Slovenian Recipes

Where did time go this Summer and Autumn? I'm not sure. I'll be back soon with the news on what I've been doing lately. But today is Daring Baker's day! The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious. Thanks, Lori! Yeast doughnuts Recipe adapted from Alton Brown Milk 1.5 cup / 360 ml Vegetable Shortening 1/3 cup / 80 ml / 70 gm / 2.5 oz (can substitute butter, margarine or lard) Active Dry Yeast 4.5 teaspoon (2 pkgs.) / 22.5 ml / 14 gm / ½ oz Warm Water 1/3 cup / 80 ml (95°F to 105°F / 35°C to 41°C) Eggs, Large, beaten 2 White Granulated Sugar ¼ cup / 60 ml / 55 gm / 2 oz Table Salt 1.5 teaspoon / 7.5 ml / 9 gm / 1/3 oz Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp. / 5 ml / 6 gm / ¼ oz All Purpose Flour 4 2/3 cup / 1,120 ml / 650 gm / 23 oz + extra for dusting surface Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you ...

I have a thing for choux . I love everything made from choux pastry - savoury or sweet, filled or simply dusted with icing sugar, with a glaze or on its own. I've made choux before but never dared to think of a pièce montée ... Unfortunately we didn't have any celebration this month, and a croquembouche is a bit too much for the two of us. So I made a mini pièce montée with a passionfruit vanilla filling + a chocolate glaze. The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake . Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée , or croquembouche , based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri. Patê a Choux makes about 28 ¾ cup (175 ml.) water 6 Tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter ¼ Tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 cup (125 g.) all-purpose flour 4 large eggs For Egg Wash: 1 egg and pinch of salt Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan ov...

In their typical way of getting to the subject, Danish say the road to a friend's house is never long . Specially when the invitation to cook comes in such a nice way and the occasion calls for celebration. I don't fancy flowers or candies when I'm invited to a friend's place but today is an exception and I bring flowers to Moira . They're edible and I couldn't stop myself: in the way here I've had a couple... Luckily my home is just around the corner or there would be no flowers left for the party. Happy blogiversary to Tertúlia de Sabores! Mini Crab-Lime quiches Lightly adapted from O livro essencial dos aperitivos, KÖNEMANN. 12 mini quiches (or a large one) 2 small eggs (or a large one) 150 ml coconut milk 1 tsp lime jiuce casca de 1 lima, finamente ralada (pode usar-se limão) 120 grs canned crabmeat, drained 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped 12 square sheets shortcrust pastry* a dash of colorau or sweet paprika (optional), to sprinkle Preheat oven to 200°C...

When all else fails, I cook. Some people go out after a god-awful day and slam a tennis ball around or jog their joints to pieces on a fitness course. I had a friend in Coral Gables who would escape to the beach with her folding chair and burn off her stress with sun and a slightly pornographic romance she wouldn't have been caught dead reading in her professional world—she was a district court judge. Many of the cops I know wash away their miseries with beer at the FOP lounge. I've never been particularly athletic, and there wasn't a decent beach within reasonable driving distance. Getting drunk never solved anything. Cooking was an indulgence I didn't have time for most days, and though Italian cuisine isn't my only love, it has always been what I do best. Even if I identify completely with the idea, these aren't my words. In fact they belong to a literature character, not a real person - although I suspect Patricia Cornwell lends a bit of her soul when she gi...

Vol au Vent means literally 'windblown'. These little treats are so light and crisp you could almost make them fly with a whisper. And if you're using homemade puff pastry you're sure to have whispered a lot whilst making it, not to mention a little cursing! At least I did. September has been HOT in Lisbon. I'm not complaining about this - well, I actually am... It's not the weather itself but the weather when dealing with a block of butter that's suppose to be soft enough to flow freely and cold enough to layer properly. Meaning I had like 2 minutes to work my way with the turns. In the end, although my kitchen was a bit of a mess, the pastry was nice and the all process went smoother than expected. The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon . She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan. Vols au Vent You will...

Lately, I’ve been up to my elbows in tomatoes. I received a big bunch of tomatoes when my parents visited and have been enjoying them everyday. But that's not what brings me here today (I'll tell what I've done with tomatoes later this week). Bananas. Many. Too many. Turning black and with freckles. Smelling of summer. What to do with a couple of very ripe bananas? Oh, you could bake some muffins, couldn't you? - the husband said. Your wish is my command! And so I did. Spicy Banana Muffins Makes 12 1 cup (150 grs) plain flour, sifted ⅓ cup muscovado sugar, packed ⅓ cup golden caster sugar Dash of salt ¼ tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 2 medium bananas, mashed 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg ⅓ cup (80 ml) walnut oil ½ tsp vanilla extract 2 large eggs Dried banana chips (optional) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350ºF). In a medium bowl, beat the mashed bananas with eggs, vanilla extract and walnut oil. Sift the flour, baking powder, b...

