Scrambled Aniseed Pancake

This is one of my most beloved memories from my childhood, because my mom would always make it for me, when I was sick:

You'll need:
4 eggs
240 ml / 1 cup milk
4 tbsp sugar
8 tbsp flour
Aniseed to taste
3-4 tsp. butter

Divide the eggs.
Whisk egg whites with 1 tbsp. sugar until stiff
Beat egg yokes and 3 tbsp.l sugar until creamy and white.
Carefully fold in flour, milk and egg whites.
Add Aniseed. I usually use at least 1 tsp., but I really love this flavour.
You may want to use only a little to begin with and add more if you enjoy the taste.

In a pan melt 1 tsp. butter.
Pour in batter approximately 2 cm / 1 inch high.
Bake over medium heat for approx. 5 minutes, until it's starting to set and the bottom is slightly brown.
Flip over and bake for another 2 minutes until slightly brown again.
Using two forks (careful if you use a coated pan) tear the pancake into bite size bits.

Repeat with the remaining batter (depending on the size of the pan you'll get 3 or 4 pancakes).

Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and a side of apple sauce.

Enjoy,

     Sasha

Bruschetta Dip

I love Bruschetta, an Italian appetizer made out of toasted Ciabatta and grilled tomatoes.

But sometimes I just don't have the time or the ingredients at home to make the "real deal".
For these cases I have the Bruschetta dip.

Ingredients - Bruschetta dip:

Spicery (recipe see below)
Tomato purée
Olive oil
Ciabatta bread
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven on "grill" setting.

In a bowl combine 1 part spicery with 2 parts olive oil.
Then add 3 parts tomato purée and stir until well blended.
You can add a bit of water if you want to have a thinner dip.
Rest for about 10 minutes.

I usually use a tablespoon to measure the parts.
Some people like more spicery or more tomato purée, you may have to experiment a bit until you find the right mixing ratio for you.

In the meantime cut Ciabatta bread in finger thick slices and roast in the oven until slightly brown on top or crispy.
Grate Parmesan. I like to have Parmesan flakes.

Serve in different bowles or spread the dip on the bread and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

The Bruschetta goes very well with the famous "Insalata Caprese", made of tomatoes, mozarella, basil and balsamic vinegar.

The dip is also very tasty with vegetable sticks. Any left over dip should be stored in the refrigerator and used within several days.


Ingredients - spicery:

Garlic*
Onions*
Parsley*
Basil*
Oregano*
Pepper
Salt

*freeze-dried
About equal amounts of each spice.

Combine all spices, except for the salt in a food processor and mixed until well blended.
Then add the salt. You can see the intended texture in the picture above.
Stored in an airtight jar this will keep for at least a year. The spicery can be used on about any Italian dish, for example meat sauces.

Enjoy,

     Sasha

The World's Easiest Chocolate Mousse

This is actually not my recipe, it has been posted by many people, but it's the first time I tried it.

You will only need two ingredients:

265 gram / 9.35 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), coarsely chopped

Since this is the main flavor imparting ingredient you may want to choose a really high quality chocolate.

240 ml / 1 cup water
4 tbsp sugar, optional Without the sugar, this mousse is VERY intensely chocolately.  If you generally prefer a milder chocolate taste, add the sugar.

Place a mixing bowl on top of another slightly larger bowl filled with ice and cold water.  The bottom of the top bowl should touch the ice.  Set aside.

Put chocolate and water (and sugar if using) in a medium pan over medium heat.  Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally.

Once melted, pour the chocolate into the bowl sitting on top of the ice and begin whisking.  Whisk constantly until mousse begins to thicken, 2-3 minutes.  Be careful not to over whisk as the chocolate can become grainy.  (If this happens, just re-melt the chocolate over medium heat and pour back into the mixing bowl)

Divide into four ramekins cups and serve immediately.  Or, you can let mousse set up in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour if you prefer a slightly thicker, chilled mousse.

You can store any left over mousse covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You could also add some orange or almond liqueur, but be sure to deduct the amount of water that you replace with the liqueur.

Enjoy,

     Sasha

Millet burgers

Currently my favourite recipe for Meatless Monday or any other vegetarian day:

Ingredients:

300 gr / 10,5 oz millet
1 small onion
1 leek
2 medium sized carrots
150 gr / 5 oz grated cheese
1 - 2 eggs
Salt
Pepper
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil

Cook millet according to packaging instructions.
Cool off slightly.
Peel and cut the onion in small cubes.
Wash the leek and cut in little cubes or very small rings.
Peel and grate carrots.
In a medium pan slightly roast onion and leek.
In a medium bowl blend millet, onion, leek, carrot, cheese and 1 or 2 eggs (as needed) to make an easy formable mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Shape into little burgers.
In a shallow dish pour some breadcrumbs and dip both sides of the burger slightly in the crumbs.
Using medium heat fry in olive oil until golden brown.

Serve with mixed salad and a sour cream-chives sauce.

If some of the burger are left over, they freeze very well.
Take them out 3 or 4 hours prior to dinner, let thaw.
Place them on a backing sheet, put one slice of cheese on each burger and warm using medium heat.

This will make an easy and healthy "fast food".

Enjoy,

     Sasha

Pharisee Cake

In Germany a "Pharisee" is a coffee with 4 cl rum covered with a dollop of whipped cream, so that the alcohol cannot evaporate in  the hot coffee.

While this is a very nice beverage on a cold day, I prefere the cake version:

Here is the receipe (makes 12 jars):

cake:
150 gr / 5,3 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa)
150 gr / 5,3 oz butter
75 gr / 2,6 oz powdered sugar
pulp from 1 vanilla bean
2 pinches of cinnamon
1 pinch of clove
zest from half a lemon
6 eggs
150 gr / 5,3 oz sifted flour
1 dash of salt
75 gr / 2,6 oz fine backing sugar (not powdered)

soaking syrup:
100 gr / 3,5 oz sugar
150 ml / 5 fl oz strong coffee
100 ml / 3 fl oz rum

cream:
300 gr / 10,5 oz whipping cream
100 gr / 3,5 oz mascarpone
30 gr / 1 oz powdered sugar
50 ml / 4 tbsp rum

Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Warm coffee and sugar, add rum. Let cool.
Chop chocolate, melt.
Beat butter, powdered sugar, spices and lemon zest until frothy.
Separate eggs.
Add yokes one by one to butter mixture.
Add 3 tbsp flour and melted chocolate.
Whisk egg whites stiff, adding a dash of salt.
Slowly add the sugar.
Fold the beaten egg whites und the remaining flour into the butter mixture.
Fill oven-safe jars no more than 2/3 with batter.
Bake for 30 min.
Let cool.

Alternatively you can bake the cake in a regular pan and later cut out circles using a cookie cutter or glass.

Soak the cake with the syrup.
Whip the cream until stiff.
Mix mascarpone with sugar and rum.
Fold in whipped cream.
Spoon cream onto cakes.
Sprinkle with chocolate shaves and chocolate powder.

Enjoy,

     Sasha