Fried Green Tomatoes

These Babies taste completely different to regular tomatoes.It,s like the difference between a green and red pepper.These green tomatoes have an altogether different green touch ...of acidity and crunch.It is a wonderful way of using up immature tomatoes before the frost gets them.
Slice up the tomatoes.
Dip in beaten eggs(with added crushed garlic).
Coat in a mixture of dried breadcrumbs, Cajun spice mix,dried oregano,salt, pepper and a pinch of marigold vegetable stock.
Shallow fry until golden and serve with a homemade mayo and green salad.

Potato and Cochayuyo Patties

Mash three large cooked potatoes.
Add a bowlful of cooked mixed grains(or rice).
Add a handful of grated cheese.
Add a handful of cooked Cochayuyo Seaweed (or Arame or whatever seaweed your heart desires)
Saute a large onion finely chopped with some sunflower seeds...add to the mixture.
Chop parsley and de-leaf thyme ...with some salt and pepper and a sprinkle of marigold stock powder(optional)....mix well.
Form into burger patties ...dip into some beaten eggs and fry slightly on each side.
Finish off in the oven at 180c for 15 minutes until it crunches up a bit.

The basis of this recipe was developed from left overs...Yes,the day before we ate mixed grains with Cochayuyo seaweed and stir fried veggies.
And later on that night good old cooked spuds(potatoes)...
I like to cook extra rice,cereals or potatoes and lovingly create something different with them.
Rice or cereals can be used as a base for stuffing Red peppers ,courgettes,aubergines or cabbage.
Potatoes can used in a tortilla ..Spanish omelet....Or used in a recipe like this one.
Hail once more to the beloved leftovers!!!!!!!!

Cochayuyo seaweed is full of minerals .I like it because the sea like flavour is mild and the texture is great.I used a mixed 5 grain cereal mix...my new love ...lovely and chewy and much more interesting and nutritional than just rice.

Buffalo Mozzarella and Seitan Fritters

An interesting and uncomplicated recipe for seitan...
Cut the seitan in slices.
Spread some pesto on top.
Add a slice of fresh buffalo mozzarella.
Beat 2 eggs with salt ,pepper, and a small clove of crushed garlic.
Dip the seitan sandwich into the egg mixture.
Then cover in dried breadcrumbs.
Repeat egg and breadcrumbs one more time to cover as completely as possible.
Shallow fry mozzarella side first to seal in the cheese then turn over until golden brown .
We ate these tasty morsels with a simple tomato and basil salad.

You can omit the cheese.
You could change the breadcumbs for polenta.
You could make these morsels Vegan by using a batter made with soya flour and or garbanzo flour,regular flour and water then cover in breadcumbs and fry.

OCTOBER

October did exist in mi vida deliciosa...
But for most of the month it was in el bosque...the forest.
October was lost in a wave of bolets...wild mushrooms!!!!!!!!That and starting back to work(kind of)with a group of mamas from the village making wallets,jellewery and playing with textiles and,and,and more about that later...
This is my food blog...if I had time to make a blog about wild mushrooms and wild foods I would...I,d need a separate blog to express the strange sheer wild wonderful thing it is to go mushroom picking.But for now I,ll see if I can write a few lines of fungal frolics...

About 3 or 4 years ago I was living in the centre of Barcelona ...and I wanted to do a course on mushroom picking...At the same time I and boyfriend where looking for a place in the countryside...We had dreams of living in a big Masia( stone farm house)learning about wild foods having a huge garden in the middle of nowhere.
Instead we found the perfect house in a small village...I knew it was for me when the next door neighbour Placida said she,d teach me about mushrooms and show me where to find them.
I had stuck gold...that and having a tofu factory and wholefoods distribution company beside our future home.But this village has more...loads of local produce...two of the largest organic wholesalers in the country,a wild mushroom canning business,and loads of wild fig trees,walnut trees etc etc etc.Up in forest(theres a national park all around us)theres loads of Dolmens and standing stones...I could not believe my luck.
That and my village is one of the best places in Catalunya to find Mushrooms.Yes, theres photos of this village in mushroom books.I had found my home.

The first year we eagerly searched the woods and arrived back with a huge box of mushrooms...We showed the neighbour who threw them all away.All bad,poisonous or unknown. Our hearts sunk.It seemed impossible to learn because there was so many types.
But Placida kept true to her promise and she showed us where to find Fredolics-or tricholama terreum...a beautiful smokey grey mushroom with a velvety smooth cap and a rich mushroom taste.The next time we learnt where to find Rovellons and Pinetells(lactarius deliciosus).Then Carlets and Chantarelles.Thank you lovely Placida for teaching us.
Wild mushrooms grow in the same place every year so make sure you remember where you found them.These places are gold dust...I,ve heard grown up adults lying about where they found the mushrooms-they,re like kids...and they get very jealous if you find too many.
Every week we,d find a new type ,a new mountain or forest to go looking.After the first year we could identify around twenty and were officially boletaires(experts in mushroom picking or at least addicted to mushroom hunting).
I knew it was an addiction when I dreamt about mushroom hunting...I jest-not.
Every year we look in the forest at least two weeks too early ...we just can,t wait.
Its about putting on wellies(wellington boots)with the basket on one arm and the other holding a walking stick hopefully found in the forest and lovingly brought along on every mushroom hunting expedition.
It,s about walking in beautiful forests.
It,s about imagining the mushrooms you want to find before you do...then they turn up miraculously although almost covered with camouflaged oak leaves.
It,s about the smell of the forest and mushrooms and the damp in the air.
It,s about bringing a basketful home and eating incredibly delicious surprising food thats only available for a month or two.
Theres so much to learn and enjoy about wild mushroom picking.Every country has them...In Ireland my memories are of the great big field mushrooms which were wasted on me as a child as I didnt like mushrooms(shame)but I know they must be a lot more there.There was a fear of poisonous fungi which I fully understand but once you get to know a mushroom it seems hard to make a mistake.Stick to one or two that you cant confuse with any other and go from there.
I recommend finding a course,an elderly expert neighbour and loads of books...which help to identify mushrooms unknown and unusual.
It would make an interesting holiday abroad doing a mushroom course...I,d love to travel to Canada or Poland or China and get to know their fungi types.
The big thing about mushroom hunting is that you find a tremendous respect for the forest and a big earth love.You appreciate each mushroom for it,s unique flavours.Please pick only what you will use or share...gluttony can happen...but there are many mushrooms suitable for drying or freezing.
Pick up your rubbish and others.
Do not rake the ground because it damages the root system...and always cut the mushroom with a knife at the stem.
Drying porcini or ceps are a luxury when eaten in February in a risotto.
The range of textures and flavours of mushrooms for a vegetarian (or other) is amazing...so much room for experimenting in the kitchen.
The best recipe for trying a new mushroom is sauteing it in the pan with some garlic and chopped parsley.Keeping it simple the first time gives you an idea of it,s nature.
The best way to clean mushrooms is with a brush.
If a mushroom is very dirty you can soak them in water but they plump up and add a lot of liquid to the cooking.
For moisture filled mushrooms I recommend heating a frying pan with no oil ,add mushrooms and wait until all the juices have evaporated and reduced back into the mushrooms...then add olive oil( or half oil half butter)and fry to your desired texture leaving the garlic and chopped parsley to the last minute.
Each Mushroom has some very unique flavours so I recommend getting specific mushroom cookery books...I love Antonio Carluccios"Complete Mushroom Book"or Roger Phillips"Wild Food".Fat of the land blog is great for mushrooms and wild foods in general. Different countries suffer from food snobbery and cultures which might belittle some mushrooms as average when cooked in a certain way they can be spectacular...So make your own assessments on edible mushrooms ...and enjoy!

SpringRolls with peanut dipping sauce

Springroll pastry is something I always have in my freezer.You can buy them in any oriental foodstore.Apart from springrolls I use them to make some quick samosas and for sweet rolls filled with bananas and chocolate.They are made from rice and have a neutral flavour ideal for whatever filling.
This particular filling was a very simple one from the end of the week vegetables I had on hand...
onions,garlic,fresh ginger,carrots and white cabbage.
As for all wok cooking prepare your vegetables first,finely chopped and place in separate bowls.
Have a bottle of sunflower oil at hand.
The same with the spices and soya sauces...have everything ready beside the wok.I mixed some tamari soya sauce with a pinch of 7 spices(or 5 spice mix)and a spoonful of honey.
Place your wok on your hottest plate with the largest flame.
When its reached smoking level add a tablespoon of oil.
First the onions,then the carrots and cabbage and lastly the garlic and ginger stirring constantly.
When the vegetables have browned slightly or seem a little dry add the soya,spice,honey mixture...but not too much ...the idea is to just add moisture to steam the vegetables but not drown them.
When the filling is cooked you can begin preparing the rolls...
Place one paper thin sheet in front of you .
Place a line of the filling about 3 quarters of the way up the sheet...see the 2nd photo above and hopefully all will be clear(mental note- how complicated it seems sometimes to describe something simple)
Wet the sides and bottom line of the pastry sheet with water.
Fold over the sides,covering the edges of the filling.
Then fold over the top half and roll....
Until it forms a roll(?Dios Mio this does seem harder than I thought!)

