Smoked Salmon Vols-au-Vent

 

                The vols-au-vent can be garnished with lemon or cucumber segments, or sliced mushrooms, instead of sliced truffle.

Makes 8

• 1 (150 gr / 5-oz) can prawns
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 100 gr smoked salmon
• 250 ml double cream (whipping cream)
• Pinch each salt and white pepper
• Generous pinch gelatine
• 8 (5 cm / 2-inch) puff pastry vol-au-vent cases (bought ready made)
• 8 thin slices truffle, for garnish (optional)

1. Drain the prawns, rinse in cold water and allow to dry thoroughly ; chop them coarsely and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
2. Cut the smoked salmon into small pieces and blend with the chopped prawns in the liquidiser.
3. Whip the cream until stiff and season with salt and pepper.
4. Gradually fold the prawn and salmon purée by spoonfuls into the whipped cream.
5. Bring 3 tablespoons water to the boil in a small pan, rmove from the heat, allow to cool slightly and sprinkle with the gelatine ; stir until dissolved, leave to cool, then stir into the smoked salmon cream.
6. Cover and stand in a cool place for 30 minutes.
7. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and pipe into the vols-au-vent.
8. Garnish each vol-au-vent with a slice of truffle, if used.

BON APPÉTIT

Sweet and Sour Apple Chutney

 

                Serve with all kinds of poultry dishes, cold roast beef and cheese.

• 1½ kg cooking apples
• 450 gr onions, diced
• 350 gr raisins
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 225 gr brown sugar
• 350 ml wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Peel, quarter and core the apples, and cut into wedges.
2. Wash and drain the raisins ; crush the mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle.
3. Place the apple, onion, raisins and mustard seeds in a large pan with the sugar, vinegar, ginger and cayenne pepper and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
4. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 30-40 minutes, until the chutney forms a thick liquid.
5. Rinse out four or five 450 gr / 1-lb jam jars in boiling water and leave to dry.
6. Pour the chutney into the jars while still hot and seal firmly.

BON APPÉTIT

Lime Cream

 

Serves 4

• 4-5 limes
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 175 gr sugar
• 7 gr gelatine
• 300 ml double cream (whipping cream)
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
• 4 maraschino cherries

1. Squeeze the limes, measure off 150 ml of the juice, cover, and leave on the side.
2. Blend the milk with the egg yolks and 100 gr sugar in the liquidiser until frothy ; transfer the mixture to a bowl, stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and beat with a hand whisk until creamy.
3. Remove the bowl from the pan and place on the side.
4. Into another bowl, pour 2 tablespoons hot water and stand this bowl in the pan of hot water ; sprinkle with gelatine and stir until dissolved, then pour the gelatine liquid into the milk and egg yolk mixture.
5. Leave the mixture to cool thoroughly.
6. Whip the cream until stiff, gradually adding the remaining sugar as you beat, and fold into the cooled gelatine mixture.
7. Mix the lime juice and Grand Marnier together, stir into the mixture and transfer the lime cream to four individual cocktail glasses.
8. Leave to set in the refrigeratorfor about 1 hour.
9. Before serving, top each portion with a maraschino cherry.

BON APPÉTIT

Ginger Pears

 

                Serve with game, poultry, roast beef and cold roast pork.

• 25 gr root ginger, peeled and sliced
• 450 gr distilled vinegar
• 400 gr sugar
• Rind of 1 lemon
• 1 stick cinnamon
• Generous pinch grated nutmeg
• 1½ kg firm pears (Bosc)
• 10 cloves

1. Bring 450 ml water to the boiled in a pan with the vinegar and sugar and add the lemon rind, sliced root ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Peel and halve the pears, remove the cores and stud the pear halves with the cloves.
4. Place the pears in the liquid, cover the pan and return it to the boil ; simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Rinse two large preserving jars in boiling water and wipe dry ; remove the pears from the liquid and transfer to the prepared jars.
6. Cover the pan again and simmer over low heat for further 20 minutes, then pour the liquid into the preserving jars to cover the pears.
7. Seal the jars with greaseproof paper and store in a cool, dark place.

