Testing Times

Of necessity this is going to be a short post right now.  I am sure you have all heard about the devastating earthquake that rocked our city on Tuesday, and I am humbled more than I can say for all the kind thoughts and wishes that so many of you have sent me from around the world.

I am fortunate to be safe and unhurt, and have wonderful family taking care of me.  You can see in this picture the state of my kitchen right now, so I hope you understand why I'm not cooking (no power either) and blogging right now.

Communication is not always easy either, so if you have sent me a message or comment and I haven't replied yet please forgive me, but please keep your messages coming - you cannot imagine how grateful I am for them right now and how much they mean to me.  So I am getting your messages, but it is not always easy to respond.

Right now I am very much focussed on just trying to function and do the things that I absolutely have to get done.  My whole future is completely uncertain right now, and I have no idea what lies ahead, but please know that I will eventually get back to you - it just might take me a few weeks.

There is really much more to say, but right at the moment it is all too raw - I will share more with you in the time ahead, but for now I just wanted to let you all know that I am safe and to say thanks.  It may be a few weeks before I am back to any kind of regular posting, but I hope you will keep me in your hearts and keep coming back to my blog.

Make it with ..... Mondays # 8

Thanks for stopping by and joining me for another "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge.

Today we bring an end to challenge almonds, and you all absolutely excelled yourselves, bringing some stunning dishes to the table.  Almonds is obviously an ingredient that many of you really like to use, and it turned up in all manner of cakes, tarts and cookies, as well as in healthy salads, pestos and sauces, granola and snack bars.  So many of these recipes that I want to try, I think I need to start buying almonds by the sackful instead of by the cupful.  So, do go and check out all the entries - I'm sure you'll find plenty of both delicious and healthy recipes to inspire you.

A reminder also, that challenge cornmeal is still open for another week (closing midday Monday 28 February - NZ time).  So keep those cornmeal recipes coming - remember that you can link up as many posts as you like (as long as cornmeal, in any form, is one of the ingredients), and linking up old posts is fine too.  There have been some great posts submitted already, and I can't wait to see what else you can come up with.

Now it's time to turn our attention to this week's special ingredient .....

Coffee

Several species of the small evergreen bush from the genus Coffea are grown in over 70 countries, mostly in southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa - Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia are by far the biggest producers.  There are two main species cultivated:  Coffea arabica, which is the original and more highly regarded species, and which accounts for approximately 75% of the coffee cultivated worldwide;  and Coffea canephora (also known as robusta), which although more bitter and less flavourful, tends to be more full bodied and has 40-50% more caffeine than arabica - as a result it finds its way into many commercial blends and espresso blends not only to reduce costs but also to deliver more full-bodied taste and better crema.

The evergreen Coffea shrubs have dark green, glossy leaves, and produce fragrant white blossoms, followed by small oval shaped berries.  The berries are green when immature, then turn yellow, crimson, and once dried black, and each berry usually contains two seeds (what we know as coffee beans).

The berries are picked when ripe - traditionally this was done by hand, picking each berry at its peak of ripeness.  Obviously, this is very labour intensive and more commonly now all the berries are picked (either by hand or machine) at the same time, regardless of degree of ripeness.

The beans are then processed, dried and finally roasted.  Green, unroasted coffee is apparently one of the world's most traded agricultural commodities and, after water and tea, is the third most popular drink in the world.

So now it's time to get cooking - put your thinking cap on, get creative, and see what you can come up with.  You may use coffee in any form - brewed or beans, instant or fresh, sweet or savoury applications - the choice is yours.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

There are really only two rules for participating in this event:

1. Your post must feature this week's ingredient.  If, however, over time you have found a good substitute when you come across this ingredient in recipes (maybe because you don't like it, or it's not readily available in your area, or someone in your family has an allergy to it, or you use a vegan or gluten-free substitute), then, please tell us about it, show us what you use instead and explain to us why, and then of course link up - this is after all a learning experience and it's good to know about alternatives.
2. Your blog post must link back to this post and mention "Make it with ..... Mondays"

That's it - create your post (or feel free to link up an old post if you have one that uses this week's ingredient);  multiple posts are welcome;  then scroll down to the bottom of this page where you will see a small box that says "You are next, click here to enter". Click on that link, and follow the simple instructions - please link directly to your post, not just your blog home page.

Want to join in but don't have a blog?  No problem - just email me your thoughts, ideas and recipes, and I'll include them in a round-up the following week.  To email me just go to the "Contact Me" button on my sidebar.

If you would like to use a badge in your post, simply copy the code in the box beneath the badge below and paste it into your post.  Feel free to also use it in your sidebar if you wish.

<a href="http://couscous-consciousness.blogspot.com/p/make-it-with-mondays.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/Susan_Busch/5308633012_ba44e6bfb1_m.jpg" border="0" alt="MakeItWithMondays"></a>

Please link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge coffee using the linky at the bottom of this page.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 7 March (NZT).

Please go to this page to link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge cornmeal.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 28 February (NZT).

Last of all, before you get linking, here is a preview of what's coming up over the next 4 weeks:

Week commencing Monday 28 February - we're making it with tamarind
Week commencing Monday 7 March - we're making it with pomegranate molasses
Week commencing Monday 14 March - we're making it with chilli
Week commencing Monday 21 March - we're making it with pistachios

Sasa's Lemon Yoghurt Cake

Now, I know that I have told you before about one of my favourite blogs, Sasasunakku, and today as part of my new Forward Friday that I told you about last week, I'm sharing with you this gorgeous Lemon Yoghurt Cake.

I know I'm actually a day early, but I'm just about to fly out the door, headed to Auckland for my brother's wedding  - that means a long weekend of fun family time ahead, and no blog time.   Since I'm staying at my cousins and didn't want to arrive empty-handed, I whipped up this cake last night.  Without doubt, the easiest cake I have ever made, and I can't wait to get into it - sure hope Cindy will be sharing!

Have a great weekend everyone, try this wonderful cake, and I'll catch you back here on Monday.

Roasted Pear Salad with Lardons, Gorgonzola & Pine Nuts - Charcutepalooza # 1

A couple of days ago I told you that I had joined up with the blogging group Charcutepalooza to participate in a year of charcuterie challenges.  The group was founded by Mrs Wheelbarrow and The Yummy Mummy, who are acting as co-hosts and mentors.  We will be working from Michael Ruhlman's book "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking & Curing", and indeed Michael Ruhlman has also been offering support to the group as we learn, share and explore this age old craft. 

As I mentioned the other day, because we are still in the midst of a New Zealand summer, I have so far been unable to participate in the first challenge of making duck prosciutto, but I can't wait to give this a go when the weather turns cooler.

I was, however, very excited when the second challenge of curing our own bacon was announced.  In actual fact we had a choice of making bacon or pancetta but, since the same challenges present themselves for hanging pancetta as hanging duck breasts, bacon it was to be.

Now The Ruhls of the group preclude me from giving you the recipe for curing the bacon (go and buy the book), or have a good look around on the website for guidance.  What I can tell you though is that curing your own bacon is one of the easiest and yet most satisfying things you will ever do in your own kitchen.  Not only that, the end results are so absolutely outstanding you won't ever want to buy bacon again (well you probably will, but it won't be the same). 

Make no mistake, people, this is life changing stuff - once you are finished you will marvel at your own cleverness.  Not only that, the amount of credit others will give you for your cleverness is actually out of all proportion to the amount of effort it took to get this much kudos.  No matter, just suck it up.  But more importantly, I believe that in these times of blatant over-commercialism and convenience, when we can pick up a packet of just about anything from the supermarket, we lose so much consideration and respect for where our food really comes from.  Not only that, the increasing availability of so much product (I'm not even going to call it food) that can literally travel directly from the supermarket shelf to your plate (maybe a pass through the microwave if its lucky) has caused us also to lose a great deal of consideration and respect for our own health and well-being (physically, emotionally, spiritually) and that of our families.  What causes obesity? - convenience and not caring.  Okay, I know that is an over-simplification, and I can hear some of you screaming at me through the ether as I write, but you get where I'm coming from, don't you? I truly believe that every step we take in getting closer to the source of our food is a step in the right direction in so many ways.  When we begin to think about the land that produces our food, we will more likely take better care of it;  when we start to think about the animals that give up their lives to feed us, we will more likely take better care of them too;  and when we really start to think about the food we are preparing and feeding to our families, we will almost certainly take better care of them too.  Enough said, because you all know I could really go on here!  End of sermon - go make bacon.

As I just said the process is incredibly simple.  A mixture of salt (see note below**), pepper, herbs, spices and sugar are mixed together to make a paste ....

... then massaged into a piece of free-range pork belly ...

... and then left to cure for several days, before a final roasting ...

... after which your bacon will be ready to cook as normal.

