| The CRYPT Mag |
5 cups strong tea
2 cups fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1/4 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped fine
Put tea, orange juice and lemon juice in a large jug. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and orange rind. Heat to boiling over high heat. After boiling for 5 minutes, remove from heat and add mint. Cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain, add to the jug and serve ice cold.
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (3/4 1 cup)
6 cups cooked chicken, turkey or duck meat
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
1/2 - 1 cup cream, as needed
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh herbs; tarragon, sage, lemon,thyme, marjoram, basil or a combination of these
1 - 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
2 /3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup pistachios, whole, shelled and dry-roasted
Blanched vegetables: carrots, spinach, green beans, squash, sorrel, peas, red sweet pepper, green onions or pitted ripe olives.
Process chopped yellow onion, meat, butter and cream until very smooth. Be careful not to add too much cream, or the mixture will become too soft.
When smooth, add mustard, seasonings, and lemon juice; adjust salt to balance taste; stir in pistachios. Cut vegetables into long strips, slices, or irregular chunks.
Line a loaf pan or tureen with cling film, being sure to push it into corners. Spoon about a third of meat mixture into the lined pan, taking care not to shift the wrap. Smooth the surface with a plastic spatula, pushing it all the way to the edges. Put a layer of vegetables on the meat, leaving a 1/2-inch space around the edges.
Carefully add another third of meat mixture; top with another layer of vegetables. (Try to arrange each layer of vegetables at different intervals across surface.) Finish with remaining meat mixture. Smooth all the way to edges; give pan several raps to settle completely. Fold edges of cling film over the top to cover. Refrigerate overnight or several hours until completely firm.
Turn out pate onto a serving plate and carefully remove cling film. Smooth out any rough or broken spots. Slice into 1/2-inch pieces and serve with toast, French bread, crusty rolls, or crackers. Garnish with additional mustard and pickled vegetables. Keeps very well for several days. If serving whole on a buffet table, a decorative layer of vegetables could be added on the top or the bottom.
NOTE: This pate softens in hot weather, so serve only at cool or normal room temperature.
The tomato paste in this dough results in biscuits that are tinged orange-pink and flecked with green. The flavour is a winning combination of tomatoes, basil, cheddar, and a hint of garlic-rich and savory. No butter needed! If you want to make these during cold weather and you have no fresh basil, use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dried basil. Crumble the dried leaves into the milk. These biscuits won't have the same perfume and taste as the ones prepared with fresh basil, but they are still quite nice.
2 cups less 2 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup finely grated strong cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic
1/2 cup finely minced basil
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Combine the flours, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and blend thoroughly; Mix in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, combine the milk with the tomato paste, blending well. Press the garlic through a garlic press into the milk and stir. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients along with the cheese and basil, and stir to form soft dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured pastry marble or board, knead gently until it just comes together, and roll out to 1/2 thickness. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 to 2 inch racks to cool slightly before serving. The biscuits are best-served warm and right after baking. If you want to prepare them in advance, cool them completely and store them in an airtight container. Wrap them in foil and gently reheat in 325° oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen biscuits.
2 cups Plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons minced mint or lemon balm leaves,
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh lavender or anise hyssop blossoms, or 1/2 teaspoon dried blossoms
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-by-3 inch loaf pan.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside. Stir the herbs into the milk and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and blend well.
Add the flour alternately in three parts with the milk. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The loaf is done when the top is golden brown, the edges pull away slightly, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack. When cool, cut into 1-inch cubes and use as fondue dippers.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, removed from stem
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan or Asiago cheese
In a blender or food processor, puree the basil, parsley, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the nuts and the cheese and process briefly until the pesto reaches the desired consistency. Makes 2 cups.
1 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Place all ingredients in blender and mix at low speed till nearly smooth, then at high speed for 30 seconds. Taste for salt. Use for salad greens or to marinate cooked or raw vegetables. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Note: Substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs per 1-tablespoon fresh measurement. You may also substitute 1/2 cup white wine vinegar for lemon juice or red wine vinegar and water.
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, then lengthwise
2 onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 garlic head, separated into cloves and peeled
1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup minced fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
Heat the oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Drizzle on the oil and toss again. Spread the mixture on a large baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally for 1 hour, or until golden and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a platter, and serve.
When the recipe calls for garlic and fresh herbs, mince the garlic along with the herbs. Not only do the herbs add bulk to make mincing easier; they also catch the garlic oil that is otherwise lost on your cutting surface.
| © RIYAN Productions |
