Creamy Pumpkin Soup

A simple and delicious soup for dinner tonight.  Main ingredients are pumpkin, potatoes, onion, garlic and cream.  Best served sprinkled with pumpkin seed oil and wholemeal bread.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 medium-size pumpkin
2 big potatoes, to be peeled and coarsely diced
1 big onion, to be peeled and diced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and diced
1 litre vegetable stock
200 g fresh cream
salt, pepper & ground nutmeg to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:
Wash and pat dry pumpkin.

Cut pumpkin into half and remove seeds by using a spoon.  Cut into cubes and peel/cut off the skin. Some recipes use the skin which is optional.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Sauté diced onions and garlic for a minute.  Add in pumpkin and potato pieces.  Sauté for about a minute or two before adding the vegetable stock.  Simmer lightly for about 15 to 20 minutes or until pumpkin pieces are tender.

By using a hand mixer, puree the vegetables along with the soup into a thick consistency.  Return pot to stove over medium heat and add fresh cream.  Bring to a light boil and season with salt, pepper and ground nutmeg to taste.

Serve warm or cold sprinkled with pumpkin seed oil and bread!

Bon Appetit!

Flammkuchen

This is an Alsatian speciality called Flammekueche or Tarte Flambèe.  A thin pastry base topped with a mixture of crème fraîche & sour cream, onion slices and bacon strips.  Other toppings such as leek & onions may be used.

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
21 g or 1/2 a cube of fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
6 tbsp oil
600 g plain flour, to be sifted
1/2 tsp salt
300 ml warm water (about 37° C)

Topping Ingredients:
200 g turkey bacon, to be cut into strips
300 g big onions, to be peeled and sliced
150g Crème fraîche
250 g sour cream or Schmand
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt and oil.  In a small bowl, crumble the fresh yeast and add sugar.  By using a spoon, mix well until the mixture becomes liquid.

Mix fresh yeast and sugar until mixture becomes liquid

Add to mixing bowl and knead at low speed, at the same time add the warm water a little at a time.

Knead into a smooth dough and cover bowl with cling film.  Leave to rise for about 45 minutes to an hour.

In a bowl, mix Crème Fraîche and sour cream (or Schmand) together until smooth. Season with ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Divide dough into 4 portions.  Roll each portion to a thin oval shape of 38 cm x 28 cm. Spread about 3 tbsp of cream mixture on each portion.  Then, add turkey bacon strips and sliced onions as shown.

Tip:  I suggest that you roll out one portion of dough at a time and keep the rest covered in the bowl.  Make sure that the dough is thinly rolled out.  This thin texture is the main characteristic of the Flammkuchen.

Bake in a preheated conventional oven at a temperature of 250° C (fan oven:  225° C) on the lowest rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Bon Appetit!

Babat Masak Lemak Cili Padi

This is one of my favourite malay dishes.  Literally translated, it is called Beef Tripe in Spicy Coconut Gravy and the taste is rich & spicy.  Best eaten with hot rice and a side vegetable dish or just petai which is known to be healthy.

Ingredients (serves 4):
500 g babat (beef tripe), to be washed clean and cut into bite pieces
1 stalk of lemon grass, to be crushed
2 pcs kaffir lime leaves (daun limau purut)
1 pce turmeric leaf (daun kunyit)
1 piece of dried tamarind
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (may be added if the gravy colour is too pale) - optional
1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar

Note:  The amount of chilli padi can be adjusted to one's preference.  If cooked babat is used, just blanch in hot water before adding to gravy.

Blended Ingredients:
2 medium-size onions
3 pips garlic
5 red chilli padi
5 green chilli padi
1 cm ginger
1 cm fresh turmeric

Method:
In a pot, add the blended ingredients, crushed lemon grass, dried tamarind and babat pieces.  Bring to a light simmer.  Then, add lime leaves, turmeric leaf and coconut milk.

Cook further over low/medium heat until gravy thickens and babat is tender.  Season with salt & sugar to taste.

Serve hot with rice and other side dishes.

Bon Appetit!

Beef Cannelloni

This is a typical italian dish of cylindrical kind of pasta filled with minced meat and covered with Béchamel sauce. There are various kinds of Cannelloni, i.e. with spinach & meat filling or tomato sauce is used instead Béchamel sauce.

Ingredients (serves 2 to 4 persons):
250 g Cannelloni
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely diced
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
250 g minced beef
250 g fresh tomatoes, to be diced
3 tbsp tomato puree
salt & ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

40 g butter
40 g plain flour
500 ml fresh milk
salt & ground white pepper to taste
a little ground nutmeg

100 g grated cheese

Method:
In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced onion and minced garlic.  Sauté until translucent. Then, add minced beef and cook until crumbly.  Season with salt & ground black pepper.  Add tomato puree and mixed well.  Lastly, add dice tomatoes and just heat through.  Do not cook further.  Adjust seasoning and remove from heat. Leave aside to cool down.

Fill the cannelloni with the beef mixture as shown.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and mix well by using a whisk.  Then, add milk little at time and stirring in order that no lumps are formed. Bring to a slight boil.  The consistency of the Béchamel sauce should be not too thick or too thin.  Season with salt, ground white pepper and ground nutmeg to taste.

Spread half of Béchamel sauce into a casserole dish (26 cm x 21 cm) as shown.

Arrange the cannelloni on top as shown.

Spread the balance of Béchamel sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Baked in a preheated fan oven at 200° C (conventional oven:  220° C) for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Serve immediately with a green salad.

Bon Appetit!

Cevapcici

A delicious grilled meat dish which originates from the Balkans.  I added both minced beef and minced lamb together along with spices.  In order that the grilled meat stays soft and juicy, I added bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar to the meat mixture. This dish is best eaten with Djuvec Rice and Ajvar relish.

Ingredients (serves 4):
600 g minced beef
600 g minced lamb
4 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika powder (Paprikapulver - rosen-scharf)

1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp cream of tartar (can be omitted if one does not have it at hand)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda or Natron)

Method:
In a big bowl, add both kinds of minced meat, minced garlic, diced onion, chopped parsley and mix thoroughly, kneading by using your hand.

In a small bowl, mix cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda with hot water.  Stir until dissolved and add to meat mixture.  Then, add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika powder.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

By using your hands, take a portion of mixture and roll into a sausage-like shape about 12 cm long. Repeat until mixture is used up.  You will get about 16 Cevapcicis.

Cover tray with cling film and store in fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

When using a hot grill, they will take about 5 minutes on each side to turn golden brown.

When using a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.  Shallow-fry Cevapcicis portionwise until golden brown on all sides.  Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper. Repeat until all are used up.

Serve hot or cold with Djuvec Rice, Ajvar and sliced onion rings.

Bon Appetit!