Barley and Ham Pottage

One of the pleasures of cooking a great big ham is all the leftovers to use up. This dish is a warm hug with all its unctuous barley-ness and bites of ham. The Parmesan cheese, whether you cook in the rind or add the grated cheese or both, is the ideal finisher.

¼ cup dried small beans

3 Tbsps lard OR 2 slices bacon en lardons + 1 tsp olive oil

1 large onion, sliced thin (10oz)

1 carrot, diced (2oz)

1 med potato, diced (215gr)

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock

2 sprigs thyme

4 leaves kale, ribs finely sliced and leaves cut into thin strips

OR

8 oz fine sliced cabbage

1 large tomato (7oz)

5oz  ham, diced

½ cup pearl barley

1½ tsps salt

½ tsp pepper

2 oz Parmesan cheese OR 1 small parmesan rind

1. If using the optional beans, soak overnight and cook the next day until tender. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot, heat the lard over medium high heat (OR heat oil and add bacon; cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the bacon is nice and crispy).
3. Add the onion, carrots and potato and cook until onion is well soft and starting to brown.
4. Add the garlic and cook one minute.
5. Add the stock, thyme, kale or cabbage, tomato, ham, beans (if using) and barley and, if using the Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until veg are tender (about 20 minutes).
6. Taste to make sure the veg is cooked to your liking (remove the cheese rind if that's appropriate) and, if using, stir in the cheese and remove from heat to serve.

Stovetop Scalloped Potatoes "Gratin" with White Wine sauce

Sometimes you want scalloped potatoes and you don't have an oven. You can make this version on a hot plate and enjoy the creamy, cheesy potatoes. It's a bit fancy because instead of only dairy, the sauce is also made with white wine for a depth of flavor that really sets off the browning of the onions.

As a Side Dish for 6-8 people

2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb 8 oz potatoes, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt and pepper to taste

pinch nutmeg or 1 tsp minced fresh thyme

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup white wine

2 oz shredded Gruyère cheese

1. Sauté the onion in butter until well browned and soft. 
2. Add the potatoes, salt, spice of choice and wine. 
3. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the wine starts to thicken from the potato starch and has loosened up all the browned bits from the bottom. You may have to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get the yummy browning to move.
4. Add the cream and mix through. 
5. Cover and cook slowly, approximately 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. 
6. Remove the cover and sprinkle with cheese. Stir in very gently. 
7. OPTIONAL : place under a broiler until the top starts to brown.

As a Main Dish for 4 people (with bread and salad)

2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 lbs potatoes, thinly sliced

1¼ tsp each of salt and pepper, to taste

pinch nutmeg or 1 tsp minced fresh thyme

1 cup heavy cream 

1 cup white wine

3 oz shredded Gruyère cheese

1. Sauté the onion in butter until well browned and soft. 
2. Add the potatoes, salt, spice of choice and wine. 
3. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the wine starts to thicken from the potato starch and has loosened up all the browned bits from the bottom. You may have to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get the yummy browning to move.
4. Add the cream and mix through. 
5. Cover and cook slowly, approximately 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. 
6. Remove the cover and sprinkle with cheese. Stir in very gently. 
7. OPTIONAL : place under a broiler until the top starts to brown.

Chipotle Rutabaga Soup

The properties we've been living on here in the Southern Gulf Islands of BC have often been quite wet in the winter, holding water and often becoming waterlogged. Which seems to be ideal conditions for growing rutabaga (not underwater, but very wet soil seems to be fine). We've grown the Marion variety of rutabaga from Salt Spring Seeds, which seems to be very fine flavored and very sweet, without the harsh tang some rutabagas are famous for. But this soup, regardless of tang level, is very nice, with just a suggestion of heat from the smoky chipotle.

3 Tbsps (42gr) butter

1 medium onion, diced (6oz/170gr)

A meagre pinch of celery seed or 1 stalk celery, diced

2 large rutabagas, peeled and diced (1.5kg)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 

2 cups heavy cream

¼ tsp ground chipotle

¼ tsp paprika

1 tsp ground pepper

Salt to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, cooking until browned. Season with salt and add the celery seed. 
2. Add the rutabaga and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rutabaga is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. 
3. Add the chipotle and the pepper. Stir well.
4. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth, and pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks. 
5. Stir in the cream and taste to adjust the seasoning to your liking. 
6. Gently simmer for 15 minutes more before serving.

Anda Karee (अंडा करी) or Egg Curry

6 Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs , cut in half

¼ cup oil

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed

3 to 4 cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp paprika powder

Salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, pressed (or garlic scapes, chopped fine)

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1½ tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

¼ + cup water (optionally, use coconut milk if you live where coconut trees grow)

½ tsp Garam masala powder

1. Boil the eggs in advance at least to allow them a little time to cool before shelling them.
2. Heat the oil; stir in the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds, paprika powder and mix in the finely chopped onions.
3. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook onions for almost 10 minutes, adding the salt, or until it is gently brown and very soft.
4. When the onion is brown add the ginger and garlic; continue cooking until the sharp smell of fresh ginger and garlic sweetens and smells cooked, about a minute or two.
5. When the garlic and ginger are fragrant, add turmeric, cayenne, coriander, and cumin powder, mixing well. Add the water so that the spices do not burn and are nicely mixed, cook until fragrant (if using the optional coconut milk add now).
6. Increase the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 5 to 8 minutes, covered, then cooking down to achieve the desired sauciness.
7. Add the garam masala and stir it in.
8. Immediately afterwards, cut the eggs in half and add them to the pan, spooning over the sauce, and cook a few more minutes, just to heat through.
9. Serve immediately with the cut side facing up. It's recommended to serve with a raita or plain yoghurt.

Spiced Porridge Cake with Caramel Icing

This recipe came together so quickly! The spicing complements the caramel icing so very well. It is so very strongly recommended that you wait at least 1 day, preferably 2 days before eating it. The flavors mature slowly and the result is well worth the wait.

Optional to the recommended spicing is to add one or two tsps of cinnamon. This would be good, but honestly, for a superlative cake, use the Ayurvedic Oatmeal.

1⁄2 cup (4oz/114gr) butter

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 cups (520g) cooked Ayurvedic Porridge (about 1 recipe)

2½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1¼ cup (185g) flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (trying 325).
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. 
3. Mix in the eggs and cooked porridge. 
4. In sequence, add the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
5. Pour into a greased and floured spring form pan.
6. Bake for 55 minutes or until it tests done.
7. Once baked, allow it to cool completely, and preferably let it sit for a full day before removing it from the mold and applying the icing.

For the Icing: 

¾ cup (6oz/169gr) butter 

1 cup (7oz/200g) packed brown sugar 

½ cup milk

2 tsps vanilla extract

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter and sugar are completely combined and you can’t see any separated butter in the mixture, which takes at least 1 minute.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.
4. Add the milk and vanilla (careful, the hot sugar mixture will bubble and spit for the first few seconds). Bring back to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. The longer it cools, the thicker it becomes. If it's too hot, it will be too liquid and just pour right off the cake, but completely cold and it will be difficult to apply. Be patient and wait. When it’s at your desired consistency, drizzle over the cooled cake.
6. Wait at least one more full day before serving.