BON APPÉTIT

Pork and Turkey Liver Squares

 

Makes 36 squares

• 150 gr turkey livers
• 25 gr butter
• 100 gr mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 450 gr very finely minced pork
• 450 gr sausage meat
• 450 gr shortcrust pastry (click here for recipe)
• Beaten egg to glaze

1. Trim and dice the turkey livers ; melt the butter in a pan, brown the liver, and leave to cool.
2. Work the parsley, eggs, salt, pepper, paprika and marjoram into the minced pork and sausage meat, and add the turkey liver and mushrooms.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out into two squares, 30 X 30 cm / 12 X 12 inches and 35 X35 cm / 13 X 13 inches respectively.
4. Line the base and sides of a square baking tin with the larger pastry square and fill with the minced meat mixture.
5. Lay the smaller square on top and press the pastry edges firmly together on all sides.
6. Roll out any remaining pastry and make small decorations ; coat the pastry lid with beaten egg, arrange the decorations on top and coat with more egg.
7. Pierce the top several times with a skewer.
8. Bake in a 400F (200C) oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350F (180C) for a further 60-75 minutes.
9. Leave to cool and cut into 5-cm / 2-inch squares.

BON APPÉTIT

Steak Tartare

 

Serves 4-6

• 2 onions, diced
• Bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 6 baby gherkins, finely diced
• 575 gr minced fillet steak
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 canned anchovy fillets
• 1 sage leave, for garnish

1. Place the minced steak in a large bowl and mix with the onion, chopped herbs, gherkins, capers, two egg yolks, pepper and salt.
2. Arrange the steak tartare in a large bowl, make a well in the center and pour the remaining egg yolk.
3. Top the tartare with the anchovy fillets, and garnish with the sage leave.

BON APPÉTIT

Melon with Parma Ham and Piquant Mayonnaise

 

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon pickled green peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 1 small honeydew melon
• 100 gr thinly sliced Parma ham

1. Drain the peppercorns, crush half of them with a fork or a mortar and pestle, and beat these into the mayonnaise, followed by the lemon juice and salt ; taste and adjust seasoning, arrange the sauce in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining peppercorns.
2. Slice the melon into wedges and scoop away the seeds with a teaspoon ; remove the rind from each wedge wit a sharp knife.
3. Wrap the wedges individually in slices of ham and arrange on a platter.
4. Serve the piquant mayonnaise separately.

BON APPÉTIT

Gravad Lax

 

Serves 6

• 1½ kg fresh salmon
• Large bunch dill
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt, or 1½ teaspoons table salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons white pepper

1. Scrape away the scales from the salmon, slice in half lengthways and remove the center bone ; rinse and dry both halves.
2. Place one fillet, skin-side down, in a large dish.
3. Wash, drain and coarsely chop the dill, and sprinkle over the salmon fillet.
4. Mix salt, sugar and pepper together ; sprinkle the seasoning over the fish and top with the second fillet, skin side uppermost.
5. Cover the fish with cooking foil and weight it down with a kitchen board and two full preserving jars ; leave the salmon to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 days.
6. Turn the fillets every 12 hours and baste both side with the juice produced by the fish.
7. To serve, place the salmon fillets separately on a wooden board.
8. Scrape away the herbs and seasoning and cut the fish into very thin slices.
9. Serve with lemon wedges, freshly toasted white bread and a green salad.

BON APPÉTIT

Lobster Tartlets

 

 

                   If you prefer you can bake the tart cases yourself.

Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons double cream
• Few drops lemon juice
• Pinch each salt and sugar
• 4 savoury shortbread pastry tart cases (bought ready-made)
• 350 gr lobster meat
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 4 teaspoons lumpfish roe
• Few dill sprigs, for garnish

1. Beat the mayonnaise with the cream, lemon juice, salt and sugar and pour into the tart cases.
2. Slice the lobster meat and arrange over the mayonnaise.
3. Wash the lettuce, drain thoroughly and arrange on four individual plates.
4. Place the tartlets on the lettuce ; top each tartlet with 1 teaspoon lumpfish roe and garnish with dill.

