For Food’s Sake

The BIG BOOK invite…its offical!

CrioBru Tortillas

CrioBru tortillas with Beef Chilli

Well kids, you have heard me raving on about a lot of stuff lately (well, longer than lately…and yes, perhaps even wittering on and on and on about stuff!!) The BIG BOOK is here…its out and about! AND my Chic Chocolate Cooking Class is also up and selling like hot cakes, because of course the BIG BOOK is available at the cooking classes…signed or unsigned…but all with 80 recipes, and the gorgeous pics to go with them all…I’m not going to lie; This book is awesome. SO pretty, and I am so excited for you to get it and then tell me all about it. I hope you love it as much as I have loved the process. Tonight is the official launch…so I am getting my hair done and polishing my thank-you speech as you read this. (The Oscar acceptance speech I never got to give will fill in nicely I’m thinking!) Wish you were all here…but in the meantime, here is a recipe that will feature in the CCCC (Chic Chocolate Cooking Class) that goes with a lovely Crio Bru Beef Chilli that features in the BIG BOOK, and just in case you don’t know what the BIG BOOK is called…features in For Food’s Sake, an excellent full colour cookbook, with beautiful pics. (Am I boring you yet?) So what are you waiting for? Get organised…book, Crio Bru, Cooking classes…Happy 2012…year of the Dragon is roaring in!

NEED:

Dough One;

50g polenta

150g bakers flour

50-100g hot brewed Crio Bru liquid

Pinch sea salt

Dough Two;

200g bakers flour

Pinch sea salt

50g oil

50-70g hot brewed Crio Bru liquid

2 heaped tbsp Crio Bru granules

DO:

To make Dough one, place rice into Thermomix bowl and mill 1 min/speed 10. Add remaining ingredients and only about 50-60g of the water, mix 6 sec/speed 6.

Knead 1 min/Interval. (Add more water at this point if not forming sticky dough.) Turn out onto floured Silpat mat and wrap tightly. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make  Dough Two by placing all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mixing 6 sec/speed 6. Knead 1.5 min/Interval speed. Wrap tightly and allow to rest for at least 10 mintues.

Place both doughs back into Thermomix bowl and knead 2 min/Interval speed.

Roll into long sausage shape and cut into rounds which you then roll flat into large circles before placing into a hot, well oiled fry pan, Induction 7-8. Cook both sides and keep warm until use.

Use as wraps, top with Crio Bru Beef Chilli, Curry or salad, quick grilled meat strips, salad etc.

In the absence of Crio Bru in your pantry, you have two choices….get some, or use brewed coffee and grounds as per the recipe.

Inca Berry Cinnamon Scroll Loaf

I discovered Inca berries at my local whole food supplier…and I am LOVING them…they are a tart little version of a raisin, sour, filled with little seeds, quite palatable on their own…and I discovered quite good for you…well, very good for you actually! I have always loved Cape gooseberries (which is the fresh version of Inca berries) so now with a facelift and a brand new sexy name, we have yet another new superfood…move over Goji!

NEED:

30g fresh yeast

20g sugar

300g milk

Pinch sea salt

510g bakers flour

20g powdered malt

Filling;

70g sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp cardamom seeds

50g brewed Crio Bru leftover grounds, still moist

70g butter

2 handfuls Inca berries, (dried Cape gooseberries)

2 handfuls dried cherries or craisins

Maple syrup to glaze

DO:

Place yeast, sugar and milk into Thermomix bowl and warm 2 min/37ºC/speed 2.

Add salt, flour and malt and blend 10 sec/speed 6.

Knead 3 min/Interval. Turn onto floured Silpat mat and knead by hand into a tight ball. Wrap and prove until doubled in your Kleenmaid warming drawer! (I know, I know, I AM spoilt!)

To make filling place sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and cardamom seeds into clean Thermomix bowl and blend 10 sec/speed 10. Add Crio Bru grounds and butter and blend 8 sec/speed 6.

When dough has doubled, divide into two portions.

Roll one piece of dough out into a large rectangle, slightly smaller than the size of your Silpat mat.

Spread 1/2 the filling mixture over, sprinkle with berries and roll up, long side. Tuck ends of dough in and transfer to a paper lined baking tray.

Repeat with remaining dough and mixture.

Prove again for at least 30 minutes until risen and fragrant.

