Mediterranean cous cous salad

Its the most delightful weather here, with winds, rains and the earthy scent of wet soil and blooming flowers. Most pleasant to the eye and to the soul. It makes me want to put the kettle on, bake scones and muffins, sit down with a Brontë, and harp about the weather saying 'how delightful' with a stiff upper lip and a crisp English accent!

 

Most of my lunches this week have been salads and soups, experimenting with fresh produce that I buy in the local market and gourmet ingredients that I indulge in every once in a while. Cous cous is a very versatile ingredient. It is not easily available in India yet, but it sure is a nice change for the palate. Best of all, it tastes wonderful with raw vegetables and fresh herbs. 

This salad was a very spontaneous one. I just seemed to have everything Mediterranean at home and wanted to go light on lunch. So, I did a salad version of cous cous with some simple Indian raita. Just like the weather outside, it was most pleasant to the eye and to the soul.

Ingredients

Cous cous

200g cous cous, cooked with 400 ml of water

Red and yellow bell peppers, chopped

Fresh mint, chopped

Fresh coriander, chopped

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Boiled and drained chick peas

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cumin powder

Juice and rind of 1 lime

20 g feta cheese, cubed

Raita

Plain yogurt/curd

Pinch of red chilly powder

Pinch of cumin powder

Pinch of salt

Pinch of sugar

1 chopped green chilly

Fresh coriander to garnish

Method

Place the cous cous in a non-stick pan and add boiling hot water to it. Cover it and set it aside for 15 minutes. The cous cous should have absorbed all the water and should have become plump and cooked.

For the raita, beat the curd in a mixing bowl with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and chill till serving time.

Place the cous cous with all the salad  ingredients in a large mixing bowl (except the feta). Mix gently with the tips of your fingers. Spread the feta cubes on top of the salad and set aside. Your salad is now ready.

Chocolate (or apple) cinnamon rolls

There are so many fillings I make for these rolls. Sometimes, I substitute the chocolate with green apple cubes soaked for a minute or two in some juice of lime. Sometimes, I add the apple along with the chocolate. I also do jam versions, where I just add some blueberry/raspberry preserve along with the cream cheese and icing sugar. The cream cheese is not a mandatory ingredient. You could leave it out. I love to add it to sweet rolls because of two reasons: one, it allows all other fillings to stick to the surface of the dough nicely and snugly; and two, it makes the rolls so light, fluffy and delicious.

The next special ingredient I use is the French vanilla creamer. It is not easily available, except in gourmet stores, but if you find it, bring it home. Its flavour and aroma is so gorgeously beautiful and it renders any dessert or sweet bread its patisserie-like quality. You could use it as a hot beverage creamer, or just add it to a glass of hot chocolate or plain milk and drink it up. However, if you are unable to find it in the market, its not worth fretting about. Just use a plain and simple milk powder/dairy creamer.

There are always those ingredients that add a 'wow' factor to food. They jump the line between good and great. I'v always found people asking me: "Can I leave this out?"; "Cant I substitute it with something?"; "Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?"; "Can I use coriander instead of basil, or cottage cheese instead of cream cheese"- for some questions, my answer is yes, but in most cases, I wouldn't recommend it. If I say in my post that you can leave it out or substitute it then you can, but if I don't explicitly say so, then any substitutions/adjustments you make should be done at the risk of facing some disappointment when your timer goes off and you peek nervously into the oven. A small adjustment (which we Indians totally love to do) maybe the reason why your final dish was not exactly like someone else's although you claim that you followed the recipe exactly. Think about it; ruminate.

Baking is all about precision, in terms of ingredients, measurements, temperatures, timings, everything. It could be dead easy or impossibly nerve racking, but if you really follow a good tested recipe exactly, I don't see why you shouldn't be dreadfully good at it!     

Makes 20 rolls

Ingredients

Dough
350 g all purpose flour
35 g Nestle French vanilla coffee creamer (can substitute with milk powder)
35 g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
50 g fresh yeast or 2 tsp instant dry yeast
3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk (keep egg white  to brush over the buns)
60 ml lukewarm water
150 g butter

Filling

Mascarporne cream cheese (can be left out)

100 g grated dark chocolate (can use dark chocolate chips)

20 g icing sugar

Superfine cinnamon powder

Optional: 2 green apples, peeled, cubed and soaked in some juice of lime for 2 minutes

Method

Dough and first rise

Set up what you need. All ingredients should be at room temperature for baking any bread. Place all the dry dough ingredients, except the yeast, in a mixing bowl. Dissolve  the yeast in the lukewarm water and add it to the mixing bowl. Add the eggs to the bowl. Knead it together for about 10 minutes by hand or 20 minutes in a bread mixer/stand mixer at medium speed. In the beginning, the dough will be very sticky and loose, but as you continue kneading, you will see that it comes together nicely. Do not add extra flour. Place the dough in a warm place, covered with a wet cloth, such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough. Leave it to rise for about an hour or until it doubles.

Rolling and second rise

Place the dough on a generously floured work top. Divide it into two halves. Roll out one half of the dough into a flat rectangle about 2 mm thick. Spread a thick layer of marcarporne on the dough. Now, spread the grated chocolate, cinnamon powder and icing sugar on the dough. Roll the dough gently from one long side to the other. There is no need to seal the open end. Using a sharp knife, cut out slices about 1.5 inch thick. Place the flat on a well-greased baking tray and use a soft silicone brush to coat the rolls with egg wash. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes.

Repeat the procedure with the second half; you could use a different filling.

Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. And voila! 

Serve warm with some hot cocoa or a steaming cup of coffee.

Caterpillar bread with chicken sausage & parsley

Its been a beautiful week, full of soft drizzles, maddening rains, gentle breeze and blooming flowers. In the spirit of mother nature, I was inspired to innovate and be creative with shaping my breads. One gets bored of the mundane buns and loaves. Here, I have attempted to create a cute little caterpillar with the bread dough. It was not only fun shaping it but also waiting for it to rise and then jump around in ecstasy as it browned and glowed in the oven. You can use any filling, really. I have used chicken sausages with some fresh parsley, onions and tomatoes.

A note of caution here. You will see that this bread, unlike many others, has just one rise for the yeast. The second rise is just for about 10 minutes, any longer and the caterpillar will lose its shape. So, do not wait for the dough to double or triple; 10 minutes on the stop watch and straight into a preheated oven.

The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of cream cheese, but if you prefer it, you could use 1/2 cup butter and avoid the cream cheese. The cream cheese adds a golden crust and lightness that butter cannot compensate for, but cream cheese is a gourmet product in India and not too easy on the pocket, so use butter if that works out better for you. Also, cream cheese is available in packages of 250 grams or 600 grams and has a relatively short shelf life (just about 2 weeks when sealed with cling wrap) even in the refrigerator. So, if you are buying cream cheese, keep at least 3 recipes ready to explore on your 2-week ticking time. You will find several here, under tags bread, biscuit, crackers, cheese cake etc.

Ingredients
Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast or 50 g fresh yeast
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup mascarporne cream cheese (can use butter instead)
1/4 to 1/2 cup lukewarm milk

Filling
4-5 garlic cloves chopped fine
1 green chilly, deeseded and chopped fine
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 medium tomatoes, chopped fine
2 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp salt (sausages are already salted)
1/2 tsp red chilly paste
A dollop of butter (you can choose the size of the dollop)

Method
Dough and first rise
Place all the ingredients in a wide bowl and knead to get a soft, firm dough. Place the dough in a warm place, covered with a wet cloth such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough. Allow the dough to rise to one and half times its size, approximately one hour.

Filling
In the meantime, make the filling. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the garlic, green chilies and onions. Saute till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and the fresh parsley. Season with salt and red chilly powder. Add some red chilly paste (more if you like heat). Allow the tomatoes to simmer and cook through. Add a small dollop of butter along with the sliced sausages. Allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes. Cover and set aside. You can also add some feta cheese for added flavour and yumminess.

