Monday 19 September 2022

Apple Jam






This tangy apple jam makes a delightful gift for family and friends.

Ingredients:
  • 1.5kg green apples
  • 3 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 1 kg sugar
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method:

Before we start making the jam, put 1-2 small saucers in the freezer to chill.

Peel and core apples and dice into about 3 cm pieces. Place in a large heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add zest, lemon juice and apple juice. Cook until apples are soft, about 15 minutes.

Add sugar and stir using wooden spoon, until dissolved. Add cinnamon, increase temperature to high and bring to the boil. Cook rapidly for 15-20 minutes, or until setting point is reached.
Test the set by running your finger through the jam, if it forms a crinkle and is gel like, then the jam is ready to bottle.

Remove from heat and scoop any scum from the surface. Ladle into warm sterilised jars, filing to the top. Seal and label.

Cinnamon Raisins Sourdough Bread






This cinnamon and raisins sourdough bread is absolutely incredible for breakfast, toasted up with butter or peanut butter! This cinnamon and raisins sourdough bread is easy to make even if you are a beginner. 

You might be saying to yourself "I can't make sourdough"-perhaps the whole process intimidates you. While it certainly is a multi-day endeavour, rest assured that sourdough id easy to make at home once you understand the basics.

Ingredients:
  • 100g active levain
  • 500g flour, I use 60% white flour and 40% whole grain flour. 
  • 9g salt
  • 350g water
  • 100g raisins
  • 8g ground cinnamon
Method:

Once your levain is ready, combine 100g of the levain with 350g of water. Add the flour to the water mixture and using your hands, mix to combine.

Once the dough is mixed, cover with tea towel or shower cap and let it rest at room temperature for 40 minutes to rest. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in room temperature water, making sure the raisins are covered with water.

After the elapsed 40 minutes resting time, add the salt. Mix well until combined. Drain the raisins and mix them into the dough along with the cinnamon.

DO THE FIRST FOLD:  To do this, get your hands damp and reach under the dough on the opposite side of the bowl from you. Pull the dough up and over towards you.
Repeat this so the side closest to you folds over to the side away from you and the side on your left folds towards your right, and your right folds towards your left. This is called the envelope fold or think of as wrapping a package.

Then scope your hands under the ball of dough and flip it over completely. This completes one "fold".
Complete 6 more folds, one fold every 30 minutes for 3 hours in total.

SHAPING THE DOUGH: Begin by taking the dough out of the bowl and letting it rest on the counter for 20 minutes. 
Meanwhile, prepare the banneton by dusting it with flour, or layer a clean tea towel in a medium mixing bowl and dust liberally with flour.
Shape your dough making sure you get as much surface tensions as possible without tearing the outside of the loaf.
Once shaped, turn the loaf into the lined and floured bowl or banneton, top down, seam side up.
Gently flour the top before covering the edges of the tea towel. Set in the fridge overnight.

BAKE DAY: The next day place your dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 240ºC/220ºC for fan assist oven. After the oven has come to temperature, take the bread out of the fridge.
Gently invert the dough onto a baking paper that will be large enough to lift your bread into and out of the dutch oven.
Gently score the bread with a sharp knife or bread lame.
Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, take off the lid and then carefully lift the dough into the pot using the baking paper.
Place the lid back on the dutch oven and put the dutch oven back into the heated oven.
Reduce the heat to 220ºC/200ºC for fan assist oven and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 25 minutes with lid off.

Remove the pot from the oven and carefully lift out the loaf using the edges of the baking paper and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!


Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin



Pork tenderloin is truly one of my favourite cuts of meat to make. It's very lean, cooks quickly and when cooked to the right temperature, it is incredibly tender. 
Pork tenderloin is not to be confused with pork loin. Tenderloin is a long thin piece of meat, about 2" in diameter and about 14" long.

The combination of pork and teriyaki sauce is a match made in heaven. The pork is tender and juicy, while the teriyaki sauce provides a flavourful and slightly sweet coating with a hint of umami flavour. If you are looking for an easy way to add some Asian flair to your dinner table, then teriyaki pork tenderloin is the recipe for you!.

There is no need to buy pre-made teriyaki sauce when you can make it yourself  from scratch that includes simple ingredients like garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar and brown sugar. In the sauce below I add a little bit of orange juice for a citrusy flavour.

We often think of teriyaki as just a flavour but it's actually a Japanese technique of cooking. The method refers to grilling or broiling with a combination of sugar and soy sauce!

Ingredients:
  • 500-600g of pork tenderloin
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ cup teriyake sauce or homemade as below
  • sesame seed and spring onions for garnishing
Teriyaki Sauce:
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • ½ tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp corn flour for thickening
Method:

 If making homemade sauce, combine teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add half of the teriyaki sauce to the pork tenderloin. Refrigerate the remaining sauce to thicken for serving.

Marinate the pork for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Overnight will be the best. Remove tenderloin from the marinate and discard the marinate.

Preheat oven to 230ºC/200ºC for fan assist oven. Line a baking paper with foil. Cook the tenderloin for 25-30 minutes or until the thermometer reads an internal temperature of 65ºC

While pork is cooking, combine reserved sauce with 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Combine 1 tablespoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon water and add to simmering sauce a bit at a time to thicken. You may not need all of the cornflour mixture.

Remove the pork from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Drizzle pork with thickened sauce and garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.