Summer ! ... A Special Strawberry Sorbet !

             Hey dear readers , due to my long abssence yet again i deeply apologize and hope you guys can forgive me , but i was so stressed out with my new job and all the changes in my life ... and yes i know this isn't an excuse and that is why i hope you will pardon my quite long abssence and i promise i will give my best to try and write more !

           So enough with the chit chat let's get down to more important matters such as this recipe i'm about to give you guys !
           It's an amazing dessert , fresh and frosty , just perfect for a hot summer's day .
           I always equip my freezer with this kind of desserts on hot days . Who knows who's ringing at my door and best to be prepared at any time , any day and this dessert will last youj for some days and does not require 2 much fuss to make it !

          By the way as the title says : '' Special Strawberry Sorbet'' : and yeah it's special because it is not made with a normal sugar syrup , but with brown sugar syrup wich gives it that extra flavour .

  So the ingredients for this dessert are :

- 700 g of fresh strawberries
- 1 cup of brown icing sugar  ( 200 g )  ( zahar brun pudra , nu cristale )
- 1 cup of cold water   ( 200 )
- fresh mint for garnishing !

  1; Wash the fresh strawberries , and dry them with a napkin
  2 . Add in a pot 1 cup of brown icing sugar , and 1 cup of cold water and mix them up , and bring them to a boil and leave them for 2 3 minutes or untill they reach a syrup consistency , then leave it aside to chill .
    We don't want to add the hot syrup to the strawberries because the dessert will go jammy !
  3. Add the straberries in a food processor and piuree them ! ( if you don't have a food processor just crush them with a fork or mixer ) .
   4. Add the syrup to the strawberry piuree and pour it in a tray !
   5. Mix well and place them in the freezer for 1 hour or 1 hour and a half untill it freezes well .
   6 . Take the mixture out of the freezer and with a fork mix it well to break the ice crystals and make it creamy and soft !
  7. Place it back for 20 more minutes in the freezer and you're done .

 Happy Days guys , now you know how to make a strawberry sorbet ! Yeyy and you can do that with other more fruits such as raspberries , blueberries , blackberries or lemon or lime and basil combo .or i don't know whatever combo !

 The important thing is to try it , have fun and if you follow these simple steps it's easy peasy .

 Cheers guys and Bon Appetit !                      

Here's comes 13 of April , here comes my birthday !!

             Dear readers , due to my long abssence ... yet again i've finnaly found a way to manage and finnaly type another post .
            My weeks are full and it's so hard to concentrate and type new posts on my blog .

            A lot of things have happened these days . And of course i've had my share of laughs , tears , disappoinments but each time i fall in a great dissapointment i remember my goal i remember why perhaps these things happen to me .
   
              I think when you receive a gift from God as great as the one i received ( my passion for food )  he wants to be sure you deserve it and thus you end up in His trials . Each dissapointment is a step forward and something to learn from .

              I've learned a lot these last 3 months and above all else there was something that gave me hope each day and that was my unending passion for cooking and food .

           First of all my birthday is cominggggg , wuhuuuu .... yeah right well i wish i was all that ''wuhuu'' about it but here we go again another fail birthday party for me as i will mostly spend it alone i guess ... but no worries since i got a plan :D .

          I've been thinking ... well i'll kinda be alone , and it is my birthday , and i'll have the kitchen all for myself , why not make something !!

          And as i was turning pages in my mind full of recipes i just thaught  why not adding something new !
          And that something new was none other than Julia Child's perfect chocolate and almond birthday cake !

       Yeahhh baby , a chocolate cake with chocolate icing for my birthday , just for meee ... now that doesen't sound that depressing anymore right ? ... who am i kidding it pretty much is but at least i'll have a go on this amazing recipe Julia Child , God rest her soul , left us proud passionate people of the culinary arts to give a go and delight ourselves .

         The next post i'll be giving away her classic recipe and of course  a little info on how it went and tasted !
         As for me spending it alone ? Well sitting around all day , doing absolutly nothing and stuffing yourself with loads of chocolate doesen't sound that bad at all . Chocolate makes my day brighter each time it's the ultimate cure to any depression i got ... i love you Chocolate !

         So tommorow i'll be going chinese on you guys and hand over quite a simple but tasty chinese food recipe !

       Amazingly tasty , fast and you won't believe what you can achieve in 20 minutes with no sweat at all !

       Untill then good night all , time for everybody to hit the sack .... as for me sour cherry compot tonight ...

                                 So , untill tommorow ...   Bonnenuit :D !
       

         

Being ''Extreme'' is same as being ''Passionate'' ?

