tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18479110086857079772024-03-12T05:51:26.998+01:00domestic sensualistjulochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-28219915299959850432020-01-09T11:01:00.000+01:002020-01-09T11:01:35.738+01:00homemade remoulade - danish-style!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i recently had a bit of a conversation about remoulade on a post on the <i>new york times cooking community</i> page on facebook. i posted the picture above and waxed a bit philosophical about the joy and sense of connection that using my mother's vintage <i>autumn leaves</i> bowls bring to me now that she's gone.<br />
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that day, i was making a big batch of danish <i>frikadeller</i> (meatballs) and <i>remoulade</i> for a family gathering. i mentioned that both were danish and, it being the internet, a bunch of people jumped in to correct me and inform me that the french would be surprised to hear that <i>remoulade</i> was danish. but i maintain that this version is indeed very danish and no danish hotdog, fish filet or meatball or even serving of french fries is complete without it.<br />
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most people buy it ready-made and i have the ready-made kind in my fridge as well, but when i'm putting in effort to make homemade meatballs, fish cakes or hand-breaded fish filets, i like to make it myself.<br />
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you start with half a cup of mayo, half a cup of creme fraiche and a couple of good spoons of dijon mustard. you stir them together and add a dash of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.<br />
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then you need a bit of pickle. i usually dice up a couple of small gherkins, but last evening, i found i was out, but that there was a jar of capers lurking in the door of the fridge - they worked just as well - you just need a bit of pickle to balance out the other flavors.<br />
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then you dice a good-sized carrot and a couple of florets of cauliflower. this was for a small batch for just husband and i - if you're making more, adjust upwards to your taste. dice them small and blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. you don't want them to lose their crunch, but you don't want the to be raw either.<br />
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then you toss them into the mayo mixture and stir it up. taste it and see if it needs a bit more sugar, salt or a few more capers. the danish commercial version leans quite sweet, so our palates are trained to that, so i tend to err on the side of a bit more sugar.<br />
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at christmas, i got this lovely fiery honey mustard seasoning in trade joe's and found yesterday that it was the PERFECT ingredient - it added just the right sweetness and a bit of bite that made for what was probably my best batch of remoulade ever. i had bought some salmon fars from the fish truck that comes to our grocery store on tuesdays and it was just delicious with the fishcakes i made from that.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the recipe</div>
<i>serves 2</i><br />
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1/2 C mayonnaise<br />
1/2 C creme fraiche or sour cream (i used 38%, but 18% is fine if you're watching calories)<br />
2 T dijon mustard<br />
2 gherkins or a handful of capers, chopped<br />
1 medium carrot - diced<br />
2 big florets of cauliflower - diced<br />
1 generous tablespoon of sugar<br />
salt to taste<br />
secret ingredient: trader joe's fiery honey mustard if you have it<br />
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mix the mayo, creme fraiche, dijon and sugar. dice the carrots and cauliflower and blanche them for 2 minutes in boiling water. cool them down under cold water and add them to the mayo mixture. chop the gherkins/capers and add the to the mix. taste and add more sugar, salt, gherkin/capers, fiery honey mustard until the flavors are in balance.<br />
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eat it with a fish filet, fish cakes or with a pork meatball. dip your fries in it. top a roast beef sandwich with it. the possibilities are endless!<br />
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also, you can see in picture at the top, that there were some green flecks - i had fennel fronds in the garden at that time and added some of those for a bit of green and a hint of that anise-y flavor. you could chop and add some parsley if you want a bit of green in yours. really, the possibilities are endless, so just play around with it!<br />
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<i>* sorry for these less-than-stellar photos, it's the dark time of year and in these dreary, grey, rainy days, the light isn't great around here. </i>julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-24248585307062003852018-04-28T15:54:00.001+02:002018-04-28T15:54:51.286+02:00G&T cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i love me a good g&t, and some years ago, i made a <a href="https://www.julochka.com/2009/04/wherein-she-invents-gin-tonic-sorbet.html" target="_blank">gin & tonic sorbet</a>. of late, i've been trying to make the perfect gin & tonic cake. naturally, to do so, i turned to pinterest. and i looked at <a href="https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/baking-and-desserts/double-lemon-gin-and-tonic-cake/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe, and <a href="https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/alcoholic/gin-and-lemon-drizzle-cake?" target="_blank">this</a> one (which is more or less the recipe i made the first go i had at it), and <a href="http://www.janespatisserie.com/2018/01/08/gin-tonic-drizzle-cake/" target="_blank">this</a> one and also <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/recipes/gin-and-tonic-loaf" target="_blank">this</a> one. but that first attempt was a bit dry and a bit too heavy, so when it came time to try again, i mixed them all up in my head and made this one, and it was good (i think the baking powder helped):<br />
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<i>the cake</i><br />
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1 C (250 grams) butter<br />
1 C (fill up a 250ml measuring cup if you're doing metric) granulated sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
2 C (fill that 250ml cup twice) cake flour<br />
1 T baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1/2 C gin<br />
2 T finely-chopped rosemary<br />
2 T finely-chopped lemon zest (juice the lemon(s) and reserve the lemon juice)<br />
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cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs and then add the dry ingredients, adding the gin after the first cup of flour and adding the rosemary and lemon zest at the end.<br />
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bake in a loaf pan at 350°C/180°F for approx 40 minutes until done.<br />
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while it's baking, make the syrup to pour over it:<br />
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<i>the syrup</i><br />
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1/2 C gin<br />
1/2 C tonic<br />
1/2 C sugar<br />
3-4 juniper berries<br />
a sprig of fresh rosemary<br />
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bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then turn it off and let it cool/steep until your cake is done. let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. take a chopstick or maybe even a small-gauge knitting needle and poke holes all over the cake, taking care to reach all the way to the bottom. then carefully pour the syrup over the entire cake. let the cake cool all the way before frosting.<br />
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<i>the frosting</i><br />
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1 C powdered sugar<br />
2 T lemon juice<br />
zest of one lemon<br />
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mix together. if the frosting isn't the consistency you desire, add a splash of gin. spread it over the cake and decorate with slides of lemon or lime and a sprig or two of rosemary and enjoy!<br />
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<br />julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-48512712367482960842014-05-25T22:12:00.000+02:002014-05-25T22:12:37.845+02:00pesto and mojo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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tho' it's barely summer yet, we've already had some glorious weekend weather. the kind that makes you want grill and eat outdoors and only come inside when the dew is settling and a chill enters the air. and barbeque means a couple of our favorite condiments - nettle pesto and mojo.<br />
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our nettles are young and tender and just perfect for big, garlicky batches of pesto. it's dead easy and i always make a big batch and hope that it lasts at least a few days into the week. you blanch the nettles to take away the sting. we actually think it's better than a basil-based pesto, but then we may be biased by our northern climes, where it's easy to grow nettles and not to easy to grow basil. but nettles are delicious and full of nutrients. plus, they're plentiful and free!<br />
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<i>stinging nettle pesto</i></div>
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1 colander full of fresh nettle leaves (if they've started to bloom, don't use them, as they may give you a bad tummy)</div>
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generous handful of nuts (pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts - whatever you've got at hand - i've even used cashews)</div>
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2 fat cloves of garlic</div>
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1/4 C freshly-grated parmesan</div>
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good quality olive oil</div>
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salt & pepper</div>
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pinch of paprika</div>
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blanch the nettles in boiling water for a minute or so, drain them well and rinse with cold water. squeeze out all of the excess water and toss them into the food processor with the other ingredients and whizz it up. drizzle olive oil in until your pesto has the consistency you'd like. it's a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats and veggies, but is also delicious tossed with pasta for a quick dinner once the hectic week gets started.</div>
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another staple at our house is a peppery mojo. we had some couchsurfing guests from tenerife a few summers ago and they taught us to make it. it's a lovely combination of fresh, sweet red peppers, garlic, nuts, paprika and olive oil. i make it year-round and we use it as an accompaniment to omelettes , fresh bread, meat, pasta - anything, really. our couchsurfers served it with salt-roasted potatoes and that's the traditional way in tenerife. but like any adopters of food culture, we have suited it to our own purposes and we use it with just about everything. but we think of our couchsurfing friends from tenerife with a smile every time we make it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexBl91ZfnU_EYM0baCdJ_25dkzhAISHyEN75MWo0UdNY22_W8OC4eYMue6B-6oNjc14qIWgyIRoo64OppuWK5ZvnfzcuMfY3RUcjXEYFk3aamOiDLN1PhHy5xzAWjTUX6gizw0CmjgSRf/s1600/JNB_5971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexBl91ZfnU_EYM0baCdJ_25dkzhAISHyEN75MWo0UdNY22_W8OC4eYMue6B-6oNjc14qIWgyIRoo64OppuWK5ZvnfzcuMfY3RUcjXEYFk3aamOiDLN1PhHy5xzAWjTUX6gizw0CmjgSRf/s800/JNB_5971.JPG" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>mojo</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3-4 fresh, long sweet red peppers</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 tsp. smoked paprika</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 fat cloves of garlic</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
handful of nuts - i like pistachios best, but have been known to use almonds, walnuts or pine nuts if i don't have any pistachios on hand.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
salt & pepper</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
good olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
like the pesto, you just whizz up the ingredients in the food processor, drizzling in olive oil until it's the consistency you desire. i highly recommend it with virtually any meal. you can also change the flavor to a richer, deeper, darker taste by roasting the peppers and garlic in the oven instead of using them raw. delicious and versatile. often i make it in the food processor after i do the nettle pesto, leaving the last remains of the pesto there, so it becomes flecked with bits of green. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
but you can do your own experiments. if you add these two condiments to your summer grill table, i guarantee you won't be disappointed.</div>
julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-55025989224694852632014-05-11T17:05:00.000+02:002014-05-11T17:08:30.114+02:00the perfect mother's day cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZQL-Rtv7XQq05y9jGgThk3EMqeDgqfm7uoopOkYh_eigL0_IHQ75wGMA7M9tu3MJgrdJutK9c9l8sXk4J6wmHnkMoydqTg21OyzX31_S_Rg2myUeZpg7BmEwtvRezDg2q3dvO0tB4eUn/s1600/JNB_5510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZQL-Rtv7XQq05y9jGgThk3EMqeDgqfm7uoopOkYh_eigL0_IHQ75wGMA7M9tu3MJgrdJutK9c9l8sXk4J6wmHnkMoydqTg21OyzX31_S_Rg2myUeZpg7BmEwtvRezDg2q3dvO0tB4eUn/s800/JNB_5510.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
it's a very good year for rhubarb. we've got a double row of it and it's almost literally coming out of our years. we've picked a whole wheelbarrow full twice and you can't scarcely see it. it hasn't made a dent. these are very old rhubarb roots that we moved to another spot when we moved here four years ago. we divided a bunch of the roots at that time and it obviously made the rhubarb very, very happy, as it's thriving incredibly. i find myself thinking up ways of using rhubarb. i've made 6 bottles of cordial so far and should make about 10x more (seriously, i could probably do this in commercial quantities if i had the time). so in honor of mother's day on this rainy sunday afternoon, i turned to my mom's recipe for rhubarb coffee cake to provide us some comfort and to use up a bit of that rhubarb.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
i had a conversation with husband about why it's called a coffee cake, when there's no coffee in it, but i explained that it's because you eat it with your afternoon coffee. i think for me, coffee cake is also darker and deeper than normal cake. in this case, the recipe calls for brown sugar, rather than white and i think that lends to the deep coffee cake goodness. i think it also has to do with not having frosting per se. so a coffee cake is a simpler cake.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>mom's rhubarb coffee cake</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Cream together:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/2 C butter</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 C brown sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3 eggs</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 C buttermilk</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 tsp. vanilla</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Add:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 C flour</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 tsp. baking powder</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
pinch of salt</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3 C rhubarb, cut into small pieces (between 1/2" and 1", depending on how thick your rhubarb is).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pour it into a buttered/floured 9x13 baking pan and sprinkle with:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/2 C sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Bake at 180°C/350°F for 30-35 minutes.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Serve with coffee or even a cup of tea. Enjoy.</div>
julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-63359229999748490832014-02-09T11:14:00.004+01:002014-02-09T11:14:57.257+01:00stay warm this winter with roasted cauliflower soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMElD-9qLIxPIZQCWq5wK47Fg2O6n3b7e5_mhAKfMGt3kx6Qy41Hp8I9JMwdJNd9g4y0zXB0Lbri7VQ2y9yxIJWa33a4ZV4xFS-8AJmcf7QRrAQu5fZrUP4IJd0IPJWb6jZKVeAmbfpCRH/s1600/JNB_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMElD-9qLIxPIZQCWq5wK47Fg2O6n3b7e5_mhAKfMGt3kx6Qy41Hp8I9JMwdJNd9g4y0zXB0Lbri7VQ2y9yxIJWa33a4ZV4xFS-8AJmcf7QRrAQu5fZrUP4IJd0IPJWb6jZKVeAmbfpCRH/s800/JNB_1610.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
every once in awhile, i get a bee in my bonnet to eat healthier and it almost always includes thinking that becoming vegetarian is a good idea. i could never fully go vegetarian, since i'm utterly unable to give up bacon (can one be a bacotarian?), but there you have it. true to form, we decided that we'd eat vegetarian during february. or at the very least cook vegetarian during february. we're a week in and it's actually going pretty well. our weather is cold, grey, dreary and rainy and what's better for that than a warming, delicious roasted cauliflower soup?<br />
