Lunches

Made this originally for the Mammy Day feast and it was yummier than expected so here it appears for lunches. If your feeling decedent it would be really good with any blue cheese of your choice crumbled over it. Again I used my slow cooker for this (it’s just so handy) but it can also be done on the hob; just bring the stock to the boil with the rice and stuff and keep an eye on it, adding more water if needed until the rice is cooked. This could be made with any combination of nuts and fruit; whatever your favourite is, or for me, whatever is in the press!

Pistachio and Apricot Pilaf with Roasted Squash

½ Squash,
1 Leek, sliced finely,
2 Handfuls roasted and salted Pistachios,
1 Handful toasted sunflower seeds,
5oz Easy-cook Brown Rice,
1 Handful Dried Apricots, chopped,
¾ Litre Vegtable Stock,
3 Cloves,
1 Bay leaf,
1 Small Cinnamon stick,
1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree.

- Get the squash into the oven first. Peel and slice, drizzle over a little olive oil and roast until cooked, about 20 minutes at 180. Once done, remove and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile saute the leeks, until soft. Stir in the rice, spices, nuts, seeds and apricots then the puree and the stock, bring to the boil and transfer to the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 2 ½ hours.
- When the rice is done add in the squash and remove the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick (feel free to try and fish out the cloves too but I never bother). Bon Appetit!

Daily Notelet

So I have this very cheesey calender in work that has little notes printed on each day and I can't decide whether todays vignette is very optimisitc or very sad :
"You only live once, but if you live right, once is enough."

Lunches

When I was making the fancy Mother's Day feast I was counting on there being plenty of left overs to see me through at least a half a week of lunches and dinners. I don't know why it surprised me that there was barely enough for two dinners! So it was back into the kitchen last night ....





Broccoli Salad

1 Head Broccoli,
1 Tin Chick Peas, drained,
2 Tomatoes, de-seeded and sliced,
2 Spring onions, sliced,
1 small packet Pancetta,
1 block Feta Cheese,
1 Bunch Coriander, roughly chopped,
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika.

- Fry off the Pancetta and Chick Peas with the Smoked Paprika until nice and brown, leave to cool.
- Meanwhile cut up the Broccoli into bite sized florets and steam for a few minutes, or just long enough to take the bit out of them, leave to cool.
- Then just combine everything-it's that straightforward! Well, I like to keep the Feta separate and curmble it over the salad as I need it-just to keep everything fresh.

Mother's Day

Here is the woman herself surveying the feast.

The low down:
48 hour marinated Achiote Pork Tenderloin with Red Apple and Salad,
Apricot and Pistachio Pilaf,
Honey Roasted Squash with Red Grapes, Walnuts and Tipperary Blue Cheese,
Sage Corn Bread,
Peach Cobbler.

The wash down:
Guigal Croze Hermitage, '08.
Whitehaven Pinot Noir, '08.
Tesco Finest Bisol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene.

Mini Road Trippin'!

On Saturday we took to the road on the long trek to Drawwwwwwwhadah; to any non Irish citizens read that as Drogheda. Neither Andy nor Ollie had seen the Oliver Plunkett head so we figured there was no better reason to go there. Well that and a newly opened Traders Coffee House that got a rave review in The Irish Times. And well if I'm honest it's any excuse really to drink coffee, chat and eat cake. This place is fantastic. The coffee is to die for; strong and smooth with no bitterness. And the gingerbread cake and scones get many thumbs up. All served up by a rather dishy young man. What better way to spend a morning!

Andy and Ollie in action



Oh what a beautiful morning ...



The macabre specter



It's all in the name



The Goodies



Impromptu picnic and papers
(Andy treated us to Parma Ham, Comte cheese and crackers washed down by his secret recipe iced coffee.)



And homeward bound ...

Sharon Olds

"Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory—a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to college; a newspaper photograph of war; a breast self-exam; the tooth fairy; Calvinist parents who beat up their children; a gesture of love; seeing oneself naked over age 50 in a set of bright hotel bathroom mirrors."
Sharon Olds

Lunches

So the clocks have gone forward and I left the house on Sunday without a jacket. Spring is finally in the air. The chances to enjoy hearty, warming vegtable soup are almost gone so this is my last hurrah. It's vegtable soup; also known as clear the bottom of the fridge soup. I love making soup because its just do darned easy and quick, and nothing is more comforting. To be enjoyed with my cheats brown bread: I used the ready mix brown bread and added in a handful of toasted seeds and a handful of walnuts; hand crushed just before adding to the mixture, leaving nice big chunks to be crunched under melting butter.

Vegtable Soup

3 Cloves Garlic, sliced.
1 Onion, chopped roughly.
1 Pepper, deseeded, chopped.
1 Courgette, chopped.
1 Potato, peeled and chopped.
Handful of Red Lentils
Vegtable Stock
Glug of Olive Oil and knob of butter.
Any herbs you like. I used a generous amount of Oregano and Basil.

- Saute the onion and garlic in the Olive Oil and Butter (even a small amount makes a huge difference to the final taste; it imparts a richness that oil lacks). When these start to soften add the vegtables and saute for another minute or two.
- Pour over the stock; enough to cover the vegtables. Add the lentils and herbs and bring to the boil.
- I prefer smooth soups so once all the vegtables are cooked, blend it. Do a little taste test and amend the seasoning if you need to. Yum.