cold. white. snow. lemon zest.

It’s HOT

It’s HUMID

It’s STICKY

And it’s MUGGY

The perfect recipe for days like these-

 is this great cold yogurt soup.

Perfect for a light lunch, or a refreshing dinner.

And you whip it up in less then 15min.

Works like a charm. Always.

Cold Yogurt ‘soup’

400g thick Greek yogurt

200g drinking yogurt

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cucumber chopped up finely

1 tbsp. chopped Za'atar leaves

2 tbsp. chopped mint leaves

Salt

Olive oil

Using a whisk, mix the yogurt till smooth.

Add lemon zest, herbs and salt to taste.

Mix in the cucumber.

Pour into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.

*Goes well with home made croutons seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic.

soft & crunchy. ice-cream. treat. cookie.

I mentioned before my love to a great sandwich.

(See post- http://agrainofparadise.blogspot.co.il/2012/05/green-olives-cannellini-beans-chili.html) 

Well, this sweeter then life sandwich must be on everybody’s ‘To do’ list this summer.

Part soft, Part crunchy chocolate chip cookie

Handful of pecans

Dried apricot both for great color, and tanginess

And add to that your favorite flavor of ice cream –

and there you have the best summer treat.

Plain and simple.

Ice cream sandwich

For the cookies: 2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

200g soft butter

200g chopped up dark chocolate

100g chopped pecans

100g chopped up dried apricots

Ice cream: 3 tubs of your favorite ice cream flavor

buy haagen-dazs or Ben and Jerry’s  ice cream tub

(any other brand will work as well,

as long as its the same size tub)

Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, combine the butter and sugar,

Once you get a white and fluffy mixture. Add eggs. Mix.

Add the flour and baking soda. Mix

Add the chocolate, pecans and apricots, mix.

Create 24 balls out of the batter.

Bake for 12 minutes in an 180c pre heated oven

*Cut the tub of ice cream using a serrated knife,

2cm in thickness.

Peal the carton away, and lay between 2 cookies.

Heaven.

If you happen to read Hebrew, you can view the recipe here- http://www.chef-lavan.co.il/default.asp?catid={0C8834B1-0191-4C80-897F-C1E31A287FF1}&details_type=1&itemid={13058743-67EF-4AB6-8252-6E5A09DA3E04}#!prettyPhoto

sophia loren. tomato stains. meatballs. comfort food.

sweet ripe tomatoes.

home made pasta

fresh herbs

hand chopped meat.

‘Spaghetti and Meatballs’

A dish that originated with Italian immigrants in NYC.

A dish that is synonyms to comfort food.

A dish that is a full on meal.

A dish that is a favorite by kids and adults alike.

My version of ‘spaggeti and meatballs’

for the meatballs:

500g  beef round meat cut into tiny cubes, ground meat can be used as a replacement, if you don’t feel like chopping up the meat.

(beef round is a more lean cut of meat, so if you prefer something more fatty take that into account)

1 garlic clove chopped

3 sun dried tomatoes chopped

¼ red onion chopped

2 tbsp chopped pistachio (any other nut will work as well)

5 klamata olives chopped up

3 tbsp chopped parsly

1 slice of white bread soaked in water, squeezed  and then grated

salt+pepper

your favorite home made tomato sauce

*bring the tomato sauce to a light simmer.

* knead the chopped meat for few minutes using your hands, to get the protein in the meat to work.

*add all other ingredients and mix well

*form balls the size you prefer…..

(I made them medium size and 20 balls came out)

*put all meatballs in the sauce, and get the pot to a boil, once its boiled turn to low heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked (for added flavor, you can pan fry the meatballs before inserting them into the sauce, but I skipped this stage to avoid the added oil)

for the linguini:

350g linguini

1 crushed garlic clove

1 tsp. grounded black pepper

1 tsp grounded dry chilli

lemon zest from 1 lemon

a handful of chopped parsley

a handful of chopped zaatar leaf/oregano/ marjoram

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

salt

*cook the linguini according to manufactures instruction 

(or better yet if you made the pasta yourself)

mix all other ingredients in a bowl and mix well with the lingunii

assembly-

place some of the seasoned linguini in a bowl,

and pile up the meatballs and sauce.

