Queen Of Desserts

Hazelnut Tiramisu

What could be more relaxing than indulging in food cooked by none other than Serita,  the Queen Of Tiramisu?   That's what we did a week ago, thoroughly enjoying the experience.  Loaded with calories, cream, hazelnuts, cream cheese, rum and coffee, this is a dessert made in heaven for the brave hearted - read Herbalife users!!!

The Recipe:

12 sponge fingers; 1 x 50 gm sachet instant hazelnut coffee; 1 cup hot water; 3 dsp rum; 250 gms cream cheese at room temperature; 250 grams high fat cream; 50 gms of hazel nuts, crushed coarsely ; sugar to taste; cocoa for dusting on top.

Beat the cream cheese and cream together with the sugar to taste until smooth and thick.  Dissolve the hazelnut coffee in the cup of hot water.  Add the rum and mix well.  Soak the sponge fingers in the coffee - rum mixture and place 6 of them in a layer on the bottom of the glass dish.   Scatter half of the hazel nuts over the sponge fingers.  Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the nuts ensuring an even layer.   Repeat the three layers again,   finishing with a dusting of cocoa on top.  Pour remaining coffee mixture over the sponge fingers before layering the cream cheese . Refrigerate overnight and serve cold after dinner.  A dessert made in heaven indeed.

Leftover Pie

Five Star Pie

It's fascinating to see what one could make from leftovers languishing in the refrigerator.  I had some pasta,  mince, mint rice (rice cooked with 1 sliced onion and a bunch of mint leaves) and a piece of dry cheese.  Oh and some chicken soup too.  Put them together in layers, pour the soup over and you have a gorgeous  Five Star Pie.

The Recipe:

For The Mince: http://www.fromthefryingpan.blogspot.com/2013/07/family-trade-mark.html

2 cups leftover pasta- whatever you have will do.  I used spaghetti; 1 cup mince; 1 cup chicken soup; 1/2 cup of Mint Rice;  50 gms of dry cheese, sliced thin; salt and pepper to taste.  Baby tomatoes for garnishing.

Oil the pie dish and arrange ingredients in layers starting with the spaghetti, then the mint rice, followed by the mince.  Pour the soup all over the mince and let it seep down on to the spaghetti.  Arrange the cheese on top and bake in a preheated oven at 150 Degrees Centigrade or till cheese is brown and bubbly.  Garnish with baby tomatoes and serve hot.  Watch your favourite TV programme as you tuck into this delicious Five Star Pie.

Gourmet Garlic Chilli Prawns

Once In A Bluemoon Garlic Chilli Prawns

It's a real advantage to have great cooks around you at party time.  Everything gets done in a jiffy and all we have to do is wait for the guests to arrive.  In our house too many cooks do not spoil the broth, they merely enhance it.  We had guests last week and so each of us took on one dish. The result was a meal fit for a king.

The Recipe:

1 kg prawns, shelled, deveined, washed and drained - retaining the tails; 1 1/2 bulb of garlic, minced; 1 inch piece ginger minced; a small bunch of spring onions, cut very fine; chilli flakes to taste (depends on how spicy you want it); 1/2 tsp pepper corns, crushed coarsely ; 1 cup chicken stock; coriander leaves to garnish; 1/2 cup cream; salt to taste and 2 tbsp oil.  

Heat oil in a non stick wok.  When very hot saute the garlic and ginger till golden brown.  Throw in the spring onions and stir for a minute.  Add the prawns and fry on high heat until they change colour.  Lower heat and add the pepper powder, chilli flakes to taste and the stock.  Cover and cook till the stock is reduced to half the quantity.  Add the cream, salt to taste, mix well and remove from fire.  Serve as an accompaniment to the main course or as a soup.  The flavour is amazing and and it tastes as good as it looks.