Cevenol kitchen

Kitchen Garden Recipes

2011-08-06T18:49:00.001+02:00

I have finally given up with blogger. It refused to let me log in to Cevenol Kitchen for the last time this week. I've been locked out of the site on and off for more than a year now - so frustrating - 4 new passwords and I still got blocked. So I moved all the recipes (nearly 300 of them) to a new blog Kitchen Garden Recipes on wordpress, which i find much easier to use, better with images and less problematic.

Here's the new site / blog with a new name too and lots of new recipes to come.

Do visit Kitchen Garden Recipes at url http://kitchengardenrecipes.wordpress.com and sign up.

I am trying to make it easier to find the recipes - I can't even find my own recipes on this blogger site so hopefully Kitchen Garden Recipes will be easier to use. It does have better search and categorization functions.

I'll leave Cevenol Kitchen up until the end of the month then I'll delete it so anyone wanting to update their blogroll or bookmarks gets a bit of notice.

Blogger seems to have some crazy ideas about security and location (made worse by having 2 gmail accounts and posting from France I think). It also has some very annoying defaulting habits that keep repeating and stop me putting new posts on my own blog.

By the way anyone else haveing issues with blogger and wants to move blog hosts. It took about 20 minutes to set up the new blog and less than 10 minutes to import all the recipes and comments from blogger to wordpress - result :-)

Beansprout Salad (Korean)

2011-07-18T11:59:00.000+02:00

In Korea this banchan or small dish would be served as one of a number of dishes along side rice. Last time I was in London I took my friends to a small Korean canteen in New Malden, home to a thriving Korean community, and this was one of the salads we ate as an appetizer. It is also one of the most common and popular salads and no wonder, it is so easy to make and delicious. I love it and have tried to recreate it here with as many variations as I have tasted over the years.

2 cups freshly sprouted mung bean

1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste
-
toasted sesame seeds
green onion (optional)
soy sauce (optional)
soft brown sugar (optional)
pepper flakes (optional)
fresh mild green chilli finely sliced (optional)
Chinese chives/ garlic chives (optional)

Blanch the beansprouts quickly in salted boiling water and rinse immediately in cold water. Gently squeeze out any water and put into a bowl. Add the seasoning ingredients and toss well to coat. The first 3 are a must while the next 7 can be added in any combination to vary the salad. Serve sprinkled with pepper flakes or roasted sesame seeds.

Variation with Chinese Chives

Note

In the summmer months mung beans take only 3 days from dry to lovely fresh spouted bean shoots and so easy just make sure everything is very clean and the beans are washed twice daily.

Variation

You can also add cucumber or carrot fenely sliced to the salad. I also sometimes serve it sprinkled with deep fried crispy anchovies.

Hot Cucumber Pickle (Thai)

2011-06-29T15:02:00.000+02:00

I love spicy side salads or relishes particularly in summer, they add just the right dash of freshness and heat to a meal on a hot day. Cucumber are one of the best and easiest ingredients to make quick pickles out of. This one pickles the cucumbers instantly in a Thai or East Asian style dressing and is great served with grilled foods such as barbecued chicken wings or simply with plain rice.

Serves 2 Preparation 4 minutes all in.

1/2 cucumber
1/4 - 1/2 tsp mild ground chilli peppers
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

Slice the cucumber into thin discs and toss with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or refridgerate until ready to serve. This pickled salad can be made ahead of time but is best eaten within 24 hours.

Green Olive Tapenade

2011-06-29T11:08:00.002+02:00

Green olive pate is the perfect Mediterranean summer food, it does not spoil, travels well and tastes divine when its hot making it a great picnic or lunch item. Salty and sour with capers and anchovies ground to a paste with garlic and lemon juice, delicious! Serve on bread or crackers as an aperitif or snack.
Makes enough to fill a 1 pint (1 quart) kilner Jar.

500g green olives, pitted
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp pickled capers
4 anchovy fillets (optional)
1/4 cup oilive oil
zest and juice of half a lemon

Simply pound or grind all the ingredients together adding more or less of each ingredient to your own taste and to get a good consistency. Ready to eat immediately and will keep in the fridge for about 18 months.
Variations i sometimes add corriander leaf for a change and do not always add anchovies particularly when cooking for friends who are vegetarian.

Giacomo’s Fried Courgette Salad

2011-06-24T13:53:00.000+02:00

Italian writer, Giacomo Castelvetro, set out to encourage the English to cook and appreciate vegetables in his book, A Brief Account of the Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables of Italy written in 1614. In it he describes all the produce of his beloved Italy as it comes into season and how best to prepare it. Almost 400 years on, his words are still an inspiration. For courgettes he recommends that young courgettes should be dipped in flour then fried in oil and served sprinkled with salt , pepper and agresto or verjus (the sour juice of unripe grapes) or lemon juice.
As we have an abundant and seemingly never ending crop of courgettes all through the summer and an overcrowded grape vine it seems churlish not to take his advice. The result is delicious and works equally well with lemon, or lime juice which is easier to come by than unripe grapes.

3-4 young courgettes
25g white flour
crushed sea salt and cracked black pepper
Verjuice or lemon juice

Slice the courgettes into thin rounds and drop into a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper then flour and toss to coat evenly. Shake off excess flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add a single layer of courgettes. Turn when the first side is browned and cook until the second side is brown. Drain on paper towels and continue in batches until all the courgettes are cooked. Arrange the courgettes in a serving bowl season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with verjuice or lemon and serve immediately.

Cook's TIP If the courgettes are too dry the flour won't stick to them. My dad used to make fried courgettes from the garden when i was a kid, by first dipping the slices in milk before flouring. This version has more of a light batter and is very delicious too.

Variation
Our grapes are not nearly big enough to make verjuice yet so i am using lemon juice which is a good alternative until the grapes are big enough. This year i'll freeze the verjuice in ice cube trays for winter use.

Onion & Mint Relish

2011-05-19T14:19:00.001+02:00

This raw salad type relish has bags of flavour and a lovely fresh zing to it. Sweet white onions are simply seasoned with salt, lemon and mint and the result is a delicious fresh side salad or relish to go with grilled foods, lentil or rice dishes.

1 large sweet white onion
1/2 tsp dried mint
pinch salt
juice of 1/2 lemon

Mince the onion finely. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Rub the dried mint between the palms to break it down to a fine powder and sprinkle over the onions. That is it done, stir and serve. The salad can be left for an hour or so before serving and is still good 24 hours later so it can be made in advance.

Note In this part of France we a re lucky that it is an area famous for its sweet onions including the Cevennes Doux. A sweet Spanish or salad onion would make a good substitute. In most cases I would choose fresh herbs rather than dried but for this relish dried really does work best.

Garden Tip If you grow mint it is best to cut it back once or twice during the year, particularly as the weather gets hotter, to encourage fresh new growth. I grow a lot of mint so the twice annual cut backs provide plenty of mint to dry.

Simple Tomato Chutney

2011-05-19T12:50:00.006+02:00

This is a simple tomato chutney or Tamatar Chatni made with fresh tomatoes and a light Indian spicing. The flavour is delicate, sweet with only a hint of heat. It goes wonderfully with all kinds of dishes.

3-4 large ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1-4 dried red chillis (to taste)
1 tsp cumin seed
3cm stick of cinamon
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Roughly chop the tomatoes discarding the cores. Heat the oil in a saucepan and when it is hot put in the chilli, cumin and cinamon and fry until the chillis start to turn brown. Add tomatoes sugar and salt and cook for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down and the chutney is fairly thick.

This chutney is ready to serve immediately, it is not a preserve but it does last for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Source The original recipe came from The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi.
Note the original recipe cooked the tomatoes in ghee but I prefer to use sunflower or vegetable oil and I also added more dried red chilli but that really is up to your taste buds it is also nice to add fresh green chillis thinly sliced green chillis for extra punch.

Soba and Broccoli Salad

2011-05-03T23:26:00.001+02:00

This healthy little salad makes a perfect spring lunch. A lovely combination of fresh green broccoli sprouts, buckwheat noodles and deeply satisfying oriental flavours.
Serves 2 Prep and cook time 10 minutes

2 servings of Soba or other oriental noodles
2 spring onions
1/2 tsp fine sugar
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin (optional)
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp sesame oil
chilli (ground or flacked) to taste (optional)
sesame seeds

In a large pan of water. Boil soba for 3 minutes then add the broccoli florets and boild for a further 3-4 minutes until both are just cooked. Meanwhile slice the spring onions and put into a wide serving bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Whe the noodles and broccoli are cooked drain and toss in the dressing mixture. Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Cooking Tip. It is important to slightly under cook both vegetables and noodles when making this salad to keep the ingredients fresh so they are at their best served cold.
Cooks Note soba are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat whole wheat spaghetti makes a great alternative. Mirin can be replaced by 1tsp voka mixed with 2 tsp water and 1/2 tsp sugar.
Variations add char grilled red pepper strips.

Tamarind Chutney

2011-03-20T01:05:00.001+01:00

If you have never tried tamarind chutney before give it a go; it is a quick with no cooking involved and absolutely delicious. If you can get your hands on fresh Tamarind pods by all means use those otherwise tamarind can be bought in blocks shelled and compressed.

200g tamarind block
1-2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
2 cups half litre hot water
1-2 tsp cumin roasted and ground
1-2 tsp ground red chilli (to taste)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp Indian black salt (optional if you can get it)
½ tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Soak the tamarind block in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Push it through a sieve along with the soaking liquid, make a few passes to get a thick puree. Stir all the remaining ingredients into the tamarind puree, taste and adjust the quantities to get a good balance. As simple as that. It will keep for 2 months in the fridge.

Variation I also make a version of this with black plum puree instead of tamarind which is really delicious.

Yogurt and Walnut Relish

2011-03-20T00:46:00.001+01:00

This Indian raita comes from Madhur Jaffrey who has several versions of a yogurt and walnut relish. In her book Madhur Jaffry's Indian Cookery 1982, Kheere ka raita includes yogurt, chilli, salt, walnuts, green coriander, green chilli, spring onion and black pepper while the Kashmiri version in A Taste of India 1985 has simply yogurt, chilli, salt and walnuts. This version is based on the kashmiri recipe but with the addition of coriander and green chilli.

yogurt
15-20 walnuts (shelled)
black salt or sea salt to taste
2 tbsp coriander, minced
1 fresh green chilli
ground dried chilli to taste

Bash the shelled walnuts with the coarse salt then stir into yogurt add sliced green chillis and ground dried chillis to taste add coriander stir well and serve.

Dal (Masoor with coconut)

2011-03-15T19:17:00.002+01:00

I love all kinds of dal or dhal and this one is a particular favourite with a soft rounded flavour sweet with coconut and warming subtle spices. Serve with rice or Indian breads such as chapati, some pickles and a vegetable dish.

1 cup masoor dal (red hulled split lentils)
1 litre water
1 heaped tsp turmeric
1-2 large green chillis
Coconut milk
Fresh corriander leaf

Final fry

2-4 tbsp oil
half an onion
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 dried red chillis, shredded
6 curry leaves
1 tbsp descicated coconut
pinch salt

Wash the lentils and stand in a roomy pan with the water, fresh whole green chillis and the turmeric. Cover and cook for 30- 40 minutes until the lentils are soft, stir in thick coconut milk and season with salt to taste. In a small frying pan heat some vegetable oil or ghee and throw in the onion when it begins to colour add the garlic and when it starts to colour finally throw in the dry chillis and curry leaves fry for a minute then pour the hot oil and spices into the lentils, stir quickly, cover and let the flavours infuse before serving. Stir in a handful of fresh coriander leaf and serve scattered with a little extra fresh coriander leaf or shavings of fresh coconut.

Spinach & Potato (Saag Aloo)

2011-03-12T18:49:00.003+01:00

Potatoes and spinach make a great combination and there are many versions of this combination in Indian vegetarian cooking. Serve with chapatis and a dhal for a delicious healthy meal.

Fresh Spinach Leaves
a little peanut oil
2 cloves garlic
2-3 dried red chillis
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 fresh green chilli, sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste

Wash the spinach and set aside. Grind the cumin and coriander in a pestle and mortar. Heat the oil and when hot fry the garlic taking care not to let it burn by adding a bit of hot water if necessary.

When the garlic starts to brown, add the dry chilli, mustard, cumin and coriander. Cook for a minute or so then add the potatoes, stir and fry the potatoes with a good pinch of salt for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes start to look translucent. Add the spinach, garam masala and fresh chilli. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 5-10 minutes stirring regularly until the potatoes are cooked. Add a touch of water to prevent sticking if necessary.

Sour Cucumber Salad

2010-10-27T20:19:00.000+02:00

I love cucumber side salads they add just a dash of something light and refreshing to a meal. This one is a wonderfull salty, sour and hot and is great served with fried or grilled foods such as barbecued chicken wings or with rice and dal. It is particularly tasty if you use some of the more aromatic chillis such as Lemon Drop or Habanero chillis. I thought our crop of cucumbers was over for this year but as the day time temerpatures are holding late into October, the remaining cucumber plant in the polytunel has started to produce new growth and even cucumbers.

1 cucumber
1 fresh hot chilli thinly sliced
pinch of ground dried chilli
generous pinch salt
2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

Slice the cucumber into paper thin discs. Slice the chilli into very thin rounds put them into a small bowl with the cucumber, ground chilli and salt sprinkle with citrus juoice or vinegar. Mix well then refridgerate until ready to serve. This salad can be made ahead of time but is best eaten within 24 hours.

Tip if the skins are a little tough by all means peel them.

Chickpea Spread [Hummus]

2010-09-21T13:01:00.000+02:00

Hummus simply means chickpea in Arabic and that is the main ingredient in this delicious spread. A super fast nutritious food that is versatile and easy to make, particularly if you have a blender.

Prep+Cook 10 mins

300-500g cooked and cooled chickpeas or tinned chick peas
2 fat cloves garlic crushed
Juice from 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt

Paprika or cayenne pepper if you like it spicy.
Lemon zest

Drain and rinse the chickpeas if using tinned but keep the cooking liquid if you have freshly cooked chickpeas. Put everything into a blender and give it a wiz until you have a smooth paste, adding a little water or cooking liquor if necessary to get a good consistency. Pour into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a little more paprika on top and the grated zest of a lemon. Hummus will keep for about 1 week in the fridge.

Cook's TIP To use dried chickpeas, which do taste better, soak in water overnight then simmer for about 1 hour until they are tender, use the cooking liquor to thin the hummus.

Variations you can add fresh coriander, crushed cumin, preserved lemon, tahini or sesame seeds to the blend for extra flavour or variation.

Nutrition Hummus is also high in fibre and said to help reduce cholesterol.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 15/6/2006, I've just harvested our first crop of chickpeas which remonded me to update this recipe with a new picture and text.

Potato Omelete [Tortilla de Patatas]

2010-09-21T12:42:00.001+02:00

Tortilla de Patatas or Potato Omelete, spelled omelette in France, is simple uncluttered food that is so easy to make once you get the heat and timing right. This is one of my favourite lunches or snacks and is sold in almost every Tapas bar in Spain, often cut into small squares to accompany drinks. There are three ways of making a traditional Spanish Omelette. All three require a good frying pan that will not stick and has a tight fitting lid.

Serves 4 Cook 15-25min

3 Potatoes, thinly sliced (raw) or parboiled into thicker slices.
1 Onion, thinly sliced into half rings (optional)
4-6 Eggs, beaten
crushed rock sea salt and cracked black pepper
perhaps some fresh herbs for variation if you have them handy

1. Fry onions in olive oil then take the onions out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan add a little more olive oil and fry the sliced raw potatoes over a very low heat (10 minutes) until almost cooked. Remove from heat stir in the eggs and cooked onions, season and cook over a very low heat with a tight fitting lid for 10-15 mins until set and without letting the bottom burn.

2. Fry onions in olive oil add parboiled potatoes stir to coat in oil. Remove from heat, stir in the eggs making sure all the potato pieces are coated in egg pushing any protruding pieces of potato down under the egg, season and cook over a very low heat with a tight fitting lid for 10-15 mins until set.

3. Fry the peeled and roughly sliced potatoes, with a little onion if using, in lots of olive oil covered to stew in the oil and steam. When cooked removed from the heat and stir into a bowl of beaten eggs. Season and return the mixture to the pan that has been cleaned and oiled or seasoned with lard. Cook gently until the egg sets.

Serve as a light lunch with salad or as canapés cut into bite size squares.

Cooks TIP if you have trouble getting the egg to set without burning the bottom finish off under a grill or turn the tortilla using a plate.

Salad Niçoise

2010-09-08T19:12:00.003+02:00

I love this classic salad from Southern coastal France; a wonderful combination of cooked potatoes and green beans with fresh summer tomatoes and lettuce topped with seared tuna and olives. This is what the French call a salad composé, each diner is presented with a plate on which all the ingredients have been layered or composed ready to tuck in.

Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water until only just tender, then drain and set aside to cool. Cut the beans into bite size pieces and boil in salted water for 5-6 minutes or until the beans are only just cooked drain and give them a little splash of olive oil, toss and set aside.

Meanwhile season a tuna steak with sea salt and cracked black pepper then pan fry or griddle on a high heat for a few minutes on either side until just cooked through, sprinkle with lemon juice and remove from the pan.

Meanwhile wash and tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and toss with a simple vinaigrette or salad dressing of your choice.

Arrange the dressed lettuce leaves on a plate then add a scatterring of cooked potatoes, slices of spring or salad onion and green beans then a layer of sliced tomatoes, cucumber or peppers according to your taste and what you have available and give it a pinch of sea salt as you go. Top with the freshly cooked tuna and some black olives with the stones removed. Garnish with a pinch of chopped parsley for both looks and flavour. Serve with a little olive oil or salad dressing drizzled over the top.
Variation I often add sweet peppers, salad onions or cucumber too.

Salad Dressings

2010-09-08T18:40:00.000+02:00

Salad dressings are all about responding to the raw or freshly cooked ingredients in the bowl and therefore should be open to experiment, these are just a few of the dressings we use most often, to give some ideas to expand on.

Oil & Lemon
This is the simplest dressing you can make, I like to give it an extra citrus zing with finely grated zest. I would use this combination on freshly cooked spring vegetables such as asparagus simply add it to the pan once the vegetable has been drained and give it a toss around to coat.
6 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp lemon Juice
pinch of ground sea salt

1/2 tsp zest of half lemon, finely grated. (optional)

Balsamic and Garlic
This is the combination we use most often on our leafy salads. We just add the ingredients directly to the salad, starting with the oil and ending with the vinegar, the salad is then mixed to coat.
Olive oil
One or two cloves of garlic
crushed sea salt
balsamic vinegar

Basic French Vinaigrette Our home made red wine vinegar, which we started 3 years ago became ready this year. It is deep and almost sweet and makes the most delicious dressing. Simply beat the ingredients together.
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
cracked black pepper and crushed sea salt
French mustard to taste
5-8 tbsp Olive Oil

Honey & Lemon A nice fresh tasting dressing lovely when a touch of sweetness is needed.
grated zest of half lemon
1/2 tsp honey
juice of 1 lemon
6 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
Variations: add 1/2 tsp dijon mustard Mix all the ingredients together.

Orange Dressing This is a very light dressing excellent for freshly boiled beetroot. Add the dressing when the beets are still warm just after being peeled.
Juice of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 orange
large pinch of salt to taste
Mix the ingredients together until the salt dissolves.

Citrus Dressing
Juice of 1 Orange
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive Oil
orange thyme
salt

Walnut & Mustard Dressing Walnut oil has a distinct flavour and is best teamed with a lightly flavoured acid. It works very well with bitter leaves and salads.
4 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or white balsamic
Dijon Mustard
salt & black pepper

Korean Style Dressing Use this dressing on lightly cooked or steamed green vegetables such as spinach, mizuna, mustard green or choy sum.
2 tsp Japanese soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Thai Style salad Dressing This salad dressing has no oil content is great with cucumbers, grated root vegetables, shredded leaves, beansrouts, crisp iceberg lettuce.
Rice Vinegar or lime juice
Fish sauce
Sugar Soy sauce
Chilli flakes
Crushed garlic

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce or Salad dressing) This is an intense hot, sour, salty, sweet dressing for use on noodle salads.
1-2 clove garlic, minced
2 to 3 red chillis (Thai bird, cayenne, jalapeño or serrano chile) de-seeded, and minced
10 tbsp hot water
2-4 tbsp sugar
2-4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and fresh chiles to a paste. (Or mince them together with a knife.) Mix together the garlic, chilli, hot water, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Leave to sit for at least 15 min. before using. NB this sauce can be kept in the fridge for about a month. The sauce is put on the table for each person to add to their taste.

Delias Vinaigrette This is Delia Smith's herby vinaigrette
1 heaped tablespoon roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 heaped tablespoon salted capers, rinsed and drained
grated zest and juice 1 lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly milled black pepper
Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat until just warmed through. Serve over grilled meat, fish(tuna), halloumi on a salad bed.

originally posted on Mas du Diable 29/3/2007

Onion Fritters [Bhaji]

2010-08-26T13:05:00.010+02:00

I love onion bhaji's and I've tried a lot of recipes but what mostly comes out are heavy stodgy lumps. What I want are the bhaji's I used to eat as a student in Glasgow, light, crisp and spicy morsels full of onions. This is them, mostly onion with just enough spicy coating to keep the sliced onion together while it fries. Delicious with a cooling yogurt sauce or spicy chilli sauce.

1 kg onions
2 heaped tbsp chickpea flour
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cumin seed, ground
1 tsp garam masala recipe I
1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
small handful coriander leaf, chopped
1-3 green chilli, minced
salt
oil for deep frying

Slice the onions and put then into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the spices and herbs and stir well to coat. Set a pan of vegetable oil to heat. Meanwhile sprinkle the chickpea flour, a little at a time, into the bowl of onions and really stir well to coat. Just use enough to coat the onions or if you want a more solid bhaji add a little more chickpea flour. When the the oil is hot drop in small spoonfulls of the mixture. Fry until golden, drain and serve with tamarind chutney, a sweet mint yogurt or chilli sauce.

Variation

Onion and Fenugreek Pakoras

I grow fenugreek and love using the fresh leaves in pakoras. I use the same method as above and add about a cupfull of fresh leaves a little more chickpea flour and make pakoras.

Coconut Chutney Preserve

2010-07-25T14:10:00.000+02:00

Tart, sweet, hot and full of delicious coconut flavours it is a wonderful accompaniment to curries, potato dishes and dals or Indian breads and snacks. This chutney is more of a preserve and quite different to the fresh Indian style coconut chatni or pachadi I make. I used to buy something like this in jars when I worked in London, from a South Indian grocer, and this is my best effort so far in replicating it.
Makes 3 small jars

2 cups desiccated coconut
2 cups boiling water
1 cup mild white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
handful dried curry leaves, crumbled
1 tsp fenugreek seed
4 dried chillis, crumbled
1 tsp salt
chilli powder to taste

Pour the boiling water over the dry coconut and set aside until the water is absorbed. In a pan heat the oil then throw in the mustard seed, curry leaves, fenugreek and chillis as soon as they start to pop add the vinegar and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and boil for 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly then add the coconut, salt, and chilli to taste. Cook for 10 minutes or so then spoon into warm sterilised jars and seal.

Cooks Note if you can use a fresh coconut, miss out the first step and simply grate the flesh and use it along with the milk, the chutney will be much better. Also I think I need to use Indian sugar rather than granulated for a more authentic taste. The chutney I was trying to copy (it is at least 10 yeas since I have even seen a jar of it) so if memory serves I remember it as being more green in colour when may have been colouring but may have been achieved by using fresh curry leaves or fresh green chillis.

Courgette & Basil Soup

2010-07-02T15:10:00.000+02:00

This is a lovely summer soup with plenty of flavour. I like to serve it with crispy garlic croutons for lunch.

Serves 4 Cooking 25 minutes total prep & cook

olive oil
1 onion (green onions or regular)
pinch salt and cracked black pepper
3 medium sized or 5 small courgettes
1litre of stock or water
2 bay leaves (optional)
large handful of fresh basil
Parmesan cheese

Mince the onion and fry in a little olive oil with the salt and pepper until the onion starts to colour. Meanwhile slice or cube the courgettes and add to the pan sauté slowly until the courgettes are starting to colour which brings out the flavour. Add the bay leaves if using and the stock. Stir well, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile make the croutons, cut stale bread into small cubes then bash up a couple of cloves of garlic and stir into some olive oil toss the bread cubes to coat and spread out on a tray sprinkle with salt and cook in a frying pan or under a hot grill for a few minutes until they get crunchy. Back to the soup, add the fresh basil roughly torn and about 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, remove from the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes before liquidising. I don't often purée soups but I think this one works best when it is smooth. Serve topped with crispy garlic croutons and a little sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Cook's Tip I make large batches of vegetable stock and freeze it in clean 1L plastic bottles that you get juice or milk in.

For croutons use left over or stale bread. Home-made sour dough or wholemeal breads are the best; the better the bread the better the croutons will be. I sometimes use basil oil on the crutons to give another slightly different basil hit.

Gardeners Tip to avoid a glut of courgettes in summer pick them when they are small, not only do they taste better but the plant will carry on producing fruit for longer. Grow courgettes for flavour, there are so many hybrid courgette varieties available but really the old varieties have much better flavour such as the Italian striped var pictured.

Mince and Potato Curry

2010-05-06T19:40:00.004+02:00

This is my version of Keema Aloo a popular North Indian combination. It is really tasty, hearty stuff, easy to prepare and cheap, I love it.
Delicious served with rice or spinach-stuffed flatbreads and vegetables. It also makes a lovely stuffing for pastry parcels, kachori or samosas.

250g Minced meat ( lamb, goat or beef)
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 fresh green chillies, deseeded and sliced to taste
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 hot dried chillies (my favourite for this dish is lemon drop)
2 tsp yellow mustard seed
dried curry leaves (to taste)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
5 green cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seed
250g-500g potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 tomatoes skinned and crushed
salt to taste
lemon zest to taste

Fry the mince in a little oil until the meat starts to brown, tip into a bowl and set aside. Prepare the spices and set aside. Add a little more oil and fry the onion until it starts to colour then add the garlic, ginger and whole spices, chilli and curry leaves. Fry for a minute or two then add the potatoes, tomatoes, fresh chillis and salt and fry for a minute or two. Return the mince to the pan plus a little water, stir well and cover. Cook slowly until the potatoes are cooked 15–20 minutes. Add a little water during cooking if it starts to stick but it should end up as a fairly dry dish. Sprinkle with a little garam masala or grated lemon zest and stir in before serving.

Note as always be careful with the chillis. I use all kinds of chillies (I grow over 30 varieties) some are very hot, some mild, some fruity and some lemony acidic like these lemon drop chillies. Use whatever chillies you have available but make sure you know how hot they are before adding. I would recommend adding a little grated lemon peel at the end of cooking if you are not using lemon drop chillies to get that citrus high note.
Recipe Source I've been making variations of this since my student days in Glasgow, it is such a staple I have no idea if there even was an original recipe.

Crunchy Coconut Relish

2010-05-06T13:44:00.002+02:00

Coconut relish is one of the classic Indian relishes, particularly in the South. I make quite a few different coconut relishes, chutnies or pachadis. This one is quite dry and crunchy; a delicous blend of cool coconut, hot chillis with fried spices and crunchy lentils stirred in at the last moment. It is a perfect accompaniment to vegetable curries, dals and Indian breads.

100g desiccated coconut or half a fresh coconut grated
juice of 1 lemon or lime
salt to taste
2-3 dried red chillies, crumbled
1/4 tsp very hot chilli powder (I use lemon drop) optional or to taste
2 tbsp vegetable, coconut oil
1 tbsp urid dal
1tsp brown or yellow mustard seeds
16 dried curry leaves, crumbled or small sprig fresh curry leaves
1 tsp nigella seeds
pinch asafoetida

If desiccated coconut is used, sprinkle it with 3 tablespoons water or coconut milk and mix well to moisten. Stir in the lime juice, chilli powder and salt to taste. Heat oil in a small pan and fry the mustard seeds and dhal until the seeds pop and the dhal is golden. Add the the dried chilli curry leaves wait until the chilli darkens then add the nigella and asafoetida and turn off the heat immediately, pour over the coconut and mix well leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving. It will keep for 3 or 4 days in the fridge.

Note if you can get fresh coconut then fantastic - use it - the grated flesh of fresh coconut tastes so much better. You can also make a smoother chutney by adding a little more liquid and grinding the whole lot to a smooth paste but I personally like the crunchy texture of it made this way. I sometimes add crumbled dried red chillis instead of the fresh or powdered and that is wonderful too

Gardeners Note If there is one thing I wish I could grow in my garden and I can't it is a coconut. I love it but there is no hope, it is early May here and it has been raining for days and the temperatures feel like they have gone back to winter.

Recipe Source The original recipe came from Rafi Fernandez's 'Thenga Chutney' p 82 in Cooking of Southern India. I have adapted it over time to my taste so it is a quite different and this is my version of her wonderful recipe.

Pumpkin Poran

2010-05-06T12:35:00.001+02:00

This is a wonderfully simple, dry, savory type of vegetable dish or 'curry'. Chunks of pumpkin are fried in pungent mustard oil seasoned with a blend of whole Bengali spices and then simmered with a little water until tender. The rich spicing and pungent mustard work perfectly with the soft sweet orange pumpkin. It is coming to the end of last years pumpkins in store and they need to be used before they turn bad so this curry makes great use of them.

Serve with rice, flat breads, a yogurt dish, perhaps a dal, and raw or green vegetable side dish.

3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp Panch Phoron (Bengali 5 spices-cumin, fenugreek, fennel, mustard and nigella seeds)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
500g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1-3 dried red chilli crushed
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
1tbsp lemon juice
fresh coriander leaves or lightly crushed green coriander seeds to garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy cooking pot or wok over a medium flame. If using mustard oil let it get very hot and smoking to allow the acridity to mellow. Throw in the Panch Poran a second later add the garlic and chilli, let the pan sizzle for a few seconds until the garlic and chilli darken a little then add the pumpkin and stir fry. Turn the heat down and add the coriander, turmeric & salt. Stir and fry for 15-20 minutes sprinkling with a little water every few minutes until the apumpkin is tender but still in whole pieces. Sprinkle with lemon juice and coriander leaves and/or seeds.

Source inspired by Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe for fried aubergines in A taste of India P66 . I have used garlic instead of the asafoetida and whole dried chillis instead of chilli powder and lemon juice instead of amchoor powder. And less mustard oil as pumpkin will not absorb as much oil as aubergines and so less is needed.

Note Panch Poran or phoron, (one of the many spellings) is the Bengali blend of five spices Panch means "five" and phoron is "flavour" or "spice".

Yogurt Cake

2010-03-27T12:29:00.002+01:00

This cake is inspired; simple, light, moist and tasty. A magical alchemy of yogurt, flour, eggs, sugar and oil make this.

1 cup yogurt (200ml)
2 large eggs
1.5 cups sugar (300ml)
1/2 cup oil (100ml)
3 cups flour (600ml)
1 tsp baking powder

Heat an oven to 180-200c (medium-hot).
Bung all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat together to form a thick batter. It does not seem to matter which order you put the ingredients in, though for some reason I choose to put the first 4 ingredients in the bowl and beat together before adding the flour and baking powder but it works just as well, as far as I can tell, in any order.
Grease the bottom of a cake tin with a tiny amount of butter or oil and line with a sheet of baking paper cut to size. Pour the batter into the tin and pop into the oven on the lowest shelf. Cook for 30 minutes (in a fan oven and up to 45 minutes in a conventional one) or until a skewer pushed into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack (if you can wait that long it is delicious warm).

Recipe Source I got the recipe from an organic miller, at the annual forgotten fruit market in St. Jean du Gard last winter, where I bought 'petit épeautre' flour. The miller had made this cake to demonstrate the flour, known as einkorn wheat in English (Triticum monococcum) and thought to be the oldest and most primitive cultivated wheat. The recipe I was given never quite worked, it was too wet and sweet but I liked the idea of the cake and the taste of the flour and worked on it to get a better consistency and now the balance is just right. I ran out of petit épeautre ages ago and now use just plain patisserie flour or self-raising flour and leave out the baking powder and it still tastes great.
Variations for an aromatic vanilla flavoured cake use vanilla sugar instead of plain or add the grated zest of an orange for a delicious orangey tang.
Note I used cups of 200ml volume and a 26cm diameter cake tin but this recipe is a relational one and if you use a smaller cake tin you could reduce the volume. The original recipe was given to me in the measurement of yogurt pots (150ml) 1 yogurt pot and 3 eggs (1 egg = 50ml) which made the batter too eggy and wet so I have reduced the quantity of eggs and 1 egg to 100ml turns out perfectly.

Fennel baked with Parmesan

2010-03-27T11:32:00.001+01:00

Like all great dishes this one is so simple and so delicious. I first tried this one New Year in Italy at our friends house where Maggie always cooks up a storm of simple food with a big taste. It makes an excellent first course, vegetable side or light lunch.

Serves 4
Prep: 15mins Cooking 30mins

2 fennel bubs
Olive oil
Cracked sea salt and black pepper
Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Wash and trim whole fennel bulbs then slice the bulbs vertically through the middle so that you have 2 mirror halves of each. Place these in a pan with water just covering bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15mins until only just tender. Drain and lay the 4 halves flat side down in a oiled baking dish drizzle with olive oil and a pinch each of cracked sea salt and black pepper. (if you are cooking for a dinner party this stage can be prepared in advance and left aside to finish just before serving). Bake in a moderate oven for 20-30mins. Sprinkle a generous amount of parmesan over the fennel 5 minutes before the end of cooking and put back in the oven. Serve hot sprinkled with a little more grated or shaved parmesan if desired.

Salt Preserved Lemons

2010-01-12T12:53:00.001+01:00

This is one of those ingredients that can transform a dish. Indispensable in North African cooking salt pickled lemons are easy to make and last for ages. Heres how I make them.

6 lemons
Juice of 3-4 lemons
1 tsp salt for each lemon+1 tbsp salt
boiled water

Choose small perfect lemons wash each lemon in hot water and leave to dry fully before using. Meanwhile sterilize a large jar that will hold 6 whole lemons, I find kilner jars are perfect for this pickle. Put a tbsp of salt in the bottom of the jar along with the lemon juice and give it a good shake. Now prepare the lemons; remove the tip of the branch end and with a sharp knife cut a slit vertically through the lemon, but not all the way through, then make a second slit vertically to make a cross keeping the bottom end intact. Put a spoon of salt into the centre of each cut lemon and place in the jar, push the lemons down as you go until the jar is full. Add more lemons if there is room. Cover with boiled water that has been left to cool, close the lid and give the jar a good shake then set aside to mature for 4 weeks. Give the jar a shake every day.

Spaghetti Carbonara

2010-01-09T18:29:00.001+01:00

Carbonara is a perfect sauce for spaghetti because the ham and eggy-cheese mix clings to the thin strands of pasta. I love it, particularly for lunch on a cold day, the simple flavours are satisfying and it is super quick to make.

Serves 2 Prep&Cook 10-15mins

1/2 onion or 1 green onion
100g streaky bacon or pancetta minced
1-2 cloves garlic
pinch paprika or to taste
1 egg
1 tbsp yogurt or creme fresh
1-2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put a large pan of salted water on the stove to boil. When boiling add enough spaghetti for each person, in this case 2, a little olive oil, then cover and boil for 6-7 minutes or cooked to your taste. In a wide pan or wok fry the bacon and onion in a decent glug of olive oil until the bacon starts to colour. Meanwhile mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make the sauce and set aside. When the pasta is cooked drain immediately and add it to the bacon pan stir then add the sauce stir well and cook over a low heat for a minute or so until all the sauce is clinging to the pasta. Serve immediately with a little side salad.

NB you can easily make a vegetarian version of this pasta dish by just leaving out the bacon.

Madalenes

2010-01-02T14:00:00.001+01:00

These delicious little French cakes were an absolute hit with the kids this christmas and much to everyone's delight, even Rachel can knock a set out in 15 minutes flat. They are such a doddle, no measuriung necessary, no fancy processes, they bake in 10 minutes and taste divine.
To make a batch of 8-10 Madalenes

1 egg
butter
sugar
self-raising flour (or plain flour plus 1/2 tsp baking powder)

Break an egg into a bowl or jug, add roughly the same volume (about 2 tbsp) of sugar and butter and flour. Beat together vigorously to form a thick batter. Spoon the mixture into the tins or cases and bake in a medium-hot oven for 10 minutes. Dust with icing sugar, just for the fun of it, and eat straight away.
For a larger volume (about 24 cakes) I use 3-4 eggs and 120g of each of the other ingredients

Note Madalenes are traditionally cooked in special trays or bun tins with a scalloped shape but you can cook them in any small mould tin or paper cases. It might take a little practice to get the consistency right for your ingredients the size of the eggs, the flour and the consistency of the butter all make a difference. If softened butter is used the consistency of the finished cakes will be smooth and even but I prefer the texture if hard butter is used and is just chopped finely with a knife.

Potato Cumin & Turmeric Fry

2009-12-10T14:17:00.004+01:00

A really simple and versatile potato side dish that can be made with pre-cooked, raw or left over potatoes. Great with a meat, fish or vegetable curry or with Indian breads and chutnies.

Potatoes
vegetable oil
3 whole dried chillis
pinch asafetida
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt

Boil potatoes with their skins on for 15 minutes then drain cool, peel and cut into small cubes. Heat a good glug of vegetable oil in a wide pan add the dried chillis, when they start to swell add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when they start to pop add the garlic and asafetida. Quickly add the potatoes and remaining ingredients and stir to make sure the spices coat the potatoes evenly and fry until the potatoes start to crisp around the edges.

Note

You can use whatever leftover potatoes you have just cut into cubes. This recipe also works using raw potato follow the same method but fry the raw potatoes for longer adding a splash of water every now and again to prevent burning and help the potatoes to steam cook.

Quick Carrot Pickle

2009-12-07T16:13:00.002+01:00

Freshly made pickles or achars are a speciality of India and one of my favourite ways of eating raw veg, more of a side salad than a pickle, they are meant to be eaten fresh rather than stored. For this one the raw vegetables are simply tossed in spices and hot oil which transforms the humble carrot into mouth tingling morsel of yumminess that peps up all kinds of food. This one is particularly quick, requiring no standing time at all, and is hot, pungent and delicious. It really brings out the sweet crispness of the raw carrots and is wonderful with rice and a simple dal. You could also add it to a cottage cheese wrap, scatter over a leafy salad or just tuck into a bowlfull of this as a snack.

4 carrots
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp salt
pinch of asafoetida
mustard oil

Peel and cut the carrots into small batons about two inches long. Crush the whole spices, a coffee grinder works perfectly or just bash them up in a mortar, add the other spices, sprinkle over the carrots and toss well. Heat the mustard oil in a small pan until it starts to smoke, this mellows the oil, then pour the hot oil over the carrots and toss to make sure all the carrots are coated in the oily spice paste. Serve immediately or it will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Recipe Source I am not clever enough to invent this stuff, this recipe came from Tarla Dalal's fantastic book Achaar aur Parathe. I have kept to her recipe but reduced the spicing a little bit.

Root Soup

2009-12-06T15:45:00.001+01:00

Roots are one of the staples of a winter garden and December is the month of roots in the soup. Use as many tasty roots as you can and the flavour will be all the better for it. This is hardly a recipe just a way of making the most delicious winter soup.
Serves 2-4 (2 huge portions or 4 normal size soup bowls).

knob of butter
a generous pinch of cracked black pepper
a generous pinch of sea salt
1 small onion
1 litre jug full of chopped root vegetables
stock or water to cover well
1/2 tsp paella spice mix or a pinch of saffron
1-2 leeks washed and chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 bayleaves
Herbs pick a good aromatic herb as the signature flavour I've use fresh fennel but you could use; parsley, dill or tarragon.
Handful of pasta shapes (optional)
some creme fraiche to finish (optional)

Sweat an onion, finely chopped, in a little butter season with salt and pepper. While the onion is sweating. Scrub the roots, peel if necessary, and chop into bite size pieces. I used parsnip, carrot, turnip, celeriac, radish and florence fennel but you could also use skirret, salsify, scorzonera, hamburg parsley, jerusalem artichokes or beetroot. When the onion is softened add the root veg, stir to coat and sweat for just a couple of minutes then add the stock, leeks, potatoes, saffron or paella mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes then add the and herbs and pasta, if using, cover and cook for a further 7 minutes. Serve with a splodge of créme fråche stirred in.

Green Lentil Salad

2009-11-20T13:34:00.003+01:00

This tart and surprisingly juicy salad of mediteranean green lentils is dressed with a sour-sweet pomegranate molasses and aromatic cumin. This dish can be served as a side or as part of a mezze or tapas of small dishes.

Prep 10min Cook 30min Serves 4

250g green lentils
Olive oil
1 onion
1 clove garlic
salt/pepper to taste
1 tsp cumin freshly roasted and crushed
handful chopped parsley or coriander
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Juice of half a lemon

Wash the lentils and boil in a large pan of water for 20-30minutes until the lentils are just soft but completely intact, drain and set aside. Meanwhile fry the onion in olive oil until translucent, add garlic and cumin and when the aroma rises add the drained lentils and stir to coat. Take off the heat stir in the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Season with a touch of salt and pepper and serve.

Cook's Tip Pomegranate Molasses can be found in middle eastern shops and good food stores. It is also very easy to make and we are lucky enough to have a mature sour Pomegranate bush and make our own in November when the fruit is ripe.
Recipe Source This recipe was inspired by a plate of vegetarian tapas, I had at Tate Modern London a few years ago, the lentil dish stood out and I wanted to make something similar and this was about right for me.

Chorizo & White Bean Stew

2009-11-18T18:40:00.003+01:00

This is Rachel's dads' favourite dish, the one he cooks for himself when he is left to his own devices in the kitchen and I can understand why, it is so easy and so delicious. He usually makes it with a jar of white beans, cooking chorizo and tomato passata. It is a Spanish store cupboard classic, great for camping or cooking on the hoof.

Serves 2-4 (as a starter or main)

4 cooking chorizo
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Large jar white beans or freshly boiled butter beans
1 tsp smoked paprika
250g passata (home made tomato puree)
Fresh flat leaf parsley

Slice the sausages and fry in a good slug of fruity olive oil until starting to crisp around the edges, add the garlic and when the aroma rises add the paprika, tomato paste and cooked white beans. Cook for 10 minutes more until the sauce is all glossy and the flavours have infused. Sprinkle with bright green chopped parsley and serve in individual bowls to be mopped up with bread, or as one of a number of Tapas dishes.
Variation An equally good variation is to use potatoes instead of white beans to make another great Spanish dish add a few green peppers and cook until the potatoes are done.

Pork Curry (Vindaloo)

2009-11-11T13:15:00.000+01:00

This is one of my favourite meat curries, pungent with mustard oil, hot with chillies and sour with tamarind and vinegar and finally a hint of sweet nutty coconut. It is a remarkably quick and easy to make and really worth trying. Serve with rice, a yogurt dish and a light vegetable dish or dal.

6 tbsp mustard oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp vindaloo masala powder see Indian Spice Mix Recipes
2-3 tsp vinegar
450g pork, boned and cubed
2 or more green chillis, thinly sliced
150ml water
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp tamarind concentrate (depending on concentrate)
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut or desiccated

Heat the mustard oil until it starts to smoke then throw in the onion and garlic fry until turning a pale golden colour then add the vindaloo masala powder. Fry and sprinkle with the vinegar. Add the pork and stir well to coat in spices and seal. Add the water and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, tamarind and half the coconut, cook for another 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated then serve on a bed of rice sprinkled with the rest of the coconut or fresh coriander leaves.
Source This recipe is one of my old favourites which I think originally came from an Indian cookery book from the late 70's. I no longer have the original recipe book so I don't know how far I have veered from the original but this is one quick and tasty curry.

Cook's Tip I make up a blend of the Vindaloo spice mixture ready ground in an airtight jar which stays fresh for up to 3 months making this even quicker and easier to prepare. Freeze freshly grated coconut in small usable batches.

Chicken and Leek Soup

2009-11-11T12:19:00.000+01:00

We eat a lot of soup, well made soup can be great; healthy, tasty, seaonal and easy to make. Using leftovers from a roast chicken this soup turned out to be a real winner, delicious and warming with a hint of Spanish luxury. I've also added rice to give it that extra carb power and make a substantial lunch. Perfect for a cold autumn day.

Chicken leftovers
olive oil
1-2 litres home made chicken stock
1-2 tbsp verdurette or 1 tsp of celery salt
2-3 large leeks
1/2 cup rice
pinch of saffron and/or paella mix
flatleaf parsley

Clean and slice the leeks. Pick over the chicken and chop the meat. Put a tiny bit of olive oil in a large soup pot add the sliced leeks with a pinch of cracked black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Sweat the leeks slowly then add the rice, stir to coat, add the stock, verdurette or celery salt saffron or paella spice mix and chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Cooks Note Paella is very popular in the south of France and ready ground spice blends are available everywhere.

Yellow Pea Vegetable Soup

2009-10-24T02:02:00.001+02:00

This is a lovely protein rich soup, clean, fresh and packed with delicious autumn vegetables. The dried peas and vegetables are lightly cooked so that they retain all their flavour and shape.

1 onion, minced
Olive oil
cracked black pepper
1 cup yellow split peas
3 carrots
turnip, radish or mooli
1 small butternut squash
2 small leeks
thyme
2 bayleaves
stock or water
salt

Wash the dried peas and leave to soak in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes. Use a roomy pan and fry the onion in a little oil until starting to brown. Add the herbs, peas and their soaking liquid then top up with water or fresh vegetable stock enough to double the volume covering the peas. Put a lid on the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the vegetables, slice dice or chop in whaterever shape you feel like. Add the carrots and turnip but set aside the pumpkin and leeks while the soup simmers for another 15minutes. Add the leeks and pumpkin and simmer for a final 15 minutes or until the peas are tender. Adjust seasoning, remove the bayleaves and serve.
Tip adding the vegetables in a staggered order is to make sure each is just cooked and not turned to mush by over cooking so adjust the staggering according to what vegetables you end up using and how small they are cut.
Variation Fry some chopped bacon with the onions for a more meaty flavour

Salted Radish Preserves

2009-10-15T11:17:00.001+02:00

Salted radishes are commonly found in East Asian cuisine and would normally be made with mooli, the long tapering white root also called chinese radish, but it can also be made with French breakfast radishes, white turnip, black winter radish or regular red radishes. Serve as a side pickle, as an appetiser or use as an ingredient in soups or noodle dishes such as Pad Thai.

*Radishes
*Salt

Quick Salted Pickle
Simply wash (peel if necessary) and remove the top leaves. Slice the roots thinly put into a bowl and sprinkle with salt, toss with your hands to coat and leave to mature for an hour or two for a quick salted radish or 1 - 4 days for more robust flavour. It will keep well for a couple of weeks in the fridge. I haven't experimented yet with preserving for longer as we tend to eat the salted radishes too quickly but the process would be the same as for other lactic preserves.

Lactic Fermented
Prepare the radishes as above and on the 4th day, once the initial salting is over, pack into sterilised jars, cover with a brine solution (1 tbsp of salt per litre of spring water brought to the boil and left to cool) and seal. Store in a cool dark place and will be ready to eat in about 1 month.

Lactic Fermentation II
Wash the radishes and slice lengthwise into chunks. Pack into a sterilised jar, weight down with a clean stone and cover with brine (2 tbsp of salt to 1 litre of spring water brought to the boil then cooled). Seal the jar and keep in a cool dark place for 1 month when it will be ready to start eating. Remove small amounts from the jar and top up with brine if necessary to keep the radishes covered.

Variations If serving as an appetiser with drinks, sprinkle with a little rice vinegar or other sour agent such as lemon or lime juice, verjus, or cider vinegar before serving on the end of a cocktail stick.

Baked Quince

2009-10-14T19:13:00.000+02:00

Quinces have such a wonderful aroma, strong enough to perfume an entire room that you want to try and capture that aroma by baking them in parcels. It is such a majestic fruit, it deserves to be treated simply and appreciated for itself. Treated simply like this the real flavour of the quince comes through.
Serves 2 Prep 3mins Cook 1 hour

1 large quince
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp brown sugar or to taste

Preheat oven 200c gas 6
Wash the quince, cut it in half from top to tail and remove the core and seeds. Put each half, cut side up, on a large square of foil put a spoonful of butter on each half and cover with 1-2 tbsp sugar, depending on how sweet you like it. Fold the sides of the foil over and make a sealed parcel. Bake for 1 hour until very tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the size and quality of the fruit. Serve hot or cold topped with cream, yogurt or ice cream.

Cooks Note A Quince tree is a real thing of beauty. It is, by far, my favourite fruit tree, hailing spring with its mass of pale pink briar rose like blossoms. As the great pendulous fruit develop i can't help wishing for autumn when the soft down starts to disappear and you know the great yellow fruit are ready to harvest
31/10/2006:

Pasta Arrabbiata

2009-10-14T12:17:00.002+02:00

This is a classic Italian pasta sauce, spicy tomato sauce with garlic, herbs and hot chilli pepper. Most commonly served with a ridged pasta such Penne all’Arrabbiata. Arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian referring to the red colour of the sauce and its angry heat. The main ingredients of an Arrabbiata Sauce are tomatoes and chilli most cooks will add some garlic, onion and one or more fresh herbs, I prefer oregano for this dish. Some cooks also use cured bacon but for my taste i like to add a couple of anchovy fillets to deepen the flavour. It is a simple sauce and can be cooked in the time it takes to boil the pasta, using either fresh tomatoes or bottled.
Serves 2 prep 5mins cooking 9 minutes

Pasta, 2 servings
olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red shallot
2-3 anchovy fillets (optional)
1-3 fresh red chilli peppers or dried chilli flakes to taste
2-3 tomatoes or 1 cup of home-made passata
Fresh oregano leaves or basil chopped

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 9 minutes or until 'al dente'. Mince the anchovies and fry in a good slug of olive oil l until they melt into the oil, add the garlic and fry until its aroma rises then add the chopped or flaked chilli, skinned and chopped tomatoes (I used home-made passata but you could also use tinned tomatoes) stir well and cook for until the sauce is thick, about 5 minutes. Serve on a bed of pasta that has been tossed in olive oil with a pinch of cracked black pepper and some grated parmesan cheese (optional).

Recipe Sources

I looked at several versions of this classic the simplest being the one from in mamas kitchen or this one with bacon About.com some recipes advocate using parsley, basil, oregano, marjoram or even mint some even suggest using all of them.
Variation Leave out the anchovies and this is a great vegetarian pasta dish.

Green Coriander Seeds

2009-10-14T01:41:00.002+02:00

Green coriander seeds are one of my favourite spices in the kitchen. While still green they taste quite different to the dried seeds and along with the leaves are very useful and highly prized in my kitchen.

For cooking green, harvest the seed heads as you need them and pull off the seeds, use whole or bashed to release their flavour in dishes such as Aloo Paratha, Prawn & Tomato Curry, Aubergines with Coriander. If you keep the seeds for even a few days in the kitchen they will start to dry out, change colour and flavour. The dried seeds are the same as the ones you can buy from an Asian grocer, very useful but really not the same as the green ones for taste.

If you want to harvest dried seeds for the kitchen or for seed production; leave the seeds on the plant until they start to turn brown then harvest.

I harvest and sow the seed almost monthly to keep an ongoing supply of leaf and green seed. For more on growing coriander see Asian Herbs for the Kitchen.
6/9/2008

Courgette Salad with Peanut Dressing

2009-10-14T00:03:00.002+02:00

Simple yet stunning salad of ribbons of courgette with a tangy Thai style peanut dressing. Crisp fresh courgettes are a lovely vegetable to eat raw and dressed like this they make a wonderful exotic appetizer or side dish.

2-3 courgettes
Peanut Dressing
2 tbsp raw peanuts
juice of half a lime or lemon
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
coriander leaf
1 tbsp light soy sauce
pinch dried ground chilli

Use a vegetable peeler to cut ribbons from crisp fresh courgettes put into a bowl. Dry roast the peanuts and crush add the remaining ingredients and pound to a rough paste. Add the dressing to the bowl of courgettes and toss well to coat, done!
Gardeners note the courgette plants get a second wind when the rains come in September and October produce lovely courgettes until the first frost normally around mid November.

Chicken Curry (red)

2009-10-13T14:28:00.000+02:00

There must be as many chicken curries as there are kitchens and this is mine, it is red from paprika, tomatoes and pureed red peppers. Simple robust and a great winter dish. I make it in a slow cooker so that it is ready at the end of the day but you could also cook it in an oven or the stove top in a heavy pan in less time.

1 free range chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
4 cardamom pods
1 stick cinammon
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
4cm piece of ginger
4 tomatoes
2 hot green chillis
3 dried hot chillis
2 tbsp red pepper paste
water

Masala
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp fenugreek seed (optional)
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp coriander seed
4 cloves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
-------------
Wash the chicken and butcher into small portions. Dust the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. To make the masala grind the whole spices to a powder then add the paprika and turmeric. Grate or blitz in a blender the ginger, garlic and onion, the paste will give the curry a thick sauce, if you don't want a thick sauce just chop the onions, ginger and garlic. Peel and chop the tomatoes. De-seed and chop the fresh chillis.
In a large wide pan heat a little vegetable oil and fry the chicken pieces, turning until they are browned on all sides, then remove and lay in a large cooking pot (a heavy bottomed stove top, a slow cooker or covered oven dish; something that can cook the curry slowly for several hours). Into the same pan the chicken came out of put the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, then add the onion paste and fry until golden and the raw smell has cooked out. Add the masala powder and fry for two or three minutes add the tomatoes and chillis, both fresh & dried and add a little water. Stir to mix well then tip the whole lot over the chicken pieces. Stir, cover and cook for 4-6 hours in a slow cooker or 1-2 hours on the stove or in the oven. Serve sprinkled with coriander and along with rice or chapattis

Variations I sometimes add a little anis powder, mace blades or grated nutmeg to the masala. This recipe makes a fine chicken curry without the tomatoes and peppers too but it won't be red.

Cook's Note Add enough water to cover the chicken if using stove top or oven methods. If using a slow cooker you only need to use a little water as the slow cooker retains most of the liquid. In the winter months I use frozen or bottled tomatoes. If you don't have red pepper paste just add a fresh sweet red pepper or jar of preserved red peppers when making the onion paste.
21/11/2008

Gingered Crispy Beef

2009-10-12T13:03:00.002+02:00

This is a super treat for meat eaters. Thinly sliced steak marinated in ginger, fish sauce, sake and sugar and then deep fried until crisp on the outside but succulent on the inside. Perfect served with plain rice and a Asian style green vegetable or as a topping for a rice noodle salad.
Serves 1-2 Prep 5 min cook 6 mins

Rump, sirloin or frying Steak ( 1 portion size)
Oil for deep frying
3 tbsp cornflour

marinade

1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp cooking sake

Slice the beef very thinly into strips across the grain. Put the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well, add the steak and mix to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes or more.
Heat oil in a pan, 6-8cm of oil in a small pan should be enough. Put the cornflour on a plate and roll the strips of beef to coat. Drop into the hot oil in two batches and fry until crisp, remove each batch with a slotted spoon and drain on paper before serving.

Cook's Note even a tough piece of steak, given this treatment, is transformed into a melt-in-the-mouth treat. Recipe Source I think this recipe is Vietnamese in origin but sadly I don't remember how I came about making this orignally.
29/10/2006

Long Beans Dry Fried

2009-10-12T10:41:00.000+02:00

I came across a Szechuan style of cooking called gan bian or dry frying and I've adopted it for this recipe which really seems to bring out the flavour of the long beans. Serve on rice as a main dish, it is so tasty meat eaters won't actually notice that there is no meat.
Serves 2 Prep 10min Cook 8 minutes

200g long beans (sub green beans)
1 tsp pure sesame oil
2 shallots or spring onions, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 level tsp grated ginger
pinch of chilli powder
1-2 tbsp light soy sauce (to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar
2-4 tbsp stock or water

Mix together the soy sauce, stock, sugar, chilli and set aside. Chop the beans into 2-4cm lengths and wash well.
Heat the wok until very, very hot and throw in the beans, you need nerve for this as there is no oil in the pan at this point, just keep it on a high heat shaking the pan every now and then until the beans start to catch and burn slightly at the edges, should take about 4 or 5 minutes. Then add sesame oil, shallots, ginger and garlic stir fry quickly for a few minutes more until the aroma rises. Pour in the sauce cook for a further minute and it is ready.

Garden Note I grow long beans also called asparagus beans, snake beans and yard long beans in the polytunnel. Sown late March they crop well from June to October. They grow about sixty cm long, round, pale green and crisp with a taste that is a surprising cross between a French green beans and mushrooms. The beans are absolutely delicious and one of the highlights of my summer harvest.
posted MDD 16/6/2007

Chard Sauté with Anchovies

2009-10-11T03:27:00.002+02:00

A very simple and tasty way of cooking Swiss chard that only takes minutes to prepare. It tastes so good we sometimes have this on its own as a starter with fresh sourdough bread. You can also serve it as a vegetable accompaniment or tapas.
Prep 6min Cook 7min

500g Swiss chard
8-10 anchovy fillets (1 small tin)
3 cloves garlic crushed
4 tbsp Olive oil

Wash the chard to get rid of any soil or beasties and shred the leaves and stalks finely. Keep the leaves and stalks separate as the stalks will take longer to cook than the leaves.
Chop the anchovy fillets finely.
Heat the oil in a large pan or wok. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute without burning, add the anchovy keep stirring until the anchovies melt into the oil. Add the chard stalks and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften add the chard leaves mix well lower heat and cover continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the chard is tender. We like it fairly crisp but you can cook it longer if you prefer
11/10/2006

Madhur’s Fried Aubergines

2009-10-10T20:03:00.001+02:00

This is an absolutely delicious dry curry of aubergines stir fried with spices until meltingly soft. It is pretty much the best aubergine dish I have ever tasted.

5 tbsp/75ml mustard oil (reduced oil to 3 tbsp)
1 tsp Panch Poran see Spice Mixes
pinch asafetida (optional)
500g aubergines, cubed
2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
¼ tsp ground cayenne chilli
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground amchoor (dried sour mango)
fresh coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a large wok over a medium flame. If using mustard oil let it get very hot and smoking to reduce its bitterness. Put in panchphoran and asafetida. A second or two later put in the aubergines and stir fry. Turn the heat down and add the coriander, chilli, turmeric & salt. Stir and fry for 15-20 minutes adding a little water every few minutes until the aubergines are tender. By the end of cooking the aubergines will have turned brown. Stir in the amchoor powder and fresh coriander and serve as a side dish or as a main with rice and a yogurt relish.

Recipe Source This recipe comes straight from Madhur Jaffrey's book A taste of India unaltered by me save to reduce the amount of oil, cook it for a little longer and add a handful of coriander leaves before serving.
NB may need to cook for a little longer to make sure the aubergines are meltingly soft. I found putting the lid on my wok helped.
14/10/2007

Butternut Squash Curry

2009-10-10T13:31:00.000+02:00

This is an excellent autumn dish full of flavour with a sweet delicate texture. Butternut are one of the best tasting of the winter storage pumpkin/squash. It goes well with Indian style Greens or any meat dish. It also makes a great vegetarian main dish served on rice.

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 butternut pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
6 green tomatoes, peeled and chopped (optional)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
3 dried red chillis, crushed
3 sweet green peppers
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
10 cloves garlic, crushed
10 curry leaves
1 tsp freshly ground garam masala
1 tsp sugar
handful coriander leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the cumin, dry red chillis, garlic and curry leaves and fry until till light brown. Add the onions and green peppers and fry until soft. Add the pumpkin, tomatoes, turmeric, salt, and 1/2 a glass of water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Add sugar and garam marsala, mix well, continue to cook until the pumpkin is soft. Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with chapati or rice.
Variation Add 1/2 cup desiccated coconut and fry for about 1-2 min with the other spices.

Fried Rice, Tofu & Vegetables

2009-10-07T22:41:00.001+02:00

This is a wonderful hearty dish of fried brown rice with seasonal vegetables and oriental seasonings. Perfect with aubergines, peppers and long beans but works equally well with courgettes, french beans, carrots and peppers.
Serves 2

2 portions of cooked brown rice
1 small cake tofu, cubed
1 small aubergine, cubed
handful green or long beans, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Handful beansprouts (optional)
1 tbsp dried seaweed salad (optional)
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Sauce

2-3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce (optioanl)
1/4 - 1 tsp chilli flakes/powder to taste
pinch sugar

Mix up the sauce and prepare all the ingredients, set aside ready to use. Put a large pan or wok over a high flame and add a thin layer of oil. Add the aubergines and tofu, stir and fry until the cubes start to turn golden then add the beans, stir-fry for 1 minute then add the garlic, onion, pepper and dried seaweed. Fry until the beans are cooked but still bright green with some bite. Add the rice and sesame seeds, stir and fry until warmed through then add the sauce and bean sprouts, stir and cook for a further minute then serve.

Recipe Source
Devised and tested in my kitchen using seasonal vegetables from our garden and larder ingredients.

Bean, Roquefort & Walnut salad

2009-10-07T18:04:00.000+02:00

Lightly cooked green beans make a delicious salad ingredient, teamed with salty Roquefort cheese and walnuts they are divine. This protein rich salad makes a great vegetarian lunch, starter or light super while green beans are at their best from June to October.

Green Beans
Roquefort cheese, crumbled
Walnuts, Shelled and bashed
Olive oil
Walnut Vinegar or a light vinegar or lemon juice

Pinch the growing ends off the beans and snap them in half. Drop the beans into a pan of boiling water and cook covered for 4-5 minutes then drain and rinse under cold water. While the beans are slightly warm sprinkle on some crumbled Roquefort and walnuts, drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of walnut vinegar. Toss well to coat then sprinkle a little extra crumbled Roquefort. & nuts over the top.

Cooks Note the ratio of nuts and cheese to beans is really a matter of taste, I like lots of everything. But do use freshly shelled nuts as the oil in walnuts like other nuts tends to get an acrid nasty taste when its old.

Recipe Source The inspiration for this recipe came from The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit, a great reference book on growing anything edible or useful. With this recipe I have simplified it by dropping the garlic, balsamic vinegar and seasoning as I think the fresh ingredients have enough flavour of their own. The simpler the better in my opinion.

Original post 21/6/2008

Tunisian Chickpea Soup

2009-10-07T17:55:00.001+02:00

It is pepper and chilli harvest time so I've been making batches of home made harissa paste which is a fundamental ingredient of this soup. In North Africa this would be called Lablabi, a popular every day dish from Tunisia; filling, nutritious and lip smackingly good. Pared down it is chickpeas in a broth seasoned with cumin, olive oil and harissa paste, simple food that tastes divine.

It can also be varied enormously with seasonings and garnishes; this one is garnished with; olive oil, cumin, lemon, and a poached egg.

Wash the chickpeas well and put into a large pan. Fill with cold water, leave to soak for 12 hours.Discard some of the water leaving just enough to cover the soaked chickpeas. Put the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for one and a half hours or until the chick peas are tender. Stir in a good slosh of olive oil, a few cloves of crushed garlic, some ground cumin, some chopped parsley and lots of harissa to taste, cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon the soup into a dish, give it a squeeze of lemon, a little more olive oil and a sprinkle of crushed cumin seeds. Serve with bread croutons spread with more harissa or some tuna, a poached egg, or olives, whatever takes your fancy on the day.

Try it with a bit of tuna too.

Variations: There are very many variations of this simple soup because Lablabi is a traditional dish so it has been around for a long time. The chick peas can be cooked with meat bones. Stale bread can be broken into pieces and used to line the serving bowl before pouring the soup over it or the bread can be served as croutons spread with harissa paste.

Topping: The basic soup is served topped with olive oil, cumin, and a dollop of harissa but for a more substantial dish the soup can be served topped with; fish such as tuna or sardines, egg, bread croutons, capers or olives.

Cooks TIP
The soaking and cooking of chickpeas takes a long time so save it, and cooking fuel, by cooking up a large batch then freeze or bottle in ready to use portions. I freeze cooked chickpeas drained for salads and small dishes like Spicy Chickpea Salad, Spinach and Chickpeas and hummous or in bags with their cooking liquor for soups like this one.

Recipe Sources
Harissa
Mirage Blogspot
La Cuisine Marocaine
Cuisine d'Afrique

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 14/10/2008.

Tomato Chutney (Hot Mustard)

2009-10-07T14:53:00.004+02:00

This Indian inspired, fresh tasting, tomato chutney is fantastic. It is HOT and not for the faint hearted. It is a savoury chutney with no sugar added, the preserving qualities are in the oil and once opened it is best kept in the fridge. Perfect for adding a dash of taste bud tingling zing to any meal but especially curries, rice, lentil and vegetable dishes.
Makes about 5 x 250g jars Prep 20 min Cook 1 hour

1 kg Tomatoes (skinned, de-seeded and chopped)
5 fat cloves garlic
200-250g (about 20-30) fresh red chillis, seeds and stalks removed
100ml mustard oil (or peanut oil)
3 tsp brown mustard seeds
10-15 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp nigella seeds
1/2 tsp aesafoetida
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground dried cayenne chilli (optional)
extra oil

Put the tomatoes, garlic and chillis in a food processor and whizz to a fine mush. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan. If using the mustard oil make sure it gets very hot, until it starts to smoke, which will cause the oil to mellow and be less acrid. Throw in the mustard seeds and curry leaves and pull the pan off the heat immediately. Add the tomato and chilli paste carefully to avoid getting splattered with hot oil. Add the turmeric, ginger, nigella, asafoetida and salt but leave out the cayenne powder until the end of cooking to check taste.
Cook uncovered over a low heat stirring every now and then. The chutney should reduce and become thick and the oil will float to the top. This takes about 1 hour. Check the heat level and add the cayenne powder if you wish, bearing in mind you want this chutney to be hot. Pour into sterilised jars leaving a 1/2 cm gap, top with oil and seal.

Cooks Note We often run out of this chutney way before next seasons tomato harvest so we improvise and make batches with tomato conserves. You can use frozen peeled tomatoes or canned tomatoes for this recipe and dried chillis if you are making it out of season and the results are good.

Originally posted Mas du Diable 21/03/08

Tomato Chutney (sweet chilli)

2009-10-07T14:47:00.001+02:00

This sweet and spicy tomato chutney is great served with grilled sausages, kebabs or anything else you want to add a little zing to. It is a classic Anglo-Indian style chutney with the preserving qualities in the sugar and vinegar. It can easily be made milder by reducing the quantity of chillies used.
Makes 1 Kg Prep 30mins Cook 45 min - 1 hour Shelf-Life 1 year+

5 tbsp peanut oil
300g onion, grated
1 bulb garlic, grated
3 dried red bird chillies
8cm piece of ginger, grated
1 kg of tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4-6 fresh red chillies
250ml red wine vinegar
125g natural brown sugar
1 tsp cardamom seeds crushed (about 10 pods)
1/2 fenugreek seeds (optional)

Peel the onions, garlic and ginger and grate or wiz to a rough paste in a food processor. Heat the oil in a large non-corrosive pan and the dried chillis and when they darken add the onion paste, fry until the mixture starts to brown. De-seed the chillis and mince 3/4 of them, cut the remaining 1/4 into long thin strips. Add the tomatoes and minced chilli and cook until the tomatoes are mushy. Add the sugar and vinegar, stir well and cook until the chutney turns a darker colour then add the cardamom and strips of chilli. Cook until the chutney reaches the desired thickness. Pour into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately. Ready to eat in about 1 month.
Recipe Source The original recipe came from Oded Schwartz but I've mucked about with the recipe to make it hotter and more Indian in flavour, so this is where the recipe ended up and it is pretty good.
15/11/2006

Basil Oil

2009-10-05T21:30:00.001+02:00

Here is another preserving job to do in autumn to capture the flavours of summer before the first frost. Basil is a delicate herb, it does not freeze well and it does not keep its flavour when dried, it goes slimy if left too long in oil so the best way is to infuse oil with its aromatic flavours and then strain it. The infused oil is a great treat through the winter months on salads or drizzled over soups.

You don't really want to wash the basil so its best to be careful when you pick it. Pick the basil a day or so after a good rain in the morning of a dry sunny day. Bring the basil into the kitchen and roughly shred it, or bruise it slightly in a large mortar and pestle to release the oil. Pack the basil into a large sterilised glass jar, fill the jar to over half way and pour oil over to fill to the top. Push down and make sure there are no are bubbles. Seal and leave the jar to infuse for 2-3 weeks before straining into clean jars.

TIP I find the best way to strain the oil is to use a coffee filter paper set in a funnel. It takes some time to drip through but just keep topping it up. Bottle immediately and store in a dark place.

Chilli & Paprika Powders

2009-10-05T20:58:00.001+02:00

Make your own chilli powder so you can blend it to get just the right amount of heat and flavour to suit your taste. It tastes so much better and fresher than the shop bought stuff and it is so easy just dry some chillies then grind them to a powder.

Drying Chillis
Collect mature chillies on a dry day. Spread out on a large metal surface (the heat of the metal speeds drying in the sun) or basket where air can circulate. If you've no sun stack on top of a radiator to dry. Once the chillis are dry store in an airtight container until ready to use.

I make small batches of powders from the dried chillies as I need it because once it is ground it will start to lose its flavour. The dried chilli I use the most for grinding is a Cayenne, it is hot and can be made hotter still if you grind the whole pepper, seeds and all.

Mild Cayenne
Slit the dried peppers and remove everything but the red outer shell. Grind to a fine to medium powder in a coffee grinder. Nice medium to hot heat and good flavour.

Hot Cayenne
Remove the stalks from the peppers break into pieces and put everything into a coffee grinder, including the pith and seeds, grind to a fine to medium texture. The resulting powder will be more orange than red and VERY hot.

Chilli Flakes or Kirmizi Biber
Kirmizi Biber is the kind of chilli flakes you would find in a Turkish food store and is one of the most useful spices in the kitchen mild enough to go in salad dressings but with plenty of flavour. The flakes are rubbed with olive oil to help preserve both the colour and flavour. Use a medium heat but flavoursome variety of chilli such as Acri Sivri or milder to suit your taste. Use a mixture to get a more complex flavour. Slit the dried peppers and remove everything but the red outer shell. Grind to a course powder or flakes in a coffee grinder and add a tiny drop of oil on the last wizz to coat the flakes. Pour into a bowl and rub adding a little more oil if necessary to coat the flakes pour into clean glass jars and store.

Storing
Once ground store chillis powders in airtight glass jars, away from light, to preserve its colour and flavour.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com

Chayote Quick Pickle

2009-10-05T18:24:00.001+02:00

This is a Japanese style quick pickle or raw vegetable salad. There are so many wonderful Japanese quick pickle dishes and as I am making a Japanese meal this evening, I thought I would experiment and try making something I haven't tried before. The starting point for this recipe was Udo Kinzanji-miso-ae, but here I have used crisp fresh chayote or Choko instead of udo and dressed it with a simple soy and chilli dressing with only a hint of miso, so quite different from the original recipe really but no less delicious.

2 chayotes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp miso
1/2 tsp paprika / chilli powder to taste

Peel the chayotes into nice bite size pieces and put into a bowl. Mix a tiny bit of miso with about 2 tbsp of soy sauce and a mix of chilli powder and paprika to taste. Pour over the vegetables and mix well. Serve immediately or leave to marinate for a few hours before serving. Serve at room temperature as a vegetable side relish as part of a Japanese meal.

Recipe Source The original recipe can be found in Tsukemono Japanese Pickling Recipes by Ikuko Hisamatsu, 2005. The original recipe calls for Kinzanji miso which is really a condiment and I do not have any so I used a very small amount of Hatcho miso made from soy beans, it is a dark brown firm miso with a smooth texture.

Gardeners Note Chayote or vegetable pear are members of the cucurbit family. A vining climbing plant producing lots of green pear shaped fruit that are crisp and dense with no strong flavour. You could substitute a root vegetable, or dense cucumber.
5/10/2008

Summer Salad (Greek)

2009-10-05T13:03:00.003+02:00

Of all the countries in the world, to my mind, the Greeks do the best summer salads. It is not just the Aegean blue and blazing sun that make them taste so good they really know how to make the simple, chunky ingredients of summer sing.

Basic

Tomatoes
Cucumber, cut into chunks
Onions, sweet ones sliced
Peppers
Fresh herbs: parsley, basil, thyme or marjoram
Salt
Lemon juice (optional)
Olive oil (optional)

Simply chop the vegetables into bite size pieces, season with salt and chopped herbs and that is it. As the vegetables are fairly juicy they create their own dressing but you can give it a touch of oil and lemon juice too. I sometimes use Salted Parsley Preserve instead of fresh parsley as the only addition for speed.

Variations To the basic vegetable ingredients you can add all manner of stuff to make a more substantial salad. I particularly like adding a handull of pickled caper berries, black olives, feta cheese, chopped boiled egg or cured ham.

My Aegean Spice Mix
This is my own blend of herbs and spices that remind me of the Aegean, I use it to season raw summer veg and grillades. Fresh herbs such as oregano, mountain thyme, mint dried and rubbed then mixed with sea salt, dried lemon zest and ground chilli.

Gardeners Note
Summer salads like these start in June with the first cherry tomatoes and cucumbers from the polytunnel and carry on until the last rays of summer sun in October.

Green Tomato Chutney

2009-10-05T09:35:00.000+02:00

Green Tomato chutney is a great way to use up those green tomatoes that won't ripen now. There are so many versions and variations of this classic relish and they all taste a little different. This one has developed in my kitchen with tweaks and changes each time I made a batch so I have no idea where the original recipe, or even if there was one, came from. In my notes it says Oded Schwartz but having looked up his recipe this bears little resemblance other than the standard ingredients, so who knows. Suffice to say this version is pretty tasty, a bit like Branston Pickle which is what I was after.

Makes 4kg (8 lb) Shelf-life 2 years+
*1kg green tomatoes, chopped
*1kg tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
*250g onions finely chopped
*750g brown sugar
*550ml vinegar (red or white wine, cider or malt)
*3” piece ginger, grated
*10 dried apricots, chopped
*4 tsp coarse sea salt
*2 tsp black pepper corns, ground
*1tsp allspice berries, ground
*2 tsp cloves, ground
*1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
*2 cloves garlic

To make life easy I bung the onion, tomatoes, apples and apricots in a food processor and blitz to get a fine chop. Some people prefer chutney to have distinct chunks in which case it is best to chop by hand to the kind of shapes you want in the chutney. I grind the whole spices in a coffee grinder to a fine powder. Combine all the ingredients except the vinegar in a stainless steel pan. Add 6 tblsp of the vinegar and cook over a low heat adding the remaining vinegar gradually as the mixture boils. Stir as the mixture thickens for 45mins to 1.5hrs. When thick, transfer to sterilized jars and seal. Store in a cool dark place. It will be ready to eat in 1 month and will last for several years.

Originallyposted Mas du Diable25/11/07

Quince Cheese (Membrillo)

2009-10-02T00:51:00.000+02:00

It is October, the quince trees are laden and it is time to make Membrillo, the famous Spanish sweet meat. A thick paste of sieved quince and sugar boiled down, poured into moulds and set in blocks. A favourite treat for winter pantry, delicious served with cheese such as Manchego and cured hams.

Makes about 1.5Kg (4lb)
*1Kg (2lb) ripe quinces
*juice of half a lemon
*a little water
*600-800g sugar (approx)

Wash and chop the quinces. Place in a large pan with the lemon juice and just enough water to cover the fruit, simmer uncovered until the fruit is very soft. Push the quince through a metal sieve or vegetable mouli to get a smooth pulp. Weigh the pulp and put it back into a clean pan with the sugar. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook gently until the paste is thick. You will need to keep a constant eye on it and stir regularly to prevent catching on the bottom. The paste is ready to pour into moulds when it is thick. My test for being ready, for all cheeses, is when a spoon is drawn through the mixture and it takes a few seconds for the paste to fall back into the cleared line of the spoon - a parting of the seas moment you could say. Pour into lightly oiled moulds that are still warm from being sterilized, cover the top lightly with a piece of grease proof paper, and leave overnight to set. Once set wrap or cover tightly with a lid or cling film/tin foil. You are supposed to store membrillo for 3 months before using but I have never found this necessary. Turn the cheese out and serve in slices with sweet or savoury dishes. Membrillo will keep 2 years or more in the fridge in a covered container.

Note most membrillo recipes call for an equal weight of sugar to fruit pulp but I find that too sweet and prefer to add less sugar. At a ratio of 60% sugar non of the preserving qualities are lost.
Variation for a more pronounced citrus flavour simmer the quince with lemon or orange peel before sieving.
TIP Quince are very dense so I use a food processor to whizz them into small pieces because it saves on cooking time.

Originally posted onmas du diable 31/10/2007

Aubergine Chutney (hot&sour)

2009-10-01T17:02:00.002+02:00

Hot, sour and oily this Indian style aubergine chutney is really rich and will add a touch of luxury to a simple meal. Perfect with Indian breads, dhal crackers, pulses, potatoes, greens and rice dishes. I've got the last of this years aubergines that need to be used and one of my favourite things is chutney so I've been experimenting and came up with this beauty. Loosely based on Aubergine Chutney (Goan Style) in terms of spices but this one is fried in wonderfully pungent mustard oil and soured with vinegar and tamarind, it also has lots of freshly ground cayenne chilli powder.
*500g Aubergines
*150ml mustard oil
*5cm piece ginger, peeled
*10 cloves garlic, peeled
*10 dried curry leaves (optional)
*175ml white vinegar
*1 tsp salt
*4 tbsp tamarind pulp or 1-2 tsp tamarind concentrate
*2-4 tbsp sugar (to taste)
*3-5 fresh red chillis, sliced into thin rounds.
Spice mix
*1 tbsp mustard seeds
*1 tsp fenugreek seeds
*1 tbsp cumin seeds
*2 tsp turmeric
*1 tbsp ground dried hot chilli (cayenne)

Grind the ginger and garlic with a little of the white vinegar to help form a paste and set aside. Dry roast the whole spices, cool and grind to a powder. Mix the powder with the turmeric and chilli powder to make the spice mix and set aside.
Wash the aubergines and remove the stalks. Cut into thin matchsticks. In a large sauce pan heat the mustard oil until it starts to smoke then throw in the prepared aubergines in batches to fry (it should only take a few minutes for each batch if the oil is hot), then remove each batch with a slotted spoon and set aside. Once the aubergines are done, make sure all the debris is out of the pan, add the garlic & ginger paste and fry that for 2 or 3 minutes. When the raw garlic smell starts to disappear add the spice mix, stir well and fry for a minute or two then return the aubergines to the pan along with the remaining ingredients. Cook for 15-20minutes until the oil rises to the top and the aubergines are starting to go creamy. Spoon into warm sterilized jars. This chutney is not ready to eat right away because it has quite a bit of vinegar in it as a preservative. I've been munching on it with papadums as I can't wait it is so delicious, but it would be better to let it mellow for a month or so before eating. If you want a chutney you can eat straight away don't use the vinegar, you could use more tamarind and lemon juice instead. As always if you don't want something as hot as this just cut back on the chilli powder or fresh chillis.
Originally posted www.masdudiable.com 27/11/2008

Note
I made this recipe once with aubergines I bought rather than grown in my garden and they behaved very differently soaking up all the oil and not releasing it again. If you are using spongy aubergines I would suggest changing the cooking method as follows fry the curry leaves and spices in the oil then add the garlic ginger paste then add all the aubergines at once and cook as original recipe.

Tuna, Pepper & Potato Stew

2009-10-01T16:58:00.001+02:00

Rachel is half Spanish Basque, so every now and again I like to cook a dish from her heritage, and this is one of her favourites. In Spain this Basque dish is called Marmitako, and was traditionally made by bonito fishermen while at sea. The ingredients and the method of cooking are simple; potatoes, peppers and tuna fish stewed in olive oil. Something that can be knocked up on a galley stove, but the result is truly spectacular. It is deliciously rich and oily and a superb dish to keep out the cold.
Serves 2 Prep 10mins Cooking 40mins.

400g tuna fish, de-boned, skined and cut into chunks
150ml Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 green peppers de-seeded and chopped
500g waxy potatoes peeled and quartered lengthwise
salt to taste if necessary
3 tblsp home made Red Pepper Paste
1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika

Heat a large cast iron pan, add the oil, onions and peppers and sautee over a low heat until they start to soften. Cut the potatoes into long quaters to make more of a virtue of them, they cook more slowly and somehow have a better taste than if cut into small pieces. Add the potatoes fry gently for a few minutes then add the pepper paste, paprika and enough water to cover and cook for 30mins. In another skillet fry the tuna pieces in a little olive oil until sealed and starting to brown. Transfer to the potato and pepper stew and cook for a further 1Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the bonito and cook for 10 minutes more. Check the seasoning and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Source: This recipe came from The Heritage of Spanish Cooking - Alicia Rios and Lourdes March. The original recipe calls for 2 dried red peppers, soaked for 12 hours and then pureed and a much greater ratio of fish, twice the amount of fish to potato. But as we are land lubbers and tuna is expensive I have used more potato. I have also used pepper paste and paprika instead of dried peppers, long green medium chillis instead of sweet green peppers, which makes it spicier, but otherwise the dish remains true to its simple origins.

Cook's Tip Dried red peppers can be difficult to come by which is one reason i use pepper paste instead. I make my own but you can make a quick verison of pepper paste by mashing up a jar of preserved red peppers and adding some chilli or paprika powder to taste

Chilli Pickle (Pepperoncini)

2009-10-01T13:04:00.001+02:00

This chilli pickle is for the faint hearted, a mild version of a classic Indian hot chilli pickle. Pepperoncini peppers are thin fleshed mild frying peppers that have a wonderful aniseed flavour but not too much heat. This pickle, whilst still hot, is not as madly hot as those made with hot chillis. It is ready to eat immediately but will keep and mellow with age.

Makes 1 pint Keeps refrigerated for 3-6 months
*250g green pepperoncini peppers (or small sweet green peppers)
*2 tbsp yellow mustard seed
*2 tbsp fennel seeds
*1 tsp turmeric
*1 heaped tsp chilli powder (use less for a milder pickle)
*Juice of 1 lemon
*1 tbsp salt

Slice the peppers into chunky rounds discarding the end with the seeds. Roast the fennel seeds in a dry pan then grind with the mustard seeds. Mix all the ingredients together well in a large bowl then pack into a sterilised jar(s). The pickle is delicious and can be eaten immediately, to mellow the flavour cook in the sun for 3-4 days by putting the jar on a sunny window ledge and bringing it back in at night. Keep refrigerated and it will store for 3 months or more.

Recipe Source Tarla Dalal's Book on Indian pickles and breads Achaar aur Parathe and I've changed the recipe to use milder peppers and the ratio of spices to peppers.

Note I grow lots of lovely mild pepperoncini which we normally eat green simply pan fired with oil and salt in the classic Spanish Tapas style.

Originally posted on www.masdudiable.com 21/8/2008 I am republishing it here as I have a fresh batch of peppers to make this pickle with

Chilli Sauce

2009-10-01T12:28:00.002+02:00

This delicious fruity chilli sauce is a great way of preserving fresh chillis and making the most delicious condiment for the table.
Cooking time 20-30 minutes Shelf-life 1 year
*chillis, de-seeded
*onion, roughly chopped
*tart green apples, cored*sugar
*white vinegar
*salt to taste

Measure out an equal volume of each of the main ingredients or thereabouts. If you have a food processor bung the whole lot in it and give it a blitz or just chop everything up. Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly then blend the sauce with an electric blender, a hand mouli or pass it through a sieve to get a smooth sauce with a pouring consistency. While it is still warm pour the sauce into sterilised bottles and seal.

Note If you grow your own chillis then you can really experiment with the heat levels and flavours using this basic recipe as a guide. Each type or combination of chillis will give a different character to the sauce. Originally posted 28/10/2008 updated and re-posted here
Chilli Harvest 2008

from left Thai Red, Relleno Jaun, 'Kashmir' red and green, Satan's Kiss, Jalapeño, Exploding Ember, Cayenne, Peach Habanero.

Turnip Kimchi

2009-09-30T20:32:00.003+02:00

Fantastically hot Korean inspired quick pickle of white turnips or radishes. I was hoping to harvest some Mooli later this autumn but the wild pigs got to it before I did. I've had this dish fixed in my mind and still wanted to make it so I bought some white radishes or mooli in the market yesterday. Kimchee is most commonly made with Chinese Cabbage and is, some say, the national dish of Korea. I find treating white turnips or radish in a similar way makes quite a delicious quick pickle.

White turnip or radish
Salt
chilli powder
grated ginger
crushed garlic
garlic chives

Wash and peel the radishes/turnips then cut into small batons. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of salt per 300g of vegetable and mix well. Loosely cover and leave to steep overnight. The next day rinse to remove excess salt and make up the hot paste to taste stir into the turnips and leave to mature for a few more hours before serving. Keeps well for a week or two in the fridge.

Note I make my own chilli powder using a blend of some very hot, medium hot and some mildly spicy peppers to get my preferred heat level.

Crème Caramel (light)

2009-09-30T02:43:00.004+02:00

This a light version of the delicious classic French dessert. I've been experimenting to get this one with less sugar and no cream because it is nice to have a dessert that is not too heavy. It is very easy to make and is truly delicious.

Serves 4 Prep 10-15mins Cooking 20-25mins
Caramel
*1 tbsp brown sugar
*1 tbsp (12.5ml) water
Custard
*3 medium eggs
*2 drops vanilla essence
*100g caster sugar (or vanilla sugar)
*375ml semi-skimmed milk

Heat oven to 150c and warm four 150ml ramekins or one larger 600ml dish.Heat the sugar and water syrup in heavy saucepan without stirring, until pale golden with the aroma of caramel. Divide between dishes and leave to cool. If you prefer more caramel double the quantity of syrup.To make the custard, break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat until frothy, stir in vanilla essence, gradually add the sugar, then the milk, whisking continuously. Pour the custard over the top of the caramel to almost fill the dishes, stand in a baking tray with 1" of water and cook for 20-25mins. Leave to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, loosen the sides with a knife, put a small serving plate on top, turn over and shake lightly to tip the creme caramel onto the plate.

TIP Sugar caramelises at 170c if over cooked it will become black and bitter, so be carefull with it.

Apricot Sorbet

2009-09-30T00:43:00.006+02:00

500g apricots (about 10 fruit)
400ml (about 2 cups) water
1/2 cup vanilla sugar or more to taste

Half the apricots, remove the stones and crack each one to get at the apricot nuts. The shells are quite tough and you’ll need a hammer or heavy pestle and mortar but don’t worry if the nuts get smashed you just want them for their flavour. Put the apricot halves and their nuts into a large non-corrosive pan with the water and bring to a boil, Scim off any scum that forms, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the apricots are mushy about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and leave to cool. When cool press the pulp through a sieve to get a smooth puree and pour into an ice-cream maker with the motor running. Process for 35 minutes and freeze for another hour before serving. If serving at a later date remove from the freezer for 30 minutes to soften a little before serving.

Tips on making ice-cream

1. Prepapre the ice cream mixture and cool in a jug in the fridge before using.
2. Make sure the machine is running before pouring in the mixture
3. The ice cream takes about 30-45 minutes to churn but watch the consistency toward the end as you can see the colour and consistency change indicating the ice-cream is ready.
4. Freeze to 'cure' for 1 hour before serving.

Chilli Paste (Harissa)

2009-09-28T20:42:00.003+02:00

This is a thick sauce type of harissa, the kind you can serve with everything, even spread it on bread. It is hot, but not REALLY hot, made with fleshy red peppers and chillis. I came up with this Harissa because our friend Graham, who came over here a few summers ago, wanted to know if I had a recipe for the harissa we all ate one morning at a local market because he'd been dreaming of it and wanted to make some back home in Australia. So I started experimenting and came up with this which I think, is even better than the one we ate in the market.

500g red pepper puree (fresh peppers ground and sieved)
3-5 fresh hot red chillis (to taste)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp dried mint leaves, crumbled finely

Make the puree
To make red pepper puree choose thick fleshed peppers; sweet, hot and medium heat if you can, to give a more complex flavour. Wash the peppers, cut in half and remove the seeds and stalks. Put the peppers in a food processor and grind to a paste. Put the paste in a pan and cook for 15 minutes or so. Leave to cool. Press the pepper paste through a sieve, or use a vegetable mouli, to make a smooth paste and to get rid of the skins and any loose seeds.

After sieving I ended up with about 500g of pure pepper puree, which I put back into a clean pan. Dry roast the cumin and caraway, cool and grind with the fennel to a powder. Add the spice powder along with the remaining ingredients and cook until the mixture thickens. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. For storage; heat process the jars in a water bath, for 20 minutes. It should keep for a year or more. If you don't want to keep it that long it will store in the fridge, for a month or more, in a clean jar, topped with oil to exclude air.
Note on the Heat
I used a mixture of sweet peppers and medium heat paprika peppers; Doux D'Espagne, Nardello, Paprika, Pimento de Barcelona, Pepperoncini, Buran, Satans Kiss and Anatohl. If you use only sweet peppers for the paste add more chilli peppers to increase the heat to taste. For the hot peppers I used cayennes & jalapenos .
Note on Texture
If you don't want to go to the bother of sieving the pepper paste and don't mind eating the skins by all means leave this step out. I had to do it because one variety of paprika peppers I grew had such tough skins they really indigestible and little bits can get stuck in your throat.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com 13/10/2008

Passata (Tomato Paste)

2009-09-28T17:33:00.005+02:00

Of all my kitchen garden preserves passata, or sieved tomatoes, are the most useful. I grow large numbers of tomatoes just so that I can bottle them for use all through the year. There are a number of ways to make passata and as I make several versions during the year I thought I'd write about all of the methods, they all work and are all good in their own way.

