5 weeks break - pine mushroom schnitzels

Here's another recipe idea for using Pine Mushrooms. I chose the smallest button Saffron Milkcaps we picked on Sunday for this dish.

After cleaning the mushrooms with a dry paper towel to brush off dirt and pine needles I trimmed the stems a little.  I mixed breadcrumbs with freshly ground salt and pepper and dried marjoram.  I double crumbed the mushrooms by dipping in egg, crumbs, then repeating.

I deep fried the mushrooms which quickly formed a crisp crust.  

Served with Donna Hay's coriander mayo.  Delicious.  This will actually work for any type of firm fleshed mushrooms but pine mushrooms are so special having such a short season.

5 weeks break - Day 7 cooking homemade potato chips

Good Friday, raining outside and I have a hankering for fresh potato chips or crisps as they call them in the UK. 

I need 

• potatoes
• oil
• salt

All check. 

Howard's the chip expert so I peel the potatoes, heat up the deep fryer, get everything ready for the master. Howard has been making chips for years. They are a great party trick. The biggest challenge is not eating them all as they come from the fryer, actually letting some make it to a bowl. Ever seeking the perfect chip Howard wanted to try a new technique - an hour later we sat down to enjoy our crispy chips.  Slow food!  Howard is still on a quest for improvements but I thought they were great.

So I peeled and washed the spuds. Howard thinly sliced and rinsed again. Then we laid them out on trays to dry.  At first we tried a baking paper lined tray in the oven but they just stewed in their own juices. Our next trick was cookie cooling racks on the top of our hot combustion stove which worked a treat. They actually got thinner - don't leave them too long however as they'll cook. 

Deep fry until crispy. Drain on paper. Sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. We enjoyed them in front of the fire with a crispy white wine and firecracker cheese from Tilba. An indulgent treat but good, simple fare.

Zucchini and feta balls

Here's the second recipe: zucchini and feta balls. I have eaten something similar at cafes and wondered how they did it! It is so, so easy.



1 medium zucchini
1/2 packet feta
1/3 cup plain flour
1/3 cup breadrumbs
1 egg
chopped eschallots
chopped herbs - sage, parsley, thyme

Grate zucchini and mix with egg, eschallots, herbs and chopped feta.  Stir in flour and breadcrumbs. Should be just dry enough to form into balls. Add more breadcrumbs if necessary.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer.
Form balls then roll in extra breadcrumbs. Fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Drain on paper towels.

Enjoy with hot sauce or aioli.

These take about 10 minutes, are easy and actually work, so enjoy.

Artichoke and spinach bake yum

Tonight's dinner was so divine it deserves two posts. Don't eat enough greens here are two easy ways to eat more.  Yum! The zucchini, feta ball recipe is to follow.

Artichoke and spinach bake

1 bunch silverbeet
2 fresh or 1 can artichoke hearts
3 eggs
parmesan grated
1 tub ricotta
1/4 cup milk
eschallots, chopped
herbs and seasoning to taste
butter, optional

De-vein and chop silverbeet. Steam or saute in butter until soft.
Meanwhile whisk an egg, milk and ricotta in a jug. Toss in parmesan and eschallots.
Grill the artichoke hearts until lightly browned.
Lightly spray a baking dish with oil, and toss in the browned artichokes.
Fold the cheese mix in to the cooked silverbeet.  Pour over the artichokes.
Bake in a 180c oven for approx 20 minutes until firm and browned.

Serve with crusty bread and other vegetables and enjoy muchly.

Perfect gluten-free, vegan vegetable fritters

I love zucchini fritters. Only problem: every recipe I find is full of cheese and fried in oil. After much experimenting I think I have created the perfect, vegan fritter recipe.

You have too many zucchinis? Want to hide some vegetables? Want a moist, cheesy tasting treat with no cheese, dairy or egg? Don't have any bread in the house but need breakfast, lunch, a snack?  Well, do I have a solution for you!

These fritters are:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Oil free
• Moist and filling
• Quick and easy to make

Ingredients 

1/2 cup buckwheat flour (if you eat gluten, plain flour is fine)

1/2 cup polenta (cornmeal)

2 teaspoons baking flour

pinch of salt

150g silken tofu, drained and whipped

1/2-1 cup of non-dairy milk (I used almond)

vegetables of choice: leek, grated zucchini, corn kernels, cauliflower finely chopped, broccoli

Method

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in tofu and enough milk to make a wet but not runny consistency.

Stir in vegetables. Add more milk if needed.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spoon mix onto pan. Spread out a little but don't worry if still heaped in the centre. Cook until the underside is brown. Turn and press down gently with your spatula. Cook until the other side is brown and the fritters are moist but not runny in the middle. 

Did you notice I snuck some tofu in there? This is another of my, if you don't tell them they won't know, tofu recipes.  Here's another you might like to try: creamy cheesy potato bake.

Serving suggestions

For breakfast topped with a poached egg

Lunch or snack topped with avocado, mustard or hommous and salad of choice 

Let your imagination go and see what combinations work well for you. Enjoy

Creamy, cheesy potato bake with a lower cheese, higher protein twist

All afternoon I had a hankering for potato bake. At work, on the way home. I love the soft potato, the creamy sauce and the crispy cheese on top. Ah yum. I never make it though as I can't bear to cook with that much cream and cheese. I like to eat it but if I bake it I skimp and end up disappointed.

But no more! Tonight I gave into my craving and cooked the best potato bake ever. I skimped again of course but this time it worked. I had to share because this recipe is divine.  I credit the success of this recipe to the strength of my desire. Not to mention my homegrown spuds adding something special, but I'm sure store bought will be just fine.

Of course I made a huge dish so there is potato bake for lunch tomorrow and the day after.


Here's the recipe:

Wash, peel and slice potatoes. Steam them over boiling water until just soft. Be careful not to turn them to mush.

Preheat the oven to 180-200C and lightly oil a baking dish.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce.  Heat 40g butter in a saucepan. When melted, whisk in half a cup of plain flour.  Add 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Add half a packet of silken tofu and whisk like mad over reduced heat to keep the sauce smooth. Add more milk to keep the consistency of cheese sauce. Note there is no cheese needed at this stage.

Layer potatoes in the baking dish, top with shallots or herbs, then a third of the sauce, then more potatoes and herbs. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and spread evenly.  Top with grated parmesan. Bake until golden and crispy.

I know I've said it again and I'll say it again, if you use tofu like this no one will ever know let alone object. The tofu adds soy protein and thickens the sauce. The mustard gives a cheesy flavour.  But I saved the cheese just as a topping which means I used a lot less.

If you like potato bake I hope you give this version a try. I'm completely thrilled and will continue to make it this way from now on.

What can you do on a cold, windy Winter day? Why, bake of course

Sunday dawned cold and blowing a gale. Too cold to go out. Hmm what to do with my day?
Why I baked of course.

Pumpkin and apple muffins for a sweet morning tea treat. There is a surprise inside - a little dollop of cream cheese. Impress everyone with this simple little tip! Mix cream cheese and icing sugar, then place in the fridge. Prepare your muffin batter and fill greased muffin trays to about one third. Put a dollop of cream cheese into each one, then top up with remaining batter. Watch everyone's surprised faces when they bite in. Yum.

The rest of my baking wasn't as exciting, but has helped prepare me for the working week.  Bread with potato and herbs from the garden. Mini frittatas and a dish of roast vegies will provide lunches and dinners in various forms. A big tray of vegetable lasagna has gone into the freezer in individual portions.
Mushroom soup will be tonight's dinner and tomorrow's lunch.

I've also done a serious cull of my recipe collection. I subscribe to a couple of email recipe alerts and when I see something yummy I print it out. Well I have ended up with a crazy number of recipes I have never tried. So I have culled as part of this year's de-cluttering plan. Believe me I still have plenty left to choose from and have picked a few new things to cook this week like sesame encrusted tofu with orange reduction and spring rolls.

Other than that my day was spent on housework. All essentials to get ready for the week ahead.  What are you eating this week?

