Welcome to my recipe collection.

These recipes offer a delicious mix of new and old world flavors. From the kitchens of my mother and grandmother in Transylvania to the new fusion mixes from my home kitchen in Canada. I have been inspired by the fickle tastes of my children ( vegetarian, pescatarian or whichever way the wind may blow) and my desire to become healthier without compromising taste. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Leave me comments and your favorite recipes!

Sunday, April 04, 2010


PUREE of WHITE WINTER VEGETABLES

4 baking potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 turnips, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 celery root (celeriac)
1 1/2 lb (750 g) peeled and coarsely chopped
10 cloves garlic


2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp heavy (double) cream

3 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper



Place the potatoes , turnips, onion, celery root and garlic in a sauce pan. Add water to cover and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered until the vegetables are completely tender when pierced with a knife, 20-25 minutes. Drain well, pressing the vegetables with the back of a spoon to drain off all the liquid.
In a small saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat. Place the drained vegetables in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse several times until pureed.
Transfer the mixture to a clean saucepan. Stir in the butter-cream mixture and the vinegar. Place over medium heat and reheat to serving temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon de puree into a serving dish and serve hot.

WILTED KALE WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

2 bunches kale, about 2 lb (1 kg) total weight, stems removed and carefully rinsed

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper to taste to form a vinaigrette. Set aside.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Cut the kale crosswise into 1 inch (2.5 cm)strips and add to the pan. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale wilts, 5-7 minutes. Uncover, drizzle the vinaigrette over the kale and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place on a warmed plate and serve immediately.

HEARTY VEGETARIAN CHILI

A teli unnepek alatt inkabb tobb zoldseget ettunk mert itthon volt Hajnalka meg Istvanka es ok mindketten vegetarianusok. Mamanak is nagyon tetszett es igy kiprobaltuk ezt a chilit. Nagyon finom volt, pedig elfelejtettuk a sajtot ratenni.



1 tbsp (15ml) butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15ml) chili powder

1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5ml) oregano, dried

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp (5ml) basil, dried
2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

28 oz (828ml) can of diced plum tomatoes with juice
12 oz (340 g) package of seasoned ground tofu

19 oz (562 ml) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Over medium heat saute butter and onion until onions are clear. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, jalapeno, and basil. Saute for 1 minute, stirring to mix. Add carrots, celery, and green pepper and saute for a few minutes to soften. Stir in remaining ingredients (tomatoes, ground tofu, and beans) and bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour. The longer it simmers, the better. Adjust spices to taste. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese and serve with crusty bread (garlic bread is good, too). Serves 4.

VEGGIES AND RICE

Makes 5 cups (1.25L)

Preparation time:6 minutes
Baking time:8 minutes


1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (250ml) sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup (125 ml)diced sweet red pepper
15 snow peas, cut into thirds

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced
1 egg beaten

3 cups (750 ml)cold, cooked long grain rice
2 tbsp (25 ml) soy sauce

In large nonstick deep skillet heat vegetable oil over medium -high heat. Add mushrooms, red pepper, snow peas and garlic; stir-fry for 3 minutes.
Add green onions and beaten egg; stir until egg is just set. Add rice and soy sauce; stir until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.


TOMATO FLAN

it is from Vogue; Jeannie, our friend in Halifax was making it. I didn't really liked it.

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan, cook 8 large red tomatoes (or a large can of stewed tomatoes) with 4 chopped shallots. Add 1 tsp sugar, salt and ground peppers. Simmer 20 min. Puree in a blender. Add basil (chopped), stir in 5 eggs and 1/2 cup of cream. Butter a souffle dish. Pour tomato mixture into the dish. Cover with buttered wax paper. Place into a pan of water . Bake for 45 min in a 400F oven. Cool, un-mold.
Sauce: Puree 2 avocados with lime juice to taste and add a little cream to thin. Serve sauce with flan.

FENNEL SPINACH SALAD

1 bulb fennel
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
10 oz. cleaned spinach

Trim the fennel and cut it into thin slices. In a large frying pan,
heat the oil and add fennel and 1⁄2 tsp salt. Cook until fennel has
softened. 8-10 minutes. Stir in lemon-juice. Add the spinach, 1⁄4 tsp
salt and 1⁄4 tsp pepper. Stir until the spinach begins to wilt.

AVOCADO and TOMATO QUESADILLA



2 tomatoes

1 avocado

lemon juice

2 tsp chopped onion

4 dashes of Tabasco sauce
salt/pepper

chopped chili pepper

shredded cheese
tortilla


Brush tortilla with oil on both sides. Heat a skillet and cook 
tortilla until lightly browned.Sprinkle with cheese and avocado 
mixture. Cook until cheese melts. Serve with Salsa.
 Serves 4

READ BEAN CHILI

1 1/4 lb (500g) ground hamburger
1 large red onion chopped

1 tsp salt
4 tbsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp sugar

3 tsp ground cumin

1- 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups water

1 cup canned beef (chicken) broth
2 tbsp vinegar

1 1/2 cups canned red kidney beans drained



Saute hamburger and onion until browned. Add salt, chili powder, garlic, sugar, cumin and flour. Slowly stir in tomato sauce, beef (chicken ) broth, water and vinegar. Finally add kidney beans and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve hot in “chili bowls”.

MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD

250 ml couscous 1 cup
2 tbsp each lemon juice and olive oi
l
75 ml chopped green onion
l
2 medium tomatoes diced

250 ml canned red kidney beans (1 cup)
125 g feta or mozzarella cheese crumbled (1/4 lb)
60 ml walnut pieces or pine nuts (1/4 cup)
25 ml each finely chopped fresh mint and/or oregano (2tbs

p)

Cook couscous in 1 cup of water. Cool to room temperature. Whisk together lemon juice and oil. Pour over other ingredients, combining well. Season with fresh pepper. Serves four.

LEEK AND RICE PILAF

Served with sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and crusty bread

1 tbsp olive oil
4 cups chopped leeks (white part only)
2 cups water
1 cup rice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

In a large heavy sauce pan heat oil over medium heat; cook leaks stirring occasionally for about 5 min or until translucent, almost tender. Add water, bring to boil. Stir in rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 min or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Stir in dill, salt pepper. Makes 4 servings.

VEGETARIAN STIR FRY

Hajnalka receptje

1 kg fagyasztott stirfrynak valo zoldseg
1 tsp olajat egy nagy sutoben megforrositunk kozepes - nagy tuzon. Hozzaadjuk a fagyasztott zoldseget, 1 tbsp vizet es a stirfrynak valo laskat. Lefedjuk es fozzuk 7 percig, kozben csak egyszer kavarjuk meg.
Hozzaadunk 4 tbsp soya szoszt. Lefedjuk es fozzuk tovabb 3 - 4 percig. Gyakran megkavarjuk. Rogton felszolgaljuk.
Adhatunk hozza disztelt gombat es pergelt szezam (sesami) magokkal megszorjuk
Adhatunk hozza fott marhahust, chirkehust vagy shrimpet.
Zoldhagymaval es foldimogyoroval szolgaljuk fel.

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

5 ripe tomatoes seeded and finely chopped

1 large clove garlic minced or pressed

1 small onion finely chopped

1 1/2 - 2 tsp fresh jalapenos minced or 8 oz can of green chilies
2- 3 tsp cilantro chopped

1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 1/2 tsp lime juice

pinch of oregano
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours then refrigerate if not using immediately. Caution: fresh jalapenos can burn skin and eyes. Wash hands immediately after mincing peppers. Adjust hotness of salsa by adding more or less peppers.

KRUMPLIS SZILVAS GOMBOC

Edesanyam (Szakacs Martonne, szul Torok Jolan) receptje, Nyaradszereda. Nagyon finom csak nekem savat csinal.

10 hamozott krumplit sos vizben megfozni, vizet leszurom, kiteszem a lapitora es megtorom. Mikor meghult adok hozza 1/2 - 3/4 kg lisztet 2 tojast, jol osszegyurom (de nem sokaig). Lapitot meglisztezem es a tesztat 1/2 cm vastagra kinyujtom. Vizet teszek egy fazekba foni. Egy labasba prezlit teszek (1-2 tbsp) olajba es lassan megpiritom. A tesztat 5cm/5cm nagysagu kockakra vagom Kimagolom a szilvat, minden felbe teszek egy kaveskanal (1/4 tsp) cukrot es fahejat. Gombocot csinalok es a fovo, sos vizbe teszem. Ket reszbe fozom meg. Mikor feljon a viz tetejere,meg 5 percig fozom. Utanna kiszedem a szurokanallal es a prezlibe teszem.

Hajnal’s RATATOUILLE


1/4 cup oliva olaj

4 kicsi zukkini

1 nagy vagy ket kissebb winetta

2 cikk fokhagyma
2 kozepes vagy egy nagy fej hagyma

750 ml paradicsom pure

3/4cup rizs

zold petrezselyem

bazsalikom (basil)

3 szal cellery



Az olajban megdinszteljuk a hagymat, paprikat, cellerit. Hozzaadjuk a karikara vagott zukkinit, kockara vagott vinettat, fokhagymat, paradicsompuret, rizset, bazsalikomot zoldpetrezselymet. Egy edenybe tezzsuk, lefedjuk es a lerben 35-40 percig sutjuk 350F (175C). Ha szukseges, megkavarjuk hogy a rizs megfojon. Magara vagy hussal talaljuk.


ARTICHOKE DIP

Jennifer Chapman’s recipe, Halifax


1 can (8oz) of artichoke hears,
3/4 of a cup of mayonnaise,
2 crushed cloves of garlic,
3/4 of a cup of parmesan chees.

Mix them all togheter after you have cut the artichoke hearts fairly finely. Then bake them in a 375F owen for 15 to 20 min until the crust is a little golden.

GUACAMOLE

Debra Langille’s recipe, Halifax

2 large ripe avocados
5 tbs minced onions
4 canned piled green chili peppers chopped fine
4 clove garlic minced
3 tbs lemon juice or vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
fresh choriander
chopped tomato

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH CHIPS AND STICKS

Serves 12

3 garlic cloves

3 15 oz cans cannelini (white kidney beans) rinsed drained

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-1/4 tsps ground cumin
1-1/2 tsps chili powder

salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsps minced fresh cilantro

Additional minced fresh cilantro for garnish.
Fresh vegetables (carrot sticks, celery stick, cauliflower).
Tortilla chips.



Finely chop garlic in processor. Add beans and lemon juice and puree. Mix in oil, cumin and chili powder. Season with salt, pepper. Puls 3 tbsps cilantro. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with vegetables and chips. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.