The Mammal picked up a leaflet for this recipe in Waitrose on its most recent visit to the fine city of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is very simple and straightforward, and very tasty indeed. It has since become a firm favourite: it features on the menu tonight, which reminded us to share it here. It works fine as a weekday supper or dinner with naan bread or rice, but also scrubs up well as the central element of a meal for more notable occasions.
Serves 4
Preparation / Cooking time: about 30m all told
Ingredients
1 tbsp veg oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Medium Curry Paste [or 1.5 tbsp mild]
400g can chopped tomatoes
410g can chick peas [in water, preferably, as the liquid is used as well]
250g bag Spinach, roughly shredded
4 tbsp natural yogurt
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method
As this is Waitrose's recipe, please go to their website for the rest: http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/recipes/recipe_directory/s/spinach__tomato_and_chick_pea_curry.html
Banana bread
[02.025.01]
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h 50m all told
This recipe was provided years ago by one of the Mammal's mothers; in the fullness of time, she managed to lose her copy so here you are, Ma—banana bread once more! Despite the name, it's actually really a cake rather than a bread, and is the ideal way to deal with those squishy, black bananas that you meant to eat but never got around to. According to the recipe, it tastes better if left for a day or two but it usually doesn't last long enough to enable a comparison to be made.
As usual, we have reduced the amount of sugar used, showing the original amount in square brackets: you would need a pretty sweet tooth to use the full amount, given the sweetness of the ripe bananas. There are three optional ingredients—raisins, glacé cherries, and walnuts: from the Mammal's point of view, it really benefits only from the inclusion of the walnuts.
One word of warning: though very straightforward, this is one of those cakes where you have to keep an eagle eye on the time, as the outside burns very quickly after even five minutes too long in the oven. If your oven tends to be a bit on the enthusiastic side, have a quick check 15 minutes before it is due to come out and keep a close eye on it thereafter.
Ingredients
8oz flour
1 tsp baking powder
half level tsp salt
4oz cold butter
4[6]oz caster sugar
*4oz sultanas / raisins [optional]
* 1oz chopped walnuts [optional]
*4oz chopped glacé cherries [optional]
2 eggs
1 lb very ripe bananas
9.5" x 5.5" baking tin
Method
– Pre-heat oven to Gas 4, 180°C, 375°F
– Sieve flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl
– Rub in butter
– Add sugar (and sultanas/raisins, walnuts, and cherries if required)
– Mash bananas with a fork
– Add eggs to bananas
– Mix the banana–egg mush well into the other ingredients
– Pour / spoon mixture into lined and greased baking tin
– Put in the centre of the oven and bake for 1h 30m
Turn out onto a wire tray to cool.
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h 50m all told
This recipe was provided years ago by one of the Mammal's mothers; in the fullness of time, she managed to lose her copy so here you are, Ma—banana bread once more! Despite the name, it's actually really a cake rather than a bread, and is the ideal way to deal with those squishy, black bananas that you meant to eat but never got around to. According to the recipe, it tastes better if left for a day or two but it usually doesn't last long enough to enable a comparison to be made.
As usual, we have reduced the amount of sugar used, showing the original amount in square brackets: you would need a pretty sweet tooth to use the full amount, given the sweetness of the ripe bananas. There are three optional ingredients—raisins, glacé cherries, and walnuts: from the Mammal's point of view, it really benefits only from the inclusion of the walnuts.
One word of warning: though very straightforward, this is one of those cakes where you have to keep an eagle eye on the time, as the outside burns very quickly after even five minutes too long in the oven. If your oven tends to be a bit on the enthusiastic side, have a quick check 15 minutes before it is due to come out and keep a close eye on it thereafter.
Ingredients
8oz flour
1 tsp baking powder
half level tsp salt
4oz cold butter
4[6]oz caster sugar
*4oz sultanas / raisins [optional]
* 1oz chopped walnuts [optional]
*4oz chopped glacé cherries [optional]
2 eggs
1 lb very ripe bananas
9.5" x 5.5" baking tin
Method
– Pre-heat oven to Gas 4, 180°C, 375°F
– Sieve flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl
– Rub in butter
– Add sugar (and sultanas/raisins, walnuts, and cherries if required)
– Mash bananas with a fork
– Add eggs to bananas
– Mix the banana–egg mush well into the other ingredients
– Pour / spoon mixture into lined and greased baking tin
– Put in the centre of the oven and bake for 1h 30m
Turn out onto a wire tray to cool.
