Weave a Thousand Flavors

A sweet treat of a tart ~ Almond & Pear Tart

World, meet one of my favorite tarts.

Tart, meet world.

Ever since I came across this recipe a couple of years ago in Real Simple Magazine, I have made this numerous times and taken such artistic freedoms with it in terms of ingredients and quantities that what remains is but a semblance of the original.

For one, I like my tarts at least 3/4" deep so I've increased quantities to suit and one can never ever have enough almonds, I always say. The fact that this is my 'go-to-carb-aware-treat', makes this sweet offering all the more, well - sweet.

I decided to make this for a friend's husband today who travels many months of the year and just got home this weekend. "He is just so picky", my friend wails and so I decided to bake him a "Welcome Home" treat. I hope he likes it as much as we love it.

So fingers crossed on that one and I can't wait to hear.

As for all of you, I can't imagine ya'all not falling in love with this one. Give it a bake and see for yourselves.

A Good Morning with Lemon, Pistachio & Cranberry Biscotti

Some things in life are worth the risk of a thickening waist line.

And some mornings deserve a steaming hot cuppa, a good book, risk be damned!

Fortunately for me, there aren't that many things I would gorge on willy nilly, though mind you I do believe I could eat my  body weight in bread.

But home made biscotti is one of them.

Coffee's true mate, it is the sure and definative 15th century hottie that beckons again and again.

I've made the traditional Almond and Orange biscotti out of Prato, earlier on.

This twist on the traditional is simply wonderful and the very best way to pay homage to Nature's most passionate nut ~ the pistachio.

Lemon zest and sweet dried cranberries come out to play and the three together are simply naughty and oh so nice!

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Though the name of this dish means pickled eggplant and if sour vegetable slivers come to mind, remove it from your mind immediately!

tthere is nothing sour-pickle-like about this dish and it's best to think of it as marinated eggplant. Marinated, much better.

Traditionally, glossy eggplants are cut into chunks and fried in copious amounts of olive oil to soften. Onions are sauteed and plump, ripe tomatoes are added along with celery, capers, pine nuts, olives and parsley. I for one, forego the frying in oil business and opt for the much more healthier option of roasting the eggplant.

What makes it akin to a pickle perhaps is the addition on red wine vinegar and sugar in which the vegetables are then stewed.

The resulting, robust and full flavored caponata is stored in the refrigerator in sterilized jars where it will happily keep for several weeks.

Only one problem with that - you won't give it a chance to keep. Once you've heaped enormous globs of this wonderful creation on crust bread and bit into it, you'll keep coming for more. I for one, heap it on everything from pan seared fish to butter lettuce cups.

A must when herds must be fed, this is one of the finest vegetable creations to come out of Sicily and the fact that it is so very delicious and must be made a few days in advance which is all the more reason to add this to your culinary repertoire.

Did I also mention, vegetarian and gluten-free?

Weekend Dinner Special ~ Sicilian Style Pork & Sausage Ragu over Pasta

Who doesn't love a good meat sauce!

The fact that this ragu is made not with beef but with pork, has wonderful dollops of Italian sausage and simmered for hours in red wine and crushed tomatoes, should be reason enough to get your blood pumping at the prospect of this ragu for Sunday dinner.

There's a reason this is Sunday dinner and not Monday dinner, per se. And that is because the meat needs to simmer for a solid two hours, till the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce thickens into this incredibly rich amalgamation of meat juices, wine and tomatoes.

You will however be amazed that such as short ingredient list can pack such a punch when it comes to the result.

Using an ever economical cut of meat such as pork butt (no relation to piggy bottom), the meat is cooked till it is falling off the proverbial bone, shreds easily and then simmered some more in the rich sauce. The surprising magic comes from the hot Italian sausage that adds incredible depth and flavor to the sauce and therefore mustn't be omitted. 

Heaped over pasta and finished with freshly grated aged Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, Sunday dinner just got a little brighter!

Traditional Scottish Dundee Cake

Dundee Cake is a famous traditional Scottish fruit cake which is intensely flavorful and though popular throughout the year as a tea cake is especially popular come Christmas time.  

Ever since I began reading the English writer, Hazel Holt in her novels featuring Mrs. Mallory in which she'd always find time to bake Dundee cakes in the middle of solving village crimes, I've been baking Dundee cakes and loving them ever since.

The cake is often made with a variety of dried fruits such as currants, golden raisins and almonds as well as candied fruit peels.

The cake originated in 19th century Scotland and was mass produced by the marmalade company, Keiller's and they have since claimed to be the originators of the term "Dundee Cake".

The top of the cake is typically decorated with concentric circles of blanched almonds.

Like all fruit cakes, it is important to bake the cake at a low temperature, no higher than 325 degrees and preferably much lower - I prefer a slow bake at about 300 deg F.

It is so very important to line the pans with parchment paper to prevent the cakes from burning during the long baking time which usually ranges for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

Unlike regular cakes, simply baking for an hour or so as soon as a skewer comes out clean will not do. The cake needs to be rid of excess moisture in a slow long bake since these cakes are meant to keep over long periods of time in a process called ripening.

In fact, fruitcakes taste better with age! 

So never serve the cake straight our of the oven. Keep for a few days so they taste their best which in itself takes all the stress out of it!

Meet Your Mate (& your Coffee's) ~ Overflowing Cinnamon Braid Heart for Valentine's Day

 
There is no dearth of chocolate recipes out in the blogosphere and in print for Valentine's day in the world.

but there is also something to be said about sharing a really really good cup of coffee

with your honey

in the morning

before the day separates you

before the kids begin their demands on your time

so make this with love

this spectacular cinammon sugary braid

pull it apart with fingers

eat it warm, eat it hot, eat it cold, eat it together

with that excellent cup of coffee

On Valentine's Day

for there's no better way to start the day!

The Sunday Baker ~ Wholegrain, Banana, Pumpkin Hazelnut Maple Loaf

 

I'm feeling quite discombobulated this first week of the New Year, not quite in the groove yet after the long winter break.

And so there is only one thing left to do - bake!

It perhaps has something to do with the oh! so brown bananas that forever seem to stare at me out of the fruit bowl. In fact, it seems that most of my baking involves rescuing bananas. That and half eaten cans of pureed pumpkin.

Now I know that decorum suggests that I shelve all pumpkin related eats with the advent of winter but since when have I ever tried to color in the lines!

So as long as cold weather persists and thank goodness, I have at least a good two months offering such a window of opportunity, I intend to pumpkin away as and when my heart desires.

And quite honestly, though this would be wonderful in autumn, why deny oneself the pleasure of banana, pumpkin, hazelnuts and maple all rolled into one delish loaf this winter's day?

Holiday Baking ~ Easy Peasy Cherry Linzer Bars

 

The Linzer Torte is said to be the oldest-recorded 'cake' in the world going back to the early 1600's and is an Austrian torte with a lattice design on top of the pastry. It's named after the city of Linz in Austria.

The torte is a crumbly pastry made with flour, butter, eggs, hazelnuts or sometime other nuts and is traditionally covered with a red current jelly or sometimes raspberry jam if almonds are used. It is then finished with very thin strips of pastry to form a lattice.

The difficulty level in making this torte varies depending on the recipe you use - the Wolfgang Puck recipe calls for piping the lattice on using a pastry bag which is quite difficult.

For a simply exquisite rendition turning these into cookies, I adore my friend Steve's version at oui,chef.

The Linzer bars here are an easy interpretation of the traditional recipe. I have been making batches and batches of these all week as holiday gifts for my son's teachers, bus stop buddies & afternoon treats.

They are simply scrumptious as they are delicious requiring no genius skill level. In fact any one who can follow a recipe, has use of their hands & nimble fingers can make these quite successfully.

They'll be a hit at office pot lucks and because they're so easy to transport around, I think they're an excellent candidate if you're on the lookout for a delicious, un-fussy holiday recipe.

Try these and see for yourself!

Boozy English Rocks ~ 'Low-fat-but-you'll-never-know' Fruitcake Cookies

I have no doubt that most of my grocery budget during the months of November and December goes towards dried fruit.

If you've ever tried purchasing candied peel, currants and glazed cherries any other time of the year, you know that it's like pulling teeth. Most grocery stored carry these items seasonally which is why I stock up!

Mostly because many of my holiday recipes require pounds & pounds of the stuff which should tell you that I'm crazy for the old world recipes, come the holidays. From traditional boiled pudding which is a whole other blog post, to Scottish Dundee cake & my Cherry Raisin cake  from some years ago, we sure love our dried fruit.

If you're like us and if your love for dried fruit is to second only to your love of brandy in edible bite size pieces, then these boozy cookies have your name all over them.

Ridiculously easy to make and made healthy with use of whole wheat flour and minimal use of butter, they are also excellent for vegetarians since eggs are omitted altogether.

Mind you, biting into these you'll never know! I made a batch of these yesterday for fellow mums & dads who wait with me to collect our younglings at the school bus stop, and not only were  polished off with great speed, I had to promise to post the recipe right away - which is what I'm doing.

 

Favorite Autumnal Eats ~ A Line Up of the Season's Best!

The season beginning Autumn to Winter is a great time to explore not just root vegetables but other leafy vegetables as well. Root vegetables by their very definition are vegetables that grow underneath the soil.

And because of their being so akin to the soil (for lack of better verbage), absorb high amounts of minerals and other nutrients from the surrounding earth.

What makes this season, the very best time for these vegetables?

It has to do with the cold weather. A lot of the tastiest fall vegetables get better after a frost and we're not just talking about roots here - Kale and Brussels sprouts for example, react to the frost by producing sugars, which makes them sweeter.

And therefore depending on your geographical location, right after the first frost, around mid October is  a great time to begin really incorporating these vegetables into the daily diet.

Root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, parsnips and celeriac, convert some of their existing starches to sugars after the first frost, so they get sweeter, too.

In fact, in the olden days before the advent of cane sugar sweet root veggies like parsnips were used in jams as a natural sweetener.

This is a great time to enjoy some of these, nature's autumnal bounty - rutabagas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, parsnips, kale & brussel sprouts.

And here are a few facts about our favorite fall vegetables along with  some fabulous ways to enjoy eating them right now ~

Acorn Squash: Although considered a winter squash and its prime season being from fall through winter, the acorn squash belongs to the same family as summer squash, such as zucchini. It is actually a botanical fruit which is treated as a culinary vegetable.

Though the acorn squash can’t quite measure up to the butternut squash, in it's  levels of vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes healthy vision, there's is still every reason to be eating these.

Just a 1 cup serving of acorn squash has over 30% of the daily recommended amount for vitamin C, a classic antioxidant as well as high levels of vitamins E and B6 & minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Decadent Sugar & Thyme Roasted Acorn Squash

Butternut Squash:  The Butternut Squash comes from the gourd family, which is native to the Western Hemisphere and is very much a winter squash.

Available in early Fall through Winter, you will want to choose a squash that is heavy with few blemishes and moldy spots.

Just a 1 cup serving also provides almost 300 percent of recommended daily value of vitamin A, 50 percent of vitamin C, as well as calcium, riboflavin & iron.

Roasted Butternut Squash Curried Soup

Sweet Potatoes:

Sweet potatoes beat out white potatoes when it comes to nuitrition especially antioxidants. Carotenoids are the antioxidants that give the sweet potato its color and are involved with the body's insulin response.

Beta-carotene is a sweet potato carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A which enhances immune function and helps maintain eye and skin health.

Just a 1 cup serving of sweet potatoes can provide you with as much as 700% of  recommended daily  value for Vitamin A, contains 65% of the minimum necessary daily amount of Vitamin C and also high levels of calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene.

Good Ole' Buttery Sweet Potato Pie

Rutabagas:

Very much the ugly yellow turnips, what the rutabaga lacks in good looks, it more than makes up for in nuitrition. Surprisingly,  botanically the rutabaga is a member of the Brassica genus which makes cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, broccoli it's cousins.

This root vegetable is low in sodium, nearly fat-free, a good source of dietary fiber and is rich in about a half-dozen vitamins and minerals.

But what makes this of special value in our diet is that according to the USDA, the American diet is inadequate in minerals such as phosphorous, manganese and potassium which is precisely what the rutabaga brings to the table. Not to mention

So this is a great time to find new ways to welcome this swedish turnip into the fold.

Holiday Root Mash

Parsnips:

Parsnips are a quintessential cold weather vegetable. They look like carrots but are white and somewhat sweeter, characteristically starchy with a hint of citrus. Infact they have much more sugar content than carrots, turnips and other root vegetables more akin to bananas and grapes!

Like many of the tastiest foodstuffs, parsnips were once a staple among the poor households and before the advent of cane sugar, because of their inherent sweetness were used as a natural sweetener in jams.

They are an excellent source of natural fiber as well as Vitamin C, antioxidants & folic acid.

Stobhach Gaelach, Old Irish Stew

Spices & Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Parsnips, Carrots & Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Brussel Sprouts:

Brussel sprouts are small leafy green buds resemble like miniature cabbages in appearance. The buds are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which work wonders to get rid of many health troubles.

Botanically, the sprouts belong to the same brassica family, which also includes cabbage, kale, cauliflower & broccoli.

They are power house of nutrients and vitamins and several flavonoid anti-oxidants. They are excellent source of Vitamin C, A & E as well as believed to help protect from various cancers.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grapes & Thyme

As you can imagine, several of these dishes are making an appearance on my holiday table and I had fun visiting some old posts that feel like old friends now and introducing you to some new ones.

If any of these lovelies make an appearance on your table, I'll be tickled and absolutely want to hear all about it!

 

Pumpkin, Cardamom & Raisin Sandwich Bread with Maple Cream-Cheese Butter

It's hard not getting caught up in pumpkin fever.

It is after all so seasonal just like the changing colors of autumn. It doesn't matter that it's available in cans all year around. The fact of the matter is that I am only ever compelled to buy pumpkin during the season.

And as soon as the it arrives, I whip into a frenzy thinking of every which way to incorporate pumpkin into just about everything that is baked, roasted or stewed.

This yeasty pumpkin bread with raisins, loads of spice and freshly ground cardamom answers to my craving and is just gorgeous toasted for breakfast. In fact, I'm making my favorite cream cheese, maple & hazelnut butter to go with and you should too.

Mind you, this bread is also just the thing the day after Thanksgiving, when you have turkey coming out of your ears & it makes wicked delicious sandwiches with left over cranberry relish, lettuce and thick cut turkey slices.

Now that's my kind recipe - one that comfortably tweaks to the moment. So make this now or bookmark this for later because this delicious bread will be right here waiting for you & your very own perfect moment!

A Blue Plate Special ~ Salmon & Vegetable Loaf with Lemon-Mayo

 
Eat. more. fish.

It seems to be ever where.

From The American Heart Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture to my Mum keeps telling us to consume two servings of fatty fish per week.

And salmon makes an excellent choice because being rich in omega-3 fatty acids it seems to be a crusader-ninja in the fight against heart disease, Alzheimer's & stroke.

That and the fact that we LOVE  our Salmon Caesars Salad a few times a month. But I always use up the thick, meaty cuts for the salad being left with the thin stomach bits that are just no good served up as fillets.

Now as much as I like turning them into fritters and cutlets & our favorite ceviches there is only so many times we can eat then same old salmon work-up & so I find myself pottering away in the kitchen with my salmon bits trying to turn them into exciting dinners.

And this salmon loaf simply doesn't disappoint. In fact so delicious is it, that I don't recommend you wait for salmon bits to fix this. It  demands a trip to the grocery store.

And if you happen to have a brunch, potluck or a family event coming up and are wondering what to make, this loaf which is big on flavor and tiny on the budget is just the thing.

In fact I think it reminds me of the ideal blue plate special that was all the rage in U.S. cafes and diners back in the 1950's - a delicious (albeit, frugal) entree served with 3 sides. And that's just what I did - served ours with boiled potatoes, peas and carrots.

The lemon-mayo drizzle which comes together in a snap is a do-not-miss and adds a refreshing zing to every salmony-veggie bite.

A Meat Sauce to Write Home About & A Baked Spaghetti To Make You Swoon

In the iconic Fan District in Richmond, Virginia lies the quaint Joe's Inn. Chances are if you've lived here long enough or have family who have, you've graced this eatery. 

It's a place known for its wood paneled walls, friendly service and hearty meals. And as a restaurant it's as neighborhood as they come.

But of all the brunches, lunches and dinners we've tucked away here, I find it impossible to get past Joe's signature dish -

Spaghetti A La Joe
Spaghetti baked with Provolone Cheese topped with your choice of Meat or Marinara Sauce

When it comes to meat sauces, this right here is King and though we never order it but once a year it makes a BIG impression.  You see it represents the superlative meat sauce - rich, hearty, heavy and of course, meaty!

I have been on the lookout for a meat sauce that incorporates everything I love about Joe's and I've found it! I just knew from going down the ingredients list, that this was 'it'. I refer to my fellow blogger veteran,  Thom's  Marinara Sauce for the Motivated. 

If you've paid any attention to Thom at all, there are two things you know lickety quick - the Man is probably one of the oldest bloggers in the community (well into his 70's) and the Man knows his meat! And he dishes it out slathered thick with his sauces & signature wry humor.

I guarantee you, if you pay Thom a visit at Barbecue Tips from Deep In the Heart of Oregon , not only will it satisfy your carnivorous urges but he'll have you rolling on the floor with his 'say it like it is' style.

I have reason to believe that Thom will agree  it has something to do with the fact that the older we all get, the more the need to cut out the BS!

After all, if you can't say it now, then when?

Anyway, Thom's recipe has been tucked away in the recesses of my mind for a few months now and it was time to put it good use. The thing about this recipe is that it's great for weekends with the family when you don't want to spend all day slaving over a hot stove and yet want some comforting, stick-to-your-ribs, delicous wholesomeness.

It makes best in large quantities and for a family like ours that means 1 batch gets used up now and the other goes into the refrigerator  - after all lunch boxes are calling!

Though I have used Thom's recipe almost to the letter, I've thrown in a few tricks of my own such as cooking all the meats together to save time and effort and allowing the sauce to cook 6-7 hours in the slow cooker. I think you'll agree the end result is pretty darn good - Yup, write home good!

So do yourself a favor and have a GREAT weekend - a 'stick-to-your-ribs' kind of weekend!

Colossal Tiger Prawns with Roasted Sweet Peppers, Grape Tomatoes & Goat Cheese, drizzled with Spice Oil

There are moments when inspiration strikes in a big way & even though the whole path is dimly lit you know that baby steps in the right direction will get you to your destination.

This may very well apply to many of life's situations. It just so happens that it applies to dinner.

And so it was that on this ordinary day that I made this -

 

It didn't begin because of some undying urge to fix something fabulous, it actually began for the humblest of reasons - the need to use up odd scraps from the refrigerator.

And I had a bag of mini peppers that was not going to last for but a few more days that I was determined to make good use of. This led to a further inspection of my fridge contents to reveal some goat cheese & parsley also on their last legs.

I was also in no mood for anything that would require any more than 30 minutes from start from finish but wanted to do the peppers & goat cheese, justice.

I also have a motto in my kitchen a sort of Das Kitchen rules

Rule # 1 When all else fails, go for the prawns!

 Rule# 2  When in doubt, stir-fry!

So I decided to jump in the car and pick up some of their colossal tiger prawns & they had those yummy grape tomatoes staring up at me - Who can resist?

The rest was easy - some lovely olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes & we're almost there.

Nifty & On The Go ~ Berry Delicious Lemon Curd Trifles

 

Trifles are a treat on any given occasion.

And traditional English trifles with layers of sponge cake, home-made custard, jelly and fresh whipped cream are guaranteed to feed & please a crowd. However, they aren't quite transport friendly are they?

So I quite like making these instead - I fore-go the custard and the jelly and instead do a lemon curd cream with softened cream cheese whipped up with heavy cream.

The lemony flavors from the lemon curd are just splendid and the cream cheese adds stability to the cream base. Mind you, they still need to be tucked in a cooler with cold packs and all but travel really well especially in these nifty little mason canning jars that make the perfect 'packed-to-portion' carriers.

And of course, using fresh, sun-ripened berries in the summer are the way to go - seasonal, fresh at it's best!

Six Steps, One Fabulous Bruschetta ~ Balsamic Strawberries & Ricotta

I made these for my dearest friend the other day as we welcomed her home from the airport.

A light dinner of sorts with some lovely Chilean red wine to unwind after a long International flight.

These bruschettas couldn't have been more perfect.

The orange infused ricotta and complex flavors from the balsamic and vanilla infused strawberries with the refreshing burst from the occasional bite of basil was absolutely incredible.

So much so that I'm interrupting our girl time or should I say wine time to bring you this post.

So I really do hope you'll include this in your summer soirees.

And now if you'll excuse me, an excellent bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc and some very valuable friend time and a delicious chilean sea bass tagine awaits.

ciao ciao

Celebrate The Season ~ Herb Ricotta & Balsamic Tomato Crostinis

Toast the return of warmer weather with these wonderful Herb Ricotta & Balsamic Tomato Crostinis meant to be savored in the company of good friends and family.

But then again, who's to stop you from opening a nice bottle of wine, curled up on the couch with a plate of these watching reruns of Downton Abbey?

Think toasted thin sliced bread, topped with creamy, fresh herb embellished ricotta and goat cheese made only better with balsamic steeped tomatoes.

So you see, some indulgences don't require an occasion or even a crowd, their very existence is reason enough.

Rustic Easter Ricotta Pie from Italy {Tantalizing Bengali Tastebuds Everywhere}

Oh! so you think I'm calling your bluff with that header?

I think not.

If ever there was proof that when it comes to food our species have long crossed boundaries, reached across countries & cultures and are more bound by our similarities than our differences, it is this.

The Ricotta pie.

Though hailed as a quintessential Italian dish, it has at its core the very ingredient that has had Bengalis from Eastern India reverently reduced to tears  for hundreds of years, by the one ingredient they singularly adore - namely ricotta a.k.a channar - the core of the Bengali Sandesh.

And thus it should come as no surprise that being married to one, I would be lying through my teeth if I said that this Ricotta pie gets made for Easter only.

Nope.

It gets made whenever the heck we wish...and we wish it a lot!

The traditional Ricotta pie is made with a lard crust using no butter. Since I happen to adore the taste of butter and the flakiness that lard or vegetable shortening, lends, I'm using both.

The filling is also traditionally known to include the likes of ground almonds and finely chopped candied orange peel with nuts being a symbol of fertility.

Fertility? Been there, done that. The factory is officially closed.

So we happen to adore it quite simply : tons of ricotta, cream, orange zest instead of peel, a zing of orange emulsion (extract are so yesterday) and ever so slightly sweetened with sugar and kept moist with crushed pineapple. Eggs of course are here to stay no matter which recipe you choose.

Speaking of the very traditional & exquisite Easter Wholegrain Ricotta pie La Pastiera di Grana, is gastronomic experience in itself for which there is no substitute.

This is well worth the time and effort and you'll find that recipe here from an Easter gone by.

So without further ado, lets get cracking so we can all dig into this very delicious Ricotta pie the simplicity of which belies its incredible flavor.

Valentine's Day ~ KARMEL SUTRA Tartlets

The first bite should give you hope,

the second lust &

by the third you're in love!

~

Luscious Chocolate Ganache & Caramel Mingle in a Graham Cracker - Almond Crust

Say it ain't so!

My whoop dee doo with leftovers ~ Candied Yam & Turkey Patties

After the rather large gluttonous feast of yesterday, I have no business eating for a week! 

So thank goodness, I have 3 ravenous boys (err, a man) to help polish off the leftovers. I'm like a vulture when it comes to leftovers - we're going to pick them bones clean down to the teeny tiniest morsel.

Fact remains that since Thanksgiving, I'm all turkey schmurkeyed out. I have probably eaten my weight in bird and am determined to stay away from turkey recipes for a while. But fact remains, I've still got the detritus of yesterday's meal to deal with.

But then providence has its own plans and send a dazzling smile my way - no I didn't win the lottery and you'd think among  the gargantuan crisis of world hunger, poverty and global warming, the Big Guy may be a wee bit too busy to keep an eye on my refrigerator and pantry supplies, eh?

But no sirree, I receive a link on face book by da man, culinary teacher extraordinaire Richard Grausman, pointing the way to Chef Cole Kraft's recipe from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts for his Yam and Turkey Croquettes.

You get it don't ya - the whole connectivity bit? I mean come on people, who do I have to dig up from his subterranean resting place, Carl Jung?

Anyway, providence need say no more. I donned my flowery apron and off I went slightly adapting Chef Kraft's original recipe taking artistic liberties and all. The end result, I must confess is as dazzling as a smile from sky above.

'Christollen' German Christmas Stollen ~ A Dry-Fruit Studded Bread Loaf with Marzipan Surprise

~ Christmas Wishes for You ~

~ And A Stollen Too ~
 
 

~ And for them too ~

 

~Dear Stollen Purists ~

No doubt you feel strongly about your Stollen so I do not claim that this is THE definative stollen recipe but I do vouch for the fact that it IS a dry fruit studded, mouth-wateringly delicious and incredible cake-like bread.

You will therefore forgive me if you like your stollen hard as Bratt Pitt's bottoms because mine is moist in it's texture. You will also find yourself disappointed if you like yours as a log because I have chosen to go with the much more rustic, fold-over version.

Quite honestly, I wouldn't dream to claim that this version has the artistry of the 150 Official Dresden bakers, who make their famous Dresden stollen sold at the local Christmas market Striezelmarkt, distinguished by a special seal depicting King Augustus II the Strong but as Stollens go, it's a star and sure to be polished off, toasted for breakfast (or not!) and slathered with buttah (oh yes!).

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Devaki 

Goofball Alert, Homemade Toffee {Dulce de Leche} & Banoffee Pie from England

Banoffee pie which as the name suggests is essentially a shortcrust pastry topped with homemade toffee filling i.e. dulce de leche, bananas and whipped cream is an English classic.

It is also a recipe that shouldn't be made by goofballs!

By that I mean, people who cannot, will not or simply don't believe in following directions to save their lives, people who leave stuff on the stove and fall asleep or worse walk out the door for a shopping spree.

What's really getting my knickers in a twist is this bit - the homemade toffee, dulce de leche which is essential as the filling.

How to make home made dulce de leche a.k.a toffee filling?

It involves these steps to be followed meticulously - The evening before fixing the pie, roughly 3 hours before going to bed:

1) Use 2 unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk

2) Use a large stock pot and immerse the 2 unopened cans of condensed milk in water. Make sure there is 9 inches of water above the surface of the cans. Cover the stockpot with a tight fitting lid.

3) On medium high heat, simmer the cans for 3 hours. Use a timer to keep track.

4) On the hour, every hour, keep checking to ensure there is at least 6 inches of water above the top of the cans. Replace with hot water as needed.

Goofball alert!* 
It is absolutely vital to top up the pot of boiling water as needed during the cooking process. 3 hours is a long time and if allowed to boil dry, the cans will explode guaranteeing a trip to E.R. with risk to life, limbs and kitchen ceilings!

5) After 3 hours, turn the stove off, leave well alone and go to bed.

6) Remove the cans from the water the next morning, open and what you will end up with is this -

......absolutely perfect, delicious, creamy soft toffee, dulce de leche filling

And this dearies is step uno to this ~

 

Absolutely decadent & Utterly Delicious Banoffee Pie

Invented in East Sussex, England at the Hungry Monk in 1972, Banoffee Pie is even rumored to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite pudding. The recipe followed in this post is based on the original recipe from the publication ‘The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk’ in 1974. 

There are cooks who advocate cooking the condensed milk in a pyrex dish for hours in the oven but in my experience it results in a tough and hard toffee filling that is impossible to cut through once the pie is chilled and at the risk of your teeth falling out of your head.

The 'cooked can' method used here to make the toffee is widely used all over the U.K and is original to the 'Hungry Monk' recipe.

Cook's Note - The toffee, dulce de leche can be made a week in advance and stored in a airtight plastic container in the refrigerator till ready to use. Unopened cans of toffee  (the cooked cans) can be stored in the pantry cabinet for upto 3 months and is a great way to always have the fixings of Banoffee pie at hand for that last minute craving or unannounced company.

Happy Thanksgiving & Dangerously Good Carnitas

National defrost day in the US was over the weekend. I refer to the turkeys that are defrosting in millions of refrigerators around the US in anticipation of being roasted on Thursday Thanksgiving Day. Now here's a celebration that is one of the biggest holiday's in the US larger somewhat than even Christmas!

Most of us are anticipating the arrival of family in friends and with most of the grocery shopping out of the way, it's time to clean house, fluff pillow, polish the silver and wash the crystal to sparkling clarity.

Needless to say I will be MIA this week! My kitchen however will be seeing more action than it's seen all year! With guests arriving before the D-day, it's great to have easy to put together, blow them away meals that will basically cook themselves while you're getting laundry done and running around with last minute errands.

So when Ananda at Pinch of Love asked me to do a guest post I was thrilled to prepare my Cantina Carnitas, Mexican pork with soft tacos and Pico de Gallo. A staple around here and my go-to, save-me dinner of choice, please head over to Ananda's corner and read the post, here.

Happy Thanksgiving, Ya'all!

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let's be the people who have a blast and make the most of the holidays with love & gratefulness in our hearts!

xoxo, Devaki

 

Wicked Delicious ~ Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grapes & Thyme for your Holiday Table

 
It's hard to imagine that Thanksgiving is already upon us!

Most of us have already spit & polished our menus. And even though I am just on the verge of being happily inundated, some things in life are good enough to break into a song and dance about. The fact that it is over a vegetable and that too one that almost always cooks with a slightly bitter undertone, should have your attention.

I have had brussel sprouts all the usual ways - steamed, buttered, shredded and coated in maple syrup - just anything to take away that bitterness and have the kiddies eat it too.

And for most part, its been a compromise. Well those day are over...over. 

You know how in biology we learning about symbiosis where one organism or plant life depends upon the other for its survival.....does that also sound like marriage...hmm?

Well, brussel sprouts and grapes may not depend on each other for their survival biologically speaking but in the culinary world, they do or they ought to.

I never would have believed it until I tasted these for the first time - the brussel sprouts borrows the subtle sweetness from the grapes and changes itself -  for the better.  It's a win win!

I am so glad I came across this recipe flipping pages of  Real Simple at the grocery store, remembered the salient features of the mag enough to recreate it and now it's making an appearance for everything from  holiday dinners, boring wednesday dinners to 'Guess-who's-coming-to-dinner?' dinners.

Fix this and change your brussel sprout universe forever!

 

10 Tips to Pie Crust Nirvana & Good Ole' Buttery Sweet Potato Pie

At the risk of repeating myself, let me just say this yet again, "Pie crusts are like predators,  they smell fear".

I have come to a point and I say this with nothing but humility that I no longer fear the pie crust. For me having fixed it week after week, year after year has a lot to do with this. Yes we eat a lot of crust in its myriad uses. But this puffing of the chest business didn't come overnight. Nothing worse than the night before Thanksgiving being up till 1.30am trying to fix a pie crust recipe that is flawed, that came from a solid source and I say it again,  flawed.

I therefore no longer shop around for pie crust recipes but stick with this true blue, time tested recipe because I know that it will render the same result in all its  fabulous glory, day in and day out.

As I set out to write about sweet potato pie, I realised that even though none of us needs yet another pie recipe, I reckon we can all do with a really good one. This right here, right down to its naked crust is just that.

It's taken some thought churning to really pin down what leads to my personal pie nirvana and having penciled down the lot, I'm ready to share it with you.

~ 10 Tips to Pie Crust Nirvana ~ 

1. Invest in a really good quality pie dish. 

I love my Emile Henry because the burgundy clay used to make it and its thickness, ensures even baking throughout. I never realised what a difference a dish makes till I got rid of my cheapo one.

2. Use chilled butter

Using somewhat softened or sweaty butter softens the whole dough ball making it very tough to handle and making you sweat in the interim!

3. Have all your ingredients ready to go before you begin

Yes, a few minutes of advance preparation really pays off because once you get on the pie train, there's no getting off. 

4. Get rid of distractions & follow instructions meticulously

This is not the time to watch your fave soap or psycho-babble with a girlf friend. Plus you're going to be a lot more excited blowing your trumpet after you fix the pie.

Stop playing with the recipe - you ain't a cat and the pie crust ain't your ball of yarn. Stick to the recipe - it works!

5. Use a timer or a seconds watch for the dough

When the recipe says pulse for 25 seconds, it means 25 seconds - not 15 & not 30 so it's best to use technology.

6. Use your palms. And chill baby chill!

Divide the dough into little balls and flatten with the heel of your hand. This gives the crust the flaky layers we love. Also chill that dough for the allotted time because if you don't you'll be cussing the whole way through as the dough will be very hard to handle.

7. Work fast once the dough is out of the refrigerator

Don't turn it into a sweaty dough ball because you left it sitting out on the counter top.

8. flour, flour, flour

Liberally flour the work surface where you'll be rolling out the dough - use 1/4 cup flour. This means you can easily quarter-turn the crust as you roll.  

9. Roll evenly & 4" beyond the base of the pie dish

Nothing worse than not having enough crust to cover the dish. So I always roll out to 4" beyond the diameter of the base which covers the sides real well and gives me enough overhang to do the edges.

While you roll use a light hand and roll out the edges too. Its very common to end up with a thin center and a thick rim. Distribute the pressure as you roll.

10. Don't trim exactly to the edge of the pie dish

Trim 1/2" beyond the edge of the pie dish so you can pinch the edge to give you a nice scallop. Remember the crust will shrink once you bake and if you don't have enough of a overhang, you'll end up with a naked edge in spots much like a receding hairline.

So there you have it!

PLEASE share your pointers that work for you and I will be happy to add it to this list.

And now onwards to fixing some buttery sweet potato pie.

Brrr.....Roasted Butternut Squash Curried Soup

  

We've just had our first snowfall - in  the fall. If that isn't occasion enough for soup, I don't know what is!

There are few things in my humble opinion that comes close to the joy of this roasted vegetable nestled with herbs emerging from a hot oven. And my love for butternut squash exceeds all apprehensions.

And speaking of which I refer to the slight apprehension that overcomes me each and everytime I have a Chef's knife poised over the hard skull of a butternut squash. Murmuring a string of prayers, kids safely tucked away into their rooms, I intensely focus on two thoughts -

1) Under all circumstances emerge from this with all ten fingers intact.

2) Overcome fear of said task by thinking of the warm, toe curling soup that awaits at the end of this tunnel.

The roasted glistening skin now tender and soft to touch with the succulent flesh almost saccharin sweet as the squash has released all its natural sweetness,  is a wonderful thing  to behold. And all of this goodness is only outdone by the addition of  some  madras curry powder, naturally sweet coconut milk and a scattering of plump raisins.

Now here I believe is a soup fit for a weeknight treat or any holiday meal. Like the  good ones this recipe is inspired by the best of the season and nature's bounty.

'I Like Bugs' Spidery Cupcakes for Halloween

'I Like Bugs' by Margaret Wise Brown is my 5 year old's favorite book.

He loves sitting with it perched on the bed and speaking to his grand parents  on the telephone, reading it to them. They are kind enough to fill in the gaps with big words like 'shiny' and 'sidewalk'.

With Halloween around the corner, the blogosphere is crammed with fantastical and horrific culinary creations to make one cringe and howl in delight all at the same time. So when my son's teacher was looking for sweet treats for his Junior Kindergarten  class, I decided that oozing eyeballs and bleeding witchy fingers were not the way to go.

It's hard enough getting these little munchkins to eat on a regular day much less with a grossology rendition of the food. Instead I decided to use my son's favorite book as a source and inspiration and with the help of various culinary talents from the world over, I think we've managed to delight even the most fussy critter lovers.

I am using my true and trusted cake recipe for the cupcakes. If it ain't broke why fix it? But I must thank the Australian Womens Weekly for teaching me how to make critters out of Smarties (m&m's) and proving that even 'got no talent for craft' dummies can pull this off.

Also, I've chosen to fix a decadent lemony cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes and learning the color wheel in Architecture school finally paid off when it came to mixing that particular tint of lime green. Yea to 9 years Uni!

Autumnal Pumpkin & Cranberry Drop Scones with Pumpkin, Spice & Maple Butter

It's the weirdest thing. As soon as autumn falls on my lap and temperatures begin to drop, I find the pressure begin to mount to do something, anything with pumpkin. I think it's an almost unhealthy obsession and best dealt with and got out of the way -  promptly.

This feeling also coincides with the time thoughts of the Thanksgiving feast menu begin churning in my head. It's a cacophony in there, I promise and can't be helped. Happens every time. And yes, I know it's only October. Like I said, can't be helped.

But I have another motive for fixing these scones - I wanted to experiment  around with a topping for these that would be delicious on other desserts as well. And by jove, we've got it!

The Pumpkin, spice and maple butter on this thing is to die for. Not to mention the melt-in-the mouth scones do a darn good job holding their own.

Don't let my cooky motives and inspiration for these lovely seasonal scones stop you for feasting on these yourself.

Go on then!

An Easter Delight ~ Pull-Apart Hot Cross Buns with Apricot Glaze

 
Did you grow up on the Nursery Rhyme? I did!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny, 

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters,

Give them to your sons

I can't help it!

Every year that I bake these I have the words jingling in my head. And it's nice to associate warm and fuzzy memories with food especially when the memory come wrapped up in a nice frolicky tune.

This made all the more made special  when the food itself happens to be loaves of spiced bread crusted with delicious dry fruits such as dried cranberries and golden raisins all nestled in a hint of sweetness. These are traditionally eaten at Easter with the cross on top representing the crucification of Christ.

But did you also know that there are all kinds of superstitions surrounding hot cross buns?

According to English folklore, the buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or become mouldy during the subsequent year. Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes.

 Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be" is said at the time.

True or not, what a sweet thought! So make some this week and I hope you share it with your loved ones for a year of goodwill that will be! 

PS - I am submitting these to Sweet at Sugar Cookies for the Sweets for a Saturday, parade. How nice of Lisa to invite me! Thank You.

Valentine's Day ~ Sinful Orange Burst & Chocolate Ganache Cake

 

 
My older son always gets the coolest cakes on his birthday.

Since his birthday falls in the vicinity of Valentine's day, invariably, we roll the dessert into one. And yes, this poses it's own challenges - not only must the dessert be chocolate, it must have all the sophistication of a Valentine's treat and all of the yumminess to turn little boys giddy with excitement.

When it comes to turning grown men, women and little boys and girls giddy with excitement, few things hit the spot like the combination of orange and chocolate. For me this fascination began young - right about the time I learned to smack that orange globe hard on the ground so it falls apart to reveal chocolaty orange segments. Please tell me you know that of which I speak?

For those of you who claim indifference to the combination of orange and chocolate, I have only this to ask - are we speaking of the same thing? And are you sure you've actually tasted said combination?

No brain-er people, this right here is a gateway to all things sinfully delicious. (What else you do with ganache, is entirely up to you....)

And now that we've got food for the belly and senses out of the way, this Valentine's day let me leave you with Lord Byron, a famously romantic poet - 

'Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.'

And here's my two cents worth -

We are not here on Earth only to achieve things. Nor are we here to be solely efficient. We are here to experience, to share and to celebrate happiness. Let's remember that this week and then look at the people we are closest to.

Despite their (and our) faults or failings, aren't we lucky to know them?

 

~OH WAIT! JUST A MINUTE~

I’m THRILLED that thanks to Sommer at A Spicy Perspective, I will be a co-host on an online cooking class through themotherhood.com on Wednesday, February 16th at 1 pm EST.

Please mark your calendars and check out their website for more information!

 

A Christmas Tradition from Naples : My adventures with 'Struffoli' ~ Citrus and Honey Fritters

A story is a sum of its parts. And so it is that this story is a sum of three - and this story has an idyllic beginning, a rude awakening and thankfully, a happy ending. The idyllic beginning to this story sets forth in the wonderful city of Sydney, more than a decade ago. 

It was during one such winter break that I met Umberto, an acting student from Sicily who was attending the National Institute of Dramatic Art (yes, the very same school Mel Gibson attended) and was using our college as temporary housing. He had moved to the room across from mine for the holidays and introductions were made over foaming mouths as he borrowed my toothpaste one morning.

When Christmas day arrived, we awoke to a hot and sultry weather which is quite usual as it is summer, down under. Most of us were heading to the beach for  a barbie and a swim and Umberto looked at everyone with a puzzled expression. He said, "Barbie,  What about some Struffoli? In Naples I always knew that Christmas week had arrived, not by the date on the calendar but because in in the center of the table would be a plate full of Struffoli". Of course we had no idea what he was on about.

Next thing we know, he walks over to the kitchen, speaks to the head cook and asks us to go grocery shopping with him. We return huffing and puffing loaded with flour, sugar, honey, lemons and oranges. We followed him into the kitchen and went to work. He was head chef and I was one of his line cooks.

 And so it was, that much later on Christmas day looking over the azure waters at Coogee beach, a handful of Uni students from the world over, savored our first plateful of Struffoli. These little doughnut-like balls enveloped with honey and the scent of lemons and oranges are a wonderful reminder of simpler times and simple pleasures.

Now wouldn't this have been a wonderful ending to this story? Written on a piece of old yellow parchment in my recipe pit is Umberto family recipe of Struffoli? I wish!

I, in fact have only scribblings of Umberto's family recipe with no proportions  in writing and all of it put together looks like runaway feline scratchings. So I turned to the dear man in orange crocs, Mario Batali. After all, how can I go wrong with Mario?

 But Alas, not only did Mario but the culinary Gods as well desert me, because what arrived on the table was this -

 Mr. Hubby took one look at them and said,"They look like shrivelled 'nuts' in winter! Are they supposed to look like this?"!

The kids who were also looking at the plate with  some trepidation and thankfully missed the meaning of what was just said,   announced, "Daddy, they look like walnuts" Unfortunately, they were as hard as walnuts too. Sigh.

I was sad. I barely looked into Mr. Hubby's eyes and just hung from my shoulders. After moping around for about 2 hours, I decided there was no way I was going to rest my head on a pillow this night without conquering the art of Struffoli making.

I reviewed the recipe again, and squealed to Mr. Hubby who was now sitting at his computer with a pair of headphones (no doubt to block away my whimpering sounds), which I promptly yanked off his head and said, "Nani (my gran) would have smacked me on the head! There is no fat in this recipe! How can we have soft, fluffy airy dough balls with no fat? I'm fixing them again and you have to eat them!"

Mr. Hubby mumbles, "I do?"

 

So off I went and reworked the same recipe but with less eggs, a smidgen of baking powder and buttah...you hear me, buttah!

 

And what we have here are these - marvellous, airy, light and bearing no resemblance to 'nuts' whatsoever -Struffoli!

 
 

 ~The {happy} End~

 

An Ode to the Holidays ~ Cranberry, Apple & Spice Cake

 

As cooler weather has come calling, it is nice to wake up to mornings where but for the occasional pine trees, almost all the magnificent trees have surrendered their leaves to the earth below.

And through these trees, the misty air is a visual wall, like curdled buttermilk. It is on such mornings that I long for a splash of color and warm baked goods. Few things lift my spirits like cold weather baking.

So excited have I been about the magnificent results of the Raspberry and almond cake, that we made a few weeks back that I decided that another fresh fruit cake albeit not one with ground up almonds but rather a plethora of spiced up seasonal fruit was in order.

And what would be more seasonal at this moment than fresh cranberries with apples and warm spices?

This is one of those creations that to my mind is as much of a pie as it is a crumble as it is a cake. I suppose the fact that the fresh fruit is heaped in mounds at the base of the dish reminds me very much of a crumble but the batter is indeed that of a cake and yet  the fruit juices that bubble up to the surface of the cake is just so pie like.

Either way. call it what you will, it tastes just as sweet!

 

Warm Wishes & A Thanksgiving Treat : Autumnal Pumpkin, Cream Cheese & Spice Swiss Roll

 
Oh Alright, I give up, I give in!

I know you're all 'pumpkined-out' but I have fallen trap with those millions who cannot but help post a pumpkin recipe come Thanksgiving. I have tried to ignore these orange globes all season but Alas! It is not be be! I have been haunted  by the thought that as Thanksgiving approaches at neck breaking speed, I must follow suit after my fellow brethren in the blogosphere and magazine publishers and post one, just one pumpkin recipe.

For those of us who belong to the category of people who have eyed recipes containing the terms 'swiss rolls' and 'jelly roll pan' with some trepidation, I'll have you know that for all our sakes, I have had a breakthrough - swiss rolls are forgiving!

I never thought I'd hear me say these words - but there, I've said it and I mean it. I have never claimed to be an ace baker but mainly some who loves to cook and happens to bake because I love, absolutely love the sweet scent and taste of fresh baked oven goodies. That and the fact that my two little munchkins cannot be denied their weekly treat.

So when I decided that for these holidays I would bake something with pumkin, after tossing the swiss roll idea around face book and oscillating between that and pumkin muffins with cheesecake and streusel, the populace spoke and the swiss roll won hands down.

Here's a mantra that I would recite while I fix these "Even if it looks like I'm screwing up, I'm not - it's going to be fabulous!" And it will be. Take it from me because there were times throughout the process that I kept thinking - "no way it's supposed to look like this" or " how come mine doesn't look all smooth & flat? " but in the end, it matters not! All said and done, they look fab, they taste fab, you'll get rave reviews and honestly, what else is there?

Now before I bury myself in the general mayhem of grocery list making, menu planning and cooking that is going to take over everything this coming week, I leave you and yours with my warmest wishes ~

 Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

 

Holiday Finger Foods : Filo Cups with Crab & Pineapple Guacamole

 
I don't care how organized we are, the Holidays are a time when most of us are running around like chickens with our heads cut off!

Now if you're anything like me, you'll take any help you can get to keep the troops loaded and complacent while waiting on the feast ahead. No matter how much wine and beer is guzzled down, eventually folks will always meander back to the table looking for small bites.

Have I got just the thing for you!

 

These little guacamole delights are absolutely wonderful and are just the thing as a go-between munchie so much so that even the young ones love em'.

Now there is no shame in admitting - I go right for those frozen filo cups sitting in the freezer section for this one. Hey, between all the other cooking we have to get done, I say let's take the help where it's offered!

 

Holiday Favorites : Decadent Sugar & Thyme Roasted Acorn Squash

 

Big beautiful mounds of squash are all over the market place. Sitting a few places from the potatoes, these delightful creatures don't always receive the attention they must covet and rightfully deserve.

After all, beneath their hard cold exteriors, hidden by a labyrinth of seeds & membranes is succulent  & sweet flesh. When cooked right it does an excellent job enhancing a slab of steak or perfectly cooked pork chop.

And like most root vegetables what better way to bring forth their inherent sweetness than roasting. And if we stopped right there it would be good enough but once applied with a generous smear of butter, brown sugar, thyme and spices, this beautiful mound of squash is no longer just a mound of squash but turns into an entirely different decadent offering.

 

Now of all the squash in all the world, Acorn here is my absolute favorite. For one, there is that aesthetic quality to its shape. The architect in me seeks that sort of thing and secondly, I find it more delicate in flavor than its bulbous cousin the butternut.

I also enjoy the fact that that it's a leave-me-alone sort  of vegetable which suits perfectly, since it likes nothing more than to do its thing on its own in a hot oven.

Spices & Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Parsnips, Carrots & Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I am on some kind of a roll with pork tenderloin - I can't seem to get enough of it!

It has been this way ever since I fixed the Brazilian style Pork tenderloin, Marinated in Feijoada Spices & Roasted with an Orange-Serrano Chile Glaze . It is as though I have just discovered something that was in front of me this whole time. How fun!

I guess I should have listened more closely to all those ads in Sydney that kept playing over and over again on the tele - Australian pork - the New White Meat! It's a bit scary that I can still remember the jingle after all this time. Half the time I can barely connect the name to a face but when it comes to a pork tune, stuck in there like glue! Wow!

