of salads!

Thanks to the wonderful warm, sunny weather, it is time to part with the old time favourite, the Queen of Salads,
Kartoffelsalat.
There isn't a family in Germany which does not have their own recipe of Potato Salad.
One of the most  common snacks in a German Pub used to be, and still is in the more traditional Pubs, "Würstchen mit Kartoffelsalat" a hot dog with potato salad.
The type of Salad changes depending in what part of Germany you are in. In the North, West and East it is mainly made with Mayonnaise, whereas the further South you go, it is without Mayonnaise.  Depending whether you are in the Southwest of Germany or in Bavaria, croutons of crisp bacon are added.
There is a common consensus in our family that the Potato salad tastes best with home made Mayonnaise,
but if you could not be bothered or you are pregnant ( raw eggs in the home made mayonnaise) use the commercial mayonnaise you like best

The traditional Potato Salad.

   

Ingredients

1 kg of salad potatoes or hard boiling potatoes

2 portions of the normal vinegar dressing ( see salad dressings)

Salt  and pepper to taste

1 large onion

Mayonnaise, the amount depends on the potatoes and your taste (start with 2 Tbsp)

Some fresh cream ( optional for a less "mayonnaisy" taste)

Bundle of fresh chives

Some parsley for decoration

Hard boil eggs for decoration

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in their jackets, let cool and peel

2. Cut into slices

3. Add the vinaigrette, the onion and chives, mix well

4. Add mayonnaise and cream and mix

Note: For best result let the salad stand for a few hours before serving

Homemade Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1 free range egg

approx. 1/4 l rapeseed/or sunflower oil

fresh lemon juice to taste

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 tsp (unbleached) sugar

1/2 to 1 tsp mustard ( depends how much you like mustard)

Method

1. Put the whole egg (egg white and egg yolk in a food processor.

2. Whisk for 2-3 minutes

3. Start adding the oil drop by drop ( while the egg mixture is whisking around) and then in a slow steady stream. The mixture should be thickening quite quickly

4. When you have the right consistency, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until they are well mixed.

Bavarian or southern German Potato Salad

For the people who do not like mayonnaise  in their Potato salad 

 Ingredients

Basically the same ingredients as for the traditional potato salad except for

1/4 l hot chicken stock ( amounts can slightly vary depending on your potatoes)

Method

The same as above, except that you add the chicken stock while the potatoes are still warm.

the finished result

Guten Appetit

More and more salads

It looks as if we are getting a summer this year. So before it is coming to an end here some more salad recipes. With regards to salads, as I have said already, you can make a salad out of anything that takes your fancy. If you don't know which salad dressing to use, a normal vinaigrette will always "do the job".  Do experiment with different vinegars and oils. I found in France, on a recent visit, a Spanish vinegar, which according to the label, has been created and aged in the old traditional Andalusian way.

It's taste is perfect for  salads gourmands. It taste is not like any other vinegar I have used before, kind of like a Sherry vinegar. Apropos Sherry, both Sherry and Port wine,  even the Martini range can substitute vinegar, if you are using a lot of fruit in a salad
Special oils are another way of "jazzing" up an old reliable. But be careful as vinegars have a long shelve life, oils are inclined to go off within a few months

Greek salad with a difference

For a long time I  had to enjoy a decent Greek salad by myself as my dear Husband is allergic to cucumbers, so I decided that I needed to use a different ingredient to the cucumber, but retain the  same authentic Greek taste if possible. I hit on the humble radish as a replacement. And we both liked it. Needless to say for people who like cucumber, use it or use a mixture of radish and cucumber.
With regard to the vegetables only use ripe tomatoes, really crisp fresh lettuce etc.
With regard to Feta cheese, in a recent tasting test (German TV) the chefs chose the 200g Feta cheese from Lidl, as having the most authentic taste. Their advise:  the more expensive cheeses are not necessarily the better ones. I used for this recipe the Lidl Feta.
The best Feta I have ever eaten, was in my mother's grocery shop, when the Feta came in the big brown canisters, full of big blocks of Feta cheese in  salt brine. The block was about a kilo heavy. I used to cut of a big slice and ate it there and then on a fresh bread roll with tomatoes and olives. Simply delicious. I can still remember that Taste. So if you can buy it freshly cut at a market stall or  in a delicatessen, try it.

Ingredients

ready for assembly

(All vegetable ingredients are washed before using)

1 head of Iceberg lettuce ( or normal lettuce if you prefer) cut

1 tomato per person sliced

1 red pepper, cut into small pieces

1 bunch of spring onions, cut into small pieces

a bunch of radishes cut into slices

a handful of black Greek olives cut (more if you like them)

200 g feta cheese

Salad sauce

ready to use

6 Tbsp olive oil, preferably Greek

the juice of one large fresh lemon

the grated rind of same lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove of garlic (optional)

Mix all the above ingredients

Topping

Use a cup of pine nuts mixed with pumpkin and sunflower seeds and roast them until golden.

