Creamy Salmon Bisque

Yields: 4 servings

5 cups cold water, divided
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 pounds fresh salmon, cut into medium chunks
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 large leak, only white part, cut into medium rounds
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1 medium-large carrot, peeled, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large potato, peeled, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon dill, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

To a large pot over medium heat, add 4 cups cold water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, lower the heat and add salmon. Simmer salmon in broth for 20 minutes.

While salmon is cooking, to a large frying pan over medium heat, add the butter and wait until it's melted. Add chopped onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and saute for 3 minutes stirring occasionally until onion is very soft. Add leak, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, mix everything very well and saute for more 3 minutes. If you feel onion-leak mixture is dried up, add a couple tablespoons of water or white wine.

Remove cooked salmon from the broth, set aside and also remove bay leaves, black peppercorns. Add 1 cup water, onion-leak mixture, carrots, tomato paste, and potatoes. Bring back to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Using a hand immersion blender, blend the soup until very smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, dill and heavy cream. Check for salt and pepper. Add, if needed. Simmer for a couple minutes and add flaked salmon. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with lemon wedges on the side.

Tip: I do my final check for salt and pepper 10 minutes after I removed soup from the heat. I think, it's quite difficult to make a right decision about salt and pepper, when your soup is cooking. When soup is cooling, you will make a better verdict about what you need.

Russian New Year's cookies with perfume spice mix via Channel I on Russian TV

Makes 30-32 2-inch cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole-wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground anise
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon honey (I used light color honey. The darker honey, the darker cookies)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and spices. Add slightly beaten egg and set aside.

In a small pot, heat sugar, honey, and butter on a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Please, don't boil!

Add honey mixture to a flour and make a dough. Shape dough into log, wrap it well and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

On the floured surface, roll the dough out quickly ‏to 1/4-inch. thickness. Cut out cookies with a cookie cutter and use a bowl scraper to transfer them to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes. These cookies keep for 4 days in an airtight container.

You can decorate cookies with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate ganache or regular white glaze.

Новогоднее печенье от Первого Канала

На 30-32 штук (5-см в диаметре каждое печенье)

2 чашки муки (я использовала 1 чашки белой пшеничной муки и 1 чашку цельнозерновой пшеничной муки)
1/4 чайной ложки пищевой соды
1/2 чайной ложки молотой корицы
1/2 чайной ложки молотого аниса
1/4 чайной ложки молотого кориандра
1/2 чайной ложки молотого кардамона
1 яйцо, слегка взбитое
1/4 чашки сахара
1/3 чашки + 1 столовая ложка меда (я использовала мед светлого цвета. Чем темнее мед, тем темнее печенье)
1/4 чашки (4 столовые ложки) сливочного масла

В большой миске смешать два вида муки, пищевую соду и специи. Добавить слегка взбитое яйцо и отложить в сторону.

В маленькой кастрюле на медленном огне разогреть сахар, мед и масло, постоянно помешивая, пока смесь не станет однородной. Пожалуйста, не доводите до кипения!

Добавить медовую смесь в муку и замешать тесто. Сформировать из теста батон, хорошо завернуть в пищевую пленку и поставить в холодильник на 1 час.

Разогреть духовку до 350 F (180 C).

Присыпать мукой деревянную доску для разделки теста, быстро раскатать тесто толщиной 6-7 мм. Вырезать печенье с помощью формочки и перенести его на противень, покрытый пергаментной бумагой.

Выпекать 10 минут. Эти печенья хранятся 4 дня в герметичном контейнере.

Вы можете украсить печенье сахарной пудрой или сбрызнуть шоколадным ганашем или обычной белой глазурью.

В видео эпизоде русского телевидения не указаны точные измерения для специй. Я подобрала сама.

Russian version  Channel I Russian TV

Pear-Ginger Pancakes (Diabetic Friendly)

4 servings 

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon salt

¾ cup fat-free milk

¼ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ of a medium pear, cored and finely chopped ( ½ cup)

In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ginger and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg and oil; stir in chopped pear. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. 

For each pancake, pour ¼ cup of the batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet, spreading batter into an even layer if necessary. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes or until pancakes are golden, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Keep pancakes warm in a 300 F oven while cooking the remaining pancakes.