Shaping and second rise
I forgot to take pictures while I was actually shaping the dough, so you have to manage with my attempt at good prose and these silly pictures taken with a piece of paper. I will try and update with real pictures soon.

Place the dough on a generously floured work top. Roll out the dough in a flat rectangle, keeping the thickness even (about 2 mm). With your knife mark (not cut) three points on the short side of the dough that divide it into 3 equal parts: 3a, 3b and 3c. Now, score 3c with 8-10 horizontal cuts making 8-10 horizontal strips (these will form the caterpillar strips). Place the filling at the junction of 3a and 3b and start rolling from the long side of 3a. Roll till you reach 3c. Now, use some egg wash and brush the surface of the rolled dough. Slowly and neatly, place one strip after the other on the rolled dough. Close off the two caterpillar ends by pinching them with your fingers, and turn the roll into a half-circle with the strips pointing outwards (like sun rays). Place two cloves to make the caterpillar eyes. Transfer the roll very gently to a greased baking tray and allow to rise in a warn place, covered, for 10 minutes. Brush with some egg wash and set aside to bake.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until gorgeously brown.

Slice and enjoy warm with some soup or as an evening snack.

Wholesome salad with feta and walnuts

Any salad goes from being average to incredible with these two additions: feta and garlic. Feta cheese is my most favourite cooking/baking ingredient because it turns something routine into something exotic, something edible into something finger-lickin good. Its my weekly indulgence (when I can get my hands on it; we know its not easy to find in small Indian towns/cities) and I just love the way it sticks to my fingers when I'm working with it, so I have the perverse pleasure of licking it off my hands! 

And garlic, well, its the next best thing. If you follow my recipes, you know that I use garlic generously. It could be raw, cooked, roasted, pickled or caramelised, as in this case. For caramelised garlic, see my post and recipe here.

I enjoy making and eating salads (just as much as I enjoy eating pizzas and fried chicken, so no brownie points there)! And if you know me (or have seen me), you can tell that I definitely don't live on soups and salads, but I most definitely appreciate a soup-and-salad day in winters and on rainy days. In our own way, Indian homes always have some version of a salad on the everyday menu- whether it is in a raita form or a simple homely salad with Indian spices. However, introducing new flavours with salads always lends an element of surprise to the usual vegetables and helps make the experience an enjoyable one. Here, I have to borrow the tagline from 'Maggi'; "taste bhi, health bhi" although I would not say that Maggi lives up to its tagline. My salads, however, do.

Ingredients

1 red onion, cubed

1 large tomato, cubed/50 g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small cucumber, half mooned with peel

1 red bell pepper, cubed

4-5 black olives, pitted and sliced

8-10 fresh basil leaves

3-4 walnuts, roughly broken

1 tsp roaseted and powdered flax seed

6-10 black raisins/sultanas

50 g feta cheese, cubed

1 tsp white wine vinegar (for a change, use Worcestershire sauce)

3-4 caramelised garlic cloves 

A sprinkling of dried chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy a complete, wholesome, delightful meal.

Thyme and Garlic Focaccia

Italian breads have a beauty that is theirs alone to claim. Simple, earthy and classic, they belong to a league of their own. The basic bread has no special flavouring agent and no other additives, just the dear old yeast doing its thing. And yet, the bread is so wholesome and beautiful. Focaccia is not an extra soft bread, but it is a textural delight to the palate, the visual drama not to be missed. Fresh herbs and olive oil render its flavour memorable, leaving behind a soft trail of roasted garlic, not too overbearing. A classic bread, a simple recipe and incredible flavours. Focaccia, next on stage. 

Makes 2 flat sqares of Focaccia

Ingredients

380 g  all purpose flour

2 tsp yeast

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

5-6 cloves garlic, chopped

1.5 cups lukewarm water

1 egg, whisked

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 tablespoons oil

1 red onion, sliced

10-15 black olives, pitted and sliced

A pinch of coarse sea salt

Method

Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, warm water and egg to form a firm, yet soft dough. Mildly flour the dough and let it rise until it has doubled in size. Keep in covered with a wet and clean kitchen towel to preserve the moisture in the bread.

