Rice to Riches

Tis the season ...

2012-01-20T23:11:00.000-08:00

We have the luxury of having quite a few fruit trees at our house, and our latest crops have been beautiful Angelina plums! They are the ones with the deep, dark red skins and a yellow/green flesh inside - when stewed they turn out beautifully red!

The eternal problem of having fruit trees is that they all harvest at the one time, which has meant lots of bottling, stewing, preserving and jam-making in recent months! It's awesome - I love having things in our cupboards, things to give away, and reaping the benefits of gardening.

We were lucky enough to pick up some strawberries in Tassie at Christmas time, and along with raspberries they have been turned into jam as well in the last 2 or so months - so I think it's fair to say that we are well-stocked at the moment!

Now all I need to do is get some more pasta sauce happening for the winter months (while tomatoes are affordable) and I'll have done the major part of my "squirrelling" for another summer! Well, until the zucchini finishes up anyway!

LOVE this time of year!

Dietary needs in hospital

2011-11-21T15:57:00.001-08:00

Last week I unfortunately ended up in hospital for a few days. For the first time ever I was admitted to a private hospital, and while there are some remarkable differences in Victoria between private and public hospitals (don't even get me started on my views on this!), there were some amazing similarities!

On admission, I put on my form that I was on the Low FODMAP diet, and spelt out that basically meant I was "wheat free". I get that it's a little bit different, and so thought a quick explanation might be a helpful thing. I figured if it came with all the other things that I am not supposed to be eating I could pick and choose, but wheat is the one thing I seriously need to watch.

That request took 2 days to filter through the system anyway, the first two days meals contained mostly wheat-based products, and when it finally did "click" on the system this is what was served up for dinner:

According to the catering slip that comes with your meal, this is gluten free vegetables!!

I know I should be thankful for being able to eat when some are nil-by-mouth, and actually being thankful that I am given food to eat when many others in the world are experiencing famine or starvation - and I truly am thankful!

I also don't blame people for finding it hard to sometimes get their head around it all these days - what free, gluten free, lactose free, etc. BUT I'd like to think that perhaps they're willing to give it their best shot!

Perhaps my next "job" should be giving dietary advice for those that provide catering! :-)

Spelt Flour Pizza

2011-10-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

After an impromptu trip to Queen Victoria Market yesterday afternoon, and a few impromptu purchases (!!) we decided tonight was "gourmet" pizza night at our house!

Am now well and truly used to home-made spelt flour pizza bases, and tonight's was delicious - much thinner than normal (I am personally not a fan of thick bases) and much less 'filling'.

I even roasted beetroot and had some lovely buffalo mozzarella cheese to go on top - I think it's fair to say it a success, even with the other half who doesn't have to eat spelt flour!

If you're looking for a good wheat-free pizza base recipe, this one seems to work pretty well:

200ml water
1 tablespoon olive oil
375g spelt flour (either white or wholemeal)
1 3/4 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons full cream milk powder
1 teaspoon bread improver

I just throw it all (in that order) into the bread maker and run it on the 'dough' setting. Has always turned out fantastic, and is enough base for 1 family size pizza and 1 large size!

Gluten Free Raspberry Coconut Slice

2011-07-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

A bit more cooking this weekend, and another old family favourite which converts nicely to gluten free!

Base:
90g butter (at room temperature)
1/3 cup castor sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup gluten free self raising flour
2/3 cup gluten free plain four
1/2 cup raspberry jam (or any other jam really) - or more depending on taste!

Topping:
2 eggs
1/3 cup castor sugar
2 cups coconut

Method for Base:

1. Cream butter, sugar ad egg until smooth and creamy

2. Stir in sifted flours in two batches (I sift my GF flours twice, to give them the "lightest" possible texture - but it depends on what brand of flours you are using as to whether you need to do this or not).

3. Spread mixture evenly over the base of a well-greased 28cmx18cm lamington tin (don't use a bigger tin unless using larger quantities of mixture, as the base will not be the required thickness, and the jam will make the base go soggy).

4. Spread evenly with jam, then with topping.

5. Bake in moderate oven (180c for gas) for around 40 minutes or until the topping is a nice golden brown colour.

6. Cool in the tin. Cut slice only when cold.

Method for Topping:
Beat eggs lightly with a fork, then beat in sugar. Stir until well combined. Add coconut and mix well. Mixture should be a nice, yellow colour (the better quality of eggs, the more yellow it will be).

End product (forgot to take photos along the way for this one - oops!)

GF Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-07-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful sunny, winters day in Melbourne today! The washing is drying (hopefully) on the line, the house has been cleaned and I've been for my morning walk down and around the duck pond! So I decided it was time to hit the kitchen and do some baking!

