Miso soup

Miso soup (or just Miso) became popular in Japan 750 years ago, and it is mostly eaten during breakfast.

The basic ingredients are dashi stock, tofu, and spring onions.

Dashi stock

There are different types of dashi, mainly kombu (dried kelp), katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes), niboshi (dried small sardines) and hoshi-shiitake (dried shiitake mushrooms). Sometimes a combination of them is used.

The most common dashi is made with kombu and katsuobushi. It can also be prepared from instant powder, or in case of emergency substituted by vegetable stock.

Traditional miso soup

Ingredients

−900ml kombu and katsuobushi Dashi stock
−3 tbsp of Miso
−175gr of Tofu
−6 small Spring onion

Preparation

Bring water to boil and add the kombu and katsuobushi. Boil for a few minutes while removing the foam from the top. Stop the heat and wait for the ingredients to sink. Sieve through kitchen paper.

Dissolve the miso in a small cup of the stock. Bring the rest of the stock to boil and add the tofu cubes. Boil for a few minutes and remove from heat. Add the diced spring onions and the miso (this shouldn't boil or the bacteria in the miso will die) and serve.

Variations

Add sliced mushrooms and noodles (udon for example) for a change.

Berenjenas rellenas

Ingredientes

− 2 berenjenas
− 400gr carne de buey picada
− 1 cebolla
− 2 dientes de ajo
− Worcestershire sauce
− Queso rallado

Preparación

Lavar y cortar las berenjenas en dos, realizando cortes profundos en la carne. Horneamos a 180 grados con sal y una pintada de aceite de oliva. CUando estén tiernas, vaciamos la carne y reservamos las pieles.

Freimos una cebolla grande y dos ajos en aceite, y a continuación añadimos la carne picada, bien salada y pimentada. Freimos un tiempy y añadimos Salsa de Worcestershire (a mi me gusta añadir bastante salsa). Luego añadimos la carne de las berenjenas troceadas y freimos hasta que las carnes estén hechas.

Podemos cambiar la salsa worcestershire por 4 cucharadas de tomate frito (o ketchup), vino blanco, oregano y maicena para espesar.

Añadimos queso rallado (cheddar,emmental o similar) y gratinamos.

Dulce de leche

Método tradicional

Ingredientes

−2 1/2 litros de leche entera −500 g azúcar blanca −1/2 vainilla −pizca de bicarbonato de sodio

Preparación

• Se pone la leche, con la vainilla abierta, sobre fuego medio, mezclando ocasionalmente con cuchara de madera. Tradicionalmente se usa una paila de cobre, pero puedes usar una olla de aluminio o similar.
  
  
  
  
  
• Cuando hierve se echa el azúcar con el bicarbonato. Se revuelve más seguido.
• La mezcla se reduce notablemente. Y toma un lindo color casi canela. Después de alrededor de una hora y media se comienza a espesar. El movimiento de la superficie es distinto y se siente el perfume de la leche como caramelizada. En este punto hay que estar más atentos y girar continuamente.
• Cuando comenzamos a ver el fondo de la olla está casi listo. El punto dependerá de la consistencia deseada. Se puede ver retirando un poco en un platito frío.
• Si no se va a consumir inmediatamente se puede guardar en frascos esterilizados como cualquier mermelada.

Para evitar tener que remover continuamente puedes colocar un plato, unas canicas o una cuchara en el fondo de la olla. Vía: La Majuluta

Método expréss

Tan sencillo como suena. Compras una late de leche condensada (no evaporada), y la pones de lado en la olla expréss cubierta completamente por agua (esto debe ser importante para evitar que la lata reviente).

Dejar hervir por una hora y antes de abrir dejas enfriar la lata por medios naturales.

Spicy prawn and chicken noodles

History

Noodles have been eaten in China since more than 4000 years. The oldest found were long, thin and made from millet. Later on Chinese started to eat wheat and rice noodles, mostly in northern and southern china respectively.In Chinese tradition they symbolize longevity and they are never cut.


