Ah summertime .......

it’s that wonderful time of year for fruits and, if you’re lucky enough, to start picking tomatoes and other goodies from your gardens whether they be extensive or a few simple pots. Herbs should be going wild so now’s the time to collect bunches for drying. My marjoram is about taking over the side terrace just from a small pot - perhaps that’s an exaggeration but .... 

our basil is looking good! Nothin better than breakfast bruschetta especially made with herbs straight out of the garden. If you have lots of herbs think about turning them into pestos or gremolata (recipe recently posted). And don’t forget Asian salads. Herbs remind me of Armenia and the banquets they laid for us each meal - all with fresh herb salads. One other word- tabouli!  

Pickle the seeds from your nasturtium, they taste akin to capers. And all that mint that spreads out like benign triffids - make mint jelly now for winter roasts. 

And soon it will be time for jams and sauces so start digging out those jars in readiness. 

And if you don’t consume a lot of these yummy things, think gifts. 

Berries abound so it time for syllabubs, fools, summer puddings and Champaign fruit jellies - if you have any left over! Stock up on cream or yogurt. 

Of course fruit et al will be plentiful, fresh and lovely at the Markets so look out the bargains. Marinated mushrooms or eggplant are good for antipasto. So many things you can do - let your eyes and taste buds inspire you! 

Recipes for some of the ideas above I have posted earlier. Just use the search tool on the blog site. 

Happy harvesting!

Raspberry Syllabub

This is a pic of Jamie's syllabub - the two recipes are similar.

Ingredients
500-600g of raspberries
3+ Tbsp caster sugar (depends on how seeet you like it)
Zest of 1 orange
2-3 Tbsp of sweet dessert wine and/or orange juice 
600ml double cream or 300ml cream and 200-300gm plain yogurt 
Servings: 6

Method
Place the raspberries and zest in a bowl, sprinkle with the sugar and drizzle over the wine, then set aside for a few minutes to macerate.
Meanwhile, whip the cream to soft peaks in a separate bowl - and add yogurt if using. Fold raspberries into the cream mix into the raspberry mixture. 
Either divide between serving glasses or pile into large pretty bowl.
Top with a sprig mint if desired. 

Chook's note: you can use drained tinned or frozen raspberries. Or try other berries. 

Osso Buco with anchovies and sage

Sorry I didn't take any pix - we just dug in and forgot! The flavours are sensational. (This pic is via NYT cooking.)
Ingredient
Flour for dredging meat
4-6 veal or lamb shanks, cut into chunks 3-4 cm thick if possible
½ cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 more or less anchovy fillets
10 leaves fresh sage (or 1 1/2 tsp dried at a stretch)
1-2 cups dry white wine
Chicken stock as needed
1 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Serves 4-6

Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Dredge shanks in flour and shake off excess. Pour olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add shanks and brown on all sides. Remove meat from pan, and place in large ovenproof casserole dish.
Pour off oil leaving 2 Tbsp in the pan. Add garlic, anchovies and sage, and saute for 2 mins. Add white wine and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of the pan. Pour liquid over meat in casserole. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 2 -3 hrs, or until meat is soft.
Remove meat to a serving platter. Pour juices in the casserole into a saucepan. There should be about 1 1/2 cups – if not make up with chicken stock. Reduce liquid by half - about 10 to 15 mins over high heat. Swirl in the butter, seasoning to taste, and pour liquid over the meat.

Chook’s note:  I like to serve it with either good mash or Milanese risotto with gremolata on the side (see recipe 26 November 2018).  This is a very forgiving recipe so tweak the quantities of  sage and/or anchovies to your own taste. I love the anchovies, they just melt into the sauce and give a rich but subtle saltiness. 
I sometimes cook this the day before so I can lift off the fat - there's so much especially if you use lamb shanks. 

Italian mustard fruits

This traditional Italian preserve is quick and easy to make, and is wonderful served with pate, roast pork, grilled quail or hams and cheeses. I'm sure you can think of other serving ideas!
Ingredients
500 ml white wine vinegar or 400ml plus 100ml water
2 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds
1 kg dried apricots
½ cup lemon juice and rind of 1 lemon, thinly sliced
600g white sugar
1 tsp minced horseradish
1 cinnamon stick + 12 whole cloves
Makes 1.6 to 1.8 depends on the fruit (1/2 measure made 3x300ml jars).

Method
Bring the vinegar, water and mustard seeds to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Leave to cool and infuse for 1 hour. Discard half the mustard seeds.
Prepare the fruit by washing, removing the stones or pips and cutting up any larger fruits.
Cook the sugar and spices to the vinegar over gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved stirring all the while.
Add lemon juice and rind, horseradish and fruit and cook gently a few minutes or until just soften.
Pack the fruit and spices into the sterilised warm jar/s and pour over the syrup. Seal jars immediately and leave for a minimum of 1 month before eating (if you can wait that long!).

Chook’s note: I like and have used dried apricots, but you could use mixed fruit - peaches, apricots, plums, cherries & figs. 
Save the extra mustard seeds to mix into something else – mayo, oil, vinegar, or what about mustard butter for crusty bread or on sangers.

Muesli Biscuits with Golden Syrup

I needed to use up some good natural muesli and found this recipe. They are buttery and chewy - depending on how long you cook them,

Ingredients
2 Tbsp boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125 g butter, melted, cooled
2 Tbsp maple syrup/golden syrup
220 g natural muesli
150 g firmly packed) brown sugar
150 g plain flour

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
Combine the water and bicarbonate of soda. Add to the melted butter and syrup and stir to combine.
Place the muesli, brown sugar and flour in a large mixing bowl. Pour in butter mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix until well combined.
Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the lined trays about 5cm apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Stand on baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Chook's note: you could use maple syrup instead of golden syrup. You may need to adjust the flour up if the muesli has lots of fruit in it as that can make the biscuits more moist - still yummy though!

Gremolata

This amazing dollop adds a delish zing to loads of things - just try it!
Ingredients
1 cup packed flat leaf parsley (thin stems are fine to leave in)
1-2 garlic cloves
Zest of one small lemon, plus 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ cup olive oil (or less depending on the thickness of the mixture)
⅛ tsp salt and pepper, more to taste
pinch chili flakes or use fresh – optional
Makes 2/3 - 1 cup

Method
Place parsley, garlic and zest in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
Add oil, salt & pepper and lemon juice. Pulse again, until uniformly combined but don't beat the heck out of it.
Add chili flakes for a touch of heat if you like. I definitely like!
Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. It also freezes well - pop spoonfuls in ice-cube tray and then bag once frozen.

Chook's note:  I always have semi-dried chili in the fridge. They add better colour than dried, and are also softer on the mouth. 
Don't through out all those beautiful herbs when they start taking over the garden turn them into sauces like this. try a mixture of different herbs if you don't have enough parsley. Be creative! 
I've used it on homemade pizzas, on steak, pork chops, and with feta cheese.  It would be wonderful with pasta tossed with EV olive oil and a few anchovies perhaps.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

These look terrific, are fresh and healthy, and are easy to make. Prep time can be lengthy if you are julienning lots of veges, but it's worth it - everybody loves them. 

I hadn’t made these for years so the rolls looked a bit wonky - but they tasted good!

Ingredients

14-16 sheets of 22cm round rice paper

120g dried vermicelli noodles

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp fish sauce

soft lettuce leaves - Oak or Butter, enough for 1 or 1/2 per roll

bunch large mint leaves, enough for 2-3 per roll

julienned carrot

1 long cucumber, cut in fine strips

snow peas, blanched and cooled

red capsicum cut into thun strips

coriander leaves and stalks

Optional 

asparagus, halved, lightly blanched and cooled

large basil leaves, enough for 1-2 per roll

bean sprouts

strips of avocado

cooked prawns peeled

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce

1 Tbsp peanut butter

2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar or lime juice

1/3 cup milk or water to thin

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp crushed chilli or chilli paste, adjust to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients. Mix briefly, then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix again until smooth. Set aside to cool. 

Adjust sourness with vinegar or lime juice, and salt to taste.  

2. Place vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with hotwater for 8 minutes, drain. Mix through lemon juice and fish sauce then cool.

3. Blanch the asparagus and snow peas. Wash lettuce and remove the core of the leaves - to make it easier to roll up.

4. Fill a large bowl or baking pan with hot water - the sheets soften quicker the hotter the water. You can rotate the sheet if you don't have a large pan, in fact keeping hold of the sheet allows you judge when it's ready to roll. DON'T make it too soft otherwise it will tear.  The rice paper will continue to soften as it absorbs moisture from work surface and vegetables.  

5. Assembling rolls - have everything ready to go!

Place the rice paper on work surface smooth side down - and woork quickly.

Arrange 1-3 mint leaves face side down in the centre so the rolls look pretty from the outside once rolled. If using prawns place these on the centre with mint leaves also. It's all about visibility.

Place vegetables and vermicelli in the centre of the sheet (see note below).

Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll firmly. The rice paper is sticky so it will seal itself.

6. Place rolls on damp tray as they are completed and cover with damp clean tea towel. Leave covered with damp cloth or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till ready to serve.

Serve with the peanut dipping sauce.

Chooks notes:

You can roll the veges and noodle in lettuce leaf to keep them all together - makes it easier to handle. 

I have used both rice vermicelli noodles and bean thread noodle (also known as cellophane or glass noodles). I prefer the bean thread noodles.

I keep my work surface damp and place completed rolls on a damp tray and cover with a damp tea towel. 

Best eaten the same day, but I have found any left overs keep OK for a day or so covered with plastic. 

These taste delicious served with commercially prepared Vietnamese dipping sauce with a little lime juice added to tone down the sweetness. Or make your own as follows:

Mix together -

3 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp sugar

½ cup water

2 ½ Tbsp fish sauce (add a bit at a time to taste)

1 small garlic clove, finely minced

1 or 2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced or 1 tsp chili sauce 

Pho's Thai Chicken Salad

I love Pho's recipes and have learnt so much from her - and probably forgotten half of it! Regular guests on Pho's cooking show, Neil Perry and David Thompson, are also brilliant and gentle teachers.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a light meal

4 limes, juiced OR ½ cup lime freshly squeezed lime juice

2 Tbsp fish sauce

2 - 3 Tbsp caster sugar

1 - 2 bird’s eye chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 roast chicken (from local chicken shop or supermarket), meat shredded finely

½ small Chinese cabbage or 10 - 12 leaves, shredded finely

1 scant cup chopped coriander including stalks

1 ½ cup fresh mint leaves finely shredded or chopped

1 medium red onion, finely sliced or 1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

1 continental cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthways, seeds sliced off and discarded, sliced on diagonally 2 - 3mm width

4 Tbsp roasted rice powder (see below)

Method

To make dressing, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chilli (if using), mix until sugar is dissolved and set aside.

Combine all ingredients and toss gently until well combined. Serve immediately.

Roasted rice powder 

This is used in many Thai dishes for its delicious nutty flavour. I love it!

To make heat ¼ cup of uncooked glutinous rice (available in Asian grocer) in a fry pan on medium heat (not too hot or rice will be uncooked on inside and burnt on outside). Continue to agitate rice by tossing or with a spatula, until golden. Allow to cool completely before grinding in an electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle. If pounding with mortar & pestle, pound 2 Tbsp at a time or you will have trouble reaching each grain. The grains should be like the size of course cooking salt. Store unused powder in an airtight glass jar in fridge. 

Chook’s note: I have used other rice than glutinous but Pho recommends glutinous rice as they don’t seem to break down in the same way, adding an unpleasant graininess to dishes. Use what you have and see how it goes.

Mulligatawny soup 

Mulligatawny literally means ‘pepper water’ and is believed to be loosely based on an Indian stew the Brits loved during the Raj. There are many variations it seems, but this is my version which we love.
Ingredients
90 gm butter
1 onion sliced or diced
1-2 tsp garam masala
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp curry powder
500 gm uncooked chicken
½ cup lentils
2 Tbsp flour
½ cup tomato puree
2 L stock
1 cup cooked rice

Method
Melt butter and fry onions till golden, add spices and cook for 1 min,
Add chicken and fry for 5 mins
Add remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 1.5-2 hours.
You can remove the chicken after 30 mins or leave in.  makes little difference to the flavor.
To serve you can serve as is or strain and add some of the chicken and rice to individual bowls. I add a dollop of plain yogurt.

Chook’s note: I rather like the texture of the lentils etc so I don’t strain the soup. I also add the rice to the soup rather than pour the hot soup over it in the serve dish.  I take the simple way – and if like me, you are freezing some of it, having all the ingredients together makes it simpler.    

Pork and veal Terrine

With summer on the way this is delicious to pack in the basket with crusty bread and pickles for a picnic or simply taking a bottle of champers to a favourite chill out spot.

Ingredients
1 kg very cold veal, pork mince and pork fat in equal amounts
2 egg yokes or use whole egg
3 cloves garlic crushed or 2 tsp minced
1 Tbsp dried rosemary,
1-2 Tbsp thyme,
½ tsp white pepper
Good sprinkle of all spice, cinnamon
1 Tbsp lemon zest tight packed
1-2 tsp salt
1/3 cup pistachios
½ cup cream
1/3 cup flour
Optional
2-3 chicken livers
Porcini or shiitake mushrooms soaked in cognac, or use fresh with a ¼+ cup brandy

Line and cover meat mixture with streaky bacon. 

Method
Mix all together, slapping it in the bowl to activate the protein
If using livers, sear and trim.
Line a loaf tin with bacon strips and fill with 1/2 the mixture then lay livers and/or mushrooms over mixture, add remaining meat mixture.
Cover tightly with baking paper then foil
Bake 165 C (fan forced) 1 hr 30 mins in water bath (pan filled with hot water to half way up side of tin)
Cool then refrigerate.

Chook's note: I added another Tbsp of lemon zest and also a big Tbsp of orange zest plus 1/4 cup orange juice for extra zing. I couldn’t  get pork fat so I settled for fatty pork and veal mince. Tastes fabulous!
The purists say to use pork fat. Yummy as that might be it is simply way too naughty for our household. So I use half and half minced pork and minced veal.

Uzbek Plov

This recipe was given to me when we visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan this year. It's delicious.

Ingredients
1kg fat lamb, shoulder or rib 
1kg medium grain rice (paella type)
200-250ml oil
1 kg carrot
2-3 medium size onions, thin sliced
1-1.5 Tbsp cumin
10g raisins
10-12 black peppercorns
2-3 whole heads garlic (the younger the better)
A few whole chillies
Salt to taste

To cook: 5 lt wise heavy-based pan or pot

Method
1. Wash the rice under running water until clear, cover with boiling water and let it soak for a while. Cut the meat with bones into match-box sized pieces. Cut the carrots into thick sticks (1/2 cm thick). Clean the heads of garlic from roots etc.
2. Heat oil in cooking pot on high heat, deep fry meat until golden brown in a few batches. Fry onions until golden, add meat back and mix well.  Add carrot, stir from time to time, until it starts to wilt and browns a little (15-20 mins).  Add the cumin – crush it just a little to release the flavor- and peppercorns and stir gently to keep carrot from breaking.
3. Lower heat to moderate, pour on hot water sufficient to cover, add salt and let it simmer for 40 mins until almost all water is evaporated and meat is tender. As with paella, resist the urge to stir!
4.  Turn heat to high. Drain rice and place of top of meat and vegs in one layer, stick the garlic and whole chilis in it and scatter raisins if using and carefully pour on boiling water over, being careful not to disturb the rice too much. Cover the rice with about 2 cm of water and let it boil. Add salt. As the water is absorbed reduce the heat but still keeping it gently boiling.  Check as the water is absorbed to ensure it is cooked but still al dente (make holes in the rice to the bottom of the pan to check water level).
5.  Reduce heat to minimum. Cover tightly with a lid and let it steam for 20 mins.  Turn off the heat, remove the garlic and chilies to a separate plate. Carefully mix rice with meat and carrots, adjust seasoning if needed.
Pile the plov onto a big warm plate and serve with garlic, chilies and thinly sliced tomato, sweet onions, chili and salt salad. Enjoy!



Chook’s note: Meat cuts in Uzbekistan are different to Australian but the trick is to incorporate bone and fat for a deep, rich flavour.

The salad is obviously a matter of choice. Serve with whatever takes your fancy. I squished the garlic back into the rice mixture - yum. 
Central Asians love fatty fried meat, but this dish would not suffer if you pulled back on the oil and used a leaner cut but remember fat means flavor! Its worth trying it with goat or beef.

Smoked fish chowder 

Ingredients
30g butter
1 onion sliced
2 Tbsp plain flour
2 cups milk
2 cups fish stock (or chicken stock with a splash of fish sauce)
½ cup white wine
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 2cm cubes
400g smoked cod, bones and skin removed and flesh torn into large pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped parsley
Serves 4

Method
Heat the butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 3-4 mins or until starting to soften (do not allow to brown).
Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 min, ensure the flour doesn’t brown on the base of the pan. Gradually add the milk whisking until smooth. Add the stock and wine and continue to stir for 3-4 min or until the mixture thickens slightly.
Bring to a simmer and add the potatoes. Cook for 6-8 mins or until potatoes have softened.
Add the cod and cook for a further 5 mins. Stir through seasoning and parsley.

Chook’s note: this is so simple but very tasty.  Try either substituting or adding mixed seafood for a more complex flavor if you prefer.  Serve in scooped out sour dough cobb loaf for a touch of the San Francisco pier front.

A few bits and pieces to tart up some of your dishes

Tarragon tartare sauce
This is a delicious twist on an oldie
Ingredients
2 Tbsp cornichons (sm gherkins) finely chopped
1 Tbsp baby capers (in vinegar not the salted ones), drained and finely chopped
1/2-1 anchovy fillet finely chopped
1 shallots finely diced (could substitute a little onion)
1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley chopped (could use dried parsley but go easy)
1 tsp tarragon leaves chopped
150g mayonnaise
Salt and white pepper to taste
Lemon juice to taste

Method
Mix all chopped ingredients into mayonnaise and adjust seasoning and lemon juice to taste.

Crispy capers
Crisp in pan with little oil. wonderful zingy surprise topping. Oh and another crispy mouth popper is fried rosemary. Try it.

Mushrooms - dried

* Try blitzing dried mushrooms, whatever variety you have in the cupboard, to add to casseroles, soups or sprinkling on risotto. Dont use too much because they can be very strong.

* Save the liquid from when you soak dried mushies and freeeze in ice cube trays. Good to add a little extra flavour to many dishes.
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Curried parsnip soup

This is a real favourite - if you can get good parsnips! You can substitute cauliflower for parsnip or even use both. I have also mixed carrot and parsnip with great taste outcome.
Ingredients
3Tbsp olive oil
2Tbsp butter
8 brown shallots, finely sliced
4 large parsnips, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp curry powder
4.5 cups milk
1.25 cups cream (you can substitute milk for the cream without compromising the flavour)
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander to serve

Method
Heat oil and butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cooked until soft then add curry powder stir then add the parsnip. Cook for 5 mins.
Add milk and cream, bring up close to the boiled and cook gently uncovered for 20 mins (vegetables should be cooked through and soft).
Cool a little then purée. Add seasoning if needed.
Serve sprinkled with coriander and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serves 4-6 depending on serving size.
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Pumpkin Soups

Before we went travelling, a lovely man gave me a humongous pumpkin which sat patiently waiting for us to return. I have made a couple of soups and I've still got loads left. First is a creamy and tangy favourite and the other, Seedy Pumpkin, I threw together many years ago. It's one of those recipes that jiggles around a central idea - in this case pumpkin and seeds.

Thai-style pumpkin and coconut cream soup

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 brown shallots, finely sliced
60g fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp chopped lemongrass (white part only)
good pinch chilli powder
6 cups peeled and diced butternut pumpkin
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 270ml can coconut cream
11/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
splash fish sauce (I add at least 2 Tbsp)
juice of 1 lime
1-2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
Optional
coriander leaves
roasted, chopped macadamia nuts
Serves 5-6

Method
Place olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
Add shallots, ginger, lemongrass and chilli powder and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Add pumpkin and stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently until the pumpkin is very tender.
Puree the soup. I use a stick blender – be careful of the splashes! Or you can pop it in a blender in small batches.
Add coconut cream, season with salt, pepper and fish sauce, and heat through without allowing soup to boil. Adjust seasoning, then add lime juice and finely shredded kaffir lime leaves.
To serve:  just as is or garnish with shredded lime leaves, coriander and macadamias.

Chook's note:  You can substitute fresh chili but be careful not to spoil the delicate flavor of the pumpkin, the ginger will add a certain amount of heat.
Don’t overdo the lime leaves. Some can be quite strong and you risk overpowering the delicate flavor of this creamy soup.
If like me you shred and freeze lime leave when they are available, add 1-2 Tbsp to the soup)
If you prefer a less creamy soup use coconut milk but get a good brand.
Fish sauce! We have developed quite a ‘thing’ for fish sauce. Ghastly smell in the bottle but an amazing flavor enhancer.  We usually add it slowly a few tsp at a time. You’ll find individual flavours, such as the lemon grass, are heightened the more you add BUT there is a limit! Be careful to STOP BEFORE you start tasting the fish sauce. It’s a fine balance!

Seedy pumpkin soup

Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp butter and/or oil
1-2 Tbsp of the following to taste
Mung beans (if available)
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seed
Caraway seeds
Mint and tarragon – dried or fresh (don’t overdo it)
3-4 spring onions or 1 leek - sliced
Pumpkin 6 cups chopped
2 -3 cups stock – depends on the type of pumpkin
Salt and white pepper to taste
'Splash' of fish sauce to enhance if needed

Method
Heat the oil and butter and brown the seeds and beans. Add the onion or leek and saute till soft and aromatic. Add the pumpkin and stock and bring to the boil.  Add the herbs.
When the pumpkin is soft, blend and mash leaving some texture for mouth feel. Adjust seasoning and, if you have it, add fish sauce cautiously to taste.  Add a little sour cream or crème fraiche if you like a creamier soup.

Chook's note: This is a fairly forgiving recipe but remember not to overpower the delicate flavor of the pumpkin.  It’s one of my ‘make it up as you go’ recipes written on a scrap of paper at some point in its history so the quantities are not necessarily balanced. Just taste as you go. 
Be creative and add ingredients that appeal to you. 

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July-August Travelling a deux along the low roads!

For those of you who have not been initiated into the finer art of cooking in a way-too-small camper van with just one workable gas burner - and a microwave (when there’s power), you might get a chuckle from this -  or vow never to try it! 

We worked out that we can cook on both gas burner and microwave at the same time if we set up the microwave on the bed (resting on the top of the little picnic table). What do they say about necessity and mother! Safety issues? hmm well .....

Our fare was simple. Sometimes we relied on prepared meals which we could simply bung in the microwave. Tescos supermarkets stock a good range from curries and Irish stew to fish pie and pasta. But I usually supplement these with fresh vege - to get all those lovely vitamins and minerals. 

Then there’s the trusty favourite omelette to which I usually add leftovers and the absolutely essential ingredients - onion and butter! We managed to cook various meats - pork, rissoles - to serve with swede, potatoes and beetroot, leek and greens. And there’s a lot to be said for baked beans with jacket potato or a good Irish pie - we’ve had a couple of corkers. All with cholesterol-free butter of course 😏!

We ate well albeit as I said, simply. At the end of the day of driving and sightseeing, I was not very creative.  I was the navigator and trying to predict which roads to take when I only see the signs for  4-5 seconds and the places not on any of the maps I was using - not to mention they are written in Gaelic and English and some only in Gaelic! We travelled a lot of the time in the Gaeltacht so it can be more than a tad confusing. End result was that my brain was rather stretched by the end of the day and well and truly ready for a cider or beer or wine with some good Irish cheese. We were pretty happy campers! 

Essentials shopping list. 

A selection of cheeses, butter, mayo and mustard (for the sandwiches), onion, crackers (for the cheeses), and spreads for the crackers for afternoon snacks when the worms start to gnaw, bags of nuts (personal favourites roasted pistachio). Fresh fruit and vegetables along the way; we’ve been eating delicious plump cherries ever since China. And an absolute essential is a supply of wine etc. 

An ‘interesting’ mixture of leftovers tray to turn into an omelette. It was delicious. 

Our wee van which was home for 5 weeks

The backdrop mist nights was pretty magic. Here it was so quiet except for the sound of a mountain stream rushing over rocks 50 metres away. Doesn’t get much better than that. Food seems secondary - but not the wine!!

Rabbit and onion casserole (Lepur çomlek)

Another rustic Balkan country dish from Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul. The food on that series was simple but absolutely delicious Rick. Thanks.

Ingredients
1 rabbit, cleaned and jointed
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
50ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
3 whole allspice berries
1/2 cinnamon stick
100ml red wine
160ml chicken stock, hot
1 tbsp tomato purée
2-3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
300g baby onions or shallots, peeled and left whole
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 160C
1. Wash the rabbit pieces well, then pat dry and put in a bowl with the bay leaves and pour over the vinegar. Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge. Make sure you have removed as many little bones as possible.
2. Heat a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil in a flameproof lidded casserole pan over a high heat and fry the rabbit pieces in batches until they are well browned all over. Return all the rabbit pieces to the pan along with the bay leaves from the marinade.
3. Add the garlic, allspice berries, cinnamon stick and red wine. Bring to the boil. Add the chicken stock, tomato purée, tomatoes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and cook for 1–1½ hours until the rabbit is tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the baby onions gently, stirring frequently, until just golden-brown all over. This should take about 10–15 minutes. Add the sugar halfway through to help them to caramelise. Tip the onions into the pot containing the rabbit just before it’s done and stir through.

Serve with rice or orzo pasta. Serves 5-6 people

Chook's note: The onions are the piece de resistance in this dish. 
I saved the heart and kidneys for a breakfast fry-up with a tiny bit of mustard and tomato paste or Worcestershire sauce, onion and bacon and onion. 

Albanian baked lamb with rice (Tavë kosi)

Tavë kosi is a national dish in Albania, it’s similar to Greek moussaka. From Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul. Thanks Rick.

Ingredients
70g butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.2kg boned lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm cubes
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
60g long-grain rice, rinsed
50g plain flour
600ml Greek-style yoghurt
4 eggs, beaten
freshly grated nutmeg, to finish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serves 8

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C
1. Heat 20g of the butter and the olive oil in a large lidded pan over a high heat. Brown the lamb in batches.
2. Return all the lamb to the pan. Add the garlic, oregano and 200ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered with a lid, for about 45–60 minutes until the lamb is tender.
3. Stir in the rice, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 3 L earthenware or other ovenproof dish.
4. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and make a roux, cook for 2 minutes, then take off the heat. Add the yoghurt and mix well, then return to the heat and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat, add the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the sauce over the lamb and rice mixture, grate fresh nutmeg on top and bake for 40–45 minutes until starting to turn golden-brown.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a simple lettuce salad.

Chook's note: I’ve made this with lamb mince and it tasted fine. Not as rich as the slow cook shoulder but when needs must ……
I also use this sauce recipe with Greek moussaka – it’s delish. 

Salmon en Croute

 The sauce for this one has watercress. [realfood.tesco.com]  

Ingredients
150g fresh salmon per person
Puff pastry sheets
1 leek (sliced)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp horseradish
200 ml cream
Salt and pepper
1 egg beaten

Method
Cook the leek in butter over low heat. After 2 mins add the cream and horseradish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently cook a further 5 mins.
Place a try in the fridge till cool. Cut a square of puff pastry and place a spoonful of the leek mixture on it then place salmon on top.
Brush around the edges with egg. And wrap like a parcel.
Brush all over with egg and cook 200 C for 20 minutes until golden.

Serve with potato mash and steamed asparagus (option - top with Beurre blanc)

Beurre blanc
Cook ½ small onion chopped on gentle heat till soft.
Add 100ml white wine and reduce by half, then add 1 Tbsp cream.  Gently whisk in 100g cold diced butter until you have a smooth silky sauce.

Chook’s note: You could add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves or watercress to the leek sauce. You could also substitute crème fraiche or cream cheese for the cream. There are loads of sauce variations you could try – this is the one I learnt to make. 
You can be as creative as you like with the parcel – cut the pastry in the shape of a fish, lattice the top sheet or decorate with pastry cut outs. 

Recipe from Rob’s Cooking class, Graduate House, Melbourne 2008-9. Thanks Rob the classes were fantastic!
The chef-teacher was Robert Goodman who formerly worked at the Michelin Star ‘Le Gavroche Restaurant’ in Mayfair, London. 

Goat curry - Slow-cooked 

Goat meat is not always easy to find but it's getting more and more popular; I get mine at the markets.  It's delicious and richer than lamb or mutton.  This recipe is tried and true and so simple.

Courtesy  Ashley myheartbeets.com 

Ingredients
1kg goat meat (I used rump end of leg cut into chops)
2 red onions, chopped
4cm knob fresh ginger, minced (I used frozen because I had it)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp ghee (butter if you don’t have ghee)
4 cloves (whole)
2 cardamom pods
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (if using cayenne use less)
1 tsp paprika
1-2 Serrano pepper, minced (I use 2 small or 1 long red chili)
2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Add later:
1 400g can diced tomatoes or use fresh tomatoes
1 tsp garam masala, add more to taste
1/2 cup water - if needed

Method
In a coffee/spice grinder, finely grind cloves and cardamom (and the other spices if you are suing whole seeds).
In crock pot, add all ingredients listed except tomatoes, water and garam masala (add this at the end).
Set to high and cook for 4 hours – stirring the curry every hour or so.
After 4 hrs, add tomatoes, garam masala and water. Cook on high for another hour or until the meat is tender.

