Greek Pasta with Pine Nuts and Scallops

14 oz long hollow dried Greek macaroni or other short pasta
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
generous 1/3 cup pine nuts
8 large raw shucked scallops, sliced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves, to serve

1. Cool the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender.
2. About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, until browned. Add the scallops and cook, stirring constantly, until just opaque. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. When the pasta is cooked, drain and return to pan. Add the scallops and all the cooking juices from the skillet to the pasta and toss together. Serve sprinkled with the basil.
   

Stir-Fried Fresh Crab with Ginger

3 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
2 large fresh crabs, cleaned, broken into pieces and legs cracked with a cleaver
2 oz fresh gingerroot, julienned
3 1/2 oz scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
pinch of white pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a preheated wok or deep pan over high heat. Add the crab and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the wok or pan over high heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Stir in the scallions, then the crab pieces. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and pepper, then cover and simmer for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Chef's Tip:
This dish can only be made with whole fresh crabs, whether from the sea or freshwater.

Serves 4

Blinis

Blinis come from Russia. Traditionally, these small yeast pancakes are made with buckwheat flour, which gives them a tasty and unusual flavor. This recipe preserves that tradition. You can also serve these pancakes with caviar.

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
generous 2/3 cup strong white bread flour
1/6 oz sachet active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups tepid milk
2 eggs, 1 whole and 1 separated
vegetable oil, for brushing

to serve
sour cream
smoked salmon

1. Sift both flours into a large, warmed bowl. Stir in the yeast and salt. Beat in the milk, the whole egg, and egg yolk until smooth. Cover the bowl and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour.
2. Put the egg white in a spotlessly clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into the batter. Brush a heavy-bottom skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, pour enough of the batter onto the surface to make a blini about the size of a saucer.
3. When the bubbles rise, turn the blini over with a spatula and cook the other side until light brown. Wrap a clean dish towel to keep warm while you cook the remaining blinis. Serve the warm blinis with sour cream and soaked salmon.

Makes 8 blinis

Mongolian Fire Pot

The traditional Mongolian fire pot used for this dish is a ring-shaped vessel. It fits over a chimney that holds burning charcoal, which heats the water in which the foods are cooked. If you don't have a fire pot, you can use a heavy-bottom pan or ovenproof casserole set on a hot plate.

2 1/2 cups chicken stock
6 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
1 lb lean rib-eye or sirloin steak, very finely sliced
1 lb lean chicken, very finely sliced
8 oz raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
5 1/2 oz canned bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed and julienned, or fresh bamboo shoots boiled in water for 30 minutes, drained and julienned
1 1/2 cups snow peas
1 lb Napa cabbage, chopped
chili and soy dipping sauces
2 tsp salt
8 oz bean thread noodles

1. Pour the stock into the fire pot. Drain the mushrooms, squeezing out any excess water, and finely slice, discording any tough stems. Add to the stock.
2. Arrange the meat, shrimp, and vegetables on a platter. Put the dipping sauces in small individual dishes. Bring the stock to a boil in the pot and add the salt. Throw in a few noodles and vegetables.
3. To eat, the diners each cook their own food by holding it in the stock with their chopsticks until cooked through, then dip it in their choice of dipping sauces. When the last foods have been cooked, the cooking liquid is served in individual bowls.

Chef's Tip:
The fun of this dish is that everyone cooks their own food around the central pot, and the water transforms itself into a delicious brother that can be eaten last.

Serves 6

Mediterranean Split Pea Dip

This popular meze dish is similar to humus, but made with yellow split peas. It is simple to make, and yet even easier if whizzed up in a food processor or blender.

1 1/4 yellow split peas
2 small onions, 1 coarsely chopped and 1 very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, plus extra to garnish (optional)
salt and pepper
savory biscuits to serve

1. Rinse the split peas under cold running water. Put in a pan and add the coarsely chopped onion, the garlic and plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat ands immer for 45 minutes, or until very tender.
2. Drain the split peas, reserving a little of the cooking liquid, and put in a food processor or blender. Add 5 tablespoons of the oil and process until smooth. If the mixture seems too dry, add enough of the reserved liquid to form a smooth, thick puree. Alternatively, mash the split peas with a fork in a bowl. Add oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Turn the mixture into a serving bowl and sprinkle with finely chopped onion and extra oregano, if liked. Drizzle over the remaining oil. Serve warm or cold with savory biscuits.

Serves 6

Japanese Spinach Salad

2 eggs
1 sheet of nori, cut into matchsticks
3 ½ oz. Baby Spinach
1 small red onion, finely sliced
½ small daikon radish, finely sliced
2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
1 oz pickled ginger, sliced
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1 1/3 cup light olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce

1. Preheat the grill to hot. Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl, add 1 tbsp water and the nori. Season well. Heat and grease an 8 inch omelette pan. Pour in the mixture to make a thin omelette. When lightly browned underneath, place under the grill to set the top without coloring. Turn out onto a board and leave to cool. Cut the omelette into thin strips.
2. To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and soy sauce until combined.
3. Toss together the spinach leaves, onion, daikon, cucumber, ginger, toasted sesame seeds, omelette strips and dressing in a large bowl.

Nutrition per serving:
Protein 5g; Fat 25g; Carbohydrate 15g; Dietary Fiber 2gl Cholesterol 90 mg; 295 cal.