Slow cooked beans with Ham Hock from Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen

You know those books that give you the warm and fuzzy's and go perfectly with a cup of tea, curled on the couch but just as good splattered with food in your kitchen. Sophie Hansen's books are just that. I have them all and I need to confess before rambling on any further. I am a Fan Girl. So when I was kindly sent her newest book Around the Kitchen Table: Good things to cook, create and do - the whole year through which she wrote with her mother, Annie Herron, excited was an under statement. 

This book is different to any other cookbook I own or have read. Not only is it a cookbook but also a bit of an art journal. Annie, Sophie's Mother is an artist and runs an Art School. Like all Sophie's books, it is divided into seasons and within each of these chapters is not only mouthwatering recipes but arts and crafts for example; how to paint a bird, mono printing, collage, craft ideas like making a Christmas wreath and drawing prompts throughout it. You don't need to be an artist to enjoy or use this part of the book at all, just like you don't need to be a chef. It's for the at-home creatives out there. 

The photography, as always, is just magical. Sophie is based in Orange NSW so gets the hot summers, filled with green meadows, sandy beaches and vibrant coloured fruits but also the chilly winters with frosty mornings, thick socks and baked goodies that you just know will taste delicious... mmmm still warm out the oven. Oh I dream of cold winter days, but they are far and non existent here in FNQ. It really is just hot and hot up here. But in saying that, it didn't stop me from pulling out the slow cooker the other week and making a call to the butcher to check they had a ham hock in their deep freeze I could buy. 

Slow cooked beans with Ham Hock. The hardest thing about this recipe was finding the ham hock. Such a simple recipe to put together, it's the time that does all the work while you can go off and attempt your hand at some mono-printing maybe or just put your feet up with a cuppa knowing dinner is sorted. Such a satisfying feeling. 

I used canned beans like Sophie suggests you which eliminated cooking dried beans for an hour and although I haven't tried this recipe with dried beans to compare, using canned were perfect. It's smokey and rich and salty and a real belly warming dinner. I will be hitting up our local butcher again to get more ham hocks thats for sure. I served it for dinner, ladled over a baked potato, topped with greek yoghurt and fresh parsley but this would be amazing on some thickly sliced sourdough toast with a gooey poached egg on top. And another great thing, it freezes well and knowing we have a portion of this in the freezer that can be nooked in the microwave at a moments notice for a quick dinner or a special breakfast is a very lovely thought.

'Images and text from Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron, photography by Sophie Hansen. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99'

Slow-cooked beans with ham hock

Recipe from Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 mins, plus overnight soaking 

Cook time: 6¼ hours 

I try to regularly make a batch of these through winter so that there’s always something healthy and hearty in the fridge ready to reheat. We all love this on toast and it’s a great filling meal to start the day, especially on those long, cold days when we don’t get home until late in the evening. These beans are also good for lunch and dinner, as per my serving suggestions below.

2½ cups (500 g) dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water

1 smoked ham hock

2 brown onions, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 cm (½ inch) rounds

2 thyme sprigs

400 g (14 oz) tin cherry tomatoes

2 cups (500 ml) tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)

Drain the beans and place them in a large saucepan of water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender and cooked through.

Turn the slow cooker to high. Drain the beans and tip them into the slow cooker.

Put the ham hock in the saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the ham hock and place it on top of the beans in the slow cooker.

Add the onion, carrot, thyme, tomatoes and passata. Pour in 1 cup (250 ml) water, or enough to just cover the beans and ham hock. Gently stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and pomegranate molasses, if using. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours (or for up to 7 hours if that suits you – perhaps add a little more liquid towards the end as those beans can get thirsty!).

Remove the ham hock and shred the meat from the bone, then return the meat to the beans and gently stir.

Notes:

You can use 2–3 x 400 g (14 oz) tins of white beans instead of dried beans. They won’t need soaking or pre-cooking – simply drain and rinse them, then add them to the slow cooker with the ham hock.

Serving suggestions:

• Pile the beans on top of baked jacket potatoes and finish with a little plain yoghurt and chopped parsley.
• Divide the beans among small ovenproof plates, make a dent in each, crack in an egg, dot with feta and parmesan cheese and parsley, then cook in a hot oven for 15–20 minutes or until the eggs are just cooked through.
• Thin out the beans with stock and serve them as a stew or soup.
• Use the beans as a jaffle or toasted sandwich filling.

Lion's Head Meatballs from A Common Table by Cynthia Chen McTernan

Just Arthur and I here again. With my mountain of new books, of course, cookbooks. *Sigh* they are my happy place. For some, it's handbags and shoes, for me, it's cookbooks. I can't help it. I also went to a beautiful book launch the other week with a friend and there were three very talented authors there who I follow on instagram, read their blogs and listen to their podcasts (multiple times over) so it was ONLY polite to buy all three books (A Tree in the House by Annabelle Hickson, A Basket by the Door by Sophie Hansen and Tortellini at Midnight by Emiko Davies). I left with my arms full, a delicious biscuit in hand (Golden Syrup Biscuits from Sophie's book) and a buzz in my tummy. Such a lovely afternoon that finished with an indoor picnic on my couch and chats. Pretty darn perfect if you ask me. I think we were both on a high from prosecco (only a glass!), cake and books.

There are also a few books from other bloggers and chefs that I've bought this year... I know, I know, shhhhh. (New Kitchen Basics by Claire Thomson, A Common Table by Cynthia Chen McTernan and Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger) Some were from Christmas & Birthday too, calm down (Strudel, noodles and Dumplings by Anja Dunk and Family by Hetty McKinnon). I am practically bouncing with all the recipes I want to cook, but most importantly, EAT. Not enough time in the day or enough mouths at home to feed. I can fix the later of those two.

I am sitting here hungry writing this... mmmmm.

  

Shanghai stir-fried chunky noodles by Fuchsia Dunlop from Land of Fish and Rice

The other day I was extremely lucky and received a copy of Fuchsia Dunlop's new cookbook 'Land of Fish and Rice' in the mail. Fuchsia Dunlop is known for her authentic Chinese cooking but I've never owned one of her cookbooks before, having heard only good things everywhere I was pretty exciting to get a copy. The first thing I did was grab a pen and paper to make my shopping list, knowing well and good I'd need to stock my pantry with a few bits and pieces from the Asian supermarket. What I didn't realise was that there would be quite a number of vegetables that I've never heard of and to be honest, no idea what or where to look for them.

It was the dumpling section of the book which had me hooked the minute I flicked to it. I have a weakness for Chinese dumplings, doesn't everyone?! but the thought of making them on a Thursday night after work was a little intimidating so I'll admit it, I went for an easier looking, midweek option rather then some of the other more complicated dishes in this cookbook. The other section of the book which I was drawn to was the noodles and rice chapter, any type of fried noodles or rice and I'm done. I decided to make the Shanghai stir-fried chunky noodles as it can be a stand alone dish or part of a banquet style dinner, plus the ingredients weren't too obscure and no random vegetables I'd never heard of so I jumped at it almost instantly.

My first tip if you're going to make this dish or in fact any of the dishes that require stir-frying in this book, get a wok. I don't have one and I kind of struggled. The pot I used had noodles sticking to the bottom instantly and needed soaking for a good 48 hours after. My second piece of advice when making this dish is get the wok stupidly hot! Do not use your crock pot like me and have it over a medium flame. I felt like I was having a work out trying to toss the noodles and get to the the bottom of the pan to stop the sticking.

Apart from my pan troubles, the flavour of these noodles with strips of lean pork dotted throughout and crunchy pakchoi was delicious. It was salty and comforting and the vegetables added a lovely freshness to the whole dish, it was moorish. I could have eaten the whole pot myself in one sitting if my stomach had allowed it. Normally when I make a throw-everything-in-a-pot-stir-fry I make them a little heavier on the vegetables but what I've come to realise is that Chinese cooking is a lot about sharing a variety of dishes so I think a vegetable dish on the side would be a perfect combo to these noodles.

I can't wait to get stuck into the other recipes in this book and even plan a banquet style dinner party... might need to tell people to byo a chair but it'd be worth it to try some of the other dishes. A trip to the asian fruit and veg store might need to happen first and maybe even bring the cookbook along with me so I can ask for help. With some of the ingredients I wouldn't even know where to start but there is nothing wrong with a challenge now and then for a delicious dinner.

Shanghai stir-fried chunky noodles

by Fuchsia Dunlop from 'Land of Fish and Rice'

100g lean pork
425g fresh Shanghai noodles or Japanese udon
2 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
200g baby green pakchoi or 2 large handfuls of spinach (I used regular pakchoi)
1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
salt
ground white pepper

for the marinade:
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
2 teaspoons potato starch (potato flour)
1 tablespoon beaten egg or 1 tablespoon cold water

- Cut the pork evenly into thin slices, then into slivers. Add the marinade ingredients and mix well.

- Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes (fresh shanghai and udon are half-cooked when you buy them which is why this doesn't take long) or if using dried noodle, according to packet instructions. Turn the cooked noodles into a colander and cool under the cold tap. Shake them dry. Drip over 1/2 tablespoon oil and stir in thoroughly to prevent sticking.

- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add the pork strips and stir-fry swiftly to separate them. When they are just cooked, remove from the wok and set aside.

- Clean and re-season the wok if necessary, then return it to a light flame with the remaining oil. Add the noodles and stir-fry until piping hot (if you used regular pakchoi, add it with the noodles), adding both soy sauces and seasoning well with sale and ground white pepper. Add the baby pakchoi or spinach and continue to stir-fry until just wilted. Finally, stir in the pork. Serve.

Land of Fish and Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop is published by Bloomsbury Publishing, August 2016 (RRP $49.99).

Pork and Sweet potato red curry with lazy brown rice.

On this rainy, cool Tuesday morning it felt like a Monday... humpf (we had a long weekend here in Australia so to a lot of us it kinda was a Monday). Waking up to find that Arthur has just discovered the toilet paper and decided it's a fun game to spin it until all the toilet paper end ups in a pile on the floor all ripped with holes in it somehow I don't think I was the only one who felt this either. The guy in front of me on the train this morning had his t-shirt on inside out (he bought it from cotton on and wore a size medium) and the man next to me was on the phone most of the train trip trying to get his flat tire fixed that by the sound of it he had only discovered flat this morning.

We have been having some of the oddest weather here in Sydney and today I feel like I should be in a scarf and my gumboots but instead I turned up to work with soggy socks then trekked it out again for the morning coffee run. On days like these I crave food that tastes like it has spent hours cooking on the stove or in the oven. Something that fills your cold little belly with a warm home cooked meal. 

During the week I feel like I cheat this little blog, I don't often stretch my cooking skills or bake much at all (or any eeek). I pick quick meals to cook. When I get home form work at 6:30pm, I give Arthur some much deserved cuddles, kick off my shoes, strip my uncomfortably too tight pencil skirt off, slip on a pair of daggy old sports shorts, tie my hair up in a sprout on top of my head and start on dinner. I want to be sitting down eating by 7:30... at the latest. 

Yes I know what your thinking - I'm a nanna. I can't help it.

Tonights dinner I got from Donna Hay's book 'no time to cook'. It has the flavours of a slow cooked dinner, the vegetables that give you that comforting full tummy feeling and the meat was so tender that you would be completely fooled when I tell you that it only took about 30 minutes of cooking but tastes like it cooked for hours. What more can you want from a mid-week dinner on a rainy Tuesday which feels like a Monday??

Pork and sweet potato red curry with lazy brown rice.

- recipe adapted from Donna Hay's 'no time to cook'

Serves 3 

note - this is a mild curry (unless you get the HOT curry paste)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red curry paste 

1 brown onion, sliced into chunks

1 teaspoon jarred grated ginger

400g can coconut cream

200ml water (I half filled the coconut cream can with water and gave it a slosh around)

1 vegetable stock cube

1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced

200g pork fillet, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dried coriander leaves (a small handful of fresh would be better but I didn't have any)

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1.5 cup brown rice

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

- Start with your rice. If your using white rice you can start it after you have the sweet potatoes boiling but brown rice takes longer. Put your brown rice, water and salt in a medium pot, give it a stir and bring it to the boil. Once it reaches boiling stage reduce it to low (as low as your stove can go), place a lid ajar and set a timer for 25 minutes.

- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot on high heat. Add the curry paste and cook for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and ginger and fry for about 4 minutes or until the onions have softened but not coloured.

- Add the sweet potato, coconut cream, water and stock cube and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potato is soft.

- Keep en eye on your rice! If the timer has finished, turn the heat off. Place the lid on properly and leave it for 10 minutes to keep steaming.

- Add the pork to the coconut cream sauce and cook for a further 6-8 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (this will depend on how thin you sliced your pork).

- Stir in the fish sauce and coriander at the last minute and serve with brown rice. 

A nice addition would be to add some freshly sliced chilli on top if you like a bit of spice!