Weave a Thousand Flavors

A Prayer, Answered : Rustic Butternut Squash & Spinach Quiche

At the heart of this recipe is a conviction,

Food will not meet it's death in my refrigerator

Nothing fires me up more than the thought of my refrigerator turning into a icy coffin for those wayward bits of veggies that have been neglected in the bottom tray below the bottom shelf. I am sure it feels half way to Hades down there.

Bits of vegetables and what-nots continue to rear there heads unexpectedly which goes to show that I am obviously not in control of my pantry and fridge. Though my body and soul may have recovered from my bout of recent  PTGS - Post Traumatic Guest Syndrome, my fridge obviously hasn't.

I hope Mum isn't reading this because if she is, I expect the phone will ring any time...now.

I am therefore determined to put half the butternut squash and spinach to good use, before one gets moldy and the other wilty. if you don't know which ones going to do what I suggest you spend a lot more time with your greens...and start a multivitamin  regime immediately.

For me the thought of a root vegetable quiche is exciting at so many levels -think buttery flaky crust nestling sweet roasted butternut squash, roasted red onions and spinach is a creamy parmesan custard. Not quite sure it will work but we're nothing if not daring!

Now you know me enough to know I will always advocate making your own crust but just this once I don't want to scare your away and keep you from experiencing this mind-blowingly delicious quiche so alright, buy a store pie crust if you must...sigh..

Meat filled envelopes ~ Murtabak (Malaysia) & Tavaa Roti, Mughlai Paratha (India)

After a day of raiding the refrigerator, fixing 15 minute meals and eating out of bowls, I am ready to get back on the horse and bring out my exploratory cap for something different and delicious for lunch.

The prerequisite - nothing that involves rice or noodles or pasta. 'Nuf already!

My mind drifted towards samosas, since I had a some ground meat in the ice box but  when we do end up making samosas we're going to make the traditional variety first - punjab style stuffed with spicy potatoes and peas, the meat filled ones will just have to wait.

And then it came to me like Zeus' bolt - 'meat filled envelopes' known by a variety of names such as tavaa roti  in Mumbai or Mughlai paratha in Delhi or Murtabak in Maylasia.

 I grew up eating these. We'd go to this neighborhood restaurant row with outdoor seating and we'd order what was called tavaa roti (which essentially means griddle fried bread) and I would watch this guy facing a 5 ft long griddle , stretch and twirl the dough like it was made of nothing but elastic, crack eggs and flip the stuffed rotis,  high in the air with this long metal spatula. The one thing I do distinctly remember is that they were absolutely delicious.

Finally, standing at a roadside food cart outside the railway station at Johor Bahru, Malaysia, while these meat filled envelopes were prepared with similar theatrics was another dear memory. The rotiwala would throw the dough in the air and stretch it as he twirled  it high above his head ( not unlike the pizza makers in Italy). 

A lime sized lump of dough would become a large, smooth sheet in about a minute. It was then cooked and filled directly on the griddle with savory meat, chopped onions and beaten egg.

Only this time they were called  Murtabak . Now I can't promise theatrics but I reckon we can make a pretty decent Murtabak a.k.a tavaa roti or Mughlai paratha right at home.

 

15 Minute Superlative Breakfast Oatmeal ~ Old Fashioned Oats cooked with Orange Juice, Dates & Bananas

It's official - I can't take a good oatmeal picture worth its salt!

Lets blame it on the cloudy sky, an off day but please don't let my lame photography skills stop you from making one of the most delicious oatmeal creations you'll ever end up putting in your mouth. Guaranteed.

Old fashioned oats are cooked in freshly squeezed orange juice with nutmeg & chopped dates. To which is added brown sugar, butter & mashed bananas. Yummm......

Also,what a great way to use bananas  on their last legs - that's exactly what you need for this dish - ridiculously overripe bananas.

 Added incentive? 15 minutes to fix and dairy free for all those lactose intolerant & 'dairy-avoiding' folks out there.

So with the weekend here, what's your excuse?

German 'Gugelhupf' Makeover - Apple Yeast Cake with Apple Cream Sauce

As people we have always been told that fear is at the root of all evil and this is almost always true. However, I confess that fear is at the heart of this recipe. You see I am what you call a 'strudel wimp'.

I don't mean strudel made out of pre-packaged pastry bits found in the freezer section of ones supermarket. I refer to the traditional method. If you've been reading this blog long enough you know by now that for most part I am a stickler for the authentic especially when it comes to traditional recipes that have been part of a culture for hundreds of years.

So I refer to the traditional method of  18th century strudel making that entails stretching the dough to the size of ones dining table and then folding over and over, repeating the process countless number of times. First of all, Lord knows how many laws of physics the dough is breaking to achieve this - not to mention the thought of my 5 year old grubby fingers poking and prodding the dough joined only by our Golden retriever and his propensity to stick his tongue at anything and everything remotely akin to food.

Needless to say - I am ways away from making traditional strudel at home. Having said that I love German cakes - especially the ones that have all those wonderful fresh fruits and  dry fruits soaked in booze. Traditionally, Gugelhupf is a dry- fruit filled yeast cake which is then folded over into a log and baked. It's part cake and part bread and delicious.

So I decided to combine my yearning for apple strudel (the filling at least) and Gugelhupf making some major changes which makes life a whole lot easier -

1) instead of dealing with the rolling etc, I simply use the dough as dumplings which is easy peesy.

2) Serving this with an apple cream sauce takes from delish to decadent. Yumm....

In fact so easy is this to fix, not to mention delicious that it's a piece of cake...err...bread!

