Saturday is upon us again and time to do retail food-therapy! Where to begin and what do I feel like cooking? Do I opt for long slow comforting meals or do I feel like putting together a warm, wholesome roasted vegetable salad with a wicked dressing or maybe something light and pleasing like fresh or smoked fish.....It is a challenge I know deciding and planning your meals, but if like me and you just get inspired and creative with walking around the market.  Today I will have a large pot or bacon and chickpea soup, filled to the brim with seasonal veg.  Marrow is well and truly here and for a few dollars it is astounding just what you can make.  Brydone Organics outstanding potatoes with be mashed and served with cabbage, very Irish in origin and perfect for the colder nights.

Looking forward to cooking some great dishes, sipping some soup, talking food and catching up.  See you all soon at the mobile kitchen.

 

BAKED QUNICE

Every year I celebrate the mighty quince as they have such uniqueness not only with their flavour and aroma but also with their versatility.

Serves 1-2

1 quince, halved and core removed

10g butter

30g brown sugar

1 star anise

Grating fresh nutmeg

Fresh bayleaf

½ cup water

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C

When preparing quince you need to work quickly as they discolour almost instantly.  Place the quince halves flesh side up in a snug oven dish.  Squash the butter into the core cavity and sprinkle over the brown sugar, add the star anise and bayleaf to the oven dish and add the water.  Finish with a generous grating of nutmeg and place into the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes and then check by carefully inserting a skewer into the flesh if its tender all the way through then it is cooked if not then continue cooking for another 10-20 minutes or until tender.  If you notice that the liquid has reduced to much add a little more water so that it doesn’t burn.  You may also need to cover it with foil.

When they are tender and aromatic and the sauce has turned into a golden glaze serve warm with pouring cream or good quality vanilla icecream.  They also go particularly well with pork and duck!

MARROW CHUTNEY

Makes 2kg

1.35kg marrow, peeled, seeded and cubed

salt

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

3 shallots, chopped

225g sultanas

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

450g dark brown soft sugar

375ml vinegar

1 ½ Tbsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp crushed chillies (less if desired)

Method

Place the sliced marrow into a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Cover and let sit overnight.

Drain marrow, rinse thoroughly and place into a large pot. Add remaining ingredients and slowly bring to the boil.

Lower the heat and gently simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until thick, stirring occasionally.

Pour into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately.

BACON AND PORK BONE SOUP

This is more like a meal in a bowl than a soup.  Any bones, or off cuts of meat work well as do chorizo sausages.

Serves 8

1 Bacon hock

2 Pork hock

300g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, then drained

4 potatoes

400g turnips or swede, cut into large wedges

400g carrots, halved lenthways

600g cabbage, cut into thick wedges

Extra virgin olive oil to serve

Salt and cracked pepper

Method

Put the water in a large saucepan and add the bones.  Bring to the boil, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface.  Add the chickpeas.  Reduce the heat, partly cover the pan, and simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Add the potatoes, turnips/swede, carrots and simmer, partly covered for 30 minutes. Remove the bones from the soup and flake off the meat and discard the bones. Place the cabbage in the stock and poach the cabbage for 5 minutes or until just tender, return the meat back to the soup and warm through. Adjust seasoning.

Serve in large deep bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of pepper.

 

GRAPE JELLY

Makes 4 250ml jars

1.8 kg ripe grapes, stemmed (10 cups)

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped, with seeds

2 ¼ cups sugar

Method

Put the grapes and apple in a large pot and add 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat until very juicy, about 10 minutes. Strain the juice through a fine sieve set over a large bowl.

Strain the juice again through several layers of dampened cheesecloth, without pressing or squeezing; you should have 3 cups – I usually do this overnight.

In a very large saucepan, boil the grape juice and sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until the jelly thickens.  I place a small spoonful of jelly onto a cold saucer and place somewhere to cool.  If it stays apart when you run your finger through it then it is ready or if you have an instant-read thermometer and it registers 220° about 18 minutes.

Pour the jelly into hot, sterilized jars to within 1 cm of the rims. Seal. Submerge the jars in a pot of water and boil for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let cool. Check the jar lids to make sure they’ve fully sealed; refrigerate any jars with imperfect seals.

MASHED POTATO AND CABBAGE

Comforting, satisfying and versatile. This is perfectly fine on its own or works beautiful teamed up with beef, lamb, pork or fish.

Serves 4-6 as a generous side

900g potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

450ml chicken or veg stock

450g leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

225ml milk

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 green cabbage, about 450g , cored and thinly sliced

4 Tbsp cold water

¼ tsp  grated nutmeg

¼  tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

25g  butter

Method

Place the potatoes, stock and enough water to cover in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, combine the leeks, milk, garlic and bay leaf in another large saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the leeks are softened. Drain, reserving the leeks, milk and garlic separately. Discard the bay leaf.

Place the cabbage into a suitable size pot, add 1cup of water and cook for 10–15 minutes or until tender, then drain. Squeeze dry and chop finely.

Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Add the milk and garlic, and mash until smooth Stir in the leeks, cabbage, nutmeg, salt, pepper and butter.

Serve.

Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their fantastic produce

TE MAHANGA – quince and marrows

HAVOC - bacon and pork hocks

SUNRISE BAKERY – fresh baked goods

JUDGE ROCK WINES – pinot grapes

BRYDONE ORGANICS – potatoes and cabbage