Crab-stuffed avocados

It's cooking time again, but nothing fancy or complicated because I'm dead tired from all the partying that's been going on this past weekend :))

100g white crabmeat, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp olive oil, handful basil leaves, shredded with a few of the smaller leaves left whole, to serve, 1 red chilli deseeded and chopped, 2 avocados

To make the crab mix, flake the crabmeat into a small bowl and mix in the mustard and oil, then season to taste. Can be made the day ahead. Add the basil and chilli just before serving.
To serve, halve and stone the avocados. Fill each cavity with a quarter of the crab mix, scatter with a few of the smaller basil leaves and eat with teaspoons.

Avocado and smoked fish pate

2 ripe avocados, 1 tbsp mustard, 100g smoked fish, chives, one small red chilli pepper, 1 garlic clove, lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

Cut the avocado, remove the pit and scoop the pulp with a spoon.
Put the avocado pulp in a bowl, pour lemon juice over it to prevent the oxidation.
Cut the fish into small cubes, add the chopped onion, and the red chilli pepper, the crushed garlic and mix them all with the avocado pulp.
Put them for half an hour in the fridge and serve on crackers or toast bread.

Courtesy of Edith's Francu Blog http://edithfrincu.blogspot.com/

Birthday present... maybe?

Can I have one of those as a birthday present?
Pleeese? Pretty pleeease?
Hello? Anybody out there? Santa can you hear me?

David Garrett - The 5th

An early birthday present from my favourite violin player :D

Rhum-Raisins Truffles

2 tablespoons water, 1 bag Dr Oetker Finesse Jamaica Rhum Aroma, 100 g raisins, 100 g dark chocolate, 75 g butter, 1 bag vanilla sugar, 50 g icing sugar, 100 g grated chocolate

Mix the water with the rhum, soak the raisins for at least 3 hours. Melt the chocolate, mix it with the butter, vanilla sugar and the icing sugar. Put it for 30 minutes in the fridge. Add the raisins and mix again. Make small balls of chocolate and cover them with the grated chocolate. Keep in the fridge till serving.

Christmas... again?

I was wondering with all this snow, does it mean that Santa is coming soon?
And we are going to receive presents?
Then I'm sure we will be as happy as this penguin ;))

Potatoes and leek Soup

3 l water, 500 g potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 parsnip, 1 1/2 celery, 3-4 leeks, 25 g butter, salt

Boil the chopped vegetables in the salted water. When they are done, take them out and add the potatoes cut into small cubes and the chopped leeks. Boil for another 15 minutes. Salt and add butter. Serve with croutons.

Veal and champignons Vol-au-vent

300 g veal fillet, 2 scalions, 1 red capsicum, 250 g champignon mushrooms, 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, 200 ml water, 50 ml red wine, 1 bag Maggi Krauter Rahm Schnitzel, 50 ml Creme fraiche, 2 tablespoons mustard, 6 vol-au-vents

Wash the meat, cut it into stripes. Slice the onions and the mushrooms, cut julienne the capsicum. Heat the oil and saute the meat for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the water and the red wine, mix the Maggi bag and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with Creme fraiche and mustard.
Heat the vol-au-vents, fill them with the meat and serve immediately.

Tiramisu

4 tablespoons espresso coffee, 1 tablespoon Grappa, 3 eggs, separated, 1/2 cup sugar, 250 g Marscapone, 24 Savoiardi biscuits, 50 g sweet chocolate, grated

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and grappa; set aside In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Add the marscapone and blend. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Place half of the biscuits in the bottom of a 10-inch square baking dish or larger serving plate. Sprinkle with half of the coffee mixture. Cover with half of the cheese mixture, and repeat process. Refrigerate tiramisu for 4 hours before serving with grated chocolate.

Single White Feline

Now I understand a lot of things that happened in my life...
I always thought that my cat loves me, I just didn't know how much ;))

Chicken Lentils Curry

100 g red lentils, 500 g chicken breast, 200 g carrots, 2 shallots, olive oil, 1 can coconut milk, 1 bag Maggi fix für Curry Hänchen Pfanne, 1 lime

Boil the lentils in salt water till ready. Wash the meat and cut it into stripes. Cut the carrots julienne and chop finely the onion .
Heat the oil and fry the meat, take it out and keep it warm. In the remaining oil add the onions and the carrots and fry till tender. Add 400ml water, the coconot milk and the Maggi bag. Add the lentils and the chicken stripes. Boil for 5 minutes, season if necessary and add the lime juice.

The year of the Rabbit

Today starts my year :D
Why?
Because the Chinese Year of the Rabbit starts today!
And guess what? I am a Rabbit :))
Here is what you should expect this year:

A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.

Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty.

A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.

Law and order will be lax; rules and regulations will not be rigidly enforced. No one seems very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of somnolence. We will all have a tendency to put off disagreeable tasks as long as possible

Money can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxuries we have always craved for. A temperate year with unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree and happy without too many annoyances.

Sooo... Happy Rabbit Year :D

Carla's Leek & Cheese muffins

175 g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, ½ tsp allspice, 50 ml milk, 1 egg , beaten with a fork, 100 ml vegetable oil, 1 leek , finely chopped, 75 g cheddar , finely grated

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a muffin tin with 9 cases. Mix all the dry ingredients until combined, then gently stir in the milk, egg and oil. Gently fold in the leek and Cheddar. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases and place in the oven. Bake for about 25 mins, then check - they may need a little longer.

This recipe is courtesy of Good Foods UK February 2011 Issue.