Weekend Breakfast : Orange, Banana & Ricotta Pancakes

 
Today it's pancakes to the rescue! 

I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all morning and have about 45 minutes before I have to run out the door again. As much as I  love using seasonal fruits and vegetables as much as possible and we seem to be suffering an overload of oranges in the fruit bowl.

I also have 2 rather sorry looking bananas that beg rescue. I love it when my bananas begin to look battered and bruised because for me its a sign to get baking or in this case, fix pancakes. I have no real recipe in hand and I'm in such a hurry that I have no time to pull out cookbooks - so I'm on my own. Whew!

Now normally, I'd start pancakes with flour etc etc but on days like this, its Bisquick to the rescue. So here's the plan, measure out some Bisquick, add milk, egg, orange rind, mashed bananas & chopped oranges. To this add sugar, give it a whirl & off to the griddle.

On the griddle, I'm going to drop spoonfuls of yummilicious Ricotta cheese and I think we're onto something - don't you?

In Remembrance & Friendship! French 75 Cocktails & Casablanca

 
 
French 75 ~ It goes down like a dream and is one gem that deserves a new following.

The moment is perfect to bring back the French 75 which in my humble opinion is  the very best kind of drink ~ delicious and classic and unfortunately, forgotten.

As we kick off this Memorial day weekend with my BFF who has flown in from Sydney, we forego our traditional kick-off-the-evening- with- 'Cosmos' and sip down a very classy and refreshing French 75.

I explain that since she is here in the US on this very important holiday, Memorial Day, it seemed fitting to search for a drink that is steeped in history, class and flavor. With the fizz of champagne coupled with the refreshing tartness of lime and the kick of gin, do you wonder my search led me to the door steps of the French 75 and my feet pretty much stayed there!

As the story goes, the French 75 became popular and received it's name when it was created by Harry MacElhone for returning WWI fighter pilots. It is named after an artillery gun called the French 75 which, like the drink, was known for it's kick.

This drink can also be made with cognac in place of gin and there is some question as to which version is the real French 75, but gin is the more common now. To add another twist, if the same drink is made with vodka instead of the gin, it is a French 76.

It has even been featured in Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart downing one of these. A delicious drink, with lots of tradition behind it, and a good toast to Veteran's everywhere. How can you resist?

All you need is -

1 oz gin
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp powdered sugar

Ice cubes
Champagne

Pour the lime juice, gin, powdered sugar along with the ice cubes in a  cocktail shaker.

Shake well. Strain into a chilled Champagne fluter.

Carefully top up with Champagne.

Enjoy!

Baked Wonton Cups with Queso, Southwestern Chicken Salad & Cranberry Guacamole

 
Be grateful I don't know where you live or else I'd be knocking on your door insisting you fix these!

It all started when I received a free sample of Tyson, Grilled & Ready Southwestern Chicken Breast strips as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's program. I have been tossing several ideas in my head for weeks now just because of the versatile nature of the product.

What can you not do with ready and grilled chicken breast strips? And in so far that there are a million options, there is room for a dizzying amount of confusion. I began with the thought for pies leading to fajitas, crostatas en route to pizzas only to begin with a blossom of an idea &  land right here on the foot steps of,  Baked Wonton Cups with Southwestern Chicken Salad & Cranberry Guacamole Topping.

Why this and no other you ask?

It seemed silly really to begin with a product that could be used in a jiffy, at a moment's notice only to turn it into some culinary saga that would take forever in sweat equity to bring to the table. Kinda nullifies the whole point of picking up these Tyson, Grilled & Ready chicken breasts at the supermarket to begin with, non?

This brings home another important point that instead of poking and prodding and brooding as we so often like to do with an idea, sometime it's best to leave a thought in the subconscious long enough so it can shave off the excess, leaving you with the most appropriate and all together satisfying solution.

This solution dearies is far from mundane I assure you. The crisp oven baked wonton cups, lined with queso fresco cheese, filled to the brim with a dazzling chicken, southwestern black bean & corn salad only to reach a taste crescendo, when topped with a sweet and tart cranberry guacamole is sure to put a spring in your step especially, when quite unknown to those around you've pulled it off in less than 30 minutes!

I say bring on that pitcher of margharita and we'll all have something to sing and dance about!

 

English Breakfast Tea, Date & Walnut Cake

There are days I crave afternoon tea or traditional English cream tea like a fish craves water!

There is nothing quite like a table set out with a lovely white table cloth, accented with a vase of wild flowers for that splash of color, pots of jam & clotted cream, warm scones straight out of the oven, mini cucumber bread and butter sandwiches & of course a nice cake.

A cake not overly frosted but rather something between a cake and a bread, wonderful when sliced and devoured with a slathering of softened butter and washed down with cups of strong tea or rather coffee here in the US.

I am a fan of traditional cakes the kind that is rich and dense - nothing fluffly or fake about it but the type reminiscent of our grandma's kitchen. Intensely flavored and honest in its ingredients. And when it comes to honest ingredients, its difficult to beat a traditional date and walnut cake because the name says it all. Now to this add a strong brew of English tea & it not only fulfills but exceeds everything I love about a cake for Afternoon tea.

I know you'll agree when you take your first bite!

 

A Loss, A Tribute & Earnest Banana Bread

On Friday, January 21, 2011 my husband & his siblings lost their father, baba, his mother lost her husband of 47 years and I lost not only my father-in-law but the one person who shared two things with me - a love for the same man and a love for good food and life in general.

You see, I adored him and I believe the feeling was mutual. I couldn't have hoped for a dearer father-in-law.