Am trying out a few recipes that I've always made, and adapted for my new wheat-free diet. Mostly I'm using gluten-free flours because it's just easier this way, and because I'm having relatively good success with them!

Ingredients:

125g butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
1 1/2 cups gluten free self-raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160c.

2. Cream softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

3. Mix in the vanilla essence and egg.

4. Stir the sifted flour and cocoa. Mix well.

5. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

6. Place teaspoons of mixture on greased baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes.

7. Leave to cool for a few minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

I roll my raw mixture because I like the rounded cookie end product, but you can just "dollop" the mixture onto the tray too!

End products! Makes between 20-30 cookies (depending on size)!

And some of the ones that were just "dolloped" on the tray! (Still like the round ones better - hehe)

Gluten Free Corn & Bacon Muffins

2011-07-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's a shocking day in Melbourne today - blowing a gale and on-and-off rain bursts, which isn't all that bad as it helps me to justify being able to spend the day inside baking!

I've adapted a muffin recipe to match the Low FODMAP requirements, and they turned out much better than I expected, so I thought I'd share the recipe and a few pics. Of course you could leave out the bacon for those that are vegetarian!

Wet Mix:
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sharp cheese, grated
1.5 cups canned creamed corn
1 cup plain yoghurt
3 spring onions (green part)
2/3 cup diced, cooked bacon
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Dry Mix:
1.5 cups cornmeal (I used polenta)
1.5 cups gluten-free self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bi carb soda
2 tablespoons sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200c and grease the muffin pans.

Thoroughly combine the dry mix ingredients.

Mix the wet mix ingredients and combine with the dry mix.

Place in greased muffin pans and bake for 20-25 minutes (takes less time if making mini-muffins)

Makes 16 large muffins or 12 large muffins and 12 mini-muffins.

Straight from the oven!

Close-up!

With a bit of Tassie Duck River butter!

Without the butter - just so you can see!

Food Intolerance Management Plan .. a "plug"

2011-06-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

I thought (while I was on a roll with the blog) that I would also put in a 'plug' for a new book I've recently found and have enjoyed reading of late!

The info below is direct from Sue Shepherd's website http://shepherdworks.com.au/ (which itself is a great read), and I've seen the book at Dymocks, Angus & Robertson and Myer (and I'm sure a handful of other places would stock it too!)

The Food Intolerance Management Plan is a scientifically developed program and comprehensive recipe book for those suffering from common digestive illness.

Based on the revolutionary Low-FODMAP Diet, it shows people with food intolerances how to enjoy their food while remaining free of the symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome and related conditions, such as gluten, fructose, lactose and wheat intolerances.

Sue Shepherd teams with Dr Peter Gibson – both recognised as expert world leaders in this area. Explaining the conditions that affect one in five Australians, and show readers how to:

recognise symptoms and seek appropriate medical advice
identify and avoid food likely to cause symptoms
shop and plan menus for the whole family
entertain, travel and eat out with peace of mind

With 80 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes, including baked goods, desserts and spiced dishes, this is your one-stop guide to managing symptoms, feeling great and eating well.

Low FODMAP diet

2011-06-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

Just over 2.5 years ago I had my gall bladder removed in a bit of a rush (understatement of the year!) and since then I have not been at all well. Feeling sick most days, it's been a long and windy road of visits to various different medical practitioners in an attempt to get to the bottom of this. Until recently, we still really had no idea what the underlying issue was. On one hand it was very frustrating because no-one had any answers, but also a bit of relief in having had so many tests that at least some major "possible" causes had been ruled out.

A recent visit to a gastroenterologist gave me an idea that it could possibly be related to the food I was eating, and the possibility that I've developed some sort of intolerance post surgery. After a few more appointments and discussions with nutritionists and dieticians, I've been placed on a low FODMAP diet for 8 weeks to see whether this has any impact.

I'm currently 6 weeks into it, and I cannot believe the difference it has made - totally for the better! So, what is a low FODMAP diet? Here's a little bit of background reading ...

Dr Sue Shepherd developed the low FODMAP diet in 2001. She has proven, through her pioneering PhD research, that limiting dietary FODMAPs is an effective treatment for people with symptoms of IBS. The low FODMAP diet has been published in international medical journals and is now accepted and recommended as one of the most effective dietary therapies for IBS.

FODMAPs are found in the foods we eat. FODMAPs is an acronym (abbreviation) referring to Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols*. These are complex names for a collection of molecules found in food, that can be poorly absorbed by some people. When the molecules are poorly absorbed in the small intestine of the digestive tract, these molecules then continue along their journey along the digestive tract, arriving at the large intestine, where they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there normally. The bacteria then digest/ferment these FODMAPs and can cause symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome include abdominal bloating and distension, excess wind (flatulence), abdominal pain, nausea, changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation, or a combination of both), and other gastro-intestinal symptoms.

