tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44306459648600560962024-03-19T04:48:59.472+00:00Cooking is a Game You Can EatFirst the oven, then the tin, wash your hands and then begin.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-67649355526086383892013-04-17T19:49:00.000+01:002013-04-17T19:50:20.521+01:00Simple slow cooked chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is what I call 'Chicken Smug' because it's what I bung into the oven on busy days. I can happily go out, leaving it to do its thing and when I get home, there it is, cooked and ready to eat and I can dish it up to hungry mouths and feel all smug and virtuous.</div>
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It's also a very thrifty meal. The ingredients (pictured) were all from Aldi, apart from the chicken breast which came from Morrisons You could probably get the chicken breasts cheaper (except they MUST have the red tractor logo on), but even so the ingredients for this meal come in at less than £5 and that feeds a family of four handsomely. Just serve with rice, couscous or even crusty bread for an ultra-fast meal.</div>
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INGREDIENTS</div>
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<ul>
<li>2-3 leeks</li>
<li>4-5 sticks of celery</li>
<li>Splash of oil or dab of butter</li>
<li>1 tin of soup - I usually use cheap as chips mushroom (from Aldi) and not the condensed sort (although I did here). Any old 'cream of' soup will do (I've never tried tried it with tomato though). I have used leftover homemade leek and potato soup too which worked well.</li>
<li>3-4 skinless, boneless British chicken breasts (depending on appetite, I usually use three to feed two adults and two children)</li>
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METHOD</div>
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<li>Wash and slice the leeks and celery</li>
<li>Put into your lidded cast iron casserole (which is what I use) or slow cooker pot (or a pan if your crock pot isn't hob-friendly) with the oil or butter and leave to sweat and soften for a few minutes*</li>
<li>Add the soup and enough water (about half a can, more if the soup is condensed) to make a nice thick sauce. The casserole won't lose much moisture while it's cooking so don't make it too runny</li>
<li>Add extra herbs and seasoning if you wish, although I mostly skip this step (because I forget!)</li>
<li>Add the chicken breasts whole (this is what keeps it tender) and bring the casserole up to a simmer</li>
<li>Bung in the gas oven on the S setting (which is what I do), or similar setting for your slow cooker (I'd suggest the low setting if you're leaving it all day - but it's ages since I used a slow cooker because mine had a lovely ceramic bowl until I dropped it and it smashed. My new one is cast iron. If I drop it, it breaks the floor tiles not the pot). I have left this for just over seven hours and for as little as three (when I panicked a bit and cooked it at gas mark 2 - would that be the high setting in a slow cooker?).</li>
<li>When ready to eat, check the seasoning of the sauce and adjust if necessary.</li>
<li>Use something to pull/shred the chicken. I usually use a wooden spoon, it's that tender.</li>
<li>Serve with rice (easy cook for speed)</li>
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* If you're in a real hurry, just throw the lot into the pot, make sure it's all up to simmering point and slow cook it. It'll be fine (I know, I've done it!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdKHifAHKansYP9C3evt2vedHTw4EhzhdOcYozD3RiK7WaTYNKnxV_BYLtfrknq2muwJfYOCh72g-l3S9gyWuz-A01binDXYr_QPN13LJYUYUij4xw00It_PttZ1GldVH8a3OToCl4BkW/s1600/IMG_5599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdKHifAHKansYP9C3evt2vedHTw4EhzhdOcYozD3RiK7WaTYNKnxV_BYLtfrknq2muwJfYOCh72g-l3S9gyWuz-A01binDXYr_QPN13LJYUYUij4xw00It_PttZ1GldVH8a3OToCl4BkW/s400/IMG_5599.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-16569070693353387912013-04-15T09:00:00.000+01:002013-04-15T09:03:36.279+01:00Apple cranachan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Gosh it's been a while but I'm still here and I'm still cooking! I sort of fell a bit out of love with blogging for a while but I have continued photographing my culinary creations with the intention of sharing them one day.</div>
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Anyway I suddenly had a whim, about a fortnight ago, for cranachan - that wonderfully Scottish creation of oats, cream, honey, whisky and raspberries. But in a chilly April (which is still more winter than spring this year) raspberries are not in season. A quick Google for alternatives brought up two recipes - one from Delicious magazine using <a href="http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/blackberry-and-apple-cranachan">blackberries and apples</a> and another from BBC Food made with <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/appleandhoneycranach_9035">apple puree and honey</a> but surprisingly doesn't include whisky. Neither was quite what I was looking for so I combined the two and this was the result.</div>
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APPLE AND HONEY CRANACHAN</div>
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INGREDIENTS</div>
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Serves 4-6</div>
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4 large Bramley apples</div>
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3 tbsp honey</div>
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25g/1 oz butter</div>
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75g/3 oz rolled oats</div>
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1 tbsp caster sugar</div>
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240ml/8fl oz double cream</div>
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150ml/5fl oz natural yoghurt</div>
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2tbsp whisky</div>
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1-2 tbsp light muscovado sugar</div>
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METHOD</div>
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<li>Peel, core and cube the apples, put in a pan with a few tablespoons of water and simmer until they form a purée. Add the honey and leave aside to cool.</li>
<li>Melt the butter in a small pan, add the oats and cook for about a minute. Add the caster sugar and stir until the mixture turns a lovely golden brown and smells gorgeous - like flapjacks.</li>
<li>Lightly whip the cream, fold in the yoghurt and muscovado sugar and add the whisky - use more or less to taste. I was serving this to children and adults so I divided the mixture in half and only used 1tbsp of whisky in the adults' half.</li>
<li>Layer up the mixture into individual dessert glasses - apple, oats then cream, finishing with a layer of cream, and top with a final sprinkling of oats.</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-45441280378052505372011-05-16T16:08:00.000+01:002011-05-16T16:08:35.710+01:00Rhubarb Eton Mess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGg_yIXnj4-v4obpOKyWDvqZMxMVbUev-aFYDhhoXSJZ5m7c8RAq7PKuCwgUDIc74DlJ07uddmnR57js6k6w6_reNNrmBQIdB4N7mnokvYCIBeK7lQA_NyTiOzh0FuobInaauBWNQDrOC/s1600/May+2011+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGg_yIXnj4-v4obpOKyWDvqZMxMVbUev-aFYDhhoXSJZ5m7c8RAq7PKuCwgUDIc74DlJ07uddmnR57js6k6w6_reNNrmBQIdB4N7mnokvYCIBeK7lQA_NyTiOzh0FuobInaauBWNQDrOC/s400/May+2011+056.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I made this for pudding on Sunday to follow roast chicken with green garlic and herb stuffing and a big pile of spring veg. I'll blog my lazy stuffing recipe at a later date but the pudding was a triumph so here is the recipe.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Rhubarb Eton Mess</b></i></div><br />
Pick a good armful of rhubarb (or one of those packs from the supermarket) and cut into cubes. Sprinkle over a couple of tablespoons of sugar and roast in a hottish oven (Gas mark 5/375 degrees F/190 degrees C) until the rhubarb is soft and surrounded by syrupy juices. Leave to cool completely.<br />
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Whip 300ml double cream with the grated zest of an orange and a tablespoon of icing sugar until stiff. Resist diving into it face first (maybe try just a little... mmm.)<br />
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Break up five or six shop-bought meringue nests (or home made if you've got them) and make sure you've got a big pot (450g) of Yeo Valley strawberry yoghurt.<br />
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Put everything in the fridge until just before you are ready to serve (except the meringue nests, of course!)<br />
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Just before serving reserve a spoonful or two of the rhubarb and combine everything else in a big bowl. Don't over mix, you want a nice melding of flavours not all churned up like cement. Spoon the saved rhubarb over the top and serve.<br />
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This served six greedy people (two children, four adults) and all of the adults had thirds (having begun with "oh, just a little" we ended up with an unseemly fight over who was to lick the serving spoon).<br />
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The suggestion was made that it could be improved with the addition of crumble, either as crumbled digestive biscuits or hob nobs but I have the rest of the cream, loads of rhubarb and another pot of yoghurt in the fridge so I plan to make another batch with the addition of a home made crumble.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Rhubarb Crumble Eton Mess</b></i></div><br />
Follow recipe as above but also prepare a crumble at the same time you roast the rhubarb.<br />
