Mel's Kitchen

Baked White beans with Spinach & Feta

Gigantes sto Forno me Spanaki kai Feta

250gr (1/2 lb) dried giant white beans, rinsed & soaked overnight

1k (2lbs) spinach, trimmed, chopped & washed well

½ cup snipped fresh dill

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 medium leek, coarsely chopped

Salt to taste

1 cup olive oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped OR

2 cups chopped green onions (best)

1 ½ cups crumbled feta cheese (harder & tarter the better!)

2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped plum tomatoes (canned are fine)

1 beef bouillon cube (optional)

Pepper to taste

1/3 cup bread crumbs

            Drain beans. Add ample water to cover well; bring to a boil. Meanwhile, boil a teapot full of water. Drain beans and add water from teapot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour or until al dente.

            Meanwhile, place the spinach, herbs and leek in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt. Rub and press the mixture, almost in a kneading motion, so that the greens exude liquid. Do this for about 10 minutes, then place a weighted plate over the greens and leave them to drain for an hour.

            Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onions, stirring, until wilted, about 7 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

            Combine the drained greens with the cooked onions and 1 cup feta cheese. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups hot liquid. Toss the beans with the greens and 1 cup tomatoes. Add pepper to taste and salt (remember that the beef bouillon will add salt as well if you are using it). Place the beans & greens mixture in a glass or or ceramic baking dish and mix in ½ cup olive oil. Dissolve bouillon in 2 cups reserved bean liquid and mix into beans. Pour the remaining 1 cup tomatoes over the surface of the beans and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup feta cheese and the bread crumbs on top. Drizzle the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil over the surface and bake, covered with a sheet of aluminum foil, until the beans are very creamy and soft but not disintegrating. This may take anywhere from 1-2 ½ hours depending on age and condition of dried beans. Add more reserved bean liquid, as needed. Serve hot, lukewarm or room temperature.

VARIATIONS:

1)       substitute sorrel for spinach omitting dill, parsley, feta and bread crumbs.

2)       Substitute 4 leeks for spinach, dill & parsley.

Molasses Baked Beans

Molasses Baked Beans

1 pound (500 grams) small white beans

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, cut into wedges

4 slices of bacon or piece of salt pork

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon pepper

            Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse well. Place in pot with fresh water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile heat a second pot of water to near boiling. Drain beans, return to pot and add heated water to cover by a finger length and bay leaves. Boil gently until just tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and reserve 4 cups of liquid. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine onion, bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard and pepper in a large ovenproof pot. Stir in beans and 3 cups of liquid. Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil, then with lid. Bake until beans are very tender and liquid is almost absorbed, adding more liquid if necessary, about 2 ½ hours. Season with salt and pepper. May be cooked for 8-10 hours in a Crockpot on low instead of baking in oven.

black-eyed peas stewed with greens

Black-Eyed Peas Stewed with Greens

250 gr (1/2 lb) dried black-eyed peas, rinsed

2/3 to 1 cup olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

750 gr (1 ½ lb) mixed greens (spinach, chervil, collards, chard, wild greens, etc.) trimmed, chopped & washed well

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 beef bouillon cube, mashed in a little water

Salt & pepper to taste

            Soak peas in water overnight. Drain. Add ample water to cover well; bring to a boil. Meanwhile, boil a teapot full of water. Drain peas and add water from teapot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, prepare greens; In a large pot, heat 1/3 cup olive oil and cook onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring until wilted. Add the greens, tomato paste, beef bouillon, salt and pepper. Cover and cook the greens in their own juices over low heat for about 20 minutes; they should be soft.

Drain peas and add them to the greens, stirring gently. Cover the pot and cook the beans and beans together over medium-low heat for another 5-10 minutes for the flavors to meld. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Just before removing from the heat, add the rest of the olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread, feta cheese and olives. Serves 4-6.

Mexicali Quiche

Mexicali Quiche

1 ½ corn kernels

1 cup cream

5 medium eggs, beaten

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or Xriso cheese

1 small can chopped green chilies

Salt & pepper to taste

Sour cream, chopped green onion and chopped tomato, for garnish

1 pie shell

            Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Combine all ingredients and pour into pie shell. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes before serving. May be frozen before baking OR freeze baked, cooled quiche and thaw and warm to serve.

Spinach & Bacon Quiche

Spinach & Bacon Quiche

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 package (400gr) frozen chopped spinach

Salt

Pepper

Nutmeg

10 crisp-fried bacon slices, crumbled

2 cups finely shredded Swiss cheese

3 eggs

1 cup cream

1 pie shell

            Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Weight pie shell with dried beans and bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 190°C (375°F) Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until transparent. Stir in spinach. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add bacon and cheese and pour into pie shell. Bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a rack. Serve cold or warm. May be frozen before baking OR freeze baked, cooled quiche and thaw and warm to serve.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine

8 slices bacon

1 onion

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup cream

1 cup milk

1 T flour

½ t salt

dash nutmeg

1 ½ c shredded swiss cheese

1 pie shell

            Cook bacon until crisp, reserve drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook onion in reserved drippings until tender. Stir together eggs, cream, milk, flour, salt and nutmeg. Stir in the bacon, onion and cheese; mix well. Line pie shell with double thickness aluminum foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-7 minutes longer or until pastry is almost done. Remove from oven; reduce temp to 325. Pour cheese mixture into hot pie shell. If necessary cover edges of crust to prevent overbrowning. Bake in a 325 oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

May be frozen before baking OR freeze baked, cooled quiche and thaw and warm to serve.

Seafood Quiche

Seafood Quiche

½ c chopped onion

2 T butter

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 c cream

3/4 c milk

½ t salt

½ t lemon zest

dash ground nutmeg

1 can crabmeat, drained OR 1 can shrimp, drained & chopped

1 ½ c shredded Emmental cheese

1 T flour

1 pie shell

1/4 cup sliced almonds

            Cook onion in butter till tender. Stir together eggs, cream, milk, salt, lemon zest and nutmeg. Add crabmeat or shrimp. Toss cheese and flour together then add to egg mixture. Line pie shell with double thickness aluminum foil. Bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5-7 minutes more until pastry is nearly done. Remove from oven; reduce oven temp to 325 degrees. Pour egg mixture into hot pastry shell. Top with almonds. Cover edge of crust to prevent overbrowning. Bake in a 325 degree oven 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Set stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

May be frozen before baking OR freeze baked, cooled quiche and thaw and warm to serve.

Egg Foo Yong

Egg Foo Yong

makes 2 servings.

½ cup finely chopped Chinese or plain cabbage

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 beef bouillon cube

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup cold water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup fresh or drained, canned bean sprouts

oil for frying

            In a skillet cook cabbage, onion and green pepper in 1 tablespoon hot oil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and cool.

            Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan, combine corn starch, beef bouillon and sugar. Stir in water and soy sauce. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more. Keep sauce warm while frying egg foo yong mixture.

            In a mixing bowl beat together eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cooled, cooked vegetables and bean sprouts. In the same skillet heat about 2 tablespoons of oil.  Using about 1/4 cup for each patty, fry paties in hot oil about 1 minute per side or until golden. Keep warm. Repeat until all the mixture is used, stirring the mixture in the bowl each time before frying. Add more oil as needed. Serve with warm sauce.

Ham Egg Foo Yong: Prepare as above except add ½ cup diced ham to mixture.

Shrimp Egg Foo Yong: Prepare as above except add ½ cup cooked shrimp (whole popcorn or chopped larger shrimp) to mixture.

Crepes Newburg

Crepes Newburg

Crepes:

1 cup flour

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon oil

¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

½ kilo (1lb) crab, chopped

1 can sliced mushrooms

4 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups cream, warmed

2 chicken bouillon cubes

¾ teaspoon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon soy sauce

200gr (1/3 lb) cheese, grated

            Crepes:

Mix flour, egg and ½ cup milk. Add yolk, oil, salt and remaining ½ cup of milk. Chill 30 minutes to 24 hours. Thin, if needed. Cook on one side only.

            Filling:

Combine crab with well-drained mushrooms. Refrigerate until ready to fill crepes. To make sauce for filling, melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat; add flour and stir to a smooth paste. Return to heat and cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat again and slowly blend in cream. Add remaining ingredients. Return to heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils. Adjust seasonings. This can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator If filling is made ahead, reheat in a double boiler. Add crab and mushrooms to sauce when ready to assemble crepes.

Newburg Sauce

1 kilo (2lbs) shrimp, cooked & cleaned

1 cup cooked lobster, cut in bite-size pieces (optional)

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 ½ cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch red pepper

3 egg yolks, beaten

½ cup sherry or sweet white wine

            Refrigerate shrimp and boster until ready to add to sauce. Using the same method as in the filling, make a cream sauce with butter, flour, cream, salt, paprika and pepper. Thes can be made the day before and refrigerated. If sauce is made ahead, reheat in double boiler. Just before serving, add egg yolks, sherry, shrimp and lobster. Stir sauce as little as possible after seafood is added.

            To assemble crepes: place about 3 tablespoons of filling on unbrowned side of each crepe. Roll up and place in buttered baking dish. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until crepes are heated through. Spoon ht Newburg sauce over crepes just before servings. Serves 12.

Crabmeat Potatoes

Crab Meat Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, baked

            While hot remove insides & mash. Add:

½ cup butter

½ cup cream

1 cup grated cheese

½ teaspoon paprika

4 teaspoons grated onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

            Beat until fluffy. Add:

1 can crabmeat OR 1 cup frozen crabmeat, thawed & chopped

            Stuff potato shells. Bake until hot and brown. May be made ahead, wrapped in foil and frozen. Bake when needed. Serves 4.

Fettuccine with Mushroom Clam Sauce

Fettuccine with Mushroom Clam Sauce

2 cans chopped clams

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup dry white wine

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (homemade see canning section)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Hot cooked fettucine

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

            Drain clams, reserving liquid. In a saucepan over medium heat, in hot butter, cook garlic until golden, stirring often. Add clam liquid and wine. Increase heat to high. Boil 6 minutes or until liquid is reduced to ½ cup. Stir in soup, clams and parmesan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve over fettuccine. Garnish with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Shrimp or Crab Newburg

Shrimp or Crab Newburg

½ cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups cream

3 beaten egg yolks

1 ½ cups chopped cooked shrimp, crab or fake crab (or 1 can shrimp, crab or

lobster, drained with cartilage removed)

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Paprika

4 baked patty shells

            Melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour. Add cream all at once. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Stir about half of the hot mixture into egg yolks; return to hot mixture. Cook and stir until thickened but DO NOT BOIL! Add shellfish; heat through. Stir in wine, lemon juice and salt. Sprinkle with paprika. Spoon into patty shells. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs, if desired. Serves 4.

Grilled Trout

Grilled Trout

Whole trout

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Oregano

            Rinse fish and pat dry. While coals are being prepared, marinate trout in lemon juice, oil and oregano. Grill until fish is tender.

Baked Salmon

Baked Salmon

Salmon steaks or fillets

Fresh or dry dill

Lemon slices

Olive oil

            Rinse fish and pat dry. Pour a little oil in the bottom of a casserole dish. Place fish in dish. Sprinkle with dill and place sliced lemon on top. Bake at 180°C (350 F) until fish is tender.

