There´s no knead for pao caseiro

Flat and rock hard-a bâtard perhaps?

I have never had much luck with bread making so why on earth did I get drawn in to this? There was absolutely no Knead.I suppose that these must of been the words that coaxed me. Another possible factor that influenced me was also the recipe informing me that the dough would make four one pound (500g) loaves.And would keep in the refrigerator for 14 days.GREAT!! It indicated a certain simplicity.The dough is made with nothing but all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and water, and promised me that it was “the easiest thing to handle, shape, and bake. “This white dough can be used to make a boule, baguette, bâtard ( i think that might have meant what my loaf should have been called!!!), ciabatta, couronne, crusty white sandwich loaf, and soft dinner rolls”.Promises promises… I had three attempts, but it was not until the fourth and last that I produced something moderately edible.The word worthy came to mind with each attempt.

a slight improvement in texture but still "worthy"

What I loved about it was the not knowing what you were going to get. Its was  like having a baby. You know whats coming out – a little tiny being, but you don’t exactly know what it will look like, its traits and features are a mystery until it is born. No Knead Bread is like that. Each time I baked it – it came out looking different. Sometimes it was lop sided, with different cracks, nothing that was was destined for the stage. Artesan it said and artesan it was.Each time I gave birth to mutant loaf,and I have to say this voyage into the unknown was the only modicum of enjoyment of my first and last time tackling “ NO KNEAD” bread
The internet abounds with recipes for quick and easy artesan breads of this method.Judging by the pictures some lucky peeps are having success and the comments re-iterated….

“Wow! What a gorgeous, beautifully colored, irresistible loaf of artisan bread!”

“The loaf had a chewy crust and a beautiful interior.”

“The ingredients for the dough were fast and simple to assemble”.

What a blessing the fourth version made the best ever tastiest buttered toast

Well my dear peeps with all those recipes on offer out there why not see if you can do justice to no knead bread. From the pictures on their blog, Jam hands. this one almost tempted me to try again.Let me know how you get on.

Asafoetida,a life without onions and garlic

“Eat no onions or garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath,”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Alliums are aromatics,they are  eaten precisely for their smelly qualities. But God forbid what if religion dictates or your dietician forbids you onions and garlic for life?
Some vegetarians in India are required, for religious reasons, to shun onions and garlic. They have come to rely on a potent resin as a replacement: asafoetida. Once upon a time, Western cooks were familiar with asafoetida. Alexander the Great’s armies are said to have introduced asafoetida to Europe, and during Medieval times the resin was used by apothecaries.
Today this ancient spice needs a bit of a push from the publicity department. It’s known in German as Teufelsdreck, in French as merde du diable, and in Swedish as dyvelsträck, all of which mean the same thing: devil’s dung. Asafoetida, especially in its powdered form, merits rediscovery in the West. Popular cookbook writer Madhur Jaffrey said on a radio show “For those of you who don’t know this spice: Go, run and get it.”
I am always on the lookout for the next flavor sensation and now I have this I am going to be on the lookout for new applications. I was introduced to the ancient world of asafoetida by a guest, who on receiving our pre-stay dietary requirement enquiry, responded with the challenging answer that she was on a month long aversion diet of avoiding anything that is cooked with onion and or garlic.I researched carefully but rather hopelessly what we could serve her,but on arrival she presented me with a jar of asafoetida powder.
Because asafoetida powder imparts a very strong onion-like flavour, it only needs to be used in small quantities. Asafoetida in its resinous form has a bitter, acrid taste and a pungent smell, but once cooked it adds a distinctive flavour to meat, fish, grain and legume dishes, as well as pickles and chutneys.
Oh, that odour. Asafoetida is notorious for good reason: it is powerfully, funkily redolent,but less so in its powdered form. One explanation for this could be that in Afghanistan,(one of the world’s leading exporters of the spice) manufacturers sometimes age the dried resin in fresh animal skin (sheep or goat) to augment its already powerful aroma. These days, the spice is sold powdered, in a saltshaker-like container. (The powder is usually mixed with refined flour, although there is also a gluten-free version available.) Purists say that asafoetida powder doesn’t have the same potency as the chunk version. They crush the resin and add gum arabic and flour to it.If you are celiac or wheat intolerant check out that rice flour has been used in this respect.Schwarz produce a rice based asafoetida in a shaker container.
Please don’t let its stink deter you from trying asafetida. When you sauté a pinch of the resin in hot oil, the sulphurous spice breaks down and gives out the same smell as pan-fried onions or garlic. This spoonful of oil can transform a variety of savoury dishes, in particular Indian rice dishes, asafoetida adds depth and complexity.
Asafoetida really shines through in lentil-based dishes. Vegetarians in India depend on legumes, beans, and lentils for protein, and these plant foods aren’t always easy to digest. Asafoetida however, is a digestive aid as well as an aromatic. Because of this dual duty, asafoetida has become essential in much Indian vegetarian cooking. It may have started out as a stand-in, but in certain dishes there’s now no substitute for asafetida.It also works well in chutneys and sauces.
My first venture into the strange world of asafetida was an extremely tasty Indian vegetarian curry of rice and peas.The aroma it gave off while cooking was quite pungent, but attracted the thespian into the kitchen to enquire what I was cooking that was giving off such a truly authentic smell of old fashioned curry.
Chura Matar
Serves 2 generous portions
1 cup rice
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup green peas(frozen can be used)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies
2.5cm(1”) piece of fresh ginger
bunch of fresh coriander, leaves and stems separated
174 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
lemon juice
                                             1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

