Sourdough success!!!

My second attempt at sourdough has made me so happy. I got the book Nourished Traditions for Christmas and there were some really good tips in there. I also joined a Facebook group for starters and cultures in Ireland and I got lots of advice there. I used rye flour for my starter and strong flour for the bread. I also allowed the dough to be wet when I put it in the oven.

I got more of a rise and more air bubbles through the crumb. It is so tasty that I can't stop eating it and I am already preparing another loaf for tomorrow.

Jamie Oliver's rye soda bread

Given that one of my resolutions is to bake more bread I tried this today. It turned out great! It's from Jamie's Everyday Superfood and it was so easy to make.

I used Greek yogurt to make it rather than natural yogurt and it made no difference whatsoever. I also left out the porridge oats (as I didn't have any) and it didn't seem to have any impact on the bread.

It only took me five minutes to prepare and 43 minutes in the oven. It also wasn't as crumbly as other soda breads. This meant it was easy to cut and I didn't choke on a crumb like I usually do.

New Year's Resolutions

1. Restore my front garden to its former glory. 2. Bake more bread. 3. Eat more fish.

Shatshuka

Today is Brian's birthday so I wanted to make him a new breakfast that he's never had before. I've been reading a good bit about shatshuka online so I decided to try it out.

This is a middle Eastern dish and is a bit similar to huevos rancheros. My ingredients were: 5 tomatoes, 2 eggs, half an onion (diced), half a clove of garlic (minced), half a green pepper, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, half a teaspoon of chilli powder, half a teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of cumin and a pinch of Cayenne pepper. Salt and pepper to taste.

I used my cast iron pan to make it. I fried the onion in some rapeseed oil until soft. Then I added the garlic and then the green pepper. When the pepper has softened add the tomato paste and the tomatoes (chopped into cubes).

Then add all the spices, stir in and let the tomatoes cook down into a sauce. Be careful not to burn them!

Crack the eggs on top of the tomato sauce.

Put a lid on top and let them cook for ten to fifteen minutes (depending on how you like your eggs).

I served it with pitta bread. The portion was quite large so I think this would work well for two people. Just add two more eggs.

Brian's verdict is that it was delicious!

Guacamole and homemade tortilla chips

The day after I roast a chicken I use the leftovers to make fajitas. Today in addition to this I made guacamole and homemade tortilla chips. The guacamole is really zingy and fresh. Into a blender I put: half a chilli, a handful of cherry tomatoes, the juice of a lime and an avocado. I blend it for a few moments. I like it chunky so I find the pulse button great for that. So easy!

For the tortilla chips you are basically using tortilla wraps. You cut them into triangles. Then you fry them on a high heat for a few moments on each side.

A tongs is very useful for turning them. Them you put them on a baking sheet and season.

Today I sprinkled them with smoked paprika and a smaller amount of cumin and Cayenne pepper and salt. I put them in the oven at 200 degrees for 5 minutes and serve them warm.

They are so delicious!

Glühwein

As I am now addicted to glühwein after Munich I decided to make my own. The ingredients are: a bottle of inexpensive, drinkable wine (Bordeaux from Lidl), 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, a lemon and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

You put them all into a large saucepan. I heated it but didn't allow it to boil. I then put it on a low heat stirring occasionally.

To serve I have some glühwein mugs from Munich. You pay a deposit and get it back when you return your mug. Some mugs were just too cute to give up though!

To get it to my taste I had to add a very small amount of boiled water and another teaspoon of sugar.

A fruitbear in Munich

I have never been to Germany before. It's so close to me and I've never visited. This is my first time here and I can't believe I've waited this long because I LOVE MUNICH!!!! It was our first full day here today so we just wandered around and got our bearings. We went to some Christmas markets and just strolled about. I am a flâneur (hmmm...I'm not sure what the feminine of that is in French). The buildings are so impressive here. Beautiful 17th and 18th century buildings make me really curious about the history of Munich.

In the past few years I have become so curious about that time in history. It is really cold here. It is crisp and refreshing. I love wrapping up well. The feeling of koselig is very strong here.

Everyone eats and drinks outdoors. It is so nice. Before lunch we had mulled wine outside to warm up. Everyone was drinking it even though it was morning time. Normally I don't like mulled wine but this was delicious. Unfortunately Brian got it with a shot of liqueur so we were a bit buzzed afterwards!!!