Showing posts with label cookbookery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookbookery. Show all posts
I baked what is possibly the most delicious Banana Bread I have ever baked yesterday, and that is saying a lot. I've baked many Banana Breads in my life time and I have my favourites but I think this recipe just kicked the lot to the curb and took their place! A bold statement indeed!
Today I baked a Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise recipe from a cookery book I have had for a while by Kelly Jaggers, called Not so Humble Pies. This is blackberry season here in the UK at the moment and they are something that I have a lot of and that I love to use in the autumn.
This is a recipe I have been eyeballing in a baking book for a while now. It's one of those e-books. Good Breakfast and Brunch Food from Murdoch. There is a recipe in it called Sky High Cappuccino and White Chocolate Muffins. It looked really good and I have long wanted to try it out.
I don't drink coffee, but I do like the flavour of it in baked goods. I normally use Camp which is a British product, composed of water, sugar, 4% caffeine-free coffee essence, and 26% chicory essence. It makes an excellent substitute for those who don't drink coffee. I used about 1 TBS of it in these.
In the e-book, they made baking paper tube, tying them and then lining the ramekins with them. That just did not work for me, and so I crossed my fingers and just baked them in ramekins which I had buttered really well. I also lined the bottoms with baking paper rounds. Worked a charm. I was really pleased.
I used Green and Blacks quality White Chocolate, cut into nice chunks. You can see the flecks of vanilla in this chocolate. It's the white chocolate which I like the best. It worked beautifully in this recipe.
I also dusted mine with some sifted icing sugar to serve. I did that for several reasons. Number one I thought it would look really pretty, and number two, it enhanced the coffee/cappucchino flavour of them, with just a tiny bit of sweetness. You could also glaze them with a coffee flavoured drizzle which would be nice. Look at that lovely chunk of white chocolate you can see there . . . scrumdiddlyumptious!
They were beautifully moist as well. We both really enjoyed these. I also cut the recipe in half because there are only two of us. That worked fine, no problemo. If you are looking for a nice muffin recipe with moist muffins that are beautifully flavoured and textured, I highly recommend this recipe. I hope you will give it a go.
Oh yes, there is a brown sugar and butter mixture that you swirl into top of them prior to baking as well. It kind of sinks in and caramlizes. Scrummo!
*Jumbo Cappuccino and White Chocolate Muffins*
Makes 8 large or 12 medium muffins
This recipe makes eight beautifully flavoured muffins. The sugar swirl in the top is a delightful surprise!
20g (1/4 cup) instant espresso coffee powder
1 TBS boiling water
310g (2 12 cups) self raising flour
115g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
375ml (1 1/2 cups buttermilk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g (2/3 cup) melted butter
100g (3/4 cup) chopped white chocolate
2 TBS butter
3 TBS soft light brown sugar
icing sugar for dusting (optional)
icing sugar for dusting (optional)
Preheat
the oven to 200*C.400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter 8 ramekins well. Line
the bottoms with baking paper. Place onto a baking tray. Alternately
line a 12 cup medium muffin tin with cupcake papers, or butter really
well.
Dissolve the coffee powder in 1 TBS
boiling water. Allow it to cool completely. Sift the flour and sugar
into a bowl. Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and melted
butter. Stir in the coffee mixture. Add all at once to the dry
ingredients. Roughly mix together along with the chopped chocolate.
Divide between the muffin cases.
Heat the 2
TBS butter and soft brown sugar together, stirring to dissolve the
sugar. Spoon a portion of this mixture onto each muffin and then swirl
it into the top of the muffin using a toothpick.
You may or may not dust these with icing sugar prior to serving. It's up to you!
(My Easy Bread)
One of the consequences of there only being two of us in this house and eating most of the time is the fact that we have a difficult time using up a loaf of bread before it goes stale.
I really like good bread and a good loaf of bread can be somewhat expensive, so I don't like for any of it to go to waste.
It only makes sense to have a few things up your sleeves that you can do with it . . . like bread pudding and such. I hate waste, don't you?
This is a cookery book I have had for a while, by Tamasin Day-Lewis. It's a jewel. It's filled with lots of lovely recipes for dishes that are not only economical but also delicious.
Recipes such as this Bread Soup, which she admits to originally pinching from Anna Del Conte.
I love cooking and the beautiful chemistry that happens when you throw ingredients together. Sometimes it is so amazing.
Who would ever think that with a few ingredients such as olive oil, stale bread, chicken stock, garlic, parsley, chilli flakes and some seasoning you could end up with a delicious soup???
And that is exactly what this is . . . a magically delicious soup! Made from simple ingredients, put together in a simple manner.
Of course it stands to reason that if you are only going to be using a few ingredients, you will want them to be the best you have. Use a good sturdy loaf of bread, a crusty country loaf, several days old.
A good chicken stock, well flavoured.
Homemade is good, but if you don't have that, a good quality store bought one works well also.
The best extra virgin olive oil your money can buy. It matters.
Fresh parsley and fresh garlic. Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper. A good cheese for grating.
Something very magical happens. Trust me on this. It's absolutely gorgeous! A new favourite! Simple. Easy. Delicious and Quick!
The most delicious soup from nothing but stock, bread crumbs and a bit of garlic, parsley and seasoning. Oh, I do love recipes such as this which help to celebrate simple ingredients and methods in a most delicious way. I believe in Italy this is called Pancotto. You will want to use a good quality rustic styled bread loaf for this, preferably a couple of days old.
freshly grated Pecorino cheese to serve
Heat the olive oil,
dried chilies, garlic and parsley in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Saute
for about 30 seconds until you can smell the garlic.
Tip in the bread
and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bread
begins to turn golden brown. Add the hot stock. Cover and simmer for
half an hour.
Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as
necessary. Serve ladled out into hot soup bowls with lashings of
grated Pecorino cheese on top.
I think the British love sandwiches more than anyone else in the world. Walk into any shop, and I do mean any . . . and you are sure to find a variety of them, ready made, wrapped and for sale to anyone who feels in the need for some potable and portable sustenance of the this kind. AND, they come in varities which are suitable for any meal of the day . . . breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack!
I recently treated myself to Nigel Slater's latest cookbook, eat. You all know how I love Nigel and his way of cooking and eating. That man could make anything look and sound tasty and he is the master as creating delicious and fast food out of just about anything you can get your hands on. He has one whole chapter in this book devoted to sandwiches and the like. My kind of guy. My kind of cooking.
One in particular intrigued me and set my tastebuds to tingling. This was a sandwich he created using crusty bread, beef drippings and leftover roast from the sunday dinner. Reading about it . . . made me want one, and reading about it . . . inspired me to create my own version. I got to thinking hash . . . roast beef hash . . . in a bun.
And so that is what I did. I made some hash using chopped potatoes, chopped onions, chopped cabbage and some of the leftover roast from yesterday's pot roast. I seasoned it lightly with some salt and cracked black pepper . . .
Added a touch of herb . . . in the way of summer savoury, and a hint of snap by using some Worcestershire Sauce and a dash of brown sauce. (steak sauce to you North Americans) I cooked that all together until the potatoes and onions and cabbage were gilded with little caramelized edges, all golden brown and sweet . . . and the meat was falling apart once more . . .
And then I stogged it between two halves of a crisp warm ciabatta roll . . . the bottom spread with just a touch of creamed horseradish sauce . . . a slice of Leerdammer Toastie cheese layed on top of the hot hash, so it melted down into all those gilded crevices, and topped by that crisp roll-top . . . all that goodness tucked into a tasty and lightly crisped ciabatta suitcase and just waiting for me to tuck in . . .
Good things happen when Nigel inspires me. Tasty things. Things I want to indluge in again, and again . . . and again. I am never disappointed.
*Roast Beef Hash Buns*
Serves 4a handful of chopped cabbage
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
2 TBS hot beef stock or water
an amount of leftover cooked roast, cubes (an equal to the amount of potatoes)
1 TBS vegetable oilTo serve, slice each ciabatta roll in half. Spread the bottoms with some horseradish sauce (if desired) and then pile an equal amount of the hot hash on top. Top each with a slice of toastie cheese and then the top of the rolls. Serve immediately. Pass the brown sauce or ketchup if desired.
I was recently sent a beautiful cookbook . . . Great Homemade Soup's, a cook's collection, by Paul Gayler. I am no stranger to Paul Gayler's cookery books. I already own three of them, and love them so I was really pleased to have been given the offer of this one. I knew I was in for a real treat and I was not disappointed.
In this gorgeously presented book Paul shares a comprehensive collection of over 100 of his most appetising soup recipes alongside recipes from guest chefs including Daniel Boulud, Antonio Carluccio, Chris and Jeff Galvin, Tom Kerridge, Atul Kochhar, Pierre Koffman and Susan Spicer.
It brings you through the whole range of soupery, from basic equipment and stocks, broths and consommes, smooth and creamy soups, hearty soups, traditional soups, exotic concoctions and chilled soups. There is something in this lovely book to suit any taste and budget, with clear and concise instructions and beautiful imagery.
Each recipe has a full colour and mouth watering photograph to accompany it (photography by Lisa Linder.)
I found the first chapter which included a brief introduction to soups, their classification, the equipment needed, some information on garnishes, accompaniments and soup toppings before detailing in step-by-step Masterclasses how to make perfect homemade soup stocks, the fundamental base to every good soup to be very informative and my favourite chapter. There was so much to learn about soup in there . . . and I like to think that you are never too old to learn something new.
