Romanian Boeuf Salad

Ingredients
-4-5 potatoes,
-1 carrot,
-1 parsley root,
-1 parsnip (optional),
-1 large celery root,
-a handful of green peas,
-2 pickles,
-1/2 lb/250 g poultry breast or beef sirloin,
-300g mayo,
-1 tablespoon mustard,
-salt.

You get the best beef salad by boiling the vegetables with the meat (soup).
Cube the potatoes and all other vegetables.
The same goes for the meat and pickles.
Place all in a bowl, add the peas and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix mayo and mustard.
Add 3/4 of the mayo mixture to the meat and vegetables and mix well.
Arrange on a serving platter.
Smooth with a knife and then cover with the rest of the mayo mixture.
Garnish with a few olives, hard boiled egg white, or egg slices, pickled red peppers, parsley, etc.
Try to shape flowers, other designs.

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Persian Apple Dessert

Rose water and orange flower water can be found in gourmet and specialty shops as well as in pharmacies.

3 medium apples, pared and cut up
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon rose or orange flower water
Dash of salt

Place half the apples and the remaining ingredients in blender container.
Cover and blend until coarsely chopped, 20 to 30 seconds.

Add remaining apples; blend until coarsely chopped.

Yields 3 servings.

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Klappertert (Coconut Pie)

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
3 cups finely grated fresh coconut
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small bits
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 baked short-crust pastry pie shell
8 strips candied citron, 1" long by 1/8 " wide

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. cook briskly, undisturbed, until the syrup reaches a temperature of 230 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the coconut and butter, and stir until the butter is completely melted. Let the mixture cool to room temp, then vigorously beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small pan, melt the apricot jam over low heat, stirring constantly.
Rub the jam through a fine sieve, and brush the jam evenly over the bottom of the baked pie shell.

Pour the coconut mixture into the pie shell, spreading it smoothly.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Filling should be firm and golden brown.
Before serving, arrange the thin strips of citron in a sunburst pattern in the center of the pie.
Serve warm or at room temperature; can be accompanied by whipped cream.

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Moroccan chicken tagine with honey & apricots

This is one of my favorite recipes, a sure winner at any get-together.
Fattening but oh, soooo, good.

-about 6 lbs of chicken pieces
-2 large yellow onions
-2 sticks of butter
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-1 tsp black pepper
-2 cinnamon sticks
-1 lb dried apricots or prunes (less if you're not too fond of the fruits).
-8 tbsp honey (I use much more, for a sweeter and less liquid sauce)
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 cup peeled almonds
-1 tbsp sesame seeds
-oil

In a large pot, melt the butter. Fry the chopped onions until soft, and
add the chicken, salt, pepper, turmeric and cinnamon sticks.
Add enough
water to cover the chicken, about two cups. Bring to boil, reduce heat,
and simmer until the chicken is done, adding water if necessary.
Remove
the chicken pieces.

Add the prunes or apricots and simmer for about fifteen minutes.
Add the
ground cinnamon and the honey, stir and cook until the sauce has a
honey-like consistency.
Add more honey if necessary.

When the sauce is almost ready, sautee the almonds in oil.
Drain most of
the oil from the pan, and toast the sesame seeds.

Return the chicken to the pot and re-heat.
Place chicken in a serving
sheet, pour sauce on top of it and top with almonds and sesame seeds.

This dish goes GREAT with couscus.
Add several pats of butter to the
cuscus and mix well. I've also tried it adding rose water or orange juice,
and I like both mixes.

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