A Dish of Classic Combination of Flavours with Pork, Onions and Apples

Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 apples, each cut into 4 thick slices
1 Tbsp sugar
1 sweet and 1 red onion, sliced thick
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 Tbsp flour
salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp coriander
2/3 cup vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2/3 cup heavy cream
chopped chives to garnish

Method

1. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil together in a large skillet. Turn the apple slices in the sugar, then fry them quickly on both sides until browned. Transfer to a plate and reserve for garnish.
2. Add the onions to the juices in the skillet and toss them well – they will quickly start to brown and caramelize. Cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn onto a plate.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Dust the pork in the flour, seasonings, and coriander, then brown it quickly on both sides.
4. Add the broth and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Return the onions to the skillet with the cream and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
6. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper then serve garnished with the reserved apple rings and chopped chives.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Onions

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Italian-style Cooking Tuna with Beans

Ingredients

1/3 cup orange juice
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 lb fresh tuna steaks, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups cooked cannellini beans or canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Method

1. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, heat the orange juice. Add the onion and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the vermouth or wine and vinegar and continue to saute for 2 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the fish, beans, tomatoes, basil, pepper, and half the orange zest. Cover and cook until the fish is opaque throughout, 7-9 minutes.
4. To serve, divide among individual plates. Sprinkle with the chives and remaining orange zest.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Simple Solutions for Eating Well

A Lemon-flavour British Cake with White Chocolate and Raspberries

Ingredients

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberry pieces
2 teaspoons raspberry extract few drops of pink food coloring
2 teaspoons lemon extract
few drops of yellow food coloring
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
10 ounces white modeling chocolate
fresh raspberries, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch-square cake pans or a Battenberg pan and line with parchment paper.
2. Put the butter, granulated sugar, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, and milk into a large bowl and beat together until smooth. Divide the batter in half and put one half into another bowl. Mix the dried raspberries, raspberry extract, and pink food coloring into one batter until a pink color. Mix the lemon extract and yellow food coloring into the other batter until you get a nice bright yellow color.
3. Spoon each batter into a prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool in the pans.
4. Heat the raspberry preserves in a small saucepan until runny, then pass through a strainer into a bowl. Trim the sponges, each to the same width as the sponge height, to form four identical long rectangles, two from each color (freeze any leftover sponge for another time). Using a patterned rolling pin on a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll out the white modeling chocolate to a rectangle, 10 x 8 inches.
5. Place a pink and yellow sponge rectangle side by side, brushing some preserves in between them to stick together. Brush some preserves over the top, then place the remaining pink and yellow sponges on top, alternating the colors and sticking together with more preserves. Brush the outside of the sponges with preserves but not the cut ends.
6. Carefully place the stacked sponge pieces in the center of the modeling chocolate, then tightly wrap the chocolate around the cake. Turn it over so that it is seam side down and trim off any excess. Dust a few fresh raspberries with confectioners’ sugar and arrange on top to decorate.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Chocolat

Risotto with Lemony Veal Scalloppini

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
generous 1-3/8 cups risotto rice
scant 1 cup dry white wine
1 lb veal scallops, beaten thin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp water
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
salt and pepper
thinly pared rind of 2 lemons, to garnish

Method

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a pan, then reduce the heat and keep simmering gently over low heat while you are cooking the risotto.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil with 2 tablespoons of the butter in a pan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally. for 5 minutes, or until soft and turning golden. Do not brown.
3. Reduce the heat, add the rice, and mix to coat in oil and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2- 3 minutes, or until the grains are translucent.
4. Add 2/3 cup of the wine and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until reduced.
5. Gradually add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid bubbles. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy. Season to taste.
6. Sprinkle the remaining oil over the veal. Rub in the herbs and salt and pepper.
7. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat and brown the veal quickly, turning once. Pour over the lemon juice, remaining wine, and the water.
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and let simmer gently for 15 minutes.
9. When the meat is cooked through, transfer to a serving dish and garnish with lemon rind.
10. Remove the risotto from the heat and add the remaining butter. Mix well, then stir in the Parmesan until it melts. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and serve at once with the veal.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Risotto

Waffle with Berries

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat (wholemeal) flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1-1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)
3/4 cup raspberries
3/4 cup blackberries
3/4 cup blueberries
4 strawberries

Method

1. Coat a waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray and preheat according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, buttermilk, margarine and vanilla.
4. Pour the egg white mixture into the well in the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in half each of the raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
5. Spoon about 1 cup of the batter onto the hot waffle iron. Close and cook until golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, coating the iron with additional nonstick cooking spray between waffles, as needed, to make 4 waffles. Keep the waffles warm in a 250°F (120°C) oven until all are cooked.
6. To serve, divide among 4 individual plates. One serving is 1 waffle. Top each with an equal amount of the remaining raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and a strawberry.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Cooking for Healthy Living