MenU - A Foodie Post!

If you read yesterday's post, you know what's coming. If you didn't... why not?

Anyhoo... I am focusing on the Tower T17021 4.3L air fryer. I said 4.2L yesterday. Menosoup. But what's 100mls between baskets?

Some of you will already be familiar with this trendy bit of kitchenalia. However, I know a lot of folks who don't have one, so the thumbnail sketch follows.

Despite the name, these are actually more like countertop ovens. Think of them like that, and you will get a lot more creative! There is a heat plate beneath the basket and a standard spiral element at the top of the cooking area. The heat is circulated by a fan. If one fills the basket as indicated in this image borrowed from their blurb, it is important to keep turning the food - that heating element at the top is less than an inch above it! There is a little space beyond the element, which permits the circulation required for effective cooking. So I estimate the bit where the curve takes a sharp turn inward (to the top knob) holds the electrics, and there is a vent out the back. The sides get quite warm when in use, but one can hold one's hands to it without risk of burning. This model does temps from 80'C up to 200'C (170'F to 390'F). There is an inner, removable basket which sits about five millimetres above the main bucket base, again to facilitate circulation. It draws 1500w when heating, but the beauty of these units is that they heat to temp within two minutes, and when at heat, switch the element off, thus using minimal wattage (two testers I watched used these with lithium power banks and when in the rest mode, theirs drew only about 50w or less). Thus, these mini-ovens are quicker than a standard stove oven and significantly more efficient if you are seeking to save on power bills!

So, a primary reason to have one is the cost-effectiveness in the kitchen. Beyond that, though, what about the cooking? Well, it has to be acknowledged that these things took off in the market due to being targeted for all the fast food fiends out there. Yes, I have tested out the frozen chips, battered fish (Mac1 is a "fush'n'chups" hound!), and my vege sausages. From frozen to done with the first two was twenty minutes, and the snags were about 12 minutes. An argument for the latter might be, why not just fry them on the hob? One cannot defrost in the skillet, so one must first do that. This requires much forward planning and bringing them out of the freezer in the morning to keep in the fridge till lunch or dinner. Hours, not minutes. ORRRRRR, one can do a fast defrost in the microwave and then fry them off. The defrost function for two sausages of about 100 grams weight takes about eight or nine minutes, followed by five minutes of frying. You'll be starting to see where the A/f has an advantage. Similarly - wait for it - boiled eggs. 

Yes, you read that correctly. I kid you not. (I forgot to photograph the brekky I did for Mac1, so thank you, Google Images, for this one on the right.) If you search it, you will see all sorts of variations on timings. The truth is it will 

a) depend on how many eggs you are doing at once

b) what weight the eggs are

c) the wattage of your A/f

d) the temp you choose to cook at 

... in other words, like everything else, it's try it and see. I did two eggs weighing about 55 grams each at 150'C for seven minutes. They were perfect for dipping toast. Eight to nine minutes would have produced the 'jammish' texture seen in this photo, and I estimate about 10 minutes for true hard-boiled. It is much the same as when done in a pan of boiling water, with the advantage of not having to bring that water to the boil in the first place. Plus, in these environmentally-conscious times, the water used for boiling just goes down the drain. Tsk, tsk. For those of us in vans with a limited water supply, the A/f method makes a lot of sense. Oh, and while we're at it, one can do one's toast simultaneously... oh yes. Did you note the little set of extras I purchased to use with the Tower? Among the wire items is a toast rack! I halved four slices of whole wheat bread, placed them evenly into the rack, and popped them into the basket at the five-minute-to-go mark beside the eggs. Perfection and no extra power used by the 2400w toaster I have.

Did you note the little black silicon cupcake pan among the extras? For lunch one day, I whipped up some avocado souffles in that. Say what?! Yup. I didn't have any recipe. I just stood there with the avo in hand, wondering what I could do that was hot (for the cold, damp day). Hmmmmm... I mashed it and added two egg yolks, some seasoning and herbs, half a cup of sour milk, two tablespoons of self-raising flour and a little melted butter. I whisked that together. Whisked the egg white in a separate bowl with a little baking soda and then folded that through the main mix. Into the moulds and ten minutes in the preheated A/f at 170'F. They were not quite set enough, so I tipped them out onto a heat-proof dish and gave them another two minutes bottom up. ... OMG. The sis and I demolished them in five minus four minutes. I'll be making those again! Mac1 reckoned she'd pay £8 or £9 at a bistro for a plateful like we had that day (did some snow peas and tomato lightly in the micro for the side).

I have roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts and carrots and parsnips. Then, the baked potatoes were scrumoolushus - did the five-minute run in the micro, then light oiling onto the skewers and "bbq" tray and into the basket at 180'C for ten minutes. It could do longer for a really crispy skin, but that worked grand.

Shall I mention the scones? Oh yes, I have to talk about the scones. Cheese one day, fruit another. I love that I can just whip up a four-scone batch for myself and know that I can bake them in the Tower in about 12 minutes, and that's me sorted. I'm making scones again after Lord knows how many years!

Bread and butter pudding. Mm-mmm, and not bog standard either. Made with wholemeal bread, spread with sweet mincemeat and sprinkled with Demarara sugar. Will be doing that again as my alternative to Christmas pud!

Pastries. Savoury and sweet. Plums that just refused to ripen for straight eating got macerated with some pears and baked in a pastry shell... that worked! Did some ruff-puff cheese sticks to go with the soup. Made a mini cheese and celery quiche, just a little shortcrust. At the back of the freezer, I found some ready-made puff pastry, "needin' eatin'," as my mother's voice echoed in my inner ear. No worries, mate. Rolled out a quarter, lined the pie tin, blind baked it at 180'C for ten minutes, took the bake beads out, then another two minutes without them before putting in some sauteed capsicum (bell pepper) and celery, a little stilton and cheddar mix and a couple of eggs whisked with a bit of sour milk and seasoning and topped off with the little offcut of pastry.............

Back into the Tower and baked for fifteen minutes, then added three more just to completely firm the custard. Polished that off with a steaming cup of fine Assam tea. 

Have I found a new lease of interest in preparing food for one? You betchya!!!!!!! I can't recommend air fryer cookery highly enough. And I've only had the thing for three weeks. I am dreaming up all sorts of things to experiment with. Not everything will come out to the standard achieved thus far, but I am sure it will all be edible.

And yes, I hope to get a few more Y-i-t-K vids done for the new year now I've found my cookery mojo again. That's enough for now. I'll leave you with the beauty shot of that scrumdiddlyumptious vege pie...

Menotcogiwatsit; Less Think More Blink

Another week of next to nothing going on. A couple more panels made for the LynGmal, some ankle warmers (upsized versions of the wristlets I showed you last week) created. They will become necessary very soon, methinks, given there was the briefest flurry of sleet the other day. SLEET!!! Already? 😨

Some binge-watching of Orphan Black (wow, how did I miss this first time around???) and London Kills (a bit patchy, but engaging enough for long wet days). Catching up on Only Connect and Uni Challenge eps, as well as Strictly Come Dancing and Great British Bakeoff. Plus, all the podcasts. I haven't lacked intellectual stimulation.

Experimentation with bananas and loose batter and deep frying. Needs work, but potential. Just have to wait for another banana to get overripe, so I can repeat the upgraded experiment. If it works, you'll read about it. If it doesn't, I may regret having even mentioned it.

Experimentation with broccoli as a pasta sauce base - very tasty. Remembered that I haven't done another foodie film for a while, and it might be time to get myself organised on that... but for now, just know it was as easy as chopping the broccoli (about 120gm-ish) down to almost a couscous size, sauteing it in butter and olive oil (a tablespoon and half tbsp respectively) with a dash of water for about five minutes (as long as it took to cook the fresh tagliatelle) seasoned with half a teaspoon of Marigold vege stock powder and a healthy shake of black pepper. Stir in a rounded dessert spoon of plain flour and let that cook off and soak up the butter and oil, then spoon in as much of the pasta water as is required to gain the sauce consistency you desire. (Stir constantly to avoid claggy lumps - jus' warnin'...) Add the grated cheese of choice, then add the drained pasta and stir through. I wanted blue cheese but didn't have any, so made do with a perfectly tasty Scottish cheddar.

Shame I didn't think to photograph it for you. Instead, here's a random shot of cold, wet stone and a Gull's shell midden...

MenU; Friday Foodables

YAM's back in the kitchen! This one was filmed on OctoKan and is as good as the ones filmed on Fudge... but, similarly, the sound quality is not the best. Until such time as I can afford more dedicated equipment, this will suffice - using earphones improves the listening experience. 

Today, pakoras. A lot of folks (and indeed, some eateries) list these as 'bhajis', particularly where the onion is the key ingredient. Bhaji, though, is actually more of a stir-fry sort of dish and can contain several vegetables (one of my faves is okra and tomato with peas and eggplant). Where individual vegetables - or a combo like the radish and capsicum I use in this vid - are coated in batter and deep fried, the correct term is pakora. These are commonly found as street food but are equally popular in family homes as they are so easy and quick to prepare. I do have an electric, lidded, deep fryer which I would use for larger batches... but for myself, and for better visuals, here is the more traditional karahi with oil method. 

Note that you can use any veges you like - cauliflower, potato slices, eggplant, okra, carrot (rough-grated works best)... also, I used a prepared flavouring I had been gifted; most people would have no trouble with it but I had quite some 'feedback' from it, so ought to have stuck to my usual, which, for the record, would be half a teaspoon of ground coriander (or a tablespoon of fresh minced), half a teaspoon of cumin and a quarter teaspoon of amchoor (green mango powder) with seasonings to taste. Sometimes I add chilli, too... Right - on with it! Any questions - ask them in the comments!!!

Friday Foodables; eggsNrice...

Sandra wanted to know about cooking eggs and rice in the microwave. Aitch wanted to hear me speaking in these vids. I finally got around to filming this... but I don't have a pro camera, lighting, microphone... so you will understand why I don't normally talk on these things! I hope you can make it out. 

The key thing to remember is that the wattage of your microwaves will make a difference to the timings, so always err on shorter times and keep checking the food before adding time if required. Please note that I use large eggs - if you use small eggs, again, adjust timings accordingly.

Regarding rice; most people think only in terms of standard long-grain rice, and then in either white or brown. [Read more on nutritional differences of these.] However, it is definitely worth considering Basmati as an alternative. Especially if you would prefer the advantages of brown rice, with a bit less hassle of preparation (longer soaking and cooking times) and sometimes the digestive kickback. Even white Basmati holds its own against standard brown rice... and you can get brown Basmati if you wish for even more boost!

Friday Foodables For MenU

AHA! Something new this way comes. Newish, anyway. Intermittently, I have produced a series of MenU posts, which have generally been well-received. More recently, there were a couple of vids of YAM in the Kitchen. Several folk expressed a desire to see more. My intention is to do more. However, we are into the second month of twelve, and I am not started yet! Mainly I have been blaming the light levels; remember the greys? Mostly, though, it is just that I am usually cooking with the need to feed and tend to forget about turning on the camera!

Sigh...

However, if I start out with at least a monthly offering, I might be able to meet my own deadline. The remit is simply to give you insights into my way of working, what shortcuts I might take, the basics of home-cookery Indian style, and lots of variations and themes on vegetarian eating based upon Sattvika principles. There will be a fair amount of cheap and cheerful stuff too, I have no doubt - and sometimes there will be movies...

Today though, I thought I might share with you some top-notch cookware for use in the microwave. Why? Well, because I do use the nuker quite a bit these days. Mainly due to the fact that to use the conventional oven that sits in the Hutch is to double my 'light' bill immediately. It's a monster-sized, poorly installed item that guzzles...GUZZLES... the power. When I decide to use it, there needs to be multiple stuff going into it. So maybe once a year. As much as possible, I stick to hob meals, but some things do just as well, occasionally better, in the nuker. That includes toasted cheese - there is a grill function on it. When moving into the Hutch, one of our big supermarkets was having a post-Christmas sale, and I got the nuker for a ridiculous price, and it has served me well (despite the disconcerting fact the [electric] clock on it gains time...). It is starting to demonstrate its age, though, with some slightly odd creaks and crackles and a rattle or two. (The same can be said for the bread machine, I fear - and as for the deep fryer - I do like it, but it takes up a lot of space for something I use maybe once a quarter. I'm starting to eye up one of the multifunction instant pot things on the market now... but I digress. A nasty habit that!)

Even if I opt for one of those, I would still replace the nuker. As much as I admire the instapots, nothing beats the convenience or, indeed, the cost-effectiveness of the microwave for quick warm throughs and defrosting and such. The draw on power is much less and lasts considerably less time. I think about this a lot for sustainability matters and, increasingly, for budgetary matters. 

Okay, so what is this fantastic cookware? I had some storage containers from Sistema in OZ... but at that time did not know about this part of their range. They are very high-quality plastics free of the two main nasties and are pretty much lifetime guaranteed.

This is the saute and steam plate. A small casserole size. I use this to "blanch" veges ready for freezing - actually better than doing them in boiling water, as they seem to hold their fibre integrity better this way. I also fully prepare veg for eating - clearly, this size and shape suits things like asparagus, beans, leeks, broccoli. 

I would point out that these items are also fully freezer friendly and can be used as containers for stews or soups or other leftovers to freeze. They can be taken straight from the freezer to the nuker, and you have a meal ready in
a whizz and a bang!

Here we have the egg poacher. Now, I will tell you, if doing only for myself, I will still tend to go the traditional route of pan and water - because I am almost always only going to have one egg. But when I have company or am going the two or more eggs route, this little tray works very well. That said, not all eggs are equal, so one does have to play around with it a bit. I also confess that the cups might make lifting the eggs out quite handy, but I am not convinced they are that much of a boon - I intend to try without them when I get a chance.

I am also going to experiment with using this divided tray for other things...

Now this one is a winner. It can be used with or without the colander insert. This is for your entire steaming situation, and I LOVE it! Without the colander portion, one could make sauces and soups. I am yet to explore that side of things.

We are coming to my most-used items now. These 'noodle bowls' I use for just about everything! They are a standard bowl size, so perfect for one person. I have prepared not just noodles, but veges and soups, and have also baked potatoes in them... which could be done in the other dishes too, it's just that the size of these suits me perfectly.

I have been using nuker rice makers for a long time, but this is far and away the Rolls Royce version! I would need to replace the nuker just for this alone!!!

If not using the four-cup egg poacher or wishing to use a hob pot, this little thing is magic... I can prepare an egg as a whole, and it falls between poached and fried - just right for a nice seed roll for lunch. For brekky, the egg can be scrambled or made into an omelette. I also use this one for heating up my baked beans! 

There you have it my dears, an introduction to some of the equipment in the YAMster's Hutch's Kitchen!!! I shall endeavour to create some dishes showing these in use. 

I know there are those who hold the use of microwaves with some disdain. Be assured, all commercial kitchens and some of the top chefs in the world make use of nukers in one form or other during their food prep. The tech for these, as with so many things has come forward leaps and bounds since the original models. 

D'ya like the new badge to go with this refreshed series? I got tricksy in PixlR 😄

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PAY ATTENTION!

It's FFF next week already

Menofeastikkul Cookeration

As we head down to the tail end, here is a look at how I kept body and soul together last Saturday... it began with a slightly different breakfast.

That's one slice of toast with Branston pickle and Emmental slice, another piece of toast with Cranberry such and Brie cheese; then fresh pear and - why not? - three bites of 70% dark chocolate; washed down with milky Clipper organic tea. That kept me going for a bit. 

Later in the day, when I started to feel peckish again, I set to making my main meal. A recognisably Christmas plateful, but done and ready to chomp in half an hour (if you include the vegetable prep). The actual cooking creation ('cookeration') was just under 20 minutes - the vid is slightly shorter as I curtailed some of the repetitive activity. I hope it tickles your taste thoughts in the same way I remember it doing for real!!!

Menofesticookering

Regulars will recall last week was Diwali and that I had my pal Aitch visiting for a few days. Today I share with you the prep of two of the dishes for the festive meal. Aitch is very sensitive to strong flavourings, so I did adjust slightly on the recipes - but that is the beauty of any spiced food - no two are the same and every one can be adapted according to taste and preference. You can read Aitch's post on the menu over HERE. 

Lots of folk ask how to make certain things, particularly curries. It occurred to me to film the preparation. I do not give specific measurements - because the way I learned was to be with my peers and 'aunties' in their kitchens and simply observe because Indian mamas are not that great at writing down recipes!!! 

Anyway, here's how it went - and I'll fill you in more in Aitch's visit next week.

Menoodling; Faffing With Food

I have always loved to cook. Point me in the direction of anything savoury and I'm yer gal. Can even run out a pudding or more. Baking, though... no. Baking was never my forte. A decent shortcrust pastry every so often, but scones? Cakes? Bread? Somehow they were never quite right. Often binnable. 

Then I happened upon the never-fail yoghurt cake/muffins recipe. Every cake I have made in the past forty years has been that, or variations upon it. They haven't all been good, but they have all been edible. I have provided this before, but it bears repeating!

YAM'S YOGHURT CAKE/MUFFIN MIX

1 measure of plain yoghurt (be that the 150/200gm carton, or a cup...)

1 measure of sunflower oil

1 measure of raw (cane) sugar (or white if you must)

3 measures of Self Raising flour (I use half/half white and wholemeal)

2 eggs lightly beaten

Place all together in a bowl and mix until all ingredients combined but do not beat. If you wish you can now add some dried fruit, a banana, or some berries... experiment!

Depending on your measure, the flour, the eggs' weight, the batter may be wetter or drier; ideally, it will be only just a dropping consistency. Too wet or too dry can give poor results. Either use a loaf tin or make muffins with it. 

Bake in an oven set at 180'C (160 if fan-forced) for about 40 minutes for muffins and a bit longer for a loaf. A knife inserted should come out clean, and there should be a slight spring-back when pressed. These buns often bear a day in a tin before eating - somehow they improve with age!

During my time in Edinburgh, I practised a bit more on the baking, though, for father did love his cakes and bakes. Cherry cake, anything with chocolate. The stollen buns of Christmas 2019 were so much of a hit, I didn't get time to photograph them! Something I learned was that baking takes practice, and improvements do occur.

Now back in my own wee Hutch, having become used to having something baked always on hand, my own sweet tooth has been sharpened. I may get around to baking some goodies for myself but am also in no hurry to do it - as there is just me to eat it and I already fight the Battle of The Bulge. I do not, however, like to be without bread. I can go for a week or even two without bread but then am overcome with a hankering, a lust, a craving for it. Now, of course, one can order from the grocery. Though, you may recall that I was given a bread oven three years back—time to get it back into use. The first loaf produced since being back home got made a few days ago. I experimented. Instead of my basic water, flour, yeast, sugar, salt, I put milk, an egg and some olives. Golly, it's good...

I have happened across a tubular channel with bread and pastries as the focus. They look to be fairly fail-safe... or should that be YAM-proof? Expect more experiments!!!

Menooooooooooowwwwwwnnn;;; Yawning, Freezing...

Am growing adept at working from bed.
Not that this is a good thing...

How are you all doing in the big freeze, those of you up here in the Northern regions? The Bonny Land is getting a lot of sub-zeroes... though nothing quite like those in Canada. Or, indeed, Siberia. It actually snowed over the Hutch on Tuesday night - but it didn't hang around other than in very shady bits. I only got one more of the kitchen cupboards sorted (report again next week) because the cold chased me back into the 'den' room. 

Am really only getting out to ablute, eat and 'empty'. There have been a couple of days where I've really not felt like cooking and I need to watch that. I have a history of occasionally going a couple of days with only water or tea going in. Other than official fasting days, that is. Just get too caught up in reading or thinking or watching or thinking or writing or thinking. Then I forget the body and its needs. Have been pretty good, though, and making pots of soup or sambar and idlis and such then freezing some of it for 'quick meals' on other days when the cooking vibe is much less. Having only a smallish freezer box on top of the refrigerator means that I am also quite good at rotating the crop, so to speak. Unlike an uncle who has three chest freezers and searching the bottom of each could be termed archaeological. 

Made pancakes earlier... will be making these again next Tuesday. You know... because... 

I used my bread flour recipe for the cakes and the additional here are honeyed curd with black pepper sauteed pineapple and fresh mint leaves. Y.U.M.M.E.R.O.O.N.I.E.S!!!

Another of my favourite toppings is frozen raspberries zapped to 'compote' in the mikrowahveh** and stirred through the curd and toss in some fresh banana. The herb that goes nicely with that is basil, though you could use a little fresh fennel or tarragon.

How do you pancake?

** there was a recent furore about Nigella Lawson playing with the word microwave... but I'm all for playing with the syllables. Didja notice???

MenU; Blame The Weim-Bros

Over at Da Phenny and Da Nelly's crib yesterday they were cookerating sauce. Due to my own scheduling, I didn't want to overload, so am running this a day late.

One of my favourite sauces, you will not be surprised to read, is what is generally called a 'curry' sauce... but the thing is that in south-east Asia, there are endless varieties of that they call 'gravy' which we have defaulted to 'curry'. Historically, it is considered that the Brits during the raj heard the word "kadhi" being used in reference to one particular dish which is a favourite of the North and Western regions - that Hindi word spoken aloud is very close to sounding like 'curry', and the Brits being lazy linguists as they generally are just then applied that word to any of the sauces that appeared on their dishes! Let me share with you one very delicious version which can be served with plain rice, pulao, kichidhi** or roti (flatbreads) for carbs and light vegetables such as stir-fried greens, okra and sweetcorn, grilled zucchini or eggplant ... or if you really must, white fish or chicken. In Punjab, it is used to place their pakora into. 

Dahi Kadhi (Yogurt Curry)

4 cups water
2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan)
2 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise 
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ghee
2 dried red chile peppers, broken into pieces
1 sprig fresh curry leaves
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seed
1 pinch asafoetida powder
¼ cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

Step 1
Mix the water, yogurt, and chickpea flour together in a large saucepan until smooth; add the green chile peppers, ginger, sugar, turmeric, coriander, cumin and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low; cook on low 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2
Heat the oil and ghee together in a small skillet over medium heat; fry the dried red chile peppers, curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seed, and asafetida powder in the mixture until the seeds splutter. Stir the mixture into the saucepan with the coriander leaves. Serve hot.

**Kichidi is another of those words the Brits approximated - it turned out as 'kedgeree'! They also altered the recipe, which is rice and dahl, lightly spiced, and turned it into the smoked haddock, egg and tomato form most of us are familiar with in the west.

Aur Khanna!!!

('and food' - meaning 'enjoy'!)

MenU; Merely a Make-do

When over at the Hutch, I was keeping things a little basic. Needed to use up some items which had been in the store for quite a while. 

One such was some frozen, ready-rolled puff pastry. Alarmingly nearly two years past use-by! What to do with it? Heck, that's easy. Omelette tarte. Slice some tomatoes, leek, green pepper (or any other similar vegetable) and soften them down in a frying pan with some sweet corn nibbles (or peas... or maybe broad beans) with a little butter, just to start the cooking.

Line a pie dish with some baking paper and arrange the pastry, pricking the base to prevent too much rise. You could, if purist, blind bake it. I didn't. Layer the vegetables evenly over the base. Whisk 3-4 eggs with 250ml milk and seasoning and pour over the veg. Top with as much shredded cheese as you can stand. Bake at 190'C/380'F until pastry golden and crisp and the egg mixture set in the middle. Serve hot or cold. 

(I'm here to tell you about it, so the two-year-out-of-date pastry was not nuclear...)

It's coming round again folks - FFF next week!!!

