Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is all to do with winter warmers from far off lands. The original versions of this week’s featured recipes started off life in America and Italy, however the recipes have changed over the years to suit a diversity of diets and tastes.
They are Manhattan Clam Chowder and Tuscany Three Bean and Wild Mushroom Stew. The Spice of the week is Caraway.
My first recipe is Manhattan Clam Chowder, courtesy of Slimming World Magazine Nov/Dec 2010.
This recipe serves 4, takes 20mins to prepare and can take approx 1hr 30mins to cook.
12 x Bacon Rashers, all visible fat removed and roughly chopped
2 x Large Onions, chopped
2 x Leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
1 x Large Red Pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
850ml x Fish Stock
1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 tsp x Dried Thyme
400g x Potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 x 280g Cans of Clams in Brine
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A Dash of Tabasco Sauce
A Small Handful of Fresh Parsley, finely chopped (to garnish)
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the bacon and stir-fry for 5-6mins, or until browned. Then put the bacon, onions, leeks, pepper and 312ml of fish stock in a saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil, let it boil for 5-10mins, then cover and simmer gently for 20-30mins, or until the onions are tender.
Add the remaining stock, tomatoes and thyme, and simmer gently for 15mins. Add the potatoes and clams. Season and simmer for a further 15mins, until the potato is cooked and tender but not mushy. Season to taste, add a dash of Tabasco and serve the chowder immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Spice of the week - Caraway (carum carvi)
Caraway is a hardy umbellifer native to Asia and Northern/Central Europe. It is cultivated as a biennial, not only in its regions of origin but also in Morocco, the US, and Canada. The Romans used it with vegetables and fish; medieval cooks as a flavouring for soups and bean or cabbage dishes. In 17th Century England it was popular in bread, cakes, and baked fruit; coated with sugar the seeds made comfits. Nowadays The Netherlands and Germany are the major producers. The essential oil flavours spirits such as aquavit and Kummel.
The primary medical benefit of caraway is its effect on digestion. It is a carminative which means it helps with gas and digestion. It is helpful to chew caraway seeds after a heavy meal. It has been used for colic as it is a light sedative and it can be used to settle a queasy stomach (antispasmodic).
In Central Europe, and especially in the Jewish cooking originating there, caraway is used to flavour brown or rye breads, biscuits, seedcakes, sausages, cabbage, soups, and stews. It gives many south German and Austrian dishes their characteristic flavour, be it pumpernickel bread or roast pork; it is used in coleslaw and in combination with juniper for sauerkraut. It accompanies Munster cheese in Alsace; the seeds are also used in Gerome, another local cheese, and in pain d’epices. Caraway is used in the cooking of North Africa, mostly in vegetable dishes and in spice blends, such as Tunisian tabil and Harissa. Morocco has a traditional caraway soup – as does Hungary, where caraway also figures prominently in goulash. Mention of caraway in Indian recipes usually stems from a mistranslation of the word for cumin; caraway itself is used only in Northern India – it grows wild in the Himalayas. Turkish recipes may cite “black caraway”, which is not true caraway but Nigella seed.
Young leaves, less pungent than the seeds and resembling dill in taste and appearance, are an interesting addition to salads, soups, or fresh white cheese. They make a good garnish for lightly cooked young vegetables and most other dishes for which parsley can be used.
My last recipe is Tuscany Three Bean and Wild Mushroom Stew, Recipe by Ashbell McElveen taken from Good Food Bites, courtesy of GoodFood Channel website.
This recipe serves 8, takes 15mins to prepare and takes 35-40mins to cook, plus resting time.
