Rocky Road Brownies

Rocky Road, who loves rocky road? Its that crunch of the peanuts, the juicy squeeze of the red raspberry lollies and the melting chocolate all mixed into one. Now just add a chocolate brownie and you're in heaven. This is a recipe I found a long time ago and then lost it, but the idea was still there, so I made my own up.

The best part of rocky road is you can make it simple or extravagant as you want. In the recipe below, I will so you the extravagant side of rocky. This is also a really good recipe for Christmas gifts. 

The great thing about this recipe also, it doesn't take all day in the kitchen to have a final product. You can do the cooking in the morning and be enjoying the rocky for after Christmas lunch.

Here in Australia it is normally hot (I say normally because at this very moment in time, it is raining and cold) so having roasts is not the best option some times. Slaving away in a hot kitchen when it can be 40 plus degrees outside is not good. After these are refrigerated, it is a nice cool, and very tasty treat on a hot summers day.

What you need:

75g plain flour

30g cocoa powder

155g caster sugar

2 eggs

125g melted butter

150g of mini marshmallows

100g pistachio nuts (husks removed)

100g glace cherries

25g shredded coconut 

200g milk chocolate

100g dark chocolate

How to:

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Brush a 20 x 30cm (approx) baking tin with some of the melted butter. Line the tray with baking paper with the sides overhanging. 

2) Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and melted butter. Stir to combine. 

3) Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 20 minutes. Set aside in the pan and allow to cool. Keep the brownie in the pan, do not remove.

4) Combine the marshmallows, cherries, pistachios and coconut in a bowl. Melt the chocolate and add to the mixture. Stir to combine.

5) Pour the chocolate mixture over the brownie and spread the mixture over out evenly. Place in the fridge until the chocolate has set. Once the mixture has set, slice anyway you want and enjoy.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

Baklava (Baklawa)

I have always enjoyed the sweet and sticky taste of Baklava. The crunch of the pastry and nuts just brings a smile to my face. For me, when I think of Baklava, I always think Greece. I was chatting to a work colleague who is from Lebanon and he told me that they have their own style Baklava. Of course, me loving Middle Eastern food and Baklava, couldn't believe my ears.

With the Greek style Baklava, you have spices such as cinnamon and cloves. With the Middle Eastern version, you have things like rose water and orange blossom. Having one of these Baklava after a hearty Tagine just hits the spot, just like an after dinner mint.

Like the Turkish Delight I made for one of my first recipes, this is very sticky, but so much more easy to handle than the Turkish Delight. There is two components to this recipe; the sugar syrup and the Baklava. The best way to do this is to start the Baklava and when it is in the oven, start the sugar syrup.

BAKLAVA

What you need:

1 x 375g packet filo pastry

180g of butter, melted

1 cup of crushed peanuts

1 quantity of sugar syrup HOT (see below)

1/4 cup coarsely ground pistachio nuts

How to:

1) Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Cut the filo pastry sheets to the size of your baking tin. Brush the baking tin liberally with melted butter.

2) Layer half the filo pastry sheets in the tin, brushing every second sheet with butter.

3) Spread the peanuts evenly over the pastry.

4) Cover with the remaining filo pastry, again brushing every second sheet with butter. Do not brush the top layer, not yet.

5) With a sharp knife, cut the Baklava into diamonds. Now brush the top with the melted butter.

6) Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180 degrees C and bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden brown. This is the best time to start the sugar syrup.

7) Remove from the oven and pour over the hot sugar syrup. You may hear a sizzling sound - this is normal.

8) Sprinkle the pistachio nuts over the top and allow to cool, then serve.

SUGAR SYRUP

What you need:

400g white sugar

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs of either rose water or orange blossom

1 1/2 cups of water

How to:

1) Bring the sugar, lemon juice and water to the boil over medium heat.

2) Cover and let boil for about 20 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is thick.

3) Stir in the rose water or orange blossom and remove from the heat.

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Rúgbrauð - Icelandic Rye Bread

I have got great plans to head to this amazing place, Iceland. Just not yet. I have been looking at different tours and of course the different types of food that the Icelander's offer. 

Being surrounded by the ocean, seafood is seen on a lot of menus. One menu item I have come across heaps on my internet travels, is dried fish. Not too sure how this would taste as we don't eat a great deal of dried fish here in Australia. I know that dried fish has been around since the Vikings and this is a way to preserve food and allowing it to last a lot longer, and less waste.

Another recipe I came across was Rúgbrauð (Rye Bread). Its my understanding that this is cooked in natural springs in Iceland. Where I live, we don't have any of them. But don't worry, a lot of websites give an alternative. 

Rúgbrauð is sweet and dense. You would think that it would be dry and doughy, but surprisingly it is very moist. I brought it straight out of the slow cooker and cut a slice, topped it with butter and it was pretty good I say. 

It would be best served right away with dried fish, butter or pate'. 

What you need:
2 1/2 cups of rye flour
1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup scalded milk, cooled until lukewarm
1 tbsp molasses

How to:
1) Mix together the dry ingredients and dissolve the molasses in the warm milk. Stir the milk into the dried ingredients and knead until the mix comes together.

2) Butter a loaf tin and put the dough in the loaf tin. Cover the loaf tin with foil and secure the foil leaving some space at the top for the dough to rise.

3) Put the loaf tin in a slow cooker and fill with water two thirds the way up the loaf tin. Simmer in a slow cooker (our version of a natural spring) on low, for four to four and a half hours. Don't let the water evaporate, check every hour or so. 

4) You can check if the Rúgbrauð is cooked the same way as a cake; put a skewer in the middle and if it comes out clean its done. If it isn't cooked through, put the Rúgbrauð back into the slow cooker for another 15 minutes.

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Preserved Lemons

Preserved Lemons are widely used in Moroccan cuisine. Once they are ready to use, you wash the excess salt from the lemon and, in most instances, you use the rind of the lemon. Preserved Lemons do take about a month before you can start to use them. The brine in which they sit, allows the lemons to ferment at room temperature in a cool dark place.

I know I have been posting a lot of small condiments of Moroccan cuisine lately, but it will be worth it in the end. These past few posts are some of the basic necessities of Moroccan cooking and there are plenty more where that comes from. 

The picture featured below was taken at the same time as the Preserved Lemons were made. Once they have been sitting in their brine for about a month I will take another picture to show the difference and final product.

What you need:

10 lemons

150g coarse sea salt

2 fresh bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

cold water

How to:

1) Squeeze the juice of 5 lemons into a bowl.

2) With a sharp knife cut a deep cross into the top of the lemons. Cut almost all the way to the bottom of the lemons. Ensure the cut lemons are still joined at the bottom.

3) Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt inside each cut lemon then push the cut lemon together and place into a sterilised jar. 

4) Once all lemons are placed into the jar, layer the remaining salt, bay leaves and cinnamon stick in between the lemons.

5) Pour the lemon juice over the lemons and fill the jar, enough to cover the lemons, with cold water.

6) Leave to ferment for a month in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar gently every 3rd day or so.

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Moroccan Mint Tea

The national drink of Morocco is Mint Tea. This drink is served usually before and after every meal in Morocco. It can either be enjoyed hot or cold. 

The Moroccan's don't stir the tea, the way they mix the tea is by pouring in and out of the teapot. The first glass is poured, then tipped back into the teapot to stir/mix the brew. Then from a height, the tea is poured into brightly coloured and patterned tea glasses. 

Mint tea cleanses the palette and has such a refreshing taste. 

What you need:

1 tbs Chinese gunpowder green tea

2 tbs sugar

large handful of mint leaves and stalks

boiling water

How to:

1) Put all the ingredients into a teapot and allow to brew for approx 3-5 minutes.

2) From a height pour into one glass. Then return that glass of tea to the teapot.

3) From a height pour into selected number of tea glasses. If you prefer the tea cold, allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate before serving.

Moroccan Dry Spice

Wow, it has been a while since I wrote my last blog, sorry all. I have been doing some experiments with some dry Moroccan spice mix. I tell you now, the smells are amazing and so are the tastes.

I have made 2 Dry Spice Mix's; Ras al Hanout (1) and Baharat (2). Both of these can be used to either marinate meat, use in Tagine and to flavor Cous Cous. To make a marinate for meat just add a little olive oil to make it wet and rub it into your meat.

Moroccan is by far my favorite cuisine. Smelling these spice mix's puts you right in the centre of Morocco's spice markets and the heart of Moroccan cuisine.

1) Ras al Hanout

What you need:

Lightly roast and finely grind -

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

the seeds from 6 cardamom pods

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp black peppercorns 

2 tsp sweet paprika 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp allspice 

How to:

Mix all spices together. It will keep for up to 3 months in an airtight jar.

2) Baharat

What you need:

5 tbs sweet paprika

4 tbs black pepper, finely ground

3 tbs cumin seeds, finely ground

2 tbs coriander seeds, finely ground

2 tbs cinnamon powder

2 tbs cloves, finely ground

1 tbs ground star anise

1 tsp grated nutmeg

How to:

Mix all spices together. It will keep for up to a year in an airtight jar.

Chermoula Chicken on Cous Cous

Here it is, my first Moroccan/North African recipe. This recipe has two steps, first the wet spice mix (Chermoula) and then the chicken and cous cous. I found it better to make the spice mix a couple hours before you cook with it, this will allow the mixture to settle and the flavours to blend together.

Chermoula can either be mild or hot. You can add more chilli to this recipe to make it more hot. It goes well with seafood and poultry. Chermoula can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months. All you have to do is add more olive oil to the top of it when you take some Chermoula out. 

What you need:

Chermoula -

2 tbs cumin seeds, lightly roasted

1 tbs coriander seeds, lightly roasted

1 1/2 tbs sweet paprika

1 tbs ground ginger

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2-4 whole small red chillies, seeded, scraped and roughly chopped

juice of 2 lemons

100ml olive oil

1/2 tps sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1kg Chicken thighs

500ml chicken stock

250ml water

250g cous cous

How to:

Chermoula - 

1) Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the garlic and chillies are ground to a paste. Pour into a clean jar and cover with olive oil. 

Chicken and Cous Cous -

1) Put the chicken and chicken stock in a baking dish and put in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add the chermoula spice mix on top of the chicken. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

2) Boil water in a pot and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Add the cous cous and cover for 2-3 minutes. Fluff up with a fork. 

3) Put the cous cous on a large dish topped with the cooked chermoula chicken. Pour the remaining stock/sauce from the bottom of the baking dish over the chicken and cous cous.