Spekuloos Cookie Butter
Monday, December 14, 2020Cookie butter is typically made from powdered spekuloos (spiced holiday cookies), butter (or oil, but nothing tastes as good as butter), condensed milk and/or sugar until it’s spreadable like nut butter. But to make it even richer, I am using dulce de leche instead of condensed milk and sugar. (Place a tin of sweetened condensed milk in your Instant Pot covered with water and pressure cooked for 15 minutes. That's it. ) To speed the things up, I am using the store-bought butter spekuloos for the recipe, but you can bake your own spice cookies.
Enjoy the cookie butter spread on toast, pancakes or waffles, or to bake a Cookie Butter Raisin Loaf and of course, it also tastes great enjoyed straight from the jar on a spoon!
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- Place the speculoos cookies in a plastic zip-top bag. Remove the air and seal the bag. Lightly crush the cookies into coarse granules using a rolling pin. Transfer the crushed cookies in a food processor, then pulse to a fine powder.
- In a small saucepan, add in butter, dulce de leche, and cream and cook over low heat until well combined.
- Add butter mixture to the cookie powder with cinnamon and cloves. Mix until everything is combined and smooth. You can crush a couple of cookies and mix into the cookie butter for extra crunchiness.
- Transfer the cookie butter to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cookie butter should be good for up to 2 weeks.
Lemon Herb Baked Pork Ribs
Friday, December 11, 2020These pork ribs are baked in the oven until tender and falling off the bone. No fuss, and so delicious! With a simple lemon herb marinade (I am not fancy for overly sweet, thick, or sweet bbq sauce. If you find this marinade is too light, feel free to use your favourite sauce, like autentic Argentinian chimichurri, Japanese teriyaki, Cantonese plum or hoisin sauce, or just a simple spice rub), these pork ribs came out just perfect. You can also char them under the broil before serving if you wish.
Lemon Herb Marinade | |
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- To make the marinade, mix together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl until well combined and pour into a zip lock bag. Transfer the pork ribs to the zip lock bag with the marinade and turn to coat. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate, the longer the better.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the marinated pork ribs into a baking tray and pour over the marinade. Cover the baking tray with tinfoil and cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil from the baking tray, turn the beef over and increase the oven temperature to 220C/430F. Roast for another 30-35 minutes or until the ribs are crispy and golden. Serve the hot ribs with salad greens, roasted squashes and lemon wedges.
Filet de Bœuf / Fillet Steak
Tuesday, December 08, 2020When buying fillet steak, thicker pieces are less likely to overcook, so aim for a steak that’s almost as tall as it is wide. It’s IMPORTANT that the steak at room temperature before you cook it. So remove the fillet steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes and no more than 2 hours before cooking. Heat the pan until it's SMOKING HOT if you are after a charred smoky crust. (My smoke detector actually went off when I was preparing the steak. The sound of the alarm is worse than nails on a chalkboard and very frightening that my cats went gaga...so be prepared.)
I prefer my steak prepared with nothing other than a sprinkling of salt and a generous twist of pepper. The add of smashed garlic and thyme to the hot fat (avocado oil and butter) while the steak is cooking help add extra flavour to the steak without overpowering it. But feel free to use your favourite marinade.
Crusty Emmer Hokkaido Pumpkin Bread (Dairy, Egg free)
Friday, December 04, 2020This bread is deliciously aromatic and flavoursome with a softer, and moister crumb and SUPER crunchy crust. Besides being delicious, there is something so magical and comforting about a large slice of warm, freshly home baked bread with a thin layer of butter spread across the top. It's a joy making and eating this bread.
Emmer is the perfect flour when you enjoy a hearty and healthful bread that's packed full of earthy and nutty flavour. I guaranteed that you will be hooked for life. In addition to being one of the world’s oldest wheat varieties, emmer is also an excellent source of fibre, protein, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E. I usually order mine directly from the farmer and mill them at home.
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- Place flours and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add in pumpkin puree and fresh yeast. Stir at a slow speed and slowly add in water as needed to form a soft, slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter top, and shape into a ball. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, approximately 1 hour.
- Once the dough doubles in size, punch it down to expel the gas. Cover the dough again and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a round ball. Place it, seam side down, into a floured proofing basket. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough proof at room temperature for approximately 40 minutes to an hour.
- Place an oven-proof casserole pan with a cover in the oven. Preheat the oven to 250C/480F fan forced.
- Turn the proofed bread out onto a piece of parchment paper, so the seam side up. Transfer the dough, parchment paper and all, into the casserole pan. Cover and bake at 230C/450F for about 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the bread on a cooling rack to cool completely. Wait at least an hour before slicing and serving.
Braided Loaf with Poppy Seeds
Wednesday, December 02, 2020A very simple yeast bread dough is divided into four strands and braided to form an elegant loaf. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds before baking. It is crispy and flaky on the outside and soft tender on the inside. Braiding 4 strands of dough can be tricky, but the technique isn't hard to master and it's actually easier than you think. Here is a video on How to braid a 4-strand loaf.
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- Place yeast, sugar and warm water in a jug. Whisk with a fork until yeast has dissolved. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
- Sift flour into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix on low speed to form a soft dough. Increase the speed and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes.
- Turn out the dough and shape into a ball. Lightly grease the mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Using your fist, punch dough down. Knead until smooth.
- Line a pullman pan with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 4 even portions. Roll each portion into a 35-cm strand, slightly tapering the ends. Form into a plait, tucking the ends under. Place it into the prepared loaf pan.
- Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 50 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced/400F.
- Brush dough top with egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and salt. Bake for 25-35 minutes until nicely golden and crunchy. Cool on a wire rack, then serve with poppy seed spread or butter, if desired.
Muhammara Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip
Sunday, November 29, 2020A traditional Middle Eastern red pepper and walnut dip, this Muhammara recipe is easy and quick to make. Originating from Syria, muhammara tastes deliciously spicy, nutty, tangy and pairs perfectly well with fresh flatbread or any of your favourite bread. If you’re short on time, you can use jarred roasted red peppers instead. Muhammara can be made in advance as it keeps well in the fridge for a few days and the flavour develops even better after storing a day in the fridge, but be sure to bring the dip to room temperature before serving.
Muhammara | Flour Tortillas |
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Roasted Purple Carrots with Cilantro Yoghurt and Pistachios
Wednesday, November 25, 2020I love how coriander, garlic, chilli pepper and roasted pistachios add aroma, texture and flavour to this otherwise simple roasted vegetable recipe. The combination of tangy Greek yoghurt and sweet carrot is just perfect. It makes a feast of a light lunch or if you are looking for a more substantial meal, toss it with some whole grains or grilled meat. It is simple to make, and you can use other root vegetables too, like parsnips, rutabagas or beets. It would be great to sprinkle some dukkah (a Middle Eastern spice blend made with toasted nuts, seeds and fragrant spices) over too.
Cilantro Yoghurt | |
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- Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place carrots, garlic and thyme on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with coriander, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yoghurt, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine and add salt to taste.
- Spread the prepared yoghurt on a platter and arrange roasted carrots on top. Scatter chopped pistachios, chilli pepper flakes and fresh herbs on top, and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.