Red onion, Gruyere & Rosemary Foccacia

Red onion, Gruyere & Rosemary Foccacia

Ingredients

15g fresh yeast

500g flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

One red onion

1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra

100g/4oz Gruyere

Few rosemary sprigs

Coarse sea salt

Black olive optional

Sundried tomatoes optional

Method

Tip the flour into a mixing bowl; add the yeast, salt and sugar

Boil the kettle and measure 100ml into a jug. Top up with cold water to the 300ml mark. Test the temperature with your finger- it should feel perfectly hand-hot. Measure in the olive oil

Make a will in the center of the fry ingredients and pour in the liquid in one go. Mix quickly using your hands to make soft and slightly sticky dough. Wipe dough around the bowl to pick up loose flour.

Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip out the dough. Knead by stretching it away from you, then folding in half towards you and pushing away with the heel if your  hand. Give it a ¼ turn, developing a rhythm.

When the dough is smooth, put it back unto the mixing bowl, and cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour (no need to find a warm place). It’s ready when it springs back when pressed with a finger.

1 thinly slice the onion and gently cook in the oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Cut the Gruyere into small cubes, chop half the rosemary.

2 tip the dough into a lightly floured surface and lightly knead in the onion and chopped rosemary.

3 using a sharp knife cut the dough in half. Roll or press out 1 piece of dough to a rectangular shape about 20 + 25cm, then transfer it to a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Make a large diagonal cut across the center of the dough almost to the ends. Make 3 smaller diagonal cuts either side of the large cut to make a leaf shape.

4 repeat with the other piece of dough. Stick Gruyere cubes, rosemary sprigs olives and the sundried tomatoes into the dough at intervals, then sprinkle with a little flour and sea salt. Heat oven to 240c/220c fan/ gas 8. Leave the loaves to prove for 20 minutes then bake for 13= 15 minutes until golden.

Marzipan Cake

Marzipan Cake

Ingredients

140g /5oz butter, cut into pieces

175g /6oz light muscovado sugar

250ml /9fl oz orange juice (3-4 medium oranges)

200g /8oz ready-to-eat dried apricots quartered

100g /4oz raisins

50g /2oz citrus peels, finely chopped

175g /6oz marzipan

300g /10oz flour

2 tsp baking powder

2tsp mixed spices

2 eggs, lightly beaten

50g /2oz flaked almonds

Method

1-    Heat oven to 160c /140gas. Butter and line the base of a 900g /21lb loaf tin with non-stick paper. Put the butter, sugar, orange juice, dried fruits and peel into a large pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then leave to cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shape the marzipan into small balls.

2-    Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into the pan, add the eggs and almonds, and stir together with a wooden spoon.

3-      Spoon half the cake mixture into the tin, then arrange the marzipan balls evenly over the top. Cover with the remaining cake mix, then smooth the top and bake for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours until the cake is golden brown and springs back when presses lightly. Insert a fine skewer into the center of the cake –if it comes dry with just few crumbs sticking to it, the cake is cooked. Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out into a wire rack, remove the paper and leave it to cool completely.

المجدرة al mjadarah

المجدرة

المقادير

كوب عدس

كوب برغل

2 بصلة

زيت نباتي ملعقة كبيرة

زيت زيتون 4 ملعقة كبيرة

الطريقة

تفرم بصلة فرما ناعما ويتم فرم البصلة الأخرى جوانح

يوضع الزيت النباتي بالوعاء وتقلى البصلة المفرومة فرما ناعما حتى تذبل ثم يضاف العدس بعد غسله

يقلب العدس مع البصل ثم يضاف كوب من الماء ويترك على النار من 10 – 12 دقيقة حتى يصبح العدس أقل صلابة. (ويفضل سلق العدس لمدة 20 دقيقة لأنني جربت تقلية العدس مع البصل لكنه أخذ وقتا طويلا لذلك من الأفضل سلق العدس حتى يلين )

يضاف البرغل بعد نقعه بالماء لمدة 10 دقائق

يقلب العدس والبرغل ويضاف الماء بالتدريج مع زيت الزيتون حتى ينضج العدس والبرغل

أما البصلة المقطعة جوانح تنقع بالحليب لمدة ساعة ثم يتم وضعها بمصفاه حتى تجف ثم ينثر الطحين عليها

وتوضع مره أخرى بالمصفاه حتى يتم التخلص من الطحين ثم تقلى بالزيت الحار وتزين المجدرة بها مع اللوز والصنوبر

Vegetable Curry

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

1         large onion sliced

2         1 tbsp olive oil

3         2 cloves garlic , finely crushed

4         1 small fresh red chilli, finely chopped

5         1 kilo mixed prepared fresh vegetables, including diced potatoes , swede, turnips, carrots and parsnips, plus small cauliflower florets and peas left whole.

6      1 tsp ground coriander

7         1 tsp cumin

8          ½ tsp turmeric 

9         400g (14oz) can tomatoes diced or 4 fresh tomatoes peeled and diced

10     150ml (1/

4 pint) vegetable stock

11     150ml (1/4 pint) coconut milk

12     Sea salt

11      Freshly ground black pepper

14     1 tbsp cornflower

15     2 tdsp chopped fresh coriander

Method

 Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, garlic and chilli, cook for 5 minutes

Stir in all remaining ingredients, except the cornflower and the fresh coriander.

Cover , bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and  simmer for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are cooked, stirring occasionally.

Blend the cornflower with 4 tbsp of water and stir into the curry. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.

Serve the curry on a bed of couscous of brown rice, and garnish with the coriander.

Variations:

Use 2 tsp curry powder instead of the fresh chilli and ground spices

Use 8 shallots instead of  the  onion

Use additional stock instead of the coconut milk.