Tuesday, June 29th

I absolutely loved What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt.

Lamb Curry

1kg Lamb leg chops, cubed.
45ml Pesto
70g Salted Lemon, minced
75ml Curry mix (very mild, for stronger curry, add more mix)
Place all in large oven roasting bag, shake gently to coat meat.

800g Mixed Mushrooms, chopped.
200g Celery with leaves, chopped
300g Brussel sprouts
500g Baby Potatoes
200g Carrots, peeled
3 Fresh bay leaves
Handful Rosemary sprigs
Add all to roasting bag, close bag, place in baking tray. Bake for 2hours at 180C, taking care that bag touches no part of oven.

Monday, June 28th

Margaret Atwood's Payback - Debt and the Shadow side of Life was a joy to read.

I also enjoyed The Magnificent Quest by Kelynda.

The Israeli film festival is currently on, my favourite film so far was A Matter of Size.

Easy Mushrooms

400g Large brown mushrooms, spread on baking sheet.
1 Clove garlic, minced, put a bit on each mushroom.
1 Lime, halved, squeeze a bit of juice on every mushroom, not too much.
100g Camembert, sliced. Arrange slices on top of mushrooms.
Bake for 15minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned, at 180C.

Friday, June 25th

French Tarragon Pesto

3k French tarragon, washed leaves only

15ml Garlic, chopped

100ml Fresh lemon juice

30ml Capers

50g Cashews

100g Asiago or Pecorino, grated

100ml olive oil

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Puree and store in fridge in glass jar.

Thursday, June 24th

I was given a curry gift pack yesterday, so we had curry for supper.

Mushroom Curry

800g Large black mushrooms, put gills up on a baking tray and bake for 30minutes at 180C.
500g Potatoes, boil.

20ml Olive oil, heat in large pot.
25ml Cape Malay Curry mix or any other curry mix, add to hot oil and stir.
10ml Garlic, minced, add to spices and stir
200g Carrots, chopped, add to pot and stir.
50g Salted lemon, minced, add to pot and stir.
150g Celery, chopped, add to pot and stir.
80g Spring onions, chopped, add to pot and stir.
Stir for a few minutes, then add 250ml boiling water to pot. Keep kettle boiling and add water as needed throughout the process. As soon as carrots are soft enough, add quartered mushrooms and cubed potatoes. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, leaving the lid off if too watery.

Serve with delicious rice and sambals like spice cashews, chili threads, raisins, fennel seeds, slivered almonds and chutney.

Wednesday, June 23rd

Read more Canterbury Tales, Miller's Tale & Wife of Bath's tale.

Enjoyed the movie version of The Pharaoh's Daughter. Ballet is fabulous.

This is another incredibly easy, but delicious recipe.

Fridge Cheesecake

1 Packet Tennis biscuits, crumbed
100g Butter, melted in Pyrex
Add crumbed biscuits to butter, press against bottom and sides of dish. Set aside.

150ml Lemon juice, also lemon zest if you can find unwaxed lemons.
385g Condensed milk, stir in half the lemon juice and set aside.
250ml Whipping cream, add remaining lemon juice and beat until stiff.
250g Cream cheese, mix with condensed milk and cream.
Pour mixture into prepared crust. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Tuesday, June 22nd

Read the Knight's Tale in a No Fear version of Canterbury Tales yesterday. Fun.

Saw Broken Embraces. Almodovar is my favourite director and once again he did not disappoint, I loved the film and really enjoyed the reference to Woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

The cake is delicious, the texture is very fine, colour very white and it stays fresh for at least a week.

Angel Food Cake (fat free)

12 Free Range egg whites, beat until whites stay in bowl when turned upside down
2ml Salt, add to whites
7ml Cream of Tartar, add to whites

400g Castor sugar
200g Flour
Sieve together and beat into stiff whites, a bit at a time.

50ml Lemon juice, not sieved, pips removed. Stir into mixture.

Pour mixture into ungreased loose bottomed ring tin and bake for 40minutes at 180C. Eat plain or pour lemon curd over cake.

Monday, June 21st

Read and enjoyed Mrs Beeton's Household Book, edited by Kay Fairfax, yesterday. I am deeply thankful not to be a maid! "The influence of the cook is immense upon the happiness of a household." she says.

Abandoned Jesus the Man, but read the first part of another book by Barbara Thiering, Jesus of the Apocalypse. According to The Book of General Ignorance there never was a 666, the correct translation would be 616.....

Finally finished In the Devil's Garden by Stewart Lee Allen. This led me to contemplate the origins of food prejudice in communities and individuals. The loss of prejudice against eating apes and monkeys is fast leading to the extinction of the big apes in Africa, who are being turned into bushmeat at an alarming rate.

I have many food prejudices, and would be unwilling to eat many of the dishes recommended by Mrs Beeton; no widgeon, woodcock, snipe or larks for me! Mr Allen describes pregnant sows kicked to death to impart extra savour as well as many other revolting practices.

I seem to have few prejudices against trying vegetables and cooked strange brown tubers yesterday, matumbis. They tasted somewhat like potatoes with the texture of a sweet potato.

Gammon

400ml Coke, poured into deep Pyrex
250ml Dry red wine, add to coke

150g Pesto
5ml Salt
15ml Garlic, chopped.
Mix together.

1.7kg Gammon
Spread with pesto, place in coke & wine mixture, put lid on. Bake at 180C for 3 hours.