Mary's Kitchen

September 8, 2018September 8, 2018

LET’S MAKE RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – UNFILTERED, UNPASTURISED

LET’S MAKE RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – UNFILTERED, UNPASTEURISED (with MOTHER)

When I saw my apple trees heavily laden, I stopped and thought, what can I do with all these wonderful apples that will keep for some time. Being on a clean eating regime it suddenly occurred to me to have a go at making my own Raw Apple Cider Vinegar.

So yesterday, I got the ladder up into the tree and picked 10 kilo of beautiful apples. The tree was full and it would have been such a shame to waste such a wonderful, purely organic, nature given fruit.

I had a great many masons jars from previous preserving of various vegetables, so I dug those all out and got them prepared. You must ensure before you start that all your bottles and implements are sterilised and free of any micro bugs. I usually run mine through the dishwasher which gets up to a very his temperature or you can warm them in the oven as well. You can also use VWP sterilising tablets which you can purchase at any Home Brew shop.

The recipe itself could not be easier. The only other thing that are required is apples, water, sugar and an abundance of patience for the fermentation process.

It’s very important to add here the immense health benefits Raw Apple Cider Vinegar has. It has a high Acetic Acid content, with potent biological effects. It can lower blood sugar levels and assists in fighting diabetes. It helps to lose weight and in particular, belly fat (that’s a win win). It also lowers cholesterol and improves heart health. Your blood pressure may also be reduced when taking regular doses of ACV. You may also find your skin, nails and hair improve.

I like to take mine in the morning and evening in a cup of warm (not hot) water with 1/2 squeezed lemon.

Now, let’s get started

I am using 500 ml Mason Jars (you can use any type of jug (glass or ceramic) do not use plastic as this can contaminate the vinegar

Make sure your jars and utensils are sterilised.

METHOD

A 500ml jar with take about 6/7 medium size apples

Use 1 tsp sugar per apple of Dark or Light Muscovado Sugar, Dark or Light Brown Sugar, Honey, Organic Cane Sugar (buy organic if you can)

Filtered water

Cut up your apples, place in vessel you are using, mix sugar with a little warm filtered water to assist it in dissolving, add to apples, top up with water and give it a good stir with a wood spoon (do not use metal for stirring). Cover with cheesecloth, paper towel and put an elastic band around mouth of jar or vessel. I like to label mine with the date, type of sugar and apple.

Now here is where the patience is required. Store in a warm place – if your kitchen is warm – place on kitchen counter. Every day for first 10 days stir, then for the next 10 days stir every second day, then leave for the next 10 days. After the 30th day, strain apples and retain liquid. Put liquid back in jar and again cover with a breathable cheesecloth or paper towel and leave for 2 to 3 months. The longer you leave it, the better it will develop.

This vinegar will contain a bacteria looking cellulose which is what gives it all its great health properties called The Mother. This will settle to the bottom. When you are finally ready to use your vinegar, always give it a good shake (it will get cloudy) and use.

I hope you have fun making this and I will be back to give a full report on my efforts and also the experiments I have had with other sugars like Stevia, Honey and Coconut Sugar.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow and put a” like” on my Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/Marypremiercru/ – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading my blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018

LET’S EAT AL FRESCO

LET’S EAT “AL FRESCO”

There is no better past time in the summer than to fire up the barbecue and cook and eat Al Fresco. Especially when the weather here in Scotland has been so outstanding, pushing temperatures into the 80’s.

With Canada Day on July 1 and Independence day July 4, I can’t imagine either of these holidays being complete without family and friends all around and the grill fired up.

Being a huge BBQ aficionado, I grill all summer long and am always inventing new recipes to try, creating marinades and accompaniments to go with these.

I would like to share a couple of these recipes with you. So along with my chicken skewer marinade, I have included two clean eating side accompaniments that will turn your chicken skewers from humdrum to fandabbidossie.

