Editor's January Pick #3 - Let's Make Afters

Editor's note: Some of us start January with a fresh outlook on being healthy, but for the rest of us - back to business. This post was written with cooking with kiddies in mind, but even with my "wing and a prayer" approach, I think I could give it a go! After a recent disappointing experience with store-bought cinnamon rolls I believe this recipe is aching for a road test to prove that if you want something doing right, do it yourself!

Lets make afters

My first “afters” offering in “get them hooked on cooking” is Pinwheels. Once again minimum work in the way of prep for the supervisor, only a few minutes and the night before works well for me! No stress and maximum fun for the budding chefs.

Pinwheels

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed in fridge (375g)

15g butter, melted

50g dark chocolate drops (or finely chopped)

25g ground almonds

25g dried cherries, finely chopped

25g craisins, finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp milk

Preheat your oven 180c fan/200c/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or similar. Unroll the pastry sheet and lay with the short sides left and right, you are going to roll to form a log.

Brush the surface of the pastry and melted butter then scatter the chocolate and ground almonds leaving a border at the top end of the pastry to enable you to “glue” the log when rolled. Then scatter the cherries and craisins over the chocolate and almonds. Carefully roll up from one of the shortest sides as tightly as you can forming a log.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 even slices. Place on the baking tray and brush with the remaining butter, then the beaten egg mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden.

Fondant Glaze

75g icing sugar

2-3 tsps boiling water

Pour the boiling water slowly over the icing sugar in a small bowl while stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon. Pour in only enough water to make a creamy mixture that has the consistency of pancake batter. Cool. You need to make sure the mixture isn't too stiff, you need to be able to drizzle the glaze over your pastries.

Here's some helpful illustrations and the end result.

Take a tip or three :

Use the greaseproof wrapping with the pastry sheet as a base to roll the pinwheels.

Place a damp j cloth on your worktop and then the sheet on top – it will avoid it ending up on the floor!

When you get to the stage of slicing into 12 portions mark the roll in the middle, and then each half again (i.e. quarters) and then divide each quarter into 3 – there's a fighting chance of reasonably even pinwheels.

I warn you – these will vanish at the speed of light – it's a good idea to have two batches 1 x 2 kids.

Editor's January Pick #2 - The back catalogue – what to do with the Asian Plum Sauce

Editor's note: Well, I can't say I'm surprised - I think I'm being original and then find out that there's a MiamMiam blog post that beat me to it. When I picked the plum sauce post all the way back from 2017 I hadn't stumbled onto the follow-up that talked about adding to chicken or Quorn. I didn't want to leave this out as there's a brilliant tip about thickening sauces using something that again - I read about here first!

The back catalogue – what to do with the Asian Plum Sauce

I know it's not rocket science – but the sauce screams stir fry so here it is :

Serves 2

300g chicken fillet, cut into thin strips

Use quorn fillet for a veggie option

1 dessertspoon of rapeseed oil

200g of julienne veggies – of your choice

spring onions, finely chopped

carrots

sweet peppers

sweetheart cabbage

1 tsp ginger

100ml of plum sauce

40g of cashews – chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce

Serve with a side of kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce

Before we begin – just in case you're not sure – julienne is a term that means your veggies should be cut into short thin strips – 1/8” wide if you want to be specific! You could use your trusted julienne peeler – that way you're certain to get a uniform “strip”.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan on high, add the chicken and stir fry for 3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Stir fry the veggies in the oil and ginger for 2/3 minutes, add the chicken and the plum sauce, cashews and soy and stir fry for a further 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

You can serve with rice or noodles, in either case they should be cooked and ready to serve. Place a portion in each bowl and then top with the stir fry.

Two notes :

If you've made your own plum sauce you may find it's a tad thin. You can thicken it, ahead, with arrowroot then set aside. Arrowroot thickens well – it also gives you a glossy shine and it has no taste so will not interfere with your sauce. Mix 1tsp with a drop of water, heat 100ml of sauce and then gradually add the arrowroot to thicken. Ready to use.

If you've not made your own sauce you could of course buy a ready made version!

Your julienne veggies are available in the supermarket so if you're feeling lazy then you can buy them ready to use. You might want to check – without being too finicky – that they are all of a similar size.

Next up … a treat that's not in the back catalogue - other than it contains damsons - so it qualifies!

Editor's January Picks #1 - Plum Sauce

Editor's note: The festive period came and went, hopefully with good times had by all. For a taste of something different I trawled around the blog and found this fantastic recipe for making your own plum sauce. A lot of us try to start the New Year with a healthy outlook, so what could be better than foregoing the takeaway and making yourself a delicious sauce to add to your healthy January menus!

The last kilo …

I have all sorts of ideas floating around - one in particular uses a classic Asian plum sauce, traditionally served with duck.

So, using 400g, here it is :

Asian plum sauce

400g plums, stoned and quartered

50g demerara sugar

75ml (3fl oz) white wine vinegar

pinch of chilli flakes

1 whole star anise or ½ tsp of ground star anise

Cook for 20/25 minutes until the plums are soft. Leave to cool and then pass through a sieve – reserve the sauce. The recipe will give you 200ml of sauce. I have frozen it.

Here are two photos – the beginning and the end, before passing through a sieve.

How luscious does it look?!

Moving swiftly on, I now have 600g of plums left so I'm going to “open freeze” the plums – like I did previously in “Share the spoils” it's always helpful to include a method.

Open freezing plums/damson plums

Wash them and pat dry. Halve the plums and remove the stones. Place them on a shallow tray – try and make sure they aren't touching and then place in the freezer. Leave them overnight – you'll then finish up with perfect frozen plums, to use whenever the mood takes. Bag the frozen beauties and pat yourself on the back.

It's so satisfying.

You do realise that I'm going to bore the pants off you with all sorts of recipes using plums and damsons for the foreseeable future!

Editor's December Pick #16 - Back to the dessert!

Editor's note: If you want a summary on why this dessert is worth a whirl, then fast-forward to the end of this post for a photo of the finished article. Once you've seen it, whizz straight back to the top for the ingredients. Like a lot of the editors picks, the important information is in the hints and tips that came separately, so after the post you'll find a link to the MiamMiam method - absolutely indispensable. An excellent choice for New Year!

Back to the dessert!

This is definitely decadent and not chocolate. The recipe comes from the Vegetarian Society Cookery School. Before you close down and run – it's called Biscoff and Salted Caramel Cheesecake – interested?

I've been a member of the Vegetarian Society for decades. I get seasonal magazines which are brilliant, full of information and ideas. You don't have to be a vegetarian or vegan for that matter – it's all knowledge! When I received the Summer/Autumn magazine I was intrigued to read about their “Online Cookery Classes” - you could choose Easy Veggie Favourites (Part 1) or a Vegan version. For £15 you get six months' unlimited access to video content. You're also able to download and keep the recipes plus other stuff too.

It seems like a good deal for £15 plus the fact I saw two recipes advertised that I really liked the look of. Cheesy Lattice Pie and Biscoff and Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

I'm always telling you not to try a recipe for the first time when you're under pressure - you've no idea how accurate the recipe is and whether it needs tweaking – into the unknown! My Christmas is going to be very strange and quiet this year so I'm road testing this cheesecake now, ignoring all my own rules, so that if you fancy having a go it might be an idea for New Year?

What follows is the verbatim recipe and method – I'll add my tweaks and hints and tips with the method. It might look long winded but the upside here is you can spread the tasks and the elements aren't difficult.

Here goes :

Biscoff and Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Serves 10

Preparation – 30 mins plus 1½ hours setting time

Cooking – 20 minutes

You will need an 8” deep spring-clip or loose bottom

cake tin

For the base

150g oat biscuits

125g Biscoff Lotus biscuits

125g butter, melted

large pinch of salt

For the filling

500g plain full fat soft cheese

300ml double cream

100g icing sugar, sifted

3 tbsp Biscoff crunchy spread

2 tsp of vanilla extract

For the sauce

200g golden caster sugar

60g butter

125ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1½ tsp salt

For the topping

80g Biscoff Lotus biscuits

Method and tips are to be found here - http://www.miammiamcookery.com/2020/12/biscoff-and-salted-caramel-cheesecake.html

Editor's December Pick #15 - Cheesy Lattice Pie - My version

Editor's note: Now for this selection I'm just going to let the photos do the talking. If like me, you have to know how to make your own, then the recipe is here: http://www.miammiamcookery.com/2021/01/cheesy-lattice-pie-my-version.html

The first bite really is with the eyes!

My version - photo guide

Here they are :

shallots, finely diced sweated

with the garlic and sweet paprika

add the cheese, potato and parsley

ready to go!

with the lattice top and egg washed

baked and ready to inhale!

Editor's December Pick #14 - MWM Curry - Sides and asides

I couldn't mention the creamy curry recipe without also highlighting the sides that go along with it. I don't think of myself as completely inept in the kitchen but it's posts like this one that push me a little more out of my comfort zone. Usually I'd just throw rice on to boil and bank on the curry to do the heavy lifting in the taste department but don't do yourself a disservice - take some time for the rice and it'll really elevate the whole meal.

MWM Curry – sides and asides

It's confession time – I don't “cook” rice - at least not when I'm in a hurry. I do have an absolute foolproof pilau rice recipe which I will definitely share at a later date but, in the interest of speed, frozen rice is another compulsory staple for your freezer.

You can make it special. I love rice with sultanas and flaked almonds. Soak 110g (4oz) of sultanas in apple juice overnight – they become plump and juicy. Toast 110g (4oz) of flaked almonds.

Depending on the appetites, work on the basis of 180g of rice per person. Whilst your rice is “cooking” in the microwave, heat 1tbsp of vegetable oil in a large wok, add a finely diced onion – a sweet variety is great – add the cooked rice and toss together. Drain the sultanas and add, along with the almonds. My final tweak is to add marrowfat peas – drain a can, rinse, pat dry and add to the rice. You've got colour and texture too. As a guide a small can gives you 180g drained weight. If you're not a lover of marrowfat peas try petit pois or red kidney beans. Serve immediately with your curry.

I said in “MWM Curry – there's more” you don't have to use chicken. Try the “kofta canapés” recipe and add the tiny meatballs to the curry sauce.

If you've not seen what the koftas look like, check out “Canapés, meatballs and burgers” for photos.

“The kit to go with the koftas” will give you an onion salad.

By the way – it's definitely worthwhile making your own raita – check out this photo and the cost!

Look after the pennies ...

Editor's December Pick #13 - Post Holiday Blues

I don't know about everyone else but by the time Christmas rolls around I am soup-ed out. I've had my fill of casseroles and the like and I'm usually craving something with some spice to it. Luckily as I was browsing MiamMiam I came across this post that covers just that scenario, so if you're in the same boat, have a read for something a bit different over the festive period!

Post holiday blues …

… feeling gloomy after all the festivities – time for some simple stuff I think!

Indian cuisine is fantastic – each region specialising in its own style – for me the vegetarian food is definitely up there in my top five.

I'll stop waffling – here's my New Year gift to you – basically a creamy chicken curry :

I first came across a version of this recipe years ago by Madhur Jaffrey, here's mine :

Malai wali murghi

(aka MWM)

1.35kg/3lb chicken fillet, diced

*1½ tsp salt

*2 tsps cumin

*2 tsps coriander

*½ tsp turmeric

*½ tsp cayenne pepper

ground black pepper

6/7 garlic cloves or equivalent paste

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled

and chopped finely or equivalent paste

300ml water

6 tbsp vegetable oil

110g onion, chopped finely

175g passata

1 tsp garam masala

200ml double cream (heavy USA)

If you are using raw garlic and ginger then blitz them in a blender, add a drop or two of the water and blend until smooth. Alternatively mix both the garlic and ginger pastes together.

Mix the spices marked * above.

Using a large frying pan add the vegetable oil and heat. Seal the diced chicken on both sides and set aside.

Fry the onion for 2/3 minutes and add black pepper. Add the garlic and ginger paste then the spices and fry for 2/3 minutes. Mix the passata with the remaining water and add to the mixture. Add the sealed chicken fillet, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

To complete the dish add the garam masala and the double cream and mix.