Simon’s All-purpose Bread

This is my “go to” bread recipe – made so often he has it committed to memory. The dough works well as a pizza base, makes a good loaf if left to bake in his bread machine, or can be run through the dough cycle, then shaped into a focaccia-style or Vienna loaf that always seems to get plenty of compliments. The flavour of the bread is particularly good when the dough is made well ahead, then left to rest for several hours (or even overnight) before being shaped then risen again before baking.

If you want a few pointers, check out this video:
http://www.everydayeasy.co.nz/video-bread.html

Bread Machine Instructions
Carefully measure all the ingredients into a 750g capacity bread machine in the order specified by the manufacturer.

Set to the NORMAL/WHITE bread cycle, MEDIUM crust and START or use the DOUGH cycle and shape and bake by hand. You can leave the dough to sit (in the machine if the weather is cooler, or in an oiled bowl in the fridge in warmer weather) for several hours at this stage.

Hand-made Bread Instructions
Measure the first seven ingredients into a large bowl with 1½ cups of the flour and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave for 15 minutes or longer in a warm place. Stir in the remaining flour, adding a little extra warm water or bread flour if necessary to make a dough just firm enough to knead.

Knead with the dough hook of an electric mixer or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, adding extra flour if necessary, until the dough forms a soft dough that springs back when gently pressed.

Shaping and Baking
To make pizzas, divide the dough in two, then shape each out to make a pizza base about 30-40cm round. Top and bake as you would usually. Otherwise turn the dough in 2–3 teaspoons of oil in the cleaned dry bowl, cover with cling film and leave to sit for at least 30 minutes (you can leave it for several hours at this stage – on the bench if the weather is cooler or in the fridge in warmer weather).

When you are ready to proceed, lightly knead the oiled dough in the bowl for about 1 minute. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and roll into a 30x20cm oval shape.

For a Vienna-type loaf roll it up into a sausage shape and place on a well-oiled baking sheet or in a sponge roll tin and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour or until double its original size.

For a focaccia-style loaf place the dough on a well-oiled baking sheet and pat it out to about 2cm thick. Leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour or until roughly double its original size. Drizzle with a little extra oil, then using your index finger poke the dough at intervals over the surface. Sprinkle with flaky or rock salt and/or some small sprigs of rosemary.

Bake at 225°C for 15 minutes or until golden brown top and bottom.

Photography: Lindsay Keats Photography

Spicy Fish Cakes

Served with steamed rice and a salad on the side, these make a great meal, or you can make them smaller and they're perfect to pass around with drinks as a pre-dinner snack. I love them served with the dipping sauce given below, but if you're pushed for time Thai sweet chilli sauce is good too.

Another bonus is that they are a great way to use cheaper types of fish - when I saw Hoki in the supermarket the other day, these were the first thing that came to my mind!

For about 20 cakes:
3 slices white bread
1/2 medium red onion
300-400g fish fillets, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
about 1/4 cup chopped coriander
2-3 tablespoons olive or canola oil to cook

Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar
finely chopped red chilli to taste
tiny cubes of carrot and chopped coriander for colour

Tear the bread slices into 4-6 pieces each and place in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process until the crumbs are no larger than peas.

Chop the onion into 4-6 chunks and add to the crumbs along with the fish. Process until the fish is finely chopped, then add the next five ingredients and process until the mixture begins to form a ball. Add the coriander and and process until just mixed.

Working with wet hands (this prevents sticking), shape the mixture into walnut sized balls, then flatten these into disks about 1.5cm thick.

When the cakes are shaped, set them aside for a couple of minutes while you prepare the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Heat just enough of the oil to cover the bottom of a non-stick fry pan. Add as many of the cakes as will comfortably fit in one batch and cook over a medium heat until the first side is golden brown (about 3 minutes), then gently turn them over and cook the second side.

Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels while you cook the rest.

Arrange on a platter (thinly shredded lettuce or mesclun makes a good base) and with bowl (or bowls) of the dipping sauce and serve.

