Today is a new moon and also a solar eclipse..so I am doing a menu combining great Fall food and dishes that can be eaten "on the run".
Also, here in Los Angeles, the weather is "all over the place", today it is in the mid 80f's, and no winds, very hot..later in the week it might rain and get cooler.
It is hard to believe we are almost half way through November!
I have just spent the morning prepping for tomorrows deliveries and later this afternoon will be "cutting back" my roses and doing other late Season garden trimming..I have already picked the first of my broccoli and have loads more coming on, also have new sets of tomatoes which might be ready at Christmas
I am producing multi-purpose dishes that can be hand held while you potter about, try and watch the eclipse with your special viewer and eat at the same time, or a sit down to a supper late that takes just 20 mins to prepare.
The menu:
A wonderfully thick and "sinful" Roasted butternut squash and cashew soup, this is finished with coconut milk and maple syrup..very Fall-like and can be served chilled or nice and warm.
This is a wonderful soup, the raw cashews help to stabilize the roasted butternut squash which is blended.
2 hand held entrees:
Light and wonderful, baked tomatoes, artichoke and cheese tarts made with puff pastry, these are better just warmed or at room temp...almost like a mini over filled- pizza with fresh ingredients.
Hearty Mushroom and potato pasties with thyme pastry..great hot or cold also added sweet corn and zucchini
Some great desserts:
Fresh blueberry-almond cupcakes..good for breakfast or tea
"Dame Nelly Melba" pandowdy ( cobbler)..this is fabulous warmed with pouring cream or ice cream. Poached peaches ( can be canned as long in juice not sugar) with fresh raspberries with a cornmeal vanilla biscuit ( scone) topping
Handheld Pasties/turnovers Tips
In all kinds of weather, small pies, tarts and turnovers are always a good thing to have in the back of your mind/freezer!
Some can be made in advance and just frozen until they are needed, especially economical when using vegetables in season, or a large harvest and for quickly feeding a crowd.
The base for the turnovers/pasties is usually*
starchy potatoes, carrots, celery and onions cooked in good vegetable stock, cook until the potatoes are just cooked.
*Sometimes, when using in season vegetables, they can be sauteed and then added to par boiled potatoes as I am doing this week with the late season sweet corn, & zucchini.
Remove the solids from the stock and allow to cool in a large bowl, return the stock to the heat & reduce the stock by half and then allow to cool.
When all are cool add the stock to the solids and store over night in the fridge or a very cold place.
For the fillings...remove the solids again(the soaking in stock will have flavored the mix really well) and use the stock for a gravy for the pies/turnovers/pasties or soups etc.
add other fillings to the cooked base vegetables:
sauteed artichoke hearts
sauteed mushrooms/onions
steamed beans or asparagus
steamed cabbage & broccoli
steamed spinach
any kind of cooked dried beans and added spices
roasted vegetables
steamed squashes/garden peas/green beans
soaked raisins or apricots ( often used in spicy fillings)
smoked meats/cooked meats
citrus zest & cream cheese ( this is terrific with the spinach)
the list really is endless except avoid using left overs if you intend to freeze them for later use..also do not egg wash when storing in freezer.
You may add grated cheese ( if doing so always top the item with cheese, after egg washing, before cooking so you know which ones contain cheese).
To use the frozen ones remove from freezer the night before and defrost in the fridge before cooking as instructed.
 |
| The roasted tomatoes, & artichoke hearts for the tarts |
 |
| Fabulous butternut squash ready for roasting..remove the seeds |
 |
| roast cut side down for 1 hour then flip-over for further 30 mins (depending on size, allow 15mins per pound at 400f) |
 |
| Hot parboiled potatoes, cooked in their skins, then peeled while hot..the trick is to cut them in a bowl so they don't fall apart nor burn your hands |
 |
| The potato and mushroom filling for the pasties |
 |
| previous 3, the cooked and blended roasted butternut squash cooked with onions, raw cashew nuts, celery and carrots, then blended with coconut milk and topped with more coconut milk and Vermont maple syrup |
 |
| Previous 2, the peach and fresh raspberry pandowdy out of the oven |
No comments:
Post a Comment