COOKING UP A STORM
Well actually cooking in a storm.
We had a mini glut of courgettes that had to be dealt with. This relish is my go to recipe every year, it's well liked and you can add little extras to make each batch slightly different, extra garlic or chillies, various spices.
I couldn't do my usual half green half yellow courgette mix, as the yellows are a bit behind, so just went with what I had.
You just put the following ingredients into a large pan, bring to the boil slowly to dissolve the sugar, then simmer, until drawing a wooden spoon across the pan base leaves a trail, about 1.5 hours. Keep checking it though, in case it starts to catch and when it's done, pop into sterilised jars.
One thing though, make sure all the veg are diced small as above and when dicing up the courgettes, take out the soft central part.
This is quite a dry relish, not a lot of sauce just lots of little jewels of spicy veg that goes with all things savoury.
2lb/900g of yellow and green courgettes (zucchini), 1lb/450g white or red or a mix of both, l large red pepper, 2 fresh red chillies (or more, up to you how hot you want it) 1lb/450g of sugar, 1 pt/500ml vinegar (I used cider) 2 cloves of garlic, 1 thumb of ginger, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, good pinch of black or white pepper and salt.
Like I say, you can add other spices of your choice. I love adding nigella seeds, but didn't with this batch. The next batch will have some and maybe ground cumin and coriander, depends on how I feel at the time. You can play!
The next day, I made a batch of smoky mixed bean and courgette casserole, but dragged out the slow cooker this time, as the sun was out again, despite the odd shower. Another easy peasy recipe, my favourite kind, vegan too, although I am not.
I got to chopping and dicing again (I'm starting to get callouses!)
You can just pop the following ingredients into the cooker and switch it on, which is healthy but I put the cooker on high, add a little oil to cook the onions, garlic, chillies and carrot for about 10 minutes to release their flavours.
So, add two diced medium onions, 5 diced medium carrots, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 diced chillies to the cooker.
Add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 level tbs of dried oregano, 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ancho chillies (optional), 1 tbs molasses (I used 1 tbs of soft brown sugar as I was out of molasses), a good pinch of both salt and black pepper. Give everything a good stir.
I then add a glug of either wine, cider or balsamic vinegar, I guess about a tablespoon and 700ml of passata, together with a standard can each of drained red kidney beans and black beans (about 400g of each give or take).
Then I added courgettes, a large colander full, which I didn't weigh, but this recipe is very forgiving. Mine filled the slow cooker by two thirds. You could add chopped peppers, mushrooms or sweetcorn as well, it's really up to you. Give everything a good stir. Cook for about 5/6 hours on low.
You don't need to add stock as the moisture from the courgettes makes a lovely sauce. Now I stupidly didn't take a picture of it cooked (twerp) but I'm sure you can imagine. Anyway, I bagged and froze it in meal sized portions for cold winter nights and Mr. had some with rice for his supper.
Our next visit to the lottie, revealed a much revived plot and post downpour, there were plenty of beans to be had, both French and runner. These were quickly dealt with and popped into the freezer. Boy, the freezers are filling up!
Hopefully, after all this rain, there won't be any more of the horrendous fires that have occurred in areas of the UK. It's heartbreaking watching footage of the devastation and I feel for all the farmers that have suffered damage to their crops and fields. I know it's nothing compared to fires experienced in other parts of the world, where homes and lives are endangered but we just don't experience it in the UK. I also think of the wildlife that's affected, and how terrifying it must be for them.
Fortunately, we have been spared in the south west and temperatures now are set to be lower, but again we're told that rain will be a rarity. I've no complaints though, apart from the flies, which have been in plague proportions these last few weeks. I don't like harming living things as a rule, but my exception is flies (and cabbage white caterpillars, but I don't actually kill them myself). Flies transform me into a seething mad woman wielding a fly swat! I've tried to keep the house spotless, especially the kitchen, wiping down everything in sight, the little buggers don't care. I washed down my chopping boards with homemade citrus cleaner, literally citrus zest and vinegar, and no sooner had I moved away, than they were landing on it and doing their disgusting thing. I will endure, reminding myself of all the other horrors that could befall me and are actually befalling others as I speak, but again, if one more lands on my skin, my head will explode.
