Saturday 8 August 2009

"Irish Coffee" Pudding

We have a group of friends who always insist on Irish Coffee at the end of our lunches! Although this a pudding and coffee in one I don't think I would dare to serve it instead of the real thing! I will have to save this for other occasions! 6 eggs 8 ounces sugar 1 cup very strong coffee 1 1/2 ounces powdered gelatin 1/3 cup whiskey* 10 fluid ounces whipping cream 3 ounces crushed walnuts *You can also use Irish Mist. Separate the yolks from the whites of eggs. In a bowl, cream with yolks with the sugar. Heat the coffee until hot but not boiling: add the gelatin and dissolve it in the coffee. Add this mixture to the yolks and sugar. Beat well and put the bowl over a pot of boiling water. Continue beating until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and when the bowl has cooled a little, place it over cracked ice and continue stirring. When the mixture is on the point of setting, whip the cream and fold it in. Add the whiskey or Irish Mist. Lastly, fold in the well-beaten egg whites. Pour into a soufflĂ©‚ dish that has a double thickness of parchment paper tied around it: the paper should come up 3 inches above the top of the soufflĂ©‚ dish, or fill individual souffle moulds. When set cover with 1 cup heavy cream, whipped, sweetened with 1 T granulated sugar. scatter with nuts or other decorations. You can serve this with berries if you like!

Thursday 6 August 2009

Avocados With Blue Cheese

A new way to use avocado as a starter - tasty and different. Serve with chips or biscuits if you wish. This can also be used as a dip to have with drinks.
Don't use too strongly flavoured blue cheese as this will spoil the delicate flavour of the avocado.
2 1/2 ounces Roquefort cheese 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice salt freshly ground white pepper 2 avocados Boston lettuce leaves sliced ripe olives 1. Mash cheese with parsley into coarse paste in medium bowl with fork. Whisk olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in small bowl; stir into cheese mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 2. Cut avocados lengthwise in half; remove pits. Scoop two thirds of the flesh out of each avocado half, leaving a thin shell, and add to cheese mixture; mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. 3. Sprinkle insides of avocado shells with remaining lemon juice; place on serving plate lined with lettuce leaves. Spoon cheese mixture into avocado shells, dividing evenly. 4. Garnish with olives and/or paprika.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

Party Cheese Balls

16 oz cream cheese or mozarrella shredded 2 cups shredded sharp natural cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon chopped olives stuffed with pimento 1 tablespoon chopped green pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 dash cayenne and salt finely chopped pecans or seseme seeds
paprika Combine cheeses. Mix until well blended. Add remaining ingredients except pecans. Mix well and chill. Shape into balls and roll in chopped pecans or seceme seeds and paprika mixed. Serve with crackers.
The balls may be whatever size you wish -make a large one and serve surrounded with crackers for a cheese board.