Zucchini pancakes

After seeing this recipe on another food blog, I went out to buy zucchinis to try this recipe.  While mine ended up looking like fritters more like pancakes, it tasted great nonetheless especially with the dipping sauce.  I had this for dinner though I would expect it would also make for a great breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, late night snack .... it's a bonus that it doesn't need any eggs as I have a tendency to forget to buy them, or have used them up to bake.  

Zucchini pancakes
Adapted from Jessica's Dinner Party
Makes 8

Ingredients 

Zucchini pancakes

• 2 small green zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, plus more if needed

Dipping sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
  

Method

1. Thinly julienne the zucchini and place in a bowl.  Add the salt and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes.  
2. Do not drain the zucchini. Add flour to the bowl and mix well -- you should have a thick batter (slightly thicker than pancake batter).  If it isn't, either add more water or flour to get the right consistency.
3. Heat a frying pan on medium low and add just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan and allow it to cook for 3 minutes before flipping over (add more if your pan allows but don't overcrowd) -- don't move it at this stage as you want it to set its shape.  Flip the pancake/s over, and flatten slightly to about 5-6 cm in diameter.  Cook for a few more minutes until golden.  Repeat in batches.
   
4. Serve warm with the dipping sauce (mix the soy sauce and vinegar together).
   

Stir-fried spicy green beans

The first time that I remember having really good green beans was at a Malaysian restaurant where they cooked them with sambal and prawns.  That was also when I fell in love with a good plate of green beans.  I'm always sold by green beans with minced pork, green beans with char-siu, green beans with chicken or green beans by itself.  Cooked well, they are beautifully tender, crunchy and with that delicious vegetable sweetness.  For an unassuming slender green thing, it is pretty impressive.  I have tried replicating versions of this dish at home, and have never been able to get it right.  Having bought a bag of green beans on impulsive because it was on special and then, quite coincidentally, coming across this recipe, I decided to try again, and I think I have found the recipe.

Stir-fried spicy green beans 

Slightly adapted from Baking Addiction who slightly adapted hers from The Paupered Chef
Serves 2 as a side dish



Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli oil (or you could use chilli flakes)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 350 grams green beans, topped and halved lengthwise
  
• 2 spring onions, sliced however way you want
  
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
  

Method

1. Make sure everything is all prepared and ready to go before throwing things in the pan as it'll only take a few minutes to cook everything.
2. Combine the soy sauce, white vinegar, sugar and chilli oil or red pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix well
3. Place a non-stick pan or wok over high heat until it is nearly smoking.
4. Coat the bottom of the pan with the oil and add the green beans.  Cook until they are tender (about 4 minutes) stirring every 30 seconds or so.  They will get black dots all over them, and look like they're going to shrivel up and burn but be patient, they will cook and they won't burn.
5. Add the spring onions and toss everything around for a minute or two
6. Add the garlic and cook just until it becomes fragrant (few seconds)
   
7. Add the soy sauce mixture.  Cook for another half minute, tossing and stirring while doing so, turn off the heat, and serve.

Rosemary and Cheese Focaccia

I woke up much earlier than I had planned to on the weekend and couldn't fall back to sleep.  It was frustrating as the week had left me exhausted and the one thing I was looking forward to was a decent sleep in.  Having a couple of hours to kill until a somewhat decent breakfast hour, I decided to make bread.  Yes, bread.  I don't know how on earth that thought came about, but once my mind got going on what I type of bread I could make, I was getting excited!  I decided on a focaccia and hunted around for a recipe.  This one from Allrecipes.com seemed to be quite well received, and luckily, I had everything I needed.  I took it out of the oven just when the sun was creeping up for a crisp autumn day so it wasn't that bad that I couldn't sleep after all!

Rosemary and cheese focaccia

Makes 1 baking sized tray




Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 (7g) package instant yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water (45oC)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. In a large plastic or glass bowl (not metal), stir together the flours and salt.  Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.  Sprinkle the sugar and yeast into that well.  Carefully pour the water into the well.  Let stand until the yeast begins to act, about 5 minutes.
   
2. Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into the well.  With a wooden spoon stir the mixture in the centre of the bowl. Gradually widen the circle of stirring to take in all of the flour at the sides of the well.
3. Turn out on a floured surface, and knead just until smooth, adding the rosemary gradually while kneading.  Keep the dough soft.  Pour 1/2 teaspoon of the oil into a clean bowl.  Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to oil the top.  Cover.  Let rise until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Punch the dough down.  Use 1 teaspoon of the oil to coat a baking sheet, and place the dough on the baking sheet. Gently press the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over the top of the dough.
   
5. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to dimple the dough at 1 1/2 inch intervals. Sprinkle with the cheese (and more rosemary if desired).
   
6. Place in a cold oven on the center shelf.  Place a flat pan of hot water on the shelf below the bread.  Let rise until doubled, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Turn on the oven to 190oC.  Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned on top.  Remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm.