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ISSUE 6 / WINTER 2013/2014
2 Free online food magazine Clouds Published by Imbiero debesys UAB, Lithuania ISSN 2029-980X http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en https://www.facebook.com/Cloudsmag © All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is prohibited without written consent of the publisher. Address copyright queries to info@cloudsmag.eu Editor-in-Chief: Asta Eigėlytė-Gunnarsson, Villa Alps asta@cloudsmag.eu Translation: Asta, Villa Alps Dovilė, Letters From Coffee Street Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine Julė, Kepykla nr. 5 Proof-reading: Julė, Kepykla nr. 5 Cover photo: Gintarė, Gourmantine Design: Asta Eigėlytė-Gunnarsson, Villa Alps
Photo: Dovilė, Letters From Coffee Street
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EDITORIAL LETTER
Dear readers, Winter is a cold and dark part of the year, lit up by white snow, Christmas candles, New Year sparkle, sweetened with Valentine’s kisses, and warmed up by hearty meals and hot spices. It is the best time to gather and spend time together, the best time to let the pile of books slowly grow next to your bed and read more. It is the best time to wrap into a blanket, sip hot chocolate, spicy hot wine or milky coffee, the best time to let the orange scent into a house. It is the best time to lick honey and crack nuts. And winter is definitely the best time to sit around a table and play board games. Whatever you do, do not forget to share. Share love and care, big or small meals, warm and inspiring stories.
Welcome to our winter!
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EDITORIAL
ASTA, VILLA ALPS I’ve loved being in the kitchen since childhood, but only in recent years did it become a true passion. I have a light addiction to buying and reading cookbooks and cooking magazines. I experiment with tastes and forms, and guests are always welcome at my table!
JULĖ, KEPYKLA NR. 5 Where am I? Among contradicitions - in the middle of numbers and dictionaries, black-rimmed glasses and bee stings, bikes and planes. But mostly - in the kitchen or in bakery number five, where for four years I’ve been co-writing about food, cities, sleep, maths and other essential ingredients of life.
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We are looking forward to reading your comments and critique about the tried out recipes.
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ASTA, SAULĖTA VIRTUVĖ I used to swear that “never ever will I jump around with pots and pans”, but today I profess a deep love to the kitchen, and am ready to be faithful until the end of time. My blog - Saulėta virtuvė (The Sunny Kitchen) - reflects the way I live, the things I love and what I dream about. And I dream often: I dream of fluffy cupcakes, soft cakes and gorgeous pies... And of a sweet life.
AUŠRA, TARP VĖJO GŪSIŲ
BERTA, CUKRINIS AVINĖLIS I love sinking into clouds of aromas coming from my quaint little kitchen. I am glad to be able to experiment all I want, to be able to dream and carry out small deeds which at times turn out to be true miracles. When I write in Cukrinis avinėlis (Sugar lamb), I always think of smiling warm lovely people. People who cook, who decorate, who organize and who truly celebrate life – each and every day of it.
DOVILĖ, DR FOOD BLOG Cooking is my biggest passion. I have a food mania: I love making it, talking about it, tasting it and reading all about it. Each time I enter the kitchen, I open a jar of the most important ingredient - love. Recently my husband and I have started living in a foreign country, so you might also find Danish recipes in DR Food Blog occasionally.
DOVILĖ, LETTERS FROM COFFEE STREET I write because I am far away; because I long, love, dream and discover. I write because there is someone who awaits my letters. Mixing, kneading, discovering new tastes and sharing these joys with my loved ones is my biggest passion and inspiration. My blog consists of warm and fragrant letters about the everyday life in Belgium, with stories from pastry school and the most delicious recipes.
CONTRIBUTORS
I write my blog about a windy life in a place where my feet wade the waters of the Baltic sea, pockets are full of holey rocks and heavy thoughts are let alee... I write about what my kitchen smells of, what is delicious and what I treat people with; about things that are simple but not necessarily ordinary; about what is new or discovered de nouveau, about what is forgotten. I write my virtual recipe book, decorating it with colorful blossoms and sprinkles of everyday joys.
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DOVILĖ & MANTAS, BAJALIŲ ŠEIMYNĖLĖS KAMPELIS We are a tandem of two Aquariuses who are submerged in joys of different flavors, photography and travelling! When we noticed memories and travelling moments pilling up, we were eager to find a way to share them with our friends and this is how our blog was launched. By the end of 2010, we had made our first culinary attempts and started not just tasting but also cooking. We believe that a man, who thinks only about himself and looks for benefit everywhere, cannot be happy, so if you wish to live for yourself - live for others. That is why we consider sharing bits of our life to be the greatest joy.
EGLĖ, MONKEY DINNER
CONTRIBUTORS
I did’t learn to cook Lithuanian way when I was supposed to. That’s why I started cooking Italian. Even if I wanted, I couldn’t hide the Italian influence in my life, my kitchen, my blog and, most probably, this magazine. Buon appetito to all the readers!
ELINGA, SPOON ALLEY You’ll meet me smelling homemade soup, vanilla or mint tea more often than perfumes. I confess I have positive viruses - cooking and photography, and I hope I’m not a terribly boring person when speaking mostly about food. I am quiet only when cooking...
GELMINA, TARTAMOUR I am an incurable dreamer. I am the one who rarely feels the ground under feet. I am currently dreaming of a couple of very earthy things: a bigger kitchen and at least a small vegetable garden. A few years ago, after completing my fashion design studies, I moved to live and dream in Italy - a country where it is hard to resist the food cult. I travel, taste and pry a lot, so recently I decided to share it all on my blog TartAmour. It is a place where I reveal my everyday joys, tell about my travels and make your mouth water!
GIEDRĖ, G.AUGUST PHOTOGRAPHY Photography is my passion, and the search for recipes and ideas, as well as food decoration, is my newly found hobby. I created my blog as an alternative to an assignment in a photography course. I used to photograph everything, but now I concentrate on sweets. I create a cosy, comforting and sweet environment. Bon appétit!
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GIEDRĖ, GOURMANTINE I love sharing my passion for food, arts and ways to find inspiration in the most ordinary details of our lives. When I’m not busy creating a recipe or eating my way through a new country, I dive into different creative mediums to find the beauty and magic in everyday life.
INDRĖ, GĖRIMŲ IR PATIEKALŲ MAGIJA
INDRĖ, KEISTAI PAPRASTA A friend encouraged me to start my blog Keistai paprasta (Curiously Simple), after seeing my enthusiasm to cook, bake and stew healthy and sometimes weird dishes, and create simple desserts. I grew up eating homemade food, so that is what I believe in - I cook even when I am very tired! In addition, I believe in the impact of food to our health, our looks and our overall well-being. When I cook I try out new recipes, I relax, I express myself, I improvise and create.
JOLITA, SURFING THE WORLD CUISINE I started my blog when I moved to Istanbul because the bounty of fresh vegetables the year around and the new dishes tempted me to try and cook. However, I enjoy various foods - not only Turkish cuisine. So one day it might be Turkish, the other day - Chinese, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern dishes. Finally, sometimes I even get back to the treasures of Lithuanian cuisine.
JURGITA, DUONOS IR ŽAIDIMŲ I write about bread and circuses. About tastes, colors and dreams. About what’s in my cup of tea - not only figuratively, because making and serving food is one of the most enjoyable ways to express myself! And, undoubtedly, the most delicious.
CONTRIBUTORS
When I found the freedom to choose what I want and when I want, I quickly noticed that cooking was magical! Sweet goes perfectly with salty, and a pinch of cinnamon adds that special something to any cake. That’s the reason why my blog is called Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija (Food and Drink Magic) - because there is some magic every day on refrigerator shelves and in the cupboards, and I merely need to wake it up with my fingers and recipes.
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JUSTINA & RADVILĖ, SALIERAI RANKINĖJE Salierai rankinėje (Celery in the Purse) is the most serious story about the inspiring and fragrant things in the lives of two girls. The most important rule in our kitchens is to stay slow and to thoroughly enjoy making food. We experiment with new flavors and smells, we interpret our mothers‘ and grandmothers‘ experience. We aim for aesthetics and are conscious of our surroundings. With our ideas, we want to inspire all food lovers to cook at home more often, to choose healthy local ingredients and to leisurely enjoy their taste discoveries.
KRISTINA & LAURA, SU ŠAUKŠTU APLINK PASAULĮ
CONTRIBUTORS
Isn’t a kitchen filled with colors, scents and flavors similar to a workshop? It’s the place for so much improvisation. every time we run into a different cuisine, we cannot stop marvelling at the human creativity. Traditional dishes are just ways to get to know various cultures and gain culinary experience which encourages us to share all of this with others.
MARTA, SKANIOS DIENOS Some people are drawing, singing, dancing, others build houses or make new inventions. I cook. And no one dare to say that food is intended only to satisfy one’s hunger! For me, it’s more. And, when I gradually realized it, my talks my future husband will definitely have the cook! lost the significance. My blog Skanios dienos (Tasty Days) is not only about pots and pans, but also about all the surrounding delicious life.
MARTYNAS, POPIETĖ VIRTUVĖJE I’ve never asked the question when to go to the kitchen, or whether to enter it at all. When I was little, my creations were born in the sunny afternoons. To this day my greatest inspiration comes after lunch. I am not sure why I am so amazed by food and its preparation, but I am certain that I highly enjoy sharing food seasoned with love and warmth.
MIGLĖ, MY KITCHEN AFFAIR I don’t remember exactly how, where, or when, but one moment in the silent past food simply enchanted me. I was charmed and intrigued by its enormousness, infinite space for creativity, endless layers of ideas, and constan joy brimming with delicious surprises. Since then, my thoughts started spinning like crazy in a whirl of vanilla flavored dance, and my life became unimaginable witout pots, spoons and pans filling every corner; without shelves bending from the abundance of cookbooks. This is my kitchen affair.
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NERINGA, DU MĖNULIAI: MAISTO SIMFONIJA I’ve discovered passion for cooking and baking just a few years ago and it surrendered me with such energy that unintentionally I’ve created a blog. I cook everything, but my biggest passion is sweet things. I like to improvise and create the most beautiful symphony of food. Next to a great dish there should be a glass of good wine. Wines attract me since my husband shared his knowledge and passion with me.
NIDA, NIDOS RECEPTAI
ODETA, COCINA RENDEZ-VOUS I like travelling, tasting, experimenting and creating in the kitchen. While skimming through the books brought home as souvenirs, I attempt to adapt the tried dishes in my own kitchen. And I am so glad that my friends and family are happy to taste my dishes and are always waiting for the results of my experiments. Even a dish which is not 100% successful can inspire to keep on looking, learning and going on journeys to better know the foreign cuisines.
VALERIJA, CUKERKA Even though I have chosen a serious life path - I am a lawyer - I miss everyday discoveries. As a result, I try to find them in my children, in creative thoughts, and... in the kitchen. I love sweet macaroons, homemade ice cream, the smell of a summer morning and my kids laughter. I cook for myself, my husband and my children; I cook so that every day would be sweet.
VIKTORIJA, RECPETŲ MEDIS I have liked being in the kitchen since my childhood. With my grandmother I used to knead dough for bread rools, with my father I used to cut vegetables for salads. Now love for food and cooking is growing day by day. I started writing my blog by mere accident. I had never thought it would bring so much to my life: pleasant meetings, interresting events. It also encourages me to learn more about food photography and healthier, more exciting and tastier ways of cooking.
CONTRIBUTORS
I cannot stop myself from cooking, writing and taking photographs. Food has always been dear to my heart. I started sharing my culinary impressions in my blog three years ago. Living in Israel, it is impossible not to enjoy cookery – it’s the season for all produce the year around, and peoples’ lives revolve around food!
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VILMA, MAŽOJ VIRTUVĖLĖJ
CONTRIBUTORS
I am crazy about sweet dishes. From an early age I cannot pass by a candy store. At one point I changed from making pancakes to baking pies and cakes. Then my mother started giving subtle remarks that I could experiment and taste a bit less. For several years the passion to taste is replaced by passion of baking, sharing and eating with eyes.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE?
YOUR PHOTO
We invite all food bloggers and not only them to contibute their stories, recipes and photos. We would love to share you travelling and food tasting experience; show off your kitchen and food related handmade art or veggie patch in a balcony. Got interessted? Please contact Editor-in-Chief, asta@cloudsmag.eu
CONTENT 12 14 28 46 52 66 70 74 78 92
Calendar of Flavors Lithuanian Christmas Eve (Kūčios) Christmas. Delicious Gifts Christmas Markets New Year International Hot & Spicy Food Day Bread Day (Lithuania) Valentine’s Day Raclette Hot Wine
98 108 118 120 130 150 160 170 180 182
Spice Odyssey Meaty Comfort Food What a Winter Without ... ... oranges ... nuts ... honey ... pearl barley Table Games Photo Recipe In a Hurry
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CALENDAR OF FLAVORS WINTER 2013 12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve 12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts 12.31 New Year 2014 01.27 International Hot and Spicy Food Day 02.05 Bread Day (Lithuania) 02.14 Valentine’s Day
Photo: DovilÄ—, Letters from Coffee Street
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
LITHUANIAN CHRISTMAS EVE Words & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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ithuanian Christmas Eve (Kūčios) is a very important family celebration. Only family members can sit around the table and share meals. The only exception is a lonely neighbour. Kūčios menu has to consist of twelve different dishes. The ancient tradition of not eating meat and not drinking alcohol during Kučios is still alive in the country. Depending on the region people exclude eggs and dairy as well. Most popular dishes are fish, a few sorts of herring, boiled potatoes, beans, peas, sauerkraut, mushrooms, beet soup or salad, special sweet small poppy seed cookies (kūčiukai), poppy seed milk, thick hot cranberry drink (kisielius), fruit soup. Even though each family has its own Kūčios menu recipes, we dear to share a few modern herring recipes to help those in search of something new on the Kūčios table.
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
WARM HERRING ROLLS WITH APPLE AND MUSTARD Recipe & photo: Berta, Cukrinis avinėlis
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arm, still steaming herring rolls with apple and mustard are a great choice for Christmas Eve, when you want something new and unexpected. It doesn’t take a long time, just a few minutes and the rolls are ready to serve. Serves 4 ● 400 g herring fillets without skin ● 1-2 tsp wholegrain mustard ● ½ grapefruit ● 1 apple
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spread wholegrain mustard on herring fillets. Drizzle grapefruit juice on top. Peel and cut apple into strips. Place them on the herring fillets. Roll up the fillets and secure the rolls with toothpicks . Bake for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle some more grapefruit juice on warm herring rolls to enhance the taste.
12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
HERRING AND BEETROOT SNACKS Recipe & photo: Berta, Cukrinis avinėlis
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reshen up your Christmas Eve herring with some grapefruit or orange juice and surprise the household with simple, yet delicious modern snacks.
5–6 snacks ● 1 herring fillet ● ½ grapefruit or orange ● a pinch of black pepper ● 1 cooked beetroot ● classic balsamic dressing
Cut herring fillet and citrus fruit into small cubes. Season with black pepper and mix well. Slice beetroot. Put some herring mixture on top of each slice, drizzle with citrus juice and top with a few drops of balsamic dressing.
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
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RYE BREAD BRUSCHETTA WITH HERRING AND WHITE BEAN SPREAD Recipe & photo: Aušra, Tarp vėjo gūsių
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ed palm oil and tomato add a nice color, flavor and some vitamins to the spread. After all, we need more sunshine and colors during winter!
Serves 4−6 ● 1 onion ● 1 clove garlic ● 4 tbs red palm oil ● 250 g cooked (or canned) white beans ● 1 tbs tomato paste ● salt ● 200 g oil marinated herring ● 1−2 sweet-and-sour apples ● dark rye bread with sunflower seeds ● oil for frying ● salt ● 1−2 cloves garlic for rubbing bread ● fresh ground green peppercorns ● fresh herbs
Peel and finely chop garlic and onion. In a pan, heat red palm oil, add the onions and garlic. Cook until soft. Process white beans with the cooked onions and garlic in a food processor until smooth (if spread seems too thick, add some boiled water). Add tomato paste, season with salt and ground green pepper to taste. Cut herring into small pieces. Cut apples in half and slice (there is no need to peel them). Slice and toast bread in a small amount of oil until golden brown. Season with salt and rub with garlic. Spread a small amount of the bean mixture on each slice of the bread, add a few pieces of herring and a slice of apple on top. Sprinkle with freshly ground peppers, chopped herbs and serve. Tips: soak sun dried tomatoes in hot water and puree into a paste to substitute tomato paste. Refrigerate and use up within 2–3 days.
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
FRIED HERRING SANDWICHES Recipe & photo: Odeta, Cocina rendez vous
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hen rolled in bread crumbs and baked with seasoned butter, herring becomes particularly juicy, flavorful and soft. Add some cranberry pickled onions to enjoy a great herring sandwich on Christmas Eve!
Serves 4 Onions: ● 1 red onion ● 4 tbs water ● 2 tbs cranberries ● 1 tbs sugar ● 4 tbs red wine vinegar ● 1 salted herring ● 50 g fresh breadcrumbs ● 40 g soft butter ● 1 tbs salted capers ● 2 tbs dill ● fresh ground black pepper ● 1 tbs vodka ● dark wholegrain bread
Finely slice onion and transfer into a jar. Bring water to a boil, add cranberries, sugar and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil and take off the heat. Leave to cool to 50-60°C and pour over the onions. Lightly press with a spoon. Leave to marinate for 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C. Fillet fish and slice it into bread size pieces. Roll in breadcrumbs. Combine butter with capers, dill, pepper and vodka. Top herring with butter and bake for 15 minutes. Place hot herring on the bread slices and decorate with pickled onions and cranberries.
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
PICKLED HERRING WITH SOYA SAUCE AND WALNUTS Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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nusual and different herring, where all five tastes meet. Taste some sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami in one bite.
Serves 4−6 ● 3−4 soused herring fillets in oil ● 1 tbs balsamic vinegar ● 1 tbs soya sauce ● 1 tbs runny honey ● 1 red onion ● a handful of walnuts
Cut herring diagonally into 1-2 cm wide slices. In a bowl, combine 5-6 tbs herring liquid, vinegar, soya sauce and honey. Add herring slices and thinly sliced onion rings. Roast nuts in a clean and dry pan. Add to the herring. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes or dark rye bread. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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12.24 Lithuanian Christmas Eve
PICKLED HERRING WITH BLUEBERRIES Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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ou won’t surprise anyone by pairing herring and cranberries; neither will you by choosing the combination of herring and cinnamon. But have you ever tasted herring with blueberries and cinnamon? You can trust us on this one: it’s worth a place not only at the Kūčios table. 0,5 L jar ● 180 ml water ● 90 ml sugar ● 45 ml apple cider or other light vinegar ● 2 cinnamon quills ● 2−3 bay leaves ● 5 allspice berries ● 5 cloves ● 1−2 star anise (optional) ● 3−4 matjes herring fillets ● blueberries ● ground cinnamon
Bring water, sugar and vinegar to a boil. Add all spices, turn off the heat and let the pickling liquid steep until cool. Cut herring diagonally into 1-2 cm wide slices. Layer blueberries in a glass jar with the herring slices and all the spices from the marinade. Pour over the cooled pickling liquid and seal the jar. Refrigerate for 1-2 days before serving. Serve with boiled potatoes or dark rye bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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christmas delicious gifts Words: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir 탑aidim킬
Joy to the world! Joy to the loved ones and lonely neighbors! We have prepared a bunch of delicious gift ideas to be made with sincere love and shared with best wishes. Have a holly jolly Christmas!
12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
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12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
BANANA JAM WITH JUNIPER BERRIES Recipe & photo: Gelmina, Tartamour
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erfect for a sweet and lazy Sunday breakfast. Suggest the lucky ones to spread some fragrant jam on toasted bread and enjoy it with a cup of coffee and milk, or to serve it as a dessert in small glasses with whipped cream and strips of lime zest.
4 jars (150 ml each) ● 1 kg peeled bananas ( about 8 large ripe bananas ) ● zest of 1 lemon ● 400 g light brown sugar ● 50 ml rum ● juice of 3 lemons ● 1 tsp juniper berries
Peel and cut bananas into large slices directly into a thick-bottomed pot. Add lemon zest, sugar and rum. Squeeze in lemon juice. Mix delicately and let infuse for 15 minutes. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Skim regularly and simmer for about 40 minutes. Check if the jam is ready by dropping a few drops on a cold plate. If the jam is runny, continue cooking for a few minutes. It is ready when the jam drops congeal and thicken on a cold plate. Pour hot jam into sterilized jars and close immediately. Note: Use fully ripe, sweet bananas with peels that have black spots on them. Jams can be kept for about 3 months in a cool dry place.
12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
COOKIES WITH ALMONDS AND ORANGES Recipe & photo: Martynas, Popietė virtuvėje
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rispy and light biscuits are an ideal winter holidays gift or a dessert on your own festive table. Makes 25−30 ● 1 egg ● 115 g powdered sugar ● ½ tsp baking powder ● 50 g almond meal ● 115 g plain flour ● zest of 1 orange ● 5−6 tbs orange juice ● flaked almonds
Preheat oven to 200°C. Whisk egg and powdered sugar until stiff. Add baking powder, almond meal and flour. Mix well. Stir in orange peel and juice. Grease a baking sheet and spoon the dough on it. Sprinkle the cookies with flaked almonds. Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size.
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12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
EXTRACTS Recipe & photo: Asta, Saulėta virtuvė 250 ml each Cinnamon extract: ● 1 cup brandy ● 4 cinnamon quills Orange extract: ● 1 cup high quality vodka ● zest strips of 5 oranges Lemon extract: ● 1 cup high quality vodka ● zest strips of 5 oranges Grapefruit extract: ● 1 cup high quality vodka ● zest strips of 3 red grapefruits Coffee extract: ● 1 cup high quality vodka ● 4 tbs cracked coffee beans Hazelnut extract: ● ¾ cup high quality vodka or white rum ● 1 cup hazelnuts, roasted, skinned ● 1 vanilla pod, cut lengthwise
Prepare a glass bottle or jar (250 ml) for each extract. Fill the jars with cinnamon sticks, citrus zest, crushed coffee beans, hazelnuts and vanilla pod. Pour the corresponding alcoholic beverages and seal. Shake gently and store in a dark place. Shake every couple of days and keep in a dark place for 4-6 weeks. Strain, pour into the desired nice bottles or jars, seal, label and personalize with greetings.
CHOCOLATE-COATED MARSHMALLOW TREATS Recipe & photo: Elinga, Spoon alley
12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
Makes 8 Biscuits: ● 50 g whole wheat flour ● 50 g flour ● ¼ tsp salt ● 25 g sugar ● 25 g butter ● 1 tbs milk ● 300 g chocolate (40% cocoa) Filling: ● 2 eggs ● 100 g sugar ● 4 tsp golden syrup ● ¼ tsp salt ● ½ vanilla pod ● 3 tbs desiccated coconut
In a bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, add soft butter and rub it into the flour. Add milk and mix well. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 5 mm thickness. Cut eight 7,5 cm diameter circles. Place them on a tray, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°С. Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wirerack. Chop chocolate and melt it above steaming water. Leave it to cool slightly. Using a tablespoon, coat silicone cupcake mold with chocolate. Try to spread the chocolate in an even thin layer. Leave to set. Do not refrigerate. When the cookies are cool, dip them in melted chocolate and leave to set on a wirerack. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. Put the bowl above a pot with steaming water. The bottom of the bowl cannot touch the water. Using an electric mixer, whisk for 6-10 minutes until the filling doubles in size, becomes shiny and sticky, and holds its shape. Transfer the filling into a piping bag and fill ¾ of the chocolate molds. Sprinkle with coconut flakes. Add the remaining melted chocolate into a piping bag and sqeeze a thin line around the edges of the chocolate molds. Put a cookie on the top. Leave to set. Carefully remove the treats from the silicone tray. Brush the tops with melted chocolate and sprinkle with coconut. Store in a room temperature for up to 3 days.
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12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
BÛCHE DE NOËL WITH BAVARIAN MOUSSE, RASPBERRY CREAM & CHOCOLATE JELLY Recipe & photo: Valerija, Cukerka
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ûche de Noël is a traditional dessert made before and during the Christmas holidays. it is especially popular in France. Go for the traditional version (a Swiss roll filled with jam or chocolate buttercream and then frosted with chocolate) or our interpretation to make a perfect sweet surprise or a great table centerpiece.
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Serves 10 Chocolate glaze: ● 7 g gelatine ● 30 g water ● 135 g cream ● 189 g sugar ● 63 g cocoa powder Sponge cake: ● 110 g eggs ● 60 g icing sugar ● 45 g almond meal ● 15 g butter ● 60 g egg whites ● 30 g sugar ● 20 g flour ● 10 g desiccated coconut ● 30 g pistachios Chocolate jelly: ● 5 g gelatine ● 125 g water ● 30 g sugar
First, prepare the chocolate glaze. Soak gelatine in a small amount of water for a few minutes. Combine water, cream and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Stir well, then add soaked gelatine. Mix in cocoa and bring back to a boil. Simmer for 30 seconds and remove from the heat. Use a hand-held blender to make a smooth glaze. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 210°C.
● 25 g cocoa powder ● 43 g chocolate (at least 60% cocoa) Crunchy chocolate layer: ● 60 g nut paste ● 30 g white chocolate ● 40 g cornflakes Raspberry buttercream: ● 3 g gelatine ● 7 g eggs ● 30 g egg yolks ● 30 g sugar ● 100 g raspberry puree ● 33 g butter Bavarian mousse: ● 6 g gelatine ● 150 g milk ● 1 tsp vanilla extract ● 30 g sugar ● 60 g egg yolks ● 150 g white chocolate ● 300 g cream
For the sponge, mix eggs with powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor on medium speed for at least 10 minutes. Melt butter and add into the egg mixture. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Constantly whisking, add sugar in 3 batches and whisk until all the sugar is incorporated. Add sifted flour into the egg and butter mixture. Use a spatula to fold in the egg whites.
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Spread the sponge batter in a baking tray (20x30cm) lined with some parchment paper. Sprinkle some coconut and finely chopped pistachios on top. Bake for 6-9 minutes. Turn out the sponge on a wire rack, remove the parchment paper and leave to cool.
Add soaked gelatine and mix well. Leave the mousse to cool down to room temperature. Whisk cream. It should be foamy, but not very thick. Stir in the whipped cream into the mousse. Be quick as gelatine will set the mousse quickly.
For the chocolate jelly, soak gelatine in a small amount of water for a few minutes. In a pot, combine 41 g water, sugar, cocoa and chopped chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave it to cool to 80°C. Then add soaked gelatine and stir well. Add the remaining 84 g of water and mix well. Pour the mixture into a tray lined with cling wrap and refrigerate until set, for at least 2 hours. It may be frozen as well.
Assemble the dessert. Line a tin with some parchment paper or acetate film. Spread the bottom and sides of the tin with the Bavarian mousse. Spread an even layer of rasberry buttercream and refrigerate for 3-5 minutes.
For the crunchy chocolate layer, mix nut paste with melted white chocolate. Add cornflakes and mix well. Spread the mixture on a piece of a parchment paper. It should be about 0,5–1 cm thick. Leave to set. For the raspberry buttercream, soak gelatine in a small amount of water for a few minutes. In a bowl, whisk egg, egg yolks and sugar for a few minutes. Add raspberry puree and mix well. Pour the mixture into a pot and heat to 82°C over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and add soaked gelatine. Mix well and leave to cool to 45°C. Add chopped butter and stir well. For the Bavarian mousse, soak gelatine in a small amount of water for a few minutes. In a pot, combine milk and vanilla extract. Heat until it starts steaming, but do not let it boil. In a bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks until the sugar dissolves. Pour over hot milk and stir constantly to prevent curdling. Pour the mixture into a pot and heat it over medium heat until the mixture reaches 82°C and thickens. Remove from the heat and add chopped chocolate. Stir well.
Cut out tin size rectangles from the chocolate jelly and crunchy white chocolate layer. Add a layer of the chocolate jelly on top of the raspberry buttercream, spread some more Bavarian mousse on top, add the crunchy white chocolate layer and spread some more mousse on top. Lighty shake the tin, so that the mousse spreads evenly and no air bubbles remain. Check if the corners between the layers are properly filled with the mousse. Cut a rectangle from the sponge 0,5 cm shorter and narrower than the tin. Put the sponge on top and press lightly. Mousse should fill in the gaps between the sponge and the tin. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours. Heat the chocolate glaze to 40°C. Cool down to 35°C. If the glaze is too hot, add 3-4 tablespoons of cold water and blend it with a blender. Take the dessert out of the fridge. Remove it from the tin, peel off the parchment paper. Transfer the desset on a wire rack. Put a large plate or a tray under it as the glaze will drip. Pour the glaze evenly over the dessert. Start from the middle so that it drips over both sides of it. Leave for a few minutes for the access glaze to drip on the tray. Decorate Buche de Noel with chocolate balls made from tempered black chocolate and edible gold sheets.
12.25 Christmas. Delicious gifts
POUND CAKE WITH A SECRET Recipe & photo: Vilma, Mažoj virtuvėlėj
Serves 10
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Light pound cake: ● 260 g soft butter ● 240 g sugar ● 4 eggs, separated ● 200 g flour ● 2 tsp baking powder
First bake a light pound cake. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs one by one, sift in flour and baking powder. Mix well. Line a rectangular baking tin with parchment paper, pour in the batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Leave to cool.
Dark pound cake: ● 200 g dark chocolate ● 200 g soft butter ● 140 g flour ● 2 tbs cocoa powder ● 2 tsp baking powder ● a pinch of salt ● 4 eggs. seperated ● 250 g grated skinned zucchini ● 200 g caster sugar
For the dark pound cake, melt chocolate over boiling water. Add butter and stir to melt it.
Decrease oven temperature to 160°C.
In another bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Lightly whisk egg yolks and add to slightly cooled chocolate. Add zucchini. Mix well. Whisk egg whites, gradually adding sugar, until white. Add to the chocolate mixture. Sift in dry ingredients. Mix well. Slice the light pound cake and cut out a desired shape with a cookie cutter. Line a rectangular baking tin with parchment paper and arrange cut cake shapes in a tight line in the middle of the tin. Pour over the dark dough and bake for 40-45 minutes. Do not overbake. Decorate with some powdered cugar.
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MACARONS WITH ORANGE CHOCOLATE GANACHE Recipe & photo: Dovilė, Letters From Coffee Street
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rench macarons are marvelous sweet treats. Our flavor combination is extremely enticing – who could resist the crunchy shell, the soft filling and the aroma of Christmas spices? All you need is just a little bit of time. Decor macarons with a gorgeous ribbon and the sweet gift is ready to make your loved ones happy. 20 macarons ● 100 g almond meal ● 200 g powdered sugar ● ½ tsp cinnamon ● ¼ tsp ground ginger ● ¼ tsp ground cloves ● ¼ tsp ground cardamom ● 100 g egg whites, room temperature ● 40 g sugar ● 1 tbs orange zest Ganache: ● 100 g heavy cream ● 140 g bitter chocolate ● 1 tbs orange zest
Using a fine sieve, sift almond meal and powdered sugar. Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom, and mix well. In a big bowl, whip egg whites until they start to foam. Continue whipping, gradually adding sugar, until stiff and glossy. Stir meringue into almond mixture. Do not overmix the batter. Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe onto trays lined with baking paper. Set meringues aside, uncovered for 1 hour (this will help minimise cracking). Preheat oven to 150°C. Sprinkle half of the macaron shells with orange zest. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool on trays. For the ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to about 80°C, watching carefully to ensure it doesn‘t boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add orange zest and let it cool before piping. 10 minutes in the fridge should be enough. To assemble, spoon or pipe some ganache onto half of the shells. Top with the remaining shells to make a sandwich. Decorate with the remaining ganache. Macarons are ready to eat after 24 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 5 days.
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Christmas MARKETS Words: Miglė, My Kitchen Affair Photo (left): Vytas Naviera Other photos: Miglė, My Kitchen Affair
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here could be no pre-Christmas madness without Christmas markets raving all around the world. Wherever you go, you are greeted with an endless line of artisanal stalls selling various kinds of Christmassy things – handcrafted wooden toys, warm woolen socks perked with a smile-y Santa on the front, cozy gloves embroidered with a lovely never-confused Christmas pattern, outstandingly-scented candles you don’t even have to lit to feel that spectacular festive aroma of melting wax, sharp spicy mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, too-cute-to-eat gingerbread houses, and loads of other delicious Christmas-infused foods and drinks filling the air with their marvelous scents. And even though Christmas Markets have their roots in German-speaking countries, today they are booming all over the world - from Sapporo to New York, from Sydney to Mexico City, from Cape Town to St. Petersburg. This time, let’s look at a few worth visiting in Europe this year.
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Berlin: Christmas market at Kaiser Wilhelm Berlin could be easily described as the capital of traditional Christmas markets. There are more than 50 markets each year all over the city, but the market at Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche is undoubtedly the biggest and the most beloved by visitors from all around the world. There, one can find some unique jewellery, paintings or sculptures from cutting-edge contemporary designers and artists, along with more traditional gifts. Don‘t forget about the mandatory glass of glühwein, a few sizzling sausages, and a lovely spiceenriched gingerbread. Open from 24th November to 1st January. Copenhagen: Tivoli at Christmas In comparison to other European Christmas markets, the one that‘s being held in Copenhagen is less commercial and more authentically Christmassy. It takes place in the Tivoli Gardens amusement park. For more than a month, more than 50 stalls decorated in Danish and Scandinavian traditions transform into a winter wonderland doused in a marvelous scent of gløgg (mulled wine), æbleskiver (apple doughnuts) and roasted almonds. The gardens also offer an ice rink, rollercoaster and theme park rides for those who are looking for something more than just a leisurely amble around the handicraft stalls while nibbling on traditional Danish Christmas sweets. Open from 16th November to 30th December. Manchester Manchester’s award winning Christmas market is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Attracting thousands of shoppers from all over the country and beyond, the market has put Manchester city centre firmly on the Christmas map – today it has become not just a fabulous place to shop but also a hugely popular leisure destination in its own right. Manchester’s Christmas market each year involves more than 300 stalls. It is packed with a huge variety of regional crafts and foods as well as various Christmas delicacies from all around the world: from traditional German festive meats and sweets (including the all-time favorite strudel), Scandinavian gingerbread houses, Dutch biscuits, pancakes and toffee waffles to authentic Spanish paella, Hungarian goulash, fine French pâtisserie and Asian festive goodies – nobody will be left hungry. And the drink options are just as plentiful from a warming mug of hot chocolate, a cup of freshly roasted coffee or nicely blended tea, to some richly spiced mulled wine, punch, liqueur, festive cocktails and a huge array of craft beer. Open from 15th November to 22nd December.
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Paris: Paris Christmas Village The Parisian Christmas market tradition is still quite young, but there is one Christmas market that simply cannot be missed - the one situated along the Champs-Elyseés. The market, officially called the Paris Christmas Village, sets up more than 60 stalls between the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées roundabout that, together with the magnificent Christmas decorations twinkling in the trees and the Arc de Triomphe as a background, creates an exceptional atmosphere to do the Christmas shopping and get into the festive spirit. In between shopping for some unique handmade items, exclusive accessories and decorations, don’t forget to grab a hot crêpe or a waffle and a glass of vin chaud as you walk. This is also a great opportunity to pick some regional French delicacies that you can later enjoy at home over the holiday. Hams from Corsica, meats from Alsace, cheese from the Alps, biscuits from Brittany, truffles and lavender-infused delicacies from Provance, foie-gras, various pâtés, mouthwatering French chocolate, hand-made macarons, pure local honey, aged wine, champagne, congnac – the choice is well beyond ample. Besides, children are not forgotten - there are plenty of attractions and rides for them, including a giant outdoor ice rink right next to the Eiffel Tower! Open from 15th November to 5th January. Vienna They say that Christmas for the Viennese is a social affair, where people meet up at the Christmas market for a glass of punsch or glühwein, a handful of chestnuts and spicy Christmas cookies. To be honest, Vienna has such an enormous variety of Christmas markets to offer that it seems there is one around every corner, wherever you are. Indeed, you do not even need a map – just follow the sweet fragrance of roasting chestnuts, freshly baked pastries, gingerbread and punsch. Old style sweets and hand painted toys are the highlights at Vienna’s Christmas markets, not forgetting the candy floss and brightly colored sugared fruits galore. By the way, make sure to try a luxurious thick hot chocolate – it‘s the specialty as well! Open from 15th November to 26th December. Barcelona: Fira de Santa Llúcia Dating from 1786, Fira de Santa Llúcia is Barcelona’s most well-known Christmas market with more than 300 stalls selling various handcrafted Christmas decorations and gifts, jewellery, toys, Christmas trees, mistletoe and poinsettias. It is also one of the best places to buy a Christmas Caga Tio (shitting log) - a log with a friendly face that is an important part of Catalan Christmas. There’s also a Nativity scene contest, musical parades and exhibitions. Open from 30th November to 23rd December.
