tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70645671754111505742024-03-18T04:54:53.038+00:00New River DiningA weekend dining club serving wonderful food to charming people in exotic Enfield on Friday and Saturday evenings (other evenings by arrangement).
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Make bookings at:<a href="http://www.newriverrestaurant.com/index.html"> www.newriverrestaurant.com</a>New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-35167476209317614462020-05-27T14:08:00.002+01:002020-05-27T14:49:28.271+01:00Jason's banana bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First off, let's tackle this nomenclature thing. Banana <i>bread</i>? Why? Eggs, sugar, butter, flour. It's obviously cake. Explanation vary: because it's made in a loaf tin (but many cakes are); because it's eaten in slices with butter (lots of bread isn't); because it has baking powder in it (so do half the cakes in Christendom). I suspect it's just the alliteration Anyway, let's do what Dominic Cummings should have... and move on.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_-zvYQQlU85fmfhwmhBFN_KWze3vyWs2XKLaNosUkXBEHK1wNQ7h-dHvJYWeZKHaEfx096EKX1xEn7HkI-RSAoM91CwXLUu1AL9WqFfJmIJ7u7OUXFM8E0jvTG51Ltm20l3Inljyladq/s1600/IMG_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1346" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_-zvYQQlU85fmfhwmhBFN_KWze3vyWs2XKLaNosUkXBEHK1wNQ7h-dHvJYWeZKHaEfx096EKX1xEn7HkI-RSAoM91CwXLUu1AL9WqFfJmIJ7u7OUXFM8E0jvTG51Ltm20l3Inljyladq/s200/IMG_0586.JPG" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not ripe enough really</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_-zvYQQlU85fmfhwmhBFN_KWze3vyWs2XKLaNosUkXBEHK1wNQ7h-dHvJYWeZKHaEfx096EKX1xEn7HkI-RSAoM91CwXLUu1AL9WqFfJmIJ7u7OUXFM8E0jvTG51Ltm20l3Inljyladq/s1600/IMG_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I tried a lot of recipes to get to this. Yes, yes, someone had to... blah, blah. But outcomes do vary. Some have an unwelcome lightness like sponge cake; some could be spread like fruit paté. I like a banana bread to be a fairly dense affair but not sticky or heavy. I think nuts are essential. My youngest son demands chocolate chips but I think they have no place here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The key ingredient is the bananas. They must be frighteningly over-ripe; in danger of pouring themselves out of the fruit bowl. If they aren't mostly black, put 'em back. Leave them a few days longer... then another week. Freeze anything you don't use. The ones I used here aren't ripe enough but I was under pressure to produce and you know what lock-down tempers are like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only slightly controversial ingredients here are the sour cream and the lemon zest. The sour cream adds a... tah dah... sourness and acidity that helps foil the sugar. The lemon zest really lifts the flavour. It doesn't taste of lemon, at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jason's Banana Bread</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of banana batter</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Line a standard loaf tin with baking paper. I use a purpose made liner. It's handy to wrap the cake up in when you're trying to stop people eating it... so you can eat it all later and blame your children.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cream together <b>150g</b> each of <b>caster sugar</b> and <b>unsalted</b> <b>butter</b> until light and fluffy. Beat in <b>four</b> <b>eggs</b>. Add in the following and fold through: <b>250g</b> of <b>self raising flour</b>, <b>one teaspoon</b> of <b>baking powder</b>, a <b>big pinch</b> of <b>salt</b> and <b>half teaspoons</b> each of </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ground </b><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">cinnamon</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">cloves</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">allspice</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Slice up <b>four</b> very ripe <b>bananas</b>. Actually if they're properly ripe, you won't be able to slice them. Squidge them. Beat in but don't homogenise the mix. I like little pockets of pure banana. Add one big tablespoon of either sour cream or yoghurt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally add <b>100g</b> of lightly crushed <b>walnuts</b> or <b>pecans</b> and the finely grated zest of a <b>lemon</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You should have a pale yellow batter than runs freely. Pour this into the lined loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for <b>70 minutes</b>. Sprinkle with <b>Demerara</b> <b>sugar</b> for crunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best eaten in thick slices with cold butter and hot coffee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apologies for any typos. Honestly I think my eyesight is getting worse. I'm just going for a drive with the kids to check it out.</span></div>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-45220019229319896032020-04-25T15:44:00.000+01:002020-04-26T21:52:20.426+01:00The sourdough debacle. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A damn fine looking loaf. But is it worth the effort?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've never sworn so much in the kitchen. How can that be? Sourdough has just three ingredients: flour, water and salt. Just like the perfect martini it's all in the mixing. You have to understand your ingredients. What follows isn't so much a recipe as a campaign diary: the bread wars. This is a love letter sent from the farinaceous front. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My aim was to create a method of producing a useful family loaf that was simple, predictable and not too onerous. I finally have one. You've heard the joke? "How come you weren't at your daughter's wedding? Couldn't go. I was baking my sourdough." But it's not funny because it is true. I have witnessed recipes for loaves that take seventy two hours and have myriad stages at hourly intervals. FOR A LOAF OF BLOODY BREAD! That's not something I will ever make. Three days for a sandwich. Nah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That said... here we go... mine takes at least a day and could take longer, but that's only to work around your schedule. This is not exhaustive. I am not claiming my method is better or in any way definitive. Some of what I do will make the orthodox curse. However, my principles are sound. All I will say is it works for me and produces, consistently, the loaf below.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBbWGt040jIX-_dJ7hCiX4kCbiZsDpnfLVC9tjapYB42dXAKk8vX-wNV97azhaAB7UTbBIGsxXOVdW7P_5NJxpG5MVhsuPRiMwqn1Crd8bjNfVEkZcoBp_f445vAIzqsO2vMlrG_O7WNR/s1600/IMG_7627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBbWGt040jIX-_dJ7hCiX4kCbiZsDpnfLVC9tjapYB42dXAKk8vX-wNV97azhaAB7UTbBIGsxXOVdW7P_5NJxpG5MVhsuPRiMwqn1Crd8bjNfVEkZcoBp_f445vAIzqsO2vMlrG_O7WNR/s320/IMG_7627.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is how this blog's going to work: first a description of sourdough and a naming of parts. Next some of my key observations for the newcomer. Also, some piece of kit you will need. Lastly the actual method. Hopefully a few laughs along the way. I will illustrate each key moment, all from the same loaf. I didn't cheat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What is sourdough</b>. Basically it's a form of middle-class one-upmanship... OK, it's not. (It is.) It's also the oldest form of bread, risen not with commercial yeasts but with naturally occurring yeasts (in the flour). With the yeasts there are also naturally occurring bacteria called <i>l</i></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>actobacilli</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> that ferment the dough and create lactic acid which flavours the bread and strengthens the structure. These bacteria are also used to produce cheese, yoghurt and kimchee. Sourdough is different and distinct in texture and flavour and in creation. Typically you have a dark brittle crust and a well aerated interior, often called the crumb, that is soft but chewy and almost translucent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Terminology</b>. Sourdough has a lore of its own. Much of it seems to be there just to make life difficult. Why prove the dough in a basket and not a smooth bowl? There are many terms thrown around, often in French and Latin for some reason. The two key words though are <i>starter</i> and <i>hydration</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- <i>The starter</i>. Much nonsense talked about this. I suspect this is the one block to many people's sourdough ambitions.The starter is a mix of bread flour and tepid water, usually 50/50, that has been allowed to start to ferment. To make a starter you mix 100g of water and flour in a jar and allow to stand for a day covered with a cloth or loose fitting lid. Next day throw away 150g of the mix and add 75g each of new flour and water. Mix well. You will soon see the mix bubble and froth. Repeat this each day for about a week. Ta dah: your starter. From here on, the starter (like all living things) has to be fed and watered.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My flour. All 16kg of it.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I keep my starter in the fridge and replace what I remove with equal weights of flour and water. I am not having my social life held to ransom by a jar of paste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Masses of <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-starter-recipe"><b>videos on YouTube</b> </a>if you need more info. Most overcomplicate things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- <i>Hydration</i>. The amount of water added to the flour. Sourdough is typically much wetter than a yeast based dough. This is often expressed as a 'baker's ratio'. A loaf made with a kilo of flour and 700g of water is 70% hydration. The wetness of the dough can make it difficult to manage - hence my swearing. My method <i>with this flour (left)</i> is 60% hydration. I used to worry this meant I wasn't a committed baker, but I'm over that now. I'm writing this while the UK is still in Covid lockdown which means I can't experiment with different flours even if I wanted to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As promised, some key observations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Flour</b>. It's all about the flour. My big hint is stick to one type of flour, one brand, for the first few loaves. Buy good flour. Look for a high protein content; a 'strong' flour that will develop lots of gluten. Doubtless a master baker could make decent bread out of rubbish flour. We can't. Go quality and stay there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Different flours absorb different amounts of water</b>. The higher the protein content, the more water is absorbed. Different grains react differently. Bakers often mix wheat with rye. Wholemeal is another world. This is why I recommend you buy a big bag and stick with it. Master the techniques before moving on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>You will make mistakes</b>. You may throw bits of dough in anger. Your kitchen will end up splattered with floury water. Try not to get too depressed. If you do weep, don't do it over your dough. That only makes matters worse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sourdough is far more forgiving than yeast dough</b>. It can take more abuse. So long as you can form it into some kind of ball and bake it, the results will be edible. Usually. Even dense blocks will toast into reason. The birds will love you anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>How you shape and handle the dough is really important</b>. You will need to tension the dough before you bake it. This means stretching it over and under itself to form a ball that holds its shape. If you don't, the dough will simply flow and the rise will be limited when you finally bake it. It'll also be difficult to handle during the making.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If it isn't working for you, <b>don't be scared to reduce the amount of water</b>. I did by 10%. It was night and day. Remember different recipes use flours that you're probably not. They may be more absorbent. Add more water as you grow in experience and learn to handle a higher hydration dough.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Environmental temperatures matter.</b> Sourdough reacts to its environment. In a warm room, things will happen more quickly than in a cool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Kit</b>. I wouldn't attempt to make this bread without these things. They're all cheap and readily available.</span><br />
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<li>Water spray - Keeping your dough moist and for creating steam in the oven.</li>
<li>Bannaton - The name given to the proving basket. You could just use a large bowl. Many people do.</li>
<li>Cloth - To cover the bowl and to line the bannaton.</li>
<li>Deep bowl - For the mix and fermentation stages.</li>
<li>Dough scraper - To, er, scrape dough.</li>
<li>Bench scraper - To scrape dough off your work surface. And to lift unbaked loaves. If you try and lift from the top you will just stretch the dough into a sticky mess. Also good for scraping up excess flour. Larger better.</li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My method.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I recommend you watch <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmb0wWKITBQ&t=1408s">this video</a> </b>to see how to handle the dough and how to lift and fold properly. Jack Sturgess has great hands. Here he takes you through a loaf from start to finish. He's a bit too damn perky for me but clearly knows exactly what he's doing. His method is different to mine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are several stages common to almost all sourdoughs. These are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Autolyse</b> - Mixing flour and water and allowing the water to be absorbed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Stretch and fold</b> - Not kneading but similar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Bulk Fermentation</b> - C<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25600001215934753px;">reating organic acids and carbon dioxide</span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25600001215934753px;"> in the dough</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Shaping</b> - A</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dding tension to the dough</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> so it maintains its shape and doesn't just flow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Rise</b> - Allowing the dough to increase in size before final baking</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Bake</b> - Stick it in the oven. Ah, but even this isn't simple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This makes a large round loaf of around a kilo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll need<b> 600g </b>of<b> flour.</b> <b>360g </b>of<b> tepid water</b>. <b>60g</b> of <b>50/50 starter</b>. <b>12g</b> of <b>salt</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a 24hr process that requires about an hour of labour in total. The rest of the time is just dough in a bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I take my starter straight out of the fridge. I know it breaks the code and I don't care. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Autolyse</b>. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a large bowl, mix your starter (straight from the fridge) and tepid water first (around 20°C) then add the flour and salt and combine </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">thoroughly. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This comes together as a <i>shaggy mass</i>. That is the technical term yes. It may feel dry but don't be tempted to add lots more water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cover with a cloth and leave for 40 minutes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-7_MG1f2CNwbPB0YqrIdX1u9FiwjhUQJTgIEdcWD8UPJmEADny4v52D5a6zsaPz8jFNe603MIa0rrKWHaEmNPyWIAVwbF9XvGrdDKbJvmarUV9cYeogieC0kOu64l-URI139CaOTIl8h/s1600/Shaggy+mass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1600" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-7_MG1f2CNwbPB0YqrIdX1u9FiwjhUQJTgIEdcWD8UPJmEADny4v52D5a6zsaPz8jFNe603MIa0rrKWHaEmNPyWIAVwbF9XvGrdDKbJvmarUV9cYeogieC0kOu64l-URI139CaOTIl8h/s640/Shaggy+mass.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really? This? REALLY. I know yeah. But yes. This is stage one.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Stretch and fold.</b> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use a large bowl partly to minimise mess. One does tire of having to clean one's kitchen four times in one hour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you lift the cover of your dough it should look very different. The water has now been absorbed and the dough will feel sticky and shiny. Wet your hands with warm water and in the bowl lift up one side and pull it over to the other. Turn the bowl and repeat seven times. The dough will change as you do this. You're developing the gluten structure. If your hands get sticky, scrape off the dough, wash and re-wet them. Dry hands make for very difficult stretching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cover with a cloth and leave for 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Repeat this three more times. Each time you come back to the dough you should find it more elastic and so able to be stretched further.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFDhtLqzMXxy8MWRVQyFRWtW2UXkHQ3fiiuBBoS52iLKMABzglYPmX7s-DxCmSGtoaNnuqygDA35LA9VYIR3d4qN0QGtwcHOY7WDu1d14I4BwRiJDxu5-zkb60EtCeSHRE6IwdfImPGgW/s1600/3rd+stretch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="1600" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFDhtLqzMXxy8MWRVQyFRWtW2UXkHQ3fiiuBBoS52iLKMABzglYPmX7s-DxCmSGtoaNnuqygDA35LA9VYIR3d4qN0QGtwcHOY7WDu1d14I4BwRiJDxu5-zkb60EtCeSHRE6IwdfImPGgW/s640/3rd+stretch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the end of the third stretch and fold, tuck the dough's edges underneath itself and place folds down in the bowl. A little spritz of water and cover with the cloth. Leave this for around 12 hours in a cool room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Bulk Fermentation. </b>This is giving the lovely yeast and bacteria lots of time to do their thing: adding acids for flavour and structure and carbon dioxide bubbles to leaven the bread. Temperature affects the process so a very warm day will take less than 12 hours. Poke your finger into the dough and watch. It's ready when it slowly plumps back into shape. It should look and feel like a plump pillow.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVmBRC2OzgBYovLEJVq2LGUlsWe9b3ept-grTKMl64VzrCnyh3b7EHlCcUsUyGxhJtXwfyujBedZHNdC62OXdVMuZK9LVBwa-uHiSJBpH6ED9xY2IDE9zeXhdWuoEZoFeMwd-Jp7642TM/s1600/Risen+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1372" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVmBRC2OzgBYovLEJVq2LGUlsWe9b3ept-grTKMl64VzrCnyh3b7EHlCcUsUyGxhJtXwfyujBedZHNdC62OXdVMuZK9LVBwa-uHiSJBpH6ED9xY2IDE9zeXhdWuoEZoFeMwd-Jp7642TM/s640/Risen+dough.jpg" width="548" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Shaping.</b> First flour your cloth. Put it on the work surface and rub all over with flour. Then place in your bannaton or bowl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the dough is ready, scrape it out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly dust your fingers and the dough with flour. Do a few more stretches and folds. What? I know. This can look like an instruction to 'make a model of the Taj Mahal in porridge'. Experience does count here. Sorry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Be gentle and tender. It shouldn't be too sticky. If it is, persevere but don't add masses of flour. You want to avoid folding in raw flour as it isn't pleasant to eat and stops the loaf bonding. That said, I've made all these mistakes but still baked and ate the bloody thing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9PbmS9YFVetj1ih8LCUWWLo6X7yulXc40fv8aAyhOu-qYg1xyBNSMrrxEDmudkhR7C2Lux1_6CMHtIbwhhVqR9BaEnia99seG_FPzFva6OO_z-a4Rz-NbGEhSIvgSf9-DtLAy01UQmec/s1600/Tensioned+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1575" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9PbmS9YFVetj1ih8LCUWWLo6X7yulXc40fv8aAyhOu-qYg1xyBNSMrrxEDmudkhR7C2Lux1_6CMHtIbwhhVqR9BaEnia99seG_FPzFva6OO_z-a4Rz-NbGEhSIvgSf9-DtLAy01UQmec/s640/Tensioned+dough.jpg" width="628" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tensioned dough. You wouldn't believe how much I'm enjoying this photo.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift the dough up, dust lightly with flour and place folds side up in your floured and lined bannaton or bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Place the bannaton in a plastic bag to prevent drying. Some people use shower caps stretched over the basket.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Rise.</b> Leave in a cool place for another eight to twelve hours. You're not looking for the dough to double in size, just to take on some volume. It will feel light and plump.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can take longer if you put the dough in the fridge. Anything up to 24 hours. Bakers call this <i>retarding</i>. Basically the chill slows down the bacterial processes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>6. Bake.</b> Preheat your oven to 260°C or as hot as it will allow. I arrange my oven like this: with a shallow tray for water to create steam and an inverted cast iron pan to go underneath the baking tray. Why?</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Steam prevents the bread from crusting over too soon so allows for a larger oven rise. The cast iron pan is instead of a baking stone; it gives a big punch of heat to the bottom of the bread making the gases rise and crisping up the bottom crust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now you have to transfer your lovely plump pillow to the baking tray. This is where it can all go horribly wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dust a baking tray lightly with flour. Place the baking tray on the top of your bowl or bannaton and tip upside down. Remove the bannaton, leaving your dough sat on the baking tray covered with the floury lining cloth. Gently lift off the cloth. If it sticks, ease it away with a floured scraper. If disaster happens and it completely sticks, fold the dough back into a shape and re-tension. Honestly, this works.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even if it doesn't stick it will 'flow' and flatten a little. Don't worry.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooray. Didn't stick.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Slash the top of the loaf. Either a long shallow cut or a series of smaller incisions. </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJsGrn48p8w" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Or try this!</b> </a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This allows for expansion and prevents the bread splitting at the sides. I use a scissors but bakers use razor blades, called a lame (pronounced lamé). My slashes invariably 'heal'. I don't know why.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour a cup of water into the now very hot shallow tray to create steam. Careful! put the baking tray on the inverted pan or stone if using. Shut the door and reduce the temperature to 240°C for ten minutes. Now turn the bread in the oven and bake for another ten minutes. After this. Turn again and reduce the temperature to 220°C and bake for 20 minutes more. You want a deep brown colour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bread should have a gorgeous, glossy crust and the bottom should tap like a drum. The loaf should crackle like a bonfire when you handle it. Careful, I've actually cut my lip on a shard of sough dough crust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave the bread for half an hour before cutting. If you do so earlier, you'll see steam billowing out. That's lost moisture. Better to allow the bread to reabsorb this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Let's set this all out again with clearer timings.</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix ingredients in bowl into a <i>shaggy mass</i> and allow to autolyse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for 40 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift and fold dough in bowl with wet hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for 20 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift and fold dough in bowl with wet hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift and fold dough in bowl with wet hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift and fold dough in bowl with wet hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for 12 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour dough on floured surface and shape with floured hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Place in lined bannaton or shallow bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leave for about 8 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 260°C</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Turn out onto floured baking tray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">slash loaf.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour water into shallow tray to create steam.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reduce temperature to 240°C.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake loaf for 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Turn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake loaf for 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Turn and reduce temperature to 220°C</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake for 20 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Allow to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack - this keeps the bottom crisp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we include five minutes for each lift and fold, the shaping and the pre-bake, that's about 23 hours and 20 minutes. Was it worth it? I hope so. The toast is epic.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-12952548992368419772020-04-12T19:34:00.003+01:002020-04-12T19:45:01.924+01:00Pears, plague and ginger... and bloody sourdough<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">This is a long one. You can guess why. Never mind. What else you doing?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It’s </span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-vw2c0b r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">midwinter</span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"> in my kitchen. At least, it looks like. Everywhere a fine frosting of flour. Occasionally a hanging doughdrop or dried gobbet of starter like a frozen tear; a baker’s lament. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I HATE baking sourdough. It's one of those simple but deceptively difficult processes. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I must persist. On to the crisp crust and well aerated crumb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A warning here: the cabin fever has compressed my sarcasm to a diamond point. I am such fun to live with at the moment. I know, and I'm such a blithe fellow normally.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why have I returned to baking daily sourdough bread? Because we are in a time of Covid - a global lockdown. Also because the locust swarm of stockpilers has passed through all our shops and stripped the shelves of yeast. I had no choice really than to make a new starter. Faced with no new bread flour I also invested in a 16kg bag from our local corner shop that now more resembles a refugee supply depot. Best get kneading.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although, of course you don't knead sourdough. You stretch it, usually on the hour, for 48 hours (it feels like) until the cherry blossom blooms blue. Or some nonsense. There's so much contradictory 'lore' in sourdough community: seam up, seam down, lots of leavening or none at all, autolyse or leave. Dutch over or open tray. Gah.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Now divide your dough into two." Says the chippy, young Youtube baker, dragging his bench scraper neatly through a soft and silky pillow that responds to his touch like an expectant lover. Meanwhile there's me: an unsuccessful Moses facing the porridge sea. The bread god has forsaken me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So yeah, results are... mixed. I'm yet to find a process that is reliable and that produces a consistent result. When I do, I'll doubtless brag about it all seeming obvious in hindsight. 20/20 eh?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is my best one to date. Yesterday's. The day before's is now hanging from our plum tree awaiting the four tonne bird that has a big enough beak to break into it. Luckily little goes to waste as Etien, home from a closed Cambridge, will eat pretty much any wheat based, baked product so long as he can put enough (too much!) butter on it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0ahntHt1dfhjx-M8153Mq-w7Uzf1M6Brb_njC1Exaeg4wXzhVEJmgVVxwpbWAVXRPw82kMsfwSmZk4IxoAtlnsgzx377KMJ4sqy-jtf44TAnlCLQmd5hVDhvkVGNeTlNTxk4KJf-0e89/s1600/IMG_0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0ahntHt1dfhjx-M8153Mq-w7Uzf1M6Brb_njC1Exaeg4wXzhVEJmgVVxwpbWAVXRPw82kMsfwSmZk4IxoAtlnsgzx377KMJ4sqy-jtf44TAnlCLQmd5hVDhvkVGNeTlNTxk4KJf-0e89/s400/IMG_0528.JPG" width="325" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The supper club is obviously closed and has been for several weeks. We will doubtless return but sadly many great cafes and restaurants won't. Margins are thin enough anyway in this industry.This will be a catastrophe for so many local food businesses. My heart goes out to them; so hard to see your hard work killed off by something utterly beyond your control.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This recipe is for the last desert I served. It feels like an age ago, when Corona was something left at the end of the barbecue that you stuck a little wedge of lime into. It's a little wintery as a result but delicious nonetheless and will be great in the autumn when great pears appear again. Who doesn't love a great pear?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is pears caramelised in a brandy caramel sauce and served with ginger ice cream and ultra crispy hazelnut and fennel olive oil crackers. It eats better than I photograph.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This dessert owes something, ahem, quite a lot, to and old Ottolenghi dish.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The crackers are well worth making on their own. They'll go well with most ice creams or soft fruit dessert or perhaps even with blue cheese.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four components</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Pears</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Caramel sauce</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cracker</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Ginger ice cream</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ice cream and crackers can be made well in advance. The pears and sauce will be done just prior to eating. The ice cream takes the longest so let's tackle that first.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Ginger ice cream.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Makes about a litre.</i></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXLZ2SshE1jlWF3XroYwWMSeEogSHKC8QjnLsqNJ4yWnYIqfATT3C-l70FFdPU8E2qtGRjAbYwDK-ymb2itNJR_X-bghKJXgvouDgpHNkdcizWH8mRx0aYHMIhO7eNvOnF3F_ygTJ8Fkq/s1600/IMG_7412.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXLZ2SshE1jlWF3XroYwWMSeEogSHKC8QjnLsqNJ4yWnYIqfATT3C-l70FFdPU8E2qtGRjAbYwDK-ymb2itNJR_X-bghKJXgvouDgpHNkdcizWH8mRx0aYHMIhO7eNvOnF3F_ygTJ8Fkq/s200/IMG_7412.HEIC" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted a big flavour here, in part as a foil to the inevitable sugar-cream-caramel fest. I was after a fresh flavour too rather than a cooked in taste so </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I added ginger in four ways: dried powder, syrup, crystallised and infused raw root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The day before you start the recipe (Oh, now I tell you!) finely grate a large thumb size of root (no need to peel) into 300ml of double cream. Cover and leave to infuse in the fridge overnight. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before you add the cream, sieve out the root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You'll also need a jar of <b>crystallised ginger in syrup</b>. Odd that they call it 'stem ginger' as it isn't; it's just peeled root.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Cjdz6hNoO4WEYpfmB3bU0Uhip322eCi8hx7VJsFd5lRswTlb-Cq7hqW_bRFiEW-FhrC46DzaXEwkZ4P-iL5QwtJNwtPNIY5OmcO9sM9My34u2BnP-nddOEAj9TN7Mgv2_Tiz2xFryK8h/s1600/640x640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Cjdz6hNoO4WEYpfmB3bU0Uhip322eCi8hx7VJsFd5lRswTlb-Cq7hqW_bRFiEW-FhrC46DzaXEwkZ4P-iL5QwtJNwtPNIY5OmcO9sM9My34u2BnP-nddOEAj9TN7Mgv2_Tiz2xFryK8h/s200/640x640.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">In a saucepan mix 250ml <b>full fat milk </b>with100g <b>caster sugar </b>and 50g of the syrup from the ginger jar, over a medium heat until the temperature gets to about 75°C. Reduce the heat and w</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">hisk in six </span></span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">egg yolks</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> to the milk and stir over a low heat until it starts to thicken. This happens at about </span></span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">77°C.</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> Well, apparently it does but I often find I'm in the low 80s. I check using my food thermometer, this has the advantage of allowing me to heat the mix quickly until it approaches the low 70s, then I can pull back and stir constantly. If you heat too quickly you will of course have, creamy scrambled yolks. Try as I might, I can't think of a use for that. Don't expect a heavy custard like shop bought Ambrosia, this is a crème anglaise; just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. To this, add a couple of teaspoons of ginger powder and some chopped up crystallised ginger (the stuff in the syrup we used earlier)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Once done, pour in the <b>gingery cream </b>you infused earlier and chill the mix in the fridge before churning in your ice cream maker.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXl0yqCmmP1o_Y10vYEQgv5KejoIWY-KIFhEE-JQa_nFwNgvoHjwGjAhXIzAYFQrk-320cb0OyBVEicS9UK5ZSElKeYtcuh1m3k8YCXWJopWnSV9OtoNsF8YJgdcHj3LLbOiVVbKDgj6O/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1417" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXl0yqCmmP1o_Y10vYEQgv5KejoIWY-KIFhEE-JQa_nFwNgvoHjwGjAhXIzAYFQrk-320cb0OyBVEicS9UK5ZSElKeYtcuh1m3k8YCXWJopWnSV9OtoNsF8YJgdcHj3LLbOiVVbKDgj6O/s640/IMG_0517.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><b>Hazelnut and fennel seed olive oil crackers</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><i>Makes at least 10</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">I love a cracker and these are particularly good but simple enough to make with kids.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Set your oven to <b>200°C.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKIIX26Tvp55V1nYTzEa42LQjpB1iQyeY5gqyVj8hURO0K-TYCxWJXimYEh4TeVKEGFYKIyU1AEGjJ_w2bfIT1D_x3tq6jw13QCar9i8GLTgeSc_c_pxC0t5mN0S91ugGV6d7fDpepgxv/s1600/IMG_7470.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKIIX26Tvp55V1nYTzEa42LQjpB1iQyeY5gqyVj8hURO0K-TYCxWJXimYEh4TeVKEGFYKIyU1AEGjJ_w2bfIT1D_x3tq6jw13QCar9i8GLTgeSc_c_pxC0t5mN0S91ugGV6d7fDpepgxv/s320/IMG_7470.HEIC" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">In a bowl mix 125g of <b>plain flour,</b> half a teaspoon of <b>baking powder</b>, a pinch of <b>salt</b> and <b>caster</b> <b>sugar</b>, 25ml of <b>olive</b> <b>oil</b> and trickle in just enough <b>cold</b> <b>water</b> to bring the mix together into a dough. Don't beat the buggery out of it, we're making crackers not bread. No need to develop the gluten.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Pull off small balls of dough (about 15g each) and roll into cylinders. Now roll out the dough as thin as you can into silicon or baking paper into long thin shapes. Not quite papery but not far off. Brush these with more olive oil.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">In a small bowl, crush a tablespoon of <b>fennel</b> <b>seeds</b> with two of <b>blanched</b> <b>hazelnuts</b> and two of <b>caster</b> <b>sugar</b>. Sprinkle liberally over the crackers.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Bake for <b>5-8 minutes</b> on a baking tray, maybe turning the tray around once to ensure an even browning. Keep a close eye. Don't let them over-brown or they will be bitter.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Store, carefully... between leaves of baking paper in an airtight box.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><b>Caramelised pears with brandy caramel sauce</b></span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Serves six (But a</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">llow one pear per person for larger groups)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Probably best to be fairly sober when you do this. Sorry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Peel, core and cut into quarters as many ripe </span><b style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">pears</b><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> as you have people planned. In this case, six. Look out for Willams pears but Conference will do. Needs to be something aromatic. Mix the pear quarters in with 100g of <b>caster sugar</b> to coat. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Put your thickest heaviest pan on a high heat. Cast iron would be great here. Have ready a bottle of </span><b style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">brandy</b><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> and 50g of </span><b style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">unsalted</b><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> </span><b style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">butter, </b><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">chilled and cut into </span><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">chunks. We'll be </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmApxJWudrs" style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">flambéing</a><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> the pears so take courage and turn off your extractor.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">When the pan is really, really hot, place the sugared pear segments in and LEAVE BE for a minute or two. Don't push them around. You want to get a good colour on the edges. Now add a good glass of brandy and set alight. I turn off my extractor and light so I can see the flame. Once the blue flame has died down (this is why you need to see it) remove the pears and keep warm.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">To the pan add the rest of the sugar, let it melt and heat to a caramel colour and then add in the lumps of butter. Stir to create a delicious sticky caramel sauce. Maybe add a pinch of <b>ground cloves</b>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><b>To serve.</b> In a bowl add the warm pears and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Add a scoop of ice-cream and a cracker. Serve quickly. The ice cream will melt.</span></span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-78820509707435077492020-02-03T03:26:00.001+00:002020-02-03T17:39:09.648+00:00Pan fried cod with a pea and lemon verbena risotto<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was looking for an easy partner for a great piece of cod I was going to pan-fry* for friends. I mean food partner obviously. I suppose my wife might object to an 'easy partner' in the house. Unless it was for her. Anyway, sub-laddish bantz aside, I decided on a risotto. These can be made ahead of time if you only take it half way. They have almost infinite variety too; mushroom and shellfish are obvious choices but I've seen some made with red wine and chorizo. As this was to partner fish I decided on pea and lemon verbena as it grows in my garden.<br /><br /> *Funny that we always say pan-fry and not simply 'fry'. Why is that? Is it to create a clear culinary distinction between restaurant sophistication and a greasy spoon with its eggs, bacon and bubble? But fried is what it is. A delicious piece of fried fish. Pan-fried fish. No, the second one sounds tastier. Damn my pretensions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Before we do the rice let's discuss the protein. Buy the freshest fish you can. It cooks better. It stays together. It crisps more. This means avoiding supermarkets; that stuff is old, flabby and usually unforgivable. Why supermarkets can't serve great fish I don't know, but they don't. Find a good fishmonger and cherish them with regular trade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Take your fish out of the fridge an hour or so beforehand. Put it on a clean tea towel to dry it off. Sprinkle salt on the top and leave, allowing the salt to be drawn in and moisture to be drawn out. Don't fry wet fish. You'll be trying to Vanish out the oil spatter for many washes. I did that piece in the picture with a glug of hot oil in a very hot pan. Skin side down first. Turn the heat down to medium. Leave the fish it for a few minutes or it will stick. Let a crust form. Now add a knob of butter, let it foam and flip the fish. Spoon that lovely butter over the fish for another five minutes until you get a golden crust forming. Move the fish to a plate and let it rest, allowing the hot side to cook the middle. You want translucent flakes not cotton wool. Overcooked fish is death in the mouth.If you're unsure just prise the fish apart in the pan with a sharp knife. If it looks raw, cook for a minute more.Then let it rest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Risotto should be a creamy affair, but not with cream. It's well massaged starch from the grains that thicken the stock. Ignore any advice to add dairy in any form other than butter and parmesan. It should also be liquid but not runny. The rice should be loose in texture and firmer than soft. I've never really known what al-dente means with rice so I won't use that term.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Risotto rice comes in three main varieties: arborio, carnaroli and Vialone Nano. The last one is my favourite but there's not much in it (half of Veneto will now leave angry comments!). Just don't use long grain. Most supermarkets stock Arborio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> As ever the superb </span><a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/10/the-food-lab-the-science-of-risotto.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serious Eats has a page dedicated to risotto technique</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and the science of starch. Worth a read. They do advocate adding cream though. Ignore that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> Pea and lemon verbena risotto.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Serves 6.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCMljQ4MEOag0ZdzVc3cakLVI0_IP93z7mvZs3bqN3X5UgWJ17COsVFHmnJiEwJMC1HyX71BPBZRYWNsAfkCbs-w-6cQ5VbzLh0rz1KtdVioi4E7mHj7gtQf5w4JLMHpdfwqWFDuQ4s2J/s1600/lemon-verbena-plenuska-wikimedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCMljQ4MEOag0ZdzVc3cakLVI0_IP93z7mvZs3bqN3X5UgWJ17COsVFHmnJiEwJMC1HyX71BPBZRYWNsAfkCbs-w-6cQ5VbzLh0rz1KtdVioi4E7mHj7gtQf5w4JLMHpdfwqWFDuQ4s2J/s320/lemon-verbena-plenuska-wikimedia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;">Lemon Verbena. Almost impossible to buy. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First off. Sorry. You won't be able to get lemon verbena unless you grow it or you live close to some impossibly posh shops in one of the London Hills: Notting, Highgate, Primrose. You know the type. So, sorry about that. You could replace with tarragon and a gentle zest of half a lemon. It'll be similar and delicious. I have a large LV plant in my back garden so I'm never short. I know: smug.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Bit of prep before we work with the rice. You'll need a stock. As this is a pea risotto, make a pea stock.You'll often use a chicken stock in risotto but that's the wrong flavour here and I wanted to make this a vegetarian dish, not least because my eldest son is now partnered with non meat eater and they're coming for dinner soon. Hi Meg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Bring up <b>250g</b> of <b>frozen</b> <b>peas</b> to the boil in a litre of water. Once they are boiling and bobbing about, lift them out with a slotted spoon and put them into ice water. This stops them cooking into sludge and preserves a vibrant colour. You know: pea green.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Return the pea water to a low heat and add: a <b>bay leaf,</b> a few inches of <b>rosemary</b> and some <b>parsley</b> <b>stalks</b>. Simmer for a few minutes then turn off the heat, leaving the herbs to infuse to make a light vegetable stock until you're ready to start the risotto.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Strain your stock and bring back to a simmer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Remove your peas from the cold water and mash them up with a little olive oil. We're not making a puree here, just helping things along. I still want to see whole peas. Season with a little sugar and salt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chop <b>one large, white onion</b> into fine dice and fry in a <b>50g</b> of <b>butter</b> in a wide, shallow sided pan. Add a <b>tablespoon</b> of crushed <b>fennel</b> <b>seeds</b>. Cook on a medium heat until the onion is translucent and getting golden. No brown though. Not the right flavour. Now add <b>three finely chopped stalks of celery</b> and cook for another five minutes. Add another <b>50g of butter</b>, bring up the heat and stir in <b>400g of risotto rice</b>. Stir to fry the rice for a few minutes until it too is translucent. Pour in about <b>250ml of dry Vermouth</b>. I like Noilly Prat. If you have no Vermouth, an aromatic white wine will do. Bring this to the boil and reduce, stirring often. Now add about a quarter of your pea/herb stock. Stir in, 'massaging' the rice with the back of a wooden spoon to encourage the starch to mix.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn9Q0ePcRffeLyhAvPVwaS38fv-3xpqJgqhOviie1SX7jOv4c6Vi9WoqYYQ675Nrp-Iy3RvsRjwr1EjJ1hhHoFQiEXMJxLGq_h6itMR98A7uw9uusyqyo8i70gn40n7drxkSUd3HkZdxj/s1600/IMG_9556-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn9Q0ePcRffeLyhAvPVwaS38fv-3xpqJgqhOviie1SX7jOv4c6Vi9WoqYYQ675Nrp-Iy3RvsRjwr1EjJ1hhHoFQiEXMJxLGq_h6itMR98A7uw9uusyqyo8i70gn40n7drxkSUd3HkZdxj/s320/IMG_9556-2.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fennell fritter: the perfect accompaniment</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> At this point the proto-risotto be left until guests arrive or you're ready to eat. It takes about another 15 minutes from here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Again, bring your stock to a simmer. Don't add cold stock to a risotto. Now spend 15 minutes pouring in the <b>stock</b> a <b>wine glass at a time</b>. Stir until it's absorbed and repeat. taste the grain. It should still have some bite. You might need little boiling water in addition to your stock. Once happy with the texture, finely grate in <b>50g</b> of good <b>parmesan</b> (not so much as this is to go with fish), a few chopped <b>spring</b> <b>onions</b> and a <b>handful of chopped lemon verbena</b> or herb of your choice. Finally stir in the <b>pea mix</b>. It'll warm up in seconds. Taste and maybe season with <b>salt</b>. And hell, perhaps a blob more <b>butter</b>, just no cream yeah?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I served mine with a ring of <b>pea shoots</b> dressed with a little </span><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2013/06/herb-oils.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">home-made basil oil</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. The cod goes on top. For a little extra crunch a bowl of </span><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2018/04/fennel-fritters.html" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fennel fitters</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> works very well and complements both rice and fish perfectly.</span></div>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-69570833709142309092019-06-17T15:49:00.003+01:002019-06-17T18:48:46.396+01:00Vegan starter: crispy tofu with marinated courgettes and cucumber gel.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQANwIv3Y4A2PWGsCMhvDdrEW-uW_ExVeBsMO0ziuWNyl0HVl5fJrHNUKZSWKKlisATsqLD5ojckLbB7shuLveh40lrvXHC6ytWzixsjUdSNovKMw8XcAq47RvKaO98-6cwXHeE4UOe-JZ/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="1417" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQANwIv3Y4A2PWGsCMhvDdrEW-uW_ExVeBsMO0ziuWNyl0HVl5fJrHNUKZSWKKlisATsqLD5ojckLbB7shuLveh40lrvXHC6ytWzixsjUdSNovKMw8XcAq47RvKaO98-6cwXHeE4UOe-JZ/s640/IMG_0144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty dish</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-zE_AGMyl8TDOtprkttq8q0wCxn0O-hk6cGZD6OikzO67ouN1mrCtGexD2hL4aGDKlx3STRE7V0JlW5wxp7ZqqAHlanBQfiVBKZEo_UG1nsWEWsjd9JQUOzRrV77mBONOC_ncC0x84iS/s1600/41T9Vx1Lv8L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="247" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-zE_AGMyl8TDOtprkttq8q0wCxn0O-hk6cGZD6OikzO67ouN1mrCtGexD2hL4aGDKlx3STRE7V0JlW5wxp7ZqqAHlanBQfiVBKZEo_UG1nsWEWsjd9JQUOzRrV77mBONOC_ncC0x84iS/s200/41T9Vx1Lv8L.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wanted this to be light, fresh, packed with flavour and varying textures. I'd already signed up to the crispy tofu challenge, so what to put with it? Contrasting the sweet and savoury flavours of soy and mirin with citrus seemed obvious so I used my marinated courgette ribbon recipe that I've previously paired with salmon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think I originated this. I'm rather proud of it. It's fun watching guests do the "I don't really like cour.... oh my God, that's delicious". The citrus here is Yuzu, a fragrant fruit used in China, Korea and Japan, which complements the Asian flavours in the tofu glaze. Yuzu is similar to the mandarin but fearsomely expensive. You can buy tiny bottles of the juice in larger supermarkets. They cost about a fiver.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll also need to make a <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2017/12/cucumber-gel-what.html"><b>cucumber gel.</b></a> Take a look at the recipe. if it's too cheffy, just use batons of cucumber. But try and make the effort. The gel is intensely flavoursome and brightly coloured. It's not difficult to do and is a handy kitchen skill to learn.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThXPwnaRCc6CgzfjwPp1AOcMJtbLpXOs20U1K2np2semAsM-0-R6Eo1he3efEroBdePdjftF_9paUnNEbYLqoWqm-PrSoyz7sOSazqQTW6KSJEsr5_z7wwrOPcDiaATZapDWNgwaQHMZl/s1600/8641_23616_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></b></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>First we need to talk about tofu.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It tastes of almost nothing when raw. Broad beans would easily win in a brouhaha. A memory of a mushroom, maybe. Perhaps a cod fillet caught your eye? Let's agree on 'subtle'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many forms of this s</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">oya bean curd</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, usually categorised by texture: silken, soft, firm, etc. Here I'm using extra firm, allowing me to cut cheese like chunks that will withstand deep frying. A <b>450g </b>block like this will serve four people as a starter.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThXPwnaRCc6CgzfjwPp1AOcMJtbLpXOs20U1K2np2semAsM-0-R6Eo1he3efEroBdePdjftF_9paUnNEbYLqoWqm-PrSoyz7sOSazqQTW6KSJEsr5_z7wwrOPcDiaATZapDWNgwaQHMZl/s1600/8641_23616_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="662" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThXPwnaRCc6CgzfjwPp1AOcMJtbLpXOs20U1K2np2semAsM-0-R6Eo1he3efEroBdePdjftF_9paUnNEbYLqoWqm-PrSoyz7sOSazqQTW6KSJEsr5_z7wwrOPcDiaATZapDWNgwaQHMZl/s320/8641_23616_z.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"First catch your hare." as famed cookery writer Hannah Glasse once said*. Well here Ocado already has my 'extra firm' so the instruction start with "first press your tofu - a couple of days before you plan on eating it". Tofu is wet and it's stored in water. Water is not flavoursome. We want the water out. Wrap your tofu in some baking paper, place in a baking tin and put a heavy weight on top. <b>Leave in the fridge for a day</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll find a pleasing amount of water in the tin. Discard this. Put the tofu in a plastic bag and <b>freeze</b> <b>overnight</b>. This forces out more water and gives the tofu a more friable texture.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpRmNa5X9kfRAVYMoOtflO7eTBESqw7lNOUpsX-HN_0161tFDlZ4nIHifrPy98MnW5eWxiJIfUUceJO0dDkpZ76Gc7Tfg6VK-kcrEuOr-AZkveo9d5V1s46et88R81bYBWLjeg33OcOU-/s1600/IMG_6673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1600" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpRmNa5X9kfRAVYMoOtflO7eTBESqw7lNOUpsX-HN_0161tFDlZ4nIHifrPy98MnW5eWxiJIfUUceJO0dDkpZ76Gc7Tfg6VK-kcrEuOr-AZkveo9d5V1s46et88R81bYBWLjeg33OcOU-/s640/IMG_6673.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pressing tofu. The coconut milk was for dessert.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta dah. 24 hours later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9PTvv9A6JkF9VoQPFNoKHPcVpn3CNopCEowG-Sb7scRfrrwXnCmt594Th27LOxoNOyaLg87q_rN1QgaruZQiAJtI0XBCE7aY11RUZOjQr7jZwrxyx07WcmY6OQFjOjygHK7NxPpQ17Dd/s1600/IMG_6692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9PTvv9A6JkF9VoQPFNoKHPcVpn3CNopCEowG-Sb7scRfrrwXnCmt594Th27LOxoNOyaLg87q_rN1QgaruZQiAJtI0XBCE7aY11RUZOjQr7jZwrxyx07WcmY6OQFjOjygHK7NxPpQ17Dd/s640/IMG_6692.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post squeezing. Post freezing. A change of texture.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I did a few test runs and the most important tip I have is to season your tofu early and well. No surprises here as I do the same with fish and meat. Cut the tofu into slices, salt well and leave for an hour at least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also discovered that browning tofu in oil takes an astonishingly long time. Much longer than say potatoes. I'm guessing because it's still too wet and there are too few sugars to caramelise. I addressed both these issues by rolling the slices a couple of times in a mixture of approx <b>80% cornstarch</b>, <b>15% sugar </b>and <b>5% salt</b>.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyDrWjHbuM_4HkzT3FOh7Bw8fB3-3HLM75ojbvvug93UeipZ_aLkMnQTdjPHTNvKDtDxm6l7ZZObar0-2QIHza1afXpfhRZtSNRQXrteBfE8VJAnltTT7AJbGj8o8fngU2ndIOBWYPv_2/s1600/IMG_6694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyDrWjHbuM_4HkzT3FOh7Bw8fB3-3HLM75ojbvvug93UeipZ_aLkMnQTdjPHTNvKDtDxm6l7ZZObar0-2QIHza1afXpfhRZtSNRQXrteBfE8VJAnltTT7AJbGj8o8fngU2ndIOBWYPv_2/s640/IMG_6694.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the fryer.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using a deep fat fryer at </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">200°C </b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or a fat pan and a sugar thermometer, deep fry the slices until golden and crispy. You could try shallow frying. Good luck. The crust should actually stay crisp even after you apply the glaze. Set aside.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbfGdQ0Gs-PZtnt0Mqns07agYlqgt_xb11jQcLCNYE6PEW3jvyNflY-3OUQRxvyIyPGMOme5Y59IW3fFh9ZgNIGmHxKREJ6bpgW1GTgF9wxAV5GJA1Hq_d6_A6r6Ut72b4VnVbhfuv0bY/s1600/IMG_6678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbfGdQ0Gs-PZtnt0Mqns07agYlqgt_xb11jQcLCNYE6PEW3jvyNflY-3OUQRxvyIyPGMOme5Y59IW3fFh9ZgNIGmHxKREJ6bpgW1GTgF9wxAV5GJA1Hq_d6_A6r6Ut72b4VnVbhfuv0bY/s320/IMG_6678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Test fry. The left just cornflower and salt.<br />
The right slice has the added sugar also.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <b>glaze</b> can be whisked up in minutes in a glass or jam jar. Make too much and drizzle on chicken, salmon or chargrilled halloumi later. Mix together equal measures of <b>soy</b> and <b>white wine</b> or <b>rice vinegar.</b> Start with a tablespoon of each. Then add more to taste. This is a the holy trinity of salty, sweet and savoury.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finely grate in a thumb of <b>fresh</b> <b>ginger</b> to taste - a microplane is useful here. Add <b>honey</b> <i>or</i> <b>agave syrup</b> (depending on just how vegan you are). A dash (steady!) of <b>toasted sesame oil</b> for smoky depth and silky mouth feel. Finally, a hit of<b> cayenne</b>, or not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll have a sticky, rich, dark glaze. Taste. Adjust. It'll probably stand a little more ginger. Be bold. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next the <b>marinated</b> <b>courgettes</b>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBeY2wE_VXY35YBpTbkQO_KCKvfq0FP0JwH1YWhIft_mObIJXcjNsp3vtEk-TFSJT2q6s4aE-KW9oz1zi4RfHAiIKS9WINSfAZsTK5ZB46cOFFCjY36srOCK81Af5UdXR94NgTTHfjoQu/s1600/IMG_6699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBeY2wE_VXY35YBpTbkQO_KCKvfq0FP0JwH1YWhIft_mObIJXcjNsp3vtEk-TFSJT2q6s4aE-KW9oz1zi4RfHAiIKS9WINSfAZsTK5ZB46cOFFCjY36srOCK81Af5UdXR94NgTTHfjoQu/s320/IMG_6699.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First make your marinade. Key to this is vinegar. I use a fantastic lemon, basil, bay and juniper vinegar from <a href="https://womersleyfoods.com/">Wormersley</a>. You probably won't have this and it's not readily available in the shops. Ether give Rupert a ring and order some (you'll thank me if you do) or substitute a good quality white wine or cider vinegar, combined with some lemon juice and a few gratings of lemon zest. You want equal amounts of <b>vinegar</b> and <b>mirin</b>, about 70ml and half that of <b>yuzu</b> <b>juice</b>. I say 'about' because I never do this by weight or volume. Aways by eye and taste. I put the liquids in a click lock, watertight plastic box that I'll use to marinade the ribbons, shake and taste. Now add a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of freshly crushed coriander seeds. Don't even <i>think</i> of substituting with coriander powder. Add a drizzle of honey or agave syrup. It should be sweet, sour and citrus fresh and should smell deeply aromatic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take three medium, green courgettes. If you can find yellow too so much the better. Top and tail the veg with a knife. Using a vegetable peeler take off three or four ribbons from each side. Different peelers give different thicknesses. You want something worthwhile. Opaque. It has to sit in an acidic marinade for hours and anything too thin will disintegrate. Discard the first slice that's mainly skin. You want the next few: smooth, creamy white with a pleasing edge of green. Stop when you hit the seedy interior. Don't go there.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAslMCuXv3TmSyhpCXWb8tVXZG6V3B3NECQFHzZZtc4YQ8z-6_0QunpuA_YLpETnjD2qGocu7m13c6VQzoTL2iMSu1-O8NJhRy-4s38rQQlsoDa9Vh-WrUagSYv0_yp9B8aprvzUAH2c1/s1600/IMG_6701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAslMCuXv3TmSyhpCXWb8tVXZG6V3B3NECQFHzZZtc4YQ8z-6_0QunpuA_YLpETnjD2qGocu7m13c6VQzoTL2iMSu1-O8NJhRy-4s38rQQlsoDa9Vh-WrUagSYv0_yp9B8aprvzUAH2c1/s400/IMG_6701.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My courgette peeler of choice</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Layer the ribbons in the click lock box and place in the fridge. Turn the box every few hours to ensure all the ribbons are immersed. Note that 24 hours is too long; the slices start to disintegrate, so I normally do this on the morning of the meal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These ribbons work on their own as a side and especially well with cooked salmon or spicy chicken - should you be that way inclined. Vegetrians may wish to consider a nice salty feta.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Garnish</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To finish the dish I serve some finely diced apple and cucumber. In both cases, avoid the seeds. Keep the dice covered in the fridge tossed in a little olive oil and white wine vinegar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>To assemble. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The amounts above will serve four people.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remove from the fridge and have ready your tofu, glaze, cucumber gel, diced apple and cucumber, marinated courgettes and some interesting salad leave or micro herbs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Refresh your tofu in hot oil for a few minutes to crisp and warm. On a tray, drizzle the warm pieces with the glaze.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the middle of the plate loop up some ribbons, making sure you don't bring too much marinade with them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Around the edge of the plate make pretty with the dice, some salad leaves and the cucumber gel. Get creative. If you have some purple salad elements, so much the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally put your crispy tofu slice on the ribbons, drizzle a little more of the glaze and garnish with a salad leaf of distinction. </span><br />
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<a href="https://wordhistories.net/2017/07/03/first-catch-your-hare-origin/"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*She probably didn't.</span></a></div>
New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-20517115219368140572019-06-17T15:49:00.002+01:002019-06-17T15:55:16.127+01:00A vegan dinner party menu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My attitude to vegan food is fast changing. We need to eat less meat. Without doubt, a plant based diet is better for us and better for the planet. Would I applaud you to for going vegan? Yes. Will I be giving up meat? Not a chance. Actually it's butter I'd struggle to replace. There is no vegan equivalent for flavour and cooking qualities. Brown butter - beuure noisette - is possibly my most favourite aroma. I'd splash it on like aftershave if it didn't mean third degree burns. Also cheese. Vegan cheese is an abomination. Oh... and a world without dippy eggs and soldiers. Damn. No. Not yet. Selfish Jason. Yup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Elena sounded hesitant when she called. It was her birthday. She wanted a meal with eight friends. Was it fair to make it meatless and dairy free. I thought so. Anyway, I can't do a carne/vegan split. It would virtually mean two separate dinners, with a high degree of cross contamination: the absent minded stir.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Restrictions are often a pathway to creativity, certainly has been in my TV writing. The sudden absence of a character, a sick actor, a lost location forces you to think tangentially; peeling apart possibilities. I was once told, days from filming, that my episode of Casualty which revolved around an armed robbery and hostage situation in an ambulance, could no longer feature a gun. Get thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wanted to use tofu, for no reason other than I've never cooked with it. I've only tasted it when very drunk too, probably in one of the slightly suspect Lisle Street Chinese restaurants that are still open at 5am. Tofu has a rep for being tasteless and rubbery so I wanted to tackle both issues. After some research I decided to deep fry some 'extra-firm' tofu to a satisfying crunch and serve it with a flavoursome sauce.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJZtXqUy9jFTx01EgVU39O4AD38xFQQULktoK0yJsGcg-K5Zcm_p1ipX-KIaMx-6zHUXO9S2tk_Tms0DK7AHsACURT8wxUrhMHtfMTOszFV6DG9zjnWO0JTblXoJUybhepyjMaF0-lk0J/s1600/Rose+tea+ice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="640" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJZtXqUy9jFTx01EgVU39O4AD38xFQQULktoK0yJsGcg-K5Zcm_p1ipX-KIaMx-6zHUXO9S2tk_Tms0DK7AHsACURT8wxUrhMHtfMTOszFV6DG9zjnWO0JTblXoJUybhepyjMaF0-lk0J/s200/Rose+tea+ice.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which brings me to my major issue with vegan cooking. At least, vegan cooking in the UK. I try to use local and seasonal ingredients where possible (L</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">emons! Busted). In warm countries flavoursome ingredients are available all year round. Not so in the UK. What does local, English vegan fare look like in the frozen heart of February? Pickled turnip all round? My starter ended up looking eastwards, with ginger, soy, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirin">mirin</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu">yuzu</a> whereas dessert went West, to Caribbean pineapple and coconut so I was determined that my mains would be an all British affair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I decided to blog the menu as a whole because while looking, it becomes obvious that not many people do this. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll list the entire menu below and link to various older recipes and new blogs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The New River Dining Vegan Menu #1</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://newriverrestaurant.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/nuts.html">Warm spiced nuts</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2014/03/even-easier-focaccia.html">Rosemary focaccia</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">No changes to the bread. Substitute walnut oil for the brown butter in the nut recipe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2019/06/vegan-starter-crispy-tofu-with.html">Crispy tofu on a bed of marinated courgettes with diced apple and cucumber and a cucumber gel.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tarts of sweet onion, roasted celariac and smoked beetroot pureé with dill oil. Served with crushed peas in a mint vinaigrette, sweet and sour red cabbage.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2017/10/rose-tea-ice.html">Lemon and rose tea ice.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Spice and citrus roasted pineapple. Served with coconut ice cream, rum and coconut cream and a salted peanut praline.</b></span></div>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-58254242498676257282019-04-10T17:14:00.000+01:002019-04-10T17:14:54.757+01:00Roast shallot and sherry jam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTTHsBzg5CYKOT1A-zNZrMs4w4rMuJbDt_u5dLbbt35qG21O0-pV3Cp02To1jOUx0AzkBCRrzXhgTuWwtlEfzqBhmlfitaqp8WR-boJz1dvt2TLb19gcaelqsP71vqolBJ3N2sI42R-eh/s1600/IMG_5206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTTHsBzg5CYKOT1A-zNZrMs4w4rMuJbDt_u5dLbbt35qG21O0-pV3Cp02To1jOUx0AzkBCRrzXhgTuWwtlEfzqBhmlfitaqp8WR-boJz1dvt2TLb19gcaelqsP71vqolBJ3N2sI42R-eh/s640/IMG_5206.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is deceptive stuff. It tastes like hours slaved but you could knock it up while you stand wowing guests with wine and wit. It works well with cold meats and cheese. It will last for weeks in the fridge. I often use it to make a starter bruschetta of toasted walnut bread with goats cheese.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bHxwq0Iqu_QVNgfU31kln9iRgp0RKxyx8rw7wlk1Y4PDgWheDbcdSfe_bU75rPLy6gpbw_A6oDw2pMB9jRtDUGl5jlHJ2GFhKQim4_-nF8V-kWeYnwjOUmSKI_1niZAOdBKGljsxl6RG/s1600/IMG_5129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bHxwq0Iqu_QVNgfU31kln9iRgp0RKxyx8rw7wlk1Y4PDgWheDbcdSfe_bU75rPLy6gpbw_A6oDw2pMB9jRtDUGl5jlHJ2GFhKQim4_-nF8V-kWeYnwjOUmSKI_1niZAOdBKGljsxl6RG/s320/IMG_5129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you're a stranger to sherry, I'd suggest you stay away from the sweet. The dry, nutty, toasty flavours of <i>Manzanilla</i> or <i>Amontillado</i> are what I use. Decent sherry is about £15 a bottle. We only need a third or so here. Anything will work, even the almost full bottle of Cockburn's that sat in your cupboard for years, next to the unopened jar of 'relish' gifted to you anonymously at that work's secret Santa. The sherry is a key flavour component here though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Roast shallot and sherry jam.</b> <i>Makes one pot of indeterminate size</i>.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My thumb<br />Backlit for drama</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Generously <b>butter</b> a medium sized baking tray. Lightly sprinkle this with <b>salt</b> and <b>sugar</b>. Slice in half about 14 good sized <b>echalion shallots</b> - the long ones, also known as banana shallots. Now, what do I mean by 'good sized'? Bigger than my thumb but smaller than a pencil case. There's an obvious flaw here, of course, in that your thumb maybe bigger or smaller than mine... so here's a picture for comparison. Worst comes to the worst, you could pop round to mine to check before you go shopping.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you can, avoid the pre-packaged bags because they contain all sizes. Some supermarkets have the shallots loose so you can pick similarly sized. Obviously a variety in size will roast differently and we're after consistency here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">That proclivity of supermarkets to bundle together wildly varying fruit and veg is most annoying. This is entirely for their convenience not ours. When I'm roasting, </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">especially beetroot,</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I don't want a bunch that consist of four marbles and a football. I tend to, ahem, construct my own bunch in the shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, shop rebellion or none, place the shallots unpeeled, on the buttery tray and bake at <b>160°C</b> for about <b>40 minutes</b>. Do check though. You want the shallots to be soft and squishy but with a deeply caramelised cut surface. Remember to scrape up sticky bits off the tray too. It's all about flavour. Anything dark is fine so long as it's shiny. Avoid black and crusty though, that's a burn too far. Allow to cool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">At this stage you could just serve the roast shallots with roast beef or lamb. Or chop them up and reduce with some stock and redcurrant jelly to make a decent gravy for sausages.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't that look tasty. The very essence of savoury.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Scrape out the soft, golden insides onto a board and chop roughly. I use a little hand blender to make this even faster. Taste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Pile the chopped roasted shallots in a small pan and heat through, stirring to ensure nothing sticks. Add a little more <b>butter</b> maybe or some nutty <b>rapeseed</b> or <b>olive oil </b>if that's your thing. Cook over a medium heat, until you have a deep golden or brown colour (maybe ten minutes). Now add about 200ml of <b>sherry</b> and '<a href="https://learntocook.com/techniques/deglazing-101/">deglaze</a>' the pan. Bring to the boil and reduce the liquid until you have a gooey, sticky mess with a very pleasing shine. Don't let this catch. Taste. Is that what you were expecting? It might need more sugar. It will need salt and pepper. If you used a sweet sherry it could probably benefit from a little lemon juice to balance. I like to finish with a good glug (sorry, can't be more precise) of a decent <b>balsamic</b> <b>vinegar</b> but that's up to you.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Served on walnut bread toast with goats cheese, cheese mousse and a salad of walnuts and balsamic.</td></tr>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-65410921583260574392018-12-22T17:04:00.002+00:002018-12-22T17:04:52.610+00:00The New River Dining roast potato.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kit</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How good are these? One doesn't like to brag but guests have said they've not had better. I want crunchy exteriors, deep golden, friable edges and fluffy insides. Those meekly tanned, leathery efforts are an insult to their cooks. If I wanted jackets I'd have left the skins on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">The real trick is to flavour the oil. I like onions and thyme. And also don't be scared of salt. Use a crystal salt to give you crunch too.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur9ZaZ5WDhnu6EgOOU6D3cqExjOMmp72MiRIz7l9mu6UNP18A_vQn02px1vMomPqf_9XjAVjSjaXzmq7Jiv_KcPg6QUrHZMSxkAAw-YYYt8Mx_p7h_KPghRlPreOzmKtDATkZicHK76o/s1600/IMG_8890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #444444; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur9ZaZ5WDhnu6EgOOU6D3cqExjOMmp72MiRIz7l9mu6UNP18A_vQn02px1vMomPqf_9XjAVjSjaXzmq7Jiv_KcPg6QUrHZMSxkAAw-YYYt8Mx_p7h_KPghRlPreOzmKtDATkZicHK76o/s1600/IMG_8890.JPG" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.880000114440918px;">Maris Piper with shallots, thyme and marrow bone. Ready for the oven</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">I have a few rules, most of which you'll probably be familiar with. We are a post-Delia nation after all. The basic sequence is: peel, parboil, fluff, baste, roast.</span></span></div>
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<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use Maris Pipers. These are the least wet spuds available. It's all about the starch. Lots of dry matter gives you a fluffy finish, little dry matter and you have a soapy texture.</span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure the potatoes are evenly sized. Again, it's just obvious: same size = same cooking time</span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parboil the potatoes. Heston does it almost to destruction but that's a world of pain. I usually stick around 12 minutes.</span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry the potatoes after boiling. Space them out on a clean tea towel and allow them to steam themselves dry. You can rough up the surface by gently shuffling them about too.</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Use the heaviest, thickest roasting pan you have. Sadly these are expensive. Thick pans spread the heat yes but more importantly they don't warp. If you hear your roasting pan/tray buckling in the oven, it means some potatoes now have a lot of fat and some have none. It doesn't even have to be a roasting tray. Use a few decent cake tins. M</span></span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat the roasting pan on the hob and make sure your oil is very hot. Roll the pots in the oil, covering all sides.</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Use goose fat. I'm not as fascist about this I once was. I've used cheapy sunflower oil and expensive rape seed with decent results. Personally I think olive oil imparts the wrong flavour.</span></span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flavour the oil. Fry up </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">some onion or shallots first and then some thyme. leave the aromatics in. the onion can also be served up. On this occasion I had some chunks of bone marrow so I roasted that too.</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Roasting is about hot air. Air means S P A C E. Don't crowd your pots in the pan. They will steam not roast.</span></span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turn the potatoes half way through the cooking. </span></li>
<li style="border: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cook for at </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">least</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> an hour. Ignore recipes that pretend you can do it in less. I don't think the temperature matters as much as the time. I tend to go for 90 minutes at 180°C. Much above 200°C and things can char to bitterness. You can always take them out early. Roast pots will reheat without worry. That length of time means the onions will be almost black and your pots will have a savoury bake to them; a scarf of invisible umami (sorry).</span></li>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-90806701734043779082018-12-11T03:27:00.002+00:002018-12-12T02:38:48.414+00:00Hazelnut crackers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfsxEd2aFlbfOxJWssktKbbtqPF1je-sU1YLYtKMb9998mAYPjkR2gHdBDe3h9zPRAIg2zYEXRZMSNYte-X83cIqpkDDUvun1SH1W-bojDlocHgS1AHWorEXdStImxDthTXJRR_M6abmk/s1600/IMG_6001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfsxEd2aFlbfOxJWssktKbbtqPF1je-sU1YLYtKMb9998mAYPjkR2gHdBDe3h9zPRAIg2zYEXRZMSNYte-X83cIqpkDDUvun1SH1W-bojDlocHgS1AHWorEXdStImxDthTXJRR_M6abmk/s640/IMG_6001.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was trying to work out a way to pretend this was a festive recipe. I didn't need to try hard. It's a Christmas cracker. Moreover, it's a nutcracker! Yay. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly there we wave goodbye to Santa (and to exclamation marks, this isn't Instagram); this has nothing to do with yuletide cheer, but it does work ridiculously well with cheese and beetroot. So... Boxing day buffet?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6JLfbYQlu3HU4zD5tpJOCt7jcFI3oSt0fh1_8rEFRacOS5KnbomlBZAk6z2pWu_ODEOe7Gu3UzjixkpX2a7yg21c2Qk3ThIQcktru9zWunpWXUUqm2pfxLY1FTqCjW8kbffEEnp0P8gm/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1417" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6JLfbYQlu3HU4zD5tpJOCt7jcFI3oSt0fh1_8rEFRacOS5KnbomlBZAk6z2pWu_ODEOe7Gu3UzjixkpX2a7yg21c2Qk3ThIQcktru9zWunpWXUUqm2pfxLY1FTqCjW8kbffEEnp0P8gm/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My current favourite starter. Again, the low light makes food look weird.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I made this because my new favourite winter starter is roasted beetroot served with a cheese mousse, a smoked beetroot gel (recipe coming) and a hazelnut and raspberry salad. It was crying out for some snap. Initially I thought of making elegant long thin things but that's a faff I don't need and I always end up breaking some just before service. Making one huge cracker is at least unusual (apparently not in Spain, a guest informs me) and I like the 'breaking bread' aspect of it as I hand it to a guest on a wooden platter and ask them to pass it round the table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's an unleavened affair, so a doddle to make. This would be ideal as a first recipe with a young child. So long as you can roll it fairly flat and get it into an oven it will be edible, probably delicious, and the heterogenous appearance will hide all manner of fluff and 'pickings' that inevitably find their way into the baked goods of the under fives.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOMzoEpl0vDHylpkW-qzWK_laWTDDTls-zs96tj3mwhuZNyNgRKwWORLGurcuzWjxsxNyIbgJcqXugPmqefxL2JdQrTBPg56_5DLYxp8bZdPs9O_tksBjGu0XxWRQ66b4-o2QjZ3unwgz/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOMzoEpl0vDHylpkW-qzWK_laWTDDTls-zs96tj3mwhuZNyNgRKwWORLGurcuzWjxsxNyIbgJcqXugPmqefxL2JdQrTBPg56_5DLYxp8bZdPs9O_tksBjGu0XxWRQ66b4-o2QjZ3unwgz/s200/8.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The tricky business with nuts is finding the flavour. It sounds counterintuitive but nuts don't taste that nutty. Think of the almond cakes you've eaten - strong almond flavour? Nope. Two ways to address this: toast the nuts, it enhances the nuttiness; and use a nut oil. You can think of this almost as an essence. You do get what you pay for though. Worth splashing out. It will last for months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make four or five for a family party or buffet and expect some 'oooh'. These have a high impact to work ratio. They'd probably look great on Instagram, backlit and tied with a taupe bow with some nuts casually spilled on gingham. But sod that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This recipe also works well with walnuts. Just be sure to find unsalted nuts and a decent walnut oil.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hazelnut Cracker.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Makes two big ones, enough for 16.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7-nGlbdQiyOK0wGmPVZvNZR2TYe_R-FrgCMHhQH-Omggxoi1GGomPLkumlb83aBCztVgBf3gLTRJN-CNPQ_QGsEuUcmQtiMBcsNa2o182we4uP2ej-l-PjYS8VJ_eC1tFPepJGwVb99Z/s1600/IMG_5755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7-nGlbdQiyOK0wGmPVZvNZR2TYe_R-FrgCMHhQH-Omggxoi1GGomPLkumlb83aBCztVgBf3gLTRJN-CNPQ_QGsEuUcmQtiMBcsNa2o182we4uP2ej-l-PjYS8VJ_eC1tFPepJGwVb99Z/s200/IMG_5755.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take <b>120g </b>of <b>blanched</b> <b>hazelnuts</b> and toast in a <b>180°C oven</b> for <b>six to eight minutes</b>. You want golden brown. Allow to cool. Set aside <b>20g</b> of whole nuts. Blitz the remaining <b>100g</b> in a blender, stick blender or little chopping thing (like I do) until they resemble breadcrumbs. If you can't find blanched use whole nuts but after toasting you'll have to roll them around a fair bit to remove their brown papery skins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a bowl, mix with a good pinch of <b>salt</b> (about <b>2g</b>) and <b>200g</b> of <b>plain flour</b>. Now add a good glug of<b> hazelnut oil</b>, maybe <b>two tablespoons</b>. OK, most people don't have hazelnut oil so toasted sesame would do at a push but the flavour will be a little... vulgar, so use less. Hazelnut oil is expensive but a larger supermarket will stock it. I buy it <a href="https://uk.iherb.com/pr/La-Tourangelle-Roasted-Hazelnut-Oil-16-9-fl-oz-500-ml/83299?gclid=Cj0KCQiAurjgBRCqARIsAD09sg-xWpWwMv0DI4MC0Ob_8lb2JKIYzh-WNIHwRDj5mSz30lgPIhpHyLYaAsQQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">online</a>. Don't be tempted to skip the oil, it's probably the most flavour giving element of the mix. It also gives crispness and shine to the finished cracker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Add enough <b>water</b> to just bring the dough together into loose balls - around <b>75ml</b> - dribble it in. Be cautious. Any more and the dough will be sticky and a pain to roll out. It should look like this. Scoop the dough together and roll it around a bit with your hands to bring it together into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once rested, split the dough into two balls. Each makes one cracker. Roll out the cracker onto lightly floured Silpat or baking paper as thin as you can/dare - about 30 x 20 cm but it doesn't have to be a straight sided oblong; I think the weirder the shape the better. Just remember that too thin and it may fall apart when baked. Now take the </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20g</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">whole nuts </b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">you set aside and gently crack them into pleasing chunks. Sprinkle over the dough and press in with your hands. Roll once or twice more. The dough might tear but I like this. Gives a pleasant filigree effect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake for about <b>ten minutes</b> in a <b>180°C </b>oven, turning once to avoid an overbaked side. All ovens have hot spots. I say about ten minutes. You need to check. You might want a pale bake or a high one. I like to catch it in the middle when the edges look just past golden. Be aware that overbaked nuts are bitter and as unpleasant as a late night Nigel Farage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These are great with soft (Tunworth!) - or blue cheese. Forget the Stilton; get yourself a truckle of <a href="https://www.shepherdspurse.co.uk/products/mrs-bells-blue?variant=12192965886075">Mrs Bell's Blue</a> for Christmas. That'll be something.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-16058120008169522232018-08-12T03:12:00.001+01:002018-08-28T19:56:12.831+01:00Apricot tart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before the oven. A dusting of icing sugar to help caramelise the edges.</td></tr>
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"Why don't I eat these more often?" I think whenever I finish a dish of apricots. I haven't yet found a decent answer. At their amber blushing best for the next few months, apricots have a wonderful aromatic balance of sweet and sour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apricots can be poached in a simple sugar syrup and served up with a little of the reduced poaching liquor and maybe some crème fraiche but I had a longing for a glistening squidgey, fruity, almondy tart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then Jim (my butcher, oddly enough) gave me a job lot of apricots for free. Just past their best apparently. So I had no more excuses not to bake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Apricot tart.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>serves 8 generously</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Four parts to this tart: base, frangipane, apricots, glaze. You'll need about 35 good sized apricots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <b>base</b> is simple enough: shop bought, all butter, puff pastry. Roll it out. Cut it large enough to overlap the 27cm tart tin and refrigerate until needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Frangipane</b>. Soft almond paste that complements apricots so well. In a bowl, beat together 120g each of soft <b>butter</b> and caster <b>sugar</b>. Once pale and fluffy, add 120g of <b>ground almonds</b>. Add in 1 <b>egg</b> and one <b>egg yolk</b>, a little at a time. Finally 25g of<b> plain flour</b> and the very finely grated zest of one (smallish) <b>lemon</b>. Keep the naked lemon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Apricots</b>. Cut in half about 30 ripe <b>apricots</b> and discard the kernels. If they aren't ripe and slightly soft, don't bother. They should smell of apricots and not packaging.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU87EdVzPYoOfTQQQeYZ1IEVLjGV78nayh8RCsKPgcpWkqK0xNh9Oc5tpc93bWzhtjxsdz86C6Q-BiKqSoWltmU_6xoFoMNk8OKAEV_2MCizLSWvEiIavB8B5gRltaDASUSZpR84s2FPCb/s1600/Apricot+cut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1600" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU87EdVzPYoOfTQQQeYZ1IEVLjGV78nayh8RCsKPgcpWkqK0xNh9Oc5tpc93bWzhtjxsdz86C6Q-BiKqSoWltmU_6xoFoMNk8OKAEV_2MCizLSWvEiIavB8B5gRltaDASUSZpR84s2FPCb/s400/Apricot+cut.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Assemble</b>. Pipe or spoon the frangipane into the pasty base and arrange the apricots sideways on in circles or however you wish. Cram them in. They will shrink. Dust lightly with <b>icing sugar</b> to aid the delicious and attractive caramelisation of the fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Bake</b> at 210°C for about 30-40 minutes. Remove when: the pastry edge is golden, the fruit is soft and slightly charred and the frangipane is risen and browning. Trim the edge of the pastry with a sharp knife if you want a neat tart. Or don't bother if you really like pastry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the tart is baking, make the <b>glaze</b>. You must have a glaze. It transforms the tart. For reasons unknown, a glistening tart is so much more attractive than a plain one. You can of course glaze with some apricot jam, thinned with a little hot water. Nah! I wanted to maximise my apricot flavour and jams are often surprisingly insipid things. So I blended about three <b>apricots</b> with some <b>sugar syrup</b> (boil water and sugar 1:1). Yes 'some' sugar suryp - a deliberate imprecision. Do it to taste. Depends how sweet or tart your apricot blend is. Sieve and heat gently in a pan. Add some <b>lemon juice</b> (from that naked lemon) to taste. Now add a teaspoon of thickening <b>arrowroot</b> mixed with a little water and bring the glaze to the boil. Allow to cool before brushing all over the tart top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something creamy goes well with the tart. Perhaps some sweetened vanilla cream or ice cream?</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-32168220388661518172018-04-26T18:42:00.001+01:002018-04-26T18:42:43.526+01:00Orzotto of barley and Jerusalem artichokes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Orzotto. As risotto is rice, an Orzotto is... barley (orzo in Italian). However don't confuse 'orzo' with 'orzo' which is a type of pasta (AKA<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i>risoni</i><span style="background-color: white;"><i> </i>because it looks like, er... barley).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">And this is why I try and use English terms in my kitchen. So let's start again.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">This is a barley pottage, with Jerusalem artichokes, two ways: little boiled chunks and deep fried crispy skins. It's an excellent use of the whole tuber. Because these are not artichokes, they are the root of the sunflower. In yet another linguistic confusion, some poor, confused 16th century scribe heard <i>girasole</i> and wrote Jerusalem. <i>Girasole</i> is Italian for sunflower. In fairness, our made up man was quite devout and maybe the plainsong had been really loud that evening. You know how monks liked to pump up the jam?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">This recipe belongs to chef </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/chefs/david-everitt-matthias">David Everitt-Matthias</a>.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I was looking for new ways to serve barle</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">y, a great staple. Barley is easier to both cook and serve than rice. It's much more forgiving and even benefits from pre-cooking in a way rice just doesn't. Add more water to cooked rice and you often end up with... glue. Barley sucks it up and remains toothsome. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Jerusalem artichokes are one of those like-nothing-else flavours. I love their distinctive taste. I keep seeing them described as </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sweet and nutty but that's misleading, at least to my </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">palate. Their distinctiveness is partly because its storage carbohydrate is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inulin" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inulin</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> instead of starch. Note: INULIN </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> insulin. This is a low calorie carb... so we obviously need to deep fry them or serve with lots of butter. Ha. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some may bang on about the unique health benefits of inulin but that's not my gig at all. However, one incontestable benefit of inulin: its digestion can be quite gaseous in some people. So that's the after dinner cabaret sorted!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">Barley and </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jerusalem artichoke pottage</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Serves six as a starter</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">Start by baking your tubers. Place <b>six 100g </b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Jerusalem artichokes</b> (JAs) on a baking tray and roast at <b>140°C</b> for an <b>hour</b>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stop. That's what David says. <b>Mine took two hours</b>. Maybe his were long and thin. Mine weren't. Less surface area = more oven time. Mine were all kinds of sizes too. Just take them out when they're done.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw. Cute.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Bake until tender. Allow to cool. Split the JAs lengthways into two or four if they are large, scraping out the soft flesh. I found a blunt knife was the best tool for this. It is a faffy job. Takes half an hour maybe. You can't rush it as you need the skins in reasonable shape for deep frying. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cut up the flesh into coarse chunks and reserve for later.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you've ever made a risotto, the rest will be familiar and very easy. If you haven't, it will still be easy and you'll have learned how to make risotto.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a small saucepan, bring about a <b>litre of chicken stock</b> to the boil. You know how I feel about shop bought stock so I'll just presume you've made your own and we'll never speak of it else.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a decent glug of <b>rapeseed</b> <b>oil</b> (for its nutty flavour but use any oil or butter) fry a <b>diced onion</b> until it's translucent. We're not looking for colour. Add a <b>couple of finely chopped garlic cloves</b> and fry for a couple of minutes more. Now pour on <b>150g of pearl barley</b> and fry for a few more minutes. Smell. You should be able to detect the roasting grains.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour on <b>150g of white wine</b> (about a quarter of a bottle) and simmer until most of the wine is reduced. Now add the boiling stock, reserving about a quarter. Cover and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally until the stock has been absorbed. This will take at least half an hour. I sometimes use the rice cooker for this last stage. Try the barley. It's probably too hard. You can leave the barley like this for a while, prepped, until you wish to eat. Stick it in the fridge overnight if you like. It'll be fine.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final additions: mascarpone, butter and Parmesan.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When it comes to dinner, gently reheat the barley and add the rest of the (reboiled) stock. Simmer until absorbed. Taste. You want a little firmness. Add more stock, water or even more wine if it needs it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep frying the skins</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the grains are a-swelling, heat up your deep fat fryer to <b>180°C</b> or heat up some oil. Without a temperature probe, you're using guesswork. Add the skins and fry until crisp and golden. No more than five minutes. If that. Sprinkle with <b>sea salt</b> and set aside. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once you're happy with the texture: season with <b>salt</b> and <b>black pepper</b> and a little <b>dried thyme</b>. Stir in 50g of <b>mascarpone</b>, 30g of grated <b>Parmesan</b> and 30g of <b>unsalted</b> <b>butter</b>. Mix well.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now add the crispy skins on top.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I followed David's example and served the pottage with goats cheese and a peanut & parsley pesto. It would also be good with some beetroot puree and perhaps some toasted halloumi.</span></div>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-80757243831121809772018-04-16T20:46:00.000+01:002018-04-17T01:31:00.739+01:00Carrot cake ice cream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little balls of sunshine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Josie's asking her dad: who's the fat pirate?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It all started in Lower Slaughter, with Thomas, the son, and Josie, the daughter. I was on the wine, they (of course) drank only water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Enough of that. Ever been to Lower Slaughter? It's utterly beguiling at first. All honeyed Cotswold stone buildings with Farrow and Ball trim, aside an ancient brook that feeds a mill. But then you realise this is an empty village, frequented only by coach loads of "it's so pur-dee" Americans and Range Rovers of chippy city people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like us. Except, without the Range Rover.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Belinda</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and I were having dinner with Gaby and Alan from Bristol (it was their anniversary) and their children Josie and Thomas. For dessert, Josie ordered ice cream. I leaned sideways into the children and said quietly "I make ice cream. Next time you come to ours I'll make any flavour. One choice each."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Any flavour?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Anything."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Any? Really"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Yup."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Chocolate." said Josie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"OK <i>apart</i> from chocolate... and vanilla. You can get those anywhere."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some time later we had two agreed choices. For Josie, carrot cake ice cream. For Thomas, cream egg. I'm still working on the Creme Egg version. It'll probably be a big chocolate egg filled with white and yellow ice creams, flavours to be determined. But first, for Josie, carrot cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Carrot cake ice cream</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Makes approx 1.5 litres.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I could have made a base ice cream and added lumps of carrot cake. Nah. I wanted something that tasted OF carrot cake not just featured it as a minor attraction. That meant carrots, cinnamon, walnuts. I googled. There were no recipes. I had fallen off the map.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Start with the carrots. We need to reduce the water content. Obvious way is by baking them. This also sweetens the carrot by caramelising the natural sugars. Water is the enemy of ice-cream. Water = sorbet or granita. Too much water gives you a grainy ice cream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also wanted a crunch element. This would be walnuts, as found in many a cake. I wanted to caramelise the nuts to ensure they stayed crisp... and just for flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are three main elements to this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>carrot and orange puree</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>walnut praline</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This makes a lot of ice cream, enough for 20 scoops, but it's a fair amount of effort to make and the roasting time (and energy) is about the same if it's five kilos or 500g. Let's go big.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I roasted a <b>kilo</b> of <b>carrots</b> for two hours at 160°C. Choose ugly cheap ones. If they start to burn (more than this), cover them in foil. They look brown but that burn is all natural caramel flavour. Just as with steak. You don't want ash, but deep dark brown is all good. Taste it and see. You'll see from the second picture that the roasting removes nearly two thirds of the weight... all of it tasteless water. That's the benefit of pureeing: the concentration of flavour. This must be one of the few ice creams with fibre! I've noticed it doesn't melt as fast as my custard based versions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remove the stalk nibs and roughly chop the carrot. Blend them with <b>420ml</b> of <b>glucose</b> <b>syrup</b> (three supermarket tubes), <b>two tablespoons</b> of <b>golden</b> <b>syrup</b> and <b>400ml</b> of <b>freshly</b> <b>squeezed</b> <b>orange</b> <b>juice</b>. You want the zesty flavour. Both glucose and golden syrups are invert sugars (ish). This reduces the tendency for crystallisation. Blend well until smooth. Sieve to make sure, especially if your blender is a bit pony. You should now have about a litre of this. Cool colour huh? Cover and refrigerate.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgUBS9SS-4HfoI8nuDbhyphenhyphenlMAgNUKRwMpxqD3R8ZRUBmRPmUFFQtN3LHsO3D9DnnYFjEvv5GubI31fDBFaFyvIahoPbU0QRDAFpIyA5MoxAblUsiif5nYv07HSkPHfab8bDawEm00uTzK0/s1600/IMG_9498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1417" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgUBS9SS-4HfoI8nuDbhyphenhyphenlMAgNUKRwMpxqD3R8ZRUBmRPmUFFQtN3LHsO3D9DnnYFjEvv5GubI31fDBFaFyvIahoPbU0QRDAFpIyA5MoxAblUsiif5nYv07HSkPHfab8bDawEm00uTzK0/s640/IMG_9498.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrPnNQM6uYiRnMIlX7GOTc9PyS1oW7JmnTvwX7Lg_YCuWbv_FWN3EufKc1XZtV_95H7m9NS6O52UMzDwyYwGIwr6ZBYB2bzw7G7AHYghrv_XLk0mJ6S4lr4WGeFQvf905isWNG3xd_Kx5/s1600/IMG_9502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1417" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrPnNQM6uYiRnMIlX7GOTc9PyS1oW7JmnTvwX7Lg_YCuWbv_FWN3EufKc1XZtV_95H7m9NS6O52UMzDwyYwGIwr6ZBYB2bzw7G7AHYghrv_XLk0mJ6S4lr4WGeFQvf905isWNG3xd_Kx5/s320/IMG_9502.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now make the <b>walnut praline</b>. Basically toasted nuts in toffee. Roast <b>150g</b> of <b>walnut</b> <b>pieces</b> at <b>180°C for ten minutes</b>. You want a good deep colour and a crisp nut. Allow to cool then break them down into small pieces using the back of your hands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The praline is simple but needs constant attention. Make it in a heavy pan with a light coloured interior. You need to see the colour change in the sugar. I have a lovely old tinned copper pan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix <b>200g caster sugar</b> with a few <b>tablespoons</b> of <b>water</b>. Dissolve the sugar over a low heat then fire up the hob. Big burner. Watch carefully as the sugar changes colour from clear to amber to deep gold to well... caramel colour. Don't stir and be careful. This stuff will be approaching 180°C. I tend to move the pan around to like a clock. Burners are never even. Have a sink of cold water handy. You can carefully lower the pan in the water to stop the cooking if needs be. The darker the colour, the more bitter the flavour. But this isn't bad bitter. That's what caramel means. Just not black. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85mEyhnL-z-5wrEnrGXNHqZCZQlOTdYjPmDtHbAinfarREzdonRG29hgVWL75nzjB0kyYb-1uLz3Mfw3pxhIpEBTKfIlR8Fi7_q1uYXdF8NWzXVUj-CGYHWheSco_-9ezrClQQjzgtlne/s1600/IMG_9500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1417" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85mEyhnL-z-5wrEnrGXNHqZCZQlOTdYjPmDtHbAinfarREzdonRG29hgVWL75nzjB0kyYb-1uLz3Mfw3pxhIpEBTKfIlR8Fi7_q1uYXdF8NWzXVUj-CGYHWheSco_-9ezrClQQjzgtlne/s640/IMG_9500.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sugar dissolved. Up with the heat. Note the colour change just starting on the right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHPzi0dj8s4gilSJdFOOgeA2R7ZE2V62BjRjgTPM65ZFUrpPKg6kXvpUYHy3VDT1nI7nv3HzuCJ2X3jGKdPE51Z_mAmyvZF0-FXQ91zJM6PG_tIZeyHkaYarTnXJAS4m1Pob_JnNAZB4V/s1600/IMG_9504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1134" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHPzi0dj8s4gilSJdFOOgeA2R7ZE2V62BjRjgTPM65ZFUrpPKg6kXvpUYHy3VDT1nI7nv3HzuCJ2X3jGKdPE51Z_mAmyvZF0-FXQ91zJM6PG_tIZeyHkaYarTnXJAS4m1Pob_JnNAZB4V/s640/IMG_9504.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caramel. If you have a probe, this will read around 180°C.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stir in your roasted nuts and pour the praline onto some baking paper, or preferably silicon. It will cool quickly to a solid. Break this into pieces and blitz into small chunks (and some sugary dust) pour the whole lot into an airtight container. Praline, like all burnt sugar products, deliquesces quickly. It takes in water from the air. Leave it out too long and your delightful amber jewels will meld together in a most unhelpful way.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walnut praline.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you're ready to churn... mix the chilled carrot puree with about <b>half a litre</b> of <b>double</b> <b>cream</b>. I say 'about' because I'm not yet fully minded. More cream makes it creamy and god, I love creamy, but it obviously diminishes the carrot flavour. Vanilla, this ain't. So taste. See. Decide. You need some cream (at least 300ml) otherwise you're making sorbet. You might want to sweeten with more golden syrup. Remember chilling reduces our perception of sweetness so it should be slightly sweeter than you like. Terrible instruction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now add a big pinch of <b>cinnamon</b>. Taste. A small pinch of <b>salt</b>. Yes. <b>Salt</b>. Stir well. Taste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Churn in your machine. You may need to churn in batches. Towards the end as things are firming up, pour in the nuts. Chill in the freezer for at least a couple of hours.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM4ewtrxflAvRVeM7zuZD7W0mtxQ5wosLE1HpUn3iasLpH30v9j7CNYRykrKcGyoICocM1cAB5WxTKatNVm_4HJQYBAF6NWBa-QZ_p_9-qFv3Uh9NNFI2LgsSzcLIRV5fN5X8YJjndnRF/s1600/IMG_9520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1417" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM4ewtrxflAvRVeM7zuZD7W0mtxQ5wosLE1HpUn3iasLpH30v9j7CNYRykrKcGyoICocM1cAB5WxTKatNVm_4HJQYBAF6NWBa-QZ_p_9-qFv3Uh9NNFI2LgsSzcLIRV5fN5X8YJjndnRF/s320/IMG_9520.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pain d'épices. Isn't it magnificent?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To serve. Big scoops in a bowl. It's a... satisfying ice cream with enough flavour and texture to live by itself. But... I like a faff and we had friends round. I made a <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2014/05/pain-depices-spiced-fruit-loaf.html">pain d'epices</a> (French spiced bread/cake) and toasted slices. "It's ice-cream on toast!" Exclaimed Matt. I was pleased though because Helen correctly </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">guessed the flavour on her first spoonful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I drizzled the toast with some sweetened Philadelphia cream cheese. You see the link? For added interest and for more cakey, toasty notes, I added some chocolate granola (<a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/12/vegan-dessert-spiced-poached-apple-with.html">like this one</a> but made with butter not coconut fat) in a smudge of orange syrup. I'd forgotten how much I love pain d'spices. I must also do more with gingerbread.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was the development dish. I suspect I'll serve the ice cream as a pain d'spices sandwich topped with the sweet Philly and surrounded by the granola and candied carrot pieces.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Josie's not tried it yet. I will update you when she does.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-19580955224182621982018-04-16T00:17:00.000+01:002018-04-18T00:08:49.238+01:00Fennel Fritters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I adore these. Call it <i>tempura</i> if you like. Or <i>fritto misto, bahji, no-name pak. </i>Every culture has this dish of vegetables deep fried in a light batter. For some reason we don't seem to do it much in the UK. Fennel is transformed by deep frying. Yes, OK, arguably all veg are (chips!) but fennel's delicate flavour and texture works so well here. I put this as a side with pork, chicken or fish. Cut smaller, it's also great as a 'nibble', served ow-ow-ow hot, straight from the fryer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Batter matters. There are many variations. I use an egg white and cornflour. It sticks well and puffs delightfully. I always seem to have spare egg white in my fridge; a consequence no doubt of my many adventures in ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Fennel Fritters</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Serves six as a side.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxxqFK-HosslSSFyK8hx5nIK_GXu-JQJUIHqVU-qHADcqjGnbqBv55hIv3YY0hi8n3kT1YgLfrXK5kk0YqC6Le9XhP7Z07VZVAFXCu_OhbkcyjFkBOeQyv2TF7-dbmRbzr2wyCnzkN6ZZ/s1600/IMG_9483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1134" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxxqFK-HosslSSFyK8hx5nIK_GXu-JQJUIHqVU-qHADcqjGnbqBv55hIv3YY0hi8n3kT1YgLfrXK5kk0YqC6Le9XhP7Z07VZVAFXCu_OhbkcyjFkBOeQyv2TF7-dbmRbzr2wyCnzkN6ZZ/s320/IMG_9483.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Slice the tough bottom off a large fennel and any stalky ends. Slice the rest lengthways quite thinly, a few mm. Leave on any green fronds. These look and taste great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix up a batter by whisking <b>two egg whites</b> to floppy. Add a <b>tablespoon</b> of <b>cornflower</b> and whisk well. It should feel like gloss paint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Roll the slices of fennel around in the batter and drop individually into oil heated to <b>180°C</b>. If you put it all in together, that's exactly how it'll come out. The fritters will float tenaciously as the batter bubbles so keep them dunked under. After a couple of minutes, turn the fritters in the oil. Remove after another couple of minutes or until golden.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qMg0ysGz1dT7T4QkDjOiUfBlO6-TaQ4z6IEd0SwxJErkDaWLPYed8ZjCBerhGRqV1gndBl1fCA_bZGZPjcm8QQ3-DmzrMSvKSUPuHdmNiqWUUQ1MJw4mp4YpZlcD8kSETFDuKP63S1IU/s1600/IMG_9491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="567" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qMg0ysGz1dT7T4QkDjOiUfBlO6-TaQ4z6IEd0SwxJErkDaWLPYed8ZjCBerhGRqV1gndBl1fCA_bZGZPjcm8QQ3-DmzrMSvKSUPuHdmNiqWUUQ1MJw4mp4YpZlcD8kSETFDuKP63S1IU/s200/IMG_9491.JPG" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can of course take them out just before ready and then refry just before service. Especially useful if, like me, you have an open kitchen and don't necessarily want that chip shop vibe.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-65107970819100133152018-02-06T21:48:00.001+00:002018-04-15T23:31:18.590+01:00Mrs Judy Bell and a multi part tart of very fine cheeses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mrs Bell's Blue</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Hello, can I speak to Katie please?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Speaking."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I am singed with excitement. This is Kate Bell; sister of Caroline; daughter to Judy Bell, maker of one of the UK's finest cheeses: Mrs Bell's Blue. Sounds like a jazz ballad, tastes like... minimum ten week matured, ewe's milk. Katie said the quality of the milk they get is very high and they work with their farmer to ensure consistency. Milk obviously varies with the seasons.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Katie and Caroline of Shepherds Purse Cheeses </i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is an exquisite cheese; nothing like a shouty Stilton, this whispers in your ear: cream... nuts... a gentle zing of piquant blue. Follow me, follow me... it sings. Ahhh. Closer to a top quality Roquefort but... even better (and less salty).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first tried it in <a href="http://www.holtwhitesbakery.co.uk/">Holtwhites Bakery</a> last Christmas (thanks Kate). It was the start of a long relationship. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mrs Bell's Blue with some fruit bread and a dab of plum relish was my festive highlight (all available at Holtwhites).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I rang Katie to check if I could use a picture off their website. She said yes. So this is her and her sister. They make the cheese to their mother's recipe as part of <a href="https://www.shepherdspurse.co.uk/our-cheeses.html">Shepherd</a></span><a href="https://www.shepherdspurse.co.uk/our-cheeses.html" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">s Purse Cheeses</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> up in Thirsk, Yorkshire, the company they now run. Mrs Bell's is one of seven. Six of which I've not tried. However... Joy! They also do a complete mail order service so we can soon all be unwrapping our septuple of truckles.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Blue cheese tart</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wanted to make a tart to celebrate the cheese. Why a tart? Cooking a blue convinces many a reluctant guest to try its dairy goodness. I especially wanted to serve it with pickled pears and a hazelnut salad. I've now fed this to over 50 friends and guests and NONE have disliked it. This includes at least ten of the 'not keen on blue' brigade. All loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trouble is, if you churn blue cheese into a tart mix, you tend too get grey tart. Not cool. Especially this particular 'you really should throw those pants out now Steve' shade of grey. So I decided to make a <i>cream</i> <i>cheese</i> tart and then layer the blue on the top in thin slices. This also preserves the cheese's distinctive appearance. Of course, top loading like this means you can use different cheeses easily. Hell, you can even use two or three in the same tart. I've tried this with small cubes of <a href="https://www.thecheeseshed.com/products/cheese/goat/item/ticklemore">Ticklemore</a> goats cheese. Works well too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mrs Bell's Blue Tart</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Serves 10 (so long as some don't mind t'ends)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First the pastry. This is most of the faff. I make a cheese and thyme, egg enriched shortcrust, using a food processor. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is robust, easy to handle and crisps up well. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can of course do this by hand and let's be honest, if you do, you'll probably know more about pastry than me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Cheese and thyme pastry.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a food processor add: 125g cold <b>unsalted</b> <b>butter</b> to 250g of <b>plain flour</b>. Blitz to breadcrumbs. Add a tablespoon of fresh <b>thyme</b> <b>leaves</b>, picked off the stalks, 30g of finely grated <b>parmesan</b> and a good grind of <b>black pepper</b>. Blitz until incorporated. Add one beaten <b>egg</b>. Pulse until incorporated. Now dribble in 40ml of <b>cold water </b>as you pulse<b>, </b>until the mix starts to ball up. You may not need all the water. You may need slightly more. It should be a stiff dough. Don't add salt by the way. The parmesan does that job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remove the dough and knead a little to make it elastic and smooth. Not long. Flatten in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour or more. You can also freeze it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>T'tin for t'tart</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use a loose bottomed <b>23cm oblong tart tin</b> with sides of about 3cm. Obviously you can use a round one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On a floured surface, roll out the pastry until thinner than a pound coin/Euro. No idea what that is in the USA. Sorry. Drape into the tin and gently push the pastry into the corners. overlap the pastry on top. Don't cut it yet as the tart will shrink down the sides and you'll have something more akin to a big cracker than a tart. Prick all over the bottom with a fork (of the pastry you fool!). Line with greaseproof paper (easier if you scrunch it up first) and fill beans/rice/coins to bake blind. Bake for <b>18 minutes</b> at <b>180°C</b>. Then remove the blind filling and bake open for another<b> seven minutes</b>. The inside base should be crisp and browning. I can't bear pallid pastry. Now brush the insides with <b>egg wash</b> and bake for another <b>three minutes</b>. The case should now be light and crisp. The egg wash helps waterproof the pastry preventing any unwanted sogginess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the pastry is still warm, trim the edges with a knife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Cheese filling.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The filling is a doddle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beat four <b>egg yolks</b> with 200ml <b>double cream </b>and 250g of <b>cream cheese</b> and a good pinch of <b>salt</b>. <i>Note: If you're making a goats cheese tart, you may want a huge handful of finely chopped chives. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour this into the tart case. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finely slice up 200g of <b>Mrs Bells Blue cheese</b> (or some other cracking British blue) and lay over the top of the mix. You should be able to completely mosaic the surface.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the middle of the oven, bake at <b>180°C </b>for at least <b>eighteen</b> and up to maybe <b>twenty five minutes</b>. I don't know why it varies so much. You want a little wobble; a sexy judder, when you excite the tart. DON'T bake it firm. The filling will set. It's all cream cheese and egg yolk remember.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remove and allow to cool. Serve it warm or at room temperature. It won't cut well when hot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This demands some acidity and crunch which is why I went for a pickled pear and a roasted hazelnut salad, with a dressing made from the pear pickling liquor and some good quality, nutty rapeseed oil.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the Ticklemore goats cheese. See the little chunks?</i></td></tr>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-50369886377668300502017-12-11T00:02:00.004+00:002017-12-11T13:14:27.565+00:00The New River Dining Brownie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Terrible name: brownie. The Americans christened it. They aren't noted for their imagination in naming desserts. It's cooked so what shall we call it? A cookie. It's a pie with Key limes. Key lime pie! Ice cream in a split banana. Banana split. See. But surely they could have done better than this. It's brown. What shall we call it? Sheesh. It was Fannie Farmer apparently. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Farmer">Yes, a real name</a>. She has form. <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2013/03/bloody-bloody-bloody-cups-rant.html">It was her who popularised cups, the insane volumetric measuring system that reigns still today</a> in the US. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This delicious, fudgy dessert started as chocolate cookie but then Fannie made them as a tray bake and the brownie was born. I am very proud of my version but I use the same recipe as everyone else... with some tiny twists. I'm not being modest; they are tiny. Across all the books and the web, there isn't much variation. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So if the recipe is the same the world over what makes a good brownie. Two things:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Quality of ingredient, but especially the chocolate. See those pale brown commercial things? Not enough cocoa. That's the chief brownie sin. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They should be dark in colour; interestingly dark, like the back corner of a Jazz club. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use </span><a href="http://www.chocolatetradingco.com/buy/valrhona-guanaja-70-dark-chocolate-bar?gclid=CjwKCAiA07PRBRBJEiwAS20SIFbjO1f0fSA45R55aiSaM5dZWxWwQ-p0Ryr7Req-AGmXMEDavqLkxhoCLMcQAvD_BwE" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Valrhona</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, the world's best in my opinion. Also one of the most expensive. If not, use Lindt or Green and Blacks. Brownies are not good cheap. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The chocolate should be dark - 70%. Milk chocolate is just too sweet and lacking in cocoa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Baking time. The other brownie sin is dryness. They should be gooey. If in doubt, under bake. They'll still be edible and delicious. You just might need a bowl. Commercial brownies are often light and dry from too much lost moisture. Don't let yours be. Their weight should sink a cardiologist's heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I use dried cherries and pecans but any nut will do. Pecans have a pleasing and easy crunch though. I've baked with soaked sultanas when I couldn't find cherries. They work but lack the tartness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Brownie</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes 20 dessert size or 40 kid friendly bites.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bpXl5HsFXOhi4XjxTkETuLijxX51Jo85QstzQ2_CtNq3nHiLypinnQJlK_VopEZWng8lHdAEHvAWKShNRMDqbAr_XkgPEj-it7tVFLNV55Cf0fNFBqnndSSY4uRRIx73szj3ycpJV6on/s1600/IMG_5081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1417" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bpXl5HsFXOhi4XjxTkETuLijxX51Jo85QstzQ2_CtNq3nHiLypinnQJlK_VopEZWng8lHdAEHvAWKShNRMDqbAr_XkgPEj-it7tVFLNV55Cf0fNFBqnndSSY4uRRIx73szj3ycpJV6on/s320/IMG_5081.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful shiny mix. Don't eat it yet.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Soak 75g of <b>dried cherries</b> in hot water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Melt 250g <b>unsalted butter.</b> Remove from the heat. To the warm pan add 250g of the best <b>dark chocolate </b>you are willing to afford. Stir in to melt the chocolate. This is my way; much quicker than the bowl perched over boiling water and mine's never split.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix together in a large bowl: a pinch of <b>salt</b>, 80g of best quality <b>cocoa powder</b>, 80g <b>plain flour</b>, a teaspoon of<b> baking powder</b> and 320g <b>caster sugar</b>. Into this, mix the still liquid buttery chocolate. Add four large beaten <b>eggs</b> and then the <i>drained</i> <b>cherries</b> along with 75g of chopped <b>pecans</b> (or any nut). Finally add two teaspoons of <b>instant coffee</b> dissolved in a little boiling water to make a paste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Line a shallow 25cm baking tray (needs a decent side) with baking paper. Actually I use two oblong baking trays but that's only to ease cutting and improve presentation. The mix will rise about 20% when baked so don't brim the tin.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake for no more than 25 minutes at <b>180°C</b>. The mix should be risen with a very thin crust but still sexually soft. Be brave. Being made of massive amounts of butter and chocolate, they will harden a lot on cooling. Just like your arteries! Allow to cool before trying to extract from the tin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These demand to be eaten with <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/12/adult-ice-cream-vanilla-chocolate-rum.html">vanilla ice cream </a>or at the very least a gloop of double cream/blob of creme fraiche. This is not the time to be worrying about calories. In the supper club it's usually with some crystallised pecans and a salted caramel sauce; a proper, bitter caramel.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsLxGS0sACdbnlcs6Z0iYvOLvT-3aGa5jZ-Cqj4-QIXcHTKi4REwD1FQtuABtnUpH4srT7JqPFgAWkUqTPBNlS97Y4HZ1_YgfWxizMBP3erAHIm4o715tzS5zvU3-tUUHTYkAIdkcVTbj/s1600/IMG_9177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1260" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsLxGS0sACdbnlcs6Z0iYvOLvT-3aGa5jZ-Cqj4-QIXcHTKi4REwD1FQtuABtnUpH4srT7JqPFgAWkUqTPBNlS97Y4HZ1_YgfWxizMBP3erAHIm4o715tzS5zvU3-tUUHTYkAIdkcVTbj/s640/IMG_9177.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-2841553120222499932017-12-05T02:50:00.002+00:002017-12-08T12:47:20.358+00:00Cucumber gel. What?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvsP5zPRU7SypQLykV8rZTRfMEXJpfnyIL3Z-Z2azg2OYAMG07bYL1XooEmdFbVzxuKiHMC5SnuvQG2KOGsA7fizyb6wT34JtSKxTLqBpfJiYvTKeqcur6Mi1I1X7i1OA9gcjoWHtpG0Z/s1600/Glazed+salmon+with+cuc+gel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvsP5zPRU7SypQLykV8rZTRfMEXJpfnyIL3Z-Z2azg2OYAMG07bYL1XooEmdFbVzxuKiHMC5SnuvQG2KOGsA7fizyb6wT34JtSKxTLqBpfJiYvTKeqcur6Mi1I1X7i1OA9gcjoWHtpG0Z/s640/Glazed+salmon+with+cuc+gel.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber gel with glazed salmon on marinated courgette ribbons and garnished with red amaranth</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't like cucumber in its natural firm form. I've always winced at the green tubes of vegetable slime, sliced or diced, especially with tuna. insipid and slippery stuff; like licking a sea cave wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, juice the thing, season it, add a little apple for piquancy and acidity and you have a light, flavoursome sauce that's just perfect with fish, especially oily fish (as not pictured above. That's glazed salmon).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Saucing fish is a tricky business. Something as fragile a flavour as cod or sole needs respect and a tentative touch. I'm not a fan of piling on heavy cream or herby butter based concoctions And Tomato? Olives? Nooooo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I realise that it's winter and cucumber is the quintessential summer veg (technically it's a fruit of course. Of course), normally seen in delicate, decrusted bread triangles; nibbled with pinkie poised. <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2017/12/ham-hock-terrine-and-pea-and-ham-soup.html">But as I explained in an earlier blog</a>, I'm rubbish at timing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So much for the bantz. Shall we get on with the recipe?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh. No. One thing. A warning. The recipe uses a couple of unusual ingredients: agar agar and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/10556347/A-Z-of-unusual-ingredients-xanthan-gum.html">xanthan gum</a>; normally found in the 'home baking' aisle where only the freaks and vegans huddle. Be careful with the xanthan gum. It's a very useful emulsifier and thickener often used in gluten free baking to add structure. BUT It is the very WORST thing to drop on your floor. Guess who did? All over. You will find any moisture turns your tiles into a slime rink. I had to scrub my floor eight times. Oh, it was hilarious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Cucumber Gel.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes enough for 8 people as a main meal.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is based on Stephen Smith's recipe</span>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You'll need a juicer. You could try blending the cucumbers and then fine sieving through muslin though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a small pan reduce 200ml of (not from concentrate) <b>apple juice</b> to a sticky syrup with a pinch of <b>salt</b> and two of <b>sugar</b>. Keep an eye on it. Don't let it burn.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9E5Ke7_kOnMaDoJGWr_t1z7QdMMUzm9Wy0ppBXsdxvz3x6sx2eqKgpYRHx1NcuTuQ5be9SvbvPkENo0uxnD7zb8UsFzktEC7yBMyyC2Z5F04L7rZCwdAbqOSNEyK5qgP1Tgh6QkAqbIoc/s1600/images-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9E5Ke7_kOnMaDoJGWr_t1z7QdMMUzm9Wy0ppBXsdxvz3x6sx2eqKgpYRHx1NcuTuQ5be9SvbvPkENo0uxnD7zb8UsFzktEC7yBMyyC2Z5F04L7rZCwdAbqOSNEyK5qgP1Tgh6QkAqbIoc/s200/images-6.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Juice one and a half <b>cucumbers</b>. Add a quarter of the juice to the apple syrup in the pan along with 4g, just over half a packet, of <b>agar agar</b> - often sold as '<i>vege ge</i>l' or '<i>vegetarian gelatine</i>'. Whisk in and bring to the boil. Simmer for no more than a minute. Set aside to cool and set. It may look very strange when cool. My first one did. Don't worry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the remaining juice, add a quarter teaspoon of <b>xantham gum</b> and whisk in. Add this to the agar agar/apple/cuc mix and blend until smooth. Put in the fridge to firm up. Remember this is a gel not a jelly. It should be pourable but not runny. If it blobs, whisk in a little water or (better) some more cucumber juice.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not to worry</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reason it's done in two stages is because the cucumber juice discolours when heated with the agar agar. Adding the unboiled juice maintains a rich, fresh, grassy green. Boil the whole lot and although it'll taste the same, it looks murky and unattractive. Trust me. That was my second attempt after thinking, this is quite a palaver, why don't I just...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This works well as a sauce with all kinds of fish but also as a side salad with cheese. Mix it with more diced cucumber, diced apple, a little finely cut mint and some rape seed oil. The colour is fantastic.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-77395058186918922902017-12-04T00:10:00.002+00:002017-12-05T02:51:48.904+00:00Ham hock terrine (and pea and ham soup)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm really not very good at blogging. The actual writing bit I can manage, and the photography is improving, but, but, but, the social interfacing, the digital glad handing, the brand building... I'm woeful at. Other food bloggers match their writing to major events; so you'll get a build up to Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's, Easter, summer... Others, remembering that blogs are international and their readers aren't confined to Palmers Green, will include events from other populous parts of the world so they'll feature festivals such as Thanksgiving, the World Cup or Diwali. Not me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But no more! Here's my dish to celebrate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(Finland)">National Finland Day</a>. December 6th. 100 years a country. H</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">yvää itsenäisyyspäivää, Suomi!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No not really.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObcg2SkO2rKBDWVBNCjjLK1qmsMPpVa5tumY0yUx1Si6SwvOGL-i24hLOtvwA7gZYukRVyHlFtNjZBfUrkOOV8pUs0aiiFKfx10Lw783317vNKQP1J9hyPthUU8mOAoI6tNrEf94oo_lf/s1600/IMG_9030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObcg2SkO2rKBDWVBNCjjLK1qmsMPpVa5tumY0yUx1Si6SwvOGL-i24hLOtvwA7gZYukRVyHlFtNjZBfUrkOOV8pUs0aiiFKfx10Lw783317vNKQP1J9hyPthUU8mOAoI6tNrEf94oo_lf/s320/IMG_9030.JPG" width="308" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is just by chance that I have recently made a dish that is perfect for Boxing day so I could pretend this is part of some advent recipe scheme. It's not. I wish. In fact, the next blog will be about a <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2017/12/cucumber-gel-what.html">cucumber ge</a>l. About as Christmassy as flip flops.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ham hock is a very popular, very cheap and very flavoursome joint of pork; even more so if it's smoked. Given the choice I prefer most things smoked. Apart from my house. Although Etien may disagree there. Very often when I'm enthusing with a skillet, he'll come in coughing conspicuously, turn the extractor to full and leave with a sanctimonious look skywards and a door slam. He's 17 now so obviously he is beyond reproach.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making a terrine of the ham hock gives you a delicious, handy food item that can be left in the fridge and sliced as needed. Just dandy for that hungover December 26th dinner. Two hocks will cost about a tenner and serve 10-12 people.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is a time consuming process but most of that time the pork is doing the work, not you. You will need a tin of some form but there is no reason why a terrine need be a long oblong. Go mad and make it circular.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaaaargh.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a side benefit too. As part of the hock prep, you'll end up with a couple of litres of hock stock (ha). Boil this up with some frozen peas and you have a brilliant, next-to-no-cost pea and ham soup of a colour that will amaze your eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A warning though: you will need some pig feet and these are only available from a butcher. My family seem to have an inexplicable revulsion to pig's toes. I know not why. But they will run out of the kitchen if I come at them brandishing a trotter. It's bizarre really because the hock is just the back of the foot really; the ankle.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Ham Hock Terrine.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Serves 10-12</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From yoour butcher buy two <b>ham hocks</b> (smoked or not) and two <b>trotters</b>. Get the butcher to split the trotters. Small children will love inspecting the insides of the feet. Teenagers and adults will run away crying 'ew, ew, ew'.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a large pot with plenty of <b>water</b>, bring the hocks of the feet to the boil. Skim scum. Boil for about <b>ten minutes</b> and then pour away the water. No, they're not cooked. That was merely the wash boil. Now replace the porky doings in the pot and add: a bottle of <b>white wine</b>, four tablespoons of <b>cider or white wine vinegar</b>, a handful of <b>peppercorns</b>, a couple of sticks of chopped <b>celery</b>, two <b>bay leaves</b> and a bunch of <b>thyme</b>, <b>parsley</b> and <b>rosemary</b>. Top up the pot with cold water to cover the hocks and feet.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of hours, scum skimming occasionally. You'll know when the hams are done because the bones will be mobile. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquor. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're scum you are!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now remove the hocks from the liquor. Keep the stock but throw away the trotters, or give to a delighted dog. Unwrap the hock skin and fat and pull out the bones. Pick the meat apart into nuggets, cleaning off any white fat.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Taste the cool ham stock. Hopefully not too salty. It should be flavoursome. This will be your terrine jelly. Take a litre, strain though a sieve, and add about 6g (a packet) of <b>veggie-gelatine</b>. It's actually <b>agar</b> <b>agar</b>. It's in the home baking section of the supermarket. I've found the ham stock by itself doesn't have enough gelatine to set properly. You could reduce the stock of course but that risks rendering it sea water salty. Whisk in the agar agar and bring to the boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This makes quite a gentle jelly. I wanted a slippery mouth feel. I don't want rubbery. If you do. Add twice the amount of agar agar.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a bowl, mix your ham pieces with a big handful of chopped <b>parsley</b> and a tablespoon of <b>capers</b>. You could also add small pieces of <b>apple</b> and/or <b>cornichon</b>. I didn't as I was serving mine with a pickled apple salad. Taste. Add some pepper maybe but no salt. Remember your stock is fairly salty.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my first terrine. The one that was tricky to cut. Lay your pieces across not along.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Line your terrine tin (bowl, tray, whatever) with two layers of cling film allowing a serious amount of overlap to cover the top of the terrine. Fill it full of the ham mix. I recommend lying the pieces sideways (parallel to the ends) rather than lengthways This makes it much easier to cut, especially if, like me, you're after neat slices. Press the meat down firmly. Now pour in the agar agar stock to just cover the meat. Bang the terrine on the work surface to ensure the liquid fills every crevice. Cover with the cling film and <b>refrigerate overnight</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now it's ready to serve. Carefully turn out onto a board, remove the film and slice.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I served mine with some warm pease pudding (blog coming soon) and a <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/09/roast-pork-loin-in-balsamic-dressing.html">pickled apple salad</a>, which is one of the finest things I've ever come up with. It works brilliantly with pork.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>And finally</b>. You'll have a couple of litres probably of the ham stock. To make a startlingly tasty soup, strain the stock, add a kilo of <b>frozen peas</b> and bring to the boil. Simmer for no more than two minutes. Liquidise. Season. You know pea and ham soup is so often this dreary cardboard colour. Nuh huh. Not this. This is the colour of bright peas.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you have some small pieces of the meat, so much the better. You could always add some bits of cooked <b>bacon</b> or <b>pancetta</b>, some chopped mint or a blob of <b>creme fraiche</b>. Free soup! For the day after boxing day.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-85374575986334401122017-10-03T01:57:00.002+01:002017-10-03T13:14:08.260+01:00Rose tea ice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The palate cleanser is a ritual of ours. We always serve something slushy between mains and dessert. In truth I have no idea why. I'm sure someone (probably a Frenchman) has concocted a justification but it's evades me now. Something dainty and chilled consumed with a teeny-tiny spoon does seem to help the stomach contract - probably just a placebo, but a pleasant one.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B4A330YhYHFHv3QmzZjHmyBDE4Xinb629DJlmyRmwgqEVvG19oIVrsH-tLa3U3lfwZBFYyhJJvOpQwgSZ2gk98Vx0PaL5gcmbNUV1zWBTfdlT6gJjhvF_JGfkMi-dZ9DZBTfoC6gGe2m/s1600/IMG_8421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="851" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B4A330YhYHFHv3QmzZjHmyBDE4Xinb629DJlmyRmwgqEVvG19oIVrsH-tLa3U3lfwZBFYyhJJvOpQwgSZ2gk98Vx0PaL5gcmbNUV1zWBTfdlT6gJjhvF_JGfkMi-dZ9DZBTfoC6gGe2m/s400/IMG_8421.JPG" width="284" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It began with <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2014/05/pineapple-and-lime-ice.html">Pineapple and lime ice.</a> Then came the much more complex <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2016/11/green-tea-mint-and-bourbon-ice.html">Green Tea Ice</a> with hints of citrus and bourbon. Occasionally it's a tangy <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/06/orange-sorbet.html">orange sorbet</a>. This one was a result of our 2017 Indian trip. It's also the easiest. If you can make a cup of sweet tea, you can make this... if you can get hold of the brew. 'Everyday ingredients made differently' is our mantra, well this is rose tea. It ain't everyday unless you live in the mist-fall* Mountains of Kerala. It's doubtless available via Amazon but that rather spoils my attempt at mystique.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was purchased in bulk (six tins) at the <a href="http://www.kdhptea.com/">Munnar Tea Museum</a>. It has working machinery (and not enough safety guards for my liking) walking you through tea from bush to dryers to rollers to bag.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rose tea is a traditional <i>digestif</i> so it seemed like a good choice for a palate cleanser. It also contains antioxidants like quercetin and ellagic acid. Anyone? It has a good blend of aroma and mouth drying tannins. However, I wanted more rose flavour so I also added some dried petals. These are available from Indian supermarkets or <a href="https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/dried-red-rose-petals-250g.html">online</a>. The colour you see is entirely natural too.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Munnar Tea Museum</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Floral-ity in cooking must be approached with considerable caution. It's a short walk through the nose garden of delicate lavender, rose or violet to Nan's knicker drawer, or worse, a tumble into the under sink area of detergents and air freshners. For that reason, I avoided rose-water. I wanted neither Turkish Delight nor medicinal pastilles. The rose here is all natural, in petal form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Full disclosure, this does not appeal to some. Even in this frozen form I've had guests tell me it's too perfumed. But that's the exact reason others like it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One surprising thing I learned about tea bushes is they are in fact very old and very small trees; bonsai, if you like. They only want the new tips so it's easier to keep the plants dwarf. Every one of the millions of trees are carefully hand trimmed. On the landscape this looks magnificent. Mile after mile of deep green, corduroy hills; tea thickets interspersed with tall, lean, silver grey </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Eucalyptus for shade.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgRtpmH71AWP4Jc1oJs-IqEx0RkKSEMJJp44hgtaDfhdEo7cVymm6blw1NFw6JN0fCGDofKXxr0qCUUrnueJr3ZhVbb_68tiBdLomG-9Lv1VOjVmGVFSW0Ri8IxI-A_eMEFATnzEV5gCq/s1600/Kerala+Tea+Hills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgRtpmH71AWP4Jc1oJs-IqEx0RkKSEMJJp44hgtaDfhdEo7cVymm6blw1NFw6JN0fCGDofKXxr0qCUUrnueJr3ZhVbb_68tiBdLomG-9Lv1VOjVmGVFSW0Ri8IxI-A_eMEFATnzEV5gCq/s640/Kerala+Tea+Hills.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*Mist-fall? Before my copy checker chides me (hello Ming), here's the evidence. I walked out of our plantation hotel early one morning to see this, cascading down the Western Ghats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuvnIapQjHcFL8CtC7PHlv7WGb9CL_2DAwOZR7CJ3weOtbGggXAySXZtA17IdBZcUx0RKtDs8o6Uk4hyphenhyphen0q43ZkZPD8Jm0ImBuLfsu3wRxtcACCk8B0VjtsLTG4LuK4XTl5L8T-_xaoThF/s1600/Mist+fall.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuvnIapQjHcFL8CtC7PHlv7WGb9CL_2DAwOZR7CJ3weOtbGggXAySXZtA17IdBZcUx0RKtDs8o6Uk4hyphenhyphen0q43ZkZPD8Jm0ImBuLfsu3wRxtcACCk8B0VjtsLTG4LuK4XTl5L8T-_xaoThF/s640/Mist+fall.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Rose Tea Ice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes 2 litres</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBqgRy59JrxZllSz4DBNt-IuTZ6mO9Xosr1E6KoHvMQJFtnWVdrgeXqNbOk5-XtwmmP9LPb-KhwViEE8hvwciPYTTQq-9NVvH1AByS-hZu1F3RWRA0Es5ceg8r6qte69lYLZwxmv1fVTg/s1600/IMG_8428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBqgRy59JrxZllSz4DBNt-IuTZ6mO9Xosr1E6KoHvMQJFtnWVdrgeXqNbOk5-XtwmmP9LPb-KhwViEE8hvwciPYTTQq-9NVvH1AByS-hZu1F3RWRA0Es5ceg8r6qte69lYLZwxmv1fVTg/s320/IMG_8428.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a large jug or bowl, add <b>40g</b> of <b>rose tea</b> to <b>two litres</b> of just boiled <b>water</b>. Don't add more than this. Your tea will be bitter. Stir in <b>500g</b> of <b>caster</b> <b>sugar</b>. Keep stirring to dissolve. Taste. you might want more sugar. Remember freezing reduces our perception of sweetness. Add a big handful (such precision) of <b>dried rose petals</b> and stir. Cover with clingfilm and leave for an hour. No more, don't want stewed tea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Strain the tea through a sieve into a clip-lock plastic box. Chill in the fridge and then freeze overnight. Shake vigorously every few hours to encourage those crystals. The sugar will prevent it freezing block solid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To serve, scrape with a fork into small glasses.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Tea picking in Kerala. I believe this is destined for Tetley.</span></td></tr>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-83061573058450863562017-09-22T00:51:00.002+01:002017-09-22T12:39:03.105+01:00Dulce de leche ice cream (with raspberries)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dulce de leche ice cream on a bed of chocolate crumb, shortbread biscuit, freeze dried raspberries,<br />
fresh raspberries and raspberry gel.<br />
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I need to apply my raspberry gel more evenly. In fact, I need a thicker gel.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"This is the best dessert I've eaten."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"What? Today?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Ever."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not good with compliments, which is handy as I'm rarely over-burdened by them. I usually swat them away with fairly bad grace and an explication of either pathological politeness or simple drunkenness on the part of my guest. But... I've experienced versions of the above exchange three times in one week now. I have a hit on my hands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before I'm accused of the humblebrag ("Looks like they're giving awards to anyone these days." Tweeted a BAFTA winning writer friend of mine once.) I readily and unashamedly acknowledge this ice cream is very good. But the combination with raspberries seems to hit many people right in their limbic system. I didn't expect that.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkxwMoo7hf1WTRXm25KsJU1um08xCKdeDIsHahD8YaUJdcru7YQ6HRucyObavgYnp9o0zWUxGj1JfAiXJyvJ36xN4uRZVpg5uTb7XUlU7hAeX2g_UM2svvl7AcbXuGzqJFQCoZsKrbGMp/s1600/3.3b_carnation_condensed_milk_1kg_angle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="380" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkxwMoo7hf1WTRXm25KsJU1um08xCKdeDIsHahD8YaUJdcru7YQ6HRucyObavgYnp9o0zWUxGj1JfAiXJyvJ36xN4uRZVpg5uTb7XUlU7hAeX2g_UM2svvl7AcbXuGzqJFQCoZsKrbGMp/s200/3.3b_carnation_condensed_milk_1kg_angle.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's September. Scottish raspberries are at their best now. That helps a lot. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To my mind, raspberries pick up where summer strawberries leave off. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Try and find the freshest, least mushed pack that you can. Buy them the day you plan to eat them and leave them out of the fridge. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Raspberries have the essential tartness that foils the sweetness of the dulce de leche ice cream so well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUd9wNaXD4eY_8Iuun9MdBw7TS0iDIYg27XLcRe5hBgqcSW187a8Tjij2R2cdNFC1Sns_fNGh4ztr_p12jjLEJtIxPY32Uyj3YM3JPixsUqIewmbsC1eUlf4SpqLhSzpU9vUy_6HbG8F/s1600/IMG_4858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUd9wNaXD4eY_8Iuun9MdBw7TS0iDIYg27XLcRe5hBgqcSW187a8Tjij2R2cdNFC1Sns_fNGh4ztr_p12jjLEJtIxPY32Uyj3YM3JPixsUqIewmbsC1eUlf4SpqLhSzpU9vUy_6HbG8F/s320/IMG_4858.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which brings us onto... <i>dulce de leche</i>? It's a Spanish phrase which means milk sweet. It's made by boiling </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">condensed milk, sealed, still in its tin. Forget water into wine; this is milk into toffee. It feels like some rich magic, milk transformed into caramel. I've not yet tired of pulling back the lid to reveal the transformation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know I keep claiming to be a British cook but hey it's only a name. Condensed milk is hardly exotic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Some important tips:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remove the labels or the paper and glue may gum up your cookware.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lie the tins on their sides or bubbles will form under the lips and will clatter for the duration. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make several in one go. The contents will keep for years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most importantly: <b>use plenty of water and ensure the tins are never in danger of being exposed to the air</b>. Yes, they could pop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let the cans cool to room temperature before you open them, as a face spray of boiling toffee may spoil your day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simmer for three hours and the thin, white, sweet milk becomes a thick, toffee like substance tasting of caramel and vanilla. It's wonderful stuff. You may even wonder, while you sit with a just opened tin and a finger, why anyone would bother taking things any further? And in Spain and South America it's often used for dunking churros (deep fried batter sticks) or mixed with banana to make banana cream pie. Well, stay your hand and pull on your apron. Home made DdL ice cream is a revelation.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6NFOs4Ve-ObaUKEWExs3oX_k1YkL3npRtQocjN6fUIHBZ2Tgtwd1QkkHGTxvz33V_cR2mMhxjnQpgFuYmcGKGn9dnrOih_4IFnFrvRLUgMzsP4HXOo0IDq2wId6iyxQpevZrqB9QV7u0/s1600/IMG_8809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1216" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6NFOs4Ve-ObaUKEWExs3oX_k1YkL3npRtQocjN6fUIHBZ2Tgtwd1QkkHGTxvz33V_cR2mMhxjnQpgFuYmcGKGn9dnrOih_4IFnFrvRLUgMzsP4HXOo0IDq2wId6iyxQpevZrqB9QV7u0/s640/IMG_8809.JPG" width="486" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes you do. You know you do. You know you will.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dulce de Leche ice cream</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaq6Wwk0WTg8RkZSqOxLd-0VT-rJKR6-F0VnU8SPOdNnmEepHoLkrD3nWmkZI6WvBe2f3z48Kt5tS-H0xhxwCM6KnJ1qFDo19xugbJQ_rLeKURB6S_AV-x8dmIGEUGQ3Z7s5pMBtQYf7x/s1600/IMG_8812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1417" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaq6Wwk0WTg8RkZSqOxLd-0VT-rJKR6-F0VnU8SPOdNnmEepHoLkrD3nWmkZI6WvBe2f3z48Kt5tS-H0xhxwCM6KnJ1qFDo19xugbJQ_rLeKURB6S_AV-x8dmIGEUGQ3Z7s5pMBtQYf7x/s320/IMG_8812.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DdL cream</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes about one litre</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stand one <b>397g</b> tin of DdL in a jug of warm water. This makes it easier to deal with. Whisk <b>200ml</b> of <b>double cream</b> to soft peaks. Now whisk in the DdL. This produces, unsurprisingly, a creamy soft dulce de leche that could be chilled and eaten as a mousse. It is intensely sweet though. Put this to one side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make some plain ice cream base using my usual <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2016/02/english-custard-in-under-six-minutes.html">quick custard technique</a> but with the following ingredients: <b>250ml milk</b>, <b>100g caster sugar,</b> <b>four egg yolks</b>. You'll need to read the link.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of adding cream in the final stages, add the <b>DdL mix</b>. Chill, then churn in your ice cream maker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>To assemble the dessert...</i></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfZ1iyOLT5PYUq7DclUnv3kKfdnkIiZnkiunRqK9lUYQKIAX3MsNVO7j5c5XVdFTUGL1_O5azLNPzvlJxluBmsbI8_npFycTgSFyQr_FgKicqoGuBU6ZqkcpKbNhLb3GS24YAbDbJ9IDz/s1600/deb-silicone-muffin-mould-tray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfZ1iyOLT5PYUq7DclUnv3kKfdnkIiZnkiunRqK9lUYQKIAX3MsNVO7j5c5XVdFTUGL1_O5azLNPzvlJxluBmsbI8_npFycTgSFyQr_FgKicqoGuBU6ZqkcpKbNhLb3GS24YAbDbJ9IDz/s200/deb-silicone-muffin-mould-tray.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I made little moulds of ice cream using some silicone muffin bakeware. Easier to pour in just churned soft ice cream and freeze the mould on a metal baking tray. To release the ice cream pour a little boiling water into the tray and around the mould to allow the ice cream to just soften. Then pour off the water and invert the mould onto the tray. Your ice cream blobs should pop out like cakes. You could, of course, just scoop it out of a tub.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On top of the ice cream I placed a thin <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2014/06/pate-sablee.html">shortbread biscuit</a> covered in freeze-dried raspberry bits. Around the plate I placed fresh raspberries doused with raspberry gel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The gel is made by adding equal weights of frozen raspberries with sugar in a glass bowl bain marie. Gently steam the two together for half an hour over simmering water. I use frozen raspberries, not only because they are much cheaper but you get a better flavour from the already slightly dehydrated fruit. Now sieve the sauce and bring to the boil with a tea spoon of agar agar (</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(vegetarian gelatine - available in all supermarkets. No idea </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">why is it is twice named?). Allow to cool to a gel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each ice cream pat sits of a bed of mixed biscuit crumb and finely blitzed dark chocolate. This was to add bitterness crunch and contrast. It also stops the ice cream from sliding across the plate in transit from kitchen to guest. The crumb is made of all the shortbread dough that doesn't make it into the final biscuit.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-16852481772378187602017-09-11T21:04:00.003+01:002017-09-11T21:17:59.783+01:00Pesto crackers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpwG1-c4LRIUCRTKhwTprtRk-4O3YZlqDaTxNWlE-SjJ3-cMXaxKmTb1aseGoyD03BwbVJKPIvoXQ6PG7wxkyiIzHkek3UGRorRX7m7oF-CblHDUfA28WqDuc7Zcl25aqtGzayMA6ZlP1/s1600/IMG_8299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpwG1-c4LRIUCRTKhwTprtRk-4O3YZlqDaTxNWlE-SjJ3-cMXaxKmTb1aseGoyD03BwbVJKPIvoXQ6PG7wxkyiIzHkek3UGRorRX7m7oF-CblHDUfA28WqDuc7Zcl25aqtGzayMA6ZlP1/s640/IMG_8299.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I haven't blogged much recently. Sorry. Does it need an apology? If you have to ask...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think one of the reasons is I'm less and less engaged with recipes. It's now a case of making stuff up and then constantly modifying. This means I'm less inclined to save the details. After five years of cooking, if not commercially, then fairly seriously, I'm at the point where I have enough experience to bring together ingredients to achieve my desired result. Well... sometimes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm also sure now that what people need to learn is not recipes but <i>techniques</i>. You know the stuff about not giving some bloke a fish, but teaching him to (presumably, if you're an agri-multinational you then charge him for river access, rod licence and a bait permit)? Yeah, that. Know <i>how</i> to cook and you don't really need a recipe. Much better than following instructions without instinct.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So is this a recipe? Yes. Of course it is. I'll just get on with it while you chant 'hypocrite'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As it was summer (kinda) I was serving lots of salad based starters: marinated courgettes, heritage tomatoes, crab and shaved fennel. All good but all lacking some textural contrast; some crunch. This cracker was the outcome of that lack. I often serve it in shards, stuck into cheese mousse (as below) but increasingly it was fun just to put a whole, uncut cracker in the middle of the table and let guests snap off what they wanted. Goes well with a smooth, light cheese such as a mild goat or especially ricotta; as a more cultured crouton. Obviously it's great with tomatoes. It works as a snack with drinks too; baked thicker and cut into small pieces.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm trying to find some British dairy based product to serve with it as so far it's all French or Italian. Phillip and Keith, the Tottenham whey wizards of <a href="https://wildescheese.co.uk/pages/welcome">Wildes Cheese</a> (our local producers) have promised me a taste of something they call Young Brian. I'll let you know. <i>(Loved the Roux film, chaps. "Don't you light those fires with me!")</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Big Pesto Cracker/Biscuit.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes a big thin one about 45x25cm or a smaller fatter one</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix in a bowl, 200g <b>plain flour</b> with a big grind of <b>black</b> <b>pepper</b>, pinch of <b>cayenne</b>, 40g finely grated <b>parmesan</b>, a big bunch of <b>basil</b>, very finely cut (at least one supermarket packet). Perhaps some parsley too. Better if you can find the pots of Greek Basil which seems more punchy and less wet when cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To this mix add 50ml of <b>olive</b> <b>oil</b> and slowly, slowly, just enough cold <b>water</b> to bring the mix together to make a dough. The amount will vary, depending on how much basil you used. You don't need to knead anything. Just ball it up to resemble something that will tolerate rolling later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least an hour.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIGPcDmjbwqtqSUbhY0aXEoi55p6T4zTpkQrXXnc6UOjo8Ejw5SeK5Z92qhslgv5eCMDI_4vzqdn7Eq7jS5WKKVTB-R7XFmWDO55esaETaEfivmAt9-YLFKqGlDdJz8X-3Lm5FcAbo0ri/s1600/IMG_8294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1417" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIGPcDmjbwqtqSUbhY0aXEoi55p6T4zTpkQrXXnc6UOjo8Ejw5SeK5Z92qhslgv5eCMDI_4vzqdn7Eq7jS5WKKVTB-R7XFmWDO55esaETaEfivmAt9-YLFKqGlDdJz8X-3Lm5FcAbo0ri/s400/IMG_8294.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Roll between two sheets of kitchen silicone or baking paper. Flour the top of the dough first to make it easier to remove the top sheet. Roll out to around 45x25cm, about big enough to fill a full size oven baking tray. It should be less than the thickness of a pound coin. Or not. Look, thicker works too but will take longer, slower baking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before you bake, prick holes all over with a fork or, better still, a pastry pricker (looks like something you buy in a BDSM shop). This stops random bubbles forming. Finally, add a high handed but sparse sprinkle of </span><b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">sea salt</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">not</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> table salt. This looks attractive and adds another punch and crunch.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyBkOnRy_WT4Kj4PK7uiGE1qpV4qnUA2PBTRCEPsfrquHeYT2nr_ownX600sgAlLXBErkRYfY6e2smGtXU9Z_K_yifp7_XOr3rDwh1Y3qVhCzXofDOdT8Bq-DlelrH8Gr06BhaX0apjN7/s1600/FR-300_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1450" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyBkOnRy_WT4Kj4PK7uiGE1qpV4qnUA2PBTRCEPsfrquHeYT2nr_ownX600sgAlLXBErkRYfY6e2smGtXU9Z_K_yifp7_XOr3rDwh1Y3qVhCzXofDOdT8Bq-DlelrH8Gr06BhaX0apjN7/s200/FR-300_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sub or dom?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want to make shaped crackers I tend to bake the dough halfway then remove and cut shapes or just slice into squares with a long knife. Doing it this way avoids any drag with knives or cutters than can shame the shape. Place back into the oven to finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For <b>thin crackers</b> you need about <b>15 minutes at 200°C</b>. For <b>thick</b> maybe<b> 25 at 180°C</b>. The important thing is to take them out when they SMELL cooked. They should be golden brown with darkening edges. You might want to turn the tray at the mid point to even out the bake. All ovens have weird air flows, with some sides hotter than others. The higher the bake, the more crunch and flavour but leave them too long and you'll have bitter biscuits.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-50576758168355885902017-07-23T17:46:00.001+01:002017-07-23T22:17:39.998+01:00Raspberry sorbet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you know how hard it is to photograph sorbet? It melts for a start. You want a nice outdoor shot in the sun. But the summer sun is hot it turns out. Sorbet is also sticky so I line up a shot and then I notice the red thumbprint marring the glass. And it melts. I still can't make a quenelle so I'm using an ice cream scoop to make perfect spheres, that then adhere to the scoop despite me dipping it in hot water, so the perfect sphere deforms on its way into the bowl. And then it melts. It's melty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The colour's fantastic though, isn't it? There's an intensity of flavour too that is simply absent from commercial tubs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photographing sorbet is much harder than making it. We seem to have a glut of well flavoured fruit this summer (2017): peaches, nectarines, strawberries, raspberries, plums; all gorgeous. So juicy I have to eat them with a tea towel in my lap. British cherries of course still taste of almost nothing sadly. If anyone knows otherwise, please leave a comment below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sorbet, aside from being the perfect end to a summer dinner, is also a great way of using up bruised or over-ripe fruit. I buy up piles of 'sell by' punnets that slosh around the shelves this time of year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sorbet is fruit pulp and sugar, churned while freezing. Simple. The only issue is the amount of sugar. Too little and it's tart; too much and aside from the diabetes, it won't freeze. Commercial mixes are measured with a sugar <span style="background-color: white;">refractometer but I use an egg instead. Yup, an egg. It's a density floaty test thing. <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/norecipe-sorbet-the-egg-test-152879">Details here</a>. (If you click on the link, notice how poor their sorbet photo is too. It melts you see. Ha. Culinary s</span>chadenfreude.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This recipe makes a lot. No point faffing about with trivial amounts when dealing with something that's frozen for a living.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Raspberry Sorbet</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Makes about two litres.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2nv9op1FIIWfvkxdobDyO-0zao95i7KgCZT3pUkUXsclSpCG1hFUkRX7za5H_8Ja-MZpW59dX8jw2ZFLivGwdqjh1VF2PkqrKNAqvspd-nuWiEg2Nt-PgqjAb2YIwuoCeOuppbnClXfu/s1600/IMG_8353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1417" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2nv9op1FIIWfvkxdobDyO-0zao95i7KgCZT3pUkUXsclSpCG1hFUkRX7za5H_8Ja-MZpW59dX8jw2ZFLivGwdqjh1VF2PkqrKNAqvspd-nuWiEg2Nt-PgqjAb2YIwuoCeOuppbnClXfu/s320/IMG_8353.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Put <b>1.5kg </b>of ripe British <b>raspberries</b> in a thick pot. Thick so you don't get hotspots that catch and burn. Add <b>400g</b> of <b>caster sugar</b>, <b>two tablespoons </b>of<b> water</b>, one <b>140g</b> tube of <b>glucose syrup</b> (helps the texture) and the zest of a <b>lemon</b>. Keep the lemon, you'll probably want the juice later. Put a lid on or cover with foil. Let it sit like this for an hour or so until the sugar starts to make the raspberries weep their juices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Slowly heat this mix. You don't need to boil it. You want to soften the fruit to destruction while dissolving the sugars. Taste when done. Don't take my word for it. Recipes are just blueprints. You still have to monitor the constriction and make your own decisions (Belinda!). Your ingredients will not be the same as mine when I wrote this. I may have had very sweet raspberries. Who knows. You may need some more sweetness. Add sugar and dissolve. Taste. You may think it needs some acidity (probably). A zing of lemon juice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mix needs to be strained through a sieve. There are lots of seeds. You don't want the seeds. Push the mix through with the back of a ladle or the 'big spoon' that all kitchens seem to have acquired (never bought). Avoid using wooden spoons - unless you enjoy sawdust sorbet. Do this in batches, emptying out your seed pile occasionally. I haven't yet found a use for raspberry seeds and I hate throwing food away. If you know one, leave a comment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mix should be slightly too sweet. Now that's a rubbish direction I know, akin to the 'don't over work the mix' instructions. Freezing food makes it taste less sweet so get it as you like it then add a little more sugar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chill this mix for a few hours, typically overnight, and then churn in your machine. You might think about throwing in some whole fruit too. Once churned this needs another overnight freeze before serving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next, I'm making some strawberry ice cream. I'll link this up once written.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another poor shot. This is halfway through plating up a dessert of glazed peaches with raspberries, rose meringues and (missing) polenta biscuits and raspberry syrup.</td></tr>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-57517028519371120462017-05-02T17:59:00.002+01:002017-05-02T17:59:59.822+01:00A tale of two Lemon Meringue Pies <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGa8BUJRX2Uf_6xMF7tteHSDHcP7F8e36GxMBM7ulnWg9HikRWLjlukK6Bwq492fjgRqyom4yXyzjLBkvtMPKnmk7Ggf_MBspmR_fCgPCTQuslT6fPBv8LXoMmoSQ9sLD4oLBiipDnsam/s1600/IMG_7908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGa8BUJRX2Uf_6xMF7tteHSDHcP7F8e36GxMBM7ulnWg9HikRWLjlukK6Bwq492fjgRqyom4yXyzjLBkvtMPKnmk7Ggf_MBspmR_fCgPCTQuslT6fPBv8LXoMmoSQ9sLD4oLBiipDnsam/s640/IMG_7908.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I do like a bit of goo," said John. "Gooey meringue."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Lemon meringue tart?" I asked. I was keen to improve my own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Perfect."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a tale of two tarts. Or should that be 'pies'? I think any difference there was, semantic or actual, has long since receded past the point of meaning and is now only useful to start an argument in the pub.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For John's birthday, I wanted to really 'goo' it up so went for the chef's favourite: Italian meringue. I did another for my mate Mahan; old skool, with French meringue, gently baked for a golden crust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which is best? Will you fall for the age old clickbait of asking a question at the start?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A successful LMP is all about contrast, of flavour and texture. Sweet, crisp pastry filled with a semi set lemon custard filling, almost puckingerly sharp and crowned with light, fluffy, so sweet meringue with a crisp, toasted top. For both I used a sweet shortcrust pastry; my usual Roux recipe. For the filling I knew I didn't want to use cornflour, wanting to avoid that gelatinous thing. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYIzg5FYaoGN1U6lEBcl3UKEOmkMzXgOVyM7ysV4atIKGjWKx9owV2MY7u7Qj0zCDE9C-JnkaBcMF5jrrh7xHDrGbmYvjpCWtbLKQtkIqPTolUM9UcB2jwDFRyl5dkt6TiCDdAZrr0GzD/s1600/lemon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYIzg5FYaoGN1U6lEBcl3UKEOmkMzXgOVyM7ysV4atIKGjWKx9owV2MY7u7Qj0zCDE9C-JnkaBcMF5jrrh7xHDrGbmYvjpCWtbLKQtkIqPTolUM9UcB2jwDFRyl5dkt6TiCDdAZrr0GzD/s320/lemon.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That'll be a lemon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'd made <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/03/sunny-lemon-bars-recipe.html">Serious Eats lemon bars</a> last year and really liked the texture and tang. This would be the starting point for my custard. That recipe also makes a point of sieving the lemon zest. Some recipes don't do this and I have no idea why. I'm not partial to picking what may as well be bits of inert yellow plastic out of my teeth. Mind, worse than that is not using zest at all. That really confounds me. You might as well use battery acid (not really) for all the lemon flavour the juice bestows. Bizarre.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although thought of as a British classic, pretty much every Western nation claims a pudding of lemon custard with pastry as its own; the French, Swiss and Americans especially.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I want to share this recipe with you I found on the fascinating <a href="http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodpies.html#lemonmeringuepie">Foodtimeline website</a>. It's from England, possibly East Sussex, 1769.</span><br />
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<b>A Lemon Pudding</b>Blanch and beat eight ounces of Jordan almonds with orange flower water. Add to them half a pound of cold butter, the yolks of ten eggs, the juice of a large lemon, half the rind grated fine, work them in a marble mortar or wooden basin till they look white and light. Lay a good puff paste pretty thin in the bottom of a china dish and pour in your pudding. It will take half an hour baking.</blockquote>
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- The Experienced English Housekeeper, Elizabeth Raffald</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Isn't that fantastic? What I love about old recipes is that time and place fall away and you are just talking to someone who cares about their food. I understand this recipe exactly. It makes perfect sense and sounds delicious; perhaps even modern! Food is eternal, as is a cook's pride. I'm recently returned from Kerala in South India where I had many fabulous, stimulating conversations with chefs. Language and culture matter little when you're discussing recipes. The world is one kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Takes off Kaftan and Lennon glasses.]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll take the recipe up to the meringue mark and then split off, Italy one way, France the other. Puts us somewhere in the Alps I think.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lemon Meringue Tart</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Serves 10</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pastry base</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Made in a 23cm tart tin with sides of about 3cm. A removable base is very useful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the base make a sweet shortcrust pastry. I use a food processor to pulse everything together. B</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">lend 250g <b>plain flour,</b> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">100g <b>icing sugar,</b> sifted </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">and </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">pinch of <b>salt</b> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">with 100g unsalted </span></span><b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">butter</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"> cubes, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually pulse in 2 </span></span><b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">eggs</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">, beaten. When the mix begins to come together, gather into a ball, remove from the machine and knead a few times until it is smooth. Flatten into a round, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour. if you don't relax the dough your pastry will shrink. You don't want this. It's also much easier to roll a cold dough.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Once relaxed, roll out the pastry until it's a few inches bigger than your tin. Drape the pastry over the tin and gently ease it up to allow it to drop to the bottom of the tin. Don't squidge it in, it will thin and tear. Carefully push the pastry into the corners (to ensure a nice sharp shape) and leave an overhang of around 1cm. Cutting with a scissors if necessary. Repair any holes with additional pastry. Prick all over with a fork, including the sides, to prevent the pastry bubble rising. Place the tin in the fridge for another half hour. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Place the tin on a baking tray. This makes it much easier to handle and you don't risk knocking chunks off the delicate crust. Blind bake (I use ceramic beans in scrunched up baking paper) for 20 mins at 180°C.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The finished case with eggwashed interior.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Carefully remove the baking beans. And now while the pastry is still warm and pliable, using a rolling pin, roll across the hung over pastry edge, pressing down to cut a perfect edge. You will need to rotate the tin and roll a few times to get a clean cut.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">I much prefer this technique to sawing away with a blade as invariably crispy bits fly off.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Eggwash the insides of the pastry (one egg with a little milk) and return to the oven for around another 20 minutes. You want a deep gold colour. The eggwash makes the pastry a little more water resistant and so helps keep </span>the case crispy when you add the custard. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let the tart cool before you add the custard. I tend to keep mine in the tin until just before serving.<br /><br /><b>Lemon custard filling</b><br />Use a good, heavy pan. You don't want hot spots scrambling your eggs.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfzsc4F4hZo9xEsbAeIYFZ8wndwDOhsfm_btQYZrINKFv9FVSd60C4UdVM_-J57MZlMiWykR8SLvlA3mlMCN27NvSDm3KXAjuVv5DLnJY1oKLEu1fBibLGkiAkPZpb-QpHBdNhpCIJyo-/s1600/IMG_7851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfzsc4F4hZo9xEsbAeIYFZ8wndwDOhsfm_btQYZrINKFv9FVSd60C4UdVM_-J57MZlMiWykR8SLvlA3mlMCN27NvSDm3KXAjuVv5DLnJY1oKLEu1fBibLGkiAkPZpb-QpHBdNhpCIJyo-/s400/IMG_7851.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastry case filled with thick lemon custard</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the pan mix: 70g of cubed unsalted butter, 3 large eggs, 135g egg yolks (about 8 large eggs) 400g caster sugar<br />Pinch of salt, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">310g lemon juice, from about 8 large unwaxed lemons. Into this zest 10g of zest (probably four lemons).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can do this traditionally which takes FOREVER, or you can use my custard technique. Use a food thermometer. Over a medium heat bring the mix to around 65°C - you will start to see boil bubbles forming at the sides of the pan - and then stir constantly until it starts to thicken at around 78°C. Immediately chill the pan in cold water - the sink is fine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sieve the mix into a jug. You'll need to push it through with the back of a spoon or ladle. This removes any zest and bits of solidified egg that would otherwise marr the mouth feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pour the custard into the pastry case, cover with foil or paper and chill until needed but not more than a few hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><b>Which Meringue? The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Dolent">Mont Dolent</a> of decisions.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">French or Italian. Up to you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><i>French</i> is 'traditional' and as it's baked gives you the crunchy topping. It won't keep long though so has to be made just before serving.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><i>Italian</i>, made by whisking whites with a hot sugar syrup keeps for days in the fridge but can't be baked. No crispy crown but a much creamier texture. Italian is safe for pregnant people too as it is completely cooked.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">You might want to refer to my <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/10/how-to-over-whisk-egg-white.html">egg white whisking guide</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Oh, I weigh my egg whites now. Not only because I usually have a container full in the fridge but also because eggs vary so much in size.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9SdVlCyuEnSMLr3HbpG0xXCYNObtyfBSXBR4_jsab1iRdQiis5w-c-bqvcXPE6U93TNN_-ME_qXaU_27_S2HSecj7FHa2hrp9OVBhLh8_W4LrDtzxhNB27dUU9Y8IRpHjMfCVzYznvrk/s1600/IMG_7859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9SdVlCyuEnSMLr3HbpG0xXCYNObtyfBSXBR4_jsab1iRdQiis5w-c-bqvcXPE6U93TNN_-ME_qXaU_27_S2HSecj7FHa2hrp9OVBhLh8_W4LrDtzxhNB27dUU9Y8IRpHjMfCVzYznvrk/s320/IMG_7859.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Whisk 240g of eggwhite (*about* 6 large eggs) to firm peak stage in a very clean bowl. Incrementally add 300g of caster sugar and continue to whisk fast until the mix is super white shiny and firm. It should not feel grainy between your fingers. If it does, the sugar can leach out during cooking which means soggy things underneath.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">The general rule with French btw, is 50g of sugar per large egg white.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.850000381469727px;">Pipe directly onto the chilled lemon pie custard or just pile on </span></span><span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">and freeform </span><span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">with a fork. Bake immediately for 40 mins at 150°C until the meringue is crusting. The egg white insulates the custard underneath so don't worry too much about that melting.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYmO4iSuyJ6vEgoioS22oImhv_yC-D2zetrL4_O5TlYgMCS01xtIZ50tY1-4g4jzqSe_QSmU6vFjrQ-Mn0QENKkdRRxWk9Zl798a21jyfA5iTgGS6SpmRVwfS-94s658KNPEbfkBTgb6-/s1600/IMG_7901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYmO4iSuyJ6vEgoioS22oImhv_yC-D2zetrL4_O5TlYgMCS01xtIZ50tY1-4g4jzqSe_QSmU6vFjrQ-Mn0QENKkdRRxWk9Zl798a21jyfA5iTgGS6SpmRVwfS-94s658KNPEbfkBTgb6-/s640/IMG_7901.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished with French</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpnGSbtq5MxV-jAew6VVLjR9HZFt4pu8qFSYrcW1AyHutP_78BNalUUgUknKBwdnREGHNaSRWl43I2AzzwXSC6cPYE97CQK2nPVUrMqHLRDGzyNA4H32qSQ7TJswOIeJYlkTUQu9djstY/s1600/IMG_7905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpnGSbtq5MxV-jAew6VVLjR9HZFt4pu8qFSYrcW1AyHutP_78BNalUUgUknKBwdnREGHNaSRWl43I2AzzwXSC6cPYE97CQK2nPVUrMqHLRDGzyNA4H32qSQ7TJswOIeJYlkTUQu9djstY/s640/IMG_7905.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good layering and the meringue still very light and fluffy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Italian</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisim2dqGmdlh7S2Y_TJ_NQeqa6OFPT4CgcaKW38jYLRjm9zsZaSG6OTXaLs9SyJIMPtYSuBN0UqEJ3LCGPslcOGmkzsYColGs8RtYTHA9cK9-6aMHwKC-Acja_BSjedwDu_4YIe7Atrt70/s1600/IMG_7841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisim2dqGmdlh7S2Y_TJ_NQeqa6OFPT4CgcaKW38jYLRjm9zsZaSG6OTXaLs9SyJIMPtYSuBN0UqEJ3LCGPslcOGmkzsYColGs8RtYTHA9cK9-6aMHwKC-Acja_BSjedwDu_4YIe7Atrt70/s320/IMG_7841.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">This is different to French that you may be more familiar with. Italian meringue has a creamier texture than French, needs no further cooking and is stable for hours. French will dissolve back to egg and sugar after ten minutes or so. Italian meringue is made by adding a 120°C sugar syrup to whisked egg whites and continuing to whisk.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Here I took 240g of egg white (about six large egg) and added a syrup made from: 6 tablespoons of water, 360g caster sugar and three teaspoons of glucose syrup which helps prevent sugar crystallisation. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS_-uptvjlrI15thQhXC82RgS7e-NfjaqBflqEqcH9bIxcvjqcnpd37NS5bdU3_3uMRG8EpczrsLJyArFXluAjTXVWPWhPaa6hdtGOFwdm45rWBHeuIzFZdIfQcy0L6zZpc_nLNGXBL0c/s1600/IMG_7848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS_-uptvjlrI15thQhXC82RgS7e-NfjaqBflqEqcH9bIxcvjqcnpd37NS5bdU3_3uMRG8EpczrsLJyArFXluAjTXVWPWhPaa6hdtGOFwdm45rWBHeuIzFZdIfQcy0L6zZpc_nLNGXBL0c/s320/IMG_7848.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Bring the egg white mix to soft peaks and then dribble in the hot syrup. And yes, this means knowing how long the whites will take and the syrup to heat. Experience is all here. You then continue to whisk until the meringue cools to room temperature. Without an electric mixer you'll need biceps of Thor (or perhaps Ganesh - ha). I used a tip from the always brilliant </span><a href="http://seriouseats.com/" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">seriouseats.com</a><span style="background-color: white;"> website and rubbed a slice of lemon around the bowl first. The acidity helps stabilise the egg whites while you whisk.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">You can now store the meringue until needed. I tend to keep mine in these disposable blue piping bags, clipped at either end.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Pipe the meringue and for extra flavour and showmanship, toast lightly with a blow torch, holding the flame at right angles to colour the edges.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQGLzlpnldzd-15szLk1BcL6qbqd4u7tXFkUtYUni1xdrgXJndQIOuSwbzI-4Oj3QO1SKw1KSAYMQ00Ld-tgJE-LsXvWEjQ2kI9kj23yAqn20feZqMST6X6T36fyJ2F7jmju_gqxea11v/s1600/IMG_9212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQGLzlpnldzd-15szLk1BcL6qbqd4u7tXFkUtYUni1xdrgXJndQIOuSwbzI-4Oj3QO1SKw1KSAYMQ00Ld-tgJE-LsXvWEjQ2kI9kj23yAqn20feZqMST6X6T36fyJ2F7jmju_gqxea11v/s640/IMG_9212.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished with Italian</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of the two. the <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian</span> looks better but I might prefer the French for it crunch. Sadly I have no pictures of the <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian</span> tart's interior. I gave the slicing job to John (of the goo, if you remember) and... well, I shouldn't have. My fault. It had been a long, merry night and the servings were a little deconstructed. Deconstructed like it had been dropped from a passing plane. No one seemed to mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGa8BUJRX2Uf_6xMF7tteHSDHcP7F8e36GxMBM7ulnWg9HikRWLjlukK6Bwq492fjgRqyom4yXyzjLBkvtMPKnmk7Ggf_MBspmR_fCgPCTQuslT6fPBv8LXoMmoSQ9sLD4oLBiipDnsam/s1600/IMG_7908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGa8BUJRX2Uf_6xMF7tteHSDHcP7F8e36GxMBM7ulnWg9HikRWLjlukK6Bwq492fjgRqyom4yXyzjLBkvtMPKnmk7Ggf_MBspmR_fCgPCTQuslT6fPBv8LXoMmoSQ9sLD4oLBiipDnsam/s640/IMG_7908.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-84616189364276142412017-05-01T19:11:00.001+01:002017-05-01T19:11:08.838+01:00English Asparagus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LGKuWQQvyX9jjDaK_iKV4e67yToIov5g5XbY2YQjxA4iwJdqYVsZtIvtvVSzArQTX0iwqbfxtAay9q4QXT83UWLDkTOBHX3j2YjNuMmnzOueJ2ccKQ_xakDIECqyx4ilrfLXlIh8NM0T/s1600/IMG_8048.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LGKuWQQvyX9jjDaK_iKV4e67yToIov5g5XbY2YQjxA4iwJdqYVsZtIvtvVSzArQTX0iwqbfxtAay9q4QXT83UWLDkTOBHX3j2YjNuMmnzOueJ2ccKQ_xakDIECqyx4ilrfLXlIh8NM0T/s640/IMG_8048.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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It's the season of silky green shoots, purple spears and stinky pee*. The name comes from the Persian meaning a 'sprout'. I'm always slightly surprised that I like asparagus; visually it resonates with childhood horrors of sulphurous brussels and stalky cabbage. But it is completely unrelated to the brassica family, being much closer to alliums, so like it I do. It has a taste like no other vegetable and works with almost any meat or fish.</span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8850Xx0700qoZb4rg-TqYwZyaUevf3KEYMDehbo95BpVsU5IaSQxancu1zkfw6RkLFirQdm5jSMeK46dKcYFUAOQiqb0r5LjquQnvfkMU35ZKt2_GnSjqgGafOpiSuInMXS7e36cp8s8/s1600/IMG_8021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8850Xx0700qoZb4rg-TqYwZyaUevf3KEYMDehbo95BpVsU5IaSQxancu1zkfw6RkLFirQdm5jSMeK46dKcYFUAOQiqb0r5LjquQnvfkMU35ZKt2_GnSjqgGafOpiSuInMXS7e36cp8s8/s400/IMG_8021.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Griddled, charred asparagus</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember eating it barely blanched, basted with butter, in my friend Judith's little wooden conservatory in Suffolk. One of those food memories. It wasn't the first time I'd eaten it but it was the best. Just hooked from her garden, trimmed and plunged into boiling water until just bendy. A pat of cold butter and a light crunching of sea salt. Superb. if your veg is this fresh, don't eat it any other way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it comes via Mr Sainsbury or one of his friends, my other prep is to griddle it hot and fast and then let it wilt with more butter and salt. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe a couple of minutes either side, depending obviously on thickness. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't be scared to really char it; this brings a sweetness along with other flavour elements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No need to do all that snapping to trim, that Mr Oliver popularised a few years back. You lose far too much of the edible stem for a start. Just knife off anything woody and centre split stems thicker than your thumb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never bother with the expensive 'fine' asparagus and certainly never buy just 'tips'. They're always far too expensive. Buy the real deal, trim the tips if you insist and then with the stems make soup or maybe a <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/07/asparagus-tart-and-mardi-gras-masks.html">tart with ricotta</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the supper club, I tend to blanch it until just wilting; literally two minutes in boiling water, before placing and storing in ice water. Just before service, place on a baking tray with some butter and gently reheat for maybe five minutes in a very low oven; no more than 90°C.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>*Despite research, it seems no one yet knows what causes that distinctive aroma that graces the bathroom after dinner.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asparagus and ricotta tart with pea shoots in a lemon dressing</td></tr>
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-67752595196514075852017-04-25T01:28:00.000+01:002017-05-04T00:18:01.309+01:00Kerala - part one<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The state of Kerala</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We'd ordered some lightly battered vegetable pakoras, fish curry and local parotta (paratha) bread. It was to be a languorous lunch hour; everything stultified by the thick, heavy midday heat. Nothing moved, apart from the small, eye blink geckos. From the trees of coconut and tamarind came the wonderfully tuneless meanderings of a Malabar Whistling Thrush. Cows belonging to the farm, sat silently in the dust, testing the shade. Not so far away the Arabian sea crashed into the coast; a sound not unlike an urban rush hour. But London was far, far away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were sat inland in the lunch shack; still with the sea breeze; the beach just visible</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I pulled my damp back out of chair and supped my refreshing lime and mint drink. It was now in the mid 30s with humidity high. Walking was like wading, in sun soup.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The waitress approaches (smiling of course) stunning and serene (and seemingly without sweat glands) in a green and gold saree. She puts a plate on our table. A little something to start the meal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"What is it?" We ask.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"It's focaccia with some masala butter." She said, indicating the small buns and the swirl of tan fat, already melting. It's from chef.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is chef Italian?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Roy? No. He's from Alleppy I think."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kerala, in the very south west of India, is full of contrast and suprises. I mean that figuratively, literally, ideologically. </span><span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the richest state in India and run by a communist government so there are hammer and sickle flags everywhere. </span><span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The towns are plastered with gaudy, modern, angular advertising often with LED and neon. The countryside is an almost constant green but as artificial as the many roadside hoardings for cement and aluminium sheeting. Concrete and cladding? Kerala, you see, as we were told many times, is a 'happening state'. In every ten metres of street, someone is building new.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The land is so diverse too. You can move from blue backwaters to scorching red coastal plains and be in the clouds within hours, cool and dewy among the tea trees, eucalyptus and silver oaks. 3000m up and ten degrees down with brief but wonderful torrential rain.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea plantations. Destined for Tetley - no really.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The waitress brings the lunch dishes, clears up the crumbs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"How was the bread?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Fine." I lied.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Not fine?" She corrected. Cutting straight to it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"It's tasty enough..." I hoped that was enough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"But?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"But it's not focaccia. Not even close. Sorry."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Oh. I will tell chef." She almost leaves. A finger trails the table. "What was wrong?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The structure mainly. I think the flour's too low in gluten. There's not enough salt and they haven't use olive oil; a</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t least, not that I could taste."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She contemplates me. "</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm sure chef will want to discuss this."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I explain hastily that I am not Italian, not even a professional cook but I have made focaccia hundreds of time. I wonder just how chef Roy will take my criticism.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana flowers, okra and tiny aubergines in Munnar market.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFgn-rhpgStw5ybLtP6fKWsY_eUnsk4PeJl60IoM2d-WmHrPInimMfNJynpRFnhuCZLi5GDSGTtRMYFEik5Pm_bWnjGIRlqo_vSOeydJFt4kT7mNHqOGi7pdh17a37TaUj1AbM58H1te6/s1600/IMG_7286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFgn-rhpgStw5ybLtP6fKWsY_eUnsk4PeJl60IoM2d-WmHrPInimMfNJynpRFnhuCZLi5GDSGTtRMYFEik5Pm_bWnjGIRlqo_vSOeydJFt4kT7mNHqOGi7pdh17a37TaUj1AbM58H1te6/s400/IMG_7286.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Sidebar: the principle language of Kerala is Maylalam, a very ancient Tamil tongue from the Dravidic family. The oldest spoken language in the world, I was told. Some of the dishes we tried we know only by their Malayalam names and by hasty napkin transliteration from patient cooks and waiting staff. So my descriptions will doubtless be fraught with errors.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was the last two days of our 'once in a lifetime' holiday (such a depressing term) and we were at the <a href="https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/marari-beach-resort">Marari Beach resort</a>. I'd been skeptical. A beach resort? But I have never felt </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so happy to be anywhere. If I had to design my own Valhalla, it would be this. I</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t was gorgeous, with well appointed spotlessly clean villas; spa pools; an empty beach, outdoor eating under plaited palm leaf; fat white people in teeny-weeny bikini and budgie smugglers (not me!) You know the gig. I was very reluctant to leave. And no, t</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hey haven't sponsored me - I wish!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me trying and failing to make the local bread with chef Sreeja<br />
Notice how overexposed the outside is only feet away. So much light.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiced Prawns on (badly made) paratha<br />
Drumstick curry<br />
vegetable 'wedding' curry</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But there was a farm attached, the resort was largely self sufficient. A two minute walk from your room finds you in a perfect half kilometre square of amazing edible fecundity, thick with scent. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of well tended plants. At the centre is an outdoor kitchen, modern and well equipped, and a long, solid, marble table for ten. You can wander the garden with a chef, picking vegetables and spices (did you catch that? You can pick SPICES) under guidance and then cook a three dish meal in the middle, along with locally caught fish and seafood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wandering, wide eyed, I recognised some after our ten day trek - cinnamon, nutmeg, banana, tomatoes, pepper, coconut, mango, courgette, orange, lemon, lime, cocoa, allspice, clove. Lower down, thickets of cardamom, tea, coffee, curry leaf, lemon grass and hibiscus. Root around and you'll soon find ginger, galangal and turmeric. But there were many I'd not heard of: snake gourd, jack fruit, kokum, drumstick, amazing purple banana flowers. I could spend a happy eternity here. So long as the air-con was working, at least.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RmfzSDu0JVi_IBZMbNY3Sn3H7Gmre6zaVDDwZav9l8zzORWFzgPWhbmpWUlUKdw5avSxASs1xwzHpCtudi80QN_8GjxYFKF2qvx6_FnsQjvKGoE_jsqx8w-vQQ7CT9G4twg4tCceHDRa/s1600/IMG_4565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RmfzSDu0JVi_IBZMbNY3Sn3H7Gmre6zaVDDwZav9l8zzORWFzgPWhbmpWUlUKdw5avSxASs1xwzHpCtudi80QN_8GjxYFKF2qvx6_FnsQjvKGoE_jsqx8w-vQQ7CT9G4twg4tCceHDRa/s640/IMG_4565.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sreeja's selection of spices. The teapot contains coconut milk of course<br />
To the left is an 'uruli' the traditional heavy iron cooking pot.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One the last day I spent a brilliant, laughter filled couple of hours with chef Sreeja (one of three women chefs in the kitchen, she informed me). She looked perturbed when I said I'd already made the classic Kerala fish curry a few times but I'd love to try making the local bread. It's spelt 'paratha' but pronounced 'PoRoTa'. I'd wondered about its distinctive texture. Sreeja crinkled her nose but reached for the phone. Within minutes and with the calm, reassured efficiency we'd experienced for our whole stay, things moved. Dough arrived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWgCUdcoRjPN2DTn5AXkDbE18IGHzGGE5cSbH_571vjToUmG9C6Pjd0ca0O59oPidQQUjq1_bHVJx802-WSYD7Pc-U_CTnI-S8yGOsxMz1dY25kFQO5wEYr1B09fCo5WrnbrHmShFoL6E/s1600/IMG_7454.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWgCUdcoRjPN2DTn5AXkDbE18IGHzGGE5cSbH_571vjToUmG9C6Pjd0ca0O59oPidQQUjq1_bHVJx802-WSYD7Pc-U_CTnI-S8yGOsxMz1dY25kFQO5wEYr1B09fCo5WrnbrHmShFoL6E/s640/IMG_7454.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLTjDJK1fJlW7aG0x0gn6s3DVECmJdDzNCZivss73IAtmbPx9a5IExxh94gbmKJOO39MlhZToM5SyUXkDYg60yfEA1VTuMtw99sOVqlz4AZBh9LY_R83_KdHdXykoAx3ucdve7WhdfMJw/s1600/IMG_4572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLTjDJK1fJlW7aG0x0gn6s3DVECmJdDzNCZivss73IAtmbPx9a5IExxh94gbmKJOO39MlhZToM5SyUXkDYg60yfEA1VTuMtw99sOVqlz4AZBh9LY_R83_KdHdXykoAx3ucdve7WhdfMJw/s200/IMG_4572.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what Paratha is meant to look like - a texture unlike any other bread I've eaten. Mine didn't. After kneading the leavened dough you roll it into strips, roll the strips up and then flatten it. You then pan fry the dough and while still warm you bash the bejeezus out of it. This is a technique that looks deceptively simple, like oh, you know, kneading a decent sourdough or drawing a cartoon, that very quickly reveals the limitation of both your perception and your ability. This was not something I was going to master in a single morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbIH8qRDJ3HhWopKdbiB8qf0sPbtWG0pd-jHFRqgm0u7YqNEkpQ7yYB3H_Xyy1rI7jJWT3qluBcjJCNMqd5tik5T1nBCV-OpWOtLAnB1hmW54DHwo_Q7XA-x9VTXe74aWoz_gdEGFAMbc/s1600/IMG_4586.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbIH8qRDJ3HhWopKdbiB8qf0sPbtWG0pd-jHFRqgm0u7YqNEkpQ7yYB3H_Xyy1rI7jJWT3qluBcjJCNMqd5tik5T1nBCV-OpWOtLAnB1hmW54DHwo_Q7XA-x9VTXe74aWoz_gdEGFAMbc/s640/IMG_4586.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chef Roy did pitch up later, while I was at another cooking class. He looked very formal in his starched whites and high toque hat. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"A problem with the focaccia?" He asks politely. But of course h</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e'd not come to quibble or defend but to question. He quickly rescued me from my embarrassment. We discussed the problems he faces now they've banned (because of the bleach) high gluten, white US flour. He has to add gluten in powder form. I've not heard of this technique and I imagine it's fraught with technical problems. Olive oil is very expensive. We had a fantastic discussion comparing bread making notes.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgAHC_FW6HoXRIMvKAVbbuXyaOxS_ushffLAgZCqoB5t6bmUdmCYABi2kftKXr2oj9HD3EDPKldhn4UeES8xgexraqy0VcIIAzZ64b8CmJCwlKvcr96WQ4j9RS8Sl_lpxKobhbORqcFpi/s1600/IMG_4308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgAHC_FW6HoXRIMvKAVbbuXyaOxS_ushffLAgZCqoB5t6bmUdmCYABi2kftKXr2oj9HD3EDPKldhn4UeES8xgexraqy0VcIIAzZ64b8CmJCwlKvcr96WQ4j9RS8Sl_lpxKobhbORqcFpi/s320/IMG_4308.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast uttapam</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One thing I wasn't expecting was how keen the Kerala chefs were to talk about 'European' cooking. Sreeja looked through this blog (I mean the entire thing) and was very interested in my cauliflower purée. She'd been asked to prepare a menu by the head chef and was keen to bring in some different dishes. I'm going to email her and find out how it went.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree tomato. Tastes like Kiwi</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the stand out dishes for me were the simplest - such as the bread. So often the case. Breakfast was one of my favourite meals. Freshest fruit bowls of mango, pineapple, tree tomatoes and melon followed by a spicy uttapam with coriander leaf, tomatoes, chillies and onion. Uttapam is a version of appam, a thick pancake made from rice flour and coconut milk, often served with a lentil sambar and a coconut chutney. Coconut is everywhere in Kerala cooking. The name literally means 'land of the coconut'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fish and seafood was obviously a major feature, Kerala being a coastal state. We enjoyed a kingfish 'Thora' (hard Th), a dry dish made with kingfish, grated coconut and purple spinach which confers an unusual pink colouring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My favourite dish - well two - were served when I didn't have my decent camera to hand so the pictures look terrible. One of deep fried, honeyed cauliflower florets and the other of spiced paneer. I'm afraid even the names escaped me. I keep posting the pictures in here and then cutting them; they look so awful I'm finally omitting them. Food photographed badly is an offence. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King fish thora</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's taken me ages to write this blog and I'm not happy with this really. I've left out so much. It will take several instalments. I have hundreds of pictures. (Yay! Holiday snaps!) I think I was defeated by the variety of my experiences and the complexity of my reactions. History, language, food, plants, people, places, geography all intersect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many people who have been to India often use the exact same phrase on our return: it's an 'assault on the senses'. I understand the sentiment but 'assault' suggests of violence or pain. Arriving in India is more like entering a party on a very hot summer's day where twenty fabulously interesting people, different appearance and character, all talk to you at once.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's so much more. The amazing bushes of giant bamboo; the driving; roadside snacks of crushed sugar cane and lime; the fearless macaques; the unbelievable level of service; the lack of stomach upsets, beggars and mosquito bites; the Western Ghats. Too much. I must go back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally this. Driving back from a tutored spice walk in a forest near Kumily we saw this Tamil temple procession. I've never included video before (and boy, is Blogger bad at it) but this was worth the effort.</span><br />
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New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064567175411150574.post-82499685794464295312017-03-27T20:32:00.002+01:002017-03-27T23:45:25.438+01:00Roast rhubarb galette<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAJjN19vII81IwjusfA-7SFMimGGYVoeapbfoXKcvVqjL0e2IQ94O6J5w7XuG8epw7M52sivhbaSM7z9QUOfqX-O5V2nZRmzk-BXlrwr_6XIJWV-kSMlhgDeXlGk-_JEAmV2l3c5u2B1s/s1600/IMG_7183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAJjN19vII81IwjusfA-7SFMimGGYVoeapbfoXKcvVqjL0e2IQ94O6J5w7XuG8epw7M52sivhbaSM7z9QUOfqX-O5V2nZRmzk-BXlrwr_6XIJWV-kSMlhgDeXlGk-_JEAmV2l3c5u2B1s/s640/IMG_7183.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Galet</i>: Old French meaning pebble. So what's a galette then? Isn't that a tart?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A galette is several things; always the way with food. In the north of France it might be a buckwheat pancake served with eggs and ham. In Belgium it's a waffle. In North Lahndahn it's a pretentious name for a tart by a cook who can't EVEN BE BOTHERED TO MAKE HIS OWN PUFF.* It can be, in fact, anything served flat and round. But I'm using the best known definition of a '<i>flat cake of pastry, often topped with fruit</i>'. OK, rhubarb is a vegetable but it's close. You may well have neighbours popping round with rude sticks of the red stuff. This is your chance to escape the inevitable mulchy crumble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm always looking for new ways of serving rhubarb, especially ones that involve a crunch. The reason this isn't a tart is I wanted to ensure a really crisp and light crunch. Texture is as important as taste, otherwise we might as well blend everything. The other reason is that I can prepare rhubarb and galette at leisure, combing just before service, ensuring the crisp base stays crisp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a great combination. I'm </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">going</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to use this with peaches and apricots, come the season.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the prettiest things in the kitchen.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2015/01/rhubarb-and-custard-importance-of.html">The rhubarb was roasted in a 140°C oven for about 15 minutes</a>. Cut small and sprinkled generously with caster sugar, the rhubarb keeps its shape this way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6BlFrMkqnSAAqCM_TswuUVGZsRGyYPtoGv-DZgqOzLZBlTxLSaegLiGuvv7KxxJ7TTnqRb2O4WbImmrDHOQ2dMEAcziJKV-y0ZFCFGTmdESBCIwPo0xfIXVKq8FX-z5_TeM1kt4dC_AH/s1600/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6BlFrMkqnSAAqCM_TswuUVGZsRGyYPtoGv-DZgqOzLZBlTxLSaegLiGuvv7KxxJ7TTnqRb2O4WbImmrDHOQ2dMEAcziJKV-y0ZFCFGTmdESBCIwPo0xfIXVKq8FX-z5_TeM1kt4dC_AH/s320/IMG_7143.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Puff pasty galette</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preheat oven to <b>200°C.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My galettes are made from puff pastry. I normally use a commercial all-butter number. I will make my own again one day. One day. It is such a faff. The recipe I used to use is <a href="http://pencilandfork.net/2011/11/michel-roux-puff-pastry/">M. Roux's.</a> I make individual ones but for family meals, a large one works just as well. When I do make it, I'd mix in some vanilla seeds too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Roll out your <b>pastry</b> to thickness of a pound. The old round pound! Hey, maybe the new one will be thinner?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TWIZbDKugHqwoH7wXZAlrsMPX6AvH0H4gBwbgCuMZ61H-RsDPY5JveIp7G9hXZDX_qIlWQV9wdKunkIvF77UtI-LQ3h3L4IhGd2dP_Q8iE5SEq2F7_XsBtA33qJ9RMpQ0W1uPhgCeOxc/s1600/IMG_7128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TWIZbDKugHqwoH7wXZAlrsMPX6AvH0H4gBwbgCuMZ61H-RsDPY5JveIp7G9hXZDX_qIlWQV9wdKunkIvF77UtI-LQ3h3L4IhGd2dP_Q8iE5SEq2F7_XsBtA33qJ9RMpQ0W1uPhgCeOxc/s320/IMG_7128.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using a tartlet ring cut shapes out. This is much easier when the pastry is cold and stiff so return it to the freezer for a few moments if it's a warm day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lift out and carefully centre the pastry in the case, pushing down the excess onto the base. This gives you a slight ridge, all the better to withhold your fruit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beat an <b>egg</b> with a little <b>milk</b> and brush the pastry discs. Now sprinkle a big pinch of <b>caster sugar</b> over each. This ensures extra crispness and crunch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bake for <b>12 minutes</b>. For a large galette you'll probably need 20 minutes. The pastry will dome alarmingly. Remove and gently press the centres down with a spoon. Return to the oven for maybe<b> 6-8 minutes</b>. You want a good, deep golden colour. Remove and allow to cool before uncasing them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just before service. Pile <b>rhubarb</b> and a little of the roasting syrup into the centre of each galette and sprinkle with more <b>caster sugar</b>. You could, if you have the time and patience (and who doesn't) arrange the pieces of fruit like a mosaic. Roast for just five minutes at <b>220</b>°C. Allow the tarts to cool to hand holdable then serve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I served mine with <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2017/03/pistachio-ice-cream.html">pistachio ice cream</a>, <a href="http://blog.newriverrestaurant.com/2013/04/rhubarb-sorbet-and-sticky-apple-sponges.html">crystallised pistachios</a> and some of the roasting syrup further pan reduced until sticky and then drizzled. It would also work with a simple vanilla whipped cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3J4S45ceOjsj4EoMTYddza7JDFvosRVAp_WONtXFNbabala8rxRObT1Rl7u63zRMgchcqiTOTJn1qkdz7UlrAIQLQ7nflFfhGOXeRFdAeo_htYGfSRNsPGEnvheAKb8JGh6afH53N-Ue/s1600/IMG_7151.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3J4S45ceOjsj4EoMTYddza7JDFvosRVAp_WONtXFNbabala8rxRObT1Rl7u63zRMgchcqiTOTJn1qkdz7UlrAIQLQ7nflFfhGOXeRFdAeo_htYGfSRNsPGEnvheAKb8JGh6afH53N-Ue/s640/IMG_7151.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Honestly, this is the one thing I serve that I don't make from scratch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>New River Dininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957497826186976712noreply@blogger.com0