Archive for Methods
German Lentil Soup (One Pot Dish – “Linsen Suppe – Eintopf”)
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German lentil Soup
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The lentil soup is pretty much a family staple food in Germany. Although this is a classic soup / one-pot-dish, every family has their own variants re the ingredients, meaning every family develops their own traditions how they like their lentil soup best.
For some it’s just soupy with lentils and sausages, for others it’s a full blown meal with loads of veggies in it. Here is my version of it with suggestions as my Bavarian grandmother would cook it: with “Speck”.
(Although Wikipedia traces its origins to Austria and Italy, Speck is very traditional to Germany. It is not for the super lean cuisine conscious folk, but I challenge anyone who experiences the delicious and mouth watering cooking smells wafting enticingly through the home not to develop a very healthy and hearty appetite!!
Ghanaian Peanut Soup – spicy hot
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Ghanaian - West African - Peanut Soup
This recipe originally was given to me by my Ghanaian friend, Patricia, but I needed to tweak it to suit my taste buds (read: add more chillies and give it more oompf!!). My dear friend still thinks she should tone down the spiciness for her Caucasian food lover … not so, please! I prefer a wild taste bud party with fire!
I have also discovered that this dish is ideally suited for a large slow cooker and cooked for best part of a day on a low heat. That way the chilli spiciness is not harsh but mellows in beautifully and allowing all the flavours to mature and blend nicely.
If you’re up for an unusual peanut soup with chicken or any poultry, here is the recipe:
Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Cream-Cheese Icing
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Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Cream Chese Icing
These cupcakes Charis baked yesterday, too. I must say they were incredibly delicious. We could not stop licking our fingers *accidentally* dipped into the Nutella cream cheese icing. The cupcake base is beautifully chocolatey moist.
Really yum!!
Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Icing
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Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Icing
Today, my daughter Charis baked two lots of cupcakes, and I acted as her chef’s assistant, plus taking pictures. Here are the Earl Grey cupcakes with a really delicious lemon buttercream icing.
Basic Streuselkuchen
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Basic German Streuselkuchen (with yeast)
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My daughter Charis was supposed to have baked cupcakes today, but changed her mind after a late night 
So, as there was plenty of butter in my kitchen, I thought I’d knock up a Streuselkuchen (crumble cake).
It has a light and moist yeast base and a really yummy crunchy buttery crumble topping. next time I’ll add some fruit into it.
Chicken & Salsa Veggie Wrap
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Wraps are the most versatile pack-it-all-in foods. Here's one of my creations ... and I served it with baba-ghannouj
The dish described below I made for two people. It is quite filling and very yummy.
A fair warning, though, because the wraps are so packed with veggies and salad it’s just impossible to make a neat pretty wrap parcel out of that. Plus with the dip, all in all, it makes a very messy finger licking dish.
Spiced Plum-Ginger-Chestnut stuffed Duck (Either in Red Wine or Roasted Crispy )
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Fortnum & Mason of Piccadilly, London - Christmas shop window decoration. The theme was 12 Days of Christmas
Christmas time, to me, has a serene and serious meaning of remembering the joy of Christ pouring out His love to this world, whether He was actually born on the 25th of December is irrelevant ….. Christmas also has a certain childlike magic to me of fairytales and a lot of fun. In London there is a fabulous shop, one of my favourites, Fortnum & Mason at Piccadilly (very expensive, though!). It usually has spectacular window displays, so here is one I took a photo of. Granted it’s not a duck but a goose, but it will have to suffice.
Actually, in Germany, the traditional Christmas bird to roast is not a turkey but a goose. Sometimes people also use ducks, so this recipe is for a duck.
Langoustines in White Wine
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Langoustines disguised in wine, fresh herbs and chillies
Langoustines in White Wine – scrumptiously delicious finger-food!
Personally, I think there is nothing more romantic or sexy than eating with fingers, licking off the racy flavours and sucking out wine drenched shells. So leave your ‘good manners’, pop a large bowl of hot water with loads of slices of lemons and tuck into the deliciousness ….
Ghanaian Goat Curry
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Goat Curry Ingredients .... as I learnt them from my Ghanaian friend
(Click on pictures to see them full size)
Since 1988, I’ve had strong connections with Africans and I am happy to say that some dear friendships resulted which have lasted till today.
Needless to say, I was also enjoying their generosity when it came to new and interesting foods. So here is one recipe I made many times at home and has become my own family favourite.
Stollen
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Sumptious moist Stollen
With or without Marzipan
Traditionally Stollen is baked at Christmas AND Easter. It’s the same recipe. The only difference is that at Easter you have it for breakfast and is eaten together with hard boiled eggs and home cooked smoked ham, unusual combination but really delicious. Well, this is how my Bavarian grandmother always did it, and I have kept the tradition.
Stollen was as important in my family as pasty was to my in-law family from Cornwall. My mother was one of five sisters, so there was always great competition who baked the best stollen …. My preference was always the one my aunt Carla made. Of course I never dared to admit that whilst my mother was alive!!
