Easter

Good Morning Happy Easter

http://brendalovestocook.blogspot.co.nz/2011/04/easter-goodies.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Market Day

 

       The Sunday market at Ohope was a great morning out!  It was pleasant to be shopping in the sunshine and fresh air with the smell of coffee and fried foods wafting on the breeze.   Despite the fact that I had only recently had breakfast I found myself looking for a snack. It was hard not to as  I had plenty to choose from crepes, freshly made burgers, croissant/danish, home baking and the list goes on.
       The moment I saw these golden beauties I just had to have one.  Crisp and crunchy samosa filled with a spicy paneer and vegetable filling then drizzled with tamarillo chutney it hit the spot beautifully.  

 

 

Energised by my snack I continued on shopping I found damson plums and since I'd only ever seen  these tart deep purple little plums on television I had to acquire a couple of bags.  

 

 

Damson Plums

Oh Joy the smell of plum jam wafting through the house I didn't mess around I used my tried and true recipe http://brendalovestocook.blogspot.co.nz/2011/01/plums-glorius-plums.html

 The day didn't stop there I came home with smokey chipolte, a bucket load of tomatoes for sauce http://brendalovestocook.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/tomato-love.html and some sensational sweet muscatels.  All in all a very productive shop followed by a satisfying amount of time in the kitchen doing what I like best. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 







Caribbean Jerk Chicken

             I wanted something different, I felt the need to explore a flavour profile that I had pretty much ignored.  I wasn't sure exactly what until I saw a celebrity chef selling us some processed packaged stuff that paled in comparison to the real deal.  So I played around with this and came up with a quick simple marinade that tossed over some free-range chicken made for some seriously tasty chicken.  With flavours reflecting the Caribbean how could it not be a winner the zing of fresh lime and ginger, the warm undertones of earthy spices, a hit of chili and rum and all mellowed out by dark treacly muscovado brown sugar.  Served along side sticky coconut rice this chicken is a winner.

 

 

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

1/2 onion

4 cm piece of ginger

2 cloves garlic

2 tspns cinnamon

2 tspns all-spice

1 tsp smoked paprika

3 limes zest and juice

50 mils Dark rum

1 Tablespoon oil

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

chili to suit (I used two long red chilies  In the Caribbean they favour scotch bonnets)

1 tsp salt

Chicken pieces

 

Blend all the ingredients together in a liquidiser.  Toss chicken in marinade and leave for as long as you can 1 hour or better yet over night.  For the best flavour cook on the barbecue on a slow to medium heat and get some nice char flavours.  Otherwise roast pieces in oven until the juices run clear.

 

 

Sticky Coconut Rice

 

Simply cook rice as you would normally but replace the water or stock with coconut milk.

 

 

 

 

 

Summer  Harvest

             This summer I traveled cross country several times as I moved from city living to small town coastal living.  As I drove you couldn't help but notice an abundance of road side stalls some of them completely reliant on an honesty box and some organised enough to be manned and offering eftpos!  With each trip I would notice stalls I hadn't noticed the first time it was foodie heaven.  There was an abundance of fresh plums, peaches and nectarines just perfect for eating with their juices dripping down your face after every delicious bite.  As January changed to February new stars emerged watermelon, fresh ears of sweet-corn, tomatoes, basil, courgettes and eggplants.  There are only so many times that a person can eat sweet-corn on the cob slathered in butter (no really there is) before you begin to want something a little different.  This salad is the one...... imagine the sweetness of corn, the fresh hit of lime from the dressing, the bite of chili, and the slight aroma of anise from freshly cut basil.  How you use this beautiful combination that's up to you.  I served this recently with Caribbean Jerk Chicken and some gorgeous sticky coconut rice.   (recipes to follow)

Sweet-corn, Tomato and Basil Salad.

4 corn on the cob (still in husks)

1 punnet cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 red capsicum (small dice)

2 spring onions (thin slice)

1 large handful basil leaves

1 red chili (finely chopped

3 limes zest and juice

100mls olive oil

salt and pepper

1 tspn honey

Soak the corn in water for 30 minutes.  Place on an oven tray and roast in a oven pre-heated to 180c for 1 hour.

Oven-Roasted Corn

Extra sweet cooked in the husk

When the corn is cooked using a sharp knife remove the corn from the cob.  Toss through with tomatoes, capsicum, spring onion, basil and chili.  

Combine the lime, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until combined.  Drizzle over salad and serve.

Meatless Meal

            At least once a week I try to have a meatless meal and when you combine this with using ingredients only on hand (Yes I'm still trying to empty out my pantry) you get dahl.  Easy and tasty as well as surprisingly satisfying when served with a bowl of basmati rice and some garlic naan.
If you haven't dried making dahl before you really should.  This dahl recipe is particularly fragrant with a little tartness to off set the mellow spices.  Nutricious and so simple to make this recipe is adaptable no two bowls need taste the same.




Spiced Lentil Soup


100g red lentils
1.5 litres water
2 Tbspns oil
8-10 curry leaves (optional but worth hunting down
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
8 cloves
1 large vine ripened tomato finely chopped or 1/2 can of chopped tomato
2 cm piece of ginger finely chopped (grated)
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons lenon juice
1 teaspoon tumeric.


Cook the lentils in the water for approximately 1 hour until soft.  Blend with hand held blender or pass through a seive.
Heat a large pan add the oil and the spices (not tumeric that comes later) until the seeds begin to pop.  Add the ginger, garlic, tomato and curry leaves cook until soft.  Add the lentils, sugar, salt, lemon and tumeric simmer for thirty minutes and serve.

Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

            I finished my last jar of plum and vanilla jam smothered onto hot buttered toast, it added a nice little hit of luxury first thing in the morning.  But the regret was colossal and as I savored the last little morsel of my toast I wondered what next?  That was followed quickly by ah...... what do I have handy?  You see I made myself a promise that over the next month I would use up as many of my pantry stores as possible so that I could replace with fresh of course there will be exceptions but I'm liking the challenge and when my pantry contains things like rose water, orange blossom water and pomegranate molasses it's hard to complain.  Then there are those other ingredients bought  for dishes that never quite got made but one day soon........and so the emptying of my larder continues.  I can't quite see this jam smeared on hot buttered toast but it's gorgeous dolloped on a scone with some fresh cream, it makes a tasty addition to apple crumble and stars in a Rhubarb Gallette.  (And if you made a lemon meringue pie recently you may just have some pastry left over just enough to make a this quick rustic tart.  Roll out the pastry into a rough circle place dough on a tray, smear the pastry with the jam leaving approximately an inch on the outside.  Top with thinly sliced rhubarb that has been tossed in a little sugar fold the edges up and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 200c or until golden brown)

Rhubarb and Ginger Jam.

500grams roughly chopped rhubarb
2 1/2 cups sugar
100 grams crystallized ginger
1 orange zest and juice and or 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Soften the rhubarb and ginger over a low heat with the orange juice and zest.  Warm the sugar and add to the rhubarb bring to the boil, simmer on a low heat stirring often.  The jam is ready when a small amount sets in a saucer of cold water.  Makes 4 x 200ml jars.

Lemon Meringue Goodness

             The new year has come and gone I've steadfastly refused to make any New Years resolutions especially ones that involve food which is why I have NO guilt what so ever about posting up this rich and heavenly Lemon Meringue Pie.  Make it, love it and share it.  If you don't want to make your own pastry don't but I have to say that this sweet paste is easy to make and as long as you don't fuss (and let it get warm) it is easy to handle.  Try rolling it out on a piece of no-stick paper or silicon mat so that if it does begin to get too warm you can easily put it back into the fridge for five minutes.  The following recipe will be more than enough to line your tin freeze extra for use another time or double the recipe for the express purpose of having it there for when you need a quick easy sweet.  I'll be posting a couple of other uses for this pastry soon.... so watch this space.


Sweet Paste

250grams butter (cold diced)
150grams icing sugar
4 egg yolks lightly beaten
500 grams plain flour
salt pinch
lemon or orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor blend butter, flour and icing sugar together until it resembles breadcrumbs. 
(Or by hand if you like my preference is to use the food processor as the heat in your hands is the pastry's enemy)  Add the beaten eggs, zest and vanilla and pulse until the dough just starts to come together.  Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball.  Flatten the pastry and wrap in cling-film refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out this allows the gluten's in the pastry to relax and will result in less shrinkage. 

For the pie shell roll out to roughly 3mm thick line a 26cm flan (or whatever size your using if your using a smaller size your flan will need to be deeper to accommodate the amount of filling).  Allow the pastry to rest again in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Prick the pastry base with a fork.  Line with a piece of baking paper and fill with baking beans (rice or lentils work as well the idea is for the beans to hold up the sides and weigh down the base)  Bake in a pre-heated  (200c)  oven for 15 minutes.  Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until pastry is golden.

Lemon Meringue Pie

6 lemons juice and rind
40 grams butter
100 grams sugar (castor is better as it dissolves faster than regular but it's not essential)
1 tin sweetened condensed milk 400g
40 grams cornflour
4 eggs (large)


26cm pie crust
4 egg whites
200 grams sugar (see above note)

For the filling bring to the boil lemon juice and zest with the first measure of sugar and the butter.  Whisk eggs, the condensed milk and the cornflour together.  Pour over the boiling juices and whisk.  Return to the stove an bring back to the boil stirring constantly until thick.  Cool slightly before pouring into pastry case.

Warm the second measure of sugar in the microwave or oven.  Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form slowly beat in the sugar a little at a time beat continuously for 10 minutes until firm and shiny.  (who needs a gym work out)  (For successful meringue you need to remember to keep it clean a little grease or egg yolk and your egg whites won't beat up)

Top the pie with meringue and return to oven until meringue is lightly coloured (or use a blowtorch!)
Refrigerate before cutting.

Super Easy Srawberry Ice-cream

              Strawberries are super cheap and sweet at the moment.   Early in the season I treat strawberries like royalty eating them raw and savoring there glorious flavour knowing that summer is on the way.  Now that summer is here with a glut of strawberries I start  thinking towards the cooler months and how I can prolong my strawberry season.  I make jam Strawberry and Black Pepper, Strawberry and rhubarb or I make a coulis in it's simplest form (punnets of hulled strawberries blended raw with sugar - 1 cup of sugar with 2 punnets of strawberries) and freeze it in ice trays.  This will be the base of my super easy strawberry ice-cream a taste of summer in the dark depths of winter.  If you have an ice-cream churner this just so, so simple it would be criminal not to give this recipe a whirl you will not be disappointed.  Minimum effort maximum flavour.  If not then you have a little bit of work to do but it is so worth the effort.

Super Easy Strawberry Ice-cream


2 punnets strawberries Hulled and halved
1 cup sugar
300mls cream
1 shot vodka ( this helps to keep your ice-cream soft but is not essential)


Blend strawberries, vodka and sugar together in a food processor until smooth.  If you don't like the seeds push through a sieve to remove.  Pour the strawberry coulis into the ice-cream churner following the manufacturers instructions.  Slowly add the cream leave to churn until very thick.  Freeze until firm or scoff as soft serve.

If you don't have a churner once the coulis has been made pour into a shallow tray and partially freeze.  Use the pulse setting on the food processor to quickly break down pour on cream and pulse until combined.  Partially refreeze.  Process again and refreeze. Repeat and pour into plastic container freeze and eat.

Orange and Rum Christmas Cake

MR COOL

             Since we here in New Zealand don't get to experience a white christmas I thought I'd bring a little of that white magic to my christmas cake.  So out came the snow-man I invested in some snowflake plunger cutters and raided my cake decorating kit for everything else.  He's awesome and the kids were utterly enthralled with the process of putting him together.

          This recipe is the one I turn to every year I try to make it well in advance but some years life is too hectic.  Now I've dabbled with other recipes and I've used more exotic dried fruits but to me this is what a christmas cake should be rich, dense with fruit and boozy.   I ice it with marzipan and fondant icing since most years I travel with it and as I have discovered royal icing, it's fluffy meringue cousin and rum butter-cream do not like long car trips.  As I type this I had a revelation fruitcake cupcakes swirled high with Rum butter-cream icing perhaps with a hint of coffee and now I wonder will I be able to fit them into my schedule.........gotta love Christmas!

Rum and Orange Christmas Cake


1.5 kg mixed dried Fruit
1 cup rum
2 oranges zest and juice
200grams soft brown sugar
250grams soft butter
4 eggs (at room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla
350grams self/raising flour
salt pinch
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1x 22cm cake tin lined twice with baking paper (bottom and sides)


Soak fruit in rum and orange juice overnight (or however long it takes you to get around to it).
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  Sieve flour, spice and salt onto butter mix  and stir gently add the fruit and mix batter until combined.   Spoon mixture into prepared cake tin and bake for 3 hours in a slow oven.  Stick a skewer into cake to check if it is cooked skewer should come away clean.

Summer Dining

Rye and Wholemeal Flat-bread with avocado, snapper and a tomato herb salad

           As the warmer weather arrives I start thinking about light tasty food that can be eaten alfresco with friends and a glass of wine or ice cold beer.  There are all kinds of cheats that can be used for this dish but since I am in purist mode I'll let you figure those out for yourself.  These luscious morsels (ok somewhat bigger than a morsel)  were devoured by adults and children.  Even as I write this I think about all the variations that could be played out on these freshly baked breads, quite frankly I'm beginning to feel like there is not enough time to cook all the things I'd like too.  So prepare yourselves for recipes galore this time of year is glorious.
      




Rye and Wholegrain Flat-bread

2 teaspoons dried yeast
300g plain flour (high grade)
150g wholemeal flour
150g rye flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
50mls olive oil

Combine yeast with 300mls of warm (blood temperature) water and teaspoon of sugar, mix together and leave in a warm spot until the mix froths.  In a bowl combine flours and salt, make a well in the center and pour yeast mix and oil into it.  Using your hand incorporate the dry and wet ingredients until the dough comes together.  Tip onto a floured bench and kneed dough until shiny and elastic (approx 10 minutes) or use  dough hook and do it in a machine.  Cover dough with a clean damp teatowel and set aside for an hour to prove.  The dough should double in size.  Pre-heat oven to 200c.  Turn out dough and divide into eight.  Roll each segment of dough into 15cm long oval breads place on oven trays lined with paper (or pre-heated pizza stones with semolina) drizzle with olive oil sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 7 minutes until golden brown.


Avocado and Snapper Topping

2 large avocado mashed with the juice of one lemon and seasoned well
4 snapper fillets approx 200grms each baked in the oven with lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil and seasoned well.
 100mls of aioli
4 spring onions finely sliced
1 cup picked washed coriander leaves
2 tomatoes pulp and seed removed finely diced.
juice of lemon and olive oil to drizzle (2 tbspns)
lemon wedges to serve

 To assemble (either do it your self or let your guests build their flat-bread to suit themselves.)
 Smear avocado along the flat bread, flake pieces of snapper over the top drizzle with aioli,  sprinkle salad over the top coriander, spring onion and tomato.  Dress with lemon and oil and season.


Aioli

1 egg yolk
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove of garlic crushed finely
200mls olive oil
salt and pepper

Whisk yolk, lemon, dijon and garlic together very slowly pour the oil on to the yolk mixture whisking continuously until all the oil is incorporated.  Season.  If you prefer you can do this in a food processor following the same principles.

Smoked Kahawai

          Look at these beauties ok not the biggest fish ever caught but my six year old was pretty pleased with himself.   The kahawai is not considered a glamorous fish and is often used as bait.  It's fatty flesh lends itself to being smoked and that is exactly what I chose to do. 
So guts out and heads off don't worry about scaling the fish and leave the skin on.  Split the fish down the center and open out the kahawai.   For each fish I cured I used 1 tablespoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and a good grind of black pepper.  The kahawai was covered and refrigerated overnight to cure.  Approximately 12 hours later the cure was rinsed off and the fish smoked.  In my hot-smoker I used 2 Tablespoons of oak shavings with a drizzle of whiskey and a couple of fresh bay leaves for a light herbal note.

My go-to meal.

Orechiette with broccoli, lemon and chilli

           We all have our own go-to meal.  It's crunch time.  Dinner looms ahead and it's been one of those days.  Take-aways you say to yourself but then you've got to get every-one in the car and out again only to have to repeat the performance again before you even walk through the door..........
           No way you pull out a few simple ingredients and before you know it dinner is in front of you.  It's a humble dish and we eat it more often then I care to admit.  It's a fuss free one pot meal that everyone will eat with no complaints.  Left overs sorry no.  You won't be sorry.



Orechiette with broccoli, lemon and chilli


pasta (your choice)
broccoli (or try cauliflower or zucchini.)
potato (waxy is best)
lemon zest and juice
chilli flakes
pesto
pecorino

Cook your pasta in plenty of boiling salt water until it is almost al dente, add the cubed potato.  When the potato is cooked add florets of broccoli.  Continue to boil until broccoli is cooked how you like it.  Tip into a colander saving a small amount of cooking water.  Tip into serving bowl and toss through lemon, chilli and pesto.  Use the cooking water if you need to loosen up the pasta.  Season.  Top with plenty of shaved pecorino.

Cumin and Pomegranate Molasses basted Chicken

         Sorry folks I'm still stuck in the middle east.  What can I say?  I'm loving the flavour combinations and this chicken rocks.  Even now as I write this I'm contemplating a trip to the butcher to grab a chicken I've ticked off the other ingredients earthy cumin check, fresh coriander check, spanish onion check and the key ingredient pomegranate molasses check.  You can find this in middle eastern food stores and some supermarkets also stock it.  It is a thick dark syrup made from pomegranates  and is gloriously sweet and sour.  Serve the chicken with hot buttered cous cous to soak up all the juices.


Cumin and Pomegranate Molasses basted Chicken
 (with coriander and pickled red onion salad)


1 whole chicken or your favourite chicken pieces
2 tablespoons ground cumin (roasted)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh coriander leaves
1 spanish (red) onion
1/2 teaspoon salt (extra)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lemon juice

Mix spice, salt, oil and molasses in a bowl.
Butterfly chicken ( remove backbone with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove wish-bone and flatten.)  Using your fingers lift up the skin around breasts and legs.  Rub the spice mixture over chicken using your fingers push marinade up into and under the skin.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes and roast in a pre heated oven (180c) with 1/2 cup water in bottom of tray for 50 -60 minutes if using a whole chicken or until juices run clear.  Pull chicken out of oven and spoon cooking juices back over chicken at least twice during the cooking time.

Thinly slice the onion and toss with the second measure of salt, sugar and lemon juice leave for 1 hour.  Toss together with coriander and garnish your chicken.

Thyme, Sumac and Sesame Bread

         There is nothing as satisfying as making your own bread.  In this day and age you can decide just how much of your time and energy you wish to use on making your bread.  Yes bread does take time to make there is no getting around it but it is not hands on time the steps to making bread are quick and can be done in a mixer with a dough hook or bread-making machine which will also prove your bread or by hand (it's a great upper body work-out) This recipe is for a crusty flat bread and you can flavour the oil to suit your own tastes ie Rosemary, Chile and Parmesan.  I've taken my flavours again from the middle east.  Sumac is a deep red purple spice which is the dried fruit of a bush most commonly known as Rhus.  The dried berry has a tart citric flavour.  It is often used in spice rubs, marinades and dressings; it has an affinity for chicken, fish and seafood, lamb, eggplant, chickpeas and lentils.  Sumac will keep in an airtight container for several months.

Thyme, Sumac and Sesame Bread

500g plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons yeast dried
1 1/2 cups warm water (blood temperature)  yeast needs warmth to activate however if it is hot                                                                               the yeast dies.
25mls olive oil.

Flavoured oil mix:-
    1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    1 Tablespoon sumac
    1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or half if using dry.
     75mls oil
     1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of your electric mixer (follow manufacturers instructions for bread maker using all the ingredients except flavoured oil)  or in a bowl if doing by hand.  In a small bowl mix the water, yeast, sugar and oil set aside in a warm place until it becomes frothy.  Now I could give you a time but it depends on the warmth of your kitchen.  Add yeast mix to the flour and either using a dough hook or your hands combine the ingredients.  Allow the dough hook to work the dough for at least 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and glossy.  If you are using your hands tip the mix onto a clean working surface which has been floured and knead for 10 minutes.  To knead you will form the dough into a ball and then using the heel of your hand you will push the dough down and away from you  Turn the dough a little and repeat.  Use the weight of your body and find a rhythm.  Cover the dough with a clean damp cloth and place in a warm place to prove the dough will double in size and this will take approximately an hour.
For the spice oil combine all the ingredients.
Knock the dough back and roll out so that it forms a 20cm by 40cm rectangle.  Place on a baking tray covered in baking paper. Using a sharp knife cut the dough across into 12 pieces, Brush liberally with spiced oil and put aside for 10 minutes.  Bake in a hot 200c oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Kiwi lamb meets the Middle East

       
        Lamb has become an expensive item so when it features in the menu it is a bit of a special treat and even then I try to make it go just that little bit further.  This dish does that nicely it is rich and satisfying especially with lots of freshly baked bread to mop up the sauce, oh and super easy too.  The eggs are cooked so that when you break the yolk it adds a certain gooey unctuousness to the whole dish.  Feel free to do this with just the eggs and tomato sauce, still quite heavenly and a super different brunch dish to try out on friends and family.  Add the meatballs, beans and a glass of Shiraz to make a fabulous dinner.



Meatballs

600grms lamb mince
1 onion finely diced
3 Tablespoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chilli
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
oil to fry

Combine all the ingredients well and with wet hands make golf ball size meatballs.  Brown the meatballs all over.




Spicy Tomato Sauce

 2 tablespoons oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 large 820grm tin chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chilli
salt and pepper
500mls stock or water
3 Tablespoons fresh thyme

Using the same fry-pan that was used for the meatballs add oil, onions and garlic and cook until translucent.  Add the spices and cook for one minute then add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes until it has reduced to a thick sauce.


To Finish Dish

600grams green beans
6 eggs

Add beans to sauce cook for five minutes the add meatballs, crack in six eggs ( I made little indentations in the mix first) cover pan with a lid and cook until egg whites are just set, or longer depending on how you like your eggs.  Serve with plenty of fresh bread (recipe to follow) or hot buttered couscous.

Sunday Brunch

   

                  All I can say is if you're partial to the odd bit of french toast then you should try this gorgeous twist but be warned you may find that you eat more than the odd bit.  I did a quick bit of research and got lost amongst the many variations and there country of origin some made me salivate and others (savoury, gherkins onions mayonnaise and tomato sauce) left me for dead, but they all had one thing in common a quick and economical way to use up stale bread.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_toast     Here's a link if you're a little curious about "french toast".




Cream Cheese and jam stuffed French Toast


 4 eggs
1 cup milk
4 fat slices (2 -3cm) stale bread
4 tbspn cream cheese
4 tbspns jam (I used nectarine )
cinnamon and sugar
oil
butter

 Cut a pocket into one side of the bread cut almost all the way through.  Into each pocket smear 1 tablespoon each of cream cheese and jam.  Beat eggs and milk together pour into a flat dish that is big enough for  the four slices of bread.  Lay the bread flat into the milk and turn over after five minutes (remember that you want the bread to soak up all of the egg mixture)  Heat the oil in a large non-stick fry-pan add butter.   Sprinkle the bread with cinnamon and sugar and fry until golden on both sides 

Birthday Dinner

Pan-seared Roasted Eye Fillet

        I was recently asked what my favourite meal would be, I didn't have a ready answer.  What gets my taste buds going often depends on and what I've seen at the market or what "food porn" is currently resting on my bedside table.  All those tantalising glossy pages just begging for me to cook them sometimes you just can't say no!  And sometimes an idea just sits there firmly in the back of your mind until it becomes an obsession.  My birthday dinner was a bit like that I'd been thinking about that gorgeous piece of steak for weeks normally I'll go on and on about other steaks, steaks with fat, steaks where the muscles have done some work and have flavour.  Steaks that are cheaper. (Although I have to say a big thanks to Sam's, my local butcher for the incredibly well priced piece of eye fillet.)  It lived up to expectation tender and succulent.  I served it with two of my favourite foods Double Butter Mash Potato and Creamy Garlic Spinach, as well as a Red wine Beef Jus.  It was a seriously good birthday dinner. 



Pan-seared Roasted Eye Fillet

1 tablespoon oil
800g beef eye fillet in one piece, at room temperature
salt and pepper to season

Pre-heat the oven to 200c.  Rub the oil into the piece of fillet and season.  Heat a frying pan to very hot and cook the beef for two minutes on each side so that the fillet is evenly browned.  Transfer to a roasting pan  and roast for 20 minutes for medium -rare.  Cover meat and rest for 10 minutes in a warm place.  Carve.

Double Butter Potato Mash

1kg potatoes agria
200mls cream
150g butter
salt and pepper

Peel and wash potatoes.  Cut the potatoes into similar sizes and cook in well salted water until soft.  Drain dry and tip into a sieve.  In the pot bring the cream to the boil, push the potato through the sieve on to the cream ( make sure you potato is still hot otherwise the starches in the potato become sticky and glue like)  Beat in the butter, stirring until smooth.  Season to taste.


Garlic Cream Spinach

2 cloves garlic finely chopped
100mls cream
spinach (1 bag stems removed and washed well)

Reduce cream and garlic in a large pan toss through spinach until wilted season and serve.

Red Wine Jus

Ok so I cheated here and bought a sachet of Beef Jus from the chilled department at the supermarket.  I reduced down a wine glass of red wine with some fresh thyme, bayleaf and finely sliced shallot and added the sachet, oh and I did this in the pan I had browned the meat so that I could get all those yummy caramelised meaty bits.

Honey Soy Chicken with Sesame

             Tonight I wanted something quick and tasty.  Oh and I wanted sticky and unctuous, something lip smackingly good.  Something that the kids would just eat without fuss, ok so I served it with bok choy which I am sad to say is not a a fuss free vegetable in our house, but I wanted it so they got too!  I enjoyed mine and they ate theirs because they wanted ice-cream.  But the simple steamed rice with the sweet and salty chicken and all the gorgeous goey sauce studded with ginger and garlic that hit the spot. 




Honey Soy Chicken with Sesame

1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
2 large cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon flavourless oil
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons dark soy (of course if you've only got light use that)
3 tablespoons water
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
8 -10 chicken drumsticks


1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Sliced spring onion (optional)


Heat the flavourless oil and add the ginger and garlic to it, cook gently until soft.   Combine honey, soy, water, sesame oil, lemon juice and black pepper with the softened garlic and ginger.  Cool.  Toss through chicken pieces and leave to marinate for as long as your schedule allows ie overnight or 30 minutes or somewhere in between.  Bake in a pre heated oven at 180c for 40 minutes.  Turning as often.  I recommend cooking the chicken in a smaller sized roasting dish so that the chicken cooks in a puddle of the marinade.  Serve sprinkled with the toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion.

Baklava

          

       Many different nations lay claim to the baklava, it is a well known pastry that has evolved through-out the Central Asian Countries.  It is thought to have begun with the nomadic tribes of turkey, it has been claimed by the Greek, the Armenians introduced it to the spice route and the middle eastern nations embraced it and made it their own.  There are many variations on this glorious sweet pastry but the heart of it is layers of thin delicate filo or phylo pastry and butter with a filling of either almonds, walnuts or pistachios or a combination ( I would also consider using pecans or macadamias ) baked and then soaked in a sugar syrup.   Depending on the ethnic group preparing the baklava there is also a variation of spices, honey or the addition of rose water or orange blossom water.  Here is my version and it is absolutely gorgeous, there is so little effort in making this sweet for such a big reward.



Baklava

125 grams each  almonds and walnuts
50 grams sugar
1 tspn cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamon
100 grams butter, melted
250 grams filo pastry

orange zest, jullienne
150 grams sugar
75 grams honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 tspn orange blossom water or rose water
150mls water

Grease a square cake tin with butter.  In a food processor pulse nuts with sugar and spices so that you have a mixture of course and fine nuts.  Cut the filo pastry to the size of your tin.  Cover with a damp tea towel so that the filo pastry does not dry out.  Layer one third of your pastry in the tin brushing each layer with butter as you go.  Cover pastry with half of the nut filling and repeat another layer of pastry, nuts and the final layer of pastry.  Refrigerate until firm and cut into portion size pieces.  Pre-heat the oven to 175c and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
For the syrup: using a peeler peel thin strips of orange skin and thin slice finely for jullienne.   Bring the sugar, honey, cinnamon, orange peel and water to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in blossom or rose water.  Pour hot syrup over the hot pastry and allow to soak in (over night if you can possibly wait that long)

Caviar

         Caviar is simply sieved and lightly salted sturgeon roe.  There are less than 30 species of sturgeon with three of these being the most popular Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga.  The eggs can be black, brown, dark green, grey or golden.  The best known caviar comes from the countries on the Black and Caspian seas, but the decline in sturgeon numbers there and else where led to the suspension of the international trade of all caviar from wild sturgeon.  Good quality sturgeon caviar is now farmed. 
         The Russians like to spread caviar onto blinis (small buckwheat pancakes) with sour cream and vodka so when presented with a tin I took a leaf out of their book.  I also smeared it extravagantly on hot buttered toast.



Blinis

5 grams yeast
60mls warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
120mls milk
30grams butter, melted
60grams buckwheat flour
60grams white flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, seperated

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the sugar put to one side until it begins to froth.  In a large bowl combine flours, salt, milk, egg yolks, melted butter and yeast mixture.   Leave batter in a warm place until it doubles in size.  Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold through batter with the whisk.  Fry spoonfuls of batter in vegetable oil and butter over a moderate heat.

On top of the blinis place a spoonful of seasoned sour cream mixed with chives or dill, top with caviar and serve with shots of icy cold vodka!