this one's simple. i had leeks, and mushrooms, and thought they'd do well in a tart together. so i made some savoury crust and threw one together.
about halfway through the prep i decided that apples would make an excellent addition, so i did half a muffin tin of leek and mushroom and half a tin of leek, mushroom, and apple. they are equally yummy but definitely different.
one decent-sized leek, sliced fine and sauteed in butter
about seven or eight small white mushrooms (or equivalent), ditto
apple, chunked (about half an large apple for a dozen mini tartes)
two eggs
some milk (somewhere between a half a cup and a cup - less milk means more tart-like, more milk means more quiche-like)
salt
freshly ground pepper
(cayenne - opted not to try it this time, but next time...)
shredded emmental (swiss), about a cup to a cup and a half
make your crusts
mix veggies (and fruit)
lay layers of:
emmental
veggies
emmental
beat eggs, milk, spices, pour over tartes
bake at 180 (about 375) 'til done
Sunday, 2 November 2008
pumpkin pasties
sambusak dough + filling ohsoloosely adopted from here http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinpie.php + two lines of instruction from here http://www.britta.com/hogwarts/recipes.html#pasties = excellent pasties
this one was another rather epic recipe. started out with the pumpkin, which i prepared about a fortnight ago in my ghetto-rigged steamer and canned. then on thursday i made crust (with slightly salted butter, so definitely more of a savoury crust) for leek and mushroom tarts (next post) and kept the extra.
i was supposed to make these yesterday, instead of an apple pie. but i went to northumberland instead. so today, i skipped the farmers market and baked.
mixed up the filling, going a bit heavy on the eggs and milk, to create a fluffy filling, and baked it in - you guessed it - a muffin tin! i didn't have a strainer for the pumpkin, so the fillings turned out a bit watery on bottom, but a few minutes in the grill fixed that nicely.
then thawed the crust (our fridge has frequent fantasies of being a freezer, complete with an occasional need to ice vegetables to the back wall) and wrapped about 3/4 of each filling in crust, then used the separated bits to fill more. a half a batch of crust made about a dozen pasties, so i had a pumpkin sandwich for lunch and put a couple fillings in the fridge. oh! exciting development of the day, i figured out how to make the rolled pasty crust edge. (yes, i am slow)
so all-in-all, time consuming but easy and delicious.
this one was another rather epic recipe. started out with the pumpkin, which i prepared about a fortnight ago in my ghetto-rigged steamer and canned. then on thursday i made crust (with slightly salted butter, so definitely more of a savoury crust) for leek and mushroom tarts (next post) and kept the extra.
i was supposed to make these yesterday, instead of an apple pie. but i went to northumberland instead. so today, i skipped the farmers market and baked.
mixed up the filling, going a bit heavy on the eggs and milk, to create a fluffy filling, and baked it in - you guessed it - a muffin tin! i didn't have a strainer for the pumpkin, so the fillings turned out a bit watery on bottom, but a few minutes in the grill fixed that nicely.
then thawed the crust (our fridge has frequent fantasies of being a freezer, complete with an occasional need to ice vegetables to the back wall) and wrapped about 3/4 of each filling in crust, then used the separated bits to fill more. a half a batch of crust made about a dozen pasties, so i had a pumpkin sandwich for lunch and put a couple fillings in the fridge. oh! exciting development of the day, i figured out how to make the rolled pasty crust edge. (yes, i am slow)
so all-in-all, time consuming but easy and delicious.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
mini plum cobblers
it's plum season in britain.
accordingly, tesco magazine featured a mini plum cobbler recipe. which looked delicious and made me want to try it.
then sainsbury's had plums on a two-for-one special.
clearly it was a sign.
you're supposed to make this in mini raimkins, but as always, i made them in muffin cups.
plums
4 oz self-raising flour
50 g butter, cut into small pieces
75 g brown sugar
1/2 t powder
3 oz milk
water
cut up plums and fill raimkin or muffin cups. put 1/3 sugar over plums, then add some water.
mix dry ingredients, add butter. crumble butter and dry with fingers until rough crumbs. make a well, add milk, stir until dough. turn out and knead for a bit til smooth. make patties out of dough and plop atop plums. cook til fluffy and golden.
according to original instructions, push half a plum soft side up into topping before baking.
so good.
also, if you just make the dough and bake it as muffins, it's very tasty with strawberry jam.
accordingly, tesco magazine featured a mini plum cobbler recipe. which looked delicious and made me want to try it.
then sainsbury's had plums on a two-for-one special.
clearly it was a sign.
you're supposed to make this in mini raimkins, but as always, i made them in muffin cups.
plums
4 oz self-raising flour
50 g butter, cut into small pieces
75 g brown sugar
1/2 t powder
3 oz milk
water
cut up plums and fill raimkin or muffin cups. put 1/3 sugar over plums, then add some water.
mix dry ingredients, add butter. crumble butter and dry with fingers until rough crumbs. make a well, add milk, stir until dough. turn out and knead for a bit til smooth. make patties out of dough and plop atop plums. cook til fluffy and golden.
according to original instructions, push half a plum soft side up into topping before baking.
so good.
also, if you just make the dough and bake it as muffins, it's very tasty with strawberry jam.
strawberry muffins
so on the way home from the market yesterday i apparently managed to squish a good many of my strawberries. not my fault, as i was battling 60mph wind gusts on a slopey surface. however, it did present the problem of what to do with them. some topped the last couple of sponge cakes (from the second batch) and some were simply eaten. that still left a good many bruised fruits, however. so this morning became a search for a strawberry muffin recipe. i found one that looked promising on www.slashfood.com entitled food porn, in case anyone wants to google something other than "strawberry muffin whole wheat".
it calls for half whole wheat, which works. and also for streusel topping, which doesn't. the batter isn't strong enough to hold the streusel and it tries to pull of a high rise, which pushes any streusel on the edge of the muffin onto the top of the pan, where it burns. but aside from the topping, this proved an excellent recipe.
so:
Basic Strawberry Muffins with(out) Crumb Topping
Preheat the oven to 375.
