zesty chicken

serves 4

ingredients:

4 chicken breasts,
1 lemon or any other citrus fruits,
1/8 of a cup of water,
4 pinches of salt
8 cracks of pepper from a grinder,
4 pinches of thyme and oregano,
a pan,
a small bowl,
a zest er,

a juicer,
olive oil,
large bowl,

method:

1. take raw chicken and put in large bowl
2. put the thyme, oregano and pepper in the bowl
3. put the olive oil in the pan and heat at medium
4.use the measuring cup with 1/8 full of water to clean the citrus fruit
5. take a small amount of the the juices from the citrus fruit and put them in the small bowl
6. zest citrus fruit and put in hand
7. roll the chicken in the items and put in pan
8. wait 2 minutes and put in citrus juices and use small bowl for zest
9. put in salt
10. cook till it is done the way you like it
11. take out of pan and serve with small amount of zest
do 5,8,9,10,11 four times

enjoy

pizza from naples/pizza napoletana

ingerdients:

1 1/2 cups canned choped italian tomatos
1/2 pound monzzerella cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
8 anchove fillets, opitanal
extra olive oil for the pan
freashly ground pepper to taste

method:

1. preheat the oven to 450 degrees ferinhieght
2. drain the tomatos ina hand straner and shake of eney excess liquid
3. gratethe monzzerela into a bowl, using the large holes of the cheese grater
add the olive oil to the cheese and toss
4. mesure the oreganointo a small bowl
5. if using anchovies drain of any excces oil and seperate the fillets on a plate tear the fillets in to small peices
6. lightly oil an 11 x 16-inch baking pan or cookie sheet
7. if making one large pizza, keep the dough in one peice if making two smaller pizzas, divied the dough and the toping ingrediants in half cover on hlf of the dough as you prepare the other half
8. place the dough on the baking pan and, using the fingers and palms of you hands, press and push the dough and strech it to cover the pan try not to tear it if you do tear the dough, simply just give it a pinch ay the torn spot to repair it dont worry is the shape is not exact remember, your pizza is made by hand, so it should not have a perfect shape
9. after you get the dough about 1/4 inch thick, use your finger to make lots of tiny dents all across the serface
10. top with tomatoes spreding across the dough then add the monzzerela
11. if us ing the anchovies pres them into the dough
12. sprinckle with the oregano and a litlle pepper
13. bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or untill the crust is brown and crispy at the edges
14. slice an serve hot

chef's tip:

you can also ad slisced peperoni, fresh basil, pied black olives, or grated parmasan to your topings

almond rolls

1 cup butter
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar roll
1 cup ground almonds

method:

1. cream butter, gradually add flour.crminseam thoroughly
2. add sugar and almonds
3. form into bolsters by in the hands
4. bake in a slow oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit about 20 min roll in fruit sugar upon removing from oven

grandma's shortbread

mix together thoroughly
1 cup soft butter
5/8 cup sugar[1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp.]
2 1/2 cups sifted flour

method:

1. mix thourghly with hands
2. chill dough
3. roll out 1/3 to 1/2" thick
4. place on ungreased baking sheet. bake at 300 [20-25 min.]

oatmeal cookies

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. b. sugar
1/2 c. w. sugar
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. uncooked oats
1 1/4 c. chocolate chips or raisins

METHOD:

cream shortening and sugar together thoroughly
stir in a beaten egg, water, and vanilla
add sifted pry ingredients, rolled oats and chocolate chips and drop from a teaspoon onto greased baking sheet and bake at 375 F. for 10-15 minutes.

colored fruit balls

Ingredients:

1 cup wight sugar
1 1/2 cup of dates-finally chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp of vanilla
pinch of salt
2 cup
s of rice crispies
a bowl of dessicated coconut

method:

1. place sugar,dates and eggs in lightly greased frying pan & cook for ten minutes,stirring constantly
2. add walnuts, vanilla, salt & rice crispies 3. stir all together, remove from fire. form into small balls {wet hands} & roll in coconut
4. place on platter to cool.

shortbread

1c. butter
1/3c. brown sugar
2c. flour
pinch of salt
1tsp almond flavoring
1/2c ground almonds 1/4c or 1/2c chopped
candied cherries

METHOD

preheat oven to 325 f
toast almonds
roll dough to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of waxed paper. cut and bake until lightly browned.

pepper relish meatloaf

2lb ground beef
1 generous cup of pepper relish
1 egg well beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper
2 tbsp bovril

METHOD

1. bake at 350-375 for about an hour and cover with foil
2. drain extra juices after 1/2 hour or so of baking
3. uncover for last 15 min to brown

Irish Bread

INGREDIANTS:

1 cup grahm flour
1 1/2 cups whole weat f.
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tbsp. malt
2 tbsp. brewers yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar mixed with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 2 tbsp. honey
add 1tsp. baking soda

METHOD

1. mix dry ingredients then add the wet ones
2. Knead 20 times on a well floured board
3. flour pan
4. bake at 375 degrees f. four 1/2 hour
5. Brush top with butter.


(before baking brush top of bread with corn oil.)

two-layer tomato-brocoli soup

Ingredients:

1st layer

1/2 cup chopped oinion
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped potato
500 g/1 lbs ripe red tomatoes-chopped
1 tsp butter
1 stick cinnamon
4-5 peppercorns
2-5 cloves
1 tsp tomato ketchup
1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
1/3 tsp sugar, or to taste

2ND Layer(topping)
2 tsp butter, 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

Method:

1. Melt 1 tsp butter in a deep pan. Add cinnamon, peppercorns & cloves. Stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add chopped onion, carrot and potato. Stir till potato starts to change colour.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add 4 cups of water. Add salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Strain and reserve the liquid as well as the solids in the strainer.
5. Blend the solids to a smooth puree. Mix the strained liquid with the puree to get a thick soup.
6. Reheat the soup in a saucepan. Add ketchup. Check salt, pepper. Add more if required. Keep aside.
7.From the topping, in a sperated pan heat 2 tsp butter, add chopped broccoli, saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp salt, pepper and 3/4 cup water. Give one boil. Remove from heat.Cool and blend in a mixer to a smooth thick puree. Add 1 tbsp water. Keep aside.
8. To serve, separately reheat the tomato soup and the broccoli topping to a boil. Pour the prepared tomato soup in serving bowls. Swirl 2 tbsp of hot broccoli topping over the tomato soup in each bowl. Serve immediately.

french onion soup

Ingredients:





3 tbsp butter

1 onion- sliced very finely( 1cup)

2 flakes garlic- crushed

1 1/2 tbsp flour, salt to taste

black pepper powder to taste

4 cups stock



Stock:



2 carrots- chopped roughly

1 onion- chopped roughly

3 bay leaves

5-7 peppercorns

4-6 cups water



Cheese Toast for Topping:



5 tbsp grated cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp mustard powder

2 garlic bread slices or 1 slice of bread- toasted



Method:



1. To prepare the stock, boil all ingredients of the stock with 4 cups water. Cook covered for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Let it cool. Strain through a sieve. Keep the clear stock aside.

2. Heat butter in a clean, heavy bottomed deep pan. Fry the onions and garlic over a moderately low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until well browned. Do not let the onions burn.

3. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute on low heat.

4. Add the stock gradually, stirring continuously. Boil.

5. Add salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep soup aside.

6. For cheese toast, mix the mustard powder and cheese together in a small bowl. Spread over the toasted garlic bread slices or regular bread. Grill the toasted slices in the hot oven for 2-3 minutes. Cut each garlic bread into 2 pieces or regular bread into 4 squares.

