Baked Brown Sugar Custard

Make this rich, silky baked custard this weekend. Thank me later. 


Baked  brown sugar custard with dates

10 fresh dates, pitted and cut in half - See Note

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways & seeds scraped

 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) pouring (whipping) cream

375 ml (13 fl oz/11/2 cups) milk

10 large egg yolks

140 g (5 oz/3/4 cup) soft brown sugar

fresh nutmeg, for grating

serves 6

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F/Gas 2–3). Grease an 8 cm (31/2 inch) deep, 1.5–2 litre (52–70 fl oz/6–8-cup capacity), non-metallic baking dish. Evenly distribute the date halves around the bottom of the dish — it should be a neat fit.

Put the vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan with the cream and milk over medium heat and slowly bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat, then cover and allow to infuse for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth. Strain the infused milk mixture and gradually whisk it into the egg yolks until smooth. Carefully pour the mixture over the dates, trying not to disturb them. Finely grate enough nutmeg over the custard to lightly cover the surface.

Place the baking dish in a large roasting tin, then pour in enough warm water to come halfway up the side of the baking dish. Bake for 11/2 hours, or until the custard is dry and golden on top but still a little wobbly.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, but leave it in the water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the baking dish from the water bath and allow the custard to rest for a further 10 minutes, before serving on its own or with some lightly whipped cream.

NOTE: You can omit the dates - or use Prunes, fresh figs, rum soaked raisins or similar.


Recipe Copyright  - Jane Lawson from her cookbook 'Grub - Favourite Food Memories'
published by Murdoch Books
Photo by Steve Brown http://www.stevebrownphotography.com/

Polverone Tartlets with Caramelised Apple and Cider Custard

                   

Polvorone Tartlets with Apple and Cider Custard

cider custard

375 ml (13 fl oz/1 1/2 cups) cream (whipping)

 125 ml (4 fl oz/ 1/2 cup) milk

8 egg yolks

60 ml (2 fl oz /1/4 cup) sweet Spanish sidra , or other sweet alcoholic apple cider

 80 g (2 3/4 oz /1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

11/2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour

 11/2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)

pastry

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

 1 teaspoon whole aniseeds

 40 g (1 1/2 oz /1/4 cup) pine nuts

60 g (2 1/4 oz /1/2 cup) icing (confectioners’) sugar

 200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

2 teaspoons oloroso sherry

caramelised apple

30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter 8 small crisp, sweet apples (such as fuji), peeled, cored and cut into eighths

100 g (3 1/2 oz /1/2 cup) soft brown sugar

80 ml (2 1/2 fl oz /1/3 cup) sweet Spanish sidra , or other sweet alcoholic apple cider

 80 ml (2 1/2 fl oz /1/3 cup) clear apple juice

 80 ml (2 1/2 fl oz /1/3 cup) cream (whipping)

Makes 8

To make the cider custard, pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and just bring to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, cider, sugar, vanilla, flour and cornflour in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture until smooth, then pour into a clean, heavy-based saucepan and place over low heat. Using a balloon whisk, stir continuously for 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and smooth and clearly holds a ‘ribbon’ shape when drizzled from the whisk onto the custard. Allow to cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until completely cold.

To make the pastry, put the flour, aniseeds, pine nuts and icing sugar in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Process until the nuts are finely chopped, then add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms crumbs. Put the egg yolk, vanilla extract and sherry in a bowl and mix together well. Using a flat-bladed knife and a cutting action, mix the liquid into the flour until it forms clumps. Gather together into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Divide the dough into eight equal portions, then roll each one out between two sheets of baking paper to 5 mm ( 1/4 inch) thick. Remove the top layers of paper and invert the pastry over eight 10 cm (4 inch) individual tart tins with removable bases. Fit the pastry into the tins, trim the edges and freeze for 1 hour. Save any leftover pastry for making into shortbread biscuits (cookies).

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Bake the tart shells for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before releasing them from the tins.

While the tart shells are cooling, prepare the caramelised apple. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium–high heat and sauté the apple for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden — if your pan isn’t quite large enough you may need to work in two batches. Remove the apple from the pan and stir in the sugar, cider, apple juice and cream. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Mix the apple through, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, or until the apple is soft but not falling apart, and the sauce is golden and glazy. Allow to cool slightly. Fill the tart shells with the custard, top with the warm apple and serve at once.

Copyright of Jane Lawson. Recipe from Cocina Nueva - the New Spanish Kitchen by Jane Lawson, published by Murdoch Books. Image by Photographer Steve Brown. 

Macadamia Cake with Lime Syrup

                   


I swear everyone who cooks this recipe falls in love with it. 

Toasty, buttery macadamia with sweet lime. Perfect for a beautiful sunshine-filled day. 

A little goes a long way and it keeps well - check it out and let me know how you go!


Macadamia cake with lime syrup 

CAKE
200 g (7 oz/11/4 cups) macadamia nuts

185 g (61/2 oz/11/2 cups) self-raising flour

 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, softened

230 g (81/2 oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

 4 large eggs

 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

 80 ml (21/2 fl oz/1/3 cup) milk

LIME SYRUP 170 g (6 oz/3/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

 3 teaspoons finely julienned lime zest

80 ml (21/2 fl oz/1/3 cup) lime juice

 1 tablespoon rum, optional

serves 10–12

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F/Gas 2–3). Grease a 25 cm (10 inch) wide, 9 cm (31/2 inch) deep, non-stick bundt tin or other scalloped-edge ring cake tin.

Very finely grind the macadamias in a food processor or in several batches in a blender, then tip into a mixing bowl. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda over the top and combine well.

Beat the butter and sugar using electric beaters until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lime zest. Mix in half the flour mixture, then half the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk, until all the ingredients are well combined. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth over. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is dark golden and comes away slightly from the side of the tin. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Allow the cake to rest in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, before inverting onto the rack to cool completely. (If you tip the cake out of the tin before this time it may collapse.)

To make the lime syrup, put the sugar, lime zest, lime juice and 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) water in a small saucepan and stir over high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes, or until slightly syrupy. Lift out the lime zest with a fork and set aside as a garnish. Take the syrup off the heat and stir in the rum, if using.

Brush the syrup evenly over the entire cake surface. Decorate the top of the cake with the reserved lime zest and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. This cake keeps well — wrap it thoroughly in plastic and store at room temperature for a few days, or refrigerate for a week (or even freeze for up to 1 month).

Recipe from Grub - Favourite Food Memories by Jane Lawson. Published by Murdoch Books. Image by Photographer Steve Brown. 

Cook this. Meat Pies with Beer and Vegemite.

Football, meatpies, Kangaroos and ..... beer ... and Vegemite.
Actually I'm happy to leave the footy and Kangaroos to themselves.  Aussies watching football - you need these. Get baking.

Meat pies

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 brown onion, finely chopped

 2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour

 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) chuck steak, cut into 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) dice

 10 g (1/4 oz) butter

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) beer

375 ml (13 fl oz/11/2 cups) beef stock

 1 small carrot, finely diced

 1 celery stalk, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons Vegemite, or other yeast extract such as Marmite or Promite

11/2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée)

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

3 sheets of ready-made shortcrust (pie) pastry

3 sheets of ready-made puff pastry

 1 egg, lightly beaten

makes 6 individual pies

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Season the flour with salt and black pepper and use it to lightly coat the beef cubes all over. Add the remaining oil and the butter to the pan. Sauté the beef in three batches until lightly browned all over, adding more oil if needed. Set aside.

Add the beer and stock to the pan, scraping up any cooked-on bits. Return the beef and onion to the pan with the carrot, celery, garlic, Vegemite, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 11/4 hours, or until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick and rich. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste. Allow to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until cold.

Put two baking trays in the oven and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Cut six 14.5 cm (53/4 inch) diameter circles from the shortcrust pastry and six 12.5 cm (43/4 inch) circles from the puff pastry. Line the bases of six pie tins measuring 12.5 cm (43/4 inches) across the top, 7.5 cm (3 inches) across the base and 3.5 cm (11/3 inches) deep with the shortcrust pastry circles — the pastry should come just a little way above the edge of the tins. Brush the edges lightly with the beaten egg.

Divide the chilled beef mixture between the lined pie tins. Lay a puff pastry circle over the top of each pie and press down around the edges of the shortcrust pastry, pinching together if you like to help the edges adhere.

Pierce a little air vent in the top of each pie using the tip of a small, sharp knife. Brush the top of the pies with the egg, avoiding the vent, and place directly onto the trays in the hot oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and lightly golden, then lower the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling hot.

