Blini

The time honoured accompaniment for caviar is the blini. Make a few with this simple recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp salt 
• ½ tsp baking powder 
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted 
• butter or avocado oil, for frying

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sugar, egg, and melted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt added.
2. Slowly whisk egg mixture into flour mixture until batter is combined and mostly smooth, with some small lumps remaining. Be careful not to over-mix.
3. Line plate with paper towels and set aside. Lightly grease skillet with clarified butter or avocado oil. Heat skillet over medium-low to medium heat (I usually set mine on 4 out of 10).
4. Drop 1-tablespoon-sized scoops of batter onto a heated skillet. Cook until bubbles form, approximately 1½ to 2 minutes. Flip blini over and continue cooking until lightly browned, approximately 1 minute. Transfer blini from skillet to plate lined with paper towels (to help soak up excess butter/avocado oil). Wipe out skillet and repeat process until all batter has been used.
5. Serve warm with toppings of choice.

Source: 40 Aprons

Cheese Soufflé

Preparing the mold for the soufflé
So that the soufflé may slide easily up during its rise, butter the sides and bottom of the mold heavily. Then roll grated cheese or bread crumbs around inside it, paying particular attention to the inner circumference, which must be lightly but evenly coated. Turn the mold upside down and knock it on the table to dislodge excess cheese or bread crumbs.

PLACEMENT IN THE OVEN
A soufflé will always perform as it should if it is placed on a rack in the middle level of a preheated goo-degree oven and the temperature is immediately reduced to 375 degrees.

WHEN IS IT DONE?
After 25 to 30 minutes of baking in a 375-degree oven, the soufflé will have risen 2 or 3 inches over the rim of the mold and will have browned on top. If you like the center creamy, it may be served at this point, but it is fragile and will sink rapidly. It will collapse less readily if you allow it to cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until a trussing needle or thin knife plunged into the center through the side of the puff comes out clean. A well-cooked soufflé will stay puffed for about 5 minutes in the turned-off hot oven. As it cools, it begins to sink. Therefore, there should be no lingering when a soufflé is to be eaten.

HOW TO SERVE A SOUFFLÉ
Puncture the top of the soufflé lightly with a serving spoon and fork—held vertically—and spread it apart for each serving.

* * * * *

SOUFFLÉ AU FROMAGE
[Cheese Soufflé]

This recipe is intended as a detailed guide to those that follow. All main. soufflés follow this general pattern:
For 4 people

The soufflé sauce base

6-cup soufflé mold 1 tsp butter 1 tbsp grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Measure out all your ingredients. Butter inside of soufflé mold and sprinkle with cheese.

3 tbsp butter

A 2½-quart saucepan

3 tbsp flour

A wooden spatula or spoon

1 cup boiling milk

A wire whip

½ tsp salt

⅛ tsp pepper

A pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in the flour with a wooden spatula or spoon and cook over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together fora minutes without browning. Remove from heat; when mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in all the boiling milk at once. Beat vigorously with a wire whip until blended. Beat in the seasonings. Return over moderately high heat and boil, stirring with the wire whip, for 1 minute. Sauce will be very thick.

4 egg Yolks

Remove from heat. Immediately start to separate the eggs. Drop the egg whites into an egg white bowl, and the yolk into the center of the hot sauce. Beat the yolk into the sauce with the wire whip. Correct seasoning.
(*) May be prepared ahead to this point. Dot top of sauce with butter. Heat to tepid before continuing.

The egg whites and cheese
¾ cup (3 ounces) coarsely grated Swiss, or Swiss and Parmesan, cheese

Reheat sauce if it was set aside. Add cheese and mix thoroughly until fully melted and incorporated into the sauce. Sauce should be smooth.

5 egg whites
A pinch of salt

1. Combine is a clean, dry mixing bowl and whip until stiff.
2. Transfer sauce to a mixing bowl and stir a big spoonful (about one quarter of the egg whites) into the sauce. Stir in all but a tablespoon of the cheese.
3. Delicately fold in the rest of the egg whites. Be careful not to overfold (see below).

