Rye bread
2 cups super strong white bread flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tablespoon icing sugar 2 heaped tablespoons non fat milk powder 1 package Fast Action dried yeast 2 tablespoons caraway Seeds 8 oz. (2 mugs) lukewarm water 1 egg white 2 tablespoons sunflower oil In a large bowl or food processor, place the 2 cups of rye flour, 2 cups of super strong bread flour and a pinch of salt. Stir well. Add the yeast, sugar, salt, caraway seeds and milk powder. Stir or process until well mixed. Mix the water, oil and egg white together and gradually add to the flour mix; when well mixed, place on a floured counter and knead..push & roll/push and roll until smooth..usually about 10-12 minutes; 2-3 minutes in a food processor. Put in a loosely tied plastic bag and leave in warm place for 2 hours until doubled in size; you can rise the bread in a microwave..giving 15 seconds of full power, every 15 minutes. Grease a large flat baking tin. Knead the dough for another 2-4 minutes and divide into 2. Make two cigar shaped loaves. Brush with milk and sprinkle with more caraway seeds. Leave to rise for another hour. Bake in a preheated, gas mark 7 oven/450’ for 30-40 minutes until the top crust is brown & the bottom crust is firm. This bread is beautiful toasted with butter, mustard and cold ham/corned beef. French Onion Soup
4 large onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons flour 3 cups beef stock 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf salt & pepper to taste 6 slices crusty French bread 3 tablespoons butter 3 cups grated Swiss cheese Saute onions in oil in Dutch oven over low heat until tender and golden yellow, about 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions; cook a few minutes more, browning the flour well. Add stock and wine and bring to boil; add thyme and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, spread bread slices with butter and toast under the broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning. When soup is ready, spoon into 6 ovenproof bowls; top each with a slice of toast. Divide cheese evenly into 6 portions and sprinkle one portion over toast in each bowl. Place bowls on cookie sheet and bake in 400F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. Corn beef hash
1 large tin corned beef 1 lb. 450 grams of potatoes A medium Spanish or red onion stick of celery 1 green pepper 1 red pepper 3 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil salt, pepper, parsley 4 eggs a few drops of vinegar Cut the potatoes and cornbeef into half inch dice and chop the peppers, celery and onions as small or smaller. Put the potatoes into a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and drain the potatoes. Put them on paper towels to dry. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the potatoes on a medium high flame until they start to brown; add the onions and continue frying; when the onions soften, add the peppers and celery, continue frying for another 3-4 minutes until they also soften. Add the cut up corn beef, parsley, salt and pepper to taste (very little salt is needed as the cornbeef is very salty) and mix in well. Press the mixture down in the frying pan to form a cake; continue frying until crisp and brown on the bottom. Top each portion with a poached egg and serve with a green salad. Perfect poached eggs; Buy fresh eggs and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours. In a shallow pan, heat about 1 inch of water plus half a dozen drops of vinegar. When it reaches a gentle boil, break the eggs one at a time into a saucer; then slip each into the water. Let them simmer at a gentle boil until the whites are set. Remove each with a serrated spatula so excess water can drain off. Steak and Chips A good steak is all about buying an excellent piece of meat. I prefer rib eye, which is tender and tasty but T bone and porterhouse are also very good. Never use ‘frying’ or ‘rumop’ steak as they are too tough and sirloin can be iffy..never buy a cheap one. Marinate your steak(s) in
