Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week it’s all to do with two childhood favourite authors, Enid Blyton and P L Travers who’s birthdays are remembered this week. All the featured recipes this week have seven ingredients, they areFettucine Alfredo, Chargrilled Chicken with Mojo Sauce and Cod with Tomato and Chilli Sauce. The spice of the week is Poppy Seeds.
Enid Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was an English children's writer also known as Mary Pollock.
Noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups, her books have enjoyed popular success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 600 million copies. Over 3,544 translations of her books were available in 2007 according to UNESCO's Index Translationum.
Noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups, her books have enjoyed popular success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 600 million copies. Over 3,544 translations of her books were available in 2007 according to UNESCO's Index Translationum.
One of Blyton's most widely known characters is Noddy, intended for early years readers. However, her main work is the genre of young readers' novels in which children have their own adventures with minimal adult help. Series of this type include the Famous Five (21 novels, 1942–1963, based on four children and their dog), the Five Find-Outers and Dog, (15 novels, 1943–1961, where five children regularly outwit the local police) as well as The Secret Seven (15 novels, 1949–1963, a society of seven children who solve various mysteries).
Her work involves children's adventure stories, and fantasy, sometimes involving magic. Her books were and still are enormously popular throughout the Commonwealth; as translations in the former Yugoslavia, Japan; as adaptations in Arabic; and across most of the globe. Her work has been translated into nearly 90 languages. Blyton's literary output was of an estimated 800 books over roughly 40 years. Chorion Limited of London now owns and handles the intellectual properties and character brands of Blyton's Noddy and the Famous Five.
P L Travers Pamela Lyndon Travers OBE (born Helen Lyndon Goff) (9 August 1899 – 23 April 1996) was an Australian-born British novelist, actress and journalist, popularly remembered for her series of children's novels about the mystical and magical nanny Mary Poppins. Her popular books have been adapted many times, including in the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews, and in the new Broadway musical which originally was produced in London's West End.
The full version of this article can be found at www.chefgarfyinfo.blog.co.uk
My first recipe is Fettucine Alfredo recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com.
Serves 4, Prep time 10mins, cooking time 10mins.
280g x Fettuccine Pasta
115g x Butter
5 x Garlic Cloves, chopped
235ml x Double Cream
1 x Egg Yolk
160g x Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3g x Dried Parsley
115g x Butter
5 x Garlic Cloves, chopped
235ml x Double Cream
1 x Egg Yolk
160g x Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3g x Dried Parsley
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the fettucine pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente and drain. In a large skillet melt the butter and add the chopped garlic. Cook on low for about 5 minutes, stirring often, making sure not to burn the garlic.
Pour about a 60ml of the double cream into a small bowl. Add the egg yolk and beat together then put aside. Pour the remaining cream into the frying pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. As the cream starts to boil, mix rapidly using a whisk. Slowly add the cream/egg mixture as you do not want the egg to curdle, continue whisking until well blended. Add half of the Parmesan cheese and continue to mix the cream, pour in the remaining Parmesan and the parsley and mix until smooth. Immediately remove from stove. Serve poured over cooked pasta.
Pour about a 60ml of the double cream into a small bowl. Add the egg yolk and beat together then put aside. Pour the remaining cream into the frying pan. Increase the heat to medium-high. As the cream starts to boil, mix rapidly using a whisk. Slowly add the cream/egg mixture as you do not want the egg to curdle, continue whisking until well blended. Add half of the Parmesan cheese and continue to mix the cream, pour in the remaining Parmesan and the parsley and mix until smooth. Immediately remove from stove. Serve poured over cooked pasta.
My next recipe is Chargrilled Chicken with Mojo Sauce, courtesy of Olive Magazine March 2011
Serves 2, Prep time 15mins, Cooking time approx. 5mins
2 x Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
1tsp x Cumin Seeds, toasted
1 x Orange, juiced and zested
1 x Lime, juiced and zested
A Handful of Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
1tsp x Cumin Seeds, toasted
1 x Orange, juiced and zested
1 x Lime, juiced and zested
A Handful of Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped
Cut into the chicken breast, horizontally and open out like a book – gently flatten a little. Griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side. Whisk the olive oil, garlic, cumin, orange and lime juice and zest, season and add the parsley. Serve the chicken with the mojo sauce, and new potatoes.
