Pasta Month

So for the whole of April I have declared pasta month. I will show how easy it is to make at home, give some delicious recipes and end with the unveiling of my Finnish inspired pasta dish.

A Venetian Pasta Shop.
source: Wikipedia 

Pasta originates in Italy and is a staple in the Italian diet. Traditionally it is just durum wheat flour mixed with water and then formed into the desired shape. Durum wheat is a hard wheat (Durum is latin for hard) and high in gluten. It is milled into semolina, a coarser type of flour. Today fresh eggs are the main liquid component and other flours can be used.

There is 310 specific forms of pasta known by over 1300 names. These names are usually regional. I am focusing on Italian style pasta as pasta is made throughout the world in some form or other. A similar version to Tagliatelle is made in many European countries and filled pastas similar to Tortellini are popular in Eastern Europe.

Fresh pasta drying out

A popular myth is that 14th century Venetian explorer, Marco Polo, brought pasta into Italy from China. However, the first known reference to Italy based pasta can be traced to Sicily in 1154, from a geographical text by Muhammad al-Idrisi for the Norman King of Sicily, Roger II. In his text, Muhammad describes how itriyya was manufactured in Sicily and exported throughout the known world.

Pasta has become such a popular product that it is seen throughout the world. Finns love to use macaroni for simple meat based dishes like Macaroni Casserole. Britain loves its Lasagne and often a Pub wouldn't be seen without this on its menu. It is a great, easy fast food with so many variations that no one can every become bored of it.

Pasta dishes are generally simple in execution. There is a general rule in choosing your pasta dish, simple sauces like pesto, butter etc. are great for long, thin pastas while heavier sauces like tomato are ideal for thicker strands of pasta.Thicker, chunkier sauces are better for pastas with holes, tubes or twists as it clings into the shape. Another important rule is not to be too excessive with the sauce as you need to taste the pasta.

BBQ Bacon Meat Sushi

My wife posted a video on her Facebook wall. What transpired in the video was pure genius, a mince mix wrapped in bacon and glazed in BBQ sauce. So I decided that this needed to be experimented upon.

(Warning! this dish has no sushi based ingredients or components)

This is a pure meatfeast but is so moreish that we found that the whole thing to be just too little for us (however I'm certain that the nutritional contents disagree). On the plus side, it is super easy to make.

You will need to have:-

8 slices of streaky bacon
350g beef mince
3tbsp grill seasoning (or similar)
1tbsp salt
1 egg
100g Emmental cheese, sliced
50g crushed nachos
40ml BBQ

Start off by preheating your oven to 180C then put your beef mince, grill seasoning, salt and egg into a bowl and mix all together. Place a piece of baking paper flat on your kitchen side and layer with the bacon, overlapping slightly to from a mat. Press your mince mix onto the bacon and spread out thinly, about half a cm. Place your cheese about a quarter of a way in and then roll up the paper. Try and make it as tight as possible, then place onto a wire racked baking tray. Place into oven.

After 15 minutes open the oven and with a pastry brush, brush some BBQ sauce all over your mince log and close door. After another 15 minutes repeat. Then after ten minutes repeat and leave for 5 more minutes before taking out of the oven. Place your crushed nachos on a tray and then roll your mince log all over until you get a nice coating of nachos. Slice into 1cm thick slices and serve with a side of BBQ and chopsticks for that authentic Sushi feel.

It is great as a snack for movie nights or as a buffet item for house parties. You can make them up beforehand and freeze if you like.

Curried Cashew Nut Chicken

So finally after moving and getting the flu, the Robinson clan are back on track.

So one of our first meals when I moved in was Roasted Chicken thighs in a curried cashew nut sauce. It went down a treat and really filled the holes left from moving and unpacking. It was a super easy meal in that you can make it all up and just forget about it.

To feed four hungry mouth, you need:-

4 chicken thighs
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp ground ginger
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
200ml chicken stock
75g cashew nuts
salt and pepper
little bit of oil

Preheat your oven to 175C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place your chicken thighs on the tray and season with salt and pepper, give it a good rub in.

While waiting for the oven to heat up put some oil in a sauce pan and sweat your onions for about 5 minutes. Now add all the spices and stir in and cook for around a minute. Pour your coconut milk and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce by a third.

Place your chicken in the oven and cook for an hour until the juices run clear.

To serve, heat the sauce and add the cashew nuts and pour over the chicken. It goes great with rice and naan bread.

It really is that simple, it doesn't take a lot to make good wholesome food for your family and friends.

Enjoy

Apple Bread and Butter Pudding

So it is March, we have all moved into our nice bungalow in the suburbs of Oulu and now we have to sort through the chaos that is our boxes.

However, March also means time to get back to blogging tasty recipes for you all. So this is my Apple Bread and Butter pudding. This is a traditional British dessert and really is the epiphany of British culinary style, it has a wholesome base taste rather than a palette of delicate flavours, is comforting for those dull, wet British summers winters. It has been a stable in British cuisine for centuries with the oldest recorded dish being from 1729, you can find it in many restaurants and pubs throughout the British Isles.

This one is my take upon the classic dish. I used grated apple to replace the more commonly used raisin and also added apple jam and cinnamon. 

To make enough for 4 people you will want:-

12 slices of bread, crusts cut off (you can use your older, stale bread)

50g butter, softened

50g apple jam

2 apples, grated (sprinkle some lemon juice on them to stop them going brown)

400ml full fat milk

4 eggs

2tbsp honey

2tsp cinnamon

1tsp nutmeg

Start by greasing up a 1 litre size square oven dish. Cut the crusts off your bread and spread the butter and jam on one side. Place the slices butter/jam side up in the bottom of the dish and then sprinkle some grated apple and cinnamon and repeat until you have used all you bread up. Make sure your top layer doesn't have any apple. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, honey and nutmeg and the pour over the bread. Leave to stand for 30 minutes. While standing, preheat your oven to 175C. Cook for 30 minutes (or until the top is golden and the milk mixture has set).

It really is that simple.

Serve warm with some ice cream or vanilla sauce.

important announcement

Due to several instances that have cropped up lately, namely moving house, I won't be able to post anything for the rest of February.


I do apologise to all those who have been following my blog and supporting my posts and I promise to resume in earnest when March l, and the chaos, have simmered down.


thank you all


Laurance

Simple and Easy Spring Rolls

Springs Rolls have become increasing popular in the Western since Asian cuisine took off in the early 60's. They are normally given as an appetiser and come with various fillings. When I started working in Fortune Castle, one of the jobs I was given was making the spring rolls and for something so simple there is a technique to it.

Fast forward several years later and i'm making spring rolls still, alongside my wife and I am not boasting when I say, we make some of the best spring rolls north of the 60th Parallel. It has taken about a year, but we have also got our technique and filling down to a unbelievable tasty product. We make around 40 every couple of months or so, the idea is we freeze them down for snacks or appetisers, but they don't always get that far. However, you don't have to take my word for it, here is our recipe so you can make them yourselves.

This recipe makes 40 spring rolls (you can modify and experiment to your tastes but this is our standard):-

1 packet of 40 Spring Roll sheets (You can get these in Asian markets)
700g minced beef
100g bamboo shoots, sliced
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 medium carrots, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
200g cabbage, finely diced
1 paprika, finely diced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp curry spice
pot of cold water

Start by brown off your mince, then set it aside to cool down. Then mix all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl, adding the cooled down mince. Put on your deep fat fryer, or put some oil in a pan and heat up. You want the oil around 180C. If you are using a pan/wok, one trick to know how hot it is is by using chopsticks. Place them straight into the oil, if you see little bubbles, then it is hot enough. Don't do this with plastic ones as they will melt.

Now we can start putting the rolls together. To save time, instead of separating your sheets as you go, do them all at once and then cover with a lightly damp cloth. Be careful at this stage not to rip them. This is a great tip from my Wife.

 Start by putting your filling in, about a tablespoon is enough, too much and it won't cook.

Fold over tightly.

Fold until half way.

Then take the sides and fold to the middle.

Dip your fingers into the water and spread onto the unfolded side of the wrapper.

Continue folding until all wrapped.

Put onto a tray, don't pile on top of each other. Then repeat the process.

Carefully put them into your hot oil, CAREFULLY! Don't overcrowd the fryer, and allow to cook, turning them to cook evenly. Once a nice golden colour, take out and place onto a wire rack to drain. If you don't have a rack, use some kitchen towel on a plate instead. Serve immediately. 

If you want to freeze, cook them and allow to cool. When reheating,place into a preheated 225C oven for 10 minutes, turning half way through.

It really is that simple, now you can host your own Asian themed party and wow your guests. 

Vitamins

The first article of the year and the penultimate article in my nutrition series focuses on Vitamins.

What are vitamins and what do I need them for?

Vitamins are a group of organic compounds that are vital for sustaining life of organisms. Any compound that cannot be produced by the body in sufficient quantities are labelled vitamins. So this means that some vitamins aren't vitamins to other animals, Vitamin C is a prime example. In a well constructed balanced diet the body gets all the required vitamins from the food consumed, however supplementation is sometimes need, like in people with low Vitamin B-complex or in countries which suffer long periods of darkness and thus less Vitamin D absorption. As they are chemically based, they can be produced synthetically.

There are currently 13 worldwide recognised vitamins and the human body needs a certain amount of all of these in other to help growth and strength of bones, skin and hair, protection from diseases and many other functions.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for the development of children, resisting infection and helping eyesight, especially night vision. It is found within fatty foods and those foods containing carotene, like carrots. Dark green vegetables are also high in Vitamin A as they contain high concentrations of carotene which is masked by the greenness. Fish liver oils normally contain the most Vitamin A per gram. Diary products also contain Vitamin A but the amount varies on numerous factors, the Summer months are normally the best for Vitamin A as the cattle graze on fresh forage Foods containing Vitamin A should be stored in low-non light conditions and in cool, dry areas as carotene is destroyed by light.

Taking too much Vitamin A can result in Hypervitaminosis A. This can cause problems with skeletal development and with vitamin metabolism, as well as other minor ailments. However, unless you are a child or elderly, then the chances of overdosing on Vitamin A are slim.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B was originally thought to be just one substance but further research has found that it can be broken down into eight individual substances. The three main ones are Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2) and Nicotinic acid or Niacin (B3). It is used by the body for maintaining of the nervous system, allowing the body to process carbohydrates and break them down for energy and encouraging growth. It should also be noted that Vitamin B is water soluble and so it can be lost during cooking, high temperatures and bicarbonate of soda also destroy Vitamin B. Riboflavin is quite resistant to high temperatures but bright sunlight (or equivalent) will result in it breaking down. Good sources for Vitamin B are grains, pulses, beans, potatoes, bananas, tuna, turkey and liver.

There are various side effects from being deficient or overdosing on Vitamin B ranging from sore throat and rashes to mania and neurological damage. However, most people within the Western World get enough Vitamin B within their daily diet without the need to add more.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and is produced internally by many organisms, however Humans is not one of them. It is essential that Humans get enough Vitamin C in their diet as it is needed for child development, helping the healing of the body and fighting diseases especially in mouth and gum infections. Vitamin C can be lost when cooking or soaking in water, also never use bicarbonate of soda when cooking vegetables or fruits. Also bad storage will reduce the amount of Vitamin C in a product, length of time, bad ventilation, too warm and bruising are the main causes. Also be careful of cutting your vegetables and fruits into too small pieces as this will effect the Vitamin C levels.

Generally the majority of our Vitamin C comes from plant based sources. Even though the exact amount varies depending on climate it was grown in, soil it was planted in, when it was picked, how it was stored etc, some of the better sources are oranges, tomatoes, lemons, limes, grapefruit, seabuckthorn and chillies. As most animals synthesize their own vitamin C, it stands to reason that we can gather sources of Vitamin C from animal products. It is most present within the liver but as most of the meat sources we use in our diet are from the muscle, it means we shouldn't rely on it for our Vitamin C intake. The best sources for animal based Vitamin C is calf liver, beef liver, raw oysters and cod roe. Basically any offal is a source of Vitamin C but it is greatly reduced in comparison to plant based sources.

On a side note, the nickname for British, Limeys, comes from the days of the 19th century. The Royal Navy added lime juice to the sailor's daily ration of watered down rum (known as grog) so it would make the stored, stagnant water more palatable. This had the added effect of starving off scurvy (a side effect of too little Vitamin C) and making the Royal Navy sailors to healthiest in the world.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a very important vitamin for ourselves. Without it, our body's would start lacking from calcium which is important for our bones and teeth. The biggest source for Vitamin D is sunlight, as much as 75% of our Vitamin D comes from our exposer to sunlight. Very few foods contain Vitamin D and so it is important that people get out in the light. Lack of Vitamin D causes problems such as rickets and depression. The majoirty of people get enough natural light that a deficiently isn't a problem but in countries above the 60th parallel (Nordic, Provinces in Canada, parts of Russia etc.) then alternatives are needed, some of these come in the form of tablets or special lights.

The best foods that do contain sufficient amounts of Vitamin D are fish-liver oils, oily fish (Salmon, Tuna, Herring, Sardines etc.) egg yolks and some dairy products. Vitamin D is a very hardy substances and so isn't lost during cooking.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a lesser known vitamin and is mainly used by our bodies as an antioxidant, it also helps muscle growth and neurological function. As it is fat soluble, it is found mainly within oils like Sunflower, Wheat Germ, Nut and Olive. It is very rare to not get enough Vitamin E, however when it happens it has been linked to sterility and anaemia.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is another lesser known vitamin and is used to help process proteins for blood coagulation, and to a lesser extant, to help bind calcium to bones. Without sufficient amounts of Vitamin K, the body can find itself with uncontrolled bleeding, weakened bone and calcification of soft tissues, like arteries.

Vitamin K is find within green vegetables, mainly kale, spinach, Brussels spouts and cabbage. It can also be found within mature cheeses and chicken liver.