Polly's http://zmonline.com/shows/breakfast/highlights/bestest-ever-shortbread
Ingredients:
225g Butter
125g Icing sugar
125g Flour
125g Cornflour
125g Custard powder
Method:
- Pre heat oven to 150c and line two baking trays with baking paper or butter them lightly.
- Combine the butter and sifted dry ingredients in a mixer or food processor and mix until well blended.
- Tip the dough out onto the bench and knead into a firm mass.
- Shape the dough into a roll to refrigerate it for 30 mins & then slice it OR you can roll it out on a floured bench ready to cut funky shapes out.
- Cook shortbread slowly for 30 mins, tops should not change colour but bottoms will change to a pale golden brown.
- Rotate & swap the trays halfway through the cooking process.
- Remove to place on cooling racks and store once cold.
- You can freeze these and thaw as needed ... or just eat them all!!
Friday, October 22, 2021
Darren's noodle-less pad thai recipe
I finally had a crack at Darren's recipe.
1/4 head of white cabbage, shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
250g pork mince
2 TBS red curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk
1 TBS peanut or almond butter
handful of raw cashews
fresh coriander to taste
black pepper
splash offish sauce, lime juice and sesame oil
Fry the mince, add the coconut milk, curry paste and peanut butter. Add cabbage carrot and pepper and heat through, Add cashews, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime to taste
Except I left out the coconut cream (forgot to buy it), the sesame oil (couldn’t find it in the supermarket) and the fish sauce (for some reason we were storing an almost empty bottle in our pantry and it wasn’t on the shopping list (angry), so really it was just the pork mince, veges and cashews stir fried with peanut butter and red curry paste. I have instructions to remember how I made this version so when I “mess it up”, ie make it according to the recipe, I know how to make it “properly” again.
I asked and Darren does like it hot, so I think it's always going to be a bit scaled. Lynette may be able to cope with as rx'ed, it will always be beyond me.
1/4 head of white cabbage, shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
250g pork mince
2 TBS red curry paste
1 TBS peanut or almond butter
handful of raw cashews
fresh coriander to taste
black pepper
splash of
Fry the mince, add the coconut milk, curry paste and peanut butter. Add cabbage carrot and pepper and heat through, Add cashews, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime to taste
Except I left out the coconut cream (forgot to buy it), the sesame oil (couldn’t find it in the supermarket) and the fish sauce (for some reason we were storing an almost empty bottle in our pantry and it wasn’t on the shopping list (angry), so really it was just the pork mince, veges and cashews stir fried with peanut butter and red curry paste. I have instructions to remember how I made this version so when I “mess it up”, ie make it according to the recipe, I know how to make it “properly” again.
I asked and Darren does like it hot, so I think it's always going to be a bit scaled. Lynette may be able to cope with as rx'ed, it will always be beyond me.
Quick and easy Biltong making - aka " I just want to eat it and not pay a fortune"
I wrote this up a while ago as a fairly final version of how I go about making it now.
Since then I've made the change I suggested I would and the process is now:
- Sprinkle salt on both sides
- Stack it in a casserole dish.
- Leave overnight at least.
- Wash the salt off with vinegar.
- Apply spices, slice, dry in the dehydrator.
Both versions of the process should be read to get the full details.
======================================================================
I’m NOT representing this as an authentic process, it’s a way of achieving an equivalent result to the products made at various south African butchers around Auckland using ingredients I can find easily with a quick turn-around time.
Ingredients
The vinegar flavour is sharper for a start and tends to mellow over time. After a couple of days it’s not noticeable as vinegar and instead forms a part of the overall taste.
I’ve also done it as.
The salt draws out moisture and makes the meat tougher.
The vinegar still contributes surprisingly to the taste even if it’s just a wash.
I might go back to this method soon so I don’t have to add extra salt to the spice mix I’m developing.
It’s all a process of constant experimentation.
I’m NOT representing this as an authentic process, it’s a way of achieving an equivalent result to the products made at various south African butchers around Auckland using ingredients I can find easily with a quick turn-around time.
Ingredients
- Cider vinegar.
I buy 2 litre bottles of DIY vinegar from the supermarket, so nothing fancy. - Topside steak.
Pre-packed, pre-cut in steaks from our local New World.
I have found the quality of the meat varies from butcher to butcher and luckily the Papakura New World has the best I’ve found.
I’ve tried silverside. Didn’t like it and I can get topside on special easily and often. Silverside isn’t as readily available to me. - Spices.
This is harder to list as what I’ve used varied enormously.
The best I’ve made used a commercial spice mix from Crown Safari. I’ve discovered that the stuff contains sugar and MSG (http://www.safinefoods.co.uk/image/cache/data/spices/crown%20nationa%20safari%20biltong%20spice-500x500.jpg), which explains why it was so good. That’s a potent combination.
I’m trying to avoid using sugar and can’t get the crown spices without going out of my way so I’m developing my own equivalent.
The latest version used: - MasterFoods All Purpose Seasoning (http://www.masterfoods.com.au/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/83/ProductId/1468/All-Purpose-Seasoning.aspx)
- Approximates the celery, onion, garlic etc. in the Crown National product and we always have it in the house.
- Coriander.
- I think I should have used less of this.
- Cracked black pepper
Process
- Soak the steak in the vinegar.
Marinade is too flash for this and pickle is too long.
I pour some vinegar in a casserole dish, slop the steak in it on both sides and build up layers, pouring a bit more in as I go.
