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Sunday, April 14, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Well....
Now that the new semester is up and running, I am ready to write new posts! I have two recipes coming in the next week: Moroccan Tagine Chicken and Lamb Moussaka! Mmm nom nom nom.......
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Oh You Salmon in a Bengali Mustard Sauce.....
In looking to improve the breadth of my cooking abilities, I decided that for this Thursday night's dinner I would make the switch from poultry to fish. Of course we all love the extreme versatility of meat such as chicken, but surprisingly enough, fish can tickle your fancy and your cooking imagination just the same. In our flat, we go back and forth between the stages of eating well and "not so much," in the way table tennis would look if it was in slow motion.
So in choosing a fish to align with our current health kick, I chose salmon, the go-to "I want those Omega-3s" fish. Let me just say this was an adventure in the kitchen, mostly because the salmon we bought from Tescos was gigantic and still had the skin on it... How fun!
Here is the recipe that I found on the glorious epicurious.com:
To Rub on the Fish
3/4 pound skinless salmon fillet (more on what I actually used later...)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mustard seed oil (use extra virgin olive oil as a substitue)
1/4 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
2 fresh hot green and/or red chilies (bird's eye is best), slit slightly
*N.B. As a lover of sauce and all things tasty, I doubled all the ingredients in the recipe....
Here lies the Salmon we purchased from Tescos, reduced from £20 to £9! Seemingly a bargin but if only I knew what was to ensue....
And so began the deconstruction of the fish. Let me just say that as a student, we do not have top notch materials, but we do have a few sharp knives that do some of the elbow work for us. But have you ever taken the skin off a fish? It is certainly no easy task. Nevertheless, for the sake of our hunger, I went for it. Although by the end of this venture (in which I took the sharpest knife we have and cut right under the skin), my hands were covered in salmon, I did come out victorious:
With my salmon ready, I filleted the fish into 8 pieces, removing any grissly bits or parts of the salmon that just didn't make the cut.
Finally, the hard part was out of the way! Excitingly enough, I got to make a rub (a new cooking activity for me) out of the aforementioned salt, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Now at this stage I did not double the rub, but in retrospect I wish I did!
Anywho, with the rub made and mixed together, I rubbed the fish in a small bowl until all had an even coating. Then I covered the bowl with cling film and set it aside in the fridge for an hour. (N.B. The original recipe calls for a chilling time of anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 hours.)
As the rubbed salmon was chilling away in the fridge, I began the mustard paste, here doubling the ingredients for more saucy goodness. In a small bowl, I combined the later mentioned mustard powder (which I grounded up from mustard seeds), cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt.
Eager to begin cooking, I laid out everything necessary: the mustard seeds in one glass, the cumin and fennel seeds in another, the slightly slit chilies (medium heat to appease the mouths of my flatmates), and the mustard paste (pre-last batch of water...).
Following the surge of excitement, I added the chilies, stirred, and brought to a gentle simmer.
Next, I placed the salmon in a single layer in the pan and allowed it to simmer for around 5 to 7 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish constantly.
As I was cooking, I decided that I would break down the fish to make it more of a curry, which I believe was a very smart move as it allowed for every single bit of salmon to absorb every little bit of sauce.
So in choosing a fish to align with our current health kick, I chose salmon, the go-to "I want those Omega-3s" fish. Let me just say this was an adventure in the kitchen, mostly because the salmon we bought from Tescos was gigantic and still had the skin on it... How fun!
Here is the recipe that I found on the glorious epicurious.com:
To Rub on the Fish
3/4 pound skinless salmon fillet (more on what I actually used later...)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mustard seed oil (use extra virgin olive oil as a substitue)
1/4 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
2 fresh hot green and/or red chilies (bird's eye is best), slit slightly
*N.B. As a lover of sauce and all things tasty, I doubled all the ingredients in the recipe....
Here lies the Salmon we purchased from Tescos, reduced from £20 to £9! Seemingly a bargin but if only I knew what was to ensue....
And so began the deconstruction of the fish. Let me just say that as a student, we do not have top notch materials, but we do have a few sharp knives that do some of the elbow work for us. But have you ever taken the skin off a fish? It is certainly no easy task. Nevertheless, for the sake of our hunger, I went for it. Although by the end of this venture (in which I took the sharpest knife we have and cut right under the skin), my hands were covered in salmon, I did come out victorious:
With my salmon ready, I filleted the fish into 8 pieces, removing any grissly bits or parts of the salmon that just didn't make the cut.
Finally, the hard part was out of the way! Excitingly enough, I got to make a rub (a new cooking activity for me) out of the aforementioned salt, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Now at this stage I did not double the rub, but in retrospect I wish I did!
Anywho, with the rub made and mixed together, I rubbed the fish in a small bowl until all had an even coating. Then I covered the bowl with cling film and set it aside in the fridge for an hour. (N.B. The original recipe calls for a chilling time of anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 hours.)
As the rubbed salmon was chilling away in the fridge, I began the mustard paste, here doubling the ingredients for more saucy goodness. In a small bowl, I combined the later mentioned mustard powder (which I grounded up from mustard seeds), cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt.
In the spirit of doubling, I (later) doubled the water added, beginning with 1 tablespoon mixed thoroughly, then adding another 7 before putting to the side.
Eager to begin cooking, I laid out everything necessary: the mustard seeds in one glass, the cumin and fennel seeds in another, the slightly slit chilies (medium heat to appease the mouths of my flatmates), and the mustard paste (pre-last batch of water...).
Now in this next stage, the tranquility of the kitchen turned slightly chaotic, as I did not add the second stream of water until much later in the game. In looking back, I probably did not need to double the second batch of water thrown in the paste, as it then became it bit more watery than was desired, but I had to find a way to work with it.
 |
| Beans, Rice, and Salmon all cooking/ready to go |
Despite what I perceived to be little disasters in this venture (in contrast to the feelings of my flatmates), I began. First, I poured the oil into a frying pan and set it over medium-high heat. When it was hot (tested with the water method), I put in the mustard seeds.
Now I'm not sure why exactly this happened, but once those mustard seeds went in, the stovetop turned into an explosion of fireworks, as the popping I was so desiring certainly exceeded my expectations... so I ducked!
Once I finally felt safe around the pans again, I added the fennel and cumin seeds, quickly followed by the experimental mustard paste.
Following the surge of excitement, I added the chilies, stirred, and brought to a gentle simmer. 
Next, I placed the salmon in a single layer in the pan and allowed it to simmer for around 5 to 7 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish constantly. 
As I was cooking, I decided that I would break down the fish to make it more of a curry, which I believe was a very smart move as it allowed for every single bit of salmon to absorb every little bit of sauce.
After another few minutes, I turned off the burner and began plating with our sides of olive-oil buttered beans and peas and a very subtle cinnamon and ginger rice. O what aromas were in the air! I practically had to hold back my flatmates as I plated, for the delightful spices that filled the kitchen had been tantalising them for too long.
In the end, this is what we ate:
This was certainly one of my favourite dishes I have made, minus the slight bumps here and there that most likely made this a slightly abstract sense of the original. Regardless, the spice was just right - the kind that opens up your breathing yet does not turn your face red and force you to launch towards the fridge for a glass of milk. The next time I make this, I will try to fix any bumps, but may I say that after this adventure, I believe I can cook anything.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Ever-So-Satisfying Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Yes, it's time for me to share with the world the magic of my chocolate chip pancakes. Granted, I found the recipe originally through Nigella Lawson's How to Be a Domestic Goddess, but in the past year or so I have added my own delights here and there and altered the measurements slightly.
Pancake Sunday is always an event. Syrups, juices, and occasionally Sangria? Needless to say, nothing is more comforting than those few hours for brunch in which the only things that fill the air are conversation, music, and the delightful aroma of freshly made chocolate chip pancakes.
Ready for it?
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 dashes
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/3 cups milk
100 grams chocolate chips
With pancakes on the table and syrups in hand, we ducked into the pancake mountain (and the eventual arrival of sangria) and had one wonderful brunch.
Pancake Sunday is always an event. Syrups, juices, and occasionally Sangria? Needless to say, nothing is more comforting than those few hours for brunch in which the only things that fill the air are conversation, music, and the delightful aroma of freshly made chocolate chip pancakes.
