tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-309862492024-03-07T05:45:00.118+01:00Beurre et painBeurre et pain font joli teintHoneybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-67964334361333666222009-06-27T10:44:00.008+02:002009-06-28T19:30:51.440+02:00Breakfast buns with hazelnuts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPaLjcagTJ_1_vydJZefABAIcvKn8Lt_9dpLn6ZoZH0UzK6r5PqD_olvN4NQu8VHan6M7H8NKmTr6RiwK7v_YcNVx6W1LsvpUqKb4IEpJHf4UJJkP81uABarodct9Fcv5DR-XXw/s1600-h/DSC04833.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPaLjcagTJ_1_vydJZefABAIcvKn8Lt_9dpLn6ZoZH0UzK6r5PqD_olvN4NQu8VHan6M7H8NKmTr6RiwK7v_YcNVx6W1LsvpUqKb4IEpJHf4UJJkP81uABarodct9Fcv5DR-XXw/s320/DSC04833.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351936660406463906" /></a><br />Fresh, soft buns for breakfast? Slightly warm, with hint of hazelnut and lemon? You want? I tought you might. This is a recipe I bookmarked ages ago at <a href="http://papillesetpupilles.blogspot.com/2007/02/briochettes-au-yaourt-la-pure-de.html">papilles et pupilles</a>, when I had bought a jar of almond purée out of sheer curiosity and was looking for things to do with it. I finished the jar without ever making the buns but the bookmark stayed put. Thank god it did! Those buns are fantastic! And apart from the resting time overnight, they're finished within minutes! I can't believe this recipe hasn't travelled around the world like the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html">no-knead bread</a>. Go make them! Now! And spread the word!<div><br /></div><div><b>Breakfast buns with hazelnuts</b> (makes about 12)</div><div><ul><li>500g plain flour</li><li>2 eggs, beaten</li><li>1 plain yoghurt </li><li>milk (the eggs, yoghurt and milk have to add up to 425ml)</li><li>1 tablespoon hazelnut purée (the plain kind without sugar)</li><li>80 powdered sugar</li><li>1 generous pinch of salt</li><li>1 packet dried yeast</li><li>peel of half a lemon (the original recipe uses combava)</li></ul><div>In the evening, combine all the ingredients to make a shaggy and wet dough. Cover and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, tip the dough onto well floured surface and shape it into a roll that you cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll the dough pieces into balls and put them into a buttered muffin tray. You can cut a roughly nut-sized piece off each piece of dough and put a little ball on top of each bun to get the typical brioche shape. I did, but they flattened out during baking. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise on the kitchen counter for about 1-2 hours. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°. Remove from the oven and brush with a little milk (or eggwash before baking). Let cool on a wired rack for a few minutes. They are best eaten fresh with butter and marmelade - I thought lemon was a particulary good match. </div></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-46301963330132303712009-06-17T22:31:00.018+02:002009-06-23T10:50:51.132+02:00Udon noodles with sweetheart cabbage, mushrooms and sriracha sauce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GQ1gPpCkgpA0Ev-VI4fPYOlHQD6J95dxkdNV8EQ_rmlh19cQU_Ml5Ocgmg9T4UYL4PmDzsTAMUKyPrmtIYycuSkjqOGzpFthArluMuchkUSyIg92rNqWbz9psCg73_BaA9YEQw/s1600-h/DSC04826.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348415677251323666" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GQ1gPpCkgpA0Ev-VI4fPYOlHQD6J95dxkdNV8EQ_rmlh19cQU_Ml5Ocgmg9T4UYL4PmDzsTAMUKyPrmtIYycuSkjqOGzpFthArluMuchkUSyIg92rNqWbz9psCg73_BaA9YEQw/s320/DSC04826.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Two noodle recipes in a row, I know. It's a total coincidence, though. We do eat other things than noodles. <div><br /></div><div>Part of the charm of the subscription to a vegetable delivery is that you get vegetables you wouldn't normally buy or that may not even be on sale at the greegrocer's or supermarket. Like the sweetheart cabbage (gotta love it, if only for the name!) I found in this week's bag. I can't remember having eaten it ever and I have most certainly never cooked it so far. I fancied noodles so without doing any research on the stranger in my vegetable drawer, I decided to stir fry it with some onions, button mushrooms and bacon. Why bacon? Cabbage loves a little pork, I reckoned and really - you can't go wrong with bacon, can you? A spritz of soy sauce and a liberal dousing with sriracha sauce (be a liberal as you dare) finished the dish off. I ate it by myself in the balmy evening air in the "company" only of the neighbours, also out on their balconies or rooftop terraces. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Udon noodles with sweetheart cabbage, mushrooms</b> <b>and sriracha sauce</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(serves 1 or 2 , depending on greed)</span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">80g udon noodles</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">0.5 tablespoons rapseed oil</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">0.5 onion, in strips</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 tablespoon bacon in small dice</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1 sweetheart cabbage 1, finely sliced, tough parts removed</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">8 button mushrooms, quartered</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">soy sauce</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">sriracha sauce</span></li></ul><div>Cook the udon noodles until soft, drain and refresh quickly under the cold tap. Set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick frying pan. Fry the onion and bacon for about 2-3 minutes, then add the cabbage and mushrooms and stir fry over a high heat until the cabbage is done. Sesason to taste with soy sauce and sriracha sauce. Add the noodles and toss for a minute until everything is evenly mixed and the noodles are heated through. Serve immediately with more sriracha sauce for those who like it hot.</div></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-68569333786553947852009-06-09T21:08:00.008+02:002009-06-23T10:51:18.272+02:00Soba noodle salad with coconut dressing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFHA1RV_r1-jXsIexYD4QWIUEdqpzXpUnG78QfUkXiVylp1PBkQQyZuEkF4qJK28wtCEaMRFMCstjBYE53eeW3F4dqIJtneSgyD7mVYp58TE9Quv059aKN9WMr1txuTQ0ve3ulw/s1600-h/DSC04819.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345414113699268626" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFHA1RV_r1-jXsIexYD4QWIUEdqpzXpUnG78QfUkXiVylp1PBkQQyZuEkF4qJK28wtCEaMRFMCstjBYE53eeW3F4dqIJtneSgyD7mVYp58TE9Quv059aKN9WMr1txuTQ0ve3ulw/s320/DSC04819.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Last year, my employer invited a nutritionist to give talks on what to eat in order to stay healthy during the colder months, hoping, of course, that less people would have to call in sick. A clever little plot, somewhat less radical and obvious than the free flu jab. There was a lot of talk about vitamins, minerals, free radicals and their friends and relations. Very interesting but not much has stuck, to be honest. And after reading <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defence-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/0141034726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244576347&sr=8-1">"In the Defence of Food: an Eater's Manifesto"</a> by Michael Pollan, I'm not sure it even matters. I thought the greatest tip we got was to make your plate as colourful as possible as, apparently, a variety of colours (vegetables and fruit, not gummy bears) pretty much equals a variety of nutrients. Nutritional value aside, it looks and tastes great. If all the lectures on vitamins, good fats and bad fats definitely turn out to be complete bogus, you at least had a lovely meal. What more could you ask for? Get that chopping board out! <div><br /></div><div><b>Soba noodle salad with coconut dressing</b> (serves 2)</div><div><ul><li>160g soba noodles</li><li>1 scallion, white part finely chopped</li><li>2 carrots, julienned</li><li>1 zucchini, julienned</li><li>1/4 head red cabbage, very finely chopped</li><li>1 small handfull sprouts (rocket, onion, alfalfa)</li><li>6 radishes, quartered</li><li>6 cherry tomatoes, halved</li><li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li><li>3 tablespoons coconut milk</li><li>2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce</li><li>2 teaspoons sesame oil</li><li>a dash of soy sauce and lemon juice</li></ul><div>Cook the soba noodles until soft. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a wok or a large frying pan. Stir fry the onions and carrots for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for another minute. Add the cabbage and toss. Remove from the heat and put the vegetables into a bowl. Let cool slightly. Add the cold noodles, sprouts, radishes and tomatoes. Stir the coconut milk, sweet chili sauce and sesame oil together and season to taste with soy sauce and lemon juice. Pour over the noodles and vegetables and toss until everything is evenly coated.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had some grilled paneer with it. Tofu would be nice, too and more "authentic".</div></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-76283006797379613672009-05-15T18:16:00.007+02:002009-05-16T19:58:13.782+02:00Salt-kissed buttermilk cake as seen on 101 cookbooks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfOsGoklRvqx76sfJTfAFw4o9g4CgamYWt4HJaFuGoJm3uXOM30mGS8A0238sV6jMIatSqm9rT0cbKpcTtzBibokWLD27iRvljMQegxe-QqzV4ciMcj6u7_RWVCSdSWP3e9zwGQ/s1600-h/DSC04811.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfOsGoklRvqx76sfJTfAFw4o9g4CgamYWt4HJaFuGoJm3uXOM30mGS8A0238sV6jMIatSqm9rT0cbKpcTtzBibokWLD27iRvljMQegxe-QqzV4ciMcj6u7_RWVCSdSWP3e9zwGQ/s320/DSC04811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336095203369255346" border="0" /></a><br />Are there any foods that irresistibly draw you towards a dish on a restaurant menu or in a recipe? I for instance will order almost anything with tarragon. Or make any cake that features yoghurt or buttermilk. For rasperries I have such a deep-founded love, I can easily polish off a whole punnet on my own, anytime, anywhere. It's no suprise then, that the <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/saltkissed-buttermilk-cake-recipe.html">salt-kissed buttermilk cake with rasperries</a> Heidi Swanson wrote about on <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/">101 cookbooks</a> last year ticked all the right boxes for me. I changed a few things, using only half wholewheat flour and half plain and a little more sugar than indicated. It's a delicious cake, not to sweet, which I love and perfect with for afternoon tea or coffee. Heidi recommends serving it with whipped cream, I wouldn't, though, I found it quite rich as it is, even if it's not high in fat.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dos and dont's:</span><br /><br />Don't: misread 1 <span style="font-style: italic;">tea</span>spoon of salt for one <span style="font-style: italic;">table</span>spoon, think that Heidi Swanson must be mad to use this much salt, use a lot less and still too much.<br /><br />Do: make this cake, eat it and love it.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-52382168630342721312009-05-01T07:34:00.006+02:002009-05-01T08:21:20.355+02:00Risotto in the speed of light<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLZy_wizS25CeR7eY8agy0o4o7QlMnHfJPan-4-IjsfchFbUrKCHY0z1cATwS3YEszCe0v4vnCmroHBNufv0b47XoIQsaisEMMw9e1mh5buGkp20FDUwAKMyHkf-QBwwo2yv03Q/s1600-h/DSC04650.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLZy_wizS25CeR7eY8agy0o4o7QlMnHfJPan-4-IjsfchFbUrKCHY0z1cATwS3YEszCe0v4vnCmroHBNufv0b47XoIQsaisEMMw9e1mh5buGkp20FDUwAKMyHkf-QBwwo2yv03Q/s320/DSC04650.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330734104348346834" /></a><br />Purists, avert your eyes, cover you ears. The method for cooking risotto I'm writing about in this post is so unorthodox, it'll have you throw your hands up in horror.<div><br /><div>I use my pressure cooker for making risotto, There, I said it. I never dreamt of making risotto any other way than patiently stirring it for twenty minutes or so until I read <a href="http://www.cavolettodibruxelles.it/2007/10/cosa-ne-pensate-del-mio-risotto">this post</a> in Sigirid's beautiful blog <a href="http://www.cavolettodibruxelles.it/">cavoletto di bruxelles</a>. I reckoned that she knew a thing or two about cooking and if she considered the pressure cooker method to be ok, I'd give it a try. And I haven't looked back, to be honest. I wouldn't say I'd never make risotto the traditional way again, but the pressure cooker method is so fast, you can have a perfectly good risotto on you table in roughly ten minutes, preparation time included. What's not to love about that?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pressure cooker risotto </b>(serves 2)</div><div><ul><li>1 small onion, finely chopped</li><li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li><li>160g risotto rice</li><li>1 glass white wine</li><li>5dl boiling broth</li><li>2-3 tablespoons grated parmesan</li><li>1 small knob of butter</li><li>freshly grated pepper</li></ul><div>Remove the steaming device from the bottom of the pressure cooker. Heat the olive oil and gently fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two until it is shiny, then add the wine and let evaporate. Add the broth, stir and put on the lid. Heat until the valve hisses, turn down the heat and cook the risotto on level two of you pressure cooker (for mine, it's when two red rings show on the valve) for six minutes. Place the pan under the tap and run cold water over it in order for the steam to be released. Open the pan, place it back on the stove and stir for a minute or two until the remaining liquid is absorbed. Stir in the butter, parmesan and black pepper (I also added some chopped spring onions and parsely at this stage), cover and let rest for five minutes. Serve immediately.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have made this with excellent results using carnaroli. I was given a bag of rice called avorio and tried it, too. The end result was even better but it takes longer, I'd say ten minutes. I don't know what this avorio rice is about, it looks like it's been parboiled but I'm not sure. Does anyone know? All I know is that I want more of it.</div></div></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-31322662097347871732009-04-29T15:04:00.003+02:002009-04-29T15:07:03.313+02:00I can't wait<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfhFk21_ps85RjSryVtXNJhfDlkje1VQOMSeTIP01BZV29kNRfTFYp0xBb1BrKHlEzbXGKy2jDw8zz4pPMokdd_cpnX7i42eQD4cpwfjAstXeLCz2SbnW5kDLVzh-PG5XnOYFaQ/s1600-h/saintanne.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330099142827095250" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfhFk21_ps85RjSryVtXNJhfDlkje1VQOMSeTIP01BZV29kNRfTFYp0xBb1BrKHlEzbXGKy2jDw8zz4pPMokdd_cpnX7i42eQD4cpwfjAstXeLCz2SbnW5kDLVzh-PG5XnOYFaQ/s320/saintanne.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-12069997504816595312009-04-26T22:04:00.013+02:002009-04-26T22:57:57.781+02:00Lunch, anyone?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB7577_XG_XBYiog5fJmXVsfGccBZgr51ptYvA5ZWKdE1M6wsfWeVYIifkQ6mjPkohSWbyyRW__qe9ki9Vv5gYyxOJCucEmkveaub2SW0Z9GfHdcm2O8YCd9Ttc-q_Cu_Wl-LQw/s1600-h/DSC04645.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB7577_XG_XBYiog5fJmXVsfGccBZgr51ptYvA5ZWKdE1M6wsfWeVYIifkQ6mjPkohSWbyyRW__qe9ki9Vv5gYyxOJCucEmkveaub2SW0Z9GfHdcm2O8YCd9Ttc-q_Cu_Wl-LQw/s320/DSC04645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329106398633296994" border="0" /></a><br />What's your lunchtime personality? Do you grab a sandwich at the cafeteria and eat at your desk? Devour a huge plate of pasta that will have your blood sugar crash in a major way by 3 p.m. or do you prefer something light like sushi, a wise point from a nutritional point of view but maybe less so from a financial one? A square of chocolate, an espresso, two cigarettes and back to work? Or do you maybe take a carefully prepared packed lunch every day? I am a little bit of everything (except for the coffeine-nicotine-sugar "lunch", but I swear I didn't make that up), only if I'm honest, the packed lunch doesn't feature on the menu as often as I would like it to. Which is crazy because the amount of money I spend on mediocre restaurant lunches and ridiculously overpriced sandwiches is seriously very crazy! I have therefore come up with a plan. I am queen of plans as you might have noticed reading this blog. I will take a packed lunch every time I go to yoga at lunchtime, i.e. usually three times a week. In four weeks, that will save me enough money to buy another ten-class ticket at my yoga studio. How cool is that? Double health factor! I'm starting tomorrow and brimming with optimism with this brightly coloured bulgur wheat salad.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bulgur wheat salad with chickpeas and vegetables </span>(serves 1)<br /><ul><li>60g bulgur wheat (I used the coarse variety)<br /></li><li>0.5 teaspoons turmeric</li><li>1 large handfull chopped vegetables - whatever you fancy</li><li>chickpeas (roughly half a can)<br /></li><li>3-4 chopped mint leaves</li><li>juice of half a lemon</li><li>olive oil<br /></li><li>salt, pepper</li></ul>Cook the bulgur wheat for seven minutes in double the volume of salted water to which you've added the turmeric. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the bulgur steam for about five minutes. Let cool a bit. Toss with the vegetables (I used red cabbage, carrots, radishes, spring onions and rocket), the chickpeas and the mint. Stir together the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the bulgur and mix thoroughly.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-39546213328339602302009-04-24T23:56:00.000+02:002009-04-26T22:58:35.700+02:00Ricotta cake<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEMDbaJD0rfDPEKkTqQe-E0h_grzz_dZ5h-yVpzyLCyqBeMkIOWEmahvDqPqCaF36H-9hRa_gw4S01O0CeTBni-Csuqka0p3Z_KU_oyw3CeeIS_adIopwbFPInnV-Ik3QCN5DKw/s1600-h/DSC04634.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327639401792244962" style="width: 320px; cursor: pointer; height: 240px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEMDbaJD0rfDPEKkTqQe-E0h_grzz_dZ5h-yVpzyLCyqBeMkIOWEmahvDqPqCaF36H-9hRa_gw4S01O0CeTBni-Csuqka0p3Z_KU_oyw3CeeIS_adIopwbFPInnV-Ik3QCN5DKw/s320/DSC04634.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />There is no need for me to lose many words about this ricotta cake. It is simple, unpretentious and delicious. I love it for breakfast, as a snack, with my tea in the afternoon and at any other time of the day, and I think you will, too. There are only two things you should know:<br /><br />1 - You have to be serious about creaming eggs and sugar or the cake won't rise. To be on the safe side, you might want to separate the eggs and fold the whipped egg whites into the batter alternating with the flour. Then again, you might not, because why dirty two bowls if you can get away with dirtying one and anyway, you live live dangerously. I do, and I'm no friend of washing up, which is why my cake is just a tiny bit on the soft side on the bottom as you can see in the picture.<br /><br />2 - This cake looks very innocent but you don't want to get fresh with it, adding apples, chocolate chunks or nuts etc. A small handfull of raisins is all that it can handle. Otherwise, the cake won't bake but turn into a sorry, solid, doughy block. The Husband ate a large piece of solidified cake batter with chocolate once and said he liked it, but his judgement is clouded when it comes to food containing chocolate.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Ricotta cake</span><br /><ul><li>190g sugar</li><li>1 tub soft ricotta (250g)</li><li>2 eggs</li><li>2 tablespoons plain yoghurt</li><li>200g plain flour </li><li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li><li>1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda</li><li>some vanilla extract or grated lemon peel</li></ul>Preheat the oven to 180°. Cream the eggs and sugar together for a few minutes until the mixture is very thick and lightly-coloured. Best use one of those nifty hand-held blenders with whisks for that or get ready for a little workout. Sorry, but this step is vital, see point 1 above. Add the ricotta and yoghurt and mix well, then mix in the vanilla extract or grated lemon peel. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and fold into the ricotta mixture. Add a little more flour if the batter seems too thin. Pour the batter into a small baking tin (roughly 23 cm diameter round or a 20x20cm square tin) which you've buttered and lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for about twenty minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Turn onto a wired rack to cool.</div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-53505128879696020912009-04-22T22:58:00.008+02:002009-04-23T08:44:31.607+02:00Spaghetti with rocket or how not to go shopping<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6ICwjS5NVKBGckXq_dEZgHod3qNZyq94ver_dRBTMuvsU5gzMRw5A_h14NLo1O0KiDGd4ZkLCoOKkj4yXXlpRjLDvtygbh9xCBqAmEd-U9dj4fSYAspwSm7aOVH0MQWXYpC87Q/s1600-h/DSC04628.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327635878476173922" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6ICwjS5NVKBGckXq_dEZgHod3qNZyq94ver_dRBTMuvsU5gzMRw5A_h14NLo1O0KiDGd4ZkLCoOKkj4yXXlpRjLDvtygbh9xCBqAmEd-U9dj4fSYAspwSm7aOVH0MQWXYpC87Q/s320/DSC04628.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I subscribed to a vegetable delivery service, similar to the neighbourhood CSAs in the US, only my vegetables don't come from a community garden in the city but from a farm nearby. Every other week, I get to collect my bag at the drop-off point in our neighbourhood. I love the fact that the vegetables are organic and haven't travelled around the world before they reach my plate. The killing of a live lobster during a theater performance witnessed by my very dear friend M. sparked a heated debate between a group of friends as to how we treat animals and more generally - how we feed ourselves. I considered the killing - and possibly torturing - of the poor lobster for the sake of theater to be completely inacceptable while M. argued that surely it didn't matter whether lobsters were killed at restaurants or on a theater stage and what about slaughtering chickens, cows, pigs - why wasn't I opposed to that? I'm not going to replay the whole lobster debate here but it did get me thinking about what food I buy and how I handle it. (Which will make M. happy as it proves just how powerful theater can be and because it might mean that the lobster didn't die in vain.) Enough about seafood though, back to the veg. Here's what I got in my first delivery:<br /><ul><li>a huge bag of spinach</li><li>a somewhat huge bag of baby salad leaves</li><li>a relatively huge bag of fiercely peppery rocket</li><li>a fennel bulb</li><li>a cucumber</li></ul>The spinach I polished off right away. For the next dinner it was going to be salad (obviously) and rocket-something. Pizza with parma ham and rocket? I had my shop for pizza dough, mozzarella, canned tomatoes and parma ham all planned out when it hit me: I go food shopping all the time, way too often, always buying new ingredients rather than putting together what I already have. I decided there and then to stop. There was food for many meals in the cupboards and I was going to use it. The result of this new mindset (let's hope I can keep it up - it will not only save me money, but time, too!) were <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">spaghetti with </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">béchamel</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> sauce, ham and chopped rocket*</span>, generously topped with grated parmesan. My grandmother used to make this with peas instead of rocket and bake it in the oven. Quintessentially unitalian. It was a good dish, not something I would want every day, but still good. The real revelation? Not going shopping - every so satisfactory.<br /><br />* <span style="font-size:85%;">Make a <em>béchamel</em> sauce, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, add the ham and some grated parmesan. Add the cooked pasta and the chopped rocket and mix carefully for a minute or two over a low heat, maybe adding some reserved cooking water if needed.</span>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-43219202521547573782009-02-04T22:18:00.005+01:002009-02-05T08:34:13.569+01:00Tuna and avocado tartar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWorhZFplD7l-gZfb0thbLewGNpmDapD9xz-r0ipgVEpivzkyw0Mp7fLeoGW_ggM-mwJNqDXL5_kAVFvxjCSi7-mbi_R4pI2Dx2V-1REn9oaDde0G4JRO9LXnWAiDZbxMCluWJIA/s1600-h/Tunatartar2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299064489532854738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWorhZFplD7l-gZfb0thbLewGNpmDapD9xz-r0ipgVEpivzkyw0Mp7fLeoGW_ggM-mwJNqDXL5_kAVFvxjCSi7-mbi_R4pI2Dx2V-1REn9oaDde0G4JRO9LXnWAiDZbxMCluWJIA/s320/Tunatartar2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I salute the people from the <a href="http://www.globus.ch/de/index.html">posh supermarket</a> for making my life so much easier by selling small jars of toasted sesame seeds. They also make me quite a bit poorer but I'm very willing to pay the price! So much better than buying a <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">huge</span> bag of the stuff, at least half of which will have to be tossed because it turns rancid long before I could use it up. (As it happened in this household very recently.)<br /><br />This tuna and avocado tartar is somewhere in between <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/">Jamie Oliver's</a>, my very dear friend M.'s version (who learnt to make this from a friend and a talented chef but using salmon and not tuna) and the one I sometimes eat for lunch at a japanese restaurant. Except I don't go there now because tuna tartar and a bowl of rice require a 45-minute wait. The avocado makes it velvety-smooth and quite filling which is great when you make this as a meal but you may want to leave it out when serving the tartar as a starter.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Tuna and avocado tartar</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Serves 1<br /></span><ul><li>100g sashimi grade tuna</li><li>half an avocado</li><li>juice of 1 lime</li><li>rice vinegar</li><li>grated ginger</li><li>sesame oil</li><li>salt</li><li>pepper</li><li>toasted sesame seeds</li><li>chives<br /></li></ul>Using a very sharp knife, dice the tuna and the avocado into 1cm-cubes. Put into a small bowl and carefully toss with the lime juice. Add all the other ingredients and taste as you go along until you're happy with the result. It think it's best to go easy with the sesame oil and the ginger, they can be overpowering. M. suggested using coriander and yes, I'm getting used to it but I wasn't feeling brave tonight. Rinse a small bowl with cold water and fill in the tartar, pressing down carefully. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for about twenty minutes. Upturn onto a plate and sprinkle a little more sesame seeds on top. Serve on its own or with a bowl of japanese rice.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-34217442654182768862009-01-28T19:46:00.015+01:002009-02-03T23:34:14.144+01:00Cauliflower gratin, take two<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Jkzwpenfr-vXzOV9tYA2-dnoX_7SJ8betc5DNLJCszz6N6fImujMN5hJ7bauwWTzii6lEnUKE9H1btoJe3ZqkRsRmeTmTyIiB6maKE-ZmCFR4IXS_FMxcztCCrq_CHPUzwuUQQ/s1600-h/Gratin3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Jkzwpenfr-vXzOV9tYA2-dnoX_7SJ8betc5DNLJCszz6N6fImujMN5hJ7bauwWTzii6lEnUKE9H1btoJe3ZqkRsRmeTmTyIiB6maKE-ZmCFR4IXS_FMxcztCCrq_CHPUzwuUQQ/s320/Gratin3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298701596973580050" border="0" /></a><br />Sometimes, when I'm not sure what to cook, I browse <a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/">Tastespotting</a> for immediate inspiration (and recipe to go with it!). What strikes me every time is just how many people will put great efforts into making the most elaborate pastries, cakes and desserts. It puts a smile on my face because, surely, with so many people spending hours in the kitchen until they found the key to the perfect éclair, the world can't be bad place. What's my point, you ask? I don't have one, actually. Sorry.<br /><br />I decided to give the <a href="http://beurreetpain.blogspot.com/2007/05/cauliflower-gratin.html">cauliflower <span style="font-style: italic;">au gratin</span></a> I made some time ago another try. And yes, I do realise I just abruptly changed topic. And that my picture sucks but it's wintertime, daylight is scarce and I don't have a clue about photography. But back to the cauliflower. I hadn't been convinced 100% the first time around, even though my judgement had been somewhat mellowed by the fact that the leftovers tasted so good. But then - why would anyone a make a cauliflower bake that only displayed its true glory after a night in the fridge?<br /><br />Here's what I changed the second time round: two eggs instead of one, gruyère cheese added to the cottage cheese-egg mixture which I also blended to make it smoother. The result was a little thick so I thinned it out with a glug of milk (full fat, I lost that battle with the Husband long ago). All in all, this version is less diet-friendly than the first but so much better for it. But of course.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-71451116622592041392008-12-08T10:58:00.009+01:002008-12-08T13:39:53.589+01:00Escape to Rome<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh776y_Xi2bmibRYeM1XrCm3EpBWP6J17c_1PSDGPmLXxknslQvu8Yp4LEJWzQSzPiJ0e6KPzVBDuAEAGoA8nXZemY6J1ZRLeBiF3mHxvxkBBIF7RU5dgtZp4J-VSJ4ISgj0XnKlg/s1600-h/Augusto.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277356831452288818" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh776y_Xi2bmibRYeM1XrCm3EpBWP6J17c_1PSDGPmLXxknslQvu8Yp4LEJWzQSzPiJ0e6KPzVBDuAEAGoA8nXZemY6J1ZRLeBiF3mHxvxkBBIF7RU5dgtZp4J-VSJ4ISgj0XnKlg/s320/Augusto.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Last thursday the Husband casually suggested we go to London for the weekend. Flight schedules and hotel prices for London weren't right so we decided on Rome instead. A few clicks here and there on the internet and a couple of hours later we were strolling along <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Giulia">Via Giulia</a></em>. Hooray to last minute flight fares. Sadly, in one and a half days, there were only three meals to be had, five if you count breakfast. Here's the lowdown:<br /><ul><li><strong>Friday night</strong>, very late: <em>pizza al taglio</em> and beer at a small place near Piazza Navona when none of the restaurants would accomodate us for dinner;</li><li><strong>Saturday morning</strong>: cappucino and <em>cornetto</em> at San'Eustachio;</li><li><strong>Saturday lunch </strong>(see picture): <em>rigatoni cacio e pepe</em>, <em>involtini di manzo</em> and <em>puntarelle</em> at Trattoria Augusto in Trastevere - <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">my</span></strong> <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">absolute favourite</span></strong> ;</li><li><strong>Saturday dinner</strong>: <em>carciofi alla romana</em>, <em>linguine alici e pecorino </em>and <em>sogliola alla griglia</em> at Il Beppone at the Quirinale;</li><li><strong>Sunday breakfast</strong>: same as saturday, the Husband was immediately smitten with the coffee at San'Eustachio and wanted more;</li><li><strong>Sunday lunch</strong>: <em>antipasto misto</em> of cured meats, stuffed peperoncini and buffalo mozzarella, <em>tortellini in brodo</em> and <em>bollito misto</em> at Il Bolognese in the Piazza del Popolo - all very nice but definitely too much of a good thing. No more meat for the rest of the week, please.</li></ul><p>Should I ever only have time for one meal in Rome (God forbid) I'd go to Augusto. The place is not glamorous or even pretty with its rickety tables covered in large sheets of paper and its neon lights. But who cares about decor. At Augusto, the food does all the talking. And I'd be willing to listen any time.</p>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-23577936258376047982008-08-11T11:52:00.006+02:002008-08-11T22:32:02.832+02:00Countdown running<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNoQmvnyNeIhmGovlPSXrwuGSUQcPlyFQBdmNLOLkwlD822nqcEBGZUgkBKftEnQqZTqQ0f4v21FvEO9B8hXyUsroS8Xh8I9O5G3U3qK1TkI-z5wY7DhvDTBQILc_fb0hBmw4pw/s1600-h/Macaron%20klein.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233238142579914594" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNoQmvnyNeIhmGovlPSXrwuGSUQcPlyFQBdmNLOLkwlD822nqcEBGZUgkBKftEnQqZTqQ0f4v21FvEO9B8hXyUsroS8Xh8I9O5G3U3qK1TkI-z5wY7DhvDTBQILc_fb0hBmw4pw/s320/Macaron%2520klein.