Food, Finds & Forays
Hey there....
How’s your week going? It’s all happening here. A federal election and change of government, hubby down with covid and a burst hose to the kitchen tap. Though as I sit here writing this, sad news filters through from America. It puts things in perspective really and how trivial my week really is. I felt loath to ignore such a horrifying situation though am mindful of your time here and how little letters like mine in your inbox provide a few minutes escape in you day. So with the deepest of sympathies to those impacted by what’s happened in Texas I push on.
Big changes in Australia on the weekend and a lazy Sunday had me in a reflective mood and harking back to an old recipe of my mum’s. A super easy comfort food that uses up some bits and pieces from the fridge and can be enjoyed across brekky, lunch and dinner.
In other news I’ve been trying to find something other than the radio to occupy my mind while I work this week and have been hunting out new podcasts and newsletters. And when all else fails a couple of recipes to accompany my listening and reading adventures.
Wishing you a healthy and peaceful week to come,
S x PS: As always if you think a friends may enjoy a read and joining us on Thursday mornings I'd love you to use the buttons at the bottom of this letter and forward this issue to them.
Many thanks xx
Food
Sun streams through the window warming my face. Gumtree shaped shadows dance across the pages of my book distracting me while I read, inspiring idle daydreams, a choir of warbling magpies my serenade and soundtrack. I’m snuggled under a fluffly red mohair blanket contemplating a nap or a walk or perhaps concentrating on the words in my book. The words win out, they usually do. It’s a lazy Sunday, the day after the federal election and change is emerging. Everyone’s tired, maybe it’s another chapter of pandemic recovery closing and the next era dawning, maybe it’s fatigue from the constant news cycle we’ve just endured.
As the afternoon slowly meanders by, marked by the fall of the sun through the trees and towards the west horizon the reality of life ambles towards me. Early evening draws closer and I contemplate the collection of leftovers from last night’s gathering of friends awaiting us in the fridge.
We gathered around a long table, enjoying each other’s company, all the more aware of the joy of breaking bread together, multiple conversations dancing across the table in rapid fire banter. Plates of colourful vegetable offerings brought by our guests pass back and forth, scoops of slow roasted boneless chicken on a bed of unctuous cherry tomatoes and tender spiced lamb shanks nestle alongside. Wine is shared, sloshed into glasses, it’s readiness dissected while others enjoy a variety of frothy lagers. The remains packed away we retire to the fireplace outside in the dewy night air, more laughter, more food, bowls of bubbling apple and rhubarb crumble and custard warming our hands. Satisfied sighs and bellies surround my contented happy soul, I'm happy. Cooking for dear friends and family one of the greatest acts of love and appreciation I can offer.
Whilst dinner was gratefully devoured there’s always a surplus when you’re notorious for serving a heaving table. Returning to the present I reluctantly put my book down and haul myself from the couch, open the fridge, ponder the contents of the tubs stacked inside….hmm not quite enough for tonight’s dinner. Another corner of my mind is settling around memories of elections past and my parents. What they’d think of this most recent period and the weekend’s result. The fridge alarm pings….day dreaming again…back to reality. Thoughts of my mum, a tenacious hard working social worker, come to the front of my mind and inspiration strikes. Her signature dish of her later years, a recipe brought home from work scribbled on a torn envelope by one of her clients and later passed around through her own family and friends. A simple easy to construct comfort food recipe perfect for the end of week bits and pieces in the fridge and to pad out a small buffet of last night’s surplus. A contented smile breaks across my face and I get to work. Never underestimate the value of daydreaming, the power of food memories and the simple dishes that fill our recollections.
Crustless potato quiche, as Mum would call it, is super versatile being one of those meals suitable for all three mealtimes. It will work as a picnic dish, with a salad for a light lunch or dinner or even a prepared brekky or lunch box item. You can use leftover potato or cook potato especially for your quiche. Any of the ham/bacon family will work as will other smallgoods like salami and chorizo. You can also experiment with the vegetables you add again leaning on leftovers from the fridge or using bits and bobs from the crisper. I’ve tweaked Mum’s recipe making it a little lighter but bulking it up for a hungry family.
Ingredients:
1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves crushed or finely chopped
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tb unsalted butter
6 large eggs lightly whisked
1 cup whole milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (any flavoursome hard cheese will work, even a mix if needed)
1 tsp salt flakes
½ cup self-raising flour
2 potatoes diced cooked to just tender. (This equals roughly 2 cups of diced leftover potatoes if you’re using leftover potato)
1 cup of vegetables of your choice (see note)
100 gm prosciutto, ham, bacon or other similar meat.
Method:
Preheat oven to 220c. Grease a 20 cm square ceramic dish or round pie plate.
Melt butter with olive in a small pan over med-low heat. Gently cook the onion and garlic until translucent. If using bacon and you prefer it cooked you can also add it here and cook it off. Allow to cool while you gather and prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Whisk together eggs and milk. Stir through cheese and sprinkle over flour folding through until just combined. Add, onion and garlic mixture including the melted butter and oil, potato and any vegetable and meat your using. Gently stir through additions and pour into the prepared dish. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown on top, set in the middle and gently pulling away from the sides. Allow to cool slightly before serving, this allows it to settle and pull away from the surface of the dish.
Notes:
I've used spinach and prosciutto, my favourite combo. If using spinach for your veg addition use chopped fresh baby spinach leaves. No need to cook first indeed doing so will add unwanted moisture.
Other lovely veg additions that work well include corn, peas, capsicum, zucchini and even cubed roasted pumpkin.
Cubed cooked sweet potato is a delicious alternative to regular white potato.
A mixture of grated cheese adds flavour and is a handy use of all the small leftover bits of cheese in the dairy drawer.
You might like to spread tomato slices over the top before baking for another layer of flavour.
Finds & Forays
I’m not one for silence as I potter through my day. Maybe I should make friends with it but I’m not particularly drawn to do so with so much to learn and listen to. Maybe It’s my curious nature or maybe I suffer chronic FOMO. I’m usually kept company by the drawl of talkback radio. Sometimes entertaining sometimes infuriating. I’m reminded of my mother who habitually listened to the chatter of radio commentators. After events of recent times most particularly the recent weeks of a sometimes bruising political campaign I’m trying to wean myself off the prattle of opinion and debate. Podcasts are proving a good substitute with the plethora of subjects available. This one about taste is fascinating and dives deep into taste’s part in our evolution and history. I’m also enjoying this new Australian look at how our local food world has evolved. It’s only two episodes in but I’m loving it so far.
I’ve also been enjoying searching for some good new newsletter reads. This platform is fascinating for searching for different ones. It comes with a warning though, if like me you’re enjoying exploring the world of newsletters this is like a rabbit hole, there’s so many great reads out there. I signed up for this aussie one this week too. I’ve enjoyed the author’s work in other incarnations for a while but am looking forward to this offering and all the little hubs within it. I’ve signed up for it's paid launch special on this other newsletter platform but the free one will be equally great reading.
Maybe while I’m reading and listening to all these brilliant missives from around the world I could make myself one of these to sip or perhaps bake this to enjoy with tea. It’s a cake that holds special memories for me, I haven’t had it since this special occasion a few years ago.
