Cook's Alphabet 'V'

Cook's Alphabet 'V'

This is the twenty-second in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'V'.


The letter 'V' is, of course the twenty-second letter in the English alphabet and stands for the meat, venison, around which today's recipe is based:

Venison Paprikash

Ingredients:
900g venison haunch cubed
2 tbsp bacon fat
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp paprika
250ml water
400g tinned, chopped, tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)
2 tbsp plain flour
250ml sour cream
3 tbsp freshly-chopped parsley

Method:
Melt the bacon fat in a large pan or heat-proof casserole over medium heat and use to fry the onion, garlic, salt, chillies and paprika until the onions become translucent (about 6 minutes). Add the venison and fry for about 3 minutes per side and pour in the water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer.

Continue coking for about 80 minutes (adding more water as necessary), or until the pork is tender. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking. In the meanwhile, whisk the tomato juice, flour and sour cram to a smooth paste and slowly add this to the stew, stirring constantly. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.

Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the parsley and serve accompanied by rice or noodles.


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Venison Paprikash Recipe page, which is presented as part of the site's British recipes collection. )



Today's cooking term is Verjus: Verjus, also known as verjuice (literally 'green juice') is a sour juice made from sour grapes, crab apples or other unripe fruit. It was used a great deal in medieval European cookery and is undergoing a revival. It's used as a flavouring in certain condiments, and in cooking can be used in place of lemon juice and vinegar. The term 'green' in the name refers to the uncooked nature of the juice rather than its colour (vinegar, in contrast, as it is soured by fermentation is considered to be 'cooked').

Today's spice is Vanilla: Vanilla represents the pods of orchids in the genus Vanilla. There are about 110 species in this genus, of which Vanilla planifolia is used to derive the spice. This is a vine growing to more than 35m in length, with alternate leaves spread along its length. The short, oblong, dark green leaves of the Vanilla are thick and leathery and each node produces long and strong aerial roots. Short-lived flowers arise successively on short peduncles from the leaf axils or scales. There may be up to 100 flowers on a single raceme, but usually no more than 20. The flowers are quite large and attractive with white, green, greenish yellow or cream colors. Each flower opens up in the morning and closes late in the afternoon, never to re-open. If pollinated, these mature to form the fruit (vanilla pod) which is an elongate, fleshy seed pod 10—20 cm long. It ripens gradually (8 to 9 months after flowering), eventually turning black in color and giving off a strong aroma. Each pod contains thousands of minute seeds, but it is the pod that is used to create commercial vanilla flavouring. Though most of the species in the genus Vanilla produce flavoursome pods, only Vanilla planifolia is used for industrial purposes.

As a spice vanilla comes either as the whole bean, vanilla powder or vanilla extract (this is an extract produced by dripping alchohol on split vanilla pods). Vanilla is highly fragrant with an exotic aroma. Vanilla is extensively used throughout the world in foods, confectionary, pharmaceuticals and beverages. Used almost exclusively in sweet cookery, vanilla is added to cakes, biscuits, puddings and desserts. However, in certain cuisines (Réunion cookery being notable) vanilla is used extensively in savoury dishes as well. Below is a recipe for a classic British dish of plums baked with vanilla:


Vanilla-baked Plum

Ingredients:
1kg flavoursome plums
3 vanilla pods, split and with seeds removed
1 glass vin santo
500g sugar

Method:
Arrange the plums in a roasting tray. Split the vanilla pods and scrape the seeds into the vin santo. Scatter the empty pods over the plums then stir the wine to make sure the vanilla seeds are evenly distributed before pouring over the plums. Scatter the sugar over the top, cover with greaseproof paper and then with a layer of aluminium foil (make certain to tuck this over the edges of the tray. Place in an oven pre-heated to 150°C for 45 minutes. Allow to cool a little before serving with cream or ice cream.


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Vanilla-baked Plum Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'V' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'V'
Spices beginning with 'V'
Herbs beginning with 'V'
Wild foods beginning with 'V'
Cook's glossary 'V'

Cook's Alphabet 'U' — Um'bido (Peanut and Greens Stew) Recipe

Cook's Alphabet 'U'

This is the twenty-first in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'U'.


The letter 'U' is, of course the twenty-first letter in the English alphabet and, apart from the letter 'X' it's the second most difficult recipes to get dishes named in. However, there are some classic dishes beginning with U (though the majority are African). Here I present Um'bido; a classic sauce common to much of sub-Saharan Africa made with peanuts and greens:

Um'bido (Peanut and Greens Stew) Recipe

Ingredients:
900g spinach
220g peanuts, coarsely ground
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Method:
Cook the spinach in just enough water to cover. After about 4 minutes sprinkle in the peanuts and stir-in well. Cover and continue to cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent burning. Drain before serving and mix-in the oil, salt and pepper. My wife makes a variant of this: chilli um'bido that includes chillies.


