Fresh picked from the garden. Coated with olive oil and sea salt.
Spread on parchment or a baking mat.
Bake at 175C (350F) until crisp - guilt free deliciousness.
Happy Valentines Day from jLAmode!
[vegan]
Here's a vegan and dairy version of a classic - with a twist. Rather than baking a shortcake, fry it!
First, add sugar to diced strawberries to begin the maceration process - it draws the liquid out of the berries making a natural, flavourful syrup.
Combine flour, malt, sugar, coconut oil, salt, baking powder and nutmeg.
Add soy milk and vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
It should be a very thick batter. Scoop spoonfulls into medium hot oil and fry until golden brown.
Drain and allow to cool for a few moments.
Plate with strawberries and soft-whiped cream (or omit for vegan)
[dairy]
I've never cooked with fennel, so I though I'd give it a go.
Start by roasting some tomatoes and red peppers.
Then saute onions until caramelized (I added beet leaves for extra red colour).
Make a broth (I used carrots, fennel bulb, mushrooms, kale)
Blend the roasted tomatoes and peppers along with enough broth to make a proper soup)
Roast a slice of fennel bulb for each serving. Finish caramelizing the fennel in a frying pan.
That curry is unbelievably good. It can range from mildly warming to a searing sweat-inducing spice. Served with brown jasmine rice and cashews.
For a hot moderately hot curry, start with 2 tablespoons of curry paste, a teaspoon of crushed peanuts or crunchy peanut butter and a teaspoon of salt. Add these ingredients to a can of coconut milk and simmer.
The oil will start to separate out of the coconut milk when it's ready.
Add sliced or julienned vegetables, bamboo strips and Thai basil.Unfortunately, in the winter, basil doesn't grow. This dish is prepared with carrots, onions, peppers, napa cabbage and fennel.
In the summer, I'll post a proper green curry.
I decided to take a look back on my first year as a blogger. Generally it's been great! It's a wonderful chance to cultivate creativity and to maintain inspiration. I've also been more focused. Rather than blog about everything I'm working on, or post all my interests to the interwebz, I've been able to put an emphasis on three things (food, fashion and garden). I also have stretched my knowledge and grown as I've posted. I'd say I've expanded my culinary knowledge 30%. I've been inspired by the support of my friends, family and other bloggers.
There have been challenging times. It's not always easy to be inspired - art isn't something that's got an on/off switch. I've also got a real grownup job which always takes priority, so there's not always leisure time for blogging. There've been haters, too - random people who email me just to say how much they hate ... everything.
All the same, it's really been a good year:
- A total of 141 posts (almost three times as many as I'd planned on)
- Almost 100 food posts with more than 40 vegan recipes
- More than 3,000 unique visitors
- Viewers from New York, LA, Guam, Paris, Vienna, Zurich, London...
- More than 20% of the hits are returning visitors
- The most viewed post: http://jlamode.com/december-2012-gardening/
- 6,000 photos taken for posts
Here's to another great year!
J
One year anniversary of jLAmode!
Too good to be vegan! A local restaurant inspired me to make this flavourful stack. The patty is also gluten free.
First, set out the spices: garlic powder, dried chives, turmeric, salt, onion powder and smoked paprika.
Then mix with a puree of beans (nearly any kind will do). To help hold things together add tofu, oats and white rice flour.
Form the patty and give it a good fry:
Add some char for a deep flavour.
I baked fresh burger buns just for this:
Completed with lettuce, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, avocado and grilled onions. Served with a salad made of: fresh-from-the-garden mixed greens, toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.
This is a "souffle" not a genuine soufflé. It's also vegan.
Seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Garnished with brown sugar and pecans.
Personally, I think yams taste like puke so I try to make them edible. Perhaps I'll get ambitious and try my hand at a genuine soufflé made with sweet potatoes.
So good, with the fresh and acidic flavours of the fruit.
First, start with a sponge (a cake one). I make this one by following the following ratio - 1:1:1:1 Eggs, Fat, Sugar and Flour. That's the basis for the cake, but will require adding in the rest of the needed ingredients: flavouring (vanilla), salt, soda, powder, etc.
Bake in a fluted tart pan and cool on a wire rack.
Fill the top with either a custard, or whipped cream.
Arrange the fruit and brush with a pastry glaze (melted apple jelly or apricot jam).
Let the glaze cool for a few minutes to all ow it to set.
Slice and enjoy:
