Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts from China Towns

Now this may not be the prettiest photograph I've ever taken, but it is one of the best Chinese dishes I've ever cooked.  I made this while I was having my kitchen floor replaced, the final part of the work we have had to do as a result of dry rot at the front of our home.  So there I was cooking on a single electric ring in my back kitchen (utility room), with the joiner working away in the kitchen sawing and hammering.  It's perfectly  possible to cook good food in this limited space but not all that great for food styling and photography!

In Western countries, the Chinese food eaten in restaurants is often a far cry from the dishes prepared and served by the Chinese themselves. This is because the Asian communities that have settled in so-called ‘China Towns’ around the world, in cities such as New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, have mastered the art of adapting their cuisine to suit local tastes. Added to which, this cuisine is often influenced by other Asian dishes, so much so that food served in one city’s China Town may be heavily influenced by other Asian dishes, so much so that food served in one city's China Town may be heavily influenced by Vietnamese dishes whereas in another it may resemble closely Thai cuisine.


In this visually stunning cookbook, author Jean-François Mallet goes behind the scenes in Chinese communities around the world in order to understand how and why the food changes so much depending on location. As well as intimate portraits of these fascinating communities, this stunning book contains, 100 delicious recipes capturing the essence of China Towns from across the world and their various geographical influences.

About the Chef: A trained professional chef as well as a talented photographer, JEAN-FRANÇOIS MALLET naturally transitioned from cooking to pursue his passion for images. He has worked for some of the biggest names in French Cuisine, such as Jöel Robuchon, Michel

The Introduction
This is a fascinating read, where you learn about the different culinary families of China and the influence of Asian immigration on what we know as 'chinese' cuisine.

The Contents
This is a very large book containing information, photographs and recipes for Starters; Chinese Dumplings; Soups and Broths; Chicken and Quail; Beef; Pork; Duck; Fish and Seafood; Weird and Wonderful; Vegetable, Rice and Side Dishes; Noodles; Tea, Drinks and Desserts.

The recipes reads like the menu of a very eclectic Chinese restaurant, here is what I would choose... well I might not manage all of these dishes, but they were too good to leave off the menu!

Who is it for?
It is certainly not for the faint hearted as it contains recipes for chicken feet and there are not very many vegetarian recipes.  It's also not for purists who are looking for original recipes from the country, these are unashamedly adaptations of the originals to suit the ingredients and tastes of the people around the world.  So if you would like to cook a dish that would be served in China Towns across the world, then it's for you.

Pros
The stories and information preceding the recipes are as interesting as the recipes themselves.  There are lots of interesting photographs of the China Towns as well as of the recipes.  I found the recipes well written, many are quite short and don't require unusual ingredients.  I loved 'How to eat with chopsticks and what you should never do with chopsticks'.

Cons
This is one big book, it doesn't sit open very well for cooking, I had to weigh it down to keep it open. Although there are lots of photographs, the photos for the finished dish are not always beside the recipe, which I prefer.

The Verdict
I was certainly impressed with the recipe I cooked, but I felt you could have condensed the content into a slimmer volume which was less expensive and easier to use in the kitchen. I am quite keen to try some of the other recipes after the success of the Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts, so overall a bit of a mixed verdict.

Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts
Serves 4
Preparation: 25 min
Marinating time 2hrs
Cooking time 20 min

2 garlic cloves
1 onion
4 chicken breasts
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 bunch Thai basil
2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil
150g (5 1/2 oz or 1 cup) cashew nuts

Peel and chop the garlic and onion, then cut the chicken into small pieces.  In a bowl, mix the chicken, garlic, onion, cornflour (cornstarch) and soy sauce together, then leave to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.


Strip, rinse and dry the basil.  About 20 minutes before serving, heat the oil in a large wok over a high heat.  Add the cashews and stir-fry for a few minutes then add the chicken and marinade and cook for 10 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, add the basil leaves, stir and turn off the heat.  Serve immediately with fragrant rice.


Such a simple recipe, but the flavour was really close to what you would eat at in a Chinese restaurant and the chicken is super tender and tasty.


China Towns Asian Cooking from Around the World in 100 Recipes by Jean-François Mallet  Hardback RRP £30.00
Published by Jacqui Small Publishing

Labels: book review, cashew nuts, Chicken, China Towns, chinese, cook book, fried, Jacqui Small, soy sauce

posted by Janice @ 20:44 21 Comments

Muesli Rolls and a #review of Bread by Dean Brettschneider

Do you remember the lovely Pie book by Dean Brettschneider?  Well he's done it again, this time Dean has created a superb book of Bread, as he says in the introduction "passion is my main ingredient" and that passion certainly comes through.

The book begins with an informative chapter on the History of Bread Making.  Starting with the Egyptians through the spread of wheat from the western half of Asia through to Europe and Africa  and on to the middle ages and the regulation of bread.  The skill, craft and art of the baker has been admired throughout history, there may be more science now, but the principles are still the same.

