Monthly Archives: October 2015

Broad bean harvest

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Alongside Parsley, spring onions, silver beet and kale, broad beans are the staple harvest right now. I planted a healthy patch before leaving for Europe in late April and my neighbour planted a whole bunch more, since we returned in September it’s been a steady crop of beans. Such a wonderful self sustaining plant. They are surviving in a dry hot season very well. They all fall over in the wind but shoot up again. I never did get around to tying them up like last year.

Mostly I pod and steam them with a pile of silverbeet or enjoy them in soups. Also delicious is to quickly sauté the beans with garlic olive oil salt and lemon juice. The young pods can be cut into little slivers for this dish. 

 I did try the cream of broad bean soup from The Silver Spoon Italian cookbook last week when a girlfriend visited. Wonderful with a smattering of fresh herbs. 

I am so heartily satisfied to eat from my own garden and be nourished by this green freshness!

What are you harvesting?

Xx Roselinde 

A moment in time. Or balaclavas.

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Baklava in process. Lily can do it all! For the school stall tomorrow (with some for home of course)!

Please remind her of this when she complains about never being allowed to have sweet stuff… Ever….

I have evidence of at least one time!
balaclava / baklava

For the sauce

Dissolve over low heat

1/2 c honey

1/2 c sugar

In 1 cup of water

With

1 stick of cinnamon

Peel of an orange or lemon

Squeeze of citrus juice

Let it simmer for the time you make the rolls then let it cool while you bake them
For the filling

1 1/2 cups of walnuts (I reckon you can mix up the nut blend. Sssh.)

1/2 cup almonds

Pulse in the blender until in small pieces

Add

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp of ground clove
Prepare the wrappers

1 box of filo pastry, carefully cut the stack of sheets into thirds, about 12 or so cm wide, keep covered with a slightly damp towel

And the bit that makes it all so crispy and good

Melt 150g unsalted butter
Oven on at 180c and butter an oven tray
Now get ready to brush and roll

Take three sheets aside, brush all over with your butter

Put a couple of tablespoons of filling at one end of the papers

Fold in the sides, butter the sides

Carefully roll the filling up in the filo and then pop on your tray with gaps in between them

Repeat repeat repeat until you have a tray full.

Bake until crispy brown all over

Pour over syrup while still warm

Let cool and enjoy

Lily says they are even better after a day or two as they soak up so much yummy syrup. 

Did I say strain the syrup when you pour it over the baklava rolls?

Xx

  
 Ps I did not artistically put the cumquats, guitar or ukulele there. This was a real cute kitchen counter odd bod moment for all you blog skeptics who think it’s all a setup. Just occasionally it is real life…

I guess you want to see the end result huh? Well if there’s any left by morning…..