Food on the Titanic

“And it wasn’t until we were in the lifeboat and rowing away, it wasn’t until then I realized that ship’s going to sink. It hits me there.” This was Eva Hart, remembering an event which took place on the morning of 15th April 1912. Eva Hart was seven when she and her parents boarded the Titanic. I read the Titanic Short Story in Seventh Grade and loved it. Every time I watch Titanic – the movie – and look at Jack sacrificing his life for Rose I cry – I cry a lot by the way. Though Jack and Rose were fictional characters played by Leonardo and Kate Winslet, but the sacrifice was not. A protocol of “women and children first” left a number of men on that sinking ship. Titanic was called the Unsinkable. However the start was not smooth enough as it almost collided with a ship after a few minutes of her maiden voyage. Eva Hart’s mother was reluctant to board the ship because of a few ‘changes’.

A coal strike during that time canceled a lot of ships. However, Titanic managed the fuel supply and went on with the journey. Eva Hart’s family was left with no option but to buy a ticket for Titanic. Though they boarded the ship, Eva Hart’s mother didn’t sleep at night. I don’t know how but she knew something was not right. She was right. The world can never forget the passengers and crew members who went down with the Titanic but we can’t ignore what an awe-inspiring masterpiece Titanic was. Let it be the Grand Staircase or the gym, the squash court and the restaurant. Restaurant comes up with one more important thing- the food Menu. I was looking out for Titanic artifacts and stumbled upon the Food Menu. There is this one thing in the first class menu which sounded awesome – Fillets of Brill. I am very fond of fish recipes. Let’s try this and remember those who sacrificed their life for a life.

Brill in Lobster Sauce

Ingredients:-

4 Brill Fillets,

Salt as required,

Pepper as required,

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil.

For Lobster Sauce:-

2 Lobsters,

150 ml Brandy,

Salt as required,

100 gms Butter,

285 ml Fish Stock,

150 ml White Wine,

Pepper as required,

2 chopped Shallots,

2 chopped Tomatoes,

150 ml Double Cream,

1 chopped Garlic Clove,

2 tablespoons Olive Oil.

For Garnishing:-

100g Samphire,

1 Teaspoon of Caviar,

1 Teaspoon Chopped Chervil,

60 gm long chopped Asparagus.

Preparation Method:-

1. Place the lobsters in the freezer. Place it on its back with its claws tied. Hold it firmly by top of its head. Place tip of Chef’s knife on the head just below its mouth.

2. Pierce the lobster’s head downward. Then place knife tip just to the body side of the junction of its tail and thorax and cut through the mid-line. Repeat the same for the second lobster.

3. Put lobsters in salty boiling water. Immediately simmer the heat and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the white meat from the lobster. Chop lobster carcasses into small pieces. Put them in hot saucepan with olive oil. Cook for 4 minutes.

5. Add shallots and garlic. Stir for a minute. Add tomatoes to pan. Simmer for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Pour in the brandy. Flame the alcohol.

6. Once the sauce has settled, pour in white wine. Lower the heat to simmer. Pour in the fish stock/water. Simmer for 30 minutes. Sieve the sauce and return to a plan. Add double cream and bringing back to boil. Take off the heat and set aside.

7. Take another pan and stir-fry asparagus and samphire. Now in another pan, stir-fry the brill until golden brown.

8. For Garnishing, take a deep plate. Add in lobster sauce. On top of it add stir-fried samphire and asparagus. Then add the pan-fried brill. Serve hot!

Love is in the air with Titanic!

Food for A Soldier on Memorial Day

John F. Kennedy says, “my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. This reminds us of nothing but Memorial day. I was watching this movie Saving Private Ryan and like always, cried. Whenever I watch war movies – though I don’t watch frequently – I feel angry as well as sad. Angry because we lose young soldiers to a war which has no end. Sad because we just lose them forever. Not only here in America, I guess this is the story of most of the countries where soldiers sacrifice their life. However, their death never goes in vain. We feel proud of our soldiers who die for their country so that we can live on to sing songs for them.

