Sharing Lockdown

As we get through to the end of day two I have been thinking about my blogs and in six weeks I would have been departing on another gorgeous Scottish tour and sharing our daily itinerary with you all.

So I thought I would share lockdown at 1290 Luggate Tarras Rd, where we have no neighbours, two ginger cats Winston and Murphy and a property that requires ALOT of work and a garden. But, since I come from a foodie background I thought I would record our meals and lifestyle.

Prior to making our hasty decision to drive from our cute little house in Dunedin with lovely neighbours to the Countryside of Central Otago on Tuesday night. I did visit the butcher and bought meat that I could cook slowly and get 1-3 meals out of i.e. Cross Cut Blade, Beef Cheeks, Lamb Hocks, Pork Belly Slices and bones for stock and soup. Next was Common Ground for essential coffee beans, followed by a selection of fruit and vegetables. I had already bought up dried beans, rice, pasta a variety of lentils, polenta etc. My last visit was to Paul at Wine Freedom – quite a big bill – but essential all the same.

Arriving late at night meant quick and very easy:

Fresh Pasta with our own Cherry Tomatoes

250 grams fresh fettucine

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 cloves garlic crushed300-400 grams cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

salt / pepper

2-3 basil leaves (optional)

handful fresh grated parmesan cheese

Fill a good sized saucepan with water. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of extra Virgin olive oil gently. Add garlic and when starting to colour add the tomatoes. Cook until soft and starting to break apart. Add sugar and season with salt and pepper.

Drop pasta into boiling water and simmer for 3-4 minutes.Drain pasta.

Add cherry tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to warm bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

Serves 2 

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Day 1

Day 1

This is really going to happen and Central Otago starts with a grey cloudy day that eventually turned to a cool rainy evening. A rather gloomy start for our confinement. But lovely to be around a fire.

Pork Belly Slices in Orange and Soy
 
6 Pork belly, cut into 10 thick strips 
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
juice and zest of 1 orange
1 cm piece of ginger, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 fresh chilies, deseeded and chopped finely
1 disk of palm sugar or 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
 
In a large frying pan heat the oil and sear the pork strips on each side in batches until brown.
Return all the strips to the pan and cover with water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the poaching liquid.
Add the stock, soy sauce, mirin, orange juice and zest, ginger, garlic, chillies, sugar and spices.
Bring to the boil. Cover and gently simmer for 1 hour. Remove the lid until and cook for a further 30 minutes until thick and syrupy.
Serve ontop of the zucchini and noodle pancakes with the reduced stock drizzled over the top.
 Sprinkle with chopped coriander to serve.

I actually only served 2 pork belly slices each. I have two more that I will use in another dish in a couple of days.

Courgette and Noodle Pancakes
 
40 grams vermicelli noodles
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup rice flour
1 courgette grated and squeezed to remove moisture
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 egg whites
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
 
Soak noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain.
In a medium sized bowl combine coconut milk and rice flour. Add the noodles, grated zucchini and coriander.
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks then gently fold into the noodle mixture.Season with salt and pepper.
Heat ½ cm of oil in a frying pan. Cook a large spoonful of mixture in batches until lightly golden on both sides. I made 4 patties – 2 each.
Serve topped with pork slice and drizzle with sauce .

Sprinkle with chopped coriander to serve.

So day one enabled me to raid the neighbours fruit trees (with their permission) – Quince, so many apple varieties and pears – no shortage of fruit for preserves, baking and meals – maybe I can sell them from the gate!!

Have fun filling bowls with surplus fruit if you have some or maybe even tree cones, nuts or Autumn leaves. Fill vases with herbs, branches of shrubs or seeded plants. Making my living environment interesting and creative helps me and enables me look at possibilities that I usually wouldn’t think of.

I’m aware the font is not so consistent . it will get better. !!

Take Care Stay Safe

XXX Jude