BON APPÉTIT

Hard-boiled Eggs with Sauces

 

                Allow two eggs per person.

         Click here for "Pickled Eggs" recipe, if desired

Russian Sauce

• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• Large bunch chives, finely chopped
• 1½ (142 ml /5-fl oz) cartons soured cream
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Dash Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon horseradish sauce
• 1 (58 gr/ 2-oz) jar lumpfish roe

1. Mix the soured cream with the diced pepper, chives, paprika, Tabasco, horseradish sauce and half the lumpfish roe.
2. Spoon the remaining lumpfish roe on top.

Mushroom Sauce

• 225 gr mushrooms, sliced
• 2 leeks, washed and sliced
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 100 gr streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 15 gr butter

1. Fry the bacon until the fat runs ; add the butter, leek and onion and cook for 4-5 minutes.
2. Lastly add the mushroom and continue cooking for 6 minutes.
3. Cool and serve.

Cheese Sauce

• 100 gr cottage cheese
• 50 gr Stilton cheese
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon red currants or cranberry sauce (optional)

1. Sieve the cottage cheese and Stilton into a bowl and beat with the lemon juice until creamy.
2. Season to taste with salt and serve garnished with red currants or cranberry sauce, if liked.

Capri Sauce

• Large bunch fresh mixed herbs
• 2 canned anchovy fillets
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 10 stuffed olives
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon strong mustard
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 6 tablespoons oil
• 2 tomatoes

1. Wash and drain the herbs and chop finely, together with the anchovy fillets, capers and olives.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper ; gradually beat in the oil, a fw drops at a time, and finally stir in the chopped ingredients.
3. Peel, quarter and chop the tomatoes and mix into the sauce.

BON APPÉTIT

Pickled Eggs

• 450-600 ml vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 small hard-boiled eggs

1. Pour the vinegar into a pan with the mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves, and bring to the boil ; cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Shell the eggs and place in a tall screwtop jar.
3. Take the pan off the heat, allow to stand for a few moments, then pour the juice over the eggs and leave to cool.
4. Cover the jar with a piece of cling-film, held in place with an elastic band, and seal ; place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 2-3 days.
5. By this time the eggs will have absorbed the taste of the marinade and will be delicious sliced in sandwiches, or served with a sauce.

Click here for suggestions for Sauce

BON APPÉTIT

Corned Beef and Cheese Salad

 

Serves 4

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into eight segments
• 175 gr frozen peas, cooked as the instructions on the packet
• 2 (198 gr/ 7-oz) cans corned beef, cut into strips
• 100 gr Cheddar or Emmental cheese, cut into strips
• 2 green peppers, sliced
• 4 tomatoes, cut in eight segments
• 100 gr canned sweet corn, drained
• 20 stuffed olives, sliced
• Small bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 5 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons vinegar 
• Salt and pepper

1. Beat the garlic with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. In a salad bowl, mix the dressing into the salad ingredients, cover and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

BON APPÉTIT

Smoked Eel and Danish Cheese

 

                Almost any kind of hard cheese as Matured Cheddar, Edam, Emmental, Tilsit would be suitable for this canapé. Serve with ice-cold Schnaps, if possible, or a particularly delicious snack.

Makes 12 

• 450 gr Havarti cheese
• 350 gr smoked eel fillet
• Few leaves endive
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 teaspoon wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 6 slices white bread
• 25 gr butter

1. Sice th cheese into twelve rectangles
2. Skin the smoked eel, and cut into slices to fit the cheese rectangles.
3. Wash the endive leaves and break into small pieces.
4. Whisk the oil with the vinegar, salt and pepper, and pour over the endive.
5. Cut the slices of bread in half, toast them and spread with the butter.
6. Cover each slice with endive and top with the cheese and eel fillet.

