Low fat, low salt , soft kefir /butter spread.

I have been looking for interesting ways to use my Kefir without destroying the good bugs. I mostly strain the Kefir and the result is very like sour cream. In this recipe I add the Strained kefir to good quality salted butter and mix in TMX to a soft spread. From now on this will be the spread of choice.

Ingredients
250 g of butter at room temperature.
150 g Kefir strained to the consistency of Sour cream.

Method
Place butter and Kefir in TMX Bowl and blend at speed 4, 45 degrees, 1 minute
Add butterfly and beat speed 4 , 45 degrees, for 1 minute or until creamy

Notes
Used as shown in photo it is very creamy.  When set up in fridge it is stiffer but still soft enough to spread easily.
I notice that some commercial Dairy soft spread has cream, water and Canola oil added.

Frying Pan Lemon Tart

How about this for easy and tasty. Mixed in TMX, started in frying pan and finished off in the oven. 
You do need a 20cm non stick pan with a handle that will go in the oven. This is adapted to TMX from David Herbert's  Best Home Cooking.
Serves 6 to 8

Set oven 190 FF

Ingredients
30 g butter
4 eggs
120 g caster sugar. 
Pinch salt
45g ground Almonds
120 g cream
zest and juice of 1 large lemon. 
45 g of flaked almonds. 
Icing sugar for dusting. 

Method
Place butter in non stick pan over medium heat.
Place in TMX bowl, eggs, sugar, cream , salt , ground Almonds and lemon rind and juice.
Mix 10 seconds speed 7.
Add flaked almonds, mix 5 seconds speed 7. 
When butter is bubbling tip mixture into pan and cook until the edges are set. 
Place in oven and bake 15 minutes. ( the top should be brown.) 
Remove from oven and allow to cool. 
Using a spatula carefully loosen the edges and turn on to a fine mesh cake rack.  Then turn onto serving plate. 
Dust with icing sugar. 

Kefir and Wasabi dip

Ingredients

200g Kefir or plain Greek yogurt
200g raw, roasted, unsalted Cashew nuts.
4 large Wasabi leaves cut into fine strips, ( could use the paste in tubes, 2 teaspoons or more according to taste.)
2 cloves of garlic, remove green shoot as this is bitter if uncooked.
2 teaspoons of Horseradish. I use home grow but shop bought ok.
2 teaspoons of hot mustard.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Place all ingredients in TMX Bowl and mix on speed 10 until smooth and creamy.   This could take up to 5 minutes. Scrape down after each minute.

Notes
Good as a dip with carrot and celery sticks or fresh bread stick.
Use as Mayo to dress potato, rice or bean salad.
Nice with cold boiled eggs in a salad.
Use as a base cover on pizza instead of tomato.
Use instead of butter on savoury scones.

The amounts given are the minimum to blend efficiently. 

Caramelised Balsamic

Ingredients

250 g Balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
6 tablespoons of raw sugar. 

Method
Place all ingredients in TMX bowl and cook 10 minutes/ 100 / speed 3, CUP IN. 
Then cook 10 minutes/100/speed 3/ CUP OUT. 
Pour into sterile bottle and allow to cook before placing lid on. 

Notes
Can adjust with more sugar, taste first. 
I am soaking dried Turkish figs in this to add to a lentil and watercress salad. 

Inspiration for this recipe came from Community , cook book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves salads. I have adapted the recipe to TMX, and changed the ingredients slightlyI hesitated to publish this recipe as Helene at Super Kitchen Machine has one that is similar. The difference is that Helene's recipe uses honey, this one brown and raw sugar. 
There is a shortage of honey in Australia at the moment due to drought in many of the forests where the hives are placed. I tend therefore not to use honey in cooking. 

Puy Lentils with Caramelised Balsamic soaked Figs, Watercress and Walnuts

Puy Lentils with Balsamic soaked Figs, watercress and Walnuts.

« on: Today at 06:40:11 am »

We are not great salad eaters. Yes we love our hot veggies and with our new veggie garden, 1/2 of which will be salad veggies, things have to change. With this in mind, I bought a new cook book, Community.  The author is Hetty McKinnon. What grabbed my attention was that most recipes are based on what I have in my pantry , fridge and garden.
As I looked through the book I was saying, that looks good and yes I can make that. And yes, that is TMX friendly.

Ingredients. For 3 large serves.

6 Turkish dried figs, sliced
150g Puy lentils, rinsed
2 cups of mixed salad greens, watercress or rocket or radish top, if you have it.
1 dessert spoon EVOO.
1 small clove of garlic, smashed.
50g feta
1/2 cup roasted Walnuts.
Caramelised Balsamic, enough to cover figs. (See previous recipe. )

Soak figs in Caramalised Balsamic, 3 hours or over night.
Place lentils in TMX basket and add 1 litre of water to bowl. Cook 30 minutes,/100/ speed 3.
Add lentils while still warm to figs. Add oil and garlic.
When ready to serve mix in salad leaves.
Arrange on platter and add feta and walnuts.

I served this with salmon, but would go nicely with any fish, chicken or meat.
Could add roasted pumpkin.
Puy lentils remain whole when cooked, unlike other lentils. 

Creamy Vegetable Soup. or with Chicken

There is no added fat, cream, potato or flour in this soup and yet it is very creamy.
This makes4 cups or 1 litre.

Ingredients
3/4 Litre of vegetable or chicken stock. ( I made chicken by steaming in the basket, the bones from a take away chook).
1/4 of a large cauliflower or 1/2 of a small one. Broken up.
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a Zucchini, cubed into 1/2 inch dice
1 carrot, cubed into 1/2 inch dice
A chicken flavour cube or I used a dessertspoon of Jo's Chicken stock paste.
Cubes of cooked chicken and chopped herbs for garnish ( optional)
Black or white Pepper. I used white.

Method

Cook cauliflower in chicken stock, 15 minutes/ 100/speed 2
Zap 30 seconds, speed 9
Add cubes of vegetables, and pepper, 10 minutes/ 100/speed1 REVERSE.
Add chicken, if using. Garnish with chopped parsley and chives.

Notes
Equally nice made with veggie stock and no chicken.

Coquilles Saint -Jacques or Scallops and Mushrooms in cream and wine sauce

750 g Scallops, washed and trim of black digestive sack. 
250g baby mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of water
1 chicken stock cube ( I used I teaspoon of Jo's chicken stock paste) 
1 cup of dry white wine. ( can substitute with chicken stock but would need to add1 extra teaspoon of lemon juice.)
60 g butter
2 tablespoons of cornflour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
2 teaspoons of lemon juice. 
30 g butter
1 cup of bread crumbs, I use fresh. 
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. 
2 green spring onions , diced. 

Method 

Make bread crumbs and set aside. Mix in grated Parmesan and melted 30 g of butter. ( this is the topping)
Place 500 MPs of water in TMX bowl 
In a heat proof dish that will fit into the Varoma , and will hold 1500 mls. ( or an oven proof baking bag )  place scallops, mushrooms, water , wine and stock paste.
Heat mixture without boiling, until the Scallops turn opaque. Stir twice while heating. 
Strain, retaining the liquid. Set the solids aside. 
Empty hot TMX bowl of water and set back on machine. 
Add butter to hot bowl and mix speed 1 until melted
Add cornflour and mix on speed 1/100 degrees/ until mixture bubbles for 1 minute. 
Add strained stock and milk and continue to cook until thickened. 
Add cream and lemon juice. Mix. ( the mixture should be the consistency of light thickened cream, if too thin add more cornflour mixed with a little milk. )
Pour this mixture over the Scallops and  mushrooms, mix. 
Spoon the mixture into 6 heatproof dishes ( you may not use all the sauce), sprinkle first with Spring onions and the with bread crumb mix. 
Grill in oven. Do not bake as this will toughen the Scallops. 
Serve immediately. 

Notes. 
Can be used as a filling for crepes but would need to thicken the sauce .
Can use Scallop with pink attached or removed. 
Can be made up to before bread crumbs are added, and refrigerated. 
Need bread to sop up juices.