Ingredients
− 500gr noodles
− 1 clove garlic
− 2 chicken breasts
− 200gr prawns
− half pak choi or green cabbage
− 1 large carrot
− 1 onion
− salt
− light soy sauce
− chili sauce/oil
− cornflour
− sherry

Preparation

Slice the chicken in strips and marinade in a mixture of sherry, light soy sauce and cornflour in equal parts (around 1 tbsp) for one hour.

Add half a cup of water with half a chicken stock cube, 1 tsp of light soy sauce, chili olive oil, sugar and 2 tsp of cornflower.

Cook the noodles and drain. Fry the thinly cut garlic and chicken on a wok until the chicken is nearly cooked. Add the prawn to the center and cook to completion. Set aside.

Stir fry the sliced pak choi in chili oil, add the sliced carrot and onion. When done, add some salt and set aside.

Stir fry the noodles with chili oil and 1 tbsp of light soy sauce. Add the chicken, prawn and vegetables to the wok. Stir the sauce and add to the wok, stirring until the sauce thickens.

Serve immediately.

Albóndigas caseras en salsa

Ingredientes
−1 diente de ajo
−perejil fresco picado
−pan rallado
−leche
−sal
−Dos patatas
−500 gr de carne picada de ternera de calidad (ó 250 cerdo 250 ternera)
− 2 huevos

Historia
Leemos en wikipedia que la palabra albóndiga es término procedente del árabe al-bunduqa = la bola. Los árabes enseñaron a los europeos a preparar este guiso de bolas de carne. El historiador granadino Luis del Mármol documenta el término en su Descripción general de África (1573): "Venden fideos, almojábanas y albóndigas hechas de carne picada con especias y fritas en aceite".

Preparación
En un mortero mezclamos el pan rallado con la leche y el ajo y el perejil picados. En una ensaladera mezclamos la carne picada con los huevos batidos y salamos. Añadimos la mezcla del mortero, salamos y amasamos.

Con la mezcla formamos las bolas y las pásamos por harina. Freimos en aceite de oliva a fuego vivo y reservamos.

En una cazuela de barro freimos una cebolla picada, y añadimos una cucharada sopera de harina que sofreimos. Añadimos una picada de ajo, perejil y comino molido, y cubrimos con dos dedos de agua. Añadimos las albóndigas y dejamos cocer por 5 ó 10 minutos hasta que espese. Rectificamos la sal.

Mientras se cuece, freimos unos taquitos de patata que añadiremos al final, minutos antes de servir.

Torrijas de Ama

La historia de las Torrijas comienza en la Antigua Roma. Todos los 12 de Abril (Pridie Idus Aprils) se celebraba la Ceralia, una fiesta que duraba varios días en honor a la Diosa Ceres (Deméter para los griegos) que conmemoraba la liberación de Proserpina (Perséfone).
Apicio, en uno de sus tratados de cocina, da la receta del "PANIS CUM LACTE" que hacemos en Semana Santa.

Ingredientes
−1 barra de pan (mejor del dia anterior), o pan de molde, o pan especial para torrijas.
−1 litro de leche
−1 rama de canela
−1 corteza de limon
−azucar al gusto (unas 6 cucharadas soperas)
−2 huevos para rebozar

Preparación

Hierves la leche con azucar, un palito de canela en rama y un trozo de corteza de limon. Cuando este templada dejas que el panse empape con cuidado que no se rompan. Las pasas por huevo batido y se frien en aceite caliente. Rociar con una mezcla de azucar morena y canela. Se ponen en un plato con papel de cocina para absorber el aceite extra y se dejan enfriar.

Podemos sustituir la leche por vino tinto, y hacemos obispos.

Hot cross buns (around 12)

From wikipedia,

In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733; it is believed that buns marked with a cross were eaten by Saxons in honour of the goddess Eostre (the cross is thought to have symbolised the four quarters of the moon); "Eostre" is probably the origin of the name "Easter".Others claim that the Greeks marked cakes with a cross, much earlier. Cakes were certainly baked in honor of deities since very ancient times, although it is not known if they were marked.