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i only learned to roast cauliflower, in the oven, with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of cumin, in the past year or so and it's now my go-to method, whether we're eating is as a side dish or letting it, like here, take the center stage as the star of the show.<br />
<br />
i have pinned quite a number of cauliflower soup recipes on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/julochka/soup-s-on/" target="_blank">pinterest</a> of late, since it's in season, often local, and one of my favorite brassicas (we like it much better than boring old broccoli). but i didn't follow any particular one of them, but just let the inspiration start there and become something of my own.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
roasted cauliflower soup</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1.5 heads of cauliflower (that's what i happened to have, you could do with one large one as well)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/2 bulb of fresh fennel, diced</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 large onion, diced</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2-3 cloves of garlic</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
50 grams butter (approx. half a stick, for those of you in the states)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 can coconut milk</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 C good white wine</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
4 C good veggie stock (or chicken stock, if you're not going vegetarian)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>for toppings:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
crumbled bacon (again if you're not trying to be vegetarian)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
toasted bread crumbs (if you are)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
crunchy onions (called <i>ristet løg</i> in danish)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a handful of black olives</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
wash and pull apart the head of cauliflower into florets, cutting ones in half that seem especially large. arrange them on baking paper on an oven tray. drizzle over a bit of good olive oil and a small pinch of ground cumin on each one. pop them into a 180°C/375°F oven for 20 minutes or so until they are softened and getting a bit brown on the edges.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
meanwhile, sauté the diced onions, garlic and fennel in the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. when they are softened, but not brown, add the toasted cauliflower and the liquids. allow them to simmer for 15-20 minutes or so, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. use a stick blender to blend the soup creamy, taking care not to splash and burn yourself (i make the mistakes so you don't have to). you can return it to the stove at this point and let it simmer a bit more to meld the flavors or you can eat it right away. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
serve with a bit of crumbled bacon or toasted bread crumbs or crunchy onions on top. we have a ready-made product here called <i>ristet løg</i> (roasted onions) - and it's what you see in my photos. you could also make a gremolata or some pesto or mojo to dollop on top. a spoonful of creme fraiche or maybe some crumbled goat cheese would be good as well. the options are pretty much endless. i served it with slices of bread, fresh out of the oven and it was a warming, filling, fragrant and healthy dinner. and possibly also pretty good for breakfast, should you be so inclined or need to take photos of it in better light.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-74530815066559253362013-09-08T10:32:00.000+02:002013-09-08T10:55:06.198+02:00what to do when your tree only produces a dozen plums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6rhQUFSVcPxXg_vhe-AqzPsoz8uuRGudyJX5_CnhMJRyX8ihXaDBhUiakZrITwelcashpLpncUbsV0iJQyP5DTfgCT2RrvCU8SKpmny7CCvVOmu2zWDRjym2f3UKS6F_Mf7IqiXiipdW/s1600/JNB_4539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6rhQUFSVcPxXg_vhe-AqzPsoz8uuRGudyJX5_CnhMJRyX8ihXaDBhUiakZrITwelcashpLpncUbsV0iJQyP5DTfgCT2RrvCU8SKpmny7CCvVOmu2zWDRjym2f3UKS6F_Mf7IqiXiipdW/s800/JNB_4539.JPG" /></a></div><br />
we have a rather ancient plum tree in the garden. it wasn't doing very well, so a couple of years ago, husband severely pruned it back. at first, this appeared to make it very sad. but now, the procedure has quite literally borne fruit and there were plums on it for the first time since we've lived here. they weren't many (only about a dozen), but they were beautiful and sweet. so i knew i had to do something special with them. then a friend posted <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gingery-plum-cake?cm_mmc=ExactTarget-_-email-_-Good_food_newsletter_353_2013_09_03-A-_-email&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=Good_food_newsletter_353_2013_09_03-A" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for a gingery plum cake on her facebook wall.<br />
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i'd been in the kitchen all day, making chutney and raspberry jam and pickles and lasagne and bread when i decided i'd better make the cake before the plums went bad. it was late in the day and i didn't want to make a grocery store run, so although i didn't quite have all the ingredients, i knew i could improvise.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0adpwxt4XZ0ivBih7EUlnmpv7fF7-T1TCQr7XGAlbKo_KTfT_0ihR-5uOxlhMuPIpEaQ9i0jXvvlEo0GyWuoUjcODAWzXhKLRNeE_uxKkE8a2FXZyx_ZNMNhxYTCkDCycb8rEZ4ND7Zx/s1600/JNB_4812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0adpwxt4XZ0ivBih7EUlnmpv7fF7-T1TCQr7XGAlbKo_KTfT_0ihR-5uOxlhMuPIpEaQ9i0jXvvlEo0GyWuoUjcODAWzXhKLRNeE_uxKkE8a2FXZyx_ZNMNhxYTCkDCycb8rEZ4ND7Zx/s800/JNB_4812.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="hrecipe"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="fn"><i>plum gingerbread cake</i></span></div><br />
<br />
<span class="ingredient">1 dozen plums, halved and de-stoned</span><br />
3 spoonfuls of sugar<br />
butter for greasing the pan<br />
<br />
<i>the cake:</i><br />
<span class="ingredient">175 grams butter</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">100 grams brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">3 discs of palm sugar</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">80 ml golden syrup</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">80 ml molasses</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">2 large eggs</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">200 ml milk</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">300 grams flour</span><br />
1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />
1 tsp. baking powder<br />
1 tsp. ground ginger<br />
1/4 tsp. ground cloves<br />
1/2 tsp. cardamon<br />
1/4 tsp. allspice<br />
</div><br />
preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. grease a square pan with butter and line the base of it with baking parchment. butter the paper and sprinkle with sugar. arrange the plums prettily in the bottom with the cut side facing the sugar.<br />
<br />
melt the butter and the two kinds of sugar and the syrup in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and all of the sugar is melted. (this is where i went wrong. i was doing about 12 other things and didn't pay very close attention. my mixture went to a rather rolling boil and began to show early signs of turning to caramel. this, as it turned out, was a very good thing.) remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes or so before stirring in the eggs. alternate the dry ingredients and milk and mix to a smooth batter.<br />
<br />
pour the batter carefully over the plum and bake for 45+ minutes. you can turn it out of the tin if you're serving to guests and want to be fancy, but you can just as well leave it in for easy storage.<br />
<br />
<i>notes: do let that sugar-butter mixture get a bit caramel-y, you won't regret it. you can use 175grams of brown sugar, i just didn't have that much left and had some of those palm sugar discs languishing in the cupboard. i also didn't have enough golden syrup in the cupboard, so i topped it off with some of my precious molasses, which made the cake even more like a proper gingerbread, so that was a good thing. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i> i can safely advise eating it for breakfast with a bit of cream poured over it. if you serve it as dessert, it would go very nicely with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. it was a very worthy recipe for my precious plums.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-12243359347235458032013-01-07T23:23:00.001+01:002013-01-07T23:23:33.299+01:00new year's feasti always have ambivalent feelings about new year's eve. it often seems like much ado about nothing. thousands of kroner of fireworks going up in smoke, often on a foggy, rainy night, where no one can see anything of it anyway. expectations are always high, and so is the pressure to have fun. but this year, we were going to spend the holiday with good friends that we've seen far too little of this year, so we decided to go all out on the new year's food. i made half a dozen nibbles to start grazing on mid-afternoon (another post will be devoted to those) and bought a beautiful beef roast for the dinner.<br />
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there were mocktails for the kids - our friends selected a wide variety of fruit and juices (sparkling and non) that they could use to compose their cocktails in special, glowy glasses. the adults took a more traditional route - crisp gin & tonics, followed by a glass of champagne during the queen's speech and then a nice amarone with dinner.<br />
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we didn't sit down to a proper starter thanks to the vast array of nibbles i made, but oysters were a must if we were going to go all out. they were small, but fresh and tasting of the very sea itself. that is until i put a spoonful of finely chopped shallots bathed in astringent red wine vinegar and a crumbling of posh <i>"feinschmecker" </i>bacon on top.<br />
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even the non-oyster lovers enjoyed the bacon-topped deliciousness. the kids did too.<br />
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after all of the heavy christmas food, i decided a big, abundant salad had to be on the menu. pickley antipasto served as dressing.<br />
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<i>antipasto salad</i></div>
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1 package of baby spinach leaves</div>
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1 carton cherry tomatoes</div>
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6-7 slices of serrano ham (cut in half and rolled up to look pretty)</div>
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150 grams posh bacon, diced and fried until crispy</div>
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100 grams smoked almonds, chopped and toasted together with the bacon at the very end</div>
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handful of green beans, cut bite-sized and lightly steamed</div>
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a selection of various pickled or preserved in oil antipasti - artichokes, roasted peppers, olives (green and black), pepperoncini, sun-dried tomatoes, capers if you have them. </div>
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pile it all on a big plate, using the spinach leaves as a bed and arranging it prettily. i used a bit of the herbed olive oil from the artichokes as dressing and tossed on the bacon and almonds on top for crunch.</div>
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here's one more shot after i remembered to put the black olives (sabin's favorites) on top.<br />
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i served the big salad with a lovely beef roast. we have the <a href="http://www.aalbaekspecialiteter.dk/" target="_blank">best butcher in denmark</a> in a nearby little town (where there is little else, other than this charming butcher) and so i trusted them. it came marinated and even tho' i was chatting away and overcooked it a bit, it was still delicious. my advice is buy the very best you can possibly afford and then it will cover for any mistakes you may make in the preparation.<br />
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simple roasted root vegetables and an herbed creme fraiche dressing instead of heavy gravy accompanied the roast. all i did was peel and slice beets, parsnips, carrots and a few potatoes and drizzle with olive oil and a bit of herbed salt and bake for 45 minutes or so. i stirred some of the same herbed salt into the creme fraiche.<br />
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after we'd all had one serving of the food, we decided to set off a "table bomb" (bordbombe). usually, they have a few streamers of crepe paper and some small plastic trinkets inside. perhaps a few stars. this one was shaped like a champagne bottle and contained pulverized glitter, which ruined the remains of the salad much of the roasted vegetables. at least it was after we'd all had a good helping of it and we'd had loads of appetizers (more about those soon), so nobody went away hungry. in fact, we were so stuffed that we didn't eat our dessert crepes until breakfast the next day.<br />
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i guess we're showing our age a little bit because when the meal was over, it was still a couple of hours 'til midnight, so we changed out of our party clothes, put on sweatpants and played cards. then at midnight, we went out in the rain and watched the fireworks. same procedure as every year.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-32319052347284232492012-05-24T08:46:00.002+02:002012-05-24T08:46:47.393+02:00cooking with dandelions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we live out in the country on 17 acres. and most of those acres are currently abloom with dandelions. after a long, dark winter, the bright sunshine yellow of those flowers is as welcome as the seldom sight of sunshine in the danish sky. i actually often joke that there's no word for "sun" in danish because it fell from use and everyone forgot it, but that's a slight exaggeration. there are a few elderly people who still remember it.<br />
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i'd never really tried eating dandelions before this year, aside from adding the odd leaf to a salad. i'll admit the bulk of the ones we pick actually go to our bunnies, as they're the bunnies' favorite food. they love the tender leaves and gobble up the golden yellow flowers like candy. bunnies are generally on a pretty healthy diet, so i decided they must be onto something and so i picked a colander full of the bright flowers and decided to give it a whirl.<br />
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the most time-consuming part is preparing the flowers. you have to cut off the stems and carefully peel away the little "eyelashes" of green that are stuck there - at least if you're going to make jelly or cordial. i like that amy left a bit of it on for her fritters and i'll definitely do that with the next batch. i think what's probably most important is to get rid of any of that bitter hollow stalk in the parts you're going to eat.</div>
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i've done my share of traveling the world and so i'm not afraid to mix flavors and cultures. the other night, i was making a stir-fry with black bean and garlic paste and i wanted a little snack to go with it. we love onion bhajis around here and tho' those are indian and i was making more of a chinese meal, i decided i'd give them a chinese twist by throwing in a bit of 5-spice powder. i had already decided to give them a nordic twist with the dandelion flowers, so what did another layer of culture matter? i have to say it worked pretty well and i would repeat it.<br />
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<i>chinese 5-spice dandelion & onion bhajis</i></div>
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3 medium onions, sliced</div>
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generous handful prepared dandelion flowers</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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120grams/4 oz. plain flour (or gram (chickpea) flour if you have it on hand - you can find it in indian markets)</div>
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1-2 teaspoons chinese 5-spice powder</div>
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oil for frying</div>
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slice the onions and separate them into rings. whisk together the eggs, flour and 5-spice powder in a bowl, then add the onions and dandelions and coat well. if your egg and flour mixture seems too thick, you can add a another egg (our chickens lay rather small eggs, so i often use an extra one) or a little milk to thin it a bit. it should coat your onions and dandelion flowers nicely. heat up oil in a wok - i use sunflower oil, as it's lighter than olive oil and can tolerate high temperatures better than rapeseed oil. test with a little dollop of dough to see if the oil is hot enough. place spoonfuls of the mixture in the oil and fry in small batches. serve it with chutney or chili sauce.</div>
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i've seen <a href="http://lilfishstudios.blogspot.com/2011/05/delicious-dandelions.html">beautiful jellies</a> made of dandelion flowers, but my family isn't into jelly, so the other thing i made with those dandelion flowers i slaved over was a cordial. i like to invent new cocktails and i used this as the basis for an early spring concoction involving vodka, fizzy water and a slice of lemon. it tasted just like a little ray of warm sunshine.</div>
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<i>dandelion cordial</i></div>
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1 colander of prepared dandelion flowers</div>
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1.5 liters (6 cups) boiling water</div>
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1 kilo (4 cups) of sugar</div>
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juice of one lemon</div>
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place your prepared dandelion flowers in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour over the 6 cups of boiling water. cover with a plate and leave to set overnight. strain out the flowers using cheesecloth and a strainer and place the dandelion tea in a medium saucepan. add the sugar and lemon juice and slowly heat it to boiling. meanwhile, prepare your bottles - i generally run mine through a dishwasher cycle so they're clean and hot. then, for good measure, i rinse them with boiling water from the kettle. then i give them a little rinse with atamon, a preservative. pour in the hot liquid and seal immediately. i usually can fill one 750ml bottle and one smaller beer-bottle-sized bottle with a batch, but that actually varies - based on how much liquid you squeezed out of the flowers and how much evaporates. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">violet cordial and dandelion cordial</td></tr>
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there's something about these foraged flower concoctions that is very satisfying. whether you're gathering violets or dandelions and preparing them, it simply takes time. there's no way around it - it takes the time it takes to pick and to prepare. and slowing down and just doing it, without trying to find an easier way or a shortcut is surely good for the soul.<br />
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also posted on <a href="http://forageeastwest.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">forage: east-west</a></div>julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-66458382752857202802012-05-10T22:02:00.000+02:002012-05-21T08:11:21.045+02:00cooking with nettlesi can't count the times i've sworn at the patches of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle">stinging nettle</a> around our property (and they are many) as they stung my hands or my legs. but i won't be doing it anymore. not now that i've learned how wonderful nettles are to eat! they're also really good for you - with one of the highest protein contents in the plant world and loads of medicinal uses (which i won't go into here, as i'm no expert and haven't yet tried them).<br />
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for each of the recipes below, i picked one colander full of nettle tops (not heaped, to the top is just fine). i wear gloves and snip the tender top sets of leaves with a little herb scissors. i can recommend that you do not let some temporary insanity come over you and poke your nose into your colander full of nettles and smell them. that can be rather painful and cause quite an interruption in your process.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gbJ-L1icwtAJo2lH7JzW4G1lGXv4a5YbENSMHqOtlH6yzkVOvD3fx6YeJpr68m5GEGoFKj6Am4JGF-MXBKYKDS9Wlu9kTI31JYOvg1t3Vyd46kQTzLxLjOmzcssK5ef1UizKoK2riak/s1600/JNB_0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gbJ-L1icwtAJo2lH7JzW4G1lGXv4a5YbENSMHqOtlH6yzkVOvD3fx6YeJpr68m5GEGoFKj6Am4JGF-MXBKYKDS9Wlu9kTI31JYOvg1t3Vyd46kQTzLxLjOmzcssK5ef1UizKoK2riak/s640/JNB_0987.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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to remove the stingy part of the nettles, get a pan of water with a pinch of salt in it on the boil and dunk your fresh nettles into the pot for 2-3 minutes (they should remain bright green). these early spring nettles have been clean and pretty bug-free, so i didn't do much rinsing before the boiling water bath. i might as the summer progresses. if you fish them out of your hot water bath with a strainer, the sand and dirt will sink to the bottom of your water anyway, so you'll be ok. after removing them from the hot water bath, transfer them back to your colander, it's ok to squeeze out the excess liquid with your bare hands now, as the sting has been taken out of your brilliant green nettles.</div>
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<i>nettle pesto</i></div>
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100 grams toasted pine nuts</div>
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1 colander of blanched nettles, excess liquid squeezed out</div>
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2 cloves of garlic</div>
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a generous grating of fresh parmesan </div>
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salt and pepper to taste</div>
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olive oil to the desired consistency</div>
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toast your pine nuts (taking care not to wander away while you're doing this or they will burn). place them in the food processor with the blanched nettles, garlic, salt and pepper and several tablespoons of good olive oil. blitz it up. if it's not liquid-y enough, add more olive oil until it's how you like it. serve with fresh bread, over pasta, or as a healthy alternative to sauce on a pork chop or steak. i even coated a chicken in it recently before roasting it in the oven. it's very versatile. you may even want to just stand in front of the refrigerator and furtively eat a few spoonfuls when no one is looking. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-yRWqmQb7rQIiu0jNxw_vASf-E0V1hxGdqkG8thQtzL9XauG4YvsR0mGe6M2Q8g2XrYvGC8LAdfd3FlXQ5UL4aMjLsViaUmTEjIPowfiR_T-RTlxCj7rU7_eJk16Kmj5xJn9tPjx9R4/s1600/JNB_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-yRWqmQb7rQIiu0jNxw_vASf-E0V1hxGdqkG8thQtzL9XauG4YvsR0mGe6M2Q8g2XrYvGC8LAdfd3FlXQ5UL4aMjLsViaUmTEjIPowfiR_T-RTlxCj7rU7_eJk16Kmj5xJn9tPjx9R4/s640/JNB_1003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nettle pesto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i>nettle hummus</i></div>
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250 grams chickpeas (canned or soaked dry ones)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 generous tablespoon tahini</div>
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2 cloves garlic</div>
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1 colander of blanched nettles</div>
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olive oil to the desired consistency</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
put it all in the food processor and blitz it together. drizzle olive oil until it's a smooth, creamy consistency. great with freshly-baked bread or as a dip for veggies.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuuQvWPGImLqHjqohtUB-jNp1t5pf3Gk0YXBn2Z-TvRzrps7a-yaFrNkJoRXqcvwwa8er6bYkEX6ob-SLfD85vrRJ7GR_mReqeis93dLpY94DcwI6nNzw0jdax7UeoZ627R_f3YavK5Y/s1600/IMG_4901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuuQvWPGImLqHjqohtUB-jNp1t5pf3Gk0YXBn2Z-TvRzrps7a-yaFrNkJoRXqcvwwa8er6bYkEX6ob-SLfD85vrRJ7GR_mReqeis93dLpY94DcwI6nNzw0jdax7UeoZ627R_f3YavK5Y/s640/IMG_4901.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nettle hummus</td></tr>
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homemade pasta always seems posh and as if you went to an extraordinary amount of work, but it's much easier than it looks. even if you start by making your own ricotta. i did so, because ricotta can be hard to find in our grocery stores, so i was missing this key ingredient when i wanted to make gnocchi with my nettles. all it takes is milk, cream and a little bit of vinegar.<br />
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<i>homemade ricotta</i></div>
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1 liter of whole milk</div>
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1/2 liter of cream</div>
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2 generous tablespoons of vinegar (use white if you want the ricotta to be creamy white, use apple cider vinegar if you don't mind it a bit more yellow)</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
pour the milk and cream into a heavy saucepan and heat gently until it just begins to bubble*. remove from the heat, add the vinegar and stir. it will curdle immediately. pour it through a strainer that's lined with cheesecloth or a tea towel and allow it to drain well. the longer you leave it to drain, the firmer it will be. i found that for the gnocchi, i didn't want it to be too firm, as it was harder to work with that way. save the whey (the liquid you drain off the cheese curds) and use it the next time you bake bread instead of the usual liquid. it's delicious and nutritious! i just keep the whey in a jar in the fridge 'til i'm ready to use it. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>*i read a lot of recipes for homemade ricotta and made multiple batches before arriving at this one - many of them are very fussy about the precise temperature of the milk, but i've found that didn't much matter, so i don't bother to use a thermometer. i'm all for keeping it simple.</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhEPQvF36kb96T9wzUyhZoNxiuk4wyBdmEuERFeTOLSdWGSREfwQrK_6cmp-tpG9PUo0wdQ9MZr6_e3bOIDLpg_GDv5wtBR-R1ztB1Qjez_NeLSac2yVv2T3kMXnjBaf3eA-05rjhyphenhyphen6w/s1600/IMG_4903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhEPQvF36kb96T9wzUyhZoNxiuk4wyBdmEuERFeTOLSdWGSREfwQrK_6cmp-tpG9PUo0wdQ9MZr6_e3bOIDLpg_GDv5wtBR-R1ztB1Qjez_NeLSac2yVv2T3kMXnjBaf3eA-05rjhyphenhyphen6w/s640/IMG_4903.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ricotta and a jar of whey</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>nettle gnocchi</i></div>
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1 batch of homemade ricotta (it yields approx 250-300 grams/1 generous cup)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 egg</div>
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1/2 C flour (i adore italian tipo 00 flour)</div>
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generous half cup of blanched nettles, finely chopped </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
salt & pepper</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
mix well. if the consistency is too liquidy, add a bit more flour. if it's too dry, add another egg. it all depends on how much you drain your ricotta and how much liquid you squeeze out of the nettles. if you buy commercial ricotta, you'll likely need a bit more flour. it should be firm enough to work with by hand. you roll it into a thick rope and slice it into small bite-size gnocchi. turn the gnocchi in flour to coat. put them into salted boiling water, in small batches, a handful at a time. they initially sink to the bottom and then rise when they're nearly done. i serve them very simply with a bit of butter and salt, or a spoonful of the pesto. simple and delicious. we've not yet had leftovers.</div>
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there are many other uses for nettles. i have yet to try tea. i intend to dry some and make a seasoning salt. sabin made nettle soup when she was in kindergarten, so we'll try that, cooking outdoors at some point this summer. when the stalks are larger and a bit more tough, it's possible to cut them, let them dry a few days and give them to your horse as a treat with their hay. they love it! i'm starting to feel downright lucky my yard is positively full of them!<br />
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* * *</div>
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also posted on <a href="http://forageeastwest.blogspot.com/2012/05/nettle-goodness-in-kitchen.html">forage: east & west </a></div>julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-69376094425098408302012-03-18T12:51:00.002+01:002012-03-18T12:51:49.988+01:00hindbærsnitter - a little slice of heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ecxbc1aYIxNqkt5qamBUEHsWeeWvnH0gtNplhpAxPQKmR23mwUlFmQrCtedu8TNwP8N6tD9IpYf2uNsaB4fRIJrB2-bFG_ewG5A_RxOjwGt7coKA0OstG8W8W3FnVYP6bTQ1TY1Hro6t/s1600/JNB_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ecxbc1aYIxNqkt5qamBUEHsWeeWvnH0gtNplhpAxPQKmR23mwUlFmQrCtedu8TNwP8N6tD9IpYf2uNsaB4fRIJrB2-bFG_ewG5A_RxOjwGt7coKA0OstG8W8W3FnVYP6bTQ1TY1Hro6t/s800/JNB_0842.JPG" /></a></div>
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<i>hindbærsnitter</i> - a perennial favorite in any danish bakery. small squares of crisp, buttery dough, stuck together by raspberry jam and topped with a simple frosting glaze and a few sprinkles. my child loves them and i often grab one of those packages of four that's temptingly laid out by the cash register at grocery stores that have a bakery. but no more will i be tempted by the kind the you buy, because i have discovered how sinfully and deliciously easy they are to make. and how much better the homemade ones taste, especially if you use your own homemade raspberry jam.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17SQ14-wUqePbh2vM7JK7DAllq1eBk6EncE1h3LSOBgaRGQigBP546eDaWnk8eRo8iHAZ2v5tR4Hiy-saUXjF7Prdxo-L9zbvoKWFzsZPk9jEqbuz7VVfYk8PHkAupiEXTgXJqlXjx6i7/s1600/JNB_0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17SQ14-wUqePbh2vM7JK7DAllq1eBk6EncE1h3LSOBgaRGQigBP546eDaWnk8eRo8iHAZ2v5tR4Hiy-saUXjF7Prdxo-L9zbvoKWFzsZPk9jEqbuz7VVfYk8PHkAupiEXTgXJqlXjx6i7/s800/JNB_0851.JPG" /></a></div>
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the ingredient list is not long, the effort is minimal and result absolutely delicious. they're sort of a danish version of a pop tart that doesn't need toasting.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>hindbærsnitter (danish pop tarts)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>the dough:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
200 grams butter</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
100 grams powdered sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
300 grams flour</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 egg yolks</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
raspberry jam</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>the frosting:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
200 grams powdered sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a few tablespoons of milk</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a little dash of vanilla</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
sprinkles</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
put the butter and powdered ingredients in your food processer and blitz them up until they are thoroughly combined and the contents look a bit grainy. add the egg yolks one by one. mix it only until it comes together into a ball of dough. my dough is very yellow thanks to the eggs coming from our own chickens. i have made these three time and on one occasion i needed to add 3 egg yolks to make it come together properly - but that's because some of our eggs are smaller than the kind you can buy in the store. you can see whether the dough has come together properly or not - if it hasn't come together in a ball, it probably needs an extra yolk.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
divide the dough into two discs of equal size and refrigerate for up to an hour. roll out the dough between two pieces of baking paper into discs of roughly equal size and shape. bake them in a pre-heated (180°C/350°F) oven for approx. 10 minutes. keep an eye on them, as the dough is delicate and will brown alarmingly quickly! slide one crust onto your counter, keeping it on the baking parchment. spread it with a generous layer of raspberry jam. then, carefully slide the other disc of dough onto the top, fully covering the jam. i have yet to do this successfully - the dough is very delicate and will easily break - however, you can cover the cracks with frosting and it will not affect the taste, so it's ok. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
while they are cooling a little bit, mix up your frosting - you could use a squeeze of lemon instead of milk if you'd like a lemony touch to your frosting - put in only enough liquid to make an easily-spreadable/pourable glaze and put it immediately on top of your dough. add sprinkles if you like - i do it because it's traditional, but they don't really NEED the sprinkles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QYniUZy0NrFzKM4IvNhoN7tSN44U7cNX5-ajkype04_XCd_PfSHnY4n-WCtnGiChvWvFpOoe85YtJNOQIj2gNjtJ3Ty4mWqdfccTFGeLGsNFGkAYIN8AbUDX4tzl73TZfi52exeaB-PX/s1600/JNB_0858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QYniUZy0NrFzKM4IvNhoN7tSN44U7cNX5-ajkype04_XCd_PfSHnY4n-WCtnGiChvWvFpOoe85YtJNOQIj2gNjtJ3Ty4mWqdfccTFGeLGsNFGkAYIN8AbUDX4tzl73TZfi52exeaB-PX/s800/JNB_0858.JPG" /></a></div>
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brew up a fresh pot of tea or coffee and watch them disappear. my family is absolutely madly in love with them and they disappear like crazy around here. in fact, this is the last one and i'm off to make another batch right now.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-91894184960874570692012-01-24T22:40:00.002+01:002012-01-24T22:43:06.671+01:00rainbow cupcakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6754584591/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="squee! rainbow cupcake! by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="squee! rainbow cupcake!" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6754584591_f7f3a04b64_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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<br />
if you've been on pinterest at all in recent months, you know that rainbow cakes and cupcakes are all the rage. since it's sabin's 11th birthday tomorrow, i just had to jump on the rainbow bandwagon. today, we baked rainbow cupcakes to share with her class (thank goodness in denmark, it's still ok and even encouraged to bring homemade treats to school) and with our friends at the riding club. sabin's best riding buddy actually shares the same birthday, so it's even better!<br />
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i had been dutifully pinning rainbow cakes for some time, but was a little shocked to find that most of them called for a box cake (oh the horror!). i guess that would make it slightly easier, but honestly, when a scratch cake is as easy as it is, why on earth settle for box?<br />
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i found <a href="http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/13653/rainbow-cupcakes.aspx">this recipe</a> and modified it (of course) to fit my local ingredient availability (there's no such thing as self-raising flour in denmark) and the size of the eggs my chickens produce. it's also a remarkably small recipe, so i not only doubled it, i ended up making FOUR batches of the doubled version. i give you my revised rainbow cake here:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>rainbow cupcakes</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
250 grams butter (i always used salted, but you can go with unsalted if you like)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 cup of sugar (fill your 250ml measuring cup to the top, my metric friends)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
5 medium eggs (fresh from under the hen if you can get 'em)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 generous glug (that would be the technical term) of vanilla</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 cups flour (again, fill your 250ml measuring cup to the top if you're doing metric)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1/2 C (120ml) milk</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 tsp. baking powder</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
pinch of salt</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
cream the butter in your mixer, then add the sugar and further cream until it's smooth and light yellow. add your eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla. then add flour (+ baking powder and salt) and milk, alternating until they're well mixed.</div>
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separate into 5 smaller bowls to make red, yellow, green, blue and purple - i actually used two full batches for this, to have a good amount of each color and because i was making a lot of cupcakes. because i was making 60 cupcakes in total, i actually made four batches of the above recipe in total - but my cupcakes are pretty tall, so you could get more out of this recipe by putting less of each color in each cupcake. but i started with combining two batches to get started. then, as we worked and realized it wouldn't be enough, we made another batch of batter and added to our existing colors - twice.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6754497737/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="rainbow cupcakes by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="rainbow cupcakes" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6754497737_727b1c0a77_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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the original recipe gives how many drops you should add of food coloring. with the liquid food colorings that are available in denmark, these amounts were FAR too little. and adding red and blue together did not result in purple, but to our horror, an awful shade of grey. luckily, i had a stash of wilton paste colors and we got the beautiful vibrant hues you see here (only slightly enhanced by instagram on my iPhone). i HIGHLY recommend using the proper wilton colors - you only do a rainbow once in awhile, so go all out. it's not THAT poisonous. :-)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6755630745/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="process : rainbow cupcakes by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="process : rainbow cupcakes" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6755630745_50be6dfdde_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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once you've got five colors - put a spoonful of each into your cupcake papers. i started with purple on the bottom, tho' we experimented and tried it on top once, but it goes awfully dark and doesn't show how prettily purple it really is if it's exposed to the heat on top. my color order was purple, blue, green, yellow, pink. we also tried with yellow on top, but then they look a bit like an ordinary cupcake. bake them 10-12 minutes at 180°C/350°F.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6754593507/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="in the oven : rainbow cupcakes by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="in the oven : rainbow cupcakes" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6754593507_cf1dcefeac_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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see how in the heat of the oven, the colors even out? tho' you can make them as messy as you like, it's really up to you. i really think you can't go wrong with this recipe.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6754573465/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="test cupcake : success! by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="test cupcake : success!" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6754573465_ee699205c3_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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as i write this, i haven't frosted them yet. but when i do, i will use my <a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2010/01/red-velvet-goodness.html">best and favorite white buttercream</a> - the one that started with a cooked milk/flour combo and ends up a bit lighter than regular buttercream. sprinkles (rainbow of course) on top and we'll be good to go. i expect when i get home, it will be with an empty tray and a whole lot of these....<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/julochka/6754632229/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="eaten : rainbow cupcake by julochka, on Flickr"><img alt="eaten : rainbow cupcake" height="612" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7167/6754632229_b62103a5b0_z.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-32809398919823967722011-11-13T10:54:00.001+01:002011-11-13T11:43:15.373+01:00new nordic inspiration"we do not stop the world when we eat, we go into it a little more deeply." - olafur eliasson<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dandelion, nasturtium, seakale fruit and yellow beetroots</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.noma.dk/">noma</a> is the <a href="http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners/noma">world's top restaurant</a>. i've been reading their beautiful cookbook published by phaidon - <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Noma-Time-Place-Nordic-Cuisine/dp/0714859036/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321179164&sr=8-1">NOMA: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine</a></i> by René Redzepi. (it's so wonderful that i actually had to use capital letters.) :-) i'm not sure i'll actually try make any of the beautifully photographed recipes, as they are very advanced and some require special equipment (liquid nitrogen, smokers), but i will be using some of the raw ingredients they use. and i simply i can't remember the last time i got so much pleasure and inspiration from a cookbook. it's completely sumptuous and very thought-provoking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHtVCJ8IXpdmRVk-BPc2yUemA2n7xKfXSc0WUH5JD72WtbOYsW4qm2VFo3EXwBAYA9UaBnnFACp-GSiFRs_pM0JJ_McjBMHtjtyk6sUbFCqavsTiqDO-kQ45nVcaJ2U-2-cYFQpeRMSml/s1600/noma+cookbook_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHtVCJ8IXpdmRVk-BPc2yUemA2n7xKfXSc0WUH5JD72WtbOYsW4qm2VFo3EXwBAYA9UaBnnFACp-GSiFRs_pM0JJ_McjBMHtjtyk6sUbFCqavsTiqDO-kQ45nVcaJ2U-2-cYFQpeRMSml/s640/noma+cookbook_0001.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">truffle dessert</td></tr>
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noma is a combination of two danish words "<i>nordisk</i>" and "<i>mad</i>" - nordic food. they use only fresh, seasonal ingredients from scandinavia and the book explores the early days of the thinking behind the restaurant. rené and claus meyer (another purveyor of new nordic cuisine) went on a voyage of discovery around scandinavia - from the farøe islands to iceland to greenland to norway, sweden and back to denmark - to put together the thinking and the menu. the cookbook includes excerpts from rené's diaries of the trip and is an inspiration.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbBJ97Ft_8MwnyOi2hb_vNFgfdCjDaGS_JwNMmwjXTdM7ZgF6AJ8yPdVwo10AVkHJ7aT29WvxHt9-SVLEx4NiOIfVaL5E8eHRkppM8EEw3Wz9-uLK4YmvKtU_ypiFnScULBeqYGpEmvHb/s1600/noma+cookbook_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbBJ97Ft_8MwnyOi2hb_vNFgfdCjDaGS_JwNMmwjXTdM7ZgF6AJ8yPdVwo10AVkHJ7aT29WvxHt9-SVLEx4NiOIfVaL5E8eHRkppM8EEw3Wz9-uLK4YmvKtU_ypiFnScULBeqYGpEmvHb/s640/noma+cookbook_0002.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">radishes in a pot</td></tr>
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the notion that our diet should be composed of things that are available and seasonal in our surroundings is at once both retro and revolutionary. our ancestors surely ate like that, but we've become accustomed to the availability of tomatoes and strawberries year-round. we can have what we like, whenever we like, because it's there on our grocery store shelves. but what if we returned to seasonal eating? what we ate more root vegetables and cabbage in the winter and only ate tomatoes in the summer? what if we used wild plants from our forests and ditches? what if we ate more game? more fish? what if we were more closely bound to our surroundings in our diet? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrZl9kT3WAEQKpfOi93S4PlWf6WYlkRqr0gxmUgl1wfjiJTAAptP0efY6r-YesjV1224g_Eu2aidzq21EJfWwSMsE5Nb48SzE6LslAhoAliVxznwvGiDGiu3kY70DC3hmNqkfw3E1CwJ0/s1600/noma+cookbook_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrZl9kT3WAEQKpfOi93S4PlWf6WYlkRqr0gxmUgl1wfjiJTAAptP0efY6r-YesjV1224g_Eu2aidzq21EJfWwSMsE5Nb48SzE6LslAhoAliVxznwvGiDGiu3kY70DC3hmNqkfw3E1CwJ0/s640/noma+cookbook_0003.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pork neck, bulrushes, violets and malt</td></tr>
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i heard on the radio that there's a study going on that's focused on new nordic cuisine and tho' they aren't finished yet, one early result has been that those participating have lost 3-6 kilos, which wasn't one of the goals - but more wild, lean meat like venison and more vegetables from the area instead of pasta and rice have had an effect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGlnes2mHPCpUDc77Q_x0XA2JiRFS2lf3fEqAp8FiAq0RXmMPult3gF3DqG9f8X-Hg1p1mSi5ZZa9nzvoPcmRpgUQn87EFpsCxTGpIxxm1JBo_L4xNaZPG1E86B5dnbm4V8Bi9Z-Ma38Z/s1600/noma+cookbook_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGlnes2mHPCpUDc77Q_x0XA2JiRFS2lf3fEqAp8FiAq0RXmMPult3gF3DqG9f8X-Hg1p1mSi5ZZa9nzvoPcmRpgUQn87EFpsCxTGpIxxm1JBo_L4xNaZPG1E86B5dnbm4V8Bi9Z-Ma38Z/s640/noma+cookbook_0004.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dessert of flowers</td></tr>
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it might initially seem that to use only seasonal, local ingredients is limiting, but once you start looking around, there is a bounty all around us. and we are left feeling more connected the world that we inhabit. as olafur elliason says in his introduction to the book, "Whether we like it or not, what we eat affects how the world looks. And that affects the way we understand it. When we look at a plate of food, we should see the greater ecosystem too. If we find out where the food comes from and where it goes to, maybe this knowledge can be made into a different kind of flavor-enhancer. ... Food can be political. Food can be about responsibility, sustainability, geography and culture."<br />
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if you get the chance, at least borrow this book from your local library.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-70122627275327644902011-10-18T12:36:00.002+02:002011-10-18T12:36:47.715+02:00egg-cellent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzzmZxjrIg43FgXnVW5hrctwmqwBaWn6tfplUo9sf-0rZF7aA_Ggtwn76WK7y7aTq7Q1yJRnDOLD_c7ZGVlIj01m3nGmYFA4Znz9os12kFLUgeDsY-WDFa6UyKEcR73C5k_kJm0mqamkI/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzzmZxjrIg43FgXnVW5hrctwmqwBaWn6tfplUo9sf-0rZF7aA_Ggtwn76WK7y7aTq7Q1yJRnDOLD_c7ZGVlIj01m3nGmYFA4Znz9os12kFLUgeDsY-WDFa6UyKEcR73C5k_kJm0mqamkI/s640/DSC_0015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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i never really saw myself as a chicken person - oh yes, i eat it, but i never thought i'd have chickens myself. i remember being a little bit surprised when i visited bee and found she had chickens, tho' they were posh, with fancy feathery feet, so i decided it fit quite well with her home in the english countryside. but me? have chickens? no way. fast forward nearly two years and we have 12 - 3 proud little roosters and 9 hens. and they've begun to lay eggs (well, the hens have anyway). and now i think i won't ever be without chickens again. the pleasure of going out and gathering the eggs (we're getting 2-3 a day, as they've just begun) and even just watching them is not to be underestimated. chickens are funny little characters. and the eggs, oh the eggs. they're just about the most magical cooking ingredient of all, aren't they?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">squash, sage & bacon soufflé</td></tr>
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despite that they only lay 2-3 eggs a day, that rather quickly ends up being a lot of eggs. so i've embarked on making soufflés and other egg-related dishes (we already eat an omelette at least once a week because they're so easy on a busy schedule). i was a little worried the first time, but already with the second one, i started to get a bit creative. and i can tell you that soufflés aren't nearly as temperamental as you've heard.<br />
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the first one i made, i used molly wizenberg's <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Classic-Cheese-Souffle-242119">classic cheese soufflé recipe</a>, which she adapted from one by julia child, following it pretty much to the letter. it came out perfectly and gave me the confidence i needed - it didn't even threaten to fall, it was light and gorgeous and even stayed up after we had taken it out a bit early, spooned into it, discovered it wasn't quite done, and put it back in the oven. a very forgiving soufflé. and a great base recipe, which i gave an autumn twist last night.<br />
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<i>cheesy sage and squash soufflé</i></div>
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2 T finely grated parmesan</div>
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1 C whole milk</div>
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2 1/2 T butter</div>
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3 T flour</div>
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1 C baked squash</div>
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1 small package of bacon, diced and fried to crispy perfection</div>
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4-5 fresh sage leaves, sliced into ribbons</div>
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6 eggs, separated</div>
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1 C grated cheese (gruyère or something similarly meltable is perfect)</div>
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salt and pepper to taste </div>
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cut a small squash in half and de-seed it. bake it in the oven with a lump of butter in the cavity, until it's soft and done. allow it to cool and spoon it out. i used a hokkaido squash and it resulted in about a cup (metric folks, just fill a 250ml measuring cup) of squash. if your squash is larger, safe the rest for another purpose (an autumn soup perhaps?).</div>
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dice your bacon and fry it to crispy perfection, set it aside. just before it's done, throw the ribbons of sage into the bacon fat and allow the heat to crisp them and release the sagey goodness. grate your cheese and set it aside. </div>
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separate your eggs. my eggs are still very small, so i used 6, if yours are the jumbo size from the grocery store, you can probably do with 3 or 4. molly's recipe calls for 4 egg yolks and 5 egg whites, but i used all of all 6 eggs with good result (and no waste). set your kitchen mixer to whipping the egg whites until they're glossy and have high peaks. reserve the yolks.</div>
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preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. butter a ceramic soufflé dish and coat the buttered edges with the grated parmesan. this makes the most lovely outside crust, so don't skip this step. gently warm the milk in a pan.</div>
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in a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, whisking to make a roux. cook it 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let it brown, but getting rid of that raw flour-y taste. remove from the heat and allow it to stand for a minute. return it to the heat, add the warm milk and keep whisking it over the heat until it's very thick - this should again take 2-3 minutes. remove from the heat and whisk in the squash and the bacon and sage. whisking constantly, add the yolks one at a time. set the mixture somewhere to cool to room temperature. season with salt and pepper to taste.</div>
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once the mixture is cooled, fold in a good-sized dollop of the egg whites and gently mix it to lighten up the yolk mixture. then gently fold in the rest of the whites and the grated cheese. transfer immediately to your prepared soufflé dish and pop it into the oven immediately. bake it for 25-30 minutes, taking care not to open the oven during at least the first 20 minutes. it's done when it's golden brown on top and has just the slightest jiggle visible in the middle. serve it immediately with a simple salad.</div>
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our salad consisted of a box of mixed leaves, diced cucumber, some of the last of the garden tomatoes, diced and the popping, ruby seeds of half a pomegranate. i made a simple creme fraîche dressing to accompany both the soufflé and the salad - just with a bit of chopped, fresh sage and some garlic pepper. it didn't last long, as you can see.<br />
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be adventurous, make a soufflé for dinner tonight. i guarantee it will impress your family and friends.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-84535858241789875162011-10-16T12:26:00.000+02:002011-10-16T12:26:27.711+02:00a berry good year<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1KngAHAUAsrIJqVibknnKl2EA2wsbE1YAJHPuucDzrMPTLVIxcwSEacJipbuOZ58HOCzFqYPiSWnWsZFfBbylul0B5uXyBj4cOSTrPLL1gMjczZfhX8Gzm1TdCJKKOvgw8n1RK83HeYu/s1600/JNB_4318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1KngAHAUAsrIJqVibknnKl2EA2wsbE1YAJHPuucDzrMPTLVIxcwSEacJipbuOZ58HOCzFqYPiSWnWsZFfBbylul0B5uXyBj4cOSTrPLL1gMjczZfhX8Gzm1TdCJKKOvgw8n1RK83HeYu/s640/JNB_4318.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red currants (and proof that there was the occasional bit of sunshine this summer)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
our rainy, cool weather this year was a boon for the berries. our strawberry season lasted a month and the red and black currant bushes were loaded with berries that i made into bottles and bottles of cordial for the winter. the blackcurrant cordial might be the best one of them all, tho' the more recent one i've made of elderberries is a close second.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rwaezK3qSaT4LOj8jflWLzkcS_YoO9tyaMe4fEdyJQoveUDM0v-pmESwSQ-iAdFiOdl2oNq3bQu-cIGQpGkdE9Zv8mxXZs18iSuLZBZzK1MeER0KWDQfPv1NZ10B0wwZmZRDd11xi7vh/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rwaezK3qSaT4LOj8jflWLzkcS_YoO9tyaMe4fEdyJQoveUDM0v-pmESwSQ-iAdFiOdl2oNq3bQu-cIGQpGkdE9Zv8mxXZs18iSuLZBZzK1MeER0KWDQfPv1NZ10B0wwZmZRDd11xi7vh/s640/DSC_0051.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">blackcurrants</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>berry cordials</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
4 cups (1 kilo) of berries (red currants, blackcurrants, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, elderberries)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 cups sugar<br />
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if you want to give it some zip, add some slices of fresh ginger root, or throw in a vanilla bean. i also mixed them occasionally - red and black currants together. strawberry and rhubarb (it's a classic), tho' i kept raspberries and elderberries alone, because they're so outstanding on their own. the elderberries have the faintest undertone of their spring version - the elderflower, but with layers of autumn on top. mixed with hot water and a dash of vanilla vodka (see below), they make a gorgeous, warming drink, for a nippy but clear autumn day. i made several batches using honey instead of sugar, since we've also got our own bees and i had a lot of honey on hand - the result was a deeper, more complex cordial. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm4TmE1Z5u0jap0aLNNSGGi-zqPvmtd6bQ8SnQV6azaqfQ0puWw2njjtaT36pt9Qg1TBV_q33W7SOBgajrwE_JdpKYGe2ejdhggUjTE3Y9vtzqFU5oet6khA1I_c0wKVMWfhvsIZpik7E/s1600/JNB_6154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm4TmE1Z5u0jap0aLNNSGGi-zqPvmtd6bQ8SnQV6azaqfQ0puWw2njjtaT36pt9Qg1TBV_q33W7SOBgajrwE_JdpKYGe2ejdhggUjTE3Y9vtzqFU5oet6khA1I_c0wKVMWfhvsIZpik7E/s640/JNB_6154.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">autumn raspberries - they produced from august - october!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELwnhCEXUX4iOreSTR1tkSqQlpWHvR5O2PtzgDKXgnXaJkOBA0yB2-DeSDw6sU5bQwPwuyuTDd61sHqlOYwaVsSAsBqdBRRl5ckO53ViZSWHrXQZk0Fzs0gJZ6afJCJM9ONps1-5mnwPp/s1600/JNB_7496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELwnhCEXUX4iOreSTR1tkSqQlpWHvR5O2PtzgDKXgnXaJkOBA0yB2-DeSDw6sU5bQwPwuyuTDd61sHqlOYwaVsSAsBqdBRRl5ckO53ViZSWHrXQZk0Fzs0gJZ6afJCJM9ONps1-5mnwPp/s640/JNB_7496.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">elderberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoDdwrAu9eGgwb57HD7N9xU1Qj0KgqG-YiVTGPKqduEqO_EbBQZYl_YOfkhNFA3Zcmh1t9xKV0BBGKLyTFanOdTMX4zShHaqOWYbH90t4cRtUjNcjslyVF63yFO09m98iEDOnxnh4vC1m/s1600/JNB_4299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoDdwrAu9eGgwb57HD7N9xU1Qj0KgqG-YiVTGPKqduEqO_EbBQZYl_YOfkhNFA3Zcmh1t9xKV0BBGKLyTFanOdTMX4zShHaqOWYbH90t4cRtUjNcjslyVF63yFO09m98iEDOnxnh4vC1m/s640/JNB_4299.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"rumtopf" - with vodka, red currants, black currants, strawberries and sugar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
i've been throwing a handful of whatever berry is in season into this jar and topping it up with vodka all summer - it will make a lovely fruity tipple come christmas time - filled with the echoes of summer during that dark time of year. all you do is take a cup of organic sugar, all the berries you have at hand and keep them covered with vodka. whenever you add more berries, if they're not submerged, add more vodka. this one was started in june and i added the last berries in october (photo from the beginning). you can also use rum (hence the name - rumtopf), but we're vodka drinkers around here, so that's what we used.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dYE868fCbgM-FJlLZOSm9RM8OhJOTuNvQA7Q3FisffPkB6vhUO_5-E71xm2x4DLA53n12QjgjcxafjP1Z8OSjCZRlixCBc3ZZhcTq-GvbwtSLLHgsr4ljNxAeH6OZ-xKRMT4oa6bJr3I/s1600/JNB_3788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dYE868fCbgM-FJlLZOSm9RM8OhJOTuNvQA7Q3FisffPkB6vhUO_5-E71xm2x4DLA53n12QjgjcxafjP1Z8OSjCZRlixCBc3ZZhcTq-GvbwtSLLHgsr4ljNxAeH6OZ-xKRMT4oa6bJr3I/s640/JNB_3788.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">black currant cordial</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
the cordials can be mixed with fizzy water for a sparkling drink. they're great with white wine or a dash of vanilla vodka. they can be quite tasty with lemon schweppes. they're also just fine with plain water - hot or cold, depending on your weather. the limits are only those of imagination.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGXD1StadyZGv4HZnh1DSSfzVt44_iBMO10DBQvClRXnkhyeuiZcwENvu_-fOyL1Wi__b8AKmywNJsh68tgY948fCtCRavfggXYAWVkIrKwfBToCCoT5s65Ao-i4FmAbUMAALzli-W4Va/s1600/JNB_4311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGXD1StadyZGv4HZnh1DSSfzVt44_iBMO10DBQvClRXnkhyeuiZcwENvu_-fOyL1Wi__b8AKmywNJsh68tgY948fCtCRavfggXYAWVkIrKwfBToCCoT5s65Ao-i4FmAbUMAALzli-W4Va/s640/JNB_4311.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<br />
thanks to my buddy chris, who is a co-contributor over on <a href="http://livingthesustainablelife.blogspot.com/2011/07/recently-i-read-on-another-blog-how-to.html">the sustainable life blog</a>, i ventured into making my own vanilla vodka. she was making vanilla extract and i've got a batch of that going as well, but decided to make some vanilla vodka for drinking as well - it tastes more natural than the absolut version. it's a very nice companion when you're using these cordials as the base for a cocktail. if you check eBay, you can find great prices on vanilla pods in bulk - i got 30+ for €11 including shipping. speaking of which, it's time to order them again, in preparation for winter baking.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-824594513933604732011-09-26T08:10:00.002+02:002011-09-26T08:11:19.911+02:00green hummus and a garden bounty pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNqgkEuEqDpflLXY6Gudn6w2gg-AAabmNqpENB5nDU6eqhAcN7MsqbXrJubB-PnTQ-sJyX0xpDSnqPmDUxD_O6v8s4ibhz_7qbNwt8CXHHPKCvhRFPA8UeBt42yPd2N-nFi297gNbXtYq/s1600/DSC_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNqgkEuEqDpflLXY6Gudn6w2gg-AAabmNqpENB5nDU6eqhAcN7MsqbXrJubB-PnTQ-sJyX0xpDSnqPmDUxD_O6v8s4ibhz_7qbNwt8CXHHPKCvhRFPA8UeBt42yPd2N-nFi297gNbXtYq/s800/DSC_0150.JPG" /></a></div>
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the garden is winding down, but it has been a bountiful summer - borlotti beans (that's the red pods here), tomatoes, small delectable aubergines, tasty cucumbers (so much more flavor than the store-bought kind), artichokes (none visible in this photo), small succulent squash, broad beans and autumn raspberries coming out of our ears for more than a month. the bounty from the garden has been so good that it's almost turned us vegetarian without any effort (tho' we haven't given up bacon - can one be a bacon-tarian?).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileAOVqWJFbxYWeI4roNObbrSGj8cvy2VwrSYKPDRJReL6MjSrjHLZd59Umyo-PCoENO4tSBMhnrxLsDswe_A08Cd4JKi5UZ2lYWMx1F5yHJxrJ6ILIStWhTx7mKD9jb3N6IfOJwFe4Sgq/s1600/DSC_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileAOVqWJFbxYWeI4roNObbrSGj8cvy2VwrSYKPDRJReL6MjSrjHLZd59Umyo-PCoENO4tSBMhnrxLsDswe_A08Cd4JKi5UZ2lYWMx1F5yHJxrJ6ILIStWhTx7mKD9jb3N6IfOJwFe4Sgq/s800/DSC_0160.JPG" /></a></div>
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with tomatoes and cucumbers as plentiful as they've been, we've tossed them together with feta or mozzarella and a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some fresh, chopped parsley (it's been a good year for parsley with all of the rain we've had) or sometimes mint for salads nearly every night.<br />
<br />
but the real revelation has been a nigel slater-inspired broad bean hummus. we've experienced the entire spectrum of the broad bean...from tiny little green and nearly pealike ones, to the large mature kind that you have to boil and then peel away the grey outer husk before pureeing them into a delicious green hummus.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>green hummus</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
20-25 large broad bean pods (these may be called favas in the US or <i>hestebønner</i> in denmark)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 cloves garlic</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 big spoonful of tahini</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
salt & freshly-ground pepper</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
handful of parsley or mint</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
shell the broad beans - it should result in a generous cup or so (you don't have to be that exact), boil them in salted water until they're tender (about 20 minutes). drain the water, allow them to cool and remove the greyish outer covering (it comes off easily after boiling). throw the beans into your food processor with the garlic, tahini (nigel doesn't use tahini in his, but i liked it better with tahini - it gives it that hummus kick that it otherwise lacks) and the herb of your choice (sometimes we wanted the freshness of mint, sometimes the brightness of parsley - use whichever, according to your mood), add a generous sprinkle of salt and a good glug of olive oil. whirr it up in the food processor. if it doesn't go smooth, add more olive oil until it's a smooth, hummus-like consistency. serve it with freshly-baked bread. </div>
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if you make a simple chopped tomato, garlic, basil mixture with a bit of olive oil and balsamic for bruschetta, you'll have a meal with simple ingredients from the garden paired with a loaf of bread lovingly baked. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
i made this at least once a week, all summer long. the beans give you the protein you need so you don't have to eat meat. it refrigerates well and tastes even better the next day, once the garlic and tahini have melded with the broad beans. </div>
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* * *</div>
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very often this summer, i would wander out to the garden around 5:30 or so, with nothing much in mind for dinner. the day i gathered the veggies you see above, i brought them in, washed them and just started chopping, not sure where it would take me. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>garden bounty pasta</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
handful of borlotti beans</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
125g bacon</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 small onion, diced</div>
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2 cloves of garlic, minced</div>
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1 small aubergine, diced</div>
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1 small zucchini/courgette, diced</div>
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handful of swiss chard leaves, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2-3 small/medium tomatoes, diced</div>
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salt & pepper</div>
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chili (optional)</div>
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chopped, fresh parsley (or oregano or marjoram or basil if you have it)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 package linguini (or spaghetti or shells or whatever pasta you like).</div>
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freshly grated parmesan to garnish</div>
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boiled up the pretty pink-spotted borlotti beans and crisped up some chopped bacon with some onion and garlic while they were boiling. add the diced aubergine and zucchini (courgette) squash. when the beans are done, drain them and turn them in the bacon and veggie mixture. boil up some fresh linguini noodles, or whatever pasta you have on hand would be fine. once the pasta is nearly done, add some chopped tomatoes and chopped swiss chard to the vegetable mix at the last minute, so that the tomatoes are just warmed, but keep their structure and the chard wilted, but retains its green brilliance. salt and pepper to taste and it is ready to serve over the pasta. garnish with freshly chopped parsley and fresh parmesan. you could also sprinkle some toasted pine nuts on top if you had some on hand. </div>
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this became a fast favorite and has also been on our table, with slight adjustments for what veggies were ready, for much of the summer.</div>
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if you don't have a garden, just visit your local farmer's market or the fruit and vegetable counter of your local grocery store, and see what's in season.</div>
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julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-85435070197730646822011-08-20T20:49:00.002+02:002011-08-20T20:49:59.890+02:00baking for bunnies (and horses)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRExPVXzBm6h4xDNx2HNFrGsB7GVj0xu-CYhZnxXvo1Rvw0-t5Wx951BP89JFzQk4pXiqw8dW4knjCf8IVvd9Ln4sqE5Et4ERpoO4CcYs3IZwYNcPlP5AJnDIPL8GoCMsfc25ufZbtuzT/s1600/JNB_5927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRExPVXzBm6h4xDNx2HNFrGsB7GVj0xu-CYhZnxXvo1Rvw0-t5Wx951BP89JFzQk4pXiqw8dW4knjCf8IVvd9Ln4sqE5Et4ERpoO4CcYs3IZwYNcPlP5AJnDIPL8GoCMsfc25ufZbtuzT/s640/JNB_5927.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.julochka.com/2011/06/accidental-rabbit.html">somehow</a>, we've ended up with four pet rabbits at our house. and it occurred to me that i was spending a small fortune keeping them in bunny treats. and then one day, i tried to read the ingredient list on the bunny treats i've been buying in the pet store and i got a little concerned when i saw vague words like "cereals" and "derivatives of vegetable origin" not to mention a big list of preservatives. i realized that i was paying a premium for something that probably wasn't all that great for our bunnies. so i decided to try making some treats for them myself.<br />
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whole grains, lots of nuts and plenty of fresh carrot, with a bit of honey and some sunflower oil were thrown together in my mixer and baked. the first batch i made was a bit more cookie-like in form. before i could tell him they were for the bunnies, husband accidentally ate one, thinking they were healthy cookies. they're a bit boring to humans, since i kept the honey minimal not to make them too sweet for bunnies. for the second batch, i decided to make them smaller and more treat-shaped. and i also realized that our horse would love them, since they're full of things she likes too - oats and carrots. i will not be buying the iffy and expensive kind in the pet store anymore. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>bunny/horse treats</i></div>
<br />