I can tell you that, in order to give a uniquely New Zealand flavour to my bacon, I replaced some of the ingredients in my cure with manuka honey and kawakawa (New Zealand bush basil).  I also added a few drops of liquid hickory smoke, for a touch of smokey flavour. We have a commercial brand of bacon here in New Zealand called Kiwi bacon - an abiding childhood memory of growing up in Auckland was driving past the Kiwi bacon factory which used to have an enormous kiwi bird on the roof that went round and round in circles - I like to think what I've done here is a new "spin" on kiwi bacon.

You might get a good laugh out of this TV commercial that used to air here for Kiwi bacon.

(**Note:  I was unable to get any pink curing salt, so just left it out and used only Maldon sea salt.  As predicted, when the bacon first starts to cook it turns a kind of brownish-grey colour (I know that doesn't sound very appealing) rather than retaining the "pinkness" that we normally associate with bacon, but by the time it has browned and crisped completely, it looks and tastes sensational.  All the flavours of the herbs and garlic definitely come through, resulting in a taste unlike any other bacon I have ever tasted.)

I enjoyed my bacon, in this simple but delicious salad ...

Roasted Pear Salad with Lardons, Gorgonzola & Pine Nuts Recipe

For each person:

bacon, from free-range pork, cut into lardons - as much as you like

1x small pear for each person, quartered and cored

assorted salad leaves

generous handful of Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

generous handful of pine nuts or walnuts, toasted

extra virgin olive oil

white balsamic vinegar

Cook lardons in hot pan, until golden and crispy and some of its fat has rendered out.  Remove lardons from pan and set on a paper towel to drain, leaving as much of the fat behind in the pan as possible.

Add the quartered pears to the pan, adding a little bit of olive oil if there is not enough fat left from the bacon.

Arrange salad leaves on a plate or platter.  Sprinkle over crumbled Gorgonzola.  As soon as the pears are ready remove them from the pan and arrange over the leaves, pour over any juices from the pan, sprinkle over the lardons and toasted nuts.

Drizzle over a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of white balsamic vinegar.

I enjoyed this with some crusty bread and a glass of chardonnay.

This post is linked to Charcutepalooza

Make it with ..... Mondays # 7

Thanks for stopping by and joining me for another "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge.

Today we closed the door on challenge Nutella, and you all brought some stunning dishes to the table - it's pretty clear that this is a popular ingredient, and you used it to fill  cookies, tarts, ravioli, even sandwiches, as well as in ice cream and sauces.  I want to try every one of these receipes,  though that might possibly require investing in a new wardrobe.  I think I'm rather relieved that nobody came up with any kind of savoury application for Nutella, though having said that it could maybe work its way into something like a mole.  Do go and check out all the entries - I'm sure you'll find plenty of inspiration to either fill your cake tins or grace your next dessert table.

A reminder also, that challenge almond is still open for another week (closing midday Monday 21 February - NZ time).  So keep those almond recipes coming - remember that you can link up as many posts as you like (as long as almond, in any form, is one of the ingredients), and linking up old posts is fine too.  There have been some great posts submitted already, and I know that many of you have been making wonderful treats for Valentines Day, so do stop by and link them up.

Now it's time to turn our attention to this week's special ingredient .....

Cornmeal

Now I know that I did tell you previously that our ingredient this week was going to be polenta, but in actual fact what I really meant was cornmeal.  You see, because polenta is usually what I make out of cornmeal I tend to refer to the grain as polenta.  So to set the record straight, polenta is a dish (rather porridge like in consistency) made from boiling ground cornmeal.

Cornmeal is ground from dried maize or corn, and comes in a fine, medium or coarse grind.  In Africa, white cornmeal is more traditional, where it is a staple food often made into a dish similar to polenta or grits.  Many other countries around the world make similar type dishes, or use cornmeal in breads, fritters, snack foods, and as breading to coat other foods.

So now it's time to get cooking - put your thinking cap on, get creative, and see what you can come up with.  You may use cornmeal in any form - you could make polenta or grits, make cornbread, muffins or cakes, or use it to make a crispy coating maybe for chicken or fish.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

There are really only two rules for participating in this event:

1. Your post must feature this week's ingredient.  If, however, over time you have found a good substitute when you come across this ingredient in recipes (maybe because you don't like it, or it's not readily available in your area, or someone in your family has an allergy to it, or you use a vegan or gluten-free substitute), then, please tell us about it, show us what you use instead and explain to us why, and then of course link up - this is after all a learning experience and it's good to know about alternatives.
2. Your blog post must link back to this post and mention "Make it with ..... Mondays"

That's it - create your post (or feel free to link up an old post if you have one that uses this week's ingredient);  multiple posts are welcome;  then scroll down to the bottom of this page where you will see a small box that says "You are next, click here to enter". Click on that link, and follow the simple instructions - please link directly to your post, not just your blog home page.