It's Saturday, and I haven't been home for a while, so today I'll keep it sweet and short: sweet because that's what a Bakewell Pudding is, and short because you don't need a large slice to feel that you've reached heaven. Yes, it's that good! The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of C onfessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar . They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England. Bakewell Tart with Vanilla Plum Jam Inspirations and References: Allan Davidson, Tamasin Day Lewis, Anton Edelmann, Jane Grigson, Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver Sweet shortcrust pastry Prep time: 15-20 minutes Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum) Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film 225g (8oz) all purpose flour 30g (1oz) sugar 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt 110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better) 2 (2) egg yolks 2.5ml (½ tsp) almon...

Sorry for my absence. I still have a post about Slovenia to write, and a few recipes to share, plus a few complains about the weather and my usual nonsense. But once again it won't be today. It's time for another short trip to Paris - I'll be joining a conference this week but didn't want to leave you all without a little something to evoke la cuisine française . My (british) friend N. always says that "if you want a perfect queue ask a briton, if you're craving for an awesome crumble trust a frenchie!" And from my experience N. is absolutely right! This Crumble à la Ratatouille is a nice version of a French classic dish in a traditional British fashion. All I can say is that everybody loved it, and I'll be making this again. À bientôt Crumble à la ratatouille Adapted from Trish Deseine, recipe here 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 aubergine, cubed 1 red pepper, cut into strips 1 green pepper, cut into strips...

It's officially Springtime. Or so says my calendar. A quick look outside the window, and I feel like rephrasing it: it's Springtime, right? So why does it keep on raining? Why do I keep wearing extra layers of clothes? And we're a little itchy today, aren't we?! Don't know about you but I could use a little sunshine. Sigh. Like the 'philosopher' Jagger once stated " You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find you get what you need ". Bright guy. ;) I need colourful food with a hint of sunshine. Something slightly mediterranean... Bell peppers and Feta cheese! Aren't they springy? Stuffed peppers are great as a side dish to any meat or as a starter. For me is good enough for a light meal with a bowl of green salad. Where's Spring, anyone knows? Stuffed Red Peppers with Wild Rice, Broccoli and Feta Serves 2 2 sweet red (bell) peppers 1 cup cooked wild rice 2 cups small broccoli florets, steamed ...

It's been a while since I shared a recipe and some thoughts with you. I have no idea about where March went to... I've been doing so many things, dreaming of so many more that time just wasn't enough to pass by and say hello. But I'm back to tell you all about a great project I've been working together with a bunch of talented Portuguese bloggers! When my friend Mariana asked me to take part on 4 por 6 working balanced meals for 4 persons with a budget of 6€, I was really happy with the idea of helping people plan their food with little money. Although this is obviously focused on Portugal's present scene, I thought I could share the recipes with you anyway. So today we're doing potato an ode, and will be having the first strawberries of the season! Potato, Onion, Zucchini and Bacon Tian Tian aux pommes de terre, oignons, courgettes et pancetta Adapted slightly from French Magazine Saveurs, n.162 July/August 2008 Serves 4 4 small-medium potatoes (500 grs)...

Fish Pie Serves 4 4-5 large potatoes, peeled, and cut into large chunks 1 large carrot, peeled, and grated 150g Mascarpone cheese Juice and zest of 1 small lemon 1/4 tsp red chili flakes 400g white fish fillets, cut into large chunks 8-12 king prawns, raw, peeled 1-2 Tbsp olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and add the potatoes. Cook for 12 minutes or until soft. Grate the carrot into an oven dish. Place the fish an the prawns on top of the carrot, and sprinkle with chili flakes. Add the lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with the olive oil. Mix everything together. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the pan. Mash until smooth, then mix in the Mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the top of the fish and grated veg. Place in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes, or until cooked through, crispy and golden on top. Serve with st...

There's nothing more Portuguese than saudade . The word doesn’t even have a direct translation into English, and the correspondent feeling - so many times sang by fado , the national song - couldn't say more about the Portuguese character. Saudade it's when you miss something. But it’s much deeper than that. It's the unattainable, the untouchable. Or just the feeling of nostalgia of past moments and good old days. I miss my grandma badly. And how I use to buy a Pão de Deus at the local bakery and have it in the street walking back home. Pão de Deus Makes 10-12 3 large eggs 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/4 cup milk, warm 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 vanilla bean, halved, seeds scraped pinch of salt 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp dry baker's yeast topping for 6 (if willing to top all cakes, double the quantities) 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 egg to brush icing sugar to sprinkle In a small bowl, u...