Happy 2013 everyone! Thank you for reading all my other posts in other years. I have a back catalogue to post. Namely, my Afghan recipe and that's about it. We have been cooking and discovering and changing, but I haven't taken any pictures and there's been nothing I can think of at the moment that is in need of a mention. In saying that, I have made gorgeous Chili Chutney, delightful Afghans and the Jerk chicken is marinating. There are plenty of interesting things to update you on.
And this year, with the time and direction we are going in, I feel like I'll be able to get in depth and personal about our food and cooking experiences.
This weekend we have rediscovered our favourite market and I think, with that, an appreciation of the food we cook. I am making sure we are eating 'Just Real Food.' And as many variations on that as you can expect 2 people to want to eat and enjoy, what I really want to take from that is that I know where my food is coming from.
I have never been a cake-out-of-a-box girl, but even more so now I want to cook from scratch. I want to get the fruit and veg that are in abundance at the market and make my jams and chutneys from real ingredients. Over the last 18months my body has shown me again and again that a "Paleo" diet is what it responds best to. I have lost and maintained the loss of 23kgs and am on the road, with a full 'Paleo' diet and exercise to lose the last 7kgs as well. It has also opened my eyes to a fabulous amount of alternative cooking and baking and I hope to share some of those gems with you. There are some things that prove a weakness still, and i can assure you with the help of the 'Gordon' challenge this year we will be exploring new ground and developing the classics. So join me if you will, take on a new recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course cookbook each month, one that we choose and let me know how you served/cooked/adapted it.
Let's get cooking everyone! Let's get eating!
xoxo
Sunday, January 27, 2013
A belated update... The Afghan biscuits! Deliciously Ugly
A few weeks ago, I’d like to think it was less than that but
it wasn’t, I made Afghan biscuits. And then never did the subsequent blog
update. Yes that’s right. I decided I needed to be more consistent with the
blog, and so I decided to bake. Marty suggested Afghans, I made Afghans, and a
month later you have the information. Whoops!
Now I didn’t know about Afghan biscuits until I moved to New
Zealand. And not many Australians seem to know them either. The recipe is not
wildly available on .au websites, but thank heavens for Edmonds Cookbook! I did
a little Googling so that I could impart some pearls of wisdom into the origins
of the odd name and the best I could come up with was that it was unclear and
unknown. I think if the Australians had invented them we would have had a name
with some curious etymology! Needless to
say they are a delicious chocolate biscuit that is low in sugar and isn’t made
with any dairy. Their sweetness comes from the addition of chocolate icing or
melted chocolate. They are light, with a melt-in-your mouth texture and have
cornflakes through them that add body and a little bit of crunch. They are not
by any stretch of the imagination pretty, but they are completely addictive and
delicious.
In fact, the first time I really got into eating them was
when I moved from hospitality into retail and the cafeteria at work sold them.
After 4 weeks of eating one per shift, my uniform started to get very firm and
I understood the need for moderation. I had to go cold turkey and only
sporadically eat these delicious mounds of ugliness. Needless to say, having a
box of them at home was a true test of willpower and after one lapse of concentration;
I decided I’d have to make them again when I wasn’t going to be around. I
inhaled about 4 in one sitting – but in my defence they were quite small. The
Edmonds Cookbook recipe says you make approximately 30, but at ‘normal’ size
biscuits I only got 20 out. I also did half the batch with traditional
chocolate icing – yummo! And the other half with melted chocolate as requested
by the Afghan man. I enjoyed the sweetness of the chocolate icing much more
than just the melted chocolate. I used good quality Dutch cocoa so the biscuits
were a bit bitterer than just using supermarket grade stuff, but Marty likes
his choccie bitter and dark so I see why he preferred the melted chocolate.
Regardless, they were a hit and I’ll make them again. I’ve
accomplished Anzacs and Afghans this year so now I’m on the hunt for a
traditional South African biccie. Ideas? Rusks maybe?
Here’s the recipe – enjoy making them, they are so easy!
What you’ll need:
200g butter – softened
½ Cup sugar
1 ¼ cup flour
¼ cup flour
2 cups Cornflakes
Chocolate icing to top
Walnuts to decorate
Makes approx. 20 normal size biscuits
What to do:
1. Cream
butter and sugar until light and fluffy
2. Sift
dry ingredients and mix in.
3. Fold
in cornflakes
4. Spoon
out mixture onto baking trays. Shape and make bake at 180deg for about 10-15
minutes.
5. Once
cooled completely, ice them and eat them!
Enjoy them.
Ciao
Friday, September 28, 2012
My new favourite thing to make...Biscotti
I have started to write my posts in Word first, and then
copy and save them to the computer as more than one has fallen victim to a
dodgy work internet connection. And I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed to a)shout
and swear as loudly as I’d like and b) throw the stupid computer against a
wall. According to Marty I’m never allowed to do b) so I throw the stapler
instead. Coincidently, I broke the stapler during one of these tantrums and it
didn’t staple properly for ages – it’s to be expected, but on a subsequent tirade
I fixed it again by throwing it even harder on the floor and it all bounced
back into place. This does not work for everything, but remotes and staplers
appear to respond well. I can also check my word count on Word, which is more based
on curiosity and some future references than anything else. I digress. I’m
going to tell you about my biscotti making experience. A highly enjoyable
experience to say the least and I think I’ll repeat it soon to see if I can get
it right twice. That is the thing about baking, getting it right every time, or
as in the case of my famous brownies, getting it better every time!
So, I found numerous recipes and then found one on www.taste.com.au that was only 4 steps and
had great reviews. It was to accompany a very chocolaty dessert so I needed
something that wasn’t too sweet or overpowering, and maybe had a slightly tart
fruit. And didn’t have pistachios. EVERY biscotti has pistachios (because they
look cool with the green – says Marty!)And pistachios are ridiculously
expensive shelled and time-consuming not. If you’ll remember the M’Hanncha from
a Christmas post I sat and shelled all the pistachios then. Not again. It was fine as I
was sitting outside drinking champagne, but I certainly had better things to do
this time. I thought, 4 steps, easy-peasy, I was warned of the time-consuming
nature of making biscotti but set to work anyway. It is time-consuming, but not
in any way different to making biscuits or baking a cake. When you bake a cake
you mix the ingredients, bake the cake, let it cool, ice it, decorate it and
then eat it. This is a whole day affair. Biscuits need to be made in batches
unless you have a commercial kitchen or oven. And biscotti needs to be baked a
second time.
We were having the dinner party in the evening, and had been
so thoroughly organised, that while Marty enjoyed rewatching the All Blacks
rugby game and then watching another game – Wallabies maybe? – I could get
stuck into the kitchen quietly and on my own. I did seek his professional opinion
through some of the process, probably only because he was there, but now having
made it myself I feel equipped to repeat the process and know what to look for.
I have become accustomed to attempting challenging recipes set out by Gordon (Ramsay)
and Jamie (Oliver) and both offer advice as to how things should look, feel,
smell, etc when they are at different stages. That’s the one thing this recipe
lacked, but maybe I can impart some of that knowledge. Ready for the recipe?
What you’ll need:
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 ½ tsps Baking powder
½ cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup raw almonds, I chopped mine a little
½ cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
What to do:
1. Preheat
the oven to 160deg.2. Place 2 cups sifted plain flour in a large bowl with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder (I sifted it all together), ½ cup dried cranberries, 2/3 cup raw almonds and ½ cup castor sugar. Combine and create a well in the middle. This will make it much easier to mix.
3. Add the 3 eggs and mix until well combined. It will be a dough, but not too dry. Mine was on the stickier side as it had been dry and I’d added another egg – Thanks Marty! I did need to add more flour as well. I also added 2 tsps of cinnamon to the dry ingredients and a little more cranberries.
4. Transfer the dough to an even work surface, lightly dusted with flour and knead with your hands until smooth. This did not take long. I had mixed everything quite well and didn’t want to over-knead it. Shape into a log and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Press along top of log to flatten slightly. Because of my extra egg my loaf spread as little. In the future I may half the mixture and make 2 smaller logs and they did spread during cooking. This made for lovely long pieces on biscotti, but they could have been smaller.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and cool.
6. Cut log into 1cm-thick slices, place on baking tray and cook for another 12-15 minutes until hard.
Yes, the recipe I’ve given you
is longer than 4 steps, but that’s because I’ve broken up a couple of the
steps. And I’m going to change step 6 completely!
I do not like my biscotti
thick and unmanageable. Left to Marty they would have been 1mm thick, but I
think mine were between 3-5mm thick. Perfect in my opinion. Not too thin to
break apart when used with the dessert and not to thick that you couldn’t bite
through them.
I did them in batches as the
slices need to be lain flat on the baking tray. I put them in for about
10minutes then turned the pieces over for another 3minutes. My oven has a hot
spot in the back left hand corner so the tray generally needs to be rotated
anyway. I think they were perfectly cooked!
Once cooled they were ready to serve. I loved them and
quite enjoyed these biscotti. Commercial
biscotti I often find over-sweet and this had a nice tang to it. My boss – not a
biscotti lover- actually rang me after I’d given her some to let me know it was
the best she’d ever had and I should think about giving up my day job – to baking.
Since I manage her store, I’m not sure if she was aware of the implications,
but suffice to say I’d love to spend my day baking goods and selling them! So
if you have a restaurant /café that want some biscotti I’ll make you a free
trial and you can buy it from me if you love it!
I thoroughly enjoyed my biscotti-making experience, and I’d
definitely do it again. I’d like to experiment with other flavours and
ingredients and see if there are any other recipes out there. If anyone has a
suggestion for me I’d love to hear from you.
Ciao
xoxo
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Carrot & Cumin Salad
Today I have a food hangover. Or maybe a wine hangover? Probably both. We were treated to the gastronomic indulgence that was a whole pig done on the spit at the Greek Deli last night. I haven't eaten rich food like that, in that quantity, for a long time, so that would explain the food hangover. I also probably won't eat like that again until Christmas, so it's OK. And it was so completely worth it. I love pork generally, but so often it's done to dryness and it doesn't meet expectations. This far exceeded expectations, was completely delicious and succulent, and the crackling was perfection.
So to keep my mind focused today, and make myself feel a little healthier I'm going to tell you all about my Carrot and Cumin Salad from Sunday. Coincidentally, this would have been a great accompaniment to last night's feast. I did alter the original recipe slightly, cooking methods, etc but nothing drastic. This is a very, very easy recipe and will be an excellent addition to the usual repertoire of summer BBQ salads, certainly will be added in our house. It comes from one of my favourite recipe books - The Simple Art of Marrying Food and Wine.
What you'll need:
6 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Olive oil
100ml Orange Juice
A handful of coriander - if you love it, add more, if not go easy.
Don't scrimp on the orange juice. A good quality, real orange juice will add flavour and the stuff from concentrate is just plain bad for you.
What you need to do:
1. I used the food processor on the fine slicing setting to chop up my carrots. It meant that they weren't all exactly the same size, gave it a great rustic look and cut them finer and quicker than I could do by hand.
2. Add the olive oil to a hot pan - 4 tablespoons was recommended by the recipe - I used a couple of healthy lugs. Add the cumin seeds and ground cumin to the oil and mix. With the finished product I felt I could have added more.
3. Add the onions and cook on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes to soften but not colour.
4. Add the orange juice and heat that through, then add the carrots. Because they were so finely chopped they didn't need to cook for long. I like my carrots with a bit of crunch, and I was making a salad not mash!!
5. Add a little bit of water, season and cook for a couple of minutes until it's all heated through. Taste the carrots to see if they're the desired texture. If you want softer carrots, cook for a little longer. I cooked them for a couple of minutes and let the sauce reduce a little bit.
6. Take the carrots of the heat, strain the sauce from the carrots, back into the pan and reduce down till it's a little thicker and more syrupy. I think that took 2-3 minutes. Pour the sauce back over the carrots and mix through. Allow to stand and cool.
7. Once cool, add the coriander and serve at room temperature.
The whole process took about 15 minutes and I did it early in the afternoon so it could just stand and cool. I had it cold the next day out the fridge and it was just as lovely. In fact the flavours had matured a little as so often happens with food that has spices in it, and it tasted even better. One of those things that can be prepped the day before you need it.
Enjoy! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Ciao
xoxo
So to keep my mind focused today, and make myself feel a little healthier I'm going to tell you all about my Carrot and Cumin Salad from Sunday. Coincidentally, this would have been a great accompaniment to last night's feast. I did alter the original recipe slightly, cooking methods, etc but nothing drastic. This is a very, very easy recipe and will be an excellent addition to the usual repertoire of summer BBQ salads, certainly will be added in our house. It comes from one of my favourite recipe books - The Simple Art of Marrying Food and Wine.
What you'll need:
6 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Olive oil
100ml Orange Juice
A handful of coriander - if you love it, add more, if not go easy.
Don't scrimp on the orange juice. A good quality, real orange juice will add flavour and the stuff from concentrate is just plain bad for you.
What you need to do:
1. I used the food processor on the fine slicing setting to chop up my carrots. It meant that they weren't all exactly the same size, gave it a great rustic look and cut them finer and quicker than I could do by hand.
2. Add the olive oil to a hot pan - 4 tablespoons was recommended by the recipe - I used a couple of healthy lugs. Add the cumin seeds and ground cumin to the oil and mix. With the finished product I felt I could have added more.
3. Add the onions and cook on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes to soften but not colour.
4. Add the orange juice and heat that through, then add the carrots. Because they were so finely chopped they didn't need to cook for long. I like my carrots with a bit of crunch, and I was making a salad not mash!!
5. Add a little bit of water, season and cook for a couple of minutes until it's all heated through. Taste the carrots to see if they're the desired texture. If you want softer carrots, cook for a little longer. I cooked them for a couple of minutes and let the sauce reduce a little bit.
6. Take the carrots of the heat, strain the sauce from the carrots, back into the pan and reduce down till it's a little thicker and more syrupy. I think that took 2-3 minutes. Pour the sauce back over the carrots and mix through. Allow to stand and cool.
7. Once cool, add the coriander and serve at room temperature.
The whole process took about 15 minutes and I did it early in the afternoon so it could just stand and cool. I had it cold the next day out the fridge and it was just as lovely. In fact the flavours had matured a little as so often happens with food that has spices in it, and it tasted even better. One of those things that can be prepped the day before you need it.
Enjoy! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Ciao
xoxo
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Some important dedications before we get onto the business of food...
I'm nearing the 5 month mark of no blog posts and that's a record I really don't want to hit! The reason for this spectacular laziness? None really, plenty of excuses, not many dinner parties and a thousand other details getting in the way. We did have a wonderful trip to Bali a month ago for my birthday that I will write about, but otherwise there's been different socialising and eating to stay trim and fit. Not that that isn't blog worthy, but there hasn't been much on the new and exciting front.
And then everything happens at once. We had a dinner party for the first time in ages and a few life events (that I'll get to) reignited the flame and here I am again with recipes, pearls of wisdom, and general stories to impart and entertain you with - and to keep me sane. I've found that without this regular blogging, or any of my writing really, my head gets too full of words and they either all come out at once or they get bottlenecked and can't make an appearance at all. A writers block if you will.
I digress. Let's begin at the beginning. The feast I'm about to tell you about is definitely the inspiration and body of this and the next couple of blogs, but there needs to be a dedication or 2 in here. In the last 3 months, 2 of my most important food mentors/teachers/guides have passed away. Both my grans. They both taught me very different skills but ultimately had the same set of knowledge. As I was preparing some of the dishes for Sunday night I got to thinking of their influences on how I cook and eat, and the skills they taught me in my day-to-day life. So this and any related posts are dedicated to Granny Fay and Nana.
Granny Fay, my paternal grandmother, passed away almost 3 months ago and she taught me all I needed to know in the craft department. I learnt to knit, embroider, craft, crochet and sew from her. I also learnt how to make chocolates for Easter and crackers fo Christmas. She was the Queen of the melktert or milktart, a traditional South African custard tart, that she was so good at she sold at a home industry and sold out within hours - after making 50 of them (or some such number). She taught me how to make delicious custard slices and sausage rolls from scratch, and every weekend I went to visit her was a new project. We would make something in the kitchen or be sewing something.
My strongest food influence and my biggest fan, Nana, passed away a couple of weeks ago. As my maternal grandmother her influence on what my mom cooked and passed down to me is obviously strongest. I can see it in the food traditions we have at Christmas and all year round. And some of my favourite dishes are ones that her or my mother would have or still do cook. And here's where I started thinking of her influence in my cooking. I was chopping onions to make the upcoming Carrot and Cumin salad and realised that this particular method of onion cutting was taught to me by her, in her kitchen in Old Belvidere, Knysna. I was sifting the flour for the biscotti and her advice to sift the flour 3 times to make sure the sponge cake was light and fluffy was as clear as day. I'm only sad she won't be able to read this and see that I still use those skills! After my grandfather had passed away, and while Marty was working nights, we had plenty of discussions while on Skype or the phone about cooking meals for 1 and how I often adapted bigger recipes for it, or the different storage methods. She was always interested in what we were doing and loved to read this blog.
I have no doubt over Christmas we will be having a few dishes that these ladies have always served up for our family, and hopefully we can start some new traditions of our own to carry on to our future generations along with these.
And now the feast. After a few fabulous dinner parties last year - particularily in BBQ season - and a couple where attendance was lacking, we decided to take a break and eat out a little more. You get stuck in the same dishes and menus when you don't eat out and experience new trends in food. We also had a fabulous set of guests to invite over who love food as we do and would appreciate something different. This was a feast! Quite literally a anti-pasti/tapas-inspired meal where we could enjoy unique flavours and dishes, but be able to pick and nibble and chat without too much hassle during dinner.
It consisted of -
A Selcection of olives
A selection of dips - namely basil pesto, salsa verde, garlic aioli, horseradish cream, tzatziki, yogurt, farmstyle relish and the list goes on
Cured meats
Smoked salmon
Bruschetta and fresh baguette
Tomato Salad
Chorizo sticks - cooked mild chorizo - YUM
Prawns marinated in garlic, olive oil, chilli and parsley
Carrot and cumin salad
Guacamole
Cucumber sticks
Fennel, radish, celery salad
There was also marinated lamb skewers and Portuguese chicken skewers but we never got to those because we were all full! I'll let you know what they're like because that's leftovers for the week!
And dessert....
Deconstructed truffles with homemade biscotti, nuts, cocoa and fresh fruit ~ a Jamie Oliver recipe.
The biscotti and carrot salad recipes and posts are to follow as they were the most interesting and not pre-bought or prepared. We have made the avocado salsa before and everything else was wonderfully easy. Wine flowed freely and I had a lovely Moscato from Montalto, Mornington Penisula to serve with dessert. A fabulous evening with fabulous company is all that one can ask for, but we got added inspiration and that's pretty great for the next few dinners! Keep reading for 2 awesome recipes...
Ciao for now
Helen
xoxo
And then everything happens at once. We had a dinner party for the first time in ages and a few life events (that I'll get to) reignited the flame and here I am again with recipes, pearls of wisdom, and general stories to impart and entertain you with - and to keep me sane. I've found that without this regular blogging, or any of my writing really, my head gets too full of words and they either all come out at once or they get bottlenecked and can't make an appearance at all. A writers block if you will.
I digress. Let's begin at the beginning. The feast I'm about to tell you about is definitely the inspiration and body of this and the next couple of blogs, but there needs to be a dedication or 2 in here. In the last 3 months, 2 of my most important food mentors/teachers/guides have passed away. Both my grans. They both taught me very different skills but ultimately had the same set of knowledge. As I was preparing some of the dishes for Sunday night I got to thinking of their influences on how I cook and eat, and the skills they taught me in my day-to-day life. So this and any related posts are dedicated to Granny Fay and Nana.
Granny Fay, my paternal grandmother, passed away almost 3 months ago and she taught me all I needed to know in the craft department. I learnt to knit, embroider, craft, crochet and sew from her. I also learnt how to make chocolates for Easter and crackers fo Christmas. She was the Queen of the melktert or milktart, a traditional South African custard tart, that she was so good at she sold at a home industry and sold out within hours - after making 50 of them (or some such number). She taught me how to make delicious custard slices and sausage rolls from scratch, and every weekend I went to visit her was a new project. We would make something in the kitchen or be sewing something.
My strongest food influence and my biggest fan, Nana, passed away a couple of weeks ago. As my maternal grandmother her influence on what my mom cooked and passed down to me is obviously strongest. I can see it in the food traditions we have at Christmas and all year round. And some of my favourite dishes are ones that her or my mother would have or still do cook. And here's where I started thinking of her influence in my cooking. I was chopping onions to make the upcoming Carrot and Cumin salad and realised that this particular method of onion cutting was taught to me by her, in her kitchen in Old Belvidere, Knysna. I was sifting the flour for the biscotti and her advice to sift the flour 3 times to make sure the sponge cake was light and fluffy was as clear as day. I'm only sad she won't be able to read this and see that I still use those skills! After my grandfather had passed away, and while Marty was working nights, we had plenty of discussions while on Skype or the phone about cooking meals for 1 and how I often adapted bigger recipes for it, or the different storage methods. She was always interested in what we were doing and loved to read this blog.
I have no doubt over Christmas we will be having a few dishes that these ladies have always served up for our family, and hopefully we can start some new traditions of our own to carry on to our future generations along with these.
And now the feast. After a few fabulous dinner parties last year - particularily in BBQ season - and a couple where attendance was lacking, we decided to take a break and eat out a little more. You get stuck in the same dishes and menus when you don't eat out and experience new trends in food. We also had a fabulous set of guests to invite over who love food as we do and would appreciate something different. This was a feast! Quite literally a anti-pasti/tapas-inspired meal where we could enjoy unique flavours and dishes, but be able to pick and nibble and chat without too much hassle during dinner.
It consisted of -
A Selcection of olives
A selection of dips - namely basil pesto, salsa verde, garlic aioli, horseradish cream, tzatziki, yogurt, farmstyle relish and the list goes on
Cured meats
Smoked salmon
Bruschetta and fresh baguette
Tomato Salad
Chorizo sticks - cooked mild chorizo - YUM
Prawns marinated in garlic, olive oil, chilli and parsley
Carrot and cumin salad
Guacamole
Cucumber sticks
Fennel, radish, celery salad
There was also marinated lamb skewers and Portuguese chicken skewers but we never got to those because we were all full! I'll let you know what they're like because that's leftovers for the week!
And dessert....
Deconstructed truffles with homemade biscotti, nuts, cocoa and fresh fruit ~ a Jamie Oliver recipe.
Ciao for now
Helen
xoxo
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
ANZAC biscuits...an appropriate baking experience.