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Um'bido Recipe page, which is presented as part of the site's African recipes collection. )



Today's cooking term is Umami: Umami is a Japanese word for one of the five basic tastes (along with the more familiar: sweet, sour, bitter and salty). Literally, Umami means 'savoury' or 'meaty' and refers to the 'full mouth' sensation produced by foods rich in gultamates, such as fish, meat, cheese and other protein-heavy foods. This is why monosodium glutamate (MSG) makes food taste 'better'. Anchovies are particularly rich in 'umami' and this is why the use of anchovy fillets and the use of anchovies in many sauces and condiments is so prevalent. It also probably explains the Roman predilection for fish sauce condiments which provided both salt and umami to the foods they were used to season.

Today's spice is Uzazi: Uzazi (is the Nigerian name for the spice derived from the pericarp and fruit of Zanthoxylum tessmannii. a West African member of the 'prickly ash' trees and a relative of Asian Sichuan Pepper and a member of the Rutaceae (citrus) family.

Z tessmanii has a more spicy flavour and even greater 'pungency' than Sichuan pepper and both the pericarp and inner fruit are ground and used as a flavouring in traditional West African 'pepper soups' (ie chilli-based stews). Below is a recipe for a classic West African cassava-based stew that incorporates uzazi as a spice:

Cassava Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
8–10 Scotch Bonnet chillies, made into a paste
1 kg lamb pieces on the bone, cubed
100ml strong beef stock (or 2 stock cubes in 100ml water)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sumac (optional)
0.5kg cassava (peeled and cut into large chunks)
0.5kg yam (peeled and cut into large chunks)
3/4 kg sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks (red is best)
3 large plantains, peeled
3 onions, roughly chopped
3 ehuole seeds
6 uzazi peppercorns
3 large sardines, baked
2 dried fish fillets
3 tbsp red palm oil (optional)

Method:
Begin by pounding the uzazi and ehuole to a powder in a pestle and mortar. Add the chillies and pound to a paste then add 3 onions and pound those in.

Dry-fry the meat in a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes then add the remaining onion and the chilli paste, along with 1.5 l or water (including the stock). Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

Meanwhile, soak the dried fish for about 20 minutes and prepare the sardines by removing the skin and bones and add the flesh to the broth. Strip the flesh from the dried fish as best you can and add this to the stew as well. Now add all the remaining ingredients to the stew (the cassava, yam and sweet potato should be cut in roast potato-sized chunks), bring back to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 80 minutes, stirring occasionally.

At the end of this time add about 3 tbsp red palm oil


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Cassava Soup Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'U' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'U'
Spices beginning with 'U'
Herbs beginning with 'U'
Wild foods beginning with 'U'
Cook's glossary 'U'

For more African Recipes, see the Celtnet Recipes Blog African Recipes page.

This list of African regions and African recipes is brought to you in association with the Recipes of Africa eBook. With over 1000 recipes covering each and every country in Africa, this is the most comprehensive book of African recipes available anywhere.

If you love African food, or are just interested in African cookery, then the Recipes of Africa eBook is a must-buy. You get information about every region of Africa and every African country along with a selection of classic and traditional recipes from that country.

This is a must-get book for anyone interested in food. Learn about a continent that to this day remains mysterious to many people. The recipes presented here are written by someone who has travelled extensively in Africa and who is a published Author. The book is a properly-produce and published eBook and the collection is immense.

Don't delay, get yourself a copy of the Recipes of Africa eBook today!

Cook's Alphabet 'T'

Cook's Alphabet 'T'

This is the twentieth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'T'.


The letter 'T' is, of course the twentieth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic Thai-inspired chicken salad (also a great way of using-up left-over Turkey:

Thai Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts, skinned
750g Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 bunch spring onions, white part only, cut into thin rings
80g red onion, diced
75g coriander leaves, shredded
100ml rice wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
60m extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tbsl soy sauce
1/2 tbsp crushed chilli flakes

Method:
Pre-heat your grill and brush the chicken breasts with a little groundnut oil. Place on the grill rack and grill about 8cm from the heat source for about 4 minutes a side, or until the chicken breasts are completely cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine the lettuce, spring onions, red onion and the coriander in a large bowl. Combine the wine vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice and chilli flakes and whisk to combine. Pour half over the salad mix and toss to combine.

Now slice the chicken at an angle. Plate-out the salad and arrange the sliced chicken breasts over the top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Thai Chicken Salad Recipe page, which is presented as part of the site's South-east Asian recipes collection. )



Today's cooking term is Tagine: Tagine iis a meat and vegetable stew that stands at the core of Moroccan cuisine. The tagine is also the dish that the meal is cooked in. This is an earthenware dish with a conical-shaped lid that has a hole in the top. Tagines are cooked on a fire and the cooking ingredients are placed within and minimal liquid is used so that the resulting food is fairly dry. The conical shape of the lid is designed to act as a condenser so that little water is lost from the food by evapouaton — rather it condenses on the conical lid and drips back into the food.