BON APPÉTIT

Ham Rolls with Horseradish Cream

 

                If you have no fresh horseradish you can use ready-grated, bottled horseradish. In this case you should add more seasoning to the cream.

Makes 8

• 8 slices roast ham
• 200 ml double cream
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated horseradish
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• ½ orange, cut into thin slices, for garnish
• 8 stuffed olives, for garnish

1. Place the slices of ham individually on a kitchen board.
2. Whip the cream with the salt until very stiff and stir in the horseradish and orange juice.
3. Spread half of each slice of ham with all but two tablespoons of the mixture, and roll up the slices.
4. With a teaspoon, fill the larger opening of each roll with the remaining horseradish cream, and arrange the rolls on a flat dish.
5. Cut the orange slices in half and use to garnish the dish with the stuffed olives.

BON APPÉTIT

Savoury Titbits

 

Gherkins and Smoked Ham

• 10 thin slices smoked ham
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 10 small gherkins

Dates and Cream Cheese

• 10 dates
• 1 hard-boiled egg, shelled
• 2 tablespoons single cream
• 1 (75 gr / 3-oz) packet full cream cheese
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped dill (optional)

Olives and Bacon

• 10 thin slices streaky bacon
• 10 stuffed olives

1. Sprinkle the ham with the pepper ; wrap each gherkin in a slice of ham and secure with a cocktail stick.
2. Slice the dates open lengthways and remove the stones ; cut the egg in half.
3. Sieve the yolk into a bowl, add the cream and cream cheese and stir until smooth ; mix in the dill, if used.
4. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small star-shaped nozzle and pipe into the dates ; keep the stuffed dates in a cool place until you are ready to serve them.
5. Fry the bacon until cooked on both sides ; drain for a few minutes on absorbent kitchen paper.
6. Wrap a stuffed in each slice of bacon, securing with a wooden cocktail stick ; return the bacon rolls to the frying pan and fry in hot fat until crisp, turning occasionally.

BON APPÉTIT

Frittata de poivrons rouges et maïs

 

                Rien de plus qu'une grosse omelette, une frittata est idéale pour un souper léger, un déjeuner ou un brunch.

Donne 6 portions

• ¼ tasse de beurre non salé
• 1 gros poivron rouge, épépiné, épépiné et coupé en fines lanières dans le sens de la longueur, environ 3 x ¼ pouces
• ½ cuillère à café de feuilles d'origan, émiettées
• 1 grosse carotte, parée et coupée en très fines tranches de ½ pouce de large, à l'aide d'un éplucheur de légumes (environ 2 tasses)
• 1 tasse de maïs à grains entiers surgelé, décongelé et égoutté
• 6 œufs légèrement battus
• 3 cuillères à soupe de lait
• 1½ cuillères à café de vinaigre
• Sel et poivre au goût

1. Préchauffer le four à 350F.
2. Faites chauffer 2 cuillères à soupe de beurre dans une grande poêle à fond épais avec une poignée allant au four à feu modéré.
3. Ajouter le poivron rouge et l'origan ; faire sauter pendant environ 3 minutes ou jusqu'à ce qu'il soit presque tendre.
4. Incorporer la carotte ; faire revenir environ 2 minutes.
5. Incorporer le maïs ; faire sauter pendant environ 2 minutes et retirer dans un bol de taille moyenne.
6. Réduire le feu à doux.
7. Ajouter les œufs dans le même bol de taille moyenne avec le lait, le vinaigre, le sel et le poivre ; battre légèrement.
8. Remuer le reste du beurre au fond et sur les côtés de la même poêle ; verser le mélange d'œufs.
9. Cuire à feu doux, en remuant avec le côté plat de la fourchette, en secouant la poêle d'avant en arrière, jusqu'à ce que la frittata soit ferme au fond et presque prise sur le dessus, environ 8 à 10 minutes ; retirer du feu.
10. Cuire au four préchauffé pendant 5 à 8 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que les œufs soient pris ; couper en quartiers et servir.

BON APPÉTIT

Spicy Melon Cocktail

 

                Taste a melon ball before pouring over the dressing. Many melons have very little taste. If this is the case add a little sugar to the dressing and increase the quantities of the seasonings.

Serves 4

• 1 medium honeydew melon
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish, or 1½ teaspoons bottled horseradish
• Few drops Worcestershire sauce
• Few drops Tabasco sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 100 ml soured cream
• Pinch each salt and white pepper

1. Cut the melon in half and remove the seeds ; scoop out the flesh with a melon baller and place the melon balls in a bowl.
2. Stir the tomato ketchup with the horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, lemon juice, soured cream, salt and pepper ; taste and adjust seasoning, then pour over the melon balls.
3. Cover and leave to stand in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile chill four individual glass dishes in the refrigerator.
5. Transfer the melon cocktail to the glasses and serve.

BON APPÉTIT

Sicilian Seafood Salad

 

Serves 6

• 100 gr fresh or frozen scampi, cooked
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ onion, cut into 8 edges
• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 150 ml white wine
• 450 gr squid
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 2 peppercorns
• 100 gr mussels
• 1 small cos lettuce
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Dressing

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Small bunch parsley, chopped
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Generous pinch white pepper

1. Place the onion, garlic, 1 ml salt and 100 ml wine in a large pan and add 100 ml water.
2. Prepare each squid by removing the "backbone" which runs the length of the sack ; separate the "backbone" from the flesh at the opening of the sack, carefully draw out and discard it.
3. Slice tentacles off the squid, leaving the head exposed ; cut away the head and discard.
4. Carefully draw the innards out of the sack and also discard ; thoroughly wash the rest of the squid, including the tentacles, and cut into narrow strips.
5. Bring the prepared wine stock to the boil, add the squid, cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
6. Place the carrot, ½ onion, the rest of the wine, the peppercorns and the remaining salt in a pan, add 100 ml water and bring to the boil.
7. Scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove the beards ; drop the mussels in the boiling liquid, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. The mussels are cooked when all the shells have opened ; remove the pan from the heat and allow the mussels to cool in the liquid.
9. Drain the squid and leave to cool.
10. Wash the lettuce, seperate the leaves and drain ; arrange the lettuce on a large serving dish.
11. To make the dressing, beat the oil with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, shallot, garlic and parsley.
12. Mix together the scampi and the squid and arrange on the bed of lettuce.
13. Drain the mussels and arrange them in their opened shells on the dish.
14. Sprinkle the dressing over the top ; cover the dish with cling-film and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
15. Serve garnished with slices of lemon.

Note : When using fresh mussels, never cook any whose shells have opened slightly. Also discard any mussels which remain firmly closed after ample cooking time.

BON APPÉTIT

Antipasto Platter

 

Serves 4 

• 2 courgettes, thinly sliced
• 2 aubergines, thinly sliced
• Sprig each resh thyme, oregano and basil, chopped, or ½ teaspoon each dried thyme, oregano and basil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 450 ml olive oil
• 3 large caps canned pimiento
• 1 (213 gr/7½-oz) can mushrooms
• Few lettuce leaves
• 12 black olives
• Sprig of each parsley, thyme, oregano and basil, for garnish (optional)

1. Place the sliced courgettes and aubergines in a bowl.
2. Beat together the lemon juice, salt, oil and herbs, and pour over the sliced vegetables.
3. Cover and leave to marinate for 4 hours at room temperature.
4. Remove the courgettes and the aubergines, place in a heated frying pan and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side in a little extra oil if necessary ; drain on absorbent kitchen paper and leave to cool.
5. Drain the pimiento and mushrooms ; wash the lettuce and parsley and leave to drain.
6. Cut the caps of pimiento in half.
7. Arrange the lettuce, mushrooms, courgettes, aubergines, pimiento and olives on a flat dish.
8. Garnish the antipasto with the parsley, thyme, oregano and basil, if used.

