Haves some Scottish-Irish Stew in you Meal

Full of flavors that meld together and melt lusciously in the mouth this crock pot recipes for Scottish-Irish stew adapted from Graham Kerr’s Creative Choices Cookbook is made with lamb neck and a long list of ingredients, each adding a magical touch to make a harmonious and unbelievably delicious dish. Serve this with some ice-cold beer and crusty bread for an unforgettable weekend with some friends. 

Ingredients

For the Broth:
28 oz. chicken stock
14 oz. beef stock
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sprigs of thyme
6 peppercorns
2 whole cloves
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 medium potato, cut into thin slices
1 cup water
For the Base:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups beef stock
1 ¼ lbs. lamb necks
¼ cup pot barley, well rinsed
¾ cup boiling water
For the Vegetables and Herbs:
2 medium carrots, sliced into ½ in. circles
3 medium potatoes, cut into ½ in. chunks
16 boiling onions, about 1 ½ in. in diameter, peeled
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 fresh sprig (3 to 8 in.) rosemary
16 whole medium mushrooms
1 lb. fresh spinach leaves

Preparation:

1.Cut a piece of cheesecloth into a square and place all the fresh herbs listed under “Broth” (the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, cloves, and parsley) in the center. Pull up the sides and tie with a thin strip of cheesecloth, creating what’s called a bouquet garni.

2. Pour all the ingredients for the broth into a large saucepan, including the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain this broth and pour it back into the saucepan.

3. Make the stew base by heating the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the 1 chopped onion and sauté until just limp. Add the 1 ½ cups stock and lamb necks. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. When done, the lamb meat should fall off the bone.

4.In the meantime, pour the barley and ¾ cup of boiling water into another saucepan. Stir for a few seconds, then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain.

5.When the stew base is done, remove the lamb (meat and bones) from the stew base. Remove all the meat from the bones. Strain the stew broth. Pour the broth into the large saucepan. Add the carrots, potatoes, boiling onions, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until it simmers very gently. Add the rosemary and lamb. Simmer for 10 minutes.

6.Stir in the barley and simmer another 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve by line 4 soup bowls with spinach leaves. Ladle the soup over these.

Peda: An Indian Sweet Treat

Peda is a kind of milk fudge that is rich and easy to make topped with delicious nuts. In this healthy recipes, peda is made by mixing khoya, which is reduced milk or milk cheese used in Indian cooking, with sugar and milk and flavored with butter and cardamom powder. The resulting peda is rolled into small smooth round balls and garnished with pistachio nuts. You can also garnish peda with almonds or pecans, or different kinds of nuts for variety and a stylish presentation. Cardamom seeds can also be used as a garnish. Peda makes a nice Christmas treat as an alternative to the usual sugar cookies. It is also used as Prasad, a religious offering in Hinduism, consumed by the worshipper.

Ingredients:
500gms khoya
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar, powdered
3 tablespoon unsalted butter (ghee)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoon sliced pistachios for garnish

Presentation:

1. In a large bowl either grate or mash khoya finely and mix with powdered sugar. Knead and set aside.
2. Transfer this mixture to a heavy pan and keep stirring continuously first on high flame and then on medium flame. Make sure it does not stick to the base of the pan. When the mixture is thick add cardamom powder and set aside. Allow it to cool.
3. Using your palms, make small round shapes and press gently on the top. On top of each peda gently press pistachios, or you can also sprinkle the nuts on top. Place it on serving tray and serve once cool.

Scalloped Potatoes With Ham And Cheese Sauce

A classic breakfast casserole side dish, scalloped potatoes is made even more delicious with ham and a luscious cheese sauce such as in this easy potato recipe. Not an everyday fare, this rich dish is ideal for special occasions served with roast chicken or turkey, grilled steaks or fish, or smoked ham or a lamb dish. Instead of the usual mashed potatoes or French fries, make dinner extra-special by making this simple version of scalloped potatoes.

Ingredients:

5 or 6 large potatoes
1 cup cooked ham, thinly sliced or cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup flour
2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup American or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. mustard

Preparation:

1 .Peel potatoes and cut into slices about 1/2-inch thick.
2. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Over high heat, boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about ten minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Prepare cheese sauce: Put olive oil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Heat oil over medium temperature for one or two minutes. Stir in the flour. Cook for a minute. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Add cheese and mustard and stir until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
5. Pour a layer of cheese sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Add a layer of potatoes and then one of ham. Cover with cheese sauce. Continue layering, ending with cheese sauce on top.
6. Cover with a foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until top layer of cheese browns slightly, for about another ten minutes.

Curried Carrot Soup

This creamy carrot soup recipe is flavored with curry and ginger creating an invigorating vegetable recipes. Adapted from Kitchen Life by Art Smith, curried carrot soup is healthy and full of flavor and wonderful aroma. It uses nonfat yogurt to make a creamy and light-colored so you can have as much as you want without the guilt.