What are the FODMAPs?

FODMAPs are found in the foods we eat. FODMAPs is an acronym for

Fermentable
Oligosaccharides (eg. Fructans and Galactans)
Disaccharides (eg. Lactose)Monosaccharides (eg. excess Fructose)
and
Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt)

Where are FODMAPs found?

A few examples of food sources for each of the FODMAPs are listed below.

Excess Fructose: Honey, Apples, Mango, Pear, Watermelon, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup Solids
Fructans: Artichokes (Globe), Artichokes(Jerusalem), Asparagus, Beetroot, Chicory, Dandelion leaves, Garlic (in large amounts), Leek, Onion (brown, white, Spanish, onion powder), Raddicio lettuce, Spring Onion (white part), Wheat (in large amounts), Rye (in large amounts), Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides.
Lactose: Milk, icecream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, milk powder, yoghurt, margarine, soft unripened cheeses (eg. ricotta, cottage, cream, marscarpone).
Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS): Legume beans (eg. baked beans, kidney beans, bortolotti beans), Lentils, Chickpeas
Polyols: Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Cherries, Longon, Lychee, Nectarines, Pears , Plums, Prunes, Mushrooms, Sorbitol (420), mannitol (421), xylitol (967), maltitol (965) and Isomalt (953).

A big part of me wanted this to be the answer to all the problems I've been having .. and I'm pleased to say that it pretty much has been! Another part of me wanted this to fail, as I kind of like the idea of having onions, mushrooms and other now 'banned' items in my diet.

The reality is, I haven't felt this well for over 2.5 years now, and if a small change in my diet is what helps that stay this way, then I'll very willingly do it!

NOW the challenge before me is to adapt my old recipes to bring them 'in line' with the new dietary FODMAP requirements .. which isn't proving as hard as I first thought.

I've also found a few colleagues and friends who have similar dietary considerations, so am going to be posting a few posts with suitable recipes that we might all be able to share together.

Slow Cooking

2010-09-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I'm probably one of the slower ones to pick up the art of (and love for) slow cooking. There's something about leaving an electrical appliance turned on all day when you're out of the house that just doesn't sit quite right, yet I'm quite happy to sit in another room for the same amount of time and rarely even check on it after the initial stir to combine instructions ....

I'm discovering I'm actually quite a fan! A while ago a colleague at the office decided there was a definite gap in the market for Australian recipes, and ones that didn't include "1 can of condensed soup" as the base of the meal!

I've been lucky enough to find quite a few nice recipes in recent times, and tonight's was again a winner - it was eaten up before we managed to take a photo so we might have to make that one again another time, but the recipe is below:

Indian Sweet Curry Beef

Ingredients:

2 carrots
1 onion
1 stalk celery
2 apples, grated
1kg lean stewing beef (I used 500g and it was plenty enough)
1 tablespoon sultanas
1 tablespoon relish or chutney
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons sat
1/2 cup stock or water
3 teaspoons cornflour (optional)

Method:

Peel the carrots and onion and cut into 1cm dice. Cut the celery into 1cm slices. Peel, core and grate the apples. Place into the slow cooker.

Remove any visible fat from the meat and cut into 2cm dice. Place on top of vegetables. Add the sultanas, relish or chutney, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, golden syrup, brown sugar, curry powder, salt and stock/water. Stir gently to combine.

Place lid on cooker and cooker for 4-5 hours on High or 8-9 hours on Low.

If necessary, mix the cornflour with about 2 tablespoons of cold water to a paste and use a little or all or it to thicken the curry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with steamed rice.

Food Memories

2010-08-24T04:59:00.000-07:00

Taken from the Melbourne Age newspaper recently:

Click here for full article

"There are lots of ways of tracing your own personal history. You can go back through family photo archives and trace the hair styles. You can do it with music, by listing the songs that symbolize special times in your life. Or you can do it with food. Food has an incredible power to evoke the past; to remind us of special occasions, disasters and triumphs, and those long gone. I think of my father every time I grill a lamb chop on the barbie, and of my grandmother every time I smell porridge cooking.

To write your own food biography, come up with ten dishes from your past to your present, from your very first food memory to your current obsession. Write them down. They don’t have to be the best ten best dishes you’ve ever had in your life, just represent you at certain ages and stages. That’s your entire life there, plate after plate.

