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August 31st, 2009Belgium, Dessert Ideas, European Food1 cup fresh raspberry (about 1/2 cup raspberry puree)
1 lb semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder1. Pass the berries through a food mill fitted with a fine disk or force them through a through a fine sieve, mashing with a wooden spoon, into a medium bowl. You’ll have about 1/2 cup raspberry puree; set it aside and discard the contents of the strainer.
2.
Put the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.
3.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream, just until boiling.
4.
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate; whisk to blend.
5.
Stir in the raspberry puree and the salt.
6.
Refrigerate the mixture until completely chilled, about 1 hour.
7.
Pour the cocoa powder onto a plate.
8.
With a melon-baller or spoon, scoop the chocolate-raspberry mixture and shape it into 1-inch balls.
9.
If the truffles are very soft, put them on a baking sheet and refrigerate briefly to firm.
10.
Roll the shaped truffles in the cocoa, coating them thoroughly.
11.
If sealed and refrigerated, these truffles will keep for about 1 week. -
August 31st, 2009Belgium, European Food, Main Dish2 sirloin steaks, weight to suit preferences
50 g soft salted butter (2 ozs)
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chervil
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons wholegrain Dijon mustard
cayenne pepper, to tasteMix all the ingredients (except the steaks!) in a bowl. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and roll into a sausage shape. (You could use cling film if you wish instead.) Chill the butter mixture for at least one hour. Remove just before serving on top of the steak, and cut into rounds.
Cook the steaks to your liking and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes to allow the juices to run back into the meat.
Just before serving, place a couple of rounds/discs of mustard butter on top of the steaks and serve with chips (fries) and grilled tomatoes or fresh salad leaves.
Sacré Bleu!
-

1 c. vinegar
1/2 c. salad oil
2 c. white sugar
Bring above to a boil, then cool. Toss gently:
1 can white corn, drained
1 can French cut green beans, drained
1 can English peas, drained
1 sm. jar pimiento, drained
Chop finely:
1 c. celery
1 bell pepper
1 med. onion
Add to vegetables. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour cooled liquid over veggies, toss lightly. Refrigerate covered and drain before serving. Keeps well in refrigerator several days. -
August 15th, 2009Appetizers, Belgium3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying2 pounds Idaho or russet baking potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and driedsalt to tastePour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325°F.Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying2 pounds Idaho or russet baking potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and driedsalt to tastePour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325°F.Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.
