Monday, 22 September 2014
EASY MADE BREAD
The protein content of the flour is important when making bread.
Protein is found in grains like barley , rye , wheat.
Gluten is a protein and gives elasticity to our bread dough and helps it to rise.
For this easy made bread recipe you can use an all purpose flour ( plain flour ),protein content per 125gm serve.
Get into the habit of checking the nutritional value of ingredients, as there are a lot of people with special dietary requirements, whether it is an informed decision they have made or for on going health reasons.
OK..... I did say it was easy to make ..
let's get started.
It is really simple and so good .
Into a large bowl place 1 kg of plain ..(all purpose flour ) ... 00 flour is acceptable.
1 level tbs of salt.
1 level tbs of dried yeast.
950ml of lukewarm water
Mix with a wooden spoon or use your hands .
It is a real sticky dough .
Cover the dough with cling film.
The dough will start to rise and double in size. It`s normal for bubbles to appear in the dough,which will tell you it' ready .
Set aside for 6 - 8 hours .
If you put it in the fridge remember to remove the dough an hour before cooking to come back to room temp.
When you are ready to cook your bread ....
Preheat your oven to 220deg C.
Prepare your bread pan ......I use 2 loaf pans sprayed lightly with cooking oil and sprinkled with a little fine polenta.
Wet your hands , the dough will cling like a glove to your skin.
Divide your dough into two and place in the prepared pans , you may want to make 1 loaf and use the other half of the dough to make bread rolls , in which case place the dough balls on an oven tray .
Cook in the well heated oven around 50 minutes for the loaf and 40 minutes for the rolls .
If the bread starts to darken place a piece of baking paper over the top and continue cooking .
Tap the bread on top , it will sound hollow and the top will be firm to touch when it is cooked.
Remove from the oven and pan , place the bread on a cooling tray .
Do not cover as you will ruin the crust.
Enjoy !!
P.S
Sprinkle some sesame seeds or poppy seeds over the batter prior to cooking . href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqbfZD1HZSHbi4i9qfUYTM2d_8LQ3eTop7ThTf6bFMhTwP78LdeZE1xjTzeg93IZRXPHohlvubPwu1V1vRX9bAO4pGcukX7_J727dYC4FSyDVvkrexLagEbJttJwilwHTByPIGy0Hchg/s1600/WIN_20140923_080356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
Sunday, 21 September 2014
DALE MURPHY HAS LANDED IN BOSTON ....USA.
The youngest son and brother Dale has arrived in Boston to present his final year thesis to an international engineering conference .
It`s about the calculations needed to prevent cracking in concrete bridges and structures .
Nicole ,(super sister ) made sure Dale was at Tullarmarine airport for a very early Sunday morning departure .
Back home here in the Valley, Paul, Shaun , Dee , Max and Jack arrived home Saturday .
I got to babysit , play , feed , bath and put my two beautiful grandsons to bed .
Paul , Shaun and Dee went to farewell Brandon and Renae Mahoney and their two sons , who are about to depart on their around Australia caravan adventure ......Good Luck !
We shared a traditional Sunday breakfast, washed down with copious cups of tea and coffee.
My daughter in law`s mother .....Nina Rubenstein ... is travelling through Georgia with the Boite choir group from Victoria , Australia.
Dee also tried the baked cheesecake I made with cream cheese through the week , we both liked it.
I spent time with Marc , Ella and Dale last weekend when all the family met and shared a family picnic in the Alma Rd Reserve , St Kilda East for Paul`s 35th birthday.
Ella is getting so tall , and will be in grade 6 next year...!
Well that was my weekend .... with the family .
It`s about the calculations needed to prevent cracking in concrete bridges and structures .
Nicole ,(super sister ) made sure Dale was at Tullarmarine airport for a very early Sunday morning departure .
Back home here in the Valley, Paul, Shaun , Dee , Max and Jack arrived home Saturday .
I got to babysit , play , feed , bath and put my two beautiful grandsons to bed .
Paul , Shaun and Dee went to farewell Brandon and Renae Mahoney and their two sons , who are about to depart on their around Australia caravan adventure ......Good Luck !
We shared a traditional Sunday breakfast, washed down with copious cups of tea and coffee.
My daughter in law`s mother .....Nina Rubenstein ... is travelling through Georgia with the Boite choir group from Victoria , Australia.
Dee also tried the baked cheesecake I made with cream cheese through the week , we both liked it.
I spent time with Marc , Ella and Dale last weekend when all the family met and shared a family picnic in the Alma Rd Reserve , St Kilda East for Paul`s 35th birthday.
Ella is getting so tall , and will be in grade 6 next year...!
Well that was my weekend .... with the family .
MIXED SOLIANKA
At the end of the second world war my father escaped from Russia through Ukraine and all that is left is a small travel bag with letters I `m unable to read and black and white photos of an unnamed family I never knew .
I know nothing of Russia , my father only ever spoke of the hunger and hardships endured , he escaped in hope of a free life but he was never to be free of mental torment ... a result of the war.
In Australia Solianka is a soup made with fish fillet covered in a thick tomato puree with an onion and cucumber sauce then poached in a fish stock and served with chopped olives and capers.
At Castle Garden I serve a mixed solianka .
Boil a kilo marrow bones with a smoked pork hock for 20 minutes in 9 cups of water .
Refresh stock with an extra cup of water.
Add 2 red onions quartered
3 sliced carrots
2 stalks of celery chopped .
Simmer for 90 minutes.
Remove the marrow bones and ham hock skin.
Shred the ham hock meat.. set aside
Strain the broth and skim off fat.
To the broth add
2 sliced carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
Simmer for 10 minutes
In a separate pan saute 2 quartered red onions before adding to the broth.
Now add 3 tbs of tomato paste.
Shredded ham hock
3 sliced Viennese franfurters
250gm of chopped salami
250gm of chopped calf liver
250gm of chopped lamb kidney
Simmer gently for 10 minutes
Add a tsp of capers
4 chopped dill pickles
1 bay leaf
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Do not boil but gently simmer for 20 minutes
Add 5 black olives ..pitted
1 tps of parsley
1 tbs of dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Serve in warmed bowls with wedges of lemon and a side of sour cream.
Friday, 19 September 2014
TRADITIONAL TWO CRUST APPLE PIE ...Jessie Mersey`s recipe
Firstly cube 230 gm of butter and place in freezer .
Preheat your oven 220 deg C .
Place cubes of butter , 2 cups of plain flour and 1 tsp of salt in a food processor using the on and off spurts till mixture resembles course crumbs .
Then add 1/4 cup of iced water mixed with 2 tsp of cider vinegar and process till the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the sides .
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Now for the apple filling......
Peel , core and slice very thinly
Combine with 1/2 cup of castor sugar , pinch of salt ,1 tbs of cornflour , the juice of 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
Stir lightly and set aside.
Use 2/3rds of the pastry and roll out to 4 mm thick.
Line the bottom of a 23 cm pie dish , leave about 5mm overhang to allow for shrinkage .
Prick the pastry with a fork and fill with apple mixture .
Dot the top of the apple mix with pieces of butter.
Roll out the remaining dough for the top.
Lightly moisten the edges where the two pastries meet , press together and crimp with your finger tips.
Prick the top with a fork to allow steam to escape .
Sprinkle with sugar .
Bake in the set oven for 15 minutes .
Lower heat to 190 deg C for 40 minutes or until lightly golden .
Serve warm or cold with thinly sliced vintage cheddar cheese
Preheat your oven 220 deg C .
Place cubes of butter , 2 cups of plain flour and 1 tsp of salt in a food processor using the on and off spurts till mixture resembles course crumbs .
Then add 1/4 cup of iced water mixed with 2 tsp of cider vinegar and process till the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the sides .
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Now for the apple filling......
Peel , core and slice very thinly
Combine with 1/2 cup of castor sugar , pinch of salt ,1 tbs of cornflour , the juice of 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
Stir lightly and set aside.
Use 2/3rds of the pastry and roll out to 4 mm thick.
