You Must Try This. At Least Once. Pure Genius. Crusty No Knead Artisan Bread.

Posted on August 23, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Artisan No Knead Bread Baked

I have a penchant for artisan bread. Honed from a very young age. Round, rustic loaves with a thick, crisp crust and a moist chewy crumb.   From time to time I  lazily anticipate making my own bread at home. Spurred on by the romanticism of the idea and the imagined heady aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the house.  Until the reality of the time consuming process sets in –  all that kneading, pummelling and  proving of the dough. Time poor I relent and revert  to beating a well worn path to my local bakery  for my daily bread.  I vaguely remember the  No-Knead bread phenomena which swept the globe  when Mark Bittman posted Jim Lahey’s recipe for No Knead Bread in the New York Times in 2006. Just four ingredients; flour, water, yeast and salt.  And more importantly no kneading.  Five minutes of preparation. A quick stir and  18 hours of proving in a bowl. Leaving Mother Nature to work her magic.

My interest may have been more than a little piqued at the time, but in the hurly burly of everyday life that recipe was forgotten. Until this week when browsing the blogosphere But I’m Hungry’s post, No Knead Bread, caught my eye. The images of Christina’s perfectly formed loaves had me drooling. I couldn’t quite believe that No Knead Bread could look so wonderful. On closer examination she had even used Jim Lahey’s original recipe. A no brainer really,  I just had to give this a try.  And now I’m hooked.  As my first perfect loaf of bread came out of the oven I prepared another batch of dough in readiness for the next morning. Many thanks to  Christina at But I’m Hungry for the inspiration. Check out her blog post here. You really must try this. At least once. The recipe is pure genius producing crusty artisan bread that rivals that of my neighbourhood bakery. And that is really saying something.

 

Combine flour, yeast, salt and water.
Cover with cling film and allow to prove for 12-18 hours. Dough is ready when bubbles appear on surface.
Lift dough onto a lightly floured bench, sprinkle with a little four and gently fold it onto itself once or twice. Rest for 15 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball. Coat a tea towel with cornmeal or semolina. Place the ball of bread dough onto the tea towel, cover and allow to rest for another 2 hours.
Thirty minutes before baking preheat oven and a heavy cast iron pot to 225 C. Carefully place the dough into the preheated pot and oven.
Bake covered for 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 15-30 minutes until crusty and brown.
Cool on a rack. Slice and enjjoy.

Crusty No Knead Artisan Bread
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
flour, cornmeal or semolina for dusting

IN A LARGE bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky.
COVER bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at room temperature.
DOUGH is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
USING just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, semolina or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal.
COVER with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
AT LEAST a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 225 C. Place a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven.
SLIDE your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
COVER with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Posted in Baked, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

East Meets West Fusion. Beef Bourguignon With Miso and Shiitake Mushrooms.

Posted on August 21, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Bouef Bourgignon With Miso and Shiitake

After almost a week of glorious winter days with temperatures over 20C  the weather has turned. We have woken to a cold snap. Reminding us that Spring may be around the corner but we still have a little way to go. Time for a casserole, I’ve always loved Boeuf Bourguignon. Perfect fare for a cold Winter’s day. Rich, hearty and warming. Here is the much loved French classic reinterpreted with a twist. An East meets West fusion of meltingly tender beef in a rich aromatic red wine miso sauce. Shiitake mushrooms and leek replace the more traditional champignon and pearl onions. The miso paste adds an interesting depth of flavour to this dish. Umami, the sixth taste, as the Japanese would say.

Beef Bourguignon With Miso and Shiitake Mushrooms
Serves 6-8

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5kg beef blade steak, trimmed, cut into 3-4 cm cubes
2 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
200g shortcut rindless bacon, halved lengthways, cut into 1cm strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
5cm knob of ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons mirin
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sweet miso paste
2 carrots, trimmed into 2cm lengths
2 leeks, trimmed into 2cm lengths
3 sprigs thyme
200g small swiss brown mushrooms, whole
200g shiitake mushrooms, whole

PREHEAT oven to 180C.
HEAT 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-based casserole style pan over medium-high heat.
PLACE beef in a large bowl and sprinkle over seasoned flour. Toss well to combine. Sear beef, in batches, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Set aside and keep warm in a separate bowl.
REDUCE heat to medium. Add remaining oil to pan. Then add brown onion, celery and bacon. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft and translucent.
ADD garlic, chilli and ginger. Cook for another minute or so until fragrant.
DEGLAZE the pan with red wine. Return the beef and its juices to pan. Stir well to combine, then add stock, mirin, soy sauce and miso paste. Bring to a gentle simmer before adding carrots, leek and thyme.
PREPARE a baking paper cartouche and fit snugly over the casserole, replace the lid and place the pan in the oven,middle rack position. Braise until beef is tender, about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove thyme.
ADD mushrooms. Stir to combine. Return to oven and cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until meat and mushrooms are tender.
SEASON with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed potato.

