Saturday, May 14, 2011

Cinnabons (Cinnamon Scrolls)





Ingredients
Bread Dough:
4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup lukewarm milk (heat in microwave for 30 sec, followed by another 30 sec)
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
2 sachets yeast (14g)











Filling
1 cup brown sugar
2.5 tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

Icing
Icing sugar
Water












Procedure

PREHEAT OVEN AT 180 DEGREES

Filling
     Step 1:  Place brown sugar and cinnamon in a dry bowl
     Step 2:  Mix thoroughly
     Step 3:  Set aside
     Step 4:  melt 1/3 cup butter and set aside

Icing:
    Mix icing sugar with water.  Ensure mixture is runny





Bread:
     Option 1:  Using bread maker
          Step 1:  Place all ingredients in bread maker
          Step 2:  Set setting to dough
          Step 3:  Let it process

     Option 2:  Hand kneading
          Step 1:  Place dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast)
          Step 2:  Cut butter into the dry ingredients (try to get it to mix)
          Step 3:  Place milk and 2 eggs mix
          Step 4:  knead thoroughly
          Step 5:  Set aside to rise in an oiled bowl covered with warm tea towel for 1 hour
  




Construction:
          Step 1:  on a floured surface empty dough
          Step 2:  knead the dough for a bit
          Step 3:  divide the dough into 4 equal parts (each part yields approximately 6 - 8 scrolls)
          Step 4:  Flatten one dough portion into a square piece with the rolling pin
                       (Dimension:  length = rolling pin body; width = slightly longer than the rolling pin body)
          Step 5:  brush top of the dough with butter
          Step 6:  place a layer of the filling evenly
          Step 7:  roll
          Step 8:  cut into 6 - 8 pieces
          Step 9:  place on a lined slice tray
          Step 10:  adjust shape an squash from the top
          Step 11:  Repeat Step 2 - 10 for the other portions
          Step 12:  leave to rise in a warm area for 30 minutes
          Step 13:  use left over butter to cover the cinnamon scrolls/swirls
          Step 14:  use left over cinnamon mixture to top the cinnamon swirls

          Bake at 180 degrees (celcius)  for 10 minutes

          Take out of oven,  Drizzle with icing mixture while bread is still warm



    

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Balsamic Duck Salad

Ingredients:
    see Basic Green Salad
    see Balsamic Duck

Construction
    1) lay a layer of greens
    2) scatter pieces of balsamic duck
    3)  scatter some fetta
    4)  scatter some capers
    5)  repeat 1 through 5
    (make it look pretty)

Balsamic Duck

Ingredients:
    Duck Breast Fillet
    Balsamic Vinegar
    Garlic (chopped finely)
    White pepper

Procedure:
    1)  score the duck meat (square cuts on the skin side to allow marinade to penetrate, make sure not to deep).
    2)  Marinate duck breast in balsamic vinegar (1 duck breast 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar, add 3 tbsp per additional duck breast), garlic and pepper overnight


Cooking the Duck (note this can be cooked on the bbq
     1)  Heat pan (or skillet) (make sure it is very hot)
     2)  Lightly oil the pan
     3)  Sear the duck skin first
     4)  keep on pressing the duck into the pan
     5)  once the skin starts to cook pour some of the marinade on the meat side
     6)  keep on pressing the duck on the pan for 3 minutes
     7)  flip duck over and cook on the other side for 5 minutes or less.  pour some marinade
     (note under cooking the duck is better)
     8)  remove from pan set aside rest of a few minutes before serving


Smoked Salmon Salad

Ingredients:
     See Basic Green Salad
     smoked salmon

Construction:
    1) lay a layer of greens
    2) scatter some smoked salmon pieces
    3)  scatter some spanish onions
    4)  scatter some fetta
    5)  scatter some capers
    6)  repeat 1 through 6
    (make it look pretty)

Basic Green Salad

Basic Green Salad:

Ingredients:
    1 pack mixed greens (rocket or mixed salad)
    capers (tiny ones)
    fetta cheese (dodoni)
    spanish onion
    extra virgin olive oil
    balsamic vinegar

Procedure:
    wash and dry salad greens
    dress salad greens with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
    roughly chop fetta cheese into cubes
    thinly slice spanish onion
    drain capers

Construction:
    in a flat platter lay a layer of greens, cheese, onion and capers
    repeat until finished

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Couscous with 4 beans salad


Ingredients:
1 cup Couscous
250ml Chicken stock
1 can of 4 bean
2 tbsp butter
lemon

Tools:
medium sauce pan
wooden spoon


Procedure
1)  Bring to boil chicken stock in medium sauce pan
2)  Add Couscous mix thoroughly
3)  Cover and set aside for 3 minutes
4)  Add butter and a splash of lemon
5)  Rinse Beans
6)  Add Beans to Couscous
7)  Mix thoroughly
8)  Serve


Lamb Shank Casserole in Red Wine Sauce



Ingredients:  
  4 pieces of lamb shank
  4 large cloves of garlic
  1 large onion
  6 large ripe tomatoes 
  3 - 6 pcs bay leaves
  2 sprigs of rosemary
  250g button mushrooms
  1 suede
  2 turnips
  1/2 taro
  1 large carrot
  1 small can of tomato paste
  1 bottle of red wine (preferably cabernet sauvignon or shiraz)
  3 - 6 tbsp oil
  oil for browning/frying

Equipment:

   Frying pan
   Cast Iron Pot



Procedure:
1)  Brown lamb shank
2)  Set aside
3)  Heat oil in the cast iron
4)  Sautee garlic and onion till onion becomes translucent
5)  Add tomatoes, bay leaf and sprig of rosemary
6)  Add 1/4 bottle of the red wine
7)  Simmer till tomatoes for a sauce
8)  Place lamb shanks
9)  Mix
10) Pour rest of the wine
11)  Simmer
12)  Add tomato paste
13)  Add mushrooms
14)  Simmer
15)  Add the vegetables
16)  Cover
17)  Place in oven
18)  Bake at 180 degrees for 1 hour or longer