"There is a lot of food culture that goes on in the home and in the community in non-traditional ways. Food is a lot more than restaurants." Eddie Huang
Rosemary Garlic Sesame Millet Crackers with Lovilovi and Bird's Eye Sweet Chili Pickle. These turned out to be crackers with a bite. Paired with the sweet chili pickle, they got just the right kick as well, some smoked Gouda on the side to balance the heat from the pickle. Both the crackers and the the pickle have much in common, other than the long name of course! Both earthy and rustic, both from local produce, they have a combination of flavours that compliment each other. The taste undertones are complex but subtle, individual ingredients in each that compliment the preparation. The good thing is that they pair together beautifully too!
Say millets to me and a part of me shudders with fear, while the other part of thinks happily this might be the time for me to 'step out' and be millet confident. I've had a LONG unsteady relationship with millets, more hate than love. In the past I have found them uninspiring, sandy, gritty and rather unrewarding to work with. Yet a recent contest on Commeat which focused on millets made me sit up and take notice. Couldn't figure out why it had everyone so excited.Thus began a small journey. Though only a few weeks old, I am fast covering ground. Picked Madhuli's brains as she does a load of creative food with millet. I pestered her SO MUCH that she just mailed me many bags of different varieties.Then I shifted gears and pestered Ruchira, my other millet inspiration. She put me onto making the yummiest millet khichadi ever. So I bravely ventured further on my own, and here is my first experiment, millet crackers. Flavoured with my fave ingredients, garlic and rosemary, I threw in some sesame seeds too!Much reading online tells me that roasting the flour before using it reduces a characteristic mustiness the flour has. Did just that. Looked and felt like sand, or rather EARTH! Which gave me an idea. I decided to pair these earthy rustic millet crackers with this Lovilovi and Bird's Eye Sweet Chili Pickle from Place of Origin.On the onset, might I warn you that the flavours just explode in your mouth. Not for the faint-hearted, this intriguing pickle tempts you to dig in. The heart wants more yet the mouth is on fire! Smoked or herb cheese on the side balances it off!Made from the Lovolovi plums and the bird’s eye chilies that grow wild in the coffee estates of Coorg, The Earth Reserve's Sweet pickle is a must-have for all who love combination between sweet and spicy. One of the most piquant chilies and tartness of the berries combine to bring you a flavor that has a spicy kick but not mouth burning and you can still taste all the individual flavours. This pickle looks good, tastes good and provides you a versatile usage. Liven up a burger, serve with a cheese board or cold meats, spice up sausages, mix in to mayo…
Based in Scotland of India - Coorg, The Earth Reserve brings to you homemade products with a passion for bringing wholesome food to the table without any added colours, flavours, synthetic preservatives, taste enhancers or pectin. Free from harmful pesticides or any other chemical sprays, the ingredients are instead sprayed with the nourishing rains and mists that the hills of Coorg are blessed with. With its natural heritage and colourful history, India is the birthplace and home of a number of cuisines. The environment, soil, climate and history contribute to unique recipes made with locally sourced produce. Accordingly, every town in India is famous for select foods or food producers. As human beings, it is natural for us to have a strong emotional connect with the food we eat. There will always be some food products which trigger fond memories of familiar hometown flavours and gastronomical experiences – it could be the sweetshop from across the street from where you grew up or a confectionery in that hill station that you went to one summer. This pickle hits 'thta' spot and more! So if you make crackers like these, to set your world on fire with this fabulous pickle, PlaceofOrigin.inis the answer!!
Crisp, earthy, flavourful and gentle, these Rosemary Garlic Sesame Millet Crackers are a great wholegrain savoury bake. They are good on their own, and really good when paired with a dip , maybe cheese as well. Paired with Lovilovi and Bird’s Eye Sweet Chili Pickle, they got just the right kick, with some smoked Gouda on the side.
Course Snack
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 2people
Ingredients
1/2cupmillet flour {ragi}
1/2cupwholewheat flour {aata}
3tspwhite sesame seeds
2tspblack sesame seeds
2tbspclarified butter {ghee}
1/2tsprock salt
3clovesgarlicminced
2-3sprigs rosemaryfinely chopped
50-60mlwater
Instructions
Gently roast the ragi with sesame seeds over low heat until lightly coloured. Cool.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Place all ingredients except water in bowl of stand mixer.
Mix on low speed, then add 50 ml water to make a soft firm dough. Add a little more water as required. Knead the dough until smooth for 2 minutes.
Roll out as thin as possible between two sheets of baking parchment, cut into desired shapes, then transfer to baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until they turn brown on the edges and feel firm.
Cool completely, then transfer t an airtight container.
“What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents” M Chiarello
Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers & 3 Dips…. for times like these when the game is up. Nothing unites the world better than sport and food. I think the two were meant to go hand in hand. Think world cup cricket, soccer, or then super bowl, and the first thing that comes to mind if food! OK, after the game of course! With the ICC Cricket World Cup warming up nicely, it’s imperative to keep the food going!
Yesterday spent 20 minutes rolling out crackers … thin, crisp, delicious Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers. Paired them off with 3 quick dips. Dips are an out and out game favourite, and I have gone with simple ones! A Roasted Bell Pepper, Garlic & Walnut Dip {earthy, smoky, finger licking good}, a Classic Garlicky Cream Dip {tangy, creamy, GARLICKY ... an all time favourite} and a seasonal Rocket & Cashew Dip {where sharp peppery leaves meet the sweetness of cashew nuts}.
Dips are really really versatile to throw together. Make them using what you have on hand. Herbs, seasonal produce, cold pressed oils, garlic, garlic greens, onion scapes, legumes, citrus fruit, nuts, cheese, spices. Get creative and follow your taste buds. You will be surprised at how much you can create with so little! To thin them down you can add coconut milk, citrus juice, single cream, sour cream, buttermilk etc.
Once ready, which is a matter of minutes usually, you can dip into them of course, or add them to your cheese platter. There’s so much more you can do. Slather sandwiches with them, toss them through a pasta, top grilled chicken or fish with dip. If you are more adventurous, them use them in a bread like the French Fougasse. I love that you can tweak the flavours as you like, and also that dips embrace local and seasonal produce whole heartedly!
Why so many nibbles of late you might wonder? Well these are game days. Cricket, cricket and more cricket. From games you expect nothing and get the word, and from games you expect the world and hit rock bottom, the sports world is a funny place to be in. The cricket world cup down under has begun,and how! Talk sports and there is another huge thing in common …FOOD!
And that’s where we DIP! These are simple ones to rustle up. You could even do a make ahead simple hummus that I just shared with oat & cheese crackers. On the side, you could go the healthy crudite way or whole grain crackers maybe. Else grab the bag of chips, nachos, pita chips…whatever. Dig right in. Every major gaming event, be it the super bowl, soccer or the cricket world cup, churns up an appetite for food, yummy, good, delicious food.
These dips will hit the ball out of the park … like South Africa did today! If you are deft in the kitchen, and love getting quick stuff together, then here are a few other options. The India Pakistan thriller saw us polishing off rustic Savoury Whole Wheat Hungarian Kalács. Do a quick version with cooked chicken tossed in the rocket cashew pesto dip and cheese! Or skip the chicken and go vegetarian. Next was the India South Africa match.
That saw a rerun of Oat & Wheat Cheese Crackers with a quick Hummus! Delicious times indeed! If you aren’t the cooking types, but certainly the eating types, then your best option would be a quick call toFood Panda to order your favourite food. It’s an online food-ordering service that makes it easy for customers to find their favorite food conveniently from home, work or on the road and get it delivered. It is now active in 30 cities in India and has over 4000+ restaurants available and the delivery of your food is free.
Summary: Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers & 3 Dips. Crisp, light addictive crackers. Top them with spices or enjoy them as is. Crackers don’t get simpler than these! Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Ingredients:
200g wholewheat flour
100g oats
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
40ml extra virgin olive oil
150ml water {approximately}
Olive oil for brushing over
Zaatar and Sumac for sprinkling {optional}
Method:
Place first five ingredients in bowl of food processor and blend to mix. Gradually add water to make a firm, pliable dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly dusted surface, take a quarter of the dough and roll it out as thinly as you can to a rectangular shape to fit the tray. Transfer dough to the parchment paper, brush with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle over with Zaatar if desired.
Take a pastry / pizza cutter and cut into desired shapes.
Bake for about 15-18 minutes until light golden brown. Keep an eye on them towards the end as they can over brown pretty quick.
Cool completely on racks. Store in an airtight container. Serve with dips.
Recipe: Roasted Bell Pepper, Garlic & Walnut
Summary: Earthy, smoky, finger licking good
Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Ingredients:
2 red bell peppers
1 whole head of garlic
50g walnuts
30ml extra virgin olive oil
Handful fresh oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
Method:
Place the bell peppers and garlic and roast in an oven at 180C for 30 minutes, until the bell peppers are charred. I roasted them in my AirFryer. Place in a covered bowl and allow to cool. Peel and deseed the bell peppers, squeeze the garlic out.
Place walnuts in food processor with all the remaining ingredients. Pulse to desired consistency. Stand for 20 minutes for flavours to mature. {Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
Recipe: Classic Garlicky Cream Dip
Summary: Creamy, garlicky and tangy, this is an all time favourite!
Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Ingredients:
Place yogurt in a large bowl and whisk well until smooth and lump free. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Taste and check seasoning. Add more lime or salt if required.
{Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
Recipe: Rocket & Cashew Dip
Summary: A dip where peppery rocket meets sweet cashew nuts. Thin this one down with cream cheese or single cream if you like. You can also add some parmesan.
Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Ingredients:
100g cashew nuts
50g rocket leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Dash of lime juice
Method:
Place cashew nuts and rocket leaves in bowl of processor and pulse until everything is chopped quite fine. Make sure not to process it to a paste. We want to feel the texture of the nuts.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend. Season with salt and add a dash of lime juice.
{Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
“… the way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world. Daily, our eating turns nature into culture, transforming the body of the world into our bodies and minds.”
Michael Pollan
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pesto is what my roasted bell peppers were headed for! It’s strange how winter in the subcontinent is different from winter in the west. Come winter and the local bazaars are flooded with the best of fresh produce. It’s the time of the year when colours paint the vegetable shops in brilliant hues. It’s time for bell peppers, celery, broccoli, strawberries, cape gooseberries, mustard greens, fenugreek, garlic greens, beets and beet greens, juicy tomatoes ... and of course truckloads of cauliflower!
This year we’ve had a deluge of local bell peppers. At a dollar and a half a kilo, these beauties are a steal. I toss bell peppers into just about everything. The kids thankfully love them in every form, the dog is a willing accomplice too. Any obliging little bits that jump off the chopping board head straight into Coco’s greedy little mouth!
Each time I bake something, I throw in a few peppers to roast alongside. I love char grilling them; sometimes use the Air Fryer when the oven isn’t on! Roasted bell peppers work well in tossed into pastas, in salads, in sandwiches, on bruschetta, also in pasta sauces.
Which brings me to the pesto. It’s absolutely brilliant and so adaptable! Play around with the ingredients as you like. Use the pesto in a pasta sauce, as a sandwich spread, as a dip, thin it out as a salad dressing, add it to a chicken bake, in quesadillas, with kebabs, stuff it into roast potatoes, even add it to soup …. it never fails to please!
I LOVE it paired with peppery arugula which is growing with wild abandon in my very neglected patch. Add a little feta, maybe caramelised onions, some smoked chicken ham to please the kids …. and I’m in business! I love a good green pesto too, and you can well imagine where my next bunch of arugula is headed! What is your most fun way to use pesto? And which pesto do you love the most?
Please don’t forget to enter the ‘Nirlep Handi giveaway‘ if you have an Indian address. I’ve been cooking up a storm in mine. You could soon be doing the same very soon! The giveaway ends tomorrow!
[print_this]Recipe: Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pesto
Summary: Fire up your tastebuds with this simple and fingerlicking good Red Bell Pepper Pesto. Play around with the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the bell peppers and full head of garlic on a baking tray. Roast / char grill the bell peppers until the skin blisters and gets black, about 25 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover lightly with a kitchen towel and allow to cool. Tip: You can grill peppers in the oven while baking a cake etc to save energy.
Peel the skin off, remove the seeds and place in bowl of food processor. Squeeze out the roasted garlic from the pods and put into processor.
Add the oregano, almonds, salt and balsamic vinegar. Process until you get a chunky puree. Drizzle in oil and process again. Add lime juice and mix.
Reserve in a jar. This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, and can be made ahead.
“You see things and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and I say ‘Why not?’” George Bernard Shaw
It’s been a cracker of a July! I crept silently into Daring Bakers on the 2nd of July dreading what I would see. We’ve had the worse summer ever, the hottest, coupled with extended power cuts and monsoons that threaten to fail. Imagine my delight at seeing crackers … just perfect for the season. I had a go at two of the four recipes – Seedy Crisps {ah-mazing} and Health Crackers which were good too, maybe too healthy, but nice with cheese and onion jam!
Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.
Delicious, light, addictive, versatile and simple to make, crackers can’t get better than this. I love baking savoury crackers; to date my favourite were Ottolenghis Olive Oil Crackers. These Seedy Crisps are now vying for top place!
It was time to get a little creative as the dough was very simple to roll out. It rolls out really thin so I stamped out some fluted circles from the well behaved dough and baked a batch in my shallow tart tray. I was thrilled to see how well they came out, bite sized and perfect.
The good thing is that these seedy crisps for canapes are make ahead, healthy and a great discovery! This was the part of the challenge I loved most, the gentle nudge that Dana gave us towards getting creative! The little canapes filled with a creamy cheesy chicken topping stole my heart!
Beautiful little bites! Dress them up as you like … fill ’em up with a light chicken filling, or caramelised onion jam with blue cheese, maybe a mushroom – red onion olive oil filling, a salsa {peach, tomato, mango} … or get more adventurous and use seasonal fresh fruit and cheese. The pooch was uber delighted to get the little baked leftovers and came out of her bowl covered with sesame and poppy seeds. She is still as naughty as she is charming! I didn’t get a seedy picture coz by the time I grabbed my camera, Coco had made a meal of every last crumb! Crackers!!
I used the red harissa which I made recently in the chicken topping and tomato salsa. I served some crackers with the Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam I make often … good choices for both these crackers. I have included the remaining two recipes below and will attempt try them soon. Our talented host Dana hasn’t entered the world of blogging but has been a Daring Baker for a couple of years.
Cheeses can be swapped, flours altered and spices changed; I encourage creativity! As long as you a making small crispy platforms on which to add a myriad of toppings, you are on the right track, she says.
Pepper Jack and Oregano Crackers (Roll with pasta rollers or by hand): Servings: Approximately 80 crackers Ingredients 1⅔ cups (400 ml) (235 gm) (8¼ oz) all-purpose (plain) flour 2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated pepper jack cheese, firmly packed 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (1 gm) dried oregano ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (3 gm) salt ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (½ gm) black pepper ½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) vegetable oil ½ cup (120 ml) (4 fl oz) water Spice topping ¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1/8 gm) cayenne 1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) kosher salt 1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sugar Directions: 1. Combine the spice topping and set aside. 2. Grate the cheese and put in the bowl of a food processor with flour, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. This can also be done by hand. 3. Add the oil and pulse until the consistency of wet sand is reached. 4. Add enough water for the dough to come together. 5. Form the dough into two disks, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. 6. Heat the oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3. 7. Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, either use a rolling pin or roll out in your pasta rollers to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) thick. If you use pasta rollers, ensure the dough is well floured so as not to stick. 8. Cut the strips into cracker shapes or cut out using a cookie cutter. Transfer to a parchment lined cookies sheet and sprinkle with the spice mixture. 10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until medium golden brown. 11. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days
Cheddar, Rosemary and Walnut Icebox Crackers (form into a log and slice): Servings: Approximately 48 crackers Ingredients ½ cup (120 ml) (1 stick) (115 gm/4 oz) butter, well softened 2¼ cups (540 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) grated aged cheddar cheese (the better the cheese, the better the cracker), firmly packed 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (285 ml) (190 gm/6oz) all-purpose (plain) flour 1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt 1/2 cup (120 ml) (60 gm/2 oz) finely chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon (15 ml) (1¾ gm) finely chopped rosemary Directions: 1. Combine butter, rosemary and cheese in a stand mixer and beat well (can also be done by hand) 2. Add the flour, salt and nuts and stir to combine 3. Form the dough into two tight logs and wrap with cling film 4. Chill for at least an hour and up to several days. The log can be frozen at this point for several months. 5. Heat the oven to moderate 160°C. 6. Slice a log into 5mm (1/5 inch) coins and place on a parchment lined baking sheet 7. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown 8. Store in an airtight container and eat within three days 9. Try this recipe with different cheeses, nuts (or no nuts), and spices. Get creative!
