Strawberries, Strawberries ! Fresh Organic Strawberries !

Still not tempted ? Then scroll down and look at the amount of fresh yummyness I picked today.

We started off last year with 10 strawberry plants that my mother brought with her from Belgium. Now the whole raised bed is covered and more. I must admit that they are getting a bit crowded and in late summer I need to find another place for them in the garden that will give them more space so that the fruits can enjoy the full sun and develop even more flavour.

I think I know what we will be having for dessert tonight.

Strawberries and cream.... or , I still have some gulab jamun (Indian dessert) and we could eat them with that.... or, vanilla icecream and strawberries.....or, ..........

Blackboard

Unfortunately, I might not be able to add recipes to my blog for the next couple of months as my schedule will be rather busy, with the garden, the holiday cottage and the guests. I do not know if many of them will have evening meals, but we've had a few so far. Here's a taster.

sushi

miso soup






Sarah & Ezra plating up

I will however, keep you up to date with projects, garden progress and miscellaneous drivel, not forgetting lots of pictures.

New Arrivals

And here they are ! Four ginger chooks !

I feel a bit embarrassed to tell you that we started building their little house almost one year ago. It was a slow process, but we weren't in a hurry in getting chickens the same year, what with the birdflu and all that. Over the christmas period we put up the fence for their run. Last month we hung up a gate to their run. A couple of weeks ago we saw to it that there was a perch and laying boxes. And then on the 15 th of this month we ordered the critters, to be collected on the 23 rd. Now there's another story.

Off we went, me driving, with 4 volunteers (everyone wanted to share the experience) to the garden center in Privas. We took two cat travel carriers, put some hay in them. Everything to make the chooks feel comfy.

When we arrived, the man who sold the chickens hadn't arrived yet, so we bought 20 kg of mixed grains in the garden center. By the time we came out, your man had arrived and we were last in the queue. We sat down on some garden timber with our two cat carriers in the hot sunshine looking on to the people before us. It was great ! Your typical Ardèchois farmers and farmer's wives (funny that 3 of the 4 women had their hair dyed in a bright gingery colour). The chickens were put in boxes by the dozens (yes, chickens per box). I suppose it prevents them sliding around on these bendy roads.

One woman had her boxes and wanted to write a cheque to pay what was due : it is € 49, quarante neuf, love. She always got distracted by the conversations around her that she had to ask about 5 times, 'how much ?'. By the end, everyone there was about to shout : 'quarante neuf !'

Another woman had her boxes carried to her car by a friendly farmer. While she was paying, the chickens had escaped from the box and were all lined up at the rear window of the car. No problem, she paid, got in the car and drove off. With the chickens able to take in the view of the lovely country side. We all laughed so hard, even if we did bring a camera, we wouldn't have been able to shoot some pictures.

At last it was our turn. Two chickens in each cat carrier, please. If the man thought we were strange, it didn't show. We drove back home again, greeted by Kerel, our dog. He was very excited. He remembered we had some similar creatures when we lived in Ireland, and as 'they' had stolen 'his' compost heap. this didn't forbode well. The excitement of the first day has worn off and he isn't going beserk anymore. When you ask him : 'where are the chooks ?' he is very eager to show you, clever dog.

They seem to have settled in nicely, only they don't want to use their perch and the laying boxes are used as a perch and not to lay eggs in. After coming back from his mini trip to Belgium, Bert was adamant that the perch was too high and did we think the chooks were monkeys. I'll let you in on a public secret : it was 'him' who told Ezra (our American volunteer) how high it should be and where it had to be placed. I was there ! And, I said at the time I had my doubts about the height. That aside, I found the first egg the next day in the grass, where I had seen two of them huddled up previously. I thought they were taking shelter from the heat. Proud as I was, I had to take a picture, and also because the other people in the house might think I had just taken the egg out of the pantry.

We are all proud of that first egg, as Sarah shows you in the picture below. We've had three more after that, but all of them were found in the grass. So if someone can give me some advice on how to get them to lay in their boxes, that would be greatly appreciated.

And now, let's get this perch sorted.

Thanks to Friedel (Travelling Two) for the first 2 photos.