BON APPÉTIT

Stuffed Sardines

 

Serves 6

• 36 fresh sardines
• 25 gr parsley, finel chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped and crushed
• 3 eggs
• 175 gr finely grated mozzarella
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 17 gr fresh breadcrumbs
• 18 bay leaves
• 40 gr butter

1. Cut each sardine open along the stomach, but do not cut right through the back ; remove head and tail.
2. Rinse the fish both inside and out and pat dry.
3. Mix together the eggs, grated cheese, salt, parsley, garlic and 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs.
4. Stuff the sardines with the egg mixture, pressing it firmly ; grease a long baking tin with butter and place the sardines side by side in the tin.
5. After every two sardines insert a bay leaf ; sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the top and dot with the butter.
6. Bake in oven at 425F (220C) for 15-20 minutes.
7. Serve hot or cold with toast.

BON APPÉTIT

Pouding au pain aux pommes et aux raisins

 

                C'est peut-être extravagant, mais n'hésitez pas à le servir avec une sauce à la crème anglaise, de la crème fouettée ou de la glace à la vanille, ou simplement à l'arroser de crème épaisse. Essayez de remplacer la pomme par une poire et des raisins secs dorés, des abricots secs hachés ou des groseilles par les raisins noirs.

Donne 8 portions

• 1 miche (6 onces) de pain italien ou français, coupée en tranches de ½ pouce d'épaisseur (environ 18 tranches), légèrement grillées
• 3 cuillères à soupe de beurre non salé, fondu
• ½ tasse de raisins secs
• 1 petite pomme McIntosh, parée, épépinée et tranchée
• 1 cuillère à soupe de jus de citron
• 3 oeufs
• ¼ tasse) de sucre
• 3 tasses moitié-moitié
• 1 cuillère à café de vanille
• 1 cuillère à café de zeste de citron râpé
• ½ cuillère à café de cannelle moulue
• 2 cuillères à soupe de sucre glace, pour la garniture

1. Beurrer un plat de cuisson peu profond de 2½ litres de 11¾ x 7½ x 1¾ pouces.
2. Disposer les tranches de pain au fond du plat, en les faisant se chevaucher ; badigeonner le pain de beurre et saupoudrer de raisins secs.
3. Mélanger les tranches de pomme avec le jus de citron dans un petit bol ; répartir sur le pain dans le plat.
4. Battre les œufs dans un grand bol jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient bien mélangés ; incorporer le sucre jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit épais et jaune et tombe en ruban des batteurs, 3 à 5 minutes.
5. Incorporer moitié-moitié, la vanille, le zeste de citron et la cannelle.
6. Verser sur le pain ; appuyez sur le pain pour l'imbiber complètement de crème anglaise, puis couvrez et laissez reposer 30 minutes.
7. Préchauffer le four à 350F.
8. Placer le plat allant au four dans un plat allant au four plus grand et peu profond sur la grille du four ; ajouter suffisamment d'eau bouillante dans une casserole plus grande pour qu'elle atteigne la moitié des côtés du plat allant au four.
9. Cuire au four préchauffé pendant 40 à 50 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le pudding soit pris et gonflé et qu'un couteau inséré près du centre en ressorte propre ; recouvrir de papier d'aluminium si le brunissement est trop rapide.
10. Laissez le pudding refroidir pour se réchauffer ; saupoudrer de sucre glace et servir.

BON APPÉTIT

Balkan Tomato Salad

 

Serves 4

• 675 gr firm tomatoes, sliced
• 100 gr mozzarella or feta cheese
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 leaves each fresh lemon balm and mint, chopped coarsely (optional)
• 1 clove garlic
• 20 black olives
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 hard-boiled egg, cut into 8 edges

1. Break up the cheese with a fork.
2. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side round the inside of a large salad bowl.
3. Place the tomatoes, cheese, onion and olives in the bowl and sprinkle with the herbs.
4. Beat together the lemon juice, vinegar, and salt until the salt has dissolved, then add the pepper and oil ; sprinkle the dressing over the salad, cover and leave to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Before serving, tossed the salad and garnish qith the egg.

BON APPÉTIT

Stuffed Party Roll (Sandwich)

 

Serves 6

• 6 Vienna rolls
• 450 gr curd cheese
• 4 drops Tabasco sauce
• 20 ml white wine
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs, or 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
• 1 green pepper, finely diced
• 2 gherkins, finely diced
• 225 gr ham, finely diced
• 100 gr cooked chicken, finely diced
• 6 button mushrooms, finely diced
• 50 gr pistachio nuts, chopped (optional)
• 2 teaspoons grated root ginger
• 1-2 teaspoons chopped mixed peel, chopped
• 20 ml sherry

1. Slice off one third of each roll and scoop out all the bread from inside.
2. Place half the curd cheese in a bowl and stir in the Tabasco sauce, white wine, salt, pepper and herbs.
3. Mix half the ham, green pepper and gherkins into the curd cheese.
4. In a different bowl, mix the remaining curd cheese, remaining ham, chicken, mushrooms and pistachio nuts ; add the grated root ginger, chopped mixed peel and sherry.
5. Fill three of the rolls with the wine and herb mixture, and the remaining three rolls with the chicken and ginger mixture.
6. Set the two sections of each roll back together again, wrap in cooking foil and leave to stand for a ew hours in the refrigerator.

BON APPÉTIT

Mosaic Loaf (Sandwich)

 

• 1 small light rye loaf
• 175 gr soft butter
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• ½ cooked carrot
• 50 gr canned mushrooms
• 100 gr ham
• 1 spring onion
• 1 tablespoon capers
• Pinch celery salt
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 10 stuffed olives, sliced

1. Cut off one end of the loaf ; with a long, sharp knife, cut all round the inside of the loaf 1 cm/½-inch from the crust and, using your hand, scoop out the bread from inside.
2. Place the butter in a bowl and beat until light and creamy.
3. Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks ; sieve the yolks into the butter and mix well.
4. Finely dice the egg whites and the carrot ; drain the mushrooms and chop finely, together with the ham, spring onion and capers.
5. Stir all chopped ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by the sliced olives ; season with celery salt, salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the mixture into the loaf, filling it completely, and pressing down so that no spaces are left ; replac the piece originally sliced off, wrap the loaf in kitchen foil and leave to stand for a few hours in the refrigerator.

BON APPÉTIT

Mini-pains de dinde hachée et jambon

 

                La dinde hachée et le jambon de dinde sont utilisés à bon escient dans ces pains en portion individuelle. Servir avec des pommes de terre au four et des haricots verts. Non seulement ce sont des plats savoureux, mais ils sont tout aussi délicieux emballés entiers pour les pique-niques ou tranchés pour les sandwichs.

Donne 6 mini-pains

Mini-pains

• 2 cuillères à café de moutarde sèche
• 2 cuillères à café d'eau
• ¾ tasse de flocons d'avoine à l'ancienne
• 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile végétale
• 1 poivron rouge doux, épépiné, épépiné et haché
• 3 oignons verts, tranchés
• 2 gousses d'ail, hachées
• 1 cuillère à café de feuilles d'estragon, émiettées
• ¼ cuillère à café de thym en feuilles, émietté
• 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 1½ livre de dinde hachée
• ¼ livre de jambon de dinde, finement haché
• 1 oeuf
• 2 cuillères à soupe de ketchup

Glaçage

• ½ tasse de ketchup
• 2 cuillères à soupe de cassonade foncée
• 1 cuillère à café de moutarde brune épicée

