Rosemary & Olive Oil Focaccia

Today, the weather was incredibly lovely. Who would have thought that I would have my a/c turned on while driving home from work in the middle of winter. The weather bureau said that today was the hottest day in the middle of winter in 26 years! It was 17 degrees centigrade! And mind you, I would rather have it anytime of the day than the expected 10 degrees at this time of the year. And so like the sunshine today, I was brimming with hope that today is a tell-tale sign that winter is not going to be icy cold after all. Tough luck. Or a matter of speaking too soon?

I couldn't understand in the past why Melburnians are rightfully obsessed about the weather. Much  to my chagrin, I would exhibit the same attitude after living here for quite some time now, uttering "What's the weather gonna be like today? in the same breath.

This side of town is as unpredictable as having four (4) seasons in a day; be ready to have an umbrella, sunnies (sun glasses), thick coat, light weight coat, a pair of boots, and a pair of havaianas in your vehicle. It is quite ordinary to go past winter at 6am, spring at 10am, summer at 2pm and autumn at 6pm. And the vicious cycle goes on the day after yet again. I have learned the trick of the trade - layer your clothes. At this time of the year, I have at least 4 layers of clothes, "jacket on, jacket off" depending on the so-called season in a day.

I suppose you learned to adapt; to fit into the mold to survive. 

And this story my dearest friends doesn't have any relation whatsoever to my focaccia food entry. LOL!  

Having said that, if I were given the chance to have my own bakery or patisserie, this Rosemary & Olive Oil Focaccia will show its formidable force and its constant presence is too hard to ignore amongst the spread of breads, pastries and cakes. And I hope its going to be a best seller. Because it is absolutely good.

Just like my hope that winter this year, is not going to be icy cold. Tough luck!

*Lifted from the pages of http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/

Rosemary & Olive Oil Focaccia
(make one small loaf)

Ingredients

250g bread flour
3.5g instant yeast
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
137.5 ml water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Method:

Combine flour, yeast rosemary and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water and oil. Mix with hand to form a soft dough.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 ~ 10 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Shape in to a ball and place in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour or until double in bulk.
Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to form a round. Press the dough into a 20cm (8") round pan. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Using your fingers, press indentations over the dough. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for a final 30mins until well risen.
Sprinkle dough with a little sea salt, drizzle with a little oil and scatter over some rosemary.
Bake in a preheated over at 200degC for about 25mins until risen and golden.
Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

Home-made Thin-crust Proscuitto rocket alla marinara Pizza

My darling little boy has been harping on making pizzas at home for a long time, Oh, let me re-phrase that: My darling little boy has been sending innuendos for me to cook some home-made pizzas for him.

Get the drift? :))

His eyes lit up when I told him that I have a surprise for him; showed him my recent purchase of a pizza stone that was on sale. And this simply converts to home-made pizza night for us.

I should have taken some photos of my little boy during our pizza night together as he had me in stitches; he was so excited, babbling away with the thought of doing his own pizza (this means I prepare the dough and tomato sauce of course,  and bake the whole pizza while he does the toppings...only)  and giddy that simply melt my heart away.

(Note: Pizza with toppings made by my darling little boy (read: husband) will be featured in the next blog entry)

A mere smile from my little boy makes me spring high, sends me springing to stratosphere and thugs my heart strings. So what more of a pizza night with 3 different flavors in tow? Im a breathless! 

It is LOVE.

:))

For recipe of pizza dough and tomato sauce, please click here

Ingredients:
1 Quantity basic pizza dough
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
55 g/2 oz capers
100g/ 3 1/2 oz black olives
200g/7 oz Bel Paese cheese, grated (I opted to use mozzarella cheese instead)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil to drizzle
3-4 slices of proscuitto
Handful of rocket leaves

Preheat the over to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
Distribute the tomatoes over the dough. Season with the garlic, oregano and salt and pepper. Scatter over the capers and olives and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Drizzle over the oil, then bake in the preheated over for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven, put some slices of proscuitto and a handful of rocket

Pasta with tuna, capers, green olives and pine nuts

I know, I know, I have been slacking off with my food blog of late and Im sorry... I must have been very tired lately. There are just so much on my plate at the moment that it takes all my will power to just do anything after a day's worth in the grind. But opening this blog and sharing the wonders of cooking and baking is a commitment. And albeit the days are getting harder and the nights are getting colder in my scheme of things,  cooking and baking remain my passion. I haven't stopped baking and cooking, really.  Nor had I stopped taking photos. I was, slacking off producing food blog entries and that's just being politically correct. Lol!

So without further ado, here is another dish amongst a few of pasta dishes I have created...

Ingredients:

250-300grams pasta

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 can of tuna in olive oil 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 white medium onion, minced

2 tablespoons of capers

2 tablespoons of green olives stuffed with pimiento

1 lemon

2 tablespoons italian herbs

2 tablespoons pine nuts

white wine

1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cook the pasta following package directions.  Drain, and keep aside,.

Heat the oil and add garlic and onion. When the veggies had turned translucent, add in tuna, and cook for 2 minutes, stir then add capers and green olives, half of the lemon, salt and pepper, sugar (optional) and italian herbs,  a few dashes of white wine, pine nuts then stir and taste if the taste is balance.

Add the spaghetti to the frying pan and stir it around to reheat and coat it evenly with sauce.  Add the other half of the lemon. Season to taste with salt and  pepper  (if needed), Remove from heat. Plate your pasta, drizzle with olive oil and top it with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Beef caldereta (beef stew) one way

I had a gnawing craving for beef caldereta (beef stew), and for some reason the beef caldereta from this spanish restaurant that I used to frequent at home kept popping up in my mind. And as Im the type of a person who doesn't leave any stone unturned, I vagabondly (for lack of better term) visited one blogsite to the another until I found the one.

And so finally, with tongue-in-cheek, as I have tried many recipes from different blogsites and alas they are not really what they are seemed to be, I dawdled my way through cafenilson blog and surprisingly, found 'the one'. And as far as Im concerned, this is the best recipe closest to the one I usually order in that spanish restaurant. The blog has two recipes - the author's and one from a Filipino chef on parallel review, and as nothing is impossible in this world, and persistence is my name, I tweaked the recipes once again by combining them together and creating a recipe one-way. Hence the name of this recipe: Beef caldereta (beef stew) one way. Lol!

Beef Caldereta is a filipino dish but the spanish influence is all over it. What with Philippines under Spanish rule for 300 years, I am no longer surprised.

The recipe also asks for red wine and sherry, so take it easy on them huh, lest you get so excited and drink yourself silly. :)

The result speaks for itself; the beef just simply melts in your mouth and is ridiculously tender that seemingly having a mind of its own, the meat just separates and breaks on its own term.

Inspired by http://www.cafenilson.com/2009/03/beef-caldereta-two-ways/

Ingredients:
1 kilo beef, cut in bite size pieces
1 1/2 cup red wine
2 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium size onion, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup brine of green olives
1 large tomato, diced
1 tsp paprika
1 carrot, diced
1 tbs grated cheddar cheese
1 small can liver spread
10 green olives (or black olives)
2 pieces roasted bell peppers (any color)
1 carrot, diced
1potato, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs sherry or brandy

Directions:
Marinate beef in red wine overnight (this is really important as I believe this makes the meat extremely tender).
Boil meat in enough water until tender.  Remove and reserve stock.
In olive oil, saute garlic and onion.  Add the meat to brown.  Add tomoto paste, olive brine and tomato.  Simmer until meat is tender.  Season with paprika.  Add stock and wine as needed until meat is tender and cooked. Add potato and carrot.
Thicken sauce with liver spread and cheese.  Add olives and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper.
Add sherry and continue to simmer on low until cooked or reduced.

Herb, olive and tomato roast chicken

I swear my little boy (lets footnote this now as my darling husband) swears on this beautiful roast chicken dish. I have lost count as to how many times I whipped this dish for our Sunday lunch, when we stay in for ordinary, lazy, slow Sundays . In fact,  I stopped taking photos (of this dish) after the 3rd time (of cooking it). 

My little boy thinks Im very funny, ALL THE TIME I take photos of my  food ALL THE TIME before he can actually dig into the food. I say, "wait baby, picture-picture first".  And so while I shutter my way through the food, my darling little boy is patiently waiting at the corner, hunger pangs gnawing his body and soul LOL! and of course, patronising his gorgeous wife. LOL. Again. 

Ingredients:

2 kg free-range chicken

2 lemons, halved

Sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to season

100g pitted black olives, rinsed

200g eschalots (or small onions), peeled

6 thyme sprigs, leaves removed

12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 200C fan forced (220C conventional)

Rinse chicken cavity and pat dry with paper. Sqeeze juice from 2 lemon halves over each side of chicken, then put lemon in cavity. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Combine the olives, tomato, eschalot, thyme, garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, juice of remaining 2 lemon halves and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Spoon half the mixture into cavity. Tie legs, together with kitchen string. Put chicken, breast side down, in roasting pan. Spoon remaining olive mixture around chicken and drizzle with remaining oil.

Roast for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, reduce over temperature to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional) and roast for 1 hour or until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer. Cover chicken loosely with a foil and leave for 20 minutes to rest before carving. I serve it right away because I want the skin crunchy.