          That is the question for today are those 2 words the same ? Do they have the same attributes , the same results .

       Personaly i think they are the same . I think so because  the moment you receive this gift ... called ''Passion'' you involuntarely become ''Extreme'' , because you start using your brain and heart at the same time .

   Logic and Soul become one ... thus you become extreme and your desires are increased . Passionate people have a burning for perfection , for being the best in what they do . They do not tolerate second place , they do not tolerate impossibility .

   We passionate people live each day using 100% of our heart and by doing so we achieve things that to some seem impossible . We are true fighters , we evolve and as time passes by we become one with our dreams .

        My ''Passion'' was a gift from God . Given to me at the right moment and time , and i've grabbed it like a dog grabbes a bone and i've sticked to it and i will stick to it for as long as i'll live .

       The desire and the flame that burns inside of me is so amazing that no feeling in this world can achieve this level nor satisfy me .

      This question is adressed to you dear readers and you can comment , email me on lorin_cc@yahoo.com !
     Is being extreme same as passionate ? think about it and type me your answer !

      So as i said i am a passionate person and i am extreme :    

                                                                                                   First place or None !

     Untill next time all ...                Au revoir !

Pan Fried Chicken breast with a Mushroom Cream Sauce !

           I guess it's time after a sweet attempt and that classic dessert i gave you guys the last time to get on the savory side and cook something to fill our hunger for delice and creamyness !

          The dish i'm about to pressent you is classic , homie , ellegant ... delicousss and of course extremly easy and fast to make .

         In 20 minutes i guarantee you that you can serve this dish and enjoy  it with your loved ones .
         This is a dish that saves me every time i feel like not complicating things and just eat some good fresh food !

       Let's get on crackin' with the ingredients you need for this dish :

  - 3 chicken breasts
  - 3 rosemary sticks

  - 3 sprigs of thyme
  - 1 lemon
  - 5 garlic cloves
  - extra virgin olive oil
  - 80 g of butter
  -  400 ml of double cream ( smantana de gatit )
  - parsley
  - salt and pepper
  - 400 g of mushrooms




  First off let's make the pan friend chicken . It's quite easy , basically take your chicken breast out of the fridge and leave it 15 minutes to rest and reach room temperature .
  Then get your pan hot and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil salt and pepper on your chicken breast on both sides and leave it 2 and a half minutes on each side untill it caramelizes then add 50 g of butter , let it foam and 3 cloves of garlic crushed by hand  and 3 rosemary sticks and baste it with the foam and herbs .

   Take it out of the pan sprinkle them with some lemon juice and leave them 3 4 minutes to rest and in the meantime let's quickly make the mushroom sauce !

  First chop the mushrooms to your favorite size and shape . Get your pan hot and 2 tablepoons of extra virgin olive oil add the mushrooms with a bit of salt and some fresh thyme and leave them 2 minutes on each side to brown and release theyr aroma !

   Then add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 30 g of butter .
   Mix them well then add double cream , leave it on a low heat untill the sauce thickens and leaves a drag on the back of the spoon !
   Season it with salt and pepper and add a bit of lemon juice to it as it is a cream sauce and it demands a little bit of acidity !

   

Serve it on a plate with a bit of chopped parsley and the natural juices from the chicken breast !

                         Brace yourselves guys as this dish is so simple , yet so delicious and creamyyy ... yummm !

See you guys in my next post and untill then as the french proudly say  :
                                                                                                                      Bon Appetit !

I think i kinda got obssesed with the french and their culinary lifestyle but...... who cares i love 'em  :D !

Sweet and Ellegant , a classic ... Floating Island !

                 Hello my dear readers , after such a long time .... i am deeply sorry about my abssence ... but these days have been fully loaded with everything . To emotions , to hard work , to everything  !

           As my problems continue and yet i am still delaying my journey to Paris and yes i am sad about this , but my passion keeps me up and going as i follow my dreams with pride and patience .

          I remember long ago when i watched the movie called Rattatouile and i remember that little chef ( the rat ) , who even though knows his position and he knows it's quite impossible for him to reach what he wants and fulfill his dreams , he pushes forward with pride dignity and patience .

        And that inspired me as a little person amongst the giants of this world to fight my way to them and one day be proud of my hard work and what i achieved . As each day passes by me my knowledge for food gets stronger and stronger .

        I am not satisffied with my current position but i am proud i have a goal in my life and i believe that people who find their purpouse in life are the ones who are rich because of the flame and desire that burns inside them to achieve their dreams  !

       I am proud of my passion and i am proud i have followed this road as a culinary artist !

