Lemon Cordial

I left my kids for first time alone at home during  last weekend, because my hubby and I went to Melbourne to visit our dear friends, V and M.

It was scary experience ...  for me! 

Boys were happy to stay alone and do anything they wanted.

When we returned, I found a bag of lemons in front of my door. Other couple of friends brought some of their organic garden products, so I had to use them somehow.

Ingredients:

500 g sugar

500 ml water

peel from 7 lemons (outer part only)

500 ml lemon juice, strained

Method:

Cook sugar, water  and lemon peel for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and bring to boil. Take off of heat, cool slightly, take out lemon peel, then bottle it. Drink the rest (diluted with icy water) immediately! ;-)

Sirup od limuna

Prvi put sam ostavila moje djecake same kuci preko vikenda, dok smo suprug i ja bili u posjeti dragim prijateljima V i M u Melbourne-u.

Bio je to zastrasujuci dozivljaj ... za mene!

Djecaci su jedva docekali da ostanu sami i rade sto im je volja.

Po povratku, sam ispred vrata, nasla vrecicu sa organskim limunima. Drugi par prijatelja ih je donio i nekako sam ih morala iskoristiti, jer su svjezi, neprskani iz njihove baste.

Potrebno:

500 gr secera

1/2 l vode

kora (spoljni dio samo) od 7 limuna

1/2 l iscijedjenog soka limuna

Nacin:

Stavite secer, limunovu koru i vodu da prokuhaju. Nakon 5 minuta kuhanja ubacite limunov sok, pa 

ponovo dovedite do vrenja. Smaknite s vatre, malo prohladite. Izvadite koru limuna; Uspite u flashu, a ostatak popijte odmah ;-)

Pictures from  Melbourne  ('Foter' photos, as mine are not so good!)

mugley / Foter / CC BY-SA

mugley / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

WanderingtheWorld (www.LostManProject.com) / Foter / CC BY-NC

Twitchphoto / Foter / CC BY-NC

mugley / Foter / CC BY-SA

Perfect Schnitzels every time

Rules for successful schnitzels:
1- never make schnitzels with red meat (blood will come out on surface and spoil the schnitzel's look)
2 - fry on medium heat (too high temperature will burn coating and leave meat uncooked)
3 - meat should not be very cold (straight from fridge)
4 - do not overcrowd your pan (cook one or two at time)
5 - drain well on paper towel (with a warmed plate underneath)

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast schnitzels (or pork, veal... - meat should be thinly cut)
salt and pepper
Flour
2 eggs, beaten
bread crumbs
oil for shallow frying (light olive, peanut or rice bran)
Method:
Season each side of your schnitzels. Coat every-one with flour (shake off ), dip into beaten eggs (making sure it's coated well), then coat with bread crumbs. I do all of this with a wooden skewer, but fork can be used. Heat oil in a pan, then fry schnitzels on both sides for 2-3  minutes. Drain on paper towel.

..............................................................................

Savršene šnicle svaki put

Pravila kojih se treba pridrzavati:
1 - nikada ih ne pravite sa crvenim mesom (krv ce se pojaviti na povrsini i pokvariti izgled)
2 - przite na srednje jakoj vatri (previsoka temperatura ce izgoriti spoljni dio, meso ce ostati nepeceno)
3 - meso ne bi smjelo biti hladno (direktno iz frizidera)
4 - nemojte prziti previse odjednom (jedna ili dvije snicle u nekoliko mahova)
5 - dobro ocijedite na upijajucem papiru (sa zagrijanim tanjirom ispod)

Sastojci:
4 snicle (pileca prsa, svinjetina, teletina...- meso treba biti tanko izrezano)
so i biber
brasno
2 jaja, umucenih
krusne mrvice / prezla
Ulje za (plitko) przenje (svijetlo maslinovo ili slicno)
Nacin:
Zacinite snicle prema ukusu. Uvaljajte svaku u brasno (otresite suvisak), umocite u jaja (pazeci da se dobro prekriju), zatim u mrvice. Ja ovo radim sa dugackom cackalicom, ali moze i viljuska.
Zagrijte ulje pa przite oko 2-3 minute svaku stranu. Ocijedite na papiru prije sluzenja.

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Mousse Tarts

These tarts are delightful! Make very small-ones, or larger-ones...Maybe you want to make one large tart, and slice it. Anyhow - enjoy their divine taste!

Ingredients:
Dough-
1 1/2 cups flour
125 g butter, cold, cut into small pieces
3 tbs icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbs cold water
a drop of vanilla
Caramel-
200 g sugar
50 g butter
1 tbs golden syrup
1/4 cup cream
a good pinch of salt
Chocolate mousse-
100 g dark chocolate
2 tbs icing sugar
50 g butter
1/4 cup cream
Method:
Rub flour and butter with your fingers (or use food processor), add other ingredients and make a dough. Wrap it in foil and let it rest.
For  caramel, put all ingredients into a pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 5-8 minutes. Let it cool.
For mousse, heat cream, chocolate and butter, until melted (don't boil). Add sugar, mix well and let it cool. When completely cold, beat with a mixer.
Roll out the dough into 2-3 mm thick layer. Cut out circles, and place them into tart moulds (or on bottom of muffin tins). Bake for 10 minutes on 180*C; take out and let it cool.
Spoon cooled caramel into cases, then pipe some chocolate mousse on top (make sure caramel and tarts are cool). Enjoy!

Tartići sa Zasoljenim Karamelom i čokoladnim Musom 

Ovi tartici su savim odusevljavajuci! Mozete napraviti sasvim male, nesto vece ili jedan veliki i rezati ga. Kako-god, uzivajte u divnom ukusu!

Potrebno:
Tijesto-
1 1/2 solja brasna
125 gr maslaca, hladnog rezanog na komadice
3 K secera u prahu
1 zumance
1-2 K hladne vode
Karamel-
200 gr secera
50 gr maslaca
1 K 'zlatnog sirupa'
1/4 solje vrhnja (35%)
dobar prstohvat soli
Cokoladni mus-
100 gr tamne cokolade
2 K secera u prahu
50 gr maslaca
1/4 solje vrhnja

Nacin:
Umijesite tijesto, zamotajte ga i ostavite odmarati.
Karamel- Kuhajte sve sastojke oko 5-8 minuta; ostavite hladiti.
Mus- Zagrijte vrhnje, maslac i cokoladu dok se ne otope (nemojte prokuhati). Umijesajte secer, pa ohladite. Zatim umutite mikserom.
Razvaljajte tijesto na 2-3 mm, izrezite krugove i stavite na tart modle (ili mafin modle). Pecite 10-ak minuta, izvadite i ohladite.
Kasikom uspite po malo karamela u svaki tart, zatim spricom istisnite nesto musa po povrsini. (Karamel i tartici moraju biti hladni.) Uzivajte!

Crispy Calamari Rings

Very often, simplest is the best. This is my favourite way of serving squid!

Ingredients:

Calamari rings (cleaned, peeled squid cut into rings)

salt and pepper

flour (or very fine semolina )

oil for frying (peanut oil or  light olive oil) 

Method:

Season your calamari rings with salt and pepper (white preferably). Place flour in a plastic bag and shake it with calamari rings until well coated. Heat oil in a pan, fry calamari a minute each side; drain on paper  towel before serving. Any fish can be  done the same way, in order to make outside more crispy.

Hrskavi Kalamari

Veoma cesto, najjednostavnije je i najbolje. Ovo je moj najdrazi nacin pripremanja lignji.

Potrebno:

Kalamari prstenovi (lignje ociscene, oguljene i izrezane na prstenove)

so i biber

ostro brasno ( ili veoma sitna krupica / griz)

ulje za przenje (kikiriki ulje ili  svijetlo maslinovo ulje)

Nacin:

Zacinite kalamare sa solju i biberom (po mogucnosti bijeli biber). Stavine nesto brasna u plasticnu vrecicu i protresite je zajedno sa kalamari prstenovima dok  nisu dobro uvaljani. Zagrijte ulje , przite kalamare oko 1 minut svaka strana; ocijedite dobro na upijajucem papiru prije serviranja. Bilo koja riba moze biti pripremljena na isti nacin, da bi imala spoljasnju hrskavu koricu.

Bosnian Layered 'Burek'

This is a Bosnian  national dish. It is a form of  'Pita'.  Knowing how to make it, is important for every girl. There is a saying: 'If you know how to make Pita, you're allowed to marry.' (not so sure that this saying is still actual today).

Ingredients:
Pastry-
2 cups plain flour, sifted
220 ml water
1/2 teas salt
(oil for stretching the pastry)

Beef filling-

1 tbs oil

1 large onion, chopped

500 g lean beef mince

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly grounded 

Method:

Make a soft dough from flour, salt and water. Divide in 2 balls,  dust with flour and let it (covered with a clean towel) rest for at least 25 min.

