NAME: _Egg Cornmeal Pasta
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
200g plain flour
50g maize corn flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
5 eggs
METHOD:
Sift the corn flour and plain flour together into a mixing bowl, add the salt. Separate the yolks from three eggs, put in the bowl, and add the whites and yolks of two more eggs. Add the olive oil and knead to incorporate.
Keep kneading until it forms a stiff dough, then turn out onto a floured board and keep kneading down hard. You want to make this dough develop some gluten, so fold and press down hard, until it becomes somewhat stretchy. Roll it out into a noodle, simultaneously rolling and stretching, until you have a noodle about 1.5cm - 2cm thick and about 45cm long.
Cut into four sections, and roll out to the second-last setting on the pasta roller, then cut as required into strips, and hang for drying in a warm spot. See notes for more info.
When firmed up, boil in salted water for around 6 - 10 minutes depending on your cut and texture desired.
SERVING:
Serve as for any pasta with the sauce of your choice.
NOTES:
Cornflour doesn't develop gluten as well as plain flour or OO grade flour do, so this needs to be WELL kneaded and rolled, and the drying time is necessary.
The idea of the kneading is to start the glutens joining hands and making the dough stretchy and firm. Since there's not a lot of liquid to begin with, you really have to force the moisture into the flours. Adjust the consistency to a very stiff dry dough by adding plain flour if too wet, or a few drops of water at a time if too dry.
Knead by folding in half, then merging the layers together by pressing and sliding with the heel of the hand. Do this for a few minutes, folding and pressing, until you feel the texture change. At this stage, roll the dough into a ball and then roll and stretch the ball into the noodle shape and roll/stretch as described above.
Cooking the pasta - if you cooked it right away, the surface of the pasta would dissolve, followed by the rest of the pasta... By "drying" it off, the dough toughens up and will hold shape in the boiling water.
Cut the pasta into strips either with a knife or with the strip cutting attachment of the pasta roller. It's suggested to use the fettucine width (wider strips) because as mentioned this pasta has a lot of corn flour which weakens it. (Or use a sharp knife to cut strips around 5mm wide.)
Dry the pasta strips by draping them over chopsticks or thick skewers and balancing them between anything that gives enough height to stop the pasta dragging on the counter.
ENJOY!
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Saturday, 13 October 2012
Pork n Beef Meatloaf
NAME: _Pork n Beef Meatloaf
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
250g lean beef
250g lean pork
2 rashers bacon
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 or 3 slices white bread
salt to taste
fresh herbs as follows:
a dozen needles of fresh rosemary
two fresh sage leaves
five - ten leaves fresh oregano
one clove garlic
METHOD:
Tear the bread into small pieces and blitz in the food processor. Finely chop green herbs and put in mixing bowl, add the chopped bread, mix briefly. Set aside.
Remove the rind and about half the fat from the bacon rashers, rough chop and place in food processor. Cut the pork and beef into small cubes, chop and crush the garlic clove to paste. Start the food processor and add the cubed meat and crushed garlic. Add the salt, two eggs, and sufficient water to just keep the mixture moving in the food processor. Process on medium to a sticky paste then stop. (This can be about two - three minutes in total, the important thing is to get that smooth sticky paste consistency.)
Scrape the meat paste in with the bread mixture and mix thoroughly, then put in a small loaf tin. I line the tin with aluminium foil but you can butter and dust with flour if you prefer.
Cover with foil, put in 190 degree oven for about an hour, remove the foil, increase heat to 210, and roast for another 30 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes before removing from loaf tin, then unwrap and let sit another ten minutes.
SERVING:
As for any meatloaf, serve with your choice of vegetables and side dishes. However, this meatloaf is especially good when the leftovers are sliced 5mm thick, pan fried, and served with bubble and squeak.
NOTES:
Using lean meat produces a low-fat meat loaf, however that would have little moisture or adhesion, hence the eggs and water. Processing the meat to paste produces meat glutens. Mixing with blitzed bread loosens up the texture and stops the meatloaf being a solid brick. I used home made bread and the slices were a bit thicker than a toast slice as cut by the bakery, so I used only two slices. If you slice to normal thickness you may want to use three slices.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
250g lean beef
250g lean pork
2 rashers bacon
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 or 3 slices white bread
salt to taste
fresh herbs as follows:
a dozen needles of fresh rosemary
two fresh sage leaves
five - ten leaves fresh oregano
one clove garlic
METHOD:
Tear the bread into small pieces and blitz in the food processor. Finely chop green herbs and put in mixing bowl, add the chopped bread, mix briefly. Set aside.
