Romanian eggplant salad

This salad has always been my favourite. I could eat tones of the stuff. When I was little, and someone used to ask me what was my favourite dish, I would always answer eggplant salad!

This salad is ment to be an appetizer, but I would eat it as maindish and dessert all together!Since I came to Sweden I haven't eaten it, and I really miss it. I once bought from the supermarket a can with eggplant salad, but it was so groce.. I tried to add chopped onion and mayo, but it was no good and I tossed it immediatelly. And I decided I should call my mom and ask her exactly what I need and how was she doing it for me when I was little so I can reproduce it and make my little dream come true!

I used:
- 2 eggplants
- sunflower oil
- 1 onion
- lemon juice
- salt



The eggplants need to be roasted on the stove, on open flame. But as I have an electrical stove, I actually grilled them, until the insides became very soft.





After I removed them from the grill, I skinned them. It's good, and it may help to have a little bowl with cold water in which you can dip the fingers, so you don't burn yourselves :)



I cut the tail and removed part of the seeds (not all), the ones that just fall of, sort to speak. They need to be very well drained before you start working with them. Cut them in half and put them on a plate or a cuttingboard and let the juices drain for about 2 hours.



After they are completly drained (if not, those juices can make them bitter) I mashed them with a wooden knife. If you don't have a wooden knife, use a wooden spatula or a plastic one. It is important not to be inox or iron, because they get bitter as well :)



I put them in a bowl, added about 2 tbs of salt and some lemon juice. From this point on, you have to do it like you do with mayo. Pour the sunfloweroil little by little, stirring continuously, with a wooden spoon, until it becomes like a paste, it changes a bit the colour and it almost doubles the volume. The quantity of oil is entirely up to you.

In the end I added fine chopped onion and salt (if needed).



In the romanian traditional style we serve them with tomatoes, mayonese and/or pepper salad. And bread! It's delicious, I don't know one person that doesn't like this one! :)

Creamy fish and shrimps chowder

I don't even remember the last time I had fish soup. But I do remember I didn't enjoy it. I remember my grandma was cooking it, but also how the fish head was looking back at me from the bowl with those translucid eyes.. brr.. no wonder I never liked it. Until today, because I cooked it!
Ok, I didn't used the fish head, and it is creamy, but it's still a fish soup! And one of a sudden I decided I really like it!

I used:
- 75g butter
- 3 small carrots
- 1 little onion
- 2 ts all purpose flour
- 500ml fish stock
- 4 small potatoes
- 200g frozen peas
- 500ml milk
- 250g cheddar cheese
- 350g fish : salmon, cod and shrimps
- parslej
- salt and pepper



I washed, peeled and cut the carrots. Same with the potatoes. I chopped the onion.
For the fish stock you can use Knorr cubes.
My fish was already cut in small cubes, bought like that from the supermarket, special for soups.

I heated the butter over medium-low heat, added the carrots and onion and saute, stirring, for about 5-7 minutes. I added the flour and stirred until it was well blended, 1-2 minutes.



I added the fish stock and the potatoes and let it boil. Then put a lid on and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat, stirring from time to time.
I added the fish, peas, the milk and cheddar cheese. I let it cook, stirring very gently from time to time, for 10 more minutes or until the cheese has melted.





In the end I added salt (if needed) and pepper and the chopped parsley.
This soup was a very pleasant surprise. Velvety creamy texture.. incredible tasty!



The above picture was for presentation purposes.. in reality, this big bowl I ate! :)

Tapas - baby new potatoes with aioli

I used:
- small new potatoes
- 4-5 ts mayonnaise
- 1 ts mustard
- juice from 1/2 a lemon (I had helas)
- 1 big garlic clove
- parsley
- salt, pepper, sunflower oil



I washed and partially peeled the potatoes. In a pot of salted water I boiled them for about 10-15 minutes. They need to be just thoroughly cooked, but not completely soft. I tested them with a toothpick, which has to oppose some resistance.



My baby potatoes were small, but still not small enough for what I wanted, so I cut them in 2 or even 4 :)



I fried the potatoes in a frying pan, in sunflower oil until they turn golden.



I added salt, pepper and sprinkled parsley. It's good to have fresh parsley, for the flavour. I forgot to buy so I got stuck with dry parsley.