Anyway, I have been dying to fix parsnips - Like with most root vegetables what better way to cook them than roasting? I also wanted to do a tenderloin recipe that did not require a lot of marinating - just a few hours and still have a wonderful infused flavor. Now, I've always been a dry rub kind of girl - OK I did not mean for that to come off as kinky so just to be straight, we're talking food ya'all!

I love dry roasting spices, dry grinding them, adding a little bit of olive oil & marinating the meat in it and I do this just about any kind of meat always with excellent results. However, this is the first time I'm going pork tenderloin this way and I don't really have a recipe in mind, just a rough sketch so I'm going to work this I go along.

I also have an idea to use the 'vaghaar' technique in Indian cooking i.e. temper or season the hot oil with spices and then toss the vegetables in it - with the vegetables. I think its going to be wonderful with it. I thought of using turnips and rutabagas with the parsnips and carrots but  I think their bulbs will not be aesthetic with the linear forms of the other two vegetables - what can I say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks - once a designer, always a designer!

 

Revoke some Holiday Spirit - Cherry Raisin cake

The months after the holidays, after a plethora of cookies and gingerbread and the celebrations of the New Year, I can't help feeling the need to revoke some of the festive spirit. Have you noticed how the cold also brings about a stillness in the air? It's as though the air is pregnant with possibilities.

I love winters for this reason and also because I simply love crisp cold days more than hot, sweaty,  days  - and it makes me want to cook hearty stews and bake warm breads and roast meats. It also reminds of  our early years when we had just arrived in the US. Every holiday season, our dear friend Michael's mother, who lives in Australia would mail us a traditional boiled Christmas pudding (with instructions for the flambe and brandy butter)

One of these holidays, I am determined to make us a traditional pudding (suet and all) but for now,  I'll make do with a similar albeit simpler, delicious cherry raisin cake.

My first experience making this cake, resulted in what I'd  like to simply call - 'the incident'. An unforgettable one nevertheless, since my forgetting to use parchment paper during the baking process resulted in a beautiful brown,  perfect cake, tearing apart as I tried to nudge it out of the loaf pan. Not pretty - and pretty much heartbreaking!

Any how, now that I have recovered, I simply must share this lovely recipe with you. I have sent a loaf of this delightful creation to my good friend Shearer and she assures that me that it was a roaring success not just with the grown-ups but also the kids. As far as I'm concerned if the kids love it, its got to be good stuff!

This recipe is adapted from the original as published in the Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook.

A note about the ingredients, first of all I had quite a run around getting the right kind of cherries.

The cherries we need are not the canned, fresh or frozen variety nor are they the maraschino cherries but rather the red glazed ones - the ones I finally found them in a 4 oz container simply labeled red cherries though I know them as glazed cherries (not cheap at $4.50 for 4 oz).

Secondly the raisins should be sultanas or 'golden raisins ' and not the 'Thompson' raisins.  

 

Most importantly, set aside 3 hours for the preparation and baking of this cake and bake 3-4 days before serving for flavors to mature beautifully.

Preheat the oven to 300 deg F

 

 
 

 

Place softened butter in a bowl & add the powdered sugar.

 

Cream with a hand held electric blender till light and fluffy (I am sure you can also use your esteemed kitchen aid  mixer  if you've got it!)

I used my handy Braun handled that's been with me forever and I love it!

 

 

 

Onto the next step -

 

Add beaten eggs and blend well. Freshly squeeze the oranges (my 7 year old son was so excited to do this for me :) and add the juice to the egg mixture.

 

Once the orange juice is added and blended together with the electric hand blender, it looks as though the butter and juice is congealed. No worries!

Put the flour into a separate large mixing bowl and add baking powder to it. Stir with clean hands or rubber spatula. Take away 2.5 oz of the flour into a small bowl and set aside.

 

Halve the cherries. Mix together the glazed cherries and the golden raisins in a bowl. Add the 2.5 oz reserved flour and mix together till all the cherries and raisins are thoroughly coated with the flour.

Cook's Note - Isn't it the darnedest thing, that coating with flour prevents them from settling to the bottom when added to the batter!

 

Add the egg mixture to the flour. With a rubber spatula, fold the flour and egg mixture together, scraping the sides of the bowl and turning  the batter over and over till completely blended.

 

Add the cherries and raisins and mix with the rubber spatula till completely blended. Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Important!

To line the pan, I cut 2 large rectangles of parchment paper - one the width of the length & the other the width of the other side. Place both the rectangles into the pan & they will overlap with the excess paper hanging off the sides. This is fine because it allows easy removal of the cake (use like handles)

Cook's Note -  I learned the hard way that non-stick cooking spray simply doesn't stand a chance when baking for 2  hours. So the parchment paper is a must.

 

  

Bake for 2 hours until it reaches a beautiful golden brown color. Pierce with a thin skewer and it if comes out clean then the cake is done. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.

Wrap in foil and set aside for 3-4 days for the favors to mature and it is ready to serve.

I sprinkled some powdered sugar when I served the cake - the favors of the butter, orange juice and dry fruits complement each other beautifully.

I realized that though many recipes call for  soaking the dry fruits in brandy (and can be substituted for the orange juice) I didn't miss it at all and actually preferred this lighter version. Also, I didn't have to worry about the kids turning their noses up!

 

 

 

Recipe for

CHERRY RAISIN CAKE

 Serves 6

Shopping list

1/2 lb all-purpose flour

1/2 lb butter

1/2 lb powdered sugar

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

4 oz freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 lb golden raisins

1/2 lb glazed cherries

 

Preparation - 

Butter and sugar mixture - In a large bowl cream the  softened butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

 

Eggs - Break into a bowl and lightly beat

Oranges - Squeeze fresh oranges and reserve juice

Flour - In a large bowl place together the all purpose flour and baking powder. Reserve 2.5 oz flour separately.

Cherries and raisins - Halve the cherries.  Toss in the 2.5 oz reserved flour till thoroughly coated.

 

 

 

    

  

Cooking method-

Preheat the oven to 300 deg F .

Cut pieces of parchment paper & line a 9 x 5 loaf pan. To line the pan, I cut 2 large rectangles - one the width of the length & the other the width of the other side. Place both the rectangles into the pan & they will overlap with the excess paper hanging off the sides. This is fine because it allows easy removal of the cake (use like handles)

To the creamed butter and sugar, add beaten eggs and blend. Add the orange juice and blend till well mixed. To the flour, add this egg mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold the flour and egg mixture together, scraping the sides of the bowl and turning  the batter over and over till completely blended.

 

Add the flour coated cherries and raisins and mix with the rubber spatula till completely mixed.

 

 

 

Bake for 2 hours in the preheated oven till the cake is a beautiful golden brown. Pierce with a thin skewer and it if comes out clean then it is ready. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.

Wrap in foil and set aside for 3-4 days for the favors to mature and it is ready to serve. Cut into slices to serve.

Enjoy!