I have spent the past couple of weeks mainly in town and the garden at the farm is probably feeling rejected. Before I left I planted lettuce, broccoli and beetroot and as there has fortunately been a bit of rain, I expect to see them all looking a little bigger when I return tomorrow.
The quince trees are now naked of fruit as I stripped them before I left and gifted the box to a new cafe in Hepburn Springs. It is nice spreading around the produce to people who appreciate it. The fig trees were loosing their leaves and exposing a lot of figs. Some also made it to the cafe, some to friends who have since made jam and I am hoping tomorrow I may just be able to rescue a few more to make fig paste as the first batch was so good.
The chillis have been prolific and as they ripen I either dry them on a rack in the kitchen or pop them in a bag in the freezer. I need to find a recipe for a chilli paste that will last!
The next chore to face at the farm (which I have been putting off) is to pick up from the nursery and plant 9 fruit trees that I bought last year but was unable to plant, too late as bare rooted so they got potted, too hot and I wouldn't be there to water them, couldn't get them in the car as too big was my latest excuse. No more excuses, I have enlisted the help of my trusty gardener and this week they will go into the ground. Where or what spot, I have no idea at this stage!
I head off once again to Cambodia, leaving on the 19th May and will be away for almost 6 weeks this time. I have tested another couple of recipes and will put them in this blog. My tasters have enjoyed the outcome of my labours I am pleased to say.
A couple of weeks ago I was having a very quiet Sunday and decided to walk around Lake Daylesford. Such a pretty spot so have included a couple of photos of that afternoons outing. It has changed a lot since my last excursion there. The holly trees have disappeared, the walkways are easier and the trees have been thinned out so the vistas across the lake are lovely as the photos depict.
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| Autumn at Lake Daylesford . April 2012 |
Fig Paste:
Wash and dry figs, trim off woody end.
Process in a blender until a smooth paste.
for every cup of paste add a cup of white sugar and the juice of half a lemon.
bring this mixture gently to the boil and turn down to simmer for around an hour or until the paste becomes a dark rosy colour and is thick enough for the spoon to stand in.
I use a very deep pan as it tends to spit a lot and boy does it burn!
I stir frequently with a wooden spoon and cook semi covered for half the time then uncover for the moisture to evaporate.
The paste is poured into sterilised jars and sealed tightly.
Delicious served with strong flavoured cheeses, makes a lovely glaze on a roast pork or chicken or could be used as a jam.
Beef Loc Lac (Serves 4):
Oil 1 tablespoon
Butter 1 tablespoon
Beef 500gm (I used eye fillet but rump, tenderised would work well) finely and bite size garlic 2 teaspoons minced
onion 1 cut into fine crescents
shallot 2 finely sliced
spring onions 6 cleaned and trimmed, cut into 2.5 cm pieces (green and white)
palm sugar 1 teaspoon
lettuce frilly green, washed and used to line serving plate
tomatoes 4 sliced and placed around edge of serving plate on lettuce
limes 2 cut into fine wedges, used to decorate plate and squeezed on meat to taste
chicken powder 1 teaspoon
oyster sauce 2 tablespoons
black pepper 1 teaspoon ground
cornflour 2 teaspoons blended with 1/4 water
fish sauce 2 teaspoons
ginger 2 teaspoons minced
Red capsicum 1 small finely sliced
Method:
Mix beef, chicken powder, garlic, pepper and oyster sauce in bowl, leave to marinate at least 1 hour
heat butter and oil in a wok, add garlic and ginger, saute until golden, add in shallot and fry gently 1 minute.
add palm sugar and fish sauce, dissolving sugar.
add beef and fry to brown, add onion and capsicum, cook 1 minute
Thicken mix with cornflour paste and cook for a further 2 minutes
add spring onion and stir through
Serve on bed of lettuce and tomato, garnished with lime wedges
Serve steamed plain rice on the side.
Morning Glory with Oyster Sauce;
Morning glory, approx 500 gms after trimming off excess leaves
garlic 1 teaspoon minced
oyster sauce 2 tablespoons
sugar 2 teaspoons
chicken powder 2 teaspoons
oil 1 tablespoon
butter 1 tablespoon
fry garlic in melted butter and oil until golden
remove garlic form oil mix but keep aside - do not throw away!
cut morning glory into 3 even lengths
crush stalks with mortar (makes them less stringy to eat)
stir fry veg in oil until they wilt - around 6-8 minutes
add half of the garlic, oyster sauce, sugar and chicken powder
cook until veg softens
serve garnished with remaining garlic
This recipe can be used for any veg (broccoli, broccolini, beans, cabbage etc) but obviously they dont need pounding with the mortar!
Green mango Salad:
Green mangoes 5 peeled, rinsed and grated with Asian shredder
carrot 1 large, peeled and shredded
pink shallots 6 finely sliced
firm green tomatoes 2, flesh finely sliced off with peeler, discarding seeds
chicken powder 1 1/2 tablespoons
white sugar 2 tablespoons
garlic 1 large tablespoon minced
fresh red chilli 1 finely chopped (optional)
fish sauce 2 teaspoons
wash, drain mangoes and squeeze out excess water - TWICE
thoroughly mix all ingredients together , check seasoning for balance
serve in a high pile on platter
Pork and Vegetable stir fry:
Vegetable Oil 1 tablespoon
garlic 2 teaspoons minced
sugar 2 teaspoons
oyster sauce 1 tablespoon
chicken powder 2 teaspoons
pork 500 gm finely sliced, bite sized pieces
pepper 2 teaspoons ground
fish sauce 2 teaspoons
water 125ml
carrot 250gm sliced decoratively
cucumber seeded and sliced500 gm
onion 1 sliced in crescents
spring onion 1/2 bunch washed, peeled and sliced in 2.5cm lengths
oyster mushrooms 250 gm sliced
Saute garlic
Add in and brown pork
add sugar, oyster sauce, pepper, fish sauce and chicken powder
add carrot - stir fry 5 minutes
add water
add mushroom, stir fry 3 minutes
add cucumber, stir fry 2 minutes
add onion, stir fry 1 minute
add spring onion, turn off heat and mix through.
Serve with steamed rice
Pork and Vegetable Soup 6 serves:
cabbage 1/2 sliced into large bite size pieces
carrot 1 medium cut into bite size pieces
onion 1 cut into crescents
diced pork 500 gm
garlic 2 teaspoons minced
fish sauce 2 teaspoon
sugar 1- 2 teaspoon optional
fish stock powder 1 tablespoon
dried chopped shrimp 1 teaspoon
spring onion 6 washed, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths, white and green separated
veg oil 1 tablespoon
saute garlic until aromatic
add pork and brown
add fish sauce, stock powder and sugar if using
add 750ml - 1L water
cover and simmer for 20 mins
add shrimp, carrot and cabbage, adjust seasoning
cover and simmer 10 minutes
add onion and whites of spring onions, simmer 1 minute
add gree spring onions, cover, turn off heat, sit for 10 minutes then serve.
I do have another 2 recipes to share but have managed to loose part of the one of the recipes and need to check the green leaf that goes into the amok and find an alternative that is available outside of Cambodia, before I can share it with you.
My next blog will be from Siem Reap and have been told that the mangoes could still be around and have an idea that a friend's mother may have a recipe to share with me so will work on that once I arrive.
Until then, good luck for you, good dreams for me.
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