Stir together 1 c. all-purpose flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour, ½ c. granulated sugar, 1 T. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, ¼ c. (½ stick) melted butter, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 c. buttermilk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently only until combined. Fold in 1½ c. coarsely chopped fresh or frozen strawberries, dredged.
(I would suggest putting your strawberries when your mix is almost all wet, so you don't lose any rise)
Separate into muffin cups and bake 15-20 minutes or til done.
it calls for half whole wheat, which works. and also for streusel topping, which doesn't. the batter isn't strong enough to hold the streusel and it tries to pull of a high rise, which pushes any streusel on the edge of the muffin onto the top of the pan, where it burns. but aside from the topping, this proved an excellent recipe.
so:
Basic Strawberry Muffins with(out) Crumb Topping
Preheat the oven to 375.
Stir together 1 c. all-purpose flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour, ½ c. granulated sugar, 1 T. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, ¼ c. (½ stick) melted butter, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 c. buttermilk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently only until combined. Fold in 1½ c. coarsely chopped fresh or frozen strawberries, dredged.
(I would suggest putting your strawberries when your mix is almost all wet, so you don't lose any rise)
Separate into muffin cups and bake 15-20 minutes or til done.
veggie burgers, finally
as probably anyone who's talked to me in recent weeks will attest, i have been absolutely drooling over the homemade veggie burger recipe on twofatals for ages. and i finally got together enough of the ingredients to attempt it on friday.
Here’s what they said to do:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried brown lentils
3/4 cup bulgur
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp table salt
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup leek or scallion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup unsalted cashews
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups panko
Instructions:
Bring lentils to boil in 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, until falling apart. Drain in a mesh strainer, dry and set aside. While lentils are cooking, boil 2 cups of water for bulgur, add bulgur and turn off heat. Let it cook until water is absorbed. Put bulgur aside. In a large pan, heat oil. Add onions, celery, garlic and leek or scallion, and cook for about 8 minutes. Set aside, then add mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. In a food processor, process cashews until fine. Combine cashews, lentils, and bulgur with cooled vegetables and cashews. Add mayonnaise. Food process (pulse) in batches until mixture is cohesive but roughly textured. Stir in panko, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 12 patties. Cook on the grill or in a pan, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with favorite fixings.
Of course, I omitted the cashews, celery, panko, and food processing. Also subbed in apple puree for mayo. I would suggest maybe trying a half a flax egg and half apple puree. Also maybe add a pinch of dried colman's english mustard. But aside from the bit where they don't hold together at all, excellent recipe.
Here’s what they said to do:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried brown lentils
3/4 cup bulgur
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp table salt
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup leek or scallion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup unsalted cashews
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups panko
Instructions:
Bring lentils to boil in 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, until falling apart. Drain in a mesh strainer, dry and set aside. While lentils are cooking, boil 2 cups of water for bulgur, add bulgur and turn off heat. Let it cook until water is absorbed. Put bulgur aside. In a large pan, heat oil. Add onions, celery, garlic and leek or scallion, and cook for about 8 minutes. Set aside, then add mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. In a food processor, process cashews until fine. Combine cashews, lentils, and bulgur with cooled vegetables and cashews. Add mayonnaise. Food process (pulse) in batches until mixture is cohesive but roughly textured. Stir in panko, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 12 patties. Cook on the grill or in a pan, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with favorite fixings.
Of course, I omitted the cashews, celery, panko, and food processing. Also subbed in apple puree for mayo. I would suggest maybe trying a half a flax egg and half apple puree. Also maybe add a pinch of dried colman's english mustard. But aside from the bit where they don't hold together at all, excellent recipe.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
mac'n'cheese nests
wanted to try a mac and cheese variation i'd heard of on bones (yep, i'm sad) but i didn't have any mac. thus:
enough spaghetti for about two servings
shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
butter (2-3T)
1 large egg
about half a cup of milk (any but skim)
1 tsp of salt
some cayenne
5-6 tbsp leeks, chopped, sauteed in butter
break spaghetti into pieces about an inch to an inch and a half long. cook until very al dente. drain. rinse.
grease pan. grease again. (deadly serious)
layer cheese, butter, pasta, leeks in muffin cups
beat together egg, milk, salt, cayenne
pour liquids in equal proportion over each muffin cup
bake at 350 until done
makes about 8 nests
recipe, less leeks, spaghetti, and muffin cups, adapted from http://www.macaronicheeserecipes.com/Southern-Macaroni-and-Cheese.htm
damn tasty if i do say so myself
enough spaghetti for about two servings
shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
butter (2-3T)
1 large egg
about half a cup of milk (any but skim)
1 tsp of salt
some cayenne
5-6 tbsp leeks, chopped, sauteed in butter
break spaghetti into pieces about an inch to an inch and a half long. cook until very al dente. drain. rinse.
grease pan. grease again. (deadly serious)
layer cheese, butter, pasta, leeks in muffin cups
beat together egg, milk, salt, cayenne
pour liquids in equal proportion over each muffin cup
bake at 350 until done
makes about 8 nests
recipe, less leeks, spaghetti, and muffin cups, adapted from http://www.macaronicheeserecipes.com/Southern-Macaroni-and-Cheese.htm
damn tasty if i do say so myself
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
sponge cake
oh i am weak.
