Dough!

Who doesn't love pizza? It's one of my favourites but something I don't often have due to the dairy and wheat intolerances but homemade pizza is hard to resist and if I've been off wheat for a few days, I can usually deal with it and I have determined my threshold for cheese is approx a 1 inch square cube so as long as I go (very) light on the cheese, it's PIZZA TIIIIME!
I love making my own dough, that way I can determine the thickness of the pizza or mix herbs into it for extra flavour. This recipe was from a friend and it's my go to recipe for pizza base, always perfect, as long as you are willing and able to knead for 10 minutes straight (which is a really long time when you actually time it and don't just guess). Start working on those pipes!

Basic pizza dough
1 1/2 cups strong white flour
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp easy blend yeast
1/2-3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp olive oil
(dried herbs are optional)

Sift flour and salt into large mixing bowl and stir in yeast
make a well in the centre and pour in olive oil and water. (I usually add 1/2 cup water and then add more if needed rather than the other way around-I find the amount of water is THE critical factor in making amazing dough)

Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 10 mins until smooth and elastic. (The test I use for this is poking the dough with my finger. The dough should spring back almost immediately. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave until doubled in size, about 1 hour.I usually leave the dough in the oven after I've turned it on for a few minutes. The warmth helps the dough rise but you don't want it too hot...just some residual heat)
Turn out dough on to lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 2-3 mins ( The best part of this whole recipe, besides eating the final product, is the first punch into the puffy dough)

Roll or shape as required.
(I prefer to press the dough by hand and then stretch it by hand. The rustic texture makes for better aeration and air bubbles. Go really thin with the dough, it will rise a lot so if you want a really thin crust, this dough ball needs to make a 25-30 cm round pizza base. If you've done a good job with your dough, you should notice that it shrinks back a bit when you try to stretch it out.)

For toppings, on this occasion, PB and I had some genoa salami, black olives, mushrooms, artichokes and mozza. I also always drizzle lightly with olive oil and also sprinkle dried oregano or italian dried herbs over the top and this adds a great level of flavour.

Oven should be hot at about 425F and for optimal results, use a preheated pizza stone with cornmeal on it. Failing that, a pizza pan with holes in the bottom or a plain baking tray, lightly oiled.


Tip -most ingredients going on your pizza should be cooked before hand. i.e. if you are putting bell peppers or mushrooms on, they come out way better if you've pan fried them first-just my experience

Other toppings I LOVE (not all together though!):

-oven roasted vegetables
-prosciutto pieces on top (they crisp up wonderfully with the hot oven)
-brie
-candied salmon
-caramelised onion
-fresh basil (add after cooking)
roasted garlic (slowly roast the bulb at 350F for about 45 mins with a bit of olive oil and wrap in foil. Squeeze soft gooey goodness out of cloves and spread on base or randomly drizzle on top)
-HOT SAUCE!!!

The potato formerly known as Baked

PB and I have a tradition of cooking brunch together at least once a week. Sometimes it's on a Sunday but as neither of us works a conventional Mon-Fri 9-5 job, we will have it whenever we both have a day off together and no particular place to be in the morning. We usually have the same few ingredients:

• hashbrowns-unpeeled baby potatoes cut in half, parboiled and then pan sauteed over low heat for a bout 20-30 minutes. They are then seasoned with salt, pepper, herbs and garlic powder
  

• back bacon or breakfast sausages

• lightly scrambled eggs (for PB)

• beans for me with a side of mustard or salsa
  

Sometimes we have toast too if we're planning to be out all day and not going to be eating much. Toast is always wholewheat or sprouted grain with peanut butter and creamy honey.

On our most recent at-home brunch date we realised on doing our pre-cooking prep that we did not have any baby potatoes left. However, we did have some cold baked potatoes that I had left over from making chili earlier in the week. I suggested we slice them up and pan saute for our starchy side.
Andrew sliced them about 1/2 inch thick and sauteed over low heat until browned and crispy.
He then tossed them in salt, pepper and garlic powder.
I could try to describe the taste but I think the photo will probably already have you drooling sufficiently. Yes they tasted as good as they looked.