Tomorrow is ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand, so a more appropriate biscuit couldn't have been made. Having not grown up on these biscuits, they were a welcome and tasty discovery - along with Afghan biscuits, but that's a whole other set of ingredients ;)
I actually made the first batch of ANZAC biscuits a couple of weeks ago, I think I may have mentioned that over Easter. They didn't last longer than a day, BUT they were a deviation on the recipe. In my excitement I had forgotten a key ingredient - dessicated coconut - so I quickly sourced a recipe without coconut and kinda blended them. Home-baking at it's finest. The results were different. They tasted like a home-baked biscuit, and were actually quite nice and thin and chewy they way I like them, but they were something I had to get used to. This was the excuse I used to try at least 8 of them from the batch. In retrospect to these, I'd use a little more flour, and a little less butter as they spread quite a lot.
Here's the recipe I adapted:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
125g of butter
2 tbs golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160degC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats and brown sugar.
2. Put the butter, golden syrup and tbs of water in a small saucepan (in the 2nd recipe I did this in the microwave). Stir over a medium heat until melted. Stir in the bicarb.
3. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
4. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on the trays, about 5cm apart.
5. Press with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. These were better cooked a little longer.
6. Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack so it cools completely.
So, yesterday. Yesterday was a grotty, wet day and it felt like baking was needed. There is something very homely about the rain pouring outside, biscuit mixture being mixed and the smell that wafts through the house as those babies cook to golden perfection in the oven. In fact, even as I'm sitting here reliving it in my mind for you, I wish I was at home in my kitchen whipping up biscuits and slow-cooked casserole, because the temperatures have plummeted and the heavens continue to open. Hopefully tomorrow will be much of the same and I can enjoy it cooking something delicious!
I had restocked the baking shelf after using up all the flour in last week's banana bread, and yes I had purchased the dessicated coconut to give the ANZAC biccies another go. The recipe that I'd originally got was off www.taste.com.au and had exceptional reviews, so I wanted to give it a try.
This is the original recipe, unmodified and it was a success! I think I'd use a little more butter the next time I make it because the mixture was a little dry, but not unworkable.
Ingredients:
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut
3/4 cup (155g) brown sugar
125g butter
2 TBS golden syrup
1 tsp bicarb of soda
(use either cup measures or weights with dry ingredients)
Method:
(as above)
1. Preheat oven to 160C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Sifter flour into large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar.
2. Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 TBS water into a microwave proof bowl. Heat till melted (about 1min on a 1100W microwave). Stir till combined and melted. Stir in bicarb.
3. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and combine.
4. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on tray about 5cm apart and press with a fork to flatten slightly.
5. Cook for 10 mins or until golden brown (in my oven that was bang on 11mins :))
6. Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack so it cools completely.
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Enjoy!! This one is definitely going into the recipe journal. And with thousands of little scraps of paper being jammed into the recipe journal, maybe writing them out will be a fun job to do on ANZAC Day.
After putting these into the oven yesterday, and making a cup of Chai and Vanilla tea, I decided that we've done enough baking for a little while and it's time to get the chef to pull something out of the hat. Any suggestions let me know, but I think some savoury culinary beauties must be on the cards for the upcoming posts, don't you?
There is nothing that can quite compare to the smell of fresh biscuits baking, but slow-cooked lamb shanks or a beautiful, made-from-scratch tagine maybe able to put in some competition!
I'll keep you posted!
xoxo
I actually made the first batch of ANZAC biscuits a couple of weeks ago, I think I may have mentioned that over Easter. They didn't last longer than a day, BUT they were a deviation on the recipe. In my excitement I had forgotten a key ingredient - dessicated coconut - so I quickly sourced a recipe without coconut and kinda blended them. Home-baking at it's finest. The results were different. They tasted like a home-baked biscuit, and were actually quite nice and thin and chewy they way I like them, but they were something I had to get used to. This was the excuse I used to try at least 8 of them from the batch. In retrospect to these, I'd use a little more flour, and a little less butter as they spread quite a lot.
Here's the recipe I adapted:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
125g of butter
2 tbs golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160degC. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats and brown sugar.
2. Put the butter, golden syrup and tbs of water in a small saucepan (in the 2nd recipe I did this in the microwave). Stir over a medium heat until melted. Stir in the bicarb.
3. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
4. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on the trays, about 5cm apart.
5. Press with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. These were better cooked a little longer.
6. Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack so it cools completely.
So, yesterday. Yesterday was a grotty, wet day and it felt like baking was needed. There is something very homely about the rain pouring outside, biscuit mixture being mixed and the smell that wafts through the house as those babies cook to golden perfection in the oven. In fact, even as I'm sitting here reliving it in my mind for you, I wish I was at home in my kitchen whipping up biscuits and slow-cooked casserole, because the temperatures have plummeted and the heavens continue to open. Hopefully tomorrow will be much of the same and I can enjoy it cooking something delicious!
I had restocked the baking shelf after using up all the flour in last week's banana bread, and yes I had purchased the dessicated coconut to give the ANZAC biccies another go. The recipe that I'd originally got was off www.taste.com.au and had exceptional reviews, so I wanted to give it a try.
This is the original recipe, unmodified and it was a success! I think I'd use a little more butter the next time I make it because the mixture was a little dry, but not unworkable.
Ingredients:
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut
3/4 cup (155g) brown sugar
125g butter
2 TBS golden syrup
1 tsp bicarb of soda
(use either cup measures or weights with dry ingredients)
Method:
(as above)
1. Preheat oven to 160C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Sifter flour into large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar.
2. Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 TBS water into a microwave proof bowl. Heat till melted (about 1min on a 1100W microwave). Stir till combined and melted. Stir in bicarb.
3. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and combine.
4. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on tray about 5cm apart and press with a fork to flatten slightly.
5. Cook for 10 mins or until golden brown (in my oven that was bang on 11mins :))
6. Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack so it cools completely.
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Enjoy!! This one is definitely going into the recipe journal. And with thousands of little scraps of paper being jammed into the recipe journal, maybe writing them out will be a fun job to do on ANZAC Day.
After putting these into the oven yesterday, and making a cup of Chai and Vanilla tea, I decided that we've done enough baking for a little while and it's time to get the chef to pull something out of the hat. Any suggestions let me know, but I think some savoury culinary beauties must be on the cards for the upcoming posts, don't you?
There is nothing that can quite compare to the smell of fresh biscuits baking, but slow-cooked lamb shanks or a beautiful, made-from-scratch tagine maybe able to put in some competition!
I'll keep you posted!
xoxo
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
The Quiche Pastry debate...Part 2
I've actually been knocked down this week with a stomach bug. It took everything out of me, and by Monday I still wasn't eating much. But, chef extraordinaire was out at a meeting and some dinner needed to be made. I had to attempt to eat it, considering I hadn't had anything solid since a sandwich at lunch time - it's done wonders for my diet (there is a hint of sarcasm there as I'd rather not have had the bug!) Cue some comfort food and the perfect opportunity to road-test the next pastry recipe.
As I've said time and again, the love of a quiche has got to be in it's ease. The filling and pastry had to be easy again this time because I wasn't feeling up to the challenge.
Here's the recipe:
1/2 cup oil
2 TBSP milk
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
Beat it all together. Sift your flour, add the pinch of salt, pop the oil and milk in a well in the flour and beat with electric beaters and it makes an easy, crumbly base.
This time I chopped up heaps of broccoli and a little ham (leave out for the veggies and this is an easy meal for many!) I had in the fridge. I'd also bought a little bag of pinenuts and slivered almonds and threw that across the broccoli. Egg mix and in the oven. Now I overcooked this one a little. That could explain why the base was extra crumbly and a little drier than I liked. Marty also reckons that because I used oil instead of butter that would also add to the dryness. Next time, I'll pay more attention to the quiche in the oven and less attention to the TV and we'll see if it helps.
So, how did this rate:
Ease - 9/10
Flavour - 6/10
Overall - 7/10
A definite second choice. I did love the filling though and it's leftovers for dinner tonight, so maybe when my appetite has returned I'll enjoy it even more.
Let me know your ratings and which was better. Part 3 will be along in the next few weeks, don't want to be over-quiched!
xoxo
As I've said time and again, the love of a quiche has got to be in it's ease. The filling and pastry had to be easy again this time because I wasn't feeling up to the challenge.
Here's the recipe:
1/2 cup oil
2 TBSP milk
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
Beat it all together. Sift your flour, add the pinch of salt, pop the oil and milk in a well in the flour and beat with electric beaters and it makes an easy, crumbly base.
This time I chopped up heaps of broccoli and a little ham (leave out for the veggies and this is an easy meal for many!) I had in the fridge. I'd also bought a little bag of pinenuts and slivered almonds and threw that across the broccoli. Egg mix and in the oven. Now I overcooked this one a little. That could explain why the base was extra crumbly and a little drier than I liked. Marty also reckons that because I used oil instead of butter that would also add to the dryness. Next time, I'll pay more attention to the quiche in the oven and less attention to the TV and we'll see if it helps.
So, how did this rate:
Ease - 9/10
Flavour - 6/10
Overall - 7/10
A definite second choice. I did love the filling though and it's leftovers for dinner tonight, so maybe when my appetite has returned I'll enjoy it even more.
Let me know your ratings and which was better. Part 3 will be along in the next few weeks, don't want to be over-quiched!
xoxo
The Quiche pastry debate...Part 1
There's nothing quite like a good quiche in the realm of comfort food is there? It's excellent and generally easy for dinner, lunch or for a group. You can make it for dinner and have it for leftovers - if it makes it that long, and the reverse is true, I often use up bits and pieces in the fridge to make up an eclectic type of quiche. There are definitely some ingredients I prefer over others, but generally I don't think you need to over think a quiche filling. What IS key to me is the right base.
There is a base I have or at least I remember growing up on. I think I've phoned my mom dozens of times to get the recipe because I keep writing it on a scrap of paper and throwing it away. I have an online food blog and a hard copy recipe journal, you'd think I'd store it somewhere. Anyway, on the last phone call she gave me 3 different recipes and I have stored these this time. But I couldn't remember which one it was I wanted. I think it is this one I'm going to tell you about today, and this is the one I made on the Roasted Figs evening.
Here's the recipe:
1 cup flour
115g butter
2 tsp sugar (omit for savoury dish)
You can melt the butter in the dish you're going to use, and add the flour to create the crumbly pastry. Add a pinch of salt. I actually like to add a little paprika to the mix too. Just for something different.
I tend to make the pastry in a separate bowl, but it's not necessary at all. The filling for this quiche was a classic favourite for me. Asparagus, bacon and onion.The bacon was cooked to crispy and the onions almost caramelised. I used 5 eggs in the filling, but I have used 6 eggs in the past - with milk - for a deep, dense quiche. I don't mind using that many eggs because for 2 of us a quiche often does 2 dinners and a lunch.
How did it rate?
Ease - 10/10
Flavour - 7/10
Overall - 8/10
I'd definitely use this again.
Part 2 coming soon!
xoxo
There is a base I have or at least I remember growing up on. I think I've phoned my mom dozens of times to get the recipe because I keep writing it on a scrap of paper and throwing it away. I have an online food blog and a hard copy recipe journal, you'd think I'd store it somewhere. Anyway, on the last phone call she gave me 3 different recipes and I have stored these this time. But I couldn't remember which one it was I wanted. I think it is this one I'm going to tell you about today, and this is the one I made on the Roasted Figs evening.
Here's the recipe:
1 cup flour
115g butter
2 tsp sugar (omit for savoury dish)
You can melt the butter in the dish you're going to use, and add the flour to create the crumbly pastry. Add a pinch of salt. I actually like to add a little paprika to the mix too. Just for something different.