7. Serve steaming hot soup with one piece of cheese toast floating on top in each serving.

sweet corn vegetable soup

Ingredients:



2 cup cream-style sweet corn,caned


5 cups stock/broth/water



1/2 tbsp oil



3/4 cups finelly chopped carrot



1/4 cups finelly chopped cabbage



3-5 green beans-finelly chopped



1/4 tsp green chilli sause



1/4 tsp red chilli sause



1/4 tbsp vineger



1/4 pepper



1/4 level salt, or to taste



1/4 tsp sugar, or to taste



2 tsp light soya sause



3 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in1 cup of water



method:


1.Mix cream -style corn with 4 1/2 cups water in a deep pan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minites.

2.Add chilli sauses and viniger.Simmer for 1-2 minites.

3.Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan, add the vegetables.saute for1 minite.Add the sauteed vegetables to the simmering soup.Simmer for 1 minite

4.Add salt, surgar and pepper to the soup.

5.add corn stach paste and cook for 2-3 minutes till the soup thickens. Add just a little soya sauce, taking care not to discoulour soup . Serve Hot.

tempered rice and corn salad

Ingredients:

Mix together gently

2 cup boiled rice
3 small cucumber- wash well and chop with the peel(3 cup)
1/2 cup corn
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 red or green bell pepper- chopped
4-5 black olives- sliced
2-3 jalapenos- sliced, optional
1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano
4 tbsp lemon juice

Tempering

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 onion- cut into slices (1/2 cup)
3-4 tbsp finely chopped parsley or basil
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp chopped walnuts

Other ingredients

1-2 cabbage leaves- whole, dipped in a bowl of water and put in the fridge

Method:

1. Mix rice with all the ingredients with a fork. Do not let the grains of rice break.
2. For tempering, heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add all the remaining ingredients. Stir for a minute. Remove from heat.
3. Pour the tempering over the rice mixture. Mix lightly.
4. Transfer half of the salad to a serving bowl. Cut the stalk end of the cabbage leaves on the rice on any one side of the bowl such that they are about 1" above the level of the bowl. Now put the remaining salad.
5. Serve at room temperature or chill for 1 hour in the fridge. Serve garnished with chopped basil or parsley, topped with a few walnuts.

kimchi salad

Ingredients:

3 cups cabbage cut into 1" squares,
preferably Chinese cabbage
1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup vinegar

Dressing
1/2 Tsp red chili paste
1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar
3 tsp soya sauce, 1/4 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 tbsp red chilli sauce

Method:

1. Put the cabbage in a bowl and spinkle with salt & vinegar. Crush cabbage well with the fingers. Keep aside covered for 30 minutes.
2. Strain cabbage. Leave it in the stainer for 15 minutes for the water to drain out completely.
3. Add all ingredients of the dressing to the cabbage. Toss lightly so that the paste coats the cabbage. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

chicken pasta salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup pasta, macaroni or penne
6 0z chicken with bones
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small green bell peppers- cut into 1/2 " squares
1/2 tomato- cut into squares, remove pulp

Dressing
2 cup yogurt(curd)- hang for 25-30 minutes in a chesses cloth
3-5 tsp thin cream
1/2 tbsp orange marmalade or crush
1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp mustard, or to taste

Method:

1.To boil pasta, boil 8 cups water with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil. Add pastato boiling water. Stir to see that pasta is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes till pasta turns soft, but yet firm. Remove from heat and strain. Leave for 5-7 minutes in the strainer for all the water to drip. Spoon 1 tbsp olive oil on the pasta. Keep covered in a bowl till the time of use.
2. Mix the chicken pieces, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt in a micro proof bowl. Cover with a cling wrap and microwave for 4 minutes. Shred the meat from the bones.
3. Mix the shredded chicken, bell peppers, tomato and boiled pasta in a bowl.
4. For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients of the dressing in a small bowl till smooth and emulsied. Add the dressing to the chicken and pasta in the bowl.
5. Toss well using 2 forks. Check salt and pepper. Mix well. Serve cold.

