tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16721175244523042062024-03-14T04:33:31.337+01:00In the Kitchen with BarbaraBarbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-40943054231240818712021-07-19T18:35:00.005+02:002021-07-23T22:21:12.187+02:00Indian Sliced Onion Pickle<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKybMj7D1kg/YPWoE2iJbqI/AAAAAAAAe0U/FvwaROPHkY8Zwp1oyJiF9pxPfAMi3M8OwCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210719_180708306.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKybMj7D1kg/YPWoE2iJbqI/AAAAAAAAe0U/FvwaROPHkY8Zwp1oyJiF9pxPfAMi3M8OwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210719_180708306.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span>My new addiction. These onion pickles have an almost perfumed quality that I wasn't sure I liked at first, but they have become a daily habit--on sandwiches, on poké bowls, on salads, as a side with curries. They come from a recently released Dutch cookbook written by an Indian expat. </span><p></p><p><span></span></p><p>The book (<span><i>De Bible van de Indiase Keuken</i> by Paulami Joshi</span>) covers many familiar recipes, certainly for someone like me who has got a fair collection of Indian cookbooks. The recipes are grouped by region and they include some unfamiliar dishes. The book has good illustrated how-to sections on making breads and some other things. It's one weakness is the index, which is almost useless unless you know the exact recipe name. Look under a recipe's major ingredient, like cauliflower or, in this case, onions, and you won't find the recipe listing.<span><br /><br />But the recipes are great and this one is a real gem. </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span>Ingredients <br /></span></h3><p><span>240 ml (1 cup) vinegar<br />120 ml (1/2 cup) water<br />3 cloves<br />1 black cardamom pod, bruised <br />3 green cardamom pods, bruised<br />1 cinnamon stick<br />200-250 g (7-8 oz) red onions or shallots, thinly sliced<br />1 teaspoon sugar<br />2 teaspoons salt</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span>Directions</span></h3><p><span>Have ready a sterilized 400 ml jar with a screw-on lid.<br /></span></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span>In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, and spices to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.</span></li><li><span>While that simmers, thinly slice the onions and put them in the sterilized jar.</span></li><li><span>Pour the spiced liquid and spices over the onions, screw on the lid and let cool. once it has cooled, keep it in the fridge for up to 2 months. (My first batch only lasted for 3 weeks.)</span></li></ol><p style="text-align: center;"><span>Source: De Bible van de Indiase Keuken By Paulami Joshi</span></p><p><span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1HPfZpEJHU/YPWpX03dWiI/AAAAAAAAe0g/NLOEjB3bf8Mkai1W2Y4xzH1lUB3uSEHpQCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210719_180648701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1HPfZpEJHU/YPWpX03dWiI/AAAAAAAAe0g/NLOEjB3bf8Mkai1W2Y4xzH1lUB3uSEHpQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210719_180648701.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div id="line_space"><br /></div><div id="line_space"><br /></div><div id="line_space"><br /></div><div id="line_space"><br /></div><div id="new_signature"><br /></div><p></p>Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-22882092091171508482019-09-23T07:54:00.000+02:002019-09-23T07:57:45.823+02:00Hyderabadi Tomato Curry with Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm always on the lookout for good vegetarian and Indian cookbooks that may offer something new. On a recent trip to Canada, I struck gold with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-India-Journey-Through-Cooking/dp/1101874864" target="_blank"><i>Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking</i></a> by the goddess of Indian cooking in the West, Madhur Jaffrey. It was published in a slightly different form in Great Britain as <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curry-Easy-Vegetarian-Madhur-Jaffrey/dp/0091949475" target="_blank"><i>Curry Easy Vegetarian</i></a>. Although I prefer the metric measures and weights provided in British and European cookbooks, this edition has a more extensive introduction about how and where she collected these recipes. I won't be replacing it!<br />
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I have been cooking from it since I got back, and I haven't hit a dud yet, although I always end up making adjustments, sometimes inadvertently.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sauce without water</i></td></tr>
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For example, Jaffrey never includes water in her list of ingredients, so you have to be very attentive when reading her instructions,because it may be included there. The first time I made this tomato curry, I missed seeing the added 2 1/2 cups of water, so the curry turned out to be quite thick (but delicious!). <br />
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I thought at the time that I would add some water the next time I made it. When I did, I noticed my error but decided not to add as much water as she recommends. And I made some other tweaks in the spices (more chili and turmeric) and tamarind paste.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Hyderabadi Tomato Curry with Eggs</span></h3>
Serves 4<br />
<br />
This simple tomato curry could be served for any meal along with some rice. The sauce is delicious, gently spiced with a sour note from the tamarind. It may be even be better the next day, so I make up a full batch (instead of my usual half recipes) and stock the freezer for a quick meal. It goes well with eggs, but I think it would also be great with fried paneer or little meatballs.<br />
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<h4>
Ingredients</h4>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tSK8TTYmPo/XYhc6OPEN-I/AAAAAAAAOzs/55twPW9qTf0ShafxpwiWpwCgJmHLBwuwgCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_20190922_112812254.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1tSK8TTYmPo/XYhc6OPEN-I/AAAAAAAAOzs/55twPW9qTf0ShafxpwiWpwCgJmHLBwuwgCKgBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20190922_112812254.jpg" width="320" /></a>3 tablespoons chickpea flour<br />
6 tablespoons water <br />
1 1/2 cups pureed tomatoes, passata, or crushed tomatoes (equivalent to 1 can of 400 grams) <br />
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1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups water, depending on your tomatoes and preferences<br />
1 teaspoon tamarind paste<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
6-7 curry leaves *<br />
2 teaspoons ginger, grated<br />
4 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
<br />
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground<br />
1/2 teaspoon kashmiri (red) chili powder, or hot paprika<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric<br />
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4-6 hard boiled eggs <br />
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<i>Tarka:</i><br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds<br />
3-6 hot dry chilis<br />
2 cloves garlic, sliced into long slivers<br />
6-7 curry leaves *<br />
<br />
Cilantro for garnish<br />
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* Fresh curry leaves may be hard to find. You can use frozen or dried curry leaves, and otherwise just omit. <br />
<h4>
Directions</h4>
<ol>
<li>Hard boil the eggs. I prick a hole in the bottom of the eggs, then submerge them in boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes for medium to large eggs. </li>
<li>Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the chickpea flour and toast it for a few minutes, stirring, until it turns a shade darker. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool. When it is cool, mix in 6 tablespoons of water until there are no lumps.</li>
<li>Add the tomatoes, tamarind paste, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix well and set aside.</li>
<li>Heat the oil in a saute pan (preferably non-stick) over medium high heat. </li>
<li>When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves, followed by the ginger and garlic, and stir a few times. </li>
<li>Turn the heat down to low, then add the cumin, chili powder, and turmeric, and stir a few times.</li>
<li>Add the tomato puree mixture, and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.</li>
<li>Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. If you find the sauce too thick, add some more water. If you want it thicker, cook it for a bit longer. </li>
<li>For the final seasoning (the tarka), heat the oil in a small frying pan.</li>
<li>When it is very hot, add the mustard seeds, and when they begin to pop, add the chilis and cumin seeds.</li>
<li>When the chilis darken, add the slivered garlic and brown slightly. </li>
<li>Adding the curry leaves, and quickly pour the lot over the tomato sauce. Stir well.</li>
</ol>
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To serve, pour the tomato sauce in a shallow serving dish. Slice the eggs in half lay them on top of the sauce. Dribble a bit of sauce over the eggs and garnish with shopped cilantro. Serve with rice.<br />
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-41121080659487783222019-05-17T11:58:00.002+02:002019-05-17T11:58:43.640+02:00Parsnip Soup with Pine Nut, Currant, and Celery Leaf Relish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is now spring, so theoretically I should start cooking with fresh peas, artichokes, and asparagus. But before moving on to those, let me share a recipe that I have made a lot this past winter.<br />
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Parsnips are a fixture of British Christmas dinners, but in Holland they were almost unknown and referred to as a <i>forgotten vegetable</i> until a couple of years ago. Prior to the introduction of the potato, they were a staple of the diet here. In fact, they were likely to be the vegetable used instead of the potato in the original <u><i>hutspot</i></u>, which legend says was left behind by Spanish soldiers when the dikes were broken and land flooded during the Siege of Leiden in 1574. Hutspot made with potatoes and carrots is still eaten in Leiden on 3 October to celebrate that Dutch victory.<br />
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And indeed parsnips seem to have been thoroughly forgotten. I never had it as a child, probably because my Dutch parents were unfamiliar with it, although perhaps it was also forgotten in Canada and not available then.<br />
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But it is once again to be found in Dutch supermarkets and not just at the Turkish greengrocers! So there is no excuse for not making this wonderful, unusual, and easy soup.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Parsnip Soup with Pine Nut, Currant, and Celery Leaf Relish</span></h3>
<div>
Adapted from: <i>Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables</i>, by Joshua McFadden<br />
Serves 2 for meal or 4 for a first course</div>
<div>
The zingy fresh relish really makes this dish. Don't omit it!</div>
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<div>
<b>Soup:</b></div>
<div>
1-2 teaspoons olive oil</div>
<div>
500-600 grams parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1 cm coins</div>
<div>
1 large stalk celery, sliced into 1 cm pieces (reserve the celery leaves, if possible)</div>
<div>
1 small onion, thinly sliced</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons butter</div>
<div>
400 ml water (or enough to cover the vegetables) + some more later</div>
<div>
salt and pepper to taste</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Relish</b>:</div>
<div>
1/4 cup currents</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar</div>
<div>
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted</div>
<div>
1/4 cup celery leaves, chopped</div>
<div>
1/4 cup parsley, chopped</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon lemon zest</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon lemon juice</div>
<div>
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes</div>
<div>
salt and pepper to taste</div>
<div>
1-2 teaspoons olive oil </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.</li>
<li>Add the parsnips, celery, onion, and butter, and lightly season with salt and pepper.</li>
<li>Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook slowly without browning for 10-15 minutes.</li>
<li>Add water to cover, increase the heat, and simmer until completely tender, about 5-10 minutes.</li>
<li>Puree the soup, adding more hot water until you have loosened it to a consistency that you like (perhaps thinner for a first course soup or thicker for a meal).</li>
<li>Taste and adjust the seasoning. </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
While the soup is cooking, make the relish.</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Soak the currents in the vinegar for 15 minutes or more.</li>
<li>Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet until they start to turn golden.</li>
<li>Combine all the relish ingredients except olive oil, in a bowl.</li>
<li>Taste and adjust the flavours until bright and zingy before adding some olive oil.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
Serve each portion of soup with a big spoonful of relish. If you have extra relish, serve it on the side for those who want more.</div>
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Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-69339908089585508442018-11-27T22:53:00.000+01:002018-11-27T22:53:44.293+01:00Julia Child's Salade Niçoise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I've always thought of salad niçoise as just a random mixture of vegetables and fish, more specifically potatoes, lettuce, green beans, tomatoes, olives, capers, hard-boiled eggs and tuna. But I recently came across an <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1150431207"></span>episode of The French Chef with Julia Child<span id="goog_1150431208"></span></a> in which she presents it as a composed salad, based around French potato salad. It is much more attractive, and the flavour of the potatoes is much better.<br />
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Apparently the potatoes are not cannonical--she had eaten versions without them. I think they are essential, turning the salad into a complete meal. I prefer to keep the skins on the potatoes.<br />
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For the fish, I sometimes use steamed or smoked makeral, but usually it is made with tuna. The tuna should be packed in oil, not water. Tuna in water has a metallic taste that does not work in this salad at all.<br />
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And I always use kalamata olives rather than the small niçoise olives because I really like the flavour. Besides, niçoise olives are harder to find.<br />
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For the salad greens, I like romaine lettuce, but spinach leaves are also good.<br />
<h3>
Salade Niçoise</h3>
Adapted from Julia Child<br />
(The Art of French Cooking, Volume 1)<br />
<br />
Makes 2 generous servings as a meal, or 4 as a side salad.
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You can prepare the vinaigrette, potato salad, and green beans ahead of time, then just arrange the salad before serving.<br />
<br />
Vinaigrette:<br />
<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard<br />
2 teaspoons red or white wine vinegar<br />
2 teaspoons lemon juice<br />
6 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, or 1 teaspoon dried herbs<br />
<br />
Potato salad:<br />
<br />
300 -350 grams waxy potatoes, such as rosevale<br />
1 small shallot, minced, or 2 spring onions, sliced<br />
1 tablespoon white wine<br />
1 tablespoon bouillon, or water<br />
2 tablespoons vinaigrette<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Rest of the salad:<br />
150 grams green beans<br />
1 little gem romaine lettuce, washed and dried<br />
1 medium tomato, cut into 12 pieces, or 6 cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
2 anchovies<br />
1 tin tuna in oil<br />
2 eggs, hard-boiled<br />
1/4 cup kalamata or niçoise olives<br />
1 tablespoon capers<br />
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (such as dill and/or parsley)<br />
<ol>
<li>Make the vinaigrette by adding all the ingredients to a jar and then shaking vigorously.</li>
<li>Boil or steam the potatoes and green beans until tender. When done, put the potatoes in a bowl, and plunge the beans into cold water before setting aside to drain. </li>
<li>While still warm, cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces, then add the white wine or vermouth and bouillon or water, and season with salt and pepper.</li>
<li>After 5 minutes or so, add a few tablespoons of vinaigrette, and toss the potatoes with the minced shallot or spring onions.</li>
</ol>
<br />
To serve, arrange the salad on a plate in a pleasing pattern. For example, start by placing the salad leaves in a circle on the plate, put the potato salad in the middle, then arrange the green beans, tomatoes, anchovies, tuna, and quartered eggs around it. Sprinkle with olives, capers, and fresh herbs. Spoon the vinaigrette over the salad and season with salt and pepper.<br />
<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-12726523816830615132018-08-19T13:09:00.000+02:002018-08-19T13:10:50.531+02:00Watermelon Recipes for Hot Summer Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The summer of 2018 has been a scorcher almost all over the world it seems. The heat has finally broken here in Amsterdam, but I am still enjoying the heat relief recipes of the last two months—easy, no-cook and thirst-quenching recipes for <b>gazpacho</b> and <b>lemonade</b> that both feature watermelon as a key ingredient.<br />
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Watermelon is a bit of a problem for a single person. I can buy a half or a quarter from the local greengrocers, but that's still a lot of watermelon, and in the heat, it has to be kept in the fridge. Making a batch of soup and/or lemonade is a great way to use it up quickly, and with a bit of room in the freezer, I can freeze it too. (Although the lemonade never made it that far!)<br />
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These days, you can often find (almost) seedless watermelon, but if you can't make sure you remove the seeds before blitzing chunks of water melon for both the soup and the lemonade.<br />
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<h2>
Watermelon Gazpacho</h2>
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Gazpacho, the cold soup of Spain, is always popular in hot summers. Truth to tell, I am not that fond of tomato gazpacho, but you can wake me up for this one. The secret is in the sweetness provided by the watermelon, which is balanced out by the acidity of the tomatoes and sherry vinegar, and the mild punch of the chili pepper. I served it to a friend who had already had a glass of the watermelon lemonade yet could not bring home the slight sweetness in the soup that I served as a first course.<br />
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There is no need to be precise about measurements with this recipe. Just make sure you taste it to get a balance you like. If it is too sweet, add a bit more vinegar and/or vegetables; add more chili pepper salt and pepper to taste. You will need a food processor or blender.<br />
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Adapted from <a href="https://www.trouw.nl/cultuur/karin-weet-raad-met-rijpe-tomaten-gazpacho-met-watermeloen-~ad5905b2/" target="_blank">Gazpacho (met Watermeloen)</a><br />
Serves 2-3 as a meal, or more if served as appetizers or amuses<br />
Keeps well for 2 days in the fridge.<br />
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Soup:<br />
<br />
300 g watermelon, rind removed (about 2 thick slices of a quarter watermelon)<br />
300 g ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/4 large beefsteak tomato)<br />
130 g cucumber (about 1/3)<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
1/2 chili pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (I used Aleppo chili flakes)<br />
1 slice stale bread, crust removed<br />
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)<br />
2 tablespoons good olive oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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Garnish:<br />
1 spring onion, finely sliced<br />
20-40 gr cucumber, finely diced<br />
sliced mint leaves<br />
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<ol>
<li>Roughly chop the watermelon, tomatoes, and cucumber and put in the bowl of the food processor.</li>
<li>Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into cubes, and add to the vegetables.</li>
<li>Add the garlic, vinegar, and olive oil, salt and pepper, then blitz until everything is finely ground.</li>
<li>Taste and adjust the seasonings.</li>
<li>Chill for 1-2 hours until it is really cold. If time is short, serve it over a couple of ice blocks.</li>
<li>Pour into bowls and garnish with the chopped sprint onions, diced cucumber, and mint leaves.</li>
</ol>
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Watermelon Lemonade</h2>
Adapted from <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/watermelon-lemonade/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a><br />
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This recipe uses simple syrup instead of plain sugar because it is pre-dissolved and mixes more easily. To make simple syrup, heat equal weights of sugar and water in a small sauce pan until the sugar is completely dissolved. I use 150 g sugar and 150 ml water. This yields enough for several batches of lemonade, and in a hot summer with lots of watermelon to use up, I make a batch every couple of days!
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<br />
60-70 ml lemon juice (juice of approx. 2 lemons)
<br />
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind<br />
200 ml watermelon, rind removed (about 2 thick slices of a quarter watermelon)<br />
2 tablespoons simple syrup<br />
200 ml cold water, flat or sparkling<br />
<ol>
<li>Clean the lemons and grate the lemon rind. (Save the extra lemon rind in a small jar in the freezer for other recipes.)
</li>
<li>Roll the lemons around to release the juice (or heat a 15-3 seconds in the microwave) and then juice the lemons. Pour though a strainer to remove the seeds, but use as much pulp as you can.
</li>
<li>Roughly chop and de-seed the watermelon, then blitz all the ingredients except the water using a blender, wand blender, or food processor. </li>
<li>Taste, and adjust the flavour by adding more simple syrup if you like it sweeter, or lemon rind and/or juice if you like it less sweet. At this point, it is a concentrate that you can store in the fridge. </li>
<li>To serve, pour a glass half full and add an equal amount of cold water and some ice cubes. Aaaah!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-17668157162041499202018-01-01T15:49:00.000+01:002018-01-01T17:28:32.211+01:00Marinated Sweet and Sour Fish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love fish but don't eat it often enough, which is odd considering how quick it can be to cooked for a weeknight supper. This recipe does not fit into the weeknight supper category unless you make it the day before, but it is lovely if you do! It features fried fish fillets and sweet peppers in a curry-flavoured sweet and sour marinade.<br />
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I usually make it with pollack or cod fillets, but you you could use any firm-fleshed sustainably-sourced fish, including halibut, hake, or haddock fillets, or small fish, such as red mullet, sardines, or small mackerel.<br />
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It is meant to be served at room temperature as a starter or light supper, but I have also served it warmed up as part of an Indian meal. In fact, in winter I always prefer it warm.<br />
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The recipe is adapted from Ottlogenghi's Jerusalem cookbook, but it reminds me a bit of a South African recipe for pickled fish that I encountered in the Time-Life Foods of the World: Africa cookbook. Ottolenghi gives Danielle Postma the credit for this recipe, and Postma is a Dutch (Frisian) name which I assume would also be common in South Africa, so who knows where its origins really lie.<br />
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<h3>
Marinated sweet and sour fish</h3>
I adapted the original recipe by finishing the dish on the stove top, rather than transferring it to the oven to cook for 10-12 minutes. Fish is delicate and overcooking it is a cardinal sin, so if it is almost cooked during the frying stage, it is easier to keep an eye on it on the stove.<br />
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You can start the marinade first and fry the fish in a separate frying pan as the marinade cooks, or start by frying the fish and then use the same pan to make the marinade. If you are using a single pan, use a saute pan or casserole that is large enough to accommodate the vegetables and fish. Either way, the fish is added to the marinade at the end.<br />
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Fish:<br />
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500-600 grams sustainably-sourced fish fillets or small fish, scaled and gutted<br />
2-4 tablespoons of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper<br />
1 large egg, beaten<br />
1 tablespoon oil<br />
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Marinade:<br />
<br />
2 medium onions, sliced 1 cm thick.<br />
2 bell peppers, 1 red and 1 yellow, sliced in 1 cm strips<br />
3 medium tomatoes, chopped<br />
2 garlic gloves, crushed<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
1 tablespoon coriander seeds<br />
3 bay leaves<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder<br />
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar<br />
5 tablespoons apple or cider vinegar<br />
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
pepper<br />
aprox. 250 ml water<br />
1-2 tablespoons coriander leaf for garnish<br />
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<ol>
<li>Prepare the vegetables, slicing the onions and peppers 1 cm thick, and chopping the tomatoes.</li>
<li>Sprinkle the fish with salt, roll in the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg. (This helps to keep the fish together in the marinade, so don't omit this step.)</li>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or saute pan. </li>
<li>Fry the fish for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to paper towels and set aside. </li>
<li>Wipe out the pan, and heat 2 tablespoons of oil.</li>
<li>Add the onions and coriander seeds, and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.</li>
<li>Add the peppers and cook for another 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the garlic, bay leaves, curry powder and tomoatoes, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.</li>
<li>Add the sugar, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons, several grinds of pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the fish to the pan, pushing the vegetables aside so the fish is nestled on the bottom of the pan.</li>
<li>Add about 250 ml water to the pan, just enough to ensure the fish is submerged, then bring up to a gentle simmer.</li>
<li>Poach the fish for 1-3 minutes until it is just cooked, and flakes when you gently insert a knife. The time required depends on the type of fish and the thickness of the fillets. (Personally, I think it is better if it is slightly underdone and finishes cooking in the marinade as it cools.)</li>
<li>Remove the pan from the heat and let it come to room temperature. </li>
<li>You can serve it now or let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days. </li>
<li>To serve, let it come to room temperature or heat it up gently on stove. Taste, adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaf for garnish.</li>
</ol>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-68093969374361271262018-01-01T12:48:00.000+01:002018-01-01T15:50:32.378+01:00Apricot Nut Loaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's ring in the new year with a heirloom recipe from my family. Apricot nut bread is a simple, robust cake, low in fat, and easy to make. The apricots and lemon zest give it a bit of zing, the nuts provide contrast, and it can be served at breakfast, brunch, or with coffee and tea. It tastes even better when spread with some butter, but there goes the low-fat advantage!<br />
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My mother has been making it for decades and often gifts it to friends. I think she collected the original recipe from a newspaper back in the 1960s. I have tweaked it a bit by lowering the amount of baking powder, substituting pecans for walnuts, and using oil instead of melted butter. To make it a little more healthy, I often substitute half of the flour with whole wheat flour (which I did for the pictured loaf). This seems to work well with pecans, but it might be too hearty for almonds.<br />
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Wrapped in plastic or foil, apricot nut bread keeps well for 4-5 days, and it also freezes well.<br />
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2 cups (280 grams) flour<br />
1 cup (200 grams) sugar<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup (60 grams) chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts for preference, but unblanched almonds or hazelnuts would also work)<br />
3/4 cup (100 grams) dried apricots, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter<br />
1 egg<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated<br />
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<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.</li>
<li>Grease a loaf tin well. Optionally, also line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. (This cake as a tendency to stick a bit, perhaps because of the low fat content, so this prevents the problem and makes it easy to lift out of the tin.)</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and, salt.</li>
<li>Chop the apricots and nuts, then stir them into the flour mixture. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
<li>In a large measuring cup or small bowl, beat the oil and egg together, then add the milk and stir in the lemon peel.</li>
<li>Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir just long enough to ensure that dry ingredients are incorporated into the batter. Do not over mix or beat, as this will prevent the cake from rising properly. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
<li>Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
<li>Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before loosening the sides with a knife and turning out onto a rack to finish cooling. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-43150957704450485492016-12-08T22:11:00.003+01:002018-01-01T13:05:08.359+01:00Addictive Beetroot Kebabs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple of months ago, I acquired a new cookbook by Meera Sodha called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Fresh-India-Quick-Easy-Delicious-Recipes-Every/0241200423" target="_blank">Fresh India</a></i>. This is a fabulous book and I have it almost constantly open on my cookbook stand. The recipe I turn to most frequently is one that uses that under appreciated vegetable--beetroot. This recipe is so good, even people who don't like beets (like my brother-in-law) love them.<br />
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Although I live alone, I make a whole batch of these and keep some of the patties in the fridge or freezer and fry them up when desired. They can be served as an appetizer or snack, or you can make them the focal point of an Indian meal, with some rice, dal, and raita on the side.<br />
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For me, this is almost fast food because I can buy cooked beets in the local supermarkets and greengrocers, and paneer cheese in a little Indian/Suriname store near me. But cooking beets is not hard, and you can make your own paneer too (see <a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2010/09/saag-paneer.html#more" target="_blank">Saag Paneer</a>). But I have also made it with drained cottage cheese. I think you could make it with soft feta cheese too (although I would reduce the salt then).<br />
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These kebabs are quite soft and delicate. They need to be gently handled, but are easy to make.<br />
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2018-01-01 Update: I no longer add an egg to the mixture. It just makes it too wet and the chickpea flour is enough to bind it. I have also used this mixture in samosas made with filo pastry.<br />
<h3>
Indian Beet Kebabs</h3>
<div>
Adapted from Meera Sodha</div>
<div>
Yield: 18 small patties</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
500 g cooked beets </div>
<div>
225 g paneer cheese (or cottage cheese or feta)</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons lemon juice</div>
<div>
4 cm fresh ginger, peeled and minced fine or grated</div>
<div>
3 cloves garlic, minced or puréed </div>
<div>
2 small green chillies, chopped fine</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon garam masala</div>
<div>
1.5 teaspoons salt</div>
<div>
4 tablespoons chickpea flour (or wheat flour)</div>
<div>
30 grams fresh coriander, chopped fine</div>
<div>
1 egg, beaten (optional)</div>
<div>
1 tablespoon oil, for frying</div>
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<li>Purée the cooked beets in a blender or food processor. (I use my immersion blender.)</li>
<li>Pour the beet purée into a large frying pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce the liquid.<br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nEbQwc0VgxE/WEnHLU5IpvI/AAAAAAAAFxE/YsdxRejDLZIiOVa64Gt05VB0BIiauFo3wCEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B11.42.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nEbQwc0VgxE/WEnHLU5IpvI/AAAAAAAAFxE/YsdxRejDLZIiOVa64Gt05VB0BIiauFo3wCEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B11.42.29.jpg" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Crumble in the paneer or other cheese, and mix thoroughly.</li>
<li>Add the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chillies, garam masala, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.<br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jzLP99zqyDs/WEnHeQLhbTI/AAAAAAAAFxI/yiYzvYkULgkXL0J3rirdMqltCFpw_Yx3gCEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B11.48.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jzLP99zqyDs/WEnHeQLhbTI/AAAAAAAAFxI/yiYzvYkULgkXL0J3rirdMqltCFpw_Yx3gCEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B11.48.17.jpg" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the chickpea flour and chopped coriander. Let it cool down.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lmqxlanU8Y/WEnIkBjAS_I/AAAAAAAAFxc/2fbFWr3oz7I-bAMJzTfodgLBUCrQE2zwwCEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B11.55.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7lmqxlanU8Y/WEnIkBjAS_I/AAAAAAAAFxc/2fbFWr3oz7I-bAMJzTfodgLBUCrQE2zwwCEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B11.55.03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li>Add the egg and mix thoroughly.<br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LK05r0dCROw/WEnIZQOgSHI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/r4D3Vp9qhu4sU7FUqKQQmSjKWJNsEU3NwCEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B12.15.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LK05r0dCROw/WEnIZQOgSHI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/r4D3Vp9qhu4sU7FUqKQQmSjKWJNsEU3NwCEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B12.15.10.jpg" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Take 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball, then gently flatten it and place it on a plate or baking tray lined with parchment paper. You should get 18 to 20 patties. At this point you can choose to chill or freeze the for future use.<br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HM-zSGlk4fQ/WEnIkIfdiqI/AAAAAAAAFxY/91sL-l6b2JwnsOU8Z9QH_vznvb9sOfSKACEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B12.23.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HM-zSGlk4fQ/WEnIkIfdiqI/AAAAAAAAFxY/91sL-l6b2JwnsOU8Z9QH_vznvb9sOfSKACEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B12.23.13.jpg" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Heat a teaspoon of in a small frying pan over high heat, then add 4 patties and fry for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Gently turn the patties over and fry for another 1.5 minutes.<br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZuBYA7CPoU/WEnIk90FuLI/AAAAAAAAFxg/f2i5_zqxdUciXRWBkh28MIOFsSzcmu_cACEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B12.33.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZuBYA7CPoU/WEnIk90FuLI/AAAAAAAAFxg/f2i5_zqxdUciXRWBkh28MIOFsSzcmu_cACEw/s200/2016-12-04%2B12.33.08.jpg" width="200" /></a></li>
<li>Transfer the kebabs to a plate and serve with cucumber yoghurt raita and naan bread or pappadums.<br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G1nPZYZ8dn0/WEnIk2VNptI/AAAAAAAAFxk/BFcrmlBwhD4ZsOEfRJUB9ZihhFvpKSfVQCEw/s1600/2016-12-04%2B12.36.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G1nPZYZ8dn0/WEnIk2VNptI/AAAAAAAAFxk/BFcrmlBwhD4ZsOEfRJUB9ZihhFvpKSfVQCEw/s320/2016-12-04%2B12.36.38.jpg" width="240" /></a></li>
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Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-34546800380226413942015-10-31T10:45:00.000+01:002018-01-01T13:05:45.808+01:00Briam <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love one dish meals with lots of vegetables. The countries of the Middle East and North Africa are a great source of such recipes, but this one hails from Greece, although Turkey may claim this flavourful stew too.<br />
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Briam is a dish that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. It's basically sliced vegetables layered into a casserole dish with fresh dill, garlic, and salt and pepper, but the flavours meld together in a way that is hard to describe. The vegetables can be varied as can the herb. If you prefer to use basil, marjoram, or oregano, or something else, that would work too. But I think dill is the best, and I like to add crumbled feta to it to make it a complete meal.<br />
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This makes enough to serve 2-3 people, so double or triple it for more people. You may have to adjust the cooking time. The layers of vegetables should be 10 cm / 4 inches at most<br />
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Feel free to substitute vegetables, such as zucchini or sweet peppers for aubergine or sweet potato. Or use any vegetables that are in season. This is just my favourite combination.</div>
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1 medium potato, sliced to 1/2 cm</div>
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2 tomatoes, sliced to 1/2 cm<br />
2 more tomatoes, skinned and crushed (or use some canned tomatoes)</div>
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1 medium onion, sliced to 1/2 cm</div>
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3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced</div>
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1 baby aubergine, slice to 1 cm</div>
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1 small sweet potato, sliced to 1/2 cm</div>
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2-3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped</div>
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3 tablespoons olive oil</div>
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2 tablespoons water or tomato juice</div>
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100 trams of feta cheese, crumbled</div>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F</li>
<li>In 2 litter casserole dish that is at least 4 inches high, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.</li>
<li>Spread all the sliced potato in the bottom. </li>
<li>Add half the sliced tomatoes, 1 sliced garlic clove, and a tablespoon of chopped dill. Season with some salt and pepper.</li>
<li>Add a layer of 1/2 the eggplant slices, followed by half the sweet potato slices. Season with some salt and pepper.</li>
<li>Repeat the layers of tomatoes, onions, garlic, dill, aubergine, and sweet potato, and seasoning. Tuck in the remaining garlic clove slices.</li>
<li>Mix the crushed tomatoes with the remaining olive oil and the water, then pour over the vegetables.</li>
<li>Bake for 25-30 minutes, and then crumble the feta cheese over the top.</li>
<li>Return to the oven and be for another 15-20 minutes. The vegetables should be completely done and tender.</li>
<li>Serve with some good bread to sop up the juices, or with some rice.</li>
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Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-87854233147096825162015-02-06T22:12:00.001+01:002018-01-01T15:51:27.892+01:00Tweaking Ottolenghi Recipes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have two cookbooks (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Plenty-Vibrant-Vegetable-Recipes-Ottolenghi/dp/1452101248" target="_blank">Plenty</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-A-Cookbook-Yotam-Ottolenghi/dp/1607743949" target="_blank">Jerusalem</a>) by Yotam Ottolenghi, the London-based Israeli restauranteur, and have tried quite a number of recipes from the books and from those gleaned online, where he is everywhere.<br />
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I like his big bold flavours and sometimes unusual combinations, but I also have some caveats--his penchant for not easily obtainable foods (cobnuts or barberries, anyone?), the high fat content, the complexity of many recipes, their narrative style which does not always progress in the most logical order, the cooking times that sometimes bear no relationship with my experience. You wonder whether his recipes are actually tested in a home environment. I've been surprised in going through my cookbook notes that I've often had comments like "disappointing", "too dry", "mango doesn't work in this",<br />
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So I tweak his recipes, trying to reduce the fat where possible, substituting or omitting unobtainable ingredients, adjusting proportions and cooking times. I go to him for vegetarian inspiration, because he does have great ideas.<br />
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Here is one of my favourites.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Cauliflower Cake</span><br />
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This is a great vegetarian main dish. It would make a good dish for a picnic or buffet because it can be eaten hot or cold, and is sturdy enough to be picked up and eaten with your hand. In small slices, you could serve it as hors d'ouevres.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/02/cauliflower-cake-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi" target="_blank">original recipe</a> calls for 10 eggs (!) and is intended to make a 24-cm cake that he says will serve 4 to 6 people. The man is mad, as that will easily serve 8-10 people. The following recipe makes an 18-cm cake that will serve 4 people as a main course with sides. I've reduced the oil, eggs, and cheese, increased the proportion of onion, and simplified the method.<br />
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31-Oct-2015: Even more variations are possible! These days I often add something spicy to give this cake a bit of a kick--a chopped chili pepper sauteed with the onion, or a couple of teaspoons of sambal or hot chutney. And I substitute chickpea (gram) flour for part of the flour to give it a more Indian vibe.<br />
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1 tablespoon of butter<br />
2-3 tablespoons of nigella seeds (aka black cumin, onion seeds) or sesame seeds<br />
1/2 head of cauliflower (350-400g)<br />
1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil<br />
1 red onion<br />
1 teaspoon of finely-chopped fresh rosemary<br />
1 teaspoon dried basil, or 10g fresh basil, chopped<br />
4 eggs<br />
3 tablespoons (45ml) milk<br />
90 grams flour<br />
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
freshly-ground black pepper<br />
1/4 teaspoon turmeric<br />
100 grams of sharp cheese, such as parmesan, aged Gouda or aged cheddar<br />
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<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.</li>
<li>Line the bottom of an 18-cm springform cake tin with parchment paper and use the butter to grease the bottom and sides of the tin. Sprinkle in the nigella or sesame seed and toss them around to coat the bottom and sides. This will add a pleasant crunch to the crust. (If you haven't got an 18cm springform, you can line a loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides so that you can lift it out.)</li>
<li>Cut the cauliflower into medium florets and steam covered over simmering water for 10 minutes until just tender. Set aside to drain and cool.</li>
<li>Peel the onion and cut a few rings off to use as decoration, and chop the rest of the onion rather finely (1.2 cm dice). Mince the rosemary.</li>
<li>Over medium low heat, saute the chopped onion and minced rosemary in a tablespoon of oil for about 8 minutes until soft. Take off the heat and mix with the steamed cauliflower and basil.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, turmeric, salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Grate in the cheese and mix well.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, beat the eggs and milk.</li>
<li>Add the egg mixture to the flour and cheese mixture and stir until just combined.</li>
<li>Gently fold the vegetables and herbs into the batter, then pour into the prepared cake tin. Decorate the top with the reserved onion rings.</li>
<li>Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and let cool for 5 minutes. Take knife around the edge to loosen the cake, before loosening and removing the side ring. </li>
<li>Serve warm with a green vegetable and sharp salad (steamed spinach and three-bean salad or tabouli). Or let cool and wrap in cling film and eat it the next day.</li>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-20063149565036940082014-12-28T17:40:00.000+01:002018-01-01T13:44:19.453+01:00Ginger Cheesecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a new love. For years I've been true to <a href="http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2739010-Famous-Lemon-Cheesecake" target="_blank">Susan Mendelsohn's Lemon Cheesecake</a>, but this year I saw Mary Berry bake a white chocolate and ginger cheesecake. It was love at first sight, and with a few tweeks, I made it as dessert for our Christmas meal. The general consensus was that it was one of the best cakes we've ever had, so you are forewarned!<br />
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This recipe is for a 20 cm spring-form pan, which I don't have. Instead I made it in an 18 cm pan, and used the extra to make a 10 cm tart.</div>
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If you have leftovers you will notice that the ginger flavour gets more pronounced after a day or two. I baked it on Christmas Eve and served it Christmas Day and the balance between ginger and white chocolate was perfect then.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Ginger Cheesecake</span></div>
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Based on a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/marys_white_chocolate_55940" target="_blank">recipe by Mary Berry</a>, I didn't use chocolate in the crust or decorations, Instead, I added dry ginger and ginger syrup in the crust, and increased the amount of stem ginger in the cheesecake itself. If you have access to ginger snaps, you could try using those for the base instead of digestive biscuits.<br />
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I had the oven a bit too hot with the result that the cheesecake browned a bit at the edges. Surprisingly, it didn't crack, but to produce a more attractive finish, I whipped some cream cheese and ginger syrup and spread that over the top before finishing it off with slices of stem ginger.<br />
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<b>For the base</b><br />
150 grams digestive biscuits (or ginger snaps)<br />
50 grams softened butter, plus extra for greasing<br />
30 ml ginger syrup<br />
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1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
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<b>For the filling</b><br />
300 grams white chocolate<br />
330 grams cream cheese<br />
150 ml sour cream<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
6 pieces of stem ginger (in syrup), finely chopped<br />
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<b>For the decoration</b><br />
100 grams cream cheese<br />
30 ml ginger syrup<br />
1 tablespoon fine sugar<br />
2 balls of stem ginger, sliced<br />
pearl sugar<br />
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<ol>
<li>Grease the base of a 20cm/8in spring-form pan and line the bottom with baking parchment.</li>
<li>Put the digestive cookies in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin to crush them, then add the 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. (If you uses ginger snaps, don't add the ginger.)</li>
<li>Mix in the softened butter and ginger syrup. I find it easiest to use my hands.</li>
<li>Add the crumb mixture to the cake pan and press into the bottom with your fingers to make an even layer. Chill in the fridge for a half hour or so.</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 170C/325F while you make the filling.</li>
<li>Break the white chocolate into pieces and melt them in a microwave oven or in a bain-marie (a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, without touching the water), stirring occasionally.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth, then stir in the melted white chocolate. Fold in the chopped ginger.</li>
<li>Pour the mixture onto the crumb base in the spring-form pan and spread out evenly. </li>
<li>Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until firm around the edge and just set in the middle.</li>
<li>Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes, before loosening with a knife and releasing the spring. Let cool completely, then chill in the fridge.</li>
<li>For the decoration, mix the cream cheese, syrup, and sugar until smooth, then spread over the top of the cheesecake. Thinly slice the ginger balls and arrange attractively around the edges and center of the cheesecake. If you can find it, at a piece of pearl sugar or other type of decoration to the slices.</li>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-51109895872361091102014-12-27T16:24:00.001+01:002014-12-27T16:24:42.302+01:00Spatchcocked Turkey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year, after detours to ham and venison in the past couple of years, I returned to tradition for the Christmas dinner, so a small free-range turkey was on the menu.<br />
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Some years ago I discovered the technique of <a href="http://www.latimes.com/la-fo-saltedturkey-story.html" target="_blank">dry brining turkey</a> to completely season the meat. This year I discovered <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/magazine/split-roast-turkey.html" target="_blank">spatchcocked turkey</a> for more even and much faster cooking. (Isn't spatchcock a wonderful word?) I've done this with chicken so I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to do this with turkey before.<br />
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My turkey was just over 6 pounds and I dry-brined it with about 2 tablespoons of sea salt, three days before it went into the oven . On Christmas Day, I removed the wishbone, removed the backbone and flattened the turkey. Then loosened the skin and tucked herbed garlic butter under the skin of the breast and over the sin of the legs. It roasted for 20 minutes at 250 degrees and another half hour at 200 degrees, then rested for 20 minutes before I carved it following the directions <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/how-to-spatchcock-cook-turkey-thanksgiving-fast-easy-way-spatchcocked-slideshow.html#show-283136" target="_blank">here</a>. It was easy to do and looked great.<br />
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I like to make <a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2011/12/and-all-trimmings.html#more" target="_blank">my version</a> of Jamie Oliver's make-ahead gravy a couple of days in advance. I find it hard enough to juggle the timings for appetizer, oven room and vegetables, so not having to make gravy reduces the stress. This year I included a chopped fennel bulb and only one carrot. It was good!<br />
<br />
As usual, good company and good food made for a memorable meal.Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-39307800703878008622014-09-23T13:31:00.000+02:002018-08-21T21:33:11.143+02:00Apple Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a new favourite muffin recipe. It's a bit more work than my <a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2013/08/madrigal-muffins.html" target="_blank">Madrigal Muffins</a>, but sooooo yummy.<br />
<br />
This is an adaptation from a recipe that appears in our family cookbook, but I've dialed down the sugar, upped the fiber, replaced butter with oil, changed the spices, and simplified the method.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Apple Muffins</span><br />
Yield: 32 mini muffins, or 16 regular muffins<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><b>Metric</b></td>
<td><b>American</b></td>
<td><b>Ingredient</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>125 g</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td>whole wheat flour</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>160 g</td>
<td>1.25 cup</td>
<td>white flour</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>160 g </td>
<td> .75 cup</td>
<td>packed brown sugar</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5 ml</td>
<td>1 teaspoon</td>
<td>baking soda</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5 ml</td>
<td>1 teaspoon</td>
<td>ground cinnamon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3 ml</td>
<td> .5 teaspoon</td>
<td>ground ginger</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>225 gg</td>
<td>1.5 cups</td>
<td>diced apple </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>240 ml</td>
<td>1 cup</td>
<td>buttermilk (or milk, plus 2 teaspoons vinegar)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12 ml</td>
<td> .5 cup</td>
<td>oil</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td>1</td>
<td>egg, beaten</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5 ml</td>
<td>1 teaspoon</td>
<td>vanilla extract or essence</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Topping:
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>50 g</td>
<td>.25 cup</td>
<td>packed brown sugar</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>45 ml</td>
<td>3 tablespoons</td>
<td>flour</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> 3 ml </td>
<td>1 teaspoon</td>
<td>cinnamon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>15 ml</td>
<td>1 tablespoon</td>
<td>melted butter</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 190C or 350F and prepare the muffin tins. I use muffin liners for regular muffins but butter the tin when making mini-muffins.</li>
<li>In a bowl, combine all the ingredients of the topping, mixing so that it clumps together. (I've been known to use my fingers to rub it all together.) Set aside.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, spices).</li>
<li>Add the diced apple to the dry ingredients and mix.</li>
<li>In a smaller bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients (buttermilk or clabbered milk, oil, egg, and vanilla).</li>
<li>Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all in one go, then mix only until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.</li>
<li>Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, then sprinkle some of the topping over each muffin.</li>
<li>Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the muffins are nicely risen and browned, and the tops of the muffins bounce back when gently pressed.</li>
<li>Let rest in the tin for a few minutes, then remove the muffins to a cooling rack.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-85867222427998377762014-08-17T10:56:00.000+02:002014-08-17T10:56:42.100+02:00Time-Life: Scandinavia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've gotten somewhat behind with the the Time-Life books cooking schedule. Part of it was the interruption caused by my holiday. The good part of that was that I was able to pick up the rest of the Time Life set that I purchased last year. It had been languishing at my sister's since then.<br />
<br />
Another part of the interruption is perhaps how uninspiring I found the Scandinavian book. Traditional Scandinavian cooking seems to be just as plain as Dutch cooking. The baked goods looked the most interesting of all, but I really don't feel like making Danish pastries (which are of course, Viennese pastries.)<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I found one recipe that sounded interesting and that was the Norwegian fish pudding, which can also be formed into balls and added to a soup. So I decided to try my hand at Bergen fish soup with fish balls, but with a twist from Louisiana (hello Creole and Acadian Cooking!).<br />
<br />
I made the fish stock following the recipe but found it very bland. Since I was also making jambalaya, I had some shrimp shells, so I added them to the fish bouillon, which ended up being more flavourful, a bit more colourful, and perhaps a less delicate match for the fish balls.
Ah well, the resulting soup was good.<br />
<br />
The fish balls were an interesting addition. They added a soft and fluffy texture that complimented the delicate flavour and texture of the soup. I can imagine children enjoying this soup. <br />
<h2>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Norwegian Fish Soup </span></h2>
My adaptations to these recipes were to and shrimp shells to the stock for the fish soup. I used the last of my parsnips for the fish stock so didn't have any for the vegetables in the soup, so substituted celery. Given how sweet parsnips can be, I suspect that this was a good idea anyway. And I used fresh dill to garnish.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Fish Pudding /Fish Balls
</span></b><br />
The following ingredients make a small fish pudding and about 25 fish balls. Or you could just make one or the other.<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><th></th></tr>
<tr><td><b>Metric</b></td><td><b>American</b></td><td><b>Ingredient</b></td></tr>
</tbody><tbody>
<tr><td>600 grams</td><td>1 1/2 pounds</td><td>cod filet</td></tr>
<tr><td>30 ml</td><td>2 tablespoons</td><td>milk</td></tr>
<tr><td>60 ml</td><td>1/4 cup</td><td>cream</td></tr>
<tr><td>10 ml</td><td>2 teaspoons</td><td>salt</td></tr>
<tr><td>20 ml</td><td>1 1/2 tablespoons</td><td>corn starch</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td>freshly ground pepper, to taste</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ol>
<li>For the fish pudding, butter a small loaf tin and dust with bread crumbs. (A mini tin is good if you are making a half recipe fish pudding.) Preheat the oven to 175 C/325 F</li>
<li>Mix the milk and cream. Cut the fish into chunks, making sure to remove any bones that may still be in the fish fillets.</li>
<li>In a food processor gradually add the fish pieces with some of the cream mixture, pulsing them to form a smooth puree, and scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the salt, corn starch, and any cream mixture that hasn't been used yet.</li>
<li><img 150="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MH28AnzNrsE/U_BtMJ0OESI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/wKRWv_S4lCk/s1600/IMG_0392.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" width="200" /><i>For the fish pudding</i>: Press and smooth the mixture into the prepared loaf tin so that no air pocket remain, then cover with some buttered aluminum foil. Place the tin a roasting pan and add boiling water until it reaches three-quarters up the side of the tin. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes. The pudding is done when the top feels firm and a cake tester comes out clean. Turn the pudding out onto a serving plate. </li>
<li><i>For the fish balls</i>: Place the fish puree in the fridge for a half hour or so to stiffen up. Scoop out using a tablespoon and roll into balls using your hands. You can put the balls back into the fridge until ready to cook in the fish bouillon or water for 2-3 minutes. After cooking, drain them and add to the fish soup just before serving.</li>
</ol>
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Fish Stock</span></b><br />
<br />
2 medium carrot, chopped<br />
1 medium parsnip, chopped<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
1 large potato, chopped<br />
1 celery stalk, chopped<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1 parsley stalk<br />
6 peppercorns<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
4 liters water<br />
900 grams / 2 pounds white fish remnants, such as white fish bones and heads (I can get this free from my fishmonger)<br />
Optional: shells from about 20 large shrimp<br />
<br />
Put all the ingredients except the shrimp shells into a soup pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.<br />
Drain the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl or another large pot. Press the solids with a spoon to get as much of the moisture into the broth as possible. Discard the solids.<br />
Rinse or wipe the soup pot and return the broth to the pot. Boil the broth until it has reduced to half the volume (about 2 liters).<br />
Now add the shrimp shells, if using, and simmer for 10 minutes.<br />
Drain the stock into a large saucepan through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Fish Soup</span></b><br />
<br />
25-30 fish balls, or 1 pound of fish filet such as cod or halibut<br />
2 medium carrots, finely chopped<br />
1 stalk celery, finely chopped<br />
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped<br />
2 egg yolks<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Bring the fish stock to a gentle simmer and add the fish balls. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. If you are using a fish filet, simmer it whole until the fish flakes. Then remove to drain.</li>
<li>Add the carrots and celery to the fish broth and simmer for 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the chopped leek and simmer for another 3 minutes.</li>
<li>Beat the egg yolks and gradually beat in about 1/2 cup of the hot broth, a few tablespoons at a time.</li>
<li>Gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the soup, stirring all the while.</li>
<li>Return the fish balls to the soup and heat through, but do not bring the soup to the boil. If you are using fish fillet, cut it into pieces and return to the soup.</li>
<li>Garnish the soup with dill and serve.</li>
</ol>
<br />
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-90265302005859104992014-05-04T13:13:00.001+02:002014-05-04T13:13:36.290+02:00Time-Life: Cooking of India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As anyone who follows my blog knows, I adore Indian cooking. What I have learned about Indian cuisine to date comes mostly from Madhur Jaffrey, who has introduced the English speaking Western world to the delights of Indian home cooking. I also had a little recipe booklet from the Time-Life Foods of the World series but it provided no background information.<br />
<br />
But that's changed. Through the wonders of the Internet I was able to order the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Cooking-India-Foods-World/dp/0809400693" target="_blank">Cooking of India</a> from the Time-Life series, and am learning more about the background and cultural differences between North and South India, at least as they were in the 1960s. The world, and India, have changed a lot since then, but it's still an interesting read. I'm lucky to also have young Indian colleagues with whom I can discuss both food and Indian traditions. I'd love to get their perspective on the world depicted in this book.<br />
<br />
Cooking of India was written by Santha Rama Rau as part of the Time-Life Foods of the World series and tackles the almost impossible task of providing an overview of Indian cooking for a Western audience with limited or no experience with Indian food. She has an interesting background with one parent coming from the north of India and the other from the south. It was a progressive, Brahman, middle-class (not to say wealthy, by Indian standards) background.<br />
<br />
I think my favourite chapter is the first one, in which she describes her grandmothers' kitchens (probably in the 1940s), one in nothern Allahabad, the other in south-western Mangalore.<br />
<br />
The heat of these recipes has been radically reduced to accommodate Western tastes. However, Northern Indian cooking is much milder than that of the south. Not that long ago I ate at the home of an Indian colleague, and her cooking was very mild, and she hadn't adjusted it for me. She said it was a very typical meal for them (a cauliflower curry, eggplant bharta, rice, and chapatis).<br />
<br />
I think most of the recipes have been stripped down to their basics, but they are accessible and tasty. You'll find more elaborate recipes and more complex spice mixtures in other books and the internet, but I will be forever thankful to it for introducing me to <a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2011/02/cooking-sundays.html#bharta" target="_blank">baingan bharta</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-40194749883445053822014-03-16T13:19:00.000+01:002018-08-21T21:35:01.240+02:00Time-Life: Spain and Portugal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The<a href="http://www.amazon.com/cooking-Spain-Portugal-Foods-world/dp/B0007DZFF0/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394965652&sr=1-13&keywords=time-life+spain+portugal" target="_blank"> Spain and Portugal</a> volume of Time-Life Foods of the World was a much more satisfying read than the Quintet of Cuisines. The writer <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Peter S. Feibleman </span>actually lived in Spain, knew the people, and could write great descriptions of landscapes and cultural events. I think I'd like to read some of his other books, such as his biography of Lillian Hellman, with whom he had a long friendship.<br />
<br />
I found the recipes I tried less successful, whether it's because they were simplified too much or whether the food itself is less appealing, or perhaps just poor technique on my part.<br />
<br />
I've been to Andalusia and had wonderful home-cooked meals with fresh produce at a lovely B&B (<a href="http://www.villamatilde.org/" target="_blank">Villa Matilde</a> near Anjar), but I found eating in restaurants frustrating. Oily, mass-produced paella, monotonous salads of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, boiled eggs, tuna, and ham. The overwhelming emphasis on meat, the lack of vegetarian meals, or even vegetables that were not served in oil, made lunches particularly unappealing. It's hot, you want a light lunch and the only vegetable choice is that same old salad! The consequences of mass tourism, perhaps. However, I do remember a delicious supper of sea bass baked in salt in Malaga, and I loved Seville and would like to go back there.<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to this book. In general, they call for at least 2 times as much olive oil as I would use, and I cut the amounts whenever I thought it appropriate. Ingredients are simple with very few extra flavourings beyond salt and pepper. In some case, I adapted a couple by adding some hot peppers to give them a bit more kick.<br />
<br />
I've not provided the recipes, but will be happy to post if anyone wants them.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Spain</span><br />
<br />
From Spain, I made:<br />
<ul>
<li><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bTAW13e_dEs/UyWGuBklcmI/AAAAAAAADbw/r1u_YmOFlJ4/s1600/20140302_200512.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" width="150" />Truchas a la Navarra (Marinated trout with red wine and herbs. This was tasty, but I found the choice of red wine odd and the resulting sauce yielded an unappealing color. If I make it again, I will use white wine. </li>
<li>Spinach with pine nuts and almonds. I didn't have pine nuts and have grown tired of the flavour, so I just used almonds. I really liked this dish and will put it into rotation. The nuts provide a crunchy contrast to the soft spinach, and the garlic and serrano ham add depth and umami. </li>
<li>Pollo a chilindron (Sauteed chicken with peppers, tomatoes, and olives. This was very good, although I did add some red pepper to give it a bit of a kick.</li>
<li>Ternera a la Sevillana (Sauteed veal with sherry and green olives). I enjoyed the sofrito at the heart of this dish, but it rather overwhelms the delicate veal scallops. The sauce is a mixture of onions, garlic, olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, and ground almonds. The olives are quite dominant and I think this would work very well with pasta. In fact, it reminded me of past putenesca. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucuw9_IwfNA/UyWUz_nf9GI/AAAAAAAADcs/qNx9U6hjb7g/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG" width="200" /> <img border="0" height="148" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ysGp_ppBR-Q/UyWG60LzVsI/AAAAAAAADb8/uGz1rZUY1E4/s1600/P3150033.JPG" width="200" />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Portugal</span><br />
<br />
From Portugal, I made the Bolinhos de Bacalhau (Salt cod fish cakes, with parsely, coriander, and mint).<br />
<br />
Salted cod is apparently the national fish of Portugal. Traditionally, that cod came from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. I remember the early 70s when Canada started enforcing a 200 mile offshore limit to prevent the factory fishing boats from Spain, Portugal and other countries from fishing these waters dry, and then Canada's own mismanagement which led to the total collapse of the cod fishery in the 1980s. Thirty years on and the cod has still not recovered.<br />
<br />
The only bacalhau I could find was actually salted Alaskan pollock and I think it does not require as long a soak as the original cod. However, the fish cakes it produced were very tasty. I made half a recipe and served with a poached egg.<br />
<br />
If you just finely flake the fish, I found the cakes fell apart when you tried to term them. So after trying one, I briefly processed the mixture in a food processor. The resulting patties looked more like the ones in the book and stayed together better when frying.<br />
<br />
<img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GQTc92QpEyA/UyWQNbQScWI/AAAAAAAADcc/fP0VvFR2Hhk/s1600/20140301_160116.jpg" width="200" /> <img border="0" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0H5o8Ahgm_A/UyWQIx8Y9_I/AAAAAAAADcQ/SZ-xDgbNMPg/s1600/20140302_173751.jpg" width="200" /> <img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCbY5ZXnGs0/UyWQM9cWy1I/AAAAAAAADcg/XoaUcJS362w/s1600/20140302_081529.jpg" width="200" />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-76072267391089349122014-02-15T11:19:00.000+01:002014-05-04T13:14:09.795+02:00Time-Life Qunitet of Cuisines: Summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Foods-World-Cuisines-Switzerland-Countries/dp/B000J55DXU" target="_blank">Quintet of Cuisines</a> volume of the Time-Life Foods of the World series is such an odd grab bag of cuisines! Switzerland, Benelux, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, and North Africa<br />
<br />
Overall, I found it a disappointing book in terms of a description of the food and culture--too much about the writer and his gourmandizing lifestyle and not enough about the people. Oddly enough, the chapters about Eastern Europe were better because he hadn't been there and was basing he information on other sources, including the government. In the time this book was published, they were Communist countries, hence the travel restrictions.<br />
<br />
The recipes, on the other hand, were fine and I have made a number of discoveries that are worth revisiting:<br />
<ul>
<li>I like veal! It tastes like beef but it is milder, more tender, and more refined. My only experience with it before was as a schnitzel, which I still think is a terrible thing to do with such nice meat.</li>
<li>Flounder is a wonderful fish, with a sweet refined flavour and soft texture.</li>
<li>Rubbing fish with some lemon juice 15-30 minutes before baking is a very good idea</li>
</ul>
I wanted to make a recipe from each of the five cuisines, but have yet to to do Poland and North Africa. However, in the past I've made the Polish borsht with dumplings, Moroccan bastila (not very successfully), and numerous tagines. There are lots of good looking recipes in this book, so I will want to continue to dip into this volume. As I do, I'll update this blog to maintain a record.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Switzerland: Emincé de veau, Rösti , Zwiebelwähe (Onion and cheese tart)</li>
<li>Netherlands: Schol uit de oven (Baked flounder)</li>
<li>Bulgaria: Kiopoolu (Aubergine and pepper spread)</li>
<li>Romania: Ghiveciu National (Veal and vegetable Stew with grapes)</li>
</ul>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-18525486396311804322014-01-30T23:51:00.000+01:002018-08-21T21:37:41.671+02:00Time-Life Quintet of Cusines: Bulgaria and Romania<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kHwxNkQqndQ/Uuq_k5C4I1I/AAAAAAAADaU/xGY-5fczd1E/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kHwxNkQqndQ/Uuq_k5C4I1I/AAAAAAAADaU/xGY-5fczd1E/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanian stew after adding the last vegetables</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On January first, restrictions were lifted for Bulgarians and Romanians who want to work in the Netherlands, Great Britain, and other European countries. Of course, they've been here for years already, working in all kinds of industry, including IT which is where I've met them, but now they don't need special work permits. The Poles are also here and if it weren't for them, you wouldn't be seeing fresh produce from Holland, because Dutch agriculture relies on the pickers that come from Eastern Europe.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, these cuisines are touched on in the Quintet of Cuisines, the cookbook I cam currently concentrating on. So in their honor and giving pride of place to the vegetables they help to bring to our tables, here are a couple of recipes from Bulgaria and Romania.<br />
<br />
As usual, I've been cutting recipes in half or in thirds so that I don't get stuck with having to eat only one food all week.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Bulgarian Kiopoolu (Aubergine and Pepper Spread)</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FjQ9Bc9jbQU/Uuq-w3KLnTI/AAAAAAAADaQ/7MQHWsr8SKA/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FjQ9Bc9jbQU/Uuq-w3KLnTI/AAAAAAAADaQ/7MQHWsr8SKA/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a great spread with bread or crackers. In this case, I regretted that I didn't make more ;><br />
<br />
1 medium aubergine (about 300 grams)<br />
1 green pepper<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 tablespoon re wine vinegar<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Roast the aubergine and the pepper over a flame or under a grill until the skin is blackened and charred, about 10 minutes. I stick a knife into the aubergine and just place it on a burner and turn it from time to time to get it evenly charred, and use tongs for the green pepper.</li>
<li>Let the vegetables cool for 5 or 10 minutes and then peel off the charred skin. I rinse them under cold running water to get rid of the last charred bits that don't want to let go.</li>
<li>Chop and mash the aubergine and green pepper finely and mix together to form a purée. Beat in the oil and vinegar until the mixture is smooth, then mix in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Chill until ready serve, then serve with crusty bread or crackers.</li>
</ol>
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<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Romanian Ghivenciu (Vegetable and Veal Stew)</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-23DcwA14c/Uuq_v7IXK7I/AAAAAAAADaw/SaB0gMoq1vo/s1600/IMG_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-23DcwA14c/Uuq_v7IXK7I/AAAAAAAADaw/SaB0gMoq1vo/s1600/IMG_0259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a dish in which every element is separately browned and then added in a layer to the stew. It's a bit heavy on the butter and oil to get all that browning done, and takes a bit of prep work, but it's not difficult and is very tasty, the veal tender and the vegetables distinct. It reminded me of a Turkish stew and this makes sense, given the history of Romania which was dominated by the Turks for 500 years.<br />
<br />
I would use whatever vegetables you have on hand as long as they include some starchy, some green, and some orange or red. For example, I used sweet potato instead of carrot and pumpkin, green beans instead of French beans, frozen peas instead of fresh peas, and savoy cabbage instead of white cabbage. And if I make it again (and it's worth making again), I probably won't include cabbage. I didn't enjoy it that much in this stew.<br />
<br />
I cut the original recipe by two thirds and the resulting stew yielded 4-6 portions, depending how hungry you are and what you serve it with.The recipe also called for very modest amounts of herbs, and I think it would have benefited from more.<br />
<br />
500 grams veal, chopped into 3 cm pieces<br />
2 tablespoons flour<br />
50 grams butter<br />
15 ml oil<br />
1 medium onion, sliced<br />
1 tablespoon tomato or pepper paste<br />
1 cup beef broth<br />
2 medium potatoes, cut into 3 cm cubes<br />
1/4 small celeriac, cut into 1x5 cm sticks<br />
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3 cm cubes<br />
1/2 medium aubergine, cut into 3 cm cubes<br />
1/2 green pepper, cut into 1x5 cm lengths<br />
100 grams green beans, cut into 5 cm lengths<br />
1/3 cabbage, cored and cut into 2 cm pieces<br />
1/3 cauliflower, cut into florets<br />
1/4 cup red wine<br />
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme<br />
1/2 cup peas<br />
1 tomato, cut into quarters and halved<br />
60 grams green seedless grapes<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 190C. Have ready a large frying pan or sauté pan (or maybe a wok) and a large heavy casserole.</li>
<li>Season the veal chunks with salt and pepper, then dust the with flour. </li>
<li>In the frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat, then brown the veal in batches, transferring the browned meat to the casserole.</li>
<li>Add the onion slices and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until soft and translucent. Transfer to the casserole.</li>
<li>Deglaze with half a cup of stock and mix in the tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then add to the casserole.</li>
<li>Now add some more oil and sauté each vegetable just until it is browned a bit, then add as a layer to the casserole: potatoes, green beans, sweet potato, celeriac, aubergine, cabbage, green pepper, cauliflower. Add more oil as needed.</li>
<li>Deglaze the pan with red wine and rest of the beef stock. Add the parsley, oregano, and thyme and bring to a boil. Add this liquid to the casserole. Bring to a boil again, then cover and put in the oven for 45 minutes.</li>
<li>Now add the peas, tomatoes, and grapes and return to the oven for about 15 minutes.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aw66_ugBkEo/Uuq_mJQEGII/AAAAAAAADao/O4UTJUpxDOk/s1600/IMG_0252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aw66_ugBkEo/Uuq_mJQEGII/AAAAAAAADao/O4UTJUpxDOk/s1600/IMG_0252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Layering the vegetables on top the meat in the casserole</td></tr>
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<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T93QI9mptkk/Uuq_ly1i2ZI/AAAAAAAADak/afNxMcCBebg/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T93QI9mptkk/Uuq_ly1i2ZI/AAAAAAAADak/afNxMcCBebg/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completed stew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-22049155560277391342014-01-27T21:58:00.001+01:002018-08-21T21:36:43.544+02:00Time-Life Quintet of Cuisines: Netherlands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-GSNSA8kyk/Uua6ssxC3JI/AAAAAAAADZk/IMOT1o1sZXI/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-GSNSA8kyk/Uua6ssxC3JI/AAAAAAAADZk/IMOT1o1sZXI/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
When asked, I can be a bit disparaging about typical Dutch food. It seems to be so dominated by variations of stamppot, which is mashed potatoes mixed with some other vegetable and served accompanied by a piece of meat. The classic is <i>boerenkool met rookworst, </i>which features kale as the vegetable and a smoked Dutch sausage as the meat. And there's <i>hutspot </i>(potatoes, carrots, and onions), and<i> hete bliksem</i> (potatoes, apples, and onions), and endive stamppot, and spinach stamppot, ... you get the idea. Of course, the Dutch are the tallest people in the world, so it's certainly very nutritious, and it is classic comfort food for many.<br />
<br />
Personally I blame Calvinist Protestantism, which long dominated Dutch society. It's serious, dour stuff with no tolerance for frivolities like fancy cooking and the pleasures of the table. I'm not sure how the delicious baked goods like speculaas fit into, but most of those were originally Christmas treats.<br />
<br />
But I could be entirely WRONG! Because tonight I prepared baked flounder (<i>Schol uit de oven</i>) and it was super—both simple and refined in flavour. It is not complicated to prepare, but the result has a lovely balance between soft white fish, crunchy gratin, and a hint of acidity from the lemon that was applied to the fish a half an hour before it went into the oven. This is definitely going into regular rotation!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Baked Flounder</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Adapted from Time-Life Quintet of Cuisines</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">Serves: 1</span><br />
<br />
The original recipe calls for 6 fillets of flounder, and has measurements to match of other ingredients to match. The recipe that I'm providing is for one person, and is how I scaled this recipe down. The original calls for dill seeds, but I only had dried dill on hand, and I think it was fine.<br />
<br />
1 flounder fillet, cleaned and skinned<br />
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (or just a slice of lemon)<br />
sprinkle of salt<br />
1 slice of bacon<br />
1 slice of white bread, preferably from a country loaf<br />
1 tablespoon ground or finely chopped (blanched) almonds<br />
2 tablespoons Gouda cheese, grated<br />
2 tablespoons flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh dill<br />
freshly grated nutmeg<br />
freshly ground pepper<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Pat the flounder fillet dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the lemon juice, or rib a lemon slice, over both sides of the fish fillet. Add a very light sprinkle of salt, and let sit for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the toppings (and any veggies you plan to serve with the fish).</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 500F/260C and place the rack in the top third of the oven.</li>
<li>Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper and grease it with some butter.</li>
<li>Fry the bacon over medium heat, turning after a few minutes, until both sides start to get crispy. Drain on paper towels.</li>
<li>Remove the crusts from the bread and create fresh bread crumbs from remaining bread. I just scooped the bread out of half of a crust role using a form, but you could process it in a blender.In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, chopped almonds, and grated cheese.</li>
<li>After the founder has "marinated", pat it dry again. Fold it in half length-wise and dredge both sides in flour, shaking any excess off.</li>
<li>Place on the lined baking tray, and sprinkle both sides with the dill, grated nutmeg, and pepper.</li>
<li>Place the crisped bacon strip on top of the folded fillet, and then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the fillet. Dot with some butter.</li>
<li>Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes until the fish just flakes but us not too soft. (If you are baking a whole tray of 6 fillets lined up next to each other you may need as much as 10 minutes, but start checking at 7 minutes.)</li>
</ol>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hl4i31IuXpM/UubFUOLLY-I/AAAAAAAADZ0/ifq3fTek0sk/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the oven</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;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkutZHQ_Hek/UubFYf00wjI/AAAAAAAADZ8/bA-9zM3B6-0/s1600/IMG_0251.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to eat </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-37767751210168905392014-01-19T21:45:00.000+01:002018-08-21T21:38:16.138+02:00Time-Life Quintet of Cuisines: Switzerland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1k79_Wjn7Uo/Utw4Wy4vorI/AAAAAAAADZU/7jFGriQ5Y9g/s1600/IMG_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IgeRRUbfrcw/Utwkcjq3vRI/AAAAAAAADYw/MMgeyQBe_v0/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IgeRRUbfrcw/Utwkcjq3vRI/AAAAAAAADYw/MMgeyQBe_v0/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" width="320" /></a>The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Foods-World-Cuisines-Switzerland-Countries/dp/B000J55DXU" target="_blank">Quintet of Cuisines</a> volume of the Time-Life Foods of the World series has got to be the weirdest assortment of kitchens, ranging from Northern Europe to North Africa: Switzerland, the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, and North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria).<br />
<br />
I haven't read the whole book yet so I think I'll defer the big review in hopes that the last three chapters will be better than the first two. This has less to do with the recipes than with the nature of these chapters. They concentrate on meals eaten with friends in restaurants, hotels, or at home, and seem much more about the writer and his wife than about the culture of the countries. And the sense of a whirlwind, breathless visit to each of the countries gives such a sense of afterthought to this volume.<br />
<br />
The recipes are much more appealing. Tonight, I tackled two classics of the Swiss kitchen: Emincé de veau (Veal strips in wine and cream sauce) and rösti (Fried shredded potato cake). <br />
<br />
Update 2014-03-15: I've also made the Zwiebelewähe, a rich cheese and onion tart made with Gruyere and Emmental. If anyone wants the recipe, I can post it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rehpAXam8LU/UtwqEpmfaVI/AAAAAAAADZE/Wvo5mk7aLZk/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rehpAXam8LU/UtwqEpmfaVI/AAAAAAAADZE/Wvo5mk7aLZk/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" width="320" /></a>I confess that meat in cream sauce never appeals to me very much, but
this was an accessible recipe that I could scale down easily to one or
two portions. And what's not to like about fried potatoes? To balance
out the richness of the émincé de veau, I served steamed green beans
accented with freshly-grated nutmeg, without even a lashing of butter. It turned out to be enough for two (very tasty!) meals.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rehpAXam8LU/UtwqEpmfaVI/AAAAAAAADZE/Wvo5mk7aLZk/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Unusually for me, I decided to follow the recipes almost to the letter, except for scaling down the quantities. This included the, to my mind, excessive amount of butter. Perhaps this just reflects the way times and palettes have changed, but I found it made these dishes too rich and cloying. The sober green beans were a welcome contrast. From now on, I will not hesitate to adapt the fat content in these 45 year old recipes. In fact, the recipes that follow already have the fat lowered. This is the way I'll make them the next time.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rösti with Onions</span></span><br />
Adapted from Quintet of Cuisines<br />
Serves 2 generously <br />
<br />
4 medium baking potatoes<br />
1 medium onion, finely chopped <br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
freshly ground pepper to taste <br />
2 teaspoons oil<br />
1 tablespoon butter<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Bring a pot of water to the boil and parboil the unpeeled potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, then refrigerate them in a covered container for an hour (or longer).</li>
<li>In a non-stick frying pan, sauté the chopped onion in a teaspoon of oil until translucent. Set the onions aside in a bowl.</li>
<li>Just before starting to fry the potatoes, coarsely grate them using the largest wholes on a box grater, and mix in the salt and pepper. (The pepper is not part of the original recipe, but I think it's essential ;>)</li>
<li>Heat a small non-stick frying pan and melt half the butter and one teaspoon of oil over high heat. Add half the grated potato and press down with a spatula. Spread the fried onions over the top, and then the rest of the grated potatoes over the top of that. Press down again. Fry the potato cake for 8-10 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. </li>
<li>Place a plate over the pan and flip the cake onto the plate. Melt the rest of the butter in the frying pan, then slip the potato cake, uncooked side down into the frying pan. Cook for another 8 minutes or so, before slipping onto a warmed plate and serving it.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">Emincé de veau</span></span><br />
Adapted to serve 1-2<br />
<br />
170 grams lean veal<br />
3 teaspoons butter<br />
1 teaspoon oil<br />
1 small shallot, minced <br />
2 tablespoons dry white wine<br />
3 tablespoons single cream <br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Cut the veal against the grain into strips about 5 cm long and .5 cm wide.</li>
<li>Heat 2 teaspoons of butter and the oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until the butter stops foaming. </li>
<li>Sauté the veal strips for 2-3 minutes until they turn color and cook through. They probably won't really brown, but it's more important that the remain tender than that they brown.</li>
<li>Drain the veal an juices into a bowl and set aside.</li>
<li>Add the remaining butter to the pan and sauté the shallots for a minute or two, then deglaze with the white wine. As soon as it boils, add the cream and the juices from the veal.</li>
<li>Simmer for 3-5 minutes to reduce the liquid by half, before returning the veal strips to the pan. Stir for a minute or two to reheat the veal. Season and serve. </li>
</ol>
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Notes: The original recipe calls for:<br />
<ul>
<li>1.5 pounds of veal
to serve 4 people. This is about 170 grams per person, which given the
richness of the dish, plus rösti and vegetables, was enough for two
meals for me.</li>
<li>75 grams of butter and 2.5 tablespoons of oil. You can get away with less. </li>
<li>1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots. Get a life! that could be quadrupled, so I did.</li>
<li>1/4
cup of white wine. When scaling this recipe, this becomes 1 tablespoon
which evaporates almost as quickly as it's added, so I added some more </li>
<li>3/4 cup double cream. I found this very rich and would suggest using single cream or thinning the double cream a bit.</li>
<li>Simmering the cream sauce for 10 minutes to reduce by half. This took much less time in my smaller quantity.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese and onion tart is very rich. Less custard-like than a quiche. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-29482786530874350102014-01-19T14:32:00.001+01:002014-01-19T14:44:08.295+01:00Cooking Project: Time-Life Foods of the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My friend <a href="http://inkayeskitchen.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank">Kaye </a>recently started a two-year quixotic project to read and cook from the <a href="http://cookbooksforchefs.com/home/foods-of-the-world-time-life-editors/" target="_blank">Time-Life Foods of the World</a> cookbook series that was published in the late 60s and early 70s. Each of the 50+ books was an exploration of the cooking of a country or regional cuisine, with discussions of culture, history, recipes, and lots of photos. And it was accompanied by a spiral bound booklet of recipes.<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly given the times and the origins, the series has a strong American emphasis. No fewer than 8 of the books deal with American cooking (!), with only one volume each for China and India, and none for Turkey, all cuisines with a rich heritage and strong regional differences. But it was part of a movement that opened the kitchens of Americans (and Canadians) to the world. What we now eat and what can now buy in an ordinary supermarket bears no comparison to what was available in 1969. And this series was part of that shift.<br />
<br />
Along with some other interested crazy cooks, I'm joining Kaye on this project. We plan to read, comment, discuss and cook our way through as many of the 25+ books as we can in a monthly to 6 week cycle.<br />
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One problem: I didn't have the books. I did have the recipe booklet for Cooking of India, picked up in a second-hand store in PEI, but that was it. So I started ordering a few of the books via Amazon, but it was hard to tell whether I was ordering the hard-cover book or the recipe book or both. The complete sets were available but only in the States and the shipping costs to Europe were astronomical. But I then found a Canadian supplier that had almost the complete set and could ship to Canadian addresses for a reasonable price. My sister now has them in her custody and I will bring them back the next time I visit Halifax. I know, it's crazy, but cooking is my hobby. And as we all know, hobbies give us permission to be a bit crazy.<br />
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In the mean time, the few books I had already ordered have arrived and I can start cooking. Watch this space!<br />
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(And if you want to join us, let me or Kaye know. Kaye can invite you to the Facebook group she started for this project.)Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-49950842909444394452014-01-03T16:00:00.000+01:002018-08-21T21:39:09.278+02:00Corn Bread Tamale Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cooking-Irma-S-Rombauer/dp/0743246268/ref=la_B0027NCO9I_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388760863&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Joy of Cooking</a> is probably the essential American cookbook (just as heavily used by Canadians, of course). Before the Internet made it easier to find out how long to cook turkey, or what to do with cauliflower, Joy of Cooking was giving us the low-down. It has appeared in many editions since 1931, not all of them equally popular. I have two radically different versions--one dating from 1975 and another from 1997.<br />
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I really like the 1997 version, which featured recipes influenced by many other cultures, as well as vegetarian dishes. But there are downsides. Gone are the boldface headings that made scanning the index so easy, and the sans-serif typeface that made the text so legible. Now I have to peer at fractioned quantities to see whether it is 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup of flour or sugar. Apparently in the wider world of middle-American cooking this edition is not popular--too chef-y, pretentious, and time-consuming. No shortcuts like using canned soup for a casserole sauce instead of making your own (!).<br />
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But I still like the older edition too and apparently the recent edition has moved back to this model. I regularly turn to it for inspiration and information, as evidenced by the broken spine and the index that is falling apart. I recently returned to it for a vaguely remembered meat pie with a corn bread topping that I wanted to adapt for vegetarian use.<br />
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This recipe is definitely not pretentious. It is a simple, tasty supper dish that looks attractive and freezes well. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">Corn Bread Tamale Pie</span></span></b><br />
Adapted from Joy of Cooking, 1975 edition<br />
Serves 4-6<br />
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I replaced the ground beef with tofu that has been frozen, defrosted, and flavoured with soy sauce and spices. The texture of frozen tofu is completely different from fresh tofu. It becomes sponge-like, and after being drained and squeezed dry, it acquires a meaty texture that easily soaks up flavours. It's like homemade textured vegetable protein (TVP). Although I haven't tried it, I presume that commercially prepared TVP could easily be substituted for the tofu. And for meat lovers, you could just use ground meat (about 400 grams)<br />
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Instead of a can of condensed tomato soup, I use a can of tomatoes and some tomato paste. And I add more vegetables, including a chili pepper to give it some punch. If you don't like spicy food or your chili powder is spicy enough, you can omit it.<br />
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Since there is soy sauce in the tofu flavouring and salt in the tinned tomatoes, there should be no need for additional salt.<br />
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<b>Tofu</b>:<br />
1 block firm tofu that has been frozen (375 grams, drained weight)<br />
2 tablespoons soy sauce, low-sodium if possible<br />
1.5 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 tablespoon peanut butter<br />
1 teaspoon onion powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1-2 tablespoons oil <br />
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<b>Filling</b>:<br />
1 tablespoon oil<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
1 stalk celery, chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 red chili pepper,finely chopped<br />
1 green pepper, chopped <br />
1 can tomatoes or crushed tomatoes<br />
2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 tablespoon chilli powder <br />
1 cup corn, drained (canned or frozen) <br />
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<b>Corn Bread Topping</b>:<br />
.75 cup cornmeal<br />
1 tablespoon flour<br />
1 tablespoon sugar<br />
.5 teaspoon salt<br />
1.5 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 beaten egg<br />
.3 cup milk<br />
1 tablespoon oil<br />
<br />
To prepare the tofu:<br />
<ol>
<li>Defrost the frozen tofu and drain it. Squeeze out as much water as you can, then tear the tofu into small pieces, continuing to squeeze out the water as you do so. Put the torn tofu in a large bowl.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, tomato paste, peanut butter, and spices. Add the mixture to the torn tofu and mix well so that all the tofu gets evenly coated and colored (more-or-less).</li>
<li>In a large skillet, heat the oil then add the tofu. Cook it, stirring from time to time, until it browns. This will take 10-15 minutes.</li>
</ol>
This step can be done a day or two in advance if you want. Keep the prepared tofu in the fridge until it's needed.<br />
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To make the filling:<br />
<ol>
<li>In a large sauté pan (or pot), heat the oil over medium high heat, then sauté the onion and celery for a few minutes until the onion is soft. </li>
<li>Add the garlic and chopped red pepper, and after another minute add the chopped green pepper. Sauté for a few minutes more.</li>
<li>Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, corn, and prepared tofu. When the liquid begins to simmer, turn the heat down, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.</li>
</ol>
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To make the corn bread:<br />
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 425 F.</li>
<li>While the filling simmers, mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.</li>
<li>In a smaller bowl, beat the egg and milk together.</li>
<li>Add the egg and milk mixture to the corn meal mixture, stirring quickly to moisten all the ingredients.</li>
<li>Stir in the oil.</li>
</ol>
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To assemble the pie:<br />
<ol>
<li>Pour the tofu and vegetable mixture into a pie plate.</li>
<li>Pour the corn bread batter over the top. Don't worry if some of it disappears into the stew. It will rise above it in the oven.</li>
