Home Cooking Ideas, Tips and Recipes

[Ladymuck]

cate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You can free form a soda bread loaf, round with

> slashes through it.

Sorry cate, I don't understand what you mean by that.

Thanks though for the later post containing the link/tutorial - very useful to see how it's done. My only concern is that the lady made absolutely no mention of "letting fairies out".

Narnia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I use one of those circular tins...

Thanks Narnia - am really looking forward to finally trying your recipe. I am all set to go now.

As for peeling chick peas, I've peeled broad beans and it really wasn't that difficult. It's a job you can do while catching up with the news!

Regarding pressure cookers, 3 "explosions" in our house - the direct result of my forgetting about them when hissing away on the cooker - means I am now banned from purchasing a fourth one. But they used to be extremely useful for cooking all manner of pulses. Ah well...I just burn toast now...and overcook rice...and char...

[HAL9000]

Talking of explosions - I gave up making my own garlic paste when a jar blew up in the fridge!

[Ladymuck]

HA HA HA...serves you right...

What did you put in it - other than garlic?

*still laughing!*

[HAL9000]

Peeled and lightly blanched (just to sterilise) garlic cloves with a little olive oil zapped with a blender - that's all. I hope al Qaeda isn't reading this.

[Ladymuck]

I can't see why it should have...

*whispers*

...exploded...

unless you forgot about it and it fermented?

Also, I don't see the point of making it in advance - all you have to do is pass the cloves through a press at the time it's required - but I'm pretty sure you are going to advise me otherwise...;-)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Am typing to the aroma of simmering crab apples - gorgeous!

Crab Apple & Chilli Jelly

Scrump 2lb of crab apples in Peckham Rye Park while avoiding over-zealous park warden

Roughly chop one chilli - add to pot, seeds and all.

Cover with enough water so they bob about.

Bring to boil, simmer for 40 mins.

Put into jelly bag and leave overnight or for as long as you can be bothered.

This is a recipe in real time, so next instalment later today.

[katie1997]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Am typing to the aroma of simmering crab apples -

> gorgeous!

>

> Crab Apple & Chilli Jelly

> This is a recipe in real time, so next instalment

> later today.

This sounds absolutely fab, eagerly waiting next instalment. Hope its been a success.

[katie1997]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

all you have to do is pass the cloves

> through a press at the time it's required - but

> I'm pretty sure you are going to advise me

> otherwise...;-)

If HAL doesn't advise you otherwise then I will LM ... those garlic presses are rubbish, its best to crush the garlic on the back of a spoon (or use a pestle and mortar) or you could simply buy garlic paste ready-made LOL.

There's no excuse for citric acid either (tsk tsk) lemons are a necessary kitchen ingredient.

PS WTF is that all about... individually.... peeling ... chick.... peas...?....! I demand a taste test of this recipe. PM both varieties of houmous asap. Thank you.

[Ladymuck]

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If HAL doesn't advise you otherwise then I will LM

> ... those garlic presses are rubbish, its best to

> crush the garlic on the back of a spoon (or use a

> pestle and mortar)

Okay, okay...you have a point...

>or you could simply buy garlic

> paste ready-made LOL.

I shall let that flippant comment go as it was your 29th birthday yesterday!

[Marmora Man]

Going to try a new, expensive recipe as a special treat fopr Sunday "roast" this weekend. Brother-in-law (a butcher) has given me a middle cut fillet steak about 500gms. Intend to seal, cool, wrap in cling film and cook @ 60c for 40 mins - take out, cut into four thick steaks, season and brown off in hot foaming butter . Apparently, according to my sister (professional chef), it will be meltingly tender, moist and just brilliant. We'll see.

[Jeremy]

All round to Marmora Man's on Sunday...

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Katie - real life got in the way of real time! My liquid has dripped through the jelly bag and is now covered (where do all those fruit flies come from?) and will have to wait until tomorrow to be processed. I'll report back.

[david_carnell]

I've been lucky enough to be given a jar of PGC's jelly and it's bloody delicious. So instructions are a marvellous idea.

Now....where do I get crab apples from? Do you use windfall PGC?

[Ladymuck]

Oh buggars PGC. I too was awaiting the next instalment! And how come fruit flies? In so short a time and at this time of year? What a nuisance.

Also, please could you tell me: could sieving do, instead of jelly-bagging?

*awaits PGS's report with impatience*

[HAL9000]

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> There's no excuse for citric acid either (tsk

> tsk) lemons are a necessary kitchen ingredient.

There is a very practical reason for the use of citric acid powder (and garlic paste) - actually.

In restaurants that serve hummus, it is usually treated as a signature dish. In order to achieve a consistent taste and texture, the chefs use standardised ingredients that can be measured in precise and repeatable quantities.

Consistency is also the principal aim of commercial producers.

The succulence and acidity of fresh lemons depends on variety, country of origin, season, weather patterns, storage conditions and many other factors. Fresh lemons (and garlic) introduce too much variability into a fixed recipe.

Anyone who has made hummus will know that a few millilitres of liquid can make the difference between a firm paste and a loose slurry.