Today's spice is Tasmanian Pepper Berry: Tasmanian Pepper Berry (also known as Mountain Pepper) is a native Australian spice that represents the dried fruit of the shrub, Tasmannia lanceolata which is part of the Winteraceae, a small family of shrubs from South East Asia and the Pacific Rim. The plant itself is mainly found on the Tasmanian Island, Australia; though it on the mainland in Victoria and New South Wales.

In Australia they are used as part of the growing trend for bush food where pepperberries are used to season emu burgers or kangaroo steaks. The berries are also crushed and mixed in vegetable oil before being used to marinate meat. In addition, the berries are used in flavored breads, pastas and patés, mustards and cheeses. In stews or sauces the pepperberries impart a vibrant red colour which can be very attractive.

Though largely known only in Australia Tasmanian Pepperberry is becoming available through a small number of on-line spice suppliers. Please note that if you are intrested in using this spice for your own cooking, then employ a light hand as they are ten times as hot as ordinary black pepper! The recipe below is for a traditional Australian pepperberry-flavoured dish:

Salmon with Acacia Seed and Tasmanian Pepper Berry Rub

Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets
2 tsp roasted acacia seeds, ground (substitute carob)
4 Tasmanian pepper berries (or use long pepper)
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tsp hot dried chillies, ground
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp flour
oil for frying

Method:
Combine all the spices together and mix into the flour. Dredge the fish in this then set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. Heal a little oil in a pan and when almost smoking dredge the fish in the flour once again and place in the pan. Fry on the sking side first and cook for 3 minutes then turn over and cook for 3 minutes on the other side until just done through. Serve immediately.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Salmon with Acacia Seed and Tasmanian Pepper Berry Rub Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'T' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'T'
Spices beginning with 'T'
Herbs beginning with 'T'
Wild foods beginning with 'T'
Cook's glossary 'T'

Cook's Alphabet 'S' — Senegal Pepper Peanut Soup

Cook's Alphabet 'S'

This is the nineteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'S'.


The letter 'S' is, of course the nineteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic modern Fusion recipe made with the S-fish, Sea Bass cooked with an Oriental twist:

Sea Bass with Lemon Soy Sauce

Ingredients:
120ml soy sauce
90g brown sugar
120ml Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
725g sea bass, skinned
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5cm length of ginger (unpeeled) cut into 6 pieces
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp freshly-grated lemon zest
1 tbsp spring onions, minced
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:
Combine the soy sauce, sugar and rice wine in a small pan. Heat gently and stir to dissolve the sugar then take off the heat and add the garlic and ginger.

Add the fish to a a large dish and pour half the soy sauce mixture over it. Spoon over the fish a few times then allow to marinate for 30 minutes, turning the fish half way through. Meanwhile, bring the remaining sauce to a boil and cook until the volume has reduced to 1/3. Strain the sauce to remove the garlic and ginger then stir-in the lemon juice, lemon zest, spring onions and sesame seeds. Set aside.

Drain the fish and place under a grill and cook until done (usually 3 minutes per 1cm of thickness — remember to turn half way through). When the fish is almost ready, bring the sauce back to a boil. Transfer the fish to a serving plate and pour the sauce over the top.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Sea Bass with Lemon Soy Sauce Recipe page, which is presented as part of the site's Fusion recipes collection. )



Today's cooking term is Sorbet: Sorbet is a semi-frozen water ice made from fruit, sugar syrup, wine and/or liqueur. Ideally, this should be even in texture and free from ice crystals. And, as a result, it's most often made in an ice-cream maker. But addition of liqueur allows you to achieve the same effect in your freezer. It is traditonally served as a palate cleanser between courses but these days it's more often consumed as a refreshing desert, decorated with a sprig of mint..

Today's spice is Sénégal Pepper: Sénégal Pepper (also known as Negro Pepper, Grains of Selim, African Grains of Selim, Moor Pepper, Kili, Congo Pepper, Kani Pepper, Country Pepper, Selim Kili Pepper and Poivre de Sénégal) represnts the fruit pods of Xylopia aethiopica or Xylopia striata, members of the Annonacea (custard apple) family. These are either smoked when raw or are dried before use. Though common in Europe during the Middle Ages Sénégal Pepper fell into disuse due to its bitter and astringent pepper though it does impart considerable 'heat' to a dish. It is still frequently used in its native Sénégal, however and forms an integral part of many spice blends

Although Sénégal Pepper has the 'heat' of black pepper it is not truly suited as an alternative because of its bitter overtones and it is this bitterness that explains why this spice is seldom seen outside it’s native region today. Which is not to say that Sénégal Pepper does not have its uses in West African ‘soups’ (stews) and as a rubbing spice for grilled or barbecued meats. Because of its bitterness the unsmoked pods tend to be lightly crushed before being added to soups and stews. The pod is then removed before serving. It is often sold by specialized spice merchants as 'Selim Kili Pepper'. The recip below is for a traditional West African peanut-based stew:

