Canned Pineapple Anniversary Day

Apparently, today is the anniversary of the first canned shipment of pineapple sent from Hawaii way back in 1895. As far as I’ve been able to find, nobody’s entirely sure that the day is actually correct but it’s as good an excuse as any to get out a tin of pineapple out of the cupboard and eat it.

I personally love pineapple, especially the tinned variety. Yes, I know the fresh stuff if probably considered far superior but my taste buds tell me otherwise so there’s always a tin of pineapple chunks or rings in my food cupboard. Sometimes I eat it ‘as is’, occasionally adding a big blob of double cream if I’m feeling particularly decadent, other times I use it in cooking. The following is my favourite recipe that incorporates pineapple.

Hawaiian Pork Casserole

Serves 2

Olive oil
300g pork, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped
1/4 red & 1/4 yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
50g mushrooms, sliced
Small can pineapple chunks
1 tbsp tomato puree
Plain flour
300ml vegetable stock
Juice from tin of pineapple chunks
A coupoe of good glugs of red wine
Salt & ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4 (180c).
2. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Bung the sliced onion and crushed garlic in and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
3. Stick the peppers and mushrooms in the pan with the onions and cook for a further minute or so. Tip into a casserole dish.
4. Coat the pork in flour, add some more oil to the frying and fry the pork until it’s nice and golden all over. If your frying pan’s small, do this in batches because otherwise you’ll end up boiling the pork which isn‘t a good thing. Put in the casserole dish with the onions and garlic.
5. Pour of a good glug of red wine into the hot pan to deglaze it, scraping up all the bits as it bubbles then pour that into the casserole dish too.
6. Add the stock, another good glug of red wine, and the pineapple juice to the casserole and mix it all up.
7. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 hours 45 minutes.
8. Taste it and stick some ground black pepper in if you think it needs it. Add the pineapple chunks, stir and cook for a further 15 minutes.

This is absolutely delicious served with fluffy white rice and green salad and it’s an apt meal to make on canned pineapple anniversary day being as the first ones came from Hawaii.

Sharon J

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Image Source: Cervus

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Swedish Meatballs

Image: roboppy

Most of you no doubt know that I spent 18 years in Norway and as the only difference between Norwegian and Swedish meatballs is the size (Norwegian ones are much bigger), meatballs quickly became a staple in our house. We still have them at least once a month - you have to hang on to some things from ‘home’ and they’re one of my youngest’s favourite meals and as most supermarkets sell them, they’re obviously popular here.

What I’ve noticed though is that people buy what’s called Swedish Meatball Sauce. It comes in packets and is made by Coleman’s. Whether or not there are any other brands I couldn’t tell you but the fact that meatball sauce is VERY easy to make, buying a packet mix is a complete waste of money.

Rather than buy ready made meatballs and sauce, you might just as well make your own. Here’s how:

Meatballs

250g minced beef
250g minced pork (double the beef if you don't have pork mince - or vice versa)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 tsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried (optional)
1 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
2 tbsp cornflour
300-400 ml milk (or use water if you don’t use dairy)
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter or margarine for frying

1. Mix the minced meat and salt together until it’s a sticky mess then mix the cornflour, parsley, nutmeg and pepper in.
2. Gradually add the milk or water while still mixing then mix in the onions. Form into whatever sized balls you like.
3. Brown the fat in a frying pan then add the meatballs (in batches if necessary). Shake the pan now and then to ensure that they’re fried on all sides. Once they’re nice and brown, leave them to fry over a gentle heat for 3-5 minutes, depending on their size.

Meatball Sauce

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
500 ml beef stock
A little vinegar taken from a jar of gherkins (optional)
A few drops of soy sauce or gravy browning (optional)
A little milk (sorry, but water just won’t cut it but you could use a milk alternative I guess)
Ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and mix in the flour to form a paste (or roux, which is the proper word for it).
2. Add the stock and simmer very gently for about 5 minutes so that the flour taste disappears.
3. Add the soy sauce/gravy browning, vinegar, a little milk and pepper to taste. Simmer for another minute.
4. Taste - add more pepper if needed.

Y’see, the sauce really is easy and sooooo quick. And let’s face it, who doesn’t have butter, flour, some form of beef stock (unless you're a vegetarian of course, but then none of this would interest you anyway) and black pepper in the house? The other stuff’s just an added bonus if you happen to have it.

The meatballs aren’t difficult either and home-made ones are not only more authentic, they taste a whole lot better too. And as with all made-from-scratch food, you know exactly what you’re getting.

Traditionally, along with the above sauce, Swedish meatballs are served with boiled potatoes (in their skins) and lingonberry sauce, only I haven't been able to find either lingonberries or ready made sauce anywhere. Ikea probably do it but I'm not going all the way there just to find out. I must remember to look out for it next time I go though (I always get their weinerpølser - hot dog sausages - there's nothing in this country quite like them!)

And a meatball meal in the cafe is a must too :)

Sharon J

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Marinades for Meat

Image: JustABigGeek

Although I’ve tried to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diets, the truth is that my family are all hardened carnivores - we simply love meat. Pork, beef, ostrich, reindeer, venison… you name it and I’ll probably eat it. The same applies to poultry.

For years I knew nothing of marinades. My mother certainly never used them and they weren’t popular in Norway during the years I lived there. That has, however, changed.

Since discovering the secrets of a good marinade our meals have tasted much better. Even LM, who’s incredibly fussy about her food, will often tell me how delicious a piece of meat tasted even though it may have started it’s shelf life as a plain old pork chop. Marinades are, as far as I’m concerned, the cook’s best friend.

Ok, so they add a bit to the cost of a meal but what you get back in terms of flavour, tenderness and sheer eating pleasure is by far worth those extra pennies. A marinade can turn a good meal into a great one.

If you’ve never used a marinade before, I suggest you make your own rather than use one of the ready prepared bottled varieties. Not only is it cheaper, but the more you learn about marinading, the more you’ll be able to mess around with flavours yourself, bringing individuality to every meat or poultry dish you prepare.

A good marinade should contain some kind of acid as this breaks down the muscle tissue making the meat more tender, with the most commonly used acidic ingredients being citrus juices, vinegars and wine. Although the acid will flavour the meat, it should also contain some kind of added flavouring such as herbs, spices, garlic, onions and the likes. Lastly, but very importantly, it should contain some form of oil as this is what infuses the meat with the flavours. Olive oil is most often used. Some insist that it should be extra virgin although I’ve never found it necessary.

To help get you started, here are a few of my favourite marinades:


Simple All-Meat Marinade

For each portion of meat use:

½ small onion, finely chopped
½ tbsp Mixed Herbs
25 ml olive oil
1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar (or distilled malt vinegar if that‘s all you have)


Sweet & Spicy Pork Marinade

For each portion use:

1 ½ tbsp honey
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
25 ml olive oil
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp cinnamon


Norwegian Beef Marinade

For each portion use:

25 ml olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp brown sugar
1 clove of garlic (or 1 inch garlic paste)
½ cm fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
½ a small red chilli, finely chopped


Quick Chicken Marinade

For each portion use:

1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsps olive oil

and finally, especially for Catz...

Garlic & Coriander Marinade for Pork

For each portion use:

2 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic paste
½ tbsp fresh, chopped coriander


Mix marinade ingredients in a lidded bowl, plastic container (Tupperware style) or zip-lock type bag and bung the meat in, making sure it’s all nicely covered. Use your fingers and rub it in well. Put it in the fridge and then leave it for 2 hours at least for pork and chicken, and 4 hours for beef. An extra couple of hours will improve the flavours and the larger the cut of meat, the longer it should be left. In fact, because marinades were first used as a way of preserving meat, you can actually leave it for up to a couple of days. I do think the meat tends to go a bit too mushy if left for too long though so 8-10 hours is usually my maximum.

If you’re able, turn the meat now and then to ensure even coverage. Of course, there’s no point dashing home from working during your lunch break just for this but if you're close to the fridge anyway, it's worth doing.

Fish and vegetables can also benefit from a good marinade but as this is about meat, I won’t elaborate here. A Google search should bring up a good few results though.

