Peixe São Pedro Piri piri,batatas de milho e purê de ervilhas

The uncouth appearance of this fish gave it the name of L´enfant terrible in some parts of France where it has also been known as poulet de mer.Its compressed body with tell-tale stigmata on its sides attribute it to Saint Peter (São Pedro).

Unfortunately its grim image has deterred some from eating it, which is a great pity.There is no l´horrible about it. If treated like fillets of sole or flounder this fish yields fantastic bone-free fillets of succulent white flesh.The only thing you must take into account is that the proportion of fillets to the whole fish is unusually low.If you are offered "Half Saint Peter with chips", it is probably a fillet of John Dory.
I have taken the classic British "Fish and chips" with mushy peas and ketchup and imagined what the Portuguese interpretation might be.

Piri piri John Dory 
with papas de milho ( polenta) chips
and minty mushy peas
Serves 4 
4 x 140g Peixe São Pedro/John Dory fillets
2 tsp piri piri flakes
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Flor de sal
2 limes cut into 4 wedges 

For the Tomato Ketchup
6 tomatoes halved and seeded
1 garlic clove peeled and sliced
40g sugar
Pinch each of ground cumin,dried thyme and mixed spice
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tsp tomato purée
1tsp Dijon mustard 

For the Chips 
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp fresh rosemary (alecrim)
200g polenta ( papas de milho)
Sunflower oil
1 tsp piri piri 

For the Minty Mushy Peas
250g frozen peas
Butter
100ml chicken stock,fresh cube or concentrate
large handful of mint leaves coarsely chopped
 
For the tomato ketchup
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.Put the tomatoes, cut side up, in a roasting pan and sprinkle over the garlic,sugar,cumin,thyme,spice and vinegar.Roast for 30-45 minutes until soft.Put the roasted tomatoes into the processor with the tomato purée and mustard.Blend until smooth and then pass through a sieve and adjust the seasoning.

To make the Papas de milho chips
Bring 800ml water to the boil in a saucepan, season generously with salt, pepper, dried oregano and fresh rosemary.Gently whisk in the papas de milho, bring back to the boil and cook over a low heat,stirring constantly for 5 minutes.Pour the hot papas de milho onto a previously greased baking tray in a 5mm thick layer and leave to cool completely.
Re-heat the oven to 220C/400F/ Gas 6.Turn the cooled papas de milho onto a flat board and cut into 4cm x 5mm chips.Toss lightly in a little sunflower oil and return to the baking tray.Bake for 45 minutes, turning them from time to time until crisp and golden brown.

For the Minty mushy peas                      
Put the peas, 25g butter and stock in a pan and season well. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes (you want the peas to stay bright green) then put in a food processor or blender with the mint and whizz to a purée. Put back in the pan and keep warm

Lightly dust the fish with piri piri and Flor de sal.In a non-stick frying pan heat the oil until smoking, and fry the fish for 3-4 minutes,turning once until cooked.

To Serve
Stack the chips on 4 serving plates and lay the fish carefully on top.Squeeze a little lime juice over the fish and serve with the ketchup, mushy peas and a lime wedge.

The Chipping news... ultimate chips

Well I knew the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris was famous for many things,in particular being wrapped up by Christo and Jeanne Claude in 1985, (It took the artists 10 years to gain proper permits and support from the city of Paris to wrap the Pont Neuf. Even after that the people of Paris argued over whether this project was art or not) but when Chef Marco at Cha com Agua Salgada recently served us up a veal fillet mignon with Pont Neuf potatoes, that was a first for me. Big fat chips uttered the Thespian, as he tucked into these delicious chunks of crispy encased fondant potato.Bridge potatoes I said,putting it quickly in my back head for later.I knew right away that this was something that I needed to research further as a potential dish for Casa Rosada; something by way of an interesting side to the main game or perhaps fish dish that we would serve our guests.
Have you ever thought that by renaming a dish it suddenly acquires a new dimension. I had the new name and was immediately thinking in terms of how I would present the dish.Jenga potatoes it was to be. Just as Christo had played a game with the Pont Neuf I was going to play a game with potatoes.Jenga is a game of  physical and mental skill. During the game, players take turns to remove a block from a tower and balance it on top, creating a taller and increasingly unstable structure as the game progresses.What fun, and could this new presentation get children to eat their food. It becomes fun to eat-like playing with a puzzle on your plate, and replaces the old fashioned parental hoax of trying to encourage the child that if he ate his food  he would be able to see the nursery rhyme picture on the bottom of the plate.

