A life in Ice-Cream Chapter one - Orange and Anise · Thursday August 6, 2015 by colin newell
I bought a Ice cream “Core” for my Kitchen Aid professional mixer – the core is a special bowl with a coolant that can freeze and the kit includes the “dasher” which is the rotating arm that churns the ice cream.
It is a simple process: Put the core in the deep freeze (temperature in my freezer is around 5 degrees (F) and that is plenty cold for setting up the core. You can push the core to a cooler temperature but the “mixture” (the dairy mixture that will soon become ice cream after churning) can freeze on contact with the core bowl causing the dasher to seize up – you do not want that to happen.
Anyway – here is the recipe for my first attempt at a Philadelphia style ice cream (contains no eggs) – In my next blog I will demonstrate my first French style of Ice cream (the good stuff!) with eggs.
Ready your gear This series will be written around the KitchenAid Ice Cream maker core – but the recipes work with any method of churning. I grew up making Ice Cream with the Donvier manual Ice Cream maker – which explains why I have such strong wrists!
Ingredients:
2 cups (500ml) 18% 1/2 and 1/2 cream and 1/2 cup whole milk (125ml)
3/4 cup or 150g sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of orange juice.
1 tablespoon orange zest
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon anise extract
Instructions – pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt.
Add extracts and the zest of one orange (around 1 tablespoon)
Warm over medium heat stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 1/2 cup whole milk.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining cream.
Chill mixture thoroughly for around 2 hours – in the fridge.
When ready to “churn” add to your device and follow the device instructions.
Yield is around 1 quart or a litre or so.
This ice cream maintains a pretty white colour and tastes different to different people – some of you will pick up the orange flavour, some the licorice — it is pretty subtle.
Coming up: Some of the richest chocolate ice cream you have ever tasted!
Grilled spicy Lamb burgers on the old Weber · Thursday July 2, 2015 by colin newell
Andrea and I made these from fresh ground Island lamb and fresh herbs from the garden – much like regular beef burgers but with a kick – and they are lamb.
They are around 3/4” thick – I grilled them at around 375 to 425 for 5 minutes on the first side
and 2 minutes on the second side.
PATTIES
1½ pounds ground lamb
2 tablespoons tightly packed finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon moroccan spice mix
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
4 kaiser rolls, split
Thinly sliced red onion
MAYO
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 heaping teaspoons fresh mint sauce
Served with lettuce and red onion – and any salad on the side you might desire.
Grill with crumbled feta on top.
Pairs well with a robust Red wine.
Dinner hour - Bucatini All'Amatriciana · Monday June 1, 2015 by colin newell
This is one of my wife’s favourite meals at a local restaurant named Zambri’s – using our own tomatoes from the garden as well as many other fresh ingredients, we created the Marinara (which is basically Tomatoes, onions, finely diced celery, carrots, 1/2 cup of red wine, garlic etc – full recipe to follow). The Marinara is the foundation for many classic Italian recipes and we will give it its own blog entry shortly!
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 oz. thinly sliced pancetta (or bacon)
1/2 red onion – cut lengthwise in half – and 1/4” half moons
2 teaspoons mince garlic
1 heaping teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups home made marinara sauce
freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
2 servings Bucatini pasta
Put water on to boil with salt
Meanwhile in a saute pan combine olive oil, pancetta, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Cook over medium low until the onion is softened and the pancetta has rendered much of its fat – about 12 to 15 minutes.
Drain away all but 1/4 cup of the fat from the pan.
Add the marinara sauce.
Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for 6 – 7 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the Bucatini in boiling water for about 12 minutes or as directed by pasta cooking instructions – looking for “very firm” – drain.
Add the pasta to the simmering sauce and toss for about 1 minute to coat.
Divide the pasta among the plates (two servings) dress with grated cheese.
Good Eats - Masala Lamb meatballs. · Tuesday February 17, 2015 by colin newell
We shared a 1/2 lamb with my sister and brother-in-law – and with that package came from great ground lamb. This was the perfect recipe for lamb. This is a fascinating mixture of spice with an intriguing Mediterranean flavour and a nice bite. This recipe was inspired from the latest issue of EAT Magazine in Victoria B.C. Canada – but we mixed it up just a little bit. You can serve it with polenta, rice or pasta. We chose pasta. Overall, it takes about an hour to prepare so make sure you have a glass of red wine in your hand while you work!
SAUCE -
3 Garlic Cloves chopped
1 Onion chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Cumin seeds
28 ounce canned plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
MEATBALLS -
2 green onions shopped
2 eggs
1 slice brown bread
1/4 table cream
2 pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
TOPPING –
Feta cheese.
PART ONE:
In a food processor, puree 3 garlic cloves with one chopped medium onion and
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in Dutch oven on medium heat.
Add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and heat until they start to sizzle. Then add onion/garlic mixture.
Stir often until mixture softens and is translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low to prevent browning.
Cook 8 – 10 minutes.
PART TWO:
Puree canned plum tomatoes with 1 tablespoon garam masala and 1 teaspoon ea. Turmeric, Cayenne and Salt. Pour into pan with Onion and Garlic mixture. Stir in one cup water. Simmer 20 minutes to blend flavour.
PART THREE:
For the meatballs, in a food processor puree two chopped green onions with two eggs, one slice of brown bread torn into pieces and 1/4 cup table cream.
Turn this mix into a large bowl – add 2 pounds of ground lamb. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground cumin and cinnamon. Add a pinch of salt. Gently mix until blended. Then shape into balls. Aim for a chubby golf ball size.
Makes about 20 meatballs.
PART FOUR:
Bake meatballs on baking (cookie sheet) brushed with oil. Broil until brown (6 – 8 minutes)
Then reduce heat to 375.
PART FIVE:
Add meatballs to sauce in Dutch oven. Cover and bake until sauce is bubbly and meat balls are cooked through. 10 – 15 minutes.
Finish with fresh mint and crumbled feta cheese.
We served over Penne pasta. Serves 4 – 6.