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Rub together 75g plain flour, 50g butter and 50g soft brown sugar, add a little ginger if you like. Spread onto a baking tin and bake at gas mark 5 (375 degrees F/190 degrees C) for ten minutes. Leave to cool and then break up and fold into the Eton Mess just before serving.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Battenburg cake</b></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In other news I found a packet of marzipan in the cupboard and finally achieved my ambition to make a Battenburg. Not difficult, more a feat of assembly than culinary skill, but fun to do. It was a nice addition to our Eurovision Song Contest TV picnic and it tasted delicious. I used the recipe from Lorraine Pascale's <i>Baking Made Easy</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVn__un4CCBmkmTgVvF_b_DIXywwTajY9XVfp3CrJ9sccSfIKI2PpZgvwbkacAA_vzJxjHqOHdHRVqiWrXdwkM9RUgbJCg2FRGYo1w1WTsxPK8zmqIVFYshFNmXf50SP4eDPTtP3Mxjxv/s1600/May+2011+053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVn__un4CCBmkmTgVvF_b_DIXywwTajY9XVfp3CrJ9sccSfIKI2PpZgvwbkacAA_vzJxjHqOHdHRVqiWrXdwkM9RUgbJCg2FRGYo1w1WTsxPK8zmqIVFYshFNmXf50SP4eDPTtP3Mxjxv/s400/May+2011+053.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-50351020457030519042011-03-19T10:52:00.001+00:002011-03-19T16:02:14.659+00:00Chocolate spice cupcake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZGl0ZnNQ428IcR8miTKq7utjsbiMCXS4-GSo2ZYk2IAqnB9mqiKAmYPM59SzofeuF2yKZi3zYi6Y9_RfYvr13biyTYqIxP5GPY4Ed7nt9heYt-rmAMYytH1x4nmSCpQZNygtD4034Z1I/s1600/March+2011+095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZGl0ZnNQ428IcR8miTKq7utjsbiMCXS4-GSo2ZYk2IAqnB9mqiKAmYPM59SzofeuF2yKZi3zYi6Y9_RfYvr13biyTYqIxP5GPY4Ed7nt9heYt-rmAMYytH1x4nmSCpQZNygtD4034Z1I/s400/March+2011+095.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This little beauty is a chocolate spice cupcake. It is a thing of gorgeousness yet its looks do not even begin to describe the delight of its taste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's also a bone of contention. This cupcake was made by my dear husband from his family's secret recipe (for a larger cake) that he has tweaked to produce these marvels.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I accepted, during the years we were together before we married, that I was not able to have the recipe. Then we married, in 1998, and still the recipe was not forthcoming. I had his children. Still no recipe. They're now nine and seven. Still no recipe, although he has hinted that he will pass it on to his daughters. One day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Me? Frustrated. Furious (and curious).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have observed the baking process. It involves many processes, the separating of eggs, the mixing up of three different mixes which are combined at the last minute. It involves the careful incorporation of air, the melting of chocolate. I know what goes in but not the order. It's that which is vital.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The recipe is written in longhand in a little black book which is kept hidden from curious wives. Except last week when it lay, alluringly open, on the worktop. I considered theft. I considered this blog and the posting herein of said recipe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I considered the consequences.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I quietly ate my cupcake. Well, three. Maybe one day I will get that recipe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-18628872378840677382011-03-11T14:24:00.000+00:002011-03-11T14:24:37.623+00:00Cookies and Cream Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxXHfGFnFLLu5e0gEZQegyzzDOa-X6znKyYotgnHUWqEeB6CbqZH8zTcTfBJHuwpFR0PkjjYrlmFg_naJQODdwgOvh3YeJDwfHTJywNJ5kNWKQXDfymvsxq7PjNTK0IeQ1sNMz14wWcMG/s1600/March+2011+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxXHfGFnFLLu5e0gEZQegyzzDOa-X6znKyYotgnHUWqEeB6CbqZH8zTcTfBJHuwpFR0PkjjYrlmFg_naJQODdwgOvh3YeJDwfHTJywNJ5kNWKQXDfymvsxq7PjNTK0IeQ1sNMz14wWcMG/s400/March+2011+058.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
These brownies were almost impossible for me to photograph. I baked them - they vanished.<br />
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They are inspired by Lorraine Pascale's recipe in her lovely book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baking-Made-Easy-Lorraine-Pascale/dp/0007275943/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299852378&sr=8-1">Baking Made Easy</a> crossed with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's ultimate double chocolate brownies from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Cottage-Year-Hugh-Fearnley-Whittingstall/dp/0340828218/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299852462&sr=1-1">The River Cottage Year</a>.<br />
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What you do is cream 125g soft butter with 200g caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in two eggs and 50g cocoa powder.<br />
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This is where my recipe diverts with Hugh's. He melts 100g good chocolate with two tablespoons of warm milk and beats that in. I opened my chocolate cupboard and found that I had fed the cooking chocolate to the children in the form of a fondue and all that was left was a bar of Green and Black's sublime 85% plain chocolate. Now that is officially The Best Chocolate in The World and no way was I going to put 100g of it into brownies. Instead I meanly broke off a few squares (having tested it first, just to check) and I melted it with the milk and a good dollop of Tesco Value chocolate spread.<br />
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How big is a good dollop? Ah ha. I used a dessert spoon and I scooped with enthusiasm. Having cooked the brownies I can confirm it adds a certain wonderful fudginess, so don't hold back. Pause to lick the chocolate spread spoon.<br />
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Next beat the chocolate or the choc-spread mix into the butter, sugar, eggs and cocoa, fold in 75g of self-raising flour and then add a 154g packet of Oreo cookies broken into at least quarters. Spread the mixture into your brownie tin (approximately 15cm x 25cm) lined with baking parchment.<br />
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Bake at Gas mark 3/170 degrees C until nearly cooked - a skewer inserted into the middle will come out slightly sticky. Actually I overcooked the ones in the picture a little, but the chocolate spread kept them delightfully gooey.<br />
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Pile on a plate and watch them disappear!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-52527119670863708972011-03-02T09:20:00.000+00:002011-03-02T09:20:33.018+00:00Simple pleasures: Welsh cakes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This post is for <a href="http://stickyfingers1.blogspot.com/2011/03/gallery-simple-pleasures.html">Sticky Fingers The Gallery</a> and this week's theme is simple pleasures. Yesterday was St David's Day and, as my two <a href="http://preselimags.blogspot.com/2011/03/st-davids-day-first-nine-years.html">traditionally dressed Welsh ladies</a> hurtled off to school, they <s>ordered</s> reminded me that I usually make Welsh cakes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbdJ8leSOMC_spqLjw2sNcFBaYfHGGHuvVb6hXuqeq7qAcIPAelsEwYgQOJy1DpCdc6DFbO818ccXfMFxs4KWWAynHg-l-5lnQdInYfuegXbfdf6rW-IGTmNORVJrCwT2-7t52sXBcMst/s1600/March+2011+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbdJ8leSOMC_spqLjw2sNcFBaYfHGGHuvVb6hXuqeq7qAcIPAelsEwYgQOJy1DpCdc6DFbO818ccXfMFxs4KWWAynHg-l-5lnQdInYfuegXbfdf6rW-IGTmNORVJrCwT2-7t52sXBcMst/s400/March+2011+014.jpg" width="351" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy Welsh cakes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Then the day ambled off like days do and I did other things. At 2.15pm I remembered the Welsh cakes - half an hour before the school run. Fortunately being a simple sort of pleasure they are quick to make. Cheap too. </span>I learned to make them by watching the ladies cooking them in Swansea market - the secret is to cook them just enough. Too long and they'll be dry in the middle.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>All you do is rub 125g of butter into 250g of self-raising flour, stir in 75g caster sugar, 100g of sultanas and half a teaspoon of all spice and then mix in a large beaten egg and enough milk to make a soft dough. Roll out as you would for scones - they should be about a centimetre thick - and cut out. I use a 6.5cm fluted cutter.<br />
<br />
