Lemon Blueberry Poppyseed Muffins

These muffins graced my table on Monday morning, and they were just the thing to start the week. Joy the Baker has an excellent food blog, so if you haven't already checked it out, I suggest you bookmark it for later :)

I knew I wanted blueberry muffins, and wondered if there were any online recipes that incorporated poppyseeds, since I had some in the cupboard. Joy's Lemon Blueberry Poppyseed Muffins to the rescue! I even had a lemon sitting in my fruit bowl, but it was a bit sad, and didn't give me a great deal of zest, so I upped the lemon flavour in the recipe by adding a squeeze of the juice.

The only persnickity bit was browning the butter. I don't know if it's because I used frozen blueberries, but my batter was very heavy - it clumped into my muffin cups, rather than poured. If this happens to you, do not overmix the batter. Do not. These muffins came out with a lovely crispy crust, even though I skipped the crumble topping.

I shared two with the owners of our local cafe, who are practically friends after two years of seeing Mr J and I. They asked if I could make more to sell them for the cafe, and declared them to be among the best muffins they'd ever eaten! Since my kitchen will never be commercially certified, though, I just pointed them to the recipe.

Happy baking!

Almond Asparagus Quinoa

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped
2 bunches baby asparagus
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup craisins
1       tablespoon lemon juice

Optional: Salt and pepper, fresh parsley

Total time: 30 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Loosely adapted from FoodNetwork.com recipe by Ellie Krieger

Directions

Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the almond pieces in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to the plate, reserving the oil.

Cut the baby asparagus into small pieces, leaving the heads of the spears intact. Add to the skillet and cook for two minutes, while the quinoa is removed from heat.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the almonds, garlic, lemon juice, asparagus (with any remaining oil) and craisins, and toss. Season with salt and pepper and add chopped fresh parsley if desired.


I substituted many ingredients for what I had in the cupboard, and added baby asparagus that I hadn't managed to eat since market day. The results were delicious, and the birthday girl was happy I'd brought something vegan to her backyard party! This dish tastes great hot or cold.

Fussy Coffee Cake

Occasionally, the only cure for what ails me is to spend time in the kitchen. I desperately wanted coffee cake, but I didn't want the temptation of an entire cake in the house either... so Tuesday morning, when I didn't work until ten, I made The Joy of Baking's coffee cake and brought it into work. On the bus, I might add, still in its springform pan, in a cloth bag.

Be forewarned, this is a bit of a fussy cake to prepare on a workday morning. I used three bowls and just over half an hour to mix everything together. Whether that's because I was sleepy, or it was a new-to-me recipe, or I had a husband running around me making coffee, I don't know.

In any case, it's best suited to brunch or a weekend afternoon tea. My mom makes a fabulous one but I wasn't sure I could wait to get the recipe from her. I've never made one with chocolate chips in it before - usually just nuts and brown sugar, or alternatively, blueberries - but it was nice for a change. I had to sub in a few teaspoons of cornflour to make up for the lack of cake flour in Australia, but it worked. I had a rather fluffy cake with a beautiful streusel.

Here is a snapshot of the reactions:

"It's still warm!"

"It looks so professional."

"Could I have the recipe? This is the best cake I've had in years!"

"What is it? Is there coffee in it?"

"Are those chocolate chips?"

And finally: [Groan] [Nom nom] [more happy groaning]

From the Oven

Using a slightly-tweaked recipe I found here (more puree, less sugar, added ground cloves), I made pumpkin pies for Christmas, and another two today:

Last night I baked a longtime favourite (previously blogged here) and was rather pleased with how it turned out. I added a few walnuts on top before baking, which made this banana bread look even tastier.

My little camera is missing so unfortunately the above are just phone pics.

