This Week's Recipe: Bread and Butter Pudding

Why Bread and Butter Pudding?

Anything that is crunchy, creamy, vanilla scented and has a golden crust all at once is simply irresistible. Bread and butter pudding ticks all boxes and even more.

Honestly I try not to make bread and butter pudding at home because I generally end up eating most of it by myself. However, I have had an immense craving after missing out by one portion of a spectacular looking version at a restaurant earlier this week.

I can now say my craving has been met with a delicious marmalade and brioche bread and butter pudding sitting happily in my stomach.

I use brioche or sweet bread for my pudding, as I love the buttery depth it gives. I also like to add a bitter marmalade to balance the sweetness but feel free to substitute the marmalade with jam of fruit.


Ingredients
50-75g unsalted butter, softened
1 brioche loaf (or panettone)
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup whole fat milk
1 cup double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons marmalade or jam
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Butter a deep gratin or pie plate approximately 1 litre in capacity.

Slice the brioche dough and butter one side. Spread with marmalade and make a sandwich with another slice of bread, continue with the whole loaf. Cut sandwiches into triangles and arrange in the dish so that some pointy ends stick out and others are flush with the base of the dish trying to overlap each slice slightly.

In a bowl whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, cream, caster sugar and vanilla. Pour gently over and around the bread.

Allow the pudding to sit for 15 minutes to soak up the egg mixture. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes until firm. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6

Bon Appetite

Make your own....Pizza Dough

Pizza the ultimate universal snack food originated in Italy, where simple ingredients are scattered on a thin bread base, topped with creamy white mozzarella and cooked in a wood fire oven. The result - perfection in flavour. Go to Italy and you are always delighted at how something so simple can taste so good.

Around the world however, pizza has lost its humble heritage having transformed into greasy, thick doughy-based wheels covered with to many toppings and stringy yellow cheeses making you realise that less in fact can be more!

Pizza dough is surprisingly simple to make and especially rewarding knowing that you made it by hand. Take your first bite into a light and crisp base; balanced with simple tasty toppings, close your eyes and you are in Italy.

Follow these five simple steps to create four pizzas or one pizza and three ready to bake pizza bases.

Ingredients
30g fresh yeast or 3 packets of 7 g dried yeast
30g sugar
625ml tepid water
1 kilo bread flour
30g salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Extra flour for dusting

Method
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in half the water. Rest for 1 minute until it becomes slightly foamy.

In a large bowl place the flour and salt, make a small well in the centre and pour in the yeasty water. With your fingers slowly mix the flour and water together by making circular movements from the centre moving outwards until the water is soaked in.

Slowly add the rest of the water and oil into the centre and mix to make a slightly moist dough. Depending on your flour you may need a little less or more water so take your time and add slowly.

Now for the kneading: Flour your work bench and lightly flour your hands. Turn the dough out onto your surface and sprinkle with a little more flour. With the palm of your hand push the dough away from you and with your fingers pull the dough up and fold it towards your palm. If it is a little sticky at first add a little more flour. Continue to do this for up to 5 minutes until the dough is silky smooth on the surface.

Five minutes can seem like a long time, but personally I find this the most rewarding part. I relax into the rhythm of the kneading and simply rely on knowing that I will enjoy the efforts of my labour. Kneading develops the structure of the dough and works the gluten in the flour creating delicious light dough.

Time to prove the dough: Make your dough into a roundish shape, lightly flour the top and place it on a floured baking tray. Cut a cross in the top. Cover with a warm damp tea towel and leave in a warm draught free area.

This is a great time to put the oven on 200 degrees Celsius and prepare your ingredients.

After 40 minutes to an hour the dough should have doubled in size. When it has with your fist punch the dough to deflate it (this is called knocking back). Return the dough to your work surface and knead a few times for it to become smooth again.

Rolling Time: Divide your dough into 4 equal balls. On your floured surface roll the dough out into a large circle until it is just under 1 cm thick. Place on your backing tray and add your toppings. (If you don’t have a tray big enough simply pull out one of the racks in your oven and place the dough straight on that.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the toppings are cooked and the dough is crisp and golden.

You can continue to cook the other three balls, or simply roll them out to size and bake in the oven for 5 minutes with no topping. Allow them to cool, wrap them and freeze for another night. When you are ready to cook them simply defrost the dough, add your toppings and bake for 5-7 minutes.

Make 4 pizzas or 1 pizza and 3 ready to cook pizza bases.

This Week's Recipe: Muffins

Why Muffins?

For me baking is comfort cooking. When I am feeling a little down or stressed I turn to baking for comfort and peace of mind. Nothing beats the baking smells that fill the air and the somewhat child like innocence you feel as you eat your final product with utter delight.

Muffins have the reputation of being disappointingly dry or overly greasy, as industrially produced versions seem to have popped up endlessly in supermarkets, convenience stores and some cafes. Don’t be fooled – homemade muffins don’t taste dry, dull or greasy and certainly don’t taste artificial.

Muffins are one of my favourite baking comforts. They are the easiest thing to bake and can be any flavour from chocolate and berries to cheese and chives.

The recipes I share below are quite low in sugar and fat making them perfect for the whole family, anytime of day. Personally I have to admit I enjoy them warm from the oven smeared with butter or cream cheese. Did I mention they were comfort cooking?

Ingredients

Strawberry Muffins
Vegetable spray or unsalted butter for greasing
310 g self raising flour
120g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 green apple grated
1 heaped tablespoon plain yoghurt
150g strawberries, chopped or frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
4 strawberries fresh or frozen, cut in half

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray a muffin tray with vegetable spray or grease with butter.
In a large bowl mix together all ingredients until just combined. You don’t want to over work the batter otherwise you will have tough and heavy muffins.

Divide the batter amongst the muffin tray. As a rule I fill them until the batter is in line with the top of the tin. This allows the perfect balance between the cookie like muffin top and the cake like muffin base.

Press a strawberry half onto each muffin and place in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out.

Makes 8 in a regular sized muffin tin or 24 in a mini muffin tin.

Serve plain or as I like to with butter and a little jam.

You can make these any flavour you like. Simply follow the recipe and substitute the strawberries.

Some suggestions;
•Banana and choc chip (mash the banana before mixing)
•Blueberry
•Pineapple and coconut (cut fresh pineapple into cubes and use 2 tablespoons shredded coconut)
Orange and poppy seed (use the zest of 1 orange and 1/2 the juice)
Apple and stewed rhubarb (peel a second apple and cut into cubes)

Zucchini and dill muffins
310 g self raising flour
120g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 heaped tablespoon plain yoghurt
100g cheese, grated or chopped (I use cheddar, mozzarella, fetta or a mild blue depending on which vegetable I use)
1 zucchini, grated or chopped finely
1/2 bunch dill, chopped
8 slices of zucchini, optional

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray a muffin tray with vegetable spray or grease with butter. Make sure they are greased well because the cheese likes to stick.

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients until just combined. You don’t want to over work the batter otherwise you will have tough and heavy muffins.

Divide the batter amongst the muffin tray. As a rule I fill them until the batter is in line with the top of the tin. This allows the perfect balance between the cookie like muffin top and the cake like muffin base.

If you like press a zucchini slice onto each muffin and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. (The savoury ones generally take longer than the sweet.)

Allow to cool in the tin for 5- 10 minutes before turning out. You may need to be gentle when taking these out, as the cheese might still be runny. I usually find the best way is to twist them slightly in their tin before releasing.

Makes 8 in a regular sized muffin tin or 24 in a mini muffin tin.

Serve plain or as I like to with butter or cream cheese and condiments.

You can make these any flavour you like. Simply follow the recipe and substitute the zucchini and dill for other vegetables.

Some suggestions;
Tomato and basil (use cherry tomatoes as they are sweeter and I add a 2 teaspoons of tomato paste for colour)
Bake pumpkin and blue cheese (bake some pumpkin wedges and cut roughly)
Sweet corn and chives (use raw corn kernels)


Bon Appetite

Food for Thought: Carrots

The common carrot although a frequently bought vegetable one will agree is not highly exciting. The carrot however is vital in the cooking world and has in fact quite a unique history.

