Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Exercise Class, Barrie's Farm, English Mustard.

I went to exercise class today, Monday, not having made it last week because of my back, sciatica, whatever. This week I need to go 3 times as there is no bowling and next Monday is a holiday so no exercise class. I did OK n the class but my back has been giving me hell ever since.

Then we went to the asparagus farm. No, not for asparagus, for honey. I was nearly out so we headed over there. Whilst there I got a punnet of blueberries which hopefully Matt will enjoy. He has been saying the blueberries he has tried lately are tasteless. I got myself some sweet corn too. Just two cobs as Matt doesn't eat it. Instead of my usual afternoon snack, I ate my corn, deeeelicious. I would love to eat more of it, but I don't want to put back the weight I lost and I could easily do this. I did NOT use butter - to me they taste delicious without. Talking of corn, have you tried microwaving it? I leave it in it's husk and nuke it for 4 minutes. Then removing it wearing an oven glove I cut off the end where the stalk is. Technically they say you can then just hold the end with the silk, shake it and everything comes off clean, never worked for me, but if you hold onto the silk at the end and then shuck the leaves, the silk comes off with the leaves. OK, in the picture I didn't do it that way, but I did on Monday.

Because my back was killing me we had a simple supper of devilled eggs and salad. I have mentioned before that I use English Mustard to make my eggs. The classic mustard is Colman's although it is marketed as Keene's in Canada. In England it is mixed into a paste and often eaten with roast beef or ham. A restaurateur we used to know always boasted he was so busy he had 6 men in the cellar making Colman's mustard. We used to always serve champagne cocktails, a good ham and Colman's mustard on Christmas morning. People tended to assume that the mustard was the same as the wimpy stuff found on this continent, we would warn them, but they took no notice and it would make us laugh to see the pain on their faces and the tears coming out of their eyes. We did warn them first. We tried to start this tradition in Canada but it never worked for various reasons. Pity.

I love chilled soups in the summer and this is a very unusual sound recipe. I found it in Food & Wine who send me a regular email.

Chilled Beet and Green Apple Bisque

Shredding the beets and apples for this deep fuchsia soup cuts down on the cooking time and keeps
the sweet-tart flavors fresh.

Ingredients

  1.  1 1/2 pounds medium beets, peeled and cut into wedges
  2. 2 Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into wedges
  3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  4. 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  5. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  6. 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
  7. 1/4 cup apple juice
  8. Salt
  9. 1/2 cup sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  10. Shaved or julienned beets and small beet greens, for garnish
  1. In a food processor fitted with the shredding disk or using a box grater, shred the beets and apples.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded beets and apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and 3 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the beets are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
  3. In a blender, puree the soup with the apple juice until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate until chilled, 45 minutes.
  4. Stir tablespoons of water into the soup if it gets too thick, then season with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in the 
sour cream. Garnish with shaved or julienned beets and beet greens and serve.
Make Ahead
The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. 

Have a great day
 

30 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - glad you're doing a few things even if the back hurts. I was wondering if you'd had the hip itself x-rayed - I hadn't and that was what was causing my backache and why I walked and limped. Worth having that checked out. I thought if they x-rayed my back they'd do my hip ... no!! So worth a check- in with the doc.

    The beetroot and apple soup looks and sounds delicious - I've been eating beets recently - freshly cooked. Colmans is on my list ...

    Take care and enjoy the late summer and early autumn .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Not for a while Hilary. He told me, last time, that it wasn't yet bad enough for me to feel any benefit. I have one hip replacement of course.

      Yes, I really want to make this soup. Looks so good. You don't keep Colman's in house. I always do.

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  2. I thought the berries this summer were pretty bad. Neither blue- or strawberries were sweet and tasty at all. I even tried putting them in baked goods and they were still too tart. I love corn on the cob but I didn't buy it that much. The first package I got, there were white worms under the husks and that grossed me out. I got a few after that, where you could shuck the corn in the grocery store but truly it's a lot of work. Russell likes his cut off the cob to eat and it's just easier and less messy to have frozen corn.

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    1. These blueberries are a lot better JoJo. We have had some good strawberries and some pretty lousy ones. Luckily I can get fresh corn from the farm, much the best way to buy it. Corn needs to be eaten quickly after it's been picked for the best taste.

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  3. Sorry about your back.
    So it's more of a hot mustard? I'd like to try that.

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    1. Thanks Alex.

      I am not sure you will be able to find it in NC. I never could. Friends used to bring it down from Canada.

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  4. I never thought of microwaving corn like that. Will have to try it sometime. Hope your back feels better soon.

    betty

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    1. Me too Betty. It is basically standing for a while that bothers it.

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  5. It is time to head to the farmer's market for corn and beets. Love both.

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    1. Me too Susan, one of the delights of summer.

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  6. I like a good English mustard. I love chilli, curry and wasabi too. Mustard is a different hotness isn't it. It goes straight to your sinuses instead of burning your tongue.

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    1. Never thought of it before Pinky, but yes, you're right. Most of the mustard generally eaten over here is very wimpy stuff IMHOP not like mustard at all.

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  7. I have never heard of this mustard just the typical one we buy at the grocery store. I bet it is better and much more of a kick. It makes sense because it is more close to what mustard is and not "watered" down. If I were in a restaurant I would try this soup to see if i like it. My hubby would not like it all. I hope your back will begin to ease of pain wise.

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    1. A good deli store should sell it, but thinking about it Birgit, you are in Canada so it is marketed under the name Keene's too. Not too sure my hubby would like it either.

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  8. Hope your back gets better real soon Jo.
    That does look a lovely recipe ... and yes Colman's is the word for mustard (although I know many like Dijon)

    Happy September Wishes

    All the best Jan

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    1. Oh I love Dijon too Jan. You can make an approximation of Dijon using Coleman's and white wine vinegar. Unfortunately Colman's is not readily available here and when I lived in the States I couldn't find it at all. People had to bring it to me.

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  9. I hope your back has settled down, Jo. That soup looks pretty! And I'm a fan of Dijon mustard, but I'm not that particular. Long as it's hot enough. :-)

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    1. Better than it was Denise thanks. I like Dijon, but, for a hot mustard it must be Colman's

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  10. It's intermittent Denise. I like Dijon but sometimes only Colman's is hot enough.

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  11. Doing exercise daily make our body fit. As you keep on doing exercise your back will get alright.
    Colorful dish...

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    1. I hope you are right. At my age, I am not so sure.

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  12. Back pain is the worst. It keeps us from sitting, walking, or even resting in bed with any relief. Heating pad sometimes works for me. Wishing you the best.

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    1. Thanks, so very true Roland. I do use a heat pad sometimes.

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  13. I use that mustard powder alllllll the time. Love it. Love blueberries as well. Hope you're feeling better.

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    1. I'm surprised you can get it Ivy. Don't know where you live, but I could never find it in NC.

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    2. It's in lots of places here. But we have access to lots of imported goodies like this. Plus, it's the only mustard powder I use.

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    3. Though, I would try others because that to me is the fun of being a cook and baker. Trying things.

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    4. Never come across any other mustard powder Ivy. I do agree with you about trying things though.

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  14. That soup sounds delicious but a bit too cold for us at the moment. It's going into my Jo's recipe file for later in the year.

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    1. Yes, not your time for cold soups Helen. So pleased you have a file of my recipes.

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