Editor's February Pick #11: Sides for your Salads - Perfect Pide

Editor's note: I don't know if it's just me that goes from week to week getting cravings for different random foods - or if I need to seek help - but this week was definitely sesame seeds. I'd been adding to stir-fry as a way to sate my craving, but then this piece caught my eye. I felt a bit of a fool - add them to bread! Something about the off-hand suggestions in the posts never ceases to please, "Hey, you could try this" - and I jolly well will! 

Sides for your “Salads”

Perfect Pide

If you are going to go to town with your sharing plates then it would be rude not to include sides too.

Here's my first bread suggestion - mentioned in Mmmm – Mezze - Pide – I think it's actually pronounced pee-day. I first made this whilst training and it is truly scrumptious and well worth the effort.

You can choose whether you use the salt, oil and sesame seeds as a topping or roll in semolina and then sprinkle over it before baking.

Pide

one sachet of easy-blend yeast – 7g

pinch of salt

700g plain white flour

plus extra

1 egg

100ml olive oil

30g sesame seeds and coarse sea salt

for garnish or 2 tbsp semolina to roll

plus extra to sprinkle

Put the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast and the olive oil reserving a little to brush over the bread prior to proving.

Mix until the dough forms into a firm ball, leaving the sides of the bowl. Cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Lightly oil two baking sheets.

Knock down the dough - divide into two, shape each into a round ball and then roll each in 1 tbsp of semolina . Roll out into two circles and place on the baking sheets. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with sea salt, the reserved oil and sesame seeds. Alternatively you can sprinkle with additional semolina. Leave to prove for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Pre-heat your oven 210c/190fan/Gas 7.

Using your fingertips make dimples all over the surface – as you see in focaccia.

Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and when the base is tapped the bread sounds hollow.

Sounds good to me!

Editor's February Pick #10: Tempting Tansy

Editor's note: Again following on from the history of the previous pick I landed on the piece below. I hadn't heard of the Tansy herb before, and looking it up apparently its companion the Tansy beetle is only found in two locations in the UK these days. Told you I liked the learning! I'm also a big fan of misnomers - that the recipe has the herb in the name but doesn't include it! Who can say no to apples and cinnamon in a pudding.

Rib Stickers!

Tempting Tansy

Here's a brief piece of history – tansy is a perennial herb, with yellow flowers producing a bitter sweet taste. Back in the day it had many uses, from an addition to puddings to a medicinal tea. Thankfully, it is not used in desserts these days, – too much is thought to be poisonous - it's only the name that remains which sounds like a good plan!

Damson (or plum) & Apple Tansy

Serves 4

2 large Cox's apples, peeled and thinly sliced

225g damsons, halved stoned and quartered (or plums)

15g unsalted butter

40g sugar

pinch ground cloves

pinch ground cinnamon

4 eggs, separated

3 tbsp double cream or soured cream

Put the apples, damsons (or plums), butter and half the sugar into a large frying pan.

Cook over a gentle heat until the fruit is softened, stirring continuously. Stir in the cloves and the cinnamon, remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the cream and stir into the fruit. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then carefully fold in.

Cook over a low heat until the mixture is set. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar then brown under a hot grill. Serve immediately, straight from the pan with clotted cream. You could even serve it with home-made vanilla ice cream – or both!

This is another candidate for the “straight from the pan” pud and not a tansy in sight.

Minimum effort – maximum yum!

Editor's February Pick #9: Classy Chowder

Editor's note: Now I absolutely adore the little historical tidbits that are peppered throughout the archives of MiamMiam. It could be the former student in me, spent too much time in the bar and not enough time getting the RDA of learning, but here we are. Someone says to me "chowder" I immediately go to clams, and immediately switch off - personal preferences and all that. But wait! I implore you to have a read through this, possibly learn a little and maybe even give the recipe a go. Veggie chowder, and not a clam in sight! More than likely vegan alternatives available if required.

Loop the Loop

Classy Chowder

There's a theme here – like the Vichyssoise. Where does the chowder originate? What is a traditional version? We could be here for some time! I must confess I'd always thought of the chowder as American and as far as clam chowder is concerned I think that's true. Originally it was a fish chowder or, if you like, a fish stew made with milk or cream. New England Clam Chowder uses crumbled crackers to thicken it. There are different types – I'd always thought of it as that delicious creamy white soup – but you can have clear and tomato versions too.

The word is thought to have originated firstly from the Latin word calderia – meaning a place for warming and later to mean cooking pot, that then evolved to French – chaudiere, meaning stew pot, moving on to Northern French and English – cauldron and then finally an old English word jowter, meaning a fish peddler. It was a popular with Northeastern American Indians, again principally because they made use of the fish they caught.

Before you get bored, here's a recipe which is vegetarian and uses the potato and flour to thicken.

Sweetcorn Chowder

50g unsalted butter

1 potato, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 onion, finely diced,

1 red pepper, finely diced

2 cobs of sweetcorn or 175g canned

1 tbsp flour

1 litre of milk

salt and black pepper

chopped flat leaf parsley

Sweat the vegetables in the butter for 10 minutes – covered. Add the flour and seasonings. Pour on the milk. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Check seasoning. Blend a ladle or two and add back to the soup to thicken and enrich. Sprinkle with parsley.

Traditional accompaniments to a chowder are Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, both should be served at the table.

Whilst it isn't authentic I'd serve the chowder with dumplings. If you wanted to add pieces of cooked chicken breast for the non-veggies, there are no rules!

What does seem to be a common thread, whoever the chowder belongs to, is that there is obviously a connection to fishing and making use of what was plentiful from the villages along the French and Cornish coasts to America.

There's plenty of room for everyone to take a share!

Editor's February Pick #8: Stock Isn't Just For Soup

Editor's note: Speaking of spuds, after the ricer I got a hankering for something different with the good old spud! What follows is a delicious recipe that gives you perfect "Winter potatoes" - a welcome change from the norm! 

Your veggie stock isn't just for making soup.

There are excellent recipes using potatoes – try this one on for size, as they say.

Boulangere potatoes uses onions, fresh thyme, thinly sliced potatoes and veggie stock.

Boulangere potatoes

Serves 8

2 onions, sliced thinly

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1½kg/3.3lbs of potatoes – Maris Piper

or Desirée, sliced thinly *see below

425ml/15fl oz/¾ pint of veggie stock

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Fry the onions and thyme sprigs in the oil for 5 minutes.

Spread a layer of potatoes over the base of a 1.5litre oiled gratin dish. Sprinkle over a few onions and keep layering with the potatoes. Your top layer should be potato. Add your stock and bake until the potatoes are cooked and the top is golden and crisp. 50/60 minutes.

There is nothing to stop you prepping and part cooking this dish in advance – when time permits. Cook it for half the time. Remove from the oven, cool, cover with foil and fridge.

Supper the next day. Pre-heat your oven as above. Line a baking sheet with smoked back bacon – as much as you want to serve.

Place the potatoes and the bacon in the oven. Set your timer for 15 minutes, turn the bacon, repeat.

Enjoy!

Notes:

*If you wanted a couple of suggestions for a suitable US variety of potato, Yukon Gold or Russets (my favourite) would fit the bill.

Finally, a useless bit of information - do you know why they are called “Boulangere” potatoes?

I'm sure I'm stating the obvious. A “boulangerie” is a bakery “en francais”. There would be one bakery in a village. Villagers would take their potato dishes to the baker and they'd all be cooked in the one oven after the bread was baked for the day, making the best use of the ovens as they cooled down.

That's what I call organised!

Editor's February Pick #7 - Fishcake Foto Guide

Editor's note: It's quite on trend these days to rice anything and everything if it isn't nailed down. I mean cauliflower rice? Surely just eat the vegetable! I'm a traditional kinda guy and I think a ricer is for potatoes! What a satisfying sight - lump-free potatoes ready to transform into fab fishcakes. Feast your eyes on these!

Fishcake foto guide

There are quite a few fotos, here goes :

Finely chopped onion with the spices

Fluffy mashed potato, riced

The ingredients, ready to form into cakes

The cakes before flouring and frying

The cakes fried, ready to bake

Three different sizes of cake

The appetiser size of cake with rendang sauce

and topped with mango chutney

A size to suit every occasion!

Editor's February Pick #6: Your recipe reservoir - Spiced Asian Fishcakes

Editor's note:  There isn't much I wouldn't eat when you've added Rendang sauce to it, and these fish cakes are definitely on the fab side of that scale. For something that looks fantastic (the taste needs no introduction) it's a remarkably straightforward recipe. Like a lot of the recipes on the blog it's practical in that it can be done in stages whenever you've got the time. Worth a shot!

Your recipe reservoir

Everyone has their own favourite recipes, for me the success of any recipe is the frequency I use it and its versatility. I'm sure you've already got your own reservoir but there's always room for more!

It's the working week suppers that are the most tedious, so here are a few more ideas that will give you back your evenings. My next addition to your collection is a “fish supper dish” and lends itself to prep ahead whilst you're in the kitchen cooking and your oven is on.

Spiced Asian Fishcakes … with a sauce and a side

The Ivy fishcake recipe is the best I've ever used. This is my version - Spiced Asian Fishcakes with some added bits and pieces.

(makes 8 – freeze what you don't use)

800g dry mashed potato, no cream or butter added

650g salmon fillets

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp anchovy essence

3 tsp English mustard

salt and black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped – use a

sweet variety if possible a Spanish if not

1 tsp each of ground coriander, curry powder

and garam masala

drop of rapeseed oil

Plain flour for coating

This is one recipe where I'd recommend using a ricer to give you a lump free mashed potato. It's definitely worth the effort. It can be made ahead, boxed or bagged and fridged.

I bake my salmon fillets, tightly wrapped in foil on a baking tray – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 15 minutes. Leave wrapped to cool then flake the salmon then box and fridge until ready for use.

Sauté the onion in a drop of rapeseed oil and add 1 tsp each of coriander, curry and garam masala – 2/3 minutes on a medium heat. Cool and set aside, box and fridge until ready for use.

When you're ready to roll gently mix together the potato, salmon, ketchup, anchovy essence, mustard, onions and seasoning. Mould the mixture into 8 round cakes and refrigerate.

When you're ready to serve preheat the oven 180fan/200c/gas 6. Lightly flour the fishcakes and fry them until they are coloured on both sides. Bake for 10/15 minutes.

Editor's February Pick #5: Chocolate Bark Photo Guide

Editor's note: These photos were too good not to show them off. There's the reference to Jackson Pollock but it really does look like edible art! I call this one "Licence to Stick My Head In the Fridge When No-One Is Looking". Honestly, give it a go. Pipe out a design in the middle of it, use it as a cake decoration. Make a sack of them for sneaking into the cinema. The world is your sweet treat!

the baking tray, oiled and lined

with cling film – you can see it's not moving

the melted chocolate poured onto

the tray

the “Jackson Pollock” moment

the chards of bark

I don't expect it will last too long but you could freeze a box. Here's a thought – need a fast summer dessert – a scoop of home-made ice cream, seasonal fresh berries – strawberries and raspberries top of the list at the moment - topped off with a chard or two of chocolate bark.

What I like about the mini versions of the fudge and honeycomb is that they are just that – mini - so in reality you only get tiny bits in your sweet treat.

I don't feel quite so guilty now!

P.s. I should have said – the salted caramel fudge and honeycomb came from Aldi and each cost 85p for 100g.