YEAST - THE EASY WAY

Stay with me here ..... this is my version of AngelOTN's (from Nigella.com) version of Sheila Dillon's version of Doris Grant's Loaf!!!!!!    Do you know something - it was worth all the twists and turns, you should try it and add another twist to the title :-}

This is the easy way with yeast - you get (nearly) all the raising power, but you put in none of the effort and very little of the waiting - what could be wrong with that?

This loaf has a lovely flavour, and is dense without being claggy or heavy.  Yesterday a friend came round for lunch, I served it with leftover ham and salads (lunch went on for quite some time, and we kept going back for one more tiny piece!!)


Easy Yeast Bread

2              tbsp oil
600g        wholemeal flour*
100g        strong white flour*
100g        rye flour*
100g        granary flour
1 1/2        tsp salt
7g sachet or 2 tsp fast acting yeast
850ml      warm water
15ml        treacle/honey/sugar

Prepare two 900g (1lb) loaf tins

Preheat oven to 200 C


Add the treacle/honey to some boiling water in a measuring jug and dissolve - make up to the 800ml mark with warm water (should be warm not hot when made up)

Mix all the dry ingredients, add the treacle mixture and stir.  It should have a texture like slightly wet porridge.
Add more warm water if necessary.

Pour into prepared tins and leave in a warm place to raise for about 30 - 40 minutes.

Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from the tin and bake for another 20 - 25 minutes more.

*Change the flours as you wish

Enjoy.

CRUNCHY CALAMARI

I spotted some beautiful fresh squid at the shops the other day, and Nigella's Quick Calamari with Garlic Mayonnaise sprang to mind.  I had seen her cook this on the Nigella Express programme and it looked wonderfully easy - so I didn't allow the deep frying bit scare me off, and I bought them.

The boning (cartilaging!) bit was easy, actually quite satisfying, but I managed to make an awful mess cutting the head/eye bit off! I broke the ink sack and it squirted all over the place!!!  I can see why Nigella uses frozen squid.

Anyway the boning, skinning chopping was all accomplished without any more mishaps!  It was then simplicity itself to throw the coating together (through necessity I had to play around with the recipe!)
The frying was easy and not too smelly!!  I used this photo to show that there was very little excess oil.

The calamari was hoovered up by the boys, they loved it.  I tried one (or four!) and can concur, they were nicely crispy on the outside and the squid was beautifully tender (no rubber bands in my kitchen!!!!!)

Nigella calls for "best quality mayonnaise" - I used Hellmann's and it was just fine - I grated a whole (medium sized) clove of garlic into approximately 100g of mayo, and it was perfect.

This is what I did:
To serve two plus a greedy "picker"


Quick Calamari


3             small squid - cleaned, and cut into 1cm rings.
2 tbsp      cornflour
4 tbsp      semolina
1 tsp        smoked paprika
1/2 tsp     ground cumin
pinch        chili powder
1/2 tsp      salt


Half fill a small saucepan with a flavorless oil, and heat up.  It is ready when a piece of bread dropped in sizzles fiercely.
Put all the coating ingredients into a plastic bag and mix.
Add the squid rings and tentacles and toss to coat - I did this in batches.
Again in batches, fry the squid in the sizzling oil, until they are golden and crunchy - this takes very little time.
Remove to a paper towel to drain.
Serve with the garlic mayonnaise and some lemon.

Enjoy.

LEMONY CHICKEN

Probably not the most beautiful plate of food I've ever served up, but man oh man it tasted good.  This dish was quick, easy, healthy and delicious.  Next time I think I'll serve my chicken with brown rice (and no I'm not wearing socks and sandals!!) I think that the nutty texture would suit the soft poached chicken very well.

This dish came about because of my preserved lemons ( I love preserved lemons)  which I had made before Christmas and then they totally slipped my mind, what a lovely surprise to find them at the back of the cupboard, like a late Christmas present from me to me!!

I know that preserved lemons are fantastic with fish (I make a dish with them and monkfish and semi sun-dried tomatoes, which is good) but wanted to try them with chicken for a change.

I poached the chicken in a little chicken stock to which I added 1/4 chili chopped  small and a small sprig of rosemary.  When it was cooked I chopped up 1/4 mild chili, 1/4 preserved lemon, 1 scallion (spring onion), small handful of coriander and zested a 1/2 a lime.  I mixed these and tossed most of the mixture through the pasta (or rice) placed the chicken on top and sprinkled over the rest to the lemon mixture. A bit of seasoning and Bob's your uncle (or not!).

The left over stock was used by my son to make noodles (not that I should be encouraging him - think there might be a bit of a noodle addiction issue, wonder where he inherited  that???)

AWARD

I am honoured to be sent this award by Nickki at The Claytons Blog - my  introduction to the world of blogging - no wonder I am addicted!!!

The rules are as follows:

1. Copy and paste the award onto your blog



2. List who gave the award to you and add a link to their blog.



3. List 10 things that make you happy.



4. Pass the award onto other blogs and let them know you have done so.



Here goes:



a.  Getting this award has made me very happy -  it's wonderful to get feedback. (I also love getting comments on my posts)

b.  My family, every day and in many, many ways.

c.  I am fortunate to have been blessed with wonderful friends.

d.  Mad Men - I'm lovin' it (!)

e.  Good restaurants

f.  Reading a good book, then discussing it at my bookclub.

g.  A new cookbook, reading it, marking the recipes to try and then actually trying them.

h. Finishing my walk!!!

i.  Being snuggled up inside when the weather is bad.

j.  A massage (for those who know me - I havn't been taken over by aliens!!!! - I mean it!)


