Sweet potato puree with tamari, maple syrup and chilli

This is a recipe from Skye Gyngell-my go to when I need something a bit different and a bit of inspiration.  My version is adapted to make it vegan, though if you want to can add lashings of butter.  I made this for a lunch party yesterday, we sat under the grape vines on the verhanda with a cold lunch.
This is a sweety, punch almost velvety tasting puree.
For 4:
2 large orange sweet potatoes
1 small red chilli-halved
sea slat and black pepper
small bunch of washed coriander
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp tamari-or soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into  rough chunks, then place in a sauce pan and add the chilli.  Pour in enough cold water to cover and add a good pinch of salt, and bring to the boil over a medium heat.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 15-20 mins until the sweet potato is really tender and falling apart.   Drain in a colander.

Tip the sweet potato and chilli into the blender.  Add the coriander leaves and stems, olive oil (and 50g butter if using), tamari and maple syrup and puree until very smooth.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.  The puree should have a deep, sweet, hot, velvety taste.

*as a rule of thumb, all vegetables that gro below the ground go in to cold water and all vegetables that grow above ground go into boiling water.

Lali's Soap Kitchen

Whilst I was in the UK I signed up for a one day soap making course at the Little Soap Company in the Cotswolds.  www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk
I had the most amazing day, I went with the goal of wanting to be able to make soap using our own avocado oil, and came out with so much more.

Making soap!

My favourite soap that I made-Plum kernal oil, pink oxide swirls, rose geranium and black pepper essential oil and strawberry seeds!
Emma's amazing lavender soap, which she sells at Waitrose in the UK.

Here's to my new soap venture! 

Chard Stalks with Tahini

I was in Nairobi last week with my mum, Granny sent over the most amazing basket of Swiss chard.  We made a delicious chard and mint soup with it, and were left over with all these beautiful white stalks, not quite sure what to do with them.  Here is an idea from 'Moro', the perfect way to use up the stalks.

500g chard stalks, washed and trimmed.  Cut into roughly 4 cm long, 2 cm thick slices.
Tahini Sauce-see below
1 tsp nigella seeds
sea salt.

Tahini Sauce:
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp water
sea salt and black pepper
Crush the garlic cloves to a paste with a good pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar.  Transfer to a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in the tahini and then thin with the lemon juice.  Add water until you have a consistency of double cream.  Check the seasoning.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Add the chard stalks, put a lid on and wait for the water to come back to the boil.  Cook for 30 seconds more and check to see if the stalks are tender.  Drain in a colanderand run under cold water for a short while to cool.  Leave to drain.  Toss with the tahini sauce and serve with a few nigella seeds on top.

French Breakfast Radishes

Before we went away I had about an acre of radishes ready to eat, the best way to get people to eat them was to cut a cross in the top, and serve with butter (I used olive oil) and grainy sea salt.  A perfect snack, and the the oil/butter took the bite out of the radishes.

Lemon Curd cupcakes

I have been hopeless about writing my blog in the past few months.  We are finally back from a lovely few weeks walking in France and spending time with family in the UK. 

I have been in a baking mood recently, despite not eating what I bake, I love the simplicity of making cupcakes and then the creativity involved in decorating them.  We had a glut of limes on our tree so I actually substituted limes for lemons!

Lemon curd Cupcakes:

40g butter-at room temp.

140 g castor sugar

120 g plain flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 egg

110 ml milk

2 tbsp grated lemon zest

For the Lemon Curd

Juice and grated zest of 2 lemons

200g castor sugar

100g unsalted butter

4 eggs, beaten

For the icing

175g icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Flowers to decorate-primroses and crocuses are edible

First make the lemon curd-there will be left overs which can be put in dry, warm, sterilised jars and kept in the fridge for 2 weeks (granny ate all mine thickly spread onto home made bread!).  Put the lemon juice and zest in a heavy based saucepan, add the sugar and dissolve over a low heat.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the beaten eggs, and stir until the mixture thickens.  Spoon the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool (it will thicken further as it cools).

Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees, set out a couple of muffin trays and put a paper cupcake case in each hole.

Now make the cake mixture.  Put the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder in the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, and mix until you get the consistency of bread crumbs.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl beat together the egg, milk and lemon zest.  Add bit by bit to the flour mixture until it is fully incorporated, but don’t over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until a third full.  Put a teaspoonful of lemon curd on top, then cover with another dollop of cake mixture.  The cases should be about 2/3rds full. Bake for 20-25 mins, until the cakes are golden and the tops spring back when touched.  Take them out of the tray and leave to cool on a rack.

To make the icing, sift the sugar into a bowl.  Add the lemon juice and 1 tbsp. warm water.  You want a thick so if it appears to be too runny, just add a bit more icing sugar.

Spread a good spoonful of icing all over the top.  You can decorate with grated lemon zest or primroses which are edible.  I used geranium flowers.  

Otsu-soba noodle salad

This is inspired by a reciepe of Heidi Swansons and adapted by me!  Otsu in Japanese means something strange, quaint, chic, spicy, tasty or romantic.  This buckwheat noddle salad is fiery and has personality to spare!

Ginger Sesame dressing:
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1" cube fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbs honey
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili powder
3/4 tsp fine grained sea salt
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup unseasoned brown rice vinegar-or japanese rice vinegar
1/3 cup shoyu sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

To make the dressing combine the zest, ginger, honey, cayenne pepper and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.  Add the lemon juice, vinegar, shoyu and pulse to combine.  With the machine running drizzle in the oils.

12 0z dried soba noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh corriander
3 green or spring onions finely sliced
1/2 a cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and finely sliced
1 hass avocado-peeled and cubed
2 tomatoes-deseeded and cubed
1 small handful of chopped corriander for garnish
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Cook soba in plenty of rapidly salted boiling water until just tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, the quarter cup of corriander, cucumber, green onions, avocado, tomatoes and about 2/3 rds a cup of the dressing-toss until well combined. Serve on a platter garnished with the corriander and sesame seeds.

It is yummy and unique, a really nice change.

I need inspiration...

every time I look at my blog I think I must add pictures but never seem to get round to it.  One blog that provides me with inspiration is: http://www.latartinegourmande.com/  it is beautiful!