DIY

Plum Jam / Pekmez od šljiva

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , Leave a comment

Plum jam – the jam of my childhood. It seems like everyone had a grandparent or a relative with that odd plum tree which would yield copious amount of fruit each year. After using those plums up fresh, in dumplings, or for slivovitz, the rest would inevitably end up as a jam.

This is a very basic plum jam recipe, which above all requires your time and patience. But it’s so going to be worth it.

IMGP5255

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 5 jars / 0.53 EUR per jar / 2.67 EUR for all)

2 kilos of plums (1.60 EUR)

800 grams of sugar (0.67 EUR)

Juice from 1 lemon (0.40 EUR)

IMGP5277

METHOD:

Wash, pit and dice plums. Combine with ½ of the sugar and let sit for a few hours, or overnight, so the fruit can soften and release juices. When ready to start cooking, run plums through a food processor or blitz with immersion blender.

In a deep pot, place plums on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for about 2 hours, until thickened to desired consistency. Initially, you will need to stir very often for the first half an hour or so, as the plums will tend to stick to the bottom of the pot. Also, be careful about the boiling jam bubbling and splashing. As the jam cooks down, you’ll need to stir less and less. Add in the remaining sugar gradually as you cook. This way you can taste the jam and adjust sweetness to your liking. Towards the end of cooking, stir in the lemon juice. Also, please note that the jam will thicken even more as it cools down.

IMGP5281

Meanwhile, while the jam cooks, wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse and then leave to air dry. Once the jam is cooked, turn on the oven to 75°C. Distribute jam among the prepared jars and wipe the rims clean with a paper towel. Do not put the lids on for now, but carefully place the filled, open jars in preheated oven for half an hour, so a thin protective film can form on top of the jam. Carefully remove the jars from the oven, seal the lids and leave jam to cool off completely at room temperature, before storing it in a dark and cool place.

IMGP5283

Pekmez od šljiva – pekmez moje mladosti. Čini mi se kao da su svi imali baku, djeda ili nekog rođaka sa šljivom koja bi svake godine rodila enormne količine voća. Nakon što bi se te šljive pojele svježe, stavile u knedle ili ispekle u rakije, ostatak bi bez iznimke završio u pekmezu.

Ovo je najosnovniji recept za pekmez od šljiva, koji prije svega iziskuje vaše vrijeme i strpljenje. Ali će vam se to apsolutno isplatiti.

SASTOJCI

(Za 5 teglica pekmeza / 4 kn po teglici / 20 kn za sve)

2 kg šljiva (12,00 kn)

800 g šećera (5,00 kn)

Sok od 1 limuna (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite šljive, izvadite im koštice i narežite ih na kockice. Pomiješajte sa ½ šećera i ostavite da odstoje nekoliko sati, ili preko noći, kako bi voće omekšalo i pustilo sokove. Kada ste spremni za kuhanje, sameljite šljive u multipraktiku ili sa štapnim mikserom.

Stavite šljive na jaku vatru u dubokom loncu i pustite da zavriju. Smanjite vatru na nisku i kuhajte otklopljene oko 2 sata, dok se sve ne zgusne na željenu konzistenciju. Na početku ćete, prvih pola sata, morati često miješati jer će se šljive lijepiti za dno lonca. Također, pazite se mjehurića i špricanja kipućeg pekmeza. Kako se pekmez bude kuhao, morati ćete sve manje i manje miješati. Ostatak šećera dodajte postepeno kako se pekmez kuha. Tako ga možete probati i količinu šećera prilagoditi po svojem ukusu. Kako se kuhanje primiče kraju, umiješajte sok od limuna. Također, imajte na umu da će se pekmez još više stisnuti kako se bude hladio.

U međuvremenu, dok se pekmez kuha, dobro operite teglice i poklopce u vrućoj vodi sa deterdžentom, isperite te ih ostavite da se posuše na zraku. Kada je pekmez gotov, zagrijte pećnicu na 75°C. Raspodijelite pekmez po čistim teglama i papirnatim ručnikom obrišite grla staklenki. Za sada nemojte stavljati poklopce, već oprezno stavite pune otklopljene tegle u zagrijanu pećnicu na pola sata, kako bi se na pekmezu napravila tanka zaštitna korica. Oprezno izvadite teglice iz pećnice, zatvorite ih i ostavite da se skroz ohlade na sobnoj temperaturi, prije nego što ćete ih uskladištiti na tamnom i hladnom mjestu.

Plum Jam / Pekmez od šljiva

Super Quick Whole Grain Bread – Revamped / Super brzi integralni kruh – revidiran

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , 2 Comments

A few months ago I’ve posted a bread recipe which changed my whole perspective on home bread baking. I’m happy to say that I’ve continued to bake bread ever since, using the described technique which includes a water bath in the oven during baking. The results are always so great that bread baking became my favourite form of relaxation.

Furthermore, my bread has been evolving over time. My whole approach now is more relaxed. I go with my instinct and add a bit here and a bit here. And the bread is just getting better and better. So, described below is my perfect bread recipe. Perfect for now, that is. I expect this whole bread adventure to grow, evolve and change even more, as I grow more and more confident in this whole endeavour.

IMGP5247

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 loaf / 1.10 EUR)

For the bread:

2 cups warm water (–)

2 tsp active dry yeast (0.27 EUR)

2 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

2 – 2 ½ cups plain white flour, divided (0.17 EUR)

2 cups whole grain flour (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp ground flax seed (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp sunflower seeds (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp hulled millet (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp olive oil (0.13 EUR)

Additional:

Oil for greasing the bowl and the loaf tin (0.01 EUR)

1 cup water for baking (–)

IMGP5168
Every bread is different

METHOD:

Take a large mixing bowl and whisk together water with yeast, sugar and 1 tablespoon of plain white flour. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes until frothy. If the mixture doesn’t bubble, discard and start again with a fresh batch of yeast, as your dough probably won’t rise.

Add 2 cups of plain flour, all whole grain flour, salt, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, millet and olive oil to the frothy yeast mixture and stir with a spoon until shabby dough forms. Dump everything on a clean counter and knead for a few minutes, incorporating a bit more flour as necessary. Dough should be soft and pliable, but not too sticky.

IMGP5077

Wash up your mixing bowl, grease with a bit of oil and turn the dough ball around to coat on all sides. While your hands are already greasy, you may as well coat the loaf tin in oil. Cover the dough bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours. The resting time always depends on my other activities and what I’m doing. The bread doesn’t mind. We’re friends.

When ready to bake, place a tin pan to the bottom of your oven and preheat oven to 250°C. Gently deflate the dough, give it a few kneads, shape a loaf and gently transfer to greased loaf tin. Sprinkle with a bit of flour, cover again with a kitchen towel and let sit for about 10 minutes, while your oven fully heats up.

Just before baking, using a very sharp knife, make a few incisions on the dough’s surface. Really carefully pour 1 cup of water into the pan you left at the bottom of the oven. Quickly place the bread pan with dough onto the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes until bread is deep golden brown. Do not open the oven door during that time under any circumstance.

IMGP5129

After 30 minutes remove bread from the oven and allow it to cool in its tin for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove from tin and allow the bread to completely cool on a rack before digging into it.

Since I am the sole bread eater in our household, I always slice up the whole loaf once it’s completely cool and freeze it sliced in a zip lock bag. Then, when I am in a mood for some bread, I simply toast as much as I feel like eating.

IMGP5232

Pred nekoliko mjeseci napisala sam recept koji je skroz promijenio moj pristup pečenju kruha kod kuće. Sa zadovoljstvom mogu reći kako sam od onda nastavila redovito peći kruh, a prema opisanom načinu, tako da u pećnici za vrijeme pečenja bude vodena kupka. Rezultati su svaki puta bili tako dobri da mi je pečenje kruha postalo omiljeni način opuštanja.

Osim toga, moj je kruh s vremenom evoluirao, a moj vlastiti pristup je sada puno opušteniji. Slijedim instinkte pa dodajem malo tu i tamo. A kruh postaje sve bolji i bolji. Pa vam u nastavku dostavljam svoj recept za savršeni kruh. Savršeni za sada. Očekujem da će ova cijela avantura sa kruhom rasti, evoluirati i još se više mijenjati, sve kako bude raslo i moje samopouzdanje u ovom cijelom pothvatu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 štrucu / 8,06 kn)

Za kruh:

2 šalice tople vode (–)

2 žličice suhog kvasca (2,00 kn)

2 žlice šećera (0,05 kn)

2 – 2 ½ šalice glatkog brašna, podijeljene (1,25 kn)

2 šalice integralnog brašna (1,50 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

3 žlice mljevenih sjemenki lana (0,75 kn)

3 žlice suncokretovih sjemenki (0,75 kn)

3 žlice prosa (0,75 kn)

3 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,99 kn)

Dodatno:

Ulje za namastiti posudu i kalup za pečenje (0,01 kn)

1 šalica vode za pečenje (–)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj posudi razmutite vodu sa kvascem, šećerom i 1 žlicom glatkog brašna. Pustite 10-15 minuta dok ne postane pjenasto. Ako vam smjesa ne bude pjenasta, bacite i počnite ispočetka sa novim kvascem jer vam se tijesto na kraju vjerovatno ne bude dignulo.

Dodajte 2 šalice glatkog brašna, svo integtalno brašno, sol, lan, suncokretove sjemenke, proso i maslinovo ulje u pjenasti kvasac i dobro pomiješajte žlicom dok se ne formira labavo tijesto. Sve istresite na čistu radnu plohu i mijesite par minuta, dodajući po potrebi malo po malo još brašna. Tijesto treba biti mekano i podatno, ali se ne smije previše lijepiti.

Operite svoju posudu u kojoj ste zamijesili tijesto, namažite sa malo ulja, pa unutra okrećite loptu tijesta dok se ne namasti sa svih strana. Kad su vam ruke već masne, namastite i kalup za pečenje. Pokrijte zdjelu sa tijestom čistom krpom i ostavite da miruje barem 30 minuta, a do nekoliko sati. Ja to vrijeme uvijek prilagodim nekim drugim aktivnostima. Kruhu je to okej. Mi smo frendovi.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, stavite plehnati protvan na dno pečnice i zagrijte ju na 250°C. Nježno ispuhnite tijesto, kratko promijesite, oblikujte štrucu i nježno ju prebacite u namašćeni kalup. Posipajte sa malo brašna, pokrijte čistom krpom i ostavite da miruje još desetak minuta, dok vam se pećnica skorz ne ugrije.

Netom pred pečenje, jako oštrim nožem par puta zarežite tijesto. Jako, jako pažljivo ulijte šalicu vode u protvan koji ste ostavili na dnu pećnice, pa brzo stavite kruh da se peče 30 minuta na srednjoj rešetki, sve dok ne dobije duboku zlatno-smeđu boju. Ni u kojem slučaju ne otvarajte pećnicu za to vrijeme.

Nakon 30 minuta izvadite kruh iz pećnice i ostavite ga da se 5 minuta hladi u kalupu. Nakon toga ga pažljivo izvadite iz kalupa i pustite da se skroz ohladi na rešetki, prije nego što ćete navaliti na njega.

Pošto sam ja jedini jedač kruha u našem kućanstvu, uvijek cijelu ohlađenu štrucu narežem na šnite i u vrećici smrznem. Onda, kada mi se jede kruh, samo kratko tostiram onoliko šnita koliko mi treba.

Super Quick Whole Grain Bread – Revamped / Super brzi integralni kruh – revidiran

Roasted Bull’s Horn Pepper Salsa (vegan, low histamine) / Umak of pečenih roga paprika (veganski, niskohistaminski)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , 5 Comments

This recipe is super simple and would work great for any type of summer barbecue, roast potatoes, tortillas or just as a chips dip. The red bull’s horn peppers are super sweet and meaty, so I’ve decided to take current advantage of the markets bursting with peppers.

IMGP5263

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 cups of salsa / 0.93 EUR)

4 large red bull’s horn peppers (0.67 EUR)

1 small onion (0.07 EUR)

3 cloves garlic (0.10 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley (0.07 EUR)

IMGP5264

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 220°C. Wash and pat dry the peppers, then arrange in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, until charred and blistered. Allow peppers to cool down enough to handle.

IMGP5266

Meanwhile, roughly chop up onion and garlic. Pull and discard stems and seeds out of peppers and add to the food processor together with onion, garlic, salt and black pepper. For creamier texture, feel free to peel the skins off peppers before adding to the food processor, but I left the skins on. Pulse to desired consistency, taste and adjust seasoning and stir in chopped parsley.

IMGP5268

Serve chilled. The salsa will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

 IMGP5270

Ovaj je receptić super jednostavan i izvrsno ide uz bilo koji ljetni roštilj, pečene krumpire, tortilje ili kao jednostavni umak uz čips. Crvene paprike roge su baš jako slatke i mesnate, pa sam odlučila iskoristiti činjenicu što ih sada na tržnicama ima na vagone.

SASTOJCI

(Za 2 šalice umaka / 6,81 kn)

4 velike crvene paprike roge (5,00 kn)

1 mali luk (0,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

2 žlice fino nasjeckanog svježeg peršina (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. Operite i posušite paprike, pa ih raširite po posudi za pečenje. Pecite 45 minuta, dok ne budu tamne i napuhane. Pustite da se paprike ohlada da ih možete dirati rukama.

U međuvremenu, grubo narežite luk i češnjak. Izvucite i bacite peteljke i sjemenke iz paprika, pa ih ubacite u multipraktik sa lukom, češnjakom, soli i paprom. Za kremastiju teksturu slobodno ogulite kožu sa paprika prije nego ih stavite u multipraktik, ali ja sam ih samljela skupa sa kožom. Pulsirajte do željene gustoće, kušajte i prilagodite začine, te umiješajte nasjeckani peršin.

Poslužite ohlađeno. Umak će držati u hladnjaku u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi do tjedan dana.

Roasted Bull’s Horn Pepper Salsa (vegan, low histamine) / Umak of pečenih roga paprika (veganski, niskohistaminski)

Strawberry Vanilla Jam / Pekmez od jagode i vanilije

Crunch Crunch Away, , , Leave a comment

I’m really excited that strawberries are again in season. A couple of weeks ago I’ve picked up some from our local farmer’s market and decided to make a small batch of jam. I’m not that confident yet when it comes to home canning, so I’ve used a pack of gelling sugar to ensure my jam doesn’t go bad. Also, the gelling sugar allows that you cut down on total sugar amount, which I think is great because I prefer things on less sweet side.

IMGP4771

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields around 3 jars of jam)

1250 g strawberries

1 vanilla pod

500 g sugar, divided

1 packet of 2:1 gelling sugar (I used dr. Oetker)

METHOD:

First prepare your jars and lids by washing them well in hot soapy water. Wash and hull strawberries, then cut in halves and quarters, depending on their size. Halve vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and dump the pod and the seeds in a pot together with strawberries. Sprinkle strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and a packet of gelling sugar.

IMGP4776

Place everything on high heat while stirring frequently. When the jam reaches boil, mash strawberries up or use an immersion blender on them to reach the desired consistency. Add the remaining sugar and cook for three minutes while stirring constantly. Skim off any foam, fish out vanilla pod and ladle the jam among prepared jars. Wipe the rims clean and seal. The jam might seem very liquid at this point, but don’t worry. It will thicken a lot as it cools down.

If you want to be extra careful, you can place the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes, or place them in the oven set on 150°C for 20 minutes. Allow the jars to cool completely before storing the jam in a cool and dark place.

IMGP4777

Jako sam sretna što su jagode opet u sezoni. Pred par tjedana sam od onih koje sam kupila na lokalnoj tržnici odlučila napraviti malu turu pekmeza. Još uvijek mi je klimavo samopouzdanje kada je u pitanju konzerviranje u kućnoj radinosti, pa sam pekmez radila sa džemfixom da budem sigurna kako se ništa neće pokvariti. Super stvar je da radi džemfixa možete smanjiti količinu šećera, što mi odgovara jer ne volim pretjerano slatke stvari.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 3 teglice pekmeza)

1250 g jagoda

1 mahuna vanilije

500 g šećera, podijeljenih

1 paketić 2:1 džemfixa (ja sam koristila dr. Oetker)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo pripremite svoje teglice i poklopce tako da ih dobro operete sa deterdžentom i vrućom vodom. Operite jagode, maknite im peteljke i raspolovite ih ili raščetvorite, ovisno o veličini. Raspolovite mahunu vanilije po dužini, postružite van sjemenke i ubacite mahunu i sjemenke skupa sa jagodama u lonac. Posipajte jagode sa 2 žlice šećera i džemfixom.

Stavite jagode na jaku vatru i kuhajte uz učestalo miješanje. Kada pekmez zavrije, zgnječite jagode ili ih usitnite štapnim mikserom do željene konzistencije. Dodajte preostali šećer i kuhajte 3 minute, stalno miješajući. Skinite pjenu, izvadite i bacite mahunu vaniliju, pa podijelite pekmez među pripremljenim staklenkama. Obrišite rubove staklenki i dobro zatvorite. Možda vam se čini da je pekmez jako rijedak, ali ne brinite. Kako se bude hladio, tako će se skroz zgusnuti.

Ako želite biti ekstra oprezni, možete staviti staklenke u vodenu kupelj na 10 minuta ili u pećnicu zagrijanu na 150°C na 20 minuta. Pustite da se staklenke do kraja ohlade prije nego što ćete ih odložiti na čuvanje na tamnom i hladnom mjestu.

Strawberry Vanilla Jam / Pekmez od jagode i vanilije

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract / Domaći ekstrakt od vanilije

Crunch Crunch Away, , 2 Comments

I kinda planned to post this two months before Christmas, as it would make an awesome homemade Christmas gift. Obviously, I did not succeed in this task. Why two months, you might ask? Well, it takes about two months for the booze to extract flavour from the vanilla pod and the flavour to develop.

This thing is super easy to make and all you need booze, vanilla pods and willingness to wait for two months for alcohol to work its magic. That’s basically it. And bam! You have your own pure vanilla extract which beats any of those store-bought atrocities that don’t even have any real vanilla in them.

IMGP3782

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup vodka

1 vanilla pod

IMGP3786

METHOD:

Using a sharp knife, cut the vanilla pod in half, lengthwise. Then trim the pod to fit the bottle or jar of your choice. Pour vodka over vanilla pieces, tightly secure the cork or a lid and shake like a maniac for about a minute. Store in a cool and dark place for two months, while weekly repeating the shaking action. When you start running low on extract, simply replenish with more booze.

This makes a really nice gift if you pick out a cute bottle and decorate it with a nice label and a bow.

For super cheap vanilla pods, Ebay is my saviour.

IMGP3791

Nekako sam planirala ovaj post objaviti dva mjeseca prije Božića, pošto bi ovo bio super Božićni poklon iz kućne radinosti. Očito je da nisam uspjela u tom naumu. Zašto baš dva mjeseca, pitate se? Zato što je potrebno oko dva mjeseca da cuga izvuče aromu iz mahune vanilije i da se okus razvije.

Ovaj je ekstrakt super jednostavan za napraviti i samo vam trebaju alkohol, vanilija i pričekati dva mjeseca da se čarolija desi. To je u principu to. I bum! Imate svoj vlastiti čisti ekstrakt od vanilije koji gazi pred sobom sve one dućanske užase koji čak niti nemaju pravu vaniliju u sebi.

SASTOJCI:

½ šalice votke

1 mahuna vanilije

PRIPREMA:

Oštrim nožem po dužini raspolovite mahunu vanilije. Onda narežite polovice ovisno o veličini bočice koju ste izabrali. Prelijte votku preko komada vanilije, čvrsto zatvorite bočicu i sve luđački tresite oko pola minute. Spremite na hladno i tamno mjesto na dva mjeseca, s time da jednom tjedno dobro protresete bočicu. Kako ćete trošiti ekstrakt, jednostavno ga nadopunite sa još votke.

Ovo je super poklončić ako uzmete neku lijepu bočicu i ukrasite ju sa fora etiketom i mašnom.

Za jeftine mahune vanilije moj spas je Ebay.

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract / Domaći ekstrakt od vanilije

Homemade Chicken Stock / Domaći pileći temeljac

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , 2 Comments

Whenever I see people adding that awful cubed stock to their recipes, I can’t help but cringe. No matter what you might add to your food later on, I feel like I can always taste the cube underneath all else. That distinctive combo of salt, fat and food dye always somehow lingers on my palate. Brrr! Have I persuaded you into making your own stock already? Do it! Do it!!! It’s dead easy and also a perfect way to use up any veggie or meat odds and ends you have lingering around.

We usually eat a lot of chicken breasts, but I always buy those with bones and skins still on, as they tend to run for way cheaper. I then debone the meat and save bones and skins bagged in a freezer, to later dump into stock. You can also use cheap stuff like giblets, backbone, neck, wing tips, etc. Just throw it all in with that shriveled tomato, wilted leek and unappealing looking bell pepper from the back of your fridge. Really, pretty much everything works.

So this is what I’ve scraped around to make a delicious stock.

IMGP4663

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 10 cups of stock / 0.24 EUR per cup / 2.39 EUR for all)

1 kilo of chicken bones, skins and meat scraps (1.33 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 small garlic head (0.13 EUR)

5 small carrots (0.13 EUR)

3 parsley roots (0.13 EUR)

Bunch of parsley leaves (0.13 EUR)

½ small head of celeriac root (0.13 EUR)

½ small head of kohlrabi (0.13 EUR)

Few kale leaves (0.03 EUR)

11 cups water (–)

1 bay leaf (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp whole black peppercorns (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp tomato concentrate (0.07 EUR)

METHOD:

Give your vegetables a good wash under running water. We buy organic, so I don’t bother with peeling anything, just roughly chop stuff into halves and quarters. Add chicken, onion, garlic, carrots, parsley root and leaves, celeriac, kohlrabi and kale to a large pot, cover with water and place on high heat. Keep an eye on it to pick and discard any foam before it reaches boil. Once boiling, add in bay leaf, salt, peppercorns, paprika and tomato concentrate. Give it all a gentle stir, reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid cracked open for 3 hours. Do whatever you feel like during those 3 hours because the stock won’t need any of your attention at all.

IMGP4663

After 3 hours turn off heat and let the stock cool down completely before straining and packing. I usually time it so the stock cools down overnight and I strain it the next day in the morning. Discard all the meat, bones and vegetables, distribute stock into preferred sized dishes and refrigerate for up to a week or keep in a freezer for up to six months.

A recipe calls for a stock? Ta-da! You have it right there. Always prepared.

IMGP4672

Whenever the mood strikes me for a super quick soup, I just add some carrots, chopped parsley and noodles to this stock and simmer for 5-10 minutes to make a yummy dinner.

IMGP2644

Čim vidim da ljudi u recepte stavljaju one grozne temeljce u kockama, odmah se naježim. Bez obzira na to što još kasnije dodaju u jelo, čini mi se da i dalje osjećam kocku ispod svega ostalog. Onaj specijalni kombo soli, masti i umjetnih boja uvijek nekako ostane na mom jeziku. Brrr! Jesam li vas uspjela uvjeriti da napravite svoj temeljac! Napravite to!!! Prejednostavno je, a također i super način da iskoristite svo povrće i ostatke mesa koji vam se povlače po frižideru.

Mi jedemo dosta pilećih prsa, ali ja uvijek kupim ona sa kožom i kostima jer su dosta jeftinija. Onda odkoštim meso, a kosti i kože čuvam u zamrzivaču i kasnije ubacim u temeljac. Možete također korisiti i jeftine komade kao iznutrice, hrbate, vratove, vrhove krila i sl. Samo sve ubacite u lonac sa onim smežuranim paradajzom, povenulim porilukom i ružnom paprikom iz dna frižidera. Stvarno, manje-više sve prolazi.

Pa evo što sam ja sve skupila i složila u fini temeljac.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 10 šalica temeljca / 1,81 kn po šalici / 18,06 kn za sve)

1 kg pilećih kostiju, koža i ostataka mesa (10,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 mala glavica češnjaka (1,00 kn)

5 malih mrkvi (1,00 kn)

3 korijena peršina (1,00 kn)

Pregršt lišća peršina (1,00 kn)

½ male glavice celera (1,00 kn)

½ male korabice (1,00 kn)

Par listova kelja (0,25 kn)

11 šalica vode (–)

1 lovorov list (0,10 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica cijelih zrna crnog papra (0,20 kn)

1 žličica slatke paprike (0,25 kn)

1 žličica koncentrata od rajčice (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Dobro operite svo povrće pod tekućom vodom. Naše je organsko, pa ništa ni ne gulim nego samo sve grubo narežem na polovine i četvrtine. Stavite piletinu, luk, češnjak, mrkve, korijen i lišće peršina, celer, korabicu i kelj u veliki lonac, pokrijte vodom i stavite na jaku vatru. Imajte temeljac na oku kako bi skinuli i bacili pjenu netom prije nego što zavrije. Kada zavrije, dodajte unutra lovor, sol, papar, papriku i koncentrat rajčice. Nježno promiješajte, smanjite vatru na skroz lagano i pustite da se krčka 3 sata sa odškrinutim poklopcem. Ta tri sata možete raditi što god vam je volja jer se uopće ne morate baviti sa temeljcem.

Nakon 3 sata maknite temeljac s vatre i pustite da se skroz ohladi prije nego što ćete ga procijediti i spremiti. Ja obično tempiram temeljac tako da se hladi preko noći i onda ga samo drugi dan ujutro procijedim. Bacite svo meso, kosti i ostatke povrća, raspodijelite temeljac po odgovarajućim posudama pa čuvajte u hladnjaku do tjedan dana ili u škrinji smrznuto do 6 mjeseci.

Trebate temeljac za neki recept? Ta-da! Sada ga i imate. Uvijek ste spremni.

Kada me ulovi raspoloženje za super brzom juhicom, samo dodam mrkve, sjeckani peršin i rezance u takav temeljac i krčkam 5-10 minuta za finu večericu.

Homemade Chicken Stock / Domaći pileći temeljac

Gingerbread Granola / Medenjačka granola

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , Leave a comment

I know I’ve made a granola post like five seconds ago, but this granola totally smells like Christmas. Yes, yes, Christmas definitely has a smell. Maybe you think it’s way it too early to start throwing in Christmas-y recipes in the rotation. Think twice, because December is right at the door. Plus, I think this granola recipe would make an awesome homemade gift, especially if you’re crafty and put it all in a neat jar with a cute bowtie and a note. Just saying! IMGP4081

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 generous servings / 0.31 EUR per serving / 2.50 EUR for all)

3 tbsp butter (0.40 EUR)

3 tbsp honey (0.40 EUR)

1 tbsp raw cocoa powder (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp ground nutmeg (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp ground cloves (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp ground ginger (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

2 large apples (0.40 EUR)

3 cups rolled oats (0.40 EUR)

½ cup raisins (0.20 EUR)

3 tbsp ground walnuts (0.40 EUR)

3 tbsp ground flax seed (0.10 EUR) IMGP4082

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a small saucepan melt butter and honey. Remove from heat, stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and vanilla.

IMGP4084

Wash and grate apples with skins intact and mix together with oats, raisins, walnuts and flax seed. Pour butter and spice mixture over everything and stir until well combined. Spread granola on a prepared baking tray, leaving it in clumps, without pressing into the tray. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Allow granola to cool completely on a baking tray, before storing in airtight container. It keeps for well over a month, if refrigerated.

IMGP4089

Znam da sam objavila post o granoli pred valjda pet sekundi, ali ova granola skroz miriši kao Božić. Da, da, Božić definitivno ima miris. Možda mislite da je prerano već krenuti sa božićnim receptima. Razmislite dva puta, jer prosinac nam je već tu. Osim toga, mislim da bi ova granola bila super poklon iz kućne radinosti, posebno ako ju stavite u neku zgodnu teglicu i ukrasite fora mašnicom.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 izdašnih porcija / 2,35 kn po porciji / 18,77 kn za sve)

3 žlice maslaca (3,00 kn)

3 žlice meda(3,00 kn)

1 žlica kakao praha (0,50 kn)

1 žličica mljevenog cimeta (0,07 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog muškatnog oraščića (0,25 kn)

½ žličice mljevenih klinčića (0,25 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog đumbira (0,25 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

2 velike jabuke (3,00 kn)

3 šalice zobenih pahuljica (3,00 kn)

½ šalice grožđica (1,50 kn)

3 žlice mljevenih oraha (3,00 kn)

3 žlice sjemenki lana (0,75 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Obložite lim za pečenje masnim papirom i stavite na stranu. U malom lončiću rastopite maslac i med, maknite s vatre pa umiješajte kakao, cimet, muškatni oraščić, klinčiće, đumbir i vaniliju.

Operite i naribajte jabuke skupa sa korom, pa pomiješajte sa zobenim pahuljicama, grožđicama, mljevenim orasima i lanom. Prelijte mješavinu maslaca i začina preko mješavine za zobenima i sve dobro izmijšejte. Raširite granolu u grudama po pripremljenom limu za pečenje bez da ju utiskujete. Pecite 30 minuta, miješajući jednom na pola pečenja.

Pustite granolu da se skroz ohladi na limu prije nego što ju spremite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu. U hladnjaku može držati preko mjesec dana.

Gingerbread Granola / Medenjačka granola

Homemade Vegetable Bouillon / Domaća Vegeta

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , Leave a comment

Like all of us, I love having around batches of things that make life nicer. I love it even more when it’s something that I’ve made myself. Like a jar of homemade jam or salsa. Or, you know, ten jars. You don’t want to run out of jam.

IMGP3954

I’ve been toying with the idea of making my own vegetable bouillon mix for a while now, but something would always get in the way. This weekend I finally remembered about it, bought a bunch of vegetables and set to work. You can, of course, adjust the vegetables to your own liking. I also picked out a head of lovely young kohlrabi, but when I got home, it was nowhere to be found. Alas, I didn’t want it to stop me, so I went ahead and just used the things I had. I am very happy with the result and already tried my bouillon in scrambled eggs and a few dishes I’ve made since. It gives a subtle veggie note that I love.

IMGP3956

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 5 cups / 0.47 EUR per cup / 2.37 EUR for all)

4 small leeks (0.40 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.07 EUR)

3 large yellow carrots (0.40 EUR)

4 small regular carrots (0.27 EUR)

2 large parsley roots, with all its leaves (0.53 EUR)

½ celeriac root (0.40 EUR)

2 chili peppers (0.13 EUR)

1/3 cup salt (0.07 EUR)

IMGP3957

METHOD:

Wash, peel and roughly chop all the vegetables and toss together with salt. Run everything through your food processor, in batches if necessary. Store in a freezer, in airtight containers. Due to the salt amount, the bouillon won’t actually freeze solid and you’ll have no problems taking a spoonful or two when needed. Use later for soups, sauces, stews or basically anything else you can think of. Just remember that it’s really salty, so be extra careful about adding extra salt to your food.

IMGP3960

IMGP3962

Kao i svi, volim imati doma zalihe stvari koje čine život ljepšim. Još više volim kada je to nešto što sam sama napravila. Kao recimo staklenka domaćeg pekmeza ili šalše. Ili deset staklenki. Ne želite da vam u životu ponestane pekmeza.

Napraviti domaću vegetu već mi je neko vrijeme bilo na radaru, ali uvijek bi nešto iskrsnulo. Ovaj sam se vikend napokon sjetila, kupila povrće i primila se posla. Naravno, povrće prilagodite svojem ukusu. Ja sam na placu kupila i lijepu mladu korabicu, ali kad sam došla doma, netragom mi je nestala iz torbe. Nisam htjela da me to zaustavi, pa sam jednostavno upotrijebila ono što sam imala. Jako sam sretna sa rezultatom koji je već isproban u omletima i par jela koje sam skuhala u međuvremenu. Svemu daje suptilnu povrtnu notu koja je divna.

SASTOJCI:

(za oko 5 šalica / 3,55 kn po šalici / 17,75 kn za sve)

4 manja poriluka (3,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (0,50 kn)

3 velike žute mrkve (3,00 kn)

4 manje obične mrkve (2,00 kn)

2 velika peršina, korijen i list (4,00 kn)

½ glavice celera (3,00 kn)

2 čili papričice (1,00 kn)

1/3 šalice soli (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i grubo nasijecite svo povrće, pa pomiješajte sa solju. Sve sameljite u multipraktiku, po potrebi u više tura. Čuvajte u hermetički zatvorenim posudama u zamrzivaču. Radi velikog udjela soli, vegeta vam se neće smrznuti u blok i moći ćete bez problema žlicom odgrabiti koliko vam je potrebno. Koristite za juhe, umake, variva i sve ostalo što vam padne na pamet. Samo se sjetite da je jako slana, pa budite oprezni ako dodajete još soli.

Homemade Vegetable Bouillon / Domaća Vegeta

Homemade Clumpy Granola / Domaća grudasta granola

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , Leave a comment

This granola recipe is just the thing when you need to have breakfast situations solved. You can make a huge batch to store in the fridge, as it keeps for weeks. It’s delicious served over milk and yoghurt, and even on its own, as a snack.

IMGP3412

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 generous servings / 0.42 EUR per serving / 3.37 EUR for whole)

500 g rolled oats (0.67 EUR)

3-4 apples, grated with rinds (0.40 EUR)

1 cup golden raisins (0.67 EUR)

1/3 cup almonds, whole or cut or smashed into rough chunks (0.67 EUR)

1/3 cup butter (0.40 EUR)

4 tbsp honey (0.53 EUR)

1 tsp cinnamon (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.02 EUR)

IMGP3411

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together oats, apples, raisins and almonds or almond chunks. The easiest way for me to get almond chunks is to put almonds in a freezer bag and bash the crap out of them with a rolling pin. In a small saucepan melt butter and honey. Remove from heat, add cinnamon and vanilla, pour over oats mixture and stir everything until fully incorporated. Spread the mixture on a prepared baking tray, leaving it clumpy and not pressing it into the pan as you want it to be quite loose. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring well halfway through.

Leave granola to cool completely on a baking tray before storing in an airtight container.

IMGP3413

Ovaj recept za granolu je prava stvar kada trebate imati super rješenje za doručak. Možete napraviti veliku porciju i čuvati ju u frižideru i do nekoliko tjedana. Jako je fina sa mlijekom ili jogurtom, ili ju možete grickati samu bez ičega.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 izdašnih porcija / 3,16 kn po porciji / 28,27 kn za sve)

500 g zobenih pahuljica (5,00 kn)

3-4 jabuke, naribane skupa s korom (3,00 kn)

1 šalica zlatnih grožđica (5,00 kn)

1/3 šalice badema, cijelih, nagrubo narezanih ili izmrvljenih (5,00 kn)

1/3 šalice maslaca (3,00 kn)

4 žlice meda (4,00 kn)

1 žličica cimeta (0,07 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta vanilije (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pečnicu na 180°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. U velikoj zdjeli izmiješajte zobene pahuljice, naribane jabuke, grožđice i cijele bademe ili komadiće badema. Meni je najlakše usitniti bademe tako da ih stavim u vrećicu za smrzavanje i onda raspalim po njima valjkom za tijesto. U lončiću rastopite maslac i med. Maknite sa vatre i umiješajte cimet i vaniliju, pa prelijte preko smjese sa zobenim pahuljicama i izmiješajte dok ne bude jednolično. Raširite smjesu po protvanu, i to tako da ostane grudasta i nemojte ju utiskivati u protvan. Pecite 30 minuta, a na pola pečenja jednom dobro promiješajte.

Ostavite granolu da se skroz ohladi na protvanu prije nego ju spremite u hermetički zatvorenu posudu.

Homemade Clumpy Granola / Domaća grudasta granola

Roasted Tomato Salsa / Šalša od pečenih rajčica

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , 2 Comments

This might be the last chance to make a batch of tomato salsa for the season. Autumn is kicking in, summer is waning and tomatoes are only lingering here and there. Here’s my take on a classic salsa recipe.

IMGP3136

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 10 generous portions / 0.42 EUR per portion / 4.26 EUR for all)

2 kg tomatoes (2.66 EUR)

2-3 chili peppers, depending on how spicy you like your salsa (0.4 EUR)

2 whole garlic bulbs (0.4 EUR)

2 large onions (0.4 EUR)

3 tbsp olive oil (0.13 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Handful of parsley, chopped (0.26 EUR)

Black pepper and more salt to taste

IMGP3130

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 220°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Wash and half tomatoes and chili peppers, discard chili pepper seeds for milder salsa and arrange skins down in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Cut whole garlic cloves with peel intact in half and clean and quarter one onion to arrange between tomatoes and chilies. Drizzle olive oil on top, sprinkle salt, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until tomatoes are wrinkled and slightly charred.

IMGP3131

Let everything cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic out of peels, clean and dice the remaining onion and parsley and blitz with tomatoes and all together in a blender to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Use over pasta, or freeze for later and add to soups, stews and even as a pizza base.

IMGP3132

Čini se da je sada zadnja prilika ove sezone za napraviti šalšu. Jesen je u zamahu, ljeto blijedi, a rajčice su još zaostale tu i tamo. Evo moja verzija klasične šalše.

SASTOJCI

(Za oko 10 izdašnih porcija / 3,10 kn po porciji / 31,01 za sve)

2 kg rajčica (20,00 kn)

2-3 čili papričice, ovisno koliko ljutu šalšu volite (3,00 kn)

2 cijele glavice češnjaka (3,00 kn)

2 velika luka (3,00 kn)

3 žlice maslinovog ulja (1,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Svežanj peršina, grubo narezanog (1,00 kn)

Crni papar i ekstra sol po ukusu

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. Obložite lim za pečenje masnim papirom. Operite i razrežite rajčice i čilije na polovice, a za blažu salsu bacite sjemenke čilija, pa rasporedite u jednom sloju na pripremljeni lim tako da su kože rajčica i čilija okrenute na dolje. Razrežite glavice češnjaka sa cijelom ljuskom na pola, očistite i raščetvorite jedan luk, pa rasporedite među rajčicama i čilijima. Pokapajte maslinovim uljem, posolite i pecite 30-40 minuta, dok rajčice ne povenu i ne počne se loviti crna korica.

Pustite da se sve malo ohladi, istisnite češnjak iz ljuski, očistite i narežite preostali luk i peršin, pa skupa sa rajčicama i svime ubacite u blender i sameljite na željenu gustoću. Po ukusu prilagodite začine. Jedite sa tjesteninom, ili zamrznite za kasnije pa dodajte u juhe, gulaše, variva ili koristite kao sos za pizzu.

Roasted Tomato Salsa / Šalša od pečenih rajčica