December 2016 Favourites List

Dear Readers

Apologies for a short and early monthly favourites list from me. Life has been very busy, hectic and emotional recently. Don’t worry, I am coming through it all, but I just wanted to say why December’s list is not as packed with goodies as usual.

This month’s pictures are my final selection of pictures from Japan. The gardens I saw during my trip were breathtakingly beautiful, with different vistas forming with almost each step. 

This month’s selection of links have a very festive feel, as Christmas fast approaches.

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy good food, great company and memorable times. I hope you won’t find the preparations stressful, and that you take time to enjoy the spirit of the season.

I would like to wish you a Happy New Year in advance. May 2017 bring you every success, joy and new experiences and horizons. 

With lots of love

Snigdha

Recipes:

A showstopping dessert for Christmas or NYE for baking enthusiasts. It's complicated, but author Angela advises you can make it in stages in advance. http://www.patisseriemakesperfect.co.uk/chocolate-chestnut-dome/

 

Festive party starter or canape, root vegetable and feta bruschetta: http://www.today.com/recipes/root-vegetable-feta-bruschetta-recipe-t104683

 

How to make the perfect roast potato, by Ishan Kolhatkar: https://medium.com/@kolhatkar/roast-potatoes-7c92f06e92c1#.vp64wwtvn

 

Love cheese but fancy something different this Christmas from the regular cheese board? Kavey Eats has a new recipe for you - Kavey's Cheeseboard and Chutney Quiche: http://www.kaveyeats.com/2016/12/cheeseboard-chutney-quiche.html

 

Simple marinading and oven cooking for a fish based weekday dinner dish, just serve with rice and steamed veggies. https://www.schoolofwok.co.uk/tips-and-recipes/haddock-with-soy-and-ginger

 

Love or hate Brussels Sprouts? Here are some recipes which might convert you to loving them or just cement your devotion: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/the-best-brussels-sprouts-recipes/

 

Whole grains keep you feeling fuller for longer and are packed with fibre. Farro, cauli and proscuitto make a comforting and substantial salad. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/farro-salad-fried-cauliflower-and-prosciutto

 

Articles:

Top lawyers Sean Jones QC and Professor Dominic Regan select the best wine bargains for the Christmas season: https://www.counselmagazine.co.uk/articles/review-christmas-wine-0

 

The Telegraph's Christmas wine guide: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/wine/the-ultimate-christmas-wine-guide/

 

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen:

Food At 52 is a charming little place running brilliant cooking courses for foodies. Read about how I learned about cooking with Parma Ham there! http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/cooking-with-parma-ham-at-food-at-52.html

 

Manitoba Tigella is an exciting new place near Tottenham Court Road station, bringing authentic Tigella stuffed breads from Emilia Romagna to London diners. Great ingredients, wonderful dishes, caring service and the most amazing original cocktails. http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/manitoba-tigella-restaurant-review.html

 

Music:

Haley Bonar – Impossible Dream

Thee Oh Sees – A Weird Exits

Michael Kiwanuka – Love and Hate

Neil Young – On The Beach

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

Cooking with Parma Ham at Food at 52

I was invited to a cooking class at London’s Food at 52 to learn about how versatile Parma ham can be as a cooking ingredient. 

I will confess that my tendency is to eat this gorgeous, slightly sweet and delicately flavoured air dried meat on top of bruschetta, or with melon or just “as is” straight out of the fridge. It is so wonderfully moreish, it is too tempting to just scoff immediately, rather than think of ways of preparing and cooking it. “Serve it up, and now!” was always my philosophy.

Food at 52 runs cooking classes in its cute, fully equipped kitchen. Retro tiles, jars full of ingredients, range cookers and copper pans make this an atmospheric and lovely place to learn about food and cooking and to practice your skills. 

Our tutor for the evening was the effervescent Ursula, utterly passionate about Italian food, cooking, effective cooking techniques and how to shop for ingredients. Ursula taught us how to make the main course Baked aubergine with Parma Ham and the dessert Parmesan Reggiano and Baked pears with Parma Ham, honey and pine nuts. 

Our class had demonstrations from Ursula followed by our own opportunity for hands on action, exactly the kind of cooking class I love. We had our work cut out for us, but were ready for the challenge. 

Ursula advised us that when shopping for aubergines to look for weighty, heavy, firm and glossy aubergines. Our garlic should similarly be weighty and should not be stored in the fridge. The cool of the fridge makes the garlic panic. Sensing it is the end of the year, the garlic tries to attempt one last burst of growth, resulting in sprouting and degradation of the garlic bulb. 

Kavey and Snigdha cooking

Another tip from Ursula is that in Italy as we get into Winter, the amount of garlic put into food is increased to help ward off colds and flu. Very welcome advice for the season. Although I have a feeling my students may not appreciate the unwanted side effects of this tip – in other words the unmistakeable smell of garlic!

Ursula taught us how simple making our own ricotta cheese could be, surprisingly requiring no specialist equipment or ingredients. 

I was fascinated to see how similar the basic method for ricotta was to the making of paneer, the Indian cheese I saw my mum makes when I was growing up. Somehow, despite being separated by many miles, the techniques are so similar. 

I would love to share with you the baked aubergine recipe we made as it was a satisfying, flavourful suppertime dish. None of the preparation steps are difficult, neither are the cooking steps. The dish is one of those wonderful things; tasty, enjoyable yet easy to make. A suppertime dish to revisit again and again, making the most of delicious Parma Ham.

Bellisimo!

Baked aubergine with Parma ham and Parmesan Reggiano

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 large aubergine, halved lengthways

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste or tomato puree

4 slices Parma Ham, chopped

6 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Freshly ground black pepper

2 bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine

Method

1.           Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan oven 170°C, gas mark 5

2.           Using a sharp knife and a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh from the aubergine halves, leaving the skin intact. Chop the flesh finely

3.           Heat the olive oil and gently fry the chopped aubergine, onion and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomato paste or puree, Parma Ham and 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Season with black pepper

4.           Arrange the hollowed-out aubergine halves in a lightly greased baking dish. Pack the tomato mixture into them and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, adding the cherry tomato bunches after 15 minutes. Serve at once

Tip for cooks:

The filling mixture is very versatile – another time, chop the entire aubergine and use the mixture to fill peppers, marrow or courgettes. 

(Recipe Credit to The Dialogue Agency)

Snigdha attended the Parma Ham cooking class at Food at 52 as a guest. Snigdha’s write up represents her genuine opinion of the class. Snigdha has received no incentive, financial or otherwise for this blog post.