Hot Cross Buns

I made these using the same recipe last easter, and left it too late to post a recipe- hot cross buns in June just aren't right. I didn't want to make my own hot cross buns before Easter, but I hope posting the recipe on Good Friday gives any potential HCB bakers the chance to make them over the long weekend.

Again, I turn to Felicity Cloake's 'How to Cook the Perfect...' series. It does make me so much lazier at experimenting with cooking, on the other hand it allows me to bypass mistakes and go straight to perfect recipes- I am torn between whether I love it, or whether I resent having the exploration already done for me. I do know I really enjoy the articles, and I am hugely envious of her job.

I was glad Felicity has written a HCB recipe- before I relied on Felicity, I relied on Nigella; and I wasn't too impressed with her hot cross buns recipe- they were not sweet enough, and were too much like plain bread rolls. Felicity's feel more of a treat, richer and sweeter.

I did still make some adjustments to the recipe:

• I soaked the currants in Lady Grey tea. Dan Lepard soaks the fruit in his recipe in tea- a touch which creates, in Felicity's words an 'unnervingly juicy result'. I took this as a good thing, although Felicity doesn't do this in her final recipe. Perfection is, of course, subjective. I chose Lady Grey for it's citrussy flavours, which I really like in my Easter bun.
• I left out the 50g mixed peel, and made up the weight with extra currants. (I hate mixed peel).
• I added a strip of lemon peel and a strip of orange peel to the milk when I was infusing it with the spices.
• A controversial choice- I used strips of marzipan to make the crosses. I didn't like the alternatives for making the crosses that Felicity came across- icing, and cream cheese frosting. They both seem an very unwelcome addition. But marzipan doesn't seem unfitting here- and it makes the cross part actually interesting to eat. Also, you can make cut out strips of marzipan that make very neat crosses, whereas piping out a flour and water paste can be a very messy affair.

Soaking raisins in tea and infusing milk with citrus zest and spices.

Dough after the first prove

Shaped and unbaked buns

Unbaked buns with marzipan crosses

Lamb Noisettes with Feta, Chilli, Thyme and Lemon Zest (plus some sides)

This is a fancier dish than my usual style; for a start I tend to hand my guests a plate and get them to serve themselves rather than me prettily plating it up for them. Sometimes the meal suits this kind of treatment, and I am happy to do it on occasion. In this instance I had bought some very nice lamb noisettes, and I wanted to make more of an event of the meal. The pan juices on the plate does look quite messy, but never mind- I have never pretended that presentation is one of my strong points.

The photo above shows all the components- the lamb noisettes topped with a mix of feta, chilli, lemon zest and thyme, sweet potato mash and roast cherry tomatoes with whole garlic cloves and coriander seeds. I was really pleased with the combination of flavours, everything complimented each other wonderfully.


For the whole meal I used 10 noisettes  for 3 people (3 each, plus one left to fight over). I went about it as follows:

Flavourings
Mixing together some roughly chopped/crumbled feta (about 100g), a finely chopped and deseeded medium heat red chilli, the zest of one lemon, and about a tablespoon of finely chopped thyme leaves. I then added a scant teaspoon of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil, just to lubricate it all. I added some freshly ground black pepper (no salt, as the cheese is salty enough). I set this aside while I got on with the sides.

Sweet Potato Mash
I peeled some sweet potatoes- I can't remember the exact quantity, 'enough for three' is the best description I can think of- and cut them into equal sizes. Put in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. When they are tender, mash with a good amount of butter, some sea salt and black pepper. Once the mash is done, it'll sit happily, covered with the saucepan lid, while you get on with the lamb.

Tomatoes
While the potatoes are boiling,put the oven onto 200°C. Put some (again, enough for three, or however many of you are eating) cherry/baby plum tomatoes in an oven proof dish. Lightly crush about a teaspoon of coriander seeds, add to the dish, along with some whole, unpeeled cloves of garlic. I like a lot of garlic, I used a whole,small head of garlic in this. Add black pepper and sea salt and drizzle over enough olive oil to lightly coat everything. Briefly mix it all together with your hands.  Roast for about 20 minutes, until the garlic is tender and the tomatoes are slightly blistered.

Lamb
Heat some olive oil over a medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Pat the lamb gently with some kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture. When the oil is hot, add the lamb noisettes, and cook for about 2 minutes a side- of course, how long you cook them for depends on to what degree of rareness/well-doneness you like lamb. Remove the lamb to the plates, and spoon over the feta mix (I actually get someone else to do this while I do the next step). Put the frying pan back on a low heat, and deglaze with some white wine- about half a glass. I found the juices tasted rather sour, so I recommend adding a little honey or sugar to the pan with the wine. When the harsh alcohol smell has disappeared,pour over the pain juices. Ideally, a helpful friend will have already put the sweet potato mash and the tomatoes on the plates. If not, sigh a martyed sigh, and do it yourself, and then serve.

