tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16894324155125704062024-03-13T11:21:50.542-07:00virginia cooksirenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-85379969336878786062012-01-29T03:27:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.911-08:00The Great Fresh Herb Rip-Off<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1LZPOJqAmbk/TyU2xdjHGyI/AAAAAAAADJI/0qowUC7bJdk/s1600/flat%2Bleaf%2Bparsley.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1LZPOJqAmbk/TyU2xdjHGyI/AAAAAAAADJI/0qowUC7bJdk/s320/flat%2Bleaf%2Bparsley.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703024726507985698" /></a><br />I've banged on about this before and probably will again but I just wanted to have another moan about the extortionate price of fresh herbs in supermarkets. Witness this 25g bag of flat leaf parsley that was on sale at Waitrose yesterday for 89p. That's <span style="font-style:italic;">£35.60 a kilo</span>, more than the cost of fillet steak. <br /><br />I can buy a bunch roughly 10 times that size from my local greengrocer for just over £1 and so, I'm sure, can you. It's really time supermarkets stopped ripping us off.<br /><br />That said I did find quite a useful product in the frozen cabinets as part of Waitrose's Cooks Ingredients series which was a pack of <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10309-10001-61666-Waitrose+Cook%27s+Ingredients+spicy+thai+mix">Thai mix</a> - a mixture of lemongrass, coriander, ginger, chilli and garlic - which would be quite handy to keep in the freezer. It won't pack quite the punch of fresh ingredients but is probably more economical than buying them individually, certainly for a single dish. Normally £1.49 a pack at the moment they're on offer at 2 for £2.50. You can also buy frozen coriander that way.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Do these pesky packets of fresh herbs annoy you too or is it just me?</span>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-8312872422213179442012-01-26T16:17:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.608-08:00Winter Vegetable Torte<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/torte2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/torte2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my springform pans I use them for so many things, I think I have every size they make. They're great for layering vegetables that are "glued together" with various cheese, as in this torte.<br />This recipe was born from small containers of roasted vegetables I had tucked away in my fridge, and one large sweet potato, and I must say it turned out mighty good, a different variation than my zucchini, eggplant version.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/torte5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/torte5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't get a better side dish because everything is all contained in one flavorful wedge!<br /><br />I started with very thinly sliced sweet potato, then each layer a different veg, sprinkling grated cheese in between and ending with the sweet potato on top.<br />I used a 6 inch springform pan that was deep and allowed me to have many layers, just remember to press down in between, place the pan on a baking sheet so you won't have drips in your oven when cooking and cover the top with foil. Roast at 425 for 20 minutes, then take the foil off and roast another 15 minutes until the top is golden. Let it rest for 30 minutes before you slice it into wedges.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/winter2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/winter2-1.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use your imagination and the vegetables of your choice, here's a list of what I used for my winter vegetable torte.<br /> No doubt I will be making this again!<br />Buon Appetito</td></tr></tbody></table><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-50611301065628159502012-01-21T10:08:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.911-08:00A weekend to buy whisky<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fI6PuXPAGE/TxvsxR-goLI/AAAAAAAADIw/ls3Nv0hmj7M/s1600/000725.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 53px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fI6PuXPAGE/TxvsxR-goLI/AAAAAAAADIw/ls3Nv0hmj7M/s200/000725.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700410084750827698" /></a> With Burns Night coming up this week and many celebrating it this weekend, now's a good time to stock up on your favourite whisky brand. Almost all the supermarkets have got special offers. Here's my pick of the bunch <span style="font-style:italic;">(meaning the best deals, not necessarily the best whiskies - see comments!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Asda</span><br />1 litre bottles of Famous Grouse for £16 instead of £18.97 - standard bottles for £13.47 (£16.50-17 elsewhere)<br />Glenmorangie 10 y.o. for £21.97 (£33-£34 elsewhere) <br />Isle of Jura 10 y.o. for £19 (£28-29 elsewhere)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Morrisons</span><br />Grants £12.99 instead of £14.99<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sainsbury's</span><br />Halves of Famous Grouse for £7.29 instead of £8.29<br />Whyte & Mackay £12 instead of £15.79<br />Talisker at £25 instead of £31.99<br />Glenlivet French Oak reserve at £25 instead of £34.79<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tesco</span><br />Aberlour 10 y.o. for £21 (£25-27 elsewhere)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Waitrose</span><br />Ardbeg £34.50 instead of £40.50<br />Knockando £24.75 instead of £30.75<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Booths</span> also seem to have some good whisky offers with £10 off a number of leading malts including Ancnoc 12.y.o. and Old Pulteney 12 y.o., though they unhelpfully don't say what the discounted price is on their site. Apart from Isle of Jura 12 y.o. which is down to £20.95 from £30.95. <br /><br />And <span style="font-weight:bold;">Lidl</span> has a decent own brand whisky called Hunter's Glen (yes, naff I know but it's fine) for £11.99.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-34635051504566894372012-01-19T14:03:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.608-08:00Playing with Portobello's<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large portobellos are so meaty and satisfying, it's the perfect vehicle for pasta topped stuffing. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny star pasta called stelline, tossed with garlic, red, yellow and orange peppers, fresh herbs and cheese of your choice. For a nice light lunch or dinner, it's delicious served with a salad, or you can have it as a side dish to accompany your favorite protein, either way you'll love it, and it looks pretty too!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stars3.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The topping could be made in advance then arranged on the mushrooms at the last minute.<br /><br /> In a small pan drizzled with olive oil add minced garlic, finely diced red, yellow and orange diced peppers. Stir in fresh herbs like basil and parsley and your favorite shredded cheese, I used romano and asiago. Toss in your precooked tiny pasta.<br />The mushrooms I slightly precooked in a 425 degree oven until they started to wilt a little.<br />Top each mushroom with the pasta mixture, then place under the broiler for up to 5 minutes or until the topping is golden or mushrooms are warmed through. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/lasagna-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/lasagna-2.jpg" width="528" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portobellos also make a fantastic meatless lasagna, stack three high and fill each cap with a layer of marinara then top with a mixture made up of of ricotta, grated romano, mozzarella, asiago, basil and parsley.<br /> Prepare mushrooms as above.<br />Spoon more marinara over the top and bake for around 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven or just until warmed through.<br /><br />Buon Appetito! </td></tr></tbody></table><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-20694317096816622652012-01-15T01:14:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.911-08:00How to make the best marmalade you’ve ever tasted<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8J0LjgPeAc/TxKca0ARKRI/AAAAAAAADFk/E_paKJnrKWs/s1600/marmalade%2Bon%2Btoast.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8J0LjgPeAc/TxKca0ARKRI/AAAAAAAADFk/E_paKJnrKWs/s320/marmalade%2Bon%2Btoast.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697788463027398930" /></a><br />I’m not a great one for ‘the perfect this’ or ‘the perfect that’ in recipes but if you’re a marmalade aficionado I promise you this is as good as it gets. Intensely fruity, thick and sharply flavoured.