Month: March 2014

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

RICOTTA


RICOTTA CHEESE (Make your own)

ricotta

Ricotta, meaning “cooked again”, is a cheese by-product, which refers to the production method used to make it. It is made from the whey drained from such cheeses as mozzarella, provolone, and other cheeses, and is a fresh, soft, white cheese with a rich but mild, slightly sweet flavor. The texture is much like a grainy, thick sour cream, but is naturally low in fat, with a fat content ranging from 4 to 10 percent, and it is also low in salt. Ricotta is also a favorite component of many Italian desserts (See Mixed berry and ricotta cream tarts).  It is often beaten smooth and mixed with condiments, such as sugar, cinnamon and occasionally chocolate shavings, and served as a dessert. Since ricotta is made primarily from lactose-rich whey, it should be avoided by those who are lactose-intolerant. 

Homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to three days, if desired.

Make your own:
4 cups/1 ℓ  whole milk
1 cup/250 ml plain full fat yogurt
½ cup/125 ml full cream
2 teaspoons/10 ml white vinegar
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt

In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, cream, vinegar and salt to a boil, then gently simmer for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

APRICOT GLAZE


250 g/8.8 oz smooth apricot jam
¼ cup/125 ml water

Heat the jam and water in a saucepan and whisk until well combined, then pass through a fine sieve. Let it cool totally before using.

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SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mixed berry and ricotta cream tarts


Serve with Strawberry and green peppercorn sauce

LINE

Serves 4

MIXED BERRY TART

The pastry:
185 g/6.5 oz plain flour
95 g /3.4 oz ground almonds
40 g /1.4 oz icing sugar
125 g /4.4 oz butter, chopped
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
pinch of salt

The filling:
200 g/7 oz ricotta (make your own)
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
2 free-range eggs
160 g /5.6 oz caster sugar
½ cup/125 ml fresh cream
60 g/2 oz fresh raspberries
80 g /3 oz fresh blueberries
(frozen berries can be used if fresh ones are not available – defrost and drain them before using)

The sauce:
30 g/1 oz caster sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml cold water
½ teaspoon/3 ml liquid glucose
250 g/9 oz ripe strawberries, hulled
1 teaspoon/5 ml bottled green peppercorns, rinsed and drained
½ teaspoon/3 ml lemon juice

The garnish:
½ teaspoon/3 ml poppy seeds (optional)
apricot glaze (optional)
the strawberry sauce (recipe above)

Sift the flour into a large bowl, then add the almonds and icing sugar. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the mixture comes together in large crumbs.  Press together into a ball, cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C/356°F.

Grease six 8 cm/0.3 in (3 cm/0.1 in deep) tart tins with loose bases. Divide the pastry into six and roll each piece out between two sheets of baking paper to fit the base and side of the tins. Ease the pastry into the tins, gently press into shape and trim the edges. Prick the bases with a fork, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake blind for 8-10 minutes, then remove the paper and beads from the baked pastry.

This pastry can also be made in a food processor, but care should be taken not to over process the mixture which will result in tough and hard pastry.

Meanwhile, process the ricotta, vanilla, eggs, sugar and cream in a food processor until smooth. Divide the berries and filling amongst the pre-baked tart shells and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is just firm around the edge but still wobbly in the center.

Let it cool to room temperature, then lift the tarts out of the tins.

Make the syrup by dissolving the sugar, water and glucose in a saucepan and bringing it to a boil over low heat.  Stir continuously and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, strain and leave to cool. Process the strawberries and peppercorns, then add the syrup and lemon juice and strain again.

Glucose is very sticky but an easy way to measure it is with either a heated spoon or a spoon dipped in oil. The glucose will simply slip off the spoon. Do the same with honey and corn syrup.

To serve:
When ready to serve, place a tart in the center of each serving plate and pour the sauce around.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

Spanish chorizo sausage


My chorizo sausage supplier recently closed down and with that came the end of the most delicious chorizo sausages that I have had anywhere in the world. It was not too garlicky, had just the right amount of paprika and herbs and it was not too fatty. I realized that I have to make my own to satisfy my craving from time to time. Now, to make your own, is not that easy because there are as many recipes for Spanish chorizo as there are sausage makers. The only solution was to test various recipes, adjust, increase or eliminate certain ingredients … and I came up with this one. In my opinion, a huge success. Try and let me know.

This recipe makes 2 kg/4 lbs sausages, approximately 24 sausages of 75 g/2.6 oz each

1 kg/2 lbs shoulder of lean pork, trimmed
1 kg/2 lbs pork belly
4-8 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 teaspoons/5-10 ml dried chili flakes
25 ml/8 fl oz cider vinegar
3-5 teaspoons/15-25 ml Spanish Paprika
5 teaspoons/25 ml salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml oregano
2 teaspoon/10 ml freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml brown sugar
2 m/6.5 in sausage casing

Coarsely mince the pork and pork belly or ask your butcher to do this, then mix all the ingredients together. Pinch off a small amount and fry it in a pan to check the seasoning. Make the necessary adjustments, if any, cover and marinate for 24 hours in a cool place.

Fill your sausage casings using the technique of your choice and twist the sausages into links every 7 cm/4 in.

This recipe is also suitable for a semi dried sausage which can be hung for 2 to 3 weeks. The longer you leave it the more the flavor intensifies but beware that after the drying process it should not be treated as a dried sausage. It still must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Tuna, potato and green bean salad


Serve with a green sauce, mustard vinaigrette and sour cream

LINE

Serves 4

This is a totally “free-style” version of the traditional Nicoise salad. It is fun to make because you can add, omit or swap ingredients every time you make it. It can be served as a starter or a light lunch, but it is very important for the tuna to be sushi grade. If any doubt, don’t use it as the tuna should really be rare in the middle.

TUNA NICOISE

The green sauce:
1½ cup/375  ml parsley
½ cup/125 ml mint
½ cup/125 ml dill
1 tablespoon/15 ml tarragon
5 canned anchovies, rinsed and pat dry
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup/60 ml capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
olive oil
freshly crushed black pepper

The vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons/30 ml red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon/15 ml Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup/125 ml extra virgin olive oil

The salad:
400 g/14 oz fresh tuna fillet
250 g/9 oz potatoes, unpeeled
250 g/9 oz French beans, trimmed
2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned
2 tablespoons/30 ml vegetable oil

The sour cream:
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh cream
4 tablespoons/60 ml plain yogurt
2 teaspoons/60 ml lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

The garnish:
½ small red onion, sliced in very thin rings, rinsed under cold running water
2 fresh free-range eggs, medium soft-boiled, shelled and quartered
4 black olives, stoned and halved
4 basil leaves, finely sliced

Trim the tuna and roll up tightly with cling wrap into a cylinder, then refrigerate.

Chop the herbs finely by hand and mix them with the anchovy, garlic and capers. Add olive oil just to loosen the paste, taste and season with black pepper (the anchovies is salty enough).

In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the oil. Reserve 2 tablespoons/30 ml of the vinaigrette for the tuna.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender. Set aside to cool then remove the skins and slice into 5 ml (0.2 in) slices and sprinkle some salt and pepper over.

Boil the green beans until tender but still crisp, drain and refresh in cold water. Drain again.

Slice the tomatoes so that you have 16 rings of about 8 mm/0.3 in thick.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, unroll the tuna, then sear all over for not longer than 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and pour over the reserved vinaigrette. Season and set aside until ready to use.
Whisk the cream until stiff, then fold in the yogurt, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Set aside until ready to use.

To serve:
On each serving plate arrange the ingredients attractively and spoon the green sauce around.  Arrange the garnish all round and drizzle some more of the dressing over. Dot the green sauce with some sour cream, and finally sprinkle the basil over.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Baked chocolate pudding


Made with hazelnuts and cherries and a rich chocolate glaze

LINE

The reason for dredging the fruit and nuts is to ensure that it mixes well with the cake mixture and does not sink to the bottom. The cake baked in the bread tin makes it attractive, when sliced, for presentation purposes. Any shape tin may be used.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

The pudding:
100 g/3.5 oz self-raising flour 
½ teaspoon/3 ml baking powder 
a pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 
1 tablespoon/30 ml cocoa powder 
75 g/2.6 oz caster sugar 
1 extra large free-range egg, lightly whisked 
1 tablespoon/30 ml golden syrup (corn syrup) 
6½ tablespoons/100 ml milk 
6½ tablespoons/100  ml sunflower oil
½ cup/125 ml hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup/250 ml Marachino stoned cherries in syrup (available bottled in syrup), drained and cut in half 
flour for dredging the nuts and cherries

The glaze:
¼ cup/60 ml sugar syrup
½ cup/125 ml water
4 tablespoons/60 ml glucose syrup
3 tablespoons/45 ml cream
3 tablespoons/45 ml cocoa powder
1 tablespoon/15 ml Drambuie (optional)

The garnish:
12 Marachino stoned cherries with stalks (available at well-stocked supermarkets)

Preheat the oven to 150°C/302°F.
Grease a bread tin of approximately 28 x 13 cm/11 x 5 in.
Sieve all dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Mix the egg with the syrup, milk and oil and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well until smooth. Lightly dredge the hazelnuts and cherries with the flour and mix it into the batter. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the tin and let cool.

To serve:
For the glaze, heat the sugar syrup, water, glucose, cream and cocoa powder and bring to a boil. Stir until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When the pudding as well as the glaze have cooled totally, pour the glaze (reserving 4 tablespoons/60 ml) over the pudding. Decorate with the cherries and chocolate curls. 

Glucose is very sticky and an easy way to measure it is with either a heated spoon or a spoon dipped in oil. The glucose will simply slip off the spoon. Do the same with honey and corn syrup.

When ready to serve, cut the pudding in slices and put on a cooling rack with a plate underneath to catch the dripping glaze. Spoon the glaze over the piece of cake making sure that you cover it all over. Carefully lift the cake off the rack and place in the center of the serving plate. Decorate with the cherries.