Skillet-fried Fish

Skillet-Fried Fish

6 fresh or frozen trout or other fish fillets

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon paprika

Dash cayenne (optional)

1 can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk OR buttermilk OR ½ water/ ½ yogurt mix

Cooking oil

            Thaw fish, if frozen. Thoroughly stir together dry ingredients. Dip fish in milk, then coat with mix. Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a heavy skillet until very hot. Cook fish in hot oil 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and cook 4-5 minutes more or until fish flakes easily, when tested with a fork. Add more oil as needed. Drain the fish on paper towels. Serves 6.

Trout Amandine

Trout Amandine

Trout (whole or fillets)

Flour with salt

Sliced almonds

Butter

            Rinse fish and pat dry. Dredge in flour & salt. Melt butter in skillet. Add almonds and fish and fry until almonds are browned and fish is tender.

Tuna Broccoli Crepes

Tuna Broccoli Crepes

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ¼ cups milk

2 cups shredded cheese (type that melts

well)

1 package frozen chopped broccoli

1 can tuna, drained & flaked

12 Crepes (see recipe below)

1 hard cooked boiled egg, sliced

Paprika

            Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). For filling, in a saucepan cook onion in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour and salt. Add milk; cook and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add cheese; stir until melted. Remove pan from heat. Cook broccoli; drain. Cut up large pieces. Fold tuna and ¾ cup of the sauce into broccoli. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the tuna-broccoli mix onto the unbrowned side of each crepe; roll up. Place crepes, seam side down, in a baking dish; pour remaining sauce over crepes. Bake covered for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Arrange the egg slices over crepes and sprinkle with paprika. Serves 6.

Basic Crepes

1 cup flour

1 ½ cups milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon oil

¼ teaspoon salt

            Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until well-blended. Heat a lightly greased skillet. Remove from heat. Spoon in about 2 tablespoons batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. Return to heat; brown on one side only. Remove crepe to paper towel. Repeat. Makes 16-18 crepes.

Note: Unfilled crepes freeze well. Stack alternately with wax paper. Then wrap the stack in plastic wrap or foil or store in freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 months. Let thaw 1 hour before using.

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

3 cups egg noodles, cooked

1 cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 jar cheese dip (originally 1 can cream of cheddar soup) or condensed cream of

            mushroom soup

¾ cup milk

1 can tuna

¼ cup chopped pimento or florina peppers

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

            Preheat oven to 180°C. In a saucepan, cook celery and onion in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour; Stir in cheese dip or soup. Gradually add milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Carefully stir in tuna, peppers and noodles. Turn mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with sprigs of parsley, if desired. Serves 6.

Baked Tuna Patties

Baked Tuna Patties

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

1 can tuna, drained

2 cups soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1 egg

2/3 cup finely crushed cheese crackers (about 20)

            Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). For sauce, in a saucepan cook celery in 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in flour, paprika and salt. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cool slightly. Flake tuna. Mix into sauce with bread crumbs and onion. Form into patties. Beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Dip patties into egg mixture, then into crackers. Place in a lightly greased baking pan. Melt remaining butter. Drizzle over patties. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serves 4.

Tuna Melt Casserole

Tuna-melt Casserole

1 package corkscrew or medium shell pasta

3 cups  broccoli flowerets

2 tablespoons  margarine or butter

2 tablespoons  all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon  salt

1/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper

4 cups milk

1 cup shredded Swiss (Emmental) cheese

1 can chunk light tuna in water -- drained & flaked

2 medium  tomatoes -- cut into 1/4"-thick slices

Preheat oven to 400°F (200ºC). In large saucepot, cook pasta in boiling salted water 5 minutes; add broccoli to pasta and cook another 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and pasta is al dente. Drain well and return to saucepot; set aside. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, melt margarine or butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until blended and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese until blended. Add cheese sauce and tuna to pasta and broccoli in saucepot; toss until evenly mixed. Transfer mixture to 13x9" (average) glass baking dish. Arrange tomato slices on top, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 20 min or until hot and bubbly.