Time for something completely different. We love making ice cream...it's one of the easiest desserts to make and always impresses those who haven't made ice cream themselves. Homemade is also a million times tastier than anything you'll buy in most stores. This is a much loved Nigel recipe, made with a custard base, but our favourie ice-cream book is one Kate (my sister) sent us: Frozen Desserts -- The Definitive Guide To Making Ice Creams, Ices, Sorbets, Gelati, and other Frozen Delights (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1996). If you've not made ice-cream before, this is definitely the most complicated (though still fairly simple) style. If you have a have Donvier ice-cream maker, a divine mix can be as simple as milk, fruit and sugar. A family favourite is simply milk with Nutella...flipping aces. More ice-cream recipes to follow, but this is a simple Nigel Slater one to get you started.
Name: An Old-Fashioned Milky Vanilla Ice
Book: Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked: No date available but around October/November, 2000.
Comments:
"What Nigel Slater says is true, making ice-cream takes a bit of effort, but God-In-Heaven. The most lip-smacking treat you've ever tasted. Out of this world."
"Adapted recipe to make chocolate ice-cream, using chocolate and pure vanilla extract. Also added a Cadbury's Fruit and Nut, chopped into chunks. Served to Dan and Joanne on the night they became our new neighbours. 10/10.'
Recipe:
Makes enough for 3-4
8 free range egg yolks
150g golden caster sugar
600ml full cream milk
a vanilla pod, split open lengthways
Beat the egg yolk and sugar together until they are thick and creamy. This is best done with an electric wisk. But the milk into a medium sized sauce pan with the vanilla pod and bring slowly to a boil. Just as it comes up to boiling point, remove from heat and leave the vanilla pod to infuse in the milk for 15 minutes.
Fish out the vanilla pod and pour the milk onto the egg yolk mixture. Put the mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly as it comes to the boil again. It must not boil, otherwise you will have scrambled eggs.
When the custard has thickened a little (it will not be really thick like the packet stuff), then set it aside to cool. When it is thoroughly cooled, either pour into your icecream churn and freeze according to the manufactuerer's instructions or pour into a bowl and place in the freezer. Remove from the freezer to stir from time to time, mixing the ice crystals around the edge into the centre. Leave until frozen, removing it from the freezer about 20 minutes before you intend to eat it.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Tom Yam Gai
Over the years we have had a fairly consistent obsession with South East Asian food and this was made all the keener by living in Malaysia, back in 2002. Malaysia is a nation of foodies...nothing is more important than food and talking about what you ate for supper the night before. What makes Malaysian cuisine so unique is that it combines three major traditions -- Chinese, Indian and Malay. Strictly speaking the recipe below is Thai, but was one of many amazing recipes we cooked in our small kitchen in Kuala Lumpur.
Name: Tom Yam Gai
Book: Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked: No date available but around October/November, 2002.
Comments:
"Didn't have any lime leaves so added extra lime juice. Fairly firey hot -- might be worth toning down...two chilies instead of three. Perhaps a little more sugar. Nonetheless, very good. 'Lissa raved and said would be good for a cold/nose clearer."
Recipe:
Serves 2
1 chicken breast, skinned
1 liter home-made or ready-made fresh chicken stock
4 spring (green) onions, finely chopped
1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped into 2.5 cm lengths and slightly crushed
3 small red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
4 lime leaves
1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
Bring the chicken breast to the boil in the stock, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is tender, about ten minutes, then remove and cut into thin threads. Set aside, saving the all-important broth.
Add the spring onions, garlic, lemongrass, collies and lime leaves to the broth and simmer gently for ten minutes. Stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if necessary, then finally stir in the coriander and serve piping hot. Tepid Tom Yam gai is a friend to no one.
Name: Tom Yam Gai
Book: Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked: No date available but around October/November, 2002.
Comments:
"Didn't have any lime leaves so added extra lime juice. Fairly firey hot -- might be worth toning down...two chilies instead of three. Perhaps a little more sugar. Nonetheless, very good. 'Lissa raved and said would be good for a cold/nose clearer."
Recipe:
Serves 2
1 chicken breast, skinned
1 liter home-made or ready-made fresh chicken stock
4 spring (green) onions, finely chopped
1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped into 2.5 cm lengths and slightly crushed
3 small red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
4 lime leaves
1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
Bring the chicken breast to the boil in the stock, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is tender, about ten minutes, then remove and cut into thin threads. Set aside, saving the all-important broth.
Add the spring onions, garlic, lemongrass, collies and lime leaves to the broth and simmer gently for ten minutes. Stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if necessary, then finally stir in the coriander and serve piping hot. Tepid Tom Yam gai is a friend to no one.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Baked Potatoes with Basil/Parmesan and Pancetta/Gorgonzola
Hope I'm not over-doing Nigel Slater, but he really is our favourite cookbook writer...aside of (maybe) Ottolenghi, who is in a league of his own. Here are a couple of quick-and-easy-but-no-less-fantabulous spud recipes that reinvent what a baked potato can be. Epic.
Name: Baked Potatoes with Basil/Parmesan and Pancetta/Gorgonzola
Book: Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked: 6th March, 2001/8th March, 2001/22nd September, 2001/6th October, 2001/25th June, 2003/9th September, 2009.
Comments:
"Broke one of my teeth on a crispy bit of spud. God in heaven what a supper. We only had one spud each, but was more than enough. The saltiness of the pancetta with the creamy gorgonzola was a marriage like no other. There's good, very good...then three or four levels higher: this."
"Made with regular bacon and added extra salt. Still yum."
"Made again with 50/50 mix of pancetta and prosciutto."
"Bacon with extra salt. Always amazing."
"Used ready-made pesto and the outcome was supremeo.Everybody (including Rexy) scoffed back. Crisping the skins in the oven worked very nicely. Quick, easy, amazing."
"To accompany a spicy brisket -- used ready-made pest."
Recipe:
Baked Potatoes with Basil/Parmesan
Serves 2 as a light supper, perhaps with a leafy salad and pudding after.
4 baked potatoes
3 plump cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large handfuls of basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra to finish
Cream the garlic to a paste with a little salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the basil and the pine nuts, pounding to a thick paste. Drizzle in the oil, stirring, then mix in the Parmesan. You should have a bright green, deeply fragrant, sloppy paste.
Crack the baked potatoes open, scoop out the flesh and return the empty skins to the oven to crisp. Mash the potato and pesto together then pile into the skins. Scatter with more grated cheese and bake till bubbling.
Baked Potatoes with Pancetta/Gorgonzola
Enough for 2 as a main dish with spinach salad
4 baked potatoes
100g/4oz pancetta, cubed
150g/6oz double cream (whipping cream)
100g/4oz gorgonzola
Fry the pancetta until its fat is golden, using a little butter or oil if necessary. Stir in the cream and gorgonzola and leave to bubble gently at a moderate heat for a minute or two.
Split the potatoes, then scoop in dollops of the smokey, creamy sauce.
Name: Baked Potatoes with Basil/Parmesan and Pancetta/Gorgonzola
Book: Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked: 6th March, 2001/8th March, 2001/22nd September, 2001/6th October, 2001/25th June, 2003/9th September, 2009.
Comments:
"Broke one of my teeth on a crispy bit of spud. God in heaven what a supper. We only had one spud each, but was more than enough. The saltiness of the pancetta with the creamy gorgonzola was a marriage like no other. There's good, very good...then three or four levels higher: this."
"Made with regular bacon and added extra salt. Still yum."
"Made again with 50/50 mix of pancetta and prosciutto."
"Bacon with extra salt. Always amazing."
"Used ready-made pesto and the outcome was supremeo.Everybody (including Rexy) scoffed back. Crisping the skins in the oven worked very nicely. Quick, easy, amazing."
"To accompany a spicy brisket -- used ready-made pest."
Recipe:
Baked Potatoes with Basil/Parmesan
Serves 2 as a light supper, perhaps with a leafy salad and pudding after.
