Beautifully dressed or tarty?

Got your attention?  Nothing to do with clothes.  One blogger described my humour as 'droll'; well, probably.


I haven't bought Mayonnaise since last summer.  I found this recipe online but I'm afraid I've forgotten where, so my apologies to the person who thought it up and thank you!


Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or lime


Method
Place the first 5 ingredients into blender and blend on low speed for 2 minutes.  


Still on low speed, gradually drizzle in half a cup of oil, add lemon juice and slowly add the remainder of the oil.


Notes
Depending on the vinegar used, you can get a different taste.  I'm currently using White Balsamic Vinegar and love the taste.  


I once made it up, did the taste test at the end and it was really tarty.  I realised that I had left the salt out!  That tiny bit of salt really takes the edge off. 


I make a very tasty Coleslaw by adding a few dollops of this and a few sloshes of Caesar. 

Beautiful, creamy Mayo!

Tartare Sauce

Make the basic recipe above and add 1 tbsp chopped capers and 2 tbsp chopped gherkins. Optional extras are 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley and 2 tsp grated lemon rind.  

The end result is a delicious tartare sauce to have plate-side with fish or spread on wafers under tomato and spring onion for lunch.  

Herbes de Provence

Recently a recipe called for 2 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence.  It was the first time I'd heard of it and wanted to cook there and then, so I went to my laptop to learn more.

The name, of course, told me that it must be a mixture of herbs but which herbs in particular?  I found a few recipes and settled on the one below.  It didn't include Oregano, so I added a couple of tablespoons.  I might just leave it out next time but suspect I won't notice a great deal of difference.  One herb that does take over is the Thyme, so I'll cut back on that as well.

Naturally, the mixing of herbs is a time-worn addition to cuisine by discerning cooks, especially Provençal grandmothers.  It can also be mixed with oil and used as a marinade.

In the 1970s a blend was formulated by spice wholesalers.  I have never seen it on the shelves here but found a small packet of 20g online at a ridiculous price and it contained lavender, which, I believe, is not done in France.

I use it quite often now, rubbing it into the pork roast, sprinkling it on my Chicken Maryland (hubby likes cajun or chilli on his), and adding it to the roast vegies.

Do you have a favourite blend?

My little herb cupboard

Ultimate Christmas

We ordered some wine for Christmas; red, white and bubbly and with the delivery came this lovely gift. It is filled with delectable fare. Do you like stuffing, or 'seasoning', as we call it? I love it, DMJ is not fussed but I'll bet he'll love the Pork, Cranberry & Herb Stuffing!

1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
450g/1lb pork sausage meat
50g/1 3/4oz fresh white or wholemeal breadcrumbs
50g/1 3/4oz dried cranberries
70g/2 1/2oz fresh cranberries
1tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper

* Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until the onion is transparent and soft.

* Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Break up the sausage meat in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, dried and fresh cranberries and the herbs and mix together well. Add the cooked onion and celery, then the egg. Season well with salt and pepper and mix together thoroughly.

* Form the stuffing into balls, place on an oiled baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Alternatively, spoon into 2 foil tins, level the surface and bake for 45 minutes.

COOK'S NOTE:
* This stuffing can be made in advance and frozen, as long as the sausage meat has not previously been frozen. Thaw thoroughly before cooking.

BASIL PESTO

This is delicious!!
We're nearing the end of Summer and as my basil is on the verge of going to seed, I picked a few stalks and decided to make a pesto. I made it up as I went and even gave in to my husband when he suggested I add a few drops of Tabasco. It's scrumptious with dried tomato chips or on corn biscuits with cottage cheese and I also use it in a puff-pastry pie with chicken thighs, corn, extra basil leaves and parmesan/mozzarella cheese. Here's what I threw in and puréed it all with my stick mixer.

Ripped basil leaves, about 3 bunches

1 large Tomato

Tabasco, few drops

Minced Garlic, heaped teaspoon

EV Olive Oil, a few glugs

Balsamic Vinegar, about a tablespoon

Pine Nuts

Parmesan cheese, grated

LUMBERJACK CAKE

I guess most would have a recipe for this luscious, decadent cake. Or, perhaps, like me you didn't know of it. It was labelled a 'healthy option' to the Christmas fruitcake. I 'whipped it up' yesterday and, as fortune would have it, we had visitors in the afternoon, ravenous, hot and thirsty after a shopping trip in 30+ heat. So in the air-conditioned comfort they partook of Lumberjack and ice-cold soda water with a dash of lime. Hoping for more visitors today....don't get me wrong, it is delicious and that's our problem! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
2 medium apples, chopped
180g pitted dates, chopped
1tsp bicarbonate soda
1tsp mixed spice
75ml oil (olive, sunflower, canola)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract
1 cup wholemeal flour
Cup rolled oats
Cup sunflower seeds

Topping
Cup brown sugar
Cup skim milk
Cup shredded coconut

Method

• Preheat oven to 180C. Spray a 19cm cake time with oil and line the base with baking paper.
• Combine apples, dates, bicarb soda and one cup of boiling water in a small bowl and leave to cool
• Blend mixed spice, oil, sugar, egg and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Sift flour and return husks to flour. Combine sifted flour, oats and sunflower seeds.
• Fold flour mix and date mix into egg mixture. Pour into tin and bake for 35 minutes.
• Combine topping mix and gently spread over partially cooked cake.
• Return to oven and bake for a further 20 minutes or until top is brown.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out. Cool before slicing.

For extra wellness: Use soy milk for dairy-free.

For gluten-free: Substitute gluten-free flour for flour and rolled amaranth for rolled oats.

Mmm, even nicer today!