125ml Olive Oil
3 x Garlic Clove, minced
1 x Onion, chopped
Handful of Sage, chopped
1 x Medium Red Pepper, chopped
1 x Medium Green Pepper, chopped
1 tsp x Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp x Mild Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp x Sweet Paprika
1 x 400g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
1 x 410g Tinned Cannellini, rinsed and drained
1 x 410g Tinned Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 x 410g Tinned Borlotti Beans, rinsed and drained
500ml x Organic Vegetable Stock
225g x Wild Mushrooms - chopped
Ground black pepper
Sea Salt
Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Warm Bread, to serve
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add in the garlic, onion, parsley, peppers and stir fry for 5 minutes. Mix in the cumin, chilli powder, paprika, tomatoes, beans and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the mixed wild mushrooms, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to rest for 30 minutes, this allows the stew to thicken. Heat through and serve in a bowl over roasted sweet potatoes, or with warm bread.
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
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
Showing posts with label Cannellini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cannellini. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Cann A Llini Be A Has Bean?
Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is all about quick and easy, heart warming suppers. This week’s recipes are Pork Chops with Spiced Baked Beans and Spanish Bean Stew. The Herb of the week is Bergamot.
My first recipe is Pork Chops with Spiced Baked Beans, courtesy of Delicious Magazine December 2010.
This recipe serves 4, takes 20mins to prepare and can take approx 18mins to cook.
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
4 x Pork Chops
90g x Black Pudding – peeled and crumbled
4 x Shallots – finely sliced
2 x Large Garlic Cloves – finely chopped
1 tsp x Cayenne Pepper (or 1 tsp x Mild Chilli Powder
150ml x White Wine
1 x 400g Tin of Cherry Tomatoes
1 x 400g Tin of Haricot Beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp x Worcestershire sauce
Small Bunch of Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves roughly chopped
Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole over a medium heat, season the chops and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add the black pudding and fry for 2mins or until crisp. Set aside and keep warm. Lower the heat, add the shallots and soften for 10 minutes, stirring through the garlic cayenne (or chilli powder) for the final 2 minutes. Pour over the wine and bubble until reduced by half. Stir through the tomatoes, beans and Worcestershire Sauce. Season.
Return the chops to the casserole and simmer for a couple of minutes or until the pork is cooked. Divide the bean mixture among 4 plates with a chop on top. Scatter over the black pudding and parsley to serve.
Herb of the Week – Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
Bergamot is also Oswego tea, Bee balm, High balm, Low balm, Mountain balm and Mountain mint, from the Lamiaceae. Native to North America, the genus name is named after the 16th century Spanish physician, Nicolas Monardes, who’s Joyfull Newes Out of the Newe Founde Worlde was the first American herbal. The common name, Bergamot, is said to have come from the scent of the crushed leaf which resembles the small, bitter Italian Bergamot Orange (Citrus bergamia), from which oil is produced that is used in aromatherapy, perfumes and cosmetics. The wild or purple bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) grows around the Oswego river district near Lake Ontario in the United States. Of Indian tea, following the Boston Tea Party 1773.
Bergamot is a member of the mint family, and its leaves have a citrus-like flavour. It grows up to 1 m (3 feet) high. The flowers vary and several colours, varying from pink and mauve to a rich scarlet can be found.
This herb is excellent in relieving nausea, flatulence, menstrual pain and vomiting. Aromatherapists have found bergamot oil good for depression, as well as helping the body to fight infections. The Oswego Indians used it for colds and bronchial complaints as it contains the powerful antiseptic, thymol.
It is a herb with a savoury and fruity flavour, an aromatic and stimulant, especially improving digestion. Pick the small flower petals separately and scatter over a green salad at the last moment. Put fresh leaves into China tea for an Earl Grey-like flavour, and into wine cups and lemonade. The chopped leaves can be added sparingly to salads and stuffings, and can also be used to flavour jams and jellies.
My next recipe is Spanish Bean Stew, courtesy of BBC GoodFood Magazine December 2010.
This recipe serves 4, takes 10mins to prepare and takes 30mins to cook.
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
200g x Chorizo Sausage – thickly sliced
1 x Onion – chopped
400g x Chicken Thigh Fillets – cubed
1 x Tomato – roughly chopped
1 x 410g Can of Cannellini Beans
1 x Large Potato – cut into small cubes
500ml x Hot Chicken Stock
4 tbsp x Parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chorizo, onion and chicken over a high heat for 5mins. Add the tomato and cook for a further 2-3mins until pulpy. Stir in the beans, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 20mins until the potato is soft and the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the parsley and serve.
Chef’s Tip: You can cool and freeze the stew for up to 2 months. To serve and heat through thoroughly.
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
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
My first recipe is Pork Chops with Spiced Baked Beans, courtesy of Delicious Magazine December 2010.
This recipe serves 4, takes 20mins to prepare and can take approx 18mins to cook.
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
4 x Pork Chops
90g x Black Pudding – peeled and crumbled
4 x Shallots – finely sliced
2 x Large Garlic Cloves – finely chopped
1 tsp x Cayenne Pepper (or 1 tsp x Mild Chilli Powder
150ml x White Wine
1 x 400g Tin of Cherry Tomatoes
1 x 400g Tin of Haricot Beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp x Worcestershire sauce
Small Bunch of Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves roughly chopped
Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole over a medium heat, season the chops and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add the black pudding and fry for 2mins or until crisp. Set aside and keep warm. Lower the heat, add the shallots and soften for 10 minutes, stirring through the garlic cayenne (or chilli powder) for the final 2 minutes. Pour over the wine and bubble until reduced by half. Stir through the tomatoes, beans and Worcestershire Sauce. Season.
Return the chops to the casserole and simmer for a couple of minutes or until the pork is cooked. Divide the bean mixture among 4 plates with a chop on top. Scatter over the black pudding and parsley to serve.
Herb of the Week – Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
Bergamot is also Oswego tea, Bee balm, High balm, Low balm, Mountain balm and Mountain mint, from the Lamiaceae. Native to North America, the genus name is named after the 16th century Spanish physician, Nicolas Monardes, who’s Joyfull Newes Out of the Newe Founde Worlde was the first American herbal. The common name, Bergamot, is said to have come from the scent of the crushed leaf which resembles the small, bitter Italian Bergamot Orange (Citrus bergamia), from which oil is produced that is used in aromatherapy, perfumes and cosmetics. The wild or purple bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) grows around the Oswego river district near Lake Ontario in the United States. Of Indian tea, following the Boston Tea Party 1773.
Bergamot is a member of the mint family, and its leaves have a citrus-like flavour. It grows up to 1 m (3 feet) high. The flowers vary and several colours, varying from pink and mauve to a rich scarlet can be found.
This herb is excellent in relieving nausea, flatulence, menstrual pain and vomiting. Aromatherapists have found bergamot oil good for depression, as well as helping the body to fight infections. The Oswego Indians used it for colds and bronchial complaints as it contains the powerful antiseptic, thymol.
It is a herb with a savoury and fruity flavour, an aromatic and stimulant, especially improving digestion. Pick the small flower petals separately and scatter over a green salad at the last moment. Put fresh leaves into China tea for an Earl Grey-like flavour, and into wine cups and lemonade. The chopped leaves can be added sparingly to salads and stuffings, and can also be used to flavour jams and jellies.
My next recipe is Spanish Bean Stew, courtesy of BBC GoodFood Magazine December 2010.
This recipe serves 4, takes 10mins to prepare and takes 30mins to cook.
1 tbsp x Olive Oil
200g x Chorizo Sausage – thickly sliced
1 x Onion – chopped
400g x Chicken Thigh Fillets – cubed
1 x Tomato – roughly chopped
1 x 410g Can of Cannellini Beans
1 x Large Potato – cut into small cubes
500ml x Hot Chicken Stock
4 tbsp x Parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chorizo, onion and chicken over a high heat for 5mins. Add the tomato and cook for a further 2-3mins until pulpy. Stir in the beans, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 20mins until the potato is soft and the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the parsley and serve.
Chef’s Tip: You can cool and freeze the stew for up to 2 months. To serve and heat through thoroughly.
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
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Bangers and Flash
Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is all about Bonfire Night, or to give its alternative name Guy Fawkes Night.