(careful it happens very quickly) You can mix the nuts and seeds anyway you like.

Method

Assemble the vegetables on a plate, put the Feta on top, sprinkle the topping over and then add the dressing. It is nicer to make individual plates as everybody gets the same amount of the ingredients. A little more work, but worth it

The Greek salad with a difference
Αυτό είναι νόστιμα ( this is delicious)

Now to Italy

One of the most basic salads the Italian have as their Antipasti is the Tomato and Mozzarella Salad.

You even get it in all restaurants in the South of France or Spain.  

For a more substantial salad ripe Avocado is added and then they call it Tricolor, the colours of their national flag. In Restaurants they mostly serve it just drizzled with olive oil.

In our Family Recipe I use a vinaigrette with a good Balsamic vinegar. I think it brings out the different flavours best and adds flavour to the mainly plain tasting Mozzarella cheese.

Tricolor

Ingredients for 4 persons

3-4 Ripe tomatoes ( for best result take Plum Tomatoes)

1 Buffalo Mozzarella cheese ( Take the one you like best)

1 large avocado (or two if small)

some fresh Basil leaves (optional)

Method

Cut the tomatoes, Mozzarella and avocados into slices and arrange on a big plate.

Drizzle all over with the vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette 

3 Tbsp good extra Virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp  mature Balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove of garlic (optional)

Note:  A good Balsamic vinegar does not taste "vinegary". It has a smooth, slightly sweet taste

Note 2: Extra Virgin Oil should taste nutty and fresh, if it has a rancid note ( an "olive oil" Taste) Then do not use it.

Not the best arranged salad ( I was in a bit of hurry) but it tasted delicious all the same

                                                               Buon Appetito!

New Pasta(ures)

All Pasta lovers have their favourite Pasta dish. Very often the result is very far from the original Pasta dishes in Italy. On the other hand every Italian family have their own recipes for their beloved Pasta, Spaghetti Bolognese is a case in point

In the homeland of Pasta, pasta dishes are a precursor to the main course, if there is one.

I often wondered why, especially seeing Pasta fills you up. But that is probably the reason. I do like Italian cooking, as it is uncomplicated and quick,  and relies solely on the quality of the produce. 

The base of  most Pasta dishes is a sauce.
Sugo, which is the basic tomato sauce, consists simply of  ripe tomatoes, some salt and pepper and fresh herbs, Basil and Oregano, simmer it for approx. 20 min. and hey presto you have a delicious Sugo.
Serve this with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan and you have a delicious, tasty, quick meal.
Often Pasta is simply tossed in good Extra Virgin Olive oil, freshly grated black pepper and again Parmesan.
In order to make it a good meal though, the Pasta needs to be of good quality.

Fresh Basil

Today I want to share two more Pasta dishes. The first one, I call Greek Pasta because I use mostly "Greek" ingredients. The second one is my favourite Pasta with homemade green Pesto.

Greek Pasta

I got the idea of this dish from a program I saw on one of the American food channels. I liked the idea of using essential Greek ingredients  with Italian Pasta. This dish  is delicious with meat and equally delicious without. So for all the vegetarians, simply leave out the meat and use a medium aubergine and a large medium gourgette instead

Ingredients ( 4 persons)

peppers, mushrooms and herbs

1 small aubergine

1 medium gourgette

1 red pepper

3 ripe tomatoes

150 g button mushrooms

2-3 fresh bay leaves ( or 1 dried bay leave)

fresh flat leaf parsley

fresh oregano or  fresh marjoram

or a mixture of both
300 g pork minced
salt and pepper to taste

aubergine, gourgette and tomato

olive or rapeseed oil for frying

Meat and vegetable mixture

Method

Cut all the vegetables into small pieces

Fry the minced pork meat in some oil until

lightly brown.

Add the vegetables and herbs and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.

Adjust the seasoning. In the mean time cook the Pasta. Take 2 or 3 Tablespoons of Pasta water and add it to the meat vegetable mixture.

the finished Pasta

Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Pasta with Green Pesto

My favourite  pasta dish:  Pasta and green Pesto.

Ingredients for green pesto

1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil/ or a virgin rapeseed oil

1 cup fresh basil

some fresh parsley (optional)

30 g pine nuts

15 g almonds flakes (optional)

2 cloves of garlic ( take one if you want it less garlicky or discard them altogether)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 

A little fresh lemon juice

Method

ready to mix

 Put  all the ingredients into a vessel and mix it with an immersion blender until you have a not too smooth consistency.

finished result

Buon appetito