Грушево-имбирные оладьи (для диабетиков)

4 порции

½ чашки муки

½ чашки цельнозерновой муки

1 столовая ложка коричневого сахара

2 чайных ложки разрыхлителя

1/4 чайной ложки молотого имбиря

1/8 чайной ложки соли

¾ чашки обезжиренного молока

1 яйцо

2 столовые ложки рапсового масла

½ средней груши, очистить от сердцевины и мелко нарезать (½ чашки)

В средней миске смешать белую муку, цельнозерновую муку, коричневый сахар, разрыхлитель, имбирь и соль. Сделать лунку в центре мучной смеси; отложить в сторону. В маленькой миске смешать молоко, яйцо и масло; добавить измельченную грушу. Добавить яичную смесь к мучной, все перемешать.

Отмерить ¼ чашки теста и вылить на горячую, слегка смазанную жиром сковороду. Жарить на среднем огне в течение 2–4 минут или пока блинчики не станут золотистыми, перевернуть на вторую сторону, когда поверхность блинчков будет пузырчатой и края слегка подсохли. Держать блины теплыми в духовке 300 F во время приготовления оставшихся блинов.

Recipe comes from Eating Well

Creamy Red Wine Chicken Liver Pate

Makes 1 & 1/2 cups pate

1 large egg
1 tablespoon schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)
2 medium onions, peeled, chopped
1 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed, rinsed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil + more if you need for frying
1 tablespoon red wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Red Wine Glaze

2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine
1 & 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin granules
pinch of ground allspice

Place egg in a small pot of cold water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Allow the egg to boil for 8 minutes. Drain, then submerge the egg in the bowl of cold water and let stand for a couple minutes. Peel and coarsely chop; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the schmaltz over the medium heat until melted. Add the chopped onion and cook for 1 minute; then add garlic and cook for more 2 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, add coriander and nutmeg, mix everything very well and continue to cook for more 3-5 minutes until onions are softened and light brown.

While the onions are cooking, dredge the livers in the flour, shaking off any excess, then season with salt. Remove onion mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil and livers to the same skillet and fry, turning once or twice, until cooked through and barely pick in the center, 8 to 8 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, but not over-oil the livers.

Transfer the livers to a food processor. Add chopped egg, onion mixture, red wine, mustard, and parsley. Process until smooth. Check for salt and pepper.

Tip: if you don't like coriander and nutmeg, substitute them on 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar added to food processor before processing. Some people might like to add a dash of sugar. Please, feel free to do it.

Prepare deep small 4-inch in diameter pan or container, better with a lid. Transfer chicken liver pate from food processor to a pan and start to make a jelly glaze.

To make the jelly, put the water and 2 tablespoons of the wine in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let sit 5 minutes.

In a small pan, warm the 1/4 cup of the wine with the sugar, allspice, then pour it over the softened gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved (don't boil). Let the mixture cool until it’s tepid, then pour it over the back of a spoon (to avoid creating a divot in the pâté), over the chilled pâté. Cover and immediately place in refrigerator and keep there for another 2-3 hours. I left for overnight.

Serve with crusty bread or crackers along with sliced cornichons or light salad.

This recipe is a compilation of 2 recipes I found: "Renee's chopped liver" from "Bringing it home" by Gail Summons with Mindy Fox and "Chicken Liver Pate" by David Lebovitz

Parsnip and Barley Soup

Yield: 6 servings

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 leek, white part only, cut in 3/4-inch pieces
6 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)
1 cinnamon stick (I used 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1/2 cup quick barley
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste
ground nutmeg, for garnish (I used 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
celery hearts, for garnish

My garnish
3 tablespoon each dill and cilantro, minced
1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
dash of salt and black ground pepper

A couple tablespoons, salted pistachios, chopped

In a medium saucepan, add the butter and cook over medium heat until melted. Add the onion, leek, and parsnips and cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add bay leaf and potato, cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock, cinnamon stick, and barley (I added ground cinnamon and nutmeg)

Bring to boil, reduce heat so that the soup simmers, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the barley is soft.

Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the soup to a food processor. Puree until creamy and pass through a fine sieve.

Return the soup to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with celery hearts and ground nutmeg.

I served with another garnish. In a small bowl, mix dill, cilantro, green onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with this green mixture and pistachios.

Recipe comes from "Soup" by Derek Bissennette

New Year Chocolate Fudges

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Fudge

18 oz white chocolate, chopped
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 2 oranges

Line an 8"x 8" baking dish with parchment paper on the bottom and all four sides. Set aside.

Using a large heat-proof bowl and a pot, make a double boiler. Heat the water in the pot to a rapid boil, then turn heat down to simmer. To your bowl, add in white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Use a spatula to stir constantly until the mixture mixture is fully melted, then remove from heat.

Working quickly, add in cranberries, salt, and almost all of the orange zest (save about 2 teaspoons of zest to sprinkle on top). Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and tap on your counter a few times to remove any unwanted air bubbles. Sprinkle with remaining orange zest.

Cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge to set for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Cut into small squares and serve! Will last over a week in the fridge.

Recipe comes from Broma Bakery

Fudge With Walnuts & Flaked Sea Salt

18 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt + more for sprinkling

Line an 8"x 8" baking dish with parchment paper on the bottom and all four sides. Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat melt together semi sweet chocolate and 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk by stirring constantly.

Turn the heat off and add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts. Mix to combine.

Immediately spread the mixture into baking dish and smooth with an offset spatula.
Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and carefully press into the surface.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cut into small pieces and share.

Idea fro the recipe comes from Mango & Tomato

Halva, rose and sumac shortbread

The best cookies because each of us can regulate the sweetness. Halva might very or less sweet. Therefore you can regulate how sweet your cookies.

Makes around 25

225 gr unsalted butter, softened
115 gram caster sugar
60 gram halva
1 tablespoon rose water
1 tablespoon ground sumac
250 gram plain flour (I used 1 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour and 2/3 cup spelt flour)
pinch of sea salt
granulated or rose sugar to sprinkle (optional)

Preheat the oven to 170 C (340F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. (I used electric mixer) Then crumble in the halva. Add the rose water and sumac and mix again until smooth. Add the flour and salt and mix until dough comes together.

Bring the dough into ball, knead lightly and briefly until you have a pastry-like consistency, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to around 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thickness. Cut out biscuit shapes with a cutter around 5 cm (2-inch) in diameter, then prick the surface of then gently with fork and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.

Bake for around 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on wire rack then store in a tin or airtight container.

Печенье с халвой и сумахом.

На 25 средней величины печений
225 гр несоленого масла, размягченного
115 грамм сахарной пудры
60 грамм халвы
1 столовая ложка розовой воды
1 столовая ложка молотого сумаха
250 грамм муки (я использовала 1 & 2/3 чашки универсальной муки и 2/3 чашки для полбы)
щепотка морской соли
гранулированный или розовый сахар для посыпки (по желанию)

Разогреть духовку до 170 С (340 F). Выстелить пергаментной бумагой деко.

Сливочное масло смешать в миске с сахаром и взбить миксером. Затем добавить раскрошенную халву, розовую воду, сумах и снова перемешать до однородного состояния. Добавить муку, соль и замешать тесто.

Раскатать тесто на посыпанной мукой поверхности до толщины около 1/2 см. Круглой формочкой диаметром около 5 см вырезать печенье и выложить на деко. По желанию можно посыпать сахаром.

Выпекать около 12-15 минут, до золотистого цвета. Охладить на решетке, затем хранить в герметичной таре.

Если кто-то не знает о сумахе, пожалуйста прочитайте Wikipedia Эту приправу можно купить в арабских магазинах.

Recipe come from "Sesame and Spice" by Anne Shooter

Yellow Pepper Mushroom Pate

The perfect party appetizer. Quick and easy to make, can be made ahead of time, full of flavour, a total crowd pleaser. Perfect for the holidays. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.

Makes 1 & 1/2 cups


2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if you need
1 medium sweet onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 box (8 oz) button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped into medium chunks
1 tablespoon butter
1 large yellow sweet pepper, chopped into medium chunks
1/4 cup lightly packed sun dried tomatoes (I used Bella Sun Luci sun-dried tomatoes with Greek oregano and garlic), cut into thin stripes
1/3 cup white wine, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black ground pepper to taste
garlic powder (optional)

pomegranate seeds, parsley or cilantro leaves for garnish

Usually I lightly rinse the mushrooms with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Please do not soak the mushrooms. Just before use using clean hands, I squeeze mushrooms over a bowl to remove excess water.

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 5-7 minutes until onion is lightly browned. Then add chopped mushrooms and lightly sprinkle with salt and black ground pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes, add butter and mix everything very well until butter is melted. Rise the heat, add yellow pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and sugar. Saute for a couple minutes and pour white wine into mushroom mixture. Low the heat and saute for 6-8 minutes. Check for salt and pepper. If you like garlic, please add garlic powder to taste. In the end, all ingredients except pepper will be caramelized and pepper will be just a little bit tender(not fully cooked). Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave for 3-5 minutes to cool.

Add the mushroom-pepper mixture to the food processor. Process stopping to scrape the sides as needed  until you reach a pâté texture. Check again for salt and pepper. Press pâté into a container for serving using a spatula to smooth it, and let it chill completely in the fridge before serving, about 8-10 hours.