potionstopesto.blogspot.com: The Pleasures of Summertime Farm

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Pleasures of Summertime Farm

Do you like our new banner? It's the view down the lane leading to Summertime Farm where we have been staying for the past two months and is the home of my daughter and her partner.

The joy of living as gypsies (as we do) is that you have the benefit and pleasure but none of the responsibilities of sharing other peoples gardens and animals for a while--although we agreed to look after the chickens during our stay.

What a joy that has been! One of the Featherfoot Bantams was broody when we arrived and she hatched five of her eight eggs to disclose these little beauties. It's been such fun watching them grow and learn...she is the most fantastic mother although I just went to turf them out of the tractor shed where machinery was being moved around them!

Another pleasure is the vegetable garden. I picked these little beauties yesterday, smoothed and gently rolled them in a luscious blend of olive oil, basil, oregano and garlic. I placed the in a baking tray, sprinkled them with salt flakes and coarsely ground black pepper and ....

took them out of the oven when they were beginning to split and turn colour.

I also cooked mushrooms over a fierce heat and when they were brown I gave them a good slurp (technical term!) of soya sauce and sizzled them for a minute or two.

These, with grilled beef patties (tell me if you want the recipe), and homemade tomato sauce, were both part of my now-almost-famous Turkish Burgers that we had for dinner. The blokes here weren't used to being offered burgers for dinner and looked dismayed but minutes later, with sauce and mayonnaise running down their chins, they were moaning gently with pleasure and checking up if there would be 'seconds'. very pleasing for the cook :-)

There was one beef patty and a few of the tomatoes and mushrooms left over so today I fried a chopped onion, added a healthy slurp (that word again!) of red wine and the toms and mushies with their rich juices. I chopped up the beef pattie and added this with some spicy tomato sauce, simmered for a minute or two and...dinner for tonight with pasta.

2 comments:

planettreasuresFebruary 25, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Love the new banner, Nerys.
and the chicks are soooo cute.
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AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Thanks Tess...the chickies are growing fast...I've got a nasty feeling that 3 of them are roosters :-(
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Baked Olives

Pickled Red Cabbage

2kg red cabbage (prize winner if possible!)
3 Tbsp salt
2 litres spiced vinegar, purchased or homemade.

Shred cabbage finely, layer one third cabbage in a ceramic bowl, sprinkle over one third salt and repeat twice.
Put a layer of plastic wrap over the cabbage and then a small plate.
On top of the plate put a heavy weight. A pot of water or a couple of bricks on top of a round chopping board work well.
Leave overnight and in the morning drain liquid and rinse well.
Put in steriised jars and cover with spiced vinegar.
Leave one week before eating with cold meats or cheese or as a side dish with bangers and mash.

One of my all time favourites - perfect for a quick meal on a cold day.

Chickpea and Chorizo Soup

1 onion diced
1 red chilli seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
420gm can of tomatoes, chopped
1 can water
2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning (see Seasonings)
1 chorizo sausage, cubed
1 can chickpeas, drained
150gm cabbage, sliced finely
Grated parmesan

1. Sauté chilli and onion in oil for 2 minutes, stirring.
2. Add tomatoes then water, sausage and seasoning powder and bring to the boil.
3. Add chick peas and cabbage and cook until cabbage is wilted.
4. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
TIP
Use other beans if chick peas are not available, use two cans for a main meal dish. Broccoli, cauliflower or spinach can substitute for cabbage. This soup improves with age, I like it better reheated.

Lemon Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4.
Dressing
½ tsp chilli powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
3 Tbsp olive oil

Pasta
400g dried linguine cooked according to the package instructions
300g fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 block tempeh, cut in 2cm squares (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
¼ Lebanese cucumber, sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients, except for the sesame oil and olive oil in a food processor or hand blender. Run the blender for a few seconds, until all ingredients are combined. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.
2. Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the butter and oil and when the butter starts bubbling, add the mushrooms. Sauté on high for 3 minutes. Remove from pan.
3. Add more oil if needed and sauté the tempeh until brown.
4. In a large bowl, toss the cooked linguine with all the other ingredients and some of the dressing (to taste.)

Tempeh Pate

2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 Tbsp butter
300g tempeh
2 eggs
3 Tbsp brandy or ¼ cup port
2 tsp mushroom soy
2 tsp vegemite or promite ½ tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp chilli sauce
¼ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1.Saute chopped onion and garlic in butter until soft.
2. Place in food processor with all other ingredients except sesame seeds and process until smooth.
3. Pour into a small, well greased casserole dish. The pate needs to be at least 2 cm deep.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cover tightly with foil.
5. Bake at 180˚C for about 50 minutes until set. Remove foil and cook a further 5 minutes or until the top has browned slightly.