ICED DARKLY SPICY GINGER BISCUITS, wheat & butter-free

There is something about lightly sweetened spicy ginger cookies that act like men magnets.

Spicy Ginger Cookies with white chocolate drizzle & crystallised ginger
'Oh yeah! This is a real cookie!' 'Very More-ish.' (tasters)

Iced Darkly Spicy Ginger Biscuits are no exception.

67 normally goes for naked biscuits, especially if they taste fantastic already.  For something like the MacMillan fund-raiser, though, the Blogger will go a bit wild, dribbling on white chocolate ganache and other nice things to raise sales.

It worked.

The cookie dough is easy to put together - though you will need electric beaters or a stand-alone mixer with a good motor. 

Cost: £2.50

Makes: at least 24 small or 12 large

Ingred:

   215gm/7.5oz white flour, spelt or wheat

   100gm/3.5 wholemeal flour, spelt or wheat (opt. but if not using replace with plain white flour)

    1/4 tsp salt

   1 tsp baking soda

   2 tsp cinnamon
   1 1/2 tsp cloves 

   1/2 tsp dried ginger

   1/2 tsp nutmeg

   

   1/3 cup/75ml molasses/ black treacle)

   175gm/6.2oz dark brown sugar   
   1/4 cup/60ml sunflower oil

   1 extra large egg
   1 tsp vanilla extract

   

  

Left: crystallised ginger
Right: ginger in syrup   

 Ganache: 
    4 oz/115gm white cooking chocolate
    90 ml double cream 
    1/2 tsp vanilla

Garnish:
    3/4 c/100 gm crystallised ginger, finely diced, and clump-free

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 180 c/350F  
2. Line two cookie trays with greaseproof paper
3. Stir together flours, salt, baking soda and spices, distributing spices evenly 
4. In a good-sized bowl, beat sugar, molasses and oil with electric beaters for 5 mins until thick and well blended  
5. Beat in egg & vanilla
6. Add dry ingred in halves; beat till blended - the dough will be very thick
7. Use a 20 ml ice scream scoop/spoon to drop dough onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper; the cookies need a little room but not much
8. Dip clean thumb into a dish of water; shake off excess; press thumb on the centre of the cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake 12-15 mins
9. Cool 5 mins on tin; then use a fish slice to move to a cooling rack until completely cold.
10. Meanwhile, chop crystallised ginger into fine dice, separating the pieces as you go.
11. Pour ganache (method below) into a piping bag with a fine tip, or use a small teaspoon, to drizzle decorative lines over the biscuits (if you're feeling lazy or the kids want to help, dip the top of cookie into the ganache). 
12. Quickly sprinkle generously with crystallised ginger; serve when icing is set

Icing:

1. Chop chocolate finely; set aside
2. Heat cream in a small heavy bottomed saucepan. When steam starts rising and tiny bubbles appear at the outer edge of the cream, it is ready; don't let it boil.
3. Take pan off heat; add chocolate in stages, whisking each time to incorporate
4. Add vanilla, stir; pour into a heatproof bowl & cool
5. Cover with clingfilm, allowing it to stick to the surface of the ganache
6. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours

Comments:

• 'Oh yeah! The ginger comes through very well; the texture is great.  This is a real cookie.' 30-something lawyer (male)
• 'I love these!' senior underground driver
• 'Absolutely beautiful!  They were so moist and lovely.' Independent butchers
• 'Once you have one, you want more; I took some home from the MacMillan sale and enjoyed them very much.' Political agent

Tips:

• leftovers keep well for up to 4 days if kept in an air-tight tin
• crystallised ginger & ginger in syrup are available at major supermarkets 
• if you haven't any cream or chocolate for ganache, an icing sugar glaze made with 3 tbsp icing sugar & 1 generous teaspoon milk will work but adds sugar

                                               Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipes has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and  may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.                                     

CHEESE & CHIVE CRACKERS, an Indulgence but so, so good! Must prep ahead

Home-made cheese crackers are a sensational hor d'oeuvre  -- and they're so easy to make...

'So melt-in-the-mouth!''They're so light and fragile; the taste explosion is total!' Tasters

You have never tasted a cheese cracker unless or until you've tasted homemade cheese crackers. 

They are incredibly easy to make but can go wrong, mostly because ovens vary and are temperamental.  67's first efforts spread all over the baking sheet, developing lacey edges; pretty and delicious as they were, the crackers were completely the wrong size and shape. 

What is wanted is something small but perfectly formed.  Follow the instructions, especially about refrigerating overnight, and you should be okay.

The biscuits are very high in saturated fat.  For anyone worried about cholesterol, discipline is essential.  Restrict yourself to...say, 3 then plant yourself on the other side of the room!

The crackers take minutes to put together but need a resting time of at least 4 hours.

Cost: £2.00 (June '23)
Makes:  about 25 cocktail-sized crackers

Ingred:

   100gm/3.5oz plain flour (up to 25% wholemeal for fibre if you want healthier)
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   pepper & a little salt
   100gm/3.5oz softened butter

   2 generous tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives (opt)

   100gm/3.5oz mature cheddar, grated
  

Method:

1. Using electric beaters with a paddle, or on slow speed, beat butter just until smooth
2. Add flour, baking powder, pepper, salt & chives; mix until well combined -- no streaks of flour.  The mix will be sloppy.  Set aside electric beaters
3. Blend cheese into the mix with a spatula, evenly distributing the cheese
4. Cover a chopping board with a large layer of clingfilm
5. Scrape the cheese/flour/butter mix on to the centre
6. Without touching the dough, use the edges of the clingfilm to form a cylinder about 38cm/1.5inches in diameter -- like a (very) fat cigar.  The cylinder will be about 22-cm/9-10 inches long; it may look lumpy but don't worry, the next step will sort it
7. Wrap the cylinder tightly in cling and tightly twist the ends -- it'll help the cylinder take on a smooth shape and flatten the ends. (If you prefer square crackers, mould the cylinder into a square shape)
8. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight
9. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180c/350F  
10. Line two cookie trays with greaseproof paper
11. Take the dough out of the fridge; unwrap; using a sharp knife, cut into generous 1cm/1/3 inch slices 
12. Arrange on baking sheets with a little space in between; refrigerate until oven is ready
13. Bake 12-14 mins or until golden and browning at the edges; keep your eye on them, ovens will vary
14. Leave on baking tray a few mins then transfer to a cooling rack with a fish slice
15. Serve with cocktail napkins; they're crumbly

 Comments: 
'The crackers are so light and fragile they melt in the mouth. The taste explosion is total. A complete success.  I will have them with my rabbit stew tonight.' Political Agent
'How does she make them so melt-in-the-mouth?' Local council Opposition leader
                                                    

More savoury breads on NavBar: Recipes II...

 Please leave a comment in the box below 

This recipes have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission

SPECIAL OCCASION CAKE: COINTREAU ORANGE CHOCOLATE, an Indulgence

Cointreau and fresh oranges take this already gorgeous cake into the stratosphere for flavour and texture.

Just imagine this cake smothered in silken chocolate and cointreau frosting
and stuffed with fresh orange slices steeped in cointreau! (Stock Photo)

This Chocolate Cake is an old favourite, taken to the next level with lashings of Cointreau and orange slices.  

The Cake recipe comes from the mother of a friend of Food Network's Ina Garten.

It's a wonderfully moist, darkly chocolate concoction that's never failed, is   surprisingly easy to make and is very adaptable.  

Orange essence is optional but adds a wonderful layer of flavour.  It only costs a pound - much cheaper than vanilla - and adds such interest to whatever it favours  gets used up quickly.  

Cost: £3.00'ish (at 2019 prices)
Portions: recommended 12

Ingred:
    150gm/5.3oz plain flour
      60gm/2.1oz wholemeal flour
    350gm/12.3oz white sugar (or a mix of white & soft brown)
      90gm/3.5oz cocoa powder(not drinking chocolate)
    2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp salt

    zest, juice and segments of three oranges, separated 

    240 ml buttermilk, shaken
    120 ml light vegetable oil
    2 eggs at room temperature
    1 tsp orange essence
    juice of two oranges (from above)
    240 ml freshly brewed hot coffee LESS the amount of orange juice

Icing:
   60gm/2.1oz 70% chocolate (for the frugal, Bournville will do) 
   125gm/4.5oz unsalted butter, at room temp
   1 egg yolk, at room temp
   1 tsp good orange essence
   75 gm/2.5oz sifted icing sugar
   3 tbsp contreau 

    orange segments
   
Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160 fan/350f/gas 5
2. Line the bottom of two 22cm/9inch clip-sided baking tins with greaseproof paper 
3. Dribble orange liqueur over orange segments; leave to macerate at least 20 mins or overnight.  Drain, reserving juices, pat dry. Set aside for icing
4. Sift dry ingred & orange zest into large bowl; mix with electric beaters on low speed or with paddle attachment on a free-standing mixer
5. In a large jug, hand-whisk buttermilk, oil, eggs, orange essence, juice of two oranges  
6. Slowly add wet ingred to dry; blend on low speed
7. Add coffee and mix, again on low speed, until just combined; use a spatula to scrape bottom and sides of bowl to ensure all is mixed in
8. Whiz the batter with beaters on high for a minute 
9. Divide batter in two equal portions; pour into pans; if your oven isn't very big and you have to bake the cakes one at a time, cover the second cake with cling film pressed onto the batter and refrigerate until 20 minutes before the end of cooking the first.  
10. Bake 35-45 mins or until toothpick comes out clean
11. Cool in pans 30 mins; then turn out onto cooling rack, remove paper and cool completely 

Icing:  

1. Break up chocolate and melt in heat-proof bowl above (not touching) simmering water; cool to room temperature 
2. Meanwhile beat butter at med-high speed until light & fluffy - about 2 mins
3. Add egg yolk & orange essence; beat another 3 mins
4. Turn beaters/mixer to low; gradually beat in icing sugar; raise speed to med, scrapping down bowl occasionally until mix is smooth & creamy
5. On low speed, add chocolate & cointreau; mix until just blended
6. When cakes are absolutely cool, spread icing on base layer; scatter orange segments over the icing 
7. Add second cake; cover thickly with remaining icing (if there's enough, the sides can also be iced)
8. Refrigerate at least an hour before slicing

Tip:

• This will also work in a 8.5x12inch/30cmx21cm rectangular pan
• If you like this, you will probably also like Dark Chocolate Cake & Once-a-Year Icing

                                                                    The Food Network is on Channel 41 Freeview

                                 Lots more chocolate cake on NavBar: Recipes 1/Baking 

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe was adapted by  B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without written permission.    

VEGGIE COMFORT FOOD: ALMOST NO DAIRY WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH VEGAN BACON BITS

An almost dairy-free white bean soup, wonderful in its basic form but easily tweaked for sassy stress-free variations

White Bean Soup: tummy & wallet soothing with vegan & carnivore options

(This one with vegan 'bacon bits' & chives)

'Love the almost no-dairy creaminess and the sassy variations.' Blogger

first posted Jan 2017

White bean soup is the perfect dish for colder weather: comforting, high in protein but wallet-friendly. 

It's versatile, providing a thick satisfying main course or a silky sensational first course.  It can be served on its own or with added vegetables or shredded protein.

Dairy-free, depending on choice of yoghurt, it's also very effective at soothing the digestive system after over-indulgence.

This one needs good ingredients.  Reconstituted dried white beans and good stock/broth, preferable chicken if you're not vegetarian, provide the best flavour and texture.  

67 tested this with tinned pulses and it was fine.  But don't be tempted to leave out the yoghurt and, if not using parmesan, garnish generously:  vegan bacon bits, spicy croutons, blanched mushrooms or plenty of shredded protein.

Cost: £1.50
Feeds: 4-6; recipe doubles easily

Ingred:
   2 tbsp good olive oil
   1 yellow onion (about 1 coffee mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   a couple of carrots (a generous half mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   2 sticks celery in med dice (a generous half mug)

   generous 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
   1 small clove garlic, minced or grated  
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried rosemary
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried thyme
   3 cups good stock (veggie for vegetarians but chicken is fine for carnivores)
  
   240 gm reconstituted dried white beans, cooked and drained  OR drained, rinsed tinned white beans

   pepper & salt

  0-fat strained plain yoghurt

   3-4 tbsp grated parmesan (opt)

Method:

1. Heat a medium sized heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until pot reaches a high temperature; reduce heat to low
2. Add olive oil, onions, carrots and celery; cook over low 10-15 mins until soft but not brown
3. Add parsley, garlic, rosemary & thyme; cook another minute
4. Add beans & 3 cups/large mugs good stock
5. Bring to the boil; let bubble 2-3 mins; reduce heat to low; simmer 20 mins
6. When soup is ready, add parmesan, if using, and pepper & salt
7. Taste; the veggie version may need veggie granules 
8. Blitz with a hand blender until very smooth; it may take a few mins.  This is your base.

Garnishes:

Vegan alternative to Bacon Bits (see method below)
   1/3 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs (spelt for wheat-free)
   olive oil
   1/2-1 tsp salt
   1 tsp smoked paprika plus   
Finely chopped fresh chives or spring onions

OR 
Goats cheese or feta (opt)
Crispy bacon bits (opt)

Optional Additions:

• 0-fat strained yoghurt
• raw spinach, French beans, tender stem broccoli 
• shredded ham hock or chicken, tiny raw meatballs of beef pork or minced chicken  

Vegetarian Bacon Bits

Generously spray a frying pan with olive oil, add crumbs; cook over med-high heat, stirring until crunchy and golden (more olive oil may be needed); add salt and smoked paprika -- the flavour and texture should be a little like crispy bacon.  Set aside.

SERVING OPTIONS

1.  A thick and creamy main course...

• for every cup of soup, add a tablespoon of yoghurt and whisk before heating
• garnish with paprika breadcrumbs or crispy bacon or poached sliced mushrooms, with plenty of chopped chives.  And Then...
• just before serving, add small broccoli spears or carrot matchsticks or chopped fine green beans which have been blanched in boiling water for 3 mins (opt) AND/OR 
• just before the end of cooking, add shredded cooked meat (opt) OR
• 10 mins before end of cooking add raw mini meatballs

2.  A smooth and silky first course (strained) ...

Pour soup through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, using the back of a ladle or large spoon to push the mix through. Scrape the underside of the strainer into the bowl. The result will be smooth and silky but a dry thick sludge will be left behind in the bottom of the strainer; this will be discarded 

This version is best served in small portions, with a few paprika breadcrumbs or finely chopped crispy bacon or poached sliced mushrooms, and chopped chives/spring onions. A little finely shredded cooked chicken can also be added. 

Tips:

• the soup keeps well in the fridge for 3 days; the suggested variations prevents a sense of 'boring leftovers' 
• leftovers can be frozen but once defrosted, blitz again and check seasoning
• See Cook Clever with Pulses

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

and say if they can be included in the blog)

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission 

VEGAN COMFORT FOOD: BEST EVER LENTIL SOUP, Vegan with Carnivore Option

This one's for lovers of green lentils and is a 5-star wonder

Best Ever Lentil Soup
The best lentil soup 67goingon50 has ever encountered; superb flavour and texture.' Blogger 

first posted Nov 2015
This lentil soup is a real winner. 

It's a Double Duty Dish (DDD) and to make life even easier, there's no divvying up of the base.  The vegetarian and meat options are served separately, on the side.  

It's also a Cook Clever dish; even half a recipe gives plenty of leftovers which can be frozen. 

Adapted from the incomparable Ina Garten* and made with green lentils, the soup's ingredients are beautifully balanced.   It's heavy on chopped vegetables but they give the soup its distinctive character.  A good sharp knife makes short work of the onions but if you have a food processor, you can use the coarse blade.  Dried lentils are recommended.

For vegetarians, a sprinkling of parmesan or rice crackers ensures a good balance of amino acids.  Or add a good vegetarian frankfurter like Tivali.   

If you're a meat eater, the addition of a spicy Polish sausage like kielbasa, or shards of ham hock, or sliced chicken frankfurters, takes it to higher level. 

A big tureen of Best Ever Lentil Soup makes a wonderful party dish. Trust me, they'll love it.

Cost: £3.50 + garnishes
Serves: a large crowd; for family, halve the recipe or make the lot and freeze half for a busier time

Ingred:
      
    16 oz/450gm green lentils  
    
    3 lge yellow onions (about 600 gm/21 oz  small dice
    2 lge leeks, whites only (600 gm/21 oz) small dice
    3 cloves garlic, grated
    1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme
    1 tsp cumin
    min 1 tsp  - max 1 tbsp salt
    1 1/2 tsp pepper
    
    8 stalks celery (10 1/2 oz/300 g) peeled and in small dice
    4-6 med carrots, scrubbed and in small dice
    5.3 pints/3 litres good stock (home-made if poss, chicken for pref)
    min 1 - max 2 oz/ min 30 - max 60 ml tomato puree
    2 tbsp red wine/ red wine vinegar/grape juice

Method:

FRUGAL COMFORT FOOD: TADKA DAHL, Easy-peasy

Gloriously spicy comfort food, warming body & soul as nights draw in

Embrace autumn with an enticingly spicy potage of lentils
 'as good a flavour as in an Indian restaurant; warm & filling for a cold evening.' '9.5/10!' Tasters

Frugal, nutritious, comforting yet spicily enticing, this gorgeous almost-puree features the spice of the moment: turmeric.  Thick and delicious, dal is usually served with rice but wholemeal bread will also ensure the full range of amino acids.  

Don't be put off by Dal; it's often considered a boring old staple of Indian diets -- okay but not the star of any menu.  What a mistake! 

67 first tasted Tadka Dal in a dining room in a financial district and was blown away.  The spicing was glorious; rich with chilli and garlic, the multi-layered potage slipped down with exquisite ease, soothing and warming. 

67 loved it so much, dal is now made regularly.  It's even been transformed into a tadka dal soup, the perfect cure for colds and 'flu. 

India has many recipes for dal; this one was inspired by London Spice Chef Atul Kochhar*, which was closest to the original eaten. 

All the spices are normal store cupboard ingredients; a bowl of sublime Indian deliciousness is ready in half an hour. 

Cost: pennies
Feeds: 4-8

Ingred:
   300g/10 1/2 oz yellow lentils or split peas
   1 tsp tumeric
   1 litre water

   1 peeled onion
   1 large carrot
   1 stick celery -- all whole for easy removal after lentils are cooked

   1 tsp veg oil
   1 tsp butter 

   1 tsp grated garlic   
   
   1 tsp red chilli powder. (the 67 kitchen only had mild chilli powder and added 1/2 tsp chilli flakes; a finely diced half fresh red chilli will also do)

   1/2 tsp garam masala
   1/4 tsp cumin
   1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh or 1/4 tsp powdered ginger 
    
   2 tomatoes, in med dice
   1 tsp salt

   1 tsp fresh or 1/4 tsp dried coriander

   1/2? tsp marjoram

Garnish: tomato, seeds removed

             squeeze of lemon or lime juice 

Method: Place lentils in a fine meshed sieve and the sieve over a wide mouthed bowl; run cold water over the lentils until they are completely wet (otherwise they will float down the drain), then allow water to run over the lentils until the water runs clear.  Note: many people do not bother washing lentils thoroughly but the flavour, in 67's opinion, suffers

1. Drain lentils and place in large heavy based pan, add water, turmeric and vegetables; bring to the boil, skimming off any white froth that rises to the surface; reduce heat and simmer at a slow bubble 20 mins or until nearly all the water is gone; the mix should be loose but not sloppy
2. Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed pan on med heat until hot; melt oil & butter and add chilli, garam masala, ginger & cumin.  Stir 1 min
3. Add minced garlic; cook, stirring for another 2 minutes being careful not to burn the spices 
4. Add diced tomatoes and salt; cook 3-4 mins, stirring occasionally
5. Remove onion, carrot & celery from lentils; add lentils to spices; stir
6. Simmer another 5-7 mins
7. Quarter remaining tomato, remove seeds and slice into fine strips  
8. When dal is cooked, if using dried coriander, add now; check seasoning, add pepper & more chilli if needed
9. Otherwise, garnish with fresh coriander and tomato strips
10. Serve with vegetables on the side (opt) over rice (brown or white) or with wholemeal bread or nan 

Comments:
'A balanced spice mix and as good a flavour as you would get in an Indian restaurant.  Great for a cold evening and very satisfying.  No one would know it's meat free.  Great job!'  Political Agent
'I quite like it; it wasn't too spicy, had a nice tangy aftertaste and the lentils were perfectly soaked and seasoned. All in all I would give it a 9.5/10.  The only thing that could possibly be better would be to add a little bit of lime juice.' (articulate) male tween-ager 

Tip:

The 67 kitchen only had mild chilli powder and added 1/2 tsp chilli flakes

*The Cook's Book, edited Jill Norman publ Dorling Kindersley 2005. Current edition £35

  Go to Recipes (on the nav bar)/Vegetarian (near bottom of page) for more of the same..

Please leave a Comment in the box below      .

This recipe has been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

COOKING CLEVER WITH PULSES: imaginative, comforting, delicious & frugal

Not just a load of old lentils -- pulses are one of the most comforting, delicious and cheapest proteins 

Pulses help incorporate more vegetarian dishes into your diet without loss of essential proteins and/or extend the nutritional value of meat dishes.  

It's why last year, the UN declared a Year of the Pulses, to raise awareness of the tasty inexpensive low-fat protein.  The following questions and answers explains why.  

 Pulses & Lentils 

Why pulses?

They're cheap, low-fat, high in fibre (which reduces risk of heart disease & type 2 diabetes) and have high levels of the minerals iron, zinc, folate and B-vitamins.  More importantly in today's world - they make delicious, interesting dishes; in some recipes, you won't even miss the meat (scroll down to Aren't pulses a load of tasteless old cobblers?)

Environmentally, they play an important role by fixing nitrogen in soil and allowing more than one crop on the same patch of land.


What exactly is a pulse? 

Pulses include all beans, peas and lentils.  The most common are chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans, haricot beans, cannellini, black-eyed beans, yellow lentils & black lentils. Runner beans, broad beans and peas are also pulses but tend to be eaten fresh and as a vegetable. Peas can be dried and used as a pulse.  

WARNING!

Raw kidney beans & soya beans contain nasty toxins; tinned beans are recommended for all kidney bean recipes.  67 only uses soya in tofu form (from Chinatowns, health food shops & some supermarkets).  

Where should I get my pulses?

All major supermarkets stock them, as do health food shops.  Stick to outlets with a high turnover; the older the pulse, the more difficult to cook. If the pulses you buy are consistently of poor quality, inform the Floor Manager; some buyers are not in a position to judge the quality of pulses. 

Tofu comes from Chinatowns as well as many supermarkets and health food shops.

Tinned or Dried?

If you're after speed, tinned are fine but nothing beats the taste and texture of reconstituted dried pulses.  Tinned beans are more expensive, softer and more bland.  Food lovers will almost always opt for reconstituted dried beans or, failing that, tinned organic.  Use dried pulses within 6-9 months.

Where do pulses come from?

Most are grown - and consumed - in India but other pulse producing countries include, in this order, Pakistan, Canada, Burma, Australia and the United States.  Canada, surprisingly, produces over a third of global pulse trade. 

Forms of Pulses

Whole, split, as flour or separated into protein, fibre or starch

Are Pulses okay to eat on their own?

Pulses have only some of the essential amino acids the body needs, therefore if it's your only source of protein that day, combine with:

• whole grains, eg good wholemeal bread or bread with seeds, rice (pref brown) 
• dairy products
• eggs 
• nuts & seeds 
• tofu 

(See How to...Balance Vegetarian Meals for Essential Amino Acids)

PREPARING PULSES

Tinned 
Rinse thoroughly and drain.  Served lightly dressed in a vinaigrette or yoghurt based dressing and/or with a garnish of chopped herbs and/or finely minced red or white onion: 

• chopped parsley goes well with kidney beans 
• chives go well with chickpeas 
• basil goes well with white beans and tomatoes
• fresh minced chilli or chilli flakes goes well with mashed haricot or butter beans, drizzled with good olive oil and splodged on fresh or toasted whole grain bread 

Pulses mix well with other proteins such as tinned tuna or tossed with salad ingredients and served with a well-flavoured dressing.

Dried

1. Start the night before by soaking a pound of pulses in water overnight.  Drain & rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Add 2 litres water; bring to a boil; simmer 2 mins; remove from heat, cover and rest 1 hour
3. Add an onion & carrot and 1 tsp tumeric (anecdotally anti-flatulence); bring to the boil again, skimming off any froth.  Then either cook (a) gently covered, on top of the stove, for 45 mins to an hour or (b) in a slow cooker on low for 5 hours (How to...Make the Most of Slow Cookers).
4. Drain and use as recipe requires in soups, stews, curries, salads, sweets and dips.
5. Leftovers freeze well

Note: Red lentils do not need soaking but should be washed and rinsed.  Green/black lentils benefit from the cooking method above.

How do I work out the amount of dried beans to tinned?

The equivalent of a 400gm(undrained) tin of pulses is a generous half cup of dried beans but it's not worth your while cooking such a small amount.  Cooked beans freeze well. (See below)

See also this guide. 


Once cooked, bow do I store pulses?

After cooking, leave to cool at least one hour, preferably spread out on a tray.  

Then: 
In the fridge: 2 days max
Freezer: Rest in fridge overnight and package up in small quantities.  Freeze 2-3 months max but 67goingon50 recommends no longer than 6 weeks.  The usual recommendation is to store in small quantities in firm-sided containers but 67 stores pulses in double sandwich bags without ill-effects.  DEFROST SLOWLY, ie overnight in the fridge.


What about Flatulence/Wind?

67 has been cooking and eating pulses for years and has no problem with 'windiness'.  However, the following steps are always taken:

• dried beans are soaked overnight & rinsed
• turmeric, onions and carrots are added to the cooking liquid (some also recommend a whole chilli)
• tinned beans are always rinsed thoroughly and drained   

Many of the pulses I've had are a load of tasteless boring old cobblers!

For a long time, chefs didn't know how to deal with pulses and were inclined to slap down a bowl of them without - horrors! - rinsing them or adding a sprinkling of herbs and/or minced onions. But in recent years, high-end restaurants and dining rooms have been offering vegetarian alternatives as a matter of course.   Things have changed!

67's recipes include Marvellous Meatless Moussaka which honestly could fool a carnivore.  Irresistable Nut Loaf. smothered in Vegetarian Gravy and Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce, might not convert a carnivore but s/he he wouldn't turn their noses up at it.  

One of the keys to success is to serve dishes that are appealing and appetising on their own merits and go all out with accompaniments.  Serve pulses because they taste good, not because they're good for you.  Use a little imagination. 

The Vegetarian and Frugal Sections of the Recipes page of this blog have lots of interesting recipes using pulses.  Also try Delia Online's recipes for pulses. 

What is the difference between a pulse and a legume? 

A legume is a plant containing fruit enclosed in a pod.  A pulse is the edible seed/fruit in the pod.  The Latin for pulse means soup or potage, a bit of a misnomer, since plenty of pulse dishes are neither soup nor potage.

Sources:
www.PulseCanada
NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages
Wikipedia
BBC Good Food: www.bbc.co.uk/food/pulse
The Balance

Delia Online has several imaginative recipes some involving meat and fish. http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/pulses/?page=3

                                     For Vegetarian Dishes, go to Nav Bar:Recipes II 

Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This information has been researched & written by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.  B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any action taken on the basis of the information provided

NECTARINE & BLUEBERRY HAND PIES, low sugar but indulgent, easy

Wallet-friendly ripen-at-home nectarines and a few handfuls of berries make an easy, winning dessert/packed lunch treat 

Hand pies with nectarines, blueberries & ginger in syrup (in home-made pastry )
(plus cinnamon twists made from leftover dough)
'The combo of generous fruit, sweet icing and melt-in-the-mouth pastry is wonderful!'  

Hand-held pockets of flaky pastry with a juicy fruit filling -- triangular or in  rectangles -- are a popular kidult lunch-box pleasure.  They also make a great tea-time sweet and, with colourful juices oozing out of shards of pastry, a lovely dessert with cream or yoghurt.

Generous fruity filling
in Michel Roux's pastry

It's important that the filling is generous; there is nothing worse than mingy filling.  If the top layer of  pastry dough is cut longer than the bottom, there'll be enough room for a mound of fruit.  And many satisfied, smiling faces.

In early trials, 67 teamed nectarines with blackberries and cinnamon; the finished product was dusted with icing sugar.  It was welcomed.  In another version, the blackberries were replaced with blueberries, ginger in syrup was added, and the finished product was dribbled with an icing sugar glaze scattered with flaked almonds.  That version got rave reviews.  

Conscious of busy households at this time of year, 67 made a batch using ready-made all-butter puff pastry*.  They were fine and popular with the tasters. 

But the home-made rough-puff pastry (Michel Roux's recipe) -- cheaper and lower in preservatives --  was amazing.  The taste and texture were excellent even though it was 67's first attempt and the layers could have been more defined.  Though there's nothing complicated about the recipe, the dough does need to be 'rested' in the fridge three times for 30 mins each so you'll need to set aside a little time.  It's more than worth it.  

Cost: min £3, more for ready-made pastry
Feeds: min 4, with a few cinnamon pastry twists as well

Ingred:
   1 pkt all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry OR 1/2 recipe Michel Roux's rough-puff pastry
   3 fat ripe nectarines, peeled, cut into 16 segments then halved horizontally
   1-2 handfuls blackberries or blueberries
   2-3 globules drained ginger in syrup, finely diced
   1 generous tsp juice from ginger in syrup

   a few teaspoons ground almonds

   Glaze: 1 egg, beaten with a teaspoon of water, or milk or single cream

   icing sugar OR icing sugar glaze (3 tbsp icing sugar & 1 generous teaspoon milk) OR melted white chocolate (opt)
   toasted flaked almonds (opt)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375f, 190c, gas 5; 
2. If using flaked almonds, toast 2-3 mins, keeping a close watch, until golden brown; set aside
3. Place baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper, in oven
4. Mix nectarines, fruit, diced ginger & ginger syrup
5. Lightly flour the work surface
6. Roll out pastry to 1/2in/1cm thickness
7. Cut pastry into rectangles 5inx7inc/13cmx18cm; use the back of a dinner knife to mark the 5inch/13cm fold (You're just marking it, not cutting it.)  You'll end up with a 5in/13cm square and a 7in/18cm top flap.  This allows the top layer of the pie to be 2in/5cm longer than the bottom, providing enough room for a generous filling.
8. Leaving a 2/3inch/2cm gap on left, right and bottom edge, spread the bottom half of the pastry with a teaspoon of ground almonds, evening it out with your fingers (preventing the dreaded soggy bottom).
9. Add about 1/4 cup fruit, making sure all three elements are present; the fruit will be built UP not outwards.  
10. Brush the sides and bottom with egg wash; bring down top of pastry, enclosing the fruit.  Press down gently on sides and bottom.  You may need to poke a few bits of fruit back under the top, especially on the sides but there will be room for them.  
11. Use a fork to press edges together but if you wish, create a thumb-and-forefinger crimped edge 
12. Slash top in 2 or 3 places to allow steam to escape
13. Repeat with other hand pies
14. Brush all over, but especially on edges, with egg wash
15. Carefully remove hot pan from oven; use a fish slice to transfer pies to pan, leaving a bit of space between 
16. Bake 35-45 mins or until golden
17. When totally cool, decorate with icing sugar, icing sugar glaze or white chocolate.  Scatter flaked almonds on to

*M&S All-butter Ready Rolled Puff Pastry

Comments:

'The pastry literally melts in the mouth.  The combination of generous fruit, the sweet icing and the pastry make them a wonderful treat.  The fruit mix works so well; I love blackberry the most. They look like M&S or Waitrose at their best. The cinnamon twists are gorgeous.'  Middle-aged male Taster

'I don't know why you rejected this nectarine & blueberry one; it's really good!'  Older train driver [Blogger: that batch it didn't have enough filling.]

'Good pastry!  I shared it with two friends and we all liked it.' Senior administrator

Tips:

• leftover pastry can be re-rolled and sprinkled with 1 tsp cinnamon mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; cut into 1in/2cm strips and twist. Bake 15-20 mins till brown

For more fruit-based desserts  go to Nav Bar: Recipes 

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk )

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.