Olive, Cheese and Rosemary Bread

Now that I’ve been baking my own bread for some time now I’m really looking for different and tasty variations.  Today’s delight started as a Rosemary and Cheese loaf but my gorgeous daughter Summer insisted on her favourite which is Olive Bread. The result was all of the above and it turned out just great.  It even looked quite pretty as the olives I used gave the bread a rather purple tint – perhaps that’s why Summer loved it so much!

Fresh from the oven...

Some rosemary out of the garden, home cured olives and a combination of grana pandano and tasty cheese in a wholemeal and white bread kept the whole family coming back for more.  Of course we all started with a piece fresh out of the oven with home made butter then I had to send them all outside to enjoy the spring sunshine so I could compile some lentil burger and salad sandwiches for the crew. 

A delicious lentil burger and salad sandwich

And of course being outside included playing in the sandpit so when lunch arrived the joke of the day was... “what do witches eat at the beach?”......... “ sandwitches!”

A great accompaniment to home made baked beans

We enjoyed this bread straight from the oven, for a sandwich and lightly toasted to accompany our delicious home made baked beans. Yum!  This recipe could also make fantastic rolls.  Notice there's no added salt as there's plenty of flavour from the olives, cheeses and rosemary. A delicious change from everyday bread.



can you smell the fresh rosemary?

Olive, Cheese and Rosemary Bread
2 tsp fresh rosemary
40g Grana Pandana (or parmesan) cheese
50g tasty cheese
50g pitted olives
300g lukewarm water
8g dry yeast
100g wholemeal flour or milled grains of choice
400g white bakers flour
20g olive oil

• Add rosemary to Thermomix bowl and mill for 20 seconds speed 8
• Add cheeses and mill for a further 10 seconds speed 6 then set aside
• Add water and yeast to thermomix bowl (no need to clean between) and  mix for 1 minute speed 2
• Add flours and oil and knead 2 minutes on Interval setting
• Add rosemary, cheese and olives and knead for an extra 1 minute on Interval setting
• Wrap in Thermomat or lightly oiled bowl and place in a warm spot to double in size
• Shape into desired loaf shape and place on a tray or tin lined with baking paper (I tried a lined springform tin today and this worked just great) and allow a 2^nd rise of about 30 minutes
• Meanwhile preheat oven to 220°
• Spray loaf lightly with water and bake for 30 minutes or until sounds hollow when knocked

Enjoy!

Dough waiting to rise...

Cavolo Nero, Mushroom and Capsicum Rice Bake

I love my greens…. the darker the better!

That’s why I love this recipe with Cavolo Nero or Tuscan Kale as it’s also known.  You could just as easily use other forms of kale, silverbeet or spinach and it would be just as delicious and nutritious.  In fact Cavolo Nero is a great source of many vitamins and minerals as well as sulforaphane (particularly when chopped) which has potent anti-cancer properties.

Cavolo Nero

This is a variation of a recipe by Jude Blereau in her fantastic book called “Wholefood for Children” adjusted a little to add more colour and for the Thermomix.  I also used a bit more brown rice to make it go a bit further.  I simply love brown rice and the nuttiness it adds to dishes like this.  The addition of amaranth increases the protein of the dish and in fact it is 30 per cent higher in protein than rice.

I used some lovely Swiss Brown mushrooms but button mushrooms work fine too.  And the tomatos I found at my local fruit and vege shop today were local mini black tomatos.  So sweet and cute, the way the kids ate them I was lucky there was any left for the dish.  And the best part is the kids simply devour this when we have it for dinner.  It’s super tasty and easy to digest particularly by soaking the rice first (note this step is optional).  It also makes great leftover’s and as grandma has reported is great in a toasted wrap the next day!

 

Cavolo Nero, Mushroom and Capsicum Rice Bake

 

200g brown rice

2 tbls amaranth

1 tbls lemon juice

40g Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese

Approx 200g Cavolo Nero (thick stems removed)

1 onion

1 clove garlic
20g olive oil

100g Swiss Brown or Button mushrooms

50 g red capsicum

250g ricotta

2 eggs

3 or 4 cherry or grape tomatos sliced

30g pine nuts

Pepper to taste

• Combine brown rice, amaranth and lemon juice in a small bowl and add just enough water to cover.  Let soak for 6 hours or overnight to increase digestibility and reduce cooking time.
• Place 800g water in Thermomix bowl, insert basket than add rice mixture including any excess water.  Cook for 30 minutes at Varoma temp on speed 4. Set aside and empty water from bowl.
• Add pecorino to TM bowl and chop 8 seconds speed 9.  Set aside
• Add Cavolo Nero to TM bowl and chop 3 seconds speed 7.  Set aside (I placed it on top of the warm rice to lightly steam)
• Add onion and garlic and chop 5 sec speed 7
• Add oil and sauté for 2 minutes at 100° on speed 1
• Add mushrooms and capsicum and chop 3 seconds speed 6.  Saute 1 minute at 100° on speed 1
• Add eggs, cheeses, pepper and combine 5 seconds speed 4
• Add Cavolo Nero and rice and combine on Reverse 5 seconds speed 4
• Pour into a 20 x 20cm baking dish
• Cover with tomatos and pine nuts and bake 180° for approx 40 minutes until set.

Enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Omlette

I feel like a big kid at Christmas.  I got my second Thermomix bowl delivered today and I’m super excited! As fellow Thermomixer’s know, these knifty little machines can be very inspiring and it’s easy to have several creations on the go at once.  It was actually veggie daddy who suggested I get a second bowl after I recently catered for our son's 1st birthday / christening and made an indian feast for my birthday.  To be efficient with one bowl you need a certain amount of planning, ie doing all your grinding or milling at once to be time effective, or sequencing your dishes to minimise washing between.  So now with a second bowl, does it mean I can make twice as much…



Mushroom and Spinach Omlette with toasted olive bread

Speaking of time efficiency, this recipe is super quick, healthy and most importantly tasty.  It’s easy to whip up for a breakfast, lunch or dinner and is flexible with what toppings you add.  I  simply love the way the Thermomix beats egg whites making recipes like this failproof.  It is so light and fluffy that's it's too thick to fold in half and is more pizza style.  I used 6 eggs for a family of four and a large frypan but this could easily be reduced to suit.  In fact I’m leaving the recipe quite open and as a guide to your imagination…

 Mushroom and Spinach Omlette

Preheat oven or grill to 180°.

Grate approx 50 grams cheese (I combined tasty and swiss) 6 sec speed 8 in TM and set aside.

Wash and dry TM (or use 2^nd bowl if you have one!)

Slice a handful of mushrooms and lightly sauté with a little butter, fresh herbs and pepper in a non-stick frypan.  When starting to brown, add a good handful of baby spinach until just starting to wilt.  Remove from pan and set aside.  I find doing this first in the same frypan ensures it’s well heated and seasoned for the omlette. 

Separate 6 room temperature eggs and place egg whites into clean TM bowl. 

Insert Butterfly and beat without MC for approx 3 minutes 50° speed 4 (wow!)

Reduce to speed  2 and drizzle in egg yolks for about 5-6 seconds or until only just combined and without sacrificing those gorgeous egg whites.

Pour into frypan and over medium heat cook about 5 minutes until edges start to cook.

Sprinkle mushrooms, spinach and cheese over top and grill for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted and omlette is only just set.

Serve with your favourite Thermomix bread or salad and enjoy!

Summer waiting for breakfast