Pound Cake

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

13 tablespoons (185 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 177 degrees C and place rack in center of oven. Prepare a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan.

In a medium bowl lightly combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

Will keep, well wrapped, several days at room temperature, about one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Makes one 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

Source:

Beranbaum, Rose Levy. The Cake Bible. William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York: 1988.

Massaman Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

chicken breast - 1 pound (boneless, skinless)

massaman curry paste - 3 tbspns

cardamom - 8

cinnamon - 2 sticks

star anise - 3

shallots - 6 small/3 large (peeled, quartered if large)

coconut milk - 2 cans

water - 1 cup

fish sauce - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

potatoes - 2 medium (peeled, quartered)

tamarind paste - 1/2 tbsp

brown sugar - 1 tbsp

peanuts - 3-4 tbsp (roasted, unsalted)

peanut/vegetable oil - 2 tbsp

Thai basil leaves - a handful, chopped.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Add 1 tbsp of the oil and the massaman curry paste to the chicken. Mix well, and set aside to marinate.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, fry the cinnamon, cardamom and star anise in it for 30 seconds.

Add the shallots and fry until golden-brown.

Then add the chicken, lower the flame and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce, water, potatoes, peanuts and half the basil.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.

If needed, remove the lid and cook until the curry reaches desired thickness.

Check seasoning.

Remove the pan from the flame.

Stir in the tamarind paste, brown sugar and remaining basil.

Serve hot with jasmine rice.

Chicken Tikka Masala

ingredients

Marinating the Chicken

3-4 boneless chicken breasts, skins removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
250g thick natural yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Salt

Skewers, If using wooden skewers completely submerge them in water for approx. 30 minutes. This will hinder them from catching fire while grilling.

Tomato Gravy

250g canned cocktail tomatoes
250g heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 red chilies, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika powder
1 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter
Handful of coriander leaves/cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper

Method

Mix all of the ingredients for the marination in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix until the chicken is nicely coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

On the next day, either prepare your charcoal grill or heat up the grill function of your oven to high.

Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, discarding the marinade. Grill the chicken evenly on all sides, until juices run clear - approx. 5-6 minutes.

To prepare the gravy, heat a large skillet to medium and melt the ghee/clarified butter. Sauté the garlic and chopped chilies until fragrant. Sprinkle the ground cumin, paprika powder and a pinch of salt. Sauté for a further minute or two until the mixture turns into a paste-like texture.

Pour in the canned tomatoes, scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze it and to release any bits stuck to the pan. Simmer uncovered for approx. 10-15 minutes on low heat until the sauces begins to thicken, then add the grilled chicken pieces and cream. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, thickening the sauce further and to heat the chicken and cream through.

Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped coriander leaves and with steamed Basmati rice, fresh naans and pickles.

Massaman Beef Curry

Beef Massaman Recipe
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

800 grams of cubed chuck beef or stewing beef
3 tbs of massaman curry paste (Namjai brand)
10 green cardamom seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
8 small shallot onions, peeled
2 cans of coconut milk
1 cup of water
2 1/2 tbs fish sauce
5 new potatoes, peeled and halved
1- 2 tamarind pods (can be substituted with 1/2 tbs of tamarind paste)
2 tbs of palm sugar (can be substituted with brown sugar)
4 tbs of unsalted, roasted peanuts
2 tbs of peanut oil
A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves

Method:

1. Coat beef in 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and massaman curry paste. Stir well to coat and set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat remaining oil over a medium heat. Stir-fry the cardamom, cinnamon and star anise for 40 seconds. Add the whole shallots and fry until golden brown.
3. Add the curry-coated beef and brown for 1-2 minutes. Stir the beef well to coat it in the spices.
4. Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tbsp of fish sauce and 1/2 to 1 cup of water until the beef is just covered by the liquid. Stir well and then bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn heat down very low and cover. Gently simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
5. After this time, add the remaining can of coconut milk, potatoes, peanuts and half the basil leaves. Stir well. Taste and add a little more fish sauce if necessary.
6. Turn heat up to medium-low and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the tamarind juice. If you’re using fresh tamarind, peel the fruit out of the pod. Place the fruit and seeds in 2 tablespoons of warm water and use your fingers to rub the pulp off the seeds into the water. The water will become brown and pulpy — this is tamarind juice. Discard the seeds.
8. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the curry from the heat. Stir in the sugar, tamarind juice and remaining basil. Stir well and serve the beef massaman curry with Jasmine rice.

http://rasamalaysia.com/beef-massaman-curry-recipe/

Roman Pork Sausage Ragu

250gm pork and veal sausages
150ml oil
80gm pancetta chopped
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 red chillies chopped
1 med carrot chopped
1 1/2 brown onions chopped
3 sticks celery chopped
2 tbs tomato paste
3 cups red wine
2 1/2 cups water
400 tin chopped tomatos
salt and pepper
500gm pappardelle pasta

Skin the sausages and crumble the meat. heat a large heavy pan over medium heat. cook meat for 6-10 mins. add 100 ml oil, then pancetta, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme and stir.

add garlic, chillies, carrot, onion and celery, and stir well. cook over low heat for 10 min or un til onion is soft and caramelised.

stir in tomato paste,pour in wine and bring to a simmer. add tomatos and water and simmer partially covered for 35 - 40 mins.

Black Mussels with Chorizo

100ml olive oil
250gm chorizo finely chopped
6 shallots finely sliced
3 cloves garlic finely sliced
3 small red chilli es finely sliced
1 bay leaf
2 pinches saffron threads
2 cups of tomato puree or tinned tomatos
300gm risoni pasta
300ml dry white wine
1.5kg black mussels scrubbed and beards removed.
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped.

Heat 1 tbs oil in a large heavy based saucepan over high heat. Fry chorizo for 6-8 mins or until it begins to brown.

Add shallots, garlic chilli, bayleaf, saffron, and cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Pour in tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat.

add the pasta to a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Stir and bring the water back to the boil, then cook for 5 mins. Drain then mix 2 tbs of the oil throught the pasta, cover and keep warm.

Pour the wine into a large saucepan and add half the mussels. Cook, covered, over high heat for 2-3 minutes or until the mussels open. Remove the mussels and discard any that have not opened. Repeat with the remaining mussels. Remove the top shell and reserve . the cooking liquid.

add the chorizo mixture, parsley, pasta and mussels to the cooking liquid and bring to simmer over high heat

Karen Martiini - where the heat is Cookbook