55°N-journeymanbakers

For more years than I can, or care to, remember Friday has been Pizza night. Initially it was when we were attached to SCEA, Service Children’s Education Authority, in Germany there was a superb pizzeria run by Antonio and his Polish wife Gracia. It was here that we took our oldest son, not yet two weeks of age, strapped in his car seat perched on a chair that we were introduced to the Vera Pizze Napolitana. The thin, but not carta della Musica shatteringly crisp, base. The base that all true pizza lovers seek; thin with a defined crosta forming a blistered crown around the melted but sparse toppings.

In the ten years we lived in Italy pizza night was a weekly event, usually on a Friday. If for some reason we couldn’t go out, a takeaway would be the order of the day. Most of the food we ate, whether in a restaurant or at home, was Italian. There was one dish I never attempted in ten years, there was no need to. Pizzerias were not only plentiful, the pizze delicious, the prices reasonable, they were also a relaxing place to go with two young children. We had a bag packed with small toys, colouring pencils, paper which we would click and go. During our time in Italy we became loyal customers at Cisco’s. We got to know other regulars and Cisco, his wife Barbara and their infant daughter Beatrice.

Having developed a taste for pizza, that was not of the Pineapple garnished or meat feast ilk, with crusts unstuffed with anything other than pillowy hot air, our move to Lombardia was to hone our tastebuds even further. Speaking no Italian, initially, we embraced the quest to find the best pizze available. One of our first forays was to a small pizzeria down a dimly lit cobbled passageway. We were shown into a large brightly lit room that was divided into two with an invisible barrier. One side it was set out like a small family run pizzeria, the other side was very much the family dining room. We didn’t know whether to sit down or politely make a hasty retreat. Having limited means of communication we sat down and ate authentic Italian pizze, with one of the family getting up to tend to our small family , the only other diners in the large room. The food may have been brilliant but feeling like intruders, divided by a very real language barrier, it was not a relaxing meal. However; it is a meal I will always remember.

Alas all good things come to an end. After ten years it was time to pack up all our belongings and return to Britain. After ten years of guaranteed sunlight, ten years of delicious meals, ten years of superb pizze, we moved to Shetland. Lashings of wind and rain replaced guaranteed sunshine. Lashings of toppings and soggy bottoms replaced guaranteed crispy based sparsely topped pizze.We were distraught.

The quest began for the ultimate homemade pizza. For years it alluded us. For a few years we achieved very sound; teacher speak for acceptable but won’t set the world alight, results using a blistering hot skillet and a grill on maximum. We could live with this, but we knew that better pizze could be made if only… we had a pizza oven. We toyed with the notion of getting an outdoor pizze oven. Just considering the weather, the wind the rain, the long dark nights we realised that was not a dod-able option. What about a Chadwick pizza oven?

Our next move was to a house that has an electric job and oven. All ideas of getting a Chadwick were shelved and eventually a very good takeaway pizzeria opened. Once again Friday night pizza night was reinstated. However; we missed the variety of pizze we had grown accustomed to, rocket strewn over lightly topped pizza, the hint of anchovies, griddled aubergines, Italian sausage, prosciutto crudo, coppa and other varieties of toppings we could no longer find.

Then everything closed down, particularly smaller restaurants that don’t have the space for everyone to work two metres apart. It was at this point we began looking into acquiring a pizza oven. After hours of research Stephen discovered that we would be able to use a Chadwick pizza oven with the additional purchase of a gas burner and a bottle of gas. We were ready to knead some dough, dress and cook some pizza.

Luckily bread making was my passion and one which our oldest son shares. Friday night is once again pizza night. We eat standing around the big butchers block in the centre of our kitchen, sharing pizze. We all play a part: Joseph is the chef, Samuel is the photographer, and general helping hand; I cut the pizza and dress them with their final flourishes, alas Stephen has the unenviable job of tidying up and getting everything ready. Cisco, our pizza oven and Friday night pizze are now a cherished part of our family routine. Only now we have to remember to let them cool down before devouring them!

It’s Friday and another box of Locavore delights have arrived on my doorstep. In the kitchen drainer there’s lots of lovely veggies that have been lightly scrubbed and are patiently waiting to be put somewhere dark and cool. In the absence of a proper pantry the cupboard under the sink will have to suffice.

Last week we didn’t work our way through all the veg so we have a little catching up to do. The various squash will be fine but there is half a bunch of brussel sprout tops lying forlornly in the fridge and some kale that will still be lovely but is beginning to look rather limp. Last week we had a few meals that were not quite so packed with veggies leading up to me making this torta salata in plain English a tart made with a bread dough base.

Tonight’s dinner is sorted and we will be finishing a chicken and chestnut soup I made using the last remnants from the roasted chicken and mushroom gravy from our Sunday roast. The stock from slowly cooking the bones in Cheezoid (Instant Pot) ended up in a lemon and pea risotto.

Following on from that the risotto was transformed into a family favourite; little baked balls stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg and dredged with paprika flecked flour. These arancini ended up on a plate with tomato and basil sauce.

However; this week we are overrun with Brussels. I ordered extra through the Open Food Network; alas I forgot to check whether they were a component of this week’s box of delights. They were, now it’ll be 101 ways to cook these windy specials: roasted, sautéed, in stir-fries and frittatas. Still it is nearly Christmas.

Sunday dinner, for once it was something that vaguely resembled a traditional roast. There was: chicken, organic; potatoes, roasted; gravy, a sauce really, and ‘veg’. However; what ended up on our plates was once again something a little different. All the lovely veggies were from my extra-large Locavore veg box. Stephen, my OH, had to search far and wide to find an organic, free range chicken, at least the veg just turn up every Friday and How do I love them? Let me count the ways.

Although I love cooking I also like finding ways that use the minimum of fuss, uses the minimum of pans and involves the minimum of preparation time. Today’s dinner delivered on all counts. I used my Instant Pot, known as Cheezoid, to cook the chicken and mushroom gravy; all the veggies were roasted in one tin. Earlier in the day I has pounded some coarse sea salt and peppercorns together,which were, still a little on the coarse side I added a pinch, or two, of smoked paprika. I, gently, lifted up the chicken skin and massaged the rub all over the flesh. Whilst waiting for the rub to do its magic I prepped the veg for the mushroom gravy i.e. I sliced garlic, onion and mushrooms. After I had browned the bird in Cheezoid (Instant Pot) in hot oil the veg were sautéed until soft. Next I put in about 300ml of stock, plopped the chicken on top, and hey presto all I had to do was close the lid, cook on manual for 20 minutes; not forgetting to check the steam vent isn’t open of course and that’s half the dinner sorted.

Meat and gravy were pleepsing away nicely as I sorted the motley crew of veg out. Roasted potatoes and carrots are frequent guests on our dinner plates, often with a cloak of butter, honey and herbs. Until today I don’t think a kohlrabi or a Jerusalem artichoke have ever wandered into our kitchen. Once I had assured myself that they were prime candidates for roasting, in other words I looked at some recipes online, before cutting the veg into bite size pieces. I didn’t really know how long they would take to roast, or if they would all be ready at the same time. I set the timer for 50 minutes and hoped for the best.

Another great thing about ‘Cheezoid’ is that it has a ‘keep warm’ function, meaning that timing isn’t critical. Roasted vegetables are fairly tolerant too allowing me to finish my gin and tonic before plating up. Definitely a win, win situation.

Every Friday, while I’m still at the chalk face, a box of veritable vegetable delights is delivered to oor hoose in leafy Lanarkshire. Well compared to Shetland almost anywhere appears to be leafy. By Wednesday afternoon I’m checking my emails for the appearance of the Locavore newsletter telling me what will be in this week’s vegetable box. Then I can start thinking about meals for the coming week.

It must be nearly two months since the arrival of our first box. Joseph was at home to receive this much anticipated visitor. I was at work and it was during non-contact time when I received the call, the culinary version of “the eagle has landed”. For the next twenty minutes or so of frenzied texting, complete with images, took place between Coatbridge and Govan. I’m still like a child at Christmas, rushing in to see what edible wonders have arrived. There is always something rather wacky and weird that you are unlikely to find on most supermarket shelves; this week it was Brussel sprouts tops and kohlrabi.

We have discovered the delights of kale of various colours, squashes of all shapes and sizes. I’ve diced, steamed and roasted trays of unfamiliar veggies and I had forgotten what food should smell like. It was another supply teacher working at Govan High School that told me about Locavore ‘s veg box delivery service, thank you so much Joni.

So far I haven’t had to throw one vegetable out. However; some creativity is often required to make use of every single scrap of kale and I could and probably will write about 101 ways to cook beetroot. Even though the produce is all organic we are now spending a lot less on our weekly food bill. Our meals are frequently vegetable based. Saying that we try to eat fish twice a week and meat is an occasional indulgence.

Today being Saturday we’ve only just started using up this week’s veg. On Friday night we had a takeaway, another way of supporting the local economy, well that’s my reasoning anyway. Lunchtime was our first foray into this week’s vegetable box . Saturday lunch normally involves something made with eggs a frittata or poached eggs with a sauce.

Today I built a frittata using 100% Locavore produce. I began by heating some olive oil in a skillet adding thinly sliced garlic to gently cook as the oil heats up. Next went in sliced onion, once that had started to soften I added the stems from the brussel sprout top leaves along with a couple of scrubbed carrots cut into slim crescents. I let that slowly soften before adding the brussel sprout top leaves which I had cut into fine ribbons. After they had wilted I tipped the sprouty mixture into a large bowl that contained 2 lightly beaten eggs, per serving. At this point I remembered I had the remnants of half of a salami bought on line from an online Italian deli; a goodly slice was cut into small chunks and added to the bowl. I tipped the eggs, veg and salami back into the skillet; topped with wholewheat breadcrumbs, drizzled with EVO and then slammed into a fairly hot oven. It’s a very tolerant dish I cooked it at 175C for about 30 minutes. I don’t think the thermostat on our oven is very accurate so it’s a case of waiting to see when it sets.

The bread we served with the mega frittata was from ‘different bried’ which comes as an add on to the veg box, the baby plum toms were in this week’s box of delights..

It has taken quite awhile to get settled after our move to the mainland. New jobs, new routines and then the house sale falling through with all the financial and mental strain that involves set us in a downward spiral. Now the house is sold, Stephen is working as an EAL teacher and four days a week I teach drama in one of the largest schools in Britain. It is time to look to the future; with this in mind I have joined Townhead Slimming World group, led by the ever vivacious Clare. So let the battle commence.

Last week I’m afraid I ‘self sabotaged’, sitting in the staff base on Monday after work with coffee, my Kindle and a packet of dark chocolate digestives (not mine, I’m sorry Jacquie) If it had been milk chocolate ones I would have resisted, maybe. An hour later I had finished my book and to my shame most of  the biscuits. Feeling slightly guilty I ended the day with a couple of gins (doubles) and tonics (Slimline of course). Tomorrow is another day.  Tuesday was fine, well almost, just a couple of syn-full gin and tonics, opps. Well, Wednesday was almost as bad as Monday.  Once again I was sitting on my lonesome in the staff base waiting for Paradise Taxis, ie Stephen, to pick me up from work. On Monday it was a Parents’ evening that delayed him. On Wednesday it was a staff meeting. There I was all on my lonesome, with; coffee, a vat of, my Kindle – another book, and a tin of Danish Butter cookies this time. An hour and a half later, at least twenty biscuits later and worryingly nothing prepared for dinner, my phone rings ‘Paradise Taxis for McCormack’. On the way home ‘any ideas for dinner?’ Normally I have something prepped and waiting. Not on Wednesday though. The consuming of alcohol didn’t do me any favours. Shamefully I somehow found myself sitting in Burger 7. Still in in Destructo mode I finished the day with a couple of glasses of vin rouge, it doesn’t sound so evil in French.

I know the secret of success is in careful planning. With this in mind I went into overdrive on Sunday. I chopped enough veg to feed an army; a small, not very hungry one. Carefully coordinated, mini mountains of chunks of carrots,  chopped celery, slices of swede and pieces of parsnips ( I can’t resist a little alteration) covered the butcher’s block.

Lots of lovely ‘speed’ ie low calorie, vegetables and low fat quark which will somehow be transformed into a lasagne. I may have over estimated how much veg I’d need and I now have one very large and a smaller two portion sized lasagne sitting on the butcher’s block. I wanted to get the sauces made in order that the tomato sauce could have a long slow cook to deepen the flavours.

It’s also better if you can build the big beastie a few hours before you intend to cook the brute. Those few hours let the sheets of lasagne soften; soaking up the sauces, so you end up with an Italian style lasagne with well defined layers.

I’m not so keen on the over sauced sloppy ones that used to be the British norm.

That’s a few dinners sorted. Next the lunches needed  to be tackled. Almost everyone seemed to be in agreement that soups are the secret of successful Slimming. After sea through several Slimming World books and online I found I recipe that was full of mainly low calorie speed veg. After even more chopping I had everything ready for a spicy roasted root vegetable soup.

Most of the day was taken up with ‘Cooking up a Storm’. I’ve got three gorgeous rainbow trout in the freezer, which we’ll have another day, with steamed whole small potatoes, broccoli and a dill sauce. On Thursday, my day off,  the shopping will be delivered, which means my meals this week are catered for.

This lot should keep us on the right path, lots of veg, less carbs and very little fat. The sun is definitely over the yardarm; it’s time for a
G & T.

https://journeymanbakers.com/2016/03/14/gli-avanti-or-what-goes-forward/

https://journeymanbakers.com/2016/03/07/larte-darrangiarsi-or-making-the-most-of-least/

 

The first time I heard that phrase was when watching the two greedy Italians. I just love the interaction between Antonio and Gennario,  the scenery, not forgetting the food or the sounds. At times I really miss living in Bella Italia, the markets, the restaurants. Oh, the weather too. Just now I’m sitting listening to the tail end of a storm, my weekly delivery of groceries became a click and collect. Luckily, for me, Stephen was at work. At least the power is back on, I spoke too soon, the lights are flickering on and off.

L’arte d’arrangiarsi, as a concept,  I was already very familiar with. My mum was a teenager in war torn Britain, being raised in a rural community did help, there was no real shortage of eggs, milk and butter, even so rationing meant that nothing could be wasted.  One of the most useful things that anyone, responsible for feeding a family, can pass on is the art of making something out of nearly nothing.

I find it fascinating, to take very little and turn it into something utterly mouthwatering. To do this you have to be able to cook, it helps if you actually like cooking. Which if you have read any of my blogs, or know me you may have guessed I rather like cooking. Everyone can cook though. One thing that really bugs me is the ‘chefification’ of food. I know it isn’t an actual word: it’s towers of food, squiggles and  smudges on plates, jenga stacks of chips and don’t get started on the noughts and crosses board arrangement of asparagus on a rissoto. Mama mia! The delicious asparagus should be flavouring the rice not decorating it. It really saddens me  people say they can’t cook; what they’re really saying is that they can’t make dishes that can pass for fine dining. That’s not what cooking is about.

How many students, despite having passed through several years of doing Home Ec are clueless about how to cater for themselves? Why? Whoever designed the curriculum, i.e. the government, hasn’t a clue about what students really, really need. The day that Joseph gave up on cookery at school was when he had to poach pears and make a raspberry coulis . His personal tutor had told him the course would help him to cope with catering for himself. Several years later he still hasn’t poached another pear. He can make a really good ragu, is adept at making fresh pasta, has a wide  selection of Asian dishes he is confident at making and can make a selection of traybakes. I digress.

L’arte d’arrangiarsi, or making the most of what you’ve got it now is consciously at the heart of my cooking. It is turning a large onion, a couple of carrots and some celery into an Umbrian minestrone; with the addition of some brown lentils and leftover gravy from Sunday’s pulled pork. It’s never ever throwing chicken bones out before making a stock. It is using a left over portion of a roasted butternut squash to make a curry to go along with some  plain basmati rice and a garlic loaded riata.

Above all it is not wasting anything. I had to throw an aubergine out yesterday and I can’t tell you how much that hurt, especially as they seem to make infrequent visits to the supermarket shelves in lerwick. We are moving to live near Glasgow and the idea of having access to things like an Italian delicatessen, a Chinese quarter, a variety of Asian shops and perhaps even being able to get a veg box delivered to where I live, is just too much. It doesn’t take much to please me.

 

Before you go shopping take a last look around your store cupboards and fridge; do you really need to go shopping today or even tomorrow? Or can you use that last head of broccoli to make a pasta sauce, along with some olive oil, garlic and chilli powder or flakes? Have you got something put by in the freezer you should use up? Do you have half a cabbage wilting away Have you tried Madhur Jaffrey’s cabbage and red lentil dal? It’s delicious. Once the fridge looks really bare then it’s t ime to go shopping.

I’m glad to say that normal service will be(is) resuming. Going back to work in May was harder than I thought it would be and two weeks later I was back in the nest rather bruised and dented. I’ve now had a wee while to recover and with Samuel about to leave, is Glasgow ready for him I wonder? I thought it was time to make sure that he could cook a meal fit for McCormack family fayre. Sorry, I just can’t resist the chance to add a little alliteration.

Sunday was the first time I had cooked a meal for weeks, which may also help to explain a lack of posts about what I’ve been doing in the kitchen. All the meals over the last three weeks, perhaps longer, have been chosen, prepared and cooked by Joseph and Samuel. The only thing we’ve done is pay for the ingredients! Oh and I have been a speaking recipe book. Stephen has had the dubious pleasure of tidying up after the kitchen has been reduced to something that looked more like a war zone.  I just wonder how often prawn toast made with 450g of king prawns will feature in Samuel’s meal plans? Not too often I suspect. Perhaps a few less dishes will also be used; unless his kitchen is an unusually well stocked for a halls of residence kitchen. He is now in a halls of residence in Glasgow and is getting a reputation as, ‘The Chef’. Result.

Since the weans, who both now tower above me, have been old enough to wield a wooden spoon they have been involved in preparing food. Samuel’s first bread making exploits are truly the stuff of family legends. Joseph is just amazed that anyone else actually ate it. The smarties in the bread were the least of his concerns; the number of times the dough hit the floor was a little more bothersome. Spinning dough is an art that not many six year olds manage to master, enough said!

I digress. What have been my aims, apart from making sure he can actually cook a meal? Obviously I wanted to make sure that he could use his limited resources wisely, so he doesn’t end up wasting either money or ingredients. Hopefully he will check his store cupboard before he restocks them it; those wilted veggies lurking all lonely and unloved could become a tempting meal. The lunch we had yesterday was the result of spotting a pair of aubergines that were no longer plump and shiny. They became Melanzane Parmigianino, an aubergine bake with tomato sauce and parmesan, cheddar or Wensleydale depending what I discover in the fridge . The alternatives were – an aubergine pasta sauce or  a Keralan curry sauce from ‘A Girl Called Jack’. Talking about food, as well as preparing it, has been part of this process too. I also wanted both Joseph and Samuel to see that cooking can be fun and that delicious meals can be made quickly and simply.

I know I’ve enjoyed sharing the kitchen with them and taking on a more advisory role. We’ve had some splendid meals too. This week we had a surplus of cannelloni beans that had made there first appearance in a green pepper and bean goulash, courtesy of Rose Eliot’s Complete Vegetarian. There was also some meat left on the skeleton of a chicken that had been lurking in the fridge with malicious intent. If it wasn’t used up very soon it would have to be binned. A Capital offence in this household. In the salad drawer a pepper was looking limp and lonely. After a brief discussion,  some  surfing the net and browsing through our collection of cookery books we decided to make enchiladas. Having no wraps in the house we would have to rustle some up, simples. To make life easier I just made up a standard white bread pizza dough and after the first rising just divided it into 60g balls. These were rolled out nice and thinly and quickly cooked in a lightly greased moderately hot skillet or heavy frying pan. Once you get a few brown spots on each side they’re done.

What I hope they have learnt is the skill of doing ‘roll – overs’ and stretching the more expensive ingredients to make follow on meals . With just small tweaks truly the phoenix of one dish can rise from the ashes of an old one. 

My initial starter was 500g of cannelloni beans which I placed in a pan with twice as much water so they had tons of room to expand, which I boiled for five minutes and then turned the water off and left for one hour. You can change the water, I don’t bother, then boil the beans for 10 minutes and simmer until tender usually about another 35 minutes drain and rinse.

For the goulash you will need
500g onions, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp oil, if a meat eater I’d use dripping or large for added unami
1 clove garlic, minced
2 peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky strips
2 × 450g tinned tomatoes
500g cooked beans. Or 2 × 450g tons cannelloni beans
1 heaped table spoon of smoked paprika

Sour cream to serve, I added a tablespoon of chopped dill to it and 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, add the onion and cook until softened.
Add the garlic, don’t let it burn so we’re talking about one minute.
Add the peppers, cook until softened 4 or 5 mins, add the paprika.
Bung the tomatoes into your pan, simmer uncovered for fifteen minutes.

Serve with rice or a baked potato, drizzle the sour cream over your goulash with a crisp green side salad dressed with a tangy lemon dressing

The next day we served the left over goulash with a little leftover roasted chicken which I fried with an onion, a red pepper and some ‘Slap yer Mamma’ – an authentic cajan spice mix.
I made same wraps using a basic white bread dough recipe allowing 60g of dough

Next I made a simple tomato sauce by heating 3tbsp of oil adding copped clove of garlic and a finely chopped red chilli, cook briefly before adding  500ml passata and salt to taste. Cook for about 5 mins. Simple.

Oil a shallow casserole dish, take a wrap and place a few table spoons of your bean, pepper and chicken mixture in a wrap. Roll it up and place in your dish.
For a lunch allow one enchilada per person, dinner two.
Continue filling and rolling your wraps until you have used them all up.
Next pour your simple tomato sauce over your wraps. I sprinkled some i.e. lots of cheddar cheese over them all at this point.
Bake at 175°c fan oven or  195°c in a standard oven until piping hot, about 15-20 mins.

I like to serve a salad with them and sour cream.

Now you should still have heaps of beans left.

I used half of them to make a lamb and bean casserole which I served with creamy polenta.

The last batch became Boston(ish) baked beans. I use my simple tomato sauce but add a couple of table spoons of molasses to it. One spoon is probably enough for most folks though.
Add your cooked beans and simmer for a few mins. These I served for brunch on sourdough toast,  a poached egg with a salsa made from diced tomatoes, diced chilly, parsley, finely sliced shallot and a little olive oil.

The possibilities are countless. I think both Joseph and Samuel have got the idea of using a base ingredient and making it into several different dishes.