Tabbouleh

Thanks to my new Luxembourgish golf friends Hana and Dan, I had large bunches of fresh parsley and mint at my disposal and Tabbouleh immediately sprung to mind.  Tabbouleh is the Lebanese parsley salad made with bulgur or cracked wheat, tomatoes, green (spring) onion, mint, lemon juice and olive oil.

Many Mediterranean countries have their own similar versions of this dish.  The Lebanese version uses more parsley than bulgur in the dish than the other versions.  

The bulgur should be well drained to ensure that the salad is not too watery.  Adjust the amount of dressing to suit the type of bulgur used and the time that it needs to absorb it.  The salad can be served as an accompaniment to other dishes as you would rice or pasta,  or it can be served as a starter or snack on lettuce leaves (romaine works especially well) or with pita bread.    

Taboulleh

Serves 6-8

125 mL (1/2 cup) bulgur

250 mL (1 cup) boiling water

125 mL (1/2 cup) fresh lemon juice

125 mL (1/2 cup) olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1250 - 1500 mL (5 - 6 cups) parsley, finely chopped

250 mL (1 cup) fresh mint, finely chopped

8 green onions, chopped

4 large tomatoes, finely diced

Rinse bulgur under cold running water; cover with boiling water and let soak for 20 minutes.  Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture with hands; place in a large serving bowl.  Stir in lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning.  Set aside.

Combine parsley, mint, green onions and tomatoes; add to bulgur mixture.  Toss and serve.

Shrimp & Mango Cocktail

I thought of Shrimp Cocktail as one of the classic appetizers or starter courses, served in martini glasses with a dollop of dipping sauce of spicy horseradish and tomato in the bottom and peeled shrimp hanging from the rim.  Or more elegantly served in specially designed two part shrimp cocktail glasses (the bottom glass to hold crushed ice and the top bowl for the dip). 

 That was until I tasted a version in Mexico that was a mixture of seafood and spicy sauce served in a taller tulip shaped ice cream sundae glass. 

Ever since I tried this Camarone Coctal at Hacienda Xcanatun in the Yucatan, the shrimp and mango variation has become my favourite kind of shrimp cocktail.

Most basic shrimp or seafood cocktail sauce recipes call for either ketchup or chili sauce.  I tried out both for this recipe and found to my surprise that the one with good old ketchup tasted better than the one with the chunky chili sauce.

Shrimp and Mango Cocktail                                           
Serves 4

16 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 small mango, chopped

Cocktail Sauce:
125 mL (1/2 cup) ketchup (or chili sauce)
15 mL (1 Tbsp) finely diced red onion
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly squeezed lime juice
Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, to taste
30 mL (2 Tbsp) freshly grated horseradish (black radish - radis noir)
15 mL (1 Tbsp) coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

 Blend together all cocktail sauce ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Stir in shrimp and mango; spoon into serving glasses.
(Or arrange alternating layers of sauce, shrimp and mango in serving glasses.)

Greek Salad

Greek Salad has become one of my standard recipes that I can throw together.  It is good in all seasons but best in the summer when the ingredients are at their best.  It makes a great salad or main course.  There are probably as many recipes for Greek Salad as the number of people who make it but a basic version is composed of tomatoes, olives, lettuce, feta cheese and oregano with a red wine and olive oil vinaigrette.  Optional extras are cucumber, hot peppers and capers.  Of course, if you can get the authentic Greek versions of olive oil, oregano, Kalamata olives, capers and feta - the better the salad will be!   

Don’t worry too much about following the recipe, just throw it together with whichever of the ingredients you have on hand.


Greek Salad                                           
Serves 6

1/2 head of iceberg or romaine lettuce, torn
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped or sliced
1/2 red onion; chopped or sliced
1/4 English cucumber, chopped or sliced
125 mL (1/2 cup) feta cheese, crumbled
15 mL (1 Tbsp) red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
45 mL (3 Tbsp) olive oil
5 mL (1 tsp) dried oregano
30 mL (2 Tbsp) flat leaf parsley, chopped
125 mL (1/2 cup) Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
6 hot yellow peppers (optional)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Line a large platter (or individual serving plates/bowls) with lettuce.  Arrange tomato, green pepper, onion, cucumber and hot peppers on top.  Sprinkle with the feta cheese.  Blend red wine vinegar and olive oil; drizzle over salad.  Sprinkle with oregano, parsley and olives.  Season with pepper.

