Hearty winter delights 2: monastery fish

This is my version of a Russian classic which as its name indicates was first created by monks, for consumption during Lent--which in Russian Orthodoxy is rather longer, and stricter, than in Catholicism. But Lenten fare clearly doesn't mean too much mortification: like their fellow Catholic establishments in France, monasteries in Russia had a reputation for delicious home-grown and cooked food. For those of us outside monasteries, this dish can be eaten any time, and I especially like making it in winter, when the woodstove's going, for it needs double cooking.
To make monastery fish, you need fillets of some tasty white fish(I used mirror dory),one fillet per person, potatoes, one per person, herbs(I used dill and parsley but other good herbs would be tarragon or chervil), some butter, salt, pepper, a little white wine(optional), and some good chicken or vegetable stock.
First pan-fry the fillets in butter, salt and pepper, add a small splash of wine. (They only need a few minutes.) Set aside. peel the spuds, cut in half, and parboil in a little stock for a few minutes only. Cut each potato into large horizontal slices. Grease a glass or china ovenproof dish(not metal), and put in a layer of potatoes, half of what you have, to cover the bottom of the dish. Salt, pepper, sprinkle herbs, a knife-lick of butter. layer the fish on top of the potatoes, sprinkle with herbs, put the final layer of spuds on top. Salt, pepper, sprinkle of herbs, then gently douse with some more stock, so that you can see it pooling a little(only a little) at the bottom of the dish. This will steam the food gently during baking and make it meltingly tender. Cover the dish with aluminium foil, put in a moderate oven for about half an hour(Test the spuds with a sharp knife). Serve with sweet and sour caraway-seed-flavoured red cabbage, and enjoy!

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Hearty winter delights 1: boudin(black pudding)

It's really winter now, with frosty mornings, sharply bright or grimly grey raw days, and thermometer-plunging nights. A time of crackling fires, duck down duvets, and hearty rib-sticker dishes coming out the wood stove. This is the occasion for an occasional series on just such dishes, starting today with one of my favourite things: boudin, or black pudding.
Boudin is a French classic, found in just about every part of that 'cochonaille', pork-loving country. In Normandy, you might have it grilled, with apples; in Alsace, with sauerkraut; in Paris, with mustard and chips; in the South, with lentils. Every butcher in France has his own recipe for making this tasty sausage of pig's blood and herbs; everyone has their favourite way of serving it. Of course it's not just in France where boudin is found; under the name of black pudding, it's a favourite in the British Isles and Ireland, in Germany it's a big hit too, under the name of blutwurst, or blood sausage, in eastern Europe, it is found on many tables. British-type black pudding is often firmer than the Continental European ones, as they add cereals to the mix, but the recipes are by and large fairly similar, with the addition of specific herbs, spices, etc. Pretty much everywhere that has the culture of the pig, going down from Celtic times, you'll find boudin.
Despite the British tradition of Australia, black pudding isn't commonly found here. In the cities, you can find it more easily, but in our region, it can be hard to track down, as the butchers don't seem to make it any more and you have to hunt for even mass-produced varieties. The ones I've found here and liked are the Castlemaine brand black pudding, from Victoria(British variety), which you can occasionally get in Coles, and isn't bad, and a German-inspired blutwurst from Gotzinger smallgoods which I found in Woolies recently, and which is quite delicious.
Boudin is good fried, roasted or grilled, depending on what you feel like at the time. Last night, we had it pan-fried, but with only a smidgin of oil in a non-stick pan), and teamed it with home-grown sweet and sour red cabbage(cooked in a little wine, vinegar and brown sugar), home-grown spuds, just boiled with a little butter(mash is great with boudin too), a green salad on the side, and a glass of home-made perry(pear cider.) Totally rib-sticky, totally satisfying!

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"Battered" Fried Chickpeas

Excuse these horrible photos!

I've tried a few times to make baked chickpeas like the ones you can buy in the supermarket, but they always end up a soggy dissapointment. Thankfully I've found a way around it. These pan fried chickpeas are not as crunchy but they have a slightly crisp outer shell and still remain soft inside. I actually prefer the texture of these. I've made them several times and each time adapt the seasoning to include garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. I normally serve it with some gluten free pasta, basic lemon-olive oil dressing and some cheezy and some veggies (broccoli thrown into pasta water). Its a pretty fast weeknight meal if you used canned chickpeas.

"Battered” Fried Chickpeas from Oh She Glows
Yield: 1.5 cups (I normally make a triple batch)

Ingredients:

    1 tbsp oil
    1 (15-oz or 450gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    2-2.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
    1/4 tsp garlic powder
    1/4 tsp Herbamare (or use kosher salt)
    freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas. When the skillet has pre-heated (chickpeas should sizzle on it), carefully add the drained chickpeas to the skillet. Be very careful as they will sizzle and crackle in the oil and it may splash you.

3. Fry the chickpeas, stirring every 20 seconds or so, over medium heat. After a few minutes, stir in the rest of the ingredients to taste. The chickpeas will have a thin coating on them. Fry for about 5-6 more minutes, stirring frequently and making sure they don’t burn. If they are starting to burn, reduce heat. They should be golden and lightly charred in some parts.

Rilakkuma liked them too

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Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownie Bites

This is another successful recipe from the always cheerful Hannah from wayfaring chocolate. For some reason regular dried dates make me bloated and feel but medjool dates are fine. I got a big box of medjool dates from costo. These are so simple as long as you have a food processor. Whilst they are not as good regular brownies they do a great job of satisfying sweet craving and do have a lovely caramel flavour. I did cheat and use regular chocolate chips though! I'm loving recipes like this and the protein bites are the moment, if you know of similar recipes please point me in the right direction.


I apologise for this picture, it was taken with my phone when I didn't have my camera.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownies Bites from Wayfaring Chocolate:

Makes 15 – 20, depending on the size you roll them.

    3/4 cup walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)
    1/4 cup almonds or cashews (I used cashews)
    1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    Pinch salt
    2 tb cacao powder
    2 tb raw cacao nibs (or chocolate chips)

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the nuts until finely chopped.

Add in the dates, vanilla, salt, and cacao powder, and pulse until everything is incorporated and the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. (Depending on how soft your dates are, you may need to throw in a few more to get to this stage.

Tip in the cacao nibs, and pulse briefly to combine.

Roll into balls and store in the fridge or freezer, or share with family and friends and eat all in one go.

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