Raspberry and chocolate bread and butter pudding

We had a very busy weekend; two kiddies parties and a trip to Kruger but we still made time to get to the monthly farmers' market early on saturday morning. 

The market had a few surprises:  Fresh mushrooms, a wonderful makataan (type of watermelon used to make jam) and compost, which we ordered a full load of for the vegetable garden.  I went with my mom and together we collected a few bags worth of produce.  Actually, a bit more than a few bags full as you should have seen the size of the makataan; we had to get somebody to carry it to the car.  The market has a bit of kitch and a bit of cool.  A lot of ready made food and brilliant coffee.  Strolling through the stalls is probably one of the best ways to spend a saturday morning.

And then on monday I realized that I had a whole fridge full of ingredients for a meze style supper.  Far too much food though for our family and that's how I ended up inviting my parents for supper, on a monday.  This little impromto style dinner was one of my favorite dinners in a long time.  So easy to put together, but so enjoyable.  We sat outside and watched the sun set while eating and completely forgetting that it was the beginning of the week and not weekend yet.

Of course I had to do a bit of desert as well.  I bought some croissants earlier and had fresh raspberries in the fridge and just made some custard.  Easy to assemble and just as easy to eat.

Mango and almond cake

I think it is safe to say that we have plenty of mangoes at the moment.  Lots and lots.  And we just can't seem to get enough of it either.

Summer equals mangoes in this part of the world.  And mostly we just like them as they are:  Ripe and juicy, eaten sliced with the juice dripping down your arms.  We really go through dozens in a season.  And often that is what we will have for lunch on any given day.

But occasionally I get to safe a few and do something with it in the kitchen too, apart from slicing it and eating it myself.  

It was my turn recently to take eats to an orchid meeting, which always seems to happen at times when time just does not seem to exist.  I needed a cake and fast.  I thought of a Nigella cake I once made  with orange pulp and just knew that mango will be a good substitute.  The beauty of using mango though is, that you need not boil anything beforehand as with the orange.  Just slice (and don't eat) and process.

This is the kind of cake you can get your kids to make on a sunday for tea.  Really simple, yet fruity and moist.  

Eggs and a brocolli quiche

We've had a few chickens now for a month or two and my son just loves to go fetch the eggs each day. But for the last week or so, the nests were empty each day. We blamed the monkeys and the weather. However, today E came into the office with this huge smile, holding a bucket with sixteen eggs. It turns out, the hens did not like us pinching their eggs and decided to go and hide them amongst some plants in the garden.

So, if life hands you eggs, you have to bake a quiche.
The brocolli and peas are also abundant in the vegetable garden at the moment. I do not even bother to cook the veg before adding it to the custard when they are freshly picked. Just a quick rinse and a trim. And for the pastry, I always use Nigella's 'basic' recipe from her How to Eat recipe book. It is simple, very easy to roll and handle but very flaky and light. Perfection.... I can never wait for it to cool and have to taste a steaming slice straight out of the oven.

Brocolli quiche

For the short crust pastry:
Adapted from Nigella's How to Eat (http://www.nigella.com/product/default.aspx)

60g butter, cold and cut into small squares
120g plain flour
yolk of one egg
about two table spoons of ice water
teaspoon of lemon juice

Combine the butter and flour and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
In a food processor pulse the butter and flour until you have a bread crumb texture. Mix the egg with some of the water and the lemon juice and pour through the funnel. You may need to add a a few drops of water, but do so carefully. Mix until the dough just starts to come together. Place on a floured surface and gently press to form a flat disc. Wrap in cling film and let rest in the fridge for another 20 minutes.
Once rested, gently roll out on a lightly floured surface and blind bake for 10 minutes at 180°C. Remove the beans and bake for another 5 minutes.

For the custard:
6 eggs
125ml buttermilk
1 tablespoon thick cream
brie or feta cheese, cubed
sprig or two thyme or marjoram
2 florets brocolli
½ cup peas (fresh or frozen)

Combine the eggs, buttermilk and cream and whisk until just combined (I prefer to use a fork). Add the cheese, herbs, and vegetables. Season to taste and then pour into the tart shell. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes until just set. Remove and cool slightly.