<br /><br />OK, I’m biased. It was my mum’s recipe so it carries a bit of emotional baggage. I can remember the kitchen filling up with a warm, comforting marmaladey fug and sitting alongside her as a child slicing the oranges. She wasn’t a wonderful cook but this was her <span style="font-style:italic;">pièce de resistance</span>. I still have the original written neatly in blue ink on a piece of Basildon Bond notepaper.<br /><br />I’d got out of the habit of making it but she died just after Christmas so I wanted to make it in memory of those companionable times. Besides seville oranges are in season so now’s the moment.<br /><br />First a few practicalities to keep down the cost because you can of course buy marmalade much, much more cheaply than it will cost you to make it. But it won’t taste anything like as good.<br /><br />* Assuming you don’t have a preserving pan you need a large saucepan. A large stainless steel pasta pan is perfect. The bottom of a pressure cooker will do.<br /><br />* You need jars. You can buy them from sites like <a href="http://www.jamjarshop.com/index.asp">Jam Jar Shop</a> but that does add to the cost so beg or borrow some from neighbours. Not pickle or chutney jars in which the smell of the previous contents tends to linger. The jars need to be as clean as possible. Old recipes suggest sterilising them by putting them in a hot oven but I find a recent run through the dishwasher will do the trick.<br /><br />* You need a muslin square or something to act as a muslin bag (I used a J Cloth). See why below. Oh, and some fine string<br /><br />* You need waxed paper discs if you’re to keep the marmalade any length of time. And labels. Again from a specialist like <a href="http://www.lakeland.co.uk/p3826/Waxed-Circles">Lakeland</a> or the <a href="http://www.jamjarshop.com/index.asp">Jam Jar Shop</a>.<br /><br />* You need a couple of saucers in the fridge to test the set<br /><br />* and finally, and most importantly, you need seville oranges, unwaxed lemons and sugar in the following quantities. The original recipe states preserving sugar but this is now so hard to get and twice as expensive as granulated so I would (and did) use that. No problem.<br /><br />1.35 kg (3lb) Seville oranges, preferably organic<br />1 large or 2 small lemons, preferably unwaxed<br />1.7-1.8kg (3 3/4-4lb) granulated sugar<br /><br />This makes about 7-8 400g jars but your jars will probably be all shapes and sizes and the quantity always turns out different depending how long you boil the marmalade so make sure you have slightly more than you need. <br /><br />Wash and scrub the oranges and lemons with a vegetable brush and put them whole into a large pan with 1.3 litres (2 1/4 pints) of cold water.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NIg2YmgEakk/TxKdIsqqUUI/AAAAAAAADFw/uXxG0-Fsu8A/s1600/seville%2Boranges.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NIg2YmgEakk/TxKdIsqqUUI/AAAAAAAADFw/uXxG0-Fsu8A/s320/seville%2Boranges.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697789251331707202" /></a> <br />Cover the pan with a lid or a large sheet of foil and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning them occasionally until they are soft enough for you to pierce the skins with the end of a teaspoon. (You can probably remove the lemons after an hour and the oranges progressively after that). The kitchen will smell heavenly.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCpM5nebAHs/TxKeSbnx2nI/AAAAAAAADF8/vhvRK_IxgKg/s1600/cooked%2Boranges.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zCpM5nebAHs/TxKeSbnx2nI/AAAAAAAADF8/vhvRK_IxgKg/s320/cooked%2Boranges.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697790518066535026" /></a><br />Remove the fruit and measure the remaining liquid. If there is less than 1.1 litres (just under 2 pints) add enough fresh water to bring it up to that level and return to the pan.<br /><br />Cut the fruit into quarters, scoop out the pulp and separate out the pips. Cut the skins into small thick slices and add along with the pulp to the pan of water. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AqrQ9mY4x20/TxKfl_z_osI/AAAAAAAADGI/vFt23Nl2Gsc/s1600/separate%2Bpeel%2Bpith%2Band%2Bpips.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AqrQ9mY4x20/TxKfl_z_osI/AAAAAAAADGI/vFt23Nl2Gsc/s320/separate%2Bpeel%2Bpith%2Band%2Bpips.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697791953710588610" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6_HVC9GyyY/TxKgGwhBzHI/AAAAAAAADGU/qaUiMcdkDDk/s1600/cut%2Bup%2Bpeel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h6_HVC9GyyY/TxKgGwhBzHI/AAAAAAAADGU/qaUiMcdkDDk/s320/cut%2Bup%2Bpeel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697792516540189810" /></a><br />Tie up the pips in a piece of muslin (there’s a useful video <a href="http://ow.ly/8qOgE">here</a>) and hang it over the handle of the pan and into the cut up fruit. This might seem a bit of a faff but the extra pulp and pectin helps the marmalade to set.<br /><br />Put the sugar in a warming drawer or very low oven to warm up. Bring the fruit up to boiling point then remove the bag of pips and squeeze and scrape the outside of the bag to release any remaining pulp. Add the warm sugar to the fruit and leave over a low heat, stirring occasionally until dissolved.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LI1skvFqgDA/TxKhYjv6xRI/AAAAAAAADGg/GhMs2bi8XN4/s1600/marmalade%2Bbefore%2Bboiling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LI1skvFqgDA/TxKhYjv6xRI/AAAAAAAADGg/GhMs2bi8XN4/s320/marmalade%2Bbefore%2Bboiling.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697793921862255890" /></a><br />Bring back to the boil and boil the marmalade for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking. Skim off the thick yellowish foam that forms round the edges from time to time. <br /><br />Test a little on a chilled saucer after 25 minutes to see if it’s set. It should crinkle when you push it with your finger. If it doesn’t continue boiling it until it does. As the marmalade reaches setting point it will darken and grow thicker.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA9QVbVzf1s/TxKiIKiGXpI/AAAAAAAADG4/oN_gg6IIKIg/s1600/the%2Bcrinkle%2Btest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA9QVbVzf1s/TxKiIKiGXpI/AAAAAAAADG4/oN_gg6IIKIg/s320/the%2Bcrinkle%2Btest.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697794739727130258" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vpoffcs0UVg/TxKs7Iud8WI/AAAAAAAADHQ/iOkVgMn9hGg/s1600/finished%2Bmarmalade.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vpoffcs0UVg/TxKs7Iud8WI/AAAAAAAADHQ/iOkVgMn9hGg/s320/finished%2Bmarmalade.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697806610531742050" /></a><br />Once the marmalade has reached setting point, remove from the heat, skim off any remaining scum and allow to cool for about half an hour. <br /><br />Warm your jars if they’re not already sitting in the dishwasher and ladle or pour the marmalade into them (I find a small jug is easiest for this). Cover with a disc of waxed paper, if using, and seal with screw top lids or clear covers. Wipe any splashes off the side of the jars while they’re still warm.<br /><br />Leave until cold before labelling otherwise the labels won’t stick.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZJYiji3vMw/TxKoYXGNE2I/AAAAAAAADHE/3KYeWEItfXE/s1600/filled%2Bjam%2Bjars.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZJYiji3vMw/TxKoYXGNE2I/AAAAAAAADHE/3KYeWEItfXE/s320/filled%2Bjam%2Bjars.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697801615047463778" /></a><br />Feel smug and happy.<br /><br />You can of course cut the amount of work involved by mincing the peel but I like proper looking chunks in my marmalade. Just get someone to sit alongside you as you do it. It’s a nice thing to do with your kids, a mum, gran or sister or a friend. Actually my husband helped me with this batch while we listened to Bob Marley. Good marmalade music.<br /><br />Oh, and a final tip. You can freeze seville oranges successfully if you haven’t time to make all your marmalade in one go or run out of jars. Just wash and dry them before you freeze them, use them from frozen and increase the boiling time until they’re cooked through.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Is this how you make your marmalade or do you reckon you have a better version?</span>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-4830210618077512152012-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.911-08:00Waitrose Low Alcohol Cider<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YVgFGevVs5M/TxBk3PJ_0MI/AAAAAAAADFY/y0J0PcLYX2g/s1600/Waitrose%2Blow%2Balcohol%2Bcider.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YVgFGevVs5M/TxBk3PJ_0MI/AAAAAAAADFY/y0J0PcLYX2g/s200/Waitrose%2Blow%2Balcohol%2Bcider.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697164428747722946" /></a> If you're finding it hard to give up booze for the month you might want to snap up a bottle or two of <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-18483-Waitrose+low+alcohol+cider">Waitrose's low alcohol cider</a> which is only 1% ABV.<br /><br />Now I'm not saying it's the best-tasting cider ever - it's a little too thin and too sweet, for my palate at least* - but it does taste recognisably like cider in a way that apple juice doesn't and if you were drinking it with roast pork, a chicken casserole or even a nice hunk of cheddar it would rub along fine. It's actually made in Herefordshire in old oak vats so I'm guessing it probably comes from Weston's.<br /><br />The price is pretty attractive too. It only costs £1.15 a 500ml bottle - online at any rate. I somehow ended up paying £1.21 for my bottle in store, maybe because it's classified as a 'Little Waitrose'. Not a huge outlay anyway.<br /><br />* However my neighbour who just popped in tried it and said 'really nice'. So there you go. I should also have pointed it's 180 calories a glass so it's not exactly a low calorie option - though not much more than a large glass of shiraz.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-69462028014771960222012-01-10T03:05:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.912-08:00Change of domain name for Beyond Baked BeansFollowing yesterday's post the good news is that my student cookery site Beyond Baked Beans is back up and running but at a new domain name <a href="http://www.beyondbakedbeans.org">www.beyondbakedbeans.org.</a><br /><br />If you link to the site please change your link. And if you don't, do link to it which will help students - and other first time cooks on a budget - find it more easily.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-14459036451273394882012-01-09T12:47:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.608-08:00Faux Spaghetti<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/zuc5-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/zuc5-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're going easy on the carbs right now but have a craving for spaghetti, I have the perfect solution for you!<br /> Al' dente strands of julienned zucchini tossed with roasted veggies of your choice flavored with shaved garlic, olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes and generous amounts of grated romano cheese.<br /><br />You'll love the flavor and texture and even if you're not watching your carbs it can be the perfect meatless meal along with a salad.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/shred-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/shred-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my handy julienne slicer it works so fast, before you know it you'll have a pile of zucchini "pasta" right before your eyes, just work the sides and when you reach the seeds, give it a turn.<br /> The core of the zucchini will be left which I then dice and roast up for future use.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/zuc3-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/zuc3-3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I roasted two different color cauliflower for mine and added some cherry tomatoes, next time I'll roast those too, I forgot, but it didn't matter, it was so yummy anyway!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/fork1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/fork1-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what you do:<br /><br />First, roast off the veggies of your choice in a 425 degree oven tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, then set aside.<br />Have your zucchini "pasta" all ready to go then heat up a large saute pan drizzled with olive oil, add shaved garlic and red pepper flakes, saute until garlic is light golden. Next, add zucchini and cook for only about 2 minutes tossing with some tongs just until wilted and still al' dente. Remove pan from heat, add the roasted veggies, fresh basil, lots of grated romano cheese and of course another drizzle of olive oil!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-24031127441693642032012-01-08T23:50:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.912-08:00What's happened to Beyond Baked Beans?Some of you may have arrived at this blog looking for my student website beyondbakedbeans.com. I'm sad to say it no longer exists. <span style="font-style:italic;">(See update on my <a href="http://thefrugalcook.blogspot.com/2012/01/change-of-domain-name-for-beyond-baked.html">more recent post</a>. There is a happy(ish) ending. It now has a new domain name <a href="http://www.beyondbakedbeans.org">www.beyondbakedbeans.org</a>.)</span><br /><br />Due to my inattention and a mix-up on who should renew the domain name it's expired. Someone else has snapped up the name and is running ads on it. It was never a moneymaker so I can't afford to buy it back. The domain registration site GoDaddy even wants to charge me commission for finding the buyer (surely they know?) and negotiating a sale. On top of a fee. I can't afford to pursue that.<br /><br />It's a sad day. The site, which was founded at the same time as my first cookbook came out in 2003, has been going for over 8 years, encouraging students to cook and eat healthily. But it's not all bad news. <br /><br />* There is a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEYOND-BAKED-BEANS-STUDENT-COOKING-PAGE/19123883815">Beyond Baked Beans Cooking Page</a> on Facebook which I'll be updating more frequently while I sort out what's to be done<br /><br />* The books - Beyond Baked Beans, Beyond Baked Beans Green and Beyond Baked Beans Budget are still around and available for next to nothing on Amazon. Plus there's a full-colour illustrated compendium of all the best recipes called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultimate-Student-Cookbook-Fiona-Beckett/dp/1906650071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326096125&sr=8-1">The Ultimate Student Cookbook</a> which also contains recipes from three of our ex-students James, Sig and Guy.<br /><br />* Plans were already in hand to pass the website over to the students of Bath Spa university to give it a comprehensive makeover. I'm sure a better, more interactive site will result.<br /><br />* And there are plenty of simple, low-cost recipes here on this blog for students or anyone else on a budget.<br /><br />But it's a useful warning if you have a site of your own - don't ignore reminders about domain name expiries and make sure the credit card you pay with is up to date.<br /><br />And if you're the person who bought the site, just think about it. The site helped many young people to learn how to cook. It would be nice if you gave it back.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-25990130289076398272012-01-03T19:03:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.608-08:00Time to Lighten Up!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/spinsalad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/spinsalad1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gone are all the cookies, cakes and heavy foods, it's time to snap out of it!<br /> Now I'm craving all things green, lighter fare, and it feels good. I've made this salad three times already, it's that good! Simple ingredients, but the combination of flavors work so well together.<br />Roasted butternut squash, feta cheese, toasted pecans, sliced red onion and a generous sprinkling of pomegranate arils all laying on a bed of spinach tossed in white wine vinegar and olive oil. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pom-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pom-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these little jewels, even though it can be a little messy when de-seeding them. I find that by cutting them in half and whacking the back with a meat mallet or heavy spoon preferably over a bowl does the trick fast and easy and all the arils just fall right out.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/soup-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/soup-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale is another green I crave and this healthy bowl of soup just makes me feel good.<br /> No real recipe here just leftover roasted butternut squash and chicken along with some white beans, lots of kale, carrots and leeks bathing in a chicken or vegetable based broth cooked with a parmesan rind.<br /> It's all good, lets hope I keep this up!<br />Buon Appetito!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-62242705039844703732012-01-02T23:19:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:06:29.157-08:00Chaos.I'm standing in the kitchen at Eleven Madison Park, and I should be paying attention to the cook carefully pouring liquid nitrogen into my cocktail. She's explaining the entire process and ingredients, and i'm pretty sure there is some clever allusion to a digestif or something, but I dont hear any of it. It's not because im disinterested, or because I have had a dozen glasses of wine. (OK, that may have had a little to do with it.) It's because it is SO FUCKING NOISY IN THERE. And I feel completely at home. Whenever I have been fortunate enough to have been invited into a fine dining kitchen it has always been whispery quiet. They usher you in, everyone sort of looks up at you and half smiles, and you more or less skulk around in the bitch corner until your time is up, and they show you to the door. EMP however is a mosh pit; It's fast and loud and crowded and for fucks sake I just want to jump in there right now and cook. The composed chaos of it all sends shivers down my spine. Fine dining is so much sexier when it's humanized like this.