Spanish Eggs in Casserole, Huevos a la Cazuela

Rezept auf Deutsch - Spanische Eier in Kasserolle
中文食譜 - 西班牙砂鍋焗蛋

Spanish Eggs in Casserole 
Huevos a la Cazuela
Ingredients for 4 Servings

• 1 onion
• 3 spicy sausages
• 1 bell pepper
• 600g tomatoes
• 120g peas
• 3 eggs
• 3 table spoon tomato paste
• 1 table spoon cooking oil
• seasonings: 1 teaspoon spanish paprika, pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation

• Preheat oven 200°C (gas mark 6).
• Cut the onion and sausages into crunches, remove the seeds of bell pepper and slice to pieces, skin and chop the tomatoes.
• Heat oil in the Casserole, add onion and sauté until transparent and soft. Add sausages, bell pepper, tomato and peas, mix well all the ingredients and simmer gently for 30 minutes, and follow with the seasoning.
• After the mixture become soft and thick, turn off the heat and level the surface with a spatula.
• Break 1 egg into a bowl, by using the back of a serving spoon, make a hollow in the mixture and pour in the egg. Repeat this step to place all the eggs into the mixture.
• Place the casserole in oven uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are "just" set. The wonderful combination of this thick spicy sausage tomato sauce with the egg white and egg yolk sauces. I love to serve with crusty french bread or pasta, delicioso!!!

Dancing with Myself - Nouvelle Vague

Ingredient checklist: onion, spicy sausages, bell pepper, tomatoes, peas, eggs, cooking oil, salt, black pepper and spanish paprika.

Sauté all the ingredients.

When the mixture become soft and thick, add seasonings and gently beat in the eggs.

Mini Tips:

A healthy fresh tomato's meat and skin should join together tightly. Just follow these simple steps to peel the tomato's skin easily.

• Prepare a pot of boiling water, off from heat and add the tomatoes. Cover the lid and wait for 1 minute. Take the tomato and cool down under running tap water and then the tomatoes are ready to be skinned.

Place the tomato into hot water first, and cold water afterward

Now, you should able to remove the skin easily

Pimentón - Spanish Paprika

Thanks for Christopher Columbus brought red peppers to Spain in his second voyage in 1493. This biting sharp little red fruit shocked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The Monks cultivated this plants from the New World and transform to a aroma dust for Monastery cooking. Until 17th century, this secret ingredient was unfolded and became the red gold in Spanish cuisine. 

The quality paprika are produced in  La Vera and Murcia, these Denomination of Origin (Denominación de Origen - DO) have perfect climate for growing peppers.

Pimentón de La Vera

The hand-harvested capsicum peppers can only roasted with oakwood and drying for 15 days. This traditional way of preserving can permeates them with flavor. There are three types of Pimentón de La Vera for different type of tastes.

'Pimentón Dulce' is sweet and mild and good for flavoring potatoes, rice and fish dishes.   

'Pimentón Agridulce' is bittersweet and medium hot and used for meat stews and for curing sausages.   

'Pimentón Picante' is made from long red peppers offer spicy hot and direct heat. Can be used for grilled meat or soups.

Pimentón de Murcia

The peppers, once ripe, are harvested by hand then spread and dried under the sun for several days, or in hot air dryers and finally milled. These intense bright red precious powder giving a great stability of color and aroma.

Reference

Pimentón de la Vera

Pimentón de Murcia

Spanish Gourmet.com

Baked Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar - Pomodori al forno con Aceto Balsamico

Gebackene Tomaten mit Balsamico Essig - Rezept auf Deutsch
義大利黑醋焗番茄 - 中文食譜

Baked Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

Pomodori al forno con Aceto Balsamico
Ingredients for 2~4 servings

• 250g tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 

Preparation

• Preheat the oven 180°C (Gas Mark 4)
• Peel garlic and crush into small pieces.
• Put the tomatoes in an oven dish, drizzle the balsamic vinegar, white wine, olive oil and garlic, put into the oven and bake for 10~15 minutes.

