I picked up a copy of Pleyn Delit a couple of years ago. It's a great book full of medieval recipes. I've been wanting to try some out for ages, but I kept just not quite getting around to it. But, with our annual Labour Day get together this year, I finally found the motivation to give it a go!

I picked out a salad, a very interesting steamed chicken dish, and a poached pear recipe. And they were all excellent! This salad was so interesting. It's basically all greens. Lots and lots of herbs in addition to what I tend to think of as salad greens.

The original recipe called for parsely, sage, "green garlic", "chibolles" (which I would have assumed were chives, but the authors of Pleyn Delit indicate were actually green onions), onions, leeks, borage, mint, "porrettes" (small leeks), fennel, watercress, rue, rosemary, and purslane. These are washed, torn, and dressed with a simple combination of oil, vinegar, and salt.

The modern interpretation recommends making it with a combination of leaf lettuce, spinach, borage or radish leaves, watercress, parsley, sage, chives, fennel, mint, green onions, sweet onions and/or leeks, and savoury and/or tarragon. This made for a lovely mix! I loved all the herbs! It was very different, but absolutely delicious!

Original Recipe

Take persel, sawge, grene garlec, chibolles, oynouns, leek, borage, myntes, porrettes, fenel, and toun cressis, rew, rosemarye, purslrye; lave and waische hem clene. Pike hem. Pluk hem small wiþ þyn honde, and myng hem wel with rawe oile; lay on vyneger and salt, and serve it forth.

Photo goes here.

Salat

Slightly adapted from Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks by Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, and Sharon Butler

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of leaf lettuce
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 handful borage or radish leaves
• 1 handful of watercress¹
• 1 small bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fennel fronds or dill
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or garlic chives
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp. fresh tarragon
• 1 tsp. fresh savoury (optional)
• 3-6 green onions, sliced
• 1 small Vidalia or red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 small leeks, very well washed and thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• ~1/4 c. vinegar (preferably red wine vinegar)
• ~1/2 Tbsp. salt
• freshly ground pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the lettuce, spinach, borage/radish leaves, watercress, fennel, parsley, fennel fronds/dill, chives/garlic chives, sage, mint, tarragon, savoury (if using), green onions, sweet onion, and leeks (if using).
2. Add the olive oil and toss to combine.
3. Have guests drizzle their portion of salad with a little of the vinegar and some of the salt and pepper (if using) at the table.
   

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¹ I will admit that I omitted both the borage and the watercress for my rendition. It was still delicious. But I'd love to try it with an even wider variety of greens sometime. ^Back

These were alright, but I think they would've been better if the green onions had had more of a chance to cook down. Next time, I'd sauté the alliums first and then add the eggs and tomatoes. I also think this one really benefits from a bit of cheese. Some mild cheddar grated on top makes it! (I think some chopped pickled jalapeños would also be nice, but I do wonder at what point it starts becoming a new dish entirely.)

Anyway... dress them up or down as you see fit. Serve with a slice of buttered toast or an English muffin to round things out.

Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Green Onions, and Sour Cream

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 6 small green onions, chopped
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. grated cheddar (optional)
• 2-3 Tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeños (optional)

Directions

1. Beat the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper.
2. Stir in the basil and tomato.
3. Melt the butter over medium heat.
4. Add the green onions and sauté until softened (2-3 minutes).
5. Add the egg mixture, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, without stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir and gently break up the curds. Continue cooking, stirring often, until eggs are mostly set.
7. Stir in the sour cream and cook until heated through (1-2 minutes longer).
8. Add cheese and or jalapeños (if desired) and serve with buttered toast.

This is a really interesting quick bread. It contains hardly any flour! Wheat bran is the main dry ingredient, with a little flour and cornmeal added in for good measure. It's relatively sweet and rich and can be dressed up with nuts, raisins, dates, or a combination of all of the above. Definitely more of a dessert than a sandwich bread. But it is, at least, a high fibre one!

I ended up adding a bit of sourdough starter and an extra tablespoon of cornmeal to my rendition of this loaf, but both are entirely optional. (I mostly just really needed to use up some starter.)

Butter Bran Bread

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c. wheat bran
• 250g sourdough discard @ 100% hydration (optional)
• 2/3 c. whole wheat flour
• 5-6 Tbsp. cornmeal
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. raisins, walnuts, and/or chopped dates

Directions

1. Grease and flour a 23x13cm (9x5") loaf pan and preheat oven to 190°F (375°F).
2. Cream the butter and sugar together.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
4. Mix in the wheat bran.
5. Stir in the sourdough starter.
6. Add the flour, cornmeal, and salt and sift in the baking powder on top.
7. Stir to mix well.
8. Mix in the milk to form a fairly thick batter.
9. Stir in the raisins, nuts, and/or dates.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
11. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for ~45 minutes.
12. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then (carefully) turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

This recipe was really meant to be done with skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces. You're supposed to start with a whole chicken and break it down into serving-sized pieces. And while I'm sure that would've been great, I didn't have a whole chicken to work with. What I did have was some skinless, boneless chicken breast pieces that I got on sale at the grocery store a few weeks back and stuck in the freezer for later use.

The lean, skinless pieces don't have quite as much flavour as you'd get if working with a whole chicken. But they were still very good. The sauce was quite flavourful. And making it with a nice lean, skinless cut does make it a bit healthier, at least.

Braised Chicken with Peppers, Capers, and Olives

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• ~1kg skinless boneless chicken pieces
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 Tbsp. schmaltz (or olive oil)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 45g pancetta, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
• 1 c. white wine
• 1/3 c. Kalamata olives
• 2 Tbsp. capers

Directions

1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Melt the schmaltz over medium heat.
3. Add the rosemary, bell peppers, onion, pancetta, and pepper flakes.
4. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
5. Add the tomatoes and wine.
6. Add the chicken, olives, and capers.
7. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.
8. Simmer until chicken is nearly cooked through (~15 minutes).
9. Uncover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to thicken sauce up slightly.
10. Serve with rice and/or crusty bread.

Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew)

I've made budae jjigae ramen before, but I'd never actually made the stew itself before. So I decided to finally give this version of it a try while I was in New Zealand.

I think, in the end, I actually preferred the budae jjigae ramen to this stew. But I'm still glad to have tried it! And, honestly budea jjigae is such a flexible recipe that there's really a lot of room for variation and adjustment. So I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to making this again with slightly different ingredients and proportions at some point.

Photo goes here.

Budae Jjigae

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Seasoning Paste

• 6 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dasida (Korean beef stock powder)
• 1/4 c. water

Soup

• 400g cabbage
• 1 Yukon Gold potato
• 4-5 green onions
• 400g SPAM
• 6-8 sausages
• 4 slices bacon
• 400g ground beef
• 1/4 c. baked beans
• 2-3 slices American (or mild cheddar) cheese
• 3 c. Korean bone broth (sagol yuksu)
• ~3 c. water
• 1-2 cake(s) of instant ramen noodles (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the gochugaru, sugar, garlic, soy sauce, dasida, and water. Mix well and set aside.
2. Cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
3. Slice the potato, green onions, SPAM, sausages, and bacon.
4. Arrange all the ingredients nicely in a pot (or divide into two smaller pots).
5. Add the seasoning paste in the middle.
6. Use the ground beef to make some tiny meatballs -- no seasoning necessary -- and arrange them around the seasoning paste.
7. Add the baked beans and place the cheese on top.
8. Pour in the bone broth and water and bring to a boil.
9. Once the rest of the ingredients are almost cooked, add in the ramen (if using) and cook until done.
10. Serve with hot rice and/or kimchi.

A nice quick breakfast scramble that uses up a bunch of veggies. I've adjusted the proportion to use integer vegetables rather than fractional ones.

Confetti Scramble

From The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped into 1cm pieces
• ¼ C fresh or frozen corn kernels
• ½ C chopped mushrooms
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 8 large eggs
• ¼ C milk
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper, ground
• parsley and black olives for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add bell pepper, corn, mushrooms, and green onions and cook until tender, 6-7 minutes.
3. Whisk together eggs, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour into skillet and let set for 20 seconds.
5. Stir until fluffy and almost dry, 3-4 minutes.
6. Top with parsley and olives and serve.

Batata Dukkar Vindaloo (Potato Pork Vindaloo)

I had gotten some "stewing pork" on sale at some point and then tossed it in the freezer and forgot about it. Having been reminded of its existence, I decided it was high time I did something with it! We also have a surplus of potatoes to use up right now. So this curry seemed pretty much perfect to use up ingredients on hand. Plus, who doesn't love a vindaloo?!

I made the mildest version of this curry: 3 dried chilies and 1 fresh. I feel like this produced quite a pleasant heat level. The Kidlet found it a bit on the spicy side, but she still ate all of her portion. If you would like a milder dish, you can either reduce the chilies a bit further or, alternatively, simply serve it topped with a little plain yogurt. The yogurt will have a moderating effect on the heat as well as adding a bit of extra nutrition.

I didn't find that the potatoes browned up as much as Iyer described, but they were still delicious! I think I'd be tempted to slice them slightly thicker next time. Iyer simply said "thinly sliced", so I went for very thin; probably only ~2mm. Maybe a 4mm thickness would have been better. That would've allowed for fewer slices so that each one could've had more time in contact with the pan. Something to experiment with...

Batata Dukkar Vindaloo

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. oil, divided
• ~700g potatoes, halved and sliced 3-4mm thick
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 6 whole cloves
• 3-5 dried red cayenne, arbol, or Thai chilies
• 1 (7cm) cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces
• 1/2 c. cider or malt vinegar
• 8-9 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 halved and sliced
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, sliced
• ~600g stewing pork
• 1 c. water, divided
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the potatoes and fry until browned on both sides (15-20 minutes), flipping once or twice during cooking. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the coriander, cumin, mustard, pepper, cloves, dried chilies, and cinnamon to the now-empty pan and cook until fragrant (~1 minute). Transfer spices to a blender jar.
4. Add the vinegar, garlic, and chopped onion to the blender jar with the spices and purée.
5. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil to the pan and heat over medium heat.
6. Add the sliced onion and fresh chilies and cook until softened (3-5 minutes).
7. Add the pork and sear on all sides (~5 minutes).
8. Add the sauce from the blender jar.
9. Add 1/2 c. water to the blender jar, swish it out, and add it to the pan.
10. Stir in the salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.
11. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
12. Uncover, add the fried potatoes and the remaining 1/2 c. of water.
13. Simmer until potatoes are fully cooked and sauce is thickened (5-10 minutes).
14. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice, plain yogurt or raita, your favourite flatbreads, and vegetable curries.

This was a bit of a last-minute whirlwind meal. I got a bit carried away making goodies for my last day of class in NZ. I ended up making an apple-feijoa crumble, maple butter tarts, and maccaroni & cheese. Then, in a panic, realized that I didn't have anything for dinner. So I whipped up a quick batch of this pasta to serve to Reiver and the Kidlet before I went.

Reiver later pointed out that I really needn't have worried about it and that he could have easily fixed them some dinner while I was at class. Also, the Kidlet ended up basically eating her body weight in leftover mac & cheese when I got home anyway. So I probably should've just taken the extra few minutes to chill before class. Oh well...

Photo goes here.

Creamy Kimchi Pasta

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

Pasta

• 200g kimchi, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 500g dry pasta
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-6 green onions, chopped and divided
• 6-12 mushrooms, chopped
• 100g uncooked bacon, chopped
• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 c. milk
• 100g grated Parmesan
• ~1/2 c. pasta water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine the kimchi, gochugary, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ~1 c. of the water, then drain the rest.
3. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the onions and the white parts of the green onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and bacon and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the kimchi mixture and cook until liquid has evaporated (~3 minutes).
7. Reduce heat to medium and add the cream and milk.
8. Simmer until thickened slightly (3-5 minutes).
9. Stir in the Parmesan and reduce heat to medium-low.
10. Add pasta, stir, increase heat to medium-high, and mix in ~1/4 c. of the reserved pasta water.
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
13. Top with the green parts of the green onions and a bit of extra Parmesan to serve.

I made this back in April, while I was in New Zealand, but never quite got around to writing it up. I remember it being pretty good. If I recall correctly, I think I made it with a slightly soft, low-sodium feta that Reiver turned out to actually like (despite not normally being a fan of the stuff).

Photo goes here.

Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1kg fresh spinach, tough stems removed
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. golden raisins, soaked and drained
• 1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 c. crumbled feta
• 1 lemon wedge

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for a minute or so.
3. Add the spinach a handful or two at a time and cook until wilted.
4. If the pan gets too dry, add a splash of water.
5. Add the salt and raisins.
6. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with pine nuts and feta.
7. Squeeze the lemon juice over the spinach and serve immediately.

Chocolate Soufflé

This can be made as either one large soufflé or several small ones. I opted for the small ones today. Mostly because they don't take nearly as long to bake.

I really liked this soufflés. They were deeply chocolate-y and very light (as you would expect). I will say that I found them ever so slightly on the sweet side. I think I'd be tempted to either reduce the sugar or use unsweetened chocolate next time. I've written them up to use a bit less sugar than originally called for, but feel free to use unsweetened chocolate either instead or as well.

Chocolate Soufflé(s)

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 c. sugar, divided¹
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 Tbsp. Cointreau
• 250g dark chocolate, melted
• whipped cream, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) for several small soufflés or 190°C (375°F) for one large one.
2. Grease your soufflé dish or ramekins and dust with sugar.
3. Combine the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt and beat until soft peaks form.
4. Gradually beat in 1/4 c. of the sugar. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg yolks until pale.
6. Add the remaining 1/4 c. of sugar and beat vigorously until very pale and thick and mixture makes "ribbons" when beater is lifted out.
7. Beat in the vanilla or Cointreau.
8. Fold in the melted chocolate.
9. Add ~1/3 of the meringue and stir to combine and loosen the mixture.
10. Add the remaining meringue and gently fold it into the mixture until no longer streaky.
11. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish(es).
12. Run a finger around the top edge to make a small "moat".
13. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes for small soufflés or 190°C (375°F) for ~30 minutes for a large soufflé. Soufflé should be well-risen and slightly crisp on the outside, but still very soft and slightly wobbly in the middle.
14. Cut a circle of the "crust" off the top and spoon a generous portion of whipped cream over it.
15. Serve immediately!

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¹ The original recipe called for 3/4 c. of sugar total: 1/4 c. in the meringue and 1/2 c. in the base. I found this a bit too sweet for my tastes, so I've scaled back the sugar somewhat here. You could also try swapping out the dark chocolate for unsweetened, either instead of or as well as reducing the sugar. Try it and see which you like better! ^Back

This was pretty good. I feel like it could've used a few tweaks, but it was a solid start.

The sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella all worked well together. And I appreciated the generous quantity of fresh basil. But I felt like it could've used a few more elements. I think garlic and mushrooms would've been particularly nice.

Sliced cremini mushrooms would be good. Especially if you sauté them with a bit of garlic and butter first. But I think that small marinated button mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms would be even better here!

Mediterranean Strata

Adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 250-300g bread, cubed
• 300-400g artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/3 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 125g mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
• 125g mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 6 large eggs
• 2 c. milk
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking dish.
2. Place the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
3. Layer the artichoke hearts, olives, and tomatoes on top.
4. If desired, sauté the mushrooms with the garlic and a little butter before layering them into the baking dish along with everything else.
5. Sprinkle with the basil and cheeses.
6. Beat the eggs with the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the ingredients in the baking dish.
8. Cover with foil and let stand for at least an hour. Or transfer to the fridge and chill overnight.
9. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
10. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

This is yet another recipe from my time in New Zealand. (Not that I got the recipe in NZ, but I made it for the first time while I was over there and then never got around to writing it up.) This is a nice, enriched white bread. The recipe makes enough dough for two loaves. Meanwhile, there is enough filling for one. So, in a single batch, you get a plain white sandwich bread as well as a lovely dessert loaf, replete with nuts and cinnamon!

Photo goes here.

Lee's Rich Loaf

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 1/4 c. water
• 1/3 c. dry milk powder
• ~700g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs

Filling

• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 c. raisins, soaked and drained
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions

1. Combine salt, sugar, butter, water, and milk powder over low heat and cook until butter is melted and water is very warm, but do not allow to boil.
2. Place ~250g of the flour into a bowl, pour in the warm liquid, and mix well.
3. Double check the temperature to make sure it's not too hot. Batter should be no more than 50°C.
4. Add the yeast and mix well.
5. Stir in the eggs, then beat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the most of the remaining flour a little bit at a time until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
7. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, using any remaining flour to dust as necessary to keep it form being excessively sticky. Be very careful not to add too much flour! The dough should remain soft and pliable.
8. Continue kneading for 10-20 minutes.
9. Round the dough and place it in a covered bowl to rise for ~1 hour at room temperature.
10. Once the dough is well-risen, knock it back and knead a few strokes.
11. Divide into two equal portions and round each one.
12. Cover and rest for ~10 minutes.
13. Meanwhile, combine the nuts, raisins, cinnamon, sugar and orange zest in a bowl and mix well.
14. Grease two 20x10cm (8x4") loaf pans.
15. Take one of the dough balls and press/roll it into a flat rectangle ~35cm (14") long and ~1cm (1/2") thick.
16. Brush the melted butter onto the dough, leaving a 1-2cm margin where the seam will be.
17. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the butter.
18. Carefully roll the dough into a log and pinch to seal.
19. Place the loaf, seam-side-down, into one of the prepared loaf pans.
20. Shape the other dough ball into a loaf by your preferred shaping method and place it in the remaining empty loaf pan.
21. Cover and set aside to rise for ~45 minutes.
22. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
23. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
24. Reduce temperature to 180°C (350°F) and keep baking for an additional 10-20 minutes.
25. Turn out onto baking rack to cool.

Dhingri Lobhia (Mushroom and Black-Eyed Pea Curry)

I didn't have overly high expectations for this curry. I figured it would be... fine, but mostly just an extra dish to round out the meal. (And a way to use up some of my surplus mushrooms!) But it actually came out much better than I was expecting! I mean, I'm not going to claim it as a new favourite or anything. It wasn't mind-blowing. But it was surprisingly good considering its simplicity. I would definitely make this one again. It's cheap, easy, and tasty. Great combo!

Dhingri Lobhia

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. dried black-eyed peas
• 3 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. mustard oil
• 250g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies (or 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne + 3/4 tsp. sweet paprika)
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Rinse and drain the beans.
2. Place the beans and the water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook on "high" for 20 minutes. Allow for a 15-minute natural release.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until they begin to brown (5-10 minutes).
5. Add the salt, ginger, chilies, and cilantro and cook until fragrant (~1 minute).
6. Combine the mushrooms with the beans (either by adding the mushrooms to the pressure cooker or adding the beans to the pan. If you add the mushrooms to the pressure cooker, use some of the bean water to swish out the pan and add it as well.
7. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until flavours are absorbed and sauce thickens (~15 minutes).
8. Serve with rice and your favourite flatbreads and vegetable curries.

I've made cakes that rely on dates for sugar and/or flavour before, but this is the first time I've used prunes for that purpose. It works really well though! Especially with all the spices.

My mom shared this recipe with me. And we both agreed that it didn't need anywhere near the full amount of sugar or oil called for. She also omitted the glaze. It seemed unnecessary given how sweet and rich the cake already was.

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 c. of sugar and 1 c. of oil. My mom cut the sugar back to 1 1/4 c. the first time she made it. And cut the oil all the way back to 1/4 c. (adding 1 c. of applesauce to make up for the missing oil).

I scaled back the sugar even further, to 1 c. I still found the cake plenty sweet enough. You could probably knock the sugar back even further if you were so inclined. And I would be tempted to swap out some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar next time. I think that the slight molasses flavour of the brown sugar would go really well with the fruit and spices.

Prune Cake

Slightly adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1 c. pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. allspice berries, ground
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 c. oil
• 3/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the prunes and water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Sift in the baking soda and stir to combine.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and flour a Bundt pan.
6. Combine the oil, applesauce, buttermilk, and eggs and mix well.
7. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
8. Mix in the prunes along with any residual liquid.
9. Stir in the pecans.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
11. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until done (~45 minutes).
12. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

This is a simple pigeon pea curry is apparently fairly ubiquitous in Maharashtrian households. I'd never heard of it before. But, then again, I am not Indian.
I appreciate how easy it is to put together. It's not overly complex, but still has enough spices to be interesting. It works very well served over rice. Especially if you have a good vegetable curry to go with it. (Personally, I would recommend something with lots of greens.) You could add a meat or paneer curry as well for extra protein. But the legumes, rice, and veggies are sufficient on their own. Especially when served with a nice chutney and or some hot pickles.

Photo goes here.

Varan

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. skinned split pigeon peas (toor dal/toovar dal)
• 3 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. chopped jaggery
• 1 tsp. ground cayenne or Kashmiri chilies
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground asafetida
• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse the peas several times, then drain.
2. Place in a pot with the water and bring to a boil, uncovered.
3. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
4. Stir in the jaggery, chilies, turmeric, and asafetida.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until peas are tender (20-25 minutes).
6. Purée until smooth. (Either by putting it through a blender jar in batches or using an immersion blender directly in the pot.)
7. Stir in the ghee and salt and serve.

This purports to be a breakfast. But I would definitely class it as more of a dessert. It's very tasty. But it's basically all starch (with some sugar and fat thrown in for good measure). So I definitely wouldn't normally want to serve it for breakfast. Especially not as the sole offering. It's simultaneously too rich and yet not filling enough. But it does make for a lovely treat along with or after a meal.

Photo goes here.

Orange Marmalade Bread Pudding

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 loaf (~450g) bread (preferably brioche or challah), ends trimmed and sliced
• 5 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk¹
• 2 c. milk
• 3/4 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 70g sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 c. orange marmalade
• whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking dish.
2. Spread the butter over the bread slices, then cut the slices in half and layer them (overlapping slightly) into the prepared baking dish.
3. Beat the eggs with the yolk, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmgeg.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices.
5. Let stand for ~30 minutes, pressing the bread down into the custard periodically.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).
7. Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 30-35 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, gently warm the marmalade over low heat, stirring often.
9. Remove the pudding from the oven and brush it with the warm marmalade.
10. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
12. Serve with fresh fruit and/or whipped cream.

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¹ The original recipe called for making a richer custard using 3 large eggs and 5 yolks. I didn't want to have to deal with that many surplus egg whites on this occasion though, so I adjusted it to use more whole eggs and just the one extra yolk. ^Back

I've made a lot of different macs & cheeses over the years. This one was particularly nice. Probably not my all-time favourite, but it was quite good. I liked it a lot. And so did the Kidlet.

Truffled Mac & Cheese

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g maccaroni or similar short pasta
• 2 tsp. truffle oil¹
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon or Roman mustard
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 180g gruyère, grated
• 180g Cheddar, grated
• 2 Tbsp. minced chives²
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add the pasta and cook until molto al dente (~2 minutes less than you would normally cook it).
3. Drain and toss with the truffle oil. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking dish.
5. Return the empty pot to medium heat and melt the butter.
6. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until a light roux forms (~3 minutes).
7. Stir in the paprika and mustard.
8. Add the milk and cream and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes smooth and thickens slightly (~5 minutes).
9. Stir in ~2/3 of each of the cheeses³ and chives and cook until cheese melted and mixture becomes smooth.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Return the oiled pasta to the pot and stir to combine.
12. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
13. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses on top.
14. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20-25 minutes.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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¹ The recipe didn't specify whether to use black or white truffle oil. I had a small bottle of black truffle oil already open though, so I just went with that. It was good, but I'm not sure how much the truffle actually came through in the end. I do think it helped to augment the flavour of the gruyère though. So it wasn't wasted. Just a bit more subtle than I was expecting. ^Back
2 I didn't have any chives, so I stirred a generous tablespoon of dried leeks into my sauce instead. ^Back
3 Whoops! I forgot to hold back any cheese for the topping! I just put it all into the sauce. It was still delicious! No complaints. But it would probably look a little more special with some extra cheese on top. I'll try to remember to do that next time. ^Back

I needed an easy vegetable side to go with dinner. The Kidlet didn't really care for it, especially the lemon. But I quited liked it. My main problem with it was that it didn't make very much. If I were to make it again, I think I'd make a double batch.

Roasted Broccolini with Lemon and Garlic

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches broccolini, coarsely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into 5mm dice (peel in tact)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in an ove.
3. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (~1 minute).
4. Add the broccolini, lemon, and salt, and cook until colour deepens slightly (1 minute longer).
5. Transfer to the oven and roast at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes.

I was going to make a chocolate soufflé for dessert the other night, but I'd run out of dark chocolate. I didn't want to have to go out to the shops, so I looked for something else I could make instead. Unfortunately, many of the recipes required a lengthy bake, chill, or both. And most of the rest... I didn't have the necessary ingredients for. This was one of the things that I could make. Without a trip to the shops. And without too much time or effort.

Frozen Chai

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 1L milk
• 4 chai tea bags
• 10 black peppercorns
• 3 slices fresh ginger (or 1 Tbsp. ginger paste)
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 500mL vanilla ice cream¹
• whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Bring the milk to a bare simmer.
2. Add the tea bags, peppercorns, ginger, and sugar and stir to combine.
3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Add the ice cream to a blender.
6. Strain the milk into the blender over the ice cream.
7. Blitz until smooth.
8. Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and/or ground cinnamon, and serve.

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¹ The convenience store down the street didn't have any plain vanilla ice cream, so we picked up a small tub of churro flavoured ice cream instead. The cinnamon flavour worked extremely well with the chai! ^Back

This was delicious! Especially with all the toppings. And it's not too difficult to put together either. Although it does take a lot of cheese and eggs. So definitely make sure you are well-supplied before starting.

Chile Egg Puff

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
• 3 c. grated Cheddar, divided
• 2 c. cottage cheese (preferably fat free)
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 (~100mL) can of green chilies, drained
• salsa, to serve
• sour cream, to serve
• sliced avocado, to serve
• chopped green onion, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 23x33cm (9x13") baking dish.
2. Beat the eggs with the flour, baking powder, salt, and white pepper.
3. Mix in half the cheddar cheese and all of the cottage cheese.
4. Stir in the butter and green chilies.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake at 180°C (350°F), uncovered, for 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
8. Cut into squares and serve topped with salsa, sour cream, green onion, and avocado.

Pumpkin Quick Bread

I struggled a bit to get back into the swing of things after getting home from New Zealand. Getting on top of the meal planning and cooking was especially hard. And figuring out what to make for breakfast, doubly so.

This pumpkin bread was something of a desperation option. But it did at least give us something tasty to eat for a few days. Not exactly the most substantial option. But a nice treat and something to tide us over while I worked out what the heck I was doing!

Pumpkin Bread

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 390g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 430g pumpkin purée
• 200g sugar
• 200g brown sugar¹
• 1/2 c. canola oil²
• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and flour two 20x10cm (8x4") loaf tins.
2. Sift the baking soda and baking powder into the flour.
3. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla and mix well.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
6. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and top with pepitas.
7. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until done (50-60 minutes).
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out into wire racks to finish cooling.

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¹ I reduced the overall sugar from 600g to 400g and replaced half of it with brown sugar. ^Back
2 I halved the amount of oil called for and replaced it with an equivalent amount of unsweetened applesauce. This gives it a nice bit of moisture, some extra fruit and fibre, and drastically reduces the amount of fat in each loaf. And they still tasted great! Absolutely no complaints. They definitely didn't need the extra oil (or sugar). ^Back

Thengai Muttaikose (Coconut Cabbage)

I made this one a while ago. Back in May, I think. So some of the details are a little fuzzy. I think, though, that I made this when I had some fresh coconut on hand. (Although it can also be made with reconstituted dried.) It was... alright. But not spectacular. Probably not one I'll bother revisiting, personally. But it was nice to try it out.

Photo goes here.

Thengai Muttaikose

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 c. water
• 1 c. shredded fresh coconut (or 1/2 c. dried, reconstituted¹)
• 2-4 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies
• 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/white lentils/urad dal)
• 4 c. shredded cabbage
• 2 c. frozen green peas
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 12 fresh curry leaves

Directions

1. Add the water, coconut, and chilies to a blender and purée.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the lentils and stir-fry until golden (15-30 seconds).
5. Add the cabbage, peas, salt, and curry leaves.
6. Pour in the sauce from the blender.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until cabbage is tender (~10 minutes).

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¹ To reconstitute, pour an equal volume of boiling water over the dried coconut and soak for 15 minutes, then drain. ^Back

This makes a large batch. I tried to do a half batch and still had to remove some of the broth partway through cooking to make room in my largest pot for all of the other ingredients!

The original recipe did not specify a quantity of liquid. It just said to "fill a large pot" with water. But it did call for 6 Tbsp. of Old Bay seasoning. And I thought that sounded like about enough for 6L of water. So I decided to start with 3L or water and 3 Tbsp. of Old Bay. Unfortunately, it turns out that, by the time I'd put all the other ingredients in, there was only enough room in the pot for 2L of stock, not three.

I also found the finished dish a little light on corn. Next time I think I'd double the corn so that everyone can get a hefty portion.

The broth that this made was excellent. But I did feel like it needed a little more... something. So I decided to add just a bit of creole seasoning to the pot as well. Not a huge amount, but just enough to give it a bit of a boost.

I love the concept of this dinner. The "chuck a bunch of things in a pot with some water and seasonings" approach is quite fun. I do, however, find it a bit messy and tedious to eat. I think I would rather have it as a soup than trying to mop up my fingers after eating broth-covered cobs of corn and trying to shell saucy shrimp at the table. It's one of those things that's a neat idea, but that I find I don't actually enjoy the execution of.

Cajun Shrimp Boil

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2L water
• 2 Tbsp. Old Bay
• 1/2 Tbsp. creole seasoning (optional)
• 500g new potatoes
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2-4 ears of corn, husked and quartered crosswise
• 350g smoked sausage, cut into discs
• 700g shrimp, unpeeled

Directions

1. Combine the water, Old Bay, creole seasoning (if using), potatoes, onion, garlic, and lemon and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the corn and smoked sausage and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. If using fresh shrimp, add them, remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for 4-5 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. If using frozen shrimp, add them and simmer until shrimp are cooked through (5-8 minutes).