Senegal Pepper Peanut Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
1 kg diced beef
1 bitter tomato, roughly sliced (subsititue a green tomato and half a small aubergine)
3 6x6 cm sections of prepared cow skin cut into 2cm square sections
4 onions, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
100 ml strong beef broth (or 100ml water with 2 beef stock cubes)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp anchovy paste/fish sauce (Nam Pla)
6 Sénégal pepper pods, crushed and tied in a muslin bag
1/2 tsp sumac (optional)
12 Scotch Bonnet chillies
400ml unsweetened peanut butter
6 crab claws (optional)
600g rice

Method:
If using fish for this recipe (rather than the crab) then deep fry the fish beforehand and set aside. Add the meat, skins (if using) and spices to a large stock pot and add a little (200ml) water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Meanwhile, make a past of the chillies by pounding in a pestle and mortar and add half the onions to this and pound in. Add 2 tbsp of this mixture to the meat stew stir, in, cover and cook for 10 minutes. At this point add the anchovy paste, crab claws (and/or fish if using) and the remainder of the onions to the stew. Cover and cook for a further two minutes.

Put the peanut butter in a large bowl and make to 1.5l with water, using your hands to work the peanut paste into the water. Add this paste to the cooking meat (leaving any sediment behind) and add the Sénégal pepper. Bring to the boil then add the remaining chilli paste.

Boil for 45 minutes, until thickened, then serve on a bed of rice.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Peanut Soup Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'S' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'S'
Spices beginning with 'S'
Herbs beginning with 'S'
Wild foods beginning with 'S'
Cook's glossary 'S'

For more African Recipes, see the Celtnet Recipes Blog African Recipes page.

This list of African regions and African recipes is brought to you in association with the Recipes of Africa eBook. With over 1000 recipes covering each and every country in Africa, this is the most comprehensive book of African recipes available anywhere.

If you love African food, or are just interested in African cookery, then the Recipes of Africa eBook is a must-buy. You get information about every region of Africa and every African country along with a selection of classic and traditional recipes from that country.

This is a must-get book for anyone interested in food. Learn about a continent that to this day remains mysterious to many people. The recipes presented here are written by someone who has travelled extensively in Africa and who is a published Author. The book is a properly-produce and published eBook and the collection is immense.

Don't delay, get yourself a copy of the Recipes of Africa eBook today!

Cook's Alphabet 'R'

Cook's Alphabet 'R'

This is the eighteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'R'.


The letter 'R' is, of course the eighteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic British stew made with the R-vegetable, rhubarb, that is more commonly used as a fruit. In this slightly unusual recipe, however, its used as a vegetable:

Rhubarb and Pork Chop Casserole

Ingredients:
4 pork loin chops (about 2cm thick), trimmed
300g soft breadcrumbs
80g soft brown sugar
40g plain flour
450g rhubarb (with skin left on) sliced into 3cm lengths
pepper, to taste

Method:
Add a little oil to a frying pan and fry the pork chops until golden. Season with pepper and set aside to keep warm. Add water to the pan to make any drippings up to 60 mil and combine this with the breadcrumbs. Reserve 80g and sprinkle the remaining onto the base of an oiled baking dish (about 30 x 22 x 5cm).

Mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and rhubarb. Spoon half this mixture over the breadcrumbs in the baking dish then arrange the pork chops on top. Spoon the remaining rhubarb mixture on top hen cover with a lid or foil and place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Bake for about 40 minutes then uncover and sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on top.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes before serving.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Rhubarb and Pork Chop Casserole Recipe page. )



Today's cooking term is Réchauffée: Réchauffée is French word (literally re-heated) used to refer to a dish made from previously cooked foods.

Today's spice is Rose Petals: Rose Petals iare a classic Middle Eastern spice and are typically the aromatic dried petals of the Damasc Rose, Rosa damascena a member of the Rosaceae (rose) family. Rose petals are particularly popular as a spice in the Middle East and are used to make rose petal jam and are incorporated into the spice blend Ras el hanout. They can be added as a flavouring to rice or can be made into ice creams and sorbets. The recipe for a British version of rose petal jam (jelly) is given below:

Rose Petal Jam

Ingredients:
450g heavily-scented rose heads
900g sugar
2.2l water
juice of 4 lemons

Method:
Pick the roses when in bloom, pick off the individual petals and snip off the petal bases, Place the petals in a bowl and add half the sugar. Mix to combine then cover and leave in a cool place over night (this extracts the scent and darkens the petals).

Add the water, lemon juice and the remaining sugar to a large pan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved (use the lowest heat you can) then stir-in the rose petals and the sugar covering them. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn up the heat, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick. Test for setting by placing a plate in the fridge. Spoon a little of the jelly onto the plate, allow to cook then move it with your fingernail. If a crinkly skin forms then the jelly is ready. If not continue boiling for 5 minutes more and test again.

Skim the surface with a slotted spoon then ladle into sterilized jars that have been warmed in an oven set to 100°C for 10 minutes. Allow 1cm of head space then secure the lid, allow to cool and store.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Rose Petal Jam Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'R' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'R'
Spices beginning with 'R'
Herbs beginning with 'R'
Wild foods beginning with 'R'
Cook's glossary 'R'

Cook's Alphabet 'Q'

Cook's Alphabet 'Q'

This is the seventeenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'Q'.


The letter 'Q' is, of course the seventeenth letter in the English alphabet and, despite what you may be thinking, there is lots to talk about for the letter Q. Today's recipe is for a classic English fruit used to make an American-style fruit brownie. The fruit being Quince, of course:

Quince Brownies

Ingredients:
240g dark chocolate, chopped
100g unsalted buter, cubed
110g plain flour
120g granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
150g finely-grated quinces
110g chopped pecan nuts or walnuts
freshly-grated zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g raisins (optional)

Method:
Combine the butter and chocolate in a bain-marie over (double boiler) over simmering water. Stir until completely molten and combined then set aside to cool.

Meanwhil, sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time into the chocolate mixture and beat in with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined before adding he next egg. Now pour the resultant mixture into the flour mix, beating well to combine thorughly. Add the quinces, nuts, orange zest, vanilla and raisins (if using) and stir to combine.

Line a baking pan about 20 x 20 x 5cm with baking parchment or aluminium foil, butter lightly then pour the chocolate batter inside. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely befor cutting into squares and serving.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Quince Brownies Recipe page. )



Today's cooking term is Quenelle: Quenelle is a traditional French term for a fine minced fish or meat mixture that are formed into small (usually oval) portions before being poached in stock. The term is also used scribe the shape of the portions as a neat three-sided oval (a little like a rugby ball) which is formed by smoothing the mixture between two dessertspoons. Essentially a quenelle can be formed from any semi-soft medium such as ice cream, cream cheese, mousse or chocolate. The shape being the same as that of the traditional meat quenelle.

Today's wild food is Quickthorn: Quickthorn is an alternate name for the hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, the flower buds and young leaves of which can be made into salads and puddings. The berries (known as haws) are also good to eat and can be made into teas, desserts, pies, cakes sauces, jams and ice creams. The recipe below is for a classic hawthorn soup:

Hawthorn Soup

Ingredients:
450g Haws (Hawthorn Berries), de-stemmed and washed clean
1.5l water
120g sugar
2 tbsp honey

Method:
Wash the haws and remove any stems. Make a horizontal slice around the midsection of the fruit, and gently pry open with your fingers. Use the tip of a paring knife to carefully pull out the seeds then repeat with the remaining fruit. This is tedious, but essential for this recipe.

Bring the water to a boil in a large stock pot and add the prepared haws and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for between 25 and 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir-in the honey. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, tip into a bowl and cool in the fridge before serving.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Hawthorn Soup Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'Q' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'Q'
Spices beginning with 'Q'
Herbs beginning with 'Q'
Wild foods beginning with 'Q'
Cook's glossary 'Q'

Cook's Alphabet 'P' — Papaya Pie Recipe

Cook's Alphabet 'P'

This is the sixteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'P'.


The letter 'P' is, of course the sixteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic Liberian pie made with the P-fruit, papaya:

Papaya Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
enough Sweet shortcrust pastry dough (made with margarine) to cover a 25cm diameter pie dish with pastry left over (about 300g)

600g cooked and strained green papaya (peel the papaya, remove the seeds then cube and boil for about 8 minutes then drain), mashed

200g sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly-grated ginger

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp melted butter

Method:
Mash the papaya in a bowl then allow to cool before adding the remaining ingredients. Mash further then stir to combine thoroughly.

Roll out the majority of the dough (reserve some) until large enough to cover the base of a 25cm pie dish. Fill the pie with the papaya mixture then trim off any excess pastry. Combine this with the reserved pastry and roll out until flat. Cut strips from this pastry and use these to criss-cross the top of the pie.

Place in an oven pre-heated to 160°C and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and the top is golden brown. Serve warm.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Liberian Papaya Pie Recipe page, part of the Liberian recipes page. )



Today's cooking term is Potherb: Potherb is an term representing herbs (often wild herbs) that need to be boiled to remove their bitterness before they are served. In general, only small, lender young leaves should be collected; as they mature, they rapidly become tough and bitter. Potherbs generally fall into two groups: the first are tender plants and only need to be blanched in water for betweed 30 seconds and 1 minute. The second class are more robust and bitter. These need to be boiled rapidly for several minutes before serving.

Today's spice is Poppy Seeds: Poppy Seeds is the term for the seeds of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum The seeds of the poppy are widely used as the popular 'poppy-seed' found in and on many food items such as bagels, muffins and cakes and breads. The seeds can be pressed to form poppy seed oil, which can be used in cooking. The name Papaver is Latin for poppy and somniferum means 'sleep-inducing' in Latin. This is probably due to the opiates in the seed-pod of the poppy. The seeds only contain trace amounts of this drug. In ancient times, however, European poppy seeds (which do not contain opiates) were also consumed and can still be harvested in the wild. A classic example of a dish including poppy seeds is Croatian Makovnjaca:

Makovnjaca (Poppy Seed Rolls) Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Dough
800g plain flour
180ml milk
60g sugar
2 packets fast-acting yeast
2 egg yolks
1 tsp grated lemon zest
6 tbsp melted butter
large pinch of salt

For the filling:
450g ground poppy seeds (preferably wild poppy seeds)
120ml creme fraiche
3 tbsp raisins
120g sugar
4 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp dark rum
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 drops vanilla essence

Method:
Add the yeast to 220ml warm milk mix thoroughly, cover and allow to rise until the mixture has doubled in size. Meanwhile sift the flour into a deep bowl, make a well in the centre and tip the yeast mixture into this then add the remaining milk, the sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, butter and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon and beat thoroughly until the dough begins to thicken and air blisters form on the surface. Once you have reached this stage tip the dough into a well-greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm area to raise for about an hour (the mixture should double in volume).

