Ricotta Recipes.

I have not tasted yet!

- Lemon-ricotta-tart: Half Baked Harvest - Made with Love:
Filling:
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons vanilla, divided

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
228g/8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
zest of 2 lemons, juice from 1
whipped cream, for topping (optional)

You need:
Preheat the oven to 190C.
22-23cm tart pan with a removable bottom.

Ricotta mixture: In a food processor or blender, combine the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla and the lemon zest of 2 lemons + juice from 1 lemon.
Blend until smooth.

Drizzle the fudge sauce in the bottom of the prepared tart crust.
Pour half the ricotta mixture over the chocolate and then drizzle the mixture with more fudge sauce.
Add the remaining ricotta mixture and yeah....drizzle with more fudge sauce.
Use a knife to swirl the fudge sauce into the ricotta mixture.
Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until just set.
It is ok if the tart still has a little jiggle to it when it comes out.
Set aside to cool.

Sauerkraut Basic Recipe.

Sauerkraut Basic Recipe | Wild Fermentation :: Wild Fermentation:
Timeframe: 1-4 weeks (or more)
Special Equipment:
Ceramic crock or food-grade plastic bucket, one-gallon capacity or greater
Plate that fits inside crock or bucket
One-gallon jug filled with water (or a scrubbed and boiled rock)
Cloth cover (like a pillowcase or towel)
Ingredients (for 1 gallon):
5 pounds cabbage (2.300g)
3 tablespoons sea salt

Sambusak with Spinach and 4 Cheeses.

Tnuva | Starters & Snacks | Sambusak with Spinach and 4 Cheeses:
I have not tasted yet!
Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Dough:
4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 oz fresh yeast
1 cup water
2 packages (7.05 oz) Tnuva Butter
1 egg yolk
(Please note: the dough needs to rest overnight in the refrigerator.)
Filling:
1 lb frozen whole spinach leaves
1 package (8.8 oz) Tnuva Bulgarian Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 roll (7.05 oz) of Tnuva goat cheese
½ package (3.50 oz) of Tnuva Kashkaval, finely grated
7 oz Tnuva Muenster Cheese, grated or finely chopped
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Topping:
1 egg, beaten
Sesame seeds for decoration

1. Prepare the dough: Put the ingredients in a mixer with a dough hook for 8 minutes until the dough is pliable and comfortable.
Put into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about two hours until it has doubled in volume or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
3. Prepare the filling: Thaw and drain the spinach.
Make sure all the liquid is squeezed out.
In a bowl add the spinach, cheese, bread crumbs and egg yolk.
Mix into a smooth mixture and set aside.
4. Shape the pastry: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1 inch thickness.
With a glass or a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 5 inch round circles.
5. At the center of each circle place a heaping tablespoon of the filling and fold in half, creating a half circle.
Press firmly at the edges with a fork or pinch together tightly.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Arrange on a lined baking tray.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and serve warm.

** If you do not serve the same day ** These filled pastries freeze well. Take directly from the freezer and heat at 375F for 10 minutes when wanted. no need to defrost.

'via Blog this'

Cauliflower, almond and turmeric soup.

I have not tasted yet!
- The 10 best soup recipes | Life and style | The Guardian: "
This is Leon's winter version of the great Spanish cold summer soup of almonds and garlic called ajo blanco.
The creaminess of the almonds is backed by that of the cauliflower when it has been softened and pureed.
This should have the consistency of satin.
Serves 4-5
1 large cauliflower (about 1.5kg)
50g butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground (or whole) fenugreek
½ tsp ground ginger
70g ground almonds
1 litre vegetable stock
600ml full-fat milk

To garnish
A small handful of whole almonds, skin on, slightly crushed
Lemon wedges
Salt and black pepper

1 Cut the cauliflower florets off the central trunk and very roughly chop them.
Quarter the trunk and slice that too.
2 Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion, garlic, turmeric, fenugreek, ground ginger and sliced cauliflower stalk, and cook until the onion begins to soften.
3 Stir in the ground almonds, making sure everything is well coated, then pour the stock on top.
4 Simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the cauliflower florets – the cauliflower may not all be covered at first but as it begins to cook, stir occasionally and it will all get there.
Simmer for a further 20-25 minutes, until all the cauliflower bits are very tender but not mushy – check that the stalks are soft, too.
5 Stir in the milk and blitz until completely smooth.
Top it off with some crushed whole (or flaked) almonds, and serve with a wedge of lemon on the side for a bit of last-minute freshness.

Take a peak inside my fridge . . . – Amelia Freer

Take a peak inside my fridge . . . – Amelia Freer:
- eating enough protein
- doesn’t eat any dairy - coconut yoghurt
- coconut milk
- fermented cabbage
- keeps nuts and seeds in the fridge, rather than the cupboard
- seven fruits a day
- making a smoothie, it’s a great way to add in extra protein and nutrients
ProBerry-Amla powder by Nutricology - Health powders
- takes probiotics every morning in her smoothie
- coconut water - a nice alternative to drinking plain water.
- hazelnut, cashew and peanuts
- cashew milk

'via Blog this'

Nigel Slater in his garden.

Turning the tables: Nigel Slater in his garden | Life and style | The Guardian:

'via Blog this'

Monty Don in his kitchen.

Turning the tables: Monty Don in his kitchen | Life and style | The Guardian:
I have not tasted yet!
"Chilled cucumber soup
This recipe was modified as a result of lunch with Nigel.
1 1/2 cucumbers
1 pint lowfat yogurt
1/2 pint light chicken stock
juice from 1/2 a lemon
good handful of chopped spearmint
salt and freshly ground pepper
ice cubes

Roughly chop the cucumbers, leaving the skin on, and liquidise in a blender.
Add the yogurt, chicken stock and lemon juice and whizz together.
Put into a big bowl, stir in the chopped mint and season.
Refrigerate for an hour before serving with an ice cube in each bowl.

White Bean Cabbage Potato Soup.

White Bean Cabbage Potato Soup - Vanilla And Bean:

'via Blog this'

Sugar Bun.

I have not tasted yet!
We will need:

1 cup milk a little warmer than room temperature
2 teaspoons active dry yeast with a slide, or 20 grams of fresh
1 teaspoon sugar with a slide in the dough
100g melted butter + 50g for greasing baking after
1 egg medium or small
1 teaspoon salt
300-350 g flour
100 grams of vegetable oil
100g sugar for sprinkling (or 6 tablespoons)

Preparation.

1. Gently warm milk 30-40C (not hot!) Mixed with sugar and yeast. Let stand 10-15 minutes.
2. Stir in milk and yeast mixture with melted butter, egg and salt.
3. Pour the flour and knead the dough. Amount of flour, depending on its properties may vary slightly. The main thing is not to add too much of it - the dough should be soft and not clam hands on it.
4. Add to dough 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, it ceases to be sticky. Close by foil and provide hour and a half (minimum 1 hour).
5. Ready to roll out the dough floured table to a thickness of 5 mm.
6. Entire surface of the dough evenly and liberally lubricated with oil and sprinkle well with sugar.
7. Close range in roll and cut into pieces 4-5 cm in width
8. Each piece is cut into one or two times up to half the depth, slightly open and put on greased baking sheet.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes in oven preheated to 180C.
10. Ready buns with melted butter to grease.

Notes.
1. Large amounts of sugar also reduces their lightness during baking. You can add sugar less choose what you like.
2. I baked 25 minutes, the crust in this case turned out crispy. If you like softer - bake for 20 minutes until light colored.
4. Another method of forming the buns. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Each flatten, spread butter and sugar, fold into roll. The resulting roll fold in half and cut into the knife with one hand close to the bend, stretch.
5. In addition to sugar buns can be sprinkled with poppy seeds, cinnamon or raisins.

Bon Appetit!

And more: Pecan, Chocolate and Cinnamon Buns – lovinghomemade:

На русском: здесь!

Recipes from UK Specialist Registered Dietitian (RD).

Recipes | Nics Nutrition:
From "UK Specialist Registered Dietitian (RD).
- a healthy balanced diet.
Foods cannot be classed as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in my eyes, and I promote healthy lifestyles as a way of life, rather than fad/short-term diets."

'via Blog this'

Vinaigrette. Sauces.

- The Food Lab Turbo: How to Make a Simple Salad Worth Eating | Serious Eats

- Simple Vinaigrette Recipe | Serious Eats
INGREDIENTS
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and water in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tightly sealing jar, seal, and shake vigorously until emulsified.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

- A Salad Dressing Recipe to Rule Them All - The New York Times
A Salad Dressing Recipe to Rule Them All

- Five Sauces for the Modern Cook - The New York Times

How to Make Traditional Cassoulet.