I keep meaning to make another strata for breakfast but being too tired to put it together the night before and sleeping in too late to put it together the morning of. So, instead of strata, we had pancakes this morning. These are nice apple-pecan pancakes with a bit of oatmeal and cinnamon. (The original recipe called for walnuts, but the pecans were on top and I like them better anyway, so I just used them.)

I used a mix of white and whole wheat flour for my pancakes today. But I think I'd be quite happy to make them with 100% whole wheat flour next time. Or, if you adjusted the proportions a bit, you could easily do them up as sourdough pancakes instead.

We had some leftover chocolate from an earlier dessert, so I re-melted it by sitting the dish it was in inside the bowl of hot oatmeal and served it as a topping for these nutty, fruity pancakes. The Kidlet had hers with melted chocolate and maple syrup. And I opted for sliced bananas and a small drizzle of melted chocolate on mine. They were delicious!

Autumn Pancakes

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1 1/2 c. boiling water
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 180g whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. milk
• 1 large egg
• 1-2 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

1. Pour the boiling water over the oats and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter and set aside.
3. Sift the baking powder into the flour.
4. Add the cinnamon and sugar and mix well.
5. Beat the egg with the milk.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients along with the oat mixture. Stir to combine.
7. Stir in the apples and nuts.
8. Preheat a tawa or skillet over medium heat.
9. Grease as needed.
10. Working with ~1/4 c. of batter at a time, pour it onto the hot tawa.
11. Cook until bubbles form in the surface and edges begin to look slightly dry.
12. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown and pancake is cooked through. Transfer to plate.
13. Repeat cooking process with remaining batter.
14. Serve with fruit, syrup, melted chocolate, and/or whippped cream.

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Variations

Sourdough Autumn Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1 c. boiling water
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 60g whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. milk
• 250g sourdough discard @ 100% hydration
• 1 large egg
• 1-2 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

I actually didn't make the "base" version of this recipe. I did one of the variations. I debated how to write that up. Do I just write up the variation that I did as a stand-alone recipe? Do I write it up as the main part of the post, but then include the "base" recipe as a variation? Or do I follow the same pattern as in the cookbook and keep the base recipe as the main part of the post?

Ultimately, I decided on that last approach. So, if you are following the instructions for the recipe as it appears in the main body of this post, keep in mind that I have not actually made it that way yet. I'm sure it's fine. I just can't, personally, vouch for it.

Basic Baking Powder Biscuits

Slightly adapted from The Big Book of Breakfasts by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 c. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F).
2. Sift the baking powder into the flour.
3. Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine.
4. Cut in the butter.
5. Mix in the milk with a fork or wooden spoon.
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30-60 seconds.
7. Pat into a shape ~1cm thick.
8. Use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut out circles.
9. Gather and reroll the scraps, cutting as many more biscuits as possible.
10. Place on baking sheet and bake until done (~12 minutes).

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Variations

Basic Drop Biscuits

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 1 c. milk

Directions

1. Mix as directed above.
2. Do not knead or roll.
3. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet.
4. Bake as directed.

Basic Flavoured Biscuits

Directions

1. Make biscuits as directed above, but sprinkle tops with a little sugar, Parmesan, paprika, or other seasoning of your choice before baking.

Basic Square Biscuits

Directions

1. Make the biscuit dough as directed above.
2. Once the dough has been rolled or patted into a relatively flat shape, cut it into 5cm squares (rather than circles). This will avoid any scraps or the need to reroll.

Basic Dessert Biscuits

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 c. milk

TF and I both wanted dessert last night. But we were also tired and didn't want to have to apply much effort. Luckily these grilled bananas only required ~10 minutes of cooking time. They are especially easy if you have a gas grill or are willing to use the oven instead.

The ice cream is theoretically optional, while the whipped cream is not. However, I was really vibing with the ice cream last night and having both seemed like overkill. So we got a little bit of chocolate fudge ice cream and then skipped the whip.

Grilled Bananas with Pecans and Chocolate

Slightly adapted from Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 4-6 bananas
• 60g dark chocolate, melted
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1-2 c. chocolate ice cream (optional)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Directions

1. Set up grill for direct heat cooking and trim the ends off of the bananas. (Leave the peels on. Just trim the ends.) Alternatively, set the oven broiler to "high".
2. Grill the bananas, turning often, until softened and skins have turned dark (8-10 minutes).
3. Peel and slice the bananas.
4. Drizzle with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the nuts.
5. Top with ice cream and whipped cream (if using) and serve.

I'm used to watermelon and mint salad just involving whole mint leaves tossed with watermelon, feta, and maybe a little oil and/or vinegar. I've never seen one that goes to the trouble of making a whole vinaigrette before. It was an interesting approach. And I appreciated how much mint it used up!

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. fresh mint, divided
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 fresh mild chile (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 650g watermelon, cubed
• 185g feta, diced

Directions

1. Combine 1/2 c. of the mint with the sugar in a blender or food processor and chop.
2. Add the chile (if using), vinegar, and lime juice and purée.
3. With motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the watermelon and feta to a bowl and toss with dressing.
6. Top with remaining mint leaves and serve.

Pusstabrot (Hungarian White Bread)

This is a lovely white bread with a nice bit of extra flavour from the fennel seeds. I really liked it.

Pusstabrot

Slightly adapted from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 600-700g hard (strong/high grade/bread) flour, divided
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. hot (50-55°C) water
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. water

Directions

1. Gently roast the fennel seeds in a small frying pan.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, then grind with a mortar and pestle.
3. Combine ~400g of the flour with the salt, sugar, and ground fennel.
4. Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.
5. Pour the hot water and oil into the well and sprinkle in the yeast.
6. Use a wooden spoon to stir the liquids from the centre, gradually pulling in just enough of the flour to form a thin batter.
7. Cover and set aside until the batter rises to cover the rest of the flour (~1 hour).
8. Once the batter has risen, uncover and begin stirring from the centre outward, gradually working in the rest of the flour.
9. Work in a bit more flour (100-200g) to stop the dough from being too sticky.
10. Turn out the dough and knead until smooth and elastic (10-20 minutes), working in the rest of the flour as needed to form a soft and supple dough.
11. Round the dough and return it to a covered bowl to rise (~1 hour).
12. Knead the dough for a few strokes, then shape as desired. This recipe will make either one large or two small loaves.
13. Place the shaped loaves on a greased baking sheet, cover, and set asdie to rise for 30-40 minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and place a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack.
15. Beat the egg white with the water and a pinch of salt.
16. Brush the loaves with the egg white mixture and slash as desired.
17. Sprinkle with extra fennel seeds
18. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until done. This may take anywhere from 20-50 minutes depending on whether you are baking one loaf or two and how well-risen they are.
19. Turn off oven, remove steam pan, and let loaves rest in hot oven for 5-10 minutes.
20. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

I had an open can of SPAM in the fridge, but I didn't want to just keep making Hawaiian omelettes, so I decided to give this hearty ham-and-potato omelette a try.

It's really meant to be made with ham and cubed cooked potatoes. But, since we had the SPAM in the fridge and some hashbrowns in the freezer, I decided to just chop those up and use them for the filling. Since the SPAM and the hashbrowns are already pretty fatty, I omitted the butter called for in the filling. If you're just using regular potatoes, then I'd recommend adding a little bit of butter to the pan.

Lumberman's Special Omelette

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Maryana Vollstedt

Ingredients

• 2-3 tsp. butter (optional)
• 1/2 c. chopped SPAM or ham
• 1/2 c. cubed cooked potato (or hashbrowns)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 1-2 Tbsp. water
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp. grated cheddar

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat (if using).
2. Add the ham, potato, and green onions and cook until lightly browned (~10 minutes).
3. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Melt a tiny bit more butter in the pan.
5. Beat the eggs with the water, salt and pepper.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until almost set. Lift up the edges and allow the uncooked egg to run underneath periodically to help with even cooking if desired.
7. Srpinkle ~1/2 c. of the filling over half of the omelette.
8. Add the cheese on top and then fold the omelette over.
9. Cook until cheese is melted and egg is set.
10. Either serve the remaining filling on the side or use it to make another omelette.

Gaji Namul (Korean Spicy Eggplant)

This is an old one. I made this the last time I was in NZ. I just never quite got around to writing it up. Which is a shame. Because it was delicious! Luckily, I kept a list of everything I made while I was over there. So I can rectify this grave oversight now.

Gaji Namul

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• 450g Asian eggplants
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• pepper, to taste
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 mild red chile or bell pepper (optional), minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Halve eggplants lengthwise, then cut into pieces about 5cm (2") long.
2. Set up a steamer, bring water to a boil, add eggplants to steamer, cover, and cook for ~5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, gochugaru, fish sauce, sesame oil, and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
5. Add the garlic, green onion, and chile/bell pepper (if using). Set aside.
6. Once eggplant is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite-sized pieces.
7. Pour the sauce over the eggplant and toss to combine.
8. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
9. Stir once more before serving.
10. Serve with rice and other banchan (side dishes) of your choice.

This was supposed to be a chickpea and turkey meatball soup. But I got mixed up about what was in the freezer and discovered that while we still had ground beef left, there was no turkey or chicken. So I ended up making it with beef instead. And it was delicious! (Possibly not quite as lean and healthy as it would've been with turkey, but very tasty nonetheless.)

Chickpea and Meatball Soup

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 450g ground turkey or extra lean beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 2-3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Soup

• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 4 c. cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1L chicken stock
• 1 bunch kale or mustard greens, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
2. Combine the mince, garlic, panko, Parmesan, egg, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix well.
3. Using very small amounts of the meat mixture, form tiny meatballs (~1.5cm across).
4. Place the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and beginning to brown (5-10 minutes).
7. Add the tomato paste and chickpeas and cook for a minute or two.
8. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chicken stock.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Purée half the soup and return it to the pot (or use an immersion blender).
11. Add the meatballs and greens and stir to combine.
12. Cook until greens are wilted and everything is heated through (~5 minutes longer).