Tabbouleh This is a recipe from the Middle Eastern cuisine Bulgar wheat, 100 g (4 oz) soaked in warm water for 30 minutes 1 onion, finely chopped 1 small bunch of Italian parsley, finely chopped Fresh mint, 1 tbs finely chopped Olive oil, 2-3 tbs Lemon juice, 2 tbs Salt and pepper 1 tomato finely chopped Drain the bulgar wheat thoroughly. Mix with the chopped onion and tomoatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs and then add the oil and lemon juice.

Vichyssoise

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP (French)

Serves 8

4 cups sliced leeks (white part only) 1L

3 cups sliced potatoes 750ml

6 cups chicken stock 1.5L

salt

½ cup or more whipping cream 125ml

finely chopped shallots or chives

Cook leeks and potatoes in chicken stock. Puree mixture in food processor or blender. Add salt to taste. Chill thoroughly. Just before serving, add cream. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill thoroughly. Sprinkle each serving with chopped shallots or chives.

 

Suon Nuong

CHARCOAL GRILLED PORK CHOPS (Vietnam)

Serves 6

10-12 pork chops 10-12

(about ½" thick)

Marinade:

2 Tbsp peanut butter 30ml

1 Tbsp salt 15ml

2 Tbsp sugar 30ml

2 green onions, mashed 2

2 garlic cloves, mashed 2

The 5 above-mentioned ingredients can be put into a blender and mixed. Marinate the pork for one hour at room temperature. Grill over medium charcoal heat until golden brown. Serve with plain rice and sliced cucumber or salad.

 

Borsch

BEET SOUP (Ukraine)

1 cup carrots 250ml

2 cups beets 500ml

1cup celery 250ml

2 medium onions 2 medium

salt to taste

10 peppercorns 10

2 bay leaves 2

6 ½ cups water 1.5L

2 Tbsp cooking oil 25ml

1 cup cabbage (shredded) 250ml

½ cup mushrooms 125ml

2 cups tomato juice 500ml

1 Tbsp lemon juice 15ml

2 Tbsp corn starch 25ml

¼ cup cold water 50ml

Grate carrots and beets on medium grater. Add diced celery, one chopped onion, seasonings, cold water and simmer for ½ hour. Sauté other onion in oil. Add cabbage and mushrooms. Simmer until all vegetables are tender, but firm. Add tomato and lemon juice. Dissolve corn starch in ½ cup cold water and add to borsch. Bring to boil. Serve hot!

 

Pjanaya Ziba

"DRUNK" FISH (Russian)

1lb fillets of fish 500g

salt and pepper

crumbled bay leaves

1cup cooking oil` 250ml

1cup dry white wine 250ml

Cut fillets into serving pieces, season with salt and pepper. Place in medium deep casserole and cover with mixture of oil and wine. Crumble bay leaves on top. Place in oven preheated to 350 F (180 C) for 30 to 40 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

 

Pieczen Barania z Pieca

ROAST LEG OF LAMB (Poland)

Serves 8-12

Vinegar

1 lamb leg, whole

garlic cloves, slivered

salt and pepper

Soak a towel with vinegar; wrap around the leg of lamb. Let stand overnight. Remove towel. Trim off fell, if necessary and excess fat. Make small slits in fat cover on meat. Push a sliver of garlic into each slit. Place lamb, fat side up, on rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 325 F until done as desired. Allow 30 minutes per pound for medium; 35 minutes per pound for well done.

 

EGG PLANT PARMIGIANA (Italian)

2 medium sized eggplants 2

½ cup sifted flour 125ml

2 eggs, well beaten 2

½ cup sifted bread crumbs 125ml

1 tsp oregano (dried) 5ml

6 Tbsp olive oil 100ml

¼ cup butter, melted 50ml

1 tsp salt 5ml

1 tsp pepper 5ml

3 cups tomato sauce 750ml

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 125ml

thin slices of mozzarella

Peel eggplants. Cut into ¼ inch slices. Sprinkle slices slightly with salt. Place them on brown paper and let drain 30 minutes. Pat dry. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Dip in beaten eggs. Mix bread crumbs with oregano, then dip eggplant slices into bread crumbs. Combine olive oil and butter in a skillet and heat. Add eggplant slices and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté to a medium brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Oil a baking pan and cover the bottom with thin layer of tomato sauce and sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese. Place a small slice of Mozzarella cheese on each eggplant slice. Spoon another thin layer of tomato sauce over. You can layer this dish: Sauce, eggplant, cheese, etc. Bake for 45 minutes. Serves 6 as an entrée. Serves 12 as a sidedish. Good with salad and Bardolino wine.

 

Yam Kalampee Sai koong-Mou

CABBAGE SALAD WITH PORK AND SHRIMP (Laos)

2 cups chopped cabbage 500ml

½ cup cooked pork, finely chopped 125ml

7 medium shrimp, boiled, cut in half 7

1 Tbsp chopped garlic and red onion 15ml

1 Tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely ground 15ml

1½ Tbsp lemon or lime juice 20ml

1 Tbsp nampla (fish sauce) 15ml

1 Tbsp salt 15ml

½ cup coconut milk 125ml

1 Tbsp chopped dried chili, fried 15ml

½ cup vegetable oil 125ml

Heat the oil in the frying pan on medium low heat. Fry the onion and garlic until brown. Set aside. Then fry the chilies. Cook cabbage in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain. In a mixing bowl combine cooked cabbage, salt, nampla, lime or lemon juice, peanuts, coconut milk and cooked pork. Mix thoroughly. Place on a platter, top with cooked shrimp. Sprinkle with fried red onion, garlic and chili.