<br /><br />I haven't written here in a long time. And as much as I would like to blame that on being too busy with maintaining the business and fatherhood, the truth is that I haven't had anything to say. Linecook had its run and served (and still to some extent, serves) its purpose. I'm proud of it and thankful for everything it has brought me. But the truth is that I look at the person that wrote it and he is not here. I do not recognize him anymore.<br /> <br /> In the past year my career has reached a point where things started to settle down a bit. Hapa found its groove, I added two amazing chefs to my team, and the food started to really reach people. It seemed like a good time to step back and take stock of where we had been, where we would be going. A time to focus in on everything that had slipped through my fingers during that first difficult year. Instead I wanted things to be hard again. I craved the struggle. The person who started this blog at one point found refuge in cooking. It was a place to find peace. Then somewhere along the way the stress fractures started to give way and a volatile mix of worry, self doubt, and anger...and for fucks sake it felt glorious. There was no more potent cocktail that could make my adrenaline flow and force me to focus in.<br /><br />Fiending for chaos is not a sustainable option for healthy living. When things are good you're on edge. When service is going smoothly you become irrational, irritated. Instead of bearing hardship through the beauty and intensity life offers you, instead you face it alone. You mistake your anger for quiet stoicism...dignity. Poor choices are made...professional and personal. Nothing will ever be good enough ever again--only youre too blind to see it.<br /><br />What is a life well spent? Is it cooking and stars? Is it accolades and endorsement deals and making a buck? Is it a million followers or facebook friends? What the fuck is the point if the pleasure is only coming from the difficult parts? <br /><br /><br />notes<br /><ul><li>i just realized last week--almost all of the people in my life currently are people that create/make things...</li><li>new york. different this last time around</li><li>dj shadows the less you know, the better is brilliant</li><li>im deeply grateful for Coi, because I cant really see it existing in any other city besides SF</li><li>Svet thinks we should do a podcast</li><li>Mostly this felt incoherent, but like Violet says, sometimes you have to write</li><li>Kids crying. Gotta go.</li></ul><br /><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-35657985526901701022011-12-31T10:52:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.912-08:00Chestnut, chorizo and lentil soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEAc6N_K3BM/Tv9ot9psjkI/AAAAAAAADFA/Gen3IU--2yQ/s1600/chestnut%2Band%2Bchorizo%2Bsoup.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEAc6N_K3BM/Tv9ot9psjkI/AAAAAAAADFA/Gen3IU--2yQ/s320/chestnut%2Band%2Bchorizo%2Bsoup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692383592872447554" /></a> I meant to post this just after Christmas to suggest what you might do with your turkey stock and other leftovers but events overtook me (including rather disastrously spilling a glass of wine on my computer) and here we are on New Year's Eve. Still, this is a great soup, whether you have turkey stock or not, which I've adapted from Sam and Sam Clark's excellent <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moro-Cookbook-Samuel-Clark/dp/009188084X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325361420&sr=8-1">Moro cookbook.</a><br /><br />The point I was going to make about turkey stock - and which you might like to bear in mind for next year if you haven't thought about it already - is that it's really rich and strong and therefore doesn't lend itself well to delicate soups or sauces. This one includes chestnuts, though in lesser quantities than the Sams use, chorizo and saffron and I also added some outer Savoy cabbage leaves I'd saved after making a slaw to go with the ham on Christmas Eve which adds a bit of colour as well. When I heated up the leftovers of the soup I dropped some torn pieces of sourdough toast which were also a good addition. (Note: this is less of a soup than a stew. You won't need much else, if anything, to eat!)<br /><br />Serves 4-6<br />3-4 tbsp olive oil<br />2 medium onions or one large one, roughly chopped<br />1 carrot, chopped into small pieces, roughly the same size as the onion<br />125g semi-soft chorizo, chopped (Tesco has a good one in its 'Finest' range)<br />2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />1 tsp ground cumin<br />1/2 tsp chilli flakes or a crushed whole red chilli<br />1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano<br />1/2 a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or a couple of whole tinned tomatoes, chopped<br />200g vac packed or roasted or boiled chestnuts, roughly chopped<br />75g green or brown lentils<br />a pinch of saffron threads infused for 10 minutes in 3-4 tbsp hot water (optional*)<br />about 1 litre turkey stock or water<br />4-5 outer cabbage leaves or cavolo nero leaves<br />salt and black pepper<br /><br />Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, carrot and chorizo, season lightly with salt and cook for about 10 minutes over a low to moderate heat until beginning to brown. Add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes or crushed chilli and thyme and cook for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, chestnuts, lentils and saffron, if using. Add the stock or water, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked. Remove the central rib from the cabbage or cavolo nero leaves, shred finely and drop into the soup about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper and serve.<br /><br />* If you haven't got any saffron you could use half a teaspoon of turmeric which I'd add at the same time as the cumin. If you want to keep the soup veggie use 1-2 tsp sweet pimenton or paprika instead of the chorizo and maybe a touch of hot if you've got it.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-32360357517888901852011-12-29T21:48:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.609-08:00Nibbles for New Years<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1355.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's a few of my favorite things to munch on while bringing in the new year!<br />Bite size mini meatballs and a salad pizza.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-395.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cold broccoli salad with lemon, garlic and olive oil.<br />Stuffed baby artichokes, because it wouldn't be a party with out them!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2062.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sausage stuffed mushrooms, and goat cheese filled peppers with balsamic glaze.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eggplant slices topped with tomato and fresh mozzarella.<br />Creamy pasta with prosciutto and peas.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fennel, orange and olive oil salad as well as a seafood salad of shrimp, lobster and scallops, bathing in fresh lemon and olive oil of course!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1247.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scallop gratin or just plain old lasagne, love it all!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cheers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cheers.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wishing you all a Very Healthy and Happy 2012!</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-23143530857631683902011-12-20T23:11:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.912-08:00Unstuffed stuffingI'm never convinced of the virtue of stuffing a turkey. It just increases the cooking time and makes it harder to get the breast cooked at the same time as the legs. Maybe a bit in the neck but that's never quite enough to meet the family's stuffing needs. So here's a simple stuffing to make on the hob which also has the virtue of getting it browned and a little bit crusty. Yum.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pan-fried pork, apple and prune stuffing<br /></span><br />Serves 6-8 with a turkey or chicken<br /><br />A 454g pack of sausagemeat or traditional English sausages (e.g. Cumberland) with the skins removed<br />About 3-4 tbsp dried natural breadcrumbs (i.e. not the bright orange ones)<br />1 medium egg, beaten<br />1/2 a small onion, peeled and finely chopped<br />1 small flavourful apple (e.g. Blenheim or Cox), peeled and finely chopped<br />100g ready to eat prunes, finely chopped or snipped (it's easiest to cut them with scissors)<br />1/2 tsp ground mixed spice<br />Salt and pepper<br />1 tbsp oil<br /><br />Put the sausagemeat in a bowl with the breadcrumbs and the beaten egg and mix thoroughly together. Prepare the rest of the ingredients then mix them in too. Heat the oil in a small to medium size non stick frying pan and tip in the stuffing. Pat it down with a wooden spoon or fork until it resembles a cake then let it cook over a moderate heat for about 6-7 minutes, covered with a lid or foil. Turn the stuffing over. (Don’t worry if it breaks up, just mash it together again) Continue cooking for another 6-7 minutes or until till the stuffing is lightly browned and cooked through. <br /><br />(No picture I'm afraid. Old recipe.)irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-68306867038835727862011-12-20T19:03:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.609-08:00Cookie Traditions Old and New<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1343.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Each holiday season I like to add a few new cookies to my tried and true regulars, this year I wanted to try out these cookie stamps that I saw in my Williams-Sonoma catalog.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Each stamp is embossed with a beautiful design, a wreath, a snowflake and a gift tag.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2378.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The dough is a basic sugar cookie dough that has been chilled then rolled into balls, flattened and then stamped.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stamps2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/stamps2-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I was impressed how well the embossed design showed up, but the decorating part was another story! I bought those edible markers and they didn't work out very well on the bare cookies, next time, (if there is a next time) I'll use a piping bag with a small tip.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/blender3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/blender3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">One cookie I can always count on our my <a href="http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/2009/12/fig-and-pistachio-biscotti.html">Fig and Pistachio Biscotti </a> I make them every year and they are truly a favorite!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2424.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Along with <a href="http://cookingwiththemasters.com/2010/08/italian-cookies-julia-child-nick-malgieri/">Cucidati</a> of course!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/box2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="562" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/box2-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Traditional Italian fig cookies, it just wouldn't be Christmas without them!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cookiesblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cookiesblog.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Wishing all my readers a very healthy and happy holiday season filled with family, food and fun!<br />Thank you for all your support through out the year, I appreciate each and every email and comment!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-68959822562730829132011-12-16T22:47:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.912-08:00Two good champagne buys this weekendChristmas is always a big discounting time on champagne at the supermarkets but as I've pointed out in the <a href="http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/articles/20111217">longer piece</a> I've just posted on my website you need to be careful about ridiculously cheap offers on brands you don't recognise.<br /><br />Here are two that I think represent the best value this weekend - Sainsbury's creamy Blanc de Blancs Champagne at £13.99 down from £20.99 and the toasty Champagne Bredon Brut which is on sale at £13.49 (down from £26.99) at Waitrose until the shops close on Monday 19th. <span style="font-style:italic;">This has now reverted to its 'normal' selling price. The best offer from Waitrose now is the Duval Leroy Fleur de Champagne at £14.24, also a good deal. Updated 21.12.11</span><br /><br />If you don't have a branch of either of these stores near you <a href="http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/articles/20111217">here's</a> what the other supermarkets have to offer, along with some good deals on vintage fizz and a rather spectacular magnum from - guess who? Lidl!irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-41968615780180395582011-12-13T01:56:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.913-08:00Hill lamb hotpot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6YR4nWcsPY/Tue5VXDfELI/AAAAAAAADB0/NvNMVfuJNEk/s1600/hill_lamb_hotpot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6YR4nWcsPY/Tue5VXDfELI/AAAAAAAADB0/NvNMVfuJNEk/s320/hill_lamb_hotpot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685716831195566258" /></a><br />Returning from high summer in Oz to the weirdest of weather back home in Bristol (this morning we had hail, thunder and bright sun, all in the space of five minutes) I feel the need for comfort food and can't think of a better option than a hotpot. Unfortunately I'm unlikely to have time to cook one until the weekend but thought you might fancy trying it too.<br /><br />The recipe is from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meat-Two-Veg-Fiona-Beckett/dp/1904573541/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323809416&sr=8-1">Meat and Two Veg</a> and the very professional photo not by moi but the talented Jason Lowe. It's not authentic - no self-respecting Lancastrian would use something as poncey as white wine - but it is very tasty especially if you make it with hill or rare breed lamb. (How frugal that is of course depends where you live and whether you can source it direct from a farmer or farmers' market.) <br /><br />The white pepper does make a difference with this kind of old-fashioned dish so do use it if you've got some. <br /><br />Serves 4-6<br />6 lamb shoulder chops (about 750-800g)<br />2 level tbsp plain flour<br />3 tbsp vegetable or light olive oil<br />40g butter<br />3 medium to large onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 450g)<br />1 large carrot (about 125g), peeled and thinly sliced<br />1 medium turnip (about 110g) peeled and thinly sliced<br />750g waxy red potatoes (e.g. Desiree)<br />125ml dry white wine (e.g. basic French vin blanc, muscadet, pinot grigio) <br />300ml chicken stock, preferably homemade<br />2 bay leaves<br />Salt and ground white pepper<br /><br />You will need a large round or oval lidded casserole<br /><br />Trim any excess fat off the chops and pat them dry with kitchen towel. Put the flour into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dip the chops into the flour, lightly coating both sides. Heat a large frying pan, add 2 tbsp of the oil and 15g of the butter. Once the butter has melted brown the chops on both sides (about 2 minutes a side) and set aside. Add the sliced onions to the oil and butter mixture and fry gently for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the sliced carrot and turnip and any remaining flour, stir well and set aside. Peel and finely slice the potatoes. <br /><br />Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Pour the remaining oil in the casserole and wipe it round the base and sides. Put a good layer of sliced potato in the base of the casserole then a layer of vegetables, seasoning each layer lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange the chops on top and tuck in the bayleaves. Tip over the rest of the vegetables spreading them out evenly then arrange the rest of the potato slices on top.<br /><br />Heat the wine and stock in the frying pan and pour carefully over the hotpot. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining butter in the frying pan and pour it over the potato slices. Cover the casserole and place in the oven for about 25 minutes until bubbling gently. <br /><br />Turn the heat down to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 and cook for a further two hours, spooning the juices over the potatoes half way through. <br /><br />Turn up the heat back up to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6, remove the lid from the casserole and return to the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are well browned. Serve with something green and leafy like brussel tops.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-27249090350208658242011-12-07T14:52:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.609-08:00Ravioli for a Crowd!<a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pan1-10.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pan1-10.jpg" /></a>I've been in party mode and haven't really cooked "normal" for a while, so I thought I would share with you how I prepped for a recent party I had for 26 with the main course being 200 homemade ravioli.<br />Homemade ravioli holds a special place in my heart because I can remember my mom and aunt making them together when my cousins and I were very young, white sheets covering dining room tables and beds, filled with drying ravioli. Today I make them a little different, no more drying on sheets, instead they go right into the freezer after they're made.<br /><br /><br />All the ravioli were made a few days before and tucked away in my freezer ready for the big day, we made two different versions, meat and cheese.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1571.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1571.jpg" /></a>Because I would be cooking so many ravioli at one time, there was no way I wanted to be boiling them while my house was filled with people, so I opted to make them the night before, something I've never done.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/rav1-3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/rav1-3.jpg" /></a>During the week prior to my party I went to a local restaurant supply store and bought commercial size heavy duty foil sheet pans, they were perfect to lay my ravioli on in a single layer.<br />They were huge and covered my whole oven rack, and even though I don't have a commercial size oven I made them fit by slightly folding up the sides.</div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/tray-3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/tray-3.jpg" /></a>All my sauce was cooked ahead of time so assembling was pretty easy. After spreading sauce all over the bottom of the sheet pans I placed my slightly undercooked ravioli on top, single layer, placing more sauce on top. After they cooled down I sprinkled grated Pecorino on top and covered the pans with heavy duty aluminum foil and placed them in my second fridge, ( it's older and has bigger shelves).<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pan-8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/pan-8.jpg" /></a>The day of the party I took them out of the fridge and got them to room temperature and with the foil still on, I baked them for only 15 minutes in a 350 oven until warmed through, after they were done I dolloped more warmed sauce on top and they were good to go! For a big crowd this was the perfect way to make them, no hot boiling pots all over the place, all that was done in advance.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1518.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1518.jpg" /></a>Thanks to my family, all my dear cousins and their families for such a fun night!</div><br /><br /><div>So if you ever doubted cooking ravioli ahead of time for a large crowd like I did, no worries because it was a complete success!</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Buon Appetito!</div></div></div>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-38132998554921179912011-11-30T19:25:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.610-08:00What I did on my Thanksgiving week vacation!<div align="center"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cut-4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/cut-4.jpg" /></a> I had a wonderful dinner with family!<br /><br /><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1473.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1473.jpg" /></a> I attended afternoon tea at the <a href="http://www.peninsula.com/Chicago/en/Dining/The_Lobby/default.aspx">Peninsula</a> Chicago in honor of my niece.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1635.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1635.jpg" /></a> The setting was gorgeous, the minute you walk in you feel the elegance!<br />It was especially beautiful because of all the Christmas decorations they had up, the tree was stunning in warm colors of reds and golds.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2017.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2017.jpg" /></a>Live music filled the air as we sipped on our teas and</div><br /><div>ate our goodies. The service was wonderful and they were happy to replenish our plates!<br />A great experience and a fun thing to do if you're in Chicago with your girlfriends.<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-643.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-643.jpg" /></a> I learned how to make <strong>Bietole</strong> from a master, my daughter -in -laws nana.<br />This woman is well into her 80's and shes a spitfire in the kitchen, she puts us all to shame!<br />Bietole is basically swiss chard that is sauteed with lots of garlic and oil.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-882.jpg" /> The sauteed chard is then placed on a pasta dough with enormous amounts of Pecorino romano, more garlic and olive oil then rolled up jelly roll style and baked. It's so simple with just a few ingredients but the taste is out of this world!<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-680.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-680.jpg" /></a> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/frozen-3.jpg" /> Then to top off the week I spent a day at my house making ravioli with my cousin and sister-in-law for a party we're having this weekend, the music was blasting, there was flour everywhere! We were even going to crack open a bottle of wine but opted for coffee instead since it was only 9:00 in the morning!</div><br /><div align="center">We ended up making 200 total, a combination of both meat and cheese.<br />I highly recommend a day of pasta making with family or friends, it's a great way to spend a day!<br />Buon Appetito!<br /></div><br /><div align="center"></div></div></div><br /></div>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-24922745124719189702011-11-26T20:53:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.913-08:00The Frugal Cook is awayNo credit crunch drinking recs this week or next I'm afraid as I'm away on a work trip to Australia. (Yes, jammy, I know) Normal service will be resumed after December 11th.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-7810436485047955702011-11-23T23:41:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.913-08:00Pears in mulled cider<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3tRKma-e85c/Ts34XezzyaI/AAAAAAAAC_k/MlhzkqQKQu0/s1600/pears%2Bin%2Bcider.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3tRKma-e85c/Ts34XezzyaI/AAAAAAAAC_k/MlhzkqQKQu0/s320/pears%2Bin%2Bcider.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678467787475110306" /></a><br />Given how much leftover wine we have in the house (I'm also a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/fionabeckett">wine writer</a> for those of you who don't know) I normally poach pears in red wine but I tried them again the other day in cider and I'm not sure I don't prefer them that way. It seems to preserve the pear flavour better. (You could also use an off-dry perry, of course)<br /><br />This is a great way to use those greenish brown conference pears which never look very appealing but have a superb flavour. You want them not quite ripe enough for eating but not rock-hard either. I'd pick them out by hand rather than buy a bag of them even though they tend to be cheaper that way. You can tell the stage they're at by pressing the top of each pear gently by the stem. There should be a tiny bit of give.<br /><br />A great dessert for when you’ve had an indulgent carb-laden main course like a pie!<br /><br />Serves 4<br /><br />4 evenly sized, not quite ripe conference pears<br />330ml medium dry cider<br />4-5 heaped tbsp unrefined caster sugar<br />A fine strip of lemon peel + a little lemon juice to taste if needed<br />1 small cinnamon stick<br />Pouring cream or vanilla ice cream to serve<br /><br />Keeping the pears whole remove the peel carefully with a small sharp knife, leaving the stalk on. Fit them side by side in a medium-sized saucepan and pour over the cider. Add enough water to cover the pears. Remove the pears from the liquid and set them aside.<br /><br />Add 4 heaped tbsp of unrefined caster sugar and place the pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Taste the liquid and add a little extra sugar if you don’t think it’s quite sweet enough (ciders vary). <br /><br />Return the pears to the pan along with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick and bring the liquid to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 45 minutes until the pears are soft. Remove them carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a shallow glass dish. <br /><br />Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon then turn the heat up and boil the remaining liquid by about two thirds until thick and syrupy. Check for sweetness adding a little lemon juice if needed. Pour the syrup over the pears and leave to cool. <br /><br />Serve just warm or at room temperature with double cream or vanilla ice cream and some crisp home-baked biscuits or shortbread.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Oh, and a happy Thanksgiving to my American readers. I suppose this should have been a pumpkin pie really but I'm sure you've got zillions of recipes for that. This might make a nice change ;-).<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-3462784185112001272011-11-19T00:58:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.913-08:00Wine of the Week: La Metropole Rouge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDjFBFQ-tmY/Tsd05DjwEjI/AAAAAAAAC-o/e5Os0hI2aSo/s1600/la-metropole-red.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 54px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDjFBFQ-tmY/Tsd05DjwEjI/AAAAAAAAC-o/e5Os0hI2aSo/s200/la-metropole-red.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676634378880422450" /></a> It's always good to have a standby wine that will go with virtually everything and La Metropole rouge fits the bill. Sure, the 'ooo-la-la' label isn't going to impress wine snobs but the content - a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Franc from the Roussillon region of southern France - is more than generous for the £4.99 price tag. They suggest drinking it with rich stews such as Lancashire hotpot or boeuf en daube or with simple grilled meats - I'd add stalwarts like sausage and mash, shepherds pie and lasagne. Just the sort of lipsmacking red you need for everyday drinking. <br /> <br />Although I wasn't overly impressed by the accompanying La Metropole Blanc when I tasted it back in the spring, it may well have settled by now and at the same price it's worth a punt too. It's a typically southern blend of Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier with a touch of Chardonnay and should work well with robust seafood dishes like grilled prawns with garlic or Spanish-style fish stews.<br /><br />And while you're in the Co-op you might try a bottle of the Crouzes Old Vine Carignan, which is currently on offer at £4.39. I haven't tried the 2010 vintage but it's a reliable stalwart - a big chunky southern French red that would again work well with dark beefy stews or pies. Or as a base for mulled wine.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-43495322706133950082011-11-17T20:33:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:08:36.610-08:00Making Pizzelle<a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/chocandwhite2-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/chocandwhite2-1.jpg" /></a> Recently I bought a pizzelle maker and I couldn't wait to break it in. I felt very ambitious and had visions of making all different flavors like anise, chocolate, citrus, cinnamon, orange and rum, almond and some even dipped in chocolate and then into nuts, oh yes and sprinkles for the kids! Well I didn't get all that far because making pizzeles are very time consuming!<br />I have a close friend Jean who can make these in her sleep! Pretty much every event in life like holidays, parties, funerals, or just a few girls getting together you can always count on Jean to bring her pizzelles. Pizzelle making is a true labor of love, you have to be patient, something I need to work on when baking or making cookies!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2289.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 475px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-2289.jpg" /></a> I followed the recipes that came with my pizzelle maker because they're all basically all about the same, flour, butter, eggs, sugar and the flavorings of your choice. After I did one batch I was pretty much done! I called Jean for advice and she gave me some good tips, like don't be in a hurry, allow a couple of hours, sit down and watch TV while your making them. My recipe said to drop a tablespoon of batter behind the center of the pattern, I did that and they were too big, batter was oozing out the sides and running into each other, I was ready to give up they looked terrible! Jean said to use a heaping teaspoon of the batter ( which comes out pretty thick) and place it in the center, I did what she said and they turned out great!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/choc-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 450px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/choc-1.jpg" /></a> I've always loved the the designs on pizzelle irons, they make beautiful crispy wafer cookies and always look gorgeous on a platter.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1710.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1710.jpg" /></a> Right now I'm hiding these in a big tin and plan to bring them out as part of our Thanksgiving Day dessert. I made traditional anise flavor and chocolate ones as well.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1230.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Picnikcollage-1230.jpg" /></a> I made the sprinkled kind for my two granddaughters simply by taking the heaping teaspoon of dough and rolling it into a bowl of sprinkles right before you place the ball of batter on the iron. My advice is to do the sprinkle ones last so that you won't find any tiny sprinkles on your other flavors.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Bwithchoco.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/Bwithchoco.jpg" /></a> My oldest granddaughter was off of school the day I made these so she taste tested a few and gave me thumbs up all the way, so did her dad!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/powdered.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 500px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/powdered.jpg" /></a> Jean says don't powder sugar them until the day you're going to eat them, if you have a cool place store them in a can, they last for weeks and still stay crispy, no need to freeze.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/powdered3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/prouditaliancook/PIC/powdered3.jpg" /></a> <strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Here's the basic recipe with variations:</span></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>6 eggs** 1 cup of sugar** 1 cup of melted butter** ( Jean says you can use canola oil if you want in place of the melted butter) **2 teaspoons vanilla** 3 cups flour** 1 tablespoon baking powder**</strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>( For anise flavor add 1 teaspoon of anise seeds and 2 teaspoons of anise extract) if you use pure anise oil, use much less like 1/2 teaspoon or a teaspoon.</strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>( For chocolate flavor add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder)</strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>Melt butter and set aside. Beat eggs and sugar until light yellow, 2-3 minutes. Add melted butter and vanilla or other flavorings. Beat until blended. Sift together the ingredients, fold until just blended, add remaining flour and fold again until just incorporated.</strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>Heat pizzelle iron, place 1 heaping teaspoon of batter in center of pattern. Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 seconds. Remove and cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining batter. This could make six dozen depending on how deep your grooves are on your iron. ( Jean triples this, if you're going to do it you might as well make a bunch!)</strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong><em>Happy Thanksgiving to all!</em></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong><em></em></strong></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-2345384151044283162011-11-15T06:40:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.913-08:00Tacos: the perfect food for kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oj9hc0J8Tkw/TsKDXOPH8dI/AAAAAAAAC8M/7-nenK8baDg/s1600/chorizo%2Band%2Bpotato%2Btacos.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oj9hc0J8Tkw/TsKDXOPH8dI/AAAAAAAAC8M/7-nenK8baDg/s320/chorizo%2Band%2Bpotato%2Btacos.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675242915422007762" /></a><br />One of the biggest problems about bringing up four children was getting them to eat the same food. Indulgent you might say - they should have eaten what they were given - but it doesn’t somehow work like that these days. There were meals that 3 out of 4 liked like sausage and mash but even then my eldest son bewilderingly disliked the mash. MASH! Who dislikes mash?<br /><br />The most popular meals (apart from roast chicken and spag bol and even they didn’t work when the girls periodically went veggie) were dishes they could assemble themselves, top of the list being pizza and homemade doner kebabs. To this I’d have now added tacos which strike me as the perfect kids food. And thrifty too.<br /><br />True you have to have the tortillas and I’m afraid wheat ones won’t do. There’s something about corn tortillas that turns this from a sandwich into an exotic, snack that makes you feel as if you're on holiday. You can of course make them yourself and that would be a fun thing to do but just as you don’t always have time to make pizza from scratch it’s good to have some ready made tortillas on standby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kobu-HaSTEI/TsKDkZILV-I/AAAAAAAAC8Y/bn1AftxhBPA/s1600/Mexican%2Btortillas.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kobu-HaSTEI/TsKDkZILV-I/AAAAAAAAC8Y/bn1AftxhBPA/s320/Mexican%2Btortillas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675243141683959778" /></a><br />I’m lucky enough to have a shop up the road in Bristol called <a href="http://www.otomi.co.uk/">Otomi</a> that sells two kinds - one long-life product imported from Mexico and one from the <a href="http://www.coolchile.co.uk/">Cool Chile Co</a> which also sells them online. I tried both the other day and preferred the flavour of the Mexican ones but the texture of the Cool Chile ones was much better. (In both cases you need to warm them in a dry frying pan otherwise they’ll snap when you attempt to wrap them round the filling.)<br /><br />The filling is the cheap bit. You can basically use what you have though I consider a fresh tomato salsa (and therefore some fresh coriander and lime) essential and some avocado nice.<br /><br />As I had some chorizo, onion and potato I decided to use those, borrowing an idea from Thomasina Miers excellent <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mexican-Food-Simple-Thomasina-Miers/dp/0340994975/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321370282&sr=8-1">Mexican Food made Simple</a>. I’d also bought a small tin of chipotles en adobo from Otomi (£1.50) which gave them a nice smoky edge. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chorizo and potato tacos</span><br />Enough to fill 6 tortillas<br />1 onion, peeled and finely chopped<br />1 large potato, peeled and cut into small dice <br />110g semi-soft chorizo (Tesco has a good one in their Finest range)<br />1 finely chopped chili from a tin of chipotles en adobo + some of the juice (optional) or a teaspoon of mild chilli powder or smoked pimenton<br />1-2 heaped tbsp fresh coriander<br />Salt and pepper<br />1 avocado and the juice of half a lime<br />6 soft corn tortillas<br />Heat a small frying pan, add the oil and fry the onion and potato over a moderate heat until soft and beginning to brown (about 8-10 minutes). Add the chorizo and finely chopped chilli and fry until the chorizo starts to char a little. Take the pan off the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in the coriander. Peel and cut up the avocado and toss in the lime juice. Warm the tacos one by one on both sides in a hot dry frying pan (i.e. without any oil) and top with the chorizo mixture, some salsa (below) and chopped avocado. Eat in both hands. (They’re dead messy)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKrphQv3rH4/TsKEGT3XkcI/AAAAAAAAC8k/35kRjNrIl_Q/s1600/taco%2Bwith%2Bfilling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKrphQv3rH4/TsKEGT3XkcI/AAAAAAAAC8k/35kRjNrIl_Q/s320/taco%2Bwith%2Bfilling.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675243724386832834" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Salsa fresca<br /></span>1/2 a small mild onion or a shallot<br />6 small to medium-sized ripe tomatoes, skinned if tough<br />juice of half a lime<br />1 fresh chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped<br />2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander<br />Salt and pepper<br />Finely chop the onion, tomatoes and chilli, if using and mix together with the fresh lime juice and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Eat with tacos or tortilla chips<br /><br />This is a good veggie version. Home-cooked beans would be even better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTYxyACTBLc/TsKFCnAyFII/AAAAAAAAC8w/rA8qBp1NBl0/s1600/red%2Bbean%2Btacos.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTYxyACTBLc/TsKFCnAyFII/AAAAAAAAC8w/rA8qBp1NBl0/s320/red%2Bbean%2Btacos.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675244760318743682" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Red bean tacos</span><br />2 tbsp oil<br />1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped<br />1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed<br />A pinch of ground cumin<br />1 finely chopped chili from a tin of chipotles en adobo + some of the juice (optional) or a teaspoon of mild chilli powder or smoked pimenton<br />1 tbsp tomato paste or 2 tbsp passata or other tomato-based pasta sauce<br />1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed or an equivalent amount of home-cooked red or black beans<br />1-2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped<br />Salt and pepper<br />Grated cheddar or a white cheese like Wensleydale or Cheshire or some feta<br />6 soft corn tortillas<br />Heat the oil and fry the onion until beginning to soften and change colour. Add the cumin powder, crushed garlic and chili or chilli powder, stir, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add half a glass of water, tip in the beans and leave on a low heat while you make the salsa and prepare the avocado, as above. (The bean mixture is actually better left to cool down a bit before you use it to fill the tacos. Mash it up a bit first so the beans don't go rolling all over the place.) Heat the tortillas as above and top with the beans, grated cheese, salsa and avocado (for those who want it).<br /><br />You can also make great tacos with shredded beef or chicken as they do on the taco trucks that are so popular in the US (and increasingly here) Now, kids would absolutely <span style="font-style:italic;">love</span> that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAsgc61kd6A/TsKFut-JUkI/AAAAAAAAC88/s_Mu09c0j3A/s1600/taco%2Btruck.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAsgc61kd6A/TsKFut-JUkI/AAAAAAAAC88/s_Mu09c0j3A/s320/taco%2Btruck.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675245518100976194" /></a><br />For more ideas for taco fillings check out Thomasina’s <a href="http://www.channel5.com/shows/mexican-food-made-simple/recipes/spicy-chicken-tinga-tacos">chicken tinga tacos</a> which it strikes me would adapt well to turkey leftovers and <a href="http://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/food-and-drink/food_for_thought_baja_californian_fish_tacos_with_thomasina_miers_co_owner_of_wahaca_1_621410">Baja California fish tacos</a> (which I reckon you could cheat and make with fish fingers and a spiced up homemade slaw). Or, even better, add the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mexican-Food-Simple-Thomasina-Miers/dp/0340994975/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321370282&sr=8-1">book</a> to your Christmas list. It's got lots of other recipes I want to make.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Have you ever made tacos for the family or what dish do you find all members of the family like?</span>irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1689432415512570406.post-1324234493904286292011-11-12T01:39:00.000-08:002012-02-03T22:09:20.914-08:00Wine of the Week: Vidal-Fleury Côtes du Rhône 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf55ZaMHIJ0/Tr5GvjPrwXI/AAAAAAAAC7E/7bcMwHkuh14/s1600/Vidal-Fleury%2BCotes%2Bdu%2BRhone.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf55ZaMHIJ0/Tr5GvjPrwXI/AAAAAAAAC7E/7bcMwHkuh14/s320/Vidal-Fleury%2BCotes%2Bdu%2BRhone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674050363262222706" /></a> Here's a really good bottle to put on your Christmas table - or pull out for supper with friends. It's a smashing Côtes du Rhône from the excellent 2009 vintage - a warm, generous, spicy blend of grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and carignan. It would work brilliant with roasts, beef stews, hearty bean dishes like cassoulet and cheese. <br /><br />It's normally sells for around £10-11 but is on offer at Majestic at the moment at £6.99 if you buy two bottles as part of their current 20% off Rhône offer. <br /><br />As you have to buy six bottles at Majestic (if you pick them up from a store - 12 if you order online) two other good buys are the classy Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (on offer at £6.99 - Majestic always has good offers on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) and Anakena Single Vineyard 'Deu' Pinot Noir 2010 (£7.99) a heady, sensuous pinot that knocks spots off any burgundy at the price.irenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01300960102193450452noreply@blogger.com0