A taster of our working kitchen...

The aftermath of cookie baking

Our first baked goods... Cowboy cookies, of course.

On the right is our oak breakfast/bread kneading bar.

This is our double oven that can act as a single one . We were baking pizza, here... all four shelves.  Bliss.

This is our wacky sink, which we love. 

Kitchen remodel - day of hope

Kitchen remodel - day eight

Floor installed...

kitchen remodel - day seven

Ceiling painted, hoorah!  Now the wood floor can be laid...

kitchen remodel - day four

Floor leveler laid... and now we wait for it to dry.

Kitchen remodel - day three

Completely cleared out and ready for floor leveler.

kitchen remodel - day two

 

 

 

 

 

It continues... cabinets removed, sink removed and camping begins.  

I'm not sure home renovations and an inability to therapy-bake are a good pairing. The grilled hamburgers were however a big success. 

kitchen remodel - day one

It begins... fridge removed, dishwasher removed, last load of laundry washed.

Day One

Day One

 

Day One

Drooling...

Over the next week, we're going to post the makings of an amazing sandwich which we highly recommend.  It requires three interchangeable parts, all three dead easy to make.  The first is a recipe I collected from Linda when I visited last September.  She nonchalantly pulled it out of the fridge one night for dinner and I pretty much put my face in the bowl.  See, I'm not proud!

We have tried not to make it too often because because it's not healthy having it lure you to the fridge at all hours of the day, and it doesn't help that it's good on everything, including breakfast cereal.

I'm just kidding with the breakfast cereal.

But, these are serious confessions, because I haven't told this part to anyone, even Linda.

So, where to start... below is Linda's recipe which is absolutely divine.

Linda's Blue Cheese/Roquefort, etc Salad Dressing


1 cup sour cream (can be low fat)
1 cup mayonnaise (can be low fat)
1/4 c minced onion (I like a lot, just use a small yellow onion)
1 clove minced garlic (again, I use 3 or 4 depending on size)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz blue cheese crumbled - or whatever (again I use more)


Mix the first 6 ingredients and then fold in cheese.  Keeps about two weeks
covered in refrigerator (unless your husband eats it all)

This recipe shouldn't be messed with, really.  In the interest of health, we should just exercise, run, run, run!  Chase the cat, the wife, the dog, the fish, the husband until you're heaving for breath, then sit down and eat, guilt free!

Now, since Alastair and I are lazy but smart pigs, we've altered the recipe to read this way instead:

Edye and Alastair's blue cheese dressing


1 cup creme fraiche (can be low fat)
1/2 cup semi-skimmed milk (can be nonfat, semi or full-fat, go one, no one's looking)
1 cup mayonnaise (can be low fat)
1/4 c minced shallots
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz blue cheese, the crumblier the better.  So, we avoid camberzola, gorgonzola, and roquefort.


Mix the first seven ingredients, then fold in the crumbled cheese.  Never keeps for two weeks, never, never.... husband always eats it all.

We use creme fraiche because it's easier to find here than sour cream.  Why the milk?  Well, it makes the dressing go a little farther because we use a little less.  It also plays a role in the finished product... remember this is the first of three parts of a damn fine sandwich.

As for you with milk intolerance, it might just be worth the trouble.  Nausea, be damned!

(I can say this because I've been there... and somethings are just worth it.)

Journey in canning.

Whisky-kissed Peach Preserves: first effort on the left, second effort on the right.

In my recent canning adventures, I was left scratching my head wondering why all the peaches in my Whisky-kissed Peach Preserves were swimming to the top of all of the jars, desperately trying to crawl out and screaming for their mothers.  It tasted fine, actually it was amazingly tasty but it was all float-y.  So I went screaming for my mother, seeking the answers to life's deepest questions only to discover that she was scratching her head and seeking the same.  In search of further meaning, I sought my husband's advice and the sage wisdom of the new Joy of Cooking.

No, I did not turn to wikipedia or google.  Where's the fun in that?!?

Indeed, the Great Haggis had the answer but it wasn't the one I was prepared for... let the jam cool before canning it.  Hmm, isn't that unsanitary? Don't I want to burn all my fingertips in order to claim my blue ribbon status in canning, the medal that states I have killed no one?  But it turns out that cooling it slightly, still sets the jam, seals the jars AND it's not as scary.  So, chock one up for the Haggis.  He wins a jar of preserves.  Should I give him the jar on the left or the right?

Speaking of tomatoes....

Foreign food from local places

Yes, yes, I'm back with lots to share...

First off, dinner!  Foreign foods made with local ingredients.  Tonight we dined on chile rellenos con queso and a corn and tomato salad.  All the ingredients were local, with the most miles on the Monterey Jack cheese from an English dairy and the Spanish beer.

During an outing last week with work, I stumbled upon a farmer's market stall selling salsa and chutneys made primarily from peppers.  These didn't really stand out but behind them was a bushel of Anaheim peppers, looking absolutely gorgeous and begging to go home with me.  The vendor was a little stunned when I proceeded to stuff a bag full of them, ten total. 

The recipe was made from scratch and all went well, even the frying which always seems to make me cringe a bit.  The tomato sauce was made with our own tomatoes from the greenhouse.  Our corn isn't quite ready yet, but this morning's local farmer's market had one lone ear that served us well.  

The corn and tomato salad was inspired by a recent post from Chez Pim.  It's definitely a salad that will come up again for us once our corn comes due.

It's been a while since I last wrote... it's not for lack of trying there are a heaps of 'drafts' within CasaHaggis that just weren't up to snuff.

I wonder if it's the weather that makes blogging possible for me. The lack of longing grey puts a much clearer spin on the muddle in my head... plus things have been busy.

The weather broke Easter weekend, an official four-day holiday with Friday and Monday "bank holidays" for all, I've learned, except those in care professions... like me. So I worked on Friday which was fine for me because I have things to do and a holiday will only get in the way. The rest of the weekend turned out to be quite delightful with our first snow of ... winter. Yes whilst everyone else is thawing out we got a good weekend of white stuff, enough for children to scatter large snowpeople throughout the city.


Meanwhile, Alastair and I indulged in a good American-style brunch hosted by a Brit with a Malaysian story. The menu was influenced by recent travels to Seattle and included good huevos rancheros, homemade granola, British hot cross buns, lots of tea and coffee, followed by several newspapers to read. And, yes, people! British people actually rose out of their beds for the occasion and brought their smiles, well, mostly. So, a great weekend, and the social connections, led on to some baking and an impromptu dinner with lost friends.

In between snow storms, Alastair and I snuck out to peak at our rhubarb plants which have been glistening with potential for some weeks now, like rubies against the darkness of their cloches. We managed to harvest sixteen ounces of rosy-ness, and thanks to Epicurious, we turned it into the best compote we've ever tasted. This paired with a polenta cake traveled with us to dinner where it was welcomed with open arms and mouths. I think Alastair's even planning more rhubarb plants for our future so we don't loose any sunny, ruby goodness.

It's good to be back. Hope you missed me!

2008!

Thick with colds, the best way to bring in the new year ...

games of Scrabble
chocolate fondue
Shooglenifty
and a whisky.

Hope your celebrations were just as good or better.

And, if you're inspired by the idea of chocolate fondue, here are a few dippers to consider:

biscotti
coconut macaroons
ladyfingers
blackberries
marshmallows
crystallized ginger
salted pretzels and
clementines.

Happy New Year!

Downsizing...

Last June, you know, in the summertime and six months after my introduction into gingerbread engineering, I volunteered to make gingerbread house kits for our annual church Christmas fundraiser in December. It's a good cause; it could be a good moneymaker... and, it would be good to revisit gingerbread and see if I had learned anything at all.

So, with lots of notice, I planned and shopped and organized ... and with Alastair's help and a healthy sugar high, I actually finished with time to spare. So, thanks to Martha, twenty kits found good homes, which was a huge relief because I can't imagine what I would have done with them otherwise.

Thanksgiving

To those of you who have seriously annoyed a turkey today, Happy Thanksgiving!

For me, dinner was cheesy pasta, aka mac 'n cheese. This is a big occasion for me, I kid you not, because I haven't had it in over two years. After years of avoiding the stuff having met my quota in early university, I returned to the dish with Alastair's help and a little bit of mustard powder or salsa, then it was off the menu as I await the day my system tolerates cow's milk again... still waiting.

Well, the mustard powder went a long way tonight, as I grated the precious ewe's milk Wensleydale eagerly sold to me by our local Waitrose cheesemonger and then melted it into my roux. It was so creamy and tangy, I could almost forget it wasn't cheddar. Far from the salty orangeness of the fast meals I relied on when I couldn't figure out how to adjust mom's recipes that fed 5+, and yet still the same sort of salvation.