(Filling- Heat oil in a pan, saute onion, until translucent. Mix it with, beef salt and pepper.) Prepare the working surface by dusting the tablecloth with flour. Switch your oven to 190*C. Oil a round baking tin (pizza tin is ok) Place the dough on the table, dust with flour and start rolling out until 40 cm diameter. Dust with flour all the time, this will prevent sticking. When you've achieved wanted size, spoon 2-3 tbs of oil on top of the dough, and spread with your fingers. Now slowly and gently pull the pastry from the centre to the edge. (Back of your hand is better to use - go around the dough.) When the pastry is thin enough,  imagine a circle in the middle (size of wanted burek; 25 cm), then  make 6 cuts around it (see picture 5). Lift one cut part and place it over the circle in the middle, adjusting and stretching the dough as necessary.  Now, dot some of meat filling over it (if you divide filling into 2 , then each half in 6 again, you'll get same amount for each layer). Stretch another cut part over it; repeat with the rest. When first part of pastry is done, place it on baking dish (on top should be mince mixture). Repeat whole process with the second dough;but this time dot mince straight onto middle circle, without placing second layer. Repeat until all meat used, leaving last 2 layers of pastry without meat. Place this part over the first part in the tin. Tuck in all edges neatly under the 'circle'. Brush with oil (spray is OK) and bake for 30-35 minutes. Enjoy with salad or with liquid yoghurt (buttermilk), as Bosnians do!

 Note: ' Burek' is pita with meat, all other similar pastry dishes are 'pita with cheese' or 'pita with potato'...

 

 

 

 

Slagani Burek
Zao mi je sbog lose postavke; nisam mogla ispraviti!
Nacionalno jelo Bosne... Vrsta pite sa mesom, koju je vazno znati napraviti svakoj djevojci koja zeli da se uda (nisam bas sigurna da je tako i u danasnja vremena).
Burek je pita sa mesom; sve ostale pite su samo pite (npr sa krompirom, sirom,... tj krompirusa, sirnica, zeljanica, bundevara...

Potrebno:

• Tijesto-
• 2 solje (250 ml) brasna, prosijanog
• 1/2 kasicice soli
• 220 ml  vode
• (ulje za razvlacenje )
• Fil-
• 1 K ulja
• 1 veca glavica crvenog luka, sjeckana
• 500 gr mljevene govedine, nemasne
• 1 k soli  
• 1/2 k crnog bibera, svjeze mljevenog

Nacin:

Umijesite mekano, glatko tijesto, podijelite na 2 lopte, pobrasnite i ostavite pokriveno odmarati najmanje 25 min. (Fil- proprzite luk na ulju, dok ne postane staklast; pomijesajte sa mesom, solju i biberom.) Ukljucite rernu na 190*C, nauljite tepsiju u kojoj cete peci.
Pobrasnite stolnjak na kojem cete razvlaciti jufke. Stavite tijesto na sredinu radne povrsine i razvaljajte ga  na cca 40 cm precnika. Pospite 2-3 kasike ulja po povrsini - prstima razmazite, pa rukama pocnite razvlaciti od sredine prema krajevima. Cinite to sve dok tijesto ne postane gotovo sasvim prozirno. Sada izrezite tijesto na 6 jednakih dijelova, zamisljajuci krug (velicina bureka) u sredini koji ce ostati ne izrezan (slika 5). Prebacite jedan dio tijesta preko tog kruga, razvlaceci i namjestajuci prema potrebi . Pobacajte komadice fila po ovome (ako podijelite fil na 2 dijela, zatim svaki dio na 6, dobicete podjednako fila za svaki sloj). Prebacujte slojeve i filujte dok sve ne utrosite; posljednji red treba da bude meso. Postavite ovako pripremljen burek na tepsiju. Ponovite cijeli postupak sa drugim dijelom tijesta, s tim sto necete ovoga puta praviti dupli sloj jufke, nego cete meso satviti na sredinu i nastaviti preklapati. Tako ce vam ostati 2 sloja jufke na povrsini. Stavite ovaj dio preko vec pripremljenog u tepsiji. Podvijte neuredne krajeve ispod cijelog bureka, praveci uredni krug. Nauljite burek i pecite oko 3-35 minuta. Sluzite sa salatom ili, kako to u Bosni rade, sa tecnim jogurtom.

Stuffed Squid

Continental girl learning how to prepare seafood...

Ingredients:
4 larger (or 8 small) squids

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Parsley, small bunch, chopped

1/2 cup -3/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

olive oil and white wine (1/3 cup) for cooking

Lemon slices for serving

Method:
Clean the squid (peel the skin, take out 'plastic' bone, wash), cut off tentacles (above eyes) and fins, then chop them. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped parts and garlic; saute for 2-3 minutes. Take off of heat, mix in bread crumbs, and parsley - season to taste, mix well. Fill cavities of squid with this mixture, close it with a toothpick. Place each filled squid into a pan, that has been heated with some olive oil. Pour white wine over it and saute (covered) for for 6-10 minutes, turning once. If too much liquid has formed, boil uncovered for another 1-2 minutes. Take out and serve with Potato salad .

Punjene lignje

Kontinentalka uci kako da se spreme morski plodovi...

