Tiramisu alla Nutella and rum

Ingredients

Cream Layer:

• 16 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 tsp rum extract (2 Tbsp of rum can be used instead)
• 1/3 cup sugar

Cookie Layer:

• 10 oz lady finger cookies (you can use a little more or a little less depending on how tight you pack them)
• 8 oz very strong HOT coffee (or use instant espresso powder mixed with water)
• 3 Tbsp Nutella

Topping:

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Nutella (warmed for easy drizzle)

Instructions

For cookies:

• Prepare hot, strong coffee and stir in Nutella until combined. Cool to room temperature

Cream Layer:

• (Use whisk attachment for the cream.)
• In a bowl of an electric mixer, add mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, rum extract and Nutella. Start on low speed to mix the ingredients and gradually increase the speed over a few seconds to medium-high. 
• Slowly pour in the sugar as the mixture thickens while mixing. Do no walk away, this will be ready fast! Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and gradually lower the speed, over a couple of seconds.
• Using a spatula, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and gently fold the cream mixture to mix. Set aside. 

Tiramisu:

• In an 8x8 high-rimmed dish, start by layering half of the Ladyfingers cookies. Slowly dip each cookie in cooled coffee mixture but don't soak them too much or they will fall apart in your hands.
• Cover the cookie layer with half of mascarpone cream mixture, making sure it's even all over.
• Layer remaining coffee dipped cookies over the cream and cover with remaining mascarpone cream.
• Dust with cocoa powder.
• Warm Nutella in a zip-lock bag. (A few seconds is plenty.) Cut off a little tip on the bag and generously drizzle with warmed Nutella. 
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

 
1 cup barley
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 cups cherry tomatoes, split in half
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, or mint, optional
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup almonds, chopped and baked
1 pinch kosher salt, or sea salt, to taste

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add a half teaspoon of salt.
Add barley, cover, and allow to simmer over medium low heat for about 40 minutes, or until barley is cooked.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and gently toss with the barley to coat well.

3. Allow the barley to cool, then add the red onion, tomato, pepper, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley or mint, and oregano.

4. Season well with oregano and sea salt or kosher salt, and adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Serve your barley salad either chilled or at room temperature. 

Caramelized Figs Parfaits with walnuts and yogurt

 For the Figs:

- 12 figs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tawny port, Madeira, or other sweet, fortified wine, optional
- Ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream, optional

• 
  

  1. 
     Rinse the figs clean and pat them dry. Trim off and discard any excess stem and cut the figs in half lengthwise. Set them aside.

  3. In a medium frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey and gently stir it into the butter.

  4. When the mixture is fully combined, set the figs cut-side-down in the honey-butter mixture and cook. Shake the pan now and again to keep the figs from sticking and spoon the honey-butter mixture over the tops of the figs until everything is bubbling and the figs are starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

  5. If using port, remove the figs from the pan, and whisk in the port (or whatever you're using).

  6. Once the wine is whisked in and a smooth sauce forms, let it simmer and bubble for a few minutes to thicken.

  7. Add the figs back in the pan, spoon the sauce over them to heat everything together. 

  8. Serve the figs hot or warm, along with Greek yogurt ice cream or greek yogurt topped with walnuts.

Israeli Chicken with Zaatar, lemon and Potatoes

 

•  6-8 pieces of bone-in, skin on chicken (thighs, breasts, drumsticks)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
•  1/3 cup lemon juice
•  2-3 tablespoons zaatar
•  3 garlic cloves, chopped
•  salt and pepper to taste


•  fresh thyme, optional
  Greek Yogurt
  Three cups of cooked chickpeas
  
  

  Instructions

  1. 1. Position a rack near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 200C/400ºF.
  
  
  2. 2. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of zaatar, and garlic in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and chickpeas.  Allow the chicken and chickpeas to marinate for 20 minutes or up to 3 hours.
  3. 3. Spread the chicken and potato pieces out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of za'atar. You could even sprinkle some chopped fresh thyme on top of you'd like. 
  4. 4. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lemon slices or wedges, serve with greek yogurt and your favorite spicy sauce.
  • 
    

Czech/Slovakian poppy seeds cake

Ingredients

Poppy seed batter:

• 1 cup poppy seeds (130 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (215 g)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder (13 g)
• 1 1/3 cups milk (320 ml)
• butter and sifted breadcrumbs to grease and dust a sheet pan

Lemon icing:

• 1 1/2 cup icing sugar (180 g) sifted
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (60 ml) freshly pressed

