On Sunday, we made an Austrian dinner. We focused on regional specialties of Salzburg.
The Menu:
Appetizer: Cheese dumplings (with a lager for the grownups)
Main Course: Broiled trout
sauerkraut
apple slices
Dessert: Salzburger Nockerl (a souffle-like dessert, served with jam)
While planning the meal, I discovered Wikipedia's cookbook, which I used for the cheese dumpling recipe and the Salzburger Nockerl recipe.
Steve and I loved all of it. M didn't care for the sauerkraut (too "pocky" -- M's word for sour). The cheese dumplings went especially well with beer.
My nockerl fell after coming out of the oven. But after reading this, how could I feel bad? To paraphrase them, "if they can’t make it in Vienna, you might think twice before trying it in Minnesota."
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Chinese New Year
新年快乐! Happy Chinese New Year!
We celebrated last night by making a Chinese meal, technically in M's words a "Review of China" (review means our second or subsequent dinner from the same country). This meal may have been our biggest hit yet, little dinner conversation save "This is GREAT!" and almost nothing left for lunch the next day.
We made paper lanterns to decorate the table. Very easy craft for the kiddos, even Dad can make them. :)
The menu:
Chinese noodles with tofu and hazelnuts,
Clams steamed with ginger and scallions,
and
Toffee and Sesame Bananas for dessert
The recipes for noodles and the bananas came from the BBC's Good Food website, which I will be frequenting much more often.
M's Interruption
M is enjoying a Presidents' Day play date with a classmate. Right now they have the Football Guys out -- if you don't know about Football Guys, well, you should, check them out here.
Before his friend came over, M dictated his Interruption to me:
"Noodles...clams...toffee bananas, very flavorful. Yup, this was a very flavorful dinner."
Recipes
Chinese Noodles with Tofu & Hazelnuts -- I used my new KitchenAid pasta making attachment for my stand mixer. This is a wonderful recipe, but even better with homemade pasta!!
250g packet medium egg noodle
2 tbsp olive oil
handful coriander , roughly chopped (that's cilantro to the Americans)
300g mangetout (that's sugar snap peas)
1 red chilli , seeded and finely chopped (I left this out)
handful toasted hazelnuts , roughly chopped
349g pack silken tofu , cut into cubes
3 tbsp Chinese yellow beans sauce
1. Drop the noodles into a pan of boiling water, cook for 4 mins, then drain. Drizzle over a little oil and mix in half the coriander.
2. Heat a wok over a medium heat. Pour in the remaining oil, then throw in the mangetout and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add the chilli and cook for 2 mins more until the beans are just tender.
3. Tip the hazelnuts, tofu and yellow bean sauce into the wok and stir to warm through. Finally, stir in the remaining coriander, season if you want to, and serve with the noodles.
Toffee & Sesame Bananas
This is as heavenly as it sounds. I found vanilla bean gelato at the local supermarket. Muscovado sugar isn't easy to find around here. But, oh, oh, oh, it was worth the extra trips. It has a strong molasses flavor and makes a perfect toffee sauce.
* 6 large bananas , peeled and quartered
* 8 tbsp light muscovado sugar
* 2 tbsp butter
* 200ml double cream
* 2 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted
* good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve
1. Toss the bananas in 2 tbsp of the sugar. Heat a griddle to medium, then cook the bananas, a few pieces at a time, until sticky and showing griddle marks. Keep warm in a low oven.
2. For the sauce, put the remaining sugar, the butter and cream into a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has melted. Stir in the sesame seeds. Can be made up to a day ahead. To serve, put a few pieces of banana into 8 serving dishes, spoon over some of the caramel, then top with a scoop of ice cream.
Late Post: Haiti
In late January, we made an Around the World dinner from Haiti.
It was a big hit: salmon, black beans, and rice are always favorites here. Haitian black beans and rice are flavored with cinnamon, not a spice I usually use in bean dishes, but I might now. Yum, yum, yum.
For dessert, I made Pain Patate, a sweet potato pudding. Steve and I loved it. M wasn't as impressed as us. Here's a link to the Pain Patate recipe.
On a non-culinary note, if you want to read a different take on the situation in Haiti, I strongly recommend this blog entry by travel guidebook writer Rick Steves.