A rich source of vitamin A, carrot soup is non-fattening and makes a seriously good appetizer for any meal. This recipe uses chicken stock but you can also use vegetable stock if you want a vegetarian version or a healthier dish. This makes a thoughtful dish to make for a loved one who is recuperating from an illness. The ginger and the curry help stimulate the senses and give a boost of energy.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

2 lbs. carrots, cut into ½ in. rounds

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1.       In a large saucepan placed over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden. Add the carrots, curry powder, and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

2.       Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and partially cover. Simmer gently until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

3.       Remove the pot from the stove and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup.

4.       Turn the stove burner down to low and return the pot to the stove. Add the yogurt and stir well. Don’t allow the soup to boil or simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Extraordinary Combinations to Wine and Food

The fact is there are very few extraordinary combinations when it comes to wine and food, just as there are very few combinations that are truly terrible. I find that in the vast majority of pairings, the wine and the food don’t affect each other much; they coexist peacefully, if unexcitingly. In a modest percentage of matches, the wine and the food accentuate the flavors in one another, and both taste better as a result; however, an equal percentage, I’d say, are the reverse.

Here are some tips:

Don’t match strong to delicate. Pairing a big, powerful, high-alcohol or high-tannin wine with a light, delicate dish (and vice versa) is rarely a good idea.

Acidity is your friend. People tend to be wary of wines described as "high acid," like Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet. Who wants to drink acid, after all? But there’s no better quality in a wine for matching rich, creamy or cheesy sauces, deep-fried foods or fish dishes; in addition, tart wines go better with tart foods, such as a vinaigrette on a salad.

Tannins pair well with fat. That’s because the astringency of the tannins cuts through the viscosity of the fat.

Follow the don’t-upstage-the-star rule. If you have an amazing bottle of wine you want to show off, especially an older vintage (they tend to be more subtle, their flavors less flamboyant), don’t serve a wildly complex dish with it. A simple dish will allow the wine to be the center of attention.

Lose Weight with Spicy Sweet Potato Salad

High-fiber sweet potatoes can regulate blood sugar and help you lose weight, while a spicy antioxidant-rich red pepper and jalapeño dressing ties everything together. Be prepared: everyone will be asking you for this salad recipes, so leave a lunch-sized portion at home. This easily portable salad is even more delicious the next day.

INGREDIENTS

4 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup sliced scallion
1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1 or 2 fresh minced chiles (jalapeño, Thai, serrano, or habanero), or to taste
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into bite-size pieces. Put them on a baking sheet, drizzle with two tablespoons of the oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast, turning occasionally, until crisp and brown outside and just tender inside, about 30 minutes. Remove and keep on the pan until ready to dress.

Make the dressing while the potatoes cook. Put the remaining six tablespoons of oil in a blender, along with the vinegar, bell pepper, cumin, and zest if you're using it. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Purée until smooth.

Toss the warm potatoes with the scallion, mint, chiles, and raisins if you're using them. Add 1/2 cup of the dressing, and toss to coat, adding more if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Grilled Candied Garlic Salmon

There are countless ways to cook and prepare salmon. In this fish recipes, adapted from the cookbook Red, White, & Blue Ribbon 2004, salmon fillets are marinated in a mixture of limejuice, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and curry paste and then grilled and topped off with candied garlic and sautéed shallots. European and Asian flavors fuse together in this recipe to make an out-of-the-ordinary dish.

Pair grilled salmon fish recipes and candied garlic with a bottle of Pinot Noir, which has a light body and silky texture with berries and warm spices that match the sumptuous fish and the vigorous seasonings used in making the dish. Bourgueil, a wine from Loire Valley with hints of cherry, green herbs vanilla, smoke, and damp earth, is another good choice to pair with this elegant salmon dish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger

2 teaspoons curry paste

6 (6 to 8 oz.) salmon fillets

½ cup sliced shallots

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 green onion (chopped)

Salt

Pepper (freshly ground)

For the Candied Garlic:

10 garlic cloves (sliced thin)

½ cup water

½ cup white wine

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

1.       In a bowl, mix together the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and curry paste. With a pastry brush, brush the fish sauce mixture over the salmon. Refrigerate the fish for 1 hour.

2.       In the meantime, make the candied garlic by pouring the garlic slices, water, wine, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is syrup-like. Remove the garlic slices with a slotted spatula or spoon and allow to thoroughly cool. Reserve 2 ½ tablespoons of the cooking liquid.

3.       Sauté the shallots in a tablespoon of olive oil.

4.       Grill the salmon, 5 minutes on each side. Serve salmon with sautéed shallots, green onions, and candied garlic slices sprinkled on top. Season with salt and pepper.