Elderflower Champagne

I have been wondering if this is a very British thing to do, making elderflower champagne. I have certainly never come across anyone in my home country or in France, where I live now, trying their hand on that. In a way, I can understand that the French, who have so much wine available, have no need to attempt making elderflower champagne. They would probably be horrified that the name 'champagne' is being used.

In Belgium, people have completely lost the knack of foraging, let alone making such a delicious drink like this. I can't blame them though, this tiny country is so urbanised and over-populated, that I doubt there are many elder trees left. The ones that are, will be poluted by exhaust fumes from cars.

The first time I made elderflower champagne was last year in spring and it is our favourite spring-time beverage. So this is for you, relatives and friends from Belgium and France.

You will need :

1 large non corrosive bucket

10 elderflowers heads (by all means use more if you want to)

2 lemons

1.5 kg sugar

5 liters of water

a dash of cider vinegar

Sarah, our Belgian volunteer, will show you the proceedings.

Put all the ingredients in your bucket

First elderflowers

Then juice the lemons, and also add the squeezed skins.

Pour in the sugar

The water

A dash of cider vinegar.

Ready for the 24 hour fermentation, stirring regularly

After 24 hours, strain through a colander and tea towel or muslin. Pour into bottles with screw tops. Ready to drink after a couple of days. Beware ! Check regularly and loosen the tops from time to time as the fermentation will continue and natural carbonation will appear.

We started the summer kitchen

As I will be serving evening meals for holiday guests from this summer on, we thought it might be a good idea to turn the stone shed next to the kitchen into an outdoor cooking area.

This means I won't have to be indoors all day, while the weather will be treating us to another beautiful summer.

We started opening up 2 of the 3 'window' openings in the wall all the way to ground level.

I worked on this together with our Norwegian volunteer Aase (pronounce Ose). The stones we took out will be re-used in a wall near the swimming pool. And although Bert (my OH), scratched is hair in disbelief that we were taking on to many projects at once, he served us with some useful tips and advice.

It cannot be denied that this view beats the 4 walls of the indoor kitchen. We will install a gaz BBQ, a sink, a small fridge and work surface.

We'll also have a dining table for when we fancy eating 'semi' al fresco. And I already bought a wisteria to give us lots of blooms in the coming summers.

By the end of May I'm hoping to show you photos of the finished product.

Take care

William's Pancetta Wrapped Salmon with Balsamic Lentils

Thanks to William, http://theboydonefood.blogspot.com/2007/03/first-past-post-or-not.html this was our dinner last night. It was absolutely to die for, even my mother, who thought she wasn't to fond of lentils, scoffed it and asked for seconds.
I added asparagus because I still had some that had to be used and it worked well.

Farfalle with Florence Fennel

Ingredients for 3/4 servings

500 gr pasta,

2 big bulbs of Florence fennel,

3 cloves of garlic,

zest & juice of 2 lemons,

1 tbsp sugar,

olive oil, a good gluck,

5 anchovies,

rock salt & cracked black pepper,

handful of black olives,

freshly grated parmesan

Preparation

Chop the garlic fine and add to some oil in a pan. Sautee, but make sure not to burn.

Remove outer leaves of the fennel and discard, rinse the fennel under the tap and cut into rustic chunks. The green herb can be kept to garnish. Put them in with the garlic and add the anchovies and lemon zest. Let it sautee till the fennel is tender (you might want to add a splash of water at some stage)

Add lemon juice and sugar. Season with salt & pepper and throw in the olives.

I hope that you took some initiative and your pasta has been cooked (al dente) at this point, so you can drain it now and stir it into the fennel.

Sprinkle with the chopped greens and parmesan cheese.

Witloof from Belgium

Although, the French claim it as their own, I am a firm believer that Chicory With Ham and Cheese was, still is and always will be a Belgian recipe.

Legends and facts :
1830 Schaarbeek (nr Brussels). A man called Jan Brammens, who was one of the many farmers, who had to escape from the violence in Brabant, before the independence of Belgium. Before he left, he quickly cut some chicory roots for his surrogate coffee. He threw them in his cellar and to prevent them from drying out he covered them with some soil. When he arrives back at his farm he discovers that the roots had sprouted many conical blanched hearts, which to his mind tasted very nice indeed.

A more accepted version however is about Franciscus Bresier, who worked at the Royal Gardens 'Botanieken Hof' or Kruidtuin'. Planning to grow loose leaved chicory, he kept the roots stacked one closely next to the other in the mushroom cellars and covered them with composted down horse manure. He also watered them regularly to give the plants a head start for when he wanted to plant them out.
To his amazement he noticed the blanched hearts that looked like Roman lettuce appearing on the roots.
During the next two years he did a trial with roots , covered with soil and roots that he left uncovered. Again, the covered roots produced this lovely vegetable.
The 1834-1835 winter is to be the official year that chicory or 'witloof', as we know it now, was discovered.
The way the chicory got out and famous is still a mystery, but a fact is that the first harvest made it's way to the market in Brussels in 1846. From 1840 till then the growing of chicory was a public secret that more and more farmers tended to cultivate. The cultivation then spread to the rest of Flanders, to the Netherlands and France.

Ingredients (for 2)

4 hearts of chicory (or more if you're gluttonous like me)

20 gr butter

100 ml water

1/2 organic stock cube

black pepper

nutmeg

4 slices of good quality cooked ham

for the cheese sauce (and if you like more sauce you can always multiply the amount)

50 gr butter

50 gr flour

300 ml milk

100 grated, mature cheese (cheddar, Gruyère or Gouda)

seasoning

Preparation

Clean-up the chicory by slicing off the brown bottom end and crossing in about 1 to 2 cm deep. Remove damaged leaves (if any).

Melt the butter in a pan and sautée the chicory hearts, add stock cube, pepper and nutmeg. Add the water and let it simmer (covered) until the cores are tender. The chicory shouldn't burn, so add extra water if necessary.

Drain in a colander, but keep the liquid.

Meanwhile make your cheese sauce.

Melt the butter in the pan and mix in the flour. Add the milk and vegetable liquid, bring to the boil, while stirring all the time. The sauce should be cooked through for at least a minute to prevent the floury aftertaste.

Take off the heat and stir in half of the cheese.

Roll each heart of chicory in a slice of ham and arrange in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Put in a preheated oven 180 ° C or under the grill till the cheese on top has become golden brown.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes or as I do, with rice (that way I can devour at least three)

We often eat chicory just sautéed (step1) with potatoes and meat. When I serve it to people who haven't tried this glorious veg before I always add a tbsp sugar while sautéeing, if not the bitterness (although, only slightly so) might be a shock to some.

I know the 'very' original recipes say to boil the chicory in water for 45 minutes, but I find the intensity of flavours are more profound when sautéed, that's why I've prepared them like this most of my 'culinary' life.

What's still growing in the potager ?

Red Cabbage

Brussels Sprouts (Not originally from Brussels as the name is derived from 'Brassica' Sprouts)

And yesterday we've had our first harvest of Purple Sprouting Broccoli (they do turn the most beautiful deep green when cooked)

Lentil Paté

This dish is a success with vegetarians and omnivores alike. Have been making this for years.

Ingredients

2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (leaves included)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
250 gr red lentils (I sometimes use Puy lentils)
2 tbsp curry powder
50 cl water or vegetable stock
2 tsp marmite or vegemite (optional)
50 gr wholewheat breadcrumbs
seasoning (salt, pepper)

Preparation

Sautée onion, garlic and celery in the oil for 5 minutes.
Add the lentils and curry powder, stirr and sautée for another minute.
Pour in the water or stock and bring to the boil.
Stirr in the marmite.
Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Take of the heat and mix in the breadcrumbs and add seasoning.
Pour the mixture into an oiled ovendish. Brush with more oil to get a nice crust.
Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven 200°C
It can be served hot as an alternative for meat or even cold, spread on a slice of fresh bread.

Work, work, work !

......And then there is time for a bit of fun and to relax. Bert, my OH, taking a break from building the greenhouse and Kerel, the dog, taking a break......... ah well, from going to the neighbours begging for food, I'm sure. They never invited us over for a bite to eat.

Braised Cabbage with Mustard

For Freddie from the Great Big Vegetable Challenge

Ingredients

1 white, green or savoy cabbage

25 gr butter

1 tbsp grainy mustard

1 organic vegetable stock cube

1/2 glass water

nutmeg & pepper

1/2 glass milk

Preperation

Quarter and slice the cabbage in 1 cm strips. Wash and drain.

Melt the butter and add the cabbage.

Stirr in the mustard and crumble the stock cube.

Pour in the water and cook the cabbage (covered with lid) till al-dente.

Pour in the milk and season with pepper and nutmeg.

Ready, Freddie !

It goes well with sausages or meat balls.

Braised Red Cabbage

This recipe might look strange to most people, but don't knock it till you tried it. This is the way my grandmother, Mit used to make it and after her my mother, Irma and now me.
I had some strange looks and comments from some the volunteers we host, about the jam. Needless to say they all succumb to the warm feeling this dish brings to their stomachs.
It is a great accompaniment for game, but equally nice with sausage, pork chop or lamb.
Usually I prepare it in my pressure cooker, that reduces the cooking time. The cooking time stated below is for the normal pots.

Ingredients

1 red cabbage, quartered and sliced
4 large onions, chopped
1 kg appels, peeled, cored and chopped
50 gr butter or goose fat
loads of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp white vinegar or cider vinegar
1 jar of jam (dark fruits like blackberry or black currant)
brown sugar (optional)
salt

Preparation

Bring the cabbage, covered with cold water, to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes and drain in a colander. Cooking it like this will make the cabage more digestable.
Melt the butter or goosefat and add the onions, a layer of cabbage, appels, thyme, some cinnamon, pepper... and repeat.
Add vinegar and some water and the bay leaves.
Leave it on a low heat for 1 to 2 hours, stirring regularly. You might have to add some water during this process to avoid the cabbage burning !
Towards the end mix in the jam and add sugar and salt to taste.

The cabbage will benefit from making it the day before you want to serve it.

Pissaladière

Oh my ! This beats pizza by a mile or any other savoury tart !
It is very easy if you can forget the crying of cutting the onions.
Originally it is made with a yeast dough like pizza, but you can use shop bought shortcrust or puff pastry. I make it with flaky pastry.
This recipe is for you Friedel !


On the photo : Friedel & Andrew about to get on the road towards Morocco
Flaky Pastry ( for a 28 cm tin)
250 gr plain flour
125 gr butter
200 ml water
salt


Preparation
Put flour in a bowl and make hole in centre. Into this put salt, softened butter. Mix evenly with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
Add water bit by bit and stop when the flour has absorbed it. Mix well but not too hard.
When it comes away easily from the fingers, make into a ball, put into a bowl covered with a cloth and leave in a cool place for an hour.


Filling
1 kg onions , garlic
Provençale herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano)
olive oil
1 egg
seasoning (salt & pepper)
1 tbsp tomato puree
+/- 20 anchovy strips
20 black olives

Preparation
Peel the onions, slice thinly & crush the garlic. Fry gently in some olive oil without browning.
Add the herbs. Sauté until the onions are soft.
Stir in some tomato puree.
Season with salt and pepper.
Leave to cool and add 1 egg, mix well.

Roll out the pastry. Line the buttered and floured baking tin (alternatively, you could just use grease proof paper)
Cover the base with the onion purée. Use the anchovy strips to make a lattice on the tart. Add the olives between the strips.
Bake in a preheated oven 220° C for 25 minutes.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Aaah ! Potatoes !

The advantage of insomnia is of course that, amongst all the rubbish thoughts, you sometimes have good ideas too. Like the one I had last night. I decided that there is a good spot in the garden to plant potatoes. So this morning, together with Stephen (our first volunteer of this year) I started digging over the patch, which is about 3 x 6 meters.
Although the sky was blue, the Mistral wind was trying to spoil things for us with gusts of 95 km/hr. I suggested to Stephen to stand with his back against the wind so he wouldn't get the sand in his face, with which he agreed was a good idea.
Two hours later and it was all done, ready for us to start forking it over on Monday. We might even get the rotivator out.
Next week I can get some plant potatoes and Bob's your uncle. Our first attempt to growing potatoes !