Wednesday, August 28, 2013

TIRAMISU with wild strawberries

The reason I would move to Italy tomorrow........no actually TODAY!

And just one word to describe this creamy, dreamy dessert  - PERFECTION!







                                                                       
Recipe:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 glasses ;)

8 (large) sponge fingers (around 120g/4oz), broken - 2 fingers for each glass
500g/18 oz mascarpone(room temperature)
4 egg yolks (room temperature)
2-4 tbsp icing sugar(depending on whether sponge fingers are covered with sugar, mine were so I    used 2 tbsp)
150 ml/5fl oz coffee,made with 1 tsp ground coffee and 150ml/5fl oz boiling water
30ml/1fl oz amaretto liqueur
1-2 tsp cocoa powder
120g wild strawberries(or any alternative fruit)

METHOD:

1. Bring 1/4 water to boil in a medium pan and turn the heat right down. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a metal bowl and place over the boiling water(make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water) and whisk it with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Take it of the steaming water and whisk for another couple of minutes, adding 2tbsp of mascarpone at a time until the consistency is very smooth. Divide into 4 parts(drawing a line with a spoon).

2. Mix COLD coffee with amaretto liqueur in a separate bowl.

3.Dip some of the biscuit in a coffee mixture(try not to make them too soggy) and place on the bottom of each glass, layer with a spoonful(or maybe 2) of mascarpone cream on the top and sprinkle with cocoa powder, repeat again - I fit 3 layers in my glasses.

4.Chill in the fridge overnight (or at least 5 hours)

5.RELISH!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

LECZO - VEGETABLE STEW

Polish traditional cuisine is full of paradox...
Russian pierogis is the most popular Polish dish and surprisingly it doesn't come from Russia.In Russia the same pierogis are called Polish ;)  Ukrainian Borscht has nothing in common with Ukraine, nor Greek-style Fish with Greece.In Hungary nobody has never heard of Hungarian Potato Pancakes,of course because it is 100% Polish dish.Not to mention Breton Beans that is not known in France at all ;) Where are ALL these names come from then???It's a mystery..... ;)

Leczo is also one of the most popular dishes in Poland but it originally comes from Hungary.It is very thick and chunky stew,in Poland often served with pieces of saussage,but I much preffer the vegetable version.



RECIPE:

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 shallots,cut in halves or quarters
4 garlic cloves
large courgette,yellow or green( around 400g),chopped
100g yellow beans,cut in halves
100g green beans,cut in halves
125g mushroom,chopped
1 yellow pepper,cut into stripes
1 red pepper,cut into stripes
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
freshly grounded sea salt
freshly grounded black pepper and mixed pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh flat parsley,chopped


METHOD:

1.Heat a couple spoonfuls of olive oil in a deep pan.Squash garlic cloves using a wooden spoon and put into the pan.Add shallots and mushrooms,stir-fry for a couple of minutes.Add chopped tomatoes and bring it to boil.Now add beans and cook for around 10 minutes.After that time add peppers and courgette and cook for another 10-15 minutes,until all veggies are soft.

2.Season with salt and pepper and add chopped parsley.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MULTIGRAIN BREAD

If you search through the ingredients on the bread packet on the supermarket shelf you will actually be very surprised that all you need to make a loaf is yeast,water,salt,flour and a pair of hands.
All the bread expects from you is a little bit of patience.....

Ps.I wouldn't be myself if I didn't add some seeds into my bread ;)

Enjoy......




RECIPE:

For 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

200g/7oz white bread flour
300g/11 oz wholemeal bread flour
300ml/10fl oz tepid water
50g/2 oz fine oats
75g/3oz mixed seeds
25g/1oz fresh yeast(room temperature) or 12g/ 1/2oz instant yeast
2tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp salt
pinch of sugar

Additionaly:egg,beaten(to brush the bread with) and 2tbsp oats and seeds(to sprinkle over the bread)


METHOD:

1.Crumble fresh(or dry) yeast into a bowl add 1 pinch of sugar,50ml/2fl oz tepid water and 1-2 tbsp flour.Mix until smooth and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.It should be bubbling and foamy after that amount of time.

2.Sift the flour with salt into a large bowl. Add yeast mixture,sunfower oil,seeds and oats. Combine using a wooden spoon.Slowely pour water into a bowl.Mix till the dough comes together.Add a little flour onto a flat surface and knead the dough for around 10 minutes adding just a little flour at a time.The dough should not be sticky but quite playable.

3.Cover the bowl with a cotton tea towel and leave to rise (around 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours).(Just remember yeast dough doesn't like droughts).

4.Grease a bread pan and sprinkle with some fine oats and seeds. When the dough double in size,punch it down and place on a slightly floured surface.Knead for 2-3 minutes and place it in a greased baking pan.Leave for another 30 minutes.

5.Preheat the oven 190 C/170 C fan/Gas.Brush the dough with egg and sprinkle seeds and oats on the top.Bake for 45 minutes covering with aluminium foil if it gets too brown.It should have a hollow sound when you knock it.

6.Take the bread out of the tin and place on a cooling rack.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

SORREL SOUP

I'm baaaack ;) Few weeks later,3 kilos havier,fresh and rested....I'm finally back.
We had absolutely fabulous holiday in our hometown,in Poland.I wish we could stay a little bit longer....It' such a peaceful and beautiful place,time goes as though in slow motion, nobady's rushing anywhere...
At last I caught up my family and friends - and my jaw it's actually still acking from rattling! ;)
It probably was the laziest holiday we have ever been to - but it was exacly what we needed to recharge the batteries.....breathtaking views,gorgeous weather and FOOD!Delicious food!
Our mum's absolutely spoilt us rotten,(that's were my ''new' few kilos came from).But nothing beats mum's cooking!Seems like even ordinary scrambled eggs taste the best in the world when prepared by my mum.And my mum-in-law cooks as nice!!!They just have magic hands ;)


Have you ever tried sorrel?These green leaves have very unusual,sour taste.I can never get it in England so the sorrel soup is alway on my 'wishlist' when I go back to Poland to visit my family.



RECIPE:

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 big carrot or 2 smaller,sliced 
300 g/11 oz potatoes,diced
1 big bunch of sorrel (around 200-300g/7-10 oz),chopped finely
2 litres/68 oz of vegetable stock
200/7 oz ml single cream(room temperature)
1 spoon of flour mix in 3 spoons of water

NECESSARY: 4-6 boiled eggs, cut into quarters

1.Cook carrot and potatos in stock for a while and add sorrel.Carry on for few minutes until veges are cooked.

2.Add flour mixture to the cream,stir and pour into the soup.Bring it to boil, continuuosly stirring.

3.Serve with boiled egg.


And a little bit of POLAND ;)