The Eclectic Cooking Newsletter
Monday, September 3, 2001


Lydia Jensen, Editor:  Lydiajj@get2net.dk <mailto:Lydiajj@get2net.dk>
Lars Jensen, Webmaster/Publisher:  Lars@Eclecticcooking.com
www.eclecticcooking.com/CookingRecipes.htm


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=> Hot Tip
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Plus, something extra:)


Featured Articles


Saturday August 25, 05:01 PM:
"OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's Crown Prince Haakon has wed a single-mother Cinderella in Oslo as thousands of Norwegians cheered in forgiving mood for her wild partying past."

   American has its Hollywood and Northern Europe has its royalty.  Norway gained a crown princess on Saturday, August 25, when Crown Prince Haakon of Norway married Mette-Marit in the Oslo Dome Church.  The wedding took place at 5:00 p.m. with 800 guests present at the ceremony. When Crown Prince Haakon wed the Swedish blond-haired, blue-eyed Mette-Marit in Oslo, thousands of Norwegians cheered despite the fact that the bride had left quite a liberal past behind her.  Most of Europe's royalty attended the wedding. The three heirs to the Scandinavian thrones, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway shared the eventful day.  

   We watched nine hours of the televised event which began with the arrival of Europe's heads of state, dignitaries, diplomats and royalty, the ceremony in the church, the greetings of the Norwegian Royal family from the palace balcony in Oslo after the wedding, and the reception and dinner in the palace which concluded the events. Although the couple were already living together in a flat in Oslo, they plan to eventually move to the royal estate of Skaugum west of the city of Oslo.

   I was, of course, primarily interested in the menu for the dinner which was served to ca. 400 guests in two  sessions.  The immediate family, heads of state and European royalty comprised of 220 guests which were seated in the main dining hall together with the wedding couple, whereas the remaining 180 guests were served during the second sitting.   Once the guests had gone through the reception line and extended their best wishes to the royal couple, they proceeded to the dining hall where they stood behind their chairs until all guests had arrived and the royal couple had entered.  Protocol demanded that only when the bride and groom seated themselves  were the guests permitted to take their seats.   

   I was delighted when the four course menu was made public, and I was able to glean some recipes for our readers.  Norway is not known for its cuisine, so some of the menu may not be what you might expect. However, it is an interesting menu which is served in four courses:



First Starter
Mussels Kilpatrick
(or Oyster Mornay)

Second Starter
Fried Filet of Perch or Pike with Cauliflower Purè

Main Course
Filet of Lamb with Thyme Sauce
Spring Onions


Dessert
Royal Parfait


The wedding cake weighed 140 Kg consisting of numerous tiers, covered with icing and decorated with Viking ships.  The cake was laden with raisins and rum.  

If you are adventurous and feel like tasting the food from royal platters, try the recipes and enjoy the food.


More articles:
http://www.eclecticcooking.com/articlesindex.htm

How to Be Featured as our Guest Writer:

Please contact the editor or Email your article to:
Lydia Jensen at Eclectic Cooking:  Lydiajj@get2net.dk


Added recipes and article for September 3


First Starter
Mussels Kilpatrick
or Oyster Mornay

Second Starter
Fried Filet of Perch or Pike with Cauliflower Purè

Main Course
Filet of Lamb with Thyme Sauce Spring Onions

Dessert
Royal Parfait

ARTICLE: Food for Royalty and Guests

 

If you are adventurous and feel like tasting the food from royal platters, try the recipes and enjoy the food.

Mussels Kilpatrick
(Serves 4)

24 ( mussels  (oysters )on the half shell
6 thick rashers of smoked bacon
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter

Thoroughly wash the raw oysters in running cold water. Open them.  Keep half of the shell with the oyster and throw the other half away. In a small skillet, gently saute the onion.  Remove the onions.  Chop the bacon and gently cook in the saucepan until the bacon is cooked and beginning to turn crispy.   Add the sautèd onions to the bacon and mix.  Place 1-2 tsp of this mixture on top of each oyster and grill until bacon is lightly browned - 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with a little freshly chopped parsley or rosemary and serve immediately.