Line the bottom of a 23 cm pie dish , leave about 5mm overhang to allow for shrinkage .
Prick the pastry with a fork and fill with apple mixture .
Dot the top of the apple mix with pieces of butter.
Roll out the remaining dough for the top.
Lightly moisten the edges where the two pastries meet , press together and crimp with your finger tips.
Prick the top with a fork to allow steam to escape .
Sprinkle with sugar .
Bake in the set oven for 15 minutes .
Lower heat to 190 deg C for 40 minutes or until lightly golden .
Serve warm or cold with thinly sliced vintage cheddar cheese
Thursday, 18 September 2014
CREAM ...... for all occasions
There are a variety of tastes and textures on offer when selecting cream .
Single cream
Thickened cream
Double cream
Crème fraiche
Sour cream
Fromage blanc
Fromage frais
Quark
Ricotta
Marscapone.
All of the above can be used in place of cream , and as promised here is a simple guideline to using them .
Double cream contains 40% butterfat , it can whipped and used with sweet desserts and cakes or added to savoury dishes for extra body and a smooth velvety texture .
It does not curdle when boiled ( except when added to an acid base , but that is common sense ) and combines beautifully with wine .
Thickened cream contains less fat than thickened cream but is less flavoursome . it can be whipped and will thicken without the assistance of sugar or egg whites.
Thickened cream doesn`t curdle when boiled , it is often used in place of milk giving an added richness .
Single cream will curdle when boiled and only thickens with the assistance of egg whites .
Sour cream is made with a bacterial culture that forms an acid which thickens and enriches the cream .
Sour cream can be used in savoury and sweet dishes.
Crème fraiche is related to sour cream but is much richer. it is a boutique style sour cream and more expensive.
Marscapone is used as an alternative to crème fraiche , it has a beautiful smooth texture and lightness.
Fromage frais and quark are very fresh cheeses made with rennet , they both provide a gainy texture to dishes .
Ricotta is very popular with those watching their weight ( some have more to look at than others !)
Ricottas vary in flavour from very sharp to mild and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes .
Yoghurt has the sharpest flavour . It will curdle when boiled , but when folded into equal quantity of whipped cream delivers a thicker ,creamier texture.
Having such a great range of dairy products that can be used in place of cream is amazing as in some recipes just using cream would`nt work ..
Take the time to check out the varieties on offer in the refrigerated section of your supermarket .
Single cream
Thickened cream
Double cream
Crème fraiche
Sour cream
Fromage blanc
Fromage frais
Quark
Ricotta
Marscapone.
All of the above can be used in place of cream , and as promised here is a simple guideline to using them .
Double cream contains 40% butterfat , it can whipped and used with sweet desserts and cakes or added to savoury dishes for extra body and a smooth velvety texture .
It does not curdle when boiled ( except when added to an acid base , but that is common sense ) and combines beautifully with wine .
Thickened cream contains less fat than thickened cream but is less flavoursome . it can be whipped and will thicken without the assistance of sugar or egg whites.
Thickened cream doesn`t curdle when boiled , it is often used in place of milk giving an added richness .
Single cream will curdle when boiled and only thickens with the assistance of egg whites .
Sour cream is made with a bacterial culture that forms an acid which thickens and enriches the cream .
Sour cream can be used in savoury and sweet dishes.
Crème fraiche is related to sour cream but is much richer. it is a boutique style sour cream and more expensive.
Marscapone is used as an alternative to crème fraiche , it has a beautiful smooth texture and lightness.
Fromage frais and quark are very fresh cheeses made with rennet , they both provide a gainy texture to dishes .
Ricotta is very popular with those watching their weight ( some have more to look at than others !)
Ricottas vary in flavour from very sharp to mild and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes .
Yoghurt has the sharpest flavour . It will curdle when boiled , but when folded into equal quantity of whipped cream delivers a thicker ,creamier texture.
Having such a great range of dairy products that can be used in place of cream is amazing as in some recipes just using cream would`nt work ..
Take the time to check out the varieties on offer in the refrigerated section of your supermarket .