Potrebno:
4 velike ili 8 malih lignji (kalamari)
3 cena bijelog luka, protisnuta
Persinuvo lisce, manji svezanj, isjeckano
1/2 solje do 3/4 solje mrvica kruha / prezle
1/4 solje djevicanskog maslinovog ulja
so i biber prema ukusu
maslinovo ulje i bijelo vino (1/3 solje) za kuhanje
Limun , izrezan za serviranje

Nacin:
Ocistite lignje, ogulite ih i izvadite 'plasticnu' kost. Narezite peraja i vrhove glave (odrezane iznad ociju). Zagrijte ulje pa dinstajte ove izrezane komade sa bijelim lukom par minuta. Sklonite sa vatre, ubacite mrvice i persun; zacinite prema ukusu, promijesajte. Ovime punite lignje, zatvorite otvor sa cackalicama.
Zagrijte tavu sa malo ulja, smjestite lignje na tavu, prelijte bijelim vinom. Pokrijte i kuhajte 6-10 minuta, okrecuci jednom. Ako je previse tekucine ostalo, otkrijte i kuhajte jos 1-2 minute na jakoj vatri. Izvadite i 
servirajte sa Krompir salatom.

Cannoli with Ricotta and Lemon Curd Cream

I've been asking my hubby (for years) to make some moulds for cannoli, because I always wanted to try making them. Finally, I got mad and made them myself. I took a wooden rolling pin (French style - very thin and long; broomstick alike), washed it, cut it and... voila! 
Cannoli were awesome; Lemon curd /Ricotta cream was perfect as filling ! 
Yes, my hubby got a few too...after my hard thinking ;-)

Ingredients:
Cannoli tubes-
2 cups flour
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp cocoa 
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tsp vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup wine, white preferably
(oil for frying, egg white for sticking dough)
Cream-
300 g ricotta (well drained)
2-4 tbs lemon curd, (or gratted lemon zest with a bit of juice too)
3-4 tbs icing sugar

Method:
Mix all ingredients for dough, knead a minute, wrap into cling wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes. Roll out (onto flour dusted surface) thinly 1-2 mm, then cut out circles using biscuit cutter or a glass (make sure circles are smaller than cannoli tubes / moulds). Prepare a deep heavy bottomed dish for frying. Flatten each circle a bit more, (if necessary) wrap around an oiled mould, sticking the ends of dough with a bit of egg white (make sure you don't put egg white onto mould). Repeat with others; fry a few cannolis at time. Take off ready-ones and repeat with the rest of circles (no need to oil moulds again). Drain on absorbent paper; let them cool.
For cream- Cream ricotta, icing sugar and lemon curd with a mixer. Pipe cream into cooled tubes. Dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!
Tip-If you don't intend to eat all at once, keep tubes (dry spot) and cream (fridge) separately. That way you'll ensure crispy cannolis at every serving.
Cannoli can be filled with whipped cream, thick custard...

Kanoli sa Limunovim Rikota Kremom

Godinama molim svog dragog da mi napravi modle za kanole, jer zelim da ih probam napraviti. Naposlijetku sam se naljutila, zgrabila 'oklagiju', oprala je i izrezala pilom...Modle su za cas bile gotove, a kanoli bozanstveni! Limunkasta rikota je savrseno punjenje za njih.
Da, posluzen je bio i moj dragi...nakon mog duzeg razmisljanja ;-)

Potrebno:
Kanoli tube-
2 solje brasna
2 K secera
1 k kakaa
1/2 k cimeta
malo soli
1 k sirceta
3 K Maslinovog ulja
1/2 solje vina, bijelo je bolje
(ulje za przenje, bjelance za 'prilijepiti' kanole) 
Rikota krem-
300 gr rikote, dobro ocijedjene
2-4 K Zgusnutog limuna -'lemon curd', (ili ribana korica limuna i malo soka)
3-4 K secera u prahu

Nacin:
Umijesite tijesto, zamotajte u foliju i ostavite 20-ak minuta odmarati. Razvaljajte na pobrasnjenoj povrsini oko 1-2 mm debljine i izvadite krugove tijesta (casa ili slicno), koji moraju biti kraci od modli. Pripremite posudu sa uljem; zagrijte. Ako treba, dodatno rastanjite svaki krug, namotajte na nauljene modle i 'zalijepite' sa bjelancem (vodite recuna da bjelance ne dotice modle). Przite po nekoliko, zatim ponovite sa ostalim krugovima (ne morate uljiti modle ponovo). Ostavite tube na upijajuci papir da se hlade.
Za kremu- miksajte sir, secer i 'lemon curd'. Sa spricom istisnite kremu u svaki kanoli, pospite secerom u prahu i uzivajte.
Savjet- Ako necete pojesti sve kanole odjednom, drzite tube (na suhom mjestu) odvojene od krema (u frizideru), kako biste svaki put imali hrskave kanole.
Kanoli mogu biti punjeni slatkim vrhnjem, guscim pudingom...