1 1/4 cups butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. arak liqueur (can substitute ouzo or Pastis)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup blanched almonds, ground finely
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Let the butter soften at room temperature and cream it together with the sugar and egg yolks. Add the arak and cream together again. Sift the flour and baking powder into this mixture and knead into a firm dough. Add the almonds and knead again.
Form the dough into 3" (7 1/2 cm) crescents and place these on an ungreased cookie tin. Bake in a medium oven until the cookies are done (20-25 minutes). Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar. May be served hot or cool.
Serves four.
Ingredients:
3 cups dry red wine
3 Tbsp. each cornstarch and sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten lightly
1 stick cinnamon, about 3" (7 1/2 cm) long
peel of 1/2 lemon, in 2 - 3 pieces
In a saucepan, simmer together the wine, cinnamon and lemon peel for 10 minutes. Blend the cornstarch with 3 Tbsp. of cold water in a mixing bowl. Stir in 3 cups of water, transfer to a separate saucepan and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Strain the cornstarch mixture into the wine and add the sugar, stirring well (may add more sugar to taste).
Slowly spoon about 1 cup of the hot wine soup into the egg yolks, beating constantly. Pour the mixture back into the soup slowly, beating constantly. Heat through but do not boil. Taste and correct the seasoning with sugar if necessary. May be served hot or chilled.
Serves four.
1 cup yogurt
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. hot paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
In a small mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic and salt. Divide the mixture into 4 ovenproof ramekins and place in a slow oven to heat through. Add the vinegar to boiling water, and poach the eggs. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place an egg in each ramekin. Sprinkle over with salt and pepper to taste and return to the oven. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Stir in the paprika, and distribute the butter over the eggs. Serve immediately.
Serves four.
1 1/2 cups rice, well washed
3/4 cup blanched chopped almonds
1/4 cup each pine nuts and honey
2 Tbsp. each oil and soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
In a saucepan, combine the rice with 2 1/4 cups of water and the salt. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce the flame and cook over a low flame until the rice is dry and tender.
Heat the oil in a skillet and lightly saute the pine nuts and almonds. Add the nuts, honey and soy sauce. Toss gently with the cooked rice and serve piping hot.
Serves four.
1 cup rose petal jam
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups pineapple, shredded
1 Tbsp. rose water
crystallized rose petals for garnish (optional)
Note: Rose petal jam, crystallized rose petals and rose water may be purchased in most health food and natural food shops.
In a small saucepan, gently heat the jam and then strain well. Dilute with 3 cups of water and add the lemon juice and pineapple. Heat through and then remove from the flame and let cool for 20 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to chilled ice trays. Cover with foil and place in the freezer until the mixture is thick. Stir well and refreeze. Stir once more when the mixture is thickened but before frozen through. Let freeze solid. Remove from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with crystallized rose petals.
Note: This recipe will serve 8-12. The unused portions may be kept in the freezer nearly indefinitely.
4 small zucchini squash, about 5" (12 cm) long
225 gr. feta or other salty goats' cheese,
drained and crumbled
2 Tbsp. Swiss style cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. each clarified butter and flour
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
butter and breadcrumbs as required
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
rice with nuts, for serving (recipe follows)
Drop the squash into a large amount of lightly salted boiling water and reduce the flame, simmering until the squash are just tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and let cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, flour, dill, garlic, pepper and a bit of salt.
Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange, cut side up, in a serving dish and sprinkle the shells with pepper. Fill with the cheese mixture, dust lightly with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Glaze under a hot broiler until the cheese is sizzling. Over all, drop some of the clarified butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve hot with the rice pilaf.
Serves four.