My nominees are:

Manu at cooking manu.

Angela at soapmoms kitchen

Edie at munchies and musings

 Bridgett at la bella cook

Saffy at motherhood with a side of sugar

Melanie at heavenly bites

Pam at pams midwest kitchen korner

Lily at lily collison blog

These are all fantastic blogs and well worth looking up, I enjoy them immensely.


Jutta has just nominated me for this award (such a compliment - beaming here!) otherwise she would be on the list Happy Valley Cook - we started this blogging business around the same time, and I hope that I have managed to support Jutta as much as she has supported me.

Lucie at cooking at marystow was also nominated recently so don't want to repeat too soon!!

If I have forgotten anyone I'm really sorry (this feels like when you are having a party and are afraid of missing out on inviting someone special!!!)

BROWNIES SEVEN

Enough of this healthy eating!!  Feel some brownies coming on - this recipe has been sitting in my "to try" file for quite some time.  As I hadn't entered the "mayo as an ingredient in goodies" world yet - I was apprehensive, but I shouldn't have been.  Of course when you think about it, why wouldn't it work?  Mayo is really just eggs and oil both normal baking ingredients.

They were really good, intense chocolate taste, moist, dense texture - excellent brownies. (The perfect way to blow the new healthy eating regime!!)   Actually when I think about it (and I don't often!!) they are probably  not as bad as they could be on the  "bad for your" scale - just 100g of mayonnaise and 85g chocolate, could be worse.

Still haven't toppled Nigella off the top though!


Mayonnaise Brownies

85g/3oz      Dark Chocolate - chopped small
85g/3oz      Plain Flour
25g/1oz      Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp        Bread (bicarbonate of) Soda
100g/4oz    Caster Sugar
50g/2oz      Light Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp        instant coffee powder
1 tsp           vanilla extract
2 tbsp         buttermilk (you could use yogurt)
1                 large egg
100g/4oz    mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare a 19x19cm brownie tin


Sieve flour, cocoa and bread (bicarb.) soda and mix.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.
Add the sugars, vanilla, coffee and buttermilk to the melted chocolate.
Add 1 tbsp. warm water.
Beat in the egg and then the mayonnaise.
Add the flour mixture and fold in.
Bake approx. minutes.
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes then move to a wire rack.

Enjoy.

MORE BREAKFASTS

The work and school going contingent in this house have a very early start, and breakfast has to be fast and nutritious (and sometimes portable, for car consumption) over the years pancakes have become the breakfast of choice.

One of the great advantages of pancakes is that the batter can be made in advance - I find that it keeps well for up to three days, this means that I only make the batter twice a week, I love short cuts in the mornings!!

Pancakes

5oz         plain flour (I use Italian 00 flour as it doesn't have to be sieved)
2             large eggs
250ml     milk (approximately) whole/simi/skimmed - whatever is handy


Add the eggs and 100ml milk to the flour and whisk vigorously, add more milk - enough to make the batter smooth and the consistency of double cream.
You can add two tablespoons of melted butter at this stage - and I would if you don't make pancakes often, this step makes the frying the pancakes easier.
Heat your frying pan (a small one is best), melt a small knob of butter in it - coat the pan with the butter.
When sizzling pour some batter into the pan (2 dessert spoons is the right amount for my pan) and swirl to spread out to the size of the pan - you don't want a thick pancake, so spread well.
The pancakes take very little time to cook.
Serve with lemon/sugar/orange juice/smoothie/nutella whatever takes you fancy.


For the member of the household who (size wise) cannot afford  to eat butter, eggs and flour first thing (actually anytime, but we'll ignore that) porridge is a good breakfast option.  I don't mind the taste of porridge but I find the texture a bit off putting.  This porridge is extra good for you and has a much better texture than oats alone.  I eat mine with some frozen raspberries at the bottom of the bowl and the porridge on top.

This recipe makes a container of porridge which lasts me for weeks.


Improved Porridge

500g          Porridge Oats (rolled oats)
100g          Barley Flakes
100g          Rye Flakes
50g            Sesame Seeds
50g            Linseeds
50g            Sunflower Seeds

I usually blitz the seeds in the processor, add the the oats and flakes, stir and store.

To make the porridge,  I measure a 1/2 cup of this mixture to 1 cup water and 1/2 cup of milk.
Bring to boil stirring then turn the heat down and simmer for 5/10 minutes.

Enjoy.

BREAKFAST LIKE A KING

The easiest breakfast in the whole world is a smoothie - I love the feeling of having two of my "five a day" done and dusted first thing.  A friend shared the idea of using frozen fruit in smoothies with me about a year ago and it works wonderfully.  Firstly the smoothie isn't watered down by using ice, therefore giving you maximum vitamin and mineral content per sip (every second less eating breakfast is one second more in bed!!).  And secondly frozen fruit is much cheaper and most of the year (here in Ireland at least) much tastier.

A recipe really isn't necessary - I just pour a half a bag of frozen fruit (usually summer fruits or just strawberries)  into the liquidiser (blender) cover with fruit juice (grape or cranberry are favoured chez moi) and whizz, adding more juice if necessary.  If I'm feeling really adventurous I'll add some yogurt.

Remember to rinse the liquidiser out immediately, makes wash up much easier.

Couldn't be easier.