Pop them on to a preheated griddle (or frying pan - no fat) and cook on each side until golden brown and still slightly soft in the centre. Sprinkle with more golden caster sugar and serve warm with a cup of tea. Blasus!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsEhSKIJ83cBDv6J4eDWNYpQ5sFMvQtTi5wZLakbpy8G0uQQAsXMoZO4wB82puq3TwfkYG1lHejzF27P2EFqrMr8A5EnG3K22yl33HY2rPmRlC-UNey0sXMeaaZbuWukQTZvX1ZFmn9XH/s1600/March+2011+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsEhSKIJ83cBDv6J4eDWNYpQ5sFMvQtTi5wZLakbpy8G0uQQAsXMoZO4wB82puq3TwfkYG1lHejzF27P2EFqrMr8A5EnG3K22yl33HY2rPmRlC-UNey0sXMeaaZbuWukQTZvX1ZFmn9XH/s400/March+2011+008.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sizzling gently on the griddle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-9361782888884361952011-02-24T17:18:00.000+00:002011-02-24T17:18:20.368+00:00Naan bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I mentioned on my other blog about running out of LPG and <a href="http://preselimags.blogspot.com/2011/02/necessity-is-mother-of-invention.html">necessity being the mother of invention</a> so last night I was still without a cooker. As supper time approached and I had left over dahl from the night before, I looked at the fire and contemplated the idea of cooking naan bread on it somehow. The germ of the idea had been sown by <a href="http://homethoughtsweekly.blogspot.com/">Chris Stovell of Home Thoughts Weekly</a> who had suggested that the sloping lid of her wood burner would be possible for such a thing.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I consulted the internet for a recipe, read several and then made up my own. Cooking methods varied from frying to grilling. I think authentic naan is slapped on the inside of a melting hot <a href="http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Tandoor-Oven.html">tandoor oven</a> and if my ship ever comes in I'm buying one of these. My sister-in-law used to live in a flat in High Wycombe and my big memory of visiting her in that flat is of the tantalising smell in the evenings of all the tandoors being fired up in neighbouring homes. The aroma of the spices, curried meat and bread carried on the warm evening air was mouth-wateringly delicious.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used my trusty Kenwood for the mixing of the dough which was my basic foolproof white bread but with slight variations. It's about three cups of strong white bread flour, a good heaped teaspoon of dried quick mix yeast, a teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of plain yoghurt, a shy teaspoon of sugar, a handful of black onion seeds and enough warm milk (about two thirds of a cup) to make a soft dough. Knead for five minutes until smooth and then leave to rise in a warm place.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then divided it into eight pieces, rolled them out into rough ovals and started them cooking on my cast iron griddle on top of the wood burner.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YYZordCkJFcuQ_b5fQqxCjESCGchk_xWXeEjtT3BcHA0hWqVl5nBtJohww5RfzU7stv8OeVtt4Y-vGQ-0jnToFPomsVoi41QjjQaG_GfIHuvj3GUrCeUuhJON5VRjaDmCHzycB9eVBX3/s1600/February+2011+180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YYZordCkJFcuQ_b5fQqxCjESCGchk_xWXeEjtT3BcHA0hWqVl5nBtJohww5RfzU7stv8OeVtt4Y-vGQ-0jnToFPomsVoi41QjjQaG_GfIHuvj3GUrCeUuhJON5VRjaDmCHzycB9eVBX3/s400/February+2011+180.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four little naans in a row.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"> It was hot but not nearly hot enough so (bearing in mind past experience of cooking flat breads, roti and chapattis) I grabbed the toasting fork, opened the wood burner and held the naan inside over the hot coals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">It immediately fluffed and puffed up into a very authentic looking naan bread. I was so surprised I nearly dropped it. I puled it out, ripped it open and tried it. Delicious, fluffy and unmistakably naan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMnAhyphenhyphenX7Ctlnfd5fOknvJhch2jF8P4hvNZAY3YPEKqM_8W81mMgy61rypo8x_LrakuPZ3L4ewmoR9IDeQ2-UkqTS9DiBdz0bAtjNf4mAzrRS24j6Axq1lIyFKBvnfVUcsOGW6Wv_oEdAt/s400/February+2011+181.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely at the one at the front on the left you can see the shape of the toasting fork.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I carried on with the other seven by which time my face was nearly melting from the heat and the dining room was like the inside of a pizza oven. Brian was stripping off layers of clothes (we're unaccustomed to warmth) and repeatedly mentioning that he was hungry (the house was full of the smell of naan bread).<br />
<br />
It was delicious, everybody loved it and from now on I won't be buying any more naan bread. Who would have thought it could be this much fun to make? Like most other things it's nicer homemade and freshly baked too. I think I'll probably start it off on top of the stove though, I couldn't quite get the griddle hot enough on top of the wood burner, but I can see me fluffing it up on the toasting fork again - I think it was the aroma of wood smoke that really nailed the flavour.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-8208954847908254402011-02-16T20:50:00.001+00:002011-02-16T20:59:01.068+00:00Pesto pizza rollsThese were very much inspired by the <a href="http://fuzzytimes.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/snazzy-pizza-rolls/">Snazzy Pizza Rolls</a> entered into <a href="http://englishmum.com/the-fresh-bread-bakeoff-the-entries.html">English Mum's Fresh Bread Bake-off </a>by <a href="http://fuzzytimes.wordpress.com/">Arlene of The Fuzzy Times</a>. I also made Gluttony For Beginners' dough balls, but those got eaten before I could take their picture.<br />
<br />
Anyway this is my take on the pizza rolls thing. Not quite the same as the snazzy ones - these are more like the ones made (I think) by Tana Ramsay and they're basically just a Chelsea bun with a savoury filling.<br />
<br />
First you need a bread dough. I tend to make mine intuitively - I have a plastic cup measure and I use two of those of strong bread flour, a teaspoon of quick mix yeast, a teaspoon of salt, a glug of olive oil (in this case a nice basil favoured one) and enough warm water to make a soft dough. I added a teaspoonful of dried herbes de Provence too for extra flavour. You could use some left over pizza dough or my <a href="http://cookingisagameyoucaneat.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-bake-focaccia.html">focaccia dough</a> would work just as well (but would make a bit more than this, perhaps).<br />
<br />
Once that is kneaded and risen you need to roll it out into a large rectangle. I then spread mine with a whole tub of fresh pesto (in lieu of tomato sauce which makes me itch), some ham and emmental cheese (because that's what I had to hand).<br />
<br />
It will then look something like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pkiQpKD4w-H26RN_y5bJifLVZU54bgxDvF9GAQD_uJaZHwvmQY1g4DpHndRu48u2W4yI2atTM5cUrxdxMePJpxpU9jx3g_5lpHDJUvKfyi5aFKAhLtZiGnkwrUOrx5w7vnjgtKQTkrx7/s1600/February+2011+145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pkiQpKD4w-H26RN_y5bJifLVZU54bgxDvF9GAQD_uJaZHwvmQY1g4DpHndRu48u2W4yI2atTM5cUrxdxMePJpxpU9jx3g_5lpHDJUvKfyi5aFKAhLtZiGnkwrUOrx5w7vnjgtKQTkrx7/s400/February+2011+145.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next roll it up from the nearest long side into a long sausage shape (or start and then let your nine-year-old daughter take over):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6uOZP6A9zoz_4Av0bvZHtJ6cYjKKhRE41iTqtXk64iM6zs46FCkswuhNCqlWdt8vqG6jiM-wt6xOaOLPBKxonERdCwD5RA7gbC6nvYgv7CGtMF3l13ur-aixAMiV8AF69UYkzn9aPcNX/s1600/February+2011+148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6uOZP6A9zoz_4Av0bvZHtJ6cYjKKhRE41iTqtXk64iM6zs46FCkswuhNCqlWdt8vqG6jiM-wt6xOaOLPBKxonERdCwD5RA7gbC6nvYgv7CGtMF3l13ur-aixAMiV8AF69UYkzn9aPcNX/s400/February+2011+148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next cut it up into rounds. The knife flattens the circles, so squeeze them back into shape again. Tuck them into a suitably sized tin so they are snuggled up close enough to hold a conversation:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aH2dpu_PeV6CmmIqRP6RGjhEHOEHupD0BGy43VTtSvUhRPUthkcWcCm55WH59SJKGOWZQKrpsDEiZBOV6rzalc6bHhU_TQxMWVkXIIfAeniKP4ol8RAAfeezd9ap1o3mELxZlPX9Isg7/s1600/February+2011+150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aH2dpu_PeV6CmmIqRP6RGjhEHOEHupD0BGy43VTtSvUhRPUthkcWcCm55WH59SJKGOWZQKrpsDEiZBOV6rzalc6bHhU_TQxMWVkXIIfAeniKP4ol8RAAfeezd9ap1o3mELxZlPX9Isg7/s400/February+2011+150.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Leave to rise again for a little while longer (while the oven heats up to Gas Mark 6) then bake them until golden brown and sizzling:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_q8I9n818Az1nBMnDpeZ-gmx1B8dHqV16ithGkKZWIkor6EhX83wg0PEn6_jYdPQJJV3BW5Nz7ioCCmGGNOuQWFG5YhdnRQT4H3vqs1O8POokhyphenhyphenrHcs8jh1_tqS6BJ4nM3Q6CEOU5mJc/s1600/February+2011+151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_q8I9n818Az1nBMnDpeZ-gmx1B8dHqV16ithGkKZWIkor6EhX83wg0PEn6_jYdPQJJV3BW5Nz7ioCCmGGNOuQWFG5YhdnRQT4H3vqs1O8POokhyphenhyphenrHcs8jh1_tqS6BJ4nM3Q6CEOU5mJc/s400/February+2011+151.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve warm as a tear and share bread. Delicious!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-67139765942311000032011-02-14T20:29:00.000+00:002011-02-14T20:29:38.688+00:00Delia: Not just for Christmas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tfGSvDXfiOaYUPXk_RVj1L3CAhrx5LShYS8TBnQ3YuHjowZtzqXv0rBY2-sv-SWtIbMFOMjP0J-rnoV_gDHbaTKOkWDA4FleQDaDn3PADqa4D7NUZ2neD7zae34kNtTKMvY_k4XSvpdq/s1600/February+2011+140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tfGSvDXfiOaYUPXk_RVj1L3CAhrx5LShYS8TBnQ3YuHjowZtzqXv0rBY2-sv-SWtIbMFOMjP0J-rnoV_gDHbaTKOkWDA4FleQDaDn3PADqa4D7NUZ2neD7zae34kNtTKMvY_k4XSvpdq/s400/February+2011+140.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boxing Day pie - on Valentine's Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was the usual scenario - Monday's fridge was full of little bowls of cling-film wrapped leftovers from the Sunday roast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Could you make a Boxing Day pie?" asked H9 as I pondered possibilities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course I could! Boxing Day pie is an institution in this household. I make it every year with the leftovers from Christmas Day. It is, to all intents and purposes, the Turkey Flan with Leeks and Cheese from page 214 of my very battered and adored copy of Delia's Christmas. My children have always called it Boxing Day pie because we don't have turkey at Christmas - usually a big chicken (or two) or one year a big salmon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why not make it on Valentine's Day? We all love it after all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's basically this. First you make a cheese pastry (175g self-raising flour, 75g butter, 50g cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper, water) which Delia rubs in and grates but I just blitz in a food processor. Line a 25cm quiche tin with the pastry and bake for 15 minutes at Gas mark 5/190 degrees C. I prop up the sides of the pie with foil and prick the base with a fork.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Into that you pile some leeks (cooked in butter on Boxing Day) or whatever green veg you have left over (I used steamed Cornish greens), bits of sliced chicken, leftover roast vegetables and about 400ml of thick Bechamel sauce to which you have added some grated cheddar and a beaten egg. Sprinkle cheese over that and bake again for 25 to 30 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's lovely eaten warm or cold and is, to quote H9 "basically just a roast dinner in a pie".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>SPICED BREAD AND APPLE PUDDING</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A new Delia recipe wandered into my repertoire on Sunday, this time into the pudding department and from her recently refurbished Frugal Food book. I'm a big fan of bread and butter pudding (a good way to use up excess eggs from our enthusiastic hens).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This B&B pud is a layer of buttered wholemeal bread triangles on the base (butter side down), a layer of apple slices (I smugly used spiced ones I'd bottled last autumn - otherwise cook apple slices until soft in a little butter), then another layer of buttered bread triangles (butter side up). Dredge with soft brown or demerara sugar and cinnamon, then pour over 275ml of semi skimmed milk mixed with two beaten eggs. Leave to soak for a while and then dot with butter and bake at Gas Mark 4/180 degrees C until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream or single cream.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was delicious with a lovely custardy-appley flavour and golden crunchy spicy top. No picture because once it was cooked, we ate it!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-23009449126756268522011-02-09T19:38:00.000+00:002011-02-09T19:38:19.367+00:00How to bake focaccia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://englishmum.com/english-mums-fresh-bread-bakeoff.html">Englishmum is running another bake-off and this time it's bread</a>. How could I resist! Bread is one of the reasons this blog is called what it is and it is very much a game you can eat. It's so simple, quick and foolproof and is one of the things I make most often - either on my own or with my children helping. I'm a bit of a bread obsessive - I even have a paving slab to put in my oven to bake loaves and pizzas on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My great-grandfather was a baker - family legend has it that he delivered bread to <a href="http://www.sudeleycastle.co.uk/">Sudeley Castle</a>, near Winchcombe in the Cotswolds in the latter part of the 19th century and he is buried in the churchyard near the castle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Focaccia is my favourite bread to bake to go with homemade soup. It's a simple, easy and quick bread and you can get on with making the soup while the bread rises. I love the way the olive oil pools deliciously in the indentations and mixes with the salt to form a lovely crispy crust flavoured with the spikes of rosemary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">INGREDIENTS</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">500g bread flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5g quick mix yeast</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">325ml warm water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">METHOD</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mix all of the ingredients in a mixer with a dough hook or knead together until smooth - adding a good big glug of extra virgin olive oil. This dough is quite soft, so kneading it is easier with a mixer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shape into a ball, put into the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for about half an hour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then knead briefly and press into a baking tray - I use my brownie/flapjack tray. Push it out into a rough rectangular shape, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise again until puffed up. Turn your oven on to its hottest setting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Use your fingers to push indentations in the dough - as many as you like. Then drizzle olive oil into the indentations. Scatter over sea salt and rosemary - chopped if you wish - then put into the oven for ten minutes. After 10 minutes turn the oven down to Gas Mark 6/200 degrees C until the focaccia sounds hollow when you tap it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I normally cut it into fat fingers to serve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKIpTbwGO0uzW3iGavP3S3knadMU-qRTeRVurVcld_XL2de4L6IE35PKdKPIlrtP4GPZpYwVH2ZS5l-Y7EaFzrmc7JeOGF_PWgb8cWgUQcWJQ_53qU_Yu3MBVZ8RdPNmX_zzMEhQ0Kurf/s1600/February+2011+063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKIpTbwGO0uzW3iGavP3S3knadMU-qRTeRVurVcld_XL2de4L6IE35PKdKPIlrtP4GPZpYwVH2ZS5l-Y7EaFzrmc7JeOGF_PWgb8cWgUQcWJQ_53qU_Yu3MBVZ8RdPNmX_zzMEhQ0Kurf/s400/February+2011+063.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press your fingers in to make indentations, drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas-vEHV1v0MMUHhGA3QmLHpDdkFUwVH5BczWxtXve6GK1_ipy4KKYahyGCXUPVvn5jQC7RINCRdRa5tUbT6NNRA5Hl9Of5b__PNRsQ8Jq2mxaigcefLj-jsiDVW5xEEfQHm11S-veGqXs/s1600/February+2011+067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas-vEHV1v0MMUHhGA3QmLHpDdkFUwVH5BczWxtXve6GK1_ipy4KKYahyGCXUPVvn5jQC7RINCRdRa5tUbT6NNRA5Hl9Of5b__PNRsQ8Jq2mxaigcefLj-jsiDVW5xEEfQHm11S-veGqXs/s400/February+2011+067.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bake until golden and aromatic. It should sound hollow when tapped.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubAXWfWcnI1rXoQ-mnXuA6FkH5ol4I4qCLrPek5anic5USS9IyPV0jhv-F5el-i02z1Xrgul7mChjSGTaT-WSmey15VK9zU5CkLAUhJavS8HfLAiTZwgTn87UxqxxOaPR1Ygeqd0vu23B/s1600/February+2011+070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubAXWfWcnI1rXoQ-mnXuA6FkH5ol4I4qCLrPek5anic5USS9IyPV0jhv-F5el-i02z1Xrgul7mChjSGTaT-WSmey15VK9zU5CkLAUhJavS8HfLAiTZwgTn87UxqxxOaPR1Ygeqd0vu23B/s400/February+2011+070.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The salt and oil give it a lovely crispy crust.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5frR9bY5pd-BL82YTq-Ws-HUpfGGljaMmsTYvknb14DfMXmeAiXppuF3CeOmpS2cOGKpt2CX1KJYKOmttvtyr2D_dvphRVywOFiPrRvKcaadsM_G3vPa3yE5HV5OtKaX04n7qTYlLD6B/s1600/February+2011+076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5frR9bY5pd-BL82YTq-Ws-HUpfGGljaMmsTYvknb14DfMXmeAiXppuF3CeOmpS2cOGKpt2CX1KJYKOmttvtyr2D_dvphRVywOFiPrRvKcaadsM_G3vPa3yE5HV5OtKaX04n7qTYlLD6B/s400/February+2011+076.jpg" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I usually cut it into fat fingers to serve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-3587854770987404882011-02-07T09:23:00.000+00:002011-02-07T09:23:44.565+00:00Roast chicken and stuffingRoast chicken and stuffing is possibly the best example - in this kitchen anyway - of KISS (keep it simple stupid).<br />
<br />
You see my Other Half was pretty convinced that only Paxo could make good stuffing for roasted birds. So on Christmas Day, much against my better judgement, we had a packet stuffing to please He Who Would Like to Be Obeyed. It was okay but it didn't please the smaller more demanding palate (ie my eldest daughter) who, for her ninth birthday, insisted I make home made stuffing for her roast chicken.<br />
<br />
I love a good stuffing (stop giggling at the back...) and I'm a big fan of Delia's chunky <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/exotic/american/american-turkey-stuffing.html">American style Christmas turkey stuffing</a> and her <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/eighteenth-century-chestnut-stuffing.html">chestnut stuffing</a>. OH (foolishly) dislikes both. Actually it's not really a dislike, they just disappoint him, which is possibly worse.<br />
<br />
So for Sunday's birthday lunch it was back to the drawing board. I consulted Delia, Tana, Gordon, Nigel, Nigella, Sarah Raven and (finally) Rachel Allen. In her Home Cooking book she has a simple sage and onion stuffing with variations.<br />
<br />
"Oooh chorizo stuffing," I said to the OH, thinking of the lovely garlicky paprika aroma that would bring to the roasted result.<br />
<br />
"No," said OH.<br />
<br />
"Smoky bacon?"<br />
<br />
"No."<br />
<br />
"Oh."<br />
<br />
So I applied the KISS principle. Straightforward sage, onion and breadcrumbs stuffing.<br />
<br />
I followed Rachel's recipe which was to soften a chopped onion and a clove of garlic in a big lump of butter and a glug of olive oil and mix that with 100g of white breadcrumbs and come chopped sage and thyme from the garden. I put the result into a bowl and looked at it alongside my 2.4kg chicken. It looked insufficient.<br />
<br />
So, dredging up long-lost memories of family roast dinners and the things my mother used to make, I remembered her method which was to chuck everything - slices of bread, onion, herbs, butter, sea salt, pepper - into her Kenwood blender and blitz. I used my food processor and the result was a pleasing stuffing mix which clumped nicely together.<br />
<br />
I made pockets in the bird's breast and tucked most of the stuffing in there and the neck and there was still more, so I popped a fist-sized amount into the bird's cavity. (Writing all this seems a little like writing culinary porn...)<br />
<br />
I roasted the bird (two hours, gas mark 5) and the result? Fabulous. A huge hit with everyone and decreed 'nearly' as good as school's* by the birthday girl.<br />
<br />
So another kitchen lesson learned. KISS applies to stuffing birds too and (probably, but don't tell her...) mother knows best.<br />
<br />
*School dinners set a very high standard here (Jamie take note).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-24560739249397940572011-01-09T15:25:00.000+00:002011-01-09T15:25:59.351+00:00Passion fruit curd marbled frangipane muffinsThese are delicious muffins. They're based on Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe from River Cottage Everyday (which I highly recommend - full of good stuff).<br />
<br />
They don't rise quite like an ordinary muffin due to the ground almonds but are sweet and delicious and perfect for Sunday breakfast (which is always pancakes or muffins) or for a post-run treat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiQ7LgMnxt64oL4N_wDsH_m0xIUZVeDlR1ll1sMGxp0R7xFtdiamZY57E-XOpPywuAbpXulhXHsiWds6OtoZwhqitoCyq0RlV_VQeaYMh9jgcRIb_xJkDroC1kmUzDU2SaU7rz2bWebXm/s1600/January+2011+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiQ7LgMnxt64oL4N_wDsH_m0xIUZVeDlR1ll1sMGxp0R7xFtdiamZY57E-XOpPywuAbpXulhXHsiWds6OtoZwhqitoCyq0RlV_VQeaYMh9jgcRIb_xJkDroC1kmUzDU2SaU7rz2bWebXm/s400/January+2011+051.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Recipe makes 12 big muffins.<br />
<br />
Line a muffin tin with cases and put the oven on to Gas mark 4/180 degrees C.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl mix 100g ground almonds, 125g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 100g caster sugar. Whisk with a fork to combine well and add air.<br />
<br />
In a glass jug measure out 125ml plain yoghurt, top up to the 250ml mark with whole milk, beat in an egg and add 75g of melted and slightly cooled butter.<br />
<br />
Quickly combine the wet and dry ingredients and put a spoonful into each case, only half filling them.<br />
<br />
Next add a spoonful of passion fruit curd to each muffin case (if you've got a big sister who has given you a lovely pot of home made passion fruit curd for Christmas. If not use lemon curd or chocolate hazelnut spread). Top up each case with the rest of the mixture. Then use a skewer to quickly marble the mixture.<br />
<br />
Pop in the oven for half an hour until golden brown. Eat while still warm.<br />
<br />
Notes: If you haven't got enough (or any) ground almonds, use plain flour instead, and if you adore a really marzipanny flavour add a few drops of almond extract.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-53403596269805892252010-11-21T16:30:00.000+00:002010-11-21T16:30:37.747+00:00Dog biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYysAgckyhnBSwZJxSpMm76abC9FAoZqUJRrWdorcMRx3HPFSTtj7dgl_Khvy_X2clDNRtCe7ozFpZdXKoW5B14oda2FNq9f80ywwuhuf0xc5s5-FcfHkU5SFe_JPRS8mV5g12KZ7Dzj9b/s1600/November+2010+138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYysAgckyhnBSwZJxSpMm76abC9FAoZqUJRrWdorcMRx3HPFSTtj7dgl_Khvy_X2clDNRtCe7ozFpZdXKoW5B14oda2FNq9f80ywwuhuf0xc5s5-FcfHkU5SFe_JPRS8mV5g12KZ7Dzj9b/s400/November+2010+138.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>These lovely treats were taken from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Your-Dog-Ingeborg-Pils/dp/1405495138/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290352994&sr=1-1">Cooking for Your Dog</a> by Ingeborg Pils and make a lovely Christmas gift for that special pooch. They are a honey-sweetened digestive type biscuit baked in dog bone shapes, and so are just as suitable for humans (in my case children) to eat if they can't resist trying them too (mine couldn't.)<br />
<br />
Honey Dog Biscuits<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul><li>150g wholemeal flour</li>
<li>150g porridge oats</li>
<li>2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>30g butter</li>
<li>2 tbsp honey</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>100ml milk</li>
</ul><br />
Method<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl</li>
<li>Rub in the butter</li>
<li>Add the eggs, honey and milk and knead to a soft dough</li>
<li>Roll out to about 1cm thick and cut out with a bone shaped cutter if you've got one (for the kids, the dog won't care much) or circles</li>
<li>Bake at 200 degrees C/400 degrees F/gas mark 6 for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown</li>
<li>Turn off the oven and leave the biscuits in the cooling oven to dry out</li>
<li>Serve to lucky dog or wrap up and give as presents (to other lucky dogs)</li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-19450349865772832102010-10-22T14:37:00.000+01:002010-10-22T14:37:13.739+01:00Autumn baking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's bake off time again, or, to be precise <a href="http://englishmum.com/great-big-autumn-bakeoff.html">English Mum's Great Big Autumn Bakeoff</a>. Autumn to me is the prefect time for baking, not that I don't stop baking any other time of year but there's something about autumn, its misty mornings and berry-laden trees that sends me into the kitchen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYW_H8DuxtAqCdxbURfRhPJjs_aCeww2yGNf7o9sQvEXRz-hUKfzN0lOaSYChBAFPE9WhM8zazXQ3zrPHO-K0_rBiXXgwphyyfRA5qQaYN2JMtZa6ODtywZ-TirXVBHemfomOh5J8wsjO0/s1600/October+2010+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYW_H8DuxtAqCdxbURfRhPJjs_aCeww2yGNf7o9sQvEXRz-hUKfzN0lOaSYChBAFPE9WhM8zazXQ3zrPHO-K0_rBiXXgwphyyfRA5qQaYN2JMtZa6ODtywZ-TirXVBHemfomOh5J8wsjO0/s400/October+2010+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bread is my number one for autumn baking. Summer is somehow time for fast things like focaccia and flat bread to wrap around salady stuff, but autumn is for soup and soup needs bread. This is a split pea and ham soup accompanied by bread rolls with honey and sesame. The sweetness of the honey and the nuttiness of the sesame seeds (which are on the inside of the rolls as well as the outside) make for the perfect accompaniment to the salty smokiness of the soup. R6 loves helping to shape them too so we get all kinds of faces, hedgehogs and plaits.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObAbsmKiqDBvqqkCb1oqQKBT8bXL0Bues0M0JPwriFOhIG_ioHGzOLe9ZP2wcZs2Pob1sX1pm743tjp1oaZnSW7Uat49lTYGYyiyozSqBBfRkHbP2K7EMEliuarBU-BuSIGU8iaNL_juD/s1600/October+2010+105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObAbsmKiqDBvqqkCb1oqQKBT8bXL0Bues0M0JPwriFOhIG_ioHGzOLe9ZP2wcZs2Pob1sX1pm743tjp1oaZnSW7Uat49lTYGYyiyozSqBBfRkHbP2K7EMEliuarBU-BuSIGU8iaNL_juD/s400/October+2010+105.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Autumn is crumble time too and who could resist the fragrant delights of an apple and blackberry crumble? I'm delighted to say that the apples are from our own trees and the blackberries were picked from around the farm. There's something wonderful about picking and then cooking your own produce and I'll never get tired of it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TLI7eMTuJ9cKRJnB0v-9lYJDYM97iJqd5f_S31ow33RhEWg2x4osKYnXZkLaitQZvzVqBKGumBHOau-ntMVrz_2aSHZ_FLw5Yj4RjeGn7BrwkzVNz6FjW7d_N1lFEphVz11UgkqcCxc1/s1600/October+2010+153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TLI7eMTuJ9cKRJnB0v-9lYJDYM97iJqd5f_S31ow33RhEWg2x4osKYnXZkLaitQZvzVqBKGumBHOau-ntMVrz_2aSHZ_FLw5Yj4RjeGn7BrwkzVNz6FjW7d_N1lFEphVz11UgkqcCxc1/s400/October+2010+153.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been such an unusually bumper year for our apples that I keep making Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstalls apple and almond pudding cake too. This lovely thing - which is my official entry for English Mum's bakeoff - was featured on River Cottage Every Day a few weeks back. Freshly baked and still warm from the over it is divine with custard but I almost love it more cold from the fridge the following morning for (a very decadent) breakfast served with a spoonful of natural yoghurt.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-58833035181127489152010-09-27T11:51:00.001+01:002011-04-13T21:11:49.757+01:00Chocolate courgette cake and lime courgette muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx16xfWHDqcjBiDMVjRYR6pqQ7mAVXx62MjDI6VelBVC1fba4PVo14zSbuct-Qz8Dq7WpozqaV2yn9reDPMOzEyx29YXLNlll7uJyJKsLYO9xDZxUyRc_iQpilSrZmEQ-XUqpvirMrHym/s1600/September+2010+213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx16xfWHDqcjBiDMVjRYR6pqQ7mAVXx62MjDI6VelBVC1fba4PVo14zSbuct-Qz8Dq7WpozqaV2yn9reDPMOzEyx29YXLNlll7uJyJKsLYO9xDZxUyRc_iQpilSrZmEQ-XUqpvirMrHym/s400/September+2010+213.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a my take on a recipe from BBC Good Food's website for <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/633634/chocolate-courgette-cake">chocolate courgette cake</a>. I had a look at their recipe and decided to add a few tweaks here and there. For a start I decided wholemeal flour would be a better bet. I often use wholemeal flour in recipes which use fruit or veg as I find it mops up the extra moisture better than ordinary plain flour. If you don't like the bran bits, sieve them out. I also reduced the sugar a little, changed the oil and left out the nuts. It takes about ten minutes to mix up and about an hour to bake.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>350g plain wholemeal flour</li>
<li>2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>half a tsp bicarbonate of soda</li>
<li>50g Green and Blacks cocoa powder (you can use other brands, but this is the best for this cake)</li>
<li>175ml sunflower oil</li>
<li>350g golden caster sugar</li>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>500ml (by volume, measured in a jug) grated courgettes</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Method</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb and cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk with a fork.</li>
<li>Beat the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla together and add the courgettes.</li>
<li>Mix the wet into the dry and pour into a greased and base-lined 24cm cake tin.</li>
<li>Bake at Gas mark 4/180 degrees C for 55 to 65 minutes. (Check after the first 45 mins to see how it's doing - your oven might be faster than mine.)</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The original recipe tops it with a chocolate ganache which would be lovely but it's nice just sliced and served with a cup of coffee.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b>Lime Courgette Muffins</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are based on Flora's Famous Courgette Cake from Nigella's How to Be a Domestic Goddess. As usual I can't bear to follow a recipe to the letter and sometimes muffins are more convenient than a cake. I made these to hand around at a picnic at St Anne's Lighthouse this summer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>60g sultanas</li>
<li>250g grated courgettes, drained in a sieve</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>125ml sunflower oil</li>
<li>150g golden caster sugar</li>
<li>225g self-raising flour</li>
<li>half a tsp bicarbonate of soda</li>
<li>half a tsp baking powder</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Method</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Mix the eggs, oil and sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy.</li>
<li>Sieve in the flour, bicarb and baking powder and beat again.</li>
<li>Add the courgettes and the sultanas.</li>
<li>Spoon into muffin cases in a muffin tin and bake at gas mark 4/180 degrees C for 15 to 20 minutes.</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Icing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Mix icing sugar and lime juice (I use the ready squeezed stuff from a bottle that I always have in the fridge) to a thick paste.</li>
<li>As soon as the muffins are done spoon on dollops of icing while they are still hot from the oven.</li>
<li>If you have an actual lime to hand, grate over a little of the peel onto the tops of the muffins.</li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-83364777004597958512010-08-11T09:35:00.000+01:002010-08-11T09:35:56.775+01:00Muffins for breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrjmzukjL2KQB9efLCoV-FhElrbKE20v9yB6UDheSxQHGCgeFILRjLKZVyUI9CaaSyWBtcr81ayvEAEq28c_9_6WI02vgFZLSUjkV425w_vnGKc4j6UrZkd3lbGSo42FqfceZ98ItgeqB/s1600/August+2010+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrjmzukjL2KQB9efLCoV-FhElrbKE20v9yB6UDheSxQHGCgeFILRjLKZVyUI9CaaSyWBtcr81ayvEAEq28c_9_6WI02vgFZLSUjkV425w_vnGKc4j6UrZkd3lbGSo42FqfceZ98ItgeqB/s400/August+2010+049.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I read somewhere, which was probably Nigella, that Italians eat cakes and puddings for breakfast. That seems an excellent idea to me and you'll often find us eating up the leftover Sunday pud - apple crumble and custard or sticky toffee pudding and ice cream - for breakfast on a Monday morning. It gets the week off to a great start and it feels slightly naughty (especially the ice cream bit!)<br />
<br />
Why not though? It can't be worse than some of the sugary breakfast cereals currently on sale. I often make muffins too. They're quick and easy to make and I usually make them to use up whatever fruit is about to go rotten in the fruit bowl before we can eat it. This is usually bananas, but can be strawberries or nectarines. I usually use wholemeal flour too as it feels more wholesome and breakfasty.<br />
<br />
Today it was two bananas. They had passed the just-spotty-and-totally-delicious phase and were well on the way to falling-out-of-the-skin-in-a-very-bananary-way phase.<br />
<br />
So I made muffins, but not without my orders. R6 doesn't like the brown bits that really ripe bananas leave in muffins but doesn't mind the flavour so subterfuge is the order of the day. "Make them really choclatey," I was told, so I did.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Bananachocanilla Muffins</u></b><br />
<br />
MAKES: 12 big muffins.<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
<br />
(I always make muffins in ounces for some reason...)<br />
<br />
7oz plain wholemeal flour<br />
1 oz cocoa powder<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br />
4oz dark soft brown sugar<br />
4oz melted butter<br />
1 large egg<br />
4 fl oz milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
two very ripe bananas<br />
chopped plain chocolate - about a couple of ounces, whatever is to hand.<br />
<br />
METHOD:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, break up any lumps and whisk with a fork to get some air into the mix.</li>
<li>Mix the wet ingredients together.</li>
<li>Mush the bananas and add them with the wet ingredients and the choc chips into the dry ingredients.</li>
<li>Stir briefly until just about mixed. Too much mixing makes them tough.</li>
<li>Spoon into muffin cases and bake at Gas mark 5 (190 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes until springy on top. Eat for breakfast with a glass of milk.</li>
</ol><br />
If you're feeling really self-indulgent you could spread a bit of Nutella on these as you eat them but that would be VERY naughty indeed, and don't even think about putting ice cream on these too as the Diet Police will be hammering on your door...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-31961913025294865492010-07-20T13:52:00.000+01:002010-07-20T13:52:25.846+01:00One pot meal: Chicken with courgettes and green olivesThis is one of those handy little recipes which kills a few birds with one stone. It's all done in one pot, which I'm a big fan of (less washing up) and it's a good use for courgettes of which there is already a glut (and they've only just got started.) It's also fairly low fat and children like it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3G7maEzgKSKqDtpWG7MLdWySU6RkkLXNGtUzeinrGhOEcml6qw004jcDdrvCyq2OrAWAepjsK2tJdcMloBjrIORqd7dtWWfH2724RWZWLHjqvVuGIhOCQlFKmDmRX32cMrsGjG8jpI1d/s1600/July+2010+150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3G7maEzgKSKqDtpWG7MLdWySU6RkkLXNGtUzeinrGhOEcml6qw004jcDdrvCyq2OrAWAepjsK2tJdcMloBjrIORqd7dtWWfH2724RWZWLHjqvVuGIhOCQlFKmDmRX32cMrsGjG8jpI1d/s320/July+2010+150.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I bought a wide cast iron pan with a lid from Aldi and it is such a lovely thing to cook meals in. (The posh, the rich and those with generous friends who bought them one for a wedding present will have similar pans made by Le Creuset.)<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS:<br />
<br />
1 onion<br />
2 cloves of garlic<br />
glug of olive oil<br />
Four or five courgettes<br />
1 pack of chicken thighs (or chicken breasts) - about 250g to 300g cubed chicken<br />
1 cup (about 200g) rice<br />
Pinch of saffron<br />
1/3 cup sherry<br />
1 and 2/3 cup water or chicken stock<br />
handful of pitted green olives<br />
fresh thyme<br />
<br />
METHOD:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Chop the onion and garlic and soften in the olive oil.</li>
<li>Chop the courgettes and add to the pan.</li>
<li>Use scissors to snip the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces straight into the pan.</li>
<li>Add the rice, saffron and sherry and bubble until the liquid is reduced.</li>
<li>Pour in the water or stock (I use half a Knorr chicken stockpot) and add the chopped thyme and the green olives.</li>
<li>Put the lid on and leave over a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken and the rice are cooked through.</li>
<li>When it's cooked leave to rest for about 10 minutes. Then check the seasoning and grind over some black pepper before serving.</li>
</ol>This makes a nice big pan full and serves four to six people.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-35527223545564670452010-07-18T16:50:00.000+01:002010-07-18T16:50:20.882+01:00Baking on the Edge...I love a competition me, so imagine my joy at news of the delicious Miss <a href="http://englishmum.com/2010/07/06/english-mums-big-bakeoff-baking-on-the-edge/">English Mum's latest Big Bakeoff: Baking on the Edge</a> baking competition with the fabulous prize of a Green and Blacks choccy hamper.<br />
<br />
Of course I had to get my oven gloves on and have a bit of a bake. The rules are that there are no rules. Excellent. I like things to be clear from the start.<br />
<br />
So here goes.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Entry number one:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn01w8gkeJEZ8h1lTU-XnhyhzPBTx4HqGlIO3CD_E0LBaw5HAf3h8OIhpKN5E4wGb0Dimz5FyjoXFhLujF2-hriNQ-EwG6-7aF6i2fXGFkpceqPiUo_rE0RNRrl-7_cUXINZ1d6LShcbCv/s1600/July+2010+079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn01w8gkeJEZ8h1lTU-XnhyhzPBTx4HqGlIO3CD_E0LBaw5HAf3h8OIhpKN5E4wGb0Dimz5FyjoXFhLujF2-hriNQ-EwG6-7aF6i2fXGFkpceqPiUo_rE0RNRrl-7_cUXINZ1d6LShcbCv/s400/July+2010+079.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a piece of the Millionaire's Shortbread I made for the Brownies' end of term party. Look at the way it is rudely sticking its little toffee tongue out at you, daring you to eat it. Cheeky thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Entry number two:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxmwitl9WGFQf0x83tfCPpXj2E0boMhF62RQOIqkZJygeuT30OhZ9qcaXnmD4mT049bDMUgdM2sI1pG8JsNpmKUPcmpFggrpX42XZQ2saaG9WEPqO2OVxy3-JfPhFeGk6O4jVCGucjMrI/s1600/July+2010+108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxmwitl9WGFQf0x83tfCPpXj2E0boMhF62RQOIqkZJygeuT30OhZ9qcaXnmD4mT049bDMUgdM2sI1pG8JsNpmKUPcmpFggrpX42XZQ2saaG9WEPqO2OVxy3-JfPhFeGk6O4jVCGucjMrI/s400/July+2010+108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coalition cake. I have previously <a href="http://cookingisagameyoucaneat.blogspot.com/2010/06/political-statement-in-cake-form.html">blogged</a> about this cake having first made it just after this year's General Election. It's basically a chocolate and vanilla marble cake, but until further notice I'm calling it Coalition Cake. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZ-BsHVs_PqUtAzIdRTMgsyABy4qjxbpqPj-6iyIddTwTKJZ-kc-w-PV7j0iXc9_FijeKm3g8O717IWeo-NoXeEs3K77Xqh5uPxre7MtH1hA1PYL6-R70p_N3OpoAFZvhEMgXQugFp5hv/s1600/July+2010+111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZ-BsHVs_PqUtAzIdRTMgsyABy4qjxbpqPj-6iyIddTwTKJZ-kc-w-PV7j0iXc9_FijeKm3g8O717IWeo-NoXeEs3K77Xqh5uPxre7MtH1hA1PYL6-R70p_N3OpoAFZvhEMgXQugFp5hv/s400/July+2010+111.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The amount of coalition depends on the current political climate and this one, for some reason, was slightly heavy on the Conservative (represented by the rich, dark chocolate cake). The fragrant, vanilla Lib Dems are obviously not having such a good week this week. It is smothered in vanilla icing, an addition requested by my children. It has already been on charity duties where it was declared "lush" and raised £14.50.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-7507616252668516212010-07-07T09:03:00.000+01:002010-07-07T09:03:17.410+01:00Bake off!That title almost sounds rude doesn't it? But it's not, it refers to <a href="http://englishmum.com/2010/07/06/english-mums-big-bakeoff-baking-on-the-edge/">English Mum's Big Bakeoff</a> which has the rather fabby prize of a stonking hamper from <a href="http://www.greenandblacks.com/anz/home.html">Green and Blacks</a>.<br />