Bless that cheesemonger!

Harvest Time: El Tiempo de la Cosecha

At long last, it's time to cook! Since we've returned from our mini-camping trip, we've been feasting on tomatillo treats: chilaquiles, stewed fish burritos, and just plain salsa. It's been worth the wait.

The best part is that world domination is imminent. The seedlings I passed along to my nutritionist friend, Marie-Ann, are now producing their own yield and she is loving the recipes shared thus far. Exponentially speaking, the world is not my oyster but my tomatillo.

Had you been here last night...

Last night, had you lived nearby, we would have invited you to dinner. The weather was warm with little breeze, the barbecue was hot and the sweetcorn just pulled off the stalks in our garden.

Our menu was:
Grilled swordfish with salsa verde (pineapple sage, capers, lemon and mint)
Steamed corn on the cob
Green salad (mixed lettuces and tomatoes (from the garden) plus avocado and celery.

Fresh apple and blackbery crisp with oats

New Zealand Montana 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Missed you!

How to cook artichokes

Some of you, who saw the post on Physalis about my artichokes, asked how I cook them. So, I thought it best to share it here. If you like artichokes, it's really worth paying attention to this post because I'm going to save you about 25 minutes and get you to the table sooner. I am also going to invite you to post any suggestions you might have about the process and what to dip artichoke leaves in, perhaps you're in the mayonnaise camp, perhaps you prefer melted butter, or maybe lean towards hollandaise... or another sauce. Do share.

Now then, the best way I've found to prepare and cook artichokes is to half them in their raw state, clean out the flower with a sharp paring knife removing all the inedible fringe and the youngest of the leaves that are a bit of faff (that's British for a waste of time). After you've cleaned out these parts, put the half into a bowl of water with the juice of half of a lemon to prevent it from browning, whilst you work on the rest of the artichokes. Rinse and repeat.

Meanwhile, you'll need a pan with a lid that allows for all the artichokes halves to rest flat in 1-1/2 inches of water. See above for an illustration. Fill the pan with boiling water and add a slice of lemon, a few whole peppercorns, and a bay leaf. Feel free to ad lib here. Bring the pan to a simmer and add the artichokes. Lid the pan and set the timer for 15 minutes, a good place to start. The time will vary depending on how many you're poaching. When you can smell them, they're definitely done, and I prefer them less cooked than that. So at 15 minutes, I fork them like a potato to see if they're tender. Once they're at the consistency I like, I remove them from the heat and the water, because they'll keep cooking. If I'm serving them at room temperature or refrigerated, I'll rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.

And, that's it. No pressure cooking, no need to work hours before. And, you get a well-presented veg that doesn't intimidate most people. Unfortunately, this means Alastair actually likes them and I can no longer barter for his heart.

P.S. You can cook them in the microwave, but since we don't have one, I had to get creative. I really don't miss the steam burns when unwrapping the plastic wrap.

Tuna Rice Bowls

On Friday, we were treated to dinner at Satnam and Susan's. I have only dined with them a few times, but knew up front that I was following in the footsteps of a global audience. I am one of hundreds from around the world who have graced their dinner table. This particular evening was highlighted by Satnam's mother joining us. Good timing, I think.

Friday evening's menu started with strawberry and orange smoothies, then carrot, cilantro and honey soup, followed by Tuna Rice Bowls. Satnam used a recipe from the Herb Farm's cookbook, which he obtained on one of his jaunts across the pond. Lucky us. Even luckier, we ate from a beautiful piece of tuna thanks to Susan's savvy and negotiations at our local Waitrose fish counter. Yes, I noted the necessary skills for me to use next time.

Jumping right in at the rice bowls, Satnam sat down to chop and slice all the necessary vegetables at the dinner table so we could talk and salivate as a group. Avocados, cucumbers, mint, coriander and nori sheets were all waved in front of our noses. Then, Satnam unwrapped the tuna, something I haven't seen in a while... a wedge of tuna that makes me imagine exactly where it came from on the fish. After sharpening his knife and cutting the tuna, Satnam seared it in an almost smoking pan. A quick assembly and voila! a fantastic, filling salad. Yes, salad!

We finished the meal off with pineapple and mango dressed with sugar-tossed basil. It's a tough way to start a weekend as nothing I ate the rest of the weekend held a candle to Friday night's food.