Preheat oven to bread setting 200ºC.

Bake 15 minutes until golden. Brush with maple syrup whilst still hot.

Slice and serve with lashings of butter….try honey or maple butter for a real treat.

Freeze one loaf unbaked if desired without second proofing. Bring to room temperature before baking as usual. Will keep in the freezer up to a month.

Curry Filled Vetkoek

Vetkoek Dough

You are all on a new years diet kick…is that right?

How about you save this one then for a rash day of calorie consumption? This recipe is in honor of my South African friends everywhere, but in particular my friend and business partner Mandy, without whom I would be a lot of good ideas with no direction…we are dreaming big together for 2012…so watch this space!

Every country has their own form of donut it would seem, and this is a savoury filled one which I have made before to great acclaim. It has been sitting around in my draft folder for months, so  I thought I would trot it out…just in time for something completely different on here…I have cleaned up the Christmas decorations, the Christmas food slash chocolates are all gone (except for my mother in laws most excellent fruit cake which will last until mid March at least!) and I really am now in Empty the Pantry Mode…not wishing to buy anything but the fresh stuff. This fit the bill perfectly.

Enjoy…oh…and don’t forget, you can stuff these donuts with a nice melty cheese before frying if you dare…but you will definitely eat more than one. (Consider yourself warned!)

NEED:

Donuts;

Cheesey Sable Bites

I love a good sable, and normally think of them as sweet or as the base of a cheesecake or tart…so these are a savoury take on a sable. Crumbly, buttery, little bites of yum, they are perfect for the Christmas entertaining platter. Get out the dried fruit, a few nuts, some good cheese and these…or box them up and use them as gifts. Maybe save the egg whites and go ahead and make that Crio Bru Pavlova you are dreaming about!

NEED:

50g mature Cheddar

30g Parmesan, plus extra

100g unsalted butter, cubed

120g SR flour, plus extra

2 egg yolks, hard boiled

50g fine polenta

Pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Sesame seeds to garnish

DO:

Preheat oven to 180ºC and line a baking tray with paper.

Place cheeses into Thermomix bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 1o.

Add remaining ingredients except seeds and blend 6 sec/speed 6.

Tip out onto floured Silpat mat and push together with hands.

Roll into small balls and place onto prepared tray. Sprinkle with seeds and extra grated Parmesn. Flatten with a piece of baking paper between the biscuit and the MC to form rounds.

Bake 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant.

Crio Bru Rye Bread

Look, its not about the chocolate…it really isn’t. (Not this time!) I remember eating the most divine bread at restaurants in the USA on occasion that was a deep brown rye, without the expected dryness of a whole grain. Fragrant, soft, yeasty scented small rolls, that were indescribable…well I have DONE it…these are they. A beautifully soft textured bread and I think it would make an excellent loaf, though I used the cute little individual loaf tin for these, but it is really up to you!

SO…get on to Crio Bru immediately and get yours in the pantry. Any flavour works with these, because, for once, like I mentioned…it is not about the chocolate! Its about the antioxidants…bring ‘em on!

NEED:

85g Rye flour + 40g

310g brewed Crio Bru, strained, hot or cold

30g fresh yeast or 2 tsp dried instant yeast

1 tsp raw sugar

1 tsp sea salt

320g bakers flour

2 tbsp Crio Bru granules

Egg wash and 1-2 tbsp seeds of choice to decorate

DO:

Place 85g rye flour and Crio Bru liquid into Thermomix bowl and cook 5 min/100ºC/speed 4.

Cool until just tepid. To speed the cooling process, you may have to remove the roux from the Thermomix bowl.

When you can successfully stick your finger in the mixture and it just feels warm, add yeast and sugar and warm  1 min/37ºC/speed 2. Add remaining rye flour, salt, bakers flour and Crio Bru granules and blend 10 sec/speed 6.

Knead 2 min/Interval. Scrape out onto floured Silpat mat and knead into a tight ball. Use a little additional rye flour to prevent it sticking. Wrap and allow to prove.

Preheat oven to bread baking setting 220ºC and shape dough into loaf/loaves of choice. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a few seeds. Prove until peeping over the top of the tins.

Bake 15-25 minutes depending on your oven…don’t make me tell you again, Kleenmaid are back in the baking game and are better than ever! Go check out the cooking link…who does that chick think she is???

