BREAD
ALFAJORES (South American dulce
de leche sandwich cookies)
INGREDIENTS
Cornstarch -- 1 cup
Flour -- 1 cup
Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon
Unsalted butter -- 12 tablespoons (1
1/2 sticks)
Sugar -- 3/4 cup
Egg yolks -- 2
Dulce de leche -- 1 cup
METHOD
4.Preheat oven to 350F. Remove the
1.Sift the cornstarch, flour and baking dough to a lightly floured work surface
powder together in a medium bowl. In and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick.
a mixer bowl, beat the butter and Cut out 40 2-inch rounds,
sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, beating until they and carefully place the rounds on two
are incorporated lightly greased cookie sheets.
2.Reduce the mixer speed to low and 5.Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, but not so
add the flour mixture in 3 batches, long that they begin to brown. Remove
allowing each batch from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
Then remove the cookies to wire racks
to become incorporated before adding and cool completely.
the next.
6.Spread about 2 teaspoons of dulce
3.Form the dough into a disc without de leche on the flat half of a cookie
handling it too much. Wrap with and cover it with the flat half of
plastic wrap and refrigerate for at another cookie to form a sandwich.
least 1 hour. Repeat with the remaining cookies. If
desired, sprinkle the finished cookies
with powdered sugar.
BREAD
from heat, stir in the orange flower
water or
BASBOOSA (Egyptian semolina
cake)
INGREDIENTS
Syrup
Sugar -- 2 cups
rosewater if using and set the syrup
Water -- 1 1/2 cups aside to cool.
Lemon, juice only -- 1 2.Sift together the semolina, baking
powder and baking soda in a bowl and
Orange flower water or rosewater set aside.
(optional) -- 1 teaspoon
3.Add the butter and sugar to the bowl
Cake of an electric mixer and cream
together until light and fluffy. 4.Next
Semolina -- 2 cups
add the eggs, one at a time. Then add
Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon the vanilla.
Baking soda -- 1/2 teaspoon 5.With the mixer speed on medium-
low speed, add about 1/3 of the
Unsalted butter, room temperature -- semolina mixture to the butter and
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) beat to incorporate. Then add 1/2 the
yogurt and again beat to incorporate.
Sugar -- 3/4 cup
Finish with the remaining ingredients,
Vanilla -- 1 teaspoon alternating the semolina with the
remaining yogurt. Beat until smooth.
Eggs, beaten -- 2 Scrape the bowl and beat again.
Yogurt -- 3/4 cup 6.Pour the batter into a buttered 9x12-
inch baking pan or into two 8-inch
Blanched almonds -- 1/2 cup
round cake pans and smooth out the
METHOD top. Use a knife to make diagonal lines
in two directions on the surface of the
1.Preheat oven to 350F. Add the 2 batter, creating diamond shapes.
cups of sugar, water and lemon juice Arrange an almond in the center of
to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring each diamond. Place in the oven and
to a boil over medium-high heat and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly
stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat browned on the top.
to medium and continue to boil for
about 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove 7.Remove the cake from the oven and
pour some of the cooled sugar syrup
slowly over the entire cake while it is the batter ingredients into a
hot. Allow the syrup to soak into the blender and puree until smooth.
cake before pouring on more, using up Set aside and let the batter rest for
all the syrup. Set the cake aside until it about 20-30 minutes.
is completely cooled.
8.Cut the basboosa into diamond-
shaped pieces and serve at room
temperature with coffee or tea.
APETIZER
PAKORA (Indian, Pakistani
vegetable fritters)
INGREDIENTS
Chickpea flour (besan) -- 1 cup
Hot chile peppers, minced
(optional) -- 1 or 2
Ground cumin -- 1 teaspoon
Salt -- 1 1/2 teaspoons
Warm water -- 1/2 cup
Oil -- 2 tablespoons
Prepared vegetables (see
variations) -- 2 to 3 cups
Oil for deep frying
METHOD
1.In a large bowl, add the chickpea 2.Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a
flour, optional chile peppers, heavy skillet or deep pot over
cumin, salt, water and 2 medium-high flame to 365-375F.
tablespoons of oil. Whisk the Using a fork, dip the prepared
ingredients vigorously to vegetables into the batter to coat.
incorporate air and make a fluffy, Then drop into the hot oil and deep
smooth batter. Alternatively, put all fry until lightly browned on all
sides. Remove to a plate lined with METHOD
paper towels and hold warm while
1.Place the chickpeas in a large
you repeat with the remaining
saucepan and add water to cover
vegetables. them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over
high heat and then cover tightly and
Serve hot with mint chutney or
remove from heat. Let set for 1 to 2
cilantro chutney.
hours to soak.
APETIZER
FALAFEL (Middle Eastern fried
chickpea patties)
INGREDIENTS
Chickpeas, dried -- 1 cup
Breadcrumbs -- 1/2 cup 2.Drain the chickpeas and rinse them
with fresh water. Place the chickpeas,
Garlic, crushed -- 2 to 3 cloves
breadcrumbs and garlic in a food
Parsley, minced -- 1/4 cup processor and pulse until the
chickpeas break down into small
Flour -- 2 tablespoons pieces the size of breadcrumbs. Do not
overprocess to a puree.
Salt -- 1 to 2 teaspoons
3.Remove the chickpea mixture to a
Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon
large bowl, add the rest of the
Ground coriander -- 1 teaspoon ingredients except for the oil and mix
together well. The mixture should
Ground cumin -- 1 teaspoon have a fairly dry, crumbly texture. Add
a little water if it is too dry to form
Turmeric (optional) -- 1/2 teaspoon
balls with your hand. Adjust seasoning
Cayenne pepper -- 1/2 teaspoon to taste. Form the mixture into 1-inch
balls or ovals and then flatten slightly.
Oil for deep frying
4.Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375F, or Milk -- 1 cup
heat 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet
over medium-high heat. Drop patties a Salt and pepper -- to taste
few at a time into the hot oil and Muenster, queso fresco or mozzarella
brown well on both sides, about 4 to 5 cheese, shredded -- 1 cup
minutes. Remove the browned from
the oil and drain on a plate lined with METHOD
paper towels. Repeat with the
remaining patties. 1.Heat the oil or butter over medium
flame in a large pot. Add the onion and
5.Falafel can be served on its own with garlic and simmer until the onion is
taratour sauce. Or stuff it in pita bread translucent.
halves with tomatoes, cucumbers and
onions and eat it like a sandwich. 2.Stir in the potatoes, water or stock,
milk, salt and pepper and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer
until potatoes are falling apart, 30 to
45 minutes. Mash the potatoes up a
bit with the back of a spoon to thicken
the soup, leaving it a little chunky.
3.Remove the soup from heat and stir
SOUP in the cheese. Adjust seasoning and
serve immediately.
LOCRO (Ecuadoran, Peruvian potato-
cheese
soup)
INGREDIENTS
Oil or butter -- 1/4 cup
Onion, minced -- 1/2
Garlic, minced -- 3 to 4 cloves
Potatoes, peeled and diced -- 1 1/2 to
2 pounds
Water or stock -- 4 cups
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Shrimp, peeled and deveined -- 1 1/2
pounds
Scallions, chopped -- 1/2 bunch
Straw mushrooms (optional) -- 1 cup
Limes, juice only -- 2
Cilantro, chopped -- 1/2 bunch
Thai chile peppers, sliced into rounds
-- 2-3 each
SOUP
TOM YUM KUNG (Thai hot and sour
shrimp soup)
INGREDIENTS
Water or stock -- 6 cups METHOD
Fish sauce -- 1-2 tablespoons 1.Bring the water or stock, fish sauce,
lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal,
Kaffir lime leaves -- 4 garlic, salt and pepper to a boil in a
large pot over medium flame. Reduce
Lemongrass, white part of stalk only,
heat to low and simmer for 15-20
crushed --1 stalk
minutes. Remove from heat and set
Galangal (optional), cut into thin aside for another 10 minutes to steep.
rounds -- 2 pieces Strain through a fine-meshed sieve
and discard solids.
Garlic, crushed -- 2 cloves
2.Return the stock to a simmer over Butter -- 2 tablespoons
medium-low heat. Add the shrimp,
scallions and mushrooms and continue Vanilla -- 1 teaspoon
to simmer over medium-low heat until METHOD
shrimp is cooked through, 5-6
minutes. 1.Place the milk, rice, cinnamon stick,
orange or lemon peel and salt in a
3.Stir in the lime juice, cilantro and medium saucepan and bring to a boil
chilies, adjust seasoning and serve. over medium heat. Immediately
reduce heat to very low and simmer,
stirring often and scraping bottom, for
about 45 minutes.
2.Add the raisins and sugar and
simmer for another 15 minutes. Stir
often to keep from sticking to the
bottom of the pot.
3.Remove from heat and stir in the
butter and vanilla. Adjust sugar to
taste and serve hot or cold, sprinkling
the top with some ground cinnamon.
DESSERT
ARROZ CON LECHE (Latin rice
pudding)
INGREDIENTS
Milk -- 4 cups
Short-grain rice --1/2 cup
Cinnamon stick -- 1
Orange or lemon peel (optional) -- 2
strips
Salt -- pinch
Raisins -- 1/4 cup
Sugar -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- 1/2 cup
METHOD
1.Preheat oven to 350F. Place the 1
cup sugar and water in a heavy-
bottomed saucepan and stir to
dissolve the sugar. Place over medium
heat and boil the sugar, without
stirring, until it just starts to turn a
honey brown, around 10-15 minutes.
2.Remove the caramelized sugar from
heat and pour into a 9-inch cake pan
or in equal amounts into each of 6
individual ramekins, swirling to coat
the bottom. You may not need all the
sugar. Place the cake pan or ramekins
in a baking pan large enough to hold
them without touching.
3.In a large bowl, beat together the
eggs, condensed milk, whole milk or
water, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar until
smooth. Pour into the cake pan or into
DESSERT each of the ramekins.
FLAN DE LECHE (Latin caramel
custard)
INGREDIENTS
Sugar -- 1 cup
Water -- 1/4 cup
Eggs, beaten -- 4
Sweetened, condensed milk -- 1 (14-
ounce) can
Whole milk or water -- 2 cups
Vanilla -- 1/2 teaspoon
Directions
Prep.
4.Fill the baking pan with enough 5 min
warm water to come about 2/3 of the
way up sides of the containers. Place Ready In
in the oven and cook until a knife
inserted into the center of the custard 5 min
comes out clean, anywhere from 45
minutes to over an hour. Do not Blend coffee, coconut oil, and
overcook your flan or it may curdle. butter together in a blender until
oil and butter are melted and
5.Remove the custard(s) from the coffee is frothy.
water bath and chill well. Run a knife
around the edges of the custard,
invert over a serving dish and serve.
COFFEE
Coconut Oil Coffee
Ingredients
2 cups hot coffee
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add all ingredients to list
whipped cream 1 dash ground
nutmeg Add all ingredients to list
Directions
Prep
2 min
Ready In
2 min
In a coffee mug, combine Irish
cream and Irish whiskey. Fill mug
with coffee. Top with a dab of
whipped cream and a dash of
nutmeg.
COFFEE
Irish Coffee
Ingredients
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish
cream liqueur 1 (1.5 fluid ounce)
jigger Irish whiskey 1 cup hot
brewed coffee 1 tablespoon
1 tbsp honey (optional)
Method
1. Boil water in a large saucepan,
and remove from heat.