<li>Bake the pie in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the corn bread is done and beginning to brown.</li>
</ol>
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<br />Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-29074502750932452162013-10-20T15:27:00.000+02:002018-08-21T21:39:41.893+02:00Vegetable Curries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I went on a curry bender last week, cooking four different vegetable curries in four days. Accompanied by some raita and mango chutney, the last evening was a feast. The freezer is now well stocked too!<br />
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As the following list shows, I'm very fond of aubergine (or eggplant; I'm indiscriminate in the term I use). The first two recipes, I've made and blogged about before, but two were new, adapted from the Madhur Jaffrey Cookbook.<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2011/02/cooking-sundays.html#bharta" target="_blank">Aubergine bharta</a> —roasted and peeled eggplants cooked down into a pillowy, spiced mass</li>
<li><a href="http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2010/09/saag-paneer.html" target="_blank">Saag paneer</a> —spinach curry, but made with haloumi cheese instead of paneer. The firm, salty haloumi worked really well here. Firm feta or tofu would also be an option.</li>
<li>Aubergine curry—such a fast simple curry with great flavour coming from the combination of fennel seed and fenugreek seed.</li>
<li>Cauliflower curry—another easy curry that does great things for somewhat bland cauliflower</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Cubed Aubergine with Onions</span></span> <br />
Adapted from The Madhur Jaffrey Cookbook</div>
<div>
<br />
1200 g aubergine (about 3-4 medium)<br />
1 teaspoons salt<br />
2-3 tablespoons oil<br />
1 teaspoon fennel seeds<br />
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds<br />
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped<br />
1 teaspoon coriander seed<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1/4 teaspoon cayenne <br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
225 ml water<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Cut the aubergines into 2 cm cubes and put into bowl with the salt. I like the skin, so I leave it on, but the original recipe calls for peeling it first.</li>
<li>Optionally, let the aubergines sit for an hour, then squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can. (I often skip this step when I'm in a hurry.)</li>
<li>Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over a medium heat, then add the fennel and fenugreek seeds. As soon as they darken (after a few seconds), add the onions and aubergine cubes.</li>
<li>Stir and fry for about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat to prevent burning. The aubergines will at first absorb the oil but will release it again after a few minutes.</li>
<li>Add the coriander, cumin, cayenne and lemon juice and fry for a few minutes, then add the water, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes until the aubergine is thoroughly soft and cooked.</li>
<li>Adjust to taste with salt and/or lemon juice.</li>
</ol>
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<div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cauliflower with Onion and Tomato</span></span><br />
<br />
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped </div>
<div>
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped<br />
2-3 cm pieces of ginger, peeled and chopped<br />
4 tablespoons water <br />
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets and stem coarsely chopped<br />
3 tablespoons oil<br />
1/2 teaspoon turmeric<br />
1 medium tomato, (peeled and) chopped <br />
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped<br />
1 fresh green chili, finely sliced<br />
2 teaspoons ground coriander<br />
2 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon garam masala<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice <br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Put the onion, garlic, ginger, and water in a blender and pulse into a paste.</li>
<li>Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium flame. Add the onion-garlic-ginger paste and the turmeric. Stir and fry for 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the chopped tomato, cilantro, and chili and fry for 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add the cauliflower florets and the coriander, cumin, garam masala, water, and lemon juice. Stir, cover, lower the heat and let cook for about 35 minutes until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy.</li>
</ol>
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Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-63462925099565465222013-08-07T15:02:00.000+02:002018-08-21T21:40:12.422+02:00Madrigal Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently I made muffins again, for the first time in years. I used to make them often and had the recipe memorized, but I've been exploring other baking options recently and muffins got undeservedly shoved to the bottom of the list.<br />
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I call these madrigal muffins because I always served them at the end of rehearsal when the madrigal group I sang in practised at my house. Recently I served them to colleagues and several people asked for the recipe.<br />
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I copied the original version of this recipe from a handwritten piece of paper I found on a friend's kitchen counter about 25 years ago. It was for Rhubarb-Orange Muffins and had been left behind by her housekeeper.<br />
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Since then, I've tweaked the proportions, made it with lots of different fruit and vegetables, and used different types of liquids. It's a very flexible recipe, but this adaptation is the standard.<br />
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It yields a wholesome, robust muffin that is not too sweet, and bears no relation to the mini-cakes and cupcakes that are too often sold as muffins. Serve it for breakfast or a snack with afternoon tea. Mmmm.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Madrigal Muffins</span></h2>
Yield: 12 -14 large, or 24-28 mini muffins<br />
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<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1 cup</td><td>140 g</td><td>white flour</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 cup</td><td>140 g</td><td>whole-wheat flour</td></tr>
<tr><td>3/4 cup</td><td>160 g</td><td>sugar</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 1/2 teaspoons</td><td></td><td>baking powder</td></tr>
<tr><td>1/2 teaspoon</td><td></td><td>baking soda</td></tr>
<tr><td>1/2 teaspoon</td><td></td><td>salt</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 cup</td><td></td><td>cranberries, fresh or frozen</td></tr>
<tr><td>1/2 cup</td><td></td><td>pecans, chopped</td></tr>
<tr><td>3/4 cup</td><td>180 ml</td><td>orange juice</td></tr>
<tr><td>1/4 cup</td><td> 60 ml</td><td>vegetable oil</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 </td><td></td><td>egg, lightly beaten</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 teaspoon</td><td></td><td>lemon zest, grated</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cranberries, and walnuts.</li>
<li>In a smaller bowl, mix the orange juice, oil, egg, and orange peel.</li>
<li>Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir quickly, mixing only enough to moisten all the dry ingredients. (If you overmix, the muffins will not rise properly and become quite tough.)</li>
<li>Spoon into a greased muffin tin (or one lined with muffin papers) and bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins. They are done when they are golden brown and spring back to the touch.</li>
</ol>
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Variations:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Replace the cranberries with chopped rhubarb or blueberries.</li>
<li>Replace the pecans with walnuts </li>
<li>For extra tenderness, add 1/4 cup yoghurt or buttermilk.</li>
<li>Replace the cranberries with grated courgette, or other summer squash, and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves or allspice.</li>
<li>For a vegan version, omit the egg or replace it with 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed soaked in 2 tablespoons of water.</li>
</ul>
Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1672117524452304206.post-36366743416076600922013-06-30T16:27:00.001+02:002018-08-21T21:40:39.624+02:00Daily Bread II: No-knead Semi-Sourdough Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For many years my parents made their own bread, stopping only when Mennonites started selling excellent home-made bread at the local farmer's market. Nowadays, my mother lives alone and doesn't drive, so it's not as easy to get to the market, so she really enjoyed my homemade bread when she was here for a visit.<br />
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She started musing about making bread herself again, but this is a challenge because she doesn't have a mixer with a dough hook and arthritis makes kneading bread by hand painful. I suggested a no-knead bread recipe I had come across on the Internet. However, I hadn't made it myself so I couldn't give advice on how well it worked. So this one's for you, Mom!<br />
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I followed the instructions in the Essential New York Times Cookbook, by Amanda Hessler (although I did substitute whole wheat flour for one cup of white flour). The result was a crusty, sourdough-style bread with a coarse spongy structure and excellent flavour.<br />
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It uses very little yeast and relies on a long rising time to replace the kneading, which puts it half way to a sourdough bread. Like sourdough, the dough is very soft. In fact, using the proportions given in the recipe, I think the dough was too soft, almost a batter.<br />
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It does not contain oil or milk, so it's keeping qualities are not that great, but it's great as an accompaniment to soup, or made into croutons.<br />
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You don't have to knead the dough, but you do need to handle it. Because my dough was half way to a batter, I found a dough scraper very useful. The instructions call for using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, but the only way to do that is to flour the work surface, your hands, and the dough scraper very generously.<br />
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The recipe calls for you shape the dough into a ball with a seam for the second rise. This was not possible with my dough, so more flour or less liquid may be required. I should have looked at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU" target="_blank">video </a> first, which shows the consistency you really want.<br />
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For the second rise, the dough is placed on a floured tea towel. With such a soft dough, I decided to put the dough in the tea towel into a bowl to prevent it from spreading sideways instead of upwards. This also made it easier to tip into the preheated pot for baking.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
No-Knead Semi-Sourdough Bread</span></h2>
Adapted from the recipe created by Jim Lahey and made famous by Mark Bittman.<br />
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2 cups white flour<br />
1 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast<br />
1 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (300 ml) water<br />
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<ol>
<li><img align="right" alt="After rising 16 hours." border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDPC-XWAgCM/UdAx9OFGnLI/AAAAAAAADDI/wGKbNLwJ0Tg/s200/P6300001.JPG" width="200" />The day before you want to bake the bread, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the water. Mix together until it forms a clump, then cover with a plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours. The dough will form bubbles as the flour, encouraged by the yeast, ferments.</li>
<li><img align="right" alt="My dough was too soft, so I used a dough scraper to turn it over." border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lpb8JjCaKJM/UdAy4aZlMJI/AAAAAAAADDU/oNgT8P6fYDw/s200/P6300005.JPG" width="200" />
Flour a working surface and tip the dough onto it. It will be soft, tacky, and shaggy. Sprinkle more flour over the dough and fold it over itself a few times. If the dough is very soft, use a dough scraper. Let it rest for 15 minutes.<br /></li>
<li><img align="right" alt="I found it useful to put the dough into a bowel for its second rise." border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LrTyFnWuClM/UdA2P_bFtAI/AAAAAAAADDk/5lOcsqCyAr0/s200/P6300003-001.JPG" width="200" />Meanwhile, cover a tea towel with flour, bran, or cornmeal. After the dough has rested, gently shape it into a ball (if you can), then transfer it to the tea towel, seam side up. Let it rise for 2 to 2.5 hours.<br /></li>
<li><img align="right" alt="The dough has a top-knot because I scraped dough still clinging to the tea towel." border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5xyp_OeShYc/UdA3QJ5Z2PI/AAAAAAAADDw/U35Gw5G4_Sc/s200/P6300004-001.JPG" width="200" />A half hour before the second rise completes, pre-heat the oven to 475, with a heavy covered pot or Pyrex casserole. (The preheating and cover of the pot are important! They will essentially form a mini-oven in which steam is released to form the crust.) <br />
Note: I used my cast iron cocotte, but it was a bit too big. Next time I'll try a smaller pot or a Corningware casserole dish so that loaf doesn't end up so flat.<br /><br />
</li>
<li><img align="right" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k_x_1Jg9ICM/UdA_Dz8Jw7I/AAAAAAAADEA/rizx0UfL_4o/s200/P6300007-001.JPG" />Take the preheated pot out of the oven and uncover the dough. Gently tip the dough into the pot, cover it, and put it into the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes more until the top is a deep brown. (I think I could have left my bread in a bit longer; it was golden brown on top, but a bit underdone.)</li>
<li>Let the bread cool before slicing.</li>
</ol>
Barbarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06222776112813990639noreply@blogger.com3