Veal Involtini

Opps...... I forgot to take out the tooth picks before I took this photograph. 

3/4 pounds veal scallopine

1/4 cup bread crumb

2/3 cup grated parmiggiano regiano

1 clove garlic + 2 sprigs Italian parsley, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced zucchini

1/2 cup white wine

2 tbs heavy cream or milk (optional)

finely chopped parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-3 tbs olive oil

all purpose flour

• mix together in Small bowl bread crumb, parmiggiano reggiano, garlic and parsley, and freshly ground pepper

• lay a piece of veal scalloppine on a work surface, add about 1 to 2 tbs of bread crumb mixture then roll the veal, secure it with tooth pick. Do the same for the rest of the veal

• Heat olive oil on a pan that big enough to accommodate all veal in a single layer. 

• Put enough flour onto a plate, dredge each veal roll lightly, just enough to coat them, add to the pan and cook until brown evenly on all side, transfer the veal roll to a plate

• Add onion to pan and cook until translucent, add diced carrots, celery and zucchinis, add pinch of salt and pepper and cook another a few minute, pour the wine, let reduce by half then add heavy cream or milk (if using)

• Put back the veal rolls, stir to coat each veal roll with the sauce, adjust seasoning according to your taste. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley. Transfer to individual plate and serve with simple polenta or gnocchi alla romano

Roasted Cornish Hen with Rosemary

Tuck in the rosemary butter mixture under the skin

Drop a few rosemary sprigs here and there to add more flavor

Simple, easy to make and delicious. Don't worry about that dangling neck, it's add flavor to the sauce

2 cornish hen, weigh just a little bit over a pound each

1 tsp roughly chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbs butter, softened

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup water

a few sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat oven to 375F
• Mix roughly chopped rosemary, softened butter, salt and pepper in small bowl. This is your rosemary butter mixture
• Wash Cornish hens under cold running water, pat dry with paper towel, rub liberally with salt and black pepper outside and inside the cavities
• Gently lift the skin and push half of  rosemary butter mixture under the skin without tearing them apart, now rub the other half inside the cavities
• Brush both cornish hen with olive oil
• Place on a roasting pan slightly apart and roast for 40 minutes or until liquid that runs out is no longer pink
• Remove cornish hens, cover losely with foil and let rest while you making the sauce
• Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium  heat, add water and scrape the brown bits that stick to the pan with wooden spoon,  bring to a boil and let reduced by half, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Strain and transfer to gravy boat or small bowl
• Cut the cornish hen into pieces, transfer onto serving plater and pour  sauce over it 

Spiced couscous with herb, dried fruits and pine nuts

1 cup of quick cooking couscous

1 cup water

1 tbs olive oil or butter

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup  pine nuts, lightly toasted*

5 dried apricot, chopped

2 tbs dried currant

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground fennel 

¼ cup chopped parsley and cilantro

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

1-2 tbs olive oil

Boil a cup of water and butter together in a pot, add a quick cooking couscous then turn the heat off. Cover the pot with the lid and leave undisturbed for five minutes, then fluff the couscous with fork, set aside. 

Heat olive oil in a skillet, add onion and saute until it start to turn golden on the edge. Put pine nuts, dried apricot, dried currants,  garlic, along with other spices, stir until releases its fragrance. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer couscous and onion mixture, parsley and cilantro into a bowl and mix them well. Can be serve with Chicken tagine or Lamb tagine

Pan Fried Chicken Breast with Mustard and Fennel Seeds

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

For marinate: 

1 tbs mustard seed 

1 tbs fennel seed, coarsely ground

1/2 tbs whole coriander, coarsely ground

a pinch of red chillies flakes

1 tbs reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce (optional)

2tbs olive oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Iron skillet large enough to accommodate 2 chicken breasts.

Lay chicken breasts onto a plate.

Combine all ingredients for marinate into a small bowl, pour on top of chicken and coat both side. Let marinate for an hour.

Heat the skillet over medium heat until hot.  Place chicken in skillet and cook for about two to three minutes on each side or until done. Serve with spiced couscous and roasted eggplant, tomatoes  and bell pepper.

Petits Gateaux de Noel au Beurre (Christmas Butter Cookies)

This is my friend's recipe, it is simple and the ultimate must make Christmas cookie. she gave us these cookies on Christmas 2007 and I couldn't stop eating them. I love how smooth and buttery it taste, yet still has that crunchy texture you expect for classic Christmas cookie. I told her that I need the recipe to share on my blog. So, here it is. Hope you'll like it as much as I do.

2 cups of flour

1 cup of butter, melted

1 cup of sugar

8 egg yolks

Mix well the sugar and the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and flour, mix until the dough comes together. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Work with small amount of the dough at a time, keeping remaining chilled 'till needed.  on a lightly floured board or kitchen counter top, roll out the dough to 1/5 inch thick and cut it out with cookie cutters. 

Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and glaze them with a mixture of egg yolk a a few drops of coffee. Bake 10 minutes and allow to cool for a minute on baking sheet before transfer them onto wire rack. Cool completely before serving them.

Note :

Unchilled dough will takes up too much flour, resulting in tough, dry cookies.

Excessive re-rolling also causes tough cookies.

Slow Roasted Italian Sweet Pepper

1 pound mixed Italian sweet pepper

2 tablespoon zatar or  2 tablespoon mixed dried oregano, thyme and marjoram

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

2 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degree F

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, transfer to roasting pan and roast for about an hour. 

When it is done, transfer to serving dish. 

Good companion for side dishes and appetizer

Links

Artsy-Foodie

AG's Food

Calm In The Kitchen

Cecil, Food Craze

Kevin, Closet Cooking

Mark, Manggi

Merlotti, Bon Apetit

Murasaki

Natashya, Living In The Kitchen With Puppies

Nina, MyEasyCooking

The Aventure Of My Cooking Diary

Simply Passion For Food

Almond Rosemary and Pine Nut Cookie

I first tasted this cookie at the Italian cafe in my neighborhood. I was so surprise by the pleasant taste of rosemary, not too over powering. When the cookie is bake in the oven, it will parfume the whole house. 

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2  tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 cup chopped toasted almond

1/4 cup toasted pine nut

In small bowl mix egg, vanilla  and salt. set aside.

Put together unsalted butter, granulated sugar and flour in food processor, pulse until the mixture resemble fine crumb, add finely chopped rosemary, pulse for a second just then add egg mixture, continue to pulse until the dough start to come together. 

Turn the cookie dough into a bowl, add chopped toasted almond and pine nut. Mix the dough with wooden spoon, just enough to incorporate the nuts. Do not over mixed!

Turn the dough onto work surface lined with plastic wrap, form the dough into log, then cool in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 400 degree F, lined cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slice cookie thinly, arrange on to cookie sheet slightly far apart, and bake for about 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. 

Pistachios Cookies

Another easy recipe that guarantee your family finish them as soon as they comes out from the oven. I know the picture doesn't look too appetizing, but you must trust me on this one! 

1 egg + 1 yolk, mixed together in small bowl with pinch of salt and 2 tsp vanilla extract

2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4  cup toasted chopped pistachios 

Mix butter, sugar and flour in the food processor, process until resemble fine crumb. Add eggs, continue to process or pulse just until the dough just start to come together, add 1/2 cup pistachios and give it another pulse so that it well incorporated.

Lay 2 piece of cling wrap on working surface, divide the pistachios in half and scatter them into the cling wrap.  Form the cookie dough into log shape, then roll it on the pistachios so that the whole dough is cover with pistachios. Do the same with the other half. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 2 hours or freeze up to 2 month. 

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, slice the dough thinly (about 1/4 inch thick). Arrange on cookie sheet slightly far apart. Bake on the preheated 400 degree F oven for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cookies on wire rack, store in air tight tin for up to a week (although I doubt that you can, it probably vanish while cooling down on wire rack!)

Belgian Spice Cookie

I was thrill to find this recipe from my old baking book by Linda Collister. I modified the technique a little bit and yet the result is still good. It is perfect for christmas, easy to make and taste so good, that having just one or two cookies is not enough. Chill the dough as long as possible, I leave mine in the fridge for overnight. Any left over dough can be freeze, when it time to bake some more, just thaw for couple of hours in the fridge. 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced

6 tablespoons (85g) light brown sugar 

1/3 cup split almonds

Cookie sheet line with parchment paper

Sift the first 5 ingredients. Put into food processor, add butter and process into fine crumbs, then add sugar, continue to process until mixture comes together. Turn the dough onto piece of cling wrap or wax paper on your working surface and form into retangular , wrap and chill at least 2 hours. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the dough into very thin slices, arrange slightly apart on cookie sheet, press almond half into the middle of each slice, bake for about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Store in airtight tin and eat within 4 days.

Panang Curry Paste

Ingredients:

5 red jalapenno

10 Thai chillies

1 tbs coriander seeds

1 tbs cumin powder

3 tbs unsalted roasted peanuts

15 garlic cloves

5 shallots

1 tsp white peppercorns

1 tsp finely chopped fresh galangga

¼ cup chopped fresh lemongrass

5 kaffir lime leaves

½ tbs chopped cilantro roots

½ tsp shrimp paste

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tsp salt

• Put all ingredients in a food processor, and process to form a paste. Transfer to tight fitting jar, refrigerated until needed.

BERBERE #2 (Spice Paste)

1 tbs coriander seeds

1 tbs cumin seeds

2 cardamom

3 cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

6 funegreek 

1/2 tsp black pepper seeds

• Lightly toast all ingredients above on a medium heat to release the fragrance. Set aside to cool. 
• Grind in a mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder to fine powder. Set aside

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsp paprika

1 tbs hot red pepper

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 cup water

2 tbs vegetable oil + more for preserving the paste

salt

• Fry the onion with 1 tbs oil until soft, add garlic, and ginger. Continue to cook until the ginger releases its fragrance.
• Transfer to a blender along with the the rest of the ingredients including the spice powder that you've just grind. Continue to process until smooth and no lump left.
• Return the smooth paste back to the pan with the remaining oil. Cook and stirring constantly for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.
• Transfer to a jar, cool completely before adding  enough oil to preserve the paste, about 1/4" above the paste. 
• Refrigerated until needed. The paste can be kept for up to a month in the refrigerator.

Advieh-Ye-Khoresh

2 tbs Dried Rose Petals

2 tbs cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp angelica

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp limu-omani

• Mix all ingredients, transfer to an air fitted jar.

BERBERE

In small bowl combine all together:

1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs ground coriander
2 tbs ground ginger
5 kernel funnegrek seed + 5 whole spice, ground in mortal and pestle
a pinch of ground clove
5 tbs paprika
1 tbs ground cayenne
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper