mi6caferecipes

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Kerim Bay’s 30 min dinner rolls

Kerim Bay prides himself on his hospitality. He also has a lot of family. Sometimes that family shows up unexpectedly for dinner and he needs to make a good impression. These are some easy rolls he can whip up in between directing his sons to help the guest get settled.

1 cup warm tap water ⅓ cup oil ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons yeast 1 egg beaten 1 tablespoon softened butter ½ teaspoon salt 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour (I assume 3, then sprinkle in more while kneading) Garlic salt, to sprinkle

1) In a large bowl, combine 1 cup water, oil, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until yeast is bubbly (about 8 minutes).

2) Stir in beaten egg, softened butter, and salt.

3) With a stand mixer or by hand, add flour, one cup at a time until you have a soft dough that isn’t sticky. Knead by hand 10 minutes or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.

4) Grease a 9x13 pan. Pinch off bits of dough and roll into ~1 inch balls. Place into pan, cover with kitchen towel.

5) Let rise 10 minutes in a warm place. (You can allow them to rise up to an additional 30 minutes if time allows).

6) Right before you pop it in the oven, sprinkle with garlic salt.

7) Bake on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes at 400F or just until browned.

You can also make this in a smaller pan, but you may need to bake longer because you will have a second layer

Also tastes great with fresh parsley mixed into the dough.

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We have created a pdf, ready to print and put with your other recipe books! Or just save on your computer to reference whenever you need food inspiration.

These recipes are from April 2017 to March 2018.

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Have a Moneypenny favourite Sundae!

Recipe under the cut...

When Eve works on Saturday, she has the opportunity to get Monday off, and this Monday the weather was just exquisite, so she took it.

After a light lunch, she was hungry at teatime, and decided to make her favourite Sundae.

She went and bought Macadamia Nut brittle ice cream, and cream to make Chantilly at her local supermarket and had, before that, verifies that all the other ingredients were still available in her pantry.

Pecan Nuts? Sugar? Oats? Cocoa? Check!

After that, it was just a matter of roasting the oats for the nuttiness, make pecan candy in the same pan, use her siphon to make Chantilly crem and drop a spoon of bitter cocoa powder on top.

It was exactly like her: it looked like sugary deliciousness, and there was a lot of that in her, but it wasn't pure vanilla. The textures of the nuts inside and on top provided an interesting counterpoint to the smooth ice cream. The frothy top was providing a contrast with the rest.

She loves it!

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Tracy's (Nonna's) Miraculous Rocket-Walnut Pesto

The first time Tracy cooked for Eve started out lovely, then it turned into a disaster, which she had somehow managed to turn around. She is still not sure how to this day. Yes, she still thinks about it to this day, sometimes she has nightmares of having green all over her hands and countertop and being unable to wash it away, AND EVE IS GOING TO BE HOME IN AN HOUR WHAT SHOULD SHE DO?!

Tracy had found the recipe for the pesto on the internet and thought it sounded straightforward enough. Grab a few ingredients, throw them into the food processor and then blitz them up. Facile, as pappa would say.

Only somehow, it wasn’t facile at all. The first hurdle came when she had to fit everything into the food processor. The problem was: it didn’t. She had too many leaves! She’d packed the rocket leaves into the cup as tight as she could (naturally! she wanted the pesto to be good!) and now there were too many of them and she could hardly close the lid!

She felt victorious for a moment when she’d finally accomplished it. But only for a moment! Because then came the “pulsing”. And Tracy pulsed and she pulsed, she held her thumb on the button and let the tiny engine roar in anger, and nothing happened.

In the end, she ended up opening the thing up and then poking at the leaves with a spatula and even trying to mix them with the spatula and dislodging the blade… It was a disaster. And all had seemed lost even as the pesto started to slowly come together because it tasted so bad.

Eve had come home to find her in tears with green smudges on her face and bits of green walnuts behind her fingernails and reeking of garlic. Somehow, she hadn’t turned around and left her then and there.

Now they have a bigger food processor and Tracy makes the pesto every year. It’s her signature dish and pappa likes it so much he’s convinced himself that it’s a family recipe passed down from her nonna.

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Q-Branch's Saturday night dish

aka. tofu & veggie noodles, because they make everything better, even nightshifts. (recipe under the cut)

Ingredients are (as the name suggests) highly variable and partially not even strictly necessary but if you want a simple simple dish you can always eat microwave lasagna, so:

noodles (instant ramen? rice noodles? leftover spaghetti? anything goes)

veggies (I used aubergine, zucchini and pea pods because thats what I had on hand. usually at the very bottom of a fridge there are at least some carrots, even in q-branch)

tofu (self explanatory. also not technically required but. ya know. just do it. q-branch typically has some on hand because it keeps for forever)

furthermore:

soysauce

sesame oil (no, its not necessary. its only a teaspoon. I'm not saying you need to add it but you absolutely need to add it)

cooking oil or butter

chili (powder? chopped and dried? fresh? or *gasp* none at all? doesn't matter. of you're cooking for the rest of the team you might want to leave that to personal preference but ya know.((if you want to join team villains, just dumb a whole bunch and dont tell anyone))

lemon juice (again not necessary but you should still absolutely put it, trust me)

garlic

onions

cream/ coconut milk (as per preference. you can always leave it out completely but it helps if you prefer milder dishes)

peanuts (just. peanuts. they can be salted or plain or leftover from some trail mix. again: check with the rest of the shift if anyone is allergic. putting peanuts in food for someone with a nut allergy won't even land you in team villains, even we aren't that bad)

sugar (or honey, if your boss happens to be the extravagant kind and keeps honey for tea around)

water (you always need water. if not for the dish because your noodles are already cooked and your veggies dont need to be steamed, you could always drink some. also take your meds.)

Then you need some kitchen appliances:

a pan, coated of possible because yes

a cutting board for this veggies you are adding because scurvy is not something someone from the 21st century should die from. also for the tofu.

a knife (NOOO) or two knives. or three if youre feeling fancy. the more the merrier and so on

a pot or kettle if you need to cook your noodles and depending on which noodles you're using.

maybe a measuring spoon, but you know. the rules were made to be broken.

NOW. COOKING *cries in teenager*

(these steps read like a choose your own adventure novel except there are no numbers because no. just follow the instructions)

#1 NOODLES:

-> if you have leftover spaghetti: good for you. onto the veggies.

-> if you are using instant ramen: prepare them like usual, except you don't add the seasoning and chilipowder and plant oil and whatever else, to make the worlds most disappointing bowl of ramen.

-> if you are using any kind of asian noodles: usually you can cook them pretty easily by playing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water on top. just let them steep and you're fine. (if they need to cooked, as in "in a pot" cooked (like spaghetti) , do that instead. if you have a choice between spaghetti and any kind of ramen, choose the ramen though)

#2 VEGGIES:

(just. pick whichever veggies youre using, again: these can grow cold so you could use left overs. just. consider what spices are already on them)

-> carrots: cut into thin slices (like wheels but more angled for fanciness points), roast in cooking oil with a pinch of sugar

-> zucchini: cut into 3 mm or 1/8 inch wheels, place in a bowl, cover with boiling water and a pinch of salt, till you like the consistency (usually 7-10 minutes), then drain

-> aubergine: steam with water and a pinch of salt until done, add more water as necessary, place aside when done

-> peapods: roast with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt, place aside when done

-> broccoli or cauliflower: split the little tree thingies into quarters along the vertical axis, roast with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt, place aside when done

-> peas or corn: if they're fresh, add them to a pan with a spoon full of water and roast in a bit of oil and a pinch of slat and sugar when they're almost done

-> any canned veggies (peas, corn, bamboo sprout slices etc): drain and put aside, canned veggies are all cooked in the canning proccess

!!! IT DOESN'T MATTER OF YOU NOODLES/ VEGGIES COOL DOWN OR GO COLD ENTIRELY, SO JUST MAKE THEM WHENEVER YOU HAVE TIME!!!

#3 TOFU

-> cut your block of tofu into cubes (circa one inch or 1.3 cm), place the cubes on a paper towel to get rid of excess water. in a pan heat a tablespoon of oil, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt and some chili flakes. add the tofu when the oil is hot and fry till golden brown.

!!! IT DOESN'T MATTER OF YOU NOODLES/ VEGGIES COOL DOWN OR GO COLD ENTIRELY, SO JUST MAKE THEM WHENEVER YOU HAVE TIME!!!

to finish off:

slice up some onions and roast in a bit of oil and a pinch of sugar and salt.

add crushed and diced garlic

add crushed or diced peanuts

add all your veggies and stir

add your noodles and stir

add any amount of soy sauce depending on the amount of food you're making. keep in mind the amount of salt you added to the individual veggies. (safe amounts are anything form one to four table spoons of soy sauce)

add one teaspoon of sugar

stir.

when you think you're done, keep stirring for another ten seconds.

taste: does it need more salt? sugar? soy sauce? this recipe is too vague on everything else for me to give precise measurements for the sauce, so taste test!!!

if you added too much salt, added too much chili or like coconut milk: add coconut milk

stir again

place in a bowl

sprinkle as much chili as you like on top

add (depending on your portion size and preference) half to a full teaspoon of sesame oil by drizzling it on top

stir and enjoy

use your newfound energy to take over the British government from the inside. join team villains :)

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Grilled Langoustines

Q and Eve love eating together.  Homemade, takeaway, dine out, it doesn’t matter.  Food and wine are their love languages for one another, even if that love is purely platonic.  From practically the moment Eve confessed in the lift to Q about having killed (or so she thought) 007, food has been the way they connect and share with one another.  He’d taken her out for sushi that night, and somewhere between the Dragon rolls, the Spicy Tuna rolls, and more sake than either of them care to remember – if they could remember, it was a lot of sake, after all – they’d realised they were soul besties.  

One of their favourite places to eat is Bocca Di Lupo, a small Italian restaurant in Soho.  The food is off the charts amazing, but particularly the Langoustine with Garlic, Chilli, and Coriander.  The langoustines come out so tender and flavourful, and the sauce is perfect for sopping up with chunks of rustic bread.  

Bocca Di Lupo is also close to Q’s favourite lingerie shop, Masqueline, and with James coming home from a long assignment in a few days, perhaps it’s time he and Evie go shopping for some new sexy togs in silk and lace and have some lunch afterward. See the recipe under the cut … and click on the link above to read the story in which this recipe appears!

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Q Bakes

Q enjoys baking in general, it’s edible chemistry. It’s also Q’s favorite stress buster - it’s productive and he can choose more or less difficult recipes as his mood dictates. The more stressed he is, the more difficult the recipes become. The greater difficulty forces him to focus on the recipe, instead of whatever’s causing him stress. He’ll also take simple recipes and make them more difficult by adding elaborate decorations and finishes to them. Pies are one of his favorites to give this treatment to and his favorite pie is blueberry (blueberry earl grey, that is).

Q’s Blueberry Earl Grey Pie

Ingredients

Dough

20 TBSP unsalted butter (2.5 sticks), chilled, divided

12.5 OZ/355 G all-purpose/plain flour, divided

2 TBSP granulated/caster sugar

1 TSP table salt

4 OZ/118 mL ice wate, divided

2.5 TBSP lemon zest, finely grated (optional)

Filling

30 OZ/850.5 G blueberries, divided

5.25 OZ/149 G granulated/caster sugar

2 TBSP instant tapioca, ground

2 TSP Earl Grey tea leaves, ground

⅛ TSP grated orange zest

Pinch of table salt

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & shredded

2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into .25 inch/.6 cm pieces

Glaze

2 TBSP milk

1 TSP Earl Grey tea leaves, ground

4 OZ/113 G confectioners’ sugar

Other

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 TBSP water

Directions

For the pie dough

Grate 4 TBSP butter on the large holes of a box grater and place in the freezer. Cut remaining 16 TBSP butter into .5 inch/1.27 cm cubes.

Pulse 7.5 OZ/213 G flour, sugar, and salt (and lemon zest, if using) in a food processor until combined, 2 pulses. Add cubed butter and process until homogeneous paste forms, 40 to 50 seconds. Using your hands, carefully break paste into 2 inch/5 cm chunks and redistribute evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining 5 OZ/142 G flour and pulse until mixture is broken into pieces no larger than 1 inch/2.54 cm (most pieces will be smaller), 4-5 pulses. Transfer mixture to bowl. Add grated butter and toss until butter pieces are separated and coated with flour.

Sprinkle 2 OZ/59 mL of water over the mixture. Toss with rubber spatula until mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle remaining 2 OZ/59 mL of water over mixture and toss to combine. Press dough with spatula until dough sticks together. Using spatula, divide dough into 2 equal portions. Transfer each portion to a sheet of plastic wrap. Working with 1 portion at a time, draw edges of plastic over dough and press firmly on sides and top to form compact, fissure-free mass. Wrap in plastic and form into a 5 inch/12.7 cm disc. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. (Wrapped dough can be frozen for up to 1 month. If using frozen dough, let it thaw completely on the counter before rolling.)

