Hi Everyone, I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again (so you’d better get used to it) – cooking combines so many aspects of creativity. You get to invent things, you get to try out old ingredients in new ways, and you get inspiration from your friends and find new ways of making your favourite meals. Let me introduce to three recipes that show exactly what I’m talking about.
An Unconventional
Bread Pudding
I am currently testing a variety of flours for a company (more on that in a later column), and one of the flours is whole wheat. I made bread and had a half a loaf remaining after the taste testing was done. The next day, I decided rather than freezing it, I would make a dessert with it. Of course bread pudding immediately came to mind but I did not find that idea appealing simply because I like my bread pudding to be soaking in the custard overnight. I wanted something that I could mix up quickly and then let it rest for a few hours and bake. Chester cake! I thought. Then I groaned, as that meant making a pastry to encrust it. Too much work, can’t be bothered with that, and then inspiration struck – why not mix some spices with the bread along with simple syrup, rum-macerated fruits, a little bit of water and bake it? And that, my friends, is exactly what I did. I let the mixture rest for 5 hours, baked it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The kitchen smelt as if I was making Christmas cake. Out of the oven came a brown pudding – moist, with the right amount of sweetness, the spices and rum and fruits defying you to eat just one slice. I tell you, this pudding will become one of my go-to desserts. I also loved the fact that it was made with whole wheat bread! You’ve got to try it.
A Fish-egg Frittata
A frittata is an Italian omelette; only it is not folded-over like a traditional omelette. Rather, it is cooked open-faced on the stovetop. Some people start their frittatas on the stove stop and finish them in the oven any where from half an hour to 45-minutes. I cook mine completely on the stovetop. I find that reducing the heat significantly and then covering it yields excellent results.
If you are a regular reader of this column, you might have heard me talk about the “fish guy” in the market here in Barbados from whom I buy Guyanese delicacies such as Hassar (Cascadura), Gilbaka, crab etc. Anyway, he also sells the Gilbaka fish eggs! Oh my gosh! I love fish eggs and I know that the Gilbaka fish eggs carry a premium price in Guyana. I love them in a hot Gilbaka fish curry with green mango, saijan and some okra. Lawd I want some right now! Anyway, you know me, I am always up for an experiment and to trying new things, particularly in the kitchen. My friend Sonia mentioned that in her birth country, Persia (modern day Iran), they make an omelette with fish eggs. You know where I am going with this, so let me cut to the chase. I gathered some chicken eggs, a heaping cup of Gilbaka eggs, fresh herbs, a little milk, a sprinkling of cheese, salt and pepper and made a fish egg frittata. Everyone loved it. The fish eggs were firm in contrast the soft texture of the chicken eggs, the fresh herbs added lightness to it. It was a meal by itself, packed with proteins.
Lemon Rice
Food for me equals rice. A day without rice as part of my food intake makes me feel as if I have not eaten. Yeah, that’s how much I love rice. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for new rice dishes to try. I particularly like those dishes that can be eaten alone because they are so flavourful. Lemon Rice is one such dish.
I’ve learnt from my friend Aparna that Lemon Rice is one of the traditional rice dishes made for the Tamil festival, which celebrates a good monsoon and the promise of a bountiful, planting and harvest year. Lemon Rice gets its bright yellow colour from turmeric and the colour brightens as the dish cools. Although gently flavoured with spices and curry leaves, it is the fresh lemon juice that is the star of this dish. This Lemon Rice is so good that it can be eaten alone but I had mine with some fried Bangamary.
Try the recipes and let me know what you think.
Cynthia
tasteslikehome@gmail.com
www.tasteslikehome.org
Dairy-Free Bread Pudding
Ingredients
7 cups chopped whole wheat bread
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup water, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
¾ cup simple syrup
1 cup blended rum-soaked mixed fruit (same as fruits used for Christmas Cake)
Equipment
1 large bowl
1 rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
1 (9 x 5 inch) loaf pan, brushed with oil
1 wire rack
Method
1. Add bread to bowl
2. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the bread
3. Add essence to water and stir to mix; pour over the bread
4. Pour simple syrup over bread
5. Add fruits and mix thoroughly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 5 hours at room temperature
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in the middle
7. Transfer bread mixture to pan, lightly smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean
8. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely in pan before removing
9. Slice and serve. Feel free to serve it as you would a traditional bread pudding with a bit of Amaretto Liqueur but it is good just as is
* Note
Substitute with white bread if you like
Fish-egg Frittata
Ingredients
1 heaped cup fish eggs
6 eggs, room temperature
¼ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, basil)
Salt and minced hot pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2 green onions sliced (white and green parts)
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
Equipment
1 medium bowl
1 whisk
1 (8-inch) non-stick frying pan with cover
Method
1. Add all the ingredients except the green onions and cheese to bowl, and whisk together
2. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Pour in egg mixture. Transfer to stove on medium high heat. As soon as the edges begin to set, reduce heat to very low, sprinkle the green onions and cheese all over the top of the eggs, cover and let cook for 20 – 25 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean
3. Cool in pan and then slide onto a cutting board, cut into wedges and serve
Lemon Rice
Ingredients
4 cups of just-cooked Basmati Rice (you want the rice to be hot)
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 ½ teaspoons black mustard seeds
Minced hot pepper to taste
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
A pinch of asafoetida (hing) optional
10 – 12 curry leaves (if you have)
¾ cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced ginger
½ cup chopped cilantro/coriander leaves (leave out if you don’t have)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (1/3 cup if using lemons)
Equipment
1 large karahi & cover
1 large spoon
Method
Heat oil in large pan or karahi on medium heat
Add mustard seeds and fry; as soon as it begins to pop, add pepper, turmeric, hing and curry leaves (if using) and sauté for 1 minute. Then add onions and ginger and sauté until onions are soft but not coloured
Add the hot rice along with the cilantro/coriander and toss to mix well. Remove from heat, pour lime/lemon juice over rice and mix to incorporate. Cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving (this is to give the rice enough time to absorb the lemon juice and flavours)
* Notes
It is important that the rice be hot as it will better absorb the lemon juice and flavours
Substitute Basmati rice with regular long grain white rice
1 ¼ cups raw Basmati rice will give you the 4 cups of cooked rice