2 cups oatmeal<br />1/2 cup honey (from our own bees, of course)<br />1 cup graham flour<br />1 cup plain white flour<br />2 large carrots, grated<br />1/2 sunflower oil<br />1/3 cup flaxseeds<br />1/3 cup sunflower seeds<br /><br />mix it all together in the mixer and add enough water to bring it to a thick cookie-type consistency (i'm not sure how much water i added, as i didn't measure that...maybe about a 1/2 cup).<br /><br />spread it out in a baking pan and bake it at 180°C/350°F for 20 minutes (not all the way). remove it from the oven and slice it into "treat size", then pop them onto a cookie sheet and into the oven and bake another 20 minutes or so. voila. happy bunnies and horses.<br /><br />our pets mean a lot to us, so it only makes sense to me to give them quality food, just like i would my family.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-84511252812434623442011-08-10T22:27:00.003+02:002011-08-10T22:35:22.214+02:00marshmallows & nutella: homemade stylie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI63A4NyW3IeORj7jn2ywSLNcX7h6tc6HRjgr1PvWmog4A8HhheDGlSrndpx_0n495kagtoDxvMM8FSaz-T0R38eSU1AqjZ9DHvCQtXEjOZKt2sze09OJoIhMd7lh9QUIwrwTMQRCQ5cS/s1600/marshmallow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI63A4NyW3IeORj7jn2ywSLNcX7h6tc6HRjgr1PvWmog4A8HhheDGlSrndpx_0n495kagtoDxvMM8FSaz-T0R38eSU1AqjZ9DHvCQtXEjOZKt2sze09OJoIhMd7lh9QUIwrwTMQRCQ5cS/s640/marshmallow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
it's been raining this week (again, again) and watching the news this week has been positively depressing - riots all over england, stock markets down, people starving in africa. i found myself in need of comfort. escape. something sweet.<br />
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<br />
so i decided to make nutella. and when that didn't feel like enough, i also made marshmallows. the nutella is good, but not yet The Business, but the marshmallows? fluffy clouds of heaven, i tell you. i found the nutella recipe via instructables.com, but strangely, the site is down as i write this, so i can't give you the original link. and, as usual, i didn't entirely follow it anyway, so i'll give you what i did and you can check instructables later (i'm sure it's temporarily down).<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>chocolate-hazelnut spread (ala nutella) - take 1</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
250 grams hazelnuts (about 1 cup)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
250 grams good quality dark chocolate (i actually used a combo of dark and milk because a certain someone in this household doesn't like dark chocolate and she's the primary consumer of this in this house)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 can of sweetened condensed milk</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a pinch of salt</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a drizzle of good quality sunflower oil</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
toast the hazelnuts in the oven for about 10 minutes at 180°C/350°F (watch them, as you don't want them to burn). put them in the food processor and whiz them up as fine as you can get them. add a drizzle of sunflower oil to help it out. this is where i think the recipe i followed was off...i found it very difficult to get the hazelnuts ground finely enough in my food processor - next time, i might try a coffee grinder. but my advice is, grind them longer than you think.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
while they're grinding, place the chocolate in a double-boiler and melt it over medium heat. once it's melted, stir in the salt and the sweetened condensed milk and mix it well. once they're smooth and the nuts are as finely ground as you can get them, tip the chocolate into the nuts and whizz it up in your food processor until it's smooth and creamy. if you think the texture isn't quite right, you can add a drizzle of sunflower oil. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
this made two and a half half liter jars. i sterilized them, but am keeping them in the refrigerator, as i'm not sure about how well they'll keep. they taste delicious, but the texture isn't exactly nutella-like. it's not smooth enough. on the other hand, it has a much more hazelnutty depth to it and i actually like it quite a lot better than the real thing. i'm not done, tho' i'm trying to perfect this, so expect me back with further experiments on this front.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and now onto the marshmallows, which worked far beyond expectations. my recipe comes from karen solomon's <i>jam it, pickle it, cure it</i>, tho', of course, i adjusted the gelatin because it comes in leaves here and not in powdered packets.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>marshmallows</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2/3 cup of water </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
6 leaves of gelatin (or 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 cup of sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 cup of light syrup</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
pinch of salt</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
confectioner's (powdered) sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
coat a medium-sized pan (8x8 or 9x6) in vegetable oil and generously coat with powdered sugar. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
combine the gelatin and 1/3 cup of water in the bowl of your stand mixer.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
meanwhile, mix the other 1/3 cup of water with the sugar and light syrup in a medium saucepan. whisk them until they the sugar is nearly dissolved. place it over a medium heat and without stirring (this is the bit i couldn't believe, but it's really true) heat it up to 115°C/240°F. use a candy thermometer. it takes about ten minutes. don't be tempted to stir, the bubbles will effectively stir it as it begins to boil. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
once it reaches the correct temperature, remove from the heat and pour it carefully into the gelatin mixture in your mixer. turn it up to medium-high, add vanilla and mix until it becomes fluffy white and stiff. this takes about 10-12 minutes (tho' if it's humid, it could take longer).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
pour them into the prepared pan and allow them to set for at least an hour. then slice them into bite-sized squares and roll them in powdered sugar (or cocoa or flaked coconut) and enjoy. our weather is a bit humid and i'm keeping them in the fridge, as they seemed a bit soft. i think in normal, dry weather conditions, they'd stay firm and lovely and you'd even be able to toast them over the coals like you would a store-bought marshmallow. but actually, they're just perfect as they are...sweet, fluffy, light and melt-in-your mouth. i will definitely be making them again. </div>
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julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-39267768819277436932011-07-13T22:08:00.001+02:002011-07-13T22:09:44.451+02:00the ruby goodness of rhubarb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmzy0WN5LUPJbJqK08a1ts98OyKFdKGaL71Bp6J6TaYM4MJym06GV8vBielti_tAuczdLw57tYQsFwg-0VbYVDYiOIooi3YM4T0dO4aQbYQlfJuO0rffdrKaZyY5Z7WzOZ3IV8ZtYTC3K/s1600/JNB_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmzy0WN5LUPJbJqK08a1ts98OyKFdKGaL71Bp6J6TaYM4MJym06GV8vBielti_tAuczdLw57tYQsFwg-0VbYVDYiOIooi3YM4T0dO4aQbYQlfJuO0rffdrKaZyY5Z7WzOZ3IV8ZtYTC3K/s640/JNB_4418.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
awhile ago, i promised to do a rhubarb post. i love rhubarb. it's one of the first things to appear in the garden in the spring and it just keeps on giving all summer long, especially if you keep picking it. our place came with about a dozen rhubarb plants and once we moved them from the grassy area where they were being choked out and separated them a bit (into more like two dozen plants), they have thrived, as you can see above (in fact, i need to get out there and pick). <br />
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<br />
one of the most delicious things i've made is a rhubarb-vanilla cordial. as you already know, i've gone a bit <a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2011/06/found-flowers-cordially-speaking.html">mad for cordials</a> this year. they're just so much nicer to serve to your guests than a regular old purchased soda. with all of these good things in the garden, it gets my creative juices flowing and i've been trying all sorts of combinations of things (coming soon, berries). but this rhubarb-vanilla one is one we reach for again and again.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>rhubarb-vanilla cordial</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
20-25 stalks of rhubarb</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 vanilla pod</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan, just to get started.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
500 grams sugar (2 cups)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
clean and slice the rhubarb into manageable chunks. place it in a pot with the vanilla pod (split it open to release the little black flecks) and put a little water in the bottom of the pan, just to get things started. gently heat it and simmer until the rhubarb has gone completely soft. i usually wander away at this point, so i'm not sure how long this takes - maybe between 20 and 30 minutes. remove from the heat and let it cool down a bit. strain through a cheesecloth, collecting the beautiful pink juice. squeeze out the cloth, getting all of the good juices. you should have about a liter of juice, but if you don't, you can add water to get to that. if you have more than a liter, even better. return the juice to the pan and add sugar. i used organic sugar and as you can see above (my rhubarb cordial is next to the honey), my cordial is a bit dark. if you use regular white sugar, it will stay a bright pink. bring it to the boil again and then pour it into a sterilized, prepared bottle. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
i often fish out the vanilla pod to be used again in another batch, as there's lots of goodness left in it and they're too precious to just throw away. you can also rinse it off and stick it in a jar with some sugar for a fragrant vanilla sugar. and i give the rhubarb mash that's left over to the hens - they gobble it right up.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
this week, i'm going to make a batch with a hunk of ginger instead of vanilla - i think rhubarb and ginger will be very nice together.</div>
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<br />
in my opinion, the most perfect companion to rhubarb is the strawberry and i've made this rhubarb-strawberry crisp half a dozen times during the month our strawberries were in season. it's just as good with rhubarb by itself, but rhubarb and strawberries are a match made in heaven. in contrast to many crisps (or crumbles - not sure of the difference - do any of you have an opinion?) it has the topping on the bottom as a sort of crust as well. that makes the dish. it's a variation of a recipe my mom sent to me and i'm not sure where it originated.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>strawberry-rhubarb crisp</i></div>
<br />
1 cup flour<br />
3/4 cup oatmeal<br />
1 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup melted butter<br />
<br />
mix together and place half of the mixture in an buttered baking dish (i use one that's ceramic and rectangular, but you could use a round tart dish as well).<br />
<br />
4 cups fresh rhubarb (cubed) and strawberries.<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup water<br />
2 T. cornstarch<br />
1 t. vanilla<br />
<br />
in a saucepan, cook the fruit, sugar and water until softened and gently boiling. mix the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the hot fruit mixture. add the vanilla and pour into your pan. put the remaining crust mixture on top. <br />
<br />
optional: sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. bake at 180°C/350°F until the top is golden and crispy. <br />
<br />
serve in a bowl with a bit of fresh cream on top.<br />
<br />
whether it's an everyday evening treat or for guests, it can't go wrong. <br />
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<br />julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-31044413467129995392011-06-26T12:36:00.000+02:002011-06-26T12:36:05.829+02:00Eat/Drink more Yogurt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhM72RCMiXVUB2aMWnYhftcGtQDA1p1TWj_SVgT_SGqPeGzC-kX58Npii9PpYIWwo1ZLg2FzR0hhN5yPdOVTyc3EeDiQEhxdxxsktjOw4NlcEs3erm__WxP-gvy9T2Ikge1eN12k2dL-y2/s1600/DSC_0936_486early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhM72RCMiXVUB2aMWnYhftcGtQDA1p1TWj_SVgT_SGqPeGzC-kX58Npii9PpYIWwo1ZLg2FzR0hhN5yPdOVTyc3EeDiQEhxdxxsktjOw4NlcEs3erm__WxP-gvy9T2Ikge1eN12k2dL-y2/s640/DSC_0936_486early+flowers.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
Did anyone see the Harvard study which was published, and <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/06/10-foods-that-drive-weight-gain-and-loss-identified-by-harvard/240933/#slide10">widely reported on</a>, this week?<br />
After 20 years of monitoring which foods seemed to be most associated with weight gain, the study revealed the following list of baddies:<br />
<ol><li>french fries!</li>
<li>potato chips</li>
<li>sugar-sweetened soda</li>
<li>unprocessed red meat</li>
<li>processed meats . . . like bacon</li>
<li>trans fats</li>
<li>potatoes</li>
<li>sweets and desserts</li>
<li>refined grains</li>
<li>fried foods</li>
<li>fruit juices</li>
<li>butter</li>
</ol>There are no huge surprises here, but it is still a bit deflating (or, rather, the other way around) to see that potatoes have made the list three times! I wouldn't dream of making french fries at home, but in restaurants I have been known to order a meal just because it offers fries on the side. My favourite meal in the world? Probably steak frites. Still, I regard them as a treat -- and really, we eat very little red meat otherwise.<br />
<br />
The main conclusion of the study is that we should all be eating food that is as <strong><em>minimally processed</em></strong> as possible . . . and with the odd exception, Julochka and I have already been preaching (and eating) that gospel. I may need to rethink my loved of baked goods, but in my defense, we hardly ever eat any dessert/sweets that aren't homemade with good-quality ingredients.<br />
<br />
One of the most helpful aspects of the study was its revelation of the five foods most associated with weight <em>loss</em> -- and the fab five are:<br />
<ol><li>yogurt</li>
<li>nuts</li>
<li>fruits</li>
<li>whole grains</li>
<li>vegetables</li>
</ol>I've been trying to eat more yogurt for several years now, but for some reason I find it a bit tedious in solid form. I do like greek yogurt with blueberries and a squeeze of honey, but it's not something that I can talk myself into eating every day. <br />
<br />
I think that smoothies are going to be the answer -- at least for me. This summer, I finally broke down and bought a blender -- despite my lack of counter space -- and now my children and I are obsessed with it. With all of the great fresh fruit that's around these days, it is such simple work to drink several servings of the good stuff. I never make the same smoothie twice, but my basic blueprint is to throw in a banana, a handful of strawberries and/or raspberries, blueberries, pineapple or peaches, between 4 and 6 ounces of yogurt and a handful of ice. You will need some liquid to get things going, and I add either orange juice or skim milk -- depending on whether I am the mood for something creamy or juicy. You may also need a squirt of honey, depending on your sweet tooth.<br />
<br />
Sadly, there's nothing more American than french fries and a Coke -- and America has the obesity rates to prove it. Julochka and I were laughing about <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-204_162-10008285.html">an article about the fried foods</a> which will be offered up at State Fairs around the country this summer. Doesn't that just sum up some of the most dreadful (and wonderful, of course) aspects of American eating? I love the creativity and the sense of humour, but the sheer decadence and gluttony isn't as admirable. Does anyone really need to be eating <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-06-23-fried-kool-aid_n.htm">Fried Kool-Aid</a>? Who even dreams this stuff up?<br />
<br />
As for my summer eating, I'm thinking more along the lines of a yogurt smoothie and a handful of raw almonds every day . . .Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02375981493145612394noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-57174714805449317672011-06-21T22:00:00.001+02:002011-06-21T23:34:03.162+02:00lemony roast chicken salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
most of the cooking i do is by the seat of my pants. recipes are but a suggestion in my mind and i don't do all that much planning ahead unless we're expecting guests. very often, it's 5:30 p.m. and i wander into the kitchen, bleary-eyed from the computer and open the refrigerator and take out a few things that look inspiring. and sometimes the result is worth writing down. of course, the secret to this kind of cooking is having good ingredients at hand. i can tell already that the garden is going to really help me on that front. the weekly box i have delivered helps a lot too - it means i've always got interesting vegetables and things like quinoa and couscous around. i'm also a sucker for good buys on interesting or unusual ingredients when i'm at the grocery store, so the staples in my cupboards include things like a jar of grilled artichokes or roasted red peppers. i thought i'd share with you a recent invention. i made it for the second time today, adding a bit to it from the first round and it was wonderful. it's a chicken salad made from your roast chicken leftovers.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>lemony roast chicken salad</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
the remains of one roast chicken, diced into bite-size pieces</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 jar of grilled artichokes in seasoned olive oil, roughly chopped up on the cutting board</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
save the seasoned olive oil from the jar to use as your dressing</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 lemon, sliced thinly and cut into little wedges</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 60gram package of pinenuts</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 package of brown mushrooms</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
100 grams of quinoa, cooked as directed on the package (20 minutes in twice as much water as quinoa)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 bunch of green onions, sliced finely</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
handful of spinach or kale, cut into ribbons</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
juice of one lemon </div>
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dice your roast chicken leftovers into bite-sized pieces (i specially-roasted a chicken for the purpose today, as we have a couchsurfer here, so it was not just going to be the three of us). remove the artichokes from the jar and roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces. save the seasoned oil from the jar to use as a seasoning. slice the lemon into thin rounds and then chop cut them into little wedges, throw them in, peel and all. clean your mushrooms and slice them in halves or fourths if they're large - sauté them off in a pan with butter and a little olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with soy sauce until they've lost their rawness (but not 'til they're shrunk down to nothingness). chop the green onions. toast off the pinenuts. put all of these ingredients into a large, flat bowl and keep tossing it together (i do it with my hands as i add each ingredient). lastly, sauté off the spinach or kale (i used fresh-picked tuscan kale from the garden). while you're chopping, cook up your quinoa - a highly nutritious and delicious grain that gives body, texture and loads of nutrition to the dish. dress it all with the seasoned oil from the artichokes, juice of a lemon and a bit of salt & pepper. can be served immediately or refrigerated and taken on a picnic. serve with plenty of fresh bread. and you can never miss with a crisp white sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.</div>
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serves 6 - 8 (if you use a whole chicken and not just leftovers). people may leave little piles of lemon rind on their plates, but that's ok. make this for a cool lunch on a hot summer day. you won't regret it.</div>
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julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-49433709755509805472011-06-19T23:43:00.009+02:002011-06-20T09:54:17.663+02:00found flowers: cordially speaking<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsWXZ5V1az-LY1eNTrKNmX_S0YgfRQUb1ugbEEP42e_SXm4yLIHjrmIYuSzRAQ0XRgFC7z7Mt02rDu-QXZNsuQyrl_mNZUwCj8D6qPugIWPyAhQuPG2Nwe424S1GtCl9-9bjNqWznyKE5/s1600/cordials+and+couscous-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsWXZ5V1az-LY1eNTrKNmX_S0YgfRQUb1ugbEEP42e_SXm4yLIHjrmIYuSzRAQ0XRgFC7z7Mt02rDu-QXZNsuQyrl_mNZUwCj8D6qPugIWPyAhQuPG2Nwe424S1GtCl9-9bjNqWznyKE5/s800/cordials+and+couscous-9.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rhubarb + vanilla, violet and elderflower cordials<br />
a few elderflower blossoms, which we were using in our pancakes.<br />
and some freshly-harvested honey from today (not ours yet, but soon)<br />
oh, and those strawberries? from our garden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
i've been going a little bit mad around here on the cordial front. it started for me earlier this spring with <a href="http://livingthesustainablelife.blogspot.com/2011/04/violet-jelly.html">violets</a>. they were the first flower around here that came in something like abundant quantities. as you can see from the post over on<a href="http://livingthesustainablelife.blogspot.com/"> the sustainable life blog</a>, i started with jelly, but soon switched to cordial. my family likes it better - they're not jelly people, it seems (perhaps because the actual violet flowers i put in the violet jelly looked a little bit like flies, but just leave those out). but the violet cordial has been brilliant. i mused a little bit about the actual picking of violets <a href="http://www.julochka.com/2011/05/erik-is-alive.html">here</a> - it takes an eternity to pick enough, but it's a bit like meditation, and i definitely need that, so i've made 5 batches. you can see that there's not much left in the bottle above, so i suppose i'll be out in the field, meditating again soon.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>violet cordial</i></div>
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2 cups of violets (the flowers only)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 cups of boiling water </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
4 cups of sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
juice of one organic lemon</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
place your violets in a glass or ceramic bowl (don't rinse them, you'll be straining, so it doesn't matter if there are small bugs in with them) and pour two cups of boiling water over them. cover the bowl with a plate and place it somewhere to steep overnight. it will turn a lovely shade of teal, but don't worry, the lemon will fix that. strain the violets - i use a metal strainer lined with a clean tea towel. then add the sugar. stir and place on the stove and begin to slowly heat to boiling. pour in the juice of one lemon and watch the liquid magically turn from teal to brilliant purple. my batches have actually varied in shades of purple as my violets have varied - some days there were more white ones and variegated shades of purple, so some batches have been more purple than others. once it boils, let it boil only for a few minutes and then pour into prepared bottles. </div>
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i prepare mine by running them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle, pouring boiling water over (for good measure), rinsing with a preservative product called atamon (which i then completely pour out). for several of these batches, i've skipped the atamon because i knew we would use the sirup right away.</div>
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it would be excellent over ice cream (if one had a freezer - don't ask and don't mention the <a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2009/11/where-i-cook-kitchen-in-denmark.html">smeg</a>) or even pancakes. but we use it almost exclusively as a soda. about an inch and a half in the bottom of a glass and the rest filled up with sparkling water (and ice if you have it) and you'll never want to buy regular commercial sodas again. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYfUtT_uQbGTBOBpmkRicGhVeHUofw5ZSOIYExoPP55nGgYmtfoTRykCW4m7N3RIC1mfxkoKWkZjCpnEPpGvCvT5U7I1ydgvqpb6-BF6sIXzsttcQ4PPR__JucGttWa7nKWVHF3r8lUgn/s1600/80s+basket+of+cordials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYfUtT_uQbGTBOBpmkRicGhVeHUofw5ZSOIYExoPP55nGgYmtfoTRykCW4m7N3RIC1mfxkoKWkZjCpnEPpGvCvT5U7I1ydgvqpb6-BF6sIXzsttcQ4PPR__JucGttWa7nKWVHF3r8lUgn/s800/80s+basket+of+cordials.jpg" /></a></div>
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like bee, i've also been making elderflower cordial. yesterday, i counted no less than 21 elderflower trees (they are not bushes around here, no siree) on our property and then husband saw five more down in our forest, which is a couple of kilometers away from our main property. i could practically go into making commercial quantities if i had enough large pots.<br />
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i make mine the same way i make the violet cordial, by making a "tea" using about 30 of the flowers and hot water first. i used to add the sugar to that water, like<a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2011/06/elderflower-cordial.html"> bee's recipe</a> suggests, but i had several batches begin to mold on me before i thought they had steeped long enough (the sugar speeds this along, especially if the weather is warm and humid). with the elderflowers, i let them steep for 48 hours, rather than only 24, to get all of the perfumed goodness out of the blossoms. then, i strain them and add sugar in the same quantities <a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2011/06/elderflower-cordial.html">recommended by bee</a>. i use 3 teaspoons of citric acid (available in both pharmacies and the grocery stores here) and the juice of four organic lemons as well. i used to use slices of lemons, but now i just juice them and add them to the elderflower "tea" when i boil it with the sugar. these are the best batches i've ever made (and i've been trying now for ten years).<br />
<br />
i have made batches both with organic sugar and regular white sugar this year and there is a big color difference. regular white sugar gives a gorgeous yellow that will make you think of liquid sunshine. the organic sugar results in a darker, more brownish, honey-colored elixir. i'm not sure which i like best, tho' i lean towards organic on principle. i know tho', that next winter when we break into the golden ones, we'll feel a much-needed direct connection to those long, golden danish summer nights.<br />
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our elderflowers are still in full bloom and i've got batches 6 and 7 brewing as we "speak." i want to lay in a good supply for the coming months.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YKiel4jArGSw4rC2bDhqAUjElhprCwrM25y9Bhwp7GPNr1YlClvChvCW3w9OmSkvfT42dUd5dg7SeyHpNqsqQ-IwOserD3_pgaSyp8eOkaBEKN1DGbux5oQQdd5zOgMchDtY-5TX0wGP/s1600/80s+chives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YKiel4jArGSw4rC2bDhqAUjElhprCwrM25y9Bhwp7GPNr1YlClvChvCW3w9OmSkvfT42dUd5dg7SeyHpNqsqQ-IwOserD3_pgaSyp8eOkaBEKN1DGbux5oQQdd5zOgMchDtY-5TX0wGP/s800/80s+chives.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chive flower vinegar and olive oil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
and last, but not least and not at all a cordial, thanks to the inspiration from <a href="http://livingthesustainablelife.blogspot.com/2011/06/haircuts.html">chris</a>, one of my partners on sustainable living, i used all of the chive flowers i found around the garden (discovering a load of hidden chive plants i didn't know were there) to make an absolutely beautiful chive vinegar and olive oil. all you do is pick the chive flowers, rinse them very well and pop them into clean bottles (at least half full, but preferably 2/3 if you have enough chives), then fill to the top with good quality white vinegar in one and a good extra virgin olive oil in the other. within a couple of days....instant salad dressing. i have repurposed tomato sauce bottles and they work just great, so there's no need to go out and buy something fancy. <br />
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and as for the rhubarb + vanilla cordial? i'll do a rhubarb post in the coming days, so stay tuned for that. </div>
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for more inspiration on what to do with found flowers, check <a href="http://livingthesustainablelife.blogspot.com/2011/05/on-jelly-roll.html">here</a>.</div>
julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-30696491865945324272011-06-12T22:37:00.001+02:002011-06-15T20:34:40.304+02:00Elderflower cordial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGPp37QUktOz_shVCG5Ymegoa_L-bi10Yfr0eWr9XuxeWJF_HB4o-sZNcknPGsJ7t3WVtd4G_CkvQQIjhVHDAzSoPWqjO-SAD5fwcUu-lnAuiDa3FWAwhorjM7xruUgCTi0BRWSOy50FY/s1600/DSC_0894_464early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGPp37QUktOz_shVCG5Ymegoa_L-bi10Yfr0eWr9XuxeWJF_HB4o-sZNcknPGsJ7t3WVtd4G_CkvQQIjhVHDAzSoPWqjO-SAD5fwcUu-lnAuiDa3FWAwhorjM7xruUgCTi0BRWSOy50FY/s640/DSC_0894_464early+flowers.JPG" t8="true" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
For me, hedgerows are the quintessence of life in the English countryside. I grew up with wide open spaces and barbed wire; how different and mysterious are these living fences. They line every narrow road, and make a secret garden of every neighbour's property. They divide up the countryside like the embroidery thread of a patchwork quilt.<br />
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All year long, the hedgerows brim and buzz with life . . . and edible things. After many years in England, I mostly don't recognise the different kinds of greenery until it actually presents its treasure of blossom or berries. I still have the constant feeling of surprise.<br />
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Unlike me, my youngest daughter is an observant person -- and it was she who pointed out that the elderflower had come into bloom. It's one of those things that I mean to look for, and pick, every year; but most years, I miss it. First comes the blackthorn blossom, then comes "the may" (hawthorn), and for about three weeks in June, you can find the creamy-yellow elderflower blooming. <br />
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Last week, I seemed to spend most of my week in the car . . . and everywhere I drove -- through Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey -- I saw masses of elderflower blossoms on the roadside verges. (It thrives in sunny, open places, but it obviously doesn't mind a bit of car exhaust, either.) I kept wanting to stop the car and gather up armfuls of the stuff. Blink, and it will be gone; and that's a shame, because homemade elderflower cordial is delicious stuff.<br />
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You want to pick your elderflower just as the blossoms are opening . . . if they are still green, the elderflower won't have much scent or flavour, and if they've gone a bit brown it will tend to bitterness. A perfectly ripe elderflower will be rich with scent -- a somewhat lemony, but otherwise indescribable, smell all its own. Elderflower is one of the flavours of English summer -- and unlike the sun, which is being highly temperamental at the moment, you can bottle it.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: large;"><em>Elderflower Cordial</em></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br />
1.3 litres/2 1/2 pints water<br />
1.8kg/4 lb granulated sugar<br />
25 elderflower heads<br />
2 lemons, sliced in rounds<br />
65 g/2 1/2 oz citric acid (in England, this can be purchased from the chemist)<br />
<br />
<strong>Method:</strong><br />
First, give the elderflower heads a good shake (to make sure they are free of dirt and tiny bugs) -- but don't wash them, as that will dilute their flavour.<br />
You want to strip off the flowers -- leaving as little of the green stem as possible.<br />
(If you are like me, give this job to a willing child.)<br />
Then, place the water and the sugar in a large saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. When all of the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat.<br />
Place the elderflowers, slices of lemon and citric acid in a large plastic or glass container and pour the sugar syrup over the other ingredients.<br />
Cover, and leave the mixture to infuse for three days. You should stir it once a day.<br />
After infusing, you need to strain your mixture -- ideally, through a muslin-covered colander into a clean bowl. Then decant into containers (plastic or glass containers with lids) and store in the refrigerator.<br />
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It should keep for months . . . but only if you don't actually offer it to anyone!<br />
We had an (indoor, sadly) barbeque last weekend and I passed around the elderflower cordial with an arguably too-lavish hospitality. Hopefully, I can steep another batch of it before the end of its short season.<br />
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I like elderflower cordial as a drink -- made with sparkling water (but still water is good, too). Fill the glass with ice, and then add approximately one part cordial to three/four parts of water. (It depends on how sweet you like it.) A slice of lemon, and maybe a sprig of mint, makes a nice garnish.<br />
You can also add elderflower cordial to spirits -- like vodka or gin.<br />
Or, splash your ripe June strawberries with it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZzWmaQx8YGUwoRosqqBpKVpvJe5_qoCEJSNBfRWjOZjayEVZIsdzVSiW616nFYMm5F1uiVLXfKPqTRwt8hm53f4PDXcTta8m7Fg_SaZ-m2_8vv2YAWNfILVDwHE-EQcE-b2GvGSlqKfq/s1600/DSC_0918_479early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZzWmaQx8YGUwoRosqqBpKVpvJe5_qoCEJSNBfRWjOZjayEVZIsdzVSiW616nFYMm5F1uiVLXfKPqTRwt8hm53f4PDXcTta8m7Fg_SaZ-m2_8vv2YAWNfILVDwHE-EQcE-b2GvGSlqKfq/s640/DSC_0918_479early+flowers.JPG" t8="true" width="640px" /></a></div>Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02375981493145612394noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-39209594704227263802011-05-27T14:00:00.004+02:002011-05-27T22:40:23.384+02:00grilling seasonit's that time of year at last! time for meals on the grill. time for laughter and a whimsical summer rosé and for lingering in the garden 'til dusk (which is how we learned we have a hedgehog). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIduDxNL14l_HU4RnThzCUw7ZyEHbePocBznI_0Eq9SfnZO3yCLT4vBIk9xD6O3iyMFPrXdNcRiDXZsK5r7TcFkWvlb-TX0Cd7uxQ80etfSDYVDLxpIFshqOXH1GZ1ru15lbTsJm21Yon/s1600/DSC_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIduDxNL14l_HU4RnThzCUw7ZyEHbePocBznI_0Eq9SfnZO3yCLT4vBIk9xD6O3iyMFPrXdNcRiDXZsK5r7TcFkWvlb-TX0Cd7uxQ80etfSDYVDLxpIFshqOXH1GZ1ru15lbTsJm21Yon/s800/DSC_0029.JPG" /></a></div><br />
