Gazpacho

Feta Cheese and Spinach Filling Phyllo Triangles	Greece
Jamaican Barbecued Chicken	Jamaica
Strawberry Tropical Soup	United States
Egyptian Beef Filet	Egypt
Orzo	Italy
Rosemary Green Beans	Italy
South Seas Salad	South Pacific
Homemade French Bread	France
Assorted Cheeses	World Wide
Flan	Mexico
Chocolate Panellets	Spain
Beer	Australia & Scotland
Wines	Chile & Australia

Chocolate Panellets

½	lb.	yam or sweet potato
2	C	sugar
16	oz.	blanched almonds, finely ground
2		egg yolks
1	tsp.	vanilla extract
2	tsp.	minced lemon zest
1	C	unsweetened ground cocoa - Dutch process
1	C	ground blanched almonds

Makes 60 cookies.

Boil yam until tender (about 30 minutes, depending on size). Peel and mash it; you should have about 1 cup. In a food processor, mix yam together with rest of ingredients until dough is soft. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix cocoa with dough. Shape dough into walnut-size balls and roll them in ground almonds. Place on an oiled baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or just until they start to color.

The Catalan Country Kitchen - Marimar Torres

Simmer the cream and milk with the vanilla for 5 minutes.

Beat the remaining 1 cup sugar into the eggs and yolks and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually, add the hot milk and cream, beating continually. Strain the mixture into the prepared molds. Put the molds in a pan and pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the molds. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until custard is firm. Cool. Chill in refrigerator over night.

To unmold, run a sharp knife around the edge of the custard. Put the serving dish over the mold and quickly invert. Pour the remaining caramel around the custard.

From Martha Stewart’s Entertaining

Feta Cheese and Spinach Filling Phyllo Triangles

1	lb.	phyllo pastry
1/3	C	olive oil
1	bunch	scallions, chopped
2½	lb.	spinach, washed and dried (or 2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach)
1	bunch	parsley
1	bunch	dill
½	lb.	feta cheese, drained and crumbled
3		eggs, lightly beaten
1	lb.	unsalted butter

Serves 25

Thaw phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator, if frozen.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil and sauté the scallions until soft. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, stirring frequently. Put the mixture in a colander over a bowl and press out the liquid.

In a small saucepan, boil down the spinach liquid until it measures 2 tablespoons. Add this back to the spinach mixture, along with the remaining filling ingredients and blend well. Season to taste and cool completely.

To assemble the triangles, melt and cool the butter. Place one sheet of phyllo on a flat surface and brush lightly with butter. Fold the sheet in thirds lengthwise to make approximately a 3” strip. Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto the end of the strip and form a triangle by folding the right-hand corner to the opposite side, as you would a flag. Continue folding until the entire strip is used.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place triangles on a buttered baking sheet. brush the tops of each with melted butter and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Note #1: Follow directions on phyllo package for proper defrosting and handling of the dough.

Note #2: Filled phyllo triangles can be kept in the refrigerator, unbaked, for 2 days, or frozen immediately for future use.

From Martha Stewart’s Hors d’ Oeuvres

Flan

2	C	sugar
2½	C	heavy cream
2½	C	milk
1		vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6		eggs
6		egg yolks

Serves 8

Stir 1 cup sugar with 4 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until dissolved. bring to a boil. Do not stir. Cool until it turns a golden color. Line 2 1-quart soufflé pans with caramel. Stir the caramel around the sides of the 2 pans. Cool. Make sure caramel has hardened before proceeding with the recipe.

Preheat oven to 325°.

South Seas Salad

2	C	mixed greens( butter, arugula, curly endive), torn into pieces
4	pieces	hearts of palm
4	slices	ripe mango
12	sections	mandarin orange
½	C	coconut cream
1	tsp.	grated fresh ginger
2	T	fresh lemon juice
½	tsp.	curry powder
¼	tsp.	turmeric

Serves 4

Place greens on individual serving plates. Arrange hearts of palm, mango and mandarin orange on greens. Combine remaining ingredients for dressing in a jar; shake well. Drizzle dressing over mango, orange, and lettuce.

Note: Make dressing at least 1 hour ahead.

