SEAFOOD LAKSA

I made this version the other night and it was fabulous.

serves 4

500g mixed seafood
1Tbl (or less) Thai red curry paste (original recipe said laksa paste)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup water
200ml coconut milk / cream
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
150g organic Jap buckwheat noodles
2 bok choy, roughly chopped
2 large spring onions, thinly sliced
3 or 4 sprigs laksa herb
1 bunch coriander, roots chopped and leaves chopped


Cook the curry paste briefly in a hot pan then add seafood, stock, water, coriander roots, lime leaves and coconut. Bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered a few minutes, until seafood is just cooked.
Meanwhile cook noodles according to packet instructions.
Stir into seafood : bokchoy, laksa herb, spring onion and coriander leaves and cook, uncovered until bok choy is just wilted.
Divide noodles between bowls and top with laksa mixture.

GRILLED CAPSICUMS IN OIL

6-8 large red capsicums

600-700ml white wine vinegar

2 bay leaves

about 300ml olive oil

Cut capsicums in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Grill the capsicums until skins are charred. Peel.

Put the vinegar into a pan and bring to the boil. Place the capsicums into the hot vinegar, cover, return quickly to the boil and boil 1 minute.This may need to be done in a couple of batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and spread out to dry.

Pack the capsicums into clean, dry jars, inserting the bay leaves and covering with oil as you go, making sure there are no air bubbles. You get a lot of capsicums into 1 jar so I use smallish jars.

Put the lid on the jars and leave in a cool, dark, dry place for at least 2 - 3 weeks before eating. They should last at least 1 year but I am sure you will eat them sooner.

THAI STYLE PUMPKIN SOUP

I cooked this beautiful soup after reading the recipe on Mas du Diable. It is a much needed alternative to regular pumpkin soup for those of us who have lots of pumpkins to eat!

500g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
oil
1 - 1.5 Tbl Thai Red Curry Paste (I used 1 tsp so it wasn't so hot)
1 large onion, sliced
500ml chicken stock
300ml cocnut milk
I also added :
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
3 sprigs Laksa herb(Vietnamese mint), chopped

Heat some oil in a large pan, add curry paste and onion and fry for a few minutes until the onion is translucent and the paste is giving off its aroma. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.
Lower heat, cover and simmer until pumpkin is soft.
Puree until smooth and add a little fish sauce, chili oil or lime juice

BOTTLING RECIPES

Here are the ways I bottle some of the summer fruit I gather. I love having it at hand all year for breakfasts or desserts. Some of them are special treats, some everyday foods.

**Nectarines (or figs or plums etc) in white wine syrup

This makes a wonderful dessert to eat throughout the year.

350gr sugar
2 strips of orange peel
700ml dry white wine
about 12 ripe but firm nectarines, (peeled) and halved, maybe more if they are very small
brandy

In a pan heat the sugar, peel and wine until sugar is dissolved. bring to a simmer and simmer gently 8 minutes.

Add the nectarines to the syrup and poach for 10 minutes until tender. I have written in my notes that this stage is not necessary with plums as they are softer.

Strain and pack the fruit into preserving jars. Boil the syrup for 1 minute, remove the peel and pour it into the jars. Add brandy to cover the fruit completely. It is really up to you how much wine : brandy you use, just try it and see. You may want to add a bit of water as well but I don't.

Bottle as normal (ie put the jars into the pan of water according to your instructions).

Store for at least 1 month before eating.

**Pears (or peaches etc) in Citrus Sauce

Juice of 1 lemon
Rind of 1 orange
1 tbl honey
1/2 cup water
Juice of 2 oranges (or 1 cup)
6 large pears

Combine all ingredients except pears in a medium saucepan and heat gently.

Peel and quarter the fruit.

Place them in the juice and cook gently 20 minutes or until tender but not completely soft. Omit this step for peaches.

Strain (or not), pack the fruit into the jars, seal and bottle as normal.

**Light syrup

This is fine for all fruit especially if you are going to be eating it for breakfast or using it in a recipe later.
For 8 1-litre jars dissolve 500g sugar or 1 cup of apple or pear juice concentrate in 2 litres (hot) water. Allow to cool to room temp before pouring it over the fruit in the jars.

This is approximate only. Even plain water will do but I have tried it and didn't like it much.

Pears stay pretty hard when bottled unless you cook them first, like in the recipe above. I think all other fruit is fine raw.

**Bottled Tomatoes

I also make all our bottled tomatoes for the year. Just chop the tomatoes, put into a pan and heat gently until they release their juices.

At this point you can either bottle them right away or add salt, pepper, herbs etc. or boil them down a bit more. I just bottle them plain (but I mash them a bit with the bamix to break up the skins) . I put them in various sized jars.

I add herbs etc later when I am using them in a recipe. So quick and easy - no packing carefully into jars or adding extra liquid and all year they are there in the cupboard - better than buying tins from the supermarket.

If I have mountains of tomatoes I sometimes make a really yummy pasta sauce and bottle that too.

PEACH AND DATE CHUTNEY

This is a favourite of ours and all our families and even friends. I make loads of it - not that we eat that much but it is lovely to have lots to give away through the year. We never eat any other chutney now.

1 kg ripe peaches, peeled, stoned and sliced

250g dates, chopped

275g onions, chopped

500g sugar

125g crystallized ginger, sliced

250ml tarragon vinegar (or white vinegar and a bit of tarragon or other herb)

125ml malt vinegar

Mix all ingredients except the peaches in a large, heavy pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the peaches and continue cooking for about 20 mins more or until well blended and thickened (you may need to mash a little with a potato masher).

Makes about 5 jars of various sizes.

Farmgirl's Use It Or Lose It Lentil & Escarole Soup

from the blog: Farmgirl



Makes About 8 to 10 cups


Few Tablespoons good olive oil
12 ounces onions, chopped (about 2 medium)
12 ounces carrots, chopped (about 3 to 4 medium)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups lentils, any kind
12 ounces fresh tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can tomatoes, any size, any kind; I love Muir Glen brand)
7 cups homemade chicken stock (or good quality storebought)
4 to 8 ounces (or more) escarole,(or other leafy green veg) coarsley chopped


Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium. Add onion and carrots and cook about 5 minutes, stirring so the oil coats the vegetables. Make a space in the bottom of the pan, add the garlic, and cook for another two minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is cooked but not brown.Add the lentils, tomatoes, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, with the lid cracked, for about 45 minutes. Stir every now and again.Add the chopped escarole and cook another 5 minutes. Carefully puree about half of the soup in a blender on low speed until still slightly chunky, then return to the pot. Or use an immersion hand blender (you know I am crazy about my KitchenAid) to puree the soup to desired consistency. Cook over medium heat another five minutes.Serve hot, garnished as desired, and preferably with some kind of yummy bread, such as a crusty sourdough or a loaf of my Beyond Easy Beer Bread. (Just mix up the batter while the soup is coming to a boil, and you will have hot, fresh bread ready when the soup is.) This soup keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator and freezes beautifully (assuming you haven't run out of freezer containers).

Summer Treats from Nirvana

CHESTNUT PUREE
Chestnuts (peeled or soaked dried)
Milk, water or stock
Put Chestnuts in saucepan, cover with liquid, and simmer gently until soft. Mash and put through a mouli or blend in food processor.
Can add salt or sugar to taste.
Chestnut puree forms a base for many recipes.

NIRVANA CHESTNUT ICE CREAM
700g Chestnut puree as above
2 litres ice cream
300 mls cream
125g of crystallised cherries, candied orange peel, seedless raisins and currants which are soaked overnight in Muscat wine.
Mix chestnut puree, ice cream, cream and fruit together and refreeze. When 1/2 frozen mixes with fork and refreeze in a mould.

RASPBERRY AND LIME DRIZZLED CAKE
150g butter
150g castor sugar
3 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
25g flaked almonds
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
200g raspberries

For the syrup
Juice of 2 limes
Grated peel of 1 lime
100g sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Gradually beat in the eggs and mix in flour, almonds and rind. Then stir in the lime juice .Fold in three quarters of the raspberries .Grease and line a 20 cm cake tin, spoon in mix, smooth the surface and scatter remaining raspberries on top. (They will sink as cake rises.) Bake at 180C (350F) for 40 minutes.
To make syrup put lime juice, peel and sugar in a small saucepan, heat gently to dissolve sugar. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a skewer and drizzle the syrup over the cake. Allow to cool before turning out.


RASPBERRY JELLY
200g RASPBERRIES
100g sugar
60ml port or cassis
20g gelatine
Put the raspberries and sugar into a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until soft and sieve to remove pips Sprinkle the gelatine over 150 ml of water and heat gently until it dissolves. Pour onto the raspberry puree and stir. Add the port. Transfer to a jelly mould add a few whole berries and chill to set. When ready to serve invert the jelly onto a plate and serve with elderflower cream. Can be made with black or red currants as well.

ELDERFLOWER CREAM
300 mls cream
75 mls Nirvana Elderflower Cordial
Add elderflower cordial to cream and whip.

MASCARPONE ICE CREAM WITH REDCURRANT AND CHESTNUT SAUCE
Serves 6
For the ice cream
2 egg yolks
4 tablesp .icing sugar
250g mascarpone
2 tsp vanilla essence
Whisk to together the egg yolks and icing sugar until really thick. Add the mascarpone and vanilla to the egg mix and beat .Put in container and freeze until firm.
For the sauce
200g Red currants, pureed and sieved
100g chestnut puree
Mix chestnut puree and red currants together and serve with the ice cream.


REDCURRANT & CHOCOLATE POTS
Maggie Beer ‘Beat the Chef”
150gm Dark couverture chocolate
100ml cream
8 teaspoons red currant jelly
4 tablespoons fresh red currants
In a microwave proof container combine the cream & chocolate, stirring to combine.
Using small macchiato glasses or similar place 2 teaspoons of red currant jelly into each glass then top with chocolate mixture leaving room at the top for fresh currants. Finish with a layer of fresh currants.
Chill 15 minutes before serving

GOOSEBERRY FOOL
500g gooseberries
40 g butter
Sugar
300ml whipping cream
Top & tail gooseberries & put them in a pan with butter. Moisten with 2 tablespoons water. Cover pan & cook gently, shaking pan occasionally, until gooseberries are soft. Crush them lightly with a fork once or twice during cooking. Sweeten to taste & put aside.
In a large bowl whisk cream until it stands in soft floppy peaks. With a large metal spoon, fold in the gooseberries. Pile into a large glass bowl, chill & serve.

QUENTIN”S RED CURRANT SAUCE
Quentin Jones ‘Beat the Chef’
200gm red currants
1 dessertspoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon red currant jelly
Heat red currants in small saucepan with sugar & wine. Cook for a few minutes until juices run Add red currant jelly. Reduce a little.
Serve with poultry or game meat.






RED ON RED SALAD
1 cup grated raw beetroot
1-2 Tbsp Nirvana raspberry vinegar.
Place grated beetroot in salad bowl, toss in raspberry vinegar and serve.

BLACKCURRANT GARDEN SALAD
Blackcurrants add a real zing to salads.
Prepare a selection of lettuce leaves, fresh green peas or beans, chopped spring onions, blackcurrants. Toss in Nirvana raspberry or blackcurrant vinegar and serve.