Anis and vanilla marinated pineapple with whipped cream

This is a rich flavored straight forward dessert. The syrup suits perfect to marinate also oranges and bananas. Does not work with mango or pear... I tried!

Serves 6

1 pineapple

300 g sugar

1 vanilla pod

1 tbsp star anise powder or 4 whole star anise

whipped cream

cinnamon to dust

Make the caramel from sugar and cover with 400 ml of water. Dissolve the sugar and take off the heat. Add the star anise and half of vanilla pod (scrape the seeds out too). Leave to cool.

Trim and cut the pineapple, discarding the inner hard stem part. Cut into 1 cm thick slices. When the syrup is cooled down add the pineapple and marinate overnight.

To serve whip the cream with little sugar and the vanilla seeds from the other half of pod. Assemble on a plate or bowl and dust the cream with little cinnamon powder.

Leeks wrapped in smoked bacon with vegge jus

I am proud to present the one that I conceder to be My signature dish. I came up with the concept many years ago, when I wanted to change the understanding that simple things as leeks, carrots, onions can be presented as a main and not just a garnish next to fancy piece of meat or fish. Therefore I took the leek and surprised even Myself. 

Serves 4

3 sticks of leek (trimmed and washed thoroughly and cut into 10 cm sticks)

18 thin slices of smoked bacon

3 onions (cut in 4 sectors with the skin on)

3 carrots (cut into chunks)

4 red chillies (halfened lengthways)

2 cloves garlic (bashed with the skin on)

100 ml white wine

50 ml double cream

bunch of thyme

salt, crushed black pepper and sugar to season

First wash the leeks very well to get off any sand or dirt lingering inside the layers. Drizzle olive oil to a baking tray or baking paper and season with pepper and salt. Line the bacon on top and season the other side. Wrap each leek stick with 2 slice of bacon and brown them on a pan rolling the sticks during the frying process. Transfer to a shallow baking tray. Using the fat from the bacon brown the vegetables and add them to the leeks. Deglaze the pan with white wine and pour the liquid to the rest of participants. Season the content of the tray with salt and pepper and add little water just to cover 1-1,5 cm the base of the dish. 

Cover with tinfoil and cook at 160 °C for about 30-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 10 minutes before toss in bunch of fresh thyme. 

When ready. Take the leeks, onions, carrots, garlic and chillies out and drain the cooking liquids to a pot. Reduce by half and then add the cream. Reduce by 1/3 or until the sauce covers the back of the spoon slightly.

And there is the magic. Baked leeks with bacon and vegge jus.

Pan fried pangasius with rustic tomato sauce

Pangasius is one of My personal favorites among fishes. It's not expensive, with firm yet juicy flesh, easy and fast to cook and absolutely delicious. I will have this fish anytime, anywhere!

I will add some tips of cooking Pangasius (also known as Basa, Sutchi Catfish, Silure-Requin, Poisson Chat du Mekong)

1. Basa fillets are mild, yet tasty on their own. Hence, refrain from strong seasoning that would dominate or even destroy the own taste of the filet. Be careful with garlic or onion. The less, means the more when it comes to Basa fillet.

2. Basa fillet is firm and perfect for rolls. Most fish fillets break easy or flake out while frying or cooking. The fillet of the Basa fish keeps it shape much better. However, thaw it carefully in the fridge. Do not use heat to refreeze and dry the thawed fillets carefully with kitchen paper.

3. As Basa fillet is mild in taste, do not waste it on soups or other dishes which have a need for a strong and dominant flavor.

4. When frying, the fillets will be ready until turning golden.

5. For baking, about 25-30 minutes should be enough. Preheat the oven to some 380 – 400 °F (190 - 200 °C) before baking the fillets.

6. For maximum flavor, let the meal cool down for some 5 minutes, then serve.

Serves 4

2 fillets of Pangasius, cut half that You have 4 pieces (about 180 - 200 g each)

little flour for dusting

salt, black pepper and sugar to season

For the sauce:

6 ripe tomatoes (diced)

3 rather bigger onions (julienne)

4 Chinese garlics (sliced thinly)

3 carrots (cut into 0,5 cm slices)

4 red chillies (sliced)

100-150 g butter

100 ml white wine

200 ml water

bunch of parsley

salt, black pepper, chicken stock cube and sugar to season

Glass the onions in a pan with little oil. Add garlic, chillies and carrots and cook on med heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn up the heat to med high and toss in the diced tomatoes and white wine. Reduce the wine by half and then add the water (or chicken stock if You happen to have any). Season lightly with salt, pepper and stock cube. Cook the sauce for about 5-8 minutes, until it has reduced by one third. cut the butter into pieces and start to shake them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low. Correct the seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper. Before serving chop in fresh parsley.

Season the Pangasius fillets slightly with salt and black pepper on both sides. Cover with flour and pat off the excess (they should be covered lightly) Do this just before laying them to the pan. Fry the fish on a hot non-stick pan with olive oil on a medium high heat for maximum of 2 minutes each side. 

Serve the fish after a few minutes of resting time with hot tomato sauce and steamed rice or boiled potatoes with butter and fresh dill.

