When loyalties change....

Baking from scratch can be really rewarding in many ways. There is the sense of accomplishment at having created something delicious from very unpretentious beginnings. Then there is the thrill of playing with the ingredients, tweaking recipes and making it your own. And then there are those rare occasions when your recipe trumps all previous experiences with the item and completely alters your disposition to it! The last doesn't happen often but when it does, it is an exhilarating feeling! I am not exaggerating.. I say it from experience..

I am usually ..ummm.. ok..with scones; they are alright I guess. I'll be frank; I would have chosen a muffin over a scone any day. And, that is actually out of character for me because I typically prefer English over American. To be fair though, the scones I had tasted were from Starbucks and some local bakeries in NYC. Short of crossing the Atlantic, these were the best I could do. And, I really did not find much in them to make me fall in love with scones in general. So, whenever Ina Garten made breakfast scones, I found them interesting but was not inspired to make them myself... until today..

My friend stayed over with us last weekend. Both of us love to bake. In fact, she is pretty famous for her fabulous desserts! As it happens, we also share a fantasy for the perfect breakfast inspired by Enid Blyton novels; of waking up to a decadent European breakfast complete with fresh baked bread, homemade jam and delicious coffee. She was so moved one day by thoughts of this ideal breakfast, she decided to make it real. She made scones....

I suppose that conversation must have made some impact deep in my subconscious because today, out of the blue, I decided to brave the humid and hot afternoon and make scones!! I must say, the fruits of my toil were very worth the effort! My orange scones were sooo good! Light, fluffy and even if I say so myself, stupendously better that the ones I have had so far! My loyalties have changed. Give me my orange scone and I'll give you my heart!

I think the secret to my scones being so light was using a part-yogurt part-cream combination and adding tons of orange zest which really adds wonderful freshness to the scone. I had a warm scone with my evening tea and it just made my day... I am really trying hard to resist eating up all of them before my husband gets even a taste. Well, we'll see how that goes...!

My recipe makes about 12 scones depending on size. Since we are just the two of us at home, I just used half the dough and froze the rest. Now, I have scone dough all ready when my next craving hits. Oh! and I am sure it will... pretty soon! :)

Orange Scones
(about 12 scones)

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick cold butter
1 orange - zest and juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 egg yolk, room temperature
egg white for wash + sugar for garnish

Sift all the dry ingredients together. Using either a pastry blender or two forks cut the butter into the flour mixture till the butter pieces are the size of peas or smaller. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, zest, orange juice, yogurt, cream and sour cream.

Pour into the dry mixture and fold until completely incorporated. Do not over mix. Roll out onto a well floured surface and pat down to 1 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or just a well-floured knife to cut into any shape you want. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool on rack for a few minutes.

Serve warm with butter and marmalade.

Note : To make the egg wash, add 1 teaspoon of water to the egg white and beat till frothy.

Shell pasta with bacon & potato cream sauce

I was trying to think of a story to go along with this pasta dish but I think I'll just let it speak for itself.. :) Inspired by my previous post on white sauces and their simplicity, I decided to make this pasta dish for lunch today.

The bacon adds a nice flavor and crunch but the potato is the real kicker! Can you believe that one of the most common vegetables on earth can actually pack quite a punch? Enough to elevate a dish to a whole new level! Well, I found out that it could do exactly that! The potato adds a lovely texture to the sauce. I cooked it in pasta water for just a few minutes and then sauteed it in bacon fat to finish cooking and give it a seared crust so it is crisp outside and soft inside.

And, I love shell pasta. They look cute but most importantly, their shape is very conducive to scooping up the sauce. They hold sauce, bacon and potato bits nicely in their wells, so you get a little of everything with each bite..

This is a simple dish that is surprisingly enhanced by the simplest of ingredients to make a super easy and nicely flavored meal...

Pasta Shells in Bacon & Potato Cream Sauce
(Serves 2)

1/3 lb medium shell pasta
1 large potato diced small
4-5 strips of bacon
1-1/2 T flour
1-3/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne
3 oz cheddar cheese
3 oz Monterrey jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Render the bacon strips in a medium pan till crisp. Remove the cooked bacon onto a kitchen towel. Reserve the rendered bacon fat.

Cook the pasta as per instructions until al dente in a large pot of salted water. Remove cooked pasta into ice bath to keep it from cooking further. In the same pasta water, blanch the diced potato for 2-3 minutes. In the same frying pan used for the bacon, add 2 teaspoons of the fat and saute the diced potato over medium high till fully cooked and crisped brown on the outside.

Make the white sauce as per the directions here substituting butter with the bacon fat and using the recommended quantities for this recipe. Add in the dried herbs, cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and melt in the cheeses. Crumble the bacon into the cheese sauce and toss in the potato. Add the pasta in the end and toss to combine everything.

Serve immediately.

Cooking Basics - Béchamel sauce

Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.

That adage applies to cooking too! :) There are a few basics techniques that when mastered can be built upon to create more sophisticated and elegant variants and completely different dishes. Béchamel sauce belongs to this category. Fancy name apart, it is a simple white sauce made from butter, flour and milk. Simple Eh?! It is!

White sauce makes the base for gratins, pasta sauces and many cheese sauces. It is made by adding hot milk to roux, which, is made by cooking equal parts of butter and flour over low heat. And, what you can do with this base sauce is only constrained by your imagination...

Melt some cheese into it to lead into a Mornay sauce that goes great with seafood and is a good substitute for Hollandaise over eggs. Mix in some dried herbs and perhaps some minced spinach and it makes fantastic sauce to bake stuffed pasta in; rich and some health packed in. Add grated gruyere and chedder and you can transform it into a decadent cheese sauce for making even comfort food taste like a five star experience.

The possibilities are never ending.....

Basic White Sauce (Béchamel sauce)

3 T butter
3 T flour
3 cups whole milk

Heat milk in a pan till just under boiling. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk to blend the flour into the butter to make the roux. Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes till the flour loses its raw smell. Pour the hot milk into the roux and continue whisking till the mixture is thickened and smooth.

Your white sauce is ready. Off the heat, add the optional ingredients (cheese, herbs, seasonings etc.) and you are all set for a wonderful meal!

It can't get any easier than that, can it?! :)

Note: The thickness of the sauce is determined by the ratio of flour to milk. To make a runnier sauce, reduce butter-flour to 2T.

Joy of vegetables - the no-skillet sandwich

You know what I really like about the oven? It does all the work for you! No standing over the pot for hours stirring or waiting to see if it is done. Pop in the stuff that you need cooked, set the timer for the approriate cooking time and then indulge yourself in a book or your favorite show. When done, it lets out a beep and you can take out a perfectly delightful meal!

Now, I wanted to have vegetable sandwich. All I had at home was zucchini and tomato; not the most thrilling sandwich ingredients. But, then I had a thought. I like slow roasted tomatoes; they are just wonderfully succulent and the sweetness of the tomatoes is ever so slightly accentuated. Wouldn't it be great to use roasted tomato instead of plain slices in a sandwich, as I usually do?! And while I am using the oven anyway, I might as well, roast the zucchini instead of sauteeing.

Ah! No real cooking for me to do. Perfect! Besides, roasting and baking are much slower cooking processes that actually brings out the flavors of the vegetables (and meats). So, it is all for the best, after all!

For extra flavor, I added a dash of aged balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes. As the tomato cooks, the vinegar reduces and adds extra sweetness to the vegetable. And, as for the zucchini, it got a bit of added zing from lemon zest.

To round off the sandwich, I made an easy bean spread that is also great as a dip. I actually made extra to snack with crackers, so I could stem my hunger till all the vegetables got done! Anyway, the spread is a take on hummus. I made it with small white beans instead of chickpeas and added extra flavorings. It also makes the sandwich more wholesome.



Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Homemade Medittaranean Bean Spread

1 zucchini sliced thick
2 tomatoes halved lengthwise
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
2 T chopped parsley
1/4 cup canned cooked white beans rinsed (you can also use chickpeas)
1 clove of garlic chopped
1/8 cup olive oil + more for roasting
ciabatta or foccacia bread slices
goat cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange all the vegetables in one layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the pieces and season the zucchini and tomatoes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp of lemon zest over the zucchini slices. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle the sugar over the tomato slices. Place the tray in the oven. After about 15 minutes, check on the zucchini slices. If they are soft, remove to a bowl and cool. Rearrange the tomato slices on the sheet and continue baking for another 40 minutes till the tomatoes start caramelizing. Remove and cool.

Meanwhile, pulse the beans, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and remaining lemon zest to make a fine paste. Add the olive oil and continue pulsing untill incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the sandwich, generously spread both sides of bread with the bean spread. Arrange the zucchini slices on one of the bread slices and then top off with roasted tomatoes. If using goat cheese, sprinkle chunks of it over the slices. Cover with the other bread slice and enjoy!

Morimoto NYC - Disappointingly Average

I love Japanese food and would recommend a gastronomic tour of the country. You will be much surprised by the cuisine and wholly impressed. The traditional Japanese food is flavorful and delightfully light! When we picked Morimoto for our dinner, I was hoping to be taken on a whimsical flight of culinary fancy infused with ancient Japanese traditions.

Masaharu Morimoto is an exciting chef to watch. His creativity and skill as evidenced on Iron Chef (Food Network) are awe-inspiringly par excellence. Unfortunately, his eponymous restaurant failed to deliver on these high expectations. Four of us dined at Morimoto in NYC last night and all of us came back not really interested in revisiting the place.

The decor is modern bordering on stark with glass bottles being the major effect. While the ambiance was not on the warm Japanese home style tones, it was definitely in line with that of an upscale restaurant. The bar in the basement is an extension of the same look; neat and translucent.

We had reservations and so were shown to our table immediately, which is a positive compared to other similarly high-end places. The menu offers the options of ordering a la carte or choosing a sushi/sashimi platters (by price) or the chef omakase (tasting menu). The omakase is $120 and on the course were tuna tartare, caviar, salad with oysters, kumamoto oysters with foie gras, sushi platter, wagyu beef slices, lobster cooked in garam masala and for dessert yam pound cake with chocolate ganache. Well, not exactly inventive and what was with the two oyster courses!

So, we decided to go a la carte. Our table of four had the following -
Appetizers

• Zen Sai - 5 different antipasti, which were interesting and perhaps even a bit whimsical



• Oyster Foie Gras - these were cooked oysters with foie gras, caviar in a teriaki sauce. The texture of the oysters was good although the flavor of the foie gras did not come through.
  
• Sushi Platter (for $35) - this included a maki roll and 8 assorted sushi pieces. This was the least distintive dish of the lot. Yes, the fish was wonderfully fresh but nothing above and beyond what you would get at a good sushi place like Poke. Although, to be fair, I did not expect any different; It's really hard to distinguish one good piece of salmon from another.

Main Course

• Braised Black Cod - Served in a ginger soy reduction. The sauce overwhelmed the fish.


• Roasted Ocean Trout - Not particularly imaginative.


• Ishi Yaki Buri Bop - This was good and comforting but was just bibin bop that you would get in any restaurant in Korea town including the table side preparation.
  
  
• Surf & Turf - Wagyu fillet, hamachi ribbons salad with avocado and citrus and a side of herbed potatoes. The best part of the dish (and the meal, for me) was the hamachi salad. Hamachi is a young yellowtail and is rich and buttery but not overpoweringly fatty. It paired wonderfully with the creamy avocado and the tang of the citrus to make a fresh dish. The potatoes were nicely done if a tad salty. The beef was a complete let down. I have had Kobe beef in Japan and it was a heavenly, melt in your mouth experience. I was looking for a similar levitating experience last night but none came. For starters, the phenomenal flavor of the beef comes from the intense marbling. My cut had none of the fat streaks and was rather chewy. Also, the seared crust was not in the least appealing and overly buttery, on the whole, taking away the taste of the meat. If I could order just the salad as a whole entree, I think I would be very happy.

Dessert

• White Chocolate Semifreddo - Semifreddo is Italian for semi-frozen and here it was made with light flavorless cheese and white chocolate and encased in grea tea castella and accompanied by burnt orange icecream and a streak of semi-sweet chocolate. For lack of better description, the tea castella looked and tasted like square, spongy fruit loops! The icecream was the best component of this dessert.
  
  
• Chocolate Banana Vacherin - This was, arguably, the better of the two desserts. It really was a deconstructed version of a banana split refined up and enclosed in a meringue cup (vacherin).

On the whole, it was a good meal but not superlative as one comes to expect from chefs of Morimoto's calibre. Our dinner companions had previously dined at Nobu, another of his flagships, and had enjoyed that experience. I still haven't written him off. Nobu is on our to-dine list and perhaps will stand a better testament to his excellence than Morimoto did!

Russian Stroganoff

I love Stroganoff! My husband made it for me a couple of years ago to make me smile after a particularly gruelling work weekend-day. It worked! And, ever since, it has been one of my favorite comfort foods. Now, whenever I buy ground meat, I always make this dish out of a portion of it (Yes, the fond memory does make it extra special!:-) ). It really is the easiest dish to make! It is so simple and makes a no-frill yet rich and soul-warming meal that is perfect for a cold day.

Stroganoff is originally a Russian meat dish of sauteed pieces of beef served in a sauce of sour cream. After the fall of the Russian Empire, versions of it, apparently, came back with U.S. military officers who had been stationed in China in the 1950s. It has now become, arguably, one of the most popular gifts from Russia to the culinary world, aside from Russian Caviar!

My first introduction to Russian cuisine was Russian Salad back in India. I think it is the most common first step that many Indian home cooks take into the wide world of Western cooking. Perhaps, it is because it can easily be veganised or may be because it doesn't require any complicated techniques or equipment. Besides, I think mayo still holds a lot of awe-potential! The original Russian version of the salad is usually made with potatoes, peas, hard boiled eggs and other vegetables and sometimes meats tossed in a mayo based dressing. In India, it is almost always made in its vegetarian form.

If you liked that salad, the stroganoff is sure to please! It has the same creamy sauce base with the added flavor punch from the meat. If you have not had the salad, the stroganoff is a great starting point in the discovery of the cuisine. It's the ideal comfort food; takes 15 minutes to make and makes for a warm and hearty meal.

Although the original Russian version of the dish calls for beef cubes, I rather like it with ground meat. And, that is only because I like the taste of ground meat much more than chunks. If you like meat cubes, by all means, stay true to the original version (you would need to adjust cooking times of course!). Also, the meat can as easily substituted with lamb or poultry but red meat really gives it the best flavor.

By the way, if you are vegetarian, fret not! You needn't lose out on these great flavors. You can just substitute the meat with mushrooms. It is absolutely blissful!

Meat Stroganoff
(3 servings)

3 tsp olive oil
3/4 lb ground meat
1 large onion diced fine
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup sour cream
1 T ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 T all purpose flour
1/3 cup beef broth

1 T chopped parsley for garnish
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
Egg noodles to accompany

Saute onion and garlic in oil until onions are until tender and golden brown. Remove and set aside. Brown ground beef in the same pan and drain off excess fat. Sprinkle flour over ground beef and combine to cook the flour for a minute. Add back the onions and dried thyme. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Cook until the mixture is thickened. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and heat through.

Serve generously over hot egg noodles and garnished with the chopped fresh parsley.

Sunday brunch at home: Over-easy eggs with Mornay sauce

I love the concept of brunch! It just has a relaxed ring to it and is the perfect antidote to a Saturday night of debauchery. Ok, even if you have a sedate lifestyle, it is still fun to wake up late and have a lazy mid-morning meal! And, an indulgent one at that. If you aren't making up for being spent over the weekend, then you surely need to fortify yourself for the coming week!

Sunday Brunch is truly a NYC tradition. Come noon on Sunday and you can see long lines outside popular brunch places and people patiently waiting for literally hours (!!!) to be seated. This even during the blistering cold winter months. I do admire the tenacity of New Yorkers to brave the mind-numbing wait but it isn't for me!

So, what better than to beat the lines and have a restaurant quality brunch experience at home at your own corner table overlooking the street?! Try this for taste - Soft cooked eggs with a creamy cheese sauce served on a savory biscuit. I bet, I have your attention now!

This creation is my take on the eggs benedict which is perhaps the most commonly ordered brunch item. Eggs Benedict is typically finished off with a Hollandaise sauce that is made from egg yolks. Hence, it tends to be a bit heavy and the whole dish becomes overwhelmingly egg-y. So I substituted with the lighter Mornay sauce, which is just a fancy name for white sauce with cheese. And, as yet another twist, I replaced the toast with biscuits for just a mild touch of Southern! For additional flavor, try it with my Bacon and Cheese Biscuits.

Eggs with Mornay Sauce on Biscuit

Eggs as needed

For the herb Mornay sauce:
1 T butter
1 T all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
2 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
salt to taste

For the biscuits:
1-1/2 cups Bisquick bisquit mix
2/3 cup milk
1 egg + 1 tsp water beaten together for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make biscuits, combine the flour and milk to form a sticky dough. On a well floured surface roll out the dough to half inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut 3 inch biscuits from the dough. Brush lightly with egg wash. Bake for 8 - 9 minutes until the tops are golden.

To make the sauce, melt butter in a small sauce pan. Add the flour in and whisk for 2 -3 minutes till the flour loses the raw smell to form the roux. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a pan until just shy of boiling. Stir in the hot milk into the roux and continue whisking till the mixture thickens and is smooth. Take off the heat and add the cheese, thyme and seasoning. Combine to melt the cheese into the sauce.

Prepare the eggs as per your liking (tastes best with overeasy eggs). To assemble halve a biscuit horizontally and liberally butter it. Place a cooked egg over the one slice and generously cover with sauce. Cover with the other slice of biscuit and serve immediately.

Have fun with flavors and eat your vegetables!

The proportion of meat to vegetables in an average Indian household varies but usually even meat eaters eat more vegetables in a year than meat. I grew up eating 18 vegetarian meals and at best 2 meals involving some kind of meat, a week. In my house, Sunday was the day for chicken and mutton biriyanis, fish/crab curries or shrimp fries (not all at the same time ofcourse!). Why Sunday? Perhaps, it is the day for slow cooking and relaxation for everyone in the family and all that is on the schedule is eating and slothing..

My husband on the other hand, being Parsi, grew up with quite the opposite concept of meat-vegetable balance. Meat was always the star of any dish and vegetables were added as guilt suppressors really. And, if by chance, the major part of the dish was a vegetable, then a dash of meat flavor was added into it. For example, lentils were cooked with the mutton bones, very similar to the concept of using broth to flavor the dish.

Now, as long as I was at home, I was perfectly content with and thoroughly enjoyed the delicious vegetarian meals that my mom put out. And, since, the concept of meat broths is unfamiliar to Indian cuisine, when I say vegetarian, it really was! But, since having moved to the US, both our food preferences have become topsy-turvy.

I have turned a complete carnivore and refuse to eat vegetables unless they are camouflaged into something else in flavor and presentation. I blame it on the abysmal choice and flavor of vegetables and greens in the stores here. (Oh! I miss Indian produce...fresh, organic and flavorful!) And, he has turned largely vegetarian! The guy who was raised on pure meat now comes home after his week's travels, begging for vegetarian meals. Irony of our lives!

Anyway, to straddle both our tastes, I have been forced to be creative in many ways combining our mutual love for certain ingredients such as potato, cheese, meat etc. with the not so loved (cauliflower!) to create wholesome meals that we can both enjoy while keeping it healthy. One such is my veggie loaded Mac & Cheese. Who doesn't like pastas?! And baked pastas bring out the flavors nicely, perfectly rounded off by the cheese. But, you really cannot have pasta everyday.

So, I came up some meals that have worked well in my house. I am going to put up a series of vegetarian meals that are appealing, tasty and really healthful. The best part about using something you like and keeping it as the dominant flavor is that it allows you to sneak in stuff that's good for you but you may not really love. The thing to keep in mind is flavor combination, so that the end product is delicious!

My dish for today is Mushrooms in Red wine and Roasted Pepper reduction sauce. Here is the thing with mushrooms; people usually like them. They have great earthy flavor but no nutrition value. And, I am not a big fan of peppers but I love the taste of a roasted pepper. So, combining the two is not exactly a stroke of brilliance but hey!, a dish doesn't need to be complicated to be fabulous!

This sauce is versatile in use. For a light dinner, just pair it with lightly toasted bread slices. It also makes a great pasta sauce. If you want to take it up another notch, and say entertain with it, here is what you can do. Spread some of the sauce at the bottom of a buttered baking dish (8" x 8"). Layer soft bread slices (edges cut) over the sauce. The sauce will ensure that the bread doesn't stick to the bottom and burn. Cover with more of the sauce (be generous) . Make another bread layer and spread the remaining sauce over it. Sprinkle generously with grated mozzarella and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes till cheese melts. So, its like a combination of lasagna and strata. The bread soaks up the flavors from the sauce and adds depth to the dish..


Mushrooms in Red wine and Roasted Pepper Reduction

1 lb portebello or cremini mushrooms quartered
2 red bell peppers
1 onion diced fine
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup canned, crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup of sour cream
1 tsp dried thyme
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne
1-1/2 tsp paprika
2 T chopped mint
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place the bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes turning it twice during the times. Peppers are done when the skin is charred. Remove from oven, cover the peppers with tin foil, allowing the cooking process to complete. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and de-seed them. Put them in a blender and puree until smooth.

Meanwhile, saute the chopped onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook them for a few minutes till the tomato is cooked. Add the roasted pepper puree, dry herbs and spices and cook for a 3-4 minutes till the flavors get incorporated. Stir in the wine and broth and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the flame and add the mushrooms in. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to two-thirds. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sour cream. Fold in chopped mint and serve!

A sandwich to start the day sweet!

I don't think that this sandwich needs any introduction. Banana and chocolate...Need I say more?!

I snack on bread slices generously spread with Nutella quite often. Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread, sort of the Italian version of peanut butter. One of my friends suggested I try it with banana added. Oh! was that best suggestion ever!

I had this for breakfast with toasted challah bread, which, is an eggy bread, like brioche, that pairs well with sweet stuffing (they are great for puddings and french toasts!). The warmth of the toasted bread melts the nutella and enhances the sweetness of the banana. It's simple, yet decadent - pure joy!

Banana and Chocolate on Brioche
(per sandwich)

1 challah roll halved lengthwise or 2 brioche slices
1 banana sliced thin
3 T chocolate hazelnut spread
a little butter to toast the bread

Toast the bread slices with a little butter. Spread nutella generously on both slices of bread. Make a layer of the banana on one of the slices. Dollop some more Nutella and layer the rest of the banana slices. Top with the other slice and enjoy!

Snacking on bacon and cheese biscuits

Biscuits, in different parts of the world, come in varying forms, tastes and attachments. In most of the world, biscuit refers to a hard, brittle, crisp item; In USA and Canada, it is soft bread-like baked good. My association of biscuits is with tea and a few moments to unwind and relax your mind!

In India, where I come from, biscuits satisfy many meal needs; evening snacks for children back from school to be had plain or with the evening milk, between-meals snacks for adults and children, missed-my-meal-rumbling-stomach fillers, breakfast, travel snack and of course the leisurely accompaniment with a hot cup of creamy tea. We even have biscuits for various dietary needs - Marie biscuits for the diabetic (though even I love them!), nutrition and fibre packed digestive ones, luxurious chocolate chip biscuits, cream biscuits ranging from the simple vanilla cream biscuits to fancy chocolate creme bourbons! These cream biscuits are even good enough to serve special guests invited for tea.

If you have not yet tried an Indian milk biscuit, as we call it, you must! This simple sweet cracker is a real treat. Dip it in tea and relish it's tea soaked goodness as it melts in your mouth. It is a wonderful indulgence! My all time favorites are the British biscuits by McVitie's and chocolate Bourbons!

By the way, the original biscuit was the British naval hard tack, which was a simple cracker made from flour, water and salt. These were long lasting and used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages and military campaigns. These were passed down to American culture.

Now, the American biscuit, as I said, is of the soft, bread kind made with baking soda as a leavening agent as opposed to yeast. They are similar to scones (also of British legacy), only savory. Well, basically, in the US, the sweet kind are called scones and the savory, biscuits.

The best part of American biscuits is that they are quick to make (no waiting for dough to rise) and you can make your own variations of it. For example, biscuits are a common feature of Southern US cuisine, where, they are eaten with butter and honey or jam for breakfast or with gravy for other meals. They are a good substitute for bread with soft fried eggs; great to soak up the runny yolk!

American biscuits also make great snacks. Nibbling on a warm, fresh biscuit is very satisfying indeed. And, then there are cheese biscuits. Imagine how much better a biscuit can be with some cheese added to it! And then take it up another level and add bacon! That's what I did - bacon and cheese in my biscuit.

Having run out of my usual biscuits for tea, I needed something to accompany my evening beverage fix. So, I made the American ones. They are a quick make especially using a store bought biscuit mix; took all of 20 minutes. Drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup and they are perfect with hot, milky tea!

Bacon and Cheese Biscuits
(6 biscuits)

1-1/2 cups Bisquick biscuit mix
1/2 cup low fat milk
3 strips bacon or panchetta diced
1/4 cup grated swiss cheese
honey or maple syrup to drizzle

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small pan, render the bacon pieces till crisp. Drain the crisped bits and reserve the bacon fat for later use. Meanwhile, mix the biscuit mix, milk and cheese to form a sticky dough. Fold in the cooked bacon.

Using an ice cream scoop, spoon out dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the top is golden. Cool on rack for a few minutes and serve warm with honey and maple syrup.

Note: I use swiss cheese instead of the usual cheddar because I did not want a sharp cheese taste, more of a sublime is what I am reaching for.

Good Morning! Breakfast is muffins with coffee

Do you like your warm muffin and cup of coffee in the morning? Here is an old recipe with a new twist which delivers just that!

I make this easy banana bread pretty often at home and slices of it work great as a simple dessert (with some vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate sauce) or a satisfying breakfast. I was just going to bake another, when I decided I wanted to make it more more breakfast-like with, perhaps, the volume turned up a bit.

So, I baked muffins rather than a loaf. And, I added a couple of ingredients to turn up the flavor - coffee and almonds. After all, it's breakfast; coffee seems just the right thing to toss in, doesn't it?! It gives a nice kick to the muffin, just what you need in the morning. And, the nuts pack good, necessary nutrient value. Plus, the single portion sized muffins make it a easy grab-and-go breakfast; no slicing and packing in the half-awake hour!

12 perfect golden muffins in an hour. Each bite filled with sweetness from the banana, the crunch from the nuts and that wake-up goodness of coffee.

Have a great weekend!

Coffee Banana Nut Muffins

3-4 ripe bananas depending on size
1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp instant coffee
3/4 cup chopped, toasted almonds

Turn the oven to 350°F for pre-heating. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash the bananas and mix in the melted butter. Add the sugar, vanilla, coffee, baking soda and then fold in the beaten egg. Gradually add in the flour in thirds and mix until just combined.

Fill the greased muffin cups 3/4ths full with the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes. To check the muffins, carefully lift a muffin from the pan; the sides should be browned. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let cool for a few minutes.

Can I interest you in a light salad and sandwich?

Chicken salad sandwich is the classic American sandwich. It is so easy to bring deli flavors home with this simple sandwich with clean flavors and no fuss at all. And, it is perhaps one of the better ways to showcase chicken as a meat.

Now, I typically find chicken a bit lacking in flavor. So, I prefer to work in flavors through seasoning, spices and cooking technique. The last is perhaps, the most under emphasised. I tried different techniques for cooking the bird; pressure cooking, slow cooking, pan frying, grilling, deep frying, baking, roasting etc. I find that roasting is the best way when you do not want to overwhelm the meat's taste and still have a beautifully cooked, moist and well seasoned bird. And it is also a very healthy way to cook the meat!

You can make chicken roast with just plain salt and pepper or add more layers of flavor with herbs or fruit slices tucked in. I wanted to try out some seasoning samples I have at home. I got some from Amazing Taste Foods and I figured the best way to test it would be keep the dish simple and let the seasoning speak for itself. Hence, the roast chicken salad sandwich.

The poultry seasoning mix from Amazing had an unexpected ingredient - turmeric, a very South Asian spice. That really piqued my interest (me being S. Asian and this being N. American seasoning). To complement the seasoning, I packed a couple of thin slices of lemons under the skin and on the underside. The lemons add a tangy freshness and a little more moisture. Also, I roast bone in pieces for extra flavor and moisture.

The chicken came out really well. The meat was tender and moist with the flavors coming through bright and clean. I tossed the chicken in a mayo, yogurt and basil sauce and paired it with some celery for crunch and it worked nicely!


Chicken Salad Sandwich
(3 sandwiches)

2 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
1.5 T Amazing chicken seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
salt to taste
1 lemon de-seeded and sliced thin
Olive oil
1 stalk celery diced small
1 tomato sliced thin
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
6 slices whole wheat bread slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the chicken liberally on both sides with olive oil. Combine the dry seasonings together and spread evenly on the both sides of the chicken and under the skin. Place chicken skin side up on a baking sheet and roast for 40 - 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor blend mayo, yogurt and basil to a smooth creamy mixture. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard the bones. Dice the chicken and toss in the mayo mixture along with the celery. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, spread a little mayonnaise on half the bread slices. Top each bread with the chicken salad and tomato slices, and cover with the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve.