tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20208949933542274502024-03-14T03:35:00.748+09:00Cooking in Pink PyjamasFrancescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-62709862335706116832011-08-10T12:28:00.000+09:002011-08-10T12:28:36.442+09:00Official HiatusAfter spending the last couple of months on an unofficial hiatus, I'm finally biting the bullet and making it real. There are some major life changes coming up for me in the next few months - moving, travelling, hopefully a new job - and I simply can't dedicate the time to this any more. I'm sorry for not having made this announcement before.<br />
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To tide you over for the next few months, crossing my fingers that I'll make it back to food blogging in the new year, here are some of the things I've been cooking and enjoying recently:<br />
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<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/pollo-asado/">Pollo Asado</a> from The Pioneer Woman<br />
<a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/06/linguine-with-pea-pesto/">Pasta with Pea Pesto</a> from Smitten Kitchen<br />
<a href="http://everybodylikessandwiches.com/2008/01/life-is-better-with-cake-beer-red-ale-chocolate-cake/">Ale and Chocolate Cake</a> from Everybody Likes Sandwiches<br />
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If you'd like to get in touch with me, either to ask about a recipe, or for recommendations, or about cooking abroad, or just to say you'd like to be notified when this site starts up again, leave a comment below with your email address. The comments are hidden so that only I can see them, and I will get an email notification when you do so. Have a wonderful rest of 2011, and I apologize again for any disappointment.Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-84953030870552091782011-06-21T11:37:00.001+09:002011-06-21T11:39:05.257+09:00Rainbow Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream IcingI'm not the best at cake decorating. My <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/birthday-cake.html">birthday cake</a> is all the proof you need of that, although putting the icing on <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/butter-lemon-cake-with-ginger-beer.html">this lemon cake</a> before it had cooled probably shows an equal lack of skill. And this rainbow cake, <a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/11/rainbow-cake.html">from this recipe</a>, doesn't look pretty great from the outside. The <i>inside</i>, however, is another story entirely. It's gorgeous. I love it. All you need is normal cake stuff and a bunch of food colouring - plus about a million eggs, particularly if you use the white chocolate buttercream from the original recipe. I had red, green, yellow and blue food colouring, and mixed them to make orange and purple layers too. The red came out pink, and the blue was disappointingly washed out - but seriously, when you look at this cake, that's not what you're thinking.<br />
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The icing, incidentally, is delicious and super-chocolatey but not at all cloying. Although you will <i>obviously</i> feel a little unwell if you eat too much of it, the sour cream reins in the sweetness and makes it refreshing. Well, you know. Refreshing for chocolate icing.<br />
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This recipe was all done by hand, but feel free to refer to <a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/11/rainbow-cake.html">the original recipe</a> if you have a stand mixer.<br />
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By the way, if you're thinking "what am I going to do with six egg yolks?", I recommend mixing them with hot drained pasta, mixed herbs, and plenty of cheese. Objectively delicious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake6.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Rainbow Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Icing</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/baking-recipes/rainbow-cake-with-chocolate-sour-cream-icing">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes a 6-layer 22x15cm rectangular cake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 and 1/4 cups flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 and 3/4 cups brown sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 and 1/3 tablespoons baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon salt</div><div style="text-align: center;">170g butter (12 tablespoons)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">6 egg whites</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon vanilla powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple food colouring</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup sour cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup dark chocolate chips</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">80g icing sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Make the cake batter:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In a very large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine and add the butter. Stir, squishing the butter with your hands if necessary, until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet crumbs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Separate six eggs into yolks and whites, reserving the yolks for another use (see suggestion, above). In a different container, whisk the six egg whites with milk and vanilla. Reserve half a cup of this mixture, pouring the rest into the batter. Stir to combine. Add the remaining half-cup and stir to combine again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The original recipe recommends dividing the batter into six equal pieces at this stage, but my kitchen equipment is not up to that task. I used a large serving spoon to remove two spoonfuls of batter into a separate bowl, and stirred in food colouring until the batter was vivid enough for me. I then lined my baking tray with parchment paper, dropped the batter into the tray, spread it out as evenly as possible, and baked for 8 minutes at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As each layer baked, I washed up this second bowl and prepared the next layer by adding food colouring to another two spoonfuls of batter. When each layer was cooked, I lifted the parchment paper out of the baking tray and put the cake on the side to cool, replaced the parchment paper and repeated until all of the batter was gone. Two large spoonfuls each was the perfect amount because it happened to provide me with six equal-ish layers, but you may end up with a seventh if you're lucky.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Make the icing:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Put sour cream and chocolate chips into a pan over a low heat, whisking to help the chocolate melt. Add a cup of cream and two tablespoons of butter, whisking constantly. Once melted, turn the heat off under the pan and whisk in up to 80g icing sugar, until the icing has the right consistency.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Assemble the cake:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Put the red or purple, depending on which way you want the rainbow to go, on a plate or cake-decorating tray. Using a small spatula, spread icing over the top, as thickly as you'd like. Repeat with the following layers so the cake goes either: red-orange-yellow-green-blue, or purple-blue-green-yellow-orange. Turn the top layer upside down before placing it on top. Cover with icing and try to make the icing go neatly down the sides.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Ha!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Refrigerate for thirty minutes before re-icing the top and sides with any leftover icing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Refrigerate again, for about an hour, and serve. Yum.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/rainbow-cake5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-6385835636610524292011-06-16T13:59:00.001+09:002011-06-16T14:02:19.202+09:00Bitter ChickenYou need to be in a certain type of mood to eat this. If you're not, add a teaspoon of brown sugar and half a cup of water to the sauce halfway through cooking time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bitter-chicken1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bitter-chicken1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bitter Chicken</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/bitter-chicken">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 tablespoons flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup raisins</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup dried blueberries</div><div style="text-align: center;">500ml dry red wine</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Put the flour in a bag and add cinnamon and seasoning. Drop the chicken breasts into the bag and shake to coat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Put the dredged chicken into a deep oven dish and scatter the raisins and blueberries on top. Pour in 300ml red wine and season. Put in the oven for thirty minutes at 150 degrees (300 Fahrenheit).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then add the extra 200ml wine, season again, turn the chicken breasts over, and cook at the same temperature for a further twenty minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve with rice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bitter-chicken2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bitter-chicken2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-16995492474395371752011-06-15T12:50:00.001+09:002011-06-15T12:51:44.588+09:00Warm Asparagus Pasta Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Warm Asparagus Pasta Salad</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 servings pasta</div><div style="text-align: center;">7 asparagus tips</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon salt</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 asparagus spears</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons white wine vinegar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon black pepper</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 garlic clove</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups tomato sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">Grated cheese, to serve</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Put the pasta on to boil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Remove the tips from seven spears of asparagus and put them in a baking tray. Sprinkle with oil and salt and roast at 150 degrees (300 Fahrenheit) for fifteen minutes, until cooked and slightly crispy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Store three of the asparagus stalks in a glass of water in the fridge, covered with plastic. Cut the other spears in half widthways, then shave into very thin strips. I use a knife to pare them as thin (and wonky) as I can get them; <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/shaved-asparagus-pizza/">SmittenKitchen recommends using a Y-shaped peeler</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Put the shaved asparagus into a large bowl and marinade in white wine vinegar with black pepper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When the pasta is almost cooked, promptly drain it and leave it in the colander. Because this is a warm pasta salad, the next few steps should be done fairly quickly, giving the pasta time to cool a little (not too much) but not allowing the sauce to get unnecessarily hot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add the butter to the pasta pan and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Fry in the melted butter for no longer than one minute before adding the tomato sauce. Stir the butter into the sauce and add the cream. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of cinnamon (the slight sweetness takes away any metallic-tasting residue from the tomato tin, making it taste far more fresh than it actually is). Leave to combine on the lowest heat while you assemble the rest of the salad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If your asparagus marinading bowl is large enough, continue in that bowl. If not, move to a larger one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dump the cooling pasta into the large bowl.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Put the asparagus stalks with their residual vinegar on top. Add the roasted asparagus tips, with their salty oil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And pour the warmed tomato sauce on top. Toss through and serve with grated cheese to taste.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/warm-asparagus-pasta-salad5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-1328522832486470682011-05-23T11:23:00.001+09:002011-05-23T11:25:17.179+09:00Detox CalzonesBlog note: I have just realized that although I've been editing all my photographs to be clearer and brighter, I have consistently been uploading the dark, unedited ones. Argh! I will be (slowly) going back through and redoing most of the photos because of this. Thanks for bearing with me.<br />
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It was a long weekend. When we got back, we were desperate for something healthy and fresh, so I suggested pizzas piled high with fresh vegetables. Luckily, Tom volunteered to make the dough (I do hate the hassle and mess of making dough), and <a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1926,142176-238207,00.html">the recipe he used</a> suggested calzones, so that's where we went. We used asparagus, onion, spring onion, tomato, pepper, <i>sukgat</i> (edible chrysanthemum) and some chopped herbs from our balcony garden. We did not put cheese inside the calzone, but on top. You can substitute whatever you have to hand, because this is more a set of guidelines than an actual recipe. It was really, really good, and did its job as health-overload perfectly.<br />
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Dough notes: as mentioned above, we used <a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1926,142176-238207,00.html">this yeast-free recipe</a> but Tom reports that he had to add way more flour and only used half the amount of baking powder. I have used <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/pizza-and-the-limits-of-diy/">this SmittenKitchen recipe</a> to great effect before, as well as the <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/pizza-even-sweeter/">SK pizza dough with wine and honey</a>. You could also go pre-made, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone6-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone6-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Detox Calzones</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/detox-calzones">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 2 calzones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dough (see note above)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream cheese (with garlic and herbs if possible)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 to 1 cup grated cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Vegetable filling:</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 stalks asparagus</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon white wine vinegar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">5 spring onions</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tomato</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 red pepper</div><div style="text-align: center;">Handful edible chrysanthemum</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon fresh mint</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon fresh sage</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Prepare the dough and roll it flat into a rough circle or square shape. Ours were about ten inches across, maybe a little less. (I told you these were just guidelines.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brush cold water around the edge of each dough shape. Divide the cream cheese and spread over each open calzone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Prepare your vegetables. I did the following:</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Sliced the asparagus very finely and tossed with black pepper and white wine vinegar.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Sliced the half-onion into crescents.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Cleaned the spring onions and chopped into rings.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Diced the tomato.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Cut the red pepper into strips.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Roughly chopped the edible chrysanthemum.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Finely chopped the herbs.</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone3-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pile half of the vegetable mix on to one side of each calzone, being careful not to overfill. Season. Fold over and seal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone4-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone4-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bake the calzones at 250 degrees (480 Fahrenheit) for ten minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top of each calzone, turn the temperature down to 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) and continue to cook for fifteen minutes until the cheese is golden brown.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone7-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/calzone7-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-57046845259832747922011-05-20T12:54:00.001+09:002011-05-20T12:56:09.987+09:00Sweet Potato Bacon BitesThis recipe started out as a way to make almost-vegetarian meatballs. I even served them with spaghetti (unfortunately without tomato sauce, because seconds before I went to make the sauce, I found that we didn't even have any tomato. That's called 'knowing what's in your kitchen like a proper cook'). But I don't think that's what these sweet potato bacon bites were intended for. On hungrily scoffing the cold leftovers the next morning, I think they would be great as snacks or canapes. They take quite a lot of work but the work is neither particularly fiddly nor hard.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/sweet-potato-bacon-bites4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/sweet-potato-bacon-bites4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sweet Potato Bacon Bites</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/other-recipes/sweet-potato-bacon-bites">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 40 bites</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">5-6 sweet potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon milk</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">1 onion</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">2 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">Herbs, chilli flakes and cinnamon to taste</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">20 rashers bacon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and boil until soft. In the meantime, chop onion and garlic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mash the potato in a large bowl with butter and milk. Add the onion, garlic, flour, herbs, chilli and cinnamon. Stir until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Crack an egg into the bowl and continue to stir until everything comes together.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cut the rashers of bacon in half.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pick up a spoonful of the sweet potato mixture and put it in the middle of half a bacon rasher. Pinch the bacon rasher up around it and place bottom-side down in a large, ovenable tray. Repeat until you run out of bacon, sweet potato, or space. At this point the bites can be frozen until you need them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Drizzle the tablespoon of oil over your bites, and put them in the oven at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for twenty minutes (thirty to forty minutes if they are being cooked from frozen). They are ready once the bacon is beginning to look crispy. Serve hot or cold.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/sweet-potato-bacon-bites3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/sweet-potato-bacon-bites3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-52224254468015887422011-05-17T00:23:00.003+09:002011-05-20T13:03:17.387+09:00Chicken SaltimboccaI was going to post a picture of my inspiration for this dish - which would have been a copy of Niki Segnit's <i>The Flavour Thesaurus</i> propped next to a flourishing sage plant - but I am completing the miraculous feat of posting a recipe <i>the very night</i> I cooked it, and it is too dark to take that particular photo right now. Saltimbocca is an Italian cooking style which uses pancetta and sage and sometimes lemon on a fillet of something (veal, plaice... or boring chicken). Most recipes require cocktail sticks to hold everything together, but I just swapped the placement of some ingredients round because I didn't like the idea of cooking or eating around a piece of wood. I also added a lot more sage than is typically called for, and am very happy I did so. I'm not sure how you would really taste one sage leaf per person.<br />
<br />
But never mind, because here's a very simple and quick recipe which looks fancy just because of all the little sage leaves in it. Made with fresh herbs from my own balcony 'garden'!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chicken Saltimbocca</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/chicken-saltimbocca">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">10 sage leaves</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 slices bacon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 garlic cloves</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup white wine</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Butterfly the chicken breasts so they open up, and roll them between two sheets of clingfilm until they are less than a centimetre thick. Be classy like me and use a wine bottle instead of a rolling pin. Put four sage leaves on each piece of chicken, reserving two. Season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cover each of these with two strips of bacon and tuck the ends under. Season again, and dust each with a little bit of flour, saving at least half the tablespoon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Heat the butter in a wide-bottomed pan with the two remaining sage leaves. Once hot, gently move the chicken into the pan, bacon-side down. Cook over a medium heat for five minutes, moving them every so often to prevent sticking.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Season the top uncooked side of the meat and sprinkle with the remaining flour before flipping to cook on this side for a further five minutes. In the meantime, dice the half-onion and garlic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and keep warm (easier said than done).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip the chopped onion and garlic into the sage-y, bacon-y butter and fry quickly over a high heat until slightly softened. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Once it begins to bubble, add the cream and turn the heat down to medium. Season and then reduce to your desired thickness, stirring constantly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve the chicken with rice and pour the sauce over.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-saltimbocca8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-46304955375624605092011-05-17T00:16:00.000+09:002011-05-17T00:16:36.186+09:00Asparagus Hash Quesadillas<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I have another recipe waiting in the wings to be published but this one was too exciting and spring-like to wait. Inspired by SmittenKitchen's <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/spring-asparagus-pancetta-hash/">asparagus pancetta hash</a>, these quesadillas are bright and filling and surprisingly un-messy to eat. The bacon could easily be omitted for a vegetarian take, and the amount of grated cheese you add is totally up to you - I used about a quarter-cup per storey, which worked perfectly for me but was not quite enough for Tom.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">They could technically be oven-free if you fried the quesadillas rather than baking them - <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/quesadillas-de-camarones/">this recipe</a> on Pioneer Woman shows you how to do it, with pictures. Also, the amount specified below was enough for dinner for us (one double-decker quesadilla each), <i>but</i> I hasten to add that I knew we each had a quarter of a reduced-price about-to-go-off cheesecake to eat afterwards, so dinner was a little on the small side.</div><b><br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Asparagus Hash Quesadillas</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/asparagus-hash-quesadillas?pageMoved=Vegetable-Dominated%20Recipes">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes two double-decker quesadillas</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 large potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 garlic cloves</div><div style="text-align: center;">130g asparagus</div><div style="text-align: center;">6 rashers bacon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon cream cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">6 tortilla wraps</div><div style="text-align: center;">Grated cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the potatoes and chop into very, very small chunks. Heat the oil in a large pan and tip the potatoes in. Allow them to cook for a few minutes (during which time they <i>will</i>, unfortunately, stick to the bottom) before stirring. Fry over a medium heat, moving things around occasionally, for about fifteen minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, dice the onion and garlic. Chop the asparagus into chunks and discard the woody stems. Slice bacon into lardons. Add all of these to the potato pan and keep stirring, adding a little more oil if things begin to look too dry. Once the bacon begins to look nearly there, throw in the herbs and cream cheese to gel things together a bit. Season.<br />
<br />
When you're happy with how crispy (or otherwise) the bacon looks, spoon a quarter of the mixture on to a tortilla.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sprinkle with as much grated cheese as you'd like, then cover with another tortilla. Spoon another quarter of the asparagus hash on top, cover with more cheese, and a third tortilla.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Carefully slide the quesadilla into the oven and bake at 200 degrees (390 Fahrenheit) for about eight minutes, until the top is crispy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Repeat these steps with the second quesadilla. I did these one by one because my oven didn't have enough room to make them simultaneously, which is probably a problem you'll run into if you make these for many people.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cut each quesadilla into quarters and serve, with lots of tissue on hand to wipe greasy fingers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/asparagus-hash-quesadilla2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-4152638494156182162011-05-10T12:54:00.003+09:002011-05-10T14:59:20.070+09:00Slow-Cooked Pork in BeerApparently writing blog posts in one's mind doesn't automatically mean that you're being an active food blogger.<br />
<br />
This recipe was inspired by a recent event in which beer - in glass bottles - was accidentally left in the freezer for about twenty-four hours. Although no disasters occurred, there was quite a lot of fizzing once they'd been safely retrieved, which meant we were left with 1500ml of very flat beer. For a while I lamented our lack of a slow-cooker, and then pulled myself together and did it anyway. The meal was super-easy, super-tasty, and based very (<i>very</i>) loosely on the little I could remember from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/tangy-spiced-brisket/">SmittenKitchen's brisket recipe</a>, after cooking it once, more than a year ago.<br />
<br />
I used Hite, a Korean brand of lager; if you try something else, let me know how it turns out for you.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Slow-Cooked Pork in Beer</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/red-meat-recipes/slow-cooked-pork-in-beer">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 4</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 onions (3rd is optional)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon brown sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">800g lump of pork</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons ketchup</div><div style="text-align: center;">750ml beer (with extra to top up if necessary)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon chilli powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Slice two of the three onions into thin crescents, and fry gently in the oil, preferably in a deep dish which can be transferred to the oven.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sprinkle the onions with brown sugar and continue cooking over a low flame for about ten minutes. You could continue to caramelize them, but it only took about ten minutes before I got bored.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Season each side of the pork in preparation for searing. Turn the flame up to medium and put the pork in the dish, searing each side for two to three minutes. Add the ketchup and stir it into the onion mixture, being veeeery careful not to burn yourself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pour in 750ml beer - this amount didn't <i>quite</i> cover my pork but I wasn't bothered. Season with chilli, salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture and put in the oven at 120 degrees (250 Fahrenheit) for four hours, turning the meat over every hour.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">After four hours, shred the meat into roughly bite-sized pieces. If using the third onion, slice that into thin crescents as well and add it to the pan now. Add a little more beer if necessary, and cook for another hour, preparing your side dishes in the meantime.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action shot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>... with mashed potato and vegetables.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/slow-cooked-pork-beer2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-77155447944973352002011-04-20T10:51:00.001+09:002011-04-20T10:52:18.751+09:00Chocolate-Topped Strawberry CheesecakeI accidentally bought a load of strawberry-flavoured Philadelphia and turned it into this, based on Bakerella's recipe for <a href="http://www.bakerella.com/cheesecake-bars/">cheesecake bars</a>. I was hoping for a no-bake cheesecake but didn't have any (unflavoured) gelatin, which it apparently needs to be able to hold its shape later on. Good times were had by all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chocolate-topped-strawberry-cheesecake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chocolate-topped-strawberry-cheesecake1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chocolate-Topped Strawberry Cheesecake</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/baking-recipes/chocolate-topped-strawberry-cheesecake">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes one deep cake in a 20cm tin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the base:</div><div style="text-align: center;">36 Oreo cookies</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons butter</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the filling:</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tubs strawberry-flavoured cream cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons icing sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups cream, whipped until stiff OR double cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon vanilla</div><div style="text-align: center;">About 20 strawberries</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the topping:</div><div style="text-align: center;">1.5 cups cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">275g dark chocolate</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon icing sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Blitz the oreos in a blender until they are finely ground. Pour into the bottom of a twenty-centimetre cake tin.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Melt the butter and add it to the oreo rubble. Stir until combined and then press the biscuits down to make a nice, thick base.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Leave the cream cheese out of the fridge until softened (which shouldn't take long) before creaming it with sugar and flour. I ended up doing this by hand because my blender is so tiny, which was much easier than I had expected. You may want to add more sugar but I felt that my cheesecake was sweet enough as it was.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When everything is happily incorporated, crack each egg in, one at a time, beating between each addition.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Beat your single cream until thick, and fold it gently into the cheesecake mix. Add a teaspoon of vanilla, and pour on top of the oreo base.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As unintuitive as this next step is, it works: bake at 160 degrees (325 Fahrenheit) for forty-five minutes. Yes, forty-five. It will come out looking something like this.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Halve each strawberry and jigsaw them together on top to make a fresh strawberry layer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">While the cake cools, prepare a dark chocolate ganache to top:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Heat the cream and butter on the stove until it is bubbling but not quite boiling.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Break the 275g dark chocolate into shards in a heatproof container. Pour the heated cream and butter mixture over the chocolate. Stir with a fork to break up any lumps as the chocolate melts.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add some icing sugar to taste, remembering that the cake itself is probably going to be pretty sweet. As reflected in the ingredients list, I only used an extra tablespoon of sugar.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pour the warm ganache over the cool cake and refrigerate overnight.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/strawberry-cheesecake3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve with... chopsticks?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chocolate-topped-strawberry-cheesecake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chocolate-topped-strawberry-cheesecake2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-16720637838095067072011-04-18T11:07:00.000+09:002011-04-18T11:07:18.098+09:00Creamy Tomato SoupI have a few backlogged recipes to catch up on, unsurprisingly, but this most recent meal is crying out to be blogged as soon as possible. I've made tomato soup from <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4671/real-tomato-soup">this BBC Good Food recipe</a> before as a <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/pasta-bake.html">pasta bake sauce</a> and as a <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/tomato-soup.html">soup</a>, and it's worked really well. Unfortunately I don't have any baking soda, although the milk trick works really well, so substituted with cream. A really great easy soup, even better with grilled cheese on toast.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Creamy Tomato Soup</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/creamy-tomato-soup">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 2 small or 1 large portions</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1.5 teaspoons basil, fresh or dried, divided</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 cups tomato sauce/passata</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon parmesan dust (optional)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">(OR 1 tablespoon milk with 1 pinch baking soda)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Finely dice the onion and garlic and fry over a medium heat in oil. After a minute, add about half a teaspoon of basil and stir to coat. Continue cooking the onions over a low flame for ten minutes to caramelize them, adding extra oniony flavour.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Turns out caramelizing onions is a difficult process to photograph, at least from above.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add the tomato sauce, along with more basil, parmesan (if desired) and seasoning. Simmer until reduced as much as you would like it to. Even on the lowest possible flame, my soup was bubbling within seconds, so I only let it sit there for about five minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Blend to the desired consistency and return to the pan. (At this point you can freeze it, according to BBC Good Food.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you are using baking soda and milk, put the baking soda into a bowl and pour the milk over it. Mix together with a fork to get rid of the lumps, and add it to the soup over a high heat. Ignore the foaming, it will go away. Reduce the heat to a simmer and bubble away until the foam dissipates.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Alternately, add the tablespoon of cream to the blended soup and stir through. Warm.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve with grilled cheese on toast.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/tomato-soup4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-5469400670440621922011-04-13T12:46:00.001+09:002011-04-13T12:47:41.337+09:00Encrusted Chicken SaladOkay, so the name of this dish is kind of offputting. I apologize. As you may have noticed from the <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/orange-scented-chilli.html">looooong break in posting</a>, things have been getting a little out of hand here in Korea, what with pests infesting my apartment and suddenly becoming part of a social circle. (The two are not related.) I'm so out of it that I made an awesome sweet & spicy enchilada dish last night, hoping to start a new phase of <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas.html">tweaking</a> my <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/enchiladas.html">original meal</a>, and completely forgot to photograph it. Just this morning I had to leap into action when I realized that Tom had pretty much started a flood in our kitchen and then left for the gym.<br />
<br />
My point is that I'm sorry for both the unexplained hiatus and the name of this dish. But it <i>is</i> crusty chicken! And it's actually really easy and really nice! After a weekend of excess, a simple chicken salad with blue cheese and the world's easiest vinaigrette was perfect.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/encrusted-chicken-salad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/encrusted-chicken-salad1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Encrusted Chicken Salad</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/encrusted-chicken-salad">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 tablespoons flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon chilli flakes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 portions salad leaves</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup blue cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon each oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Put the flour and chilli flakes in a plastic bag and season. Drop the chicken breasts into the bag and shake vigorously until the chicken is heavily coated in flour. Carefully remove to a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for ten minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Turn the chicken on to the other side and pour over a tablespoon of oil. Roast at 200 degrees (390 Fahrenheit) for fifteen to twenty minutes. The chicken should feel a little soft and uncooked, but if you cut it open it will reveal itself to be fully cooked <i>and</i> moist. It's pretty amazing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, wash and prepare the salad leaves. Crumble blue cheese on to the plates of those interested in blue cheese.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey and mustard.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Place the chicken on top of the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Serve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/encrusted-chicken-salad2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/encrusted-chicken-salad2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-25152785447923531912011-04-06T12:57:00.001+09:002011-04-06T12:58:58.653+09:00Orange-Scented ChilliDespite <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/chilli-con-carne.html">my only blogged recipe for chilli con carne</a>, I am a firm believer in sweet potato in chilli. I hinted recently at a <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/veggie-burgers.html">vegetarian version with sweet potato</a>, but even the meaty ones should have some. Unfortunately, I didn't have any sweet potato when I decided to recreate this amazing recipe for <a href="http://everybodylikessandwiches.com/2011/03/yam-bean-orange-scented-chili/">orange-scented chilli</a> so turned it into a meat-lover's fest. The orange truly does wonderful, wonderful things to it. Also, Tom had the leftovers on toast with a hard-boiled egg (of all things) the next day, and that was pretty spectacular too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Orange-Scented Chilli</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/red-meat-recipes/orange-scented-chilli">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 clove garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon chilli powder, plus more to taste</div><div style="text-align: center;">250g mince</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup red wine</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups tomato sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon curry powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tin kidney beans</div><div style="text-align: center;">Juice and peel of 1 orange</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil. After about a minute, add a teaspoon each of cinnamon and chilli, and continue to cook until soft.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add the mince and stir. Once browned, add the half cup of red wine and simmer until it is almost entirely reduced.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and stir through. Add curry powder and more chilli to taste, and season. Simmer for twenty minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tear off the orange peel and add it to the pan - yes, it's as haphazard as it sounds. Cut the orange in half widthways (that is, through the segments rather than along them) and squeeze as much juice as you can into the pan. Leave to simmer for another ten minutes, seasoning and adding more chilli or curry powder if desired.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When you are ready to eat, remove the orange peel from the pan and serve with rice, either in a bowl...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">... or in a wrap.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/orange-scented-chilli6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-49120887128255873082011-04-04T11:30:00.004+09:002011-04-07T12:48:15.787+09:00Garlic Black Bean EnchiladasThese chicken enchiladas are so good. They are, however, made using a packet of ready-made black bean sauce. I'm a big fan of making most things from scratch - so much so that it often doesn't occur to me that there's a quicker, ready-made way to do it - but this was different, partly because I just did a search for a black bean sauce recipe and couldn't find <i>anything</i>. Apparently black bean sauce isn't too hard to find in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If you see it, get it, and make this. It's brilliant.<br />
<br />
Get some garlic too while you're there. This recipe, based on a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/mar/31/how-cook-perfect-patatas-bravas?INTCMP=SRCH">Guardian Food garlic topping for patatas bravas</a>, calls for five cloves of it. Pungent. Despite having two eggs in it, it went mousse-y rather than omelette-y, providing a really nice contrast to the much chewier texture of the chicken. Oh, and I also went waaay overboard on the chicken, using four whole chicken breasts for the meal. I recommend using two breasts and then adding half a head of broccoli cut into small florets, or some other vegetable or bean to bulk it up a bit. This also means that this could be adapted to make a pretty good vegetarian recipe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Garlic Black Bean Enchiladas</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">(or 2 chicken breasts + vegetable/bean - see note above)</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 tablespoons seasoned flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup black bean sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon chilli powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: center;">5 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon white wine vinegar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 tortilla wraps</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tin kidney beans</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup grated cheese</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Chop the onion and fry it over a low flame in the tablespoon of oil until soft.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cut the chicken into pieces as small as you have the patience for. If you are using vegetables in the enchilada filling as well, chop and boil them separately, or fry them with the chicken.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Toss the chicken pieces in a bag of seasoned flour to coat, and then add to the onion pan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Once browned all over, add the cup of black bean sauce, along with cinnamon, chilli powder and seasoning. If you are using beans or boiled vegetables in the filling, add them to the pot now. Simmer until everything is slightly reduced - the sauce should be quite thick and clinging to the chicken, but not non-existent.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Peel and crush the garlic cloves, and put them in the blender with two eggs, one tablespoon of white wine vinegar, and a few dashes of oil. Blend. Add oil a little more at a time, blending in between, until you are happy with the consistency and amount of the sauce. You may not need to use the entire cup of oil. Season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Drain the kidney beans and empty into a microwaveable container. Microwave on high for a minute, stir, and then microwave for thirty seconds longer. Tip the hot beans into the oven dish you will be using and mash roughly with a fork, leaving some beans intact. Cover the bottom of the dish with this, which is my easy version of refried beans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spoon one quarter of the black bean mixture into each wrap, fold up, and place on top of the mashed beans. Drizzle the garlic sauce over the top, sprinkle with some grated cheese, and bake at 200 degrees (390 Fahrenheit) for fifteen minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-black-bean-enchiladas3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-87807653535275917102011-04-03T19:07:00.001+09:002011-04-03T19:08:47.457+09:00Potato-Crusted Chicken PieThis is a sort of inverted <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/weekend-shepherds-pie.html">shepherd's pie</a>, but with spicy chicken in tomato sauce instead of rich beef in gravy. I liked it. Tom didn't. I won't presume to make any assumptions about whether you'd like it or not, because it's completely your choice as to whether you even want to read this recipe, let alone recreate it. Good luck to you either way. I hope your dinner is fabulous, whether it's a potato-crusted chicken pie or not.<br />
<br />
This recipe sees the first outing of my new set of digital scales. I had precisely 678g of peeled potato, so have rounded up a little to account for the skin. How exciting!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/potato-crusted-chicken-pie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/potato-crusted-chicken-pie1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Potato-Crusted Chicken Pie</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/potato-crusted-chicken-pie">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 4</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">700g potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 garlic cloves</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 green chillies</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons seasoned flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">200ml tomato sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon chilli powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 slices bread</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the potatoes and boil in salted water until soft. Mash with butter, milk and seasoning, and press into the bottom and sides of a large, deep dish. Bake for twenty minutes at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, chop the onion, garlic and chilli and fry in oil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dredge the chicken in seasoned flour and add to the onion pan. Fry over a medium flame, turning once, until both sides of the chicken are seared. Add the tomato sauce, spice and herbs, and simmer for twenty minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Remove the chicken from the sauce and <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/spicy-shredded-chicken.html">shred, using two forks</a>. Return it to the sauce along with the half-cup of cream and simmer to reduce. Season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When the potato crust has been baked, take the dish out of the oven and fill the shell with the chicken and as much sauce as will fit.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Make breadcrumbs out of the slices of bread, season, and then sprinkle on top of the pie filling. Cut the tablespoons of butter into pats and place them on top. Bake at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for ten minutes - everything is hot, the breadcrumbs just need to crisp up a little.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve, messily.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/potato-crusted-chicken-pie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/potato-crusted-chicken-pie2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-61073358646869910882011-04-01T10:55:00.002+09:002011-04-02T15:33:15.857+09:00Pasta FlorentineYou have no idea how much I wish I'd cracked an egg into this dish, just so I could call it carbonara florentine. I love dish names - I'm seriously considering making a pineapple crumble, even though I hate pineapple, because it has a cool name - and 'pasta florentine' just doesn't have the right ring. Why don't you try it with an egg and get back to me on how it works?<br />
<br />
Without the egg, it was really good. I enjoyed it immensely and hope you do too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Pasta Florentine</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/pasta-florentine">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 servings pasta</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons seasoned flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">4 rashers bacon</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 handful spinach or other green leaf</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 individual-serving-sized pot plain yoghurt<br />
1/2 cup cream<br />
25ml rum<br />
Seasoning<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.<br />
<br />
Chop the onion and garlic and fry in the butter over a medium heat.<br />
<br />
Cut the chicken into chunks, dredge in seasoned flour, and add to the onion and garlic pan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once the chicken is seared, snip the bacon rashers into lardons directly over the pan. Add seasoning, including mixed herbs, and continue frying for about five minutes.<br />
<br />
Slice the spinach into ribbons and add it to the pan. Stirring regularly, continue to fry.<br />
<br />
Once the spinach is entirely wilted, add the yoghurt and cream. Heat through before adding the shot of rum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Season, and allow to simmer over a low flame for up to ten minutes.<br />
<br />
Serve with the pasta.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-florentine3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-107751175508941922011-03-29T10:53:00.001+09:002011-03-29T10:54:35.351+09:00Veggie BurgersI was going to make <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/bean-burgers.html">bean burgers</a> again at the weekend, except I didn't because it's actually way too hard for me to soak those un-soaked chickpeas we've got. And it's not like I have any excuse - the same day I intended to soak the chickpeas, we took the time to create <a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/papertie.jpg">paper ties</a> and <a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/badge.jpg">scrap-fabric chokers attached with a 21st birthday badg</a>e in order to attend Tom's brother's wedding (congratulations to whom, by the way) via Skype. So intead we made vegetable burgers. They were good. And huge. And served with <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/janssons-delight.html">Jansson's Delight</a>.<br />
<br />
In other news, would anyone like the recipe for a vegetarian chilli con carne with sweet potato? I based mine <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2011/03/chipotle-spiced-sweet-potato-chili/">off this recipe</a>, but changed it a lot, as usual - my only worry is that I used a packet of barbeque seasoning and curry cubes, as the original spices are impossible to get here. I feel like it would be difficult for you to recreate elsewhere because I used prepackaged stuff.<br />
<br />
Anyway: on with today's recipe...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Veggie Burgers</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/veggie-burgers">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 6-8 burgers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 sweet potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 head broccoli</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tin red kidney beans</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons tomato sauce or paste</div><div style="text-align: center;">1-2 teaspoons chilli powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 slices bread, made into breadcrumbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup flour, plus more for shaping</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil, plus more for frying</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the sweet potatoes, and chop them and the broccoli into small pieces. Boil in salted water for ten minutes or until soft.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add the kidney beans into the boiling pan for two minutes, then drain. Transfer to a large bowl and season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mash the potato, broccoli and kidney beans together, adding milk to loosen the mixture a little. Gradually add tomato sauce, chilli, herbs, breadcrumbs, egg, flour and oil until the mixture is very thick. <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/bean-burgers.html#more">As before</a>, you might need to fudge the quantities a little to get the right texture. It's surprisingly difficult to add too much flour. Season again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cover a tray, plate or chopping board in flour, and your hands in oil. Grab a handful of the burger batter and shape it into a burger. Place on the floured tray, and then turn it over so it is floured on both sides. Repeat until all the batter has been made into burgers, re-flouring the board and re-oiling your hands regularly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">You should get about six to eight burgers out of this - maybe more depending on how small you make them. (Our last two burgers were GIANT ones. Tom put one on my plate and I could no longer see half of my plate, that kind of giant.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Refrigerate for ten to fifteen minutes. I like this step because it usually coincides with the side dish having to cook, and (in my mind at least) firms the burgers up for frying later. I'm not sure if it's entirely necessary though. If you try this recipe without refrigerating, let me know how it goes!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers on each side for three to five minutes, depending on thickness. Once each side is crispy and the burger is heated through, they are ready.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/veggie-burgers5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-44977607270248848882011-03-22T13:22:00.002+09:002011-05-24T23:47:32.414+09:00Minted Frozen Yoghurt with Chocolate ChipsMy favourite ever ice cream flavour is mint chocolate chip. My second favourite ever ice cream flavour is raspberry yoghurt. As I'd been low on ice cream from a while, and as the weather's been getting warmer (today excepted, sadly), I thought I would combine them - without the raspberry, which is probably for the best. It's delicious. But remember to churn while you're freezing it. I accidentally left my ice cream in the freezer while I went out, so only churned once, and have ended up with crumbles of ice cream instead of scoops. It's tasty, but it's difficult to get out of the tub!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Minted Frozen Yoghurt with Chocolate Chips</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/other-recipes/minted-frozen-yoghurt-with-chocolate-chips">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes about 700ml ice cream<br />
<br />
450ml yoghurt (I used goats' yoghurt)<br />
1 cup cream<br />
1 handful mint leaves<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup chocolate chips<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Mix the yoghurt and cream in a pan and stir together, with half a cup of the sugar.<br />
<br />
Wash the mint and tear each leaf in half (or smaller) to release the oils. Add them to the pan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Heat over a low flame, stirring, until bubbles begin to appear at the edges. Immediately turn the heat off and leave to infuse for as long as you can - between one and three hours should be good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At this point you can strain the leaves out, or leave them in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Move the mixture to a freezable dish once cool, and add the second half-cup of sugar and chocolate chips. Stir through and put in the freezer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Every thirty minutes, take the ice cream out and stir it roughly with a fork to break up any ice crystals. Repeat until you have churned three or four times, and then leave for a few more hours (or overnight) to freeze through.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/mint-chocolate-frozen-yoghurt4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Serve.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-49528909016796901642011-03-21T12:53:00.001+09:002011-03-21T12:54:35.546+09:00Dinner in WhiteOn Friday night, I threw as many tasty things as I could find into a roasting dish, put it in the oven, and served it with rice. It wasn't until I got to the picture-taking stage that I realized that <i>everything</i> was white. Chicken, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cream... oh well. It was nonetheless tasty. If blinding. I would have to add something else just for the colour if I were to do it again - and do it again I may, because this was a damn easy Friday night dinner.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dinner in White</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/dinner-in-white">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">10 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon seasoned flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 handful <i>enokitake</i> mushrooms</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the garlic cloves and place in an ovenable tray (or make a tray out of some foil). Douse with one tablespoon oil and roast at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for ten to fifteen minutes, until they are soft, sweet and slightly blackened at the edges.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the meantime, dredge your chicken in seasoned flour and place in another baking tray. Chop the half-onion into thin crescents and add to the pan, along with the mushrooms. Slice the tablespoon of butter into pats and lay it gently over some of the chicken. Sprinkle over herbs, salt and pepper, and roast for fifteen minutes at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tip the roasted garlic with its oil and juices into the chicken pan along with the half-cup of cream. Stir the melted butter and cream together to combine a little before returning it to the oven for ten minutes at the same temperature as before.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Serve with rice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/dinner-in-white3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-75895640893307601682011-03-20T14:41:00.002+09:002011-03-20T14:44:09.877+09:00Apple-Stuffed Chicken with ColcannonSt Patrick's Day on Thursday was the perfect excuse to make colcannon - which, I have decided, is one of the best foods in the world. I'd had colcannon once before, in an Irish pub at Stansted airport with my dad, and kind of immediately thought it was gross. In my defence, I was about sixteen and had had very little exposure to cabbage before. Anyway, I didn't even realize that colcannon had <i>bacon</i> in it, so once I saw<a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2649/colcannon"> the recipe on BBC Good Food</a> I was sold. Not that I bothered to read the actual recipe. Just the ingredients.<br />
<br />
The food was good - the roast chicken was surprisingly easy for a weekday, given that I generally have little more than an hour to prepare food (that's what happens when you get out of work at 9.30pm). It was, admittedly, a little tasteless, but what can you expect from plain chicken? The apple wedges and the colcannon really played their part, taking up the chicken's slack, and overall we were both very happy with this.<br />
<br />
I've included a suggestion within the recipe to make a Guinness gravy, but as I didn't do it myself it won't appear in the ingredients list.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/apple-chicken-colcannon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/apple-chicken-colcannon1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Apple-Stuffed Chicken with Colcannon</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/apple-stuffed-chicken-with-colcannon">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the chicken:</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 medium-sized roast chicken</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 apple</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oil (about 3 tablespoons)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the colcannon:</div><div style="text-align: center;">6 medium-sized potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 handful cabbage, or other thick green leaves (eg spinach)</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 bacon rashers</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Core an apple and cut it into quarters. Rub one quarter over the chicken skin before using it to stuff the chicken. Cut the other three quarters into wedges and add them to the roasting pan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mix oil with herbs, salt and pepper, and drizzle over the chicken and apple wedges. Roast at 200 degrees (390 Fahrenheit) for one hour, basting regularly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the potatoes and boil until soft. Mash with butter, cream, salt and pepper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, slice the cabbage and bacon into thin strips. Fry in one tablespoon butter until the leaves are wilted and the bacon is crispy. Mix with the mashed potato, tasting and seasoning accordingly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">At this point, you could remove the chicken to be carved, and add some gravy powder and beer to the cooking pan to make an apple-y, beer-y gravy. I imagine that would taste wonderful - but Tom wasn't too keen on me wasting his lager so I served the colcannon with chicken and apple wedges. Still delicious.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/apple-chicken-colcannon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/apple-chicken-colcannon2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-86656735626664927012011-03-18T13:02:00.005+09:002011-04-01T10:52:44.110+09:00Bean BurgersWhat to do with a bunch of chickpeas? Whizz them up with kidney beans and turn them into bean burgers. Obviously. I was planning on doing a roast chicken (more on which tomorrow) but as it hadn't completely defrosted, I was stuck with a bowl of chickpeas (which had been soaking for two days, which means I bought them raw and not in a can!) and the knowledge that when Tom came home to bean burgers for dinner, he would be a very happy man. Indeed he was. His genuine enthusiasm was quite endearing.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Anyway, for some reason I'd decided not to blog this recipe, hence the lack of in-process pictures. Also the fact that you may need to play around with quantities a bit to get the texture of the burgers right. Regard the below as guidelines (fairly accurate guidelines, but guidelines nonetheless) and enjoy a meal which is tasty and meaty (except it's not!) and actually - in my case - going to be quite easy to do again, as long as I remember to soak the chickpeas first.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bean Burgers</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/vegetable-dominated-recipes/bean-burgers">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 6 large burgers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
1/2 onion<br />
2 cloves garlic</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups chickpeas</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 can kidney beans (410g)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon chilli powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon powdered stock</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used crushed Pringles)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons tomato sauce</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 to 1 cup flour, plus more for your hands</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning aplenty</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a name='more'></a>Drain and rinse the chickpeas and kidney beans and blitz with onion and garlic in a food processor until they are mulch. A few whole or near-whole beans remained in mine, which didn't bother me at all - it added to the texture and, dare I say, character of the final burgers.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mix in a bowl with herbs, chilli, stock powder, breadcrumbs, egg, tomato and half a cup of flour. Season generously. It might be too liquidy at this point, in which case add the extra half cup of flour and, if necessary, more of the other solid ingredients (such as breadcrumbs). You don't want 'floury' to be the predominating flavour.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Once the batter (for want of a better word!) is fairly stiff and looks like it will hold up to shaping, flour your hands and make it into burgers (or patties). I got six large burgers out of mine; you will get more or less depending on how big your burgers are, how many various extras you had to add, and how much of the batter ends up on your fingers rather than on the plate.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I then chilled the burgers for ten minutes in the fridge. This probably isn't necessary, but it helped us coincide cooking times so that everything was ready together.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Melt the butter and oil in a large-bottomed frying pan over a medium flame, and add the burgers to the pan. Cook for about five minutes each side (again, depending on thickness) before serving.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/bean-burgers3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-33536991232846281542011-03-17T21:39:00.002+09:002011-03-18T12:45:23.720+09:00Garlic Chicken MacaroniA garlicky recipe to end my Thursday (and probably begin yours).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Garlic Chicken Macaroni</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/garlic-chicken-macaroni">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 servings macaroni</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 onion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4 cloves garlic</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 tablespoons garlic sauce, divided</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mustard</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 chicken breasts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tablespoon seasoned flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 cups cream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used <i>ssamjang</i>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seasoning (herbs, salt, pepper)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chop the onion and garlic cloves finely and fry over a medium flame in oil. Once browned, add one tablespoon of garlic sauce and the mustard, and stir to coat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dredge the chicken breasts in flour and add to the garlic pan. Fry for about ten minutes, turning once and making sure they don't stick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Add the cream, along with seasonings, hot sauce and the other tablespoon of garlic sauce, and stir. Simmer for five minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water, and add both of these to the chicken pan. Keep simmering until everything is heated through and the sauce has reduced a little. Serve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/garlic-chicken-macaroni3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-77601860784740366562011-03-17T13:35:00.001+09:002011-03-17T13:36:52.758+09:00Quick Onion PizzaIt is a daily challenge deciding what to have for lunch, and one that Tom in particular finds very trying. It's a difficult meal, because I don't get another chance to eat until finishing work - seven hours of class without a lunch break. Luckily, I was recently inspired by my own <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/onion-stuffed-chicken-with-homemade.html">onion-stuffed chicken</a> to make a <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2010/11/tortillas-galore.html">lunchtime pizza</a> in the style of <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/flammkuchen.html">Flammkuchen</a>. A perfect meal for my specific needs: quick, tasty, filling. I would advise using creme fraiche if you have it; if not, my cream concoction worked pretty well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Quick Onion Pizza</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/red-meat-recipes/quick-onion-pizza">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Serves 1</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 rashers bacon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tortilla wrap</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2 tablespoons onion relish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1/2 cup cream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 teaspoon lime juice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1 tablespoon butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<i>or</i> creme fraiche instead of cream/lime/butter)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 onion</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon mixed herbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Grill two bacon rashers until crispy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spread the onion relish over a tortilla wrap.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In a blender, mix cream, lime juice and butter until stiff. Spoon over the onion relish.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cut the onion into thin crescents and lay gently on the cream mixture.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once the bacon is cooked, allow it to cool slightly. Using scissors, snip it over the pizza and move the pizza to the oven. Cook at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for about ten minutes, checking on it regularly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/quick-onion-pizza3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-23690974828088675142011-03-14T14:02:00.001+09:002011-03-14T14:02:48.351+09:00Onion-Stuffed Chicken with Homemade ChipsLast night, Tom pretty much made this dinner while I talked to my parents and brother on Skype. I cut some of the potatoes, spooned the relish into the chicken, and stretched out the bacon. And promised my brother that I wouldn't say anything embarrassing about him on this blog. For example, I definitely wouldn't mention that time when he got really drunk on a couple of bottles of beer and my dad and I had to go and pick him up from god-knows-where and manhandle him into the car with judgemental neighbours looking on. But if I did, the wonderful thing about this medium is that if he tried to retort with tales of my drunken misdemeanours in comments, I <i>could</i> theoretically just delete it!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Speaking of comments, if you have any feedback - on this recipe, or another, or the blog in general - I'd love to hear from you. It makes my day when people take the time to let me know they've tried a recipe, even if it didn't work that well.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So on to today's recipe: even though I wasn't the main cook for this, it was still my idea, and a bloody good idea at that. The idea was to stuff chicken with onion relish, wrap it in bacon, and serve it with homemade chips (fries or wedges, if you prefer). I bought some onion relish recently but I gather it would be fairly easy to make from scratch - I will be having a go at it, probably using <a href="http://www.patiodaddiobbq.com/2010/05/onion-marmalade.html">this</a> recipe, once my jar's run out. Then again, chicken is very good <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/stuffed-chicken-with-pasta.html">stuffed</a> with <a href="http://francescacooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/stuffed-chicken-with-roasted-cubes.html">anything</a>. Maybe caramelize some onions and use that instead of making a whole jar of onion marmalade. Your choice.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-onionrelish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-onionrelish1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Onion-Stuffed Chicken with Homemade Chips</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/home/onion-stuffed-chicken-with-homemade-chips">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the chips:</div><div style="text-align: center;">5 potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 sweet potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">5 tablespoons of oil<br />
Seasoning<br />
<br />
For the chicken:<br />
2 chicken breasts<br />
2 tablespoons onion relish<br />
4 bacon rashers<br />
1 teaspoon mixed herbs<br />
1 tablespoon oil<br />
Seasoning<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel all of the potatoes and cut them into wedges. Put in a pan on the stove with boiling water, and simmer for ten minutes.</div><br />
Once tender, drain and toss with the oil (yes, you're going to need a lot) and seasoning. Roast at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for fifty minutes. Flip the wedges every so often.<br />
<br />
If the chips aren't crispy enough for your taste after fifty minutes, turn the heat up to 200 (390 F) or 220 (430 F) and cook for five to fifteen minutes, checking regularly to make sure they don't burn.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, cut a large pocket into the thicker side of each chicken breast, and stuff each with one tablespoon of the onion relish, or whatever onion mixture you're going for.<br />
<br />
Pull each bacon rasher under the back of a knife to stretch it, and then wrap two rashers around each chicken breast. Season each with salt, pepper, and half a teaspoon of mixed herbs.<br />
<br />
Douse with the remaining tablespoon of oil and roast with the chips at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for twenty minutes. It is a good idea to put the chicken in once the chips have been cooking for thirty minutes, or forty minutes if you know that you are a fan of crispy chips.<br />
<br />
Serve with mayonnaise.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-onionrelish2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/chicken-bacon-onionrelish2-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2020894993354227450.post-72328673117318282182011-03-12T12:59:00.002+09:002011-05-24T23:47:40.408+09:00Herbed PotatoesWe had a giant lump of pork in the fridge, which I didn't want to do anything complicated with. Salt, pepper, oil, roast is, I find, the best way to eat pork. (Except of course <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5884/pork-with-black-pudding-and-roasted-rhubarb">this BBC recipe</a> which I cooked once and haven't been able to since and I'm still sad about that. It was so good.) So I decided to go all-out on the potatoes. The herb mixture was gorgeous, as were the occasional tastes of blackened onion, and I love the way mint adds a freshness to a mix of flavours without overwhelming.<br />
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I meant to photograph the entire process of potato-preparing but didn't get very far with that. Hence the lone photo of two onions on some foil.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Herbed Potatoes</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookinginpinkpyjamas/other-recipes/herbed-potatoes">(Printable Recipe)</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 2 as a side</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 onions</div><div style="text-align: center;">5 small potatoes</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons oil, divided</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 garlic cloves</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon each mint, rosemary, thyme</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seasoning</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Peel the onions and chop them widthways into rings. Layer on the bottom of a shallow baking dish and pour over half a tablespoon of the oil.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My onions were very small.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Slice the potatoes into thin rings. You can peel them if you want, but it's not necessary. Boil on a medium flame for about seven minutes, until they are just tender, and drain.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finely chop the garlic cloves, and mix in a bowl with mint, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Layer the potato discs on top of the onions, trying to keep all of the potatoes at one level without piling up on top of each other. Douse with the remaining one and a half tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half of the herb mixture.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Roast in the oven at 180 degrees (360 Fahrenheit) for twenty minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Remove the tray, turn the potatoes, and sprinkle the remaining herb mixture over them. Turn the temperature up to 200 degrees (390 Fahrenheit) and roast for a further fifteen minutes before serving.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j329/francescalef/herbed-potatoes2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Francescahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04073265838120087225noreply@blogger.com