While my husband is on one of the most difficult journeys of his life, to peform the last rites for his father, my children aware of what is happening sees us oscillate between grief and bracing ourselves with courage. They are too young to understand the significance of what has occured - the loss of the first parent in our circle.

All I can think is...so here it begins.

In the 12 years that I have known Baba, not a day has gone by that I have fixed banana bread and not thought of him. Though we have been separated by a vast ocean and 7500 miles, whenever he would visit, he would make an appearance at the table at sharp 10.00 am knowing full well that his favorite banana bread topped with almonds or pecans or walnuts would be served any moment now along with nice hot cups of chai.

While my husband was at work, our late morning tea sessions would invariably last a few hours with conversations ranging from everything from architecture, corruption, politics and the general state of affairs in our world.

You see he too was an Architect.

For us, he has not gone - he walks among the living. And as long as we think of him and we speak of him with love and affection and I continue to bake his favorite banana bread, he will always live on.

This day, I cannot think of a better way to honor the man, who gave me my husband, who loved our children who gave us so much joy and so many memories to chuckle over than to once again bake his favorite banana bread.

So here it is a banana bread that is earnest and honest - very much like the man who loved it most.

 

Brioche Flat bread with Parmigiano-Reggiano & Romano Cheeses, Rosemary & Green Onions

Before I turn the stage over to Devaki as she kicks off 2011, I wish to take a moment to thank you ALL for the heartwarming comments that you have left me. I enjoyed reading each and everyone and never expected that you would take this kindly, my attempt at a little satire at the expense of my wife!

 Arigatoo Gozaimasu

SD 

 
Cyber space is currently overloaded with talks of salad and healthy soups and New Years resolutions. It's enough to bring a grown girl to tears!

So what does this girl do? Brush the dust off  last year's resolutions & bake bread of course!

You might say that I am obsessed with brioche and you just might be right.  I can't help it - no matter what I do with it it turns out fabulous! It's like I have my own personal brioche fairy looking out for me and sprinkling 'perfect brioche fairy dust' all over my fixings. I bet we can all use one of those!

Anyway so I wake up this morning and lo & behold - no bread at home. Not even a crumb! So as I pull out the eggs, I also pull out my container of brioche dough wondering what in God's name I'm going to do with all these eggs and brioche dough.

Anyway, as life goes the light bulb goes off in my head and I recall one of Batali's recipes where he had sprinkled some fresh herbs  & green onions over pizza dough and ended up with some amazing kind of focaccio. The genius of the man that he is shared the most amazing tip for great, buttery flaky flat breads - you know what that is? - drizzling copious amounts of olive oil on dough! Yeah that's it - who would have thought something that simple & rudimentary would separate a great flat bread from its mediocre brethren?

Anywho, since I have the brioche dough, I'm not about to make any other kind of dough so that's my starting point. Open up this vegetable drawer then the next, look behind the sour cream, find the cheese & oh look! here's the spring onions and what do we have?

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (the 2 year aged good stuff), fresh rosemary, green onions,  grated Romano cheese & lots of good quality olive oil - not forgetting the brioche dough of course. I think that will go pretty well with some scrambled eggs with chives don't you think? A nice breakfast coming right up!

For those of you out there who have paid no heed to me whatsoever this past year and do not have a stash of brioche dough tucked away in the refrigerator well,  you'll just have to make a batch from scratch. So lets go!

 

A Lazy Sunday Brunch & Smoked Salmon & Mascarpone-Brie Filled Pastry with Chive Butter Sauce

 

My time for procrastination has come to an end.

It has been a week of throw together one dish meals and with the exception of a Steak and Ale pie & those delightfully quick guacamole morsels that I was compelled to prepare for a community gathering a few days ago, I have done neither any noteworthy cooking nor blogging.

Obviously even Mum has noticed because she happened to mention casually yesterday that she hadn't seen any of my 'draft' posts or writing go up. Nor have I discussed any new meals with her with my usual fervor that overshadows most of our conversations. 

I therefore awoke with more gusto than usual this Sunday and was determined to put to use some of the groceries that I have hoarded in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks awaiting such a morning.

I am delighted that I will be using smoked salmon which I love  and by the way can scoff down in large quantities and with such swiftness that were it put to the test it would be to the embarrassment of all my family members & certainly give Mr. Hubby a run for his money!

I also know I want to use Brie just not sure how I'm going to use it just yet. Also some stalks of asparagus, frozen puff pastry and a sort of buerre blanc sauce. Though the concept is firmly embedded in my noggin, the details are somewhat sketchy and like so many of my culinary adventures I have decided to don my apron, Chef's thinking cap and go with the flow.

The flow as it were, led here.

 
The initial idea for this recipe began with vol au vents which Mum and I always made for dinner parties stuffed with chicken & Mushrooms back when I was growing up. The idea was further crystallized by a recipe for salmon stuffed puff pastry rolls in the Australian Womens Weekly. The decision to use Brie, walnuts, asparagus and chive butter sauce has more to do with the Sound of Music song really - These are a few of my favorite things - Well, they are! 

And when in doubt use puff pastry!

 

A New, Old Thing! Tuna Ceviche Chile Rellenos with Avocado Cream

 

You've probably figured this out by now but nothing gets me fired up like reinventing a classic or fusing different styles of cuisines.

So when our dear friend Jodi was coming over for a casual brunch, I wanted to fix something worthy of the 100+ deg temperatures we were having as well as  celebrate her Mexican heritage that is so dear to her.

