Mussels in white wine with garlic & shallots / french bread

image courtesy of themarkethipster.com

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

I suppose in retrospect this recipe isnt too dissimilar from the classic "moules marinieres", a french dish comprising mussels steamed in their shell with white wine, garlic and shallots. This recipe uses the sweet elements of vermouth to allow balance with the potential saltiness of the mussels.

You wlll need (serves 4):
3lbs of live mussels, de-bearded and cleaned of barnacles
4 large shallots finely diced
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
tbsp unsalted butter
100ml sweet vermouth, or even sweet cider
tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh sage finely chopped
3 tbsp whipping or double cream
1 large french baguette

The doing bit:

In a large pan saute the onions, and garlic in a little oil until soft, on a moderate heat. add the mussels, butter and herbs, then put a lid on the pan and steam until the shells begin to open. Add the wine and put the lid back on until the mussels have fully opened. Finish with cream and cook without the lid for 30 seconds more.

Discard any mussels that do not open.

Tear a chink of bread, serve mussels into large bowls and devour.

Bara Brith

image courtesy of fromthebrit.com

Another of my welsh favourites - Barabrith I suppose is more of a cake than a bread, or at least thats what it will lead you to believe when you eat it. This recipe gives rise to both elements and can be presented well as a bread or as something a little sweeter - ideal for elevenses and afternoon tea.

You will need..

12g of Dried yeast (2 tsp)
210ml of lukewarm milk
450g of Bread flour white
75g of Unsalted butter
5g of mixed spice 1 teaspoon heaped
Pinch of salt
50g of Light brown sugar
1 egg beaten
115g of Raisins
115g of Currants
Runney honey to glaze

The doing bit

Activate the yeast by heating the milk  to lukewarm and dissolving the yeast

Rub together the flour and butter

Add mixed spice, salt and light brown sugar

Mix these together

Add the yeast mix and the beaten egg

Make into smooth dough

Add the dried fruit and work the fruit into the dough

Line a bread tin with parchment; place the dough into the tin

Glaze with honey and allow proving for an hour in a warm place. I usually cover the tin with clingfilm to aid the proving.

Bake at 160 for 40 minutes or until knife test comes clean.

Best eaten warm, but if necessary allow to cool and serve appropriately.

Cider & Apple Bread

Image courtesy of healthandlife.in

This bread is perfect for the festive season, and provides that fruity sweetness that can be called for in a bread over the festive period. You'll find a number of uses for it, including a great accompaniment to hearty broths and stews, as well as great on its own of for a different twist on sandwiches. The one thins is it brilliant for is toast - and can give added dimension and pleasure with this comforting loaf.

15ml of sunflower oil
2 apples finely chopped
450g of strong white flour
Pinch of salt
tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
20g of easy blend yeast
80g of grated cheese
150ml of dry cider
150ml of warm water

Heat up the oil and sauté off the diced apples

Mix together the flour and salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

Stir in the yeast

Add the water and cider with half the cheese and the apples into the mix

Mix to a smooth dough

Knead for 5 minutes, make into two loaves, slash the tops and cover with the remaining cheese let the dough double in proving.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the hollow sound is given when tapping the bottom.

Soda bread

Image provided courtesy of bbc food

I love soda bread - it provides a means of making bread without yeast, whilst maintaining a buttery flavour by using buttermilk. I suppose soda bread is similar to alot of sourdough breads, which have been in use for over a thousand years. This recipe is simple and enjoyable, and can be prepared quickly. Best of all it is also quite cheap to produce :).

(Makes 1 loaf)
Ingredients

350G plain flour
1 level tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda
Heavy pinch of sea salt
300ml buttermilk


Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and fold in the sea salt

Pour in the buttermilk and mix into a smooth dough

Mould into a large round, place on a silicone mat

Score the top into four

Bake at about 180C until golden brown and sounds hollow


MTCYNYKSTYUA

Brioche

Image courtesy of wikipedia

Brioche is one of my favourite breads that provide a wonderfully buttery and sweet flavour which gives way for its use in desserts, as well as application for savoury dishes. I love brioche at breakfast time, as its a lovely conforting start to the day.

Ingredients

15g of quick yeast
70ml of warm milk
Pinch of salt
500g of plain flour
6 eggs
350g of butter, softened
30g of sugar

Fold together the yeast flour and sugar with salt
Add egg, (already beaten)
Mix together to stiff dough
Knead for 10 minutes
Add butter little by little until the dough is glossy
Prove for about one hour
Knock back (knead further); prove in fridge for four hours
Bake for 8 minutes for individual rolls or 40 minutes for large loaf

Blinis

Image provided courtesy of thefishsociety.co.uk

Blinis are a wonderful bread that are an excellent accompaniment to all kinds of dishes - they provide a hearty and sturdy texture, whilst remaining light enough to have with lots of other dishes. They go very well with small fish and meat dishes and also provide a good vehilve for vegetarian dishes such as mushroom fricasse and stroganoff. They can also be enjoyed on their own with butter much like muffins and cumpets, and whatever else you can put with them :)

Standard batch (makes about 12-15)

Ingredients

250g of plain flour
250g of Brown flour
3 Egg yolks
3 Egg whites
600ml of Milk
30g of Yeast

Mix the two flours together
Add a pinch of salt
Warm milk and the yeast, once active add the egg yolks
Then add to the flour mix
Leave to prove for two hours in a warm place (but not too warm)
Whisk up the egg whites until stiff
Fold into the mix

Cook on a medium heat in a blini pan, turning when one side becomes solid. once cooked allow to cool, and can be reheated for further enjoyment.

Flax Seed "Foccacia"

I found this recipe online whilst on the hunt for a low calorie, low carb, high fibre bread. On my mission for a healthier lifestyle and cutting carbs, I found that one thing I missed was bread. You know when you get that craving for toast, or just bread in general?

This recipe is wonderfully versatile and is a good vehicle for a variety of flavours. Recently I've taken to adding all kinds to it, inclusive of raspberries and fresh cranberries for a hit of antioxidants and vitamins. You can add pretty much whatever you like to it also, be it oats, seeds (sunflower or pumpkin work well), or even other berries. The bread is rustic in feel and appearance, so anything of that nature will add to its appeal. If you just fancy a herby flatbread feel free to add some of those more robust herbs, sage, rosemary, thyme etc. Go wild.

Here is the recipe, I usually add extra whole flax seed and possibly a handful of oats also.


Ingredients:
•2 cups flax seed meal
•1 Tablespoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1-2 Tablespoons sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
•5 beaten eggs
•1/2 cup water
•1/3 cup oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat.

 1) Mix dry ingredients well -- a whisk works well.

 2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren't obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter.

 3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it's easy to spread.)

 4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it's going to tend to mound in the middle, you'll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner).

 5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is.

 6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don't need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula.
 Nutritional Information: Each of 12 servings has less than a gram of effective carbohydrate (.7 grams to be exact) plus 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.