Hot cross buns. By Mary Berry.

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ingredient
500g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
75g caster sugar
2 tsp mixed spice powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
10g salt
10g fast-action dried yeast
40g butter
about 300 ml, milk
1 egg, beaten
200g sultanas
50g finely chopped mixed peel
oil, for greasing

Topping:
75g plain flour
2 tbsp golden syrup, for glazing

Directions:
You will need a piping bag fitted with a fine 3mm nozzle.
Measure the flour, sugar, and spices into a large bowl, add the lemon zest and toss together, then add the salt and yeast, placing them on opposite sides of the bowl.
Melt the butter in a pan and warm the milk in a separate pan, allowing them both to cool a little after heating.
Add the melted butter and half the tepid milk to the dry ingredients in the bowl.
Tip in the beaten egg and use your hands to bring the mixture together, incorporating the flour from the edges of the bowl as you go.
Gradually add the rest of the milk, to make a soft pliable dough.
You may not need all the milk — it is better for the dough to be on the wet side, rather than too dry.
Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand, incorporating the sultanas and mixed peel into the dough.
Lightly knead for 10 minutes until silky and elastic and forms a smooth ball.
Kneading can be done in a food processor using a dough hook if you prefer.
Transfer the ball of dough into an oiled bowl cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 + 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (This may take longer if the dough is left to rise in a cool kitchen.)
Turn the risen dough out on to a lightly floured surface.
Knock back and knead for a further 5 minutes.
Return to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for a further hour, or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out again on to a floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces, shaping each of these into a ball.
Line 1-2 baking sheets with baking paper and arrange the balls of dough on the sheets, placing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly.
Slip each baking sheet into a large, clean polythene bag, making sure that the bag doesn’t touch the buns.
Leave for 40—60 minutes until the buns have doubled in size.
They should spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
To make the crosses for the top of the buns, add the plain flour to a bowl with 100ml of water.
Mix together to make a paste and spoon into the piping bag.
When the buns have risen, remove the polythene bags and pipe a cross on top of each bun.
Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 15—20 minutes until pale golden brown, turning the baking sheets round halfway through, if necessary.
Melt the golden syrup in a pan and, while the buns are still warm, brush the top of each bun with a little melted syrup to give a nice shine, before setting aside to cool on a wire rack.

- Hot Cross Buns | Recipe | Cuisine Fiend:

Irish Potato Cakes.

- Irish Potato Cakes | Karen's Kitchen Stories:

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How to make the perfect biscotti.

How to make the perfect biscotti | Life and style | The Guardian:



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Chicken.

- One Pot Braised Chicken with Stewy Chickpeas - Joy of Kosher:

- Anne's Food: Creamy tarragon chicken with apples:


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Marzipan Challah

Adapted from David Lebovitz.
- Marzipan Challah:

Torcettini di Saint Vincent (Twisted Sugar Cookies).

Torcetti di Saint Vincent:
Torcettini are smaller versions of Torcetti (meaning small twists), and these pear shaped cookies are rolled in sugar before being baked.
Since there is no sugar in the dough, these cookies only have a mild sweetness to them and are perfect to have with tea.

Sourdough Rye Bread with molasses and chocolate.

- Sourdough Rye Bread:













Preferment:
50 g liquid sourdough starter (with 100% hydration)
50 g water
25 g whole grain rye flour
25 g bread flour

Main dough:
all the preferment
150 g whole grain rye flour
350 g wheat flour (all white or 75 g whole wheat + 275 g white flour)
150 g milk
150 g water
50 g dark molasses
20 g dark chocolate (with 90% cocoa)
+
25 g water
10 g salt
5 g raw cane sugar

Danish Aebleskiver - Danish Pancakes.

- Original Recipe for Danish Aebleskiver:

- Scandinavian Street Food: Danish Æbleskiver For Christmas | Serious Eats:
Ingredients
2 egg whites
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons plus 1 stick melted butter
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until very stiff.
In another large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, egg yolks, 4 tablespoons melted butter, buttermilk, sugar, and salt, and beat until very smooth.
Carefully fold in egg whites.

2. Heat the æbleskiver pan and put small knob of butter into each pan cup.
Pour batter into each cup.
When each sphere becomes firm in edges, turn quickly with knitting needle or fork.
Continue to turn the æbleskiver as they cook through. (Optional: add a few pieces of apple in the middle of each æbleskive before turning them if you want to go really old school).

3. Serve with jam and sprinkle some icing sugar on top of each æbleskive.

- Norpro 3114 6.5-Inch Cast Iron Danish Aebleskiver Pan Makes: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home:

- Norpro Aebelskiver Stuffed Pancake Pan: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home:
Non stick and easily cleaned.


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Sirloin steak.

- BBC Food - Recipes - Sirloin steak tartare, lingonberries, chanterelles and flatbread:
Method
For the flatbread, heat the milk, honey and butter to 37C (body temperature).
Dissolve yeast in the liquid.
Add the flour and salt and knead to form a dough.
Cover and leave to prove for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
To cook the flatbread, roll out pieces of the dough to make thin flatbreads, about ½cm/¼in thick.
Cook them under the grill for a couple of minutes each side.
Or cook in a hot dry pan for a minute or so on each side.
When cooked through brush with allspice butter, set aside and cover to keep warm.

For the pickled chanterelles, heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the chanterelles until soft.
In a saucepan add the remaining ingredients and 5 tablespoons water and bring to the boil.
Add chanterelles to the saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Sieve out the chanterelles and set aside.

For the lingonberries, combine the berries and sugar in a bowl and set aside at room temperature to dissolve the sugar.

For the allspice butter, in a medium pan cook half of the butter over medium heat until the butter browns and smells nutty.
Add the remaining butter and ingredients and mix to combine.
Set aside at room temperature.

For the beef tartare, combine the steak with the oil, shallot, mustard and salt.
Heat a small frying pan and add the steak mix and cook for a minute.

To serve, place the mushrooms and berries in separate serving bowls on a serving board and place the pan of steak on the board and the flatbreads.
Top the steak with the parsley and horseradish.

- Harissa-marinated beef sirloin with preserved lemon sauce I Ottolenghi recipes:
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Whole roasted celeriac.

- Zombie brain | Vegetables recipes | Jamie Oliver:

Ingredients
1 large celeriac, (roughly 1.2kg)
olive oil
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
7 fresh bay leaves
6 cloves of garlic
30 g unsalted butter
200 g pearl barley (Ячневая крупа или заменить перловкой)
1 small onion
800 g mushrooms
¼ of an organic cube of vegetable stock
150 ml single cream
1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
extra virgin olive oil



Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
Scrub the celeriac clean, using a brush to clean away any soil from the root.
Tear off a double layer of wide tin foil and place the celeriac in the middle, root side up.
Rub with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper, sprinkle over the thyme sprigs and 6 bay leaves, then bash 4 whole cloves of garlic and scatter over.
Pull the sides of the foil up really tightly around the celeriac and scrunch around its shape, leaving it open at the top.
Place the butter on top of the celeriac so that it melts down and around it as it cooks, then fold the foil over really tightly to seal.
Place in an ovenproof dish and roast for around 2 hours, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook the pearl barley at the appropriate time according to packet instructions.
Peel and finely slice the onion and remaining garlic, place in a large frying pan on a low heat with a lug of olive oil, and fry for around 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
Finely slice the mushrooms and add (your pan will be very full, but trust me, they will cook down nicely).
Cook for around 20 minutes, or until golden, continuing to stir occasionally.
Crumble in the stock cube, add the remaining bay leaf and pour in 200ml of boiling water.
Simmer and reduce until the liquid has nearly gone, then stir in the cream and mustard and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Season to perfection and keep warm until needed, being careful not to let it get too thick.
Around 10 minutes before the celeriac is ready, carefully open up the foil and start basting every couple of minutes with the melted butter for extra colour.
Drain the pearl barley and dress it with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Place the celeriac on a board and carve thinly, like you would a joint of meat.
Drizzle with any juices from the foil, then serve with the mushroom sauce, pearl barley and lots of beautiful seasonal greens.

Swedish meatballs with cream sauce.

- Niklas Ekstedt’s kitchen: ‘Traditional cooking is important, and it’s disappearing’ | Kitchen encounters | Life and style | The Guardian:

- Food from the Fire: The Scandinavian flavours of open-fire cooking - Niklas Ekstedt - Google Books:

- BBC Food - Recipes - Swedish meatballs with cream sauce:
Ingredients
For the cream sauce
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 anchovy fillet, chopped
200ml/7fl oz reduced veal stock (or chicken stock)
200ml/7fl oz double cream
1 tsp cornflour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the meatballs
½ onion, finely chopped
150ml/5fl oz double cream
100ml/3½fl oz milk
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs
250g/9oz beef mince
250g/9oz pork mince
4 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying, plus extra for greasing
75g/2½oz unsalted butter
For the salad
¼ white cabbage, shaved thinly on a mandoline
1 head fennel, shaved thinly on a mandoline
salt
2 apples, shaved thinly on a mandoline
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp soured cream
salt and pepper
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
To serve
500g/1lb 2oz new potatoes, cooked
Method
For the cream sauce, heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions until soft and translucent. Add the anchovy and stock. Bring to the boil and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third. Add the cream and cook over a low heat for another 6-8 minutes.

Mix the cornflour with a little water to form a paste then stir it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 6.

For the meatballs, fry the onion in a little butter until soft then transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the cream, milk, salt, spices and breadcrumbs. Add the beef and pork mince and mix thoroughly by hand. Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a lightly oiled baking tray.

Add some water to another baking tin and place it in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Roast the meatballs for 10 minutes, or until firm.

For the salad, put the cabbage and the fennel in a large sieve. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Then squeeze the liquid out of the cabbage using your hands. Place in a bowl and mix in the remaining salad ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

To finish the meatballs, heat the oil and remaining butter in a large frying pan and fry until browned (do this in batches if necessary; do not crowd the pan).

To serve, put the meatballs in a serving bowl and pour over the cream sauce. Serve the salad alongside in separate serving bowls. A little lingonberry jam would be traditional, too.

- BBC Food - Recipes - Whole roasted celeriac with hazelnuts, sourdough croutons and greens:

- BBC Food - Recipes - Sirloin steak tartare, lingonberries, chanterelles and flatbread:
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Adjika. A Russians’ Pesto!

- Mom’s Adjika Recipe – A Russians’ Pesto! (Аджика):

- Adjika Recipe - iFOODreal - Healthy Family Recipes:

- How to prepare adjika different peoples:

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Declicious Yogurt.

- Declicious Yogurt Recipe | Organic and Thrifty:
Matzoon.
Matzoon is another milk ferment.
You can make your own Matzoon by adding two tablespoons of bakers yeast to half a litre of milk.
This is then stored at around a 37 °C temperature and left until curdled.
You have now your Matzoon starter.
For the new batch use 6 tablespoons of starter to half a litre of fresh milk.
After five or six times the taste of yeast will not be noticeable anymore.
The Matzoon is used like yoghurt and mixed with fruit or malt as well as for cooking.
Matzoon is kept in the refrigerator when fermentation is finished.
The culture itself survives in the refrigerator at around 4 °C for a long time.

- SW: Мацони: (RU)
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Roasted fennel and sweet potato gratin.

- Mary Berry Cooks: Roasted fennel, onion and potato with Parmesan topping | Daily Mail Online:

How to Cook Sirloin Steak to Perfection.

- How to Cook Sirloin Steak to Perfection - Great British Chefs: "sirloin steak"

There are a few key points:
- the type of pan used, when to season, and perhaps most importantly, how long you cook it for being just a few factors.
The fat used to cook it in and the resting time also play a part in the end result.
- to make sure it comes to room temperature before it goes anywhere near the pan.
Removing from the fridge at least an hour before cooking means that the meat will cook much more evenly, resulting in a better finish.
- An optimum thickness for a steak is between 3cm and 4cm, any thinner than this proves tricky not to overcook.
- salting steaks.
Some say to do it 10 minutes before cooking, some say to season during cooking, and some even say 40 minutes before.
...simply season liberally with flaky sea salt.
- You want to get the pan very hot before the steak goes in, so much so that oil is almost smoking, and never cook more than two steaks in the pan at one time, as overcrowding the pan will result in a loss of heat.
- In terms of oil, it is best to use a flavourless oil with a high smoking point such as groundnut or vegetable oil.
the richness with butter, do so after you've flipped the steaks, and baste the steak with the gorgeous foaming butter as it cooks.
Try adding herbs such as rosemary or thyme and garlic when you add the butter for an extra flavour dimension.
- The length of time you cook your steak - a 3-4cm thick steak cooked from room temperature will take a minute or so on each side with a few minutes in the oven to warm through the middle – the most important thing is to get a good sear on the exterior without overcooking the inside.
- when cooking sirloin steak is the importance of resting time.
Resting for around 5 minutes ensures juicy steaks with no blood spilled on the plate.

Ingredients
vegetable oil, or groundnut oil
1 knob of butter
1/4 bunch of thyme
3 garlic cloves, bashed but unpeeled
flaky sea salt
black pepper
- Before you begin, remove the steaks from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature (for at least 1 hour)
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
- Place a heavy-based frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat and add a good dash of oil.
Season the steaks liberally with flaky sea salt
- When the oil is hot, add the steaks and cook for 2 and a half minutes, or until beautifully golden on the underside
- Turn the steaks over and add a knob of butter, some thyme and a few garlic cloves.
Baste the steak with the butter and once golden on the underside, place in the oven for 2–3 minutes
- Remove the steaks from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes before serving.
Season and serve
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Hainan Chicken Rice.

- Year of the dog : Manger:
(serves 6)
Chinese food is not complicated, it’s just about making sure to get a few steps right! Enjoy this delicious recipe, it’s my Asian comfort food, there are so many memories linked with this dish.
Growing up in Hong Kong, I would meet my best friends and we would often order this dish (especially the one at the Clipper Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, do they still serve it? I hope o!).
The chicken is blanched, dropped in an ice-bath, so it can retain its moisture.
I find this recipe beautiful to make, like an old-fashioned ritual.
And on top of everything, it’s such a healthy dish.

For the chicken and the broth
1.5 kg whole chicken
10 cloves of garlic, halved
A large piece (about the size of your palm) piece of ginger, sliced
1 large bunch of spring onions (scallions)
2 tablespoon Shao xing rice wine
2 tablespoon light soy
4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt and pepper

For the chicken and broth
Remove the chicken giblets.
Rinse the chicken inside and out.
Remove any leftover feathers and trim excess fat (you will need it for the rice, so set aside).
Rub both the inside and outside of the chicken really well with coarse salt to ‘exfoliate’ the skin on the chicken.
Rinse well and pat dry.
The chicken will be smooth and ready for cooking.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Boil a large pot of water and add a few spring onion stalks, slices of ginger and 5 cloves of peeled garlic.
Fill the chicken with a few more ginger slices, garlic cloves and spring onion.
Place the chicken into the large pot (neck-side down) and blanch for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and rinse under cold water.
Lower the heat and return the chicken to the pot, let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn the heat off, cover with a lid and leave the chicken to stand for 30 more minutes.
Place the chicken in an ice bowl for a few minutes, remove the ice cubes and leave aside to rest and cool for 20 minutes.
Drizzle some sesame oil and light soya sauce on the chicken.
This technique will make the chicken extra tender.

2) For the rice.
Wash the rice and soak for 20 mins.
Drain dry and set aside.

In a small pan, heat the chicken fat with 1 tablespoon water and cook until the fat has melted.
When the fat is hot, add a few slices of ginger and garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer all the ingredients including the oil into the rice cooker and mix in the washed rice.
Add enough chicken stock to cook the rice according to your favorite method.
I have a classic rice cooker, and it takes approx. 15-20 minutes to cook.

3) For the broth

Re-heat the chicken stock and add salt according to your taste.
I like to add a few tablespoons of Shao Xing wine for taste, but that is optional.
Garnish with coriander and sliced spring onion before serving.

4) For the sauce

1 large piece of ginger (about the size of half your palm), peeled and cut into small chunks
1 bunch of spring onion (scallions), chopped
2 teaspoon sea salt, or more if you prefer
150-200 ml/ about 2/3 cup peanut oil, add more if you want a looser sauce

Place the ginger in the food processor and process until the ginger is finely minced.
Transfer to a bowl.
Repeat the same with the spring onions (make sure they are lightly minced).
Add them to bowl with the ginger.
Season generously with salt.
Heat the peanut oil in a pan until it is very hot, the add the ginger and spring onions.
Stir quickly for a 5 seconds and transfer to a bowl.
Leave to cool and serve with chicken.

