A mélange

Not food… but incredible up-cycled trinkets…

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Greentintedspex?ref=top_trail

Happy Stew

Oh I would love to claim this recipe as my own, but it actually is a Nigel Slater concoction. It took a monumental leap of imagination to do the vegan substituting, I swapped butter for olive oil. This is incredibly well put together and wonderfully tasty. Play fast and loose with the construction of the sauce, it is all the better for it. Serves 4.

2 onions

glug of olive oil

rosemary sprig

2 tsp juniper berries

1 large carrot

1 large parsnip

½ swede

generous glug of sweet wine (sherry, marsala)

sprinkling of plain flour

large handful of chestnuts (canned or merchant gourmet)

2 bay leaves

3/4 pint of vegetable stock

4 chestnut mushrooms

handful dried porcini

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly (I actually used gooseberry and redcurrant as I wanted a little bit more tang, not all coming from the mustard)

half a pomegranate, seeds only

Lazily chop the onions, gently cook with a glug of olive oil in a large pot. Give a good bash to the juniper and rosemary and chuck in. Chop the rest of the veg into the chunks and add to the pot along with a generous splash of marsala. Add a sprinkle of flour to thicken, give the whole thing a stir before adding the chestnuts, bayleaf and stock. Taste, season, leave covered for 15 minutes. Now it is about adding the rest of it. Quarter the mushrooms, add. Drop in a handful of porcini and the condiments. Give it another 15 to 20 and serve with the seeds on top.

Evening In

I think the ingredients are fairly self explanatory. Proportions depend on mood and personal preference.

Thai Broth

So a little bit of an odd photograph, it is difficult getting decent light when you are cooking post-sunset. Fresh and comforting and distinctly Thai, nurse your noggin with this noodley broth. It sorted my hangover right out. For two.

Half a savoy cabbage (shredded)

Onion (sliced)

Thumb of ginger (finely chopped)

Green chilli (sliced)

2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

Bunch of fresh corriander (finely chopped)

Can of coconut milk

Black Thai rice noodles (or rice noodles!)

Two cups of stock

Juice of half a lime

Cook noodles for 4 minutes, drain and cover in icey cold water. Gently fry the cabbage and onion for a few minutes. Chuck in the garlic, chilli and ginger and give it a few minutes. Ideally heat the stock and coconut milk separately before chucking in now, don’t worry if you can’t be too bothered. Cook gently for 15 minutes. Scatter in some coriander and a squeeze of lime. Lightly season. Serve and enjoy.

Maharagwe

Thought I would do some simple, cheap round-the-world style recipes for the next few posts or so. This is a lightly spiced bean and coconut dish from East Africa.

1 onion (sliced)

Couple of tomatoes (quartered)

Large teaspoon turmeric

Handful of fresh coriander

Can of Black Eyed Beans (half gently mashed)

Half a can of coconut milk

Fresh red mild chili (chopped)

Brown onions gently in oil. Add the beans, turmeric, tomatoes and chilli. Fry gently for a couple of minutes before adding the coriander and coconut milk. Cook gently for ten minutes or so and season. Serve with rice.

Cooking. About 4 years ago.

Black pepper tofu

Republished with the photo. Sorry the for the absence, new place, new flat, new job etc… This is a corker by way of apology. Serves two.

Very generous glug of dark soy sauce

Kecap manis (or soy sauce with a bit of agave), again glug generously

Pressed tofu

2 big shallots

3 or 4 large cloves of garlic

2 thumbs of fresh ginger 

Spring onions (cut into inches)

Chilli

Large pinch of sugar

2 and a bit tablespoons of black pepper crushed

Fry tofu in a little oil till golden and put aside. Use pure/earth balance etc… to gently fry shallots, ginger, garlic, chillis and spring onions. Put the tofu back in, crank the heat and add the sauces, sugar and pepper until sticky. Serve with rice.

Broccoli Soup

As the broccoli season is almost upon us here in the UK, perhaps it is time for the easiest recipe in the world? Really does belie its simplicity! 

Head of broccoli, cut into florets

Almonds or walnuts

Crusty bread

A dollop of Tofutti cream (optional)

Bring a pan of water to a vigorous boil and chuck in your broccoli, season, stir and stick the lid back on. Give the broccoli around three or four minutes, it should be dark green and a knife will travel through without too much pressure. Put the broccoli into a blender and blitz with some of it’s cooking water, you are aiming for a puree so not too much. Taste, season. Scatter the nuts in, or on and serve with the crusty bread, a swirl of good olive oil and that dollop of tofutti.