Want to join in but don't have a blog?  No problem - just email me your thoughts, ideas and recipes, and I'll include them in a round-up the following week.  To email me just go to the "Contact Me" button on my sidebar.

If you would like to use a badge in your post, simply copy the code in the box beneath the badge below and paste it into your post.  Feel free to also use it in your sidebar if you wish.

<a href="http://couscous-consciousness.blogspot.com/p/make-it-with-mondays.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/Susan_Busch/5308633012_ba44e6bfb1_m.jpg" border="0" alt="MakeItWithMondays"></a>

Please link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge cornmeal using the linky at the bottom of this page.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 28 February (NZT).

Please go to this page to link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge almonds.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 21 February (NZT).

Last of all, before you get linking, here is a preview of what's coming up over the next 4 weeks:

Week commencing Monday 21 February - we're making it with coffee
Week commencing Monday 28 February - we're making it with tamarind
Week commencing Monday 7 March - we're making it with pomegranate molasses
Week commencing Monday 14 March - we're making it with chilli

Amaretti Torta

I would love to start out this post by sharing with you great tales of passion and unrequited love, since our theme this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs is "That's Amore".  Truth is, I'm just all out of time this week for lengthy tales and sharing.  So, instead I'm going to share with you my favourite love poem, and then I'm going to share with you a slice of this Amaretti Torta from our current food goddess, Giada de Laurentiis, who I'm sure is no stranger to love (I mean seriously, just look at her).  So, first up, here's the poem ...

"i carry your heart with me"

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

- by E E Cummings

Now on to the cake.  I've told you before that I can't bake, and it is absolutely true that I can't. So you could have absolutely knocked me over with a feather when I took my first mouthful of this and it was so good I almost swooned.  I was somehow expecting moist and kind of dense (maybe because my baked goods almost always end up being rather dense, need I say more).  Well, it is indeed moist, but also beautifully light.  It's not overly rich, and the bitter almond taste of the amaretti cookies and the bitterness of the marmalade cuts through the sweetness, in quite an unexpected way.  The overall quality of this cake is definitely more delicate than it looks, and the taste is bitter-sweet - rather like love itself don't you think.

I made a couple of minor changes - firstly I used dark, bitter chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet ones that were called for;  secondly, the original recipe called for two tablespoons of an orange-flavoured liqueur such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier - since I didn't have any of those I used a combination of vanilla extract and rum.  I love bitter flavours, and so I adore the marmalade topping on this, but if that's not your thing apricot or even raspberry jam would make a great substitute.

Amaretti Torta Recipe

Adapted from recipe by Giada de Laurentiis

From Giada's Kitchen

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

20 amaretti cookies

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

225g (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

5 large free-range organic eggs, separated

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon rum

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Topping:

1/4 cup orange marmalade

8 amaretti cookies, crushed

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F).  Grease a 25 cm (10 inch) round, springform cake pan, lining the base with baking parchment paper.

Put the 20 amaretti cookies and chocolate chips into the bowl of a food processor, and blitz until the mixture is very finely chopped.  Set aside.

Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and, using an electric beater, cream until pale yellow.  Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each one, before adding the next.  Once all the eggs have been added, continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Add the vanilla and rum.  Then with the mixer on low speed, add the flour and the amaretti/chocolate mixture, mixing well after each addition.

In another bowl, and using clean beaters, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Add approximately a third of the beaten egg whites to the cake batter and mix until combined and batter is slightly loosened.  Then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until just barely combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, gently level the top.  Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in its tin, on a wire rack, for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the tin and allow to cool to room temperature.  Spread the marmalade evenly over the top of the cake, and sprinkle the crushed amaretti cookies over the top.

This is still beautifully moist on the second day, and I can see that it will keep for several more days.  It's also great for breakfast - don't raise your eyebrows at me - it has marmalade on it, that makes it breakfast food!

I hope you'll give this Torta a try and share it with someone you love.

Interested in getting to know Giada a bit better?  Then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all been cooking up ....