Now Chiles rellenos (pronounced -  Chee-lehs Rreh-yeh-nohs) as a traditional Mexican specialty are cheese stuffed, batter fried chiles such as Anaheim or Poblanos. Also, Peruvian (or Ecuadorian, depending on where you're from) Ceviche (pronounced sa-vee-chay)  is raw fish 'chemically cooked' in an acid such as lime juice.

So I have decided to not only fuse both these classic preparations but to also omit frying the chiles altogether and instead roast them only. I am then going to stuff them with the tuna ceviche & top it with some luscious avocado cream to pull together all the refreshing flavors.

Ooh! La! La! A Signature Lemon Brioche French Toast at T Cook's, Royal Palms Resort, Arizona

"Oh My God, He's an Adonis" I think to myself as he's walking towards me. I fidget as he smiles at me with all the brilliance of the sun on the Caspian sea and then he starts talking .....and it's like a blow to the face! And I think to myself,  "How can someone so beautiful on the outside be so ordinary on the inside?" I can't wait to get away from his smarmy pontificating & shift uncomfortably as I try to make a hasty exit....

I think you will agree that a similar feeling, a déjà vu if you will, is experienced when we  visit a place so beautiful on the surface that our expectations are enormously heightened & the plated food is perfection in itself -  only to fall flat on the face with the first bite!

This my friends, is something you will never experience here - at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, a wonderful resort on National Registry of Historical Buildings here in the US. A place as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside.

Past it's breathtakingly beautiful entrance....

Through these exquisite front doors....

 

And in these stunning surroundings at the T Cook's restaurant awaits one of the finest culinary experiences this city has to offer.

A visit to Scottsdale, Arizona is a visit to 'resort country' - a land ablaze with the hot Arizona sun, carefully manicured grounds,  a plethora of lush golf courses & the unique experience of being surrounded by more embodied botox than you have ever seen in your life!

The resort architecture in this city seems to be a reflection of its inhabitants with the more nouveau riche resorts than fleas on a stray. However, if you are looking for a 'old world' resort that is not only exquisite in its surrounding & architecture but also exemplifies the superlative in beauty and culinary excellence, look no further than the Royal Palms Resort & Spa .

On a recent visit here, a brunch at the resort is where my love affair with T Cook's restaurant began. It all started with a plate of their signature lemon brioche french toast - innocent by all accounts but deviously delicious! So much so that it was unforgettable. And a few weeks after we had returned from the trip, I got on the phone and called the restaurant - with a request.

I explained that I am a mad hatter blogger (well, something to that effect) and asked for the recipe from Sarah Baer, Sous Chef at T' Cook's. Fantastically, she took my request seriously and a week later - voila ! Sitting pretty in my inbox was the recipe!

Today, we have just finished feasting on this & are still basking in the flavors of this recreated delight which I must share with you lovelies with no further delay!

 

It should come as no surprise that the secret of this french toast lies in the Lemon Brioche Bread. The recipe for this bread comes from T Cook's baker Mark Luster.  

For the lemon brioche bread - 24 hours in advance

For 1 qty 2 lb loaf -

To begin with gather the ingredients - unsalted butter, eggs, sugar, milk, good quality lemon curd, all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, warm water at 110 deg F.

Begin by proofing the yeast. To do so measure out 2/3 cup water at 110 deg F. Add 1 packet active dry yeast & 1 tbs sugar. Give it a stir.

   

After 10-15 minutes it should look like this. If it does not then start over with a new packet of yeast.

 

In a large mixing bowl or paraat (or use your mixer with a dough hook) add the 2 cups flour, milk, proofed yeast and salt. Beat/Knead for about a minute.

 

Add the melted butter and beat for about 2 minutes until all the butter is incorporated.

 

Add 1 egg and incorporate till completely blended. Add the next egg and keep going till all the eggs are used up. Make sure you completely incorporate the eggs as you go. the dough will get stickier and stickier as it progresses.

 

Add the lemon curd and knead. Knead until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl (lifts off the bowl as one entity) Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be quite sticky.

 

In a clean mixing bowl add 1/2 tbs vegetable oil and grease the bowl all over. Add the dough ball . Place a plastic wrap over the bowl with a slight gap so it is not airtight. Refrigerate overnight.

 

The next day, preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

The dough will not be as sticky at all. Place in a metal loaf pan, greased with some non-stick baking spray.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes until the top is a beautiful golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the center of the loaf. 

Allow the brioche to cool completely on a baking rack for about 1-2 hours at the least before cutting into 1/2" thick slices for the french toast. Do not cut into bread till ready to make the french toast or else the bread will dry out.

For the lemon brioche French Toast - About 1 hour before serving.

The recipe for the Lemon Brioche French Toast comes from T Cook's Sous Chef, Bruce Patterson.  

For the french toast - lemon brioche loaf (of course), oranges (freshly squeezed juice), pure vanilla extract & cinnamon powder.

For the Orange-Maple Syrup - Oranges (freshly squeezed juice), pure maple syrup

For the Cream - Ricotta cheese & Mascarpone

For the Berries on the side - Fresh ripe strawberries, blackberries and blue berries, powdered sugar  

Do not omit any of these elements for a complete experience.

 

For the Syrup -

 

 

Begin by freshly squeezing the oranges. You will need enough oranges for 2 cups juice (about 4-5 oranges). Set aside 3/4 cup orange juice for the french toast egg batter.

Measure and remove the remaining orange juice to a small sauce pan. You should have 1-1/4 cups of orange juice left in the sauce pan.

 

On low-medium heat simmer the orange juice and keep skimming as it collects on the surface. Discard the skim. Reduce the orange juice to half a cup. This may take about 25-30 minutes on low heat. Set aside to cool. 

 

Sieve the 1/2 cup reduced orange juice in a bowl. Add 1-1/2 cup pure maple syrup. Stir till blended. The syrup is ready to serve.

Meanwhile begin working on the berries and cream.

For the Cream -

 

In a bowl combine 3/4 cup ricotta cheese with 3/4 cup Mascarpone. Stir till mixed & refrigerate till further use.

For the Berries -

  

Figure about 3/4 to 1 cup fruit per person. 

For the strawberries, rinse & cut the tops off the strawberries. Quarter and set aside. For the blackberries & blue berries,  get rid of over ripe and discolored ones. Wash and strain to get rid of excess water.

Place all the berries in a medium mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar  Stir.

Cover & allow the berries to macerate in the refrigerate till serving time.

For the Lemon Brioche French Toast -

Preheat the oven to 250 deg F. Set aside a baking tray lines with parchment paper.

 

In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs discarding the shell. Add cinnamon powder, pure vanilla extract and the reserved orange juice. Whisk vigorously till all the eggs are blended and the cinnamon powder lumps are dissolved. 

Cut the loaf into 1/2" thick slices. Figure about 2-3 slices per person so you may end up using most of the loaf.

 

Bring 1 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter to melt on medium heat.

Soak the bread slice one at a time depending on the size of the bowl for about 30 seconds each side.

 

Place into the hot butter and pan fry for about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes per side or until both sides are a beautiful golden brown and the bread is no longer squishy and oozing egg.

 

Place on the baking tray and keep warm in the oven till the rest of the french toasts are ready.

Keep returning the french toasts to the oven as they are ready to keep warm.

 

 

 

 

 

To plate -

Serve the french toast warm with the macerated berries, cream & orange-maple syrup on the side.

 
Wonderful with some bubbly!

The texture of the lemon brioche bread is rich and dense. The flavors of the lemon is delicate and comes through with every bite. The orange infused maple syrup paired with the creamy ricotta-mascarpone amps up the flavors in the whole dish. The berries constantly refresh the palate.

Every one of these elements in crucial to the holistic experience of this dish. Absolutely delightful and thumbs up all the way!!

With special thanks to Sous Chef, Bruce Patterson & baker Mark Luster at T Cook's, Royal Palms Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona. And this day would never have come without Sous Chef Sarah Baer, who patiently bore the onslaught of my umpteen clarification emails. Thank You!

Recipe for

Lemon Brioche French Toast

Lemon Brioche bread -

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Chilling time - Overnight

Baking time- 40-50 minutes

French Toast -

Preparation time - 30 minutes

Cooking time- 30 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

Lemon Brioche bread -

3 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

3 eggs

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs milk

1-1/2 tbs good quality lemon curd

 

2/3 cup warm water (110 deg F)

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tsp salt

For the french toast -

1 qty, 2 lb, lemon brioche loaf

4-5 navel oranges (freshly squeezed juice)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

For the Orange-Maple Syrup -

Oranges (freshly squeezed juice)

Pure maple syrup

For the Cream -

3/4 cup Ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Mascarpone

For the Berries on the side -

2 cups quartered fresh ripe strawberries

1-1/2 cup blackberries

1 cup blue berries

1-1/2 tbs powdered sugar

For the Lemon brioche loaf -

Begin by proofing the yeast. To do so measure out 2/3 cup water at 110 deg F. Add 1 packet active dry yeast & 1 tbs sugar. Give it a stir.

After 10-15 minutes it should look like this. If it does not then start over with a new packet of yeast.

In a large mixing bowl or paraat (or use your mixer with a dough hook) add the 2 cups flour, milk and salt. Beat/Knead for about a minute.

Add the melted butter and beat for about 2 minutes until all the butter is incorporated.

Add 1 egg and incorporate till completely blended. Add the next egg and keep going till all the eggs are used up. Make sure you completely incorporate the eggs as you go. the dough will get stickier and stickier as it progresses.

Add the lemon curd and knead. Knead until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl (lifts off the bowl as one entity) Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be quite sticky.

In a clean mixing bowl add 1/2 tbs vegetable oil and grease the bowl all over. Add the dough ball . Place a plastic wrap over the bowl with a slight gap so it is not airtight. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

The dough will not be as sticky at all. Place in a metal loaf pan, greased with some non-stick baking spray.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes until the top is a beautiful golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the center of the loaf. 

Allow the brioche to cool completely on a baking rack for about 1-2 hours at the least before cutting into 1/2" thick slices for the french toast.

Do not cut into bread till ready to make the french toast or else the bread will dry out.

For the lemon brioche French Toast - About 1 hour before serving.

For the Syrup -  

Begin by freshly squeezing the oranges. You will need enough oranges for 2 cups juice (about 4-5 oranges). Set aside 3/4 cup orange juice for the french toast egg batter.

Measure and remove the remaining orange juice to a small sauce pan. You should have 1-1/4 cups of orange juice left in the sauce pan.

On low-medium heat simmer the orange juice and keep skimming as it collects on the surface. Discard the skim. Reduce the orange juice to half a cup. This may take about 25-30 minutes on low heat. Set aside to cool. 

Sieve the 1/2 cup reduced orange juice in a bowl. Add 1-1/2 cup pure maple syrup. Stir till blended. The syrup is ready to serve.

Meanwhile begin working on the berries and cream.

For the Cream -

In a bowl combine 3/4 cup ricotta cheese with 3/4 cup Mascarpone. Stir till mixed & refrigerate till further use.

For the Berries -

For the strawberries, rinse & cut the tops off the strawberries. Quarter and set aside. For the blackberries & blue berries,  get rid of over ripe and discolored ones. Wash and strain to get rid of excess water.

Place all the berries in a medium mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar  Stir.

Cover & allow the berries to macerate in the refrigerate till serving time.

For the Lemon Brioche French Toast -

Preheat the oven to 250 deg F. Set aside a baking tray lines with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs discarding the shell. Add cinnamon powder, pure vanilla extract and the reserved orange juice. Whisk vigorously till all the eggs are blended and the cinnamon powder lumps are dissolved. 

Cut the loaf into 1/2" thick slices. Figure about 2-3 slices per person so you may end up using most of the loaf.

Bring 1 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter to melt on medium heat.

Soak the bread slice one at a time depending on the size of the bowl for about 30 seconds each side.

Place into the hot butter and pan fry for about 2 to 2-1/2 minutes per side or until both sides are a beautiful golden brown and the bread is no longer squishy and oozing egg.

Place on the baking tray and keep warm in the oven till the rest of the french toasts are ready.

Keep returning the french toasts to the oven as they are ready to keep warm.

Serve the french toast warm with the macerated berries, cream & orange-maple syrup on the side.

 

  

Enjoy!

21st Century 'Mince Pie' - Brioche Braid filled with Ground Meat, Apricots, Spices and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I wake up to a nippy morning and for some incomprehensible reason my first thought is of warm rich bread (a very bad thing for my hips). Not just any bread - warm, soft, not too sweet, fluffy bread filled with some sort of  filling with meat and ....peas, carrots, cumin, dried cranberries, dried apricots, raisins and cinnamon and  a hint of something sweet.

You may have come across this age old adage that one either has the propensity to be a cook or to be a baker. Well,  I am a cook who dares to bake!

As I settle down with my morning cuppa, I started flipping through the pages of my vintage  Random House  books on Cookery and Etiquette. Now, inspiration can dawn from a myriad of places - sometimes it finds you as you blindly stare out of your car or walk around the garden or a whisper of something someone said and then..... it jumps out at me from the pages of an antiquated leather bound book  ambling on about  banquets in 15th, 16th and 17th century England.

I chanced upon a paragraph on  mince pies!

English recipes from the 15th, 16th and 17th century describe a mixture of meat and fruit used as pie fillings. These recipes included brandy, ciders and wines. The use of spices like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace was common in late medieval and renaissance meat dishes.

And as I continue to read on,  the thought of spiced meat and dry fruits nestled in light and airy bread  warms my soul.

Decision made - we are going to make ourselves a 21st century version of English mince pies! Except that we are going to braid some challah, brioche bread with a filling of ground beef, onions, spices and roasted sweet potatoes. 

From my shabby collection of recipes, I pull out my tattered, oil stained, brioche bread recipe that has been adapted from one of Richard Grausman's recipes. He is one of my favorite food people in the food world.

You will need close to 3-4 hours to prepare this recipe. The dough has to rise and then chill in refrigerator before baking

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F and then gather the ingredients for the filling -

 1 lb Ground beef or lamb (I used beef because that's what I had on hand), sweet potato, onion, olive oil, butter, turmeric, cumin powder, red cayenne pepper, 1" cinnamon, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, dried apricots, raisins and low sugar apricot preserves.

Prepare the ingredients - 

The Filling -

  

Onion -Finely chop the onion.

Apricots - Finely chop dried apricots into 1/4" cubes.

Raisins - In a bowl of warm water, soak the raisins so they plump up.

Sweet Potato - Peel and wash sweet potato. Cut with a very sharp knife into 1/2" cubes. Place in a baking tray or dish. Add 1 1/2 tbs olive oil and mix with fingers.

In the preheated oven, bake for 30-35 minutes till cooked. Test by piercing a piece of potato with a knife. The potatoes should be just soft and not crisp and brown on the edges.

 

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Once hot, add the butter and immediately add the onions and whole cinnamon. Saute till onions are soft. Add the ground meat and brown. Do not add any spices yet. Once the meat is brown, drain the fat in a sieve and discard. Return to heat.

Add the sweet potatoes, turmeric powder, red cayenne powder, salt, black pepper, cinnamon powder, ground nutmeg, brown sugar, raisins and chopped apricots.

Continue sauteing for another 5-10 minutes or till all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

Add  1 tbs low sugar apricot preserves and stir well.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside to cool completely.

Cooks Note - If you going to bake the stuffed brioche for dinner, I would prepare the filling earlier in the day and then by late afternoon, start working on the dough.

Dough -

To begin this task, we must first recruit a large mixing bowl or container or  paraat , large enough to mix and knead the brioche dough.

Assemble the ingredients - warm water, dry active yeast, sugar, honey, salt, eggs and copious amounts of melted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz). 

 

Put 3/4 cup warm water (110 deg F) into a bowl, add sugar and dissolve.  Empty the contents of 1 packet dry and active yeast into it. Stir. Proof the yeast & if it is active it will look something like this in about 10 minutes. If it doesn't, it means it is dead and a trip to the grocers is warranted.

Pool the flour into the utensil. Add the yeast water, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter.

 

With washed and  clean hands, work and knead the dough.

(Wow! Look how nice these photos turned out! What a treat to have hubby around to take these - otherwise its just me prancing around with a spatula in one greasy hand and my little digital in the other...smiles)

 

 

No doubt about it - brioche dough is a soft gooey dough and I had to fight the urge  to empty another cup of flour into this goopy mess (not to mention ignore the palpitations)

Be  rest assured, this goop is what we want. The more flour you add to this soft dough, tougher the bread you will end up with.