found this recipe in the tesco magazine when i was cleaning the kitchen this morning. or rather, found the magazine. then, this afternoon, tore out all the interesting-looking recipes. then, after attending a comedy show tonight that had me out under the royal mile until ten, came home and made sponge cake with creme fraiche and fresh sliced strawberries.
as always, it gave instructions in grams and ounces rather than volumes, so aside from the butter and eggs i pretty much made up the rest of the recipe to the point that it ran something vaguely like
4 oz butter
3/4-1 c sugar
2 flax eggs
something in the general neighborhood of 2 c self-rising substitute
cream butter and sugar until fluffy. beat in eggs gradually. fold in flour.
bake at 150 (centigrade) in muffin tins until done.
i cooked until a mite past done and either didn't have enough levening or took to many strokes folding in the flour. so they had depressions in the centre and tasted just a bit like kettle corn.
topped with fresh sliced strawberries and creme fraiche beaten just until it holds its shape. would suggest beating creme with confectioners sugar, should you have it.
in any event, quite tasty.
found this recipe in the tesco magazine when i was cleaning the kitchen this morning. or rather, found the magazine. then, this afternoon, tore out all the interesting-looking recipes. then, after attending a comedy show tonight that had me out under the royal mile until ten, came home and made sponge cake with creme fraiche and fresh sliced strawberries.
as always, it gave instructions in grams and ounces rather than volumes, so aside from the butter and eggs i pretty much made up the rest of the recipe to the point that it ran something vaguely like
4 oz butter
3/4-1 c sugar
2 flax eggs
something in the general neighborhood of 2 c self-rising substitute
cream butter and sugar until fluffy. beat in eggs gradually. fold in flour.
bake at 150 (centigrade) in muffin tins until done.
i cooked until a mite past done and either didn't have enough levening or took to many strokes folding in the flour. so they had depressions in the centre and tasted just a bit like kettle corn.
topped with fresh sliced strawberries and creme fraiche beaten just until it holds its shape. would suggest beating creme with confectioners sugar, should you have it.
in any event, quite tasty.
Monday, 20 October 2008
beets
the british seem to love vaccuum packed, pre-cooked beets. apparently these are ready to eat and can be served hot or cold. but they kind of weird me out. anything sold on the vegetable aisle should require further cooking unless it is going in a salad (or is a carrot; also, i must mention here that the brits have the sense to put avocados in the fruit aisle). anyway, this sent me searching for a recipe for my beets. i found this at veggie venture:
BEETS IN ORANGE SAUCE
Active time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Serves 4
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter (omitted, didn't miss at all!)
1 cup orange juice
2 15 ounce cans beets
Salt & pepper
Place medium saucepan on MEDIUM heat. Working quickly while saucepan heats, mix brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the saucepan with a wooden spoon, working out the lumps. Slowly add the orange juice, stirring so lumps don't form. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. While sauce cooks, drain the beets. Stack several slices and dice by cutting in thirds, first one way and then the other. Add beets to sauce and cook until beets are heated through and sauce bubbles. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
being me, however, i felt the need to deviate vastly from the recipe. so i used the juice of one small-med sized orange, no butter, three little beets, and flour instead of cornstarch. i also added cayenne. that's just the sauce ingredients.
i made the sauce without ever boiling it and put into it not only beets but also a very small apple, chunked. and the kernels from about three-fifths of an ear of corn (added late so as not to cook to mush). cooked, stirring constantly, until everything was hot.
not the greatest thing ever (if you have more oranges, add more orange juice), but i think the apple and corn really helped. i would also suggest adding onion, probably pre-cooked just to translucency.
would probably do well served with roasted new potatoes with rosemary.
BEETS IN ORANGE SAUCE
Active time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Serves 4
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter (omitted, didn't miss at all!)
1 cup orange juice
2 15 ounce cans beets
Salt & pepper
Place medium saucepan on MEDIUM heat. Working quickly while saucepan heats, mix brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the saucepan with a wooden spoon, working out the lumps. Slowly add the orange juice, stirring so lumps don't form. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. While sauce cooks, drain the beets. Stack several slices and dice by cutting in thirds, first one way and then the other. Add beets to sauce and cook until beets are heated through and sauce bubbles. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
being me, however, i felt the need to deviate vastly from the recipe. so i used the juice of one small-med sized orange, no butter, three little beets, and flour instead of cornstarch. i also added cayenne. that's just the sauce ingredients.
i made the sauce without ever boiling it and put into it not only beets but also a very small apple, chunked. and the kernels from about three-fifths of an ear of corn (added late so as not to cook to mush). cooked, stirring constantly, until everything was hot.
not the greatest thing ever (if you have more oranges, add more orange juice), but i think the apple and corn really helped. i would also suggest adding onion, probably pre-cooked just to translucency.
would probably do well served with roasted new potatoes with rosemary.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
apple bread success
stole the recipe below from the ever wonderful twofatals.com
being a poor student, i omitted the walnuts, used substitutions for the baking powder, used butter instead of smart balance, used whole milk instead of skim, and made flax eggs. i also only used grated apple for half of the apple requirement and put apple puree (have i mentioned the crazy brits don't believe in applesauce?) in for the other half. turned out very well, but needs nuts, or maybe raisins. sonja, my flatmate, suggested eating it with cream cheese. we didn't have any, so we tried it with highland crowdie instead, to excellent results.
