• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice (optional)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 dash salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
  DIRECTIONS
  Place the shredded cabbage and carrot together in a bowl with the sliced apple, and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, stir together the honey, brown sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice, and mayonnaise until the honey and sugar have dissolved completely. Pour over the salad, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

   

  Asparagus Risotto
  Ingredients list:
  2 lb of asparagus.
  1 shallot, chopped finely.
  3 ½ oz of vialone rice.
  2 oz of butter.
  1 cup of dry white wine.
  4 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
  Salt and pepper.

  Instructions:

  Break the ends off the asparagus stalks and discard. Cut off the extreme tips and chop the rest of the stalks. Blanch the tips in boiling water. Remove the tips with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the stalks in the same water until they go soft. In a blender, puree the stalks with their cooking water to make a thick stock. Add dry white wine, and simmer over a low heat. In a pan, melt half of the butter and cook the shallot until it turns soft. Add the rice to the pan and let it begin to absorb the butter before adding a ladle of the asparagus stock. Keep stirring until it is absorbed. Stir in the tips and add another ladle of stock. Keep adding the stock, one ladle at a time, making certain not to drown the rice, until the rice is al dente (takes 15-20 mins).

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  Blueberry muffins

  Ingredients

  2 cups All-purpose flour
  2/3 cup Sugar
  1 tablespoon Baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon Salt
  2 Eggs
  1 cup Milk
  1/3 cup Butter or margarine -- melted
  1 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  2 cups Fresh or frozen blueberries
  Additional butter or
  Margarine -- melted
  Additional sugar
  

  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs. Blend in milk, butter, nutmeg and vanilla; pour into dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. * = If using frozen blueberries, rinse and pat dry before adding to batter. Yields: 1 dozen

   

   

   

   

  CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY ALMOND TORTE :

  [Desert]

  Ingredients:

  1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted lightly
  2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2 large eggs
  1 cup sugar
  1 tablespoon framboise or other raspberry brandy
  3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 cup raspberries plus additional for garnish and as an accompaniment
  
  For the glaze-
  1/3 cup raspberry jam
  1 tablespoon sugar
  *NOTE: DOUBLE THE ABOVE AMOUNTS FOR GLAZE*
  
  For the ganache
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  
  lemon leaves (available at most florists) for garnish
  
  

   

  Directions:

  In a food processor grind the almonds, scraping the bowl occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are the consistency of a nut butter, and reserve the mixture. In a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate and the butter, stirring occasionally, and remove the bowl from the pan. In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs until they are pale, add the sugar gradually, beating, and beat the mixture until it is very thick and pale. Beat in the chocolate mixture, the framboise, and the reserved almond butter and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Into the bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt, beat the mixture until it is combined well, and fold in 1 cup of the raspberries gently. Turn the mixture into a well-buttered 8 1/2-inch springform pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top, and bake the torte in the middle of a preheated 350F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. let the torte cool in the pan on a rack and remove the side of the pan.
  
  Make the glaze:
  In a small heavy saucepan combine the jam and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, and boil it, stirring, for 3 minutes. Force the mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the seeds, and discard the seeds.
  
  Invert the torte onto the rack, set over wax paper, remove the bottom of the pan, and spread the glaze on the top and side of the torte. Let the torte stand at room temperature for 2 hours or chill it for 30 minutes, or until the glaze is set. The torte may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept on the rack, covered with an inverted bowl, at room temperature.
  
  Make the ganache:
  In a small heavy saucepan bring the cream to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chocolate, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and let the ganache cool for 3 minutes.
  
  Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the side, and let the torte stand for 1 hour, or until the ganache is set. Transfer the torte carefully to a serving plate, garnish it with some of the additional raspberries and some of the lemon leaves, and serve the remaining raspberries, garnished with the remaining lemon leaves, separately

   

• Cranberry Relish

  2 oranges, unpeeled and sliced into 8 pieces
  1 (2-pound) package fresh cranberries 
  1 cup sugar

  Feed the oranges and cranberries through meat grinder (use small grate). If you are careful, you can use your food processor.

  In a medium bowl, combine ground oranges, ground cranberries, and sugar. Sprinkle a little sugar over the top. Cover and refrigerator for at least one day (the longer you refrigerate, the better the taste).

  TIP: We now update this recipe by adding 2 to 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Triple Sec.

  Makes 8 to 10 servings.

   

   

   

• Basil, rose petals, mint, rosemary, nasturtium flowers or pods and other edible flowers are great as a garnish for your fine dining and are a pleasant alternative to parsley.
• Finely chopped fresh herbs will produce a stronger flavor.
  Dried herbs are almost 4 times stronger than Fresh. If you are cooking with dried herbs and your recipe calls for fresh herbs you can reduce the amount accordingly.
  When cooking with garlic or onions, rub your hands under your stainless steel faucet with the water running to get rid of the smell. For some reason the stainless steel works it's magic and eliminates the odour completely.
  Never soak diced vegetables in water before preparing them or they will lose all their nutrients.
  Run wilted lettuce under cold water, shake it dry, wrap it in paper towels and place in your refrigerator over night. The next day it will have perked right up.
  If you plan on doing any canning you can use vinegar to clean and deodorize any old jars you want to reuse and to remove fruit stains from your hands.

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