Weekend Herb Blogging #315 - Recap

The fireworks are now a memory and we're off and running into the first week of 2012 - Thank you once again for joining in for another year of Weekend Herb Blogging.

I do love seeing the creativity on show - where the humblest vegetable becomes a show stopper. As usual, I've presented the dish in order of their main ingredient - gather your cutlery and a plate and enjoy the feast.

BEANS

Yellow Wax beans with lemon, garlic and herbs
Stash from The Spamwise Chronicles

Stash shares with us his favourite method of cooking vegetables with a recipe that can be easily adapted to suit most vegetables. After first blanching the beans, they are then stir-fried in garlic infused oil and finished with fresh parsley and mint


BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Brussel sprouts with almonds and pecorino cheese
Stash from The Spamwise Chronicles

Our second dish from Stash is one that is guaranteed to convert those sprouts haters. The sprouts are lightly boiled and then plunged in ice cold water so they keep that beautiful vibrant green colour. They are then sautéed in butter and served with golden silvered almonds, parsley and finely grated pecorino.


DELICATA SQUASH

Delicata Squash with Sardines
Simona from Briciole

I've not seen Delicata Squash before so I was doubly interested as the recipe involves one of my favourite fish, sardines. Simona first roasts halved squash until soft and then scoops out the flesh. She  cooks up shallot and thyme in a little olive oil before adding softened currants and then adds this to the squash along with mashed sardines.


GINGER

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
Cinzia from Cindystar

Necessity is often the mother of invention and this recipe for gingerbread is proof of that. Cinzia needed gingerbread for a stuffing recipe but alas none was to be found so she ended up making it herself! This gingerbread is flavoured with cinnamon, ginger and cloves and sweetened with molasses - the hardest part will be not eating it all and having something left to go in the stuffing.


GRAPES

Grape Jelly with Ginger, Star Anise and Vodka
Brii from Briggishome

We can always count on Brii to share photos of beautiful Lake Garda and share her excellent preserves and in this post we have both. Brii begins by cooking white grapes with slices of lemon and ginger (or star anise) until soft and then mashes them. This thick mixture is then drained overnight and the resultant liquid used to make the jelly. I especially like the instructions on the addition of vodka!


KALE

Almost Raw Asian Kale and Edamame Salad
Janet from The Taste Space

Janet has created a beautiful bowl of greens with her main course salad using raw kale - I think this is the first time I've seen kale served raw. The dressing is made with lime juice, sesame oil, agave nectar, garlic and garlic and is first tossed through the kale so that it begins to wilt. The dish is then then topped with edamame and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.


MIXED VEGETABLES

Panang Vegetable Curry
Joanne from Eats Well with Others

We'll all be eating well if we follow Joanne's recipe for this vibrant vegetable curry. The flavoursome base is made with shallots, panang curry paste, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, chiles de arbol and coconut milk. The vegetables used are butternut squash, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers with cubes of firm tofu added to help soak up that wonderful curry sauce.


SPINACH

Creamy Baked Spinach and Mushroom Rotini
Claire from Chez Cayenne

Claire has created wonderfully warming, dairy-free comfort food to help see you through the cold weather. The white sauce is made using almond milk and this is stirred through cooked fusilli along with spinach and sautéed mushrooms - placed in baking dishes it's then topped with panko crumbs to give you a lovely crisp crust.


APRICOT

Apricot and Semolina Cream Tart

Poached apricots sunk into semolina cream, encased in buttery pastry - why yes, I shall have another slice.


If there are any errors or I've left someone out, just shoot me an email and I'll fix it right up.

I look forward to seeing what's on offer next week when Simona from Simona's Kitchen is hosting.


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