Chook's note: I often dried-roast the spices before grinding. This is not necessary but I adore the smell of them cooking. 
The original recipe asked for 800g diced tomato but I find this too much and would typically use half that amount or use chopped 3-4 fresh tomatoes. The tomatoes soften the bite of the chili so if you like it hot, taste as you add the tomatoes.
Lots of changes I know but that's what it's all about - adapting to individual taste. If you taste the dish halfway through and think it's too hot please just wait as the tomatoes and long cooking smooth out the taste a bit. In the end the heat in the chili you use will impact final taste. 

If you can't buy goat and lean mutton or lamb will make a very tasty dish but get cuts with the bone in as it makes for a richer dish.

​Broccoli, celeriac and watercress soup

Soups are a marvelous meal and very forgiving if you monkey around with the ingredients.  Try this out for size!

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small bulb (300g) celeriac, peeled, chopped
1 L stock chicken or vegetable
300g broccoli, cut into small florets
1 1/2 cups watercress sprigs, roughly chopped (see note)
1/3 cup pure cream
Serves 4

Method
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened.
Add celeriac, stock and 1 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the celeriac is tender.
Add broccoli. Cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. Add watercress. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Process mixture until smooth. Add cream and heat through ~ 5 minutes. Season with pepper.
Serve topped with chives and cream.

Chooks note: if celeriac is not available use celery.
I didn’t have watercress so used nasturtium leaves as they have a similar peppery taste. 
Substitute crème fraiche for the cream if you prefer.
Lots of variations work and produce delish soup. Experiment!

Basil-Walnut pesto

The basil was about falling over the edge of the tub and flowers developing so I cut back loads and turned those gloriously vivid green leaves into fragrant pesto.  I didn't have pine nuts so I cracked and used the last of last autumn's walnuts from NE Victoria. Yum! Good excuse to make a return trip, you think?

Ingredients
2 cups packed basil leaves (approx a lg bunch) or use rocket or spinach or a combination
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄2 cup finely chopped walnuts (toasted) or substitute almonds or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
juice and zest 1/2 lemon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Method
Place basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest and salt in food processor.
Blend until thoroughly combined.
Add parmesan and blend 5-10 seconds more.
Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
Serve over pasta with bread and salad.
Serves 6

Chook's note: if you plan to stored it, top with olive oil to slow oxidation. It freezes well. I spoon into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen pop out and bag and store in the freezer.    
Perfect for a simple bruschetta or quick pasta lunch or as a topping for homemade pizza with fetta, tomato and bacon or good ham.

​Peach and Chili chutney

I love the colour combination of the ingredients

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 red onion, sliced
700g (prepared weight) firm peaches (7- 8), peeled and diced
3 thumb-sized red chilies, finely chopped (hot ones) or 6 mild
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
1 tbsp cumin seed
Seeds from 10 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
½ bunch basil and a bit of fresh mint - roughly shredded
150g brown sugar
200ml cider vinegar
salt

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until starting to soften. Add the remaining ingredients (spices first if only to give you that wonderful blast of aroma as the spices cook), increase the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peaches have softened – this will take about 45 mins.
Transfer the chutney to hot jars, seal and leave to cool before eating. Makes about 1 L of chutney.
The chutney can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within 4 weeks.

Chock's note: I have kept it longer than 4 weeks in the fridge. It improves with age.
The chutney is not very hot but if you don't like any heat, reduce chilies to 1 or 2 sm.
I'd just give the cumin and cardamon seeds a tiny tap in the pestle to release a wee bit more flavour - but don't crush them as their wholeness is pretty in the jars.

​Peach Jam

Ingredients
1.1kg peaches (prepared fruit), firm ripe
550g white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 sm lemon
½ tsp chopped ginger
½ tsp tartaric acid

Method
Halve peaches and extract stones. Chop fruit roughly (I prefer chunks of fruit in my jam rather than a smooth puree).
Put fruit in a large stainless steel saucepan with a little of the water - you may not need to use it all - and bring slowly to a simmer until fruit is tender. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
Cut lemon into slivers (remove seeds) and add to pot. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly but with great care for about 15 minutes (until it starts to set when tested on a cold plate) - the ideal is a rolling boil that won't foam over. Take the pan off the heat immediately if this starts to happen.
Ladle into warm jars as fully as possible before sealing.
Makes ~1.5L jam

Chocks note: Invert jars immediately after sealing; this avoids the need to sterilise the lids.