Words and Weeds

I’m beginning to feel a little disheartened on the job front; and wonder when I’ll get my foot back on the ladder of employment, especially doing what I enjoyed. I’ll still keep trying, filling in those application forms, but it does get all rather depressing when you continue to receive letters of rejection; sometimes there are no letters - all you can do is just take a deep breath, sigh and move on.


Welsh poppies growing in the West of Scotland

 With nothing keeping us in Scotland, paid employment was going to determine our new abode. Now we just have to make a firm decision of where to move, as travelling back and fro is beginning to take a toll on us mentally, physically and financially. The choice was between Essex (near D’s family) or Wales (near my family). We have decided on Wales as the rental of properties there are more within our budget. This would mean it would take us around 3 hours to travel to see D's mother, as opposed to 8 x 2 hours drive.

As we have decided to make Wales our home in the not too distant future, I decided to go on the local council website to check out the allotment sites. Waiting for an allotment could take up to a 2 years, so I thought I'd go ahead and register my interest.  I noted two allotment sites in the area that we are considering moving to.  However, as I am not a resident there yet, I had given my fathers details knowing he wouldn’t mind as he has recently got back into the flow of gardening.

Well, guess what my father got a phone call from one of the allotment secretaries. We, albeit through my father are now the owners of a brand new allotment. I’ll share more about the allotment when I get to see it, but I have been told by my father that it is a blank canvas.  Other than an apple tree, there is nothing on it, no buildings, no raised beds or plants.  Its a large piece of land on the hillside with lots of weeds and brambles. Knowing my Dad, he will have started work on it already. Oh I am so excited.

Aubergine Tomato Relish Pasta

I know, I know some fellow bloggers are blogging new recipes from the award winning Irish Chef Denis Cotters new book For the Love of Food. I don’t have it yet, but it is on my 'cookbook wish list’.  Instead I present to you a recipe from one of his other cookbooks: Aubergine Tomato Relish Pasta.

I made this recipe way back in 2007 when my mother and nephew visited. My mother really liked it.  D was’t around for whatever reason so did not get to try any.  For me this was a reason to make it again. The firm, jet purple aubergines is chopped into lots of pieces, covered in a little oil and then roasted in the oven with a sprig of rosemary.  The rosemary gently infuses the aubergine.  It is then stirred into the tomato sauce base.  The result is one of sublime deliciousness. 

If you have any aubergine relish left over use it as a dip for tortilla chips, its also fantastic spread over crusty bread.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights #216. PPN was founded by Ruth Daniels of Once Upon a Feast and each Friday night a different host posts a roundup of pasta dishes submitted by bloggers from around the world. This week PPN is actually being hosted by Ruth.  

A lone Allium growing in the border of my garden plot. 
Aubergine Tomato Relish Pasta
Serves 2
Ingredients
Cook enough pasta for 2 people. I chose penne.
1 large aubergine
Olive oil
Sprig of rosemary
2 – 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
A knob of fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, freshly ground
1 teaspoon chilli flakes or to taste
1 x 400g tinned tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Salt to taste
Method
Chop the aubergine into small cubes and put onto an ovenproof dish. Then toss them in enough olive oil to coat them. Add the whole rosemary sprig and roast in oven at gas mark 6, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking and cook until the aubergines are browned and cooked through. Discard the rosemary stalks.
In a large pan, heat two tablespoons olive oil nda cook the onion until soft, then add in the garlic and spices. Cook for a couple of minutes. Then pour in the chopped tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring it to a boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Add the roasted aubergine and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring form time to time to prevent sticking. Season with salt and then stir in the cooked pasta to coat. Serve immediately. Adapted from Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter.

Indonesian Savoury Pineapple Rice

I don’t know how authentic a Indo-Malay dish this is, but I have seen a number of Thai recipes for it.  I also found a Pineapple Fried Rice recipe on Rasa Malaysia (the site where I sought inspiration for the Malaysian Back Pepper Tofu), so it must surely exist.

I was never one for blending sweet and savoury flavours, but my tastes have developed so much since leaving home for University.  It may be a strange thing to say, but the flavours in this Indonesian Savoury Pineapple Rice were reminisce of Peshwari Naan.  A Peshwari naan is a traditional recipe where the naan is stuffed with a combination of almonds, apples, cinnamon, coconut, raisins and sultanas. Its often served with spicy curries. 

Anyway back to the Savoury Pineapple rice - it had texture from the cashew nuts and coconut, flavour and colour from the peas and juicy pineapple chunks.  I liked it,  but for my own reasons would have preferred a little more spice, perhaps a little sprinkling of chilli flakes.

The recipe does advise to hollow the fresh pineapple out with leaves in tact, so it can then be served as a plate for the pineapple rice. I haven't bothered with presentation purely  because I would  have been impatient with carving process, plus I wasn't in the mood to impress, but please don't let me stop you if you wish to do this.  It will definitely have 'wowzee' visual impact.  

Ketjap manis is an Indonesian soy sauce, which is sweeter and less salty than other types. If you can’t get it, just use normal soy sauce, and add a teaspoon of brown sugar; or a dash of honey. Oh I should mention, although I've used fresh pineapple for this recipe, you can if you wish use tinned pineapples for this recipe. I also think this recipe would be good served at room temperature too. So one for the lunch or picnic basket is you so desire.

Indonesian Savoury Pineapple Rice
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g Basmati rice, cooked and set aside.
1 large pineapple,
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 onion, peeled and minced
100g whole cashew nuts, toasted under the grill
140g frozen peas, thawed
3 – 4 tablespoons Ketjap Manis
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut, toasted under the grill

Method

Peel the pineapple, chop in half and discard the hard core. Then chop the flesh into ¼ inch pieces.
Heat the sesame oil in a wide pan, add the onion and cook until tender. Then turn the heat down, and stir in 4 – 6 tablespoons of the cooked rice together with the pineapple chunks, cashews, peas, ketjap manis and the sugar. Then stir in the remaining rice. Taste and add a little more ketjap manis if necessary. Heat until the rice has warmed up, then pile onto plates and sprinkle over the dessicated coconut.

Serve and enjoy!  Adapted from Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Supercook