I was very pleased to get a copy of Alan Davidson's The Oxford Companion to Food. However, since reading the entry on biltong, I feel a bit uncomfortable trusting the book. The biltong entry in the main is absolutely correct if slightly dated, but then he writes: "Zebra is said to make the finest biltong of all..."
I have never seen zebra biltong for sale. I have never spoken to anyone who has eaten zebra biltong. During the 30 years that my father owned a game farm, we never ate a smidgen of zebra meat in any form at all. My life may have been slightly sheltered but no member of the family Equidae is standard fare in South Africa.
Asparagus with pesto
Rosemary & Sage Pesto
1l Rosemary and sage leaves, washed and sorted
30g garlic
30g salted lemon rind
50ml fresh lemon or lime juice
50g nuts, chopped
250ml Asiago/ Parmesan/ Pecorino/Provolone picante (grated)
5ml black pepper, ground
375ml olive oil
Blend until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Boil 1l water in heavy big pot. Add 400g washed asparagus, boil for 5 min. Drain.
Mix 125ml pesto with 75ml vinegar and pour over asparagus in hot pot. Replace lid and leave to steep for an hour before serving.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Feb 27th
Dinner guests last night, so not much reading time. Began In the Devil's Garden - a sinful history of forbidden food by Stewart Lee Allen before dinner. Book is divided into chapters named for the seven deadly sins. I read lust and started on gluttony. Nothing new really, just a rearrangement of facts gleaned from other sources over the years, but of interest, I will finish it. Book has no index. Always a bad thing in my book.
Went through The Foodie Handbook (Pim Techamuanvivit) in bed this morning. Very pleased to see a recipe for Dulce de leche! Everyone in my Spanish class last year was going on about it and I have never eaten it. They all said that it was very like caramel (boiled condensed milk) and indeed, PT's recipe calls for a can of condensed milk and a vanilla pod. Will try as soon as mango pudding is finished (one serving left).
Fettuccini with salmon
500g Fresh fettuccine (boil according to packet instructions)
400g Smoked Norwegian salmon ribbons. Cut into pieces
250g Mascarpone
250ml Cream
200ml Chives (chopped)
50ml Fresh tarragon (chopped) or 5ml dried
105ml Capers (drained)
250ml Asiago (coarsely grated)
2ml Lemon salt
Decant cooked pasta into colander in sink. Take hot pot, put back on stove, melt mascarpone, add all other ingredients, stir well, remove from heat, add pasta, toss and serve with black pepper and fresh rocket.
Went through The Foodie Handbook (Pim Techamuanvivit) in bed this morning. Very pleased to see a recipe for Dulce de leche! Everyone in my Spanish class last year was going on about it and I have never eaten it. They all said that it was very like caramel (boiled condensed milk) and indeed, PT's recipe calls for a can of condensed milk and a vanilla pod. Will try as soon as mango pudding is finished (one serving left).
Fettuccini with salmon
500g Fresh fettuccine (boil according to packet instructions)
400g Smoked Norwegian salmon ribbons. Cut into pieces
250g Mascarpone
250ml Cream
200ml Chives (chopped)
50ml Fresh tarragon (chopped) or 5ml dried
105ml Capers (drained)
250ml Asiago (coarsely grated)
2ml Lemon salt
Decant cooked pasta into colander in sink. Take hot pot, put back on stove, melt mascarpone, add all other ingredients, stir well, remove from heat, add pasta, toss and serve with black pepper and fresh rocket.
Friday, February 26, 2010
February 26th
Read most of Home School last night. Terrible. Charles Webb is the author of The Graduate. Never read that and thought that the best part of the movie was the soundtrack.
Finished What Einstein Told His Cook. Have not tried any of the recipes but enjoyed both the entertaining info and style. Microwave section was dreary but the rest a fun read.
Dipped into from aferwit to zemblanity by Simon Herton. Enjoyable.
Made skordalia for tonight's starter at lunchtime.
Skordalia
900g Potatoes (peeled & boiled in salted water, cooked weight)
200g Feta
20g Garlic
50g Salted lemon (rinsed)
50g Macadamia nuts
25ml Fresh lemon or lime juice
5ml Freshly ground black pepper
250-350ml olive oil
Puree everything. Eat fresh at room temperature with other meze.
Finished What Einstein Told His Cook. Have not tried any of the recipes but enjoyed both the entertaining info and style. Microwave section was dreary but the rest a fun read.
Dipped into from aferwit to zemblanity by Simon Herton. Enjoyable.
Made skordalia for tonight's starter at lunchtime.
Skordalia
900g Potatoes (peeled & boiled in salted water, cooked weight)
200g Feta
20g Garlic
50g Salted lemon (rinsed)
50g Macadamia nuts
25ml Fresh lemon or lime juice
5ml Freshly ground black pepper
250-350ml olive oil
Puree everything. Eat fresh at room temperature with other meze.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Feb 25th
No time for reading last night, glanced at Who's Afraid of Classical Music by Michael Walsh. Introduction and 1st chapter was funny, might be helpful, will persevere.
Also read a bit in What Einstein told his cook by Robert L. Wolke. I love the book, he is funny and very informative.
Mango Pudding
1 large ripe mango (peeled, cubed & pureed)
250g Philadelphia cream cheese
Mix well
200g Dark chocolate
50g butter
Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes,
375ml Whipping cream, mix into melted chocolate
250ml Whipping cream, beat until stiff.
Put alternative spoons (for marbled finish) of chocolate cream and mango cheese into deepish round bowl with straight sides. Top with whipped cream.
Also read a bit in What Einstein told his cook by Robert L. Wolke. I love the book, he is funny and very informative.
Mango Pudding
1 large ripe mango (peeled, cubed & pureed)
250g Philadelphia cream cheese
Mix well
200g Dark chocolate
50g butter
Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes,
375ml Whipping cream, mix into melted chocolate
250ml Whipping cream, beat until stiff.
Put alternative spoons (for marbled finish) of chocolate cream and mango cheese into deepish round bowl with straight sides. Top with whipped cream.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 24th 2010
Read Ultimate Blogs by Sarah Boxer last night. Loved it. Fascinating how some people can write about things that are seriously boring (How to learn Swedish/ Julia) and make you long to read more.
Meant to read The Practice of Kalachakra (a subject that I know nothing of, but might have found interesting). Sadly, I never made it through the preface.
Anyway, Ultimate Blogs made me think I might finally get my recipe book off the ground if I type out one recipe per day. Made a delicious dessert late last night, will call it a syllabub although it contains no wine or cider and I do not have a cow.
Lemon syllabub
serves 8 to 10
125ml fresh lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
2x 385g cans condensed milk
750ml whipping cream
60g cacao nibs for serving
Stir 75ml lemon juice into condensed milk and leave to thicken.
Whip cream with remaining lemon juice.
Combine cream and condensed milk.
Serve with a generous sprinkling of cacao nibs.
Meant to read The Practice of Kalachakra (a subject that I know nothing of, but might have found interesting). Sadly, I never made it through the preface.
Anyway, Ultimate Blogs made me think I might finally get my recipe book off the ground if I type out one recipe per day. Made a delicious dessert late last night, will call it a syllabub although it contains no wine or cider and I do not have a cow.
Lemon syllabub
serves 8 to 10
125ml fresh lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
2x 385g cans condensed milk
750ml whipping cream
60g cacao nibs for serving
Stir 75ml lemon juice into condensed milk and leave to thicken.
Whip cream with remaining lemon juice.
Combine cream and condensed milk.
Serve with a generous sprinkling of cacao nibs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)