à la Julia

mosaic maki

Julia — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:22:11 +0000

preparation: 30min | cooking: 20min | difficulty: ★★★★

serving portion: 2 persons

ingredients

75g (2.65 oz) basic sushi rice, for the recipe click here; 100ml (3.38 fl oz) water
75g (2.65 oz) sushi rice cooked with beetroot water; 100ml (3.38 fl oz) water of home cooked beetroot
75g (2.65 oz) sushi rice cooked with saffron; 100ml (3.38 fl oz) water
avocado
3 sheets of nori

directions

Divide the rice into 3 different small sauce pans; adding the above amounts of water accordingly

For basic sushi rice recipe click here.

Save the water of cooked beetroot and use it in the basic sushi rice recipe.

For the last kind of rice also use the same recipe but add some threads of saffron to give the yellow color.

For the mosaic maki please check the below illustrations; Don’t forget to add the avocado in the center between the 4 pieces; Cut in bites and enjoy the look and taste .

illustrations

valentine maki

laban

Julia — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:31:24 +0000

preparation: 20 min | difficulty: ★★

ingredients

1 L (33.81 fl oz) milk
1 Tbsp curd / laban

directions

In a deep sauce pan bring the milk to a boil; Then turn off the heat and allow to cool.

Once it reaches around 30°C (86 °F) add 1 Tbsp of curd and mix well.

Transfer it into a glass airtight container and wrap it well with a cloth; the laban is ready and can be kept in a refrigerator.

reference

Hala Saliba

bruschetta caprese

Julia — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:11:37 +0000

preparation: 5 min | difficulty: ★

serving portion: 4 persons

ingredients

4 French bread slices
250g (8.82 oz) tomatoes, thinly sliced
100g (3.53 oz) bocconcini cheese, sliced thickly
2 tbsp finely shredded fresh basil
black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

directions

Toast French bread from both sides.

Top each bread with equal amounts of tomatoes, cheese, black pepper and basil; drizzle with oil to serve.

hummus bi tahini

Julia — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:34:55 +0000

preparation: 15 min | cooking: 90 min | difficulty: ★★★

dedicated to: Sara and Nehme Tohmé

serving portion: 2 persons

ingredients

500g (17.64 oz) cooked chickpeas; for the recipe click here
300g (10.58 oz) tahini
25g (0.88 oz) salt
5g (0.18 oz) crushed garlic
3 lemon juice
olive oil
1 tsp paprika

directions

To prepare the chickpeas click here

Puree the chickpeas with a hand blender then add the crushed garlic and tahini; mix and mash the whole thing again.

Add the lemon juice gradually and mix.

Serve it in a bowl; Using a teaspoon draw a shallow circle in the centre then drizzle olive oil; For the paprika strips dip a wet fork inside the paprika and draw the lines.

chermoula mussels

Julia — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:50:36 +0000

preparation: 30 min | cooking: 5 min | difficulty: ★★

serving portion: 2 persons

mussles ingredients

500g (17.64 oz) of frozen mussels
1 pack of strained tomatoes

chermoula ingredients

1 Tbsp parsley; finely chopped
1 Tbsp coriander; finely chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic; finely chopped
2 drops of vinegar
1 tsp tomato paste

directions

Mix in a bowl all the chermoula ingredients together.

In a nonstick skillet, place 2 tbsp of chermoula and dilute with a bit of water.

Add the mussels; stir for 30 seconds; then cover with tomato sauce and cook covered over low heat for 5 minutes.

Before serving add black pepper; best served with French Fries.

orange fennel salad

Julia — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:15:10 +0000

preparation: 15 min | difficulty: ★

serving portion: 4 persons

salad ingredients

Large fennel bulb
2 Oranges

salad dressing

1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp cream
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp cognac
1/2 tsp tabasco

directions

Remove the stalks and about 1cm (0.39 inch) from the base of the fennel bulb ; Wash the bulb then slice into strips.

Peel and cut the oranges into small triangles; Add the fennel and oranges in a salad bowl.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together; Pour over the salad and serve.

reference

Mary Al Kai (My Aunt)

blueberry and passionfruit jam

Julia — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:03:44 +0000

preparation: 10 min | cooking: 40 min | difficulty: ★★

serving portion: 3 medium size jars

ingredients

2 passionfruit
750g (26.46 oz) blueberries
750ml (25.36 fl oz) water
550g (19.4 oz) sugar
60ml (2.03 fl oz) fresh lemon juice

directions

In a large saucepan combine blueberries and water; bring to a boil. Lower the heat; simmer uncovered, about 20 minutes.

Add sugar and lemon juice to the fruit mixture; stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Then bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until jam get thicker.

Stir in passionfruit pulp; stand 5 minutes. Pour hot jam into sterilized jars; seal while hot.

reference

jams & jellies (Women’s Weekly)

blueberry tart

Julia — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:00:29 +0000

preparation: 30 min | cooking: 15 min | difficulty: ★★

serving portion: 24cm (9.45 inch) Tart Mold

ingredients

dough

125g (4.41 oz) semi-salted butter, very soft
1 egg + 2 yolks
125g (4.41 oz) sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
250g (8.82 oz) flour

pastry cream

500ml (16.91 fl oz) milk
6 egg yolks
120g (4.23 oz) sugar
1 vanilla pod or 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
40g (1.41 oz) cornstarch

garnish

175 g (6.17 oz) blueberries
80 g (2.82 oz) icing sugar

directions

Preparation of the dough

Place the soft butter and sugar in a bowl, whisk until creamy; Add the egg yolks then stir; Sieve over this mixture flour and baking powder then knead the dough.

Make a flattened ball, cover it with plastic wrap then place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preparation of the cream

In a sauce pan pour the milk and split vanilla bean; Bring to a boil.

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar then add the cornstarch. Add some of the hot milk and whisk; Then pour into the sauce pan and keep whisking until it boils, whisk constantly the mixture for another 30 seconds until it becomes very thick and it is hard to stir.

Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap in contact with the cream, so the surface won’t dry.

Preparation of the tart

Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 min before use; Preheat the oven to 170°C (338 °F).

In a non-adhesive pie dish flatten the dough with your hands until 1 cm (0.39 inch) thick, spread it until it rises along the edge; Prick all over the pastry bottom with a fork.

Bake it at 170°C (338 °F) about 15-20 minutes; Remove pie crust from the oven and allow it to cool totally.

Spread the pastry cream then delicately place the blueberries and garnish with the icing sugar. Bon appetit!

reference

Cuisine Actuelle

georgia – berry lover

Julia — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 16:50:31 +0000

This jelly white chocolate and raspberry is dedicated to my cousin Georgia who’s celebrating her 13th birthday.

preparation: 15 min | refrigerating: 2 hrs | difficulty: ★

serving portion: 6 shooters

ingredients

jelly

120g (4.23 oz) white chocolate
200 ml (6.76 fl oz) of warm water
2 papers of gelatin

raspberry pulp

60 g (2.12 oz) raspberries washed and dried
25 g (0.88 oz) sugar
1 tsp lime juice

garnish

6 basil leaves
30g (1.06 oz) sugar
10g (0.35 oz) grated coconut

directions

Melt white chocolate in a saucepan; then add warm water and gelatin soaked and squeezed.

Whisk the preparation to avoid the separation of white chocolate molecules; Leave to cool and slightly thickens.

Meanwhile, simply mash the raspberries; Add sugar and lime.

Pour one tablespoon of raspberry pulp in each shooter; Then pour over the chocolate; Refrigerate for 2 hours.

For garnishing, add 1 basil leaf slightly moistened and dipped in grated coconut and 1 raspberry for each shooter.

reference

Les verrines du chef

hawaiian pizza

Julia — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:14:19 +0000

preparation: 30 min | baking: 10 min | difficulty: ★★

serving portion: 3 persons

ingredients

pizza topping

1 cup pineapple; chopped
1 green bell pepper; sliced
1 cup diced baked ham
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
250g (8.82 oz) mix shredded cheese

directions

For the preparation of the dough and the basic sauce click here

Preheat the oven to 230°C (446 °F) for at least 30 minutes.

Start stretching the dough with your fingers; Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter of 25 cm (9.84 inch); Add to the tray.

Bake the crust for about 10 min; then pierce the dough so it doesn’t raise too much.

Once the crust is ready pour the basic sauce.

Top the pizza with bell peppers, ham, chicken, pineapple and cheese; Then bake for 10 min.

Place the pizza tray on the upper shelf for 2 min or until the cheese is golden.

reference

Ibtissam Tohmé (mamina)