     
      Well enough with the chit chat lets get on with this recipe and let me explain it to you !

       This is a classic dessert and  it's simple , ellegant and quite easy to make and not to mention it looks and tastes divine !

 Let's start with the ingredients you need to perform this desert :

 for the creme anglaise

   - 500 ml of milk
    - 525 ml of heavy cream
    - 8 egg yolks
    - 4 tablespoons of sugar
    - 1 vanilla pod

for the mirangue :

     - 300 ml of milk
     - the egg whites from the eggs
     - salt
     - 1 lemon and it's zest
     - 1 orange
     - 3 tablespoons of sugar

for the decorative part i used some sugar caramelized it and made some sort of  caramel strings !



Anyways the first thing you need to do is to make the creme anglaise . This is a classic cream , ii's quite easy to make but it get's nasty if you do not follow my guidance because it can curdle easy so if you follow my guidance you'll be alright and everyone happy for serving your special dessert !

 Seperate the egg yolks from the egg whites . Add to the egg yolks 4 tablespoons of sugar !

 In a pot add 500 ml of milk and 525 ml of heavy cream and scrape the vanilla sods of the pod and add the pod aswell . Place it on a low heat and let it come to a simmer . Meanwhile beat the egg yolks an the sugar togheter until it becomes like a runny mayonaisse and the yolks go pale ( use a mixer if you can't with a whisk )  .

  Add the warm milk and cream step by step to the egg yolks  and keep mixing while pouring .
  Add then the whole composition back to the pot where you brought the milk and cream to a simmer then leave it on a low heat while stirring until it thickens !  ( put a spoon in the cream and drag your finger on the back of the spoon and if the cream does not fall over that drag then it is the right consistency )

   When it's done pass it through a sieve , cover it with cling film paper and leave it to chill !
   
    Meanwhile let's get the mirangue ready which is quite easy . Beat the egg whites  with a pinch of salt some lemon juice untill they are stiff and fluffy then add 3 tablespoons of  sugar the zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange and beat them again untill the sugar disolves ( place 1 finger in the mirangue and rubb it with another and if you can't sense any sugar crystalls then this baby is ready ! )

    Put the 300 ml of milk on a simmer  in a pot and gently put spoons of mirangue in there and turn it sideways it takes seconds to cook . ( they should be fluffy and quite stiff ) .

 Place them on a clean plate with some napkins so it soaks all the liquid ,

Finnaly let's make the caramel strings which is quite easy .!
First off making the caramel .... Sugar in a pot or a pan on a medium heat :

           
Keep stirring !

         
It kinda looks lumpy at the beggining but don't worry it will come togheter soon !

Still looks a bit lumpy but keep stiring the right colour of the caramel is this one :

   This is perfect !
 
   After you've reached this colour let it chill for a moment untill it reaches 170 degrees celcius ! ( check that using  a spoon and if it pours in drops it's still not chilled enough if it leaves a long  drag then it is ready )

        Place a grease proof paper and with a spoon from up high pour caramel as it reaches down it solidifies quickly and it gets quite elastic .  Shape it using your hand untill it forms a ball of strings !

                                                                                                         And yes it's that simple !

   Here it is how it looks when it is done !

                                               

                              Divine , sweet and ellegant ... take that  !          Hope you enjoy making this one and have fun :D  !

       Oh by the way if the cream starts to curdle by any chance , then quickly pass it through a sieve and add  2 tablepoons of cold water to it , stir quickly and leave it to rest !

  Thanks  again guys and i am sorry again about my delayed posts but  like i said i've been terribly busy in this period but i will do my best to post more often ,
                                                                       
                                                               So enough with the chit chat   ,,,,     Bon Appetit !  :D

Shooting for the Stars

          Hey all , my dear bloggie readers , .... yeah i know i've gone missing these days , but i was very busy with my new work place and the entire project got the most of my time .

         So what's this post all about ... well actually i'm not giving away any recipes in this one !
         Actually i am about to talk to you about my current workplace , the project i'm going after and also about some things i've been doing these days !

         I know i promised you guys a classic dessert post , but the next one that it shall be !
       
         Sooooo , let us start ! My current workplace is a caffe called Hazard they serve quite an amazing coffee although the current inside decorations are not at the top of the coffee they serve but still it;s a nice place with nice music and people .

         After my escapade with the french classics the owner of the caffee told me he wants to change some things in his caffe , meaning he had an available kitchen , with amazing ovens for patisserie ! And trust me they are trully amazing and a gift to my kind of people ( chefs , passionate foodie people , cooks )  !