oh right, as always, i baked this in muffin tins as i have no loaf pan.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted smart balance
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup apple, peeled and grated
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350. (or 175 C, wtv) Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and butter (and vanilla) together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients, apples, and walnuts into it. Using a spatula, mix everything the batter together. It should be pretty lumpy. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake it for about an hour, until a knife comes out clean. Let it cool, then serve. (or just serve)
being a poor student, i omitted the walnuts, used substitutions for the baking powder, used butter instead of smart balance, used whole milk instead of skim, and made flax eggs. i also only used grated apple for half of the apple requirement and put apple puree (have i mentioned the crazy brits don't believe in applesauce?) in for the other half. turned out very well, but needs nuts, or maybe raisins. sonja, my flatmate, suggested eating it with cream cheese. we didn't have any, so we tried it with highland crowdie instead, to excellent results.
oh right, as always, i baked this in muffin tins as i have no loaf pan.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted smart balance
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup apple, peeled and grated
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350. (or 175 C, wtv) Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and butter (and vanilla) together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients, apples, and walnuts into it. Using a spatula, mix everything the batter together. It should be pretty lumpy. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake it for about an hour, until a knife comes out clean. Let it cool, then serve. (or just serve)
Thursday, 16 October 2008
what to do with a severly underripe mango
ok, as fanny can attest, i am a terrible judge of mangos. plus i should have known there would be a reason lidl had them half off. anyway, purchased and then sliced open a seriously underripe mango. what to do now?
slice mango into thin slices. quite thin.
place in hot skillet, sprinkle with a decent amount of cinnamon, and let cook a few minutes. add 1-2 tsp sugar, depending on your preference and cook until they've reached your favorite shade of yellow. ta-da! candied mango.
slice mango into thin slices. quite thin.
place in hot skillet, sprinkle with a decent amount of cinnamon, and let cook a few minutes. add 1-2 tsp sugar, depending on your preference and cook until they've reached your favorite shade of yellow. ta-da! candied mango.
baked apple slices
ok, this one might have gone rather spectacularly wrong from a technical point of view, but it tasted good.
basically, i had a big cooking/baking apple left over after tarts, so i thought i'd bake it, but i had no apple corer, and no brown sugar. also no pan aside from a cookie sheet, a muffin pan, and aluminium foil. so i took my usual approach and invented something:
cut apple into slices and lay them out over a big sheet of foil. leaving enough room to fold the sides over and create a closed packet thing, spread the slices out as much as possible. fold up to create edges and corners.
in a skillet or a sauce pan, combine two big spoonfuls of honey, some water (not much - i put in too much), two spoonfuls of sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and sultanas. get nice and hot. (this part's amazing. it tastes like childhood storybook ideals of harvest and small-town halloween all rolled into one. i have to figure out how to make it into proper candy at a later date).
taking care not to spill the sticky mess all over your counter or pans, pour the sauce into your pseudo-foil-pan. fold closed. bake until done.
be careful, this doesn't need to bake long or you will have apple mush (or, if you have added too much water, apple mush soup). check it fairly freqently. would probably also be a good idea to vent the top of your pan.
basically, i had a big cooking/baking apple left over after tarts, so i thought i'd bake it, but i had no apple corer, and no brown sugar. also no pan aside from a cookie sheet, a muffin pan, and aluminium foil. so i took my usual approach and invented something:
cut apple into slices and lay them out over a big sheet of foil. leaving enough room to fold the sides over and create a closed packet thing, spread the slices out as much as possible. fold up to create edges and corners.
in a skillet or a sauce pan, combine two big spoonfuls of honey, some water (not much - i put in too much), two spoonfuls of sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and sultanas. get nice and hot. (this part's amazing. it tastes like childhood storybook ideals of harvest and small-town halloween all rolled into one. i have to figure out how to make it into proper candy at a later date).
taking care not to spill the sticky mess all over your counter or pans, pour the sauce into your pseudo-foil-pan. fold closed. bake until done.
be careful, this doesn't need to bake long or you will have apple mush (or, if you have added too much water, apple mush soup). check it fairly freqently. would probably also be a good idea to vent the top of your pan.
Sunday, 12 October 2008
additional crepe note
if you are flying out the door trying to make your train, which you do, by the skin of your teeth, but regardless are flying out the door trying to make a train that leaves in less than twenty minutes when you live about half that away from the station, and therefore have absolutely no time to saute your spinach in butter with cheese to put on your crepes like you planned,
you can always put a spoonful of plain, nonfat, bioactive yoghurt on a crepe, spread it around, and then add five or six good-sized baby spinach leaves, roll, and eat. yum.
also, thought briefly (ever so briefly) about actually photographing my food experimentations like normal food blogs, then quickly remembered that the results of my experiments tend to be rather unsightly, although tasty. so whatever your experiment looks like when you're finished (ok, blackened and charred excepted), that's totally what it's supposed to look like. or more succinctly:
shoot first. call whatever you hit the target.
which is really my cooking strategy in general.
you can always put a spoonful of plain, nonfat, bioactive yoghurt on a crepe, spread it around, and then add five or six good-sized baby spinach leaves, roll, and eat. yum.
also, thought briefly (ever so briefly) about actually photographing my food experimentations like normal food blogs, then quickly remembered that the results of my experiments tend to be rather unsightly, although tasty. so whatever your experiment looks like when you're finished (ok, blackened and charred excepted), that's totally what it's supposed to look like. or more succinctly:
shoot first. call whatever you hit the target.
which is really my cooking strategy in general.
