Catching up and Pattypan's Kitchen, Fridge and Pantry

Sorry about yesterday I was just completely drained of energy, my eyes were playing up and extremely dry and I had to pop some drops in before I went to bed.  I was nodding asleep as I was sat down.  I managed to get to bed early and have had a good night's sleep.  Still feel drained so think another early night might be in order.  Still was not up as early as I wanted to be, but I am determined to get there.   So am going to concentrate on getting myself back to feeling a bit more "normal" to what I have done.

Yesterday I was working in the kitchen. I have been back in there again today doing some more tidying and restoring cupboards back to how they should be.  Not easy when you have a plethora of kitchen equipment!

I have felt the cold here today, although the temperature has not been much different to yesterday.  I think the blustery wind is making a difference.

I have bought in some veg today.  I like to have a good supply as it is the basis for a lot of the meals I prepare and cook.  You can never have too much veg or fruit.  They can give so much flavour to a meal.  I have been to the supermarket as well as the veg shop.  I keep my veggies in the fridge to make them last that bit longer.  The storage cupboards are too dry apart from under the stairs and that is where I keep the potatoes so I do not want onions or other veg in with them.  Gives a longer shelf life.  I do not have outside storage which would be better for them at the moment.  You therefore have to do what you can with what you have or what is available to you.

Today I have bought:

A tray of Eggs (these have gone  up from £4.80 a tray to £5.10 and the prices are expected to go up again next week when he visits).  The eggs are fantastic though. Lovely golden yolks.  I have been to other farm shops and bought eggs from them and the yolks from them do not compare to the ones I get from my veg shop.

A couple of sweetheart cabbages.

A bag of Kale.

One Courgette

One Swede 

A packet of Kale

Three large Leeks

A Squash

A packet of mixed peppers

A bag of Petit-Pois (frozen) have found that they last quite well for  up to a week although I do keep an eye on them.

Two bags of Carrots

Two Heads of Broccoli

Three Parsnips

Two bowls of reduced Apples.

Items still to get:

I still need to get a couple of nets of onions as I am out of them.  I use a lot of onion in my cooking.  I think some French Onion soup could be in the offing this week (once I have the garlic). Since got these as well.

A couple of Cauliflowers

Some Celery

Some Spinach

Some Beetroot

Some Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes which we are getting short of.

Garlic (since bought)

Tomatoes

I might also get what I know as a "Cow" Cabbage and use it for making some homemade Coleslaw with home made Mayonnaise/Salad Cream.

A variety of fruit. Have to see what is available here.

In the fridge to use up:

A couple of bags of mixed veg which OH came home with the other day.  

A mixed veggie medley in a tub including peas, onion and broccoli. 

Both of these can be turned into delicious meals.  Soups served with some homemade bread or as a side to a main meal or in a quiche.

Some older parsnips and swede which are going into a stew and possibly some Cornish style pasties.

Some pumpkins which are keeping well.  Have had since October.

Due to the price increase I am making the most of any veg that comes my way. I do tend to buy for a 10 day period so that we have veggies for about half the month at present.  At other times when I can I go weekly.  You can never have too much veg or fruit especially in this house as it gets turned into preserves if not turned into meals.  

I have noticed that it is hit and miss on the veg front.  sometimes in the supermarkets these days. There is hardly anything on the shelf, and particularly a lack of green veggies apart from sweetheart cabbages or kale.  We are particularly fond of green veggies here and I also use the leaves off of a cauliflower in cooking in their own right. Today no cauliflower on the veg shop stalls (an old fashioned veg shop with the stalls outside the main shop) or supermarket shelves and they only accept cash!  Indeed a novelty in this day and age.

Tea tonight is chipolatas with roasted mixed veg.  Consists of a small pumpkin, red onion, white onion, red pepper, leek, courgette, potato a sprinkling of Fines Herbes, white pepper, a little Sunflower oil, and salt.  Needed to use the chipolatas up.  Waste not want not.

Veggies prepped up.  No potato in this.

Popped onto a baking tray and added a little oil over the mixture turning it over to mix it in, a few Fines Herbes sprinkled, and salt.

I have added in the par-boiled potatoes here to save a little on the oven time and then chopped into cubes and then mixed in.  If too dry add in a little more oil.  There is some minced garlic to be added to this.  That should keep the Vampires at Bay!  Once the veggies start to caramelise, the chipolatas are then added to the top of the tray on the veggies to brown and then turned again to get an equal colour.  That is what normally happens but this evening as there were quite a few sausages to use up, I popped them into a separate tray to brown off.

The veggies roasted off and all nice and caramelised.  Some of the colour is lost, but the flavour is lovely.

Tea already for serving up.  A bowlful of flavour!

This makes a lovely one pan meal with a lot of flavour.  Leek once roasted, especially with onion is extremely tasty.  It is one of my go to veggies for stews, mince (cottage pie),  casseroles, for caramelising to serve as a veg in its own right with a roast, or using as a relish to accompany meals, or indeed they are very tasty on sandwiches, in a quiche, etc.  A very under-valued veggie and resource.

Tomorrow night it will be something mince.  If there are any roasted veg leftover from tonight will make a Lasagna and use the leftover veggies so as not to waste them.  Too valuable a resource these days. (All the veggies got used served with the sausages)x

I buy my nets of onions from the Asian shop round the corner from me.  They are a good resource of finding items such as Golden Sultanas, Rose water, Kewra Water, whole spices and herbs.  Rice, different flours like Rice Flour (which is needed for making Tiger Bread - the topping that goes on to flavour the bread with some Sesame Seed Oil).  This evening I found a one kilo bag of pudding rice for £1.99.  

In practice at my local supermarkets as well as some of those in town I have not been able to source this despite it being a classic British favourite.  Needless to say the one bag I found came home with me, as well as two nets of onions and a net of garlic.  They also do big bags of semolina, coconut and straight away with just these two items you are verging into pudding and cake making as well as curry territory.

I was chatting to the owner whilst in there and he asked me what I was making with the Rice.  I said English Rice pudding and told him how I make it.  He then pointed out to me that they do little Asian Rice pudding kits one which is flavoured with Almonds and Saffron and the other Coconut and Pistachio.  I might therefore pick up one of each when I go in again.  A very practical shop that sells good basic items whether that be for Asian or English cooking.  I have found most of them to be like this and there is always something I find useful for my kitchen and for storing in my pantry!  This is the shop where I found my whole rosebuds for use in tea and crafting at a very cheap price.  Whole rosebuds usually cost an arm and a leg especially if you want them for crafting.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening.

Keep warm, keep safe.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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