Rinse the rice in cold water and put in a bowl with the milk.Set aside.In a food processor make a paste with the chillies, ginger and chopped coriander stalks.
Heat some butter in a pan.Add the cumin seeds and cook until they splutter.Add the curry paste asafetida and peas.Cook for 3 minutes on a low heat.Add 1/2 a cup of water and season with salt and pepper.Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat,cover with laid and cook until the peas are cooked and the water has evaporated.add the milk and rice and coriander leaves.Replace the lid and continue cooking on a low heat until the rice is tender.Stir in the lemon juice and garam masala.
Traditionally this is a main dish but I chose to serve it as aside to spiced chicken livers.

Asafoetida is available in most Indian grocery stores; just ask for hing (pronounced “heeng”). You can also order it from numerous suppliers online. it has a good shelf life but should not be refrigerated. Chuck it out as one would with all spices when the spice seems to have lost its potency.

a weekend away

A weekend away for our Spanish guests and an 8 course tasting menu with a Spanish theme was the order of the evening .Our guests came from Sevilha.They forgave me my Spanish translation and enjoyed the experience so much that they asked if on their next visit ( it will be their 5th ) they could bring 8 items and present a Spanish degustacion to us.Eager to learn and expand our horizons ,of course we said yes. I hope it is not too long before they return with a cesta full of goodies.Hasta la pronto.......

Panquecas sem gluten e confitado de limão, uma partida de tradição

I am more than happy to say that I can eat almost everything, with the exception of red cabbage.
Some are not so fortunate.Our modern day diet seems beset by a myriad of allergies and intolerances that make it increasingly difficult for diners and chefs to work alongside each other in order to keep both parties satisfied.It is not fair that beleaguered individuals should have to suffer sacrifices while the rest of us are enjoying some traditional treats.Take for example Pancake day.You would think that Celiacs and the wheat intolerant amongst us would have to lose out on this bit of annual culinary fun and frolic.Not so,there is simple solution - Gluten free pancakes.They are simple to make,absolutely delicious and can be enjoyed by all and sundry seated round the same table.I defy any pancake buff to not agree that these are if not as tasty or more so than the traditional variety, made with wheat or buckwheat batter.
You can even make these crêpes up to a couple hours ahead of time, cover them, and then serve them at room temperature. They’ll still be soft, pliable and delicious.You can freeze them too. But of course they’re at their absolute best when they’re fresh.
The consistency of the batter should be thicker than whole milk but thinner than heavy cream. Swirl the batter around and enjoy yourself.Pancakes should be fun, but the first pancake out of the pan is always for the cook. It may stick to the pan, it may be misshapen.Enjoy it in all its ugliness.
The other advantage is they are much lighter and far less worthy than your regular pancake so you can consume twice as many.We really enjoyed these and I made a simple lemon confit to serve on the side.Dont rule out the savoury options too.A few of my favourite fillings for pancake day are Spinach and ricotta,ham and walnuts, mushrooms and gruyere,Prawn and white wine.
And another suggestion for those who want a gluten free pancake is The Italian Farinata made in Liguria with chickpea flour.
Gluten free Crêpes
Makes about 20 crepes
 
3/4 cups (250 g) gluten free flour blend made up as follows:

165 grams superfine white rice flour
55 grams potato starch
30 grams tapioca starch

