Here is an interesting recipe for tangerine curd:

List of ingredients:

1/2 cup of tangerine juice.
1/4 cup of lemon juice.
2 tangerines, grated zest only.
1/4 lb of butter.
4 oz of sugar.
8 egg yolks.

Method:

In a saucepan, combine the fruit juices, zest, butter and sugar; bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks until liquid.

Beat a quarter of the boiling liquid into the yolks and return the remaining liquid to a boil over low heat.

Beat the yolk mixture into the boiling liquid and continue beating until it thickens slightly (about 2 minutes). Do not allow the curd to boil or it will scramble.

Pour into a clean bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap and chill.

Source: Curd Recipes.

Recipe for Apple Dumplings

Ingredient List:

CRUST
2 cups of flour.
1 teaspoon of salt.
2/3 cup of oil.
4 tablespoons of cold water.

FILLING
6 medium apples.
1 cup of sugar.
2 cups of water.
1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Ice cream, to serve with.

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.

Using a fork, stir in the oil.

Sprinkle the cold water over and stir in with the fork.

Mix together and roll out between two sheets of plastic wrap.

Peel and core the apples. Wrap with dough and place in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water and cinnamon.

Once the sugar is dissolved, pour over the apples and bake at 375F for about 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with ice cream.

Source: Dumpling Recipes.

I have recently been using a lot more artichokes in my cooking. Here is a delicious recipe for Italian seafood and artichoke fettucine pasta from the official artichoke recipes collection:

List of ingredients:

8 shrimps.
2 lobster tails, just the meat.
2 artichoke hearts, cut in.
8 mushrooms, sliced.
2 ounces of olive oil.
2 ounces of flour.
8 ounces of light cream.
3 ounces of Romano cheese, grated.
2 ounces of king crabmeat.
8 ounces of fettucine pasta, cooked.

Method:

Sauté the shrimps, lobster tails, artichoke hearts and sliced mushrooms in the olive oil.

Once the seafood is three-quarters cooked, add the flour and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the light cream, grated Romano cheese and crabmeat; mix thoroughly.

Serve over cooked fettucine pasta.

Recipe for Cream of Lettuce Soup:

1 medium leek.
2 medium iceberg lettuces.
1 medium onion.
2 medium potatoes.
1 3/4 ounces of butter.
1 quart of chicken stock.
1/2 cup of cream.
Salt and black pepper.

Instructions:

Wash and clean the leek and lettuces; then finely chop.

Peel and chop the onion and potatoes.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and gently saute the onion and leek until soft.

Add the lettuce, potatoes and chicken stock, then bring to the boil, and simmer until potatoes are tender (30 minutes).

Purée in a blender, then reheat in a clean saucepan. Add the cream, salt and pepper. Thin slightly with milk if required.

Serve either hot or cold.

Source: Lettuce Recipes.

Below is a great recipe for fried chicken wings which I made at home earlier today:

10 chicken wings.
1/2 cup flour.
1 1/2 teaspoon of ginger root, finely minced.
1 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, finely minced.
1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
1 teaspoon of water.
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, ground.
1/2 teaspoon of salt.
1 cup of vegetable oil.

Directions:

Remove wing tips and reserve for soup pot.

Cut each wing in half at the joint.

In a bowl, combine the wings and other ingredients except vegetable oil.

Mix, cover and refrigerate for about 3 hours.

In a large, deep pan, heat the oil, then add the wings and fry until golden brown on both sides (about 12 mins in total).

Source: Fried Chicken Recipes.

Here is an authenic Spanish tapas appetizer made from morcilla (black pudding) :

Ingredient list:

1 tablespoon of olive oil.
1 onion, thinly sliced.
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced.
1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
1 teaspoon of paprika.
8 oz of morcilla (black pudding), cut into 12 thick slices.
12 slices of French bread.
2 tablespoons of fino sherry.
Sugar, to taste.
Salt.
Freshly ground black pepper.
Chopped fresh oregano, to garnish.

Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and fry the sliced onion, garlic, oregano and paprika for 8 minutes or until the onion has softened and turned golden brown.

Add the slices of black pudding, then increase heat and cook for 3 minutes; do not stir.

Using a spatula, carefully turn over the black pudding, then cook for an additional 3 minutes until crisp.

On a large serving plate, arrange the rounds of bread and give each with a slice of morcilla.

Stir the fino sherry into the onions and add sugar to taste.

Heat, swirling the mixture around the pan until bubbling, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon some of the onion mixture on top of each slice of black pudding.

Garnish with chopped fresh oregano and service.

Source: Spanish Recipes.

Feel like trying some a little unusual? How about fig biscotti?

Ingredient list:

1 1/2 cups of plain flour, sifted.
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
2/3 cup of superfine sugar.
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten.
1 cup of dark chocolate, chopped .
1/2 cup of dried figs, chopped.

Cooking method:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Place the sifted flour in a large bowl with the baking powder, cocoa powder and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, chopped chocolate and chopped figs.

Gradually add the egg/chocolate/fig mixture to flour mixture, stirring to form a stiff dough.

Transfer the dough to an even work surface, lightly dusted with flour, and knead briefly with your hands until smooth.

Divide the dough in half and shape into two long logs.

Place logs on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and press along top of log to slightly flatten.

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.

Cut logs into half-inch thick slices, then place on baking trays and bake for another 10 minutes or until hard.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.