Ready for it?
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 dashes
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/3 cups milk
100 grams chocolate chips
Being the students we are, we have no electric equipment, so all of the work has to be done by the mere strength of our hands.
As is natural when mixing by hand, I had to separate the wet and dry ingredients. In one bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and make a well in the centre for the dry ingredients. Unfortunately, due to my pancake-making fervour, I forgot to take a photo of the wet ingredients. However, in a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (beaten eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla extract - by the way, do not feel shy in adding extra vanilla!), and once done, pour into the well of the dry ingredients and get ready for the true work to begin.
With the wet and dry in one bowl, whisk with all your might to get the lumpy bits out of the mixture, and once they are all gone, find your chocolate chips and mix them into the batter!
Then of course it's time to put the pancakes in the pan and start making the ever so famous pancake mountain. I certainly neglected my camera in this stage, but use your ladle and pour a scoopful in the pan. Wait for bubbles to form on the majority of the surface, flip, then wait a minute or two until steam comes out from the centre and the bottom of the pancake looks slightly golden. Repeat until complete!
 |
| Pancake Mountain after it started going up for grabs.... |
Follow the recipe, invite some friends, and I promise that your Sundays can be just as sunny, despite the infamous Scottish weather that is far from predictable....
Until next time, keep calm and munch on.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Lemony Goat's Cheese Chicken
Recently I met a fellow foodie that reminded me why I love food, cooking, and writing about it so much. Although I do not know my impact on those who surround me, I do know that when I cook, when I create a meal that is worthy of that satisfying "mhmm" silence, there is an appreciative look of recognition, the kind that makes that uncertainty go behind the clouds and disappear.
To have those I surround myself with surround one table for a mere few hours, to have my food be the primary reason for such a jovial assembly, keeps the smile on my face and a certain warmth in my heart.
Which is why I am starting this blog back up again, not only to keep my progress marked, but also to remind me that regardless of uncertainties, the simplest thing such as "Lemony Goat's Cheese Chicken" can make the day worthwhile.
So here it goes.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 ounces soft goat's cheese
Having prepared the chicken, I heated the oil and the garlic in a sautee pan, stirring as to avoid burning, until the garlic was a nice golden brown.
Satisfied with my garlic, I added the chicken and cooked until golden, about three to five minutes on each side.
Once the chicken breasts turned golden, I cut each breast in half and added the salt, pepper, chicken broth, thyme and lemon zest. Then I covered the concoction, reduced the heat to a medium-low, and cooked the chicken and the beginnings of the sauce until the chicken was fork tender, about five minutes longer...
With the chicken ready, I moved my pieces to a side platter to keep warm while I moved onto finishing the good stuff: the sauce.
Then, with all the strength my weakling of an arm could muster, I vigorously whisked the goat's cheese into the sauce until properly mixed.
With the sauce complete, the chicken cooked, and the Side Veg reduced down to the perfect softness (merely a mix of courgettes and onions, coated with thyme and brown sugar, shrunken to the appropriate size), I began to prepare the plates! Adding a hearty portion of lemon zest and ginger rice to complete the tasty triad, I finished cooking and the eating began.
What would I change in retrospect? Nothing really. Besides more sauce. There really can never be enough... After all, isn't that what makes one say, "mhmm, that's the stuff"?
Oh what a success.
Next up is pancakes tomorrow then some sort of fish dish this coming week. Until then, happy food dreaming and go find yourself something tasty to munch on.
To have those I surround myself with surround one table for a mere few hours, to have my food be the primary reason for such a jovial assembly, keeps the smile on my face and a certain warmth in my heart.
Which is why I am starting this blog back up again, not only to keep my progress marked, but also to remind me that regardless of uncertainties, the simplest thing such as "Lemony Goat's Cheese Chicken" can make the day worthwhile.
So here it goes.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 ounces soft goat's cheese
I started by laying out my four chicken breasts and trimming off the gritty bits, then slightly pounding them down to get them all to a similar level of thickness.
Having prepared the chicken, I heated the oil and the garlic in a sautee pan, stirring as to avoid burning, until the garlic was a nice golden brown.