Courgette rolls with cedar seeds and cream

This is a simple, jet fresh and delicious appetizer or snack on any day of the week(end). You can marinate the courgettes the evening before and assemble the rolls just before serving.

Serves 4-6

1 straight courgette

100 ml whipped cream

3 tbsp mayonnaise

4 tbsp cedar seeds (pine seeds)

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves of garlic

salt, black pepper and olive oil to season and marinate

First take a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season the bottom with salt and pepper. Rub in the bashed garlic clove and leave it there. Then cut the courgettes with a potato peeler into thin leafs and place them onto the seasoned tray. Season the same on top (skip the garlic rub though). Cover and let to marinate minimum of 30 minutes. 

Fold together the whipped cream, cedar seeds, grated Parmesan and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a amount of 1 tsp of cream mix on the courgette stripe, leaving 2 cm space to You're side. Fold the end over the cream and roll up to the end carefully. Turn the roll up and season the top with freshly grind black pepper and few cedar seeds.

Broccoli soup with caramelized pepperoni,garlic and brie

I saw the method again from the star chef Gordon Ramsay.  This has to be the most quick and brilliant soup I've made lately... not to say healthy and low in cost of ingredients.

Serves 4

1-2  heads of fresh tight broccoli

2 l water

small bunch of parsley

20 g butter

salt, black pepper and sugar to season

in addition (this is optional)

12 piece of pepperoni 

1 Chinese garlic

6 piece of Brie cheese

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Bring the pot with the water to rapid boil. Season with salt. Cut off the blossoms of broccoli keeping them about the same size pieces (they will cook evenly and the soup will be evenly creamy). Add the broccoli to the water and season the top with salt. COVER with lid and boil for 4 minutes. Then drain the water, but saving it in a bowl under sieve. 

Transfer the broccoli to a blender with fresh parsley and fill with saved boiling water half way. Blitz until smooth and velvety. Season with sugar, black pepper and salt if needed. Add a knob of butter and blitz for 15 seconds.

For garnish fry on a med low heat the pepperoni and garlic, with little olive oil. Cut the Brie and place in the middle of the bowl with the sausage and garlic.  Serve hot and drizzle with garlic-pepperoni oil from the pan. 

For those who like to see the original by Ramsay here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYfJONfI90

Meat pie & tuna pie (some call it pizza)

This is I think most variable thing You can possibly do. Yeast based bread pies are common in every country, may they call it pizza or pie. I call it pie cause the base is more "bready" and way thicker than in Italian pizzas. 

1 stick fresh yeast

1 tsp sugar

500 ml lukewarm milk

500-600 g plain white flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

little chopped fresh rosemary

Melt the yeast with sugar and make a "pre dough" with a little warm water and flour (looks like thicker pancake dough) Leave covered with a clean kitchen towel in a warm place for 15 minutes.

In that time You can prepare the ingredients You need for topping the pie.

I recommend to take three basic layers to consideration. You need a sauce to keep it juicy, binding element (cheese or egg mixture) and a naming element (what gives the pie its name). 

So to take these 3 steps I combined My pies.

The first was a fishy pie with tuna. For the sauce I used bechamel (or reduced cream sauce works wonders), grated cheese and topped with tuna, red onions, marinated jalapeño and leek.

The second one I made a meat pie... as the name gives, I used some meats... combined in tomato sauce (pork, minced meat, beef, salami, ham,... etc). Little grated cheese, crisp paprika and red onion to add freshness.

But get back to the dough... when the first mix has reacted and bubbly, combine it with the rest of warm milk and flour. Add the chopped rosemary and olive oil. Knead until the dough doesn't stick to the fingers or table. Use additional flour if necessary. Put in a bowl and cover with the clean towel. To help the rising process poke the surface of the dough with index finger to leave damp holes.  Leave to rise for 45-60 minutes in a warm place.

After some time...

Roll out the dough, top with ingredients and leave in warm place to have the final rise on the baking tray before cooking in preheated oven (220 °C) for about 12-15 minutes.

Garnish with extra olive oil, chopped parsley or other herbs and serve. 

Rasberry and poppy seed cheese cake

When I thought of rasberries there is always the issue with its seeds. They seem to get stuck between the teeth and have a discarding factor attached to them. Nevertheless its a specific element in texture of the berry which got me thinking. As a idea and a twist I decided to replace the original seeds with an alternative - poppy!

Serves 4

400 g Philadelphia cream cheese

400 g rasberries

400 ml double cream

3 tsp poppy seeds

130 g sugar

pinch of salt

160 g Digestive biscuits

80-100 g melted butter

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla sugar

8 leafs of gelatin

To start with preheat no oven! This cake needs no cooking but to set in the fridge for minimum of 6 hours.

Put the gelatin leafs in plenty of cold water and leave to soften for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile blitz the rasberries in blender or food processor and pass them threw a fine sieve. Discard the seeds.

Crush the biscuits in a plastic grip bag with rolling pin or in food processor until fine crumble is reached. Mix in the melted butter and lemon zest.