.... or check out Giada's Kitchen and many of her other titles, available from Amazon, Book Depository UK and Fishpond NZ

       

This post is also a contribution to Make it with ..... Mondays challenge almonds - the linky will remain open until Monday 21 February, so keep those almond recipes coming.  Remember you can use almonds in any form - ground, whole, almond milk, almond liqueur, almond cookies, almond extract - whatever tickles your almond fancy.

Bacon, Booze and other Bits and Bobs

It's been a funny old week really.  I don't really seem to have done too much cooking this week, more a case of just assembling a few salads really, but I have had several "cooking projects" on the go.

First of all has been my first attempt at curing my own bacon, the first project in which I'm participating for the Charcutepalooza group, hosted by Mrs Wheelbarrow's Kitchen and The Yummy Mummy.  I would have liked to start last month, but last month's challenge was duck prosciutto - sounds amazing right, and I so want to try this.  Problem is you need a cool humid place to hang your breasts (yes I did just say that), and that's just not happening in a hot, dry Canterbury summer - so keep watching this space for duck prosciutto when winter comes around.  In the meantime here's a first glimpse of my bacon - today's lunch in fact - about which you will be hearing much more next week.

Project # 2 - my dear friend Clare, who has just started a lovely blog called Arnold River Ramblings (where she shares great recipes and tales from their home on the banks of the Arnold River on the South Island west coast), dropped me off a few pounds of damsons.  These are not something I had ever used before, so I turned to a book I've had for years called Jams and Preserves by Olive Odell for inspiration.  The moment my eyes rested on Damson Gin in the index, I knew this would have a place in my future. Looks beautiful, doesn't it ...

Now I'm supposed to let this mature for a minimum of 3 months.  Other recipes I found for Damson Gin suggest leaving it for 6, 12 or even 18 months.  I'm thinking that 9-10 months would be perfect, in which case it would be ready just in time for Christmas, and all those glorious summer cocktails to enjoy on long, warm summer evenings.  I question, however, my ability to wait that long, so I'm thinking I may need to make a back up bottle just in case!

Once my Damson Gin was made, I got so ridiculously excited about my ability to make liquor, that I decided to make what I imagine will turn into a kind of coffee/orange liqueur.  This is a recipe from Laura Calder called "44" that I had been wanting to make for many months.  You simply take an orange and poke 44 holes in it, then push a coffee bean into each one of those holes - got that so far? 44 coffee beans pushed into an orange.  Then put the coffee bean studded orange into a large glass jar, and add 44 sugar cubes.  Fill with one litre of vodka, seal jar, and store in a cool, dark place, giving it a shake every day for 44 days.  Not that I'm counting or anything, but only 43 days to go!

Now, to those "bits and bobs" I mentioned.  Quite a while back (about October actually - I know, I'm pretty slack) two of my favourite bloggers Veronica at The Enchanted Cook and Michele at The Fit Foodista tagged me.  To cut a long story short, I was supposed to answer a few questions that each of them asked and pass it on to a few more bloggers and ask them to do the same.  Well, I just didn't get around to it.  Not long after I was given the "One Lovely Blog" Award by two more lovely bloggers - Louanne's Kitchen and Kitchen Flavours - similar deal, answer some questions and pass it on - did I get around to it?  In short - no.  Then more recently I was given the "Stylish Blogger" Award again by Louanne's Kitchen (she must really like me), by Melynda at Mom's Sunday Cafe, by Daniel at The Haggis & The Herring, by Ms Enplace, and by Annie at Second Helpings.  So I thought it was high time I got my act together and did a bit of sharing.

Firstly, let me say that I am deeply humbled by the kind thoughts and high praise these bloggers have bestowed on me.  The open-heartedness with which fellow bloggers reach out to each other across continents, making connections with people they've never met, never ceases to amaze and inspire me and is what makes this whole thing worthwhile for me.  So, now to share a bit about me, I selected several of the questions from those that were asked from different sources - read on ...

 

If you had to narrow down your diet to just one cuisine, what would you choose and why?

I love so many different cuisines that narrowing it down to just one is tough - I think it would probably be Italian (but it would only be nudging out Spanish or Greek by a nose).  I love pretty much all of the ingredients that we associate with Mediterranean style food;  I love the often very simple and rustic way in which dishes come together, relying on nothing more than outstanding, seasonal ingredients rather than a lot of fancy or "chefy" techniques to pull off a great dish.

What has been your most memorable meal to this point in your life?

