Monday, April 20, 2009

Vegetable Sizzlers and Salads

A sizzler is made on either clay or iron plates, they are heated and various different cooked foods are placed on it and when it starts to sizzle it is ready to be served. It is a good winter dish to have, as it remains hot for a long time. This is my first vegetarian sizzler that I tried making and it was a sucess. Each of the individual dishes used in this recipe can be eaten as part of a meal also. So in effect in this one recipe I am giving you nine different recipes




Vegetable Sizzler
There are many different varieties of vegetarian sizzler, it can be done with boiled vegetables, or using themes like making a Chinese version or a Indian Version like rice and curries. It does not always have to be just pasta, rice and salad.
Don’t be put off making this dish because it contains nine different items. The Dishes themselves do not take too long to make and if you organise yourself and utilise the time properly, you’ll be able to manage it without any problems.




Potato Stuffed with Vegetable Gratin:


Ingredients:
1 kg medium sized potatoes.

For Vegetable Gratin:
11/2 cup diced boiled vegetables(carrot, beans, corn, peas),
1 cup cheese sauce
1/2 cup scooped out potatoes,
salt and pepper

Method:



  • Boil 1 kg potatoes in pressure cooker

  • Peel off the skin cut into halves and scoop out the middle. Brush with butter. sprinkle salt and pepper.

  • fill then with vegetable gratin

  • Top them with grated cheese and bake in oven at 180 c for 20 mins.



    • For the Veg Gratin:



    • Add the cheese sauce to boiled vegetables, also mix scooped out potatoes after smashing it.
    • Add salt and pepper as per taste.
    • Mix well.

      For the Cheese Sauce:



      • Melt 1 tbsp of butter, add 1 tbsp of maida mix well till the raw smell is gone. Then add 1 cup of cold milk.

      • Cook till the sauce boils and get thick consistency.

      • Remove from the heat, add salt and pepper as per taste and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.




      Vegetable A-La Kiev Cutlet :


      Ingredients:
      ½ kg potatoes,
      1 cup peas
      2 carrots
      15 beans
      ½ tsp black pepper
      1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce and vinegar)
      ¼ cup Dhania patta or coriander leaves
      Salt to taste
      1 Green chillies
      Butter, cheese, Maida and Bread crumbs.

      Method:



      • Boil the potatoes in salted water, peel and mash them while hot.

      • Separately boil peas, carrot and beans in salted water, drain, and squeeze and chop them finely.

      • Add mashed potatoes, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, dhania patta(coriander leaves),chilies and salt to taste. Mix and mash properly.

      • Divide into 12 parts. Fill each part with ¼ inch cube of butter rolled in grated cheese.
      • Make a conical shape in form of a cutlet. Dip in Maida batter and roll in bread crumbs.

    • Deep fry them till golden brown.

    • Or you can shallow fry it with out using the Maida batter just roll in bread crumbs and shallow fry it with little oil in the pan.


    For the Maida Batter:



    • Mix 2 tbsp of Maida, ¼ cup of water, ¼ tsp salt and stir it well.

    • In semi soft cube size butter roll the grated cheese and set in the fridge for 10-15 mins.





    Stuffed Tomatoes:



    Ingredients:


    1 Kg Tomatoes
    1 tbsp butter
    1 onion chopped finely
    1 capsicum chopped finely
    ½ cup cooked basmati rice
    ½ cup cooked peas
    Salt and pepper
    ½ cup cream
    ¼ cup grated cheese.



    Method:



    • Cut the tomatoes from bottom and scoop out the middle.

    • Fill with the stuffing.

    • Bake them for 10 mins in oven at medium heat.

    For stuffing:



    • Melt the butter, add onions, capsicum.

    • Stir till they are light golden brown, then add cooked rice , cooked peas.

    • Add salt and pepper

    • Keep stirring for 2-3 mins, add cream and grated cheese.


    Note: While adding rice and masala turn off the gas.






    Supreme Bake:





    Ingredients:


    2 cups boiled elbow macaroni pasta
    1 cup boiled corn
    1 tbsp butter
    1 small onion finely chopped
    1 capsicum finely chopped
    2 tbsp capsico sauce (chilli sauce)
    ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional)
    1 cup cheese sauce
    2 bread slices
    ¼ cup grated cheese.



    Method:



    • Melt the butter ,add onions, capsicum, fry till translucent.

    • Add boiled Macroni, boiled corn, capsico sauce, ajinomoto, cheese sauce. Stir and mix properly.

    • Place in a greased baking dish, cover with cheesy crumbs.

    • Bake in the pre-heated 200c oven for 20-25 mins.


    For the Cheese Sauce:



    • Melt 1 tbsp of butter, add 1 tbsp of maida mix well till the raw smell is gone. Then add 1 cup of cold milk.

    • Cook till the sauce boils and get thick consistency.

    • Remove from the heat, add salt and pepper as per taste and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.


    For the Topping:



    • Mix bread slices with grated cheese in the mixie to form a cheesy bread crumbs.





    Mushroom Sauce:



    Ingredients:


    1 tbsp butter
    1 small onion finely chopped
    1 cup button mushroom finely chopped
    1 tbsp of Maida
    1 tbsp soya sauce
    1 tbsp vinegar
    A pinch of ajinomoto
    ¼ cup cream
    Salt and pepper



    Method:



    • Melt butter, add onions fry till it is light golden in color

    • Add chopped button mushrooms till it is soft

    • Add maida fry the raw smell is gone

    • Then add 1 1/2 cup of water, salt and pepper to taste, soya sauce, vinegar and ajinomoto.

    • Cook while stirring continously till the sauce comes to a boils and starts to get thick.

    • Finally add cream.


    Note: If the sauce is not thick then add cornflour paste (1/2 tbsp of cornflour and 3 tbsp of water). and to give more flavour to the sauce you can also add Maggi masala.






    Macroni Salad:






    Ingredients:


    2 cups boiled macaroni
    1 onion
    1 capsicum
    ¼ cabbages
    2 tomatoes
    1 carrot
    1 green chillies
    1 tbsp dhania patta(coriander leaves)
    2 tbsp vinegar
    2 tbsp tomato sauce(ketchup)
    2 tbsp of oil
    ½ tsp sugar
    2 tbsp capsico sauce (chilli sauce)
    Salt and pepper



    Method:



    • Cut the vegetables(carrot, cabbage, tomatoes,onion,green chillie in julienne style(long thin strips)) and refrigerate for 1 hour.

    • Place the above vegetables in a bowl and pour vinegar, tomato sauce, oil, capsico sauce , sugar,salt and pepper as per taste.

    • Add dhania patta and mix well

    • Serve immediately


    Note: You can make the salad ahead of time just add the dressing when your serving.






    Fatush Salad:





    Ingredients:


    1 Cucumber
    2 tomatoes
    1 capsicum
    2 radish
    1 onion
    2 tbsp Dhania patta (coriander leaves)
    2 tbsp chat masala
    1 tbsp lemon juice
    2 tbsp oil
    1 cup fried bread cubes or paneer
    1 tsp sugar
    Salt and pepper



    Method:



    • Cut the cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum, radish, onion into small cube shape and store it in refrigerator.

    • Mix all the Vegetables add lemon juice, oil chat masala, bread cubes or paneer.

    • Sprinkle salt and pepper as per taste, sugar and mix it well.

    • Garnish with Dhania patta(corainder leaves).






    Herb-Roasted Oven Fries:




    Ingredients:


    2-2 1/2 pounds baking potatoes
    4 cloves garlic, smashed
    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
    2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper



    Method:



    • Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.

    • Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 4-5 long wedges, depending on how big the potatoes are.

    • Place the potato wedges and garlic on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with about three tablespoons of EVOO and toss to coat.

    • Season the potatoes with rosemary, salt and pepper and roast them for about 25 minutes, until potatoes are brown and tender.

    • Flip the potatoes and continue to roast for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.




    Mexican Rice:





    Ingredients:


    1 cup cooked rice
    1 onion finely chopped
    4 tbsp of oil
    1 capsicum finely chopped
    rajma (Soak and boil the rajma)
    ½ cup boiled corn
    1 tsp red chilli powder
    2 tbsp soy sauce
    1/3 cup paneer
    Salt as per taste



    Method:



    • Heat oil in the pan add onions

    • Add capsicum, corn, cabbage, rajma and paneer.

    • Add red chilli powder, 2 tbsp soya sauce and salt per taste.

    • Finally add the cooked rice amd mix it well.

    • Garnish with Spring onions.






    Pasta with Tomato Sauce:



    Ingedients:


    1/2 box short cut pasta, such as penne, strozzapretti or casarecci (8 ounces)
    2 large or 4 medium tomatoes (about 2 pounds), seeded and chopped
    10 basil leaves, torn
    5 sprigs tarragon, leaves removed and chopped
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 large garlic clove, grated
    2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
    Grated pepper jack cheese (or use any cheese)



    Method:



    • Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil.

    • Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about one cup of the starchy cooking water and drain the pasta.

    • While the pasta is cooking, Heat oil in the pan add garlic, tomato sauce, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper. Cook it well till tomato sauce is cooked..

    • Add cooked pasta to the pan and add the reserved pasta water to create a thick sauce.

    • Add the grated cheese and serve hot.





      Finale:





      Ingredients:


      Sizzler Platter
      Mushroom Sauce
      Butter
      Cabbage leaves/Salad leaves




      Method:



      • Place the sizzler plate on the gas or a burner for 20 mins and then turn off the gas.

      • While the plate is hot place the cabbage leaves/salad leaves on the plate.

      • Place 1 tsp of butter and ice cubes below the cabbage leaf for the sizzling effect.

      • Keep the prepared items decoratively on top of the leaves.

      • Pour on top mushroom sauce and melted butter and Serve hot.


      Tuesday, April 14, 2009

      Wilton Cake Decorating Course 2

      Wilton second course offers more shell borders,Rope border, basket weaving and different flowers using Royal Icing like Mum, Daffodils, Primrose, Violet, Violet leaf, Rosebud, Victoran Rose, Apple Blossom, Pansies,Daisies.

      Here is the recipe for the Royal Icing:
      Royal Icing:
      3 tbsp Meringue pdr
      1 lb Confectioner's sugar (4 cups)
      5 - 6 tbsp Luke warm water

      Direction:
      Place sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Mix at low speed. Add water and mix it for 7 to 10 min at low ; medium speed until icing loses its sheen. To prevent drying, cover the bowl with a damp cloth while working with icing. this royal icing can be store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

      NOTE: Keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.

      Here are the flowers which I did in the class:


      Daisies and Pansies



      Daffodil and Primrose



      Apple Blossom and Violet



      Violet Leaf and Roses



      Here is the Final Basketweave Cake:


      Wilton Buttercream icing recipe

      Butter Cream Icing

      The following amounts of ingredients is considered as a full recipe.

      1 lb Confectioner's sugar (approximately 4 cups)
      1 cup Solid white vegetable shortening Meringue Pdr 1 Tbsp
      1 tsp Clear Vanilla essence
      2 tbsp Milk or Water
      Salt (a pinch)

      Note:
      Meringue powder is a mixture of dried, powdered egg white, cornstarch and gums. It is used to stabilize butter cream icing.
      Vegetable Shortening is a flavourless semi-solid fat made from hydrogenated vegetable oil, used in food preparation, especially in baked goods.
      To store for a longer period of time use water instead of milk.

      Directions:

      Cream shortening, essence and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or until creamy. There are three types of icing consistencies depending on the need:

      Stiff consistency is used for decorations such as flower with upright petals like roses and sweet peas.

      Medium consistency creates stems, figure piping, borders and flowers with petals that lie flat. Add 1 Tbsp water to each cup of stiff consistency icing. Mix until well blended.

      Thin consistency is for writing, making stems, leaves, vines and icing a cake. Add 2 Tbsp of water for each cup of stiff consistency icing . Mix until well blended.

      Saturday, April 11, 2009

      Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1

      Course 1: Discover the Basics of Cake Decorating Techniques.
      Class 1: Wilton cake decorating course 1 covers the basic of cake decoration which includes
      - Class Buttercream Icing
      - Cake Preparation
      - The wilton Rose
      - Figure Piping
      - Different flowers, leaves and vines.


      Class 2- Rainbow cake where we learn the basics like Preparing the cake, using color icing, star borders, piping gel pattern transfer.

      Class 3 : Flowers and Figures
      Flowers are the most traditional, and one of the most charming ways to top a cake. In this lesson, you'll learn how o make pretty flower decoration using the drop flowers. You'll also learn the most popular icing border........the shell! Figure piping is a fun way to add 3-dimensional shapes to cakes. The birthday clowns shown here are another special touch that will be covered in the lesson.

      Class 4: Final Cake
      In the last lesson we learnt The Wilton Rose, sweet pea flower,bows, leaves and vines.
      The Wilton Rose





      The Final Cake


      Wow!! I learnt so much from this process and there is so much to learn.

      Friday, April 10, 2009

      I am Back

      After Disappering for a very long time I am back with new and exciting recipes. In past Month I started taking the Wilton Cake Decorating class. I finished Course 1 and Course 2. I will be Posting Pictures of my cake which I did in the class and some I did on My daughters 1st Birthday. I am so excited to be back blogging.