Spice of the week – Poppy Seeds
Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). The tiny kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. The seeds are used, whole or ground, as an ingredient in many foods, and they are pressed to yield poppyseed oil. The Sumerians already grew them and the seed is mentioned in ancient medical texts from many civilizations. For instance, the Egyptian papyrus scroll named Ebers Papyrus, written ca. 1550 BC, lists poppy seed as a sedative. The Minoan civilization (approximately 2700 to 1450 BC), a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete, cultivated poppies for their seed.[citation needed] Poppy seeds have long been used as a folk remedy to aid sleeping, promote fertility and wealth, and even to provide supposed magical powers of invisibility.
Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). The tiny kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. The seeds are used, whole or ground, as an ingredient in many foods, and they are pressed to yield poppyseed oil. The Sumerians already grew them and the seed is mentioned in ancient medical texts from many civilizations. For instance, the Egyptian papyrus scroll named Ebers Papyrus, written ca. 1550 BC, lists poppy seed as a sedative. The Minoan civilization (approximately 2700 to 1450 BC), a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete, cultivated poppies for their seed.[citation needed] Poppy seeds have long been used as a folk remedy to aid sleeping, promote fertility and wealth, and even to provide supposed magical powers of invisibility.
Whole poppy seeds are widely used as a spice and decoration in and on top of many baked goods. In North America they are used in and on many food items such as rusk, bagels (like the Montreal-style bagel), bialys, muffins and cakes, for example, sponge cake. Across Europe, buns and soft white bread pastries are often sprinkled on top with black and white poppy seeds (for example Cozonac, Kalach Kolache and, Kołacz).
Poppy seeds are used in various German breads and desserts as well as in Polish cuisine. Like sesame seeds, poppy seeds are often added to hamburger buns and make hot dog buns extra crunchy. Le Snak is a food product made by Uncle Toby's of New Zealand, consisting of three poppy-seed crackers and a portion of semi-solid cheese.
In Lithuania and Eastern Slovakia a traditional meal is prepared for the Kūčios (Christmas Eve) dinner from the poppy seeds. They are ground and mixed with water; round yeast biscuits (kūčiukai; bobalky in Slovak) are soaked in the resulting poppy seed 'milk' (poppy milk) and served cold. Poppy seeds can also be used like sesame seeds to make a bar of candy. The bars are made from boiled seeds mixed with sugar or with honey. This is especially common in the Balkans, Greece and even in the cuisines of former Austro-Hungarian countries.
Fillings in pastries are usually made of finely ground poppy seeds mixed with butter or milk and sugar. The ground filling is used in poppy seed rolls and some croissants and may be flavoured with lemon or orange zest, rum and vanilla with raisins, heavy cream, cinnamon, and chopped blanched almonds or walnuts added. For sweet baked goods, sometimes instead of sugar a tablespoon of jam, or other sweet binding agent, like syrup is substituted. The poppy seed for fillings are best when they are finely and freshly ground because this will make a big difference in the pastry fillings texture and taste. Some recipes for Mohnstriezel use poppy seed soaked in water for two hours or boiled in milk. A recipe for Ukrainian poppyseed cake recommends preparing the seeds by immersing in boiling water, straining and soaking in milk overnight.
Poppy seeds are highly nutritious, and less allergenic than many other seeds and nuts. Allergy (type 1 hypersensitivity) to poppy seeds is very rare, but has been reported and can cause anaphylaxis. Poppy seeds are also a potential source of anti-cancer drugs.
My final recipe is Cod with Tomato and Chilli Sauce, courtesy of Olive Magazine March 2011.
Serves 2 Prep time A few mins, Cook time approx. 15mins
Olive Oil
1 x Garlic Clove, sliced
4 x Chorizo Slices, cut into matchsticks
A Pinch of Chilli Flakes
1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
2 x Thick Skinless Cod Fillets (or any other white fish from a sustainable source)
Green Beans, cooked to serve
1 x Garlic Clove, sliced
4 x Chorizo Slices, cut into matchsticks
A Pinch of Chilli Flakes
1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
2 x Thick Skinless Cod Fillets (or any other white fish from a sustainable source)
Green Beans, cooked to serve
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan then cook the garlic and chorizo for a few minutes. Add the chilli and tomatoes and simmer for 10mins until thickened and season. Meanwhile rub the fish with a little more oil, season and grill or steam until cooked through, about 4-6mins. Serve the fish with the sauce and green beans.
If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.
Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D
No comments:
Post a Comment