Instructions

• Before you start baking, grease and flour a sheet pan. Pre-heat oven to 340 °F (170 °C).
• In a large mixing bowl, crack an egg, add vegetable oil and granulated sugar. Mix with a hand-held kitchen mixer for 3 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk flour, poppy seeds, and baking powder. Add them to the beaten egg. Add milk and mix everything using a mixer on low speed until a semi-liquid batter is created.
• Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the cake center. The tooth stick needs to come out clean, or with a few crumbs stuck to the tooth stick, then the cake is finished.
• Set the baked cake aside. Meantime, make a smooth lemon icing. To achieve this, mix sifted icing sugar with freshly pressed lemon juice. Drizzle the lemon icing over warm cake and spread it using a tablespoon.
• Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Slice and serve as a dessert or a coffee cake.

Pierogi

 

Ingredients

FOR FILLING:

• 6 small potatoes, boiled, peeled, and riced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 1 1/4 cups fresh cottage cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• smoked bacon or guanciale, diced, for garnish

FOR DOUGH:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

FOR FILLING:

1. Place riced potatoes into a large bowl
2. Sautee onions in butter until light brown
3. Lightly toss potatoes, with onion, cheese, and seasonings until combined

FOR DOUGH:

1. Place the flour on a clean work surface
2. Add the salt
3. Make a well in the top of the flour and add the egg.
4. Work the egg into the flour
5. Slowly add the water to the flour mixture, mixing it in as you go
6. Knead dough until smooth

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Brown bacon and reserve
2. Roll the dough out very thin, approx 1/16 inch
3. Cut into round circles using a glass or a cookie cutter
4. Add a spoonful of the filling to the center of each circle, compacting the filling
5. Fold the dough around the filling, sealing the edges, creating a half circle or crescent shape
6. When all of the pierogi are filled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pierogi for use a few minutes
7. Serve with butter, bacon and the fat of the bacon.

Tikka Masala

 

Ingredients

The chicken

• 4-5 boneless chicken thighs or two chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp tandoori masala powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil

Restaurant chicken tikka masala

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp garlic ginger paste - recipe link below
• 2 tsp Indian restaurant spice mix powder - recipe link below
• 1 Tbsp tandoori masala powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste diluted in 2 Tbsp water
• 15 oz curry base - recipe link below
• 3 Tbsp coconut milk powder
• 1 Tbsp almond flour
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whipping cream 35%
• juice of 1/6 lemon

Instructions

The chicken

• Pre-heat your oven to 400F.
• Combine 2 Tbsp tandoori masala powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil in a bowl that won't stain. Cut the chicken into big bite size pieces and combine with marinade. Let stand briefly.- or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
• Transfer chicken to a sturdy cookie sheet and roast until it reaches an internal temperature of about 165F, about 15 minutes.

Chicken Tikka Masala

• Combine Indian restaurant spice mix powder, tandoori masala and salt in a small bowl. This is your spice mix.
• Combine the almond and coconut milk powder with enough water to get to the texture of coconut milk or heavy cream.
• Dilute the tomato paste with enough water to get to the consistency of passata.
• Heat your frying pan (don't use non-stick) briefly over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp vegetable oil. Use all the oil specified. It's important.
• When the oil starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste. Cook it, stirring constantly, until it stops sputtering.
• Turn down the heat and add the spice mix. This is the critical step. Stir it constantly for 30 seconds. If it starts to darken lift the pan off the heat. You want the spice mix to cook in the oil but not burn.
• Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the diluted tomato paste and stir until bubbles form (the oil will likely separate). This takes around 30 seconds to one minute depending on the heat.
• Add 3 oz of curry base. Stir until bubbles form (little craters really), around 30 seconds. Watch the edges of the pan. The curry can stick here.
• Now add 6 oz of curry base and stir briefly. Let it cook until the bubbles form again. This takes 1-2 minutes.
• Add the rest of the curry base and let cook until the bubbles form. Turn the heat down to low and add the pre-cooked chicken, coconut almond mixture and sugar.
• Let the curry simmer for about 5 minutes. If it gets too thick add a bit more curry base. Don't add water.
• Add the cream and stir. Mix in the lemon juice, garnish with a bit of chopped fresh coriander if you like and serve.

Notes

Tandoori masala powder is available in any Indian grocery. Check the list of ingredients. Some contain quite a bit of salt. If you see salt high on the list of ingredients reduce the amount of kosher salt accordingly.