2017 Weekly - Week 2

The January countryside always makes me feel sobering and hopeful. Although it is the time when nature is stripped to the bare minimum, you know underneath the quiet blanket of brown fields lies seeds waiting to come out, skeletons of tree branches hanging patiently, no hurry, as mother nature knows the best, the time for each plant to get ready to emerge.

Workwise it's been nonstop. What was I thinking to agree to give two presentations in a week in a city with sub-zero temperature in January? But, I've enjoyed the preparation part, so much that it's taking more time than necessary. Better speed up!

Roast lamb, I've been thinking about it, since I made the possibly the easiest (and very delicious) roast dinner back in November. Just stick it in the oven and disappear for 3-4 hours. You will find a great dinner awaits after you are back. That's our Saturday plan.

2017 Weekly - Week 1

I started my new year with a cold, enough to confine me to bed for two days, yes, the first two days of 2017. Alas, perhaps there is a drawback after two weeks cloud high with many good things. A price worth paying, though, if I were to do it again.

This week started gently with the first day back to work on the 3rd. With computers (yes, plural for me) turned on, first is to make sure I reply and action all essential emails. Then work starts with checking jobs running over the holiday period all finished gracefully and starting data analysis. This carried on for the whole day interspersed with many happy new year greetings.

Half way through this week, it suddenly dawned on me that I have to do two rounds of presentations less in two weeks and none of the presentation has started (gasp!). Panic in all capitals! I can do it as I keep telling myself, even if it means working in the evenings. Not a problem with a subject I love, here I come PowerPoint.

My working week finished on another high with a nice (and long) scientific discussion. It reminds me why I got into what I do in the first place. When discussing with likely minded people, this is just pure heaven. I shall remember this feeling when daily grind strikes.

Happy 2017

New year, new start and new opportunities.

I hope all of you had a good rest at the end of 2016. We certainly did, with a healthy dose of sun, warmth, love and laughter. I cannot ask for a better end-of-year holiday this year, surrounded by so many people who I love and love me and doing everything I love with you. So many who had played a big part in my life, gone quiet when we went on our separate ways as life unfolded but now all of you have come back to my life, our lives. I feel immeasurably blessed and humble to know that I can still call you my friend and you respond accordingly after so many years. This feeling of love and reassurance recharges me and I feel ready to take on what come may.

To remind myself how lucky I have been to have you, I want to challenge myself to document my life in 2017 with a weekly post here. Most of you won't see it because this blog has not been broadcasted but I hope if you find this place one day, you will know I still have a special spot for you, wherever I am.

Here is to you, my friends, a happy, healthy and contented 2017.

I make - apple frangipane tart

How can Autumn go without apple tarts? Our neighbors gave us a bagful of apples a week ago. It seems like a perfect excuse (not that I need any) to make one of my favorite dessert combos, apples and frangipane with my favorite dessert tart dough.

Apple frangipane tart

For tart dough:

- 120 g plain flour
- 120 g bread/strong flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 100 g melted unsalted butter
- 40 g room-temperature water

For apple filling:

- 5 to 6 medium size apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 100 g sugar
- 100 g ground almond
- 100 g melted unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- melted butter to brush the apple slices
- 1-2 tbsps demerara sugar
- warm apricot jam to glaze the finished tart

Preheat the oven at 180C. Grease and flour a 9x13in tart tin.

To prepare the tart dough, mix both flours, baking powder, sugar, salt together in a bowl. Stir in melted butter, mix lightly with a rubber spatula, and then drizzle in water. Mix until the dough is well combined. Tip the dough out onto a large piece of cling film. Gather four corners to help form a ball.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 50p coin (2mm). Transfer the dough onto your prepared tart tin. Ease the dough into all slides and four corners. Pierce the tart base with a fork. Cover the tart tin with a grease-proof paper followed by baking beads. Blind bake for 20 minutes, with the last 10 minutes grease-proof paper and baking beads removed. Remove the tart tin from the oven. Keep the oven heat on.

Prepare the frangipane filling by mixing sugar, ground almond, melted butter, eggs and almond extract together. Spread the frangipane all over the tart shell. Arrange the apple slices in a decorative manner. Brush melted butter on top of apple slices and scatter demerara sugar on the top. Bake the tart at 180C for 40-50 minutes, until the edge of apple slices starts to brown. Turn the tart case 180 degrees halfway through.

When the tart is baked, remove it from the oven. Brush apricot jam all over on top of the apple slices. Cool before serving.

Second week of November 2016

What. a. week.

After what has happened this week, I am beyond sadness. Bewildered, even a bit frustrated, then I played Anthem by Leonard Cohen, over and over again.

I thought it was not possible to bring so much hope with so few words after Leonard Cohen's Anthem

There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

- Leonard Cohen, 1992

But Hilary Clinton did it for me this week.

Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public, and political careers — you will have successes and setbacks too. 
This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it.
It is worth it.

- Hilary Clinton, 09 November 2016

I will do what Dear Polly Heather Havrilesky suggested, stay away from social media, peer away from newspaper political columns for a while. Just remember what's truly mattered in life and do your bits, even though some may not join, for a world which belongs. to. everyone.

Bonfire night 2016

With firework sound lively at the background, I made us something which tasted pretty amazing tonight. It's worth making a note.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder

I got a carvery ready lamb shoulder, about 1.2 kg. Seasoned the lamb inside out with a mixture of olive oil, garlic powder. thyme and oregano leaves, black pepper and salt. Put the lamb in a wide and shallow casserole on top of 3 red onions and pour 1 cup of liquid consisting of half sherry and half water. Cover the casserole with a lid and roast the meat at 160C for 4 hours. The lid is on for the first three hours but off for the last one for the meat to crisp up. Before serving, I reduce the pan juice with a tiny amount of sugar and vinegar. Best lamb I've ever had.

Carrot puree

Boil 500g carrots in chunks for 30 minutes (or until they are tender). Drain the carrots (save 1 1/2 cup of water for couscous later) and let them steam dry for 5 minutes. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in and mash the carrots. Adjust the taste with salt and a pinch of sugar. I usually further season the carrot puree depending on what goes with it. For the roast lamb tonight, I added 1/4 teaspoon of homemade Baharat spice (see below). Harissa is a good substitute or just cumin powder. It's a nice and different way to serve carrots as a side dish.

Baharat spice mix by Melissa Clark: combine 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon ground turmeric, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1 teaspoon allspice.

Couscous with raisins and peas

Boil 1 1/2 cup of water (I used the water saved from cooking carrots) in a saucepan. Season the water with 1/4 teaspoon of Baharat spice and a pinch of salt. When the water comes to boil,  add in a handful of raisins and half cup of frozen peas. Bring the pot back to boil and pour in one cup of couscous. Stir, cover and turn the heat off. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a spoon/fork.

Apricot and brioche tart

This dessert makes use of store-bought brioche and canned apricots. The preparation is merely an assembly job, layering the brioche slices, spreading the filling and topping with apricot slices. I added two tablespoons of amaretto to the filling. The brioche remains soft but firm enough to be a tart base. The taste is simple but elegant, a very good dessert indeed.

Basler Leckerli

I discovered this little delight while travelling to the Alps this summer. Tiny little rectangles with light snowy glaze on top, perfumed with warm spices, distinctively Christmassey. The only "official" version I tasted seems to have some hazelnut undertone. I will substitute ground hazelnut for 1/2 cup of flour next time. Nevertheless, the recipe below produces something overall fairly close to what my first taste is like and is a great start-point to play with.

Basler Leckerli (adapted from Luisa Weiss's recipe)

3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup almond flakes
200 g finely chopped candied citrus peel (or 1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange peel + 1/4 cup finely chopped candied citron peel)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
A generous splash of rum (or kirsch)
1 teaspoon mixed-spice
1/2 teaspoon quartre-epice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, combine the honey with the granulated sugar and salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey and sugar are melted and beginning to simmer, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 175C and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder. Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, stir the egg into the honey mixture. Stir in the almonds, candied citrus peels, orange and lemon zests, all spice powders, then stir in the sifted flour.
Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and, with floured hands (or with an off-set spatula), press into a 13-by-9-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden and puffy.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil the syrup until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
As soon as the leckerli is done, brush the surface with the hot glaze. While it’s still hot, carefully slide the parchment onto a work surface. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the rectangle and cut the leckerli into 2-by-1-inch bars. Let cool before serving.

Note 1: Cutting the glazed leckerli after 10 minutes out of the oven is recommended to avoid cracked top.
Note 2: The baked product has a thickness of 1/2 inch when using 13-by-9-inch baking tin. While the result is still delicious, using a larger baking sheet if you want the authentic 1/4-inch thickness.