Friday, 10 October 2008
crepe discovery
i owe my first crepe experience and my crepe recipe to one of my oldest greatest friends' older brother, benji. when we were in late elementary school, for some reason or another there were two or three of us spending the night at christi's, and somehow we convinced benji to make us crepes. they were, of course, fantastic. we smothered them in powdered sugar and ate until out tummies hurt. and then we begged benji for the recipe, which he gave us. i'm pretty sure the recipe is actually oriniginally from francois, the derdeyns' belgian exchange student (as opposed to any of the several other exchange students they've hosted), but i will always think of it as benji's.
traditionally, this recipe only comes out at my house for special occasions. it calls for two eggs and usually gets topped with all manner of delicious sweet things, and in any event generally sits in the back of the recipe stack (now cookbook) like a much-beloved but seldom worn pair of culinary heels. until now. because now i know that this recipe can be made (drumroll please) with Flax Eggs.
in honour of this monumental discovery, i give you,
Benji Derdeyn's Crepes
1.5 c flour
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking (the recipe doesn't actually specify which, but i use soda)
2 c milk
2 eggs (or flax eggs)
2 T butter
1/2 t vanilla
mix. pour. cook. eat.
*always follow the first pancake rule with crepes
and also
MK's Asparagus Crepes
follow directions closely or the temperature will be inideal
boil 3-4 stalks of asparagus for about five minutes, or until tender and very green
whilst asparagus boiling, cut up about 1/4 log of chevre or welsh goat cheese and put on plate. sprinkle with sea salt. have lemon wedge at the ready.
remove asparagus from water as soon as it's done and cut into little bite sized pieces.
put asparagus atop cheese on plate, spritz with lemon, stir up a bit.
make crepe. (the real one)
put asparagus-cheese mixture into crepe.
consume immediately.
*note: can substitute (olive oil and cayenne) sauteed green bean pieces for asparagus for a different take on things. use welsh goat cheese if possible when using green beans.
traditionally, this recipe only comes out at my house for special occasions. it calls for two eggs and usually gets topped with all manner of delicious sweet things, and in any event generally sits in the back of the recipe stack (now cookbook) like a much-beloved but seldom worn pair of culinary heels. until now. because now i know that this recipe can be made (drumroll please) with Flax Eggs.
in honour of this monumental discovery, i give you,
Benji Derdeyn's Crepes
1.5 c flour
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking (the recipe doesn't actually specify which, but i use soda)
2 c milk
2 eggs (or flax eggs)
2 T butter
1/2 t vanilla
mix. pour. cook. eat.
*always follow the first pancake rule with crepes
and also
MK's Asparagus Crepes
follow directions closely or the temperature will be inideal
boil 3-4 stalks of asparagus for about five minutes, or until tender and very green
whilst asparagus boiling, cut up about 1/4 log of chevre or welsh goat cheese and put on plate. sprinkle with sea salt. have lemon wedge at the ready.
remove asparagus from water as soon as it's done and cut into little bite sized pieces.
put asparagus atop cheese on plate, spritz with lemon, stir up a bit.
make crepe. (the real one)
put asparagus-cheese mixture into crepe.
consume immediately.
*note: can substitute (olive oil and cayenne) sauteed green bean pieces for asparagus for a different take on things. use welsh goat cheese if possible when using green beans.
recipe for emmons - MK's carrot salad
this is crazy easy, has approximately no fat, can be made in any quantity, and keeps well for several days. and it has no mayo, which is actually the point as i'm not so keen on mayo in most circumstances.
carrots
applesauce (or apple puree if the italians take after the english)
orange juice and/or pineapple juice (i usually use orange, but a splash of pineapple helps)
sultanas or craisins (or chunks of apple)
mix the applesauce and the juice (in about a 3:2 ratio, to be adjusted to attain desired consistency).
add dried fruit and let sit (rehydrates fruit) whilst you
(peel and) grate the carrots.
stir fruit mixture.
pour fruit mixture over carrots and stir.
let marinate a few minutes to a few hours (depending on how hungry you are - it gets better as it sits for a bit)
eat.
store any extra in an airtight container in the fridge.
will keep well for about three days, less well thereafter.
ok, when i'm just making this for me, i use about two big carrots, about half a cup of applesauce/juice combination, and a handful of fruit. usually makes about two good-sized servings in my experience.
to make it for more people, grate more carrots and make more fruit mixture (remember you can always add more of any ingredient to acheive your favorite balance)
carrots
applesauce (or apple puree if the italians take after the english)
orange juice and/or pineapple juice (i usually use orange, but a splash of pineapple helps)
sultanas or craisins (or chunks of apple)
mix the applesauce and the juice (in about a 3:2 ratio, to be adjusted to attain desired consistency).
add dried fruit and let sit (rehydrates fruit) whilst you
(peel and) grate the carrots.
stir fruit mixture.
pour fruit mixture over carrots and stir.
let marinate a few minutes to a few hours (depending on how hungry you are - it gets better as it sits for a bit)
eat.
store any extra in an airtight container in the fridge.
will keep well for about three days, less well thereafter.
ok, when i'm just making this for me, i use about two big carrots, about half a cup of applesauce/juice combination, and a handful of fruit. usually makes about two good-sized servings in my experience.
to make it for more people, grate more carrots and make more fruit mixture (remember you can always add more of any ingredient to acheive your favorite balance)
the big list of kitchen essentials
i think it might be weird that i consider list-making a form of self indulgence.
oh well. my wish list for cooking experiments
equipment
kitchenaid mixer. (accept no substitutes)
at least two flat wooden spoons, one oiled but never washed for pastry, one for sauces
high quality paring knife
high quality chef's knife
bench scraper
measuring cups
measuring spoons
big mixing bowl
two medium mixing bowls
two small mixing bowls
pyrex pie pan
cookie sheets
muffin pans
slotted metal spoon
spatula, preferably metal
can opener
potato/carrot peeler
cheese grater
nutmeg grater
food processor
rolling pin, either glass or greased wood
steamer
big pot
sauce pans
big metal mixing spoon
collander
refillable pepper grinder
dish rags
sponge
washing up liquid
pot holders
cast iron:
big frying pan
little frying pan
griddle
spices
sea salt
black peppercorns
cinnamon
cloves
dried basil
dried oregano
colman's english mustard
cayenne
turmeric
baking powder
baking soda
cream of tartar
cocoa
foods
extra sharp cheddar cheese
parmesean
chevre or welsh goat cheese
sun-dried tomatoes
pasta
tinned tomatoes, preferably with garlic
garlic
lemon
tomato paste/puree
sultanas
craisins
currants
almonds
flaxmeal
flour
sugar
apples
applesauce
carrots
baby spinach
eggs
milk
olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
basalmic vinegar
white vinegar
veggie oil
butter
yoghurt
strawberries
blueberries
malt vinegar
oh well. my wish list for cooking experiments
equipment
kitchenaid mixer. (accept no substitutes)
at least two flat wooden spoons, one oiled but never washed for pastry, one for sauces
high quality paring knife
high quality chef's knife
bench scraper
measuring cups
measuring spoons
big mixing bowl
two medium mixing bowls
two small mixing bowls
pyrex pie pan
cookie sheets
muffin pans
slotted metal spoon
spatula, preferably metal
can opener
potato/carrot peeler
cheese grater
nutmeg grater
food processor
rolling pin, either glass or greased wood
steamer
big pot
sauce pans
big metal mixing spoon
collander
refillable pepper grinder
dish rags
sponge
washing up liquid
pot holders
cast iron:
big frying pan
little frying pan
griddle
spices
sea salt
black peppercorns
cinnamon
cloves
dried basil
dried oregano
colman's english mustard
cayenne
turmeric
baking powder
baking soda
cream of tartar
cocoa
foods
extra sharp cheddar cheese
parmesean
chevre or welsh goat cheese
sun-dried tomatoes
pasta
tinned tomatoes, preferably with garlic
garlic
lemon
tomato paste/puree
sultanas
craisins
currants
almonds
flaxmeal
flour
sugar
apples
applesauce
carrots
baby spinach
eggs
milk
olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
basalmic vinegar
white vinegar
veggie oil
butter
yoghurt
strawberries
blueberries
malt vinegar
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
spam?
dearest blogspot spam reviewers,
while i am perfectly clear on the fact that probably no one but me wants to read this, i changed the settings (or certainly attempted to) to keep it out of next blog, etc, as soon as i made it. your article on spam blogs doesn't clarify another reason why a private-set blog, even if it is just me rambling about my cooking experiments, would be objectionable. if you have the time, would you be so kind as to clarify this point for me?
thank you,
mary katherine
while i am perfectly clear on the fact that probably no one but me wants to read this, i changed the settings (or certainly attempted to) to keep it out of next blog, etc, as soon as i made it. your article on spam blogs doesn't clarify another reason why a private-set blog, even if it is just me rambling about my cooking experiments, would be objectionable. if you have the time, would you be so kind as to clarify this point for me?
thank you,
mary katherine
Sunday, 5 October 2008
planning
ok, cooking plans:
tomato sauce and pasta tonight
repurposed as tomato, sultana, paneer stew for the week
broccolli-cheese cornbread
(maybe cook friday night to use as road-food for carbisdale?)
will need broccoli and maybe cheese
veggie burgers
will need veggies
carrot salad
will need carrots, orange
berry scones
blueberry muffins
can only use blueberries in some of them, must find other flavouring for rest
feels pretty silly to keep up a blog no one's intended to see. hmm...
tomato sauce and pasta tonight
repurposed as tomato, sultana, paneer stew for the week
broccolli-cheese cornbread
(maybe cook friday night to use as road-food for carbisdale?)
will need broccoli and maybe cheese
veggie burgers
will need veggies
carrot salad
will need carrots, orange
berry scones
blueberry muffins
can only use blueberries in some of them, must find other flavouring for rest
feels pretty silly to keep up a blog no one's intended to see. hmm...
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
mk's savoury french toast
ok, we're easing into real recipes.
use the best san francisco-style (by which i mean boudin-style) sourdough you can find, make normal french toast, but include dried oregano and basil and fresh ground pepper and a dash of salt in your milk-egg mixture. top with freshly grated parmesean.
use the best san francisco-style (by which i mean boudin-style) sourdough you can find, make normal french toast, but include dried oregano and basil and fresh ground pepper and a dash of salt in your milk-egg mixture. top with freshly grated parmesean.
hummus once more
recipe and all that:
um, the first time i made some with dried chickpeas (cheaper and i had them at hand) i kept at the googling until i found a recipe. the basic outline of my process is:
wash your chickpeas and pick out the rocks and the damaged ones. then set your chickpeas in water with a tsp and half or so of baking soda i think, and leave it for a few hours, then change the water and leave it over night.
then boil the lot (in fresh water) for an hour or two, change the water and keep boiling until chickpeas are easily mashed between your fingers. while it's boiling, be sure you keep skimming the husks off, which should theoretically float to the surface. don't be worried if they don't, it's not the end of the world, it's just a bit easier for the chopping part if they're removed. you're going to save the water and set it aside.
