May 2022 favourites list

Welcome to the May edition of my favourites list. This month's photos are of some recent cooking exploits. I hope you find something here to interest and inspire you. 

Pa amb tomaquet - Catalan style tomato bread

Food writing and food articles

What is in season in the UK in May? Spring cabbages, Rhubarb, Garlic, Asparagus, Lettuces, Radishes, Spinach, Spring onions. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/whats-in-season-may

Jaffa cakes to bring out a white chocolate version following customer requests... But will this change its status for tax purposes? https://metro.co.uk/2022/04/28/jaffa-cakes-tease-white-chocolate-version-after-fan-requests-16549790/

I’ve been saving parmesan rinds for stocks and risotto and using mustard in my mac cheese, but some of these other secret ingredient tips are new to me. Worth investigating! https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/home-cooks-sharing-favorite-secret-ingredients

If, like me, you are unlucky enough to have hay fever, I send my commiserations. Unfortunately, hay fever sufferers can have a connected set of food allergies. Here’s some useful information on pollen food syndrome: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/pollen_food_syndrome

Homemade nachos

A foodie’s parody of Fifty Shades and other romantic fiction, by Fliss Freeborn. This is genius level writing. https://studentcuisineforthegloomyteen.com/2021/03/21/50-shades-of-chicken-satay/

Termitomyces Titanicus is the world’s largest edible mushroom… at up to three feet across, it definitely lives up to its name! https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/termitomyces-titanicus-largest-edible-mushroom

As price rises and the NI hike bite, many will find it harder to feed themselves. Here is a useful BBC guide to food poverty, including how to seek (and give) help: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/food_poverty

Thinking about having a barbeque? Here’s how to avoid your food flipping/rotating around on the skewer, something which really annoys me! https://lifehacker.com/how-to-keep-your-meats-from-flipping-around-on-the-skew-1848849185

Jack Monroe’s Twitter “no waste” cookbook: https://twitter.com/BootstrapCook/status/1516118968280432641

Burmese coconut chicken noodles

  

I first saw tomato stems being used as an ingredient by Rukmini Iyer on Saturday Kitchen, and was intrigued about the idea of imparting extra tomato flavour by using something I’d ordinarily throw away. https://lifehacker.com/you-can-eat-tomato-leaves-and-stems-no-really-1847674203

As soon as I was able to eat solid food, I was fed my Mum's delicious home cooked Bengali-Indian food. So it surprises me that decades later (I'm old!) we are still wondering if babies can eat spices and/or strong flavours. https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/16/why-its-ok-to-give-your-baby-spicy-food-and-how-to-do-it-safely-16650869/

Recipes

Recipe for Tibetan vegetarian Thukpa noodle soup, with spring onions and pak choi, at Kavey Eats blog:  https://www.kaveyeats.com/tibetan-vegetable-thukpa-noodle-soup

Marcus Wareing’s recipe for Ras-el-hanout-spiced chicken and herby wild mushrooms with chargrilled, garlicky sourdough toasts: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spiced_chicken_with_wild_39868

What chefs make when they are feeling under the weather, from ramen to tom yum to tomatoes on toast: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/mar/25/it-hugs-your-soul-10-dishes-get-you-fighting-fit-after-illness-ramen-noodles-spicy-tom-yum-soup

Black bean chicken with steamed rice

 

Japanese chicken stew Chikuzen-ni, with burdock, carrots, bamboo shoots and lotus roots: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chikuzen-ni

Three recipes for asparagus: asparagus with roasted Jerusalem artichoke and blue cheese, asparagus minestrone and bang bang asparagus: https://metro.co.uk/2022/04/19/asparagus-season-three-easy-and-delicious-recipes-to-try-16492307/

Dr Rupy Aujla of “The Doctor's Kitchen” shares his speedy recipe for Greek-style beans: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/greek-style_beans_55449

Chicken Congee (Rice Porridge) - Chao Ga Recipe by Helen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mOjTiVeHs5c

Jack Monroe’s Dal makhana – a cross between madhi dahl and shahi rajma – low cost cooking for the slow cooker: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dal_makhani_30779

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

My recipe for Risotto Primavera: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2020/07/risotto-primavera.html

TV

Derry Girls Season 3

Film

The Father

Mindhorn

Music

Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion

Depeche Mode – Black Celebration

Rest in peace, Andy "Fletch" Fletcher of Depeche Mode. The news of your passing is a great loss to electronic music.  

