FIVE MINUTE BREAKFAST
Alas, I didn’t get you all the 12 meals before Christmas – I was cooking, but ran out of time to actually post everything. Sisters were visiting from Canberra, Buche de Noel’s were to be eaten,
and nephews and nieces to be hugged. Santa had to organize himself, and I found my self at the end of a busy year, out of steam. You can see the Buche De Noel here, except, inspired by an article in the Dec issue of U.S Food and Wine, I made a Stump de Noel !! It was filled with fresh youngberries and blackberries from Bee Winfield (my favorite organic farmer from Nannup), and the buttercream was maple flavoured. It was good.
I’ve got lots of recipes for you, so I’ll just take them a couple of days at a time – this morning, I was inspired to make a Pupusa – I’m reading Barbara Kingsolvers’ new book ” The Lacuna” – I love her writing, and am loving the book. Thus immersed in Mexico, I realized I had some left over lentil, coconut cream and vegetable filling used to fill Pocket Pies, made with my friend Jill yesterday. A quick mix of some masa, and 5 minutes later, I had delicious breakfast – well, maybe 10 minutes, but really, it wasn’t hard. I made some extras, as they will be great for a snack later on. Masa (sometimes called Masa Harina, Maseca) is a special flour made from corn (maize) – this is what you use to make Tortillas’. You could simply use refried beans (black are delicious and even some left over ground meat chilli would be good. The sour cream provides some good bugs to aid digestion, and the lentil / masa combo provides complete protein. It’s a winner.
1 1/2 cups Masa
1 tablespoon olive oil, or lard
Add the masa to a bowl and pour in 1 cup and 2 tablespoons (3 American 15ml ones) of warm water. Mix madly with a wooden spoon until it begins to come together, and you can knead it a little. Cover and set aside to cool, though mine was ready fairly quickly this morning. It’s worth bearing in mind that different colour masa may absorb differing amounts of water. Generally, that equation above works for me.
Divide the dough into 8 portions, keeping them covered to avoid drying out. Form a ball in the palm of your hand with a portion, and use your other hand to form the shape of a small, but flattish bird nest. The diameter of the base should be about 8cm, with the sides of the ‘nest’ appro 1.5 – 2 cm deep.
Place a tablespoon or so filling on the bottom, then gently and slowly press the sides over the bean mix, moving it around as you go until it is entirely covered.
Place the puspusa on a peiced of baking paper and gently press out, until it reaches 6 – 8 cm.
Heat a frying pan to very hot (cast iron is brilliant for this) and cook the pupusa for 2 mins approx on both sides, or until it has brown spots. Don’t add any fat to the pan whatsoever.
I topped mine with more of the left over lentil mix, avocado, sour cream and sweet chili sauce. Yum is all I can say.
This Post Has 9 Comments
Hello Jude,
Happy New Year!! have been reading your column in Nova forever and own both your cookbooks, but only discovered your website today. Yayy! Looking forward to inspiration all through 2010
Thankyou!!
Denise
Hello – I just came across your blog from an old post on 101cookbooks, and had to comment… I made the very same ‘stump de noel’ from Food and Wine, though yours looks like a much less cloyingly sweet version. Then I had to chuckle because, I’m also currently reading The Lacuna. Your papusas look wonderful. That book is so engrossing – I keep having urges to watch Julie Taymor’s movie, ‘Frida’ for all that lush cinematography.
This is truly inspiring. Barbara Kingsolver will be presenting writers’ workshops at the San Miguel Writers Conference in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico February 19-23 2010. I just signed up. It looks like a rare opportunity to meet her. Are you going?
Hi Denise, thank you for those lovely words, look forward to sharing more with you over 2010.
Hi Chelsea,
Oh, I love that !!! I really did my own thing, making a maple syrup buttercream, and a genoisse sponge, layered with cream fraiche and blackberries. I used whole sugars (maple syrup) and a golden castor for the cake – yes, much lighter, and no where near as sweet. You are right – they are just a bit to cloying. A good word. You must watch Frida, it’s fab, and I’m going to watch it again when I’m finished the book.
Hi Brooke,
Unfortunately, I am in Perth West Australia, and alas no Barbara Kingsolver.!!
Hi Jude,
I love Barbara Kingsolver too (no small surprise that I’d share a love of authors with you!). Have you read “Prodigal Summer”? It makes me homesick…it’s set in my home in the Appalachians…a long way from Perth!
I had a sudden urge to revisit my Mexican cooking after reading “The Lacuna” as well. Some of the pastry is pretty tricky from memory though.
Carina
Hi Carina,
I LOVED Prodigal Summer and read it some years ago, but have been thinking it’s time for another read.
The puspusas look delicious!