In My Kitchen, October 2023

 Dear Readers, It's time for my monthly In My Kitchen review, which surprisingly is for October already, can you believe it, I can't. However, this is mostly about happenings In My Kitchen for September. It includes a recent fabulous trip to beautiful Sydney, in NSW, some food foraging, and links to some of my favourite recipes that I have made recently. It's Black Friday today, the 13th, and this post needs to be submitted by close of business. I'm not superstitious, but I think I should try and submit this one as soon as I can, just in case.  So here it is, and I hope you enjoy reading about my latest culinary exploits and adventures, and other highlights as well.

Foraging

I love food foraging. One of my secret passions, and now it's out there, is foraging for the cheapest tomatoes I can find. I can't cope without having fresh tomatoes in my kitchen. We've tried growing the larger tomatoes, but they all succumb eventually to nematodes, even though we seem to be able to grow the very small cherry tomatoes. After all, we are only 192 km or nearly 2 hours drive south of the Bowen food bowl, where tomatoes are one of the main crops grown. We have a wonderful locally owned fruit and vegetable shop called Mifsuds Fresh Fruit Barn, close to where we live, and this morning Mr. HRK and I drove there and I found 4 small trays of these beautiful tomatoes for $8.00, weighing 3.026 kilos. Given how everything is increasing in price, I consider this good value. What do you think? Given that there were other loose tomatoes which didn't look much different to me, for double that price, I think I had a win. They will ripen quickly, so I am planning a lovely slow cooked tomato sauce to serve up with some pasta for a meal over the weekend. I'm fortunate to also have fresh basil and oregano growing so it will be an economical meal.

 

I really like cooking with Bulghur wheat as an alternative grain, so I also purchased this packet of organic bulghur wheat whilst I was there.

A few of my favourite recipes using bulghur are Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Chicken and Artichokes,

Bulgur Wheat with Tomato Eggplant and Lemon Yoghurt, A very healthy Cypriot Grain Salad, and

Lentil and Bulgur Salad.

Sydney

We recently had a week in Sydney, New South Wales, where Mr. HRK competed in the National Pickleball tournament, and did quite well considering he wasn't feeling great, and in the Western Suburbs of Sydney where it was held the heat was extreme, up to 40 degrees C. at times. Some of the older players were dropping like flies as a result, requiring urgent medical attention. Thankfully he didn't faint, but the heat took the edge of his usual performance on the pickleball court.

Jamie and Neil with their pickleball paddles

Pictured with his partner Jamie on the left. Neil playing in the Mixed event below.

I reckon that a small story about Pickleball is slightly appropriate to this post, as a very important part of the Pickleball court is called The Kitchen. Yes really. Blame the USA for the quaint names, that's where the game originated. The Kitchen is the designated area either side of the net, which it's important to stay out of, and if the player does enter the Kitchen, it's important to back out of it again quickly. When I'm playing, I sometimes have trouble staying out of The Kitchen, not surprising eh? 

One of the highlights of our Sydney trip was a visit to our niece's lovely family home in Manly for lunch, where she baked a trout, served with a beautiful cherry tomato salad and baked crispy potatoes. Delicious. For dessert she served us Eton Mess in a glass which was also delicious and refreshing as was the Champagne and reminded me to make Eton Mess again sometime soon. 

 

I was quite entranced by this very old public school in Crown Street in Sydney, the Crown Street Public School.  It must be one of the oldest in Australia, built in 1849, that's old by Australian standards. Such a majestic building.

One of my missions whilst in Sydney was to find some Gochujang paste, at an Asian supermarket. We went to three and finally found this one which was the right size and description. I've wanted to buy some ever since I saw Jeff the Chef's Korean Style Fried Pork recipe, and Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella in one of her comments to me said it's one of her most used Asian spices that she always has on hand. That's good enough for me. Watch this space in the future for what I decide to cook using Gochujang. Mr. HRK very kindly brought this back for me on the plane in his luggage, such a dear.

Kitchen Cooking

What have I been cooking? Not that much since we've been home from Sydney but before that I was busy in the kitchen, celebrating the best of what was in season.

Strawberry Streusel Cake

A reminder about my Rhubarb, Meringue and Almond Celebration cake

Mediterranean Vegetarian Lasagne

Just last week, Chicken Fricassée with shallots, mushrooms and bacon, below.

Thanks so much to Sherry from Sherry's Pickings for hosting this global cooking event each month. She's always on time, publishing hers on the 1st of each month, such a star.

Warm wishes,

Pauline