<br />
The rules are that there are no rules, you just have to bake something and email it (a picture, not the actual thing!) to English Mum by the end of July. So I will.<br />
<br />
Hmmm. The question is, what to cook?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-30790869523434823002010-07-03T10:25:00.002+01:002010-07-03T10:26:54.655+01:00Wild strawberry and orange muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XXAjE5yks2eUvVA4-Rjf3ybxj0du7p0UdL1J1x1ZQgqpJtIL06nhvP2FZUkiCUmJr6PZrjJX1u4m7ZyixLBwr6jVqNrJM14hmWi5kzXIX-_r9KZM4jI8gOkQ8-8rRNbMd7ZKrasymgSj/s1600/July+2010+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XXAjE5yks2eUvVA4-Rjf3ybxj0du7p0UdL1J1x1ZQgqpJtIL06nhvP2FZUkiCUmJr6PZrjJX1u4m7ZyixLBwr6jVqNrJM14hmWi5kzXIX-_r9KZM4jI8gOkQ8-8rRNbMd7ZKrasymgSj/s400/July+2010+028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
We had these for breakfast this morning, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. The garden is full of wild strawberries at the moment - mostly the tiny alpine variety, but also some that are bigger fruited, ripe when pale pink with red pips and with a lovely fragrant taste.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcUIgMuImp7gGyxJUVIZ5dYglfbo2gIwkaToohuHSAdx9r0ds0ITT9JBzAW-iOYKp6z0-6_13zZ6hYqPONQJal2QgKU3hgEvuL2fbtMChQxc2NuRsV8XvDsWVyY4ffkAiGJ1114I-35g1/s1600/June+2010+209i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcUIgMuImp7gGyxJUVIZ5dYglfbo2gIwkaToohuHSAdx9r0ds0ITT9JBzAW-iOYKp6z0-6_13zZ6hYqPONQJal2QgKU3hgEvuL2fbtMChQxc2NuRsV8XvDsWVyY4ffkAiGJ1114I-35g1/s320/June+2010+209i.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">225g (8oz) plain flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp baking power</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">grated rind of 1 orange</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100g (4oz) melted butter (or same weight of sunflower oil)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100g (4oz) caster sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 large egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">the juice of the orange topped up to 125ml (4 fl oz) with milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">approx 1 big handful of wild strawberries or chopped ordinary strawberries (or other berries).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Method: </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Combine all the dry ingredients. Whisk them with a fork to get some air into the mixture.</li>
<li>Combine all the wet ingredients, then add with the strawberries to the dry ingredients.</li>
<li>Stir briefly to make a lumpy batter, then spoon into muffin cases and bake at Gas 5 (180 deg C) for 10 to 15 minutes.</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eat while still warm!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-74726007245994596712010-06-18T12:25:00.001+01:002010-06-18T12:35:18.836+01:00Vegetarian sausage rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNpeH5GvWTqqKdOMoJDxSLnPWUAEUXYDt5K-J1zg1-yVLRuihfVaUkFuRIpDwRm7ahOyef5yFhYx-cMIcsncXRszUQyuwDBWvmQihlhFNuamsCiWo5FrCEQGEpe2pWr92iW8AWAgMgZ3H/s1600/June+2010+182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNpeH5GvWTqqKdOMoJDxSLnPWUAEUXYDt5K-J1zg1-yVLRuihfVaUkFuRIpDwRm7ahOyef5yFhYx-cMIcsncXRszUQyuwDBWvmQihlhFNuamsCiWo5FrCEQGEpe2pWr92iW8AWAgMgZ3H/s640/June+2010+182.jpg" width="483" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today's baking has been vegetarian sausage rolls for the Brownies trip to Carew Castle tomorrow. It was all rather last minute, having only found out about the need for such things when I got back from my shopping trip yesterday but a rummage in the freezer yielded some useful ingredients.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I worry about the pig in pork sausage rolls. Which bit of the pig is one concern as all pig parts are considered edible. If the reasonably attractive bits are the ones packed into polystyrene or displayed on the butcher's counter you can be pretty sure that the unattractive bits are the ones that end up in sausage rolls. I'm pretty certain that the sausage roll is at the end of the food chain when it comes to choice of bits for the 'pork' content. If you read the ingredients of a pack of sausage rolls the actual 'pork' bit is horribly low and the definition of what actually constitutes 'pork' is worrying too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then there's the question of the welfare of the pig and cheap frozen supermarket pork sausage rolls aren't likely to feature even the worst bits of British pigs reared in happy conditions outside rooting about in the undergrowth. These are more likely to be their foreign counterparts reared indoors in unspeakable conditions of the sort that were banned in Britain years ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But there is an alternative to pork in a sausage roll role helpfully provided by Delia in her seminal Christmas book years ago. Christmas isn't Christmas without Delia's book and when I got it down from the shelf this morning it helpfully fell open on the vegetarian sausage rolls recipe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The alternative is what is called a Glamorgan sausage - breadcrumbs, onion, Cheddar cheese and chopped fresh garden herbs mixed to a paste with milk or cream and seasoning. It behaves exactly the same as sausage meat but without the dubious content.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My hurried freezer rummage found several bags of cheesy breadcrumbs - useful freezer bounty made by whizzing left over cheese sandwiches in the food processor. This gives a handy bag of breadcrumbs for gratins and breading fish, but always label it so you don't make a cheesy apple Charlotte by mistake (although that one might actually work!) I also found a sheet of ready rolled puff pastry and there was a block of cheese in the fridge and herbs in the garden. Bingo. All it needed was a bit of mixing, roll the pastry out a little thinner, cut in half, add the long rolls of Glamorgan sausage, egg glaze, cut into slices and bake at Gas 7 until golden brown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyAq5LAR9Ynu9wDOcyV3Go89TQthbBwD8xRIxPwBrIBCxZhwn5ktghkA4kiGMf24sM83n8wfEi2k1xbORZdhZIs5P9Iywjo-LFugCtzFFU-YUWJ87q15rHRkxw0d8layAn61WOPfNcd4J/s1600/June+2010+183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyAq5LAR9Ynu9wDOcyV3Go89TQthbBwD8xRIxPwBrIBCxZhwn5ktghkA4kiGMf24sM83n8wfEi2k1xbORZdhZIs5P9Iywjo-LFugCtzFFU-YUWJ87q15rHRkxw0d8layAn61WOPfNcd4J/s400/June+2010+183.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully acceptable for the Brownies tomorrow but also perfect for picnics. Delia's vegetarian sausage rolls are - like dogs - not just for Christmas!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-55717564962691180562010-06-16T10:12:00.001+01:002010-06-16T10:29:07.215+01:00A political statement in cake formI've been making this cake - coalition cake - since the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats became best friends after the General Election. I suppose the joke is wearing thin now and I'll have to go back to calling it plain old chocolate and vanilla marble cake but for now I like calling it coalition cake so that's what it is.<br />
<br />
Although who is the chocolate and who is the vanilla? Perhaps Cameron is the chocolate, because he's rich (but not that dark) and Clegg is the vanilla? I don't think I have quite thought this one through but, whatever, the two mixes go together well in a tasty and satisfying way.<br />
<br />
The recipe is your basic Madeira sponge mixture. I use Rachel Allen's recipe for her wonderful 'Bake' book, which is 225g (8oz) butter creamed with the same quantity of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in four eggs and two teaspoons of vanilla extract and then fold in 225g (8oz) plain flour and two teaspoons of baking powder. Finally add 50ml (1.75 fl oz) milk and then put half of the mixture in spoonfuls around the prepared 20cm (8 in) cake tin. To the remaining mix add 50g (2oz) sifted cocoa powder and then dollop that into the tin with the vanilla mix.<br />
<br />
Use a skewer or the tip of a knife to swirl the mixture around until marbled. Don't go mad - you're looking for a coalition with two distinct identities not one bland homogeneous whole. Politicians take note.<br />
<br />
Bake at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F or gas mark 4) for 45 minutes, leave to cool in the tin for ten minutes, then turn out and leave on a wire rack until completely cold.<br />
<br />
I like to ice mine and I use a basic vanilla butter icing. Use half and half unsalted and salted butter and use up to twice the amount of sugar than butter. I start with 100g of each (50g of each butter and 100g of sugar) then add an extra 50g of sugar if I think it needs it. Scrape the seeds out of a vanilla pod and add those too. Whip it all up with electric beaters until really fluffy and add a teaspoon of just boiled water at the end.<br />
<br />
