My new found love

You might have noticed that I have been under Ina's spell lately. Yes, I know I've come to the scene quite late. After all, Ina Garten is a well known multi-media personality in the culinary world. Quite an interesting career background she has, from white house nuclear physics analyst, business woman, writer and TV presenter. She is another self-taught chef I've come to admire and found to benefit greatly from.

I've got two of her books, Make It Ahead and Barefoot in Paris. This is probably the first time I devour a whole book in a week, cover to cover! I just couldn't put it down. Her books are not picture rich but each picture tells you exactly what you should know and expect about a dish she's going to show you. I like she always writes at the beginning of each chapter to prepare readers. I feel like Ina is talking to me! Reading her words one page after another, I couldn't put it down. I found her approach very pragmatic, her advice sensible, all with clear instructions. I just found connecting to her as an amateur cook myself, as if she understands exactly what I am going through and pointing out what I should do when I get stuck.

And most importantly, her recipes work. I've tried mustard roasted fish, cape cod chopped salad, salmon with lentils, goat cheese mashed potato, provencal roast lamb. People, I just got her books less than three weeks. Do you know how many times hubby praised the dishes I cooked from her books? Four out of five, ladies and gentlemen. Four out of five! That's unheard of and I call it very good results indeed!

With almost one hour late for St. Valentine's day, I wish all of you here a good and happy day. Do something which pleases you, with or without valentine. To borrow Ina Garten's sage words, take something ordinary and make it really special.

Dîner chez moi 07-13 February 2015

We've been sick for a while. Hubby started first, then, yes me (typical cycle). The cold we got is not serious (knock on wood!). It's just general fatigue and lots of sneezing and blocked nose. Luckily, we both are on the mend. The appetite is there, albeit sometimes drastically reduced. Tonight I have the energy and the desire to work in the kitchen. So here we go, our weekly menu:

Saturday: Grilled sirloin steak with caper mustard sauce, roasted potato wedges, Cape Cod chopped salad. Dessert: Salted caramel chocolate mousse

Sunday: Spanish meatballs and pasta, blanched green beans.

Monday: Mustard roasted fish, mushroom and pea pilaf

Tuesday: Ham and potato casserole, chopped salad.

Wednesday: Grilled salmon and lentils (yes, I am having a Ina Garten kick this week)

Thursday: Spanish meatballs and pilaf

Friday: Wildcard

Dîner chez moi 17-23 January

Saturday - Vietnamese inspired pulled pork with pan-crushed potatoes and minted peas

Sunday - Scallop, prawn and mussel pasta, blanched green beans

Monday - Pan-fried haddock, garlic greens and basmati rice

Tuesday - Black pepper chicken with basmati rice, spinach and peas in a light cream sauce

Wednesday - same as Saturday

Thursday - same as Tuesday

Friday - wild card

I make - Almond Nougat

For the past few months, I am having fun with candy making and especially with Lorraine Pascale's marshmallow fudge recipe. It's easy, highly adaptable and tastes wonderful. I've made several times for work and for home. Everyone keeps telling me that they couldn't believe how good fudge can be.

I have had almond nougat in mind since I made my chocolate and sour cherry fudge, as both have similar texture. Almond nougat is something I adored a lot when I grew up. Unfortunately, I don't find any here which I like. So, with Lorraine's base recipe, I decided to give it a go. The result did not disappoint. It's sweet just enough to make you smile and crunchy to remind you there are healthy nuts inside. I couldn't help but adding sour cherries again, my favorite dried fruit, which is just there to bring out the flavor contrast. I am very pleased with the outcome. I hope you like it too.

Almond Nougat/Fudge

25g butter
125g white sugar
125g evaporated milk
200g marshmallows
1 teaspoon almond extract
200g white chocolate buttons
1-1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted
50-80g dried sour cherries

Grease a 24cm/9in square cake tin with vegetable oil, then line with baking parchment paper. Cut another piece of baking parchment which is as big as the cake tin bottom. Set aside.

Choose a pot which is at least 20-cm deep for making the nougat as the mixture can rise quite high when sugar boils. Put the butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a pan over a low heat and melt gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the marshmallows and turn up the heat. Boil the mixture for 6 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape from the pot bottom regularly as caramel may be forming.

Take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Leave for one minute, then stir the mixture together along with toasted almond and dried sour cherries. You will have to work fast with this recipe as the mixture cools down quite quickly which may become harder to mix.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Put the other piece of baking parchment paper on top and roll the nougat surface smooth. A mini rolling pin or back of the spoon both does a fine job. Leave to set for a couple of hours. Once set, remove from the tin and cut into as many squares as you like.

A belated happy year to you all.

Homemade chocolate fudge with mixed nuts and sour cherries

I didn't know fudge before I came to UK. I only knew of hot fudge, the type which you drizzle on ice cream or cakes.  Although being tempted by its basic but killer combo, sugar, butter, milk and vanilla (how can it not be nice?!), every time I taste commercial fudge I am surely disappointed. I've tasted grainy and sugary fudge so many times that I started to wonder maybe that's what traditional fudge should taste like.

Yes, I know candies are supposed to be sweet and I like my candies and dessert sweet. But there is a difference between pleasantly (or sinfully) sweet, and cloyingly and head spinningly sweet. I've also started to wonder whether there is a smooth type of fudge, the one which is slightly chewy at first but melt gradually in the mouth.

I think I found recipe which did just that. Lorraine Pascale's chocolate fudge recipe uses marshmallows which may be the secret ingredient for its smooth texture. I made some substitutions on the ingredients based on what I have at hands. I also added a handful of toasted nuts and dried sour cherries to bring some contrasting texture and taste. The result is a big hit, smooth, chocolaty, slightly chewy and sweet enough to make anyone happy and not head spinning. If you haven't made fudge before, this one is to try. We like it so much that it's a keeper.

Chocolate fudge with mixed nuts and sour cherries

vegetable oil, for greasing
70g/2½oz butter (I used 50g)
300g/10½oz soft light brown sugar (I used 200g)
125g/4½oz/2/3cup evaporated milk (I used 50mL cream + 75mL milk)
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
225g/8oz marshmallows (I used one 7oz/213g jar of marshmallow creme/fluff)
400g chocolate chips (100g milk and 300g dark chocolate)
1/2-1 cup mixed nuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried sour cherries

Grease a 23cm/9in square cake tin with vegetable oil, then line with greaseproof paper. You could use 20cm/8inch cake tin for a thicker fudge.

Use a pan of roughly 20cm high, heat the butter, sugar and evaporated milk together over a low heat and melt gently. Once the sugar and butter have dissolved, turn the heat to medium and boil for 5-6 minutes. Watch the pan carefully as the sugar mixture will generate lots of bubbles.

Turn off the heat and add in salt, vanilla extract and the marshmallows. Turn the heat back on and boil the fudge for a few more minutes until marshallows are all melted and mixed in.

Take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Leave for one minute, then stir the mixture well until everything is mixed together. Stir in mixed nuts and sour cherries. There is no need to pre-chop the nuts. When you slice the fudge, nuts will be cut at the same time.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and leave to set for a couple of hours. Once set, remove from the tin and cut into 25 squares (or as big or small your heart desire).

Diet is for the new year.

Hummus from dried chickpeas

I am in the camp of canned beans. We all have too much in our hands to cook from dried beans. Good quality canned beans are not difficult to come by but some are not purse friendly. Also, I have a confession to make, that I have been scarred ever since stubborn chickpeas refused to get soft after two hours of cooking which happened long time ago. Imagine all these soaking, waiting, changing water and in the end, the little buggers still resolutely resist. Arrggh.

That was until today. Yotam Ottolenghi rarely lets me down and he wows me again this time. Following his method, this is the creamiest chickpeas I've ever cooked and the dreamiest hummus I've ever tasted. To go along the theme of bean economy, I cook 500 grams of dried chickpeas in one go which equates to one pack sold here, and use half for hummus and save half for later. You could halve the recipe but it's worth cooking more than you need. You will love these chickpeas from scratch.

Hummus from dried chickpeas
adapted from Hummus with ful by Yotam Ottolenghi

To cook chickpeas:

- 500 g dried chickpeas (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Water enough to submerge all soaked chickpeas
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 bay leaves

To make hummus:

- 2 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 5 tablespoons of tahini
- Pinch of cumin powder
- Juice from one lemon (more or less to taste)
- Sea salt
- 1/2 cup of chickpea cooking liquid

Soak dried chickpeas with twice volumes of cold water. Stir in one teaspoon of baking soda. Leave the bowl covered overnight (or at least 8 hours) on the kitchen table. I understand my baking soda amount is significantly less than what the original recipe specifies but this amount works for me. Feel free to use more if needed.

Drain and wash the chickpeas. In a big pot, put in drained chickpeas, cold water, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, onion chunks and 2 bay leaves. Bring the pot to boil, cover, and cook at low heat for 40 minutes. Chickpea quality varies, so you may need to adjust the cooking time to achieve soft and creamy texture.

When you can crush the chickpeas between fingers without any effort, it's done. Turn the heat off and drain the cooked chickpeas. Pick out the onion chunks and bay leaves. I like to rinse my cooked chickpeas with freshly boiled water to remove any baking soda no matter how faint it tastes. To make hummus, reserve 1/2 cup of liquid from rinsing the chickpeas.

To make hummus, blend together 2 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, cumin powder and a few grinds of sea salt. Slowly add in chickpea cooking liquid to adjust its consistency. Taste the hummus and adjust seasoning. I find the hummus tastes exceptionally when it's just made and slightly warm. If you are not eating the hummus straightaway, 30 seconds in microwave should bring back the light and creamy texture if it's fridge cold.

I bake - Far Breton

I love any custardy dessert. Clafoutis is great with tender summer fruit. When long day and warm weather are replaced with long night and crisp air at night, Far Breton, a classic from Brittany, is more often on my mind. It has the same base as clafoutis (eggs, milk and sugar) but uses liquor soaked dried fruits (prunes being a classic) instead of fresh berries. With the first bite into Far Breton, the refreshed dried fruit and delicate custard gives an unmistakably a autumnal feel, rich and velvety, perfect accompaniment while watching falling yellow leaves.

Far Breton aux Pruneaux
based on recipes by Dorie Greenspan and Richard Bertinet

- 1 cup of dry prunes
- 1/4 cup of amaretto (or Armagnac, rum or brandy)
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 cups of milk
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- One vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 3 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of corn starch
- 2 tablespoons of plain flour
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- one 20x20cm square or round tin

The night before making Far Breton, soak the prunes in amaretto and water.

Warm the milk with vanilla pod (or vanilla extract) and sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. As soon as sugar is dissolved, turn the heat off. Let the milk infuse with vanilla while you prepare the rest.

Butter generously your Far Breton container (with 4 tablespoons of butter). Lift out the rehydrated prunes and save the soaking liquid. Arrange the prunes on the bottom of the buttered container. Warm the container in a 200C oven for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix 3 eggs with salt, corn flour and plain flour. Slowly pour in milk while the mixer is running. Mix in the prune soaking liquid. Pour the batter into the heated container.

Turn the oven down to 180C. Bake it for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before serving. I like it at room or at body temperature.