Saturday 2 February 2013

Food.

In the Sunday paper last weekend there was an article about how annoyed chefs are becoming at having their meals photographed by eager diners. I would have thought it a compliment for them to be happy about, but apparently not. Okay, standing on the chair to get a better shot is rude and annoying for other diners, I agree, but a discreet photo by phone or unobtrusive small camera, where is the harm? If I admire the food and it's presentation when I am eating out then I am one of those ill-mannered people who record it. On the Isle of Wight  I enjoyed very tasty breakfasts. So what did I do - I got my camera out!
At home I do not start the day with such a generous amount of smoked salmon (although sometimes for a light tea I put pieces of smoked salmon in to cook with scrambled egg so that everything is warm and the flavour infuses through. We call it a 'Dennis Healey' as that dish has been mentioned as one of his favourites.) 
Breakfast means porridge with either goats' milk or water and a selection of fruit and nuts,
and it varies only in the variety of fruit, day after day, without my ever tiring of it. 
I try to grow as much of our own fruit and vegetables as possible, but as you know, the last growing season was not a great success. For reasons of health vegetables are our main source of food.
I also use a lot of pulses, great for stews
and curries.

Chilladas with everything home-grown! 
Chilladas, spiced lentil cakes. (They freeze well.)

450g whole lentils, green or brown.
845ml hot water.
110g butter or similar.
finely chopped 2 onions
                        2 peppers
                        2 carrots
                        2 cloves garlic
mixed herbs
salt and pepper
generous teaspoon curry powder/paste
4 teaspoons tomato paste

Put washed lentils into a pan with the water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently until all the water has been absorbed.
Put butter in a frying pan and soften and cook the veg. Season the lentils (they should now be soft) in a bowl and add all other ingredients. Divide into approx 24 rounds.
Dip into beaten egg, then breadcrumbs and shallow fry in groundnut oil until golden. Serve with home-made tomato sauce.

Pudding usually means fruit, often, like these plums, from the freezer, with the addition of nuts and seeds.
And on a good day a bit of custard to go with the last of the Christmas mincemeat!



6 comments:

  1. I tried to leave a post and my iPad is fighting with me. Just in case it did actually post I will just the bottom line....yum!

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  2. Lots of lovely dishes to whet the appetite here, and it looks so colourful. I do not see any problem with photographing food that is served in restaurants and hotels. It does after all become the property of the person who has purchased it, and not the chef who created it.

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  3. It looks as though you eat well in all sense of the word. Mostly vegetarian by the looks and sound of it. Some lovely recipes there Rosemary, and porridge just how Amanda has it. Me, I am a cup of tea and occasionally a slice of toast man. I have seen the stuff about photgraphing food at restaurants, and am also surprised that such chefs aren't confident enough in their cooking to embrace it. My father would have been chuffed if someone photographed his creations. Keep snapping I say, it's my food, I paid for it.

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    Replies
    1. Chefs have become a very spoilt bunch, haven't they?
      There are some foods that would have me drooling, bacon, melted cheese and such, but unfortunately they would also make me ill!

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