4 baked potatoes
3 plump cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large handfuls of basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra to finish
Cream the garlic to a paste with a little salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the basil and the pine nuts, pounding to a thick paste. Drizzle in the oil, stirring, then mix in the Parmesan. You should have a bright green, deeply fragrant, sloppy paste.
Crack the baked potatoes open, scoop out the flesh and return the empty skins to the oven to crisp. Mash the potato and pesto together then pile into the skins. Scatter with more grated cheese and bake till bubbling.
Baked Potatoes with Pancetta/Gorgonzola
Enough for 2 as a main dish with spinach salad
4 baked potatoes
100g/4oz pancetta, cubed
150g/6oz double cream (whipping cream)
100g/4oz gorgonzola
Fry the pancetta until its fat is golden, using a little butter or oil if necessary. Stir in the cream and gorgonzola and leave to bubble gently at a moderate heat for a minute or two.
Split the potatoes, then scoop in dollops of the smokey, creamy sauce.
Slow-Fried Potatoes with Thyme and Taleggio
It was brilliant to hear from our old pal Holly today, singing the vegan praises of the leeky/cheesy risotto recipe. Thought I'd suggest a recipe that 'Lissa raved about, but can also be classified as "veganified". Please don't think I have a thing about taleggio (a cheese that's not always to find in the US), it's a Nigel Slater thing. Like the risotto, you can sub taleggio with any soft cheese (Brie, Camembert, Cambazola etc). For Holly's benefit, I'm giving measurements in both imperial (US) and metric (the rest of the world):
Name:
Slow-fried Potatoes with Thyme and Taleggio
Book:
Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked:
Cooked only once but no date available...probably sometime in 2001/2
Comments:
"I must start by saying this was extraordinary. 'Lissa (who had resolved to mark supersonically hard)gave it 8.5 out of 10; said it could do with more garlic (I agree), then wolfed down "thirds" of the spuds. Really special. Had with green beans and Anne Lindsay's Spanish dressing. Oooh la la!"
Recipe:
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish for, say, grilled ham or cold chicken.
500g/1lb 2oz waxy potatoes
a medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
50g/20z (a thick slice) butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
a small palmful of thyme leaves
100g/4oz semi-soft cheese such as taleggio or fontina
Slice the potatoes into rounds the thickness of pound coins. Fry the sliced onions gently in the oil and butter in a shallow pan about 22cm in diameter. As it becomes soft and pale gold add the potatoes, a little salt and ground pepper, the garlic and thyme and toss gently to coat the spuds in oil and herbs.
Turn the heat as low as possible and cover the pan so that the potatoes cook slowly, stirring them from time to time. After forty to fifty minutes they will be soft and golden. Slice the cheese thinly, lay it on the potatoes and cover the pan again. It will have melted after a couple of minutes.
Name:
Slow-fried Potatoes with Thyme and Taleggio
Book:
Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked:
Cooked only once but no date available...probably sometime in 2001/2
Comments:
"I must start by saying this was extraordinary. 'Lissa (who had resolved to mark supersonically hard)gave it 8.5 out of 10; said it could do with more garlic (I agree), then wolfed down "thirds" of the spuds. Really special. Had with green beans and Anne Lindsay's Spanish dressing. Oooh la la!"
Recipe:
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish for, say, grilled ham or cold chicken.
500g/1lb 2oz waxy potatoes
a medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
50g/20z (a thick slice) butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
a small palmful of thyme leaves
100g/4oz semi-soft cheese such as taleggio or fontina
Slice the potatoes into rounds the thickness of pound coins. Fry the sliced onions gently in the oil and butter in a shallow pan about 22cm in diameter. As it becomes soft and pale gold add the potatoes, a little salt and ground pepper, the garlic and thyme and toss gently to coat the spuds in oil and herbs.
Turn the heat as low as possible and cover the pan so that the potatoes cook slowly, stirring them from time to time. After forty to fifty minutes they will be soft and golden. Slice the cheese thinly, lay it on the potatoes and cover the pan again. It will have melted after a couple of minutes.
Ooops. Here's the recipe for the risotto...
Name:
Leek and Taleggio Risotto
Book:
Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked:
10th July, 2000/19th January 2002/27th April, 2003/26th January, 2008/2nd February, 2008/4th September, 2008/18th September, 2008/30th April, 2009
Comments:
"Supremely simple and can definitely be described as "soothing". Made for lunch the day after Rex was born and was amazed at how such a few ingredients could create such a divine taste. Nice one!"
"Made for Melonie and Janice Maxwell for lunch at Pearson College".
"Boys devoured. Definite favourite amongst the troops"
"Fourth time. Still amazing".
"Again using Mexican cheese".
"For Hattie's birthday".
"'Lissa made with Danish Blue for Ricardo, Bar, Emilee and Hector on their return visit to campus".
Recipe:
Serves 2 generously
50g butter
2 large leeks, chopped and rinsed
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
a little dried oregano
225g arborio rice
900ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
225g taleggio or other soft creamy cheese cut into thick slices
Put the butter into a shallow, heavy-bottomed pan and add the leeks and garlic. Cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft. Don't hurry this; let the leeks cook slowly for about fifteen to twenty minutes, but stop cooking before they colour.
Stir in the oregano, a teaspoon or so will do, and the rice. Pour in three ladles of hot stock and stir. Leave to simmer gently, stirring regularly, until the stock has almost been soaked up by the rice. Add more stock and leave to cook once more, at a gentle pace, then add more when that too has gone. It will stick if you forget to stir it. The rice will be plump and tender after about eighteen to twenty minutes. Taste to see if it is done to your liking; it should have a bit of bite left in it but should be quite tender.
Stir in the cheese at the last minute -- it will melt creamily. Check for seasoning; it will need both salt and black pepper.
Leek and Taleggio Risotto
Book:
Nigel Slater, Real Food (Fourth Estate, London, 1998)
Date(s) cooked:
10th July, 2000/19th January 2002/27th April, 2003/26th January, 2008/2nd February, 2008/4th September, 2008/18th September, 2008/30th April, 2009
Comments:
"Supremely simple and can definitely be described as "soothing". Made for lunch the day after Rex was born and was amazed at how such a few ingredients could create such a divine taste. Nice one!"
"Made for Melonie and Janice Maxwell for lunch at Pearson College".
"Boys devoured. Definite favourite amongst the troops"
"Fourth time. Still amazing".
"Again using Mexican cheese".
"For Hattie's birthday".
"'Lissa made with Danish Blue for Ricardo, Bar, Emilee and Hector on their return visit to campus".
Recipe:
Serves 2 generously
50g butter
2 large leeks, chopped and rinsed
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
a little dried oregano
225g arborio rice
900ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
225g taleggio or other soft creamy cheese cut into thick slices
Put the butter into a shallow, heavy-bottomed pan and add the leeks and garlic. Cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft. Don't hurry this; let the leeks cook slowly for about fifteen to twenty minutes, but stop cooking before they colour.
Stir in the oregano, a teaspoon or so will do, and the rice. Pour in three ladles of hot stock and stir. Leave to simmer gently, stirring regularly, until the stock has almost been soaked up by the rice. Add more stock and leave to cook once more, at a gentle pace, then add more when that too has gone. It will stick if you forget to stir it. The rice will be plump and tender after about eighteen to twenty minutes. Taste to see if it is done to your liking; it should have a bit of bite left in it but should be quite tender.
Stir in the cheese at the last minute -- it will melt creamily. Check for seasoning; it will need both salt and black pepper.
Leek and Taleggio Risotto
We eat alot of risottos -- the kids love them. This is an especially easy and divine one from a different Nigel Slater book Real Food (Fourth Estate, 1998). Whilst the recipe calls for Taleggio, I've used all sorts of differnt, mild cheeses -- Brie, Camambert and Cambazola all work well. This dish really dines the idea of "comfort food" and whilst good anytime, it is particularly soothing when it's cold outside. When Jo-Jo is feeling down-in-the-dumps she'll often ask for thi to restore morale. A cracker!
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