Cover with a moist cheesecloth (or a cotton cloth) and set aside to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.The dough should now look swollen like the image on the right.

At this point transfer into a container with a lid, not air tight, and transfer to the refrigerator. Once the dough has chilled ( 1 hr minimum, 2-3 hours is great, overnight is awesome!) it is ready for use.

Separate the dough into 2 balls, 1 lb each. Set aside one for future use in the refrigerator (I am going to use mine to bake warm buns for sandwiches - see upcoming post - but you can also use them for grilled fruit tarts or to bake a brioche braid like we are today.

 

Place the chilled dough ball and liberally sprinkle flour all over the dough ball.  Spray a baking stone or baking sheet with non-stick baking spray. Using fingers and the rolling pin, roll and stretch out the dough to cover the entire surface of the baking sheet or stone.

 

Spoon all the now cool filling down the center 1/3 width. Use up all the filling even though you it may seem like it may be too much. Leave 2-3 inches at the top and bottom unfilled.

   

Make 1" cuts on both sides of the filling. Leave 2" from the top and bottom.

The dough is soft but it is also stretchable and strong. Start at the bottom, folding over the filling and braid one strip over the other, overlapping so you end up with an intertwining braid (this sounds a lot harder than it actually is. Once you get going, it is a piece of cake..ur..brioche)

Tuck in the other end so both ends the of the filling is completely covered.

 

Separate an egg white and beat with 1 tbs cold water. With a pastry brush apply all over the surface of the brioche. Place in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

As you all know by now, I have a no frills camera - none of that soft focus air brushed doodah & in my humble opinion,  even by real world estimation this looks pretty darn good - don't you think?

Wait till you cut into it...

 

One bite into it and I promise you it will be an explosion of flavors in your mouth. And your guests will be sooo impressed & they will oohh..and aahh...over the bread & the filling and the meat with its  spices & sweet undertones from the potatoes, apricots and raisins.

 I really hope you make this. It is a lot of fun and it will be  so worth your while! 

Bon Appetit!

Recipe for

21st CENTURY MINCE PIE

Serves 4

Shopping list

The filling;

1lb ground beef or ground lamb

1 large sweet potato

1 large onion                      

2 1/2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

1 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red cayenne powder

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1" cinnamon bark

1/4" tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tbs brown sugar

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cups dried apricots

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbs low sugar apricot preserves

The dough:

4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 warm water (110 deg F)

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tbs white sugar

2 tbs honey

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

 1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz butter, melted

For the wash:

1 egg white 

1 tbs cold water

Preparation -

The filling:

Sweet potato - Peel and chop into 1/2" cubes. Toss with 1 1/2 tbs olive oil. In an oven preheated at 400 deg F, bake the chopped potatoes for 35-40 minutes, till soft but not brown.

Raisins and apricots - In a bowl of warm water, soak the raisins so they plump up. Chop the apricots into 1/4" cubes

Onion - Peel and finely chop. Set aside.

The Brioche:

Yeast - In the warm water, add the white sugar and dissolve. Pour the contents of the dry active yeast and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes, till frothy.

Dough - In a large mixing bowl or container with a lid, gather the flour. Add the warm yeast water,  honey, salt, eggs and  melted butter. With washed and  clean hands work and knead the dough well (the brioche dough is a soft gooey dough)

Cover with a moist cheesecloth and set aside to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.The dough should now look swollen.

Transfer to the refrigerator. Once the dough has chilled (approx 1 hr) it is ready for use. Separate the dough into 2 balls. Return one  to the refrigerator for later use.

Cooking method -

Preheat oven to 400 deg F

Place the chilled dough ball and liberally sprinkle flour all over the dough ball.  

Spray a baking stone or baking sheet with non-stick baking spray. Using fingers and the rolling pin, roll and stretch out the dough to cover the entire surface of the baking sheet or stone.

Spoon all the filling down the center 1/3 width. Use up all the filling. Leave 2-3 inches at the top and bottom unfilled.

Make 1" cuts on both sides of the filling. Leave 2" from the top and bottom.

Start at the bottom, folding the dough strip over the filling and braid one strip over the other, overlapping so you end up with an intertwining braid. Tuck in the other end so both ends the of the filling is completely covered.

Beat the egg white with the cold water. With a pastry brush apply all over the surface of the brioche. 

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cut into slices and serve warm.

Rava Upma - A quintessential South Indian Breakfast made with Farina or Cream of Wheat

In the predominantly South-Indian suburb of Matunga in Mumbai, India right opposite the railway station, is a restaurant in an old art deco style building called Sharada Cafe. It has been owned by the same family for generations and growing up, some days I'd either see the great grandfather, sometimes the grandfather and sometimes their sons manning the counter.

It is a tradition in our family,  to wake up at 5.00am on the weekends and quickly dress to make it in time for the first batch, of what is in my opinion the finest Upma to be ever had, which promptly has been making its appearance for seven decades at 6.00 AM sharp (Once I posted this, I promptly got a call from my Mother who informed me that they have now changed their timings to 7.30 AM...smiles.. ) 

Sharada Cafe's Upma always leaves me speechless - with its glistening mound, the mouthwatering aroma of kari leaves and ghee and a texture like no other.

Today when I visit, it is with my husband and our children eating with my parents, their grandparents. So for me Sharada Cafe will always represent a passage of time and is a reminder that some things do not change - I am greeted by the same waiters with their gleaming faces and broad smiles, who first greeted me as a child  - this place represents for me the coming together of  families and the meeting of generations. Here family traditions are nurtured and passed down.

