Pomegranate Jelly and Vanilla Yoghurt Panna Cotta

How can you not feel Christmassy in December in the land of sun ,sand and sea,Goa.Christmas is in the air and I thought we might as well get into the spirit of things and spread some festive cheer.My younger one is already so excited about it as she is practicing Carols in school for Christmas and our tree is up with all those wonderful ornamental decorations and the twinkling fairy lights .

As we decorated our tree with carols playing in the background I decided to have the long pending ladies get together at my place within the next two days.With a Christmassy spring in my steps I planned the brunch ,the invitations and the menu .

An array of holiday salads with Pita bread for the lovely,health conscious ladies was an idea appreciated by the guests themselves.For the dessert I baked mini Hummingbird bundts and made a bright red and white pomegranate and yoghurt Panna cotta in small dessert glasses with sparkling pomegranate kernels on top.The Panna cotta stole the show and the yoghurt in it gave a subtle touch of tanginess which complimented the pomegranate jelly beautifully. With my Christmas runner and bright coloured salads and desserts my brunch table had beautiful hues of colours and ready to be
devoured.

Panna Cotta is a sophisticated Italian dessert made simply by cooking cream,gelatine and sugar .In this recipe the vanilla flavoured Panna Cotta is layered with pomegranate jelly ,apt red and white dessert for Christmas.

Today I am doing a Christmas Colab with my blogger friend Parinaaz Marolia of A dollop of that! And her post is on delicious Christmas Linzer Cookies.

You require
For the jelly layer
4 oz raspberry jelly crystals
10 fl oz pomegranate juice
2 tbsp grenadine ( concentrated pomegranate syrup)

For the panna cotta layer
1 tbsp powdered gelatine
1/4 C hot water
7 fl oz flowing cream( I used double cream)
3 1/2 oz castor sugar
10 oz Greek yoghurt/ hung yoghurt
01 Vanilla pod,seeds only

 For the topping
2 tbsp pomegranate kernels
Few mint leaves

Method

• Prepare the jelly as per instructions on the pack except use pomegranate juice and grenadine instead of water.
• Leave to cool for 10 mins stirring in between otherwise the jelly starts to set.
• While the mixture is a little warm ,pour into small dessert glasses or wine glasses with the glasses propped in a slant.
• I propped the glasses to one side in a muffin tray so that the layers can be set in a slant and put the tray in the fridge.Individual ramekins ,egg cartons or loaf dish can also be used.
• Leave the jelly to set in the fridge for an hour or two.
• For the panna cotta mix the gelatine with the hot water till it dissolves properly.
• Place the cream,sugar and the vanilla seeds in a saucepan and heat it gently,just enough for the sugar to dissolve,stirring all the time .
• Remove from heat and add the gelatine to the creamy mixture and let it cool for 10- 15 mins.
• Meanwhile put the yoghurt in a bowl and whisk to loosen it.
• Once cool add the cream mixture to the yoghurt and whisk it gently together.
• Remove the jelly glasses from the fridge and keep them in an upright position,you will notice that the jelly has set in a slant.
• Now pour the cool creamy yogurt mix carefully and evenly filling up the glasses and return the glasses back to the fridge for 2-3 hours.
• Once the dessert is set garnish with pomegranate crystals and mint leaves and serve.

Do not forget to peep into my friend Parinaaz's blog A dollop of that! to have a bite of those jammy,delicious,melt in the mouth Linzer cookies.

Classic Fresh Basil Pesto from scratch

   

The fondness for convenience foods in India has grown in leaps and bounds.Processed food is just everywhere, despite numerous news stories warning us of the dangers.The key to the success of processed food is simple..it is not only quick and simple but also reliable.

Though my mom was a career woman and had limited time in the kitchen ,had never seen a single processed food in my house.Yes,I am harping about it but hats off to her except for an occasional sauce or a jam bottle everything was made from scratch .It is labour intensive but the satisfaction of not spoiling your and your loved ones health is there at the end of the day.

Have always tried my best to make masalas and sauces from scratch but I also do give in to the lure of the colourful bottles and cans and laziness.But with age I have slowly started to like the idea of making your own convenience food which is healthy and less expensive too.