A few spoons of fresh lemon juice some brandy thinly sliced red or bermuda onions finely chopped garlic or garlic powder parsley and pepper For a couple of hours NO SALT at this stage..it takes the juice out of the meat.. Heat a heavy frying pan until it smokes; take the steaks out of the marinade and puit in the pan. Cook to your desired style..rare/medium/well done..on this high heat. Take the steaks out and put in a covered bowl to keep warm. Lower the heat slightly and add the marinade to the pan, you can also add some sliced mushrooms at this stage; Cook until the oniions are done (we like lots). Thicken the sauce by adding a spoonful of plain flour to 1 spoonful of softened butter. Mix the two well and add bit by bit to your sauce. If it gets too thick..add a few spoons of stock or water. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve with the sauce and a salad plus..chips (french fries) To make great chips, you can do it the hard way, by peeling waxy potatoes, cutting them into chips, soaking them in ice water for 2 hours, drying them, frying them once in medium high fat, letting them cool and re frying in high fat or you can cheat and DEEP FRY oven chips. Evil..but makes terriffic chips with minimal bother. Sunday Roast Chicken
1 medium chicken 20z. Softened butter 1 tsp. Lemon juice Parsley Salt and pepper 2 cups chicken stock or 2 cups of water and half a cup of white wine. Bacon pieces Take chicken out of the fridge 2 hours before cooking and let come to room temperature; always defrost a frozen chicken the night before cooking to make certain it’s completely defrosted. Heat an oven to gas mark 4 or 350’. Mix the butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper and parsley together in a small bowl; when mixed smear over the chicken, inside and out. Pour the stock/water and wine into a large baking tin. Put a baking rack on the tin and put the chicken on the rack, over the liquid (which keeps the bottom of the chicken from getting soggy). Cover the chicken loosely with the foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Take the foil off and put the strips of bacon on the chicken; roast for another half hour. To check if the chicken is done, take out of the oven and ‘waggle’ one of the legs; if it moves freely and easily the chicken is done. Let the chicken sit for fifteen minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle. Make gravy from the pan liguid and serve with roast potatoes, stuffing (cooked separately) and your favourite vegetables. 3 Interesting Broccoli recipes
1 lb. of broccoli 3 tablespoons sunflower oil 4-5 spring onions (scallions) cut into small pieces 1 large clove garlic, finely minced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sherry or rice wine 2 oz. roasted cashew nuts chopped coarsely Fill a large pan with hot water from a kettle; heat until boiling. Cut the broccoli into small floweretts and pieces. Drop into the boiling water and leave for two minutes. Drain the broccoli. In a wok or heavy frying pan, put the oil and heat until hot; add the broccoli and stor fry for 3-4 minutes until almost tender. Add the spring onions, garlic, soy sauce, sherry and stir fry for another minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. The broccoli should still have some ‘crunch’. Sprinkle the vegetables with cashew nuts and serve with rice or chinese noodles. Cajun Broccoli with Tomatoes super healthy AND delicious 1 lb. Broccoli 1 small red onion 1 yellow or orange pepper 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 tsp. Cummin 1 tsp. Coriander generous pinch each of oregano, parsley and chives 1 tin tomatoes..chopped 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tsp. Chili sauce (mild) 2 tsp. chili (hot) 3 tsps. The fires of Hell..take your pick Cut the brocoli into pieces about 1" by 2". Put in a large pot, pour a kettle of boiling water over the broccoli and leave while you cook the other ingredients. Cut the onion into shreds and the pepper into small slices. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and when very hot add the onions, stir for 1 minute, then add the pepper. Cook while stirring for another two-three minues until the vegetables soften. Add the cumin, coriander and herbs; fry for another minute or two. Lower the heat if the vegetables start to brown. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, chili sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Drain the broccoli, saving a little of the water. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes). Add the reserved broccoli water if needed. Serve with brown rice and grilled (broiled) lamb chops, steak, fish, pork chops or whatever you fancy. Vegetarians can add hard boiled eggs or spiced lentil patties. Quick Broccoli Casserole 1 onion, chopped 1/3 cup butter 2 cups cooked noodles 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated 1 tin cream of Mushroom soup 1 tin milk 2 lb Broccoli washed and chopped 2 cups white bread crumbs more grated cheddar cheese Saute the onions in butter and add the remaining ingredients after mixing the tin of soup with the milk. Pour into a medium sized greased casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the breadcrumbs and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Pumpkin Pie 8 oz unbaked pie crust (shortcrust) 1 15 oz. Can pumpkin 1 14 oz. Can sweetened condensed milk 2 eggs 1tsp. Cinnamon 1 quarter tsp. Ginger 1 half tsp. Nutmeg. 1 half tsp. Salt Preheat oven to 425’ F/gas mark 4 Line an 8" pie tin with crust Put a flat baking tin into the oven to heat (makes a crisper crust) Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, spices and salt thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pie crust. Place tin on baking tin in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the mix is firm. Cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream Bailey's Cake Heat oven to 360’ gas mark 3 and a half Grease and lightly flour an 8" baking tin In a bowl or food processor place, 4 oz. Softened butter 2 oz. Caster sugar Half a tsp. Salt Mix thoroughly until fluffy Add 2 eggs and mix well Add one quarter cup Bailey’s or other cream liquer 1 tsp. Vanilla 1 tablespoon golden syrup Mix well Add 8 oz. Self raising flour; mix thoroughly and pour into prepared baking tin. Place in the middle of the oven and bak 35-40 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch in the top centre. Take out and cool Turn the cake out onto a plate and slice in half. On the lower half place an icing made of 2 oz. Softened butter 2 tablespoons of Baileys Enough sieved icing sugar (add a little at a time) to make a firmish icing) about 4-6 oz. Top with slices of fresh or canned fruit (peaches, strawberries, raspberries, cherries or bananas). Cover with the top of the cake; sprinkle with icing sugar Custard Pie Graham-cracker or digestive biscuit crust: 1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs/digestive biscuits crushed or processed into crumbs 6 tbsp. Butter..softened or melted 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon Combine the cracker/biscuit crumbs and sugar in a bowl, then add the butter and cinnamon. Stir with a fork until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs into a greased or buttered 8" pie tin. Chill in a fridge until firm (2-3 hours) Custard 2 cups whole milk 4 tblespoons sugar 1tsp. Vanilla essence 1 tablespoon rum or whiskey (opt.) Pinch salt 3 large egg yolks (you can freeze the whites and use them in a souffle or meringues) In a double boiler or heatproof bowl placed in a pan of gently boiling water, heat the milk, sugar,vanilla, salt & alchohol ; when it starts to bubble, turm down the flame and mix in the egg yolks and continue stirring until the mixture thickens. (resist the urge to use a pan directly on a flame or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.) Pour the mix into the prepared pie case. Chill for 3 hours or until cold. Variations. Put a layer of sliced bananas or other soft fruit in the crumb case before adding the custard. You can also use a tin of apple or other pie filling or tinned fruit with the juice drained.. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream..or both if you are feeling decadent. Pineapple or cherry upside down cake
1 tin (8oz.) Pineapple rings plus 5 tablespoons brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter plus 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice 4 oz. /125 grams ..or 1 mug of softened butter/margarine 4oz./125 grams Caster sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt 1 tablespoon golden syrup 1 tsp. Vanilla or almond essence Pinch salt 6 oz/200 grams self raising flour or 6 oz cake flour plus 1 tsp. Baking powder Butter an 8 inch cake tin Preheat oven to gas mark 3 and a half/300’ Stir or process sugar and softened butter together until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, yogurt and golden syrup stirring until well mixed. Add the flour a little at a time mixing well. Pineapple Version Melt juice, butter and brown sugar together until they bubble; leave to cool. Place the pineapple slices over the bottom of the pan. Pour the juice/sugar mix over them evenly. Spoon the cake mix over the fruit. Smooth the top gently. Black cherry or apple version Put the contents of a can of pie filling over the bottom of the pan. Spoon the cake mix over the fruit and smooth the top gently. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the middle of the oven until the center of the cake is firm to the touch. Also, the cake will come away slightly from the edge of the pan. Leave for 20 minutes to cool, then slip the edge of a butter knife around the inside of the tin, freeing the cake. Put a large plate over the cake and turn it upside down, tapping the bottom with a knife handle until the cake comes free. Serve with custard or cream. Recipe Links www.recipeland.com www.recipesource.com www.recipezaar.com italian-recipes.chef2chef.net |