For the aioli, I mixed the mayo with the mustard, added the lemon juice and the minced garlic until it becomes like a paste. Add salt if it is needed.





I served them warm. Some people recommend to combine the aioli with the potatoes, like a little salad. I chose to have them served as a dip. They were delicious, either way!

Roasted stuffed lamb

In Romania we cook lamb for every Easter, and the roasted lamb is a traditional meal. It is the first time when I cooked this, and frankly speaking, I was a bit afraid I won't get rid of that sheep smell. But everything was ok, nothing smelled anything like sheep, the meat had the exact tender and soft consistence I was looking for!It was delicious and it made me feel a little bit like home :)

I used:
- 1kg lamb meat
- 2 bacon stripes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 75g salted butter
- rosemary
- salt and pepper, different spices



I melted the butter in a saucepan, added the spices, salt and pepper and 2 minced garlic cloves. I let it cool off for a few minutes so I could work with it later.



The meat I cleaned it of the fat portions and made small holes in it with a kitchen knife. I stuffed the holes with little pieces of bacon and the last garlic clove, chopped. My piece of meat was a bit round like a little ball, so I cut it in half, and then I covered the two parts together.



I put the meat in a big bowl and poured over it the mixture of butter and condiments. It needs to marinate, so I put it in the fridge for 2 hours.



Before I put it in the oven, I fried it in a pan, on medium heat. Not too long, but enough so it gets a fine crust. I sat it in a bakingpan, poured over the remaining juices of the marinate sauce and added water (around 2 cups).



I put it in the oven, 70-80 Celsius degrees for 1.5-2 hours. Now don't get me wrong, it depends on everyones oven and the thickness of the meat. My advice is to always check and do the toothpick test in order to see when it's done.







I served it with potatoes grating, salad and garlic butter. It was so nice, it was melting in the mouth!

Shrimp and avocado cocktail

After many researches, I found this way of making shrimp cocktail to be the one I like the most. It's extremely delicious, creamy, refreshing and perfect as an appetizer.

I used:
- fresh salad leaves
- 1 avocado
- 50g shrimps
- 50g prawns
- 1 lemon
- dill
- for the sauce: ketchup and mayo (50:50) and 1-2 tablespoons of cognac

The sauce is made by mixing the mayo with the ketchup and the cognac.. very simple.



I cut the avocado in half and took out the middle wooden part. I peeled it, cut it in little cubes and put it in lemon juice so it doesn't turn brown.





I mixed all the ingredients together, added the rest of the lemon juice and the dill and let it rest for a while so all the aromas blend.







I served them in martini glasses because I thought it looked more funky :) but it can be served in small bowls or anything you have basically. I teared apart a few salad leaves and put in the glass. Then I added a good amount of the mixture and added more dill and a slice of lemon for the appearance factor:)

Enjoy!

Egg, ham and grilled peppers salad

Another salad. I cannot have enough of them, especially now that it's so hot outside. And every monday I say to myself "from today on I will be on a diet", and I need to eat lots of salads with vitamins, minerals and fibres!

I used:
- salad leaves (different kinds, romaine, lettuce, iceberg)
- 1 boiled egg
- 100g ham
- 50g feta cheese
- 2 grilled peppers in vinaigre
- olive oil, salt, pepper
- different salad spices

Cheese and mushroom pies

I always liked and always will like pies. Any kind, shape or form of pies. Any flavour or filling. I can say I have a sweet tooth for pies:)Here is two, very simple to make.

I used:
- 2 eggs
- pastry
- 1 mushroom can
- 1 small onion
- 250g cottage cheese
- 50g feta cheese
- salt, pepper
- 50g cream or 50g natural yougurt
- oil or butter for frying



Cheese filling - I mixed the cottage cheese with feta and the egg and added salt.



Mushroom filling - I cut the onion and saute it in oil (or butter) until it becomes translucid and I added minced mushrooms. I fried the whole thing for about 5-7 minutes, then I added the yogurt/cream and salt and held them on medium heat for 3-4 more minutes.



I cut the pastry in two (you can make any shape and form you want) and put in the fillings. I greased both oh them with beaten egg and poked them with a tooth stick.



I preheated the oven at 200 Celsius degrees and put them in for about 20-30 minutes. You need to verify them from time to time so they don't get too brown or burn.