Smother the cold cake in the icing and serve in slices. Sadly no picture of this one. I have made it twice in recent weeks and twice it has been eaten before I have remembered to take its picture. I'll have to make it again...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-70772440908118493462009-12-14T19:48:00.006+00:002009-12-14T21:07:54.140+00:00Oaty bread rolls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yiPlNQa6qM4CcFYNhbRPqEDhXs9sqFMrgedWXtGLlSYHRrtXgJQuYeqkHyhP4oU729OYuZJeFMxeRHswQk1iJd48ZLC34E6HF1qCT6KUlwo3cK3qahTKlVaHWZ6SEC9lEhLVV1Byfr6p/s1600-h/December+2009+018.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yiPlNQa6qM4CcFYNhbRPqEDhXs9sqFMrgedWXtGLlSYHRrtXgJQuYeqkHyhP4oU729OYuZJeFMxeRHswQk1iJd48ZLC34E6HF1qCT6KUlwo3cK3qahTKlVaHWZ6SEC9lEhLVV1Byfr6p/s400/December+2009+018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415186657933294194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes things turn out perfectly and with me it's usually an accident. The same can be said for bread which is a moody beast at the best of times. It seems to be affected by the weather and humidity and the temperature of the room and the position of the moon in pisces. Actually I made that last one up, but I might be right!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Anyway I made a batch of bread on Sunday having been shamed into it by <a href="http://pipany-poltiskofarm.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html#5716384157219157201">Pipany</a> who, besides making pretty hand sewn and embroidered things also bakes bread almost every day. I used to, but then I went back to work and a few daily habits (bread making, dusting, tidying up, mowing the lawn) have been lost on the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>The basic recipe I use for bread is in Bread: River Cottage Handbook Number three by Dan Stevens, which is such a brilliant book. He explains exactly how to make excellent bread and my breadmaking has improved since I got it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>His basic recipe is for a kilo of flour with 10g of yeast, 20g of salt, a handful or two of extras (like oats and seeds), 600ml of warm water, maybe a glug of oil or a knob of butter and then the magic of kneading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>For Sunday's rolls I use white flour and 10g of dried yeast which I start in the warm water with a teaspoon of golden caster sugar. I leave that in a warm place to froth up while I add the other bits to the flour: salt (but I only use 15g, not Dan's 20g), one tablespoon (or so) of runny lavender honey, a good big glug of sunflower oil and two handfuls of porridge oats. I then pour in the water and yeast and leave it in the Kenwood mixer to knead for ten minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I then put the dough to rise until it reaches the top of the bowl, then let the mixer gently knead it again - and you must be gentle with the dough. Dan Stevens has got me out of my kneading and pounding at dough frame of mind and into a much gentler one. I then leave it to rise for a second time, again to the top of the bowl. I think it's the double rising that really develops the gluten and makes good bread. It can't be rushed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Next it's time for shaping (again gently) and I cut this dough up into 16 pieces and shape into rolls. Then you need bowls - I use wide soup bowls. The first is for milk and the others for whichever coatings you want on your rolls. I use porridge oats and poppyseeds. What you do is submerge the rolls in the milk and then into the coatings, patting it in all over. Then put the rolls onto a baking tray and leave them to rise for a third time until - as Dan Stevens puts it - they're absolutely bursting to be baked.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>They then go into a pre-heated oven at it's hottest temperature (I manage Gas mark 9, but hotter is better) for ten minutes. Then you turn the oven down to Gas 4 to 5 for another 10 to 15 minutes and they're done.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNu1svs219hmrnXzTilsx1hXmdAS4mTEsDkOOY15uhXjlykPS2ovSra5PouhfJoKUm8jBqEXxjGNEQnHzQBer3INQG2Ikw7_1cN-gQU3ud3vXPkimRvdPF22kA9LisLEGZA99iM_OkWyx/s400/December+2009+021.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415185882426689634" /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-329052893876275922009-11-13T16:02:00.005+00:002009-11-13T16:23:00.252+00:00The Way Things AreI could never really say what we actually eat from day to day. I'm not a great planner of meals. Most of the time I tend to just cook whatever happens to be to hand. Sometimes, though I'm organised and that's great.<div><br /></div><div>Last night is a good example of The Way Things Are. I found a packet of prawns in the freezer. I didn't know they were there because Brian bought them. He does most of the supermarket shopping and I do most of the cooking which can lead to Old Mother Hubbard moments when there's nothing in the house except Marmite and bran flakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>These prawns were the fat, juicy frozen uncooked type. What a find! I had some risotto rice and a head of broccoli, so it seemed to suggest a risotto.</div><div><br /></div><div>I sweated off a finely chopped onion in a bit of butter, added the chopped broccoli with the tender parts of the stalk, and then a cupful of rice and let that lot toast and sweat in the butter for about five minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next I added a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and let the rice drink it up before adding a couple of mugfuls of hot chicken stock made from those lovely little Knorr Stockpots - dinky little pots of jellied stock without the powdery taste of previous fave Marigold bouillon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I left it to cook. There is a school of thought that says you should hover over a risotto, stirring it lovingly and adding ladles of hot stock as the rice drinks it up. Then there's another school of thought which says bung the whole lot in at once. I belong to the latter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then the cat arrived among the pigeons - or rather the mobile fishmonger arrived and I'd not only forgotten he was coming, I'd also neglected to make sure I had the requisite cash to make a purchase. Granny in the Annexe took pity and procured me half a kilo of mussels. Perfect to add to my seafood risotto.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I did, along with the prawns, a pinch of thyme and a bit more butter and very delicious it was too (I was told).</div><div><br /></div><div>So that was The Way Things Were last night. Tonight's going to be much the same, except I haven't got a nice bag of prawns to discover any more.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is, however, a rather charming lobster...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430645964860056096.post-29289746499104581842009-10-23T17:23:00.003+01:002009-10-23T17:47:54.994+01:00Halloween cupcakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5hD5vvXS_b8MRxIyUUenrhVmuscbxT3rwqSSt3Zy9O70nmz1Wdg14jTjJRb-cJDuWUCCqTi7wy3c9CG_4oKrykCg_bDqzr3fppjn-nyNjW9ri7ZG93ANDg07GWtgPJXRJKnLxY-VJ5XN/s1600-h/October+2009+037.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5hD5vvXS_b8MRxIyUUenrhVmuscbxT3rwqSSt3Zy9O70nmz1Wdg14jTjJRb-cJDuWUCCqTi7wy3c9CG_4oKrykCg_bDqzr3fppjn-nyNjW9ri7ZG93ANDg07GWtgPJXRJKnLxY-VJ5XN/s400/October+2009+037.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395833488070032594" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div>H7, no longer the teeniest Brownie in the pack, has decided it is time for her to do her cooking badge. This requires her to complete a number of cooking-related tasks and to understand that hands must be washed and that knives are sharp.</div><div><br /></div><div>She has had to cook a healthy meal (leek and potato soup - her current signature dish) and some cakes or biscuits that she can take and share with her fellow Brownies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hence the Halloween cupcakes (yes, they're fairy cakes, but 'Halloween fairy cakes' sounded odd).</div><div><br /></div><div>This is your usual run of the mill fairy cake recipe: two large eggs, a slosh of vanilla extract and 125g each of butter, caster sugar and self raising flour. H7 mixed it all in the new Kenwood; the first time she has used it and extra-exciting because of it. Then the mix is spooned into cake cases and baked for 15 minutes, which is about the time it takes to lick fingers, spoons and bowls clean.</div><div><br /></div><div>She then topped them with glace icing and spirals of black icing dragged out into spider web shapes with a toothpick. (I helped with the spirals - the icing tube was a bit tough to squeeze for little hands, but she did manage three.)</div><div><br /></div><div>All it needed then was a bag of jelly spiders (actually some of them are bats - we ran out of spiders) and there you have it - Halloween cupcakes and a step in the direction of a Brownies cooking badge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfU_hh24J-wPiNmPeSvv2R4Rvs3rdJeY4jIDqix3VfLIydcHtOQHIzxFEhIjhRkoJPOIF0di4iSbsRR1W-4J7tTGOS6PSLBadVeeentzOnEXkWgfH7vmGiOLQWnphY5tf8Cy6ON6Hn-ef/s1600-h/October+2009+047.jpg"></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfU_hh24J-wPiNmPeSvv2R4Rvs3rdJeY4jIDqix3VfLIydcHtOQHIzxFEhIjhRkoJPOIF0di4iSbsRR1W-4J7tTGOS6PSLBadVeeentzOnEXkWgfH7vmGiOLQWnphY5tf8Cy6ON6Hn-ef/s1600-h/October+2009+047.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfU_hh24J-wPiNmPeSvv2R4Rvs3rdJeY4jIDqix3VfLIydcHtOQHIzxFEhIjhRkoJPOIF0di4iSbsRR1W-4J7tTGOS6PSLBadVeeentzOnEXkWgfH7vmGiOLQWnphY5tf8Cy6ON6Hn-ef/s400/October+2009+047.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395833485331258530" /></a><br /><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1