Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Housework chores and our cat

There are many tasks around the house which our cat really enjoys!

Cleaning the bathroom

Changing lightbulbs

Hanging up the clothes

Cooking (with Trave)

Using the washing-machine

Doing the washing-up (with Trave)

Gardening (with Trave)

WHAT SHE DOES NOT LIKE:


the big monster (vaccum cleaner)

Potato-topped lentil bake

A tasty mixture of red lentils, tofu and vegetables with a crunchy potato topping.


Ingredients for 4 people:

800g potatoes
25g butter
5 TBSP milk
50g mixed chopped nuts
1 TBSP chopped thyme

250g red lentils
60g butter
1 leek, sliced
1 broccoli, cut into florets
250g smoked tofu, diced
2 tsp tomato purée
salt and pepper

1. Cook and mash the potatoes, add the 25g butter, milk, nuts and thyme. Set aside.

2. Cook the lentils according to the pack cooking instructions. Set aside.

3. Melt the 60g butter, add the leeks and broccoli and cook for 5 min. Add the tofu, lentils, tomato purée and season to taste.

4. Pour the vegetables into a shallow ovenproof dish.

5. Spoon the potato mixture on the top.

6. Cook for 30 minutes in a 200 degrees preheated oven. Serve hot.


Thursday, December 13, 2007

Exam results

I have passed my exam! I did not get an outstanding grade but what mattered to me was to get a UK equivalent to my French qualifications so that if I feel like it, I could start an MBA. I am not sure whether I will want to do this or not but at least I will have the possibility.

Pass rate was 40% and I got 57%. I was aiming for 60-65%, but hey: I passed!

Baked potatoes

I have to type this recipe with 1 hand as I have a sleepy cat on my left arm. who could possibly disturb this sleeping beauty??


As for the recipe, here it goes. It's lovely, simple and with very little washing up :D



Serves 4:

4 big baking potatoes
sea salt
75ml vegetable stock
150ml double cream
50g grated Parmesan
4 TBSP pine kernels
1 TBSP mixed Italian herbs
pepper


1. Prick the potatoes with a fork and rub them in sea salt. Arrange them onto a baking tray and cook in 200 degrees pre-heated oven for 60 to 75 minutes until cooked and the skin is crispy.

2. Cut the potatoes in their length and spoon out the flesh. Mash the flesh.

3. Simmer the stock and cream together for 10min until reduced then mix it to the potato mash. Add 80% of pine kernels and cheese, keeping some to sprinkle, add the herbs and pepper. Mix well.

4. Spoon the potato mixture back into the skins, sprinkle with the rest of pine kernels and Parmesan and place in the oven for another 15minutes until golden brown.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Broccoli soup

This soup has nothing special in it. It tastes simple and is simply tasty ;)

Ingredients for 4 bowls of soup:

1 big broccoli, cut into florets + stem diced
2 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
5 TBSP wholegrain rice
900ml boiling water
1-2 bay leaves
1 pinch of nutmeg
4 TBSP double cream
100g full-fat soft cheese (type Philadelphia. I have tried this recipe with reduced-fat cheese but it does not quite work and does not taste as nice)

1. Fry the onion, leek and carrot for 3-4 minutes until softened.

2. Add the broccoli stem, rice, water, bay leaves and a pinch of sea salt. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli florets and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

4. Stir in the cream and cheese. DO NOT BOIL. Serve into warm bowls.

This week's menu and improvised omelette

We had to change things a bit as I discovered yesterday that we had 5 eggs in the fridge which best before date was 7th December.

So we made a big big omelette with the following ingredients:

5 eggs
2 courgettes
1 red pepper
150ml milk
150g grated cheddar
Herbes de Provences
Black pepper

And this is what is on the menu for the rest of the week:

Broccoli soup (new!)
Baked potatoes (new!)
Pizza
Potato and lentil bake (new!)

It is not that we eat only 4 times a week, but we cook for 4, so we can enjoy leftovers either for lunch or for dinner the following day.

Fennel risotto

This risotto is delicious. If you like the liquorice-like taste of fennel, this recipe is for you!

Ingredients for 4 people:

2 large fennel bulbs, sliced
olive oil
3 TBSP butter
1 onion, finely chopped
400g arborio rice
150-200ml vodka
1.5 litres vegetable stock
80g Parmesan cheese, grated
6 TBSP lemon juice

1. Fry the onion and fennel in the oil and butter until tender.

2. Add the rice, mix well and add the vodka. Mix well.

3. Gradually add the stock until the rice is cooked.

4. Add the lemon juice and Parmesan. Serve immediatly.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Vegetable Jambalaya

This was delicious, without being sophisticated. Simple vegetable stir-fry, but very tasty.

Serves 3 people:

100g brown rice
1 courgette, sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1 broccoli, cut into florets
80g baby sweetcorn, cut lengthway and halved
100g French beans, halves
1 red chilli, chopped / chilli powder to taste
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 TBSP tomato purée
200ml vegetable stock


1. Cook the rice for 20 minutes. drain well.

2. Fry all the vegetables together for 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato purée and stock and cook for another 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

3. Add the rice and mix well until heated through. Serve into warm bowls.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

In our plates next week

I have not totally worked it out yet, but there will be:

Vegetable jambalaya - New! (I love the sound of this dish!)
Vegetable bake with carrots and parsnips (one of our favourites!)
Fennel risotto - based on the previously published Fennel and celery risotto

Stuffed mushrooms

I find this recipe nicer than the previous Creamy stuffed mushroom recipe I posted a few weeks back. So, here it is:


Serves 4 main courses or 8 starters

Ingredients:

8 big open-cap mushrooms
1 TBSP olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
100g tofy, finely diced
1 courgette, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
100g wholemeal fresh breadcrumbs
2 TBSP basil/Italian herbs/herbes de Provence
1 TBSP tomato purée
2 TBSP pine kernels
60g Cheddar, grated
150ml vegetable stock

1. Remove stalks from mushrooms and chop finely. Place the caps in a shallow oven-proof dish.

2. Fry all the veg incl. the mushroom stalks and tofu in the olive oil for ~5 min.

3. Stir in the breadcrumbs, basil/herbs, and pine kernels. Season to taste. Mix thoroughly.

4. Divide the veg & breadcrumb mixture into the mushroom cap. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour the veg stock into the dish.

5. Place into a 200 degrees pre-heated oven for 20 minutes (until cheese has melted).

Serve with a salad as a starter or with mixed vegetables as a main course. (I served it with mash potatoes and boiled broccoli)

Aloo Gobi

I am not a big fan of cauliflower but this recipe could make anybody eat it! It is spicy and full of flavours. You can have it as a side dish with a spicy main or on its own with a nice slice of bread.

Serves 4:

600g potatoes, diced
1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 TBSP groundnut oil
1 TBSP cumin seeds
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 chilli powder
1 TBSP fresh coriander/parsley

1. Parboil the potatoes and cauliflower for 10min. Drain well.

2. Fry the cumin seeds into the oil and when they start 'popping', add the chillies and cook for a few minutes, then add the potatoes, cauliflower and spices. Fry for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

3. Sprinkle with fresh coriander/parsley: it is ready! Serve piping hot.

last week's delicacies

On the menu last week there was:

Cheesy vegetable chowder
Aloo Gobi - New!
Stuffed mushrooms - New recipe!
Sausages - with carrots, potatoes and broccoli (see picture below)

still steaming!