Cansei de Ser Sexy - Alho um Pouco Bom

AIB - Assaggiatori Italiani Balsamico

The leaves grading of Italian Balsamic Tasters

Mini Tips:
Originating from Italy Modena and Reggio Emilia, the classics such as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale or Condimento Balsamico take at least 12 years fermentation, and the syrup alike precious final product of Balsamic Vinegar has been made.

The "Balsamic Vinegar of Modena" which we usually eat, are mass production Industrialized products approved by Italian Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. For choosing, you may look at the AIB leaves gradings. 1 leaf is moderate density, normally 2~3 leaves already suitable for making salad and daily cooking, the 4 leaves is the highest grade and perfect for high level cooking.

The CABM certification means the grapes are grown, produced and bottled in the Emilia Romagna region, the bordeaux red seals mean the product have been matured for up to 3 years, or the white seals for aged over 3 years.

CABM - Consorzio Aceto Balsamico di Modena
The aging classification of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Consortium


Reference:  

CABM - Consorzio Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Consortium Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
AIB - Assaggiatori Italiani Balsamico
Italian Balsamic Tasters

Basic Risotto with White Wine, Vegetable Risotto - Risotto Base al Vino Bianco, Risotto di Verdure

Grundrisotto mit Weißwein, Gemüserisotto - Rezept auf Deutsch
意大利基本白酒燴飯, 意大利蔬菜燴飯 - 中文食譜


Basic Risotto with White Wine
Risotto Base al Vino Bianco
Ingredients for 4 servings

• 350g Risotto Rice
• 2 onions
• 2 glasses dry white wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon cream
• salts for seasoning
• Parmesan Cheese

Vegetable Risotto

Risotto di Verdure

• 1 carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 bell pepper
• 250g brown button mushroom
• 2 tablespoon mixed herbs

Preparation of Basic Risotto with White Wine

• Preheat the stock, peel the onion and slice into strip
• Heat butter and olive oil in another pan,  sauté the onion until semi-cooked and follow with risotto rice. When the rice become translucent,  pour in the white wine. Keep stirring until the alcohol is absorbed, then add one cup of hot stock.
• Reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes, gradually pour in the stock and seasoning. Keep stirring until the rice become creamy and sticky. If the stock is running out but the rice is not cooked, then add some boiling water.
• Now taste the just cooked risotto should be slightly chewy. Remove the risotto from heat, stir in the cream, cover with a lid and sit for 5 minutes. When it is done, grate with Parmesan cheese, serve withParma ham or Salami... Oh! of course with the white wine. A perfect italian meal... Buon appetito!

Preparation of Vegetable Risotto

• Peel and cut the carrot into cubes, cut the zucchini into small wedges
• Slice the mushroom into pieces, seed the bell pepper and slice into pieces
• When pour in the stock, add carrots, zucchinis, bell peppers mushroom and mixed herbs. Simmer with risotto together.

Rochberg: 52 Caprice Virations, "Paganini" - 24 Allegretto - by Gidon Kremer

Selection of vegetables as you wish

Pour in the white wine when the rice become translucent, Hmm... the evaporated white wine smell fantastic.

Release the starch by stirring the rice, and it will become smooth and creamy basic risotto 

Finishing with cream and cover it up, the risotto will become softer and more creamy

Minitips: 

• Risotto rice is a high starch short grain rice. You may use Arborio, Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice to make a creamy risotto.
• I selected a vintage 2006 of Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine from J.Moreau & Fils, a French vineyard located in Loire Valley. For other selection of dry white wine, you may try Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
• The liquid amount and cooking time may refer to the risotto packing.

Ocean, thanks for your wine recommendations.