To shape dough (this style produces a braided top, a lattice is acceptable)

Roll 1 disk of dough into a 12 inch/30.5 cm circle on a floured countertop. Loosely roll dough around a rolling pin and gently unroll it into a 9 inch/23 cm pie plate, letting excess dough hang over the edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting the edge of dough with your hand while pressing into the plate bottom with your other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs the plate in place. Wrap dough-lined plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Roll out the other disc into a 13x10 in/33x25.5 cm rectangle on a floured countertop. Cut the rectangle into eighteen 13 inch/33 cm long by .5 inch/1.3 cm wide strips. Chill for 30 minutes.

Working with 3 strips at a time (refrigerate unworked strips), arrange side by side on counter, perpendicular to counter edge, then firmly pinch tops of strips together to seal.

Lift and place the right dough strip over the center dough strip as close to top as possible. Lift and place the left dough strip over the center dough strip as close to top as possible. Repeat braiding dough strips until you reach the bottom of the braid.

Firmly pinch ends of strips together to secure braid. Chill while braiding the remaining strips. You should have a total of 6 strips.

Refrigerate the strips while you make the filling.

For the filling

Place 15 OZ/425 G blueberries in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using potato masher, mash blueberries several times to release juice. Continue to cook, stirring often and mashing occasionally, until about half of the blueberries have broken down and mixture is thicken and reduced to 7.5 OZ/213 G, about 8 minutes; let cool slightly. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400°F/204°C.

Whisk sugar, tapioca, tea, orange zest, and salt together in a large bowl. Place shredded apple in a clean dish towel and wring dry. Stir apple, remaining blueberries, and cooked blueberries into the sugar mixture. Spread mixture into the dough-lined plate and scatter butter over top.

Arrange chilled braids evenly over the top of the filling, then trim overhang to .5 inch/1.3 cm beyond the lip of the plate.

Pinch braids and bottom crust together firmly to seal. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with the edge of the plate. Crimp dough evenly around the edge of the plate. Brush the surface with egg wash.

Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the crust is light golden, 20-25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F/177°C, rotate sheet, and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown. 30-50 minutes more. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 4 hours.

For the glaze

Once the pie is cooled, combine milk and tea leaves in a bowl. Microwave until steaming, about 30 seconds. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Whisk sugar into milk mixture until smooth, let sit until thick but pourable, about 10 minutes. Drizzle glaze attractively over the top of the pie. Let glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.

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Headcanon: M Likes Almost All Cheeses

For Food prompt table’s prompt ‘gorgonzola’.

M likes cheese as much as the next person, but there’s one kind that he just can’t stomach.

That cheese is gorgonzola.

In general, he likes blue cheese just fine. Sure, brie is his go-to cheese when he’s having a craving, but blue cheese pairs wonderfully with crackers and his favourite sweet red wine.

The thing is, there was an… incident, involving a big, heavy wheel of gorgonzola. M’d tell you more about it, but then he’d have to kill you. And he so loathes unnecessary waste of resources.

So M never buys gorgonzola, and goes out of his way to avoid any food items containing it in the events where he encounters them. And if anyone dares to comment on that, he looks them dead in the eye and tells them that it’s classified.

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Calligram: The Vesper Martini

The Vesper Martini

Three measures of grief

One measure of betrayal

Half a measure of bliss

Shake well until it is as cold as a corpse

Pour into a glass chilled with regret

For 007 Fest 2021: Poetry Prompt Table - Calligram and Food Prompt Table - Vesper Martini

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M’s Hearty Coconut Pancakes

When you are in a relationship with Tanner and Q, two of the hardest-working people in MI6, you quickly figure out that sustaining foodstuffs need to be worked into the menu as often as possible. These thick coconut pancakes can be a nice, syrup-covered luxury on rare days off, but more often Tanner grabs one plain and wolfs it down on his way out the door, and Q eats his a bite at a time while staring at his computer screen. 

Barring an international disaster, M refuses to rush his morning routine, and he has his pancake with orange marmalade on top and grapefruit juice on the side for a proper tropical experience. 

Directions: 

Combine four egg whites, a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract, a cup of sugar (less or more to taste), and a pinch of salt. 

Whisk wet ingredients over a double boiler (or in a waterproof bowl set above a pot of simmering water) until the sugar is smoothly incorporated. 

Add six ounces shredded coconut, a cup of flour (more or less depending on your desired texture), and two teaspoons baking powder to your wet ingredients. Stir to combine. 

Set a pan over medium heat. Drop a dollop of the batter into the pan; once the pancake is bubbly on top and the bottom is golden brown and firm, flip and cook for two more minutes. 

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Scavenger Hunt Item #39

I followed @lapsang-and-earlgrey​ ‘s Earl Grey Lemon Drizzle Cake! Find their recipe here: https://lapsang-and-earlgrey.tumblr.com/post/186582733973/ingredients-makes-a-2lb-loaf-for-the-cake-zest-of 

Ready for the oven!

Post oven

Drizzled!

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M’s Top Secret Black Forest Cake Recipe

M has a sweet tooth and he’s not ashamed to admit it. Really, he’s not.

After all, someone who works in such a crucial and responsible position needs a lot of sugar and cream and chocolate in their system to deal with all of it. The last thing M can afford is to have his nerve endings all raw and uninsulated with dessert the next time Bond goes and tries to blow up the Vatican.

Therefore, he’s always prepared. His office safe is after all capable of holding both secret documents that do not bear encryption AND several packets of Viennese Fingers.

However, like any other self-respecting dessertphile, he doesn’t rely on shop-bought creations to satisfy his sugar cravings. Over the years, he’s added quite a few recipes to his repertoir, including (but not limited to) five cakes, eight desserts and thirteen types of patisseries that he can whip up from memory at a moment’s notice.

Another thing that M’s discovered over the years is that quite a large number of people will enthusiastically proposition him if he offhandedly mentions that his weekend plans include baking a cake, and no, it’s not a special occasion, he just feels like it. He has it on good authority that the sight of him in his apron, with a whisk in his hand and rolled-up sleeves is a very dangerous and potent aphrodisiac. (Yes, he had briefly considered it to be mere flattery but what followed the statement convinced him of its truth.) Therefore, while M is very much not ashamed of his sweet tooth or passion for baking, he’s learnt to be careful to whom he discloses this information. This is his secret recipe for a black forest cake that got him the shagging of his life.

The Recipe

Warning: Exercise caution when discussing, creating and consuming this dangerous and potent aphrodisiac. If your or your partner’s arousal lasts longer than 4 hours, get medical help right away.

The cake

270g cake flour

50g Dutch cocoa

1.5tsp baking powder

1.5tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

300g caster sugar

75g butter (melted and cooled)

2 eggs

300g buttermilk

110ml hot water

Prepare a 23 or 25 cm cake tin by cutting a circle out of baking paper and placing it at the bottom. Leave the sides ungreased and undusted.

Set the oven to preheat to 180°C (160°C fan).

Offer your companion a glass of iced water with lemon juice and mint leaves to help cool them down.

Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and butter.

Add your dry ingredients by thirds, trickling in your hot water as you go.

You mustn’t overwork the batter, otherwise it would be tough and chewy. Explain this to your companion and prepare to catch them as they sway into your arms.

Pour your batter into your cake tin and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Check the readiness of your cake with a skewer and well away from your partner. There is a danger of them overheating from the combination of their arousal and hot oven air.

Once done, let the cake cool in the tin completely before carefully running a butterknife around it to help it release from the tin.

Cherry Sauce

350g Cherry compote

10g cornstarch

1tbsp lemon juice

Drain the cherry juice into a saucepan, set the cherries aside.

Stop your partner from stealing too many of them.

Mix the starch powder in a few teaspoons of the liquid, then add to the saucepan and heat until it comes to a boil. Let slowly thicken.

Let cool, then add the lemon juice.

If it’s easier to get fresh cherries instead of the compot:

Mix your destoned cherries with some sugar, add a splash of water and the lemon juice and boil until they soften.

Then drain and follow the sauce recipe above.

If you must, now may be a good time to show your skills with tying the cherry stem with your tongue. But please, first make sure neither you nor your partner are near liquids containing hot sugar.

Cream

750g mascarpone

300g cream

100g white chocolate

Whisk the mascarpone and cream together into soft peaks.

Carefully melt the white chocolate and slowly add it to your cream while whisking.

Insist on the necessity of keeping all the cream for the cake and out of the bedroom. Be very firm if you must, this is crucial.

Assembly

Kirsch (or other cherry liquor)

70+% Dark chocolate for decoration

Depending on how tall your cake is, cut it into halves or into thirds (this will depend on the diameter of your cake tin and luck)

Sprinkle your alcohol on your cut cakes, then soak generously in the cherry sauce.

Add some cream, layer your cherries, add some more cream. Repeat until you run out of cake layers.

Cover the whole cake in more cream.

Let rest in the fridge overnight.

Decorate however you wish. You might want to make shaving of your dark chocolate, and cover some fresh cherries in tempered chocolate, and perhaps make a ganache.

Serve with the leftover cherry sauce.

Above all, throughout the process, be careful not to excite your partner too much. Do not insert any kitchen utensils anywhere, but if you do, don’t be afraid to call the emergency services. They’ve seen worse.

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Q makes OMURICE for Bond

Bond: I’m not eating KETCHUP chicken rice!

Q: Well, that’s too bad, as it’s got a lovely, fluffy egg omelette on top!

Bond: Count me in!!

P.S. Q is wearing an iconic Japanese apron called Maekake, it’s rumored he’ll be appearing in one in NTTD, so I hope you guys like this one. The lucky cat is for good luck in business. ^_~

His omurice recipe is under the cut. Enjoy!

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Felix’s Savory Cornbread Flapjacks

Felix has his own special morning-after brunch recipe, and it includes bacon, green onions, sharp cheddar cheese, and some good old southern corn meal. These cornbread flapjacks will fill you up and keep you going for whatever kind of exertions you may end up participating in once the meal concludes. They can be served with butter or gravy on top and/or eggs and home fries on the side, depending on how hungry you are. 

Moneypenny is an exception to Felix’s usual formula. She crashes at his place for the night after the conclusion of a stressful American mission, Felix makes his special flapjacks the next morning, and only after that delicious brunch do they make it into the bedroom together. 

Felix likes to brag that these flapjacks snared him the queen of MI6. Moneypenny likes to kiss him quiet and remind him that she’s not the one occupying the head office…yet, at least. And isn’t he glad? Because if she were, then she might not have time to do things like this. 

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Soup's MI6's Top Secret Grape Cake

For @mi6-cafe and @mi6caferecipes Jam June :)

Now folks, there's a story out there you may all not be aware of. As we all know, spies like James Bond deal in secrets like it's currency. He's been in more back alleys and underhanded dealings than than the human brain can imagine, but his greatest, most confusing secret of all was found in the hands of a strange woman in an undisclosed location. So powerful was the paper she gave him that MI6 kept it locked up for years, until now.

It was, of course, the elusive grape cake recipe (recipe linked)

Just Look At This Bad Boy

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for pan

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

2 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of sea salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Grated zest of 1 orange

10 ounces small fresh purple grapes

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.

Step 2 In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, the olive oil, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix until blended.

Step 3 Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add lemon and orange zests, and toss to coat the zest with flour. Spoon zest mixture into batter, and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix once more. Set aside for 10 minutes, to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.

Step 4 Stir about 3/4 of the grapes into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan, and smooth out the top with a spatula.

Step 5 Place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle top of the cake with remaining grapes. Bake until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 40 minutes more, for a total baking time of 55 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. After 10 minutes, run a knife along the sides of the pan. Release, and remove the side of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the pan base. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Serve at room temperature, cut into thin wedges.

---------

Now, this recipe was so powerful that not even this mysterious woman, oh let's just call her Soup, had ever dared make it in her kitchen. Now that this recipe is out of the hands of MI6, however, maybe you can be the one to taste its true power. Feel free to tag me if you make it :)

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Prolly Q wanting that specific flavor of froyo… (my mood)  You can opt out the sugar by half if you don’t like sweet!!

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If Tanner were a breakfast cereal mix

For Tanner Tuesday, I’ve created a sweet ultra-fiber mix made with Raisin Bran Crunch, Cheerios, and chocolate chips. 

The bran flakes emphasize Tanner’s reliability, while the crunchy granola pieces show that he’s got grit and determination as well! The Cheerios, made with delicious oat flour, highlight Tanner’s moral fiber. You may also notice that some of the Cheerios pieces are heart-shaped, showing Tanner’s role as someone who people can go to for information and support. The heart shape also underscores Tanner’s importance to Six’s operations. M may be the brain giving the orders, but Tanner is a central part of the circulatory system that makes sure that information flows smoothly to and from his desk.  

Finally, you may note the inclusion of raisins as well as chocolate chips. This is because Tanner secretly has a mischievous sense of humor and enjoys surprising people, and it also shows Tanner’s multi-dimensionality as a character. Is it a buttoned-up suit day? A leather jacket day? Tanner is capable of both. Raisin or chocolate, he’ll be what you need (but maybe not what you want) when you need it.