Ufa chef demonstrates simple, impressive dishes for two

UFA1.RU continues its series of culinary features with chefs from Ufa restaurants. This time we approached Arthur Khairullin with a request to show us something special ahead of the approaching Valentine«s Day, using ingredients that can be found in any decent supermarket. The chef demonstrated the process of preparing two dishes that look very impressive but are simple to make.

Mussels in White Wine with Baguette

We will need:

• mussels (we took pre-cooked frozen ones);

• onion;

• tomatoes;

• white wine;

• fresh parsley;

• butter;

• lemon;

• baguette;

• salt.

Place the mussels in a colander over a pot or any other suitable container — we will definitely need the juice later. When the shellfish thaw slightly, you can sort through them and get rid of any shell fragments.

Make a tomato concassé from the tomatoes, that is, remove the skin. To do this, score them and put them in boiling water for half a minute. Immediately after, immerse the tomatoes in ice water. Using a knife, easily free the tomatoes from the skin. Dice the onion, chop the tomatoes in the same way, but slightly larger.

Heat a pan, melt butter in it, and add the onion, sauté it (fry over low heat until soft, without letting it become crispy). Next, add the tomatoes to the pan, let them warm up a bit with the onion, and add white wine. The drink will give the dish acidity, and all the alcohol will evaporate. After the white wine, add the mussel juice. Bring the sauce to a boil, then add salt to taste.

While the sauce is cooking, take the parsley and separate the leaves, chop them finely. Cut the lemon into slices for serving.

Gradually add butter to the pan and wait until it melts. You need to bring the sauce to a slightly thick consistency. Then add the mussels, mix, and cover for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with baguette, the dish is ready!

Salad with Arugula, Baked Peppers, and Cream from Cream Cheese and Yogurt

We will need:

• arugula;

• sweet peppers;

• plain yogurt;

• cream cheese;

• hazelnuts;

• vegetable oil;

• salt.

Drizzle the peppers with oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350°F) for 15–20 minutes. After taking out of the oven, clean the peppers from the stem, skin, and seeds. The cleaned vegetables can be torn into small segments.

If desired, after baking, the peppers can be marinated according to your preferences — with garlic, rosemary, thyme, or any seasoning you like.

Proceed to the cream. Crumble the cheese in a bowl and thoroughly mix with yogurt (you can do without it, but it will dilute the consistency and add lightness).

In a separate bowl, place the desired amount of arugula, dress with vegetable oil. Lightly salt and mix.

Place the hazelnuts in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350°F) for 1–2 minutes. After heating, the nuts will clean very easily. Chop the hazelnuts. Serving option — in the photo. Enjoy your meal!