I was recently asked if I would like to try some Basaljo Black Garlic. I quite like garlic and I was immediately intrigued . . . black garlic. It sounded quite interesting! I was game to try it! I like to try new things (within reason) and from what I had read about black garlic, it sounded like something we would enjoy.
From Wikepedia: Black garlic is a type of "caramelized" garlic (in reality, browned by the Maillard reaction rather than truly caramelized) first used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is made by heating whole bulbs of garlic (Allium sativum) over the course of several weeks, a process that results in black cloves.
The garlic came, already peeled in a plastic pot. It looked a bit like garlic clove shaped black jelly babies. It was soft and slightly sticky. I tasted a small one just to see what it tasted like. It was only slightly garlicky, very mellow with an almost fruity balsamic quality. I could not wait to use it.
One of my first thoughts was that it would be fabulous in a vinaigrette salad dressing. Possibly a salad with earthy baby greens and some beetroot, and so that is what I used for the salad. I added some leftover roast chicken and green peas.
I left the dressing pretty basic as I wanted to highlight the flavour of the garlic. It was basically just a good olive oil, along with a touch of Dijon mustard and some good balsamic vinegar and seasonings, which I felt would go well together with the garlic. I blitzed it in my small food processor and was well pleased with the resulting almost amber coloured silky dressing.
It was slightly pungent, but not in a bad way. We really, really liked it. I think this dressing would be beautiful drizzled over some grilled salmon, or even brushed on the salmon prior to grilling, or even some good cod. I think it would also serve as a great marinade for beef or pork, or even lamb. I am going to try that in the summer for BBQ season!
*Black Garlic Vinaigrette*
Makes 225ml (1 cup)
The next thing I did was to use it in some mash. We love our mash and are very fond of roasted garlic mash. (We are fond of roasted garlic anything!)
My primary concern was about the colour. I was a bit worried that it might tint the potatoes a funny colour, the idea of really black potatoes did not appeal to me.
I wanted to make sure that the garlic was really smooth before I stirred it in, so I did what I do with normal garlic. I mashed it together with some sea salt. The sea salt helps to break it down really fine and also adds flavour to your potatoes. You won't need to add anymore salt.
We have really good new potatoes coming out now. They are sweet, but waxy in texture so not really great for mashed potatoes, but work great for smashed potatoes! You can peel or not as you wish. I chose to peel this time around.
I used quite a few cloves of the black garlic, six altogether, and I added some grated strong cheddar. We got some really great cave aged cheddar the other day and the two were begging me to use them together. What a fabulous result! I could have easily sat down and eaten a bowl of this Black Garlic and Cheesy Smash all on its own with nothing else at all. It was fabulously delicious! A new favourite!
*Black Garlic and Cheesy Smash*
Serves 4 - 6
Black garlic is sweet meets savory, a perfect mix of molasses-like richness and tangy garlic undertones. It has a tender, almost jelly-like texture with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency similar to a soft dried fruit. Hard to believe, but true. It’s as delicious as it is unique. This is sure to become a pantry staple.
To find out more about Balsajo Black Garlic, be sure to check out their website.
Balsajo Black Garlic is available from www.balsajo.com and any good independent farm shops, fine food shops and delicatessens.
Balsajo
Black Garlic One Large Bulb - £2.99 from Sainsbury’s
·
Balsajo
Black Garlic Peeled pots 50g (£4.49) or 150g (£11.99)
·
Balsajo
Black Garlic Black Garlic Paste for 100g jar - £6
Many thanks to the people at Balsajo for affording me this opportunity to try something new! This has become a new favourite item in my kitchen! I can't wait to see what I can use it in next. There are plenty of recipes and tips on their site. That Black Garlic and Parsley Potato Salad is calling my name!
Note - Athough I was sent some black garlic for free to try out, I was not required to write a positive review. Any and all opinions are my own.
The last time I went to Canada (which was about five years ago now) I picked up a special edition magazine at the grocery store, the Taste of Home Italian Cookbook. I thought it was filled with lots of taste temptingly delicious looking recipes.
In our process towards downsizing and clutter clearing I spied this magazine in the spare room cupboard. I spent some time going through it, as you would if you were trying to decided to keep something or not.
I just happened to have pretty much everything I needed to make this delicious looking recipe, and the things I didn't have I thought I could substitute with what I did have, and so today I decided to make it for us.
It was quick and easy to do and in all truth I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen as I have tons of other things I need to be getting on with!
The resident pasta hater even had two helpings. I think because I used a really good artisanal orecchiette pasta, it wasn't really that pasta-ee for him, if you know what I mean.
Orecchiette is Italian for little ears . . . it was a good egg pasta and more like a dumpling than a noodle. The shape cupped just the right way to hold that delicious sauce . . .
With lots of meaty chunks of chicken, nice crispy tender vegetables and oodles of colour and texture, not to mention those tasty meatballs, it went down a real for both of us.
It did make rather a lot, but I have an idea that the leftovers will be just as delicious if not more so. I'll probably heat them up in a casserole in the oven, covered with lashings of cheese.
Mmmm . . . sounds rather good if I don't say so myself.
(can use an equal amount of any small pasta shells)
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast meat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 TBS olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 stalk of celery, washed, trimmed and chopped
1 tin of cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 tin of milk
1 chicken stock pot
1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp chopped fresh)
about 6 cubes of frozen whole leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and chopped
salt and black pepper to taste
135g of grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 cup)
Heat
half of the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the chicken
cubes and brown them all over. Scoop out and keep warm. Add the
remaining oil to the pan along with the chopped vegetables.
*Italian Wedding Soup Supper Dish*
Serves 6
Serves 6
It's got all the flavours of the traditional Italian Wedding Soup, but it's not soup . . . it's a hearty skillet supper, and it's delicious!
8 ounces orecchiette pasta (2 cups)
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced
a package of frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed (12 ounces)
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil
Cook,
stirring until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Return the chicken to the pan along with the meatballs, the soup, milk,
stock pot, thyme and some seasoning. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a
simmer and cover tightly. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking add the pasta to the water and cook according to the package directions. Drain well, reserving some of the water. Remove the cover from the sauce and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary with salt and pepper.
While the sauce is cooking add the pasta to the water and cook according to the package directions. Drain well, reserving some of the water. Remove the cover from the sauce and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary with salt and pepper.
Stir in the drained pasta and just
enough of the pasta water to give you a nice consistency. You don't
want it too thick but you don't want it thin either. Sprinkle with
cheese and serve.
I think this is a recipe most people would enjoy. I hope you will try it out! Bon Appetit!
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!
It can be rather tasteless sometimes and has a tendency to dry out more than the rest, especially if overcooked. A good chicken breast, however, is rather like a canvas waiting to be painted upon . . .
I prefer my chicken breasts with parts of the bone still attached, which helps to keep them moist I think.
The other day I decided I was going to try brining them in a simple salt and water brine, only for a short time . . . just to see if it made a difference and . . . guess what?
It worked beautifully . . . these chicken breasts were deliciously moist and tender.
I covered them with a tasty herbed crumb and baked them in a mix of chicken stock and butter until the juices ran clear . . .
Then I turned those pan juices into a delicious gravy which was absolutely wonderful spooned over mounds of mashed potatoes, and of course with that tender flavorful chicken. It was quite a delicious meal actually. I will do this again!
It's amazing what a little salt bath can do. Note - You won't need to season your chicken with any salt as it will have absorbed some of the salt from the bath.
*Country Baked Chicken*
Serves 4
4 TBS fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried sage
6 TBS melted butter
1 cup chicken stock
To finish:
2 TBS flour, shaken with 1/2 cup milk
Place
the chicken into a bowl and cover it with cold water. Stir in the 2
tsp of salt and swiish it around. Let the chicken sit in the salted
water for half an hour or so. At the end of that time, drain the
chicken very well and dry with some paper towels.
Preheat the 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
Preheat the 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.
Place
4 TBS of the melted butter in a baking dish large enough to hold all
the chicken pieces. Add the chicken breasts and stir them around to
coat the chicken. Arrange bone side down in the dish.
Mix together the
bread crumbs, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and sage. Sprinkle this
mixture over top of the chicken pieces. Dot with the remaining butter.
Pour the cup of chicken stock into the baking dish from the edge of the
dish so that the stock fills the bottom without touching the crumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken
juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove the chicken pieces to
a heated platter and tent lightly to keep warm, without steaming.
Pour
the pan juices into a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and milk mixture.
Bring to the boil, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. If
it is too thick, thin with a bit more milk until you get your desired
consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with some salt and pepper.Serve the chicken and pass the gravy on the side. Mashed potatoes go very well with this, as well as some veg and or salad on the side.
This chicken is really tender and delicious. I really hope you will give it a try! Bon Appetit!
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!
I have been a consummate collector of recipes for many, many years. As a girl I used to clip them out of my mother's True Story magazines and Women's Day, Chatelaine, The Star Weekly. I don't know why. It is not like I was allowed to do any cooking until I was much older.
I guess I have just always had a great interest in food and cooking. As a result I have a huge binder filled to overflowing with recipe writings and clippings, and several notebooks as well, the notebooks all being filling with handwritten recipes that I thought sounded tasty or interesting through the years and wanted to save.
The recipe I am showing you today comes from one of my handwritten notebooks. I wish I had been a lot better at taking note of the sources for these, but alas I was not, so where it comes from I have no idea.
I have had it for years and years however, and the fact that it is handwritten probably means it was either from a friend, or from a book I had borrowed from the library.
I had some ham that wanted using and I found this recipe and decided that after so many years of it collecting dust it was about time I tried it!
So today was the day. It is a simple recipe. Simple recipes are often very tasty recipes.
It doesn't use anything you probably don't already have in your kitchen, except for maybe the ham, or maybe you got lucky and you already have that as well.