Also from my kitchen this week:

An easy simmer sauce curry with beef, bell peppers, carrots & onion with couscous as an accompaniment to Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Banana, mango & orange smoothies

M&M cookies

Meat loaf

BBQ'd Chicken Kebabs with bell peppers & mushrooms, marinated in teriyaki, lime, and ginger

A reprise of fish tacos will be tonight's dinner. Friday night we ordered my favourite pizza from Pizza Capers, New Orleans - cajun-spiced chicken with mushrooms and thin slices of potato, drizzled with sweet chili sauce and sour cream. Yummm. A girl can't cook all the time! :)

What have you been cooking lately? Is there anything you're dying to make? On my list are:

John Willoughby's Tagine-Style Lamb Stew
Lentil Soup with Caraway and Minted Yogurt
Honey Thyme Pork Roast
White Chocolate & Passionfruit Layer Cake

Christmas treats

Peanut Butter Balls
Yield: 14-16

1 tsp butter
1/3 C smooth peanut butter
1 C icing sugar
6 maraschino cherries, chopped smaller than 1/4's
4 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 C chocolate sprinkles or ground nuts

Butter must be soft - not melted. Mix the butter, peanut butter, and icing sugar. Make into a paste and roll into small balls. Cherry pieces (optional) can be rolled into the centre of the ball, or incorporated into the paste.
Tip: If dry, add cherry juice.
Melt chocolate and dip or roll balls to coat, then immediately roll in sprinkles or nuts and allow to set on a plate. Tip: A skewer can be used to aid in dipping.
Store peanut butter balls in a sealed container in the fridge.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies

from Stolen Bonbons

yield 2 dozen

ingredients

1-½ cup Butter

2 cups Sugar

4 whole Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

5 cups Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

FOR COOKIE ICING:

Confectioner's Sugar

Vanilla

Milk

Food Coloring

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour cream mixture into flour mixture and mix well.

Chill for at least 2 hours.

Roll out at least 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 until golden brown.

Ice, decorate and enjoy.

For sugar cookie icing:

(Sorry, I don’t measure the icing ingredients out. I just make it.)

1. Pour powdered sugar into a bowl.

2. Add milk, pouring small amounts in at a time, stirring after each addition.

Recipe can be halved.

Recipes of Roommates Past

Roommates come and go, but sometimes you crave the food they used to make.

Brandy's Chicken in Really Good Sauce

1/4 C butter
1 pkg dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 C white wine
1 can Campbells Golden Mushroom Soup
4 oz cream cheese
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Spaghetti

1. Melt butter on stovetop in a saucepan. Stir in dressing mix. Blend wine, then soup, then cream cheese into butter & dressing mix. Heat throughout but do not boil, stirring until smooth.

2. Arrange chicken breasts in ovenproof dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Cook uncovered at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes if fresh, 60 minutes if frozen.

3. Cook spaghetti or other pasta according to package directions. Plate, then top with chicken and sauce.

This particular roommate combo was short-lived, but it gave me this recipe, which is darn tasty. If you're serving more people than you have chicken breasts, just cut it up before cooking. Unfortunately I can't make the chicken here in Australia, because there is no golden mushroom soup, and Campbells cream soups in general just don't taste the same. Come to think of it, I haven't found dry italian dressing mix either. Sigh.


Chris' Rice n Beans

White rice
1 can of black or kidney beans, rinsed
Black sesame oil
Good quality chili powder
Salt to taste
Light flavoured olive oil
Garnish: cilantro, lime and grated cheese

I can't vouch for amounts but here's the basic method:
1. Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside.
2. Heat black sesame oil in large pan or deep electric griddle
3. Transfer rice to pan once hot, then add beans and mix.
4. Shake chili powder and salt onto beans & rice, to taste
5. Add lots of olive oil - chef says "enough light flavoured olive oil to make it kind of oily." Stir, stir stir, because the pan should be hot and the rice n beans sizzling. When it's shiny and a bit crispy, you're done!
6. Top with fresh cilantro (Aussies: coriander), a squeeze of lime, and grated cheese.

The best part of the rice n beans is definitely watching Chris make it, because he's so very happy in the kitchen. He's usually wielding some utensil or another as though it were an extension of his arm. Chris is also the roomie with whom I argued over "small mashy." I did promise to tell this story sometime...

Jody and I started our married life as the roommates of Chris and his talented fiancee Angie. Between us we had far too many utensils. As a newlywed AND a student, wine was scarce - and I had been given a glass. Chris and I were going through the kitchen stuff and deciding what to put in storage. He had the standard wavy potato masher, while I had my round one with holes, and I was trying to argue why mine should stay in rotation. Tipsy from the wine, I was unable to conclude with anything other than,
"Because it makes smaller mashy!"


Danielle's Strawberry Muffins

My roommate Danielle once stayed up until midnight to bake strawberry muffins and take a 20-minute drive to sneak them into her boyfriend's truck. (They got married not long afterward!) Michelle and I got to eat the extras. I don't have her recipe, but this is my fave strawberry muffin recipe, from Eggs on Sunday.

Please consume responsibly, and enjoy!

Some Riot, Others Bake

I was hoping to write about the triumphant win of the Vancouver Canucks over the Boston Bruins in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, but alas, the Bruins won,  4-0. The Canucks had more shots on net than the Bruins, but Boston's goaltender Tim Thomas is freaking amazing. (Also there were a lot of shots off the post.)

I was embarrassed when Game 7 ended in a shutout (ie; one team prevents the other from scoring), but not nearly as embarrassed as I came to be in the aftermath. Some people are ruining the end of the playoffs for everyone. Some people are rioting in downtown Vancouver.

As most of you know I'm a proud Canadian, but this breaks my heart. I want to disassociate myself from these hooligans. I want to assure you that we aren't all like this. Yes, we love our hockey, at least as much as Australians love footy and cricket and the Melbourne Cup. But most of us understand that it is sport. It is not something both teams can win. It is something to get excited for, be passionate about, make some noise over. It is not worth a riot. Hopefully those idiots responsible will be identified, arrested, and fined for the damages.


As for me, I was sad, so I commiserated with some friends online, then went into the kitchen. I pulled out Craisins and white chocolate chips, and set out to make Canadiana Choc Chip Cookies.

note: you can see baking powder in the pic, but don't use any! Only baking soda.

1 C butter or margarine, softened
Scant 3/4 C white sugar
Packed 3/4 C brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla




Combine the above ingredients until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift together:

1 1/2 C whole wheat or plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C oatmeal
1 C chocolate chips
1/2 C toasted walnuts and/or Craisins


Combine the dry ingredients with the wet, a little at a time. Because of the oatmeal the dough won't stick together as much as a basic choc chip recipe, but don't worry - they'll work.

This recipe turns out better as large cookies, though, so use about 3 tablespoons of dough for each one. Bake on trays, about 6 to a sheet (they spread out!) for 10-12 mins at 190 C. I used parchment paper. If you're in Canada or the US, your oven is probably larger and you can fit 8 to a sheet, and bake at 375 F.


If using two trays at once, rotate on the racks halfway through baking. Take them out when the edges are brown but the middle is still soft. Serve with milk or a cup of tea.

Express Fish Tacos

I had a paper to write today so lunch had to be fast, but I've been trying to eat healthy. I remembered I had some basa from the market to use up (two pieces were pan-fried in spices, like so), some veggies and some tortillas, so I decided fish tacos would fit the bill.

I whacked some tinfoil into my Pyrex to make clean-up easy, then added the fish and squirted on some lemon, with a few dollops of salsa. Into the oven it went for 25 minutes at 180 (give or take - my oven's off). While it was baking I chopped up an eschallot, a bit of red pepper, and the corn off a cob. Cilantro* is what makes fish tacos delicious though, so I didn't skimp on that - and, tip from Jaime Oliver, you can chop the stems and throw them into your stir fry!

