Chinese Sweet Omelet with Tomato

Chinese Sweet Omelet with Tomato

Ingredients: (serves 4)
6 eggs
4 tomatoes, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon "chicken broth mix" by Knorr

Preparations:
Beat the eggs with the salt, sugar and chicken broth mix. Heat a thick layer of oil in a wok and when hot throw in the beaten eggs. When those are done, remove most of the oil and add the sliced tomatoes till slightly softened. Serve hot with boiled or fried rice.

Chinese Stir fried Chicken with Red Peppers

Chinese Stir fried Chicken with Red Peppers

Ingredients: (serves 4)
500 g of chicken, in cubes/morsels
3 small leeks, cut in chunks
3 big red chili peppers, cut in chunks
2 green bell peppers, sliced
soy sauce
ginger
salt and pepper
aniseed
"chicken broth mix" by Knorr
------------------------------
boiled white rice for 4 people

Preparations:
Marinate chicken in mix of soy sauce, salt, pepper, chopped ginger and chicken broth mix for 15-20 minutes.
Heat a deep layer of oil in a wok and add lots of ground pepper and some aniseed to the oil. Deep fry the chicken till crisp, then remove most of the oil from the pan.
Stir fry the chicken with the leek, the red pepper and lastly the green pepper.
Serve with boiled white rice.
Note: the red chili peppers aren't necessarily meant to eat. They enhance the flavour and the appearance of the dish.

Romanian Plăcintă cu dovleac (pumpkin pastry)

Romanian Plăcintă cu dovleac (pumpkin pastry)

Ingredients:
1 kg pumpkin
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
filo pastry in sheets, oiled
powdered sugar

Preparations:
Steam or boil the pumpkin till soft and grate or blend to make a thick paste. Mix in the sugar and the cinnamon. Spread this mixture on the oiled filo sheets and roll into long strips. Bake in oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut into squares and serve.

Romanian Ardei umpluţi (stuffed green pepper)

Romanian Ardei umpluţi (stuffed green pepper)

Ingredients: (serves 4)
8 green peppers
500 g ground meat (pork/veal/beef/lamb)
half cup of rice
2 large onions, diced
1 big can of diced tomatoes
2 small cans of tomato paste
salt and pepper
chopped parsley and/or dill and thyme
sour cream

Preparations:
Wash and clean inside of peppers; Fry the rest of the ingredients (except the sour cream) in a frying pan till onions are soft and meat is well done. The rice is still hard. Stuff peppers with the mixture, place in a heavy pan and add water to cover the peppers. Let simmer on a low fire for about 40 minutes until rice is well cooked. Top the peppers with sour cream and serve.

Romanian Mămăligă cu Brânză (polenta with cheese)

Romanian Mămăligă cu Brânză (polenta with cheese)

Ingredients:
250 grams polenta
salt
pepper
butter
sour cream
yoghurt
feta cheese

Preparations:
Prepare the polenta: add salt to a liter of water, let it boil, then gradually add the polenta. Do not pour directly from the container, but use your hands, pouring a handful at time. After adding all the cornmeal, increase the heat and let cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. While cooking, the heat should be high, to cause bubbles to rise and burst on the surface.
When ready, the polenta should come away from the spoon and from the sides of the pot. It can be served hot immediately with salt and pepper to taste.
But the butter, sour cream, yoghurt and feta cheese in little dishes and let each guest add these to the polenta to their taste.
The Mămăligă cu Brânză can be served as a hearty breakfast or as a side dish with meat and vegetables.

Romanian Salată de vinete (aubergine dip)

Romanian Salată de vinete (aubergine dip)

Ingredients:
2 big aubergines (eggplants)
1 small onion
2 tablespoons of mayonaise
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preparations:
Grill the aubergines in the oven, on the barbecue or on the fire on your stove. The skin should become completely black all around. This will take about 20 minutes.
Let cool and then peel of the blackened skin. Chop into big pieces and let excess liquid drain out in a colander or on a wooden cutting board.
Then chop very finely and add a very finely chopped onion. You can also do this with a blender.
Add the oil, salt, pepper and mayonaise to taste and serve with (pita) bread or chips or as a side dish.

Patatas a la Riojana

Patatas a la Riojana
(Spanish stew of potatoes with chorizo, from the Rioja province)


Ingredients (serves 4):
1 kg potatoes, in chunks
chorizo sausage(about 40 cm) in chunks
3 tomatoes, diced
1 big onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
olive oil
1 laurel leaf
1 tablespoon of paprika powder

Preparations:
Fry diced onion and garlic in a generous amount of olive oil. When these are soft add the chorizo chunks, the diced tomatoes and the paprika powder and stir.
Now cut the potatoes in chunks. The "traditional way" is to cut the potato half way and then break off the chunk. This will help the potatoes absorb the flavour of the sauce better.
Add the potatoes to the pot, stir for a minute to distribute the flavours and then top it off with water. Add enough to just cover the potatoes.
Leave on the fire with the lid slightly open for about 30-45 minutes, till the potatoes are soft enough to your liking.

Catalan Pa amb Tomàquet

Catalan Pa amb Tomàquet
(Bread with Tomato)

Ingredients:
French bread (or if available: Spanish "flautas" or "pan de payés")
garlic cloves, cut in half
ripe tomatoes, cut in half
olive oil
salt

Preparations:
For best results, cut the bread in half lengthwise and toast in oven till crunchy. The point is you don't want the bread to be too soft.
Then:
-rub the garlic cloves over the bread,
-rub the tomatoes over the bread so the juice is transferred to the bread
-drizzle olive oil over the bread
-sprinkle some salt on top
The Pa amb Tomàquet can be served to accompany salad or soup, or as a light meal with manchego cheese or serrano ham. Why eat just bread, if you can eat Pa amb Tomàquet?

Witloof in den Oven

Flemish "Witloof in den Oven"
Gratin of Belgian Endives with Ham and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients: (serves 4)
8 Belgian endives
8 slices of ham
400 g of grated cheese
10 big potatoes
100 g of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
stock cube
milk
salt and pepper
nutmeg

Preparations:
Remove the outer leaves of the endives, then steam them. If you do not like the slightly bitter taste of these vegetables, you can cut them in half and also remove the leaves in the centre. Drain in colander.
Wrap them in ham slices and place them in a buttered cassarole.
To make the cheese sauce, first melt butter in a thick bottomed pan and gradually add the flour to create a thick sauce. Add some milk and water, most of the grated cheese, a stock cube and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the sauce over the endives and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Put in the oven for about 30 minutes at 210 degrees Celsius or till top is golden.

For the mashed potatoes: boil the potatoes till soft, mash them with butter, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

For a real Belgian touch, serve with champagne!