asparagus soup

you need a load of asparagus, at least 1 kg. peel it. boil the peelings in half  selfmade chicken broth (altern.: use veg. soup stock cubes in water) and in (at least) half good white wine.  add a lot of fresh nutmeg, 2-3 slices of a lemon, cane sugar about 2-3 spoons, black pepper, a pinch of salt. boil for 15 minutes. not longer. (will get bitter!)
remove the peelings and the lemon slices, press the juice out through a sieve.
now add more nutmeg and more nutmeg, add salt to taste, a bit more good wine.
use some starch flower, stir with cold water and fresh nutmeg, add to the soup, add a real good chunk of butter, boil and stir again for a moment.
wait for a bit, now the soup should not boil anymore.
then whisk 2-3 egg yolks in.
that's about it.
good appetite.

Sag Aloo (modified, spinach-potato-ginger curry)

Sag Aloo

modified!

·         1 chopped onion, in sesame oil (or ghee if you have it), fry golden brown i a heavy saucepan or wok.

.    add  coriander seeds and cummin seeds each 1/2 teaspoon, cook 1 minute. 

     liquidise another onion in the mixer with 1/2 teaspoon each of chillipowder and coriander powder. add to the saucepan and cook 5 minutes. 

     in the meantime chop about 1 kg fresh spinach or 500 grm frozen spinach in smaller pieces, add to an extra pot with boiling water for 2-3 minutes only for fresh spinach, 5-8 minutes for frozen one. then remove the spinach out o the water and keep it separate.

     at the same time boil 500 grm potatoes, peeled, in about 1cm cubes in salted water, about 10-12 minutes.

     now add spinach and potatoes to the onion-spice-mix, add  1-2 green chillies, finely chopped, 2 teaspoons fenugreek, a 1/2 cinnamom stick, a few cardamom seeds. cook for about another 8-10 minutes.

     for the end, peel a good piece of ginger, at least 50 grm, chop in very fine slices, add this to the pot with about 1/2 can of tomatoes (about 100 grm), just leave it on the still hot oven, simmer only for 10 minutes. 
     
     stir in a bit of ginger powder and a hint of Madras curry powder.

     I like to add a bit of cane sugar, soy sauce and lime or lemon juice to taste.

     the potatoes should be well done of course, but i want my spinach still green.

lamb in the crockpot

lamb in the crockpot ( a clay casserole )

Cut lamb shoulder in cubes, marinate overnight with lemon juice, a lot of fresh thyme, pepper, salt, cane sugar and topped up with good olive oil.
Keep clay casserole in water for 30 mins.
Put all food in casserole, add a few tomatoes in quarters,a few potatoes in slices, an onion or two, a clove of garlic or two, add a few spring onions finely chopped , 10 allspice corns, 6-8 bay leaves, 10-12 corns black pepper, one medium size red chili, a good bit of ginger thinly sliced, a large stick of cinnamom, a table spoon of Ras el Hanout if available(otherwise a bit of cummin powder), a shot of portuguese hot piri piri sauce, a few spoons of Madeira, more cane sugar and lemon juice: put it in the oven, 45 mins at 200 degrees Celsius, then simmer at about 160 degrees for another 1.45 hours. 
You cannot go wrong.

If this is too hot and spicy for you: forget about it, all.
Eat somewhere else.
If you are vegeterian: don't do it.

Pink Floyd - Fearless