We actually do that by celebrating Memorial Day every year on the last Monday of May. This day has become a part of America’s culture with its long history. It is an emotional day as we remember those soldiers who came back home, with the national flag over their coffins. But we humans are so good at getting adapted to situations that we remember them with smiling faces. We adapt, we accept and we survive. This is good, isn’t it? Soldiers leave home for months and sometimes years. They are away from home, family and that “homely” food – I hate stuffing my food love everywhere. Let’s try this simple and healthy recipe for not so simple soldiers.

Steak and Pasta Salad

Ingredients:-

8 ounces Pasta,

1 teaspoon Basil,

2 tablespoon Butter,

1 pound Beef Steak,

2 tablespoons Olive Oil,

1 cup chopped Spinach,

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce,

1/4 cup chopped Shallots,

1 teaspoon minced Garlic,

1/2 cup sliced Black Olives,

1/2 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes,

1 tablespoon chopped Parsley,

1/2 cup crumbled Feta Cheese,

3 tablespoons Sunflower Kernels.

Preparation Method:-

1. Take a pot. Add in water and bring the water to boil. Add pasta and cook till done. When cooked, drain. Then toss with olive oil and keep warm. In the mean time, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat.

2. Broil the rib-eye from both sides. Make sure it is cooked well depending on the thickness of the meat. Remove steak from skillet. Cut into bite size pieces. Melt remaining butter in the skillet. Stir in garlic and shallots.

3. Cook for 12 seconds until fragrant. Then return the steak to the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes till done. Stir in the soy sauce. Cook till steaks are well coated with sauce.

4. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto, spinach, basil, parsley, olives, feta cheese and kernels. Toss with the pasta. Serve in large family bowl.

Let’s salute our brave soldiers.

May 25, 2015 6

Stuffed Apple and Cranberry Pork on Mother’s Day

You filled my days with rainbow lights,

Fairy tales and sweet dream nights,

A kiss to wipe away my tears,

Gingerbread to ease my fears.

You gave the gift of life to me,

And then in love, you set me free.

I thank you for your tender care,

For deep warm hugs and being there.

I hope that when you think of me,

A part of you, you’ll always see.

Hey pals, how was your Mother’s day? Mine was really a special one. Hope you enjoyed the Strawberry Layered Crunchy Cake on Sunday. I and my sister gifted mom tiny but an elegant pair of diamond earrings and a red color silk scarf on this auspicious occasion. What did you gift your mother? Both gifts were adored by her. To make the day even more special, I prepared her favorite recipe, Stuffed Apple and Cranberry Pork. The dinner table really looked sumptuous with tangy Pork, mushy Cake, seasoned Garlic bread and blood Red Wine. Here it goes..

Stuffed Apple and Cranberry Pork

For the Pork Loin

Salt to taste,

4 lbs Pork Loin,

Pepper to taste,

1 tablespoon Olive Oil,

2 minced Garlic Cloves,

Sliced bacon as required,

1 tablespoon chopped Thyme,

1 tablespoon chopped Rosemary.

For the Sauce:-

1 cup Vinegar,

1/4 teaspoon salt,

3 diced red onions,

olive oil as required,

1/2 bottle Lager Beer,

1 1/2 cup Brown sugar,

1 teaspoon Cinnamon,

1/2 cup chopped ginger,

2/3 cup dried cranberries,

1 teaspoon Mustard Seed,

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves,

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper,

3 lbs peeled and chopped Granny Smith Apples.

Preparation Method

Cut a pocket through one end of the tenderloin. Place the centrist downwards. Don’t slice through the other end. Season in and out properly with salt and pepper.
Mix rosemary, thyme, garlic and oil in a bowl. Spread the mixture over pork. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
For the sauce, heat olive oil in saucepan, add onion and cook until brown. Add ginger and apples. Cook for 2 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and lower heat.
Allow to cook. Reduce until thickened. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stuff sauce into tenderloin. Wrap with bacon.
Using a roasting rack and baking sheet, put pork into 350 D. F oven. Remove from oven. Don’t remove foil till 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 11, 2015 16

Mother’s Day Special and Crunchy Strawberry Cake

Here is Cake, for a special day,

Just for you on Mother’s Day.

