Funkie Foods

A Different approach to Pastry

Nowadays a lot of people are suffering from Food Allergies, Food Intolerance and Food related deseases. What is going on? Are we poisoning ourselves with bad food or what?

An Allergy for Food occurs when the Immune System in our body sees a certain Protein as an enemy and starts fighting it. 90% of Food Allergies are caused by Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Wheat, Soy, Treenuts like Walnuts, Fish and Shellfish. In the US, according to a report of August 2005 from the NIAI, 6-8% of children under 2 and 4% of adults have a Food Allergy. Keep in mind that some of these Allergies can be life threatening.

Food Intolerance occurs a lot more often and is often confused with other diseases. Intolerance can be catagorised as being Gluten Sensitivity (not to be confused with Coeliac)(about 15% of people), Dairy Intolerance (about 75%), Fructose/ Sugar Sensitivity (about 35%) and Yeast Sensitivity (about 33%).

What are we doing to ourselves? As if eating Meat contaminated with BSE and Foot and Mouth isn't bad enough what about our Fruit and Vegetables that are supposed to be good for us? How come we see a rise in the numbers of people with Food related problems? Is it because we understand Intolerances better or is the problem the use of Artificial Fertilizers and Pesticides in our Conventional Grown Poduce? Do you know what is in that? I don't know and I don't think I want to know. What I know is that for me eating mainly Organic produce has helped reducing my intolerance to Dairy.

I am one of those people that seem to have an Intolerance for most of the Foodgroups.  Dairy has been a big problem as long as I can remember, but how can you stay away from Cheese and Yoghurt? Although having said that, I am able to eat some of that again after not eating it for about a year. Now 2 weeks ago I was told to stay away from Wheat for a while. What is next?

People tell me "It's easier for you being a Chef and all". Really? I guess in a way they are right. I am able to substitute things easier. That is why I wrote this Blog. I want to show you that although you are not being able to eat some Foods you can still make your favourite recipe by substituting.

Last weekend we had the craving for a Savoury Tart. The problem with that is the Flour in the Pastry and the Cream in the Filling (I can cope with Cheese). So I substituted Gram (Chickpea) Flour for the regular Flour and Soy Milk for the Cream. Maybe the Soy Milk changes the texture of the filling but it's still very good and the Gram Flour adds a nutty-ness to the Tart. I am not a person that sticks to recipes so when you make this try to judge yourself the consistency of it and add more of the ingredient if you think it needs it.

Caramelised Onion Tart with Gram Flour Pastry (serves 4-6)

For the Pastry:
8 oz Gram Flour
4 oz Butter (Vegan/ Dairy-Free Butter works)
a beaten egg with a drop of water

For the Filling:
4 medium Onions
3 Eggs
good splash of Milk
2-3 oz Cheese
Crispy Bacon or other dried Meat (I used some Italian dried Meat) cut into small pieces
couple of sprigs of fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper

You can put anything into the Filling that you like. Meat/ no Meat, any kind of Cheese (hard/ soft, cow/ goat or sheep), different Veggies (soften them up before adding) and different Herbs.

As I said I am not great with recipes and writing them down, as I add things as I go. But I will try to give you some guidelines.

I use a Flan Tin with a removable bottom but even a regular Oven Proof dish will do.

Sift the Gram Flour in a bowl, rub the Butter into this with your hands untill you have a coarse consistency. If you are using Vegan (Dairy Free) Butter this will go soft quickly so don't handle the dough too much. Add a little egg at the time to bring this all together into a ball. Wrap this in Cling Film  (Plastic Wrap) or put into a plastic bag and put in the fridge for 30 min or so.

In the meantime slice your onions thinly and put them in a small saucepan with a little bit of oil on a medium heat. Slowly sweat the onions, making sure that it doesn't burn (just lower the heat if it does). Cook the Onions this way for 30 min, they will darken in colour. Let this cool.

