Ingredients:

4 egg whites, at room temperature
5 ml. (1 tsp) vanilla
1 ml. (1/4 tsp) cream of tartar or 5ml or 1 tsp lemon juice
1 ml. (1/4 tsp) salt
250 ml. (1 cup) sugar
250 ml. (1 cup) whipping cream (whipped)
500 ml. (2 cups) mixed fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwifruit, passion fruit pulp, etc)

Procedure:

Line a baking sheet with foil. Draw a 23cm (9-inch) circle on the foil. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 25ml (2 tbsp.) at a time, beating well after each addition and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Spoon onto prepared cookie sheet within your marked circle, mounding higher around the edge. Bake in preheated oven at 120 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit) for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours until crisp on outside and firm to the touch. Turn off heat and allow to cool with door propped open. Pavlova can be stored in cool, airtight container for several days. To Serve: spread whipped cream in center of shell and top with fresh fruit. Chill until serving time.

Ingredients:

pint Fresh, Ripe Strawberries
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 can (14 oz) can Condensed Milk
6 Eggs
Caramelized Sugar Topping
1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
Mint for Garnish

Procedure:

Optional: Reserve about 4-5 diced fresh strawberries for garnish.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Caramelize the Sugar for Topping:
Put a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar. With the back of a wooden spoon, keep sugar moving constantly in skillet until sugar is completely melted, and of a rich medium brown color (caramelized). Pour caramelized sugar into each of the ramekins. Set

Prepare Flan:
Wash the strawberries and remove the stem. Place the strawberries, sugar eggs and condensed milk in to a food processor or blender and blend until strawberries are minced and all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Ladle the strawberry mixture into each ramekin. Cover each ramekin with aluminum foil.

Place Ramekins in a Water Bath:
Place each ramekin into a large open, oven-proof pan, such as a broiler pan. Add very hot water to the pan. The ramekins should be submerged approximately 3/4 in the water. In Spanish, a “water bath” is called a “bano Maria.”Carefully place the pan on to the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully remove each ramekin from the water, uncover and to allow to cool.

Plate, Garnish and Serve:
Once cool, place in refrigerator to chill. When you are ready to serve, run a paring knife around the outside of each ramekin to loosen the flan. Then, place the serving plate on top of each one and flip it over. It may be necessary to tap the ramekin to force the flan to fall out onto the plate. Garnish with fresh strawberries and mint. Serve.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. finely ground beef or pork
1/2 lb. cellophane noodles
1/2 bunch spinach (about 1 1/2 cup when cooked)
10 mushrooms, fresh or dried
1/2-1 onion chopped
1-2 carrots, shredded or finely slivered
1 tablespoon sesame seed
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2-4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)
2 cloves garlic, crushed & finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil

Procedure:

Fry meat in small amount of cooking oil until done and set aside. Cook noodles in boiling water, test for tenderness. They should be soft but firm. Rinse noodles in cold water when done. Cut noodles to 3 or 4 inch lengths. Cook spinach in boiling water, drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Cut into bite size pieces and set aside. If dried mushrooms are used, wash well and soak in warm water for 15 minutes. If fresh, wash well. Chop mushrooms into small pieces. Over medium heat in wok or fry pan, heat some cooking oil and stir-fry mushrooms, onion and carrots until barely tender. Add meat, noodles, spinach and more oil if needed to prevent sticking. Stir and cook, adding sesame seeds, sesame oil,soy sauce, sugar, MSG, garlic, pepper and salt. Taste as you cook and mix in seasonings, adjusting them to taste. Heat just long enough to heat ingredients and blend flavors. Makes 6 servings.

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted cake flour (don’t use self-rising flour), plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3/4 pound unsalted butter (3 sticks), plus more for greasing
1 2/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sifted confectioners’ sugar (for garnish, optional)

Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 3-1/2-inch tube cake pan (or — my preference — use a nonstick pan of that size, and don’t grease and flour it). In a medium bowl, re-sift the sifted flour along with the baking powder, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and salt. Re-sift the flour mixture one more time, then set it aside. In another bowl, beat the softened butter until it is soft and very pliant, about 1 minute (or about 4 to 6 minutes by hand with a wooden spoon). Gradually add the sugar, and beat on high speed until it is pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes (or about 6 to 8 minutes by hand). Beat in the 4 whole eggs by hand, one at a time, until the butter and egg mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (or 5 minutes by hand). Add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture in 3 equal parts, beating on low speed or stirring with the wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and the flour is well combined with the butter and eggs. Add the lightly beaten egg yolks and the vanilla, and continue to beat or stir until they are well mixed into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it until the surface is even. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. This cake will nearly double in size as it cooks. Remove the pan from the oven and set the cake on a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. If necessary, run a thin knife around the perimeter and the inner rim of the cake to help detach it from the pan. Invert the cake, turning it out upside down onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and sprinkle the top with sifted confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Ingredients:

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (10 - 12 oz.)
4 ounces codfish roe (tarama)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 onion, minced
1/2-1 cup olive oil
bread, for serving

Procedure:

Place potato in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool a bit. Process potato, roe, onion and lemon juice thoroughly. The more roe that is mashed, the better the dip will taste. Gradually add in the oil until thoroughly combined.Transfer to a serving bowl. Can garnish with kalamata olives if desired. Serve with bread.

Ingredients:

Luo Han Guo filling:
1/2 piece luo han guo, broken up
75 grams palm sugar
5 red dates
700 ml. water
50 grams winter melon (tung kwa), finely grated and chopped
5 grams dried longan flesh, finely chopped
3 tsp. agar-agar powder

Green Tea Jelly Skin:
4 tsp. agar-agar powder
130 grams castor sugar
650 ml. water
2 tbsp. UHT milk

Jelly Egg Yolks Combined:
1½ tsp. agar-agar powder
75g castor sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
160 ml. water
2 pandan leaves, shredded and knotted

Mixed together in a small bowl
100 ml. milk
1 tsp. custard powder mixed together in a small bowl
A few drops red and yellow coloring
Ball-shaped ice-cube trays

Procedure:

Luo Han Guo filling

Bring palm sugar, luo han guo, dates and water to a boil. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Strain the luo han guo drink to remove all impurities. Squeeze out excess water from the grated winter melon. Stir it into the luo han guo drink and add the chopped longan flesh. Bring to a boil again. Lower the heat and cook for 15–20 minutes. Add agar-agar powder, stirring continuously with a hand whisk until the mixture is well combined. Turn off the heat immediately. Pour into a square tray. Divide the square into even imaginary small squares. Drop a jelly yoke in the centre of each square. Leave aside to set completely before chilling in the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes. Cut into squares and put aside for use as filling later.

Green Tea Jelly Skin

In a pot, place agar-agar powder, sugar and water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook for 5–7 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in green tea powder and milk. Strain the green tea mixture. Pour a layer of about 3/4cm of the mixture into a plastic jelly mooncake mold. Allow to cool until it is about three-quarters set. Place a prepared filling in the center of the mold and top with the green tea jelly skin mixture. Leave aside to set completely before chilling in the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes. To unmold, knock the plastic mold gently against a hard surface to dislodge the jelly mooncake. Makes 7.

Jelly Egg Yolks

Combine water, sugar, agar-agar powder and pandan leaves in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add milk and custard powder and coloring. Stir well to mix and continue to cook until mixture turns thick and begins to bubble. Remove and pour into the lower portion of the ball ice-cube tray. Cover with the upper tray and leave aside to set completely. Chill the tray in the refrigerator before removing the jelly egg yolks from the mold for use later.

Ingredients:

1 corn tortilla
1/4 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 can diced green chilies
1 egg
1 ounce Monterey Jack cheese
1 ounce onions
1 ounce green peppers
1/2 ounce lettuce
1/2 ounce tomatoes
1 green onions
non-stick cooking spray

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut tortillas into wedges. Mix together soup, chilies and eggs. Beat well. Grate cheese. Dice peppers and onions and mix with cheese. Layer casserole dish with half the tortilla wedges, half the soup mixture and half the cheese and vegetables. Repeat with a second layer of each. Place in hot oven and bake for 45 minutes. Chop lettuce, tomatoes and green onions. Place on top of casserole and serve.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water, lukewarm
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 cups milk, warmed slightly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb butter, melted & cooled
3 egg whites
1 1/2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast
2 cups flour, white
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons sour cream
16 ounces black caviar or lox

Procedure:

Dissolve yeast in water and let set for 3-5 minutes. In large bowl, mix 1/4 cup buckwheat flour and 2 cups white flour. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly mix with a wood spoon, then beat mixture until smooth. Cover and let sit in warm spot for 3 hours. Stir vigorously and add the rest of the buckwheat flour. Cover and let sit in warm spot for another 2 hours. Stir and slowly add milk, egg yolks, salt, sugar, 3 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp sour cream. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold egg whites into dough. Cover and let sit for another 30 minutes. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with butter and heat. Place 3 tbsp batter in pan & fry 2-3 minutes. Brush with butter and flip, and fry other side 2-3 minutes. Keep warm in 200 degree oven until all blini are made. Serve with melted butter, sour cream, caviar and or lox.

Ingredients:

½ cup toovar dal
4 tomatoes
ginger, finely chopped
6 green chillies, chopped
a small pinch hing
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp pepper powder
¼ tsp haldi
¼ tsp mustard
2 red chillies
1 lemon
½ tsp ghee
A few curry leaves
A small bunch cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp salt to taste

Procedure:

Cook toovar dal with haldi along with 2 cups of water. Put chopped tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, hing, and salt. Allow it to cook for 5 to10 minutes. Heat some ghee and put the mustard in it. When they crackle, put cumin seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves, and add cumin powder, and pepper powder before mixing this to the boiling rasam. Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze lemon juice.

Ingredients:

1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Procedure:

Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Dutch oven. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper. Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker, according to manufacturers instructions, on low for a most fabulous dinner. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 degrees F.