- 1 pound of unsalted butter
- a medium saucepan with a thick and shiny bottom
You can use salted butter if you want, but traditionally ghee is made with unsalted butter. That way you don't have to be worried about how much salt is in a particular recipe. Since traditionally it is being used in recipes that contain a lot of seasonings and other flavors, it is important to check the salt, therefore unsalted butter is preferable.
A thick bottomed pan will conduct the heat more efficiently, and a silver bottom will enable you to be able to see the milk solids browning better. You really do not want them to burn.
- Unwrap your butter and place it into a medium saucepan with a heavy shiny steel bottom. (So that you can see when the milk solids are golden brown much easier.)
- Place over medium-low heat and leave to melt.
- Once it melts, leave it to simmer for 10 minutes. At five minutes it will begin to foam, at seven minutes, most of the foam will be gone, and by the end of the 10 minutes it should be almost all gone. (Mine took about 15 minute altogether.)
- When it is done the milk solids which settle at the bottom of the pan will turn golden brown. Do not let them burn. (This is why a low temperature is essential.)
- Once they are golden brown and most of the foam has disappeared you are ready to decant it. I did take a metal spoon and removed all of the foam that remained, discarding it.
- Place a double layer of cheesecloth over a mesh colander that you have placed over a large bowl. (I used my batter bowl.)
- Strain the melted butter through the cheesecloth into the bowl. The cheesecloth should catch all of the solids.
- Place a funnel, again lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, over a pint jar. Decant the butter from the bowl into the jar. The cheesecloth should catch all of the remaining milk solids and you will have a crystal clear liquid.
- Cover and allow to cool down. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 year, or on the countertop for up to 4 months.
- You may double this recipe but do note that it may take a longer time for the water to evaporate from the melted butter and for the milk solids to sink to the bottom of the pan and brown. For larger amounts you can use a skillet, with a larger base than the saucepan, but shallow walls. Just make sure your skillet isn't too large or the butter will be spread too thin.
- You may also cut this recipe in half. Use a smaller saucepan in order to keep the butter from spreading out too thin and make it difficult to monitor.
- It is best to use a saucepan/skillet with a shiny bottom so that you can really see when the butter solids are browning and to prevent it from burning.
How To Make Ghee
Only one ingredient is needed to make this. This is the secret ingredient that many chefs use in place of ordinary butter for extra flavor when frying and an essential ingredient in Indian Cookery. Shelf stable, this will keep 3 months on the counter and up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (250g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Unwrap your butter and place it into a medium saucepan with a heavy shiny steel bottom. (So that you can see when the milk solids are golden brown much easier.)
- Place over medium-low heat and leave to melt.
- Once it melts, leave it to simmer for 10 minutes. At five minutes it will begin to foam, at seven minutes, most of the foam will be gone, and by the end of the 10 minutes it should be almost all gone. (Mine took about 15 minute altogether.)
- When it is done the milk solids which settle at the bottom of the pan will turn golden brown. Do not let them burn. (This is why a low temperature is essential.)
- Once they are golden brown and most of the foam has disappeared you are ready to decant it. I did take a metal spoon and removed all of the foam that remained, discarding it.
- Place a double layer of cheesecloth over a mesh colander that you have placed over a large bowl. (I used my batter bowl.)
- Strain the melted butter through the cheesecloth into the bowl. The cheesecloth should catch all of the solids.
- Place a funnel, again lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, over a pint jar. Decant the butter from the bowl into the jar. The cheesecloth should catch all of the remaining milk solids and you will have a crystal clear liquid.
- Cover and allow to cool down. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 year, or on the countertop for up to 4 months.
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.
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With spring being here I thought it would be fun today to share some of my ideas for making delicious salad pots. During the warmer months I love eating salads and when I used to work outside the home or was going to school, I would often take a salad with me in the form of a salad pot.
Of course, you could just pick up a readymade salad at the shops, but it is so much more fun to make your own salad for your lunch. That way you can truly make it your own, a "Signature Salad" as it were, using the things that you enjoy the most!
You will want to add a final layer of salad leaves or herbs on the top. Any kind of lettuce will do. Romaine is nice as is iceberg. Today I used a mix of rocket and spinach. (Baby arugula) Spring mix is lovely as are mixed sprouts, or a combination of any of these.
Putting them at the top of the salad helps to prevent them from wilting under the weight of the other ingredients. You simply mix them in when you are ready to eat. I added a chopped spring onion today as well.