Sharada Cafe with its incredible food and its humble interiors - its marble floors, spotless marble table tops, oak chairs and slow grinding ceiling fans, is a legacy - one that I hope will continue to grace our lives and the lives of my children for many years to come.

However, back to reality, in my home kitchen, I make no claims to compete with Sharada Cafe's Upma. The recipe I follow, is my aunt's, made with carrots and peas (a variation from the traditional) albeit delicate, aromatic and delicious.

Upma in my opinion is a fine example of South Indian cooking, of how a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of time is all that it takes to create a memorable, healthy meal. 

 

 

The ingredients in today's Upma are 'rava' or farina a.k.a cream of wheat, the all important kari leaves for that amazing aroma, fresh ginger root, onion, green chillies, a carrot, frozen green peas, ghee, salt and to temper the ghee - mustard seeds & urad dal.

Cook's Note - A trip to  your neighborhood Indo-Pak store will be required to pick up the rava,  urad dal,  asafoetida powder & kari leaves.

The real secret to making an excellent Upma lies in the proportion of water to the farina and it requires some attention as well boiling hot water. Other than that it is a piece of cake!

Before beginning the cutting and chopping of any of the ingredients, place a kettle full of water to heat on high. Bring to a whistle. If you don't have a tea kettle, simply place a large pot of hot tap water to boil. 

Lower the heat and keep it simmering throughout the preparation and cooking  process.

Finely chop the onion, carrot, ginger root, slit the green chillies lengthwise and set aside the tempering ingredients in a bowl as well as the frozen peas.

Cook's Tip - Have all your ingredients measured out and ready to go before you begin at the stove.

   

On medium heat, heat up the ghee till very hot (careful not to burn, it'll turn brown and you'll have to start over) add the mustard seeds first and let them sputter (they will be on the verge of starting to flying out of the pan) immediately add the asafoetida powder & the urad dal. Allow to gently brown  for about a second and add the kari leaves These will also sputter wildly.

Add the onions and on medium heat saute till soft and just beginning to brown  but do not brown. 

  

Add the carrots, and continue to saute till softened for approx 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

    

Add the hot water which will come to boil instantly. Season with salt.

Cook's tip - This point on, things will move very quickly so keep your wits about you. Also bring out a whisk and keep the ghee at hand.

Whether you' re fixing Bechamel sauce or Upma - the only way to get it lump free is a whisk - a spoon simply won't cut it.

Add the 'rava', farina or cream of wheat and whisk vigorously, you'll see lumps beginning to form at some spots, whisk away. Add the ghee and keep whisking.

Cook's tip - If it looks as though the 'rava' is absorbing the water too quickly add another 1/4 cup of the hot water as you are whisking.

Once the 'rava' begins to lump together, switch to a large spoon and keep stirring on medium  heat.

Taste and adjust the salt at this point.

Stir rapidly for approx 3 minutes or until the Upma is cooked.

If you don't see any grease at the bottom of the pan, add a little more ghee. The Upma is ready once it moves as one mass and is soft when tasted. 

Place the Upma, by spooning into a bowl (use as a mold) and then un-mold onto a serving plate (similar to how rice is served in Asian restaurants)

The Upma has a delicate flavor, with the lovely aroma of kari leaves and ghee. It makes a nice change from the usual for breakfast or brunch and is definitely a Vegetarians delight!

Recipe for

RAVA UPMA

Serves 4

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Cooking time - 15 minutes

Shopping list -

1 cup Rava,  plain cream of wheat or farina

2 'thai' green chillies

1/2" fresh ginger root

1/2 yellow onion 

1 small carrot

1/4 cup frozen peas

1 stalk kari leaves (do not omit)

1/8 tsp asafoetida powder

2 tsp ghee

Boiling hot water - 3 cups

Tempering - 

1 tbs ghee

1 tsp whole mustard seeds

3/4 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Channa dal (optional)

Preparation-

Onion -  Peel and finely chop 

Ginger root - Scrape skin off and finely shop

Carrot - Peel and chop to 1/4" cubes

Green chillies-  Wash and slit

Water - In a tea kettle or large pot bring atleast 5 cups of water to boil even though you made need only 3-3.5 cups. You do not want to run out half way through the cooking process.

Cooking method -

On medium heat the ghee till very hot (careful not to burn, it'll turn brown and you'll have to start over) add the mustard seeds first and let them sputter 

Immediately add the asafoetida powder & the urad dal. Allow to gently brown  for about a second and add the kari leaves which will also sputter.

Add the onions and  saute till soft and just beginning to brown  but do not brown. 

Add the carrots, and continue to saute till softened for approx 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. 

Add the hot water which will come to boil instantly. Season with salt.

Cook's tip - This point on, things will move very quickly so keep your wits about you. Also bring out a whisk and keep the ghee at hand.

Add the 'rava' or cream of wheat and whisk vigorously, you'll see lumps beginning to form at some spots, whisk away. Add the 2 tsp ghee and keep whisking.

Cook's tip - If it looks as though the 'rava' is absorbing the water too quickly add another 1/4 cup of the hot water as you are whisking.

Once the 'rava' begins to lump together, switch to a large spoon and keep stirring on medium  heat.

Taste and adjust the salt at this point.Stir rapidly for approx 3 minutes or until the Upma is cooked.

If you don't see any grease at the bottom of the pan, add another tsp of  ghee. The Upma is ready once it moves as one mass and its almost as if the mass is lifting off the bottom as one (no sticking to the pan) It  is also soft when tasted without being mushy.

Place the Upma, by spooning into a bowl (use as a mold) and then un-mold onto a serving plate (similar to how rice is served in Asian restaurants)

Enjoy!