I must have been born beneath a lucky star,

To have a mother as nice as you are!

He wanted to be an artist but was rejected by the prestigious Art Schools in Vienna. His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. He came back from Vienna for her. In his book “Mein Kampf” he says that he honored his father but ‘Loved’ his Mother. Yes, yes..you know who I am talking about – Adolf Hitler. The reason I brought this incident up is, that no matter what you are for the world, there is one person who reminds you of how tiny you are when it comes to her and where you come from – Her Womb. Pardon me for being dramatic. I have developed this penchant for drama, thanks to what I am watching these days – Game of Thrones. Sometimes it’s really difficult to understand Mother, but as we grow up, she becomes the only person we understand most. She’ll make fun of you, thrash you at times too which is followed by a flood of love and kisses. That’s what makes every mother a bit Weird- which is cute. She’ll scold you for a mistake, but if someone else scolds you- let it be anyone- that person will have a really bad time from your mother. That’s how mothers are.

At times they prove their capability of doing things which will either straighten you up or will put in that path, like Toya Graham. She thrashed her kid in front of the national media as she saw him with a stone in his hand, at the Baltimore riots this April. Well, it’s not the sky which is limit for her, may be it’s the outer space or something beyond. My mother was upset with me as I didn’t tell her about my first boyfriend in high school. She didn’t scold me, but this saddened her a bit. Writing of this incident takes me back to that time where I can feel the aroma of Strawberry Cake. I tried this cake recipe for her, to see that wavy smile on her face. I was a bit clumsy back then, she said the cake was fine – mothers are always fine when someone else cooks for them – but could have been better. Today let’s try Strawberry Cake and bring a smile on every mother’s face.

Strawberry Layered Crunchy Cake

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cake

6 Eggs,

1/2 cup Milk,

1 cup Sugar,

2 cups All Purpose Flour,

2 tablespoons Vanilla essence.

For the Corn Crumbs

1/2 teaspoon Salt,

3/4 oz. Cornstarch,

4 teaspoons Sugar,

11 tablespoons Butter,

6 cups Crunch Cereal

For Presentation

1/2 cup White Chocolate,

1/2 cup Strawberry Reserve,

2 cups sliced fresh Strawberries.

Preparation Method:-

Prepare a classic vanilla cake. Take a bowl. Assemble all the ingredients given under cake. Bake at 350 D. F for 20 minutes. Cut into three layers as shown.
Prepare corn crumbs. Take a food processor. Grind cereal completely. Combine cereal, cornstarch, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter. Toss well. Squeeze the crumbs with your hands. Make small clumps.
Bake until the crumbs turn golden brown for 15 minutes. Cool completely. Once the crumbs cool, melt the white chocolate.
For assembling, take the top most layer and uniformly spread Strawberry reserve on it as shown. Stuff in between the layers, the corn crumbs, melted white chocolate and sliced fresh strawberries. Serve!

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 7, 2015 22

Cheers with Grilled Orange Cocktail for The Battle of the Oranges

Do you know the stories behind the Battle of the Oranges? As per the legend, this festival was started because of the anger of oppressed ones against the ruling class. History says, “he” was someone from the Royal family who was exercising his right to have fun with a commoner. Well, this commoner called “Violetta” knew what sort of fun, this was. Her mother must have advised her to behave properly, but mother was not convincing enough. As he approached her, behind closed doors, she decapitated him. He was the last one to use that right. Since then, people of Ivrea, Italy have been throwing oranges. There are two groups, one represents the Royal family on the cart and other the commoners.

The commoners throw oranges at cart with people portraying as the Royal family, taking out their anger on them. The concept of throwing oranges has a different story too. Violetta might have had skin issues like acne or dry skin. Royal guy must have been honest with her and told her the truth. Being honest with a woman on her beauty cost him his head. She made sure that in future no more heads are decapitated at the cost of skin issues. Since then, oranges are being thrown. Orange reduces wrinkles, acne, dark circles under eye and make hair softer and dandruff free. I love cocktail recipes. So let’s dance with Grilled Orange Cocktail on the orangey day.

