Saturday, April 26, 2014

take it lightly

Good evening, my beloved cookery-fans!

You definitely do not want to know how much I have eaten during the Easter festivities. And I definitely do not want to shock you. I think it is enough to say that it was way too much. 


What I should admit at this point is that today, not even a week after this crapulence, we did something terrific and terrible at the same time. I cannot say whether it was an awesome or awful idea, however, we brought into being the first (is it the first?) "Banoffee-day" (Banoffee describes the cobination of banana, caramel and dark chocolate)!
Which means that me and my sisters prepared lots of so called "Banoffe-Sweets"; actually Banoffee-Cupcakes, Banoffe-Macaroons and a Banoffee-Pie! Hell that was decadent! 
But never fear, I am not going to post all this today. Contrariwise, after all those sweets we could use something fresh, healthy and salty! So the recipe I am posting today is what I made out of these three adjectives: (okay, got me, I did not make it out of the adjectives, but did use some edibles!

light Spring-Salad with lettuce, avocado, plums, balsamico-marinated aspargus and chicken with a garlic-orange-basil French-Dressing


ingredients (4 people):

400 g chicken
16 pieces of white aspargus
1 large lettuce
4 plums
2 avocadoes
4 garlic cloves
1 dl olive oil
0.3 dl vinegar
2 oranges, juice
1 handful basil
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
4 tablespoons yoghurt
salt, pepper
2 tablespoons balsamico
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 pot full of bouillon or hot water

preparation:

1. bring pot with bouillon to a boil, meanwhile cut chicken and aspargus in fourth. As soon as water boils, put both into the pan and cook until they are cooked, then take out and marinate with dried thyme, salt and balsamico, put aside (you may also like to put it in the fridge over night)
2. finely slice plums and avocado, wash salad
3. mix yoghurt, mayonnaise, mustard, orange juice, hashed basil, pressed garlic cloves, vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper
4. put all ingredients on a plate and top with dressing


ENJOY! See you!

Monday, April 21, 2014

take your pick(nick)!

Happy Easter and Hello everybody!

As I quickly told you yesterday, I have prepared a picknick for me and my family. One might not suspect it when looking out of the windows now, but: yesterday's weather was wonderful! So maybe you cannot use the picknick-ideas I am posting today very soon, but at least you will have them up your sleeve. For the weather has shown to change quickly at the moment. 


You know, I really do enjoy having some days off at University, just as I did the last few days. However there's one tiny, little, small problem: I just cannot pull myelf together and get back to work when I should, just like right NOW!
 There are like one hundred texts (at least!) wishfully longing for me to read them and I am still breaking their hearts, for I prefer hanging around and do something (what it is does not matter) else. Even now that the weather is bad, even now that I really do not have anything meaningful to do, I always find a way to avoid work. Terrible. But I really hope that you know that too and try out some of my recipes instead of working. And then tell me about it and distract me from work even more. Then I would have got an excuse, at least.
So, take your pick(nick):

herb-butter-bun with avocado-egg-peppercress-spread


ingredients (6 people)

1 kg of light spelt flour
40 g fresh yeast
120 g soft butter
2 dl water
3 dl milk
2 fresh eggs
0,5 tablespoons sugar
1,5 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 avocado
4 boiled eggs
2 teaspoons lime juice
pepper
1 handful peppercress
salt


preparation

1. mix flour, salt and sugar, then mix milk, water and yeast
2. add butter in little flocks to flour, then add milk-water-yeast-mix and form an elastic dough, let rise for 1-2 hours
3. meanwhile, mash eggs and avocado with a fork, then add chopped peppercress, lime juice, salt and pepper, stir well and refridgerate
4. preheat the oven on 190°
5. cut the dough in halves and form a braid with each of them
6. sepearte egg yolk fromt the two fresh eggs and spread on the bread-braids, add some dried herbs and coarse salt
6. bake for 40-45 minutes

you may also like to spread some cream cheese on the finished braids and then add some smoked salmon, herbs and lime juice!

ENJOY your picknick (whenever the weather should allow you to do so!)