Roll out your dough between 2 sheets of Cling Film and lift the dough. Take off one side of the Plastic and lay the dough on the tin. Peel off the other sheet of Plastic and press the dough with your fingers into the tin. Again put it back into the fridge for 15 min. In the meantime preheat your oven, 180C/ 350F. Bake the Pastry blind by putting Baking Paper on top of the Pastry and fill it with dried Beans or Rice (don't use this later to make a dish, keep it for the next time). Bake for 20 min and remove the Paper, if it looks like it is still too raw put it back in and bake for another 5 min or so. If the sides are getting too dark, cover the top with Tin Foil/ Aluminium Foil. Brush the inside of the Pastry Shell with a little eggwash to seal and put back into the oven for another minute or 2.

Beat the Eggs, add a good splash of Milk, shouldn't be too milky as the Eggs will be your setting agent. Add the Onions, Cheese and the rest of Ingredients you are using and mix till combined. Season with Salt and Pepper. Fill the Pastry Shell with this mixture and bake for about 20 min, check it to see if the Egg has set, don't overcook it as your Egg might scramble (unless you like it this way).

All I can say is Experiment, if it doesn't turn out well, throw it in the bin and try again, making sure you have something in the Freezer as backup.

 

Technorati: Pastry, Food Allergy, Food Intolerance, Gluten, Coeliac, Dairy Intolerance, Fructose Sensitivity, Yeast Sensitivity, BSE, Foot and Mouth, Wheat, Soy Milk, Gram Flour, Chickpea Flour

A Summers Treat

Do you know that feeling that when the first warm sunrays hit your skin you get the urge for everything summery and with that the craving for ice-cream? To make a good ice-cream you will need an ice-cream maker, but I think that a good sorbet does the trick as well, without having to invest in more machinery to clutter the kitchen. And my kitchen is full of this kind of equipment from a panini-maker to a heavy duty Kenwood Mixer. So to avoid having to spend more money and space on gadgets that I don't really need I started experimenting with Sorbets or maybe more correct Granitas.

A Sorbet doesn't contain Dairy and has a soft consistency. If you would add a couple of spoons of Mascarpone Cheese or Cream to your Sorbet Mixture you would convert it into a Sherbet. It can be eaten as a Dessert, as a palate refresher between courses or simply as a treat on a hot summers day. But don't restrict yourself to that. Sorbets don't have to be sweet, you could even make more savoury ones. Strawberry and Black Pepper, Spiced Pineapple and I have even heard of Asparagus Sorbet. But I will be experimenting with those another time and let you know how I got on.

The reason I said that the word Granita would be more correct is that the frozen mixture will be grainier than when you would make the Sorbet in an Ice-cream Maker. It depends on how often you break it up, basically every 45 minutes to an hour and what ingredients you use.

You can make really basic Sorbets. Use equal quantities of Water, Sugar and for example Lemon or Lime Juice. But make sure that you taste the mixture before it goes into the Freezer. The Sorbet will turn out less sweet than when it went in, so keep in mind that the mixture should be a bit sweeter than you want it. You have to experiment with it till you get the tartness or sweetness you like.

Lime Sorbet

7 floz. (200ml) Water
7 oz. (200gr) Sugar
7 floz. (200ml) Lime Juice
Zest of 1 Lime (optional)

Put a Metal or Glass container that you plan to freeze the Sorbet in in the Freezer to get a headstart on the freezing.

Bring the Water with the Sugar to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes untill all the Sugar has dissolved. Let this cool for 10-15 minutes so the mixture won't be too hot going into the Freezer as this will cause unnecessary condensation and rise in temperature inside the Freezer. After it has cooled a bit add the Lime Juice and the zest when using. I tend to use the Zest only if I am using Organic Limes but you could give conventional grown ones a good scrub, the Zest will give it an extra Punch.

Put this in your pre-cooled container and put it back into the Freezer. Use a Fork to break up the Mixture every 45 minutes to an hour for about 3-4 hours. And at this stage, if you have managed not to try the Sorbet every time you look at it, you can take your first spoonfull. The Sorbet will harden the longer it's in the Freezer and form Ice Chrystals so cover it with Cling Film (Plastic Wrap) after you are done with the breaking up. It should be eaten within 1-2 days, although it will keep longer but it can get a bit icier. Take the Sorbet out before serving to soften it up a bit. If it is too icy run it through a Foodprocessor to break it up and call it a Granita.

Coconut and Chocolate Sorbet

7 floz. (200ml) Water
7 oz. Sugar (200gr)
7 floz. (200ml) Coconut Milk or more to taste (I use a full can, not great for the Cholesterol though)
1.5 oz (30gr) Dark Chocolate, broken up in chunks

Put a Glass or Metal Bowl in the Freezer.
Bring the Water and Sugar to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, let cool.
Add the Coconut Milk and taste the mixture, add more Milk if needed.
Put it in the Container and freeze.
After 1 hour break up the mixture and add the Chocolate. Freeze.
Break up the mixture every 45-60 minutes till desired consistency.

Experiment with the Basic Recipe. Use Lemon Juice, Fruit Puree or Espresso instead of the Lime. Try adding Spices like Star Anise, Black Pepper or Dried Chilli Flakes to your Fruit Puree. You could use Fresh, Frozen or canned Fruits. Try adding your favourite Chocolate Bar or chopped up Dried Fruit. Why not add a couple of spoons of Mascarpone Cheese for added fizz to make a Sherbet. Cooking is all about experimenting with the flavours you like. If it doesn't work out, throw it out and try again.

Technorati: Sorbet, Sherbet, Granita, Icecream Maker, Lime, Lemon, Coconut Milk, Chocolate, Mascarpone

From Soybeans to Tofu

San Francisco is inhabited by people from different cultures and hence the existence of the different cuisines which makes coming back to the West of Ireland a bit of a struggle. I love Tofu -strange but true-. Thinly sliced, fried untill crispy in the frying pan and topped with my own Chilli Jam, hmmm. It is available, if you know where to get it, but I decided to try to make it myself.

The first recipe didn't work out too well but my second experiment produced a lovely firm, creamy coloured block of homemade Tofu, made with Organic Soy Beans. It needs to be said though that it is quite a bit of work for little Tofu but I make twice the recipe as I have a big pot where all the Soy Beans and water fit in. Still I wouldn't mind if it would make a bit more, but this way it's something special. And the more often you make it the faster it seems to go. Fresh Tofu keeps in the fridge for up to a week, just make sure that, if you don't use it all, you refresh the water that you keep the Tofu in daily. You can also freeze your Tofu for up to 3 months although freezing will make it chewier as the texture will change.

Tofu is also known as Soybean Curd or Beancurd and is made from curdled Soymilk. The firmness depends on how much of the Whey (liquid) has been drained off. I like firm Tofu so the weighing down and draining takes a bit longer than for a softer one.

All that Tofu is is Soy Beans and Nigari. Nigari is a "hard, chrystallized salt made from the liquid droppings of dampened seasalt" and you can buy it at your Health Food Store. I know that Munster Wholefoods in the West of Ireland have it and they supply to most Health Food Stores. If they don't stock it ask them to order it for you.

This is the recipe I use. And again if you have a big stockpot that holds 2 or even 3 times the recipe go ahead, the time it will take will be pretty much the same.

500 gr. Soy Beans (use Organic if possible)
20 gr. Nigari

Rinse the Beans  and soak them in at least double the amount of water overnight, make sure that you put them in a container big enough to hold at least twice the volume as the Beans will expand.

                                                                          

The next day blend the Beans with enough water as smooth as possible, it won't get completely smooth because you are still using dried reconstituted beans. You have to do this in batches and make sure that you don't overheat your blender.

                                                                   
Put all the blended Soy Beans in a big pot and add water till its 1.5 times the quantity. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat so it boils slowly for 30 minutes constantly stirring, otherwise it will stick at the bottom. Some pots tend to do this more than others. Skim the foam off as needed, washing the Beans before soaking should reduce this.

                                                                      

Just before the end of the 30 minutes dissolve the Nigari in a little bit of water.

                                                                                 

Put a Colander in a big Bowl and line the Colander with a clean Kitchen Towel or Muslin (Cheesecloth) and drain the Beans, make sure you catch the liquid (Soy Milk) as this is what you need to make the Tofu from. Lift the Kitchen Towel and squeeze as much liquid out as possible, carefull not to burn yourself. Another way to do this is ladle some in a Fine Mesh Sieve and push the liquid out. Either discard the pulp -which is called Okara- or use it in recipes for steamed or toasted Okara or as part of the dough in bread or cookies .

                                                                        

Clean the Pot and return the liquid into it. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Slowly pour in the Nigari while stirring and you will see that the liquid starts to seperate immediately.                                        Bring slowly to a boil and let it simmer (barely boiling) for 5 minutes.

I use a rectangular icecream container with holes in the bottom, that I made myself with a small sharp knife. Line it with Muslin (Cheesecloth), making sure it's bigger than the container to cover the top of the Tofu. Use a ladle to take the Curd out of the pot into the container or poor it slowly into the mold. The liquid should drain through the holes at the bottom.

                                                                        

                                                                        

Fold the Muslin over the top, cover with a plate or piece of plastic (I cut the lid of the container to size) and put something heavy on the top (can of beans, jar filled with water etc.). The length of time for draining depends on how firm you want your Tofu. Soft Tofu doesnt take long. The heavier the weight, the better the drainage and the longer you let it stand the firmer your Tofu. Anything from 5-15 minutes. Just check it.

Fill a seperate bowl with water. Carefully take the Tofu and Muslin out of the container and let it slip into the water, unwrap it. Let it stand for a couple of minutes so the water will  wash any Nigari away and transfer to a clean container big enough to hold the Tofu and enough water to cover.

                                                                           

What I do with my Tofu is this. When you take it out of the water, put it on a piece of kitchen towel and let it drain a bit. Slice it thinly and season with Salt and Pepper. Heat a frying pan till nice and hot, add a little Olive Oil and fry off the slices untill crisp on both sides. Serve with Sweet Chilli Sauce or Chilli Jam. Or cut it in cubes and fry it in a fryingpan with a little bit of oil untill browned. Add this to a nice hot Lentil Curry when it's done and let it heat through.

You could also flavour your Tofu by adding ingredients like Herbs and Spices before you stir the Nigari in.

Technorati: Soy, Bean, Tofu, Nigari, Cheese Cloth

We like it homegrown, chemical-free

When I was at Ballymaloe Cookery School a couple of years ago I met this American guy with a lot of energy and who gave me the feeling that I couldn't cook as he was one of the people who was so confident in the kitchen that it scared me. I have helped him out catering for a wedding (he is not only a great chef but he doesn't shout at his staff when days are long and time is running out) and have been following him ever since, he is my inspiration. I would like to introduce Neal Foley aka the Podchef to the Irish market, but the problem is he lives in the United States. So I have to do with telling everyone about him, check out his blog. He lives on Shaw Island, part of the Juan Islands, north-west of Seattle, Washington.

Neal is what I would call a Foodie with a capital F. He is concerned about food, where it comes from and how to grow organically and in a  sustainable way. As he lives on an island he grows a lot himself, keeps chickens and a calf for the eggs and meat. He goes occasionally to the mainland to stock up on foods he can't grow or make himself. He buys locally whenever possible. Why don't we do more of that? Getting Certified Organic produce in Ireland is hard, not only because there aren't many farmers growing it but also because most of our produce comes from places like Holland who grow it cheaper I guess, why would we otherwise buy it from them? But in order to get organic locally produced food we have to demand it. There is no supply if there isn't the demand as Keynes stated it perfectly. Try local farmersmarkets for local goodies, there are more markets than you think but not enough to everyones liking, like mine. Speaking of which, the organiser of  the Listowel Farmersmarket, Johanna Watkins has been told by her city council that although they claimed there rights before the appropiate date she isn't allowed to hold a market in the town. This happens all over Ireland. Claiming the marketrights apparently isn't enough. If you want to do something about it please send Johanna an email at listowelfoodfair@eircom.net and ask what you can do to make a difference.

                                                      

I have been thinking about organic vs. local conventional. The ingredients that I use for the chutneys, I believe in organic ingredients, come mostly from Holland. Part of it has to do with the fact that we are in between seasons and it is hard to get local organic produce. But what about the fuel that has been used to get that produce here, not even thinking about the timing of the picking, which won't be most optimal as it has to be shipped.  I would love to use local produce even if it is not certified organic. I would like to get convinced that people know not to spray their produce. If you know anyone around county Kerry who grows lovely fresh fruit and veggies please let me know. I am willing to give an helping hand for the experience of growing it.

Just to let you know how passionate I am about growing things without pesticides and other chemicals look at the picture above. This is an example of the Chillies I am growing in the kitchen corner. I have to admit it's a sunny glass corner but it seems to work and I add a lot of organic fertilizer as well. This particular Chilli is called Ancho and isn't a spicy one. They grow quite large, about 4 inches (10cm) long. They are great stuffed with blue cheese and grilled either under the broiler, barbeque or on a grillpan. My Chilli is about 6 cm long at the moment and hopefully in another couple of weeks I will be able to eat it.                                           

 

                                                       

What about this beauty? My first Jalapeno, a lot spicier than the Ancho and a lot smaller. Great in Mexican cuisine. The easiest salsa I have learned working in the kitchen in Oakland, California with Mexican guys is this. Put a Jalapeno with a Tomato (whole not peeled) and a clove of Garlic in a small saucepan. Cover barely with water and bring to the boil. Simmer untill the Tomato is cooked, the skin will break and looks cooked. Spoon the Jalapeno, Tomato and the Garlic in a blender and blend till smooth. Add pepper to taste, Et Voila... Lovely with some flour Tortillas with spiced Chicken or melted grated cheese. Or use it as a dip.

Technorati: Ballymaloe Cookery School, Neal Foley, Certified Organic, Listowel Farmersmarket, Conventional, , Ancho, Jalapeno

Raw and Living Food

When I was living in San Francisco, California, Raw and Living Food was getting more fashionable. I had an interview for a Raw Bar in Berkeley and a place was opening up just a block from Union Square. But I never thought it would start to appear in the west of Ireland untill a few weeks ago. Someone at the Milltown Farmersmarket  told me that she had started eating a Raw Food Diet. And I have been thinking about Raw and Living Food ever since. Where did this start and would I be able to keep to this regime that strikes me as too strict for me?                                                 

                                                               

I have the occasional bright idea and start a Juice-Day. Well not just a Juice-Day more a Fruit and Raw Veggie Day. And every time I do this I last oh about 1.5 days. Would I be able to become a Raw and/or Living Foodie? The answer is: I don't think so. But that doesn't mean I am not into it. I am fascinated by it and have a lot of respect for the Foodies that actually manage to change their way of eating in such a way. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I am a chef and love food in all its glory. I do tend to eat healthy, don't get me wrong.  I already changed my diet to one of a more vegetarian standard, although I won't be able to cut everything out.

But enough about me, lets talk about the Raw and Living Food movement. Raw Food is food that still has its basic chemical structure, it hasn't been changed by cooking, freezing, preserving etc. Raw and Living Food are both utilizing the enzymes found in uncooked/ unprocessed food. Although in Living Food the enzymes are alive while Raw Food has mostly dorment enzymes as nothing is done to "re-activate" the enzymes. The difference is Sprouting. But the two are closely related. It is one step further than being a Vegan, who doesn't eat meat, fish, dairy or anything related to animals. Living food consists of sprouted nuts, seeds and grains, organic fruits and vegetables and lightly fermented preparations. The dehydrator is the main equipment for daily "cooking".

The main thinking behind Living Food is that heating above 102 F/ 39C breaks down the enzymes that are beneficial to the human body. Sprouting means that you germinate seeds, nuts and grains by soaking it in liquid, mainly water. This way the enzymes will go from being dorment to active and the food will be easier to break down by our body.  By eating cooked foods we don't add enzymes but use our own which makes it hard for our organs to digest.

This diet comes from a believe that our pre-historic ancestors  were  mainly vegetarians not eating meat at all and eating everything raw as fire wasn't invented yet. Throughout the years several people have raised the intrest in Living and Raw Food, people like Ann Wigmore and Leslie Kenton have made people more aware of the advantages.   

Whatever you believe, eating more Raw and Living Food is healthy, people are not eating half of what they should. And I don't mean you have to buy a dehydrator and prepare food days in advance. A simple salad, fresh fruit or sprouting seeds and nuts will make a difference.

Technorati: Raw and Living Food, sprouting, dehydrator, Ann Wigmore, Leslie Kenton

What is there to know about Chillies?

Last week at the market in Milltown I had 2 kinds of dried Chilli Pods for the first time, Guajillo and Pasilla Chillies. These Chillies are not like the Chillies we can buy in the supermarket, the Hot Wax Chillies with a Scoville Rating 5,000-10,000. The Chillies that I am offering are lower on the Scoville Scale and have more flavour. They are mainly used in the Mexican kitchen.

You can measure the heat of a Chilli Pepper using the Scoville Scale, named after Wilbur Scovill. Chillies are a member of the Capsicum family, brought back by Christopher Columbus from the New World. The Chillies contain Capsaicin, a chemical compound that stimulates nerve endings in the tongue. The number of Scoville Heat Units (SHU) indicates the amount of Capsaicin present.

A Sweet Pepper, containing no capsaicin at all, has a Scoville rating of zero, which means that you don't get the tingling on the tongue at all. On the other hand the hottest Chillies, such as Habaneros, have a rating of 300,000 or more, which means that their extract has to be diluted 300,000 times before you stop feeling the heat. That is SPICY. The Guajillo and Pasilla Chillies are in between. They have a nice heat, with the Guajillo having a citrus undertone while the Pasilla is smoky.

The Guajillo is a sweet and sometimes fairly hot Chilli with a lovely deep red colour that really comes out when the Chillies are soaked in hot water. The skin is very tough and must be soaked longer than most dried Chillies. These long peppers, about 6  inches long and 1.5 inches wide, are frequently used in Mexican cooking and have a Scoville Unit ranging from 2,000-5,000.

Pasilla is Spanish for little raisin. This Chilli got his name because of its deep black colour and raisinlike aroma. They are about the same size as the Guajillos but rate lower in Scoville Units: 1,000- 2,000.

Remember! When handling Chillies remember that the oil in it will sting your eyes etc when it comes in contact. So use gloves or rub some oil in your hands, this will prevent the oil from penetrating your pores.

Did you know....

That not the seeds but the membrane inside the Chilli is what makes it hot.
That Capsaicin, what makes the peppers hot, has been said to be used to succesfully treat:

• Acid indigestion, Arthritis
• Bronchitis
• Cancer, Colic, Colds
• Ear Infections, Epilepsy
• Headache
• Seasickness, Ulcers, Vertigo

That Chilli Peppers are vegetables when green but spices when red.
That Green Peppers are a source of Vitamin C, while Red Peppers are a source of Vitamin A.
That  Peppers are totally fat-free.

As for what to do with it...

Why not steep 2 dried Guajillos in the Milk that you use to make Mashed Potatoes with. Heat the Milk, add the dried Guajillos, let stand for 20 min. Blend in the Guajillos and Milk in the blender, heat gently and add to your Mashed Potatoes.

A great Salsa can be made by steeping 2 Guajillos in hot orange juice. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and blend the Chillies with half of the orange juice. Add finely diced raw Onions and Banana to the Chilli blend. Thin out with the Orange Juice if needed. This can easily made in large quantities. It is up to you how much Onions or Bananas you want to use and how thick or thin you like it. Great with BBQ'ed Pork Chops or as a Dip.

Or make a Catsup with the Guajillos. What you need is:

3 dried Guajillos
1 tablespoon of Pumpkin Seeds
1 clove of Garlic
2 Tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Vinegar, I use Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon ground Cumin
Salt to taste

Clean the Guajillos under cold water, take off the stems and remove most of the seeds by breaking them in half and shake them.

Slightly toast the Guajillos in a moderate oven, 150C, for about 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn quickly. Put them in a bowl and cover them with hot water (not yet boiling) and let them soak for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime lightly toast the Pumpkin Seeds in the oven, 150C, again keep an eye on them.

Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth. Taste and adjust Salt and Vinegar.

Put this on anything that you would use Ketchup for, one with a BITE!
Can easily be multiplied for crowds, make sure you taste and adjust the seasoning!

You can find me most weeks at the farmersmarket in Milltown. I will also be selling my chutneys and other condiments at the County Fair at Ballybeggan Racecourse in Tralee on sunday the 14th of May and the Open-Air Food Market at the Square in Listowel on sunday the 4th of June.

Technorati: chilli, pasilla, guajillo, scoville, catsup, salsa, mashed potatoes

Not just a Chutney

Everyone in Ireland knows the Indian Mango Chutney, one of my favourites to be honest. But I want to make something different. People don't know what to do with Chutneys beside using it as a condiment to a Curry. Chutney is a condiment but you don't have to stick with the same old Curry or piece of cheese as a partner. Chutney is great on a sandwich, it adds depth to a regular ol' toastie or a nice fresh baquette with veggies. Ever tried to stuff a porkchop or chickenbreast with it?

I like to play with food so I don't want to make just Chutneys alone and have been experimenting with Jams as well. What is the difference you think? Well Chutney has a combination of sugar and vinegar, most of the time with the addition of onions, while Jam has fruit and sugar. One of the Jams I make is a Fig Jam. Figs are sweet and full of seeds like the strawberry so don't eat it just before an important meeting or first date, as someone might point out the "things" between your teeth. But again don't think of this Jam as something that you can only put on a sandwich. It's amazing, slightly heated, on vanilla-icecream. Or added to the braising-liquid of your sunday roast. Use it over your grilled meat just before serving.

Have you tried the Chilli Jam yet? I got myself nice dried chillies from New Mexico, USA, and will be experimenting with these to come up with a different Chilli Jam. Guajillo, Pasilla and Ancho chillies make great Mexican dishes but more about that soon.

I also try to use seasonal ingredients, organic where possible. At the moment we are between seasons and it is hard to get fruit and veggies. But having said that, the Spicy Carrot Chutney gives you a hint of summer, sweet with a bite. See the Pork Recipe if you don't know what to do with it.

This week my Lemon Chutney will be hitting the stand and this is so good with a spicy Curry. I know what you are thinking, "see you can only eat Chutney with Curry". So why not try it as part of a marinade for Chicken, great on the summer BBQ, or eat it with Beef or Mutton.

Be creative!!

At the moment I am only at the Milltown Farmersmarket (http://www.milltownfarmersmarket.com) on saturday but hopefully I can be seen on other markets in the county in the near future.

Oh and if you give me back the jar for re-use I will give you 20ct back. That saves you a trip to the bottleback and we do something good for the environment.

Technorati: chutney, condiment, jam, chilli, pork, curry

Pork Stuffed with Goats Cheese and Spicy Carrot Chutney

                Serves 4

• 4 Boneless Pork Chops
• 150 gr Soft Goats Cheese
• 4 big tablespoons Spicy Carrot Chutney
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Cocktail Sticks or Kitchen String
• Olive Oil or Butter for frying

Flatten the Pork Chops between 2 layers of Cling Film or in a plastic bag either with a rolling pin or a heavy frying. Do not be afraid to give the Chops a good thumping just be carefull not to go too far or wholes will appear in your Pork. The Chops should be about 1/4 of an inch thick after you are finished.

Mix the Goats Cheese and the Chutney till combined. Divide this filling in four and spoon 1/4 into the middle of each flattened Pork Chop. Fold both sides to the middle and roll up from the bottom to the top. This way the filling should have no means of getting out when frying. Use the Cocktail Sticks or String to secure the parcels.

Salt and Pepper them.

I prefer to use Olive Oil but you can also use Butter. Heat up the Oil/ Butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the Pork. Brown off on both sides, turn down the heat to low-medium and continue cooking till done, about 10 minutes. The Pork should be tender, the filling tangy and melted.

Serve this with oven Roasted Baby Potatoes sprinkled with Rosemary and a Stir-Fry of Seasonal Veggies.

You can also substitute chicken for the Pork and/ or replace the Goats Cheese in the above recipe with Breadcrumbs.

Technorati: pork, goats cheese, carrot, chutney