Ingredients:-

1 Orange,

Few Ice Cubes,

2 Ounces Rye Whiskey,

Dash of Orange Bitters.

Preparation Method:-

1. Preheat your oven to 350 D.C. Halve the oranges and roast it for 30 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Run the broiler for last 5 minutes.

2. In a glass, combine juice from the roasted orange halves, whiskey, orange bitters and ice. Cover and shake for 10 seconds.

3. Strain in a glass over ice cubes. Garnish with grilled orange slice.

Let the fun begin!

February 23, 2015 9

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Traditional Almond Cookies

Chinese New Year is here! There is gonna be lots of firework in China, symbolizing the festive spirit. It is believed that Buddha invited all the forest animals to invite him on a particular day. Twelve of them appeared and Buddha named a year after each one of them. New year calls for a huge get together and Chinese food is my all time favorite. People pay a visit to each other’s house, share meals, gifts and of course happiness.

In Chinese culture, red color is considered sacred. It symbolizes fire, which means bad luck is driven away. People wear red color garments, children write short poems on red paper. Children are given luck money in red envelopes. In ancient times, the tribals lit up bamboo stalks. They believed this would drive away the evil spirits and that they can lead a peaceful life. So lets pay a visit to our friend’s place with a box of traditional almond cookies.

Ingredients:-

1 pinch salt,

100 ml corn oil,

1 beaten egg yolk,

150 gm plain flour,

100 gm caster sugar,

100 gm ground almonds,

100 gm blanched almonds,

3/4 teaspoon baking soda,

3/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Preparation Method:-

1. Sieve the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the ground almonds to the flour and sugar mixture.

2. Slowly trickle in the corn oil to this bowl. Blend until a cohesive dough forms. Heat the oven to 180 D.C. Roll the dough into small balls, place almonds above them and press a bit as shown.

3. Place on a baking tray. Make cookies until all the dough is used up. Lightly glaze the top of the cookie balls with the beaten egg yolk.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cookies become slightly golden. Leave to cool. Enjoy the homemade cookies.

Happy New Year!

February 17, 2015 9

Valentine’s Day Food – Sushi Hearts

The day of love is here! Everyone is undoubtedly planning to surprise their spouse with a token of love and admiration. Hope you enjoyed my Valentine’s day ideas for food. My Aunt Poly recently had an awesome trip to Japan. She had to attend her relative’s wedding. The couple planned to go for a week to utilize their visit to the fullest. I think it’s a great idea. Yesterday, they came in for tea and were talking about the yummy Japanese food other than anything else. She loved sushi. It suddenly struck my mind to prepare the same for my loved one, this Valentine’s Day. Sushi stands among the most popular Japanese food. Sushi is basically a cold roll of fish and rice. The ingredients and preparation methods varies from place to place.

Day by day, the popularity of this Japanese food is increasing. This results using the recipe in numerous delectable. Some unique Japanese ingredients have been used in the recipe which are readily available in the stores nearby. Nori seaweed sheet is an edible red seaweed that is popular in East Asia. I have used wasabi paste here. Mix equal amounts of wasabi powder and water to make wasabi paste. Wasabi is a Japanese plant with thick green root tasting like horseradish. Wasabi powder is easily available in the market. I have also used sushi ginger AKA gari. This is nothing but thinly sliced young ginger marinated in a solution of sugar and vinegar. So surprise your love with something unique!

Ingredients:-

200 grams Cooked Rice,

4 Nori Seaweed Sheets,

4 tablespoons Sushi Rice Vinegar,

For Seasoning:-

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce,

1 teaspoon Wasabi Paste,

20 grams Sushi Ginger (Optional).

For Filling:-

2 thinly sliced Avocados,

200 grams Fish Roe Egg,

200 grams Raw Tuna or Salmon,

50 grams Sesame Seeds (optional).