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New Year LAST DINNER OF THE YEAR. FRENCH STYLE Words, recipes and photos: Gintarė, Gourmantine
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Menu Kir Royal (Blackcurrant & Champagne Coctail) ● Provençal Tomato Canapés ● Smoked Salmon and Pomegranate Salad ● Canard a l’orange (Duck Breast in Orange Sauce) ● Cheese Platter ● Walnut Salad ● Profiteroles
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ew Year’s Eve is the last stop to the never-ending holiday trip from table to table, a time to look back at the highs and lows of the year gone, and the very first step into a brand new one. It is said that the first step defines the road ahead and we wholeheartedly wish for it to be a great one. This year, for New Year’s Eve, we invite you to take a journey through the country that lives and breathes food - France. France is indeed as grand as it is diverse, and so is its culinary map. From olive oil adorned delicacies of the Mediterranean to the succulent butter laden pastries you find up North, we invite you to eat your way through it, while counting down the final hours of the year. Aperitif There isn’t a better way to start the evening than with a glass of Kir Royal, a wonderful champagne cocktail from Burgundy, reserved for special occasions. We serve it along sun-dried tomato canapés from Provence.
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KIR ROYAL Serves 4 ● 1 part Crème De Cassis liqueur ● 4−5 parts Champagne Pour the liqueur in a flute and top with chilled champagne. Serve immediately.
PROVENÇAL TOMATO CANAPÉS Serves 4 ● 1 baguette ● 200 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil ● 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil ● 2 tbs wine vinegar ● 2 tbs parsley, chopped ● salt ● freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 200°C. Slice baguette thinly and arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until lightly brown. Drain tomatoes and mix them with oil, vinegar and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Top each baguette slice with one tomato.
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SMOKED SALMON AND POMEGRANATE SALAD Salmon along with oysters and foie gras are the staples of any celebration in France, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Smoked salmon salad is exceptionally easy to prepare. It can even be assembled in advance and still look pretty and festive on the table. Serves 4 ● 150 g rocket salad ● 300 g smoked salmon ● 2 avocados ● seeds of ¼ pomegranate Vinaigrette: ● 1 tsp honey ● 1 tsp Dijon mustard ● 2 tbs red wine vinegar ● 1 tbs balsamic vinegar ● salt ● freshly ground black pepper ● 3−5 tbs extra virgin olive oil ● 2 tbs parsley, chopped Spread rocket salad leaves on a serving plate. Roll smoked salmon and arrange on the plate. Slice avocado and arrange next to salmon. Top with pomegranate seeds. To make the vinaigrette, dissolve honey and mustard in both vinegars. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in oil and parsley. Both the salad and the vinaigrette can be prepared in advance. Serve the salad with the vinaigrette and baguette.
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CANARD A L’ORANGE Pairing fatty meats with citrus dates back to the old days, as the two go together like bread and butter. Duck with orange sauce is a classic French dish. Traditionally, the orange sauce is referred as bigarade (derives from the name of bitter Seville oranges). It is an elaborate process to make duck broth reduction and liven it up with orange juice. For New Year’s Eve, we suggest you to take a shortcut. Speed up the process by using chicken stock and pan-frying duck breasts instead of roasting the whole duck. Even though our suggested recipe does have a few steps and a long ingredient list, it comes together quickly and much can be prepared in advance.
Serves 4 ● 4 duck breasts ● 2 cloves garlic ● fresh thyme Sauce: ● ⅓ cup sugar ● ⅓ cup wine vinegar ● 750 ml chicken stock ● 1 tbs soy sauce ● zest of 1 orange
● 4 oranges ● 60 g butter ● ½ kg parsnip ● 3−4 tbs extra virgin olive oil ● fresh thyme ● salt ● freshly ground black pepper ● 3 cloves garlic ● 300 g spinach
Note: the sauce recipe yields far more caramel than needed for this dish. Store the remaining caramel in the fridge for a few weeks and use it to flavor other sweet and sour sauces.
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Start with the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat sugar on medium heat until light brown. Do not stir, shake the pan instead to dissolve the sugar. Add vinegar and stir until all the caramel is dissolved. Be careful as the caramel will bubble can cause severe burns. Set aside. Bring chicken stock and soy sauce to a boil. Reduce to 250 ml. Wash and pat dry oranges. Peel and thinly slice the zest of one orange. Put aside. Cut the top and bottom parts of all oranges and carefully slice off the remaining skin to reveal the segments. Over a bowl, take one orange in your palm and make incisions on both sides of the segments to release them into the bowl. Once done, give a good squeeze to get all the juices out. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Place the orange segments (save the juice for later) in a colander and pour over boiling water. Then pour over cold water to stop the cooking process. Sieve the orange juice and juice another orange, if needed, to reach 250 ml. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add stock and zest, and reduce by half (about 5-10 minutes). Stir in 1 teaspoon of caramel, taste and add 1 more teaspoon, if needed. Just before serving, stir in butter, add orange segments into the hot sauce and pour over the prepared duck. For the roasted parsnips, preheat oven to 200°C. Peel the parsnips, then halve them lengthwise, then halve or quarter each piece lengthwise again, depending on the size. Place the parsnips into a roasting tin, drizzle with some oil, season with salt and pepper, and mix well to distribute evenly. Scatter a few thyme sprigs and garlic cloves, and roast for 30-40 minutes. For the duck, lightly score the skin of duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern, season with salt and pepper on both sides. Pan-fry skin-side down over a medium heat. Cook until the duck fat melts, then add garlic and thyme sprigs. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the duck breasts) until the skin is brown and crispy. Flip the duck breasts and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes for medium rare, or about 5 minutes for well done. Transfer the duck breasts onto a serving plate, pour over the sauce and allow to rest 2-3 minutes. In the same frying pan, leave about 1 tablespoon of duck fat and quickly sautÊ the spinach, until fully wilted. Serve the duck breasts in orange sauce with roasted parsnips and sautÊed spinach.
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CHEESE PLATTER No French dinner would be complete without a cheese platter and a green salad after the main course. For the cheese platter, pick just about any cheeses you enjoy. We recommend Camembert au Calvados, Munster, Comté, Roquefort and Saint-Nectaire. These cheeses are best served with grapes and a walnut salad with classic French vinaigrette on side. Do not forget to serve plenty of baguette and red wine!
WALNUT SALAD Serves 4 ● 200 g mixed salad leaves ● a handful of walnuts Vinaigrette: ● 1½ tsp Dijon mustard ● 2 tbs red wine vinegar ● salt ● freshly ground black pepper ● 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil ● 2 tbs walnut oil For the vinaigrette, whisk mustard with vinegar, season with salt and pepper and slowly add both oils until the vinaigrette is homogenous. Toss the salad with roughly chopped walnuts and serve with the vinaigrette.
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PROFITEROLES 2 baking sheets Choux pastry: ● 100 g butter ● 125 ml water ● 125 ml milk ● a pinch of salt ● 150 g flour ● 4 eggs
For the pastry, heat butter, water and milk in a large pan. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and quickly add salt and flour. Using a wooden spoon, beat hard for up to 30 seconds, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the pan. Cool to room temperature (about 10 minutes). Preheat oven to 220°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Once the dough has cooled, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth and glossy. Transfer the dough into a pastry bag. Pipe out or spoon profiteroles (about the size of a walnut), leaving enough space for them to rise. Smooth the surface of the profiteroles with wet fingers, as any spikes are likely to burn.
Filling: ● 350 ml whipping cream, chilled ● 1 vanilla pod ● 1−2 tbs sugar Topping: ● 150 g dark chocolate ● 4 tbs whipping cream ● sugar pearls (optional)
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 190°C and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Using a knife, poke a hole in the bottom of each profiterole to let out the steam, and leave to cool on a rack. For the filling, make sure both the bowl and the cream are very cold. Scrape vanilla seeds and add them to the cream together with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Whip the cream until stiff peaks start to form. Fill a piping bag with the prepared cream and fill the profiteroles through the holes in the bottoms. Melt chocolate with cream in a bowl over boiling water. Drizzle the sauce on profiteroles and sprinkle with sugar pearls.
65 To finish the night, we offer little bites of heaven drizzled with dark chocolate. The beauty of profiteroles is that despite the intimidating name and appearance, they are very easy to make. Profiteroles can be baked 2-3 days in advance and stored in airtight containers. Fill them up just before dinner starts.
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01.27 International Hot and Spicy Food Day
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hot & spicy
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Words, recipe & photo: DovilÄ—, DR Food Blog You have to eat a spoon of salt and pepper in order to understand what the heck the sweet joy of living is. It is so true that the spices are important in our daily life and in the kitchen. Food would taste bland, boring and tasteless without them. Grab some spices out of your cupboard, tie an apron on and cook something that tastes amazingly good - something really worth trying on International Hot and Spicy Food Day, celebrated on January 27.
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01.27 International Hot and Spicy Food Day
CHICKEN TINGA TACOS Serves 2−3 ● 500 g chicken breast ● salt ● pepper ● olive oil ● 1 small onion ● 2 cloves garlic ● 1 tsp ground cumin ● 2 tsp dried oregano ● 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes ● 150 ml chicken stock ● 1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ● salt ● 6−8 tortillas ● 150 g feta cheese ● fresh coriander
Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Brown it in a hot pan with some oil. Remove from the pan. Chop and fry onion in the same pan for 5 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic, cumin, oregano and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, finely chopped chipotle pepper. Let simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Preheat oven to 180°C. Transfer the sauce to a food processor, puree until smooth. Season with salt. Put the chicken to the pan, pour the sauce over. Bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Shred the chicken and return to the sauce, stir well. Wrap tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven. Crumble feta cheese. Place 2 tablespoons of chicken sauce on each tortilla, sprinkle some feta cheese and coriander on top.
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02.05 Bread Day (Lithuania)
BREAD DAY (LITHUANIA) Words, recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine
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ow often do you bake bread? Not that often? Get yourself together and bake a loaf on Bread day, or on the day of St. Agatha, the patron of bread. It is celebrated on February 5.
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02.05 Bread Day (Lithuania)
BREAD CAKE Serves 7 ● 20 g fresh yeast ● 1 cup warm milk ● 1 tsp sugar ● 1 tsp salt ● 3 cups whole wheat flour ● 1 cup wheat flour ● 2 tbs olive oil ● 2 tbs flaxseeds ● 1 tbs lemon juice ● ½ cup water
In a bowl, mix yeast, milk, salt and sugar. Leave for 15 minutes to activate. In a large bowl, add both flours, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture, olive oil, lemon juice, flaxseeds, and water. Mix well and transfer the dough on a flat surface. Knead for 5 minutes. Put the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave the dough to prove for 30 minutes. Knead again for 5 minutes and leave to prove for 40-50 minutes until doubled. Divide the dough into 7 pieces. Line a round 25 cm baking tin with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Shape the dough into round balls and arrange in the baking tin. Sprinkle some flour on top. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve while the bread is still warm.
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02.14 Valentine’s Day
VALENTINE‘S DAY Words: Julė, Kepykla nr. 5 Recipe & photo: Giedrė, g.august photography
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n February, dark and cold winter days get decorated with bright red for Valentine ‘s Day. Some celebrate it with flowers, gifts and lots of hearts. Some have cozy dinner in a restaurant. Some get away for a romantic weekend. And there are those mumbling and claiming to be allergic to everything red and romantic. Whatever type you are, we are sure to brighten your day with a crispy meringue, white chocolate and red raspberries.
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02.14 Valentine’s Day
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY MERINGUE Serves 8 Meringue: ● 4 eggs whites ● 200 g sugar ● 1 tsp cornflour ● 1 tsp lemon juice ● powdered sugar Filling: ● 100 g white chocolate ● 200 g double cream ● 1 tsp vanilla extract ● 25 g roasted pistachios, chopped ● 150 g fresh raspberries Raspberry coulis: ● 75 g raspberries ● 2−3 tbs powdered sugar ● roasted pistachios, chopped ● powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Line a 33cm x 23cm shallow baking tin with parchment paper. Whisk egg whites until stiff. Gradually add caster sugar, whisking all the time, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add cornflour and lemon juice. Spoon the meringue into the tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 25 minutes, until a light golden crust forms. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Lightly dust a piece of parchment paper (bigger than the baking tin) with icing sugar. Invert the meringue on the parchment paper. Remove the tin, leaving the parchment paper on top of the meringue. Leave to cool completely. For the filling, melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Remove from heat and leave to cool. In a medium bowl, whip cream and vanilla extract until peaks start to form. Fold in the cooled white chocolate. Peel off the parchment paper from the top of the meringue and spread the cream evenly. Sprinkle with pistachios and raspberries. Using the parchment paper underneath, roll up the meringue, starting on the short edge. Do not worry if cracks appear. For the coulis, blend raspberries and icing sugar together until smooth. Sieve into a jug. Transfer the meringue roll to a serving plate, drizzle some coulis , sprinkle some pistachios and dust some icing sugar on top.