Always used in the preparation of stocks for their unique sweetness and colour, carrots are one of the most versatile vegetables today. They are in fact the second most popular vegetables in the world after the potato. One can see why they are so versatile as they are used in about everything from sweet to savoury foods – from soups, stir fries, risottos, stews, roasts, baby food and even cakes.

The humble carrot as we know it today was once thin, bitter and not so favourable. It is thanks to the Dutch who out of patriotic pride took the carrot under their horticultural wings and changed it into the sweet and vibrant orange vegetable we know today.

Facts and Details:
The carrot (Daucus carota), a root vegetable, is part of the parsley family and has up to 2500 different species including celery, parsnips, coriander, chervil, fennel and dill, to name a few.

The part of the carrot that we consume today is known as the taproot, however originally carrots were grown for their leaves and seeds, like their relatives parsley, dill, chervil and coriander.

The carrot originally was a small, tough and bitter vegetable that was in fact not orange at all, but varied from white, pale yellow, red, purple and even black. It was only until the 15th century with Dutch horticulture, that the carrot was introduced to its iconic orange colour and as a result developed a sweet and enjoyable flavour.

The characteristic orange colour comes from beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A in our bodies and is best known to assist in heightening vision. Carrots are also rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants and minerals.


The Carrot’s Unique History:
•In Roman times it has been recorded that carrots were purple and white.
•By the 10th century purple carrots were grown in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern Iran.
•Moorish invaders brought purple and yellow carrots to North Africa and Southern Europe.
•By the 13th Century carrots were known to be growing in fields from France to Germany.
•In the 15th Century Dutch agricultural scientists and growers used a mutant yellow seed from North Africa to develop a carrot that was in colour of The House of Orange, the Dutch Royal Family.
• In an attempt to nationalise the countries ‘favourite’ vegetable experiments were made to cross breed pale yellow and red species.
•The result not only a better taste, but also a healthier version that contained beta canotene.
•Other carrots stopped being planted – resulting in the universal orange carrot.

Carrots in Australia:
Carrots are the 5th most valuable crop after potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. Although available all year round carrots are at their best from March to August.
•Varieties include:
Dutch carrot – They are small and sweet ranging from 5-8cm. They are best cooked whole and used in salads or as a garnish.
Imperator – They are long and tapered with a smooth skin. They are crisp with a rich flavour and a great for juicing.
Nantes – Moderate in shape and size being cylindrical and blunt at both ends are often sweeter than other large varieties. These are best used in stews, stocks and soups.

When choosing carrots look for bright coloured and firm carrots with a well-shaped root. Try to avoid dry, wilted and bendy carrots, or any that are cracked, split or dark near their leaves.

How to Cook:
You can cook carrots by boiling, sautéing and roasting or simply enjoying them raw. Carrots are generally eaten as a garnish or added to stir fries, stews, roasts and soups. Instead of using carrots to add flavour to a dish create meals where they simply shine.

Carrot Cake
Unsalted butter, for greasing
4 eggs, at room temperature
295 ml vegetable oil
400g caster sugar
250g plain flour, sifted
9g baking soda
9 g baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
330 g carrots, grated

Icing
125 g unsalted butter, softened
250 g cream cheese
50-75 g icing sugar, sifted
1 lemon, zested

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Butter a 23 cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Beat the eggs and caster sugar until light in colour and fluffy. Pour in the oil and continue to beat. Fold in the carrots and then the flour, cinnamon and baking powder and baking soda.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before taking out of the tin.

To make the icing beat the butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the icing sugar and lemon zest.

When the cake is cold ice as desired.

Serves 8



Carrot and Mixed Seed Salad
130g mixture of any seeds (I like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and nigella seeds)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil (optional)
8 carrots such as Nantes, grated
1 bunch chives, chopped finely

For the dressing
125ml lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon caster sugar
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons good quality olive oil

This first step is optional but makes the salad delicious. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Mix the seeds with the sunflower oil, salt and pepper and spread out evenly on a baking tray. Bake for 10 –15 minutes, making sure to turn them frequently. Set aside and cool.

Place grated carrots in a serving bowl and add the cooled nuts. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and sugar. Once combined slowly whisk in the oil. Pour over the carrots, sprinkle with chives and toss.

