All posts by radiant

Apple Compote with an Italian Twist

Home Cooking, , , , ,

Name: Silvia Maulini*
Class Year: 1980
Country of Residence: The Netherlands

* Silvia is one of this competition’s judges, so this recipe will not be considered – it’s simply delicious, and needs to be shared!

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

In August 2019 a small group of MHC alumnae in the Netherlands attended a Slow Food event I had helped to organize in a historic orchard located close to Amsterdam. We picked apples and plums and together with friends and family members we processed them producing several delicious dishes. Our team was responsible for the apple compote and we surely had a great time!

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Balsamic Vinegar, Thyme and Caramelised Onion Relish

Home Cooking, , , , , ,

Name: Elizabeth Taeed
Class Year: 2009
Country of Residence: Portugal

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

After four years of travelling, my husband and I have now settled in Portugal. Which means, we have a fully kitted out kitchen and amazing local farms. To celebrate, we bought a large sack of onions with which to make pickles, chutneys and relishes. This is the first! The balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme pair beautifully with the sweetness of the onions, and is a tasty crowd-pleaser (stay away from crowds though).

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Yerba Mate Chai Latte

Drinks, , , , ,

Name: Elizabeth Taeed
Class Year: 2009
Country of Residence: Portugal

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

My husband and I run a small loose-leaf tea shop, stocked with our favourite teas discovered during our four years of travel. Yerba mate is one of them! It is a herbal tea with caffeine levels on par with coffee, but without any bitterness and with a rich, smooth taste. We also fell in love with masala chai during our year in India, so combining the two is an obvious combination.

This is a simple recipe we’ve created ourselves for our tea shop, and although it takes a little time (30 minutes), it’s worth every minute of steeping. While you can change the chai ingredients listed as much as you like (including type and amount), I strongly recommend including turmeric pieces as they turn the milk a gorgeous gold and give that distinctly Indian taste! Lastly, if you can’t find yerba mate, you can of course replace it with a black loose leaf tea.

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Ragù alla Bolognese (Pasta sauce)

Regional/Traditional, , , ,

Name: Linda C. Moffa
Class Year: 1996
Country of Residence: Italy

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

This original Ragù alla Bolognese recipe was passed on to me by a true Bolognese chef, my mother-in-law! Despite attempts all over the world to copy or revisit it, no recipe meets the level of this traditional one that has never disappointed.

Be wary of a ragù that is too red and saucy because of too much tomatoe, or even worse, loads of Béchamel sauce that make it creamy. The real Ragù alla Bolognese should dominate in taste over the pasta but result rather dry and not saucy or soupy. To respect the traditional recipe, Ragù alla Bolognese should be served over tagliatelle (please NO spaghetti alla Bolognese…). Alternatively, it can accompany polenta or a pasta like Gramigna.

A main course of Tagliatelle with Ragù alla Bolognese is a hearty dish that satisfies everyone. When it is made with carefully selected meats, organic vegetables, and top quality extra-virgin olive oil, it is definitely a complete meal that everybody savours.

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Joseph’s Cake (Applesauce Fruit Cake)

Regional/Traditional, , , ,

Name: Marcia Brumit Kropf
Class Year: 1967
Country of Residence: USA

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

This is a recipe passed down through four generations of women (that I know of) in my family. It is a recipe that passed from Europe to the U.S. and I am sharing it back again. Making it is an annual event in my family. This is a recipe from Margaret Heigert Joseph (1835-1906). She was born in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany and immigrated to the U.S., settling in Glasgow, Howard County, Missouri. She passed the recipe to her daughter, Margaret Joseph Keehart (1862-1932) who passed it to her daughter, Maude Keehart Brumit (1894-1968) who passed it to her daughter-in-law, Patricia Patterson Brumit (1919-2008) who passed it to me. 

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Shrimp and Gingery Tomato Sauce for Pasta

Home Cooking, , , , , ,

Name: Carolyn Geisler Hornfeld
Class Year: 1963
Country of Residence: Switzerland

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

I made up this recipe on a dash home from our mountain chalet where my husband and I are waiting out the corona-virus self-isolation. Happened to have the ingredients to hand, we were ravenously hungry and both agreed this was a serendipitous invention! It tastes great and can be made easily and rapidly… Hope you agree.

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