Beetroot Salad with Walnut & Honey VinegarettePrint Recipe

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Michelle

 

This salad is one of those that I make on a regular basis. We usually have it with some grilled scotch fillet steaks and a potato gratin. Nothing revolutionary, just really simple food. But gosh it’s good.

Tonight I made it with rocket (arugula), which I usually do but I have also made it with baby spinach leaves. I prefer the slightly peppery taste of the rocket over the spinach – it tends to add some balance to the other ingredients. I have also substituted the pine nuts for cashews or walnuts…all of which taste very nice.

So now, over to you…

Ingredients
625 grams/1.4 pounds of beetroot
150 grams/5.3 ounces of rocket
50 grams/1.8 ounces of fresh goats cheese, broken into small sized chunks
50 grams/1.8 ounces roasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey

Preheat your oven to 180c/354f.

Cut the stems and leaves away from the beetroot, leaving about 1″ attached and wash to remove any surface soil (do not cut off the long tapering root).  Place each beetroot on a square of oiled foil, wrap and ensure all of the beetroot surface is covered. Bake from 30 minutes through to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your beetroot. Test with a skewer, it would slip through the beetroot without any resistance.

Remove foil and leave to cool for 20 minutes. Rub skins off under running water and cut into small segments. If you are using small beetroots you can leave them whole or halve them.

Whisk, oil, honey and balsmaic vinegar together and set aside.

Place rocket on a serving platter and drizzle with dressing. Scatter with beetroot, goats cheese and pine nuts and serve.

Notes: This salad looks great with the smallest of baby beets (if you can get your hands on them that is)

Source: Dressing from Michelle Cranston and tips on cooking beetroot from Stephanie Alexander.

Posted in Recipes, Salads, Sides, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian | 1 Comment

Goat’s Cheese Cake with Figs and HoneyPrint Recipe

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Michelle

 

I would love to romanticise this cheesecake with tales of long ago. It could have been first documented as the celebration cake for the Greeks when they conquered Troy or perhaps it could have been the favourite dessert of Aphrodite, the beautiful Greek Goddess of Love. However, they would be stories for a stories sake because sadly, none of it is true.

This is a Greek inspired cheesecake. It has a base that is vaguely similar to kourabiedes, the famous Greek almond shortbread, the filling is a heavenly blend cream cheese and goats cheese and it is finished off (exceptionally well) with a topping of slivered figs, pistachios and a good trickle of honey. So all in all the total effect is very ‘Greek’.

So Greek myths aside, I have no doubt in my mind that if this cheesecake was around when Aphrodite resided on Mount Olympus it would have been one of her favourites. I imagine she would have had her pretty fingers in it at every chance she got – something we will never know. What I can tell you though, is that if you are a fan of cheesecakes – this lovely Greek rendition with its drizzled honey, pistachio’s and figs will become a favourite of yours.

Ingredients
452 grams /16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
300 grams/11 ounces soft fresh goats cheese, at room temperature
75 grams/2.6 ounces softened butter
4 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon, finely grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 – 6 black figs, cut into thin wedges
To serve: honey and chopped pistachios

Base
240 grams/8.5 ounces plain flour
200 grams/7 ounces butter, coarsely chopped
80 grams/2.8 ounces ground almonds
¼ cup pure icing sugar/confectioners sugar

For base, work the flour, butter, almonds and icing sugar until fine crumbs form (I used a fork but a food processor is good too). Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough comes together (If the dough is a little dry and does not come together easily, add a tiny amount of water). Press into the lined base of a 9″ springform pan and chill for 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 175c/350f and bake until light golden and cooked through (around 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, goats cheese, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and rind in an electric mixer until combined and smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the cake tin above the base and pour in the cream cheese filling. Bake until set (30-40 minutes) and cool to room temperature (2 – 3 hours). Top with slivers of figs and pistachios and serve drizzled with honey.

Notes: You can make thius cheesecake the day prior to serving but do not make the topping until just before serving.

Source: inspired by Lisa Featherby

Posted in Cakes, Desserts, Fruit | 7 Comments

Chocolate Chip Cookie SandwichesPrint Recipe

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Michelle

 

They are a motley crew, these chocolate chip cookie sandwiches. So irregular and bumpy, with chunks of chocolate and walnuts popping out all over the place. There was not one that looked like it matched the other, nor one that looked as though it was made in the same batch. After I stopped fussing (because I like certain precision in my cooking), I realised that was their beauty. And sandwiched together with the most luscious of ganaches they actually looked quite magnificent in the very unruliest of ways (if I do say so myself).

The cookies fall easily into the category of an excellent chocolate chip cookie – crisp on the outside and slightly soft and chewy in the middle. I love walnuts in baked chocolate goods and this case is no exception. And the ganache is so good you could quite easily eat it by the spoonful.

Now these are best eaten in the afternoon, with a chaser of milk. Although I am certain Mr Man will wake with chocolate smears across his face after sleepwalking his way to the pantry throughout the course of the night.

1 cup walnuts
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Ganache
113 grams/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup or glucose
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the nuts on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes; let cool, then chop.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a handheld mixer), cream the butter with the sugars and vanilla at medium speed, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg. With the mixer at low speed, beat in the dry ingredients. Beat in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 15 minutes so dough is firmer and easy to work with.

Form balls of the dough (around 1″ in diametre) onto 2 ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until golden; let cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Ganache
Put the chocolate in a bowl. In a saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil; pour over the chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the crème fraîche. Refrigerate the ganache, stirring occasionally, until thick and spreadable, 1 hour.

Sandwich the chocolate-chip cookies with the ganache and serve.

Notes: My (new) oven is quite hot so I actually baked these at 350.

Source: adapted from Food & Wine

Posted in Biscuits/Cookies/Slices/Bars, Chocolate | 1 Comment

Haloumi, Mint & Lemon Pasta with Olive BreadcrumbsPrint Recipe

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Michelle

HELLLLOOOOO! I am back and it sure feels good. One of the things I neglected to think about in the process of my move was internet access, and I thought I was so organised. Anyway, back I am and back with a vengance. I have been trying my hand at quite a few recipes in the hope of getting to know my new kitchen and all it’s eccentricities (fast oven vs slow oven and similar issues).

One of the nice things about moving (and there are so few) is that you get to see what you have had tucked away in your cupboards for months or even years. A stash of treasured Gourmet Traveller magazines were at the top of one of my kitchen boxes – they looked very loved, sporting dog earred corners, splatters of ingredients and still full of tags marking out recipes I had yet to try. The Greek issue caught my eye and I made this pasta last night.

The olives, lemons, haloumi and mint, each with their own distinctive taste, create a delightful and unique blend of flavours that will have you wondering what other great Greek dishes you can whip up.

I could almost see myself sitting on a white walled terrace in Santorini – with my face in the sun, eating this for lunch while I marvelled at the blue of the ocean below. It was a nice thought and then I remembered I had a night of unpacking ahead of me…

400 grams/14 ounces of dried short pasta (I used Strozzapreti)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
250 grams/8.8 ounces of haloumi, coarsley grated
100 grams/3.5 ounces of Greek fetta, coarsley crumbled
100 grams/3.5 ounces of ricotta
60 grams/2 ounces each of Kalamata and Greek green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup of mint, coarsely chopped
Finely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons of dried mint

Olive Breadcrumbs
100 grams/3.5 ounces of coarse fresh breadcrumbs
30 grams/1 ounce each of Kalamata and Greek green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
30 mls olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 180c/356f. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 75mls of the cooking water, return this to the pot with the cooked pasta.

Meanwhile, combine onion, garlic and olive oil in a heavy based skillet and saute until very tender and starting to caramelize (around 7 – 9 minutes) – take off heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and pasta, stir gently to combine all ingredients and season to taste. Transfer to a 1.5 litre capacity baking dish.

To make olive bread crumbs, combine all ingredients and mix well. Spread over the pasta and bake till golden (around 20 – 25 minutes).

Notes: Although it is good to serve this dish hot, it is also really nice cold and would make great picnic food.

Source: Anthea Loukas for Australian Gourmet Traveller

Posted in Lemons, Mains, Pasta/Noodles, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Happy ThanksgivingPrint Recipe

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Michelle

A picture that sums up alot of things I have to be thankful for.

For those of you celebrating – have a wonderful day and for those who are not custom to this occasion, it is nice to think about anyway.

xxMichelle

Posted in Recipes | Leave a comment

Bourbon Pumpkin PiePrint Recipe

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Michelle

 

There is nothing like a dash of Bourbon to liven up a pumkpin pie – it’s a little rock and roll and I like it, I like it alot. Just as I like this fine pie. It’s not overly complex, just a warmly spiced dessert with a slight bourbon taste that gives it depth of flavour and raises the bar on your usual Thanksgiving contender.

For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving (Happy Thanksgiving to you!), I imagine you would already have your favourite pumpkin pie underway. On the odd chance you are at a loose end then you must try this recipe. Aside from its tried and tested ‘flakiest pie crust ever’, it is also sinfully creamy and simple. Don’t skimp on the Bourbon – it is there for a reason and there is nothing wrong with injecting a little rock and roll into your Thanksgiving dinner anyway.

Pastry
1 1/4 cup of plain (all purpose) flour
4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 to 1/3 cup iced water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Filling
15 ounces pureed pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle iced water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the flour and butter mixture. Stir and fluff the mixture until shaggy clumps form. Test to see if the dough holds together when squeezed, if it does then flatten into a disk about 6 inches wide, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least (several hours is fine). If the dough falls apart continue adding more water and fluffing till it holds together.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round and fit into pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Whisk together filling ingredients and pour into warm shell. Bake until edge of filling is set but center trembles slightly, about 45 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Cool completely.

Notes: Best served with a sweetened whipped cream to which you can add a good dash of Bourbon to further enhance the flavour. Also, this pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Source: adapted from several recipes off epicurious.com and the Art and Soul of Baking by Sur La Table

Posted in Desserts, Tarts/Flans/Quiches/Pies, Vegetables | 1 Comment

Walnut Honey CaramelsPrint Recipe

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Michelle

For some strange reason whenever I make a cake, chocolates, cookies, biscuits or candies I can justify eating alot of whatever it is without any remorse whatsoever. I don’t know why it is but the store bought version would have me riddled with guilt and very conscious of how much/many I am devouring. Even stranger still, is the fact that I am not detered knowing how much sugar and butter I have used to procure these tempting treats.

This is the case with these undeniably luscious walnut honey caramels. I would like to say that I make them and keep them in a jar in my pantry for special occasions and guests, but who would I be kidding? When it comes to treats like these, special occasions come out of nowhere. ‘Oh, its a sunny day’ (let’s share some caramels), ‘Lucy and Elouise, you are behaving so well today’ (have some caramels!) or even ‘it’s Friday and Mr Man is home early from work’ (a special occasion with a doubt – BRING ON THE CARAMELS!).

As you can see, I don’t require many solid reasons to treat myself – certainly not with these. Let’s see how you go…

1 cup of honey
1 cup of pouring cream
2½ cups walnuts, roasted
1 orange, finely grated rind only

Combine walnuts and orange rind in a bowl. Heat honey and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes or until it reaches 121C (firm ball stage) on a sugar thermometer. Pour honey mixture over walnuts, stir to combine and place tablespoonfuls on a lightly oiled oven tray. Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container between layers of baking paper in refrigerator or a cool place.

Notes: To toast walnuts, place them on a tray in the oven at 180c/360f for 5 – 10 minutes. They burn quickly so watch very carefully.

Source: Adelaide Lucas

Posted in Candies | Leave a comment

ColcannonPrint Recipe

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Michelle

 

Colcannon is an Irish staple – a traditional potato dish that also consists of kale or cabbage, in this instance kale. It is custom for the Irish to eat this at Halloween and it can contain little trinkets that (if you are lucky enough to find them) will mean you are going to be married with in a year, are condemed to a life of spinsterhood/bachelorhood and so on. (I think I would just swallow the trinket – best not to know don’t you think?)

Anyway, until a couple of years ago I wasn’t overly fond of potatoes – they seemed a little ho-hum. Then I perfected my roast potato and it opened up a whole new world for me. So now I get excited when ever I get my hands on a new potato recipe, this particular recipe being no exception to the rule. It is incredibly simple but as simple things often are – outstanding.

So I know its not Halloween, in fact it’s Thanksgiving on Thursday but this might be a very nice ‘potato’ side to serve to your guests. And whilst you’re thinking about everything you have to be thankful for, you can include the Irish for U2, Yeats, their love of potatoes and this simply spectacular and heart(belly) warming dish.

Ingredients
10 Desiree/Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1.6kg), unpeeled
500 grams/1 pound rock salt
1 small bunch young cavolo nero (black kale), stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped
3 small scallions (spring onions to you Australians), thinly sliced
200 ml pouring cream, warmed
50 grams/1.76 ounces softened butter
½ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
For drizzling: extra-virgin olive oil
To serve: crusty bread

Preheat oven to 180c/360f. Place potatoes on a tray lined with rock salt and bake until tender (45 minutes-1 hour). Working quickly while potatoes are hot, and holding them in a tea towel, scoop flesh from skin and pass through a mouli or potato ricer into a saucepan (see note). Add cavolo nero, spring onion, cream and butter and stir over low heat to warm through. Add parsley, season to taste, dress with olive oil and serve hot with crusty bread.

Note: Moulis and potato ricers are available from kitchenware shops. Alternatively, you can mash the potato with a hand masher. Also, I couldn’t get my hands on black kale so I used ordinary green kale which worked just fine.

Source: Colin Fassnidge, Four In Hand, Sydney, Australia

Posted in Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian | 1 Comment

Ricotta & Marscapone Puddings with Spiced Wine PrunesPrint Recipe

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Michelle

 

One of the reasons I love these puddings is that they can be as seasonal as you want them to be. You can stew prunes or pears in a red wine for the colder months or for the warmer months, a stone fruit (peaches perhaps?) in a sauturne. Either way the ricotta and marscapone, flecked with orange rind and ground almonds, provides a beautifully light and creamy base.

Personally I think the star in the recipe is the reduced wine scented with cinnamon, vanilla and peppercorns. It is so good you might be tempted to pour it into a glass and sip it whilst eating your pud. Which is exactly what I did.

330 grams/11.4 ounces firm ricotta
120 grams/4.2 ounces mascarpone
50 grams/1.8 ounces almond meal (flour)
55 grams/1.9 onces (¼ cup) caster sugar
4  egg yolks
Finely grated rind of ¼ orange
Butter for greasing
Crème fraîche to serve

Spiced Wine Prunes
250 mls red wine
80 grams/2.8 ounces caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 cinnamon quill
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Peeled rind from ½ orange
350 grams/12.3 ounces pitted prunes

Preheat oven to 170c/338f. For spiced wine prunes, combine wine, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, spices, orange rind and 60mls of water in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to the simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add prunes and cook until prunes are very tender (10-15 minutes), then cool in liquid to room temperature. Drain prunes (reserve) and return liquid to pan, then cook over medium heat until reduced by one-third (5-6 minutes). Pour liquid over prunes and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, beat ricotta and mascarpone in a bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined, then divide mixture among 4 buttered 175ml shallow baking dishes. Bake until just set and golden (15-25 minutes). Serve warm with spiced wine prunes and syrup and crème fraîche.

Notes: If you would like to stew a summer fruit in a sauturne, switch the red wine for the sticky (sauturne) and follow the remainder of the recipe.

Source: Adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller, August 2010

Posted in Desserts, Fruit | Leave a comment

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with a Caramel & Chocolate GanachePrint Recipe

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Michelle

Today we are celebrating! we have finally signed a lease for an apartment in New York. And I am pretty certain this one will not fall over like the last one (a long and horrible story that I still get angry and upset about). So this calls for champagne and cake. Mr Man is in charge of the champagne – which will probably turn out to be red wine because he is not overly fond of champagne, and I am in charge of the cake – or cakes you can see.

Firstly, let me tell you about our apartment. It is not old and has no fireplace – two of my original prerequisites, BUT it has a large (large for New York standards) and completely renovated kitchen and a dining area. It is light and bright and my daughters are very excited because they are getting their pink bedroom. It is also around the corner (about 50 feet) from Sur La Table, one of my favourite kitchenware shops and a string of fresh produce markets and close to Central Park. I am happy and relieved. And finally, (after an exhausting 6 weeks of pounding the pavement and a string of disappointments) I feel like I can breath.

Now onto these little cakes – aren’t they darling? They are also sinfully rich and incredibly delicious and would make a lovely addition to a dessert buffet, a high tea or any occasion that requires small, sweet and pretty morsels.

As soon as I mixed the ingredients together I knew they were going to be nice and fudgy – the mixture was very brownie-esq. The caramel ganache is so fabulous that you will be hard pressed to decorate all the cakes after trying it so many times (just to make sure it’s right, of course!).

I now have my champagne (yes, Mr Man is so elated that he actually bought champagne), so I am going to have a glass or two and stare at these very precious little cakes.

Fudge Cupcakes
100 grams/3.5 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
60 grams/2.1 ounces butter, finely chopped
65 grams/2.3 ounces caster sugar
60 ml Frangelico
1 egg yolk
55 grams/1.9 ounces self-raising flour
20 grams/.7 ounces Dutch-process cocoa, sifted

Chocolate Caramel Ganache
65 grams/2.3 ounces caster sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice
150 ml pouring cream
200 grams/7 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
 
Fudge Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 160c/320f. Combine chocolate, butter, sugar and Frangelico in a small saucepan and stir continuously over low heat until smooth and combined. Remove from heat, whisk in egg yolk, then flour and cocoa until smooth and just combined. Stand small patty cases in mini muffin tins and fill each to about 2/3’s full – you should get around 24. Bake until cakes are just set (12-15 minutes). Stand in tins for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Caramel Ganache
Combine sugar, lemon juice and 40ml water in a saucepan and stir to combine. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring until dark caramel in colour (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, add cream and stir to combine. Add chocolate, return to heat and stir continuously until smooth and combined. Cool completely, whisking occasionally until cooled to room temperature (around an hour), then transfer to the refrigerator for another 20 mins to firm up (whisking every 5 minutes). Place in a piping bag fitted with a 5mm plain nozzle. Pipe swirls or peaks on top of each cake and serve. Cakes can be stored, iced and in an airtight container, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Notes: These little cakes can over cook very easily so watch them carefully. If they do look on the dry side then brush them with a little Frangelico.

Source: adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller

Posted in Cakes, Childrens Parties, Chocolate, Desserts, Morning Teas/High Teas | 4 Comments