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.

My New Orderly Kitchen

My dear readers, as many of you know that during the summer time, my blog was a little lonely as I did not post any new recipes for you. Unfortunately, I did not take a vacation to some exotic place and forgot all about the blog nor did I abandon it. We were renovating our kitchen and it took us four long month to do so. In the beginning, we only planned to change our cabinets, but we ended up changing pretty much everything: floor, lights, walls, fireplace, furniture and dishwasher.

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.

Curried Fried Eggplant and Bob's Red Mill's Spar for the Spurtle Oatmeal Recipe Contest + GIVEAWAY

Bob’s Red Mill kicked off its second annual Spar for the Spurtle 2 Oatmeal Recipe Contest which invites home cooks and professional chefs alike to submit videos demonstrating a unique recipe that makes use of Bob’s Red Mill’s Steel Cut Oats – the World’s Best Oatmeal.

The complete rules can be found here, but basically you submit a 3 minute video featuring your unique recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. Last year’s winner was Merry Graham, whose winning entry was Black Bean Porridge Patties.

Three finalists will be flown to Portland, Oregon to compete in a live cook-off. The winner of the cook-off will then be sent on an all-expense-paid trip for 2 to Scotland to represent Bob’s Red Mill in the 19th annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship!

The grand prize, includes the following:

• Round-trip airfare for two to Scotland to represent Bob's Red Mill at the 19th annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in October 2012
• Two nights' accommodations in Edinburg, three nights' accommodations in Carrbridge (for two)
• Rail transportation between Edinburgh and Carrbridge (for two)
• $2500 cash!

How cool is it?

The deadline to submit your videos is July 20th, which is less than a week away.  To help spark your creativity, the folks at Bob’s Red Mill have generously offered to do a giveaway! The first five readers who enter a video and then let me know, then you’re getting a prize pack filled with goodies from Bob's.

The prize pack from Bob’s Red Mill would include the following :

• Honey Oat Granola
• Cinnamon Raisin Granola
• Scottish Oats
• 7 Grain Pancake Mix

The rules are simple:

• Submit a video entry for the Spar for the Spurtle 2 Contest 
• Leave a comment here to let me know you entered

The deadline to submit a video entry is July 20, 2012, this giveaway will end on July 19, 11:59 pm

Good luck!



Today I have a very simple eggplant recipe for Curried Fried Eggplant, eaten as the side dish for a healthy salad.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 small eggplants, cut into slices about 7-10 mm thick, no need to peel
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 3 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp curry powder

Directions:

In the small bowl mix together breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and curry powered. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pan. Dip the eggplant slices into the beaten egg mixture. Then cover slices thoroughly in a breadcrumbs mixture. Fry them till golden brown.

I served them with the white peach chutney (I will post the recipe for chutney later). Quick, easy and delicious!

Hard-cooked Egg and Prosciutto Sandwich with Avocado and Basil, and Giveaway

Few days ago, I've got beautiful homegrown, range-free organic eggs as a present from our dear neighbors, and I decided to make an Egg Sandwich.

I truly love this regal and scrumptious sandwich with its medley of hot and cold filling ingredients. You can vary the ingredients - substitute hot bacon or the ell for the Prosciutto for example.



Ingredients:

• 4 Ciabatta Rolls
• 2/3 cup homemade mayonnaise or use ready-made
• 20 leaves of basil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the filling:

• 2 oz baby spinach, shredded
• 4 oz Prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
• 4 oz cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 4 oz Rosenborg Danish Blue, creamy cheese

Directions:

Using a food processor simply mix the mayonnaise with the basil, garlic and lemon juice. Put the ciabatta rolls on the board and slice them lengthwise with a serrated knife.
Preheat the broiler. Spread the softened butter all over the inside of the ciabatta rolls and season lightly with salt and pepper.




Broil the base and lid until almost golden. Layer all the filling ingredients into the base, in order listed above or in order of your desire. Spread half the mayonnaise/pesto mixture over the spinach layer, and the rest over the eggs. Finish with a layer of Rosenborg Danish Blue creamy cheese.

