Tzatziki

You can use a blender or food processor to make this, but I find it more satisfying to use simple kitchen tools. The result will be chunkier, but just as delicious and refreshing.

2 medium cucumbers, seeded and grated (see step 1)
1 Tbsp salt (for salting cucumbers)
3 cups plain Greek yogurt
3 Tbsps lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsps fresh dill, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Black pepper to taste

1. Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds all the seeds to reduce the amount of water from the cucumber. Grate the cucumber and, in a colander sprinkle the Tbsp of salt over it and give it a good mixing; let this stand for about 30 minutes to sweat the cucumber to reduce the water even more. After 30 minutes, take handfuls and squeeze out as much water as possible and plop into a bowl.
2. Mix up the sweated cucumbers to loosed the bits, and add the garlic, lemon juice, dill, and some black pepper, then mix in the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt since you'll already have salt added from the cucumber. Let it sit for about an hour (two if you refrigerate) to allow the flavours to blend before serving.

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

This is such a comforting soup. I like to finely dice the gingerroot so that I get small bursts of ginger while I'm eating my soup. It is definitely warming and good for cold and rainy or wintery weather. Can be made with Olive Oil instead of butter.

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 2" lengths
2 + 2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 onion, diced (6oz/170g)
2 large rib celery, diced (to yield about ½ cup) or a good pinch celery seeds
1" piece of fresh ginger, tiny dice (not grated)
8 cups chicken or veg broth
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
Chopped fresh chives or chervil for garnish (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Drizzle the carrots with the oil and place them on a baking dish in a single layer. Roast them in the oven until they start to blister and brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Browning is essential for flavour.
3. Meantime, in a soup pot, start to cook the onion in butter until it's soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
4. Stir in the celery and ginger and and continue to cook until the onions start to brown, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the roasted carrots, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and let vigorously simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. 
6. Let the soup cool before putting in the blender - hot liquid makes the air expand in the blender urn and the liquid can explode out of the blender and burn.
7. Purée the soup in batches in the blender (also, don't overfill the blender).
8. To serve, return the soup to the pot and reheat it over a gentle flame. Garnish with the chives or chervil. 

Gyro made with fresh herbs

I have an oregano plant growing way beyond its bounds in the garden, and don't want to just throw away the excess. In trying to figure out what to do with it other than drying, I decided to make this classic dish using fresh oregano instead of dried. They're awesome with Tzatziki.

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground lamb
⅔ cup fresh oregano
½ onion, fine mince
4 to 6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp ground dried rosemary
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground pepper (or more)
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme
1 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 390°F.
2. Mix all the ingredient together. Mix it up real good.
3. Make meatballs about 2 oz each.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Chicken Curry

My cooking snobbery prevented me from posting this recipe earlier, and all that means is that I haven't made it as often as it deserves to be made. I am ashamed. And yet glad to have finally gotten over my snobbery and recorded this fine recipe.

2 Tbsps. flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 chicken, cut up into 8 pieces
2 Tbsps mild flavoured vegetable oil
1 Tbsp generic curry powder
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
⅓ cup raisins OR candied ginger
1½ Tbsps tomato paste
garnish - chopped fresh cilantro
garnish - plain yogurt

1. Cut up your chicken into 8 pieces and remove the skin.
2. In a paper or plastic bag, mix together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Add the chicken and shake well to coat.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
4. Dump the chicken and any remaining flour into the pan and cook until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, adding a little more oil if necessary, and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the curry powder and toss to coat then add the broth, raisins, and tomato paste (it doesn't matter if the onion is completely cooked). 
6. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the meat thermometre registers 165°F or juices run clear.
7. If necessary, remove the chicken and cook down the sauce to the desired thickness.
8. Garnish with cilantro and a dollop of plain yogurt.
9. Serve over the rice.

Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit)

Also known as Welsh Rarebit. It's a lovely, cheesy, bready meal made with beer. Homer Simpson, eat your heart out!

⅔ cup milk

1½ Tbsp flour

14 oz sharp cheddar

1 tsp English mustard powder

4 oz beer (I haven't explored the difference between using Stout or Ale)

2 egg yolks

a pinch of cayenne

Black pepper, to taste (¼ tsp)
Crusty country-style bread (my fave)

OPTIONAL - 1 thick slice of ham per slice of bread.

1. Start toasting, until golden brown, some thick homemade bread (I used slices of Bread).
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the milk until just below boiling and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Whisk until it just starts to brown.
3. Whisk and add the beer slowly. It will bubble up, which actually helps break up the roux. Cook another 3 minutes, whisking, until thick and smooth.
4. Add the cheese, the egg yolk, the mustard and the cayenne. Cook until the cheese melts and everything is well combined, then season with black pepper and set aside to rest a couple of minutes.
5. Turn on the broiler. Arrange the bread onto a cookie sheet. Spread the cheese sauce until it spills over the edges of the toasted bread; this prevents the edges of bread from burning under the broiler, then put in the oven to grill for 20 to 30 seconds or until it's bubbly and starting to brown.

Smashed Celeriac

There are some foods at the grocery store that always seem to be in stock, and yet when you get to the check-out counter the cashier almost invariably says "what is this"? Celeriac is one of those foods. Dirty brown and rough to the touch, the pale smooth flesh of the root is mild and pleasantly celery-flavoured. This is a simple way of preparing it, but if serving to others, let them know it isn't mashed potatoes because the texture and flavour is very different! I haven't enthused about Laura Calder in a while, but this is one of her gifts to the world.

1 large large celeriac, about 2 lbs/1 kg
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup milk
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsps (42gr) butter
¼ cup cream
Pepper

1. Peel and cut the celeriac roughly into 1" pieces. Put the lemon juice, milk, and bay leaf in a large pot; pour over 8 cups water; add the salt; bring to a boil; and simmer until the celeriac is very tender.
2. Drain, reserving a cup of the liquid. Remove the bay leaf. Stir the butter and cream into the celeriac, then purée, either in a blender until very smooth or, more to my liking, with a potato masher until you get the consistency you want (I like it with some bits in to give a bit of a coarse texture. Add as much of the reserved cooking liquid as needed (this is more useful when puréeing in the blender). Season with pepper and salt, to taste, and serve hot.

Hot Toddy

My darling started a head cold, and so I immediately go for the traditional remedies. He's taken oregano oil, oscillococcinum pellets, vitamin C, (he wasn`t keen on raw garlic but it's what I do). Next is to wrap up in a warm blanket and drink a hot toddy. It's delicious and helps. With the tiny bit I know about Ayurvedic principles, I imagine that these are all Pitta, or fiery foods that will help balance the cool, phlegmy cold. In terms of herbalism, cinnamon helps dry excessive mucous. Ok, that didn't sound delicious. Never mind - just enjoy this comforting drink.

1 oz brandy

1 oz lemon juice

1 Tbsp honey

Hot water (about 1 cup)

1 Cinnamon stick

1. Measure out the brandy, lemon juice and honey in your cup first, and then pour over the hot water. One cup of water should be enough but you can judge how strong you'd like it to be. Stir with the cinnamon stick and leave it in the hot liquid - it will gently flavour the drink.