I tend to make the pastry in a separate bowl, but it's not necessary at all. The filling for this quiche was a classic favourite for me. Asparagus, bacon and onion.The bacon was cooked to crispy and the onions almost caramelised. I used 5 eggs in the filling, but I have used 6 eggs in the past - with milk - for a deep, dense quiche. I don't mind using that many eggs because for 2 of us a quiche often does 2 dinners and a lunch.
How did it rate?
Ease - 10/10
Flavour - 7/10
Overall - 8/10
I'd definitely use this again.
Part 2 coming soon!
xoxo
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Buffalo mozzarella, Courgette and Mint Risotto...a new Favourite!
We entertained for the first time in aaagggeeessss on Saturday night, and while the evening is fresh in my mind I'll share...fresh in that I remember dinner, after copious bottles of wine the rest is hazy. Marty needed to cook a vegetarian meal, and we had already decided on risotto, just not a flavour. Whatever we were having was to be followed by the famous brownies, served hot with vanilla ice-cream.
I didn't have any recipe books on hand, all of the ones at home were not Jamie's as SOMEONE had them all at work, so I got into a trusty app on the iPhone, Jamie's 20 Minute Meals. This is a great little paid app and probably even more perfect on the iPad. You're able to quickly and easily navigate recipes, with videos on how to do the most important aspects of the recipe, and can just as quickly add the ingredients to a shopping list. This shopping list can also be sent via email, so if you're not going to get to the grocery store the other half can do it on the way home. Enough about how great the app is, just go get it!
More importantly, the recipe - if you don't have the app or an "i_" to download it to.
Ingredients:
Serves 2
1 small courgette
1 small bunch fresh mint
1 x 125g ball buffalo mozzarella
1 small red onion
1 stick celery
1 knob butter
150g risotto rice
400ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine
1/2 medium fresh red chilli
25g Parmesan
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper, ground
How to:
1. Place a large saucepan on a low to medium heat. Peel the onion and trim the celery stick, then finely chop or coarsely grate them.
2. Add the butter to the hot pan with onion and celery, a splash of olive oil and a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for around 5minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Meanwhile...
3. Trim the ends of the courgette then slice lengthways into quarters. Cut into chunks.
4. Bring the stock to the boil in a medium saucepan, then turn the heat down to low.
5. Pick the leaves off the mint stalks and put them to one side. Add the stalks to the saucepan of stock. Finely grate the Parmesan.
6. Once your vegetables are very soft, but not browned add the rice to the pan. Stir and fry the rice for a minute until translucent, then add the wine and keep stirring until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
7. Turn the heat under the rice up to medium then add a ladleful of hot stock, avoiding the mint stalks - these are there to add flavour but not to be eaten! (Note from the chef - the heated stock is the key to a great risotto!)
8. Stir constantly and continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, waiting for the rice to soak it all up before adding the next ladleful. Continue until you've used 2/3 of the stock. Meanwhile...
9. Finely chop the mint leaves and the chilli. (Deseed the chilli if you don't like things too spicy.) Stir the chopped courgettes into the stock and keep adding it until the rice is just cooked and the risotto has a nice oozy consistency. If you run out of stock, use boiling water.
10. Take the pan of risotto off the heat. Tear the ball of mozzarella into pieces and stir into the pan with half of the chopped mint leaves.
11. Stir through half of your grated Parmesan. Taste the risotto and season well with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid.
Here's where we changed things a little bit. The recipe recommends to get you table set, then serve the risotto between the plates, top with the remaining Parmesan, mint, chilli and serve. We make it in our Le Creuset pot, which is not only the easiest option for cooking and cleaning, but looks great when presenting. Marty stirred in the rest of the Parmesan and mint and left a little to sprinkle on top, and served as such so we could all dig in. I served this with a simple garden salad.
On the side he also cooked up a chorizo sausage for the meat-eaters to add to theirs. The risotto on it's own was completely delicious and the chorizo added was divine too. So there are 2 options for you! That's about as step-by-step as you're going to get :)
We had some the next night for dinner as well and it was fantastic. Certainly a winner in our house that will be done again, changed slightly or not. It's one for the books, and I'll put it in my recipe journal so I always have it on hand.
Hope you enjoy it too!!
xoxo
I didn't have any recipe books on hand, all of the ones at home were not Jamie's as SOMEONE had them all at work, so I got into a trusty app on the iPhone, Jamie's 20 Minute Meals. This is a great little paid app and probably even more perfect on the iPad. You're able to quickly and easily navigate recipes, with videos on how to do the most important aspects of the recipe, and can just as quickly add the ingredients to a shopping list. This shopping list can also be sent via email, so if you're not going to get to the grocery store the other half can do it on the way home. Enough about how great the app is, just go get it!
More importantly, the recipe - if you don't have the app or an "i_" to download it to.
Ingredients:
Serves 2
1 small courgette
1 small bunch fresh mint
1 x 125g ball buffalo mozzarella
1 small red onion
1 stick celery
1 knob butter
150g risotto rice
400ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine
1/2 medium fresh red chilli
25g Parmesan
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper, ground
How to:
1. Place a large saucepan on a low to medium heat. Peel the onion and trim the celery stick, then finely chop or coarsely grate them.
2. Add the butter to the hot pan with onion and celery, a splash of olive oil and a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for around 5minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Meanwhile...
3. Trim the ends of the courgette then slice lengthways into quarters. Cut into chunks.
4. Bring the stock to the boil in a medium saucepan, then turn the heat down to low.
5. Pick the leaves off the mint stalks and put them to one side. Add the stalks to the saucepan of stock. Finely grate the Parmesan.
6. Once your vegetables are very soft, but not browned add the rice to the pan. Stir and fry the rice for a minute until translucent, then add the wine and keep stirring until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
7. Turn the heat under the rice up to medium then add a ladleful of hot stock, avoiding the mint stalks - these are there to add flavour but not to be eaten! (Note from the chef - the heated stock is the key to a great risotto!)
8. Stir constantly and continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, waiting for the rice to soak it all up before adding the next ladleful. Continue until you've used 2/3 of the stock. Meanwhile...
9. Finely chop the mint leaves and the chilli. (Deseed the chilli if you don't like things too spicy.) Stir the chopped courgettes into the stock and keep adding it until the rice is just cooked and the risotto has a nice oozy consistency. If you run out of stock, use boiling water.
10. Take the pan of risotto off the heat. Tear the ball of mozzarella into pieces and stir into the pan with half of the chopped mint leaves.
11. Stir through half of your grated Parmesan. Taste the risotto and season well with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid.
Here's where we changed things a little bit. The recipe recommends to get you table set, then serve the risotto between the plates, top with the remaining Parmesan, mint, chilli and serve. We make it in our Le Creuset pot, which is not only the easiest option for cooking and cleaning, but looks great when presenting. Marty stirred in the rest of the Parmesan and mint and left a little to sprinkle on top, and served as such so we could all dig in. I served this with a simple garden salad.
On the side he also cooked up a chorizo sausage for the meat-eaters to add to theirs. The risotto on it's own was completely delicious and the chorizo added was divine too. So there are 2 options for you! That's about as step-by-step as you're going to get :)
We had some the next night for dinner as well and it was fantastic. Certainly a winner in our house that will be done again, changed slightly or not. It's one for the books, and I'll put it in my recipe journal so I always have it on hand.
Hope you enjoy it too!!
xoxo
Cinnamon shortbreads and Roasted Figs... Delicious Autumn fare.
Here's another 2 things I've never done before. Made shortbreads and roasted figs. In fact, I've never cooked with figs before ever. How did this come about then you ask, figs were on special in the supermarket. I bought some thinking I'd find something to make, and on the day of the Spiced breakfast bread, I made these for a delicious dessert. Dinner that night is a whole other matter. It will become part of a 3-part saga in the hopes I try and test the best pastry for quiche.
The shortbread recipe was surprisingly easy and they were delicious. Another of Gordon Ramsay's but a different book completely - Chef for All Seasons. Marty thought they were perfectly cooked, but I could have had them cooked a little longer so that they were a little drier and crispier. This recipe is also designed to be kept in a tube-shape in the freezer so you can have shortbreads whenever you like, and that's what we did. We only needed a couple each for the recipe, and I have frozen the rest. I cut off a couple the other night and baked them a little longer and they were incredible.
Now when it comes to shortbreads, I may not be a connoisseur, but I have grown up on the best shortbreads I think there are - in my opinion. Christmas-time was the time that my gran, and too my mother and aunt would slave over the oven to make homemade mince-pies, Christmas cake and shortbreads. And those shortbreads were melt-in-your-mouth. Hopefully one day that recipe will be passed on to me so that my kids can enjoy them as much as we all did - unless my mother wants to make them and send them down from Queensland. An arrangement I am more than happy with. Could it be that we only had them once a year that made these shortbreads so irresistible or are they just that good? Nothing store-bought has ever compared and I can safely say that as nice as my shortbreads were, they were a distance second to the ones I love with all my heart! It's probably a very good thing for the waistline that we only have them once a year.
The figs were interesting, and tasty, but following the recipe I would have added more liquid, be it butter or whatever was appropriate, to make more syrup so I could have cooked them longer and they would have got softer. I will also listen to Gordon when he says use a pan that's big enough, the pot I used was too little and was a little bit awkward to work with. Nevertheless this was interesting and when figs are roaming about again I will put in a brave second attempt, potentially enlisting the chef's help with the figs.
Stay tuned for the delicious risotto we had on Saturday, and the quiche pastry debate is set to begin.
xoxo
The shortbread recipe was surprisingly easy and they were delicious. Another of Gordon Ramsay's but a different book completely - Chef for All Seasons. Marty thought they were perfectly cooked, but I could have had them cooked a little longer so that they were a little drier and crispier. This recipe is also designed to be kept in a tube-shape in the freezer so you can have shortbreads whenever you like, and that's what we did. We only needed a couple each for the recipe, and I have frozen the rest. I cut off a couple the other night and baked them a little longer and they were incredible.
Now when it comes to shortbreads, I may not be a connoisseur, but I have grown up on the best shortbreads I think there are - in my opinion. Christmas-time was the time that my gran, and too my mother and aunt would slave over the oven to make homemade mince-pies, Christmas cake and shortbreads. And those shortbreads were melt-in-your-mouth. Hopefully one day that recipe will be passed on to me so that my kids can enjoy them as much as we all did - unless my mother wants to make them and send them down from Queensland. An arrangement I am more than happy with. Could it be that we only had them once a year that made these shortbreads so irresistible or are they just that good? Nothing store-bought has ever compared and I can safely say that as nice as my shortbreads were, they were a distance second to the ones I love with all my heart! It's probably a very good thing for the waistline that we only have them once a year.
The figs were interesting, and tasty, but following the recipe I would have added more liquid, be it butter or whatever was appropriate, to make more syrup so I could have cooked them longer and they would have got softer. I will also listen to Gordon when he says use a pan that's big enough, the pot I used was too little and was a little bit awkward to work with. Nevertheless this was interesting and when figs are roaming about again I will put in a brave second attempt, potentially enlisting the chef's help with the figs.
Stay tuned for the delicious risotto we had on Saturday, and the quiche pastry debate is set to begin.
xoxo
Friday, March 16, 2012
Spiced Breakfast bread - an update and the recipe!
