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Avocado Toast , Preserved Lemons and Easter in Germany

3/26/2019

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Quickly, let me give you my recipe for avocado toast. Take a slice of your favorite bread (toasted or not) and spread a ripe avocado on it. Or just put slices of avocado on your bread. The choice is yours and anyone can do it. If you want to, add a fried egg and call it breakfast or lunch. Or add anything else you like. I see coffee shops and restaurants that sell these toasts for a lot of money. There is a way to elevate this simple toast into a culinary delight by adding finely chopped, preserved lemon rind. Anytime you bite into one of these crunchy little lemon cubes, your palate will experience an explosion of flavors from the floral notes of the released lemon oils to the salty fermented umami crunch.
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Preserved lemons are more than just lemons, as they capture the glorious perfume of the lemon and excite your palate. They will enhance almost any dish. Sprinkle them on a salad, a chicken dish or anything else you can think of. Preserved lemons add a fermented quality that regular lemons don’t have with their tart, salty and slightly bitter taste.
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Preserved lemons have been a staple in North African cuisine since the 11th century. It is a way to preserve lemons for use long after their season is over. Paula Wolfert introduced them to the American audience in 1970 with her award-winning cookbook Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco. If you want a true Moroccan preserved lemon, add the spices.
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Those who have followed me, know about my lemon trees and my ongoing love for lemons. My blog has many recipes using my Meyer lemons, which I treasure. For years, I have made preserved lemons with some of them, but I have never blogged about them. So, I thought it is time to do so. I have given many jars to my friends and wish I could share them with you too. My niece and her husband took a jar with them back to Germany. I have added whole cloves, dried bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. In my last batch, I used just kosher salt, and I think that’s what I prefer. Usually, I use the rind and peel only, removing the pulp and rinsing the peel thoroughly to remove most of the salt. Then, I cut them into into tiny cubes, the smaller the better. I read somewhere that the pulp is great in cocktails, but I haven’t tried that. Lately, I have been adding some preserved  lemon when making my chicken stock.
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Making preserved lemons at home is easy; it just takes time. Mine have lasted a year or longer in the fridge.
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I am leaving for Germany in a few days and I am not sure that I will post again before Easter.    Easter is one of my favorite time to visit my family and friends. The arrival of spring is a happy occasion after the long winter. Everybody is happy and ready to embrace the warmer  weather and longer days. The restaurants and cafes move their tables outside, as every ray of sunshine is greeted with a smile and spring is celebrated with holidays and festivities.
This year is especially nice because the Easter holiday is later in April. I am going to be able to not only to celebrate Easter but also the first of May. In my village, this day is celebrated with a walk through the forest into the next village. Along the route, there are stands with drinks, some of them being little shots of Schnaps (a gin-like drink). The word Schnaps (according to wikipedia) refers to the fact that the drink is a consumed with a quick slug from a shot glass. In the evening, the celebration continues with a gathering around the May tree in the center of the village where Maibowle (May punch) is being served. This punch is wine steeped in an herb called sweet woodruff. I'll post more about my trip when I return, but in the meantime, I will add  some photos from my trip on Facebook and Instagram. ​I can't wait to be with my German family again. Read about one of my previous trips and deviled eggs here.
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In this  nutty, chewy, not-too-sweet almond lemon cake, whole cooked lemons are being used. It  is not your average lemon cake.  Click here for the recipe.
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Here is an easy-to-make pound cake that is infused with lemon juice. A great combination and perfect any time of the day. Click here for the recipe. 
I wish you all a Happy Easter or Fröhliche Ostern as we say in German.
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It is important to scrub the lemons very clean with a brush in a tub of water and dry them with a clean towel. Sterilize the jars in boiling water for 15 minutes and then dry them.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

1 or 2 wide-mouth quart jars
(or one larger wide-mouth large jar)
​

8 or more Meyer (or other) lemons 
½ cup kosher salt 
lemon juice

Spices (optional)
​

1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
5-6 coriander seeds 
3-4 black peppercorns 
1 bay leaf
Directions:
​

Quarter the very clean lemons almost all the way leaving the quarters still attached at one end. Rub the inside of the lemons with salt (about 2 TBS) and pack them inside the very clean jar. Add the spices as desired. Repeat with the remaining lemons, squishing them into the jars. Press the lemons down to release their juices, making room for the remaining lemons. When you can’t fit any more lemons into the jar, add enough fresh lemon juice to cover them completely. Put the cover on the jar and leave it out on the counter for a week, shaking it twice a day to redistribute the salt. If necessary, add additional lemon juice to fill the jar to the brim. After a week, put the jars in the fridge with an occasional turn or shake for a month. Now you are ready to use them and they will last in the fridge for a year or more. ​

Guten Appetit!
loosely adapted from different recipes 
by © Sunnycovechef.com
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Spicy Dungeness Crab Cakes

3/19/2019

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These crab cakes have a little spice with a kick and are a delicacy, especially when they are made with our local Dungeness crab. I usually buy one or two freshly cooked crabs and my husband cleans them meticulously, pulling out every little tidbit of crabmeat he can find. What a nice guy. Normally, we have crab with a salad and some fresh crusty bread. It is the perfect meal with a glass of Chardonnay. Life during crab season is good.
Crab cakes
Then I came across an old page from my beloved Gourmet magazine that had a recipe for Louisiana-style crab cakes. Of course, I had to make it. Crab cakes are a real treat for me and I often order them in restaurants. There are many varieties, as each region has its own way of making crab cakes and using their own local crab. I am still dreaming of Maryland crab cakes made with Maryland blue crab. The secret to any good crab cake is using big lumps of crabmeat that retain its form through the cooking process. That way, you will bite into mostly crabmeat with some added flavor.
Crab cakes
There are all kind of sauces that are served with crab cakes. I like a good tartar sauce or a remoulade. This time, I choose to make crab cakes for dinner with creamed leeks, so I didn't need any extra sauce. There is nothing wrong with a citrusy green salad and a crab cake.  I can envision making mini-crab cakes, served on lettuce with a dollop of tartar sauce. What is your favorite way to eat crab cakes?
Crab cakes
If you are looking for another special dish to prepare, try my crepes with salmon and fennel filling. In Italy, this dish is called Cannelloni Ripieni di Salmone and the crepes are called crespelle. This could be an elegant dish to celebrate the arrival of spring especially when served with fresh asparagus.
salmon with Fennel in Crepes
How about something sweet that is easy to make and tastes good? Try this Italian shortbread tart called Fregolotta. Pretend you are eating a slice in a little cafe somewhere in Italy.
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recipe for salmon and fennel stuffed crepes
recipe for fregolotta tart
This recipe makes 4 crab cakes and it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to make if you buy the fresh crabmeat. Make sure your crabmeat has large pieces in it. Carefully pick over the crabmeat to remove any small pieces of shells. I finely grind the saltine crackers in my blender
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1/3 cup finely chopped red and yellow mini peppers
​3 TBS finely chopped celery 

3 TBS butter 
1 egg
1 TBS crème fraîche or sour cream
½ tsp dry mustard 
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp salt 
2 TBS thinly sliced green onions
16 saltine crackers
½ Ib crabmeat
1 TBS canola oil
Directions:

Heat one  tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and sauté the onions, peppers, and celery over low heat, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened.

Whisk the egg, créme fraîche, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and salt in a bowl. Now stir in the green onions and ¼ cup of the ground crackers. Carefully fold in the crabmeat.
 

