Russian Monday: “Volovan s Gribamy” - Vol-au-vents with Creamy Mushroom & Shrimp Filling

Vol-au-vent is a puffy tartlet from flaky dought. Dough raises up during baking and takes shape of a small cup or basket. Variety of fillings go into baked dough baskets  and they are served cold or hot.

Vol-au-vents are of French origin, first time made by French chef Marie-Antoine Carême. Name of this pastry points to the type of dough used in it. The initial idea behind volauvents was to make them very lite as opposed to the ones made of shortcrust dough. There is another name for vol-au-vents – bouchées. Authorship of first bouchées is attributed to wife of King Louis XV, Maria Leschinsky. She loved small single bite type of foods and hence the name – “bouchées à la reine”, queen’s bites.

Despite of vol-au-vents French origin, they are very popular in Russian cuisine, you can find variety of their recipes in old cook books of Soviet time.

Quick & Easy Scrumptious Recipes for 4th of July

Barbecue Turkey Burger with Lettuce, Tomato & Mustard Coleslaw
Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley - Spicy & Succulent Appetizer

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.

Top Six Appetizers for New Year's Eve Party

Look no further for appetizers to impress even the most discerning guest. Hot and spicy popcorn, smashed potatoes, or sweet potato baked chips - these really are appetizers to sink your teeth into. Set the table, set the mood and set the taste buds tingling.

For sheer visual appeal, shellfish appetizers are hard to beat. There is little more tempting than a plate - or skewer - full of plump, succulent sizzling shrimp and there is a uniquely naughty pleasure found in the delightful messiness of peeling them at the table. For more formal occasions and for those with more sophisticated table manners, serve salmon soufflé or smoked salmon rolls.



Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley - The Best Sizzling Spicy Appetizer
Garlic Popcorn with Cayenne Pepper & Popcorn with ”Buffalo Wings” Red Hot Sauce

Spicy, Peppery Shrimp with Lemon-Soy Garlic Dip

While it may sensible to plan your main course first, especially when entertaining, it is still important to give plenty of thought to the appetizer. Divinely crisp and naughty, those spicy and peppery shrimp are great on their own or served with a lemon-soy garlic dip on the side.


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.

Shrimp Etouffée - Spicy, Salty, Delicious!

The name Etouffée refers to "smothering" the seafood with a heavy sauce. This method of cooking has its roots in Creole cuisine, and if you take the time to prepare this dish properly you will be very proud of your Creole skills.



Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 green sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. whole basil leaves
• 1 Tbsp. whole thyme leaves
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp Tabasco
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and uncooked
• cooked rice for serving

Directions:

Heat a large Dutch oven and add the oil and flour. Toast this to a peanut-butter-colored roux. This should take about 10 minutes over medium heat. Be careful not to burn this. Stir often.

Add the yellow onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the broth and wine. Stir constantly until this mixture thickens. Add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp, and rice. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Add the shrimp and simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovered.

Serve over cooked rice. This is also great with Zucchini Tian or Corn Pudding.

Hot and Juicy Shrimp with Spicy Garlic and Ginger Sauce

Possibly one of the most popular seafood dishes in the entire world, shrimp can be found on menus all across North and South America as well as in the markets of West Africa and India. It's been said that no restaurant or market is too far from the sea to offer shrimp to its customers. The name in one of the more practical ones in the world of seafood, since it comes from both the English description of a puny person, shrimpe, and the Swedish skrympa, to shrink.

There are hundreds of varieties of shrimp with a vast assortment of names but all are interchangeable in recipes. Although higher in cholesterol than most other seafood, shrimp are low in fat, very mild, and quite firm in texture. They are, perhaps, the prime example of  seafood that takes very little cooking to make them ready for the table.



The shrimp marinate for two hours in a tangy mixture of cool and hot spices, impairing a full flavor to them. Then they simmer in an onion and lemon sauce.

Note: If you shell shrimp before cooking, don't throw away the shells, for they're filled with flavor. Rinse them under cold water and cook them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then strain the liquid and use it to cook the shelled shrimp or make a sauce of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed dried mint, or fresh
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 2 tsp finely minced ginger
• 1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 small red onion, diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion scallions, chopped, for serving
• lettuce for serving

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the shrimp with the mint, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, sweet paprika, red onion, salt and pepper until well coated, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours, stirring once during this time.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil (optional). Add the shrimp with spice mixture, and cook, stirring and turning the shrimp, until they just become opaque, about one minute. Lower the heat to simmer and add the lemon juice. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve over lettuce leaves.



I just got summer issue of Sweet Dreams delicious looking magazine from Germany with my photo of Blackberry No-Bake Cheesecake in it. Take a look-))

Crêpes with three different fillings: Earthy Barley with Enoki Mushrooms, Potatoes with Mushroom Cream Sauce and Sauté Sesame Shrimp

A little history about crêpes from Culinaria FRANCE.

"As well as eggs, butter, and milk, good quality crêpes require white wheat flour and sugar, both originally luxury items, so it is not surprising that the first crêpe recipes were recorded in paris. When they quickly become a Breton specialty, it was very much down to the centuries of experience gathered in this region, in baking such round flat dough-cakes.



Crêpes came to be one of the region's most popular desserts. From their voyages to distant continents, Breton seafarers brought back rum, orange blossom water, vanilla, and cinnamon, all of which were very useful to crêpe bakers. There seemed to be limitless opportunities for sweet, tasty fillings, but pancakes kept their native appeal and simplicity. Long before France was invaded by American fast food chains, crêperies had already been established all over the country, providing the most popular form of French fast food. With crêpes it was possible to satisfy your hunger quickly, inexpensively, and appetizingly".



I hope You like Crêpes. They can be made for breakfast, lunch or dinner! My favorite crêpes are filled with a mixture of whipped cream and a berry compote.

For a savory crêpes for lunch or easy dinner recipes, the possibilities for fillings are endless. There’s nothing better than crêpes filled with mushrooms or vegetables, or shrimp. Serve two to three crêpes per person. Delicious! I have here three easy recipes, Earthy Barley with Enoki Mushrooms, Sauté Sesame Shrimp, and Potatoes with Mushroom Cream Sauce. Pick one, or three, they all so good-))

You can make the crêpes in advance, then you will be able to put the dish together quickly at the last minute. The best recipe for crêpe batter you can find here.



Earthy Barley with Enoki Mushrooms

Enoki mushrooms (also referred to as the velvet shank) are the delicate and tasteful mushrooms that grow on tree trunks, roots and branches mostly found in Japan. They grow in a cluster and have stems that are up to 4 inches tall. Their aroma is slightly fruity and they taste is mild.

An ancient grain, barley has a pleasantly chewy texture and a sweet, nutty flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup hulled barley
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 small chopped yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 lb. Enoki mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the barley and half of the salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 30-35 minutes. Drain in a coarse-mesh sieve to remove any excess water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a deep, ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. When the oil is hot, chopped onion, shredded carrot, garlic and sprinkle with the fresh dill, the remaining salt and the pepper. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add Enoki mushrooms and sauté a little more, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the barley. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and herbs.



Potatoes with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. white button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 lb. potatoes, diced and peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh thyme 

Directions:

In a large kettle, sauté onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper, then stir to make a smooth paste. Gradually add water, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and potatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add cream and Parmesan cheese. Heat through couple more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.



Sauté Sesame Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp chopped fresh chives

Directions:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the sesame oil. Add the garlic, paprika and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the shrimp, sesame seeds, fresh ginger and soy sauce, stir well, and sauté until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the chopped fresh chives and serve.

Minty Sweet Pea and Zucchini Soup with Garlic Shrimp

MINT Symbol of Hospitality from The Spice Cookbook, 1964

"One of Ovid's tales of godsend goddesses, written years ago, was inspired by mint-symbol of hospitality. Philemon and Baucis, man and wife, were living in Phrygia, a country in Asia Minor. The land was so poor, this couple had scarcely sufficient food to keep them alive. One day two strangers knocked at their door, asking to be fed. Despite their poverty, Philemon and Baucis were delighted to have guests, and prepared the best meal possible from their meager supplies. Wanting to fill their humble home with an inviting fragrance, they rubbed their table with mint leaves. At that point their anxieties were past - the guests proved to be Zeus and Hermes, incognito. The hovel was soon transformed into temple, and priests ministered to all the needs of Philemon and Baucis for duration of their lives.



Mint, plant historians claim, came originally from the Mediterranean shores. Mythology offers a far more romantic story: mint was once the nymph Mentha, unfortunate to have attracted the eye of Pluto. Persephone, his jealous wife, pursued Mentha, and trod her ferociously underfoot. Pluto, unable to control his wife's fury, changed Mentha into a delightful herb, ever after sacred to this god of the underworld.



Mint was well known and highly esteemed in the ancient world. We read in Bible that the Pharisees paid tithes of mint, anise, and cumin. In Greece, crushed mint leaves where used as perfume for the arms and to scent the bath".



Fresh sweet peas and garlic shrimp make a simple, but delicious combination of flavors. The aroma of mint is ideal complement to the sweetness of cooked vegetables. You may serve this soup hot or cold. If you've never served a chilled soup before, this is the one to try. Fresh and light, it's perfect way to celebrate summer.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cup sweet peas, if you don't have fresh ones, use frozen
• 1 medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 4-5 scallions, rinsed well and chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp finely minced garlic
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard seeds

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine the sweet peas, zucchini, potato, chopped scallions and broth or water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15 minutes. Add mint. Stir in the cream. Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor until smooth. Heat the soup, stirring occasionally for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan over high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shrimp and garlic to the pan and season with some of the salt, pepper and ground mustard seeds. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 2-3 minutes. Season the shrimp with more of the salt and pepper mixture.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, add cooked shrimp, garnish with the mint and serve.

Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley - The Best Sizzling Spicy Appetizer

Appetizers are purely for fun. Hors d'oeuvres the French call them: "outside of the works." They are likely to have a wicked lot of calories but most people have come to expect them with cocktails. The French picked up the habit of pre-dinner snacking from the Russians, who call such tidbits zakuskis. Italians have their little plates of antipasto, while Scandinavians serve all manner of spicy, pickly things at a smorgasbord and make a complete meal of them.

Hot hors d'oeuvres are always a treat. You may have to spend a few last minutes with them, but they are worth whatever confusion they create. Some, such as tiny cream puffs, turnovers, and meat balls can be completely cooked well in advance, then popped into the oven just before the first guests arrive.  Do keep appetizers bite-size. Their function is to titillate the appetite, not satisfy it.

This recipe of Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley is amazing. I love spicy, so for me this is so good and it takes only 10 min to prepare.



Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 2 Tbs. dry white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
• lemon pepper pasta for serving, optional (I got the pasta from Trader Joe's)

Directions:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and paprika and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the shrimp, lemon juice and dry white wine, stir well, and sauté until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Pasta with Shrimp and Garlic Cream Souce

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh basil
• 2 Tbs. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 lb. any kind of pasta
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Add the 2 Tbs. salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, according to the package instructions.



When the pasta is within about 3 minutes of being al dente, in a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, shallot and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté until they are just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Add the warm cream and lemon juice to the pan and season the sauce with salt and pepper and minced basil.



Drain the pasta and add it to the fry pan. Toss the pasta to coat with the sauce and shrimp and serve immediately.