Asparagus risotto

After picking our own asparagus last weekend and watching the first episode of River Cottage Spring. I now had a taste for it. So for dinner tonight we had Nigel Slater's asparagus and lemon risotto from The Kitchen Diaries book. Its very simple just add asparagus (which have been prepared and chopped into bite sized pieces) after adding the first couple of ladles of stock. When the rice is cooked, stir in some parmesan and the juice and rind of a lemon.


As the asparagus season is so short you really need to make the most of it. I am sure that I will post more asparagus recipes before the season is over.

Dhal Wars

This week in Veg Box we got:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Celery
• Spring greens
• Spinach
• Rhubarb
• Carrots
• Onion
• Potatoes

Andrew suggested that we had lentil dhal. I prefer to make mine with red lentils whereas Andrew prefers to use brown lentils. So here is my recipe, I am sure that Andrew will put his recipe on later.

• 200 g red lentils
• 1 onion, finely sliced
  
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
  
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 lemon

Put lentils, onion, red chilli, ginger, spices and tomatoes into a saucepan. Top with water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 mins or until lentils are soft. Then add the spinach and lemon juice, stir. Make sure the spinach has wilted and serve.

Andrew prefers the brown lentils as they keep their shape better. My dhal has a much softer texture.

We had it topped with yoghurt, served with rice and Andrew's flatbread.

A New Experience

Last weekend we went to back to see Andrew's family in Oxfordshire. Going to Andrew's is always great, I always come home with a new recipe from Andrew's mum (Lynn). Who is the only person I know with more cookery books than me. On Saturday we went asparagus picking. This was a new experience for Andrew and I.

We picked just enough for Sunday lunch, which was roast lamb. The asparagus was griddled, it was lovely. This was my first asparagus of the season. Which is very unlike me. Usually as soon as British asparagus is in the greengrocers, its in my basket and shortly afterwards on my plate.

We left with lots of goodies, a tigerella tomato plant, some basil, blackberry jelly and some of Andrew's dad's (Adrian) blackberry vodka. Another flavoured vodka to add to the collection. We are looking forward to the soft fruit season, so we can make even more.

Here's Amy (Andrew's sister), Lynn (Andrew's mum) and I enjoying our time in the asparagus fields.

Once again, we had a great time in Thame and it went too quickly!

Yet more brain food!!!

OK, I may now be taking the fish is good for your brain too far. But we had hot smoked salmon pasta from Waitrose.com.


Hopefully my efforts to eat more fish will be seen in more words being added to my thesis files!!! The things you do to finish a PhD!

Happy Birthday Em!

Today is my sister's birthday. For part of her birthday present I made her some skittle vodka. I remembered her telling me about it ages ago and wanted to make some for her birthday. It was so easy, I added 4 packets of skittles (minus the green ones, they make it go a funny colour) to 500 ml of vodka.

The skittles dissolve in the vodka in a couple of days. Then all you do is filter it. I'll let you know what she thinks.

Whilst researching how to go about making this vodka I came across this website by some students at Warwick Uni, who clearly have too much time on their hands!