Marinade for Chicken – Serves 2

3 tbsp olive oil, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped red chilli, 1 tbsp honey, a good splash of soya sauce, a dash of paprika. Mix throughly in a bowl and add 2 chopped chicken breasts. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

4 bamboo sticks (make sure you soak in water before threading chicken on to them. An assortment of peppers, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, courgettes – what ever you would like to thread onto the bamboo stick along with the chicken. Alternate between chicken, veg or fruit. (peaches and pineapple work well with chicken to.)

Two Awesome Sides – PICKLED BLACKBERRIES and PICKLED RED ONION & CUCUMBERS

PICKLED BLACKBERRIES – 3/4 cup blackberries, 1 small red onion (chopped), 1 chopped red chilli, 1 tsp coconut sugar, 1 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme.

Gently squash berries in a bowl with the back of a spoon. Add the rest of the ingredients. Leave to sit for at least one hour. Serve as a side dish.

PICKLED RED ONIONS & CUCUMBERS –2 sliced red onions, 1 chopped red chilli, 1/2 cucumber deseeded, 4 tbsp cider vinegar, 1-1/2 tbsp water, 3 tsp coconut sugar.

Gently heat vinegar, water and 2 tsp coconut sugar. Leave on heat until sugar dissolves. Add sliced onions and coat in pickling liquid. After 5 minutes add cucumbers and chilli. Stir and coat everything well. Place in a bowl and sprinkle remaining tsp of coconut sugar on the top. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for a good hour.

Both these dishes are simple to make and really pack a punch to any BBQ food. Whether your cooking chicken, pork, beef or fish, you will find these two accompaniments and real hit with your guests.

Now get that Barby fired up and enjoy eating Al Fresco.

If you are enjoying my Blogs, follow me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen”. Please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

June 3, 2018January 11, 2021

4 HIGH PROTEIN POWER SNACKS TO KEEP YOU GOING

LET’S MAKE SOME HIGH PROTEIN POWER SNACKS – KEEP YOU GOING THROUGH YOUR SUMMER ACTIVITIES and WHEN YOUR ON THE RUN

Summer seems to be finally here in Scotland which brings with it outdoor summer activities. Whether you like walking for miles, playing golf, cycling with friends, swimming, surfing, running or any other outdoor activity, it’s good to have on hand some high protein energy snacks to keep you going.

I play a lot of golf and when I get onto the 10th hole I often feel the need for an energy boost. Here are 4 easy to make power snacks that you can carry with you on whatever your favourite outdoor sport is. Three of these recipes require no cooking and can be made in less than 15 minutes.

They are so simple to make and only require few ingredients. Let’s start with my Raw Ingredient Energy Bars – Easy as 1,2,3 and taste sensational.

RAW INGREDIENT ENERGY BARS – EASY AS 1, 2, 3

2 cups (16 ozs) pitted dates, 1/2 cup (4 ozs) pecans, 1/2 cup walnuts.

This is the simple part – put all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Press mixture into an 8×8″ baking tin. I like to sprinkle some chia seeds or milled flax seed on top – if you do, press gently on top. Place in fridge overnight. Cut into 2″ x 1″ bars. Great source of energy if your on the run.

4 INGREDIENT POWER COOKIES

3 or 4 Mashed Bananas, 2 cups (16 ozs) whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup shredded organic unsweetened coconut, 1 cup 70% chocolate drops or cacao nibs.

Mash bananas and mix in remaining ingredients.

If you want to be creative – you can add 1/4 cup honey or peanut butter and 1/4 cup walnut, almond or pecan pieces, some chopped red chilli, cinnamon, maple syrup instead of honey. Be creative.

You have a basic recipe in which you can add some other ingredients to create a different flavour. Enjoy.

Bake at 350F 15/20 Minutes

PEANUT BUTTER BITES – POWER SNACK (Bet you can’t just eat one!!!)

2 cups whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter (palm oil free please or any other nut butter you prefer – almonds, cashew, pecans), 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, 1/4 cup water. You will find a recipe on my YouTube site (Mary PremierCru) for making your own almond butter. Please subscribe to my Blog and YouTube if you enjoy my tutorials.

Put oats into a large mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients – mix well. Elk bro a dozen or so balls. Then roll in Cacoa, Shredded Coconut, Chopped Walnuts or Milled Flax/Linseed – use your imagination – everyone loves these.

No cooking required – sure in a plastic container in fridge or freezer. Delish!

CHICKPEA POWER BALLS

1 tin (400g) chickpeas drained and rinsed, 1/4 cup ground almonds, 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup, 3/4 cup organic peanut butter (or cashew, almond or pecan), 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup cacao nibs (or dried chopped fruit – i.e. cranberries, dates, apricots)

Add chickpeas to food processor and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients (except cacao nibs/dried fruit), Blend well – remove blade and add cacao nibs or dried fruit. Roll into about 2-1/2 dozen balls.

I like to roll mine in cacao or shredded organic coconut. Store in an airtight plastic container in fridge.

(If you have nut allergies, replace peanut butter with tahini paste (made with sesame seeds) – You can find a recipe on how to make your own tahini paste on my you tube site – Mary PremierCru.

If you are enjoying my Blogs and following me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen” , please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 24, 2018May 24, 2018

SPICY TURKEY MEATBALLS with a CHILLI and RED PEPPER SAUCE – BELLISSIMO!

SPICY TURKEY MEATBALLS with a CHILLI and RED PEPPER SAUCE

I love nothing more than a lovely plate of pasta adorned with spicy Italian meatballs smothered in a rich marinara sauce. I say Italian meatballs because by tradition that is normally equal portions of pork and beef. So this spurred me on to create a slightly healthier option using Turkey Mince. The result was phenomenal if I do say so myself. They were so moist and tasty, I much preferred them to the usual beef meatball. I think the most important thing is to spice them up. Try them – you won’t be disappointed.

TURKEY MEATBALL INGREDIENTS – 1 LB lean turkey mince (organic if possible), 1/2 chopped red chilli, 1 beaten egg, 1-1/2 slices of gluten free bread made into bread crumbs (use your hand held blender to do this), 2 heaped tbsp chopped onion, 1 tsp thyme, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 tsp of mixed herbs, 1 tbsp Worcester Sauce, 2 ozs grated Parmesan, season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix all ingredients together then divide into 12/16 balls. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the meatballs 5-10 mins until brown all over. Remove and set aside resting on paper towel.

CHILLI AND RED PEPPER SAUCE INGREDIENTS – Add 1 more tbsp of olive oil to same pan – add 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped red peppers, 1/2 chopped red chilli and 1 clove chopped garlic. Cook 5 minutes until everything is soft. Add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (14 ounces/400g) and 10 ounces water (300ml). Cook for a further 10/15 mins. Let sauce cool slightly, put in a blender and blend until smooth. Return sauce to pan and add meatballs then simmer for a further 30 minutes. Serve over spiralised courgettes or your favourite pasta. Top with some grated parmesan.

BELLISSIMO! – Serves 4.

If you are enjoying my blogs and following me on my Facebook Page – “Mary’s Kitchen” , please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 12, 2018March 11, 2024

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

No food cries out Italy more than a tasty dish of Melanzane Parmigiana. You may not be familiar with the name Melanzane, more commonly known in the UK as Aubergine. The “eggplant”, as it is also known, was originally native to Pakistan and India. In India it is known as Brinjal.

Melanzane from the Latin “mala insana” or “bad egg” but there is nothing bad about this world respected fruit. The Greeks use it in Moussaka, the Indian culture in vegetarian curries, and throughout the world this dish favours in many a vegetarian diet.

I would like to share my recipe with you so you to can enjoy this easy to prepare tasty dish.

MELANZANE PARMIGIANA – Serves 2

1 Aubergine (The first thing you must do is prepare your aubergine. Slice it thinly lengthwise. Brush lightly on both sides with olive oil.)

I like to prepare mine on my outdoor barbeque as it gives a lot of space to lay the aubergine. However, if you are not able to do this grill it in the oven until it colours and turn over. This will not take too long so keep your eye on them.

INGREDIENTS – 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 red onion (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (sliced), 4 oz chestnut mushrooms (or any other type), 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried thyme, 8 sage leaves (chopped) or 2 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 can chopped tomatoes 400g/15oz, 1/4 cup red wine, 2 to 3 oz grated parmesan, 1 slice of gluten free multi seeded bread made into bread crumbs (use a hand blender for this task and also excellent for grating parmesan), 2 oz pine nuts, 1 mozzarella ball, handful of fresh basil.

METHOD – Put your olive oil into a heavy based frying pan. Add onions and mushrooms, allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add your herbs (dried or fresh). Add tomatoes and red wine. Allow this to cook for 20 minutes allowing the herbs to infuse. Get an ovenproof casserole dish. Now we are going to layer this like lasagne. Put a little sauce in the bottom of your dish, add a layer of aubergine, add more sauce, then aubergine until everything is incorporated. Mix your bread crumbs, parmesan and pine nuts and add a little olive oil and mix together. Slice your mozzarella ball thinly and place on top of dish. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture. Bake at 375F/190C/Gas Mark 5. Serve as a main course with a side salad or as a vegetable dish.

Bellissimo!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018

CINCO DE MAYO – LET’S CELEBRATE

CINCO DE MAYO – MAY 5 – LET’S CELEBRATE THIS MEXICAN HOLIDAY IN TRUE FASHION.

Some people think that May 5 represents Mexico’s Independence Day when, in fact, that is September 16. Cinco de Mayo (pronounced SINKO- DAY- MYOH) is the anniversary of an unlikely Mexican victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The French forces had come to collect Mexican war debts and they fought the French and won. A true victory for Mexico.

But if you ask any non-Mexican American what Cinco de Mayo is all about and why they are celebrating whilst swilling down their 3rd margarita and indulging in a Mexican food feast, they would shrug their shoulders and glaze over.

So let’s put the record straight before we indulge in some wonderful Mexican delights. Most of America now celebrate this holiday in style and I want to pass a couple of recipes on to you to enjoy during the festivities.

LET’S MAKE SPICY SALSA

Enlighten your tastebuds with this lively spicy salsa. Easy to prepare and enlivens any dish. A must for any Mexican celebration.

Ingredients – 3 large tomatoes chopped, 6 cherry tomatoes chopped, if you can find some tri-coloured cherry tomatoes, use 6 of the yellow and purple ones as well. 1 red onion finely chopped, 3 spring onions, 1 red chilli chopped, 1 green chilli chopped, juice of 2 limes, 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients and leave for flavours to infuse before serving. Great with Tortilla Chips, BBQ food or fish. Goes well with most anything so keep a supply in the fridge.

TIP – My friend Jamey Button likes to add 3/4 cup of chopped mango – delicious – a must try.

BURRITO ZUCCHINI BOATS

Fun and easy to make with the kids. A good way to get veg into them unsuspectingly.

Ingredients – 2 large zucchinis, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium red onion

chopped, 2 cloves of garlic sliced, 1/2 pound grass fed ground beef or ground turkey (vegetarian option – use 1 cup brown rice or 1 cup quinoa), 1/2 tsp chilli powder, ground cumin & paprika – sea salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes chopped, 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup corn (frozen or unsweetened tinned), 1 red chilli chopped, 4 ozs Feta or Goat’s Cheese, 2 tbsp fresh Cilantro chopped.

Method – add olive oil to your large frying pan, Add onions – cook 5 mins then add garlic. Add ground beef and spices. Cook until meat has browned. Add corn, black beans, tomatoes & chilli. Cut zucchini in half, hollow centre out. Fill with meat mixture. Crumble cheese on top. Bake 350F for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh Cilantro when they are ready to serve.

TIP – If making with the kids and they don’t like chilli, leave it out. Also they would probably prefer their burrito boats topped with Monterey Jack and Cheddar. You can also use red or green peppers, aubergines (eggplant) as your vessel.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CINCO DE MAYO celebration.

If you are enjoying my blogs and following me on my Facebook Page – Mary’s Kitchen , please subscribe after reading this blog by entering your email address in the subscription area at the end or side of this blog. You will then receive notification when I have posted again. You can also follow my instructional videos on You Tube – Mary PremierCru (again, please subscribe if you enjoy them).

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

May 4, 2018

FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN (as it should be)

FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN (as it should be)

How many times have you ordered French Onion Soup and what you got resembled a bowl of brown dish water with a sorry excuse of a cheese crouton floating on top?

This is without doubt one of my all time favourite soups. If it’s on the menu, I order it. Sometimes with excellent results, other times exceedingly disappointing.

I will share two of my horror stories regarding this irresistible savoury soup. One was in a well known pub and much to my excitement, French Onion Soup was on the menu. Of course, I ordered this only to be served packet Lipton onion soup with no cheesy crouton. Ghastly. The other was more recently in a known French Restaurant in Edinburgh where I was served a bowl of what tasted like they had used dish water to top up the pot. The floating cheesy crouton floating looked lifeless and not freshly done. Not what one would expect from a French Restaurant.

So let’s dispel of these kitchen disasters and learn to make our own. The important thing about French Onion Soup is the caramelisation of the onions. You need to be patient at this point and if you are the result will be award winning.

FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN – Serves 4

Ingredients – 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, 6 medium onions or 3 large onions (halved and thinly sliced) , 6 cups (48 ozs) of good beef stock (you can use ready made beef stock or 5 Knorr Cubes/ 5 Oxo Cubes), 1/4 cup of medium dry sherry or port (I prefer sherry), 3 garlic cloves chopped, 1-1/2 tbsp cornflour, 8oz dry white wine, bouquet garni (you can buy this in the supermarkets in the spice aisle – it comes in a tea bag form or if you are lucky enough to have fresh herbs – tie 2 bay leaves, a sprig of rosemary, along with a few sprigs of thyme and parsley together). 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chervil. Sea salt & pepper to taste.

To top things off – sliced french baguette (sliced 1″ thick toasted), 1/2 lb grated emmental cheese and 1/2 grated gruyere cheese.

Method – melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy based pan. Separate the onions and add to pot and put lid on for about 10/15 minutes until onions are soft. At this point you could add 1 tsp of sugar but I prefer to add 1/4 of medium dry sherry and cook for a further 20 mins. Stir frequently, until onions are caramelised (they should be very golden). Be careful not to burn. Add the garlic and stir into onions – cook a few minutes more. Add the cornflour and stir well into onions and garlic. Gradually add the white wine and beef stock and continue to stir. Add the bouquet garni and chopped chervil or parsley. Add sea salt and pepper as desired. Bring to a boil then lower heat and cook for a further 20 minutes allowing the herbs to infuse the beef stock.

Put 1 tbsp of each cheese into the bowls. Add the hot soup on top of the cheese in the bowl. Place one slice of the toasted baguette on top of soup and top bowls with remaining cheeses. Place under the oven grill until cheese has gone brown and bubbly.

Serve with fresh french baguette and a lovely mixed salad. VOILA! Enjoy French Onion Soup at its best!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

April 22, 2018April 22, 2018

SWEET POTATO BOATS – TWO SAVOURY WAYS

SWEET POTATO BOATS – TWO SAVOURY WAYS

I sing the praises of the sweet potato due to it’s magnificent health benefits and have designed two recipes here that can be eaten as a snack or a main meal. You can prepare these well before hand and keep refrigerated until your ready to eat them.

Lets firstly shout the benefits of this fairly unattractive tuberous root vegetable. Unattractive it might be, but it packs a powerful punch when you look at the goodness it encapsulates.

Not only are they a rich source of fibre, they contain an array of good vitamins and minerals. High in B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Calcium and Selenium. If that is not enough to brag about, one of the key nutritional benefits of the sweet potato is that it is high in an antioxidant known as Beta Carotene which converts to Vitamin A once consumed.

So let’s get cooking this beneficial root vegetable and keep it in our steady diet.

LET’S GO GREEK – SWEET POTATO BOATS – GREEK STYLE

2 medium sweet potatoes, 1 small red onion chopped (1/3 cup), 1/3 cup chopped cucumber, 1 red and 1 yellow mini pepper chopped, 15/20 black pitted Kalamata olives chopped, 1 tbsp of fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried, 1/2 chopped red chilli, sea salt & pepper, 4 ounces Feta cheese crumbled.

Method – bake sweet potatoes for 30/40 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 7 (bake until knife slips in easily). Remove from oven. Cut in half. Scoop flesh out into a bowl. Leave a little flesh in so skin stays in boat shape. Add red onion, red chilli, olives, peppers,, cucumber, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Mix. Lastly fold in the Feta cheese. Scoop mixture into skins. You can make these ahead of time then just warm in oven for 15 mins on 180C/375F/Gas Mark 5 when you are ready to serve. You can make a day ahead – place in refrigerator overnight if you want to do this. I like to serve with a small mixed leaf salad and cherry tomatoes. Add a dollop of authentic Greek Yogurt on top of potato before serving the top off with a black olive. Most of all – Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions – snack 1/2 – a meal 1 whole with side salad.

FIERY CHICKEN SWEET POTATO BOATS

2 medium sweet potatoes, 2 tbsp sweet corn (i used tinned), 4 ounces cooked chicken chopped, 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), 2 tbsp chopped red onion, 1/2 chopped red chilli, sea salt and pepper, 2 ounces goat or feta cheese.

The method is as above. Add the corn, chicken, coriander (cilantro), red onion, red chilli, sea salt & pepper. Mix. Lastly fold in chosen cheese. Scoop mixture into skins. Bake for 15/20 mins on 180C/375F/Gas Mark 5 when ready to serve.

Serve with a small side salad and lime wedges.

Please enjoy these two recipes and benefit from the rich nutritional goodness of the unassuming sweet potato.

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

March 31, 2018March 31, 2018

The Queen of Dips – Roasted Red Pepper, Garlic and Chilli Hummus

ROASTED RED PEPPER, GARLIC AND CHILLI HUMMUS

I am dubbing this wonderful dip, “The Queen of Dips” because the simple chickpea has such enormous health benefits and it is such a versatile dip to use with numerous dishes. Not only that, there are a number of ways to reinvent it by adding a few different ingredients. The possibilities of preparation are endless and here I will share a couple of ways to make the unassuming chickpea, (also known as the garbanzo bean), into something quite tasty.

Firstly, for those of you who are “clean eaters” you will no doubt already be familiar with the many health benefits of the chickpea. But let me just list a few of the secret health benefits of this Mediterranean, Middle Eastern gem.

Not only being an excellent source of fiber, they are also high in protein, carbohydrates and contain minerals like selenium, vitamin K, folate, phosphorous, zinc, copper, manganese and choline. They also contain high levels of vitamin B-6, iron and magnesium. These minerals and vitamins each having their own health benefits. Well known health facts are chickpeas can help diabetes, blood pressure, inflammation, digestion, weight management, cholesterol and even cancer.

So let’s get busy in the kitchen and prepare this easy dish so you can impress your family and friends.

INGREDIENTS

1 tin chick peas (reserve the liquid when you strain them), 1 roasted red pepper, 3 garlic cloves chopped, juice of 1 lemon & 1 lime, 1 chopped red chilli, 3 tbsp tahini paste (recipe follows below to make your own), 1/4 cup olive oil, sea salt & ground black pepper.

METHOD

Cut the red pepper in half and place face down on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15/20 mins at 180 degrees or until skin turns dark. Remove from oven and place in a plastic bag for a few minutes. This makes it easy to peel outer skin off. You can also roast your garlic at the same time if you would like to. If you do, place garlic cloves in tin foil with skins on and drizzle with olive oil. You can of course just use fresh chopped garlic. Once you have peeled your red pepper set aside for a moment.

Add the chickpeas to your food processor, the roasted pepper, chopped chilli, chopped or roasted garlic, tahini paste, lemon & lime juice, olive oil, s&p.

Blend well as you want a creamy texture so if you feel it is a little dry, slowly add the chickpea reserve liquid or a bit of water and continue to blend until you get the creamy consistency we are looking for. Place into a bowl, sprinkle with a little paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. You could also top with some roasted pine nuts, walnuts or pecans if you wish (optional).

TAHINI PASTE

This is an expensive commodity to buy in health food stores, so why not make your own. It couldn’t be simpler.

You can make this raw if you have a really powerful blender (raw meaning sesame seeds only) but I tend to mix in a little olive oil and use my nutribullet to blend. You can roast the sesame seeds before hand by dry roasting them in a frying pan or even add a little olive oil.

SIMPLE METHOD

1 cup sesame seeds, 3 to 4 tbsps olive oil (as need to get good consistency)

Place into a blender and mix until it turns into a paste. It’s that simple and you have saved yourself a fortune.

TIPSTERS -There are various methods you can jazz up your Hummus.

1. Roast a whole bulb of garlic with some olive oil in tin foil for 15/20 mins and add entire bulb leaving out roasted red pepper.
2. Caramelise some onions slowly and add them to decorate the top of the Hummus.
3. Roast some Pine Nuts, Walnuts or Pecans and decorate the top.
4. Tahini dressing – 1 tbsp of tahini paste, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp water – mix well. Use to dress vegetables, chicken, sweet potatoes.
Basically use your imagination and the world is your oyster. Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder

March 18, 2018March 18, 2018

POACHED EGG PERFECTION

HOW TO ACHIEVE A PERFECT POACHED EGG? and WHERE’S THE HOLLANDAISE?

Nothing tastes better on a Sunday morning than perfect poached eggs topped with a velvety hollandaise sauce.

There are many debates on how to achieve the perfect poached egg and hollandaise, so let’s get back to basics and make it simple.

Some B&B owners run hurling into a kitchen when an order for Poached Eggs is placed. Everyone has different idea on how to poach the perfect egg and most shy away from this simple task because they quite often get it wrong. The biggest problem being of course, is overcooking and the hollandaise separating.

We spend money buying special pans which guarantee the perfect poached, but these are quite unnecessary and take away from the natural appearance of how a poached egg should look on the plate.

Follow a few simple instructions will have you making your perfect Sunday brunch fit for a queen.

POACHED EGGS

Firstly, fill a skillet with 1-1/2 inches of water. Bring this water to a boil and then turn down to a simmer (you must never put you soon to be poached eggs into boiling water). Add two tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar. Swirl this around in the pan. If your skillet is large – you can poach 4 eggs at one time. If a smaller skillet is being used – do 2 at a time.

Using fresh free range eggs, break your egg into a small plate, with your whisk gently swirl the water around in your skillet. Slide the egg off the plate into the gently swirling water. Do the same with the remaining eggs. Leave to simmer for anywhere between 3 – 5 mins until the white is opaque and firm. Gently remove eggs with a slotted spoon and lay them on sheets of paper towel to absorb water.

While your eggs are simmering, you now have time to make your Hollandaise Sauce.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp white wine vinegar

2 large egg yolks

125 grams Kerrygold (grass fed butter) – melted

Sea Salt & Pepper

Put your lemon juice and vinegar into a heatproof bowl. Add your two egg yolks and whisk these together. Place your heatproof bowl over a small pan of simmering water, acting like a Bain-Marie. Continue to whisk being very careful at this point not to boil the water in the pan. The egg yolks will thicken and become a lighter yellow colour. You do not want your eggs to scramble so really watch the heat – be patient. Slowly add melted butter and continue to whisk. Sauce will become thick and velvety. Add sea salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

(Quick Fix Tip as we all can get this one wrong sometimes – if your hollandaise separates while whisking, try adding a tbsp. of boiling water and continue to whisk – the velvety texture should return. You can also add one more egg yolk and whisk).

If you are using English Muffins or Crumpets, best to toast and butter these a minute or so before eggs are finished. You can place bacon or ham on top of your Muffin, then place the poached egg and top with a couple of tablespoons of Hollandaise. Voila! A perfect Sunday breakfast.

As Romeo was to Juliet – so is a perfect poached egg with hollandaise. Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mary Joan Calder