How to Make Traditional Cassoulet (And Why You Should Put Chicken in It!) | Serious Eats
First off, it's the shape of the pan.
A traditional cassole has a tapered shape that gives it an extremely high surface area to volume ratio.
More room for evaporation means better skin formation and better browning.
In fact, the last two pictures above are of cassoulets cooked in the exact same manner, the only difference being the vessel they are cooked in.

Unfortunately, it's tough to find a good cassoulet pot around here.

A regular cassoulet will form a crust in about 4 hours of cooking in a 150°C/300°F oven.
What about if you just cook your Dutch oven cassoulet for longer or hotter?
I tried a variety of time and temperature ranges.
At the very best, what you end up with is this:
Decent crust alright, but the crust is really formed by the beans and the meat, not by the liquid itself.
Underneath, the beans are too dry.

The second problem is the store-bought stock I'd been using.
Homemade chicken stock tends to be very high in gelatin, a result of the high amount of connective tissue in the bones and cartilage used to make it.
Store-bought stock, by contrast, is thin and watery.
It's this gelatin that forms the crusty raft on top of the cassoulet, giving it both crust and body.

It's these two problems—wrong pot, not enough gelatin in the stock—that lead many recipes to resort to using breadcrumbs to create an artificial crust.

So what's the solution? Well the obvious one is to just make your own goddam stock.
It's actually way easier than it sounds, though it again requires a bit of a time commitment.
I'll admit it: sometimes even I'm too lazy to make my own stock when I've already got a day-long project ahead of me.

So what's the next best thing?
Just fake it.
By blooming store-bought unflavored gelatin in regular store-bought stock, you can create a rich stock full of body that forms a raft just like the real deal.
I don't go easy on the gelatin either (remember, you have to make up for using the wrong-shaped pot as well).
A full three packets for a quart of liquid gives it the body and crust I'm looking for.

In order to get a cassoulet that stays nice and loose underneath while still building a crust up top, it's important not to drown that crust out.
If your liquid level starts to get too low, add more liquid (just plain water works) to the pot by carefully pouring it along the side of the pot so that it goes under the crust, not over it.

Easy Pickled Onions in Just 15 Minutes.

No Brine, No Heat: Easy Pickled Onions in Just 15 Minutes | Serious Eats

What's the Difference Between Jam, Jelly, Compote, and Conserve?

What's the Difference Between Jam, Jelly, Compote, and Conserve? | Serious Eats

Parisian Flan.

“Sir Bones: is stuffed, / de world, wif feeding girls.” | Orangette
From Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets

This recipe, adapted by Greenspan from the esteemed pâtissier Pierre Hermé, makes a traditional Parisian flan, which (unlike the flan generally familiar to Americans, jiggly or gelatinous or covered in caramel) is a custardy almost-cake in a flaky pastry crust.
It is unbearably delicious.
Dorie Greenspan, I apologize for my lack of faith.

For the crust:
1 stick plus 5 Tbs (6 ½ ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
½ large egg yolk (lightly beat one yolk, and then spoon out half)
3 ½ Tbs whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 2/3 cups water
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ cup cornstarch, sifted

To make crust:
Put all of the crust ingredients except the flour in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is soft and creamy.
Add the flour and pulse in quick spurts until the dough forms a ball—then stop.
Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface, gather it together in a ball, and flatten into a disk.
Wrap the disk well in plastic wrap.
Chill the dough for at least four hours. [Dough can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.]

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and keep close at hand. Working on a generously floured work surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of between 1/8 and ¼ inch. Cut out a 12-inch circle of dough and transfer it to the lined baking sheet. Cover and chill dough for at least thirty minutes.

Butter a 9-inch/22cm springform pan and put it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Fit the dough into the pan, pressing it evenly along the bottom and up the sides.
Don’t worry if the dough tears, as it did for me—just patch it back together and carry on!
Trim the dough so that it comes 1 ¼ inches/3cm up the sides of the pan.
Chill the dough for at least two hours and up to overnight.

Center a rack in the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180C.

Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with beans, rice, or pie weights.
Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, until it is set but not browned. Pull it from the oven, remove the paper and beans, and cool to room temperature.

To make filling:
Bring the milk and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan, preferably one with a heavy bottom, whisk the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together.

