Cookbook Recipes

Posts Tagged ‘lemon’

1 4pound chicken
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 small hot chili peppers
1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
3 chopped green onions
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup burgundy
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish: lemon wedges

Wash the chicken parts, pat dry and remove the skin. Place in a
deep square pan and set aside. In the belly of a mortar, combine
garlic, salt, oregano, and black peppercorns. Press down with the
pestle until garlic is crushed and peppercorns are cracked, then
add the chili peppers, minced ginger, and saffron threads. Slowly
pound the mixture until achieving a paste and incorporate the oil
slowly. At the same time, stir with a spoon to break down the paste.
Spread the mixture evenly over the chicken parts, lifting the
chicken pieces to ensure distribution of the marinade to the bottom
of the chicken parts. Sprinkle all parts with paprika. Cover and
refrigerate overnight. If no mortar and pestle is available, execute
the steps in a blender set on low speed until all the ingredients
are coarsely chopped, then remove the canister, add the oil and
shake or stir to break down the paste and blend the ingredients.
In a preheated deep skillet, over lowtomedium heat, arrange
marinated chicken pieces side by side and brown the chicken on all
sides. Spread the chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, and drizzle the
burgundy over the chicken parts. Cover and finish cooking on low
heat for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle
chopped cilantro on the chicken prior to serving.

Filling:
1 pound walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pastry:
1 pound phyllo pastry
6 oz. unsalted butter, melted

Syrup:
1/2 pound sugar
10 oz. water
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons lemon juice
some lemon peel
2 tablespoons honey

Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl.
Liberally butter the base and sides of an elongated or round baking
dish. Measure the length of the phyllo against the baking dish roughly
and, allowing 1 inch extra approximately for shrinkage, cut to length
with a sharp knife. Brush each layer of phyllo with melted butter and
spread over the base of the container as evenly as possible. Once you
have used 5 layers of pastry, sprinkle a thin layer of filling all over
the surface and add 3 more layers. Sprinkle a thin layer of filling and
place 2 more sheets of phyllo on top. Sprinkle on all the remaining
filling, spreading it evenly, and cover with 78 more layers of phyllo,
brushing individually with butter. Fold any excess pastry on either of
the sides over the filling and brush it with butter. Brush the top layer
liberally with butter in order to get it crisp and golden. Trim any
excess pastry with a small sharp knife, keeping in mind that it will
also shrink.
Cut the top layers of fyllo carefully, either diagonally into diamond
shapes or straight, which will result in square or elongated pieces.
Be careful not to cut right down to the base, but only the top layers.
This is done in order to make cutting and lifting the pieces out, once
it is cooked, much easier and efficient. Using the tips of four fingers,
sprinkle drops of water all over the surface and cook it in a preheated
oven at 375F for 15 minutes; lower the heat to 350F and cook for a
further 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the syrup. Place all the
syrup ingredients, apart from the honey, in a saucepan and stir to
dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 68 minutes, add the honey and simmer
for a further 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Let the baklava
cool down then pour the hot but not boiling syrup slowly all over,
through a strainer.
Let it stand and absorb the syrup. Cut and serve.

4 oz. shrimp peeled, cooked
2 avocados
1/2 banana
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon half & half
salt and black pepper
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch sugar
1 1/2 cups chicken cooked, diced
6 lettuce leaves shredded

If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely. Cut avocados in half; remove
stones. Use a melon baller to remove flesh from avocado skins. Reserve
skins and 4 avocado balls. Dice remaining avocado flesh.
Slice banana. Combine diced avocado and banana. Sprinkle with lemon
juice. Combine mayonnaise, half & half, salt, sugar, pepper, and
paprika. Fold in banana mixture, chicken and lettuce. Spoon mixture
over reserved avocado skins. Top with shrimp and avocado balls.