That is what make this blog a special cook blog. Although it has the used sections, it isn’t a usual cook blog. The wide variety of dishes, from the delicious and very elegant to the very good but simple, were chosen by the family through their opinion to me. My family tell me these are their most treasured recipes and they have each survived the test of time and taste. To me that makes them classical recipes.
I have observed from the many opinion I receive that cooks become more sophisticated each year. Many are willing to spend time experimenting with new and often rather glamorous dishes to please friend and family. So, though there are plenty of dishes for everyday use here, there are also many which taken time and patience to prepare but give the kind of stunning results that can make your reputation as a cook
Thanks to Margo Oliver.
Peasant Soup
3 tbsp (45 ml) butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 cups (500 ml) 1 inch (2,5 cm) cubes French Bread (best if dry but not hard)
1 tbsp (30 ml) butter or margarine
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion
1 tsp (5 ml) paprika
4 cups (1 L) beef stock
2 eggs
½ tsp (2 ml) salt (approx.)
¼ (1 ml) pepper (approx.) Chopped parsley
Heat 3 tbsp (45ml) butter or margarine in large saucepan with garlic pieces. Cook gently 5 minutes, stirring. Discard garlic. Add bread cubes and cook until golden, stirring. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter or margarine to pan. Add onion and cook gently until onion is golden, stirring. Add paprika and stock, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Beat eggs well at serving time. Remove simmering soup from heat. Add about 1 cup (250 ml) of the hot soup, a little at a time, to the eggs, beating constantly with a fork or whisk. Stir mixture back into soup and set over low heat. Heat just to boiling point, stirring. Do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put ¼ of the bread cubes in each of four bowls, ladle the soup over and serve immediately. Sprinkle generously with parsley.
Cream Of Asparagus Soup
( blender recipe )
¾ (180ml) cup water
¾ (3 ml) salt
1 lb (450 g) asparagus, cut in ¼ -inch (0,5-cm) pieces on diagonal
1 cup (250 ml) light cream
1/8 tsp (0,5 ml) pepper
¼ tsp (1 ml) dill weed (optional)
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
Heat water and salt to boiling. Add asparagus pieces, cover and cook about 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Put asparagus and cooking water in blender, cover and blend until smooth. Blend in cream, pepper and dill weed. Return to saucepan and heat just to boiling point ( do not boil ). Stir in butter.
Beef and Broccoli Chinese Style
1 lb (450 g) round steak, cut 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
1 ½ lb (675 g) fresh broccoli (1 bunch)
¼ cup (60 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 ml) soya sauce
¼ tsp (1ml) ginger
¼ cup (60 ml) peanut oil
½ lb (225 g) fresh mushroom, sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) peanut oil
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
¼ cup (60 ml) water
Cut steak into very thin slice across the grain, then the cut slice into 2 inch (5 cm) lengths. Trim broccoli and cut off florets. Cut florets into bite size pieces. Combine ¼ cup (60 ml) water, cornstarch, soya sauce and ginger, blending well.
Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) oil to smoking in wok or large heavy skillet. Add meat and cook and stir over high heat just until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and continue cooking and stirring 30 seconds. Lift meat and mushrooms out of pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add 2 tbsp (30 ml ) oil, broccoli stems and salt to pan and cook over high heat 30 seconds, stirring. Add broccoli floret and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) water, turn heat to medium, cover and cook 3 minutes. Turn heat back to high. Return meat and mushrooms to pan and heat 1 minute, stirring. Push meat and vegetables to one side of pan and stir cornstarch mixture gradually into boiling liquid. Cook until thick and clear, stirring. Stir meat and vegetables into sauce and serve immediately.
Eye of The Round with Onion Gravy
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion
2 tsp (10 ml) salt
¼ (1ml) pepper
½ tsp (2ml) dried leaf thyme
½ tsp (2ml) paprika
1/8 tsp (0,5 ml) nutmeg
3 lb (1,4 Kg) eye of the round roast
6 strips bacon
Onion Gravy (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 325 0F (160 0C).
Sprinkle bottom of shallow roasting pan with onion.
Combine salt, pepper, thyme, paprika and nutmeg and rub all over outside of roast. Lay it on top of onion (not on rack). Lay slices of bacon close together over the top of roast. Roast 1 ½ to 2 hour 140 to 160 0F (60 to 70 0C) on meat thermometer (see note) served sliced very thin with Onion Gravy.
Note : this roast is best cooked only until rare or medium it is to be tough if well done.
Onion Gravy
Dripping from roast
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp (45 ml) flour
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) milk
Salt and pepper
Pour drippings from roasting pan into medium saucepan (most of the drippings will be from the bacon and will give the gravy a different and good taste). Add onion to drippings and cook gently 3 minutes, stirring. Sprinkle in flour and let bubble. Remove from heat and stir in the water and cook until boiling, thickened and smooth, stirring constantly. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Strawberry – Pineapple Delight
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¼ cup (60ml) sugar
2 cups(500 ml) sliced fresh strawberries
½ cup (125 ml) canned pineapple pieces with juice
3 oz pkg (90 g pkg) strawberry gelatin crystals
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1 cup (250 ml) strained pineapple
Add sugar to strawberries and stir lightly. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Measure and strain strawberry juice and add water to make 1 cup of liquid. Mix this liquid with the pineapple juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil liquid. Mix until gelatin powder is dissolved. Add lemon juice and salt while mixing. Cool in ice water stirring occasionally until gelatin begin to thicken. Stir in strawberries and pineapple bits. Pour into sherbet cups and refrigerate until firm.
