Scran – Scribble & Scran

May Sun – Coffee Share

Athur’s Seat, The warmth arrives

6:15am and I start the day going through the comments on my blog, the comments I made on someone else’s blogs. Easy wins on the road to feeling like I’m making progress. It’s better than checking the news and scrolling aimlessly. I enjoy the connections I’m making, a friendly jibe about small talk. A comrade in arms in the technology space relating to my predicament on a technology project. The gardener and the writer all stepping out their personal projects. Friends from across the globe and a nice way to great the day.

I’m gearing up, trying to wake my body and get ready for Thursdays run. I never feel like the run on Thursday goes that well. Tired from the meetings and constant conversations, and as I write this the feeling of bailing on the run is conquered by knowing I need this runners rush to get through another day of dealing with the machine.

The sun is shining so I’m keen to the route up by Arthur’s seat and down the innocent railway, a circular route that keeps me motivated most the way. Still a nip to the air, but the first time without gloves and the extra layer. I can’t resist taking a few shots as I reach the park.

A runners view

On reflection as I write, can’t help thinking this exercise routine is helping me keep grounded, to enjoy the light and how it changes. Today the world feels green and lush, it’s fresh the puddles of rain still to dry up and this little part of the world is alive and ready for the rays.

What else has gone on this week:

We watched the final of race around the world last night as it was broadcast, unusual for us in itself to watch live tv. We were that engrossed. Couples competing (two brothers, 2 pairs of father daughters, a married couple and two friends) across Canada with back packs, no phone, limited funds, and 8 or so check points they need to make 52 days. Awe inspiring stuff, moving to tears and a sense of achievement.

BBC One – Race Across the World, Series 3, The Final

I’m also hooked on Slow Horses on apple TV, a back stabbing spy drama. Clever, whitty, plot turns.

On the cooking front:
I was in the Portobello fishmongers on Saturday, looking for inspiration for tea as well as buying a couple fillets of Hake. At the same time, I couldn’t resist picking up an Arbroath Smokie. A hot smoked haddock, didn’t need cooking on the day in order to stay fresh as it had already been cook. The smokie, a renowned Scottish delicacy originating from Auchmithie, a small fishing village 3 miles from Arbroath.

My first encounter of having an Arbroath smokie was attending the highland show at Blair Athol Campsite. One of the concession stalls had set up shop by rigging up a smokery and making these beauties on site. Wrapped in a brown paper, on a damp day after camping, it was just the ticket for an elevenses snack.

So armed with a smoked haddock, I had no idea what I was going to do with it! Until the pressure of being given tea duty on Tuesday night.

Omelette ala ready steady cook:

4 Eggs lightly beaten
Knob of butter
Arbroath Smokie, flesh removed from the bone, broken into pieces
Double Cream – 50ml or so
Hard cheese – 50g or so grated (Parmesan/Gruyere)
Bread Crumbs – 50g or so

Using a pan that suitable for the grill in the oven.
Turn the grill onto a high heat

All whist on the hob:
Bring the butter to a bubble on a gentle heat
Add the eggs, and cook for a minute flat, forming a little layer
Add the fish, scattered evenly
pour over the cream, slowly, not looking to over power the eggs
scatter the bread crumbs.
A little shuggle, then place under the grill

Will be fairly quick so keep an eye on the bread crumbs as they begin to toast (5 mins or less)

Arbroath Smokies

The #WeekendCoffeeShare is an informal weekly link-up hosted by Natalie the Explorer that serves as weekly heart beat and sort of of a mind-dump. Helps me reflect on my week, with a list of achievements, thoughts and rambles normally whilst drinking a beverage probably listening to music.

Six Week Running Update

With six weeks to go before the Glasgow 10k, it’s time for a running update. Sunday comes around quickly which means the long one! It’s about being able to run for a set amount of time rather than completing a certain distance. That said the longer the time, the obvious distance takes care of itself.

Rewinding back to the start of the month, Monday and we had blue skies. The start of some warmth that brought a little joy to the start of the week. Then the last couple of days have been driech and it feels like the haar is full throttle today. It looks like it’s in the distance, however in reality it’s like running through an invisible mist that absorbs heat. However, the plan says Sunday is run day. So come rain or shine, the shoes get put on and we go for it one foot in front of the other.

