Russian Monday: Cheese & Garlic Salad

Although, today is not a Monday but I feel this post is very appropriate for Easter. It was my husband’s idea to make a post about this salad. He loves it and remembers eating it back home on every holiday. The dish is very simple, but I am sure you will love the taste. Pick your favorite cheese or combination of cheeses. Amount of garlic is totally up to you, our family loves a lot of it-)) Also you can serve it on top of cherry or plum tomatoes, and fresh spring herbs would be a wonderful addition.

Baked Brie with Wild Mushrooms, Garlic & Fresh Parsley - Video Post

Today I have a video recipe for you. This is my first attempt, hence please treat it kindly-)) I would love to hear your thoughts, impressions and what other recipes you would like to see on video. Thank you for visiting Cooking Melangery!

Summer Vegetarian Sandwich, #OXOGreenSaver & Melissa's Cucumbers

The meaty texture of baby portobello mushrooms combined with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumbers and fresh micro greens makes a substantial sandwich. Swiss cheese adds richness to this summer lunch. This version is especially good on a whole wheat or multigrain bread.

Green Apple Salad with Celery, Pecans & Honey

Spring beauty comes in many forms! Enjoy your beautiful day!

Homemade Beet Pasta & SAVORA GIVEAWAY

This is a colorful pasta, made from roasted beets with a sweet aftertaste and a lovely bright color that marries best with cheese sauce and fresh herbs thats show off its beauty. Small beets will impart magenta color; larger beets will impart a darker, almost purplish color. Some of the color will inevitably leach out into the water, but the cooked pasta will still be quite bright.

Fettuccine with Roasted Pumpkin Puree & Walnuts

The season of pumpkins is behind us, but this is the vegetable my family and I can eat all year round. Before the farms close their doors for picking late fruits and vegetables, I always make sure to have enough pumpkins in my refrigerator for at least three months. Luckily, in cool place this vegetable can stay fresh for a while and we have a pleasure to cook sweet and fantastic dishes all winter. Usually we have pumpkin madness around Thanksgiving holiday and this dish should give you very sweet and pleasant déjà vu. Nice garlicky roasted pumpkin with quinoa fettuccine will delight you with earthy and nutty flavors, but you can switch pasta to any other of your choosing. This is absolutely stunning dish which is very simple to cook.

Quiche Lorraine (Whole Wheat Pastry)

This classic quiche has some delightful characteristics that are often forgotten in modern recipes; namely very thin pastry, a creamy, light filling and smoked bacon. Perfect for brunch, parties or family suppers, this tasty quiche celebrates a timeless combination of cheese and bacon, accompanied by a salad and fresh fruit.

Russian Monday: Mushrooms with Sour Cream Sauce - "Gribi v Smetane"

Mushrooms are traditional ingredient of Russian cuisine. For centuries, our ancestors used bounty of forest to diversify their menu. And even today with enormous variety of options, ingredients, recipes from around the world available to us true gourmets love tasty and fragrant mushrooms in sour cream.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice & Mushrooms

Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice and Mushrooms makes a pleasant lunch dish or an attractive accompaniment to main dishes.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Figs, Honey and Pistachios - Appetizer or Dessert

There is something inherently gratifying about a cheese course, one that combines soft brie cheese with sweet fruit and crunchy, toasted nuts. This elegant dish hides a mouthwatering mixture of flavors, and makes a delicious appetizer or lunch, or wholly satisfying and truly unique dessert.

Rustic Beef Tomato & Carrots Chili - NO Beans

This is certainly a simple and interesting dish, it looks like a chili, though a bit unusual. This sort of chili is normally not made with beans. Basically what you have is a bowl of meat, carrots and spices in tomato sauce. But you can serve it different ways.

When you serve it "two way", the sauce comes on a pile of spaghetti. When you serve it "three way", you add some grated cheese. A "four way" adds chopped yellow onions and a "five way" adds some sour cream. You can have great fun with this and I am sure that your children will think up some additional "ways" of serving this delicious dish.

Grape Focaccia With Rosemary

This amazingly light bread has a thin crisp top crust with a fine layer of of aromatic rosemary and sweet grapes. Its delicately flavored moist, tender crumb; its top is golden and sparkling with crystals of salt and sugar. Serve with good cheese, like Gorgonzola or Roquefort, it makes a perfect cheese-and-fruit course. Or snack on a warm slice with espresso in the afternoon, a glass of wine in the evening.

Shiitake Mushroom Quiche with Gluten-Free Crust

Shiitake Mushroom Quiche with Herbed Gluten-Free Crust recipe is ideal for brunches, lunches, light afternoon meals or picnics. Shiitake mushrooms give a special and wonderful flavor. The wine and sage are counterpointed by the earthy mushrooms in this preparation. This quiche is adequate for six people as a starter or for four as a luncheon main course. Best served with a salads like tomato, cucumber and radishes or steamed fresh asparagus.

Shrimp with Lemon & Garlic Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta and Giveaway

There's just something about the experience of eating a plate of noodles that makes you want more.

Shrimp with Lemon and Garlic Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta is one of the favorite Italian way of serving pappardelle. This sauce can also be used with any other fresh or dried broad noodles. Bear in mind that, other than during springtime when fresh English peas are at their peak of season, you are best off making this dish with frozen peas; look for a good brand of frozen petite peas, which should have excellent flavor and texture in the finished sauce.

Cheeseburger Soup

This warming soup just perfect for taking the edge off hearty appetite on a cold winter's day. Delicious when served with extra cheese and toasted bread.

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese with Shrimp - Perfect Comfort Food

People ask me all the time how I arrange my food when I photograph it. Most of the time I am thinking about how it is going to look, imagining different backgrounds with all kinds of plates, bowls and cutlery. I am thinking about the flowers or dry leaves or herbs I would love to use in my sets, the colors I would need and which of them would be fitting for that specific dish. This usually takes me about a couple of days, then, when I have it all clear in my mind, I proceed.

Smoked Rainbow Trout and Mushrooms Quiche

Perfect for picnics, parties or family suppers, this tasty quiche celebrates a timeless combination: cheese, smoked trout and mushrooms. The ingredients in this light but richly flavored quiche perfectly complement the melt-in-the-mouth pastry, which is made with potatoes.



Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 1 floury potato, about 4 oz, roughly diced
• 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup butter, diced
• 1 small egg, beaten
• about 2 tsp chilled water

For the filling:

• 10 oz hot smoked trout, flaked
• 2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

To make the pastry, cook the diced potato in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain well through a colander and return the potato too the pan. Mash until smooth and set aside to cool while you make the pastry.

Place the flout in a large bowl and rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat in the potatoes and egg. Bring the mixture together, adding chilled water if needed. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a deep 9in round, loose-based, fluted flan tin (quiche pan). Chill for 1 hour.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400ºF.

To make the filling, roughly chop the smoked trout into bitesize pieces and set aside. Heat the butter in a large, deep frying pan and add the onions and mushrooms. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally for about 7-10 minutes. Mix with smoked trout and put into the prepared pastry shell.

In a bowl, combine the cream, milk and. Using a whisk or fork, beat until well blended. Stir in some of the cheese and season with salt and black. Pour into the pastry shell and sprinkle the top lightly with remaining cheese.

Bake until the custard is set and the tip of a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for several minutes before serving.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach and Walnuts on Toast

What is your favorite Stuffed Mushrooms recipe?

Ingredients:

• 12 large button mushrooms, scrubbed clean, stems separated from the caps
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, minced 
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 5 Tbsp chopped and toasted walnuts
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp grated cheese
• bread for serving

Directions:

Scrub the mushrooms well first, then just snap out the stems. They'll come out easily, no need to use a knife. Finely chop the mushroom stems. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped mushroom stems and onions for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add spinach and garlic and sprinkle with salt. Stir well and sauté 2 more minutes.

In the large bowl mix together mushrooms mixture, toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, thyme and a little seasoning.




Heat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and brush over with a little olive oil. Place the mushrooms, cap side down, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with a small pinch each of salt and pepper.

Spread a teaspoonful of the mixture on the top of each mushroom, then drizzle over a little olive oil and grated cheese of your desire. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Lightly toast the bread in the meantime. Place a couple of slices on each warm serving plate and arrange the mushrooms on top. Serve warm. Equally good on a leafy salad as an appetizer.

Baked Scallops with Cheese and Wine Sauce

This is a very old recipe but none the less a very tasty one. The choice of cheese you use is entirely up to you, although I would stay away from really strong cheeses or you will lose the flavor of the scallops.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tblsp butter 
• 1 ½ tblsp all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup milk
• salty and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup finely diced fontina cheese
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 12 scallops on the ½ shell
• 2 tblsp dry breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place the wine, bay leaf, peppercorns, and onion in a small pan and bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by three quarters. Strain the liquid and set aside.



