stuffed cabbage leaves

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Ingredients

   

Head of Cabbage
Lamb Meat ground
Rice
Beef Broth
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Lemon Juice
Dried Mint
Garlic

Leave a head of cabbage out at room temperature - this makes it easier to core cabbage.

To core cabbage, remove the core with a knife. Parboil cabbage in water, peeling off leaves as each leaf softens and place on plate.

You use the same stuffing as for grape leaves and stuffed cousa, as you stuff the cabbage, you will find that there are coarser parts on the leaf, cut these out before rolling the leaf, sometimes it consists of half the leaf. Do not throw these away, it makes a delicious salad.

Stuffing:
 Using 1 lb ground lamb meat. Saute meat in 1 tablespoon oil until brown, add 1/2 cup cooked rice.

Add 1 can Campbell’s Beef Broth
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Shake of pepper
1 teasp. allspice
Juice of 2 lemons.

Cook covered over low heat and stir until mixture heats up.

To roll cabbage leaves:
Cut out any coarser parts of the leaves - place 1 - 2 teasps. of the meat mixture at one end of the leaf, form the meat into a sausage shape.

Roll the leaf and squeeze tightly at both ends to bind.

Place several cloves of garlic in bottom of pan,
Arrange a layer of rolled cabbage leaves, Sprinkle a generous layer of dried mint over rolled cabbage leaves (this is supposed to eliminate any gas in our digestive system caused by cabbage!)
 Continue to layer in this way, rolled cabbage and then dried mint.

Pour the juice of 1 lemon, a can of beef broth and water over completed layers until the level of the liquid comes up to the last  but one layer.      

Put a plate on top of the rolled cabbage leaves to keep everything in place and then bring to the boil slowly and  covered over a low heat. Continue to simmer covered until the cabbage is done,  approximately 50 minutes. Do not overcook or allow the cabbage to become soft and mushy. Test for doneness.

This can be frozen partially cooked. If freezing, simmer for 30 minutes only. When ready to use, the leaves will be perfect heated over low heat covered.

steamed lobster

Lobster

Steam 8 minutes to the pound

Maine cooks vow that lobster is best cooked in sea water, or water as salty as the sea, and as little of it as possible.
A lobster drowned in water is almost certain to lose its flavor.

To steam lobsters properly, you will need a kettle large enough so that it will be half to two thirds full when all the lobsters are in it. Put no more than 2 inches of water in empty kettle and add a good teaspoon of salt for every 2 cups water.
If you can buy fresh seaweed with the lobsters, this is even better. (Fins and Tails in Syracuse sells fresh seaweed with the lobster)  Place seaweed in the  kettle with 2 inches of water. Bring to boil.
When water is rapidly boiling, grab a lobster by its back and snap off the rubber bands that hold its claws shut. Drop the lobster head first into the water. Once all lobster are in the kettle, clap lid on, apologize to the lobsters and boil furiously for 12-15 minutes until lobsters are bright red and a sharp tug on an antenna pulls it off.
To drain lobsters, remove with tongs or turn the kettle into sink.

Put each lobster on its back on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through body and down the tail, slicing through the underbelly but not the shell. flex the lobster over the sink and drain. Crack the claws and drain them well.

Melt butter, place melted butter in bowls and let people dip the lobster in butter.

Save the shells for lobster bisque!

Baby Back Spare Ribs/Regular Spare Ribs

Baby Back Spare Ribs
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Ingredients

1 rack baby back spare ribs
 (or regular ribs)
6 garlic cloves
Molasses
Garlic Powder
Tobasco Sauce
Worcester Sauce
Soy Sauce
Tomato Ketchup
KC Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce





Directions

Slice the ribs, place in a baking dish, add 6 garlic cloves chopped roughly, add a little water, so that the water comes half way up the ribs, do not cover ribs with water.
Cover baking dish with silver foil and bake for approximately 3 - 4 hours at 290 degrees F.
After 2 1/2 hours, check meat for tenderness, you are looking for the meat to come away from bone, if it is still firm, continue to bake covered and check again after another hour, depending on how tender, it may only take 3 hours, but most likely 4 hours.
This recipe works with regular spare ribs, cooking time varies.
I think baby back ribs don’t take as long.


Sauce

Mix 3 tablespoons molasses
a shake of garlic powder
2 shakes of tobasco sauce
1 shake of Worcester sauce
2 shakes of soy sauce
1/2 bottle ketchup
1/4 cup KC Masterpiece Sauce together in bowl.
Brush sauce over ribs.
Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F. uncovered for 20 minutes or until bubbling.
Or barbeque outside.
Eat immediately  (can be frozen).

scalloped potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

4 or 5 russet potatoes
1 onion
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or whole milk)
butter       
salt and pepper
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
4 tablespoon flour


Directions

Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick
Chop onion

In a pan, put 3 tablespoons flour, add 1 1/2 cups cream (or milk) and keep stirring to heat.
Spray a pyrex dish, layer potatoes, chopped onion, a few dots of butter, some of the grated gruyere cheese and add a little cream. Keep layering this way, until you are close to the top. Make the gruyere cheese the last layer.

Put in oven covered at 350 degrees F and cook for one hour. It should be bubbling by then. Uncover dish and continue baking until brown on top.
I generally put a silver foil tray under the scalloped potatoes, sometimes the bubbling is a bit active and can drip into the bottom of the oven.

Greek Lemon Soup

Greek Lemon Soup

Ingredients

1 3-4lb whole chicken
12 cups water
2 carrots chopped in half skin on
2 stalks celery chopped in half
1 onion peeled and chopped in half
2 bay leaves
5 whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup rice

2 Lemons
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1 can Campbells Cream of Mushroom










Directions

In a large stockpot, bring first 7 ingredients to the boil and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours.....remove chicken, vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns by straining the broth through a colander into a bowl. Pour the strained broth back into to the saucepan.
Add 1/2 cup rice and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender.
Have 3 eggs at room temperature and whisk the eggs until they are frothy in a separate bowl. Add juice of 2 lemons in a steady stream continuing to beat. Ladle two cups of the hot broth into a measuring cup and pour slowly into egg and lemon mixture while continuing to beat. This prevents the eggs from curdling when you add them to the hot broth.
Next stir in the egg lemon mixture into the broth for 5 minutes. Do not bring the soup to a boil . . . Add salt and pepper and stir in a can of Cambells Cream of Mushroom soup. Add a pinch of lemon zest and taste.
Add chicken cut into small pieces......I don’t use all the chicken meat, but might make a chicken pot pie with the remainder.

lentil soup with Swiss Chard

Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard
(Adas bis-Silq)

I can never walk by good looking red Swiss Chard without longing to make this soup, it’s different because the lemon juice gives it a refreshing taste.

Ingredients

1 cup lentils
6 cups water
1 large potato
1 bunch Swiss Chard (red or green)
1 onion
Salt and Pepper
Cumin
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Campbell’s Beef Broth
2 Lemons





Directions

In a saucepan, put 1 cup lentils and cover with 6 cups water.
Mix a package of Liptons Onion Soup with some water and add to lentils.
Add a can of beef broth.
Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and  1 tablespoon cumin.
Boil and mash a potato and add to lentils.
Chop Spanish onion and saute in 1 tablespoon oil, add to pan
Squeeze 2 lemons and add juice to lentils.
Simmer uncovered for about an hour or until the lentils are soft

While the lentils are simmering, wash and chop the Swiss Chard.
When the lentils are tender, add Swiss Chard and continue simmering until the leaves are tender. Add more lemon if needed.

Serve with cabbage leaves or pita bread

veal cutlets

Veal Cutlets

Ingredients

Veal Cutlets thinly sliced
Flour
Egg
Panko Breadcrumbs
Oil
Butter
Lemon









Directions

Cut the cutlets into thirds, dip in flour, beaten egg and then Panka bread crumbs.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little butter into skillet, heat up over medium heat. Drop the cutlets into skillet and saute on both sides until brown, serve with lemon wedges.

Also nice with macaroni cheese.