Slow start, steady pace, I’ve decided to head to the Castle today which meant facing into some gradient. Again, slow, and steady, passed through the meadows and up past Greyfriars. Arrived at the Castle within 25 mins, just over 3k. I was hoping to get a couple of eerie pictures in the mist. However, the esplanade seemed to be locked off. Don’t know if there’d been an event yesterday for the Coronation or this was the start of the build out of the stadium for the summer events.

Down the steps and by the side you can get the full on feel of the scale and ingenuity of building something on the rock.

The run home, no escape, I’d run too far not to do 5k, however I needed to run a bit further to clock up the minutes. Which then meant, I managed to cover 8k in 50 minutes. The watch seemed happy, a new record, longest distance.

How am I feeling as I write this…..the legs are tired, and I’m slowly stiffening up. It’s a good 4 hours after getting back and I’m feeling that after glow sensation, when you know you’ve put your body to use.

The process is working, Tuesday and Thursday two short runs. Sunday the big one, don’t tell anyone but I think I’m enjoying it!

I’ve been busy in the kitchen, but not full on with the camera. The pictures pile up, and no words are forth coming. A sign that the weeks are full on and the idea of spending more time at the PC doesn’t feel right for my mental state of mind.

That said there are a couple of lamb shanks in the oven, for tonight’s tea as I write this. Lightly fried to begin with in the big Dutch oven. Two onions diced and softened, 2 carrots peeled and diced, softened, a tablespoon of curry powder, two tins of tomatoes and the usual overnight soaked beans technique that are simmered for 10 mins before adding. Three hours or so and we have something to keep the wolf from the door.

Lamb Broth

A soup to sustain through a week of lunches. One of those days where I wasn’t sure what it was, that I was going to cook. Popped into the butchers and the assistant is on me within seconds, I should have asked for a little more time and so I felt a little pressured around some stewing lamb of all things. Hopeful that we would have the other ingredients at home.

Probably not the most authentic way to create a broth, however this is delicious and easy soup recipe that will last you through the week.

red split lentils – 150g rinsed
onion – 1 diced
stewing Lamb – 200g diced thinly
cauliflower leaves (optional)
garlic – 1 clove
curry powder – 1 tsp
carrots – 2
tin of tomatoes – 400g
courgette (optional)
stock – 1 litre
tin of kidney beans – 400g, drained and rinsed
pearl barley – 100g

Prep beforehand:

Rinse and soak your lentils is an optional thing you can do, at least 30 mins.
The Cauliflower leaves are really optional and my way of not wasting some really tasty leaves.
Dice the lamb even further if you have a good knife. Looking for nice soup size pieces.
Depending on your cauliflower, remove the outer leaves that have seen better days with a view to getting at the nice clean leaves. I find slicing the bottom away helps to get in there. Then prise the rest away. These need dicing.
Peel and dice the carrots.
Any other veg, hanging about in the fridge you want to use up. I had half a courgette looking for a home.

Method:
In a large saucepan, gently heat a glug of olive oil and soften the onion
Add the lamb and cook through. Two minutes or so.
Add the Cauliflower leaves, carrots and stir through.
Add the spice, just adding a little back note of flavour and stir through
Add the tomatoes, stock, kidney beans, lentils and barley, bring to a simmer
Place the lid on and then lower the heat, bringing the soup to just putter away for at least 30 minutes until the barley is nice and soft. Give it a stir every so often so as to stop the lentils and barley catching on the bottom

Drenched

Opened the blinds this morning to see it was chucking down, decided I had to go anyway. The final not very well planned training session before the 5k run at the Meadows that I’m taking part in. The boss convinced me to sign up in November and it’s done its job of keeping me semi motivated through the winter months.

Started with a steady slow stride. Just round the corner there is a major junction, lots of traffic lights and at 7 in the morning lots of folk in a rush. Edinburgh, I believe is in the running for the pot hole capital of Europe. Within a very few short minutes of starting I find myself drenched in icy muddy water as a tidal wave cascaded onto the paving. A morning commuter hits one of those competing potholes full of water as they decided they needed to be the first out the lights.

I curse and carry on at a slow pace, clocking up the strides, cold and dreich, not nice, and then the positive side of it, that the exercise is in the bag for the day!

I thought I’d flash back to what was on the menu last Saturday in the hope it might give you inspiration, and for me a reminder.

Blood Oranges are in season and I’d been sitting on a Rhubarb cake recipe from the Kew Gardens cookbook. A curd is made from the oranges and then combined as a layer in the construction of the cake. Rhubarb in first, use the upside-down cake kind of technique. When it went in the oven I was sure we were in disaster territory. I’d used too much sponge on the first layer and it was more like a bunch of dumplings sitting on a lake of custard in a sponge tin. Wow, should have had more faith in the recipe and myself. I’m minded I need to write a few notes on the recipe. The curd simple to make like a fresh custard and not to worry about the blood orange season which only seems to last two weeks. I adjusted the flour to be a little more wholemeal, a little less sugar and that worked.

Main, was a fillet of salmon in order to convince the boy it wasn’t a vegetarian meal being served, when really it was. The fish played the side role to Butter Bean Stew, Kale and Sticky Blood Oranges. Taken from The Modern Cook’s Year by Anna Jones. The butter beans, definitely a keeper, the hazelnut and sesame seed topping a keeper. The sticky oranges, a bit of a faff. All in the interests of learning.

I started the plumbing job that I’ve been shirking for months, opening up the paneling, to find a bath was in the way! A little bit obvious, but none the less very frustrating! I freed one tap off within a couple of minutes. Then an hour of lying on my back, a bike torch in one hand wrench in the other. I had to give up. I just couldn’t get in, couldn’t get an angle and zero torque when I might have got an alignment. So, in true DIY style we have a half finished job!

I’ve had one delivery of an 8 in 1 tool that promised all manner of success, to find it was just shy of the fitting and I await the postman on the next delivery of another wrench. I’m not giving up yet. I’m nervous though, dismantling is usually the easy part!

Spiced Yellow Peas and Chicken

It’s a cold Sunday in January, just that moment in the afternoon where the sky turns grey and then, in an instant, it’s gone dark before you’ve realised. There is a hard frost on the forecast, and something warming is a must. I’m cooking the Sunday night tea, with leftovers assured for a mid-week re-heat.

The night before, I even remembered to soak the split peas, alongside defrosting the chicken thighs that were languishing in the freezer. I smile as I reach for my favourite pan and thank the home cookery gods.

The split pea recipe is based on a find whilst I was snaffling through Persiana Every Day, the cookery book I’d gifted to my wife at Christmas. We’d tried it once as a vegan dish for dinner with friends and then repeated it several times. Adjusting it for the ingredients we had to hand and our meat-eating gym bunny.

As flexitarians we can go either way with this recipe. My son will look at the dish and think chicken. I’ll know it was the pulses, the combination of mild spice, the cauliflower leaves as a back note, the greens for colour and the silky taste of coconut milk combined with tomatoes that makes the difference with this dish.

In the kitchen alone, the tunes go on and before I know it the seeds start to jostle for position like they are sitting on a snare drum and desperate to escape. I add in a little oil, a diced onion, the diced cauliflower leaves that would normally be destined for the compost. They gently sizzle until softened. The diced chicken thigh next on a high heat, constantly turning and mixing through so as to not burn the onions. Then the spice, and in this instance it’s some leftover paste in the fridge but could easily be something from a jar on the spice rack. The aroma of heat, warmth and happiness hits the air.

Another minute as the spices jostle for authority, the pulses are added, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of coconut milk, the stock cube, 300ml of water stirred through and brought to a simmer. The lid is placed on for a good twenty-five minutes or so. Time to organise the cauliflower rice meantime.

There’s a final flourish at the end, the addition of a bag of spinach which will wilt down in a matter of minutes. This time I add shredded kale, placing the lid back on for another five.

I really hope that you try this recipe, it’s a toe in the water with spice, coconut and tomatoes. If you want to tweak it around the edges, change the spiciness then you can. Add a little crushed garlic and ginger at the start. You could use fresh chilli either at the beginning or as a garnish at the end. You can really make this your own, great for re-heating mid-week or tubed up for the freezer and brought out to cheer up that rainy day.

