Blueberry and Strawberry Lassi

I really love yoghurt based anything. This time I used honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. I think, possibly, it's a healthier option (If you use your local honey then chances of spring time allergies are reduced! yay!) than sugar and it's brings an interesting richness to the drink.



Ingredients:

Serves 3
Fresh blueberries 1 cup
strawberries - chopped 1/2-1 cup
Honey to taste (can use sugar instead)
Milk and/or Yoghurt - 1/2-1 cup (add water if you like it to be more liquidy)
Ice cubes

Method:

1. In your blender, blend everything except the ice at first. Taste and add honey to counter balance the tartness. The honey may be a bit weird with the overpowering taste of the berries, but I really liked the combination of the tartness of the yoghurt and rich and aromatic sweetness of the honey. Add the ice and drink!!!


Note: I think honey and yoghurt combo without the berries will be amazing. I will try it out and report shortly.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

I found the recipe for the spice mix on AllRecipes.com - and since that *makes* this tagine, credit must go there. However, I have experimented with the other vegetables and found what works best: mini-zuchini! Tagine is supposed to be made in a Tagine (food and pot are named the same thing), but I find that a large sauce pot works very well. You can make extra spice mix and store it for next time since that is the part that takes the longest. --AnglophileLV

Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Serves 4


The spice mix:
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch saffron
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Other ingredients:
2 pounds lamb meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into fourths
10 Baby squash or zucchini thrown in whole or large squash cubed
10 Fingerling potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 lemon, zested
1 (14.5 ounce) can low-sodium canned broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 1-2 fresh tomatoes)
1 tablespoon honey
10 Dried apricots or prunes
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
1 tablespoon water (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Place diced lamb in a large pot with olive oil, toss with half of the spice mix. Brown well.
2. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Let cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes and squash/zucchini.
3. Stir in the lemon zest, chicken broth, tomato paste or tomatoes, and honey. Add in the other half of the spice mix.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.
5. Add the dried apricots or prunes a few minutes before serving.

***Taste test and add more spice mix if the tagine is too bland. If it is bland, it’s not this recipe’s fault—YOU just added too many vegetables. Hey, I’ve done it myself. Just add more spice mix and you’ll be fine.

If the consistency of the tagine is too thin, thicken it with a mixture of cornstarch and water during the last 5 minutes.

Serve with couscous and crusty bread. The Moroccans use the crusty bread to pick up the chunks of meat and vegetables with their fingers. I highly recommend doing the same.

Pom Koek (Belgian Coffee Cake)

Belgian food has been described as having French finesse but served in German quantities. Being part Belgian, I can attest to this--my family puts on feasts. In fact, my Belgian great grandfather was one of the best French Chefs in depression-era Chicago. I have just a little bit of family pride where cookery is concerned. Unfortunately, the old goat didn't write his recipes down - so his descendents have relied on cookbooks and genetic "chefly intuition" to become excellent home cooks.

This is my first foray into trying Belgian recipes- a coffee cake made with real coffee. And a lot of spices. True to my Belgian roots, I put even more spices than the original recipe called for, and added a sweet streusel layer between the cake. We Belgians never cook simply. That's the French influence. --AnglophileLV

Pom Koek (Belgian Coffee Cake)

Ingredients for the Cake
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(can also add 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup honey
1 cup hot coffee
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Ingredients for the Yummy Layer
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
(optional) 1/2 cup chopped pecans or almonds
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9" by 4" in loaf pan by lightly greasing the sides.
3. Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon & cloves).
4. In a separate bowl, quickly mix 1 egg. Spoon in and mix the honey, coffee, and oil.
5. Quickly fold in the dry ingredients - mixing just enough to combine without toughening the batter.
6. Pour half the mixture into the pan.
7. Mix the ingredients for the "yummy layer" and spoon quarter sized dollops over the batter in the pan. Then cover with remaining coffee cake batter.
8. Fold into pan and bake for 30 minutes. Use a tooth pick to see if center is done.
9. Serve warm plain or with butter.

Schofield Salmon

This recipe comes from a friend.
**

I think my dad does this recipe the best, but I was able to pull it off once of the two times I've used it. And yes, this recipe calls for a LOT of salmon (that's how we Schofields roll), so if you're just making it for yourself feel free to cut the recipe in half (it'll still take at least half an hour to cook even if you do). You know the salmon's done when you stick a fork in it and it's firm all the way through.

-B. Schofield


1 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tbsp ea. Honey and brown sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic or ginger

1 salmon filet w/ skin 3.5-4.5 lbs.

Optional: lime slices

Directions: In a 6 to 8 in. frying pan, over medium heat, stir butter w/ honey and sugar until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add soy sauce, mustard, oil, and garlic. Cool slightly.

Rinse fish and pat dry. Arrange a double layer foil tent, put salmon in, baste with sauce, and pinch foil around it. Place in roasting pan with high walls. Bake at 400 for 30-40 min. Apply lime slices to make it look pretty.

This stuff is absolutely DELICIOUS if you can do it right. For sides you can do mashed potatoes and grill some asparagus.

Note from Pocketmouse: Picture will be provided when I decide to finally try out salmon/non-white fish.