We are positively swimming in recipes these days. Never mind the tele shows, a shower in themselves. There are paper versions in magazines, supplements, special pages in the standard newspaper and then there is, of course, the internet.
Not to mention the flood of new cookery books gleaming in the bookstores and supermarkets.
I have a compulsion to read cookery books like novels. A compulsion I can resist for months at a time but then the library will lure back me to it. More insistent are the recipe supplements and recipe mags which surround us. I just have to read and suppose I might cook this one or that.
But often the mags are rehashing standard recipes using a new twist or perhaps some odd ingredients. Anything which comes attached to a supermarket will be focused on suggesting you buy lots of their packets, lots and lots of delicious, but not essential or economic, packets or fresh/ chilled pots etc.
How to find your way. I read and ignore mostly, accepting that however tempting one recipe might sound, chances are I will not in fact get so far as to cook it.
But then I become convinced that I should try at least one or two out, or what's the point of reading them.
Trouble is you cannot totally trust a recipe which comes from some sources and anyway you have to adjust most to suit yourself - except that is for most baking ones. As we know from Bake Off it is precision, precision when it comes to successfully baking a cake. Though one strength of the programme is that it does show you that things can go wrong even for the most ambitious and careful of pastry cooks. But as it happens, I am never going to try to make a pie tower anyway.
So here are two things I tried out from last weekends offerings from a newspaper . Would I cook them again? That is always the test. I wasn't sure as neither was entirely successful. But we did enjoy both so they are recorded here with my alterations ready for future attempts.
Quick Flatbreads.
These are yeast and wheat free and more like scones than bread but really are quick and easy and would go well with soup. I changed the ingredients a little, using white spelt flour rather than wholemeal as that was what we had, and because they are quite heavy in texture, I wouldn't use brown another time. I left out oat bran too. There is enough healthy worthiness about these without that. I also think the softness of the dough is the most crucial thing so don't be afraid to add more yoghurt.
Makes 2 x 18cm rounds
200g white spelt flour or other plain flour
A handful of porridge oats
1 tsp salt
1 scant tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp bicarb
130ml plain yoghurt
2 tbs olive oil
Seeds to garnish - optional
Oven heated to No 6/200
Courgette Bake
Anything which uses courgettes is attractive at this time of year to anyone who grows veg, as courgettes are the most undemanding of plants - they just keep on producing for you and need regular picking unless you have a fancy for marrows.
This recipe was tasty when we tried it but the cooking time just wasn't enough. The onions were tough and the courgettes under cooked. It is a bit like a moussaka without the meat - and the aubergines! Anyway, longer on the griddle and in the oven next time and it will be a very useful fall back even when there are none left on the allotment - easy, vegetarian and full of courgetty goodness. If you haven't got griddle pan, a frying pan will do.
For 2 hearty portions
3/4 courgettes
A packet/tin of chopped tomatoes
1 red onion
2 tsp dried oregano
200ml greek yoghurt
1 egg
Grated cheese
Oven at No 6/200
Not to mention the flood of new cookery books gleaming in the bookstores and supermarkets.
I have a compulsion to read cookery books like novels. A compulsion I can resist for months at a time but then the library will lure back me to it. More insistent are the recipe supplements and recipe mags which surround us. I just have to read and suppose I might cook this one or that.
But often the mags are rehashing standard recipes using a new twist or perhaps some odd ingredients. Anything which comes attached to a supermarket will be focused on suggesting you buy lots of their packets, lots and lots of delicious, but not essential or economic, packets or fresh/ chilled pots etc.
How to find your way. I read and ignore mostly, accepting that however tempting one recipe might sound, chances are I will not in fact get so far as to cook it.
But then I become convinced that I should try at least one or two out, or what's the point of reading them.
Trouble is you cannot totally trust a recipe which comes from some sources and anyway you have to adjust most to suit yourself - except that is for most baking ones. As we know from Bake Off it is precision, precision when it comes to successfully baking a cake. Though one strength of the programme is that it does show you that things can go wrong even for the most ambitious and careful of pastry cooks. But as it happens, I am never going to try to make a pie tower anyway.
So here are two things I tried out from last weekends offerings from a newspaper . Would I cook them again? That is always the test. I wasn't sure as neither was entirely successful. But we did enjoy both so they are recorded here with my alterations ready for future attempts.
Quick Flatbreads.
These are yeast and wheat free and more like scones than bread but really are quick and easy and would go well with soup. I changed the ingredients a little, using white spelt flour rather than wholemeal as that was what we had, and because they are quite heavy in texture, I wouldn't use brown another time. I left out oat bran too. There is enough healthy worthiness about these without that. I also think the softness of the dough is the most crucial thing so don't be afraid to add more yoghurt.
Makes 2 x 18cm rounds
200g white spelt flour or other plain flour
A handful of porridge oats
1 tsp salt
1 scant tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp bicarb
130ml plain yoghurt
2 tbs olive oil
Seeds to garnish - optional
Oven heated to No 6/200
- Mix the dry ingredients.
- Add the lemon juice to the bicarb in a bowl, add the yoghurt and oil and whisk to combine.
- Add to the dry mix and use a wooden spoon to make a soft dough, then knead it lightly with your hands.
- Divide into two. Put each onto a piece of clingfilm, wrap up and then use your hands to flatten it into a disc. Put them in the fridge for 30 mins.
- Unwrap each, put them both on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and roll them out larger - you want them about 6mm thick if you can be bothered to measure.
- Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, or any others you choose and use the rolling pin to lightly press them into the surfaces.
- Cut each into 8 segments - this makes it easy to divide them up but is not in fact essential.
- Bake 20- 25 minutes till golden.
- Eat fresh or freeze - when the division into segments might be very useful as you could then break as few as you want off to defrost.
Courgette Bake
Anything which uses courgettes is attractive at this time of year to anyone who grows veg, as courgettes are the most undemanding of plants - they just keep on producing for you and need regular picking unless you have a fancy for marrows.
This recipe was tasty when we tried it but the cooking time just wasn't enough. The onions were tough and the courgettes under cooked. It is a bit like a moussaka without the meat - and the aubergines! Anyway, longer on the griddle and in the oven next time and it will be a very useful fall back even when there are none left on the allotment - easy, vegetarian and full of courgetty goodness. If you haven't got griddle pan, a frying pan will do.
For 2 hearty portions
3/4 courgettes
A packet/tin of chopped tomatoes
1 red onion
2 tsp dried oregano
200ml greek yoghurt
1 egg
Grated cheese
Oven at No 6/200
- Slice the courgettes length ways,thinly. Brush each slice with olive oil and then griddle till they have nice brown lines. Season with S and P.
- Thinly slice the red onion and grill it too, putting as many rings in the pan as you can and tossing them till they begin to soften,
- Using an oven proof dish, layer the courgettes, onions and tomatoes,starting with tomatoes on the base. Sprinkle each layer with oregano plus S and P.
- Mix the yoghurt and egg, season and then spread over the top.
- Finish with a good layer of any cheese you like.
- Bake for at least 40 mins.Test by using a skewer that the courgettes are really soft.
- Eat hot or warm with a salad or bread.
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