It’s been a fun daringJuly with quite the perfect challenge which has opened up a whole new window to creative baking. Crisp, versatile and popular, savoury snacks are always welcome, and I’m looking forward to trying the recipes above. I ♥ Daring Bakers!
Summary: Delicious, light, addictive, versatile and simple to make, crackers don’t get better than this. I made some seedy crisps for canapes with the same dough too.
Servings: Varies depending on thickness; approximately 30 crackers and 15-18 canapes {I made 1/2 recipe which I’ve shared below, minimally adapted}
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes plus resting time Ingredients:
Crackers
1 cup/ 160 gm whole wheat four
1 cup/ 120gm all-purpose (plain) flour
1/3 cup / 40 gm poppy seeds
1/3 cup / 40 gm sesame seeds
1½ tsp table salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder/granules
3 tbsp /45 ml olive oil
¾ cup / 175 ml water {approx}
Chicken Topping for approx 20 canapes
2 boneless chicken breast, cut into 2 fillets each
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
{Marinade}
1 cup /250ml cultured buttermilk
1tsp red harissa {recipe here}
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
Tomato salsa
3-4 tomatoes, deseeded, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Juice of 1/2 lime
Fresh coriander, finely chopped
1/4tsp red harissa {recipe here} or finely chopped deseeded green chili
Salt to taste
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Crackers
Mix the flours, seeds, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
Add the oil and stir until combined.
Add 1/2 cup of water to begin with, and then more as required until the dough comes together.
Knead the dough 5 or 6 times and allow to rest, covered, on the counter for 15 minutes. You can also chill the dough at this point and come back later.
Thermomix: Place all ingredients in TM bowl. Mix at speed 6 for 30 seconds, and knead in closed position for 2 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll out really thin on parchment paper, transfer to a baking tray and score with a pastry cutter.
Bake at 230C for 25-30 mins {I used the lower element only. If you use both elements, then it will take lesser time}
I used 1/4 dough to make about 2 dozen crisp canapes.
Crackers/canapes will keep for a week in an airtight container.
Chicken topping for canapes
Make the marinade by whisking together buttermilk, red harissa, lime juice and salt. Mix in the chicken and marinate overnight {or 3-4 hours}
Drain the marinade, then pan fry the chicken in 1-2 tsp of olive oil. Add the Worcestershire sauce once all the liquid has evaporated.
Chop up the chicken and add all remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. You can fill and refrigerate shells until ready to serve, else fill just before serving.
Tomato salsa
Mix together all the ingredients and allow flavours to mature for an hour or so.
Recipe: Health Crackers
Summary: Healthy in every way, these would go well with a thick dip or with a variety of toppings. {I made 1/2 quantity, about 40 crackers. The recipe below is for the full quantity}
Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes plus resting time Ingredients:
3 cups /240 gm rolled oats
2 cups /280 gm plain all-purpose flour
1 cup / 80 gm wheat germ
3 tablespoons / 40 gm sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup / 180 ml vegetable oil
1 cup /240 ml water
1 large egg white
Cracker topping
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, nigella (onion) seeds, salt
Salt for sprinkling
Method:
Mix the oats, flour, wheat germ sugar and salt together in a large bowl or bowl for the standup mixer.
Combine the water and oil and stir into the oat mixture until it comes together and a dough forms.
Thermomix: Place all ingredients in TM bowl. Mix at speed 6 for 30 seconds, and knead in closed position for 2 minutes.
Form dough into a disk and allow to rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes but up to a day if you are making the ahead.
Preheat the oven to moderate 160°C.
Divide the dough into quarters and work with one piece at a time, allowing the remaining pieces to stay in the fridge as you proceed with rolling out the crackers.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/16 inch (1½ mm) thick and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet by carefully wrapping the dough around the rolling pin.
Brush the dough with the egg white mixed briefly with a tablespoon of water and sprinkle with seeds and salt of your choice.
Cut the dough with a pizza wheel and bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Crackers that are not crispy once cooled may be returned to the oven.
Store in an airtight container and eat within two weeks.
Serve with cheese and Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam, or Salsa, or a roasted red bell pepper dip, or topped with the chicken above.
Note: You can omit the egg white for a vegetarian version. Roll the topping in gently on top.
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
Etty Hillesum
The other day I got a package from Britannia Foods with samples of their recently launched snacks, which offered the promise of a break from baking; something that looked like the kids would enjoy. I must be a glutton for punishment because even though I was absolutely exhausted, I decided to make some Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam to go with it!The morning saw a tiring pizza session, absolutely delicious, but gosh, so much work!! Preheating the oven to make a batch of balsamic roasted strawberries for these Hot Cross Buns I was annoyed with myself. It was bugging that the oven was on, had some extra room and I hadn’t got my act together in time to bake something alongside. It’s a happy feeling to know you can kill two birds with one stone … catch my drift?Does that happen to you sometimes?Pouring in the balsamic vinegar I remembered earlier references to an onion jam that used balsamic vinegar but the recipes I recall were all stove top. Figured I could roast onions in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar alongside the strawberries. Something sweet and something ‘savoury sweet‘ …nice!
Garlic had to be in there because roasting garlic brings out the sweeter side of it. We are a garlic loving family. It’s something that just seems to make life better, even on tiring old days! Being in the kitchen, creating, baking, stirring is all pretty unwinding and relaxing on most days! Summer is here so I’m up pretty early much to the dogs excitement. She takes a chunk out of my earlier free mornings, but she is so CUTE that I don’t mind it!
I served them with the Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam and the ‘now beginning to get pretty tiresome‘ pre-teen lapped it up asking for more.
Ran them past the ‘not so tiring any more’ teen and she loved them. Offered her onion jam, and she went “EWWWW. Nevah!!” After much cajoling and convincing, a little blackmailing, I finally got her to taste some. She enjoyed it, though hesitatingly said, “Would you mind not calling it jam please? I don’t like the idea of onions in jam!!” Hmmm …So go on, grab some onions and make some Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam. Make more than what I made because its pretty darned addictive and hits all the good spots in the most delightful way. I LOVED it. Sweet and savoury is right up my street, add garlic and I sing out LOUD! This did not disappoint!
{Disclaimer: I have not received any remuneration from Britannia or any agency for this post. This is my personal opinion on the product which I have reviewed.}
[print_this]Recipe: Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam
Summary: A different take on what we traditionally think of as jam. This is pretty darned addictive and hits all the good spots in the most delightful way. A ‘smoky oniony garlicky’ jam that pairs well with crackers, rolls, canapes, bread, pizza etc!
Toss the onions in 2 tbsp olive oil, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Place the whole garlic cloves in a piece of foil and drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over it.
Turn the onions into an oven proof casserole, make a small nest in the centre and place the foil in the middle.
Roast at 190C for about an hour until the edges begin to brown. {I like to do this as I bake something else alongside, or then bake a large portion as this keeps for long}
Remove from oven. When the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out. Discard the peels and place the roasted onions, garlic and sea salt in a heavy bottom pan.
Taste and adjust the brown sugar or/and balsamic vinegar as required. Simmer on low with little water added if it is too dry for about 10 minutes for the flavours to mature. Cool and store in a glass jar in the fridge.
“As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.” Joan Gussow
These cookies surprised me. When I made the dough I thought I had ‘it’ all wrong. Ambitiously adding ingredients with not enough deep thought, I wrote them off even before I baked them. But sometimes substitution can be a pleasant surprise. These Savoury Dill Cheddar Buckwheat Sables were a happy ending to one such culinary adventure! I hardly ever bake sables. Please don’t get me wrong. I love the cookies to bits but somewhere in my head I associate them to be loaded with butter. Chocolate sables = guilty pleasure, a pleasure I can ill afford these days as baking and food seems to rule my existence! Got to keep the butter down; not out, but down!
I missed the last couple of months of #baketogether, Abby Dodges absolutely charming bake up party. The talented Abby inspires a group of avid bakers month after month with a #baketogether recipe that you are encouraged to play around with. Just my cup of tea coffee! I’ve had some wonderful past entries with Double Chocolate Mousse Cookies, Classic Spice Apple Walnut Buttermilk Cake, and Plum Almond Ginger Summer Fruit Cake. This month she called for savoury cookies from her recipe for Spicy Parmesan Sables. Though still short on time, and breathless in life, I couldn’t keep away from them. I LOVE SAVOURY BAKING. Besides, the ‘not so terrible anymore’ teen is constantly craving for either double chocolate double almond biscotti {recipe on its way}, or ‘something chili’ please!
I decided to experiment because halfway through I ran out of plain flour! I made up the weight with buckwheat, and used fresh dill to flavour the cookies. Dill and cheddar make for good pairing, and I have had a huge patch of dill growing in my garden. After an overnight rest, the cookies were baking soon.
Dill is a beautiful herb, delicate with a wonderful aromatic flavour that comes to life when the leaves are chopped. In India, there is a more robust variety of dill, locally called soya, which is widely used in the winter months in North India. One bite into the warm cookie and I was so relieved. These were so good. Thankfully the dill wasn’t overpowering, and the buckwheat gave the cookie good texture, other than scoring on the whole grain front too! However whole grains like buckwheat are an acquired taste, and unfortunately the ‘not so terrible anymore’ teen didn’t love it to bits. I was a little disheartened and hesitatingly ran it past the ‘now threatening to be quite terrible’ pre-teen. He said, “YUM! Can I have the whole box?“. You win some, you lose some. These are a nice cheese tray cookie and would pair well with mature cheddar and fruit! As Abby says, “Made with butter, cheese, flour and cayenne for a kick, they make for a lovely hors d’oeuvre to serve with wine or cocktails and the possible twists are endless”
Thank you Abbyfor yet another winning recipe, and also yet another chance to push my boundaries. You are an inspiration!
Summary: A savoury cookie that packs big-time flavor with a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Made with butter, cheese, flour and cayenne for a kick, these cheese crackers make for a lovely hors d’oeuvre to serve with wine or cocktails. Makes 29-30 sables.
1/4 teaspoon {adjust to taste} red chili pepper {or cayenne pepper}
100gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes, well chilled
2 tablespoons very cold water
Sea salt & fresh dill for sprinkling
Method:
To make the dough:
Put the flour, buckwheat flour, cheese, salt and chili powder in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are slightly larger than pea size, about 10 to 12 pulses depending on your machine. Drizzle the water evenly over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form moist crumbs that are just beginning to clump together, about 8 or 9 more pulses depending on your machine.
Dump the moist crumbs onto the unfloured counter and gather into a pile. With the heel of you hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Two or three ‘smears’ should do the trick. Using a bench scraper, gather the dough together and turn it about 45 degrees and give it one or two more smears. {see visuals here}
Gather the dough together and shape the dough into a 7 1/4-inch long and 2 1/4 -inch wide rectangle using the bench scraper to make the sides nice and straight. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours, or up to 2 days.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 190°c. Line two large baking sheets with parchment. { I used just one cookie sheet}
Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices and arrange about 1 inch apart {they don’t spread much at all} on the prepared sheets. If you like, sprinkle the crackers with a little sea salt and fresh dill before baking.
Bake, one sheet at a time, until nutty brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve slightly warm or room temperature. {If they aren’t crisp as you like, you can bake them at a lower temperature for 10-15 minutes longer. Keep an eye so they don’t get burnt}.
Note: The dough can be shaped and frozen for up to a month and then thawed for about an hour on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight. Likewise, tuck the baked and cooled sables in a heavy duty zip top bag and stash them in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature and warm them for a few minutes at 160°C to refresh the flavors.
