CHEATS' WHITE CHOCOLATE LOG, An Indulgence

We can all use a bit of help from our supermarket friends, for our friends, and this white chocolate log is very friend-centric

Cheats' White Chocolate log, with easy home-made ganache
'The ganache turns this into something very special.' Taster

When the pressure's on - or making a dessert just seems too much of a faff  - a supermarket Swiss Roll, smothered in easy make-at-home chocolate ganache makes a great impression.  

It is incredibly easy to put together and guests will clamour for more.  

You can tart up the flavour by brushing the sponge with liqueur and adding lots more booze to the ganache -- though of course the alcohol is optional.

67 normally uses an M&S Chocolate Swiss Roll with dark or milk chocolate ganache.  But newer models like Passion Fruit Swiss Roll and Peach Swiss Roll catch the eye and entice the tastebuds.  

There is, of course, absolutely no reason why any household shouldn't have all three at the same table!

The cost of the Swiss Role is not onerous but the ganache is a little extravagant.  However, there's enough to cover two logs -- and it keeps in the fridge for a week.  The frugal will be happier with simple buttercream icing.  

Cost: £6 (half that if using buttercream)
Serves: 6

Ingred:
   1 supermarket Swiss Roll filled with cream or flavoured filling 

    couple of tablespoons orange liqueur/brandy/white grape juice/concentrated orange juice (opt)
   
Ganache
    225gm/8oz white cooking chocolate* 
     180 ml double cream

Garnish: fresh berries (opt)

Method:

1. Chop chocolate finely (if you're lucky enough to find cooking chocolate in the form of chips, even better); set aside
2. Heat cream over med high in a small heavy bottomed saucepan; watch it carefully; don't let it boil.  When you see steam rising and tiny bubbles around the outer edge of the cream, it is ready.
3. Turn heat off; add chocolate in quarters, whisking each time, making sure the previous addition has melted into the cream before adding the next
4. When all is incorporated take off the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl & cover with clingfilm.  
5. Allow to cool a little; refrigerate at least a couple of hours
6. When ganache has begun to firm up; add flavouring; whisk with electric beaters until thick and soft-textured.
7. Brush top of Swiss roll with alcohol
8. Apply whipped ganache to the top and sides of swiss roll; including the ends if you like but exposing the swirl is attractive; use a fork to make the icing look like bark
9. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Comments:

'M&S Swiss Rolls are a regular if infrequent treat in my household and the chocolate ganache covering lifts it into luxury class.  Ace!' Retired writer

Tips:

• chocolate ganache is made in the same way as  white chocolate ganache
• if you prefer a shiny glaze, don't beat the mix; place the cake on a cooling rack over a lined baking tray; pour over the slightly cooled ganache, collecting the bits underneath to use elsewhere

*White Baking Chocolate: Waitrose £2.50/180gm plus other brands ( Menier is a little bitter); Amazon White Swiss Chocolate câllets (buttons), min. 400gm 

                      

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

CARROT, PINEAPPLE & SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD, healthy, vegetarian, frugal, no-added sugar

An crowd-pleaser that's easy on the wallet and the clock

 posted 2016; updated 5/23

Carrot, Pineapple & Sunflower Seed Salad 

This amalgam of delightful flavours and textures will be ever so popular with all ages for a special occasion or indeed any time.   And cook can relax because it takes so little time and effort to produce.

Carrots are still good value - even organic ones - so this recipe is great for the budget conscious.

It's wonderful as an accompaniment for cooked meats or as a vegetarian side.

Just three ingredients -- carrots, pineapple and toasted sunflower seeds -- are combined with creamy yoghurt-mayo. Fresh pineapple is best but if you can't be bothered with the faff of prepping it, tinned well-drained segments are fine. 

The salad can be prepared early in the day.

Cost: £2'ish (5/23)
Feeds: 6-8 as side

Ingred:
    226gm/8 oz grated carrot
    85gm/3oz fresh or tinned pineapple
    45gm/ 1 1/2 oz sunflower seeds

   yoghurt-mayo

Method:

1. Toast sunflower seeds over med heat in a dry frying pan, stirring frequently, until they look brown and smell good; set aside
2. Cut pineapple into small bite-sized chunks or shreds
3. Mix all ingred together; season with pepper & salt
4. Moisten generously with yoghurt-mayo

Tips:

• own-brand tinned pineapple rings are very cheap; stab the rings in the tin with a toothpick and cut the rings into segments
• for a change, replace pineapple with raisons soaked overnight in orange juice and drained well
• if you prefer a non-dairy dressing, try Balsamic Vinaigrette 

   

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

PIQUANT RICE, Vegan & triple duty, almost-instant, healthy, kids' option

When everyone is sick of potatoes or pasta, bring out the rice!

Piquant Rice, studded with peas, ginger, garlic, spring onions & oriental  sauce

This wonderful piquant rice dish is guaranteed to lift the spirits after a few days of excesses.

Fresh ginger, garlic and spring onions add heat and flavour, cutting through any thoughts of 'boring' rice.  Here the dressing is poured onto the hot rice in the pan to enhance flavour but the dish can also be served cold.  

Piquant Rice is wonderfully sassy but may be a bit much for children.  If this dish is for family, 67 recommends decanting some of the rice and peas and serving it undressed for the children.   

67 would usually go for brown rice but at holiday time, speed and ease of preparation mean easy-cook white rice may be the way to go.  Anyway, it's good to have white rice occasionally and the oyster sauce complements the polished grains beautifully.   

Cost: £1.25
Feeds: 6-8

Ingred: 
   1 cup uncooked white rice, rinsed until water runs clear (67 used Waitrose Jasmine)
   2 cups good stock (pref) or water 
   2/3 cup frozen peas

 Dressing: 3 tbsp grated ginger
                1 large clove garlic, finely grated
                6 tbsp finely sliced spring onions, white & green
                3 tbsp peanut or other veg oil

 Garnish: reduced salt soy sauce, oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
              thinly sliced fresh chilli or chilli flakes (opt)

Method:

1. Cook rice according to instructions, pref in stock; 5 mins before end of cooking, scatter frozen peas over the top of the rice; re-cover & carry on cooking
2. Meanwhile, prepare dressing and set aside
3. When rice is cooked, use a fork to separate the grains and mix the peas and rice together
4. Pour on dressing, and mix thoroughly
5. Pile onto a platter
6. Garnish with sauce
7. Serve hot or allow to cool
8. Serve as one of several side dishes OR stir in cooked meat or fish, or tofu marinaded in a 1-1 mix of sherry & soy sauce with a little ginger & garlic

               More rice on NavBar: Recipes II...

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

CELERIAC AND APPLE SALAD, Double Duty Side, Vegetarian option,

An unusual root vegetable turns into one of the nicest salads/sandwich filling...

 

Celeriac, Apple & Mustard Ham/Pastrami Salad

(has vegetarian option)

first posted 2016; updated 6/25

One of the nicest salads/sandwich fillings ever comes from one of the ugliest vegetables: celeriac or celery root.  The Celeriac Apple Salad is super crunchy; its mild sweetness offset with mustardy yoghurt-mayo dressing.

Not cheap but not outrageously expensive either, a 1 kilo celeriac will cost under £3.  But it plays many wonderful roles -- delicious and unusual salads, creamy soups and an additional root veg for stews or mash.  None of it will be wasted and it can sit in the bottom of the fridge, wrapped in cling film, for a few weeks without spoiling.

Use a sharp knife to remove the peel; a peeler won't do the job. Take a big slice off the bottom so that the celeriac is stable. Run the knife in thin slices down the surface, as if you were preparing a pineapple.  

Serve with baked sweet potatoes and/or sauteed slices of ham hock.  

Cost: £1.65 per kilo (average size 600g) 7/25
Makes: 3-4 as a side 

Ingred:
   8oz/250gm peeled, grated celeriac
   1-2 Granny Smith or other apples, coarsely grated or in matchsticks 
   handful of walnuts or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
   3-4oz/85-110g shards cooked ham hock or shredded pastrami/salt beef (opt)

Mustard yoghurt-Mayo 
   125 gm strained 0-fat yoghurt
   2 tbsp mayonnaise
   2 tsp wholegrain mustard
   1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
   1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (opt)
   pepper & salt

   garnish: fresh chopped parsley (opt)

Method:

1. Set aside a few nuts for garnish
2. Mix celeriac, apple, nuts and ham hock if using  
3. Add sufficient Mustard Yoghurt-mayo to generously moisten; mixture should be on the creamy side, not dry, but not sloppy either (any leftover dressing can be used within 3 days) 
4. Decant to a serving bowl; garnish with nuts and freshly chopped parsely

   More sandwiches on Nav Bar: Recipes II Skinnier Sandwiches

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