Rosemary Garlic Flatbread

Ingredients

A

1 Packet (8 g) Active Yeast

1 Tbsp Honey

100 ml Warm Water

B 

150 ml Warm Water

2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Rosemary Garlic Oil

2 Cloves Garlic

3 to 4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

Sea Salt

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

Method

1. Put the warm water in a bowl. Add honey and the yeast. Stir to mix. Set aside for 15-20 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture is frothy. (A)

2. Sift the flour, salt and into a large bowl. Make a well and pour in the yeast mixture and add the remaining 150 ml of warm water. Gradually combine to form dough and add the olive oil. (B)

3. Knead the dough for about 13 to 15 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a piece of cling film and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

4. Rosemary Garlic Oil: Combine the garlic, rosemary, and sea salt in a pestle mortar, lightly crush all the ingredients and add in the olive oil. Set aside.

5. Punch down the dough and knead it again. Divide it into 4 equal balls. Roll this ball into oval/tear-shaped, about 8 inches in length and about 4 inches wide. Place the shaped dough on a baking tray. Line with parchment paper. Brush the top with rosemary and garlic oil. Set aside and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

7. Enjoy!

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!

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!

Roast Beef (Chuck Tender Cut) Dinner

I love Roast Beef, especially the bloody ones. But i just can't seem to find a recipe that is easy to follow and roast. I have tried recipes from Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay but they were either too tedious or too extravagant. So after few experiments, i finally found a good match to my requirements. and best thing is, its very easy to make!

Ingredients: (This is good enough for 2 if you are meat lover, or 3 if normal)

500g beef chuck tender (This is selected due to cost and texture)

2 yellow onion thinly sliced

8 to 10 cloves of garlic sliced

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Rosemary (Dried), more if you like.

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Pour olive oil into skillet under medium to high heat.

2. Add cut up onion and chopped garlic slices. Slightly brown onions and garlic. 3. Salt and pepper both sides of roast.

4. Push onions to sides of pan and then brown all sides of roast. (You just want to get a nice brown coating on your meat for flavor.)

5. With a pointy-knife, poke about one dozen holes into top and bottom of the roast. This will allow juices to drain into roasting pan during oven cooking

6. Place some of the grilled onions and garlic into the bottom of the small roasting pan.

7. Place roast into baked pan. Now add Rosemary, salt and pepper to top of roast.

8. Place roast into preheated oven to 180 degrees. 500g roast takes about 25 minutes to cook. Use a thermometer to determine if roast is done. I like my roast done between medium and medium rare.

9. Play with the timing and temp to achieve your desire done-ness.

Serve with the caramalised onions or roast some carrots and potatoes to go with it. If you have left-overs, keep it for next day and make steak sandwich.

*I do not make any gravy due to its unhealthy. Its good enough by itself.