Combine the cream cheese with sugar and salt. Divide the mixture to 40/60 patches in separate bowls.

Whip the cream and  divide to 30/70 patches. 

Take the gelatin out of the water and squeeze out excess water. Mix together the lemon juice and some water to get 100 ml of liquid. Melt the gelatin  in a bowl over simmering water (or in microwave med power for 40-60 seconds) 

Mix together 40% part cheese, the rasberry pulp and 60% of dissolved gelatin. Mix well and then fold in 30% part of whipped cream. 

In another bowl mix together rest of the cheese, poppy seeds and gelatin. Mix well and then fold in rest of whipped cream.

Assemble the cake making layers as You fill up the forms. At the end sprinkle the top with biscuit crumbs and pat to flat the surface gently.

Keep in the fridge at least for 6 hours  or overnight to set. To get the cake out from the form, use a bowl of hot water and dip the forms in for 10-15 seconds of line the forms before with clean film, baking paper or powdered sugar and little grease.

Serve with fresh berries and a glass of bubbly!

Crusted Pollock with seafood risotto

Pollock is a white fleshed firm marine fish. Although traditionally a popular source of food in some countries like Norway, in the United Kingdom it has previously been largely consumed as a cheaper and versatile alternative to cod and haddock in the West Country, elsewhere being known mostly for its traditional use as "Pollack for puss / coley for the cat." However, in recent years pollock has become more popular due to over-fishing of cod and haddock. This fish is often used in fish mince and fish cakes. Perfect for making fish and chips.

Serves 4

600 g fresh Pollock (fillet without skin) (Sei)

100 g white breadcrumbs

bunch of parsley, thyme and basil

60 g grated Parmesan cheese

100 g softened butter

salt, sugar and white pepper to season

First prepare the fish and the crust. Portion the fish, cutting about 150-160 g pieces. Season both sides and set aside. In a food food processor puree the butter and herbs, add the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan. Season. The crust resembles slightly moist coarsely and green colored crumble. Push the crust on top of the fish to cover it with 2-3 mm layer. Arrange the portions on a tray and preheat the oven to 190 °C. They need a cooking time for about 8-12 minutes.

Risotto: there is a few important points while cooking a risotto. I will add a link to the basics of picking the right rice and preparation steps. The ingredients may vary but in the end all You need to know really is how to make the risotto base. http://italianfood.about.com/od/tipstricks1/a/aa091697.htm

500 g Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or other short grained rice such as Arborio

40 ml olive oil

1 medium onion (finely diced)

2 carrots (finely diced)

1 medium leek (finely chopped)

small bunch parsley (chopped only once)

1 med bay leaf

700 ml stock (fish or vegetable, if You're brave enough, mix 1/3 of chicken stock with 2/3 of fish stock)

300 ml white wine

100 g shelled blue mussels

150 g small shrimps (peeled)

100 g butter

70 g finely grated Parmesan

salt, white pepper and sugar

I recommend You check out the link, I will give a short overview of this recipe. 

First heat up the stock. This needs to be hot as You start adding it to the rice. My small trick is also to mix in the white wine to the stock. This is how You keep reducing the wine along with the stock and round out the flavor, which will be more rich at the end.  Then heat the olive oil on a pot and glaze the onion with carrots and bay leaf. Season. Add the rice and cook in oil giving it a stir constantly. The rice will go translucent as the onions. Make sure that You don't brown the onions, work with medium low heat. Season.  

Start adding the hot stock in small amounts. You have 1 liter of liquid together. Divide this in 5-6 amounts. Remember to stir the risotto, cooking with little liquid can end with disaster when lack of attention. 

It is every ones personal choice how firm they like their risotto. I prefer it almost soft and creamy while most cooks leave the grains quite "al dente". So if You haven't done this before I recommend to start tasting  after 12-15 minutes of cooking. 

After last addition of stock add the leeks, mussels and shrimps. Cook for 2 minutes and take out from heat. Add Parmesan, soft butter and parsley. Season. Cover the pot for 3 minutes.

The perfect result should look like runny oatmeal porridge. Serve it on the center of a plate and it should  find its way over the dish. If it seems too firm, add a bit stock or water (hot).

Center the plate with crusted Pollock and garnish with a slice of lemon and herbs.

Enjoy!

Sticky lemon chicken with olive potato mash

This is one of My favorite recipes from Gordon Ramsay. I took the liberty of changing the recipe a little, but that is what cooks do best... :D It works incredibly also with orange, urge You to try. Anyways GREAT chicken, easy and fast to prepare.  This is the original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mARkUax2jg0 . Enjoy!

Serves 4

4 chicken legs

2 lemons

1 Chinese garlic

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

little lemon basil and thyme

3 tbsp soy sauce (not the dark one)

2 tbsp clear honey

salt, black pepper, sugar for seasoning

1,2 kg potatoes

50 g butter

250 ml milk

60 g green olives 

fresh parsley

To save some time and effort I will skip the instruction... just follow the link and see how the master does it.  I added some green olives to the potato mash, I think they work wonderful with the lemon and thyme. Also the mash is just using milk and butter, no cream there.