VARIATION: Make little pot pies by filling individual ramekins with the beef and topping with a puff pastry lid. Cook for 10 minutes at 200°C (400°F/Gas 6), then 8 minutes at 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Recipes from Grub - Favourite Food Memories by Jane Lawson
Photographer Steve Brown. 

Cook this. Croquetas de Pollo

Croquetas de pollo

Chicken Croquettes with Smoked Paprika Salt

béchamel sauce

90 g (3 1/4 oz) butter

90 g (3 1/4 oz /3/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 tablespoon fino (dry) sherry

125 ml (4 fl oz /1/2 cup) home-made or low-salt chicken stock

1 fresh bay leaf

185 ml (6 fl oz /3/4 cup) milk

60 ml (2 fl oz /1/4 cup) cream (whipping)

Filling

 2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 leek, white part only, finely chopped

3 slices jamón, prosciutto or jambon, finely chopped

1/2 celery stalk, very finely diced

 200 g (7 oz) minced (ground) chicken

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

50 g (1 3/4 oz /1/2 cup) seasoned dry fine breadcrumbs

55 g (2 oz /1/2 cup) ground almonds seasoned plain (all-purpose) flour, for coating

 2 eggs, lightly beaten olive oil, for deep-frying

2 teaspoons sweet or smoked sweet paprika, mixed with 1 tablespoon salt

lemon wedges, to serve

Makes 24

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour and stir for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is dry and a little crumbly and smells like pastry cooking. Add the sherry and stir until absorbed. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the stock.

 Add the bay leaf, gradually whisk in about half the milk, then return to the heat and whisk in the rest of the milk, then the cream. Cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and smooth and starts to pull away from the side of the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek, jamón and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden. Add the chicken, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, and fry until the chicken changes colour and is just cooked through. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Remove the bay leaf from the béchamel sauce and add the sauce to the chicken along with the parsley. Mix well, season to taste, then cover and refrigerate for 3 hours, or until completely cold.

Divide the filling into 24 portions and roll into small croquette shapes 5–6 cm (2–2 1/2 inches) long. Combine the breadcrumbs and ground almonds in a small bowl. Lightly coat the croquettes in the flour, dip them in the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat them in the breadcrumb mixture. Sit the croquettes in a single layer on a tray and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until ready to cook.

Fill a deep-fryer or large heavy-based saucepan one-third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Deep-fry the croquettes in three batches for 2–3 minutes at a time, or until lightly golden. Drain well on crumpled paper towels and serve hot with the paprika salt and lemon wedges.

Variation: Instead of the chicken, try using minced (ground) pork, flaked tuna or finely chopped and sautéed garlic mushrooms, and add different herbs to taste. Also, instead of the lemon wedges, the croquettes can be served with a small bowl of sherry vinegar for dipping into.

Recipe text copyright of Jane Lawson - from Cocina Nueva - The New Spanish Kitchen. 

Image by Steve Brown. 

Cook this: Raisin Torrijas with Honey and Walnuts

Super-easy yet impressive Spanish dessert. Gluten-phobes look away. 


Raisin torrijas with honey and walnuts

4 thick slices day-old raisin brioche, or other good-quality raisin bread

2 eggs 125 ml (4 fl oz /1/2 cup) cream (whipping)

2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar

 1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

mild vegetable oil, for pan-frying

20 g ( 3/4 oz) butter

 160 g (5 1/2 oz /scant 1/2 cup) honey

1 tablespoon manzanilla sherry

35 g (1 1/4 oz /1/3 cup) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Serves 4

Cut the brioche slices into 3 cm (1 1/4 inch) wide fingers. Whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar and vanilla extract and pour into a non-metallic dish.

Put the brioche fingers in the egg mixture and turn to coat well. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to cover the base by 5 mm ( 1/4 inch), then add the butter and place over medium–high heat. In two batches, lift the brioche fingers out of the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off, then fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Drain on crumpled paper towels.

Meanwhile, combine the honey, sherry and walnuts in a small saucepan and leave over low heat until the honey melts.

Divide the brioche fingers among four serving plates and spoon a little of the honey and walnut sauce over the top. Serve with vanilla ice cream or custard and whipped cream.



