Berta Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Cut 2 carrots into 1-inch dice; place in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and puree in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
• 2. Grate the remaining carrot; reserve.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper and grease the paper.
• 4. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla; beat well. Fold in the carrot puree, grated carrot, walnuts, coconut and pineapple.
• 5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• 6. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding it onto a rack, then let the cake cool completely.
• 7. Prepare the frosting: Mix the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Frost the cake.

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle, pulverize garlic, anchovies, tomato pulp, and pepper. Add lemon juice gradually and mix thoroughly to a soft paste. Set aside.
• In chicken fryer pan with deep sides, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add mussels and 1/2 cup of the wine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until mussels open, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not allow to dry out. Add more wine, if needed. Take out mussels, arrange on a serving platter.
• To pan juices (add more wine, if needed), add the garlic paste. Stir thoroughly. Pour over mussels. Decorate with basil leaves and serve with hunks of good Italian peasant bread (for sopping up juice).

Steps:

• Combine the beer and vinegar with 1 cup of water in a very large pot. Add a steamer insert and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Add the crabs and 1/4 cup of the Old Bay and cook, covered, until the crabs are bright red, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size. Transfer the crabs to a large platter and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Old Bay.
• Serve the hot crabs with the Spicy Butter and lemon wedges on the side.
• Make the butter while the crabs cook: combine the butter, Old Bay, cayenne and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Pour the melted butter into a small ramekin, leaving the milk solids in the saucepan.

Steps:

• Prick the eggplant with a thin-blade knife. Grill over or next to very high heat, turning as necessary until the skin is blackened and the eggplant collapses. Or broil, or roast on a heated cast-iron pan in the hottest possible oven. It will take about 20 minutes.
• When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel (this will be easy) and trim away the hard stem. Chop or mash in a bowl, with lime juice.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles and cook for another minute. Add the tomato, turmeric and salt. Cook until the tomato is soft, 5 minutes or so.
• Stir in the eggplant purée and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and garam masala and turn off the heat. Serve hot with warm chapati bread or pita, or over rice.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1 inch cubes.
• Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, cayenne, and salt and pepper.
• Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.
• Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and add the lemon juice, tahini, and pulse 3 to 4 times to blend.
• Taste for salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped parsley.
• Garnish with extra parsley.

Steps:

• To prepare a simple syrup combine equal amounts of sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Cool and store in a clean container. You can use this for other recipes so make a batch.
• To prepare the drink, mix the syrup, tequila juice and ice cubes in a large glass and stir.
• Fill the glass to the edge with the seltzer water.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler. Rub oil on the outside of the egg plant, or coat with cooking spray. Place under the broiler, and cook until the flesh is soft and the skin is blistering off, about 30 minutes. Turn as needed for even cooking. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Discard the skin; chop up the flesh, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, and let them crackle for a few seconds and turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Add the onion, ginger and garlic; cook and stir until tender. I don't let the onions get very brown. Stir in the tomato, and season with turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook and stir for a few minutes.
• Place the eggplant pieces in the skillet, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes so some of the moisture evaporates. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired. Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve.