Spicy tahini lime noodles

Serves 2

Ingredients

190g thin rice noodles

40g kale, destemmed and roughly chopped

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp tahini paste

2 tsp gochujang (or substitute with harissa paste)

2 tbsp soy sauce (or substitute with tamari sauce)

2 tbsp lime juice

1 small garlic clove, finely minced

½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced

160g cooked edamame beans

½ cucumber, sliced

2 spring onions, sliced

2 tsp crispy chilli oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

Method

Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 5–7 mins, until tender. Drain and set aside.

While they soak, put the kale in a separate bowl, drizzle with sesame oil, and massage until it softens slightly.

In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, gochujang, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and ginger for a creamy dressing.

Add the noodles to the kale. Pour the dressing over and toss everything together until well coated.

Divide the noodles between two bowls. Top with the edamame, cucumber, spring onion, chilli oil, and sesame seeds. Serve warm or cold.

Taken from Stress-Free Dinners by Richard Makin

Chocolate Banana Flapjacks

Adjusted from last one I tried, yet to try

Basically for using up bananas

Last time used walnuts but now nut free for after school snacks

Designed to use coconut sugar but originally BBC recipe used maple syrup

Double quantity from last time to try to fill our Pampered Chef tray

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Ingredients

200g butter, plus extra for greasing

50g coconut sugar

1/4 tsp fine salt (or 1/2 tsp if using unsalted butter)

4 tbsp water

400g oats

140g raisins

60g desiccated coconut

4 tbsp milled linseed

4 tbsp cocoa powder

620g bananas (about 5 to 6 medium), mashed

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Grease your tin (about 20x35cm) and line with baking paper.

Peel the bananas and mash well in a large bowl until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.

Put the butter, coconut sugar and salt in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar mostly dissolves into a loose syrup, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the water.

Take off the heat. Add the oats, raisins, coconut, linseed, cocoa and mashed banana. Mix well until everything is evenly coated, with no dry streaks of cocoa.

Press firmly into the tin and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the centre is set. Check from 20 minutes and lay baking paper loosely over the top if it's darkening too fast.

Mark into 24 pieces without cutting all the way through. Leave until cold, then cut. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Add the water last and hold some back if the mix already looks workable; the coconut and banana between them carry a lot of moisture. Easier to add than to remove.

The mix fills a 20x35x2.5cm tin to about the rim. It won't rise, so press it level.

Sugar is deliberately low and the cocoa is bitter, so it tastes only lightly sweet. Push the sugar up to 70 to 80g next time if you want it sweeter.

Butter bean curry

 This worked well and was already quite hot with our mild curry powder and no chilli

Blitzed the paste with the hand blender in the clear plastic jug, worked fine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/curried_butter_beans_34633

Farinata

Latest recipe:

Mix chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt; rest the batter; bake in a very hot oven until thin, crisp-edged, and golden.

Ingredients (serves 2–3)

100 g chickpea flour

300 ml water

2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for the tray)

½ tsp salt

Black pepper (optional)

Optional: rosemary or thinly sliced onion

Method

Whisk flour, water, salt, and olive oil until smooth.

Rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours (removes raw taste; improves texture). Skim any foam.

Heat oven to 230–250°C. Place a well-oiled metal baking tray (or cast iron pan) in the oven to get very hot.

Stir batter, then pour into the hot tray to about 3–5 mm depth. Add pepper or toppings if using.

Bake 15–20 minutes until set and golden with crisp edges. For extra colour, finish under the grill for 2–3 minutes.

Rest a few minutes, slice, and serve warm.

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Followed this recipe and it's the best I've tried:

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/farinata-recipe/#how-to-make-farinata

Took our big oven tray, heated with olive oil, they poured all batter in. Cooked for 15 minutes. Nearly didn't stick, just 1 square CM did. Don't really understand the thing about pulling the oil over the batter, but kind of dragged a wooden spoon across the surface from the olive oil pooled at the edges. Don't think it made a difference.

Had oven at 250C but oil hit smoke point while preheating. Next time try 200C.

Roast halibut

Bought 2.5kg halibut loin from Billingsgate for £55. About 1cm thick at one end and 2.5cm at other end. Alex and Femke helped cook for NYE.

- Pan cooked some strip of roast pepper

- Sliced red potatoes and parboiled

- Roasted halves of small onions

- Made a big parcel from foil. Put in potatoes, scattering of onions and peppers. Also capers and lemon slices. Put halibut on top and closed parcel.

- Roasted for 45 mins (at 180c?). After 30 mins the thinner part was cooked but the thicker part definitely needed more time.

- served with sauce of oil, capers, parsley + extra peppers

Went well, would do same again exactly.

Bought from stall at back of Billingsgate near cafe, around 5:30am. They weren't very friendly. Next time could try the one MSC certified place, which was closed when I was there.

Recipes used for reference:

https://food52.com/recipes/289-halibut-and-vegetables-en-papillote

https://www.thespruceeats.com/simple-lemon-caper-sauce-3060546

Shortcrust pastry

 Haven't tried it yet, but this looks good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjtxrY0jTaA

250g flour

125g butter (tried with vegan block)

1 egg yolk

50ml water

pinch of salt

Parsnip, feta & butter bean pie

This worked very well but was quite a lot of work. On the other hand it made lots. Could probably simplify the filling. But the principles are very useful - fill a pie with creme fraiche, eggs, feta and veg and it's delicious.

I used a spelt flour pastry instead of the one here, pastry recipe in another post. I used 400g of flour (doubling quantities in the other recipe) and had loads - enough to make 2 pies one in the round ceramic lidded dish with the flowers, and the other in a silicone loaf tin. And still had pastry left over for an apple flan.

• Prep:35 mins
• Cook:1 hr and 35 mins plus resting and cooling
• Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients - pastry

• 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 150g rye flour
• 300g cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk to glaze
• pinch of dried thyme or mixed herbs

Ingredients - filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 600g parsnips, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 large eggs
• 200g crème fraîche
• 200g feta, crumbled
• 1/2 small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
• 2 x 400g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ tsp ground mace (skipped)
• 1 lemon, zested

Method

STEP 1

To make the pastry, put both flours into the bowl of a food processor with the butter, thyme leaves and ½ tsp fine sea salt. Pulse for a few seconds until the mixture resembles sandy rubble, then add the whole eggs and 2-3 tbsp cold water. Pulse again until it comes together into a ball, then transfer to a lightly dusted work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.

STEP 2

To make the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat, and cook the onion for 30 mins until sticky, golden and caramelised. This will take some time, but it will add depth and sweetness to the pie. Add a splash of water if the onions start to darken too quickly or catch.

STEP 3

Add the parsnips and 250ml water. Cook for 15 mins, stirring often until the water has evaporated and the parsnips are tender and just starting to colour. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

STEP 4

Mix the eggs and crème fraîche together in a large bowl until smooth, then fold in the feta, thyme, butter beans and the veg mixture. Add the mace, lemon zest, ½ tsp black pepper and a little salt.

STEP 5

Cut off two-thirds of the pastry and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 3-4mm. Use it to line a 23cm cake tin or round pie dish (it should be about 7cm deep), leaving some pastry overhanging. Spoon in the filling, levelling the top.

STEP 6

Roll out the remaining pastry until it’s large enough to cover the top of the pie. Brush a little of the egg yolk around the edge of the pie, then lift the pastry lid over the top and press the edge to seal. Trim any excess pastry with a sharp knife. Make a steam hole in the middle of the lid, then glaze with the rest of the egg yolk. Sprinkle over the dried herbs, then chill for 30 mins. Will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

STEP 7

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Bake the pie for 50 mins until the pastry is golden, crisp and dry. Leave to rest for 15 mins before cutting and serving.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/parsnip-feta-butter-bean-pie

Wholemeal Spelt Pastry

I doubled this recipe and it worked well.

Ingredients

• 200g Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Spelt Flour
• 100g butter
• pinch of salt
• 8-9 tbsp cold water
• butter, for dish
• flour, for dusting

Method

• Pre-heat the oven.
• Rub a little butter around the inside of your dish or tin.
• Put the flour and butter into a mixing bowl.
• Using a fork or pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt and mix. (I used hands)
• Stir in enough of the water to bring the pastry together into a soft dough.
• Using your hands gather the mix together to form a smooth ball of pastry dough.
• Dust the work surface with flour, put the dough in the middle and sprinkle it with flour.
• Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm larger than your dish and lift it into the dish, OR simply press it into the baking dish using your fingers.
• Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of your dish.
• Continue as per your recipe.

Temperature

Fan 160°C. Recipe I used had it baked for 50 mins, which came out fine.

Source: https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/recipes/wholemeal-spelt-shortcrust-pastry

Spinach, pumpkin and potato curry (no onions or garlic)

This was delicious. Took a bit of time to soften potato and pumpkin but otherwise pretty quick and easy. Could probably speed them up by sautéing with some water rather than just frying them.

Ingredients

• 500 grams spinach, roughly chopped (one I used works fine, but no idea if it's the type the recipe calls for, which is pui shak/basella leaf/malabar spinach)
• 250 grams pumpkin, cubed. I substituted a small butternut squash which was fine.
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 2-4 green chilis, slit but not chopped (I used 2, but it was mild so prob fine with 4 as recipe suggests)
• 1 red chili, whole not chipped (I substituted with chili flakes, which promptly burnt)
• 1 tsp punch poron (Bengali 5 spice mix)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt to taste
• Cooking oil/ghee

Method

• Heat oil and add red chili and panch porom, let them crackle (not too hot, definitely possible to burn them)
• Fry chopped potato until light golden, about 2 mins
• Add pumpkin and cook until they soften (not sure of the time,15-20 mins?)
• Add green chilis and turmeric powder, mix well and cook for 2 mins
• Add spinach a handful at a time and stir continuously. It needs to reduce a bit to fit it all into the pan.
• Dry up as much as possible of the water released from the spinach (weirdly spinach I used didn't release much water, but think it normally does)
• Stir in salt and sugar
• Cover and cook for 5-10 mins until soft
• Lightly smash some of the veg with end of spatula and stir well

Based on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=iZwbBZhLxOU

Left out shrimp from original recipe. Didn't cook in mustard oil as discovered after some research that there's credible evidence of negative health effects.

Paneer

Two paneer recipes were both helpful:

https://healthynibblesandbits.com/how-to-make-paneer/

https://www.cookwithmanali.com/how-to-make-paneer-at-home-homemade-paneer-recipe/

Recipes don't seem too specific about how much milk to use. Used about 1.2 litres of milk, and got about 200 grams of paneer. That was as much as largest long handled saucepan could take. Next time definitely use largest saucepan (the one with 2 small handles).

Used a bit of old cotton sheet instead of a cheesecloth, which took more effort to squeeze water out of but was basically fine. Came out quite crumbly. I crumbled it anyway for the recipe I needed, but not sure if cubes would have held together. Was a bit half-hearted about bothering to get weight on it, and maybe that's the key.

Chole (Jain)

Worked well. Only made about 2 portions, so could easily double or triple quantities. Simplified the recipe to use tinned chickpeas - if boiling dried chickpeas see original recipe. Also see excellent photos there. 

Original recipe also calls for cinnamon when you're cooking the chickpeas. Instead I added this to the accompanying rice. Generally recipe seems adaptable, not that sensitive to missing ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 tin chickpeas
• 1 tin tomatoes, or ~5 fresh tomatoes, blended
• ~3 diced fresh tomatoes
• 2 fresh green chillies
• Fresh coriander
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp anardana (pomegranate seed) powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt
• Oil/ghee

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.

2) Now add chopped green chilies and saute for 20-40 seconds.

3) Add tomato puree and salt. Mix and let it simmer. If it splutters a lot then you can partially cover and cook.

4) Cook until all the moisture evaporates and oil starts to ooze out from the sides. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.

5) Now add red chili powder, coriander powder and anardana powder.

6) Mix well and cook for a minute.

7) Add chickpeas, and some water to thin (original recipe is to use some of the water chickpeas boiled it, could use water from the tin but might be v salty).

8) Mix and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes or until you get the desired thickness of the gravy.

9) Now heat the oil in a small pan for tempering. Once hot add tomatoes and cook until it is semi-soft.

10) Add that to the ready Jain chole masala.

11) Immediately cover the pan to trap all the flavors. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.

12) Now garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Based on: https://www.spiceupthecurry.com/jain-punjabi-chole/

Dal Makhani (Jain)

Based on this recipe:

https://www.archanaskitchen.com/jain-style-dal-makhani-recipe

May be worth comparing to others, it was decent but not perfect.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Black Urad Dal (Whole)
• 1/4 cup Rajma (Large Kidney Beans) - used 1 tin
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
• 3 Cloves (Laung)
• 2 Black cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
• 2 Tomatoes , pureed
• 1 Green Chilli , finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 2 teaspoon Dry ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons Ghee
• 1 cup Milk , low fat (optional)
• Salt, to taste

To garnish

• 1 inch Ginger , cut to julienne (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh cream (optional)

Method

• Wash and soak the whole urad dal and overnight.
• Boil and dal until soft.
• Add the kidney beans and lightly mash. Set aside the beans.
• In the meantime, puree the tomatoes using a mixer grinder and keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a wok/kadhai on medium flame, add the cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamom and let it release its aroma into the ghee.
• Add the cumin seeds and let it crackle. (not too hot, I burnt them)
• Add the tomato puree, green chillies and cook for 2 minutes.
• Once the tomatoes have cooked add the spice powders including red chilli, garam masala, dry ginger powder and cook until the ghee floats on top.
• Now, add the cooked dals, season with salt, add water to your desired consistency and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the milk if using, let the dal boil.
• Once the Dal Makhani reaches your desired consistency, switch off the flame. 
• Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with ginger julienne and cream. 

No-Knead Crusty Artisan Bread

Ingredients:

• 400g plain white flour (strong flour worked fine)
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp teaspoon dry yeast (active dry or highly active dry work best)
• 350ml water

Method:

1. Sift flour into a large bowl and stir in salt and yeast. 
2. Stir in water using a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy but cohesive dough. Do not over-work the dough. 
3. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough sit at room temperature for 8-24 hours until dough is bubbly.
4. [skipped pre-heating of the pan]
5. Oil white casserole dish with gold handles. Pour in dough. Rest for 30 mins.
6. Preheat oven to 230c.
7. Bake for 30 mins covered with a metal bowl. Remove bowl and bake for 15 mins more.
8. Cool.

Source: https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/04/no-knead-crusty-artisan-bread.html

Bali banana pancakes

These worked quite well. Not spectacular, but nice as an occasional thing to do for guests.

Makes 4 pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 150g plain flour
• 1 egg
• 300 ml milk (substituted with soya without issue)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (could try a little more)
• 1 tbsp butter plus extra for cooking
• 4 tsp light muscovado sugar (used caster sugar, which was alright but prob not as good)
• 1 large bananas, not too ripe as they don't slice well, 
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut (not essential, couldn't really taste)

I like served for yoghurt, sprinkle of desiccated coconut and perhaps honey/syrup depending on how sweet bananas are. Jude likes plain.

Method:

• Slice bananas thinly on the diagonal (about 3mm)
• Melt 1 tbsp butter
• Sift flour into large well. Make well in centre and crack in the egg. Pour in a little milk, then whisk the egg and milk, incorporating a little more of the flour with each whisk, adding milk gradually until you have a batter. Whisk in the salt, cinnamon and melted butter.
• I used centre of non-stick wok. Heat to medium-high heat. Add a knob of butter and swirl it around the pan. Sprinkle 1 tspn of the sugar over the base of the pan, then arrange a quarter of the banana slices over the base of the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins until the bananas start to caramelise (check this by lifting up one of the slices with the tip of a knife), then scatter over a quarter of the coconut and cook for another minute.
• Pour over a quarter of the pancake batter and tip the pan gently to cover the banana pieces and coconut evenly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the batter is almost set, then flip over the pancake carefully using a palette knife or spatula, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden. (I found it's better to over-cook then under-cook).
• Keep the pancakes warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.

Taken from: The Botanical Kitchen by Elly McCausland, extracted in The Week.

Sauteed Mushrooms

The advice in this article was really helpful. In short, cook mushrooms in small batches on high heat to remove excess moisture.

https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-saute-mushrooms-so-theyre-browned-and-flavorful

Easy Lemon Butter Fish

Works with any tender, flaky, mild flavored white fish

Ingredients:

• 4 good-sized firm white fish fillets, about 6 inches long, 1-inch thickness (cod, halibut, or mahi would work well.)

• 3 TB melted butter (I use salted, but unsalted is fine)

• Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon

• 1 tsp coarse salt, plus extra to taste

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 3 TB olive oil

• freshly chopped basil or parsley leaves, for garnish and flavor

• extra lemon slices for serving

Method:

1. Use paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry excess moisture from fish fillets – this step is crucial for fish to brown nicely in pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir to combine well. Taste and add a bit more kosher salt, if desired.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Evenly press spice mixture onto all sides of fish fillets.
4. In a large, heavy pan over medium high heat, heat up the olive oil until hot. Once your oil is sizzling,  cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding (allows for even browning.) Cook each side just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned – usually 3-4 mins each side. Lightly drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving. Take care not to over-cook, as that will result in a tougher texture.
5. Serve fish with with remaining lemon butter sauce, basil or parsley, and lemon wedges.

Source: http://www.chewoutloud.com/2017/06/06/easy-lemon-butter-fish-15-minutes/

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Did this at Jenny and David's with the vac pack beef they sell at Waitrose. Worked well. The finishing in the oven was definitely necessary. Only problem is that I now can't remember which of their slow cookers we used, and they vary in temperature significantly.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1½ kg rolled beef brisket
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 sticks of celery, chopped
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 80g button mushrooms
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp English mustard
• 500ml red wine
• 250ml beef stock

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan. Dust 1½ kg rolled beef brisket with 2 tbsp plain flour and season well with salt and pepper
2. Put 3 chopped carrots, 3 chopped celery sticks, 2 chopped parsnips, 1 chopped onion and 80g button mushrooms in the bottom of your slow cooker and turn it to Lo
3. Sear the beef all over in the hot pan then place it on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
4. Add the 2 bay leaves, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 tsp English mustard then pour over 500ml red wine and 250ml beef stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 7 hours.
5. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Carefully take the beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a baking tray then roast it in the oven for 20 mins.
6. While the beef is in the oven, carefully ladle the cooking liquid out of the slow cooker into a shallow pan. Boil rapidly on a high heat to reduce to a rich gravy.
7. Serve the beef sliced with roast potatoes, the softened vegetables, gravy and wilted greens, if you like.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-pot-roast

Aubergine Dip

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ - 1 fresh green chilli
• ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Pierce the aubergine a couple of times with a knife, then roast for 45 minutes until blackened, softened and collapsing. Leave to cool.
2. Peel and crush the garlic, deseed and finely chop the chilli and pick and finely chop the parsley.
3. Scoop the cooled insides from the aubergine into a food processor. Blitz with the garlic, chilli, oil, a good squeeze of lemon juice, the parsley and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, oil and lemon as needed. Place in a dish and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with flatbreads.

Source: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/aubergine-dip/

Peanut stew with rice

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 head garlic, minced
fresh ginger, minced (about 2 tablespoons, maybe)
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
70g cup peanuts, crushed with mortar & pestle
1 litre stock
1 can diced tomatoes
250g peanut butter (preferably natural, just peanuts)
1 bunch spring onions to garnish
1 lime

• Cook the onions and red pepper flakes in half the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• After ~5 minutes add the garlic, ginger, potatoes, red bell pepper, and peanuts. 
• Continue to cook for awhile longer, maybe 10 minutes, just until the potatoes start to soften a bit. Add more butter if things begin to stick to the bottom of the pot.  
• Add the stock, remove from heat, and blend briefly with a stick blender thicken the broth, keeping the soup pretty chunky. 
• Put back on the burner, add the tomatoes (with juice) and the peanut butter. I ended up adding another couple cups of water and a boullion cube, and some ground cayenne pepper and black pepper, and then I just let it simmer for 1/2 an hour or so. 
• Towards the end I added the juice from one lime, and chopped up the spring onions to serve over the top.

I served this over jasmine rice:

Bring 1 cup water, 1/2 cup white wine to a boil, along with 1 tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt. Stir in one cup rice, lower heat, and let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest for another 10 minutes.

Adapted from Jesse M.R's friend Emily's blog: http://emmanyc.blogspot.co.uk/2007/12/peanut-stew-with-rice.html

Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

One or more whole heads of garlic.

Method

1 Preheat your oven to 200° C.

2 Peel and discard the papery outer layers of the whole garlic bulb, leaving intact the skins of the individual cloves of garlic. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 to a 1/2 inch from the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

 

3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan, cut side up. (A muffin pan works great for this, as it keeps the garlic bulbs from rolling around.) Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each exposed head, using your fingers to rub the olive oil over all the cut, exposed garlic cloves. Cover the bulb with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

 

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

Eat as is or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

Source: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_garlic