Photo by Steve Brown.
Text copyright of Jane Lawson from the book Cocina  Nueva - The new Spanish kitchen. 

Creamy Fish Pie

This simple fish pie is perfect on a cool evening with a glass of white wine - something with enough acid to cut through the richness. 

I have cravings for this baby. Give it a whirl - you won't be disappointed. 

60 g (21/4 oz) butter 2 leeks, white part only, sliced

1 large fennel bulb (about 500 g/1 lb 2 oz), finely sliced (reserve the fennel tips for the sauce)

 1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 large garlic clove, crushed

 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) boneless, skinless white fish fillets, such as snapper, flathead, blue-eye or ling

80 ml (21/2 fl oz/1/3 cup) dry white wine or vermouth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon white peppercorns

 a few parsley stalks

a few celery leaves

40 g (11/2 oz/1/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) milk

250 g (9 oz/1 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream

 2 teaspoons dijon mustard

 1 tablespoon lemon juice

11/2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel tips or dill

TOPPING

16 slices of white bread, crusts removed

softened butter, for spreading

1 handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped

75 g (21/2 oz/3/4 cup) finely grated parmesan cheese

serves 6–8

Melt a third of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the leek and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the celery and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the celery is tender. Remove from the pan and set aside, but keep the pan at the ready for continuing the sauce.

Put the fish, wine, bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stalks, celery leaves and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan, then add enough cold water to cover. Slowly bring to the boil over medium heat, removing the fish with a slotted spoon as soon as it becomes opaque. Continue to cook the stock for a further 15 minutes, then strain and keep warm over low heat. When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into large flakes.

Add the remaining butter to the same pan you sautéed the fennel in and place over medium–high heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, stir in the flour and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) of the warm fish stock until smooth. Whisk in the milk and continue whisking for 5 minutes, or until very smooth and thickened slightly. Stir in the reserved fennel mixture and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take the pan off the heat, then stir in the crème fraîche, mustard, lemon juice and fennel tips or dill. Season well. Carefully fold the sauce through the fish, trying not to break it up too much, then pour into a large, well-greased ceramic baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5). To make the topping, spread the bread with softened butter, cut into small cubes and toss with the parsley and parmesan. Scatter evenly over the top of the fish mixture. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is crunchy and golden and the filling is hot.

 

VARIATIONS: Replace the fish or half the fish with some cooked prawns (shrimp) and scallops and add a tablespoon of finely chopped capers. You can also use good-quality tinned or bottled tuna and a ready-made fish stock to save time.

This recipe is from Grub  - Favourite Food Memories by Jane Lawson

Copyright Jane Lawson. 

Image by Photographer Steve Brown. 

Text and images cannot be replicated in any format without permission from the author.

Quick and Easy Spicy Baked Beans Recipe

 My dad used to sing a little ditty about baked beans but it isn’t appropriate for print — well not in a cookbook anyway! The baked beans we eat today are believed to draw upon Native American as well as French or Italian origins. Baked beans were first produced commercially by the Americans in the late 1800s, with the British following close behind. Although the tinned form is very handy, it just doesn’t compare with this flavoursome version, which is almost, but not quite, as quick as opening the tin.

By request, from my cookbook 'Grub - Favourite Food Memories' here is a simple recipe for making your own Spicy Baked Beans at home.

serves 2 as a main and 4 as a side

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small brown onion, chopped

1 slice of bacon, finely chopped, optional if you are veggo

1 garlic clove, crushed

60 g (21/4 oz/1/4 cup) tomato paste (concentrated purée)

1 bay leaf 

1 teaspoon sweet paprika (or smoked sweet paprika if not using bacon)

large pinch of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons mustard powder 

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons golden syrup (if unavailable, substitute with maple syrup  or honey) 

11/2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins cannellini beans, drained

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and the bacon, if using, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until lightly golden. Add the garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf, paprika, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, worcestershire sauce, golden syrup, sea salt flakes and 375 ml (13 fl oz/11/2 cups) water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 10–15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and saucy and the beans are tender but not mushy.

Season to taste and serve on thick slabs of buttered toast or as a side dish for fried or poached eggs. These spicy baked beans also make a great jaffle filling.

**This recipe is from my cookbook Grub published by Murdoch Books  - all text and images are the copyright of Jane Lawson and may not be replicated without permission.

Image by super lovely photographer Steve Brown.  

Homemade Crumpets

Australians have a fond attachment to this bubbly, yeast-leavened version of the pancake. Crumpets are (or were) commonly eaten toasted for breakfast - smothered with butter and  honey or Vegemite!

Thank you dear Simon Marnie (ABC Radio) for sharing your love of this recipe with your audience. It makes me smile to think of you whipping these up at home for the family! I agree - the store-bought version has NOTHING on homemade crumpets!

makes about 12 (serves 4–6)

2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
310 ml (103/4 fl oz/11/4 cups) warm milk
250 g (9 oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
vegetable oil, for cooking (choose one with a mild flavour)

3 tablespoons drained stem ginger in syrup, very finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the syrup
 250 g (9 oz/1 heaped cup) mascarpone cheese
4 ripe nectarines or small peaches, cut into thin wedges
golden syrup, maple syrup or honey, for drizzling


To make the crumpets, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) of the warm milk and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Cover with a clean tea towel (dish towel) and leave to sit in a warm place for 15 minutes, or until frothy.

Sift the flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk the remaining milk with the egg and pour into the well. Add the yeast mixture, then whisk to form a smooth, soft batter. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the batter has doubled in volume and is covered with bubbles. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with 1 tablespoon water and beat it into the batter. Leave to rest for a further 10 minutes before cooking.

Meanwhile, mix the chopped ginger and ginger syrup through the mascarpone cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil. Working in batches, carefully ladle 1/4 cupfuls of the crumpet batter into the pan, leaving space in between for spreading. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the top is completely covered with popped bubbles and is dry to touch. If you like, flip the crumpets over and cook for a further 30 seconds, or until just very lightly golden. Remove from the pan and cover with a tea towel to keep warm while you cook the remainder. (You can also cook the mixture inside egg rings for a less rustic result, but you will need to use a little less mixture in each one.)

Serve two or three crumpets per plate, topped with a dollop of ginger marscapone, some nectarine slices and a drizzle of golden syrup. You can reheat any leftover crumpets by toasting or grilling (broiling) them.

VARIATION: For a savoury breakfast, smear the hot crumpets with butter and Vegemite or Marmite and top with a poached egg.


PSSST! If you like the recipes from GRUB you are going to love my new book 
MILKBAR MEMORIES! Check it out HERE!


*Image above by the seriously lovely Photographer Steve Brown
Grub was published in 2007  by Murdoch Books and is currently out of print. Jane Lawson now owns the copyright of text and images which must not be used without permission.

Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe ( almost)

(not so) Recently I made my first batch of Tonkotsu Ramen. (just found this post lurking in my 'to be published folder' from winter... ooops)

I won't lie  - I was pretty chuffed with my efforts. It is not often I'll spend a couple of days making stock for 2 bowls of noodles... had I known it would only yield that much liquid I would have started with a much heftier load of pork bones of course... 

Some people prefer a simple shio (salt), shoyu (soy) or miso based stock for their ramen, which are indeed much lighter bases, but for me - on a cold winter's night there is no Ramen that beats Tonkotsu ramen with its super rich, thick porky broth and quivering slices of 'soft as butter' pork belly.  

I did a little research and using my well practiced tastebuds as a guide I ended up making a rather decent bowl. The Ramen 'expert' (only so by comparative consumption) in the house gave it the big thumbs up.

But it did take quite some simmering - 12 hours in fact to break down the collagen from the pork bones which enriches the flavour and adds a certain viscosity.

Now for a very pale stock (which is preferred by some) you are supposed to chuck the cooking water when it starts to look like the photo below (but I don't mind my soup looking a little darker and I felt the flavour would be more concentrated this way.   

So a mixture of pork bones, spring onions, ginger, well-caramelised fried garlic simmered away for long enough to form a really decent drop. I slow cooked a nice slab of pork belly in sake and served slices of it over the noodles in the broth, with some extra, sliced spring onions. It was good - but almost too rich - which I never  thought I'd hear myself saying. So it is back to the drawing board. I'm going to give it another shot (making a much larger batch because cooking a pot of bones for 12 hours should at least provide enough broth for more than 2 bowls of noodles right? Once I have it spot on (at least in my eyes!) I'll be posting the recipe. Just a few little tweaks...

Ooh and there's a delicious chicken version I'm also going to test soon too! 

Homemade Ume-shu (Japanese Plum Wine)

Hello! This post has been moved to HERE at ZENBU TOURS.

NEWSFLASH!! Free Copies of Zenbu Zen!

Currently there are two (ichi, ni..) separate competitions running - both of which provide you with the opportunity to win a copy of my latest book Zenbu Zen! 

ICHI (1) 
The lovely people of SBS Feast magazine have a competition in the November issue of their magazine out now. 10 people have the chance to win a copy of the book so run out and buy SBS Feast magazine with this cover  ...

OR... go HERE for more detail. 

NI (2).
 I have also been running my own competition which closes in a few short days!

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If you already like my page - get a friend to like it and just make sure they tell me who referred them - then you BOTH have a chance to win. TOO EASY!

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Cheers, Jane

A damn hot Summer's day in Arashiyama and French toast with Blueberries...

After a crazy night sweating it out with our friend Takeshi, plus about a million or so others, at Gion Matsuri (Kyoto's famous Gion festival) we  needed a little sustenance to see us through the next day's jaunt to Arashiyama. 

While its not very Japanese, French toast with blueberries, maple and toasted hazelnuts  - and bacon...., seemed like a good way to get us up and going in the intense heat. 

Here's a quick recipe from my head - for 2-4 people - depending on your appetite!

Blueberry Hazelnut French Toast

4 thick-cut slices of bread of your choice

2 best quality eggs

200ml milk or a mixture of half milk and cream (or just over 2/3 of a cup for those of you in the USofA)

a dash of pure vanilla extract

a quick shake of ground cinnamon 

butter for frying

a small handful of Hazelnuts, halved or roughly chopped

Organic Maple syrup - as much as you like

a cup or so fresh or frozen blueberries

rashers of hot, crisp bacon

Method:

Cut the bread slices in half to form two broad fingers.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a wide, shallow dish. Place the bread, flat sides down in the mixture and press down lightly. Turn the slices and press down again. You may not have room to place them all flat in a single layer and if this is the case, rotate them occasionally while you let the whole thing sit for the next half hour.  Its OK if some slices sit on top of the other for a bit - just swap them around when you think of it. Ideally you want the bread to evenly absorb the custardy mixture. 

Meanwhile, melt a little butter in a pan over medium heat and toast the hazelnuts until they are lightly golden and smell so good you can't help but sample one.  Set nuts aside. 

Wipe out the pan then add a couple of good slugs of maple syrup (well as much as you think you might like to drown your french toast with) and heat over medium high until just bubbling. Add the blueberries and keep cooking for a few minutes or until the colour leeches into the syrup. Keep warm over low heat. 

Heat a knob of butter in a large frypan (a good quality non stick pan is great for french toast  - although I don't normally advocate their use) over medium high heat. When its bubbling - add the french toast in a single layer - making sure the pan isn't crowded - and cook on each side for a few minutes or until nicely golden  -  you will likely have to do this in a couple of batches. If you aren't eating the first batch immediately  - keep it warm in a low oven. 

Place the French toast on a platter and pour the blueberries in maple over them. Sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts and serve the bacon on the side. Don't forget the coffee!!

Variation:  as I was typing this up his I had a pang for French toast again so whipped up a batch but instead of blueberries I used the amazingly juicy, flavoursome peaches on hand. One of the few things I like about Summer in Kyoto.  I didn't add them to the syrup - instead simply sliced them fresh over the top of the cooked french toast... oh and I added a wee slurp of bourbon to the maple when I heated it.  Some toasted almonds would have been nice had I note been in the process of minimizing kitchen supplies in preparation for our departure at the end of the week.... eeek. 

So off we wobbled to the bus-stop post feast. It was a challenge in the searing heat - and this was at around 9:30am so you can probably imagine how the day might have panned out.  Waiting for the bus nearly killed us all. Yes, it was that bad. And no, we weren't hungover.  And no I am not being overly dramatic... well that depends who you ask. 

Catching a bus in Kyoto is always interesting. On this particularly trip we found a local dressed as, well a  pseudo Samurai, we suspect. At first we thought he must have worked at Toei Uzumuasa Eiga-mura - the Samurai set movie village near Arashiyama ... but we found out later that was not the case...   

                

During the night Kyoto had been hit with extremely heavy rain which had resulted, unbeknown to us until we arrived, in a landslide in parts of Arashiyama. The river, which is normally clear and calm, had turned into a rapid flowing mud chute.

OK, so, we probably didn't need an ice-cream.. but we were perspiring at such a rapid rate that we were in dire need of sweet and cold... and ice cream was at close range.

Anyway... it was soy milk soft-serve with red beans on top... almost healthy. 

We wandered, very slowly, through the main streets below then up through part of the temple precinct into the bamboo forest where we anticipated cool relief.....

Tanuki... looking a little loco. No doubt a direct result of the heat.

I love this small pond and bridge near Tenryuji temple - even in winter when it is stark and dangerous looking, spiky with dead stems and murky with rotting plant scum.  This was my first time to witness it in full greenery  - with actual lotus flowers in bloom. Summer in Japan IS good for some things... who knew. (ps - use Google Chrome to translate any Japanese links) 

Dragonflies, frogs,  you name it  - it was jumping..

Within a short time of strenuous photo taking -  one of us was in need of another icy treat. We turned down the dango and other traditional sweets in favour of....

..this delicious strawberry ice-block... nothing but crushed frozen strawberries... very refreshing... and not so bad for you either...

Finally... we made it to the cool...errr, maybe not so cool bamboo forest... perhaps even more humid in parts than out in the direct sunlight... this is where we REALLY started to feel the heat. Might have had something to do with being in the middle of the day by the time we set foot on the shaded path. Tropical. Jungle like. Feverish. Incoming!

Seems some people had the right idea...

I guess it might look a little cooler than it was... and that, in Japan, is often the point. To have something appear to be cool  in Summer is the first step towards it "feeling" cool and therefore refreshing.. get it.. that's why you see cool colours in everything from tableware, to wall hangings,  to summer wagashi (sweets). 

OK, that's enough bamboo forest .... (it looks almost cool reviewing it now..which is helping me through my steamy morning, but it was more than unpleasant to actually live it ). Once we left the main section we continue walking and stopping off for refreshments ever 15 minutes or so. Yes, really, it was that necessary to rehydrate ourselves. We were parched within a very short time, our bodies purging more liquid than we could get into us. I was suffering terribly this day and had it not been for two boys pushing me I could easily have collapsed into a cab, ordering the driver to deposit me ANYWHERE with air conditioning...

Pretty stops like these make even the weariest travel feel happy

And if you see the sign (below left) - you know they are serving KAKIGORI - the famous summer speciality of shaved ice drizzled in flavoured syrups such as matcha,  black sugar or condensed milk and sometimes served with ice cream and dumplings... I didn't have one on this occasion but I can assure you they are VERY refreshing.

Onwards we travelled....

Before spotting the sign below...

It kindly invited us to stop and enjoy a little something in their garden - so how could we refuse? Boy were we glad we did  - not only was the homemade plum juice to DIE for, as was the plum jelly and other sweets - it was simply the most lovely little garden and ceramic store. Well worth a look if you are in the area - good prices too. A charming experience.  A few other shops are close by selling mainly bamboo related products - including beautiful lamps. 

Couldn't get away from freakin' Tanuki... him and his sticky-beak family kept following us. 

Ice cold Ume (plum) juice, ume jelly, preserved Ume  = stunning on a Summer's day

And on we travelled upon the  preserved street of Saga Toriimoto towards Adashino Nenbutsuji (a temple to the many dead who's bodies were abandoned here in desperate times of war, famine and epidemic during the Heian period).

Such a pretty street dotted with gorgeous souvenier shops  - below is the back garden to one of them 

Daruma with long eyelashes... another first for me - he's usually far less hirsuit

Finally, we reached our destination Adashino Nenbutsuji. For a place steeped in such harrowing history it is indeed beautiful and serene.

Not far from here is another related temple but we had no access. As we tried to climb futher up the hill we found not only many homes and businesses that had been drenched in the mudslide but  also a rather large hole in the road where it had collapsed, under the weight of the mud, into the small river below... we respectfully left them to the cleanup and headed home. To sleep off the heat.  Another sweltering Summer's day in Kyoto officially over. 

PS   - if you are reading this before September 22 2012 - jump on over to my Zenbu Zen Competition page for a chance to win a signed copy of my new book - Zenbu Zen! Out 01 October 2012. Go on - do it now!!