It was a big hit: salmon, black beans, and rice are always favorites here. Haitian black beans and rice are flavored with cinnamon, not a spice I usually use in bean dishes, but I might now. Yum, yum, yum.
For dessert, I made Pain Patate, a sweet potato pudding. Steve and I loved it. M wasn't as impressed as us. Here's a link to the Pain Patate recipe.
On a non-culinary note, if you want to read a different take on the situation in Haiti, I strongly recommend this blog entry by travel guidebook writer Rick Steves.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
China!
We're a little late posting about this one. Last Sunday, on the last night of M's winter break, we made a Chinese dinner. Here's the menu:
Cauliflower with Lima Beans
Peanuts and Green Beans
Rice
and for dessert we had tangerines
M's interruption: I liked the lima beans and rice best. I also liked the tangerines but I wish tangerines had fewer seeds.
Back to Anne. M's uncle (my brother Peter) and his family sent us a big crate of oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit for Christmas. We have finished all but the tangerines, so I was glad to see that Mandarin oranges are a common dessert in China. I know tangerines and Mandarin oranges aren't quite the same, but close enough.
For our recent dinners, I had been searching Wikipedia and various recipe sites for ideas and recipes. This time, however, I went back to a favorite cookbook "Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking." The recipes are always delish and I love reading her notes at the start of the recipes.
Cauliflower with Lima Beans
Peanuts and Green Beans
Rice
and for dessert we had tangerines
M's interruption: I liked the lima beans and rice best. I also liked the tangerines but I wish tangerines had fewer seeds.
Back to Anne. M's uncle (my brother Peter) and his family sent us a big crate of oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit for Christmas. We have finished all but the tangerines, so I was glad to see that Mandarin oranges are a common dessert in China. I know tangerines and Mandarin oranges aren't quite the same, but close enough.
For our recent dinners, I had been searching Wikipedia and various recipe sites for ideas and recipes. This time, however, I went back to a favorite cookbook "Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking." The recipes are always delish and I love reading her notes at the start of the recipes.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Special December Around the World Dinner: Christmas
Last night, we had an Around the World dinner of Christmas dishes from different countries. We enjoyed all of the dishes.
Menu:
Ensalada de Navidad (Mexico, literally Christmas salad)
Moros y Cristianos (Cuba, black beans and rice, literally Moors and Christians)
Kartoffelsalat (Germany, potato salad)
German Christmas cookies
The cookies and ensalada de Navidad were M's favorites. M is dictating to me, since he is busy making a Christmas present for his dad (aka Steve). M helped make the cookies and learned how to grate lemon peel. M says "The cookies were awesome" and I have to agree. We made extras to share with M's grandparents who will be visiting later in the week. M is also going to leave some for Santa.
I used Wikipedia's Holiday Greetings page to make a quiz about how to say Merry Christmas in lots of languages. M and Steve worked together and were able to get 8 out of 11 right.
the recipes:
German Christmas Cookies (they probably have another name, but this is how I found them on cooks.com. I cut the recipe in half and it still made 54 cookies! This is the full recipe.)
8 eggs
4 cups sugar
4 oz. chopped citron
4 oz. blanched almonds
grated rind of 2 lemons
9 cups flour
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Beat 8 eggs. Add 4 cups sugar, beat until smooth, about 15 minutes. Add 4 ounces chopped citron, 4 ounces blanched almonds, (which have been coarsely chopped) and the grated rind of 2 lemons.
Sift together 9 cups flour, add 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, 2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper to flour and sift again. Add to the first mixture.
Roll out dough 3/4 inch thick. Cut into small rounds 1-inch in diameter.
Before baking, turn each cookie upside down, put a drop of water on each and bake at 350°F. for 15 minutes.
Ensalada de Navidad - Christmas Salad (I skipped the pomegranate seeds)
10 servings
Ingredients
2 small cooked beets, peeled and diced
1 large cooked carrot diced
1 orange, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/4 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and diced
1 large banana, diced
1/2 cup unsalted nuts, almonds or peanuts
seeds of 1/2 small pomegranate
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
3 tbsp salad oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
dash of salt
Mix all the fruits. Put lime or lemon juice, salad oil, sugar and salt into a screw top jar. Shake until blended and sugar has dissolved. Pour the dressing over the fruit salad and toss well.
Pile the salad into a salad bowl and garnish with the nuts and pomegranate seeds. Let it stand in the refrigerator until chilled.