Remove the rind and about half the fat from the bacon rashers, rough chop and place in food processor. Cut the pork and beef into small cubes, chop and crush the garlic clove to paste. Start the food processor and add the cubed meat and crushed garlic. Add the salt, two eggs, and sufficient water to just keep the mixture moving in the food processor. Process on medium to a sticky paste then stop. (This can be about two - three minutes in total, the important thing is to get that smooth sticky paste consistency.)
Scrape the meat paste in with the bread mixture and mix thoroughly, then put in a small loaf tin. I line the tin with aluminium foil but you can butter and dust with flour if you prefer.
Cover with foil, put in 190 degree oven for about an hour, remove the foil, increase heat to 210, and roast for another 30 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes before removing from loaf tin, then unwrap and let sit another ten minutes.
SERVING:
As for any meatloaf, serve with your choice of vegetables and side dishes. However, this meatloaf is especially good when the leftovers are sliced 5mm thick, pan fried, and served with bubble and squeak.
NOTES:
Using lean meat produces a low-fat meat loaf, however that would have little moisture or adhesion, hence the eggs and water. Processing the meat to paste produces meat glutens. Mixing with blitzed bread loosens up the texture and stops the meatloaf being a solid brick. I used home made bread and the slices were a bit thicker than a toast slice as cut by the bakery, so I used only two slices. If you slice to normal thickness you may want to use three slices.
ENJOY!
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Two Dry Marinades
NAME: _Two Dry Marinades
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Red Marinade
1 tbsp each of the following
nustard seed
dried onion flakes
coriander
paprika powder
salt
2 tbsp each of
granulated garlic
raw sugar
Yellow Marinade
1 tbsp each of the following
granulated garlic
smoked paprika powder
salt
turmeric powder
2 tbsp each of
raw sugar
coriander seed
METHOD:
In each case, put the ingredients in a spice blender or processor and blitz until reduced to powder, then apply liberally to meat and leave to marinate for at least an hour in a cool place or the refrigerator.
SERVING:
not applicable
NOTES:
I recently had a kilo apiece of pork ribs and chicken wing pieces, wanted to just do them up for slow oven baking and frying respectively. I decided to marinate and cook them both, and that way I'd have the meat for two different meals. I used the red for the pork and the yellow for the chicken.
These dry marinades work same as charcuterie marinades, the salt and sugar carry the spices into the meat at a pretty much a known rate, so the longer you leave it (within reason) the deeper the flavour will be. The sugar also helps form a caramel on the meat, hence using it for roasted and fried meat gives a lovely dark colour. Also, the salt and sugar helps break down the meat proteins so the resulting meal is tender, and slow cooking well marinated meat provides the most tender meal. the roasted ribs are to die for.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Red Marinade
1 tbsp each of the following
nustard seed
dried onion flakes
coriander
paprika powder
salt
2 tbsp each of
granulated garlic
raw sugar
Yellow Marinade
1 tbsp each of the following
granulated garlic
smoked paprika powder
salt
turmeric powder
2 tbsp each of
raw sugar
coriander seed
METHOD:
In each case, put the ingredients in a spice blender or processor and blitz until reduced to powder, then apply liberally to meat and leave to marinate for at least an hour in a cool place or the refrigerator.
SERVING:
not applicable
NOTES:
I recently had a kilo apiece of pork ribs and chicken wing pieces, wanted to just do them up for slow oven baking and frying respectively. I decided to marinate and cook them both, and that way I'd have the meat for two different meals. I used the red for the pork and the yellow for the chicken.
These dry marinades work same as charcuterie marinades, the salt and sugar carry the spices into the meat at a pretty much a known rate, so the longer you leave it (within reason) the deeper the flavour will be. The sugar also helps form a caramel on the meat, hence using it for roasted and fried meat gives a lovely dark colour. Also, the salt and sugar helps break down the meat proteins so the resulting meal is tender, and slow cooking well marinated meat provides the most tender meal. the roasted ribs are to die for.
ENJOY!
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Home Made Baked Beans
NAME: _Home Made Baked Beans
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 cups dried beans. I used borlotti but you can use kidney beans or similar
1 dessertspoon raw sugar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice (equal qty ground clove, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper, dry mustard)
1 small onion
1 tbsp rice bran or grapeseed oil
METHOD:
Soak the beans in plenty of water for half a day to a day. discard the water and any skins that float off. Place soaked beans in a saucepan of water with plenty of water and bring to a boil, simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour, until the beans are slightly softened. (This may vary with the beans you use - aim to get them chewy but soft enough to get teeth into,)
Peel and chop the onion fine. In a heavy saucepan, put the oil and the onion, gently sautee the onion until it gets to the glassy stage. Add the spice, sugar, and salt, stir to combine, keep sauteeing for another few minutes until the spices become fragrant. Add the drained beans and stir through, sautee for another few minutes. Add the tomato pate and the water, bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for another half hour to an hour, until the beans are soft enough.
SERVING:
Over rissoles or sausages, NOTHING can beat home made baked beans! Or in a toastie, or with eggs for breakfast, or - any of the normal things baked beans are used for. Once cooked and allowed to cool, you can keep this in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.
NOTES:
Dunno why they call them "baked" beans - almost none of the recipes I've found ever actually put them anywhere near the oven. I prefer these beans. Also - most recipes call for hot or "quick soaks" of the beans and retain the original soaking water. It's crap. Slow soak the beans in the morning before you go to work, drain them right away when you get home, use fresh water to boil them - and get a far "ozone-friendlier" product... %)
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 cups dried beans. I used borlotti but you can use kidney beans or similar
1 dessertspoon raw sugar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice (equal qty ground clove, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper, dry mustard)
1 small onion
1 tbsp rice bran or grapeseed oil
METHOD:
Soak the beans in plenty of water for half a day to a day. discard the water and any skins that float off. Place soaked beans in a saucepan of water with plenty of water and bring to a boil, simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour, until the beans are slightly softened. (This may vary with the beans you use - aim to get them chewy but soft enough to get teeth into,)
Peel and chop the onion fine. In a heavy saucepan, put the oil and the onion, gently sautee the onion until it gets to the glassy stage. Add the spice, sugar, and salt, stir to combine, keep sauteeing for another few minutes until the spices become fragrant. Add the drained beans and stir through, sautee for another few minutes. Add the tomato pate and the water, bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for another half hour to an hour, until the beans are soft enough.
SERVING:
Over rissoles or sausages, NOTHING can beat home made baked beans! Or in a toastie, or with eggs for breakfast, or - any of the normal things baked beans are used for. Once cooked and allowed to cool, you can keep this in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.
NOTES:
Dunno why they call them "baked" beans - almost none of the recipes I've found ever actually put them anywhere near the oven. I prefer these beans. Also - most recipes call for hot or "quick soaks" of the beans and retain the original soaking water. It's crap. Slow soak the beans in the morning before you go to work, drain them right away when you get home, use fresh water to boil them - and get a far "ozone-friendlier" product... %)
ENJOY!
Cheat Pretzels
NAME: _Cheat Pretzels
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
350g baker's flour
210ml half milk half water
half tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp psyllium husk
2 tsp yeast
half tsp bicarb
1 tsp olive oil
METHOD:
Let the bread machine knead it and then take it out stick in a bowl coated in olive oil cover with tea towel leave it to rise. About 30 - 60 minutes. Alternatively, you can use the mixer with dough hooks at low to medium speed for about ten minutes, until the dough goes sticky outside, then put in the bowl and proceed as for bread machine.
Don't bother to knock it down, cos what you'll do now is twist off a bit more than a tablespoonful at a time, roll and stretch it under your palms to make a 'worm" about 1/2 to 2/3 the thickness of a lead pencil and about 8" to a foot long, stick it on an oiled baking tray and make it into the B shape as you go. Leave a bit of room for expansion.
For the bread/cheese sticks, same dough, about one and a half tablespoonfuls so it rolls and stretches into a thing a bit thicker than a pencil and same length, then you roll it in grated cheese and stick it on the oiled baking tray.
Either way, brush with half egg half milk and half a tsp of salt egg wash, sprinkle coarse salt on the pretzels so it sticks in the wash, parmesan on the cheese sticks. Let prove for another 20 - 30 minutes.
I baked at around 200 for 25 minutes, took them out and turned them over on the hot tray to dry out a bit - perfect!
SERVING:
No problems serving these, they sell themselves!
