William Penn Life, 2005 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2005-10-01 / 10. szám

The Hungarian Kitchen

are preparing: for example, "one pound of red onions diced into Viinch pieces." The creator of the recipe has used specific ingredients to get a specific result. For example, if the recipe calls for bread flour, you should not use cake flour. If any substitutions are allowed, the recipe will indicate what you can switch, like yogurt for sour cream, or honey for sugar.

The better recipes will give weights rather than sizes. "Use three large potatoes." But how large? "Use one pound of potatoes" makes more sense.

When it comes to ingredients, a good recipe leaves nothing out and shows a pattern that follows a ratio of ingredients.

Method of Preparation. Preparing the ingredients is just as important as the ingredients themselves. The method should be clear and concise.

A good recipe won't assume you

know anything about cooking.

The creator of the recipe will guide you through, using an organized step by step process. Any styles of cooking should be specified: i.e. boil, sauté, bake, brown, caramelize or sear. Any recipe should also have a specific cooking temperature. If the food is to be served cold or hot, that fact should also be specified. For instance, "chill your salad for two hours in the refrigerator then serve your guests," or "bring sauce to a boil then pour over your pasta and serve your guests."

Now that we know the components of a recipe, let me give you a few tips to improve your talents in the kitchen.- Measure everything and be precise for the best results.- Use the best ingredients or those that are specified. Not all food products are equal in quality; some are much better than others.- Any adjustments you make will change the final result, so keep to the recipe.- Before starting any recipe, read through it and see if you like it.- Make sure you have everything on hand to prepare the recipe so you don't have to stop and go to the store.

Any recipe is like a road map with a starting point and an ending destination showing you everything in between. I'll leave you with one last positive thought: If your recipe didn't turn out the way you expected, don't lose sleep over it. Find another one you like and try again. Congratulate yourselves on learning more about recipes! See you next month.

Jó

fösza/íÓLOS D*TM

Baked Mustard Chicken

4 chicken breast halves (boneless)

% cup spicy brown mustard Zi cup flavored bread crumbs Za cup butter or margarine (melted)

2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons water or white wine Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken with mustard and dredge in bread crumbs. Place in 9 x 13 inch baking dish, breast side up. Combine butter, lemon juice and water and drizzle one tablespoon over each piece of chicken and pour remainder in baking dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle with paprika and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Prep time 5 minutes. Cooking time 45 to 50 minutes. Yield 4 servings.

Beef Wine Casserole

I lb. beef stew meat or other beef cut into 2-inch cubes Zi cup red wine I cup beef broth

V* teaspoon salt Za teaspoon pepper I onion, sliced Za cup dry bread crumbs Zi cup flour

Combine beef, wine, broth, salt, pepper and onion in casserole. Mix flour with bread crumbs; stir into casserole mixture. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Cream Cheese and Artichoke Soufflé

1 Zi pounds cream cheese 4 large eggs

12 drained artichokes

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic Zi cup fresh chopped parsley 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Salt & white pepper to taste

Soften cream cheese. Using a mixer blend all ingredients until mixed very well. Put mixture in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees or until top is golden brown. Serve hot from oven with crackers or toast points.

Hungarian Tomato Sauce

12 medium red tomatoes blanched, peeled and seeded Kosher salt and pepper to taste 7 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped Zi cup olive oil

I tablespoon Hungarian paprika I cup Hungarian red wine Zi cup spring water

In a 2-quart saucepan heat the olive oil, paprika and sauté the garlic. Add the wine and water, then the tomatoes. Simmer on low heat until the tomatoes stew into a thick sauce. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little more Hungarian red wine. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Serve hot to your guests.

William Penn Life, October 2005

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