Posted in Beef, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Kiwi Favourite. Disappearing Afghans. Chocolate Cornflake Biscuits.

Posted on August 20, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Afghan Biscuits

I was first introduced to this biscuit decades ago on a trip to New Zealand. Afternoon tea at a picturesque cafe in Wanganui. It was difficult to choose from the delicious array of baked goods on offer. In the end I settled on two treats, the wonderful Louise Slice and curiously named Afghan Biscuits. Both well loved Kiwi favourites I had not encountered in Australia before. Today they are staples in my kitchen. I have previously posted a recipe for Louise Slice (here) and was convinced that I had also posted one for Afghans given that  I bake these so often.  A trawl through my blog proved me wrong. These are so popular in our house we refer to them as Disappearing Afghans. A batch never lasts very long. Try them and you will understand why.  They are unbelievably good. A soft but crunchy chocolate biscuit iced with a dollop of  melted chocolate and topped with  walnuts. Made with a subtle mystery ingredient. Cornflakes.

My Afghans are based on a recipe from a veritable New Zealand institution, The Edmond’s Cookery Book. The Kiwi equivalent of the Aussie  stalwart, The CWA Cookbook. First published in 1908 as the Sure to Rise Cookery Book it is rumoured to be as much a fixture in New Zealand homes as the kitchen sink and oven. With such an impeccable heritage it is little wonder these biscuits are so good.

Afghan Biscuits
Based on a recipe from  The Edmonds Cookery Book
Makes 2 dozen biscuits

200g butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups cornflakes (unsweetened)
1/2 block melted chocolate to ice
1/4 cup walnuts, to decorate

CREAM the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
SIFT the flour and cocoa and stir into the creamed sugar. Fold in the cornflakes.
SPOON teaspoons of mixture onto a lined baking tray, gently pressing them flat.
BAKE at 180 C for 10-15 minutes until firm and lightly golden.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
WHEN cold ice with a dollop of melted chocolate and top with a walnut.

Posted in Baked, Chocolate, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. Fresh, Delicious and Vibrant. A Fast Day Guacamole With Crushed Spring Peas.

Posted on August 19, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Fast Day Guacamole With Crushed Spring Peas

I love guacamole and have been preparing it for years. Most times I vary the recipe to accommodate what is readily available at the market and in my herb garden. With avocado season in full swing my fruit bowl is full of ripening avocados at various stages of readiness to eat. Immediately, in three days or five. Today happens to be a fast day but I still want to use up my avocados. Today’s 5-2 challenge? Produce a fast day, low calorie version of guacamole. It has to be fresh, delicious and vibrant. Something I will love to eat.

A quick google search of low calorie guacamole yields some interesting variations. Guacamole prepared with all manner of fillers. Dried beans and peas and even zucchini. This one was a no brainer. I adore baby spring peas and always have a bag in the freezer. Not entirely convinced how this will work, taste or texture wise, I threw caution to the wind and had a go, substituting one avocado for a three quarter cup of blanched baby peas, and a little of the coriander for mint. Keeping to the low calorie brief, I opted for a chunkier textured guacamole with not a skerrick of sour cream, creme fraiche or yoghurt. The result? Moreish and delicious. A keeper.

So here it is, a recipe for a fast day guacamole.  Completely dairy free.  Retaining all the flavour and fresh green vibrancy of a regular guacamole. At just 52 calories per serve it is incredibly good for you. This version gained a definite thumbs up from my appreciative family who remained completely oblivious to the addition of the peas until the verdict had been delivered.  And before I forget. Just one last piece of advice. Tortilla and corn chips might be the traditional and delicious accompaniment for guacamole but on a fast day it may be prudent to steer clear. Its easy when you consider the relative energy values. Half a cup of tortilla chips at 76 calories versus that of an equivalent quantity of crisp, sliced vegetables; carrot sticks  at just 35 calories, red capsicum (pepper)  a mere 16 calories and last but not least celery a very impressive 8 calories. When all is said and done if I’m preparing my guacamole with a healthy dose of spring peas, I’m also preparing a plate of crisp sliced vegetables as my accompaniment.

Fast Day Guacamole With Crushed Spring Peas

Guacamole is best eaten on the day it is made but can be stored in the refrigerator tightly covered with cling wrap. Lime or lemon juice will help keep the guacamole vibrant green and prevent discolouration.

Makes 2 cups
1 serve = 1/4 cup (52 calories per serve)

3/4 cup fresh or frozen baby green peas (90 calories)
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into a small dice (22 calories)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander, finely chopped (2 calories)
1/2 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped (1 calorie)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (4 calories)
1 long green spring onion, thinly sliced (10 calories)
1 long red chilli, finely sliced (18 calories)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed (4 calories)
1 ripe Hass avocado (250 calories)
juice and finely grated zest of 1 fresh lime (12 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

BLANCH  peas by placing them in boiling water for 2 minutes to soften. Drain peas and immediately shock with cold water to prevent further cooking. Drain well and using a food processor pulse to a coarse purée. Set aside.
POUND or process the chilli, garlic, coriander, mint, spring onion, tomato and cumin to a chunky paste. Add to the pea purée.
SLICE the avocado in half from stem to bottom. Remove the pit and use a spoon to scoop out the inside.
PLACE the avocado flesh in a medium sized bowl. Add lime juice and zest. Mash with a fork to the desired consistency. For a creamy texture use a food processor.
ADD mashed avocado to the spiced pea and herb mixture. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Posted in Marinades, Pastes and Dressings, Vegetarian, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Comfort Eating At Its Best. Pork Wonton Soup With Deep Fried Tofu Puffs And Shredded Snow Peas.

Posted on August 17, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Pork Wonton Soup With Deep Fried Tofu Puffs and Shredded Snowpeas

This must be my family’s all time favourite soup. Comfort eating at its very best. Simple to prepare. Delicious to eat. Combining three fabulous ingredients. Chicken soup, pork wonton and deep fried tofu puffs. Homemade chicken soup is pretty much a staple in our house.Fresh from the stockpot or frozen from the freezer.  While nothing quite compares to homemade there are  many good quality commercial soups available on the market that would work equally well in this recipe. If I’m not too pressed for time I also like to make my wonton.  More often than not, though, I will purchase them from my very obliging Asian grocer. Who prepares them on the premises. That same grocer also stocks the all important wonton wrappers and deep fried tofu puffs. And even more importantly very generously dispenses advice on all manner of recipes  and ingredients.

Here is my version of wonton soup. I’ve included a very simple recipe for homemade  pork wonton and a link back to an earlier post for chicken soup. Sometimes I vary the ingredients and add bok choy, shiitake mushrooms  or egg noodles. There really are no hard and fast rules. Its all about comfort eating.  It matters not whether this meal has been prepared from scratch or an express route using the very best prepared ingredients.

Pork Wonton Soup With Deep Fried Tofu Puffs And Shredded Snow Peas.
Serves 4

Pork wonton and fried tofu puffs are readily available in the chiller section of a good Asian grocer. As are wonton wrappers if you would like to try your hand at making your own. 

8 cups chicken stock, recipe for homemade chicken soup here
1 teaspoon green ginger, finely grated
24 pork wonton, recipe follows below
1 x 200g packet fried tofu (bean curd) puffs, sliced in half on the diagonal if large
100g snow peas, julienned

BRING stock and ginger to a rolling simmer in a large saucepan over high heat.
MEANWHILE bring another large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the wonton, making sure there is enough room for them to move about freely. Cook the wonton for  about 4 minutes, until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Frozen wonton will take a little longer to cook through.
DIVIDE wonton and deep-fried tofu puffs between four serving bowls.
LADLE over chicken stock. Sprinkle with julienned snow peas and serve.