The loaves will sound hollow when tapped and will be a deep brown colour.

Cool and enjoy with LOTS of unsalted butter to be authentic!

Aish Bel Lahm

Look, lets not beat around the bush….this is Middle Eastern Pizza…or Gozleme, without the folded bit….amongst other things. This is designed to feed a small army….so I suggest if there is only two of you, invite the neighbours for a street party or at the very least, get the kids to bring home a few strays on the night you decide to make this recipe. (Or halve it, bread and topping can both be halved.)

If you would like to use fresh yeast, I suggest that is a great idea…activate it first by heating it for 2 min/37ºC/speed 2 along with the liquid, and without the flour. Then add the flour etc and proceed as directed.

NEED:

680g bakers flour

60g olive oil

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried yeast

3 eggs

Good pinch sea salt

300g warm water

Topping;

Handful fresh Italian parsley

Few black peppercorns

2 onions peeled and halved

500g beef or lamb mince

salt to taste

1 leek cleaned and sliced

2tbsp tahini

30g pomegranate molasses

200g crumbled feta

Few poppy or Nigella seeds

DO:

Place all ingredients into Thermomix bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 6.

Knead 2 min/Interval speed.

Turn out onto oiled Silpat Mat, wrap tightly and allow to prove in warm draft free place for up to 2 hours or until doubled. (Or if you are lucky enough to have it, use the bread rising setting in your Kleenmaid oven!)

Topping;

Place parsley into Thermomix bowl and chop for 3-4 sec/speed 5. Set aside.

Place peppercorns into Thermomix bowl and mill 8 sec/speed 8.

Add onion and chop 3 sec/speed 6.

Add mince and cook 10 min/Varoma/Reverse + speed soft.

Add seasoning, leek, tahini and molasses and cook  5 min/Varoma/Reverse + speed soft.

Assemble;

Roll dough out into small rounds and dollop meat mixture into the centre of each one. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or Nigella seeds and place into preheated fan forced 220°C oven for approx 10 minutes or until puffed and fragrant. Top with feta and parsley and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.

Asagio and Beef Burgers.

Yes, its the weekend. Back in the day we used to have Saturday Burger Days….and dad was the cook of these burgers…the kids are almost gone, and Saturday night of all nights is the quiet night at ours…but this won’t tax you too much if you want a weekend break, but without sacrificing great flavour and great food…Move over Macca’s…’Tenna’s’ is coming through! (or something like that…)

NEED:

250g Asiago cheese, cubed

180g walnuts, toasted

2tsp black peppercorns

Pinch sea salt

1 tbsp Umami paste

1kg beef mince

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Rocket leaves to taste

1 large tomato sliced

100g mayonnaise

6 slices cooked bacon

6 hamburger buns or choice

 Dressing;

1 tsp seeded mustard

2 tbsp raw honey

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

Sea salt to taste

100g Fini EVOO

DO:

Place cheese into Thermomix bowl and grate for 2 sec/speed 6. Set aside.
Place walnuts, peppercorns and salt into Thermomix bowl and mill for 6 sec/speed 7.
Add umami paste, beef mince, sauce and grated cheese to Thermomix bowl and combine for 10 sec/Reverse + speed 7 with the aid of the spatula.
Form into 6-8 equal burger patties, place onto baking paper and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Dressing;

Clean bowl before making the dressing by placing all ingredients except EVOO into Thermomix bowl and mixing for 10 sec/speed 6. Add oil and stir through for 4 sec/speed 6. Drizzle over rocket leaves and set aside.

To assemble burgers; Char grill buns and patties to taste. Cook bacon. Spread mayonnaise on bottom half of bun, add cooked burger patty, top with slice of tomato, dressed rocket leaves and a slice of bacon. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired.
Serve immediately.

Seeded Salami Cheese Scrolls

I am frantically busy with all sorts of little projects that will soon be coming your way, so this is an oldie but a goldie that I have drummed up from the deep dark recesses of my files…you will enjoy…nothing earth shattering, just wholesome, delicious, feed a family, goodness! I hope you are all staying abreast of the latest shennanigans that I am up to over on Facebook and that you are telling all your Thermomixing friends about it as well. I have a baking class in the planning which should be available for bookings really soon, and there is an impending trip to NSW, including Newcastle…so stay tuned. Of course, that is inbetween getting a couple of books ready! (I know right??? CRAZY, but all good fun!)