It's an annual celebration held on the evening of 5 November to mark the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the Houses of Parliament in London. The occasion is primarily celebrated in Great Britain where, by an Act of Parliament called The Thanksgiving Act, it was compulsory until 1859, to celebrate the deliverance of the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It is also celebrated in some former British colonies including New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, parts of the Caribbean and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. Bonfire Night was celebrated in Australia until the mid-to-late 1970s, when sale and public use of fireworks was made illegal and the celebration was effectively abolished. Festivities are centred on the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires.
In the United Kingdom, celebrations take place in towns and villages across the country in the form of both private and civic events. The festivities involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires on which "guys" are traditionally burnt. The "guys" are traditionally effigies of Guy Fawkes, the most famous of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, although may also be effigies of local or national hate figures. Although the night is celebrated in York (Fawkes' hometown) some there do not burn his effigy, most notably those from his old school. In the weeks before bonfire night, children traditionally displayed the "guy" and requested a "penny for the guy" in order to raise funds with which to buy fireworks. However, this practice has diminished greatly, perhaps because it has been seen as begging, and also because children are not allowed to buy fireworks. In addition there are concerns that children might misuse the money.
So, to give your bonfire celebrations a bit more of a “sparkler” this week’s recipes are Bonfire Bangers and Beans and Homemade Toffee Apples. The Spice of the week is Nutmeg.
My first recipe is Bonfire Bangers and Beans, recipe by Emma Lewis, courtesy of http://www.bbcgoodfood.com./
This recipe serves 8, takes 10mins to prepare and can take 1hr to cook.
3 tbsp x Vegetable Oil
1 x Onions – finely chopped
2 x Celery Sticks – finely chopped
4 x Streaky Bacon Rashers – chopped (or Pancetta)
1 tbsp x Tomato Puree
2 x 400g cans Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp x Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp x Dijon mustard
2 x Thyme Sprigs
2 tsp x Worcestershire sauce
2 x 400g cans Cannellini Beans , rinsed and drained
2 x Red Peppers - deseeded and chopped
2 x 450g packs Herby Sausages
A Handful Parsley Leaves, chopped, to serve (optional)
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the onion, celery and bacon, then cook for 5-10 mins until softened. Turn up the heat and add the tomato purée. Cook for 2 mins, then add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, mustard, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and 200ml water, then bring to the boil. Cook uncovered, over a low heat for 15 mins. Add the beans and peppers, then simmer for 15 mins more, topping up with a little boiling water if needed.
Pre-heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5, toss the sausages with remaining 1 tbsp oil and spread out on a baking tray. Cook for 30 mins until browned all over, turning occasionally. Nestle the sausages among the beans, then cover and place the pan in the oven. Cook for 30 mins more. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the parsley, if using, and serve with the baked potatoes. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated in a low oven or on the hob.
Spice of the Week – Nutmeg (myristica fragrans)
This spreading, evergreen tree, native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, often called the Spice Islands, produces fruit that yields two distinct spices, Nutmeg and Mace. In the 6th Century both spices formed part of the caravan trade to Alexandria; they were probably taken to Europe by the crusaders. Their early use, in China, India, Arabia, and Europe alike was medicinal. When the Portuguese starting trading direct to the islands, nutmeg gained importance as a spice, and by the 18th Century a real craze for it developed in England.
In India Nutmeg is used more than mace because of the latter’s high cost; both are used sparingly, mainly in Moghul dishes. The Arabs have long used both spices in delicately flavoured mutton and lamb dishes. In North Africa they are found in such spice mixtures in Tunisian qalat daqqa and Moroccan ras el hanout. The Europeans have used Nutmeg and Mace most extensively, in both sweet and savoury dishes. It is used widely in honey cakes, rich fruit cakes, fruit desserts and fruit punch. It goes well in stews and in most egg and cheese dishes, as does mace. The Dutch add nutmeg lavishly to white cabbage, cauliflower, vegetable purees, meat stews, and fruit puddings; the Italians add rather more subtle quantities to mixed vegetable dishes, spinach, veal and fillings or sauces for pasta. In France it is used with pepper and cloves in slow-cooked stews and ragouts.
The compound macelignan was isolated from Myristica fragrans (Myristicaceae) and shown to exert antimicrobial activity against Streptococus mutans comparable to chlorhexidine and superior to other natural anticariogenic agents (sanguinarine, eucalyptol, thymol, menthol and methyl salicylate). Macelignan (20 μg / ml) displayed rapid antibacterial activity and completely eliminated viable Streptococus mutans within 1 min. It also showed preferential activity against other cariogenic bacteria. Macelignan also displayed antibiofilm activity against Streptococus mutans, Streptococus sanguis and Actinomyces viscosus.
In low doses, nutmeg produces no noticeable physiological or neurological response, but large doses cause symptoms and harm. Nutmeg contains myristicin, a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Myristicin poisoning can induce convulsions, palpitations, nausea, eventual dehydration, and generalized body pain. It is also reputed to be a strong deliriant. Fatal myristicin poisonings in humans are very rare, but two have been reported, in an 8-year-old child and a 55-year-old adult, the latter case attributed to a combination with flunitrazepam. Myristicin poisoning is potentially deadly to some pets and livestock, and may be caused by culinary quantities of nutmeg harmless to humans. For this reason, for example, it is recommended not to feed eggnog to dogs.
Nutmeg was once considered an abortifacient, but may be safe for culinary use during pregnancy. However, it inhibits prostaglandin production and contains hallucinogens that may affect the foetus if consumed in large quantities.
My next recipe is Homemade Toffee Apples, recipe by Emma Lewis, courtesy of http://www.bbcgoodfood.com./
This recipe makes 8, takes 10mins to prepare and can take 10mins to cook.
8 x Granny Smith Apples
400g x Golden Caster Sugar
1 tsp x Vinegar
4 tbsp x Golden Syrup
Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. These can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.
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
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
It's an annual celebration held on the evening of 5 November to mark the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the Houses of Parliament in London. The occasion is primarily celebrated in Great Britain where, by an Act of Parliament called The Thanksgiving Act, it was compulsory until 1859, to celebrate the deliverance of the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It is also celebrated in some former British colonies including New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, parts of the Caribbean and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. Bonfire Night was celebrated in Australia until the mid-to-late 1970s, when sale and public use of fireworks was made illegal and the celebration was effectively abolished. Festivities are centred on the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires.
In the United Kingdom, celebrations take place in towns and villages across the country in the form of both private and civic events. The festivities involve fireworks displays and the building of bonfires on which "guys" are traditionally burnt. The "guys" are traditionally effigies of Guy Fawkes, the most famous of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, although may also be effigies of local or national hate figures. Although the night is celebrated in York (Fawkes' hometown) some there do not burn his effigy, most notably those from his old school. In the weeks before bonfire night, children traditionally displayed the "guy" and requested a "penny for the guy" in order to raise funds with which to buy fireworks. However, this practice has diminished greatly, perhaps because it has been seen as begging, and also because children are not allowed to buy fireworks. In addition there are concerns that children might misuse the money.
So, to give your bonfire celebrations a bit more of a “sparkler” this week’s recipes are Bonfire Bangers and Beans and Homemade Toffee Apples. The Spice of the week is Nutmeg.
My first recipe is Bonfire Bangers and Beans, recipe by Emma Lewis, courtesy of http://www.bbcgoodfood.com./
This recipe serves 8, takes 10mins to prepare and can take 1hr to cook.
