Sourdough Bread

To read about the benefits of Sourdough Bread, see my post on how to make a sourdough starter. Although I have included cup measurements, for best results, I recommend making sourdough by weight as the density of sourdough starter can be very variable.

(makes four loaves)

Ingredients

• 26 oz sourdough starter (about 3 cups)
• 43 oz wholemeal flour (about 9 cups)
• 1 tbsp yeast (optional but it gives a slightly less dense loaf)
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 30 floz warm water (3 ¾ cups) - I make it with two parts tap water to one part boiling water.

Method

• The night before, prepare your sourdough starter.
• Mix flour, salt and optional yeast in large bowl.
• Add warm water to the starter and mix

• Add the combined water/starter to bowl of flour/salt/yeast and mix until no dry flour remains. (If using shop bought flour you may need to add an extra 2-4 floz water.)
• It should be thick but runny enough that it spreads when you stop stirring.

• Divide evenly between four 2lb loaf tins and leave to rise for 8-12 hours.

Before and after rising.

• Bake at 200°C/GM4/400°F for 35 minutes.
• When ready, turn out immediately and leave to cool before slicing.

Chicken stock

Chicken stock is very easy to make in the slow cooker or crockpot. This recipe follows on from the Slow Cooker "Roast" Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

• Chicken carcass
• Any juices in the bottom of the crockpot
• A slosh of vinegar
• Water

Method

• After carving the chicken, return the carcass to the crockpot.
• Add a slosh of vinegar and then add water to about an inch after covering the carcass.
• Leave on low overnight.
• Strain through a sieve to remove bones.
• Pour into sterilised jars and store in fridge.

Alternative storage method (Chicken Stock Cubes)

• Boil on hob until reduced down to 1 cup.
• Pour into ice cube tray and place in freezer.

• When frozen turn out into freezer bags and then use as regular stock cubes when required.

Slow Cooker "Roast" Chicken

or Crockpot Chicken

If (like me) you like your meat tender and juicy, this is definitely the way to cook it.

You will need

• One chicken
• One crockpot
• A little water
• Seasonings (I use black pepper, sea salt, sage and sometimes and a chopped onion)

Method

• Place chicken upside down in slow cooker
• Add about an inch of water.
• Sprinkle seasonings on top.

• Cook for about eight hours on low or about four hours on high. (You may need to adjust timings according to your slow cooker and the size of your chicken.)
• You can also use the slow cooker to make chicken stock with the carcass.

A Lazy Saturday Brunch

Ingredients

• One packet of bacon (eight rashers)
• One packet of sausages
• Four Eggs
• Three hungry people who slept in till late

Method

• Pop the sausages in the oven.
• Put the bacon in the frying pan on a low heat.
• Once the bacon is cooked, fry the eggs using the bacon fat left in the pan.
• For added laziness, serve on paper plates to minimise washing up.

Quick Chorizo, Olive and Tomato Pasta

This is a quick easy recipe for a lunch or light dinner. The recipe gives three servings.


Ingredients

• 3 cups pasta
• 2 cups tinned tomato (a 400g or 1lb tin)
• 80g chorizo
• 80g olives
• 60g grated cheese - (to serve)

Method
Cook pasta.
Meanwhile chop chorizo into small chunks and open tin of tomato.
Drain pasta into a colander.
Put tomato, chorizo and olives into pan and return to heat.
Once liquid is boiling (after a couple of minutes) return pasta to mixture and stir in.
Leave on a low heat until everything is heated through.
Serve with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories 507kcal
Protein 22g (43%)
Total Fat 21g (32%)
Sat. 9g (43%)
Chol. 44mg (15%)
Carb. 58g (19%)
Fiber 4g (18%)
Sugars 5g
Calcium 231mg (23%)
Iron 4mg (21%)
Magnesium 64mg (16%)
Phosphorus 274mg (27%)
Potassium 537mg (15%)
Sodium 894mg (37%)
Zinc 3mg (18%)
Copper 0mg (20%)
Manganese 1mg
Selenium 51µg
Vit. C 15mg (24%)
Vit. B1 0mg (20%)
Vit. B2 0mg (16%)
Vit. B3 4mg (19%)
Vit. B5 1mg (9%)
Vit. B6 0mg (20%)
Diet. fol. eq. 29µg (7%)
Vit. B12 1µg (12%)
Vit. A 495IU (10%)
Vit. A1 52µg
Vit. E 2mg (9%)
Vit. K 6µg
Vit. D 2IU (1%)
Exported from Shop'NCook Pro 3.4.3 (http://www.shopncook.com)