quince and rosehip jelly

Sometimes

I wish Sunday is Monday

and Tuesday

and Wednesday

even Thursday.

You might be surprised

but

sometimes

I wish Sunday is Friday 

and Saturday.

When Sunday is calm and fragrant like this one today, who wouldn't wish to have it more often.

QUINCE AND ROSEHIP JELLY

serves two

one quince, cored, and cut into about 1cm wedges (don't peel)

1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

water, just enough to cover the fruits

2 tbsp sugar

~

rosehip tea bag

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

10g agar-agar 

2tsp rosewater

Place quince wedges, water (just to cover fruits), sugar and lemon in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat and cook gently for about 15 minutes, until quinces are tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer quinces between two bowls and let liquid cook for few more minutes.

Make a tea, rosehip tea in a cup (cover tea bag with 300ml recently boiled water adding sugar and lemon).

Combine tea, 250ml and liquid from cooked fruits, 250ml in a saucepan and add agar-agar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then add rosewater. Pour liquid over cooked quinces and leave to set at room temperature for few hours.

Meanwhile you might consider making paper cranes, or do whatever suits your nature! 

pot of wonder

It all began with a bowl standing on the kitchen table. Crowded vegetables peeped out from it. And one lemon, and few avocados, they also peeped from a crowd. The bowl with crowded vegetables stood on the kitchen table. It stood there for days. It’s not a secret that vegetables are magical. One afternoon, late summer afternoon, bowl magically turned into a pot of wonder.

And this is what happens almost each time when we look long enough in all these bowls, booths, shelves, buckets crowded with fruits, vegetables.. only magic changes. 

Involtini my way ~ Stuffed eggplant and zucchini bathing together in tomato sauce  

2 eggplant (big)
1 zucchini (big)
7-8 baby leeks
1l tomato juice (homemade preferable) 
1l hot water
1 sweet potato (big)
3tbsp Crème fraîche
2 handfuls fresh chopped parsley
sunflower oil 
mature cheddar 
salt, pepper, sugar


I admit, preparation time for this dish is not minimal but some things can be done in advance, so don't be alarmed. Also, it's been confirmed by one person of having one of the most hilarious dreams after eating this dish. Sleeping on a potato is quite an experience?! You never know when magic ends. If you are creative enough it can be permanent.

PREPARATION

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 200C.
Peel sweet potato and slice it into small cubes (about 2cm). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and drizzle with oil evenly and sprinkle with salt. Bake until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Leave to cool.

STEP 2
While potatoes are in the oven, you can prepare eggplants and zucchini for a hot grill. 
Cut eggplants and zucchini lengthwise into tin slices (about 3mm thick), sprinkle generously with salt and leave to drain at least 20 minutes.

STEP 3
Trim the ends and roots of the baby leeks and wash them carefully. Chop them finely and put into a large frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil. Fry leeks over moderate heat until tender and slightly colored. Add a tsp of sugar and stir. Add tomato juice, hot water and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for  about 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 
STEP 4
Before brushing eggplant and zucchini slices on both sides with oil, make sure they are dry (remove extra liquid with kitchen paper towels). Place nonstick pan or ridged cast-iron over medium-high heat. Working in batches, grill eggplants and zucchini slices, turning them until soft and (if using a ridged cast-iron) crisscrossed with grid marks. Set aside and leave to cool.

STEP 5
Make stuffing. Place baked sweet potato in a blander together with crème fraîche and blend until smooth. 

STEP 6
Spread eggplant and zucchini slices on a surface, and place about 1 to 2 teaspoons at one end of each slice. Roll up slices tightly to secure filling, and place on a plate.

STEP 7
Assemble.
It's finally time for heavy machinery. They’re big and they’re heavy but they are the best. Enameled cast iron pots!  
Place about 200ml of tomato sauce in the bottom of the pot. Place rolls in a single layer and spoon again about 300ml of tomato sauce. Sprinkle chopped parsley and repeat layers, rolls, sauce, parsley and top with tin slices of mature cheddar.

Bake in a preheated oven (200C) for about 30 minutes.

 

the time is now

Did you know that Julia Child didn’t publish her first cookbook until she was fifty!?

I didn’t, and knowing this makes me a bit calmer as I eat up myself (and everything edible that comes my way) for being late in everything I am passionate about and love.

And did you know that mykitchenkiosk didn’t share a post for last three months!?

.

.

I have to be apologetic. It’s been quite some time since the previous post and I am sorry. And it’s not the first time it happens.

I could be writing endless list of valid and schmalid excuses (division of excuses according to beautiful Danielle Krysa) but why? Cooking brings so much joy and happiness and I find it very relaxing and there is no excuse for not sharing that creative process and outcomes more often with all you guys.

But I am not to be blamed, the jerk of an inner critic is the one to be blamed. There I admit it and worry no more.. or just a bit..

.

But it's Friday evening, probably the most loving time of the week and time to do some baking especially if you crave for some sweets and it's raining outside.
I ate raspberries for breakfast this morning. What a treat as these are probably last fresh raspberries of the season. I really love eating them just as they are, fresh and seducing. But they get along so well with cheese, goat cheese, and right now I want them with cream cheese, baked and covered with dark, dense batter. No more talking, let's make some RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIEs

The recipe is from 2012, created by super talented Linda Lomelino, owner of food blog call me cupcake and there is no need to change it because it's perfect as it is.

For the brownie base you will need:
225g melted butter
4 large eggs
4dl sugar
1,5dl all-purpose flour
1/4tsp salt
1dl cocoa powder
1dl milk powder
2tsp vanilla extract

and for the cheesecake layer:
225g cream cheese
1/2dl sugar
1 large egg
3tbsp all-purpose flour
100g fresh raspberries 

Preheat oven to 175C. Layer a 23x33cm or as I did a 38x26 cm pan with baking paper.

Brownie mixture - Melt the butter and leave to cool and meantime mix sugar and eggs in a bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. In another bowl combine dry ingredients, flour, salt, cocoa and milk powder. Add the melted butter to egg mixture and mix until incorporated and dry ingredients and vanilla extract. Mix everything until smooth.

Cheesecake layer - Mix everything until smooth.

Pour 3/4 of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Pour cheesecake batter on top. Then dollop the remaining 1/4 of the brownie batter over the cheesecake layer. Drag a fork through the cheesecake layer to create the swirls. Put raspberries on top and let bake for about 40-45 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Let cool before serving.

Acknowledgements for this post

Danielle Krysa - Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk

Linda Lomelino - Call Me Cupcake