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Raclette WINTER TRADITIONS IN SWITZERLAND Words & photos: Eglė, Monkey Dinner
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magine Switzerland in winter. The white peaks of the Alps, exclusive skiing resorts and chalets. Blue lakes, palms and buon appetito. Yes, we are in the southern part of Switzerland, canton Ticino. Dispite the sunny winter days and the Mediterranean feel, we also have winter here. The first snowflakes might show up even in mid-November. We love waking up after a rainy week and seeing snow covered mountains in the light of the sun. It’s now that we start looking for our hidden raclettes. Raclette is one of the social dining experiences one must have while visiting Switzerland. Originally from Valais, it’s a widespread Swiss tradition. I bet every family has a raclette grill. Let’s have a sneak peak at two local families and their raclette dinners.
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FAMIGLIA ZOCCHI When I first arrived in Switzerland, I’d never heard anything about raclette. My first raclette experience was around the Zocchi family table. The combination of potatoes and melted cheese is so comforting in the cold season and reminds of my homeland (we adore potatoes!). As I enter, I find kids helping to set the table and potatoes finishing to boil. Raclette potatoes are easily available in supermarkets – they are of special variety, small to medium size and not at all brittle. The raclette table must-haves are sottoacetti – cornichons, pickled red and white onions or mushrooms. The famiglia Zocchi raclette essentials are small veal sausages, cooked on the top part of the grill and particularly loved by kids. Once the grill has warmed up and the potatoes are ready, we start the raclette ritual. It’s so simple – you are part of a big meal that you cook for yourself. Take a slice of cheese, shove it under the grill, chat until it melts, pour it over potatoes, add some spices and enjoy! Black peppers, nutmeg and paprika are amongst the favorite spices. Special raclette blends are also available and widely used. As conversation never stops, we share our best raclette experiences. Mine is certainly the best around this table, with the fireplace in the background, chitchat of the kids and a great conversation. Signor Zocchi recalls the time he had the most memorable raclette of his life. Melted on fire somewhere along the shores of the river in the summertime.
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FAMIGLIA CASTELLI If only possible, signor Castelli would eat raclette the old way only. Melting the cheese on hot stones, somewhere in the mountains by the river. Reality is, though, we have this lunch at their home. Their raclette machine was one of their wedding gifts, it’s one of the variations of the grill, following the same principle of the fire and stones. The cheese is heated from above and once melted, poured over the potatoes. After a rich and warming raclette in this family I understand the importance of the raclette tradition. There are so many rules even if it might look just ‘some cheese and potatoes’ The cheese here comes from a supermarket, it’s from dalpe – the Swiss alp meadows. Supermarkets are great indicators of the approaching winter. As soon as the leaves start falling we start seeing a growing assortment of raclette and fondue cheeses. The Castelli buy a half rind of cheese, clean the crust and place it into a special holder, sort of a hand that holds the cheese under the grill. That way it stays until potatoes are boiled and the family gathers around the table. The head of the table ‘manages’ the raclette hand and scrapes melted cheese on top of hot potatoes. And the best part is the crunchy crust of the cheese that gets cut off as the meal proceeds and the cheese melts. Delicious! It’s common knowledge that water is not to be drunk with cheese dishes, especially in winter. White wine from Romandie or tea usually accompanies raclette dishes around here. This is the tradition of raclette aorund Lugano. Overall it’s not only the cheese that can be cooked in raclette pans. One can try fruit and vegetables, or even mini pizzas! Other popular options are pieces of duck, fish, aubergines, zucchini, mushrooms on top of the grill. Whatever the combination, the most important ingredient is the people you share it with. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------More photos on http://www.egleberruti.com/raclette/
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Hot wine Words, recipes & photos: Miglė, My Kitchen Affair
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ust like the forest-scented Christmas trees and colorful light garlands glimmering everywhere the eye can see; just like warm woolen socks, mittens and a thick sweater; just like a cup of hot chocolate decorated with the a graceful dome of cream; just like a warm apple pie and a scoop of ice cream hopefully melting next to it, mulled wine is an integral part of the winter and holidays that come along with it - so warm and so fragrant. If we looked at the culinary map, we would see that mulled wine is included in almost every country’s winter menu. Only the name might be different: in Germany, for example, this warming aromatic drink is being referred to as Glühwein, in Scandinavia - glögg, in Italy vin brulé ( “burnt wine” ), in Netherlands - bisshopswijn (Bishop wine) , in Great Britain it was once known as “smoking bishop”, while in Brazil mulled wine is entitled as “big heat” (qeuntão). The main principles of preparation may vary as well. In Canada, the traditional mulled wine is never served without some maple syrup. The French, on the other hand, do not like their drink too sweet, preferring it to be richly infused with lemon and orange peel. In Bulgaria and Moldova, this wintry drink is usually prepared with red wine, honey and black pepper, in the Czech Republic the wine itself gets very often replaced by beer, while in Japan its basis consists of sake and ginger. So, as we can see, there is a great amount of mulled wine variations. Inspired by this abundance of different flavors and aromas, we have also decided to experiment a little bit. In this issue we offer you three different mulled wine recipes. Thyme and lemon infused white wine, fresh and summer-reminding red or spicy chocolate – which one will be your favorite this season?
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Mulled wine? You say, only red? Well, not necessarily! A pleasantly warming drink elegantly infused with lovely wintery spices can also be made with white wine. And neither its taste, nor aroma will yield to the red one, whereas the instantly emptied glass will be begging to be refilled again. And again.
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This mulled wine is as refreshing as a summer in a glass, painted in several shades of bright wintry spices. Definitely so! It’s just about time to breathe a new life into those frozen berries that you so carefully picked in early fall!
Nowadays, you can hardly surprise anyone with the combination of wine and chocolate. The mind keeps on revolving around the basic rules: white and milk chocolate goes best with sweet, fruity and dessert wines, while dark chocolate is the perfect attendant for the red, full-bodied, robust aperitif. Today, we propose to take this duo a step further by combining those two flavors into one and creating a unique hot chocolate wine drink. But just to make the overall experience even more impressive and seasonal, make sure to flavor your drink with one or two spicy chili peppers, cinnamon quill and muscovado sugar that gives nice tinge of caramel.
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MULLED WHITE WINE WITH THYME AND LEMON Serves 4 750 ml fruity white wine 200 ml natural apple juice 3 tbs honey 6 cloves 3 cinnamon quill 2 star anise 2-3 fresh thyme springs zest of ½ lemon Place wine and apple juice into a large saucepan. Stir in honey, spices and thinly peeled lemon zest. Heat the mixture over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure the wine does not boil, because this might affect the overall flavor.
As soon as the liquid reaches the boiling point, remove the saucepan from heat, cover with a lid and leave to infuse for at least 15 minutes. Ladle into the glasses and serve. Once the wine is cooled, store it in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks. Warm it up before serving. If you wish, you can strain off the spices, but they look very attractive served in glasses together with the wine.
VERY BERRY MULLED WINE Serves 4 750 ml fruity red wine 300 ml natural apple juice 60-80 g light brown sugar (the amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the wine)
97 This mulled wine goes very well with savory crackers, bread sticks and pungent blue cheese, such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola.
MULLED WINE WITH CHOCOLATE Serves 4 750 ml fruity red wine 50-70 g dark muscovado sugar (the amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the wine and chocolate) 1 cinnamon quill 1-2 dried chili peppers 4 chili peppers for serving (optional) 50 g dark chocolate (higher the percentage of cocoa, the better)
1 cinnamon quill 2 star anise 1 vanilla pod ~ 100 g frozen berry mix Place wine and apple juice into the saucepan. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and star anise. Cut the vanilla pod into half lengthwise and add into the saucepan. Cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the wine is almost boiling (though, not yet bubbling). Taste, and add more sugar if needed. Take the saucepan from the heat, cover with a lid and leave for 15-20 minutes for spices to infuse. Once the wine is cooled, store it in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks. Before serving, strain out the spices and warm up the wine once again. When the wine is almost boiling, add the frozen berries. As soon as these are thawed, ladle the wine together with the berries into glasses and serve.
Place wine, sugar, cinnamon and chili peppers cut lengthwise into the saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat for about 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Heat for another few minutes, then add the finely grated chocolate and, constantly stirring with a whisk, cook until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and ladle into glasses. Serve immediately. Decorate each glass with a whole chili pepper.
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Spice ODYSSEY NORTH AFRICA Close your eyes, breathe in and get ready for a trip full of smells and flavors. Taste some Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt on your plate!
Words: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: GabrielÄ—, Gabriele photography
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Ras el hanout Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
Spice odyssey
RAS EL HANOUT Approx. 350 ml ● 2 tsp each of ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cardamom, caraway, nutmeg ● 1 tsp each of sea salt, chili flakes, ground anise, turmeric, ginger, cloves, cayenne pepper, black pepper, smoked paprika, fennel seeds, garlic powder ● 15 allspice berries ● 2 large bay leaves ● a pinch of saffron
Grind all the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle or use a spice grinder. Keep in an airtight container in a dark cool place.
PORK FILLET WITH PEARL COUSCOUS SALAD Serves 4 ● 400 ml vegetable stock ● 250 ml pearl couscous ● 1 pork fillet (approx. 400 g) ● olive oil ● ras el hanout blend ● 1 eggplant ● salt ● pepper ● 1 long cucumber ● 1 yellow bell pepper ● 1−2 tomatoes ● 1 can chickpeas ● juice of ½ lemon
Boil up vegetable stock, add couscous and boil for 4 minutes. Take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbs olive oil, stir and leave to cool. Preheat oven to 220°C. Wash pork fillet under cold water, pat dry, drizzle some olive oil and cover in ras el hanout. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown the fillet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, or until the internal meat temperature reaches 63−65°C. Cover with foil and set aside. Cut eggplant into cubes and fry in some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the eggplant into the couscous and mix well. Chop cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes. Drain chickpeas. Stir in into the couscous. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed, and add a pinch of ras el hanout. Squeeze in lemon juice. Slice the meat and serve with the couscous salad.
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Chermoula Recipe & photo: Nida, Nidos receptai
Spice odyssey
CHERMOULA Approx. 250 ml ● a bunch of fresh coriander ● 4 cloves garlic ● 2 tbs sweet paprika powder ● 1 tbs ground cumin ● 1 tsp salt ● 1 tsp ground ginger ● ½ tsp hot paprika powder ● 3 tbs olive oil ● 2 tbs preserved lemons or juice of 1 lemon
To make chermoula, finely chop a bunch of coriander and garlic. Mix them with paprika, ground cumin, salt, grated ginger, hot paprika, olive oil and preserved lemons or lemon juice. If using chermoula as a marinade, dilute it with olive oil to desired consistency.
OVEN BAKED EGGPLANTS WITH COUSCOUS Serves 4 ● 2 medium eggplants ● chermoula ● 120 g (¾ cup) couscous ● ⅓ cup raisins ● ⅓ cup dried cranberries ● 3 tbs olive oil ● ⅔ cup green olives, pitted ● ½ cup slivered almonds ● a few spring onion greens ● a handful of fresh mint ● 2 tbs lemon juice ● salt ● pepper ● a bunch of fresh coriander ● pomegranate seeds (optional) ● olive oil
Preheat oven to 180°C. Halve eggplants lengthwise and make a criss-cross pattern on the surface. Make sure not to cut through the skin. Spread chermoula over the eggplant halves evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until eggplants are soft and golden. Put couscous in a bowl. Pour enough hot water to cover it (about 1,5 cm over couscous). Cover and leave to absorb. Rinse raisins and cranberries, and soak them for 10 minutes in a cup of warm water. Drain well and mix with the couscous. Pour 3 tbs of olive oil, add sliced olives, toasted almonds, chopped spring onions and mint. Season with pinch of salt and lemon juice. Mix well. Top each eggplant half with couscous, sprinkle with chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with some olive oil.
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Recipes & photos: Asta, Villa Alps
Dukkah PISTACHIO DUKKAH Approx. 300 ml ● 80 g raw pistachios, shelled ● 25 g sesame seeds ● 1 tbs ground cumin ● 1 tbs ground coriander ● 1 tbs dried oregano ● 1 tbs dried thyme ● 1 tsp salt ● a pinch of freshly ground black pepper Roast nuts in a dry clean pan until fragrant. Add sesame seeds and roast until lightly brown. Transfer to a food processor and pulse. Do not make meal, leave some bigger bits in the mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container in a dark cool place.
Spice odyssey
Harissa MILD HARISSA Approx. 200 ml ● 100 g chillies ● 3 cloves garlic ● a pinch of salt ● 1 tsp ground cumin ● 1 tsp smoked paprika powder ● 1 tbs tomato paste ● a bunch of fresh coriander ● juice of ½ lemon ● 1 tbs red wine vinegar ● 1−3 tbs extra virgin olive oil Halve chillies. Remove and discard seeds. Chop chillies roughly, transfer into a food processor. Add garlic, salt, spices, tomato paste and coriander. Process until smooth paste. Gradually add lemon juice, vinegar and oil. Use more oil for not so thick paste. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Store in jars in refrigerator up to 1 month (pour some olive oil on top to minimize contact with air) or freeze in silicon moulds for up to 2 months.
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Spice odyssey
DUKKAH COATED CHICKEN TENDERLOINS WITH HARISSA MAYONNAISE Serves 5 ● 4 tbs olive oil ● juice of ½ lemon ● 8−10 tbs dukkah ● 10 chicken tenderloins Harissa mayonnaise: ● 5 heaping tbs favorite mayonnaise ● 2−3 tbs harissa ● 1 tbs lemon juice Combine all the ingredients for mayonnaise and leave for flavors to develop. In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice and dukkah. Roll chicken tenderloins in the mixture. Heat a grill pan and fry the chicken, until nicely brown and done. Serve with mayonnaise. To avoid eating with hands, use skewers.
Tips Serve with rice, bulgur or couscous and a green salad as a main meal.
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MEATY COMFORT FOOD Words and photo: Asta, Villa Alps
Now is the best time for slow cooking and hearty meaty dishes to get cozy and comfort you. Keep warm this winter with our collection of beef, veal, pork and chicken comfort food recipes.
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Meaty Comfort Food
BEEF HAM WITH HORSERADISH AND APPLE SAUCE Recipe & photo: Berta, Cukrinis avinėlis
Serves 4 ● 1 kg beef ham ● a few sprigs of dried sage ● a pinch of dried thyme ● a pinch of sea salt ● butter Sauce: ● 200 ml low fat cream ● 1 tsp lemon juice ● a pinch of sugar ● a pinch of salt ● 1 apple ● 5–6 tsp minced horseradish
Preheat oven to 80°C. Make a criss-cross pattern on beef ham. Sprinkle with sage and thyme. Roast for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat becomes tender. Increase oven temperature to 250°C. Sprinkle the ham with sal0 and place a few slices of butter on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust becomes crispy. Whisk cream. Dissolve a pinch of sugar and salt in lemon juice. Pour in the cream and whisk again. Add grated apple and horseradish. Mix well. Serve the ham with the sauce. Tastes good both warm and cold.
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PORK SHANK WITH WARM BEETROOTS Recipe & photo: Elinga, Spoon alley
Serves 2–4 ● 1 pork shank (approx. 1,5 kg) ● ½ tbs salt ● 1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic ● ½ tsp black pepper ● 200 ml stock or water ● 500 g (3) beetroots ● 1 carrot ● 1 onion ● 2 tbs oil ● 1 tsp salt ● ½ tsp black pepper ● 1 tbs caraway seeds ● 50 ml stock or water ● 1 tbs lemon juice ● 1 tsp honey ● 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
Wash and pat dry pork shank with a kitchen towel. Make some cuts in the skin with a knife to help the meat to soak the flavor. Rub in spices and leave in a cool place for 12-24 hours. Before roasting, leave in a room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180°C. Put the pork shank into a deep baking dish, add stock and cover with aluminium foil. Put the dish into the oven and roast for 1½hours. Remove the foil and continue roasting for 45 – 60 minutes. Turn the meat upside down a few times while roasting to help the skin to turn golden brown and crispy. Peel and wash beetroots and carrot, Cut the vegetables into sticks. Peel and finely chop the onion. Preheat a saucepan with some oil, add the onions and cook until they turn soft and translucent. Add the beetroots and carrot. Season well with salt, black pepper and caraway seeds. Add stock and continue cooking over a medium heat for 45 minutes. When the beetroot is tender, add lemon juice, honey and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Stir well and let cook for a few more minutes. Serve immediately.
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Serves 8 (2 pots of each) Veal stew: ● 300 g lean veal ● a handful of fresh lemon thyme ● 1 tbs olive oil ● salt ● pepper ● 1 medium carrot ● 2 tbs capers ● 100 g rice ● 150 ml veal stock Exotic beef stew: ● 250 g beef fillet ● a handful of fresh basil ● 1 tbs olive oil ● salt ● pepper ● 1 large sweet potato ● a handful of raisins ● 150 ml beef stock Spicy pork stew: ● 300 g pork ham ● 1 tsp harissa powder ● ½ tsp dried parsley ● 1 tbs olive oil ● salt ● pepper ● 1 celeriac ● 1 red bell pepper ● 150 ml pork stock Mild chicken stew: ● 400 g chicken wings ● 1 tsp sumac ● 1 tbs walnut oil ● salt ● pepper ● 2 medium carrots ● 100 g dried apricots ● 150 ml chicken stock
Cut veal into medium size cubes and mix with finely chopped thyme and olive oil, season with salt and black pepper. Cut beef into small cubes and mix with finely chopped basil and olive oil, season with salt and black pepper. Cut pork into thin stripes and mix with harissa powder, dried parsley and oil, season with salt and black pepper. Rub chicken drumsticks with sumac spices and walnut oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes. For the veal stew, grate carrot, mix with capers and add rice. Transfer to two clay pots. For the beef stew, peel and cut sweet potato into cubes. Mix with raisins and transfer to two clay pots. For the pork stew, peel and cut celeriac into cubes. Cut bell pepper into small cubes. Transfer to two clay pots. For the chicken stew, peel and thinly slice carrots. Cut apricots into sticks and mix with the carrots. Transfer to two clay pots. Preheat oven to 200°C. In a dry hot pan fry each meat and poultry separately. Transfer to the corresponding clay pots and pour the corresponding stock. Cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Cool the clay pots a bit cool and eat straight from the pots. Add some sour cream or tomato sauce, if desired.
CROCK POT STEWS Recipe & photo: Dovilė & Mantas, Bajalių šeimynėlės kampelis
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VEAL OSSO BUCO Recipe & photo: Nida, Nidos receptai
Serves 2–4 ● 1,5 kg veal osso buco ● 2 tbs flour ● 60 ml olive oil ● 1 onion ● 1 celery stalk ● 1 carrot ● 4 cloves garlic ● 1 cup white wine ● 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes ● 2 tsp tomato paste ● 1 cup veal or chicken stock ● 2 lemon zest strips (1 cm wide) ● 1 tbs oregano ● salt ● black pepper Gremolata: ● 2 cloves garlic ● ½ cup chopped parsley ● 1 tbs lemon zest
Toss veal in flour. Shake off the access flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy based casserole dish over medium heat. Brown the veal in multiple batches for 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat the remaining oil in the casserole dish. Add chopped onion, celery and carrot, and cook covered over low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, lemon zest, oregano, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Return the veal to the casserole dish, cover and cook in the oven for 2-2½ hours, or until the meat is very tender. For gremolata: combine chopped garlic, parsley and lemon zest. Serve the veal with potato puree or rice, sprinkle some gremolata on top.
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WHAT A WINTER
without ...
Photo: Viktorija, Recept킬 medis
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... oranges Words: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir 탑aidim킬
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ranges are definitely winter fruits for most Lithuanians. Even if in modern times oranges can be found in shops almost all year round, but they are definitely winter fruits. They are the sunshine during the dark days. Vibrant orange color and the smell make everyone happy. So peal one right now and enjoy as it is or brighten up a dish with this juicy citrus. We can help you with some ideas!
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CHICKEN SALAD WITH ORANGE AND FENNEL Recipe & photo: Dovilė, DR Food Blog
Serves 2 ● 1 chicken breast ● salt ● pepper ● oil ● 200 g canned beans ● 1 fennel ● 1 red onion ● 1 large or 2 small oranges ● 3−4 tbs sour cream ● parsley
Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Fry it in a hot pan with a little bit of oil. When fried slice into 6-7 pieces. Drain beans. Finely slice fennel and red onion. Peel orange removing the bitter white part. Cut into segments. Place the beans, fennel and onion onto a plate. Put sliced chicken breast on top. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parley. You could use chickpeas instead of canned beans.
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CARROT AND ORANGE SALAD Recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine
Serves 4 ● 2 large oranges ● 5 large carrots ● 3 cloves garlic ● 1 small onion ● 1 tbs sesame seeds ● 1tbs sunflower seeds ● 2 tbs orange juice ● 1 tbs lemon juice ● 1 tbs honey ● 1 tsp salt ● 1 tsp black pepper ● 3 tbs sunflower oil ● a handful of fresh parsley or coriander
Peel and segment oranges. Reserve the juices in a bowl. Julienne carrots. Peel and chop onion and garlic. In a non-stick pan, toast sesame and sunflower seeds for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. In another bowl, mix oil, orange and lemon juice, salt, pepper, honey. Pour the sauce over the carrots, onion and garlic, and leave the flavors to develop for 5 minutes. Add the orange segments and sprinkle with some sesame and sunflower seeds, and chopped parsley.
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CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS WITH ORANGE SAUCE Recipe & photo: Justina, Salierai rankinėje
Serves 4 ● 2 chicken breast fillets ● 8 rice paper rounds Marinade: ● 3 cloves garlic ● 1 tsp salt ● 1 tsp ground white pepper ● 1 heaped tsp ground ginger ● 2 tbs fresh orange juice Sauce: ● 200 ml fresh orange juice ● 4 tbs rice vinegar ● 4 tbs soy sauce ● 4 cloves garlic ● 1 tbs orange zest ● 1 tsp sugar ● 2 tsp ground ginger Filling: ● 2 carrot ● 2 tomatoes ● 1 yellow bell pepper ● 1 avocado ● 1 chili pepper ● oil
Halve chicken breast fillets lengthwise, to create thin fillets. Crush garlic and rub all the fillets with it. For the marinade, combine salt, white pepper, ginger, and orange juice in a bowl. Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour on the marinade. Leave to marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight. For the sauce, in a pot, combine orange juice, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add finely chopped garlic, orange zest, sugar and ginger. Hear for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. For the filling, cut carrots, tomatoes, bell pepper, chili pepper and avocado into strips. Preheat some oil in a frying pan and fry carrots, bell pepper, and chili pepper for about 10 minutes on a low heat. Slice the chicken into strips and brown it in another frying pan. Place 1 rice paper round in a bowl of lukewarm water for 1-2 minutes, or according to the package requirements. Place on a clean tea towel or paper towel. Arrange the chicken and vegetables along the centre of rice paper round. Fold ends in and roll up firmly to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining rice paper rounds and filling. Serve with the sauce within 6 hours from the preparation.
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DUCK IN ORANGE JUICE Recipe & photo: Nida, Nidos receptai
Serves 4 ● 1 large duck (approx. 2−2½ kg) ● 1 tbs oil ● 50 g ginger root ● 4 cloves garlic ● 2 lemongrass stalks ● 5 star anice ● 1−3 red chili pepper ● 800 ml fresh orange juice ● 4 tbs Vietnamese fish sauce ● 1 tbs brown sugar ● ground black pepper ● ½ tsp starch ● 8 spring onions
Divide duck into 6-8 pieces. Cut excess fat, rinse and drain well. In a big stewpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil and roast the duck pieces (skin side down) until golden brown and crispy (about 6 minutes). Turn over and fry for another 2 minutes. Take the duck pieces out of the stewpot and remove the excess fat. Save for later to use in another dish. Clean the stewpot with a paper towel. Peel ginger root and cut into small pieces. Finely chop garlic cloves. Smash the white parts of lemongrass with a back of a knife. Pour 1 tablespoon of duck fat into a stewpot and fry ginger with garlic until fragrant and golden. Add anise, chili, lemongrass and fry for 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, fish sauce, add brown sugar, ground black pepper and roasted duck cuts. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Stir from time to time. Take the duck pieces and lemongrass out of the stewpot. If there is too much duck fat, carefully remove it with spoon. Mix ½ teaspoon starch together with 2 tablespoons cold water and pour into the sauce. Bring sauce to a boil. Serve the duck with hot sauce and boiled rice. Sprinkle chopped spring onions on top.
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... nuts Words: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir 탑aidim킬
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uts are among the healthiest foods on earth and a great and healthy snack. A handful of nuts in the list of the recipe ingredients can change the taste and add crunchiness. Go nuts and try out some or even all the recipes we prepared using nuts.
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INDIAN STYLE SALAD WITH PEANUTS Recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine
Serves 2 ● 4 potatoes ● 2 tbs sunflower oil ● ½ tsp cumin seeds ● 1 tsp mustard seeds ● 2 cm ginger root ● 1 small chili pepper ● 1 large onion ● 1 cup cooked chickpeas ● ½ cup peanuts ● juice of 1 lemon ● medium lettuce head
Wash potatoes and put them in a pot. Pour boiling water just to cover the potatoes, season with salt. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are soft and cooked through. Drain and cool the potatoes. Peel them and cut into cubes. In a pan, preheat some oil, add cumin, mustard seeds and grated ginger. Cook for 30 seconds and add chopped chili pepper. Peel and slice onion. Add into the pan and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes. Add chickpeas, half of the peanuts and potatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer into a serving platter. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle the remaining peanuts.
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TURKEY ROLLS WITH HAZELNUTS Recipe & photo: Indrė, Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija
Serves 2 (6 rolls) ● 300 g turkey fillet ● a pinch of salt ● a pinch of pepper ● a pinch of dried tarragon ● a pinch of fresh thyme ● 50 g hazelnuts ● 6 slices smoked ham ● 20 g butter
Chop turkey filet into 6 oblong pieces. Flatten the slices with a meat mallet. Season on one side with salt, peppers, tarragon and thyme. Roast hazelnuts in dry pan for short time. Remove the husk. Chop the nuts coarsely and sprinkle on the same fillet side as the spices. Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll the fillets nuts and spices side in, wrap ham slices around. Pierce with wooden sticks. Bake the rolls standing upright. Sprinkle each roll top with nuts and put small pieces of butter on top. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Serve with potato mash and lingberry or cranberry sauce.
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What a winter without nuts
CASHEW CRUSTED ROSEMARY CHICKEN Recipe & photo: Justina, Salierai rankinėje
Serves 4 ● 10 rosemary sprigs ● 3 cloves garlic ● 4 chicken breast fillets ● 2 tsp ground white pepper ● 2 tsp salt ● 50 ml olive oil ● 8 wax beans ● 30 small medley tomatoes ● 50 g baby spinach leaves ● 100 g daikon ● olive oil ● 225 ml dry white wine ● 225 ml heavy cream ● ½ tsp salt ● ½ tsp ground white pepper ● 550 g potatoes ● 100 g carrots ● 1 tsp salt ● 50 g butter ● 70 ml milk ● 15 g fresh parsley ● 1 egg ● 40 g panko crumbs ● 100 g cashews
Chop 4 sprigs of rosemary. Mince garlic and rub chicken breast fillets with it. Season with salt, white pepper and chopped rosemary. Pour olive oil the fillets and separate each fillet with a sprig of rosemary. Leave to marinade for at least 6 hours or overnight. For the salad, peel and slice daikon. Cut tomatoes in half or quarters. Peel potatoes and carrots. Half and boil in salted water for 25 minutes. When the vegetables are done, strain and mash. Boil up milk and two thirds of parsley. Add butter to the potato mash and continue mashing. Strain and pour milk into the mash. Add one third chopped parsley. Add salt. Proceed until you get a smooth puree. Simmer wine until reduce in half. Pour heavy cream in, season with salt and reduce in half stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken in 10-15 minutes. Boil fresh wax beans in salted water for 10 minutes. Add to wine sauce and simmer for a few more minutes. Frozen wax beans can be added directly to the sauce. Heat some oil in a frying pan. Chop nuts and mix with crumbs. In another bowl, whisk egg. Dip chicken into the egg then coat with nut mixture. Press lightly so nuts and crumbs stick better. Lower the heat and fry for about 7 minutes on each side. Spread spinach leaves, the sliced dikon and tomatoes on plates. Drizzle with olive oil. Add potato puree, top with the crumbed chicken, wax beans and sauce. Serve immediately.
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What a winter without nuts
DUCK AND NUT SOUP Recipe & photo: Odeta, Cocina rendez-vous
Serves 4 ● 4 whole duck legs Marinade: ● 2 cm ginger root ● 2 cloves garlic ● 2 tbs sesame oil ● 4 tbs fish sauce ● 2 tbs honey ● 4 tbs rice vinegar Soup: ● 2 l water ● 1 coconut water ● 4 lemongrass stalks ● 10 dates ● 100 g dried quince ● 100 g hazelnuts ● 100 g unsalted pistachios ● 100 g walnuts ● salt ● ground black pepper ● coriander
Wash and pat dry duck legs. With a sharp knife, make a few incisions in the skin of each leg. Chop garlic and ginger, add sesame oil, fish sauce, honey and rice vinegar. Rub the duck legs with the prepared marinade and leave to marinate for 2−3 hours. Heat a frying pan and brown the duck legs until the fat melts. Remove the duck legs and pat dry with paper towels. Boil up water, reduce heat and add coconut water, lemongrass and the duck legs. Simmer for 2-3 hours. Discard the excess fat. Add dates, quince and nuts. Simmer for 40 minutes, until nuts are soft and duck meat falls off the bone. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle some chopped coriander on top.
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CARAMEL NUT BARS Recipe & photo: Julė, Kepykla nr. 5
26 cm round baking tin Crust: ● 150 g butter ● 60 g sugar ● 2 egg ● 2 cups flour ● 1 tsp salt Topping: ● 2 cup peanuts ● ½ cup sesame seeds ● ½ cup sunflower seeds ● ⅔ cup sugar ● 5 tbs butter ● 1tbs honey ● a pinch of salt ● 2 tbs cream ● 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one by one, and mix until fully incorporated. Remove the bowl from the food processor. Add flour and salt. Using your hands, mix the dough briefly until it comes together. Form a disc, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly roll out the dough, move it to a parchment lined baking tin and finish forming the crust with your fingers. The thickness of the crust should be even throughout. Bake for 30 minutes. For the topping, in a large skillet, toast nuts and seeds separately over medium low heat, until they become fragrant. In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, butter, honey and salt, and bring to a boil (sugar should have melted by then). Stir constantly. Slowly add heavy cream and mix well. Stir in vanilla extract. Finally, add the nuts and seeds and mix to coat. Place the nut mixture on the prebaked crust and even it out as much as possible. Bake for additional 10-20 minutes until the topping starts to bubble. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Use a very sharp knife to cut into bars. It is easier done when the bars are still warm.
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What a winter without nuts
PEANUT CAKE Recipe & photo: Kristina, Su šaukštu aplink pasaulį
25 cm springform pan ● 150 g butter, room temperature ● 120 g sugar ● 6 eggs ● ½ can (200 g) condensed milk ● 500 g peanuts, unsalted, blanched ● 2 tsp baking powder ● 5 tbs flour + extra Glaze: ● 200 g dark chocolate ● ½ can (200 g) condensed milk ● 2 tbs rum ● unsalted peanuts
Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat butter with sugar, add eggs and condensed milk. Mix well. Grind peanuts in a food processor and add to the batter. Combine flour and baking powder. Sift into the batter and mix well. Line a springform pan with parchment paper, butter and sift some flour. Pour the batter and bake for 40 minutes, o until the cake is firm and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Melt chocolate, add condensed milk and rum. Stir well. Pour the glaze on the cooled cake. Work fast as the glaze sets very fast. Decorate with peanuts. The cake may be served immediately, but it tastes better if left to mature overnight.
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What a winter without nuts
PISTACHIO CRÈME BRÛLÉE Recipe & photo: Neringa, Du mėnuliai: maisto simfonija
Serves 4−5 ● 3 egg yolks ● 2 tbs sugar ● 200 ml heavy cream ● 1 tsp vanilla sugar ● 30 g chopped pistachios ● 4−5 tsp sugar
Preheat oven to 150°C. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until thick. In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla sugar and pistachios and bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat and sieve. Gradually whisk the cream into the egg-yolk mixture until well combined. Fill each ramekin about two-thirds full with the crème brûlée mixture, distributing the mixture evenly among the ramekins. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the roasting tin and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle. Don’t let them get too firm. Cool ramekins on a wire rack and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Crème brûlée can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar on each custard. Use a blow torch or a grill function in the oven to caramelize the sugar.
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What a winter without nuts
PISTACHIO AND RICOTTA STUFFED APPLES Recipe & photo: Neringa, Du mėnuliai: maisto simfonija
Serves 5 ● 5 medium apples ● 130 g ricotta ● 2−3 tbs powdered sugar ● ½ tsp vanilla sugar ● ½ tsp cinnamon ● 3 tsp chopped pistachios ● 1 egg Decorating: ● 1 tsp chopped pistachios ● 2−3 tsp runny honey
Preheat oven to 170°C. Cut off the top of each apple and discard. Carefully carve out the core. Combine ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and pistachios. Add egg and mix until smooth. Divide the mixture among the apples. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the hot apples with pistachios and drizzle with honey. Serve warm and consume on the day.
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What a winter without nuts
NUTS IN HONEY Recipe & photo: Indrė, Keistai paprasta
200 ml jar ● 2 tsp almonds ● 2 tsp salted pistachios ● 2 tsp cashews ● 2 tsp walnuts ● 200 ml honey
Put nuts into a mason jar and top with honey. Seal the jars and keep in room temperature for several days before consuming. Eat it by itself, spoon over Greek yoghurt or spread on toast.
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... honey Words: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų
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olden fluid treasure with so many personalities, which color and flavor depends on the blossoms visited by honey bees. There are thousands of distinct varieties worldwide. Think buckwheat, wild flower, Manuka, eucalyptus, acacia, linden, orange blossom, pine tree honey. From light to dark, from mild to heavy-bodied and malted. Just a perfect ingredient for cooking and baking, sweetening teas, drizzling on cereal, pancakes, fruit, yoghurt or even cheese. And don’t forget that it’s perfect eaten straight from the spoon too.
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What a winter without honey
SALAD DRESSING Recipe & photo: Elinga, Spoon alley
Makes 200 ml ● 1 tbs runny honey ● 2 tbs English mustard ● juice of 1 lemon ● ½ tsp salt ● 150 ml sunflower oil
Using a wooden spoon, mix honey and mustard well. Squeeze lemon juice into the honey mixture and stir. Season with salt. Slowly add oil and continue whisking until it thickens and incorporates smoothly. Serve immediately with green salad.
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What a winter without honey
HONEY GLAZED VEGETABLES WITH SALMON Recipe & photo: Dovilė ir Mantas, Bajalių šeimynėlės kampelis
Serves 2 ● 2 tbs sweet chili sauce ● 1 tbs runny honey ● 1 tbs olive oil ● 1 lime ● 1 zucchini ● 1 large orange bell pepper ● 2 salmon fillets
Whisk together sweet chili sauce, honey and olive oil. Squeeze juice from ½ lime and mix well. Cut zucchini into thin slices (2-3 mm). Divide bell pepper into 8 equal pieces. Soak vegetables in honey glaze and grill them. Brush salmon with the glaze on one side and grill glazed side down. Brush vegetables and salmon with honey glaze while grilling. Turn salmon only once. Drizzle with juice from the remaining ½ lime.
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What a winter without honey
HONEY AND CASHEW MUFFINS Recipe & photo: Indrė, Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija
Makes 12 ● 70 g cashews ● 100 g butter, room temperature ● ¾ st. muscovado sugar ● 2 eggs ● 1½ cup flour (type 405) ● 1 tsp baking powder ● a pinch of salt ● 120 ml milk ● 3 tbs honey + extra
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Toast cashews in dry pan or in oven. Set aside 12 nuts and chop the remaining ones coarsely. Using an electric stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine milk and honey. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined. Add in the milk mixture, and then add the remaining flour mixture and chopped nuts, mixing until just combined. Fill baking cups two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle some honey on the hot muffins and top each with a nut.
