Kartoffelkloesse
(German Potato Dumplings)

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (about 2 large)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or more)
* 1/8 cup cornstarch (or potato starch, much preferred, if you can get it)
* 1 large egg
* 2 slices sourdough bread or white bread (good quality, not supermarket foam crap)
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon corn oil or vegetable oil

Directions

- Trim crusts off bread and save them for another use.
- Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and fry in butter and oil mixture until golden brown, transfer to paper towel to dry.
- Cook scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 45 minutes.
- Drain.
- Cool slightly.
- Peel.
- Cut potatoes into large pieces.
- Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Mash potatoes with fork or run through ricer into large bowl.
- Mix in salt and nutmeg.
- Add 1/2 cup flour and cornstarch.
- Using hands, knead mixture in bowl until smooth dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
- Mix in egg.
- Form dough into balls, using 1/4 cupful for each.
- Insert bread cube into center of each dumpling; roll dumpling between palms to enclose bread cube completely and form smooth balls.
- Working in batches, cook dumplings in large pot of nearly boiling salted water 10-15 minutes (or until dumplings rise to top).
- Using slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to large bowl.
- Keep covered with a damp kitchen towel as remaining dumplings are cooked.
- You should place no more than 4-5 dumplings in your pot at any one time in order to prevent them from sticking together or touching during cooking, which will cause them to fall apart.

BACON AND WILD MUSHROOM PASTA

4 oz. procini mushrooms
3/4 c. hot chicken broth
5 strips of bacon
1 sm. red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. brandy
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. whipping cream
6 to 8 oz. penne or other pasta

Soak mushrooms in 1/4 cup hot broth until soft. Drain. Cut mushrooms into bite size pieces. Cook bacon discard all but 3 teaspoons fat. Remove bacon and crumble set aside.

In frying pan add pepper, garlic and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Add brandy and scrape pan, reduce to glaze. Return the pepper mixture to pan. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and thyme. Simmer 10 minutes or until reduced by 1/2. Add cream and simmer over very low heat until warm. Toss with pasta and bacon.

Walking around the room, Lawson stopped at each workstation to watch the student's progress and he gave a nod of approval at how well they were all doing.

He knew that he had been taking a risk putting knives into their hands especially those who had probably never picked up one in their life before.

As he stopped by Amy's workstation, he gave the girl a smile. "We're just slicing them for now. I don't want to start off to early with anything too difficult."

Lawson moved onto the next workstation and his lips twitched ever so slightly as he watched Arya's attempt. He cleared his throat and moved a little closer to her. "Now Arya, that's cheating" he said with a small chuckle. "I assure you that if you hold your hand like I showed you, you will not cut your fingers off. And besides you have to keep stopping when you need to pull the fork out and move it down the vegetable."

He looked around at the rest of the students, "You are all doing a great job. Now I don't think I need to show you how to mix ingredients together so I want you all to take out your recipes now and we shall get started with cooking. You will find everything you need in the pantry at the back of the room and the refrigerators. I'm just going to help Arya out here a little more but if you need me then just yell out to me."[/QUOTE]

Ingredients;

8 oz (225 g) dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
2/3 cup (140 g) butter
1 cup (210 g) sugar
4 eggs
4 heaped tablespoons (1 dl) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sour cream

Ingredients for frosting;
2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
Death by chocolate cake


Method;

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

2. Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall we recommend that you use two cake tins.)

3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.

4. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.

5. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.

6. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient).

7. Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.

Frosting;

1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.

2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.

3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.

4. This cake should have room temperature when served.


OOC: Courtesy this page.