NEED:

80g Gruyere cheese , cubed
120g Vintage Cheddar cubed
2 spring onions /shallots roughly chopped
100g whole buckwheat
30g fresh yeast
320g warm water
50g oil

Pinch sea salt
500g bakers flour
50g assorted seeds of choice
Handful walnut kernels
150g creme fraiche
200g thinly sliced salami of choice
Handful Kalamata olives

DO:

Place Gruyere, Cheddar and spring onions into Thermomix bowl and mill for 5 sec/speed 8. Remove from bowl and set aside.

Place buckwheat into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 sec/speed 10. Add yeast, water,  oil & salt and mix for 6 sec/speed 6. Warm for 2 min/37ºC/speed 2. 

Add flour, and seeds and knead for 1 min/Interval.

Add walnuts through hole in lid and knead a further 30 sec/Interval.

Turn out onto floured silicone mat and knead by hand into a tight ball. Wrap and allow
to double in size in draft free room. It will be quite a stiff dough.

Roll dough out to a large rectangle and spread generously with crème fraîche. Arrange salami slices evenly, top with milled cheese mixture and olives. Roll carefully into a sausage shape and gently cut into rounds, so as not to flatten the scrolls.

Place cut side up into a large baking dish, cover and allow to prove for around 30minutes. Place into cold oven set to fan forced 200ºC (to allow a further rise) and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden and sounding hollow when tapped.

Serve warm.

Buttermilk Yeast Waffles

You know I love yeast…and now, I cannot go past fresh yeast ever since watching Dani Valent use it in one of the recipes for her nearly here Wunderbook In the Mix. The thermomix is so perfect for using fresh yeast, don’t let it scare you…37°C is just perfect to warm it up and get it all bubbling and frothing…which is exactly what you want. These are not the quickest breakfast around as you do have to allow a little rising time, but perfect to spoil dad this Fathers Day…breakfast in bed? Sorted!

NEED:

330g uncultured buttermilk
30g fresh yeast
pinch salt
1 tbsp sugar
45g Butter
190g bakers flour
4 eggs
150g SR flour
1 tsp vanilla
Toppings of choice

DO:

Cultured Butter….

I think of homemade butter as cultured anyway…you know what I mean…elegant, delicious, a little high brow…but ‘Cultured’ butter (as in fermented butter)…is completely different. Slightly sour, creamy, delicately flavoured…yes, cultured indeed! I had this question at my first Cooking with Tenina Advanced Thermomix class, and went away on discovery…with thanks from a couple of foodies, Barbara over at Winosandfoodies who tweeted me her version, and Jenny Reed who asked the question in the first place sent me a copy of a recipe from an old cookbook of hers…well this is a hybrid of the two…Thermomix style. Cue the French cafe music, bring on the baguettes, and you have a little piece of Europe on your table…

NEED:

600ml cream

75g pot set plain yoghurt

OR

75g creme fraiche

DO:

Place cream into Thermomix bowl and warm for 5 min/37°C/speed 2.

Add yoghurt or creme fraiche and stir through for 15 sec/speed 2.

Pour into warmed, sterilised glass jar or Thermos flask and keep at temperature for 12 hours. The glass jar must go into a yoghurt maker or similar to stay warm…this can be up to 24 hours or even longer, within reason…a week is too long.

Chill cream until totally cold…colder the better.

Return cream to the Thermomix bowl and insert the Butterfly. Whip until separation occurs. This took a long time for me, and I think it is something to do with the heating of the cream previously. Drain off the buttermilk after you have separation and voila, you have Cultured Buttermilk as well…(cultured butter, ergo; cultured buttermilk from the butter!!)

Wash the butter by removing the Butterfly and pouring into the Thermomix bowl, plenty of icy cold water. Close the lid and wash for 20 sec/speed 5, occasionally hitting the Reverse function so that you get a washing machine action! (Cool, yes??)

Remove liquid from butter by squeezing, add flavorings of choice (salt, sugar, honey, cinnamon, chilli, garlic, truffle, need I go on?) and pot the butter into small bowls or dishes. Freeze until use, or not, depending on how fast you will eat this new treat. I have to say, I would probably not use this in cooking as it is a bit of a fiddle, but for beautiful home made, grainy, sourdough bread, or the aforementioned baguettes…I’m there baby!