2. Steep the white tea bags for
about 7 minutes, then transfer tea
to a large mixing bowl. Allow the
tea to cool down for 30 minutes
approximately.
3. Mix chopped peaches, mango,
and 1 tbsp of honey (to taste) in a
smaller mixing bowl.
TEA
Mango and Peach White
Iced Tea
Ingredients
10 glasses of purified water
5-6 of white tea bags
2 peaches (pitted and diced)
1 cup of mango (chopped)
50 gms blueberries
10 gms ginger
8-10 mint leaves
2 cups boiling water
4. Then transfer the fruits to a
large pitcher, and pour the cooled
Method
tea into the pitcher.
Brew together camomile tea bags,
orange rind, berries, blueberries,
5. Stir to combine, chill in the mint leaves & ginger for four
refrigerator and serve over ice. minutes.
Serve hot.
TEA
Fruit Infused Tea
Ingredients
2 camomile tea bags
1 orange
50 gms berries
oz. Real Apple Cider Small
LemonGarnishes: thin, round slices
of lemon, a cinnamon stick, and
star anise
Directions:
1.Heat water to the boiling point
and pour over the tea bag in a
mug. Leave about an inch of room
in your mug for the whiskey and
cider. Let the tea steep for a few
minutes, then discard the bag so
the tea doesn't get bitter. Pour in
the whiskey or bourbon and a hefty
splash of apple cider (adjust these
amounts to suit your tastes).
Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon
and garnish with lemon slices, a
cinnamon stick, and a star anise.
Sip up.
REFRESHING JUICE
APPLE CIDER HOT TODDY
For when autumn colds strike.
Ingredients:
1 Green Tea or Black Tea Bag
(recommended: Tazo China Green
Tips)1 oz. Rye Whiskey or
Bourbon (recommended: Bulleit)1
1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter,
cut into tablespoons
1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1-1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp. Salt
Rum (or apple brandy)
Cinnamon, as a garnish (or
lemongrass)
REFRESHING JUICE
HOT BUTTERED CIDER
WITH RUM
Ingredients: Directions:
64 oz. All Natural Apple Cider
Bring the apple cider to a simmer lengthwise 1 large red onion, sliced
over medium heat in a large pot, into 1/2-inch thick slices 2 red bell
then turn the heat down to low. Stir peppers, halved and seeded
in the butter, brown sugar,
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4
cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and
cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon
salt. Continue stirring until the
Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic,
butter is melted and the sugar is
minced salt and ground black
dissolved. Ladle the buttered cider
pepper to taste Add all ingredients
into mugs. Top each drink off with a
to list
shot of rum and garnish with a
cinnamon stick, if desired. Serve Directions
hot.
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Ready In
30 min
VEGETABLE SALAD
Grilled Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 zucchini, ends trimmed and
halved lengthwise 2 yellow squash,
ends trimmed and halved
Ingredients
2/3 cup mayonnaise salt and
pepper to taste 1/3 cup diced red
bell pepper 1 cup diced celery 3
large sweet pickles, chopped 1 (16
ounce) package frozen green peas,
thawed 3/4 cup cubed Cheddar
cheese 6 leaves lettuce Add all
ingredients to list
Preheat grill for medium heat and
Directions
lightly oil the grate.
Prep
Arrange asparagus, zucchini,
yellow squash, red onion, and red 10 min
bell peppers on preheated grill;
cook until vegetables are tender Ready In
and slightly charred, 10 to 15
10 min
minutes. Remove vegetables from
grill and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, mix together
mayonnaise, salt, pepper, red (or
Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar,
green) pepper, celery and pickles
Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and
until combined. Stir in peas and
black pepper together in a bowl to
cheese. Chill until ready to serve.
make the dressing. Toss vegetables
Serve over lettuce leaves.
with dressing in a bowl. Serve
warm or at room temperature.
VEGETABLE SALAD
Green Pea Salad With
Cheese