Well that took longer than expected. Here's a link to the recipe for this bread:
https://plus.google.com/107346167256278601901/posts/DhUBqH8EkzQ#107346167256278601901/posts/DhUBqH8EkzQ
And here's the recipe:
Spiced Breakfast Bread - From Gordon Ramsay’s “Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy”
Ingredients (Makes 10-12 slices)
• Butter to grease
• 3 free-range eggs
• 50g light brown sugar
• 250g thin honey
• 125ml milk
• 125g plain flour
• 125g buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 2tbsp baking powder
• Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
Steps
Heat the oven to 320f/160c, and lightly butter a 25x10cm (9x5 inch) loaf tin.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl over a pan of hot water on the stove, using an electric whisk, until the mixture is pale and thickened (enough to leave a ribbon when the beaters are lifted). Remove the pan from the heat, but leave the bowl set over it.
Warm the honey and milk together in a small pan and gradually beat into the egg mixture until evenly mixed.
Sift the flour, spices and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl and carefully fold in the egg mixture, followed by the orange zest.
Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until well risen, firm to the touch and golden brown on top. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Author’s Note
Serve warm, cut into slices. Best eaten on the day it is made, though any leftovers can be frozen. Delicious with a compote of cherries.
Ciao xx
https://plus.google.com/107346167256278601901/posts/DhUBqH8EkzQ#107346167256278601901/posts/DhUBqH8EkzQ
And here's the recipe:
Spiced Breakfast Bread - From Gordon Ramsay’s “Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy”
Ingredients (Makes 10-12 slices)
• Butter to grease
• 3 free-range eggs
• 50g light brown sugar
• 250g thin honey
• 125ml milk
• 125g plain flour
• 125g buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 2tbsp baking powder
• Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
Steps
Heat the oven to 320f/160c, and lightly butter a 25x10cm (9x5 inch) loaf tin.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl over a pan of hot water on the stove, using an electric whisk, until the mixture is pale and thickened (enough to leave a ribbon when the beaters are lifted). Remove the pan from the heat, but leave the bowl set over it.
Warm the honey and milk together in a small pan and gradually beat into the egg mixture until evenly mixed.
Sift the flour, spices and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl and carefully fold in the egg mixture, followed by the orange zest.
Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until well risen, firm to the touch and golden brown on top. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
Author’s Note
Serve warm, cut into slices. Best eaten on the day it is made, though any leftovers can be frozen. Delicious with a compote of cherries.
Ciao xx
Friday, March 09, 2012
Spiced Breakfast Bread...experiment
Well, I have been industrious in the kitchen - at times, and industrious at work, but writing...hmmmm. I suppose I could say the computer deleted my post, but that's as likely as the dog eating my homework! No, I have just been procrastinating, and what makes it worse is that the finer details of my 'industriousness' are slowly fading. Could this be old-age?!?
The sooner I share with you the better! One Monday I decided to stop mucking about and get into the kitchen. I had actually been missing just getting in there, donning my red apron and mixing up something different. I decided to start with something I had never made before, with some methods I have never used before. Recipe to follow in the next post!
This is a Spiced Breakfast Bread recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Gordon makes it easy.. book. It is very clearly set out, and seemed relatively simple to make, but when the moment of truth arrived, the result wasn't as desired as I would hope.
Don't get me wrong, it was edible and I have certainly managed to eat it, but it was not soft and delectable as I had hoped. I will say that I made one change to the recipe, which I hadn't thought a problem, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, if any one's a breadmaker some guidance would be appreciated. The recipe called for 125g of plain flour (check) and 125g buckwheat flour (couldn't find) so I substituted it for plain flour. Could this have been the mistake? I followed the method of cooking to a tee, and when it came to checking the bread the clean knife I had used to test it came out clean. So I pulled the loaf out and left it to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf tin as instructed. When I can to remove it, it had sunk in the middle, and it seemed uncooked through the centre. Now, I've made 100 banana breads before with no hassle and never had a cake sink in the middle so I'm not sure whether it was the ingredient switch or a case of over- or underbeating in the recipe. If anyone has an answer, it would be appreciated as I'd really like to do this again, but I'm not in the mood for multiple flops! It's not good for my ego ;)
I ended up toasting a piece very generously and drowning it in butter, and then freezing the rest. The flavour was delicious. A really wintery, gingerbready smell and flavour enveloped the house for the afternoon and I was quite ready for a fire crackling in a fire place and a cup of mulled wine, but I can't keep baking a bread just for the smell of it!
I will post the recipe in a following post, and hopefully someone else will take a crack at it and pass on their comments. If yours is superb, pass on your hints and tips, or if any of you seasoned bakers can help let me know because...I want to get it RIGHT!!
See you soon,
xoxo
The sooner I share with you the better! One Monday I decided to stop mucking about and get into the kitchen. I had actually been missing just getting in there, donning my red apron and mixing up something different. I decided to start with something I had never made before, with some methods I have never used before. Recipe to follow in the next post!
This is a Spiced Breakfast Bread recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Gordon makes it easy.. book. It is very clearly set out, and seemed relatively simple to make, but when the moment of truth arrived, the result wasn't as desired as I would hope.
Don't get me wrong, it was edible and I have certainly managed to eat it, but it was not soft and delectable as I had hoped. I will say that I made one change to the recipe, which I hadn't thought a problem, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, if any one's a breadmaker some guidance would be appreciated. The recipe called for 125g of plain flour (check) and 125g buckwheat flour (couldn't find) so I substituted it for plain flour. Could this have been the mistake? I followed the method of cooking to a tee, and when it came to checking the bread the clean knife I had used to test it came out clean. So I pulled the loaf out and left it to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf tin as instructed. When I can to remove it, it had sunk in the middle, and it seemed uncooked through the centre. Now, I've made 100 banana breads before with no hassle and never had a cake sink in the middle so I'm not sure whether it was the ingredient switch or a case of over- or underbeating in the recipe. If anyone has an answer, it would be appreciated as I'd really like to do this again, but I'm not in the mood for multiple flops! It's not good for my ego ;)
I ended up toasting a piece very generously and drowning it in butter, and then freezing the rest. The flavour was delicious. A really wintery, gingerbready smell and flavour enveloped the house for the afternoon and I was quite ready for a fire crackling in a fire place and a cup of mulled wine, but I can't keep baking a bread just for the smell of it!
I will post the recipe in a following post, and hopefully someone else will take a crack at it and pass on their comments. If yours is superb, pass on your hints and tips, or if any of you seasoned bakers can help let me know because...I want to get it RIGHT!!
See you soon,
xoxo
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy 2012 everyone! I for one am hoping this year is bigger and better than the last and am looking forward to all types of successes this year. For myself, my friends and family. And yes I do realise it's the 1st of Feb, but I've always felt like the new year really only starts in February. Traditionally, I seem to take holidays in January, or at least everyone else does so it doesn't feel like we're getting into the real world till now!
And to start that off I have realised that I need to be updating this blog of ours MUCH more regularly! We started it to be able to document and share our own culinary experiences. And we started that by delving into the world of Jamie Does... and how that progressed! As fun as it's been to do this ourselves, it would be so much more fun to do it with others. There are lots of you that have been party to the delicious dishes, well at least at the party and some have featured in pictures, or with notable mentions, but we want to keep discovering! There's only so much 2 people can do, and I know each and everyone one of my friends have dishes that they 'own', that they can bring out when they want to impress. You also all have interesting things that we can share! And so came the idea of 'Something New in 2012'. Each week we'd like to challenge ourselves with a new discovery! Be it a new cuisine, meal, cake or something old that's new for us (or me!). It's time to expand the horizons and get the taste buds rocking in all manner of ways, and here's where we need some crowd participation...
We'd love to have everyone join us and be part of that 'Something New'. Each week we'll set out what it is we're delving into, or someone can suggest it, and then we can all try it. Find a recipe on the Internet, in your Nana's old cookbook, or at your favourite bookshop, cook up the storm and share those pictures, comments and experiences on Facebook and with us so we can upload them to this blog. How does that sound? Are you with me? Are you? Let's think of it as a 40 week challenge. We've already missed 5 weeks of the year, and there are always weeks that it is too much - or we're on holiday, and to top it off, if you don't want to make the week's thingy, well you don't have to! It's not school and it certainly shouldn't be a chore.
And the most exciting part, it doesn't matter where any of us are in the world! Actually that's what makes it more fun, all those different culinary delights that could be shared. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
I'm excited to get this rock'n'rolling and I hope someone you will be too! It's time to take this blog to the next level!!
Have a fabulous week everyone!
Ciao
xoxo
And to start that off I have realised that I need to be updating this blog of ours MUCH more regularly! We started it to be able to document and share our own culinary experiences. And we started that by delving into the world of Jamie Does... and how that progressed! As fun as it's been to do this ourselves, it would be so much more fun to do it with others. There are lots of you that have been party to the delicious dishes, well at least at the party and some have featured in pictures, or with notable mentions, but we want to keep discovering! There's only so much 2 people can do, and I know each and everyone one of my friends have dishes that they 'own', that they can bring out when they want to impress. You also all have interesting things that we can share! And so came the idea of 'Something New in 2012'. Each week we'd like to challenge ourselves with a new discovery! Be it a new cuisine, meal, cake or something old that's new for us (or me!). It's time to expand the horizons and get the taste buds rocking in all manner of ways, and here's where we need some crowd participation...
We'd love to have everyone join us and be part of that 'Something New'. Each week we'll set out what it is we're delving into, or someone can suggest it, and then we can all try it. Find a recipe on the Internet, in your Nana's old cookbook, or at your favourite bookshop, cook up the storm and share those pictures, comments and experiences on Facebook and with us so we can upload them to this blog. How does that sound? Are you with me? Are you? Let's think of it as a 40 week challenge. We've already missed 5 weeks of the year, and there are always weeks that it is too much - or we're on holiday, and to top it off, if you don't want to make the week's thingy, well you don't have to! It's not school and it certainly shouldn't be a chore.
And the most exciting part, it doesn't matter where any of us are in the world! Actually that's what makes it more fun, all those different culinary delights that could be shared. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
I'm excited to get this rock'n'rolling and I hope someone you will be too! It's time to take this blog to the next level!!
Have a fabulous week everyone!
Ciao
xoxo
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sensational Summer Salads... Part 1
I've procrastinated enough! I have been the chief procrastinator at home for the past 2 months when it's come to this blog, and I have no reason or excuses as to why. There has been food cooked, there have been times when the computer and myself are free for this meaningful dialogue, but it just hasn't happened. Armed with a cup of tea (Rooibos to be exact), I am now making inroads to the various list of blog posts running through my head.
And what better way to start my first blog from absence with the superfood du jour, quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). Those of you that read this blog regularly will remember a post from the beginning of the year about this wonder grain. And it's popularity has just been growing! Move over couscous, brown rice and any other grain pretending, this bad boy is the shizz! At a recent dinner party, not hosted by us which was even better, we got onto the subject of this exceptional ingredient. And after ticking off a long list of goodies - it's incredibly low GI, gluten free, high in protein, has antioxidants, etc, etc - the only real problem we found is that it is tasteless. Although Marty pointed out that this is not really a problem because it makes it versatile and can be used in so many dishes because it adopts the flavours of that dish. Another pro!! Quite frankly, if quinoa was a superhero it'd be Superman, without the Kryptonite.
So we know this is superfood, and now we know there's not much flavour, so what do you do with it? Marty's restaurant has it in their lamb salad, someone else was telling me about a Mexican restaurant that does a spicy salad with it, and I'm going to introduce you to my newest Summer Salad that has been added to the BBQ repertoire. A quick and easy Quinoa salad. And to make it even easier here's a link so you can enjoy it, and find some more tasty quinoa salads. http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/quinoa-salad.php You'll notice it's not only a vegetarian salad but vegan too, so is extremely helpful when guests arrive of that persuasion. For my followers in warmer climates, make the salad and chill it. Add the seeds and nuts and you don't even have to worry about a protein with it, so on those stinking hot summer nights or days when you want something fresh, healthy and filling this is the perfect choice.
The other thing I love about it, is that there's almost always enough left over for lunch the next day so you can feel very virtuous if you've over-indulged with BBQ food the day before, because let's face it, who hasn't!
Now, it's also really important to give the grain a good soak to get rid of the saponin which coats it because that will leave a bitter taste. I think cooking for as long as the recipe suggests overcooks it a little and it gets a bit mushy. Once the little white tail shows it's pretty much cooked and if you like your grains and pulses cooked al dente then taste after 5-7, then 10minutes to see how you feel about the texture. I would also add the toasted seeds and nuts as I serve to keep them crunchy, and not mixed through and then chilled.
I hope you enjoy it and if you have a BBQ failsafe salad that comes out each time I'd love to hear about it and get some recipes from you.
Ciao,
xoxo
P.S I'm pretty sure my camera has a picture of this and MANY other delights so I'll do an upload soon! I may even have a post devoted to pictures! Who knows!!
And what better way to start my first blog from absence with the superfood du jour, quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). Those of you that read this blog regularly will remember a post from the beginning of the year about this wonder grain. And it's popularity has just been growing! Move over couscous, brown rice and any other grain pretending, this bad boy is the shizz! At a recent dinner party, not hosted by us which was even better, we got onto the subject of this exceptional ingredient. And after ticking off a long list of goodies - it's incredibly low GI, gluten free, high in protein, has antioxidants, etc, etc - the only real problem we found is that it is tasteless. Although Marty pointed out that this is not really a problem because it makes it versatile and can be used in so many dishes because it adopts the flavours of that dish. Another pro!! Quite frankly, if quinoa was a superhero it'd be Superman, without the Kryptonite.
So we know this is superfood, and now we know there's not much flavour, so what do you do with it? Marty's restaurant has it in their lamb salad, someone else was telling me about a Mexican restaurant that does a spicy salad with it, and I'm going to introduce you to my newest Summer Salad that has been added to the BBQ repertoire. A quick and easy Quinoa salad. And to make it even easier here's a link so you can enjoy it, and find some more tasty quinoa salads. http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/quinoa-salad.php You'll notice it's not only a vegetarian salad but vegan too, so is extremely helpful when guests arrive of that persuasion. For my followers in warmer climates, make the salad and chill it. Add the seeds and nuts and you don't even have to worry about a protein with it, so on those stinking hot summer nights or days when you want something fresh, healthy and filling this is the perfect choice.
The other thing I love about it, is that there's almost always enough left over for lunch the next day so you can feel very virtuous if you've over-indulged with BBQ food the day before, because let's face it, who hasn't!
Now, it's also really important to give the grain a good soak to get rid of the saponin which coats it because that will leave a bitter taste. I think cooking for as long as the recipe suggests overcooks it a little and it gets a bit mushy. Once the little white tail shows it's pretty much cooked and if you like your grains and pulses cooked al dente then taste after 5-7, then 10minutes to see how you feel about the texture. I would also add the toasted seeds and nuts as I serve to keep them crunchy, and not mixed through and then chilled.
I hope you enjoy it and if you have a BBQ failsafe salad that comes out each time I'd love to hear about it and get some recipes from you.
Ciao,
xoxo
P.S I'm pretty sure my camera has a picture of this and MANY other delights so I'll do an upload soon! I may even have a post devoted to pictures! Who knows!!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Move over Martha...
A very industrious bug bit me yesterday, and quite frankly I'd be very happy to be at home today still being bit that by that bug and churning out jams and chutneys and whatever 'homely' things I can get my hands onto.
It all started on Sunday when I did a quick once-over the fridge to see what was needed in the grocery shopping. There, stuck at the back of the fridge was the bag of kiwifruit that Marty had sworn black and blue he was going to eat and enjoy! They were on special, 8 for $2 - bargain, and although I'll eat the odd one here and there, I'm not the world's greatest fan. But a week on, there they sat taunting me with their 'uneatenness'. So, I reached up onto the shelf for the Edmond's Cookbook for a kiwifruit chutney or jam recipe. It seemed an obvious starting point, and they certainly didn't disappoint. AND, it was easy!
My 8 kiwifruit were peeled and chopped, I even had a couple of old apples in the fridge that got used up in the recipe. However, presumption is the mother of all f%#k ups, and I presumed there was malt vinegar in the pantry. There wasn't and chutney-making was halted until Marty got home. I did have red wine vinegar, but learning my previous lesson with presumptions, I didn't presume that it would be a perfectly apt substitute. I couldn't get hold of the expert at the time, so back to waiting. As a good housewife I used this time productively to hang out washing, wash dishes and prepare the meat for dinner. And then rewarded my good behaviour with a glass of red! On his arrival, he informed me that yes red or white wine vinegar would have been fine and that malt vinegar was just what was 'in' at the time of the recipe. Good to know.
Chutney making resumed. The base of ingredients - spices, onions, apples, vinegar - were set to a gentle boil until they thickened and soften and then the kiwifruit was added. After an hour of cooking, it was set aside to cool, and I must admit that it tasted pretty good when I sampled a little before it went into the jar. I will definitely give a teaspoon a go tonight with my dinner, and we have a jar of it that will be a nice accompaniment to cheeses, or even a curry.
All this industry has got my fingers itching and I'm looking forward to the next fruit or vegetable that comes in excess. I'm hoping for some peppers and chillies so I can give Jamie's Cheeky Chili Chutney a go, and I can't wait to get the tomato plants into the garden so that next year we can make some more sun dried tomatoes, but also some tomato chutneys and sauces.
Now I'm going to spend the afternoon looking up other interesting things to preserve and make, and maybe another visit to the supermarket to get some more kiwifruit if it tastes good. Would love to try it with the white wine vinegar so that the actual chutney can retain some of the green of the kiwifruit, as opposed to it all turning a darker shade of brown. I'll explore the options before I succumb to green food colouring!
Ciao
xoxo
It all started on Sunday when I did a quick once-over the fridge to see what was needed in the grocery shopping. There, stuck at the back of the fridge was the bag of kiwifruit that Marty had sworn black and blue he was going to eat and enjoy! They were on special, 8 for $2 - bargain, and although I'll eat the odd one here and there, I'm not the world's greatest fan. But a week on, there they sat taunting me with their 'uneatenness'. So, I reached up onto the shelf for the Edmond's Cookbook for a kiwifruit chutney or jam recipe. It seemed an obvious starting point, and they certainly didn't disappoint. AND, it was easy!
My 8 kiwifruit were peeled and chopped, I even had a couple of old apples in the fridge that got used up in the recipe. However, presumption is the mother of all f%#k ups, and I presumed there was malt vinegar in the pantry. There wasn't and chutney-making was halted until Marty got home. I did have red wine vinegar, but learning my previous lesson with presumptions, I didn't presume that it would be a perfectly apt substitute. I couldn't get hold of the expert at the time, so back to waiting. As a good housewife I used this time productively to hang out washing, wash dishes and prepare the meat for dinner. And then rewarded my good behaviour with a glass of red! On his arrival, he informed me that yes red or white wine vinegar would have been fine and that malt vinegar was just what was 'in' at the time of the recipe. Good to know.
Chutney making resumed. The base of ingredients - spices, onions, apples, vinegar - were set to a gentle boil until they thickened and soften and then the kiwifruit was added. After an hour of cooking, it was set aside to cool, and I must admit that it tasted pretty good when I sampled a little before it went into the jar. I will definitely give a teaspoon a go tonight with my dinner, and we have a jar of it that will be a nice accompaniment to cheeses, or even a curry.
All this industry has got my fingers itching and I'm looking forward to the next fruit or vegetable that comes in excess. I'm hoping for some peppers and chillies so I can give Jamie's Cheeky Chili Chutney a go, and I can't wait to get the tomato plants into the garden so that next year we can make some more sun dried tomatoes, but also some tomato chutneys and sauces.
Now I'm going to spend the afternoon looking up other interesting things to preserve and make, and maybe another visit to the supermarket to get some more kiwifruit if it tastes good. Would love to try it with the white wine vinegar so that the actual chutney can retain some of the green of the kiwifruit, as opposed to it all turning a darker shade of brown. I'll explore the options before I succumb to green food colouring!
Ciao
xoxo
Friday, September 02, 2011
Some dining out delights...
I don't often, if ever review a restaurant except in conversation but there were 2 a couple of weeks ago that warrant a mention. It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago, yippee! I was blessed to not only have my wonderful husband for the weekend as he took a day off, but a whole week's holiday and most importantly a visit from the parental unit!
We walked ourselves around Melbourne's Art Precinct and shopped a little but most importantly dined in a couple of fabulous spots. The first on the Saturday night was Bistro Thierry on Malvern road. A true French bistro and a fantastic meal! I was too consumed by my food to take photos of every one's dishes so you'll just have to let your imagination wander free! I had perused the menu beforehand, as you do, and had decided on dessert, but i was waiting to see what my dinner companions ordered and how I felt that evening. We all had something different as an entree which was great. We all went pretty traditional except the chef. Dad had lambs brains, which he enjoyed. Mom had the French onion soup, which was delicious but a little rich for her, Marty had the calamari and I had l'escargot. The little snails were drowning in a lake of garlic and parsley butter and they were fabulous. I did use some of the freshly cut baguette to soak up the garlic butter and I could have had double the portion, but I'm really glad it was the size it was, light and delicious, because my main was fantastic!
Again, I went a little more traditional and had the duck which was roasted with oranges and served with a plum sauce. Marty had Steak Frites - steak and chips essentially, Mom and Dad had the flounder special - a whole flounder cooked to perfection. All delicious, and mine was the perfect size!
However, the dessert was by far the stand out of the meal and my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Mom and Dad shared the Crepe Suzette which I'm told was lovely! And Marty had the Profiterole, but I had the Souffle Chocolat. Unbelievable! When it arrived at the table the waiter - a surly Frenchman who eventually cracked a grin - broke open the top of it and poured thick dark chocolate sauce into the chocolaty goodness that as the heart of this dessert. It was served with vanilla bean ice cream which offset the rich goodness that this dish was. The ganache centre was melt-in-your-mouth, and the chocolate sauce dreamy. I kept filling up my cup of goodness until there was nothing left! Had it not been a classy establishment I would have been tempted to lick the bowl out.
On the Sunday, after taking in the sunshine at the Art Centre Market, we took a tram down to Lygon Street to show the folks 'Little Italy" and the various landmarks there - Brunetti's mainly. We purchased some cakes for dessert that night, but went across the road to D.O.C for a bite to eat. The food gods must have been smiling down on us because as we walked up a table in the sun opened up and there wasn't even a queue! We shared a baby spinach salad, a prosciutto pizza and a anchovy, olive, tomato pizza. I don't know if it was just the pizza or if the weather, the cold beer and the most wonderful company, contributed to that being one of the best Italian meals I've had here so far! The prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella pizza was by far my favourite and had a healthy amount of topping.
And then that night, Marty revisited the Beef Tagine and we had little bites of Brunetti's pastries to round it all off! All in all, a gastronomically pleasing weekend and one I had to work off the next week in the gym! I can't wait to do it all again!
Ciao
xoxo
We walked ourselves around Melbourne's Art Precinct and shopped a little but most importantly dined in a couple of fabulous spots. The first on the Saturday night was Bistro Thierry on Malvern road. A true French bistro and a fantastic meal! I was too consumed by my food to take photos of every one's dishes so you'll just have to let your imagination wander free! I had perused the menu beforehand, as you do, and had decided on dessert, but i was waiting to see what my dinner companions ordered and how I felt that evening. We all had something different as an entree which was great. We all went pretty traditional except the chef. Dad had lambs brains, which he enjoyed. Mom had the French onion soup, which was delicious but a little rich for her, Marty had the calamari and I had l'escargot. The little snails were drowning in a lake of garlic and parsley butter and they were fabulous. I did use some of the freshly cut baguette to soak up the garlic butter and I could have had double the portion, but I'm really glad it was the size it was, light and delicious, because my main was fantastic!
Again, I went a little more traditional and had the duck which was roasted with oranges and served with a plum sauce. Marty had Steak Frites - steak and chips essentially, Mom and Dad had the flounder special - a whole flounder cooked to perfection. All delicious, and mine was the perfect size!
However, the dessert was by far the stand out of the meal and my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Mom and Dad shared the Crepe Suzette which I'm told was lovely! And Marty had the Profiterole, but I had the Souffle Chocolat. Unbelievable! When it arrived at the table the waiter - a surly Frenchman who eventually cracked a grin - broke open the top of it and poured thick dark chocolate sauce into the chocolaty goodness that as the heart of this dessert. It was served with vanilla bean ice cream which offset the rich goodness that this dish was. The ganache centre was melt-in-your-mouth, and the chocolate sauce dreamy. I kept filling up my cup of goodness until there was nothing left! Had it not been a classy establishment I would have been tempted to lick the bowl out.
On the Sunday, after taking in the sunshine at the Art Centre Market, we took a tram down to Lygon Street to show the folks 'Little Italy" and the various landmarks there - Brunetti's mainly. We purchased some cakes for dessert that night, but went across the road to D.O.C for a bite to eat. The food gods must have been smiling down on us because as we walked up a table in the sun opened up and there wasn't even a queue! We shared a baby spinach salad, a prosciutto pizza and a anchovy, olive, tomato pizza. I don't know if it was just the pizza or if the weather, the cold beer and the most wonderful company, contributed to that being one of the best Italian meals I've had here so far! The prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella pizza was by far my favourite and had a healthy amount of topping.
And then that night, Marty revisited the Beef Tagine and we had little bites of Brunetti's pastries to round it all off! All in all, a gastronomically pleasing weekend and one I had to work off the next week in the gym! I can't wait to do it all again!
Ciao
xoxo
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Healthy doesn't have to be boring!
Marty and I took a walk on Monday morning and in our meandering discussions we got onto cooking in schools. Not just tuck shops and what's offered but actually what's taught, subjects like Home Economics and Food Technology. Now, neither of us have been in school for quite a while now - 10yrs plus - and I was not educated on this side of the world, but scary statistics do show that kids just don't know how to cook, or in fact what different things are. Anyone who's ever watched Jamie's Food Revolution in the States will agree with me that when your children only know what a potato is because of the fries they have at lunch, there's a serious reason for concern.
Thanks to the Masterchef revolution and the nice little spin off of Junior Masterchef families and children are eating together and cooking more, but honestly the most beneficial episode each week is actually the Masterclass when you can learn something. So, what do you ask was Marty's solution or at least, what did this conversation really have to do with anything? Well, he felt that if everyone was taught about nutrition and food and cooking in school as a mandatory part of the syllabus like physical education, Maths, English, etc it could actually help with the growing problems of obesity and all it's related diseases.
At the moment 20 - 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese and 50% of obese adolescents continue to be obese as adults. And according to international statistics this trend is worldwide. What shows is that our kids are educated to eat well, the chances of growing into healthy adults is increased. The scariest statistic? "If weight gain continues the path it is following, by the year 2020, 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese." - http://www.child-obesity.info/child-health/alarming-statistics-about-child-obesity-in-australia.html
So, I asked the man who daily crusades against Maccas, what can be taught? Surely the information is out there, but it's not really that it's that when you're fed a high fat, high sugar, salt added diet, everything else tastes bland and boring. He answered, teach them how to cook healthy and tasty! Easier said than done my friend!! When I met my chef he loved nothing more than to cook with butter, salt and those contributed in a BIG way to years of weight gain and loss for me! I could have refused...BUT it tasted so good!! I think the key with those decadent ingredients, as I've found out the hard, long way around is moderation, moderation and if you're not sure moderation! They should be the exception not the rule! We've all been affected by the reverse of this though, the underseasoned, overcooked veggies or meat! So it's about finding a happy medium and we're so lucky to be living in a time where sourcing our food locally, and growing some of it ourselves is very 'in'. And that's the trick. Fresh produce, fresh herbs, free range meat and chicken, these all taste better. Even if you're living in an apartment you can find a nice rectangular pot and grow some herbs in a sunny window. At the moment our herb garden is looking meager with just parsley and mint, but as the weather gets better the basil, coriander and thyme will go in. These particularly flavoursome herbs add punch and depth to your cooking. You'll also be surprised if you try the free range chicken at the supermarket over the mass produced how much darker the meat is and tastier. The meat's darker because the animal is more active and there is more blood flow = more flavour. Another excellent addition to your grocery list is fresh chili! I have never been a lover of hot, spicy foods like other people in my life but even I add a little chili here and there to accent a dish.
The last obvious place to find flavour is in the cooking process. Bear in mind there is a difference between slow-cooked and over-cooked. When you're slow-cooking a stew you're browned off meat to create flavour, chopped up your veg to make a mirepoix and even added bay leaves and thyme as your fresh or dried herbs. What you wouldn't have put in is a lot of salt because the process will just make everything more salty. When you drown the veggies in a huge pot of water and cook it to a tasteless sludge, that is overcooking, and no amount of added salt will make that taste any better! Stir frying and steaming also helps to accentuate the natural flavours of veggies and meat alike.
On Monday night, after our discussion, Marty cooked up some Thai cakes with salmon and prawn in them instead of crab. He used fresh coriander, seasoned lightly with flaky sea salt and added in a fresh chili. He used one spray of olive oil to the non-stick frying pan out of habit, and that was all the oil used. He baked them in the oven after they had been browned and each side and they were delicious. It proved the point that healthy doesn't have to be boring, and if we could all use a little imagination we'd be eating very differently!
Some food for thought I hope! Would be interested to hear your views!
Ciao
xoxo
Thanks to the Masterchef revolution and the nice little spin off of Junior Masterchef families and children are eating together and cooking more, but honestly the most beneficial episode each week is actually the Masterclass when you can learn something. So, what do you ask was Marty's solution or at least, what did this conversation really have to do with anything? Well, he felt that if everyone was taught about nutrition and food and cooking in school as a mandatory part of the syllabus like physical education, Maths, English, etc it could actually help with the growing problems of obesity and all it's related diseases.
At the moment 20 - 25% of Australian children are overweight or obese and 50% of obese adolescents continue to be obese as adults. And according to international statistics this trend is worldwide. What shows is that our kids are educated to eat well, the chances of growing into healthy adults is increased. The scariest statistic? "If weight gain continues the path it is following, by the year 2020, 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese." - http://www.child-obesity.info/child-health/alarming-statistics-about-child-obesity-in-australia.html
So, I asked the man who daily crusades against Maccas, what can be taught? Surely the information is out there, but it's not really that it's that when you're fed a high fat, high sugar, salt added diet, everything else tastes bland and boring. He answered, teach them how to cook healthy and tasty! Easier said than done my friend!! When I met my chef he loved nothing more than to cook with butter, salt and those contributed in a BIG way to years of weight gain and loss for me! I could have refused...BUT it tasted so good!! I think the key with those decadent ingredients, as I've found out the hard, long way around is moderation, moderation and if you're not sure moderation! They should be the exception not the rule! We've all been affected by the reverse of this though, the underseasoned, overcooked veggies or meat! So it's about finding a happy medium and we're so lucky to be living in a time where sourcing our food locally, and growing some of it ourselves is very 'in'. And that's the trick. Fresh produce, fresh herbs, free range meat and chicken, these all taste better. Even if you're living in an apartment you can find a nice rectangular pot and grow some herbs in a sunny window. At the moment our herb garden is looking meager with just parsley and mint, but as the weather gets better the basil, coriander and thyme will go in. These particularly flavoursome herbs add punch and depth to your cooking. You'll also be surprised if you try the free range chicken at the supermarket over the mass produced how much darker the meat is and tastier. The meat's darker because the animal is more active and there is more blood flow = more flavour. Another excellent addition to your grocery list is fresh chili! I have never been a lover of hot, spicy foods like other people in my life but even I add a little chili here and there to accent a dish.
The last obvious place to find flavour is in the cooking process. Bear in mind there is a difference between slow-cooked and over-cooked. When you're slow-cooking a stew you're browned off meat to create flavour, chopped up your veg to make a mirepoix and even added bay leaves and thyme as your fresh or dried herbs. What you wouldn't have put in is a lot of salt because the process will just make everything more salty. When you drown the veggies in a huge pot of water and cook it to a tasteless sludge, that is overcooking, and no amount of added salt will make that taste any better! Stir frying and steaming also helps to accentuate the natural flavours of veggies and meat alike.
On Monday night, after our discussion, Marty cooked up some Thai cakes with salmon and prawn in them instead of crab. He used fresh coriander, seasoned lightly with flaky sea salt and added in a fresh chili. He used one spray of olive oil to the non-stick frying pan out of habit, and that was all the oil used. He baked them in the oven after they had been browned and each side and they were delicious. It proved the point that healthy doesn't have to be boring, and if we could all use a little imagination we'd be eating very differently!
Some food for thought I hope! Would be interested to hear your views!
Ciao
xoxo
Monday, July 25, 2011
Chapter 2 in the stuffed vegetable book - Stuffed Zucchini this time
I hope that this post doesn't come out as disjointed or non-sensical, because instead of devoting my full attention to it I am attempting to multi-task while watching a guilty pleasure of mine but I really wanted to get this out and down 'on paper' so to speak.
It's been a little while since I've been on this blog due to procrastination, and the only way to get going, is to get going! I hope you've tried out and enjoyed the Stuffed Capsicums and now another one I love to make is the Stuffed Zucchini. Marty actually showed me how to add maximum flavour to this dish and not only whip up something healthy, but filling and delicious. I often find that the healthy food we're expected to eat can be so devoid of flavour, due to the fact that we're over-exposed to added sugar and salt. I do believe that a limited amount of salt can be added into the diet as long as it is a flaky sea salt and iodised because then you have most beneficial type, but instead of over-seasoning, adding fresh or even sometimes dried herbs can boost the flavours in a dish remarkably. I'm looking forward to the the warmer weather to replant and develop the herb garden for this very reason.
Now this recipe is so simply you'll be whipping it up weekly. I find that the filling is enough for 2, but if I make the extra I just pop it in the fridge for lunch the next day. This is another great recipe to adapt for vegetarians!
What you'll need:
A zucchini (courgette) per person
Filling:
A carrot, chopped or grated
Small can of corn
Garlic
Onion
Tomato paste
Choice of tuna. chicken or kidney beans
Hollow out the zucchini. Cook the protein with the onion and garlic. Add the carrot and corn and the insides of the zucchini, and then mash or mix in some tomato paste to taste and then stuff the mixture into the hollowed out zucchini. If you'd like to grate some cheese over the top, otherwise pop into the oven for 10 minutes then eat!
It really is as simple as that. Sometimes I add some fresh time, and parsley is delicious too. You can add in some chili, or Mexican spices and that would work beautifully.
After 10 minutes at 190 deg, it should all be soft and ready to eat. I like my carrots diced and still a little crunchy, so I tend to cook the chicken for as long as I can in the pan to make sure it is completely done, and I dice it up really small.