I need to finish it off, actually put the ingredients down etc. The bare bones of the method is there.

Beetroot and Chocolate Brownie

This week there are two beetroot in the veg box, huge bigger than tennis balls and by some mistake we’ve doubled up on the weekly shop. My mind immediately leaping to beetroot and chocolate as a way to cash in on the bonanza. Beetroot adds a dense moist texture with a sweetness that means we can use a little less sugar. This is great as a pudding served with a compote some ice cream or a spoon or two of Greek yoghurt.

Since buying a pressure cooking preparing beetroot has been a doddle. We typically put it on the potato setting and add a little extra water. If they are little bigger, they just need a little extra time, a nudge on the pressure dial and a couple of extra minutes.

20×30 shallow baking tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

Oven at 180°c, 350°f or Gas Mark 4

Beetroot: 300g (cooked from fresh, to the point of being soft, peeled and finely grated)
Butter unsalted: 250g roughly cubed for melting
Dark chocolate: 300g broken into pieces
Eggs: 4
Caster Sugar: 250g
Wholemeal self-raising flour: 200g
Salt: a pinch of fine sea salt

Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. As soon as it starts to soften, reduce the heat and add the butter. Stir until it has melted.

Meanwhile beat the eggs and sugar together within an inch of their lives, a good five to ten mins depending on the speed of the beater. Looking for pale light and fluffy, doubled in volume.

With the beater on slow, add the melted chocolate mix into the eggs, just looking to combine the two. Sift the flour and salt together over the chocolate. Adding the wheat grains back in. Gently fold this in and when it’s nearly combined fold in the grated beetroot as well. Don’t overwork this as we are trying to keep the air in the mixture.

Scoop the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, remember this will carry on cooking when you take out the oven and we want them to stay moist.

Leave to cool in its tin on a wire rack, before cutting into squares.

Rajma – Kidney Bean and Aubergine

Veg box came with an aubergine and pepper this week so along with my cook with a friend evening I thought I’d combine it with the recipe we’d picked. This is really loosely based on the Rajma recipe in the Dishoom cookery book. Let’s say it’s more inspired by the recipe as the book has you jumping off here, there and everywhere for other base recipes and this does nothing of the sort!

2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 large white onions, finely diced 3 large garlic cloves crushed Large thumb of ginger, finely diced
1 Red Pepper, stalk removed and dice	Optional or could use a chilli instead, watch the heat
1 Aubergine, diced bite sized pieces	Swap for a courgette, sweet potatoe or squash
1 tsp chilli powder of your choice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp chilli powder	Could use a half small jar of curry paste
2 tbsp tomato purée 1 (400g) tin chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed

This way of cooking is essentially a way of building up flavours, a base for those robust healthy beans.

Heat the oil in a large deep oven ready pan over a medium heat and add the onions cooking for 10 minutes, stirring regularly whilst you chop the other veg

Add the garlic and ginger, stirring through at regular intervals to avoid any catching on the bottom of the pan. Add the pepper if using and cook through, 10 minutes or so.

Add a splash of water if you need to stop it burning, caramelising and soft is what we are looking for.

Add the aubergine, turn over into the onions and cook through for a minute.

Add the spices and the tomato purée cooking through for 2 minutes.

Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, kidney beans and bring to a simmer, then place into the oven on a low heat (150°) for an hour or so, check in on it at the half way point, turn it over and add a little water if needed.

Versatilenti Soup …. Lentil Soup

I’m a big fan of a hearty soup and this one I come back to time and time again. It’s very versatile and great for tweaking in relation to any vegetables that might be left over in the fridge. Initially it started off as bacon and lentil and then I found a chilli languishing with the carrots. Mainly because the supermarkets don’t sell single chillies and so with a little ginger and some mixed spice it became a spiced lentil soup. Then with a little leftover chicken from the BBQ I added another tweak to make bbq’d chicken soup. Mainly keep to the core and then add your own touches and enjoy playing with it.