Don't even have to think about this one.  It was a rabbit dish that I had at a little restaurant in Barcelona called The Grill Room.  It was quite a simple little restaurant as I recall, but the rabbit was outstanding.  Half a rabbit was placed on a long skewer, carried through the restaurant and plunged into an open wood-fired oven at the back of of the restaurant.  I could see the rabbit cooking from our table, and half an hour later it was brought out of the oven and set before me.  It had been given only the simplest of treatment - a brushing of olive oil, some fresh rosemary, and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper - but it tasted sublime.  Proof once again that good food doesn't need to be messed with.

What’s your funniest kitchen/cooking disaster?

One time when we were kids (me about 7, my little brother about 5), my brother fell out of a tree and badly gashed his knee.  My mother rushed him off to the doctor to get it stitched up and, anticipating that Dad would be home from work soon, left me home alone.  While I was waiting for Dad to get home, I got to thinking that there had been a lot of blood "coming out of my brother" and he might die.  Well, even though I found a little brother enormously irritating at that stage of my life, I really didn't want him to die.  Just on the off chance that he might live, however, I decided to bake him a jam tart.  So, I duly got out my play dough, found a pretty plastic bowl in the cupboard, lined it with a play dough crust, filled it to the brim with jam, turned the oven onto high and popped my "pie" into the oven.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to imagine the mess that made!!

What's your favourite kitchen/cooking success?

A week ago, I think I would have said the first time I made mayonnaise and discovered how easy it is.  However, as of today, I think it would have to be the first time I cured my own bacon (see above) - I'm loving myself sick I think I'm so clever right now.

What are your three “go to ingredients” that are always on hand in your kitchen?

Lemons, good extra virgin olive oil, and garlic.

What's your earliest food memory?

Spending a childhood Saturday afternoon in my grandparents kitchen while they made preparations for Sunday lunch.  Nana grinding spices, rolling little balls of lamb, while Grandad grated fresh coconut, for Kofta Curry;  Nana rolling balls of dough for parantha;  and Grandad rolling balls of "cottage cheese", deep frying them and bathing them in rose water, making galub jamun.

Why do you like to cook – what about it makes you head back into the kitchen again and again?

The opportunity to cook for others is an opportunity to show them how much I care for them - it is an expression of love.  Time in the kitchen is always a time of real peacefulness for me - a kind of meditation in a way, and a time in which I feel connected with my "food memories" and the cooks who came before me.

So, now we get to the hard part, and I guess this is why I've been avoiding this for so long.  I am supposed to pass this on to several other bloggers.  My difficulty with that is that I am reluctant to bestow an obligation on anyone who doesn't want to play along, and secondly there are so many of you out there that I love I just can't whittle my list down to a dozen or so "worthy recipients".  So I've decided on another way of playing it forward.  I frequently cook dishes that I come across on your blogs, and when I do I try to make a point of stopping by and leaving a comment on your post letting you know that I made it.  But it occurs to me that it would be even better to let my readers know that I made it, and make a regular feature of the things I make from your blogs - a real Forward Friday, if you like.

So kicking that off this week I want to tell you about this Lentil & Potato Curry ...

This is actually a Mark Bittman recipe from How to Cook Everything, but I first came across it over at girlichef, a blog that never fails to inspire me.  Heather has a way with words that literally pulls you into the kitchen alongside her, and takes photos that would pretty much make a bowl of dirt look appealing.  So the moment I saw this Lentils and Potatoes with Curry I knew I wanted to make it.  Heather did not let me down - the dish did not disappoint, and it has become a regular favourite in my kitchen.  Thanks so much for the inspiration Heather.

Lastly, thank you to all of you who take the time to read my blog, to leave your thoughtful comments and offer your encouragement and support - it means more to me than I could ever say.

I'm also submitting this post to the Hearth and Soul blog hop, a place where you'll find lots of wonderful people who are passionate about great food and cooking from the heart - do go and have a look at what they're all cooking this week.

Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

This is hands-down the simplest and possibly the best chocolate ice cream you will ever come across.  Several months ago I came across a recipe for a Nutella ice cream on another blog, and I made it several times and absolutely loved it.  I use regular Nutella for this, although the original recipe called for vegan Nutella so you can certainly use that to make a vegan version.  I thought that I had originally found the recipe on a blog called Voracious (which was previously The Voracious Vegan), but on revisiting to link back to it I have been unable to find it.  So if you belong to the original copy of this recipe or know who does - please let me know so that I can link to it.

