The Amateur Cook

You want falafel? I’ll give you falafel (and dip)

erinplaw — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:55:42 +0000

I have reached a new understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As if they don’t have enough problems to contend with there appears to be some dispute over who “owns” falafels. Even if peace is one day brought to the region this is something I fear they will never reach an agreement on. Because who could deny the desire to call the falafel your own?

The main feature of the picnic foods I made this weekend for Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival helf here in Sydney, Australia, the falafels had to fit my rules. I could not fry them (frying falafels in oil is traditionally the way to make them but for health and smoke detector reasons I decided baking was my only option) and I could not use a food processor to make them.

Disappointingly I found it difficult to find a recipe that fit both of these requirements. In fact I found one recipe where in the blog comments foodies argued over whether they could actually be made without a food processor with one clever reader pointing out that falafels were being made long before the advent of the food processor. Oddly the food processor advocates won out.

I eventually found this recipe from a blogger in Utah, USA called Kalyn whom I have to thank for saving the day with her recipe and dipping sauce combo. I’m not cure what her take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might be. I adjusted here and there (Kalyn is blessed with a food processor it would seem) and tada! Falafels for the Tropfest picnic.

Ingredients

Makes 12 falafel

Two 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Half chopped red onion
One chopped spring onion
Bunch of fresh continental parsley, chopped
Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
½ tablespoon of ground cumin
½ tablespoon baking powder
4 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Olive oil spray

Recipe

Place rinsed chickpeas on clean towel, fold towel over top and rub gently. When you remove the towel you should see the little chickpea skins have loosened or come off. Remove the skins. This makes them easier to mash and more likely to stick together once you need to bake them.
Mash chickpeas with potato masher until the consistency of a crunchy peanut butter. (see picture)
Mushed up chickpeas
Add all other ingredients to the mix and stir with fork until well combined. It should have the consistency of a dough for scones (not as smooth as cake dough). Check that you can easily form the dough into balls.
Place in sealed container and chill in fridge for a few hours.
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celscius. Place flat baking tray with baking paper sprayed with olive oil in over to warm.
Shape chilled dough into balls and gently flatten with the palm of your hand until about an inch thick.
Ready to pop in the oven
Place on warmed tray in oven. Cook for 12 minutes and then turn for even cooking/browning.
Once browned (but not burnt!) remove from oven to cool.
Serve with dipping sauce (see below)

Crunchy outside, soft inside

Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

200grams Greek style yoghurt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice from one lemon
1/2 cup of tahini
1 teaspoon of cumin
Salt to taste
Water to thin

Recipe

Mix together all ingredients adding enough water for desired thickness.
Serve with falafel.

Dipping sauce

Minted Fruit Salad

erinplaw — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:08:52 +0000

My balcony herbs are out of control. I went out there the other day and couldn’t work our what to do with all of that mint. It is spilling out of the pot. I never have any success with gardening up until now when I think I’m having a little too much success with the mint. While at first I was tempted to make a few too many mojitos (I am still considering this option) I decided a fruit salad on a hot summer day was probably more appropriate. The minty flavour makes the fruit taste just that little bit more refreshing. And in 35 degree Sydney heat, you need refreshing.

Ingredients

Two kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into chunks
Two bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
One green apple, cored and cut into chunks
One punnet of strawberries, halved
2/3 cup orange juice
Handful of chopped mint

Recipe

1.   Mix together chopped mint and orange juice in medium bowl.
2.   Cut bananas and apple first immediately placing them in juice to avoid browning.
3.   Add other fruit chunks and stir.
4.   Can be stored in the fridge ready for a picnic!

Guacamole: the ultimate picnic dip

erinplaw — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:55:20 +0000

I have discovered a new rule to life. It is: You can never have too much guacamole at a picnic. Think about it, you never get to the end of a group picnic and hear someone say, “Oh my goodness, what on earth are we going to do with all of this excess guacamole?” And if you do know anyone that faces this problem, introduce me to them an they’ll never experience it again. Its the ultimate dip, delicious and chunky and perfect. And the best thing about it is it is so easy to make. So here is a very very easy guacamole recipe that I think could work for 4-6 people.

Ingredients

Two ripe avocadoes
One vine-ripened tomato chopped into small pieced
Half a large red onion chopped into small pieces
Juice from one lime
Salt to taste (chilli salt is best)

Recipe

1.   Cut avocado in half removing seed. Slice each avocado while still in skin without piercing the skin and remove with spoon into medium sized bowl.
2.   Mash avocado with fork slowly mixing in juice of lime. The more juice you add the easier it becomes to mash.
3.   Add the chopped tomato and red onion. Stir through.
4.   Add salt to taste.

Feeding an addiction with a simple snack

erinplaw — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:20:24 +0000

Hi my name’s Erin and I’m a Persian fetta addict. It began three years ago in Bangladesh, where delicious reminders of the food luxuries of home are few and far between. After over a year of having no good cheeses available they had almost escaped my diet altogether. But then a very large fancy hotel opened near my apartment and besides the icecream, prawn salads, buffet lunches and glasses of wine I discovered, much to my delight, that they sold Persian fetta. I would buy it in small lunch boxes and take it home to eat guiltily. Not small portions either and often on its own. And alone (like any addict I didn’t need the company of other to enjoy my vice). Its so smooth and salty and I can’t think of a food that is whiter.

When I returned to Australia I found Persian fetta at the grocery store, floating around being marinated in olive oil and pepper corns. If you whip it up it becomes the perfect creamy dressing or spread. Which led to my now, “I can’t be bothered cooking anything” staple. Until I find Persian fetta-holics anonymous, I plan to continue this love affair.

Ingredients

Sliced sour dough
Persian fetta (when sitting in olive oil it makes an easier spread)
Sliced tomatoes (kumatoes are brilliant)
Drained capers
Black pepper to taste

Recipe

1.   Toast sour dough.
2.   Loosen Persian fetta by crushing and mixing with a fork (add olive oil for smoother spread). Spread as thick as you like on toasted sour dough.
3.   Top with sliced tomatoes, drained capers and black pepper. Eat up and then, if you an addict like me, make more!

Really Easy Veggie Curry

erinplaw — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:17:00 +0000

I have been wanting to try out the new curry paste since making it and now that I’ve been launched back into uni and the busy-ness is setting in I have excuses for very simple dishes. I’m always amazed that some people seem to think making curry is difficult. It isn’t. In fact its almost fool proof. I say ‘almost’ because I once served a very unfortunate vegetarian guest and an unsuspecting couple a vegetarian curry that was so hot we couldn’t get through a sentence without coughing. It was a dinner party disaster that was not made any better by us serving crumbling flavourless vegetarian and gluten free balls of muck as entree. Once again, amateur cook = mistakes.

So here is something it is almost impossible to stuff up and is gloriously cheap and simple to make.

Serves 2-4. Vegetarian.

Ingredients

2 tables spoons of curry paste (you can make your own or buy one, Patak’s Tikka Masala or Rogan Josh are great)
Assorted veggies (I used a carrot, a zucchini, two tomatoes, a large potato, and two small onions because that’s what I had. Also great in curries is eggplant, capsicum, and okra)
1 small can of coconut milk
1 can of chickpeas
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
You can also add (and I have in the past to good effect), spicy mango chutney, chopped chilli, and any meat you like.

Recipe

1.   Cut up vegetables into bite-sized chunks and put in medium saucepan with bay leaf. For tomatoes, leave slightly larger as they will reduce significantly in size as they cook.
2.   Stir through 1-2 table spoons of curry paste.
3.   Pour over coconut milk.
4.   Almost cover with water.
5.   Heat on high heat and once bubbling reduce to low. Keep returning to the pot to stir every few minutes. Mixture will slowly reduce becoming creamier. The longer you cook the more flavoursome and tender everything will be. Cook for at least 45 minutes and up to 2.5 hours.
6.   Serve with brown rice. Curry always tastes better the day after so don’t forget to save some for lunch!

“I don’t own a food processor” pesto

erinplaw — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:34:40 +0000

I hate it when I see a good recipe and then realise I need a food processor for it. I don’t have a food processor. I did not grow up in a household with a food processor. I believe that with two arms and knife I should be able to do the job of a machine that would take up space I can’t afford to give up in this kitchen. That’s why when reading a recent post in Stone Soup (a place where recipes for people like me can always be found) that called for pesto and then gave me the recipe for a pesto I didn’t need a food processor for I was a little more than happy. Bravo for keeping my kitchen gizmo count down.

The other great thing about this recipe is it gave me the opportunity to try some of my new herb garden which has been happily growing on my balcony for the past fortnight. With the help of some worms, hay and labour from a friend I now have a bunch of herbs begging to be made into something delicious. This pesto will be my first chance to enjoy the fruits of my labour (or rather a friend’s labour but what the heck?).

Balcony Basil

Ingredients

Bunch of basil leaves
Handful of pine nuts
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
Two handfuls of finely grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

Makes one jar

1.   Wash and dry basil leaves then put in a sandwich bag and pound with a meat mallet. This bruises the basil and gets it releasing all its juices.
2.   Put basil, garlic and pine nuts on chopping board. Chop and mix together until it is all in little bits. Put in small mixing bowl.
3.   Slowly add extra virgin olive oil while stirring with a fork until the mixture is a little like a paste (be liberal with the oil).
4.   Add the parmesan cheese and mix through adding more extra virgin olive f needed. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
5.   Store in sterilized jar with oil over top if storing in fridge/freezer.

Tasty Curry Pasty

erinplaw — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:09:55 +0000

My aunty reminded me the other day of what a fussy eater I was as a child. My claim to fussy fame was that despite my mother being from a part of the world that is known for delicious curries and my father being one of the best curry makers around whenever we were served curry at home and would go to the sink and attempt to wash off every last bit of flavouring from the meat. I feel shame just writing that. Making this curry paste is part of my pathway to redemption.

Ingredients

½ cup white vinegar
1/3 cup peanut oil
2 hot red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup ground cumin
1/3 cup ground coriander
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Recipe

Makes one jar.

Combine everything and mix together well! Very easy I know. To store in the freezer after putting into jar pour a little peanut oil on top. When you need to use it. Take it and put it in the fridge the morning before you want to cook with it. Will store for about 4 months.

Yoghurt Scones

erinplaw — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:46:40 +0000

I made these scones entirely because I needed a conduit for my new kiwi fruit jam. Scones remind me of little old ladies and tea pots and women who wear petticoats and pantyhose. I got this recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini, a blog I adore from a woman who is not only a much better cook than I but who also gets to enjoy all the foodie pleasurs of living in France. I am pretty sure that she is too cool to wear petticoats and pantyhose and that these delicious yoghurt scones are too cool to serve to little old ladies with teapots.

Scone dough

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups of plain flour
2 tablespoons of caster sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 table spoon of chilled butter
½ cup of plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

Makes around eight scones.

You pretty much have to eat these as soon as they’re out of the oven. Warm scones are delicious, even with just butter where as cold scones are dry and gross.
1.   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lay down baking paper on shallow baking tray.
2.   Combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut up the butter into little bits the butter and mix it into the dry ingredients with a fork until there’s no more butter lumps.
3.   Mix in the yoghurt, milk, and vanilla extract until the dough forms a crumbly ball. After a little while you may find it easier to use your hands but handle it lightly or the scones will be like rocks.
4.   Pat the dough into a flat circle about an inch thick. Tear off portions and gently shape into circles placing them on the baking paper with space around them to expand (about 8). Bake for 15 minutes, until the top of the scones is set and lightly golden.

Easy Peasy Kiwi Fruit Jam

erinplaw — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:15:15 +0000

I don’t like jam. At least this is what I’ve been tellling myself up until today when I had what would have been my sixth spoonful of jam. Seems I was wrong. When I told a friend that I planned on making jam they put an image in my head of me standing for a prolonged period of time over a stove stirring and stirring until I wanted to jam the jam recipe up someone’s behind and be done with the whole thing. Not this recipe. Seems it is a day for contradictions and discovery and what nicer thing to dicover than a love of a really easy to make jam!

Ingredients

About 8 kiwi fruits, peeled and chopped
1 red delicious apple, peeled, cored and chopped
Juice from two limes
1 cup caster sugar

Recipe

The recipe I had I changed a bit because a) I think it assumed I had some prior knowledge of jam which I really didn’t, and b) I think that the people who write recipes involving microwaves don’t expect that the people making them have really small inexpensive microwaves where the term “high” may mean something completely different.
1.   Combine the kiwi, apple and lime juice in a small microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high from 3 minutes. Remove cover and stir in sugar.
2.   Microwave uncovered on high for three minutes but stopping to stir at every minute. This is to get the sugar to dissolve through.
3.   Microwave in 5 minute intervals uncovered until the jam is “set”. This took me about 20 minutes. To test if the jam is set put a teaspoon of it in the freezer on a saucer for 2 minutes (just to get it to room temperature faster). If when you run your finger through it stays separated it is set! Keeping popping it in the microwave for a minute or two if it hasn’t set yet.
4.   Spoon the hot jam into sterilised jars, and secure lids. Sit the jar upsidedown for 5 minutes then turn right side up and let cool. Should keep for three months in the fridge.

First Attempt Bread from Scratch

erinplaw — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:49:46 +0000

A friend of mine is house-sitting at the moment and I went over there to check it out. Its one of those houses that is not only full of just lovely things but it has magazines full of other houses which are full of lovely things. Now I love these magazines so I was quite happy to plonk myself down on the couch, pen and paper in hand, and thumb through the pages writing down any recipes I came across and liked the look of. That’s where I found this apparenly fool-proof “make your own bread from scratch” recipe.

Making bread is one of those activities that seems a little bit magic to me an certainly the process of making this bread was like being behind the scenes at a magic act. The yeast going foamy and lumpy inside the warm water was my first act of magic. And, although I was a little unsure whether when I waited during the first rise it would actually, as the recipe suggested, “double in size”, as if by magic it did.

The first rise

The trouble started on the second rise. I decided, as the recipe suggested, to make 12 rolls. And while I waited patiently to watch the magic repeat itself – it kind of didn’t. Well they certainly got bigger and yes, doubled in size but they went more out than up. So in the end I was left with a little bit too dense bread. I wonder what caused this? Did I handle it too heavily after the first rise? Did the cling wrap weight it down too much? Should I have put them in little moulders of some sort? Whatever the case, an amateur is expected to make many mistakes, so here’s one. Still I’m enjoying these slightly too heavy rolls simply becuase I made them.

The second rise

I was about to put the recipe up and then thought better of it. What’s the point of keeping a recipe which doesn’t work for you? (Though I’m sure for better cooks, it does in fact work!)