Kitchen Experiments. Heston’s SHAMpagne. Methode SodaStream.

Posted on October 29, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Bubbly Sham-Pagne. Methode SodaStream.

This post is unashamedly inspired by reruns of Heston’s 80’s Feasts on late night lifestyle TV.  Proof that food blog posts can sometimes be entirely frivolous and light-hearted. Not to be taken too seriously. I watched with utter amusement as Blumenthal carbonated the cheap and cheerful 80’s plonk du jour, a sweet German riesling; Blue Nun, in a kitsch, retro but highly desirable kitchen gadget of the times; the SodaStream. The result? Bubbles masquerading as champagne. Good enough to fool the most discerning of City yuppie palates. Or should I say, SHAMpagne?

Don’t believe me? You can access the episode here. The irony is that 30 years on, what’s old is new again, and SodaStreams are very much back in vogue. So much so that just last Christmas my husband became the proud new owner of a shiny red metallic model courtesy of Secret Santa. My most successful and useful gift purchase yet. There’s not a day that goes by that the SodaStream in not put to use. Today, it’s taking centre stage in my very own Heston style kitchen experiment. Turning a very average bottle of white wine into bubbles. Methode SodaStream.

First things first, wary of the possibility of creating an explosive mess, I took my SodaStream out of the kitchen, outside to our back deck. After all who wants to spend hours cleaning up after any mishaps? To be fair the appliance also does come with a clear warning: DO NOT use the soda maker to carbonate any liquid other than plain water.

For best results the trick seems to be to use a well chilled, light white wine. Simply decant into a SodaStream bottle, place into the soda maker and carbonate in short sharp bursts until the LED screen lights up at medium. Conservative by nature I  will admit I didn’t attempt to proceed past this level to high. Allow the fizz to settle for a few minutes before even considering removing your bottle. You have been forewarned, a little patience avoids the creation of an overflowing mess.

Heston was right this very crude method of carbonisation actually works, producing surprisingly fine round bubbles in my now sparkling wine. Whilst I do love my fine French Champagne, well made Italian Proseccos and Australian sparkling wines, with Melbourne Cup just around the corner on the first Tuesday of November heralding the start of the silly season and summer entertaining, this may well become a new party trick. An easy way to add sparkle to a punch or fizz to my Grown Up Gin and Tonic Slushies or Aperol Spritz particularly when entertaining on a whim or caught unawares and there’s no bubbly in the fridge.

Heston Blumenthal's Bubbly Sham-Pagne

Heston’s SHAMpagne. Methode SodaStream.

1 bottle white wine, chilled (I used Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc
1 SodaStream

DECANT chilled wine into a SodaStream bottle.
PLACE bottle into SodaStream machine and screw into place.
PRESS the carbonate button in short bursts until LED screen lights up at medium level of carbonation.
ALLOW fizz to settle for 5 minutes before removing bottle from the SodaStream.
SERVE immediately or cap the bottle and refrigerate until required.

Posted in What I Love to Cook, What I Love to Drink | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Eat, Fast and Live Longer. A 5-2 Fast Day Recipe Idea Under 200 Calories. Chinese Style Steamed Eggplant Salad.

Posted on October 27, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Steamed Eggplant Salad

I adore eggpant. Cooked well it’s meltingly soft, smooth, creamy and delicious. We regularly enjoy it in so many of its different guises; fried, battered, grilled, stuffed, pureed, stewed, roasted and even pickled. It marries well with robust Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours. Sadly, but not unsurprisingly, the use of generous amounts of olive oil seems to be a mainstay of many a delicious recipe; rendering it a little problematic to incorporate too often into our fast day meals.

Or so I thought until I stumbled across this very clever, incredibly easy to prepare recipe for Eggplant Salad in Kylie Kwong’s Simple Chinese Cooking. Salted and steamed, silky tender batons of eggplant thirstily soak up a pungent garlic, chilli, spring onion and soy dressing. Barely any fat to speak of, just a skerrick of sesame oil used as a finishing note to round off the incredible flavours of this salad. I could eat it on its own by the bowlful. Incredible flavour and texture for just 134 calories per serve. There’s even room for a little grilled fish or chicken on the side if I have happened to be particularly virtuous through the day.

Chinese Style Steamed Eggplant Salad
Adapted From Kylie Kwong’s Simple Chinese Cooking
Serves 2 (134 calories per serve)

1 large eggplant (aubergine), peeled (114 calories)
2 teaspoons sea salt (1 calorie)
1 tablespoon finely sliced long green spring onions (scallions)(2 calories)
1/2 long red chilli, finely sliced (4 calories)
a generous pinch ground white pepper

For The Dressing

1/4 cup malt vinegar (12 calories)
2 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry (40 calories)
2 garlic cloves, finely diced (8 calories)
1 tablespoon long green spring onions, finely sliced(2 calories)
1/2 long red chilli, finely sliced (4 calories)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (52 calories)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (9 calories)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (20 calories)

PEEL eggplant and cut lengthways into 1.5 cm slices then cut each slice into 1.5 cm strips. Sprinkle eggplant with salt on both sides and lay on a tray in one layer. Set aside for 10 minutes.
MEANWHILE, to make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes or until slightly reduced. Strain and set aside.
PLACE eggplant into a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Drain and pat try with paper towel.
ARRANGE eggplant in one layer on a heatproof plate that will fit inside a steamer basket. Place plate inside steamer and position over a deep saucepan or wok of boiling water.
STEAM, covered, for 6 minutes or until eggplant is just tender when pierced with a knife. Carefully remove plate from steamer and allow eggplant to cool slightly.
ARRANGE steamed eggplant on a platter and spoon over reserved dressing to serve. Sprinkle with spring onions, chilli and pepper.

 

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Spring Garden Tea Party. Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Tart Scented With Cointreau.

Posted on October 24, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Bittersweet Chocolate Cointreau Ganache Tart

It’s Spring and all of a sudden this week our garden has come alive with the heady scent of masses of orange jessamine and citrus blossoms. Inspiring me to make this celebratory Bittersweet Chocolate Tart scented with a little more than just a hint of Cointreau. Deep, dark and decadent. Chocolate on chocolate. A crisp, buttery crust encasing a glossy rich, velvety, bittersweet, Cointreau infused filling.

There was a time when I used to shy away from making my own tarts. In my mind they were fussy and time-consuming involving a two step process of first making a blind baked pastry shell and then it’s luscious filling. After all I had access to a wonderful French patisserie, practically on my door step, so why go to all that effort. Then the unthinkable happened, that long standing French patisserie closed its doors forcing me to re-evaluate my stance.

I’ve since learnt pastry making is a lot less complicated than I first anticipated. Of course, there is always the option of good quality store bought, but in all honesty, home-made is infinitely better. These days, after much trial and error, I use a food processor to cut chilled cubes of butter into dry ingredients until the mixture begins to resemble fine breadcrumbs. I then add eggs, pulsing until the dough just begins to come together. All that’s then required is the barest knead on a cool bench top to coax the mass into a smooth disc. My pastry making mantra? A light hand always yields the best results. Wrapped in plastic (Twin Peaks style) the pastry is retired to the fridge to rest and relax. Voila! Shortcrust pastry in minutes without a colossal mess.

The next hurdle is conquering the art of quickly and easily lining a tart tin. Having watched many late night episodes of Paul Hollywood’s Pies and Puds I think I have this sorted. First and foremost always err on the side of generosity and make a large batch of pastry dough. The trick is to make more than you think you will ever need. There is nothing more frustrating after rolling out a beautifully rested pastry dough than the slow dawning realisation, despite much stretching, pummelling and patching, there’s just not quite enough to line your tin. Been there, done that. So rest assured the quantities provided for the tart shell in the recipe below are far more generous than they need to be.Any leftover pastry can easily be frozen, or if so inclined can be used to make mini pastry shells using patty pans or muffin tins.

By far the most efficient way I’ve found to roll my pastry is between two sizeable pieces of non stick paper. The best invention ever. No dusting of benches and rolling pins, no sticking, no mess. Always remember to roll your pastry 2-3 cm wider than your tin. Once rolled to size, peel off the top layer of baking paper, invert the pastry into your tin, and then remove the second layer before gently pressing the pastry into the fluted sides of the tin. Simply run your rolling pin over the top edges of the tin to trim away any excess pastry and achieve a neat finish. Of course, the tart shell will need another bout of rest and relaxation in the refrigerator before a blind baking in a hot oven. The reward will be a perfectly baked, beautifully crisp chocolate shortcrust shell ready for filling with a luscious chocolate ganache.

Happily, the chocolate ganache filling for this recipe is fairly fool-proof and ready in minutes. The process is so very easy, it’s pure genius. There’s no mention of double boilers or bain maries, seizing of chocolate or curdling eggs. It takes a block of bittersweet chocolate and adds it into a very hot mixture of cream and cointreau. Once melted and smooth, a beaten egg is strained and stirred into the ganache, and filling spooned into the waiting pastry case. The tart is  placed into a preheated 200C oven, which is immediately switched off, for twenty minutes. The idea is that the residual heat will gently thicken the ganache and cook out the egg leaving a fabulously smooth, decidedly delicious ganache. Easy and impressive, this recipe is a worthy, much appreciated addition to my repertoire.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Tart Scented With Cointreau

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Tart Scented With Cointreau
Makes one 20cm tart

Chocolate Pastry Shell

320g plain flour
160g caster sugar
60g cocoa
generous pinch of salt
160g cold butter, diced
2 eggs

PREHEAT oven to 180°C.
PLACE flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
ADD eggs and process until dough just starts to come together.
TURN dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to rest.
REMOVE pastry from fridge and roll out between two large sheets of non stick baking paper to a 23 cm (3 mm thickness) circle to fit a 20cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin with a removable base.
REMOVE top sheet of baking paper and carefully invert rolled pastry over the tart tin, then remove second sheet of baking paper (do not discard as you will need to re-line the pastry shell and fill with pastry weights or rice prior to baking).
GENTLY press pastry into the fluted sides of the tin. Trim any overhanging edges by simply running a rolling pin over the top of the tin, light pressure will easily slice off excess pastry. Pastry scraps can be reused to make mini tart shells or biscuits.
PLACE pastry lined tin in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
REMOVE from fridge, re-line shell with baking paper and fill with rice.
BLIND BAKE for 15 minutes. Remove paper and rice and bake for a further 10 minutes or until firm to touch. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Scented with Cointreau

250 ml thickened cream
60ml Cointreau
200g dark bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 extra-large egg, beaten

INCREASE oven temperature to 200C.
PLACE cream and Cointreau into a saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.
REMOVE saucepan from the heat, add chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated.
STRAIN egg into the warm chocolate mixture, and stir until absorbed.
POUR warm filling into the baked tart shell and smooth with a spatula.
TURN OFF oven, and bake the tart for 20 minutes or until just set, with a slight wobble in the middle.
ALLOW tart to cool and set for at least two hours before serving.

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For The Weekend. Firing Up The Barbecue. Grilled Yoghurt Flatbread.

Posted on October 22, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

 

A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to enjoy some modern Greek street food. Needless to say we were blown away by the quality of the home made pita bread wrapped around our souvlaki. Soft, fluffy and slightly tangy, it was worlds apart from the commercial variety that so often makes an appearance in my shopping trolley. So much so that I vowed, then and there, that I would try my hand making flat bread from scratch at home. After all, it’s something that has long been on my long back burner of a list of recipes I must try.

Promises once made, are rarely allowed to pass unheeded in our house. With Summer just around the corner, and lengthening, balmy evenings providing the perfect excuse to once again fire up the barbecue for lazy, alfresco dining, I’ve found myself, after more than a little persuasive, gentle nagging, to be in the unenviable position of having to  deliver on that pita promise this weekend.

General consensus seems to be that making pita at home is relatively easy, and once you’ve successfully mastered a batch, there’s no going back. The hallmark of a great home-made pita seems to be a dramatic puff as the thinly rolled dough hits the hotplate and cooks at high temperatures; a separation into two distinct layers to form a pocket as it cools and deflates; and last but not least a nice crusty char.

The leavening agent responsible for all that puff and separation? A relatively unexpected ingredient, my old nemesis and not closest of culinary friends; yeast. And, truth be told, there’s the rub. From my point of view, without careful handling, yeast can be notoriously unstable and unpredictable. Will it rise to the occasion, or lie stubbornly dormant and unyielding? Once bitten, twice shy. These days I always make a point, irrespective of use by date, to activate my yeast first. Simply mix with a little sugar and tepid (“blood temperature”) water. If the mixture froths, all is well with the world, the yeast is alive and I’m happy to proceed. Of course, much quicker, dare I say it perhaps less authentic, versions of the recipe skip the yeast altogether, substituting a more modern ingredient baking powder. I gather, however, the results are not quite the same. Little wonder I’m road testing pita making on a Wednesday for a barbecue debut this weekend. 