Place the filled ciabatta rolls bas under the broiler for 4 minutes. Reheat the cut side of the lid for 2 minutes. Replace the lid on the roll base, pressing down with your fingertips.


Have a good lunch!


Free case of Cascal goes to comment #7 by Jaimee.

And for the GIVEAWAY
From my childhood, I remember beverage called Kvass - strong, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, it always helps during hot summer day. It was made by fermentation of bread. And we called it Kvassik (diminutive form of Kvass) when it was flavored with fruits or berries.

I was glad to find a soft drink which has similar taste, it is made using natural juices and also fermented.

Friends from Cascal offered to send a case of their new soft-drink to one of my dear reader.
So, here how you could get it:

• Visit Cascal website cheerscascal.com and pick a flavor you like the most.
• By midnight of Friday April 13, 2012 write a comment to this post with your name and favorite Cascal flavor.
• Increase your chance by following me on Facebook, following me on Twitter, or do the same for Cascal (Facebook, Twitter). Please add an extra comment after each Facebook or Twitter entry.

Good luck!

Pavlova with Lemon Cream, and Berries - The Perfect Holiday Dessert and a GIVEAWAY!

No one knows who first created the Pavlova. But the name and the recipes first began appearing soon after Russian prima ballerina, Anna Pavlova (she was born on 12 February 1881, in St. Petersburg, Russia, my home town), toured both Australia and New Zealand in 1926, and Australia again in 1929. Anna Pavlova was considered the greatest ballerina of her time, and her visit to New Zealand has been described as "the chief event of 1926." It was said "She does not dance; she soars as though on wings." From this you get the sense that this is a light, airy dessert.



There is a controver with both Australia and New Zealand. While it has been suggested this dessert was created in New Zealand, it has also become recognized as a popular Australian dish. Both countries claim to have invented this dessert and claim it as their national dish.

We don't know who is right, but we do know that this is a miracle of a dessert, and not so difficult that we should shy away from it. The meringue shell is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It is lighter than air, as the great ballerina was supposed to be.
Please read the recipe, and try this magical dessert yourself.


Adapted from Tartelette

Ingredients for the meringue:

• 1 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups mixed berries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300ºF and position a rack in the center.
To prepare the lemon cream, stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice and butter, bringing the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat. Continue to whisk at a simmer, about 1 minute. Whisk about 1/4 of the mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then transfer the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Over low heat, continue to cook, but make sure not to boil, whisking constantly until the lemon curd is thick, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a shallow bowl, stir in the lemon zest, and place a piece of parchment over the surface. Refrigerate for about 1-1/2 hours.



To prepare the meringue, line a baking sheet with parchment and trace a circle about 7" in diameter in the center. Turn the parchment over.
Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat whites with a pinch of salt at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the water and beat until whites hold soft peaks once again.
On medium-high, beat in sugar mixture 1 Tbsp at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute longer. Add vinegar, then beat at high speed until glossy and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer). The meringue will be extremely thick.
Spread meringue carefully to cover the circle on the parchment, creating a cavity in the center (for the filling). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes. Avoid opening the oven door! Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour. The exterior will be dry and possibly cracked, the inside more like the consistency of marshmallow.
To assemble the pavlova, beat the heavy cream just as it holds stiff peaks, then 1/4 cup at a time, whisk cream into the lemon curd. Check consistency each time before adding more cream. It should be able to mound.
Spoon lemon cream into cooled meringue and mound fruit in the center. Serve with extra whipped cream if desired.



Once you have the desert ready, all you need is a nice cup of tea. Well, jar of homemade jam would be a nice addition.  So...

Dear Friends, I have a GIVEAWAY today and it is open for everybody around the world.

What's in the parcel:
Box of Tea Forte with porcelain tea cup ensemble, and Pear and Vanilla Jam I've made myself, and it's the best jam ever.

How to enter:

• Leave a comment at the end of this post
• To double your chances, "like" Cooking Melangery on Facebook
• Please one comment per person, anonymous will not be accepted
• The gift will be shipped to a physical street address, sorry no P.O. Boxes
• The giveaway will close Sunday, November 20 2011, at midnight Eastern time

Good luck!