Cooking gluten free crepes

Picasso had his blue period, Van Gogh had his sunflowers, Monet his water lilies. I am currently in my crepe stage.

I have recently discovered they are a very quick alternative when you don't have any bread for breakfast and don't feel like pasta or rice for dinner. You can stuff them with cottage cheese nuts and fruit, with mushrooms or spinach. Any tasty nutritious filling you like.


I even stuffed them with beans and topped them with taco sauce as enchiladas.


So far I have tried making them with plain white flour and with buckwheat. Both are a great success so the gluten free is a viable option. I am yet to try spelt and am intrigued by besan.

Here's the recipe:

3/4 cup plain flour of your choice
pinch salt
40g butter melted
1 egg
1 cup milk

Mix together the wet ingredients then whisk into the flour and salt. Let sit for a few minutes until bubbles form.  Pour half a cup of batter into a hot pan and swirl around until it coats the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe lifts off the pan and is lightly browned underneath.

Place your favourite filling into the centre of the crepe and fold edges over. Cook a little longer.
Voila!

Tip 1
The pan! For best results use a non-stick omelette pan with shallow sloping sides. This way the crepe will slide off when done.  You may have to experiment until you get the heat right. It should cook quickly but not burn.

Tip 2
You will need more milk with the buckwheat flour than white flour.

Tip 3
If you are going to bake or reheat the crepes as in the enchilada example, you can pile the crepes on a plate before filling and rolling up.

Tip 4
Enjoy them and share your favourite filling ideas with me!

Saffron milkcap mushroom crepe with ewes' milk camembert

Making lemon cordial

I am making lemon cordial!  I have filled old syrup bottles and pretty jars with fresh cordial make a pretty presentation perfect for gifts.


This is really easy.  The only ingredients are fruit juice, rind, sugar, water and tartaric acid. All easy to find in the kitchen or supermarket. Old fashioned lemonade is so in fashion right now.  Use your in-season citrus fruit to create that summer taste all year round. Everyone can do it.  A little simple fruit preserving tip for you.

Lime or lemon cordial recipe

6-8 limes, 4 lemons

1.5kg sugar

4 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon of either citric or tartaric acid

Finely grate the lime rind, avoiding the bitter white pith. Squeeze the limes and set aside.

Bring the water to the boil and add the lime rind, citric or tartaric acid and sugar. 

Stir to dissolve the sugar. Take off the heat when dissolved and stir in the lime juice.

Leave to cool completely, overnight if you make it in the evening. 

The mix will thicken into a syrup as it cools.

Strain the syrup to remove the rind and pour into sterilised bottles.

This cordial is excellent with cold mineral water. A splash of gin doesn't go astray either. Enjoy!

Note this recipe makes 4-5 cups of syrup. I recommend you pour it into small bottles so you can share it.   It keeps for months so you can enjoy your harvest or the greengrocer season surplus all year long.

Spicy carrot and sweet potato soup

Yesterday we ate out at a cafe for lunch. It was cold and wet and the spicy carrot soup on the specials board really appealed to me. But alas, as is common, the chef felt the need to use a meat stock in a vegetable soup. I always check what stock is used in soups and risottos. I have learnt to check for these hidden sources of meat. I don't know why they have to do it but t happens more often than not.

I found something else on the menu for lunch but decided the die was cast for what I would cook for dinner.  I guarantee my version was way better than the cafe version anyway.  And yes it was just the thing for a cold day.


Ingredients
Carrots, 4-5 large, peeled and sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
Chilli infused olive oil
Ground cumin, 2 teaspoons
Ground coriander, 1 teaspoons
Fresh coriander or lovage* see note

Method
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Saute the carrots and sweet potato in the oil for about 10 minutes until beginning to soften.
Add the spices and half the fresh herbs.  Stir and heat a little longer.
Add just enough water to cover.
Cook over medium heat until all vegetables are soft.
Puree in a blender until the right consistency has been achieved. Add a little more water if too thick but be careful not to water it down too much. Put back in the saucepan and replace on the stove over low heat to warm again.
Serve with more herbs on top and chunks of crusty bread.