A bit of oil and heat plus a frying pan and I was in business. In went the veggies, except the leaves, for about five minutes. Next I took out the fish and chopped it roughly with a fork, then spread half a fillet on a whole wheat soft tortilla. The hot veggies and a spoon or two of salsa followed, along with a generous bunch of coriander.

Fold and place back in the Pyrex (having removed the tinfoil) to warm, then add salsa & sour cream to your plate, and enjoy! I swear this whole thing will take less than 40 minutes once the oven is up to temperature, and most of that is waiting for the fish to bake.


*Aussies call it coriander, whereas we Canadians differentiate between the leaves - cilantro - and the seeds - coriander. Don't ask me why. Eschallots and scallions and green onions are equally confusing but Donna Hay has an answer. Basically you can use any onion you have around; I had the little reddish ones that grow in clumps like garlic, which I know as eschallots.

Chicken Pot Pie & Cheddar Biscuits

Really, the chicken pot pie is just a vehicle for biscuits.

















I've been wanting to make biscuits or dumplings for DAYS. A week or so ago Jody made slow-cooked corned beef, and although I've never been a fan of corned beef I assured him I would try it. The pink colour put me off a bit, but it tasted all right - the trouble was, it tasted like meat that ought to be in a stew. We wanted to make stew with the leftovers but our week was far too busy and it didn't happen.

So tonight I was looking for something to make with the organic chicken thighs I'd picked up, and trolled around Everybody Likes Sandwiches, BusyCooks.About.com and AllRecipes.com.au. ELS lured me with talk of a chicken pot pie topped with cheddar-infused biscuits.

How thrilling to find a casserole dish that combined chicken with biscuits! How serendipitous! I have never attempted anything like it before, but isn't it reassuring to know that, if you follow the directions of someone who's done this before, it will (more or less) turn out? That's something I love about being in the kitchen - there's always a certain amount of risk, but more often than not, the reward is great.

In this case, the reward was biscuits and a healthy-tasting melange of vegetables and chicken. ELS's recipe has you use leftover chicken, and I agree that this would be ideal - as it added a lot of time onto my kitchen bumblings to cook the chicken. I let it cool while other things were cooking, and although it worked, this recipe is more suited to using up leftovers.

I often try to reword when I lift directions from someone else's blog, but in this case there wasn't much to change, so I hope I'm forgiven. ELS is run by a Vancouverite known as Kickpleat who is part cook, part graphic designer. Go on over to her site and poke around if you haven't already. There's a vegetarian rice bowl over there that's always welcome on my table.

Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits

Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Serves 2-4

1 small rutabaga, peeled & diced
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/4 t red chili flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
2 c mushrooms, halved or quartered
3 T flour
1 c mushroom broth
1 c frozen corn
2 c leftover chicken, chopped
salt & pepper

for biscuit topping:
2 c flour, plus more for work surface
2 1/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
salt & pepper
6 T cold butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 c yogurt
1/4 c milk
3/4 c shredded old cheddar cheese

1. In a medium sized saucepan, boil rutabaga until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, add oil to heavy cast iron pot and saute onion, garlic and chili over medium heat until shiny. Add celery, thyme, oregano and mushrooms and saute until soft. Sprinkle vegetables with flour and stir until flour cooks, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, add corn, rutabaga and chicken and simmer until broth thickens, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

3. Preheat oven to 450°. Make topping by whisking together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Cut in butter with a pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized lumps. Add yogurt, milk and cheese and stir until just combined. With floured hands, knead dough against the side of the bowl until the mixture holds together. If it’s sticky, knead in up to 1/4 cup more flour.

4. Drop small mounds of topping over chicken mixture and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Julia's Notes:

As usual, I improvised. I forgot to pick up plain yogurt at the store but I have this awesome-tasting plain one swirled through with passionfruit - so I tried to avoid the fruity goodness when I scooped out a few tablespoons, telling myself that passionfruit and chicken was not a bad combination if my scooping wasn't precise. This is so unlike the old me, who would have fussed about not having the right ingredients.