Pont Neuf Potatoes are basically squat, somewhat thick-cut French Fries.

They should be soft, fluffy and hot inside, and never so crispy that they shatter in all directions when you try to stick your fork in them.

You want to use very floury potatoes, and preferably ones that have been in storage for a while to develop even more starch and get more floury.

In general, the size of each Pont Neuf French Fry is 1/3 inch thick x 2 1/2 to 3 inches long (1 cm thick x 7 to 8 cm long.)

Read more: http://www.cooksinfo.com/pont-neuf-potatoes#ixzz2CaMm5kTO

Pont Neuf Potatoes are basically squat, somewhat thick-cut French Fries.

Read more: http://www.cooksinfo.com/pont-neuf-potatoes#ixzz2CaMttcyD

Pommes Pont Neuf are basically squat chips, thick-cut french fries cooked twice.They should be soft,fluffy and hot inside, and never so crispy that they shatter in all directions when you try to stick your fork in them.You need to use very floury potatoes.

How to cook Pont Neuf Potatoes

Serves 4
This recipe may seem a little long-winded but it really is worth it and on the other side, the majority of the work can be done in advance,one reason I like it.The potatoes can be cooked twice,then kept in the fridge for at least a week, before the final cooking.I used ground nut (peanut)oil as it is very pure and odourless.You could try goose or duck fat and they would be equally delicious.

1.5 kg potatoes,washed and peeled

1 litre groundnut (peanut) oil

Using a sharp kitchen knife,square off the potatoes into rectangular logs.Then cut them into chips about 1 cm thick.The length of the  pieces is not so crucial, but you do want to keep them the same thickness,so that they cook at the same rate.Place them straight into a bowl of cold water and keep them there for about 10 minutes to rinse off some of the starch.Rinse again and drain.

STAGE 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and plunge in the drained potatoes.  Bring back to the boil and simmer gently for about 10 minutes,or until the point of a knife easily penetrates the chips.Make sure the water is only just simmering;if it boils too agressively the potatoes will begin to break up before they are sufficiently cooked.
Using a slotted spoon,lift the potatoes carefully out of the and place them on some paper towel on a flat plate.Allow them to cool,then put them in the fridge until cold.The chips will harden as they cool.

STAGE 2 Heat the groundnut oil in a deep fat fryer or deep pan and heat to 130C/250F.Plunge in the chips.You may have to do this in batches.After about 5 minutes the chips will take on a dryer appearance before colouring( do not let them colour) they have now finished their second cooking.Drain,let them cool to room temperature and then put them back in the fridge.

STAGE 3 When cold,they are ready for their final cooking.Re-heat the oil to 180C/ 350F.Plunge in the chips and cook until golden brown( about 10-12 minutes)To get a crisp outside you need to patient.Drain and season with plentiful Flor de sal.Eat on their own with garlic aioli, mayonnaise, or any kind of ketchup or tomato relish.Alternatively serve as a side dish to fish or chicken.

Quince crumble with a little apple

Quince crumble with a little apple

Serves 4-6, depending on how hungry/greedy you are

For a delicious,unusual and Portuguese tasting version of a traditional British pudding, try making it using fragrant quinces.
If you have a favourite crumble topping recipe use yours, I like mine ( my mum´s) but am no granny-like authority on the matter.I have given four alternatives of classic toppings for you to choose from below.
When making a crumble topping it helps to understand the difference between normal pastry and a crumble mix. First and foremost, a crumble mix has sugar in it, standard pastry does not. Amongst other factors, the sugar has the effect of forming tiny crumbs of pastry around it.
The second key difference is that the standard pastry mix has a small amount of water added to it. This helps the pastry mix to form a single ball which can then be rolled into shape. A crumble mix has no water added to it.

FOR THE CRUMBLE
300g plain flour
200g good butter
150g brown sugar
a good handful of oats if you have them

FOR THE FRUIT

3 cooking apples
3 large quince
200g sugar
a few bay leaves

Peel the quince and cut them into six. Remove the core and put wedges in an oven tray that fits them well, a nice ceramic one you wouldn't mind seeing your crumble in would be good. Add the 200g of sugar, the bay leaves and enough water to just cover. Bake the quince in a moderate oven (about 160C) for a couple of hours. You can bake them for less but you'll never get the beautiful orange colour. When orange, remove from the oven, drain a little of the liquid if there's loads (you can use this syrup as a cordial). Check the sweetness – add more sugar if you like.