Blanquette of Lamb in French traditional Style - Blanquette d'agneau à L'ancienne

Lammfrikassee nach alter Französische Art - Rezept auf Deutsch

傳統法式白汁燴羊肉 - 中文食譜

Blanquette of lamb in French traditional Style

Ingredients for 4 servings 

• 500g lamb
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• half onion
• 1 carrot
• 20~40 pearl onions
• 300g button mushroom
• 2 bouquet garni containing few pieces of leeks and bay leaves, and few stalk of celery and thyme
• few cloves
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3 tablespoon crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• salts for seasoning
• Kitchen string

Preparation

• Rinse the lamb and cut into chunks
• Peel the carrot and cut into chunks
• Sprinkle the lemon juice over the mushrooms and set aside
• Stud the cloves into the onion and prepare bouquet garni
• Place the lamb in a stew pot and cover with cold water, simmer for 15 mins, Pour the water and lamb into a strainer and rinse off the scums.
• Return the lamb into a cleaned stew pot, pour in vegetable stock and cook in medium heat, skim all the remaining scums. Once all the scums are removed and form a clear soup, add carrots, onions and 1 bouquet garni. Cover the pot and simmer for 1~1.5 hours.
• While the lamb is cooking, peel and remove the roots of the pearl onions. In another small pot, place onions with 1 tablespoon butter, 1 bouquet garni and ¼ cup of the stock from the cooking lamb. Cover the pot and simmer for half hour.
• After the lamb become tender, remove the bouquet garni and onion, and pour the stock into a bowl.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan and whisk in the flour. Turn off the heat and pour in the lamb stock and the remaining stock from pearl onions. Return to heat and whisk frequently to avoid the lumps.
• Bring the stock to boil, add mushroom and simmer for 10 minutes, seasoning if desired.
• Pour the mushrooms and stock into the lamb, add 1 tablespoon crème fraiche and mix well. Hmm... the Veal Blanquette is nearly done.
• Before serving- In a small bowl, whisk the egg york with 2 tablespoons crème fraiche and ¼ lamb stock, then pour the mixture back into the pot. Reheat the Blanquette of Lamb in medium heat but do not bring to boil. Serve with pearl onions, white rice, noodles or potatoes and sprinkle with parsley. Oh! My "Blanquette d'agneau à L'ancienne" is done! Bon Appetit!!

Nouvelle Vague - Dance with me

Ingredient checklist: lamb, vegetable stock, onion, carrot, pearl onions, mushrooms, herbs, cloves, butter, flour, Crème fraiche, lemon juice, egg yolk 
Utensils checklist: kitchen string, a whisk, a stew pot, a small soup pot, a frying pan

Stud the cloves into the onion and prepare bouquet garni

Remove all the scums

When it become a clear soup, then place the vegetables into the stock.... Sorry, my Emile Henry is too small

Cook the pearl onions in another soup pot

Then prepare the mushroom

Before serving, prepare the egg yolk sauce

Mini Tips:

Bouquet Garni is very common in French cuisine, usually found in making soup, stock and stews. During cooking the herbs will not fall off into the soup, and it will be removed after the cooking is complete. Apart from using string, the herbs can be enclosed by cheesecloth or teabags. There is no fixed recipe for the selection of herbs, the following Bouquet Garni is one of the common combinations.

First, remove the parsley leaves and cut the leek into small pieces. Place the parsley stems and thyme in the middle, then warp with the bay leaves and leek. And use a string to tie them together.

My dear Ingrid, many thanks for the German Name!

Tomato Vegetable Soup with Herbs de Provence 普羅旺斯香草番茄雜菜湯

Tomaten Gemüsesuppe mit Kräuter de Provence - Rezept auf Deutsch
普羅旺斯香草番茄雜菜湯 - 中文食譜

Tomato Vegetable Soup with Herbs de Provence

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Potato
• 1 Carrot
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 onion
• 2 shallot
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 4 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence 
• salt and black pepper for seasoning

Preparation

• Rinse and cut the tomatoes into quarters, peel the potato and cut into quarters, peel onion and shallot then chop into small pieces, rinse carrot and celery sticks then cut into small pieces.
• Heat olive oil in a soup pot, fry onion and shallot briefly, then add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and celery. Fry all the ingredients briefly and pour in water.
• Bring the soup to boil, follow with tomato paste, ketchup and mixed herbs, turn to low heat and simmer for 1 hour. To serve, season with salt and pepper.

Emilie Simon - Opium

Ingredient checklist: Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, shallot, ketchup, tomato paste, mixed herbs

 Pan fry all the ingredients

Add water and the entire seasonings

Provence, located in southern France. The warm Mediterranean weather is a gift for agriculture. Apart from world famous lavender, Provence also producing best quality herbs.

Herbs de Provence- usually mix with savory, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano and basil. The freshness flavour just like the Mediterranean weather. Match with olive oil, white meats and vegetables make uncountable delicious dishes.

Verger en fleurs avec la vue sur Arles 

Orchard in Bloom with a view of Arles

Vincent van Gogh - painted in Arles, Provence 1889

< Now in Neue Pinakothek, Munich >

Frankfurter Green Sauce with Jacket Potatoes 法蘭克福香草醬配馬鈴薯

Frankfurter Grüne Soße mit Kartoffeln - Rezept auf Deutsch

法蘭克福香草醬配馬鈴薯 - 中文食譜

Frankfurter Green Sauce with Jacket Potatoes

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 500g Potatoes
• few bunches (20g) fresh mixed herbs. e.g. parsley, chives, dill, chervil or watercress
• 1 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 125g sour cream
• 125g pain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon hot mustard
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and white pepper for seasoning

Preparation

• In a soup pot, boil the potatoes till soft and hard boil the eggs.
• Rinse and dry the mixed herbs, remove the roots and hard stalks. Chop finely and mix with lemon juice, cover with cling film and stand for 15 minutes.
• Remove the eggs from water, shell and finely chop it. Then mix with sour cream, yogurt, mustard, olive oil and herb juice. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Pour the cooked potatoes and into a colander. Drain excess water and serve with the fresh green sauce immediately. Enjoy!

Purchased in Berlin - The Little German Cookbook

Beethoven Diabelli Variations Op.120 - 23 Variation XXII.
Allegro molto. Alla Notte e giorno faticar di Mozart. (Maria Yudina)

I do not recall any German restaurants in Hong Kong serve this dish. Maybe because this is too simple for serving in a restaurant. When I was living in Germany, it was like an every family dish. Also, the names and ingredients are vary from South to North. "Ilona" a friend of mine who lives in Germany. Just sent me her own recipe today. She said this is a perfect German recipe ... especially Berlin : )

Jacket Potato with Spring Quark Cheese

Pellkartoffeln mit Frühlingsquark

• Mix the quark with finely chopped onions, garlic, fresh chives or other mixed herbs. Add milk as desired to increase smoothness, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the warm potatoes with butter or linseed.

Thanks Ilona!

Reference:  The German Soft Cheese - Quark 

Baked Portuguese Chicken with Egg Fried Rice 焗葡國雞飯

Gebacken portugiesisch Hähnchen mit gebraten Reis - Rezept auf Deutsch
焗葡國雞飯 - 中文食譜


Baked Portuguese Chicken with Egg Fried Rice
Galinha à Portuguesa
Ingredients for 3 servings

• 1/2 chicken
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 medium size potatoes
• 2 bowl (400g) cooked rice
• 1 egg
• 1 table spoon desiccated coconut
• 1 table spoon butter
• few pieces of ginger
• Chicken seasonings: 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tea spoon rice wine, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon corn starch, a pinch of salt
• Portuguese sauce: 3 teaspoons Turmeric paste (yellow ginger paste), 200ml coconut milk, 200 ml full milk, ~200ml water

Preparation

• Wash the chicken and cut into chunks, marinade with the seasonings and set aside.
• Peel onion, dice half of the onion into small cubes and thickly slice the other half.
• Carrot and potatoes cut into wedges and set aside.
• In a soup bowl, mix turmeric paste, coconut milk and milk together.
• Beat egg and season with salts.
• Preheat a big frying pan, add butter and onion cubes to fragrant, pour in egg and rice. Fry until rice are aromatic, remove from pan and rest in a oven dish.
• Add oil, ginger and chicken, pan fry until the skins are golden brown, remove from pan and set aside.
• Put onions into the pan and fry to fragrance, following with carrots and potatoes, fry all the ingredients for few minutes. Then pour in Portuguese sauce and chickens. Add water depending on the texture desired. Cover the pan and turn to low heat, simmer for half hour. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. 
• Preheat oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6).
• After the sauce are thickened. Remove from pan and pour over the rice. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut. Set into the oven and bake until golden brown.

Wir Sind Helden - Stiller

Prepare all the Ingredients first!

Then get ready the egg fried rice

Pour over the Sauce

Mini Tips:

• If don't know how to cut a chicken, seek help from your butcher. Or replace by 1 pound of chicken fillets and chicken wings.
• Turmeric pastes already contains herbs to give more fragrance. If using turmeric powder, you may add cumin seed and mixed herbs as desired. These ingredients can found in South Asia food store.

Yum!!!

Sweet and Sour Pork 生炒排骨

Schweinefleisch in süß-sauer Soße - Rezept auf Deutsch

生炒排骨 - 中文食譜

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients for 2 Servings

• 200g Pork ribs
• Seasonings: 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon corn starch, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon rice wine, a pinch of salt
• 1/2 red, yellow and green bell peppers
• 1/2 onion
• sweet and sour sauce: 1/4 slab cane sugar, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons white vinegar , 1 tablespoon warm water
• Finishing: 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water
• For deep fry: 1 cup vegetable oil
• For batter: 4 tablespoons corn starch

Preparation

• Wash the pork ribs and cut into cubes. Marinade with seasoning ingredients for 30 min.
• Remove bell peppers's ribs and seeds, then cut into cubes. Peel onions and slice into strips.
• Break cane sugars into small pieces and dissolve with warm water.
• Preheat oil in a saucepan.
• Sprinkle corn starch on a small plate. Roll on the porks until coated evenly. Then deep fry the pork in hot oil until golden brown. Set it on kitchen papers to absorb excess oil.
• Heat oil in another frying pan, add bell peppers and onions, stir fry for few minutes and set on a plate.
• Pour in sweet and sour sauce ingredients in to the pan, taste and adjust the source if desired, then add finishing to thicken the sauce.
• All ingredients return to pan, stir fry and mix well. The delicious sweet and Sour Pork is done, better serve with white rice. Enjoy!

Uffie - Make it Hott (Crystal Castles Remix)

Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.


Mini Tips: 
The purpose of "Finishing" is thicken and smoothen the sauce. Infact, the corn starch would not dissolve in water naturally. I use my fingers to stir away the lumps in the corn starch water, stirring and pouring it into the pan at the same time. Then the finished sauce will be silky smooth.

Fry Rice Noodles with Bell Peppers 三色椒炒米粉

Braten Reisnudeln mit Paprika - Rezept auf Deutsch

三色椒炒米粉 - 中文食譜

Fry Rice Noodles with Bell Peppers
Ingredient for 2 servings

• 200g rice noodle
• 1/2 red, yellow and green bell peppers
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• a pinch of salt

Preparation

• In a soup pot, cook the rice noodles in boiling water until soft. Pour the cooked noodles into a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain the excess water and set aside.
• Remove bell peppers's ribs and seeds, then slice into strips.
• Beat the eggs and season with salts.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan, fry the eggs until hard, take it out from the pan and slice into strips.
• Add ~1/2 tablespoon oil into the pan, stir fry the bell peppers first, then add rice noodles, eggs and soy sauce. Keep stir frying and loosen the noodles. Mix well all the ingredients and it is ready to serve.

Blonde Redhead - Heroine

The colourful bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and folic acid.  


Mini Tips:

• After rinsed the noodles, use your hand to loosen the noodles and drain away all the excess water. It is very important that the fry noodles cannot be watery.
• If the noodles are too sticky, you may need to add more oil when stir frying.