A random selections of favorite 2013 savory posts… Most are plant-based, all were yummy ! Thanks for visiting. I hope to see you again in 2014
Romanesco and cauliflower green quiche
My experiments in plant based milks and yogurts
Simple nori okaki. Make your own Japanese rice crackers.
Avocado edamame breakfast croquettes, my simple recipe
Green gnocchi in yellow curry soup
A warm Spanish soup today :
This month :
Blog-checking lines: Our November Daring Cooks’ hostess was Begoña, who writes the beautiful blog, Las recetas de Marichu y las mías. Begoña is from Spain and didn’t want to go with the more common challenges of paella or gazpacho, she wanted to share with us another very popular recipe from Spain that we don’t see as often called Sopa Castellana which is a delicious bread soup!
Besides the classic (with a complicated broth), there was an asparagus version that I’ve preferred.
I combine the 2 recipes and changed… well, here is my broth, based on a grilled onion, with stalks of turnip, cloves, laurel, thyme, rosemary, a dry mushroom and chick peas.
In the South of France, this type of simple bread soup existed too. Particularly aigo boulido in Provence, so my impression is garlic is the main ingredient.
It’s the season of frozen green asparagus. Always.
The soup with the bread.
Poached quail egg. A similar soup with one egg is called “bouillabaisse borgne” one-eyed bouillabaisse.
So we have a 4 eye monster soup.
Mmmm, it’s very filling.
Oeufs cocotte are French baked eggs. They are baked in a dish that is called in French, guess what ? A ramequin, a bol, etc. It’s never called a cocotte. Because a cocotte, it’s hen, it’s a woman sometimes, well in the kitchen, it’s a big stew pot. So baking eggs in that over-sized pot, that’s like quail eggs inside a pumpkin. Well, today exceptionally we’ll do that.
Botchan kabocha (little boy pumpkin) is the smaller Japanese pumpkin. It’s perfect to make individual stuffed pumpkin dishes. For instance :
Open and empty the kabocha, steam it till the flesh is soft. Fill with quail eggs and a mix of soy milk, argan oil, salt and pepper. Bake till the egg whites are stuck and the yolks still soft.
Served with toasted home-made whole-wheat bread.
Turmeric. In Japan, they cultivate a few types. Autumn turmeric is the most common. Spring turmeric (in English “wild turmeric” ) is the second most common. This plant is believed to have great medicinal properties.
This one is only a little bitter, perfect for cooking.
Stir-fried gently a few slices of turmeric and of dry apricot. On low heat, added in daikon radish leaves, stirring till they get wilted. Added salt, walnuts and chrysanthemum flower.
A nice Autumn brunch.
Of course, the deep forest flavors of the kabosu lime make the charm of this sweet. That’s a delicious dessert you can try with another other fragrant citrus.
The crust : oatmeal + black sesame.
The filling : avocado + kabosu citrus.
In the blender : 1/2 avocado, 1/2 kabosu zest (grated), juice of 1/2 kabosu, 1 to 3 tbs of condensed milk or honey or syrup (amount to taste), 2 tbs of coconut cream.
Let the pie rest at least 2 hours in the fridge for setting and for developing flavors.
On top, whipped coconut cream and ribbons of zest.
Mmmmmm…. luscious !
A little early Autumn party around cheese fondue ! There is a special guest, here is :
宿儺かぼちゃ suguna kabocha. , from Gifu Prefecture. This monster makes about 3 kg. Inside, it’s kabocha pumpkin, a potimarron and it does taste very chestnutty.
We are far away from the fondue savoyarde with mountain cheeses. Today : pumpkin, red wine and… processed cheese.
The result is incredibly yummy…
Dip in bread. Or toasted bread.
Or veggies.
GOURMANDE in OSAKA 