Banana Crackle

I think I'd have to rate bananas as one of my favourite fruits.  Fantastic as a quick snack, or just a piece of fruit after lunch maybe.

But, added to other ingredients for a dessert, the possibilities are endless.

Where does the title "Banana Crackle" come from?  Well, we kinda made it up because we could not think of anything better (or perhaps I should say more appropriate) to call it.

Banana - because naturally it contains bananas.  Crackle - the dessert itself does not crackle, but your teeth might!  You have been warned.

Deb Cooks...
Banana Crackle

Recipe serves 4

4 firm bananas

50g unsalted butter (softened)

4 tbs dark brown sugar

2 tbs dark rum (optional, but definitely more special with)

For the "Crackle" praline

50g caster sugar

Make the crackle first.  Can be made well in advance too.

Pour the sugar into a heavy based skillet and heat on moderate until the sugar has dissolved and turned a nut brown colour.  Pour onto greaseproof paper, spread out and leave to cool completely.  Once cooled, cover with another sheet of greaseproof paper and bash with a mallet to achieve small pieces.  Leave to oneside until ready to use.

Heat the butter in a skillet then add the dark brown sugar, stir well to combine.  Meanwhile, remove skin from the bananas, chop off the curved ends and discard.  Now chop each banana into 4 pieces.

Add the dark rum and mix well.  Now add the banana pieces to heat through and soften slightly.

Place 4 pieces of the cooked banana into individual serving bowls and pour over the toffee sauce.  Now sprinkle on the crackle pieces and serve.

Deb Cooks...
Banana Crackle

Especially delicious served with vanilla ice cream.  However, we had to do without as I thought I had some in the freezer but unfortunately did not.  Shame, but we all enjoyed it nonetheless.

Oh, and by the way.  Remember this dessert is not a good idea to serve to those with false teeth, or those with no teeth at all LOL.  For those on diets, you can treat yourself occasionally, can't you?

The World's Most Expensive Range Cooker!

Having just purchased a new property, which we will be renovating.  I have naturally been thinking about designs and appliances for my new kitchen.

Looking around the internet, I have come across some fabulous items.

This one in particular caught my eye!

Grand Palais 180 Range by La Cornue

Not only do you need a large kitchen area for this beauty, you also need a large bank balance!  Available from around $46,000.

"Two vaulted ovens, one gas and one electric. Two large hot plates allowing all variety of frying pan and saucepan rotations, facilitating the preparation of even the most complex of menus. To complete the picture, two large solid brass burners on each side.

Other configurations may be produced, in accordance with your wishes: only gas ovens, or only electric, gas burners or electric plates, a lava rock, a teppanyaki grill or even induction plate. As for the choice of finishes, and combinations with regard to materials and colours, they are almost infinite.

Each time a « Grand Palais 180 » leaves our workshops, we almost certainly feel the same sense of pride as the magical artisans of Molsheim when a "Royal" left Bugatti."

Text from La Cornue

Would I purchase one of these? Yes, if I could afford it! Can I afford it? Sadly, no!

A message for those who can afford it "the rest of us are extremely jealous" LOL.

Cancer Free at last

After recently having another scan, I finally met with the oncologist last night for the results.  At last, it seems I am now cancer free and will not have to visit the oncologist again for 3 months when I'll have to have a routine scan.

It's been a tough year learning that I initially had an enormous tumour (thankfully that was removed) and then having to endure the treatment for both chemo and radiotherapy, but it's all been worth it to now be told the cancer has gone.  Of course, they have told me it could come back, but let's not dwell on that too much.

I will be returning to hospital again soon to "be put back together" as I call it.  Not wanting to go into the unpleasant details, I shall leave that up to your imagine LOL.

I have received lots of emails and messages from your wonderful people and I felt therefore that I should let you all know the good news ASAP.

Once again, I would just like to say an enormous "Thank You" to everyone who has kept in touch during this horrible time, your support has been tremendous.

Teryaki Salmon (my way)

I don't eat anywhere near enough fish.  I don't like seafood and the only fish I'll really eat is salmon fillet, sole and sea bass, but I do have to be in the mood!  I also confess to not being adept at cooking fish either.  I always manage to overcook it!  However, I eventually mastered salmon and am now trying to eat it more that I used to.

My preferred way is generally griddled to achieve a nice crispness on the outside with a moist, but just cooked centre and served with chips.  Not so healthy eh?

Deb Cooks...
Teryaki Salmon (my way)



Barry loves japanese food and regularly requests teryaki salmon.  Whilst I too love japanese food, I'm not keen on my food being marinated in teryaki sauce.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy teryaki sauce but I can't take it when it totally dominates the dish.

I new I had to find another way to satisfy barry's occasional craving for teryaki salmon and also my need to eat more fish too.

Suddenly I thought 'why does the salmon have to be marinated in the sauce, why can't I serve the sauce separately?' Also meaning you can add as much, or as little sauce to finished dish as individuals require.

Success.  Barry got his favourite japanese dish and I got to really (and I mean really) enjoy my salmon more than usual.

Teryaki Salmon (my way) serves 2

2 x salmon fillets

Teryaki Sauce

1tsp sugar

1tbsp sake

1tbsp mirin

2tbsp dark soy sauce

Rice dish accompaniment

100g long grain rice

1 small red pepper

1 small bunch spring onion

1 small tin/jar of beansprouts

2 cloves garlic, minced

1" piece fresh ginger, grated

pinch of MSG (optional)

Pat dry salmon fillets with kitchen paper and set aside.

Make the teryaki sauce by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Prepare & cook the rice according to packet instructions.  Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients for the rice.  Deseed and thinly slice the red pepper, chop spring onions and drain the jar/tin of beansprouts.

Get your griddle pan on the hob.  Season and oil the salmon fillets.  When griddle very hot add the salmon fillets presentation side down until cooked halfway through, turn over to cook the other side.

Meanwhile, put the teryaki sauce into a small pan, bring to a boil and reduce by half until thick and syrupy.

Whilst the salmon and sauce is cooking add a little peanut oil to a wok, when smoking hot, add red peppers and stiry fry.  After a few minutes add the garlic and ginger.  Stir fry for one minute then add the spring onions, beansprouts, MSG (if using) and the cooked rice.  Stir fry until aromatic and heated through.

Place rice mixture onto plates and top each with the salmon fillets.  Drizzle as much or as little sauce over and around the dish as required.

Enjoy.

Umami

What is umami?

Known as the fifth taste.

Taking its name from Japanese, umami is a pleasant savoury taste imparted by glutamate, a type of amino acid, and ribonucleotides, including inosinate and guanylate, which occur naturally in many foods including meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products. As the taste of umami itself is subtle and blends well with other tastes to expand and round out flavors, most people don’t recognize umami when they encounter it, but it plays an important role making food taste delicious.

Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University

The discovery of UMAMI - the fifth tasteUmami discovered by a Japanese scientist

Dashi stock made from kombu (kelp) has long been an indispensable part of Japanese cuisine. It has also long been known that the active ingredients contained within kombu hold the key to its delicious taste. This did not escape the attention of Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University, and he undertook research to ascertain the true nature of this ‘deliciousness’. In 1908, Ikeda succeeded in extracting glutamate from kombu. He discovered that glutamate (or glutamic acid) was the main active ingredient in kombu and coined the term 'umami' to describe its taste. He was sure that this taste was held in common by other foods that a savory flavor, including those used in Western meals such as tomatoes and meat, and, indeed, upon investigation it was discovered that these foodstuffs also contained umami.

“Those who pay careful attention to their tastebuds will discover in the complex flavour of asparagus, tomatoes, cheese and meat, a common and yet absolutely singular taste which cannot be called sweet, or sour, or salty, or bitter…”

Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry, Washington 1912

Turning umami into a globally-recognized term

In the wake of glutamate, other ingredients that offer the umami taste, namely inosinate which is found in bonito flakes, and guanylate which is present in shiitake mushroom stock, were discovered. The four basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty and bitter have been widely recognised for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the 1980’s that various studies proved that umami, found in glutamate, actually constituted a legitimate fifth basic taste. Since then, umami’s status as ‘the fifth taste’ has been recognized internationally.

Glutamate is naturally present in most foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Two kinds of nucleotides that contribute most to the Umami taste, inosinate and guanylate, are also present in many foods. Inosinate is found primarily in meat, whereas guanylate is more abundant in plants. Another nucleotide, adenylate, is abundant in fish and shellfish. The foods on this page contain high quantities of Umami elements.

Want to know more?

Umami publications are available here, courtesy of Umami Information Centre

Learn more at umami from Wikipedia, here

Book - Dash & Umami, the heart of japanese cusisine

Get the book via our Amazon page here.....

R.I.P Sir Norman Wisdom

Comedian and actor Sir Norman Wisdom has died at the age of 95.

His family said he died "peacefully" at the Abbotswood Nursing Home on the Isle of Man. He had suffered a series of strokes over the past six months.

This wonderful man was my hero from childhood days.  I vividly remember as a very young child being glued to the TV every time a Norman Wisdom film was shown.  Throughout the whole film I would be crying with laughter.

My family regarded this as hugely entertaining!  Not just the film either, probably more my crying & laughing I think.

To this day, the feeling that showers me has never left.  I only have to look at him and a big grin appears, followed by laughter then tears.  Why does this happen?  I've never been able to explain, he just makes me cry with laughter, always has and always will!

He will be sadly missed, not just by his beloved family, but his many fans too.

The only good news of course is that there will now be many showings of his films on TV for weeks to come.

Now that's something to laugh about.

And his death is something to cry about.

R.I.P Sir Norman, my memories will never leave me.

Versace giveaway, the winner is........

Apologies for the late posting of our winner.  I should have posted on 1st Oct, but life seems to have taken over these past fews days and we're a little late.  Better late than never though, eh?

I decided to get Barry to pick our winner this time.  At least now he feels he has finally contributed something to this blog LOL.

Barry picked Louberry, he says for no other reason than he liked the name!  Fine by me and I doubt Lou will be complaining about that either.

If you have time to spare, pop on over to her blog Living Lou and check out her site.  Keep an eye out too because in her comment by response to her entry, she said 'I'd like to show off my favourite scallops on this'.

I don't know about you, but personally I can't wait to see her scallops smartly displayed on her winning Versace tray.

In conjunction with Dinnerware Sets this giveaway is kindly supplied by CSN Stores.  They are major suppliers of all home goods and many more items.  Please take a minute and check out their sites too.

So, it just leaves me now to say a big 'thanks' to everybody whom entered and an even bigger 'thank you' to CSN Stores for kindly arranging this superb gift to one of my readers.

Not forgetting of course 'congratulations' to Lou of Living Lou Blog.

Comiserations to all those who entered but did not win.  Please come back and visit regularly for more recipes, giveaways, etc.

Debs