Wine,music and desert : Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse

Wine,women,song and desert

One of my most Favorite food combinations Dark Chocolate and Raspberries(Scottish best in the world !) 

 

 Recipe

Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse

Ingredients

120 grams dark chocolate,(Organic high cocoa content roughly chopped )
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
3 teaspoons icing sugar

Fresh Raspberries

Raspberry Compote
100 grams raspberry icing sugar, to taste -
Framboise ( raspberry liqueur ) Splash :)

Make the raspberry compote:

In a small saucepan, placed the rinsed raspberries and a teaspoon of icing sugar and place over a low heat. Stir gently,  Once heated, the berries will have softened and released their liquid - taste this liquid and add shot of Framboise liqueur and extra sugar if desired. Simmer for a minute and then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Make the dark chocolate mousse:

Place the chocolate into the bowl over a pot of simmering water and allow to melt completely.

Melted dark Chocolate

When melted, remove the bowl from the pan and allow to cool for a min

Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring vigorously until well mixed

In a clean bowl, whip the egg-whites until soft peaks form - add the icing sugar and continue whipping until mixed

Take a quarter of the egg-whites and stir into the chocolate mixture Then fold in the remaining egg-whites using a large spoon.FOLD in
gently do not mix to hard !!


Place a spoonful of the raspberry compote into the base of  a glass the size you like
Pipe in or spoon in the chocolate mix.Top with a raspberry boom boom

Wine and Music 

A desert wine i love and will go together well  Maydie 08 Tannat Madiran Red Sweet Wine

This sweet liqueur wine made from Tannat has a deep red color and offers powerful aromas of black fruit and variations of dried fruits with walnuts and grilled almonds. Maydie is best enjoyed when served between 12° and 15°C, either as an aperitif or a dessert wine.

Odd name but hey :)

Cool lush groovy music fresh off the press 100% Mr Bob Grove                       
 By Jon Chef 

Caramel iphone5 Apple upside down cake

Caramel Apple upside down cake

Recipe

For the cake mix:

110 g butter

110 g soft brown sugar

110 g self-raising flour                                                                    

1 tsp baking powder                                    

55 g flaked almonds

2 eggs, beaten

For the apple base:                                                       

30 g butter

30 g soft brown sugar

½ lemon, juice only

2 bramley apples, peeled, cored and quartered

Method

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Add the flour and the baking powder, mixing well, as you do.

Stir in the flaked almonds, then gradually add the beaten eggs, to form a cake batter.

For the apple base:

Heat the butter in a medium non-stick, oven-proof frying pan, over a medium heat.

When the butter begins to melt, add the sugar, and allow to begin to caramelise, then add the lemon juice.

Add the quartered apple wedges to the pan, tossing well, to thoroughly coat them in the caramel, and continue heating through for two minutes.

Pour the cake batter over the top of the apples, then place the pan into the hot oven, to cook for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Beater for cake mix

                                 Enjoy Jon the Chef            

By Jon Chef

Aromatics for Food and Music Spice,: Saffron

Saffron flower

"As the saffron tints and crimson flushes of morn herald the coming day,

so the social and political advancement which women has already gained

bears the promise of the rising of the full-orbed sun of emancipation.

The result will be not to make home less happy but society more holy"

                 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper,U.S rights advocate 1893

Saffron flower pickers Kashmir

What is Spice:

The name spice is derived from the word species. which was applied to groups of exotic foodstuffs in the Middle Ages.The need to supply European markets spurred explorations, culminating in the extraordinary voyages that resulted in the discovery of the New World and demonstrated that the globe could be circumnavigated by sea. The fabled Spice Islands of Indonesia became the site of horrendous colonial practices by competing European powers. The desire to control spice sources took the British to India, the Portuguese to Brazil, the Spanish to Central and South America and to the Philippines, the French to Africa, and the Dutch to Indonesia. However, each country feuded with others to establish a monopolistic control over the spice-growing regions and the major trade routes.

 Indeed, the term spice could include chocolate, coffee, kola nuts, tea, wine and olive oil, since these mouthwatering delicacies are generally imported from tropical or sunny countries into the more temperate countries of northern Europe and North America to give a zestful taste to food products and beverages.

Interestingly Iran grows 97.3% global mass of Saffron.How do the USA have much Saffron to cook with due too import/export ban with Iran ????? 

Saffron, Zaafaran,Azafrán, केसर, ज़ाफ़रान.

Saffron crocus

I love too cook the classic  bouillabaisse (Fish soup/stew)

essential ingredient being saffron.After picking fresh Chanterells which are a saffron color i made the other day

Chicken,chanterell and Saffron Galina which can be found 

here

Scallops with Saffron Puff Pastry 

Iranian Pure Saffron

Saffron is rather unique among spices in that its main aroma and colour components are water-soluble; therefore, the stigmata may be soaked overnight in water, filtered and the water then added,. Another method is preferred in Persia and India: The spice is powdered and then extracted with a little milk; after half an hour, the milk has the deep colour of egg yolk and is added to biriyanis or sweets. Using the dry spice  directly for cooking is not favourable, as it releases its fragrance too slowly, and prolonged cooking should be avoided for loss of aroma. Thus, it is best to prepare an extract with cold liquid and add that extract to the hot foods.

                

                     To finish a Saffron sunset,  

By Jon Chef                                                                                

Food for music Chanterelle Chicken Galina

Food for music

Menu

To the Kitchen:

Have been deep in the forests of here in North Scotland and came across Flute shaped beauties with a saffron glow known as the " Queen of the Forest" Chanterelle mushrooms.See my page  here for more information on Chanterelle wild mushrooms

Recipe:           Chanterell Chicken Galina

Chicken breast(Cut into strips)

Onion

Chanterelle mushrooms

Double Cream

Saffron  (Soak in a little hot water)

Sea salt

Fresh Ground black pepper

White wine Splash ;)

1. Saute (Fry) chicken till golden brown add chopped onion,sliced chanterell mushrooms
2. Add white wine,saffron liquor and cream and a little chicken stock
3. Salt and pepper,cook until not too thick
4. Serve with what ever you like for me rice and some fresh green vegetables

Omit chicken for vegetarian.         Bon Appetit !!!!

   

Dessert coming soon            


By Jon Chef








Some great original music from sound clouder Galina

Wild Mushroom picking season

Wild Chanterell Mushroom

 Chanterell season is hear! Wet weather has bought them on early so deep in the woods picking.Chanterelles are rich in flavour,with a distinctive taste and aroma which is earthy with a hint of apricot.

The summer chanterelle is perhaps te most sought after and many chefs and foodies will place it on same short list of gourmet fungi as truffles and morels it therefore tends command a high price picking your own is definitely a good idea.

The best way of cooking Chanterelles is th way you prefer but is worth knowing that most of the flavor compounds are soluble in fat,making them good to saute in butter,oil or cream.They also contain smaller amounts of water-and alcohol -soluble flavourings whicch lend them well to recipes involving wine or other alcohols,hence the classic vodka flavoured with Chanterelles. Guess what breakfast is !! Diced smoked bacon,sauted Chanterells
                                            
                                                                        By Jon Chef

Update : Succesfull foraging 3.5 Kg picked 
If anyone want some live and direct from the Highlands of Scotland  Jonz303@netscape.net