April In My Kitchen

No chocolate Easter eggs in my kitchen. 

But I do have some new things to share.  

Starting with this cookbook 'In Bibi's Kitchen' - The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean. Those of you who follow me, let me remind you this was the only cookbook that was on my Christmas wishlist last year.  D had ordered it, it was out of stock, D ordered it again in January for me; and apparently it got lost in transition - then he tried one more time; and surprise it arrived last week.  It is a mostly meat based recipe book, but i am hoping to adapt recipes to my more plant based diet. 

To show D that i was thankful for his perseverance, in obtaining this publication for me.  I thought I better cook a recipe from it sharpish.  This Black Eyes Peas and Tomatoes in Peanut Sauce called Kunde is actually a vegan recipe.  Kunde is the Swahili word for black eyed peas. It's suggested in the book to eat it with rice, but we just had it as is - like a beany thick soup.  It was lovely; ad to be honest, after eating the Kunde, we were rather full and not in need for more food for the rest of the day. I am also sharing this I am sharing this Soup with Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. 

I am a potato crisp muncher, but we have not had many coming into the house since the pandemic.  D saw these Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce crisps at the supermarket and tempted by the flavours bought some home.  They were pretty good, and yes they are suitable for vegetarians.  

Here is evidence of one of the most popular recipes in our home: Nigella's Double Potato and Halloumi Bakes, except i replace the Halloumi with Feta. I am honestly, making it again as I type this blog post. 

We have an abundance of perpetual spinach still growing well.  Here is some I harvested on Good Friday.  D made me pose with the bowl for scale - to demonstrate the vast amount.  

He was not shy in hinting that we haven't had Spanakopitta for a long while.  He was right, I honestly cannot remember the last time i made a vegetarian Spanakopitta. 

I actually think it may have been when I was running the vegetarian and vegan cafe; and what's worse I cannot remember which recipe I usually base my recipe on.  I flicked through the Greek cookbooks on my shelf and would you believe it, not one of them had a recipe for spanakopita.  I was gobsmacked actually.  

So flicked through some general vegetarian cookbooks and decided a recipe in Good Housekeeping Step by Step Vegetarian Cookbook.  It was good, but not as good as I remembered having made it before.  I just cannot which recipe i made and adapted from which cookbook, but both D and me agreed it had dill and perhaps spring onion.

So i will be making another , especially as D had picked up two packets of filo pastry from the supermarket.  

I should also have held this for scale as the photograph above, does not do the homemade Spanakopitta recipe justice. 

 In the garden we also have purple sprouting broccoli coming on strong too. It stunning actually and gives the garden some colour. 

And i am not fibbing when i tell you, we have had this dish three, maybe four times in two weeks.  Its essentially Aglio, Olio e Peperonicino with PSB.  It's been delicious! This gives me an excuse to also join in with Harvest Monday tomorrow hosted by Dave from Happy Acres.  

Now here is my curve ball.  Some of you may remember a few blog posts back, I said  my garden boots/wellies have worn, so I have ordered a pair of wellies on-line. I knew it was a risk and it proved right.  They did not fit.  Wish you could see my disappointed face. Either my feet are swollen or they are plain old chubby like the rest of me. D said I should have got one size larger for thick socks.  Bit late telling me after placing the order. Good job I dare not order clothing online, no matter how tempted.  Anyway,  because they are so pretty, they are on the windowsill in the downstairs bathroom like a decorative piece.  I asked my nieces over the telephone, if they were in need of new wellies, but both have larger feet than me. 

Onto other things in my kitchen.  Some herbal Teas: Elderberry and Echinacea and Three Ginger. 

Forest Fruits and Tropical herbal tea. 

Finally, some lavender potted up in the trug in the garden.  I'm sharing this blog post withSherry's Pickings who hosts In My Kitchen Series.

Lots of Tea In My Kitchen

Well July has started well with the allotment garden plot rewarding us with our first harvest of broad beans. 

Its the only homegrown vegetable I am sharing this month, but I am hoping come next month there will be a lot more.  

Darjeeling Pecan Tea Loaf

This is a softly scented Darjeeling Pecan Tea Loaf.

Early January In My Kitchen

So what is in my kitchen this early January.  I have signed up to do Veganuary Challenge this month, so lots of the ingredients I have in my fridge happen to be vegan:  Non diary milk and sunflower margarine, but these two ingredients can often be found in my fridge, not just for Veganuary, so here are some other bits and pieces around the kitchen that you won't often find in my kitchen.  

I have been drinking lots of herbal infused teas recently due to my chesty cough.  I was given another box of Christmas Collection tea-bags.  I mentioned before that I was introduced to Yogi Tea by my bestest friend Leah when I visited her in the USA, it makes an appearance in my kitchen now and again and makes me feel a little nostaligic.

For lunch, I have been tucking into a bowl full of Black Eyed Peas and Lemon Hot Pot.  The lemony zing is just soothing on my scratchy sore throat.

Image courtesy of Celia from Fig and Jam

I was one of the lucky recipients to receive Sourdough Starter Priscilla through Celia at Fig and Jam and our host for In My Kitchen.  Itcame in the post last month.   Thank you Celia, as advised its in the fridge ready to be used one of these rainy or frosty weekends. 

I travelled into Bristol a few weeks back before Christmas and stopped at an Oriental Supermarket to stock up on some goodies, namely raw adzuki beans, a vital ingredient for my vegan 'facon bacon', which I made last week.  In the above image, you will also see that I was tempted by some Tapioca Pearls, Spicy Seaweed, Kaya - A Malaysian Coconut Jam.  I have the recipe to make my own, but when I saw the jar, well I had to get me some to try.  And a packet of what looks like purple potato wafer rolls, but it was the vivid colour on the packaging that got me interested.  

Rustic Asparagus and Purple Sprouting Broccoli Quiche

The asparagus season is so short, so for those of you who like them with a passion, you better get some soon.

Well my husband did not hesitate and picked up some at a reduced price at a supermarket and gave me a big hint to make a cheesy Quiche with them.  Who said 'real men don't eat Quiche?!1 Because I would strongly disagree.  It got me thinking when it was the last time I made Quiche at home, and I really couldn't remember.  So a quick blog search revealed that the last one I shared on my blog was  Summertime last year and it was a Caramelised Red Onion Brie Quiche made with home-grown strawberries. 

So his request albeit through a hint was accommodated.

Not only does this Quiche have asparagus, I also added in some blanched Purple Sprouting Broccoli. showcased In My Kitchen blog post.  

I couldn't be bothered to trim off the excess cooked pastry and in some places it had shrunk a bit, so I left it and decided to call it rustic - works, don't you think.  

Not only did this make for a good meal, there is plenty left over for him to take into work tomorrow.

Banana Toffee Curd Cream Cake

Wow, there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day for me to sit down and blog anymore.  I am missing not only blogging about what I have made in the kitchen, I am also really missing reading fellow bloggers blogs and what you have all been up too.  When I get a whole day to myself, I intend to just sit in front of the computer and catch up - promise. 

Anyway, this evening I have managed to get away from the cafe a couple of hours earlier.  So after, a little catch up on housework, I have sat down to share a recipe I made last week for the cafe.  Its a rather decadent Banana Toffee Curd Cream Cake.  

This Banana Toffee Curd Cream Cake has appeared on my blog in a previous guise.  Its actually a simple Banana cake recipe that I make.  Instead here, I have split the batter between two 8 inch round baking pans; and then slathered it generously with home-made Banana Curd, as well as some freshly whipped double cream.  

I've had a couple of people approach me and ask if I would make them a whole cake to take home.  Now that is approval. 

I am sharing this crowd pleaser with Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Kate of What Kate Baked for their Tea Time Treats. The theme for this month is Summer Fairs and Fetes; Cake Stall Cakes and Bakes - now that's a mouthful!