1. Mélanger la moutarde et l'eau dans un grand bol ; laisser reposer 15 minutes.
2. Pendant ce temps, placez les flocons d'avoine dans un robot culinaire ou un mélangeur ; remuer jusqu'à ce que la texture ressemble à un mélange granuleux.
3. Chauffer l'huile dans une poêle de taille moyenne à feu moyen ; ajouter le poivron rouge et cuire 6 minutes.
4. Ajouter l'oignon vert, l'ail, l'estragon, le thym et le sel ; cuire 3 minutes en remuant et verser dans un grand bol avec le mélange de moutarde.
5. Ajouter les flocons d'avoine, la dinde, le jambon de dinde, l'œuf et le ketchup dans le bol ; mélanger ensemble.
6. Préchauffer le four à 350F ; Graisser légèrement un plat allant au four de 13 x 9 x 2 pouces.
7. Divisez le mélange en 6 portions égales (6 onces chacune) et façonnez des mini-pains d'environ 4 x 2 x 1½ pouces ; disposer uniformément dans le moule préparé.
8. Cuire au four préchauffé pendant 20 minutes ; Pendant ce temps, préparez le glaçage en mélangeant tous les ingrédients du glaçage dans un petit bol jusqu'à consistance lisse.
9. Verser le glaçage uniformément sur les pains ; cuire encore 15 minutes jusqu'à ce que le jus soit clair lorsqu'on le pique avec une brochette.
10. Versez les restes de glaçage dans la saucière et servez-les avec des mini-pains.

BON APPÉTIT

Stilton Spread, Egg and Pepper Spread, Emmental Spread

 

            Those spreads are only mildly seasoned. If you prefer hotter, saltier or sharper spreads, season accordingly.

Stilton Spread

• 175 gr Stilton cheese (or other blue cheese)
• 100 gr sliced salami
• 3 small gherkins
• 10 pickled cocktail onions
• 4 shelled walnuts 
• 1 teaspoon grated horseradish
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Pinch salt
• 5 drops Tabasco sauce

1. Place cheese in a large bowl and break up with a fork.
2. Cut the salami into thin strips ; finely diced the gherkins.
3. Drain and chop the cocktail onions ; chop the walnuts.
4. Stir salami, gherkins, onions and walnuts into the cheese, together with the horseradish, yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and Tabasco sauce.
5. Adjust the seasoning.

Egg and Pepper Spread

• 5 hard-boiled eggs
• 200 gr soft butter
• ½ red pepper, finely diced
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch each celery salt, white pepper, curry powder and Cayenne pepper

1. Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks.
2. Place the egg yolks and butter in a bowl and mix together until smooth.
3. Finely diced the egg white.
4. Stir the diced egg white, red pepper and onion into the butter and egg yolk mixture.
5. Season with salt, celery salt, pepper, curry powder and Cayenne.

Emmental Spread

• 225 gr Emmental cheese, finely diced
• 4 canned baby sweet corn cobs, drained and chopped
• 10 stuffed olives, finely chopped
• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• Small bunch fresh mixed herbs, chopped (dill, chive, parsley and rosemary) or a generous pinch of each herb in its dried form.
• 175 gr soft butter
• 1 teaspoon pickled green peppercorns (optional)
• Salt and pepper

1. Beat the butter until light and fluffy.
2. Work in the cheese, sweet corn, olives, garlic and herbs ; drain and add the peppercorns, if used.
3. Season to taste, cover and leave to stand in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

BON APPÉTIT

Curried Peaches with Cream Cheese (Sandwich Snack)

 

Makes 8

• 2 firm fresh peaches, or 4 canned peaches halves
• 1 (227 gr / 8-oz) packet full fat cream cheese
• 1½ teaspoons paprika pepper
• 3 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 3 tablespoon port wine
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 4 slices wholemeal bread
• Parsley sprigs

1. Scald the fresh peaches, if used, by placing them in a ovenproof bowl and pouring on boiling water.
2. Leave for a few seconds, then take out and rmove the skins.
3. Cut them into quarters and remove the stones ; if canned peaches are used, drain the four halves and cut each one in half again.
4. Cream together the cheese, paprika, milk, salt, pepper and port wine.
5. Sprinkle the curry powder onto a flat dish ; dip the round outer edges of the peach quarters in the curry powder, coating them as evenly as possible.
6. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut the slices in half.
7. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag fit with a large star-shaped nozzle, and pipe a strip of cream cheese in the center of each slice of bread.
8. Place a peach quarter on each, curry-side down and top with a swirl of cream cheese.
9. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

BON APPÉTIT