Your list will be different to mine, and different to your nearest and dearest. A stranger could look at them and know so much about you and your life; where you came from, who you became, and everything in between. The places you have lived will be in there, the people you have loved and who have loved you. Every dish tells a story, good or bad."

The article goes on to give the author's food, and I've decided this is something I plan to do in the next few days, after being inspired by my friend Nicole and my Sister-in-law Felicity to do so!

It sounds like a bit of fun - I'd love to read other memories as well!

Post Title

2010-04-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

Sichuan Pork

with peppered Asian Greens

Ingredients

500g boneless pork loin, cut in thin strips
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon crushed sichuan/red pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 red capsicum, cut in strips
2-3 spring onions, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons water

Directions

Marinate pork strips in combined 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornflour for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in wok. Stir-fry peanuts and crushed red pepper over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; remove.
In remaining oil, stir-fry pork and ginger until lightly browned. Add garlic.
Add stock, vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, wine and sugar. Cover; simmer 3 minutes.
Add capsicum and spring onions; cook 2 minutes.
Add combined 1 tablespoon cornflour and water. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in peanut mixture. Serve immediately.

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Back online with Sous Chef - yay!

2010-02-28T02:10:00.001-08:00

Buttermilk Loaf

From the TV Show "Gourmet Farmer"

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup caster sugar
1 large cup sultanas, currants and raisins, mixed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp treacle (optional)
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Sift the flour with the spices and add sugar, fruit and nuts. Mix treacle, warmed over hot water, with buttermilk. Fold in gently. Spoon into a buttered and lined loaf tin. Bake for 3/4 an hour to 50 minutes in a moderate oven (180C). (I like to test it with a skewer as I would any cake.)
Slice and butter when cold.

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Back to the tagine again this week

2009-11-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

Moroccan Lamb Tagine on couscous

from Masterchef Australia

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 kg lamb (shoulder, leg), cut into 2cm cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon almond meal
1/2 cup roasted blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
100g pitted dates
Salt and pepper
Cous cous and plain yoghurt to serve
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Directions

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat and brown lamb in batches. Remove and put into the pressure cooker.
Add onion and garlic to the same pan and cook 2-3 minutes or until softened. Stir in dried spices and cook a further 1 minute or until fragrant. Add orange zest, juice and stock and stir to release the flavours and sediment from the pan. Pour mixture over lamb and scatter over almond meal and almonds.
Cook in pressure cook for ½ hour on low heat. Release steam valve and remove lid. Add dates and cook a further 15 minutes with a lid until sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve on a bed of cous cous with a dollop of yoghurt and topped with fresh coriander.

Simple and tasty!

2009-08-22T18:10:00.001-07:00

Spicy Indian Omelette

Anyone who's been on an Indian train will know the delicious smell of omelettes being cooked on the station platform. These are served with fresh chapattis or naan bread, and with mango chutney - yum yum! The real taste of Indian street food!

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 spring onion, sliced finely
1 medium red onion, chopped
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 eggs, beaten
Freshly chopped coriander
Freshly chopped mint
A few drops of lime juice
1 tomato - sliced

Directions

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion, chilli, ginger and garlic and fry for five minutes. Add the turmeric and fry for a minute more. Add the other spices and cook for two more minutes.
Beat the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked mix to the eggs. Add the fresh herbs and return the mixture to the pan (add more oil or some butter if needed).
Cook for a few minutes, sprinkle with lime juice and then flip over, cook until done. Add some fresh sliced tomato and serve.

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Quick Thai dish

2009-08-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

Thai Chicken-Coconut Soup

Ingredients

6 cups low-salt chicken broth/stock
1–2 red Thai (or jalapeño) peppers, seeded and finely chopped (plus slices for garnish)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon (or lime) juice
4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce, divided
250g shiitake mushrooms, sliced (3 cups)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 150g each), cut into 5cm long by 1cm wide strips
1 cup light coconut milk
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoon chopped coriander (plus sprigs for garnish)
1 packet (120g) thin rice cellophane noodles

Directions

Place noodles in a bowl; add enough warm water to cover and let sit until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain.
Combine broth, pepper, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, lime zest, lemon juice and 3 tablespoon fish sauce in a medium saucepan. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer, add noodles and cook 3 minutes more.
Using tongs, transfer noodles to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add mushrooms to broth; season with salt, if desired; simmer 3 minutes more. Add chicken and coconut milk and simmer, stirring, until chicken is just cooked, about 3 minutes.
Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Add chopped coriander and season with remaining 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
Using tongs, divide noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sprigs of coriander and slices of pepper.

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What started this food musing all off ..

2009-08-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Transferred from an old blog entry ..

