Coddled Eggs

Coddled Eggs

Thursday 21 January 2016



Summer garden and fun in the sun




I'm totally loving harvesting the vegetables as they come ready and making  meals fresh out of the garden
This is a broad bean soup from a Recipe book I purchased online after discovering the blog
Manger.
I just love the blog and the book.
 http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-France-Year-Cooking-Farmhouse/





FOR THE SOUP
  • 1 pound (450 grams) shelled large fava beans (from 4 pounds/ 1.8 kg in the shell; see Note)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) chicken or vegetable stock
FOR THE GARNISHES
  • 5 thin slices pancetta
  • 1/2 stale baguette, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) mascarpone
  • A large handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • A pinch of pimentd’Espelette (optional)
  • START THE SOUP. Snap off a tip of each pod and squeeze out the beans. Peel the outer layer off each fava bean and discard. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the fava beans, garlic, and potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the stock and enough water to cover the vegetables; season again with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potato is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
  1. Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Fry the pancetta in a sauté pan over medium heat until golden and crisp. Scoop out with a spoon and drain on a paper towel.
  2. Rub the bread with the garlic clove and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Set the croutons aside to cool. Chop the pancetta and croûtons separately into little bits (you can use a food processor, if you’d like).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the mascarpone with 2 tablespoons of the chopped mint.
  4. When the soup is done, purée it, in batches if need be, in a food processor or blender and return it to the pot. Reheat the soup over low heat for a few minutes, then season to taste.
  5. To serve, scoop a little of the shallots, remaining mint, the croûtons, and pancetta into the bottom of each bowl. Pour in the hot soup and top each serving with a scoop of the mascarpone. Sprinkle lightly with piment d’Espelette, if desired. Serve immediately.


I also taught myself (thanks to youtube) how to make a garlic plait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIzZ3hAn9s
My garlic aren't very big but they taste good. For this next lot of planting I will buy the large organic  cloves and plant them .......but for now I can make do with these.



The other exiting thing is there has been a good berry crop for picking , that is if I can get to the berries before the grandchildren 



We have had some very hot dry days .The dust continues to blow and the grass has turned very brown.The poor garden suffers because of the lack of rain.











The ever present quail try to find morsels in the dry ground.


They have ventured up to the house .I just love them and tell my boys DO NOT SHOOT THE QUAIL.
The rifles are strictly for the bunnies.
I love how the Mum and Dad Quail work together to protect the babies.The male is often seen perched up high keeping a look out.



Of Course no hot Summer is complete without a visit to the lake and a fishing trip with father and Son..














So often there is no escaping the heat ...All that can be done is a short trip down the road to a swimming hole...





You can certainly understand why we have a fire ban .
It is so hot and dry .The smell of the hay is so sweet .Everyday we all find ourselves wishing hoping and praying for rain.It's an extraordinary wish for a girl raised in Southland.


Of course not everyday is outside so finding projects to occupy the littlies is always a challenge...


I got an adult colour book and pencils from a good friend and the children decided that they all wanted to colour in...





I have a new arrival too A kitten called Dawn but I will share that story on a new post. For now I am content watching the children play house in the back yard Whilst the man of the house works on an exiting project in the east garden ...




Playing mums and dad's and discovering treasures in the garden,...







and

Opa's New  Project

Leaving this post on a high note Our wonderfully talented daughter was performing in Hyde park in Sydney much to the delight of many little people.
It's funny that's she's so famous in Aussie....

Well my friends Enjoy


 “Summer set lip to earth’s bosom bare;
And left the flushed print in a poppy there:
Like a yawn of fire from the grass it came,
And the fanning wind puffed it to flapping flame.” 
―Francis Thompson, “The Poppy”





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