Sharing Lockdown Day 2

It’s a working day for Phil and he spent most of his day on Video conferencing which he said is quite hard since they just keep going and don’t stop for a morning or lunch break.

I spent a couple of hours in my happy place …. multi tasking.

I started with scones for Phil. My favourite Orange and Date.while they were cooking I blanched a bowl of tomatoes that were going quite soft in boiling water and sautéed an onion and a couple of garlic cloves to start a Fresh Tomato Soup.

The oven was hot after the scones came out golden and smelling of deliciousness. I thought I would make a pumpkin lasagne for dinner . We bought 3 grey crown pumpkins for $10 on the side of the road south of Roxburgh. The best way of roasting vegetables is to chop them into smallish pieces, toss in olive oil and bake at 200 C for 30-40 minutes. I baked off the whole pumpkin enough for my lasagne and for soup. It looks after itself in the oven and gains more flavour than being boiled.

I also bought 2 bags of beef bones from my butcher in Dunedin so they went into the oven too at the same time as the pumpkin. Once they were crisp they were transferred to a big saucepan with 2 onions and a few peppercorn , covered with cold water and simmered for several hours. It will become the best beef stock for soups and casseroles in the coming weeks .

Fresh Tomato Soup

A Kilo or so of fresh tomatoes

1 onion, finely diced, 2 cloves garlic crushed

500 mls chicken stock

Cut a slice on each tomato, Cover with boiling water.Leave for 5 minutes – remove the skins.

Meanwhile saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. add skinned tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes .

Puree. Season with salt and pepper and serve .

It was a day to begin to looking at our surroundings, take a brief walk between Philips meetings and pick some rosemary for a vase which for some reason we have plenty of.

2Orange and Date Scones

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons butter 

¼ cup milk 

1 cup dates 

Cover dates in boiling water. 

In a food processor pulse orange pieces.

Add flour, baking powder and butter. Pulse until combined.

Add milk and pulse until just combined. Tip out onto a bench with a little extra flour.

Press with your fingers into an oblong shape. 

Drain dates and tip along the middle of the dough . 

Fold over several time and press to make an oblong shape. 

Cut in half and in half again to make 8 scones.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or until golden. 

Pumpkin Lasagne 

Half a crown pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced 

 6 cloves of garlic

 Extra Virgin Olive Oil  – Sea salt and balck pepper

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk – maybe more

2 cups cheese – I used the left over blue cheese from the fridge 

Spread the diced pumpkin on a large baking dish. Add the garlic, Olive oil and seasoning. Bake at 200 C for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour and cook until bubbly. add the milk and cook until thickens. add cheese, season with salt and pepper. Add more milk to make sauce in pouring consistency 

Fresh Pasta sheets 

I forgot to buy some – so blitz 2 cups flour with 4 eggs yolks, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Into a ball. Leave to rest for 30 minutes and then roll out thinly. 

Cut into 4 and boil in a full pot of boiling salted water.

Layer pasta, pumpkin, sauce twice. Cover with grated parmesan cheese and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 – 30 minutes until golden. 

Oh my goodness its late . Please excuse the mistakes . we do live at Luggate Tarras Rd… Not Luggage.

I’m writing this a day behind so tomorrow my Partner Michelle in our Fonebooks has her Pizza contribution tomorrow. !!!

Stay Well Everyone . XXX

Jude