Ingredients come next and if you ever wonder about the different types of flour, their properties and which to use for what, this is the book for you. Equipment is also comprehensively covered, most of it is already available in your kitchen with a few added extras like a proofing cabinet, hot rocks and chain, apparently the preferred method for creating steam for baking crusty breads!

We all need a little Bread Know How starting with the 11 basic steps in making and baking breads, this comes with step by step photographs and includes different ways to mould bread e.g. baguette, small rolls.  Sourdough can strike fear into an amateur baker's heart but Dean is there to guide you through the chemistry behind this natural yeast to give you a good understanding before you move on to the recipes.

Savoury Breads and Sourdoughs includes Turkish Pide, Beetroot and Thyme Baguettes, Dean's Sourdough, Polenta Petites Boules, Onion Fougasse, Cheese, Bacon and Onion Paves, Carrot and Coriander Ciabatta and Potato and Rosemary Focaccia and many more.

Grainy and Healthy Breads includes Dark Beer, Walnut and Cranberry Rolls, Gluten-free Bread, I love the sound of Vine Fruit, Treacle and Rosemary Sourdough and Muesli Rolls (see recipe below)

Quick Breads and Scones try the Spinach, Pumpkin, Cumin and Feta Damper, it's a meal in itself and I'm definitely going to try the Garden Vegetable, Cheese and Hidden Egg Savoury Muffins, a bit like a Scotch Egg but with Muffin round it rather than sausage meat.

Festive breads come from all around the world, Swedish Christmas Rye Crackers are a favourite of mine, they have big holes in the middle where they are traditionally baked on a pole.  For a sweet treat there is Dresden  Christmas Stollen and Panforte.

Not quite Bread a novel idea to have 'not bread' in a bread book, but worth it for recipes like Wholemeal Spicy Lavash-style Crackers, Danish Smorrebrod (oh yes!)step by step Danish Pastries and oh my goodness Spiced Chocolate, Cointreau and Sour Cherry Bread Pudding (faints).

Sweet Breads bring us more of the good stuff with a Chocolate Chip Brioche Breakfast Plait, Cinnamon and Raisin Toast Bread and NYC Sticky Pecan Buns, a decadent treat.

Basic Recipes is where you will find all  the things you need to know about Sourdough Levain (day by day), glazes, icing, creme patissiere, Swiss buttercream and Cream Chantilly.  Not to mention Cramelised Onion Decorating Dough and homemade raspberry jam.

Weights Measures and Temperatures are clearly laid out with tables for pretty much everything you will need.

Formulas (should that not be Formulae?) now this is a good chapter even if it does involve sums!  How to scale ingredients, balance recipes and the secret of Bakers' percentages.

The Glossary has many of the baking terminology that can confuse, all explained in a couple of pages.

Who is it for? This book would suit beginners, with the step by step photo instructions and also those who want to expand their bread making skills and repertoire with demanding breads like sourdough and sweet breads.

Pros: Really clear instructions, a well laid out book, beautiful photographs and inventive recipes.

Cons: There are quite a lot of non-yeasted recipes, I don't mind this and they are great ideas, but may be a no no for purists.

The Verdict: I have quite a few Bread books and have reviewed some here on the blog.  I did wonder if I would see anything new or different in this book from Dean Brettschneider, I think it is worth a place on my bookshelf and I suspect some of the others may be ousted!


Muesli Rolls makes 15
450g (2 3/4 cups)strong bread flour
50g (1/3 cup) wholemeal or whole wheat flour
40g (1/2 cup) jumbo rolled oats
8g 2 3/4 tsp instant dry yeast
10g (2 tsp) salt
30g (1 1/2 tbsp) treacle (blackstrap molasses)
20g (1 tbsp) honey
20ml (4 tsp) olive oil
370ml (1 1/2 cups) water
40g (scant 1/2 cup) walnut pieces, chopped into small pieces
30g (3 tbsp) linseeds (flaxseeds)
20g (2 1/4 tsp) sesame seeds
80g (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds
80g (2/3 cup) pumpkin seeds
40g (1/3 cup) dried cranberries
40g (1/4 cup) dried apricots, cut into pieces
80g (1/2 cup) small chocolate drops or chocolate chips (optional)
100g (1 generous cup) jumbo rolled oats, to decorate

Place flours, oats, yeast, salt and wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Using a wooden spoon, combine to form a dough.  Tip dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes, resting it for 1 minute every 2-3 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Check dough throughout kneading for stickiness; add a little more water or flour if necessary to achieve a soft dough that's  not too firm.

Add walnuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate(if desired). Knead until well incorporated and combined into dough.  Place dough in  a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place for approximately  1 1/2, until dough has doubled in size. Gently knock back dough in bowl by folding it back onto itself several times. Cover again and leave for a further 30 minutes.

Tip dough upside down onto a lightly floured work surface.  Sprinkle flour over top of dough (which was on the bottom of the bowl).  Very carefully turn dough over and gently flatten to 2cm (3/4 in) thick.  Using a dough scarper or large chef's knife, cut dough into 7cm (2 3/4in) squares.  Using a pastry brush, brush the tops with water, Sprinkle entire surface of each roll with rolled oats, and pat down gently to stick them on.