Adapted from recipe from The Australian Women’s Weekly Light and Luscious Summertime Cookbook

Jamaican Barbecued Chicken

4	lb.	chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
2		limes
4	T	oil
4	tsp.	ground allspice
2	T	sugar
4	tsp.	salt
2	tsp.	black pepper
2	tsp.	ground mustard
6		green onions, chopped
4	cloves	garlic, minced
2		jalapeno pepper, chopped
2	tsp.	fresh thyme

Serves 16

Squeeze lime into a little water, wash chicken in lime water and drain. Rub chicken with oil. Combine allspice, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, green onion, garlic, jalapeno and thyme. Rub chicken in combined seasonings and marinate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Grill until cooked through. Cut each chicken thigh into serving pieces and serve with toothpicks.

From Catherine Macintosh and Charlie Tuggle

Strawberry Tropical Soup

3	C	strawberries
1	C	frozen cherries
1	C	frozen strawberry juice - diluted w/ 3 cups water for 4 C total (if using a mix like Bacardi’s frozen mixer).
2	T	honey
½	C	fresh lime juice
½	C	sweet white wine
½	C	light cream
2	T	cornstarch
2	T	cold water
		sour cream (optional)

Serves 8

Mix cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water. Simmer strawberry juice, honey, lime juice and white wine until mixture thickens. Stir occasionally as it is cooling. Put strawberries, cherries, and cream with chilled mixture and blend until smooth. Optionally, add a dollop of sour cream to each serving.

Rosemary Green Beans

1	lb.	fresh green beans
1/8	C	crushed dried rosemary
2	T	olive oil
		coarse salt to taste

Serves 4

Cut stems of green beans and leave whole. Rinse beans in cold water. Use a shallow pan with a lid and bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Do not salt water.

Place beans in boiling water and cover. Keep watch and turn frequently. Have a pan of cool water ready. Cook beans just until tender. About 5 to 8 minutes. Lift beans out of pan and plunk into cold water. Drain on a towel and toss in olive oil, rosemary, and coarse salt to taste.

Season each filet with pepper and sauté quickly in hot olive oil. Do not cook past rare. Remove the filets to a plate. Add

the onions to the hot pan and sauté until tender but not brown. Add liquor and flambe. Add the white wine. Place champignons, tomato, garlic, and herbs in the pan and sauté for a few minutes. Add the consommé, bring to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Lower heat, stir in the mustard, add the filets. Serve immediately.

Adapted from a recipe from Goldenes Posthorn, Nuremberg, Germany

Homemade French Bread

1	oz	fresh yeast or 2 packages dry yeast
23/4	C	warm water
7	C	unbleached white flour
4¼	tsp.	salt

Serves 12

Soften yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix well. Add the yeast mixture. Blend into dough.

Turn onto floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. If you have heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook, this whole procedure will take only 5 to 5 minutes.

Put kneaded dough in a covered bowl and let rise until doubled in bowl. Punch dough down and let rise a second time until doubled. Punch down. Turn onto a floured board and shape as desired.

After forming the loaves, let rise covered with plastic wrap, until double in size. Long loaves must be slashed along top with a sharp razor.

Bake in a 400° oven for 25 minutes. To obtain a fine crust, spray the loaves with water 3 or 4 times during baking. Loaves are done when golden brown and crispy.

From Martha Stewart’s Entertaining

Egyptian Beef Filet

6	4 oz.	beef filets (½ in. thick)
1	T	olive oil
¼	C	anise or Pernod liquor
½	med.	onion, diced
¼	C	dry white wine
4	med.	fresh champignons (crimini mushrooms), sliced
½	med.	tomato, peeled and seeded
2	cloves	garlic, chopped
1	T	parsley, fresh, chopped
1	T	oregano, fresh, chopped
1	T	chive, fresh, chopped
1	T	sage, fresh, chopped
1	T	basil, fresh, chopped
1	T	thyme, fresh, chopped
1	can	beef consommé (14 oz., low salt)
2	T	Dijon mustard
		pepper
3	tsp.	cornstarch dissolved in 2 T white wine
¼	C	Creme Fraishe

Serves 6