Saturday, 4 April 2009 1:50:16 PM

Food Musings

One of the few New Years' Resolutions that I made this year, was a promise to Hubby that I would endeavor to cook one new dish each week, either for lunch on a weekend when we were both home or for our evening dinner.

This resolution came about for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I get somewhat bored when I cook the same things over and over again, and while stir fries are a relatively new thing to Hubby they certainly aren't to me, and without fantastically new and exciting vegetables or new inspirations for tantalising sauces to bring out the flavour in the stir fry, I find that too many of them in a short period of time really doesn't inspire me. Secondly, over the years I've built up a lovely collection of good cookbooks through gifts from friends and family that really aren't used to their fullest potential (see exhibit A below):

Post script - 23rd August

Am very pleased to be able to say that apart from 1 week where I was away overseas for work, that since the beginning of the year I have been able to meet this target, and as a result we have had some really yummy cuisine this year!

Of course I also should confess that as a reward for keeping on track with the new project, that I have justified (to myself) the purchase of another couple of recipe books along the way - BUT I do so now knowing that they will be put to good use, and are not just sitting on the bookshelf!

Quick and easy dinner

2009-08-22T05:59:00.001-07:00

A really quick and easy dish to make! In recent times I've taken to cooking the salmon on the BBQ or grill to give it a bit of a smokey flavour and taste and it's been just delicious.

Salmon Gnocchi Bake

If fresh salmon is not readily available, canned salmon can be substituted (just watch out for small bones if using canned)

Ingredients

500g packet fresh gnocchi
25g butter
1 small leek, washed, trimmed and thickly sliced
200g packet soft cream cheese
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
150g salmon fillet, skinned and diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°c/ fan180°c.
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, until cooked. (The gnocchi will float to the surface when they are ready.) Drain and reserve 250ml of the cooking water. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a wide, deep frying pan and gently fry the leek for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Stir in the cream cheese, tomato purée, chilli flakes, lemon zest, parsley and reserved water, until the cheese has melted and everything is combined. Adjust the seasoning.
Add the gnocchi and salmon to the frying pan and stir to coat. Spoon into a deep ovenproof dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Serve immediately

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Perfect for dinner on a winters' night!

2009-08-22T03:17:00.001-07:00

Roast Pumpkin Soup

A rich soup, slightly spiced and perfect served with a swirl of fresh cream and some thick, crusty, freshly-baked bread. Perfect for a winter meal!

Ingredients

4 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
1kg peeled, deseeded pumpkin
1 tablespoon (20ml) oil
1 large (about 160g) onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 rashers bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
Cream, for serving
Ground nutmeg, for serving
Parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 190c (170c fan-forced)
Chop pumpkin into even-sized pieces (larger pieces will require a longer roasting time). Place pumpkin and unpeeled garlic cloves in a baking tray/dish, drizzle with three teaspoons of the oil and toss to coat with oil.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the garlic so that it doesn't overcook. Continue baking pumpkin until tender and cooked through. Keep an eye on the pumpkin to ensure it doesn't burn.
Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in large (at least 2.7l capacity) saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, nutmeg, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, bacon, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for two minutes.
Add pumpkin and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until onion is soft and stock has reduced, about 20 minutes. The more the stock reduces, the thicker the soup will be.
Peel roasted garlic and add to saucepan. Allow the soup to cool for about 1/2 hour before pureeing in batches in a blender.

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Rice to Riches

Tis the season ...

Dietary needs in hospital

Spelt Flour Pizza

Gluten Free Raspberry Coconut Slice

GF Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten Free Corn & Bacon Muffins

Food Intolerance Management Plan .. a "plug"

Low FODMAP diet

What are the FODMAPs?

Where are FODMAPs found?

Slow Cooking

Food Memories

Post Title

Sichuan Pork

Ingredients

Directions

Back online with Sous Chef - yay!

Buttermilk Loaf

Ingredients

Directions

Back to the tagine again this week

Moroccan Lamb Tagine on couscous

Ingredients

Directions

Simple and tasty!

Spicy Indian Omelette

Ingredients

Directions

Quick Thai dish

Thai Chicken-Coconut Soup

Ingredients

Directions

What started this food musing all off ..

Quick and easy dinner

A really quick and easy dish to make! In recent times I've taken to cooking the salmon on the BBQ or grill to give it a bit of a smokey flavour and taste and it's been just delicious.Salmon Gnocchi Bake

Ingredients

Directions

Perfect for dinner on a winters' night!

Roast Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

Directions

A really quick and easy dish to make! In recent times I've taken to cooking the salmon on the BBQ or grill to give it a bit of a smokey flavour and taste and it's been just delicious.

Salmon Gnocchi Bake