quick update from the trenches

There’s been some cooking

Accidental sorrel soup.

How to turn an average end-of-the-week-leftover-veggie soup into a stellar meal? Just add a handful of sorrel and blend. The base combo of alliums/cauliflower/zucchini/potato simmered in stock got the zing it needed when blended with the lemony green herb. A little goes a long way.

Oranges are not the only fruit.

But certainly the most abundant one in our house at the moment due to the arrival of two boxes of home-grown citrus. A batch of orange and spice vegan truffles were scoffed with alarming speed and with zest added to every conceivable dish, the fridge is full of lemons and oranges devested of their skin. As always, there’s large batch of preserved lemons on the go.

Quinoa for breakfast and dinner.

Cooked in orange and ginger juice. A superb breakfast that can be dolled up with a drizzle of maple syrup and some toasted almonds for a deceptively healthy dessert.

Speaking of dessert.

You know I’m not the queen of cooked desserts, right? But my oh my, I had a brilliant idea and minutes later dessert gyozas were on the table. I’d call them a work in progress but really they’re so simple they don’t need work. Three batches down I can’t stop long enough to photograph them before they’re gone. Will share soon, blogging mojo willing.

What’s rocking your kitchen?

random kitchen post

I've got so much junk on my small kitchen bench that I'm too intimidated to post a picture. At least half are vitamins and herbs. You choose, am I healthy, sick or just neurotic?

But there are a few goodies.

The latest batch of preserved lemons are made Diana Henry (Crazy Water Pickled Lemons) style. Press the salted lemons in the jar, weighted, for a few days to let the juice come out. Then add lemon juice to cover, coriander seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon quills. Seal with oil. I couldn't help myself and added some black peppercorns too.

Beside it sits the remains of a very fine dessert wine. My father found two bottles in his "cellar" (while the basement under the garage is relatively cool, it's far too damp) a year ago and was going to throw them out. "They're old", he said "and sweet!". His loss was my gain. Oh so good.

The remains of some marinated olives are ready for topping up again. They taste even better gently warmed.



Finally got the knife rack up on the wall, thanks to the man-with-power-tools being in residence once more. I love the $6 Victorinox paring knives and the curled tip of my grandmother's grapefruit knife. The Brazilian all purpose beauty has served me well for over a decade now.



Is your kitchen counter a minimalist dream or full of clutter?

more lemons

A friend gave me an armful of lemons off her tree yesterday. They are thick skinned and have a medium amount of juice. It’s a long time since I preserved any but in the spirit of pickling things, I got the urge to make a jar.

Previous endeavours in preserving lemons have taught me to downsize. While its nice to give away jars of homemade produce, I found that if you like cooking with preserved lemons you tend to make your own, while those who don’t just tend to let the gifted jars gather dust.

It only takes 5 minutes to put a bottle together. Recipes vary. I tend to follow Stephanie Alexander but you know me by now, I read one version, then another elsewhere and just go ahead with no measurements and throw something together.

I managed to get 3-4 large lemons into one of those coffee jars that old ladies in Op Shops tend to think are worth a dollar a pop.



Five minute preserved lemons

Wash your lemons. Scrub them if necessary. Make sure your fruit is home grown, organic, no spray (or from a reliable organic source) – remember it is the skin you will be eating so you want it chemical-free and clean.

Slice your lemons into wedges. When I’ve done large jars in the past I have partially quartered whole fruit – cutting through the lemon about 4/5 of the way through and pushed some salt and spices into the wedges. For a small container leaving them whole was not an option, so cut each lemon into 8 wedges.

Pack the wedges into a jar with the odd scatter of black peppercorns. Don’t be afraid to push the lemons down with a bit force to reduce some of the juice and oils.

Squeeze some extra lemons (great use for the ones with slightly blighted skins), enough to cover the wedges. Before pouring, stir in a generous handful of rock salt. Let it dissolve a little before pouring the juice over the fruit.

Pop in a stick of cassia if desired.

Seal well.

Keep them on the bench for a week or so, giving them a gentle shake each day.

When you start using them either top with more fresh lemon juice to keep the fruit covered, or pour a thin layer of vegetable oil to top the jar and refrigerate.

Use the skin of the lemons (discarding the pulp) in Middle Eastern dishes, salads and fishy creations.



For those who prefer their recipes with more precise measurements – check out Lucy’s recipe for speedy preserved lemons. I hope her new home has a lemon tree!