In January I started writing on another site called Home Chef World. I was hired to provide them with between 4 and 8 recipe posts a month. This is in addition to what I share here.
I have really enjoyed doing it thus far and I hope this lasts a long longer than my other job did. One never knows with the unstable world we are living in at the moment, but one thing is for sure, people will always want and need to eat.
One of the recipes I will be sharing on there over this next month required English Muffins. Do you think I could find any? None to be had anywhere, and I tried.
We are living in precarious times and I have realised that certain things have become very difficult to find. One is flour (we won't talk about toilet paper).
I am rationing my flour out very carefully because I don't know how long it will be before I can get any more. It has become a very precious commodity in this house.
I did a lot of research before I picked a recipe to try. I am not the most experienced bread baker and my results have always tended to be a bit hit and miss.
I found this recipe on a site called Bigger Bolder Baking. It also had a video, and quite a few good reviews, so I felt fairly confident in using this recipe
It differed a bit somewhat in the English Muffins I am used to in that there is no cornmeal or semolina involved. Some recipes use this to keep the dough from sticking to things.
You do need to start it 18 hours prior to when you want to bake/grill them.
You do not need an oven for these. They cook entirely on top of the stove in a large non-stick skillet with a lid.
I found that my dough was a tiny bit drier than what hers looked like, so I was a bit worried that it wouldn't turn out, but my fears were completely unfounded. It was perfect.
They cooked very easily in my largest skillet. I was going to use my griddle pan until I realised I didn't have a lid to cover it. DUH.
Using a lid to cover the muffins while they are first baking is integral to the success of the recipe. This action allows them to rise higher and to cook thoroughly.
You might be interested to know that English Muffins are not really English at all, although they were invented by an English Ex Pat, living in New York City named Samuel Bath Thomas back in 1874.
Invented in America by an Englishman. He owned a bakery known as Chelsea (could there be a more British name?) and were originally called Toaster Crumpets.
They were very quick to catch on and became very popular in Hotels and restaurants, soon taking on the name of "English Muffins."
The best way to open up an English Muffin is to run the tines of a fork into them all around the centre of the circumferance of the warm muffins. Once you have done that. it is very easy to gently pull them apart.
This helps to prevent them from being squashed . . . they are filled with lovely butter catching holes, nooks and crannies and separating them with a fork helps to create even more.
Oh my . . . I have fallen in love. Their texture was beautiful.
Todd enjoyed one later on, toasted on the open side under the hot grill and those little nooks and crannies, toasted up really nicely.
Just beautiful . . . . I enjoyed one warm from the oven with some cold butter thinly sliced over top . . . .
and some Bonne Maman Intense strawberry jam. Oh boy, but this was sooooo good!
They were light and fluffy, beautifully golden brown on the outside and crisp at the edges . . .
I could find no fault with them, no fault at all . . .
In fact the worst thing I have to say about these is that once you have tried one you will never ever be happy again with a ready made one. Never ever.
English Muffins
Yield: makes 8 to 10
These are fabulous. The worst thing you can say about them is that once you eat one of these you will be forever spoilt from ever enjoying a store made muffin again. You will need to start these the day before.
Ingredients:
- 350g strong bread flour (2 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 160ml milk (2/3 cup)
- 120ml water (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBS salted butter
Instructions:
How to cook English Muffins
- Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast on one side of the bowl and the salt on the other. Don't let them touch as salt kills yeast. Mix lightly together.
- Measure the milk and water into a microwave safe jug. Add the butter. Cook for about 30 seconds in the microwave to melt the butter and slightly warm the milk mixture. The temperature should be only blood warm. Take care not to over heat.
- Holding some of the liquid mixture back, stir it into the dry mixture, adding only enough to give you a soft dough. It may be a bit sticky, and you may not need it all. Cover bowl with a sheet of plastic cling film and then cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draft free place for 12 to 18 hours. (You can refrigerate the dough after 18 hours if you are not quite ready to griddle them.)
- When you are ready to bake, dust a surface lightly with flour. Scrape the dough out onto the surface. Recover with the cling film and kitchen towel. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- At the end of the rest time, gently pat out to a thickness of about 1 inch. Using a sharp 3 inch round metal cutter dusted in flour, stamp out rounds, removing and placing them onto the baking sheet as you cut them out, leaving plenty of space in between. Continue until you have cut all the rounds out. Any scraps leftover can be rerolled and cut into rounds, although they won't be quite as perfect in appearance as the others.
- Cover the muffins with cling film and the kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 45 minutes.
- At the end of that time heat a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. It should feel quite warm when you hold your hand just above the surface. Working in batches, carefully remove the muffins from the baking sheet, about 4 at a time, and transfer them into the heated pan. Do not crowd them. Leave at least 2 inches between each muffin. Cover with a lid and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes until golden brown on the underside. Having the lid on will create steam which will help the muffins to rise and cook thoroughly.
- Once the underside is golden brown, carefully flip over and toast on the other side.
- Set aside to let them cool slightly before eating. I like to split them in half using a fork, sticking it carefully into the centre of the muffins all the way around and gently pulling them apart. This gives you lots of craggy bits. Serve warm with butter and jam.
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Split and toast in a toaster or under the grill. You make also freeze the in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
In fact these are so good thatI think that I may have to make some again really soon. I highly recommend!
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!
Although I am rationing flour and sugar, I did want to make us something sweet for a weekend treat. Usually at the weekend I like to have a dessert of some kind.
This Diner Style Lemon Pudding fits the bill perfectly.
Not only does it not use any flour, but it also uses a minimum of sugar. Plus I had a lemon which needed using up and I'll be darned if I waste anything now.
I cooked pasta today that was 10 years past its use-by date and it was perfectly fine, believe it or not, and yes that was very brave of me.
It smelt alright and I cooked a bit and it tasted fine, so I used it. And I lived to tell the tale.
This recipe comes from a cookery book I have had since 2007, enitled The American Diner Cookbook, by Elizabeth MdKeon and Linda Everett.
It was originally published in 1962 and is filled to overflowing with an abundance of tasty sounding recipes. There are no photos in the book, bar fascinating photos of old Diners.
Diners hold a special place in the heart of Americans, and the culinary history of America.
Known for their warmth and good simple food they are restaurants which have always beckoned and tempted diners and weary travellers alike with the promise of delicious home cooked food.
The type of food your mama would have cooked. Great food, excellent service and great prices. They are the backbone of the American culinary experience.
They are also very popular here in the UK, Many entrepreneurs have tried to mimic the warmth and style of the American Diner experience, but I have to say in my experience, most have fallen way short of the ideal.
For the most part their food has been over-priced and lacking in something.
You can dress up a restaurant with all the chrome and formica you want, but, without the heart and the warmth of the original, they will always be sadly lacking in that special Je ne sais quois.
Just my opinion and experience.
This is not a pudding in the sense of a British pudding, which tend to be deliciously stodgy desserts, all of which come under the heading of puddings . . . steamed, baked, pies, cakes, etc.
Over here all are classed as pudding, which is merely another name for dessert.
This is very much a pudding in the North American sense . . . in that it is a thick, creamy cold custard type of pudding. Comforting and delicious.
Rich and lush this pudding is filled with lemon flavour! Not too tart, but neither too sweet . . . just lemony enough without being over the top . . .
Creamy and lucious . . . rich with the addition of whipped cream, cream cheese and sour cream, but not a lot of any one thing . . . just a touch . . .
You begin by cooking a lemon custard, which . . . thickened and cooled, has whipped cream folded into it.
This is then poured into a casserole dish and topped with dollops of billowing sweet meringue . . .
Popped into a hot oven briefly until the meringue dollops are golden brown, but still remain soft.
This went down a real treat with the both of us, even my so-called lemon hating husband.
He actually really enjoyed it, so much so that he had two helpings. He just loves custard . . .
Diner Style Lemon Pudding
Yield: 6
A delicious lemon pudding recipe which I adapted from a cookbook entitled American Diner. This is quite simply delicious.
Ingredients:
- 2 large free range eggs, separated
- 64g of caster sugar (1/3 cup finely granulated sugar)
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 120g sour cream (1 cup)
- 120ml lemon juice (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 120ml cream (1/2 cup)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 2 TBS caster sugar
Instructions:
How to cook Diner Style Lemon Pudding
- You will need a double boiler for this, or a heatproof bowl that will sit comfortably over a saucepan of boiling water.
- Beat the egg yolks togeher with the sugar. Beat in the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, combining well. Pour into the top of the double boiler, or into the heatproof bowl.
- Cook, stirring constantly over simmering water, until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.
- Whip the cream until stiff. Fold into the cold lemon mixture and then pour the pudding into a shallow casserole dish.
- Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Continue to beat while drizzling in the sugar. Beat until the egg whites become stiff and form peaks.
- Drop by tablespoons over top of the cold pudding. Pop the casserole into the oven for about 6 minutes until the meringue is golden brown. Cool completely before serving.
This recipe also works very well, cut in half, which is what I did. It was my first time making this pudding. It was so delicious that I can promise you it won't be my last!
Potato Chips are not something that I eat very often, but I do so love them. Back in Canada my favourites were Ketchup, All Dressed, Dill Pickle and Barbeque.
When I was growing up Potato Chips were a rare treat and they didn't come in a whole lot of flavours. Mostly just plain salted. I can't remember when we started to get other flavours.
When I was in Grade Six my class won the Red Cross Penny Parade and the prize was a bus strip through the Valley (Nova Scotia) where we got to visit some local food producers. We visited a fish farm, along with Scotian Gold (who processed fruits and vegetables), the Berwick Bakery which provided all the baked goods for the Valley, and Scotties Potato Chip Factory.
We were given free apple juice to drink, donuts from the bakery and a bag of potato chips from Scotties! I don't need to tell you which was my favourite!
I can remember going to a local cafe with my friend Cindy McGregor. We would buy a bag of plain potato chips from the grocery shop attached and then order a coke.
We would open the potato chips and sprinkle them with vinegar to eat along with our cokes. Boy we sure enjoyed them!
My mother and father were real hockey fans. Saturday nights were always hockey nights in our Canadian household. My mom always had potato chips to enjoy as a treat along with the game. We would each be given our own little bowl of them.
This was a real treat! She used to keep them hidden behind my father's dresser in their bedroom. Needless to say we often snaffled the odd sneaky chip or two or three during the week when nobody was looking. (Oh we were naughty!)
I am quite sure my father got blamed for the magically emptying chip bag. He never said anything to us, so in all likelihood he was also snaffling up the odd sneaky chip himself!
He says he wasn't, but I have my doubts.
Here in the UK, there is no end to the different flavour varieties of potato chips that are available. Ham and Mustard. Beef and Onion. Roast Chicken. Smoky Bacon. Worcestershire Sauce.
Prawn Cocktail. 😝 (Not my favourite) Pickled Onion. Sour Cream and Sweet Chili. Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper. Salt and Vinegar. That's just few. There are many others.
At Christmas time they come up with even more Seasonal Flavours. Like Turkey and Stuffing. Brussels Sprouts. Glazed Ham. Pigs in Blankets. Cheese and Cranberry.
I was craving some potato chips today and lacking the ability to go to the shops and pick some up, I did the next best thing. I made some in my microwave oven, which is relatively simple and quick to do.
These are always delicious and crisp. And it almost goes without saying that they are a lot healthier than the processed ones. They are low in fat and salt and preservative free.
You need to cut the potato as thin as you can. Ideally about 1/8 inch thick. I use my mandoline, but you can do it with a knife. The thinner you get them, the quicker they cook.
I do give mine light spritz with canola oil cooking spray, but you don't have to.
Today I sprinkled them prior to cooking with some of my homemade Cajun spice seasoning, but they are nice sprinkled with just sea salt, or sea salt and cracked black pepper.
The nice thing about these is you control how much salt you use.
You can peel if you like, but I always leave the peels on. These are incredibly moreish so be fore-warned!
It's impossible to eat just one. Utterly and hopelessly impossible.
Microwave Cooked Potato Chips
Yield: Variable
Prep time: Cook time: Total time:
Now you can indulge in one of your favourite treats, without any artificial flavourings or unnatural ingredients. Low fat, cooked in the microwave. Easy peasy and every bit as delicious as any you might buy, if no more so.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized red potato, unpeeled, washed and patted dry
- cold water
- canola oil cooking spray
- your favourite seasoning mix
Instructions:
How to cook Microwave Cooked Potato Chips
- You need to cut your potato into thin slices. I cut mine about 1/8 th of an inch thick using my slicer tool. If you are using a knife, make sure it is sharp and cut the slices as thin as you can. Cut a thin slice from one long edge of the potato so it won't move around while you are cutting it. This makes is a lot easier. As you cut the potatoes, drop them into cold water. This helps to remove some of the starch.
- Pat the potato slices dry with some paper kitchen toweling. Have ready a large microwave-safe plate. Lay the potato slices onto the plate in single layer and not touching. (You will probably have to work in batches.) Spritz lightly with the cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with your desired seasoning.
- Microwave on high in the microwave for two minute intervals, flipping them over each time until they are golden brown and crisp. (Note I only spritzed with the oil spray and sprinkled them with the seasoning once.) Take care as the plate will get hot. Use a pot holder. The time taken depends on how many slices you have on your plate and the strength of your microwave. Mine took about six minutes. Scoop off onto a wire rack to cool.
Notes:
Make Your Own Cajun Seasoning: Mix together 2 1/2 TBS of salt, 1 TBS dried oregano leaves (Rub to a powder using your fingertips), 1 TBS sweet paprika, 1 TBS cayenne pepper, and 1 TBS ground black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to six months.
Make Your Own Italian Seasoning: Mix together 3 TBS dried basil, 3 TBS dried oregano, 3 TBS dried parsley, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Make Your Own Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1 TBS mild chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Make Your Own Creole Seasoning: Mix together 1/3 cup paprika, 3 TBS dried oregano, 3 TBS ground black pepper, 2 TBS dried basil, 2 TBS fine sea salt, 1 TBS cayenne pepper, 1 TBS onion granules, 4 tsp dried thyme, 4 tsp garlic granules. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Make Your Own Italian Seasoning: Mix together 3 TBS dried basil, 3 TBS dried oregano, 3 TBS dried parsley, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Make Your Own Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1 TBS mild chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Make Your Own Creole Seasoning: Mix together 1/3 cup paprika, 3 TBS dried oregano, 3 TBS ground black pepper, 2 TBS dried basil, 2 TBS fine sea salt, 1 TBS cayenne pepper, 1 TBS onion granules, 4 tsp dried thyme, 4 tsp garlic granules. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
What is your favourite flavour of potato chip? What are you missing the most, snack wise . . . in this lockdown? I really want to know!
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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