Photography: Lindsay Keats Photography

Pasta with Bacon & Mushroom Sauce

 
Want a quick and delicious dinner idea? This is one of my 'go to' recipes - the simple sauce can easily be prepared in the time it takes the pasta to cook, so you can get a meal on the table in less than 20 minutes and it tastes great!

For 4 large servings:

400g short pasta (eg spirals or penne)
200g bacon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp each dried oregano and thyme
1/4 cup chicken stock or white wine
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste

Put on a large pot of water for the pasta. Prepare the sauce while waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook.

Cut the bacon crossways into 1cm strips. Heat the oil in a large pan, then cook the bacon until it is brown and turning crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside to drain on paper towels.

Pour any excess fat from the pan (leaving about 2 tablespoons) and add the diced onion. Sauté until the onion is soft and clear, then tip in the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until these are barely softened.

Add the herbs and the stock or wine. Simmer over a moderate heat for 2 minutes, then add the cream. Increase the heat so the sauce is boiling vigorously and cook for another two minutes, stirring frequently, to allow the sauce to reduce down and thicken a little.

Drain the pasta as soon as it is cooked, then return it to the pot and add the sauce. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Leave to stand for one to two minutes, then serve topped with some chopped fresh parsley and/or freshly grated Parmesan.

Variations:
Add 1-2 cups of small broccoli florets to the pan with the mushrooms or add 1 cup of thawed (run under hot water for 30 seconds) frozen peas with the cream.

Photography: Lindsay Keats Photography

Creamy Chicken Casserole with Cornmeal Dumplings

I'm very excited, the advance copies of our latest book arrived today."Slow Food Fast - Quick to prepare Slow Cooker Recipes" is for all you bust people out there, and will hit the shops next month. The idea behind the recipes is that they're 'throw and go', you just put everything in your slow cooker at once, then away you go...

The ingredients list for this recipe may look long, but the effort required couldn’t be much more minimal. The majority just get put in your slow cooker in the morning, all at once, then that’s it. Add the dumplings about 30 minutes before you want to serve and that it. Comfort food in a bowl!

Because of its size, this creamy chicken casserole works best in a large slow cooker.

For 6–8 servings:

500g potatoes, scrubbed

1kg skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, diced

2 medium carrots, quartered and sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 x 420g can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 Tbsp cornflour

salt and pepper to taste

Cornmeal Dumplings:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

25g butter, melted

1 large egg

1/4 cup milk

Cut the potatoes into 1cm cubes, then place in a non–stick sprayed slow cooker bowl with the next eight ingredients. Stir to combine, then turn the slow cooker on to LOW and cook for 7–8 hours.

About an hour before you want to serve, turn the slow cooker to HIGH, mix the cornflour to a paste with a little water, stir it into the casserole and season to taste with salt and pepper.

About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the dumplings by combining the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, stir together the melted butter, egg and milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir just

enough to mix.

Drop dessertspoonfuls of dumpling mixture (you should get 8 large or 12 smaller blobs) over the surface of the casserole. Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 25–30 minutes longer.

Serve in bowls with lightly cooked green vegetables on the side.

Louise Cake

My grandmother, Margaret, was a great baker. I fondly remembers that whenever I visited her, there was always baking in the tins – often Louise Cake which has been a firm favourite of mine ever since.

With the current renaissance of baking it is popular in cafes. Fortunately, whether you have a newly developed (or more nostalgic) taste for Louise Cake, it’s not hard to make.

For 12 servings (at least):

Base:

100g softened butter

1/2 cup sugar 

2 (large) egg yolks 

1 tsp vanilla essence 

1 cup self-raising flour 

1 cup standard (plain) flour

Filling:

1/2 cup good quality raspberry jam

Topping:

2 large egg whites 

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup sugar 

3/4 cup coconut shreds

Heat oven to 160°C (150°C if using fan bake), with the rack just below the middle of the oven. Line the sides and bottom of a pan about 18x28cm with baking paper, allowing enough extra paper on the sides for lifting the cooked slice out, or spray a 23cm square loose bottomed pan.

For base, put the softened butter and sugar in a food processor or large bowl. Separate two eggs, adding the yolks to this mixture (and put the whites in a very clean medium-sized bowl ready to use for the topping). Add the vanilla essence, mix the egg yolks through the softened butter and sugar, then add the two flours and mix again until evenly crumbly. Tip crumbly mixture into prepared pan and press down evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

For topping, beat the egg whites and vanilla until frothy, then add the sugar and beat until the tips of peaks turn over when the beater is lifted from them. Then fold 1/2 cup of the coconut evenly through the meringue.

Spread the jam over the warm shortcake. Drop the meringue in spoonfuls on top, then spread evenly with a knife. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Bake for about 15 minutes at 160°C (150°C if using fan bake) or until the meringue feels crisp and is evenly and lightly coloured.

Cool completely before cutting into pieces of the desired size.

Serve with tea or coffee. Store preferably one layer deep in a cool place, with lid slightly ajar.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Fragrant Lamb Curry

Here’s a great recipe for a cool weekend. The cooking time is fairly long, but the actual ‘hands on’ time is minimal.

If you need convincing just how easy it is, check out the video at: http://www.everydayeasy.co.nz/video-lamb-curry.html 

Curries are well suited to long slower cooking – it gives all the various flavours time to combine and develop fully, as well as resulting in moist, tender meat. This fragrant lamb curry is particularly good.

For 4–6 servings:

2 Tbsp canola or other oil

1–1.2kg boneless lamb shoulder, cubed

1 medium onion, quartered and sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp curry powder

5cm cinnamon stick

2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes in juice

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp honey

1–1 1/2 tsp salt

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy pot with a close fitting lid, add the lamb and cook until lightly browned on all sides, then lift the lamb from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the same pot, then the onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and turning clear. Stir in the curry powder and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently, for a minute longer.

Transfer the meat back to the pot and add the remaining ingredients, except the salt. 

Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 1/2–2 hours, stirring occasionally or until the lamb is very tender.

Season to taste with salt shortly before serving. Steamed rice is the obvious accompaniment, but pappadums or other Indian breads and chutneys, plus perhaps a cucumber and yoghurt salad, are also good.

Variations:

Proceed with steps one and two as above, but transfer both mixtures to a slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours.

For an extra aromatic curry, try adding 4–6 crushed cardamom pods and 6–8 whole cloves and/or a couple of bay leaves with the curry powder if you have them.

Leftovers are very good ‘as is’ but are also great made into a pie for something a little different.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Easy Banana Cake

I was going to give you a recipe for a chocolate cake (I will get there another day!), but when I was in the kitchen earlier, I realised there were a few, rather sad looking, overipe bananas in the fruit bowl. This can mean only one thing – it’s banana cake time!

I’m sure everyone has their own favourite version, but this quick and easy one really works….

For a 21cm ring cake or a large loaf

3 medium very ripe bananas

1/2 cup canola or other oil

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to 180°C (or 170°C for fan bake).

Place the bananas in a shallow dish and mash with a fork, working from one end to the other to avoid leaving chunks.

Put the mashed banana in a large bowl, then add the oil, sugars, vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat until the eggs are well blended. Stir in the milk, then add the flour and beat again until well combined.

Pour the batter into a non-stick sprayed 23cm ring pan (7-cup capacity) or a large loaf tin.

Bake for 40–50 minutes until the top is golden brown, the centre springs back when pressed, and a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean; don't worry if the top cracks slightly. Leave to stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

This is particularly good served warm, plain, or dusted with icing sugar, or with ice cream and fresh fruit for dessert. Or leave to cool completely and ice with chocolate icing below.

Chocolate Icing

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp boiling water

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup icing sugar, sifted

To make the icing, measure the cocoa and butter into a small bowl. Add the boiling water and mix to a paste. Add the vanilla essence and icing sugar and beat until smooth. Adjust the thickness by adding a little extra water or icing sugar if necessary.