Hoping you are all safe and sound and not suffering extremes of any kind, or plagues of flies.
Well actually cooking in a storm.
We had a mini glut of courgettes that had to be dealt with. This relish is my go to recipe every year, it's well liked and you can add little extras to make each batch slightly different, extra garlic or chillies, various spices.
I couldn't do my usual half green half yellow courgette mix, as the yellows are a bit behind, so just went with what I had.
You just put the following ingredients into a large pan, bring to the boil slowly to dissolve the sugar, then simmer, until drawing a wooden spoon across the pan base leaves a trail, about 1.5 hours. Keep checking it though, in case it starts to catch and when it's done, pop into sterilised jars.
One thing though, make sure all the veg are diced small as above and when dicing up the courgettes, take out the soft central part.
This is quite a dry relish, not a lot of sauce just lots of little jewels of spicy veg that goes with all things savoury.
2lb/900g of yellow and green courgettes (zucchini), 1lb/450g white or red or a mix of both, l large red pepper, 2 fresh red chillies (or more, up to you how hot you want it) 1lb/450g of sugar, 1 pt/500ml vinegar (I used cider) 2 cloves of garlic, 1 thumb of ginger, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, good pinch of black or white pepper and salt.
Like I say, you can add other spices of your choice. I love adding nigella seeds, but didn't with this batch. The next batch will have some and maybe ground cumin and coriander, depends on how I feel at the time. You can play!
The next day, I made a batch of smoky mixed bean and courgette casserole, but dragged out the slow cooker this time, as the sun was out again, despite the odd shower. Another easy peasy recipe, my favourite kind, vegan too, although I am not.
I got to chopping and dicing again (I'm starting to get callouses!)
So, add two diced medium onions, 5 diced medium carrots, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 diced chillies to the cooker.
I then add a glug of either wine, cider or balsamic vinegar, I guess about a tablespoon and 700ml of passata, together with a standard can each of drained red kidney beans and black beans (about 400g of each give or take).
You can use borlotti beans, black eyed or any beans of your choice. I just the love the kidney bean black bean combo.
Then I added courgettes, a large colander full, which I didn't weigh, but this recipe is very forgiving. Mine filled the slow cooker by two thirds. You could add chopped peppers, mushrooms or sweetcorn as well, it's really up to you. Give everything a good stir. Cook for about 5/6 hours on low.
You don't need to add stock as the moisture from the courgettes makes a lovely sauce. Now I stupidly didn't take a picture of it cooked (twerp) but I'm sure you can imagine. Anyway, I bagged and froze it in meal sized portions for cold winter nights and Mr. had some with rice for his supper.
Our next visit to the lottie, revealed a much revived plot and post downpour, there were plenty of beans to be had, both French and runner. These were quickly dealt with and popped into the freezer. Boy, the freezers are filling up!
Hopefully, after all this rain, there won't be any more of the horrendous fires that have occurred in areas of the UK. It's heartbreaking watching footage of the devastation and I feel for all the farmers that have suffered damage to their crops and fields. I know it's nothing compared to fires experienced in other parts of the world, where homes and lives are endangered but we just don't experience it in the UK. I also think of the wildlife that's affected, and how terrifying it must be for them.
Fortunately, we have been spared in the south west and temperatures now are set to be lower, but again we're told that rain will be a rarity. I've no complaints though, apart from the flies, which have been in plague proportions these last few weeks. I don't like harming living things as a rule, but my exception is flies (and cabbage white caterpillars, but I don't actually kill them myself). Flies transform me into a seething mad woman wielding a fly swat! I've tried to keep the house spotless, especially the kitchen, wiping down everything in sight, the little buggers don't care. I washed down my chopping boards with homemade citrus cleaner, literally citrus zest and vinegar, and no sooner had I moved away, than they were landing on it and doing their disgusting thing. I will endure, reminding myself of all the other horrors that could befall me and are actually befalling others as I speak, but again, if one more lands on my skin, my head will explode.
Hoping you are all safe and sound and not suffering extremes of any kind, or plagues of flies.
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