Friday, 5 July 2013

So that's where they went?


Sulking would be a more accurate description.  But four weeks of it?

Apparently she’d eaten all thirty pieces of his stuffed morels.  I wondered why things had gone quiet.

These were no ordinary morels.  Frederick had to cross international borders; meaning a passport renewal.  He hates having his picture taken.  The MOT close ups are the reason he doesn’t drive anymore.

The pleasure of tromping through woodland in search for the elusive fungus outweighs the inconvenience of a double chin.

You were wondering where the evidence was?  Mrs. F. knows.

Garlic and crab stuffed morels.  Thirty pieces of gland aching delight.

Who amongst us could resist?

What does that leave us with?  Zucchini. 
To be continued.
 

 

Monday, 17 June 2013

Asian Night


Asian Mary

Combine 1 TBSP salt, sesame seed and wasabi powder.
Rim glass with lime and dip in dry mix.
Fill highball with ice, 1 CUP tomato juice, 1 TBSP wasabi, 1 TSP Tabasco, ½ TSP Worcestershire; 1 oz lemon juice; garnish with sesame and a skewer of star fruit


(All recipes for 2 persons)

SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NEED



Thai Wraps

Head lettuce leaves
1 garlic clove-minced
1 TBSP grated ginger
green chili sliced
1 shallots, sliced
¼ cup tofu, sliced
½ carrot, finely cut into strips
2 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 egg
¼ cup red cabbage, shredded
1 spring onion
1 cup bean sprouts
1 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP soy
1 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP oyster sauce
Fresh basil
¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
2 TBSP oil

 
Heat oil, add garlic, ginger, chili, shallots; fry one minute
Add tofu, carrot, mushroom, sauces; cook additional minute
Fry egg; add bean sprouts
Wrap in lettuce leaves; top with basil and peanuts



Cheat of the Week

 
Miso Soup & dumplings courtesy of T & T dumplings and Fuchu Miso
(We did chop a green onion so that’s something at least.)

 
Japanese Curry

 
And why is it Japanese?  On account of the turmeric.  This spice has been in the news a lot lately.  Fabulous health benefits.

6 chicken thighs
¼ CUP oil
½ CUP onion
¼ CUP grated apple-remove peel
1TBSP Japanese seasoning*
½ TBSP chopped garlic
½ TBSP chopped ginger
1 ½ TBSP flour
1 CUP chicken stock
2 CUP spinach
2 TBSP fresh coriander

Sear chicken & reserve.
Add onion, apple, seasoning, ginger & garlic.  Cook for 1 min.
Stir in flour, cook for 2 min.
Add stock in batches; bring to boil
Simmer 5 min; add chicken and cook 10 min.
Remove from heat.
Add spinach and coriander.
Serve with rice or noodles.

(Paired with Kronenbourg 1664-wheat beer w/ citrus and coriander.)

 
*Japanese seasoning

 
1TBSP turmeric
½ TBSP ground coriander
½ TBSP ground cumin
½ TSP ground cardamom
¼ TSP cinnamon
¼ TSP ground ginger
1/8 TSP fresh pepper
1/8 TSP cayenne
1/8 TSP ground cloves
1/8 TSP ground fennel

 
 
Easy Rice Pudding

 
¼ CUP basmati rice
4 CUPS milk
1/3 CUP sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 TSP cinnamon
1/4 TSP ground cardamom
1/4 CUP broken pistachio

Cook rice, milk and sugar on low heat for 2 ½ hours
Add salt, cinnamon and cardamom
Top with nuts.

Editor's note:
This turned out very well and worth the over two hour wait.

 

 

Monday, 10 June 2013

Asparagus is not a noodle.

 
The fetal position is for babies, not vegetables.  Don't kill your asparagus.
Please try to aim for a cooking time of no more that 3 minutes.  Once cooked, your veg should resemble the spear in the lower half of the plate.  Taste and texture still intact.


Asparagus is not a noodle.