Pork Wonton
Makes 60

500 g lean pork mince
1 small Chinese (wombok) cabbage
30g knob of ginger, peeled
half a bunch of long green shallots
4 tablespoons soy sauce (add more if needed)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)
1 packet of wonton wrappers (60 pieces)
water for sealing

Make the Filling
FINELY chop cabbage. Place in a very large bowl. Set aside.
FINELY chop shallots. Place in a smaller bowl. Set aside.
GRATE ginger and add half to each of the bowls.
HEAT oil in a small pan to smoking point (80-90 C). Pour the hot oil over the shallots and ginger, allowing the oil to absorb the flavours of the ginger and the shallots .
ADD the ginger and shallot oil to the cabbage with the pork mince, soy sauce,and chinese rice wine.
MIX thoroughly to combine. Season to taste with a little more soy if required.

Working in batches until all wonton wrappers have been used
PLACE five square wonton wrappers onto a clean work surface.
PLACE a scant teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each wrapper. Be careful not to overfill.
BRUSH edges with a little water.
FOLD wonton over to enclose the filling and form a triangle. Press to seal.
PLEAT the edges by using small overlapping folds to bring the base corners of triangle up and around filling.
COOK or freeze the wontons immediately. To freeze, place a baking paper lined tray of wonton directly into the freezer. When they are solid, transfer them from the tray into a resealable plastic bag.

Posted in Pasta, Pork, Soup, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. A Little Bit of Luxury. Slow Baked Salmon with Preserved Lemon Chermoula and Soft Herbs.

Posted on August 16, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Chermoula Salmon With Preserved Lemon and Soft Herbs

Vibrant. Succulent. Deeply infused with the taste and flavour of Morocco. Slow oven baked salmon. Crusted with a preserved lemon chermoula and soft herbs. A little bit of luxury on a 5-2 fast day. Another recipe that effortlessly ticks all the boxes. Low in fat and calories. High in taste. Vibrant. Filling. Satisfying.

Meals like this make fast days easy. Preparation is minimal. Whiz up a chermoula paste in the food processor. Smear on the salmon. Finish with a layer of fresh herbs. Bake in a very slow oven for 45 minutes. I like to make a bigger batch of chermoula paste than I need and always make sure I freeze at least one portion in readiness for another meal. For those days I don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. It works wonderfully well as a marinade. Think chicken, lamb and all manner of seafood.

Today I’ve paired it with my salmon. Slow baking almost always guarantees a moist and luscious result. Even when left in the oven a tad too long. A most forgiving recipe. The fish retains its moisture and vibrant colour when cooked. The end result is soft, succulent and meltingly delicious.

One serving of salmon prepared this way accounts for just 314 calories. Almost a complete meal in itself. It really doesn’t need any thing else on the plate. Feeling peckish? Add a serve of steamed baby green beans and a baby potato for an extra 70 calories. An entire plate of food for under 400 calories. Leaving ample leeway for a snack throughout the day. Keeping well hydrated kept my hunger pangs at bay as I anticipated my evening meal. Supplemented by just two mandarins from the fruit bowl at midday.

Chermoula Salmon
Slow Baked Salmon with Preserved Lemon Chermoula and Soft Herbs.

Serves 4 (314 calories per serve)

Serve with steamed baby potatoes and green beans.  Add 53 calories for each steamed baby potato and 17 calories for each 1/2 cup steamed green beans.

600g  (150g per person) wild salmon fillet, centre cut, pin-boned, skin on (1080 calories)
4 tablespoons chermoula paste with preserved lemon( 170 calories)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (2 calories)
1 tablespoon coriander, chopped (1 calorie)
1 tablespoon mint, chopped (1 calorie)

REMOVE the salmon from the refrigerator half an hour before baking to bring to room temperature.
POSITION the oven racks to the centre and bottom positions. Place a pan half full of water in the oven on the lower oven rack. Preheat oven to 125 C.
LINE an oven proof dish with baking paper. Place the salmon fillet skin side down in the dish.
COAT the salmon with the chermoula paste. Gently press the chopped herbs on top to form an even layer.
PLACE the salmon in the oven, centre rack position. Bake for 45 minutes until the salmon flakes. A thicker fillet may need a little longer in the oven. To test if the salmon is cooked insert the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part of the salmon and gently pry it open. If the salmon separates into flakes, it’s done. If not, return it to the oven for another five minutes. The salmon will retain its deep colour because it retains all its moisture. If using individual portions of salmon bake for an initial 20 minutes, then test to see if it flakes easily.
REMOVE salmon from oven and slice into four equal sized portions. Serve with steamed baby potatoes and green beans.

Chermoula Paste With Preserved Lemon (Fast Day Version)

Makes 1 cup /16 tablespoons per cup.
680 calories per cup / 42.5 calories per tablespoon

1/2 cup coriander leaves and tender stems only, well washed (4 calories)
1/4 cup mint leaves, well washed (3 calories)
1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley leaves and tender stems only, well washed (11 calories)
4 long green spring onions,chopped (40 calories)
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (16 calories)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (4 calories)
1 long red chilli, roughly chopped (18 calories)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika (18 calories)
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric (12 calories)
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes (0 calories)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (4 calories)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly roasted (4 calories)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly roasted (4 calories)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (480 calories)
1/2 preserved lemon, roughly chopped (50 calories)
juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed (12 calories)

COMBINE all ingredients in a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. Process or pound to a rough paste.
IF making the chermoula ahead of time, transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate. Also suitable to freeze for another meal.

Posted in Marinades, Seafood, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Perfect For Dunking. Italian Biscotti. Twice Baked Biscuits. Two Ways.

Posted on August 14, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Italian Biscotti

Biscotti. Traditional Italian biscuits. Perfect for dunking. Into a piping hot coffee or sticky sweet wine. Twice baked. Incredibly crisp and crunchy. I’ve been meaning to make a batch for a blog post for ages. Not so long ago, food channel surfing late at night while editing my blog, I happened upon Armando Percuocco’s wonderful biscotti recipe. Courtesy of SBS Italian Food Safari. How perfectly serendipitous. Armando is owner and chef of one of  my favourite Italian restaurants Buon Ricordo. I have enjoyed his biscotti with a glass of Vin Santo on many occasions.

So here it is. My biscotti post. Two ways. The first, Armando’s original version studded with almonds and pistachio and flavoured with the finely grated zest of lemon, lime and orange. The second, a spur of the moment double chocolate variation. Studded with hazelnuts and white chocolate chunks. Flavoured with orange zest, cocoa and frangelico. Moreish. Delicious. Ready for dunking.

Biscotti

Almond and Pistachio Biscotti With Three Citrus Zest
Adapted from a recipe by Armando Percuocco, SBS Italian Safari Episode 8

4 cups (600 g) plain flour
2 2/3 cups (600 g) caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
100 g flaked almonds
100 g pistachios
grated zest of 2 oranges
grated zest of 2 lemons
grated zest of 2 limes
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brandy

LINE two oven trays with baking paper.
PLACE the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nuts and citrus zest in a large bowl and stir together.
WHISK together the eggs, egg yolks, pure vanilla extract and brandy. Add to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
TURN dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. The dough will be slightly sticky, it helps to use damp hands.
DIVIDE the dough into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 cm wide log. Flatten slightly and place on baking paper lined oven trays. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

First Baking
PREHEAT the oven to 180°C.
PLACE the logs in the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until golden brown.
REMOVE the logs from the oven trays and let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Second Baking
REDUCE oven temperature to 160°C.
USE a serrated knife to thinly slice the logs on the diagonal into 1cm slices.
LAY the slices cut side down on the oven trays and bake for a further 10 minutes until just coloured. Be careful not to over bake the biscotti as they can become too hard.
REMOVE from the oven trays and cool completely on wire rack before storing for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

For the Double Chocolate Hazelnut Variation

Add 1/2 cup Dutch Process Cocoa to the flour mixture
Replace the three citrus zest with the finely grated zest of 1 orange
Replace the almonds and pistachio with 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks and 1 1/2 cups (150 g) blanched hazelnuts
Add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice to the egg mixture
Substitute 3 tablespoons Frangelico for the brandy.

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

The 5-2.Challenge. Thinking Outside The Square. La Cecina. Chickpea Crêpes With a Vine Ripened Tomato, Avocado and Rocket Salad.

Posted on August 13, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Chickpea Crepes With a Vine Ripened Tpmato and Avocado Salad.

Avocados are in season. At Farmer’s Markets growers are selling them by the bucketload. My avocado food associations?  Guacamole. Mexican. Tortilla. For a long time now I have been meaning to try my hand at homemade corn tortillas. Made from a simple dough of corn flour and water. The  spanner in the works? Sourcing the specialty corn flour masa harina at a very short, spur of the moment notice. And yes I did consider using finely ground polenta meal but after a quick google search realised this simply would not do.

