CLASSIC MISO SOUP - MISO SHIRU

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 small leek (white and light green part only)
5 cups Dashi
a few strands dried wakame seaweed
4 ounces fresh tofu
2 tablespoon red miso

Directions:
Slice the leek finely. Bring Dashi to a simmer, ad the slices of leek and simmer for 3 minutes until just cooked. Brake the wakame seaweed into small pieces (trim of the tough stems), cut tofu into about 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the soup. Dissolve the miso paste in a few tablespoon of the hot stock, blending it with a wire whisk. Stir half the mix into the soup, taste and add more if necessary to make it a rich well tasting soup. Heat up a bit until nearly boiling.

Ladle the soup evenly into 4 bowls, add a few slivers of scallion and serve immediately.

DASHI
2 pieces 2-4 inch dried kombu (edible kelp - large seaweed)
3-5 pack (.175 ounces each) dried bonito flakes

Wipe kombu with a damp kitchen towel and put it into 7 cups of cold water, bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes  (do not boil as this makes it bitter tasting). Skim off any scum. Add 2-3 packs of the bonito flakes and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes. Turn off and add another 1-2 packets of bonito flakes, let sit for about 10 minutes, strain and use.

Dashi can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days or can be frozen.

All these ingredients can be found in any Asian Market.

ANDREA'S PÂTÉ DE FOIE DE VEAU (VEAL LIVER PÂTÉ)

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 6 servings

Make a day ahead!

Ingredients

3/4 pound fresh veal liver, cleaned

1/4 pound pork tenderloin, cubed

1 cup milk

3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped yellow onions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons green peppercorns, drained

or peppercorn mix (black, white, green, pink)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon five spice

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 cup Cognac or brandy

Parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a bowl, soak the livers in the milk for 2 hours. Drain well. Cut into 1/2 inch slivers.

In a sauté pan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cubed pork and add 1 tablespoon of the peppercorns, the bay leaves, thyme, pepper, five spice and nutmeg and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, add the liver and cook the mix for about 5 minutes. Add the Cognac and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated and the livers are cooked through but still tender (liver should be still soft on the inside, do not overcook and do NOT add the salt yet, it will harden the liver).

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Discard the bay leaves.

In a food processor, puree the liver mixture. Add the remaining butter in pieces and pulse to blend. Fold in the remaining 1 tablespoon peppercorns and adjust the seasoning, to taste including a little salt (if necessary add more of the five spice).

Pack the Pâté into 6 individual ramekins or small molds, about 4 ounces each. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours.

To serve, place the ramekins on individual plates. Garnish the tops with parsley. Instead of the small molds, use two larger bowls (2-3 inch diameter) and just wet out on the table for everybody to help themselves.

Serve with baguette (or Austrian Saltsticks with caraway seed - see recipe on this blog), cornichons, Dijon mustard and the onion jam on the side.

ONION JAM

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 6 servings

Make a day ahead!

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter

(or 1/4 stick butter and 2 tablespoon olive oil)

3 cups sliced yellow onions

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoon honey

2-3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sugar and cook, stirring, until soft and golden brown. Lower heat to medium, add the honey and cook for another 3-5 minutes – careful not to burn it.  Lower heat. Add the balsamico and a pinch of salt stirring for about 3 minutes, add the cranberries and leave on low for another minute. Take off and let cool to room temperature for serving.

Accompaniment for Pâtés or Stinky cheese.

HANDMADE COCO PAPER LAMPS for SALE

HANDMADE COCO PAPER LAMPS

HANDGEMACHTE KOKOSPAPIERLAMPEN

AKIREMA DESIGN by Andrea White

andrearwhite@mindspring.com

SPINACH FETTUCCINE WITH SHRIMP, TOMATOES AND WILD ARUGULA

© Copyright by Andrea White

Yield: Makes 2-3 servings 8 ounces fresh spinach Fettuccine pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined 1/2 cup leeks (white and light green part only) cut into thin rounds 1 garlic clove, minced 3 large plum tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine, peeled and cut into thin wedges 1 tablespoons tomato paste 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 2 cups (packed) wild arugula and/or 2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves Salt and fresh ground pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Peel Tomatoes and cut into thin wedges add the tomato paste and salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least one hour, so the juices collect. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water with a little olive oil until just tender but still firm to bite. Ladle 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid into small bowl and reserve. Drain pasta. Return pasta to pot; cover to keep hot. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the leeks for a few minutes until wilted. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper. Add shrimp and garlic to skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, 2 tablespoons basil, lemon juice and lemon peel and sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add arugula and or spinach leaves to the sauce until wilted. Pour shrimp mixture over pasta and toss to blend. Add enough of reserved pasta cooking liquid to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to a bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano Eat with garlic bread or thin crust Pizza with Garlic and Olive Oil and a mixed green Salad. Accompany with a nice crisp Pinot Grigio

SPINACH FETTUCCINE

(makes about 1 1/4 lb pasta)

10 oz. Fresh or frozen spinach

1 tablespoon spinach water (add more if necessary)

4 eggs

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Boil spinach for one minute in little water, drain and put into ice bath for 3 minutes

Drain and wring out all water (save the water) until spinach feels very dry. Finely chop spinach usind a food grinder attachment, food processor or blender.

Place chopped spinach, saved spinach water, eggs, salt  and flour in mixer bowl (I am using the KitchenAid machine with the pasta sheet roller and cutter). Attach flat beater and turn to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Change flat beater for dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for about 5 minutes or until it comes easily and clean away from the bowl. Remove dough from bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes wrapped into plastic wrap. Divide into 4 pieces before processing with Pasta sheet roller attachment. Always wrap the unused dough into plastic wrap, so it does not dry out.

PIZZA WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL

Yield: Makes two 4-5 inch pizzas 6 oz. Pizza dough 1-2 large garlic clove 1/2 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes coarse salt to taste fresh ground pepper all-purpose flour for dusting At least 30 minutes before baking pizza, put a pizza stone or a 5 inch flat cast iron skillet on oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 450°-500°F. Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl combine with oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. On a lightly floured surface divide dough. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers, keeping hands flat and lifting and turning dough over several times or roll out with a rolling pin, into a 4-5 inch round. Do the same with the second half of the dough. Cut out a 5 inch round of parchment baking paper. Put the pizza onto the baking paper on a rimless baking sheet with a little flour and carefully transfer it onto your pizza stone or the cast iron skillet. Working quickly, top dough with oil mixture, spreading with back of a spoon to within 1/2 inch of edge. Bake pizzas 5 to 6 minutes, or until dough is crisp and lightly browned, and transfer with a metal spatula to a cutting board. Cut pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

PIZZA DOUGH

DOUGH:

1 (1/4-oz) active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting

3/4 cup warm water, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

MAKE DOUGH: 

Stir together yeast, 1 Tbsp flour, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears bubbly and creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t appear creamy, start again with new yeast.) Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour  for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. The Dough has to be slightly wet though, so don't add too much of the flour. Knead on a floured surface, lightly adding more when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes... if you have the Kitchen Aid just use the dough hook on 2 and knead until it pulls away from the bowl. Form into a ball, put in a oiled bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.