Excellent, Simple Hollandaise and Mayonnaise - All Dairy and Gluten Free

This week I have made excellent Mayonnaise and Hollandaise Sauce,
using the blender.
My word, how easy is this

We have a friend, who has gone onto The Paleo Diet, for his health
So, when they came to dinner recently, I checked out some recipes from The Paleo For Beginners Book, which work for this diet.

And came up with this Hollandaise Sauce, using Coconut Oil instead of butter
I was really impressed
Very easy and tasted fantastic. I defy anyone to pick up the difference in flavour
I served it over Roasted Salmon, accompanied with, Fresh Asparagus, Roasted Courgettes
and Sweet Potatoes, roasted with Rosemary and Olive oil
Thumbs up from the guests.

12 Tablespoons  Coconut  Oil
Juice and Zest of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
4 large free range eggs
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Heat the oil either in the microwave or on the stove
To a low to medium heat, don't overcook it

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a blender
Blend about 30 seconds
Slowly start to add the warm oil a few drops at a time
Continue blending until the mixture emulsifies
You can then let the oil flow in a continuous stream
Till the mixture becomes thick

I like to add the zest of the lemon for that extra lemon flavour

If you make it in advance, place in a little thermos container to keep it warm

So while I was on a roll, I went ahead and made some Mayo as well

I used a recipe from Anne Burrell of the Food Network
This is a Tangy Mayo and I loved it
She used Red Wine Vinegar but I used White Wine
We have been eating it all week.
Very yummy

2 egg yolks
¼ cup red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
Sea Salt
1 ½ cups of a neutral vegetable oil, I used Rice Bran

Place Egg yolks, Vinegar, Mustard and Salt into blender
Whiz for about 30 seconds

Start adding oil few drops at a time till it starts to emulsify
You can then let it flow, in a slow stream

It will be lovely and thick

I made a delicious
Potato Salad
3 large Potatoes
1 Medium Carrot
1/2 Cup Sliced and de-seeded Cucumber


2-3 Tablespoons of Mayo

Peel and cube potatoes
Cook in boiling salted water till fork tender
Peel and cut carrots in small cubes
Blanch in boiling salted water for about 1 minutes


Mix everything together with the mayonnaise
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve in lettuce leaves with Marinated Beetroot, Grated Cheese and Hard Boiled Eggs
Top with some chopped Cashew Nuts
Of course if you wish this to be dairy free, don't add the cheese

To Marinate Beetroot
Slowly simmer beetroot, till fork tender
Cool
The peel will just rub off
Cut into cubes
Toss with your favourite French dressing

An excellent Vegetarian Lunch
Plenty of  Protein and that excellent beetroot, to help your liver!
What could be better than that

Simple Mille Feuille - Best Dessert for Kids

This is probably the easiest and most successful dessert, that I have made for the Grandchildren.

They just love it and seriously, it is so, so simple
Loosely based on the Famous Mille Feuille Recipe
I am not going to give exact quantities, I think you can decide how much of everything you need yourself
For instance 1 sheet makes 3 Milles Feuilles

I use Raspberry Jam usually but if you want to make it more adult.
try fresh berries, marinated in some sugar and maybe some raspberry liqueur
In fact I used Fresh berries in the dessert pictured

Take a packet of rolled out Frozen Flaky Puff Pastry
1 egg beaten with a tablespoon of water
Some White Sugar

Raspberry Jam
Cream whipped with a little sugar and some vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 200C

Cut the sheet of pastry into rectangles
Prick to stop excess rising
Brush with beaten egg

Sprinkle Liberally with Sugar
Bake till golden and crisp
About 10-15 minutes

Cool on a rack

To assemble
Put one rectangle on the bottom
Press down lightly to flatten
Spread with raspberry Jam
Cover with whipped cream

Place another on top

Not only great for kids, I can own up to loving it myself

World Bread Day - The Best Homemade Bread for Sandwiches - Thanks Michel Roux

It's World Bread Day today, Zorra Kochtopf over the last few years has gathered together Food Bloggers to share their Bread making. I love making Bread and this is a great event.

So I thought I would share this wonderful loaf that  I found, whilst surfing through the internet.I came across a blog Blahblogblah 

The blogger, named Injera, had posted about a Programme, that we haven’t had here in New Zealand yet, called “Great British Food Revival”,

Of course I clicked in and found a recipe from Michel Roux Jnr for this 

Sandwich Bread Loaf

Being a sucker for any new Bread recipe, particularly if it looks ‘So Simple’.

I immediately saved the post and this morning I made the bread.

My Loved One reckons, it is one of the best I have made and I tend to agree

So Thank you Injera and Thanks to Michel Roux Jnr,

The recipe is on the bbc.co.uk/food website, worth while getting into this food lovers. 

Great recipes from all of the Celeb Chefs, featuring on the BBC

I used Dry yeast in the little foil packets. I think they weight about 8 gms

It is not easy to find fresh yeast around where I live. 

The yeast in foil is brilliant,

keeps for ages too

Also I really like to use Pyrex loaf containers. 

Easier to see when the loaf is brown.

Excellent for pies as well

Milk, butter and golden syrup makes this loaf particularly rich and delicious, and it keeps well too

Ingredients

    20g/1oz golden syrup

    25g/1oz melted butter

    350ml/12fl oz warm milk

    10g/1/2 oz fresh yeast or 1 Pkt Dried yeast

    250g/8oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

    250g/8oz strong bread flour

    10g/1/2oz sea salt

Preparation method

Stir the golden syrup and melted butter into the warm milk until well combined. 

Crumble the yeast into a large bowl, then pour over the warm milk mix and 

stir until the yeast has dissolved.

I let the yeast foam up. 

Takes about 6-7 minutes 

Add the remaining ingredients and mix until a smooth dough forms. 

Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and 

knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. 

Once again, the ipad is indispensable, just propped up again the wall. Michel's recipe there for me.

 

Meanwhile oil the bowl

Return the dough to the bowl, 

Cover with cling film and place into a warm place for 1 hour, 

or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.

  

Meanwhile, grease and flour a 12cm x 20cm/5in x 8in bread tin.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface again and knock back a few times. 

Divide equally into two pieces and shape into balls. 
Best way to get a nice ball 
Flatten the piece of dough
and then pull in the edges to the middle

When you have formed a ball turn it over and lightly massage it

A Lovely globe

Place the dough balls side by side in the prepared bread tin, 

cover with cling film and set aside to rise again, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220C/410F/Gas 7.

Using a sharp knife, slash the dough a few times and place into the oven immediately. 

After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 180C/350F/Gas 4 

and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden-brown. 

To check if the bread is done, remove from the tin and tap the bottom with your knuckles   

it should sound hollow.

Leave the bread loaf to cool on a wire rack.

I love the way you can tear the bread apart, just like my childhood.
My Mother would send me out to buy half of loaf of bread. 
I think it cost about threepence 
The shopkeeper would break the bread in half
Wrap a strip of paper around it,
The smell of the fresh bread was too much for me and I used to pick at the soft crumb. 
Tearing little strips off. Trying to make it look like a little mouse hadn't been there.
Who did I think I was kidding?
My Mother never commented, but I bet she had many a laugh with my Father 
It looked just like this
Memories 

 Made great Toast served with Peanut Butter and Banana, grind of black pepper... one of my favourites

Super Smoked Kahawai Fish Pie

The Family have been fishing

They caught some Kahawai

This local fish, is a slightly oily fish

It needs to be bled as soon as caught.

Makes great fish cakes, not exactly a fish to pan fry

Chris home smoked it

He really nailed it

It was so moist and full of flavour

(Not too smoky. I not an over-smoked type of person

Must be all those years smoking cigarettes. Got enough smoke then, to last a lifetime!!!)

Anyway, I digressed, sorry.

What to do with Smoked Kahawai, 

of course Smoked Fish Pie

A Super Fish Smoked Pie

I have taken all the ideas for Fish Pies, that I have made over the years

I think I really got it with this one.

Sweet, lightly sautéed leeks, grated carrot and not a bit of cheese in sight

Lovely citrus, from fresh lemons

My secret ingredient this time, was some leftover Hollandaise sauce.

Genius!

We had a trip to the country in the weekend and came home with lots of Fresh, fresh, fresh vegetables, including Asparagus.

Plus gnarly juicy lemons off Debbie’s tree

Don’t you love spring?

My friend John McCready, put a post on Facebook of his Asparagus and Poached Egg dish.

Gave me inspiration

Looked very good but need a little something else.

Hollandaise is an excellent added extra.

First find a So Simple recipe

Found this on the net for an easy peasy Hollandaise Sauce

From a blog site by Elise Bauer  click here to connect to Elise 

 

    3 egg yolks (see how to separate eggs)

    1 tablespoon lemon juice

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

    10 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method

1 Melt the butter slowly in a small pot.

Try not to let it boil – you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.

2 Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne (if using) into your blender.

Blend the egg yolk mixture at a medium to medium high speed until it lightens in color, 

about 20-30 seconds.

The friction generated by the blender blades, will heat the yolks a bit.

The blending action will also introduce a little air into them,

making your hollandaise a bit lighter.

3 Once the yolks have lightened in color, 

turn the blender down to its lowest setting

(if you only have one speed on your blender it will still work),

and drizzle in the melted butter slowly, while the blender is going.

Continue to buzz for another couple seconds after the butter is all incorporated.

4 Turn off the blender and taste the sauce.

It should be buttery, lemony and just lightly salty.

If it is not salty or lemony enough,

you can add a little extra lemon juice or salt to taste.

If you want a thinner consistency, add a little warm water.

Pulse briefly to incorporate the ingredients one more time.

Store until needed in a warm spot, like on or next to the stovetop.

Use within an hour or so.

I placed the Hollandaise into a little insulated container

to keep it warm 

The Leftover sauce went into the fridge, in the container and frankly was fine the next day

Hence the addition to my Super Fish Pie

In fact such a great addition to my Fish Pie, I would make it especially for a special occasion. 

So on with the Asparagus Dish

The whole thing was delicious

Just cook some Asparagus

and Poach an Egg

I added some cooked Prawns as it was dinner 

Smothered it with Hollandaise sauce 

Just break the yolk
Divine

Sorry it has taken me ages to get to the main recipe, but here ya go.

Finally

 

Super Smoked Fish Pie 

To feed 4 people

200 gms Smoked fish of your choice flaked , check for bones

Slosh olive oil

1 leek washed and sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Little water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 carrot grated

4 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups full fat milk, warmed

Sea salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper

Zest of I lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 large potatoes peeled and chopped

1/4 cup hot milk

3 teaspoons cold butter

White pepper

Potato Topping

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water, till fork tender

Mash, or put through a ricer for really smooth potatoes

Add hot milk

Beat well and beat in the cold butter

Season with a little ground white pepper

Set aside

Leek layer

In a medium size sauté pan, gently heat the olive oil

Add sliced leeks

Season with S & P and toss well

Cook for about 2 minutes

Add about 2 tablespoon water

Cover and cook about 4 minutes, till just soft but still nice and green

Remove from pan and set aside

Sauce

In a pot add butter

Melt

Add grated carrot

Sauté till soft

Season with S & P

Add flour and stir and cook for 3-4 minutes

Add milk and stir well till thickens

Let gently bubble, approx 4 minutes

Continue to stir so that it doesn’t stick

Add juice and zest of lemon

Add Hollandaise Sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning if it needs it

Stir well, add flaked fish and

Set aside

Time to assemble

In a gratin dish

Line with a small layer of the sauce

Cover with the leeks

Cover them with the fish sauce

Plonk the potatoes on top and fork it to make a raised pattern

Into 180C over and cook for 30 minutes

It should be golden and bubbling

So delicious, this is a Dinner Party Dish

Roast Lamb Rump With Mushrooms - Pinching Ideas from Jamie

When I was trying to beat Jamie at his 15 minute meals, earlier in the year.
(By the way I haven't finished that project.
Just been a little distracted over the last couple of months.
We have now moved into a lovely apartment and are settled, so it's time to get back to blogging.
Something I really enjoy.)
Anyway I digress, I did pick up some great ideas, not only wonderful tasty food but some
excellent, simple techniques.

So I had 2 lovely little lamp rumps in the freezer and in the fridge, some Portobello Mushrooms

Yes... Dinner.
One of the ideas that I pinched from the Jamie series, was to roast the mushrooms in the same pan as the meat.
Makes sense.
1 pan meals, are good for the "dishwasher"...in this house, that's the same person as the cook
To be truthful, I did use other pans for the vege
Let's not be picky though.

So, quantities are not important here.
It's entirely up to you and the number of people that you are cooking for.
I just matched this Meat and Mushroom dish, very simply, with Frozen Peas, Edamame and Crushed Potatoes

Very Much the Comfort Food

2 Lamb Rumps
Sea salt and pepper
Olive oil
4-6 Portobello Mushrooms ripped into pieces

Potatoes, peeled, chopped and cooked till tender
Crush.
Season with pepper and a nice knob of butter


I use the microwave for frozen vege, quick, easier washing up
This seems to be a theme in this post!
and also season and add a little knob of butter

To cook the Lamb
Bring your little Lamb Rumps to room temperature.
Season both sides well with Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rub over with some olive oil
Let sit, while you heat the oven to 200C

Add your mushrooms to a bowl season them with  S & P and a slosh of oil

Heat a pan which will go into the oven to med hot heat
Add seasoned lamb
It should sizzle
Cook on 1 side for about 3 minutes
Turn over
Push the oiled mushrooms around the lamb and into the oven

Cook for about 6-8 minutes
For med roast Lamb
Remove, take out of pan and let rest for about 6 minutes

Carve the Lamb
Pour the Mushrooms and juice, over the top and serve

One of the joys of Roast Meat is the left over cold meat the next day
Just perfect for Sandwiches
I made a loaf of superb bread, courtesy Michel Roux
Click here to read about this and get the recipe
Some doorsteps with a little butter
A little mint jelly,
Sliced lamb and
Voila, Lunch

Not exactly a diet lunch...but you don't do this every day and it was delicious