Student kitchens
Easy, delicious, healthy(ish) recipes that won’t own your budget.Archive for cream
My first curry (that actually resembled a curry)
Ok, I lie…I have indeed made curries that resemble curries in the sense that they look and smell like a curry…but they’ve tasted less than what I’d call a curry. Before you assume that I’ve reached curry nirvana already, let me assure you that I haven’t made anything “genuinely” Indian. That’s right – I’m not like those pretty frozen meal packets, which promise all sorts of ridiculous nonsense – I promise you only these things about this curry:
1. It ain’t difficult (well…I made it, after all. I’d say if you can boil pasta, you can probably get this to be pretty good).
2. The whole thing is cooked in ONE pot/pan, and because it’s got potatoes, you can eat it all in one bowl, without the need for making rice, getting naan, or any of that finicky business. Goodness gracious, isn’t enough you made curry from scratch already?! Yes. Thank you. Also, the person doing dishes will thank you for this.
3. It actually tastes like a curry (and the texture resembles one too – the thick and chunky kind anyway). See, I do actually decide not to post things that aren’t good, just so you know. This one is quite thick and is very vegetable-dense, ie…it’s not soupy with floaty bits like most of the curry you’ll get for takeout (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I did this to make it more of a complete meal (see promise #2), but if you want you can halve the amount of veges and you’ll get the floaty effect.
4. It is not as expensive or complicated as you think. Invest in some of the spices, ensure you have some of the canned stuff in the pantry, and a curry will never be far away. I’ve tried to make it as versatile as possible, and unscary as possible. Some of the spices may look expensive, but remember: they will last you more than one curry! I reccommend asian supermarkets (even the non-indian ones) or Piko wholefoods in Christchurch for inexpensive yet quality herbs and spices (particularly Piko for the non-ground versions and for really fresh stuff).
5. You will enjoy making it. There’s something about using all the spices on their own that makes you feel all grown up.
I’m going to be specific about the recipe, but that doesn’t mean it’s non-changeable or actually complicated. Before I descend into it, thanks to My Feasts for the basic recipe and inspiration. I toned down the spiciness of it, but even so I find it tests my tastebuds!
Corn chowing the chowder
Having never actually had corn chowder, I have to say it felt quite strange that I was seriously craving the stuff two nights or so ago. I knew too, when I smelt it cooking, that it would do just the trick. Thanks goes to the (gorgeously photographed) recipe on Pictures and Pancakes, although I had a bit of a tweak using celery instead of peppers (I seem to for once not have cream in the fridge, cheekily begging to be used in place of milk in a recipe).
No photo for this one – check out the one on Pictures and Pancakes, I decided not to try and outdo it! Also mine didn’t turn out nearly as pretty because of the celery used (although I love the taste of celery in a mirepoix so I don’t really regret it!), and I had a feeling anyone viewing would be a tad put off, which would be a real shame. A plus – you can really easily make this vegan, and while the cream will make this really sing, I’d still be pretty happy if someone served it to me without!
If you want this to be seriously good, the simple answer is to use the best produce possible – when you sniff your celery before buying, it should be pungent and aromatic, not watery. The carrots should be deep orange when cut open, the onions should be crisp and juicy, and the corn must be straight off the cob. You want garlic that is still firm and fresh, and proper stock (this discounts most of the stock from the supermarket I’m afraid). Don’t worry, this chowder can be quick, but if you’re looking for the penultimate corn chowder experience…don’t say I didn’t advise you!
Classic corn chowder
serves 4. This is intended more as a guide – the amount of vegetables and stock you use can vary. You can try different herbs too, but thyme in this is utterly droolly.
Quiche can be wholesome, too – and not soggy!
I’ve got two quiche posts (this is what happens when you buy 300mls of cream that you don’t really know what you should use in…) for you. Now, some of you may have had terrible quiche experiences from the past (soggy, soppy, sloppy…any combination of the three), but I am here to soothe your worries, and give you (almost) no excuse to try making one yourself – pastry and all (oh yes). In the interests of getting some goodness out of your pastry, I’ve added some wheatgerm to it. Wheatgerm is the stuff that is shimmied out when flour gets processed into white (unless you use stoneground). Obviously you can use a combo of wholemeal or white with some added wheatgerm. But it just means you get a slightly more interesting crust (which I promise, even the next day, is NOT soggy). Make sure to get wheatgerm that is refrigerated! Often they only bother at health food stores, but this keeps the wheatgerm stable for longer.
spring onion quiche on baked chips and roast veges
mushroom asparagus quiche with herbed roast potatoes and asparagus, and garlicky bok choy
The first was done in a 9″ tart pan, while the second in an 8″ springform pan, just to prove that you can use pretty much anything as a quiche pan! Recipe for both sized crusts are at the link below.
The great thing about these quiches is that they’re dead simple to make and keep until the next day quite well, and reheat just fine. So you can make one large quiche and not have to worry about any leftovers.
Crust
85g butter, softened and cubed
1 c plain flour
1/3 c wheatgerm
a few Tbs cold water
Rub butter and flour together with your fingertips until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add water one Tablespoon at a time, bringing things together to form a soft dough, stopping when flour is fully incorporated. Roll it out to a 11″ or 10″ diameter circle (if using a 9″ tart pan, use the 11″, if not, use 10″). Slip into your tart pan and set aside. Note: springform cake pans work just as well, although it’s harder to check if the bottoms are done.
Quiche fillings:
Spring onion and cheese
100ml cream
4 free range eggs
about 4 Tbs chopped spring onion
some grated cheese (any is good really, just not the plastic kind… *shudder*)
salt and pepper
Asparagus and mushroom
100ml cream
4 free range eggs
a pinch of nutmeg
approx 1 Tbs mustard
2-3 asparagus spears, sliced diagonally
4 mushrooms, sliced
grated parmesan cheese (to cover the base and top)
salt and pepper
Directions for both:
Preheat oven to 200C or 400F
Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper, mustard and nutmeg (if using). Pour into your tart pan and sprinkle over the rest of the ingredients. Pop in the oven in the center rack (or failing that, pop on the bottom rack for 5-10 minutes and the top rack for the remaining 20-30 minutes) for about 35-40 minutes until crust is golden and egg filling is not liquidy.
Comment if you want the recipe for garlicky bok choy (basically, oil, salt, garlic, bok choy), or crunchy baked chips.
Makes a great lunch/brunch the next day.
Tiramisu – it’s such a tease!!
Clare attempted tiramisu for the first time ever two days ago. She made the sponge from scratch, and although they didn’t come out like they were supposed to in the picture, they tasted great! The creamy bits were absolutely…to die for, and it wasn’t all too overpoweringly coffeeish either. Anyway, we thought we’d share the experience (and a recipe), even if it wasn’t textbook perfect.
mmm chocolate shavings…
There is a recipe for home made sponge fingers on Taste (we used it, and they didn’t so much turn out as fingers as they did…blobs of spongey biscuit… but they ended up great anyway), and even a recipe for making your own mascarpone over at Hungry and Frozen (as well as her recipe for tiramisu), so your tiramisu can almost processed-food free!
Tiramisu – thanks to Clare’s German host parents for the recipe!
fills a 24×24cm glass dish using two layers of sponge and creamyness.
Enough sponge fingers to cover the bottom of whatever glass dish you’re serving it in, multiplied by how many layers you want*
4 eggs, separated
500g mascarpone cheese
100g icing sugar
20ml Tia Maria or similar coffee liqueur (or a bit more if you’re so inclined)
3/4c liquid coffee, cooled (instant fine)
either chocolate shavings (use smallest grate on your grater) or cocoa mixed with a bit of icing sugar (or both! Or alternating…whatever you like)
Note: the tiramisu will hold better if you do the layering on a cold surface. *you can whip up your favourite sponge and cut it up or get one at your nearest bakery.
Beat 4 egg yolks, 100g icing sugar, 20ml tia maria into a thick cream. Add 500g Mascarpone and beat through. Whip 2 egg whites till stiff in a separate bowl, and fold into egg yolk mixture. Lay a layer of sponge fingers down on the bottom of a dish and soak well with half the coffee (instant is fine, percolated is better). Pour half the mascarpone cream over, spread to an even layer, and sprinkle well with grated chocolate or cocoa. Lay another layer of sponge fingers down, and once again soak in coffee. Pour the last of the mascarpone cream over and cover in grated chocolate. Place in fridge to set for at least four hours or overnight.