Oysters Mornay
(Serves 4)

24 fresh oysters

Thoroughly wash the raw oysters in running cold water. Open them.  Keep half of the shell with the oyster and throw the other half away. Remove the oyster from the shell and place a little of the mornay sauce on the shell.  Return the oyster and cover with a little more sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and grill until lightly browned.  Serve at once.

Mornay Sauce

1 Cup milk
1 bay leaf
1 onion or shallot, finely chopped
4-5 peppercorns
1 oz butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp whipping cream
2 Tbsp grated sharp cheese
1/2 tsp French mustard.
Salt and white pepper

In a saucepan, heat the milk, bay leaf, onion and peppercorns just until the boiling point.  Remove the saucepan from the burner, cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan, remove from the burner and add the flour, stirring until it makes a smooth paste.  Return the saucepan to the burner and gently cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the burner.  Strain the milk and add to the flour mixture stirring vigorously to make a smooth sauce.  Return the saucepan to the burner and cook over medium heat until it just starts to boil.   Add the grated cheese and french mustard and stir until well blended and the cheese has melted.  



Fried Perch or Pike with Cauliflower Purè

(Serves 4)

Four filets of perch or pike (or other flat fish such as plaice)
3  Cups fresh bread crumbs
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
flour
Butter
Vegetable oil

Remove skin from filets.  Combine bread crumbs, parsley, a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Beat the egg and milk in a flat bowl.  Coat the fish filets with flour,  dip into beaten egg and milk mixture and coat well with bread crumbs. Melt equal parts butter and oil (about 2 Tbsp each) in a large frying pan or skillet.  Fry the fish until golden brown and cooked through.  Serve with Cauliflower purè.

Cauliflower Purè
(Serves 4-6)

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 dl water
1 fresh cauliflower (or frozen)
1-3/4 dl light sour cream or "creme fraiche"
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Wash and cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces. In a large saucepan gently cook the onion and cauliflower until tender.  (If you prefer you may steam the cauliflower and saute the onion in a little butter or olive oil until just tender but not brown.)  Puree the onion and cauliflower and place in a medium-sized saucepan.  Add the light sour cream or "creme fraiche", salt and pepper and mix until a smooth puré.  Serve one or two tablespoons topped with a little freshly chopped rosemary or parsley next to the fish filet.  


Filet of Lamb with Thyme Sauce
and Spring Onions
(Serves 4)

4 lamb filets

Wash and clean the lamb filets.  Dry with a paper towel. In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, melt a little butter and vegetable oil (about 2 Tbsp each).  When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, reduce the heat to medium and place the filets in the hot skillet. Cover and cook 6-7 minutes.  Turn and cook another 6-7 minutes.  Set aside to rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.  If you like your meat well done, cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes on each side.

Slice the filet into 1-inch size slices and arrange on a large platter with new potatoes decorated with a little fresh mint leaves or parsley leaves.  

Can also be served with Spring onions as follows:
8 spring onions
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 Tbsp good honey
6 Tbsp balsamico vinegar  (dark malt vinegar)

Mix the freshly chopped thyme, honey, malt vinegar salt and pepper.  Place the spring onions in a good-sized casserole dish so that the onions can be laid flat length-wise.  Pour the honey mixture over the spring onions and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at

180 C (350 F).  Serve on a large platter with the new potatoes on one side, the sliced lamb filets in the middle and the spring onions on the other side

Serve the thyme sauce in a separate dish.

Thyme Sauce

2 tsp butter
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2-2/1 dl bouillon (from lamb)
1-1/2 dl whipping cream
2 egg yolks
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp freshly chopped thyme

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan.  Add the flour and blend with the butter.   Remove the sauce-pan from the burner and add the bouillon stirring vigorously to make a smooth sauce.  Return the saucepan to the burner and let it cook for a couple of minutes; continue stirring.  Beat the egg yolks, add the whipping cream and beat until smooth.  Remove the saucepan from the burner and gradually add the whipping cream, stirring constantly.  Add the lemon juice and stir again.  Return the saucepan to the burner and heat thoroughly - do not boil.
Remove the saucepan from the burner, add the thyme, stir again and serve (or keep covered and hot until ready to serve).



Royal Parfait
(Serves 8)

1 pint  (4 dl) custard (medium thick vanilla sauce)
1 oblong sponge cake
1/3 Cup (2/3 dl) sherry
1 small jar strawberry jam (ca. 6 oz) or  
    8 oz  (250 g)  raspberries 1/2 Cup (1 dl) sugar
1 punnet fresh strawberries
1 small  tin sliced peaches
1/4 Cup (1/2 dl) toasted, slivered almonds
1 Cup (2 dl) whipping cream
1/4 Cup strawberries (extra)

Make the custard (vanilla sauce) according to the directions on the packet - add a little more milk so that it is not too thick and can be poured.  

Cut the sponge cake into thin slices and put half into 1 large serving bowl.  Sprinkle with half of the sherry, then spread with half of the strawberry jam. If you are using the raspberries, put the raspberries and sugar through the blender and spread half over the sponge cake.

Wash and hull the strawberries.  If the strawberries are quite large, cut them in halves or quarters. Place these over the strawberry jam or purèd reaspberries.  Sprinkle half of the slivered almonds over the mixture.  Pour half of the custard over the strawberries.  

Continue the layers with the the remaining half of the sponge cake.   Sprinkle the rest of the sherry over the cake.   Spread the rest of the strawberry jam over the cake (or the rest of the raspberry purè).  Drain the peaches and place these over the the mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining slivered almonds over the the peaches, then top with the remaining custard.  Chill for about one  hour.  Whip the cream and top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries before serving.

If you wish to serve the parfait individually.  Make the parfait as instructed above, spoon into tall parfait glasses or dessert dishes and top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries before serving.

More of our are recipes are here:
http://www.eclecticcooking.com/recipesmenus.htm


Hot Tip

Store olives, covered with French dressing, in a jar in the refrigerator. One hour before serving take the jar from refrigerator, remove as many olives as you need and add more olives as the jar empties. When all the olives are used, the French dressing is handy for salads


Fruit/Vegetable in Focus

Cherimoya, Annona cherimola:


  The Cherimoya originates from Peru. The name originally means "cold seed" most likely because the fruit is grown at a high altitude, 1000-2000 meters height.  The Cherimoya is oval or sphericaly shaped. The skin, a green of bronze color, cannot be eaten. The meat has a sweet and juicy taste. It can be eaten raw as fresh fruit, either between meals or as a dessert. The fruit is cut and halved and eaten with a spoon. Cherimoyas taste very good in desserts or fruit salads or mixed (placed in a blender) with milk, cream, wine or water for milk shakes or other drinks. The taste has been known to taste like strawberries with vanilla ice-cream or cream.  The fruit can keep for 1 week in a cool place or two days at room temperature. It should not be stored in the fridge!  Cerimoya are available from August to December.


From: www.online-cooking-recipes.com


Jokes

Rules for Chocolate

If you get melted chocolte all over your hands, you are eating it too slowly.

A  nice box of chocolate provides your total daily intake of calories in one go.

Two phrases:  Money talks.  Chocolate sings.

Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous?
Answer:  Because no one wants to quit.

Without chocolate there would be no need for control-top tights, and an entire garment industry would be devastated.


Next Week's Issue, September 10


Article:  All about Quiches/Savory Tarts
Recipe: Tomato Quiche
Recipe: Chili Quiche
Recipe: Small Cheese quiches
Recipe:  Asparagus and Mushroom Quiche
Recipe:  Salmon Quiche
Recipe:  Onion Quiche


www.eclecticcooking.com/CookingRecipes.htm


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Recipes and funny stories/jokes can be e-mailed to
Lars@Eclecticcooking.com


What do you think of our newsletter? Do you have any comments about the article, recipes, jokes, etc.? Write to Lydiajj@get2net.dk



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