         So we agreed on me working for them as a head chef and a creator of the new menus !
         I still don't know why and how could they have so much fate in me and letting me coordonate everything , but something i am sure of and that is I won't let them Down ! This is my opportunity to prove what i can do and i will surerly take advantage of it !

         So we serve and oldschool classic pizza which is called Calzone !
         It's basically a more portable pizza due to the fact that it is folded , and this one it ain't big in size so it looks pretty cute on a plate ! :D


         Here are some pictures  ! :

So these are the calzones , which come in different varrieties of fillings from chicken with mozzarela and tomato sauce , to mushrooms with fresh herbs or a more italian approach with riccota and prosciutto crudo and mozzzarela .

I think they are great and the dough really is amazing i use my own hands to make it , but the flour is trully amazing , we get our lovely flour from the farmers which is great and quite fresh ! 

We also have a nice variety of fresh herbs and aromatic oils which we use .

So all in all we go for quallity instead of quantity ! 

Leaving asside my work which i get quite a lot of it , i Still have not given up on my dream to reach to Paris and study the french culinary arts !! At the moment i am raising the money for this project and i think this is my opportunity to understand what responsabillity is all about !

It's the best training for what awaits me outside and i am Shooting for the Stars i will be the first Romanian Chef ever to receive the first Michelin Star ! 

Besides working a lot these days i've experienced a lot of new feelings i've forgot about them , and those are fighting for what you want , prove what you can do , believe in yourself and be a romantic person because the world needs this ! 

I've met a girl these days that inspires all that in me , and every time i talk to her i feell like i can move mountains and my passion increases ... it trully is Amazing !

I believe that the people that work in my domain need this kind of feelings in order to produce great food .

Great food comes from the heart ! By using your hands with great finnesse and by using your heart and soul to the max and besides all this the inspiration from a person you like ! 

I always thaught that being a chef means knowing and aquiring loads of knowledge about food ... but i was totally wrong !

By aquiring loads of food knowledge does not make you a Chef !

You need to learn to respect the classics , to respect the standards and also you need feelings to be a Chef and as the old lady from the french course told me you will never be a fulfilled chef without having a spark of love for someone in your heart !

Fight for what you want and work your ass off to become what you want to become ! These are words i live by these days and i won't give up and can't afford to give up because my passion and ambition is too huge to give up ! 

So guys get on with your ambitions and Shoot for the Stars and perfect your passion ! 

On the next post lets take a spin on the dessert i promised you guys !

Untill then have a wonderfull night and almost forgot ... : 

                                 Bonne Nuit ! 

     

A Lovely and Warm Chicken Soup on a Cold Winter's Day !

               Brrrrrrr .... Gezas it's so cold these days . Getting out for a walk anywhere , any place ain't so appealing , ... but what gets me going through these cold days is my mom's classic and warm chicken soup !

              I've had numerous of chicken soup recipes , done in so many ways ... but none compare to my mom's oldschool and classic recipe !
             This chicken soup recipe is light , aromatic , and boy it's just divine ... it's a cure for a flue or a bad day ... it just lifts you up and get's you going !
             
              I've also wrote this post for my step sister  who has trouble making a good chicken soup and i thought since she reads my blog just to give her an ideea on how to get things going .
           
      The ingredients you need for this soup are :
                   
                     - 2 carrots
                     - 1 parsnip
                     - 5 celery sticks
                     - 1 onion
                     - 1 potatoe
                     - 1 bunch of fresh parsley
                     - 1 chicken carcass
                     -  salt , pepper

        For the semolina quenells :
                     
                     - 1 egg
                     - a pinch of salt
                     - 2 tablespoons of semolina
       
           
               It's quite easy you start off in a big pot , add the chicken carcass , peel the vegetables wash them and add them to the pot aswell . Cut the parsley ends which are a bit tough and place them in the pot aswell with some leaves aswell ( people usually throw the parsley ends , but they are really usefull in soups due to the fact they are quite aromatic ) . Season with salt and freshly ground pepper !

            Add cold water , and place the soup on the stove and bring it to a boil .
            Once it boils , turn the heat down a bit and let it do it's job for about 40 to 50 minutes .
         

           In the meantime the soup realeases some impurities and you have to get them out with a spoon otherwise your soup won't be clear but cloudy .
            Once it's done pass it through a sieve in another pot !
             Let it simmer and let's make the semolina quenells .
            Seperate 1 egg . Beat the egg white with a bit of salt untill it's fluffy and won't fall if you turn over the bowl . Incorporate the egg yolk gently so you won't break the air from the egg white . Add 2 tablespoons of semolina or more if needed . Consistency of the quenell must not be too hard or too soft . If it is too soft it will crack , split , if it's too hard it will be chewy .
            Using a spoon , form the quenells and put them in the soup . Cover them with a lid for 5 minutes to 8 . Then my mom uses a technique to make them fluffier by adding a bit of cold water over them while they cook .
         