Meanwhile, create the filling by mixing the ground poppy seeds, lemon zest, raisins, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

When risen, divide the dough into two sections and roll out thinly on a large floured cloth. Brush with melted butter and spread the poppy seed filling on top. Heat the cream gently then combine with the honey and rum and pour half the mixture over the poppy seeds. Taking an edge of the cloth use this to roll-up the Makovnjaca Swiss-roll fashon until you have a single roll with the filling in the middle. Place this on a well-oiled baking tray and repeat with the second piece of dough.

Cover with a cloth and allow to raise in a warm place for a further half hour. Brush with well-beated egg white and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for about an hour, or until they become golden brown in colour.

Allow to cool then slice and serve.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Makovnjaca Recipe page. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'P' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'P'
Spices beginning with 'P'
Herbs beginning with 'P'
Wild foods beginning with 'P'
Cook's glossary 'P'

For more African Recipes, see the Celtnet Recipes Blog African Recipes page.

This list of African regions and African recipes is brought to you in association with the Recipes of Africa eBook. With over 1000 recipes covering each and every country in Africa, this is the most comprehensive book of African recipes available anywhere.

If you love African food, or are just interested in African cookery, then the Recipes of Africa eBook is a must-buy. You get information about every region of Africa and every African country along with a selection of classic and traditional recipes from that country.

This is a must-get book for anyone interested in food. Learn about a continent that to this day remains mysterious to many people. The recipes presented here are written by someone who has travelled extensively in Africa and who is a published Author. The book is a properly-produce and published eBook and the collection is immense.

Don't delay, get yourself a copy of the Recipes of Africa eBook today!

Cook's Alphabet 'O' — Ogbono Soup Recipe

Cook's Alphabet 'O'

This is the fifteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'O'.


The letter 'O' is, of course the fourteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic Italian pizza dough base made from the o-named grain, oats:

Oat Pizza Base Recipe

Ingredients:
70g whole wheat flour
35g oat flour (made by rendering rolled oats to a fine powder in a food processor)
10g active dried yeast
120ml lukewarm water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fennel seeds
160g (about) strong bread flour

Method:
Combine the whole wheat flour, oat flour and dried yeast together in a bow. Meanwhile, combine the water, salt, olive oil and sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring continually. Once lukewarm add the fennel seeds and the oat flour mixture and beat until smooth. Immediately take off the heat then beat in enough of the strong bread flour to form a moderately stiff dough. Knead this until smooth then cover and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a bowl and place in a lightly-greased bowl, turning it to coat in the oil. Cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise until doubled in volume. Knock the dough back then roll on a lightly-floured work surface until about 28cm in diameter. Cover and allow to rise for 10 minutes then top with your desired toppings.

Place in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake for about 18 minutes, or until the edges of the base are golden and crisp. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Oat-based Pizza Dough Recipe page. )



Today's cooking term is Offal: Offal is an English word that refers to the internal organs of an animal or fish and includes brain, liver, kidney, heart, tripe, lungs, thyroid, pancreas etc. In some instances it can also apply to an animal's extremities, such as head, tail, trotters, tongues and eyes. The origin of the term in English comes from the late 14th century terms of (off) and fal (fall); literally those part of an animal that fall off the butcher's block. As a result they were often seen as low-quality cuts of meat, only eaten by the poor. In Britain many traditional dishes such as liver and onions, tripe and brawn (made from pig's head meats set in jelly) are still commonly eaten. In those conutries where meat is a rarity offal provides a welcome source of protein.

Today's spice is Ogbono: Ogbono is the Nigerian name for the kernel of the African Wild Mango (also known as Mango Sauvage, bush mango, African mango) the fruit of either Irvingia gabonensis or Irvingia malayana which are members of the Malpighiales (mangrove) family of flowering plants. Though the fruit (technically a 'drupe' or hanging fruit) is eaten, it's actually the inner kernel of the seed tha's most commonly consumed. These are known as 'nuts' and are both fat and protein rich and are subtly aromatic in note. These are hulled and dried in the sun before being sold either whole or in powder form. The classic dish containing obono is Ogbono Soup, the recipe for which is given below:

Ogbono Soup Recipe Recipe

Ingredients:
1kg assorted meats (oxtail, tripe, game, offal)
450g stockfish (pre-soaked)
450g dried smoked fish (washed)
225g whole dry prawns (cleaned)
225g ground crayfish
500g ugwu (pumpkin leaves), washed, shredded and blanched
225g ground ogbono seeds
25g ground black pepper
25g iru (fermented locust beans (carob) — omit if not available)
1 medium onion, sliced
4 habanero chillies, ground to a paste
290ml palm oil
2l stock or water
salt to taste

Method:
Wash the assorted meats thoroughly and add to a pot. Add the sliced onions, ground chillies and some stock or water. Cook for 30 minutes then add the washed smoked fish and stockfish, cook for a further 10–15 minutes adding a little stock or water as needed to prevent burning.

In a separate pot, heat the oil and fry the fround ogbono seeds for 3 minutes to bring out their nutty flavour. Gradually add the stock to the ogbono mixture and whisk until it begins to bubble then add the cooked meats, onions, peppers and crayfish. Add the iru (if available) and the ugwu (pumpkin leaves) then allow to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and serve hot with pounded yam.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Ogbono Soup with Ugwu Recipe page, part of Celtnet's Nigerian recipes collection. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'O' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'O'
Spices beginning with 'O'
Herbs beginning with 'O'
Wild foods beginning with 'O'
Cook's glossary 'O'

For more African Recipes, see the Celtnet Recipes Blog African Recipes page.

This list of African regions and African recipes is brought to you in association with the Recipes of Africa eBook. With over 1000 recipes covering each and every country in Africa, this is the most comprehensive book of African recipes available anywhere.

If you love African food, or are just interested in African cookery, then the Recipes of Africa eBook is a must-buy. You get information about every region of Africa and every African country along with a selection of classic and traditional recipes from that country.

This is a must-get book for anyone interested in food. Learn about a continent that to this day remains mysterious to many people. The recipes presented here are written by someone who has travelled extensively in Africa and who is a published Author. The book is a properly-produce and published eBook and the collection is immense.

Don't delay, get yourself a copy of the Recipes of Africa eBook today!

Cook's Alphabet 'N"

Cook's Alphabet 'N'

Today is a fairly momentous occasion as I'm half way through this listing of the complete Cook's alphabet.

This is the fourteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'N'.


The letter 'N' is, of course the thirteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic British recipe for an ice cream made with apples and cobnuts (hazelnuts):

Nutty Apple Ice Cream

Ingredients:


Ingredients
450g cooking apples
1 tbsp water
peel of half a lemon cut into julienne strips
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g sugar
2 eggs, separated
900ml single cream
900ml double cream
50g roast cobnuts, corsely ground

Method:
Add the peeled apples, lemon peel and water to a pan, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the apples reduce to a pulp. Immediately pass through a sieve into a bowl and add the lemon juice, sugar and beaten egg yolks, and leave to cool.

When cold, mix in the coarsely ground nuts, whip the egg whites until stiff and, using the same whisk, whip the single and double cream together. First fold the cream into the apple mixture, then the egg whites, and freeze for two hours, whipping every half hour, before serving.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Nutty Apple Ice Cream Recipe page. )



Today's cooking term is Noisette: Noisette is a French term that literally means 'nut' (hence another tie-in with today's letter). It can be used for desserts or candies containing nuts (noisettes). It can also be used to refer to substances that are 'nut brown', such as Beurre Noisette (nut-brown butter). It is also used for hazelnuts, so that candies containing hazelnuts are all noizettes. Noisettes are also the small rounds cut from a boneless rack of lamb.

Today's spice are Nijella Seeds: Nijella Seeds are the black seeds of the plant, Nigella sativa, members of the butter cup family. The seeds are sometimes also known as kalonji, black cumin and onion seeds are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The black seeds have a peppery, slightly nutty, taste and are generally used as a pepper substitute in recipes that incorporate pod fruit, vegetables, salads and poultry. They also feature as an ingredient in a number of spice blends, such as Bengali Panch Phoron. The recipe for Panch Pharon is given below:

Panch Pharon Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp nigella seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

Method:
Heat a dry non-stick pan on a low heat, add the spices to this and toast gently for five minutes. Allow to cool then transfer to a coffee grinder and blend to a smooth powder. This will store for several weeks in an air-tight jar.


(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Panch Pharon Recipe page, part of Celtnet's spice blend recipes section. )



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'N' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'N'
Spices beginning with 'N'
Herbs beginning with 'N'
Wild foods beginning with 'N'
Cook's glossary 'N'

Cook's Alphabet 'M'

Cook's Alphabet 'M'

This is the thirteenth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'M'.


The letter 'M' is, of course the thirteenth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic Australian dish containing (and named after) that classic Australian 'M' nut, the Macadamia nut:

Macadamia Sponge Pudding with Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

For the nut caramel:
100g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
50g macadamia nuts

For the sponge:
100g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter, softened
250g self-raising flour
2 eggs

For the chocolate fudge sauce:
50g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
50ml white wine
1 tbsp milk
50g dark chocolate, melted
50g macadamia nuts

Method:
Begin with the nut caramel. Add the sugar and butter in a pan and cook until melted and the mixture turns a deep caramel colour. Add the macadamia nuts, stir well then pour the mixture into the base of an lightly-greased oven-proof dish.

