While looking for the carrot muffin recipe, I came across this one and thought it sounded interesting - why not make double the muffins for the same amount of washing up?
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
1/2 cup plain flour (original recipe 1 cup rye flour and 1 cup wholemeal)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp ground linseed mixed with 5 1/2 tbsp boiling water
1/4 cup veg oil
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 cups almond milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
Heat the oven to 375F. Prepare muffin tins.
Mix the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl with a fork. Stir in the cornmeal and the caraway seeds.
In a separate bowl, beat together the linseed mixture, oil, blackstrap molasses and milk mixture. Add wet to dry and mix until just combined.
Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 25 minutes, until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
I really like these - the darkness and caraway are great, and they are proving a handy lunch addition - I keep them in the freezer and throw a couple in my lunch bag if I'm short: they take an hour or so to defrost. Perhaps another time I will try with the prescribed rye flour.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Spiced carrot muffins
I woke up this morning wanting carrot cake. And we actually had some carrots in the fridge, so it seemed like a realistic desire to fulfill. I haven't made carrot cake in ages (my go-to is the Delia recipe), but didn't really feel like the whole, cakey, sugary shebang, so decided to go for lots of spices, adapting this recipe, instead.
(makes 12)
1 1/4 cups wholemeal flour
1 1/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ground linseed mixed with 5 1/2 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup veg oil
1 1/3 cups almond milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup golden raisins mixed with a little flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
Heat the oven to 375F. Prepare muffin tins.
Mix the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt in a large bowl with a fork.
In a separate bowl, beat together the linseed mixture, sugar, oil, milk mixture and vanilla. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the raisins, pecans and carrot in the final strokes.
Spoon into muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
(makes 12)
1 1/4 cups wholemeal flour
1 1/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ground linseed mixed with 5 1/2 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup veg oil
1 1/3 cups almond milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup golden raisins mixed with a little flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
Heat the oven to 375F. Prepare muffin tins.
Mix the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt in a large bowl with a fork.
In a separate bowl, beat together the linseed mixture, sugar, oil, milk mixture and vanilla. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the raisins, pecans and carrot in the final strokes.
Spoon into muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Buttercup squash soup
We stopped at a few farmstands when we were out in the country with Karin - we bought loads of onions and potatoes, and also three different kinds of squash: butternut, buttercup and acorn. Butternut are always fine: soft, sweet and nutty. Acorn are perhaps my favourite so far: very smooth and sweet. Buttercup I've used less often: it is also sweet, perhaps a little drier than the other two.
1 medium buttercup squash
1 tbsp olive oil (plus more for oiling the roasting tray)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 jalapeno chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
salt+pepper
First prepare the squash: cut it in half through the stem, deseed and place cut side down on a lightly oiled baking tray and roast at 400F for ~45 min or until it gives when poked. Allow to cool then scrape the insides from the skin and discard the skin.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the onion. Cover the pan and fry the onion over a medium heat until softened and starting to brown, adding the garlic and chilli along the way. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few minutes while stirring. Add the squash and stir / fry for a minute or two, then add the thyme leaves and the stock and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes or so, until everything is well combined.
Next, add the red wine vinegar, soy sauce and salt+pepper to taste. Allow to cool for a few minutes then liquidise.
This makes a rather thick (++incredibly silky) soup but that's what I felt like eating today - add more liquid (water or stock) to make a thinner texture. The squash is really quite sweet, so I think the vinegar and soy are really important for counteracting that. The cumin and thyme are both assertive tastes, but seem to play together well. All in all pretty good - very warm and earthy and moreish.
1 medium buttercup squash
1 tbsp olive oil (plus more for oiling the roasting tray)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 jalapeno chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
salt+pepper
First prepare the squash: cut it in half through the stem, deseed and place cut side down on a lightly oiled baking tray and roast at 400F for ~45 min or until it gives when poked. Allow to cool then scrape the insides from the skin and discard the skin.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the onion. Cover the pan and fry the onion over a medium heat until softened and starting to brown, adding the garlic and chilli along the way. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few minutes while stirring. Add the squash and stir / fry for a minute or two, then add the thyme leaves and the stock and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes or so, until everything is well combined.
Next, add the red wine vinegar, soy sauce and salt+pepper to taste. Allow to cool for a few minutes then liquidise.
This makes a rather thick (++incredibly silky) soup but that's what I felt like eating today - add more liquid (water or stock) to make a thinner texture. The squash is really quite sweet, so I think the vinegar and soy are really important for counteracting that. The cumin and thyme are both assertive tastes, but seem to play together well. All in all pretty good - very warm and earthy and moreish.
Roasted beetroot with garlic, thyme and balsamic
More beetroot, this time roasted (based on this).
6-8 medium-small beetroot, washed thoroughly, top-and-tailed, and any very ugly / hairy / dirty bits of peel removed (go the whole hog and remove all the peel if you feel like it)
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4-6 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
salt+pepper
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Heat oven to 400F. Cut the beetroot into evenly sized wedges. Put them in a lidded oven dish. Push the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs into spaces between the beetroot wedges. Pour the water and olive oil over, season and put the lid on the dish. Put in the oven and leave for about an hour, until the beetroot is tender. Remove from the oven and pour over the balsamic vinegar. Remove the twiggy bits of the thyme, scraping them gently between the tines of a fork to encourage the leaves to stay in the dish. Peel the garlic, mash it a little, and return to the dish. Toss, and taste for seasoning.
This was good warm, but even better cold the next day: the flavours of the thyme and beetroot really stand up to each other well.
6-8 medium-small beetroot, washed thoroughly, top-and-tailed, and any very ugly / hairy / dirty bits of peel removed (go the whole hog and remove all the peel if you feel like it)
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4-6 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
salt+pepper
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Heat oven to 400F. Cut the beetroot into evenly sized wedges. Put them in a lidded oven dish. Push the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs into spaces between the beetroot wedges. Pour the water and olive oil over, season and put the lid on the dish. Put in the oven and leave for about an hour, until the beetroot is tender. Remove from the oven and pour over the balsamic vinegar. Remove the twiggy bits of the thyme, scraping them gently between the tines of a fork to encourage the leaves to stay in the dish. Peel the garlic, mash it a little, and return to the dish. Toss, and taste for seasoning.
This was good warm, but even better cold the next day: the flavours of the thyme and beetroot really stand up to each other well.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Autumn salad: beetroot, fennel, apple, seeds, crunch
A dropped off beetroot (the real pink deal this time) and mustard greens yesterday, and we talked about Borneo and SE Asian history. I sauteed some mustard greens simply with onion. As I biked home this salad emerged in my head as how I wanted to eat the beetroot - lots of raw, autumnal crunch:
1 large beetroot, peeled, top-and-tailed and cut into matchsticks
1/2 large bulb fennel, sliced into approximate matchsticks
plus 2 tbsp of fronds from the fennel, finely chopped
1/2 medium apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 heaped tsp poppy seeds
3/4 tsp white sesame seeds
3/4 tsp black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 tbsp raisins, optional
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
Prepare the ingredients, put together in a bowl and mix. Taste to check for seasoning, acidity and sweetness.
I really liked the seasonality, the sweet-tangy-earthiness, the colours, and of course the crunchiness of this. I decided to matchstick the beetroot instead of grating to keep the bleeding of colour a little bit under control, and that worked - the whiteness of fennel and apple was still visible. Although grating would have released more juice and made the beetroot softer - I relied on the acid to do this instead. I wasn't 100% on the raisins - they introduced sweetness and a different texture, but I also kind of liked it as an exclusively crunchy / seedy affair. Keeps well (perhaps even improves) in the fridge.
1 large beetroot, peeled, top-and-tailed and cut into matchsticks
1/2 large bulb fennel, sliced into approximate matchsticks
plus 2 tbsp of fronds from the fennel, finely chopped
1/2 medium apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 heaped tsp poppy seeds
3/4 tsp white sesame seeds
3/4 tsp black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 tbsp raisins, optional
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
Prepare the ingredients, put together in a bowl and mix. Taste to check for seasoning, acidity and sweetness.
I really liked the seasonality, the sweet-tangy-earthiness, the colours, and of course the crunchiness of this. I decided to matchstick the beetroot instead of grating to keep the bleeding of colour a little bit under control, and that worked - the whiteness of fennel and apple was still visible. Although grating would have released more juice and made the beetroot softer - I relied on the acid to do this instead. I wasn't 100% on the raisins - they introduced sweetness and a different texture, but I also kind of liked it as an exclusively crunchy / seedy affair. Keeps well (perhaps even improves) in the fridge.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Green tomato chutney
The other half of my green tomato preserving marathon. This is a classic chutney, from the book Grandma gave me (with a few adjustments).
(made about 3 standard sized jars)
2 lb green tomatoes, chopped
1 lb onions, sliced
2 1/2 tsp salt
300 ml cider vinegar
5/8 lb (275g) brown sugar
8 oz apples, peeled and chopped
8 oz raisins (used a mixture of golden and normal)
1 in piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 habanero peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli pepper flakes
Mix the tomatoes and onions in a large bowl with the salt, cover and leave for 24 hours.
Drain the tomatoes and onions and discard any liquid. Heat the vinegar in a large pan, add the sugar and heat until dissolved. Add the raisins and bring to the boil. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat over a low flame for 2 hours / until dragging a wooden spoon through the mixture leaves a trail you can see the bottom of the pan through. Allow to cool for five minutes or so then spoon into sterilised jars. For best results, leave to mature for at least 2 weeks before eating.
(made about 3 standard sized jars)
2 lb green tomatoes, chopped
1 lb onions, sliced
2 1/2 tsp salt
300 ml cider vinegar
5/8 lb (275g) brown sugar
8 oz apples, peeled and chopped
8 oz raisins (used a mixture of golden and normal)
1 in piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 habanero peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli pepper flakes
Mix the tomatoes and onions in a large bowl with the salt, cover and leave for 24 hours.
Drain the tomatoes and onions and discard any liquid. Heat the vinegar in a large pan, add the sugar and heat until dissolved. Add the raisins and bring to the boil. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat over a low flame for 2 hours / until dragging a wooden spoon through the mixture leaves a trail you can see the bottom of the pan through. Allow to cool for five minutes or so then spoon into sterilised jars. For best results, leave to mature for at least 2 weeks before eating.
Green tomato jam (Confiture de tomates vertes)
It was the first of the end of season tidy up days at the garden on Saturday, and I collected a lot of green tomatoes. I had chutney in mind, then thought maybe I had enough tomatoes to make a couple of different things, and came across this unusual sounding jam (possibly a French idea). I saw several recipe variations but decided to go with this simple amalgamation.
(made 3-4 standard sized jars)
2.5 lb green tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 lb sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
Mix the sliced tomatoes in a large bowl with the sugar. Cover and leave for 24 hours. Transfer the mixture to a large pan with the lemon zest and juice, and heat over a low flame for 2 hours. Check for setting point, heat faster for a while if necessary. Allow to cool for ten minutes then put carefully into jars and close the lids tightly.
This stuff is really interesting. It looks like a Martian raspberry jam - lots of small seeds and a deep colour, but richly green rather than pink-red. The taste is fairly subtle, with a slight sharpness to it. I haven't quite figured it out yet: will need to eat some more...
A couple of months later I was at Grandma's, looking through an old cookery book (Miss Tuxford's Cookery for the Middle Classes, 9th Edition, 1927) that we found in a box of books that used to belong to Mum. In the chapter on 'Food Reform Cookery', which I think means vegetarian food but perhaps has a grander meaning too, I found a recipe for Green Tomato Jam:
So perhaps it's just an old-fashioned idea rather than being particularly French. Anyway, it was nice, and next time I have green toms I will try it with ginger!
(made 3-4 standard sized jars)
2.5 lb green tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 lb sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
Mix the sliced tomatoes in a large bowl with the sugar. Cover and leave for 24 hours. Transfer the mixture to a large pan with the lemon zest and juice, and heat over a low flame for 2 hours. Check for setting point, heat faster for a while if necessary. Allow to cool for ten minutes then put carefully into jars and close the lids tightly.
This stuff is really interesting. It looks like a Martian raspberry jam - lots of small seeds and a deep colour, but richly green rather than pink-red. The taste is fairly subtle, with a slight sharpness to it. I haven't quite figured it out yet: will need to eat some more...
A couple of months later I was at Grandma's, looking through an old cookery book (Miss Tuxford's Cookery for the Middle Classes, 9th Edition, 1927) that we found in a box of books that used to belong to Mum. In the chapter on 'Food Reform Cookery', which I think means vegetarian food but perhaps has a grander meaning too, I found a recipe for Green Tomato Jam:
So perhaps it's just an old-fashioned idea rather than being particularly French. Anyway, it was nice, and next time I have green toms I will try it with ginger!
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