Friday’s Food Quiz Number 17

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Tandy

1. What is the difference between sorbet and ice-cream?

sorbet is a smooth, sharp-tasting iced dessert which consists of sugar syrup and fruit juice. Liqueur can be added. Sorbets can also be served between courses as a palate cleanser. Savoury sorbets can be served as an accompaniment to a meat course. Sorbets and Sherbets come from Ancient Persia – the Arabic word Sharbia means drink.

Ice Cream is a frozen dessert made from sweetened cream and/or rich milk which has been thickened using eggs. Ice cream needs to be churned while partially frozen to reach a smooth consistency. Ice cream descends from flavoured ices that were eaten in China over 3000 years ago. Marco Polo returned to Venice with the knowledge in the 13th century. It was introduced to the French by the Medici’s cooks in the 16th century. Of course, it was the Americans that invented the ice cream churner – way back in the 1800′s.

2. What is Za’atar?

a blend of dried oregano, thyme, savory, toasted sesame seeds and salt

3. What is pectin?

pectin is a natural water soluble gelling agent that is found in some fruits and vegetables. it is used for its thickening properties when making jam. when pectin containing fruits are cooked with sugar they set firm. black currants, red currants, citrus fruits, cooking apples, quinces, gooseberries and plums contain high levels of pectin. under ripe or just ripe fruit contains more pectin than over ripe fruit.

4. What is the difference between chutney and a relish?

chutney is a sweet, sour or spicy condiment of fruits and/or vegetables cooked with spices, sugar and vinegar until thick. chutney is served as an accompaniment to meats, cheeses, fish dishes and Indian curries. A relish is a cooked pickled chopped vegetable and/or fruit and is used as a condiment. these can be sweet or savoury, hot or mild but have a strong flavour.

5. What is Bouillabaisse?

It is a soup made from a variety of fish – traditionally white flesh fish – and shellfish and can contain tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, wine and saffron. This dish can be served over two courses, the first course being the broth and the second the fish.

6. What is Allspice?

It is a spice made from the berries of a tropical tree which grows throughout central America and Jamaica. It smells like a combination of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. the berries are picked when green and dried in the sun until dark red. Whole berries are used when making chutneys. Also known as pimento or Jamaican pepper

7. Where did the Cape gooseberry originate?

it is native to Peru

8. What is Suya and in what country do they eat Suya?

a shish Kebab eaten in the West African country of Nigeria.

9. What are the smallest bulbs in the onion family?

scallions

10. What is a poolish?

a fermentation starter used for bread making consisting of flour, water and yeast. Sourdough is the oldest form of a poolish

11. What fruit is known as “the fruit of love”?

tomato

12. What is the correct name for a Peppadew™?

sweet piquante peppers

13. What is the “tree of life” more commonly known as?

Acacia tree

14. What is pizzette?

an antipasto which is a small pizza

15. Besides being served with sushi, what else is nori used for?

I have seen nori sheets being eaten as snacks! not sure what else

Tandy

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Lemon Grass

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Tandy

This tall tropical grass has a powerful lemon fragrance, and is widely used in the cooking of Thailand, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. It also makes a vitamin A rich tea. Lemon grass has narrow, leafy stalks that grow in large clumps that reach 1m or more.

photograph sourced from Wikipedia

This herb is best suited to a sunny position, well drained soil, warm growing conditions – ideally between 18°C and 38°C – and high humidity. In cooler areas it is best grown in a large pot and overwintered indoors. To propagate carefully divide the clump. Water plants regularly. Harvest stems as required. Cut the upper green part into segments and dry it out of direct sunlight, then store it in airtight containers and use it for tea. For cooking, wrap the white bulbous lower portion in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for several weeks.

The strong citrus flavour of lemon grass goes well in Southeast Asian cooking and is often teamed with chillies and coconut milk. Lemon grass is also an excellent addition to Western cooking, particularly in fish and seafood dishes. Use the lower white part of the fresh stems and slice finely crosswise to avoid a fibrous texture in the finished dish. If using a whole stem or large pieces, bruise first to release the flavour and remove before serving.

information sourced from The Complete Book of Herbs

recipes with lemon grass include my green curry paste, Sichuan pepper prawns and Indonesian chicken.

Tandy

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Chicken Liver Pâté

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Tandy

When Jamie posted the challenge to the Monthly Mingle I was stumped. I thought long and hard about what French food meant to me. And once I thought of all the real French dishes I love, I had to think which ones I could make and blog about. Last year we were in France, barging the Canal du Midi and we were in duck country. This meant cassoulet, fois gras and duck rillette. Yesterday I realized that I had a post in my draft folder, just waiting to be a part of this monthly mingle. This is my ultimate snack food, and something I used to have in the fridge at all times. It is easy to make, and even easier to eat. Dave decided a few years ago that I needed to stop making this pâté as he was snacking too often and he wanted to lose weight. So, for a very long time this lovely dish has not been in my fridge. A few weeks ago friends of ours were coming over for a braai (barbecue) and I knew we would sit around chatting and drinking wine, before we got to supper. So, I decided to make a few snack items to have before the main meal. Something we could eat easily, with a few crackers. One of the starters I made was my chicken liver pâté and as you can prepare it ahead of time, it makes a great dinner party dish. Just don’t make it too far in advance, as temptation may get in your way, and there might be none left to share.

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

Ingredients:

125g butter

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 chillies, seeded and chopped

250g chicken livers

1 teaspoon brandy, port or sherry

2 tablespoons thick cream or crème fraîche

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Method:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan

Add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook on a low heat until the onion is soft

Add the chicken livers and cook until done

Remove from the heat and cool

Add the alcohol and the cream or crème fraîche

Blend until smooth

Spoon into a dish and pour the melted butter over the pâté

Add the chives

Refrigerate until set.

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ PRINTABLE VERSION

(you will see from the photograph that I did not add the butter and the chives to the top of my pâté – it was a time issue

Tandy

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Sweetcorn And Basil Velouté

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Tandy

I have come across the terminology ‘velouté’ on various occasions, but I have never had the pleasure of tasting one until our evening at the opening of Liam Tomlin Food at Leopard’s Leap. A velouté is one of the five “mother sauces” in French cuisine and is basically a stock thickened with a blonde roux. Anyone who has made a béchamel sauce before, will be familiar with a roux. It is a mixture of equal parts butter and flour. The sweetcorn and basil velouté I tasted was amazing, and the weekend after our lovely evening, I decided to try and recreate the dish at home. I decided however, once I had started, to not use a basil oil but instead to make use of the truffle oil that we received in our gift box. This can be served at room temperature so you can make this ahead of time if you are planning a dinner party.

SWEETCORN AND BASIL VELOUTÉ

Ingredients:

15g butter

1 tablespoon flour

250mls vegetable stock

Corn cut off two cobs

5 basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Truffle oil for garnishing

Method:

Melt the butter in a pot

Stir in the flour to make a smooth paste

Stir in the stock and bring to a simmer

Add the corn and continue simmering until the corn is cooked

Blend until smooth and pass through a chinois

Return to the heat with the basil leaves and allow to warm through

Serve at room temperature with a drop of truffle oil for each serving

SWEETCORN AND BASIL VELOUTÉ PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy

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Ginger Prawns On An Apple And Tatsoi Salad

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Tandy

Saturday’s for me are my day to spend in the kitchen, creating and enjoying. This past weekend Dave was at the race track and I was happily minding my own business, making pastry. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone walking through our property and I rushed into action. First I locked the back door, then I ran up the stairs and set off the panic alarm. We live in such a quiet neighbourhood that the panic button is really only there for the house sitter. She asked for one as she looks after our house alone, and so I have placed it on a red ribbon, next to the bed. As I pushed the button, I noticed a Telkom van parked outside our neighbour’s house. The alarm sounded and I ran down the stairs, to turn it off as the actual panic code activation is meant to have the armed response arrive straight away. We also only have armed response as the insurance company insists on it, not because I think we need it. Two cars pulled up and the two armed men came onto the property and discovered that the gentleman from Telkom was on our property fixing the next door neighbour’s phone line. The servitude is on our property, but he was still trespassing. I had a moment of SCARED followed by minutes of ANGER that he had dared invade my space that way. I would have had him arrested for trespassing but as he was not actually on my property when the armed response arrived – he had quickly jumped over the wall, using his ladder – they could not detain him while the police were called.

I decided after this not so nice experience, I needed a nice lunch. Prawns are a sure way to make you feel better!

GINGER PRAWNS ON AN APPLE AND TATSOI SALAD

Ingredients:

1 apple julienned

1 lime cut in half

40g tatsoi, stalks trimmed and cut into ribbons

2 tablespoons Asian salad dressing

15g butter

15mls oil

2.5cm root ginger, peeled and julienned

10 prawns

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

Place the apple into a bowl and squeeze over the juice of half a lime

Toss well

Add the tatsoi and the dressing and toss

Heat the olive oil and the butter in a frying pan

Add the ginger and as soon as it start to cook add the prawns

Season and cook for 90 seconds a side

Just before you remove them from the pan, squeeze over the juice of the other half of the lime

Place on top of the salad and serve

Dave and I like our prawns with the skin on, but for ease of eating, you can peel them first

GINGER PRAWNS ON AN APPLE AND TATSOI SALAD PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy

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Friday’s Food Quiz Number 70

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Tandy

I have been posting old food quiz’s here from my other blog, which I am going to close down eventually as it takes a lot of time maintaining two blogs. This quiz is the most recent one, set by my friend Pink. If you would like to give it a try, click here for the questions, and do the answers on your own blog, and let Pink know. If you are just interested in learning something, then carry on reading! These are my answers, and all of them are done without referring to external sources, including google. I will edit the post when Pink posts the answers so that you can go and see what they are.

1. Where is the dish Vindaye a traditional dish?

Mauritius

2. What are the main ingredients of a classic French Sabayon?

This is based on the Italian dessert Zabaione and that is made with egg yolks, sugar and a sweet wine

3. What is Ochazuke and from which country?

A Japanese savoury rice dish, where green tea is poured over the rice

4. What type of dish is Pasha and when is it normally eaten?

A Russian feast dish, eaten on Easter Sunday (Orthodox Christianity), made with lamb (Paschal lamb)

5. What is a “silk squash” better known as?

gourd

6. What is Crostatas?

An Italian dessert of pastry, pastry cream and fruit

7. What is Sunflower greens?

sprouted sunflower seeds

8. What differentiates a “Pot pie” from another pie?

A pot pie’s pastry completely surrounds the filling, acting like a pot, whereas most pies only have a pie crust topping

9. What are the main ingredients of the spice “bzar” (or bezar)?

Cumin, fennel seeds, cinnamon and coriander seeds

10. What plant does tapioca come from?

cassava

Tandy

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Friday’s Food Quiz Number 16

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Tandy

1. What is chicory also known as?

endive or radicchio

2. What is fricassée?

a stewed dish of white meat, most commonly poultry

3. What is Joulupöytä and where is this eaten?

it is a Yule table eaten at Christmas time in Finland

4. If you suspect that you have a cracked egg, when cooking eggs, what can you add to the water, that you are going to cook the eggs in, to close the crack in the egg?

vinegar. I add a toothpick per egg and this works!

5. What is “black Gold”?

balsamic vinegar

6. What is Kefir?

a fermented milk drink

7. Pumpkins are native to which country?

I never guess these ones correct! North America?

8. What is Moroccan Kobz?

Flatbread

9. What is Patatas Bravas?

a potato dish served with spicy tomato sauce

10. What is SASSI?

Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative the cell phone number is 0794998795 and you can sms them the name of any fish and an sms will be sent to you with its sassi status – green, orange or red

11. What is Kobe beef and why is it so special?

it is beef reared in a special way – massaged daily, fed beer, brushed, and fed grain. this Japanese beef is highly prized. It is renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty well marbled texture (and price)

12. What is a “Bento”?

a lunch box ensemble made of layers that slot into one another

13. What is Palmiers?

biscuits shaped like pigs ears

14. What will happen to a fresh egg when popped into a bowl filled with water?

It will sink

Tandy

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Lemon Balm

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Tandy

Lemon balm smells like sweet lemon and is used in herbal teas, wines and liqueurs. Lemon balm is a hardy perennial that bears some resemblance to its close relations, the mints. It is multi-stemmed growing to about 80cm, with ovate, regularly toothed green leaves. The insignificant lipped flowers are lemon-yellow, and borne in clusters on the upper parts of the stems.

photographs sourced from Wikipedia - but looking at these I think I have just identified something in my garden!

Lemon balm is an unfussy plant, but prefers full sun to partial shade and a well drained but moist soil. It also grows well in pots. It is usually grown from seed although it is easy to raise from cuttings taken in spring and autumn, or from rooted divisions. If you do not want seedlings, or you desire a new flush of foliage, cut back the whole plant, including the flowering heads.

Harvest the fresh foliage as required. To dry, cut the plant down to about 7.5cm in mid to late afternoon, secure the stems in small bunches with rubber bands, and hang upside down in a well ventilated area out of direct sunlight. Strip off the dried leaves and store them in airtight containers in a cool place.

Lemon balm’s lemon scent and lemon and mint flavour go well with most foods complemented by either of those flavours. Use the leaves in tea, salads, cordials, fruit dishes, wine cups and chilled summer drinks, or stuffing for poultry or fish.

information sourced from The Complete Book of Herbs

Tandy

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Hot Cross Buns For Fresh From The Oven

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Tandy

I can remember at high school being late for a class and telling the teacher “better late than never” (cheeky bugger me) and he replied “better never late”. Well, for Easter I had planned to do a recipe post on hot cross buns, but the next thing I knew it was April already, and I was LATE. And then, The Little Loaf set this month’s Fresh From The Oven challenge and it was for Hot Cross Buns. So, now I had to make them! But I knew I could not get the post done in time for Easter as the first free moment I would have to bake would be on Easter Friday. We were going out for lunch and I knew that they would make a welcome dessert, especially as they would be freshly made. We did a taste test, comparing them to ones made in a bakery, and mine were judged to be the best! They are spicy, and easy to make, and the recipe I am sharing with you is straight out of the book for my bread maker.

HOT CROSS BUNS

Breville Ikon Bakers Oven Recipe – adapted slightly

Ingredients:

For the dough:

340mls water

40mls oil

10mls salt

60mls brown sugar – I used fructose

4 cups bread flour

60mls milk powder

20mls ground mixed spice

20mls ground cinnamon

11.25mls yeast

1 cup raisins

½ cup dried cranberries

For the crosses:

40mls water

¼ cup flour

For the glaze:

½ cup icing sugar, sifted – I used Canderel Yellow (sucralose)

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons water

Method:

Place the ingredients into the bread maker in the order listed, up to and including the yeast

Place into your bread maker with the dough setting for bread, and the add nuts option selected

At the beeps, add the raisins and cranberries

Once the machine has finished its process, divide the dough into pieces and shape into rounds

Place the rounds close together on a lightly greased baking tray

cover loosely with lightly greased cling wrap and leave to stand in a warm area for 20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 190° Celsius

Mix the batter for the crosses until smooth and place into a piping bag with a small nozzle

Once the buns have doubled in size, remove the cling wrap and pipe a cross onto each bun (you can make them quite thick as the batter goes a long way – I made stars as I made mine too thin and had batter left over)

Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown

Combine all the glaze ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir until all mixed in

Place onto a wire rack and glaze and leave to cool for 10 minutes

HOT CROSS BUNS PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy

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Asian Salad Dressing

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Tandy

We have had a LONG summer and it has been a very hot one. Our heatwave season normally is in February, but this year it started in January and it was still in full force in March. These hot evenings usually mean we eat salad as a side dish for supper. As we are on a new healthy eating plan, I have made a mayonnaise free salad dressing. This can be kept in the fridge and you can use it to glaze fish, as well as to drench your leaves in. The new healthy eating plan is going really well. We have avoided potatoes and pasta for two months now, and I don’t often miss the potatoes. We are using all sorts of new ingredients and I will be sure to share them all with you.

ASIAN SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 cup oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

½ cup sugar

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

Place all the ingredients into an empty jar

Shake it all up just before you use it

ASIAN SALAD DRESSING PRINTABLE VERSION