November 30, 2009


DillAs mentioned in the post November Harvest, the dill sowed in September is finally ready to be harvested.
I can't grow dill here in Sicily during summer, it's too hot and the plants die in June, so I grow it only during winter.
Every year I can't wait to harvest it again, and as a celebration I choose a classic match: salmon and dill.


Salmon Pasta with DillSalmon Pasta with Dill

Ingredients:
160g bavette (or spaghetti)
100g smoked salmon
200ml single cream
1 bunch of dill
4-5 chives leaves

Method:
Cook bavette in boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile cook the single cream in a pan for five minutes. Remove from heat and add minced chives and smoked salmon cut into stripes.
Drain well the pasta, season with the salmon sauce and garnish with dill.


Presto Pasta Nights

I am entering this in Presto Pasta Nights, an event hosted by its foundres, Ruth of Once Upon A Feast.


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Thanksgiving HerbsToday is Thankgiving and as I said in a previous post, I decided to follow this tradition.

Yesterday I cooked the first recipes, enjoing the whole ritual. I started checking the tools and the ingredients: the herbs, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, and then turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, apples, green beans.

I prepared an apple tea inspired by the thanksgiving herbs, and I drank it while I was cooking...
I had much fun during the afternoon, and I will post some recipe soon.


Apple Tea with Thanksgiving HerbsApple Tea with Thanksgiving Herbs

750ml boiling water
4 apple slices (do not peel them)
1 tsp green tea leaves
1 tsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp sage leaves
1 pinch thyme

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!




This goes to Lynne from Cafe Lynnylu who's hosting this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging.
This event is handled by Cook (almost) anything at least once.


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Yesterday I started to cook for the Thanksgiving, arranging a 'game corner' in the kitchen for my baby so that he could stay with me while I was cooking.

GiocoHe is too young to eat grown-up food, and I planned a 'tematic' dinner: homogenized turkey and pumpkin, with corn and tapioca baby flour. Thanksgiving-inspired, don't you think?

Anyway, he doesn't love turkey, and he wouldn't enjoy my idea, so I guess I will cook his favourite dinner instead, the 'baby carbonara'.
Yesterday, while he was staying with me during my culinary tour de force, I gave him this baby pudding.

Rice Baby Pudding with Biscuits (from 4th month)

120ml milk (the same that you use for your baby)
2-3 tbsp rice cream
2 baby biscuits, ground

Heat the milk in a glass in bain-marie (double-boiler).
Dissolve the rice cream, until smooth. Add the biscuits and serve immediately.

Always ask to your paediatrician about the diet of your baby.


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November 25, 2009


Weed s CrusadeI always tried to defend weeds, in a sort of 'weed's crusade', and this post is meant to be an index of all information about spontaneous herbs published on this blog.

Weeding is an all year long work if you are growing any kind of plant. Weeds can be dangerous for young plants and it's hard to get rid of them.

Anyway many spontaneous herbs are edible or useful, and harvest them often is the perfect way to keep them under control.
Here are some tips and recipes with your weeds.


Green PurslaneGreen Purslane (Portulaca Oleracea)

Green purslane leaves and tender tops can be harvested during summer, and can be eaten raw in salads.

Green Purslane Recipes
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NettleNettle (Urtica dioica)

Nettle is one of the most common weeds. Its tender leaves can be harvested during autumn and winter, and become harder during spring.
Nettle leaves should be handled with gautlets, and can be eaten cooked.

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Be nice with nettles: link to recipes and useful tips
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DandelionDandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Dandelion was once considered as a regular vegetable, and then it 'fell from grace'. Leaves, flowers, roots and buds are edible.

Dandelion Recipes
Dandelion photo gallery


Wood SorrelWood Sorrel (Oxalis sp.)

Violet Wood Sorrel has many gorgeous little flowers and it's often cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Green leaves can be used in salads or sandwiches, and flowers can be dried for herbal teas.

Wood Sorrel photo gallery


Round-leaved MintRound-leaved Mint or Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens)

Apple Mint has round and fleshy leaves. It's an hard plant, that can be harvested almost all year long and used as regular mint.

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Yellow Sweet CloverYellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus Officinalis)

Its yellow flowers have a strong and sweet aroma, and can be dried and used in herbal teas.
Clover leaves can be eaten cooked.

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Recipe: Vegan Steamed Bao
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November 24, 2009


I don't know why, but I really love to steam cook food. Maybe is the look of the cooking food in the steamer lid, or the gentle murmuring of the steam, or maybe is knowing that steamed food is healthy and tasty.

Vegan BaoI was planning to try chinese bao, steamed ravioli of yeasted dough.

ItIt's a Vegan World travels to China this month, so why do not try vegan bao?


Vegan BaoBao are usually stuffed with stir-fried vegetables and pork minced meat. I 'veganized' the recipe using peanuts instead of meat.


Vegan BaoVegan Steamed Bao

Ingredients:
Makes six bao:
200g all-purpouse flour
100ml water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 leek
1 carrot
100g soya sprounts
2 tbsp peanuts
soya sauce

Method:
Mix the yeast with sugar and dissolve in lukewarm water. Mix the flour with the yeast mixture and peanut oil, knead, and set aside while you prepare the stuffing.
Cut the leek and the carrot into thin slices and stir-fry in the wok with peanut oil. After 10 minutes add the soya sprouts and cook for a couple of minutes.
Season with two spoonful of soya sauce and let cool.

Vegan BaoMeanwhile divide the dough into six parts, and roll them out into circle shapes 12-15 cm in diameter
Stuff with the stir-fried vegetables and peanuts, then close them pressing the edges together.


Vegan BaoOil the steamer lid and put the bao in it 2 cm apart to allow for expansion during cooking. Put the lid on the pot with boiling water and cover.
Cook 30 minutes and serve hot, with soya sauce.


I'm sending this to Susan for her Yeast Spotting event.


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Recent posts

Recipe: Salmon Pasta with Dill - November 30, 2009
Recipe: Apple Tea with Thanksgiving Herbs - November 26, 2009
Recipe: Rice Baby Pudding with Biscuits - November 26, 2009
Weed's Crusade - November 25, 2009
Recipe: Vegan Steamed Bao - November 24, 2009
Recipe: Tuna Pasta with Coriander - November 23, 2009
November Harvest - November 21, 2009
Recipe: Homemade Curry Powder - November 20, 2009
Recipe: Spiced Apple Sauce - November 19, 2009
Autumn coriander - November 18, 2009
Recipe: Labneh - November 17, 2009
Recipe: Indian Parota - November 16, 2009
Spices and Aromatic Herbs Mixtures - November 14, 2009
Recipe: Nettle and lentils fritters - November 11, 2009
November gardening tips: design, plan, thank - November 09, 2009
Recipe: Cinnamon Basil Tea with Cocoa - November 07, 2009
Chili peppers during winter - November 06, 2009
Recipe: Caprese Focaccia - November 05, 2009
Weekend Wokking Cabbage: The Round-up - November 04, 2009
Recipe: Spelt and lentil fritters - November 03, 2009
November gardening tips: Protecting plants from winter - November 03, 2009
Recipe: Manioca Bread with Bacon and Mint - November 02, 2009
Recipe: Jalapeno Jaloro with Blue Cheese - November 01, 2009
October harvest - October 31, 2009
Recipe: Hot Pumpkin Jam - October 31, 2009
October gardening tips: composting - October 30, 2009
Recipe: Paprika with Camembert Cheese - October 29, 2009
Recipe: Eggless Omelette Sandwich - October 28, 2009
Black Pearl Files - October 27, 2009
Recipe: New Potatoes with Sage - October 26, 2009
Recipe: Manakish Zaatar (Arab Pizza) - October 24, 2009
Recipe: Big Jim Relleno - October 24, 2009
Recipe: Roasted Pepper Hummus - October 23, 2009
Autumn chilies - October 23, 2009
Recipe: Cinnamon Basil Pancakes - October 22, 2009
Recipe: Mozzarella Fried Sandwiches with Nira - October 21, 2009
Winter lettuce - October 21, 2009
Recipe: Swordfish Pasta with Mint - October 20, 2009
Recipe: Herbed Grilled Salmon - October 19, 2009
Numex Suave Orange Files - October 17, 2009
Blog Archive  

This week I suggest:

Recipe: White Gaspacho