now comes the chopping bit. you want to basically puree or asclosetopureeingaspossible all of your chickpeas and at least two big cloves of garlic. mix those with salt, tahini, lemon juice, and more garlic to taste. my rule of thumb is to use about 1/3 to 1/2 as much tahini as chickpeas. if you've mixed everything together and you think it's too dry, add a little bit of the water you set aside.
for other flavours, you can always add olive oil, cumin, roasted red pepper, pine nuts, roasted garlic, cilantro, pretty much anything you can think of.
um, the first time i made some with dried chickpeas (cheaper and i had them at hand) i kept at the googling until i found a recipe. the basic outline of my process is:
wash your chickpeas and pick out the rocks and the damaged ones. then set your chickpeas in water with a tsp and half or so of baking soda i think, and leave it for a few hours, then change the water and leave it over night.
then boil the lot (in fresh water) for an hour or two, change the water and keep boiling until chickpeas are easily mashed between your fingers. while it's boiling, be sure you keep skimming the husks off, which should theoretically float to the surface. don't be worried if they don't, it's not the end of the world, it's just a bit easier for the chopping part if they're removed. you're going to save the water and set it aside.
now comes the chopping bit. you want to basically puree or asclosetopureeingaspossible all of your chickpeas and at least two big cloves of garlic. mix those with salt, tahini, lemon juice, and more garlic to taste. my rule of thumb is to use about 1/3 to 1/2 as much tahini as chickpeas. if you've mixed everything together and you think it's too dry, add a little bit of the water you set aside.
for other flavours, you can always add olive oil, cumin, roasted red pepper, pine nuts, roasted garlic, cilantro, pretty much anything you can think of.
Monday, 29 September 2008
recipes revisited
i've been wondering about why i feel so weird about posting real recipes up here. i think it's partially because i think of this as a place to dump successful first experiments, works in progress, or things that are more stepping stones towards recipes.
but mostly i think it's to do with my fixation with provenance of recipes. if you look through my cookbook, every recipe is attributed (except about half a dozen i copied out of cookbook during middle school), if not to a person at least to a publication. recipes on the internet, while useful and inspiring and etc. lack that grounding in who came up with them or introduced them when and/or where. they're just search-engine fodder. and whilst i don't think anything i've come up with reaches anywhere near the level of, say Mrs. Biddle's Rolls or Lana Burwell's Artichoke Dip, or Linda's 1994 Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing (It Was A Good Batch), somehow i feel like posting my inventions challenges the sanctity of the rest of the recipes in the cookbook, which seems an insult to their creators.
which is silly, i know. but for the present i think the real recipes will have to stay in the cookbook and this will have to put up with just being an experiments log.
but mostly i think it's to do with my fixation with provenance of recipes. if you look through my cookbook, every recipe is attributed (except about half a dozen i copied out of cookbook during middle school), if not to a person at least to a publication. recipes on the internet, while useful and inspiring and etc. lack that grounding in who came up with them or introduced them when and/or where. they're just search-engine fodder. and whilst i don't think anything i've come up with reaches anywhere near the level of, say Mrs. Biddle's Rolls or Lana Burwell's Artichoke Dip, or Linda's 1994 Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing (It Was A Good Batch), somehow i feel like posting my inventions challenges the sanctity of the rest of the recipes in the cookbook, which seems an insult to their creators.
which is silly, i know. but for the present i think the real recipes will have to stay in the cookbook and this will have to put up with just being an experiments log.
hummus, again
right, forgot lunch.
i realized i forgot to put any lemon juice in my hummus, which explains why it's not quite right (it doesn't do well cold, which is weird).
so for lunch i decided to saute some onions and pepper and cayenne, then add the hummus to the skillet and heat it up with some lemon juice. served hot over lightly toasted german bread. worked much better.
hopefully i'll get round to fixing the lemon juice issue shortly, as there's still lots of hummus left.
i realized i forgot to put any lemon juice in my hummus, which explains why it's not quite right (it doesn't do well cold, which is weird).
so for lunch i decided to saute some onions and pepper and cayenne, then add the hummus to the skillet and heat it up with some lemon juice. served hot over lightly toasted german bread. worked much better.
hopefully i'll get round to fixing the lemon juice issue shortly, as there's still lots of hummus left.
broccoli (and sultanas)
ok, this one's absurdly simple but it makes me love broccoli more which is good as it's a relatively new addition to my (embarassingly short) list of tasty veggies i can cook.
steam broccoli until tender with lemon juice and rinds and seasalt in water until a wee bit more tender than you'd normally for steamed broccoli. i think i keep misspelling this poor veggie. grate a small cloud of fresh parmesean onto a plate, empty veggies onto plate, stir, top with more cheese as needed. eat hot.
also, wierd food discovery of the day: steamed sultanas.
(yes, steamed sultanas)
just throw a big handful in with the veggies and they emerge all nice, plump, and juicy. i think in future i will try this before baking them into things. scones are always so much better with juicy sultanas.
ooh! maybe i'll make sultana scones for my next outoftown adventure!
steam broccoli until tender with lemon juice and rinds and seasalt in water until a wee bit more tender than you'd normally for steamed broccoli. i think i keep misspelling this poor veggie. grate a small cloud of fresh parmesean onto a plate, empty veggies onto plate, stir, top with more cheese as needed. eat hot.
also, wierd food discovery of the day: steamed sultanas.