Any meat in contact with the vinegar will turn grey, you tend to get quite a bit of the stacked meat that doesn’t so a more free-flow bath would be better, but it takes up space.
Duration: Variable. 2-3 hours at least although it often winds up being all day or overnight or both. - Apply the spices.
I sort of shake the vinegar off, lay the meat on a chopping board and sprinkle the spice mixture on.
Pat them in.
Flip it over.
Cut into strips.
Repeat.
This is the main deviation from the traditional process. I need to do this to get it to dry in the food dehydrator, traditionally you’d hang it in a fly proof box with good air circulation for several days.
My way is faster. - Dry it in the dehydrator.
I prefer to dry it on the max heat for about 3 hours and then lower it until I need to take it out or until it’s done. That way the outside is leathery but the inside is a little moist, but that sweet spot is very hard to hit and I miss it often.
I’ve also done it as.
- Sprinkle salt on both sides
- Stack it in a casserole dish.
- Leave overnight at least.
- Wash the salt off with vinegar.
- Apply spices, slice, dry in the dehydrator.
The salt draws out moisture and makes the meat tougher.
The vinegar still contributes surprisingly to the taste even if it’s just a wash.
I might go back to this method soon so I don’t have to add extra salt to the spice mix I’m developing.
It’s all a process of constant experimentation.
Pie base
I made this a while back and I'm posting this so I have a record.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-paleo-pie-crust/#axzz1gvJReSUF
I used a can of pre-made pumpkin pie mix for the filling and didn't enjoy it as much as I have in the past. I want a re-match with the home made butternut puree filling I've used in the past.
No sweetener, just puree of cooked butternut, eggs and spices.
It should work well with this crust and have les processed ingredients.
This crust works really well.
Recipe altered as below
The Ultimate Walnut Crust:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt I don't have the Kosher salt the MDA recipe called for and can't see the point.
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions:
Blend walnuts, baking soda and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until butter is mixed in.
Scrape the batter into a 9-inch tart pan. You can use a rubber spatula to smooth the batter over the bottom and up the sides, but ultimately your fingers will be the best tool. Take your time smoothing and patting the batter out evenly. It’s better to spread the batter thinner across the bottom of the pan and thicker around the edges of the crust.
I used fingers.
Place the pie on a cookie sheet (helps to keep the bottom from burning) and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
180 degrees Celcius.
Remove the crust from the oven and pour your filling of choice inside. Bake again until filling is done.
ps I've just switched to using a Google+ profile on this blog, so if I'm now spamming all of Google+ with these posts, I apologise.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-paleo-pie-crust/#axzz1gvJReSUF
I used a can of pre-made pumpkin pie mix for the filling and didn't enjoy it as much as I have in the past. I want a re-match with the home made butternut puree filling I've used in the past.
No sweetener, just puree of cooked butternut, eggs and spices.
It should work well with this crust and have les processed ingredients.
This crust works really well.
Recipe altered as below
The Ultimate Walnut Crust:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt I don't have the Kosher salt the MDA recipe called for and can't see the point.
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions:
Blend walnuts, baking soda and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until butter is mixed in.
Scrape the batter into a 9-inch tart pan. You can use a rubber spatula to smooth the batter over the bottom and up the sides, but ultimately your fingers will be the best tool. Take your time smoothing and patting the batter out evenly. It’s better to spread the batter thinner across the bottom of the pan and thicker around the edges of the crust.
I used fingers.
Place the pie on a cookie sheet (helps to keep the bottom from burning) and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
180 degrees Celcius.
Remove the crust from the oven and pour your filling of choice inside. Bake again until filling is done.
ps I've just switched to using a Google+ profile on this blog, so if I'm now spamming all of Google+ with these posts, I apologise.
Meat Loaf - from a recipe from Lynette's family
500g mince
500g sausage meat
2 rashers bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper?
Mix it all up. Bung it in a loaf tin.
Cook it for at least 50 minutes, until the loaf separates from the sides of the pan.
The original recipe had breadcrumbs in it and was cooked as a roll in a roasting dish.
500g sausage meat
2 rashers bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper?
Mix it all up. Bung it in a loaf tin.
Cook it for at least 50 minutes, until the loaf separates from the sides of the pan.
The original recipe had breadcrumbs in it and was cooked as a roll in a roasting dish.
Cornbread
1 cup buttermilk or ordinary milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose baking flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose baking flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Preheat the oven to 175C (375F).
Make sure that it isn't still on "Grill". - Melt the butter in a medium saucepan
- Grease the big cast iron frying pan.
- While that is happening, combine milk and baking soda.
Stir to dissolve - Add sugar to the melted butter
Stir - Add eggs.
Stir until blended - Add milk and baking soda to butter and eggs.
- Add cornmeal, flour and salt.
Stir until blended.
Lumps are OK - Pour batter into the skillet.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes
Pork in sweet soy sauce
- 800g pork.
500g pork pieces (fat, skin, meat), 300gm of cubed pork.
Both bought as packages from Saveways in Papakura. - 5 cloves of marinated garlic cloves. Chopped.
Or 1 tsp crushed garlic paste. Jar from the supermarket. - 1 tsp crushed ginger paste. Jar from the supermarket.
- 1/4 cup kecap manis, sweet soy sauce (I don't really measures this, just slop it in)
- 2 tbsp kikkoman soy sauce (I don't really measure this, just slop it in)
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tsp masterfoods chopped chillie paste. Jar from the supermarket.
Stir together in the slow cooker.
Cook on low overnight.
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