Amongst the many soups on offer you will see such tasty delights as . . .
- Cauliflower soup with brie toasties
- Roasted pepper and aubergine soup
- Carrot, pineapple and ginger soup
- Jamaican pepper pot soup
- Soupe a l'oignon gratinee
And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Of course the proof of the pudding is always in the eating and I would never recommend a cookbook to you if I hadn't tried at least one of the recipes included. It was really difficult to make up my mind with this book as everything looked so delicious, but I finally narrowed it down to one.
I chose his recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. Not only did it look beautiful, but I had everything in the house that I needed in order to make it. I had never had Italian Wedding Soup before and I was keen to try something different.
The instructions were concise and easy to follow. Even though it was not something I had ever eaten, I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. None of the ingredients was outrageous or difficult to find. In fact I already had all of them in the house, although I did substitute Cavolo Nero for the lettuce, because that is what I had and what I thought would look prettiest, and I think food should be pretty don't you?
It went together beautifully . . . and the end result was a lovely soup. Hearty enough to be a main meal once I added crusty bread on the side. The Toddster who usually loves his soups creamy and thick, declared it to be one of the nicest soups he had ever eaten. So in short . . . this was a real winner!
*Italian Wedding Soup*
Makes 4 hearty or 6 smaller servings Heat a large frying pan with 2 TBS of the oil over medium low heat. Add the meatballs and cook, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon to some paper towels and set aside.
Using a clean pan, over medium heat, heat the remaining oil. Add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes and reduce heat. Cook, stirring until softened, for about 10 minutes. Pour the stock over all, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the pasta and the escarole and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Add the meat balls to the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes longer. Sir in the parsley.
Whisk together the egg and Pecorino Romano in a bowl. Slowly pour this mixture into the soup, stirring continuously and always in the same direction with a wooden spoon as you pour.. Simmer for 30 seconds over the lowers heat to cook the eggs and thicken the soup slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide between heated bowls and serve immediately!
This was an amazing collection of soups in just one place. The author has done a great job at collecting and sharing a wide array of soups from every part of the world that will warm you inside and out. All-in-all this is a comprehensive cookbook with amazing images throughout that will leave your mouth watering. I give this book 10+ and highly recommend it for anyone's cookery book collection. It would make a fabulous gift for the foodie in your life, especially if you are wanting them to make you some tasty soups to indulge in!
Book: Great Homemade Soups: A Cook's Collection
Author: Paul Gaylor
Publisher: Jacquie Small LLP, 74-77 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF
ISBN: 9781909342231
Publication Date: 17 October 2013
Cover: Hardback
RRP: £25 UK, $30 US
Did you notice that beautiful cast iron casserole I was using to make my soup in??? I know isn't it gorgeous. It is a part of the Pro Cook line of cast iron Casseroles.
I was recently sent the ProCook Turquoise Cast Iron Casserole20cm / 2.9L Round Casserole Dish to try out and I have to say I am loving it. I already had a much higher priced "luxury" brand cast iron casserole dish and I was keen to compare the two. I have to say in all honesty, I can't see a difference . . . except in the price. Seriously. I can't speak for it's value over long term use as I have only had each of these casseroles a short time, but so far they have both performed equally.
The Pro Cook traditional cast iron range is built to last a lifetime. Hand cast from molten iron giving incredible strength and durability, topped with smart, stainless steel knobs, cast iron handles and enameled inside and out with turquoise and cream for a stunning, self-basting finish and excellent heat retaining properties.
Suitable for hob and oven cooking and for all cookers including induction, this range is ideal for long, slow cooking so you can just pop it into the oven.
One of the drawbacks would be that they are not suitable for dishwasher use. But even Le Creuset recommend that you only wash in the dishwasher with caution. They come with a full 25 year guarantee. (Le Creuset offers a lifetime guarantee.) Right now you can purchase this same one on their page for £32 a reduction from the regular price of £64 on the high street.
The Pro Cook Oven to Table line of Cast Iron Cookware comes in a wide range of sizes and colours and I truly feel they are good value for money spent. I could honestly see NO discernable difference in performance between the more expensive brand cast iron cookware and this reasonably priced brand. I highly recommend.
I have never made any secret of my love for cookery books. In fact it probably verges on obsession. Well, that's what the Toddster thinks at any rate. Most evenings I crawl into bed with a good one or two and I get so much pleasure and inspiration from perusing their pages . . .
But what you probably don't know is I am also vastly interested and intrigued in the history of food and the chemistry behind it. Yes, I am one of those sad people who can sit and ponder for hours on such questions as who was it decided that eggs were good enough for human consumption and just how the miraclulous wonder of cake baking came to pass!