Dan Lepard's Chestnut Chocolate Cream Biscuits

I love cooking with chestnuts, there is something about their sweet, mealy texture that really appeals to me. I tend to use them in savoury dishes- paired with a ripe gorgonzola in a oozy risotto, or with pasta, caramelised onions, sauagemeat and wholegrain mustard for a bolstering winter dinner. Almost all of the time I go down the lazy route, and buy them ready cooked and vacuum packed; usually by the good people at Merchant Gourmet. Tesco were getting rid of their Christmas stock of the aforemented lazy cook's chestnuts for £1 a box, so I now have a good stock of them in my cupboard.

 I came across this recipe by Dan Lepard from searching for something sweeter to do with chestnuts. These biscuits are so rich and indulgent, I think you could serve them as a pudding, and it wouldn't be a disappointment to anybody. On the other hand, they make an afternoon cup of tea very special indeed.

Before baking

Just out of the oven

Freshly filled

A few notes about cooking these:

I forgot to dust the biscuits with cocoa before baking. Nothing disastrous happened. I decided to sieve over the cocoa powder after they were baked and assembled instead.

I was eager to try a biscuit straight after assembling them but found the chocolate filling oozed out everywhere. It was messy and delicious, but you can have a far neater experience if you let the biscuits sit for an hour after filling them. The chocolate cream firms up substantially to a far more manageable texture.

This recipe has inspired further ideas for me- possibly making the chestnut biscuits without the cream, and serving with some baked or poached fruit. Plums, pears or quinces, perhaps, to end an autumnal dinner. I also link the idea of using the dough as a the pastry for a tart- perhaps with the fruit suggested before, or a rich chocolatey filling.

Germknödel and Custard

I am always on the lookout for new recipes, and have a ever-growing list of dishes to try at some undetermined point in the future. As soon as I saw this recipe for sweet, steamed jam filled dumplings, I had to make them- normally I  shop around for a recipe, to find the something perfect. But I was cold, hungry, and utterly seduced by the idea of dumplings, custard and a sweet poppy seed butter in one dish. And they have become one of my favourite puddings-something for a cold day, when you are enjoying a cold day indoors with the sort of friends who are willing to give you a hand with mixing dough or heating up custard, or even just chat while you shape and fill the buns.

My knowledge of Austrian cuisine really only goes so far as germknödel. But as far as introductions go, they make a spectacular one. The name germknödel, and their English description of jam dumpling evokes a heavy stodgy dish- in fact they are surprisingly light- in terms of taste, at least.

Germknodel for three.

The recipe came from a Guardian article 'The 10 Best Dumpling Recipes', which is as good as it sounds. If you want to make your own custard, I recommend Delia's recipe- it is very good. However, the dumpling recipe is quite involved, so I think good shop bought custard would be a perfectly acceptable accompaniment.

The dough after proving- it is very soft and silky, and really nice to work with!

Vodka Resolutions

I nobly stuck to 2013's resolution- to make a flavoured vodka every month (except for the months where I used gin).

Here is a photo of the fruits of my labours.

The flavours go as follows:
January: Lychee, Star Anise, Schezuan Pepper and Tangerine Peel
February: Pomegranate, Cardamom and Rose
March: Rhubarb and Raspberry
April: Blueberry, Vanilla and Lime
May: Vanilla
June: Strawberry and Black Peppercorn
July: Gooseberry and Elderflower
August: Redcurrant and Raspberry
September: Pear
October: Sloe Gin
November: Ginger and Lime Gin
December: Cranberry

For 2014, I will be starting a new resolution- to drink and review a flavoured vodka a month.

Crispy Pata and Atacharang Papaya

I first had crispy pata about 6 years ago in a pub in Kenilworth, The Famous Virgins and Castle, which has a half English, half Filipino menu. For those who aren't aware of the delights of crispy pata, it is a deep fried pork hock. It should have a rich brown skin that snaps when you break it (like the savoury equivalent of the top of a crème brulee), and very tender flesh. It's rich, fatty, and the meat in almost gelatinous in place, and you'll need a lie down after eating.
The Famous Virgins and Castle serve the pork with rice and atcharang papaya. I only ever have a few mouthfuls of rice, or I fill up and can't eat all my pata, which would be a terrible thing indeed. Atacharang papaya is a pickle, made with unripe papaya. It is sweet and sharp and cuts through the fatty pork very well.
Crispy Pata has to be the most terrifying dish I have ever cooked. I don't think I'll be making it again without a deep fat fryer, and even then, I'm not sure it's worth the clean up and the terrifying noises of the pig skin blistering and popping. I'm glad I attempted it, but I think it'll be a dish that I'll order in restaurants rather than make at home.

