Focaccia with Red Onion & Tomato

Ingredients

(Makes 2 Focaccia)

2 tsp dried yeast

1 tsp raw sugar

1¾ cup warm water

1 tbs olive oil

¼ cup gluten flour 

440g (15 oz) plain flour 

1 tsp salt flakes

2 tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp celery seeds                                          

For the toppings

1 tbs olive oil

½ ripe tomato, sliced

½ red onion, sliced

1 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds or fennel seeds

fresh thyme, chopped

Instructions

Combine the yeast and sugar with approximately ½ cup of the warm water, add the remaining warm water and the tablespoon of olive oil, set aside. Sift the flours into a large bowl, add the salt flakes, fennel and celery seeds; stir gently to combine and make a well in the centre. Check the yeast mixture is activated, you’ll notice the yeast very gently bubbling or rising to the surface, this may take a few minutes to happen. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and using a wooden spoon stir for 1-2 minutes until well combined and formed into a soft, sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a warm corner to allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour or until approximately doubled in size.  Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and using floured hands, halve the dough into two rounds. Arrange the rounds onto lightly oiled baking trays and gently shape and flatten. Top with sliced tomato, onion, garlic, cumin or fennel seeds and thyme. Brush with the olive oil and allow to rest for a further 15 minutes before placing in the hot oven for 10 -15 minutes until bread is golden brown. Remove when evenly cooked and firm, slide onto a baking rack and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and devouring. 

                                                                 Enjoy it!

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Pickled Onions

Ingredients
1 firm red onion, about 5 ounces
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Flavorings (optional):
1 small clove of garlic, halved
5 black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
3 small springs of thyme
1 small dried chili

Instructions

Slice the onions.Start 2 or 3 cups of water on to boil in a kettle.  Peel and thinly slice the onion into approximately 1/4" moons.  Peel and cut the garlic clove in half. Dissolve the sugar and salt: In the container you will be using to store the onions, add the sugar, salt, vinegar and flavorings.  Stir to dissolve. Place the onions in the sieve and place the sieve in the sink.  Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them drain. Add the onions to the jar: Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to evenly distribute the flavorings.The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes, but are better after a few hours.  Store in the refrigerator.  They will keep for several weeks but are best in the first week.

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Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

·         1 chicken (4-5 pound),at room temperature

·         4 carrots

·         6 spring green onions

·         1 head of garlic, cut in half

·         3 lemons, 2 cut in half and remaining half sliced into thin slices

·         4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

·         2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

·         1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

·         ½ cup white wine

·         ½ cup chicken stock or broth

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Mix the butter with lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Pat the chicken dry and rub half of the butter and lemon zest mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken. Work 4-6 lemon slices under chicken skin and season with salt and pepper.

Generously season cavity of chicken with salt and pepper and stuff with lemon half, ½ head of garlic, 3 onions and thyme sprigs. Truss legs with cooking twine and tuck wings under bird.Arrange remaining vegetables on bottom of roasting pan and set the chicken breast-side-up on top of vegetables in roasting pan. Add ½ cup of white wine.

 Roast for 30 minutes or until the breast is firm and just beginning to brown in spots. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-down, baste with juices and roast for 20 minutes longer, until the skin is lightly browned.

Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-side-up and baste again. Add a ½ cup of water. Roast for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 155° to 160° and juices are running clear.

Transfer the bird to a cutting board and tent with foil. Remove vegetables from roasting pan. Set the pan over high heat. Add the stock and cook, scraping up any browned bits. Press the lemon to release the juices. Carve the chicken and serve with lemon jus and roasted vegetables.

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Marsala & Creamy Cheese

Ingredients

·         4 East Riding Farm Bowl Sized Popovers

·         1 Tbsp. olive oil

·         6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

·         1 sweet onions, peeled and cut into sixths

·         12 oz. button mushrooms, halved

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         6 sprigs of fresh thyme (and more for garnish)

·         ¼ cup flour

·         salt

·         ½ cup marsala

·         3 cups no-salt-added vegetable stock

·         8oz. of ⅓-fat cream cheese

Instructions

1.      Bake the popovers according to package instructions.

2.     Warm the olive oil in a  large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions. Stir once to coat everything in the oil and then leave it alone until it has started to brown, 2-4 minutes. Stir and then leave it alone until more browning has happened, 2-4 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms.  Leave it all alone until the undersides of some mushrooms are brown, 3-4 minutes.

3.      Add the garlic, the sprigs of thyme, the flour and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir it for 30 seconds before adding the marsala. Scrape at the bottom of the pot to help the marsala lift up any of the brownings there. Add the vegetable stock and increase the heat to high. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer until the carrots are tender, 5-10 minutes and the liquid is nearly a stew thickness.

4.      Stir in the cream cheese. Once it has melted through, taste and mix in more salt if needed before spooning the stew into the popover bowls.

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Easy Tomato Soup

10 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 56 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• optional garnish: chopped fresh basil, chives, or dill

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large nonreactive stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring for another 2 minutes until soft but not browned. Add flour and stir to coat onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.
2. Add basil and thyme and continue to stir to toast about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add broth, crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir to incorporate well. Cover, reduce heat to low and continue to cook for at least 30 minutes.
4. If you’re okay with a thicker soup, skip the next step (pureeing), season to taste and enjoy!
5. If you prefer a smooth/pureed soup, allow soup to cool slightly, and using a blender, or food processor carefully purée the soup in small batches of about 3-4 cups at a time, OR use an immersion blender to completely puree directly in the pot. Return pureed soup to the pot.
6. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh basil, chives, dill, sour cream, and/or your favorite crumbled or grated cheese.

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Chuck roast with Balsamic & Dijon

 


INGREDIENTS

2-3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
4 pounds Chuck Roast
1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 bunches small carrots, with tops (cut off tops leaving a small stub)
1 pound very small baby potatoes, white or red
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300F.Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Season chuck roast well with salt and pepper, add to pan and brown well on all sides (a few minutes a side). Remove roast and set aside.Add chopped onion to drippings in pot and reduce heat to medium. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, increase heat to medium-high and boil until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 4-5 more minutes. Stir in Dijon.Set roast on top of onions in pot. Pour in 2 cups beef broth and add thyme sprigs. Cover and place in oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until very tender.Add carrots and potatoes to pot and return to oven. Continue cooking until carrots and potatoes are tender, 30-60 minutes more. Season well then serve and enjoy!

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken cutlets
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, whisked
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
salt and pepper
about 2 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
1/3 lb thinly sliced black forest ham
1/3 lb thinly sliced Swiss or Gruyere cheese (or you can do grated cheese instead)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.

Set up your breading stations by placing the flour in the first bowl, the egg in the second, and the panko in the third. Season the panko by adding the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, and salt.

Lay out your chicken cutlets on a cutting board and gather up some toothpicks, about 2 or 3 per cutlet (or you can tie it up with kitchen twine if you prefer that). Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, and drizzle on a little bit of olive oil. Place a single layer of both ham and cheese on each cutlet, and roll it up tightly. Secure with the toothpicks or tie it up with twine to keep it closed up.

Dip the rolled chicken slices first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the panko breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess coating every step of the way (if you don't do this, your breading will want to fall off later). Place on the wire rack.

Baking time will vary depending on how big your chicken cutlets are, but 30-35 minutes should be about right. I bake the chicken until it's about 152 degrees F inside (rises to about 155-157 during resting), to make sure it doesn't overcook. Let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes out of the oven so the juices don't run out, and remove the toothpicks or kitchen twine before serving. Enjoy!

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