Espresso Granita

For the last few years I felt like we had no summer.  There were seemingly endless days of rain and grey and cool temperatures.  So much rain that I wondered why no one was building an ark.  But this year - weeks of sunshine and warm temperatures.  Not quite as hot as ‘la canicule’ (heat wave) of July and August 2003 in France but hot none the less.  Everyone is so much happier when the sun shines!

So instead of the usual hot morning coffee, I tried espresso granita - an iced version of coffee that is granular in texture.  Yummy!!!  You can always adjust the sugar content to suit your taste.  I don’t take sugar in my coffee, but using sugar in the granita helps with the texture and tones down the very strong espresso.  If you don’t have a food processor, stir the granita mixture every 20 minutes to keep it granular.  When all the liquid has become granular, it is ready.

Espresso Granita
Makes 4-5 servings

500 mL (2 cups) water
60 mL (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
250 mL (1 cup) very strong espresso coffee, cooled
whipped cream (optional for garnish)

Heat together water and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Bring to the boil, remove from heat and let cool.  Combine espresso with sugar syrup, place in a shallow container and freeze until solid.  Remove from container by plunging the bottom in very hot water for a few seconds.  Turn out frozen mixture and chop into large chunks.  Place into a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until it forms small crystals.  Spoon into serving glasses and top with whipped cream (if using).  

Happy Birthday Canada!

July 1st is Canada’s birthday.  It is the anniversary of the enactment of the British North American Act in 1876.  It is celebrated across Canada with special festivities and fireworks.  The biggest party is probably the one on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.  This year Queen Elizabeth II was in Ottawa to join in the celebrations.  The future of the monarchy is often a topic for debate in Canada but when the Queen comes for a visit, Canadians line the streets to welcome her at the many stops along her route.

I wasn’t in Canada on July 1st but I celebrated by making these cookies topped with maple syrup flavoured cream and strawberries.  

Cookies with Maple Cream and Strawberries

2 egg yolks

100 g (3.5 oz) butter, softened

200 g (7 oz) flour

100 g (3.5 oz) sugar

pinch of vanilla powder (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

2 pinches fleur de sel

Mix together flour, sugar, vanilla powder and fleur de sel.  Stir in egg yolks then blend in butter.  Let dough rest for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).

Roll out dough to a thickness of 6 mm (1/4”).  Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out cookie rounds or shapes.  Place on a baking paper on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Let cool.

250 mL (1 cup) 35% cream

15 mL (1 Tbsp) maple syrup

225 g (8 oz) strawberries, sliced

Whip cream and stir in maple syrup.  Spread over cooled cookies.  Top with sliced strawberries.

Licorice Ice Cream

What a week it has been! 

Last weekend in Luxembourg was the Fête de la Musique leading up to the summer solstice.  There were many free music concerts around the country and fireworks to celebrate.  Wednesday was Luxembourg National Day, the Grand Duke’s birthday.  

Then there were the sporting dramas.  The shameful antics and swift exit of the French team from the World Cup.  The start, middle and finish of a 3-day 11 hour 5 minute unbelievable tennis match at Wimbledon, interrupted by darkness not rain) between the Frenchman, Nicolas Mahut and the American John Isner.   

More natural disasters - tornadoes, floods and earthquakes.  More concerns over the on-going oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Our cool, rainy weather turned into actual warm (hot even) and sunny summer weather.  So in honour of the start of summer, I made Ice Cream.  My first real ice cream made with eggs and cream.  Not just any ice cream but Licorice Ice Cream.  Licorice is one of my favourite flavours.  This ice cream used licorice root infused in the milk and cream and has a subtle licorice flavour and a creamy colour. 

Licorice Ice Cream

300 mL (10 oz) 35% (whipping) cream


300 mL (10 oz) milk


3 sticks licorice root*


6 egg yolks


110 g (4oz) sugar

Place cream, milk and licorice root into a saucepan and slowly bring up to a boil.  Remove from heat and let stand to infuse for at least an hour, or longer if possible.  Return pan to heat and bring back to a boil.  Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until combined.  Pour the heated cream mixture through a sieve onto the egg yolk mixture and whisk well.  Discard the licorice root.  Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat slowly.  Gently simmer, stirring continuously, until thickened (do not allow mixture to boil).  Let cool, then pour mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

* Available from health food and gourmet shops

Paris

I spent the last two weeks in Paris to watch the French Open at Roland Garros.  As much as I love shopping and cooking in Paris, on this trip I mostly ate out.  Food is so important in Paris so it was no hardship  to experience several new and old favourite restaurants.  

Here are just a few photos from my meals.