NOTES:
Real pretzels are made by boiling the pretzels in a caustic/bicarb/lye type solution to make the crust harder and the centre chewier because it's precooked a bit. I cheat by putting the bicarb direct in the flour and using a glaze.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
350g baker's flour
210ml half milk half water
half tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp psyllium husk
2 tsp yeast
half tsp bicarb
1 tsp olive oil
METHOD:
Let the bread machine knead it and then take it out stick in a bowl coated in olive oil cover with tea towel leave it to rise. About 30 - 60 minutes. Alternatively, you can use the mixer with dough hooks at low to medium speed for about ten minutes, until the dough goes sticky outside, then put in the bowl and proceed as for bread machine.
Don't bother to knock it down, cos what you'll do now is twist off a bit more than a tablespoonful at a time, roll and stretch it under your palms to make a 'worm" about 1/2 to 2/3 the thickness of a lead pencil and about 8" to a foot long, stick it on an oiled baking tray and make it into the B shape as you go. Leave a bit of room for expansion.
For the bread/cheese sticks, same dough, about one and a half tablespoonfuls so it rolls and stretches into a thing a bit thicker than a pencil and same length, then you roll it in grated cheese and stick it on the oiled baking tray.
Either way, brush with half egg half milk and half a tsp of salt egg wash, sprinkle coarse salt on the pretzels so it sticks in the wash, parmesan on the cheese sticks. Let prove for another 20 - 30 minutes.
I baked at around 200 for 25 minutes, took them out and turned them over on the hot tray to dry out a bit - perfect!
SERVING:
No problems serving these, they sell themselves!
NOTES:
Real pretzels are made by boiling the pretzels in a caustic/bicarb/lye type solution to make the crust harder and the centre chewier because it's precooked a bit. I cheat by putting the bicarb direct in the flour and using a glaze.
ENJOY!
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Barley Risotto
NAME: _Barley "Risotto"
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 cup dry pearl barley
water to boil barley
1 cup beef stock
200g bacon
200g mushrooms (see notes [1])
2 tbsp olive/grapeseed oil
METHOD:
Boil the barley in plenty of water until soft but not mushy. It will get a touch more cooking in the next step so err slightly on the firm side if you must. When cooked, drain and set aside to dry off a bit.
Cut bacon crosswise into matchsticks and place in pan with the mixed oil, fry at medium heat until just starting to crisp. Remove bacon from pan leaving oil and fat in pan. Cut mushrooms into slices (or if using shinoki, cut from base and separate into individual mushrooms) and dry between teatowels then add to pan. Fry over medium heat.until mushrooms are showing slight browning, [2] then add the bacon back in, fry for a few minutes more, add the precooked barley and toss to mix.
Increase heat and drizzle in the beef stock while tossing, (as for risotto,) waiting for stock to evaporate each time before adding more. Remove from heat and toss one more time.
SERVING:
Serve straight away.
NOTES:
[1] Mushrooms: I've used sliced swiss browns, shinoki mushrooms, and sliced oyster mushrooms at various times, they all taste great in this recipe.
[2] Frying mushrooms: DRY. They have to be dry. And if necessary, do them in batches so there's no crowding in the pan.
This is a robust meal, you can add fried onion and garlic to the basic recipe, or fine shredded fried cabbage, these each complement the flavours.
ENJOY! (for sister Liz %)
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 cup dry pearl barley
water to boil barley
1 cup beef stock
200g bacon
200g mushrooms (see notes [1])
2 tbsp olive/grapeseed oil
METHOD:
Boil the barley in plenty of water until soft but not mushy. It will get a touch more cooking in the next step so err slightly on the firm side if you must. When cooked, drain and set aside to dry off a bit.
Cut bacon crosswise into matchsticks and place in pan with the mixed oil, fry at medium heat until just starting to crisp. Remove bacon from pan leaving oil and fat in pan. Cut mushrooms into slices (or if using shinoki, cut from base and separate into individual mushrooms) and dry between teatowels then add to pan. Fry over medium heat.until mushrooms are showing slight browning, [2] then add the bacon back in, fry for a few minutes more, add the precooked barley and toss to mix.
Increase heat and drizzle in the beef stock while tossing, (as for risotto,) waiting for stock to evaporate each time before adding more. Remove from heat and toss one more time.
SERVING:
Serve straight away.
NOTES:
[1] Mushrooms: I've used sliced swiss browns, shinoki mushrooms, and sliced oyster mushrooms at various times, they all taste great in this recipe.
[2] Frying mushrooms: DRY. They have to be dry. And if necessary, do them in batches so there's no crowding in the pan.
This is a robust meal, you can add fried onion and garlic to the basic recipe, or fine shredded fried cabbage, these each complement the flavours.
ENJOY! (for sister Liz %)
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