There are two glorious green orbs of goodness waiting for me on the butchers block in my kitchen. They glisten in the bright light of halogen downlights, sitting there, proudly waiting for me to turn them into something spectacularly good. Sauerkraut.

Tomorrow maybe, they will be shredded by hand, strewn with Murray River Pink Salt flakes, and scattered with carraway seeds. Then, they will be packed and pounded into a Harsch crock, and placed lovingly by the side of the wood fired hearth, to ferment gently at 20’c for about a week and then moved to a cooler 15-18’c for a week or two more.

Lactobacillus fermentation takes place and the cabbage is transformed into the delicious and delectable sauerkraut, which is a wonderful digestive and restorative food, that has for centuries, been a staple of marching armies.

There is a book by a fellow by the name of Sandor Ellix Katz (Wild Fermentation) that describes the health benefits of eating this wonderful product. It’s worth a read.

For anyone who has had an issue with digestion, there are many references that are available to improve your condition. Over the next few months, I hope to impart some knowledge that you may find useful.

In the meantime, have fun with what you prepare, and enjoy the food you eat. There is no greater pleasure than a full and satisfied belly.

 Kind regards,

J

‘T was a dark and stormy night…

Well actually it is. There is a roaring log fire in the hearth beating out some serious heat and sending its flickering glow across the room. The aroma of cooking food fills the house, in a good way, and I am looking forward to tucking into a dish my mother served to us with love.

Scotch broth.

Yes I know, so simple, yet so tasty and nurturing. Don’t forget the fresh bread with lashings of Danish butter…

I cheated and used a pressure cooker tonight. Normally, I would have left the thing slowly bubbling (barely) on the top of the combustion stove all afternoon, but meh, not that lucky today. If you don’t have a PC, then cook the thing for a couple of hours or so on a low heat untill the meat is tender and the barley is all unctuous yummy goodness… 

You take a kilo of best end of neck lamb chops, trimmed up if you must (you can skim the broth if you make it a day ahead) a leek, two chopped cloves of garlic, a humongous carrot, a couple of sticks of celery, 1/3 cup of barley, salt + pepper to taste and a generous 5 cups of home-made chicken stock. (a dash of thai fish sauce adds to the umami effect) Dust the lamb with a little seasoned plain flour, about a tablespoon. Have a glass of wine.

Fry off the leak in a little, wait for it…

Dripping! (gasp, shock, horror! Trust me, you only need a little and the flavour IS worth it!) Duck or goose fat is the other option. When the leek “wilts” throw in the rest of the veggies for a couple of minutes to “sweat them off,” stirring constantly, then add the lamb and fry for a couple of minutes more. Drink more wine.

Pop in the rest of the ingredients, shut the lid, and cook on High pressure for about 25 mins and then allow natural release of the pressure. More wine Sir, s’il vous plaît. 

Serve in deep bowls with the aforementioned bread and butter. Accompanied with pickled red cabbage, it works well,  as it does with a dollop of home-made sauerkraut. Hmm yummy. Have another wine and snuggle infront of the fire…

The rain is beating down on the tin roof and I am warm and cosy and well fed, looking forward to my pit. All is right in my little world. Even the dog thinks so. Now for a wee snort of single malt.

Kind regards, 

J 

PS: when I work out how to upload photo’s, you may have more to look forward to.

Well, here we go on the exciting, (for me anyway), life of the blogging populace. Here, I will attempt to unleash upon the world my view on food, gastronomy, and the lengthy contemplation of ones naval, whilst messing about with ingredients for the next culinary adventure. Pass the wine please, it could be a long night.

Food should be a social activity. That includes the preparation, as well as the eating and clearing away of the meal. Sadly, with life becoming so busy and families so fragmented, it seems that the nurturing effect of “mothers cooking” has been lost in the realms of the past. It doesn’t have to be like that. Even if we are busy and stretched by circumstance, it is still possible to eat simply, well, and economically, with just a bit of effort (and not much of that really).

You don’t have to open a jar of homogenized, standardised bland flavour and throw it into a pot and eat. Some of the best meals are simple and easy with just a few fresh seasonal, and preferably local, ingredients. Who can’t remember that special summer taste of good ripe tomatoes and avocado on sour dough with a drizzle of fruity olive oil and salt and pepper? Smell the warm fresh air and feel the sun on your skin while the fermented grape juice washes it all down, and reminisce. Who were you with?

I hope to impart some witticisms and culinary insights, maybe even a recipe or two, but mostly the benefits of eating for pleasure that translates into eating for good health. We shall see. You are what you eat, so therefore, a little bit of what you fancy does you good. Can you hear me channelling my mother? Welcome to my strange little world.

Kind regards,

J