Smag31

“I decided I’d like to use the recipes i make for my own family and friends. so much has changed in the last 30 years – not only have Sundays become less formal, but we have a far greater choice of ingredients. puddings are out for us in the week, but Sunday lunch wouldn’t be … Read more

350 calories per serving From Country Living Active time 20 minutes Total time 30 minutes Makes 5 Main-Dish Servings 8 baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered lengthwise 12 baby carrots, peeled 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and pepper 3 cups reduced-sodium, fat-free beef stock 1½ lb. hanger steak, cut into 5 pieces 1 … Read more

Roast Poussin with rhubarb Poussin is a young chicken, which has a delicate flavor. Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Serves 2 Easy Roast Poussin with rhubarb 2 poussins, around 450g (1lb) each 3tbsp olive oil 3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, halved lengthways 2 small onions, quartered and separated 200g (7oz) rhubarb, trimmed … Read more

Lamb chops with rhubarb The “chutney” with cider vinegar (a natural detoxer) is delicious with lamb. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves 4 Easy Lamb chops with rhubarb 4 lamb chump chops (about 800g/1lb 12oz total) 2tsp chili or garlic oil 4 stems rhubarb, cut into 5cm (2in) pieces 3tbsp caster sugar … Read more

Spring cabbage One of our favorite greens -just lightly steam then serve with oil or butter and lots of black pepper. Spring cabbage Watercress Spring means the start of our native watercress season. Lovely in a salad, delicious in a sandwich with Marmite, and it makes a very good soup with a little potato and … Read more

Forced rhubarb You will see this lovely pink rhubarb throughout February. Check out our recipes. Cook very lightly, delicious as a compote with roast pork, in a crumble, or roasted with ginger syrup and orange. Forced rhubarb Asparagus You may see the start of the English asparagus as the weather warms up. Don’t mess with … Read more

Berry brûlée Berry brûlée   Filled with immune-boosting vitamin C, berries are delicious with the custard. Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus chilling Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves 4 Prepare ahead 150g (5oz) white chocolate, chopped 200ml (7fl oz) single cream 200ml (7fl oz) whole milk 1tsp vanilla paste 2 free-range eggs, plus 2 free-range Egg … Read more

Vanilla cupcakes with crystallised violas If you’re limiting portion size, cupcakes are good for not overindulging. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes 12 Easy/prepare ahead/freeze (sponge only) 100g (4oz) butter, softened 100g (4oz) caster sugar 2 large free-range eggs, beaten 1tsp vanilla extract 100g (4oz) self-raising flour You will need 12-hole cupcake … Read more

The health and safety of our children comes first. We make sure that our homes are safe and secure. We kiddie-proof the stairs and the electrical sockets. We make sure they are buckled up when in the car. Yet when they are out having fun and getting fit on the sports field, we may not … Read more

Bread—No-Knead Method Weight Volume Baker’s % Ingredient 390g 3 to 3¼ cups 100% All-purpose white flour 300g 1¼ cups 77% Water 7g 1 teaspoon 1.8% Salt ~2g ½ teaspoon – Fresh yeast (a pea-sized lump); you can substitute 1 teaspoon (5g) instant yeast Mix everything until the flour is completely moistened. This should take only … Read more

Simple Pie Dough Measure and combine all the ingredients for either the Joy of Cooking or the Martha Stewart recipe into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor, cutting the butter into small cubes (½″ / 1 cm). You should preferably use pastry flour, but AP flour is okay. Chill in the … Read more

Light, fluffy foods need two things: air and something to trap that air. This might seem obvious, but without some way of holding on to air while cooking, baked goods would be flat. This is where gluten comes in. Gluten is created when two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, come into contact and form what chemists … Read more

Michael Laiskonis on Pastry Chefs Michael Laiskonis is the executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin, one of only four three-star Michelin restaurants in New York City. A self-proclaimed “accidental pastry chef,” he traveled around the United States extensively before working in a bakery, where he had his first big “aha” moment working with bread and … Read more

6. 356°F / 180°C: Sugar Begins to Caramelize Visibly Unlike the Maillard reaction, which requires the presence of both amino acids and sugars and has a number of interdependent variables influencing the particular temperature of reaction, caramelization (the decomposition via dehydration of sugar molecules such as sucrose) is relatively simple, at least by comparison. Pure … Read more

Seared Scallops Scallops are one of those surprisingly easy but often-overlooked items. Sure, fresh scallops can be expensive, but you only need a few for a quick appetizer or part of a meal. Prepare the scallops for cooking by patting them dry with a paper towel and placing them on a plate or cutting board. … Read more

 320 calories per serving Active time 25 minutes Total time 1 hour 15 minutes Makes 12 Main-Dish Servings Bisque 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks 4 large Cranny Smith apples (1½ lb.), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 cup sliced leek (white part only), washed … Read more

243 calories per serving Total time 30 minutes Makes 8 Appetizer Servings Blue-Cheese dressing 2/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream 2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar 6 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese Chicken ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs 2 tsp. cayenne (ground red pepper) Salt 2 large egg whites 6 Tbsp. … Read more

1.2. Yeast in breads Baker’s yeast comes in three varieties: instant, active dry, and fresh. All three types are the same strain: Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The instant and active dry versions have been dried so as to form a protective shell of dead yeast cells surrounding some still-living cells. Fresh yeast—also called cake yeast because it … Read more

Biologically based leaveners—primarily yeast, but also bacteria for salt-rising breads—are surely the oldest method for generating air in foods. Presumably, a prehistoric baker first discovered that a bowl of flour and water left out will begin to ferment as yeast from the surrounding environment settles in it. 1. Yeast Yeast is a single-celled fungus that … Read more

230 calories per serving From Country Living Active time 10 minutes Total time 35 minutes Makes 8 Main-Dish Servings 1 lb. red potatoes, diced Salt and pepper 3 Tbsp. plus 4 tsp. olive oil 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1½ Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme 3 … Read more