Most of the time, I make this just plain, but because I had a beautiful big bowl of fresh, fat, cherries to use, and inspired by the idea of Black Forest Gateau (let's face it cherries and chocolate are a marriage made in heaven), I stirred a pile of them into the freshly churned ice cream.

Now I've had chocolate ice cream before with cherries in, and the cherries have always stayed kind of soft - mine kind of froze.  I guess the difference (which I didn't think of at the time) is normally glace cherries would be used, and I'm assuming that because of the high sugar content they don't freeze.   So I realise that next time, if I'm to use fresh cherries, I probably need to poach them first in some sugar syrup.  Nevertheless, by the time the ice cream comes out of the freezer, and sits long enough to be "scoopable" (probably not a real word I know, but you understand what I mean), the cherries have also softened somewhat.

So how do you make this wonderful and simple ice cream?  You are not going to believe this.

Put equal quantities of Nutella (use vegan if that is your preference) and coconut cream - I used 1-1/2 cups of each - into a medium sized bowl and using an electric mixer beat until combined.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers directions.  Once churned, remove to a plastic tub, stir in fruit if using, and put into freezer to firm up.  You could try a variety of different fruits in this - or even add chocolate chips and or nuts.

This post is a contribution to Make it with ... Mondays challenge Nutella - the linky will be open until Monday 14 February, so keep those Nutella posts coming, and don't forget to keep your almond posts coming too - the almond linky is open here and will remain open until Monday 21 February.

I'm also linking this to the Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent Blog Hop.  Although I normally like to try and offer a reasonably healthy entry, it's all out decadence this week and I make no apology for it.

Make it with ..... Mondays # 6

Thanks for stopping by and joining me for another "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge.

Today we closed the door on challenge paprika, and you all brought some great dishes to the table.  Some of you hadn't used this ingredient before, so as always it was great to see you step out of your comfort zone and give it a try.   An interesting observation I made with this challenge, is that even though, as mentioned, many of you "stepped out of your comfort zone", almost all of you ended up with dishes that could often be considered "comfort food".   For my own part, I finally got to share with you my Chicken & Chorizo Paella, which had been languishing in draft for about 8 months, and I discovered a new favourite - Bittman's Simplest & Best Shrimp Dish.  So do go and check out all the entries - there are many great dishes there - all very colourful, flavourful and many deeply comforting.

A reminder also, that challenge Nutella is still open for another week (closing midday Monday 14 February - NZ time).  So keep those Nutella recipes coming - remember that you can link up as many posts as you like (as long as Nutella is one of the ingredients), and linking up old posts is fine too.  There have been some great posts submitted already, and I know that many of you have been making wonderful treats for World Nutella Day and forthcoming Valentines Day, so do stop by and link them up.  I shared with you last week my Grilled Pineapple with Nutella - proof, in my opinion, that a decadent dessert can still be relatively healthy.  I'll also be sharing with you this week my Chocolate Cherry Nutella Ice Cream - this is nothing less than a taste sensation - you won't want to miss this one. 

Now it's time to turn our attention to this week's special ingredient .....

Almonds

Almonds are the edible seeds of the almond tree, native to Southern Asia and the Middle East.  Almond trees generally begin to bear fruit after about 5 years, with the fruit coming to maturity  in autumn (about 7-8 months after flowering).

Although we generally think of almonds as nuts, they are in fact not a nut, but what is known as a drupe.  The seed that we eat grows inside a hard shell, which itself grows inside an outer hull. In the case of the almond this outer hull is a thick, leathery coating, which would be fleshy in other members of its species such as plums and cherries.

Approximately 1.7 million tonnes of almonds are produced worldwide each year, with around 80% of that coming from California.  Other major producers are Spain, Syria, Italy, Iran, and Morocco, with smaller quantities also coming from Algeria, Tunisia, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon and China.

There are two varieties of plants - one which produces sweet almonds, and one which produces bitter almonds.  Almonds have a multitude of culinary uses and nutritional benefits.  Almonds are low in carbohydrates and high in dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats, and regular consumption of almonds has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and developing diabetes.  The use of almond flour or meal is a great substitute in cakes and breads for those on a carbohydrate-restricted diet, and because almond flour is also gluten-free it is a popular substitute for those with wheat allergies and intolerances.  Almonds are also a rich source of vitamin E;  consumption is claimed to improve complexion, as well as increase HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and reduce LDL-cholesterol;  and Ayurvedic health practitioners believe that almonds provide nutrients for the brain and nervous system, thereby raising intellect and promoting longevity.

