A catch up with the “back burner” bits and pieces

To recap, before the Christmas in June and New Year in July ideas I'd given you a trio of treats – Sweet white miso ice cream, Miso Caramel Sauce and Banana Cake.

I left it that I was sending out the trio of treats to my taste testers - off went my goodie bags and I waited with baited breath! My testers love ice cream so it was hopefully going to receive a good review.

My friend Morag invented the Lip Smackingly Good category and I'm delighted to say the trio achieved that rating! Morag had never tasted sweet white miso delights which is all the more reason for me to ask her to give her opinion. “... a sweet hit followed by a salt hit – delicious - the combination of warmed cake and the miso caramel sauce with cold sweet white miso ice cream was so good, a huge tick”.

Thank you Morag!

On the strength of Morag's rating I've included the miso caramel sauce and the ice cream in a menu for an upcoming birthday gift, serving them with fresh seasonal raspberries and a side option of rocky road, just for the fun of it – I'll report back.

Next up, I've mentioned more than once our dear friend Sally who has been poorly, having suffered a stroke, I'm happy to report she is now at home recovering and doing very well. We've both been dropping off food treats to cheer her up each week. We all know that home cooked favourites are what we crave when we're not feeling 100% and it's wonderful to be tempted with goodies, especially when you're adding a huge dollop of love!

Morag, Sally and another friend Anita are regular visitors to the MiamMiam Cookery School and so we all know our respective likes and dislikes.

Here's one of Sally's favourites ...

New Year in July – shop-bought bread ideas …

Stating the obvious, there are a wide variety of naan breads available. For those of us who like a lighter alternative, flatbreads like the roti or chapati are a great choice, warmed, you can also use them as a scoop or a wrap. Check out Piadina – shop-bought small flatbreads, they are ideal to hold in one hand, fill, fold and enjoy for a fast fix. They are perfect for smaller appetites and for those with little fingers too!

You don't have to stick to Indian style breads, for example, Aldi sell a black olive ciabatta which is fab – 300g for 89p so doesn't break the bank, in fact an absolute bargain.

My other thoughts :

Sourdough

Focaccia with Rosemary

Baguette

You could even make some garlic butter and

make a retro garlic baguette

Mix and match!

I think that just about covers it for your New Year in July bash – three mains with roast potatoes, sides, rice and breads – all that remains is for me to wish you Happy New Year in July!

Now it's time to catch up on all those bits and pieces that have been on the back burner – remember the “sweet treats trio” I was sending out to my taste testers? Verdict up next …

New Year in July – more bread ideas

The second of my “make your own” bread ideas is pide. I mentioned it this time last year, as part of the “Back catalogue” series. A quick reminder - “Pide” (pronounced pee-day) is a Turkish bread that uses semolina – a perfect addition to the “dive-in” type of New Year bash we're planning here.

Don't be scared – this is not difficult. All you have to plan is when you're going to be around the house in a morning or an afternoon, to be able to complete the stages, none of which are long winded, it's perfect to slot in around the chores you know you've got to tackle anyway so why not get home-made bread as a bonus!

Here goes :

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

Pide

one sachet of easy-blend yeast – 7g

pinch of salt

700g plain white flour

plus extra

1 egg, beaten

100ml olive oil

400ml lukewarm water

2 tbsp semolina

30g sesame seeds and coarse sea salt

or

extra semolina and Nigella seeds 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, add the water.

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. 1 – 1½ hours.

Lightly flour 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 and shape into two ovals 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 and Nigella seeds. Leave to prove for 30 minutes in a warm place.

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

Make dimples all over the surface of the bread – use your index finger vertically into the bread and you'll achieve the same size.

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

From the recipe given you'll get two pide – 30x20cms or 12x8” in old money.

You don't have to be an accomplished bread maker – it's easy. There are variations on the theme of pide in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In Turkey there are pide street food shops called “pideci”.

If you'd like to see what it looks like, check out the bread label on the blog. If you fancy having a go you can make the pide ahead and then freeze it. Defrosted and warmed it's excellent.

Now for the shop-bought bread ideas …

New Year in July – the bread ideas

Where to begin!

You can make your own or buy if you haven't got the time – there are so many quality breads now that it's difficult to choose.

Here are a couple of “make your own” ideas – roti flatbreads are always a hit. You may also know roti as chapati – it's a favourite with me because it's unleavened unlike, for example, naan which contains yeast. I'd much rather eat a curry or chilli with bread than rice which is probably why my mention of it was at the end of my ideas list!

Back to the roti - the recipe I always use comes from Mildred's cookery book, ever so slightly tweaked at the end.

Here's their recipe :

Garlic Roti

20g unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or paste)

½ tsp dried chilli flakes (or a pinch of powder)

200g self raising flour (plus extra for dusting)

50g wholemeal self raising flour

80-100ml water

vegetable oil

Warm the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring, for a minute until the garlic begins to release its flavour but not coloured. Tip into a mixing bowl with the flours and gradually add the water, using a wooden spoon, until you have a moist (not sticky) dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth and then cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rise for 30 minutes until nearly doubled in size.

Divide into 8 pieces and form into balls. Dust with a little flour and then roll into thin circles of about 5mm (¼ inch) thick. Use a heavy based frying pan - add a drop of vegetable oil to grease. Cook the rotis on a medium heat – one at a time for 2-3 minutes each side until puffed up and brown. Serve immediately or cover with a clean tea towel and reheat in a low oven when needed.

I made them ahead and then reheated before serving and my only addition was to finish them off with a brush of melted butter and a sprinkle of garlic salt.

Then there's pide ...

The “sides” ideas continued …

… speaking of raita. You can of course buy it ready-made in a pot or jar. Personally I've never seen the point – it's expensive and not that appetising. Here's my fast, faff free version which, hand on heart, is fab!

Raita

Take half a large pot of plain yogurt - 250g. Add one teaspoon of ready-made mint sauce and stir well. Add salt and black pepper. If you'd like to add finely diced cucumber feel free but add it as you serve so it remains crisp.

Another culinary marriage made in heaven – the easy way.

Conversely a good quality shop bought mango chutney is a side I would recommend investing in. There are quality versions and my favourite is Sharwood's Green Label. You can of course make your own but I've found that I can't do better.

The Posh Chilli needs a generous blob of sour cream together with rustic bread or even soft wraps if you prefer - “bread” ideas are on their way.

I haven't forgotten the rice, if that's your bag. You may be surprised when I suggest cheating and buy frozen. It takes minutes in the microwave and is excellent – the choice is endless – egg fried rice, pilau, with cauliflower and a variety of steam bags to name just a few. The other plus with buying frozen is that you can always cook more if you need it, very quickly – I think you've worked hard enough. I don't cook rice often and so one less grotty saucepan to wash up gets my vote. Of course you may have a fancy rice cooker!

Now for the bread …

More “sides” ideas ...

Are you a fan of the selection of relishes served with your poppadoms in your favourite Indian Restaurant? Many moons ago I was given a recipe for the onion relish. It has to be said that it's quite punchy and obviously you have to like onion – if you do it definitely hits the spot!

Here it is :

Onion Relish

2 medium onions, finely chopped -

weight 150g per onion approximately

salt and black pepper

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tomato paste

pinch of chill powder

Place the onions in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place the relish in sealed airtight containers and store in a cool place.

The secret to this relish is that you should not serve it for at least a day, preferably two, after making it. It's important that the orange and lemon juice and the tomato paste are allowed to “mature” - leaving it to infuse takes away any harshness from the onion and the tomato paste.

The combination of the Bombay Aloo and the Onion Relish balances so well with sweet mango chutney and refreshing raita … speaking of raita

P.s. Not connected at all to the New Year in July bash, if you are a lover of all things spicy then this onion relish is excellent with cold meats or, best of all, with a strong mature cheddar cheese.

New Year in July – the “sides” ideas to go with the mains

The sides for the Lamb Stew and the MWM fit both dishes – having said that all the sides that follow will be delicious for the Posh Chilli too.

Up first is a side dish that you could (and I do) eat as a stand-alone veggie meal adding a selection of other stuff – cauliflower and chick peas to name but two!

Bombay Aloo – aka Bombay Potatoes

500g of cooked potatoes – I use Charlottes – whatever you use it should be a waxy potato that holds its shape, so any new potato will be just the job.

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

250g passata

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp ginger paste or 1” fresh, grated.

2 cloves of roasted garlic or 2 cloves of fresh, crushed

1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, garam masala and curry powder. Use a curry powder that best suits your palate and how much heat you like – mild, medium or hot

1 tsp salt or to taste

Use a medium size saucepan (21cms/8”).

Your potatoes should be cut to approximately 6-12 cms/¼” to ½” pieces.

Fry the onions in the oil until soft – 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and salt. Fry so that the spices are released. Add the potatoes and the tomato paste, fry gently so that the potatoes absorb the flavours and the paste cooks too – 3-4 minutes.

Add the passata and sugar and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Taste the Bombay Aloo, adjust salt and sugar to personal taste. Cool, box and fridge. The longer you leave this dish the better it will be. It freezes well.

As a guide this recipe will give you 690g of scrumptious Bombay Aloo.

More sides ideas up next …