Chef Maka Gastronomic Dishes Recipes and great recipes videos found onYouTube. ENJOY

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Chef Maka

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Preparation time: 20 min

Total time: 50 min

The flavor combinations in this creamy yet light soup are complex, but making it is very easy. Like the best appetizers, the soup wakes up the palateis not too filling.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
  • 2 (15-oz) cans solid-pack pumpkin (3 1/2 cups; not pie filling)
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz)
  • 1 (14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
  • 8 fresh curry leaves

Preparation

Cook onions in butter in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, and cardamom and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in salt, red pepper flakes, pumpkin, water, broth, and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl, and return soup to pot. Keep soup warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook mustard seeds until they begin to pop, about 15 seconds. Add curry leaves and cook 5 seconds, then pour mixture into pumpkin soup. Stir until combined well and season soup with salt. Soup can be thinned with additional water.

Cooks' note: Soup can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

 

 

Rum Dulce de Leche

Chef Maka

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Throughout the Spanish-speaking world, thickened sweetened milk is a regular feature at dessert time (and, like all treats, whenever Mom isn’t looking). Though not difficult to make from scratch on top of the stove, the use of condensed milk eliminates the need for constant stirring. Be sure to check the water level in the pan about halfway through cooking; if it’s low, carefully add a little more.
 
Ingredients
  • two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/3 cup dark rum
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover with foil. Put pie plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up side of pie plate. Bake milk in middle of oven until thick and golden, about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove pie plate from pan and cool completely.

Add remaining ingredients to milk and whisk until smooth. Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

 

Appetizer
SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH CREAM SAUCE
Chef Maka
Shrimp scampi with sauce
  

 

 

Ingredients for 4 servings of shrimp scampi:

16 large shrimp (size 16-20),
1 Tbsp. butter,
1/2 cup diced roma tomatoes,
3 oz. heavy cream,
1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped,
1 pinch chili flakes,
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce,
dash of Tabasco,
sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipe: This Shrimp Scampi Recipe is for four appetizer servings. Heat the butter in a large skillet and saute the garlic for about 1 minute. Add the peeled and cleaned shrimp, diced tomatoes and chili flakes and saute until the shrimp turns pink, usually about 2 minutes more. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Add the cream, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, and cook until the sauce is reduced and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve the shrimp scampi in four bowls. Decorate with fresh basil leaf or a sprig of fresh thyme. Cooking tip: This recipe is a little bit spicy. If you don't like spicy food, substitute the chili flakes and Tabasco sauce with a pinch of chopped oregano or thyme.

 

Brown-Sugar Spice Cake with Cream and Caramelized Apples
Chef Maka

Yield: Makes 9 pieces

Active time: 45 min

Total time: 1 3/4 hr

In this recipe, simple pantry ingredients come together to make a homey cake that's so tender and moist, you'll be fighting over the last piece.

Ingredients

For caramelized apples

  • 8 Gala apples (3 1/2 pounds)
  • 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
For cake
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup dark amber or Grade B maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
For cream
  • 1 1/4 cups chilled heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Special equipment: an 8-inch square nonstick cake pan (2 inches deep)

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour cake pan, knocking out excess flour.

Make caramelized apples:
Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

Spread softened butter in an even layer over bottom of a 12-inch heavy skillet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Add apple wedges and cook over moderate heat, without stirring, until sugar is melted and apples start to give off liquid, about 10 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender and juices become syrupy, about 30 minutes more.

Pour syrup from skillet into a small heatproof bowl, then sauté apples, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and very tender, about 30 minutes more. Return syrup to apples and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Make cake while apples cook:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined. Add maple syrup, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined well. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, then mix until just incorporated.

Spread batter in cake pan and bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.

Make cream just before serving:
Beat cream with sour cream and sugar using cleaned beaters at high speed until it just holds soft peaks.

To serve:
Run a thin knife around edge of pan, then invert cake onto a plate and cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with warm apple mixture and cream.

Cooks' notes: ·Caramelized apples can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat. ·Cake can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.