Serve with any meat of fish, or a new take on the classic coleslaw. However I love it just by itself.

Serves 6 as a main salad.

Food for Thought: The next time you buy carrots be creative and make them the star. Mix them with their relatives such as parsley, coriander or fennel to create a taste sensation.

This Week's Recipe: Lamb Shanks with Chickpeas

Why Lamb Shanks?

My family often agrees how lucky they are to have a chef in the family who loves to cook for all, however there are times every now and then that our food tastes don’t quite match. Lamb shanks being one.

I can’t quite understand why my family don’t love the succulent sweet yet heartiness of lamb shanks, and having said that, they continue to not see why I do.

I have a dear friend however that does share my passion for this delicious meat and so, every time I have a craving I make extra for her. This recipe is for my dear friend Pat, who will always love my lamb shanks.

I also am a fan of lamb shanks because they are as easily prepared for one as they are for five. This is great because, cooking for one can be a challenge with many one pot meals and slow cooked meats. Simply half this recipe and you will have a delicious dinner for one.

Lamb shanks are great to match with any flavours from classic French to the warm spices of the Middle East. I however, love to mix the two and this is my variation of a classically cooked lamb shank and the warm earthy sweet flavours of the Middle East.

Ingredients
4 small lamb shanks
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Spanish onion, sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in water over night
1 400gr tin crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons French seeded mustard
6-8 dried figs, preferably Turkish
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons plain flour
Salt
Pepper
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped roughly

Method
You need to start this recipe the night before by soaking the chickpeas in water. As a general rule when soaking any dried beans or legumes I allow twice as much water to the amount of dried beans and soak for a minimum of 6 hours.

The next day, heat a large earthenware pot or casserole dish with a lid with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Meanwhile in a large bowl mix the plain flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dust the lamb shanks and place in the heated pot. Brown on each side until dark and golden, don’t worry if a little flour sticks to the base of your pot this adds much desired flavour.

Take the lamb shanks out to rest in a bowl and turn down the heat. Add the third tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Sweat down your vegetables until translucent, and add the drained chickpeas. Add ground cinnamon and season with salt and pepper.

Add the tomatoes, 800ml water and mustard and stir well. Bring the chickpeas to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes before adding the dried figs and the lamb shanks. Cover with a lid or foil and turn the heat to low, allowing the lamb shanks to just simmer.

Cook for 1- 1 1/2 hours making sure to check occasionally that there is enough liquid to cover. After an hour check your lamb shanks. You want them to be tender and to nearly fall off the bone with the nudge of a spoon. When cooked to your desire take them out and cover with foil to stay warm.

Turn the heat to medium and cook your chickpeas uncovered for 15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and thick.

Add the third tablespoon of seeded mustard and check for seasoning and serve the chickpeas in a bowl with the lamb shanks on top. Spoon over a little more sauce and garnish with roughly chopped parsley.

Serves 2 or 4 with the addition of boiled rice of cous cous.

Bon appetite

This week’s Recipe: Leek, Egg and Bacon Filo Pies

Why leek, egg and bacon pies?

This recipe was created with inspiration when I realised that I did not have the right ingredients to make short crust pastry for my pie Quiche Lorraine.

With anticipation I looked in my freezer hoping to find a batch of short crust pastry from previous baking days but instead found filo pastry. After a little though, a few changes and some creativity these beautiful little pies were born, and I have not looked back since.

I love these pies because they are so easy to make, and are always impressive. You can eat them warm or cold as they travel well.

Instead of making the traditional savoury custard that fills a quiche and other pies I crack a whole egg into each pie to create a great little surprise in these pastry bundles. To me they are perfect because they remind you of breakfast- the best meal of the day - anywhere, any time.

Play around with the ingredients by replacing them with anything from cherry tomatoes, fetta, pesto or even smoked salmon. I do suggest however that you keep the whole egg and the little amount of savoury custard I include in this recipe to keep them moist.

Ingredients
1 small leek, thinly sliced
3 rashes bacon rind off, finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
5 free range eggs
120 ml cream
1 packet Filo Pastry
50g butter, melted
Salt
Pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. If you are using frozen filo pastry make sure to allow it to defrost for a good hour in the packaging.

For the filling, heat a little oil in a large fry pan, add the leeks, bacon and a pinch of salt Cook on a medium heat and continue to stir until the leeks are translucent and the bacon is golden. Add the chopped parsley and take off the heat. Season with a little more salt, if needed, and plenty of pepper.

In a separate bowl whisk together 1 egg with the cream and set aside.

For the pastry, fold out the filo pastry cut the sheets in half to make two piles of 30cm squares. Taking two sheets at a time place them on a clean surface and brush with a little melted butter. With another two sheets place on top at a 45-degree angle to the first square. (You will create a kind of diamond shape). Brush again with butter and continue to repeat the pattern with two more 2-sheet pastry bundles.

Repeat this process another three times until you have four individual filo pastry diamonds.

Using a large muffin tin place 1 filo diamond into one of the moulds and press into place, leaving enough pastry to over hang. Continue with the other three. (I tend to use a six-hole muffin tin and place two pies at each end to leave enough space for the hanging pastry.)

Divide the leek mixture amongst the pies and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Gently crack one egg into each pie and spoon two tablespoons of the egg and cream mixture over each raw egg.

Gently gather up the edges and squeeze to close. Brush lightly with the rest of the melted butter and bake in the over for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes before serving.

Serves 4


Serves 4

Bon Appetite

Food for Thought

Gem Squash

Unlike other countries Australia keeps it simple when it comes to the squash family.

Ask an Australian to name different varieties of vegetables in the squash family and they are sure to reply with yellow squash, zucchinis and if your lucky pumpkins (including of the butternut which in fact is not a pumpkin at all).

Ask an American of British though, and they would easily tell you about gourds, they would know or name 3 or 4 different varieties of squash, zucchinis and the pumpkin.

Now a days fresh produce is becoming less and less regional as technologies in horticulture, agronomy and agriculture increase. With these technologies come different produce and the excitement a foodie has to play with a new ingredient.

The Facts & Details:
The squash family are categorised into Summer and Winter Squash. These categories have little to do with their time of availability, but rather their harvesting.

Winter Squash are left to harvest longer and are picked when mature, this normally means that their skins are tougher and usually un-eatable. The winter squash are also considered to have higher levels of vitamin A and C. Traditionally they were left to harvest longer as their tougher exterior protected the golden yellow flesh allowing them to be stored safely during the months of winter.

In Australia these include Butternut, Betanut, Queensland blue and the Kent pumpkin (also known as a Jap pumpkin).

Summer Squash on the other hand are harvested young, during the growing season while their skin is tender. Summer squash need to be consumed quite soon after picking and require little to no cooking.

In Australia they include zucchini and yellow squash.

Squash are part of the Cucurbita genus, which includes pumpkins, marrons, zucchini, cucumber and even some melons.

About the Gem Squash:
•They are the size of a small grapefruit and are distinguished by their tough deep green skin.
•The tough exterior protects the orange flesh that is sweeter then your average pumpkin.
•They can be baked, roasted, boiled or stuffed.
•When picking make sure that they are firm and deep green in colour, avoid gem squash that are soft at their stem as they will be older and not as sweet.

How to Cook:
You can cook gem squash like any other pumpkin and roast, steam or mash them. Their size and shape are unique and appealing however, that I suggest you use this to your best advantage when cooking.

Cut the squash in half along its middle (this means one half will be the stem end and the other will be the base). Boil for 6 to10 minutes in salted water, or until the flesh is soft.

With a tea towel pick up half the squash and scoop out the seeds, be careful though because they will be very hot. Once you have removed the seeds add a knob of butter, salt and pepper and mash the flesh up with the spoon inside the skin. Repeat with the other half and either serve two halves together in their unique ‘bowls’ or transfer the mashed squash all into one.

Alternatively cook using the same method as above and add your choice of ingredients such as freshly grated Parmesan, pesto, balsamic vinegar and olive oil or a mixture of fresh herbs to create a delicious alternative to your pumpkin mash.

Another idea is to mash them with your favourite ingredients, sprinkle with some breadcrumbs or cheese place them under the grill or in a hot oven for a few minutes.
Food for Thought: Try them next time you go to buy pumpkin for a twist on the usual.