WARNING: This post contains T*fu

Dear non-vegans,

I have discovered a recipe for brownies that could actually be THE best brownies I've ever had. You will be very surprised to find that they contain no eggs or dairy products, yet taste so decadent that you will be thinking about them for days...maybe longer and you may even contemplate veganism (well maybe in the baked goods category anyway).
Regards,
Sally (aka the vegan baker)

I feel I should explain why my blog contains both vegan recipes and meat recipes...I am vegan when it comes to baking as I can't eat eggs or dairy in any significant amount. So vegan baking is the way to go for me. But I eat meat, hence the giant meat fest pic on my main blog page. And the previous post prominently featuring sausages of the pork kind. Capiche?

The recipe for these brownies is from a cookbook I use regularly called The Everyday Vegan. I have tested the baked result on several sets of co-workers and friends/family and every time the verdict has been that these are hands down WINNER brownies (and that's without them knowing about the vegan part. and the tofu part). I find a lot of people are scared of tofu and anything containing it so I try to keep it a secret until they've eaten the brownie. The most recent testing of the brownie was at my current workplace and one of my coworkers, I call her CC now (short for Chocolate Chip), stated the following on devouring her brownie;

" I just died a little bit inside. In a good way."

I was pretty happy with that and afterwards she said they were the best brownies she's ever had. Another co-worker ate 3. I think it's safe to say that the brownies are now mainstream.
There is a misconception out there that vegan food is either bland, not tasty or super healthy. None of these is totally true. Of course some vegan food can be bland and not tasty as can animal based food. That's down to the cook and the preparation. As for vegan food being good for you....well, for the most part it usually is higher in fibre, free of cholesterol and higher in vegetables but certainly in some categories, it can be loaded in fat, salt and sugar. Dairy substitutes such as tofu can be deep fried as in agedashi tofu or laden with sugar like the premade tofu desserts.
This particular recipe is delicious but it does contain sugar and chocolate as is required for all brownies. However, as far as baked goods and desserts go, I think this is on the healthier side with the use of cocoa powder for decadent richness and only 2tbsp of oil in place of what is usually a larger amount of butter. The plain soft tofu adds smoothness without adding a distinct taste and so no one will know the difference, I promise. Be prepared to reveal your secrets though, they will ask you for the recipe!

Vegan Brownies
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unrefined sugar ( I use Sucanet but you could use regular sugar also)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup soft plain tofu
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water (not sure how much of a difference the 2 tbsp makes)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup non dairy chocolate chips (read the label, most semi-sweet choc chips don't contain dairy)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tbsp canola oil (do not use olive oil or other strong tasting oil!)
1/4 cup non dairy choc chips
1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.
In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Stir in salt and sugar and mix well.
In a food processor (or using an electric whisk) combine tofu, water, vanilla and flax meal and puree until very smooth.
In a pot over boiling water (Tip: for a quicker option, melt in microwave in 20 second increments until melted) melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
Add melted chocolate to tofu mixture and then stir the chocolatey goodness into the dry mixture.
Add canola oil just as it comes together, mixing until just combined.
Pour batter into a lightly oiled 8"x8" baking pan. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup chocolate chips (whole or crushed) and walnuts. I also add a small sprinkling of sea salt as I love the salty bursts contrasting with the rich dark chocolate-ness.
MOST IMPORTANT STEP: Lick bowl and spoon :-)
Bake for 30-35 minutes depending on desired level of goo-iness.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan.
Chill brownies before cutting for best results.

This recipe makes 12-16 brownies. I find them rich so I usually cut the portions quite small. Plus there are a lot of mouths to feed at work. Another word of advice... serve yourself one before presenting to the masses. Trust me, your tupperware box will be handed back empty.

Got sausages?

I'm now working full time at Lululemon and as is expected with retail, working all kinds o' random shifts on a weekly basis, with some spanning 2 traditional meal times such as 11-7pm or 12-8pm.
I was also finding that being on my feet all day in a crazy busy store required my meals to be a bit bigger to compensate and my regular snacking between meals is now non existent. Dipping celery sticks in peanut butter is not a good thing to do while folding pants.
So my recent days off have turned into mammoth cooking (and consequent tupperwaring) sessions to prepare me for my work days ahead.
This week my weekend was Weds and Thurs so Weds was spent choosing recipes and buying ingredients and on Thursday the kitchen became Command Centre: Special Ops.
On the menu was a simple sausage bake I ripped from a random magazine at some point and stashed in my file of torn out recipes. Also I wanted to make a chicken curry in my newly purchased slow cooker. I made this chicken curry before and was hoping for the same delicious end result without the preceding drama. If you missed out on that click here to learn about it.

The sausage bake I chose because, well, it's got sausages in it and it would be suitable as a breakfast, lunch or dinner option in a hurry when reheated.

Tomato, basil, sausage bake

4 large or 8 small sausages (I used local organic pork sausages from Planet Organic)
punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, cut into wedges
olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
basil leaves, roughly torn


Pre-heat oven to 400C.
Toss sausages, garlic and onion in a large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake uncovered for about 20 mins for small sausages, 30-40 for larger, until golden.
Add cherry tomatoes and vinegar and toss together gently.
Return to oven for another 15 mins or until the sausages have started to break down and the sausages are cooked through
Stir in basil leaves and serve.

I didn't have any balsamic vinegar but I made it anyway and it was fine although I do think the vingear would make for a more lively sauce, and if you happen to like fresh crusty bread, it would probably taste alright when dipped in said sauce.

Pep up yo' shrimp

This is my go to recipe when I want a quick meal that is intense in flavour, deliciously fragrant and simple to make. You could serve for a weeknight meal or to impress any guests.
The recipe is from a magazine I bought a few years ago called "Fast and Fresh" and I have probably made it at least 10 times. If anyone asks me for inspiration for dinner tonight, I usually describe this dish.

Salt and Pepper Shrimp
2 tsp black peppercorns (or a mixture of black, pink, green and white)
2lb shrimp, peeled with tails on or off...your choice. (the recipe calls for shell on, but that's a pain to eat and the flavour doesn't penetrate as much. I leave tails on for aesthetics as they are easily removed when eating)
2 tsp salt ,divided
2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed ( I prefer crushed to finely chopped from a texture stand point and I find the chopped form is more likely to burn due to the higher heat of stir frying)
1 cup cilantro, chopped finely

Crush the peppercorns roughly.
mix shrimp in a bowl with half of the peppercorns and 1 tsp of the salt.
Heat wok or pan over high heat and add oil, garlic, and rest of peppercorns and salt and stir constantly for one minute until fragrant. The pepper will be very fragrant so be prepared!
Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly until cooked through, about 3 mins depending on the size of the shrimp.
Turn off heat and add the cilantro to the shrimp in the pan and toss to combine.

Tonight I served this on top of lightly steamed green veggies (asparagus, zucchini and broccoli) that were drizzled with a tamari (or soy sauce) and toasted sesame oil drizzle. I didn't have any cilantro and the dish was still great but the cilantro really makes the flavour so much more intense and the dark green flecks definitely add to the mouthwatering rating.

I like using large shrimp for this, usually at least size 26-30, and I love black tiger shrimp. If you make extra, refrigerate the leftovers and serve in a salad for a gourmet lunch the next day.

