Egg Weight Dough

Today I received a postcard from Doris in Germany and it has a special recipe I have never heard of before called Egg Weight Dough. She said this recipe comes from her mother for when you don't have a dough recipe on hand, but you need something quick such as on holidays. I love these family recipes, they are so special!

Ingredients:

4-5 eggs
Sugar
Fat (she likes butter)
Flour

Optional:

Nuts
Fruit (she suggests raspberries)

Directions:

You weigh the eggs and give the same amount of sugar and fat, mix until it is a bit foamy. At last you whirl the same amount of flour into it. You may put some grounded nuts above before baking (also raspberry possible) or fruit after baking. Hope you like it!

I'm looking forward to trying this with various gluten-free flours to see how they work out. I love playing in my kitchen!

Bon Apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana

Potato Pancakes

Today's recipe for Potato Pancakes aka Dranuku (or Russian Draniki), the national dish of Belarus and comes from a 14 year old young lady. This sounds so yummy! I love anything with potatoes. The postcard image is of Independence Avenue in Minsk. It is so beautiful!

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
2-4 tablespoons flour
black pepper
oil

Directions:

1. Finely grate the potatoes with onion into a large bowl. Drain off any excess liquid.

2. Mix in egg, salt and black pepper. Add enough flour to make mixture thick, about 2-4 tablespooons all together.

3. Turn oven to low, about 200 F or 95 C.

4. Heat 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Fry turning once, until golden brown.

(Note: Simply use an all purpose or your favorite gluten free flour blend to make it gluten free!)

Bon apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana

Cilantro Pesto

Today's recipe for Cilantro Pesto comes from a lovely couple in Washington State, USA. They note that it comes recommended by both spouses to stay equally "kissing" sweet.

Now I've made pesto from each basil and carrot greens that I've grown in my garden, but I haven't tried it with cilantro yet and I'm very excited. I love cilantro. Now if you're still scratching your head over carrot green pesto, it reminds me a little of a curled parsley pesto. Here's a recipe: Carrot Green Pesto.

Now for the Cilantro Pesto:

Ingredients:

5 cloves garlic
1 bunch organic cilantro
1 cup sliced almonds (pine nuts are too expensive)
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
dash cracked pepper to taste
dash sea salt to taste

Directions:

Mix ingredients in a blender until level of desired creamy or crunchy consistency.

Serve with sliced sourdough french bread, gluten-free crackers, or other medium.

Note: If you're not familiar with pesto and you're wondering what type of cheese to use, Parmesan is standard. I'm curious to try this with other cheeses though, maybe cojita?

Bon Apetit!

Diana

Peppermintcrisp Tart - A Taste From South Africa

This recipe comes from a lovely woman in South Africa who not only sent me a postcard and recipe, she sent an envelope with two postcards and stamps! The postcard with the view of the sheep grazing is what the landscape looks like in her area. It is so beautiful!

This dessert sounds amazing! I adore mint and chocolate and coconut biscuits, but I've never had them together. Here in the United States I suspect Andes Mints would work quite well as a substitution for the peppermintcrisp chocolates.

Ingredients:

1 can caramel treat (360g) (canned caramel or dulce de leche in the United States)
2x 250mL cream
2x packets of tennis biscuits (any type of coconut biscuits will do)
3x peppermintcrisp chocolate (grated, +- 150g)

Directions:

• Whip cream and add caramel treat
• Add chocolate, but leave a bit for the top
• Dip biscuits in water and put in dish - one layer
• Throw a bit of cream over and then another layer of biscuits
• Repeat cream and biscuits until you end with a layer of cream, the thinner the layers the better!
• Throw the remainder of the chocolate over. 
• Put in the fridge until set. Enjoy!

This would make a fantastic Christmas holiday dessert!

Bon Apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana

Pelmeni Moscow

Today's delicious recipe comes from Russia. Pelmeni is a filled dumpling, generally with meat, fish or vegetables. The recipe does not give an amount of time to boil, so I will add that generally you boil the dumplings until they float, then add an additional 2-5 minutes.

For more information on the history of Pelmeni, here is an article from the School of Russian and Asian Studies. Pelmeni History

To make it gluten free, I would simply change the flour to rice flour or use any 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour blend.

Bon apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana

Chinese Fried Rice

This recipe comes from Taiwan and it is one of my all time favorites! I adore fried rice. I could probably eat it every day and never tire of it. This particular recipe is from the postcard sender's mother. Best of all? It has bacon! The postcard above is of typical Taiwanese food.

The sender says: Dear Diana, I'm so glad that you love cooking! And, I want to share my mom's home cooking recipe - Fried Rice! I love this dish! Hope you love it too! Happy cooking & postcrossing :)

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Day old boiled rice
Minced scallions
Bacon
Carrot
Onion
Canned corn
Scrambled Eggs
Soy Sauce (I use low sodium, gluten-free)

Directions:

1. Preheat a wok to medium heat. Pour oil in the bottom. Fry minced scallions, bacon, carrot, onion, canned corn, then eggs first.

2. Add the rice to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top. Stir all the ingredients until heated through and combined.

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I have a version I make here at my home in Oklahoma. In a large skillet, I cook diced chicken, onion, garlic, frozen peas and carrots with a neutral oil (like light tasting olive oil or canola oil) and sesame oil, then season with a little Chinese 5 spice. I then I push the meat and veggies to the edges of the pan and scramble an egg in the center, then stir in rice. Top with soy sauce, toss to combine until heated through.

Bon apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana

Spaanse Zarzuela aka Spanish Zarzuela aka Seafood Stew

This week's recipe comes from the Netherlands. The original recipe is in Dutch, so I had a friend living in the Netherlands help me translate.

Ingredients:

3 onions, diced

1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

Large can tomatoes

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon oregano

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper, to taste

2 glasses white wine

half of one lemon, juiced

2 cups water

one squid

+/- 20 mussels

250g (about 1/2 lb) cod

250g shrimp

parsley to garnish

Directions:

Sautee the onion and red bell pepper in the oil. 

Meanwhile, mash with a fork one large can of tomatoes until fine. Mince the garlic cloves and add to the pan with tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

Let the fluids boil down, then add wine, lemon juice and water.

Meanwhile, cut a squid into pieces, cod into 4 pieces, add with mussels to sauce and let it simmer 10 minutes. Baste frequently with sauce.

Add shrimp and let heat until cooked. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Bon apetit and Happy Postcrossing!

Diana