Preparation Method:-

Before you make sushi, prepare the sushi rice that will be used. Just mix cooked rice with 4 tablespoons of sushi rice vinegar.
Slice avocado and fish into long, thin strips. Try keeping the thickness of both ingredients upto 2 cm.
Take a sheet of nori seaweed and cut it in half before spreading cooked rice on it. Flip it over, such that rice is facing down. Place avocado slices and fish on the nori seaweed such that it’s covered.
Take a sushi rolling mat. Compress rolls, so that they are tight and solid. Now push the side of the sushi roll furthest away from you down with the mat so that it starts spreading out.
Our goal is to create a teardrop shape with the sushi roll. This will form one half of the heart piece.
Then carefully peel away the plastic. Press two teardrop pieces together to create one whole heart piece. Serve the finished sushi to your love.

Happy Valentine's Day — Happy Valentine’s Day

Enjoy the yummzz!

February 12, 2015 12

Valentine’s Day Food Ideas

Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue,

I’ve Nothing to Say,

But I love You. 🙂

Happy Valentine’s Day pals! How are you doing? Here I have s’more Valentine’s day ideas for food.

Heart Shape Cutlets(Vegetable/Fish Cutlets) – Fish cutlets are my favorite. Minced fish with garlic, ginger, green chillies and spices of your choice is a great combo. For my vegan friends, vegetable and corn cutlets is a great option. I love pairing cutlet with my favorite Cheese and beer dip. Cutlets with wine is a great combo. You can either deep-fry or simply bake this recipe, if you are a fitness freak. Another method is, shallow fry the fish and then bake it such that the inner portion is fully cooked. Enjoy the hearty treat.

Heart Shape Pizza (Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza) – Enjoy the hot cheese, fresh from oven pizza in juz 15 minutes. What can be a better quick and easy treat than this? All you needa do is spread pizza sauce on pizza crust. Top it with pepperoni, seasoning and Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. If you are crazy about pepperoni, don’t hesitate adding more, as I do. Bake the classic crust for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to use pizza base with heart shape.

Mini Heart Pies (Cottage Cheese and Ricotta Cheese Pies) – I have something for my vegetarian pals also. A heart shape cookie cutter makes great mini pies. You just need to roll the dough, cut heart shapes, add in the stuffing of stir-fried spinach, with spices of your choice and ricotta cheese. Incase if you are vegan, add tofu instead of cheese or simply vegan cheese. These can be prepared in advance. You just need to make it more crispy before serving. Enjoy with your favorite dip/sauce.

Happy Valentines Day!

February 10, 2015 14

Gift Strawberry Macaroons on Valentine’s Day

It’s well said, “Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.” I completely agree with this saying. Do you? You can do anything to see your baby smile. Gift your valentine, something that’s original, homemade and your creativity. Isn’t that a great idea? I’m sure it’s gonna win the heart. Nothing would be better than gifting soft, lite pink strawberry macaroons made with your whole heart and soul. The best part is that you can add in any cream filling, keeping in mind the choice of your partner. Hope you liked my crazy Valentine’s Day ideas. For now let’s start with this sweet affair.

Ingredients:-

4 large egg whites,

1/3 cup caster sugar,

1 1/2 cups icing sugar,

4 teaspoons almond meal,

Food coloring as per choice.

Preparation Method:-

1. Preheat the oven to 150 D.C. Place egg whites and caster sugar in a bowl. Beat with blender until stiff enough to turn the bowl upside down without it falling out. Continue to whip for 2 more minutes.

2. Add gel or powdered food coloring and continue to mix for a further 30 seconds. Sift the almond meal and icing sugar and salt twice, discarding almond lumps.

3. Add the egg white mixture. Pipe onto trays lined with baking paper. Prefer heart shape if you are gifting.

4. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Check if one comes off the tray clean, if not bake for a little longer.

5. When cool, taking two, add in the cream of your choice. I prefer strawberry cream. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 4, 2015 23