Angela Hartnett's aubergine gratin.

- Angela Hartnett's aubergine gratin | Life and style | The Guardian:
A quick vegetarian dish as tasty as parmigiana, but less work.
It has all the components of an aubergine parmigiana – and is just as tasty – but is half the work.
Serves 2

1 large aubergine
50ml olive oil
salt and pepper
25ml good-quality balsamic vinegar
250g buffalo mozzarella
4 large tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp chopped basil
20g chopped black olives

Peel the aubergine, discard the skin and dice into large cubes.
Toss the diced flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in an oven preheated to 200C for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and toss with the balsamic vinegar before mixing with the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella and basil.
Check the seasoning to taste, and return to the oven at 200C for another 5 minutes.
Serve with a green salad.
'via Blog this'

Perfect trifle.

- How to make perfect trifle | Life and style | The Guardian:
British version of "wet cake" and custard.
...the light frothy cream, the smooth, velvety custard, the tangy fruit mingling with the bouquet of wine (or sherry or liqueur), and perhaps a touch of almondy crunchiness from ratafias or macaroons, and lastly the sweet, soft but crumbly texture of the sponge or sponge fingers...or a rather dry sort of sponge cake.
And winter fruit compote: Soaked in orange juice, and lightly spiced with cinnamon and cloves, the dried fruit gives the whole dish a distinctly festive feel, while retaining a slight chewiness which guarantees it won't dissolve into the background.
The jelly adds a bouncy robustness of texture to the base which is actually quite pleasant, but, in combination with custard and cream, it reminds me less of a school treat and more of an infant's party.
Blinkered I may be, but there'll be no jelly in my perfect trifle.
A good custard shouldn't need any such foreign intervention.
A thick layer of whipped cream, as used in every other recipe, provides the delicate foil to the sweet custard and boozy, fruity base.... and the pomegranate seeds, well, they just look nicely festive.
So...the heaven-sent prescription of layers of cake, fruit, booze, custard and cream, you'll be in for a Christmas treat.
Just don't mention the dream topping ...

1. Start by making the compote.
4 handfuls of dried fruit – I like a mix of figs, prunes and apricots
½ cinnamon stick
3 cloves
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Put all the ingredients into a small pan and barely cover with cold water.
Heat gently and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the fruit is plump and the liquid has become slightly syrupy.
Set aside and allow to cool.

2. Meanwhile, make the custard.
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, slit in half and seeds scraped out
6 egg yolks
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
Put the milk and cream into a thick-bottomed pan with the vanilla pod and seeds on a gentle heat.
Stir, then bring it to just below a simmer; do not allow it to boil.
Beat the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a large bowl.

Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk and pour the milk on to the yolk and sugar mixture, stirring all the time.

Turn the heat down to medium-low, and pour the custard back into the pan.
Stirring slowly and continuously, cook until it coats the back of a wooden spoon – the longer you cook it, the thicker it will be.
If it doesn't appear to be thickening after 10 minutes, you may have the heat slightly too low, but don't turn it up dramatically or you'll spoil all your hard work. (Alternatively, if you're not feeling terribly brave, suspend a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, pour the yolk and milk mixture into that, and proceed as above.)
Bear in mind you'll be tied to the stove for at least 20 minutes, so put some good music on.
Decant into a jug to cool, pressing some clingfilm on to the surface to prevent a skin forming.

4. How to put together:
1 packet boudoir biscuits (also sold as lady fingers or savoiardi)
100ml sweet sherry
1 packet ratafia or amaretti biscuits
300ml double cream
15g flaked almonds, toasted
Seeds of ¼ pomegranate
Line a glass bowl with boudoir biscuits and, after picking out the spices (3 cloves, remember) spoon the compote and juices over the top.
Pour over the sherry and then scatter over the amaretti.
Dollop the cooled custard on top, and then cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until set.

5. Whip the cream to soft peaks, spoon on top of the trifle and chill for at least two hours before serving.
Just before serving, arrange the almonds and pomegranate seeds on top – if you leave them there too long the seeds will bleed colour into the cream, and the nuts will go soggy.

OR instead of cream put on top Fruit Mousse!
- Four seasons.: Light and Easy 5-Minute Fruit Mousse.:

Is trifle truly one of Britain's greatest contributions to dessert, or a revolting medieval mess that's best left to the toothless and the Italians?
What do you put in your version (any savoury suggestions?) and if not trifle, what would you choose for the grand finale of your final meal?

Light and Easy 5-Minute Fruit Mousse.

- Light and Easy 5-Minute Fruit Mousse Recipe | Serious Eats:
Leftover Egg Whites!
Fruit Mousse on top of Perfect trifle!
- Four seasons.: Perfect trifle.:

- Ingredients
125 g fresh raspberry (in recipe: about 2 1/4 cups) frozen berries or other fruit
2 tablespoons of cane sugar (or use sugar, honey, maple syrup or stevia extract to taste)
1 large egg white
Fresh berries and whipped cream for serving (optional)

Directions
- Add fruit to the bowl of small food processor.
Process to a rough puree, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar or another sweetener and pulse briefly to combine.
If you're using a different sweetener, add a small amount at a time to taste.
- Add the egg white and process until smooth and fluffy and the mixture has lightened in color and doubled or tripled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes.

- If the mixture clings to the sides of the food processor's bowl too much (this may happen if the blade doesn't extend all the way to the sides of the bowl), transfer the mixture to a normal medium-sized bowl and beat with a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until fluffy.

- Spoon the mousse into glasses and top or layer with fresh berries and/or whipped cream (optional).
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours (because this mousse has very little sugar in it, it's not very stable and it won't hold for longer than that).
'via Blog this'

No-Knead Peasant Bread.

- Alexandra Stafford's No-Knead Peasant Bread Recipe on Food52:
- My Mother's Peasant Bread: The Easiest No-Knead Bread You Will Ever Make:
- Meet the Woman Behind the Internet's Favorite Bread Recipe | TASTE:
yield 2 loaves
Ingredients
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (512 g)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups lukewarm water (between 36.5 to 40.5 Celsius)
softened butter, for greasing
















- Artisan Sourdough Made Simple + A Giveaway - Alexandra's Kitchen:

How hot is lukewarm?

- How hot is lukewarm? - The Chef in Me:
Lukewarm is when you mix together 1 part normal, room temperature water with 2 parts boiling water or milk.
Simple!
Now that’s your lukewarm water or milk.

“Generally means between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit, 36.5 to 40.5 Celsius.
When you run the water on your wrist and it feels warmer than your body temperature, but not hot, that should be just about right.
If you’ve ever tested the temperature of warm formula or milk in a baby’s bottle, that’s lukewarm.”

Lentils with potatoes.

small brown lentils
olive oil
white onion, finely chopped
garlic clove, finely chopped
carrot, peeled and finely chopped
celery stick, finely chopped
bay leaves
diced tomatoes or passata
potatoes cut into small pieces
broth
smoked British Bacon Lardons
Salt and black pepper

- Wash the lentils.
Boil the kettle.
In a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil and add with a five-minute interval the smoked British Bacon Lardons, onion, garlic, carrot and celery and fry gently until soft.

- add the lentils and bay leaves and then cover with at least 5cm of water and cook at the gentlest of simmers until the lentils are tender, but still with just a little bite – which will take anything from 20–40 minutes (be careful: lentils turn from tender to mush quite quickly).
Stir in the tomatoes, potatoes.
Keep tasting and add more water or broth if the pan looks dry.
By the end of cooking, the water should have been almost completely absorbed.
Season.

Serve with sausages (Waitrose British chorizo pork sausages or Toulouse sausages with bacon, red wine & garlic - best for me!).
Brown them in a little oil, then pour over a wine (red, white or rosé) and put on the lid so they cook in a steamy braise for 20 minutes.

Adapted from
- basic lentil soup:
- Favorite Lentil Soup: One-Pot, Vegan, Completely Delicious - Alexandra's Kitchen:
'via Blog this'

How To Make the Best Caesar Dressing from Kitchn

- How To Make the Best Caesar Dressing | Kitchn:
Classic Caesar salad dressing is deeply debated.
A quick search on the internet will lead you to over one-million recipes, each of them different.
Some claim the classic doesn't contain anchovies.
There are recipes without egg yolks, and dressings made from tofu and even mayonnaise, but none of these are the best Caesar salad dressing.
The best Caesar salad dressing starts with anchovies and garlic, and it creates an emulsion with raw egg yolks, mustard, and two types of oil.
The best Caesar salad dressing is deceptively simple and delectable — and this is it.

How To Make the Best Caesar Dressing
Makes 1 cup

Rich Yeast Breads & Sweet Breads.

- Korvapuusti – Smell The Finnish Cinnamon Rolls! | My Dear Kitchen in Helsinki:

- Snowflake Pull-Apart Monkey Bread. - Half Baked Harvest:

- Apple Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread | Brown Eyed Baker:

- BraveTart: One-Bowl, Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | Serious Eats:
'via Blog this'

Snack!

- Z Tasty Life - It is so fascinating for me to revive ancient, lost...:
Here we go: whisk one egg, continue whisking and add 2 tablespoons of flour, then whisk in 1/2 cup milk.
Cook in a hot small non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Note: it will break, unless you are incredibly delicate.
I flip it with an inverted plate.
You can do smaller one, but a big one is traditional.
I like adding lemon zest.
A know variation is [el-paradél-cui-pomm], in which one adds apple slices.

It is so fascinating for me to revive ancient, lost recipe of frugal, regional Italian cuisine.
Here is one I absolutely love for its speed and simplicity (perfect for snack): [el #paradél], from the Como region of Italy, and it is over 300 years old, or possibly more ancient.
In the past, this sweet, giant pancake was done with the very littlest thing from a semi-empty pantry: some water and flower fried in a pan.
Then, it evolved to include an egg and some milk... when available.
A dusting of powder sugar turns into a treat.
'via Blog this'

The Recipes You Need to Know How to Cook by Bon Appetit.

- The Recipes You Need to Know How to Cook | Bon Appetit:

- Pull-Apart Cheesy Garlic Loaf Recipe | Bon Appetit:

- The Ultimate Sticky Buns Recipe | Bon Appetit: "Recipe by Melissa Roberts"

- BA's Best Morning Buns Recipe | Bon Appetit:

- BA's Best Bread Recipe | Bon Appetit: dry yeast, rye flour

- Challah Recipe | Bon Appetit:

- Best Eggplant Parmesan Recipe | Bon Appetit:

'via Blog this'

How Tartine’s Starter Traveled the World.

- How Tartine’s Starter Traveled the World and Changed Bread Forever | Bon Appetit:

'via Blog this'

Julian Barnes. The Pedant In The Kitchen.

'Lesson Two: that the relationship between professional and domestic cook has similarities to a sexual encounter.
One party is normally more experienced than the other; and either party should have the right, at any moment, to say, 'No, I'm not going to do that.'

My Cranberry-Orange Babka.

- Cranberry-Orange Babka - Flourish - King Arthur Flour:
recipe with pic!

I did the recipe from #katryababka

Babka various recipes.

- Naturally Leavened Brioche-Style Kugelhopf - Flourish - King Arthur Flour: -by Maurizio Leo from The Perfect Loaf-

- How to make chocolate babka - delicious. magazine:

- Cranberry-Orange Babka - Flourish - King Arthur Flour:

- Pumpkin Spice Babka Recipe | Tasting Table:

- Chocolate babka from "Artisan Breads Every Day" - Emperors Crumbs:

- Sourdough Brioche Babka with Toblerone and Caramelized White Chocolate:

- The "Babka" You've Seen Everywhere Isn't Really Babka After All:

- Poolish & Y W Chocolate Walnut Easter Babka with Streusel & Snockered Fruits | The Fresh Loaf:

- BraveTart: One-Bowl, Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | Serious Eats: with instant yeast!

- Kugelhopf recipe

'via Blog this'

Gingered Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.

- Gingered Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - The Kosher Baker:

'via Blog this'

Jam tarts and ring tins.

- A ring and a pot | rachel eats:

- jam tarts and ring tins – rustica RETRO: "Ciambellone"
Ciambelle (Ciambella, singular) are Italian bundt cakes that vary by region, including some savoury varieties.
'via Blog this'

Panda Express Orange Chicken.

- Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe - Genius Kitchen:

'via Blog this'

Torta della nonna.

- winery visit and torta della nonna:

'via Blog this'

Schiacciatine by Emiko Davies.

Schiacciatine & the last edition of Italian Table Talk | Emiko Davies:
Schiacciata is a variety of flat bread, sort of like focaccia, frequently seasoned with olive oil, rosemary, etc.
The Florentines frequently use them for making sandwiches.
"Schiacciatine" presumably are little schiacciate.
"The recipe I thought must absolutely be shared with everyone is for the schiacciatine.
Any Florentine bakery worth its salt has these little round discs of schiacciata (like a sort of Tuscan focaccia), sometimes as large as your hand, sometimes slightly larger, sometimes mini versions.
They can be baked plain, but more often than not they’re baked with a simple, single vegetable topping – sweet onions, thinly sliced tomato or maybe some sweet red pepper strips, zucchini or even zucchini flowers, if the season permits.
A few notes: Field indicates that this makes 6 six-inch schiacciate but I like them a little smaller to make 8 (even 10), a size that fits nicely in your hand.
All the resting in the shaping process is to enable the dough to relax while you stretch it to its right size.
Don’t worry, be patient.
Also, don’t be afraid to use lard; it is more traditional as an ingredient and imparts the most delightful crispness to the schiacciata that butter just doesn’t give."
Schiacciatine Fiorentine
For the dough:
7 grams (1 small packet) active dry yeast or 18 grams fresh yeast
375 ml warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
30 grams lard or butter, at room temperature
500 grams all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons (8 grams) salt, plus extra salt flakes for sprinkling
Olive oil for brushing tops
For the toppings:
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
handful of fresh basil or thyme leaves
salt
For the dough:
Stir the yeast into the water in a large bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes until dissolved.
Add the oil and lard.
Combine the flour and salt in a wide bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour the liquid mixture into the well and stirring from the centre, gradually incorporate the wet and dry ingredients until you have a dough.
Knead until smooth and soft, about 8-10 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let rise, covered, until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
Flatten the dough slightly on a floured surface and cut into 8 even portions, rolled into balls.
Let rest under a tea towel 15 minutes.
Dimple the balls with your fingers, flattening into a disc and rest another 15 minutes, covered.
Dimple again, stretching further.
Brush discs with olive oil, sprinkle with some salt and place on baking trays lined with baking paper.
Let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size, covered with a tea towel.
Dimple the dough once more, brush again with olive oil and top with your selected toppings.
Bake at 220ºC for about 15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Best eaten on the day they are made.
For the toppings:
You could use any vegetables you like really — thin strips of zucchini lightly sauteed with a little garlic; some leftover peperonata; fresh zucchini blossoms.
The important thing to remember is to only gently cook the vegetable toppings (tomato and zucchini flowers don’t even need any pre-cooking), do not brown them, they’ll get a blast of heat in the oven that will take them a little too far otherwise.
For onion topping, gently sweat the onion slices in a knob of butter and a splash of olive oil with a pinch of salt and some fresh thyme leaves.
Don’t let the onions colour, just cook gently until they are completely soft, sweet and translucent.
For the tomato topping, simply place fresh slices of tomato on the dough, sprinkle with salt and torn basil.

- Schiacciatine & the last edition of Italian Table Talk | Emiko Davies:
- a sort of Tuscan focaccia.
They can be baked plain, but more often than not they’re baked with a simple, single vegetable topping – sweet onions, thinly sliced tomato or maybe some sweet red pepper strips, zucchini or even zucchini flowers, if the season permits.
'via Blog this'

Rachel Roddy’s Italian porcini and potato soup.

- Rachel Roddy’s Italian porcini and potato soup | A Kitchen in Rome | Life and style | The Guardian:


- Easy Roasted Mushrooms Recipe | Serious Eats:
'via Blog this'