Empanadas Tapas - Latin American smoked ham, onion, cheese, tomato

Spanish influenced snacks or tapas. Besides South Europeans, South American and Filipinos make delicious empanadas with unique local flavours.

Here's an easy recipe inspired by my beautiful Latin American friend. She provided the basic recipe which can be expanded and tweaked to individual taste.

I have added more fillings to perk up the flavours to fit a fussy eater's main meal. Guess who's that?

Make from scratch or use good quality puff pastry. You'll need 2 pieces.
Blind bake one on both sides lightly at 150 C for 10 mins (preheated oven).

Prepare smoked leg ham, cheese, tomato, slice onion and line liberally on the baked pastry.
Cover with the uncooked pastry and bake at 180 C for 20 mins. Lower the heat to 150 C for another 10 mins. Do not burn the pastry.

Christmassy Cranberry Pistachio Log Cookies

The joy of baking for Christmas for yourselves, family and friends. Pretty and delicious - makes a wonderful gift. Nibble on the colourful red and green soft, chewy and yet crunchy aromatic and wholesome biscuits.

This pastry is evolved from shortbread recipe. However, to help all the ingredients bind and stay intact instead of crumbling or melting, egg and fresh milk are added to the dough.

Ingredients

Butter : 1 block (250 g) softened to room temperature (not oily and melting)
Sugar powder or icing sugar 130 g
Castor sugar (white or brown) 30 g
Full cream Milk 1/2 cup
Egg yolk  1 (beaten)
Cranberry 200 g in dried form, soak in a dash brandy,  mix well and let it marinate
Pistachio (raw unsalted) - cut or chop coarsely
Plain flour 320 g
Salt 1 tsp

Simple Steps


Mix butter and sugar till smooth and creamy (easier with electric mixer)


Add vanilla extract and combine. 


Fold in flour and salt mixture gradually and mix well. 


Stir chopped nuts and berries evenly. 


Add milk and egg yolk. Mix well.


Divide dough into two approximately equal portions. Spoon one part onto 2/3 way of a piece of baking paper. Lift up one side, press firmly. Do the same for the other side.  Roll and wrap up the pastry. Press the ends firmly and fold inwards. 


Chill in the fridge for at least two hours. 


Preheat oven till 180 C. Line baking trays with baking paper. 


Cut biscuit dough with a sharp knife into 2.5 cm thickness and place gently on the baking tray.
Repeat with another baking tray. 


Turn down oven heat to 150 after 15 minutes. Turn the cookies over and reverse the original facing of the baking tray. Continue baking for another 10 minutes. 


Makes about 50 cookies.

Homemade Slow Roast Cashew Nuts - best in the world

I have given up buying cooked cashew nuts from moderately to highly priced of all sorts from supermarkets or gourmet stores. With the exception of very few speciality nut vendors, the taste and texture are disappointing to say the least.

Once you have done home-made cashews, you probably won't bother to try any of the ready cooked ones anymore. Though it may not mean savings, it is well worth the effort (not much actually)!

Purchase premium quality large size cashew nuts from nut shop, grocers that get supplies from reputable importers or health food stores.

Pour boiling water into cashew in a large pot. Give it a quick stir, ensuring that the nuts remain intact and are not broken. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. (Note : the water should just cover the nuts by 2 cm.)

Drain and repeat with another pot of hot water.

(Note : if this step is skipped and the nuts are baked or roast, it will take a much longer time cook the nuts and the results won't be as delicious)

Drain and transfer into an ovenproof pan. Spread it out evenly and sprinkle with salt.

Put the tray into a preheat oven of 150 degrees. After 15 minutes, stir the nuts and return to oven for another 15 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 120 degrees. Roast for another 90, during which the nuts should be checked and tossed at least 4 times.

When nuts look light golden colour, turn off the heat.

Remove from oven and sprinkle a little brown castor sugar. Mix well. Return to the oven and let it continue to absorb some residue heat and infuse the sugar.

(Note : do not roast the cashew nuts till it is brown as it will have a bitter and burnt taste)

Alternatively, the nuts can be deep-fried in oil. However, that would be a less healthy option. Moreover, you have to be very quick to avoid getting the nuts overly brown as they burnt quite easily.

Banana bread - simple and delicious

Having tried and gone away disappointed with many recipes of banana bread from magazines and online cookbooks, I was surprised that a simple banana loaf recipe provided by the manufacturer of a loaf pan worked marvellously.

1/2 block butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 medium sized eggs, beaten

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

2 TBS walnuts choppped.

Directions :
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Lightly grease loaf pan.
Combine butter & sugar until creamy.
Add mashed banana and eggs. Mix well.
Sift flour & baking soda into a bowl and combine with banana mixture.
Pour mixture into loaf pan. Top with chopped walnuts.
Bake in oven for 45 minutes or till skewer comes out clean.
Invert the loaf onto a wire rack and allow to cook before serving.

* Tip : from hindsight, I should have lowered the heat when it's almost done to reduce the tendency of split.




You may also like to try the Aussie country bread using beer as raising agent :
http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/2009/01/beer-damper-bread.html