Kale, Avocado, Flaxseed Oil Pesto (Dairy free, Vegan, Gluten free)

My kale pesto made with an avocado and flaxseed oil. It took me only 5 minutes to prepare this tasty sauce. If you don't have pine nuts, you may use walnuts. Also, feel free to substitute olive oil for the flaxseed oil. This pesto recipe is vegan, dairy free and gluten free.

Russian Monday: "Manti" - Steamed Buns Stuffed with Lamb

"Manti" (steamed buns with lamb filling) is a traditional meat dish of the people of Central Asia, Turkey, Mongolia, Korea, as well as of the Tartars and Bashkir of Russia. It is believed that manti originates from the outer regions of China, where Uyghur people of Xinjiang region have a dish named “mantou” which literally means “steamed bread”. Gradually, the recipe of the dish has spread from Xinjiang through Central Asia and beyond. But even today, Uyghur cooks are considered to be the best manti specialists in the world.

Country Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Here, chicken thighs and drumsticks are slowly cooked in a flavorful garlic sauce with a white wine, thyme and spices to create a comforting meal. To make a one-dish meal before putting the chicken in a oven add some mushrooms, potatoes or butternut squash. Delicious!!

Roast Game Hens with Mustard - Le Coquelet 'A La Moutarde, Friday Dinner Idea!

This is not your everyday recipe cause it is reach and buttery. But when you have friends over or there is family gathering, that is a perfect dish. I love to make something special for Friday dinner. It's the end of the week, kids usually don't have any homework and we can have long dinner together. My husband always has a nice bottle of wine and we allow ourselves to have any dessert we like. The recipe is French, hence the secret is in the sauce. I highly recommend it, the sauce is wonderful!

Cranberry Curd

The cranberry curd is so smooth and easy to make. You can imagine this spread over crepes, or buttery toast, or you may use this curd in a twist on lemon meringue pie for Holiday dinner. I think that’d be amazing!

Portobello Mushrooms in Curried Coconut Milk Sauce over Pumpkin Puree

A little history about pumpkins from "the Frugal Gourmet Cooks American"

"We received the gift of the yellow gourd from the Indians, of course. When European explorers hit the New World they found the Native Americans eating all kinds of squashes, but pumpkin was a favorite. The white men thought the pumpkin to be a form of giant melon. They were partly right, as the pumpkin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons. The wild ancestor of the grate orange vegetable goes back to the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayan peoples, who enjoyed eating the rich seeds. The pumpkin spread north and was common by the time of European exploration, and the seekers of New World took the squash back to Europe with them. But it remains an American vegetable, absolutely American.

The uses that we found for pumpkin in the old days where wonderfully varied and formed a basic part of our diet. The pumpkin was among the most common foods of the settlements and an old verse proves their indispensability:

For portage, and puddings, and custards, and pies,
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies. 
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon;
If it were not for pumpkins, we should be undoon."



There is something exciting about food cooked in coconut milk. Typically, the effect comes from the edition of several assertive spices - such as coriander, cumin, and cardamom - in conjunction with this rich liquid. Ginger and hot peppers are added to give zest and dimension.



Hint: Save the pumpkin seeds for the kids! Wash the seeds and dry them. Place them in a large heated frying pan along with some olive oil, and toast until they begin to show a few very tiny brown spots on the husk. Add a bit of salt and cool. These are great snacks and they are good on salads or in soups.

Ingredients:

For the mushroom sauce:

• 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños or any hot chiles of your choice 
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cardamom 
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 pound baby portobello mushrooms (or any other variety)
• sea salt
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

For the pumpkin puree:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the roasted pumpkin:

• 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Direction: 

For the mushroom sauce:
Place the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and chiles, and sauté for another minute. Add the curry, coriander, cardamom, and cumin and stir for another minute. Add the mushrooms and the coconut milk and stir well. Simmer for 15 minutes.Remove from the heat when thickened. Season to taste and add the cilantro.

For the pumpkin puree:
Bring about 3 quarts (or more if need it to cover the pumpkin) of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the butternut squash, cover, and cook until the squash is soft when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain the squash , place in a food processor, and proceed until well pureed. Add the milk and blend until the mixture is smooth. Place the puree in a saucepan and reheat, stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep it warm.

For the roasted pumpkin:
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Spread the diced pumpkin out on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until all the cubes are cooked through and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Evenly divide the warm butternut puree among plates. Arrange the coconut mushrooms sauce in the middle, top with roasted cubes of pumpkin. Serve immediately.

Yellow Tomato and Apple Chutney

"No spring, nor Summer Beauty
hath such grace,
As I have seen in one Autumn-all face".

John Donne

Chutneys are made from finely cut ingredients, cooked slowly with vinegar, a sweetener and frequently spices or other flavorings to make a thick, savory jam-like mixture. Onions and apples are often included in chutneys, but almost any fruits and vegetables can be used. Chutneys should be matured in cool dark place for at least 2 months before eating.

Important notes before you start making chutney:

• Chutneys are made from finely cut ingredients, cooked slowly with vinegar, a sweetener and frequently spices or other flavorings to make a thick, savory jam-like mixture. Onions and apples are often included in chutneys, but almost any fruits and vegetables can be used. Chutneys should be matured in cool dark place for at least 2 months before eating.
• Use malt vinegar for its intense flavor. Wine vinegar or cider vinegar are better for preserving colorful or light-colored vegetables because they will not spoil the color of the vegetables.
• The choice of sugar will affect the end result: brown sugar gives the richest flavor and color; row sugar and golden granulated sugar give a caramel flavor; and white sugar helps to retain the color of light ingredients.
• Never cover the pan when making chutney. Cooking the preserve uncovered allows the liquid to evaporate and the chutney to thicken. Towards the end, stir the chutney frequently to prevent it from catching and burning on the base of the pan.
• Always store chutney in a cool dark place: warmth can cause it to ferment, and bright sunlight can affect the color.

Ingredients: 

• 4 lb green tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 lb cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped 
• 1 lb onions chopped 
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. pickling spice
• 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom 
• 2 1/2 cups cider vinegar 
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

Place the tomatoes, apples, onions and garlic in a large pan and add the salt and cardamom.

Tie the pickling spice in a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and add to the ingredients in the pan.

Add half the vinegar to the pan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chutney is reduced and thick, stirring frequently.

Put the sugar and remaining vinegar in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then add to the chutney. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours until chutney is thick, stirring it occasionally.

Remove the muslin bag from the chutney, then spoon the hot chutney into warmed sterilized jars. Cover and seal immediately.

Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Basil Sauce

Bell peppers come in a rainbow of colors. They may be used here in any combination, as long as a few red ones are included in the mix. Red bell peppers are simply the mature stage of green bell peppers, having grown considerably sweeter with the extra time spent in the sun. Sweet yellow and orange peppers pass through a green stage as well, while purple peppers are tart like their green cousins.



Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

• 1 pound organic ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 Tbsp. oat bran
• 1 tsp dried dill
• salt and ground black pepper
• 4 bell peppers

For the sauce:

• 1 big tomato, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed 
• 1 cup leaf basil
• 8 ounces vegetable broth
• salt and ground black pepper
• yogurt for serving

Directions:

Cut off the top from each pepper. Reserve the tops. (Note: You may use reserved tops to top each stuffed pepper or chop and add to the sauce.) Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds from the center of each pepper. Set the peppers aside.

Put the tomatoes, along with their juice, in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions, basil,vegetable broth and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, stir together the ground beef, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oat bran and dried dill. Season with salt and pepper. Fill each pepper with some of the stuffing mixture, mounding it on the top. Place them in a casserole or baking dish, add the tomato sauce and bake in the hot oven 375F for about 20-30 minutes.

When they are done serve them with yogurt and fresh basil.

Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce

In this recipe Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce the vegetables are cooked separately and then combined just before serving. This helps them to cook evenly and retain their color and texture. Serve this flavorful dish with curry sauce for a meatless entrée or as a side dish with roasted meats or poultry.



Serving: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3 plum  tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1/2 lb mushrooms of your chose, brushed clean
• 2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise
• 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

For curry sauce:

• 14 oz coconut milk
• 3 T curry powder
• 3 T honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce

Directions:

Make curry sauce. Combine coconut milk, 3 T curry powder, honey, and chili garlic sauce in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency.

In a large saute pan over medium heat warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Add the zucchini and cook until the zucchini rounds are tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter.

Return the saute pan to medium heat and warm 2 Tbsp. of the oil. Add the tomatoes and repeat the cooking process. Transfer the tomatoes to the platter with the zucchini rounds.

Return the pot to medium heat and warm 2 pof the oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, 7 to 8 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add minced fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms and garlic to the plate with the other vegetables.  Serve with curry sauce immediately.

Mushrooms with Madeira sauce

Mushrooms are most adaptable. Use them as a main course, as seasoning, as vegetables, in salads, or as an hors d'oeuvre, or to add distinction to many dishes. Sauteed caps, sliced or whole, combine well with vegetables and add much to steak or roast beef. Raw mushroom slices enhance many salads. A few sliced or whole mushrooms with other ingredients in chicken or meat pie, stews, and other mixed casserole dishes are excellent.