Whisking without stop, drizzle ¼ of the hot liquid over the egg mixture.
When the eggs are warmed, add the rest of the liquid in a steady stream.
Put the saucepan over medium heat and, whisking constantly and energetically, heat the filling just until it thickens and a couple of bubbles pop to the surface.
Immediately remove from the heat, and push the filling through a sieve into a bowl. Let the filling cool for about 30 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190C.

Put the pan with the crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet (if it isn’t still on one), and scrape the filling into the crust.
Smooth the top.
Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake the flan for one hour, or until the filling is puffed and golden and just jiggles in the center when you tap the pan.
Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack, and let the flan cool to room temperature; then chill the flan for at least six hours, preferably overnight.

According to Mr. Hermé, the flan should be served cold.

Roast chicken with dill and leeks recipe . By Diana Henry.

Roast chicken with dill and leeks recipe - Telegraph
Simple, satisfying and perfect for Sunday lunch: whole roast chicken infused with dill and lemon, cooked with waxy potatoes
You might think this recipe comes from Scandinavia – land of dill lovers – but in fact it was inspired by a dish I had in Turkey, where whole fish were cooked on a bed of potatoes and dill (and a little raki). This is a very comforting dish, but light and spring-like at the same time. Serve it with roast tomatoes or a carrot purée.
SERVES
8
INGREDIENTS
2kg chicken
10g dill
75g unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 lemon
500g waxy potatoes, peeled
4 leeks
400ml chicken stock
3-4 tbsp dry vermouth
4 tbsp crème fraîche (optional)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Remove the coarser stems from the dill and set them aside. Roughly chop the remaining light, leafy part. Mash the butter with half the chopped dill.
Carefully lift the skin of the chicken breast and legs and push about half the butter under. Spread the remaining butter over the bird and season. Put in a roasting tin or a flame- and ovenproof dish. Squeeze the lemon over, then put the shells into the cavity of the bird with the dill stalks. Truss the chicken, if you like. Roast for 20 minutes.
Slice the potatoes to the thickness of a pound coin. Trim the leeks, discarding most of the dark-green tops. Chop into 4cm lengths and wash thoroughly.
Take the chicken out of the oven and put the potatoes and leeks around it, coating them in the juices. Season. Pour the boiling stock on to the vegetables with the vermouth.
Reduce the temperature to 180°C/gas mark 4 and return the bird to the oven for one hour. The potatoes will become tender and the cooking liquid reduce significantly. If the vegetables haven’t absorbed all the liquid, remove the chicken to a warmed platter and insulate with foil to keep it warm.
Set the roasting tin on the hob and boil until the liquid mostly disappears. Add the crème fraîche, if using. Heat this through – it doesn’t have to be completely mixed into the vegetables. Check for seasoning.
Put the bird back on top of the vegetables, throw on the rest of the chopped dill and serve.

Chicken in the pot with vegetables and barley. By Diana Henry.

Chicken in the pot with vegetables and barley recipe - Telegraph
A whole chicken poached with leeks and carrots makes a substantial and comforting broth
This is one of the best things I cook. It's like a substantial version of the chicken soup my family grew up with.
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1 medium-sized chicken, about 1.6kg
4 leeks
300g long slim carrots, preferably with greenery
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
bouquet garni, plus more parsley stalks
200ml dry vermouth
55g pearl barley
about 4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
METHOD
Remove any discoloured layers from the leeks and trim and discard the dark tops. Cut into 4cm lengths and wash thoroughly under running water. Trim the carrots, leaving a little tuft of greenery if there is any. Wash really well,
but don't peel. Cut fatter carrots into halves or quarters lengthways.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole over a medium heat and brown the chicken on all sides. Try not to tear the skin as you turn it over (I use wooden spoons), and season as you go. Remove the chicken, set it aside and add the onion and celery to the pot. Sauté gently until the onion is softening but isn't coloured, about five minutes.

Return the chicken and add the bouquet garni, parsley stalks, carrots, a good grinding of black pepper, the vermouth and 800ml of water. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat right down, cover and poach the chicken for 1½ hours. The water must not boil – it has to be gentle or the chicken will become tough. With 45 minutes of cooking time left, add the barley. With 15 minutes left, add the leeks. At the end, add the chopped parsley.
Serve in big broad soup plates, giving each person some of the vegetables, barley, broth and chicken. My mum serves boiled potatoes with this, which you can break up in your broth, or buttered wheaten (soda) bread. I must admit to gilding the lily a little and offer cream, mustard and sometimes even horseradish.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's melon recipes.