I’m so fond of marinades that I can’t actually remember the last time I prepared a piece of meat without one. It must have been a beef fillet steak - that’s the only meat I find perfect ‘as is’ but not one we have very often.

Sharon J

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F is for Family Meals - Spaghetti Bolognese

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I’ve been asked by Kelly of Almost Frugal to post one of my favourite recipes here as part of her "F is for..." series so here goes.


Just about everybody I know loves spag bol so when the family gather for dinner, I always find this is a good bet to serve. From the very young to those who are getting on a bit, they’ll all eat it.

Now as some of you already know, I don’t like tomatoes so in order to not have to put myself through the ordeal of picking out big bits, I had to devise a Bolognese sauce that didn’t actually have any tomatoes in it but still tasted the way it ought to. This is what I came up with and as I’ve yet to have any complaints, I’m guessing it really is as tasty as I think it is.

Sharon’s Tomato-less Bolognese Sauce

Serves 6

750 g minced beef
A couple of tbsps olive oil
2 large onions, chopped or sliced
1 ½ small or 1 large garlic bulb, crushed and chopped
1/3 red pepper, sliced or diced
1/3 green pepper, sliced or diced
10-12 closed cup mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 stick celery (optional)
8 dl beef stock
6 tbsps tomato puree
1 ½ dl red wine
1 heaped tbsp dry oregano (or 3 tbsps fresh)
½ tbsp dry basil (or 1 ½ tbsps fresh)
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce

1. Gently fry the onions and garlic in a little olive oil over medium heat until the onions are clear then add the mince and carry on frying until it’s brown and crumbly.
   
   
2. Add the beef stock, tomato puree and red wine, stir it all up then add the peppers, mushrooms, grated carrot, oregano, basil and Worcestershire sauce.
   
   
3. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce had reduced and thickened.

I usually make a big batch and freeze some for a quick meal at other times. Thaw it overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to take it out, use the microwave defrost setting or submerge the container of frozen sauce in hot water for a while) and then heat through until its piping hot. You may need to add a little extra liquid, but on the other hand, you may not - it depends how liquid the sauce was at the outset.

Sharon J

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Red Cabbage

Image: SwansonRut

I have to admit that I’m generally not a lover of cabbage, however, there is one exception and that’s red cabbage.

Red cabbage differs from all other types in that rather than being cooked quickly so that it doesn’t go limp and smelly and lose their flavour (remember those old school dinners?), the red variety can be cooked slowly and with it’s lovely sweet flavour makes a perfect accompaniment to all sorts of meats but is especially nice served alongside poultry and pork.

One of the really good things about red cabbage is that they last ages in the cupboard - longer than their white cousins - so although they’re a relatively large vegetable, especially for those who are living alone or as a couple, they’ll still get used up before they go off. Mine usually last for about 2 weeks in the cupboard although they do keep longer in the fridge but I’ve found the taste isn’t quite as good then.

Red cabbage has the highest vitamin C content of all cabbages and also contains more iron, potassium and calcium than any other type. It’s also low in calories - about 30 calories per 100g portion - and it contains plenty of fibre too. How can you go wrong?

Apart from shredded raw in salads, it’s probably best know when used in sauerkraut, or pickled red cabbage, but there are plenty of other ways of preparing it. It can be used in coleslaw, boiled plain, sautéed, braised or used in casseroles. In fact, when it comes to casseroles, it‘s the only cabbage worth using. And because, when prepared, they don't look like your typical cabbage, fussy children who say they don't like cabbage will often eat them anyway.

Thanks to their long growing season, British red cabbages are available throughout most of the year and are always a popular choice at Christmas (beat those disgusting Brussel sprouts, any day!) or as part of a winter side salad. Served as a warm side vegetable, it brings colour to the plate, something I always feel makes a meal look more appetizing.

If you’ve tried the white, pointy or savoy types and not liked them, don’t let that put you off. Red cabbages are different and unless you try one, you just won’t know whether you like it.


Quick Recipe: Red Cabbage & Apple

Half a large red cabbage, finely sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 large apple, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or malt vinegar if that’s all you have)
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
A small handful of currants (optional)
Enough water to just about cover ingredients
Salt & pepper

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Sweat for about 5 minutes while stirring.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for about 45 minutes under a lid, stirring occasionally, or until most of the water has evaporated.

Can be served hot or cold and tastes delicious. It can also be made beforehand and chilled or frozen, which is always handy, then reheated by adding a little water to the pan and simmering for about 15 minutes.

Sharon J

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Kohlrabi - That Weird, Alien Looking Vegetable

Image: Laurence Farmer's Market

When I first saw a basket of kohlrabi on display at the grocer’s shop, I had absolutely no idea what it was. Hmm… I thought… could that be something worth trying? Always up for trying something different, I bought one and set about finding out what I could do with it.

Since then I’ve had a number of guests ask me what that strange looking vegetable is, the reason being that for many years, it was ‘out of fashion’ and used mostly to feed livestock. Thankfully, people are nowadays starting to rediscover just how versatile this vegetable is.

Kohlrabi is a cultivar of cabbage (in fact, kohl rabi means cabbage turnip in German) and, according to the lovely man at our local farm shop, will grow almost anywhere, making it ideal for anybody wanting to grow veg in their garden. If I can find a big enough container, I may well try some myself next year.

Kohlrabi can be quite big, about the size of a large turnip with several stems sticking out making it look a bit sputnik-ish. If you can find smaller ones, always go for those as they’re far more tender and sweet. They’re quite thick skinned though so peeling them can be a bit of a nightmare but I generally just chop off and peel a bit at a time, as I need it. Luckily, they keep for about a week in a paper bag in a dark cupboard or even longer, up to a fortnight, if kept in the fridge. They also freeze well - just chop them into chunks, blanch and freeze.

Taste and texture wise, they’re kind of a cross between a carrot and broccoli stems. The flesh is very pale and excellent to use grated in salads or boiled as a side vegetable or in stews and casseroles, the latter being exceptionally good because kohlrabi have a way of drawing other flavours to them. Because it has a mild flavour, kids are generally happy to eat it too. If you’re boiling kohlrabi, chop it into chunks or slices and boil in salted water for about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the pieces - they’re ready when they’re almost translucent. About 150g per person is a good sized portion for one of your five a day.

The most popularly available type around here are purple although white ones can sometimes be found too. I've heard that white ones can be more easily found than purple in other parts of the country though so I guess it depends on what the local farmers choose to grow. Taste wise, I haven’t noticed any difference though. Both also have the same nutritional qualities. They’re high in vitamin C and also contain magnesium and phosphorous, both of which help our bodies absorb calcium, and they have a decent amount of folic acid and potassium just waiting to be utilised too.

Fresh kohlrabi are available from late summer through to early spring so make a good winter vegetable as well as being useful in salads on warmer late summer days (assuming we ever get any of those, of course).

If you’ve never tried them I’d definitely give it a go. A kohlrabi won’t break the bank and you may just find that you love it :)

Quick Recipe: Kohlrabi Gratin

Serves 4 - 6

Half a large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
About 900 g of kohlrabi
200 ml milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh parsley to garnish


1. Sweat the onion in half the butter until it’s soft and clear.

2. Peel the kohlrabi (if it’s big, peel it thickly so that the woody outer layer’s removed). Slice thinly and layer half with the onions and seasoning in a lightly buttered shallow ovenproof dish then add another layer of kohlrabi.

3. Pour in the milk and dot with the remaining butter.

4. Bake in the oven at 200c (gas mark 6) for about 1 ½ hours until tender.

5. Remove and garnish with parsley.

If you’re in a hurry, you can parboil the kohlrabi first then bake the gratin for 30-45 minutes.

Also, if you fancy something a little more luxurious, substitute half of the milk for single cream.

Sharon J

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Making The Most of Carrots

Image: color line

Two of my children are not big veggie fans but luckily both of them are perfectly happy to eat carrots. Ok, so the little lass generally insists on covering her entire meal in thick Bisto gravy (I personally don't like the stuff but she buys it herself) but even with the tastes practically drowned out, the goodness is still there.