To make the topping, rub the butter and sugar together between your hands, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Don't make it too fine. I'm sure the trick is to do it pretty quickly. Chuck in some sugar, to taste, depending on preference and how sweet the quince has ended up.Chop the apples,keeping them raw, into chunks and add to the quince.

Sprinkle the crumble on the fruit and bake in a hottish oven (190C) for about 20 minutes until the top is browned and the mixture cooked. Eat with a big dollop of very thick cream.

TRADITIONAL CRUMBLE RECIPE 280g / 10oz self-raising flour 140g / 5oz brown or white sugar 140g / 5oz butter	A traditional crumble mix the way my mum made it. Well defined crumbs and looks good.
RICH CRUMBLE RECIPE 230g / 8oz flour self-raising flour 150g / 5½oz caster sugar 150g / 5½oz butter	A smoother mix with a rich buttery taste. The crumbs are not as well defined. Browns well on the top for that attractive golden colour.
OATY CRUMBLE RECIPE 140g / 5oz self-raising flour 140g / 5oz brown sugar 100g /3½oz butter 55g / 2oz rolled oats	A rougher crumble mixture with the oats giving it a real bite. Give this one a try. Use the remaining oats for porridge!
ALMOND CRUMBLE RECIPE 50g / 2oz chopped almonds 200g / 7oz self-raising flour 140g / 5oz brown or white sugar 125g / 4½oz butter	For this crumble recipe the fruit (apple or pears only) and crumble are cooked separately. Delightfully simple and easy to make.

Quintessential tip

Quince has the firmness of a hard winter squash, so be sure to use a large, firm chef's knife to cut it into halves, quarters, or slices. Peeling works well with a vegetable peeler or a small paring knife. Remove the core and you may well have to chisel it.Be careful.

A quintessential alternative

Quince makes an excellent fruit sauce similar to apple sauce. Peel a few quinces, slice them with a very firm knife, and remove the seeds. Cook them in a small amount of water with plenty of sweetener of choice until they reach a pulpy consistency like apple sauce. Mash or puree in a food processor, and serve as a dessert or accompaniment to savoury dishes.

Chutney chaat

"A pungent relish made of fruits,and or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar, 

originating in India".

With the season of mellow fruitfulness upon us,and in my Beatrix Potter world of Squirrel Nutkin it is time to get thrifty and wise to whats around the corner.With the nights drawing in and winter drawers on, our houses become overwhelmed with the smells of spicy chutneys and other preserves bubbling away on our stove tops.If not, something is wrong.

There are few things in life more enjoyable than producing our own pickles, relishes and chutneys from a bountiful autumn, and even more to consume and enjoy the fruits of this labour, together with family and friends around an appreciative seasonal table.

During late summer and autumn your kitchen should exude delicious sweet aromas of luscious fruit, and and the heady scent of spices and drying herbs.November is the time to make preserves and practice cupboard maintenance and start planning your larder for the year ahead.

A good old -fashioned plum chutney

Come the deluge of fruit,a good chutney will make a condsiderable dent in any orchard of plenty.If there hadn´t been such a plethora of Portuguese plums this year I would not have brought myself to making this.At the end of the season, about a week ago, I over purchased plums and then forgot about them. They were now plump and ripe and ready for the preserving pan.I ain´t no "Chutney Mary" but here goes.

"Chutney Mary" is a somewhat derogatory term used to describe a "lass" in Bombay, India, typically someone from a lower social background who wears flashy clothes and puts on a fake 'accent' to try and appear as being from a higher social class (yes, the caste system is well and alive). It is the fake accent that usually gives her away.So here is my very own "Chutney Mary", a plummed up lass some pittlers might call mutton dressed as lamb, but put to the test this is a damn fine plum chutney.
1.5kg stoned plums
250g sliced onion
50g raisins
250g muscovado sugar 
1 level tsp salt
2 cloves
1 big thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger,peeled and grated
1 level tsp ground allspice
600ml good quality red wine vinegar
Place al the ingredients in a large stainless steel pot or preserving pan and mix well.Place the pan over a gentle heat and bring slowly to the boil.Let the brew simmer until it thickens and takes on the consistency of achutney.(about 45 minutes).Clean and sterilise some jars,ladle in the chutney and seal.
Don´t use metal lids,because these will react with the vinegar.While it is understandable that everyone will be itching  for a large spoonful,ideally the chutney should be allowed to mature for four to six weeks.You must be patient.




