Asparagus, garlic, feta, lemon, thyme

Also belated from early Summer...

We did a pretty good job of asparagus season this year, if I do say so myself. We ate lots... and as much of it from our veg share as possible (think we ordered a special asparagus bag every week!). Everything seems to be growing well this year, and I guess asparagus was no exception. And it turned out small S loves it (although only the tips: he is a discerning little bug)... Much of it was prepped v simply - either with st george’s mushrooms or just boiled for 4 min and then dressed with melted butter and lemon juice... this is only slightly more complicated, but is now my other favourite way to eat it...

olive oil

c. 4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large bunch asparagus, tough bits snapped off and rest snapped into nice-sized  pieces

salt+pepper

zest and juice of approx 1/4 lemon

c. 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 pack of feta

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid and add the garlic. Sizzle for a few min, then add the asparagus pieces. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for a few minutes, then uncover and cook until excess moisture is gone and there is a little colour on the asparagus (it should be tender). Turn off the heat and let cool a bit, then squeeze over the lemon juice and add half the zest. Allow to cool a bit more, then serve warm, with the feta crumbled on top and thyme leaves and rest of the lemon zest scattered over it.

Aubergine, mango and soba noodle salad

A belated post from early Summer...

We went for dumplings on blågardsplads the other day - at a place we discovered either before or after a hospital appointment (silver linings). A place (think it’s called gao) that I love - they have two different kinds of vegetarian dumplings (mushroom pan fried and spinach steamed), both equally delicious; plus a long list of veggie sides that are all simple but perfect... sage loved them too. Anyway, while there remembered about the great fruit and veg shops also on blågards, checked them out too, and discovered a box of Pakistani mangoes! The delicate south Asian mangoes are way superior to the thick-skinned African ones you usually find in supermarkets - the one thing that could convince me to go to India in monsoon season... I had just been thinking maybe it was the season, but couldn’t think where was the right shop to find them...

I made this salad first about this time last year, when sage was tiny. I remember feeling proud i’d managed to cook something proper, especially because it was from a cookbook Seb gave me for my birthday (ie a few days after sage was born). Aside from eating them straight up, this seemed like a suitably special way to use some of our fine box of mangoes. This time, sage ate it too (and liked it! Although think he preferred the vegan sausages we ate with it (didn’t have any tofu)).

120 ml rice vinegar  (or apple cider vinegar)
40 g sugar
½ tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ red chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lime, grated zest and juice
300 ml sunflower oil
2 aubergines, cut into 2 cm dice
300g soba noodles
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 large mango, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
40g basil, chopped
40g coriander, chopped

In a saucepan, gently heat the vinegar, sugar and salt, just until the sugar dissolves, for up to a minute. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chilli and sesame oil. Set aside to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the aubergine in three or four batches. Once golden-brown, transfer to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave to drain.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, for five to eight minutes - the noodles should retain a bite - then drain and rinse under cold water. Shake off the excess water and place on kitchen towel to dry.

In a mixing bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing, aubergine, onion, mango and half the herbs. You can leave it aside for an hour or two. When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs, mix and pile on a plate or in a bowl.

Sometimes Summer rules: simple tomato-avocado-basil salad

Right now I have three kinds of beautiful tomatoes (yellow zebra, chocolate cherry and Japanese black trifele) from my pot garden, and they are all different, delicious and perfectly ripe. I also grew some really tasty basil. Combined with a perfect avocado and just a little good extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This salad made me really happy. Even had some awesome bread to mop up the juices at the end.

Coconut kefir: oven-free rhubarb crumble

This fell together out of convenience, but as soon as it happened I realised it was brilliant: simple, and a perfect combination of delicious things. It is crumble without the oven: chilled for a hot day.

(these quantities probably enough for about 4 servings)

1 quantity (made from 1 lb rhubarb) stewed rhubarb and ginger
1 quantity (made from 1 tin coconut milk) coconut milk kefir
~1 cup granola

Dollop some (warm or chilled) stewed rhubarb in a bowl. Sprinkle with granola: this makes a sort-of crumble. Add some coconut milk kefir for a creamy, yoghurty texture on the side.

All of these items can be made in advance and kept in the fridge (kefir / rhubarb) or pantry (granola) until needed.

Home-grown courgette and mint salad for an insanely hot day

I harvested the first two courgettes from my secret garden yesterday morning.  They are quite fat, perhaps they are some kind of summer squash, not really courgettes at all?  They grew from seed I saved from a marrow we picked up from a free stuff stand outside Andy's neighbour's house in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Yesterday then proceeded to become insanely hot.  It got to 35C in the afternoon, and quite humid.  I don't know what to do with myself on those kind of days - I'm so British, I just wilt at hot temperatures.  Staying at work where the aircon is cool, eating cold food on the balcony, or lying down and reading are all I seem to be able to manage.

So I wanted to make something exciting and tasty with the courgettes without cooking them.  I also wanted to combine them with mint, because a) I think it should be a great, fresh/refreshing combination, and b) I found some mint growing in the courtyard outside our apartment.  This is the local-est food we have eaten in ages!

This salad was the culmination of  all the thoughts above.

1 medium courgette
1-2 tbsp fresh mint, finely shredded
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
zest and juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper

Cut the courgette lengthwise into pieces comfortable to hold in your hand (about 2 in diameter) - mine went into quarters.  Then use a peeler to cut lengthwise into long, super thin slices (if I had a mandoline, I would have used that).  Put the courgette into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, toss thoroughly, check for seasoning and eat.


I'd probably have used lemon if I'd had any, but the lime worked just as well - all the tastes were really in sync with each other and exactly right for the weather.