Jody and I ate half of the dish, so my best guess is that this would serve 2-4 people, but it's the kind of dish you can stretch depending on how many veggies & the amount of chicken you use. Just be sure to keep the amount of liquid in mind. Speaking of liquid, I used chicken stock instead of mushroom, because it's what I had.

I had carrots so I boiled them with the same water once the rutabaga was done. (Here in Australia, it's called a swede!) I had mixed frozen peas & corn. And because I was starting from fresh, boneless-skinless thighs, I cooked them in the frypan first, then used the pan again - without washing all the goodness out of it - to saute the onions, garlic paste and red chilli flakes. I am so much less afraid of chilli flakes now! So, all in all, I used one pot to boil veggies, one large saucepan, one bowl to stir the biscuits, and a pyrex to hold the cooked chicken and, later, house the whole meal while it was in the oven. Not too many dishes, really. Though it does make me want to get one of those casserole dishes with a lid that can go from stovetop to oven.

Whew! It's been a bit of a rough start this week, and playing about in the kitchen - with biscuits to show for it - has done wonders for my mood. Also, I served tonight's meal with a New Zealand 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Te Henga. Fruity, but a nice match for the lightly spiced chicken pot pie.

Green Beans and Saturdays

I woke up to the sound of rain, and the washing machine churning away on its delayed-start load. Fall has come to Sydney, and with it, a lot of rain and dark evenings.

I must admit, I've been looking forward to wearing boots and jumpers, so this weekend I will be putting away sundresses and shorts. Last night was cool enough to wear my vintage suede jacket down to the pub for a drink with workmates. Seated outside on Darling Harbour, we were treated to fireworks honouring Jazz weekend.

Too tired after the workweek to do more than boil up some ravioli and toss it with pesto, I put off my dinner plans until Saturday lunchtime rolled around. And since it was a lazy Saturday, it was closer to 3pm when I heated up the wok.

With precious little space for cookbooks, I often rely on the internet to find out what's for dinner. My favourites are listed in the "Kitchen Encounters" links - those foodie blogs I check each week - and are often just what I need to get myself out of a pasta rut. This week Luisa, aka The Wednesday Chef, was sharing a vegetarian Indian dish from Julie Sahni.

Bihari Green Beans Masala

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or light olive oil
2 tablespoons flaked or sliced almonds
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a 3-quart sauté pan over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring, until light golden. Remove from heat and transfer almonds to a plate or bowl; set aside for garnish.

2. Add onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili pepper flakes and salt to the unwashed sauté pan, and return to medium heat. Sauté until the onion is tender and begins to fry, about 4 minutes.

3. Add coconut milk and green beans. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the beans are tender, about 6 minutes.

4. Sprinkle beans with lime juice, and toss lightly. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and garnish with almonds and cilantro. Serve with plain cooked rice or roti flatbread.

Julia's notes:

I used flaked almonds and they were lovely. I think any pre-chopped almonds would work. Their toasted, buttery crunch really makes this dish. I admit I forgot to add the lime - it will brighten this up. The green beans were quite crispy as I didn't let them cook for long, and I like them that way, but you may prefer softer veggies. Jody made the rice and added flaked coconut while it was cooking. We had very little left, so I also toasted some naan.


Flavourful onions and spices

I was nervous about the chili flakes but it wasn't overly spicy, though I did cheat and use the garlic paste I had in the fridge. These two are the flavours you can adjust for heat. I can only stand mild to medium, and the ratio here was good for me. Adjust as you like - just taste as you go!


Stir in the beans and coconut milk

Luisa has some lovely photos on her blog and while mine aren't as sophisticated, you can see that it's an easy dish to plate up and it will look fantastic, even from an amateur cook.


Plate it up and enjoy!

No Burnt Pizza Here

There are good weeks and bad weeks in my kitchen. The bad weeks are when I manage to burn frozen pizza or add bad milk to my eggs, and then I throw up my hands and declare it take-out night.

But this has been a good week in the kitchen. Sunday I baked cookies AND brownies, and although I burnt my finger it is healing well (darn those metal bowls sitting too close to the gas element). Earlier this week we had stir fry & cous cous. Last night was the simple but tasty salad, bakery rolls and barbecued sausage. Lunch was mock greek salad. And tonight? Oh yes. Tonight was the fabulously rustic and soon-to-be-repeated Chicken Thighs in Riesling.

One of my new favourite food blogs is Everybody Likes Sandwiches, which has recently migrated from a blog site to its own domain (the Vancouver-based foodie is also a graphic designer). There's much more to love there than sandwiches, and while poking around the site's newly created category search, I discovered what seemed to be the perfect culinary end to my week. So last night I scurried to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients, none of which are obscure - you might even have them in your fridge or cupboard right now.

Chicken Thighs in Riesling
Adapted from Gourmet
and Everybody Likes Sandwiches

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp garlic paste or 2 cloves, chopped
1 t oregano
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 t ground cumin
4-6 skinless chicken thighs
(even easier if they're boneless)
salt & pepper
1 T olive oil

1 T butter
4 large shallots, roughly chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch long rounds
1/2 – 3/4 c riesling
4 potatoes, cut into large chunks
1/4 - 1/3 c heavy cream
juice of 1/2 a lemon

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken thighs, using paper towel. Prepare a dish with the garlic, bell pepper, oregano, cumin and lemon juice. The lemon is key for moisture and zing! Stir to coat and allow 30 minutes to marinade.

2. Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a wide saucepan or pot, then add chicken and marinade. Brown chicken on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Heat butter and saute shallots and carrots for about 10 minutes, then add the chicken. Pour riesling overtop and cover. Cook over med-low heat until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Get the potatoes ready while you're waiting.

4. In a separate pot, cook potatoes in boiling water until just tender. Drain and add to the main dish once chicken is cooked. Add heavy cream and squeeze in lemon juice, then stir gently to combine.

If you have boneless skinless thighs this recipe is even easier, and I got six fresh ones from my deli for just over $5. No photos this time because chicken, potatoes & carrots are not particularly photogenic. This meal doesn't look like much, but it is delicious.


After dinner, Jody complimented me on a successful meal, and then commented on the lighting. "You're funny, turning out the lights because the halogens are too bright."

"I didn't do it to be funny, I did it to be romantical!"

"Oh, that's right - you have nice candles on the table."

That's a good week right there, folks. Enjoy your weekend.

Salmon Spread

A few weeks ago I saw a chef on TV who pulled together this appetizer, and it looked so easy I didn't even write down the ingredients at the time, but I did pay attention. He made it with barbecued trout, but as I bought two huge slabs of salmon the other night for dinner and we didn't eat it all, I thought it was the perfect time to give this recipe a go. I think salmon or trout would work best here, and pan-fried or BBQ'd to get that nice smoky taste.

Ingredients

3/4 to 1 C fish, cooked and cooled
1 1/2 C creme fraiche or greek yogurt
1 C sour cream
1 to 2 tablespoons baby capers
1 tablespoon chopped dill
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 lemon

Method

1. Flake the cooled fish, taking care to remove any bones. Set aside.
2. Mix together creme fraiche and sour cream until it is smooth and thick.
3. Chop dill (or use 2 tsp squeezable dill) and add to cream mixture.
4. Stir fish evenly into the mixture.
5. Drain capers and add to the spread.
5. Add freshly cracked pepper and salt, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
6. Serve on lightly toasted bread, such as sourdough or Tuscan.

Hokkein with Beef & Broccoli

Quick & easy dinner!



Ingredients:
Beef strips or sliced chicken
Broccoli and mushrooms, or whatever veggies you have on hand
Hokkein noodles
Oyster sauce, teriyaki and soy sauce

1. Set water to boil in a kettle, and prepare a heatproof dish with a lid (or just use a heatproof bowl and a plate large enough to cover it) on the counter. Place fresh hokkein noodles in the dish.

2. Set a wok or large frying pan on the stove and preheat. Add about two tablespoons each of teriyaki and oyster sauce, quickly followed by sliced beef or chicken. Seal the meat, then add mushrooms. The noodles should soak up any remaining moisture, so don't worry about draining the wok after the meat has browned. Saute meat (and mushroom slices, if using) for approximately five minutes.

3. Once the kettle has boiled, pour water over hokkein noodles until they are covered. Add lid and cook for three minutes.

4. Add broccoli and/or bell peppers to wok, adding more teriyaki and/or soy sauce as needed to maintain moisture in the pan.

5. Once the hokkein noodles have finished cooking, drain them, then add to the wok and stir through.

This is a very loose recipe - I just start with a combination of sauces, add meat & veggies, and finish with hokkein. I like the thick noodles. They take on the flavour of the sauces and are so quick to cook - plus, they don't stick together like glass noodles. I use "Fantastic" fresh noodles. This dish also makes great leftovers - but be careful not to overcook the broccoli the first time around. I recommend a quick pan fry rather than microwaving, if you can, to reheat. Yummy!

Soft Cocoa Cookies with White Chocolate

1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup white chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cream butter and sugar. beat in egg, salt and vanilla
3. Combine flour, cocoa and b powder in a separate bowl
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to the creamed mixture
5. When smooth stir in white chocolate chunks
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto baking sheet and bake approx 10 min

Makes about 30 cookies. Enjoy!

This recipe courtesy of my aunt.

The Making of Glass Noodles with Crab

Spurred on yet again by the fabulous Luisa of Wednesday Chef, I made a special trip to the grocery store to collect ingredients for Charles Phan's Glass Noodles with Crab. I needed something different. Something easy. Something good. This hit all three points, and it was quick to boot. In thirty minutes, including a little kitchen cleanup, I had dinner on the table.

Glass Noodles with Crab
Serves 2 very hungry people or 3 to 4 regular eaters

2 packages (100 grams each) thin glass (mung bean thread) noodles
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or canola
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used paste!)
1/4 cup trimmed and minced scallions
1 cup crab meat, free of shell (or 2 tins)
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Cover noodles in room temperature water for about 15 minutes. Drain.

2. Put oil in a wok or large skillet, and turn heat to high. A minute later, add garlic and half the scallions and, almost immediately, the noodles and crab. Toss, and stir to mix the ingredients.

3. Add the sauces, taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Toss with sesame oil and remaining scallions. Garnish, and serve.

Here's how it went:
Once my ingredients were assembled, I unwrapped and de-stringed the glass noodles. The two bundles fit in my square Pyrex, so I covered them with room temperature water and let them sit for 15 minutes. There has been some discussion of how to soak the glass noodles (otherwise known as Vermicelli rice noodles or mung bean thread noodles). Cold water has been suggested for up to one hour, and warm water has been nixed as it makes the noodles too mushy. Fifteen minutes at room temp worked for me - the noodles became transparent and chewy when I tried one. My package also suggested I tear the noodles into a more convenient length, which I could do easily with my hands by this point.

While the noodles were soaking I chopped up the scallions (you can see them perched on the tinned crab in the photo). It only took two medium-sized ones to make up a quarter cup. I drained the crab meat and was surprised to find it was shredded, rather than in chunks. At $4 per tin, though, it was the priciest part of my meal - and overall it was still very inexpensive. (Two packets of noodles at 67 cents each and less than a dollar's worth of scallions. The sesame oil, fish sauce and oyster sauce were each just under $3. I had dark soy sauce already, which is partly why my finished dish looks different from Luisa's.)

With vegetable oil heated, I dumped in the drained noodles. Don't do it in a big clump like I did - you'll end up with a web of noodles all stuck together at the bottom of the pan. Trying to compensate, I tossed the noodles, garlic and scallions quickly to try and coat everything with oil. The crab was next, followed by the sauces. I admit I didn't measure per se, but this dish is quite forgiving. I eyeballed as I poured and stuck as close to a tablespoon of each as I could while trying not to let it overcook. Needless to say I made quite a mess.

Rather than top with cilantro, I simply split the noodles into two bowls and added pretty chopsticks. Jody and I dug in. I don't know how this would serve more than two adults unless it was as a side dish. It was so tasty, and not too fishy - I have never bought fish or oyster sauce before, but the ratio here was a good one, despite my haphazard splashes into the pan. I think next time I might add some capsicum/bell peppers, but this was so simple and good - and I will definitely make it again.


I took more photos, but these are it for now. Turns out my iPhoto has somehow been corrupted; it isn't due to the Snow Leopard upgrade.

Banana Bread with Stuff!

2 C flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/3 C vegetable oil
1/4 C milk
1/4 - 1/3 C walnuts or Craisins
1/4 - 1/3 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
In one bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a second bowl, mash bananas and add the eggs, oil and milk. You can add a little vanilla if you like but it's not needed.

Once each bowl of ingredients has been blended, add small amounts of the dry mixture to the wet, stirring as you go. A mixer will be overkill here - you want things moist, with the flour just blended in. Add 'stuff' and stir gently. Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Place on lower rack of oven (top will rise and crack - mine gets quite brown). Bake 55 mins or until toothpick comes out clean (or covered in melty chocolate!) Cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing loaf to wire rack.

Kraft calls this Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread. I usually throw brown bananas in my freezer, and thaw before use. Ideally, use a mixture of fresh and thawed bananas. If you use much more than 1 cup, the texture isn't as nice.

It is important to mix the wet and dry separately, and then mix them together - but not too much, before you add the 'stuff.' Too gloopy and it is overmixed. This really does take 50-55 mins to bake, but I have successfully made this recipe into muffins if you need it to go faster.

I like to do toasted walnuts and dark chocolate - crumbed walnuts don't work as well as chopped. My other usual is White chocolate or dark chocolate with Craisins. I've been thinking of trying crystallized ginger and dark chocolate. What can you come up with?

The Wednesday Chef - Ginger Mo' Cake

Mmmmm. I'm pretty sure the mo' is for more, not molasses.
Luisa, aka Wednesday Chef, plucks recipes from the depths of a cookbook or the back page of a newspaper and brings them to life with photos, prose, and the voice of good taste.

If you like to be in the kitchen, and you haven't checked out Luisa's blog, get on over there. Not only must she be a phenomenal baker and cook, she is a gifted blogger, one who celebrates the quiet joys of the kitchen with her words and pictures. This lady can make you crave things... beautiful, bountiful cakes, spicy winter soups, simply made dinners with sumptuous ingredients.

The Dark Molasses Ginger Cake is my third Wednesday Chef-chosen recipe. Previously, I've tried Melissa Clark's Roasted Broccoli & Shrimp and - twice - the rich, homestyle Yogurt-Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers, courtesy Liz Pearson.

Luisa always notes where the recipes come from, and often includes some family or friend anecdote. In the case of today's gingerbread cake, it's a recipe from Edna Lewis, renowned for keeping old-fashioned Southern cooking alive.

Now, I didn't have a cake pan (still getting set up!) so I used an 8X8 glass Pyrex - and I'm about to test the results. Here's a photo :




I've made a pot of tea and squirted out some whip-in-a-can (since we don't have an electric mixer yet, no chance of freshly whipped cream). I'll ask Jody for the verdict: "Yummy!"