Line a baking tray (cookie sheet) with baking (parchment) paper.  Place rolls onto lined tray (sheet), leaving a 2-3cm (3/4-11/4in) gap between each roll.  Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave to prove for 30-45 minutes, depending on room temperature.

Place rolls on baking tray (cookie sheet) in a preheated 230C/450F/Gas 8 oven, apply steam and quickly close oven door.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning tray around halfway through baking if needed Remove rolls from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

The rolls are quite dense in texture but full of flavour, they are particularly good toasted.

Bread by Global Baker, Dean Brettschneider
Published by Jacqui Small 
www.jacquismallpub.com
@JacquiSmallPub
RRP £25 

Labels: Bread, Dean Brettschneider, Jacqui Small, muesli, Muesli Rolls, review, rolls, Sourdough

posted by Janice @ 07:00 8 Comments

Gourmet Burgers and Luscious, Spiced Beetroot Relish

Sometimes two recipes just come together in a perfectly delicious union, and so it was with the Beetroot Relish and the Beetroot Burger.



The Beetroot Burger comes from Burgers  the new book from Paul Gayler MBE, hailed by James Martin as "the book I have been waiting for", which was sent to me for review. Paul Gayler was Executive Chef at The Lanesborough Hotel London, the five-star hotel on the edge of London’s Hyde Park. He has 20 years’ experience in some of the most respected kitchens and restaurants in Europe. As well as having made many appearances on British TV, he is the author of over 20 cookery books. He has also won the Guild of Food Writers’ Cookery Book of the Year and has been nominated for a prestigious André Simon Award.

  It is a fun book, shaped like a burger layered with goodies.  In Burgers, Paul Gayler presents his favourite 25 burger recipes. As well as the expected Ultimate burger with ‘the works’, there’s a wealth of delicious and imaginative offerings. For carnivores, there’s an eclectic mix and not just beef: choose, for instance, from a Caribbean pork burger, Smoked chicken cobb burger, Tandoori lamb burger or Turkey BLT burger stack. Vegetarians and fish eaters can enjoy a Feta club burger, Southwest red bean 
burger, Lebanese kibbeh burger or Jumbo prawn burger, among others. There really is a burger for everyone. There is also a section for 'Sides' including Simple Tomato Ketchup, Oven Cheese Fries, Moroccan-style Caponata  and Calypso Mojo.   But back to the Beetroot Burger, which is made with minced (ground) beef, the beetroot adds a glorious sweet and sour flavour, but doesn't overpower the beef at all and provides only a slight pinkish tinge, I made the smaller burgers as I felt that four burgers from this quantity of mince would make to large a portion for us. The smaller ones fit nicely on the muffin too!
Beetroot Burger
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500g minced beef (ground chuck) chilled
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp pickled beetroot, finely chopped (or 3 tbsp Beetroot Relish)
1 tbsp pickled beetroot juice (omit if using relish)
vegetable oil, for brushing and frying.

To serve: 4 English Muffins, salad of tossed green leaves or wilted spinach, small boiled new potatoes.

1. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan (skillet).  Cooke the onion slowly until pale and soft, then allow to cool
2. Combine the minced beef, egg yolks, capers, sea salt and pepper.
3. Add the onion and mix thoroughly together
4. Add the beetroot and juice (or relish), mix well.
5. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 4 large flat patties (the traditional shape, or 8 smaller taller patties.
6. Heat a char grill or pan grill, oil it and the patties lightly and cook them on a medium heat for about 5 minutes each side (alternately heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook them that way).
7. Split and toast the muffins, serve the burgers in the toasted muffins with a little salad of tossed green leave or with  a little wilted spinach and boiled new potatoes. I added an extra spoonful of Beetroot Relish on top of the burger, just because.

BURGERS: FROM THE ULTIMATE BURGER TO THE SOUTHWEST RED BEAN BURGER
by Paul Gayler MBE
Published by Jacqui Small
Shaped hardback 
August 2014
RRP £9.99


The Beetroot Relish comes via Not Quite Nigella and is made to her recipe for Lazy, Luscious, Spiced Beetroot Relish.  I bought some beetroot at the Farmers Market and was planning to make the Beetroot Chutney I made last year.  That particular recipe has a chunky texture which isn't very good for spreading on sandwiches, so I was looking for more of a relish with a softer texture and found this super simple recipe.  I cooked my beetroot in the Slow Cooker which has to be the easiest and least messy way to bake beetroot.
Simply wash the beetroot, place a piece of foil in the base of the slow cooker and put the beets on top. Bake for 5-6 hours depending on the size of the beetroot.  Then, wearing a pair of rubber gloves, slip the skins off before preparing for the relish. 


I can't emphasise enough how good this relish is, sweet, spicy and just enough acid tang to counteract the sweetness, but no burn and no earthy taste, it's just delicious and I plan to make another batch very soon. Thanks to 'Not Quite Nigella' for allowing me to link to her recipe. 

Labels: Beetroot Relish, Burgers, chutney, Cook book review, Jacqui Small, Paul Gayler, preserves, relish

posted by Janice @ 21:39 12 Comments