Feta cheese sandwiches -2

Feta cheese sandwiches -2
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Today I made more bread (!) and more Greek Salad sandwiches. I took some photos to try and illustrate how they are constructed but no picture can describe how delicious they are! This is not an original idea - where I work there comes each day a sandwich van, filled with lovely, creative (and sometimes strange!) sandwiches, rolls and baguettes. The Greek Salad ones are a real favourite of mine as are the hummus and falafel baguettes. The Greek salad sandwich allows the bread to be really appreciated while being satisfying and full of goodness - it's the perfect foil for my homemade bread. As I described in a previous post the sandwich consists of slices of feta cheese, tomato and black olives with lettuce, good olive oil & vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano. Try it soon - you won't be disappointed.

I B Baking!

Baps
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

This morning I baked baps for the first time for my lunch. I've been so impressed with the baking exploits of my colleague Barney that I just had to try his recipe for the Scottish morning roll called baps. Although it required a few simple steps the night before (I used the 'overnight' version of the two recipes provided) and me getting up before dawn (well, it is almost winter here and the sun is as lazy as I am about getting up!) to finish up and bake the baps, the smell alone is worth the effort!
I'm going to make my sandwiches now...
Hope you have a great day!

Post-lunch update: The bread is wonderful! I made mine with 3 parts strong white bread flour to 1 part flour with 'kibbled bits'. Yum! For my lunch today I made some of my favourite sandwiches - Greek Salad sandwiches containing chunks of feta cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and black olives. I left out the usual slices of red onion in deference to my co-workers! (Although I am not always so kind...). The sandwiches are 'finished' with a slug of extra virgin olive oil, a dash of red wine vinegar, freshly ground black pepper and salt. For those of you who want to try this bread, visit Barney's blog now (click here to get to the post 'A simple Bread') and give it a whirl. One caveat, though - try not to panic at the consistency of this dough when you begin to work it - it really is very, very wet (and it is best to work it with a spoon...)! Stick it out, though,  and you will not be disappointed.

Poached Guinea Fowl

Poached Guinea Fowl
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

It's Sunday. The nights continue to draw in. It's cold. I'm in the mood for something warming... but light at the same time. I flicked through a half dozen cookbooks before finding exactly what I was looking for. This recipe comes from Rick Stein's 'Food Heroes' cookbook - one which we haven't used much in the past. It involved poaching (and skinning) a guinea fowl, poaching vegetables (leeks, fennel and carrots) in the resultant stock, preparing a salsa verde from fresh mint, parsley, anchovies, capers and olive oil and preparing a batch of puy lentils. I must be in the mood for this sort of cooking because I had good fun with the recipe! Steve and I enjoyed the results, too, with a bottle of 2001 Rioja Reserve.
Good food + good company + good wine = a great evening in!

Breakfast

P1030790.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Ummm... well, maybe it was brunch! Eggs and tomatoes and cheese cooked in a pan and thrust under the grill for a minute or two. Mmmm. Just be sure to have fresh eggs, and butter or olive oil and add every good thing you can think of (in moderation!) to the pan as the eggs start to set. Cheese is always a good thing to add at the end, on top to create a kind of crust. Bon Appétit!

Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Sunday night and the evenings are chilly now. The casserole is in use every weekend now. Having cooked brisket of beef - several times - chili - another several times - and Coq au Riesling, I found myself flipping through my old faithful - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'Meat' cookbook - for inspiration. And inspired, I was. This came out beautifully and tasted even better! Mmmmm! Thanks again, Hugh!

Moussaka

Moussaka
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Winter approaches and our thoughts turn to casseroles and warming food. This is one of our favourites to do, served with simple tomato salad and hearty, wholesome brown rice.

Mid-week Rabbit Stew

Rabbit Stew-1
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

And here we have a fabulous mid-week indulgence - rabbit stew - with cream, mushrooms and mustard. It was wonderful with potatoes and vegetables... 'if we told you where we got the 'wabbit ' we'd have to kill you'...)

Rabbit with white wine and mustard cream sauce

This recipe comes from Chef Clive via the Mid North and North Coast NSW Afternoon Program:

1 fresh rabbit cut into 8 to 10 portions
25g plain flour

Salt and pepper to taste
100g butter or margarine
100g streaky bacon rashers, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
500ml white wine
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
225g sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dijon or seeded mustard
2 bay leaves
100ml fresh cream
1 tbs chopped parsley

Method:
Season portions of rabbit with flour, salt and pepper. 
Heat butter in a large pan, add seasoned rabbit and brown (this will take about 8 minutes). 
Add the chopped bacon and cook for 2 minutes. 
Add the chopped onions and chopped garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.  
Add sugar, stir then add the mushrooms, white wine, bay leaves and parsley.  Bring all of this to the boil and turn the heat down to simmer.
 Finally, add the mustard and cream and simmer until rabbit is cooked (20-30 mins).
 Fresh herbs can also be added, such as tarragon or chervil (but I didn't bother with that).
Serving Suggestion: Serve with boiled new potatoes,steamed carrots and fresh green beans.

Nigella's Coq au Riesling

Nigella's Coq au Riesling
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Steve gave me Nigella Lawson's new cookbook 'Nigella Express' for my birthday (among loads of other things!) and I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago. Yum! According to Steve, it really benefits from being cooked the day before it's eaten. I wouldn't know because I didn't get any leftovers... (!!)

Coq au Riesling

2 tbsp garlic oil
150g/5¼oz bacon lardons
1 leek, finely sliced
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 fresh bay leaves
300g/10oz oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
1 x 75cl bottle Riesling wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash double cream (optional)
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, to serve
buttered noodles, to serve

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large wide pan and fry the lardons until crisp.
2. Add the sliced leeks and fry for 1-2 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the chicken, bay leaves, mushrooms and wine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Stir in the double cream for the last few minutes of cooking time if you like.
4. To serve, sprinkle with dill and serve with buttered noodles.

Paella-1

Paella-1
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

This Autumn we made a paella - it was mighty good too - chicken and ham and shrimps. It was an an ad hoc affair which rewarded our efforts by being scrumptious (as well as photogenic...) We'll do this again...

Summer!

P1030941.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

This is as close to baseball as I get these days. But it's really a great game, after all - once you understand the rules (not a trivial thing at all!). Steve and I were lucky enough to see the England team play the West Indies - and, later, India - in Test matches at Lord's in London this summer. Fantastic days out and I took way too many photos. We plan to get back to Lord's next Summer for more.  Americans find it hard to imagine a 5-day-long 'baseball game' with only 2 innings and hundreds of runs. Never mind that - think if it as a picnic (with lots of food that you bring with you...), a day at the beach (if you are really lucky, as we were, the sun will beat down on you all day long!) and a party (lots of people bring bottles of wine with them to have with their picnic food). If the weather is fine it's a whole day of watching a fascinating game while eating and drinking! A lot like baseball, then...

Rosemary-roasted cubed potatoes

Roast potatoes
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Comforting Winter food - when made with duck or goose fat they are divine (but we confess to making them with olive oil!). Utterly tasty (and photogenic, too!) The recipe is from 'Cook with Jamie Oliver'. This recipe was so well-liked by us (and easy, too!) that we often had these potatoes with our meals. Recently (November, 2007) a representative from a London-based ad agency emailed asking for permission to use this photo. I gave permission. I'll know soon whether or not this request was bogus! Fingers crossed... it would just be a 'cool thing'!

Rosemary-roasted cubed potatoes

600g waxy potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and cut into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
olive oil or duck or goose fat
5 cloves garlic, skin on and smashed

Method
Preheat your oven to 220˚C/425˚F/gas 7. Place your potato cubes in a large pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil.  Drain them immediately in a colander and allow them to steam for a couple of minutes until the dry out a bit.  Bash up the rosemary leaves in a pestle and mortar. Heat some olive oil, or duck or goose fat, in a roasting tray.  Add the garlic cloves, potatoes and rosemary oil. Season and toss together until well coated.  Place in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the try every so often, until the potatoes are golden and crispy.

Boats, Ville Franche

Boats, Ville Franche
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

We enjoyed a lovely meal in Ville Franche with our friend Perry, an ex-patriot enjoying retirement with grace and style. We sat outdoors and looked out over the port during the meal. The cuisine of the South of France is one of my favourites - simple and fresh - using seafood and fish and a selection of wonderful, sun-filled vegetables. With ingredients like these, how could you ever go wrong?

Seafront in Menton

Seafront in Menton
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

In March, we went to the South of France for a week and enjoyed the sun, food and beautiful seaside landscape that is Provence. I can't wait to get back there!

Tomatoes

Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Actually, I haven't been as idle as my blog would suggest... This photo was taken in March 2007 when the combination of colour, thoughts of sunshine (and vitamin C!) was irresistible to me.

Beef Udon

Beef Udon
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

A scrumptious bowl of goodness courtesy of my Wagamama cookbook. As with many of the dishes in this book, the preparation took longer than the cooking. But you learn to love preparation when cooking this way - enjoy a glass of crisp, cool white whine while chopping and changing. The rest is just a flash in the pan...

Spiced Beef Noodles

200g udon noodles
200g beef sirloin or rump, cut into strips 5mm thick
1 tablespoon cornflour
salt and white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3cm piece of ginger root, peeled and grated
4 handfuls of baby spinach
2 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, briefly toasted in a hot, dry frying pan

Method

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain and refresh under cold water. Put the beef, cornflour and salt and pepper in a plastic bag and toss the meat to coat. set aside. Heat the oil in a hot wok, add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. add the beef and stir fry for 2 minutes or until the beef is just cooked. Add the spinach, spring onions and 1 tablespoon of water and toss for 1 minute so everything is wilted. Add the soy sauce and chilli. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the noodles, toss to ensure that everything is combined and top with the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings -American Style
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Winter's here - I've had flu... Yuck! This evening - after having made it in to work (unlike some of my work-mates!)... and back home again - I decided to make a variation of what is fondly known in my NY-based African-American family as "Jewish Penicillin". Chicken soup, to you guys... We had some left-over roast chicken from the weekend, so....

I removed the chicken from the bones and added it to a pound-and-a-half or so of, skinned and jointed chicken wings, which had been boiled for about 30 minutes with some seasonings and vegetables (a couple of chopped onions, a bay leaf, 5 cloves of garlic, a leek, 3 carrots, 3 ribs of celery, a stock cube, some herbs (we're talking thyme, oregano, parsley, rosemary and sage - just a big pinch of each) and some salt and pepper. I tasted the seasonings and added a couple of tablespoons of butter to the 'soup'.

Then I consulted my Fanny Farmer cookbook for a dumpling recipe since I'd never tried making dumplings before. Fanny says:

Feather dumplings
1 cup self-rising flour (OR 1 c. flour with 2 tsp baking powder)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used a bit of a stale loaf of French bread, grated)
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp finely minced parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the flour, bread crumbs, (and baking powder, if using) and salt in a mixing bowl, and stir to mix. In another bowl lightly beat the egg, melted butter, onion and milk together. Stir into the dry ingredients to make a stiff batter. Stir in the parsley and pepper. When the chicken has had its 30 minute simmer, drop spoonfuls of dough on top of the bubbling broth. Cover and steam for 20 minutes without lifting the cover.

Depending on the size of your spoon (!) serve 1 -3 dumplings per person.

This was a surprisingly tasty and satisfying meal. Since both Steve and I were suffering with the tail end of flu, it was just the thing - leisurely to cook and easy to eat.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
Photo by Lisa Fagg.

We celebrated the New Year with my long-time friend Joyce. It seems that Joyce had such a good time with us last year that she wanted a 'repeat perfomance' to see 2006 out! This suited us down to the ground because, having had experience trying to share New Year's Eve with several guests, we realise our limitations - we are much better with just one or two people...

Our menu was simple but festive and included escargot in garlic butter (with all the accoutrements!), pan-roasted breast of goose with roast vegetables and roast sweet potato, and home-made lemon sorbet (made by Joyce) for dessert. We enjoyed champagne from Rheims with the escargot and Côte de Rhone with our main course. All in all we three dined royally and had a splendid time together.

May 2007 bring lots of joy, friendship and fellowship to you and your loved ones!

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas!
Originally uploaded by Lisa Fagg.

Hi, all!

Merry Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year!

Okay, so we've been 'away' for a while - it happens. Personal and work commitments have meant that I've spent a lot less time on the computer - more time DOing and less time TALKing about doing, if you see what I mean. In the interim we have had a new cat (Robbie, - posted here - dropped, almost literally, in our laps by some neighbourhood children!), I've picked up my guitar again and Steve's been keeping us organised. We've made a trip to Shropshire for a BIG birthday (mine) and some fresh air and walking in beautiful surroundings (photos to be posted shortly on flickr...)

Hope your year's been good and I hope to be blogging about cooking, which continues unabated, in the new year. New cookbooks, received as Christmas presents require rigerous testing and I'm sure I'll be writing about some of our culinary adventures soon.

Hasta luego, for now!

Berries & Pizza Dough

Last Sunday we went cycling in what is arguably the 'hilliest' part of Cambridge - the Gog Magogs. We'd been there just the weekend before and I had spotted (on my rest break at the midpoint of one of the climbs!) some blackberry bushes lining the side of the road. Fantasic, I thought, just the thing - we can pick some and make jam! The only problem was we had nothing to collect the berries in. So we noted the spot and resolved to come back the following week. So we did. It was great fun too. We managed to pick a fair amount of berries between the two of us and got them home without too much bruising.

A shortage of jam sugar meant I had to put the berries in the freezer until we got some more! Anyway, today was the day. My first jam of the season is sitting on the counter cooling in jars. It's very dark and thick and I think it will be great in yoghurt and on toast. I'll be trying some tomorrow for breakfast!

We spent some time in the garden, tidying up a bit after several heavy rainfalls and not much gardening done. Entertaining and cycling don't leave much time for gardening - weekends need to be longer! While we were in the garden, our trusty bread machine was churning out some more pizza dough. Pizza is getting to be a regular item on our menu!

Pizza Dough
(makes 3 x 14" pizzas)

3-1/2 cups white bread flour
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon yeast

1. Mix the wet ingredients together in the bowl of your bread machine
2. Add the salt to the wet ingredients
3. Place the flour on top of the wet ingredients and make a small well in the flour
4. Put the yeast in the well in the flour
5. Run your bread machine on its 'dough' cycle

Once the dough is done you can either knead it a little, roll it out and use it immediately or you can knock it back and let it rise a couple of times for a more 'bready' crust.

Nice Pizza

Goat's Cheese & Red onion
Photo by Lisa Fagg.

This Saturday we invited Xavier, a post doc in the lab I work in at Cambridge, over for pizza and a movie. I proposed that we would make the pizza if he would bring a movie. Not just any movie, mind you, but Brice de Nice, an insanely funny French movie starring Jean Dujardin, about a meglomaniacal 'surfer dude' who spends his idle life waiting for his Big Wave. [For those of you who don't know Nice, there's a snowflake's chance in hell of finding a wave, big or small, on the beach in Nice!]. The idea was not entirely my own - Xavier knew that I wanted to see the movie (he'd just recently bought the DVD) and thought it would be fun to watch it together sooooo....

Panic - it'd been a long time since I'd made pizza! Quick! I needed a recipe for dough and for sauce! I flicked through my bread machine book and decided to do the simplest thing. In fact, we decided to make the dough the night before and the sauce on the day. That's what we did. We ended up making two batches of dough because I made a mistake and made one with full whole meal flour (instead of 'wholesome' wheat flour!) and I was not too sure how well that would turn out. Steve was good enough to get up in the wee hours of the morning and make some white dough.

The sauce was a simple one of tomato passata (tomato sauce, U.S.), oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, crushed garlic and chopped onion, simmered gently for about 1.5 hours and then left to cool. I prepared and assembled the ingredients for the toppings. We decided on three - goat's cheese and sliced red onion, chorizo and mozzerella and feta cheese and black olives. This is our 'trinity' of comfort pizzas; the ones we know and like the best.

By the time Xavier arrived everything was ready - dough, toppings and ice-cold Leffe and Carlsberg Export beer. Xavier offered to help assemble the pies so, with all hands on deck we stood around the kitchen, talking about food, drinking beer and making pizza. Steve whipped up a nice salad dressing and I washed some leaves (and threw in some baby leaves that I've been growing in a huge styrofoam tray out in the back garden). Minutes after that, the cooked pizzas were cut and ferried out to the dining table.

Everything was good, although I thought the crusts were a little too hard for my liking. I made a mental note to try another pizza dough recipe next time. [As it turns out, I got to try a new recipe just two days later when our friend Chiara from Naples came over for pizza chez Faggs!] Steve chose a nice Chianti from our favourite 'cellar' (the Cooperative Supermarket!) which went down very well indeed.

Part 2 of the evening was the showing of Brice de Nice. Thankfully, the film was sub-titled so Steve and I were able to understand all but the most subtle jokes. Neither Steve nor I can remember laughing so hard in a long time. Really good film.