in the kitchen

There is nothing in the world that compares to the smell of garlic and onions in butter.

My loved one and I love to cook, whether together or individually. When we first got married a cousin gave us a subscription to Bon Appetit magazine, we have kept it up pretty much ever since. Every month the magazine comes, we snuggle on the couch and we pour over each page. We select the recipes we want to try and attempt to get to them before the next issue comes. I love to stand side by side with him making breakfast. He makes the most devine eggs, shirred or poached; I make perfect pancakes. We have had some marvelous triumphs – like chocolate stout cake, which made more batter than our biggest mixing bowl could handle. There was chocolate everywhere. Our very first cooking project was monte in broth 14 years ago. Right before he left, we went to the fish monger and bought whole fish. I taught him how to scale them and gut them. I still occassionally find scales.

I promised some recipes, but I am ashamed to admit that they are not my star dishes. However, not one to go back on my word…

Pistachio Cream Pie

Combine 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with enough melted butter to make pea sized crumbs. Pack graham cracker mixture into a pie pan and up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees just until crisp (you can tell because it no longer looks so wet, but watch it because the butter will burn pretty quickly). Prepare one package pistachio cook pudding, using the “for pie” directions.

Whip 1 cup of whipping cream until peaks form. Fold into the cooled pudding and mound into the cooled crust. This needs to sit in the refridgerator for at least 3 hours. Top with chopped pistcahios and more whipped cream.

Ebi Burgers (recipe from Ms Takahashi)

Mix 80 g mayonnaise, 150 g broken boiled shrimp, 80 g cracker crumbs (fine), 50 g minced green onion. Make 4 1 1/2 cm thick patties. Coat with more cracker crumbs. Fry until brown and crisp, about 6 minutes per side. Serve with mayonnaise and shredded cabbage.

I was able to leave notes on some but not others today. I am still reading. Have a great day!!