I will admit, having made sure the yeast was properly activated, pita making proved quite straight forward. Mixing and kneading no more complicated than putting together pizza dough from scratch. Substituting yoghurt for water and oil in the recipe seems to be a Turkish adaptation, which I’ve happily borrowed as it gives the pita bread a lovely soft texture and subtle tang.

This morning I cooked my pita on the stove top using a heavy based fry pan. The puff, separation into layers and char was quite impressive. Perfect pita pockets. Ready for stuffing sandwich style. This weekend, we’ll be firing up the barbecue and cooking  another batch on the grill. Some we’ll serve souvlaki style wrapped around barbecued lamb, tzatziki and Greek salad, the rest we’ll simply tear apart and use to scoop up the accompanying dips and salsas. Best of all once the pita dough is mixed, rested and rolled, my work will be done. As everyone knows, here in this part of the world, the barbecue is traditionally well and truly the domain of the Aussie male.

Yoghurt Flatbread

Grilled Yoghurt Flatbread
Makes 8 pieces
Recipe suitable to double or quadruple to feed a crowd

1 ½ cups plain flour, sifted
¾ cup natural yoghurt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 sachet) dried yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
olive oil, to brush

To Make Flatbread
COMBINE yeast and sugar with one tablespoon of lukewarm water in a glass jug. Allow to stand for a few minutes to activate the yeast. When mixture begins to froth, whisk in yoghurt.
SIFT flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add yoghurt and yeast mixture. Stir until combined into a soft, shaggy dough.
TURN dough out onto a flour dusted surface and knead with the heel of your hand for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and elastic.
PLACE dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel set aside in a warm place for 2 hours until dough has doubled in size. Punch down dough and knead for a further 5 minutes, before dividing into 8 pieces.
ROLL out each piece on a flour dusted surface as thinly as you can. I like to aim for plate sized 15 cm rounds. Stack rolled flatbread between small sheets of non stick baking paper in the refrigerator if not cooking immediately.

To Cook Flatbread
PREHEAT your barbecue plate, griddle or heavy based fry pan over medium high. Take each flatbread, very lightly brush one side with oil, and place oiled side down onto the hot base.
FLATBREAD should immediately start to bubble up. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side until slightly puffy and lightly charred. Serve immediately.
THESE are best eaten fresh but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. To warm through before eating, simply re-toast in a hot pan or wrap in foil and place in a hot oven for five or so minutes.

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Eat, Fast and Live Longer. A 5-2 Fast Diet Recipe Idea Under 300 Calories. Raw Asparagus and Zucchini Salad with Parmesan, Lemon And Mint

Posted on October 20, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie


Here’s another 5-2 fast day meal idea that celebrates the abundance of gorgeously fresh produce. In Italy ‘Insalata Crudi‘ or raw vegetable salads are a staple of any Spring or Summer dinner table. Vibrant and delicious they are a breeze to prepare. All that is really required is a peeler or very sharp knife to shave the vegetables and cheese into long paper thin ribbons before dressing with a sharp lemon vinaigrette. Of course, a mandolin always comes in handy, and even better, this recipe provided the perfect opportunity to experiment with my latest acquisition and shiny new toy; a hand-held spiraliser.

This little gizmo allows you to spiral cut an array of vegetables; think carrots,cucumbers, beetroot, sweet potato and the like, into thick or thin pasta like strands depending on the blade you choose. For my Raw Asparagus And Zucchini Salad, I took a zucchini in one hand, the spiraliser in the other and after a quick succession of twists and turns was rewarded with long, curly strips. Whilst the spiraliser may have worked wonderfully well with the zucchini, the asparagus spears proved much too thin to spiralise and were much easier to prepare with a few quick swipes of a regular vegetable peeler.

Thanks to a few simple kitchen gadgets this very pretty, incredibly fresh and delicious insalata crudi of raw asparagus and zucchini can be thrown together in no time of all. It’s an easy no fuss recipe that delivers maximum flavour for minimum effort and best of all just 265 calories for a substantial plateful.