(yes, steamed sultanas)
just throw a big handful in with the veggies and they emerge all nice, plump, and juicy. i think in future i will try this before baking them into things. scones are always so much better with juicy sultanas.
ooh! maybe i'll make sultana scones for my next outoftown adventure!
Sunday, 28 September 2008
spinach soufflee in a frying pan
i seriously need to think up a better name for this. in any event, i was craving spinach soufflee and had little of the necessary equipment and none of the funds required for the dish, so i improvised with what i did have, with good results.
fresh spinach, washed, chopped twice
1 in of thick carrot or equivalent, peeled, chopped fine
1 tbsp or so of sultanas
1 cheese stick worth of double gloucester
lemon
butter
salt and pepper to taste
saute spinach, carrots, sultanas w/ 1/2 tsp or so lemon juice in butter. add cheese, stir til melted. add fresh ground pepper, small dash sea salt. serve hot on german bread.
fresh spinach, washed, chopped twice
1 in of thick carrot or equivalent, peeled, chopped fine
1 tbsp or so of sultanas
1 cheese stick worth of double gloucester
lemon
butter
salt and pepper to taste
saute spinach, carrots, sultanas w/ 1/2 tsp or so lemon juice in butter. add cheese, stir til melted. add fresh ground pepper, small dash sea salt. serve hot on german bread.
real recipes
still uncertain about posting my recipes (ones that are finished, perfected, wtv) here. maybe i'll start by putting them up on a private setting or something of the kind and go from there. granted, i'll have to figure out how to do that first.
ode to food processors
y'know, i've never really been one to use food processors very often. in fact, i once spent an entire day making potato salad by hand because i disliked the subpar results which the cuisinart produced. but i must admit i now very much see their worth. early this past week i undertook to make my own hummus (a one-quid bag of chickpeas and a threeorso pound tub of tahini yeilds so much more hummus than can be purchased for as much). so hours of boiling later and i recall that the only chopping instruments at my disposal are my paring knife and my bench scraper. lots and lots of chopping later, i have still chunkier-than-desired hummus with unevenly distributed salt and garlic, and a newfound love of food processors.
Saturday, 27 September 2008
apple muffins
yes, technically i have an apple-currant muffin recipe which when done properly produces excellent muffins. but i'm still looking for that absolutely to die for apple muffin recipe. this was my latest experiment, made for my adventure to stirling and adopted from the twofatals recipe, which they adapted from somewhere.
all measurements highly theoretical, due to utter lack of measuring devices.
2 c flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter
1/3 c sugar
2 T honey
2 eggs
1 1/4 t vanilla
1 chunked apple
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c sultanas
cream butter with sugar, honey. add eggs one at a time, vanilla. stir in fruit.
mix dry. add dry to wet.
bake til done.
they were quite tasty whilst hot, and the following day once they'd moistened up a bit. original called for walnuts, brown sugar instead of honey, more brown sugar, less white sugar, shredded apple in addition to chunked, powder instead of powder substitute, and streusel.
i'd definitely add some shredded apple (broke down and bought a grater today), more sultanas, maybe some chopped pecans, and the barest touch of streusel. not too much shredded apple, mind, as the dryness of the batter meant the texture approximated streusel all on its own. maybe just a tablespoon or two of shredded apple in the batter and then top with caramelized shredded apple whilst hot.
to be continued, i hope
all measurements highly theoretical, due to utter lack of measuring devices.
2 c flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter
1/3 c sugar
2 T honey
2 eggs
1 1/4 t vanilla
1 chunked apple
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c sultanas
cream butter with sugar, honey. add eggs one at a time, vanilla. stir in fruit.
mix dry. add dry to wet.
bake til done.
they were quite tasty whilst hot, and the following day once they'd moistened up a bit. original called for walnuts, brown sugar instead of honey, more brown sugar, less white sugar, shredded apple in addition to chunked, powder instead of powder substitute, and streusel.
i'd definitely add some shredded apple (broke down and bought a grater today), more sultanas, maybe some chopped pecans, and the barest touch of streusel. not too much shredded apple, mind, as the dryness of the batter meant the texture approximated streusel all on its own. maybe just a tablespoon or two of shredded apple in the batter and then top with caramelized shredded apple whilst hot.
to be continued, i hope
tomato paneer
here's to creative repurposing of leftovers.
take leftover MK's Signature Tomato Sauce, add a half cup or so of golden sultanas, and a full package of paneer cut into manageable chunks. stew for twenty minutes to half an hour. serve hot.
keeps well in the refridgerator for several days.
take leftover MK's Signature Tomato Sauce, add a half cup or so of golden sultanas, and a full package of paneer cut into manageable chunks. stew for twenty minutes to half an hour. serve hot.
keeps well in the refridgerator for several days.
green beans
inspired by my favorite asparagus recipes and by chrissy's sesame seed green beans
as there is no asparagus to be had for under two pounds a bunch, i subbed in green beans
wash and cut fresh green beans into inch-or-so-long pieces.
sautee them in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a twist of lemon juice, sprinkled with a dash of cayenne, a few twists of fresh pepper, and a dash of sea salt.
serve hot and crunchy with welsh goat's cheese.
as there is no asparagus to be had for under two pounds a bunch, i subbed in green beans
wash and cut fresh green beans into inch-or-so-long pieces.
sautee them in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a twist of lemon juice, sprinkled with a dash of cayenne, a few twists of fresh pepper, and a dash of sea salt.
serve hot and crunchy with welsh goat's cheese.
to start
so this is my solution. put all pseudorecipes here. also all food and kitchen-tool tangents and discoveries. we'll see how long i keep it up. and whether or not this actually gets it out of my system.
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