Carrots are one of the UK’s most popular vegetables and with good reason - they’re sweet, juicy and packed with nutrients. They can be eaten raw or cooked, used as an accompaniment to just about any dish, can be boiled, baked, roasted or steamed and used in soups, stews, casseroles and pies. Talk about versatile! And because they’re bright and cheerful looking, kids usually love ‘em. Even my darling daughter ate them without smothering them in gravy, but that was a while ago.

Carrots are also cheap enough to be regularly included in meals, are available all year round and just three tablespoons counts as one portion of your five a day. What more could anybody want from a humble vegetable?

It’s good that carrots are popular because as well as being cheap and tasty, they’re our best source of both vitamin A and pro-vitamin A and include a good few other useful nutrients too. BUT… did you know that how you eat them is important if you’re gonna make the most of those nutrients?

Until I met Richard, I thought it was just a matter of… well, eat ‘em! Not so. Apparently his ex wife had done some reasonably extensive research into food because she wanted to give her kids the best start in life - as you do - and had learned a thing or two about carrots. Being curious, I followed up with some research of my own and found that what I’d been told was indeed true.

Carrots are more nutritious when eaten cooked rather than raw.
Because of their tough cellular walls, our bodies are only able to covert around 25 percent the beta carotene in raw carrots. Beta carotene's the stuff that’s then turned into vitamin A. Obviously, some vitamin A is better than none at all so by all means carry on munching those raw carrot sticks and using them in salads but if you want to maximise their nutrient potential, cook ‘em. Whether you boil, roast or do something else with them, cooking helps dissolve the cellulose walls by breaking down their membranes. Just be careful not to overcook them because that has the reverse effect. Crisp yet tender is what we should be aiming for.

Carrots should be served with fat.
I don’t mean you should only eat them with fatty meats or fried stuff, but serving them with some fat helps the body absorb more of the carotene. Tossing them in some butter is a tasty way of serving them, especially if you mix a little dill in too, or if you're using them in a salad, drizzle it with an olive oil based dressing. Obviously, if you’re serving them with a fat-based sauce or have roasted them in fat or oil, the problem’s already solved for you.

Carrots shouldn't be stored with their tops on.
When carrots are laid out in the greengrocers, complete with their fresh, green tops, they always look somehow more tempting but unfortunately they're less likely to be nutricious than their topless counterparts. The green plant will continue its struggle to survive, drawing goodness from the root (the carrot) thus depleting it of important nutrients. If you do buy carrots with their tops on, cut them off before storing them. BUT, if they're so called 'dirty carrots', don't wash them before storing - the soil helps preserve them.

So there you go. How to make the most of carrots. And guess what? They really are good for the eyesight too. Apparently it’s that beta carotene's production of vitamin A that we can thank for that.

Quick Recipe: Glazed Carrots

Serves 2

300g carrots, cut into 5cm strips
150ml chicken stock
A good dollop of butter
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
Salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon mixed chopped fresh mint & parsley

1. Put the carrots in a pan with the stock, butter and sugar. Season with salt & pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until they're almost tender.

2. Remove the lid and boil rapidly until the liquid in the pan has evaporated and formed a glaze on the carrots. Stir in the herbs and serve hot.


Sharon J

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Other posts that may be of interest:

• Fruit and Veg Doesn't Have To Be Fresh
• Garden Plants To Use In Salads
• The Frugal Freezer
• Grocery Shopping - 20 Money Saving Tips
• Menu Planning - How I Do It
• Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer
  

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Five A Day - Are You Getting Yours?

Image: Nemo's Great Uncle

Because I wasn’t entirely convinced that either of my children are actually getting their five a day, I decided to research just what constitutes one portion of fruit and veg and try to do something to improve the situation because even though LM’s leaving home very soon and Lise already lives abroad, I can still have some kind of influence on them when they visit. Paul’s down at my mum’s at the moment but once he’s back, I intend to make sure he eats healthier too.

