Unexpected numbers

It is a delight and somewhat of a challenge that I never really know who is coming for Shabbat dinner now that Hannah is home and Ruthie is living with us.
This week could be anything from 4 to 9 and anything in between. So what to cook?
Simples Curries-Cheap easy and big pots.
So this week I will do
Challah-of course. But will I make home made spelt bread for the husband who managed 2 slices from last week's loaf. I do not think so.
Lemon rice-in the microwave
Dahl
Vege dahl curry-using a pack of frozen veges
Onion pakoras
Vege Samosas I used to make my own a long time ago
Tomato chickpea and spinach curry-all canned
Potato and egg plant curry
Yoghurt mint and cucumber
Looks great and is easy to make

Sometimes it just works

For lunch we had...
small pieces of potato, sweet potato and red onion roasted with olive oil and paprika. People never underestimate the power of a little paprika.
This was served with a Thai Quorn 'chicken' pice salad made with green Thai curry paste, cabbage, lime juice and rind, pepper, tomato, oil, ginger (I use Very Lazy Ginger-I have my limits to how much effort I will put in), soya sauce, and mango (Tesco's frozen mango -I really do have my limits).
It really tasted great and was easy to prepare.

Haloumi cheese

I really love haloumi cheese. It is like a vegetarian good quality steak-tasty quick and easy to prepare. I find myself buying it every week. The problem with our husband induced almost meat free diet is that vege food it more time consuming. This is when haloumi comes in. I also like quorn products but they are not really food, the fact that they are a product says a lot.

Haloumi in a tossed salad with roasted mixed vegetables is lovely and quick.

Things I have learnt this week.

1. I had to replace a composite kitchen top that had cracked. Composite tops are thicker and more long lasting than laminate but ultimately they are still a layer of stuff on top of ply wood. Sort of like quorn not the real thing. Last week I ended up driving around local builders merchants with a very patient builder looking at kitchen work tops. I was able to get solid wood for less than composite. I know it will stain and scratch but I think this is supposed to happen and is fine by me.

2. Splash a little balsamic vinegar on salmon fillets while they are cooking-wonderful.

comfort food

My Mum died about a month ago and I have not been that organised in the food department but I am back on track and into life.
Last night my daughter and I were a little tired and a little lazy and had the perfect picky meal. It was fabulous and easy and eaten in front of an inane movie on the tele with the effortless gas fire burning in the background.
We had
chopped peppers and cucumber
hummus
pita-ia my daughter's time in Israel becoming obvious
stuffed vineleaves-why make when Waitrose does them so well
fried haloumi
home made sushi.
Sushi is much easier than people think. I do not have a roller there is really no need. I cook the rice by putting a cup of rice and 1 and 3/4 cups cold water in a covered dish in the microwave for 10 minutes.
When done add
2 tablespoons of sugar, sherry and white wine vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Stir and left cool. Easy.

What I am cooking this week????

Cooking? What cooking?

I am off to Ireland for 10 days and I will be kitchenless.

I will update you all on what I have learned when I return

What I learned from Rosh Hashannah Cooking

1. I really admire professional cooks. I am not a professional cook.
2. Every moment I spent planning was incredibly worthwhile.
3. I got Tesco to deliver the night before I began to cook giving me time to go and buy the all so essential ingredients Tesco failed to deliver.
4.I really believe we are programmed to like stodge. I made a Risotto pie from the Cranks cookbook that went down really well and was so simple. In fact good simple food goes down really well. Three simple recipes that go down really well include:
Hannah's tomatoes.
My daughter halves baby plum tomatoes and mixed with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. She then roasts them at about 120 for an hour or so. Really nice. Apologies for those who like exact amounts in recipes. my daughter does not do exact amounts.
Herby sweet potatoes
This is one of mine. I attempt to grow food in pots in a small London back yard. The beans were great, the peas failed completely and  London did not provide the sun to turn my tomatoes red. But I have found the herbs in pots very useful I am not a great gardener but I do know that herbs need a big pot. Forget those cutesy pots specially designed for herbs they are basically herb killers.
Anyway roast hunks of sweet potato in olive oil with fresh sage and rosemary for around 40 minutes at 200. I guess I am as enthusiastic about exact measurements as my daughter
Cranks Spinach Risotto Pie
from The New Cranks Cookbook-interestingly they define this as a starter.
25g bouillion powder
1 litre boiling water
50 ml olive oil
250g onions
3 cloves garlic-crushed
pinch nutmeg
500g Arborio rice
500g spinach
100g Parmesan cheese-grated
6 eggs
1-2 tomatoes
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 200
Make a stock with bouillon powder and keep warm. Heat the oil and add the onion, garlic and nutmeg. Fry until transparent. Now add the rice and also fry till transparent, stirring all the time. Add the stock gradually stirring continuously, until it is all absorbed and the grains are creamy but still intact. Add the spinach and stir until it is wilted. Finally add the Parmesan and beaten eggs.
Oil an oven proof dish and line with tomato slices and season.  (I left the tomatoes out and served this with Hannah's tomatoes.) Add the rice mixture and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes

Rosh Hashannah and Food Planning

It's that time of year. Jewish life becomes very intense, the meals planned and eaten numerous. The risk is that you can cook and cook and overwhelm people with way too much food they do not really want.
Planning this coming week was not was not easy but it all feels so much more do-able now I know what I am doing. So with no further ado...
Rosh Hashannah First Night


Vegetable Soup-Chop and boil and make enough for 2 nights-simples.
Spelt Challah-for the delicate stomachs in my family
Eggplant casserole-An old favourite that my daughter thinks tastes great but looks like vomit.
Red cabbage coleslaw-The cranberries make this
Mixed roast vegetables
Courgettes and tomatoes


Rosh Hashannah Second Night


Vegetable Soup
Spelt Challah
Spinach Risotto Pie
Grilled Baby Vegetables
Avocado with pesto and mixed leaves


Shabbat


Challah-back to wheat flour!
Tomato and roast pepper soup
Spinach Lasagne
Feta with sundried tomatoes and rocket
Sweet potato roasted with sage and rosemary-I cannot stress enough how glad I am that I have grown herbs
Lemon Meringue Pie-easy easy NZ recipe


The rest of the week
Quorn sausage pie-with baked beans. Slob comfort food
Baked mixed vegetable casserole
Risotto wit peas and basil.