Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger

Ingredients

4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese

Directions

Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

Lemongrass Tea

INGREDIENTS:
4 - 5 stalks of lemongrass
1 gallon water
1 cup sugar
2 limes, juiced

DIRECTIONS:
Crush the stalks of lemongrass to release the essence.
Boil them in 1 gallon of water. The water should turn brown.
Remove the stalks. Add sugar to the water.
Let the drink cool to room temperature.
Strain the water.
Add the juice of two fresh limes.
Leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Saffron & Pistachio Ice Cream (Bastani Irani)

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp powdered sahlab or cornstarch
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground mastic (Arabic gum)
1/4 tsp ground saffron dissolved in 3 Tbsp rose water
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp slivered pistachios for decoration

DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve the sahlab or cornstarch in 1 cup cold milk. Mix very well until the mixture is quite smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, stir the rest of the milk and sugar together and bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Add the sahlab mixture and mastic to the warm milk in the saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. At this stage, the mixture should be slightly elastic. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Add saffron-rose water. Mix well. Allow to cool for 2 hours. Pour the entire mixture into an ice-cream machine.
5. Follow your ice-cream machine's directions for making ice cream.
6. Pour a thin layer of whipping cream into a flat plate and place it in the freezer until a 1/4 inch frozen creamy crust forms. Remove the crust from the freezer, let it stand for 2 minutes, then break off 1/2 inch pieces of the crust and mix them with the finished ice cream.
7. Serve ice cream in bowls; spring the top with ground pistachios.

Variation: You may simply use 1 pint vanilla ice cream. Simply add frozen cream pieces, saffron-rose water, and slivered pistachios. Mix well.

French Green Lentil Salad

Either brown or green lentils can be used in tis salad, but we're partial to green - they have a firmer texture and are a little more handsome. But whichever you use, don't overcook them. Since cooking times can vary, you'll have to taste them often during cooking time.

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Lentils:
1 spring fresh Italian parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups french green lentils, sorted and rinsed

1/2 cup minced red onion
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

To make the dressing: In a large bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.
To prepare the lentils: In a large saucepan combine 2 quarts water with the parsley, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the lentils and cook, uncovered, in gently boiling water until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain the lentils. Pick out the seasoning and discard.

Whisk the dressing again. Add the cooked lentils and red onion. Fold to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Pesto Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon softened butter
3/4 cup firmly packed basil leaves
1/4 cup firmly packed parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese


Directions

Place walnuts, pine nuts, salt, pepper, garlic, butter, basil, and parsley in to a blender or food processor. Turn the blender on, and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing until a soft paste has formed. Fold in Parmesan and Romano cheeses. Store in the refrigerator covered by 1/4 inch of olive oil to prevent the surface from turning brown.

Yellow Cake Mix

1 7/8 cup cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to blend; resift with sugar. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks crumbly. Label and store in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature.

Makes 1 package mix.
Each package makes two 8 or 9 inch layers or one 9x13x2 inch rectangle.

To Use:
Pour 1 package of mix into a mixing bowl; add 3/4 cup milk and 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Beat. Add 2 eggs. Beat.

Grease and dust with flour. Bake round cake pans at 375 for 25 minutes. Bake 9x13x2 inch pan for 30 - 35 minutes.

Cool cake for 10 minutes in an before turning out on racks.

WHITE CAKE:
Follow the same directions. Replace 2 eggs with 3 unbeaten egg whites.

Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
5 sage leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 leek, roughly chopped

Directions
Melt butter in a saute pan over low heat. Add garlic and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms, cook 5 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in cream and heat slowly. When the sauce has reached a velvety smooth consistency, remove from stove. Stir in leek and serve immediately.