Mushrooms lose flavor if peeled. But old and tough skins must be scraped off. Peeled stems will flavor many dishes and may be put in the kettle when making broth. For mushroom stock for use in sauces or soups, add peelings and stems to 2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and parsley.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter for sauce plus one more Tbs. for mushrooms
• 1.5 pound mixed fresh mushrooms (shitake, porcini, oyster)
• 1/2 cup Madeira wine
• 1 cup light vegetable broth (or liquid from reconstituted dried mushrooms or mixture of both)
• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tbs. flour
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a casserole dish.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set aside, covered to keep it warm.



Prepare a Madeira-flavored sauce:

Melt the butter in a pan; when melted, add flour. Blend well over a slow fire and then add slowly - constantly stirring - broth and milk which have been mixed and heated. Keep beating the sauce with a spoon to make it light. Then add the juice from the pan in with the mushrooms have been cooked and Madeira wine - heated, but not boiled. (Sherry may be used, but the flavor of Madeira is finer with mushrooms.)
Season the sauce with salt, ground nutmeg, and touch of cayenne.



Spoon the mushrooms into a casserole dish.
Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden and the cheese is melted.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.


Note: Mushrooms vary in size. If you have too many for the baking dish and if there is sauce left over, heat the mushrooms in the sauce and serve separately over boiled potatoes.

Apple Dumplings Stuffed with Dry Fruits and served with Homemade Caramel Sauce

I never cooked an apple dumpling before. But there is a first time for everything.
I got my inspiration from the Williams-Sonoma catalog, but the recipe I did not like.
So, I created something special for my family, based on my collection of cooking books and my imagination.
I hope you like to try it. It is very homey dessert, full of flavors. Good for a cool autumn evening, any holiday, or every day menu. Enjoy!



Pate brisee from Michel Roax book "Pastry, savory and sweet"

This dough is more delicate, crumbly, and lighter than tart dough.

Ingredients for pate brisee:

•  1 3/4 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
•  2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
•  1 teaspoon (6g) salt
•  pinch of superfine sugar
•  1 medium egg
•  1 tablespoon (15ml) cold milk

Direction for pate brisee:
Heap the flour on a counter and make a well. Put in the butter, salt, sugar, and eggs. Using your finger-tips, mix and cream these ingredients together.
Little by little, draw in the flour, working the dough delicately until it has a grainy texture.
Add the milk and incorporate gently with your finger-tips until the dough begins to hold together.
Using the palm of your hand, work the dough by pushing it away from you 4 or 5 times until smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until ready to use.
Pate brisee  will keep perfectly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or up to 3 months in the freezer.



Caramel Sauce from Claudia Fleming book "The Last Course"

Ingredients for caramel sauce: 

• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons crème fraiche

Direction for caramel sauce:
To prepare the caramel sauce, place ½ cup water in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and corn syrup and cook the mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until you have a dark amber caramel about 10 minutes. Carefully whisk in the butter, cream, and crème fraiche ( the mixture will hiss and bubble up so stand back), whisking until smooth. (The caramel can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated.)



Ingredients for apple dumplings:

• pate brisee, tart dough
• 4 medium golden delicious apples
• 4 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup diced mixed dry fruit (resins, apricots, cranberries)
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• lemon zest from one lemon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water
• caramel sauce for serving

Direction for apple dumplings: 
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In small bowl, mix dried fruit, butter, lemon zest, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Peel apples. With melon baller, remove cores but do not go all the way through to bottom. Stuff dried fruit mixture into apples.
Remove dough  from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Divide the disk into 4 equal pieces. Working in batches, on a floured surface, roll out a piece of dough 1/8 inch thick and about 8 inches square. Place an apple in the center of the dough square. Pull the dough around the apple and gently tie the corners together. Press to shape; seal edges. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and apples.
Transfer the wrapped apples to a baking sheet and brush the dough with the egg mixture. Bake until the dough is golden brown and cooked through, about 40-50 minutes. Remove the apple dumplings from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve with warmed caramel sauce.

Apricot Bread with Walnuts and Peaches in Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients for Apricot Bread with Walnuts:

• 6-7 apricots, cut the fruits in half lengthwise, and remove and discard the pits
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts
• 2 tbs. honey or apricot jam for brushing (optional)

Ingredients for Peaches in Vanilla Sauce:

• 5 lb. firm but ripe peaches, peeled and halved
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)

Directions for Apricot Bread with Walnuts:
Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 1-lb.( or two smaller pans) loaf pan.
In a bowl, stir and toss together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture along with the milk and lemon zest. Beat until blended and smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the walnuts.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the apricots halves, slightly overlapping. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before serving.
Just before serving, in a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey. Brush the apricots with the honey. Accompany each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.



Directions for Peaches in Vanilla Sauce:
In a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven, combine the peaches, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan, add the bean and stir to combine.
Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is just beginning to bubble and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.