 

Uma torta de laranja feito de maçãs

"Orange tart" made out of apples

An"orange tart" made out of apples? Curious? I think you will be.I think I have  been watching too much Heston´s fantastical food, but anyone who has been brought to tears by his eight-page recipe for trifle will attest to the fact that  this man is an acquired taste. Despite the difficulty of some of his dishes, on the whole I am fascinated by him – regardless of the fact that what he does is in no way either useful or practical. He has extolled the pleasures and virtues of crossing the boundaries between savoury and sweet.Egg and bacon ice cream was created out of intentionally overcooked custard.Parsnips and milk were used to emulate breakfast cereal."Why oh why" his critics repeatedly say. Get a life, I say- IT´S FUN.It is just Heston having a bit of a culinary canoodle and trying his hand at some things that perhaps not even he will bother to do again.Giving over prime time TV to researching why the English as a nation dunk their biscuits into cups of tea is fine for me.Its entertaining and makes good television.And you can´t knock the fact that he is one of the UK's very few holders of so many étoiles.So, inspired by Heston and  the extraordinary Fat Duck cookbook that my perceptive friend Mo gave me for my birthday,and with some class Portuguese apples and oranges I began a bit of self dabbling in culinary science.And what happened? I was amazed.I think you will be too.

A bit of quince syrup or juice, or a slice or two of peeled quince added to apples or pears while they cook will add an appealing flavour and aroma to a dish, giving them that little je ne sais quoi.So, following the same principal of flavour pairing, what happens if orange zest is infused into a cream and sugar base, used as a coating for sliced apples and then the remainder incorporated into filling for a tart.As the tart bakes,the apples absorb the cream coating and they come out of the oven tasting like oranges.Trust me -just try it.

An "Orange tart" made out of apples

serves 6

Pre-heat the oven to 375F/185F

You will need: 
1 quantity of sweet pastry to line
Six 10cm ( 4inch) tart rings or same sized fluted tart pans
or six same size pre-baked tart shells. 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1 large orange
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 medium sizd granny smith or golden delicious apples
peeled cored and cut into 12 slices each

Line your tart rings or fluted pans with sweet pastry.Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment
Set aside in the freezer for 30 minutes.Blind bake them in the oven until they are part baked, golden and the bases are dry (10-12 minutes).Remove from the oven keeping them in their rings or pans, allowing them to cool.

Place the sugar in a medium bowl and grate the zest of the orange into it.Rub the zest vigorously into the sugar with your fingers.

Place the orange sugar into a small saucepan and add the cream.Heat over a medium heat,stirring gently, until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 -15 minutes to infuse.

Put the apples into a bowl,add half of the orange cream and toss well to coat them.

Arrange 3 apple slices round the the sides of each tart shell and stack 3 slices in the centre.

Spoon the remaining cream over the tarts.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the apples are golden and the cream is bubbling gently round the edges.Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 seconds before removing the tart rings with tongs.Allow the baked tarts to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Magusto 2012 -Dia de São Martinho

É dia de São Martinho;
comem-se castanhas, prova-se o vinho.

It is St. Martin's Day,
we'll eat chestnuts, we'll taste the wine.

A typical Portuguese saying related to Saint Martin's Day

It was even better with the band

If you’re in Portugal on November 11, you’ll want to be at a Magusto.

Oh how we quaffed

Today Casa Rosada was invited by Quinta do Barranco Longo to Magusto 2012 in the castle of the medieval town of Silves.

"Magusto" is believed to come from the Latin magnus ustus or “great fire”.

Traditionally November 11th is Dia de São Martinho.It is not only Portugal but many parts of the world that celebrate St. Martin’s Day,  but all over Portugal, in many communities, a large party is held.
For those not attending one of these organized parties,many Portuguese restaurants offer special menus and events.It is the first day the new wine can be tasted.

The day also celebrates the debut of the castanhas(chestnuts),which this year, due to the lack of rain, will be fewer but I am informed, significantly better.Bonfires are lit and the chestnuts are roasted. 
                                                                                                                                

Roast chestnuts and good conversation

Supposedly the peak of three days, often with very good weather, it is known as Verão de São Martinho ("Saint Martin´s Summer"). It is a holiday honouring Martin of Tourinho, a 4th century Roman soldier who is known for a certain miracle. Riding on horseback in a snowstorm, Martin came upon a nearly naked beggar. Not having any money or food, Martin took his sword, cut his cloak in half and gave the cloth to the beggar. Legend has it that clouds dispersed, the sun came out, and Jesus said to the angels, “Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clothed me.”( chance would be a fine thing the last 10 days have seen a constant deluge of much needed wind and rain).Beggar or no beggar, passing soldier or not, I think anybody´s dream last week would have been a valiant rescue from the downpour with a torn mac from a moist Mr Darcy on horseback.

Oh how they danced

Today the weather could not have better suited the occasion. During the course of this lovely sunny afternoon in the confines of a Moorish Algarvian castle we had the chance to sample a glass or two from the ever expanding range of Barranco Longo wines.These were soaked up by Feijoadas,the best pork Bifanas I have ever tasted,roasted chestnuts and, when the sun went down, jackets and coats came back on and it was time for a bowl of piping hot  pumpkin soup and an assortment of Portuguese cakes and pastries.

Oh How we quaffed,oh how they danced and it was even better with the band. Oh how much we enjoyed the ambience of this annual celebration.Thank you very much Rui Virginia for a lovely day.

Quincipality

If the truth be known,did Eve really bite into an apple that she plucked off the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden? No specific name is given to the fruit she tasted from that tree, though apples are mentioned later in the Bible.According to the great food writer Alan Davidson, the apples mentioned in the Song of Solomon were almost certainly quinces. Some historians believe Eve's fruit of temptation might have been a pomegranate or possibly even a quince.Whatever it was it was an early example of culinary opportunism.
´Tis the season of the quince - don't nobody love our noble quince? Won't someone take the poor, unloved quince under their wing? It´s true, the quince doesn't have the sex appeal of a Grade 1 shiny waxed green apple, or the brilliance of a polished persimmon. Its rather jaundiced, mottled skin, sour taste, and lumpy shape isn't seductive either.These lumpy golden fruits have skins that are mottled and dusted with a light fuzz, like the cheeks of spinster great-aunts.These are the quintessential fruit. Quince charming can be easily transformed into marmalades, jams,chutnies and jellies that have been revered  for centuries throughout the Middle East and Europe. And what about a generous dollop of quince preserve on toast to make one´s breakfast more enjoyable? One heavenly mouthful of ambrosial nirvana.Now you´re talking.These quince preserves were called quidoniac or quiddony – names that now remind one more of Hogworts and Harry Potter than Kydonia (from which they derive), where the ancient Greeks grew varieties of the fruit.

Stews that combine sour fruits, such as quince, with meats are traditional foods in Iran and still remain popular today. Iranians also peel and core the quince and stuff the cavity with meat stew.
Moroccan cuisine incorporates the quince in its highly seasoned tagines, stew-like combinations of meats and dried fruits often spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

In Britain the quince was incorporated into its cuisine in various pies and tarts, often appearing in apple pies where it added a unique flavour and a hint of pink colouring. The British also prepared a sauce made from quince that became a traditional accompaniment to roasted partridge.
Quince, like the apple and guava, produces a natural pectin* when cooked, making it ideal for jelling.
Although the most favoured quince marmalade, called marmelada, originated in Portugal during the 1500's, the British have been preparing many versions of marmalade  ever since. Joining the marmalade brigade is the Italian version called cotognate, a preserve that is still prepared in Southern Italy today.
I´ve done the marmelada,the tarts,the preserve so I decided to go back to basics and serve up a simple bowl of quartered quinces poached in Casa Rosada´s own 2010 vintage of Licore de laranja.

Quince poached in Casa Rosada Licore de laranja

I´d poach any fruit in liquor, I, but the quince is one of the more obvious choices,having the added character of aquiring a little blusher while it cooks,the flesh is white when raw but becomes a delicate pink when cooked.I normally poach quinces on the stove top but in this case I decided to experiment a la Nigella and poached these in the oven.It is A slower process but it ensures that the fruits hold their form and and the soft pink carnelian liquid does not burn off, and allows them to acquire beautiful rusty tones as it cooks.Not only that you have the pleasure of filling your home with a princely "perfume" that would have made Patrick Suskind´s Grenouille  give his eye teeth for.
4 quinces
700ml licore, Moscatel, Grand marnier,triple sec,
curaçao or any other orange based liquor
300ml water
500g sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
6 cardamom pods 
6 peppercorns
Pre-heat the oven to 160C /320F

Fill a bowl with cold water and add the juice of 1/2 lemon.Peel the quinces,quarter them and core them.As you finish preparing each quarter, submerge the quinces in the bowl of water with an inverted  plate over them to keep them immersed.This is to stop them browning until you are ready to cook them.Keep all your peelings and trimmings as they will help to thicken* your syrup.