Note: You can make this salad without chicken also. Instead of chicken use 200 g/6oz of tofu cut into cubes. Omit step 2 and proceed further in the same way.

julienne chicken sasage salad

Ingredients
7 chicken sausages, 2 tsp oil
5 baby corns
5-8 button mushrooms, 3 tsp lemon juice
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 firm tomato

Dressing
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp powdered sugar
1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp chopped parsley/cilantro
1-3 flakes garlic- crushed& chopped

Method:
1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick skillet. Suate sausage for 1-2 minutes till light golden. Remove form heat. Cut diagonally into 1/4" thick slices. Keep aside.
2. Dressed bell peppers and cut into strips. Cut tomato into 4 pieces lengthwise, remove the pulp and cut into thin strips.
3. Boil 4 cups water with 1 tsp salt and lemon juice. Add baby corns and mushrooms to the boiling water. Remove from heat after 1 minute. Stain the blanched vegetables.
4. Pat dry vegetables on a clean kitchen towel. Slice baby corns diagonally, cut each mushroom into four pieces.
5. Mix sausages, mushrooms, baby corns, bell peppers and tomatoes in a salad bowl.
6. Mix all the ingredients of the dressing with a whisk, till it gets emulsified.
7. Pur the dressing over the salad mixture in the bowl. Mix well and keep aside to chill in the fridge til serving time. Mix once again before serving.

salad nicoise

8 oz of canned tuna-drained and flaked
4 to 5 isburg lettuce leaves- roughly torn and placed in chilled water.
2-6 cherry tomatoes or one tomatoe- cut into 8 pieces
1/2 potato- boiled and cut into 4 wedges length wise
4- 6 green beans- stringed and boiled until crisp- tender, keep whole
6-7 round slices of cucumber
1/2 tbsp pickled capers(optional)
1 tbsp chopped parsley
5 black olives
1 egg- hard boiled and cut into pieces lengthwise- to garnish
honey mustart vinigarette
1/2 tblsp vinigar
2 tbps olive oil
1/2 tsp powdered sugar
2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs fennel, dill or mint
4 tpbs cream

Method:
1. For the honey mustard vinaigrette dressing, put all ingredients except fresh herbs and cream, into a deep bowl. Mix well with a whisk or you can put all ingredients together in a bottle a really good shake. Mix until dressing has lightly emulsified. Store covered, in the refridgator. Before using, bring the jar to room temperature ofr at least 30 minutes before the dressing is needed and shake again.
2. When needed, add cream and 2 tbsp chopped fresh hervs such as dill, fennel or mint for a stronger flavour and shake up in the dressing
3. At the time of serving, wrap the lettuce leaves in a clean kitchen towel to pat dry the leaves well.
4. Put leaves at the bottom of the serving bowl. Pour 1 tbsp dressing on them. Put green beans, cucumber, potatoes and tomatoes also. Pour all the dressing.
5. Top with capers, tuna(drained and flaked), black olives and parsley, Lightly toss. Garnish with eggs.

greek salad

a great greek food
salad:
1 cup shredded red cabbage
5-6leaves of iceberg lettuce-torn into small peices
6 oz paneer-cut in to 1" cubes
8-10 green olives-cut all the olives into two
1 tomato-deseeded and thinly sliced

dressing:

4 tbsp cream, 5 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

to garnish:

1 slice bread, cut into 1/2 cubes, 1 tbsp roasted peanuts

Method:
1. in a bowl place cabbage, paneer, lettuce, olives and tomatoes. Mix.
2. Gently mix all the ingredients of the dressing and pour over the salad. Mix well. Chill in the fridge til serving time.
3. Heat oil for frying. Fry bread cubes till golden. Remove from oil. Cool and store in an airtight container.
4. 15 minutes before serving take out of fridge mix salad and top with fried bread and peanutes.

crispy spinach and feta salad

Ingredients:

1 cup feta cheese
8 oz spinach leaves (2 cups)
2 small cucumber
1/2 small onion- cut into 8 pieces and seperated
1/2 tomato- cut into 4, remove pulp and chop into very small pieces
5-6 leaves of iceburg lettuce- tear into small pieces or 1/4 cup cabbage- cut into 1" square

Dressing:

1 1/2 tbsp oil, preferably olive oil
1/4 tsp vinegar, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano(dried)
1 1/2 tbsp milk


Method:

1. Wash spinach leaves. Remove stalk. Pat dry leaves on a clean kitchen towel. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, fry few leaves at a time. Fry leaves carefully (oil sputters) in 5 batches till crisp and dark green. Do not let them turn brown while frying. Drain on paper napkins with a pair of tongs. Keep aside and not in the fridge but outside, till further use. (fried leaves turn limp in the fridge)
3. Remove bitterness of the cucumber. Cut lengthwise into two halves. With the help of the scooper or the back of the teaspoon, remove the seeds from the cucumber by pulling the spoon straight down the length of the cucumber half. This way you get a groove in the cucumber piece. Cut the cucumber into 1/2 " thick, half moon slices.
4. Put all ingredients of dressing in a big bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk or fork.
5. Except for feta cheese and fired spinach, add all the chopped vegetables to the bowl. Mix well. Transfer to the serving bowl. Keep salad aside in the fridge to chill.
6. At serving time, add fried spinach to the salad, mix gently. Sprikle feta cheese over the salad. Serve.

Minestrone

serves 4-5

a good soup for a cold day

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil or any cooking oil
1/4 onion -finlly chopped
1 and a 1/2 flakes garlic-crushed
1 and a 1/2-diced into small peices[1 cup]
1/2 smal potato-diced into small peices[1/4 a cup]
4 tbsp finlly chopped celerey
1 and 1/2 medium sized tomatos blanched, peeled and chopped finlly
1/4 cup shell pastha or any small pasta
5 cups stock or 5 cups water mixed with 2 soup/stock cubes, see note
3 tbsp baked beans,[optional] refer to note. use salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. to blanche the tomatoes, put them in water for 3-4 minutes. Remove the water and peel them to remove the skin. Chop them finely and you can also blanche them in the microwave in a bowl without water, for 4 minutes, keep aside.
2. Heat oil, add onion and garlic. Stir fry until light brown.
3. Add carrots and potatoes and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add diced chicken, macaroni. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add celery and blanched tomtoes. Cook 2-3 minutes.
6. Add stock and baked beans. Bring to boil. Lower heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
7. Serve hot, ganished with some grated cheese.

Note:

for chicken minestrone, half a cup of diced boneless chicken can be used instead of small pasta.
Instead of homemade chicken stock 5 cups water and 2 chicken cubes and be used. Do not add any salt, if using soup cubes as they already contain salt. Taste at the end and adjust salt to taste.
The left over baked beans can be stored in a clean stainless steel or plastic container in the freezer.

cheeder cheese risotto

1x14ml tablespoon butter

1x14ml tablespoon olive oil

2 fat onions finely sliced

350g rice

100ml wine

1tsp any mustard

1 1/4 hot vegetable stock

140g cheddar chopped

2x14ml tbsp chopped fresh chives


METHOD

1. melt the butter and oil in a medium sized pan and cook the sliced spring onions until they have softened

2. add the risotto rice and keep stirring for a minute or so, then turn up the heat and add the wine and mustard stirring until the wine is absorbed

3. start ladling in the hot stock, letting each scoop from the ladle become absorbed as you stir, before adding the next one

4. stir and ladle until the rice is AL Dante, about 18 minutes, then add the cheese, stirring it into the rice until it melts

5. take the pan straight off the heat, still stirring while you do so, and spoon the risotto into warmed dishes, sprinkling with some of the chopped chives


DESCRIPTION

serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a starter.