           Serve the soup with  1 quenell , a bit of carrot , freshly chopped parsley leaves and freshly ground black pepper !

     Yummy and it just warm's your day .... I Love It !!! :D

       P.S. I hope this will actually solve my sister's boyfriend's  chicken soup problem in the near future ! :)):D !
      Say NO  to canned and tasteless chicken soup and a big warm YES  to freshly home made chicken soup baby .

   So guys i'll be seeing you all on my next post .. got a little dessert for you guys and of course it's a classic !
       

                                   So untill next time ... Bon Appetit ! :D

A cure to the stomach after New Year's Eve !

                      Hey my dear blogg readers , i missed you guys these days  !
   
          Christmas has passed and New Year's Eve aswell , and boy oh boy these days were quite emotional !
        To laughing and happy days , to sorrow days to everything ... drama , drama , drama a win win Christmas party but a total FaiL  on New Year's Eve ... but not due to the cooking , but to the fact that i didn't have the opportunity to cook !
       
            So of course the epic meal on New Year's Eve day ( which it was yesterday ) it was ... tam tam tam.... SalaMi ! Yupp... real treat ( i know i shouldn't complain some don't have even salami to eat ... some have more though ) anyway back on track is that i dissapointed myself !
           And not because of the SalaMi .... which really sucked and a horrible culinary experience ... but more because of the fact that i drank a little more than the usual and it got to my head ( not a thing to be proud of ) , and i kinda really hate myself for this but unfortunately i can't go back in time and change things .



     
            So all in all this was a life's lesson for me and i believe no more cheap Salami for me from now on and defenetly no more vodka or whiskey for me from now on . Anyways besides my drinking experience which went down the drain i had the priveleage to see amazing places and beautifull mountains ... we really do have a gorgeous country full of potential ! And i am really proud to say this !

          So after my lovely breakfast/lunch which was fried eggs with bacon and toasted bread i just remembered of a soup good enough to cure you from a New Year's Eve day gone bad or if you are one of those vodka victims , i suggest you start preparing it Now !
       
           This Soup is so light and it doesen't require many ingredients or time to prepare .
           This is a Caraway Soup with Croutouns and i'm tellin' you brotha' this is the Real Deal for any  adventurous nights ( or days perhaps ) .

  So here are the ingredients :

              - 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds
              - 1,5 L of water
              - 1 onion finely chopped
              - 1 carrot finely chopped
              - 1 celery finely chopped
              - 1 egg yolk
              - 4 tablepoons of sour cream or creme fraiche
              - croutouns
              - finely chopped parsley for serving
              - salt , pper
              - 1 lemon ( optional )
              - 1 and a half tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
        So dear '' war victimes '' , time to prep this cure and get back on our feet again !
        In a medium pot pour 1,5 L of water and 2 tablepoons of caraway seeds and some salt ( not too much though) and bring it to the boil and then let it boil gently for 20 to 30 minutes !
        In another medium pot saute the carrot , onion and celery in 1 and half tablepoon of extra virgin olive oil  and season them with a bit of salt and pepper . Saute them for 5 minutes .

        After the water with the caraway seeds changed its colour into a darker one transfer the water using a sieve into the pot with the vegetables ( keep a bit of the caraway seeds if you like ) and let them gently boil toghter for 10 minutes or untill they kinda bind in aroma . Season with a bit of salt and pepper if needed !

          When the soup is ready and it binded it's aromas   seperately mix well 1 egg yolk with 4 tablespoons of sour cream or creme fraiche  and keep adding a bit of the soup to the mixture so you temper it before adding it all to the soup and that stops the egg yolks from curdling or the cream to split .
       
         Serve with some home made croutouns and freshly chopped parsley ... and if you like and feel adventurous add a bit of lemon juice to it ( just a few drops ) , this ideea was the farm boy's ideea ( Alex ) , which is really into lemons !! And truthfully it tastes really good with a hint of lemon !

       So guys get on cookin and get on your feet again ( sincere apologies to my friends , who i believe they are pretty mad at me  for the New Year's Eve mess ) !
       Oh well i can continue to hate myself later after i will cleanse my body and my soul with this lovely caraway soup !                              

 See ya guys on my next post and as the french proudly say Bon Apettit si Pofta mare la Romani ! Hai Servus !