Spanish style Bomba rice with chorizo, prawns and peas

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

Risotto Primavera

Risotto Primavera is a dish which has the fresh flavours of green vegetables and in Italy, would be enjoyed in the Springtime. It should look like emerald jewels in creamy, indulgent, oozy rice. Here in the UK, fresh broad beans and fresh peas arrive a little bit later. If I can't get hold of fresh broad beans or peas, I am happy to use frozen. Fresh asparagus is something I don't like to compromise on. I'd rather leave it out than use tinned or asparagus in a jar. Maybe that's just me.  

 

I am going to do something which is unorthodox in this recipe, and I hope you won't mind. I have some rinds of Parmesan cheese I've been keeping in the fridge. I'm going to add them for their umami flavours into the risotto. They will have to be retrieved, but the effect will still be evident in the final dish. You can save Parmesan rinds in your freezer, either for making a risotto, or to put in your stock or a soup.

I am using Vermouth in this risotto. You can use another white wine as a replacement. Verdicchio is a good wine to use, and it gives you the option of enjoying the rest of the bottle with your dinner.

Snig's version of Risotto Primavera

(Serves 2 greedy people, or 3)

 

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons of olive oil
half a stick of celery finely diced
onion, both finely diced. 
3 cloves of garlic, very finely diced 
140g of Arborio risotto rice 
half a glass (65ml ish) of extra dry Vermouth
500ml heated stock (vegetable or chicken)
Optional leftover rinds of Parmesan cheese
some sliced green beans for 4 minutes
a third of a mug of frozen Petit pois
a third of a mug of double podded frozen broad beans 
sliced asparagus 
15g of butter
a couple of tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese
  

Method: 

1. Two tablespoons of olive oil, in which I am softening half a stick of celery and an onion, both finely diced. Six or seven minutes to get them soft without browning. 

 

 
2. Then I add three cloves of garlic, finely diced to the pan. If you are less keen on garlic, one or two cloves will be fine. Remember, garlic has lots of health benefits, including being anti-viral! Cook for five minutes on a low heat.  

 

 

3. Next goes in the rice. I'm cooking for two, so I weighed up 140g of Arborio risotto rice. I'm frying it for just under two minutes, stirring frequently. You need to keep it moving at this stage to avoid burning. 

 

 
4. Next is half a glass (65ml ish) of extra dry Vermouth. Turn up the heat, bring to the boil. Stir frequently. Keep it moving. It takes just under 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol enough for the next step. When you can't smell the alcohol, you're ready. 

 

 
5. Now is the time for the hard work. You need to add heated stock (vegetable or chicken) ladle by ladle. You need to keep stirring it, to help the rice absorb the liquid. 

 

 
6. I am going to do something which is unorthodox. I have some rinds of Parmesan cheese I've been keeping in the fridge. I'm going to add them for their umami, although I'll have to dig them out later.

 
7. I parboiled some sliced green beans for 4 minutes. I then added them to the risotto. Even after adding the veggies, the stirring must continue. As the liquid disappears, I add more ladles of stock. 

 
8. Next goes in sliced asparagus. You can see I've added stock and kept it moving.

 

 

9. Finally, I add a third of a mug of frozen Petit pois and a third of a mug of double podded frozen broad beans. I added them in when the rice was Al Dente. You don't want the rice tasting grainy or granular when you taste it.

 
10. After two minutes, stir in 15g of butter and a couple of tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Turn the heat off. Stir through. Put the lid on. Leave to rest for about 4 minutes.

 

 
11. Stir thoroughly, and serve in bowls.

 

 
12. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese. Around 2 tablespoons per bowl. Serve and enjoy immediately.