Ultimate tenderloin

Since my move to Halifax, I've been on a random daily schedule and have found myself at times, turning on the TV between the hours of 1-3pm.....potentially a danger zone. I have, for the most part, not been sucked in by Dr Phil, but I have discovered that I LOVE Steven and Chris on CBC. SHOCKER! yes, I particularly love Chris and his sense of humor. I want my own Chris to tell me which cushions to buy and that I simply MUST buy that handtowel. I particularly loved the episode where they had miniature pigs.....AHHHHHH! Guess you had to see it to get it. You would want one too.
The other CBC show I have caught is Best Ever Recipes. What I like about this show is that the recipes they choose are always simple but dinner party worth and usually very well balanced nutritionally. On this particular episode, beef tenderloin was the star. I watched and drooled, and promptly scribbled down the recipe before running out the door to buy the ingredients. Pb is an expert tenderloin cooker, in particular on the BBQ. He puts the meat out to marinate for a few hours in olive oil and then cooks it to perfection (aka medium rare/rare) EVERY time. He's a natural.
I was a little hesistant to attempt the tenderloin as I have become so accustomed to the ultimate steak courtesy of PB and his BBQ skilz but my mouth was watering and I couldn't resist having a shot at it.

Peppercorn crusted beef tenderloin
2 1 inch thick tenderloin steaks
2 tsp crushed black peppercorns (coarsely crushed and freshly crushed)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove

mix together all the ingredients (told you it was easy). Roll the sides of the steak in the mixture leaving the top and bottom surfaces clear.

Heat some oil and a knob of butter in a pan over med high heat and sear steaks on both sides for a few minutes until desired done-ness. Let sit for 5-10 mins covered in foil.

I served mine with a green salad and button mushrooms pan fried with shallots in red wine.
The proof is in the picture! the crust was amazing and don't worry if you don't like mustard, the taste was not prominent but it enhanced the beef immensely. I will be doing this next time I pony up for tenderloin. Worth every penny...Sirloin is SO ....not tenderloin.

Hit a Sushi Home Run

This is probably the 3rd or 4th post on sushi that I have done but my dear friend, Ms P just send me some fab photos of a sushi making night we had a couple of months ago. She has a very good camera, unlike my basic point and shoot that is usually on hand in the kitchen, and the pictures are worth of sharing. I think this was the second time in 2 weeks that I had made homemade sushi so my technique was steadily improving. We got all our supplies and Ms P made the rice in advance so it would be cooled and sticky. We started off with my signature sashimi salad, pictured above. Click here for the recipe from previous sushi night. This is so easy and so tasty, I would like to experiment with more presentation styles though.
We then made a selection of inside out rolls, with a layer of seaweed between the rice and filling, nigri and also a regular roll.
Tip # 1 Sushi rice is sticky and is coated with a mixture of rice wine and sugar. For this reason, when you cut the rolls, you need a very sharp knife that is totally clean. You will need to clean it between every slice or the sticky residue will pull on your rolls and mess them up. We managed to avoid too many casualties on this occasion. The one that did not make it took the short cut to sushi heaven (aka, my stomach-they still taste as good!)
From what I recall, we made avocado rolls, salmon and tuna and maybe mango. You can put in whatever you want.
Tip # 2 (learned the hard way). place a layer of cling wrap on top of your roll mat before making your roll. Roll mats are very hard to clean and the rice is determined to get well jammed into the gaps.

We also made some nigri ( in the middle-rice with topping) and the ginger there is my homemade ginger, click here for link to recipe.
Finally, we must have our greens! in sushi world, that means gomae! Gomae is steamed spinach, served cold usually with a tahini (sesame seed paste dressing) but some places use peanuts.
I tend to just go without a recipe for this and eyeball it, taste it as I go along.
Here is a basic summary of something resembling a recipe for Gomae sauce:

2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey or sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-3 tbsp water depending on desired consistency

You can adjust the sweetness or saltiness as you go along. Err on the side of caution and start with 1 tsp of everything if you prefer. You can also add some sesame seeds for texture.
Serve over cold steamed spinach. You can see the spinach and sauce in this pic. What a spread. We were very proud of ourselves! Arigatou gozaimasu, Ms P, for a lovely evening!