making....for a party...

PINK DEVILED EGGS 8 medium or large pastured eggs 2 beets 1 cup reserved beet water 1 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon whole grain or Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1/4 teaspoon salt handful of finely chopped chives or parsley for garnish First, cook the beets in one or two cups water until soft. While the beets are cooking, prepare the eggs. Place the eggs in a pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, turn off heat, cover and let sit for 12 minutes. Drain eggs and place in an ice bath to cool. Peel when cool. When the beets are soft, after about an hour or so, remove from heat, reserving the liquid. Peel skins from beets. In a wide-mouth quart jar, combine the beets with one cup of the colored water, the vinegar and the black peppercorns. Add the eggs. Let the eggs sit at least overnight. Longer sitting will more deeply color and pickle the eggs. For the deviled eggs: Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise or yogurt, mustard, relish, salt and mash with a fork. Using a small spoon, scoop the mixture into the yolk cavity. Best served soon after preparing but may be kept, covered, in the fridge until ready for use.

from great food blog:

http://theyearinfood.com/ happy easter! oh and more on coloring the eggs naturally:

Natural Colorant	Egg Color	Directions	Hints
turmeric powder	bright yellow to deep gold	Put -1-2 tsp. ground turmeric powder in heat proof cup. Fill 2/3 full with boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar.	Works quickly. Turmeric stains so be careful. Wipe dusty spice residue from eggs.
chopped red cabbage	blue/teal	Put 2-3 tbsps. chopped red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar.	Let sit overnight. Avoid excess handling.
onion skins, yellow	light peach to gold/orange	Use 1 large handful of onion skin for each cup of water. Simmer 20 minutes then add 1 tsp. of white vinegar.	A perennial favorite. Easy.
grape juice	blue to purple	Add 1 cup frozen juice concentrate to 1 tsp. vinegar.	Eggs may be simmered right in the juice to cook.
grated red beets	magenta red	Put 2-4 tbsps. freshly grated beets in heat safe cup. Fill 2/3 with boiling water. Add 1 tsp. white vinegar.	Speckled design. Dye may be strained before use. Orange beets may be used to obtain saffron color.
red cabbage & turmeric	green	Pour scant tsp. of turmeric and 2-3 tbsps. of chopped red cabbage in a heat safe cup then add boiling water.	Speckled design. Wipe vegetable off with damp cloth.
red cabbage & beet	purple	Put 2 tbsps. grated beet and 2 tbsps. red cabbage in heat safe cup. Add boiling water.	Striking and intense.
onion skins, red	pale celadron green	See directions for yellow onion skins.	Allow long steeping time.

This Easter try coloring eggs the natural way. Use hard cooked brown or white eggs. After eggs are cooked, quickly cool the water or rinse in cold water. This helps to prevent "greening" of the yolk. Natural dyes take a bit longer to color the egg, so plan on extra time, or leave the eggs in the refrigerator overnight.
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eat

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food lovers

i'm hooked more here

i love chocolate mousse but can be heavy, cream...
this recipe below takes 5 minutes, no milk....looks like a nice treat for cold days...i need to try it soon.

INSTANT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (CHOCOLATE CHANTILLY)

Recipe by Herve This & Heston Blumenthal

Ingredients

4 servings

• 9.35 ounces (265 grams) bittersweet (%70 cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped (preferably Valrhona Guanaja)
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 4 tbsp sugar, optional

Method

1. Place a large mixing bowl on top of another slightly smaller one, filled with ice and cold water (the bottom of the large bowl should touch the ice). Set aside.
2. Put chocolate and water (also sugar and/or liquor if you’re using) in a medium-sized pan and melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl sitting on top of ice and water, and start whisking with a wire whisk (or an electrical hand-held mixer) until thick. Watch the texture as you whip and make sure not to over-whip as it will make the mousse grainy. If the mousse becomes grainy (which is possible at your first try), transfer it back into the pan, reheat until half of it is melted, pour it back to the mixing bowl and whisk again briefly.
4. Divide into four serving cups and serve immediately.

1.my photo

2- via recipes here

recipes for this weekend

DJR Poached from Endgame Pictures on Vimeo.

Salsa Verde from Endgame Pictures on Vimeo.

DJR Egg/Pepper from Endgame Pictures on Vimeo.

and onion soup great french recipe

Great Recipes for my weekend

http://www.nigelslater.com/

i like how Nigel makes his cooking right from the garden i find him super inspiring and i love his recipes as they are fresh, simples and creative.

we made it this week end 
so delicious! 

Shopping list for two:

4 organic lemons

3 sweet green chili peppers

180 g spaghetti

chopped parsley (quantity as required)

Ready in: 30 minutes see video

making: gordon ramsey 2 great recipes

i can never get a perfect scrambled eggs but his recipe is inspiring and looks delicious will do this weekend yum
with my bloody mary


i love this simple recipe with the goat cheese and can be also done with spinash

that looks so good!

Quinoa, Mixed Peppers and Avocado Cream Verrines:

Makes 6 to 8For the quinoa:
1 cup raw quinoa
1.5 cups water
pinch of saltFor the mixed peppers:
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
or one 10 oz box of mixed baby peppers
olive oil
salt and pepperFor the avocado cream:
1/2 avocado
juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 green onion, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon red onion, chopped)
1/4 cup yogurt (your choice)

Prepare the quinoa:
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the quinoa feels tender. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.For the mixed peppers:
preheat the oven to 400F. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with a splash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast until the peppers start to blister (20 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and set the peppers aside.For the avocado cream:
In a large non reactive bowl, mash the avocado with the rest of the ingredients until smooth with the back of a fork or a potato masher.