Note, it is advisable to bring a bowl to toss the salad together in and a fork to eat the salad with. This can be a disposable or one that you use specifically for that purpose. Or if you have a large enough jar, you can simply add the dressing and toss/shake everything together as desired.
You can bring your salad dressing in a separate jar ready to give a good shake and drizzle over your salad as and when you go to eat it. This can be a delicious homemade dressing (see below) or a portion of your favorite store purchased dressing.
These Salad Pots make for a wonderful change and delicious alternative from the traditional sandwich and are really a lot of fun to put together. The world really is your oyster when it comes to these.
I really hope you will be inspired to give them a go and I can't wait to hear what you come up with! Drop me a line in the comments section bel to share!
Delicious Salad Dressings
Here is an assortment of delicious Vinaigrette Salad Dressing ideas. There is something for everyone! You will only need about 2 TBS of dressing per salad pot.
Ingredients
- 1 TBS finely grated lime zest
- 1 TBS fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp finely minced green chili
- 1 tsp ginger juice
- 1 TBS chopped fresh cilantro or basil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) coconut cream
- coconut water as needed to thin out
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 cup (60ml) boiling water
- 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 TBS prepared pesto (red or green)
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 3 TBS water
- 1/4 cup (60ml) liquid honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp grainy mustard
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (60ml) good quality red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (600ml) water
- 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
- 3/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) of vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) good quality olive oil
Instructions
- Basically, for all of the dressings, measure all of the ingredients for each dressing into a screw top jar large enough to hold them. Screw the lid on tightly and give them a good shake to emulsify.
- Store in the refrigerator, covered. Bring to room temperature and give them a good shake prior to using.
- Those using fresh ingredients such as pesto or fresh garlic, chilis, ginger, etc. will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Others will keep for two to three weeks.
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 thing which I have always wanted to try doing it to make my own Vanilla Extract. When I was staying at my sisters right after I moved back to Canada she had her own homemade Vanilla Extract and I enjoyed using it when I was baking at hers.
Homemade Vanilla extract tastes a bazillion times better than store bought and contains only two simple ingredients. Alcohol (Vodka) and Vanilla Beans. It does require some time to make it however. You can have it ready to use in as few as 8 weeks, but trust me when I tell you that if you leave it for four to six months you will be rewarded with the best vanilla extract ever. It is truly worth the wait.
Pure Vanilla extract is an essential in the home bakers store cupboard. I never use artificial these days, although I might have done so when I was younger. Truth be told however, there is no comparison when it comes to flavor. The real deal makes a whole world of difference.
It can be quite expensive however. I bought a bottle from Amazon when I first moved back. I bought a one liter bottle of Totonics Mexican Vanilla for $59. I have my doubts as to whether it was pure vanilla extract or not. It said on the bottle that it contained Vanilla Bean Extract, and I did not have any problems with the flavor of it. I really wanted to make my own however.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT
Basically you only need two ingredients. A good alcohol and some quality vanilla beans.
Grey Goose Vodka is supposed to be the best vodka to use. That was not available here where I live so I got the next best thing which was Smirnoff. You can also use other alcohols from what I have read. The criteria is that it be at least 80 proof. A good bourbon would be lovely, as would brandy or rum.
Vanilla beans. Yes, you can buy vanilla beans at the grocery store, but they are rather pricey in comparison to buying them online. Sometimes you can join a Vanilla Bean co-op. Then you can order vanilla beans as a group for a much lower price. You do have to wait however until everyone is wanting to put in an order.
I bought my Vanilla Beans online. Here are some of the options available. Both have unique qualities
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
- 6 good quality vanilla beans (if you want a deeper, Double Fold quality vanilla flavor you can use 8 to 10)
- 1 cup (8 ounces/240ml) good quality alcohol (80 proof) (Vodka, brandy, bourbon, rum etc.)
- a half pint sterile canning jar with a tight lid
Instructions
- Cut your vanilla beans in half and then cut a slit down the side of each bean. Pack the beans into the clean jar.
- Pour the alcohol over top of the beans to cover them completely. Screw the lid on tightly and give the jar a good shake.
- Store in a dark cool place for at least eight weeks, but preferably six to 8 months! Give the jar a good shake every now and then, at least once every couple of weeks.
- Unused, aged vanilla will keep for several years, especially if the beans are kept totally submerged.
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