Cooking for the end of the world - Season one episode one

Last night I had the choice of either watching Contagion (2011) and never sleeping again or cooking something from scratch. Luckily, I enjoy cooking and I find it helps calm me in stressful times. The problem is the output is outpacing my ability to consume it and storage space in my small refrigerator. However, here is a recipe which is a good way to use up stuff from your cupboards or fridge which might go to waste otherwise.

Spinach, onion and feta corn bread

Ingredients

250 gr corn flour

250 gr plain flour (you can use this instead of 500 gr corn flour if you want it lighter)

2 large onions

3 cloves of garlic

250 gr spinach or any other cooked vegetable

200 gr feta cheese (optional)

Large glass of milk (water for vegan version)

large glass of vegetable oil

1 spoonful of baking powder

1 spoonful of baking soda

1 spoonful of paprika/cayenne/salt/black pepper/lemon juice

Instructions

1 - Gently cook the sliced onions till soft, then add the chopped garlic for a minute

2 - Add the spinach and cook until wilts down.

3 - Mix the dry ingredients -  flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices

4 - Add the oil and mix with the dry ingredients and then add the cooked onion and spinach.

5 - Add the lemon to the milk and then add the milk to the mix until its a thick, thick batter.

6 - Cook in a pre-heated oven at 160C for about 30-40 minutes

Guess who it is.

Lydia, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Today was a chance to cook, bake and spend time with Lydia. So we made some souzoukakia (Greek meat balls in tomato sauce) and lemon cake for afters.

Greek style lemon and mustard chicken

This is one of my favourite recipes, a variation on a traditional Greek recipe. You'll need;

And to the supermarket you shall go.

1 chicken - well, I guess that makes sense.

2 a kilo or two of potatoes. You need to very exact in your measurements.

3 a cup of olive oil. Extra virgin from the northern olive groves of Mt Parnatha. Alternatively, anything from the local supermarket that doesn't taste like it came from a refinery.

4 one lemon

5 a large onion

6 a cup of long grain rice

7 pinch of salt, pepper and a couple of teaspoons of cumin and mustard.

The fun starts here.

1 Chop the onion and heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan,

2 Gently fry the onion until it starts to soften then add the cumin. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes then add the rice.

3 After a few minutes add a cup of water and turn up the heat.

4 Cook some more (without covering the pan) until most of the water has been absorbed.

5 In the meantime peel the potatoes.




6 To make the dressing mix the reminder of the olive oil, salt, pepper and mustard. Add the lemon juice and two cups of water and whisk until they are blended.

7 Use the rice mixture to stuff the chicken.

8 Place the chicken and potatoes in a "gastra" (a covered oven dice, widely used in Greek cooking) or you could you a Pyrex dish instead. Pour the lemon, mustard and oil over the chicken and potatoes.

9 Place in an oven at about 180c (43,000 f) for about two and half hours. Just keep an eye on it now and then and add more water if necessary.

Me and Lydia made this today and it was delicious. I know this isn't strictly a Greek recipe but it has all the elements of Greek cuisine, at least here in the north, which uses more spices than its southern counterparts.

Let them eat cake

Let them eat cake, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

And here is a great recipe. Me and Lydia had a great time trying it out on Sunday.

EVO and Yogurt Loaf Cake

- makes 8 servings -
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup EVO (extra-virgin olive oil)
Procedure

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter an 8 1/2-x-4 1/2-inch loaf pan, place the pan on a lined baking sheet and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and keep near by.

1. Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and rub the ingredients together until the sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the yogurt, eggs and vanilla. When the mixture is well blended, gently whisk in the dry ingredients. Switch to a spatula and fold in the oil. The batter will be thick and shiny. Scrape it into the pan and smooth the top.

2. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it is golden and starts to come away from the sides of the pan; a knife inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold and cool to room temperature right-side up.

www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/01/extra-virgin-olive-oi...

Cooking with the Dude

This is a idea I'm going to try out today with one of my students (click here to check out his blog). Basically, it involves using video and YouTube to talk about food and cooking. The Daily English Show gave me inspiration.

Sarah's latest creation at the Daily English Show.

Lesson plan

1 Students ask each other about their favourite dishes, what's in them and how you make them.

2 Student draw up a table with two columns: in one they write all the words connected with their favourite dish in English, in the other, all the words they know only in Greek.

3 Student work together in groups to find translations for the Greek words. If they can't find one they then ask you.

4 Now show students a recipe that you like. Explain the lay out, terms (e.g. tbs) and grammar used (for example, the use of the imperative.

5 Students the write up their recipes, or if some students don't know how to cook a group recipe is created.

6 For homework students use their video/digital camera or mobile phone camera to film themselves or somebody else making the recipe.

7 Then use Windows Movie Maker or the like to add the recipe to either the end or the beginning of the video. Also, if the students are not happy with what they said they can re-record it as a voice over.

8 The video can be posted via YouTube to their blog.