First make your syrup by putting the licore of your choice,water,sugar and spices into a pan and bring to the boil.Put your reserved peelings, including the cores, into the bottom of a large oven proof dish.Put the quartered quinces in a single layer on top and pour the mixture for the syrup over the top.Cover the dish securely with foil and put in the oven for two and a half hours.After this time the quinces should have taken on a vintage cami knicker pink colour. Leave the quinces to cool in the dish without removing the foil.The colour of the fruit will intensify as it cools.
When completely cold,remove the fruits with a slotted spoon and put in a glass bowl.Strain the remaining syrup into a saucepan and over a medium heat let it reduce.Being careful not to burn your tongue, taste the liquid every so often for your desired consistency bearing in mind the syrup thickens as it cools after you have removed it from the flame, so you do not want to  over-reduce it.You want a syrup not sticky toffee.Pour the syrup over your quinces-in-waiting.Keep any syrup you may have left over for another occasion,maybe ice cream or a humble crumble.

Spanish breakfast -Sherry raisin bread

The battle of the breads

My favorite bread-baker, Dan Lepard, recently posted a recipe for Sherry Raisin Bread, Here's how Lepard explains the role of  sherry in baking: "From a simple syrup for soaking a fat baba in or spooning over fruit cakes or puddings, to using it instead of milk or water, sherry adds a gentle flavour that lends richness without being immediately detectable".
Doesn't that sound good? My mother was renowned for the batches of raisin loaf she would bake for various parish occasions where a congregational afternoon tea was called for. So inspired by Mr Lepard, following in mothers footsteps, a bottle of sherry in hand and with a certain nostalgia creeping in I set out to see how a humble parochial fruit loaf could stand up to a distinctive piece of modern confectionary.Let the battle begin.
My mothers Raisin loaf

500g(1lb) self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

250g (8oz) raisins/mixed fruit
300-350ml (10-12 fl oz ) milk
Mix all the ingredients to a dough.Knead it well mould it into an oval loaf shape and place on a floured baking sheet.bake in the top of a moderate to fairly hot oven  200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6  until the outside has formed a slight crust.(About 40 minutes).

Mr Lepard´s Sherry raisin bread

200ml medium sherry, such as oloroso dulce
200ml whole milk, plus a little extra for brushing
100g Seville marmalade
2 level tsp fast-action yeast
300g raisins
175g chopped almonds ( I omitted these)
500g strong white flour
100g rye flour ( I omitted this and upped the content of strong flour)
2 tsp fine salt
Oil and flour, for kneading and shaping
In a big bowl, stir together the sherry, milk, marmalade and yeast, add the raisins and almonds, and mix well. Add the flours and salt, work everything into a rough ball of dough, then cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes. On a lightly oiled or floured surface, lightly knead the dough for a bare 10 seconds, return the dough to the bowl and leave for about two hours, until puffy and risen by half. Pat out the dough to about 2cm thick, then roll up tightly into a scroll and place seam-side down on a tray covered with nonstick paper. Cover with a cloth and leave for about an hour, until barely risen by half.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6, brush the top of the loaf with milk, and cut a 1cm-deep slash along the centre. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is a good, rich golden-brown.

My findings:
The Lepard version is heaving in calories particularly if toasted and slathered with lashings of marmalade and home made jams.Nothing wrong with that.
Both versions can be frozen whole or in individual slices which comes as a huge plus for me.I can whip a few slices out of the freezer for Casa Rosada breakfast guests and not have to worry about using up or wasting an entire loaf.Hmmmm,I feel quite smug about that. Pantry management at its best I would say.On the taste front I think Mr Lepard has a slight edge here.The addition of Seville orange marmalade is wicked and the sherry gives it that indefinable richness that perhaps my mothers loaf lacks.Mr lepard wins again visually.His rich golden crust makes his loaf more appealing to the eye and the slash down the middle gives it a rustic feel.Again when sliced the Lepard loaf looks more appetising and his texture has more moisture content.However when toasted mother´s loaf comes out on top.The Lepard loaf does not toast successfully. But and a big but my dear mothers version takes under an hour to produce including prep time.The Lepard version is over four hours start to finish.I wonder what would be the result if I were to produce a mutant version of the two; a quick and easy Mothers loaf with added sherry and marmalade.I can but try, but they always say your mother should know.
A word of advice:
The Lepard effect is subtle, so don't  be tempted to splash out on an expensive brand (though it's rarely that pricey).

You can have your cake and eat it

A rainy afternoon treat

Yesterday our oven door broke, deeming the oven unusable.The technician came to assess the damage and took it away overnight with a pledge to return with the repaired door in the morning. Well the oven man nao cometh and today found us with a disabled oven.Dinner, which was supposed to have been baked in the oven, had to be deep fried.No loss of taste or quality there but more importantly it is Saturday, the rain has been chucking it down all day and finding myself in the kitchen I wanted a cake for an afternoon treat.I needed a no-cook cake.It is a common thing for people to hear the story of Peter Pan and Neverland and to think that they too never want to grow up.I am one of those, but age can be a funny thing, it sometimes manifests itself in foolish infatuations and guilty pleasures, and a return to childhood. One of my guilty pleasures is chocolate corn flake crispies.With no oven and yet another expat craving coming on, I decided to make this classic childrens tea party item. It is surprisingly difficult  to find a recipe for these, but also surprisngly easy to make one up. Here´s what I did

100g Corn Flakes

100g Melted chocolate

50g Butter

1 Tsp Golden syrup

Melt chocolate and  butter in a pan,add the syrup,stir in the Corn Flakes,toss well till everything is well coated.Spoon into paper cake cases and put in the fridge till set.

Who needs fancy chocolate cakes when you can have these. 

Helado de pasas de Málaga- the new rum and raisin

Do you remember the legendary flavour of rum and raisin ice cream? For the greater population of Andalucia, in particular the residents of Malaga,the famous Helado de pasas was imprinted on their brains from childhood.It is that memorable that it outlasts adolescence into adulthood. A sundae in Malaga, even in sunny weather, may not be everybody´s idea of heaven.I am sure one can still purchase a tub of this particular ice cream in the cinema foyer or from the usherette in the intermission, and with a cracking new Bond movie coming to a screen near you its perhaps the time to remind ourselves how good the old rum and raisin ice cream was. I would go one step further in offering you this fascinating take from those double Sams-the Clarks of `Moro´ in London.So play it again Sams, your recipe for this cream of Andalucia certainly pushes my button and is most definitely double ohhh heaven.It is so easy to make, and no dry ice in the house Mr Blumenthal.The key ingredient to the Sam and Sam twist is not rum but my most favourite tipple this side of Seville, Pedro Ximénez sherry.This sherry combines a complex amalgam of figs, raisins, and plum pudding in one glass, so can you imagine what it is like infused into this boozy ice cream recipe and then served with a glass of the same nectar to accompany it. And oh my god, I nearly forgot to say if you really want to go over board pour a little of the sherry over the top of each serving.

Helado de pasas de Málaga

Malaga raisin ice cream

Makes 8 portions (just over 1 litre)

600ml double cream

300ml milk

1 small cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod

7 egg yolks

85g caster sugar

100g raisins soaked overnight in 100ml Pedro Ximénez sherry

or sweet malaga wine

Place the cream,milk and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan.Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape the tiny seeds into the pan.Heat until just below boiling point,then remove from the flame.Beat the egg yolks and sugar together for 5-10 minutes until pale and thick.Loosen the egg with a little of the cream/milk mixture,then pour the egg back into saucepan,scraping the bowl out with a spatula.Whisk well to mix everything properly and return to a low heat,stirring constantly.Heat gently to cook the custard but be careful not to let it curdle.When the mixture starts to thicken,remove it from the heat,pour into a bowl and place over iced water to cool.

churn in anice-cream maker( in batches if necessary ),adding the raisins and sherry towards the end of the churning.If like me you do not have an ice-cream maker,try freezing the ice cream by hand stirring it every half-hour to prevent crystals forming.Stirring will also help distribute the raisins evenly and prevent them from sinking to the bottom before the custard hardens enough to suspend them.This process will take about 2 hours depending on the temperature of your freezer. And here is my serving suggestion......

Simply the best