Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheese. Show all posts
One of the things I am always grateful for living here in the UK, is that I have spent the last twenty years living in a very close proximity to the European Continent, or "The Continent" as it is referred to here. When we lived down in Kent, we could be sitting at an ouside cafe in France enjoying a hot drink by mid morning, depending on how early we got up.
This was always really nice. We often went over to Calais and Bologne sur Mer for a day's shopping. There was a huge Carrefour in Calais, so we would go sight-seeing in Bologne, have lunch and then double back to Calais and load up on French goodies before catching the train through the Euro-tunnel back to England.
One time we went over with our friends Jo and Colin and spent a day traversing all down the coast line from Calais South-bound, stopping to have a picnic along the way. It was a lot of fun. Did you know the French are obsessed with any thing Egyptian? I discovered that on that particular trip. It was astonishing.
One thing the French do really well is breads, cheeses and wines/spirits. I believe their bread is some of the best in the world. Once you have enjoyed a fresh French Croissant, you are spoiled for any other kinds.
That is one thing I really love about travelling to other countries. Being able to try their foods. I am a culinary tourist more than anything else!
One year we were blessed to be able to spend a few weeks down in the Bordeaux/Dordogne region of France with our friends Audrey and Peter Lee. What a wonderful time we had. Peter had rented a stone cottage out in country side.
We spent our days hiking and exploring and then would come back to the cottage in the evenings where I would whip up a dinner for us from what we had managed to gather in the daytime during our travels. On that visit I got to try beautiful Caneles from the medieval town of Saint Emilion.
I fell in love with those beautiful French pastries. A beautifully rich caramel interior sealed into a crispy caramelised shell. So delicious!
Another time we stayed in the Alsace region of France/Germany. This region is an area in the North East of France that has alternately been either French or German throughout the centures, reflecting a mix of the two cultures. At the moment it belongs to France.
We spent a full day in Strasbourg which is the capital of the Alsace region. There is a street there that is lined with tall poles on both sides. There are stork nests situated on the top of each pole. I had never seen anything like it. Not before, not since. Storks (Cigognes Blanche are the symbol of Alsace, as is this fabulous Bacon and Onion Tart.
Tarte Flambee/Flammekeuche is its official name. It is sort of like the French/German equivalent of Pizza, but don't say that too loud or they might throw you in jail! haha
Essentially it is a round flat, open-faced tart with a beautiful incredibly crisp pastry bottom. This is topped with sour cream/creme fraiche, caramelised onions, two cheeses and beautiful Alsatian bacon/lardons.
Simple, and yet incredibly delicious in its simplicity. Along with the Choucroute Garnie (essentially sauerkraut and smoked meats/sausages) it was one of my favourite foods from the region. We enjoyed the Choucroute one day at an open table in a market square. It was served with the most delicious boiled baby potatoes.
The Bacon and Onion Tarts are baked quickly in very hot ovens which gives them a very crisp crust. This is almost impossible to replicate perfectly at home, but I do try my best.
The thinner you can roll the dough out the crisper it will be. Or you can cheat a tiny bit and use puff pastry, which comes out crisp every time. This is my cheat/go-to option and something which we I can live with very happily.
Whilst it is not totally authentic, it is quite delicious and the perfect nod to this traditional tart of Alsace. With is crisp bottom and edges, not to mention rich toppings, it always goes down really well.
Having said that, however, it is a rare, once in a blue moon treat as it is also very indulgent, to say the least. Let's face it. Puff pastry, bacon, sour cream, two cheeses caramelised onions. How much more indulgent could you get?
I have never been able to resist anything in pastry. When I was about 13 years old my mother had to go away one weekend. She had left a family sized homemade pot pie for me to heat up for our Saturday night supper. My whole family accused me of having taken the largest piece for myself.
I denied it of course, it just so happened that after I had dished out everyone else's, there just happened to be a nice sized piece left in the dish for me. Was it done on purpose? I cannot say for sure, but I do know I have never been able to live it down!
To this day I am known for having taken the largest piece of pie for myself. On purpose or not. I don't think I really intended to take the largest piece myself. I prefer to think of it as a happy accident.
Nobody wants to be known as selfish or a glutton. In all truth however, when it comes to pastry, I am completely untrustworthy. Anything in pastry sings the song of my food-loving heart!
Well, almost anything at any rate. I don't think I would be lining up for "Stargazy pie." (A british pie stuffed with whole fishes, heads intact. The bake the pie so that the heads poke out of the steam vents in the top of the pie, as if to be gazing at the heavens.)
I think I would gladly give the whole of that pie to anyone who wanted it. This Alsation Bacon and Onion Tart however . . . that I might be tempted to fight for!
Food travel is often the best kind of travel, and in these modern times you never really have to leave the comforts of your own home to experience it.
Yield: makes 6 - 8 slices
Alsatian Bacon & Onion Tart
This is a simple tart that is delicious with caramelized onions, bacon and cheese. Perfect for a lunch or light supper when served with a salad, or cut into smaller bites and served as a party bite over the holidays.
prep time: 20 Mincook time: 25 Mintotal time: 45 Min
Ingredients
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 TBS white wine or Calvados (French apple brandy)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup (125g)of creme fraiche (about 1/2 cup)
- 8 rashers of bacon, par-cooked (see notes) and chopped
- 1/4 cup (20g) of grated gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup (20g) of grated cheddar cheese
- egg wash made with 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp of milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden brown. This will take about 15 minutes.
- Add the wine or Calvados, if using, and stir gently to release any flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a circle, about 13 inches in diameter.
- Transfer the rolled out dough to the prepared baking sheet. Spread with the creme fraiche evenly over the pastry, leaving a one inch border free all the way around the edge. Sprinkle evenly with the chopped bacon and the onions. Top with the grated cheeses.
- Fold over the exposed edges of the dough, fluting decoratively as you go, forming a 1 inch border. Brush this border with the prepared egg wash.
- Bake until the tart is golden brown and the bacon is crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 6 to 8 slices and serve hot.
notes:
To par-cook the bacon, place two layers of paper kitchen toweling on a microwave safe plate. Lay the desired amount of bacon in a single layer on top of the paper towel. Cover with two additional sheets of paper. Microwave for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or 30 seconds per rasher. (I do two rashers at a time.)
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and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so
much for visiting. Do come
I have long held a great fascination for the horse and buggy people of North America. Amish, Old Mennonite, New Mennonite, etc.
Their way of life appears to me to be like a beacon of gentleness and peace in the disturbed landscape of today's modern world. Amish people are not as modern as the Mennonites.
They eschew anything modern, the Mennonites are a bit more progressive, but their way of life is still a lot gentler and more serene in many ways than our own.
I was instantly drawn to this recent cookbook written by Hope Helmuth of Hopeful Things.
I've only just recently discovered her on Instagram and when I realised she had written a cookery book,
I just had to have it to add to my much beloved collection of Amish and Mennonite Cookery Books.
This is a love that began when I was a much younger woman and mother, bringing up my own family.
I collected the Food that Schmecks series written by Edna Staebler who lived in the Ontario Mennonite communities of South Western, Ontario, Canada in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
They are simple books, filled with simple recipes, each one sounding quite delectable as the other.
I confess I have come to love many of them through the years as has my family. Sour Cream Apple Pie is one recipe which we really love.
Another series of books I have really loved is the Cooking From Quilt Country books based on the television show of the same name, by Marsha Adams.
I love these books so much that, although I had to leave my first copies back in Canada when I moved over here to the UK, I bought myself new copies to have here when I could.
I also have several books by Lovinia Eicher and her mother. Plus several Amish/Mennonite community cookbooks.
Yes, their way of cooking and life are one of my great loves.
When I lived in South Western Ontario, in Georgetown, we would sometimes take ourselves to a very popular Mennonite restaurant in Saint Jacob called Anna Maes Bakery and Restaurant. Eating there was always a real treat.
I never ever had a bad eating experience there and even my mother loved to go there with us when she was visiting.
I have been devouring Hope's new book. I think it is just lovely.
It is filled with more than 150 delectably delicious sounding recipes, with beautiful photographs of each one. I do so love a cookery book with photos.
It is also a wonderful glimpse into the life of this sweet young woman and her family. She seems like someone you wouldn't mind having as a friend, and indeed I am quite sure she would always welcome you at her table.
The recipes in the book are nothing fancy. They are simple and very traditional.
The kind of recipes that speak to our hearts of home and hearth and family and God.
I am ever so happy that I bought it and I have already ear-marked a few recipes to try. The Potato Nest Skillet is calling my name ever so gently as is the Old Fashioned Country Ham Pot Pie and the Cobbler Cake looks to die for.
This recipe for Slow-Baked Macaroni really intrigued me. A slow baked macaroni and cheese. Everything gets stirred together and baked in a covered casserole dish for a period of 3 hours in a very low oven.
When I told my daughter about it, she said, ohhh, that's too long to cook macaroni, and yes one might think that it was, but it works.
I wasn't so sure about it myself when I first took it out of the oven and then spooned it out, but here I am a week later . . . still thinking about it.
This is pure comfort . . . nursery food . . . not at all what you would expect from a casserole of macaroni and cheese.
No, the macaroni is not al dente . . . I have decided that al dente can sometimes be over-rated.
This is pure and simple, soft and oh-so-rich . . . as comforting as a mother's warm hug.
Not quite what I expected, but I have fallen in love with it. Do use full fat cheeses, that you grate yourself and full fat milk.
This is not the time to count the calories. I used an artisanal strong cheddar. She uses a mix of Gouda and Cheddar . . . which would be extra ooey-gooey.
Slow-Baked Macaroni
Yield: 6
Old fashioned and comforting. Not your traditional mac and cheese. This reminds me of nursery food. Its delicious.
Ingredients:
- 235g elbow macaroni, uncooked (2 cups)
- 2 TBS melted unsalted butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 245g grated strong cheddar cheese (2 cups)
- 1 litre of whole milk (4 1/2 cups)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 115*C/235*F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Add the macaroni, melted butter and salt to the dish. Stir to coat well. Add the cheese and stir it all together again until thoroughly combined. Pour the milk over top. Cover tightly with a double sheet of aluminium foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
- Serve warm as a delicious side dish.
I cannot recommend this cook book enough. It is a pure delight. I have fallen in love with it and with Hope's blog. This is a sweet, sweet woman with a sweet, sweet family. If you are not already aware of her, it is time that you were. it is just what we all need in these strange and turbulent times we are living in.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
I don't know about you, but I consider Macaroni and Cheese to be the ultimate in comfort foods.
My husband would disagree, as he is not overly fond of pasta of any kind, but the carb lover in me just needs to have some pasta every now and then, and of all the pastas on the earth Macaroni and Cheese is my favourite indulgence.
Interestingly enough, it wasn't something that I really remember my mother making when I was growing up.
Occasionally we might have Kraft Dinner Mac & Cheese, but that was considered a treat. If mom cooked pasta at all it was spaghetti, which my father love, LOVED and still does.
She would brown a pound of ground beef in a skillet and add a can of Catelli spaghetti sauce and call it Italian Spaghetti.
Served with the plastic green can of grated cheese that was about as foreign as my family got when it came to dinner cuisine!
My children always loved it when I made them Macaroni and Cheese. Its a pretty economical way to feed a large family, depending on the cheese you use for it.
When I first moved over here to Chester, there was a cheese monger at the Indoor Market in town who sold bags of cheese crumbs for 50p. I used to buy two or three each time I went in, specifically for use in cooking.
You were never quite sure what kind they were, but they always went great in a cheese sauce!
I will be honest and up front here . . . I never stint on the amount of cheese I put in a cheese sauce.
I think you should be able to full on taste it . . . not just hint at it. That's me . . . full on everything.
I also love cauliflower cheese and broccoli cheese.
Yes I confess when my children were growing up, I was one of those moms who spooned heated Cheese Whiz over their broccoli to get them to eat it.
Nobody complained. It was simple and it was easy.
Adding broccoli and cauliflower to macaroni and cheese is a great way to cut back on the carbs and to increase your intake of your five a day, and its incredibly delicious to boot!
Its like three of your favourite things all rolled up together in one.
It doesn't really involve any extra work, or more work than making ordinary mac and cheese and its a bit healthier.
At least I think it is. Don't burst my bubble if you disagree.
I just throw the vegetable in with the macaroni during the last few minutes of its cook time.
I cut them into rather smallish florets, about 1 inch in size, and they don't need much more than a few minutes to become crispy tender.
They add lots of interest to the dish, plenty of flavour and additional colour and texture.
Not to mention fiber as well as being some of your five a day!
Actually there are quite a few vegetables that go well in macaroni and cheese.
Leeks (I sauté them for a few minutes first), cooked peas and carrots, shredded cabbage or brussels sprouts (again lightly sautéed or blanched), Kale (once again, blanche first), Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, etc.
All are very tasty and I can honestly say I have never had anyone turn their nose up at any of them.
In fact, most people ask for seconds . . .
I like to use a strong cheddar for flavour and of course some mustard also adds a bit of a punch to the sauce.
You could use hot sauce in its place if you wanted to. I am particularly fond of the Green Tabasco sauce. I could eat that up with a spoon.
And of course I always top with some bread crumbs, crushed crackers, crushed cereal or stale chips and cheese. Casseroles with crunchy toppings are one of my favourite things!! You don't need much on the side with this. I like to serve it with pickled beetroot and some buttered brown bread. Yummy!
Yield: 2
Broccoli & Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Rich and delicious, filled with several of your five a day and perfectly sized for two. I like to serve this with pickled beets and some buttered fresh brown bread.
ingredients:
For the cheese sauce:
- 250g whole milk (1 generous cup)
- 1 whole dried clove
- 1 dried bay leaf, broken in two
- 1 1/2 TBS butter
- 1 1/2 TBS flour
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 60ml double cream (1/4 cup)
- 75g grated strong cheddar cheese (2/3 cup)
- 2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
You will also need:
- 115g dry macaroni (1 cup or 4 ounces)
- 325g cauliflower florets (1 cup)
- 325g broccoli florets (1 cup)
- 60g grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
- a couple TBS of either cracker crumbs or potato chip crumbs
instructions:
How to cook Broccoli & Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
- First make the sauce. Add the clove and bayleaf to the milk. Bring just to the boil, then set aside to infuse for about 15 minutes. Remove the clove and bay leaf and discard.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan until it begins to foam. Whisk in the flour and allow it to cook for a vew minutes until it starts to smell a bit nutty. Pour in the milk slowly, whisking continuously until the mixure has thickened nicely. Whisk in the cheese and allow it to melt. Whisk in the cream and Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a shallow casserole dish about 7 by 11 inches in size.
- Cook the dry macaroni in a pot of lightly salted water according to the package directions, adding the broccoli and cauliflower florets for the last 2 to 3 minutes of cook time. Drain everything well, then stir into the cheese sauce. Pour the whole lot into the prepared casserole dish.
- Mix together the cheeses and crumbs/chips for the topping and sprinkle evenly over top of the macaroni and cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
I dare say I love this even more than regular mac and cheese. Its fabulously delicious! I have simple tastes . . . A simple salad also goes very well on the side.
I am fed up to the eyeballs with rain. Its that time of year! Not really cold, except for the wind, but the rain . . . its starting to get to me.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
One of my favourite things to make and eat is macaroni and cheese. I like to make it from scratch, using cheese that I have grated myself, and a rich homemade sauce.
You cannot beat a great homemade mac and cheese.
I call this the World's Best and it is not a claim that I make lightly. It truly is (in my opinion) the World's Best.
I have eaten a lot of mac and cheese in my lifetime.
I have tried many, many different recipes. I love it done the old
fashioned way which is pure and unadulterated, nothing but cooked
macaroni, milk, chunks of cheese and lots of butter.
Oh my, pure and utter bliss.
Seasoned with salt
and pepper and baked until the milk is almost absorbed by the macaroni. There are gooey patches of delicious cheese scattered throughout . .
.
It is simple, old fashioned, and really, really good.
This is not that mac and cheese. Its a bit more work than that mac and cheese.
This one involves making a rich cheese sauce, which then gets layered in a baking dish along with cooked macaroni and more grated cheese.
Surprisingly the cheese sauce is created with a mix of chicken stock and milk.
This simple step adds a depth of flavour and richness that I have never found in other cheese sauces.
I also like to use a combination of cheeses.
Crumbly and rich strong cheddar . . . .
Nutty and sweet Gruyere cheese, which has beautiful melting properties and provides a lovely ooze factor (this is a type of Swiss Cheese) . . .
Red Leicester Cheese which is mild and creamy and bright orange in colour. You can use more cheddar if you like, but choose a coloured one.
And finally grated Parmesan Cheese . . . salty and piquant . . .
A little bit goes a very long way.
The three together are an unbeatable combination, which gets used partially in the sauce . . .
As well as being layered between the macaroni and the sauce. Mmmm . . . .
I top it with a mix of the cheeses and some dry bread crumbs. Today I used Panko Japanese Bread Crumbs.
This provides a lovely layer of crunch.
You don't want the macaroni to be crunchy . . . but you do want a nice element of crunch on the top.
Well, I do anyways.
Today I added some strips of partially cooked streaky bacon . . . I mean, bacon . . . you can't go wrong.
However if you want to keep it totally without meat, then just leave the bacon off. Its not something I do all the time anyways, but I had it today and so I added it.
Yield: 2
World's Best Mac & Cheese for two
prep time: cook time: total time:
Nothing says comfort quite like macaroni and cheese. This is, in my opinion, the very best version! I have downsized it for two people.
ingredients:
- 225g of macaroni (2 cups)
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
- 240ml hot chicken broth (1 cup)
- 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
- 60g shredded Gruyere cheese (1/2 cup)
- 60g shredded red Leicester cheese (1/2 cup)
- 60g cup shredded strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
- 3 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- a dash of Tabasco sauce
For topping:
- a bit of Parmesan, Cheddar, Gruyere and red Leicester cheese grated and mixed together with a few bread crumbs
instructions:
How to cook World's Best Mac & Cheese for two
- Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Lightly butter a large shallow casserole dish and set aside.
- Grate all your cheeses and mix them together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to the boil and add the macaroni. Cook according to the package directions, draining it while it is still a tad bit undercooked. Drain it well and rise with cold water. Set aside.
- Make the sauce by melting the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour, mixing well and allow to cook for about a minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking it in vigorously until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Whisk in the milk. Heat thoroughly. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese mixture until it is well melted and amalgamated. Season to taste with black pepper and tabasco sauce.
- Place about 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in the buttered dish. Pour over 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the reserved cheese. Repeat layering until you finish up with the final 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with a final layer of the cheese bits mixed with the bread crumbs.
- Bake in the heated oven until nicely browned and bubbling. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
NOTES:
If you can't get Red Leicester cheese, just use cheddar in its place. Gruyere can be substituted with Swiss cheese. Place your baking dish on a baking tray as it can bubble over.
Altogether this is pretty fabulous. Wonderfully down-sized for just two. A simple make. All you need on the side is some salad and a crusty loaf. Perfection at its best.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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