Puréed Raspberries

Puréed Raspberries

 

I love eating raspberries whole but I also love raspberry jams and preserves. When I don't have that at home but I happen to have some fresh raspberries on hand what I love to do is make puréed raspberries with sugar. It is really easy to make, and takes very little time. The result is delicious. It is similar to jams/preserves without any unwanted ingredients. 

How to Make Puréed Raspberries

1. Wash lots of raspberries, and add to the blender. (I would blend a cup of raspberries at a time.)
2. Add the sugar (For every cup of raspberries you need about half a cup of sugar. You can add more sugar for a sweeter taste.)
3. Cover the lid and press the purée setting for a minute or so, until every berry is puréed and the sugar is mixed.
4. When done, stir with a wooden spatula and remove the contents into a glass jar with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator and be sure to consume the puréed raspberries in a short amount of time. Since these are not preserves I wouldn't keep them more than a few days.

You can put the puréed raspberries on top of cheese, cottage cheese or farmer cheese. You can even mix it with ricotta cheese. They go great with crepes and on top of pancakes. Fresh white bread with butter and puréed raspberries is also a delicious treat.

How to Make Syrniki

Syrniki is the Russian word for farmer cheese patties. They are a popular Russian breakfast dish that is enjoyed by many in such countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. People living in the United States who immigrated from one of these countries keep the breakfast tradition alive by making syrniki in their homes not just for their kids but for themselves too.

You don't have to be from these countries to enjoy and love syrniki. They are very easy to make and they taste delicious when topped with sour cream and honey or jams/preserves. They are a favorite dish of mine and I always make it at my house.

There are many recipes for syrniki out there so I thought I'd share one of mine.

 

Syrniki

Ingredients

• 1 Package Farmer Cheese, (around a 1 lb. though can be slightly  less)
• 1 Jumbo Egg
• 1 Medium Apple (Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith)
• Cinnamon (to taste)
• Pinch Sea Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• Raisins/Dried Berries (optional)
• Grapeseed oil
• Sour Cream (to serve)
• Honey/Jam/Preserves (to serve)

To make the syrniki (farmer cheese patties) I prefer to use the following farmer cheese: Lifeway Bazarny Premium White Cheese, which I buy at Russian supermarkets. If you can't get your hands on this type of farmer cheese you can use any other farmer cheese available at your local supermarket.

How to Make Syrniki (Farmer Cheese Patties)

1. Empty the package of farmer cheese into a large bowl and mash it well so that you have small curds. Make sure you don't have large chunks of farmer cheese left in the bowl. If you do mash it again.
2. Crack a jumbo egg into a small bowl and beat well. Add it to the bowl with the farmer cheese and mix well.
3. Add a pinch of sea salt, one heaping tablespoon of sugar (for sweeter taste you can add more), and cinnamon (to taste) to the farmer cheese. Mix well.
4. Wash and peel a medium-size apple (Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, etc.) and shred using a manual shredder or food processor. Squeeze out the juice from the shredded apple into a bowl and sat aside so you can enjoy some freshly squeezed apple juice later. Add the shredded apple to the farmer cheese and mix. If you want you can also add raisins and/or dried berries as well. I love adding dried sour cherries to my syrniki.
5. Add two tablespoons of all-purpose bleached flour to the farmer cheese and mix well. When everything is mixed well you can start making the farmer cheese patties. They can be big or small, thick or thin. It really depends on your preference.
6. When you make your farmer cheese patties you have to coat them with flour so they don't stick to the skillet when you fry them. The best way to do that is to take a large cutting board and cover it with flour and then dip each side of the patty into the flour, making sure all sides are covered with the flour.
7. After you coat all your farmer cheese patties with flour add some Grapeseed oil (or whichever oil you use for cooking) to a skillet and place over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, place the farmer cheese patties inside and cook on both sides until they are golden brown. Make sure the syrniki don't burn or they will absorb the burned odor.
8. When the syrniki are done cooking remove onto a plate and serve with a heaping tablespoon of sour cream and honey, jam or preserves. You can also try pairing them with a salad of tomatoes, white onions and fresh basil sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with olive oil. I personally love it this way! They taste delicious together.

Syrniki with salad on the side

Syrniki before they are fried

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds come in different colors (tan, black, brown, reddish, off-white, gold, gray) but the most common ones used in cooking are off-white and black.

Sesame seeds have the highest oil content of any seed, are a great source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, and are rich in protein.

Plain sesame seeds are flavorless. Once they are toasted that's when their rich, nutty flavor comes through.

Toasted sesame seeds (also known as roasted seeds if done in the oven) are widely used in cooking to enhance the flavor of soups, salads, stir fry, meat, fish, baked goods, and other dishes.

Below are instructions on how to toast sesame seeds.

Ingredients

• Sesame Seeds
• Salt (optional)

Instructions 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot place raw sesame seeds inside so that they cover the bottom of the skillet.
2. Sprinkle with salt if desired and keep turning them with a spatula until they are golden brown. They should be done in a few minutes. Keeping them on the skillet too long and not turning them frequently will cause them to burn and become dark brown.

For even toasting of sesame seeds put only enough sesame seeds to cover the bottom of the skillet. Putting too much sesame seeds into the skillet will leave many seeds their original color. If this happens do not worry. You will still get the full flavor of sesame seeds since they will be mixed with the golden brown ones.

If you have a lot of sesame seeds to toast you can do them in batches. Just repeat all the steps above. Once the seeds are toasted let them cool off and then place in a glass jar or container and store them on the shelf with the spices. You can use them in your cooking to enhance the flavor of the dishes... They are great with anything you make.

How to Use Toasted Sesame Seeds in Cooking

Toasted sesame seeds are usually added toward the end of a dish's cooking time. They can also be sprinkled on a dish after it's been prepared already. You can use toasted sesame seeds pretty much with any dish you can think of. They will enhance the flavor of the dish and also make it look nicer presentation-wise if used simply as a garnish. Sprinkle a little or sprinkle a lot. Either way you can't go wrong.

Toasted sesame seeds are a favorite of my mine and I use them frequently in my dishes. I don't buy toasted sesame seeds. I just buy the plain ones sold in a Chinese store and then toast them myself the way I've described above. I love the aroma that fills the kitchen when the sesame seeds are being toasted in the skillet. That's one of the reasons I prefer toasting my own sesame seeds rather than buying from the store those that already are.