Rubbishy Cookery

  While recently in Portugal, I enjoyed many variations on lemonade. Strawberry was a popular flavour, but at one special patio café near the famed “Triangle” neighbourhood in Lisbon, the sign read: “strawberry, ginger, mint”. When I asked for the special lemonade, the server asked me which one I wanted—silly me, I thought it was all three flavours combined! But they were happy to accommodate my initial expectation and so I was able to enjoy an ice cold glass of strawberry-ginger-mint lemonade. What a combo! Here it is! Ingredients: Directions: I used a generous handful of frozen strawberries, a sprig of garden fresh mint, about a half tablespoon (?) of peeled fresh ginger, two or three generous soup spoonfuls of frozen concentrate lemonade, then added two ice cubes and water to the Vitamix: Here’s a side view: Let ‘er rip: Pour and enjoy on your favourite patio with your favourite Portuguese literature: Obrigada!

  This is a Japanese-ish light dinner that is simple, but will knock your socks off with the subtle complexity of its flavours and textures. I didn’t invent it by any means, but it’s a mish-mash modification of actual recipes and deconstruction of dishes I’ve had at Japanese restaurants. Ingredients: The broccoli isn’t really part of the recipe, I’m just making it as a side dish. Directions: First, prepare your mise en place: Finely chop the ginger and chop the scallion into fine rings as above. Try to handle your extra firm silken tofu gentler than I have so it emerges from its packaging in a solid block rather than two iceberg shaped pieces with extra bits. Chop the silken tofu into delicate bite sized cubes. I’m saving half of my block for another day, possibly for a miso soup (see Recipe #2): Meanwhile, as I heat up a pot of water in which to cook my soba noodles, why not take advantage of the resultant steam for my broccoli side: After a few minutes, I have perfectly steamed a...

  This is a great tea to have when you’re battling a flu or cold bug, or if you just can’t get rid of a tagging post-RSV cough and have to go to a classical piano performance and don’t want to be that person coughing throughout the show. Hypothetically. Ingredients: Note the fancy turmeric “golden milk” powder blend. This is not necessary and plain ground turmeric will do. I just happened to be given this product by a friend who hated it and gave the rest to me knowing that I like weird stuff like this. And I do! Directions: Get a big travel mug and personalize it so that nobody will “borrow” it and you’ll never see it again: Heat up some water in your kettle to a less-than-boiling setting, if possible, or to boiling if it’s your kettle’s only option. Just don’t burn your mouth on top of everything else! Peel a chunk of ginger: Then cut it into thin slices directly into your mug: Add less than a teaspoon of turmeric powder—a little goes a long way: And a generous spoonful of honey,...

  Warning: this post isn’t just rubbishy, but it’s also sad and pathetic in tone and spirit.  This is a great recipe for when you have a nasty viral respiratory infection. And possibly still recovering from a lower limb injury. Should you find yourself in that most unfortunate situation, but still able to cook. Kind of. Also, if this was a major part of your childhood: If this book in particular, and Maurice Sendak in general, weren’t a major part of your childhood, run don’t walk to your nearest library and check it and him out. I’m just assuming that this recipe is going to turn out well, because of my confidence and current health pickle. I’ve never made chicken soup with rice this way before, nor have I ever made chicken soup with rice in the dead of summer, but here we are. Ingredients, part I: Ingredients, part II: Very important ingredient close up: Yes, this is a quick and easy chicken soup, and fits in well with the blog’s rubbishy cookery theme. In an ideal world, it...