Kibbeh recipe

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2012/aug/31/yotam-ottolenghi-kibbeh-video

I was watching Yotam Ottolenghi's program the other night which was called Jerusalem on a plate. He explored food from both area's of Jerusalem, I have attached a video link to Yotam showing how to make Kibbeh and the recipe is below.

I have made this and it just tastes divine, some of you will note that this is a Turkish dish which it is, but for some time they had a big Jewish population.  We seem to adapt our food and taste buds to whichever country we reside in,  Gunash (Cholent), pickled fish, chicken soup, Latkes for example all originated from Eastern Europe.

Any I hope you enjoy making this and eating it as much as I did.

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

Ingredients 

Kibbeh comes in all forms, but most feature bulgur and meat. Mine is a bit like a pie. Serve warm or at room temperature with a sharp salad like the one on the right. Serves six.

125g fine bulgur wheat
90ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
350g minced lamb
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander
60g pine nuts
3 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
2 tbsp self-raising flour
Salt and black pepper
50g tahini paste
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sumac

Method 

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. Put the bulgur in a bowl, add 200ml of tap water and set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat four tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the garlic, onion and chilli on medium-high heat until soft, remove from the pan, return it to high heat and add the lamb. Cook for five minutes, stirring, until brown. Return the onion mix to the pan, along with the spices, coriander leaves, salt, pepper and most of the pine nuts and parsley (save some for the end). Cook for a couple of minutes, remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Check the bulgur to see if all the water has been absorbed (strain if not). Add the flour, a tablespoon of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper and, with your hands, work into a pliable mixture that just holds together. Push firmly into the base of the tin so that it is compacted and level. Spread the lamb mix evenly on top and press down. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meat browns further and is very hot.

Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, 50ml of water and a pinch of salt – you're after a very thick, yet pourable sauce. Remove the kibbeh from the oven, spread the sauce on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and parsley, and return to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, until the tahini is just set and the pine nuts are golden. Remove and leave to cool down. Before serving, sprinkle with the sumac and a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the sides of the tin and carefully cut the kibbeh into slices.

Traditional Potato Latkes

One of my favourite recipes for the latkes comes from an Evelyn Rose cookery book, I have made these time and again over the years but this recipe works the best for me.

Traditionally eaten as part of the Chanukah meal this is a delicious accompaniment for any meat main.  I like to eat these with the salt beef.

Ingredients

4 Large potatoes, peeled (weight about 1 1/2 lb/ 675g)
1/2 a medium onion peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
2 eggs
1 level tsp of salt
speck of white pepper
4 level tbsp self -raising flour or 4 level tbsp plain flour + a pinch of baking powder
Any flavourless oil for frying.

Traditional Method

Grate potatoes so finely that hey are almost to a pulp. Leave in a sieve to drain for 10 minutes. Put in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. In a heavy frying pan put enough oil to come to a depth 1/2 inch. When it is hot, put in tablespoons of the mixture, flattening each latke with the back of the spoon, cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes each side (until rich brown) the drain on kitchen paper.

They are not Terry's they're mine!!!

Happy Saturday all,

I'm off out to a friends tonight and been a busy bee making dessert.

I decided to make mini chocolate orange cheesecakes topped with Terry's chocolate's.

Hope you like them - recipe to follow

Cheesecake - Goolishly good

Hi all,
I hope you enjoyed Halloween last night and I hope you or your children are not feeling too sick today from all the sweets...

I was looking through my mums recipe book last night and came across this, I remembered mum made the best cheesecake (but I am Jewish and I am sure all of your mums made the best cheesecake) for special occasions she topped it with cherry's, I thought this was kinda in keeping with the Halloween as the cherry's could resemble blood....

Ingredients

1 3/4 lb curd cheese  (you can get this from a Jewish deli or polish deli)

3 large eggs

1/2 lb caster sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbs double cream

1 tbsp cornflour, sifted

200g of digestive biscuits

50g melted butter

topping

50g golden caster sugar

400g pitted cherry's

(or you can use a tin of pitted cherry's) 

Method

Pre-heat oven on 180c or reg 4

Grease the bottom of a loose spring tin

Blitz the biscuits in a food processor and add the butter until the mixture is combined.  Press into the bottom of the baking tin.

Beat the cream cheese well and then add the salt, vanilla essence and sugar and smooth, beat in the eggs, cornflour and double cream until the mixture is combined.  

Pour over the biscuits and place in the oven for about 35 mins, then switch the oven off and leave the door ajar leaving the cake to continue to cook for a further 35 mins.  



While the cake is cooling sprinkle the sugar into a frying pan and place over a high heat until caramelised. Throw in the cherries and stew in the sugar for 3-4 mins until they are sticky and have released their juices, but haven't collapsed too much. Leave to cool, then strain the cherry juice back into the pan. Place on a high heat and reduce the juice to a sticky syrup, set aside to cool. To serve, gently release the cake from the mould onto a board and leave at room temperature for 30 mins. Just before serving spoon the cherries over, drizzle with the syrup and cut into slices.

Great British Bake Off - Withdrawals

Welcome to my first blog post... I must say I am a bit nervous..

Now that my fav show "The Great British Bake Off" has come to an end, I feel like my Tuesday nights at 8pm will be as gloomy as the weather outside, I decided to post a very simple bagel recipe which I found on the allrecipes.co.uk website.

Ingredients by Ann

Serves: 12

• 500ml warm water (45 degrees C)
• 1/2 (7g) sachet dried active baking yeast
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1kg bread flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Preparation method

Prep: 50 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Extra time: 1 hour 30 mins, rising

1.

In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water to soften; stir to dissolve. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, oil, 850g of flour and salt. Mix thoroughly until the dough forms up and leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out on floured board and knead, adding small amounts of flour as necessary. Bagel dough should be pretty stiff. Work in as much extra flour as you can comfortably knead. Knead until smooth and elastic, 12-15 minutes.

2.

Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a large oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover and let fully rise until an impression made with your finger remains and does not sink into the dough (about an hour).

3.

Punch down and cut into thirds, and roll each piece between your palms into a rope. Cut each rope into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls. Roll the first ball into another rope that is about 2" longer than the width of your hand. Make a ring with the dough, overlapping ends and sealing the ends by rolling with your palm on the board. If the dough resists rolling, dab on a drop of water with your finger. Evenly place the bagels on 2 nonstick or very lightly oiled baking trays. Cover and let stand until puffy, about 20 minutes.

4.

While bagels are proving, fill a 4 litre saucepan 2/3 full with cold water; add 1 tablespoon sugar and bring to the boil. When ready to cook, drop 2 or 3 bagels at a time into the boiling water and wait until they rise to the top. Cook for a total of 1 minute, turning once.

5.

Carefully lift each bagel out with a slotted spoon. Drain momentarily. Turn into a dish with poppy seeds, if desired. Evenly space bagels on 2 nonstick or very lightly oiled baking trays.

6.

Bake with steam in a preheated 260 C / Gas 9 oven until well-browned, about 20 minutes. Turn bagels over when the tops begin to brown, and continue baking until done.