Pane All'olio (Italian)

If you have a bread machine and a baking stone, this lovely rustic loaf will be easy. It requires a starter that must be made ahead, about 8 hours or over night.















Biga (starter)
1/2-3/4 cup warm water (the recipe said 7 Tbsp but we found this wasn't sufficient in our climate so added more warm water as needed, as the starter was beaten in the bread machine.)
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 tsp rapid rise dried yeast

Dough
1/2 cup warm water
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups unbleached white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Water in spray bottle to mist oven while baking bread

Make the starter in a bread machine using the dough setting. When cycle is complete, just leave the starter in the pan or transfer the biga to another bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Leave at room temperature for 8 hours or over night.

When you are ready to make bread, break up the biga into two or three pieces and return it to the bread machine pan. Add the warm water and olive oil next. Sprinkle the 2 cups of white flour over the liquid, and add the salt and sugar to separate corners of the bread pan. Use the dough setting on your machine and press start. Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside. When the dough cycle is finished, place the dough on a lightly floured surface, punch it down gently, and shape the dough into a plump football about 12 inches long. Spray dough surface lightly with Pam and cover dough with plastic film. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.














To cook the bread, place a baking stone in your oven, about 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Dust the top of the loaf of bread with flour and slash it along it's length. Transfer the bread to the hot baking stone. Mist the inside of the oven with water. Bake the loaf for 15 minutes misting again after 2 minutes and then after 4 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and continue baking for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the bread sounds hollow. Turn baked loaf onto a wire rack to cool.

Chicken Scallopini

Chicken or Turkey Scallopini can be a bit time consuming if you make a whole Costco flat of chicken breasts, but it is worth it! This tastes and smells divine! Enjoy with whole wheat pasta and a nice rustic loaf of Italian bread.















Ingredients include:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chicken Breasts
• flour
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Diced tomatoes
• Low sodium vegetable bullion cubes
• Italian herbs
• fresh basil
• berber spice
  
• garlic
• sugar
• Essence
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken into three pieces each and use a mallott to pound them to about 1/2 inch thick . Mix 1 tablespoon of essence into about a cup of flour, and dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour. ( or use a cylinder lock n' lock and shake) Set the dredged pieces aside on a baking sheet.















Heat a heavy pan and brown the chicken pieces in olive oil mixed with a bit of vegetable oil. (we've been making a herb infused olive oil that really makes the food we cook in it aromatic!)















Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. Add a drizzle of herbed olive oil and cook the onions and mushrooms until caramelized.















To the mushrooms and onions, add a can or two of diced tomatoes, bring to a simmer and add the Italian herbs, and the boullion cube.















Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes, and then without overflowing the pan, add the chicken.















Let the chicken simmer in the tomato sauce for about an hour, stirring occassionally.
















Serve over your favourite pasta, and garnish with fresh basil.

Mmmmama Mia!

Mexican Ceviche

Another food frenzy at work, and I obtained another wonderful recipe from a work associate. With the festive season so close behind us, most of us are still enjoying the memories of too much great food and drink.

This recipe is like a salsa and is very fresh and tasty. You gotta try it!!

Mexican Ceviche

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of hearts of palm (can be replaced by white fish, fake crab, artichokes, Jicama, or the like)
• 3 limes (juice)
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 diced tomatoes
• 1/4 small onion, diced
• 1 bunch of cilantro, without stems, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2-3/4 cup ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Drain and dice the hearts of palm. Add lime and orange juice and let stand covered in the fridge for 5-8 hours. (can be prepared the day before) Before serving, mix the rest of the ingredients (dice avocado on serving day) into the bowl. Enjoy with crackers or bread.

Turnip Soup

You say you haven't heard of this, much less tried it? It is basic, good roasted vegetable soup that is wonderful served with a dollop of sour cream. I had a lonely turnip in the fridge, and many other wonderful vegetables - so I thought "why not".















Turnip Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium turnip (or rutabaga), cubed
• 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and quartered
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 stalks celery, cut into strips
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into strips

Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a cookie sheet and drizzle the vegetables with herb infused olive oil. Roast vegetables in a hot oven (410 degrees) for about 1/2 hour.

Add the roasted vegetables to the following to a large soup pot:

• 4-6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp Berber spice mix
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp turmeric
  
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

• 1/2 cup lentils to be added after soup is pureed.

Cook for about 1/2 hour, or until vegetables are tender. Puree soup with a hand blender. Add 1/2 cup lentils and cook the soup until lentils are tender...about 1/2 hour more. Serve with sour cream dollop.

This soup is wonderful when the weather is miserable and the days are short.

Samosas

Imagine making your very own Samosas!
An acquaintance at work brought some home made ones in to the office once, and I begged her for the recipe. Of course, she wrote it out for me, explained how to fold the dough and stuff it - so I thought, " how easy" it would be. It may have sounded easy, but to be honest I haven't attempted making them yet.
I do intend to make an event of it - and serve with 2-3 different dipping sauces. When this does happen I will add photos to this blog post. In the meantime, here is the recipe - I don't want to forget it or lose it. Notice there are NO amounts, because this is intuitive based on the expertise of the cook, and the number being made. I will determine and add these approximate amounts to this post once I attempt making the Samosas myself.

Samosas

Ingredients:

• white flour
• salt
• vegetable oil
• baking powder
• potatoes
• peas
• black pepper
• red chili powder
• cumin seeds
• coriander seeds
• fresh coriander

Dough:

• Mix flour, salt and vegetable oil.

Stuffing:

• boiled potatoes
• peas
• salt
• black pepper
• chili powder
• cumin seeds
• coriander seeds
• fresh coriander, chopped.
• Amchoor * if available

I found a similar recipe for Samosas on the net, so I am including it here so we can all use it as a guide:

Vegetable Samosa

Here is the vegetable version of this favorite. This vegetable samosa recipe is not original to South India but they can be found at snack stands throughout the South. Samosas are a light pastry filled with a savory filling like vegetables or meat and deep fried in hot oil. There are many variations on this vegetable Samosa recipe, so have fun and try your own creations. This can be served as light snack or an appetizer. It is often served hot with a mint or tamarind chutney.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or Ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2 cup water

Filling:

• 2 Potatoes
• 1/2 cup peas
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 medium onion cut into small dice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
  
• 2 Tablespoons minced Cilantro
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Banana Bread

What, no Banana Bread recipe on my Blog? What was I thinking? Of course we all have a few frozen bananas in the deep freeze that are to be used later...but we seem to never get around to it. Here are a couple of trusty recipes that will help in using up those frozen bananas!

This one is from my handy "Company's Coming" collection of cookbooks. These cookbooks have provided me with easy, economical and no fail solutions to many cooking and baking quandaries over several years.

Banana Bread #1

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (3 medium) ripe banana, mashed

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts was suggested, but use what you prefer)
• Optional: Try stirring in whole maraschino cherries - they look pretty in the slices. Or use 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
  

Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Add mashed banana and blend in.

In second bowl, stir rest of the ingredients together, but only to moisten. Transfer to a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool on a cake rack. Wrap to store. Freezes well. Recipe also doubles well.

This next recipe is a Better Homes and Gardens version:

Banana Bread #2

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (grated fresh if you have it)
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (5 medium)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil, or melted butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts were suggested)
  

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt.

In another bowl, combine eggs, bananas, sugar and oil. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Sprinkle the Streuzel-Nut topping over batter, if desired. Bake in 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove loaf and cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store at least overnight before slicing.

Streusel-Nut Topping (optional)
In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup, packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped nuts (walnuts)

Date and Orange Cake

This North African dessert is a very moist sweet cake which can be eaten as a tea cake or cut into fingers and served with fresh fruit at the end of a meal. It is best made and stored for 48 hours before eating.

Ingredients (to serve 8):

• 2 cups of softened Omega-3 enriched margarine
• 2 cups of caster sugar (fine sugar that dissolves more readily than regular white sugar)
• 6 Omega-3 enriched eggs
• 3 cups self rising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• rind of 4 large oranges, finely grated
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 4 tablespoons natural yogurt
• 3 cups dates, finely chopped

Glaze: 4 tablespoons icing sugar, 4 tablespoons orange juice

Process:

• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and orange rind into a large mixing bowl and beat until soft and creamy.
• Fold in the orange juice, yogurt, and dates which should be tossed in a little flour.
• Transfer the mixture to a large enough greased and lined terrine. (bundt pan and/or bread pans) Level the top and make a groove along the center.
• Bake, below the center of the oven, for 50 minutes. Reduce heat to 300F and complete cooking for 10-20 minutes. Use a toothpick or skewer to determine if batter is cooked through.
• Allow to cool in the terrine for 20-30 minutes before lifting out.
• Put the icing sugar into a small bowl or measuring cup, and blend in the orange juice.
• Use a pastry brush to paint this glaze over the top and sides of the cake while it is still warm.
• Cool thoroughly before storing.

Honeyed, Spiced Chicken Tagine

This North African dish has it's roots in ancient civilizations who invaded, traded and visited the shores of this vast region which borders the south east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. (Now we get to play with my new Tagine!)

Ingredients (to serve 8):

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, crushed and diced
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon Berber spice (see recipe on previous post - spice recipe tag)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons clear honey
• 4 tabespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cups organic chicken stock
• salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup raisins
• fresh parsley to garnish

Process:

Heat the oil in the Tagine base and fry the onion and garlic until onion is transparent. Don't caramelize. Add the cut up chicken to the Tagine and brown evenly. Stir in the spices and cook for one minute. Mix together the honey, lime juice, vinegar and stock. Pour over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook gently for 1 1/2 hours. When the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and boil the liquid rapidly to reduce to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the raisins and garnish with parsley before serving.

Carrot, Orange, and Coriander Salad

Each sister was invited to bring a Moroccan/North African themed dish. This recipe is for a salad. The abundance of fresh vegetables in North African Markets gives plenty of variety for salads. As so many of the main dishes are hot and spicy, the coolness of the side salad is very refreshing.

Ingredients (to serve 8):

12 medium sized carrots
finely grated rind of four oranges
4 tablespoons orange juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
coriander leaves to garnish

Process:

Grate the carrots into a bowl.
Mix all the remaining ingredients and pour over the carrots, stirring well.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with a few coriander leaves
Cover and chill before serving.

Fragrant Chickpea Soup

This Valentines, we intend to do something special! Three sisters and their counterparts are invited to a meal and a few games of pool. The theme for the menu is Moroccan and includes the following:

Fragrant Chickpea Soup

This recipe is based on a Tunisian chickpea and garlic soup called Lablabi. The garlic mellows with long slow cooking and gives a gentle fragrance to the overall flavour.

Ingredients (to serve 8):

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas (or use 2 cans if short of time)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
• 6 large cloves garlic, crushed and dices.
• 4 large stalks celery, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
• 7 cups vegetable broth
• celery leaves to garnish

Process:

• Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in six cups of fresh cold water. Drain the next day. Transfer to the stock pot and cover with fresh cold water.
• Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, skimming often.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas in fresh cold water.
• Heat the oil in the stock pot, add the vegetables and gently fry until they begin to soften.
• Add the chickpeas, seasonings, and cook for one minute while stirring frequently.
• Add the liquid, cover and cook slowly for 2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft enough to puree.
• Cool slightly and put the soup in a blender or food processor.
• Garnish with a little of the chopped celery leaves before serving.

The rest of the menu and recipes will be added to this Blog soon, with pictures to follow as they will be taken during the event.

Berber Spice Recipe

Berber is a wonder spice blend from North Africa. It affects the taste buds and is healthy. Black pepper and cloves aid food digestions by increasing digestive juices including natural stomach acid. Ayurvedic medicine uses it to treat colds, flus and other infections. Chilies contain capsaicin which, among other advantages is a natural painkiller. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

10 dried red chili peppers
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
5 whole cloves.
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ajowan or cumin seeds
8 allspice berries
6 cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Heat a medium sized skillet. Ad the chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the remaining spices and roast for 3-4 minutes longer, stirring constantly and shaking the pan to prevent burning. Mixture will begin to brown.

Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Scrape the chili seeds out with a spoon. Grind the mixture into a fine powder. (I have a separate coffee grinder that I use for this) You can use a mortar and pestal. Or in a pinch, a food processor - maybe a mini version if you have it.