Hasselback Potatoes with Apple Chutney

Apples. I know I have already posted a picture of the apple tree from our garden. But just in case, here is a reminder:

Yup. A different one.

In fact, there are THREE apple trees back there taunting me with their heavily loaded branches. They know exactly that I should spent my time on something else than picking them all and I could swear there is a hushed giggle following each thud caused by another apple dropping down. You complained about a bad "apple year" last autumn? You want apples? We give you apples! Mean apple trees those are!

Actually, I should be happy about the plethora of tart, juicy fruits they are carrying this year. However, the only thing you cannot have too much of is money happiness, right?

So, as I am trying to use (and/or give away) as many of them as possible, there are going to be lots of apple recipes showing up on here, as I have mentioned before. Don't say I did not warn you.

This combination has a bit of a fusion cuisine touch to it with the hasselback potatoes originating from Sweden and chutney being associated with India and Pakistan. Hasselback potatoes are less of a recipe than they are a way of preparation. Make thin cuts (about 3-4 mm) into a (preferably waxy and broad for better hold) potato without actually slicing through. I put a few pieces of onion into mine, salted and topped it with a dab of butter and paprika powder. They were then baked in the oven on 220°C (425°C) for about 40 minutes, with pepper added afterwards.

The actual recipe is the chutney. I really like the combination of sweet, sour and savory. However, the recipe calls for a whopping 500g of sugar for 1kg apples! I sticked strictly to the recipe and found it to be overly sweet so I halved the amount the next time and it was just sweet enough this way. It works great with potatoes and pork like I served it. Chicken works just as well so does cheese or a fondue.

Apple Chutney

The original can be found here (German).
Makes a lot! But you can store left-overs in jars.

• 1kg (35.3 oz.) apples (preferably sour), peeled and cut in thin slices.
• 250g (8.8 oz.) onions, finely chopped.
• 1 clove of garlic (I used 3), finely chopped.
• 375ml (12.7 fl. oz.) vinegar (while the original recipe suggests wine vinegar, I used cider vinegar)
• 500g (17.6 oz.) sugar (I would suggest 250-300g)
• 3 tbsp ground mustard seeds (I used freshly ground brown mustard seeds which are milder in taste)
• 2 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
• 1 ts cayenne pepper
• 250g (8.8 oz.) raisins

1. In a large pot, combine all ingredients but the raisins and let simmer for an hour, stirring it from time to time.
2. Add raisins and let cook for another 15 minutes (I always add the raisins right away and never found anything to complain about this way.)

The chutney is done when it does not run off a spoon anymore.

You can store it in jars like jam if you want to right away, or heat up any left-overs and store those. Here is a great instruction on sterilizing jars. 

Enjoy!

Indian Sweet Potato Dessert

It's warm outside. Soothingly warm. I have mentioned before that this year's summer did not mean well with us so every single day temperature rises above 20°C is precious. In fact, they appear so precious you kind of want keep them in your pocket so you can take them out again when you know exactly that you have got the time to make the most of it. Writing these words, I just realised how odd that thought is. Imagine people had the ability to save sunny days for later. The result? Clouds and rain all year.

Anyway.

This recipe is a bit on the odd side. It's simple. And apparently, it's Indian. It was the dessert we have had the day we enjoyed last time's recipe and comes from the same source. The original only asked for three ingredients: Milk, sugar, and sweet potatoes. This particular dish was chosen for two reasons: Not only were we actually supposed to work on a project so time for cooking was meant to be short (uhm...), it was also meant to be an experiment.

You can imagine that this concoction can only get as pretty as good ol' mashed potatoes and is maybe a bit one-dimensional flavour-wise. So foresighted, we added about 100g of almonds we caramelized with a bit of sugar. Some of it went directly into the puree, the rest was garnish. Almost pretty, right?

Indian Sweet Potato Dessert

Adapted from here. Serves 4.

• 1 kg (35 oz.) sweet potatoes
• 930 ml (4 cups) milk
• 200g (7 oz.) sugar
• 100g (3.5 oz.) caramelized almond slivers (optional)

1. Peel and slice sweet potatoes.
2. Put in a big pot along with 600ml of milk, let it cook on low heat until potatoes are soft.
3. Remove from heat and puree completely. Add sugar and rest of milk, stir well.
4. Put pot back on heat and let it simmer until consistency is creamy.
5. Fold in caramelized almonds and garnish (optional).
6. Serve warm.

So. How was it? Actually, it was alright and I can see myself preparing it again. It was sweet, creamy and, well, sweet potato-y. But probably only when there are any left-over sweet potatoes. I know it's really, REALLY simple but hey, there is worse.

Mushroom & Pork Curry

How can you make a whole day working on a group project for university fun?

By choosing a subject that really interests you so the joy comes by itself? Haha. No.

By not making the day about work but food, silly!

That's exactly what happened when I met with two friends of mine for working on our project.

The only downside to this otherwise AWESOME method is that the working part might be getting a raw deal. I mean, we did manage to get the job done in the end. It just took a while. No regrets.

Caro, being just as much of a food enthusiast as my humble self (I detest the term 'Foodie' for so many reasons), has been very supportive since the moment I have mentioned that I am going to start food blogging. In fact, she is the one who provided us with this particular recipe from one of her cookbooks and suggested to write a post about it on the blog, even offering me to use her well superior camera for the photos. The only reason why I agreed on coo Who could say no to that, right? ;) So whenever a post offers pictures in a better quality than usually – you know at who's place I am.

Chocolate-Mint Tea with mint from my garden

Cooking with anyone else but yourself gives it whole different feeling. It is not just you and the ingredients anymore. You (might) win time, but lose a bit of control. It was a different kitchen, different utensils, a different management of space. 

 I have found myself in situations where I was completely stressed out because the “cooking chemistry” just did not work out. People not really knowing what they are doing (not like that never happens to me), having the will but not the skill, people arguing over the right way of doing something and one person trying to keep the upper hand over that whole big mess.

There is a reason why people say that too many cooks spoil the broth and it is oh so true, even literally.

Been there, done that. However, you gain something even from those situations. You learn a bit about yourself and others, how you handle things and hopefully grow through the experience.

This time, it was different. There were us three, happily doing our tasks, chatting away about food and preferences, learning new skills and tips from one another and at the end, indulging in what we have just prepared together. Basically, we were getting inspired and having a good time.

Sometimes, it just works and sometimes it does not.

This time, it did. And the result was this mouthwatering, just slightly hot Indian curry.

Mushroom & Pork Curry

adapted from here. Serves 4.

• 750g (26.5 oz.) pork loin
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 2 onions, cut in rings (we chopped them into dices)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (we chopped them up, as well)
• 2,5cm (1 inch) piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 2 fresh green chili peppers, chopped up and seeds removed (we only used one red chili pepper because Caro, while being a sucker for Indian food, cannot handle the heat. Yeah, I also found that amusing), or 1-2 TS of chili flakes.
• 1 1/2 tbsp medium hot yellow curry paste
• 1 ts ground coriander seeds
• 200-250g mushrooms, cut into thick slices
• 900ml (3 4/5 cups or 30.4 fl. oz.) chicken or vegetable-broth (we used the latter)
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2-1 ts salt
• 50g (1.8 oz.) coconut cream (we used about 100g because, you know... the heat)
• 2 tbsp ground almonds (we used 100g simply because we did not want to let the rest of the package come to waste and because, you know... the heat)
• Basmati rice to serve

Garnish:

We omitted the garnish and only used sliced chili peppers

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 green or red bell pepper, cut in slices
• 6 scallions
• 1 ts cumin seeds 

1. Cut pork in bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat up oil in a pan, sauté pork, stirring continuously. Set aside.
3. Add onions, garlic, ginger, chili peppers, curry paste and coriander seeds to the pan, sauté slightly for 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, broth and tomatoes plus salt.
4. Add meat again, cook on low heat for 75-90 minutes or until meat is tender.
5. Stir in coconut cream and almonds and let it keep cooking on low heat covered for further 3 minutes.

For the garnish:

1. Heat up oil in a pan.
2. Add scallions and bell pepper, sweat before stirring in cumin. Cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Spread over curry and serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Om. Nom. Nom.

You know what else feels a bit different when doing with others around? Taking photos of the dish! You feel a bit ludicrous taking the pictures while the rest is watching, indulging in what you have just prepared.