[COMM] Food from the ancient world!
The Mammal owns a copy of the ancient Roman writer Apicius' cookbook (translated into English and with modern weights and measures, ingredient substitutions). Some of the recipes are very good indeed—it's not all roast dormouse and stuffed swan: lots of legumes, herbs, root veg and ordinary meats and fish, relatively simple to make and constituting a pretty healthy diet.
So it was with great delight that we discovered the existence of Pass the Garum, a blog about ancient—so far, mostly Roman—food maintained by a food-loving ancient history graduate (part of the Mammal's CV, too, as it happens). Everything is set out clearly, with lovely photos as well:
So it was with great delight that we discovered the existence of Pass the Garum, a blog about ancient—so far, mostly Roman—food maintained by a food-loving ancient history graduate (part of the Mammal's CV, too, as it happens). Everything is set out clearly, with lovely photos as well:
"I aim to stay as true to the original recipes as possible, capturing the essence of the food if nothing else. Rather than using a blender, I have a trusty mortar and pestle to pound my ingredients. Where measurements aren't given, I'll use ratios or just go by what feels right. When a recipe calls for an unusual ingredient, I'll try to get as close to that as is possible."Time to get stuck into Parsnip Mash and Salt Pork and other delights ...
Garlic soup
In Praise of the Potato p.115
Serves 6
Preparation / Cooking time: about 45m (a bit longer if you don't have a hand-held liquidizer)
This firm favourite is a very simple yet delicious and richly flavoured soup from Lindsey Bareham's In Praise of the Potato: she took the recipe from Colin Spencer. Since Google Books does not provide a preview, the Mammal will risk life and liberty to bring you this lovely recipe through what is probably technically a breach of copyright. Though if publicizing garlic soup doesn't constitute fair use, what does?!
Ingredients
700g floury-variety potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 heads of garlic, peeled
6 tablespoons olive oil [yes, tablespoons is correct]
generous pinch saffron [use turmeric if no saffron; purely cosmetic in any case]
2 pts water
275ml single cream
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Roughly chop the garlic and sauté it in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes until soft but not brown. Add the potatoes, saffron, seasoning and water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then cool and purée [cooling not necessary with hand-held liquidizer]. Reheat gently and add the cream and parsley.
© Lindsey Bareham / Grafton Books
Serves 6
Preparation / Cooking time: about 45m (a bit longer if you don't have a hand-held liquidizer)
This firm favourite is a very simple yet delicious and richly flavoured soup from Lindsey Bareham's In Praise of the Potato: she took the recipe from Colin Spencer. Since Google Books does not provide a preview, the Mammal will risk life and liberty to bring you this lovely recipe through what is probably technically a breach of copyright. Though if publicizing garlic soup doesn't constitute fair use, what does?!
Ingredients
700g floury-variety potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 heads of garlic, peeled
6 tablespoons olive oil [yes, tablespoons is correct]
generous pinch saffron [use turmeric if no saffron; purely cosmetic in any case]
2 pts water
275ml single cream
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Roughly chop the garlic and sauté it in the oil for 3 or 4 minutes until soft but not brown. Add the potatoes, saffron, seasoning and water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then cool and purée [cooling not necessary with hand-held liquidizer]. Reheat gently and add the cream and parsley.
© Lindsey Bareham / Grafton Books
Basil French-toast sandwich with prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato
SM 2002-02 pp.74–75 [01.068.04]
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: 20m
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: 20m
Stir-fried red cabbage with smoky Frankfurters
SM 2002-02 p.74 [01.068.03]
Serves 4
Preparation / Cooking time: 35m
Serves 4
Preparation / Cooking time: 35m
Asian salad with cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce
SM 2002-02 p.72 [01.068.01]
Serves 4
Preparation / Cooking time: 15m
Serves 4
Preparation / Cooking time: 15m
Rice noodles with scallops and sweet chilli sauce
SM 2002-02 p.69 [01.067.01]
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about 30–40m
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about 30–40m
Butternut squash risotto with goats' cheese, lemon and thyme
SM 2002-02 p.66 [01.066.02]
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about an hour all told
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about an hour all told
Pork with rosemary and roasted vegetables
SM 2002-02 p.65 [01.066.01]
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about 40m
Serves 2
Preparation / Cooking time: about 40m
Greek chicken pie
Book of Greek Cooking pp.88–89
Serves 6–8
Preparation / Cooking time: allow about 3h all told
(stages 1–3 could be done in advance, if preferred)
Advance preparation: You will need to have a batch of chicken stock to hand for this recipe; it really isn't one where a stock cube would do.
For Easter, the Mammal dined on an old favourite; this Greek dish does not feature on the everyday menu, but gets rolled out several weekends a year when there is chicken stock in the freezer and the time to devote to its rather leisurely cooking and preparation. It is an absolute corker of a pie, full of flavour. Kefalotiri cheese can be hard to come by, and the approved substitute is parmesan or similar, but we've frequently committed the sin of using cheddar and that tastes fine, too, as well as being easier on the pocket. It can be served with salad, steamed veg, anything that offers a 'clean' and simple taste to complement the richness of the pie.
The recipe is reproduced from Lesley Mackley's The Book of Greek Cooking, which is well worth a look; tantalizingly, the Google Books preview shows the first but not the second page of the recipe, so I'm afraid the Mammal has had to engage in a minor act of piracy here.
Ingredients
1.5 kg chicken
chicken stock
450g onions, sliced
150ml (2/3 cup) milk
115g (½ cup) melted butter
3 tsp of lemon juice
115g (1 cup) grated kefalotiri cheese [or substitute parmesan or romano]
Salt and pepper
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten
12 sheets filo pastry
Salad leaves, to garnish
Method
1. Put chicken in a flameproof casserole into which it fits tightly. Pour in enough stock to almost cover legs. Cover chicken breast with a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper. Cover casserole and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is just cooked. Remove chicken from casserole and leave to cool.
2. Add onions and milk to stock. Boil rapidly uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 300ml (1 ¼ cups) of thick pulpy onion sauce. Preheat oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). [Inner Mammal's note—boil rapidly, my furry a***: this takes forever!]
3. Remove chicken skin. Cut meat into neat pieces and place in a large bowl. Add onion sauce, half the butter, the lemon juice, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley and eggs. Mix together well.
4. Lightly butter a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) roasting tin. Brush one sheet of pastry with butter and place in a tin, overlapping edges. Brush 5 more sheets of pastry and layer them on top.
5. Spread the filling over the pastry. Flap over-lapping pastry over the top. Cut remaining sheets of pastry to fit in. Brush with butter and layer on top. Score top into squares and sprinkle with water. Bake for 45 mins or until golden brown and crisp.
© Lesley Mackley / Salamander Books
Serves 6–8
Preparation / Cooking time: allow about 3h all told
(stages 1–3 could be done in advance, if preferred)
Advance preparation: You will need to have a batch of chicken stock to hand for this recipe; it really isn't one where a stock cube would do.
For Easter, the Mammal dined on an old favourite; this Greek dish does not feature on the everyday menu, but gets rolled out several weekends a year when there is chicken stock in the freezer and the time to devote to its rather leisurely cooking and preparation. It is an absolute corker of a pie, full of flavour. Kefalotiri cheese can be hard to come by, and the approved substitute is parmesan or similar, but we've frequently committed the sin of using cheddar and that tastes fine, too, as well as being easier on the pocket. It can be served with salad, steamed veg, anything that offers a 'clean' and simple taste to complement the richness of the pie.
The recipe is reproduced from Lesley Mackley's The Book of Greek Cooking, which is well worth a look; tantalizingly, the Google Books preview shows the first but not the second page of the recipe, so I'm afraid the Mammal has had to engage in a minor act of piracy here.
Ingredients
1.5 kg chicken
chicken stock
450g onions, sliced
150ml (2/3 cup) milk
115g (½ cup) melted butter
3 tsp of lemon juice
115g (1 cup) grated kefalotiri cheese [or substitute parmesan or romano]
Salt and pepper
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten
12 sheets filo pastry
Salad leaves, to garnish
Method
1. Put chicken in a flameproof casserole into which it fits tightly. Pour in enough stock to almost cover legs. Cover chicken breast with a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper. Cover casserole and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is just cooked. Remove chicken from casserole and leave to cool.
2. Add onions and milk to stock. Boil rapidly uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 300ml (1 ¼ cups) of thick pulpy onion sauce. Preheat oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). [Inner Mammal's note—boil rapidly, my furry a***: this takes forever!]
3. Remove chicken skin. Cut meat into neat pieces and place in a large bowl. Add onion sauce, half the butter, the lemon juice, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley and eggs. Mix together well.
4. Lightly butter a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in) roasting tin. Brush one sheet of pastry with butter and place in a tin, overlapping edges. Brush 5 more sheets of pastry and layer them on top.
5. Spread the filling over the pastry. Flap over-lapping pastry over the top. Cut remaining sheets of pastry to fit in. Brush with butter and layer on top. Score top into squares and sprinkle with water. Bake for 45 mins or until golden brown and crisp.
© Lesley Mackley / Salamander Books
[COMM] The Inner Mammal at work ...
The Italian illustrator Franco Matticchio gives a rare glimpse of the Mammal's culinary activities. This image can be found, along with many other beautiful illustrations, on Laura Ottina's Animalarium blog.
[COMM] Kruid & Druif—new food shop on the block!
The Mammal decided to pop down the road yesterday to investigate a new food shop with an interesting concept. Kruid & Druif (spice & grape) provides 'ingredient packs' and recipes for meals from a range of Asian cuisines, along with wines suited to each meal. For vegetarian meals, everything is included in the price; for fish and meat meals, you have to buy the fish/meat separately, though it is available in the shop. Each 'pack' provides 3 portions (in some cases stretching to 4). Some of the main courses are all-in-one, others need side dishes to complete the meal.
It works very simply. Recipes are grouped into a number of types (mild, hot, etc); you decide which you want, plus starter and/or side dishes if required, get the recipe card from the rack, and then either find the ingredients or ask one of the staff to do it for you. There is an array of fresh vegetables, whole or cut to size (e.g. 1cm pieces of ginger) as required for the recipes, along with coconut milk and similar. Rice and noodles are provided in the amounts required for the recipe; the exact quantities of the necessary spices, herbs or sauces/pastes are provided in little sachets or containers, which are all packed into a labelled box.
The meat (free-range or organic from the artisan butcher a couple of doors down) and fish (from the harbour at Scheveningen) is also packaged up in quantities appropriate to the various recipes. A good selection of wines (the staff will advise which go best with your chosen recipe) and some Asian beers are also available. Some good but rather pricey kitchen equipment (chopping boards, herb caskets, knives etc) can be bought, if you're feeling reckless. You can order online and have the pack prepared in advance for collection; if you live in or near Den Haag, it can also be delivered (the delivery service is limited because the ingredients are fresh).
The Mammal tried out Massaman Curry last night, a mild and aromatic Thai chicken curry which is big enough for 4 portions (so it's on the menu again tonight!). The whole lot, including 500g chicken, came in at about €21, which is pretty good for four meals and definitely a lot cheaper than buying the various spices in separate jars (and probably not using them again for ages, if at all). Oh, and it was very tasty indeed: we foresee several return visits in the Mammal's future ...
It works very simply. Recipes are grouped into a number of types (mild, hot, etc); you decide which you want, plus starter and/or side dishes if required, get the recipe card from the rack, and then either find the ingredients or ask one of the staff to do it for you. There is an array of fresh vegetables, whole or cut to size (e.g. 1cm pieces of ginger) as required for the recipes, along with coconut milk and similar. Rice and noodles are provided in the amounts required for the recipe; the exact quantities of the necessary spices, herbs or sauces/pastes are provided in little sachets or containers, which are all packed into a labelled box.
The meat (free-range or organic from the artisan butcher a couple of doors down) and fish (from the harbour at Scheveningen) is also packaged up in quantities appropriate to the various recipes. A good selection of wines (the staff will advise which go best with your chosen recipe) and some Asian beers are also available. Some good but rather pricey kitchen equipment (chopping boards, herb caskets, knives etc) can be bought, if you're feeling reckless. You can order online and have the pack prepared in advance for collection; if you live in or near Den Haag, it can also be delivered (the delivery service is limited because the ingredients are fresh).
The Mammal tried out Massaman Curry last night, a mild and aromatic Thai chicken curry which is big enough for 4 portions (so it's on the menu again tonight!). The whole lot, including 500g chicken, came in at about €21, which is pretty good for four meals and definitely a lot cheaper than buying the various spices in separate jars (and probably not using them again for ages, if at all). Oh, and it was very tasty indeed: we foresee several return visits in the Mammal's future ...
[COMM] A new relative for the Inner Mammal?
Thanks to Aidan for drawing our attention to this delightful little beast, which is clearly a member of the Mammal's extended family ...
Olive and chorizo soda bread
SM 2013-02 p.83
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h all told
Soda bread is unbelievably easy to make, so the real hard work in this recipe comes from slicing some olives and dicing a little chunk of chorizo ... yes, we know, horrendously complicated and tiresome! This is a lovely bread, perfect for lunches (on its own, or with cheese, or perhaps a dash of seasoned oil: whatever takes your fancy). The recipe does call for kneading the dough lightly, but it is a bit soggy for that using the quantities given: if you just mix it well, turn it out onto the baking tray and pat it into shape with wooden spoon / spatula, that works fine.
Ingredients
450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp caster sugar
1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
75g diced chorizo
10 pitted green olives, sliced
quarter tsp crushed dried chilli
300ml buttermilk
100ml milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°), gas 7. You can use either a silicon baking sheet or a large baking tray for baking the bread: if using a tray, put it in the oven to pre-heat.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, and mix in the diced chorizo, sliced olives and dried chilli. Make a well in the centre. In a jug, mix together the buttermilk, milk and lemon juice.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.
4. Lightly dust a work surface [or the silicon baking sheet, if you are using one] with a little flour and knead the dough to just bring it to an 18cm round loaf. Don't be tempted to over-work it, as this will result in tough bread. [If your dough is a bit runny for this, see comment above.]
5. Score a cross in the top of the dough [doesn't matter if you don't] and transfer the loaf to the pre-heated baking tray [if you are using one].
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (fan 180°), gas 7, and bake the bread on the middle shelf for 45 minutes until risen, golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
© Sainsbury's Magazine
Preparation / Cooking time: about 1h all told
Soda bread is unbelievably easy to make, so the real hard work in this recipe comes from slicing some olives and dicing a little chunk of chorizo ... yes, we know, horrendously complicated and tiresome! This is a lovely bread, perfect for lunches (on its own, or with cheese, or perhaps a dash of seasoned oil: whatever takes your fancy). The recipe does call for kneading the dough lightly, but it is a bit soggy for that using the quantities given: if you just mix it well, turn it out onto the baking tray and pat it into shape with wooden spoon / spatula, that works fine.
Ingredients
450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp caster sugar
1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
75g diced chorizo
10 pitted green olives, sliced
quarter tsp crushed dried chilli
300ml buttermilk
100ml milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°), gas 7. You can use either a silicon baking sheet or a large baking tray for baking the bread: if using a tray, put it in the oven to pre-heat.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, and mix in the diced chorizo, sliced olives and dried chilli. Make a well in the centre. In a jug, mix together the buttermilk, milk and lemon juice.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.
4. Lightly dust a work surface [or the silicon baking sheet, if you are using one] with a little flour and knead the dough to just bring it to an 18cm round loaf. Don't be tempted to over-work it, as this will result in tough bread. [If your dough is a bit runny for this, see comment above.]
5. Score a cross in the top of the dough [doesn't matter if you don't] and transfer the loaf to the pre-heated baking tray [if you are using one].
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (fan 180°), gas 7, and bake the bread on the middle shelf for 45 minutes until risen, golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
© Sainsbury's Magazine
[COMM] Woah, how did it get to be nearly March?
The Mammal has been trapped in the clutches of heavy work and study ogres for the last while, and posts to the blog have languished somewhat in consequence. However, even a busy mammal has to eat, so while the ogre is not looking, we'll try to sneak in the odd recipe as we go along. The original idea was to plough through the backlog of recipes from (mostly) Sainsbury's Magazine, but at the moment it makes more sense to add previously unposted recipes as we use them: the February issue, for instance, had a real gem in the form of olive and chorizo soda bread which is perfect for lunches and has already become a staple of the Mammal's repertoire.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)