Atacharang Papaya
You need to know if you want atacharang papaya a few days before you eat- it improves with a little time. Every recipe I looked at specified the importance of using green, unripe papaya. Luckily, that was all I could find in the supermarket anyway.

1 green, unripe papaya
1 tbsp salt
4 cups vinegar
4 cups sugar
5-10 shallots (the recipe I was using this a base for specified red shallots- I could only find regular ones, and used these)
1 red pepper
2 large red chillies
1 large carrot
1 cucumber
handful raisins
I head garlic
a few slices of ginger.


Peel, destone and finely shred the papaya. Place in a bowl, and sprinkle with the salt. Let it sit for a minute or two, then place in a sieve and rinse off. Squeeze the papaya to remove as much as the moisture as you can. Set aside. Shred the cucumber and carrot, the pepper and the chilli (removing seeds and pith from the last two). Peel and finely slice the shallots. Mix all these together in a bowl, with the papaya and the raisins.

Put the vinegar and sugar in a large sauce pan with the slices of ginger. Slice the head of garlic horizontally in half, and add this too. Dissolve the sugar over a low heat, and then boil for 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. I discarded the ginger slices, but peeled and separated the cloves of garlic and included them in the pickle.

Put the shredded vegetables in a large jar and pour over enough of the pickling liquid to cover. Leave for 2 days before using.

Crispy Pata
1 pork hock
6 bay leaves
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
4-6 star anise
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder
12 to 15 cups water
8 to 12 cups cooking oil

Bring the water to the boil in a pan large enough to take the meat later.
Add the bay leaves, whole peppercorn, star anise and 4 teaspoons of the salt along with the pork hock. Simmer the meat until it is tender. The recipe I used suggested 45-60 minutes, I ended up cooking it for more like 2 hours.

Remove the pork hock and set aside to cool.Rub the leg with the ground pepper, garlic powder and remaining salt. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large cooking pot with a lid. Don't use a pot without a lid, it is far too messy, and more importantly, dangerous to leave this uncovered.

Gently put the pork in the oil (to avoid splashing). Cover, and leave top crisp up on one side, then turn and cook the other side. This takes far longer than you would expect. The skin needs to properly crackle and blister before it is ready. When the skin is well browned and crunchy, it is ready.

Serve with the atcharang papaya and some plain rice.

Sweet Potato, Roast Garlic and Coconut Soup

I was tempted to call the title of this post Sweet Potato, Roast Garlic, Lime, Cumin and Coconut Soup, but I thought I would stick to the Rule of Three. Despite a rather long and overcomplicated name, the ingredients blend together to a much more mellow soup than you would expect. That is not to say it is dull, I like to think the combination makes a beautiful balance, like in a good Thai curry.


Ingredients
2 heads of garlic
Olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp butter
4 spring onions
1 long red chilli
800g (ish) sweet potato
1 can coconut milk
1litre chicken or vegetable stock, or water
Fish sauce (to taste)
1 lime

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Tear 2 squares of foil. Place a head of garlic on one of the foil squares, drizzle over a little oil. Crimp the edges of the foil together tightly, so the garlic is encased in a baggy foil packet. Repeat with the other head of garlic. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the garlic is very soft- leave it for longer if it is still hard.

While the garlic is roasting, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to smell fragrant, then tip into a pestle and mortar and grind as finely as you can.

Chop the spring onions and the chilli. You can do this quite roughly, as they will all get blended up in the end. I keep the chilli seeds in this for the extra bite, but you can remove them if you prefer a milder soup.

Melt the butter in a pan big enough to accommodate everything. Add the chilli and spring onion, and let them cook over a gentle heat. Whilst they are cooking, peel and chop the sweet potato into even sized pieces. Add to the chilli and spring onion, and cook for a few minutes more. Stir in the cumin, then add the stock or water and coconut milk. Simmer until the sweet potato is tender. How long it will take depends on the size you cut your potatoes.
Remove the garlic from the oven, unwrap and allow to cool enough so you can handle it. Squeeze the garlic pulp out of its skins into the pan. Blend the soup with a stick blender until completely smooth. Add a dash of fish sauce and half the juice of the lime, stir and taste. Add more lime or fish sauce to your taste, and serve.

The soup is surprisingly filling, I found a bowl with some bread made a very tasty and warming supper.