Lemon Mousse

Now, I probably don't have to tell you this, but this dessert is absolutely scrumptious!

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice~
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

~ In a large heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks, eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Set over a saucepan of simmering water; cook egg-lemon mixture, stirring constantly, until thickened enough mound on a spoon and space remains when a spoon drawn through mixture.
Strain through fine sieve into a large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the lemon mixture; refrigerate until cold, about an hour. Whip cream with vanilla and zest until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third into the lemon mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
Spoon into small bowls.
Optional: Whip a little more cream, and pipe onto the mousse. Garnish with fresh fruit or shaved coconut.

Veiled Strawberry Girls

I'm posting a few recipes made with strawberries in preparation for the upcoming strawberry season.
This dessert is a variation of Veiled Farm Girls, which is made with apples.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups fresh strawberries
the juice from half a lemon
approximately 1/4 cup of sugar

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM
3 oz. white chocolate
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean

~ Put half of the strawberries and all of the lemon juice in a food processor and process.
Evenly distribute the sauce between 6 glasses that can hold at least 1 cup of liquid. Cut the rest of the strawberries into rough pieces and evenly distribute among the glasses.

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM:
Finely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath or in the microwave.
Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
Heat 1/4 cup of the whipping cream together with the vanilla seeds. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir it with a spatula until smooth. Set the mixture aside to cool at room temperature.
Whip the rest of the whipping cream into a lightly whipped cream. Fold the cream into the cooled chocolate mixture. Carefully place and evenly distribute the cream on the strawberries in the glasses.

Serves 6

Beef and Bok Choy

Ingredients:
1 1/4 Lb bok choy
2 Tbs. oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Lb rump steak, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. sweet sherry
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. sesame oil

~ Wash and drain the bok choy, Cut leaves into thin strips. Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a frying pan or wok; add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
Heat the remaining oil; add the meat in small batches and stir fry for 3 minutes over high heat until the the meat has browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove the meat from the pan.
Add the bok choy to the pan or wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until it is just wilted. Add the meat, soy sauce and sherry. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
Add the basil and sesame oil and toss well.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 

Did you Know?
You can take washed bok choy, thinly slice the white part of the stem and chop the green leaves and eat it fresh in a salad.

Insalata di Spinaci con Aglio Arrosto

~Spinach and Roast Garlic Salad~

I know that sounds like a lot of garlic, but don't worry; through roasting it mellows.

Ingredients:
6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Lb spinach (if the leaves are large tear them into smaller pieces)
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
juice of half a lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper

~ Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the garlic in a small roasting pan, toss with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are slightly charred around the edges.
While still warm, tip the garlic into a small salad bowl. Add the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, remaining olive oil and a little salt. Toss well, and add black pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Squeeze the softened garlic puree out of the skin to eat.

Serves 2