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What a winter without honey
HONEY CAKE Recipe & photo: Asta, Saulėta virtuvė
Serves 12 Cake layers: ● 200 g sugar ● 200 g natural honey ● 200 g butter ● ½ tsp salt ● 1 tsp ground cinnamon ● ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ● 4 medium eggs ● 425 g flour ● 1½ tsp baking powder Cream: ● 500 g heavy cream ● 300 g sour cream (30% fat) ● 100 g sugar ● ½ tsp vanilla extract ● juice of ½ lemon Syrup: ● ½ cup water ● 2 tbs sugar ● 1tbs lemon juice
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 22 cm springform tin with parchment paper. In a medium pan, add sugar, honey, butter, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat on low until everything is blended and starts to boil. Take off the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. When cool enough, add eggs, one by one, while beating with mixer. In a separate bowl, sieve flour and baking powder. Add flour into the honey mixture and stir until everything is well incorporated. You should get smooth and elastic batter. Pour batter into the tin and bake for 40-50 minutes. It is ready, when toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely and cut horizontally into 4 equal layers. In a bowl, add heavy cream, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat everything with an electric mixer until stiff and creamy. Combine all syrup ingredients. Place one cake layer into the springform tin. Spray cake layer with syrup and spread ¼ of the cream. Repeat with the remaining layers. Refrigerate overnight. Decorate according to your taste with cake crumbs and cream.
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... pearl barley Words & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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ext to wheat, barley is the world’s most valuable grain, well known for chewy texture and nutty flavor. Even though it is best know for use in beer and soups, but it is so versatile, that we want to remind you about old-fashioned British drink and encourage to cook savory and sweet dishes with pearl barley (the polished barley grain).
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What a winter without pearl barley
CITRUS BARLEY WATER Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
Approx. 2 L ● ½ cup pearl barley ● zest of 1 lemon or equal amount of lime, orange or mandarin zest ● 2½−3 lL water ● 1 cup fresh citrus juice ● honey or sugar (optional)
Rinse pearl barley well, remove any discolored grain. In a saucepan, cover the grains with cold water and bring to a boil. Drain. Return the grains to the saucepan, add lemon zest and 2½ L water. Simmer for 1 hour. Strain, add citrus juice and honey or sugar, if desired. Drink hot or cold. Refrigerate the leftover drink. Cooked grains can be used for soups, salads or porridges.
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What a winter without pearl barley
SAVORY PEARL BARLEY PUDDING Recipe & photo: Dovilė & Mantas, Bajalių šeimynėlės kampelis
Serves 6 ● 300 g pearl barley ● 1 cube vegetable stock ● 170 g smoked bacon ● 1 red bell pepper ● 2 carrots ● 2 cloves garlic ● salt ● pepper ● a small bunch of dill ● 5 large eggs ● 50 g sour cream + extra ● 3 tbs flour ● 100 g grated hard cheese ● oil
Cover pearl barley with cold water and leave overnight. Wash and drain the grains. Boil up water and melt stock cube in it. Add the grains and cook until done. Drain. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking dish with some oil. Cut and fry bacon and bell pepper together. Add grated carrots, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the pot with grains. Chop dill and combine with eggs and sour cream. Add flour and mix well. Spread the grain mixture in the prepared dish, sprinkle with cheese and pour egg mixture on top. Mix slightly. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with sour cream and greens.
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What a winter without pearl barley
PEARL BARLEY LATKES WITH FRITTERS Recipe & photo: Martynas, Popietė virtuvėje
Makes approx. 30 ● 400 g pearl barley ● 1 L water ● 3 eggs ● 200 g flour ● 150 g mayonnaise ● salt ● dill ● 200 g cold smoked salmon ● yoghurt ● parsley ● oil
Heat some oil in a saucepan. Add pearl barley and cook for about 15 minutes. Add 1L water and cook the grains according to the package instructions. Drain and cool the grains. Once cooled, combine with eggs, flour and mayonnaise. Season with salt, add dill and mix well. Spoon the batter into a hot pan. Add a slice of salmon on top. Flip once. Serve immediately with yoghurt and sprinkle some parsley on top.
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What a winter without pearl barley
SWEET PEARL BARLEY CAKE Recipe & photo: Radvilė, Salierai rankinėje
Serves 8−10 ● 200 g pearl barley ● 100 g unsalted butter, room temperature ● 150 g powdered sugar ● 2 medium organic eggs ● 100 g natural yoghurt ● 180 g flour ● 250 g mix of cranberries and raspberries 1 tsp ground nutmeg
Cover pearl barley with cold water and leave overnight. Grease and line with parchment paper a 20 cm round baking tin. Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Add yoghurt and the grains. Mix well. Sift flour and nutmeg in to the batter and mix well. Add berries and stir gently. Pour batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes. It is ready, when toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly or completely. It is delicious either way.
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Words:Asta, Villa Alps Recipes & photos: Viktorija, Receptų medis
Table
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any times mums and dads told us not to play with food. But we didn’t listen and did quite the opposite! Let’s gather around the table and play some edible board games!
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Table games
ROASTED GARLIC AND SUNDRIED TOMATO DIPPING SAUCE Makes 250 ml ● 1 garlic ● ½ tsp oil ● 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil ● 125 ml natural yoghurt ● 125 ml cream cheese ● a pinch of salt ● ½ tsp smoked paprika ● 1 sandwich bread loaf
Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut about 1 cm from the top to expose the individual garlic cloves. Discard the tops. Drizzle with oil and wrap in foil. Place the garlic head in a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool. Squeeze out the cloves and combine with tomatoes, yoghurt, cream cheese, salt and paprika. Blend with a blender. Toast bread slices and cut each into 3 blocks. Build a Jenga tower from the bread blocks. Play according to the rules, but each time you are lucky to get a block out of the tower dip it into the sauce instead of putting it on top of the tower.
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Jenga
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Saboteur
Table games
OLIVE CRUSTED CHEESE BALLS Makes 20 (nuggets) Stones: ● 125 g cheese ● ½ tsp lemon zest ● ½ tsp Worcester sauce ● 125 ml cream cheese ● 125 ml quark ● salt ● freshly ground black pepper ● 150 g black olives, pitted Gold: ● 150 g hard cheese
Grate cheese and combine with lemon zest, Worcester sauce, cream cheese and quark. Season with salt and pepper. Take 1 teaspoon of the mixture and form a ball with wet hands. Roll each ball in chopped olives. Break hard cheese into smaller peaces. Serve with salty crackers or sourdough bread.
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Table games
CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE 23x23 cm baking tin Cake: ● 250 ml flour ● 100 ml cocoa powder ● 1 tsp baking powder ● ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda ● a pinch of salt ● ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ● ½ tsp ground cardamom ● 140 ml buttermilk or natural yoghurt ● 250 ml pumpkin puree ● 200 ml brown sugar ● 1 egg ● 35 ml honey ● 35 ml oil ● 1 tsp vanilla extract Cream: ● 4 tbs quark ● 4 tbs cream cheese ● 1 tbs powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 170°C. Line a baking tin with parchment paper. In a big bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Add egg and whisk. Add honey, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to the batter and mix well. Transfer the batter to the baking tin and bake for 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Whisk quark, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Cut the cake into domino tiles. Draw the dividing lines and pips with the cream.
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Table games
BLACK CHOCOLATE AND CHILI PUDDING. WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY PUDDING Makes 12 Dark pieces: ● 400 ml milk ● 15 g cornflour ● 40 g brown sugar ● salt ● 100 g dark chocolate ● ½ tsp chili flakes Light pieces: ● 400 ml milk ● 20 g cornflour ● salt ● 100 g white chocolate ● 1 tsp vanilla extract ● 250 ml raspberries ● 1 tbs sugar
For the dark pieces, heat milk, cornflour, sugar and salt over a steaming pot, until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add shopped chocolate and chili flakes. Taste and add more chillies to your taste. Cool to a room temperature and refrigerate at least for 1 hour. Serve in shot glasses on a checkerboard. For the light pieces, heat milk, cornflour and salt over a steaming pot, until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add chopped white chocolate and vanilla extract. Cool to a room temperature and refrigerate at least for 1 hour. Mash and sieve raspberries. Combine with sugar. Add some raspberries to shot glasses and pour the white chocolate pudding on top. Serve in shot glasses on a checkerboard.
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PHOTO RECIPE ORANGE AND ALMOND SCENTED HOT CHOCOLATE Marta, Skanios dienos ● 2 tbs cocoa ● 1 tsp starch ● 1 tsp cinnamon ● 1 tbs orange zest ● 100 g dark chocolate ● 50 ml Amaretto liqueur ● 600 ml milk ● 1 tbs brown sugar ● small marshmallows
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In a hurry
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BEETROOT SOUP WITH HORSERADISH CREAM Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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Sauce: ● 2 tbs sour cream ● ½ tsp hot mustard ● 1 tsp minced horseradish ● runny honey ● lemon juice
Peel and cut potato. Boil in vegetable stock. Chop onion. Heat some oil in a pan, reduce heat to low-medium, add the onions and fry for 8 minutes. Add grated apple and fry until soft. Transfer to the pot with potatoes. Reduce heat to low. Add beetroots and blend with a blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add some boiling water, if the soup is too thick. Combine all sauce ingredients. Serve the hot soup with the sauce and a slice of bread.
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● 1 large potato ● 600 ml vegetable stock ● 1 large onion ● 2 tbs oil ● 1 apple ● 350−400 g canned beetroots (without the liquid) ● salt ● pepper
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Serve 5 ● 300 g minced beef ● salt ● black pepper ● 1−2 tsp Provence, Italian or other herb mix ● approx. 1 ½ L water ● 1−2 tins (240 g each) canned chopped tomatoes ● 2−3 chili peppers ● 1 tbs organic stock powder (or 1 ½ L homemade stock) ● 3−4 tbs rice
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Season beef mince with salt, pepper and herb mix. Mix well. Roll small meatballs. Add the meatballs into a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Pour canned tomatoes, add chilies and stock powder, and cook for 15 minutes with a lid on. Add rinsed rice and cook for 12 more minutes, or until the rice is cooked through. Serve with toasted bread.
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SPICY TOMATO SOUP Recipe & photo: Vilma, Mažoj virtuvėlėj
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TAGLIATELLE WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH Recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine
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Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Preheat a pan with olive oil and butter. Add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Slice mushrooms and add them to the pan. Season with salt, black pepper, oregano. Cook for 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix flour, milk and egg. Slowly pour the mixture into the pan and stir slowly. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until it starts to thicken. Add pasta and stir to coat. Add spinach, mix and remove from the heat. Sprinkle some walnuts and cheese on top.
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● 400 g tagliatelle ● 1 small onion ● 2 cloves garlic ● 2 tbs olive oil ● 1 tbs butter ● 300 g button mushrooms ● a pinch of salt ● ½ tsp black pepper ● ⅓ tsp dried oregano ● 1 tbs flour ● 1 cup milk ● 1 egg ● a handful of fresh spinach ● a handful of walnuts ● hard cheese to serve
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Makes approx. 10 ● 400 g turkey fillet ● 1 tsp ground mild paprika ● salt ● ground black pepper ● 1 tsp Mediterranean spice mix ● 1 tsp ground pumpkin seeds ● 3 tsp sunflower seeds ● 1 egg ● 1 tbs semolina ● oil
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Chop turkey fillet. Add spices and seeds and mix well. Add egg and mix well. Add semolina, mix well again and let stand for a few minutes. Heat some oil in a frying pan. With the help of a tablespoon, form fritters. Fry on medium heat for 4−5 minutes on each side.
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TURKEY FRITTERS Recipe & photo: Neringa, Du mÄ—nuliai: maisto simfonija
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RICOTTA, PEA AND SALAMI TART Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps
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Preheat oven to 220°C. Place pastry sheets on parchment paper lined baking tray and thaw for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil peas for 5 minutes. Drain and coarsely crush the peas. Using a small sharp knife, make a 1cm-wide border on each pastry sheet. Don‘t cut through pastry. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until lightly brown. Meanwhile, lightly whist egg and combine with ricotta and peas. Take the baking tray out of the oven. Using a spoon or a fork, lightly press down the inside rectangle on each sheet. Spoon ricotta and pea mixture inside pressed down rectangles. Top each with 4-5 slices salami. Bake for 15 more minutes. Meanwhile, chop parsley and grate lemon zest. Sprinkle on top of the ready baked tarts. Serve tarts immediately, with salad. Drizzle with some pesto or ajvar.
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● 4 rectangular sheets frozen puff pastry ● 1 cup frozen peas ● 1 large egg ● 250 g ricotta ● 16−20 slices salami ● a few parsley sprigs ●zest from 1 lemon ● salt ● pepper
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Serves 4
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MEASURMENT UNITS USED IN THE MAGAZINE tbs - tablespoon, 15 ml tsp - teaspoon, 5 ml cup (250 ml), if not indicated otherwise ml - milliliter l - liter g - gram kg - kilogram
Foto: Gabriele, Gabriele photography
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