Author Archives: The Cooking spoon

Beet Salad

8 Replies

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Prep time …. 5 MINUTES

Serves 4 as a side dish

This is such an insanely pretty colored dish. I always serve it either with meatballs or steak for some reason. I think it just goes really well with meat I guess.

I always try to save some for lunch the next day but I rarely succeed. You’ll see for yourself.

The great thing is that you use the vacuum packed beets, so it takes 5 minutes to make, how great is that? Ok, here we go….set the timer.

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Ingredients;

  • 1 lb. pack vacuum packed cooked beets
  • 1/4 C. greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp. chopped dill
  • 4 spring onions, sliced into fine rings (reserve some for decorating)
  • 2 tbsp pickle juice

Method;

Open and drain the beets. Cut in slices or chunks. Put in a bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients. Toss. Sprinkle over the remaining spring onions. Serve.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

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Stuffed Pork Tenderloin over creamy Polenta with Sherry gravy and crispy fried Sage leafs.

7 Replies

Serves  2           

This is a recipe that I have been making for years, at least 15 or so. I always make it for informal dinner parties for friends and family when you want something different but not too complicated or fancy.

To be honest with you, I don’t even remember how I came up with this recipe but I do know that guests have always loved it. It is an unusual combination of ingredients but that’s what makes it work. I guess you’ll just have to try for yourself.

You have to stuff the tenderloin first. Then you can cook the polenta and the prepared tenderloin at the same time,  since the cooking time is about the same.

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Ingredients Tenderloin;

1 Pork Tenderloin weighing about 12 – 14 oz

1 thin slice Serrano ham or Parma ham

1 tbsp. Ketjap Manis

1 tbsp. Apricot Jam

1 spring onion

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 glass dry Sherry

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Ingredients Polenta;

1 C. Polenta

2 C. milk

1 1/2 C. Chicken stock, good quality

3 tbsp. butter

1/3 C. Parmesan Cheese, grated

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Method;

Start by preparing the tenderloin. Lay it out on a chopping board and make a deep cut lengthwise but not all the way thru, about halfway. Open up and flatten with the palm of your hand.

In a little bowl combine the apricot preserve and the ketjap and spread all of it in the middle of the tenderloin. Cover with the ham and put the spring onion on top. Now close the tenderloin and fasten with kitchen twine.

Meanwhile bring to a boil the milk with the chicken stock. Add the polenta and stirring now and then cook for about 18 to 20 minutes. Just before the end add the butter and half the parmesan cheese. Taste the polenta and add salt and pepper (if necessary).  Reserve the other half for serving.

Heat a frying pan on the stove and add butter and olive oil. Cook the tenderloin, browning it all over and turning every few minutes. Give the polenta a stir now and then.

The tenderloin will take about 18 minutes, remove to  cutting board and cover loosely with tin foil. Remove the twine and slice.

Add the sherry to the pan with the meat juices and scrape to loosen  the crusty bits.

To serve, place a good amount of polenta on a plate, serve with a few slices of the tenderloin and the sherry gravy, Serve with more parmesan cheese on the side. Place a few crispy sage leafs on the polenta.

To make the crispy sage leafs, just fry them in the the pan alongside the tenderloin,frying a few leafs at a time just for two minutes or so, place them on kitchen paper until ready to use.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

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Looking for more great recipes to try?  Be sure to check out this Pollo al Ajillo, Chicken in Garlic Sauce .

Orange Blossom Peach Tart, with a thin Vanilla Cheese cake layer.

10 Replies

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A quick an easy tart, a thin layer of cheese cake covers the crispy puff pastry crust and is covered with juicy peaches before being baked to perfections.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 squares of Puff Pastry, (12.5 oz/360 gr.)
  • 4 large juicy Peaches
  • 1/2 tsp. Orange blossom extract

Cheese cake layer:

  • 1/2 C. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg at room temperature,
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

Glaze:

  • 1 tbsp. Honey
  • 1 tsp. warm water

plus;

  • 1 egg beaten for brushing puff pastry
  • 1 tbsp. sugar for sprinkling over border.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre heat oven to 425 ° F/ 220° C with a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Pre heating the baking tray ensures a crispy golden tart bottom.

Peel the peaches, cut in half and remove the stone. Lay them with the flat side down and cut into slices lengthwise.

Put them into a bowl and add the Orange blossom extract. Leave to marinate while you prepare the puff pastry.

Lay out a piece of baking parchment and place 6 squares of puff pastry on it in a rectangular shape. The slices overlapping each other a little bit, press them together with your index finger. The rectangle should be about 14″x 9″.

In a small bowl beat 1 egg and brush the border with a pastry brush.

Cut the remaining 2 squares into strips and place them around the rectangle to form a border pressing very gently so it sticks to the beaten egg. It should have a “picture frame” shape.

In a bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the beaten egg, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Spread evenly over the puff pastry without covering the border. Now place the peaches over the cheese cake layer in three rows going down lengthwise. Brush the top of the border with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle the border with remaining sugar.

Place the peach tart with the parchment paper on top of the baking sheet in the oven. Lower the temperature to 360 °F/ 180° C. Bake for 40-45 minutes turning half way.

Remove from the oven. Mix the glaze and brush over the peaches. Cut in to squares, and serve as is or with whipped cream or maybe some vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

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French Crêpes.

17 Replies

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Makes approx.  18 Crêpes

Crêpes have the reputation of being difficult to make but are actually very simple. Whether you want to make a special breakfast in bed, or you’re looking for a different kind of summer dessert that doesn’t involve turning on the oven, these Simple French Crêpes will prove to be a real crowd-pleaser!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to filling them, from drained in chocolate sauce, filled with bananas and drizzled with caramel, to filling them with ham ragoût and cheese. The secret to a  good crêpes is in the batter, it has to have the right proportions of ingredients and it is best when the batter is chilled for at least an hour or even overnight. This gives the gluten time to do its work, create air bubbles and give the batter a smoother silkier texture.

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Ingredients;

  • 2 C. plain Flour
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 2 C. whole milk
  • 3/4 C. water
  • 1 tbsp. sugar (omit for savory crêpes)
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract (omit for savory crêpes)
  • More butter for frying the crêpes

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Start by sifting the flour into a large bowl. Make a little well in the middle of the flour and crack in the three eggs. Beat the three eggs with a fork and start working in more flour as you go.

Switch to a hand beater and start adding the milk a little at a time incorporating and mixing until smooth as you go. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Alternatively you could use a blender. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Bring back to room temperature before frying the crêpes

Heat a 8″ skillet on medium high heat, add 1/2 tsp. butter and swirl the pan to cover the bottom. Now add just under a 1/4 C. of batter ( 3 tablespoons), again swirling the pan quickly so the batter covers the entire surface of the pan. Cook for about two minutes until golden underneath,  lift crêpe slightly with your spatula to check. Pour an other 1/2 tsp butter over the crêpe and flip it over, cook for an other one to two minutes. Slide on to a plate and cover with foil. Continue this way until you have used up all your batter. You could keep your crêpes warm in a very low oven. Enjoy with your favourite topping.

Enjoy!

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NOTE: I freeze leftover crêpes, wrapped individually and take them out as I need.