UKHA ........Russian fish broth
You will need to purchase 500gms of fish trimmings and 500 gm of fresh fish meat .....Traditionally only white fleshed fish are used ...When I was growing up on my parents farm in Jeeralang Junction ..Gippsland..Victoria...we used carp !!!!...What`s the big deal ? No difference in the earthy taste of carp and that of expensive truffle.
So boil your trimmings in 8 cups of water along with 1 onion peeled and finely sliced , season with salt and pepper .
Simmer for 40 minutes
Strain .
Into strained stock add another sliced onion , 2 bay leaves ,2 large potatoes peeled and cut into bite sized pieces along with a handful of freshly chopped flat leafed parsley .
Simmer for 20 minutes .
Gently lower the fish meat cut into serving pieces and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add 1 tbs of butter
2 tbs of chopped dill.
Spoon into warm soup bowls and garnish with thin slices of lemon.
P.S
I use salmon heads for the stock and salmon meat for the broth ....
So boil your trimmings in 8 cups of water along with 1 onion peeled and finely sliced , season with salt and pepper .
Simmer for 40 minutes
Strain .
Into strained stock add another sliced onion , 2 bay leaves ,2 large potatoes peeled and cut into bite sized pieces along with a handful of freshly chopped flat leafed parsley .
Simmer for 20 minutes .
Gently lower the fish meat cut into serving pieces and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add 1 tbs of butter
2 tbs of chopped dill.
Spoon into warm soup bowls and garnish with thin slices of lemon.
P.S
I use salmon heads for the stock and salmon meat for the broth ....
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
ZAPEKANKA IZ TVOROGA Baked Cheesecake
I love a baked cheesecake .
A cheesecake that is a cake and flavoured with preserved peel , raisins and lemon .
Try sliced baked cheesecake served with strong black tea ( I`m talking really strong ) sweetened with cherry jam , gooseberry jam or whole strawberry jam , an ancient Russian tradition .
Preheat your oven to 180deg C
Grease an 8" spring form round pan and dust the inside with 3 tbs of fine white breadcrumbs .
Separate 4 egg yolks from the whites into separate bowls .
Add 100gm of candied peel to the egg yolks along with
500gm of ricotta cheese
90 gm of castor sugar
50gm of raisins
The grated rind of 1 lemon
3 tbs of semolina powder.
Mix well.
Whisk the egg whites till stiff and they hold their shape .
Spoon into cheese mix and combine well.
Place the mixture into the pan and cook for 40 minutes ...
If cake top starts to darken place a sheet of baking paper over the pan and continue cooking.
Let the cake cool in the tin .
Take care when removing .
Place on a serving plate and dust with sifted icing sugar.
Serve with sour cream and fresh berries . (fresh whipped cream optional )
For a smooth , denser texture use cream cheese in place of ricotta .
CREAM CHEESE
RICOTTA CHEESE
A cheesecake that is a cake and flavoured with preserved peel , raisins and lemon .
Try sliced baked cheesecake served with strong black tea ( I`m talking really strong ) sweetened with cherry jam , gooseberry jam or whole strawberry jam , an ancient Russian tradition .
Preheat your oven to 180deg C
Grease an 8" spring form round pan and dust the inside with 3 tbs of fine white breadcrumbs .
Separate 4 egg yolks from the whites into separate bowls .
Add 100gm of candied peel to the egg yolks along with
500gm of ricotta cheese
90 gm of castor sugar
50gm of raisins
The grated rind of 1 lemon
3 tbs of semolina powder.
Mix well.
Whisk the egg whites till stiff and they hold their shape .
Spoon into cheese mix and combine well.
Place the mixture into the pan and cook for 40 minutes ...
If cake top starts to darken place a sheet of baking paper over the pan and continue cooking.
Let the cake cool in the tin .
Take care when removing .
Place on a serving plate and dust with sifted icing sugar.
Serve with sour cream and fresh berries . (fresh whipped cream optional )
For a smooth , denser texture use cream cheese in place of ricotta .
CREAM CHEESE
RICOTTA CHEESE
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