Saturday, February 28, 2015

Cottage Cooking Club February Three Recipes

We are now in our tenth month of the Cottage Cooking Club; a group of bloggers cooking together and then posting our experiences along with the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's cookbook, "River Cottage Veg". Our group is and has been inspired by our dedicated leader Andrea of the The Kitchen Lioness. Every month Andrea picks one recipe from each of the ten chapters. We then pick and choose which one or ones we want to blog about in a single post. I prepared 3 of the 10 recipes chosen and once again was impressed by the simplicity and flavor of each finished dish.


The first recipe I prepared was the cheesy peasy puff turnover. Prepared is really an over statement here as this was so easy to put together.


Basically the puff pastry is filled with frozen peas and white cheddar (or the cheese of your choice), next it’s folded over, sealed and then baked in the oven. The kitchen smelled wonderful and as the time came to pull the turnover out of the oven, we gathered around.


Soon after we cut into slices and devoured this little gem in one sitting. A real crowd pleaser.


Avocado and pink grapefruit with chili was my second dish and I would definitely make this again and again. We have a pink grapefruit tree in our yard and I'm always on the lookout for recipes. The two main ingredients go so well together, this was light and delicious.


The last dish I prepared was the potato rosti and another big winner in my book. It definitely reminds me of our American hash browns. The potato is quartered, then boiled for about 5 minutes, here you want the potato slightly underdone. Next it is refrigerated, making it easier to grate. I really liked this technique and will be using it next time I make something like this. I caramelized an onion beforehand and added it into the grated potato. I served with this with sliced green onions on top.

Recipes adapted from the River Cottage Veg, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. First recipe; from the chapter "Store-Cupboard Suppers" Cheesy peasy puff turnover (page 220). Second dish from the chapter "Raw Assemblies"Avocado and ruby grapefruit with chilli (page 122).  And last but not least; From the chapter "Side Dishes" Potato Rösti (page 391).

To see what recipes the other members chose for this month, head over to the LYL post for December on the CCC website, by clicking clicking here.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Seeded Buckwheat Cookies


It was the title “Seeded buckwheat cookies” that first caught my attention. I was perusing through the February 2015 Bon Appetite magazine and immediately bookmarked the page. This recipe appealed to me for so many reasons. The biggest being the use of the buckwheat flour. The first time I used this ingredient I prepared Buckwheat pancakes with cardamom syrup and fresh peach slices. Since that moment I have been hooked on the wonderful earthy and nutty tasting flavor. On top of that one cup each of ground pecans and regular all-purpose flour are added to the mix to create a delectable and delightful cookie base.

The dough can be made up to a few days before hand or if you have most of an afternoon free you will have enough time. The dough is a bit delicate and has to be chilled two separate times and rolled out between layers of parchment paper to prevent it from sticking. Powdered sugar is used in the base of this recipe and whipped with butter about 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Two teaspoons of granulated sugar are then mixed along with the “seeds” to be sprinkled on the tops of the "cookie" right before baking in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans (toasted)
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

To prepare:

Place pecans, buckwheat flour, salt, baking powder and 1 cup all-purpose flour in food processor and pulse until pecans are thoroughly ground.


Beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium high speed until light and fluffy. (I used my standing mixer) about 4 minutes. Mixture will turn white and silky. Reduce heat to low and add dry ingredients. (Just enough to combine).

Divide dough in half, form into a disk and then wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours until firm.

Working with one piece at a time, roll disks of dough between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper to keep dough from sticking, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a baking pan, then remove top parchment sheet. Freeze another 30 minutes.


While dough is chilling, mix in a small bowl, the granulated sugar and the black and white sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 350°

Using a sharp knife cut out 2 inch squares or diamonds from dough and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame mixture.


Bake until golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

*As a side note buckwheat is not a grain but derived from the seeds of a flowering plant and gluten-free.*

Recipe has been slightly adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, February 2015.





Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Root Veggie Tarte Tatin


A tarte tatin is really an upside down tart. On Wikipedia I found a story that centered around a hotel that was run by 2 sisters, and as fate would have it their last name was Tatin. One day the older sister; the one that did most of the cooking make a mistake. She had started an apple pie but had overcooked the apples. Desperately she tried to rescue the dish by adding the pastry dough to the top of the pan and baked the entire “pie” in the oven. After baking she turned the tart out upside down…… and as the story goes the guests loved it. Fiction or not I like to believe this is what really happened even though no recipes were actually written by either of the sisters.

This tarte tatin was a wonderful surprise. It’s a comforting dish that is both sweet and savory. The flaky crust works well with the combination of roasted veggies. Really, it makes this dish with it's contrast in texture. Makes for a great vegetarian meal and a great way to clean out the fridge.

Recipe has been adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2015 edition.

Ingredients:

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
1 large sweet potato (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
2 medium carrots (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
3 medium turnips (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
1 large red onion (cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
4 ounce goat cheese
1 sheet pie or puff pastry dough
flour (enough to roll out dough)

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Toss veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper on a large roasting sheet.


Roast until tender and golden around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes.


In the meantime, prepare the caramel topping. Cook sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir mixture every minute or so to keep mixture cohesive, approx 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, add vinegar, a pinch of salt, and then stir to combine. Pour caramel into the bottom of the 9 inch pie dish. Sprinkle rosemary and sage over top.


Arrange veggies in even layers, using carrots and turnips to fill in the spaces. Scatter onions and goat cheese. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface approx 12 inches round total. Drape over dish and tuck in. Prick dough all over with a fork.


Bake approx 20 to 25 minutes until crust is golden brown. Set on a cooling rack 5 to 10 minutes until set. Invert and cut into slices. Enjoy!

Monday, February 2, 2015

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies


These breakfast cookies are packed with protein and fiber and are a great way to start off a healthier day. You know we all have days like this……we stay up a little too late the night before and the next morning we sleep in longer than expected. Then to top it off we have an important meeting first thing and there is no time for a proper breakfast.

Now bring in ripe bananas, rolled oats, almond butter, honey, coconut, nuts and dried fruit. A robust combination of ingredients to help undo the damage. Also there is no flour or butter, sounding even better, right. So here is a quick and easy way to enjoy breakfast on the run. You can individually freeze each cookie and grab one as needed. Seize the day!

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized ripe bananas
1/2 cup rolls oats
1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond butter)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup nuts (I used pistachios)
1/3 cup of dried fruit (used raisins)

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl smash bananas with the back of a wooden spoon, stir in the oats, almond butter, honey, vanilla and cinnamon, stir well. Fold in coconut and raisins and let mixture sit for 10 minutes so oats can absorb moisture.


Using a 1/4 measuring cup fill with mixture and drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.


Makes 11 cookies.

Recipe has been slightly adapted from Doctor Oz The Good Life Magazine.