One-bowl lunch

This is definitely the end of winter! But the spring greens and veggies are not yet ready, we'll have to wait a few weeks, so in between, mizuna, brocolli, spinach, na no hana are the best options!

I find that mizuna really goes well with plain Japanese rice, so I prepared it on a rice bowl with some steamed brocolli, and I made some pork-okara-curry bites.

For the mizuna just wash it in clear water, the brocolli I steamed them on top of thd rice for 2 min, the bites, I mixed pork meat with 2 large spoons of okara, one egg, a spoon of curry powder, salt, pepper and cooked then golden. Served all in one bowl, topped with some sesame seeds.

I believed that the pork can be removed and replaced by a little of panko for a veggan experience.

Sticky millet croquettes

I discovered just recently while on a trip to Nagano prefecture that in Japan they grow some sticky millet. It looks very much like millet but once cooked it is much stickier.

I found this consistency perfect for vegan croquettes. So I mixed some boiled sticky millet with some vegetables sautéed I had in the fridge: a leek, half new onion, 2 small carrots gratted, one egg and a few linen seeds, and made croquettes that I cooked in olive oil in a frypan.

I also made a version with cheese but taste-wise without was really delicious and if the cheese makes the croquettes creamy and more golden, I don't think it is a must.

Sweet potato crust tart

Probably the last time I talk about purple sweet poratoes this year! There seems to be no more at the cooperative shop.

The other day I spotted on Instagram a really nice idea: instead of making the dough of the tart with flour, @acvb3 used thin slices of sweet potato.

I wanted to try badly but needed my mandolin that is in the country house. So finally, yesterday I could try.

I sliced finely one large purple sweet potato, olive-oiled them and lined them in a pie dish. I pre-baked them a little and then added a mixture of egg, silky tofu, sliced shiitake, na-no-hana. It's better for the mixture not to be too liquid because the potato crust might leak here and there so the tofu is really helping a lot here. Then I just baked it normally. It was really delicious!

Quick entrée

The other night we add friends over for dinner, but since I was busy at work I needed things that could be ready quite rapidly. Because my may dish was vegetarian I cooked the entree with egg and bacon. I made a batter of eggs, milk, salt and pepper like an omelette and cooked it in my new metal rings that I start to use pretty much every day!!! I grilled some bacon and prepare a leek fondue in olive oil. I used the circles again to prepare the plates and set a layer of leek under the egg and topped with the bacon. For a colour touch I added some fresh leaves of spinach and other leaves.

Delicious!

Stuffed cabbage

It's cold outside, time for a winter dinner again. Today I made stuffed cabbage. It's not that difficult.

I prepared a farce with veal, carrot, cabbage, onion and bread with milk. I kept big leafs of the cabbage and bleach them in hot water. 

Them I put the farce in the leafs and rolled them. I cooked the stuffed cabbage in a big pot with olive oil, when they're golden, added bouillon and waited for 20 minutes. It's ready. 

Crumpets

It's been sometimes I wanted something that changes from the usual scones/pancakes/crepes... I often prepare for breakfast and I was longing for English crumpets. I checked on my usual resource for English recipes: the bbc website and thought I could make crumpets right away. Not so simple. You need circles to bake them and you need baking soda, and instant yeast something I not often use. I must admit that I had to do some research too about the differences between instant yeast, active yeast, baking powder and baking soda...

So I finally manage to gather everything and cook them according to the bbc recipe. It was a little more fastidious and time consuming than expected but it was really worth it!!!

Some of the crumpets ready to be eaten!

The growing batter

Zucchini soup

Quick soup Mase with one zucchini and one small potato just steamed, mixed. I added some "chia" seeds and topped it with copes of gouda cheese, and that's it. A perfect diner for a cold evening.