1 Cookie Week

My obsession had reached new heights 2 weeks ago. I decided to bake biscuits repeatedly until every recipe I had was perfected. Yes, these periods of madness are well known amongst my family and friends, although I have never heard a complaint...hmmmm...I wonder why?

The truth is that I had several opportunities to feed cookies to several crowds, meetings, afternoon tea parties and a few Thank You presents.

So now as I look at my cookie dough smudged, madly scribbled in, note book pasted scrap book (I have GOT to get this stuff organized!!!), I think back to an interesting workshop I once took as part in, focusing on Shortcut Pastry. One thing I learnt, and have not looked back since, is to throw away the mixer (not literally, just put it away when making Shortcut Pastry). Instead, bring in your food processor... The reason is pretty simple:

Shortcut pastry is a crumbly buttery mixture that is meant to leave a melt-in-the-mouth effect when you bite into it. To reach this dreamy effect 2 things must always be maintained:

1) Cold cold cold conditions & 2) Quick speedy work and back to cold cold cold conditions

What this means is that I recommend you prepare your ingredients in advance (like they do on TV) and place them in the fridge before you combine them as instructed in your recipe (yes, even the flour and sugar).

When you put together your pastry, do so speedily without too much fiddling and fussing- as with batter-based cakes, too much fiddling with release the gluten from the flour and will make the mixture "doughy" (breads and yeast bakes are over kneaded for this very reason).

What does all this have to do with cookies you ask?? Well pretty much most cookies are based on shortcut pastry. The ones that aren't are an easier challenge my friends! In the recipes you  will notice that I make note of the cookies that require shortcut pastry treatment.

So to make this pastry, follow these basic steps always:

1) Place dry ingredients in the food processor (flour and any nuts, sugars, vanilla powders etc).

2) Throw in the butter that has been cut into cubes (at least 6 cubes to 100g of butter).

3) Pulse the food processor until no butter is seen and the mixture resembles wet sand.

4) Add wet ingredients and continue pulsing until wet sticky crumbles form.

The dough at stage 4

5) Turn out the content of the food processor onto a lightly floured surface and quickly press togther the crumbs to form a smooth pastry.

6) Wrap well and rest/chill for a couple of hours.

7) Shape, fill or roll the pastry and re-chill before placing in the oven.

So now that formality is out of the way, I would like to share some success stories. I will begin with 4 Shortcut style cookies I made and 1 "other" (I just don't know what to call it I guess).

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Lemon Mint Slice
 
Source: Based on Oren Giron's Limonana Cookies

200g butter, cubed
250g sifted flour
100g almond meal
180g sugar
80g vanilla pudding mixture
1 Tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
zest from 1 lemon (and possibly juice if mixture is not moist enough)
1 egg yolk


For brushing and coating: 1 egg white + sugar

I need to mention that I have made these cookies MANY times and depending on the about of moisture in the air I judge how much of the lemon juice to add.


Following the shortcut pastry instruction, place all dry ingredients in a food processor and blend with butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Add egg yolk and a little of the lemon juice and continue blending (dont hesitate to shake the food processor a little while the blending process takes place. This helps everything bind quicker). Add more juice if required.


When mixture is combined and bound, separate into 2 tight balls and using a sushi rolling mat lined with cling wrap, make 2 logs. Wrap well and freeze for a couple of hours.


Preheat oven to 170C degrees.
Take out of the freeze and only defrost a little (this makes it easier to cut. Brush with egg white and roll in sugar. Using a sharp knife, cut into 0.5cm slices and carefully place on a paper lined oven tray.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Do not brown them or touch them when removing from the oven. While chilling they will harden to a handle-able form.



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Memsiers
This is not the actual name of the cookie. Its actually called a rolled cookie - a name which I HATE. In my favorite bakery down the road (Artizan Bread), they sell these beauties by the weight and they are to DIE for. There they are called Memsiers and I have fruitlessly tried to find out the meaning of this name. Until such time, I have adopted the name for these slices.

Based on the Rolled Cookie Dough recipe from the Israeli magazine La'Isha

Makes approximately 42-45 slices

200g butter
3 cups or 450g flour
5 Tbsp powdered sugar
10g baking powder
Contents of 1 vanilla bean
200g sour cream

Following the shortcut pastry instruction, place all dry ingredients in a food processor and blend with butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Add sour cream and continue blending (don't hesitate to shake the food processor a little while the blending process takes place. This helps everything bind quicker).
When mixture is combined and bound, separate into 3 balls. Wrap well and chill for a couple of hours.


Fillings

Optional easy filling tried and tested:

350g jar of Nutella
OR

Dulce de Leche
OR

340g jar of good raspberry jam, roughly chopped walnuts and dark large raisins (this is actually how the Memsiers are sold)
OR

Traditional Spiced Date Filling
250g deseeded chopped dates
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Place mixture in a pot and cook over medium heat. If over-heated you may need to add a little more water. Mix well continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture has disintegrated and appears to be spreadable. Chill to room temperature.


To assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Roll out one ball or pastry on a floured surface to form a rectangular shape, wide side facing you. Spread with 1/3 of any of the above fillings. Roll tightly to a sausage and place on a paper -lined tray.
Repeat with remaining pastry.


Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Remove and chill slightly. Slice the warm log to 1.5cm slices using a sharp serrated knife. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and chill completely.
Seperate slices and store in a jar for up to a week.

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Sesame Cookies

Recipe by Miki Shemo
Makes 54 20g cookies
240g butter
150g or 2/3 cup sugar
440g or 2 cups flour
100g raw sesame paste
1 egg
2-3 Tbsp wholemeal sesames (I think black ones would also look very nice)

Following the shortcut pastry instruction, place all dry ingredients in a food processor and blend with butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Add sesame paste and egg and continue blending (don't hesitate to shake the food processor a little while the blending process takes place. This helps everything bind quicker). Chill for a couple of hours.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Roll into round balls and slightly flatten on a paper-lined baking tray. You can place a walnut or pecan nut on top if you like. Bake for 14 minutes until lightly golden. Chill completely and serve with powdered sugar.



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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (American Style)

I actually discovered this recipe ones when (I am ashamed to admit) I was left without enough butter in the fridge (gasp!) and had to add a little of my daughter's smooth peanut butter to the mixture. It has been in high demand in my husband's family every since.
Souce: My own recipe based on a million Choc Chip recipes I have read
Makes 30 X 25g biscuits
1 cup (140g) flour
¼ cup (23g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Content of 1 vanilla bean
1oog unsalted butter
20g peanut butter
½ cup (85g) brown sugar
¼ cup (60g) white sugar
1 large egg
100g melted chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa solids), chilled
200g dark chocolate, chopped
Handful of unsalted toasted crushed peanuts (or to taste)

Blend all ingredients (except for egg and melted chocolate) in a food processor. When blended, add egg and chocolate blend until almost ready. Knead by hand and add the chopped dark chocolate and chopped roasted peanuts. Chill for a couple of hours.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Place ball shapes at least 15cm apart on paper lined tray and bake for about 15-20mins.



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Choc-Orange Snow Caps
Source: Based on a recipe I cut out of a magazine years ago

Makes 50-60 20g cookies
350g dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa solids)
50g butter
3 eggs
100g butter
Zest of 2 oranges
40ml Orange Liquor
100g sifted flour mixed with 1 tsp baking powder
120g almond meal
For rolling: Sugar and Powdered Sugar

Melt Chocolate and butter together in a Bain Marie and chill to room temperature.

Whist eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add chocolate mixture followed by remaining ingredients.
The mixture will be quite soft.

Chill covered for 4 hours or overnight (I left it in the fridge once for 24 hours and it was fine).

Preheat oven to 190C.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out small amounts and roll into truffle-sized balls (they puff up when baked). Roll first in sugar and then in powdered sugar.

Place 10 cm apart on a paper-lined tray and bake no more than 15 minutes. They will harden after baking, so leave them alone for a while when removing from the oven.



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8 Thai Food, I guess…

Nothing more to say about Thai food except that I LOVE it! Actually, there is plenty to say…
I remember once listening to Merrik and Rosso (a morning radio show) during the Sydney 2000 Olympics and hearing a tourist ring to ask about Australian cuisine. The question basically was “what is Australian food?”. Without hesitation, both hosts replied “Thai food, I guess”… I chuckled to myself in the car on the way to work and had to admit that they were perfectly right. With all the readily available Thai food restaurants, cafes and outlets, it is pretty much our national cuisine.
I like Thai food for many reasons, although I must admit that it doesn’t hurt that there are many low fat options. On my MANY and constant diets I often include Thai beef salad, Tom Yum Goung, Larb, etc etc to the weekly menu. My husband has inherited my love for this cuisine and we often enjoy one of its quick-to-prepare-meals.
Most of the foods I cook (Thai or otherwise) I learnt to make through cookbooks, internet searches, general common sense and the influence of some brilliant cooks I have met. Whenever I have the opportunity, I sign up for formal lessons covering a subject of interest. So on a recent trip to Chiang Mai, I had the good fortune to attend a workshop run by Sompon Nabnian – a known Thai celebrity chef. Needless to say I had a ball… It was an eye-opening experience to make food from ingredients I picked myself from the garden.
The most important lesson learnt is that curry is not such a big deal to make at home. You can store it in portions (in an ice cube maker, for example) and thaw it for immediate use. It tastes MUCH better than the off-the-shelf product and never leaves an aftertaste of preservatives. For small quantities made at home, use a mortar and pestle (although I must admit I have used my Magic Bullet for this more than once). If you have a mortar and pestle sitting on your kitchen bench, you will automatically impress any visitor to your kitchen!
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Red Curry Paste

Source: A Passion for Thai Cooking by Sompon and Elizabeth Nabnian

This makes 100-130g curry paste (about 4-5 Tbsp)

1tsp galangal, chopped

2tsp lemongrass chopped (only use white part)

1 tsp kafir lime peel, chopped

1 Tbsp coriander root, chopped

3 Tbsp shallots, chopped

3 Tbsp garlic, crushed

1 tsp shrimp paste (*see note at the end of the recipe)

10 small red chillies

Place all ingredients in your mortar and pestle and pound until you see a smooth paste. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

*Note: You can substitute 1 tsp shrimp paste for 1 tsp anchovy paste or 1 mashed anchovy fillet. Although note that anchovies are less pungent and flavourful.



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Thai Beef Salad (this is for you Deb B)

Source: My own – note there is NO oil in this recipe…

Serves 2 (in my home – perhaps 3 in other homes, haha)

For beef:

Marinate a 400g non-fatty steak (fillet or sirloin) or 2 smaller steaks in a paste made of 2 tsp red curry mixed with 2 tsp soy and 1 tsp chopped garlic. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

For salad

½ young cos lettuce, leaves torn

2 shallots chopped

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips

3 handful of cherry tomatoes

2 cucumbers sliced

½ cup chopped coriander

¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

For dressing

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

3 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp soy

1 tsp water

½ tsp salt

150ml lime juice

¼ large onion, finely grated

Mix dressing ingredients and blend well.

To make steak, preheat oven to 180C. Heat up a non-stick pan (make it SUPER hot). Brown steak on both sides, place in a baking dish and bake for 5-10 minutes (this is for medium done in our oven, so you’ll have to test this theory in your oven).

Assemble salad and mix with dressing. Cut thin strips of been and place on top of your salad.

My mouth is SERIOUSLY watering!



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Salmon with Chili and Basil Sauce

Source: A Passion for Thai Cooking by Sompon and Elizabeth Nabnian

In this recipe (and at the workshop) we prepare a whole fish that was deep fried to a crisp - then we poured the sauce on top and ate it. I have not repeated this again, but have used the sauce whenever I grill or fry a fish fillet. This is especially delicious on salmon.

Oven Roasted Salmon Fillet

Preheat oven to 180C. Pat dry your salmon fillet and lightly brush with olive oil over both sides. Generously sprinkle with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper and place skin side down in a generous dish lined with baking paper. Bake covered for 10 minutes per 300g of fish or until done. To know if your fish is done, place a narrow knife or fork into the thickest part of the salmon until you reach the center of the flesh. Remove the knife and immediately place (carefully!) against your lower lip. If warm, then your fish is cooked!

Meanwhile, make the delicious sauce.

Chili Sauce

This quantity is for 300-400g of fish.

2 Tbsp canola oil

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

5 medium red chilies, finely chopped

1 large green chili, finely chopped

1 large red chili, seeds removed and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 Tbsp fish sauce (can substitute for soy and a squeeze of lime)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

60ml good chicken stock

¾ cup chopped sweet basil leaves

½ cup coriander leaves, chopped

In a wok, place the oil and fry the garlic onion and chillies until softened. Add liquids and cook for a further 5 minutes until almost at boiling point. Add basil and coriander, stir through and remove from heat immediately.

Pour the entire content of your wok over the fish and serve immediately.



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Larb Gai - Minced Chicken Salad

Source: A Passion for Thai Cooking by Sompon and Elizabeth Nabnian

This is suppose to serves 4 but I make more and it serves 2-3 of us (depending on if we eat rice)… so up to you

2 Tbsp canola oil

300g or 1 ½ cups minced chicken (I use 400g finely shredded chicken breast)

4 spring onions, finely sliced

2 slices galangal (or ginger), finely chopped

3Tbsp fish sauce

2Tbsp lime juice (I use 3 Tbsp)

1Tbsp chilli powder (you don’t have to use the really hot stuff. A nice hot paprika will do the trick)

1 ½ Tbsp glutinous rice flour (I use cornflour and it turns out just fine)

1 Tbsp chopped coriander (this is up to personal taste, I can go a bit crazy here)

1 Tbsp chopped mint

1 Tbsp chopped spring onion

Assorted fresh vegetables for garnish (I use thinly sliced Spanish onion, cucumber slices and deseeded plum tomatoes).

In a bowl mix chicken spring onions, galangal, fish sauce, lime juice, chili powder and rice flour.

Heat the oil in a wok and cook the chicken mixture for a few minutes until cooked through – do not overcook or it will dry.

Add remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

We like to eat this rolled in fresh crispy lettuce or endive leaves (when in season) and some sticky rice.

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