 

MELON AND PROSCIUTO (Italian)

12 slices prosciutto (Italian ham) 12 slices

1 large melon honey dew, Crenshaw,

or cantaloup

Slice melon into narrow wedges, peel rind, remove seeds. On small plates, arrange ham slices with melon, rolling the ham. A sprinkle of fresh-ground black pepper is the usual seasoning.

 

Coucou Sabzi

HERB OMELET (Iran)

Serves 4-6

9 eggs

1cup spinach (chopped) or Swiss chard 250ml

1tsp thyme, sage, mint, parsley, oregano

rosemary and summer savory 5ml ea.

2tsp coriander (optional) 10ml

1tsp dill 5ml

¼ cup minced green onions or chives 50ml

½ tsp cinnamon 2ml

½ tsp cumin 2ml

¼ tsp turmeric 1ml

½ tsp pepper 2ml

½ tsp salt 2ml

4 Tbsp oil 50ml

1tsp paprika 5ml

Heat oil in fry pan. Blend all the above ingredients together. In a skillet, cook on one side on medium heat, flip over and cook on the other side. Can be served hot or cold. (Or can be baked in greased 9" pan 325 F (170 C) till top is crisp and brown). Serve with yogurt.

 

CURRY POWDER MIXTURE

(for meats or vegetables)

1 lb saffron 500g

6 oz jeera (cumin seeds) 200g

4 oz cloves 125g

4 oz cinnamon 125g

4 oz peppercorns 100g

4 whole nutmegs 4

15 cardamom pods 15

(peeled, and use seeds only)

A combination of the powders, or whole ingredients, may be used in same quantities. Mix well and store in a clean air tight jar. Use as required for small quantity reduce recipe.

To grind spices use mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Keema

 

MINCED MEAT DISH

2 lbs. ground meat (hamburger) 1kg

1 med. Size onion 1

2 cloves garlic 2

¼ oz ginger, root 25g

1 green chili pepper, chopped 1

½ tsp salt 2ml

½ tsp red chili powder 2ml

½ tsp mixed ground spices 2ml

½ tsp turmeric 2ml

2 tsp tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes 10ml

2 Tbsp cooking oil 25ml

Grate or chop the onion, ginger, garlic. Heat the oil at medium heat, fry the chopped onions. Once the onions turn brown add the ginger and garlic, wait for these to turn brown. Add all the remaining ingredients and the meat. Sprinkle one Tbsp of water over this and cover with a lid. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Ready to serve.

 

Tzatziki

CUCUMBER SALAD (Greek)

1 English cucumber, finely chopped 1

2 cups yogurt, plain 500g

1 garlic clove 1

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp oil (olive oil best) 15ml

1 Tbsp vinegar (white wine vinegar best) 15ml

Chop cucumber finely. In a bowl mash garlic with salt and pepper. Add cucumber, yogurt, oil, and vinegar. Mix well. Serve as a hot weather canapé with bread. May also be used as a salad dressing over fried eggplant or zucchini.

 

Mousaka

EGGPLANT CASSEROLE (Greek)

1 pound ground beef 500g

3 medium eggplants, thinly sliced 3

1 medium onion, finely chopped 1

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 15ml

¼ cup tomato sauce 50ml

Cream Sauce:

4 cups milk 1L

½ cup flour 125ml

¼ cup butter 50ml

2 egg yolks 2

salt and pepper to taste

Brown slices of eggplant in vegetable oil. Arrange slices on a well buttered deep baking pan. Sprinkle with salt. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, add tomato sauce and parsley, salt and pepper to your taste. Cook until all liquid is absorbed. Spread meat mixture over eggplant slices. Melt butter, stir in flour gradually and milk. Add egg yolks. Cream sauce should be nice and smooth. Pour sauce over ground beef layer. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about one hour. Cool and cut into squares.

 

Coq au vin

CHICKEN WITH WINE (French)

4 lbs cut-up chicken 2kg

2 tsp salt 10ml

½ tsp pepper 2ml

3 Tbsp flour 50ml

3 Tbsp frying oil 50ml

16 small onions 16

4 minced shallots 4

¼ cup chopped onion 50ml

2 cloves garlic, minced 2

16 whole fresh mushrooms 16

2 cups dry red wine 500ml

¼ tsp thyme 1ml

1 bay leaf 1

Mix salt, pepper, and flour. Rub onto chicken. In a skillet, brown chicken in oil. Add whole onions, shallots and chopped onion and brown lightly. Add wine, thyme, garlic and bay leaf. Cover and cook over low heat 30-45 min. or until tender. Saute mushrooms in oil. Add just before serving. Serve with salad and crusty bread.