Tag Archives: food styling

Transformer Pie

 Transformer movie is now showing in cinemas here, I’ve already watched it, and you? I know it’s totally not girly film, but all those metal giants.. Don’t you want to be friends with one of those robots? 😀                                                                                The below pie is also like transformer. Why don’t you invite friends for a dinner and make a surprise for them, say that you had time to prepare only sugary pie with meringue top.. They didn’t guess until you begin to cut it.. Surprise! You’ve got a slice full of savory filling!

Chicken Pie
 I used chicken and brown button mushrooms, but you can add some potatoes instead of mushrooms. The pie can be easily turned into sweet; use sliced apples or pears along with a handful of raisins, nectarines and blueberries are great too, and don’t forget to beat egg whites with icing sugar. Small disadvantage in sweet option are unused egg yolks, which should be used somewhere; put them in a small cup, cover with cling-wrap and next morning prepare scrambled eggs, or much better – make khvorost.

Transformer Pie

Ingredients (for 20cm/8inch round baking dish)
400-500g puff pastry, preferably homemade (with butter, not margarine)
2 small chicken breasts, around 350g
150g mushrooms, washed, sliced or cut into halves
1 leek or onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, optionally
1 whole egg
2 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1 tsp strong mustard, like English
2 Tbsp fatty creme fraiche or sour cream
50g grated Parmesan or any hard cheese, optionally
salt, pepper to taste
1 Tbsp oil + 1 tsp butter
Preparation
  1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry (4mm/0.15inch thick) and cut a 28cm/11inch disc. Line a baking dish, pop into the fridge for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cut chicken into small cubes or strips; put in a bowl, add 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp sour cream, salt, pepper, tarragon (optionally), cover and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
  3. In a medium pan, melt butter and oil, add onion and mushrooms, fry on a moderate heat for 10-15 minutes. Add mushroom mixture to the chicken and combine.
  4. Beat whole egg and egg yolk with remaining sour creme.
  5. Take out the baking dish. Spoon the chicken mixture in, pour over beaten eggs.
  6. Bake in preheated oven 180C/360F for 40-45 minutes.
  7. Beat egg whites with a good pinch of salt until firm peaks. Optionally, you may gently fold in cheese.
  8. Take out the pie. Spread the meringue mixture over the pie, bake for 20 minutes more or until slightly brown.
  9. Allow pie to cool for 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Chicken Pie/SliceCheck out another recipe – Kournik, Russian chicken pie!

Chicken Meringue Pie

Cherry Strudel with nuts

  First time I have tried strudel at home. It was a frosty winter day, I was at home finishing a homework after school, when my mother came and told me she’d got a new dessert recipe! I was so excited, because it has been a habit in our family, almost every evening we had a tea with some freshly-baked pies, buns or danishes whether it were homemade or store-bought.. Easy to guess, it was a strudel recipe. At that time of the year we could make only apple-raisin filling; compare to today it was impossible to buy even frozen cherries, only if you hadn’t froze it by yourself last summer. So, we had some nice apples, which were picked from garden and kept in a cellar, raisins and walnuts; the recipe worked so good, the pastry turned thin and smooth.. and we liked the result – new, mysterious and so delicious strudel! 🙂 Believe me or not, since then I’m using exactly the same pastry recipe and it works! 🙂

 Certainly, you can cheat and use filo pastry, though you should try to make the pastry from scratch at least once, it only sounds complicated. Most of you know, that nothing could beat the homemade pastry! 😉
Cherry Strudel
 Do you know, that first strudel recipe is dating back to 1696; strudel legend says that the Austrian Emperor’s chef  was perfectionist, he even made an order that strudel pastry should be so thin that you could read a love letter through it!
Scrumptious Strudel

Cherry Strudel with nuts

Ingredients
Pastry:
250g all-purpose white flour
1 egg
50g melted butter
125ml warm water
a pinch of salt
Filling:
700-900g pitted cherries
3-5 Tbsp caster sugar
4 Tbsp finely crushed almonds or breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
40g currants (black)
40g golden raisins
3 Tbsp cognac/brandy/rum
 
40g melted butter, for glazing
1-2 Tbsp icing sugar, for serving
 
Preparation
  1. The pastry. Sift flour on to a clean surface, add salt, and make a  well in the middle. Slightly beat an egg with water and butter, add the mixture into flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, time to time punch it down and throw until it becomes elastic and smooth. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven 200C/400F. Line the baking tray with baking paper, grease it with some melted butter or oil.
  3. The filling. In a cup or small bowl, put all washed raisins and cover with cognac; soak for 15 minutes, then pour out remaining cognac. Cut cherries into halves, you may keep some whole.
  4. The pastry. Dust a workspace with flour and roll out the pastry into rectangle as thinly as possible. You can place wet and floured tea-towel, and do it on it. When you can’t roll the pastry any more, begin stretching it using your hands – place back side of your hands under the pastry and stretch it. Keep on going until it is very thin or you can see pattern of the tea-towle through it.
  5. Brush the rolled dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with crushed almonds, leave en edge 3cm uncovered. If using breadcrumbs, brown them in some butter until golden-brown.
  6. Spread cherries, and sprinkle with sugar. Adjust amount of sugar, depending on your taste.
  7. Scatter raisins and remaining nuts on top.
  8. Fold uncovered edges in, then roll up the pastry into a sausage shape. 
  9. Gently put the strudel on the baking tray, brush with melted butter. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before serving, dust with icing sugar. Serve while it’s still warm with vanilla ice cream or sauce.
 For the vanilla sauce, in a medium pan warm 125ml milk and vanilla bean (don’t allow to boil); add 1 beaten egg yolk along with 1Tbsp caster sugar and 1 tsp cornmeal into pan; stirring constantly, cook on a medium heat for 9-12 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit. Let it slightly cool and serve with strudel.
Absolutely tasty!
Let’s party, lovely bloggers! Let’s drink (ha, only lemonade so far..) and eat all those tasty dishes, that we’ve brought at FF! 🙂