So now it's time to get cooking - put your thinking cap on, get creative, and see what you can come up with.  You may use almonds in any form - whole nuts, smoked, blanched, roasted, slivered or flaked;  almond flour/meal;  almond butter;  marzipan;  almond milk;  almond oil, or even an almond liqueur.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

There are really only two rules for participating in this event:

1. Your post must feature this week's ingredient.  If, however, over time you have found a good substitute when you come across this ingredient in recipes (maybe because you don't like it, or it's not readily available in your area, or someone in your family has an allergy to it, or you use a vegan or gluten-free substitute), then, please tell us about it, show us what you use instead and explain to us why, and then of course link up - this is after all a learning experience and it's good to know about alternatives.
2. Your blog post must link back to this post and mention "Make it with ..... Mondays"

That's it - create your post (or feel free to link up an old post if you have one that uses this week's ingredient);  multiple posts are welcome;  then scroll down to the bottom of this page where you will see a small box that says "You are next, click here to enter". Click on that link, and follow the simple instructions - please link directly to your post, not just your blog home page.

Want to join in but don't have a blog?  No problem - just email me your thoughts, ideas and recipes, and I'll include them in a round-up the following week.  To email me just go to the "Contact Me" button on my sidebar.

If you would like to use a badge in your post, simply copy the code in the box beneath the badge below and paste it into your post.  Feel free to also use it in your sidebar if you wish.

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Please link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge almonds using the linky at the bottom of this page.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 21 February (NZT).

Please go to this page to link your posts for "Make it with ..... Mondays" challenge Nutella.  The linky will be open until 11.59am Monday 14 February (NZT).

Last of all, before you get linking, here is a preview of what's coming up over the next 4 weeks:

Week commencing Monday 14 February - we're making it with polenta
Week commencing Monday 21 February - we're making it with coffee
Week commencing Monday 28 February - we're making it with tamarind
Week commencing Monday 7 March - we're making it with pomegranate molasses

Bittman's Simplest & Best Shrimp Dish

The dish I'm sharing with you today comes from Mark Bittman's weighty tome, "How to Cook Everything" (though I actually referenced it on the HTCE iPhone application), and is another contribution to Make it with ..... Mondays, challenge paprika as well as to the latest Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop.

"The Simplest & Best Shrimp Dish" is Bittman's own title for this dish and, to be honest, it is so good and so deliciously simple that it is hard to imagine a more fitting name for it.  If you buy shrimp which have already been peeled and cleaned, then the only work involved is a bit of garlic preparation and parsley chopping - hardly what you would call labour intensive.  The actual cooking is even less demanding.  I served this dish with some saffron rice, and the shrimps can basically be prepped and cooked in the time it takes to cook the rice, which is what I call perfect timing.

The sauce is gloriously garlicky and redolent with the smoky aroma of the paprika, and was beautiful served over rice, but would be equally good with some pasta or fresh crusty bread to mop up all that wonderful sauce.  This dish would also be perfect served with a variety of other dishes as part of a selection of tapas.

Of one thing you can be certain - no matter which way you serve this, you will be asked for it over and over again.

The Simplest & Best Shrimp Dish Recipe

Adapted from Mark Bittman's

How to Cook Everything

Makes 2 generous servings

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

extra virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

300g shrimp, peeled and deveined

flaky sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon hot paprika

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Pour enough extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet to liberally cover the bottom of the pan.  Set the pan over low heat, warm the oil, add the garlic, and cook until it turns golden.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp.  Sprinkle over some flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;  add the cumin, and the paprika.  Stir to blend and continue to cook, shaking the pan occasionally and turning the shrimp over a couple of times, until they are pink and the mixture is bubbly - about 5 minutes.

Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Interested in cooking some more with Mark Bittman?  I highly recommend any of these Mark Bittman books:

     

Available from Amazon, Book Depository UK, and Fishpond NZ

This post is submitted to "Making it with ..... Mondays" # 4, challenge paprika (there's still time to join in - linky will be open until 11.59 am, Monday 7 February) and the Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop Volume 4 (linky will be open until 11.59 pm, Thursday 10 February).  I'd love you to get cooking either with some paprika or Bittman, or maybe a combination of both, then come on over and join in the fun.

     

This post is also linked to "Let's Do Brunch" at My Sweet & Savory and Food on Friday hosted by Carole at Carole's Chatter.