Panzanella

Marija from Palachinka is the host of this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and after the recent string of hot temperatures I've sought relief in that refreshing and cooling vegetable - Cucumber


Before I go any further I must draw your attention to an error in the email address for Marija - if you have sent your entries please make sure you have sent them to the correct address which is - palachinkablog AT gmail DOT com.

With the excessive heat of the last week, it's true to say that I certainly haven't felt like cooking, let alone cooking (almost) anything. At times I thought I was the object being cooked.

For as bad as it was, we luckily didn't endure 20+ hour blackouts, but my thoughts are currently with South Australians who are still suffering with high temperatures and don't look like getting that much relief until next Sunday!

So, with all this heat, staying cool is your prime motivator and that leads me back to cucumber. Its major component is water, which makes it so refreshing but helpfully it also contains some useful nutrients such as Vitamin A and C, Folate and Potassium.

The dish I've made is that peasant salad Panzanella - made with stale bread, which in this weather seems to be all bread. Some versions are more simpler than others but at their heart you'll find, rich ripe tomatoes and fresh basil along with good olive oil and vinegar. To give me that cooling crunch, cucumber becomes a welcome addition.



Panzanella

stale bread, ripped into pieces (I used ciabatta)
baby roma tomatoes, halved (use whatever is in season and ripe)
1 lebanese cucumber, halved and cut into bite sized pieces
½ small red salad onion, sliced finely
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar or even verjuice
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the ripped bread in a large mixing bowl. Drop in the halved roma tomatoes - make sure you add any tomato juice that escaped while cutting, followed by the cucumber and onion.

Using your hands is best, give it a hearty toss through, giving the tomatoes squeeze to help release a little more juice.

Sprinkle over with some of the basil leaves - leave the small leaves whole but rip the large leaves for maximum flavour.

Drizzle over with a generous glug of olive oil and a little vinegar and toss again - taste and then adjust with salt and pepper and more vinegar if needed.

The beauty of panzanella is that is can be made well ahead of time to allow the flavours to develop and the bread to absorb that combination of tomato, olive oil and vinegar.



Tumble the panzanella onto a deep serving plate and give it a little extra drizzle of balsamic and sprinkle over with a few more basil leaves.

Enjoy it as is, or with poached egg or grilled meats for a complete meal with minimum fuss.

More Cucumber Recipes:
Cucumber and Lemon Verbena Sorbet
Saganaki Martini
Tuna Sashimi with Pickled Daikon, Cucumber and Baby Coriander
Mediterranean Salad
Pimm's Cocktail
Fattoush

Weekend Herb Blogging #168 - Hosting

Chris from Mele Cotte has done a splendid job hosting WHB #167 - if you haven't already, get on board and catch the excellent recap

This week we welcome Marija from Palachinka as our host.

I have noticed that for various reasons, a small number of people are not quite following the posting requirements, so if you have concerns on whether your post qualifies, then please read the the WHB rules and if there are any questions, don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Posts must be written specifically for Weekend Herb Blogging during this week (January 26th - February 1st) and the deadline is:
3pm Sunday - Utah Time
10pm Sunday - London Time
9am Monday - Melbourne, Australia Time

Send your details to Marija at palachinkablog AT gmail DOT com with WHB#168 in the subject line and the following:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• A Photo, 250px wide

If you've taken part in WHB and would like to host, please drop me a line at weekend.herb.blogging AT gmail DOT com with your details.

Salmon Rillettes

Chris from Mele Cotte is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I've opted for that anise scented herb, Tarragon


With its slender leaves of olive green and distinctive aroma, it is hard to mistake Tarragon for any other herb. Its family members includes the notorious Wormwood - a much maligned ingredient of Absinthe.

Tarragon is a herb that you either love or hate - some can find the aniseed flavour a touch overpowering but like many things, it is all a matter of finding a balance that will appeal to your particular preference.

