Post by cooksferry on Mar 24, 2020 11:50:33 GMT 12
Aji a quick and easy sauce(?)from Chile which with the right mixture will encourage social distancing. We have most of the main ingredients from our garden except for the olive oil. I'm sure the original receipt uses some different ingredients but this blend has worked well. Adjust to taste but don't count on sharing too many intimate moments, it can be a fragrant mixture.
Olive oil chilies (fresh best) Garlic (fresh) Parsley salt pepper cumin seed(ground) oregano
basically thrown into blender and let rip. Adjust chilies and garlic to taste. Keeps well in the fridge for a long time . Mix with your basic tomato sauce for some zing , great on mousetraps,chops, steak etc. Keep the mixture fairly liquid.
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Post by Owen Y on Mar 24, 2020 12:06:20 GMT 12
A chilli sauce from Chile?
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Post by michaelw on Mar 24, 2020 12:10:30 GMT 12
more garlic guarantees social distancing
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Post by cooksferry on Mar 24, 2020 12:12:36 GMT 12
more garlic guarantees social distancing No Vampires either
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Post by colinf on Mar 25, 2020 1:31:02 GMT 12
Just tried the courgette pickle recipe, surprisingly good with cider vinegar! Why add sugar? Also I’d dice the courgette rather that cut thin slices. Our family do a variation with beetroot, onion and cider vinegar. Beetroot grows really well over here.
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by jon on Mar 25, 2020 12:13:57 GMT 12
The sugar is for taste and to balance the acidity. My kids like the balance above. Feel free to adjust to suit you.
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Post by jon on Mar 26, 2020 9:07:32 GMT 12
Driving into town yesterday, I saw a huge, really huge long drive-in queue on MacDonalds.
So figuring that people like their burgers here is my recipe:
Serves 4
500g minced meat (pork/lamb/beef) 1 Onion Grated Salt and Pepper Lots of dried herbs (Oregano is good, but so is thyme or sage or whatever)
Mix the whole lot up. Using a suitably sized ring form patties.
Cook for 4 minutes a side on medium heat.
Place in your burger bun stack, enjoy
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Post by jon on Mar 26, 2020 9:16:57 GMT 12
that recipe could do 5...
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Post by Owen Y on Mar 26, 2020 9:40:44 GMT 12
With 4 adults & a 2 year-old in the house this past year, we've been going through a bit of bread. A Panasonic breadmaker gets regular workout, but regular bread can get a bit boring. So, I've been making sourdough bread (a learning curve). By hand of course, which involves considerable manual work - which may explain why some places charge as much as $9 a loaf! A few examples (perhaps we could start a Sourdough thread)... An early effort, using a Tajine as a 'Dutch oven'. Using a Le Creuset pot as a Dutch oven. (Linseeds add excellent toasty flavour.)
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Post by michaelw on Mar 26, 2020 9:48:21 GMT 12
Artisan breads - yum not artesian as mouthed by a tv cook
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Post by jon on Mar 28, 2020 13:19:12 GMT 12
Awesome bread! A Bread thread might be really cool
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Post by jon on Mar 28, 2020 13:20:42 GMT 12
OK, for those in need of alcohol! May I present two drinks, I know it's meant to be a cooking thread, however Bitter and twistedBitters are very grown-up drinks, so this one’s for any self-respecting adult. It’s also ridiculously easy to make. Serves 1 2 parts (30ml, say) Campari 1 part (15ml) Fernet Branca 1 part (15ml) red vermouth (Punt e Mes, for preference) 1 part dry gin A few dashes of orange bitters 1 twist orange peel, to garnish Fill a rocks glass with a big handful of ice, pour in all the liquids, stir, garnish and serve. If the Bitter and Twisted doesn't do it for you. Then perhaps a classic may: Champagne Cocktail
Makes 1 serving Ingredients 1 sugar cube Angostura bitters Brandy Champagne Lemon or orange twist, for garnish Preparation Soak the sugar cube in Angostura bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Pour a capful of brandy on top Top with champagne, prosecco or a sparkling wine. Because of the Brandy, don't go expensive! Garnish with a lemon or orange twist. A little more complicated but really good!
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 6:16:47 GMT 12
My son has reached the remarkable age of 18. Remarkable because no one has killed him . Anyway, he has requested a special dinner and he and I have agreed on this. Poached Salmon, Beetroot Relish, Basil Mayonnaise with Chips and Salad Cake: "For Chocolate Lover's Only" by Marcel Desaulnier Pictures and recipe to follow!
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 11:52:39 GMT 12
Start the Chocolate Love Feast with the Cake
Ingredients 225g butter 225g 50% chocolate 10 medium egg yolks 100g sugar 8 egg whites
Eggs should be medium size...
Preheat oven to 170deg.c Butter and line 2X23cm cake tins with baking parchment.
Heat in a double boiler 195g butter and the chocolate, covered, for 10 mins. Remove from heat, stir until smooth. Set aside
Place eggs yolks and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater and mix on high for 3 mins until thick and lemon coloured.
Whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Fold chocolate into egg yolks. Add one quarter the egg whites and combine. Gently fold in the rest of the egg white.
Divide the mixture between the two tins, bake in the oven for 30 mins or so until a wooden cocktail sticks come out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 mins.
Take the parchment off and refrigerate for an hour...
NOTES. There is no flour in this. This is a gluten free cake, and it relies on the egg whites to rise. So it'really important that the egg whites rise properly.
The middle of the cake may well collapse, don't panic, it always does this.
Next part soon.
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Post by michaelw on Mar 31, 2020 14:09:09 GMT 12
don't forget photos
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 15:19:18 GMT 12
A photo of the finished cake, plus cutout will be forthcoming! Promise
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 15:35:21 GMT 12
Proceed with the Romantic Hazelnut Ganache. Ingredients 375ml Cream 500g 50% Chocolate in small pieces (quick method. Bang the slab on chocolate in its wrapping on the bench top. Repeat until broken up) 140g toasted hazelnuts. Ok, let's start with the nightmare... the darned hazelnuts. They always have their skins on, and that is what imparts a real bitterness to anything it is cooked with. Traditionally you do a roast and rub method, which for me never works. Ok, do the following which is much easier, tho' a little longer. Fill a LARGE saucepan with just enough water to cover the hazelnuts. Bring to the boil. Standing well back add 3 TABLESPOONS of baking soda. If your pan ain't big enough you will have your first flood. Onwards I hear you cry, so you then tip in your hazelnuts... and jump back because it's foamed over again. Honestly, I am slow on these things. It happened to me today, twice. Cook for 3 mins. take one out cool under tap water and see if the skin slips off. If it does not, another 30 seconds and test again. If it does, pour the rest into a colander and run water over it. Go through and rub the skins off each nut. Dry them off - takes around 30 minutes. Toast in an oven (175 deg.c) for 15 minutes. Done, phew. Well, almost. Chop them up into quarters, no more than 5mm big. Ok, the romantic bit, now we've dealt with the nuts.
Heat 375ml cream in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Place the 500g Chocolate in a bowl, pour over the boiling cream. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. If it don't stir, heat over a saucepan with water to encourage it to melt.
Pour 375ml of the ganache into yet another bowl, reserve the rest for the moment. add the chopped hazelnuts.
Romantic? Hmmm. Those danged nuts always do me in.
Almost there...
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Post by Owen Y on Mar 31, 2020 15:36:40 GMT 12
Meanwhile, a (sour) Plum Loaf from a few weeks back, when we were inundated with plums:
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 15:37:35 GMT 12
That loaf looks lovely.
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Post by michaelw on Mar 31, 2020 17:06:59 GMT 12
never seen a plum loaf before, email me a slice ?
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Pundit
Post by neilsan on Mar 31, 2020 19:44:48 GMT 12
Just finished off our blackberry pie and ice cream for dessert.My wife's the cook. Picked from the orchard hedge next door.
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Post by jon on Mar 31, 2020 20:11:01 GMT 12
Caressing the cake...
Ingredients
170g 50% Chocolate 375ml Cream 3 medium egg whites (you did save two from the main cake, yes?) 2 tablespoons sugar
Place the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler, heat for 10 minutes over boiling water. Stir until smooth
Whip the cream until soft peaks form Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar ad whip to stiff peaks.
Add a quarter of the cream to the chocolate mix, whisk quickly and vigourously thenadd to the egg whites, followed by the remaining cream. Refrigerate the mousse until needed.
Next step build the cake.
Tomorrow.
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Post by jon on Apr 1, 2020 5:39:27 GMT 12
Construct the love-in
Ok, important to note... Put in the refrigerator to cool the ardour down. You may need to create an extra tall space, by the way.
Place a cake on your plate, pour the hazelnut ganache on top and spread it out. Invert the other cake on top. The ganache will overflow, not to worry. Place in fridge for 30 minutes. Take out and trim the cake up of the overhanging edges. At the same time clean up the overflowed ganache.
Spread some of the chocolate mousse round the side of the cake. Chill for an hour in the refrigerator.
Take the cake out and pour the room temperature ganache over the top and sides.Place back in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the ganache.
Press the remaining hazelnuts on the side of the cake.
Use a large star nozzle pipe the remaining mousse onto the top of the cake. (Actually I ran out of time and could not do that. A simple pour over worked for my boy.)
Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving.
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Post by jon on Apr 1, 2020 5:42:24 GMT 12
So to cut and serve the cake, drop a bread knife into a large jug of boiling water to heat up. Use the hot knife to cut the cake. This is important... Really good.
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Post by michaelw on Apr 1, 2020 9:36:17 GMT 12
that looks absolutely decadent more !
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Post by jon on Apr 1, 2020 9:51:23 GMT 12
I will be making Chocolate Exquisite Pain in April for SWMBO
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Post by jon on Apr 3, 2020 8:04:57 GMT 12
I cooked pancakes, well, crepes really, this morning.
Ingredients
1 Cup Flour Milk (quantity see below) 2 Eggs Pinch of salt
Butter
Place flour, eggs and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add milk and whisk. You are aiming for a cream consistency.
Heat a fry-pan over medium-high heat (for at least 2 minutes). Add a little butter, you should hear an instant sizzle. Tilt pan to allow butter to cover base.
Add batter, for an 8" pan, two tablespoons should be enough. Cook through to dry on top side (around 30 seconds). Flip crepe and cook other side for same amount of time.
If it sticks, then your pan was not hot enough or clean enough (I've had both). Throw out and try again!
Slide out and do another. You should get 8 - 12 crepes for that quantity.
Serve with whatever you fancy. Turn them into Cannelloni... These are very flexible.
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Post by Owen Y on Apr 3, 2020 12:47:25 GMT 12
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Post by jon on Apr 3, 2020 13:51:54 GMT 12
Nice
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Post by foveaux on Apr 3, 2020 15:35:44 GMT 12
just out of the oven: herb and parmesan focaccia - I do this for our wine and nibbles platter. Used to be Saturday evenings, but moved to Fridays since 'retirement'
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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