MenU - Yup; It's Chow Time!

This is actually being offered to you as prompted by the Weim-bros and their pal, Shoko. I'm a wee bit late, but hey, it's that time of year when we want hearty, warming, comforting food - right? 

Almost more than the famous 'cuppa', a bowl of hearty soup and a sandwich or filled bread roll can nourish and satisfy and aid recovery at all levels; especially when shared.

I first made the following recipe (adapted from a cookbook mum gave me whilst I was studying for my Domestic Science exams at school) for a family alternative Christmas dinner about 40 years ago. If used as a starter, exercise caution in the portions as it is extremely rich and filling. Otherwise, make gourmet sandwiches to go along with, and you have a superb meal.  Mum loved it, and I hope you will too.

"Three Cheese Soupreme"

 

Ingredients;

•    One head of broccoli washed and chopped into florets – the stalk can be finely diced (should be about 500gms)
•   100gms Red Leicester/Matured Cheddar cheese – grated
•   100 gms Philadelphia cream cheese
•   100 gms Stilton cheese – crumbled
•   2 vegetable stock cubes (or powdered equivalent
•   1 ltr water

Method;

Put the broccoli and stock with water into soup pan and bring to boil.  Simmer until broccoli is fork-soft.  Cool, then blend till smooth.  Return to heat and add the cheeses.  Bring together with a whisk and ensure total melting.  Serve hot with extra cheese sprinkled on top - for the presentation you may reserve one or two florets as you see in the photo.

This quantity might serve 6-8 as a starter dish; or four servings as a meal dish.  The cheese can be varied also.  You may wish to use only one or go mad and try adding five... (that was one of those 'meno moments' and resembled fondue...ahem) the cheese should all be meltable though. Wensleydale, for example, is not so good - though it is lovely crumbled on top!  

Other variations, for those who can't release their attachment to them, is the addition of onions and/or tomatoes - but be very very careful as this can really alter the delicate balance. It would suit the single cheddar version though.

A further variation can be to add a medium-sized potato with the broccoli or a couple of Jerusalem artichokes...  Go on, have a go and make it your own!!!

MenU; Bean a While...(See What I Did There?)

Quite some time since I shared recipes. Bertie, however, prompted this post. His introduction to kale was, I fear, not optimal. Had he been offered KALE CRISPS (chips), his opinion may well have been different:

↭Heat your oven to 180'C/350'F. (NB - err to the cooler side rather than hotter (e.g. 160/300): I have experienced these done in a low-heat dehydrator, and they were equally delish. I'm always in a hurry for mine, so prefer the oven method.)
↭Sort and wash the kale - use only the brightest, freshest leaves. Blackened, softened leaves are to be discarded. Tear the leaves into the desired sizes (suggest nothing larger than palm-size, probably larger coin size). If you have spray olive oil, that is the best for coating the leaves, but you can toss them in a bag with a tablespoon of oil poured in. You can either salt them now or once they are baked. I opt for the latter as our household has some BP watchers, on low-salt intake.
↭Spread loosely over baking sheet and place in the hot oven for 12-15 minutes. Watch they go to dry but do not over-colour... the difference between delish and ash is a rather close-run thing!

Another favourite recipe is, as mentioned over on Bertie's blog, the Dutch potato mash with kale. THIS IS VERY TRADITIONAL... personally I would not cook the kale this long. I usually just put it in with the potatoes. When they are done, the kale is too, and the lot gets mashed together just like that. (I also prefer to keep my potato skins on (well washed), unless they are very rough or blighted - it cuts down the acidic effects of the starch and overall better for digestion). Of course, I leave out any meat reference, but use vegetarian sausages or mix in hard-boiled eggs...

Then there is soup. Think tattie and leek. Instead of the leek, put kale and add some celery too.
➽3 hand-sized boiling potatoes, chopped into half-inch(ish) chunks: picked and cleaned kale (about six to eight ounces): two stalks of celery, stripped and diced: 2 pints/4 cups/1ltr of vegetable stock (you can use chicken or ham if that is your preference).
➽Saute the celery in a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same way you would the leeks or onion. Throw in all other ingredients and bring to boil, then simmer until everything is soft and luscious.
➽Be careful of seasoning: I generally wait until everything is tender and ready for blitzing with the stick-blender. Depends on your stock. Sometimes just salt and pepper, sometimes fresh herbs (a little rosemary powder goes well with this), or zing it up with a spoonful of lemon or lime juice.

Kale (often given the fancy name of 'cavolo nero') is a strong and robust cabbage. It lends itself well to Asian flavourings, so try using it in curries - particularly where coconut is used. Yum!

In a similar vein, strong cheeses are a good companion. Think of kale and blue-cheese gratin: or a Gruyere or other distinct cheese.

How about a 'pate'? Take a couple of handfuls of kale, cleaned etc. Steam them lightly then rinse in cold water. Add them to a blender with 100gm each of soft cheese and feta, a tablesp of olive oil, some lemon zest, a few capers or a couple of small gherkins and some fresh dill or parsley. Blend until smooth (rustic to hospital-grade, you decide). Bingo.

I mentioned beans in the title. Kale goes brilliantly with just about any bean you kare care to name. Think in terms of curry using chickpeas, kidney beans or dark lentils. Think salads with steamed kale and blackeye peas or just mixed together with fresh or frozen green peas and dressed with lemon oil (or if you must, garlic butter)...

Seriously folks, GIVE KALE A CHANCE!!!

Menonindy - industrious results.

Due to the one-handedness of both parties, there are no photos of the bun baking from two days past. Take it from me, though, it worked surprisingly well. I can do much myself. Most of the kitchen work, really. Need help with twisting off caps or ripping paper, but I am a whizz at doing the washing up one-handed and even can make soup (just chuck the veg in more or less whole to cook - the masher and stick blender do the rest!) Then there are the ready-meals which proliferate these days. Normally avoid those but there is no denying their convenience in the current restriction. Chopping fruit and veg has even become a skill - stab first then slam down.  The big risk is that I end up with RSI in the healthy wrist!

Back to the buns. You didn't ask, but here it is anyway. You will need a muffin tin of 12 pots. Set the oven for 180'C/350F to preheat.

• 1 cup chopped dried fruit (I put raisins and chopped dates, but figs, sultanas, currants, prunes would all suit; apricot and cherries not so much as these are intended for health over sweet!)
• 1 cup cold tea - we had Assam, but this could be anything for flavour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 2 eggs (without the shells, she says, knowing someone somewhere needs to be told this...)
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1          "        golden, or brown, sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 2 cups self-raising flour + as much more as required (another half cup maybe) to mix to a stiff-dropping batter. Do not overmix, just ensure all dry is incorporated.

Divide the mixture 12 ways evenly (approx tablespoon and a half per unit). Bake for 30 minutes and test for 'spring back' - should be firm, but give up to an extra five minutes bake if you wish.

These are a marriage of my own yoghurt cake mixture and memories of my mother's 'health loaf' which used the tea-soaked fruit and All Bran... the results are a firm, barmbrack sort of bun which I ate split, buttered and spread with honey and with a banana on the side. They may not look that big, but the cereal and dried fruit have good, low glycaemic index, thus held fully until lunchtime. (Just one. Two would have been gluttony!)

Now... the question is... can the Hindertwig tales appear next week?????

Me-Now-Views; when callers come a-visiting, continued

Yesterday, it was mentioned that pre-Christmas there was one day which held a bit more festivity than most of the others that week. Jock came to stay for each of the days, but on Tuesday, he had to snoopervise the cookerising in the Hutch's kitchen, as his mum was coming to try out aunty's food.

The smells were very different to what he was used to. The menu?  Palak Paneer, Chana Dhal, Coconut Sambal, Jeera Chawal, Butter Chilis and Chapattis. For sweet, Rasa Malai, with banana and pomegranate. In keeping with this day's usual presentation, the remainder of this post will be images only.

A festive feast, Maharashtrian-style. Jock discovered he loved chapatti. All was well with the world.