[COMM] Hearty food for the cold season
We had guests the other evening, and decided the chillier weather called for some good comfort food in the main course and dessert. For the heart of the mains, we went for a tried and tested favourite, this Czech goulash full of warm flavours. For dessert, we tried something new and very appropriate to the season here in the Netherlands: gevulde speculaas, spicy biscuit dough filled with almond paste (we had it hot as a dessert, with a scoop of ice cream, with plenty left over to be eaten in its more usual form as a cake). Both well worth trying!
Gevulde speculaas (Speculaas with rich almond stuffing)
A seasonal recipe, this, and typically Dutch. You can either go the whole hog and make the marzipan-filled version, or just make the speculaas dough to make rich, spicy biscuits.
"Speculaas or speculoos is one of the Dutch culinary specialties. It is a spiced biscuit, made with wooden forms or moulds. They are typically winterfood, and especially associated with the feast of 'Sint Nicolaas' or Saint Nicholas, the original Santa Claus. This feast is celebrated on 5 or 6 December. Speculaas is very old, the spices used date from medieval times."
The recipe comes from the Coquinaria website, which gives some background information as well and from which the above information was extracted.
Note: This is a cake / biscuit recipe, but it also works very well if you serve it hot with ice cream as a dessert. It makes a fair amount, so plenty to allow the best of both worlds!
Ingredients for speculaas dough
500 gram (4 1/4 cups) simple white flour
250 gram (1 cup) cold butter
250 gram (1 1/4 cup) sugar
2 eggs, stirred
1/2 decilitre (1/4 cup) cream
salt to taste (don't forget this, and be liberal, otherwise your speculaas will taste bland)
50 to 60 gram (1/4 cup) spices for speculaas*
grated skin of 2 untreated lemons
200 gram (2 cups) flaked almonds, broken in to little pieces (optional)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
*This is a standard mix readily available in the Netherlands, but the website gives instructions for mixing it from scratch using powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, white pepper, ginger and cardamom.
Ingredients for almond paste** [you can use ready-made marzipan if you want]
Ground almonds
Caster sugar
Icing sugar
Eggs
Almond essence
Vanilla essence
**Use a standard recipe for almond paste / marzipan; depending on how deep a filling you want, use somewhere between 300g and 500g of ground almonds and proportion the other ingredients accordingly.
Method
Go to the Coquinaria website at
http://www.coquinaria.nl/english/recipes/speculaas.htm
"Speculaas or speculoos is one of the Dutch culinary specialties. It is a spiced biscuit, made with wooden forms or moulds. They are typically winterfood, and especially associated with the feast of 'Sint Nicolaas' or Saint Nicholas, the original Santa Claus. This feast is celebrated on 5 or 6 December. Speculaas is very old, the spices used date from medieval times."
The recipe comes from the Coquinaria website, which gives some background information as well and from which the above information was extracted.
Note: This is a cake / biscuit recipe, but it also works very well if you serve it hot with ice cream as a dessert. It makes a fair amount, so plenty to allow the best of both worlds!
Ingredients for speculaas dough
500 gram (4 1/4 cups) simple white flour
250 gram (1 cup) cold butter
250 gram (1 1/4 cup) sugar
2 eggs, stirred
1/2 decilitre (1/4 cup) cream
salt to taste (don't forget this, and be liberal, otherwise your speculaas will taste bland)
50 to 60 gram (1/4 cup) spices for speculaas*
grated skin of 2 untreated lemons
200 gram (2 cups) flaked almonds, broken in to little pieces (optional)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
*This is a standard mix readily available in the Netherlands, but the website gives instructions for mixing it from scratch using powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, white pepper, ginger and cardamom.
Ingredients for almond paste** [you can use ready-made marzipan if you want]
Ground almonds
Caster sugar
Icing sugar
Eggs
Almond essence
Vanilla essence
**Use a standard recipe for almond paste / marzipan; depending on how deep a filling you want, use somewhere between 300g and 500g of ground almonds and proportion the other ingredients accordingly.
Method
Go to the Coquinaria website at
http://www.coquinaria.nl/english/recipes/speculaas.htm
Spicy black bean-sauce noodles
SM 2002-02 p.43 [01.064.03]
Serves 2
Ginger: root. —Oil: chilli oil. Wine: rice, or dry sherry.
Serves 2
Ginger: root. —Oil: chilli oil. Wine: rice, or dry sherry.
Lemon grass chicken
SM 2002-02 pp.40,43 [01.064.02]
Serves 4
Chicken: thighs. —Oil: flavourless (e.g. groundnut). —Ginger: root. —Nuts: peanuts.
Serves 4
Chicken: thighs. —Oil: flavourless (e.g. groundnut). —Ginger: root. —Nuts: peanuts.
Strange-flavoured chicken
SM 2002-02 p.40 [01.064.01]
Serves 3–4
Vinegar: Chinese rice or cider. —Wine: rice or dry sherry. —Pepper: Sichuan peppercorns. —Oil: groundnut or other flavourless oil; sesame oil.
Serves 3–4
Vinegar: Chinese rice or cider. —Wine: rice or dry sherry. —Pepper: Sichuan peppercorns. —Oil: groundnut or other flavourless oil; sesame oil.
Sirloin steak, tarragon sauce and courgette fries
SM 2002-03 p.86 [01.063.02]
Serves 2
Vinegar: red wine. Cheese: Parmesan.
Serves 2
Vinegar: red wine. Cheese: Parmesan.
Fillet of pork with apples and mustard sauce
SM 2002-03 p.74 [01.062.02]
Serves 4
Pork: tenderloin
Mustard: wholegrain, Dijon
Serves 4
Pork: tenderloin
Mustard: wholegrain, Dijon
Thai chicken and vegetable curry
SM 2002-03 p.73 [01.062.01]
Serves 4
Galangal: fresh (root ginger can be used as substitute)
Fish sauce: Thai fish sauce
Serves 4
Galangal: fresh (root ginger can be used as substitute)
Fish sauce: Thai fish sauce
Frozen chocolate mocha soufflé
SM 2002-03 p.55 [01.061.03]
Serves 6–8
Coffee: espresso powder
Advance preparation: Freeze for 3–4 hours, remove from freezer an hour before serving. Can be served chilled as well as frozen.
Serves 6–8
Coffee: espresso powder
Advance preparation: Freeze for 3–4 hours, remove from freezer an hour before serving. Can be served chilled as well as frozen.
Easter egg cupcakes
SM 2002-03 p.55 [01.061.02]
Makes 12
Chocolate: bar, 12 sugar-coated chocolate eggs
Almond: ground
Cheese: cream cheese
Makes 12
Chocolate: bar, 12 sugar-coated chocolate eggs
Almond: ground
Cheese: cream cheese
Chocolate melting moments
SM 2002-03 p.55 [01.061.01]
Makes 16–18
Cereal: chocolate-coated, e.g. Choco Snaps or Coco Pops
Makes 16–18
Cereal: chocolate-coated, e.g. Choco Snaps or Coco Pops
Roasted celery soup
Feeds 4–6
You know the way there are loads of recipes that call for one or two sticks of celery? And that it is only ever possible to buy a whole head of celery? Well, now you know what to do with the rest—the Mammal found this on food52.com, and it is gorgeous. It is made with real chicken stock, but also worked out fine (if not quite as perfectly flavoured) with vegetable stock cubes.
Ingredients
8 large celery stalks cut into 2-inch pieces
half bulb fresh fennel cut into 2-inch chunks
2 large whole garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
half teaspoon black pepper
3 medium redskin potatoes,* peeled and cut into one-and-a-half-inch dice
1.5 litres chicken stock
half cup light cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper for re-seasoning if needed
Celery leaves and fennel fronds for a little garnish
* or whatever potatoes happen to be lying around
Since the original poster of this recipe should get the credit, you'll have to find out what to do with all of these ingredients through this link:
http://food52.com/recipes/16467_roasted_celery_soup.
Total prep plus cooking time is roughly 1 hour.
You know the way there are loads of recipes that call for one or two sticks of celery? And that it is only ever possible to buy a whole head of celery? Well, now you know what to do with the rest—the Mammal found this on food52.com, and it is gorgeous. It is made with real chicken stock, but also worked out fine (if not quite as perfectly flavoured) with vegetable stock cubes.
Ingredients
8 large celery stalks cut into 2-inch pieces
half bulb fresh fennel cut into 2-inch chunks
2 large whole garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
half teaspoon black pepper
3 medium redskin potatoes,* peeled and cut into one-and-a-half-inch dice
1.5 litres chicken stock
half cup light cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper for re-seasoning if needed
Celery leaves and fennel fronds for a little garnish
* or whatever potatoes happen to be lying around
Since the original poster of this recipe should get the credit, you'll have to find out what to do with all of these ingredients through this link:
http://food52.com/recipes/16467_roasted_celery_soup.
Total prep plus cooking time is roughly 1 hour.
Featherweight walnut cake with heavenly grapes
SM 2002-03 p.65 [01.059.01]
Serves 4–6
Nuts: walnuts.
Advance preparation: an hour for sugar-frosting grapes (can overlap with baking) and 3 hours for cooling / chilling.
'No tears' roasted onion soup
SM 2002-03 p.46 [01.057.02]
Serves 4–6
Wine: white; Cheese: Gruyere, Emmental or other good melting cheese.
Frozen pea and spinach soup
SM 2002-03 p.46 [01.057.01]
Serves 6, at least
Peas: best with frozen peas.
Serves 6, at least
Peas: best with frozen peas.
Quick and easy raspberry and lemon squares
SM 2011-08 p.50
Makes 12–16
Prep time 15min, Total 1 hr, plus cooling [needs to cool completely, so allow plenty of time].
Will keep for a few days in an airtight container
This is a real winner: absolutely delicious, yet incredibly simple to make. Maximum results for minimum effort! The original quantities of sugar are shown in square brackets; the Mammal does not have a terribly sweet tooth and prefers to bake with the reduced amounts given below.
Ingredients
3 large eggs
175g caster sugar [200g]
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
200g very soft butter
a pinch of ground cinnamon
150g raspberries
For the syrup
75g granulated sugar [100g]
zest and juice of 2 lemons
Equipment: 20cm (8in) square baking tin, preferably loose-bottomed.
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C, fan 160°C (gas 4)
Combine all the cake ingredients apart from the raspberries, using either a mixer or a wooden spoon. Lightly oil the baking tin and line the base with non-stick paper [though if your tin is really non-stick, this should not be necessary].
Gently fold the raspberries into the mixture and tip into the tin, smoothing over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and risen.
To make the syrup, combine all the ingredients. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, prick the top with a fork and spoon the lemon syrup over it [use it all, even though it will seem an awful lot. Also, if using a loose-bottomed tin, put some newspaper or kitchen paper underneath to deal with any seepage.] Leave in the tin to cool completely, then remove and cut into 16 squares or 12 rectangles [greedy!].
Per serving: 224cals; 12g fat (of which 7g saturated); 29g carbs; [20g] total sugars; 0.3g salt.
Sole fillets in a sweet and sour sauce
SM 2002-04 p.58 [01.053.02]
Serves 6 as part of antipasto or 4 as light lunch.
Advance preparation–marinate for at least 24 hours
Vinegar–red or white wine; nuts–pine kernels; cinnamon–ground; cloves–whole; pepper–black peppercorns
Serves 6 as part of antipasto or 4 as light lunch.
Advance preparation–marinate for at least 24 hours
Vinegar–red or white wine; nuts–pine kernels; cinnamon–ground; cloves–whole; pepper–black peppercorns
West Country chicken, ham and leek pie
SM 2002-04 p.66 [01.052.02]
Serves 6–8
Ham–cooked; wine–white; shortening–cookeen.
Serves 6–8
Ham–cooked; wine–white; shortening–cookeen.
Slow-roast pork with fennel and garlic
SM 2002-04 p.65 [01.052.01]
Serves 8–10
Pork–shoulder, de-boned and rolled; fennel–seeds; pepper–black peppercorns; chilli–dried crushed; wine–white.
Takes at least 7 hours to roast.
Serves 8–10
Pork–shoulder, de-boned and rolled; fennel–seeds; pepper–black peppercorns; chilli–dried crushed; wine–white.
Takes at least 7 hours to roast.
Spaghetti with meatballs
SM 2002-04 p.64 [01.051.03]
Serves 6
Beef–minced; parsley–fresh; tomatoes–fresh and tinned (chopped).
Serves 6
Beef–minced; parsley–fresh; tomatoes–fresh and tinned (chopped).
Moroccan-spiced lamb with courgette couscous
SM 2002-04 pp.63–64 [01.051.02]
Advance preparation: needs to marinate for at least 6 hours.
Lamb–neck fillets; coriander–paste, ground, and fresh; cumin–ground; wine–white; pepper–cayenne.
Advance preparation: needs to marinate for at least 6 hours.
Lamb–neck fillets; coriander–paste, ground, and fresh; cumin–ground; wine–white; pepper–cayenne.
Roast sweet potato, pepper and aubergine curry
SM 2002-04 p.63 [01.051.01]
Serves 6
Only animal product is sour cream.
Tinned chickpeas; ground cumin; fresh coriander.
Serves 6
Only animal product is sour cream.
Tinned chickpeas; ground cumin; fresh coriander.
Italian chocolate and hazelnut torta
SM 2002-11 p.101 [01.049.01]
Serves 6–8
Advance preparation: chill for a minimum of 3 hours.
Serves 6–8
Advance preparation: chill for a minimum of 3 hours.
Irish apple cake
Mar 2008 p.111
Came across this in the magazine indexes while looking for the hot cross buns recipe, and was reminded of how delicious it was. Will post full recipe at same time as HCB recipe.
Came across this in the magazine indexes while looking for the hot cross buns recipe, and was reminded of how delicious it was. Will post full recipe at same time as HCB recipe.
Hot cross buns
Apr 2005 p.58
This is a particularly nice recipe for hot cross buns.
Makes 12
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus about 2 hours' proving time
Cooking time: 12–15 minutes
Note from experience: The addition of the grated apple to the dough can make it too soggy to knead properly, even with copious amounts of flour. Would suggest either using less milk / water than given in the recipe, or grating the apple in advance and letting it drain and dry out well (or even using dried apple, though this generally tends to be too sweet for baking, unless you've dried your own).
Ingredients
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 x 7g sachet fast-acting yeast
75g caster sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
150ml warm milk
150ml warm water
125g raisins
60g mixed peel
95g peeled, cored and grated cooking apple
oil, for greasing
salt
To decorate (crosses and glaze)
95g flour
1 egg
95g smooth apricot jam
Method
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, caster sugar, cinnamon and a level teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk water.
Mix to a firm dough; add the raisins, mixed peel and apple. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it is elastic.
Replace the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp (not wet) tea towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for about an hour, until it has doubled in size. Knock the dough back, cut into 12 even-sized pieces and shape them into rolls.
Lightly oil a baking sheet and put the rolls on it so that they just touch each other (they will grow together as they prove) and leave to prove in a warm place for 45m to and hour until they have almost doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (425°F, Gas 7). While the buns are proving, mix together the flour for the crosses with the egg and 3 tablespoons of water until you have a stiff, smooth paste. When the buns have risen, spoon this into a piping bag (either a proper one or one you've cobbled together yourself out of greaseproof paper) and pipe a cross on top of each bun.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave or in a little pan with 2 tablespoons of water and brush over the top of the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
(The buns are OK to freeze if desired).
This is a particularly nice recipe for hot cross buns.
Makes 12
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus about 2 hours' proving time
Cooking time: 12–15 minutes
Note from experience: The addition of the grated apple to the dough can make it too soggy to knead properly, even with copious amounts of flour. Would suggest either using less milk / water than given in the recipe, or grating the apple in advance and letting it drain and dry out well (or even using dried apple, though this generally tends to be too sweet for baking, unless you've dried your own).
Ingredients
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 x 7g sachet fast-acting yeast
75g caster sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
150ml warm milk
150ml warm water
125g raisins
60g mixed peel
95g peeled, cored and grated cooking apple
oil, for greasing
salt
To decorate (crosses and glaze)
95g flour
1 egg
95g smooth apricot jam
Method
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, caster sugar, cinnamon and a level teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk water.
Mix to a firm dough; add the raisins, mixed peel and apple. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it is elastic.
