The Alchemy of Cooking

I was reminded of Sunday's at home when I was growing up in Northern England, as I was shopping today and could hear the church bells (even though they were a recording played over loud speakers at a local church)..that every weekend was the same routine..Saturday was always football ( Soccer) matches and nights out, and Sunday was church and every house smelling of a roast dinner with cabbage and potatoes.

Today I am preparing for tomorrow's menu and the prime ingredient is potatoes, but in  much more creative forms, and cabbage/greens the likes of which, I would have never found in Northern England in the 60's.

I am using Russet potatoes to thicken both my cold soups, in place of flour.
A mild cucumber- lemon
A "cream" of tomato

The entrees:
A gratin of ripe tomatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes ( yellow and "buttery" tasting potatoes), fresh whole wheat bread crumbs, coconut milk and cheese, & fresh herbs.

A GF pasta dish with small ( new) Yukon Gold steamed and then added to a walnut pesto also comes with  the blueberry -cucumber salsa.


A Great Chili-like New Mexican Stew with tomatillos and fresh corn, and red kidney beans, with steamed brown rice and the blueberry-cucumber salsa

Side dishes:
Roasted (new) Yukon Gold with garlic & basil
 
A fabulous  (new) potato Lime and pea potato salad with fresh fennel

Sauteed collards and kale with garlic and olives

Green salad with a fresh raspberry dressing


and the desserts:
Apricot and pecan oatmeal cookies

Apple-berry turnovers

The ingredients are photographed air drying..from these basic veggies I am going to produce gold ...

Small and medium sized Yukon Gold and fresh garlic

Kale and collard greens

Romaine lettuce, celery, zucchini

kale, fresh dill, cilantro, tomatillos, salad tomatoes,, Roma Tomatoes, scallions and sugar plum tomatoes

cooked small white potatoes

Fresh sweet corn, Persian cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, white squash, fresh fennel