There are 5 Steps to making passata
1. Clean and prepare tomatoes
2. Cook
3. Sieve or pass through a passata machine
4. Seal in Jars
5. Heat process

CLEAN

Wash the tomatoes, cut off any bruises or bad bits and cut in half or rough chunks.

COOKING METHODS
Boiling Simply put tomatoes into a large pan with 1 tsp of salt per 500g and bring to the boil, simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 15-30mins.
Baking Baking the tomatoes adds a deeper, sweeter flavour and reduces the liquid which makes a thicker stronger tasting passata. This is the best method for poorer flavoured tomatoes or those that are a little too watery. Cut the tomatoes in half and spread out on a large baking tray season generously well with sea salt and bake in a low oven for 1 hour.

SIEVING
There is a special machine for processing tomatoes to remove the skins and seeds called a passata machine. I got myself one last year from Seeds of Italy and it really does make the job easier, particularly if you are processing large quantities. Other wise you can use a sieve, a spoon and some elbow grease. Spoon batches of cooked tomatoes into the sieve, stir and press with the back of a spoon to push the pulp through the sieve, leaving the skin and seeds behind.

BOTTLING
You need to use jars that can be heat processed such as the clamp top kilner type jars or glass jars with special lids. I buy 250g jars from a local agricultural store that sell different types of lids including those for heat processing. These lids have a circular dimple which becomes depressed during the process and shows that a vacuum seal has been achieved. Pour into Jars leaving a 1cm gap at the top screw the lids on well but not too tight.

HEAT PROCESSING
There are special heat processing pans available but I find using a pasta pan with a draining insert works just as well, when I am only processing small batches. Carefully place the jars in a single layer around the sieve part of the pan then lower into the outer pan. Fill with water to 2 inches bellow the lids, and bring to the boil. Once boiling cover and set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off raise the draining insert and set aside to cool. The dimpled jar lids should be depressed and if used kilner jars adjust to final lock down position. Label when cool.

COOK'S TIP
If you don't want to heat process you can always freeze the sieved paste in cartons or bags instead. I don't do much of this anymore after an accident with our freezer and I lost the entire years harvest. The old method of bottling just seems more reliable to me.

See How to Preserve Tomatoes for other ways of preserving tomatoes.

Salted Parsley Preserve

2009-09-28T16:54:00.002+02:00

Salting parsley makes a great long-keeping preserve that remains remarkably fresh tasting and keeps its deep rich colour well. I collect and preserve parsley in late spring and early autumn.

*300g parsley, washed and dried
*1 bulb green garlic, peeled (optional)
*5 heaped tsp rock salt

Grind the ingredients together, empty into a clean bowl cover with a plate and leave for 24 hours. Next day stir the mixture well and spoon into sterilised jars, loosely cover and leave for 2 days. After 2 days seal tightly and store. Use this preserve as a seasoning ingredient for soups, salad dressings and pasta sauces. Use it by the spoonful straight from the jar, but do beware of adding any other salt to dishes if you are using this preserve as it is very salty. This method of preservation works remarkably well and will keep for at least a year, that I know of, in jars in the fridge.

Garden Note
In May, before last years parsley starts to go to seed and in October before the first frost we have a plentiful supply of parsley leaves to preserve. I make this or freeze it. I use the Italian flat leaf parsley.

Collecting the parsley
The parsley must be very dry with no moisture clinging to the leaves of the condiment will spoil. It is best gathered when dry after a light rain or first washed and dried fully before using.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com 06/05/2008

Walnut & Parsley Pesto

2009-09-28T16:33:00.001+02:00

In late September the walnuts start to drop and can be gathered throughout October. This is one of the sauces I make with our walnuts.

*1 part shelled nuts
*1-2 parts parsley (to taste)
*Orange or lemon zest
*1 part garlic Salt
*Olive oil
Pound the pesto ingredients together very finely and add enough oil to make a smooth paste. Use fresh on pasta and in soups.

Walnut & Parsley Pesto Preserve
This recipe comes from the excellent book on old world techniques of preserving garden produce Keeping Food Fresh by Terre Vivante. Use it as you would pesto for seasoning pastas and soups.
*1 part shelled nuts
*1-2 parts parsley (to taste)
*1 part garlic & onion (mix to taste)
*a little vinegar
*A few anchovies (optional)
*Salt
*Olive oil

Grind all the non liquid ingredients together very finely. Add the vinegar, put the mixture in jars and seal with oil before capping.

Red Pepper Pastes

2009-09-28T14:23:00.006+02:00

Red pepper paste is a Turkish speciality one of the most useful ingredients in my pantry, great for adding a dash of colour and flavour to any dish. I make plenty of it and usually several versions in the autumn ready for the dark days of winter. Traditionally the peppers are pounded with only salt and laid out in the sun to dry to form a thick paste. But as we can't always rely on a hot dry sun in autumn which is our rainy season I usually make this paste on top of a stove or slowly roasted in the oven.

Mild Sweet

This recipe makes a sweet pepper paste with only a hint of heat but you can easily make a hotter version by adding more chilli.

*2.5 kg Sweet red peppers
*2 fresh cayenne chilli peppers
*3 tbsp sea salt

Spicy Paprika

This is a mildly hot and spicy version made using paprika peppers, sweet peppers and chillis.

*2.5 kg red paprika and sweet peppers
*3-6 red chilli peppers
*3 tbsp sea salt
*1 tbsp cumin seeds, freshly ground
*1 tbsp coriander seeds, freshly ground
*4 tsp black peppercorns, freshly ground
*olive oil

Wash and dry the peppers, remove the core and seeds and roughly chop. Put into a food processor and mince along with the seasonings.

Cooking Method 1
Tip the whole lot into a large preserving pan and bring to the boil lower the heat and cook slowly for 35-45 mins if the peppers are quite dry. It can take up to 2 hours depending on how juicy the peppers are. The paste is ready when you have a paste consistency with no thin liquid surfacing.
Cooking Method 2
Alternatively pour the paste into a wide oven dish, stir in a dash of olive oil and bake slowly at 150c for 40-60 minutes or until the paste darkens and becomes thick.

Spoon the hot paste into warm sterilised jars, cover with 1cm of olive oil to form an inner seal then screw on the lids. This paste will keep for several years that I know of.

Variations
My x-partners mum used to make huge batches of pepper paste each summer and the stuff was like gold when she sent it over from Turkey, hers was quite hot and had a complex flavour which included cumin and mint.
Gardener's Tip
If you grow a variety of peppers you can make all kinds of pastes with varying intensities.
This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com 10/10/2007 revised to include new versions

Pasta Con Sarda

2009-09-26T16:37:00.001+02:00

Sardines are a super healthy food and plentiful, they are a fairly local fish for us, coming from the Mediteranean sea, which makes them cheap and easy to buy fresh. Sardines have a strong taste and I normally prefer them just dusted with seasoned flour and cooked over coals but I do like them with pasta, especially if teamed with tomatoes and parsley to cut through the oiliness of the fish.

Serves 2 prep 5 minutes cooking 8 minutes

pasta to serve 2
olive oil
1 clove garlic
2-3 fresh sardines
2-3 tomatoes or 1 cup crushed tomatoes
large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Cookthe pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until 'al dente'. Fillet the sardines removing any larger bones and cut into bite size pieces. Put a good slug of olive oil in a wide pan over heat then add the garlic and when the aroma rises add the fish. Fry gently then add 2 or 3 skinned and chopped tomatoes (I used home-made passata when I am in a rush or you could use tinned tomatoes) stir well and cook until the fish is cooked through and the sauce thickens, 5-8 minutes. Season and stir in the parsley and serve on a bed of pasta with a splash of fresh lemon juice.
A note on the pasta
You can use any pasta, I used Casarecci, which means “home style” usually two-inch-long thin twists, popular in the Puglia region of Italy.
Variations
I sometimes like to add the grated zest & juice of half a lemon, or roasted sweet red peppers.
Notes on the Recipe
When thinking about making this dish (all I wanted was sardines, tomatoes and parsley) I did some research to see if there were any traditional recipes for pasta with sardines, as it seemed such a natural combination to me. I came accross many versions of various types of pasta with sardines but non in the vein of what I had in mind. The most common are those which include pinenuts and sultanas and have their origins in the Arab or Saracens influenced Southern and Sicillian cuisines. In addition to the sultanas and pine nuts some recipes also include breadcrumbs, saffron and cheese. Non of them were really what I had in mind but here are some interesting examples if you want to take a look at Accidental Hedonist, Joanna's Food, or Histoire de pates.

Tomato Chutney (Sweet Bengal)

2009-09-23T17:18:00.003+02:00

Tomatoes make great chutney and I put up plenty of it in the late summer and early autumn months to prepare for a winter without tomatoes. This is the quickest and easiest chutney preserve I make. Sweet Benagli is also my favourite it goes with anything and it is perfect for those who like a sweet chutney that still has a little kick. It can be eaten immediately as there are no strong acids that need to mellow and it will store for several months, but once opened it is best keep in the fridge and used within a couple of weeks.

Prep & Cook 35 minutes Makes 1 quart / 1 pint Stores 6 months

750g tomatoes
1 tsp whole Panch Poran
3-4cm cube of fresh ginger
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 whole hot dried chillis
2-4 fresh green hot chillis, sliced
8 cloves garlic
1tsp salt
100g sugar

Shred the ginger, peel and chop or crush the garlic. Peel and chop the tomatoes. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the panch poran (Bengali five spice) let the spices sizzle for a few seconds and when they start to pop add the dried chilli then the garlic and ginger, fry for a minute or two and give the pan a good shake. Add the tomatoes, green chilli, salt and sugar stir well and simmer until the chutney thickens. After about minutes 20 minutes the consistency starts to change and the chutney will get thicker and look glossy. Pour into a hot sterilised jar and seal immediately.

Cook's Tip I make this chutney all year round, as needed. If I run out and tomatoes are not in season I use my stock of frozen or bottled tomatoes or commercial tinned tomatoes and still got a great result.

Recipe Source This recipe originally came from Madhur Jaffrey's book, A Taste of India, I have made minor changes to the recipe by adding a little more chilli, spices, leaving out the dried mango/apricots and using a little less sugar. The resulting chutney is still sweet and only slightly hot.

Pork & Long Bean Stir fry

2009-09-23T16:35:00.001+02:00

This fragrant and spicy stir fry enhances the taste and texture of vegetables fresh from the garden. Variations of meat stir fried with long beans are found all over east Asia. This is my version using the best of our autumn garden produce; long beans, red peppers, chilli and Thai basil are stir fried with pork but you could easily leave out the meat.
Serves 2 Cook & Prep 20mins.

1 pork chop, cut into thin slices
1 tsp cornflour
4 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Peanut oil
4 cloves garlic
200g french beans
1-2 medium heat red peppers
1 hot red chilli or 3 mild chillis
Large handful Thai basil (30-40 leaves)

sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar

Cut the pork chops into thin slices removing any bone. Put the slices in a bowl sprinkle with 2tsp of sesame oil and the cornflour and mix well, set aside while the rest of the ingredients are prepared.

Wash and trim the beans and cut into bite size lengths, chop the red peppers into small squares or strips, peel and chop the garlic, slice the chilli in half remove seeds and chop finely, pick the basil leaves from the stalks.

In a bowl mix together the sauce ingredients with the remaining 2 tsp of sesame oil and 4 tbsp of water.

Heat a large non stick pan or wok, add the peanut oil and just as it starts to smoke add the garlic, stir once. Add the pork and stir fry over a high heat until it is sealed and starting to brown. Add the peppers, basil, chilli and beans and continue stir frying for another minute. Pour in the sauce and cook for a further minute or two until the beans are bright green and cooked but still crisp. Serve with long grain white rice.

Variations: use mint instead of Thai basil. Add some sliced mushroom

Cooks TIP 1. Stir frying is a fast and furious business and it is essential that all the ingredients are prepared ready to just throw into the pan in their turn. 2. Coating the meat in corn flour before frying and simmering gives it protection so that it will remain soft and succulent. It will also help thicken the sauce slightly.
23/9/2006

Cherry Chillies Baked

2009-09-23T16:15:00.010+02:00

Cherry chilli's are small round chillis with thick flesh and varying degrees of heat. Some can be mild, though I've yet to find those, and some very hot like the ones I grow, an Italian variety called Ciliegia Piccante or Satan's Kiss. The hot chillis loose some of their heat when cooked and so can be made milder by first boiling them once or twice before baking.

Cut the tops out of the chillis and remove the seeds. Toss the hollowed chillis into a pan of boiling water and boil for 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain. Once the chillis are cool enough to handle, at this point you could remove the skins if they are tough I don't bother its too fiddly, stuff each chilli and lay on a baking tray bottom side down. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in a moderate oven for 30 -40 minutes or until the chilli flesh is soft but not falling apart.

STUFFING

I was experimenting with stuffing the chillis to see what makes a nice combination and so far tuna and halloumi have been pretty good but you could try anything; rice, meat, pulses whatever takes your fancy.

Tuna - For the stuffing paste I ground up tinned tuna, anchovies, capers, garlic, onion and a little mustard.
Halloumi - For the stuffing I simply stuffed them with chopped halloumi cheese, you could any cheese that cooks well.

Grated Carrot Salads

2009-09-23T13:26:00.023+02:00

Carrots are a really underrated vegetable, the dense sweet roots are packed full of vitamins and nutrients, they are available almost all year round and they are incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Once grated carrots become something quite special and make the most wonderful salads and sides. Here are just a few of the grated carrot salads I really like. I've given measurements here but really these are just an indication and it is best to add the spices and flavours to suit your own taste and the carrots you use.

Garlic and Oil
This salad dish is so simple and so delicious that you just can't stop eating it. Our neighbour, Claudie, made this for us, with carrots from her garden, and we've been eating it ever since. As with all the recipes following simply mix all the ingredients together and serve.
bowl of grated carrots
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice

Orange and Cumin
This salad has a north African influence and is a perfect mezze dish.
bowl of grated carrots
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
grated zest of half and orange
juice of half and orange
1/2 tsp crushed cumin seed

Coriander and Lime
This salad uses Thai flavourings to make a zesty bright salad bowl of grated carrots
fresh coriander leaf, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lime juice
pinch of home made chilli powder to taste
1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce or both
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar

Indian Spiced
Wonderful served as a spicy side salad with other Indian foods.
bowl of grated carrots
2 green chillis, thinly sliced into rings
generous pinch of salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds, ground
1 tbsp mustard oil or chilli oil
1 tsp lemon juice

Chilli and Garlic
Hot and spicy this is more of a relish than a salad serve in small portions on the side.
bowl of grated carrots
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp home made chilli powder
juice of half a lemon
generous pinch of salt

Chicken in Spiced Yogurt Sauce

2009-09-23T12:27:00.006+02:00

A quick fragrant dish of chicken cooked in Indian inspired spices with a coriander and yogurt sauce. I would normally use chicken breast or leg meat off the bone for this dish, if you use chicken pieces on the bone it will take longer to cook.

Serves 2 or 4 with other dishes

3 tbsp oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 green peppers
2cm cube of ginger, grated
Green Coriander Seeds
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 hot green chillis (or to taste)
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 large chicken breasts
2 big handfuls of coriander leaves washed and chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1-2 tubs plain yogurt

Heat oil to a high heat in a large cast iron pan or wok, fry onion until it is starting to brown then add the green peppers, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper, stir and fry for a minute or so. Cut the chicken breast into bite size peices and add this to the pan, fry quickly to seal and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is nearly cooked. Reduce the heat, sprinkle in the fresh coriander leaves and seeds and spoon in the yogurt slowly stirring to encorporate stir and simmer gently for one or two minutes until the sauce is warmed through and the chicken is completely cooked. Serve with rice and a side vegetable dish.

See Indian Recipes for more recipes for dals, vegetable dishes, curries, Indian breads, chutnies pickles and relishes.

Aubergine Dip (baba ghanoush)

2009-09-23T11:00:00.007+02:00

Aubergine caviar or baba ghanoush is a classic Arabic dip of roasted, mashed aubergine flesh seasoned with spices and lemon juice. Served with flat breads it is a lovely appetizer or makes a fine contribution to a meal of little dishes or meze (mezze).

Seasoned mashed aubergine flesh, is a divine way to eat aubergines. I first encountered Baba ghanoush in Edinburgh, when I used to visit a friend who had a lovely little deli on the corner of her road. They made their own baba ghanoush and I always bought a tub of it on my way to visit her. The secret to a good Aubergine Caviar is the quality of the aubergines so use only the freshest, best tasting aubergines.

Serves 6 approximately
basic recipe

4 medium aubergines
4 tbsp olive oil
Juice of one lemon (a little zest too if you like)
sea salt
cracked black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed

The aubergines need to be cooked first by baking in an oven or roasting over a charcoal flame. The charcoal will add more flavour but so long as the skin blackens a little in the oven the smoky flavour, that makes this dish so delightful, will come through. Prick the aubergines several times with a fork then cook until the flesh is soft.
Allow to cool then scrape the aubergine flesh into a bowl and discard the skin. Add the lemon juice seasoning, garlic and half the oil. Mash with a fork or use a blender to make a smooth puree, depending on the texture you like. Adjust seasoning and serve drizzled with the remaining oil. You can vary the seasoning and add your favourite herbs or spices, see the variations for ideas. My personal preference is to add lightly crushed green coriander seeds or mustard seeds, a little cumin and coriander leaf. The version pictured has yogurt, a little ground cumin seed and is dusted with powdered cayenne chilli, but you could also add grated onion, mint, parsley, or coriander. I never seem to make it the same way twice.

Variations from around the world
There are many versions of mashed or pureed aubergine flesh to be found around the world; from the southern Mediterranean, throughout the middle east and into India, so there must be something to it,
In Turkey thick sheep's yogurt is sometimes added, about 5-6 tablespoons for this quantity of aubergine puree but use less oil.
In Armenia chopped coriander and onion might be added
In Morocco harrissa might be added
In Syria and Lebanon pomegranate molasses may be used instead of lemon as the souring agent
In Egypt and other parts of the middle east Tahini may be added
In Italy agresto and basil might be added
In India Baingan Bartha is a cooked dish where the aubergine flesh is fried with spices and tomato and onions.

Pasta: Courgette Walnut Pesto

2009-09-23T10:38:00.008+02:00

This knock out pasta dish is a great combination of walnuts, garlic and parsley with sweet fried courgettes. It is a perfect autumn dish when both parsley and walnuts are in season. I prefer to use Reginatte for this dish, thick wide ribbons with a wavy edges but you could use any kind of pasta.

Serves 2 Prep & Cook 12 mins

Reginatte or any other pasta
1 medium courgette
olive oil
Walnut & Parsley Pesto Sauce
Grated lemon zest to taste

Boil the pasta in a roomy pan of hot salted water until cooked, I like mine with a little bite or al dente. Meanwhile slice the courgettes and fry in olive oil in a wide frying pan with high sides, a wok type pan always works well for this. Fry until they pick up a little colour season with salt and cracked pepper and when the pasta is cooked drain and throw into the pan, add the walnut pesto to taste toss well, sprinkle with lemon zest and serve with some grated parmesan.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 24/1/2007.

Roast Pepper Salad

2009-09-23T10:26:00.001+02:00

There are many roasted pepper salads to be found all around the Mediterranean region; long sweet green or red peppers are roasted and skinned and served with a simple dressing.
To prepare the peppers
Preheat the oven to 240c (gas 9). Wash the peppers and lay whole in a large baking tray and place high in the oven. Roast the peppers for 30-40 minutes until the skins start to brown and blister. Better still is roast them over a charcoal flame until the skins are blackened. Put the peppers in a polythene bag or cover the tray and leave for 15 minutes to loosen the skins. While still warm peel the peppers, remove the seeds and cut off the stems but make sure to keep all the pepper juices. At this point the peppers can be stuffed into a sterilised jar, pour in the juices and top up with olive oil to form a seal from the air, cap and store. The peppers are ready to eat simply slice into long strips or squares, dress and serve.

Cook's Tip
Roasted peppers make a great preserve, once prepared, simply pack into sterilised bottles with their juices and cover with oil. They will keep in a cool dark place for years. Serve as an appetiser or tapas, add to a salad composé or serve with pasta for a quick lunch.
Dressing Variations:

Basic Spanish Dressing: a simple dressing of crushed garlic and olive oil
Garlic & Parsley as basic Spanish Dressing but with parsley
Preserved lemon dressing: as basic dressing plus sliced preserved lemon skin
Lemon & Parsley Dressing: salt & pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic and parsley.
Salt Fish: in Spanish tapas bars roast preserved peppers are often served with flakes of salt cod.

Fig & Tamarind Chutney

2009-09-23T09:58:00.001+02:00

This is a soft smooth chutney inspired by the classic Indian tamarind chutney, perfect to serve with papadums or as a side relish for curries or grilled food. It was an experiment that worked, I like it even better than the classic tamarind chutney.

8 rip figs
3/4 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 tart apple peeled and grated
pinch salt
pinch of chilli powder to taste
100-200ml water
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, roasted then ground
3 tbsp sugar

Wash and roughly chop the figs, put into a pan with all the other ingredients and gently simmer until you have a soft jam like consistency. Add more water if it is too thick and check the taste add more chilli to taste and adjust salt level if necessary. Using an electric liquidiser, I have a little hand held one that is very useful for this kind of job, whizz until smooth or use a fork or something to hand and beat it to a smoothish paste. Use immediately or bottle into sterilised jars. I have no idea how long it will keep and I doubt I will get the chance to find out. So I'll have to make another batch and see how long it will actually last.

Chayote Urid Dal

2009-09-21T17:37:00.006+02:00

Chayote or vegetable pear cooked in a lentil broth flavoured with a spicy, coconut masala paste. The chayote works extremely well cooked in the dal so there is lots of scope for experimenting with other members of the cucurbit family and using summer squash or gourds and varying the spices or the types of lentils.

1-2 Chayotes (green vegetable pear)
1/2 cup urid dal (black lentils split, skinned, washed)
5 cups water
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 large green chilli
1/4 tsp salt

Masala paste

1 tsp mustard seed
10 dried curry leaves
1 tbsp urid dal
2 dried red chillis
8 black peppercorns
2 tbsp grated coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut

Fry the masala ingredients in a little oil, set aside to cool and then blitz in a coffee grinder to a rough paste. If the chayote are young cut into bite size pieces but if the chayotes are older peel the skin off, as it can be quite stringy and tough, then cut onto pieces.

Put the dal and water in a pot, with the turmeric and sliced green chilli (use only half a chilli if you don't want it to be too hot) cover and simmer until the lentils are nearly cooked about 45 mins. I like to leave the lentils with some shape but you can mash them to make a smoother dal. Add the pieces of chayote and a good pinch of salt and continue to simmer covered until the chayote is cooked, this takes about 10 minutes. Stir in the masala paste, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 5 minutes or so before serving. Drizzle with a little home made chilli oil and serve with rice and a sweet chutney such as Sweet Bengali Tomato Chutney or Fig and Tamarind Chutney or any Indian pickles.

Recipe Sources
In India a dish like this would be called Chow chow kootu. I looked at several recipes for Chow Chow Kootu and ended up making the version above, which is a combination of two or three recipes I found.

see the discussion on this forum
see recipe on Indobase
Cook's Tip
Cooking small quantities of lentils like this is a waste of fuel for a single 2 serving dish so I tend to cook up larger batches and freeze in portions, which can be used to make dishes like this quickly. The Masala paste can be made in batches and will store for several months in an airtight jar.

Lentil Soup

2009-09-17T16:39:00.005+02:00

A classic lentil soup is hard to beat when you want something warm, nutritious and comforting to eat. It is such a simple soup, using basic ingredients, but I love it and it will always be a favourite. This is the way I make a basic lentil soup.

Serves 4 prep 7mins cook 30-45mins

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 clove garlic sliced (optional)
1 cup red lentils washed and drained
1 litre good vegetable stock ( or stock cube works fine)
2 bay leaves, fresh if you can get them
salt to taste
Lemon to taste

Gently fry the onions, black pepper and garlic in the oil without browning until soft. Add the lentils, bay leaves add stock and stir. Cover and boil for 30-45mins or until the lentils are soft. Season to taste adding salt now if necessary. I usually give this soup a wiz with a hand blender to get an extra creamy texture, but make sure to remove the bay leaves first. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a slice for extra flavour.

Variations for a non vegetarian version fry lardons or cubed bacon with the onion for extra flavour or give it a kick an serve with a swirl of home made chilli oil or a squeeze of lemon juice.

TIP do not add salt when cooking pulses as they will be harder and take longer to cook.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com 25/09/2006

Aubergine Chutney (Goan Style)

2009-09-12T13:26:00.000+02:00

This is a wonderfully sweet, sour and hot chutney It is pretty easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious, perfect with curries, dhals and rice.
Makes 2 x 250g jars Prep 30mins Cook 20mins
*4 tbsp oil
*250g Aubergines
*2 tsp grated ginger
*3 cloves garlic, crushed
*2 pieces cinnamon bark
*10 dried curry leaves, crumbled
*6-10 dried bird chillis (very hot)
*2 fresh red Kashmiri chillis
*1 tsp fenugreek seeds
*1 tsp mustard seeds
*1 tsp turmeric
*1/2 tsp cumin
*250ml light vinegar
*2 tbsp sugar
*salt
Prick the aubergines and roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes, cool and chop into small cubes. Heat oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan and fry the cinnamon, garlic, ginger and curry leaves for a minute or until the aroma rises. Add the aubergines and fry for 5 minutes or so. Crush the remaining dry spices in a pestle and mortar to a rough powder. Stir in the spice powder, vinegar and sugar and cook until the mixture thickens. Ladle into warm sterilised jars and seal.

Recipe Source based on a Goan recipe I found for Brinjal Pickle on goa com.

Originally published 12/09/07

Pickled Cucumber Salad

2009-09-11T14:17:00.004+02:00

Cucumbers are prolific croppers and are best eaten fresh as they are picked so in summer we eat a lot of cucumber salads with an oriental flavour to make the best use of them. This one pickles the cucumbers and is great served with fried or grilled foods such as barbecued chicken wings.
Serves 4 as an accompaniment

1 cucumber
60ml water
1 tbsp palm sugar
60ml rice vinegar (or any light white vinegar)
1cm cube of ginger peeled and grated
1 small red chilli de-seeded and finely sliced

Peel the cucumber and cut into quarters length ways. Remove the seeds and slice thinly. Mix the remaining ingredients stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Mix the dressing and cucumber and refridgerate until ready to serve.
10/9/2006:

Provençal Fig Ice Cream

2009-09-07T18:55:00.000+02:00

Figs make delicious icecream and in this recipe I have used single cream in order to make a soft, luscious, creamy backdrop for the big flavours of these Provençal Figs. This recipe does require an icecream maker.

500g fresh ripe figs
120g vanilla sugar
225ml single cream

Wash and chop the figs roughly and put into a food processor with the other ingredients wizz to combine to a rough cream and pour into an icecream churner. Churn to fozen and spoon out into a carton and freeze for half an hour before serving.
7/9/2007

Black Olive Tapenade

2009-09-06T20:12:00.000+02:00

This Provencal specialty of black olives, anchovies, tuna and capers pounded into a delicious spread is an absolute classic. Tapenade is often served, as a tit-bit to dip bread or raw vegetables into in restaurants or in bars on rounds of toated bread with drinks. It also makes an excellent picnic food and sandwich filler.

* 50 or so stoned black olives
* 6-8 anchovy fillets
* 1 tbsp capers
* 50-100g tinned tuna
* Olive Oil (espresso cup full)
* Juice of half a Lemon or orange
* Flat leaf parsley, finely minced (optional)
* 1 tbsp brandy (optional)

Pound the olives, anchovies, tuna and capers together into a thick puree, in a pestle and mortar or in a food processor, gradually adding the olive oil and lemon juice as you go. When you have a consistency you are happy with, I like it quite coarse. Stir in the parsley and brandy if using. Serve spread on rounds of bread or as a dip to accompany crudités or bread sticks. Store in a jar in the fridge where it will keep for several months.

Note the quality of the olives determines the end result I prefer strong oily dark olives but use the ones you like.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 6/9/2006.

Puy Lentil & Coconut Dal

2009-09-05T15:43:00.000+02:00

Puy lentils are the small green lentils which come from Le Puy in the northern part of the Cevennes. Nutritionally rich and earthy in flavour they make great vegetarian main dishes. This dry dal, or Indian style lentils, may not look pretty, but it is packed with flavour, heat and is utterly delicious.

1 cup Puy or small green lentils
1 onion, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
5 cups water
3 very hot fresh chillis (I've used Lemon Drop)
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp Turmeric

Final Fry

1 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
10 dried curry leaves
2-3 dried hot bird chillis
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wash the lentils and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Slit the fresh chillis down the middle and remove the seeds. Put the sesame oil in a large heavy pan and fry the onion gently. Drain the lentils and add to the pan along with the water, chillis, ginger and turmeric cover and cook until the lentils are soft but still whole.
Heat a small frying pan and add the oil, when it is hot add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry chillis when the seeds begin to pop add the coconut and salt fry until the coconut begins to toast then tip into the lentils, stir and cover. Check seasoning adding a little more salt or chilli to taste and a little more water if it is too dry. At this point you can also add some fresh coriander leaves. Serve with rice, Indian chutneys, a vegetable dish and yogurt relish.
5/9/2007

Ratatouille

2009-09-03T18:20:00.001+02:00

Ratatouille is served all over the south of France as the vegetable accompaniment to meat, fish or chicken dishes. It is also served on its own cold as a starter with fresh bread. Ratatouille is simply a stew of aubergines, peppers, courgettes, onions and tomatoes, all that grows abundantly here in the summer and autumn months. The secret to this dish is to cook it slowly in lots of olive oil. This recipe is for a fairly large quantity I made at the end of the season to freeze in 3 batches enough for meal for 2 or 4 as side portions.
Prep 25mins Cook 1 hour

100ml olive oil
400g onions, diced
500g Aubergine, diced
8 cloves garlic, sliced
500g red, green and yellow peppers, diced
350g courgettes, skinned and diced
400g sieved tomatoes or passata
3-4 sprigs fresh Thyme, tied together
1 tsp salt

Prepare the aubergines first and put in a bowl with a tbsp of salt leave for at least an hour to degorge any bitter juices, then rinse and drain. (if the aubergines are not bitter skip this step). Fry the onions in the oil in a large heavy pan, when they have completely softened add the garlic fry for 1 minute. Then add the aubergines fry until softened then add the peppers and fry gently until the peppers have soften finally add the courgettes and sieved tomatoes or passata, salt and the thyme bundle. Cover and simmer gently with the lid on for half an hour to one hour until all the vegetables are melt in the mouth soft. Serve as a cold starter sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley or as it is warm.
3/9/2006:

Chapatis (Indian Flat Bread)

2009-08-31T22:36:00.004+02:00

Chapatis are my favourite kind of bread to accompany savoury dishes and a must to go with any Indian meal. Soft pliable thin breads with a subtle delicate slightly sweet flavour that is a perfect foil for spicy food. They are actually very easy and enjoyable to make and can be frozen.

This recipe makes about 8 chapatis (20cm diameter)
* 2 cups chapatti flour (or whole wheat, sifted)
* ½ cup plain yogurt
* ½ cup warm water
* Extra flour for dusting

Put half the flour (1 cup) into a large bowl. Using the same cup ½ fill it with yogurt then top up with warm water and mix well. Add the yogurt & water mix to the flour and beat. The consistency should be loose and runny. Now start adding the rest of the flour a bit at a time until the mixture starts to form a kneadable dough. (you may need more of less flour).

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces dust with flour and flatten. Roll out each piece until they are about 20cm wide or whatever size fits your frying pan. Lay the breads out separately on a lightly floured tray or work surface as you finish them. Covering the breads with the
damp towel as you roll out the others. You can roll and cook at the same time but I see to have mishaps this way and burn the bread.

Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, carefully lay the first chapati, top side of the bread down. Cook briefly (only about 10seconds) then flip over to the second side. Cook on the second side until small bubbles begin to form, this will take about 1 minute. Flip the chapatti back to the first side and finish cooking for another minute or so until air pockets start to bubble up in the chapatti. Use a clean tea towel or paper towel to gently press the edges of the air bubbles to spread the air and balloon up the chapatti. When you are happy with your chapati, remove it and lay it on a serving dish or basket lined with a clean cloth, fold the edges over to cover. Continue to cook the other breads, stacking each as it is finished on top of the others and keeping them wrapped.

Note
The measurements in my recipe are in cups this is not the American cup measurement just a domestic tea cup which I use for dishes that require a ratio particularly rice or bread. Chapattis often have salt in the mix but I personally prefer them without salt, as they have a sweeter more subtle flavour without it.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 31/8/2006.

Tomato & Basil Chutney

2009-08-30T19:55:00.001+02:00

Once all the passata, dried tomatoes and tomato sauces are made I generally make some chutnies. This one is a bit of a gem, a slightly spicy, chunky tomato chutney excellent with barbecued food or anything else for that matter.

*2 kg ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped
*400g strong onions finely chopped
*20 cloves garlic
*100ml olive oil
*1 tsp cracked black pepper
*1 tsp sea salt
*4 tsp black mustard seeds
*1tsp wild fennel seeds
*1-3 fresh red chills de-seeded and finely chopped
*1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
*150ml Balsamic vinegar
*100g sugar
*Basil, finely shredded

Fry onion with salt and pepper until soft, add garlic add tomatoes spices and vinegar and cook for one hour until pulpy adding more water if necessary to keep a good consistency. This chutney should not be too dry, add sugar bring to the boil and cook a further 30mins until thick but not dry, stir in fresh basil. Ladle into warm sterilized jars and seal. It stores for at least 2 years in a cool dark place. Once opened keep in the fridge.

Cumin Spiced Rice

2009-08-29T22:40:00.001+02:00

This is a delicious way of cooking basmati rice, with plenty of garlic and just a hint of Indian spices. It is great served with simply cooked vegetables, curries, grilled chicken or even on its own with a yogurt relish or Indian sauce such as Tomato Pachadi on the side.

Serves 6-8 Prep 7 min cook 10 min + 10 min resting
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 small pieces of cinnamon bark
400ml basmati rice
600ml stock (chicken or vegetable) or water
1/2 tsp black pepper coarsely ground (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric

Wash the rice and drain in a sieve. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. When hot drop in the cumin seeds. As soon as they begin to change colour add the garlic, salt, pepper and cinnamon stir and fry for a few seconds then add the rice. Stir and fry until the rice becomes opaque and the garlic is aromatic. Pour in the stock or water and add the turmeric, stir once and bring quickly to the boil. Cover tightly, turn the heat down and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave covered for a further 10 minutes, this allows the rice to plump up in the steam and finish cooking.

Variation Mix in some cooked broad beans to make a heartier pilaf.

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 29/8/2007.

How to Preserve Tomatoes

2009-08-28T17:11:00.004+02:00

Tomatoes make some of the most valuable preserves and condiments for the pantry; sun dried tomatoes, passata, tomato concentrate, sauces or salsas, and chutneys. Processing tomatoes for preserving can be a messy time consuming affair and the kitchen can look like a set for the chainsaw massacre but for me the rewards are worth it, It is such a luxury to have all this lush tomato stuff in the cupboards because lets face it we won't be seeing tomatoes again until next July unless I can get some to ripen a little earlier next year. Each year I grow more and more tomatoes so that we will have enough to preserve. We eat so much of these tomato preserves that there is just never seems to enough until next years crop.

PASSATA
The all purpose preserve is the basic sieved tomato sauce called Passata, to take the Italian name for it, just tomatoes boiled with a little salt and then sieved or put through a pasta machine. It is indispensable in the kitchen as a base for all kinds of dishes. For full instructions on making passata and preserving by heat processing, or canning as the American would call it, see How to Make Passata, it can also be frozen for storage.

