Vanilla ice cream

Vanilla ice cream

Ingredients
6 vanilla pods
625ml/1 pint whole milk
50g/2oz skimmed milk powder
120g/4½oz unrefined caster sugar
10 whole coffee beans
6 medium egg yolks

Method
1. Place the vanilla pods on a chopping board and run a small, sharp knife along the length of each pod, cutting it in half. Use the knife to scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds into the whisking bowl of an electric mixer and add the empty pods to the milk.
2. Pour the milk and vanilla pods into a casserole of at least 1.5 litre/2¾ pints capacity. Add the milk powder, a couple of teaspoons of the sugar and the coffee beans. Place the casserole on a medium heat and bring the milk to the boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down and allow the milk to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks to the vanilla seeds in the whisking bowl, along with the remaining sugar. Turn the machine to full speed and beat until the mixture whitens and increases in volume - about 10 minutes.
4. Place the casserole back on a medium heat and return the liquid to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low, then immediately pour this liquid very gently, pods and all, on to the egg mixture while still beating. Return this mixture to the casserole and place on a low heat. Stir continuously, preferably with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon. Do not boil. The custard is ready when a line drawn along the back of the wooden spoon retains its shape.
5. Have ready a bowl large enough to fit the mixture in and sit it in a larger bowl containing ice and a little cold water. When the custard is ready, pour it into the bowl and continue stirring for a few minutes until it is cold. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. At this point the custard can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure that it is thoroughly mixed so that the vanilla seeds that have fallen to the bottom are evenly distributed.
6. Churn the custard in your ice cream machine and place in the freezer, with some clingfilm pressed on to the surface of the ice cream. Leave in the freezer for 2 hours before serving.

Eggnog custard

Ingredients
150ml/¼ pint single cream
150ml/¼pint milk
2 egg, yolks only
1 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
large pinch of grated nutmeg
1 tbsp rum

Method
1. Stir the cream and milk together in a saucepan and bring almost to boiling point, then remove from the heat.
2. With a wooden spoon, beat the yolks, cornflour and sugar in a bowl. Do not use a whisk as it will make the custard frothy.
3. Pour the hot cream into the custard, stirring steadily, then return the liquid to the pan and add the nutmeg. Stir on a gentle heat until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Serve warm.

Note: This may be made ahead, up to a day in advance, and stored in the fridge. To prevent a skin from forming, sprinkle with golden caster sugar. To serve, stir in the sugar. Alternatively just cover the custard with cling film.

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 egg whites
• 3 cups packed coarsely grated peeled carrots (about 6 medium)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• Frosting:
• 8 ounces Neufch¿tel cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.

2. Prepare cake: Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl.

3. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce and vegetable oil in large bowl. Beat 1 minute with electric mixer. Add egg whites; beat 1 minute. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Turn into pan.

4. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on wire rack.

5. Prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, rind and vanilla in deep medium-size bowl for 1 minute. Beat in confectioners¿ sugar, 1 cup at a time, until good spreading consistency, adding additional confectioners¿ sugar if needed. Spread frosting over top of cake in pan.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients

• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 8 squares (8 ounces total) white chocolate
• 2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening
• Red and green nonpareils, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In another large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fully blended. On low speed, add nuts and chocolate chips. Gradually beat in flour mixture until a stiff dough forms.

4. Shape dough into 2 logs, each 10 inches long. Place on ungreased baking sheet; flatten each log to 3 inches wide. Bake at 325¿ for 35 minutes until set and tops are slightly cracked. Transfer logs to wire racks; cool 15 minutes.

5. With serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on baking sheet, cut sides down. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool biscotti completely on wire racks.

6. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate and shortening. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Dip one end of each biscotti into melted chocolate and sprinkle with read and green nonpareils. Place on waxed-paper-lined baking sheets until chocolate is set. Makes 36 cookies

Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients
Chicken(wings & bones) - 1 lb
Allpurpose flour(Maida) - 1 1/2 tbsp
Egg - 1 no
Butter - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 3/4 tsp
Sugar - A pinch
Ajinomotto - A pinch
Salt - As reqd

Preparation Method

1)Make Chicken Stock with 4 cups of water. This is done by cooking chicken in a Pressure Cooker for 1 whistle. Strain and keep aside.