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

------------------------------------------------------

> There is a very practical reason for the use of

> citric acid powder (and garlic paste) - actually.

Do you KNOW who Lady Katharina van der Wotsit is? And her standing? Clearly not!

> Anyone who has made hummus will know that a few

> millilitres of liquid can make the difference

> between a firm paste and a loose slurry.

My hummus never resembles slurry! And I always use fresh lemons! So there!

As for garlic paste - there is no substitute for fresh garlic in my book. Ask any French chef worth his/her garlic gloves.

But then, I understand you use tinned chick peas!

[katie1997]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> katie1997 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > There's no excuse for citric acid either (tsk

> > tsk) lemons are a necessary kitchen ingredient.

>

>

> There is a very practical reason for the use of

> citric acid powder (and garlic paste) - actually.

>

> In restaurants that serve hummus, it is usually

> treated as a signature dish. In order to achieve a

> consistent taste and texture, the chefs use

> standardised ingredients that can be measured in

> precise and repeatable quantities.

>

> Consistency is also the principal aim of

> commercial producers.

>

> The succulence and acidity of fresh lemons depends

> on variety, country of origin, season, weather

> patterns, storage conditions and many other

> factors. Fresh lemons (and garlic) introduce too

> much variability into a fixed recipe.

>

> Anyone who has made hummus will know that a few

> millilitres of liquid can make the difference

> between a firm paste and a loose slurry.

Well sorry HAL but I thought this thread was about home-cooking, not for making commercial quantities.

Actually, I prefer my hummus to have a *rustic* consistency and doubt guests have ever noticed the difference between a firmer paste and loose slurry, except perhaps the morning after.

*peels chick pea no. 329*

[Ladymuck]

katie1997 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well sorry HAL but I thought this thread was about

> home-cooking, not for making commercial

> quantities.

*Notes heading of thread: Home Cooking Ideas, Tips and Recipes*

Good point your Ladyship!

*Notes famous quote made by the - now - old, rusty and out-of-date machine: "...the 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error."

I think it's check mate OLD HAL. Time to pull the plug...LOL!!!!

[HAL9000]

Well, it seems that one can take the hummus out of the kitchen but one cannot take the the kitchen out of the whingers.

I'm merely trying to broaden your horizons, ladies.

And yes, each brand of tinned chickpeas represents a known quantity in terms of chickpea variety, size, taste, etc.

Consistency is the key to professional quality cooking - whether at home, in the restaurant or the factory.

ETA: I don't see anyone in the 'fresh ingredients' brigade grinding their own sesame seed paste, by the way.

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ETA: I don't see anyone in the 'fresh ingredients'

> brigade grinding their own sesame seed paste, by

> the way.

*Spreads whole sesame seeds on a roasting tray, and toasts in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring regularly to toast evenly.

Allows to cool.

Put the toasted sesame seeds in food processor, with metal blades fitted, and add oil. (Note: one quarter cup vegetable oil to 1 cup sesame seeds).

Process the mixture on a high setting for a minute, stopping to clean the sides of the food processor with a spatula from time to time.

Add the rest of the oil, and continue to process the seeds to a paste, again cleaning the sides regularly and ensuring that the paste still covers the blades. Ensure that all the mix is blended to a paste. This can be a somewhat messy process but stick with it. The results will be worth it!

When the mixture is evenly smooth, and further processing does not further refine the texture, transfer your tahini to a tight fitting glass jar using a flexible spatula, if you have one, to reduce waste.

Tahini may be kept in the refrigerator for many weeks in a well sealed jar.

Looks smug*

[louisiana]

So HAL you are arguing in favour of never using any fresh ingredients? Everything needs to be tinned or processed in some way?

Golly.

For me, consistency should be within parameters; absolute precision is rarely required in the domestic kitchen. So if the limes are big and juicy I add a little less so as to achieve the right consistency; I'm not concerned about precise measurement to achieve a certain result (this is not a chemistry experiment) as I rely on eye, nose, taste etc. to enable me to adjust to achieve the required effect.

[HAL9000]

louisiana: I agree with you - for home cooking fresh is always preferable where practical and available. I was merely trying to explain why ingredients like citric acid powder and garlic paste are used in commercial recipes, and, therefore, how they came to be options in the recipe I posted.

In the specific case of hummus,I do use tinned chickpeas for the sheer convenience and predictability. Price wise, I don't think one can beat 33 pence per 14 oz can! It must cost a lot more than that just to boil the dried peas for the requisite number of hours, but I don't have the time to do that even if I wanted to.

[louisiana]

Well large packs of dried chick peas are a lot cheaper! :)

And I soak overnight and then cook in a pressure cooker. So not much effort really.

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ...to boil the dried peas for the

> requisite number of hours, but I don't have the

> time to do that even if I wanted to.

HAL, you mean to say that you would stand and watch over your chick peas whilst they were cooking then? Come on...you soak them overnight...you stick them on the stove and you leave them to it. Whilst the cooking takes place...you can go off and do whatever you like...even have a sleep for a couple of hours...but you know that...give me a break!

[cate]

Or get a slow cooker and cook overnight. Really easy that way. I do lots of beans that way.