Middle Eastern Salmon steaks

 Salmon is a very popular fish in Russia. We pan-fry and roast it, make delicious cured salmon, pies, like worldwide famous Koulebyaka. Less fatty varieties, such as pink and hunchback are well-known and in high demand, they are less expensive, but still good and healthy choice. As you may know, such fish is an excellent sauce of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and B. 🙂
 My husband and I love salmon and are always trying to find new ways to prepare it. The below recipe requires about 30 minutes and is guaranteed to please family or friends. It is simply amazing recipe, rich salmon, coated in aromatic Middle Eastern spices. 
Middle Eastern Salmon

Middle Eastern Salmon steaks

  • Servings: 2
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Ingredients
2 salmon steaks
2 round lemon slices
1 tsp whole white peppercorns, crushed
1-2 tsp coarse sea salt, crushed
2 tsp zaatar*
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 
*Make your own zaatar: 2Tbsp thyme+2Tbsp oregano+2Tbsp sesame seeds+1Tbsp sumac+1/2tsp ground cumin+1/2tsp salt
 
Preparation
  • Rub salmon steaks evenly with salt, white pepper and sumac. Place fish on a baking tray (you may line it with baking paper), drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Leave to marinate for 10-20 minutes. 
  • Preheat the oven 180C/ F. Sprinkle zaatar and sesame seeds over steaks; top with lemon slices. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
  • For the side dish, you can roast some potatoes, turnips or carrots along with salmon. Cut veggies into thin slices, sprinkle with salt, pepper, sesame seeds and olive oil. Potatoes usually need more time to be cooked, so you may parboil them before.
Bon appetite! 
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Delicious roasted carrots
Top with zaatar and sesame
Aromatic carrot!
Healthy&Delish

Refreshing Sangria

 If you have such a hot summer as I do here (around 45C), you need a good refreshing cocktail to cool you off on a weekend.
 What about Sangria? It is a type of punch from Spain and Portugal, which is served during summer and in some parts of the countries year-round. 😀 Sangria is made from wine, fresh chopped fruit and sweetener, with an occasional addition of brandy (or vodka, rum, soda may be added). Sangria is named after the word ‘bleeding’ for its bold red color. Now it’s very popular party drink around the world.
 I’m bringing this pitcher, full of nicely spiced Sangria to Angie@Thenovicegardener party! The recipe is easy to multiply for crowds. Yahoo! A little party never killed nobody! 😀
Sangria-6

Refreshing Sangria

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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A classic sangria of red wine and fresh fruits that’s easy to make ahead of time for outdoor gatherings.
Ingredients:
1-750ml bottle red wine, Rioja/Cabernet Sauvignon/Burgundy
200ml brandy
400-500ml  freshly squeezed orange juice
120ml/1/2 cup water
90g/1/2 cup sugar
1 large cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 large orange
1 lemon
2 large apples
150g/1 1/2 cups seedless dark grapes
Ice cubes, for serving
Lemon or orange wheels, for garnish
500-700ml orange juice or sparkling water, for serving, optionally
Instructions:
  • In a small saucepan,  mix water, sugar and spices. Bring to boil and simmer the syrup over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely. Such syrup is called simple syrup.
  • Cut orange, lemon and apples into wedges; cut some grapes into halves.
  • In a large pitcher, combine the wine, brandy, juice and simple syrup. Add all of the fruit and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and all the flavours are melded, about 2-3 hours, or better overnight.
  • When sangria is ready, add some ice into the pitcher and stir to combine.
  • Serve over ice in a cocktail or wine glass; garnish with some of the soaked fruit and orange wheels. You can top with the desired amount of orange juice or sparkling water, if using.

ENJOY! ❤
Let’s sip it!
Super-refreshing drink
Great cocktail for outdoors
Sunny oranges
Sangria

Salad with sauteed vegetables

 I want to thank all for your lovely comments on my previous post!
What’s the weather in your country? What do you do to stay chilled? Hiding at home, eating ice cream all days long or chilling near the swimming pool with a cocktail..;) In Dubai almost everybody is hiding inside houses, malls.. Moreover, it’s Ramadan, to drink or eat in public is prohibited until the sunset.
I’m trying to eat more balanced and healthful meal this month, like the below salad. It’s summery and..just eat the salad, man! 😀

Veg salad-1

Salad with sauteed vegetables

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: easy
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Aromatic herbs make it so good and appetizing! Eat as is or with grilled sausages.
Ingredients:
2 zucchini/6-7 baby/~600g
2 medium apples, juicy and sour
6 cherry-tomatoes or 1 large tomato
1 red onion
1 clove of garlic, smashed
zest and juice of half lemon
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 dried
2-3 Tbsp parsley/coriander/mint, finely chopped
salt, white pepper to taste
1-3 Tbsp olive oil
  • Cut the onion and slice into half moons. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion until tender.
  • Chop the tomato and apples, add to the pan along with garlic and thyme, mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Discard the garlic, put the vegetable mixture in a bowl, set aside and keep in a warm place.
  • Slice zucchini, add it to the frying pan along with lemon zest and sauté on a medium hit until tender. Add more oil if needed.
  • Add the veg mixture into zucchini, mix and heat for 1-2 minutes.
  • Put all the veggies in a big serving bowl, add mint and/or parsley, salt&pepper and squeeze lemon juice. Drizzle some extra olive oil over the salad, if desired.
Enjoy!
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Veg salad-3
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