Tatty Apron

Salmon steak, indigo milkcaps, sweet peas, garlic scapes, white wine sauce.

It's all about the milk this season, I guess 😉

Indigo milkcaps/milkweed pods/chicken and rice.

My lunches lately look like this: a cacophony of young and fresh farmers market vegetables lightly sautéed, warm legumes, herbs from the garden, and something I foraged. In this case, day lily fritters. Tossed in everything in a vinaigrette. I studded it with a wonderful blue cheese from Quebec for richness and sharpness. Very, very happy with this one.

Last night's menu was a mishmash of stuff I love to make and eat; from dishes using ingredients I forage and those I grow in my garden, to French, and Romanian fare. Had a great group of guests to cook this diverse menu for!

The kitchen garden's not looking too shabby 🌱🌱🌱, my back has that honor 😒

It's no secret that one of my favourite foods is octopus, especially if it's extra tender. I got a great looking octopus that I marinated, placed it in a 5 hour sous vide, then charred. It sits atop spiced braised aubergine, butter beans, and labneh. Also whipped up some sumac flatbread to sop all of the saucy goodness up with. I am currently on cloud 9 😊 with octopus

It's asparagus season! The local aparagus is looking so good right now and I am a bit over eating it simply as a side, so I'm making it the star of this orecchiette pasta dish.

I saved those tender purplish tips and gave them a nice sauté , I then sliced the stalks and sautéed them with garlic, peperoncini, shallots, and a bit of anchovy. While the pasta was cooking, I blitzed the asparagus stalk mixture alongside some of the pasta water, a squeeze of lemon, and some olive oil to make it into a kind of pesto. Once the pasta was cooked, I tossed it with the pesto and added in the asparagus tips. A nice shaving of pecorino and some more EVOO, and you've got yourself an increadibly delicious and seasonal pasta dish.

Lovage, that most enchanting ancient herb isn't widely used anymore but it's slowly beginning to make a comeback, as it should! It's so wonderful in soups, stews, and so much more. It's at its absolute best right now as the leaves are still tender and full of flavour.

This lovage and potato soup with a fried egg on top makes for a fantastic hearty lunch.

The last of the foraged morels, wild leeks, and stinging nettles made their way into a quiche. I used crème fraîche instead of cream, as well as a mix of Appenzeller and Gruyere cheeses for real depth of flavour. OMG was it ever good!

Bavette steak/morels/pomme frites. Doesn't get much better than this 😋🍄‍🟫

Every spring before the first mowing of the lawn I make sure to make this punchy and crazy healthy dandelion crown salad. There isn't enough space here for me to boast about the health benefits of dandelion because there are many. I'm all about flavour here! The dandelion crowns are cleaned and washed very well then dressed in a vinaigrette of anchovies, Dijon, garlic, olove oil, and red wine vinegar. I like some bacon in there too, and crispy olive oil croutons.

The hors d'oeuvres from last night's Spring Supper Club event chez moi:
*Beet and gin cured salmon on crème fraîche, pastry cups, pickled magnolia, forget-me-not flowers.
*Wild leek compound butter and white marinated anchovies on toasted homemade bread, garlic mustard flowers.
*Nettle fritters with whipped chevre and pecorino dip.

Every year I fret over not finding enough morels for my Spring Supper Club, and then comes the moment of complete elation. This is that moment ☺️🙏

Recipe development in progress :)

I consider the STINGING NETTLE the queen of all wild foods not only for the multitude of culinary uses but also for its healthful medicinal properties.

I cannot wait to enjoy the unique earthy flavors of this year's very first batch! #

Pickrel on a ramp, nettle, crème fraîche and potato mash. Charred ramps and trout lilies for a hint of sweetness.

Forager's pizza 😊

Craving French bistro fare tonight so I made a tender steak bavette with pomme frites, demi-glace, and a bit of bernaise sauce for the frites. A side of frisee salad dotted with lardons and bathed a punchy dijon vinaigrette.

The key to a tender bavette if you don't have time to marinate it overnight is the sous vide treatment which will take only 2 hours.

It really transported us to our favourite bistros in a flash.
🥰

Pickerel is a fabulous fish to cook with. It's just firm enough to not fall apart but has great texture and great flavour! Paired with a creamy celeriac purée , orange and white wine braised fennel and spinach, and a fennel slaw garnish . Chef's kiss 👌

The Sunday sausage and beef shank ragù because Sundays are made for slow cooking .

I don't often find lamb leg steaks, so when I do I jump on them! They cook quickly and as such are well suited for a weeknight meal. I cannot resist sorrel either on the rare occasions I come accross it. How beautifully these flavours came together!
Lamb leg steak, fried polenta, and sorrel beurre blanc.

Enjoyed this spectacular catered in house dinner ❤️

Tonight it was herb crusted rack of lamb, honey soy glazed baby eggplant, buttery green beans, and roasted fingerling potatoes 😋

Christmas Eve in our house is a simple affair reserved for cooking up a few Kiwi Christmas classics like pineapple & apricot glazed ham and a mango ginger coulis Pavlova with raspberries and kiwi. I also prepared fingerling potatoes bathed in a luscious mushroom and chestnut bechamel sauce. Merry Christmas!

Pork rib chop, buttery homemade spätzle, fennel slaw, and an especially moorish mustard sauce thanks to a bit of flambéed smoked whiskey 😋