2)Shread flesh from wings and saute in 1 tsp butter and keep aside.

For Roux:
1)In a shallow pan, add butter.

2)Add maida and saute well.

3)Remove from fire before the colour changes.

4)Mix the roux to the stock.

5)Add sugar, salt and pepper.

6)Bring to a boil.

7)Reduce the flame to low medium.

8)Beat the egg with little salt and pepper.

9)Pour the beaten egg mix into the soup through a strainer.

10)Add ajinomotto.

11)Remove from fire.

12)Garnish with shredded chicken in each bowl before seving.

Tips:
1) You may add more roux to make the soup thicker.

2) Vary the amount of salt and pepper to taste.

Chocoberry Milk Chiller

1 cup lowfat chocolate milk
4 tablespoons chocolate syrup, divided use
2 tablespoons raspberry syrup
Multi-colored sprinkles (optional)
Fresh or frozen raspberries (optional garnish)

1. Stir 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup and 2 tablespoonsof raspberry syrup into chocolate milk and mix thoroughly. Chill mixture in freezer for 5 minutes.
2. While mixture is chilling, dip 2 glasses upside down into sprinkles to coat edges, if desired. Drizzle remaining chocolate syrup on inside and bottom of glasses.
3. Pull mixture out of the freezer. Pour into chocolate drizzled glasses. Garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Makes 2 servings

Marinade for Flank Steak and Portabello Mushrooms

Sunshine. Spring. Month of May close at hand = COOKOUTS!

Flank steak is my favorite steak (after filet mignon bien sure). It's that one piece of meat that just makes it impossible for me to become a vegetarian. And I owe it all to my mom.

Since I can remember, my mom has been fixing this steak, usually on Sundays (so a fitting day to blog about it). I can still remember how my dad would cut this steak up into bite-size pieces for a very little moi (about 4-5 years old). Now I find myself cutting the meat for my children exactly like my dad did for three decades ago (!!yikes!).

Flank steak isn't an expensive cut. This makes it ideal for feeding a family of five during the lean years of the late 70's and early 80's. Those were the years when filet mignon really was for the just the French!

But marinate this less sophisticated steak in the right marinade, and it transforms from tough and chewy to cut with butter knife fantastique! This is so true that I've never really been able to order steak out in American steak houses because no other steak measures up to my Mom's.

Cooking it on the grill is the best way to eat this but before we had a gas grill my mother would broil it in the oven in cooler months. Since living in France, I can say that I, too, use this method from late Oct-March. Broiling is fine but firing up the grill is definitely the best way to heat up this recipe. And since the sun’s shining, spring is in full bloom and chilly winter afternoons are a thing of the past, then today’s the day to start thinking about firing up the barbie and trying new recipes for the Great Outdoors.

For the perfect American Sunday meal mom would add corn, on the cob when in season, hot dinner rolls, fresh green beans cooked à la West Virginian (for a long time in boiling water and with bacon slices) and a crsip Iceburg mixed salad. American dressings au choix. That is a meal we can all enjoy.

The exciting thing about the following marinade is that you can also use it for chicken. My mother has been saying for over 30-some years (each time we sit down to this meal) that you can marinate chicken with it but we have yet to try it.

And I just found out that this marinade works wonders with portabello mushrooms! Yes, I got my vegetarian kick going and thought I’d try the “vegetarian meat substitute”. If there are any vegetarians still reading this article at this point you can get that special "flank steak" flavor without the beef (this goes for any other mushroom fans out there reading this entry) just marinate one hour and grill. Then melt from the pleasure of succulent mushrooms that could replace beef anywhere (well, almost). Tomorrow, I'll get a great leftovers recipe for this steak, providing you can scrap up enough pieces.

Any way you cut it, this steak and its marinade is for you.

Read the recipe by clicking on the link below.

Continue reading "Marinade for Flank Steak and Portabello Mushrooms" »

Salads, Summer Salads

Making your own salad dressing can be easy and, in most cases, healthier for you.All it takes is some creativeness and a blender or a whisk. Brand dressings come in all colors and flavors helping the lettuce scene look appealing. The drawback to bottled stuff is that most of them have less than healthy fillers like thickeners and, they use sugar as a cheap filler.

If you are watching your weight, then you may want to pay attention to hidden sugar in foods. Sugar itself isn’t fattening, per se but when you eat sugar with meals, the sugar goes directly into the bloodstream satiating the cells first. The other food that you have consumed doesn’t get much of a chance at satisfying cellular needs, thus it is stored since it doesn’t need to be used. That translates into fat for you and me.

Therefore, it makes sense to try and make your own salad dressings whenever you can. Living in France, unfortunately, has it’s downsides, they are very uncreative when it comes to salad dressings; they always use a vinaigrette-based sauce. And they put everything under the sun in this dressing, then call it a salad. The grocery store has very little to offer besides vinaigrette, light vinaigrette, and vinaigrette with herbs.

From a health standpoint, the French are right. Using cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, lemon juice or vinegar, they benefit a maximum from whole ingredients. No additives, no preservatives, no unwanted extras.

Since I am a salad fanatic, I have searched hi and low for homemade salad dressings. I have had to ‘invent’ a few and play around with others, but I found dressings that help move beyond the old stand-by.

Below are a few fun dressings that I have concocted. Other simple options can be simply opening a can of salsa and pouring it over the salad. Salsa is low in calories and fat-free.

Creamy Avocado Dressing

Don’t panic, avocados have a fair amount of fat in them but its almost all monounsaturated meaning it can be broken down easily by our bodies. Also, raw avocados have their own ‘fat fighter’ enzymes that help digest fats into fatty acids.

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup or 250 ml yogurt, low fat OK
• juice from one lemon or 3 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder
• up to ¼ cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and coarsely chop avocado. Place all ingredients except water in blender. Blend until smooth thinning with water to desired consistency. Keeps for up to a week in refrigerator. Yields: 1 ½ cups.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Dressing

Use home grown tomatoes when possible. They transform this dressing!

• 2 large, ripe tomatoes (seeds removed, peeling optional)
• 15 large leaves, fresh basil
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Begin by placing basil and bit of olive oil in blender; with blender on add garlic. Add tomatoes and olive oil. Pulse until slightly chunky. Keep for up to a week in refrigerator. Yields: 2 cups.

Creamy Cucumber dressing with Dill

A classic but always a winner.

• 1 cucumber peeled and seeded
• ½ cup or 125g low-fat yogurt or sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dried dill
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Coarsely chop half cucumber and pulse in blender with remaining ingredients. Finely chop by hand remaining cucumber half. Stir into sauce. Keeps for up to one week in refrigerator. Yields: 1 ½ cups.

Southwest Dressing

This is great with grilled chicken or turkey salad.

• 1cup or 250 ml salsa of your choice
• ½ avocado
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• a couple of pitted black olives
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Place avocado, olive oil and half the salsa and honey in blender. Blend until almost smooth. Stir in chopped black olives and remaining salsa. Salt and pepper as needed. Keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator. Yields: 1 ½ cups.

Tangy Orange-Lime Dressing

A citrus treat that goes well with chicken and turkey.

• 1 cup or 250 ml orange juice
• juice from 1 lime or 3 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tarragon
• salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.

Chettinad Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken(medium) - 800 gm
Onions(medium) - 2 nos
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic pods - 4 - 6 nos
Green chillies - 4 nos
Red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 4 - 6 nos
Curry leaves - 10 - 12 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Salt - As reqd
Oil for shallow frying
Preparation Method

1)Clean, wash and slit chicken pieces, if they are too big.

2)Chop onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.

3)Grind together onions, ginger, garlic and chillies into a fine paste.

4)Blend turmeric powder, lemon juice and rice flour into the masala paste along with salt.

5)Apply this mixture along with shredded curry leaves onto the chicken and leave to marinate for 2 - 3 hrs in the refrigerator.