Form into 4 cakes and coat with ground saltine crackers. There will be some leftover ground crackers.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Fry the crab cakes until golden brown for about 8 minutes, turning them over once.  
​  


Guten Appetit!
recipe by Gourmet Magazine
by©Sunnycovechef.com
4 Comments

Wonton Soup

3/1/2019

4 Comments

 
This wonton soup is full of flavor, easy to make, and you end up with a light soup which is flavored with ginger, enriched with bok choy and tasty wontons. It has been my go to soup for years and I think of it as Chinese penicillin when I have a cold.. The term wonton comes from a Chinese phrase meaning swallowing clouds.
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Wonton soup with homemade wontons and pork-shrimp balls
Lately I have been needing wonton soup in my house. On a cold and rainy evening this soup will warm your belly. It will do the same on a foggy summer night. I have been playing with the recipe for years . The secret is in the tasty light broth that you want to slurp with delight. Of course a homemade broth is tastier but there is nothing wrong with using commercial chicken broth.
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Wonton soup with store-bought wontons
Normally I have been making this soup with store-bought wontons that I keep in the freezer. It is an easy and light dinner that is ready in 20 minutes. But when I decided to post this recipe I had to make my own wontons. I found a recipe I liked  at  (click here for the video on how to make wontons). I modified the original recipe to make less wontons. I didn’t like the flavor of my wonton wrappers so I made mostly pork-shrimp balls. For all purposes you can make this soup with pork-shrimp balls  only. Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.
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In about a month I will be in Hamburg, a city in Northern Germany. I can’t wait, but in the meantime here is a recipe for Krabbensuppe, a  delicate pureed vegetable soup , topped with bay shrimp. This soup is a staple in that region served with a tasty local little shrimp called Krabben. (click here for the recipe)
Make the wontons first if you make your own and keep them covered so they don’t dry out. The pork should be finely ground. If you don't have Mirin cooking wine try using sherry. Get all the ingredients for the broth ready before you begin cooking. Use both the stems and the leaves from the  bok choy. There is enough soup for 3-4 servings .
Print Recipe
Ingredients :
Wontons:​
This recipe will make 30 meat-shrimp balls or wontons

6 ounces (170g) minced ground  pork 
5 ounces  (140g) bay shrimp
1 TBS grated ginger
2 green onions, finely chopped ( 3TBS) 
1 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS cooking wine (I used Mirin) 

2 tsp toasted sesame oil 
1 tsp salt 
Square Wonton Wrappers

 The Broth:

2 TBS regular sesame oil
2 TBS garlic, minced 
1½ TBS grated ginger
4 cups chicken broth
1 cups of water
2 tsp soy sauce 
½ tsp salt
½ -1 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 medium bok choy ( about 2 cups chopped)
½ cup frozen peas
2 Tbs chopped parsley
Directions: 
Wontons:

Put all the ingredients except the wrappers in a food processor and pulse a few times. Be careful not to over mix.
Lay wontons wrappers on a board. Put about 1½ tsp of filling in the center of the wonton. Have a glass of water to wet the wontons. With your fingers put some water on half of the edges of the wonton. Fold the square wonton in half creating a triangle. Make sure the edges of the wonton are sealed and all the air bubbles have been removed. Roll up the spine and bring the corners together . Cover the wontons with a wet towel so they don’t try out or put them in a covered container.

The Broth:
​
Clean the shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems and slice the mushroom caps. Slice and wash the bok choy, including the stems. Chop the parsley.  Mince the garlic and grate or mince the ginger collecting all the juices. 
Heat the sesame oil and sauté the garlic and the ginger for about a minute at medium heat. Don’t let the garlic get brown. Add the chicken stock and the water and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. At this point add the frozen or homemade wontons. The homemade wontons need to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they float on the top. If you are using store-bought wontons cook them according to the directions on the package. Add the frozen peas and bok choy during the last minute of cooking.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately . 

Guten Appetit!
Recipe for homemade wontons adapted from recipetineats
recipe for broth by© Sunnycovechef
​
4 Comments
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    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

    ​
    If you  have tried any of my recipes, snap a photo and tag me @sunnycovechef I'd love to see your creations!​


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