Easy Canned Pink Salmon Mousse

15 05 2008

Let’s face it, the last thing you want to do during the Holiday season is spend hours slaving over a hot stove. This make ahead, no-cook canned pink salmon recipe will delight your family & friends and give you time to enjoy the party with your guests.

Ingredients - Serves 6 - 8

  • 1 x 7oz/200G Can Pink Salmon

  • pint/150ml sour cream
  • grated rind & juice of lemon
  • 1 tabsp tomato puree
  • 2 teasp anchovy essence
  • 2 heaped tabs mayonnaise
  • 1 egg separated
  • oz/15g powdered gelatine
  • 2 tabsp water
  • pint/300ml milk
  • 1 small onion halved
  • 2 parsley stalks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 strip lemon rind
  • 1oz/25g plain flour
  • 1oz/25g butter
  • salt & pepper

Method

First make the white sauce as follows:

Heat the milk in a saucepan with the parsley, onion, bay leaf and lemon rind. Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes and strain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and then the flavoured milk.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Take off heat and leave to cool slightly.

(If you haven’t got anything to flavour the milk just use it plain).

Turn out the canned pink salmon with its juices into a bowl. Remove any bones and skin and mash well with a fork.

Beat in the white sauce, then the mayonnaise and sour cream.

Stir in the lemon rind and juice, tomato puree, anchovy essence and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dissolve the gelatine in the water and stir into the mixture.

Beat the egg white until stiff and fold in.

Turn into a 1 pint/900ml greased, ring, fish mould or souffle dish and chill in the fridge until set. (preferably overnight)

Alternatively pour into individual moulds and serve as a starter.

To serve - dip the mould briefly into hot water and turn out onto a serving plate

Garnish with whole prawns and cucumber.

Cherie is a freelance cook, cookery writer and webmaster. For more great salmon recipes including how to smoke, grill, bake and poach Salmon and for quick and easy recipes using canned salmon, click here - http://www.great-salmon-recipes.com. Read more about her - http://www.great-salmon-recipes.com/Website.html



Easiest Barbecue Sauce

13 05 2008

3 tb Catsup 3 tb Brown sugar
2 tb Vinegar 1 ts Salt
1 ts Lemon juice 1 ts Dry mustard
2 tb Worcestershire sauce 1 ts Chili powder
4 tb Water 1 ts Paprika
2 tb Cooking oil 1/2 ts Red pepper
Combine all ingredients in a quart jar; shake well and refrigerate until
ready to use as a basting sauce for barbecue chicken, beef or pork.

About the Author

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Alchoholism, A Major Diesease?

24 04 2008

Alcoholism can be given a lot of definitions and all of them stress the fact that there is a terrible disease that involves addiction to spirits. Apart from the physical dependence on alcohol, there are other psychological, genetic and social factors that may play a role in the development of alcoholism. Many social, economic and public health problems are determined by this very serious disease.

When alcoholism is concerned, symptoms include craving for alcohol, incapacity to have control over the use of alcohol, a greater tolerance to its effects, and withdrawal symptoms during the periods of abstinence. One should as well know that many alcoholics deny having a problem. In many cases intervention is necessary in order to persuade them to start treatment. Treatment in cases of alcoholism usually includes detoxification, counseling and psychotherapy, as well as treatment of associated medical problems, and different programmes for recovery and support.

Alcoholism involves physical and psychological addiction to the alcohol, and it often gets to a chronic, progressive form. There are situations in which it can become fatal, when alcohol consumption begins to interfere with your health, your social life or your occupational functioning. Alcoholics often continue to consume alcohol in huge quantities despite the multiple negative consequences of the disease. Nowadays, alcoholism is the most serious form of alcohol abuse. Alcoholism can be also defined in terms like “having a problem with drinking”. If one has a problem with drinking, that can result in health or social problems (drunk driving, for instance), but that doesn’t make one yet dependent on alcohol and it doesn’t mean one has fully lost control over using spirits - as in the case of alcoholism.

Dominic is the writer of this article. This article may be reproduced on websites subject to credit being given to the author, and a link to his website. If you would like more information go to http://www.alcoholismrelief.com



Automatic Espresso Machines

16 04 2008

Commercially used espresso machines can be broadly divided into two kinds: semi-automatic and fully automatic. Fully automatic machines are also termed ’super-automatic espresso machines’. These machines are fast gaining entry into the commercial as well as the household use.

In a semi-automatic espresso machine, the amount of water used for making coffee can be determined by either the user or the machine. Also, the user has to dispose and dose the coffee grounds. The user also steams the milk using a steam wand.

An automatic espresso machine may offer automatic brewing, in which the machine defines the amount of water to be used. These machines typically have two settings, single and double shot.