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The husband and I are going to get married in church in one month (we had the civil ceremony in july, it's compulsory to have that first here). A few weeks ago, I went to the first fitting of my wedding dress, a slim-cut, silk empire-line dress with lace covering the gown from my bust down. I put it on and it fit perfectly, there was no need for altering. The shop assistant was all excited saying that the dresses hardly ever fitted right away and that I would save a lot of money. I immediately bought very expensive underwear. The dress is still at the shop as the clever shop assistant scheduled a second fitting anyway "in case something happens". What she meant was probably "in case you should start eating two large chocolate macaroons per day and not fit into your dress in september". I have no macaroon habit but still, I feel that lately I've eaten more sweets than I usually do so until september, I will not eat any sugar, i.e. won't add it to my food or eat cakes, pastries, chocolate etc. until the wedding day. Not only do I want to look amazing in september, I also want to feel amazing. I'll also reduce my intake of caffeine and alcohol but the sugar, I will cut out altogether. I installed twitter (see right sidebar) and keep you posted on how I'm doing.<br /><br />P.S. Unfortunately, twitter doesn't seem to work as it should on IE7. The bug should be fixed soon, in the meantime, best use another browser.<br /></div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-13891412873803787322008-08-10T21:41:00.004+02:002008-08-10T21:41:00.277+02:00Soba noodle salad with tofu-peanut dressing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hzQ6c-bUionn-Hv_67LfbR26cRIsXZ7KApk4ai1c4CZNnm-PkHH6JnuA6pfa7npx-tgEqebGPIbvjEaDRg6WH26BiMP4rMWofkbHdQLw2x2AR1tS0TqEXsCHMc5MM6DAG6J3mg/s1600-h/Soba+noodles.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hzQ6c-bUionn-Hv_67LfbR26cRIsXZ7KApk4ai1c4CZNnm-PkHH6JnuA6pfa7npx-tgEqebGPIbvjEaDRg6WH26BiMP4rMWofkbHdQLw2x2AR1tS0TqEXsCHMc5MM6DAG6J3mg/s320/Soba+noodles.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231129170339789218" border="0" /></a><br />In march this year, I went to a yoga holiday to Marrakech. It was something I had been longing do for a while but none of the offers I found appealed to me. Bali? Too far for a week. A hut on <span style="font-style: italic;">La Gomera</span> where the yogis would cook their own vegan meals? A little too hippy-dippy for my taste. And the worst - sharing a room with a complete stranger - please, could there be anything less relaxing? I had almost given up when I found <a href="http://www.inspa-retreats.com/">in:spa retreats</a>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Exactly </span>what I needed. Pricey, yes, but with its combination of luxury accomodation, yoga, fitness and a healthy dose of pampering it ticked all the right boxes. The package came with nutritional advice, too and while I was probably doing better than some of my fellow retreaters who admitted to downing a bottle of red wine on their own after a hectic day at work (what?) or relying on ready-made meals most days, I had a simple, yet very important lesson to learn: the lesson about protein. I had often wondered why my - in my eyes - rather healthy lunches of some wholegrain or other with vegetables left me hungry and tempted by the sweets in the cafeteria by four o'clock. Lack of protein, of course! I had to pay a handsome sum of money and travel to North Africa to learn that!<br /><br />Soba noodle salads are a staple in my lunchbox and I like to think that I'm a bit clever, adding protein with silken tofu blended into the dressing. And what's more: you could feed these noodles to people who wouldn't normally go anywhere near tofu and they would gobble them up with delight, the unsuspecting souls.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Soba noodles with tofu-peanut dressing </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(serves 2)<br /></span><ul><li>90g soba noodles</li><li>3 large handfulls chopped vegetables (cucumber, peppers, radishes, spring onions...)</li><li>2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs - whatever you fancy<br /></li><li>a quarter of a block silken tofu (equals roughly 4 tablespoons)<br /></li><li>1 tablespoon peanut butter or thai peanut sauce<br /></li><li>2 teaspoons sesame oil</li><li>1 tablespoon rice vinegar</li><li>1 tablespoon chili sauce</li><li>soy sauce to taste<br /></li></ul>Cook the noodles in salted water until tender. In the meantime, blend all the remaining ingredients except for the herbs and the vegetables together until smooth. Pour some of the cooking water into a cup, drain the noodles and refresh under the cold tap. Set aside. Stir the reserved cooking water into the dressing. Taste the dressing and add whatever you think needs to be added. The measurements given above are approximative, you might want to change them or add other ingredients. Put the noodles, vegetables and herbs and dressing into a large bowl and toss well.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-9622993930848333082008-08-06T22:27:00.005+02:002008-08-06T23:12:40.635+02:00Got milk?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew3oHjD8vFuiW665Mg9RE7uIjPxU3zqaRGLpiaAjduMWBAHsnN1gzK8mQdgtEHWbuZWySP8Jw-8dgzMN-TB2aspQ2wHQN5moDwQsbF_qnvmYLhfA8RWIwTiZzG9fqm0AH8tcR3w/s1600-h/Got+milk.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew3oHjD8vFuiW665Mg9RE7uIjPxU3zqaRGLpiaAjduMWBAHsnN1gzK8mQdgtEHWbuZWySP8Jw-8dgzMN-TB2aspQ2wHQN5moDwQsbF_qnvmYLhfA8RWIwTiZzG9fqm0AH8tcR3w/s320/Got+milk.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231510497187804434" border="0" /></a><br />Linda at <a href="http://linda.kovacevic.nl/">make life sweeter</a> hosts a food event called <a href="http://linda.kovacevic.nl/archives/212-Got-milk.html">got milk?</a> as the first week of august is breastfeeding week. (Did you know? No? Neither did I). I think food blogging events are so cool and I always want to participate in so many and end up missing all the deadlines. Pathetic, yes. I'm on time for this one so hooray! I don't even like milk particularly, never drink it, don't add it to cereals, only a drop in my tea, thank you. But cooking with milk - absolutely. Two recipes sprang to my mind. The first was <span style="font-style: italic;">latte in piedi</span>, literal translation "milk standing up", an italian pudding similar to panna cotta which, at least in some versions, is prepared with only milk instead of cream. I'm not sure about the recipe I found, it might be the road to the culinary relevation of the year or complete disaster. I'll try it some other time and report back. The second and the one I chose for this event was <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Plattenmüesli</span> which is Swiss German and stands for "dish muesli" - this is a funny language so don't ask. It might be that my grandmother used to make this, it seems to me that I have a vague memory of this dish but it was certainly not part of my mother's repertoire. It's simple as it gets - whisk eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together and let it set in the oven. It's an old recipe and might have been something that (well-off) mothers used to make for their little children so they would grow strong and therefore a suitable dish for breastfeeding week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Plattenmüesli<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">(serves 4 as dessert)</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><ul><li>3 eggs</li><li>2.5dl milk</li><li>2 tablespoons sugar</li><li>scraped seeds of half a vanilla pod</li><li>a litte butter for greasing the dish</li></ul>Preheat the oven to 150° C. Bring water to boil. Grease a medium-sized ovenproof dish. Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla together and pour into the dish. Set onto a rimmed baking tray and slide into the hot oven. Carefully pour the hot water onto the baking sheet. Bake for twenty minutes or until completely set. Watch closely as the water must not come to the boil. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-61009819036041588052008-08-04T23:19:00.003+02:002008-08-04T23:19:01.135+02:00Ottolenghi green bean salad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbN4NoDNRk6ip0oITW3aTs5annJa8Ss8Xx8xHMhzPPqagF1kGhn7xEaEd1JELv_ttqcSibD5qnb7Atov6ocVaGfVooW3MyH1Abx5ninKGXJSxQ66S5wwhA5M5kuSY9z-blL0CRA/s1600-h/Ottolenghi+green+beans.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225580363562802962" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbN4NoDNRk6ip0oITW3aTs5annJa8Ss8Xx8xHMhzPPqagF1kGhn7xEaEd1JELv_ttqcSibD5qnb7Atov6ocVaGfVooW3MyH1Abx5ninKGXJSxQ66S5wwhA5M5kuSY9z-blL0CRA/s320/Ottolenghi+green+beans.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I'm such a lousy/lazy blogger - no post in several weeks. I'm really good at looking at other blogs though, does that count? I particularly love it when the <a href="http://daringbakersblogroll.blogspot.com/">Daring Bakers </a>are getting their whisks and spatulas out and across the world, bloggers tackle the same elaborate cake recipe. Just look at all those <a href="http://melecotte.blogspot.com/2008/07/filbert-gateau-with-praline-buttercream.html">Filbert Gâteaux</a>! They look amazing! I love the idea of joining the Daring Bakers myself but two things stop me:<br /><ol><li>I can't even find time to write my "regular" posts so I won't kid myself into thinking that I might engage in some very advanced baking once a month <em>and</em> write about it, too.</li><li>The effect on my waistline would be devastating. Daring Bakers is safer for large households.</li></ol>I'll stick to reading about other people's adventures with buttercream and <em>génoise</em> and things and <em>try</em> to write about my own humble recipes, such as this bean salad from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ottolenghi-Cookbook-Yotam/dp/0091922348/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217858827&sr=8-1">Ottolenghi: The Cookbook.<br /></a><br />Well. I should have known better. I dislike crisp, squeaky green beans and yet, I followed the instructions and cooked the beans for only a couple of minutes. The stiff unyielding beans then managed to keep the other tastes at bay, as if they were sitting in the bowl with their arms crossed, thinking that no way were they going to snuggle up to toasted hazelnuts and orange juice. Can you tell from the picture how stubborn they were? Next time, I'll definitely cook the beans until soft, even if they loose their vibrant colour.<br /><br />I put down the bean salad as I'd make it in the future, not quite Ottolenghi style but certainly strongly inspired by the recipe in the fabulous book.<br /><br /><strong>Green bean salad with toasted hazelnuts and orange vinaigrette</strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(serves 4 as a starter)</span><br /><ul><li>500g grean beans</li><li>1 garlic clove, minced</li><li>a small handfull toasted hazelnuts, chopped</li><li>juice of one orange</li><li>a little orange zest</li><li>olive oil</li><li>salt and freshly ground pepper</li></ul><p>Cook the beans until tender, the drain. Stir the orange juice, zest, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic together. In a large bowl, combine the beans, vinaigrette and hazelnuts and let sit for at least thirty minutes in order for the flavours to combine. Fresh goat cheese and rustic bread are perfect companions.</p>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-28070968091048998012008-07-21T22:25:00.011+02:002008-08-04T16:18:35.442+02:00Semolina porridge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzt88p4grv12FVhl-UZ4553uMv0Humo86mbG0bWnzWX0oy7XoeRJ_9ZkLqJ4Qo2SP3YZ_9X5z7PpFnZuyjHBJlEyZ9cp5ujVNU1r7Prs_d1wo7qW_cKgAF0a-98DNhKAfFa6ueA/s1600-h/Semolina.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225578039510337218" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzt88p4grv12FVhl-UZ4553uMv0Humo86mbG0bWnzWX0oy7XoeRJ_9ZkLqJ4Qo2SP3YZ_9X5z7PpFnZuyjHBJlEyZ9cp5ujVNU1r7Prs_d1wo7qW_cKgAF0a-98DNhKAfFa6ueA/s320/Semolina.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I believe in breakfast. I don't go far without it, unless I eat until 8 a.m. at the latest (on workdays, that is), I inevitably start to feel weak, shaky and often quite emotional. In my early blogging days, I once mentioned that I go through breakfast phases. I was hooked on steeped oats with grated apple, toasted nuts and yoghurt for quite some time until suddenly, about a week ago, I knew I wanted something else. So now, it's <strong>semolina porridge</strong> again, the finnish fibre-enriched kind with the cute girl with braids on the package. My very dear friend M. brings me some whenever she visits but even if you don't happen to have friends in Finland, don't despair: use regular semolina mixed with a handful of wheat or oat bran.<br /><br />Here's my "recipe":<br /><ul><li>30-40g of semolina</li><li>water</li><li>a pinch of salt</li><li>brown sugar</li><li>a splash of milk</li><li>berries or chopped fruit</li><li>fromage frais or plain yoghurt</li></ul><p>Put the semolina into a small saucepan, then add water (it should stand about 2 cm higher than the semolina - yes, my measurements are very scientific and precise here) and whisk in order to prevent clumps from forming. Bring to the boil, add the salt, then lower the heat and simmer for about five minutes or until thick. Stir frequently. Just before eating, add the milk and simmer for another minute. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with sugar and add the fruit and formage frais or yoghurt. </p><p>I like to take my bowl and sit in the armchair which used to belong to my grandfather while I eat. The husband (yes, you heard me) is usually in the shower or only just waking up by this time. Sometimes, he sleepily shuffles into the living room and steals a spoonfull from me. I don't turn on the radio, I don't go and get the paper. I just sit and eat. It may only be for ten minutes but I couldn't think of a more peaceful - and tasty - way to start the day.</p>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-86420953045792040592008-07-09T21:09:00.008+02:002008-07-09T22:33:57.536+02:00Making cheese<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSvy-LQ3qrHciUiNrqHUt7JP4urSMgDxFZM7xfwUJfmMgM1vRFxoZv84PqqylpAPA8wSXshyUotaBPI_eIxbOP0QDjE8_4Mt7eH6YrwxkLfapkgiyZB-oJx1mDGbF1SfQcF8uuw/s1600-h/Ricotta.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSvy-LQ3qrHciUiNrqHUt7JP4urSMgDxFZM7xfwUJfmMgM1vRFxoZv84PqqylpAPA8wSXshyUotaBPI_eIxbOP0QDjE8_4Mt7eH6YrwxkLfapkgiyZB-oJx1mDGbF1SfQcF8uuw/s320/Ricotta.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221104132111241906" border="0" /></a><br />Luisa from the <a href="http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/">Wednesday Chef</a> recently made <a href="http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/06/homemade-ricott.html">ricotta</a>. I have said this before and I shall say it again - when she recommends a recipe, I think you should listen. I did, anyway, and made ricotta tonight, using sheep's milk as she suggested. Who would have thought making cheese could be so laughably easy? Heat milk and buttermilk, wait for curds to form, ladle curds into a cloth-lined sieve and let drain. There. Ricotta. Truth be told, I never understood while many cooks/food bloggers dislike shop-bought ricotta quite so much. Maybe the ricotta widely available here is of better quality than in most other countries or maybe my tastebuds do not know about ricotta, anyhow, I quite like the creamy kind that comes in the tubs - in pound cakes instead of butter or spread onto toasted bread, with a large spoonfull of homemade (by my mother) jam. I do realise, however, that it does not lend itself well to all the interesting things one can do with ricotta, it is too creamy and sweet for that. The homemade ricotta turned out much firmer and drier and it crumbled when sliced. The taste was very mellow, bordering on bland (in a good way - think of it as a canvas for other foods). The use of sheep's milk I cannot comment seeing I never tried the cow's milk variety. I ate my ricotta on toasted bread with a little sea salt and a drizzle of my finest italian olive oil to accompany sautéd zucchini seasoned with nothing but salt, pepper, a splash of lemon juice and chopped oregano. A lovely summer dinner, great for hot days or when you try to eat lightly with the upcoming first fitting of your wedding dress and the effects of two weeks worth's of spanish food on your mind.<br /><br />No need for me to retype the recipe, just the measurements I used, in case you're a metric girl/guy, too: half a litre of sheep's milk and 2dl of buttermilk will yield a roughly fist-sized ball of ricotta (about half the quantity of the recipe on the Wednesday Chef.)Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-46462168756301921112008-07-02T21:52:00.011+02:002008-07-02T23:05:59.395+02:00Andalucia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FIjNkyuHyWwlhR0BBbd1OCMVv0aDmTqhSKsv-ArLZB4mPrbEBdhFsBST0pE_v1I9omA7mTVNC1WJRJ8gMSTK91BgHmJS5OOiFkeWFjLRn4vPfqXIJFB7M5hdTrMwswDlc5xuYg/s1600-h/Windmill.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FIjNkyuHyWwlhR0BBbd1OCMVv0aDmTqhSKsv-ArLZB4mPrbEBdhFsBST0pE_v1I9omA7mTVNC1WJRJ8gMSTK91BgHmJS5OOiFkeWFjLRn4vPfqXIJFB7M5hdTrMwswDlc5xuYg/s320/Windmill.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218525150000804114" border="0" /></a>The Boyfriend and I went to Andalucia for our holidays. The region was everything I ever imagined it to be and more: Scorching sun and blue skies, chalk-white houses, curious rock formations and snow-covered peaks in the Sierra Nevada, breathtakingly beautiful, finely chiselled ornaments in the buildings dating back to the moorish period and stretches of sandy beaches with only a handful of bathers here and there. We drove around for ten days with our rental car, discovering places neither the Boyfriend or I had ever been to before. Sometimes it felt like we were the first or even the only ones ever visiting a place - we weren't, obviously - but the quiet we encountered before the beginning of the summer holidays gave that impression. Rarely have I felt so acutely aware of how lucky I am to have found someone who loves me like the Boyfriend does and how happy he makes me. Did it matter that the food was often rather mediocre, drenched in oil and somewhat, um, boring? It didn't. Quinoa doesn't stand a chance against great love.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-33766242566925710702008-06-02T23:02:00.007+02:002008-06-05T08:03:12.964+02:00Chestnut and chocolate cake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDz3v-1_KtXgfqH9XJnCTsG2GXN7h9sBD49l80ukqiww0uObi4xsq0Qw4p4Nj2UtUbem_Bw0UkIskMEWFCW_Lymrg7pRs7LvHNf61nBnKRcN9wSRh6vcKvBxgW-hD4mgdGBpcxA/s1600-h/Chestnut+cake.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208136777272539906" style="CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDz3v-1_KtXgfqH9XJnCTsG2GXN7h9sBD49l80ukqiww0uObi4xsq0Qw4p4Nj2UtUbem_Bw0UkIskMEWFCW_Lymrg7pRs7LvHNf61nBnKRcN9wSRh6vcKvBxgW-hD4mgdGBpcxA/s320/Chestnut+cake.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Our poor man's Volvo needed to have its tyres changed on saturday, so the Boyfriend and I ventured off to a nearby shopping centre with garage attached, the idea being that I could to the grocery shopping while the Boyfriend would got to the garage and oversee the changing of the tyres. We are ever so progressive as a couple. I had a lot of time and kind of aimlessly wandered around a posh food hall. Guess what I found? Chestnut flour. And I bought a bag, for no particular reason, simply because they had it basically. I try to refrain from this kind of shopping as I inevitably end up with all my cupboards full of half-empty bags of interesting or unusual foods, more than we actually need. And then there is often the problem of having an awkward quantity left - too much for one person, too little for two - how does everyone deal with that? Anyway, on saturday, despite all that, I bought the chestnut flour. I did a little research today and found out that chestnut flour doesn't keep very well. "This cake must be made with fresh chestnut flour or it will not turn out well" many recipes read, almost making me feel like I had been mighty foolish, buying a <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">whole large bag of the stuff</span>. What could I do but make good use of my special flour right away? Call it emergency baking.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Chestnut and chocolate cake</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(makes one round 23cm-diameter cake)</span><br /><ul><li>3 yoghurt pots chestnut flour, sifted</li><li>1 pot natural yoghurt</li><li>1 yoghurt pot brown sugar</li><li>1 tablespoon vanilla sugar</li><li>3 eggs</li><li>100g butter, melted</li><li>1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and baking powder each</li><li>120g dark chocolate, roughly chopped</li></ul>Preheat the oven to 180°. Line a round baking pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs and butter until light and thick. Add the yoghurt and stir well. Add the sifted flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and stir carefully. When the flour is completely incorporated, stir in the chocoalate. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40 minutes. A skewer inserted into the cake must come out clean. Cover the cake with foil if it browns too quickly (as mine did). Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely before eating.<br /><br />I was extremely eager to find out what the chestnut flour would taste like and could hardly contain myself while the cake was cooling on the balcony. I'm glad to report that it lived up to my expectations: light and fluffy, with only a subtle chestnut taste (which is fine by me) and bursts of sweet chocolate. Some chopped and roasted hazelnuts might be a nice addition, too. One warning: chestnut flour is gluten free which means that this cake is crumbly with a very soft texture. If not being able to neatly slice a cake makes you cry, substitute half of the chestnut flour with plain flour. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and steal just one last tiny sliver before I go to sleep. </div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-16727066143259604062008-05-31T18:11:00.006+02:002008-05-31T18:37:03.291+02:00Aubergine salad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeZQd4E0_gxPmP5RP9k6VqZWY4UnPkPp4hQnhVax-jyxnnWHEdtDJpxEOpRWlV2XyJggd1wzxpb9UT6T9xUhBztac9pGkq35Xa4F5hTF0-7TveUOyiUQF9mbjnjjs7ljJbVfLuw/s1600-h/Aubergine+salad.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeZQd4E0_gxPmP5RP9k6VqZWY4UnPkPp4hQnhVax-jyxnnWHEdtDJpxEOpRWlV2XyJggd1wzxpb9UT6T9xUhBztac9pGkq35Xa4F5hTF0-7TveUOyiUQF9mbjnjjs7ljJbVfLuw/s320/Aubergine+salad.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206581738637821554" border="0" /></a><br />This is one I clipped out from <a href="http://www.wildeisen.ch/pages/">kochen</a>, I Swiss cooking magazine I have a subscription to. I And I'd better write it down quickly because just when I had finished cooking, the Boyfriend opened the kitchen window and the wind carried my clipping away. Gone with the wind, so to speak.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aubergine salad</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(serves 4 as a side dish or starter)</span><br /><ul><li>2 medium-sized aubergines</li><li>2 tomatoes</li><li>1 small onion</li><li>a small handfull of fresh oregano leaves</li><li>a pinch of sugar</li><li>1 tablespoon pine nuts<br /></li><li>1 tablespoon capers</li><li>12 green olives, pitted</li><li>salt and freshly ground pepper</li><li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li><li>2-3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar</li></ul>Finely dice the aubergines. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, add the aubergines and fry over medium heat until lightly browned and softened. Season lightly with salt and pepper. While the aubergines are browning, deseed and chop the tomatoes and rinse and chop the capers and olives. Finely chop the onion and the oregano leaves. Add the tomaotes, onions, sugar and pine nuts to the pan and fry for another two minutes. Add the capers, olives, oregano and balsamic vinegar and heat through briefly. Remove from the heat. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Serve slightly warm or a room temperature.<br /><br />I omitted the pine nuts because we'll have this <a href="http://beurreetpain.blogspot.com/2007/09/apple-torte.html">apple torte</a> later which contains almonds and wouldn't it be a culinary fauxpas to serve a starter with pine nuts and a cake with almonds after that? Yes, it would. I added a little chopped mint, though, because we have mint on our balcony and it is growing so beautifully, begging to be added to dishes.