Month: July 2015

Simple sides: White bean mash

| adamcockle

beanz2

A delicious alternative to potato mash . . .

Ingredients:

  • 2 tins white cannellini beans
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled (I used smoked garlic)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Chicken stock cube
  • 2tbsp butter (melted and left to cool)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Empty the beans into a pan (liquid and all) and pop in the garlic and bay leaf.  Bring up to a simmer and add in the stock cube.  Leave to simmer for 10mins.  Drain the beans but retain the cooking liquid.  Fish out the bay leaf and transfer the beans and garlic to a blender (you can also use a stick blender).  Add the melted butter to the beans and blend on a high speed.  Drizzle in the retained cooking liquid until you have a smooth, thick paste.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I served this bean mash with griddled pork chops and some steamed greens, but you can use it wherever you’d normally have regular potato mash.

beanz

Steamed mushroom buns and greens in miso butter

| adamcockle

dumplr3

Ingredients:

For the dough:

  • 2/3 cup warm water
  • 2tsp instant yeast
  • 2tbsp sugar
  • 1tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
  • 1 + 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1/4tsp baking powder

For the mushroom filling:

  • 250g mushrooms (I used a mixture of chestnut and shitake)
  • 5 spring onions
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2tbsp oil
  • 2tbsp soy sauce
  • 1tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1tsp chinese five spice
  • 1/2tsp ground szechuan pepper

For the greens:

  • 1tbsp butter
  • 1tsp miso paste
  • Greens of your choice (I used a mixture of spring greens and baby bak choi)

For the dipping sauce:

  • 4tbsp soy sauce
  • 2tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
  • 2tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1tsp chilli oil (or more if you like it spice)
  • 1tsp sesame oil

Method:

For the dough:

Mix the water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl until the yeast has dissolved.  Add the oil and then stir in the flour and salt.  Once the dough comes together in a sticky lump, transfer onto a floured surface and knead until smooth (about 5 to 10 minutes).  Put the dough aside in an oiled, covered bowl until risen to double its size.

For the mushroom filling:

Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium high heat.  Finely chop the garlic and spring onion and cook until the garlic has started to turn golden.  Add the mushrooms and cook until reduced in size and the pan starts to look dry (about 10 minutes).  Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a few more minutes until rich and dark brown.  Transfer to a clean bowl and allow to cool.

For the dumplings:

Punch down the risen dough and separate into small walnut sized balls (you should have about 8 – 10).  Press each ball into a flat circle (about 4inches across) and pop a heaped teaspoon of the cooled mushroom mixture into the centre. Lift the edges of the dough to enclose the filling and pinch and twist the dough to seal.

Place each dumpling on a small square of parchment paper and leave aside for about 20 minutes under a damp cloth. Meanwhile, heat some water in a pan until simmering.  Load the dumplings into a bamboo steamer (or more than one stacked on top of each other) keeping them on the parchment paper pieces.  Leave to steam over the bubbling pan for 10-12 minutes.

For the greens:

Melt the butter in a medium hot pan until it starts to froth and bubble.  Add in the miso and whisk until it has incorporated with the butter.  Toss in your greens and allow to cook until just tender.  Depending on your miso you may need to add a bit of extra seasoning at this point.

For the dipping sauce:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Easy!

Serve the dumplings straight from the steamer with a little bowl of dipping sauce on the side.  Best enjoyed with an ice cold bottle of Tiger beer.

dumplr2

Chocolate, pecan crumble muffins

| adamcockle
mufflr2
Chocolate, pecan crumble muffin

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

  • 3 medium eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup of yogurt
  • 1/2 cup of sunflower oil (or melted butter for a richer taste)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 100g dark chocolate chips
  • 100g pecans (toasted in a hot dry pan, chopped and left to cool)

For the crumble topping:

  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 2tbsp butter (cold from the fridge)
  • 20g dark chocolate chips
  • 20g pecans (toasted in a hot dry pan, chopped and left to cool)

Method:

For the crumble topping:

Place the sugar, flour and butter in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.  Keep in the fridge until needed.

For the muffins:

Preheat your oven to 180c and put cases into a 12 hole muffin tin.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until firm and dry.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg yolks, sugar, yogurt and oil.  Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture along with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and then fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon until the mixture is uniform in colour. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Divide the cake mixture amongst the 12 cases in the muffin tin and sprinkle the top of each one with a generous amount of the crumble topping*.  Place in the centre of the oven for approx. 20mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of each muffin comes out clean.  Remove the muffins from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy these muffins with a big mug of sweet, milky tea.

*if you have any left over crumble topping, sprinkle it in an even layer on a lined baking tray and place in the oven once the muffins are done.  After about 5 mins break up the crumble with a fork and return to the oven for a further 5 mins until it is all crispy and golden.  Allow to cool on the tray and then transfer to an airtight container.  This crumble makes a great topping for cakes or pancakes and a perfect filling for cookies.  You could even try sprinkling some over some fruit and yoghurt for breakfast!

mufflr3
Chocolate, pecan crumble muffin

Chicken salad with tahini dressing

| adamcockle

ChickensaladblogI

Ingredients:

For the salad:

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 250g new potatoes
  • Bag of mixed leaves
  • 1/2 red onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 red pepper (finely sliced)
  • 100g green beans
  • 2tsp black sesame seeds

For the dressing:

  • 4tbsp olive oil
  • 2tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • 1tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
  • Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

For the salad:

Preheat your oven to 180c

Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.  Heat a small amount of oil (I like to use olive oil) in a frying pan and brown the breasts on both sides before transferring to the oven for about 15 – 20 mins until cooked through.  Leave the chicken aside to rest and cool.

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.  Add the potatoes to the pan and bring back to the boil for about 10 mins before adding the green beans and cooking for a further 5 mins until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potatoes and beans and leave to cool (you can speed this process along by running under cold water).

For the dressing:

I like to make my dressings in a small jar.  Add all of the ingredients to the jar, pop on the lid and give it a vigorous shake so that all the ingredients combine.  Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.  I find that any salad which includes potatoes benefits from a generous amount of salt in the dressing.  If you don’t have a jar you can simply whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

To finish:

Cut the chicken breast into thin slices and mix together with all of the other salad ingredients and the dressing (all the ingredients come together particularly well if the potatoes are still a bit warm).  Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with some crusty bread.

ChickensaladblogII

Coffee cake with caramelised walnuts

| adamcockle

thatsnutsyoblog

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • 3 medium eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2tsp instant coffee (dissolved in a splash of water)
  • 1/2 cup of yogurt
  • 1/2 cup of sunflower oil (or melted butter for a richer taste)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the icing:

  • 100g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 1tsp instant coffee

For the caramelised walnuts:

  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 100g walnuts

Method:

For the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180c and grease and line a 20cm cake tin.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until firm and dry.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg yolks, sugar, coffee, yogurt and oil.  Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture along with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and then finally fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon until the mixture is uniform in colour.  Transfer the mix into the cake tin and bake for approx. 40mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool.

For the caramelised nuts:

Put the sugar and water in a small pan and heat on medium until the sugar has dissolved and become a pale amber colour.  Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts until they are all coated and then transfer them immediately onto a lined baking sheet.  Use a pair of forks to separate the nuts as best you can and allow to cool.  Once cooled, roughly chop the walnuts (making sure that you keep some whole).

For the icing:

Beat the butter in an electric mixer with the blade attachment until smooth.  Add the icing sugar in two batches and beat on high until pale and smooth.  Add the coffee and beat again.  You may need to add a splash of milk to your icing to gain the ideal consistency.

To finish:

Spread a thick layer of icing on top of the cooled cake and sprinkle generously with the caramelised walnuts.  You may need to press down gently on the nuts so that they sink into the icing a little.

Cut into thick slices and serve with steaming cups of good quality coffee.

coffeecakeblogII
Coffee cake with caramelised walnuts

Honey-glazed Meatballs

| adamcockle

Pork meatballs with spring onion and black sesame, coated in a sticky honey and soy glaze.

meatballsresizedII

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

  • 6 good quality pork sausages
  • 3 spring onions (finely sliced)
  • 2tbsp black sesame seeds
  • pinch of chilli flakes (or more if you like things spicy)

For the glaze:

  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp chilli oil
  • 2tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 4tbsp runny honey

Method:

Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl and put aside.

Remove sausage meat from skins and mix all meatball ingredients together in a bowl (you may need to add some beaten egg if the ingredients don’t come together).  Shape the mix into small manageable balls (I like to keep them to bite-sized morsels because my chopstick skills are questionable) Pop the meatballs on a baking try and cook in a medium oven for about 15 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and whack the heat up to full.  Pour the glaze over the meatballs and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the the glaze has gone dark and sticky.

Serve with boiled white rice and stir-fried veggies.

meatballsresizedI