Pesto is a traditional Italian Recipe and has the distinct flavours of fresh basil,pine nuts,garlic,olive oil and cheese.Its used as a sauce for pasta,as a sauce for sandwiches ,as a pizza sauce,as salad dressing or just to flavour a hot bowl of soup.Pine nuts can be substituted with walnuts too.The sauce is diluted with milk or cream in a Pasta.The ingredients are pounded together in a pestle..hence the name pesto.

In this classic version of pesto, the basil leaves are blanched in hot boiling water and then shocked in ice water to give the sauce a brilliant green hue and to reduce any bitterness.Pesto is best when had fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 2 weeks with a thin layer of olive oil on the surface.

You Require (makes 1/2 cup)

2 tbsp walnuts/ pine nuts ,Toasted and chopped
2C fresh basil leaves ,loosely packed , blanched and shocked
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
I tsp chopped garlic
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Method
Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend into a smooth paste.
Use as required.

For a vegan version of Pesto omit the cheese.

Poached Peach and Vanilla Panna Cotta...a novel presentation of the Italian classic.

Panna Cotta, a Classic moulded Italian dessert is basically sweetened cream thickened with gelatine and flavoured with coffee,rum,vanilla and so on or by infusing spices.A creamy and luxurious dessert and a perfect crowd pleaser,it's a sure hit in a party.Had always prepared this dessert in individual glasses but this way of presentation did win me a few accolades:).All thanks to Donna Hay' s Modern Classics cookbook .An ardent fan of her cooking I make sure I don't miss out a single episode of her cookery show on TLC.
This lusciously smooth and creamy dessert has a layer of poached peaches with the poaching liquid set with gelatine in the bottom layer and cream infused with vanilla bean in the upper layer,set and de molded upside down.The peaches in the transparent layer give a gorgeous look to the subtly sweet dessert and gives a classy impression.Serve it in small dessert glasses,stem glasses,bowls or demold it,garnish with berries or a citrusy sauce or some diced peaches doused in Grand Marnier....tailor it to whatever occasion you have prepared it for.Nothing could be easier or more delicious!

You require
1 1/2 C(12 fl oz) water
1/2C sugar
3 peaches,halved and stoned
1 tbsp powdered gelatine

For the Panna cotta 
2 tbsp powdered gelatine
1/3 C (2 1/2 fl oz) water
3 3/4 C(30 fl oz) single or pouring cream
1 C icing or confectioners sugar
1 vanilla bean,split and scraped

Method

• Boil the water and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the peaches and simmer for 3-5 mins or until soft.
• Remove the peaches and and slip off the skins reserving the poaching liquid.
• Mix the gelatine with 1/4 of the peach liquid and add the mixture to the remaining liquid in the saucepan,stir and simmer for 2 mins or until dissolved.
• Place the peach halves,cut side up in a well greased loaf tin and pour the liquid over the peaches.
• Refrigerate for 2 hrs or until firm.
• To make the Panna cotta mix the gelatine with warm water and set aside.
• Place the cream ,icing sugar and scraped vanilla in a a saucepan over medium heat and stir.
• Add the gelatine mixture and simmer over low heat for nearly 4 mins or until dissolved.
• Allow to cool to room temperature then pour the mixture over the set jelly and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve dip the tin in warm water and invert onto a plate.
• Slice and serve.

Southern Italian Soup and a memorable birthday

When I was a little girl March was the favourite time of the year for me as mine and my sister's birthday fall in this month.As time flew priorities shifted from myself to hubby and now the children and strangely the favourite months have also changed. I still remember those years, the night before my birthday I would have butterflies in my stomach and usually the earliest one to wake up that day, a feeling of insane anticipation.When did that feeling disappear? It's not that I don't enjoy my birthday anymore but I guess, I am not overwhelmed by an uncontainable excitement anymore. Since  my 30th birthday I have started dreading  March as I feel that with each passing year I am losing those golden years of my life. Insecurities!! I constantly keep on chiding myself  to shed these insecurities and cherish old moments and look forward for some new experiences and anticipation in life.