Now with all your beautiful rolls lined up you can happily begin to deep fry them until golden brown.Fry one or two at a time always letting the over lapping pastry side down first.Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the dipping sauce...

...which would have to be the easiest sauce ever.
Mix about 3 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter with one teaspoon of Thai yellow curry paste and some water,a little at a time until you get a nice pouring consistency.Be patient..if it looks like its separating its just the oil and water fighting sillily over territory...but they will come together(a metaphor for world peace perhaps?).Add a slash of soya sauce and there you have it.
As always feel free to play- the trick is the peanut and water gorgeous creamy mixture...you can flavour it with sesame oil,lime juice or peel,fresh ginger,garlic,lemongrass,curry powder,fresh chopped coriander..etc..etc...or what ever you wish

For filling choices the lists are all would you guess it ..endless.I only had my poor mans veggies in the fridge but you can fill it with bean sprouts,tofu..smoked or other,mushrooms,bak choy,pak choy,sesame seeds,spiced pumpkins,any yummy crunchy green vegetables or any combination that takes your fancy(with the exception of tomatoes which do not go with soy sauce...good luck and over and out!)

On a completely different note I,d like to add that my daugther is 16 months old today and walking,that the moon is full and shining like silver sunshine and that the swallows have chosen to depart flying back to Africa...On behave of everyone I,d like to thank the swallows for their glorious laughing and flight maneuvers and celebrating summer with us,for the moon for awaking the magic in people and to my daughter for existing and making my world special and love filled and new.

Fig,Plum and Apple Crumble

Crumbles are the ultimate wintry or autumnal comfort foods.
My neighbour has two huge fig trees which Anouk always makes a bee line for...One ladden with white figs..the other with deep purple figs...the fruit is covered individually with bags to stop the blackbirds eating them.I love the thought of fat gluttonous birds drunk on figs.
In Ireland figs are crazily expensive and totally gourmet...here they grow wild and in vast quantities...which being Irish and living abroad I have a mixture of smug satisfaction and of course guilt.
But what better way of dealing with guilt -make a delicious comforting dessert.

First I chopped up some figs,plums and apple and stewed in a pan until softened ...then sweetened with agave syrup to taste.
For the topping I mixed some 5 cereal flakes(or you could use oat flakes) with about a quarter of the amount of flour.A few sprinkles of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of vanilla sugar were called for. I binded the mixture with a few splashes of sunflower oil (you could use margarine or butter) and threw in some sunflower seeds.I sweetened it with agave syrup( you could use brown sugar or rice syrup).
In a greased ovenproof dish pore in the stewed fruit then top with the crumble mixture and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C until the top is browned(about 15 or 20 minutes).
Try different stewed fruit...like apples with raisins,or banana and mango,or banana and chocolate or a mixture of red berries.

Sweetcorn Cajun Fritters

These are little mouthfuls of sheer joy and good cold or hot straight from the pan...
For the batter...
85g flour
15g soya flour
20g garbanzo flour
5g baking powder
pinch of salt and pepper
flat dessertspoon of organic bouillion powder
dessertspoon of cajun powder
1 small garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon tumeric

Mix well and add 200ml cold water and beat well making sure theres no flour bubbles.

Add...
150g sweetcorn nibs
40g diced red pepper
75g chopped spring onion greens,n all

In a small saucepan...fill with sunflower oil to about a fifth of the way up.
Heat up oil and test to see if its ready by placing a small drop of batter inside...when it floats your ready to roll...
With dessertspoons of the batter mixture cook three at a time...about 1 minute or so on each side or until they are nice and golden brown.
Dry on kitchen paper.

P.S.please be careful with oil never go near it with water ....vague memories of burning a fryingpan when in college come flooding back to me...

If you don,t have bouillion powder don,t fret.... use more garlic,or perhaps chopped red chillies(if you dare),or fresh coriander leaves,or more cajun powder.
Cajun food is a mixture of French and African cuisine.Think deep south...think gumbo stews(I use fried tofu)....The powder can be bought or you can make your own...
Its a mixture of salt,chilli powder,black pepper,ground ginger,ground cumin,cardamon,brown sugar,dried oregano,dried thyme and lemon peel.
I served these with a salad of garden tomatoes,avocado and lettuce with drizzles of tarragon vinegar,coriander oil,habanero chilli sauce with salt and pepper.(maybe the chilli sauce drowned out the vinegar but I was playing ...so maybe a wine vinegar would do)

This recipe is very adaptable.
Try changing the cajun powder for some curry powder with extra cardamon.
Or change the vegetables...
enjoy!