It's just noodles with a wild and wonderful exotic sauce prepared with a familiar component that predominates, if you don't count thee layers of chile totally predominating all over the place.
Overdid it a little bit there, and I held back with each chile addition too. Flakes were enough but then I added cayenne powder and habanero so POW. You probably would not like this, it's challenging.
Sauce
* olive oil, not an Asian ingredient* toasted sesame seed oil 4 drops, if 5 then the whole thing is ruined, start over. * chunky peanut butter, I have smooth almond butter* chile flakes* cayenne powder this is going too far* habanero powder this is just plain stupid* fish sauce small amount, 1/2 teaspoon* honey* mustard powder, this is similar to wasabi* garlic in any of its multitudinous forms but fresh is best* ginger in any of its multitudinous forms but fresh is best
* pasta water, or coconut milk, or chicken broth
The wheat noodles keep absorbing liquid so it must be continuously added at the table or else presented as soup. This gives you more chances to adjust the whole thing. I switched from pasta water to chicken broth half way through because it was getting too thin. Then I fortified the chicken broth with a few of the listed ingredients but not all of them and carried on. It's a very enjoyable meal. Simple because it's just noodles and sauce, but complex because the sauce hits every taste receptor on the tongue plus a few extra flavor niceties.
This has pecans and cilantro.
13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi
noodles, peanut sauce
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bacon and eggs
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There are two eggs up there, one is covered.
A deep heavy cast-iron pan was on the stove so I thought, eh, just go ahead and cook the bacon in that, and boy, does that pan ever cook bacon.
The stew has chicken chunks in it, I forgot about that, it's heated in the same pan that cooked the bacon. Oil removed, still a significant film remained, lifted off with sake and chicken broth and soy sauce until the vegetables heated through. The stew is already well flavored and now it is flavored again. Toast under the broiler because I don't feel like bringing out the toaster just for one slice.
mashed potato
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This is a potato, a vegetable that grows underground. Although brown on the outside, nuclear physicists discovered it's actually white on the inside.
A sauce is formulated with chicken broth as a base. A gravy.
Fortified with butter and thickened with flour. A roux.
Seasonings are started in the butter first, a combination not normally used for chicken gravy, a small insignificant amount of each that collectively alter the flavor so that chicken is no longer discernible.
And that's a shame I guess. No it's not.
* coriander seed* cumin seed* mustard* allspice* clove* garlic* chile flakes* black pepper, the broth is already salted.
This is a fast way of doing this. This way avoids using chicken bouillon. The best way is to reduce a chicken carcass and I do have chicken parts frozen, saved here and there from previous chickens. I am going to have to use them, but not tonight. It's a time and mess saving decision and for that I must accept a compromise, but this is hardly a compromise at all. The trick is to have a combination without going overboard. The other trick is mustard.
Sour cream was added at the end because I felt like it.
chicken liver, rice
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These chicken livers come with some whole chickens but not all all of them. And worse, you cannot be certain even the packaging sometimes says "may be missing giblets"
The rest is chicken bones and parts frozen from previous chickens, some cooked and some raw.
Rice is prepared using broth made from these parts along with mirepoix vegetables and seasoned distinctly with whole seeds.
So, a pot for the chicken broth and a pot for the rice and a pot for the hot oil to fry the chicken livers. I was completely over dragging out pots so this meal lacks a sauce, and boy, is it ever dry. Eating it reminded me of the days before I realized every meal should have a sauce, even if that sauce is something so simple as thickly slavered flavored butter, thin broth, catsup, or egg yolk, something wet.
chocolate chip cookies
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The end ↑
The start ↓
They say, they always say this, they being everybody who talks about baking, that baking is different from regular cooking, more chemistry, so you must always follow a recipe closely.
Poppycock tommyrot balderdash folderol taradiddle fiddle-faddle gimcrackery nonsense
Maybe they mean if you want it to come out exactly the same each time then write it down.
Otherwise it goes two of everything. Except when it's three of something, or one of something, or half of something, so it's all like even numbers except when it's half number. Like this:
1 cup butter (two sticks) at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar both sugars creamed with the butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons hot water, salt and baking soda and water mixed together
3 cups sifted flour
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts
Spoon on baking pan bake 350 for 10
These have
raisins
4 drops almond extract
clove
cinnamon
These were cooked at 360 for 11 minutes because these are large.
12 Ekim 2012 Cuma
Afternoon Tea - The Queen Mary
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Afternoon tea aboard a ship was not something I was ever going to experience. You see, I get seasick, and there is nothing to stop it. I know, I know, everyone has a story--about a particular ship, one with the world's best stabilizers, or about a particular medication, a unique combination of herbs or the latest drug--but there is no pill, patch or potion that works for me. But anyway ...
I found a way to have tea aboard a ship without hanging over the side and tossing my scones afterward! On holiday last week, I joined two friends for afternoon tea aboard the Queen Mary, the 75-year-old ocean liner now permanently docked in Long Beach (California) Harbor and serving as a hotel. Though the ship is stationary, looking out over the water one can imagine what it must have been like to cross the Atlantic in such style.
The Queen Mary Tea Room, pictured above, is located on the Sun Deck and has expansive views of the harbor and skyline. The Tea Room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for lunch as well as afternoon tea. Despite the elegant atmosphere, casual attire is accepted. But, of course, not by me! Our party of three drew lots of attention and comments from patrons who appreciated the way we dressed for the occasion--dresses, heels (nylons, too, but that might be TMI), hats and gloves. (The gloves were removed, of course. Wearing gloves whilst eating is simply not the done thing!)
The traditional three-tiered stand held an assortment of dainty tea sandwiches, scones and an array of miniature pastries. You will note I had only four sandwiches on my plate. Not a fan of either smoked salmon or gravlax, I gave my gravlax (with caviar) sandwich to one of my friends who loves it. The pastries were delicious as well as lovely to look at. The scones? One patron who came over to remark on our attire volunteered that he thought the scones were great. Of course, wherever I go, I always prefer my own scones. (Maybe they'll want to use my recipe and credit me on the menu ... hmm.)
For reservations (not required) or further information, call 562-499-6695. Visit the Queen Mary website. For tea at home, see: How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea, Tea and Scones, and my review of the Zojirushi Water Boiler and Warmer.
Tell me about your favorite teas and tea foods and about your seaworthiness and favorite remedies for seasickness. My husband pops pretzels in rough seas, but my brother swears by dry Cheerios.
 |
| Photo courtesy of The Queen Mary |
Afternoon tea aboard a ship was not something I was ever going to experience. You see, I get seasick, and there is nothing to stop it. I know, I know, everyone has a story--about a particular ship, one with the world's best stabilizers, or about a particular medication, a unique combination of herbs or the latest drug--but there is no pill, patch or potion that works for me. But anyway ...
I found a way to have tea aboard a ship without hanging over the side and tossing my scones afterward! On holiday last week, I joined two friends for afternoon tea aboard the Queen Mary, the 75-year-old ocean liner now permanently docked in Long Beach (California) Harbor and serving as a hotel. Though the ship is stationary, looking out over the water one can imagine what it must have been like to cross the Atlantic in such style.
The Queen Mary Tea Room, pictured above, is located on the Sun Deck and has expansive views of the harbor and skyline. The Tea Room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for lunch as well as afternoon tea. Despite the elegant atmosphere, casual attire is accepted. But, of course, not by me! Our party of three drew lots of attention and comments from patrons who appreciated the way we dressed for the occasion--dresses, heels (nylons, too, but that might be TMI), hats and gloves. (The gloves were removed, of course. Wearing gloves whilst eating is simply not the done thing!)
The traditional three-tiered stand held an assortment of dainty tea sandwiches, scones and an array of miniature pastries. You will note I had only four sandwiches on my plate. Not a fan of either smoked salmon or gravlax, I gave my gravlax (with caviar) sandwich to one of my friends who loves it. The pastries were delicious as well as lovely to look at. The scones? One patron who came over to remark on our attire volunteered that he thought the scones were great. Of course, wherever I go, I always prefer my own scones. (Maybe they'll want to use my recipe and credit me on the menu ... hmm.)
For reservations (not required) or further information, call 562-499-6695. Visit the Queen Mary website. For tea at home, see: How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea, Tea and Scones, and my review of the Zojirushi Water Boiler and Warmer.
Tell me about your favorite teas and tea foods and about your seaworthiness and favorite remedies for seasickness. My husband pops pretzels in rough seas, but my brother swears by dry Cheerios.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
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It's summertime and our thoughts naturally turn to pulled pork. Well, mine do anyway! Unfortunately, my current outdoor gas grill is not up to the task; so I made my indoor version. My indoor oven-barbecued pulled pork is a variation on my braised pork shoulder (I'll post that during fall or winter). As always, I used carefully sourced pork, not from CAFOs.
I don't know about you, but I don't like to dirty up every pot and pan in the house unless I have to. So I devised this recipe to be a no-muss-no-fuss-all-in-one-pan kinda thang. It makes enough for six big sandwiches or a dozen sliders.
If you're making big sandwiches, whip up a batch of my homemade hamburger buns. If you're making little sliders (as pictured), try my homemade slider buns. Pulled pork can be made a day ahead. Just reheat, tightly covered, at 300 degrees for an hour before serving. I like mine without any extra barbecue sauce and with coleslaw on top of the meat. My husband likes his with extra barbecue sauce and the coleslaw on the side (in a separate dish, of course--he's like Monk, doesn't want his foods touching!).
How about you? Do you have any funny little food quirks? (I have a few, but I'll save them for another post!)
Oven-Barbecued Pulled Pork
(Serves 6)
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into about 5 strips
1 1/2 teaspoons organic canola oil
Dry Rub
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Rub
1 tablespoon lower sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Braising Liquid
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 large stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lower sodium soy sauce
Sauce
1/2 cup of your favorite homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil 12-inch straight-sided skillet (Mine is the All-Clad Stainless 6-Quart Saute Pan) with the organic canola oil. In small bowl, combine ingredients for dry rub; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together ingredients for west rub; set aside.
2 Cover pork strips with wet rub on all sides, then with dry rub. Arrange strips in single layer in oiled 12-inch straight-sided skillet. Roast 35 minutes; turn strips and continue roasting for 15 minutes, until well browned. Keep an eye (and nose!) on it. You want browned bits as the foundation of your braising liquid, but burned bits will ruin it!
3 Transfer strips to plate; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pan and cook until soft, about 12 minutes. Over medium heat, add water and soy sauce and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits.
4 Bring to boil and add strips; return to boil, cover pan tightly with foil and lid and simmer in 300 oven for 2 hours. The pork is not completely submerged in liquid, so the crispy edges formed by the initial roasting will stay that way.
5 Transfer strips to 1.5-quart oval Corning casserole or something similar. Strain braising liquid into 2-cup glass measure, pressing out liquid from solids; discard solids. With small ladle, remove fat from top of liquid. Add water, if needed, to bring volume of sauce to 1/2 cup. Stir in barbecue sauce.
6 With two forks, shred pork in casserole, removing any large pieces of fat. Stir in sauce. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
It's summertime and our thoughts naturally turn to pulled pork. Well, mine do anyway! Unfortunately, my current outdoor gas grill is not up to the task; so I made my indoor version. My indoor oven-barbecued pulled pork is a variation on my braised pork shoulder (I'll post that during fall or winter). As always, I used carefully sourced pork, not from CAFOs.
I don't know about you, but I don't like to dirty up every pot and pan in the house unless I have to. So I devised this recipe to be a no-muss-no-fuss-all-in-one-pan kinda thang. It makes enough for six big sandwiches or a dozen sliders.
If you're making big sandwiches, whip up a batch of my homemade hamburger buns. If you're making little sliders (as pictured), try my homemade slider buns. Pulled pork can be made a day ahead. Just reheat, tightly covered, at 300 degrees for an hour before serving. I like mine without any extra barbecue sauce and with coleslaw on top of the meat. My husband likes his with extra barbecue sauce and the coleslaw on the side (in a separate dish, of course--he's like Monk, doesn't want his foods touching!).
How about you? Do you have any funny little food quirks? (I have a few, but I'll save them for another post!)
Oven-Barbecued Pulled Pork
(Serves 6)
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into about 5 strips
1 1/2 teaspoons organic canola oil
Dry Rub
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Rub
1 tablespoon lower sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Braising Liquid
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 large stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lower sodium soy sauce
Sauce
1/2 cup of your favorite homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil 12-inch straight-sided skillet (Mine is the All-Clad Stainless 6-Quart Saute Pan) with the organic canola oil. In small bowl, combine ingredients for dry rub; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together ingredients for west rub; set aside.
2 Cover pork strips with wet rub on all sides, then with dry rub. Arrange strips in single layer in oiled 12-inch straight-sided skillet. Roast 35 minutes; turn strips and continue roasting for 15 minutes, until well browned. Keep an eye (and nose!) on it. You want browned bits as the foundation of your braising liquid, but burned bits will ruin it!
3 Transfer strips to plate; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pan and cook until soft, about 12 minutes. Over medium heat, add water and soy sauce and bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits.
4 Bring to boil and add strips; return to boil, cover pan tightly with foil and lid and simmer in 300 oven for 2 hours. The pork is not completely submerged in liquid, so the crispy edges formed by the initial roasting will stay that way.
5 Transfer strips to 1.5-quart oval Corning casserole or something similar. Strain braising liquid into 2-cup glass measure, pressing out liquid from solids; discard solids. With small ladle, remove fat from top of liquid. Add water, if needed, to bring volume of sauce to 1/2 cup. Stir in barbecue sauce.
6 With two forks, shred pork in casserole, removing any large pieces of fat. Stir in sauce. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
Orange Ice Cream
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The bright, tart-sweet flavor of an orange can certainly stand alone, but mellow it out with a silky custard made with heavy cream and it's magic. For a lighter frozen dessert, I might have made orange sherbet or frozen yogurt. For pure pow, orange sorbet. I was out of milk and yogurt but had plenty of organic heavy cream on hand, so ice cream it was.
Orange ice cream isn't the usual thing, so I didn't even look for a recipe. I've made so much ice cream since I got my machine last year that I really don't need a recipe; I just make it up as I go along!
Sometimes I make uncooked ice cream, but more often I make it with a cooked custard base. With all that juice, an uncooked ice cream could turn out icy. So I went with a cooked custard base to lessen the chance of iciness. Good call! This ice cream is soooo smooth and creamy. And scoopable.
The flavor is reminiscent of my childhood favorite ice cream bar, Creamsicle® (also known as the 50/50 bar). Only this is super-premium organic ice cream. What a perfect way to celebrate the end of summer!
Note: It's completely off the subject, but I've recently become aware of a commenting issue on my blog. If you have tried to comment and had a problem, check to see how you were accessing the blog. You can access this blog with the URL delightfulrepast.com, but you may experience technical difficulties in going to another page or in commenting. You shouldn't have any problem if you access it with delightfulrepast.blogspot.com.
Orange Ice Cream
(Makes about 1 quart)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed and strained orange juice
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, heat cream just to a simmer.
2 While cream is heating, in 1.5-quart bowl whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks until mixture is smooth.
3 Whisk hot cream into egg mixture, then pour mixture into the saucepan. Over low heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes; do not boil.
4 Stir in orange juice. Strain custard into a medium bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure to make pouring into the machine easier); whisk in orange liqueur, vanilla and orange juice. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
5 Assemble the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream-Sorbert Maker; turn it on. While it is running, pour the chilled mixture through the spout. Let mix until thickened, about 20 minutes. Or follow the directions for whichever brand ice cream maker you have. If you have a KitchenAid, you can use their KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment.
6 Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container, and place in freezer for at least 4 hours. Even after days in the freezer, this ice cream was very scoopable and did not need to be left out for 15 minutes before serving.
Note: Here is my review of the Cuisinart ICE-21. For more ice cream, sherbet and frozen yogurt recipes, go to the Recipes/Reviews index page.
The bright, tart-sweet flavor of an orange can certainly stand alone, but mellow it out with a silky custard made with heavy cream and it's magic. For a lighter frozen dessert, I might have made orange sherbet or frozen yogurt. For pure pow, orange sorbet. I was out of milk and yogurt but had plenty of organic heavy cream on hand, so ice cream it was.
Orange ice cream isn't the usual thing, so I didn't even look for a recipe. I've made so much ice cream since I got my machine last year that I really don't need a recipe; I just make it up as I go along!
Sometimes I make uncooked ice cream, but more often I make it with a cooked custard base. With all that juice, an uncooked ice cream could turn out icy. So I went with a cooked custard base to lessen the chance of iciness. Good call! This ice cream is soooo smooth and creamy. And scoopable.
The flavor is reminiscent of my childhood favorite ice cream bar, Creamsicle® (also known as the 50/50 bar). Only this is super-premium organic ice cream. What a perfect way to celebrate the end of summer!
Note: It's completely off the subject, but I've recently become aware of a commenting issue on my blog. If you have tried to comment and had a problem, check to see how you were accessing the blog. You can access this blog with the URL delightfulrepast.com, but you may experience technical difficulties in going to another page or in commenting. You shouldn't have any problem if you access it with delightfulrepast.blogspot.com.
Orange Ice Cream
(Makes about 1 quart)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed and strained orange juice
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, heat cream just to a simmer.
2 While cream is heating, in 1.5-quart bowl whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks until mixture is smooth.
3 Whisk hot cream into egg mixture, then pour mixture into the saucepan. Over low heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes; do not boil.
4 Stir in orange juice. Strain custard into a medium bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure to make pouring into the machine easier); whisk in orange liqueur, vanilla and orange juice. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
5 Assemble the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream-Sorbert Maker; turn it on. While it is running, pour the chilled mixture through the spout. Let mix until thickened, about 20 minutes. Or follow the directions for whichever brand ice cream maker you have. If you have a KitchenAid, you can use their KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment.
6 Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container, and place in freezer for at least 4 hours. Even after days in the freezer, this ice cream was very scoopable and did not need to be left out for 15 minutes before serving.
Note: Here is my review of the Cuisinart ICE-21. For more ice cream, sherbet and frozen yogurt recipes, go to the Recipes/Reviews index page.
Cocktail Party Foods
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It's been years since I've given a Smart Little Drinks Party. I'm more the cozy little dinner party type. But once in a while, one steps out of one's comfort zone, puts an extra coat of wax on the wooden surfaces and hopes for the best. I draw the line at setting out ashtrays. Of course, no one I know smokes, but if they did ... well, not in my house. Oh, and schedule the carpet cleaning for after the party, not before.
You know I'm all about the food, so you're on your own figuring out the drinks. As far as I'm concerned, just give me a pretty stemmed glass of Pellegrino with a wedge of lime. I don't have much of a repertoire of HDs (hors d'oeuvres), so I'm turning to friends in the blogosphere for an assortment of small bites you can choose from for your next party. The only recipes I've blogged that fit remotely into this category are: Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, Pimento Cheese and Salsa. And I'll post my recipe for Gougeres (pictured above) next Friday.
We're all busy, right? So I've rounded up mostly make-ahead, fuss-free HDs that won't leave you too wiped out to enjoy your guests. Let's get the party started! (Just don't get too crazy - this is real life, not Mad Men, you know!)
Blue Cheese Biscuits - David Lebovitz
Cheese, butter, cream - what's not to love - and they can be made ahead!
Ina's Stilton and Walnut Crackers - Leite's Culinaria
Make ahead, freeze, defrost, slice and bake - you can't not make these!
"Instant" Deli Olives - Five Euro Food
Charles says "It's hard not to just stand next to the bowl and hog them all!
Tuna Avocado Tartare - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
I'm a sucker for anything that can be served on a cute little spoon!
Filo Cups with Italian Sausage - Sippity Sup
It won't be a party if you don't serve up a little something in filo cups!
White Onion and Pecorino Tarts - The British Larder
If you put it in a tiny tart, I'll even eat stuff I don't like - but who doesn't like onions and cheese!
Italian Eggrolls with Sauce - Barefeet in the Kitchen
Every cocktail menu must have something in spring roll wrappers!
Tapas-Style Spice-Roasted Almonds - One Perfect Bite
You have to serve some nuts, and you can't just pop open a can! (If you do, at least hide the can.)
Doron's Turkey Meatballs - Orangette
A spin on the classic cocktail party meatballs!
It's been years since I've given a Smart Little Drinks Party. I'm more the cozy little dinner party type. But once in a while, one steps out of one's comfort zone, puts an extra coat of wax on the wooden surfaces and hopes for the best. I draw the line at setting out ashtrays. Of course, no one I know smokes, but if they did ... well, not in my house. Oh, and schedule the carpet cleaning for after the party, not before.
You know I'm all about the food, so you're on your own figuring out the drinks. As far as I'm concerned, just give me a pretty stemmed glass of Pellegrino with a wedge of lime. I don't have much of a repertoire of HDs (hors d'oeuvres), so I'm turning to friends in the blogosphere for an assortment of small bites you can choose from for your next party. The only recipes I've blogged that fit remotely into this category are: Baba Ghanoush, Hummus, Pimento Cheese and Salsa. And I'll post my recipe for Gougeres (pictured above) next Friday.
We're all busy, right? So I've rounded up mostly make-ahead, fuss-free HDs that won't leave you too wiped out to enjoy your guests. Let's get the party started! (Just don't get too crazy - this is real life, not Mad Men, you know!)
Blue Cheese Biscuits - David Lebovitz
Cheese, butter, cream - what's not to love - and they can be made ahead!
Ina's Stilton and Walnut Crackers - Leite's Culinaria
Make ahead, freeze, defrost, slice and bake - you can't not make these!
"Instant" Deli Olives - Five Euro Food
Charles says "It's hard not to just stand next to the bowl and hog them all!
Tuna Avocado Tartare - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
I'm a sucker for anything that can be served on a cute little spoon!
Filo Cups with Italian Sausage - Sippity Sup
It won't be a party if you don't serve up a little something in filo cups!
White Onion and Pecorino Tarts - The British Larder
If you put it in a tiny tart, I'll even eat stuff I don't like - but who doesn't like onions and cheese!
Italian Eggrolls with Sauce - Barefeet in the Kitchen
Every cocktail menu must have something in spring roll wrappers!
Tapas-Style Spice-Roasted Almonds - One Perfect Bite
You have to serve some nuts, and you can't just pop open a can! (If you do, at least hide the can.)
Doron's Turkey Meatballs - Orangette
A spin on the classic cocktail party meatballs!
Chicken Fried Steak - The Southern Comfort Food Classic
To contact us Click HERE
Though I don't subscribe to the old Southern saying, "If it ain't fried, it ain't food," I do occasionally indulge. But only if it's worth it. And a properly made chicken fried steak is definitely worth it. Also known simply as CFS among those who really love it, it's the ultimate comfort food in certain parts of the country.
I don't think it deserves its reputation as a greasy, high-fat food. At least not the way I make it. I use organic grassfed beef, all organic ingredients, and shallow-fry it. The oil needs to be good and hot (or you will end up with greasy steaks!), but you can't really get a temperature reading on such a shallow depth of oil; just aim for something less than smoking hot. I add back just 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings for 2 cups of gravy. Sounds pretty healthy to me!
Of course, my Southern grandmother used Crisco, bacon grease or lard for all her frying. But I like to think she'd be on board with my healthed-up versions of her food.
Chicken Fried Steak
(Makes 4 servings)
The Steak
1 pound top round steak
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt plus more
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus more
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup organic canola oil
The Gravy
3 tablespoons pan drippings
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (or replace 2/3 cup with beef broth)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Cut the round steak into 4 pieces. With the textured side of a meat tenderizer (OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer), pound each piece (on a meat-only dishwasher-safe cutting board) until almost double in size and about 1/4 inch thick.
2 In shallow dish combine the flour with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, coarsely ground black pepper and cayenne. In another shallow dish beat together the egg and milk.
3 Working with one piece at a time, season both sides with salt and pepper, dip into the egg mixture, dip into the flour mixture, dip into the egg mixture again, dip into the flour mixture again. Really press the flour in. This really goops up the hands, so just use one hand and keep one hand clean; you'll need it.
4 When all meat is coated, heat oil to a depth of not more than 1/16 to 1/8 inch. You just need enough oil to cover the pan generously. In my All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan, that's 1/2 cup. When the oil is hot, put in two pieces at a time; don't crowd the pan. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until well browned and crunchy. With tongs, turn steaks and cook second side for about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn carefully so as not to lose the crust; chicken fried steak is all about the crust.
5 Drain on a paper towel-lined plate (wad up the paper towels; don't just lay them flat on the plate). Repeat. Then proceed to the most important part of chicken fried steak--the cream gravy! Pour off the fat in the skillet, then measure back into the skillet 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings. Use the ingredient list above, but go to my Cream Gravy post for the directions (and a little story about a real pioneer woman, my great grandmother).
6 Plate up the steaks with a generous serving of mashed potatoes on the side. Pour the gravy over both. Biscuits and a bowl of collard greens on the side round out this classic Southern meal.
Though I don't subscribe to the old Southern saying, "If it ain't fried, it ain't food," I do occasionally indulge. But only if it's worth it. And a properly made chicken fried steak is definitely worth it. Also known simply as CFS among those who really love it, it's the ultimate comfort food in certain parts of the country.
I don't think it deserves its reputation as a greasy, high-fat food. At least not the way I make it. I use organic grassfed beef, all organic ingredients, and shallow-fry it. The oil needs to be good and hot (or you will end up with greasy steaks!), but you can't really get a temperature reading on such a shallow depth of oil; just aim for something less than smoking hot. I add back just 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings for 2 cups of gravy. Sounds pretty healthy to me!
Of course, my Southern grandmother used Crisco, bacon grease or lard for all her frying. But I like to think she'd be on board with my healthed-up versions of her food.
Chicken Fried Steak
(Makes 4 servings)
The Steak
1 pound top round steak
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt plus more
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus more
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup organic canola oil
The Gravy
3 tablespoons pan drippings
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (or replace 2/3 cup with beef broth)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Cut the round steak into 4 pieces. With the textured side of a meat tenderizer (OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer), pound each piece (on a meat-only dishwasher-safe cutting board) until almost double in size and about 1/4 inch thick.
2 In shallow dish combine the flour with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, coarsely ground black pepper and cayenne. In another shallow dish beat together the egg and milk.
3 Working with one piece at a time, season both sides with salt and pepper, dip into the egg mixture, dip into the flour mixture, dip into the egg mixture again, dip into the flour mixture again. Really press the flour in. This really goops up the hands, so just use one hand and keep one hand clean; you'll need it.
4 When all meat is coated, heat oil to a depth of not more than 1/16 to 1/8 inch. You just need enough oil to cover the pan generously. In my All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan, that's 1/2 cup. When the oil is hot, put in two pieces at a time; don't crowd the pan. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until well browned and crunchy. With tongs, turn steaks and cook second side for about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn carefully so as not to lose the crust; chicken fried steak is all about the crust.
5 Drain on a paper towel-lined plate (wad up the paper towels; don't just lay them flat on the plate). Repeat. Then proceed to the most important part of chicken fried steak--the cream gravy! Pour off the fat in the skillet, then measure back into the skillet 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings. Use the ingredient list above, but go to my Cream Gravy post for the directions (and a little story about a real pioneer woman, my great grandmother).
6 Plate up the steaks with a generous serving of mashed potatoes on the side. Pour the gravy over both. Biscuits and a bowl of collard greens on the side round out this classic Southern meal.
11 Ekim 2012 Perşembe
MY LEMON YOGURT CAKE...finally, it has happened!
To contact us Click HERE
Ibaked my very own cake,for the first time! When I say that, I mean, I didn't use anybody's recipe but my own proportions to bring it all together.Don't ask me how I got till there...it was a long bumpy ride on a very dull Thursday. Fortunately the end result was mind blowing that being sad the whole day didn't matter after all! All the thoughts, worries and confusions yielded in an awesome sauce lemony cake!
OK. I have to tell you that long story and I am not going to cut it short :-)
Last Thursday was quite eventful at home, on the lines of baking. I tried my hand at baking a piped cookie whose dough was just not pipe-able so I rolled them into small balls and baked it. It came out just OK and not so good as the recipe stated. It was a butter cookie and there was a lot of butter in it. I cannot waste butter even if I have to waste the rest of the ingredients. Yeah! I'm like that.
So after a so-so butter cookie, I thought I'll do something to get me going.It's been days since I've been longing to eat a lemon flavoured cake. The hunt was on for a good recipe but seriously, I couldn't get one. During our many e-mails throughout the day, Jobin mentioned he was going for out with his colleagues after work and will be late to get back home. I got that email right after thatstupid cookie and when all my search for the perfect lemon cake came to a full stop.
I whined. I wrote back saying 'I'm sad.I want to eat a nice plain lemon cake.I cannot find any recipe.Tried baking a cookie. Flop aayi. Sad.' I mean, seriously...when there are so many food blogs and recipe websites, how is it that I cannot find one recipe which sounded good to me??? Most of them had some sort of a topping going over the hot cake and I didn't want that extra sugar going into our bodies, if I could help it. So I thought I'll compromise and start on with Amma's recipe for her famous cake. That was the beginning...just the beginning of everything!
I took out my brand new digital weighing scale that I was sent for a review and started off measuring butter and sugar. I dumped them into my Reddie to do it's work. Then I moved onto measuring the flour and I painstakingly realised that I was short on it! The butter and sugar was busy creaming up and I don't have enough flour! Ok, let's move onto Plan B...I shall make do with some wheat flour then. Hmph! Ok, now grab the eggs...and for some strange reason, I knew there were not many eggs left in the fridge. Sadly,it was true.I looked back at my Reddie and couldn't even think of dumping that butter!
Seriously, that was not my day! I am usually very careful and pull out all the ingredients before I start baking and I have no clue what was going on with me that day! I was so let down that I couldn't get a simple cookie right and finally this cake too? Like I said before, the end result changed everything! :-)
RIA'S LEMON YOGURT CAKE
My own recipe
Ingredients:
180g unsalted butter, softened
240g sugar
3 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
Juice and zest of 1 lime/lemon (or more, if you like)
200g maida/all purpose flour
40g whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp yogurt
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F. Line a 9 inch baking tin.
In a bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder & baking soda.In another large bowl, beat together butter and sugar till creamy,for 2 mins. Add the eggs one by one and beat for 30 secs after each addition. Add the lime juice and zest and beat for 30 secs. The mixture will curdle but it doesn't matter. Add the flour mix and beat to incorporate. Add the yogurt and beat on high for a minute or two. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour 10 mins. Your oven timings maybe different, so keep checking from 45 mins.
I always dreamt about creating my own cake recipes and never did I even dream that it would be through an accident, a very careless accident! I've actually had a successful accident a while ago and it grabbed me 1st place at a competition too! So, no complaints with accidents! ;-) Don't worry, this cake wouldn't stick to the bottom of your pan as you saw in a photograph above, I was just piling up the crumbs into the tin after I got the cake out of it.
This cake was so so soft that I feared it would crumble in my hands when I unmoulded it. The lemon taste was spot on and the cake was so buttery & incredibly moist! I am so proud of myself ! :-) It really is a wonderful delicious lemon yogurt cake!
Ibaked my very own cake,for the first time! When I say that, I mean, I didn't use anybody's recipe but my own proportions to bring it all together.Don't ask me how I got till there...it was a long bumpy ride on a very dull Thursday. Fortunately the end result was mind blowing that being sad the whole day didn't matter after all! All the thoughts, worries and confusions yielded in an awesome sauce lemony cake!
OK. I have to tell you that long story and I am not going to cut it short :-)
Last Thursday was quite eventful at home, on the lines of baking. I tried my hand at baking a piped cookie whose dough was just not pipe-able so I rolled them into small balls and baked it. It came out just OK and not so good as the recipe stated. It was a butter cookie and there was a lot of butter in it. I cannot waste butter even if I have to waste the rest of the ingredients. Yeah! I'm like that.
So after a so-so butter cookie, I thought I'll do something to get me going.It's been days since I've been longing to eat a lemon flavoured cake. The hunt was on for a good recipe but seriously, I couldn't get one. During our many e-mails throughout the day, Jobin mentioned he was going for out with his colleagues after work and will be late to get back home. I got that email right after that
I whined. I wrote back saying 'I'm sad.I want to eat a nice plain lemon cake.I cannot find any recipe.Tried baking a cookie. Flop aayi. Sad.' I mean, seriously...when there are so many food blogs and recipe websites, how is it that I cannot find one recipe which sounded good to me??? Most of them had some sort of a topping going over the hot cake and I didn't want that extra sugar going into our bodies, if I could help it. So I thought I'll compromise and start on with Amma's recipe for her famous cake. That was the beginning...just the beginning of everything!
I took out my brand new digital weighing scale that I was sent for a review and started off measuring butter and sugar. I dumped them into my Reddie to do it's work. Then I moved onto measuring the flour and I painstakingly realised that I was short on it! The butter and sugar was busy creaming up and I don't have enough flour! Ok, let's move onto Plan B...I shall make do with some wheat flour then. Hmph! Ok, now grab the eggs...and for some strange reason, I knew there were not many eggs left in the fridge. Sadly,it was true.I looked back at my Reddie and couldn't even think of dumping that butter!
Seriously, that was not my day! I am usually very careful and pull out all the ingredients before I start baking and I have no clue what was going on with me that day! I was so let down that I couldn't get a simple cookie right and finally this cake too? Like I said before, the end result changed everything! :-)
RIA'S LEMON YOGURT CAKEMy own recipe
Ingredients:
180g unsalted butter, softened
240g sugar
3 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
Juice and zest of 1 lime/lemon (or more, if you like)
200g maida/all purpose flour
40g whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp yogurt
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F. Line a 9 inch baking tin.
In a bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder & baking soda.In another large bowl, beat together butter and sugar till creamy,for 2 mins. Add the eggs one by one and beat for 30 secs after each addition. Add the lime juice and zest and beat for 30 secs. The mixture will curdle but it doesn't matter. Add the flour mix and beat to incorporate. Add the yogurt and beat on high for a minute or two. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour 10 mins. Your oven timings maybe different, so keep checking from 45 mins.
I always dreamt about creating my own cake recipes and never did I even dream that it would be through an accident, a very careless accident! I've actually had a successful accident a while ago and it grabbed me 1st place at a competition too! So, no complaints with accidents! ;-) Don't worry, this cake wouldn't stick to the bottom of your pan as you saw in a photograph above, I was just piling up the crumbs into the tin after I got the cake out of it.
This cake was so so soft that I feared it would crumble in my hands when I unmoulded it. The lemon taste was spot on and the cake was so buttery & incredibly moist! I am so proud of myself ! :-) It really is a wonderful delicious lemon yogurt cake!
KABULI CHANNA BIRIYANI ...easy & delicious!
To contact us Click HERE
I've been getting a lot of complaints these days from friends and family alike. It's just because I'm not posting any veggie recipes during this season of Lent. They said they are loosing their control seeing the Fried Chicken Kabab!So I posted a Lemon Yogurt Cake and the complaints increased because a lot of them have given up sugar for lent! :-) Some of them did try the Garam Masala Pulao but for some , they needed something more than just a pulao!
I love Channa, in any form. Some of my favourites are Sundal, Channa Masala, Papdi chaat or even just plain salted boiled channa. The black channa is also dearly loved in the form of a Kannur curry called Kootucurry. I use Kabuli Channa/ White channa/ Chickpeas more than the black ones. Jobin loves a good Chana Masala with Batura,so do I. Luckily the weather is super good in Minneapolis now and I can make Baturas to our hearts content without thinking of the fact that the oil smell is going to hang around in our condo for the next two days...just leave the balcony door wide open!
It's been a while since I've been thinking about a pulao/biriyani with this wonderful source of protein. I've seen quite a few recipes in cookbooks and on foodblogs but nothing tempted me as I wanted a greenish tinge to my rice. So last night, I went ahead and soaked some channa so that things would be easier the next day.
>
This recipe might look like it's lengthy but trust me, it isn't. You can easily pull it off in less than 45 mins, if you plan as I planned :-) As much as I love to cook, I hate spending a lot of time in the kitchen, especially near the stove!
DELICIOUS CHANNA BIRIYANI
My own recipe
Ingredients:
1 c channa, soaked overnight
2 c basmati rice
5 green chilies
1/2 c grated coconut
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
4 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick
1 large onion, diced
1 tomato,diced
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 bunch mint leaves,chopped fine
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped fine
2 tsp lime juice or to taste
Salt to taste
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
4 c water
Method: While you pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with some salt for 3-4 whistles, soak the rice for 30 mins. Meanwhile, get the other ingredients ready.Grind the coconut, ginger garlic paste and green chilies together, to a rough paste without adding any water.
In a non-stick pot, heat oil and ghee together. Add the whole spices and stir for 30 secs. Add the onions and cook till they are golden brown.Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy, about 1 minute. Add the powders and saute for 30 secs. Add the ground paste and saute for a minute. Add salt & herbs. Mix well. Add the boiled channa and let it cook in the masala for a minute. Add the soaked and drained rice and fry for a minute. Add 4 cups of water to it, check for salt and finally pour the lime juice and stir to mix, carefully so that the rice grains don't break. Cover and cook on medium heat till the rice is done!
Whenever I experiment, I wait for the smell of the dish to fill the house. I think everyone can judge how good or how bad a particular dish is going to be depending on it's smell :-) This time, I was in a biriyani haven and I knew I had nailed it! Serve it with a bowl of chilled Raita and maybe some papad too.
All you meat lovers...make it and eat it because you will not miss meat in this atleast during this season of Lent! :-)
I've been getting a lot of complaints these days from friends and family alike. It's just because I'm not posting any veggie recipes during this season of Lent. They said they are loosing their control seeing the Fried Chicken Kabab!So I posted a Lemon Yogurt Cake and the complaints increased because a lot of them have given up sugar for lent! :-) Some of them did try the Garam Masala Pulao but for some , they needed something more than just a pulao!
I love Channa, in any form. Some of my favourites are Sundal, Channa Masala, Papdi chaat or even just plain salted boiled channa. The black channa is also dearly loved in the form of a Kannur curry called Kootucurry. I use Kabuli Channa/ White channa/ Chickpeas more than the black ones. Jobin loves a good Chana Masala with Batura,so do I. Luckily the weather is super good in Minneapolis now and I can make Baturas to our hearts content without thinking of the fact that the oil smell is going to hang around in our condo for the next two days...just leave the balcony door wide open!
It's been a while since I've been thinking about a pulao/biriyani with this wonderful source of protein. I've seen quite a few recipes in cookbooks and on foodblogs but nothing tempted me as I wanted a greenish tinge to my rice. So last night, I went ahead and soaked some channa so that things would be easier the next day.
>This recipe might look like it's lengthy but trust me, it isn't. You can easily pull it off in less than 45 mins, if you plan as I planned :-) As much as I love to cook, I hate spending a lot of time in the kitchen, especially near the stove!
DELICIOUS CHANNA BIRIYANIMy own recipe
Ingredients:
1 c channa, soaked overnight
2 c basmati rice
5 green chilies
1/2 c grated coconut
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
4 cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick
1 large onion, diced
1 tomato,diced
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 bunch mint leaves,chopped fine
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped fine
2 tsp lime juice or to taste
Salt to taste
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
4 c water
Method: While you pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with some salt for 3-4 whistles, soak the rice for 30 mins. Meanwhile, get the other ingredients ready.Grind the coconut, ginger garlic paste and green chilies together, to a rough paste without adding any water.
In a non-stick pot, heat oil and ghee together. Add the whole spices and stir for 30 secs. Add the onions and cook till they are golden brown.Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy, about 1 minute. Add the powders and saute for 30 secs. Add the ground paste and saute for a minute. Add salt & herbs. Mix well. Add the boiled channa and let it cook in the masala for a minute. Add the soaked and drained rice and fry for a minute. Add 4 cups of water to it, check for salt and finally pour the lime juice and stir to mix, carefully so that the rice grains don't break. Cover and cook on medium heat till the rice is done!
Whenever I experiment, I wait for the smell of the dish to fill the house. I think everyone can judge how good or how bad a particular dish is going to be depending on it's smell :-) This time, I was in a biriyani haven and I knew I had nailed it! Serve it with a bowl of chilled Raita and maybe some papad too.
All you meat lovers...make it and eat it because you will not miss meat in this atleast during this season of Lent! :-)
TROPICAL MANGO PUDDING CAKE
To contact us Click HERE
The weather is so good right now in Minneapolis. It's perfectly warm during the day and cool during night.The Spring has sprung all over and we are enjoying this beautiful weather before Summer hits here. We get extreme temperatures so we are really not sure which season are we actually looking forward to! Anyhow, when I decided to make this dessert, I thought of sticking to one of my current favourite colours, Yellow!
So for the pudding cake, I stuck to mango as it is definately the top choice at the moment for colour & taste and since I had a big can of puree with me, I did not see a reason why I shouldn't be using it! Plus, it's the best thing to use when you are not sure about the sweeteness of the mangoes you get in stores in Spring.That way you are sure to have a consistency for your recipes every time you need to make one!
This was meant to be a birthday cake for my relative who is also a grown up like us. So I made it less fancy and kept it simple. The cake was baked in a jiffy with the recipe that's engraved on my brain which is also the same recipe I used for the Mixed fruit Swiss Roll,Coffee - Chocolate Triangle Cake,Checkerboard Cake etc. The pudding hardly took any time to make and once it was layered up, I left them in the fridge to set. It's a quick cake - dessert if you have things handy.
I baked this cake having a totally different plan in mind but in the end, it was cut out into circles and got stuffed into my little cake rings. I love using cake rings because it gives you your personal share of the dessert which clearly means...no sharing! It was a birthday gift from Jobin 2 years ago and I've not been using it much as he would love me to. Mocha Marble Cheesecaklets were baked in it but other than that, none of them have appeared on the blog :-)
If you don't have the puree, you can always use the fresh ripe mangoes and puree them with sugar to taste. I usually use that but this time,like how I mentioned before I had a tin full of pulp with me which I bought a while back to make some Mango Lassi. Talk about that lassi,it's the most popular flavour in stores here and I love it!
TROPICAL MANGO PUDDING CAKE
Recipe source for the cake : Amma
Ingredients for the cake:
1 c flour minus 2 tbsp
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 c sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F and line a jelly roll pan.
In a clean, dry bowl beat the sugar and eggs on high for 12 mins. Add the vanilla and beat for 10 secs. Fold in the flour and cornstarch, carefully without deflating it. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 15-18 mins or until the top is pale brown and is springy to touch.
As soon as it is out of the oven, loosen the sides if need be and invert the cake onto a kitchen towel which was sprinkled with some sugar before. Remove the parchment and let the cake cool.Brush the cake with some water just to moisten it. Cut out rounds to fit your small cake rings.
Ingredients for the Eggless Mango Pudding
My own recipe
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c sweetened mango puree
4 tbsp sugar or to taste
1 tbsp gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp water
Method: Whip the cream to stiff peaks along with sugar and then fold the puree in. Melt the gelatin, cool it for a minute and then fold it into the pudding / mousse.
Assembly: Place a round of the moistened cake in the cake ring and pour some mousse over it, cover it with another piece of cake and repeat. The top layer should be the mousse.Decorate as you wish. Refrigerate till set, for about 4-5 hours. Serve cold.
After the circles were cut up, there were some odd shapes left behind. So Jobin & I slathered some pudding over it and popped them into our mouths. It was seriously yummy! Infact I do it all the time to know how the end product would taste like :-) Try this quick dessert for your next party and make sure you eat the scraps too!
The weather is so good right now in Minneapolis. It's perfectly warm during the day and cool during night.The Spring has sprung all over and we are enjoying this beautiful weather before Summer hits here. We get extreme temperatures so we are really not sure which season are we actually looking forward to! Anyhow, when I decided to make this dessert, I thought of sticking to one of my current favourite colours, Yellow!
So for the pudding cake, I stuck to mango as it is definately the top choice at the moment for colour & taste and since I had a big can of puree with me, I did not see a reason why I shouldn't be using it! Plus, it's the best thing to use when you are not sure about the sweeteness of the mangoes you get in stores in Spring.That way you are sure to have a consistency for your recipes every time you need to make one!
This was meant to be a birthday cake for my relative who is also a grown up like us. So I made it less fancy and kept it simple. The cake was baked in a jiffy with the recipe that's engraved on my brain which is also the same recipe I used for the Mixed fruit Swiss Roll,Coffee - Chocolate Triangle Cake,Checkerboard Cake etc. The pudding hardly took any time to make and once it was layered up, I left them in the fridge to set. It's a quick cake - dessert if you have things handy.
I baked this cake having a totally different plan in mind but in the end, it was cut out into circles and got stuffed into my little cake rings. I love using cake rings because it gives you your personal share of the dessert which clearly means...no sharing! It was a birthday gift from Jobin 2 years ago and I've not been using it much as he would love me to. Mocha Marble Cheesecaklets were baked in it but other than that, none of them have appeared on the blog :-)
If you don't have the puree, you can always use the fresh ripe mangoes and puree them with sugar to taste. I usually use that but this time,like how I mentioned before I had a tin full of pulp with me which I bought a while back to make some Mango Lassi. Talk about that lassi,it's the most popular flavour in stores here and I love it!
TROPICAL MANGO PUDDING CAKERecipe source for the cake : Amma
Ingredients for the cake:
1 c flour minus 2 tbsp
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 c sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F and line a jelly roll pan.
In a clean, dry bowl beat the sugar and eggs on high for 12 mins. Add the vanilla and beat for 10 secs. Fold in the flour and cornstarch, carefully without deflating it. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 15-18 mins or until the top is pale brown and is springy to touch.
As soon as it is out of the oven, loosen the sides if need be and invert the cake onto a kitchen towel which was sprinkled with some sugar before. Remove the parchment and let the cake cool.Brush the cake with some water just to moisten it. Cut out rounds to fit your small cake rings.
Ingredients for the Eggless Mango Pudding
My own recipe
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c sweetened mango puree
4 tbsp sugar or to taste
1 tbsp gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp water
Method: Whip the cream to stiff peaks along with sugar and then fold the puree in. Melt the gelatin, cool it for a minute and then fold it into the pudding / mousse.
Assembly: Place a round of the moistened cake in the cake ring and pour some mousse over it, cover it with another piece of cake and repeat. The top layer should be the mousse.Decorate as you wish. Refrigerate till set, for about 4-5 hours. Serve cold.
After the circles were cut up, there were some odd shapes left behind. So Jobin & I slathered some pudding over it and popped them into our mouths. It was seriously yummy! Infact I do it all the time to know how the end product would taste like :-) Try this quick dessert for your next party and make sure you eat the scraps too!
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