Raw Asparagus and Zucchini Salad

Raw Asparagus and Zucchini Salad with Parmesan, Lemon And Mint
Serves 2 as a main meal (265 calories per serve)

2 medium zucchini, trimmed (60 calories)
1 bunch (6 spears) asparagus, trimmed (30 calories)
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, shredded (1 calorie)
40g parmesan, reserve a little for garnish (172 calories)

Dressing
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (240 calories)
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (20 calories)
finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon (6 calories)
a generous pinch of sea salt and good grinding of black pepper

USING a spiraliser, mandolin, vegetable peeler or very sharp knife shave the zucchini into long thin strips.
USING a vegetable peeler shave the parmesan and asparagus spears, taking care to keep tips intact. Slice tips thinly on the diagonal with a sharp knife.
PLACE shaved asparagus spears and tips, zucchini strips, parmesan and shredded mint into a large shallow serving bowl. Toss to combine
COMBINE dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake until well emulsified. Season to taste.
DRIZZLE dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and check seasoning. Garnish with reserved parmesan shavings. Serve.

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Keeping Cool When Temperatures Soar. Sweet And Refreshing. Watermelon And Strawberry Lemonade.

Posted on October 17, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie


What to drink when temperatures soar?  Something sweet and refreshing and incredibly easy to prepare.  This time last year with juicy watermelons and lush strawberries in plentiful supply at the markets I made Watermelon, Mint and Lime Paletas  and Granita. This year I’ve added watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade to my repertoire.

What I love most about this recipe is that one big batch easily satisfies a crowd.  A deliciously fruity, non alcoholic cooler  that effortlessly morphs into a sophisticated summery cocktail spiked with a nip of vodka, rum or tequila. For something really special try replacing the sparkling mineral water in the recipe with a sparkling dry prosecco.

Watermelon And Strawberry Lemonade. Summer Coolerjpg

Watermelon And Strawberry Lemonade
Makes about 1.25 litres

5 cups seedless  watermelon, cubed
250g (1 punnet) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 cup white sugar
freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons
1 cup (250 ml) sparkling mineral water

WORKING in batches, place  the watermelon, strawberries and sugar into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth and liquefied.
STRAIN through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass jug pushing down on the pulp to release all the juices.
ADD lemon juice and sparkling mineral water. Chill until very cold. Serve in glasses over ice garnished with a slice of strawberry and thin wedge of watermelon. Spike with a 30 ml nip of vodka, rum or tequila if so inclined.

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Comfort Food. Inspired By Jamie Oliver. Baked Ricotta Gnudi With Puttanesca Sauce

Posted on October 15, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Two of our most loved family meals are home-made ricotta ravioli and gnocchi. I’ve previously posted two recipes for gnocchi  on this blog; the first for traditional potato gnocchi and another for an easy midweek time saving variation substitiuting ricotta. Whilst I have never posted a recipe for ricotta ravioli made entirely from scratch with home-made pasta, there is always my rather easier cheat using wonton wrappers. Last week I was inspired by an episode of Jamie Oliver’s new series Comfort Food to try my hand at making the even less complicated ricotta gnudi.

In Italian, “gnudi” means “naked”. This regional Tuscan speciality takes the cheese filling used for  ricotta ravioli, and fashions it into golf sized balls sans any pasta wrapping. The ricotta cheese balls are held together by a  lengthy dunking in finely ground semolina, truly authentic recipes eschew the addition of any eggs and flour to bind them together, the theory being that over time the semolina will draw moisture from the ricotta and form a protective crust. Pillowy and light gnudi  have all the gorgeous flavour of  traditional ricotta ravioli but structure of meltingly soft gnocchi. True Italian comfort food. Cucina povera at it’s most delicious.

Watching Jamie Oliver whip up his Butter and Sage Gnudi, I was reminded just how clever homestyle Italian cooking can be. Its a  very simple dish making the most of a handful of good quality ingredients. In years gone by an Italian nonna would have made her ricotta cheese from scratch at home, warming fresh milk and using just a little vinegar or lemon juice to produce the curds. It’s a very quick and easy process, I actually went to the effort of making it myself last  year and wrote about in a post Simple Cheese Making at Home. Warm Breakfast Bruschetta With Fresh Ricotta and Honey. Of course with ready access to a number  of really good Italian delicatessens, I opted to take the easy route and pick up a tub in store.

