New England Clam Chowder with Rosemary Focaccia

Ingredient

Clam Chowder

500g Minced or whole clams, keep the liquid

3 Slices Streaky Bacon
500g Potatoes, diced
2 Onion, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups milk

1 Cup heavy cream

3 Tbps flour
1/2 Tsp Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of sugar, salt and pepper

Method

1. Drain the clams, reserving the liquid.  Add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid total.
2. In a large saucepan, cook the bacon, rendering the fat.  Remove the bacon and save the drippings.  Add the diced potatoes and onions and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or so, or until the onions look translucent. 
3. Add the clam juice, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Stir in the clams, 2 cups of milk and the cream. 
5. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of milk with the flour and stir well.  Stir mixture into the chowder. Cook chowder until thick and bubbly.
6. Add Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of sugar. Stir, and taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper if desired. 
7. Enjoy!

Rosemary Focaccia 

3/4 Cup Warm water
Generous dollop Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive oil (It must be Good quality as the bread depends on this to get the flavour)
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 3/4 Cup All-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tsp Dry yeast
2 Tsp sugar

Rosemary to taste (I use 1 Tbsp)

Method

1. Combine the warm water with the active dry yeast and the 2 tsp. sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5-10 min.

2. Add the flour and salt gradually to the yeast mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until your dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl .

3. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp olive oil into a pan. Place the dough into the pan. Cover and let rise for 60 min.

4. Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C. 

5. Gently poke the risen dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle it lightly with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Rosemary.

6. Bake the bread till it's golden brown, about 40 min.

7. Enjoy!

Homemade Ham and Cheese Focaccia Sandwich

 

Ingredients

1 Homemade Focaccia*

Ham

Cheese

Method

1. Slice up focaccia, and halve it

2. In a pan, toast the focaccia

3. When the bread surfaced is slightly brown, remove from heat and quickly add ham and cheese

4. Enjoy while its warm and cheesy!

*Homemade Focaccia http://home-cook-dishes-for-family.blogspot.com/2011/09/rosemary-and-thyme-focaccia.html

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Warm water
Generous dollop Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive oil (It must be Good quality as the bread depends on this to get the flavour)
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 3/4 Cup All-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tsp Dry yeast
2 Tsp sugar

Rosemary to taste (I use 1 Tbsp)

Thyme to taste (I use 1 Tbsp)

Method

1. Combine the warm water with the active dry yeast and the 2 tsp. sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5-10 min.

2. Add the flour and salt gradually to the yeast mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until your dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl .

3. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp olive oil into a pan. Place the dough into the pan. Cover and let rise for 60 min.

4. Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C. 

5. Gently poke the risen dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle it lightly with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Rosemary and Thyme.

6. Bake the bread till it's golden brown, about 40 min.

7. Enjoy!

Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia

My wife and son simply loved this bread. The 1st time i made it, it was gone in minutes. This focaccia can be used in sandwiches, as a starter to a meal, as a condiment with soups and also with herb butter spread. Actually, its so simple and easy to make that i think i will stop buying them from the bakery if i have the urge to eat focaccia!


Ingredients

3/4 Cup Warm water
Generous dollop Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive oil (It must be Good quality as the bread depends on this to get the flavour)
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 3/4 Cup All-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tsp Dry yeast
2 Tsp sugar

Rosemary to taste (I use 1 Tbsp)

Thyme to taste (I use 1 Tbsp)

Method

1. Combine the warm water with the active dry yeast and the 2 tsp. sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5-10 min.

2. Add the flour and salt gradually to the yeast mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, until your dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl .

3. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp olive oil into a pan. Place the dough into the pan. Cover and let rise for 60 min.

4. Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C. 

5. Gently poke the risen dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle it lightly with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with Rosemary and Thyme.

6. Bake the bread till it's golden brown, about 40 min.

7. Enjoy!