Serve chilled.
Kartoffelsalat (I used faux bacon instead of real)
Ingredients
* 10 medium potatoes well scrubbed
* 1 large white onion chopped
* 1/2 cup cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup water
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
* 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Cook potatoes in water until tender.
2. While hot remove skins and set potatoes aside until cool enough to handle comfortably.
3. Slice into a large bowl.
4. Simmer onion in a saucepan with vinegar and water until tender.
5. Pour over potatoes and allow to stand until cold.
6. Do not mix or disturb the potatoes as they will crumble and become mushy.
7. When potatoes are cool add oil, bacon, parsley, salt and pepper then toss gently to blend flavors.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Special December Around the World Dinner: Hanukkah
M and I decided that we would do two special Around the World Dinners in December: we made the first one last night, with a theme of Hanukkah, and the next will be Christmas Around the World (next Sunday, Dec 20).
For our Hanukkah meal, we made:
Central European Cheese Dumplings
Latkes
& Applesauce
We also bought three wooden dreidels, one for each of us, and learned to play the dreidel game.
M's interruption
the dreidel game is fun. i drew a menorah. the food was okay.
Back to Anne. M is fighting a cold and did not have much of an appetite last night. Otherwise, I think he would have enjoyed the dinner more. Certainly, Steve and I didn't have trouble eating our share! :)
While looking for instructions for the dreidel game, I found this. It's worth a couple of minutes for a good laugh!
The recipes:
Cheese Dumplings (the recipe from "Olive Trees and Honey" via Epicurious)
We made half the recipe following the standard recipe, and half using the jam option (below). Both were wonderful!
Ingredients:
* 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) pot or soft goat cheese
* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese or mascarpone, softened
* 1/4 cup grated onion
* 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* About 3/4 cup semolina flour, farina (not quick-cooking), or matza meal
1. In a food processor or blender, or with an electric mixer, combine the cheeses, onion, and salt. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in enough of the semolina to produce a firm dough. (Getting the moisture level right so that the batter holds together in your hand is the tricky part.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. (The semolina absorbs moisture from the batter and firms it.)
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Using 2 moistened soup spoons or your hands moistened with water, form the batter into 1 1/2-inch balls.
3. Drop the dumplings in the water in batches and stir gently to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until they expand and rise to the surface, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Serve warm. To keep warm or reheat, place in a 200°F oven.
Austrian Jam-Filled Cheese Dumplings (Gefulte Topfenknodel)
In the dumpling batter, omit the onion and add 3 to 5 tablespoons sugar and, if desired, 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest. Press a deep indentation into the cheese balls, fill with about 1/4 teaspoon lekvar (prune butter) or other jam (about 1/4 cup total), and press the dough around the filling to enclose. Cook as above. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, or jam.
Potato Pancakes / Latkes (from theveggietable.com)
Yield 15 latkes, enough for about 4 servings
Time 30 minutes
Tools
* grater
* colander
* wooden spoon
* knife
* food processor, blender, or large bowl
* large frying pan
* spatula
* paper towels
* oven-safe plate
Ingredients
* 6 medium potatoes (2 pounds)
* 1 small white onion, peeled
* 2 large eggs
* ¼ c unbleached white flour OR matzo meal
* ½ t salt
* pinch baking powder
* black pepper
* several T vegetable oil
Directions Grate potatoes, place in colander, and press with wooden spoon to squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer to blender, food processor, or bowl.
Mince or finely grate onion and add to potatoes along with eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Process/mix until well combined. (If you're using a blender, you might find it easier to do this in two batches and then mix them together.)
Heat oven to 200. Place paper towels on plate and set next to stove.
Add enough oil to frying pan to just cover the bottom and heat until a drop of water dropped on it sizzles. Put three or four scoops of latke batter into pan to make pancakes and press each one down. Fry until brown and crisp, turn, and repeat. Place latkes on paper towels and keep warm in the oven.
Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to pan as needed. Serve immediately.
For our Hanukkah meal, we made:
Central European Cheese Dumplings
Latkes
& Applesauce
We also bought three wooden dreidels, one for each of us, and learned to play the dreidel game.
M's interruption
the dreidel game is fun. i drew a menorah. the food was okay.
Back to Anne. M is fighting a cold and did not have much of an appetite last night. Otherwise, I think he would have enjoyed the dinner more. Certainly, Steve and I didn't have trouble eating our share! :)
While looking for instructions for the dreidel game, I found this. It's worth a couple of minutes for a good laugh!
The recipes:
Cheese Dumplings (the recipe from "Olive Trees and Honey" via Epicurious)
We made half the recipe following the standard recipe, and half using the jam option (below). Both were wonderful!
Ingredients:
* 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) pot or soft goat cheese
* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese or mascarpone, softened
* 1/4 cup grated onion
* 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* About 3/4 cup semolina flour, farina (not quick-cooking), or matza meal
1. In a food processor or blender, or with an electric mixer, combine the cheeses, onion, and salt. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. Beat in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in enough of the semolina to produce a firm dough. (Getting the moisture level right so that the batter holds together in your hand is the tricky part.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. (The semolina absorbs moisture from the batter and firms it.)
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Using 2 moistened soup spoons or your hands moistened with water, form the batter into 1 1/2-inch balls.
3. Drop the dumplings in the water in batches and stir gently to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until they expand and rise to the surface, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Serve warm. To keep warm or reheat, place in a 200°F oven.
Austrian Jam-Filled Cheese Dumplings (Gefulte Topfenknodel)
In the dumpling batter, omit the onion and add 3 to 5 tablespoons sugar and, if desired, 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest. Press a deep indentation into the cheese balls, fill with about 1/4 teaspoon lekvar (prune butter) or other jam (about 1/4 cup total), and press the dough around the filling to enclose. Cook as above. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, or jam.
Potato Pancakes / Latkes (from theveggietable.com)
Yield 15 latkes, enough for about 4 servings
Time 30 minutes
Tools
* grater
* colander
* wooden spoon
* knife
* food processor, blender, or large bowl
* large frying pan
* spatula
* paper towels
* oven-safe plate
Ingredients
* 6 medium potatoes (2 pounds)
* 1 small white onion, peeled
* 2 large eggs
* ¼ c unbleached white flour OR matzo meal
* ½ t salt
* pinch baking powder
* black pepper
* several T vegetable oil
Directions Grate potatoes, place in colander, and press with wooden spoon to squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer to blender, food processor, or bowl.
Mince or finely grate onion and add to potatoes along with eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Process/mix until well combined. (If you're using a blender, you might find it easier to do this in two batches and then mix them together.)
Heat oven to 200. Place paper towels on plate and set next to stove.
Add enough oil to frying pan to just cover the bottom and heat until a drop of water dropped on it sizzles. Put three or four scoops of latke batter into pan to make pancakes and press each one down. Fry until brown and crisp, turn, and repeat. Place latkes on paper towels and keep warm in the oven.
Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to pan as needed. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
We're back! Korea!
It has been a busy fall and we have not done as many Around the World dinners as we would have liked. A couple of weeks ago, in honor of our parent/child Spanish class, we did a review of Spain. And last night, we did a Korean dinner.
M's interruption
We had bibimbap, which is rice with veggies, tofu and egg. I especially liked the rice and egg.
Back to Anne. Thanks, M, for describing the menu. The veggies were steamed carrots (tossed with a little rice vinegar), stir-fried spinach, boiled bean sprouts tossed with a little seasame oil, and stir-fried zucchini. All the veggies and tofu and a fried egg are arranged on top of a bowl of rice. Steve and I added kimchi and red chili paste to our bowls. Bibimbap is much like a Korean version of the Japanese chirashi sushi (which I think we described in an earlier post). A big hit -- and has enough leftovers to make a second dinner!
I prepared the meal without specific recipes, but here's a link I used for some guidance:
Enjoy!
M's interruption
We had bibimbap, which is rice with veggies, tofu and egg. I especially liked the rice and egg.
Back to Anne. Thanks, M, for describing the menu. The veggies were steamed carrots (tossed with a little rice vinegar), stir-fried spinach, boiled bean sprouts tossed with a little seasame oil, and stir-fried zucchini. All the veggies and tofu and a fried egg are arranged on top of a bowl of rice. Steve and I added kimchi and red chili paste to our bowls. Bibimbap is much like a Korean version of the Japanese chirashi sushi (which I think we described in an earlier post). A big hit -- and has enough leftovers to make a second dinner!
I prepared the meal without specific recipes, but here's a link I used for some guidance:
Enjoy!
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