Recently I was sent a beautiful book to read and review entitled "At the King's Table, Royal Dining Through the Ages, by Susanne Groom. I have been enjoying it so very much, especially since I recently discovered my own ancestral Royal Connections! This delightful book is an exploration, both visual and written, of the history of royal dining, dating from the somewhat primitive kitchens of the middle ages on up to the informal dinner parties held by the Royals of today's world.
It begins with a foreword written by the Master of Culinary Chemistry, Heston Blumenthal, and what follows are ten delightful chapters which take the reader on a journey through the kitchens and diets of Monarchs from Richard the Second, on up to the present day Queen Elizabeth and her family. (I have to say my connection with all of this is through Richard the Third )
"The aim of the subtlety was to combine magic and food, and to astonish. A peacock might be served in it's plumage, or swans served swimming in pastry ponds. Real birds might even be hidden at the last moment in pies, to fly into the air as soon as the crust was cut."
Interspered throughout between the discourses on the table manners of the royals through the ages, the earliest cookery books, unscrupulous dealings, flamboyent chefs, etc. are some 200 illustrations and menus from a plethoria of State Banquets and extravagent dinners.
Little tidbits of royal likes and dislikes and food fetishes and fads of the ages, and their implication on the diets of ordinary folk.
I found it compelling reading to say the least. And, no pun intended . . . I have devoured it with gusto!
Having worked as a Personal Chef myself, I was fascinated by the requirements and duties of Royal Chef's and the wonderful little tidbits shared within this lovely book's pages.
In short, I have found it to be a complete delight from start to finish. One of my favourite books ever.
If you are looking for a different sort of book to give that culinary "Foodie" in your life for Christmas, look no further. It's hard to purchase a cookbook for a "Foodie" actually. It's very difficult to know which ones they already have. I predict that this book will delight, amuse and fascinate any culinary "Foodie" on your gift list, not to mention anyone who has a penchant for history.
At the Kings Table
Royal Dining Through the Ages
by Susanne Groom
forward by Heston Blumenthal
Published by Merrell
(In association with Historic Royal Palaces)
ISBN 978-1-8589-4613-9
UK £22.95
US $39.95
I have found it on Amazon.uk for as little as £14.34 and on Amazon.com for $24.44.
Many thanks for the people at Merrell for sending me this book to read and review. All opinions and views are my own and are in no way influenced.
I never really have to be asked twice if I want to do a cookbook review. As you know I adore cookbooks. My motto is "You can never have too many cookbooks." Todd begs to differ. He moans every time another one arrives. He is not, however, adverse to indulging himself in the fruits of those very same books. He eats very well indeed!
He was almost as thrilled as I was when this latest one dropped through our post box. The Toddster is a pie afficionado. A good pie, savoury or sweet, is one of his favourite of all meals.
Pie is the tenth cookbook by the award-winning Global Baker and pâtissier Dean Brettschneider and it includes recipes and detailed instructions for over 80 mouth watering pies.
Hearty meat pies, seafood pies vegetarian pies, not-quite-pies (including chocolate whoopie pies!) and a collection of sweet pies are accompanied by stunning photography throughout.
Nearly every recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous photograph which, for me, is a key component in enticing me to try a new recipe. I do so love food photography and find it so much more interesting to peruse a cookbook with great photos.
There is a section on basic recipes from sweet and short pastries to puff pastry and most importantly, thorough descriptions and photographs to help you along, plus tips on decorating for creating that show stopping finish!
I haven't been able to find a recipe in this delicious book that I don't want to try. Seriously. It is sure to become a fast favourite in my cookbook library. The proof is in the eating however, and so . . .
I really wanted to pick a recipe to make from the book and I don't mind telling you I was very hard pressed to pick one. This delicious looking twist on the traditional Shepherd's Pie really captured my eye however and I knew it would be something that Todd would really enjoy!
The instructions were clear and concise and the recipe was very simple to execute. Not only did it look really nice when it was done but it tasted delicious as well! I think that most people would be able to cook this and the other recipes look just as easy. And to be honest, his instructions and the photography are simply so well done, I can't see anyone having a problem at all. I give this book a resounding 10+ out of 10!
*Untraditional Shepherd's Pies*
Serves 4Add the tomato puree, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Fry for few more minutes, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer on low for about 40 minutes, uncovering after 20 minutes and stirring from time to time. Season to taste and keep hot whilst you prepare the crispy potatoes.
First published in New Zealand in 2012, this 224 page hardback book will be available in the UK on the 17th of October 2013 published by Jacqui Small LLP. You can pre-order it now from Amazon at a discounted price.
Book: Pie: Delicious Sweet and Savoury Pies and Pastries, From Steak and Onion Pie to Pecan Tarts
Author: Dean Brettschneider
ISBN: 9781909342187
Publication Date: 17 October 2013
Cover: Hardback
RRP: £25
I did receive a review copy of this book at no charge, but I assure you wholeheartedly my opinions are my own.
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