This year was really special and memorable as I had all my near and dear ones celebrating my birthday as  I completed one more year in the span of life, a new milestone towards eternity. My mom, dad, hubby, my children, my sis in-law, my sister and her husband with gifts, surprises, cakes, shopping, treat...my god!....I felt like a little girl again after all those years. Thank you everybody, love you all!!

I am posting one of my favourite,hassle free soups, a Sanjeev Kapoor creation. The soup is full of veggies, screams health, a stomach filler and a keeper for sure. The fresh basil and the celery stalks impart a herby aroma to the soup. This soup has been made so many times as dinner at my place that the recipe is known by heart now. I have tweaked it many a times by adding mushrooms and boiled chicken or with chopped chicken loaf  but the recipe posted here is a pure veg one.

You need:

Carrot  - 1 medium chopped finely

Potatoes - 2 medium diced finely

Cabbage - 1/4 small sized ,cut into small dices

Tomatoes - 2 medium sized

Onion   - 1 medium chopped finely

Garlic   - 4 cloves chopped fine

Celery  - 1 inch stalk chopped fine

Fresh Basil - 6-8 leaves chopped(reserve some for garnish)

Olive oil  - 1 tsp 

Macaroni - 1/4 cup

Veg stock or water - 4 cups (can prepare veg stock with Maggi or knorr cubes)

Salt and pepper to taste, preferably white pepper pwdr

Method:

1. Blanch the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, peel deseed and puree them.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan,add onion and garlic and saute till translucent.
3. Add celery, carrot and potato pieces. Stir continuously and cook for five minutes.
4. Add cabbage, tomatoes and cook stirring continuously.
5. Add salt, pepper, basil and macaroni, stir and add 4 cups of vegetable stock or water and bring it to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and simmer till the vegetables are cooked and the soup has thickened.
7. Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot with some dinner rolls.

You can put dry basil if fresh basil is not available. Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

My last post talked about spring butI can hardly see any traces of spring in the city.This morning when I woke up I was surprised to see a thick shroud of snow everywhere.Where is the sun....its ages since I have seen and felt its warm golden rays and miss the warmth of the room as the rays filter through the french windows and create those dancing shadows on the wall.There are so many amazing and wonderful things that go unnoticed in our lives,it's the small things that we sometime take for granted without giving a second thought to appreciate their presence.

The weather out here has been very unpredictable these past few days and as I was reading Sia's post and came across the term global warming the first thing that came to my mind was a documentary film in National geographic that I was watching a few days back.The documentary was on global warming and its frightening repercussions.With global warming taking its toll the worst hit country would be India they claim,according to them within a span of 200 years all the glaciers in Himalayas would melt and the Ganges would transform into a desert.With so many people relying on the Ganga for their daily requirement of water,the consequence is horrifying.
I have been having this terrible stinging sensation in my throat since last night and my sixth sense says I am going to be down with a bad bout of cough and cold.My only concern is Mishti, my little one who is bound to pick up an infection from me....and with the mom and the child both sick and hubby dear tending to us, it's utter chaos in the house.I am just not looking forward to this:(

My post today is Eggplant Parmigiana,sliced eggplants fried,layered with creamy red and white sauce and baked with a sprinkling of cheese.The recipe is again a Nita Mehta's Italian collection, I specially
prepared it to send an entry for Creative Pooja's Vow Brinjal.

Eggplants is not a great favourite in my house but this delectable version with garlic bread and a greek salad was an immensely enjoyable meal.One more brinjal dish that we relish is "Baigana Bhaja" an oriya dish ,sliced brinjals marinated in turmeric,salt and chilli pwdr and deep fried or shallow fried in mustard oil.....this tastes ultimate with puris.You can check out the recipe Here.

you need:
1 big eggplant of round,oblong variety
2 cubes cheddar cheese(i used a russian cheese )
2 tbsp grated parmesan
oil for frying
tomato sauce:
2 large tomatoes,pureed
3 flakes garlic,crushed
8-10 basil leaves,chopped
1 tsp oregano,dried
1/2 tsp chilli pwdr
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp thick cream
1 tsp olive oil
white sauce:
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion,chopped
2 cups milk
1 tbsp thick cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

1. Slice the eggplants and sprinkle some salt and keep aside for 15 mins.Pat dry on akitchen towel and deep fry them in oil to a light brown colour.( I shallow fried them in olive oil)
2. For the tomato sauce,heat oil and fry the onions and garlic till it slightly changes colour.Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and boil for 10 mins till the juice from the tomatoes evaporates and turns slightly thick.Remove from fire and add cream.
3. To prepare the white sauce melt the butter,add onion and stir till light pink.Sprinkle flour and cook on low heat for 2 mins,stirring throughout.Remove from heat and gradually add milk,mix until well blended.Return to heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens.Remove from fire,add cream ,salt and pepper and mix well.
4. To assemble,spread 1/3 of the white sauce in a baking dish.
5. Place 1/2 of the eggplant slices on it,spread tomato sauce over the eggplants,sprinkle some parmesan cheese.
6. Repeat another layer of eggplants,top with the remaining white sauce and sprinkle both the cheddar and parmesan cheese.
7.Bake for 10 mins at 200 deg C till the cheese melts.

Cannelloni stuffed with cottage cheese and spinach

So we meet again!!

This weekend was quite boring as we were restricted to the confines of our apartment.With the temperatures rising and the snow melting there was slush everywhere and with me paranoid about mud and slush there was no chance that i would step out.So finally we languished in front of the TV in our night suits, played scrabble ,completed my daughter's environmental science project, made a waste paper bin for my daughter's room, did some blog hopping and admiring the creativity and made cannelloni for lunch:)). Phew!!
Back in India it was a tedious task for me to go hunting for Cannelloni in the stores,here its a joy to shop for continental stuff, you name it and its there.
Cannelloni is a big pipe shaped pasta or basically large stuffable tubes( courtesy wikipedia).The basic idea is from Nita Mehta's chicken cannelloni but the stuffing has been incorporated by me.The stuffed pasta is layered with tomato sauce and bechamel sauce(white sauce) and baked with a generous sprinkling of mozzarella cheese.Yuummmmmm!!!!Every mouthful leading to sheer bliss.

You need:
5 ready made cannelloni tubes
1 tbsp oil and1tsp salt to cook the pasta
60 gms cheese (mozzarella) grated

For the stuffing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 small onion chopped
3/4 cup chopped spinach(i used frozen minced spinach)
1 cup crumbled cottage cheese(paneer)
1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped finely
1/4 cup corn kernels( i used tinned sweet corn kernels)
1 large tomato pureed or equivalent tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion finely chopped
3 flakes garlic crushed
2 medium tomatoes pureed
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry oregano
salt and pepper to taste

For the bechamel sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp grated cheese(i use cheddar)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil ready made cannelloni tubes in boiling water with the salt and oil for 7-8 minutes or till done.Read the packet instructions.
2. To prepare the stuffing, heat oil, add the onion and garlic, fry till onion is soft.Add the bell peppers ,corn and spinach and saute for 2-3 minutes.Add the crumbled cottage cheese, herbs,tomato puree, salt and pepper.Cook till the mixture is dry.
3. To prepare the tomato sauce,heat oil ,add garlic,fry till light brown.Add onion and fry till transparent.Add all the other ingredients and boil till slightly thick pouring consistency(not dry).
4. To prepare the bechamel sauce heat butter, add the flour and cook till it has a light brown tinge.Reduce heat and add milk stirring continuously so that no lumps are formed.Add seasonings and cook till the sauce starts coating the back of the spoon.Remove from heat,add cheese and mix well.
5. Stuff cannelloni tubes with the prepared stuffing.
6. To assemble, spread some tomato sauce at the base of the baking dish.Arrange the stuffed cannelloni on it in a single layer.Spread rest of the tomato sauce on it.Then spread the bechamel sauce on it to cover completely.
7. Top it up with grated mozzarella cheese and bake at 180 deg C for 20 mins or till cheese is golden in colour.

Just forget being health conscious for a while and pamper your taste buds!