Serves 4 as an entree or 2 as a meal.

Autumn harvest dinner: spinach roulade recipe

Wow what a week for tackling culinary fears! First I cooked artichokes and they were divine.

Now I have conquered the savoury roulade.
I have always wanted to make one, but they sound so complicated. I not only managed to turn out a restaurant quality meal, I did it almost completely from my garden produce. My chickens are moulting and off the lay, and I don't have a cow for cheese or cream but everything else I grew and harvested. This was such a wonderful celebration of home grown produce!

Last week I was rummaging around in a thrift shop or two. I bought a couple of pillow cases and an old recipe book. Apologies to all celebrity chefs of great fame: I prefer old cook books. My family and colleagues at work are well aware of how much I love my 1977 Women's Weekly Biscuit and Slice cookbook. The recipes never fail and are always wonderful.  This time, I found the 1986, Rose Elliot "The new vegetarian cookbook". With a mushroom filled spinach roulade recipe.

I trusted the recipe to work out and yes the instructions were spot on. I improvised a little on ingredients, the actual how to worked superbly.

Here is the recipe paraphrased and with my own version of the ingredients based on what I had in my garden today.

And yes they are enormous oyster mushrooms I grew!

Ingredients for roulade
fresh greens: spinach, silverbeet, kale
butter
salt and pepper
4 eggs, separated
grated Parmesan

Ingredients for filling
butter
mushrooms, diced
celery, sliced
sage, sliced
artichoke heart, chopped
300 ml sour cream
salt, pepper and nutmeg

Instructions for Roulade
Prepare a Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Wash, trim and chop greens. Dry cook in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Take greens off heat, add a dollop of butter, egg yokes and seasoning. Stir well, be careful not to cook the egg.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the greens.
Pour the mix into the pan and bake for 10-15 mins.

Instructions for filling
Heat butter in a pan and toss in the chopped mushrooms and herbs.  Cook until they release their juices and brown a little. Add sour cream and seasonings. Heat gently to warm through. Take off the heat and allow to thicken.

Putting it all together
Turn the oven down to low.
Place a fresh piece of baking paper on the bench and sprinkle a little more Parmesan across it.
Take the roulade from the oven and gently slide it off the tray onto the prepared paper. Lightly press down into the Parmesan.
Spread the filling evenly across the roll, leaving a gap of about 5cm from the far edge.
Roll the roulade up a little way at the filled edge and squeeze to ensure tight. Keep rolling slowly and firmly pulling the paper away as you go.  Stop and tuck in any filling squeezing out until you get to the end. Cover with paper and gently squeeze the roulade to make sure it has rolled well and is firm. Take away the top piece of paper. Replace on the tray and put back into the oven for a little while to make sure it is warmed through.

That's it!

Slice and serve warm with a fresh salad, baby potatoes or whatever you have growing.


What's next? I feel absolutely ready to tackle anything with the produce I've grown!

Baking artichokes from my garden autumn harvest, overcoming fear of artichokes

This summer I planted artichokes for the first time. I was surprised at how quickly they grew and produced flowers.  Here are my photos from a couple of weeks ago.

We have had torrential rain since then. All the empty dams are re-filled and our sloping driveway and garden path have washed away. Everything is soggy underfoot and the water dripping from the trees drenches as I venture out when the rain stops.

I have lost a few crops. My silverbeet is ok just some of the leaves have rotted. My peppers look ghastly, completely ruined.

The biggest victim though was my artichokes.  They are completely laid waste on the ground.

I quickly snipped off the three heads I could find so growing them would yield some harvest.

Now as I said in my last post on the subject, I've never been confident about how to deal with artichokes.  So I found some information on the web and tackled the chokes with my laptop handy.

First I soaked them in a bowl of water with lemon juice. I took one out of the bowl and sliced a bit off the top. I cut down into the centre with a sharp knife to dig out the choke, the fibrous stuff you can't eat. This was like coring an apple only try not to cut right through to the bottom. My knife needs sharpening before I do this again, it was harder work than it needed to be.

Then I cut the bottom. Under the hard outside shell there's the delicate heart.  Carefully cut from the outside towards the centre shaving off that outer shell. Keep working around the bottom artichoke till the heart is exposed. Put it back in the lemon water while you prepare the other in the same way.

Place the artichokes in a pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 10-15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180c and spray a baking dish with oil.

I made stuffing for the artichokes. Here's my recipe:
   Finely chopped walnuts
   Chopped garlic
   Diced cherry tomatoes
   Sliced shallots
   Fresh parsley
   Blue vein cheese, diced.
Mix all ingredients together.

I took the artichokes out of the boiling water and cut them lengthways. Place them cut side up in the baking dish and spoon your stuffing into them.  Bake until them smell divine, about 10-15 minutes.

I wasn't really sure whether the artichokes were under or over ripe and struggled to find clear information on this.  The purply coloured one in the photo above was quite coarse so in future I'd pick them earlier. Don't worry though as through baking them any leaves that were super coarse fell away and exposed the tender middle anyway.

I am very happy with my first try with artichokes.  Dig in, give it a go. It will work out and we'll all get better at it as we practice. I will re-use this stuffing recipe it was delicious.

The recipes and instructions I found helpful can be found on my pinterest cooking page.

By the way, I bought two new artichoke plants as they are a must have in my garden now. Oh drat raining again.                                                                                       

Soup weather: potato and kale from the garden

Suddenly its cold and wet. We have had torrential rain since yesterday.  It is a great night to hole up inside with a lovely bowl of soup.

Recipe for potato and kale soup

Garlic, peeled and chopped
Parsley and rosemary, chopped
Olive oil
Potatoes, washed peeled and chopped
Kale, trimmed and chopped
Celery, sliced
Water
Milk
Greek yoghurt
Parmesan to serve

Place garlic in a large saucepan with olive oil.  Heat until garlic starts to brown, then toss in herbs and celery and keep heating.  Toss in potatoes and kale and stir in the oil and herbs for a minute or two before adding just enough water to cover.

Cook on the stove top until potatoes are soft.

Puree in batches. Add milk and yoghurt until the soup is a lovely creamy consistency.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and a crunchy bread roll.

All the ingredients in the soup apart from the dairy and olive oil came from my garden.  I ducked down during a brief break in the rain and harvested celery, spuds, kale and herbs.  The garlic I have in abundance from this summer.

I made bread rolls as well to make it a really great meal.  I used my bread machine to make the dough. I don't mind kneading dough but like to use my machine and there are a couple of reasons why. Firstly its quite cold here so it can be hard work to get the dough to rise.  But the main reason is that it saves so much time. While the dough was mixing and rising I cooked pasta, lentil curry, basil pesto, and the soup. I did about 4 loads of washing too, but sadly it all had to go through the drier due to the rain. Even my wide verandah is awash. 

To make rolls I set the machine to dough. When ready I turned it out on to the floured bench.  I cut the dough into 10 pieces and rolled them out. I spread olive tapenade on one half of the rounds and basil pesto on the other. I rolled each up, and placed into a baking tray lined with paper then left them on top of the stove to rise again while the oven warmed up, then baked them until sounding hollow when tapped. 

I highly recommend these kinds of rolls, you can use so many types of filling from herbs to cheese or pumpkin and ricotta.  And make them all different sizes, lunch or dinner roll sized or batards.  

Give them a go.

Artichokes: a new addition to my vegetable garden

I like the odd artichoke. I'm not good at preparing them and have never learnt how to eat them peasant style. They are a perennial vegetable though so I thought I would plant some in my garden.

So earlier this summer I bought and planted two small artichoke plants, planning a crop for next year.
I never imagined they could produce fruit the same season. I have noticed how big they were growing but still got a shock today when I saw all the fruit on them.

Now tell me though what is the correct term here? I'm thinking fruit because I'm going to eat them, but perhaps flower is more correct.  They're a thistle so I do think its a flower, an edible flower. Intriguing, if you know, please comment and help me out.