The following count towards your five a day:

Fruit
One medium apple, orange or banana (and other medium sized fruits)
Half a large grapefruit
A full slice of melon
Two small citrus fruits such as tangerines, satsumas etc
One tablespoon of raisins
Three apricots or plums

Vegetables
Three tablespoons of cooked vegetables such as carrots, peas, sweetcorn, broccoli, green beans etc.
One average sized cereal bowl of mixed salad.
One cup of sprouting alfalfa, cress etc (that's a lot for the average person to manage)
Beans (kidney beans, butter beans, etc) and pulses (chickpeas, lentils, etc) are counted as one portion regardless of portion size or how many types you eat.
Potatoes DO NOT count towards your five a day.

Drinks
Fruit or vegetable juice, smoothies etc count as one portion no matter how much you drink or how often during any 24 hour period.

Fruit Pies
Really shouldn't be eaten too often as the pastry contains a lot of fat and 'empty' carbs and the fruit's generally cooked in sugar but on the occasions when they are eaten, one slice counts as a portion.

Yoghurt and similar fruit based desserts aren't generally counted but can still be good for you depending on the sugar and fat content. Personally, if they contain a lot of fruit then I'd still say they're better than nothing at all so I usually count an average serving as a half portion.

What’s more, fruit and veg doesn’t have to be fresh to be counted. While I'm not advocating the use of convenience foods as an alternative to fresh fruit and veg, there are times when they're handy and most of us use them from time to time. It's good to know, therefore, that tinned and pre-packed frozen veg is counted towards our five a day too. Even baked beans are counted. You can read more about processed fruit and vegetables here.

But let’s say somebody eats a sandwich that includes some lettuce for lunch; it isn’t enough to count as one portion but surely that salad’s gotta count for something? I mean, it’s still better than no salad at all, isn’t it? I think so and generally count it as half a portion.

If you're uncertain about what constitutes a portion, Perfect Portions is worth looking at.

Some ways of ensuring that you get your five a day are:

• By choosing raw fruit or vegetables as snacks.
• By adding fruit to cereals, either dry or fresh.
• By having a side salad with sandwiches, pizzas and similar. Actually, it's worthwhile having a side salad with just about every meal (ok, so maybe not a stew!)
• By adding fruit to rice and custard desserts and plenty of veg to casseroles and stews.
• By serving fresh fruit instead of a traditional dessert.

It's also important we vary the fruit and vegetables that we eat. Even though six tablespoons of carrots counts as two portions, as do two apples, and one portion could be a lettuce and carrot salad whipped up for lunch, we don't want to be eating just carrots, lettuce and apples every day as our bodies still won't be getting the variety of nutrients they depend on. Check what's in season and make the most of nature's treasure trove. We're lucky to have such a wide variety of fruit and vegetables available, after all.

I really don’t want to become obsessed by this so don’t intend to go into battle with my grown-up kids and other guests over whether or not they’re getting enough, but if I provide fruit and veg with their meals and have a supply of fruit - both fresh and dried - and salad on hand, at least they can get their five a day if they want them. I would like to see my younger daughter eat more 'good stuff' though.

And even though I don’t need my five-a-day and have to be careful how much raw veg I eat (for the sake of newcomers, I mention again that I’m an intravenous feeder with intestinal failure) I shall make sure I get them when the kids are around or I have guests in the house who aren’t particularly health conscious so that I can at least go forward as a good example.


Quick Recipe: Tropical Rice

Serves 4

1/2 mango
1 kiwi
1 slice pineapple
(or use any other tropical fruit combination that takes your fancy)
2 tablespoon raisins
1 teaspoon soy sauce
chicken stock
250g long-grain rice

Boil the rice according to the packet instructions using chicken stock instead of water. When ready, mix in the soy sauce then transfer to a serving dish and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, dice the fruit and add to cooled rice.

This goes really well alongside spicy foods such a Cajun chicken but works equally as well alongside a bacon chop on the barbecue during summer. Of course, the fruit won't be local but although I try to stick with locally grown fruit and veg as much as possible, I think it's ok to look further afield now and then.

Sharon J

PS: I tried eating tomato (more about that here). Richard chose some oval shaped organic vine tomatoes for me but I'm still not sure about them. I didn't mind the flesh too much but that globby stuff in the middle is awful. It tastes like sugared vinegar! I didn't give up though - I tried again before sticking them in last night's chilli. Still didn't like them much though. I'll keep trying - 2 tries down, 15 to go.

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Other posts that may be of interest:

• A Bit About Lettuce
• Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer
  
• BBQs - An Eco Friendly Way of Preparing Food?
• Garden Plants to Use in Salads

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Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer

The cherry tree minus most of its fruit

(Apologies for the awful picture quality - blame it on my mobile phone)

I don’t profess to having much of a garden but I do have a few herbs growing out there and, in a huge pot, a miniature Stella cherry tree.

The tree’s enjoying its third summer at the moment and, up until a week or so ago, was full of beautifully sweet, deep red cherries. I’ve no idea how much it’s yielded in weight, but it’s enough to say that I was surprised that such a small tree could produce so much fruit. It's obviously been a good year for cherries, although at around £3.50 a punnet in the shops, it's hard to believe it.

On Monday last week Lise & her boyfriend helped me harvest most of them. I didn’t take them all - once the netting was off I wanted to leave some for the birds to enjoy. I’m sure they've been eyeing them up for a while now and although I want food for myself and family, I’m happy to share with the wildlife. We also munched a few ourselves while we were picking them, as you do.

With some of the cherries I made a cherry sauce that I served that evening with succulent pork loin steaks, new potatoes and a mixed salad that I was lucky enough to find at our local petrol garage reduced to 49p for a big bowl full (lettuce, rocket, beetroot, carrot, and sweet corn). It's 'display until' date was the day I needed it and as I'd planned to pop out to get some fresh salad stuff later, I was happy as a bonking bunny when I saw it peeping out at me from the shelf, especially as I'd only gone in for milk for breakfast. Even the sturdy plastic bowl it came in is better than a plastic bag as I've washed it out and will be using it in the future for serving salad from. Thinking about it, it'll make a decent jelly form too.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the sauce.

I hadn’t tried this sauce before but fancied something different so I decided to use a basic wine sauce, add the cherries and a few bits and bobs and see how it went. The result was absolutely fandabuloso.

If you’re interested, this is how you make it.

Cherry Sauce

Serves 4

1 smallish onion, chopped
200 g fresh cherries, halved and pitted (messy job but you get to eat some along the way)
A dollop of butter
Couple of tablespoons olive oil
200 ml red wine (you get to drink some of this as you go, too)
500 ml chicken stock
Couple of pinches of dried thyme
About 2 tbsp corn flour

Method:

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat and add the onion and those gorgeous, juicy cherries (stop eating them well before this point or there won't be enough left).
   
   
2. Cook until the onion starts to soften then stir in the wine and stock (best to stop drinking now or you know you might end up burning the dinner). Add the thyme then simmer until the sauce has reduced. Stop for a while and just breathe in the wonderful aroma.
   
   
3. Mix the cornflour with about twice as much water in a small cup or whatever you have handy that's suitable. Add to the sauce a little at a time while stirring until it's as thick as you like it.
   

That’s it. Easy peasy.

Lise and Bjorn both loved it. Bjorn's memorised the recipe so that he can try it at home and was so eager during the cooking that he kept coming into the kitchen to have a whiff, bless him. And believe me, serving pork and cherries together was a match made in taste heaven. Blissful!

What's more, I made it again last Saturday! Lise & Bjørn had gone back to Norway so I invited a friend over for dinner and you know how it is... any excuse. She was a little apprehensive when I told her what we were having as she doesn't usually like meat with fruit sauces but she said she'd enjoyed it and as her plate was cleared of both the pork and the sauce, I can only guess that it went down a treat. Either that or she's so greedy she'll eat anything (sorry Caz, I know that isn't really true).

The remaining cherries are now sitting nicely in a mixture of sugar and vodka and will, with any luck, turn into something very drinkable by Christmas.

Oh how I've enjoyed that little tree!

I'm not the only one either. Last week I watched a real cherry connoisseur, a beautiful blackbird, enjoying a sweet lunch courtesy of my tree. I hope he was as satisfied with the fruit as I've been.

Sharon J

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