Satisfied with my garlic, I added the chicken and cooked until golden, about three to five minutes on each side. |
| Chicken and Side Veg cooking away.... |
Once the chicken breasts turned golden, I cut each breast in half and added the salt, pepper, chicken broth, thyme and lemon zest. Then I covered the concoction, reduced the heat to a medium-low, and cooked the chicken and the beginnings of the sauce until the chicken was fork tender, about five minutes longer... |
| Sizzling away |
With the chicken ready, I moved my pieces to a side platter to keep warm while I moved onto finishing the good stuff: the sauce.
First, I increased the heat to high and boiled the sauce until thickened or syrupy, about three to five minutes.
Then, with all the strength my weakling of an arm could muster, I vigorously whisked the goat's cheese into the sauce until properly mixed. |
| Finished Sauce with Succulent Chicken Bits |
With the sauce complete, the chicken cooked, and the Side Veg reduced down to the perfect softness (merely a mix of courgettes and onions, coated with thyme and brown sugar, shrunken to the appropriate size), I began to prepare the plates! Adding a hearty portion of lemon zest and ginger rice to complete the tasty triad, I finished cooking and the eating began.
What would I change in retrospect? Nothing really. Besides more sauce. There really can never be enough... After all, isn't that what makes one say, "mhmm, that's the stuff"?
Oh what a success.
Next up is pancakes tomorrow then some sort of fish dish this coming week. Until then, happy food dreaming and go find yourself something tasty to munch on.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Pressing the Pause Button
So now that I am home for the summer, it seems my blog will be put on hold for awhile, but if I do make anything while I am home... then a post will come!
Until then, I will leave you with this quote from Henry Miller:
"Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such"
Until then, I will leave you with this quote from Henry Miller:
"Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such"
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Chocolate Chip Cookies
So with exams in motion and English Literature in one week, I've been sadly neglecting this blog... but never fear! I have a batch of cookies to tell you about here.
Last weekend for a potluck dinner, I made some yummy chocolate chip cookies. Another interesting cooking experiment as we ran out of white sugar during the cooking process, but more about that later.
Here is the recipe I borrowed from Martha Stewart, as my recipe is all the way back home!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar [I used caster]
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract [I added an extra 1/4 tsp vanilla since I love it so much]
2 large eggs
2 cups (about 12 oz) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips
This is the handy dandy measurement converter I use quite often as I bounce between US and UK recipes: http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/
Okay, time to begin! Preheated the oven to 350 (176 celsius) fahrenheit, then in a small bowl, I whisked together the flour and the baking soda and set aside.
Next, I added the salt, vanilla, and eggs, stirring even faster until the whole concoction until well mixed.
Last weekend for a potluck dinner, I made some yummy chocolate chip cookies. Another interesting cooking experiment as we ran out of white sugar during the cooking process, but more about that later.
Here is the recipe I borrowed from Martha Stewart, as my recipe is all the way back home!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar [I used caster]
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract [I added an extra 1/4 tsp vanilla since I love it so much]
2 large eggs
2 cups (about 12 oz) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips
This is the handy dandy measurement converter I use quite often as I bounce between US and UK recipes: http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/
Okay, time to begin! Preheated the oven to 350 (176 celsius) fahrenheit, then in a small bowl, I whisked together the flour and the baking soda and set aside.
Right about here the real work started. In a separate bowl, I combined the butter with both sugars (had to use an extra 50g of light brown sugar as I was 50g short of the caster sugar, oops!) and with a wooden spoon (sadly we dont have the facility of an electric mixer...) I vigourously mixed away until light and fluffy.
Next, I added the salt, vanilla, and eggs, stirring even faster until the whole concoction until well mixed.
Once that was done (and I gave my hand a bit of a rest!), I added the flour mixture and mixed until just combined.
And at last, the best part!! Stirring in the chocolate chips :)
Once the cookie dough was made, I placed them in tiny balls of dough on baking sheets, and baked in batched until the cookies were golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Since I used a bit more brown sugar then the recipe called for, the cookies did end up a bit crisper than I would have wanted, but they still hit the spot and were gobbled up by everyone within minutes!
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