Olivia Salad (Iraq)

Ingredients:

Potato 1 pound
3 Eggs
Chicken breast 1 Pound
Cucumber pickle (salted Cucumber) 150grams
Green peas (if you like) 150grams
Mayonnaise 250ml
Medium size onion

Spices;

Turmeric Powder half Teaspoon
Chilli Powder half a teaspoon
Curry Powder one teaspoon
Salt to taste
Lemon juice two teaspoons

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes until it is completely cooked
Boil the eggs for about 10-15 minutes (it must be completely hard)
Put the chicken breast into a saucepan or a pressure cooker; chop the onion over the meat, add the spices over the onion, put the saucepan cover on, place it on a low heat and leave for a few minutes. (it reduces the smell of the raw meat and makes it taste much better) Then add one or two mugs of hot water (depending on the duration of cooking, if you use a pressure cooker use less water) and boil until the chicken is properly cooked.

Mixing: Grate the potatoes and eggs in a big bowl, chop the cooked chicken breast (reduce the onion and spices from it) and the cut the cucumber pickle in small pieces, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, green peas and some salt (to taste). Mix by hand or a fork. Decorate in dish and serve.

Note: The amount of the material can be adjusted to suit different diets. For example you can make this salad without chicken for people who are vegetarian in that case the amount of Mayonnaise might be adjusted. Some people might add some cooked carrots in it or not use peas at all.
The salad can be preserved in a fridge for a few days.

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Jerusalem artichokes and mushroom soup

• 1 large onion chopped

• 1 clove garlic chopped

• 3 tbs sunflower oil

• 1lbs Jerusalem artichokes, sliced and peeled

• 1lbs flat capped mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1 medium potato, peeled an cubed

• 2 sprigs tarragon

• 2 stalks parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 sprig thyme

• 2 tbs flour

• 2 pints of vegetable stock

• 3 tbs dry sherry

• salt and pepper

Heat the oil over a low heat in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic, and all the vegetables. Tie the herbs together with string and add those, too. Stir, then cover and sweat over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Sprinkle with flour, and stir, then add stock, salt and pepper. Bring up to the boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are all tender. Remove herbs and liquidise soup or pass through the fine blade of a mouli legumes. Return to the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning and reheat when needed. Stir in sherry just before serving.