Sesame and Pumpkin Seed Bagels

Today I made Sesame and Pumpkin Seed Bagels

I don't use the word magical lightly, but there really is something wondrous about making bagels at home. Maybe it's the shape. I think everyone understands a loaf of bread, but the round shape with a hole ... well, it seems like a whole lot more work than simply plopping some dough in a loaf pan. But it's not. Really. Try making just one batch of these, and I'm sure you'll have the process down. And while a plain homemade bagel is still plain magical, adding toppings is Gandalf fighting the Balrog magic. It's real level-up stuff, folks. Get your shape just right and lay down a variety of toppings, and people will not believe you made them. For this recipe I use Sesame Seeds and Pumpkin but you can fee free to top these beauties however you see fit.

Ingredients:

(Makes 10) 

• 450g Strong Bread Flour 
• 2 Tablespoons Salt 
• 250mls Warm Water 
• 7g Sachet Fast Acting Yeast 
• 2 Tablespoons Clear Honey 
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil 
• 1 Egg White, beaten 
• Sesame Seeds 
• Pumpkin Seeds 
• 1 Tablespoon Bicarbonate of Soda

Instructions:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and leave to one side. 

2. Measure 250ml/9fl oz Warm Water in a measuring jug and then stir in the honey and oil and yeast. Leave for five minutes to allow the yeast to start to activate. Make a well and pour into Flour mixture.

3. Bring the dough together with your hands. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry and floured work surface. Start kneading the dough, stretching it away with the palm of one hand and folding it back again with the other.

4.  Knead for approximately 10 minutes, adding more flour if the dough becomes too sticky. Continue kneading until the dough is firm and elastic. Place in an oiled bowel and cover with cling film. Place in a warm dark warm place for 45-60 minutes.

5. The dough will have doubled in size and small bubbles with be visible within the dough. The yeast will have metabolised the sugars in the honey and produced Carbon Dioxide. This causes the dough to rise.

6. You need to knock back the dough then place it on to a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. Roll into a long even sausage shape. 

7. Using a dough cutter or sharp knife cut the dough into 10 even sections. I normally weigh each part to make sure they are all roughly the same size. Mine were in and around 80g. 

8. Roll each slice into a perfectly round ball, trying to avoid any cracks or unevenness. 

9. Place the dough balls on to two oiled baking sheets that are lined with baking parchment or a baking mat. Cover loosely in an oiled piece of cling film and place back into your dark, warm palce for 15-20 minutes. 

10. The dough balls will have risen again slightly. Place them onto a floured surface at three or four at a time. 

12. Using a floured finger press down into the center of each dough ball and move your finger around slightly to form the ever important Bagel hole. 

13. In a large pan of boiling water place the tablespoon of Bicarbonate of Soda and stir through. Place the Bagels into the boiling water three or four at a time and cook for 2-4 minutes, flipping them half way through - The longer you leave them simmer the chewier your Bagel. I like mine slightly on the chewier side so I give them two minutes on each side.

14. Remove the Bagels from the water and pat dry on either side with kitchen town to remove any excess water. Place back on the oiled baking trays.

15. Beat the Egg White and get your Seeds of choice ready. Using a pastry brush, coat the Bagels in the Egg White. Then generously cover each one with the seeds. Adding as much or as little as you like.

16. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for fifteen minutes until golden brown then turn them upside down for a further ten minutes to cook the bases. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

"Baking Bread"

Hot and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

Today I made Hot and Sour Chicken Stir fry 

One of the most versatile dishes you can make has to be the magnificent Stir Fry. You can use any meat you have available, throw in what ever Vegetables are in season and get creative with the Sauce. I have used everything from Fillet Steak to Chicken Thighs, pretty much every Vegetable under the sun and everything from Asian to Mexican inspired Fusions. A Stir Fry is one of the healthiest dishes you can make if you are on a Calorie/Fat/Carb controlled diet. You can pack it full of Veggies and good Proteins to keep the munchies at bay while also not feeling guilty. You can serve your Stir Fry with Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes or yummy noodles. I love to serve mine with super fine noodles.



The Sauce I use for this Stir Fry uses a lot of my favourite ingredients.Red Chili, Lime Juice, Garlic Ginger, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Chicken Stock and Paprika. It's important to get the right mixture between Hot and Sour for this dish to work. The kick of heat comes from the Red Chili, Ginger and Paprika, these ingredients give three different types of heat, the Red Chili gives you a heat that goes deep and lingers the ginger is more of a shallow heat with a zingy finish. The sour edge is delivered by the Lime Juice and White Wine Vinegar. The Chicken Stock ties all these big punchy flavours together. 

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)  

For the Stirfry:

• 4 Chicken Fillets
• 1/2 Red Pepper
• 1 Medium Onion
• 12 Button Mushrooms
• 4 Spring Onions
• 20 Mange Tout
• 12 Florets Broccoli
• 150g Sweetcorn
• 20g Cashew Nuts 
• 200g Fine Noodles

For The Sauce:

• 1 Red Chili,
• Juice of 1 Lime
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• Teaspoon Minced Ginger
• 2 Tablespoons Seasme Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Teaspoon Paprika
• 200mls Chicken Stock

Instructions: 

1. Wash all your Vegetables and set aside.

2. Rinse and pat dry the Chicken Fillets.

3. Slice the Chicken into fine strips. Try keep the slices to be the same size so they cook at the same time.

4. Finely Slice the Onions and Red Pepper. Cut the florets of Broccoli into bite size pieces. I like to keep the Mange Tout and Button Mushrooms whole for an extra crunch.

5. Drizzle a little Sesame Oil into a hot Wok or Frying Pan, add in the Chicken and fry for 5-7 minutes. Place the Noodles into a pan of Boiling Water.

6. Add in the Crushed Garlic Cloves, Ginger and Chili. Then add in the finely sliced Onion and Red Pepper and Stir so everything gets exposed to the heat.

7. Add in the Mange Tout and Button Mushrooms. Stir the Noodles to ensure they don't stick together.

8. Add in the Broccoli and Sweetcorn and stir through.

9. Add in the remainder of the Sesame Oil. Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Lime Juice, Chicken Stock and Paprika and stir through.

10. Add in the Noodles and mix through so that all of the Noodles get coated with the Sauce and gets laced around the Chicken and Vegetables.

11. Serve up a portion of  your Stir Fry onto a large Serving Plate. Sprinkle with some finely chopped Spring Onion, Red Chili and Cashew Nuts.

"Wok and Roll"

Giant Sausage Roll

Today I made a Giant Sausage Roll

This is the ultimate sausage roll. Making this Recipe gave me a slight Epic meal time-esque vibe. Sausage Rolls are no longer just party or picnic food. This one is big enough to make the perfect centerpiece for a gathering with family or friends, makes for a perfect family dinner or a series of yummy snacks. Myself and my college roommate have developed a new obsession for Sausage Rolls so i decided to experiment with making my own. I didn't just want to make regular Sausage Rolls so I started thinking about it on a larger scale. It turned out to be one of the most tasty and delicious pastry based dishes I've ever made.

I use a high quality Pork Sausage for this Recipe and flavour it up with a number of my favourite ingredients. Crushed Garlic, Red Chili, Lime Zest, Paprika, Cajun Spice and Sea Salt and Back Pepper. Some Recipes I researched included the likes of Apple Sauce, Onion and even cabbage but I wanted to keep the mixture as pure as possible. One of the best things about Sausage Rolls is the great meaty taste. Focusing only on enriching the meat. I use a mixture of the heat of red chili the freshness and zest of the Lime and the depth of the Garlic. The Paprika and Cajun Spice adds a smokey taste and really adds to the colour of the mixture.

Ingredients: 

For the Pastry:

• 454g bread flour
• 114g all-purpose flour
• 10g salt
• 270g water, ice cold
• 370g cold butter

• Or one pack of store bought Puff pastry

For the Filling:

• 16 Sausages
• 1 Lime
• 1 Medium Red Chilli 
• 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
• 2 Teaspoons Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons Cajun Spice 
• Cracked Black Pepper

Instructions:

For the Pastry:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Gradually stir in water until the dough holds together enough to clean the sides of the bowl. You may not need the full amount of water. Shape into a flat ball, and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.

2. Place the butter between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound into a flat disc using a rolling pin or other heavy object. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Place the disc of chilled butter in the center and fold the two ends over it so that it is completely encased in dough. Roll out the dough again, taking care not to let the butter break through the dough, to about 1/2 inch thickness. 

4. Fold into thirds. This is the first ''turn''. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll out into a rectangle again. Fold into thirds. By this time the butter is starting to warm up. Place the dough on a baking sheet and mark it with two pokes from your finger (two turns). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Repeat this rolling, folding and turning two more times, then refrigerate until firm. Repeat two more times for a total of 6 ''turns''. Wrap and refrigerate.

For the Sausage Meat:

1. Skin the Sausages and put the Sausage Meat into a large bowl and Season. Break up the Sausage Meat with a fork. 

2. Add in the Finely Chopped Red Chili, Crushed Garlic Cloves Lime Zest, Paprika, Cajun Spice and Seasoning. Mix thoroughly with a fork

3. Roll out your pastry into a large rectangle, ensuring the edges are cut into straight lines - this ensure an even covering of pastry. Beat the Egg in a small bowl.

5. Place your Sausage Meat all along the center of the Pastry. Ensuring to keep it even all the way along. Also bringing the Sausage Meat almost to the very end on either side. This ensure that nobody gets just a slice of pastry.

6. Brush the Beaten Egg along all sides of the pastry, this will act as the glue to keep the Sausage Roll together. Fold over one side of the Pastry and press firmly around the Sausage Meat. The fold then other side over allowing the Pastry to overlap slightly.

7. Turn the Sausage Roll over so the Pastry folds are on the bottom. Shape the Sausage Roll with our hands so it's rounded more so that flat. Place on a baking mat on a making tray. Using a fork, crimp both ends - this makes it look nice, prevents the Sausage Meat from escaping during cooking and creates more surface area so the pastry is nice a crispy at the ends. Score carefully with a sharp knife along the top.

8. Brush the entire Sausage Roll with the beaten Egg, making sure not to forget the ends and the sides as this will help the pastry crisp up.

9. Bake in a preheated oven at 190C for 30-35 minutes, until Pastry is golden brown.

"They see me Sausage Rollin'"