La Différence

La Différence
A passion for food

Thursday 28 February 2013

Bara Brith (Welsh Teabread) the yeasted variety



Here's the last of my recipes to celebrate St David's Day, Bara Brith. It's a perfect teatime treat for any time of the year and it's fabulous toasted for breakfast. I've also made a wonderful bread & butter pudding with leftovers


1lb/450g strong white bread flour sifted
3oz/75g butter or margarine (I used block Stork)
1tsp salt
1level tsp mixed spice
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2oz/50g light muscavdo sugar
1 large egg beaten
12oz/350g mixed dried fruit of your choice
225ml/8oz milk warmed to tepid
4 tsps dried yeast
1 tsp sugar

some runny honey for the final glaze

First mix together the tsp of sugar into the warm milk and sprinkle over the dried yeast.  Leave to one side for around 15 minutes or until the mixture is frothy
Meanwhile place the flour, spices & salt into a large bowl and rub in the butter/margarine.
Add the muscavado sugar and mix together
Make a well in the centre pour in the yeast mixture and the beaten egg and mix well together.
the mixture will be a little on the wet side initially
Either process for around 5 minutes in your mixer with your dough hook attachment or for 10 minutes if kneading by hand.
Place in a greased bowl and leave to prove in a warm place for around an hour to an 1½ hours
Knock the dough back and stretch it out into an oblong, sprinkle over the fruit and lightly need in.
Roll the dough up short side facing you an mould into the right size for your tin.
Place into a greased 2lb loaf tin
Cover with greased cling film and leave to rise until the dough reaches the top of your tin
This should take around 40 minutes
Bake at 190c/375f/gas 5 for around 30 minutes in the centre of your oven
If it's browning too quickly cover over with a piece of foil.
It will be done when you get a hollow sound on the base when turned out & tapped
While its still warm brush the top over with a little runny honey for a fabulous shiny Bara Brith

This bread is just gorgeous served toasted if you manage to have any leftovers for the following morning

  


  

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Welsh Soufflé Rarebits

   
Rarebit/Rabbit. I was told this dish was the meal that the Gamekeepers had to eat when they came back from the hunt 'rabbitless' hence 'rarebit'. All in all I think I would prefer this to rabbit stew. 

March the 1st is St David's Day the patron Saint of the Welsh nation.  I live in Cheshire an the western edge on this county borders North Wales so we're incredibly close neighbours.  Everyone who knows me will know that cheese is my favourite food. I love the stuff but have to limit myself to it these days as it's so very fattening.  They say that just a matchbox sized piece a day is perfect for your health, unfortunately if I know I have a hunk of this loveliness in my fridge then it is is extreme danger of being scoffed in one fail swoop.

Now I've made this souffléd rarebit with strong cheddar and a little grated Parmesan rather than the required Caerphilly as that it all I had at hand.  What ever cheese you choose please make sure it has lots of flavour or you'll end up with a bland, tasteless rarebit.   Also you could use a good strong ale to make the roux instead of milk as I did. Every alternative ingredient will add so many varying tastes to this perfect dish.

If you don't want to soufflé the cheese, just add whole egg, you can then leave this mix to coll & refrigerate until you want to use it. Just splatter it over toast cooked on one side and toast on a medium heat until golden & bubbly.

Here we go.

4 thick slices of wholemeal/granary bread toasted on one side

For the Rarebit

1 heaped dessertspoon butter melted in a pan
add 1 dessertspoon plain flour and cook on a gentle heat whilst stirring for 2 mins
add 6 tbps milk spoon by spoon making sure all is incorporated before adding the next spoonful
2 separated eggs
1 heaped tsp Mustard I used English but Dijon will do nicely
a good splash of Lee & Perrins Worcester Sauce
Salt & pepper and a dash of Cayenne pepper
2oz of strong  flavoured cheese, I used Cheddar & Parmesan, but a mixture of Caerphilly and Gruyére would be perfect

Let the roux you have made cool for around 5 minutes
Beat in the egg yolks, seasonings, mustard & Worcester sauce
Heat the grill to a medium heat
Toast the bread as suggested
Whip the egg white until stiff
Stir a heaped tbsp into the cheese mixture to loosen it
Fold in the rest.
Pile equally on the 4 slices of toast
Grill on a medium heat until the cheese is a lovely golden brown, and serve straight away.

Alternatively add the whole eggs to a cooled cheese sauce & mix well and refrigerate until ready to spread on  your toast & grill.  You can add an extra grating of cheese to make this even more yummy.

This will comfortably serve 2 as a good lunch or 4 as a starter.

Welsh Cakes











here's a few scrummy Welsh cakes to celebrate St David's day on March 1st.

this recipe should make around 15

They're great served while still warm either on their own or with lashings of butter, jam or honey 


If you prefer to measure your ingredients in Cups & Spoons then here's some Easy Conversion Charts


recipe:- lovely not to have to use the oven for once                       
250 gms/8oz self raising flour,
 pinch of salt,
quarter tsp ground allspice & a grating of nutmeg
 75 g/2½oz  golden caster sugar,
 125 g/4oz cold butter,
100g/3½oz currants/ sultanas or mixed dried fruit
1 large egg.
 you'll need a cast iron griddle or frying pan for this

  Sieve flour, salt & spice into bowl, rub in butter until breadcrumb stage, add the sugar and mix through, Add currants and beaten egg. Form into a ball, chill for a while. roll out to around 3/4cms, cut into around 20, 7cm rounds. Cook a medium heat on the greased griddle or heavy based frying pan for around 2 and half mins per side.
  I've just scoffed 4 of the little beauties with my tea!!!





Wednesday 6 February 2013

Pork Vindaloo Anjum Style



We eat curry at least once a week in our home and I always make my own as I'm not too fond of the amount of oil in a take-out.  I adore flavoursome curries with a little kick and this Vindaloo is hot, now not as mind blowing as you'll find in your local Indian. It's totally delicious and will take around 2 hrs of slow cooking to produce it's wonderful aromatic flavours. Of course the term Vindaloo means that vinegar has been added to the recipe. You'll notice just a hint of sharpness derived from it in the finished result.
You can roll this up in tortillas with lettuce & sour cream as you would do Fajitas 

The recipe is courtesy of Anjum Anand , why try to devise one when this is authentic Indian and total perfection.

You could easily substitute the pork for stewing beef or lamb. If you prefer chicken then make the sauce and add the chicken around half way through the required cooking time.


 

Ingredients:-
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 5 black peppercorns, left whole
  • 2 green cardomon pods, seeds only
  • 2 cloves
  • 1cm/½in piece cinnamon
  • 1cm/½in piece ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 7 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
  • 3 fresh red chillies
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 
  • pinch salt
  • 350g/12oz pork shoulder, flesh cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
  • 100g/3½oz pork belly, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
  • 65ml/2½fl oz vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp mustard seeds
  • handful cashew nuts
To serve (optional)
  • 220g/8oz basmati, cooked according to packet instructions
  • 4 wheat tortillas
  • 2 handfuls chopped lettuce
  • 4 tbsp soured cream

 

 

 


using a spice grinder. grind the cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cardomon, cloves and cinnamon to a fine powder
  1. In a food processor, blend the ginger, garlic, chillies and white wine vinegar to a paste.
  2. Mix the ground spice mixture with the paste until well combined and season with a pinch of salt. Rub the mixture all over the pork using your fingers, then set the pork aside, covered, to marinate for 1½-2 hours.
  3. Heat four tablespoons of the oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown.
  4. Add the marinated pork pieces and fry for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until golden-brown on all sides. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pork is tender. Add small splashes of boiling water to the pan as necessary if the juices in the pan dry out. Add as little water as possible as the resulting sauce should be quite thick.
  5. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. (CAUTION: the mustard seeds will start to pop. Keep the pan well away from your face and eyes.)
  6. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the cashew nuts and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are golden-brown.
  7. To serve, either divide the rice among four serving plates, spoon the vindaloo alongside and pour the fried cashew nuts and mustard seeds over the vindaloo, or alternatively spoon the vindaloo into the centre of four wheat tortillas, sprinkle with chopped lettuce and soured cream and roll up into parcels.



  

Monday 4 February 2013

Chicken & Asparagus Pasta with Balsamic Red Onions





 To serve 4 portions

 400gms of penne pasta
 400g/14oz chicken breast cut into strips & seasoned well with black pepper & sea salt
 2 cloves of garlic
 a little olive oil fry frying the chicken
 16 medium sized asparagus spears, woody ends removed
 100gms/4oz button mushrooms sliced
 ½ pt of good strong chicken stock
 ½ pt milk or single cream
 2 tbsps of cornflour slaked in a little milk
 a little grated nutmeg
 seasoning
 2 medium red onions thinly sliced fried gently in a little oil until soft
 2 tbsp aged Balsamic added to the onions & cooked until evaporated & keep warm
 a little shredded Basil &> Grated parmesan to serve

 Method:-

First make the sauce, slowly bring both the chicken stock & milk/single cream to the boil in a saucepan, add the slaked cornflour stirring continually until thickened. Leave to cook out for around 5 mins. Add the nutmeg and check to seasoning keep hot

 Chop the heads from the asparagus spears, chop the stems into small pieces removing the woody ends

 Put a large pan of water on to boil Cook the pasta according to instructions 5 mins before the end of cooking time add the asparagus Drain then return to the pan

 Meanwhile while it's cooking Fry the chicken on a medium heat until just cooked through. Put onto a plate & keep warm. In the same pan gently fry the mushrooms & garlic until soft and add to the chicken
 Add the chicken, mushrooms & garlic to the sauce
 Taste for seasoning Pour this over the pasta and mix well
 Place in a serving dish, sprinkle over the balsamic onions, some chopped basil and grated parmesan & serve