Anyway here they are.  I have counted 5 across the two plants, one of which is taller than me (not terribly hard, I'm short, but I don't expect to be outgrown in the vegie patch).

I wonder when they'll be ready?

Zucchini flowers deep fried in tempura batter

Its zucchini season, when zucchinis must be picked daily before they become unpalatable marrows.
Zucchini is Italian for little marrows giving a strong indication of how they should be eaten: small and fresh. You can't get smaller and fresher then eating the tiny zucchinis before the flower falls off.

Zucchini plants produce both male and female flowers. The male are essential for pollination but do not produce fruit. That comes from the female flowers.  They are easy to tell apart. The male flowers grow on the end of an ordinary stem

whilst the female flowers gradually move away from the bush on the end of a dark green zucchini.

To cook zucchini flowers you will need tempura batter and ricotta. Tempura is easy to make from scratch so you don't need to buy the packet mix.  And you will need a deep fryer with vegetable oil.

Tempura batter mix
1 egg
3/4 cup plain flour
pinch bi-carb/baking soda
1 cup icy cold water

Beat egg and water together. Add flour and bi-carb/baking soda.  Mix quickly.  This makes a thin, runny batter.

Prepare the zucchini flowers by gently reaching into the centre of the flower and pinching out the stamens. If you forget and leave them in they won't hurt you, but they don't taste good!  Handle the flowers gently as they tear easily.  Place a teaspoon of ricotta in the centre of the flower and close the flower over it.

Dip the whole zucchini into the batter until completely covered.  Place on a plate and chill in the fridge for an hour before cooking.  This helps the batter to stick.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer.  Place the zucchinis in the basket when the oil is hot and fry until crispy and golden.

Serve with a salad and tangy dressing.

Yum.

Cauliflower and zucchini soup leftovers become a delicious pasta sauce

Last week I posted my favourite cauliflower and zucchini soup recipe and promised I would share my left overs plan. Personally I am fine with left overs but it can be fun to serve a meal a different way the second time. It certainly helps to minimise time spent in the kitchen after work too. 

Vegetable soups make great pasta sauces.  Boil your favourite pasta and drain. Meanwhile add your soup to the saucepan and gently heat. You might like to add some extra vegetables.  Tonight I added sliced mushrooms,  artichoke hearts, and shallots.  When hot, add the pasta and heat a little longer. 

Serve with parmesan and a garnish of fresh herbs. Enjoy: one recipe two ways.

Pumpkin brekkie bites

You know those days when you are running out the door without time for a proper breakfast? Maybe you need some finger food for a dinner party?

Try these pumpkin bites.  I threw them together this weekend and thing they turned out very well.

1. Peel, chop and steam your favourite pumpkin (or squash).
2. Mix together 4 eggs, 3/4 cup gluten free flour such as buckwheat or besan (chick pea).
3. Mash pumpkin to a puree and add to eggs and flour.
4. Spoon into a greased muffin tray.
5. Sprinkle chopped leek, sunflower seeds and a little grated parmesan on top.
6. Bake until cooked through.

I can't get enough of these at the moment.

Cauliflower bites Pinterest recipe

Oh yum, I finally got around to trying a recipe that is constantly repinned on Pinterest: Cauliflower pizza bites. I don't know where the original recipe came from for sure, but the link I followed was from: Damy.

They were a little time consuming after work but really yummy. This recipe is a keeper!

Here's the recipe verbatim. All credit to Damyhealth.com 

Ingredients:

·         2 Cups Grated Cauliflower (washed, dried and grated using a food processor or cheese grater by hand until rice-like or thinner – Note – Approximately one head of cauliflower)

·         1/4 Cup Egg Whites

·         1 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese (drained)

·         1 Tsp Oregano

·         2 Tsp Parsley

·         1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

·         1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (Optional)

·         1-2 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce (Optional)

Directions:

1.    Pre-heat your oven to 450 F.

2.    Using a healthy cooking oil spray your mini muffin tin.

3.    In a hot frying stir fry the “cauliflower rice” until the cauliflower is slightly translucent (about 6-8 minutes). Place in a bowl and let cool.

4.    Place all other ingredients the food processor and blend until smooth.

5.    In a bowl combine both the “cauliflower rice” and blended ingredients. Mix completely.

6.    Evenly spoon mixture into your muffin tin molds. Press pizza dough down evenly and firmly (*The pressing down firmly is very important to make sure these stick together).

7.    Place in your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

8.    Remove the pizza bites from the oven and let set until cool (This is also very important – let these pizza bites set in their pan for 5 – 10 minutes before removing – If you take them out while they are too hot they will break).

Once cool remove from muffin tin (either by tipping them out OR by running a thin knife down along the side and popping them out).

I served it with spicy salsa and other vegies.  H agreed it was a keeper that was worth repeating. 

Spinach and ricotta cannelloni recipe and left over frittata

After a week of stunning, crisp Autumn days it has turned cold and wet. In fact the rain is pouring down. We are sitting inside with the fire on. It is time for comfort food.

Cannelloni is one of my favourite treats. It is very easy to make, best for a weekend day though when you can put it in the oven hours before you intend to eat it, to ensure it cooks right through.

You will need:

1 packet cannelloni tubes

2 cans tomato puree

1 packet silken firm tofu

1 small tub ricotta

parmesan cheese, grated

spinach or silverbeet, sliced

Instructions:

Steam the spinach until tender.

Drain spinach, then mix with the tofu and ricotta in a large bowl.

Spoon into cannelloni tubes.

Pour half a can of tomato into the bottom of a lasagne baking dish.

Arrange the filled tubes into the dish.

Pour the rest of the tomatoes over the top, being sure to cover everything well.

Sprinkle the parmesan over the top.

Cover with a lid or sheet of alfoil/tinfoil. 

Bake in a hot oven until the pasta is soft.

Notes: the tofu can be admitted if preferred: double the amount of ricotta. I recommend the tofu however as it adds protein and also changes the texture of the cooked filling - I think for the better. Don't tell anyone there is tofu in this recipe and they will never know!

There are only two of us and a whole packet of tubes makes about 6 serves so I freeze left over individual serves: perfect for lunch, or dinner when you get home late from work. It reheats really well: you won't know the difference from when you ate it straight from the oven.

The bonus here is a frittata recipe. I often find after I fill all the tubes that I have left over filling. 

Mix a couple of eggs, add some feta cubes, sun-dried tomatoes and basil into the left over cannelloni filling. Pour into lightly oiled ramekins and bake. Great with salad or for breakfast.

Broccoli soup and other garden delights

I have magificent heads of broccoli coming up in the garden. Never before have I gown such stunning specimens.

So what will I do with it all?

I've started with soup.

To make basic but delicious broccoli soup I made vichyssoise (classic potato and leek) and added the broccoli. Very simple, very quick and yes, most importantly, very tasty.

Ingredients:
Two heads of broccoli - washed well and chopped into florets
One leek, trimmed and sliced
Two medium potatoes, peeled and diced
Butter
Vegetable stock cube
Water
Cream
Parmesan, optional

How to:
Melt a small chunk of butter in a large soup pan. Throw in the leeks and cook until they start to soften, take care not to burn them.
Toss in the broccoli and potatoes. Add stock cube and enough water to just cover vegies. 
Bring to boil briefly, then simmer, stirring every now and again.
When all vegies are soft, poor the soup into a blender, in batches, to puree. You choose whether you want it completely smooth or a few small chunks are ok.
Pour it back into the soup pan and replace on stove on low-medium heat. You are not cooking it now just reheating.
Serve with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of parmesan and crunchy bread on the side.

This will serve 4-6. I only served two but we now have four serves in the freezer for another day.

 

There is plenty more broccoli growing in the garden.
I will need to monitor them daily now so that I pick them before the flowers start to open out and they are spolied.

As always my vegie garden is a sea of potatoes. So there'll be plenty more soup I think.