Slurp away…




for the recipe in hebrew-http://www.chef-lavan.co.il/default.asp?catid={F7016843-E487-400B-807D-93FB2C7235D5}&details_type=1&itemid={329D838D-E61B-4399-9FF6-EEA5AAC1B5CC}#!prettyPhoto

dark rum. cuba. orange- yellow. basil.

Cuba. I don’t remember much of the foods I had while in Cuba. I remember the standard rice& beans. I even remember the fried fish with the fried plantains. And I vaguely remember an Italian restaurant in a shady back ally in Havana’s Chinatown.

But I don’t recall anything sweet. 

Well, besides the country’s infatuation with their ice cream parlor, coppelia. A somewhat mundane thing as ice cream is well, like everything in Cuba, a part of a socialist dream. Ice cream is subsidized in Cuba, as Castro’s vision was that everyone should enjoy ice cream- not just the elite. Therefor 2-3 hour waiting line, in the blistering heat is not uncommon.

With a country who as known food shortage, this cake might be seen as pure luxury. But every country should have a staple cake.

I offer the Cuban nation this cake.

With the tropical fruit, the aged dark rum, with notes of spices, and a caramel undertone. The toasted coconut with a vanilla pastry cream- is basically the perfect cake, for a nation that well deserves something more to satisfy their sweet side.

My Tropicana Cake

For the white cake

120g soft butter

120g sugar

2 eggs

75g  flour

5g baking powder

85g corn starch

zest of 1 lemon

whip up the butter, sugar and lemon zest  together using the paddle attachment on your mixer. When the mixture is whiter and fluffy, add the eggs, one by one.

Add powders and continue to mix until you get an homogenize cake batter.

Pour the batter into a 20 cm buttered cake pan.

(if you happen to have a square pan, all the better )

Bake at 180c, 20 minutes.

Let the cake cool.

For the syrup

3 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. dark rum

boil the water and sugar together.

Let the syrup cool and add

add the rum.

For the cake toppings

1 sweet tasting mango diced up
(a combination of papaya and pineapple with the mango will work fabulous as well!!)

150g toasted shredded/flaked coconut

150g double cream

4 tbsp. crème patissiere
(am sure you have your own recipe,
 if not, let me know and ill write you my own)

start whipping up your double cream, when it reaches a soft peaks, add the crème patissiere and continue to whip until stiff.

Assembly- wet the cake with the rum syrup.

Spread a thin layer of the cream you just made on the sides of the cake, it suppose to act as the “glue” for the coconut. Hold the cake on one hand and on the other take a handful of coconut, and stick it to the sides, go all the away around the cake.

Once the sides of the cake are done, place the rest of the cream on top of the cake, using the back of a spoon spread the cream. Top with the mango.

I happen to think that the basil leaves go well, 

both in flavor, and look. 

But certainly not a naccecity.




you can find the recipe in hebrew here- http://www.chef-lavan.co.il/default.asp?catid={0C8834B1-0191-4C80-897F-C1E31A287FF1}&details_type=1&itemid={3C2CAFDF-3536-4654-900C-7D8E21EA9544}

Sicily.

Chocolate stracciatella

Candied Sicilian bright green pistachios

Creamy& milky mascarpone

 Giant Lemon trees

Candied oranges

 Fresh Sweet ricotta

Cassata Siciliana.

i never had a proper cassata siciliana.

(When in Italy I usually try to hunt for the perfect sfogliatelle. Therefor anything else usually gets put to the side…) But for some reason I could imagine exactly how this cake should be. 

Or better yet, how it should taste.

 when searching for those yummy Sicilian fresh flavors, 

I bring you the perfect recipe. 

My version of a cassata Siciliana.

For the white cake

120g soft butter

120g sugar

2 eggs

75g  flour

5g baking powder

85g corn starch

zest of 1 lemon

whip up the butter, sugar and lemon sezt  together using the paddle attachment on your mixer. When the mixture is whiter and fluffy, add the eggs, one by one.

Add powders and continue to mix until you get an homogenize cake batter.

Pour the battar into a 20 cm buttered cake pan.

(if you happen to have a square pan, all the better )

Bake at 180c, 20 minutes.

Let the cake cool.

For the filling

100g mascarpone cheese

350g ricotta cheese

40g chopped up candied orange peels

30g chopped up dark chocolate

40g chopped up candied pistachio

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

¼ tsp. orange water

mix all ingredients using a whisk.

For the syrup

3 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. dark rum

get the water and sugar to a boil, let cool down, and add the rum.

For the frosting

150g-whipped cream sweetened with 1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Assembly

Cut the cake into squares, from a 20cm pan you should have around 10 squares.

Cut each square in the middle to half. Moisten one side with the syrup. Spread a thick amount of the filling, and cover with the other half. Cover each piece with the frosting. Shave some dark chocolate to garnish.


* to cut down the work, instead of doing individual pieces, you can leave the cake whole, cut it in the middle, drench with syrup, loaded it up with the filling, cover with the other half, and frost with the cream. just as good, i promise.




you can find the recipe in hebrew here- http://www.chef-lavan.co.il/default.asp?catid={0C8834B1-0191-4C80-897F-C1E31A287FF1}&details_type=1&itemid={2CC5C1AD-5199-4CFF-9CCC-A06747558CDA}

sunday. bananas. nova scotia. maple syrup. fluffy.

French Toast

 vs.

Pancakes.

I admit.

I'm a French toast person.

But in the name of my line of work-

– pancakes were to be made.

(its ok….. don’t feel bad for me:)

And damn.

They came out so good.

Am seriously considering converting to the pancake crowd now.

So fluffy.

So soft.

So light

So airy

and add to that pure maple syrup from nova scotia.

pure bliss.

Mouth watering pancakes

600g whole milk

3 eggs

400g self-raising flour

3 tsp. baking powder

150g sugar

using a whisk mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Cover the bowl with cling film, and let rest for 30 minutes. Mix the batter again.

Butter a hot pan, and use a ladle to pour the batter onto the pan. Once the surface of the pancake is filled with bubbles, flip it over. Make sure the other side gets a nice golden color. serve straight away.

Pour your favorite maple syrup.

Slice a firm sweet banana…

And enjoy your weekend! 

beurre noisette. almonds. summer. petit four

.

Brown

Butter

.

a good financier is all about brown butter.

The aroma…

The nuttiness…..

The amber-ish color…

So simple yet so damn good.

Financiers

250g butter

260g sugar

260g almond flour

50g flour

8 egg whites (340g)

fresh raspberry

1.brown butter – melt the butter on low heat until you get a nutty smell and the butter changes it color. Make sure you scoop out the foam through out the process. Pass the liquid through a fine cloth. Let cool a bit.

2. Mix the sugar, flour, almond flour, and egg whites.

Once you get a homogenize mixture, drizzle the butter, slowly, until all the butter gets soaked in the mixture.

3. Put the batter in a piping bag and leave over night in the fridge. Pipe into your silicone mold, add fresh raspberry to each piece. Bake at 180c. for 15 minutes or until the financier gets a nice golden color.

green. white. red

a slice of pizza.

Sometimes all we want is a slice of pizza.

I bring to you a super quick version.

The Italians might not approve.

But hey, its damn tasty, quick to put together

and will satisfy  your cravings.

What more do you need?

Puffed pizza

*using a small plate, mark and cut out circles(15cm diameter) from good quality puff pastry.

Pizza 1- roasted veg

Your favorite tomato sauce

Shredded mozzarella

1 small red onion cut length wise into 6

1 red pepper cut into large pieces

1 yellow pepper cut into large pieces

½ a cup cauliflower flowerets

1 fennel cut thinly

roast all veggies in the oven with olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, 250c- let cool

place some sauce on your pastry circles, arrange the veggies, sprinkle the mozzarella.

bake for 18 minute, 200c

pizza 2- goat cheese

chevre goat cheese cut into circles

shredded parmesan

pitted kalamta black olives

chopped up sundried tomatoes

roasted peppers

fresh oregano leaves

arrange the goat cheese and the parmesan on the puffed pastry and bake for 18 minutes, 200c

when out of the oven, place all other ingredients neatly

pizza 3- fresh arugula

your favorite tomato sauce

1 zucchini sliced thinly

handful of arugula

shaved parmesan

drizzle the zucchini with olive oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven for 10 minute, 250c.

on the puff pastry dough, place some tomato sauce, arrange the roasted zucchini slice and bake for 18 minutes, 200 c

season well the arugula with extra virgin olive oil and salt. When the pizza comes out of the oven, place the seasoned arugula and the shaved parmesan.

note: best enjoyed with a glass of chianti.