Chop the chicken into slices (with the skin on).
Drizzle with a little soya sauce and sesame oil.
Serve with a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, the ginger sauce and garnish everything with fresh coriander, sliced cucumber, and don’t forget your favorite chilli sauce too!
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Jewish penicillin from Jamie Oliver.

- Jewish penicillin | Jamie Oliver:
Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe – Otherwise known as “Jewish Penicillin”.
Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup is known for having a golden, clear broth with essential nutrients to revive you right out of your sick bed.
“I’m sure every Jewish family has its own version of this absolutely classic feel-better soup.
‘Schmaltz’ is the Yiddish word for chicken fat, which makes the matzo balls in the soup so special.
Traditionally the chicken fat would be rendered separately, but I think skimming the fat works just as well.
If someone around you is feeling a bit under the weather, make a big batch of this for them and you’ll be their favourite person.
You have to try this absolute classic comfort food dish – you just can’t beat a feel-better chicken soup recipe.
Heaven in a bowl.”












PS
Making your own broth from scratch is very easy.
...not a rolling boil!!!
Simply place the whole chicken in the pot with root vegetables, fresh herbs, cover with water, and walk away from the stove for a few hours.
The traditional root vegetables that are added to the soup while cooking is carrots, celery, onion, and parsnips - try dry frying - fry the vegetables in a dry frying pan.
Dry Sautéing is best done in either a non-stick pan, or a very well-seasoned pan.
In Chinese cooking, it is called "dry frying."
It is done in a very hot wok, with very little oil.
If sticking does occur in the work, you can add a few drops of wine or broth.

Fresh parsley and dill with the stems on also add a great flavour to the broth during cooking.
- Ginger
- Saffron
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled

... dried egg noodles *Optional!
When the chicken is done cooking...
Pour the stock from the pot through a strainer into another large pot or large bowl.
Discard any remaining herbs, spices, and onion chunks.
This will give you a nice clear golden chicken broth.

- Traditional Jewish Chicken Soup Recipe (Jewish Penicillin):
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Mung Bean Beef Stew.

- All new Cooking Recipes: Mung Bean Beef Stew (Maş Fasülyesiyle Etli Güveç):

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5 Day Fast - Using the Fast Mimicking Diet.

- 5 Day Fast - Using the Fast Mimicking Diet - Eat. Move. Hack.:

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Blood Orange Marmalade Small Batch - 500g of blood oranges.

Citrus needed a more specialized treatment.
You either need to cut away the tough, white pith or treat it in some way so that it tenderizes and loses its chewy bitterness.
This recipe uses an overnight soak to help break down the pith, providing a far superior product to the old blood orange marmalade recipe you’ll find on this site.
The fruit becomes tender and it fully suspended in a ruby-hued jelly.
Here’s how you do it:
- Take 500g of blood oranges (approximately 4-5 tennis ball-sized oranges) and wash them well.
Trim away both ends and slice the oranges in half.
Using a very sharp knife, trim away the core of the oranges and pluck out any seeds that you find.
Set the cores and the seeds aside.
Not all blood oranges have seeds, so don’t stress if you don’t find any.
Cut the orange halves into thin slices.
Go as thin as you can manage (I recommend sharping your knife before starting this project).
Finally, cut each sliced half in half again, so that you have a number of thin blood orange quarters.
Bundle up all those seeds and pithy cores in a length of cheesecloth and tie it tightly so that nothing can escape.
Put chopped oranges in a medium bowl and cover with 3 cups water.
Tuck the cheesecloth bundle into the bowl and cover the whole thing with a length of plastic wrap or a plate.
Refrigerate it overnight.

When you’re ready to cook your marmalade, remove the cheesecloth bundle.
Combine the soaked fruit and water with 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar.
If you happen to have a copper preserving pan, make sure to fully dissolve the sugar into the fruit before pouring it into the pan.

Bring the marmalade to a simmer and cook until it is reduced by more than half, reads 104C/220F on a thermometer and passes the plate/sauce/wrinkle test.
When it is finished cooking, pour marmalade into prepared jars.
Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

When all is done, you should have about 900ml (2x370g + 1x200) of the most vivid red blood orange marmalade.
I’m extraordinarily fond of this particular preserve on scones, stirred into yogurt or with crumbly homemade shortbread.