According to cookery writer Elizabeth David, Protestant English monarchs saw the buns as a dangerous hold-over of Catholic belief in England, being baked from the dough used in making the communion wafer. Protestant England attempted to ban the sale of the buns by bakers but they were too popular, and instead Elizabeth I passed a law permitting bakeries to sell them, but only at Easter and Christmas.

Ingredients
−50 g caster sugar, plus 1 level teaspoon
−1 level tablespoon dried yeast
−450 g plain flour
−1 level teaspoon salt
−1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice
−75 g currants
−50 g cut mixed peel
−40-55 ml warmed milk
−1 egg, beaten
−50 g butter
−2 level tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation

First stir the teaspoon of caster sugar into 150 ml hand-hot water, then sprinkle in the dried yeast and leave it until a good frothy 'beer' head forms.

Meanwhile sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a mixing bowl and add the remaining 50 g of sugar, the currants and mixed peel. Then make a well in the centre, pour in the yeast mixture plus 40 ml of milk (again hand-hot), the beaten egg and the melted butter. Now mix it to a dough, starting with a wooden spoon and finishing with your hands (add a spot more milk if it needs it).

Then transfer the dough on to a clean surface and knead it until it feels smooth and elastic – about 6 minutes. Now pop it back into the bowl, cover the bowl , and leave it in a warm place to rise – it will take about an hour to double its original size. Then turn it out and knead it again, back down to its original size.

Divide the mixture into 12 round portions, arrange them on the greased baking sheet (allowing plenty of room for expansion), and make a deep cross on each one with a sharp knife. Leave them to rise once more, covering again, for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 220°C.

Bake the buns for about 15 minutes. Then, while they're cooking, melt the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water for the glaze over a gentle heat and brush the buns with it as soon as they come out of the oven, to make them nice and sticky.

Czila's Holy Saturday dinner

To celebrate the end of lent ( Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday), a traditional festive Hungarian dinner is prepared for Holy Saturday. This includes cooked ham with hard-boiled eggs, fresh milk-loaf and pickled horseradish.Other fresh spring vegetables as lettuce, green onions and cucumber as well as daffodils and tulips as table decoration.

Cooked ham (serves 4)

Ingredients
−1 kg smoked good quality ham
−Bay leaves
−Whole black peppers
−2-3 gloves garlic

Preparation

Soak the ham in cold water for the night to dissolve the extra unwanted salt from the meat. Rinse and wash it. Put the ham with the bay leaves and the garlic, an cook for about 2/3 hours. (Pressure cooking is not recommended as it will dry the meat too much). Let the ham cool in the stock, and use the stock afterwards to boil the festive eggs on (duck, goose, quail...). Slice the ham and serve with the hard boiled eggs, pickled horseradish, milk loaf, green onions and other spring vegetables.

Pickled horseradish

Ingredients
−1-2 fresh horseradish (you can get this white root in vegetable markets)
−salt, sugar
−Broth
−Lemon juice or vinegar

Preparation

Peel the horseradish and grate it (probably in open air). Sprinkle with lemon juice not to turn grey and bitter. To make it less hot, put it in a hot oven or microwave for a while. Add salt and sugar to taste

You can also buy commercial horseradish sauce.

Milk loaf

Ingredients
−300 g flour
−50 ml lukewarm milk with a coffee-spoon of sugar in it
−25 g yeast
−50 g sugar
−2 sachets of vanilla sugar (20 g)
−2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
−80 g butter
−1 coffee-spoon oil
−150 g dried or candied fruits (raisins, prunes, apricot)
−grated rind of a well-washed orange

Preparation

Wash raisins in hot water, drain them and let them soak in rum. Crumble fresh yeast in the lukewarm sugary milk. Sieve flour in a deep bowl and make a small hollow in the middle with the back of your fist.Pour milk and yeast mixture in the hollow, sprinkle some flour on top, cover it with a tablecloth and let it rise in a warm place (takes about 15 minutes).

Melt the butter and let it cool a bit. Slightly beat up 2 whole eggs, mix them with 50 g sugar, rum strained from the raisins, and grated rind of a well-washed orange. Add this mixture and butter to the dough and knead it well until you get dough that has an elastic, blistery structure. It also pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It takes some time and it's a great physical exercise.

Butter a baking form. Place dough on a slightly floured board and knead it well. Roll it out to make about a 25x40 cm rectangle. Sprinkle raisins and dried, candied fruits over it. Roll it up and form a ring by sticking together the two ends of the roll. Place the ring in the baking form, cover it with a kitchen cloth and let it rise until it fills out the form (about 30-40 minutes).

Preheat oven up to 220 °C and place a heat-resistant bowl or can with hot water in it on bottom of the oven (the steam is necessary for baking the batter). Cut zig-zag forms in the top of the dough with scissors.

Mix egg yolk with oil and brush dough with the mixture. It’ll give a nice glaze to the milk loaf. You can sprinkle the top with some peeled almonds.

Bake dough in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 220 °C, than reduce heat down to 200 °C and bake it for about another 60 minutes. Cover dough with foil should the top start to brown.

Let milk loaf cool a bit in the form then remove it onto a tray. Slice it up and sprinkle it with castor sugar.

Zucchini Tortilla (4 people)

Ingredients
−400gr of zucchini (courgette)
−200gr tomatoes
−3 big spring onions
−2 gloves of garlic
−chopped parsley & thyme, salt & pepper

Preparation

Chop all ingredients and stir fry in a bit of olive oil or butter for 5 minutes. Beat 6 eggs, add the spices and pour them into the pan. Chop the tomatoes on top, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes.

Place it in a preheated oven to 200 degrees for 10 minutes and serve.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients
−200 gr plain flour
−1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
−225gr carrots
−250 gr dark brown sugar
−150ml sunflower oil
−grated zest of 1 large orange
−2 medium sized free range eggs
−110gr sultanas
−50gr dessicated coconut
−juice of 1 small orange

Preparation

Preheat oven to 150 degress. Peel and grate the carrots (200gr left). Mix 175gr of the sugar with the oil and orange zest. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Fold in the flour until smooth, mixing it well with an electric mixer. Then add then carrots, sultanas, coconut and chopped walnuts.

Bake on an oiled loaf tin for 1h 25min.

Two options here. Either add the oranje juice to the mix for an extra sponginess, or reserve and heat it with the remaining sugar and juice from one lemon in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. When done, prick holes over the cake with a skewer and pour over the orangey syrup into the holes.

Leave to cool completely.

My Spanish omelette - 3/4 people

Ingredients
−3 big potatoes
−1 big onion (or several spring onions)
−4 eggs
−Mild olive oil

Preparation

Use a good non-sticking (very important!) medium sized frying pan. Fill with one finger of olive oil and add the peeled and chopped onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions are soft and brown. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut in dices. Once the onions are ready, add the potatoes to the pan, with salt. Leave at medium/low heat until they get soft and brown. This is more boiling in oil than frying, and it usually takes around 30 or 40 minutes.

Once ready, remove the potatoes to a big bowl, removing as much oil as possible. Beat the eggs ,salt and add to the potatoes. Heat the same pan on low fire (which is already oiled because we haven't cleaned it) and add the mixture to it. Flatten with a spoon (it should be like two fingers thick) and let it cook very slowly.

The most tricky part is to know when to turn the omelette. After a couple of minutes, shake the pan to avoid the omelette sticking to it, it should eventually move freely from side to side. Once the egg on the top starts to cook (ideally you can see small bubbles through the omelette), it's time to turn it around.

Cover the pan with a big plate so that it is well covered. Over the sink and with a quick movement, turn the pan over so that the omelette falls to the plate. Put the pan on the low fire again, and put the omelette back in the pan to cook the other side.

This side will be quicker, so two or three minutes should be enough. Get a clean big plate, and turn the omelette once again to serve.