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-7593615050017136492008-05-19T21:44:00.009+02:002008-05-21T23:01:31.334+02:00Quite easy courgette tart<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgMOyynq2rXByJUQ8hvxXdDXaBQspBbkVvWluvLhY4KZ-P4ic_kLcdO_RSigh7uhA_Qv82qqd4Jm97Bd7nF9MIGSMzp6GceGHN84LfCc5Pip9VQVIqNpQ2cZUQMVXC0KcsoRyhw/s1600-h/Zucchini+polenta+tart.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgMOyynq2rXByJUQ8hvxXdDXaBQspBbkVvWluvLhY4KZ-P4ic_kLcdO_RSigh7uhA_Qv82qqd4Jm97Bd7nF9MIGSMzp6GceGHN84LfCc5Pip9VQVIqNpQ2cZUQMVXC0KcsoRyhw/s320/Zucchini+polenta+tart.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202933385895150194" border="0" /></a><br />This was going to be the easy courgette tart I mentioned in my last post, a recipe clipped from <a href="http://www.evemagazine.co.uk/home.asp">eve magazine</a> or maybe <a href="http://www.easylivingmagazine.com/">Easy Living</a>. But things happened on the way. See, the "easy" part of this tart has a lot to do with using ready rolled puff pastry. And while ready rolled puff pastry makes the task of baking a tart laughably easy indeed, it is not so kind on your health, being packed with fat. Now before you think I'm a boring health nut and click away - I'm not. Seriously, I was going to buy the pastry, I had the roll in my hand and my hand was halfway in my basket. And I would have bought it, walked home with it and made this tart according to instructions, had I not cast a glance at the list of ingredients on the package and seen just the kind of fats used in the pastry. <span style="font-style: italic;">T</span><span style="font-style: italic;">ransfats</span>, people, as nasty as they come. I could have dealt with butter but with these I couldn't. The puff pastry went right back to where it came from and I decided to take a leaf from <a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/">Clotilde's</a> book and make this tart with a <a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/09/zucchini_polenta_tart.php">polenta base</a> instead. A little more work, yes, but still <span style="font-style: italic;">quite </span>easy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quite easy courgette tart</span> (serves 2)<br /><ul><li>125g fine polenta</li><li>450ml water</li><li>a good pinch of salt</li><li>a generous sprinkling of dried thyme</li><li>120g soft ricotta<br /></li><li>2 teaspoons grated parmesan</li><li>a little grated lemon zest<br /></li><li>2 small zucchini</li><li>0.5 tablespoons olive oil</li><li>salt and pepper</li><li>2-3 basil leaves</li><li>parmesan (optional)<br /></li></ul>Bring the water to the boil and salt to taste. Crumble the thyme between your fingers and add to the pan, then add the polenta while stirring constantly. Simmer for a few minutes over a low heat until quite thick. Spread into a round baking pan or pie dish (mine had a diameter of 25cm, a little larger would be fine, too but you might need more zucchini) which you've lightly oiled with some olive oil. Let the polenta sit for about fifteen minutes. Preheat the oven to 250°. Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest and the grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Very finely and evenly slice the zucchini. You can do this yourself or instruct another person in your household to do so under your supervision. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put it on top of your baking pan with the polenta, parchment paper side down. Firmly press the baking pan and the baking sheet against each other and turn around with a swift movement so that this time, the baking pan with the polenta is on top. Lift the baking pan away. Take a moment to admire the smooth disc of polenta before you, then slide it into the hot oven and bake for about twenty minutes or until lightly browned. You can use the grill but watch that parchment paper. Mine was looking very parched indeed after just a few minutes under the grill. Remove the polenta round from the oven and spread with the ricotta mixture. Arrange the zucchini slices on top, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Slide back into the oven and cook for about twenty minutes or until the zucchini are tender. Transfer onto a serving platter and top with the chopped basil and some parmesan shavings if using.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-27739109996231885922008-05-13T22:26:00.010+02:002008-05-13T23:13:11.076+02:00Clippings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9J4LdSwSHOY1YWEV7L-a_fUJ9ZaqUEwDZFAjAr4J9mH5OJoEFtnPoUxTzkLHdzAbY5BmjosuR_0rL7Pu-ueNoJvg8C5EMrLuaA6Id0CpiScXJYdRfheGvqR3BBFdUCpKxb_Bpw/s1600-h/Clippings1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9J4LdSwSHOY1YWEV7L-a_fUJ9ZaqUEwDZFAjAr4J9mH5OJoEFtnPoUxTzkLHdzAbY5BmjosuR_0rL7Pu-ueNoJvg8C5EMrLuaA6Id0CpiScXJYdRfheGvqR3BBFdUCpKxb_Bpw/s320/Clippings1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199972594355077682" border="0" /></a>Last year, I <a href="http://beurreetpain.blogspot.com/2007/01/this-year-i-dare.html">challenged</a> myself to cook a new dish from one of my many cookbooks every week. I kept up reasonably well and enjoyed my challenge a lot. I discovered dishes I loved and tried dishes which were quickly attributed to the no-need-to-make-again catergory by the Boyfriend. (To my deception, he reckoned tonight's monk's beard frittata was part of this category too, calling it the "hay cake"). Not only do I have a tendency to purchase a lot of cookbooks - I dare not use the term "collect", did you notice - but I also like to keep recipe clippings from magazines, newspapers and sometimes the back of packages of foods (I found a memorable lentil salad recipe once so don't laugh). I'm still committed to make better use of my cookbooks and at the same time, I try to go through my folders with neatly arranged clippings (starters, vegetables, meat, fish and seafood, pasta, dessert) to see which ones were worth clipping.<br /><br />Here are some of the recipes on the waitlist:<br /><ul><li>Easy courgette tart</li><li>Asparagus with mustard-dill sauce</li><li>Sea bass ceviche</li><li>Minced meat pie with apples and pine nuts</li><li>Cold indian chickpea soup<br /></li><li>Mel i Mato (fresh goat cheese with walnuts and honey)</li></ul>Just to name a few. This will keep me busy for a while. Seeing it's may already, I'm not making this a challenge. Not even I am that silly.Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-32055610582771012932008-02-15T07:51:00.002+01:002008-02-15T07:53:52.451+01:00What I would like today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQAiLoLdi5zEfvsAEhYoY9E_kgGQQdZG1ct3DrQ2h4iW0rzz1tgxzbDnwzxUwjfqi2fLMbtCw2luCKp1o3F5pyoNraFo_sSpuPO-pSB7A6WaVg9stbZxlmJSIjAQYT0048VjhOQ/s1600-h/spiegelei_neu.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167096298438476098" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQAiLoLdi5zEfvsAEhYoY9E_kgGQQdZG1ct3DrQ2h4iW0rzz1tgxzbDnwzxUwjfqi2fLMbtCw2luCKp1o3F5pyoNraFo_sSpuPO-pSB7A6WaVg9stbZxlmJSIjAQYT0048VjhOQ/s320/spiegelei_neu.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><ul><li>Have a lie-in</li><li>Eat a fried egg</li><li>Then decide what to do next</li></ul><p>It will have to wait until tomorrow.</p>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30986249.post-86865460213684767382008-01-04T14:24:00.000+01:002008-01-04T14:31:36.757+01:00Not crowned<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF61K2l6YEHdcaoI7FZAfS02SjC2S4YxgAkipnzIZfAhnnE-pFnxDAWQiMEAs42vlGUGPBn5FOJNc-bovukgM1TA9MW0Kl4crGsI7p8-MxUl_DEbkJlimgh4C3Fdja-g-fIXHzg/s1600-h/Kuchen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151613277586890802" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF61K2l6YEHdcaoI7FZAfS02SjC2S4YxgAkipnzIZfAhnnE-pFnxDAWQiMEAs42vlGUGPBn5FOJNc-bovukgM1TA9MW0Kl4crGsI7p8-MxUl_DEbkJlimgh4C3Fdja-g-fIXHzg/s320/Kuchen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Once again it was not acknowledged that <strong>I am the legitimate heir to the throne</strong>! One of my coworkers very cheekily snatched the piece with the little plastic king inside from under my nose. Oh, well. The cake was delicious, yeasty and soft, studded with plump raisins and flavoured with lemon peel. Worth staying common for.</div>Honeybeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03980218806432107655noreply@blogger.com1