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Preparation:
Take 1/2 cup milk and dissolve yeast cake into it. Make thin sponge by
mixing yeast with rest of milk and 1 cup of flour. Mix thoroughly and
sprinkle top lightly with flour and set aside to rise. Add salt to egg yolks
and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add sugar, rinds, and mix with
sponge. Add two cups of flour, alternating with the milk, and knead for
half-hour. Add remaining butter and flour and continue to knead until the
dough comes away from the hand. Set in warm place to rise until it becomes
double in bulk. Separate dough into four parts, roll into long strips and
braid into loaf. Brush top with lightly beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with
poppy seed. Let rise. Bake in 350° oven for one hour.
2)
Toffee Apples
Ingredients:
9
or 10 wooden skewers or sticks
9 or 10 firm eating apples
2 Tablespoons
clear honey
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Preparation:
Wash and wipe the apples and remove the stalks. Put sugar, water and
honey in a pan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
Bring to boil and boil briskly without stirring to 265° F. Reduce the heat
slightly and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 310° F. While the
toffee is boiling push the apples on the sticks. Dip them into the toffee to
coat them. Place them on a greased tin and allow to set.
3) Eggs
in Purgatory
Ingredients:
6
to 8 large eggs
3 or 4 large tomatoes, peeled or 2 large cans whole tomatoes
3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack
chees
1 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced, or canned sliced mushrooms, drained
Chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper
Preparation:
Cut
tomatoes into cubes and drain in a colander for several minutes. If the tomatoes
aren't ripe and juicy, open the cans, drain the juice into a measuring cup and
dice the tomatoes. In a 10" to 11" frying pan over high heat, heat olive
oil or melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until they become soft and
juices have evaporated (if you use can or jar, drain the mushrooms and stir over
the heat for a very short time, as they are already cooked). Add tomatoes and
stir to heat thoroughly. With a spoon, make 6 to 8 (for each egg) nest spaces
and break an egg into each space. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover evenly
with cheese. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until eggs are set as you like.
Garnish with parsley. Makes 3 or 4 servings.
4)
Sugar Skulls
Ingredients:
2
cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 egg white
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. vanilla
colored icing
1 fine paintbrush
Preparation:
Sift
powdered sugar. Mix the egg white, vanilla and corn syrup in a very clean bowl
and then add the powdered sugar with a wooden spoon. When almost incorporated,
start kneading with the tip of your fingers until you can form a small ball. Dust
with cornstarch on board. Keep on kneading until it becomes smooth and then form
into skull shapes. Let it dry completely and then paint with colored icing, including
the names of the people you are giving them to.
5)
Squash Flower Soup
Ingredients:
6
tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 quarts vegetable
stock, or water
2 onions, sliced
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt,
or more to taste
1 pound (8 cups loosely packed) zucchini or other squash flowers
1 lime, cut into 6 or 8 wedges
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
or more to taste
1/2 cup grated anejo cheese
Preparation:
In
a stockpot melt the butter over moderate heat. Saute the onions with the salt
and pepper for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Pour in the vegetable stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and
cook for about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flowers and cook for another 5 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain back into
the soup pot. Pour in the half-and-half and bring to a boil. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with the lime wedges and cheese.
6)
Bones of the Dead
Ingredients:
3
eggs separated
3 tsp. baking powder
1 pound confectioners' sugar
3/4
pounds of flour (3 cups)
1/2 tsp. anise, or vanilla, or lemon flavoring
Preparation:
Mix
dry ingredients and sift three times. Separate eggs and beat whites stiff. Beat
the egg yolks with the flavoring you chose and add flour mixture. Fold in stiffly
beaten whites. Work dough well. Roll into long strips of about 1 inch thickness.
Cut 2 inches long, diagonally. Place on cookie sheet and let dry overnight uncovered.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. |