Suppli

Suppl� is an Italian snack (originated from Rome) kind of croquette, consisting of a ball of rice (generally in the form of risotto, which is a traditional Italian rice dish, pepared with tomato sauce) bound together by eggs around a piece of mozzarella; the prepared ball is surrounded by breadcrumbs and then fried.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grained rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp powdered saffron
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley / coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated cheese (parmesan / mozzarella)
• 2 eggs, for rice
• 2 eggs, for coating
• 75 gms (10-12 cubes) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 60 gms flour
• olive oil / white oil, frying oil
• 200 gms bread crumbs, to coat

Procedure:

1. Beat 2 eggs with a little salt. Keep aside.
2. Wash rice. Heat 2 tbsp butter, add the chopped onion. Saute for 1-2 mins. Add the washed rice and stir fry for 2 mins. Add saffron, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
3. Add the chicken broth (you can use water instead), bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat till all the water is absorbed (about 10-15 mins) and rice is cooked. Cook for 2 more mins, ensure that the rice is absolutely dry and remove from fire.
4. Add the chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp grated cheese. Mix well, lay the rice out on a board to cool.
5. Beat 2 eggs and mix carefuly with the rice. Divide the rice mixture into 10-12 equal portions.
6. Make a ball with a portion of rice mixture. Flatten it. Place a mozzarella cheese cube inside and completely cover with the rice mixture. Flour the croquettes and repeat with all the rice mixture.
7. Dip the prepared croquettes in the beaten eggs, roll over bread crumbs and press firmy. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours (this will set the bread crumbs).
8. Heat oil and fry the suppli till golden brown (turn constantly to ensure even colouring on all sides). Serve hot with tomato salsa / ketchup.
   
   

Lamb and Aubergine Moussaka

During a night out with a family friend & her family, my husband suggested Continental Cuisine so we decided to have our dinner in Comics, a new Restaurant in South Kolkata, known for authentic Continental & Italian Cuisine.
My husband just returned from an official trip to Austria, said he had a couple of traditional dishes and that we should try Moussaka. We had Moussaka and Goulash with buttered Rice.

Returning home, decided to search the net on Moussaka and came to know that it is a traditional Eggplant (Aubergine) based dish in the Balkans and the Middle East, but most closely associated with Greece and Turkey.

The Greek version, which is the best-known outside the region, traditionally consists of layers of ground (minced) lamb or red meat, sliced eggplant and tomato, topped with white sauce and baked.
The Turkish Mousakka, unlike the Greek version, is not layered but is prepared with saut�ed and fried eggplants, green peppers, tomatoes, onions and minced meat.

In the standard (3-layer) Greek Recipe: the bottom layer consists of eggplant slices saut�ed in olive oil; the middle layer is ground lamb precooked with onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, herbs (bay leaf, oregano, thyme and basil) and spices (cinnamon, allspice and black pepper) and the top layer is a cheese-flavored sauce.
The three layers are arranged on in a lightly greased oven proof dish and baked until the top layer turns golden brown. No further baking is required as the bottom two layers gets half cooked beforehand. Grated cheese or bread crumbs are often sprinkled on top.

Here�s the recipe for Lamb and Aubergine Moussaka:

Ingedrients

• 2 (900 gms / 2 lb) aubergines (brinjals), medium sized, thinly sliced
• 350 gms (12 oz) lean lamb (mutton), minced
• 2 onions, skinned, finely chopped
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) tomato puree
• 225 gms (8 oz) tomatoes, sliced
• 150 ml dry white / red wine
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried oregano
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried basil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) plain flour
• � cup (75 gms / 3 oz) breadcrumbs
• 25 gms (1 oz) cheddar cheese, grated
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil / white oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Sauce:

• 15 gms (1/2 oz) butter
• 300 ml milk
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) plain flour
• 50 gms (2 oz) cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg yolk

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the aubergines liberally with salt (to remove bitterness and absorb some of the natural liquids) and leave in a colander (strainer with holes) to drain for 30 mins.
2. Rinse the aubergines, squeeze the excess water and pat dry.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergines until brown. Remove from fire, drain excess oil and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan and saute the minced meat till light brown.
5. Add the onion & tomato slices, tomato puree, herbs, flour, salt and pepper and mix well.
6. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 mins.

Sauce:

1. Prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a pan by stirring continuously, add flour and cook in low flame for 1 min.
2. Remove the pan from fire and slowly add milk with continuous stirring so that no lumps are formed.
3. Return to the heat, bring to boil and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
4. Remove from the heat, stir in cheese and the egg yolk.
   

Baking:

1. Lightly grease a shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle a little bread crumb and make a layer of aubergines and minced lamb mixture.
2. Put a layer of the sauce and repeat the process with another layer of aubergines and meat.
3. Put the remaining sauce over the moussaka with bread crumbs and half of the grated cheese.
4. Bake in the oven at 180 degree Centigrade (350 degree Fahrenheit) for 30 mins. Sprinkle remaining cheese and continue to bake for 15-20 more mins until golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little and serve with bread slices.

Mousse au Chocolat

I am back with a new recipe, this time a cold dessert, Chocolate Mousse. Its really easy to make and the home made mousse do taste good as the ones in any good Cake and Confectionery Shop!!!
Believe me I had the opportunity of convincing my kid in having a home-made ice-cream. So this one specially goes to all the kids��..

Ingredients

• 225 gms plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) rum (optional)
• 125 gms (4 oz) butter
• 125 gms (4 oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 142 ml (5 fl oz) double cream, decorate
• chocolate curls, to decorate

Directions:

1. Put the chocolate into a bowl with the water and rum. Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
3. Add the chocolate to the butter mixture and beat for 5 minutes until light.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff in another bowl and fold into the chocolate mixture.
5. Pour into a serving dish or individual glasses and chill until set.
6. Whip the cream until stiff and decorate the mousse while serving and top the mousse with chocolate curls.