One ingredient that works particularly well with tarragon is fish and it's this fact that had me seeking inspiration in the wonderul Stéphane Reynaud's book Terrine. Why this particular book? Well, it is the Australia Day weekend and entertaining is on the agenda.

Quick, easy and tasty and suitable for any weather conditions were my criteria and my attention was soon lost on the perfect dish - Salmon Rillettes.

Now rillettes are a pate like offering with the tendency to be quite rich - think shredded cooked meat bound with goose fat, absolutely delicious but not particularly healthy. These rillettes use salmon fillet that has been very lightly cooked until it's still pink in the middle. It's then bound together with butter, a little sour cream and lemon juice and a good dash of freshly chopped tarragon.

Stored under a little more melted butter in the fridge until it sets and you have an excellent summery style of rillette.

Salmon Rillettes

180 grams salmon or ocean trout fillet, skinned and bones removed
70 grams softened butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
½ lemon, juiced, to taste
fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground white pepper
melted butter, extra
lemon slice, optional

I used Tasmanian Ocean Trout for this dish but Atlantic salmon can easily be substituted.



Cut the fillet into even sized chunks.

Heat a little olive oil in a fry pan and place over a gentle heat. When heated, add in the salmon pieces, turn them as soon as they colour. You don't want to cook them through.

When done, place them on paper towels to remove the excess oil. Put the salmon pieces into the bowl of a small food processor along with the softened butter and pulse until combined.

Tip the mixture into a bowl and add in the sour cream, lemon juice and tarragon - stir until combined and then taste, adjusting the seasoning as desired.

Spoon this into small serving bowls - you should get 4 servings from this mixture.




Spoon the surface and then cover with cooled, melted butter - lay a thin slice of lemon in the center and then place in the fridge to set for at least an hour.


Serve with slivers of toasted sourdough or baguette.

Related Posts:
Angel Hair Pasta with Tarragon-Parsley Pesto and Seared Scallops

Presto Pasta Night #97 - Recap

It's been a lot of fun hosting Presto Pasta Night - thanks to Ruth for starting the event and for all the work she puts in to keep it running. Best of all we're soon to reach the 100 milestone!

Thanks also to everyone who took part - it's been so enjoyable to be able to feast upon your tasty offerings. I'm pretty certain that there will something to suit everyone.

Without further ado, the entries are presented in the order they were received.

Pumpkin-filled Purple Pasta Pillows
by Sarah from What Smells so Good?


It may have been a battle to make this low-carb pasta but they do look splendid - their vibrant colouring due to the addition of beet juice to the dough. The filling is mix of ricotta, pureed pumpkin and Parmesan with a little sage and rosemary added for good measure.


Spicy Roasted Eggplant Penne
by Sara from Cupcake Muffin


Sara adapts a dish from Giada's Kitchen and creates a vegetarian pasta that will surely appease even the most carnivorous. The sauce is based on a mixture of oven roasted vegetables - eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic & red pepper flakes. Once roasted they are put through a processor until they have that lovely chunky appearance and then simply tossed through cooked pasta and finished with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.


Spinach Pesto Pasta
by Lisa from Lisa's Kitchen


Lisa calls this her quick and easy pasta dish, I'd also add vibrant and delicious. It doesn't take a lot of time to produce something that's not only good for you but satisfying. The colour in this pesto comes from the use of raw spinach which is whizzed together with pinenuts, garlic and dried chillies. A final stir through of parmesan and balsamic completes the dish. Toss it through your hot pasta and Voilà!


Gourmet Dairy-Free Macaroni and Cheese
by Kitchenetta from Got No Milk


Your eyes are not deceiving you, Kitchenetta has indeed come up with dairy-free macaroni and cheese. The lactose intolerant can now enjoy that classic comfort food and I do believe everyone might just have their forks at the ready to grab a taste of this.


Turkey Chili with Whole Wheat Orzo
by Hillary from Chew on That


The cold weather in Chicago inspired Hillary to create her own version of Turkey Chili. Cooked wholewheat Orzo is added near the end of cooking to thicken the chilli but also, as it is wholewheat, it adds a nutty, textural element to the dish.


Jola's Pasta Salad with Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic and Cracked Pepper
by Margot from Coffee and Vanilla


Pasta salad lovers, I think this might become a new favourite. Margot briefly roasts a mix of fresh tomatoes, leek, and garlic until golden before mixing them through pesto coated cooked pasta. For added flavour spikes, sun-dried tomatoes, lots of fresh basil and a good grinding of black pepper finish the dish. All that is left is to let it chill, though it must be very hard not to eat it straight away.


Tuna Fettuccini with Tomato, Garlic and Basil
by Chris from The Way It Crumbles


Let's welcome Chris who is a first time PPN'r and has two dishes for this week. The one shown above is a lovely spring or summer offering that can be put together in a flash. Garlic and herbs are sautéed gently in the oil from canned tuna - the tuna along with basil and tomatoes are then added to heat through. Add your cooked pasta, along with some chilli flakes for bite, toss through and serve. For the other recipe, make sure you check out the link for details. We all hope to see many more pasta offerings for Chris in the future.


Mee Siam (dry)
by Mrs Ergül from Mrs Ergül in HER Kitchen


Mee Siam (dry) is a classic Malay dish - there's a wonderfully spicy Red Chilli Paste that is used as a base of a stir fry of chicken, shrimp and fried bean curd. This spicy mix sits on a bed of vermicelli (rice noodles) and is topped with a generous garnish of omelette ribbons, spring onions, more chilli and lime wedges.


Sausage, Spinach and Fennel with Linguine
by Abby from Eat the Right Stuff


If going the full detox is a bit too much for you, then consider this hearty but nutritious offering. chock full of vegetables. The dish starts with sauté of garlic, sausage, chilli flakes and fennel seeds. The pan is deglazed with white wine, fennel slices along with tomatoes are added to help form the sauce as it simmers away. Spinach is placed on top to wilt in the heat before being stirred through.


Perciatelli with Shrimp and Garlic Breadcrumbs
by Pam from Sidewalk Shoes


Don't know what perciatelli are - then Pam has the answer for you. By the description I think they sound like a thinner version of bucatini. The perciatelli are served in a sauce of garlicy shrimp enhanced by the tangy addition of capers and lemon peel but the coup de grâce are the garlic breadcrumbs which are, to quote Pam "to die for".


Rotini with Mascarpone and Cilantro Pesto
by Marye from Baking Delights


The heart of this dish is Marye's Cilantro Pesto which is made from cilantro & pecans, along with red onion and dried chipotle. The base of the sauce is a decadent mix of mascarpone and cream - pasta is stirred through the heated base and then the pesto is added and stirred through. It's then finished off with parmesan, chopped pecans and fresh cilantro leaves.


Tortiglioni with Sausage and Leeks
by Melissa from Alosha's Kitchen

"Freakin good" is the description Melissa has given to her pasta dish and yes, I can understand that. A sauté of Italian sausage and red pepper flakes, some leeks, a little chicken stock and wine. Simmer away for 10, add your cooked pasta followed by a mix of fontina, shredded mozzarella and a little more red pepper flakes.


Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Pasta Soup
by Ben from What's Cooking?


Unlike Ben, I don't think Cauliflower is evil, it's just been badly cooked or should I say over cooked - it shares the fate of poor cabbage. In this soup, cauliflower along with serrano pepper and mushrooms have been roasted and then added to a tomato based stock. Beet greens and cooked pasta join in for the last 5 minutes of simmering.


Spaghetti with Sicilian Cauliflower Sauce
by Ruth from Once Upon A Feast


Our Pasta Guru, Ruth prepares a south beach friendly dish from the perpetually effervescent Ainsley Harriot's latest book Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes. In true Sicilian style, the base of this sauce is olive oil into which garlic and anchovies are added - the anchovies do indeed melt into the oil leaving behind a hauntingly deep and delicious flavour. Florets of cooked cauliflower and saffron are the next ingredients - the cauliflower breaks up into tiny pieces while the saffron colours the dish with its fragrant stain. The final flourish is a touch of lemon juice, parsley and parmesan.


Long Life Noodles with Pickled Ginger
by Mary from One Perfect Bite

A fitting dish to celebrate the Chinese New Year - The Year of the Ox. The Chinese Long Noodles are topped with a stir fry of ground meat, bell peppers, ginger and garlic and garnished with cilantro and scallions (spring onions). Mary also includes the story behind Chinese New Year and the symbolism of the foods offered. I hope we all have very long noodles!


Beef and Mushroom Lo Mein
by Katie from Thyme for Cooking

Another great dish to celebrate Chinese New Year. A treat for all the senses, it's made using beef flank steak strips that are marinated in sesame oil and soy sauce. It's then stir fried with a mix of vegetables - leek, bell pepper, celery, carrot, mushrooms, garlic and ginger. Beef stock and sherry form the base of the sauce which is thickened right at the end with a little cornstarch.
Psst...Katie has been nominated in the Humor category of the Well-Fed blog awards, Lo Mein for all who vote for her;)


Taco Pasta
Katie from One Little Corner of the World


This dish came to life from the successful combination of leftovers and morphed into its own creation. Taco meat, black beans and cilantro are mixed into cooked pasta - it's then served with an array of condiments, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, olives, peppers, lettuce, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos which are added to the pasta base as you desire.


Sweet Frumenty Pudding with Poached Blueberries


My own offering using Greek pasta called sweet frumenty or trahanas. Cooked in a totally non-traditional way, I've turned it into a sweet, porridge-like offering.


Thanks again and remember next week your host will be Erin from The Skinny Gourmet - more details can be found here.

Sweet Frumenty Pudding with Poached Blueberries

For this weeks Presto Pasta Night, I've delved into my cupboards and retrieved a rather interesting Greek pasta


First thoughts might be that this really doesn't look like pasta but consider it as a misshaped relative of couscous. While this particular brand is sold here as Sweet Frumenty, you might also find it labeled Trahanas.

There are two types of frumenty - sweet, which is made with sheeps milk, eggs and wheat flour while sour frumenty is made with yoghurt instead of milk. Don't be mistaken in thinking that the pasta is sweet, that just refers to the fact that it's made with "sweet milk" rather than yoghurt.

Frumenty should also not be confused with the medieval dish called Frumenty which is made from kibbled wheat.

I was told that it can be eaten a bit like porridge for breakfast so my recipe works upon that premise - though I'm safe to say, there's nothing remotely Greek or authentic in the dish I've made. Perhaps I'll leave that for next time.

I've decided to use the sweet frumenty and give it a creamed rice treatment - cooked in milk, sweetened to taste and served with a seasonal blueberry compote.



Sweet Frumenty Pudding with Poached Blueberries

½ cup sweet frumenty
1 cup milk
caster sugar, to taste
blueberry compote or your favourite poached fruit


Unlike creamed rice, this will take somewhere between 5 to 10 depending on the brand of frumenty.

Heat up the milk in a saucepan and when just simmering, stir in the frumenty. Keep stirring to ensure it doesn't stick or burn - much as you would when making risotto. The frumenty will swell and the resulting mixture will thicken.

When the frumenty is almost cooked through, add sugar to taste, allowing it to totally dissolve. The finished product does look like a cross between thick porridge and creamed rice.

Serve it in bowls, topped with blueberry compote or your favourite poached fruit.


It has quite a unique taste, tangy and nutty and rather filling - so a small portion will go a long away.

Don't forget you still have time to join in the fun of Presto Pasta Night - see this post for details .

Weekend Herb Blogging #167 - Hosting

Many thanks to Rachel from The Crispy Cook for her fantastic work as host - make sure you check out the delectable recap.


This week our host is Chris from Mele Cotte.

If you are new to Weekend Herb Blogging - here's a brief précis on how to take part. Your post must be written during this week, that is from January 19th to January 25th specifically for Weekend Herb Blogging.

The posts should include a recipe where a herb or plant ingredient is one of the primary ingredients or informative posts that spotlight a herb or plant ingredient - they can also be combinations of the two.

In your posts please include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging with a link to your host and to this announcement post - this helps to keep track of submissions and make sure we don't lose any.

Detailed information can be found in the WHB rules.

Once your post is written please email your Chris at melecotteblogevents AT gmail DOT com, with WHB#167 as the subject and the following information:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• a Photo, 250px wide

If you've taken part in WHB and would like to host, please drop me a line at weekend.herb.blogging AT gmail DOT com with your details.

1+1+1=

Cook (almost) Anything turns three...and celebrates with a bit of nip and tuck.

I know I say it every year but I am surprised that I've actually kept going for so long. For that, I must say thank you to all that support this site - whether frequent or occasional, whether you leave a comment or send an email or silently lurk, I do find it rather amazing that people actually read this site and further more, cook the recipes. It does bring me a lot of joy to know that others have enjoyed these offerings.

Unfortunately for every positive there is a negative and that negative remains and grows larger - that bugbear of content theft and in particular the theft of my photographs. It does get me down but I am stubborn, I refuse to let them dictate how I show my photographs.

I will not compromise them with distracting watermarks or make them postage stamp sized - for me, what's always been important, is that the image must retain its integrity.

I will also continue not to accept advertising. I don't believe I'm any less professional than those that do but some see it that way. There's advertising everywhere and I really see no need for it to be on my site.

As for the site renovations - there's a few little things that need to be done but as the hour is late, I think it best that I leave it for tomorrow.

A Quick Note

Don't worry if you see that the site is unavailable later today - I have template work that needs to be done but once finished, the site will come back online.

Presto Pasta Night #97 - Hosting

I have the great pleasure of hosting the next Presto Pasta Night - that wonderful event started by the equally lovely and generous Ruth from Once Upon A Feast.

If aren't quite sure what PPN is all about, the premise is very simple. Just post a pasta recipe on your site - be it hot or cold, soba, rice noodles, filled pastas, soups or salads, if there is some kind of pasta in it, then we want to see it.

Mention Presto Pasta Night in the post with a link to the Presto Past Nights website and to this post and then send your email to:

hellohaalo AT gmail DOT com
with a CC to ruth AT 4everykitchen DOT com

Please include in your email:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• a photo: 250px wide
  

Presto Pasta Night #97 runs from January 17th to 22nd and the roundup will be up on January 23rd.

Apricot Upside Down Cake

Rachel from The Crispy Cook is the host for this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and I'm once torturing those in wintery climes with our summer fruit, this time I have apricots



It takes a lot of effort to restrain yourself from just biting into that sun-kissed flesh.



With their orange colouring you immediately know that they are high in Beta-Carotene but they are also rich in Vitamin C and Lycopene. This powerful trilogy of anti-oxidants help to protect the body against disease. Apricots also contain Folate as well as Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Zinc.

When thinking of a dish to make, I didn't want to leave anyone out - so you can easily substitute canned apricots if fresh aren't in season.

The dish I came up with was an Apricot Upside-Down Cake!



Apricot Upside-Down Cake

fresh apricots, halved, kernel removed
150 grams brown sugar
75 grams butter
Cake:
250 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
200 grams caster sugar
125 grams melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
80mls milk, approx


Make the topping:
Place the butter and sugar into a small saucepan - cook over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Pour this into a 20cm/8 inch cake pan and then arrange the apricot halves, skin side down, neatly over the surface.

Make the Cake:

Sift the plain flour with the baking powder and place into the bowl of a mixer. Add the caster sugar, eggs and cooled butter and beat, adding enough milk to create a spoonable batter.

Spread the batter carefully over the apricots and then level off the surface with a palette knife.

Bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F until golden and cooked through. If you find the surface is browning too quickly, cover with the cake pan with foil.

Once done, let it sit in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto your serving plate.


The apricots have almost taken on the colour of the caramel, they have softened nicely and their flavours intensified.



Eat as is, or serve with cream (or thick yoghurt for a lighter alternative).

Weekend Herb Blogging #166 - Hosting

Thanks go to Pam from The Backyard Pizzeria for hosting WHB #165 - be sure to check out the delicious recap.

This week Rachel from The Crispy Cook is hosting.

To participate:

Post about any herb, plant, fruit, vegetable or flower - include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging with a link to this post and to your host.

Send an email to oldsaratogabooks AT gmail DOT com with WHB#166 in the subject line and the following details:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• Attach a photo: 250px wide
  

Emails must be received by:

• 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
• 9pm Sunday - London Time
• 8am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) Time

You can also check out who's hosting for the rest of the year at this post and find information about hosting WHB.

Truffle Butter

Pam from The Backyard Pizzeria here in Melbourne is the host for this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I'm taking a good, long look sniff of Truffles


This is Tuber melanosporum, more commonly known as Périgord Truffle. They are found in many countries in Europe and have successfully been cultivated here in Australia. This year the Australian industry produced 2 tonnes of truffles, half of it from Western Australia, 25% from Tasmania and the rest coming mainly from New South Wales with a small amount from Victoria. The good news about the Victorian segment is that there is plenty of future growth expected as the Yarra Valley, Gippsland and the Otways come into play.


Truffles are a bit of a luxury so if you do treat yourself to one, you want to make sure you'll get the most out of it. You do get caught up in that "I want to eat it all now" versus the "I want to savour it". What you want to aim for is to get the most out of it.

Truffles are perishable so you'll only have about 2 weeks in which to use them. I'm going to advise you not to store them in rice. I did this in Italy and found that the rice actually dried the truffle out - what is best is to store them in tissue paper in a sealed container, big enough so that you can store a few eggs in there with them and keep it all in the fridge. Replace the eggs as you use them and for as long as you have truffle.

While the majority of these truffles ended up in our Christmas Eve dinner and New Years Day breakfast, I still have one more way to use them and in this case, preserve them.

I think this is one of the simplest and best ways of extending that truffle love - make your own truffle butter.

Truffle Butter

black truffle, finely chopped
butter, softened

Just because I felt like and just maybe because it comes in this rather lovely can, I've used a New Zealand butter.


It's exceptionally smooth with an almost sweet note.



The proportion of butter to truffle is a matter of personal choice. In this recipe I've used the end bits of truffle, utilising the wider mid section for presentation purposes - in this way, nothing is wasted.

Place the softened butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Tumble in your chopped truffle and fold through.

Take a sheet of baking paper and spoon out the truffle butter to form a sausage shape.


Roll the baking paper around the butter and then twists the ends of the paper to form a sealed sausage.


Place in the fridge to set. When they have set you can keep them in the fridge or for longer storage, wrap in foil and place in a sealed container in the freezer.

To use, just slice as much or as little of the roll as you desire and return to the fridge or freezer.

Barley Couscous with Chorizo and Vegetables

Presto Pasta Night founder Ruth from Once upon a Feast kicks off a new year as host and this week I've found something a bit unusual


Unlike regular couscous this is made using barley flour rather than semolina and the resulting product has a much smaller grain


Just like regular couscous, this takes about 5 minutes to cook, so it really is fast food. The dish I've made takes advantage of those new years leftovers, so in the time it takes to assemble and reheat them, you'll find that the couscous will have cooked.

Barley Couscous with Chorizo and Vegetables

barley couscous
diced chorizo
caramelised onions
slow-roasted cherry tomatoes
fresh peas

Place the barley couscous into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl and set to one side.

Place a pan over a medium heat and when hot, add in the diced chorizo. Cook until browned and then add the caramelised onions. Toss through for a minute before adding the fresh peas. Finally add in the slow-roasted tomatoes, turn the heat down and gently stir them through.

Remove the cover from the bowl and fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add in the cooked ingredients and toss through until mixed.

Serve at once.