Enjoy this easy meal and I look forward to hearing what you think! Also decided halfway through this, not to watch TV anymore so I should have made sense!
See ya
xoxo
It's been a little while since I've been on this blog due to procrastination, and the only way to get going, is to get going! I hope you've tried out and enjoyed the Stuffed Capsicums and now another one I love to make is the Stuffed Zucchini. Marty actually showed me how to add maximum flavour to this dish and not only whip up something healthy, but filling and delicious. I often find that the healthy food we're expected to eat can be so devoid of flavour, due to the fact that we're over-exposed to added sugar and salt. I do believe that a limited amount of salt can be added into the diet as long as it is a flaky sea salt and iodised because then you have most beneficial type, but instead of over-seasoning, adding fresh or even sometimes dried herbs can boost the flavours in a dish remarkably. I'm looking forward to the the warmer weather to replant and develop the herb garden for this very reason.
Now this recipe is so simply you'll be whipping it up weekly. I find that the filling is enough for 2, but if I make the extra I just pop it in the fridge for lunch the next day. This is another great recipe to adapt for vegetarians!
What you'll need:
A zucchini (courgette) per person
Filling:
A carrot, chopped or grated
Small can of corn
Garlic
Onion
Tomato paste
Choice of tuna. chicken or kidney beans
Hollow out the zucchini. Cook the protein with the onion and garlic. Add the carrot and corn and the insides of the zucchini, and then mash or mix in some tomato paste to taste and then stuff the mixture into the hollowed out zucchini. If you'd like to grate some cheese over the top, otherwise pop into the oven for 10 minutes then eat!
It really is as simple as that. Sometimes I add some fresh time, and parsley is delicious too. You can add in some chili, or Mexican spices and that would work beautifully.
After 10 minutes at 190 deg, it should all be soft and ready to eat. I like my carrots diced and still a little crunchy, so I tend to cook the chicken for as long as I can in the pan to make sure it is completely done, and I dice it up really small.
Enjoy this easy meal and I look forward to hearing what you think! Also decided halfway through this, not to watch TV anymore so I should have made sense!
See ya
xoxo
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Stuffed Capsicums...another healthy alternative!
Today, I have been practising the fine art of procrastination. you know those days, you start off with a great big list, you hurtle through all the easy stuff and finally you're left with the bits and pieces you either didn't really want to do, think may take a long time, or are just not quite as much fun as playing endless games of Solitaire, or Spider Solitaire, or Hearts, or Mahjong. And this is the point I've got to today, and after realising how long it's been since I've blogged at all, and that I have piles of photos to upload from my camera too, I have decided to do something about it! Easier said than done let me tell you.
What I wanted to share with you today is a little recipe that's fast becoming a favourite, and to top off is deliciously healthy, and even suitable for the veggies out there. It's a recipe my trainer has given me for Stuffed Capsicums and is as easy as it is tasty. The recipe is 1 portion, but obviously that can be made for as many people as possible. What I will say is you don't need to double the recipe for 2, triple it for 3, etc as it a large recipe to begin with. I double it for 3 serves, or just make sure the capsicums are large enough to accommodate all the veg.
This version is gluten free as well, double whammy people!!
So, what you'll need:
1 Capsicum
1 Zucchini (courgette), grated
1 Carrot, grated
1 Yellow squash (patty pan/scallopino depending on where you come from!), grated
1 onion chopped up
garlic clove
Protein of your choice
And what you do:
Mix the grated up ingredients in bowl, season if you feel like it. I don't normally. In a pan, heat a little oil, or use a non-stick frying pan and brown the onions with the garlic. Now, you can chop up the clove, or leave whole and remove later, depending on how much garlic flavour you want. If you're adding a protein the next step is applicable to you - when I'm adding chicken to this dish, I chop it up and cook it with the onions in the pan, if I'm having fish or beef or even a lamb chop with it, I keep that separate. Once those onions are a little brown and soft, add your grated ingredients, mix it up then take off heat.
With your capsicums, cut them in half, take out the pips and bits, and then stuff your mixture into them. You're going to put these into an ovenproof dish and into the oven for about 25-30mins on 180-200 deg.
Once cooked, serve. As I said this does roughly one large size capsicum, and you really don't need anything else with it, but you could serve it with a salad or some brown rice maybe! You could even halve the recipe to be used as a side dish, keep as is for a side dish for 2, or double for a side dish for 4. You get the picture.
Anyone else got a healthy recipe they'd like to share? Email it to me so we can give it a go, and I'll let you know how it went.
Ciao
xoxo
What I wanted to share with you today is a little recipe that's fast becoming a favourite, and to top off is deliciously healthy, and even suitable for the veggies out there. It's a recipe my trainer has given me for Stuffed Capsicums and is as easy as it is tasty. The recipe is 1 portion, but obviously that can be made for as many people as possible. What I will say is you don't need to double the recipe for 2, triple it for 3, etc as it a large recipe to begin with. I double it for 3 serves, or just make sure the capsicums are large enough to accommodate all the veg.
This version is gluten free as well, double whammy people!!
So, what you'll need:
1 Capsicum
1 Zucchini (courgette), grated
1 Carrot, grated
1 Yellow squash (patty pan/scallopino depending on where you come from!), grated
1 onion chopped up
garlic clove
Protein of your choice
And what you do:
Mix the grated up ingredients in bowl, season if you feel like it. I don't normally. In a pan, heat a little oil, or use a non-stick frying pan and brown the onions with the garlic. Now, you can chop up the clove, or leave whole and remove later, depending on how much garlic flavour you want. If you're adding a protein the next step is applicable to you - when I'm adding chicken to this dish, I chop it up and cook it with the onions in the pan, if I'm having fish or beef or even a lamb chop with it, I keep that separate. Once those onions are a little brown and soft, add your grated ingredients, mix it up then take off heat.
With your capsicums, cut them in half, take out the pips and bits, and then stuff your mixture into them. You're going to put these into an ovenproof dish and into the oven for about 25-30mins on 180-200 deg.
Once cooked, serve. As I said this does roughly one large size capsicum, and you really don't need anything else with it, but you could serve it with a salad or some brown rice maybe! You could even halve the recipe to be used as a side dish, keep as is for a side dish for 2, or double for a side dish for 4. You get the picture.
Anyone else got a healthy recipe they'd like to share? Email it to me so we can give it a go, and I'll let you know how it went.
Ciao
xoxo
Thursday, June 09, 2011
A Healthy digression...
It's certainly been a while since I've put fingers to keyboard, and there have certainly been some culinary developments chez moi, but alas no Jamie recipes have been cooked. The main reason for that is this particular foodie has embarked on a period of delayed gratification and is opting for a healthier menu for a little while. That's not to say there haven't been some very interesting recipes, and there will definitely be more to come, and Jamie should be back in about November/December time. No doubt he'll have a new book out by then we can sink our teeth into as well!
The chef has traded in his cream and butter for healthier alternatives with great success. So much flavour can come from things as simple as fresh herbs, garlic, lemons and chillies, without piling on the additional calories. We have been developing some really healthy and tasty recipes that I would love to share with you, and I certainly will, but firstly I have to tell you about my delicious Chicken, Corn and Celery Soup. It was a collaborative effort, with Marty adding his 2 cents worth of handy hints and me making it up as I went along. I developed a very vague recipe and used a little intuition that I've picked up since I've been blogging along! As it is winter and the weather is getting decidedly chilly, a good chicken soup is always a comfort. This one is not only tasty, but also very healthy and pretty simple to do. I'd say the recipe could comfortably feed 4, and if you're partaking in smaller portions, more like 5!
The ingredients:
2 free range chicken breasts.
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion
couple of garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves (dried is fine)
1 can corn kernels
1lt veggie stock
The method:
1. The first thing you want to do is poach the chicken. When questioned about the difference between poaching and boiling, Marty explained that poaching is a slower simmer as opposed to a full boil. I popped the chicken in a pot with the garlic cloves and the bay leaves, and enough stock to cover it all and a little extra water on top of that.
2. Meanwhile, in my large pot I made up my mirepoix. Remember that from last post? If you don't, you dice the carrots, celery and onion and slowly saute that. That's going to create a lot of the flavour base. To keep the calorie count down I used a little olive oil spray on the bottom of the pot so that it didn't stick.
3. When the chicken has poached, remove it from the stock and let it cool a little. Keep the stock as you will add that to the veggies. Once that chicken has cooled enough to touch shred it.
4. Add your can or corn kernels to the large pot - I added liquid and all - followed by the chicken and give it all a good stir around.
5. Finally add the stock from the chicken pot and whatever's left of the litre and then more water if you want. I add about 500ml - 1lt extra water because I wanted a bit more broth.
6. The neither pop it into an over on 170 or leave on the stove top at a medium heat to simmer and cook away. I think it took about 30-40min.
And serve as is, or with some bread. This was a great filling meal all on it's own, and once it had cooled I portioned off 3 serves to be frozen for a lunch and a couple of dinners, and had a bowl left for Marty when he got home. If like me you're only cooking for 1 or 2 people, don't halve the recipe, just freeze some for easy dinners when you can't be bothered cooking.
I hope you enjoy it!
Ciao,
xoxo
The chef has traded in his cream and butter for healthier alternatives with great success. So much flavour can come from things as simple as fresh herbs, garlic, lemons and chillies, without piling on the additional calories. We have been developing some really healthy and tasty recipes that I would love to share with you, and I certainly will, but firstly I have to tell you about my delicious Chicken, Corn and Celery Soup. It was a collaborative effort, with Marty adding his 2 cents worth of handy hints and me making it up as I went along. I developed a very vague recipe and used a little intuition that I've picked up since I've been blogging along! As it is winter and the weather is getting decidedly chilly, a good chicken soup is always a comfort. This one is not only tasty, but also very healthy and pretty simple to do. I'd say the recipe could comfortably feed 4, and if you're partaking in smaller portions, more like 5!
The ingredients:
2 free range chicken breasts.
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion
couple of garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves (dried is fine)
1 can corn kernels
1lt veggie stock
The method:
1. The first thing you want to do is poach the chicken. When questioned about the difference between poaching and boiling, Marty explained that poaching is a slower simmer as opposed to a full boil. I popped the chicken in a pot with the garlic cloves and the bay leaves, and enough stock to cover it all and a little extra water on top of that.
2. Meanwhile, in my large pot I made up my mirepoix. Remember that from last post? If you don't, you dice the carrots, celery and onion and slowly saute that. That's going to create a lot of the flavour base. To keep the calorie count down I used a little olive oil spray on the bottom of the pot so that it didn't stick.
3. When the chicken has poached, remove it from the stock and let it cool a little. Keep the stock as you will add that to the veggies. Once that chicken has cooled enough to touch shred it.
4. Add your can or corn kernels to the large pot - I added liquid and all - followed by the chicken and give it all a good stir around.
5. Finally add the stock from the chicken pot and whatever's left of the litre and then more water if you want. I add about 500ml - 1lt extra water because I wanted a bit more broth.
6. The neither pop it into an over on 170 or leave on the stove top at a medium heat to simmer and cook away. I think it took about 30-40min.
And serve as is, or with some bread. This was a great filling meal all on it's own, and once it had cooled I portioned off 3 serves to be frozen for a lunch and a couple of dinners, and had a bowl left for Marty when he got home. If like me you're only cooking for 1 or 2 people, don't halve the recipe, just freeze some for easy dinners when you can't be bothered cooking.
I hope you enjoy it!
Ciao,
xoxo
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