Asparagus, sundried tomato and olive loaf

This picture is going for Click hosted by Jugalbandi

My husband surprised me a few years ago and as I continue to enjoy it.  I often use the recipes in the "in season" section of the magazine.  This month, asparagus is in season and I happen to be a big fan.  

I love it as thoran/side dish, and in salads or just grilled and garnished with olive oil. Asparagus in bread seemed like a fantastic idea.  So I had to try this recipe as soon as I read it.  

The sundried tomatoes give a lovely tangy, chewy texture to the bread.  Although the recipe called to use Gruyere or Beaufort cheese, I didn't use it, just to cut down the calorie in take. The bread came out really well, and before I knew it, only the crumbs were left.  I did feel that the bread would have been even better with the cheese.  But then my waistline would have to pay the price. :-)

This is lovely with a hot cup of tea/coffee.  Enjoy!  

This recipe is also going to Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes for AFAM - Olives

Ingredients:

• 100ml Olive oil, plus extra for greasing
  
• 250g Asparagus(woody ends removed), each cut into 3 pieces
  
• 200g Self raising flour
  
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
  
• 100 ml milk
  
• handful of black pitted olives
  
• 100g sundried tomatoes roughly chopped
  
• 100g Gruyere or Beaufort, grated
  

Method: 

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5/350F. Oil a loaf tin. Cook the asparagus in salted water for 2 minutes, drain then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dry. 

In a large bowl, mix the flour and thyme with the seasoning. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, milk and oil stirring all the time to draw the flour into the center. Beat for a minute or so to make a smooth batter. 

Reserve few asparagus tips and few olives.  Add the remaining asparagus, tomatoes, olives and two thirds of the cheese to the batter. Pour into the tin, and put the reserved asparagus and olives on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake feels firm to touch and is golden and crusty on top.  Cool for 5 minutes and turn out on a wire rack.

Adapted from BBC GoodFood Magazine

Curried cheese bites

The above picture was my last months entry to Click.

So I was at the supermarket and while browsing through the aisle, this lady and I made eye contact, exchanged smiles and walked past each other.  I bumped into her again at another aisle, this time she starts a conversation.  

The Lady,"Are you Indian?"

Me, "Yes"

The next question believe it or not was...

The Lady," Do you speak English?"

Me, a polite, "Yes"

The Lady, "Do you make curry?"

Me, "I sure do"

The lady," I made this curry this one time and it was a disaster, I think I used too much curry powder."

Me, "Aaah, you see, we Indians don't really use curry powder to make curries.  Instead we use a combination of 'powders' when we make curries," and I went on to give her a lecture on how to make a curry.

The lady,"That is interesting, I never knew" and continued," My husband loves Indian food and that was my disastrous attempt to make a curry, but I made raita and that was pretty good."

Me, "That's a great start, good luck with another attempt of making a curry, and this time without the curry powder."

We exchanged thank yous and good byes and moved on.

So, why am I sharing this conversation?  When I was making these curried cheese bites the whole conversation with that lady came as a flash back and I had to share this.  Also, the other simple reason being that in this curried cheese bite the recipe calls for "CURRY POWDER"(the one I asked that lady not to buy). HA!

Yes, I must admit that I usually have some "CURRY POWDER" in my spice rack. No, no I don't make a curry with it - that's clearly wrong - right?  But I  do use it every so often to make western/continental savory thingys.

I have been thinking of making this recipe for a while now, for few reasons,

1. The ingredients do not include eggs (to which my son is allergic) 

2. Cheese, who doesn't like cheese?

3.Then the flavor of curry...mmmm had to try this one.

This recipe is good when you want to eat something savory with your evening tea or coffee.

Makes around 40

Ingredients:

• 100g butter softened
  
• 100g all purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp curry powder
  
• 100g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 100g grated mellow semi hard cheese
  

Method:

Lightly grease about 4 cookie sheet with a little butter or you could skip this step if using Silpat.

Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Stir in curry powder and both cheeses.  Rub in the softened butter with your fingertips, then bring the mixture together to a soft dough.

Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface.  Cut out 40 circles using a 2 inch cookie cutter and arrange on the cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven, 350F/180C for 10 -15 minutes until golden brown.

Let the curried cheese bites cool slightly on the cookie sheets then transfer them to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Perfect Baking

My apologies for posting this recipe so late.