Replace the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp (not wet) tea towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for about an hour, until it has doubled in size. Knock the dough back, cut into 12 even-sized pieces and shape them into rolls.
Lightly oil a baking sheet and put the rolls on it so that they just touch each other (they will grow together as they prove) and leave to prove in a warm place for 45m to and hour until they have almost doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (425°F, Gas 7). While the buns are proving, mix together the flour for the crosses with the egg and 3 tablespoons of water until you have a stiff, smooth paste. When the buns have risen, spoon this into a piping bag (either a proper one or one you've cobbled together yourself out of greaseproof paper) and pipe a cross on top of each bun.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave or in a little pan with 2 tablespoons of water and brush over the top of the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
(The buns are OK to freeze if desired).
Chicken Pasanda
02.022.01
This recipe comes from David Smith's website, The Curry House, which is dedicated to providing cook-at-home versions of the staples served up by Indian restaurants and takeaways.
The idea is to match the taste as closely as possible—as anyone knows who has cooked food from recipes genuinely native to the Indian subcontinent, it does not greatly resemble the forms that have evolved in curry houses. For those evenings where you want the taste of a takeaway without surrendering control over the nutritional / ethical quality of your ingredients and processes, this website is a gem.
The printout of the chicken pasanda recipe has been sitting quietly in the Inner Mammal's recipe folder for years; last night, we finally got around to making it, and lovely it was too.
Makes 2 portions
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h 30m all told
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 small onion - finely chopped
1.5 inch piece cassia bark (or cinnamon)
2 green cardamon pods
1 inch piece fresh ginger - very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - very finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
half teaspoon good chilli powder
5 tablespoons Greek-style full cream yoghurt (3/4 of a 150 gm tub)
1 teaspoon (or a little more) concentrated tomato purée
salt to taste
2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons flaked almonds prepared as in Method
chopped fresh coriander leaf (cilantro) to garnish
As usual when using other people's freely available recipes, the Mammal directs you to the source to see what you have to do with all these ingredients.
There is a later version of this recipe, but it is available only on subscription (at the modest price of £7.75) to The Curry House Cookery Book, an e-book containing many recipes and useful information about ingredients and cooking methods.
This recipe comes from David Smith's website, The Curry House, which is dedicated to providing cook-at-home versions of the staples served up by Indian restaurants and takeaways.
The idea is to match the taste as closely as possible—as anyone knows who has cooked food from recipes genuinely native to the Indian subcontinent, it does not greatly resemble the forms that have evolved in curry houses. For those evenings where you want the taste of a takeaway without surrendering control over the nutritional / ethical quality of your ingredients and processes, this website is a gem.
The printout of the chicken pasanda recipe has been sitting quietly in the Inner Mammal's recipe folder for years; last night, we finally got around to making it, and lovely it was too.
Makes 2 portions
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h 30m all told
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 small onion - finely chopped
1.5 inch piece cassia bark (or cinnamon)
2 green cardamon pods
1 inch piece fresh ginger - very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - very finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
half teaspoon good chilli powder
5 tablespoons Greek-style full cream yoghurt (3/4 of a 150 gm tub)
1 teaspoon (or a little more) concentrated tomato purée
salt to taste
2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons flaked almonds prepared as in Method
chopped fresh coriander leaf (cilantro) to garnish
As usual when using other people's freely available recipes, the Mammal directs you to the source to see what you have to do with all these ingredients.
There is a later version of this recipe, but it is available only on subscription (at the modest price of £7.75) to The Curry House Cookery Book, an e-book containing many recipes and useful information about ingredients and cooking methods.
[COMM] Waking from hibernation
Image from National Geographic, not the IM's family album
The Mammal has been sleeping for a number of months, as is its wont, but is now beginning to emerge from hibernation. Admittedly, the weather we're having right now does not offer much encouragement to it in this brave endeavour, but its duty as a haphazard web publisher calls.
The next few posts will make note of some good recipes used recently, before returning to the more systematic purpose of the blog in indexing the Mammal's recipe collection.
A handful of links have also been added to the categories at the right of the page, as we sample new recipes or find new shops and suppliers.
Happy 2012 to all who light upon this blog.
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