No need to laugh … Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's melon recipes | Life and style | The Guardian
Melon, cucumber and courgette salad with olives and red onion
Here, I've partnered melons with their cucurbit relatives, cucumbers and courgettes. All that delicate, juicy flesh is pointed up beautifully by the assertive flavours of olives and onion. Serves four as a side dish.

½ large cucumber (about 200g)
1 medium courgette (about 200g)
¼ small charentais or galia melon (about 200g)
50g pitted black olives, such as kalamata
½ medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
Juice of ½ small lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quarter the cucumber lengthways, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and slice into thin quarter-moons about 2mm thick. Put the slices in a large bowl. Top and tail the courgette, quarter it lengthways and cut into pieces the same thickness as the cucumber. Add to the bowl.

Scoop the seeds out of the melon. Carefully slice the melon off its skin, then cut it first lengthways into two to three slender wedges, then crosswise, as with the cucumber and courgette, and add to the bowl.

Roughly chop the olives and add to the salad with the onion. Squeeze over the lemon juice, trickle over the oil, give it a good seasoning and stir together gently. Taste, add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed, and serve straight away.

-----------
Melon smoothie with orange, ginger and honey
Puréed ripe melon has a lovely, velvety, almost creamy texture.
This refreshing smoothie tastes best when really cold, so chill the melon first.
If your blender isn't up to processing ice cubes, just drop a couple into each glass before you serve the smoothie.
Serves two.

1 small to medium ripe charentais or galia melon, chilled (about 1kg)
150ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1 thumb-sized chunk ginger, peeled
3-4 ice cubes
1-2 tsp honey

Scoop out the melon seeds, then scoop the flesh off the skin in chunks, dropping them into a blender as you go.
Add the orange juice.

Finely grate the ginger into a sieve over a small bowl.
Press the grated ginger with the back of a spoon, to squeeze out its juice, measure out a teaspoon and add to the blender.
Add the ice and whizz the lot until smooth.
Add a little honey to taste, just to enhance the fruity flavours, and a touch more ginger juice, if you fancy more kick. Drink immediately.

Cantaloupe Gazpacho.

Cantaloupe Gazpacho Recipe - Bon Appétit

Preparation
Purée 1 medium cantaloupe (peeled, seeded, chopped),
1 small cucumber (peeled, chopped),
2 tablespoons chopped red onion,
2 teaspoons kosher salt,
and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth.
With motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil;
season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve gazpacho chilled, topped with thinly sliced fresh mint.

Pumpkin pie and ginger cream.

A couple of days ago Maddy, the little girl from next door, brought me a bowl of pumpkin flesh, dug out of a large pumpkin she was carving for halloween.
Here is a slice of the pie I made with it following a recipe I always use and that never fails to go down well.
This pie only gets made once a year and some years I don’t get around to it at all.

Preheat the oven to 180 C / gas mark 4
Make shortcrust pastry to line a 23cm loose-bottomed flan tin: 160g plain flour, 80g unsalted butter, 1 – 2 dessert spoons caster sugar, zest of half a lemon (optional), 1 egg yolk, a drop of milk or water as required.
Rub the butter into the flour, add some sugar and lemon zest if you like then bind together quickly using the beaten egg yolk, adding some milk or water to bring the mixture together and gather it into a ball.
Leave to rest for half an hour in the fridge, wrapped in cling film.
Roll out the pastry and line the buttered flan tin.
Prick the bottom with a fork and place a piece of greaseproof paper and baking beans over the base.
Bake for 25 minutes then take out the oven, remove the beans and paper and leave to cool.
Cook 600g of pumpkin flesh in a pan for approximately 15 mins with just a splash of water; as it cooks it will make its own juice so you don’t want it too watery.
Put the cooked flesh into a food processor (or use a hand blender).
Add to it, 125g soft brown sugar, half a teaspoon each of nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon honey, grated zest from each of 1 lemon and 1 orange and the juice from half of each.
Process until smooth.
Add 3 beaten eggs and blend together then pour into the pastry case and bake for 50-60 minutes until the centre is set.
Allow to cool then serve dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by whipped cream slightly sweetened with some of the syrup from a jar of stem ginger.

Gloria Nicol grows many of the ingredients for her preserves on an allotment close to her home in the Forest of Dean.
She writes the blog www.laundryetc.co.uk, where you can read more about her preserving.