6)Heat oil in a shallow pan.

7)Add marinated chicken and saute for 2 mins on both sides to seal the exterior.

8)Reduce heat to medium, cover with the lid and cook for 15 - 20 mins, turning over and basting frequently with remaining marinade if any.

9)Sprinkle water, if chicken stays too dry.

:- The last few mins of cooking should be done on high heat so that the surface of the chicken becomes crispy and golden brown.

:- Serve hot as a side dish or with any Indian bread.

Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients
Chicken(wings & bones) - 1 lb
Allpurpose flour(Maida) - 1 1/2 tbsp
Egg - 1 no
Butter - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 3/4 tsp
Sugar - A pinch
Ajinomotto - A pinch
Salt - As reqd

Preparation Method

1)Make Chicken Stock with 4 cups of water. This is done by cooking chicken in a Pressure Cooker for 1 whistle. Strain and keep aside.

2)Shread flesh from wings and saute in 1 tsp butter and keep aside.

For Roux:
1)In a shallow pan, add butter.

2)Add maida and saute well.

3)Remove from fire before the colour changes.

4)Mix the roux to the stock.

5)Add sugar, salt and pepper.

6)Bring to a boil.

7)Reduce the flame to low medium.

8)Beat the egg with little salt and pepper.

9)Pour the beaten egg mix into the soup through a strainer.

10)Add ajinomotto.

11)Remove from fire.

12)Garnish with shredded chicken in each bowl before seving.

Tips:
1) You may add more roux to make the soup thicker.

2) Vary the amount of salt and pepper to taste.

Hot n spicy chilly chicken

Ingredients

Chicken(boned & skinned) - 1 lb
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 18 nos
(large chillies soaked in warm water)
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1 tsp
Fennel(Perinjeerakam) - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Fresh ginger - 3-4 pieces
(peeled & pulped)
Lemon juice - 1 no
Salt - As reqd
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Lemon wedges for garnishing

Note : Reduce Chilli if you don`t like spicy food
Preparation Method
1)Dry roast the cumin, fennel and coriander together and then grind with the drained chillies.

2)Mix the ground spices with ginger, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.

3)Chop chicken into bite size pieces.

4)Add chicken to bowl and mix with the marinade thoroughly.

5)Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6)Heat oil in steep sided pan or wok. You’ll need at least 1 inch of oil in bottom of the pan.

7)Fry chicken pieces (covered in marinade) a few at a time, do not overcrowd. Chicken should take only a few minutes to cook and will be dark golden brown on outside, white and juicy on the inside.

8)Allow each batch to drain on kitchen paper and allow oil to re-heat before next batch.

9)You can keep chicken warm in a low oven until all is ready.

10)Garnish with lemon wedges.

Indo-Chinese Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken(bone less) - 500 gm
(1 inch pieces)
Green chillies - 4 nos
(cut into halves)
Ginger - 1 inch piece
(finely chopped)
Garlic pods - 10 nos
(finely chopped)
Reddish orange color – 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - ½ tbsp
White vinegar - 2 tsp
Soya sauce – 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli sauce – 1 tbsp
China salt(Ajinomotto) – 1tsp
White pepper - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
(finely chopped)
Spring onions - 1 tbsp
(finely chopped)
Refined oil for deep frying

For the marinade:-
Multi purpose flour – 1/2 tbsp
Corn flour – 1 tbsp
Egg - 1
Salt - As reqd
Preparation Method

1)Marinate chicken in the above mentioned marinade for atleast an hour.

2)Heat oil in a deep skillet.

3)Fry the chicken pieces on medium flame, until they are golden brown and keep them aside.

4)Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet.

5)Saute ginger and garlic pieces for half a minute.

6)Add the fried chicken pieces to it.

7)Add Vinegar, Soya sauce, green chilli sauce and mix well.

8)Add a cup of water to it.

9)Add red chilliy powder, china salt, salt (if necessary) and cook.

10)When half of the water is evaporated, add green chillies to it and cook, till it gets dry.

11)At the end, add white pepper, coriander leaves and spring onions to it.

:- Serve hot.