Keen Eye for a Good Picture

Keen Eye for a Good PictureOriginally uploaded by Towniesmallholder

This is my entry for today’s Flickr Group 7 Days of Shooting – Wk25 – Photography, Equip. & Photographers, today being Fill the Frame Friday.

I took a wee picture of my eye (me being the photographer)

Garlic & Coriander Naan (breadmaker version)

This is a lovely recipe which I make regularly, but never actually managed to post the recipe here, until now.   Recipe courtesy of my book Bread ISBN-13: 978-0-7548-1788-8

They also freeze very well too. 

Makes 3

• 100ml Water
• 60ml Natural Yoghurt
• 280g Unbleached White Bread Flour
• 1 garlic Clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp black onion seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp  melted ghee or butter
• 1 tsp easy blend dried yeast
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1. Pour the water and natural yoghurt into the bread machine pan.   If the instructions for your bread machine specify that the easy blend dried yeast is to be placed in the pan first, then simply reverse the order on which you add the liquid and dry ingredients.
2. Sprinkle over the flour, ensuring that it covers the liquid completely.   Add the garlic, black onion seeds and ground coriander.   Add the salt, honey and the ghee or butter in the separate corners of the bread pan.   Make a small indent in the centre of the flour (but not down as far as the liquid) and add the easy blend dried yeast.
3. Set the bread machine to the dough setting (if available) & press start.
4. When the dough-cycle has finished, pre-heat the oven to its highest setting.   Place three baking sheets in the oven to heat.   Remove the dough from the breadmaking machine and place it on a lightly floured surface.
5. Knock the naan dough back (punch it down) gently and then knead in the chopped fresh coriander.   Divide the dough into three equal pieces.
6. Shape each piece into a ball and cover two of the pieces with oiled clear film (plastic wrap).   Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a large teardrop shape, making it about 5-8mm thick.   Cover with oiled film while you roll out the remaining two pieces of dough to make two more naan.
7. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.   Place the naan on the preheated baking sheet and then bake them for 4-5 mins, until puffed up.   Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place them under the hot grill for a few seconds, until the naan start to brown and blister.
8. Brush the naan with melted ghee or butter and serve warm.

Cottage Cookies

COTTAGE COOKIES:

• 100g/ 4oz Margarine
• 100g/4oz Caster Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 175g/7oz self-raising flour, sieved
• 25g/1oz drinking chocolate
• 25g/1oz thick marmalade
• 75g/3oz porridge oats

Cream the margarine and sugar well together.   Beat in the eggs.

Fold in the sieved flour and drinking chocolate then the marmalade.

Roll small spoonfuls in the porridge oats and place them on a greased baking tray, allowing for room for them to spread.   It may be necessary to do 2 traysful, or bake them in batches.

Bake in a fairly hot oven 200 degrees C/400 degrees F / Gas Mark 6 for about 15 mins.

They should be golden brown but will be soft.   Lift carefully on to a wire rack to cool.

French Bread (Breadmaker Version)

FRENCH BREAD

French bread traditionally has a crisp crust and light chewy crumb.   Use special french bread setting on your bread machine to help achieve this unique texture.

Large: Makes 3-4 Loaves

• 500ml / 17.5fl oz / 2 1/8th Cups Water
• 675g / 1 1/2 lbs / 6 cups unbleached white bread flour
• 10ml / 2 tsp salt
• 10ml / 2 tsp easy-blend dried yeast

1. Add the water to the bread machine pan.   If the instructions for your machine specify that the yeast is to be placed in the pan first, reverse the order in which you add the liquid and the dry ingredients.
2. Sprinkle over the flour, to cover the water.   Ass the salt in a corner.   Make an indent in the centre of the flour and add the yeast.   Use the french bread dough setting (see cooks tip). Press Start.
3. when the dough cycle has finished remove the dough from the machine, place it on a lightly floured surface and knock it back (punch it down).   Divide it into 3 or 4 equal portions.
4. On a floured surface shape each piece of dough into a ball, then roll out to a rectangle measuring 18-20 x 7.5cm / 7-8 x 3 inches.   Fold one third up lengthways and one third down, then press.   Repeat twice more, leaving the dough to rest between foldings to avoid tearing.
5. gently roll and stretch each piece to a 28-33cm / 11-13inch load, depending on whether you aim to make smaller or larger loaves.   Place each loaf in a floured banneton or between the folds of a floured and pleated dishtowel, so that the french bread shape is maintained during rising.
6. Cover with oiled clear film (plastic wrap) leave in a warm place for 30-45 mins.   Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C /  450 degrees F / Gas Mark 8.
7. Roll the loaves onto a baking sheet, spacing them well apart.   Slash the tops several times with a knife.   Place at the top of the oven.   Spray the inside of the oven with water and bake for 15-20 mins or until golden.   Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

COOKS TIP

Use the french bread baking setting if you do not have a french bread dough setting.   Remove the dough before the final rising stage and shape as directed.

The above recipe is extracted from my fav bread book :

BREAD “A complete guide to making your own bread in a traditional oven and using a bread machine” – ISBN-13: 978-0-7548-1788-8 & ISBN-10: 0-7548-1788-1