Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Archive for November, 2007

That fishing gift basket came in handy! We have fish to fry! Here is a wonderful recipe for frying up some wonderful, tasty fish.

Tempura Sauce:

• 3/4 cup dashi or 3/4 cup clam juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tsp. sugar
• 3 tbs. grated white radish
• 1 tsp. powdered ginger

Dashi is made from dried fish-clam juice is a good substitute. Mix together the fish stock, soy sauce, sake, and sugar. Divide among 6 bowls. Just before serving place a little radish and ginger in each bowl.

Tempura Batter:

Any combination of raw foods may be used, but here are a few typical suggestions:

• 18 shrimp
• 2 fillet of flounder
• 6 scallops
• 1 lobster tail
• 1 carrot
• 1 green pepper
• 18 string beans

Remove shell from shrimp but leave tail. Slit, and discard vein. Cut across underside to straighten shrimp. Cut flounder in 3-inch pieces. Cut scallops in slices. Remove meat of lobster and cut in bite-size pieces. Cut carrots in lengthwise slices and then into squares. Cut green peppers into squares. Leave string beans whole. Dry all ingredients carefully. No moisture should remain.

Tempura Batter:

• 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 qt. Vegetable oil

Sift the flour 3 times. Beat the egg yolks and water adds the flour, stirring lightly from the bottom with chopsticks or a spoon. Don’t over stir-flour should be visible on top.

Heat the oil to 325 degrees. A constant temperature is important for good tempura. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip in the batter; drop into the oil and fry until lightly browned. Dip other ingredients into batter on a spoon and gently drop into oil. Serve foods as soon as they are cooked, with the tempura sauce or coarse salt.

For more fish recipes, try:

• Fish Kugel
• Fish Chowder - Sinigang Na Isda
• Fried Fish with Sweet and Sour Sauce

If you've indulged in too many cookies and desserts lately, it's okay to make up for it with a salad - although I'm sure those desserts were delicious! Here is a wonderful vegetable salad recipe for something extremely tasty and healthy!

• 2 tbs. oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. dried chili peppers
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 3/4 cup coconut milk or light cream
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup cooked sliced green beans
• 1 cup shredded cabbage, cooked 5 minutes
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 cucumbers, sliced
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• Shredded lettuce

Heat the oil in a skillet; sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, sugar, salt, chili peppers, lemon rind, and very gradually the coconut milk mixed with the water. Cook over low heat 5 minutes stirring frequently. Cool.

Make a bed of lettuce. Arrange the beans, cabbage, tomatoes, and cucumbers over it. Sprinkle with the eggs. Serve the dressing in a bowl.

More salad recipes:

• Pasta Salad
• Salad Dressing
• Ensalada Murciana - Murcian Salad
• Fruit Cup Salad (Whashai)
• Holiday Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. raw pork
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbs oil
• 3 bunches watercress
• 2 tsp sliced ginger root
• 6 cups chicken broth or water
• 1/2 tsp Ac’cent
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs

Trim the pork of all fat and dice the pork. Toss with the soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, pepper, and 1 tbs oil. Discard the stems of the watercress; wash and drain.

Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan; fry the ginger in it for 1 minute. Stir in the broth or water and bring to a boil. Add the watercress, Ac’cent, salt, and pork mixture. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes. Beat the eggs well and mix into the soup until set.

Soup is always  one of many great complete meal gifts. If you're looking for more soup ideas, see some more recipes for soup below.

More soup:

• Manderine Soup
• Cheesy Potato Stoup

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 5 cups cooked fine noodles
• 4 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

Beat the eggs, sour cream, salt and sugar together. Stir in the cheese and noodles. Turn into a buttered 2 quart baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and butter.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Serves 6 and makes for a wonderful complete meal gift!

For more noodles:

• Dairy Noodle Ring
• Noodle Kugel
• Green Noodle Pudding
• Flaishig Noodle Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 4 cups cooked medium noodles, drained

Cook the honey, cream, milk and poppy seeds for 5 minutes. Stir in the noodles and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Purchase someone you love a gourmet Italian Food Gift Basket and make their day!

More noodle recipes:

• Noodles and Cheese
• Noodles and Cabbage
• Dairy Noodle Ring
• Noodle Kugel
• Noodle Cheese Pudding