A springtime salad from La Terrace near Ecole Militaire

Served with a panier du pain

The "Plateau de fruit de mer" and the lightest Millefeuille au Fruits Rouges from L'Ecaille de la Fontaine

A classic Croque Monsieur with green salad

Pizza Margarita and Macaron de Framboise from Le Jardin de Roland Garros

Mango Ice Cream

This week I found the good non-fibrous tasty mangoes in Auchan. I couldn’t resist trying out my new sorbetièr (ice cream maker) to make mango ice cream with them. Delicious!!!

Mango Ice Cream

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted

250 mL (1 cup) 2% (partially skimmed) milk

45 mL (3 Tbsp) 35% (heavy or whipping) cream

30 mL (2 Tbsp) light brown sugar

10 mL (2 tsp) fresh lemon juice

Dice 1/2 of one mango and chill in the fridge. Purée remaining mango in a blender or food processor. Add milk, cream, sugar, and lemon juice; blend until sugar dissolves. Freeze the mixture according to ice cream maker recommendations (or use food processor method below*). When the ice cream is partly frozen, stir in chilled mango. Serve immediately once the ice cream is completely frozen or transfer to a container to store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

*Food Processor Method: Chop mango and freeze in a single layer for a minimum of 5 hours until solid. Pulse frozen mango with sugar until coarsely chopped. Add the mixture of milk, cream and lemon juice through the feed tube and process until smooth. Serve immediately or transfer a container to store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Sweet & Tangy Chicken Wings

The skies over Luxembourg have been clear of clouds and airplanes this weekend. The ash from the eruption of Iceland’s Mount Eyjafjallajokull volcano arrived in Europe. In Luxembourg this created a slight haze in the distance and a very light powdery coating over everything. The airport was closed but I’m not sure how much of the Luxembourg closure had to do with the atmospheric conditions here and how much is due to the closure of the usual destination airports. Either way the skies were empty of the usual planes and their telltale trails.

A typical evening sky over Luxembourg

Clear Skies over Luxembourg this Weekend

Tulips are beginning to bloom. Daffodils are almost over. Trees are coming to life. Colour is returning to the world. Birds are sitting in their nests. Spring is really here.

In honour of this, and maybe partly because our local chicken wing ‘fleiten’ restaurant ‘Beim Bär’ will be moving soon to the nearby village of Wellen after about 40 years here in Nittel, I decided to make these sweet and spicy Asian flavoured chicken wings. I served them with a simple coleslaw.



Sweet & Tangy Chicken Wings

1 kg (2 lbs) chicken wings, tips and drumettes separated
10 mL (2 tsp) grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 mL (1 Tbsp) oyster sauce
30 mL (2 Tbsp) mild chile sauce
15 mL (1 Tbsp) honey
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) cayenne pepper
7.5 mL (1/2 tsp) garam masala (or curry powder)

Combine ginger, garlic, sauces, honey and spices. Pour over chicken wings and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Place wings on a paper or foil covered tray and bake, uncovered, in a 180°C (360°F) oven for 25 minutes. Turn wings and continue to bake for another 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Fudge is a wonderful homemade candy. It is easy to make and yet one that I had never tried in its classic form. I had made Divinity Fudge once but this Chocolate Walnut one is better I think. I very rarely ever eat fudge but it is a decadent treat that deserves a try. I made it a batch as an Easter treat for friends and wound up finding that it was too good to resist. I might just have to make some more!


Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Butter
500 mL (2 cups) sugar
1 mL (1/8 tsp) salt
180 mL (3/4 cup) evaporated milk
5 mL (1 tsp) light corn syrup (or Golden Syrup)
60g (2 oz) chocolate
30 mL (2 Tbsp) butter
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla
500 mL (2 cups) walnuts, chopped

Butter sides of a large heavy (2 L / 2 qt) saucepan (to prevent crystals from forming when the syrup boils). Combine sugar, salt, evaporated milk, corn syrup and chocolate in pan; cook, stirring over medium heat until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves. Cook to soft-ball* stage without stirring. Remove immediately from heat and add butter without stirring. Cool to lukewarm 43°C (110°F). Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into a large bowl and beat until fudge thickens and loses its gloss. Mix in walnuts. Spread in a buttered or paper-lined 23x23x5 cm (9”x9”x2”) pan. Let cool completely and cut into squares.


* To test for soft ball stage:
Candy thermometer - Clip thermometer to the side of the pan after the syrup boils. The thermometer bulb should be well covered with the syrup and not touching the bottom of the pan. Thermometer will register 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 238°F) when soft-ball stage is reached.
Cold-water test - Drop a few drops of syrup into a bowl of very cold water. Syrup will form into a soft ball that flattens when removed from water.