Pear Frangipane Tart

 PEAR FRANGIPANE TART Ingredients-

4 BUERRE BOSC (brown pears)
For the base-
   90 gms/3.18 oz Butter @ room temperature
   1/2 cup Castor sugar
   1 1/2 cup Flour
   2 Egg yolks   1/2 Vanilla bean or 2 drops of vanilla extract
   2 tbspn of iced water-only if required
For the filling-
160 gms/5.65 oz each of-
     Butter @ Room Temperature
     Castor sugar
     Almond meal
44 gms/1.56 oz Plain Flour
3 Eggs
 

Recipe-
Tart base-
1) Sift the flour and make a well in the centre.
2) Place all the ingredients, except water in the middle.
3) Work together the butter, eggs and sugar with the fingertips.
4) When blended, slowly add the flour in it and bring the dough together gently, adding iced-water if required.
5) Incoporate all the ingredients together until it binds to form a dough.
6) Do not over knead the dough.
7) Wrap the dough in a gladwrap/plasticwrap and chill for atleast 30 mins.
8) Roll the pastry evenly on a floured surface and ease into a greased tart ring, without streching the pastry.
9) Trim of the excess and chill again for 15 mins.
10) Prick the base with a fork and blind bake in a pre-heated oven @ 190oC for 10 mins.

 Frangipane filling-
1) Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
2) Add eggs one at a time slowly and mix thoroughly.
3) Fold in flour and almond meal mixture.
4) Pour the mixture in the prepared pastry case.

Preparing Pear-
Peal the pear, cut into half and deseed. Cut vertically or horizontally, as you like.
Place the pear in the prepared pastry tin. Squeeze the pear in the frangipane filling, leaving the top little exposed to caramalize. Bake @ 175oC for 25 mins, until the tart turns golden in color.

PS-
Buerre Bosc pears- These brown coloured pears have a long neck, cream-coloured rich tasting flesh and a slightly granular texture. It is often used for poaching and baking as it keeps its shape well.

Almond meal- Cannot find one?? Take the required amount of skinless Almond and wiz in the food processor.

Blind bake- Is a baking term when the tart/flan/shortcrust pastry with fillings needs to be half or fully baked. To blind bake, after resting the pastry in the tin, dock it and place a greaseproof paper on it with sum rice or dried beans to avoid the pastry from rising and bake.

Creaming butter and sugar- A baking term used when the butter and sugar is mixed together until it turns pale and fluffy.

read more

A Blissful Weekend with the God of of all Gods.

A vivid glance of the most anticipated and cherished Indian festival, Ganesh Chaturthi -the celebration of the birth of the elephant-headed god of wisdom, prosperity and god of all gods. This is one festival which my family enthusiastically look forward to every year and take pleasure in every solitary moment.

I am a firm believer in Gannu and try my best to offer him the best and find immense pleasure in all the ritual, food preparation and spending the day with friends.

Below is a photographic glimpse of a blissful weekend spend singing Ganesha artis, eating Modak and Laddoo and a magical emotion of being home away from home.

'Gannu Bappa Moraya'



read more

Bidding adieu to winter with a warm English Onion Soup and Asparagus Mushroom Risotto.

Warm soups and hot suppers from my kitchen are slowly but surely on its last legs. We have visibly entered early spring with the appearance of  pears, oranges, berries, avocados, lettuces, mushrooms and a variety of green vegetables.

While planning the weekly menu, I highlighted the menu board in bold letters revealing that the season of veggie soups are officially over in my kitchen to the amusement of the fussy duo in my life- their happiness seemed no boundaries at my affirmation. The Jr and the Sr are diehard curry fans and a simple soup doesn’t appeal them and so all the fuss...hmm.


Nevertheless for a change this English Onion Soup, is a favourite amid us and we find it extremely irresistible. While a big bowl of the soup is a meal on its own, I decided to portion it and serve as an entree reserving some appetite for an Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto and happily bidding adieu to the obnoxious cold winter.

Both the recipe is of Jamie Oliver and bet is the simplest and the most flavoursome. I used vegetable stock for both, but you can use any other stock as per your prefrence.

The actual onion soup calls for topping the soup with a baguette toast garnished with Gruyere cheese. Since I am not a fan of the strong flavored Gruyere cheese I simply use cheddar and the outcome is equally pleasing. I also like to serve my cheesy toasts in the side and not in the soup only for the reason that dunking gives me utmost satisfaction.

You can find the English Onion Soup recipe here
and
Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto recipe here
This is a basic risotto recipe, but I added the asparagus and the mushrooms to make it more interesting.

Bon Appetite.

read more

Celebrating Krishna Janamashtami with a Creamy Rice Pudding/Kheer

If you desire all the good things in life then look no further, the festive season is bursting into life with various celebrations one after another. We were barely over Raksha-bandhan, trying hard to cease all the goodies and sweet, yet another blissful festivity followed. Janamashtami is celebrating the birth of the Hindu deity Krishna, the most charismatic and flamboyant legendary persona of its time. He is not only worshipped by various faith and ethnicity but is also the most pampered and loved Hindu idol.....at least in my household.

This bond started when my Jr was barely a year old and often cribbed of being the only child without any sibling, not that he did not enjoy all the attention and the perks of being persistently pampered by mum and dad. Every now and then he used to insist me to sit in front of the mandir(temple) and ask God for a baby....yeah that was my explanation how babies were born. During one of those frantic bouts of questioning I told him Krishna is your baby bro and you should treat him like one.....sigh...just wanted to get rid of the situation. Many days passed and I nearly stop thinking about it and thought he might also be over and done, but to my surprise during Janamashtami 2002, he made a small cute little birthday card and kept in the mandir with a small piece of chocolate bit into half....why half??? He explained that since it is Kanha’s budday today I gave him a card and a chocki, and in return he asked me to take a bite....aww can there be anything more innocent than this....smiling.

This bond between him and his younger bro is still going strong and he finds utmost gratification within whilst interacting with the deity during tricky times such as his project should be the best in the grade, should get good marks in his NAPLAN tests, should always win his chess matches and be the best NDP. All this makes me smile and believe that he still is an innocent child, blossoming every day beautifully.

On this festive day as usual I prepared a creamy Rice Pudding nee Kheer. This is the simplest way of making Rice Kheer and even a novice can cook it without any difficulty. I like my Kheer to be thick and creamy but if you like a runny Kheer then increase the amount of milk as required.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice 1 cup
Milk 2 ½ cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Saffron threads a big pinch, soaked in warm 1 tablespoon of milk
Cashew nut/Kaju, Almond/Badam, Pistachio/Pista a handful each
Cardomam/Elaichi powder ½ teaspoon


Method:


1. Soak the rice in water for 10-15 minutes.


2. Take a saucepan, add the drained rice with milk and set on low flame to cook for 15-20 minutes. Keep stirring and avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.


3. When the rice is just cooked, add all the other ingredients and cook for another 5-6 minutes.


4. Add more ½ cup milk if you like a runny Kheer or just follow the recipe for a thicker version.


5. Serve warm or cold, garnished with the nuts.




PS- For a more fancier kheer, drizzle rose syrup or serve with a dollop of berry jam.

read more

Potato, Rosemary , Parsley and Garlic Chive Flaky Tart.

  

The very volatile Melbourne weather is all of a sudden turning exceptionally beautiful. The cherry blossoms are in their full glory all along the pathway at every nook and corner. Even my tiny winy garden patch is cheerful and green. Plus for the first time my garlic shoot has produced a stunning purple bud, never seen that before, I can only hope it is normal.

                         

  

Consequently the days are also getting longer and the urge to snack on is getting stronger. I usually look for quickies to snack along as I prepare the dinner; it not only makes an appetite for the meal but also kills the evening hunger.

 I had a sheet of frozen puff pastry and a bag full of kipfler potatoes picked from a local farmers market. I couldn’t decide how to fix these two until last evening when I baked a speedy potato and herb puff pastry tart, which is not only fuss-free but flaky and light too. This versatile tart can also be made with your favourite herb, vegetables, cheese, eggs or my way with just the potatoes.

 

Ingredients:

Puff pastry 1 (frozen)

Kipfler potatoes 3-4 (parboiled)

Rosemary, Garlic chive and Parsley a handful (chopped)

Sea salt as per taste

Extra Virgin olive oil to drizzle

Method:

1. Set the oven to 200 deg C.
2. Take the puff pastry and leave it outside for few minutes until it is pliable.
3. Once the puff pastry is manageable, very lightly score the four corners and dock the pastry in middle. This will allow the pastry to rise on the corners and remain flat in the middle.
4. Parboil the potatoes and cut into medium rounds.
5. Arrange the potatoes as desired, sprinkle some sea salt and the chopped herbs.
6. Drizzle the olive oil and bake for 20-25 mins, or until done.
7. Cut into squares and serve warm straightaway or garnish with fresh rocket.

Visitors, fellow bloggers and friends do not forget there is a System Optimizer software giveaway from Digues Inc. until 30th August. Please email me if you interested for a free software download at indulgence9@yahoo.com

read more

DO's and DON'Ts -- ABOUT FOOD

The below do's and don'ts about food and around the house is something what I learnt right from my growing days. Some of these useful tips were a regular in my mum's household, some was picked from my mother-in-laws routine and the rest from the cooking school, food magazines and books. I hope these tips will be useful to one and all the same. 

DO's AND DON'Ts ABOUT FOOD

DO's

Raw peanuts stay fresh for many months in their shells if stored properly.

Sesame seeds taste best when roasted lightly.

For tender and juicy lamb chunks, always use a tenderiser such as raw papaya or yogurt.

To preserve fresh coconut of the shell, immerse it in  a bowl of salted water and keep in the fridge until next use, to avoid the coconut from getting rancid.

For healthy Indian breads/chappatis/rotis add soya flour to the regular wheat flour to improve its protien and calcium levels.

While making berry jams, avoid preservatives by adding 1 grated granny smith apple. The apple has enough pectin to set the jam.

Preserve any unwanted fresh lemon juice into ice cubes for later use.

While serving fresh fruit juice on a sunny day, freeze 1/4 of the  juice on a ice cube tray, serve both together.

Enjoy a late night coffee with a dash of your favorite liqueur for that added oomph.

While making cocktails/mock tails/drinks, always keep your glassware in the fridge to cool. This way the prepared drinks will remain cool for a longer time.

Similarly while serving hot food, always stack your plates in a warm oven to heat the plates, or simply soak them in hot water until use. In this way the food served will remain hot on the plate for quiet sumtime.

While blanching tomatoes and peaches, make a cross insertion in the tail. It helps to peel easily without damaging the fruit.


To skin roasted peppers/capsicums, place them in a zip lock bag straight from the oven. The steam developed in the bag helps to peel the skin easily.

While preparing the garnishes such as spring onions, coriander, mint or fresh lettuces for later use, soak them in a bowl of cold water and keep in the fridge. This will maintain the crispness of the garnish.


To lessen the stickiness of the okra/bhindi/lady-finger, add half a spoon of raw mango/amchur powder to the dish.
 Always consume warm water during a meal, it helps in digestion.


Encourage the consumption of sweets and desserts made from honey, jaggery, figs, dates and nuts so that less sugar is consumed.


Try alternative methods of cooking like instead of frying, bake, steam or shallow fry wherever possible.
 
Storing food in the freezer- Use a airtight container, since contact with air will lead to loss of moisture and freezer burns. If possible vacuum seal.


While buying packed frozen foods, make sure the pack is not bulging at either ends. Bulging indicates spoilage.

If a dish comes out to be very spicy add a splash of tomato sauce to make it mild.

If the dish comes out to be salty, add few boiled potatoes to balance the flavor.Drop a dollop of yogurt for a richer stew, soup or curry.

To avoid the raisins/sultanas from sticking to the knife while chopping, grease the knife with butter or any kind of fat.

To avoid moisture in table salt, put a handful of raw rice at the bottom of the shaker.

While using nuts in cooking and baking, always flash them quickly in the oven or dry roast on a wok/kadhai. The nuts impart its essential oils when roasted giving a wholesome flavor to the final product.

If you stock lentils for the whole year, then smear them with Castor oil before storing in jars/containers as it keeps insects at bay. Before using wash the lentils with warm water.

While grating cheese, always grease the grater with oil or any kind of fat in order to save a lot of cheese that would normally stick to the grater.

To keep green chillies fresh for long, remove the stem and store.

Thaw/defrost frozen food in the fridge rather than leaving it at room temperature.

DON'Ts

Avoid yeasty, fruity and sour food with milk.

Avoid using solidified fat in your regular cooking.

read more

No-Bake Chocolate Bites.

Thursdays come with a lot of mix feelings; a blissful two day break from work is an overwhelming feeling above and beyond the misery of shopping and planning for the week, ironing a tub full, kiddos swimming lessons and that very important Sunday family brunch...hush. Therefore every Thursday I am a bit lost, contemplating how to make the meal interesting with new dishes for my two fussy eaters and to manage all chores at once, leaving alone Sunday evening to relax and rejuvenate.

That’s when I sat in my couch with a hot chamomile tea and casually went thru my pile of baking books, only to find this no bake chocolate bites recipe. At first glance, frankly this recipe did not appeal me, even though it was a perfect and hassle free indulgent for a sluggish day. But then the words SIMPLE and QUICK, yes in capitals, were quite the motive to pick the recipe. Furthermore it was a good way of utilizing the leftover biscuits waiting for their fate in the pantry. I chucked in a few nuts and glace cherries too and the result was this chewy, crunchy and nutty chocolate bites. The same night I cooked a very dreary meal of Carrot and Peas Pilaf with Gujarati Kadhi (yogurt soup) and Ivy gourd (tindora/tondli/tondakay) stir-fry and believe me this simple chocolate bite was a saviour, given that the excitement of chocolate was to the highest degree and it simply made up for an monotonous meal.....yeah I know cheeky me.

Ingredients:

Milk/Dark Chocolate 225gm/8oz, broken into peices

Unsalted Butter 225gm/8oz

Walnut and Almond 55gm/2oz together

Glace cherries 55gm/2oz

Plain Biscuits 5 nos., broken (I used Arnott's Milk Arrowroot)

Chocolate rice bubbles 1 cup (I used Kellog brand)

                       

Method:

Line a tin with greaseproof paper and set aside.

Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt gently over a double-boiler or in a microwave.

Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly.

Mix the nuts  and cherries together, keep aside. Leave a few cherries to garnish.

Now mix the nuts and the biscuits with the chocolate mixture, thoroughly.

Fill the tin with the chocolaty mixture and press it down firmly.

Leave to set in the fridge for  atleast 5 hours.

When thoroughly chilled, turn the cake out of the tin and cut into desired shapes and sizes.

PS: This cake can also be made by layering the biscuits, nuts, cherries and chocolate. Repeat until desired number of layers. The final product is much neater.

read more