Baking
Turn the soufflé mixture into the prepared mold, which should be almost three quarters full. Tap bottom of mold lightly on the table, and smooth the surface of the soufflé with the flat of a knife. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Set on a rack in middle level of preheated 400-degree oven and immediately turn heat down to 375. (Do not open oven door for 20 minutes.) In 25 to 30 minutes the soufflé will have puffed about 2 inches over the rim of the mold, and the top will be nicely browned. Bake 4 to 5 minutes more to firm it up, then serve at once.

* * * * *

Folding sauce into whipped egg whites
First stir a big spoonful of egg whites into the soufflé mixture to lighten it. Then with a rubber scraper, scoop the rest of the egg whites on top. Finally, still using your rubber scraper, cut down from the top center of the mixture to the bottom of the saucepan, then draw the scraper quickly toward you against the edge of the pan, and up to the left and out, as illustrated. You are thus bringing a bit of the soufflé mixture at the bottom of the pan up over the egg whites. Continue the movement while slowly rotating the saucepan, and rapidly cutting down, toward you, and out to the left, until the egg whites have been folded into the body of the soufflé. The whole process should not take more than a minute, and do not attempt to be too thorough. It is better to leave a few unblended patches than to deflate the egg whites.

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol 1 by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. pp162-4

Spice Mixtures

Here are a few recipes to make your own popular spice mixtures.

Taco Seasoning

• ¼ cup chili powder 
• 3 tbsp dried minced onion 
• 1 tbsp garlic powder 
• 2½ tsp salt 
• 2 tsp dried oregano 
• 2 tsp ground cumin 
• 1½ tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1 tsp ground coriander

Italian Seasoning

• 6 tbsp dried basil 
• 2 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp dried marjoram 
• 1 tbsp dried thyme

Curry Seasoning

• seeds from 3 cardamom pods, ground 
• 2 tsp cumin 
• 2 tsp ground coriander 
• 1 tsp ground turmeric 
• ½ tsp chili powder 
• ½ tsp pepper 
• ⅛ tsp fennel seed

Creole Seasonings

• 2 tbsp + 1½ tsp paprika 
• 2 tbsp garlic powder 
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 1 tbsp onion powder 
• 1 tbsp dried thyme 
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper 
• 1 tbsp pepper

Seasoned Salt

• ⅓ cup salt 
• 1½ tsp garlic powder 
• 1½ tsp celery seed 
• 1½ tsp paprika 
• ½ tsp onion powder 
• ½ tsp ground mustard

Chinese Five Spice

• 2 tbsp aniseed 
• 2 tbsp fennel seed 
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 
• 2 tbsp whole cloves 
• 2 tbsp whole peppercorns

Tuna Mousse

This is an easy and quick appetizer by Jacques Pépin that uses readily available ingredients.

Mousse
1 can tuna, preferably in oil
1 tbsp anchovy paste
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
A few drops of sriracha or other hot sauce (e.g., Frank's Red Hot)
1/2-2/3 cup cream cheese

Garnish
1 tbsp sliced green onion
1 tbsp red onion, finely minced
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Emulsify the mousse ingredients in a blender to puree and then spread on a serving dish.
Finely mince the minced red onion and then rinse under cold water to reduce hotness, or sauté till softened. Sprinkle on the red onion, green onion and capers over the dish. Drizzle the olive over the dish. Serve with crackers.

Pork Dim Sum

by Jay Wadams

Pork Dim Sum (Siu Mai) are one of the most famous and delicious meals served from the Dim Sum trolley. Luckily, they are also simple to make at home and you can fill these delicious morsels with all your favourite flavours.

These pork dumplings might be often called dim sum, but they are actually just one type of dim sum dish called "siu mai/shu mai". The term "dim sum" actually refers to a whole meal of many different dishes.

Ground pork: either make your own ground pork or have it ground for you at the butcher for best results. Use pork with a decent fat content, so add a bit of pork belly or bacon if it is not fat enough. Lean pork is not suitable as it can taste a little dry.
Dumpling wrappers: You can find these in the freezer or fridge section at most Asian stores as well as grocery stores with a decent international foods section. They are sold under the name gow gee wrappers or wonton wrappers.
Soy sauce: use light soy sauce as dark soy a little overpowering.
Rice vinegar: This adds a tanginess and balance to the recipe. If you can’t get rice vinegar, substitute apple cider vinegar.
Green onions or scallions: These cook faster than standard onions, so you can put them raw into the dim sum mixture.

• ½ lb minced pork
• 2 green onions or scallions, finely sliced
• ½ red chili pepper, diced
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 24 wonton or dumpling wrappers, defrosted if frozen
• parchment paper or lettuce leaves
  
• bamboo steamer

Dipping sauce:

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ red chili pepper, sliced
• a squeeze of fresh lime

Method

1. Prepare the steamer: cut a disc of parchment paper to the size of your steaming basket and poke numerous holes in the the paper with the end of a sharp knife, or lay a single layer of lettuce leaves in the steaming basket. Soak the base of the bamboo steamer in cold water.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients until well combined. Use your hands to knead until smooth.
3. Dust a baking sheet or large plate with cornstarch.
4. Next, take one dumpling wrapper, hold it in the palm of your hand and place a heaping teaspoon of the meat filling in the middle. Fold the edges of the wrapper up all around the meat, forming a pouch that’s open at the top. Gently press the wrapper against the filling so that it sticks. If you find the wonton skin is really not sticking, wet your index finger and use it to pinch the sides together. Place on the prepared tray and repeat. Cover and chill until needed.

Cooking

1. Fill the bottom of a wok or large frying pan with a couple of cups of water. The water should come around 3/4 inch up the sides of your steaming basket, but not touch the bottom of the dumplings.
2. Bring the water to a boil, then place the closed steaming basket on top.
3. Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes.
4. Serve the pork dim sum immediately with the dipping sauce.

Variations

1. Add prawn/shrimp: These dumplings are often made with a mixture of pork and prawn. Stir in as much finely diced prawns as you like and continue as per the recipe.
2. If you want to bulk out these dumplings, add some diced water chestnuts or mushrooms to make the filling mixture go a little further.

Ma B's Pizza Casserole

• 4 cups of cooked pasta – shells or corkscrew 
• 750ml spaghetti sauce 
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated 
• 1 cup pepperoni, sliced 
• 1 cup green pepper, sliced 
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional) 
• 2 cups mozzarella, grated

1. Combine the pasta, Parmesan cheese and half the spaghetti sauce in a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the pasta mixture. Scatter the pepperoni, green pepper and mushroom on top of the pasta mixture. Top with the mozzarella. (If using bacon, cook until half cooked before adding to the casserole.)
   
3. Bake at 350ºF for about 40 minutes or until it is thoroughly heated through. 
4. Optionally, after being thoroughly cooked, place under a broiler to lightly brown the cheese.

Scallops and Pea Veloute with Black Bacon

I had this during the Armagh Food & Cider Festival at the Long Meadow Cidery 5-course dinner held on Sept 6, 2024 at their very fine Bramley Barn dining room. This was the starter along with a potato and apple salad.

Each small bowl contained two seared large scallops (~1.5" across) placed on top of pea veloute. On top were two small pieces of bacon cooked crisp and a few sprigs of small greens.

To serve 4

• 8 medium/large scallops
• 2 tbsp clarified butter
• 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 rashes streaky bacon
• salt & white pepper
• small greens
  

1. Prepare the pea veloute. Cook the peas until just done. Thoroughly puree in a blender then strain through a fine sieve or tamis. Salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Cut the bacon into 1" x 2" piece and cook until crisp. 
3. Brown the scallops on high in the clarified butter on medium-high heat.
4. Spoon 1/3 cup of pea veloute into a bowl and gently place two scallops on top. Top with two pieces of the bacon and a couple of sprigs of the greens. Serve immediately.

ClearJel

To stabilize whipping cream or thicken fruit for pies and other desserts, ClearJel is the preferred choice of professional chefs. It is made from modified cornstarch that thickens instantly when it comes in contact with liquid. It will, for example, allow whipped cream to be prepared far in advance (2 days) and retain its shape.

To make whipped cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups 35% whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp ClearJel

Combine sugar and ClearJel and mix together. Pour whipping cream into a mixing bowl with a whip attachment. Whip on medium and gradually add in the sugar/ClearJel mixture. Mix on high speed until the desired level of whipping in reached. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For pie and pastry filling, here are the proportions to use for 1 cup of fruit:

Filling (1 cup)

ClearJel (tsp)

Apples

1/2

Blackberries & Raspberries

2 3/4

Blueberries

2

Cherries (fresh)

2

Cherries (canned or frozen)

2 1/2

Peaches

2 1/2

Strawberry and/or Rhubarb

2 1/2

McCall's Clearjel

Sources:
kingarthurbaking.com/how-to-whip-cream
kingarthurbaking.com/pie-thickener

Gluten-free Alternatives

by Paul Frysh

Rice Flour
It’ll work in pies, cakes, and cookies, but you may need to use a little less of it if the recipe calls for wheat flour. You can get white or brown rice flour. Brown has a slightly nuttier taste and grittier texture. Try some rice flour chocolate cake if you’re trying to cut back on traditional wheat flour.

Tapioca Flour
This flour, made from a dried root called cassava or manioc, is great for thickening soups and stews. And you may be able to use it in equal amounts in recipes that call for wheat flour. It makes a nice, crispy alternative to wheat flour for breading pan-fried fish or chicken.

Potato Flour
Ground from dried potatoes, a single cup has 1,600 milligrams of potassium, around half of what you need in a day. Use it to thicken creamy sauces or frozen desserts. It isn’t a good replacement for wheat flour in baked goods, but you can mix it with other non-wheat flours. Try adding a small amount to your favorite bread recipe to help keep it moist and fresh.

Buckwheat Flour
Despite its name, buckwheat has no relation to wheat. It’s actually closer to rhubarb, which isn’t a grain. It’s also loaded with B-vitamins, fiber, magnesium, and antioxidants. Try some buttermilk-buckwheat pancakes for your next Sunday morning feast.

Amaranth Flour
Ground amaranth seeds make up this flour that’s rich in fiber and protein. You can replace up to 25% of wheat flour in standard recipes or combine it with other non-wheat flours to make a workable gluten-free version. It has a sweet, peppery flavor that works well in darker baked goods like brownies.

Corn Flour
It isn’t a good replacement for wheat flour in recipes, but you can use it in all kinds of other ways. For example, you can make cornbread, muffins, pancakes, hush puppies, and polenta (a smoother version of grits). Or try combining it with shortening to make your own homemade corn tortillas.

Chickpea Flour
Dried, ground garbanzo beans make up this high-protein flour that Indian cooks call "chana" flour. Use it in savory Indian spiced pancakes, or combine it with other flours to make full-flavored baked goods.

Oat Flour
Look for packages marked “gluten free” to be sure of what you’re getting. Some oats pick up gluten during harvest or processing. The flour is dense, with a nutty flavor that works well in desserts and muffins. It uses the whole oat grain and so adds a good deal of fiber and nutrients. And oats lower cholesterol, among other health benefits. Try oat flour in something that doesn’t need to rise, like the topping on your next fruit crisp.

Coconut Flour
There’s no mistaking this flour. It tastes distinctly of the dried coconut meat that is its only ingredient. You might like it if you follow the paleo diet. It’s low in carbs, high in fiber, and has 6 grams of protein per quarter-cup. It also has 4 grams of saturated fat. In general, it’s best to use a little in any one recipe and combine it with other flours. Try some coconut flour mini-muffins.

Almond Flour
Italian cooks, among others, often use this flour in traditional cookies, cakes, and other pastries. You can make it at home if you blanch and grind almonds. A quarter-cup has 6 grams of protein, 14 grams of mostly unsaturated fat, and 3.5 grams of fiber. You can use it in savory dishes too; to encrust a fillet of flounder, for example.

Source: www.webmd.com.

Bavarian Cream

Julia Child

BAVARIAN CREAM—COLD SOUFFLE

When the ancients wrote of ambrosia, they might well have had French Bavarian cream in mind. It is velvet to the tongue, it melts in the mouth, and caresses the palate in a most sensuous fashion. Lightly held in shape by just the right amount of gelatin, it may stand alone in molded splendor, or may rise up from the dish like a majestic soufflé.

BAVAROIS A L'ORANGE

(Orange Bavarian Cream)

For about 2 quarts, serving 8 to 10 people

THE ORANGE CUSTARD

• 2 large bright skinned oranges
• ⅔ cup strained orange juice
• 1½ tbsp (1½ envelopes) unflavored gelatin
• 2 large sugar lumps
• A saucepan

One at a time, rub the sugar lumps over the oranges until all sides of each lump are impregnated with orange oil. Crush the lumps and place in a saucepan; grate the rind and add to saucepan. Squeeze the juice of the oranges, strain ⅔ cup into a measure, and sprinkle the gelatin on top so that it will soften when ready to be used.

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 7 egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1½ cups milk heated in the saucepan with the orange-sugar and rind
• An enameled or stainless-steel saucepan and a wooden spoon

Gradually beat granulated sugar into the yolks in a mixing bowl, using a wire whip or electric beater. Continue beating for a minute or more, until mixture is pale and lemon-colored. Beat in the cornstarch. Then, in a thin stream of droplets, beat in the hot milk. Pour mixture into the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon over moderate heat until mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon lightly, around 170°F on a candy thermometer. Do not let custard come to boil or yolks may curdle, but you must let it heat enough to thicken properly. Remove from heat and immediately beat in the orange juice and gelatin.

THE EGG WHITES AND PRELIMINARY CHILLING

• 5 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl for a moment until foamy, then beat in the salt and cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks are formed; add sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Fold the egg whites into the hot custard sauce and chill over cracked ice or in the refrigerator, folding occasionally to keep mixture from separating. When cold but not set, proceed with next step.

WHIPPED CREAM AND FINAL FLAVORING

• ½ cup chilled whipping cream
  
• 2 tbsp orange liqueur
• A chilled mixing bowl
• A chilled beater

Beat the chilled cream until it has doubled in volume and beater leaves light traces on its surface. Fold the cream, then the liqueur, into the cold orange mixture.

TO SERVE AS A MOLDED DESSERT

• An 8-cup cylindrical mold or ring mold, preferably of metal as unmolding is easier
• A chilled serving dish

Rinse mold in cold water. Pour in the Bavarian cream mixture, cover with waxed paper, and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. To unmold, dip in hot water for several seconds, quickly run a knife around inside edge of mold, then invert the serving dish over the mold. Quickly reverse the two, and in a few seconds the dessert should fall into place; if not, repeat the process. Decorate top and/or sides of the Bavarian cream with fresh, skinless orange segments flavored with sugar and a spoonful or two of orange liqueur. (Note: Bavarian cream my be frozen, and served as a frozen dessert.)

TO SERVE AS A COLD SOUFFLÉ

• A 5- to 6-cup soufflé dish

Surround soufflé dish with a waxed paper collar which stands 3 inches above the dish. Pour in the Bavarian cream mixture and chill until set. Peel off paper just before serving.

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Additions to the above recipe:

1. To upscale this dessert consider adding some chocolate which goes well with orange. Try chocolate tuiles or shavings or a chocolate weave basket over the dessert. 
2. Also add orange sugar from candied orange rind that has been ground fine, or made by peeling orange rind off, slicing into julienne and drying in an oven at low heat. When thoroughly dried, pulverize in a blender. Sprinkled lightly on top of the finished dessert.
3. I also added mandarin oranges soaked in Cointreau to place on top of the dessert.
4. This dish could be made with other fruits like grapefruit, lemon, mango, etc. For mango add bottled mango juice to use for the juice required.
   

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From The French Chef Cookbook, p.113-5

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients in bowls on a countertop surface.
2. Combine lemon juice, sugar, butter, eggs, and lemon zest in a saucepan.
3. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling, until mixture starts to get thick and bubbles rise to the surface, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Remove saucepan from the heat; transfer curd into a large bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a skin forming. The curd will thicken more as it cools. Store in the refrigerator. Serve and enjoy!

Lime, grapefruit or any citrus fruit could be substituted for the lemon.