For best results the gnudi recipe should be started a day ahead using the freshest ricotta you can find. Jamie suggests dredging the gnudi in semolina for at least 8 hours or overnight before using, other recipes for even longer; perhaps 24 or 48 hours. Most call for the gnudi to be cooked in lightly salted boiling water for a few minutes before saucing, but I’ve opted to skip that step and simply bake them bathed in sauce in a hot oven for 30 minutes.

If the truth be known, mixing and forming the gnudi took just 10 minutes, and once settled in their semolina beds I didn’t have the patience to wait a whole day to try them. Less than 4 hours later I decided to rustle up a very quick and easy puttanesca sauce, and knowing the delicate gnudi would most likely disintegrate if I dared cook them in a pot of water, simply dusted them off, dunked them in the sauce, and cooked them in the oven. Pasta bake style. Soft, fluffy and delicious, it’s a rewarding shortcut that most definitely delivered, with no compromise, in taste or texture in less than half the time. Next time I may be better organised and begin my recipe a day ahead as prescribed, but it’s good to know there is a quicker available alternative for the more impetuous amongst us.

Ramekin Style Gnudi Puttanesca

Baked Ricotta Gnudi With Puttanesca Sauce
Inspired By Jamie Oliver’s Butter & Sage Gnudi

For The Ricotta Gnudi
Makes 16 golf sized balls. Serves 4, generously
Ideally start the gnudi a day before you want to use them.

1 kg fresh ricotta cheese, drained
1 packed cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 packed cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
4 cups finely ground semolina

STIR the ricotta cheese together with the parmesan, pecorino, lemon zest, nutmeg, white pepper and salt. The mixture should be soft and sticky but malleable.
POUR 3 cups of the semolina into a large shallow dish.
ROLL heaped tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into 16 golf sized balls and arrange them in an even layer over the base of the dish so that they are not touching each other or the sides.
POUR over the remaining cup of semolina making sure the ricotta balls are buried. Transfer the dish  to the refrigerator and leave for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the semolina has the opportunity to draw moisture from the ricotta and form a fine crust. This step helps the gnudi retain their shape as they bake.

For The Puttanesca Sauce

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 red chilli finely sliced or 1 heaped teaspoon dried chilli flakes
6 anchovy fillets
2 tins (800 g) cherry tomatoes in tomato juice (substitute undrained tins of diced tomatoes if you can’t find them)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic  vinegar
1/2 cup  black olives, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon capers
1/3 cup basil, chopped, plus a little extra for serving.

WARM olive oil in a medium-sized sauté pan on low. Add garlic, chilli and anchovy fillets. Sauté until anchovies begin to disintegrate and garlic softens.
ADD tomatoes, sugar and balsamic. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
TURN OFF heat and stir olives, capers and basil through the  sauce. The mixture needs to be quite wet and will thicken further as the gnudi bake.

To Assemble
SPREAD  two thirds of the puttanesca sauce over the bottom of a large 30 x 20-centimetre baking dish or divide evenly amongst four small Le Creuset style gratin dishes,
LIFT gnudi out of the semolina taking care to shake off any excess. Arrange  them on top  of the puttanesca sauce. Drizzle the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the balls.  Bake for 30 minutes until tops of the gnudi are lightly golden and the sauce bubbling.
REMOVE from oven, garnish with basil and serve immediately.

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Eat, Fast and Live Longer. A 5-2 Fast Diet Recipe Idea Under 200 Calories. Raw Power House Super Food Salad.

Posted on October 13, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Superfood Salad

Spring is in the air and after a winter of cocooning and comfort food we have most definitely resorted to a regime of increased exercise and healthy eating. Not too long ago I posted a recipe for Sweet and Salty Five Seed Crackers, since then I have discovered the impressive satiating power of the humble chia seed and have been incorporating it into all sorts of recipes.  A mere tablespoon may be relatively energy dense but is readily outweighed by  its numerous purported health benefits. I can vouch from personal experience that a little goes a long, long way in helping keep me fuller for much, much longer and more importantly  keep those pesky hunger pangs at well.

In this post I’m incorporating chia along with pumpkin and sunflower seeds into a power house of a super food filled salad. A colourful and flavourful cornucopia of  salad leaves, vegetables, seeds and herbs lightly coated with an apple cider vinegar based dressing. Delicious and nutritious at just 152 calories for a very substantial two cup serve. I think i may have commented previously at how surprisingly long it can take to chomp through a well made salad. This raw salad is no exception, making it the perfect offering for a fast day meal.

Raw Power House Super Food Salad
Makes 12 cups to serve 6 ( 152 calories per 2 cup serve)

Vegetables
1/2  head (5 cups) Chinese cabbage, shredded (55 calories)
1 large fennel bulb, shaved (73 calories)
1 large carrot, spiralised or julienned (30 calories)
1 large beetroot, grated raw (35 calories)

Leaves
1/2 bunch (3 cups) watercress, leaves and tender stems, torn (12  calories)
3 cups baby spinach leaves (21 calories)

Herbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems, torn (4 calories)
1/4 cup fresh mint, leaves, torn (5 calories)
1/4 cup fresh basil, leaves, torn (4 calories)

Seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds (65 calories)
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds (47 calories)
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (56 calories)

Dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice (3 calories)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (2 calories)
4 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil (480 calories)
1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard (12 calories)
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (4 calories)
sea salt and pepper, to season

PLACE dressing ingredients in a medium screw-top jar, shake until well emulsified. Set aside.
PLACE spinach, watercress, cabbage, fennel and carrot into a large bowl. Pour over half dressing and toss until combined.. Arrange on a large platter
MEANWHILE place beetroot into a small bowl. Add a tablespoon of the remaining dressing and stir to combine. The beetroot will bleed a little so its best to dress it separately before adding to the remainder of the salad ingredients.
SCATTER dressed beetroot over the salad then top with torn parsley, mint and basil leaves.
FINISH by scattering over chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
DRIZZLE with remaining dressing and serve.

Posted in Salads | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Eat, Fast and Live Longer. A 5-2 Fast Diet Recipe Idea Under 200 Calories. Raw Power House Super Food Salad.

Delving Deep Into My Kitchen Drawer. Nostalgic Baking. Chinese Chews.

Posted on October 10, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Chinese Chews

Every now and then I take a trip down memory lane and delve through a pile of tattered, half forgotten recipes relegated for safe keeping deep in my kitchen drawer. It’s a pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon. So many keepers waiting to be resurrected when the timing is right. So far I’ve unearthed a much loved Raspberry and Hazelnut Linzertorte Slice, a perfectly smooth and creamy Old-fashioned Fudge just like grandma used to make and a luscious Chocolate Date and Nut Torte that was de rigeur through the nineties.

Today I treated my family to a hefty dose of  childhood nostalgia; the curiously named but seriously delicious Chinese Chews. A rich and luscious ginger and lemon scented treat studded with soft dates and crunchy walnuts. Whilst there is nothing  remotely Chinese sounding about the recipe at first glance, it is said to date back to the 1950’s so perhaps the ingredients were considered exotic and oriental for those times.

The only tweak I made to the tattered recipe scribbled on a scrap of paper, providence unknown, was to substitute two tablespoons of preserved ginger for the required teaspoon of ground. Interestingly the original recipe also suggested that once cooled the slice be cut into  dainty little 2 cm squares. By my rough and ready reckoning my 20cm square tin should have yielded  something like 100 little Chinese Chews. Try as I might I managed just 64. Whether this is perhaps reflection of my knife skills or my greedy eye I’ll never know. What is certain is that I will definitely be making these again.

Munching through that first batch of Chinese Chews it occurred to me that a more contemporary rendition of the recipe could quite easily  be a Date Walnut, Ginger and Lemon Blondie. Sliced, of course, into much, much  larger squares to accommodate a modern appetite.

Chinese Chews Slice

Chinese Chews

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dates, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons naked (uncrystallised) preserved ginger, finely diced (or substitute 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
125g butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
a little icing sugar, for dusting

PREHEAT oven to 170C. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line with baking paper.
PLACE the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and melt, stirring over a low-medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to touch.
IN A LARGE bowl sift together  flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir in chopped dates, walnuts, preserved ginger and lemon zest.
IN A JUG whisk together the eggs and cooled, melted butter and sugar mixture. Pour wet ingredients over dry, beating  with a wooden spoon until well combined.
USING a spatula spread the thick, sticky batter evenly into the prepared baking tin.
BAKE for 25-30 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Cool then cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar and store in an airtight container.

Posted in Baked, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Breakfast To Go. Apple Steel Cut Oats With Rosewater Poached Rhubarb And Toasted Pistachios.

Posted on October 8, 2014 by thepaddingtonfoodie

We’ve been caught off guard by the changing of the seasons as we segue from Winter into Spring. A welcome stretch of soaring temperatures sees me booking a much needed pedicure and reaching for a summer wardrobe of strappy sandals and sun dresses one moment, and reverting to the comfort of my winter woollies with an unexpected plummet the next. More exasperating is figuring out a weekly menu plan of what to feed my always hungry family. Will it be something light and refreshing?  Warming and hearty?  Or perhaps somewhere in between?

With an early morning swimmer in our midst, providing delicious and healthy breakfasts on the go has long been high on my list of priorities. Summer breakfasts have always been something of a no-brainer. A modern bircher muesli of rolled oats soaked overnight, to be packaged up next morning with fresh seasonal fruit and berries in a pretty and very portable jam jar. This winter I was incredibly excited to discover the versatility of steel cut oats. Sunday nights were spent preparing a huge batch of creamy toasted oats. Refrigerated they easily provided a week’s worth of nourishing breakfasts requiring just a quick warm through in the microwave with an ever changing array of fruit compotes.

And so it is that our family has fallen into the easy habit of enjoying steel cut oats in their porridge during the cooler months and more traditional rolled oats in bircher muesli when the warmer weather arrives. Last week, in the searing heat, I was suddenly caught out.  It was much too hot for porridge but like Old Mother Hubbard my cupboard was completely bare…of any trace of rolled oats. I knew that simply soaking my rather abundant supply of steel cut oats overnight in apple juice just wouldn’t do.

The next best solution? Prepare the steel cut oats as usual, adding finely diced apple to the mixture as it cooked. The end result was surprisingly good. Very apple-y and extremely moreish. Particularly with a generous amount of thick Greek yoghurt folded through next morning. Layered in a jar bircher muesli style, topped with a dollop or two of rosewater poached rhubarb and a good sprinkling of toasted pistachio. Of course these apple steel cut oats were also delicious porridge style. Warmed through in the microwave to creamy perfection with just a little milk and any topping du jour. So there we have it the perfect trans-seasonal breakfast solution, however you prefer your oats. At least for my family, that is.

Apple Steel Cut Oats With Rosewater Poached Rhubarb And Toasted Pistachios

For The Apple Steel Cut Oats
Makes 6-8 serves

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 large granny smith apples, peeled and finely diced
3 cups freshly boiled water
1 cup milk
sea salt flakes

MELT butter in a heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
ADD diced apples, hot water and a generous pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
REDUCE heat to simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally.for 15-20 minutes. Oats should be tender but retain a little bite.
STIR in  milk. Cover and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
REMOVE from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before spooning into a clean, dry wide mouthed jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For The Rhubarb and Rosewater Compote

1 large bunch rhubarb, stalks only, leaves removed
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rose water

TOP and tail rhubarb stalks and slice into 3 cm pieces. Place into a  heavy based saucepan with sugar and rosewater.
COOK, stirring over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is tender.
REMOVE from heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Apple Steel Cut Oats With Rosewater Poached Rhubarb And Toasted Pistachios In A Jar

To Serve Cold In A Jar

1/2 cup cooked apple steel cut oats
1/4 cup Greek style yoghurt
3 tablespoons rosewater rhubarb compote
1 tablespoon toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

COMBINE half a cup of cooked apple steel cut oats with quarter cup Greek style yoghurt. Spoon mixture into a 250ml jam jar.
TOP with 3 tablespoons rose water rhubarb compote and sprinkle with chopped toasted pistachios.

Apple Steel Cut Oats With Rosewater Poached Rhubarb And Toasted Pistachios

To Serve Warm In A Bowl

1/2 cup cooked apple steel cut oats
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons Greek style yoghurt
3 tablespoons rosewater rhubarb compote
1 tablespoon toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

PLACE half a cup of cooked apple steel cut oats into a small microwave proof bowl with two tablespoons milk. Stir to combine and heat in microwave on medium power for two minutes.
TOP with 3 tablespoons rose water rhubarb compote and sprinkle with chopped toasted pistachios.

Posted in Breakfast, Fruit, Pastes and Dressings | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments