Red - means a festive
What do you associate the color red with?— In winter, undoubtedly, with the most beloved and magical holiday - New Year: with shiny balls on the Christmas tree, rosy cheeks of children who have had enough fun in the cold, with Santa's hat and bright dishes on the festive table. Gastronomic masterpieces of red fruits - tomatoes and bell peppers - give a special flavor to the New Year's feast: they not only serve as a decoration for the table, harmoniously blending into the overall palette of tastes and aromas, but also give the hosts and their guests a lot of useful substances. If it is not possible to find ripe and fragrant tomatoes in the middle of winter, do not be upset - in most dishes they can be successfully replaced by ketchup: the sauce made from Mediterranean tomatoes will favorably emphasize the taste palette of other products. However, before using it, make sure that the ketchup is natural, such as Heinz, that is, made directly from tomatoes and without any artificial additives. Such a natural sauce, among other things, contains a large amount of the powerful natural antioxidant lycopene. So, after we have decided on the main colors of the festive table, let me offer you several recipes that will turn the farewell to the old year and the welcome of the new one into a small home culinary show. To make the evening meal as rich and interesting as possible, to awaken your appetite, you can start with a "vegetable plate" laid out with lettuce leaves, on which washed and sliced tomatoes and peppers will look wonderful in combination with basil and cilantro, parsley and arugula. They will be followed by a more satisfying snack - fruits stuffed with rice, vegetables, cheese or shrimp.
Tomatoes stuffed with eggs and shrimps
- Ingredients: 8 tomatoes, ½ kg shrimp, 4 eggs, 2 cloves garlic, 8 tbsp. mayonnaise, greens, salt, pepper.
- Cooking method: Prawns cook, drain, cool, clean and finely chop. Cut off the tops of tomatoes, use a teaspoon to remove the flesh and seeds, lightly salt the inside. Eggs boil, cool and finely chop (or grind). Garlic chop, mix with chopped eggs, shrimps and herbs, salt and pepper to taste, season with mayonnaise. With the mixture, stuff the tomatoes and serve them on a beautiful flat dish.
Since fresh shrimps are on the eve of wintercelebrations can be found, perhaps, in an expensive fish boutique, feel free to use frozen ones. However, in order for seafood not to cause illness, it is necessary to buy them in large stores and under a well-known brand.
Peppers stuffed with rice and vegetables
- Ingredients: 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 zucchini, cut into 4 pieces and then to pieces 0.5 cm thick, 1 glass of mushrooms cut into 4 pieces, ½ cup finely chopped onion, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 cup chopped tomato, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 can (400 g) of red beans in own juice, 1½ cups of tomato ketchup Heinz, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp. dried basil, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. Dried oregano, 3 slices of chopped Bulgarian pepper
- Method of preparation:Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, fry zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic until golden brown, add tomatoes, rice, beans, ketchup, half of the Parmesan and spices, mix well. Stuff the pepper halves with this mixture and place them in a mold or saucepan sprayed with olive oil. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes at 190 ° C. Then open the lid, pour the peppers with the released juices, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for about 20 more minutes.
To prepare this dish you can useboth champignons and pre-soaked and boiled mushrooms - they will give the stuffed vegetables a wonderful aroma. In recent years, warm salads have become increasingly popular. Surprise and delight your guests with the "Warm Tomato Salad-Assortment".
- Ingredients: 1 kg of red, yellow and orange cherry tomatoes, 1 finely chopped red onion, 8 quail eggs, 4 finely chopped anchovies, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange and lemon peel, 5 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. l. wine vinegar, salt, pepper, basil and parsley.
- Cooking method: In a frying pan, lightly heat olive oil, put anchovies, garlic and zest into it. In a glass bowl, marinate the onions with vinegar for 10-15 minutes. Simultaneously cook soft-boiled eggs, cool in cold water, clean. Sliced tomatoes in half and salt and pepper, sprinkle pickled onions, fried anchovies on a slow fire, cut in half with eggs, chopped parsley and basil.
Anchovies are small fish that are sold insalted or in oil. They are better known as "anchovy". Some amateur cooks consider it possible to replace them in dishes with spicy salted herring - a matter of taste.
What do you usually serve as a main course?Maybe this year, for a change, we should change our usual menu and prepare a tasty and filling, but not yet widely popular, “Shepherd’s Pie”?
- Ingredients: 1 tsp.olive oil, 400 g ground beef, 1 finely chopped onion, 100 ml Heinz tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 400 ml water, 200 g finely chopped carrots, 700-800 g potatoes, 100 ml milk, 100 g grated hard cheese (divided in proportions 2/3 and 1/3), ¼ tsp thyme, 1 tsp classic mustard, 1 tsp cornstarch.
- Method of preparation:Heat the oil in a frying pan and quickly fry the mince until brown, add water and evaporate for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add finely chopped carrots and onions and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the mince acquires a delicate consistency. Stir in Heinz tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes. At the same time, boil the potatoes, mash with milk, mustard and 2/3 of the cheese, season to taste. Dilute the starch in a small amount of water and stir into the mince until it thickens slightly. Season to taste. Transfer the mince and vegetables to an oven-proof dish, cover with a layer of mashed potatoes, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 ° C for 15-20 minutes. until golden brown. Serve with green peas.
"Worcester", which is also called"Worcestershire" is a classic English sweet and sour sauce made from vinegar, sugar and fish. It is now found in many popular recipes, so it can be used in more than just "Shepherd's Pie".