Start layering the verrine with some a layer of peppers, a layer of avocado cream, a layer of quinoa, repeat once or twice depending on the size of your glasses and finish with some of the cream on top. Add a couple of blanched asparagus tips if desired for garnish.
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i'm making

spinach and red peppers bring vitamin A and vitamin C to this beautiful frittata. Spinach is also an excellent source of a long list of other nutrients, including vitamin K, manganese, folate and magnesium. And it’s packed with protective phytonutrients, including the newly discovered glycoglycerolipids, which some researchers believe may help protect the digestive tract from inflammation.

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach, or 1 bunch spinach, washed and stemmed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut in small dice

1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced

10 fresh marjoram leaves, chopped

Salt

8 eggs

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons low-fat milk

1. Steam the spinach above an inch boiling water until just wilted, about two minutes; or wilt in a large frying pan with the water left on the leaves after washing. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Chop fine, and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, stir for about half a minute, and stir in the chopped spinach and the marjoram. Stir together for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk, spinach and red peppers. Clean and dry the pan, and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan; if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

4. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan, and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn’t burn. The bottom should turn a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

5. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking, and allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

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add to TG dinner

Serves 4

2 bunches baby fennel or 2 medium bulbs fennel (fronds discarded - keep them for salads!)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (clementines right now are perfect for this in the South East)
zest of one orange
1/4 to 1/3 cup Pastis (or equivalent in water + 2 star anise)
1/3 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the baby fennels in half lengthwise. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan (I like to use cast iron as much as possible) set over medium high heat and sautee the baby fennels until they start to get golden. Add the orange juice, orange zest, Pastis and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the baby fennel is fork tender, 40 minutes to an hour. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the liquids reduce to a syrup and coat the fennel completely. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.via

preserved lemons

i'm making

so simple and delicious

Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup With Tasso Ham

Serves 4-6 

2 pounds fresh tomatoes
2 small zebra eggplants or one medium regular eggplant

1 head of garlic, cut in half

4 small vidalia onions, cut in half

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2-4 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil

olive oil or tea seed oil, avocado, walnut or pumpkin (optional)

1/2 cup diced tasso ham or thick cut/slab bacon, cooked and drained

Preheat the oven to 450F. 

Slice the tomatoes and eggplants and place the garlic and onions on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place baking sheet in the oven and roast the veggies until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Peel the garlic off its skins and place with the rest of the vegetables, saving a few tomato slices for garnish, in a food processor. Add about 1 to 2 cups of water and puree until smooth. Add enough water to reach your preferred consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved tomato slices, drizzle of your favorite oil and some basil. Add some tasso ham as desired and serve.
via

i have to try these


tea seed oil and black garlic via

super Nigel I adore him

super Nigel on BBC
great book

yum from Tartelette

Peach and Peach Blueberry Galettes With Lemon Thyme Sugar:

Makes 8 individual galettes (we share but you don't have to)Notes:
- I use lemon thyme a lot this year because our one little plant is going wild. Our lemon balm and mint have suffered from the heat but you could definitely use those flavor.
Rosemary, oregano, chocolate mint and sweet basil work beautifully too. The sky is the limit!

- we are not fond of the taste of tapioca flour so I use cornstarch instead but feel free to use either or.

- If you are not baking gluten free, replace the rice, millet, sorghum flours and cornstarch with 1.5 cups of all purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.

- you can make this as one large 9-inch galette if you want to.
For the pastry dough:
5 tablespoons (70gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 egg yolks
pinch salt
1/2 cup (80gr) superfine sweet white rice flour
1/2 cup (60gr) millet flour
1/4 cup (30gr) sorghum flour
1/4 cup (40gr) corn starch (or tapioca flour)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup cold milkFor the fruits:
4 peaches
1 tea bag jasmine tea (or your favorite)
2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup blueberriesFor the lemon thyme sugar:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon thyme finely choppedPrepare the crust:
In a mixer, whip the butter on medium speed until light and airy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix until incorporated. Add the salt, and all the different flours, and the xantham gum and mix briefly. Add enough milk to moisten it. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.Prepare the fruits:
While the dough is resting, place the peaches, tea bag, sugar and enough water to cover the fruit in a large saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and poach the peach until just fork tender. Remove from the heat and let them cool on a clean kitchen towel. Once cooled, peel and halve them, remove the pits and slice the peaches thin.Prepare the sugar:
In a small bowl, mix the sugar and lemon thyme together with your fingertips and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.
When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic. If the dough tears while you roll, just patch it with your fingertips. Cut eight 4-inch rounds, rerolling and using the dough as you go (ig it gets too soft, just refrigerate for a few minutes as you fill the other galettes with fruit).
Arrange the slices of half a peach in the center of each round and gather the edges, pleating as you go with your fingertips (don't worry about being even - these are free form. Imperfections are wonderful anyways...). Add blueberries on top if desired and sprinkle with some lemon thyme sugar.

Place all the galettes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 30-35 minutes.