3 tbsp x Vegetable Oil
1 x Onions – finely chopped
2 x Celery Sticks – finely chopped
4 x Streaky Bacon Rashers – chopped (or Pancetta)
1 tbsp x Tomato Puree
2 x 400g cans Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp x Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp x Dijon mustard
2 x Thyme Sprigs
2 tsp x Worcestershire sauce
2 x 400g cans Cannellini Beans , rinsed and drained
2 x Red Peppers - deseeded and chopped
2 x 450g packs Herby Sausages
A Handful Parsley Leaves, chopped, to serve (optional)
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the onion, celery and bacon, then cook for 5-10 mins until softened. Turn up the heat and add the tomato purée. Cook for 2 mins, then add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, mustard, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and 200ml water, then bring to the boil. Cook uncovered, over a low heat for 15 mins. Add the beans and peppers, then simmer for 15 mins more, topping up with a little boiling water if needed.
Pre-heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5, toss the sausages with remaining 1 tbsp oil and spread out on a baking tray. Cook for 30 mins until browned all over, turning occasionally. Nestle the sausages among the beans, then cover and place the pan in the oven. Cook for 30 mins more. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the parsley, if using, and serve with the baked potatoes. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated in a low oven or on the hob.
Spice of the Week – Nutmeg (myristica fragrans)
This spreading, evergreen tree, native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, often called the Spice Islands, produces fruit that yields two distinct spices, Nutmeg and Mace. In the 6th Century both spices formed part of the caravan trade to Alexandria; they were probably taken to Europe by the crusaders. Their early use, in China, India, Arabia, and Europe alike was medicinal. When the Portuguese starting trading direct to the islands, nutmeg gained importance as a spice, and by the 18th Century a real craze for it developed in England.
In India Nutmeg is used more than mace because of the latter’s high cost; both are used sparingly, mainly in Moghul dishes. The Arabs have long used both spices in delicately flavoured mutton and lamb dishes. In North Africa they are found in such spice mixtures in Tunisian qalat daqqa and Moroccan ras el hanout. The Europeans have used Nutmeg and Mace most extensively, in both sweet and savoury dishes. It is used widely in honey cakes, rich fruit cakes, fruit desserts and fruit punch. It goes well in stews and in most egg and cheese dishes, as does mace. The Dutch add nutmeg lavishly to white cabbage, cauliflower, vegetable purees, meat stews, and fruit puddings; the Italians add rather more subtle quantities to mixed vegetable dishes, spinach, veal and fillings or sauces for pasta. In France it is used with pepper and cloves in slow-cooked stews and ragouts.
The compound macelignan was isolated from Myristica fragrans (Myristicaceae) and shown to exert antimicrobial activity against Streptococus mutans comparable to chlorhexidine and superior to other natural anticariogenic agents (sanguinarine, eucalyptol, thymol, menthol and methyl salicylate). Macelignan (20 μg / ml) displayed rapid antibacterial activity and completely eliminated viable Streptococus mutans within 1 min. It also showed preferential activity against other cariogenic bacteria. Macelignan also displayed antibiofilm activity against Streptococus mutans, Streptococus sanguis and Actinomyces viscosus.
In low doses, nutmeg produces no noticeable physiological or neurological response, but large doses cause symptoms and harm. Nutmeg contains myristicin, a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Myristicin poisoning can induce convulsions, palpitations, nausea, eventual dehydration, and generalized body pain. It is also reputed to be a strong deliriant. Fatal myristicin poisonings in humans are very rare, but two have been reported, in an 8-year-old child and a 55-year-old adult, the latter case attributed to a combination with flunitrazepam. Myristicin poisoning is potentially deadly to some pets and livestock, and may be caused by culinary quantities of nutmeg harmless to humans. For this reason, for example, it is recommended not to feed eggnog to dogs.
Nutmeg was once considered an abortifacient, but may be safe for culinary use during pregnancy. However, it inhibits prostaglandin production and contains hallucinogens that may affect the foetus if consumed in large quantities.
My next recipe is Homemade Toffee Apples, recipe by Emma Lewis, courtesy of http://www.bbcgoodfood.com./
This recipe makes 8, takes 10mins to prepare and can take 10mins to cook.
8 x Granny Smith Apples
400g x Golden Caster Sugar
1 tsp x Vinegar
4 tbsp x Golden Syrup
Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. These can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.
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
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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