1/4 teaspoon Flor de sal
3 large eggs at room temperature, beaten
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups (16 fl. oz.) milk, at room temperature


In a large bowl, place the flour blend and salt, and whisk to combine well. In a separate, small bowl, place the eggs, butter and milk, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk until very well combined. The batter will thicken a bit as you whisk. 
Cover the bowl and place the batter in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 2 days. Before using the batter, remove it from the refrigerator, whisk until smooth, and allow it come to room temperature. The batter should be thicker than milk, thinner than heavy cream. Transfer the batter to a measuring jug with a spout.
Heat a heavy-bottom nonstick 9 inch skillet (or a well-seasoned and lightly greased 9 inch cast iron skillet) over medium heat for 2 minutes. Holding the warm skillet just above the flame, carefully pour about 5 tablespoons (a bit more than 1/4 cup) of batter right into the center of the skillet and swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly across the entire flat surface of the pan. Once you get a rhythm going, you should be able to begin swirling as soon as the first drop of batter hits the pan. Cook over medium heat until the edges and underside of the crêpe are lightly golden brown (about a minute). With a wide spatula or palate knife(and/or your fingers, carefully), turn the crêpe over and cook until the other side is lightly golden brown (about another 45 seconds). Slide the crêpe out of the skillet onto a parchment-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the finished crêpes one top of the other.

The crêpes may be covered well with a moist towel and kept at room temperature for about 2 hours until you are ready to serve them, or wrapped tightly in freezer-safe wrap and frozen until ready to use. Defrost at room temperature, and refresh the crêpes in a warm, nonstick skillet for a few moments per side, per crêpe.

Limao confitado (Lemon confit) 
1 large lemon thinly sliced
1 heaped tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons water

Fill a shallow pan with the water and if it does not cover the bottom add a little more.
Place the lemons on the water overlapping them as little as possible.
Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the lemons and slowly simmer till the water has evaporated and formed a light syrup giving you consistency of ajam like conserve.Set aside to cool.
When ready to serve the pancakes spread some lemon confit in the middle and roll them up, sprinkling a generous dusting of sugar over the outside of each.

O prato básico Português - Arroz de tomate

There are certain staple dishes that make up any nations cuisine and no collection of Portuguese recipes would be complete without Arroz de tomate.
This is a kind of found-everywhere dish. Its not meant to be the star player,but it plays a very important role and you could easily make it your leading dish if you wanted to, serving it up as a great main course for a vegetarian meal or a simple lunch.
It is served as a side dish all over Portugal but the taste can vary significantly depending on the region and the cook.Last week It was served up to us by chef Noelia at one of my favourite restaurants in the East Algarve Jeronimo´s.
Arroz de tomato goes well with almost any entrée, from seafood to pork or chicken.What Noelia chose to serve us that  day was  "Raia Alhada" (Skate cooked with potatoes, garlic and herbs) I will cover this in a future post.
When cooked properly there is something very comforting about this dish.Its a great lunchtime choice on a cold winters day.The essence being in its simplicity. All it needs is seven basic ingredients,however you can embroider the recipe.Its is up to you but I prefer it in its stripped down form.The key to tasty and well cooked Arroz de tomato is the freshness and quality of the tomatoes and basil,preferably home grown and this was exactly how Noelia presented it to us.
I know that some cooks will use tomato paste in this dish,but Noelia certainly did not and I personally don’t like it without the distinct chunks of tomato.
If you like, you can also substitute about a quarter cup of the liquid with white wine for flavour.Choose tomatoes that are as fresh as possible of course, but also try to find a variety that is meaty and punched full of flavour, such as a beefsteak or vine tomato. If you can’t find a decent tomato it is really better to use a good quality canned tomato instead, rather than make do with a sub-par tasteless supermarket tomato.Garnish the dish with some sprigs of fresh basil.


Arroz de tomate -tomato rice
Serves 4
225g( 8oz) Malandrinho, or risotto type rice
1 medium onion,finely chopped
! bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes seeded and diced
1 tablespoon torn basil leaves
2 garlic cloves finely minced

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.Fry the onion and bay leaf until the onions are soft and golden.Add the garlic and cook for one more minute then add the tomatoes and basil and continue cooking on a simmer until softened,about five minutes.Add water or stock,21/2 times the volume of the rice,bring to the boil and add the rice and some Flor de sal.Simmer until tender(about 25 minutes)and taste for salt before serving.Remove the bay leaf.The rice should not be too dry.When left more on the wet side it has a certain succulence.You could even toss in chunk of butter at the end for an extra richness.

Farofa,a Brazilian bit on the side

With the double header of the World Cup going all Latin American and the 2016 Olympics in distant sight, over the next few months I am certain we will all be reading, eating, sleeping and breathing Brazilian food. Prepare yourself for Cassava, Empanadas and Caipirinhas galore.
The 2014 World Cup kicks off in Brazil this summer,so for sure we will all be bombarded with recipes, ingredients,flavour combinations and dishes from the region. Traditional Brazilian foods incorporating beans, cashews, peanuts, chillies, as well as meat marinades, are sure to hit menus, fast food outlets and our supermarket shelves in time for the big tournament.
Dishes such as Feijoada(a black bean and meat stew), Moqueca (fish stew), Vatapa (spicy, creamy fish dish cooked in peanut sauce), Empadão (hearty meat and vegetable pie), foods using cassava and desserts incorporating cinnamon, coconut and berries are all expected to become popular choices this summer.
While South American food in general has been increasing in popularity for quite  a while now, 2014 is set to really put Brazilian food on the map. With the eyes of the sporting world focused on Portuguese speaking South America expect to see an increased number of manufacturers launching Brazilian-themed variants.In particular because of the time of year, products catering for barbecue style food are sure to be top of the list. Rodizio restaurants will become increasingly popular for football trencherman appetites.My favorite Brazilian dish has to be Feijoada.It is a much served favourite here at Casa Rosada, but  I am always in a  quandary as to what to serve with it. Here is the answer.The Portuguese brought Feijoada to South America but it was Brazil who gave it its partner, a side dish called farofa.
Farofa is the term for a side dish using toasted farinha de mandioca, (manioc flour) which is a dried flour similar in looks and texture to breadcrumbs, made from yucca. The making of farofa as a dish couldn't be easier. It is plain manioc flour toasted in butter. A few of the classic farofa dishes include eggs and scallions, eggs and bacon, banana, bell peppers, green beans and carrots, peas and corn, and so on and so forth. Farofa can be extremely dry, since the manioc flour immediately sucks up all the juices from anything it encounters, especially when it's served plain. The trick to making a moist farofa is to use a small amount of manioc flour in proportion to the other components, turning a side dish into a savory accompaniment that is so tempting, you may even forget there is a main course.

My favourite farofa
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups manioc flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced on a bias
1 small red onion diced
100g (about 5 slices) of Toucinho, bacon or pancetta cut finely into dice
1 cup frozen peas
Flor de sal and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the manioc flour and toast it to a light golden colour, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly, otherwise the flour will burn. Set aside.
In a nonstick skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat, and cook the scallions and red onion until they just start to soften. Save a few slices of scallion for garnish.Add the diced bacon,the peas, and continue cooking until the bacon has got a good colour but is not crispy, the onions are fully softened and the peas are cooked.Add the toasted flour and stir well with the onions and bacon to combine.
Pantry tips
Farofa makes a great gluten-free alternative to couscous; 
Farinha de mandioca turns any combination of leftover vegetables (and meats) into a complete meal
The root of the manioc (cassava) plant is commonly sold as a very fine starch (almidón), often called tapioca flour. But to make farofa, you need manioc flour that is coarsely ground, with a texture like farina cereal. You can find manioc flour in Brazilian markets or online.
Watch out for more Brazilian recipes Pelé would be proud of, appearing on the blog closer to the World Cup!

Slada Batata Hilwa (Moroccan sweet potato salad)with preserved lemon

February is not the month to be snacking out on salads.I mean the fresh, green, crispy leafed varieties.Do not despair, you still can eat a seasonal healthy salad and wise up to Spring being just around the corner.Believe it or not hearty root vegetables can make good salads.Warm squash or pumpkin can be spiced up with chili and coriander, and if you are not vegetarian chuck in in a bit of bacon or pancetta.A tray of roasted vegetables enlivened by some fennel and tossed through some crispy croutons can make a healthy winter lunch.This substantial Moroccan sweet potato salad is just the ticket and something I will be serving as a starter well into Spring, or at least as long as the sweet potatoes are in season.What makes this salad extra special is the preserved lemon rind which adds a nice saltiness that just finishes it off nicely with the parsley. You can taste the flavours of the warm North African spices as well as the lemon rind, but I do feel it is a very necessary part of the dish, or maybe I just like home made preserved lemons. It is also great as a side to chicken dishes.

Slada Batata Hilwa  (Moroccan sweet potato salad)

1 medium white onion, diced
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb sweet potato, cubed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Flor de sal
6 -8 green olives,pitted
1/2 preserved lemon, rind of, chopped
half a lemon, juice of
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Saute onions in 2 tbsp of oil until golden.
Add the cubed sweet potato to the pan with 2 more tablespoons of oil.Add the ginger, cumin, paprika, and salt to taste.Toss everything together well to coat, then add enough water to barely cover the potatoes.
Cook until potato pieces are tender and the liquid has reduced to a sauce, turning the potatoes over once. Be careful when handling them so that they don't fall apart.
Let cool to room temperature.
Mix in olives, and preserved lemon rindl. Taste and adjust salt if you need more.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, remaining one tbsp of olive oil and parsley. Enjoy!

Um desejo de fazer sorvete decadente Baci

Champagne and chocolate have always been de rigeur for Valentines Day,and we all know that expression made famous by Madonna ”Italians do it better.” The phrase chimes nicely with their worldwide reputation as the apotheosis of that prized breed of male known by the term “Latin Lover,” which dates back at least to the days of the great Casanova himself. But is it true these days? I have had no hands-on experience of Italian men in this regard,so I cant comment and leave it up to you ladies to fill me in.I have however always wanted to make Baci ice cream.
It’s so quintessentially Italian, it’s almost an emblem of national flavour. It would be tantamount to treason for an Italian to dislike the heady combination of chocolate and hazelnuts.Consider the place that Nutella* has in the Italian national psyche … the allure of this combination has taken hold and is firmly part of tradition. Think of Baci chocolates from Perugia, with a whole hazelnut encased in a hazelnut praline centre, coated in smooth dark chocolate

… each one with its own romantic message attached. Swoon.
I was determined to get it right first time (yes, it was my first attempt.
All the recipes I googled used Nutella.I have nothing against Nutella* -not that I am particularly wild about the stuff either, but It's just that in my humble opinion I have always thought there must be a better way to achieve that heavenly chocolate - hazelnut combination.Well, use Baci chocolates of course.Maybe its their cost that puts people off, but I have also unearthed a lot of recipes that use Torrone.I thought why not capitalize on the Spanish specialty Turrón de Guirlache, which is so delicious and readily available in this part of the world.So get ready for Valentine's day by upping the ante and surprise your other half with balls of this decadent chocolate ice cream.It won’t be long before you are fastening you´re waistline, pegging a pant up and getting ready for a bumpy night of passion. So here is my version. Or, at least, my variation of a Baci ice cream.

A Decadent Baci Ice Cream
Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, really pushes the hazelnut out and is the only source I found that actually uses Baci chocolates.I upped the Italian ante by using a tub of Mascarpone for an extra richness.

200g Turron/Torrone
30g best quality cocoa powder (Green and Blacks)
50ml Boiling water
100g Good quality bittersweet Dark chocolate (Lindt)
6 large egg yolks
100g caster sugar
250 ml heavy cream
450 ml whole milk
250g mascarpone
8 Baci chocolates plus one extra per serving
In a food processor break the Turron up until you achieve a very coarse crumble.
Put the Turron pieces in saucepan over medium heat and add the boiling water.Add the cocoa powder and cook stirring frequently until the Turron is melted and the cocoa powder is combined into a soft paste.Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile break up the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bain-marie over medium heat.
Warm the cream and milk in a saucepan until almost boiling.Set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a roomy bowl until pale and creamy.Slowly beat in the cream and milk mixture,and then return the mixture to the pan.Stir constantly over a low heat until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.It must not boil or it will curdle.
Remove the chocolate from the bain-marie and stir it into the custard until it is completely incorporated.Transfer to clean jug immersed in cold water and leave to cool completely.
When cold,using an electric whisk,beat the custard into the mascarpone until combined.
Stir in the turron mix followed by 8 roughly chopped Baci chocolates.Freeze in a freezer container until firm,stirring once after two hours and twice more at hourly intervals.
Transfer the ice cream to the fridge at least half an hour before you want to serve it.
Scoop balls into glass bowls,glasses or sundae dishes and garnish each one with a Baci chocolate cut into quarters.Enjoy the heavenly sensation.
*I don’t want to rant about Nutella but one has to acknowledge that it is no longer the wonderful spread that it used to be.We all know why.No point getting on my high horse about it here. The recipe has changed dramatically over the years, which is unfortunate, as it is now a much more sickly sweet chocolate spread with some rather dubious ingredients. Rather unfair to children today, in my humble opinion, as the original was a sublime experience. I think most people over the age of 30 or 40 probably love Nutella for the sweet memories of childhood it invokes.These days, it’s a great idea to make your own and capture that wonderful flavour again.  It’s also easy.
 

`SemGluten´ um requisito ou estilo de vida `Gluten free,´necessity or lifestyle choice

All gluten free posts on this blog will now be flagged up accordingly

 Holidays can be a real trial for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. And even for those of us who aren't medically obliged to reduce our gluten intake, excessive holiday eating means we should be mindful anyway of how many rich, starchy foods we're consuming.As more and more of our guests here at Casa Rosada seem to be requiring a wheat and gluten free diet.I acknowledge that 'wheat and gluten free’ is a serious modern day issue that needs to be addressed by everyone involved in the food and service industry.
More restaurants than ever before are willing to accommodate special dietary needs.As a cook catering for the needs of one establishments´ guests this is exactly my feeling on the matter.I am definitely not taking the route of catering specifically to a gluten-free crowd.There are many hypotheses about the sudden increase in interest in the gluten-free way of life, as well as the rise of genuine patients raising gluten-related concerns with their doctors and without scientific clarity the “wheat has to be sorted from the chaff”.More people than ever are buying, cooking and eating gluten-free foods as a lifestyle choice. Gluten-free living appeals to many but like myself still seems to be widely misunderstood.Celebrity inspired intrigue to going gluten free might well play a part, making magazines culpable of starting a new trend in fashionable and healthy eating.The discovery of the causes of Celiac disease being medically recognized in 1952 and linked to the ingestion of wheat proteins,makes this phenomenon something relatively modern and
something I knew nothing about it until I entered the world of catering in 1986.At the moment allergies and intolerances are a minefield for cooks and chefs, but given this position I accept the challenge with an enthusiasm and as and when I find gluten free recipes I will share them on this blog and flag them up accordingly with the symbol above.
Despite the lack of scientific clarity, gluten-free eating appears to be here to stay, whether it's trendy for some or necessary for others. In the meantime, some of the confusion can certainly be cleared up.First stop I need to get more savvy about reading labels on products.

The last of the leftovers- Marmalade Panettone pudding

It is the end of January and my one last remnant of Christmas was still waiting to be used,a small individual panettone.With expat friends coming for lunch what better than a good old fashioned steamed pudding for lunch on a cold day.Could I make a steamed pudding without a buttery batter( our friend is intolerant of butter )well it was worth a try.The panettone stared at me with a wide-eyed gaze that said “try me and your batter dilemma will be history”.

1/2 tablespoon Marsala / Oloroso sherry or sweet Madeira
100g panettone cut into 2cm pieces
15g toasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup lightly whipped cream
1/2 cup milk
12g light muscovado sugar
Home made Seville orange marmalade

I cut the panettone up into small 2 cm pieces and doused it with 1/2 tablespoon of Marsala wine,a rare commodity here in the Algarve,so if my experiment was not to work I would be wasting a valuable culinary asset.I left the chopped up panettone to soak up the alcohol for 30 minutes.then added 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger powder and 15g of toasted almonds.In a separate bowl I combined one egg lightly beaten,12 g of light Muscovado sugar,1/2 cup of lightly whipped cream, 1/2 cup milk and poured this mixture over the panettone .I greased 5  x 200ml dariole moulds and the spooned a dollop of Seville orange marmalade onto the bottom of each mould.I then filled them with the panettone mix. I cut out five pieces of foil and folded a pleat through the centre of each before placing them over the puddings and securing them tightly round the moulds.I placed them in a bain-marie with water coming 1/2 way up the sides of the pudding moulds, and put then in the oven on a low heat to steam for 2 1/2  - 3 hours, checking the level of the water and topping up as needed. I let them stand for 15 minutes before turning them out onto serving plates.

So music maestro-bring on the pudding.What was the verdict?- judging by the speed with which it was consumed by our guests and the cleanness of their plates, nothing short of “master chef" spectacular.The Thespian however was not in agreement and pushed his plate aside.Myself,I have to admit it was not completely up to my expectation but certainly not a disappointment.I put it down to the time it was steaming in the oven. I have taken this into account when writing up the recipe,allowing the puddings more oven time.It could be as simple as the oven performance lacking,but then a good workman should not blame his tools.