Tomato carpaccio is an original vegetarian version of the classic Italian beef dish.
- Ingredients: 40 g Parmesan cheese, 100 g pitted olives, 1 red onion, 1 kg large tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 lemon and salt to taste.
- Cooking method: Scald the tomatoes, peel, cut into 4 parts, remove the seeds. Spread out on a wide flat plate, cover with a food film and crush something heavy. After 10 minutes, remove the load and film, sprinkle tomatoes, pepper, pour lemon juice, top with sliced thin onions until transparent, and sprinkle with finely chopped olives. Pour a small amount of olive oil and let the dish brew for half an hour.
If you are not lucky enough to get hold of real Italian "Parmesan", a worthy replacement would be Lithuanian "Gojus" and "Džiugas", or the already familiar "Tilsiter".
The "Tender Meat Lasagna" will also bring a lot of joy to your family and will surely be enjoyed by everyone without exception.
- Ingredients: 1 tbsp.olive oil, 1 finely chopped onion, ½ green pepper, 200 g sliced button mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic, 1.5 tsp oregano, ½ tsp thyme leaves, 400 g minced beef, 150 ml red wine, 400 g chopped tomatoes, 4 tbsp Heinz tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 100 g grated low-fat cheddar cheese, lasagne sheets, plus 800 ml milk, 80 g margarine, 100 g flour and ½ tsp nutmeg - for the Béchamel sauce.
- Method of preparation:Place the frying pan over medium heat, pour in the oil and heat it up, put in the mince and fry for about 5 minutes, until browned. Add the onion, pepper, mushrooms, garlic and herbs, fry for 10 minutes. Pour in the wine, reduce the heat and stir in the Heinz tomato ketchup, tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil and reduce for 10 minutes on low heat.
Prepare the Béchamel sauce.To do this, pour the milk into a non-stick pan, add nutmeg and bring to a boil. In a separate container, mix the margarine and flour, whisk thoroughly and heat for 2 minutes. Remove the milk from the heat and pour a little into the margarine and flour mixture, mix thoroughly. When the milk is absorbed, continue adding it in small portions, stirring constantly. In a non-stick pan, layer the meat sauce, lasagne sheets and Béchamel in alternating layers so that the sauce is the top layer. Sprinkle with cheese, place in an oven preheated to 180 ° C and bake for about 40 minutes. To prevent the cheese from burning, cover the pan with foil for the first 20 minutes. Nutmeg has a characteristic peculiar smell and a rather sharp taste. When offering your family a dish with Béchamel sauce for the first time, you can replace this spice with any more familiar one, such as cloves or even black pepper. Many people cannot imagine a meal without first courses. Make them happy by preparing, at your choice, a cold Mediterranean gazpacho or a hot American tomato soup.
Cold soup "Gazpacho"
- Ingredients:½ kg tomatoes, 300 g red bell pepper, 300 g fresh cucumbers, 150 g onions, 2 cloves garlic, 100 ml olive oil, 2 teaspoons wine vinegar or juice of ½ lemon, salt and pepper - to taste.
- Cooking method: Cut the onions into half rings, chop the garlic, peel the Bulgarian pepper from the seeds and cut into cubes, peeling the cucumbers, cut them into slices. Tomatoes are covered with boiling water, peel and cut each into 4 parts. Pour everything into the blender, chop, add the vinegar, salt, pepper, butter and whisk. Serve with finely chopped greens and toast.
Figurines are perfect for toastingsliced, dried pieces of wheat or rye bread, which can be improved by spreading with butter, sprinkling with cheese and, literally, placing in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Tomato soup
- Ingredients:½ kg tomatoes, 60 g butter, 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 l meat broth, salt, pepper, parsley, parsley and celery root - to taste.
- Cooking method: Grind the garlic, rub it with salt, place in a saucepan, add finely chopped greens, roots and onions, pour 200 g of broth, cover the pan with a lid and heat until boiling, and then leave over low heat. Tomatoes scald, peel, cut into cubes and add to the pan along with tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook on high heat, stirring, 15 minutes.
Many people prefer it to regular onions.red varieties, but they are more suitable for salads, while soup is the best way to reveal the taste and consistency of white varieties. If you are planning to celebrate the New Year outdoors, take with you an easy-to-make and easy-to-heat snack - something simple and at the same time original, for example, Mexican "Chicken Quesadilla".
- Ingredients:1 cup chili sauce, 1/2 cup Heinz hot ketchup, 1 cup sour cream, 8 whole wheat tortillas, 3 cups finely chopped cooked chicken breast, 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese, 1 cup chopped red or green pepper, 1/4 cup minced red or white onion, 1/4 cup chopped parsley and cilantro.
- Cooking method: Mix chili sauce with ketchup and divide the resulting mass in half. Combine one half of the mixture with sour cream - you will get the sauce to the prepared dish. Spread the second half on tortillas, from above evenly distribute chicken, cheese, pepper, onions and chopped greens. Fold each tortilla in half. Heat over medium heat with a large frying pan, sprinkle with olive oil and fry the tortillas on both sides until golden brown. Cut into triangles and serve with cooked sauce.
Classic corn flour tortillayou'll have to look for it. And if you don't have time for that, replace it with regular thin wheat lavash. Believe me, the taste of the dish won't suffer from it, and only a regular at Mexican restaurants will notice the difference. Bon appetit and Happy New Year!
