Zook & Tofu BBQ skewers

Glad I only have 1 zook plant, it's a triffid:

Zucchinis - chop into even rounds
very firm Tofu, like Blue Lotus brand, cut into chunky cubes
Marinade:  soy/tamari, light veg oil, dried chilli, sesame oil, crushed garlic - or any combination of.
Skewers

Soak the zooks and tofu in the marinade in a flat tray.  After 1/2 hr flip over and soak the other  side for 1/2 hr.

BBQ on skewers.  Baste with marinade as you cook.

Looks like this:

Cheers, Kez T

Pan Charred Asparagus

It's an asparagus bonanza so thought I'd share something I was taught at work:

Bunch asparagus

light neutral veg oil, sunflower is best

salt, sea salt is really nice

extra virgin olive oil (EVO)

white pepper.

Snap the bottoms off each asparagus spear where it wants to snap naturally.  This ensures you're using the part that's still fresh.

Take a large heavy bottomed fry pan and heat it up.  Really crank it.  Then add about 1 tblsp veg oil.  The veg oil will come to heat very quickly and you use a lot less.

Lay the asparagus spears down evenly in the pan so each one is touching the bottom (you may have to do more than one batch).

Keep the heat up.  

When the spears brown on the bottom turn them over once so they char on the other side.

Lift them out when done and sprinkle a little sea salt on them while they're still hot.  This will bring out more sweetness in them.

Dress with a little EVO and white pepper.

It's a sexy appetiser with white wine and fresh bread.  

Kez 

:-)

Carrot, Ginger & Coconut Soup

Hi Vegie Boxers,

I used pretty much all this week's carrot allocation in the following soup as the island has now reverted to winter .. again.


Carrot, Ginger & Coconut Soup

all our carrots - peeled and chopped rough
3 medium/large onions, sliced up
thumb sized knob of ginger, peeled and finely grated
large pinch of cumin powder
water
1x 400 ml tin coconut milk
pinch salt
white pepper






Large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat up, and splash of veg oil (not olive).
Brown and soften the onions with a good pinch of salt. Leave lid on to use less oil.  Don't worry if it seems a lot, they are good.
Add the cumin powder and cook through a bit more.
Add the chopped carrots and give a good stir.
Put in just enough water so the carrots are not quite covered.
Add in the grated ginger.
Cook with lid on till soft.
Blitz with a stick mixer or blender.
It will appear quite thick.
Add in a 400ml tin of coconut milk to thin out.
The coconut smooths the soup out.
Season with white pepper.

That's it,
Cheers,
Kez

Carroty tales

There seem to have been an abundance of (delicious organic!) carrots lately, and when I arrived home with my laden vegie box, I thought I'd google a few recipes to give us all some inspiration for the coming week! Have a look...

here for 'saucy meatball and carrot bake with crispy feta crumbs'

here for 'quick carrot and walnut bread'

here for 'carrot and sesame burgers'

here for 'carrot, cumin and feta fritters with coriander yoghurt'

here for a range of carroty delights from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall including roasted carrot hummus and spicy carrot soup with spinach

here for 'carrot poduthuval' - a delicious sounding Indian carrot stir-fry

and here for a simple 'Vietnamese carrot salad'.

If you get stuck, there are a million yummy variations of carrot cake (and carrot muffins) to be tried too!


I hope some of these appeal to you!

Posted by Lien