This weeks world recipe comes from Croatia.  Ajvar is a multi-functional dish that is used as a dip, a side dish, or even a sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 lg Eggplants
• 6 lg Red or green sweet peppers
• salt
• pepper
• 1 garlic clove; minced
• 1 lemon; juiced
• 1/2 c oil, preferably olive oil
• parsley; minced

Directions:

Bake Eggplants and sweet peppers at 350 F until tender when pierced with a fork. Peel skin from hot vegetables and chop or mince the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the garlic and lemon juice. Gradually stir in as much of the oil as the vegetables will absorb. Mix well. Pile into a glass dish and sprinkle with parsley.

(serves 6)

Ingredients

▪ 1 lb country-style Pork Sausage 

▪ 1 lb ground lean Pork 

▪ 1 tablespoon soy sauce 

▪ 2 teaspoons chili oil 

▪ 1 carrot, finely shredded 

▪ 4 cloves garlic, minced 

▪ 6 green onions, chopped 

▪ 2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated 

▪ 1/2 medium cabbage, shredded 

▪ 1/2 cup beef broth 

▪ 2 packages gyoza skins 

▪ Peanut oil

Dipping Sauce

▪ 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste) 

▪ 1/3 cup rice vinegar 

▪ 1/3 cup Japanese soy sauce 

▪ 1/4 cup Sugar or light corn syrup 

▪ 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil 

▪ 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, pressed or finely chopped 

▪ 1 tablespoon chili oil 

▪ 1/2 teaspoon szechwan pepper 

▪ 2-3 green onions, chopped

Directions

In a large skillet brown the Pork and Sausage. 
Saute this over med-high heat, adding the soy sauce and chili oil. 
When the meat is browned, add the next 4 ingredients and fry for several minutes. 
Add cabbage, cook til wilted. 
Add broth. 
Cover, let mixture steam until liquid is reduced. 
Remove mixture with slotted spoon and place in bowl to cool. 
Brush water around the edges of gyoza wrapper. 
Place filling in gyoza. 
Seal with gyoza press or pinch together with fingers making little folds. 
Heat less than 1/4 cup Peanut oil in pan. 
Addd several gyoza to pan. 
Brown gyoza on both sides. 
Carefully add 1/4 cup water to hot pan and quickly cover. 
Let steam until liquid is evaporated. 
Remove to cool.


Makes about 100.


These freeze well, freeze in single layer. 
I have made the the filling the day before and assembled the gyoza right beore cooking. 
The whole family helps with this process. 
To make dipping sauce: Simply combine all of the ingredients in your blender or food processor. 
Blend at high speed until the sauce is smooth. 
Pour the sauce in a small serving bowl and top with a couple of drops of chili oil (if desiring a hotter sauce) and chopped green onions.

Although I discovered these cookies in my vintage Betty Crocker Cookie Cookbook, according to wikipedia these cookies did actually originate in Russia…

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.

2. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.

5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Ingredients

▪ 250g mascarpone cheese

▪ pack of biscuits (ladyfinger, or something similar)

▪ 2 eggs

▪ 50g powdered sugar

▪ 1 cup of strong (brewed, not instant) coffee

▪ Good-quality liquor, eg amaretto, brandy, rum etc.

▪ Cocoa

Directions

1.Brew a cup of strong coffee.

2.Add alcohol to coffee.

3.Dip biscuits/ladyfingers in coffee (the biscuits should be soaking with coffee).

4.There should be enough biscuits for one or two layers of cake.

5.Separate yolks (A) and whites of eggs (B).

6.(A) Mix yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and light-yellow (use a machine, if needed).

7.(B) Whip egg whites until stiff (if you turn bowl upside down, it should not fall down) (use a machine, if needed).

8.(A+B+cheese) add whipped whites and cheese to yolks, mix gently (do not use a machine).

9.Might add grated chocolate.

10.Put a layer of coffee biscuits, and a layer of cream, repeat as you like.

11.Keep in the fridge for 2 hours.

12.Before serving put a thick layer of cocoa on top.

In honor of spending last week in Utah I decided to do a google search on Utah recipes and I happened upon a website called MormonChic.com ….and this is one of their recipes…..Raspberry Jell-O Jubilee…

2 can crushed pineapple

1 – 6oz. pkg raspberry gelatin

1 – 4-6 oz. pkg frozen raspberries

2 sliced bananas

1-1/2 cups boiling water

Drain pineapple reserving juice. In large bowl place raspberries, top with pineapple. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and pour over raspberry mixture. Stir to thaw raspberries. Stir in bananas. Then take reserved pineapple juice and add enough cold water to make 1-1/2 cups liquid. Stir into gelatin mixture, pour into dripper (9×13) pan and chill until set.