A quick scan of my pantry yielded a half forgotten container of chickpea flour. Purchased not so long ago as an experiment to make a test batch of La Cecina. Italian street food. A cross between flatbread and pancake. Made from nothing more than chickpea flour, olive oil and sparkling mineral water. It’s nutty and filling and incredibly versatile. Varying the consistency of the batter produces a different result. A slightly heavier batter baked in the oven yields a thick, chewy slab. Cooked on the stove top in a heavy cast iron pan a thin, soft crepe. The more oil you use the crispier the result.

Thinking outside the square I substituted la cecina for the corn tortillas. This being a calorie conscious fast day I settled on a thinner batter, minimal oil and paper thin crepes. Paired with a simple Vine Ripened Tomato, Avocado and Rocket Salad this fast day meal was incredibly delicious and satisfying at an impressive 190 calories per serve. So much so that was lunch and dinner sorted for the day. Leaving room for my much loved 70 calorie skinny cappuccino. Despite copious cups of sugarless tea I do believe that I came in well under my fast day 500 calorie limit.

Chickpea Crepes With Chilli, Mint and Lemon

Chickpea Crêpes With A Vine Ripened Tomato, Avocado and Rocket Salad
Serves 4 ( 190 calories per serve; 85 calories for each crêpe and 95 calories for the salad)

La Cecina (Chickpea Crêpes)
Makes 8 thin crepes (85 calories per crêpe). The assembled salad requires only 4 crepes, 1 per each person so there should be ample leftovers for seconds or a delicious snack.

125 g chickpea flour (484 calories)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil (60 calories)
1 tablespoon chopped soft herbs (1 calorie)
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated (1 calorie)
1 small red dried chilli crumbled (2 calories)
375 ml sparkling mineral water
an additional tablespoon of oil for greasing the pan (120 calories)

WHISK together the chickpea flour, olive oil, salt and mineral water to create a thin batter. The consistency of the batter should resemble pouring cream.
ALLOW  the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes.
WHEN ready to cook the crêpes  give the batter a good stir. It may have thickened on standing so add a little more sparkling water if needed.
HEAT a 20 cm crêpe or heavy based pan over medium heat. When very hot add a little olive oil. Swirl to coat the pan and carefully wipe off any excess with a paper towel.
LADLE 3 generous tablespoons of the batter into the pan, tilting the pan in a circular motion as you go to evenly coat the surface. Cook for 2 minutes or until the underside of the crêpe  is golden.
SCATTER a generous pinch of finely chopped fresh herbs, chilli and lemon zest over the crêpe before flipping it over with a spatula. Cook through until crispy. Remove from the pan to a warm plate.
WIPE the pan with a little more oil and repeat the process until all the batter has been used. Set aside until ready to serve.

A Vine Ripened Tomato, Avocado and Rocket Salad
Serves 4 (95 calories per serve)

2 handfuls wild rocket, shredded (8 calories)
2 medium vine ripened tomatoes, diced (70 calories)
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and seeded, diced (250 calories)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (40 calories)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (5 calories)
freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon or 1 lime(6 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

PLACE diced tomato into a bowl. Dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and season with sea salt flakes and a good grinding of pepper. Set aside.

To Assemble 
TAKE four chickpea crêpes and place  in the centre of four serving plates.
ARRANGE the dressed tomatoes over the crêpes. Top with diced avocado and shredded rocket.
DRIZZLE with freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve.

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

Cooking From Scratch. Potato Salad With Homemade Dijon Mustard Mayonnaise

Posted on August 12, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Potato Salad With Bacon and Dijon Mayonnaise

The weather this weekend was glorious. Unseasonably warm for winter hitting 24C on two consecutive days. The perfect excuse to fire up the barbeque. What to serve with our porterhouse steak? That’s a no brainer. Potato salad of course. With crisp bacon and a good dollop or two of homemade Dijon mustard mayonnaise.

One of the wonderful advantages of the blog  community is constantly being inspired by other’s posts. It sets off a veritable chain reaction of recipe associations. This week I was reminded of  just how much I love homemade mayonnaise upon reading Chef Janet Rorschach’s clever post A Feeling of Emulsion. Her eggless, vegan version for a milk based mayonnaise looks divine. And so intriguing I’ve bookmarked it for future reference.

As Chef Janet puts it the best part of making your own mayonnaise is knowing exactly what you are putting into the bowl. My version for Dijon Mustard Mayonnaise is traditional but super quick and easy to make. From scratch. Scrupulously fresh ingredients. Whole eggs, olive oil, dijon mustard, lemon and garlic. Whipped up in a blender in a matter of moments. Rich, complex, creamy. I wouldn’t dream of using anything but homemade mayonnaise in my potato salad.

Homemade Dijon Mayonnaise

Dijon Mustard Mayonnaise
Makes 1¼ cups

1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
sea salt and ground white pepper
1 cup (250ml) olive  oil

PROCESS or blend the egg, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender until well combined.
WITH the motor running, pour the oil in very slowly in a thin stream and process until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Potato Salad With Bacon and Dijon Mustard Mayonnaise
Serves 6 – 8

1 kg baby chat potatoes
5 rashers short cut bacon, diced
1 cup Dijon mustard mayonnaise (recipe above)
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
½ bunch long green spring onions, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

PLACE potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain, then set aside to cool.
FRY bacon on medium heat in a small pan until golden and crispy.
SLICE potatoes in halves or thirds depending on size into a large bowl.
WHILE potatoes are still warm add crispy bacon and pan oils.Toss well to combine and then add parsley and spring onions. Toss again and leave to cool a little before adding mayonnaise. Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper.
REFRIGERATE for at least an hour to allow flavours to meld and develop. Remove from the fridge twenty minutes before serving to bring to room temperature.

Posted in Marinades, Pastes and Dressings, Salads, Vegetables, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. Raw Food At Its Very Best. Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper With a Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Posted on August 10, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Citrus Cured Snapper With A Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Carpaccio. Classically Italian. Thin slices of raw meat or fish traditionally marinated in lemon and olive oil. Dressed with a simple salad. Elegant and refreshing. So very easy to prepare. The quality of the ingredients used definitely shines through. No cooking required. Raw food at its very best.

This week the markets were awash with bulbs of crisp fennel and fragrant, juicy blood oranges. The perfect accompaniment for a snapper carpaccio. The perfect solution for a fast day meal. Light, healthy and very low in calories. The flavours are incredible. So delicious. To be savoured to the very last bite.

Breakfast
2 Cups of Tea
4
Lunch
Small banana
90
Mid Afternoon
25g Danish Feta Cheese
55
Dinner
Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper With Fennel and Blood Orange Salad
364
Early Evening
2 Cups of Tea
4
Total Calories
517

Citrus Cured Snapper

Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper With a Fennel and Blood Orange Salad
You will need to begin this recipe one day ahead.
Serves 2 (364 calories per serve)

For the Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper
2 x 225g fillets of snapper, sashimi grade, skin attached (450 calories)
2 blood oranges (140 calories)
¼ cup salt (0 calories)
2 tablespoons picked fennel fronds, chopped (1 calorie)

For the Salad
1 cup shaved fennel, fronds reserved for garnish (27 calories)
1 blood orange (70 calories)
1 teaspoon olive oil (40 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Citrus Carpaccio of Snapper
ZEST and juice the oranges.
REMOVE the blood line from the fillets and remove any fine bones.
PLACE the fillets skin side down in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
COMBINE  orange zest, fennel fronds and half the salt in a small bowl. Scatter evenly over the fillets.
POUR over orange juice and the remaining salt. Ensure that both fillets are covered by cure. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 – 24 hours.
WHEN ready to serve remove the fish from the cure. Pat dry with paper towel.
SLICE the fillets across the grain into paper thin slices, as you would a side of smoked salmon. Discard the skin.

For the Salad
SLICE the fennel very thinly using a mandolin or sharp knife.
USE a sharp, thin bladed knife to segment the blood orange. Slice off the top and bottom of the orange to expose the fruit. Working in sections and starting at the top, pare off both the peel and layer of  bitter white pith, running the blade along the curvature of the fruit. Once all the peel and pith has been removed,  release each segment by slicing towards the center of the fruit along each of the membranes. Place the slivers of blood orange segments into a bowl. Squeeze out the residual juice from the empty membranes into a cup.
ARRANGE thin slices of citrus cured snapper over the base of a serving platter.
TOSS the blood orange segments with the fennel. Drizzle with the olive oil and a little of the reserved blood orange juice. Season with sea salt and pepper.
SCATTER the blood orange and fennel salad over the snapper. Garnish with fennel fronds and a little orange zest.

Posted in Seafood, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments