Fast Ciabatta Bread

This is a bread machine version of the Italian classic which still bakes in your oven. Though not sour, this bread has the crisp crust and coarse crumb one expects from ciabatta. I love it because you can make it really fast and it is versatile.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 1/4 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Directions

1. Place ingredients into the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle, and Start.
2. Dough will be quite sticky and wet once cycle is completed, resist the temptation to add more flour. Place dough on a lightly floured board, and roll into a fat sausage.
   
3. Divide into 2 pieces. Place loaves on prepared baking sheets. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
5. Place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust. 

 

My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method 

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

Frozen Yogurt

With always having egg whites in the freezer and not really keen on meringues I found this great recipe for frozen yogurt. I make my own yogurt so that makes this even nicer.
4 servings
Ingredients 2 cups Yogurt cheese ½ cup Sugar 1 tablespoon Vanilla 4 Egg whites 1 cup Fresh strawberries or mixed berries, roughly chopped	Preparation One cup of yogurt makes about 1/2 cup of yogurt cheese. But scientists don't know how much calcium is lost straining off the whey, so 1/2 cup yogurt cheese could contain nearly a cup serving's worth of calcium. The calcium in this recipe is figured according to this formula. To strain, place a colander lined with cheesecloth in a bowl. If the colander has legs, it can stand right in the bowl. If it doesn't, rest it on the bowl edge so there is room for the whey to drain off. Weight the yogurt down with empty glass jars. Straining takes at least six hours. Don't stop until the remaining cheese is about the consistency of cream cheese. Mix yogurt cheese, sugar and vanilla. Whip egg whites until stiff, fold into yogurt cheese-sugar mix. Fold fruit into mixture. For best results let the mix stand overmight in refrigerator. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. Note: If you don't have an ice cream maker just partially freeze, take out break up ice crystals with a fork and beat lightly and refreeze.

Baked Croissant Pudding

Inspired from Nigella Express I have modified this pudding to be even faster to make. If you don't have any brandy any of your favourite liquer will do.

Ingredients

• 2 stale croissants
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

Tear the croissants into pieces and put in a small gratin dish; I use an oven proof dish with a capacity of about 500ml/ 2 cups for this.

Put the sugar and milk into a saucepan, and heat until sugar is disolved.

Take the pan off the heat and add the cream followed by the brandy. Whisk to mix, then still whisking add the beaten eggs. Pour this quickly over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes.

Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes - serve with more cream or ice cream

Ginger Crunch

This is a popular menu item in cafe's in country towns throughout the South Island of New Zealand. Sweet with the zing of ginger - I love Ginger Crunch.

Ingredients:

* 330g butter, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 cup self-raising flour
* 1 cup plain flour
* 8 teaspoons ground ginger
* 1/4 cup golden syrup
* 2 1/4 cups icing sugar, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 3cm deep, 20cm x 30cm (base) lamington pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream 250g of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in flours and 1 teaspoon of ginger. Press into pan. Prick all over with a fork.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Heat syrup, icing sugar, and remaining butter and ginger in a saucepan over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring, or until butter has melted. Spread over cooled base. Allow to set. Cut into pieces.

This recipe has been taken from taste.com but has been modified slightly from their listed recipe

Hainan Chicken - Really really easy dinner

This asian dish is from Charmaine Solomon. I haven't tinkered with it as it is just perfect the way it is. I serve it with steamed green and orange vegetables. This has to be one of the easiest meals to make.

Ingredients:
One 1.5kg roasting chicken
salt
water
2 spring onions
2 sprigs celery leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
fresh coriander
500g long grain rice
sesame oil
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 slices ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 white chinese cabbage (wombok), shredded
extra chopped coriander

Dipping sauces:
1. 2-3 red chillies, sliced, mixed with 1/3 cup dark soy sauce
2. 2 Tbsp sambal oelek or finely minced red chilli with 2 Tbsp finely grated ginger, and the reserved oil from frying the onion, garlic and ginger

Method:
Remove fat from cavity of chook, cut off and discard tail and wing tips. Rinse chicken, wipe dry with paper towel and rub all over with salt, inside cavity and outside.

In saucepan just large enough to hold the chicken, put at least 2L water, spring onions, celery leaves, peppercorns, coriander and 2 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Lower the chicken carefully into the water, breast downwards, so that the chicken is covered with water. Return to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover, allowing to cook for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the chicken in its stock in the covered pan for a further 40 minutes to finish cooking.

Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice. Heat 2 Tbsp sesame oil and the vegetable or peanut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Fry garlic, ginger and onion stirring until golden. Remove 2 Tbsp of the oil and reserve for the dipping sauce. Add rice to the pan and fry for a minute or two, to coat the grains with oil, then add 1 litre of the chicken cooking water and bring to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt, stir well, then turn heat to very low, cover the pan tightly and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove pan from heat and allow to stand, covered, for another 10 minutes.

Lift the chicken from its pan, saving the stock for the soup. Rub the chicken all over with 2 tsp sesame oil, then chop it in half down its length. Chop across into bite-sized pieces, reassemble on a plate and cover and keep warm. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients and set aside.

Bring the remaining stock to the boil and add a little salt or light soy sauce to taste. Add shredded cabbage and boil for 30 seconds. Sprinkle soup with fresh coriander and serve at once with the rice, chicken, and dipping sauces on the side.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Yum Mushroom Soup - hearty and filling. This is really the easiest mushroom soup you will ever make and the tastiest. What really makes it is good quality chicken stock. If you can make your own chicken stock it is worth the effort.

Ingredients:

30g Butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 Onion roughly chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
750g mushrooms roughly chopped
2 cups hot chicken stock
300ml cream
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a large pot melt butter and oil over a medium heat
2. Add onions and saute' until soft and opaque
3. Add mushrooms and chicken stock
4. Cook until mushrooms are very soft - about 10 - 20 minutes
5. Using a blender or a stick blender puree' until smooth
6. Return to a low heat and add cream and salt & pepper to taste
7. Heat gently
8. Serve with hot crusty bread and sprinkled with parsley or chives
   

Love Cakes

These are just adorable. I have taken the recipe from Nigella Lawsons book Feast but made a couple of very tiny changes. They are just wonderful for a special occasion.

PS: Nigella calls them buns but I reckon they are really a cake.

Before making please take all the ingredients and have them come to room temperature. Turn oven on to gas mark 6 or 200 degrees c.

Ingredients:
125g of butter softened
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
125g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp real vanilla extract (don't use imitation - it has a yukky after taste and it will not taste as good)
2-3 tbspn milk

Topping Option 1 (the easiest):
Whipping Cream
Strawberry Jam


Topping Option 2 (slowest but really yummy):
2 egg whites
4 tbsp golden syrup
100g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp real vanilla extract


Method:
Using a food processor put all the incredients excepting the milk into the bowl and wizz until smooth. Then pour milk down the funnel and blitz until smooth.

If you don't have a food processor do the following using a conventional mixer:
- Blend butter and sugar until butter changes colour.
- Add eggs one at a time mixing between additions
- Add all other ingredients including milk and mix until smooth

Using a muffin tin line each hole with a paper muffin paper.

Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin holes. (Use a 12 hole muffin pan)

Cook for for 15 - 20 minutes - they should rise and be golden with a little peak.

Cool them a little before taking out of the pan.

Let them cool then put on your favourite topping...

Topping Option 1 (the easiest):
Spread strawberry jam over the top of each cake
Whip the cream until quite stiff - swirl and mound high onto each cake

Topping Option 2:
Over a double boiler put all ingredients into the pot except the vanilla. Continually wisk over the boiling water until firm peaks form. Use a hand or electric whisk. Then take off heat add the vanilla and keep wisking until it cools a little.

Swirl over the cakes - piling the topping high on each cake.

Pasta with Bacon, Beans and Mushrooms

This has come from The New Pasta Cookbook but as always I have varied it to suit my tastes and produce availability. This is a wonderful Winter pasta and very easy to make. Don't be afraid to experiment. For example use pancetta instead of bacon or peas instead of beans. You can also use dried pasta instead of fresh and adjust the quantity accordingly. Also experiment with other types of pasta.

This recipe is for 4 people or 2 hungry people

Ingredients:

200g fresh fettuccine
200g fresh spinach fettuccine
200g beans sliced
200g bacon, rind removed and cut into strips
6g dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 2 tbsp hot water
200g button mushrooms sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tspn fresh ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
2 1/4 cups cream
Grated Parmesan cheese to serve

1. Cook beans until barely cooked - use the microwave oven for speed
2. Fry bacon until crisp
3. Drain porcini mushrooms and filter liquid through cloth or a paper coffee filter to remove grit.
   
4. Chop finely and add to the pot with the soaking liquid, bacon, and fresh mushrooms.
   
5. Stir in garlic and pepper and cook briefly.
   
6. Toss in parsley and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Add cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce comes to the boil.
   
8. Boil until thickened and reduced, 5 to 8 minutes.
9. Begin cooking fettuccine in the water used for the peas. When al dente, drain and transfer to a warm serving dish. Toss with the sauce, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

The Easiest Tomato Soup

After making this you will NEVER buy tomato soup again. This is amazingly simple and amazingly cheap, not to mention healthy. Now if you don't have tomatoes growing in your garden or it is now Winter and you have none preserved from your Summer crops I would recommend you go to your fruit market and have a look to see if they have any on big discount - you know the area where they put the fruit and vegetables that are a bit too soft to sell for full price? These soft tomatoes are perfect for this soup and will not only make a quality soup but a lovely inexpensive dinner or entree.

Now I cannot take the credit for this soup. This is from Stephanie Alexanders, Cooks Companion. My changes to the recipe are very minimal.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
60 g Butter
1 Onion Sliced
1.5kg Very Ripe Red Tomatoes seeded
1 Ltr of very good quality chicken stock
2 tbsp Potato Flour

1. Melt butter and saute' onion in a large pot until softened
2. Add tomato and simmer gently on low for about 20 minutes or until cooked - they need to be falling apart.
3. Add stock to pot
   
4. Using a stick hand blender (the quickest method) puree' in the pot
5. OR if you don't have a stick blender put stock and a food processor to puree'
6. OR if you don't have 4 or 5 above puree' tomato in a food mill add to pot and add stock
   
7. In a small tea cup mix the potato flour with a little water and mix to a thick paste
8. Add a ladle full of soup to the cup and mix then add all to the pot of soup
9. Season with salt and ppper to taste
   
10. Simmer gently until hot
11. Spoon into bowls and serve with hot crusty bread

Optional: Sprinkle served bowls of soup with roughly chopped basil.
If you like your soup a little thinner add a little more chicken stock.

Freezing: This can be frozen.

Gnocchi with Burnt Sage Butter

This is really a very rich and naughty dish. I think you should only eat this as a small entree' not a meal. Whilst I have made my own gnocchi in the past I do find that it is better to buy the best quality gnocchi you can find. I have found that the fruit and vegetable markets and gourmet deli's do have a terrific range of products. Remember to choose a gnocchi that is not full of fillers and those intrepid numbers.

Of course you must use fresh sage in this dish - it does not work with dried sage.

This recipe has been taken from the taste.com.au website. I haven't modified it at all.

Serves 4-6 as an entree'

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, chopped
• 16-20 small sage leaves
• 1 recipe gnocchi or 800g purchased gnocchi, cooked
• 1 cup (80g) shaved or grated parmesan

Method

1. Place chopped butter into a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook until melted then add sage leaves to pan. Cook butter and sage leaves, swirling pan often, for 4-5 minutes or until sage leaves are crisp and butter has turned a deep nut-brown colour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add gnocchi to frying pan and toss to coat in burnt sage butter. To serve, divide gnocchi among bowls, spooning over any burnt butter that is left in the frying pan. Sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy immediately.

Chicken with Sage and White Wine

I have a never ending abundance of fresh sage. This is a delight because it is really expensive to buy particularly when you need so little for cooking as a rule.

This recipe was inspired by something similar on the taste.com.au website. It is really easy to make and super yummy - I modified the recipe slightly to make it a tad more exotic.

Ingredients

• 2 small free range chicken breast fillets, trimmed
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tblsp plain flour
• cracked black pepper
• 4-8 large sage leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 30g unsalted butter
  

Method

1. Press two sage leaves into the top of each chicken fillet and sprinkle with pepper. Wrap each chicken fillet with two slices of prosciutto, in a diagonal direction, to completely cover.
   
2. Dust each fillet in the pepper seasoned plain flour. Place in refridgerator for 10 minutes to rest.
3. Meanwhile in a fry pan heat the olive oil and butter together until just sizzling. Add remaining sage leaves and fry until crisp. Place on paper towel and set aside
   
4. Add the chicken fillets and cook on a medium heat until brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Add white wine to pan - turn the heat up a little and boil until reduced by half. Ensure you scrap all those yummy browned pieces up off the bottom of the pan.
6. Turn the heat down to very low and add your chicken pieces for 2 minutes - turn to cover in sauce.
7. Serve with steamed new potatos, fresh in season vegetables. Sprinkle fried sage leaves over chicken.