Cram together the sugar and butter for the sponge until light and fluffy. Stir-in the flour and eggs and blend until smooth then tip the sponge mix over the nut mix in the dish. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until nicely browned on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Take out of the oven and allow to cool a little before serving.

For the chocolate fudge sauce, heat the butter and sugar in a pan until melted then add the white wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in carefully in a pan or bain-marie (double boiler). Add the milk, melted chocolate and macadamia nuts to the wine reduction then tip the sponge out onto a serving place and pour the sauce over the top.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Macadamia Sponge Pudding with Chocolate Fudge Sauce page, part of the site's Australian recipes collection. )



Today's cooking term is Mirepoix: Mirepoix is a French term denoting the bed of vegetables on which foods (typically joints of meat or fish) are braised. The vegetables both flavour the stock and prevent the meat from sticking to the pan bottom.

Today's spice is Mahlab: Mahlab is an aromatic spice derived from the pulverized pits of the black Mahlab cherry Cerasus mahaleb. It has been used for centuries in the Middle East and the surrounding areas (especially in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Armenia, Iran and Greece) as a sweet/sour, nutty addition to breads, cheese, and biscuits (cookies). Typically it is used as a flavouring for sweet dishes and cakes.



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'M' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'M'
Spices beginning with 'M'
Herbs beginning with 'M'
Wild foods beginning with 'M'
Cook's glossary 'M'

Cook's Alphabet 'L'

Cook's Alphabet 'L'

This is the twelfth in my series of 28 postings going through the entire alphabet, as it relates to cooks and cooking. As you can see, today I'm dealing with the letter 'L'.


The letter 'L' is, of course the twelfth letter in the English alphabet, and today's recipe is for a classic Englisd dish containing (and named after) that classic 'L' meat, Lamb:

Lamb Cobbler

Ingredients:

For the topping:
375g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp finely-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
60g butter
200g milk
black pepper, to taste

For the stew:
60g butter
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp curry powder (optional)
1 green chilli, finely shredded (optional)
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
900g lean leg of lamb, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp Port
300g frozen garden peas
240ml water
30g plain flour
2 tbsp milk
75g freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:
Melt the butter for the stew in a large pan, add the garam masala and curry powder (if using) and fry until aromatic (about 2 minutes) then add the onions and fry until soft and translucent (about 2 minutes). Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another 4 minutes then add the lamb and fry until browned all over before adding the brandy, port and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper then turn off the heat an set aside.

Make the scone topping by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir-in the Parmesan cheese and a few generous twists of black pepper then add the butter and rub into the flour mixture with your fingers. Add the milk a little at a time, until the dough just comes together as a ball. Tip onto a floured surface ,and knead until smooth. Roll out to about 3cm thick and use a 10cm pastry cutter to make 12 dough circles. Set aside until needed.

Skim any fat from the surface of the lamb mixture then return to a simmer. Whisk together the water and flour and stir into the lamb mix. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gravy thickens then add the peas and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes more then transfer the lamb mix to a casserole dish. Cover the top with the dough, spacing the dough mix so that the circles just touch one another.

Brush the tops of the dough with the milk, sprinkle the parmesan cheese over everything then place the dish in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and piping hot.

Serve hot with buttered carrots and swedes or turnips.

(This recipe reproduced, with permission, from the Celtnet Lamb Cobbler Recipe page, part of the site's classic English recipes page. )



Today's cooking term is Lyonnaise (à la): Lyonnaise (à la) is a French term literally meaning 'to cook something in the style of Lyon'. Dishes cooked in this style are usually sautéed and are characterized by the use of chopped onions cooked in butter until golden and often finished off with vinegar and sprinkled with chopped parsley (which is used as a garnish). The term also describes the classic French Lyonnaise sauce which is made with onions, white wine and a brown stock, then strained and served with meat or poultry.


Today's spice is the Long Peper: Long Pepper is the fruit of the flowering vine Piper longum, a member of the same family as black pepper. The plant is commercially cultivated for its fruit which is dried and used as both a spice and a seasoning. In fact, long pepper is a rather close relative of black pepper and has a similar flavour (though it is generally hotter). Though black pepper is the most familiar member of ths family the word 'pepper' is actually dervied from the Sanskrit pippali which is the word for long pepper. Dried long pepper (the commonest form of the spice) onsists of many minuscule fruits, each one about the size of a poppy seed, embedded in the surface of the flower spike. Today, long pepper is seldom used (which is a shame) though it can still be found in Indian vegetable pickles, some North African spice mixtures, and in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking.



For more information on cookery-associated terms and information beginning with the letter 'L' here are various links that may well be of interest:

Recipes beginning with 'L'
Spices beginning with 'L'
Herbs beginning with 'L'
Wild foods beginning with 'L'
Cook's glossary 'L'