Moroccan Eggs

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 rashers of bacon, diced into cubes
• 1 red or brown onion, roughly diced
• ½ long red chilli, finely diced
• 1 medium red pepper (capsicum/bell pepper), sliced or diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2-3 button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed powder
• ½ dried or fresh oregano leaves (parsley or thyme can be used instead)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
• (alternatively use 1½ teaspoon of pre-mixed Moroccan spice mix)
• 1½ cups diced tomatoes, tinned or fresh
• 4-6 free-range eggs
• fresh parsley and/or coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

Instructions

1. In a deep frying pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy, then remove to a bowl but reserve the fat in the frying pan.
2. Add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions, chilli and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened. Season with salt and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a minute, stirring. Then add back the bacon and spices, stir for 30 seconds allowing the aromas to be released. Add the tomatoes, stir and cover with the lid. Cook on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, giving it a stir a few times.
3. Using a spoon, make small wells in the tomato mix and crack an egg into each, letting the egg whites to spill over the edges. Sprinkle each egg yolk with a little salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook on medium-low heat until the egg whites settle and firm up but the egg yolks remain gooey, about 5 minutes. It’s very easy to overcook the eggs this way, so it’s best to leave them slightly under-cooked as they will keep cooking while getting served.
4. Serve the eggs in the cooking dish sprinkled with some fresh parsley and coriander.

BAGELS

INGREDIENTS

For the bagels

1  1/2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise active dry yeast, preferably SAF brand

337 grams (scant 12 ounces; scant 1  1/2 cups) warm water (80 degrees)

623 grams (22 ounces; approximately 4 cups) bread flour (may substitute high-gluten flour; see headnote)

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon barley malt syrup

3 tablespoons cornmeal, for dusting

TOPPINGS
 
Sesame seeds; poppy seeds; caraway seeds; dehydrated onion flake; dehydrated garlic flakes; sea or kosher salt

STEPS

Mix the yeast into the warm water in a small bowl or measuring cup and let it start to foam while you prepare the rest of the dough. (If the mixture fails to foam after several minutes, dump it out and start over with new yeast.)

Combine the flour, salt and barley malt syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough-hook attachment. Add the yeast mixture and beat on the lowest speed until the dough starts to come together around the dough hook, about 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low; beat for 7 to 10 minutes or until the dough is cohesive, smooth and stiff.

Dust a rimmed baking sheet with the cornmeal. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, then divide it into 8 or 9 equal portions (about 4 ounces each). Roll the pieces into smooth balls and cover with plastic wrap to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Form each dough ball into a rope 11 inches long by rolling it under your palms. Try to avoid tapering the ends of the rope.

Shape each rope into a circle with a diameter of about 4 inches, overlapping the ends by about 11/2 inches. Pinch the overlapped areas firmly together, moistening them lightly with water if the ends won’t stick. Working with one at a time, place your fingers through each ring of dough; with the pinched-together seam facing down, roll the rope several times, applying firm pressure to seal the seam to form a bagel. Each ring should be about the same thickness all around; if it’s not, you can roll it in other places around the ring to even it out.

Place the dough rings on the cornmeal-covered baking sheet as you work, spaced an inch or two apart. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The rings will have puffed and spread slightly.

When you’re ready to boil and bake the bagels, place a pizza stone or baking stone, if using, on the middle oven rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. (The longer you can preheat, the better; up to an hour is great.)

Fill a large, wide pot with 3 inches of water; bring it to a boil over high heat.

Drop 3 or 4 dough rings into the boiling water, stirring and briefly submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon, until very slightly puffed, 30 to 35 seconds. Transfer the dough rings to a wire rack, bottom (flatter) sides down, to drain. Repeat with the remaining rings.

If you are using any of the optional toppings, dip the bagels in them while the dough is still wet (see VARIATIONS, below).

If you’re baking with the stone, transfer the rings, cornmeal side down, to a sheet of parchment paper on top of a pizza peel or overturned baking sheet. You’ll then just slide the parchment with the bagels directly onto the stone. (Depending on the size of the stone or your comfort in sliding off 8 or 9 bagels at a time, you might choose to bake in two batches, which will also help space the bagels out, for better browning on the crust.) If you’re not using a stone, transfer the bagels to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake (middle rack) for 12 to 18 minutes or until the bagels are a deep golden brown and crisp, rotating the parchment paper or baking sheet halfway through; the baking time will depend on whether you’re using a stone and perhaps the heat distribution of your oven.

Use tongs to transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool. If you’ve split the bagels into two batches, slide the second one in and bake.

Wait for a few minutes before splitting open the hot bagels.

VARIATIONS: For topped bagels, dunk the boiled and drained dough rings (both sides) into 1/2 cup of your favorite toppings (sesame, poppy or caraway seed; dehydrated onion or garlic flakes; sea or kosher salt, etc.). For an “everything” bagel, combine 2 tablespoons each sesame and poppy seeds and 1 tablespoon each caraway seed, sea or kosher salt, dehydrated onion flakes and dehydrated garlic flakes. A glass pie dish is perfect for this task.

Double Chocolate Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce

Double Chocolate Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS 
FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

FOR THE PANCAKES

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal or finely ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup low-fat milk (1 percent)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup dark (bittersweet) mini chocolate chips (may substitute finely chopped dark chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

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For the sauce: Combine the berries, light brown sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until most of the berries have lost their shape. Transfer to a blender; remove the center knob in the lid so steam can escape. Place a paper towel over the top to avoid splash-ups; puree until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. The yield is about 3/4 cup. If you’re serving the sauce right away, transfer to a bowl; if not, pour into an airtight container and refrigerate (for up to 4 days). 

For the pancakes: Whisk together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, light brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat together the milk, eggs, the tablespoon of oil and the vanilla extract in a large liquid measuring cup, then pour that mixture into the flour mixture, stirring to incorporate. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Brush a large nonstick griddle or skillet with a little oil and heat it over medium heat. 

Working in batches of two or three, ladle a scant 1/4 cup of the batter (per pancake) onto the hot griddle or skillet. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until the pancakes begin to look dry and bubbly around the edges, then flip and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes on the second side; some of the mini chips will be melted and should look set. Stack on a plate and cover loosely to keep warm while you repeat to use all the batter, adding a bit of oil as needed for subsequent batches. 

To serve, drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the raspberry sauce on each plate. Top with 2 pancakes and garnish with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar and some fresh raspberries. 

MILE HIGH BISCUITS

Dough
2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour  (preferably White Lily)
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cold low-fat buttermilk

For Shaping and Finishing
1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour, distributed on a rimmed baking sheet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500 F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Also, spray the inside and outside of a 1/4-cup measure with nonstick cooking spray.   Liberally place flour on a cookie sheet.

Combine the ingredients.  After combining the dry ingredients, cut in the buter.  Then add the buttermilk.  The dough should be wet.  While the receipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk, you probably will need to add more buttermilk.

Scoop level 1/4 cup mounds of dough and drop them into the flour on the baking sheet. Continue until you’ve scooped all of the dough – you should have 12 mounds of dough. Use some of the flour from the baking sheet to dust the top of each mound. Flour your hands, then, one at a time, pick up each piece of dough (coating with extra flour if necessary so you can work with it) and gently shape it into a rough ball. 

Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 450 F and continue baking for another 13-15 minutes, or until the biscuits are deep golden brown

Puffy Omelet Recipe

This is close to a souffle.  The flour helps create a structure for the eggs so that they rise.

1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper

1 1/2 cups milk
8 eggs

1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately.  Make a well in the dry ingredients.

Add enough of the wet ingredients to form a paste.  Then *slowly* add the remaining ingredients until you have a smooth mixture.

Grease a 9 inch pie plate.  Pour the mixture into the pie pan.

Top the mixture with the cheese, then immediately place into oven.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until the omelet browns or it passes the knife test.

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Cut down recipe:

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sal
dash pepper

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1 1/8 cup milk
6 eggs  (2 eggs + 4 egg whites)

Prep and baking time is the same.

PANCAKES

--- Dry ingredients ---

1 1/2 cups all-purpose four
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

---- Wet ingredients

1 1/4
cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)

Mix dry ingredients separately from wet ingredients.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients.

Heat a little oiled griddle or frying pan to around 375degrees.  Pour on the batter, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.  Brown on both sides and serve.