Various automatic machines also offer automatic dosing, in which the machine takes in the proper amount of coffee, and discards it after brewing. Coffee is ground, dosed, brewed and discarded automatically in a maker which offers automatic grinding. The bypass doser feature in some machines allows one to use ground coffee and adjustable dosage.

Semi-automatic espresso machines are those used at homes or a small scale office or restaurant. A heat exchanger or distributor is used to heat the brewing water. This is one of the most important differences between automatic espresso machines and good home espresso making machines. The boiler is used for the steam, and is kept at a higher temperature. This also ensures that the steam is available at all times.

While single boiler machines use only one boiler for preparing steam and heating the brewing water, the heat exchanger or extra boiler makes it unnecessary to switch modes while using automatic espresso machines.

After the coffee is brewed, the pressure in the portafilter is automatically released through a valve.

Some companies manufacturing semi and fully automatic espresso making machines are Gensaco, Krups, Pasquini, Brasilia, and Europa.

Espresso Machines provides detailed information on Automatic Espresso Machines, Best Espresso Machines, Commercial Espresso Machines, Espresso Cappuccino Machines and more. Espresso Machines is affiliated with Espresso Equipment.



Salmon Recipes Star in a Healthful Holiday Buffet

7 04 2008

Salmon shows up in many of Diana’s favorite recipes for entertaining. Almost everyone likes the flavor, and its pretty color adds eye-appeal to your buffet. Here are three healthful, easy dishes to get you started: an appetizer, a salad and a main course.

Smoked Salmon Salad

1/2 pound smoked salmon, cut in bite-size pieces
1 16-ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup orange, tangerine or clementine sections, in bite-size pieces
1 cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
juice of one lemon
rice vinegar, to taste (start with about 2 tablespoons),
or a light Italian salad dressing
pinch cayenne or dash hot pepper sauce, to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill.

6-8 servings

Chilled Salmon Mousse
1 cup bottled clam juice or chicken bouillon
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 15-ounce can salmon (preferably red sockeye)
2 tablespoons capers (optional)
1 bunch green onions, sliced (white part only)
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch cayenne, or to taste
1 cup fat-free sour cream or yogurt
Fresh herbs, lemon slices or red bell pepper strips for garnish

Heat the clam juice or bouillon in a small pot and stir in the gelatin to dissolve. Combine with the other ingredients except the sour cream or yogurt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the yogurt or sour cream and pour into a non-stick pan or mold. Chill until firm. Unmold and decorate as you wish. Wonderful with red bell pepper strips for dippers.

6-8 servings, more as part of a buffet

Baked Salmon with Portobello Mushrooms
2 vidalia or other sweet onions, sliced
4-6 salmon steaks
1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced
Juice of one lemon
Fresh herbs of your choice (optional)
Lemon wedges for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a layer of onion slices on the bottom of a casserole with a tight-fitting lid (large enough to hold the fish steaks in one or two layers.) Place the fish steaks on the onions, then arrange the mushrooms and remaining onion slices on top. (If you are using two layers of fish, place some of the mushrooms and onions between the layers and the remaining ones on top.) Lay the fresh herbs on top, if you are using them; and squeeze the lemon juice over all. Cover and bake 30 minutes, or until the fish is opaque in the middle (test with a knife or fork.) Serve with lemon wedges and pass the pepper mill.

4-6 servings

Gabe Mirkin, M.D. - EzineArticles Expert Author

For hundreds of Diana Mirkin’s healthful recipes and nutrition tips, visit http://www.DrMirkin.com

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Making Homemade Pasta for Dinner Tonight

31 03 2008

Homemade pasta cooked al dente (to the teeth), is a chewy and light treat. Here are the simple steps to making fresh pasta for dinner tonight.

Ingredients for pasta

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
4 to 5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon salt

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and drop the eggs in. Add the salt and the water a small amount at a time. Blend together to make a dough ball.

Place the dough ball on a dry pastry or baker’s board. Knead until it is smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into four parts. Flatten each part with a rolling pin then dust lightly with flour.

Adjust the pasta maker to the widest setting. Crank each part through at this setting.

Adjust the pasta maker down one setting for thinner noodles and run the dough through a second time. Continue to adjust the setting to a smaller size until you reach the desired thickness of noodle.

The pasta can be made immediately before cooking or refrigerated for use the next day. The un-cooked noodles will hold up to one month in the freezer.

Helpful tips. Be patient and prepared for a messy kitchen. Make a small amount ahead of time to get the feel for kneading the dough. Keep the dough soft but not too sticky; add flour in very small amounts. Do not over work the dough or the noodles will be tough.

About the Author

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. Her menus include a full five courses that are easy to follow and enjoyable to create.
www.gourmayeats.com