Indian Naan Bread

With Indian food becoming so popular over the past few years it is easy to find naan bread at the store but why not make your own as it is easy to make and so much better fresh!

300g/10.5 oz strong plain white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
4 tablespoons natural yogurt (at room temperature)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
About 125ml/4fl oz) warm milk
About 3 tablespoons melted ghee or butter, for brushing

Instructions:

Add ingredients to breadmaker in order specified in your instruction book. Use basic dough setting. Once the dough is done kneading remove and place into a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface roll out each piece of dough to form a flat oval or teardrop shape, about 5mm/1/4 inch thick. Cover and leave for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 230 C/450 F. Put two baking sheets in the oven to heat. Place the naan breads on the hot baking sheets and brush with melted ghee or butter. Bake about 10 minutes or or until puffed up. Wrap in a clean towel and serve warm.

Yield: 6 naan breads.

Variation: For spiced naan bread add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon hot chili powder. For garlic and coriander naan bread add 1 1/2 ground coriander, 1 large garlic clove, 1-2 teaspoons black onion seeds and 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh coriander.

Joao Portugal Ramos "Loios" Tinto 2008

Here is a Portuguese wine my husband picked up from our local wine store over the weekend. The last Portuguese wine we got there we really enjoyed so I was delighted he brought home another. This wine turned out to be another great one to add to our collection of favorites. It is described as having a "fresh and intensely fruity aroma with vegetal undertones. Soft and easy, nice length." I would only one more word to the description: smooth! If you run across this one at your local wine store definitely pick one up.

My Mom's Potato Salad

Fourth of July is a time for BBQs and fireworks. No American BBQ is complete without baked beans and potato salad. My mom makes the best potato salad ever and doesn't mind me sharing her simple recipe.

6 medium potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dill mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced

Instructions:

Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Drain potatoes and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, dill mustard, and sugar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, and potatoes. Peel and roughly dice 4 of the 6 hard-boiled eggs and add to the bowl. Mix together all ingredients. Taste for seasoning. Pour the potato salad into a serving dish and garnish the top with the last 2 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced.

Yield: Serves About 8

Georgia's "Teliani Valley Saperavi Red Dry"

Matt and I stumbled across this wine the other day at a grocery store in the city center and mistook it for Israeli wine so we excitedly bought it. After drinking it over the weekend and enjoying it so much I thought I should add it to my blog. It wasn't until I looked it up for this post that I realized it is Georgian in origin. I didn't know wine could be produced from that part of the world. Here is what the wine's website has to say about this wine:

"This beautiful, powerful saperavi offers aromas of black cherry and cassis, followed by full, ripe fruit flavors and a hint of spiced Oak. The tannins are ripe and integrate a generous dose of cedar and vanilla that fans out in the finish. Enjoy this powerful wine with barbecue."

I found it to be a nice, full bodied dry red which is what I really like. I don't know how much Georgia exports their wines but if you come across it you should definitely try it.

Oatmeal Cookies

Baking cookies is so American I have come to find out while living abroad. But when cookies are so easy to make and delicious to eat why the heck not?! This is the best recipe I have ever used for oatmeal cookies.

1 cup (215 g) margarine
3/4 cup (165 g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) white sugar
1 package (3.5 oz)/98 g vanilla flavored instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup (155 g) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cup (285 g) rolled oats
1 cup (165 g) raisins

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two cookie sheets with non-stick spray. In a large bowl cream together margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Blend in instant pudding, then beat in eggs until the batter is light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into the batter. Stir in oats and raisins. Dough will be stiff. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: About 60 cookies

Variation: Instead of or in addition to raisins use chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.

Spanish Tapas: Chorizo and Cheese Tortilla

The Spanish tortilla is a very popular tapas dish in Spain. This version, with the addition of chorizo and cheese, is even better and can be eaten hot or cold.

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 oz thin sliced chorizo
1.5 lbs waxy potatoes, thinly sliced
2 Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 large eggs
2 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and ground black pepper

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium sized non-stick frying pan and fry the sausage until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Add 2 tablespoons to the pan and fry the potatoes and onions for 2-3 minutes, turning frequently. Cover tightly and cook over a gentle heat for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally until softened and slightly golden.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, parsley, cheese, sausage and salt and pepper. Gently stir in the potatoes and onions until coated, taking care not to break up the potato too much.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the potato mixture and cook, over a very low heat, until the egg begins to set. Use a metal spatula to prevent the tortilla from sticking and allow the uncooked egg to run underneath.

Preheat the grill/broiler to high. When the base of the tortilla has set, which should take about 5 minutes, protect the pan handle with aluminum foil and place the tortilla under the grill until it is set and golden. Cut into wedges and serve garnished with parsley.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Spanish Tapas: "Pollo Con Limon Y Ajillo" Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

Eating tapas (small bites) is my favorite thing about going to Spain. There are endless tapas recipes and this will the first of hopefully many tapas posts to come. This recipe is fast and very easy to make.

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper
fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish
lemons wedges, to serve

Instructions:

Slice the chicken meat into strips. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Stir-fry the chicken strips with the shallot, garlic and paprika over high heat for about three minutes until cooked through. Add the lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with lemon wedges, garnished with flat leaf parsley.

Serves: 2

Variation: Use strips of pork fillet with scallions instead of shallots and use the green scallion tops to replace the parsley.

Off eating...

Off eating in Seville and Granada, Spain!

Mexican Chiles Rellenos

While in Tucson recently my best friend, who is from Mexico, taught me how to make Chiles Rellenos, which are stuffed chiles. We had a lot of fun and the rellenos turned out deliciously. The recipe is a bit time consuming but not at all difficult. Now if I could only find the right chiles in Ireland my mates over here could taste a proper Mexican meal!

8 poblano chiles
1/2 pound queso Oaxaca (or similar melting cheese)
all purpose flour for dredging chiles
corn oil
4 eggs, separated
small onion, diced
1 can tomato sauce
season salt

Instructions:

Without removing the stems, blister the chiles on a grill pan or under the broiler until all of the outsides are blistered and brown. Place the chiles in a plastic bag and close. Let the chiles stand for about ten minutes and then peel them. Make a small slit in the side of each chile and put 1-2 tablespoons cheese inside. Pin slits together with wooden toothpicks if necessary. Dredge the chiles in flour.

In a dutch oven or deep, heavy frying pan heat about 1/3 cup of oil. Meanwhile separate eggs and lightly beat the yolks with a fork. Beat the whites with an electric mixer until very stiff. Gently fold in the beaten egg yolks. Pick up one chile at a time, dip it in the egg batter, and very carefully set it in the hot oil. When golden brown, carefully turn them. When the other side is golden brown they are done.

For the sauce, saute onion in oil until soft. Add 1 can of tomato sauce. Season with salt and warm sauce over medium heat. Spoon a little sauce over each chile and serve immediately with Spanish rice and fresh corn tortillas.

Yield: Serves 4.

Off Eating...

Off eating in Tucson, Arizona- the best food on earth!

Impossible Pie

This pie is like magic. My Aussie mate Lois introduced me to it when she made it at my house one night a few months ago. When you pour it into the pie plate it is runny but once it bakes it magically turns itself into three layers; the bottom will be pastry-like, the middle custard-like and the top slightly crusty due to the ingredients sinking and floating during baking.

1/2 cup (75g) all purpose flour
1 cup (220g) sugar
3/4 cup (60g) desiccated coconut
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
125 grams butter, melted
1/2 cup (40g) flaked almonds
2 cups (500ml) milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease a deep 24cm pie dish. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, eggs, vanilla, butter and half the almonds in large bowl; gradually add milk, stirring until combined. Pour into pie dish; bake 35 minutes. Remove pie from oven. Sprinkle remaining nuts over pie; bake a further 10 minutes. Serve pie with cream, if desired. Store pie, covered, in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Yield: Serves 6-8

Southwest Soup

I am a lover of soups. One of my favorite things about living in Ireland is that it is almost always perfect weather for soup. It is hard but if I had to pick a favorite soup recipe I think this would be it. It’s an easy crockpot recipe for a soup that is typical in the southwestern part of the United States. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can (15 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce (Old El Paso brand is great!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn
6 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large avocados, diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
sour cream
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Combine chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic in crockpot. Add water, broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Stir in corn. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into 2 1/2-by- 1/2-inch strips. Place on a baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve soup in bowls and garnish liberally with diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, tortilla strips, cilantro and Parmesan cheese.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Variation: From time to time I throw black beans and zucchini in it also.

Healthier Mac n' Cheese

This delicious recipe comes from the Avoca Cafe cookbook. Avoca is one of my favorite stores/cafes in Dublin. This is a great way to make a healthier macaroni and cheese.

75 ml butter
75 g flour
850 ml milk
225 g grated mature cheddar cheese
350 g macaroni
1 head of cauliflower, blanched and divided into florets
2 large tomatoes, sliced
bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F. Melt the butter, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil slowly, stirring all the time. Cook for 5 minutes, taking care it doesn't burn on the bottom, and set aside.Stir in three quarters of the cheese, keeping the rest for the top.

Cook the pasta until just done. Blanch a head of cauliflower, divided into florets, until just done, drain and refresh under cold water and combine with the pasta. Add the pasta and cauliflower mixture to the cheese sauce. Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish, top with remaining cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Remove from oven, top with tomato slices and basil.

Yield: Serves 4

Variation: The cookbook suggests a variation of stirring in 2 tins of drained tuna and 1 can of sweetcorn instead of the cauliflower, tomato, and basil.

Wines of Chianti

My husband and I took my mother in law to Tuscany last week where we spent 5 days driving around Chianti wine country. Wines from this region of Italy are my absolute favorite. While there we stopped at a number of beautiful vineyards where we partook in wine and olive oil tastings. We tasted a number of Chianti Classicos, Chianti Riservas, and Super Tuscans. My favorite was the Classico followed by the Super Tuscan. Whenever I buy wine at a store or a restaurant I always look for the Chiantis first. Its always good but there is nothing like drinking it in Italy while overlooking the vineyards, the huge Tuscan villas, and the Tuscan countryside- bellissimo!

Off Eating...

Off eating in Tuscany April 9-13th, 2010.

Monkey Bread

My mother-in-law makes this delicious breakfast treat called Monkey Bread. We ask her to make it for us every time she visits us or we visit her. It is very easy to make but be careful as its even easier to eat!

4 tubes of refrigerator rolls
cinnamon sugar mixture
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

Instructions:

Separate rolls and divide each roll into quarters. Roll quartered dough balls in cinnamon -sugar mixture, making sure to coat well. Place coated dough balls into four round 8-inch baking tins. Combine sugar, brown sugar and white sugar together in a small sauce pan on the stove until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour melted butter mixture evenly over each tin of coated dough balls. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and invert onto a plate. Best when eaten warm from the oven.

Yield: Serves about 8

"Mqarrun Il-Forn" Maltese Baked Macaroni

This recipe is from one of the cookbooks I bought while in Malta earlier this year. I was intrigued by the use of egg in the pasta and thought I would try it. It turned out well.

1/2 kilo macaroni (just over a pound)
1/2 kilo mixed ground pork and ground beef (just over a pound)
2 onions
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
oil

Instructions:

Lightly fry the finely chopped onions until golden, add the minced meat, allow it to brown and season with salt and pepper. Mix the tomato paste with a tumbler of warm water, pour into the pan with the meat, and cook slowly for about an hour.

Boil the macaroni in salted water making sure you leave them slightly hard to the bite. Drain the macaroni and transfer them to a large bowl. After the macaroni has cooled a bit, mix it well with the eggs and 3 tablespoons of the cheese.

When the meat sauce is ready, add this too and mix thoroughly. Transfer everything to a buttered oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese and bake on medium for about half an hour, until the macaroni at the top of the dish becomes quite dark and crunchy.

Yield: About 6 servings.

Welshcakes

While in Wales over the weekend I had my first Welshcake at a little shop in Cardiff Bay called "Fabulous Welshcakes." The cake may appear to be a docile little ditty but don't be fooled- these little buggers are like a cross between a sugar cookie and mini doughnut, warmly melting in your mouth. YUM! If I were you I would make some as soon as possible!

1 lb. all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch allspice
1 pinch salt
4 oz. butter
4 oz. lard
7 oz. sugar
4 oz. raisins
2 eggs, beaten
milk to mix
finely granulated sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

Stir together flour, baking powder, allspice and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter and lard. Add the sugar and raisins. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture, with a little milk, to make a fairly stiff dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut into 2 inch rounds. Cook on a greased griddle or heavy based frying pan for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and serve warm.

Off Eating...

Off eating in Bath, England and Cardiff, Wales March 20-22, 2010.

Brazilian Pastel

Last night I went over to my Brazilian friend Cristiane's house for Brazilian Pastel. Pastel are crispy deep fried pastries filled with either savory or sweet fillings. They were great and easy enough to make. Cristiane bought the dough pre-maid at a Brazilian market but if you don't have a Brazilian market in your town you can make the dough yourself at home. For full pastel details and recipe click here.