because of the reality of our weather (evenings can be cool, even in summer), we had a grill table made by a blacksmith - then husband repurposed some old palettes as the actual table bits. it has a grill down the middle of it, which both means people can grill their own food and keep warm, as the metal boxes holding the charcoal warm under the table. even the cats have noticed and come and flop down under there as the evening starts to get chilly. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCjsoe0yl9blBm-y5JFwqJBqn6jZmnYiEdsx2c3tV8GyUs4aeR1QCVxPiNPNSrNznI1FU4A5whe9hn42bfIbXWohBHO8jWNtji3grk4cXrzFzaGqGGyk9PI2LoghMR0l6FxNVW2ckB2o/s1600/JNB_2245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCjsoe0yl9blBm-y5JFwqJBqn6jZmnYiEdsx2c3tV8GyUs4aeR1QCVxPiNPNSrNznI1FU4A5whe9hn42bfIbXWohBHO8jWNtji3grk4cXrzFzaGqGGyk9PI2LoghMR0l6FxNVW2ckB2o/s800/JNB_2245.JPG" /></a></div><br />
we find ourselves grilling most anything we have at hand and even learned that grilling mussels works very nicely! you just pop them on the grill and they open right up when they're done (if they don't, throw them away!). i stirred up a homemade aïoli (garlic mayonnaise) to go with them.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>aïoli (garlic mayonnaise)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cloves of garlic, crushed in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp. vinegar</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 egg yolk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 T warm water<br />
canola oil (at the beginning)<br />
a good fragrant olive oil</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">whirr this all together in a food processor until it's frothy and bubbly, then, while the processor is running, begin to VERY slowly (i cannot stress the <i><b>very</b></i> enough) drizzle in oil - i almost always use a combination of a good quality rapeseed (canola) oil (i owe you all a post on how the danes have made canola oil posh) and a fruity extra virgin olive oil. i start with the lighter canola, as it helps the mayonnaise come together (it can be temperamental and i have had many failures) before adding the heavier olive oil, once it has begun to look like mayo. i'm not really sure how much oil i add, but somewhere around a 1/2 cup makes a good batch. </div><br />
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this pork tenderlion, i browned on the stove, then wrapped in ramsløg (those wild garlic you get in the spring) and bacon, then wrapped it in foil and we finished it off on the grill. once the wild garlic season is past, you could use any other herbs...sage would be lovely, as would spinach or even just coating it in a nice pesto before wrapping in bacon.<br />
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a standard part of virtually any grilled meal at our house includes sliced eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (corgette), sweet red peppers, onions (small ones, leave the skin on and slice them in half), asparagus - whatever is tasty and in season. we even grilled some small artichokes (cut in half). i make a bowl of olive oil filled with minced garlic, salt, pepper and chopped, fresh herbs to brush over them while they're on the grill. we eat them as soon as they're ready. sometimes, i bake some small potatoes on the grill - scrubbing them well and wrapping them in foil.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mPFS7FrXidXFKtG1tFaj_Bq2du1EPYuMoBl4jDfobJWim-jm61QRAgkJge-0vTkhCfP1jvi1N7JzjzLREHaYO6lsuB68CqSQF3AcXFIQTu8R0XNWlahGaPMg2ofCPQO41m7_rji1xyMQ/s1600/DSC_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mPFS7FrXidXFKtG1tFaj_Bq2du1EPYuMoBl4jDfobJWim-jm61QRAgkJge-0vTkhCfP1jvi1N7JzjzLREHaYO6lsuB68CqSQF3AcXFIQTu8R0XNWlahGaPMg2ofCPQO41m7_rji1xyMQ/s800/DSC_0023.JPG" /></a></div><br />
but the very best thing we've been making on the grill is homemade tortillas. the recipe comes from the river cottage bread book and has me so convinced that i will never buy store-bought tortillas again. they are easy and outstandingly delicious. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>tortillas</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup of water (you may need a little more or a little less, so don't add it all once)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 T salt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">mix well, using the dough hook on your mixer. if it's too dry, add a bit more water (flour can behave differently depending on the grind and frankly, the weather). put it aside in a bowl and let it rest for at least half an hour. then form into golf ball size balls and roll them out with a rolling pin. then put them in a hot pan - i use a bit of olive oil, tho' the original recipe doesn't - we find it makes them a bit more pliable. we usually flip them and then put them directly on the grill at the end, where they puff up wonderfully. we also make quesadillas right on the grill, by filling with cheese and pesto and other yummy things and folding them over as they cook. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxo1E5kvjymXLyJubFgQ9m-lRPOePdpW7JNQA2kO4GqCmWriypPVQbUT0NqWnh7NPPp6KaePqNSoFbi82Ddl-H7gA9_-S8dtn6ZHGZ8bSnhPcHl2jFv-OA8M31but5vTBuwd9wY62GN7Nj/s1600/DSC_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxo1E5kvjymXLyJubFgQ9m-lRPOePdpW7JNQA2kO4GqCmWriypPVQbUT0NqWnh7NPPp6KaePqNSoFbi82Ddl-H7gA9_-S8dtn6ZHGZ8bSnhPcHl2jFv-OA8M31but5vTBuwd9wY62GN7Nj/s800/DSC_0031.JPG" /></a></div><br />
as an accompaniment, i nearly always make a big bowl of creamy tzaziki<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>tzaziki</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 C (250 grams) greek yogurt</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 a cucumber, grated</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt and pepper to taste</div><div style="text-align: left;">a few leaves of chopped, fresh mint if you have it</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">grate the cucumber, salt it and put it in a sieve to let some of the moisture drain out. squeeze it well and add it to the yogurt and garlic, stir it well.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtVmOTl2KVu4T0GeJnRgSiITCVyi4gwLdOxiVem6svgSTODCgrIwovIpIzzPgISU0dQSiSG5tGHkrUR5eMN5HX6HccmigY8LSgbopfppxcnvMoHpqz10rOrs4mAiD8EeSpfyUkwztw6E/s1600/JNB_2252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtVmOTl2KVu4T0GeJnRgSiITCVyi4gwLdOxiVem6svgSTODCgrIwovIpIzzPgISU0dQSiSG5tGHkrUR5eMN5HX6HccmigY8LSgbopfppxcnvMoHpqz10rOrs4mAiD8EeSpfyUkwztw6E/s800/JNB_2252.JPG" /></a></div><br />
now if the sun would just shine this weekend...because writing this made me quite hungry.julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-87024348610520294392011-05-06T20:14:00.001+02:002011-05-06T20:18:27.063+02:00Royal Wedding Whoopee Pies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi813o-bAs7VnpApL53gg5LJgYp6I18B-sNQbbzuTWiY6M-mWqEZGT6EPrFAvQhX55_6wCf7j0Z6sDnzswARXqCaVzXOyrCl7G6bIIb2wb7SZ7rRy9BvS7lGd3Y2Nu3ludGmclNN60pLjpi/s1600/DSC_0828_427early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi813o-bAs7VnpApL53gg5LJgYp6I18B-sNQbbzuTWiY6M-mWqEZGT6EPrFAvQhX55_6wCf7j0Z6sDnzswARXqCaVzXOyrCl7G6bIIb2wb7SZ7rRy9BvS7lGd3Y2Nu3ludGmclNN60pLjpi/s640/DSC_0828_427early+flowers.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
A few years ago we visited New Hampshire and I discovered, for the first time, <strong>whoopee pies</strong>.<br />
Once again, America brings you a delicious (albeit decadent and dubiously named) baked good.<br />
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When I was a child I used to be mortified by that old song, <em><strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makin'_Whoopee">Makin' Whoopee</a></strong></em>.<br />
(Did they think that kids couldn't figure out what that meant?)<br />
If you can remember the lyrics, you will also recall that the direct result of makin' whoopee is marriage. (It was a different time, of course.)<br />
In Maine, the state which has made them its offical state "treat," they are spelled <em>whoopie</em> pie . . . so maybe it's only in England that they have gotten confused with sex. I really don't know. Maybe no one in America has that association; just me. <br />
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At any rate, they are definitely something to get excited about. And as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew that they would be the perfect treat for our Royal Wedding tea party last Friday.<br />
Was it only a week ago that we were glued to our television screens . . . happily mocking Princess Beatrice's hat, and cooing over the perfection of Kate Middleton, and singing along with all of the hymns?<br />
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We were also drinking tea and eating whoopee pies . . . and believe me, the wedding coverage lasted a lot longer than the whoopee pies did.<br />
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While whoopee pies have been common fare on America's East Coast for a while now -- and East Coasters love their doughnuts, too -- they are just starting to catch up with the rest of the foodie world. In the last few months I've spotted a whoopee pie cookbook . . . AND they have been added to the Starbucks menu.<br />
Clearly, their moment has arrived.<br />
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This is an English version of the recipe -- and much improved for it, in my opinion.<br />
They are miniature, instead of fist-sized. And instead of a sickly sweet filling (containing vegetable shortening, no doubt), you add clotted cream and jam.<br />
They are perfectly proportioned for snacking -- and they are lighter than a scone and much less sweet than a cupcake. I predict that they are going to be our preferred treat all summer long.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4qlUd8iUuy2gfLoRmNdRitAVc_EezKBnst9Mc4wN-Hl9uiNwsUUfGirEZdlfbYK60q7ruvk3hfi90rTEZ6x2T_F2So4eRlcx-qzwD9C_Fo_LmSxnd81tXyuOXcc_o6dwjEJFnrqTQKjM/s1600/DSC_0823_425early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4qlUd8iUuy2gfLoRmNdRitAVc_EezKBnst9Mc4wN-Hl9uiNwsUUfGirEZdlfbYK60q7ruvk3hfi90rTEZ6x2T_F2So4eRlcx-qzwD9C_Fo_LmSxnd81tXyuOXcc_o6dwjEJFnrqTQKjM/s640/DSC_0823_425early+flowers.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Whoopee Pies</strong><br />
<em><strong>with clotted cream and jam</strong></em><br />
(from the Waitrose weekly newsletter)<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
50 grams of softened butter<br />
50 grams of caster sugar<br />
1 medium egg<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
125 grams of self-raising flour (or, the same quantity of plain flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder)<br />
50 ml whole milk<br />
clotted cream and jam (raspberry or strawberry)<br />
icing sugar for dusting<br />
<br />
Note: this quantity will make 20 halves -- or 10 miniature whoopee pies. It would, and could, easily double.<br />
That would probably be a good thing as they are very MOREISH.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
<strong>Preheat the oven to 180 C.</strong><br />
Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and light -- at least 3 minutes.<br />
Beat in the egg and vanilla. Fold in the flour in 2 batches, alternating with the milk to form a soft mixture.<br />
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Drop the dough, with two teaspoons, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.<br />
Slightly level the surface of each blob with the blade of a knife or the back of a spoon.<br />
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Remove carefully!<br />
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.<br />
** I made these night before and kept them in a sealed plastic bag. Once cool, they aren't very delicate.<br />
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Just before serving, slather them with the cream (you could substitute thick whipped cream) and jam and sandwich the two halves together. A dusting of icing (powdered) sugar makes them look nice.<br />
Lemon curd would also be delicious, I'm sure. Next time I make these, I'm going to try that variation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LpkHCqBPFe98kjlMij948SR5FMM9iw8LhhqPFca8V9EGTBe8-QjhX6lLPyq9JOflb1tugJc1siJvkNZyej7_lCvY3FkAVGjmWL_SmZqdkhbWC8TMUJ8_ZM54I6CEZw43e5G5URVYjLZQ/s1600/DSC_0847_442early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LpkHCqBPFe98kjlMij948SR5FMM9iw8LhhqPFca8V9EGTBe8-QjhX6lLPyq9JOflb1tugJc1siJvkNZyej7_lCvY3FkAVGjmWL_SmZqdkhbWC8TMUJ8_ZM54I6CEZw43e5G5URVYjLZQ/s640/DSC_0847_442early+flowers.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
Also on the tea party menu: sugar cookies, chocolate covered strawberries and miniature "wedding cakes."<br />
The <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/mini-tiered-cakelet-pan/?pkey=ccake-pans%7Cbkwcakspt">cakelet tin</a> was purchased from <strong>Williams-Sonoma</strong> (as was the <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/wire-cupcake-stand/?pkey=e%7Cwhite%2Btiered%2Bcupcake%2Bstand%7C15%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C5&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules-_-">wire cupcake stand</a>).<br />
There were also finger sandwiches, and meringues with fresh berries and cream.<br />
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Instead of champagne, the girls drank elderflower cordial and sparkling water.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUeUKxrQIcT2qigsHwuU_CwaDWdzpFR5Q9eBsZEQmDzOtGG32gOjwrS_3xSECYl6yYInq0M_1_uuu1-zqmIuSGEP8E3Ktqaa2XAcK3wARGhqpbW2TGzyYsDwNcAlqh8ImZ-VoIXW7W_1u/s1600/DSC_0841_439early+flowers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUeUKxrQIcT2qigsHwuU_CwaDWdzpFR5Q9eBsZEQmDzOtGG32gOjwrS_3xSECYl6yYInq0M_1_uuu1-zqmIuSGEP8E3Ktqaa2XAcK3wARGhqpbW2TGzyYsDwNcAlqh8ImZ-VoIXW7W_1u/s640/DSC_0841_439early+flowers.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<em>Taking the party out into the garden . . .</em><br />
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Like the Queen, my daughter wanted a blanket for her lap. (It was a rather chilly day, but at least -- big sigh of relief! -- it didn't rain.) Unfortunately, you can't see her strapless white lace dress . . . as it is covered by her gray hoodie. The first rule of eating al fresco in England: bring a "cardie."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of the <em>Mad about Bread</em> giveaway.</div><div style="text-align: center;">To Michelle in Madison: We are giving the official title of Bread Baker back to you!</div>Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02375981493145612394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847911008685707977.post-61904715462697669352011-05-04T10:07:00.005+02:002011-05-04T10:09:56.228+02:00blueberry muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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these blueberry muffins were characterized as "to die for" on the website where i found the <a href="http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/Detail.aspx">original recipe</a>. in its original state, which was lumpy and far too thick (needed more liquid and more eggs), i think dying <i>of</i> them would have been closer to the truth. however, i adjusted the recipe and they were quite good, tho' i think it would take an awful lot for me to die for a muffin. use fresh, plump blueberries, they're what makes it.</div>
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<i>blueberry muffins</i></div>
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1.5 C flour</div>
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3/4 C sugar</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/3 C sunflower oil</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
1/2 C buttermilk</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
2 eggs</div>
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1 C fresh blueberries</div>
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topping:</div>
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1/3 C flour</div>
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1/4 C butter, cubed</div>
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1/3 C sugar</div>
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preheat your oven to 180°C/375°F. place the dry ingredients in your mixer bowl. in a large measuring cup or another bowl, mix together the oil, buttermilk and eggs and pour them slowly into the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. when it's well-blended and the lumps are gone, gently fold in plump, fresh blueberries. <br />
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in a separate bowl, mix the topping mixture together (i found it was good to do this with a fork, but you can also get in with your fingers) - you can add a bit of cinnamon as well if you feel like it.<br />
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pour the batter into prepared muffin tins and sprinkle a bit of the topping on top. bake for 20-25 minutes and serve the hot muffins immediately with a fresh pot of tea. fresh from the oven, they don't even need butter, tho' it's quite yummy to butter them later once they're cooled down. if any of them survive the first round of serving, that is.</div>
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and don't forget to<a href="http://www.domesticsensualist.com/2011/04/mad-about-bread-and-giveaway.html"> enter to win</a> the river cottage bread book!</div>
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we're drawing the winner on friday!</div>
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julochkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10884096685015570257noreply@blogger.com3