The Core:	Swaps/Optional:
2 tablespoons of oil 1 large onion finely chopped 2 sticks celery diced 3 medium carrots, diced 1 chili red or green, seeds removed and diced 1 thumb of ginger, peeled, diced finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp bouillon powder 1 tbsp mixed spice (ras el hanout or garam masala) 100g red lentils 100g puy lentils 50g dried pearl barley 1.5 litres of water from the kettle	Cooked chicken (add a couple of extra thighs to the BBQ!) to add in at the end of this recipe 180g bacon diced, ditch the chicken and fry before adding the onions Sweet potato, swap out a carrot or two 1 tbsp mixed of mixed herbs, ditch the chili, ginger and spice Just use red lentils, or brown, ditch the puy and barley. Just keep to the rough dried weight of 250g

The Core:

Swaps/Optional:

2 tablespoons of oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 sticks celery diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 chili red or green, seeds removed and diced
1 thumb of ginger, peeled, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp bouillon powder
1 tbsp mixed spice (ras el hanout or garam masala)
100g red lentils
100g puy lentils
50g dried pearl barley
1.5 litres of water from the kettle

Cooked chicken (add a couple of extra thighs to the BBQ!) to add in at the end of this recipe
180g bacon diced, ditch the chicken and fry before adding the onions
Sweet potato, swap out a carrot or two
1 tbsp mixed of mixed herbs, ditch the chili, ginger and spice
Just use red lentils, or brown, ditch the puy and barley. Just keep to the rough dried weight of 250g

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, soften the onion, celery and carrots with the chili and ginger if using – roughly 10-15 minutes
Add the garlic, mixed spice or herbs, the bouillon and cook for a minute or so turning over so everything is coated.
Add the lentils, pearl barley and 1.5 litres of water from the kettle
Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the lentils and barley are soft.
Remove a 2 or 3 ladlefuls of the soup and blend on the side, before returning to the pan which add that lovely soup texture.
Add the cooked, chopped chicken if using.

Hunkerdown Halloween

Hunkering down in town today. With gale force winds on the forecast it’s not a weekend to be exploring the hills. We’ve walked in with a few messages in mind.

For me it’s the ingredients that we don’t have readily available, the butchers and the whole foods store. We’ve recently subscribed to the guardian and so on waking I’m able to hit my favourite Saturday food section. This in order to broaden my skills and thinking in the kitchen. I use it as inspiration and a way to just say this is it, the choice whittled down to a few pages, what you going to make.

My favourite writers that brought me to the paper have long since moved, now it’s Rachel Roddy that brings me back. An ex pat living in Italy sharing homely recipes. Translating traditional Italian recipes, making them accessible with a writing style that inspires. A gnocchi made from semolina is on the menu tonight with a beef stew. Followed by an Almond based carrot cake.

Halloween this year is going to see me transition to a daily blogger, I’ve signed up to NanoPoblano2020. Possibly failing at the first hurdle of day -1 as it’s supposed to be about the goal, a plan so to speak. I have one in my head and the plan is to tackle this ……..you guessed it tomorrow. My son is waiting for me patiently to watch the Mandalorian.

The #WeekendCoffeeShare is an informal weekly link-up hosted by Eclectic Alli that serves as weekly heart beat and sort of of a mind-dump. Helps me reflect on my week, with a list of achievements, thoughts and rambles normally whilst drinking a beverage probably listening to music.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

It’s the weekend, I’m up early and know we haven’t much free time this morning, so in order to get lunch ready for when we get back from the messages I bang this in the oven before coffee and my ablutions. This recipe is perfect for minimal effort, rough and ready chopping, bang in the oven, tip into a pan with stock made from bouillon. Then using a hand blender, puree within an inch of it’s life and you are good to go for when you need it.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (400°F/Gas 6), whilst you prepare the veg.

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp olive oil
garlic cloves peeled
1 tsp of dried chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp bouillon
butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped 2 inch chunks
3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped to similar size as the squash
2 onions, peeled and quartered

Method:

In batches place the veg in a large bowl and drizzle some of the oil over. Just looking to coat the surfaces so use a spoon to turn the veg over. I find this a good way to use less oil before tipping into a large roasting tin
Sprinkle over the chilli flakes (these are hot to the uninitiated so if you are making this for kids, go sparingly or none at all)
Place the roasting tin in oven and roast 35-45 minutes or until the veg is nice and soft
Transfer the roasted veg to a liquidiser or a large stock/soup pan if using a hand blender and then add the stock and process until smooth