TOMATO PULP or CONCASSE or PASTE
The process is slightly different from passata in that the tomatoes are skinned and de-seeded then chopped. This is the basic stuff I have left over from seed saving and as a seed saver for Association Kokoplelli I tend to produce a lot of this. It can be used fresh in its basic state, frozen as is or bottled and heat processed. I usually cook it for to reduce the amount of liquid in the pulp before bottling into 250g jars with a sterilising lid and heat process for 20 minutes.

TOMATO SAUCE, COULIS or SUGO
Many sauces that we regularly make can be heat processed. Tomato sauce differs from passata in that the tomatoes are cooked with other ingredients and it is not sieved so it has more body and is perfect to use straight from the jar on pasta or in other dishes that require a tomato sauce. See Basic Tomato Sauce

DRYING TOMATOES
Drying tomatoes is like alchemy the fruit wither down but their flavour just gets bigger and more intense. It is best to use a fairly dry type of tomato or the drying process will take forever. A good tip is to place the tomatoes on a metal surface as the heat reflects back and speeds the drying process up.

SUN DRIED TOMATOES
This is the cheapest method of drying tomatoes requiring no real apparatus but it does require sunshine. Slice plum tomatoes length ways, remove the green pithy stem sprinkle with salt and lay cut side up on a slatted tray or basket. Cover the tray with netting or gauze to keep insects out. Position the tray in the sun during dry sunny days and bring indoors when the sun goes down. If the weather is at all damp bring the tray indoors and sit on a sunny window still making sure there is plenty of ventilation. It takes about 3 days but could take a little longer depending on the weather and how dry you want the tomatoes. Dust off the salt and store packed into sterilised air tight glass jars in a cool dark place.

OVEN DRIED TOMATOES
Follow the same method as above but place the cut tomatoes on a large oven tray and place at the bottom of an oven set low. I normally set our oven between 50c and let them 'dry' for anything up to 24hrs. The length of drying time will depend on: the type of tomatoes, your oven and how soft you want to have the tomatoes.

TOMATOES PRESERVED IN OIL
I use usually use San Marzano plum tomatoes for this recipe. Follow the oven drying method as above but you want the tomatoes to be slightly soft, in our oven 50-75c for 6-8 hours works. Dust off any excess salt and pack into hot sterilised glass jars. Cover with olive oil to 1 cm above the tomatoes, tap gently to knock out any air and seal immediately. Store in a cool dark place. These make wonderful hors d'oevres or tapas straight from the jar and a real treat in winter.

FREEZING TOMATOES
I tried freezing tomatoes after reading Susan's post on Farmgirl Fair Preserving the Harvest: How to Freeze tomatoes the really easy way. It sounds too simple to be true but often the most simple things are the best. All you do is wash the tomatoes, chuck them in a bag then put them in the freezer. Done! Great tip- Susan thanks.

TOMATO CONCENTRATE
This is the most complicated and time consuming of the tomato preserves. Concentrate is basically passata reduced down to become a thick paste with a very concentrated flavour. It takes a lot of tomatoes to make a small jar of paste but if you like tomatoes it is worth it. I could eat this stuff just spread on bread.
To Make roughly chop ripe tomatoes, cutting off any bad bits, and chuck them into a large pan. Season well with sea salt and cook over a low heat for 20-40 minutes giving it a good stir every now and then so that it does not stick. The tomatoes should disintegrate and become pulpy. Cook for longer if not. Let it cool slightly then pass the pulp through a passata machine or a sieve pressing it with the back of a spoon until all that is left in the sieve are skin and seeds. Return the sieved tomatoes to the pan (after first rinsing the pan) and cook over a low heat until it is reduced. It should reduce to a thick dark red paste. You will know when it is thick enough when you can draw a spoon through it and the sauce does not run back into the channel left by the spoon. (see pic) When the paste is the right consistency spoon it into sterilised jars, add a layer of olive oil to cover the paste and seal immediately. Store in a cool dark place and refrigerate once opened.

NOTE
For information on growing conserving tomatoes go to www.masdudiable.com

Provençal Fig Jam

2009-08-27T23:29:00.000+02:00

It is fig season here in France, everywhere we go there are figs on market stalls and hanging in trees. We can normally eat our way through the small number of figs we grow on our own land but this year we got a lovely batch of figs from Rachel's parents garden in Provence, hence the name for this jam. These figs are delicious, large green and purple skins with pale pink insides, very juicy and quite sweet so I have added a little citrus to give it a zing and help with setting.

Prep 5 min Cook 25-35 min*500g ripe figs*200g preserving sugar*rind of half a lemon or lime*juice of one whole lemon or limeWash and chop the figs and put into a roomy pan with the citrus and cook over a low heat until soft about 10 minutes then add the sugar and cook on a high heat stirring occasionally to prevent sticking until setting point is reached this took about 15 minutes but it can vary according to the fruit and sugar. Meanwhile wash and sterilise the jam jars as described in How to Make Jam. Pour into warm jars and seal immediately.

Originally posted onmas du diable 27/8/2007 See how to make jam for tips on testing for set.

Aloo Paratha

2009-08-23T21:24:00.004+02:00

Parathas are layered Indian flat breads and this one is my favourite because it is layered with a stuffing of spiced potato. They make a great snack or light lunch served with a selection of Indian relishes, pickles and chutnies.

Parathas served with a selection of chutnies

makes 6-8 parathas

Potato stuffing
This is the basic mixture I use, sometimes I add more spices to the mixture such as: ground turmeric, cayenne, fenugreek, aniseed, cardamom anything you like the taste of really.

* 4 medium potatoes, peeled boiled and mashed
* 1-2 green chillis, very thinly sliced
* 1/2 cumin seeds
* 1 tbsp Green Coriander Seeds, lightly crushed
* salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Breads

* 150g whole meal flour
* water
* pinch of salt
* little oil or ghee

Images 1. Parcels ready to roll out. 2. Cooking the first side 3. Oiling the top side before turning again 4. Checking to see if the paratha is cooked

Put the flour into a bowl and slowly add a little water (about 120ml) and mix with your hand to get a soft pliable dough. Knead lightly and leave to rest for 20-30mins. Meanwhile prepare the potato mixture by mixing all the ingredients together. Cut the dough into 6 or 8 equal parts. Knead each ball and carefully roll out dredging with a little flavour to stop it sticking.

Put a spoon full of the potato mixture into the centre of each rolled out circle and gather up the edges to form a parcel or dumpling, twist to secure the dough. Set these aside on a plate as you do them. When you are ready to roll out. Dip the parcels in flour and carefully roll out to a round of 2.5-5mm thick, depending on how thick you would like the breads to be.

Heat a cast iron skillet or tava (Indian chapati pan) over a high heat and when hot, shake off any excess flour, and lay on the first paratha on the hot pan. Cook for 1 minute or so, lift the edges to check the underside of the bread, and when it is starting to brown turn over. Brush the upper cooked side with a little ghee or vegetable oil, I just use a teaspoon to spread a little oil around the surface of the bread. Once the underside is starting to brown evenly turn over and brush the upper cooked side with ghee or oil. Cook each side twice, once dry and once with an oiled surface. Alternatively put a little oil in the pan and shallow fry the breads. I personally think the first method works best. Stack the cooked breads in a covered dish to keep warm and when they are all done serve with chutnies, riatas or any dish of your choice.

For more information on making aloo parathas there are some Indian chefs with great demonstration videos on youtube. Vah Chef is particularly clear and he also shows a version with a cooked filling, which is interesting
Manjulas Kitchen
Vah Chef
Show me the curry

This recipe was originally posted on www.masdudiable.com on 23/8/2008.

Prawn & Tomato Curry

2009-08-23T21:05:00.001+02:00

One of our favourite curries is this prawns in a spicy tomato sauce. Rich and deeply flavoured, it has three types of chilli in it, dried whole, dried ground and fresh, which creates a layered delicious heat than can be made as mild or hot depending on your taste buds and the kinds of chillis you have. It makes a great dish to serve with other small dishes of lentils, potatoes or greens or as meal with rice or Chapatis.
Serves 2 or 4 with other small dishes Cook & Prep 35 - 45 minutes

vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seed
10 dried curry leaves
1-5 whole dried chilli (bird)
1 small onion, peeled and finely minced
3-5 green frying peppers, thinly sliced (optional)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp green coriander Seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 - 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder (cayenne)
1/2 - 1 tsp mild chilli powder or paprika (mulato)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1-3 hot fresh hot green chilli, de-seeded & thinly sliced (kashmiri)
400g (3 large) tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
250g prawns

Grind the peppercorns and fenugreek to a powder, mix with the chilli, crushed green corianader seeds, paprika and turmeric powders and set aside. Peel, de-seed and chop the tomatoes and set aside. Put a large wide frying pan onto the heat and drizzle a layer of vegetable oil over the bottom. When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole dried chilli and fry until the seeds pop and the chilli darkens. Now add the onion and sliced frying peppers stir and cook until the onions pick up a bit of colour and the peppers are softened. Add the garlic and ginger and fry until the aroma rises (1 miniute) then add the ground spices and stir and fry until the rawness of the spices is fried out. Add the tomatoes and green chilli and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the prawns and cook only until they are cooked through then serve.

Cook's Note This is great summer dish, when there are plenty of tomatoes and when it is hot, the hot curry cools you down. It is also a great winter dish. When fresh tomatoes are out of season I use home bottled tomatoes or passata and if I have non of that left I use 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste plus a tea cup of water.

Recipe Source This recipe evolved in our kitchen. I originally made it when I wanted to create a balance for a mild potato and greens curry I wanted something rich and tomatoey savory and sweet/sour. We liked it a lot then and I have since tweaked the recipe and ended up with this which I love and has become one of our staple dishes.
23/8/2008

Corn Chips

2009-08-23T16:43:00.006+02:00

Corn chips are a wonderful snack food, little crisp triangles of ground corn. I remember making them as a student in Glasgow; corn chips and a hot chilli sauce were our flat's party piece but I hadn't made them for at least 20 years. I recently bought a packet of corn or tortilla chips in our local supermarket and was so disgusted by the list of crap they contained I just had to start making them again myself to go with all the Tomato Chilli Salsa I've bottled. If you make them yourself they are a healthy snack and simple to make.

1 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp of oil (corn, grape seed or sunflower)
pinch salt
3/4 cup boiling water

Fill a cup with cornmeal and pour into a mixing bowl. Using the same cup fill, to just under 3/4 with hot water add the oil and salt stir and stir into the cornmeal. Work the mixture well, with a metal spoon, until it is well mixed. Leave to rest for 10 - 15 minutes or so, while the oven is heating. You should have a soft pliable dough that comes away clean from the bowl. Dump the ball of dough onto a sheet of aluminium foil, roughly press out with your fingers, then put another layer of foil over the top and roll out. The tin foil stops the paste from sticking and allows the paste to be rolled out thinly without breaking. If the ball is two large divide in two and roll out in two batches. Peel the top layer of foil away and score the dough into biscuit sizes then lift the sheet and place on a baking tray. Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes until the chips are crisp and golden.

Cook's Tip
The measurements here are in cups. Just a teacup, it doesn't matter what size the cup is as the ratio that matters. Here in France I've used the kind of cornmeal normally used for making polenta, semoule moyenne, or medium ground.

Tomato & Chilli Salsa (Mexican)

2009-08-23T16:19:00.002+02:00

This is the salsa I make with our summer bounty of peppers, chillis, onion and tomatoes. It is a cooked salsa, bottled and heat processed, so it has a long shelf-life right through the winter.

A rich red tomato, chilli and onion relish perfect with home made corn chips or as a base for many Mexican dishes. I wanted to make this salsa for preserving so my starting point was the encyclopedic book on preserving Putting Food By from which I took the basic ingredients and method.

Makes about 4 x 300g jars
1 kilo of tomatoes
4 hot onions
10-20 green & red fleshy hot chillis peppers (preferably Jalapeno)
1 large sweet green pepper
1 large sweet red pepper
1 tbsp ground mulatto chilli pepper (optional)
50ml cider vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1-2 tsp salt

Peel the onions and core and seed the chillis and peppers. Throw them into a food processor and grind to a fine chop. Peel the tomatoes and throw those in give the mix another quick wizz to pulp the tomatoes. Tip the whole lot into a large pan, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20-40 minutes or until the salsa turners a dark red and has a rich thick consistency. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Heat process for 15 minutes. See How to Make Passata for instructions on how to heat process in a hot water bath.

Cook's Note Be careful with the chillis, if they are very hot use only a small number but if they are mild use 20 or more. Also the quantity of vinegar, sugar and salt required will vary depending on the variety of tomatoes used. If I've used beefsteak tomatoes like cuostralle, which are low in acidity I add the vinegar you may not need to just taste the sauce and adjust to taste.

Classic Tomato Sauce

2009-08-22T21:24:00.000+02:00

This classic sauce of tomatoes cooked in oil with onion and garlic can be used immediately or bottled and preserved. I make several different types of tomato sauce but this is the basis for most of them. In France this would be called a coulis and in Italy it is sometimes called sugo or salsa.

Preserved it is useful to have to hand to knock out a quick plate of pasta or for use in Italian, Greek, Spanish, Turkish or French dishes requiring a tomato sauce.

This recipe is per 2 kg of tomato pulp (skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped)
*2 onions, finely minced
*1 tsp crushed garlic
*Olive oil
*1 tsp salt
*1-2 tsp sugar
*cracked black pepper to taste

Put a large pan on the stove and pour a generous layer of olive oil over the bottom. Throw in the minced onions and fry gently until soft then add the garlic, salt, pepper and tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes or so until the sauce is rich and thick.

Variations

Keeping the sauce simple like this gives it greater flexibility but I do like to make a few batches with added herbs and other flavourings to make a variety of pasta ready sauces For a mediterranean sauce add a herb bundle of:1 sprig rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 Bay leaves tied together with the tomatoes and remove before bottling. Tomato and Basil sauce stir in chopped fresh basil 1 minute before the end of cooking.

Preserving

This sauce will keep well in the fridge for a week or it can be preserved by pouring into sterilised bottles and heat processing for 20 minutes or freeze in batches in bags or tubs.

HEAT PROCESSING
There are special heat processing pans available but I find using a pasta pan with a draining insert works just as well, when I am only processing small batches. Carefully place the jars in a single layer around the sieve part of the pan then lower into the outer pan. Fill with water to 2 inches bellow the lids, and bring to the boil. Once boiling cover and set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off raise the draining insert and set aside to cool. The dimpled jar lids should be depressed and if used kilner jars adjust to final lock down position. Label when cool.

Lamb Biryani

2009-08-22T16:45:00.000+02:00

This is a fast and tasty way of making a meat and rice dish using the leftovers from a roast leg of lamb. I love Biryani, but it can be a complicated affair to make, with this method it is only slightly more complicated that making boiled rice yet it tastes fantastic. Perfect with Tomato Pachadi or Raita (Sweet Mint Yogurt) or make a heartier meal of it and serve with greens such as Kashmiri Style Greens or with a vegetable curry such as Cauliflower & Potato Curry.

100-200g shoulder or leg of lamb, removed from the bone cut into bite sized pieces
-marinade
2 cloves garlic
2 cm piece of ginger, peeled
seeds from 6 green cardamom pods
pinch coarse sea salt
1 tsp home made garam masala
2 tbsp natural thick yogurt
-
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, minced
1 large green chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 large cup of basmatti rice
1.5 large cups hot lamb stock
-
grated lemon zest
coriander leaf

Pound the first five marinade ingredients together in a large pestle and mortar to make a paste, stir in the yogurt , and pour over the lamb, stir to coat well and leave to infuse while you do the rest. Wash the rice and leave to soak in warm water. Meanwhile heat a little oil in a large saucepan and throw in the cumin seeds after a few seconds throw in the onion and chilli stir and fry for a minute or so. Drain the rice and add stir and fry until it turns opaque, add the lamb and its marinade stir well and cook for 1 minute then add the hot stock cover and cook for 10 minutes. Leave covered for another 10minutes, then fluff up the rice with a fork and stir in coriander leaf and a little lemon zest and its ready.

Cooks Note Once in a while we have a roast leg of lamb as a special treat and there is always some lamb left on the bone. That is unless we have Yorkshire wallers staying with us, in which case not only will the bones be bare but we'll have to referee the wrestling match over the bone -:) Anyway these last bits of meat are fairly undercooked and are perfect for this dish, so if you do have any pickings after the Sunday roast then it is well worth using them to make this dish, and the bone can be boiled up to make a wonderful cooking stock for the rice.
22/8/2007:

Prawn & Cucumber Salad

2009-08-21T18:23:00.000+02:00

A lovely, fresh tasting, Asian inspired salad of prawns, crisp cucumbers with a hot, sweet and sour peanut dressing. Add rice noodles to make this a substantial meal. It is quick and easy to make and it tastes divine, perfect for a hot summers day.

Serves 2 prep 20 minutes
handful cooked prawns, peeled
1/2 - 1 cucumber (depending on how big they are)
fresh mint and or coriander leaves
fresh garlic chive flower buds (optional)
handful roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly crushed
Variation
2 portions of thin rice noodles
Dressing
1 clove garlic, finely crushed
1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced
1 fresh green chilli, thinly sliced
4-6 tbsp hot water
2-3 tsp sugar (palm sugar if you can get it)
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Mix the sugar with the hot water and stir to dissolve. Add the garlic, chilli, fish sauce and lime juice and set aside to infuse. Meanwhile soak the noodles as directed on the packet (i find that they all behave a little differently some are best soaked for a few minutes in hot water while others need longer in cold water so it is best to follow the recommendations for the type you've got). Peel the cucumber, only if the skin is tough, otherwise slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and then into quarter lengths, remove the seeds and chop into bite sized pieces.
Lay the noodles in a large wide serving bowl, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the dressing and toss to coat well. Decorate the noodles with the remaining fresh ingredients, toss gently, sprinkle with more dressing and scatter with the crushed peanuts before serving.
21/8/2008