The ham is ground and mixed with mustard. I chose to chop it very fine in my mini food processor and I used Dijon Mustard because it has a nice bite to it. You could also use deli ham or flakes of ham from the tin.
This gets spread over a scone/pastry type of dough which you roll out very thinly. I added some cheese to the filling, because we like cheese. I toyed with adding some grated onion, but kept it simple this time, with just ham, mustard and cheese.
The filling gets rolled up in the dough somewhat like a cinnamon roll dough. You then slice it and lay the slices in your pie/casserole dish.
A rich cheese sauce then gets poured over top and some buttered bread crumbs are sprinkled over that, upon which the casserole gets put into a moderately to hot oven and baked for a good 40 to 45 minutes.
The pastry puffs up around the ham filling . . . the cheese sauce oozes down in between the rolls and bubbles up, and those crumbs get golden brown.
The flavours in this were very, VERY nice. We both really enjoyed it. Do be judicious with your use of salt, as the ham can be quite salty and so can the mustard and cheese.
In fact, if I make it again, and I think I will, I would leave the salt out altogether.
I chose to serve it with some salad and cooked peas and carrots. We both really enjoyed this. It's also nice to know that you can cut the recipe in half, which I did quite successfully, for the smaller family.
*Ham Pie*
Serves 8
black pepper to taste
120g grated strong cheddar cheese (2 cups)
To top:
15g dry bread crumbs (1/4 cup)
(I used panko)
1 tsp melted butter
I love recipes like this. They are simple and yet at the same time special. Not a lot of faffing about and something which the whole family will enjoy. I hope you will give it a go! Bon Appetit!
I picked up some beautiful Black Angus stewing beef when I was at Costco the other day with my friend Tina. Their meat always looks so gorgeous. One of these days I am going to treat myself to a Prime Rib, but I have to save my pennies up first! (It's pretty pricey, but well worth it for a special occasion!)
The packs of meat are pretty large, so I divided it up and froze half of it. Today I used the other half to make a delicious stew for my husband and myself.
With the warming Spring-like temperatures we are having now, there will not be too many more "stew" days left until the autumn.
My husband really loves stews, so I thought I would treat him before it got too hot to stew anything without also stewing yourself!
This is a beautiful recipe which I adapted from Tamasin's Kitchen Bible, the one and only book for every cook by Tamasin Day Lewis.
I love her recipes. They are always excellent and this is one fine, mighty excellent book. If you don't have it in your library already, I highly recommend purchasing it. Its worth every penny.
I think Tamasin Day Lewis is one of the unsung heroes of cookery. She is not overly flashy, quite hippy-ish I would say, but she is very good and her recipes always work without a lot of faffing about.
The type of cooking I enjoy. Solid and steadfast, recipes you can rely on. Gourmet without being fiddly.
She is the sister of the actor Daniel Day Lewis. I used to see her on the television every now and then, but haven't seen her in a long while now.
She's good. If you ever get a chance to see any of her cookery shows, do tune in. She is not a "star" per se, but she could cook circles around most cooks/ television chefs. That lady knows her onions!
This is such a simple recipe, with very simple flavours. Its just stewing beef/steak, onions, carrots, some herbs, a bit of flour and tomato puree and some Guinness.
If you are opposed to using alcohol in your cooking, you can use beef broth, white grape juice or apple juice.
In a dish like this where it is being cooked in the oven for several hours, most if not all of the alcohol will be cooked off, but if you don't want to take any chances, then use one of my suggested substitutes.
Tomato puree, or tomato paste as it is known in North America. I use Cirio, supercirio double concentrate that comes in individual little pots. I like the convenience of it in that I don't have to open a whole tube of tomato puree to get just a small amount, and I love the flavour of it.
It is exceptional. Supercirio Tomato Puree delivers a
genuine and delicate taste that is both distinctive and unmistakably
authentic. Its rich and thick. I love the stuff, and in a recipe where quality counts, this is what you want to use.
The meat in this stew is fork tender and so delicious, with a rich gravy that will have you licking your chops. There are carrots in the gravy, which lend a beautiful sweetness to the dish.
A bouquet garni of rosemary, thyme, parsley, orange peel and bay leaf also adds some lovely flavours. This went down really well with some mashed potatoes and baby English peas.
*Braised Beef with Guinness*
Serves 6 - 81 bouquet garni composed of 2 each springs of thyme, parsley and rosemary,
tied together with 3 bay leaves and 3 strips of orange peel
salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat
the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy
bottomed flame to oven casserole dish which has a lid.
Note - because there are only two of us I quite successfully cut the recipe in half and it fed the both of us very generously with some leftovers for my husband to enjoy tomorrow.
I cooked it in my Le Creuset medium roasting/braising pot, which worked beautifully. The recipe makes use of a cartouche, or a layer of greaseproof paper between the lid and the pot which helps to hold in all of those lovely meat juices and flavours.
I really do hope that you will try it out. It is simple and delicious. Not a lot of faff, and filled with lots of lovely flavours. If you are a fan of well flavoured tender meat in a lovely thick and delicious gravy, then this is the dish for you! Bon Appetit!
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