In the meantime, place the garlic cloves and thyme (or rosemary) in a bowl with some olive oil. Let it rest for about 1 hour.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch out the air with your fingers and let it rise again for 30 minutes.

After the second rise, roll out the dough into a neat and even rectangle. Make small holes in the dough with your little finger, without pushing out the air. Spread the oil mixture evenly on the surface of the bread. Place the onion rings and olives on the bread. Sprinkle some coarse sea salt. 

Place the bread in a preheated oven (in a greased baking tray) at 200 degree Celsius for 15-30 minutes until it becomes a nice golden colour. Bon appetite!

Caramalised garlic

There is so much you can do with garlic. Roast it, pickle it or caramelise it. Here, I use balsamic vinegar to caramelise and preserve the garlic cloves. Garlic cooked this way is a fusion of sweet (sugar), sour (vinegar) and spicy (pepper), and complements so many soups, salads, breads and other bakes. I always use some extra olive oil, which tends to float on top of the caramel and is loaded with bags of flavour from the garlic. I use this oil to brush the crusts of oven fresh bread or as a dressing for salads. Its simply so so good.

Ingredients

1-3 large garlic pods
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons water
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vingegar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tsp salt
Some black pepper
Fresh/dried rosemary

Method

Shred the garlic pod apart and place the garlic cloves in a bowl. Pour boiling water over the cloves and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Now, drain the hot water and place them in cold water for a few minutes. Peel the garlic cloves and saute them mildly in a non-stick pan with some olive oil and rosemary. Then, add the sugar, water, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer for 6-10 minutes or until the sugar is completely caramelised and forms a sticky liquid. Place it in an airtight bowl and use as required.

Stores in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Bread rolls with tomato, basil, feta and caramelised garlic

Greek salad is one of my favourite salads and this bread is inspired truly and completely from this salad. Cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh basil and garlic, all common and signature ingredients of a classic Greek salad. The good bit about these rolls is the absence of any fat to soften the dough; the only fat content is the small amount of olive oil and its hardly anything. The show stopper ingredient in these simple, earthy rolls is the caramelised garlic. I have a separate blog entry for this recipe and strongly recommend that you try it at least once. For garlic devourers, this is a must-have.

The bread speaks for itself: soft, moist and high on the flavour quotient. Enjoy baking it and eating it!

Portions: Makes 18-20 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
1.5 tsp of instant dry yeast
1.5 to 2 cups of lukewarm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp dried oregano
15 g freshly grated cheddar cheese
 
Filling
125 g  cherry tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes, cubed
1 pod garlic (caramelised); for recipe and details see here
100 g feta cheese, cubed
bundle of fresh basil leaves

Method

First rise

Place the flour, oil, salt, grated cheese, dried oregano and yeast in a bowl. Add lukewarm water and knead till you get a soft dough. Place it in a bowl, covered with a wet cloth such that the cloth does not touch the surface of the dough. Place in a warm place for one hour and allow the dough to double in size. 

Filling and second rise

Now the dough is raised and ready to be rolled. Roll the dough into a flat rectangle about 5 mm thick. Place the tomatoes along with the feta and caramelised garlic cloves, on the flattened dough. Now, place the fresh basil leaves on top of the tomatoes. Fold the dough, placing one short side inside till midway. Now fold the other short side slightly beyond midway such that there is a small overlap between the two folds. Make sure the filling is secure within the roll, without any cracks or tear. Cut thick slices from the roll, about 2.5 cm thick. Place them on a greased baking tray and cover with a clean, wet kitchen towel; allow them to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Place in a preheated oven at 225 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Once they are out of the over, brush them with some olive oil (use the oil floating on top of the caramelised garlic sauce).

Serve warm with coffee or a soup and salad.