Melt the butter in a small pan and add the flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk and the wine reduction, stirring until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and black pepper, then add the fontina and the mustard.

Preheat the broiler. Spoon this mixture over the scallops and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Cook under the broiler until crisp and golden brown and serve immediately.



Tip for Buying and Storing Scallops:
Be sure to smell them on the premises, since scallops are perishable. They should have a sweet mild fresh odor; a strong-smelling scallop is a stale one. Refrigerate them in a leak-proof plastic bag in a bowl of ice, and cook them as soon as possible.

The Noncollapsible Cheese Souffle with Mushrooms and Wasabi

Souffle Demoule Mousseline
This recipe adapted from 
The Noncollapsible Unmolded Cheese Souffle
by Julia Child from The French Chef Cookbook, 1961



"Most souffles are prima donnas in the kitchen: they have to be baked just so, and served just when, and are always trembling on the verge of collapse. They are the boss of things, not you. Here's a recipe that turns the tables on the souffle, and puts you in command: you can keep it warm in the oven, you can reheat it, and best of all, you can serve it unmolded so it makes a splendid effect, standing serenely on its platter."



Preliminaries:

• A Baking Dish to hold the souffle dish
• A 2-quart straight-sided baking dish 4 to 5 inches deep, for the souffle
• 1/2 Tbs softened butter
• 2 Tbs finely-grated cheese (recipe calls for Swiss cheese, I used Parmesan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put enough water in the baking dish so it will come at least halfway up the souffle dish; place dish of water in lower third of oven (remove souffle dish). Spread butter inside souffle dish, being sure bottom is especially well-coated; roll cheese around in dish to cover bottom and sides.



The Souffle Sauce Base:

• 2 1/2 Tbs butter
• Heavy-bottomed saucepan
• A heavy-bottomed 2 1/2-quart soucepan
• A Wooden spoon
• 3 Tbs flour
• 3/4 cup hut milk
• A wire wisk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg (I did not use nutmeg, I used Wasabi 1/4 tsp)

Melt butter in pan. Stir in flour with wooden spoon and cook slowly, stirring for 2 minutes without browning. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, then beat in all hot milk, stirring vigorously with a wire wisk. Boil, storring for 1/2 minute (my mixture was way too thick to do anything like "boil," so I just turned on the heat for a moment. I doubt this did anything, but it made me feel like I was following directions.) Remove from heat, beat in salt, pepper and wasabi (or nutmeg).



Adding Eggs To Sauce Base:

• 3 eggs + 3 extra egg whites
• A Clean, dry bowl
• A Wisk or mixer
• A Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup coarsely grated cheese (Julia said swiss cheese, I used 1/2 cup cheddar + parmesan, and 1/2 cup cooked chopped shitaki mushrooms)

  

Break the eggs one by one, dropping the whites into the clean bowl and beating the yolks into the hot sauce. Add the 3 extra egg whites to those in the bowl, and with a clean, dry whip or electric mixer, beat them for a moment at moderate speed until the begin to foam. Add the salt and cream of tartar, and beat at top speed until egg whites hold in a mass in the beater, and when beater is lifted the egg whites form stiff peaks with slightly drooping points.
Stir one fourth of the egg whites into the hot sauce, to lighten it. Stir in the cheese and mushrooms; scoop the rest of the egg whites on top. Fold the egg whites into the sauce, using a rubber spatula and plunging it down through the center of the mixture, drawing it to the side of the pan, turning it, and lifting it out.You will thus bring a bit of the sauce up over the egg whites, and prevent the whites from collapsing. Fold rapidly, turning the pan as you go; the whole operation should not take more than half a minute.

Baking:
I will paraphrase the author's lengthy instructions:
Pour into prepared dish, place carefully into pan of water, then bake at 350F for 85 minutes.
The souffle is now baked, quite brown on top and much softer on the bottom -- I'd place it in the lowest rack of the oven next time. But! It's pretty delicious. Very cheesy and eggy, soft with crispiness on top and edges. I will definitely try again, with spinach or some other addition.

Serve the souffle with tomatoes, or shellfish sauce, or with cooked peas, asparagus tips or chicken livers. A dry white wine, such as a Riesling, would go nicely, along with French bread and tossed green salad.